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The Complete Letters of Henry James, 1888–1891
Volume 1
by Henry James
Edited by Michael Anesko, Greg W. Zacharias and Katie Sommer
Introduction by Dee MacCormack
Published by: University of Nebraska Press
Series: The Complete Letters of Henry James
Imprint: University of Nebraska Press
432 Pages, 159.00 × 254.00 mm
This first volume in The Complete Letters of Henry James, 1888–1891 contains 171 letters, of which 119 are published for the first time, written from late November 1888 to April 20, 1890. These letters continue to mark Henry James’s ongoing efforts to care for his sister, develop his work, strengthen his professional status, build friendships, engage with timely political and economic issues, and maximize his income, which included hiring an agent. James details his work on The Tragic Muse, “Mrs. Temperly,” “An Animated Conversation,” “The Solution,” and other fiction. This volume opens with James in France and concludes with James on the Continent. Dee MacCormack introduces the volume, paying close attention to James’s increasing interest in the theater.
The Complete Letters of Henry James, 1888-1891, volume 1, contains 173 letters, of which 121 are published for the first time. Each letter is followed by previous publication information or a note that there is no previous publication.
Acknowledgments
Introduction, “Yours most theatrically, Henry James,” by Dee MacCormack
Symbols and Abbreviations
Chronology
Errata
1888
24 November To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
5 December To Joseph Pennell
8 December To Joseph Pennell
15 December To Edward Compton Mackenzie
19 December To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
23 December To Edmund Gosse
1889
1889 To George Du Maurier
3 January To Sirs
7 January To Catharine Walsh
11 January To Thomas Bailey Aldrich
18 January To Francis Boott
19 January To Thomas Bailey Aldrich
19 January To William James
19 January To Beatrix du Maurier Millar
22 January To Macmillan and Company
22 January To Frederick Macmillan
25 January To Richard Watson Gilder
28 January To Richard Watson Gilder
29 January To Edmund Gosse
31 January To Richard Watson Gilder
13 February 1889 or 1895 To Lady Isabella Augusta Persse Gregory
14 February To William James
16 February To Thomas Bailey Aldrich
16 February 1889-1910 To Eugénie Phillips
18 February To James McNeill Whistler
20 February To Louisa Putnam Loring
1 March To Alice Howe Gibbens James
1 March To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
5 March To Thomas Bailey Aldrich
8 March To William James
9 March To Urbain Mengin
9 March To Richard Watson Gilder
16 March To Harry Quilter
20 March To Ariana Randolph Wormeley Curtis
20 March To Daniel Chester French
20 March To Isabella Stewart Gardner
20 March To Olivia Brown Walsh
20 March To William Dean Howells
22 March To Lady Grace Baring
22 March To William James
23 March To Henrietta Reubell
25 March To Charles Eliot Norton
27 March To Rhoda Broughton
15 April 1889 or 1895 To Lady Elizabeth Eberstadt Lewis
23 April To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
25 April To Edwin Lawrence Godkin
26 April To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
27 April To Charles Eliot Norton
29 April To Grace Norton
29 April To Robert Louis Stevenson
4 May To Mary Smith Mundella
13 May To Sidney Woollett
17 May To Dr. William Wilberforce Baldwin
17 May To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
18 May To Grace Norton
20 May To Francis Boott
21 May To Charles Stanley Reinhart
22 May To Sidney Woollett
25 May To William James
28 May To Thomas Bailey Aldrich
31 May To Sir Thomas Wemyss Reid
June 1889 to January 1890 To Edmund Gosse
1 June To James Bryce
13 June To William James
16 June To Frederick Macmillan
16 June To Laura Alma-Tadema
21 June To Margaret Oliphant
23 June To Ellen “Nellie” Epps Gosse
24 June To George Henry Boughton
25 June To Lady Louisa Erskine Wolseley
July To Deerfield Summer School of History and Romance
1 July To Mary Theresa Mundella
6 July To Lady Cecilia Wyndham Paget
9 July To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
10 July To Alice Stopford Green
10 July To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
13 July To Thomas Hardy
15 July To Maud Broadwood Story
19 July To Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.
20 July To Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.
27 July To Thomas Bailey Aldrich
