Rufus W. Griswold Papers, 1834-1857 | Boston Public Library Archival and Manuscript Finding Aid Database

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Collection Overview

Title: Rufus W. Griswold Papers, 1834-1857

Collection Identifier: MS Gris.

Primary Creator: Griswold, Rufus, W., 1815-1857

Extent: 1285.0 Items

Arrangement: Arranged alphabetically.

Date Acquired: 00/00/1900

Subjects: American Literature — 19th Century — History and Criticism, Authors, American — 19th Century — Correspondence, Authors and publishers -- Correspondence, Carey, Alice, 1820-1871, Fields, James Thomas, 1817-1881, Graham's Magazine, Griswold, Rufus, 1815-1897, Hoffman, Charles Fenno, 1806-1884, Poe, Edgar Allan, 1809-1849., Poets, American — 19th Century — Correspondence, Poets and Poetry of America, Tucker, Beverley, 1784-1851, Whittier, John Greenleaf, 1807-1892

Languages: English

Abstract

This collection contains the letters of Rufus Griswold (1815-1857), editor of Graham’s Magazine and publisher of American literature and poetry in the mid 19^th century. The letters document his relationships – both professional and personal – with his contemporaries. Most notable is the correspondence between Griswold and Edgar Allan Poe.

Scope and Contents of the Materials

This collection contains the near entirety of Rufus Griswold’s correspondence between the years 1834 and 1857. In particular, it reflects his business dealings as editor of Graham’s Magazine, and publisher of The Poets and Poetry of America. Correspondence is primarily letters to Griswold from poets, authors, and other editors regarding publications and reviews.

The majority of the letters are related to either Graham’s Magazine or The Poets of America and include requests for publication or critical review. While the correspondence is business in nature, the letters also discuss the personal lives of such people as Rufus Griswold, Edgar Allen Poe, Elizabeth Ellet, and Frances Sargent Osgood.

Griswold’s publication, The Poets and Poetry of America, was the first anthology of American poetry and was published in 1842. From this publication stemmed others that are mentioned in the letters, among them The Female Poets of America, Prose Writers of America, Poets and Poetry of England.

Many of the letters in the collection have been printed in Passages from the Correspondence and Other Papers of Rufus W. Griswold, published by W. M. Griswold at Cambridge in 1898, and The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe, New York, 1902.

Subject/Index Terms

American Literature — 19th Century — History and Criticism
Authors, American — 19th Century — Correspondence
Authors and publishers -- Correspondence
Carey, Alice, 1820-1871
Fields, James Thomas, 1817-1881
Graham's Magazine
Griswold, Rufus, 1815-1897
Hoffman, Charles Fenno, 1806-1884
Poe, Edgar Allan, 1809-1849.
Poets, American — 19th Century — Correspondence
Poets and Poetry of America
Tucker, Beverley, 1784-1851
Whittier, John Greenleaf, 1807-1892

Administrative Information

Repository: Boston Public Library Archival and Manuscript Finding Aid Database

Access Restrictions: Collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions:

Items in this collection may be subject to copyright restrictions. The Boston Public Library does not hold copyright on the material in this collection. Researchers are responsible for identifying and contacting the persons or organizations that hold copyright.

When reproducing material from this collection please include the credit line "Courtesy of the Trustees of the Boston Public Library/ Rare Books."

Acquisition Method: Donated to the Boston Public Library by Mrs. Rufus Griswold in 1900.

Preferred Citation: Rufus W. Griswold Collection, MS Gris. Courtesy of the Trustees of the Boston Public Library. Courtesy of the Trustees of the Boston Public Library/Rare Books.

Processing Information: Finding aid prepared by Honor McCusker, c. 1963.

Finding Aid Revision History: Updated by Bethany Hirsch, November 2011.

