CRANE HART: (1899-1932) American Poet, one of the most influential modernist poets of his generation who sought both inspiration and provocation in the works of T. S. Eliot. An extremely rare A.L.S., Hart, three pages, 8vo, on board the R.M.S. Tuscania, off Newfoundland, 9th December 1928, to Samuel Loveman ('Ahoy Sam!'), on the attractive colour printed stationery of the Cunard Line. Crane commences his letter by declaring 'The ship is rearing like a high-strung broncho (sic) and I'm out walking the quarter deck much of the time - enjoying the rythmical (sic) lift and plunge of it', adding that they have also experienced sleet and rain since Sandy Hook and that he has been to every meal ('O it's great!) and remarking 'The bad gin pains are leaving my head - and taking only the bad memories with them - not the pleasant thoughts of you and Mary and others' before again returning to the subject of the liner, 'This is a pleasant boat - not at all crowded - and such nice people. English servants know how to be pleasant as well as efficient, and of course I would be given the one nearly handsome English waiter in the salon! Rather tough food - but I'm getting used to it. The whisky - which is all I've tried thus far - is like balm of Giliad - or whatever Poe said. A little goes a long ways - and really doesn't sadden one. I'll soon write more - from London'. In a postscript Crane remarks 'Melville makes fine reading on this trip'. Accompanied by the original printed Cunard envelope hand addressed by Crane to Samuel Loveman at the Rowfant Book Shop in New York. Autograph letters of Crane are extremely rare as a result of his suicide at the young age of 32 and the present letter is particularly desirable for its association and references to Edgar Allan Poe and Herman Melville (perhaps Crane was reading Moby-Dick; or, The Whale on his voyage across the seas?). VG £3000-4000 Samuel Loveman (1887-1976) American Poet, Critic and Dramatist associated with Hart Crane and H. P. Lovecraft.