The Collected Crane Archives: Hart Crane

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on. Of course I have been rushing around to a lot of other agencies, too, but the ones I just mentioned are the only ones who have anything to offer me at the present time. I am very glad that you reminded me about the cost of the photographs as I certainly can use as much of that money as you can afford to send me at the present time. Hill charged me $20.00 for the six reproductions. I can’t cash any checks here, so if you can send me whatever portion of this amount in currency through the mail (I can enclose an addressed envelope) I’ll be immensely grateful. There is, you realize, no use whatever in my thinking about returning to Cleveland. I should simply have to go through the same process there of looking around for work, and under embarrassing conditions. You need me HERE, now, more than there [underlined], too, Bill, as I want to do everything I can to get to your pic-tures shown around and maybe bought. And also, in almost every way, N.Y. is getting to be a really stupendous place. It is the center of the world today, as Alexandria became the nucleus of another older civilization. The wealthier and upper parts of the city have their own beauty, but I prefer as a steady thing the wonderful streets of this lower section, crowded with life, packed with movement and drama, children, kind and drab looking women, elbows braced on window ledges, and rows of vege-tables lining the streets that you would love to paint. Life is possible here at greater intensity than probably any other people [striked-through] place in the world today, and I hope and pray that you will be able to slip down here for a week or so during the summer. You must plan on it. Later on I shall probably take a small apartment with Brown, and then there will be plenty of room for you to stay with us at no expense at all. What you say about Mart worries me. Is she ill? or what does your refer-ence mean? If youn [sic] can manage it please send a part of my money quite soon, and please don’t tell anyone but Mart and Sam that I am in such a predicament. It won’t last much longer, I’m sure. My love to you, Bill, and also to Mart, the boys, and Sambo.

As ever,
Hart

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