But we are, in
spite of this disappointment of our expectations, the happiest of
mortals or spirits, and cling to the skirts of every passing hour,
although we know the next will bring us still more joy.

Your most happy and affectionate

MARIA LOWELL.

"Nathaniel Hawthorne and his Wife," Vol. I, p. 283.

The house so happily described, and in which Lowell so pleasantly lived
while he wrote for _Graham's_ and won a high place on its "canonized
bead-roll," was the old house, still standing at the northeast corner of
Fourth and Arch Streets, which had been built for the residence of
William Smith, editor of the _American Magazine_ (1757-8).

Griswold introduced James Fenimore Cooper to Mr. Graham in the editorial
sanctum, and Graham bought from him his lives of the naval commanders,
and engaged him to write a serial story. Cooper wrote "The Isles of the
Gulf," afterward known as "Jack Tier," and received eighteen hundred
dollars for it; "though," says Graham, "the money might as well have
been thrown into the sea, for it never brought me a new subscriber."

Longfellow's "Spanish Student" appeared for the first time in _Graham's
Magazine_, and Longfellow also contributed "Nuremberg" (June, 1844),
"The Arsenal at Springfield" (May, 1844), "Dante's Divina Commedia"
(June, 1850), "Childhood" (March, 1844), "Belfry of Bruges" (Vol. 22).

Poe published here "The Murders of the Rue Morgue," three chapters on
Autography (Nov., Dec., 1841-Jan., 1842), a review of Horne's "Orion"
(March, 1844), "Dreamland" (June, 1844), "To Helen," "Israfel," "A Few
Words about Brainard," "Life in Death," "The Mask of the Red Death"
(May, 1842), numerous reviews of new books, and "The Conqueror Worm"
(Vol. 22).

After Griswold left the _Magazine_ Mr. Graham assumed more of the
literary management, and engaged E. P. Whipple to write the editorial
reviews of the more important books, which he continued to do until
1854.

Nathaniel Hawthorne included many of his early contributions to this
magazine in his "Twice-Told Tales." "The Earth's Holocaust" appeared in
May, 1844.

George D. Prentice wrote verses. "Fanny Forester" (Mrs. Judson) sent
some brilliant sketches, and Phoebe and Alice Cary, and Grace
Greenwood were faithful correspondents. From the South came verses and
prose tales by William Gilmore Simms. Other captain jewels in Graham's
carcanet were the gifts of Miss Sedgwick, Frances S. Osgood, N. P.
Willis ("it w