[Letter] 1902 January 24, N.Y. [to] Mr. Markham

[Letter] 1902 January 24, N.Y. [to] Mr. Markham

Herron, George Davis, 1862-1925

Spargo, John, 1876-1966

The Comrade (New York, N.Y.)

Literary Digest (New York, N.Y.)

Abbott praises Markham's latest book of poems and mentions Herron and his satisfaction with Markham's book as well. Abbott writes about spending less time working on "The Comrade" and that Spargo will be taking over as editor. Abbott will spend more time on the "Literary Digest". Abbott mentions Courtenay Lemon, an acquaintance, who will be visiting Markham.

Abbott, Leonard Dalton, 1878-1953

Edwin Markham Archive, Horrmann Library

1/24/1902

Wagner College, Staten Island, NY

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Text

AbbottL10

N.Y., Jan. 24/02.

Dear Mr. Markham,
I was more than pleased to get your kind note, - the more so because I feel I hardly deserved it. The article is very superficial, and was written during a stress of other work. I am not particularly proud of it. What especially pleases me is that you saw, back of its crudeness, something of what I felt and meant. The fact is, that your last book of poems came home to with quite exceptional strength and meaning, and there are passages that haunt me, strangely. I had already spoken to you (at the Whitman dinner) of the Wall Street poem. And surely "To Young America" was meant for me. And those other wonderful lines (which I see Howells quotes in his very sympathetic review in this months "North American"), too:
I heard that cry from your spirit then,
O wind of the Fall!
I, too, have carried the grief of men;
I have felt it all.
I had a long letter from Herron the other day, in which he tells me of the joy he had from this last book of yours. He calls the poems "sublime." Herron has sent me a noble poem which will be the leading feature of next month’s "Comrade." It is a magnificent creation, - one of the very finest things, if not the finest, that ever came from his pen. If it were written by anyone else, and had a “respectable” backing, I am sure its publication would be quite an event in the literary world. By the way, did you see his little poem in this month’s "Socialist Spirit?" I am compelled to give less time to "The Comrade." In fact John Spargo's name will appear as the editor in the next issue. At the same time I shall continue to cooperate and do all in power to help the magazine. The reason for the change is my increasing duties on the "Literary Digest." I am now editing the "Letters and Art" and "Religious" Departments on the "Digest," and, as the work is new and much harder than that I have been doing until now, it keeps me exceedingly busy for the present. Did you notice that I quoted from your review of the poetry of the year the other week?
I believe Courtenay Lemon is to be over to see you soon. He is quite a friend of mine, and I’m sure you will find him abundantly "worth while." In fact, of all the men in the Socialist movement that I know he is in some ways the most promising. I certainly hope we can come together again before long. Doubtless I could come over some Sunday again. Or perhaps some day you might be in our vicinity about noon, and we could lunch together?
With cordial greeting from
Leonard D. Abbott

2009

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