W.H. Channing to John S. Dwight

CHANNING, WILLIAM HENRY (1810-84). A Series of Ten Autograph Letters Signed, Dec. 7, 1840-Sept. 4, 1850, from Channing, Transcendentalist editor and reformer to John S. Dwight, Transcendentalist, music writer and editorialist, colleague of Channing in editorial and reform activities. Twenty pages, in ink, 12mo to 4to in size. some staining & fraying, two letters fragile, most of them written in 1850, a critical period for Channing. $1,250.00

The first letter, from Cincinnati where Channing was editing The Western Messenger rejects an early sermon of Dwight (possibly published that year in the Dial). 1847-51 Dwight directed the choir of Channing's Religious Union of Associationists, and the series of letters during that period speaks cogently of the closeness of their personal lives. In an April 1850 letter Channing expresses his reasons for intending to discontinue his The Spirit of the Age (a radical successor to the Harbinger, devoted to "confederated communities" which ran less than a year and was ended that very month), declaring emotionally to Dwight that he "positively cannot write," but might be induced to continue if Dwight (his colleague on the Harbinger) would consent to write the editorials. He concludes that this will not happen in any event since he is loathe to ask their liberal friends to continue the necessary financial support. As reformers, talented men, and men of letters, Dwight and Channing both went through numerous life and career changes. Along with casual mention of everyday activities and friends (Margaret Fuller) there is considerable expression of the feelings between two close and congenial friends about difficulties encountered and the need for change. A small but choice archive; such material is rarely encountered in the marketplace.