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Text: Edgar Allan Poe to John Allan — August 4, 1829







Baltimore Aug: 4 — /29

    Dear Sir,
 
    I am unable to account for your not answering — if you are offended with me — I repeat that I have done nothing to deserve your displeasure. If you doubt what I say & think that I have neglected to use any exertions in the procuring my warrant — write yourself to Mr Eaton & he will tell you that more exertions could not have been — the appt might have been obtained for June if the application had been made 2 months sooner & you will remember that I was under the impression that you were making exertions to obtain the situation for me, while I was at Old Point & so situated as to be unable to use any exertions of my own — On returning home nothing had been done — it is therefore unjust to blame me for a failure, after using every endeavour, when success was impossible rendered so by your own delay —
 
    If you have not forgiven me for my former conduct — that is a different thing — but you told me that you had — I am however aware that I have many enemies at home who fancy it their interest to injure me in your estimation — [page 2:]
 
    By your last letter I understood that it was not your wish that I should return home — I am anxious to do so — but if you think that I should not — I only wish to know what course I shall pursue —
 
    If you are determined to do nothing more in my behalf — you will at least do me the common justice to tell me so — I am almost sure of getting the appt in Sepr & certain at any rate of getting it in June. if I could manage until that time I would be no longer a trouble to you —
 
    I think it no more than right that you should answer my letter —
 
    Perhaps the time may come when you will find that I have not deserved 1/2 the misfortunes which have happened to me & that you suspected me unworthily[.]

I am
Yours —
        Edgar A. Poe







Notes:

This letter is printed here with permission from the Valentine Museum in Richmond, Virginia. A photographic facsimile of this letter was published in Mary Newton Stannard, Edgar Allan Poe Letters Till Now Unpublished in the Valentine Museum Richmond, Virginia, Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott, 1925.
 
[S:1 - MS, 1829]