William D. O'Connor to Walt Whitman, 13 July 1882

 loc.03061.001_large.jpg Washington, D.C. July 13, 1882. Dear Walt:

I enclose a copy of a letter I got yesterday from John Burroughs, as you may like to see what he says of Rossetti. It is incredible that a man who translated Dante, and knows what art and taste sanction in the Divina Comedia, can have  loc.03061.002_large.jpg so gone back on his old acceptance of your book. It is sad and sickening.

I have your postal card of the 11th. It is funny, but take it for all in all, the newspaper account of the P.M.G's decision is right—the interior sense, as Swedenborg would say, being about as they  loc.03061.003_large.jpg say. The story has gone broadcast over the country, and must have dismayed the Comstockians.

Comstock, Ingersoll tells me, is not an honest bigot, but an arrant black-hearted scoundrel. This he personally knows of him.

When the new edition comes out, we may expect a row.

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George Chainey had better be careful, or they may nip him with a libel suit. He has just done an astonishing thing—printed my private letter in his paper—the letter in which I asked him for information. This is too bad and he ought to know better. A letter of yours also is given. I am surprised at his lack of sense.

Faithfully W. D. O'Connor. W.W.