That poem was put into a pamphlet and was distributed in places like Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Newport and Rhode Island. Because George Whitefield was so popular, I went from being locally well known to being talked about throughout the colonies.

Also, Evangelist Whitefield was a personal emissary for the pious Salina Hastings-the countess of Huntington. In due course the elegy made its way to England and Lady Huntington.

Because of the outpouring of acceptance of that elegy for Evangelist Whitefield, Mrs. Wheatley decided to try to get a book of my poems published.