WILLIAM ROSE BENET - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 12/28/1928 - HFSID 72971

WILLIAM ROSE BENET
The poet writes a letter describing the death of his wife, poet Elinor Wylie
Autograph Letter signed: "William Rose Benet", 1 page, 5½x8½. New York, N.Y., 1928 December 28. On letterhead of The Saturday Review to "Dear Mrs. Wainwright". In full: "Your letter touched me very much. You knew her as a hero. She died like a hero. The only Comfort is that she died so suddenly. She had got to her feet, & fell. It seems impossible. I feel sure she is going on. All that you say of her is true. I know hw fond she was of you. I should like to call upon you when you come to New York. I cannot say much now, except Thank you again". Fine condition. Accompanied by autograph envelope signed "WRB"  5½x4¼) above the printed return address of The Saturday Review, addressed in his hand to "Mrs. Jessie Wainwright, 912 Clay Avenue, Scranton, Pennsylvania". Unevenly toned. Otherwise, fine condition. William Rose Benet (1886-1950), the brother of poet Stephen Vincent Benet (1898-1943) and husband of poet and novelist Elinor Wylie (1885-1928), founded the "Saturday Review of Literature" (1924), editing it until his death. He was also an accomplished poet, winning the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry (1942) for "The Dust Which is God." Elinor Wylie, suffering from Bright's disease aggravated by a bad fall, died of a stroke on December 16, 1928. A final volume of her poems appeared after her death, edited and published by Benet. Two items.