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Thomas Nicholson to Walt Whitman, 6 December 1881

About This Item

  • Title: Thomas Nicholson to Walt Whitman, 6 December 1881
  • Date: December 6, 1881
  • Creator(s): Thomas Nicholson
  • Whitman Archive ID: loc.00716
  • Source: The Charles E. Feinberg Collection of the Papers of Walt Whitman, 1839–1919, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Transcribed from digital images or a microfilm reproduction of the original item. For a description of the editorial rationale behind our treatment of the correspondence, see our statement of editorial policy.

    Notes for this letter were created by Whitman Archive staff and/or were derived from Walt Whitman, The Correspondence, ed. Edwin Haviland Miller, 6 vols. (New York: New York University Press, 1961–1977), and supplemented or updated by Whitman Archive staff.
  • Contributors to digital file: Stefan Schoeberlein Nima Najafi Kianfar Eder Jaramillo Nicole Gray
  • Cite this page: Nicholson, Thomas. "Thomas Nicholson to Walt Whitman, 6 December 1881." The Walt Whitman Archive. Gen. ed. Matt Cohen, Ed Folsom, & Kenneth M. Price. Accessed 03 March 2025. <http://www.whitmanarchive.org>.
  • Source File: loc.00716.xml (TEI)
 loc.00716.003_large.jpg London1 Dec 6th—81 To my Dear Friend Mr Whitman,

I sit now in my hall on duty, to write you these few lines, to let you know that I am Well. Only hoping that this letter will find you enjoying good Health. I received all your Papers, Whitch​ you sent me, and also seen your New Book, Whitch​ Is for sale in our city, I have ben​ some what surprised on not receiving A letter from you, but I suspect I must excuse you for not writing, on account of you Being so buisy​ this sumer​ , but I hope you will not Delay in answering this  loc.00716.004_large.jpg Has I should like to have a letter from you, For I like to read your letters very mutch, Wee ar having some nise weather now, Wee aint​ hade​ no cold Weather this fall, yet. Things in the asylum is quite lively now the Dances and Plays is in full blast now, And they make the Winter pass away quite lively, Dr. Bucke and family And all the asylum People is Well I am now night watch in the Refractory under Dr Beamer whoo is a warm friend of yours, and often times askes​ me, When I heard from you.

 loc.00716.005_large.jpg

Dr. Bucke was telling me that you was come over to visit him this winter Cum right along we will Bee all glad to see you come, Every body loves you, and you wount​ be no Stranger this time and you will like It hear in the Winter. I gus I will bring my letter to a close, By sending the Love of all the asylum Employies to you, your name is never ded​ With them,

I Remain Truly To you for Ever Tommy Nicholson2  loc.00716.006_large.jpg

Notes

  • 1. This letter is endorsed (by Whitman), in red ink: "(answer." Whitman later crossed out the word and wrote over it in pencil: "answered." [back]
  • 2. Thomas Nicholson was one of the young men whom Whitman met at Bucke's asylum (see the letter from Whitman to Nicholson of October 14, 1880). [back]
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