Besides printing several Hawthorne letters and manuscripts for the first time, this biography by his son is one of three books published during Melville's lifetime that prints letters by Melville. Three are printed, the most to appear in any nineteenth century book, including his famous letter of 1851. While preparing this work, Julian visited Melville in New York, and later reported that Melville spoke of his friendship with Julian's father with considerable difficulty, and also reported that all of Hawthorne's letters to him had long ago been destroyed.