Newton Arvin and
Truman Capote

In his early letters to Capote, Arvin wrote poetically about his short stories: "They will gleam out in my mind from time to time for many days, and indeed much longer, like something seen suddenly and magically by snowfall or in some watery light."

Because of his encouragement, Capote dedicated his novel, Other Voices, Other Rooms, to Arvin in 1948. By contrast, Arvin was annoyed with fellow Yaddo resident Marguerite Young, who asked him for a Guggenheim reference. As he told Capote on 20 November 1946, Young's novel, Angel in the Forest, is "very badly written; it offends almost every feeling I have about language, expression, evocation, and the like [. . .]. Dear, dear, some writers seem really to think that literary critics are simply top-notch blurb writers and promotion men."

Newton Arvin to Truman Capote, signed typed letters on Yaddo letterhead, 1946.

Newton Arvin to Truman Capote, signed autograph letter, 20 November 1946.

Arvin loved to receive letters from Capote. "Such wonderful sweet letters from you, Spooky precious," Arvin wrote on 26 April 1947, "they warm me inwardly and outwardly like a pure flame of tenderness and goodness."

Newton Arvin to Truman Capote, signed typed letters on Yaddo letterhead, 1946.

Capote wrote from Paris on 20 November 1953 about the arrest of his friend John Gielgud and the "rumpus in London over gents who interfere with gents." In July 1956 Capote wrote from Stonington, Connecticut, about being "attacked by a mad dog." Both his hands were "torn to pieces." From Paris on 14 August 1958, he asked Arvin to write detailed descriptions of all those present at Yaddo, "especially the monster-types." When Arvin was arrested, Capote offered him money for his defense and suggested he take sanctuary at Yaddo.

From 1960 to 1963, Capote wrote from Verbier, Switzerland, where he was writing a new book of reportage. "I think 'In Cold Blood' (title of this book) has a fair chance of being a work of art," he wrote on 9 November 1960, but "alas, I am rather too much involved emotionally with the material: God, I wish it were over." After Marilyn Monroe died, Capote wrote on 8 August 1962: "She was such a good-hearted girl, so pure really, so much on the side of the angels."

Truman Capote and dog-friend Charlie in Verbier, Switzerland, photograph, 1963. Capote wrote on the verso of the photograph, "he's trained to bite all literary critics!"

On 10 February 1963 Capote reported that this "has been the coldest winter in Switzerland since 1875—twenty to forty below zero every night." (Sylvia Plath committed suicide in London on the following day.) Capote thought it was a shame that Arvin's Longfellow and his Selected Writings were appearing during the newspaper strike, "now we can't complain to the publisher about a lack of advertising." Capote hoped Arvin received the picture of his "dog-friend Charlie. He really is so funny. And nice. So are you. Nice, I mean. I love you, Sige." Arvin died of pancreatic cancer on 21 March 1963.

David Lilienthal to Newton Arvin, signed autograph letter, 15 July 1946.

Elizabeth Ames wrote to Newton Arvin after learning the news that she would receive the National Institute of Arts and Letters Award for Distinguished Service to the Arts. "I am happy it is making many dear friends so happy. And of course the implied tribute to Yaddo and all connected with it is precious. "She also wrote with admiration about Arvin's essay "House of Pain: Emerson and the Tragic Sense," which was recently published in the Hudson Review 12:1 (spring 1959). "Like all your work, it has, for one thing, such beautiful lucidity."

Despite his personal failings, academics agree that Arvin was an insightful, often brilliant literary critic. Ames's hope that "The House of Pain" would be included in a volume of his essays was realized after Arvin's death when two of his colleagues, Daniel Aaron and Sylvan Schendler, edited American Pantheon. Once Arvin's deep, dark secret was revealed to the world, he no longer needed the protection of Yaddo and in the last two and a half years of his life he found a modicum of peace.

Newton Arvin, American Pantheon. New York: Delacorte Press, 1966.

Newton Arvin was born Frederic Newton Arvin, Jr. His friend David Lilienthal addressed him as “Fred.” Lilienthal wrote this letter after reading the article about Arvin’s “beloved Yaddo” in Life magazine. “If that is your idea of bed-making,” teased Lilienthal, “you better pay us a visit & learn it right.” In 1946 Lilienthal was chair of the Tennessee Valley Authority and the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC). In this letter he mentions his report about the atomic bomb just accepted by President Truman. As head of the AEC, Lilienthal supervised the transition of the atomic and nuclear energy programs from military control to civilian control.

David Lilienthal to Newton Arvin, signed autograph letter, 15 July 1946.

Barry Werth. “Refuge and Crucible: Newton Arvin’s Yaddo” in Yaddo: Making American Culture.

Newton Arvin’s long association with Yaddo and his pivotal role as director of the Yaddo Corporation is addressed in Barry Werth’s extensive article, on display, in the New York Public Library’s exhibition catalog Yaddo: Making American Culture. Copies of Werth’s article are available for reading in the Book Arts Gallery and the Mortimer Rare Book Room.