Creator
John Muir
Recipient
[Jeanne C. ] Carr
Transcription
01277
Martinez, Oct. 22. 1887.
Dear Mrs. Carr.
I told Mr Dewing that I thought you could write Southern California better than anybody else that I knew, & that he better let you try your hand on an article or two. As to compensation I know very little about it. Go ahead & write an article & send in your bill is my advice. I may say however that not more than magazine rates will be paid, as far as I can make out. Little has been written as yet. I have finished some four numbers now mostly in print with [firm?] illustrations by the best artists Hill Keith, Moran, Rix, etc. on the passes forests Yosemite etc. Have to write Alaska, Sierra Lakes, Shasta. San Rafael Redwoods etc. (& run the ranch) & edit the whole compound business,
The first three numbers are about to be published.
01277
2 Monterey was written by a Mr. [Frake?]. Bartlett has written Oakland & probably will write Santa Cruz. & Clear Lake. I think you can have San Diego & Santa Barbara, at least I have not heard of anyone in these fields as yet.
Picturusque American is about the style & kind of stuff required. Nothing that savors in the least of advertising booming etc can be allowed, but latitude wide as you plan in picturesque description & choice of objects. Should have abundance of flpwery brush birds, bears, prints of the Golden time, adobes gray, old oaks. Old Spanish life but still more fully should the life, Yankee life, of today in its pictursque aspects be portrayed_ Olive orcahrds oranges nut trees vineyards groups of fatheres of the sunny harvests _ views of the main towns etc etc etc. I guess you know what I mean. No scent flavor savor of commercial advertisement or any verb.
01277
3
of favoritism as to places written or pictured. What a bright appreciative traveler would like to see & hear is what is wanted as near as I can make out.
Write one article anyhow of say from 4000 t0 5000 words & send in your bill & see what you can get, then you will know what to do afterward. The money part of the affair I have nothing whatever to do with- & do not know what anybody has received for work already done.
With cordial regards to the doctor & all of you I am ever Yrs Truly John Muir_
In choosing subjects for photographers be careful to avoid commonplace prettiness in walks gardens cottages conservatories etc such as may be seen in almost any country. Let them be telling of the locality_ & strictly special. as well as picturesque Now then, I guess youve got about enough - getting even on you for early lectures, Humblest advice to the players etc
Location
Martinez, [Calif]
Date Original
1887 Oct 22
Source
Original letter dimensions: 27.5 x 21.5 cm.
Recommended Citation
Muir, John, "Letter from John Muir to [Jeanne C. ] Carr, 1887 Oct 22." (1887). John Muir Correspondence (PDFs). 1729.
https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/muir-correspondence/1729
Resource Identifier
muir05_0872-let.tif
File Identifier
Reel 05, Image 0872
Collection Identifier
Online finding aid for the microform version of the John Muir Correspondence http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt0w1031nc
Copyright Status
Copyrighted
Copyright Statement
The unpublished works of John Muir are copyrighted by the Muir-Hanna Trust. To purchase copies of images and/or obtain permission to publish or exhibit them, see http://www.pacific.edu/Library/Find/Holt-Atherton-Special-Collections/Fees-and-Forms-.html
Owning Institution
Holt-Atherton Special Collections, University of the Pacific Library. Please contact this institution directly to obtain copies of the images or permission to publish or use them beyond educational purposes.
Copyright Holder
Muir-Hanna Trust
Copyright Date
1984
Pages
3 pages
Keywords
Environmentalist, naturalist, travel, conservation, national parks, John Muir, Yosemite, California, history, correspondence, letters
