"For naturally, Sir, I reopened my Boswell & perused awhile" - photo 1

"For naturally, Sir, I reopened my Boswell & perused awhile"

Lot 208
07.12.2022 10:00UTC -05:00
Classic
Starting price
$ 6 500
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUSA, New York
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 859727
Lot 208 | "For naturally, Sir, I reopened my Boswell & perused awhile"
Estimate value
$ 8 000 – 12 000
KEROUAC, Jack (1922-1969). Typed letter signed twice (“Jack”) to Ed White, 16 January [1950], with his command – “Write!” – in autograph. Unpublished.

Quarto. Three leaves; rectos only; one autograph correction; signed on second leaf and again following full-page postscript on third leaf; a few small, light stains. With envelope addressed in type, postmarked Jamaica, New York.

Here Kerouac writes with sage advice to his good friend ahead of his visit to Denver for a book signing: “Money grows on trees in this century, for the young, I do believe that. Concentrate on heart’s desires. Get that Lincoln biography started […]. Soon we will all be in Paris together, saying, ‘Sire, today I saw a woman of unimaginable proportions, the likes of which I could only describe if you could move over slightly and give me elbow room.’” Jack switches to imaginary dialogue between Samuel Johnson and Oliver Goldsmith, a custom from their college years, usually based on Boswell’s presentations, which Kerouac expounded vociferously for his own entertainment.

The letter’s three tightly-packed pages range from current happenings to reminiscences to unlimited discussion and speculation on the state of the world and the role of their youthful lives. Beverly Burford, Justin Brierly, and White were planning a book signing for Jack at Denver’s landmark Daniels and Fisher tower; he writes, “I’ve asked the office not to be hung up, if possible, ever, in an autographing deal, which would be horrible, drunk or sober.” But his trip was on, and would prove to be his last to Denver for various reasons. “Sad that you & Jeff & Bev are all back now, and not a soul last summer when I lived there.”

Jack happily shares compliments he’s received on the book, and interesting news of his new life as a published novelist. A stunning compliment came from Frank Morley, his editor at the publishing house bringing the book out in England. Morley sent a postcard showing the old Country House of the firm to Jack’s American editor with this note: “It was we who published Johnson’s Dictionary when Lord Chesterfield failed him, and Oliver Goldsmith. I like the feeling that the likes of them will come again. Will you tell K. for me he is in good company. And, which is pleasant, he is worthy of it.” “This explains the Johnson dialogue,” Jack writes, “for naturally, Sir, I reopened my Boswell & perused awhile to see what my confreres were up to?”

He also passes along a quote received from Mark Van Doren, professor of literature at Columbia, which was to be featured on the book’s cover: “Wiser than Thomas Wolfe, with whom he will be compared.” Ending this fine letter Jack was in the mood to start on a new adventure: “I’m sick of N.Y. again and long to arrive in Denver.”
Auction house category:Letters, documents and manuscripts
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
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23.11.2022 – 07.12.2022
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