Sept. 27, 1922

598 Angell St.

My dear Mr. Smith:--

It is needless to say that I was vastly pleased to receive your reply to my unsolicited letter, & that I appreciate very much your courtesy in thus noticing an obscure companion in the realms of the macabre. Please do not deem my praise of your work excessive, but believe me when I repeat that every line is of the most poignant & singular power. Since I wrote my former letter I have re-read both your books (which I possess) many times; each time deriving a new thrill of mixed admiration & aesthetic gratification. I do not believe I either flatter or exaggerate when I say that such things as Memnon at Midnight, Exotique, Nero, Shadow of Nightmare, White Death, Ode to the Abyss, &.—to mention only a few—are authentic American classics, surpassed by nothing in our contemporary literature & equalled by little. The unique vision & perspective with which you see the universe have that inimitable individuality & selective power which make genius....

With every kind of appreciation & admiration, believe me!

Most sincerely yrs
HPLovecraft

Selected Letters (Arkham House) 112