Box and Folder Listing

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Box 12

Folder 755: Neal, John, 1793-1876.; Ms. poem, [1842]: N.p. "Apostrophe to New England. (Written when Massachusetts and Main [sic] were afield, about the Northeastern Boundary.)"
Folder 756: Neal, John, 1793-1876.; Ms. poem, 1843: N.p. "The Birth of Woman."
Folder 757: Neal, John, 1793-1876.; Ms. poem, 1843: N.p. "Your father is a man again."
Folder 758: Neal, John, 1793-1876.; Ms. poem, n.d.: N.p. "The Felon's Future."
Folder 759: Neal, Joseph Clay, 1807-1847. A.L.S. to R. W. Griswold, 30 November 1846: N.p. Is sending some of his sketches, from which Griswold is to make a selection [for Prose Writers of America].
Folder 760: Neal, Mary. A.L.S. to [Frances Sargent (Locke) Osgood], 23 February 1846: Portland, M.E. Asks for a lock of Mrs. Osgood's hair for the writer's collection.
Folder 761: Neal, Mary. A.L.S. to Frances Sargent (Locke) Osgood, 25 April 1846: Portland, M.E. Thanks Mrs. Osgood for sending a lock of her hair; is enclosing a note to [Edgar Allan] Poe asking for a lock of his.
Folder 762: Nealy, Mary Elizabeth (Hare), b. 1825. A.L.S. to R. W. Griswold, 5 April n.y.: Corydon, I.N. Inquires about the procedure in publishing a book.
Folder 763: Newbold, T. R. A.L.S. to ----, 13 November 1851: 410 Spruce St. Philadelphia, P.A. Asks advice on the publication of his translation from the French of "The Mysteries of Russia."
Folder 764: Nichol, John Pringle, 1804-1859. A.L.S. to R. W. Griswold, 27 March [1849?]: Philadelphia, P.A. Asks Griswold some questions about American politics and history; inquires particularly about Burr, Decatur, and Jefferson.
Folder 765: Nichols, Rebecca Shepard (Reed), 1819-1903. A.L.S. to R. W. Griswold, n.d.: N.p. Biographical data [for Female Poets of America]. Letter written and signed by Mary B. Williams, for Mrs. Nichols, with a note at the end written and signed by Mrs. Nichols herself.
Folder 766: Noble, Louis Legrand, 1813-1882. A.L.S. to R. W. Griswold, 21 January 1843: Hertford, N.C. Is sending a poem by J[ohn] S[teinford] Kidney. Asks Griswold to supervise publication of the writer's poem "Nihmahmin."
Folder 767: Noble, Louis Legrand, 1813-1882. A.L.S. to R. W. Griswold, 28 June 1843: Elizabeth City, N. C. Proposes to write a series of letters about the Carolina mountains, for Graham's.
Folder 768: Noble, Louis Legrand, 1813-1882.; Ms. poem, n.d.: N.p. Autobiographical sketch.
Folder 769: Norton, Andrews, 1786-1853. A.L.S. to R. W. Griswold, 14 August 1843: Cambridge. Asks Griswold to correct a misprint in the writer's poem ["Written After the Death of Charles Elliot," in Poets and Poetry of America].
Folder 770: Norton, Andrews, 1786-1853. A.L. to R. W. Griswold, 13 October 1843: Further corrections to be made in the writer's poems [in Poets and Poetry of America].
Folder 771: Norton, Andrews, 1786-1853. A.L.S. to R. W. Griswold, 7 January 1845: Cambridge. Suggests a list of American prose writers.
Folder 772: Norton, Charles Elliot, 1827-1908. A.L.S. to R. W. Griswold, 9 February 1855: Shady Hill, Cambridge. Sends a copy of [Andrews Norton's] Verses [Boston 1853].
Folder 773: Osborn, Laughton, c.1809-1878. Ms. copy of letter. to Edgar Allan Poe, 12 November 1845: N.p. Asks the return of some sonnets translated from the Italian by the writer, and submitted for publication [in the Broadway Journal].
