American writer (1842–c.1914) best known for his vivid short stories (including the classic ‘An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge’) and his satirical ‘The Devil’s Dictionary.’ In 1913, while traveling with Pancho Villa’s troops during the Mexican Revolution, Bierce disappeared; his ultimate fate remains a mystery. Partial ALS, unsigned, four pages on two adjoining sheets, 5 x 8, November 6, 1894. Letter to Miss Grant offering advice on reading and writing. In part: “I fear that I cannot say who is ‘the best authority on versification’; it has never before occurred to me that there was any authority in the matter. The principles of versification—that is, the laws of prosody—are rather like those of mathematics: not matters of opinion, and therefore hardly subject to ‘authority’…The prosody of the English language is very simple…Spencer (Herbert) has written wisely on ‘style’…Pope’s ‘Essay on Criticism’ is not to be despised—as some affect to despise it…Regarding details of meters, and all that, the late Prof. Nocholl’s…little book on ‘English Composition’ is in my memory as having value…The introduction to William Sharp’s ‘Sonnets of this Century’ has an exceedingly valuable exposition of the laws of the sonnet—and everybody is now trying to make sonnets.” In fine condition. Pre-certified PSA/DNA.
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