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Walt Whitman to George W. Childs, 31 January [1879]

 hsp.00001.001_large.jpg Dear Mr Childs1

If nothing imperative prevents, I shall do myself the pleasure of accepting your invitation for to-morrow night—'Twould be a kindness to me if you would have one of your young men (Mr Johan2 perhaps) come down & meet me at the foot of Market Street (Camden Federal Street Ferry reception room—Philadelphia side) at ¼ to 8, and convoy me up to your house—

Walt Whitman  hsp.00001.002_large.jpg

Notes

  • 1. See the letter from Whitman to George W. Childs of December 12, 1878. Whitman attended a reception at Childs's on the following day. On April 9, 1878, D. W. Belisle, with the encouragement of Childs, had approached Whitman about an edition of Leaves of Grass, "leaving out the objectionable passages...(decided at once to decline on any such condition)" (Whitman's Commonplace Book, Charles E. Feinberg Collection of the Papers of Walt Whitman, 1839–1919, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.). [back]
  • 2. John A. Johann, of the Philadelphia Public Ledger, whose calling card appears in Whitman's Commonplace Book. [back]
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