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Charles L. Heyde to Walt Whitman, 7 February 1890

About This Item

  • Title: Charles L. Heyde to Walt Whitman, 7 February 1890
  • Date: February 7, 1890
  • Creator(s): Walt Whitman | Charles L. Heyde
  • Whitman Archive ID: duk.00441
  • Source: Trent Collection of Whitmaniana, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University. 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.
  • Contributors to digital file: Blake Bronson-Bartlett Ian Faith Alex Ashland Stephanie Blalock
  • Cite this page: Whitman, Walt and Charles L. Heyde. "Charles L. Heyde to Walt Whitman, 7 February 1890." The Walt Whitman Archive. Gen. ed. Matt Cohen, Ed Folsom, & Kenneth M. Price. Accessed 11 May 2025. <http://www.whitmanarchive.org>.
  • Source File: duk.00441.xml (TEI)
 duk.00441.001_large.jpg Van Ness House L. S. Drew & H. N. Clark Managers U. A. Woodbury, Proprietor. Burlington, Vt. 1890 Feby 7 Bro Walt.

Han1 recd your note, with 1 dollar was too weakly to read it, just then. Is very poorly, feeble, nervous, emaciated, brain affected through prostration of physical power, from two very protracted attacks/jaundice & has taken much medicine, necessarily—has every edible thing suitable for her convalescence, yet does [illegible] acquire any energy  duk.00441.002_large.jpg weather very hindering, cold, or coldly damp—house comfortable however good heater in sitting room of course her disorder admit[illegible] of no philosophy—She is sick—very sick" indeed Charlie"—Yet I feel encouraged that she will get better—well, after a time—can get up stairs and return—cook her own victuals, agreeable to herself— I gave a couple of paintings away (allmost) to buy a tin of coal and a few groceries—

Neither Geo or Lou,2 write to her—might send her a trifle—

Charlie—

Correspondent:
Charles Louis Heyde (ca. 1820–1892), a French-born landscape painter, married Hannah Louisa Whitman (1823–1908), Walt Whitman's sister, and they lived in Burlington, Vermont. Charles Heyde was infamous among the Whitmans for his offensive letters and poor treatment of Hannah. For more information about Heyde, see Steven Schroeder, "Heyde, Charles Louis (1822–1892)," Walt Whitman: An Encyclopedia, ed. J.R. LeMaster and Donald D. Kummings (New York: Garland Publishing, 1998).

Notes

  • 1. Hannah Louisa (Whitman) Heyde (1823–1908), youngest sister of Walt Whitman, married Charles Louis Heyde (ca. 1820–1892), a Pennsylvania-born landscape painter. Charles Heyde was infamous among the Whitmans for his offensive letters and poor treatment of Hannah. Hannah and Charles Heyde lived in Burlington, Vermont. For more, see Paula K. Garrett, "Whitman (Heyde), Hannah Louisa (d. 1908)," Walt Whitman: An Encyclopedia, ed. J.R. LeMaster and Donald D. Kummings (New York: Garland Publishing, 1998). [back]
  • 2. Whitman's brother, George Washington Whitman (1829–1901), and his wife Louisa Orr Haslam (1842–1892), called "Loo" or "Lou." For more information on George, see Martin G. Murray "Whitman, George Washington," Walt Whitman: An Encyclopedia, ed. J.R. LeMaster and Donald D. Kummings (New York: Garland Publishing, 1998). For more on Louisa, see Karen Wolfe, "Whitman, Louisa Orr Haslam (Mrs. George) (1842–1892)," Walt Whitman: An Encyclopedia, ed. J.R. LeMaster and Donald D. Kummings (New York: Garland Publishing, 1998). [back]
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