Woodrow Wilson to Charles D. Warner
Title
Woodrow Wilson to Charles D. Warner
Creator
Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924
Identifier
WWP15022
Date
1898 January 12
Description
Woodrow Wilson declines Charles D. Warner's request to write a biography of Parkman for the American Men of Letters series.
Source
Gilder Lehrman Collection, New York Historical Society, New York
Text
My dear Mr. Warner,
You have offered me an extremely attractive piece of work in asking me to write a life of Parkman for the American Men of Letters Series, and you have in the mere offer paid me a compliment which I deeply appreciate. I think as you do of Parkman’s work and rank among historians, and it would be a veritable privilege to speak at length of so beautiful and devoted a life. It has been very hard for me to make up my mind that I could not do it.But a very little reflection has shown me that I must decline. I have work in hand to which I am every way pledged and which must take, at the least, four or five years in the doing,?besides a textbook promised which must serve as a sort of preliminary sketch and study in proportions. Practically all of my work so far,?with the exception of the little volume, I published first of all,?has been in the nature of by-products. I believe I have something better in me, and that it is high time I got it out. I owe it to myself to decline even what I should so much like to do. With warmest regards and heartiest thanks,
Most sincerely Yours, Woodrow Wilson
You have offered me an extremely attractive piece of work in asking me to write a life of Parkman for the American Men of Letters Series, and you have in the mere offer paid me a compliment which I deeply appreciate. I think as you do of Parkman’s work and rank among historians, and it would be a veritable privilege to speak at length of so beautiful and devoted a life. It has been very hard for me to make up my mind that I could not do it.But a very little reflection has shown me that I must decline. I have work in hand to which I am every way pledged and which must take, at the least, four or five years in the doing,?besides a textbook promised which must serve as a sort of preliminary sketch and study in proportions. Practically all of my work so far,?with the exception of the little volume, I published first of all,?has been in the nature of by-products. I believe I have something better in me, and that it is high time I got it out. I owe it to myself to decline even what I should so much like to do. With warmest regards and heartiest thanks,
Most sincerely Yours, Woodrow Wilson
Original Format
Letter
To
Charles D. Warner
Files
Citation
Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924, “Woodrow Wilson to Charles D. Warner,” 1898 January 12, WWP15022, Gilder-Lehrman Institute for American History Woodrow Wilson Documents, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.