Text: John C. Miller, ed., “Entry 048: Sarah Helen Whitman to John H. Ingram, May 5, 1874,” Poe's Helen Remembers (1979), pp. 146-147 (This material is protected by copyright)

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48. Sarah Helen Whitman to John H. Ingram. Item 150

My dear Mr. Ingram,

Two or three weeks ago I wrote you that a sister of Senator Sprague had promised to obtain for me from a friend one or two volumes of Graham's Magazine. She did not know of what date, but would ask her friend to loan me such as she might happen to have.

This afternoon she brought me two bound volumes, one containing the numbers from Jan. to June, 1842; and one from Jan. to June;1850. In the March number of the vol. for 1850, I found the long-sought-for letter of George Graham to Willis! It is in “The Editor's Table,” & [page 147:] occupies three closely printed pages. It is eloquent & forcible, & contains some important facts in proof of Poe's integrity & fair dealing with publishers, etc.

How strange it is that so little use has been made of this letter!

I shall try to see Mrs. Lattimer this evening. If I cannot obtain permission to abstract these two pages, I will copy them for you verbatim & send them by the next mail. I will tell you about the contents of the other volume another time.

There are two articles in the 1850 vol. by the Thomas A. Wyatt, M.A., who is connected with the “Conchology” book.

To think that this letter should be placed, as it were, in my hands by the beneficent “princes & powers of the air,” when nobody could give me any, the slightest, clew as to its whereabouts!

I take it as a good omen for your success.

You have had infinite trouble in looking up facts & authorities, but I will commend to you the motto of my forefathers — Per crucrum ad coronam.

Ever your friend,