29 July To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
1 August To Arthur Stedman
9 August To Jean Jules Jusserand
23 August To William James
28 August To Katharine Peabody Loring
31 August To Thomas Bailey Aldrich
31 August To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
6 September To Lady Florence Eveleen Olliffe Bell
6 September To James Russell Lowell
11 September To Thomas Bailey Aldrich
12 September To Elizabeth “Lily” Gaskell Norton
13 September To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
20 September To Edwin Lawrence Godkin
21 September To William James
21 September To Urbain Mengin
21 September To Henrietta Reubell
22 September To Ariana Randolph Wormeley Curtis
22 September To Grace Norton
27 September To Thomas Bailey Aldrich
2 October To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
7 October To Sir
15 October To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
20 October To William James
24 October To James Russell Lowell
2 November To Thomas Bailey Aldrich
6 November To Jean Jules Jusserand
8 November To Rhoda Broughton
12 November To Laura Alma-Tadema
13 November To Frederick Macmillan
15 November To Alphonse Daudet
17 November To Leonard Huxley
18 November To Edmund Gosse
26 November To Lady Florence Eveleen Olliffe Bell
28 November To Edwin Lawrence Godkin
28 November To Leonard Huxley
28 November To William James
29 November To Lady Florence Eveleen Olliffe Bell
29 November To Edwin Lawrence Godkin
2 December To Thomas Bailey Aldrich
2 December To Lady Florence Eveleen Olliffe Bell
21 December To Editor of the Weekly Comedy
26 December To Lady Elizabeth Eberstadt Lewis
30 December; probably misdated To Sir Thomas Wemyss Reid
1890
11 January To Francis Boott
12 January To Katharine de Kay Bronson
12 January To Edwin Lawrence Godkin
20 January To William Morton Fullerton
24 January To Katharine de Kay Bronson
24 January To Edmund Gosse
30 January To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
1 February To James Ripley Osgood
4 February To William Morton Fullerton
5 February To Lady Florence Eveleen Olliffe Bell
7 February To Lady Florence Eveleen Olliffe Bell
12 February To Lawrence Barrett
18 February To Harper and Brothers
19 February To James Russell Lowell
20 February To Lady Butt
25 February To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
25 February To Henry Quilter
4 March To Anthony John and Mary Smith Mundella
6 March To Rhoda Broughton
9 March To William Morton Fullerton
9 March To Sarah Butler Wister
9 March To William James
11 March To William Morton Fullerton
12 March To Grace Norton
13 March To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
18 March To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
20 March To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
21 March To Robert Louis and Frances “Fanny” van de Grift Stevenson
24 March To Louisa and Mary Wilhelmina Lawrence
24 March To Frederick Macmillan
24 March To Frederick Macmillan
24 March To Lady Georgina Harriett Deffell Pollock
25 March To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
26 March To Frederick Macmillan
27 March To James Russell Lowell
28 March To Frederick Macmillan
31 March To William Morton Fullerton
2 April To Alexander Pollock “A. P.” Watt
4 April To Ellen “Nelly” Epps Gosse
6 April To Lorettus Sutton Metcalf
9 April To Alexander Pollock “A. P.” Watt
9 April To Alexander Pollock “A. P.” Watt
17 April To Ariana Randolph Wormeley Curtis
18 April To James Russell Lowell
19 April To Grace Norton
20 April To Sara “Sally” Norton
20 April To Henrietta Reubell
Biographical Register
General Editors’ Note
Works Cited
Index
Acknowledgments
Introduction, “Yours most theatrically, Henry James,” by Dee MacCormack
Symbols and Abbreviations
Chronology
Errata
1888
24 November To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
5 December To Joseph Pennell
8 December To Joseph Pennell
15 December To Edward Compton Mackenzie
19 December To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
23 December To Edmund Gosse
1889
1889 To George Du Maurier
3 January To Sirs
7 January To Catharine Walsh
11 January To Thomas Bailey Aldrich
18 January To Francis Boott
19 January To Thomas Bailey Aldrich
19 January To William James
19 January To Beatrix du Maurier Millar
22 January To Macmillan and Company
22 January To Frederick Macmillan
25 January To Richard Watson Gilder
28 January To Richard Watson Gilder
29 January To Edmund Gosse
31 January To Richard Watson Gilder