Folder 774: Osgood, E. W. A.L.S. to R. W. Griswold, 4 August 1848: New York. Asks Griswold to see [George Rex] Graham about the latter's publishing The Literary World. The writer seeks [James] Bayard Taylor's place on The Tribune.
Folder 775: Osgood, Frances Sargent (Locke), 1811-1850.; Ms. poem, 3 March 1849: N.p. Sonnet: "For one, whose being is to mine a star."
Folder 776: Osgood, Frances Sargent (Locke), 1811-1850.; Ms. poem, n.d.: N.p. "Among green, pleasant meadows."
Folder 777: Osgood, Frances Sargent (Locke), 1811-1850.; Ms. poem, n.d.: N.p. "The Bouquet"; "Songs for Children."
Folder 778: Osgood, Frances Sargent (Locke), 1811-1850.; Ms. poem, n.d.: N.p. "Carrier's Address."
Folder 779: Osgood, Frances Sargent (Locke), 1811-1850.; Ms. poem, n.d.: N.p. "The Diamond-fay."
Folder 780: Osgood, Frances Sargent (Locke), 1811-1850.; Ms. poem, n.d.: N.p. "The fairy's lullaby"; "The Secret"; "Dirge for a Canary-bird."
Folder 781: Osgood, Frances Sargent (Locke), 1811-1850.; Ms. poem, n.d.: N.p. "The Holiday"; "The Child & bird"; "The orphan's song"; "The May-day song."
Folder 782: Osgood, Frances Sargent (Locke), 1811-1850.; Ms. poem, n.d.: N.p. "Hymn"; "Bird Chorus."
Folder 783: Osgood, Frances Sargent (Locke), 1811-1850.; Ms. poem, n.d.: N.p. "Let there be Light."
Folder 784: Osgood, Frances Sargent (Locke), 1811-1850.; Ms. poem, n.d.: N.p. Fragment: "The sunset burned above the tropic isle..."
Folder 785: Osgood, Frances Sargent (Locke), 1811-1850.; Ms. poem, n.d.: N.p. "Whithin a frame more glorious than the gem..."; "Reprove me not that I still change..."; "High connections."
Folder 786: Osgood, Frances Sargent (Locke), 1811-1850.; Ms. poem, n.d.: N.p. "Woman; or the Diamond-fay."
Folder 787: Osgood, Frances Sargent (Locke), 1811-1850.; Ms. poem, n.d.: N.p. "The wraith of the Rose."
Folder 788: Osgood, Samuel Stillman. A.N.S. to Mr. Wyatt, 7 September 1850: New York. Asks the return of Osgood's portrait of Edgar A[llan] Poe.
Folder 789: Osgood, Samuel Stillman. A.L.S. to R. W. Griswold, 5 January 1853: Louisville, K.Y. Has left a portrait of [Alice] Cary for Griswold, and two stories by Mrs. [Frances Sargent (Locke)] Osgood: part two of "Glimpses of a Soul" and "Kate Carol to Her Star" - the latter from Mrs. [Mary L. (Mumford)] Seward.
Folder 790: Osgood, Samuel Stillman. A.L.S. to R. W. Griswold, 12 June 1855: New York. Asks about two poems [of Frances Sargent (Locke) Osgood?] which Griswold has promised. Has completed his manuscript. Probably refers to a memoir of his wife which Osgood was then preparing.
Folder 791: Osgood, Samuel Stillman. A.L.S. to R. W. Griswold, 30 June 1855: New York. Is obliged to postpone publication of his memoir [of Frances Sargent (Locke) Osgood] because Griswold has not sent him some poems and other papers.
Folder 792: O'Sullivan, John Louis, 1813-1895. A.L.S. to R. W. Griswold, 24 July 1842: Philadelphia, P.A. Asks Griswold to furnish some "Anecdotes of the American Bench & Bar" for the [Democratic] Review.
Folder 793: O'Sullivan, John Louis, 1813-1895. A.L.S. to R. W. Griswold, 8 September 1842: New York. An account of the establishment and history of the Democratic Review.
Folder 794: Otis, Edmund Burke, 1819-1884. A.L.S. to R. W. Griswold, 2 January 1851: Boston, M.A., 9 State Street. Inquires about the writer's translation of George Sand's Jean Tiska, submitted by Griswold to Stringer & Townsend.
