John Greenleaf Whittier to William J. Allinson

JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER to WILLIAM J. ALLINSON Nineteen unpublished letters from the Quaker poet to his friend in Burlington, New Jersey. Edited by Edward D. Snyder* The Haverford College Library has recently been given a notebook containing manuscript copies of nineteen letters from the poet Whittier to his close friend William J. Allinson of Burlington , New Jersey. The gift comes to the College through Margaret Taylor Macintosh , a granddaughter of William J. Allinson, who had it from another granddaughter, Elizabeth Allen Carey. Mrs. Carey's mother was Mr. Allinson's oldest daughter, and the notebook has been in the possession of that branch of the family ever since the letters were copied into it by an amanuensis now unknown. This amanuensis was at times so hasty that it has been necessary to edit the letters, correcting many annoying slips of spelling and punctuation and extending abbreviations. In most cases this is done without note, but when there is any doubt about the extension of an abbreviation, square brackets are used to indicate the editor's conjecture. William James Allinson (1810-1874), the son of James and Bernice Allinson, was born in Philadelphia but spent most of his life in Burlington, New Jersey. The death of his father in 1811 created a difficult financial situation, and young Allinson was apprenticed to William Scattergood from 1815-1831. After that he was established for himself in the drug business. He early showed unusual ability at writing, both verse and more especially prose ; during the last half of his life his work as a druggist was overshadowed by his varied activities as a successful man of letters. His lectures on religious topics were justly popular and enjoyed a wide circulation as pamphlets and in book form. His literary labors in many fields, along with his strong Quaker interests, culminated in his holding for many years the responsible position of editor of Friends' Review, * Dr. Snyder is Professor of English at Haverford College. 17 18 BULLETIN OF FRIENDS HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION Of Allinson's intimacy with Whittier these letters speak for themselves, but the curious reader will do well to examine also another unique volume in the Haverford College Library, Allinson 's Whittier Poetry Scrapbook, an extra-illustrated volume of Whittier's poems. Letter No. I Amesbury 13th 8th Mo. 1842 Dear William, Thy letter, with Elizabeth Nficholsonl's1 addition, has just come to hand and I am pleased to learn from it that thee think of making a flying visit to N[ew] England. I am now at home sick or nearly so and shall not be away of course and shall be most happy to welcome thee to our cottage home. If we have time, as I trust we may, we will visit the old farm in Haverhill just over the Amesbury line, especially as Elizabeth] Nicholson] wishes to know whether it is a "ruin" or not. My sister joins with me in the hope that thou wilt not disappoint us in this visit. If E[lizabeth] Nicholson] is still in Burlington, remember us kindly to her, as also thy "ain dear wife" and aunts. In haste as ever thy affectionate J. G. Whittier. At Boston, thou wilt take the Eastern R. R. cars for Newberryport, from whence a stage runs for this place twice a day — viz., on the arrival of the noon, and last trains. Letter No. II Amesbury 11 mo 19 1842 My dear William, Thy kind letters, though to this day unanswered, have been read and reread with pleasure and we especially thank thee for thy "New England Legend" and for thy splendid lines on duelling. We — or perhaps I should say Elizabeth — had a half defined notion of visiting Philadelphia and being presenf at cousin Margaret's2 solemn immolation on the altar of Matrimony; but as that is all over now I shall delay no longer to 1FOr details of the poet's friendship with this brilliant Philadelphia Quakeress and her close friend Elizabeth Lloyd, both mentioned frequently in these letters, see my article in The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, LXII (1938), 142ff. and the many references there given ; also Elizabeth Lloyd and the Whittiers, edited by...