13 February 1889 or 1895 To Lady Isabella Augusta Persse Gregory
14 February To William James
16 February To Thomas Bailey Aldrich
16 February 1889-1910 To Eugénie Phillips
18 February To James McNeill Whistler
20 February To Louisa Putnam Loring
1 March To Alice Howe Gibbens James
1 March To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
5 March To Thomas Bailey Aldrich
8 March To William James
9 March To Urbain Mengin
9 March To Richard Watson Gilder
16 March To Harry Quilter
20 March To Ariana Randolph Wormeley Curtis
20 March To Daniel Chester French
20 March To Isabella Stewart Gardner
20 March To Olivia Brown Walsh
20 March To William Dean Howells
22 March To Lady Grace Baring
22 March To William James
23 March To Henrietta Reubell
25 March To Charles Eliot Norton
27 March To Rhoda Broughton
15 April 1889 or 1895 To Lady Elizabeth Eberstadt Lewis
23 April To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
25 April To Edwin Lawrence Godkin
26 April To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
27 April To Charles Eliot Norton
29 April To Grace Norton
29 April To Robert Louis Stevenson
4 May To Mary Smith Mundella
13 May To Sidney Woollett
17 May To Dr. William Wilberforce Baldwin
17 May To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
18 May To Grace Norton
20 May To Francis Boott
21 May To Charles Stanley Reinhart
22 May To Sidney Woollett
25 May To William James
28 May To Thomas Bailey Aldrich
31 May To Sir Thomas Wemyss Reid
June 1889 to January 1890 To Edmund Gosse
1 June To James Bryce
13 June To William James
16 June To Frederick Macmillan
16 June To Laura Alma-Tadema
21 June To Margaret Oliphant
23 June To Ellen “Nellie” Epps Gosse
24 June To George Henry Boughton
25 June To Lady Louisa Erskine Wolseley
July To Deerfield Summer School of History and Romance
1 July To Mary Theresa Mundella
6 July To Lady Cecilia Wyndham Paget
9 July To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
10 July To Alice Stopford Green
10 July To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
13 July To Thomas Hardy
15 July To Maud Broadwood Story
19 July To Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.
20 July To Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.
27 July To Thomas Bailey Aldrich
29 July To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
1 August To Arthur Stedman
9 August To Jean Jules Jusserand
23 August To William James
28 August To Katharine Peabody Loring
31 August To Thomas Bailey Aldrich
31 August To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
6 September To Lady Florence Eveleen Olliffe Bell
6 September To James Russell Lowell
11 September To Thomas Bailey Aldrich
12 September To Elizabeth “Lily” Gaskell Norton
13 September To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
20 September To Edwin Lawrence Godkin
21 September To William James
21 September To Urbain Mengin
21 September To Henrietta Reubell
22 September To Ariana Randolph Wormeley Curtis
22 September To Grace Norton
27 September To Thomas Bailey Aldrich
2 October To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
7 October To Sir
15 October To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
20 October To William James
24 October To James Russell Lowell
2 November To Thomas Bailey Aldrich
6 November To Jean Jules Jusserand
8 November To Rhoda Broughton
12 November To Laura Alma-Tadema
13 November To Frederick Macmillan
15 November To Alphonse Daudet
17 November To Leonard Huxley
18 November To Edmund Gosse
26 November To Lady Florence Eveleen Olliffe Bell
28 November To Edwin Lawrence Godkin
28 November To Leonard Huxley
28 November To William James
29 November To Lady Florence Eveleen Olliffe Bell
29 November To Edwin Lawrence Godkin
2 December To Thomas Bailey Aldrich
2 December To Lady Florence Eveleen Olliffe Bell
21 December To Editor of the Weekly Comedy
26 December To Lady Elizabeth Eberstadt Lewis
30 December; probably misdated To Sir Thomas Wemyss Reid
1890
11 January To Francis Boott
12 January To Katharine de Kay Bronson
12 January To Edwin Lawrence Godkin
20 January To William Morton Fullerton
24 January To Katharine de Kay Bronson
24 January To Edmund Gosse
30 January To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
1 February To James Ripley Osgood
4 February To William Morton Fullerton
5 February To Lady Florence Eveleen Olliffe Bell
7 February To Lady Florence Eveleen Olliffe Bell
12 February To Lawrence Barrett
18 February To Harper and Brothers
19 February To James Russell Lowell
