Elizabeth Barrett to Allan Park Paton, 18 January 1845:
'I take shame to myself in the confession, that the first newspaper you sent to me, was sent in vain for the verses -- inasmuch as, being occupied at the moment, & aware of the usual worthlessness of poetical insertions in journals, I was satisfied with barely running my eye down the four sides & with coming to a hasty conclusion that the paper had been sent to me in mistake for another [...] [italics]This[end italics] time, I have read & considered!, & I may assure you that it shall never happen to me again to throw aside unread, any poem with the signature "Heather" in connection with it. -- The poem which I [italics]have[end italics] read, is, to my mind & ear, full of promise [...] there is unity in the conception [...] What I least like, in the way of [italics]execution[end italics] [...] is the burden of the whole. Where the metre changes, some sense of artifice in construction & defect in harmony seems to force itself on the ear.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth Barrett Print: Newspaper
Elizabeth Barrett to Allan Park Paton, 28 May 1845:
'For the newspapers, or rather for your verses in them, I thank you much [...] the stanzas on Kennedy's Mill road struck & pleased me so much, that I looked about vainly for your address contained in a mislaid note of yours, in order to write to you on the subject & advise you to choose some worthier medium with the public, than a provincial journal, .. though it were but a magazine. And now you write to tell me that you think of printing a book! -- to which I wish all manner of success [goes on to offer further advice on pursuing career as professional writer]'.
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth Barrett Print: Newspaper
