The Walt Whitman Archive
Life & Letters
Correspondence
About this Item
Title: Charles L. Heyde to Walt Whitman, 7 February 1890
Date: February 7, 1890
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, and Stephanie Blalock
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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 weather very hindering, cold, or coldly damp—house comfortable however good heater in sitting roo[m?] 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]