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.

Walking to Sleep

Richard Wilbur’s poem “Walking to Sleep,” in which he describes falling asleep as “nod[ding] through nothing like a fogbound prow,” first appeared in The New Yorker on December 23, 1967. It was then published in this eponymous volume in 1969. Wilbur gave this signed copy of the book to poet Donald Davie, who taught at Vanderbilt from 1978 to 1988.

Title	Walking to Sleep
Creator	Richard Wilbur
Publisher	New York: Harcourt, Brace & World
Date	1969
Source	Donald Davie Collection