20 February To Lady Butt
25 February To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
25 February To Henry Quilter
4 March To Anthony John and Mary Smith Mundella
6 March To Rhoda Broughton
9 March To William Morton Fullerton
9 March To Sarah Butler Wister
9 March To William James
11 March To William Morton Fullerton
12 March To Grace Norton
13 March To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
18 March To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
20 March To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
21 March To Robert Louis and Frances “Fanny” van de Grift Stevenson
24 March To Louisa and Mary Wilhelmina Lawrence
24 March To Frederick Macmillan
24 March To Frederick Macmillan
24 March To Lady Georgina Harriett Deffell Pollock
25 March To Houghton, Mifflin and Company
26 March To Frederick Macmillan
27 March To James Russell Lowell
28 March To Frederick Macmillan
31 March To William Morton Fullerton
2 April To Alexander Pollock “A. P.” Watt
4 April To Ellen “Nelly” Epps Gosse
6 April To Lorettus Sutton Metcalf
9 April To Alexander Pollock “A. P.” Watt
9 April To Alexander Pollock “A. P.” Watt
17 April To Ariana Randolph Wormeley Curtis
18 April To James Russell Lowell
19 April To Grace Norton
20 April To Sara “Sally” Norton
20 April To Henrietta Reubell
Biographical Register
General Editors’ Note
Works Cited
Index
Henry James (1843–1916) was an American author and literary critic. He wrote some two dozen novels, including The Portrait of a Lady and The Golden Bowl, and left behind more than ten thousand letters.
Michael Anesko is a professor of English and American Studies at The Pennsylvania State University. He is a general editor of The Cambridge Edition of the Complete Fiction of Henry James series and the author of Henry James Framed: Material Representations of the Master (Nebraska, 2022), among other works.
Greg W. Zacharias is a professor of English and the director of the Center for Henry James Studies at Creighton University. He is editor of the Henry James Review and of A Companion to Henry James.
Katie Sommer has been associate editor of The Complete Letters of Henry James series since 2007 and has worked on the Henry James letters project since 2001.
Dee MacCormack is an independent scholar and completed her PhD on Henry James in 2021 at the University of Aberdeen. She is the author of numerous papers and articles on Henry James.
“Beautiful editions.”-Louis B. Jones, Threepenny Review“[These volumes have] meticulously researched notes. . . . The glimpses that the letters offer of James’s conflictedness as a writer are among the volumes’ most valuable features-contributing, as [Sarah] Wadsworth suggests, to a more humanizing portrait than ‘the master’ image propagated by twentieth-century critics. . . . Michael Anesko and Gregory W. Zacharias’s achievement amounts to a culmination; they have given us authoritative editions comprising all James’s extant letters, complete with helpful contextual information.”-Rafael Walker, Edith Wharton Review“The series is exemplary in its meticulous attention to details of what James wrote. . . . Despite the unconventional look of this text, the edition is highly readable, and the letters are supplemented by ample explanatory notes, as well as illustrations. . . . It is the distinctively modern status of James’s work and his self-conception that is particularly interesting for contemporary scholarship, and this modernity is amply attested to in this collection of letters, many of which, of course, have never previously been published.”-Guy Davidson, Australasian Journal of American Studies“At long last we now have a complete edition, which reproduces James’s own corrections as he was writing the letters and gives scrupulous annotations, ending with a biographical register of all correspondence. . . . Even at this early stage we can see how James used his letters to family and friends to strike stances relevant to his planned career. . . . [These volumes] set a very high standard for subsequent volumes to follow.”-David Seed, Journal of American Studies“James is one of the few writers who could not have written a boring or imprecise word even if just writing a little letter to a friend. . . . This is a great addition to libraries of all sorts, and it should be inspiration for writers to browse through some of these letters to find another writer’s input on topics we all have to ponder.”-Anna Faktorovich, Pennsylvania Literary Journal