The Walt Whitman Archive
Life & Letters
Correspondence
About this Item
Title: Wallace Wood to Walt Whitman, 2 February 1891
Date: February 2, 1891
Whitman Archive ID: loc.03239
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: Blake Bronson-Bartlett, Ian Faith, Alex Ashland, and Stephanie Blalock
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Herald Office
New York1
Feb 2 1891
My Dear Sir
May we venture to hope that you will feel moved to say a word or two for the Herald's Symposium on the anthropological and ethical question of the "Perfect Man"—or, What are the cardinal points to be insisted upon for the all around development of the coming American?2
Whatever you may tell us will be of real value to the cause of science.
Very Sincerely
Wallace Wood
Correspondent:
Wallace Wood
(1858–1916) was a scholar and scientific writer, who was the Samuel F.
Morse chair of art at New York University. Wood was the author of several books,
including Twenty Styles of Architecture (1881) and A New Method in Brain Study (1899). In 1892, he edited
Ideals of Life. Human Perfection. How to Attain It.,
an "anthropological and ethical symposium," that collected pieces by prominent
artists, scientists, and celebrities. Wood's introduction to the symposium
claims that many of the contributions have "appeared in the New York Herald" (page 6), and he solicited the poet's
participation in this symposium. Whitman's response, "The Civilized World
Working Toward the Answer: The Democratic Poet," appeared in Ideals of Life, 389–390, followed by a biographical sketch,
excerpts of his poetry, and excerpts of interviews with the poet
(391–394). For more information, see Wood's obituary in the New York Herald (December 17, 1916), 8, and see also his
introduction to Ideals of Life (New York: E. B. Treat,
1892), 5–10.
Notes:
1. This letter is addressed: Walt Whitman Esq | Camden | N.J. It is postmarked: New York | Feb 2 | 11 PM | 91; Camden, N.J. | Feb | 3 | 6 AM | 1891 | Rec'd. [back]
2. For Whitman's response, see his letter to Wood of March 3, 1891. [back]