I came off down here on Tuesday, having lectures to give at Cardiff and Swansea on Tuesday & Wednesday nights. Now I am staying a few days over with a bright young fellow who has a cottage here overlooking the pleasant sweep of Swansea Bay;—after over-work day & night in town, you can imagine how good it seems to have the sea hard-by, & the free sea-wind a-blowing.
"The sea-wind & the seaMade all my soul in meA song for ever!"1In an hour or two, we shall set off for a two or three days tramp through the remote sea-slopes of Gower. The coast scenery is said to be very fine. We will loc.03336.002.jpg expect to reach the lovely headland of Worm's Head some time to-morrow, stopping on the way at King Arthur's Seat, & putting up for the night at some old country inn. Altogether it is just the sort of excursion that you would delight in, could you only be with us!
Meanwhile I am glad to forget town & things literary, & to loafe & take it easy here, though the post brings occasional reminders that London still exists. I must not forget, by the way, to say that a note has come to say a package (of portraits presumably) from you, awaits my return. For this again, best thanks! I shall be able now to get on with my article for the 'Scottish Art Review' as soon as I am back in town. A day or two before I left, Ed. Carpenter2 spent an evening with me. He showed me your last letter to him. He was well. I devoutly pray that you are not suffering so much as you were.
With deep love,— Ernest RhysSwansea Bay is famous for its oysters. The flavour they are were like the American, though small in size. Wish I could send you some!
Correspondent:
Ernest Rhys
(1859–1946) wrote on May 31, 1885: "Let me
say simply in a young man's way to you who are an old man now, how dearly and
earnestly I think of you across the sea to-night, remembering the Past, looking
on to the great to-morrow, for perhaps of all young men you have helped me most
powerfully & perfectly." On July 7, 1885 Rhys
proposed a one-shilling edition of Whitman's poetry in The
Canterbury Poets series. On September
25–29 Rhys wrote for the third time after waiting "for a reply
so far in vain," and included the payment from Walter Scott, the English
publisher of The Canterbury Poets. On Rhys's letter
Whitman wrote: "the little English selection from L. of G. is out since, &
the whole edition (10,000) sold." For more information about Rhys, see Joel
Myerson, "Rhys, Ernest Percival (1859–1946)," Walt
Whitman: An Encyclopedia, ed. J.R. LeMaster and Donald D. Kummings (New
York: Garland Publishing, 1998).