Life & Letters

Correspondence

About this Item

Title: Thomas Dixon to Walt Whitman, 28 May 1870

Date: May 28, 1870

Whitman Archive ID: loc.01449

Source: The Charles E. Feinberg Collection of the Papers of Walt Whitman, 1839-1919, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 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: Kenneth M. Price, Elizabeth Lorang, and Beverley Rilett



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15 Sunderland Street
Sunderland,
May 28 70

Dear Sir

I once more take the liberty of sending you a few lines to enquire if you have received the small Box of Books I sent you on the 8th April per Suttons Parcel Despatch. I enclose again the list of the contents of the Box. I have been expecting a letter from you these 2 weeks, and so thought I had better write you again in case they had not reached you safely, because the longer we delay the report of items not arriving safe, the more difficult it becomes to trace where they may have been sent to in mistake. I also learn you have written a reply to T. Carlyle's American Iliad in a Nutshell. If you possess a Copy of it, I would like to have one, also a copy of the original preface to Leaves of Grass. Not now being in possession of the original copy of the Poem, I miss the preface from your recent Editions much.—In fact I regret very much that you have excluded the preface from your recent Editions, and English Readers would no doubt like to see a Copy of your letter to Emerson on American Literature, in reply to his letter to you. Copies of Emersons letter I have sent to several friends of mine here interested in your Poems. Are you ever in New York? I have at present staying there, if not located there for Life, two friends from our town. Men that I know would be glad to see you and who would give you some details of English Life, Literature, Politics, and [illegible] likewise, and who I should be glad to hear had seen you, and also became friends of yours. there is a certain natural talent in them both. one of them has written a few Articles for the Tribune on Cooperation and Trade's Unions. The new matters here in a Literary way that may be of interest to Note you is the successful result of the Publication of D. G. Rossetti's Poems got into the second Edition in 14 Days after first Publication, and the next is a series of lectures in the Science of Religion by [illegible] appearing in Frasers Mag every month also a great success. And last not least the public appearance in London of Chunder Sen the Hindoo Theist, who is now greatly sought after by all classes of advanced thinkers in London. And through his being here some few advanced thinkers in London (people who admire your Countryman Theo Parker's Works) are anxious to inaugrate some Body of People who shall publicly carry out and advocate these teachings amongst us, in fact endeavour to form a Body of Religious People who shall truly acknowledge in their daily Life and Needs the fellowship and Brotherhood of all Men, and God the Father of all. One God, and one Religion, and that Religion in practice each Member trying to do his and her Duty to each other faithfully and honestly. see Magazine. Duties of Man, the New Gospel to our Time and peoples. In fact in the small Collection you will find all and more then I can write and tell you about of the leading ideas and thoughts I sympathize with, and live in hopes of seeing someday come to pass amongst us all. and Humanity seems fast moving on to that Noble Epoch, despite the changes and groans of some of them—I myself largely sympathize with the Quaker teaching No Priesthood, and would fain know something of your Mind on this Matter, and also of Hicks teachings whose name I see coupled with yours.

Yours Truly
Thomas Dixon


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