Writing to Dana in February, 1829, he said, "I
am a small proprietor in the establishment, and am
a gainer by the arrangement. It will afford me a
comfortable livelihood after I have paid for the
eighth part, which is the amount of my share. I
do not like politics any better than you do; but
they get only my mornings, and you know politics
and a bellyful are better than poetry and starva-
tion."

Only five months after this letter was written
Mr. Coleman, the editor-in-chief and proprietor,
died, and Bryant was immediately promoted to his
seat. With this promotion, also, he acquired an
additional interest in the property, ¹ of which he
continued the proprietor during the remainder of
his life, about half a century.

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