John Swinton to Walt Whitman, [25 September 1868]

 loc.01955.001.jpg Friday 6. P.M. My dear and great Walt.

As you did not come up yesterday afternoon I did not expect you to day.

I hope to be present when you come up for this package. I would be, did I know when you would come.

I want to see you that I may get another copy of the "Leaves" and subscribe an X for the expense of their publication

I am profoundly impressed with the great humanity, or genius, that expresses itself through you. I read this afternoon in the book. I read its first division which I never before read. I could convey no idea to you of how it affects my soul. It is more to me than all other books and poetry.

The poem in the Broadway has supreme passages and thoughts; but it  loc.01955.002.jpg does not seem to me perfectly artistic.

Art, as applied to poetry, simply means the best, highest, most national, most effective form of expression.

I salute you as the poet of my heart my intellect, my ideality, my life.

Yours truly J Swinton  loc.01955.003.jpg