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Elizabeth Porter Gould to Walt Whitman, 8 February 1892

 loc.02233.001_large.jpg

With1 loyal affection and best wishes2 to my dear poet. God bless him!

 loc.02233.002_large.jpg Splendor of ended day3 Be but the door Opening the endless way— Life evermore! February 1892.  loc.02233.003_large.jpg  loc.02233.004_large.jpg see notes Feb 10 1892

Correspondent:
Elizabeth Porter Gould (1848–1906) was a Massachusetts writer and reformer who edited the collection Gems from Walt Whitman (1889), a selection of poems from Leaves of Grass that she condensed to create short poetic "gems."


Notes

  • 1. This letter is addressed: Walt Whitman | Camden | New Jersey | 328 Mickle St. It is postmarked: BOSTON, MASS | FEB 8 | 3-30P | 1892; CAMDEN, NJ | FEB 9 | 9AM | 92 | REC'D. [back]
  • 2. Gould wrote this letter to Whitman on a card that was printed with her name and address as follows: Miss Gould | 131 Chestnut St. Beneath her printed street number, Gould has completed her address by writing "Chelsea Mass."; she has also written "(over.)" to direct Whitman to the remainder of her message on the verso of the card. [back]
  • 3. Drawing inspiration from the opening line of Whitman's poem "Song at Sunset," which also begins with "Splendor of ended day," Gould has included the four lines of verse that she had sent three years earlier as a response to Horace Traubel's invitation to Whitman's seventieth birthday dinner, which was held on May 31, 1889, in Camden. Gould had written to Whitman on December 30, 1889, to inquire whether the response to Traubel had been received and to express disappointment that her verses were not included among the notes and addresses from the birthday celebration that were gathered and published in Camden's Compliment, a volume edited by Traubel. [back]
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