[Rarebooks] FS: Two Early Letters by W. S. Merwin with comments about his first book

[Charles Agvent]

MERWIN,  W.  S..  TWO AUTOGRAPH LETTERS  SIGNED  (ALSs).
         Mallorca,  Spain:  1953.  Two very early  one-page  AUTOGRAPH
         LETTERS  SIGNED by Merwin, one dated 19 January 1953 and  the
         other 4  December,  likely in 1952, the year his  first  book
         was published.  Both letters are addressed to W. Price Turner
         of Scotland,  editor  of  THE POET magazine. In  the  earlier
         letter,  Merwin  submits poems [not present] for  the  Winter
         issue and  briefly discusses "the unfortunate incompetence of
         the Spanish  postal  system."  In  the  later  and  lengthier
         letter,  Merwin thanks Turner for a letter and a copy of  his
         magazine.  In  part:  "It is extremely heartening,  ever,  to
         find a  native  of  the  British  isles  who  is  aware  that
         American    poetry  does  exist.  Who,   if  I'm  not   being
         impertinent,  and for my own amusement, was the  'overpraised
         poet' who  so  happily  remarked that it didn't?  ...  Oxford
         University  Press  has imported 'a limited number' of  copies
         of A MASK  FOR  JANUS  [Merwin's first book]  (whatever  that
         means)  at  a  horrifying  price  --  16s.  Which  I  suppose
         effectively  renders  it invalid in England, whether  or  not
         anything  else  did."  Two  fine and very  early  letters  by
         Merwin,  with one envelope addressed by the poet to Turner in
         Glasgow,  "Escocia  (Inglaterra)," with  interesting  content
         about his early work. Near Fine                      $1250.00

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