The Arkansaw traveler., 1889-11-02
HAWTHORNE LETTERS.
London Athenmum.

London Athepsum.
 More than half century has elapsed since the leading English authors, petitioning the American congress for international oopywright, declared that such law would have saved Sir Waiter Scott from the pecuniary difficulties which overshadowed the closing years Of his life. At that time young American was publishing tales which promised his country also "Wixard Of the north"; but 1t will be seen by the following letters now in the poses sion of Dr. John s. H. Fogg of Boston that his early life was overshadowed like that of Sir Wal ter at its close It s not doubtful, to one who reads the note-b books of Hawthorne, and remarks the many rich blossoms that bore fruit, that the world lost much through his struggle. He in- dulged a morbid fancy that he was under a retri- butive curse because his Salem ancestors had per- secuted "witches" but his real doom was a com- petition, for which his delicate genius was unit, with the unpaid noveliss of Europe. It is strange that proud and educated people like the Ameri- do not feel t scandal that among all their brilliant writers hardly Is able to live by au- thorship alone, or without alliance with some pub fishing enterprise.
 For the right understanding of the letters the following dates may be helpful Nathaniel Haw- thorne was born July4, 1904. His earliest literary productions were published in the Democratic Re- ctetO, edited by J. l.. OSullivan, who paid him five dollars per page. These were collected in 1887 under the title Twice told Tales" MT. George Bancroft, the historian being collector of Boston under the presidency of Van Buren, gave him place in the custom house of that city QSSS). He
 
 time with the Brook Farm Community (described in "The Blithedale Romance'0; married in 1s42 (Sophia Peabody, and went to reside at Concord, Mass. In lS46 he was appointed surveyor of the custom house, Salem, from which he was removed In 1S49 The letters, with one exception (that to his wife's sister, Miss Elizabeth Peabody, were written to his friend, George Stilman HillArd, au- thor of "Six Months in Italy" and other works.
 CONCORD, November 26, 1s43.
 wish st some leisure moment you would give hQ ta infa hr<nk nk store and enquire about the state of my "Twce told Tales" At the last accounts (now about a year since) the sales had not been sufficient to pay the expenses; but 1t may be otherwise now-else shall be forced to consider myself writer for pos terity at all events not for the present genera tioD. Surely the book was puffed enough to meet with 6 sale. What the devil Is the matter?
 We are very we'll here, and, as usual, preposter- ously happy.
 CONCORD March 24, 1S44.
 thank you for your kind and warm congratu- lations on the advent of our little Una-a name which wish you were entirely pleased with as l think you will be by and by. Perhaps the first impression may not be altogether agreeable: for the name has never before been warmed with human life, and therefore may not seem appro- priate to real flesh and blood. But for us, our child has already given it a natural warmth and when she has worn 1t through her life- time, and perhaps transmitted 1t to descendants of her own, the beautiful name will have become naturalized on earth whereby we shall have done good deed In bringing 1t out of the realm of Faery. do not agree with you that poetry ought not to be brought into common lite If flowers of Eden can be made to grow among the cabbages and squashes, 1t will please me 90 much the better those excel lent vegetables will b inst good to eat and tho Aowsrs 10 less delightful to co and smell. Affsrl mn8 w 4Am~ n A.