I never saw a more pleasant fall here so far—hardly a break in our beautiful weather now for a month. Today as fine as ever. I am struggling with my report and getting on slowly—it will be much longer than usual—a lot about alcohol in it. We are all very well—Maurice and Willy2 have gone a hundred miles west with their uncle Willy Gurd3 (the meter inventor) for a few days shooting, they will all be back tomorrow evening or night, I am in hopes they will bring a lot of partridge and wild duck with them.
loc_es.00377.jpgAs to the meter we are making arrangements about getting our patents pretty much all over the world. As soon as our patenting is done we expect to astonish the water works people. I am more and more impressed with the immense value of the meter think it will (as soon as known, at least until improved upon, if that can be) stand alone as the only meter to be used—seems to me so far ahead of all others in all ways—efficiency, simplicity, above all cheapness. I have not heard from you for a week, hope you are not feeling worse? How do the books get along?4 Will they be ready by the first Oct.?
Your friend RM Bucke loc_es.00374.jpg See notes 9/22/88 loc_es.00375.jpgCorrespondent:
Richard Maurice Bucke (1837–1902) was a
Canadian physician and psychiatrist who grew close to Whitman after reading Leaves of Grass in 1867 (and later memorizing it) and
meeting the poet in Camden a decade later. Even before meeting Whitman, Bucke
claimed in 1872 that a reading of Leaves of Grass led him
to experience "cosmic consciousness" and an overwhelming sense of epiphany.
Bucke became the poet's first biographer with Walt
Whitman (Philadelphia: David McKay, 1883), and he later served as one
of his medical advisors and literary executors. For more on the relationship of
Bucke and Whitman, see Howard Nelson, "Bucke, Richard Maurice," Walt Whitman: An
Encyclopedia, ed. J.R. LeMaster and Donald D. Kummings (New York:
Garland Publishing, 1998).