Washington, Ga., April 4, 1847.
My Dear Friend, -- I wrote you a kind letter some time ago, but have received no answer to it up to this time. What is the matter ? Where are you ? Are you in the Cave of Trophonius, or where, that I cannot get the mere scratch of a pen from you ? I long to hear from you. What shall I say to induce you to answer my letters ? I have been thinking of late that you have never received it. Is it so ? If not, why not answer it, and tell me where you are, what you are doing, and what you intend to do?
I had the Home-Journal-Article republished in the "Atlanta Enterprise," and ordered Dr. Fouerden to direct the paper to you. He is a fine fellow and a good Poet -- a man of fine talents -- and wishes to become acquainted with you. From what I have said to him of you, he is determined to write to you. If he does so, speak to him kindly, as I know you will, for he is a man of real talents, and my sincere friend. You must not mind my half sheets of paper. I am not in a City now, and write with the first thing I can get hold of. I know you know my heart, and why should I get thin French paper to tell you how I am, and how I wish you to be ? What I feel ought to be engraved on brass with an iron pen. You will have seen before this, perhaps, an account of my newly-invented Throwstring Mill for spinning, doubling and twisting silk, about which I wrote you some time ago. I am spinning silk on the one I invented now. I received a letter from Charles J. Peterson today in regard to communications for his "National Magazine." Did you ever see a Poem of mine in Graham, entitled "Agnus, or, the Little Pet Lamb ? " If you ever have, tell me what you think of it. You will see a poem on you in the next No. of the "Atlanta Enterprise," which will show you what I think of you. I wrote you to send "The Return from the Dead " to Bartlett of the Luminary; but if you have not sent it to him, send it to Dr. Wm. Henry Fouerden, of the "Atlanta Enterprise " -- as he has written to me for something for his paper. I have made you an ocean of friends since I saw you last. Write me immediately upon the reception of this. How would you like to come to the South and establish a paper here ? Write to me.
"Awake! Arise ! or be forever fallen ! "
I consider Charles J. Peterson a perfect gentleman in every sense of the term. Do you know him ? Write me word how you pronounce this name -- Melpomene ? Mark the accents. Also Calliope. There has been a dispute here about the true pronunciation of them. Don't fail to do so; if you should, you would disappoint many. I know you know, and therefore, will abide by what you say. If you can get hold of the "Literary World" Send me a No., as I will not take it until I see a No. of it.
I will not tell you that I wish you well. I will be in New York the first of May: and if you don't write to me before then, you may expect to be passed in the street without ever being recognized by me. Remember! I give you warning; and if it should be the case, you can't blame me -- for it's your own doings. In great haste,
Yours forever,
Thos. H. Chivers.
E. A. Poe, Esqr.
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