Abstract
This essay revisits the history of Phillis Wheatley Peters's “volume of manuscript poems &&.,” a collection of handwritten poems, which her husband, John Peters, advertised for its return in late 1784, just days after her death. Since no second volume of poems was published, and the manuscript has never been recovered, it has been presumed to be and lamented as lost. By taking stock of what is known about PWP's archive at the time of her death and the process of its painstaking recovery, I seek to temper this account of destruction and loss by calling attention to the discoveries of librarians, scholars, and collectors in the nearly two and half centuries since her death. It is in this spirit of continuing and collaborative recovery that this essay contributes new evidence about a final, posthumous proposal for a collection of PWP's poems and letters, printed over a five-week period, in July and August 1791, in Thomas's Massachusetts Spy; Or, the Worcester Gazette, a proposal that provides a clearer picture of PWP's archive as it existed at her death, and that can guide future recovery work.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.