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Thomas Dixon to Walt Whitman, 23 December 1869

About This Item

  • Title: Thomas Dixon to Walt Whitman, 23 December 1869
  • Date: December 23, 1869
  • Creator(s): Dixon, Thomas | Thomas Dixon
  • Whitman Archive ID: loc.01445
  • 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.
  • Cite this page: Dixon, Thomas and Thomas Dixon. "Thomas Dixon to Walt Whitman, 23 December 1869." The Walt Whitman Archive. Gen. ed. Matt Cohen, Ed Folsom, & Kenneth M. Price. Accessed 03 March 2025. <http://www.whitmanarchive.org>.
  • Source File: loc.01445.xml (TEI)
 loc.01445.003.jpg 15 Sunderland Street. Sunderland. Dec 23, 1869 Dear Sir and Friend

Thy letter and the photograph is to hand all safe. Newspaper seems to have been appropriated on the way either by thy people or by mine. let us hope to above the two lots hath fallen it may be profitable to body and Soul. I have had news from Sister. Some letters hath gone astray sent by me, and also by me. Such accidents I suppose is  loc.01445.004.jpg uncommon in the Post Office when one considers the amount of letters sent the wonder is that some more does not go astray. when one thinks of the quantity of letters sent it seems really amazing how few seems to miss there destination! However I trust no more Books to their care in future. A Parcel of a few I will send you in a few weeks. I delay simply because when I do send you I wish to send you really representative Books? and shall send them by parcel Despatch then they are answerable for their delivery or Value thereof. I write you in haste because I wish to save you trouble in enquiring respecting Sister, who is now in communication with us  loc.01445.005.jpg all again, and who will recieve what I hope will enable her to buy some piece of your Native Land, and to then Have for herself and husband and Family. Thy recognition of my loss goes to my heart. I feel in thee a friend. my love for thee through thy printed utterances has been more then recompenced by thy kind words. My parcel and its contents will speak to thee more then I can write thee. I love nearly all the Men thou lovest and all the Books and thoughts that seem congenial to thee long hath been to me. I gaze on the Sea while I eat my food and think of thee in the [illegible] of summer I gaze on the sea, and in the morning also— loc.01445.006.jpg and often while I gaze thereon I think of thee, and how thou loves that sea, and how to thee it hath been more then to me. I love also those on the Sea, as the small matters sent to thee does prove how dear they are to me. again even now my eldest Lad is now in Japan is second voyage to Celina and yet only 16 years old—my youngest is also now learning a trade are that I suppose you know well too. (House Joiner.) He I hope someday will visit your Land. my two lads I would like to see settled there on Land, only I do not know if it may ever be. Such is their fathers Hope. Your Books still are out on Loan they have made many a journey since they came to me, they are as follows. Burroughs W. W. the Man & the Poet. Connor's Good Gray Poet.—  loc.01445.007.jpg Conway's Notice in Fortnightly. Your Poems in Tinsley & Broadwood. these go from hand to hand here in my town and in the district amongst all sorts of people—Unitarian Ministers, Joiners, Carpenters, Ship Carvers, Watchmakers, Potters, [unclear]latters, Shipwrights, Boiler Makers, Blacksmiths and others, even amongst Quakers in Manchester too has your Books now become Known . . all love you simply because you seem to love all. I have long wished for someone to arise that would once again through the Spirit working upon them, open the hand of fellowship to all Humanity—the poor, the outcast, the learned, the unlearned, you seem in your Life to have done this so we love you—as a true Manifestation amongst us  loc.01445.008.jpg once again of the Spirit of the Great Teacher, and by your actions and your teachings you compell us to love and admire you, because in your Life you have lived that which you have written for us. Ah! how few that love Christ and his teachings see or apprehend that to do them is really what He meant when he asked them to become His disciple. I hope these few scratches may convey to you why I love you, and why we all love you, and why we long for your Portrait. Many, Many thanks for it, and thy kind letter, and noble recognition of us all. May thou long be spared to the people and our people too likewise.

Thine, thankfully Thomas Dixon

In the Good deeds of Humanity is the true Unity of God made Manifest to Humanity. Nations, Peoples, tongues, or speeches are but segments of a great All.

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