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124 letter 40  To Louise Chandler Moulton December 16, [1865] New York City, New York Dec 16th 19 East 4th St. My Dear Mrs Moulton I expected to hear from you before this concerning “Two Men.”It may be all you think it is, but the “particulars not in the book” are not yet discovered. I am surprised at the profound impression the book makes—it cannot be resisted even by those who condemn. I failed in my conception of an important character, Philippa,1 and was in consequence somewhat disheartened while I was writing and lost faith in myself. The round devil in the book is Sarah,2 she impressed me so much that I believe she is round the corner under her gravestone. Why is Boston a cussing me? Did you see a notice in the Daily Advertiser3 —I will give Mr Moulton4 something if he will learn who wrote it. Did you see any just review of me out of New York? I haven’t— I am inclined to visit you wish I could this winter, if I had any new clothes I might indulge in a hope of coming. At present I am distressed with our high rent and [illegible]. We have sherry, champagne & claret for dinner one day and hashed mutton the next. We live in the 3d story of this house—[keep?] house. My hall is furnished with a trunk and an ice box—there is a cook stove in my chamber but there is wit in the parlor where we eat, write, read &c. Have you seen the splendid three books out this weekby Stoddard—His illustrated King’s Bell,Melodies & Madrigals, and the Late Poets?5 His hair is all grey with work. My boy is awful smart and handsome. Kiss little Flory6 for me and tell her I am sorry she is ill—regards to Mr Moulton. Write me again Oh woman of the handsome handwriting. Yours ever EDBS Stoddard who sits at the same table with his knees in his face & his face on his paper sends his remembrances— 125 Manuscript: Louise Chandler Moulton Papers, Library of Congress notes 1. Philippa Luce is the central female character in Two Men. 2. Sarah Parke Auster, the matriarch of the primary family in Two Men. 3. The review in the Boston Daily Advertiser appeared on October 26, 1865, and insisted that Stoddard “has fairly enrolled herself in the ranks of the authors who worship at the shrine of the paradoxical.” It went on, “‘Two Men,’ as a novel, has unityinonerespect,—inthatitisdifficultofcomprehensionfromitstitletoitstwo hundred and ninety-first page.” The reviewer believed that Stoddard’s characters were unrealistic and their dialogue incoherent. 4.WilliamUphamMoulton(1825–1898),husbandof LouiseChandlerMoulton and editor and publisher of the Boston True Flag. 5. The King’s Bell, originally published in 1863 by Rudd and Carleton, was reissued as a standalone volume by Bunce and Huntington in 1866. Richard also edited two volumes, The Late English Poets (1865) and Melodies and Madrigals, Mostly from the Old English Poets (1866), both of which were also published with Bunce and Huntington. 6. Florence Moulton (1859–??), Moulton’s daughter. ...

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