[To Ernest Rhys]
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328 Mickle Street1
Camden New Jersey U S America
Nov. 9 1885
My dear Sir2
Excuse the delay—I have rec'd the draft for 10 pounds, 10 shillings, & have
drawn the money. As I understand it, the plan is to make a selection from my Poems
& put them in a Volume of your "Canterbury" series, to be called Walt
Whitman's
Poems,—you to select—& perhaps to write
Preface or Biographical notice, or what not—I am willing—on the sole
& specific condition that it is not to come for sale to this country, without
further & written permission from me.
Walt Whitman
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Correspondent:
Ernest Percival Rhys
(1859–1946) was a British author and editor; he founded the Everyman's
Library series of inexpensive reprintings of popular works. He included a volume
of Whitman's poems in the Canterbury Poets series and two volumes of Whitman's
prose in the Camelot series for Walter Scott publishers. For more information
about Rhys, see Joel Myerson, "Rhys, Ernest Percival (1859–1946)," Walt
Whitman: An Encyclopedia, ed. J.R. LeMaster and Donald D. Kummings (New
York: Garland Publishing, 1998).
Notes
- 1. This letter is addressed:
Ernest Rhys | 59 Cheyne Walk | Chelsea | London SW | England. It is postmarked:
CAMDEN | NOV | 9 | 5 PM | 1885 | N.J.; NEW YORK | NOV 9 | 11 PM | 85; LONDON.
S.W. | RB | NO 20 | 85. [back]
- 2. Ernest Rhys
(1859–1946) wrote on May 31, 1885: "Let me
say simply in a young man's way to you who are an old man now, how dearly and
earnestly I think of you across the sea to-night, remembering the Past, looking
on to the great to-morrow, for perhaps of all young men you have helped me most
powerfully & perfectly." On July 7, 1885 Rhys
proposed a one-shilling edition of Whitman's poetry in The
Canterbury Poets series. On September
25–29 Rhys wrote for the third time after waiting "for a reply
so far in vain," and included the payment from Walter Scott, the English
publisher of The Canterbury Poets. On Rhys's letter
Whitman wrote: "the little English selection from L. of G. is out since, &
the whole edition (10,000) sold." For more information about Rhys, see Joel
Myerson, "Rhys, Ernest Percival (1859–1946)," Walt
Whitman: An Encyclopedia, ed. J.R. LeMaster and Donald D. Kummings (New
York: Garland Publishing, 1998). [back]