James T. Fields — 3 Nov. 1862

To JAMES T. FIELDS
November 3, [1862], Wheeling

Mr. Fields.

Forgive me for leaving your note so long unanswered. I accept your offer to write for the Atlantic exclusively for this (coming) year at 8 dollars a page. But if we can arrange for my gaining admittance to any English magazine that will not interfere with this arrangement will it? When will you publish The Christmas story? [1] I wish to furnish you after that with a tale to run through two or three numbers.[2] Then I’ll try reviewing maybe [3]

Did Annie receive my second letter? I will be glad to hear from her. I hardly recognized the photograph as Mrs. Thaxter’s[4] at first. It scarcely does her justice do you think? When will I come to Boston? After Annie and you can say “How glad she was to see us!”

Will you write me a line immediately telling me if you meant that the Atlantic should be the only American magazine and when this story will appear.

Very truly,
R.B.H.

Notes

1. “The Promise of Dawn.”

2. “Paul Blecker” appeared in May-June 1863.

3. RHD’s first review for the Atlantic Monthly appeared in January 1863, a favorable review of Jessie Benton Frémont’s A Story of the Guard.

4. Celia Thaxter (1835-1894), American author and poet whom RHD met while in Boston in the summer of 1862.

Key Words

“Paul Blecker”, “The Promise of Dawn”, English publication, financial issues, reviews by RHD

Source

Richard Harding Davis Papers, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia

Contributor

S. M. Harris