Please Continue: Literary Correspondence as Conversation

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In Summary

The letters in this exhibit span a century of English literature, from the 1880s to the 1980s, and each one was sent with the hope that it would bring a response in return, continuing the conversation. Because the fiction writers and poets who wrote this correspondence were all devoted to the craft of writing, their missives are works of art in themselves, albeit more personal and playful than their published volumes had the freedom to be. Each author’s epistles express personality not only through the chosen text, but also through paper color, handwriting, choice of writing utensil, and the many other physical details required to complete and mail a letter. The messages also hint at the lives on the receiving end of the correspondence, prompting us to imagine responses to the questions asked, praises doled out, and affections expressed.

[Photograph of Henry James]

William M. Vander Weyde took this photograph of Henry James at James’ home, Lamb House, in Rye, England, in 1905. James lived in the house from 1897 to 1914 and wrote the handwritten letter on display here in his Lamb House study.

Title	[Photograph of Henry James]
Creator	William M. Vander Weyde
Date	1905
Source	Ralph Morrissey Collection