cots.page.IMG.0614.jpg
I am trying to grope my way along through work, though all the life has suddenly
been taken out of it. For some time past I have been under engagement to furnish
the Lippincotts
two papers, one on ante-bellum Southern literature and one on
post-bellum. The latter I am now working at and I want to make it as worthy of
the time as I can. Even if I had no desire to do you justice your work would
necessarily have to be included among the few who were the creators of a
Southern Literature. As I desire
cots.page.IMG.0614.jpg to be accurate, I venture to take the
liberty accorded to friendship and give you a little trouble. I want to know
[?] when and how you began to write for
publication, the order in which you wrote your published works and how you came
to publish. Knowing well your invincible modesty, I spare you any pain which is
not absolutely necessary and demand only the above information.
The earliest things I know of yours are some of your songs Had any one else put the buskin on the negro before you did so?
If you will give me the above information I shall use it without giving you the
slightest credit for it, and thus gain
cots.page.IMG.0615.jpgadditional reputation on my own
account to the small portion already won which
should have been shared by you as the pioneer and master.
I shall steadfastly count on you doing me this favor without unnecessary delay.
Although I can no longer hold out to you the attraction which had you come to see me when I previously invited you would have made you feel glad that you had been in my home, yet I still cherish memories of one who consecrated this house and for whose sake as well as my own I will be glad to see you when you can come, and learn how perfect she was.
God bless you my dear Harris
By the Center for Digital Research in the Humanities at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, in conjunction with the Center for the Humanities at Washington University in St. Louis.