Folder 795: Otis, James Alleyne Gardner, b. 1800. A.L.S. to ----, 18 November 1841: Boston, M.A. Asks the addressee's terms for undertaking the editorship of the Boston Transcript.
Folder 796: [Otis, James F.] A.L. to ----, 11 June 1836: Washington, D.C. Promises an article. Sends a dozen autographs, with comments on each.
Folder 797: Otis, James William, 1800-1869. A.L.S. to R. W. Griswold, [25?] February 1854: New York. Biographical data on Sally (Foster) Otis [for The Republican Court].
Folder 798: Overall, John Wilfor, 1823-1899. A.L.S. to Stringer & Townsend, 13 March 1852: Mobile, A.L. Sends a poem, "The Funeral of Mirabeau," for the International Magazine.
Folder 799: P., A. Southron, pseud.; Ms. poem, n.d.: N.p. "To New York." Four lines added in pencil are much faded. On p.4 are two lines of verse in different hand.
Folder 800: Pabodie, William Jewett, 1813-1870. A.L.S. to R. W. Griswold, 11 June 1852: Providence, R.I. Refutes Griswold's statements concerning Poe's engagement to Mrs. [Sarah Helen (Power)] Whitman.
Folder 801: Parry & McMillan, A.L.S. to R. W. Griswold, 3 October 1855: Philadelphia, P.A. Notify Griswold of the dispatch of an unbound copy of The Poets of America, and ask him to review an anonymous novel, Helen Leeson; a Peep at New York Society [Philadelphia 1855].
Folder 802: Parry & McMillan, A.L.S. to R. W. Griswold, 27 December 1855: Philadelphia, P.A. Request corrections for a new edition of The Poets of America. Inquire about Female Poets of America.
Folder 803: Parsons, Thomas William, 1819-1892. A.L.S. to ----, 18 May 1854: Boston. Encloses a poem for the Lewis Gaylord Clark testimonial volume [The Knickerbocker Gallery, New York, 1855].
Folder 804: Parsons, Thomas William, 1819-1892.; Ms. poem, n.d.: N.p. "On a 'Magdalen" by Guido."
Folder 805: Patten, E. Fluide (?) A.L.S. to R. W. Griswold, 12 June 1855: Brooklyn, N.Y. Encloses a memoir of his brother, Major G[eorge] W[ashington] Patten.
Folder 806: Patten, E. Fluide; Ms., n.d.: Biographical sketch of the writer's brother, Major George Washington Patten. Written by E. F. Patten.
Folder 807: Paulding, James Kirke, 1778-1860. A.L.S. to Thomas W. White, 7 December 1855: N.p. A partial list of the writer's works, with a favorable comment on Poe.
Folder 808: Paulding, James Kirke, 1778-1860. A.L.S. to Edgar Allan Poe, 17 March 1836: New York. Regrets his inability to get Poe's work published in New York. Suggests he write a "tale" in two volumes. Remarks on lack of good writers in America and England.
Folder 809: Paulding, James Kirke, 1778-1860. A.L.S. to R. W. Griswold, 26 July [1853?]: Hyde Park, N.Y. Encloses a short description of the scenery around his home [for Homes of American Authors, 1853?].
Folder 810: Paulding, James Kirke. A.D., n.d.: N.p. Autobiographical sketch.
Folder 811: Peabody, Andrew Preston, 1811-1893. A.L.S. to ----, 8 December 1855: Portsmouth, N.H. Accepts an article submitted to him [for North American Review?].
Folder 812: Peabody, Ephraim, 1807-1856. A.L.S. to James T. Fields, 5 April 1849: N.p. Encloses some poems for inclusion in G[riswold's?] collection.
Folder 813: Peabody, Ephraim, 1807-1856. A.L.S. to James Freeman Clarke, 19 June 1855: Boston, M.A. Autobiographical data.
Folder 814: Peale, Rembrandt, 1778-1860. A.L.S. to ----, 12 November 1856: Philadelphia, P.A. Suggests various portraits, especially of the Washington family, for reproduction [in Washington: A Biography: Personal, Military, and Political. New York, 1856-60?].