Autograph letter to Rudolph Ackermann, 1824

Henry NEELE

About this Item

Letter about Alaric Watts and a "strange misunderstanding" - autograph letter signed to R. Ackermann ("Dear Sir"): 2pp. 8vo, [London] (352 Strand), 30 December 1824. Large inkblot (the writer's doing) at the foot of the first page. "There has been a strange misunderstanding between Mr Alaric Watts of Leeds and me" - which has arisen from his having sent, "many months ago", a letter "to me to your care" and which Neele never answered "for the best of all reasons, that I never received it". Might Ackermann or one of his clerks remember it? Henry Neele (1798-1828) achieved literary recognition with his second book, Poems, Dramatic and Miscellaneous (1823), but - believing himself to be in financial difficulties - killed himself nine days after his 30th birthday. In 1823 Alaric Watts (1798-1864) had published his first book, Poetical Sketches; the following year he became editor of the annual The Literary Souvenir, to which Neele contributed in the last year of his life. Rudolph Ackermann (1764-1834) had just published his own annual, Forget Me Not: a Christmas and New Year's present, for 1825 - from which The European Magazine picked out for special notice Neele's "The Lover's Tomb", a poem "exquisitely tender, romantic, and wild". From the collection of Jonathan Gili. Seller Inventory # TM00060

Bibliographic Details

Title: Autograph letter to Rudolph Ackermann, 1824

Binding: No Binding

Condition: Very Good

Signed: Inscribed by Author(s)