HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 02/14/1878 - HFSID 261599

HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow sends a letter asking for the complete poem that he will use in an upcoming publication.
Autograph Letter Signed: "Henry W. Longfellow", 1¼p, 4½x7. Cambridge (Massachusetts), 1878 February 14. Begins: "My Dear Sir". In full: "I am much obliged to you for your brother's poem on 'Sambro Light'. I like it well, and shall be very glad to use it in 'Poems of Places'. What you sent seems to be only a part of the poem. If there is more, be kind enough to oblige me still further by sending it. Yours very truly." Longfellow was Editor-in-Chief of Poems of Places, a 31-volume anthology of poetry published in Boston by James R. Osgood in 1877-1878 and 1878-1879. American poet and linguist Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) graduated at 18 from Bowdoin College so adept at languages that he studied European languages overseas for four years following his graduation in 1825. In 1829, he became the librarian and the Professor of Modern Languages at Bowdoin until 1835. He joined Harvard's language staff following a second European tour (1835-1836), during which he was particularly influenced by German Romanticism. While at Harvard (1836-1854), Longfellow published his first works, including the poetic volume, Voices in the Night (1839). He attained fame eight years later with his narrative poem, Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie (1847). After 1854, Longfellow devoted his time to writing, producing such works as the poetic masterpiece, The Song of Hiawatha (1855), and Tales of a Wayside Inn (1863), which contained his famous poem, "Paul Revere's Ride". Wide acclamation enabled Longfellow to be self- supporting, a rarity for a 19th century poet and writer. Fine condition.