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Walt Whitman to Thayer & Eldridge, May 1860

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Arrived home all right, 24th, at dusk, over the "shore line"—I like that route better than the old one—no dust that day, and fine view of the water, half the time.1

The package came safe to hand on Friday, containing my 20 purchased L. of G. and 20 to give away at discretion. I shall send you a tally of the latter as I [cut away]2

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Correspondent:
Thayer and Eldridge was the Boston publishing firm responsible for the third edition of Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass (1860). For more on Whitman's relationship with Thayer and Eldridge, see David Breckenridge Donlon, "Thayer, William Wilde (1829–1896) and Charles W. Eldridge (1837–1903)."


Notes

  • 1. Apparently this draft letter was sent to Thayer & Eldridge shortly after Whitman's return to Brooklyn. It would appear, then, that despite his reference in the letter from May 10, 1860 to his imminent departure, Whitman remained in Boston until May 24, and then took the new Shore Line Railroad to New York. [back]
  • 2. On the back of this draft letter Whitman wrote a series of notes about words. [back]
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