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Allen Thorndike Rice to Walt Whitman, 16 November 1885

 loc.02914.001_large.jpg Dear Sir:

Your manuscript entitled "Abraham Lincoln" has been received. You will be notified, at the earliest opportunity, whether it is available for the North America Review.1

It has not yet been read.

Should your paper be returned it is proper to state, now, that the refusal of an article does not imply any want of appreciation of its intrinsic value. As I am accustomed to invite articles long in advance of their possible publication, the Review is ordinarily supplied with as much material as can be used for several coming numbers.

As a general rule, therefore, volunteer contributions, to ensure acceptance, must deal with topics of important and timely interest not previously provided for editorially.

Very truly yours, ALLEN THORNDIKE RICE. Walt Whitman, Esq.  loc.02914.002_large.jpg

Correspondent:
Charles Allen Thorndike Rice (1851–1889) purchased The North American Review in 1876. See also the letter from Whitman to John Burroughs of February 1, 1881.


Notes

  • 1. The sentence that begins "You will be notified" is crossed out. There is a drawn-in line beginning at the top of the page above the words "THE NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW" and extending to the bottom of the page. Both paragraphs following the sentence "It has not been read" are also crossed out. [back]
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