I have published one long notice, (written by myself,) and the two short notices sent me from you—as you have doubtless seen by the papers I sent you.—All have been printed in the editorial columns.—
But I have not yet received my copy of the Dictionary.—I have called several
times at Mr. Newman's,2 but they have either not had any
copy in Russia binding, or were averse to giving me
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one.3—If convenient, upon the receipt of this, I wish you would envelope a
Dictionary, and put on it my address (as below) and send it to
Newman's—labelled "to be called for."—Let it be Russia
bound—black, or some other dark color.—I shall publish the notices
received the other day—and from time to time, what others you send.—
I still have the note you wrote me, embodying an order on Mr. Newman for a Dictionary— which order I will give him, when my copy arrives.—
Walter Whitman Publisher "Freeman" 106 Myrtle avenue, Brooklyn L.I.Correspondent:
George (1803–1880)
and Charles Merriam (1806–1887) were booksellers in Springfield,
Massachusetts. They established a publishing company called G & C Merriam,
Co. in Springfield in or about 1831 (some sources cite 1833). Following the
death of the lexicographer Noah Webster (1758–1843), they acquired the
rights to Webster's An American Dictionary of the English
Language from J. S. and C. Adams. They proceeded to release revised and
updated versions (as well as quarto and university editions) throughout the next
four decades. Merriam's younger brother Homer would later join them in this
effort. Today, the Merriam brothers' company exists as Merriam-Webster and
continues to publish editions of Merriam-Webster's Dictionary. For more
imformation on the Merriams and their company, see G & C Merriam Co. records
and correspondence, Connecticut Historical Society and G. & C. Merriam
Company Collection, Amherst College Archives and Special Collections.