Frederick Locker-Lampson to Walt Whitman, 31 January 1881

 hsp.00004.001_large.jpg 25 Chesham Street S.W 31 January 1881 My good friend,

It was a kind thought of yours sending me your article from the North American Review. I forwarded Alfred his Copy to the Isle of Wight where he is living at present. he will be in London before Easter. You may know about when that will be tho' you may not take great keep of the Ancient festival!

Alfred will be much pleased with what you say about him in  hsp.00004.002_large.jpg in your article, yet perhaps he may not be quite so pleased—it is very difficult to discourse on a poet, & to entirely please him.

I am sure he will be interested, as I am, in your article

Poets of Eminence, and critics of discernment tell me that the real representative poet of America came into view when you first put pen to paper.

Certainly nearly all your Poets, delightful as they are,  hsp.00004.003_large.jpg are founded on European models, in subject & form, but, I presume, what you mean strikes deeper than that.

I will not trouble you with more of my views of this subject!

I hope you are as well and happy as you can hope to be on this best of all possible worlds.

We are losing Carlyle—as I write he is either moribund or dead.

Farewell F. Locker  hsp.00004.004_large.jpg