The Museum CollectionPoe Letter to Hiram Haines, August 19, 1836
Signature
Front
The text reads: "Herewith I send you the August number of the 'Messenger' — the best number, by far, yet issued. Can you oblige me so far as to look it over and give your unbiassed opinion of its merits and demerits in the 'Constellation'? We need the assistance of all our friends and count upon yourself among the foremost.
The contributions have, in most cases, the names of the authors prefixed. All after the word Editorial is my own. If you copy any thing please take my Review of Willis' 'Inklings of Adventure' — or some other Review. With sincere respect Yr ob. St Edgar A. Poe" 
Envelope
The back of the letter bears the address and the postmark. The residue of a wax seal is visible near the top center.
Description: While working as acting editor of the Southern Literary Messenger in Richmond, Virginia, Edgar Allan Poe wrote this letter to Petersburg, Virginia editor Hiram Haines. In the letter, Poe asks Haines to look over the August 1836 issue of the Messenger and to comment on it in Haines's magazine, The American Constellation. Poe states that all the Messenger's contributions after the word "Editorial" are his own and that his review of N.P. Willis's "Inklings of Adventure" is his best contribution to the issue.Hiram Haines (1802-1841) published a book of poetry, Mountain Birds and Blossoms, in 1825 and, with W.H. Davis, established the American Constellation in 1834, becoming the sole editor in 1837. In 1839, Haines edited Th' Time o' Day, and, in 1840, he launched the Virginia Star. He died the following year. The January 1836 issue of the Southern Literary Messenger quoted one of Haines's positive reviews of the magazine. The April 1836 issue of the Messenger commented that the Constellation had reprinted Poe's article "Autography." The following month, May 1836, Poe is said to have spent his honeymoon at Haines's coffee house, which is still standing in Petersburg, but the letter seen here, from August of that year, is the earliest surviving piece of correspondence between Poe and Haines. This is one of two letters from Poe to Haines the Poe Foundation owns. The Museum purchased the set for $600. Search CollectionCategories
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