Charles P. Somerby to Walt Whitman, 4 October 1875
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CHARLES P. SOMERBY,
BOOKSELLER, PUBLISHER AND IMPORTER OF
Radical, Scientific, Positivistic and Oriental Literature,
No. 139 EIGHTH STREET,
(Few Doors East of Broadway,)
New York,
Oct. 4, 18751
Walt Whitman.
Dear Sir:
Inclosed find P.O. Order for $10. Have made every exertion to raise the $200 you require, and
find it utterly impossible to get it. This X is taken from my rent money, and makes us much short on
rent. The utter stagnation in the business world, coupled with eight failures
of those owing us, and many of the books that were supposed to be sold for cost by my predecessor being
returned, explains the situation. Had we not confidently expected
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trade to be good in September, we should not have made the same calculations we have. We had hoped that
you would accept our offer to get out your new book, and thus more than discharge our indebtedness to
you. Please allow us to do so now, if not too late. Mr. S. is a practical printer and proofreader, and
can follow faithfully any instructions you may give. Let us hear from you on this matter, please, at once,
if not too late. Each day, we look for a change in the state of trade. We will remit you more at the earliest
possible moment. Our mortification at our inability to send more is beyond expression, and we wish we could
see you to explain the exact situation.
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Correspondent:
Charles P. Somerby was one of the book dealers whom
Walt Whitman termed "embezzlers." In 1875, Somerby assumed the liabilities of
Butts & Co.; see Whitman's February 4, 1874,
letter to Asa K. Butts & Company. This proved to be a difficulty for Somerby, who, in reply to a lost letter on March 16, 1875, was
unable "to remit the amount you name at present." On May
5, 1875, he wrote: "It is very mortifying to me not to be in a
position to send you even a small portion of the balance your due."
On April 19, 1876, Somerby
reported that "I have been losing, instead of gaining." On May 6, 1876, he sent Walt Whitman a statement
pertaining to some volumes; on May 12, 1876, he
included a complete financial statement: in eighteen months he had made only one
cash payment, and owed Whitman $215.17. The firm was still unable to
make a payment on September 28, 1876. In August
1877, Whitman received a notice of bankruptcy dated August 8, 1877, from, in his
own words, "assignee [Josiah Fletcher, an attorney] of the rascal Chas P. Somerby." These manuscripts are in the Charles E. Feinberg Collection, of the
Papers of Walt Whitman, 1839–1919, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Notes
- 1. This letter is addressed: Walt Whitman, | 431 Stevens St., | (Cor West), | Camden, | N.J. It is postmarked: New York | Oct 5 | [illegible]AM. [back]