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James W. Wallace to Walt Whitman, 25 March 1892

 loc_vm.02061_large.jpg Dear Walt,

Tenderest love to you, and cheer and hope.3 Love that grows only deeper & stronger, and hope that is immortal.

And here is a kiss for you in token of all.

X Your loving Wallace  loc_vm.02062_large.jpg  loc_vm.02063_large.jpg  loc_vm.02064_large.jpg  loc_vm.02065_large.jpg  loc_vm.02066_large.jpg

Correspondent:
James William Wallace (1853–1926), of Bolton, England, was an architect and great admirer of Whitman. Wallace, along with Dr. John Johnston (1852–1927), a physician in Bolton, founded the "Bolton College" of English admirers of the poet. Johnston and Wallace corresponded with Whitman and with Horace Traubel and other members of the Whitman circle in the United States, and they separately visited the poet and published memoirs of their trips in John Johnston and James William Wallace, Visits to Walt Whitman in 1890–1891 by Two Lancashire Friends (London: Allen and Unwin, 1917). For more information on Wallace, see Larry D. Griffin, "Wallace, James William (1853–1926)," Walt Whitman: An Encyclopedia, ed. J.R. LeMaster and Donald D. Kummings (New York: Garland Publishing, 1998).


Notes

  • 1. This letter is addressed: Walt Whitman | 328, Mickle Street | Camden | New Jersey | U.S. America. It is postmarked: Bolton | 32 | Mr 26 | 92; | New York | Apr 2 | G | 92; Camden, N.J. | Apr 3 | 130 PM | 92 | Rec'd. [back]
  • 2. Wallace wrote this letter to Whitman the day before the poet died. The letter did not arrive in Camden until several days later, on April 3, 1892. [back]
  • 3. On December 17, 1891, Whitman had come down with a chill and was suffering from congestion in his right lung. Although the poet's condition did improve in January 1892, he would never recover. He was confined to his bed, and his physicians, Dr. Daniel Longaker of Philadelphia and Dr. Alexander McAlister of Camden, provided care during his final illness. Whitman died on March 26, 1892. [back]
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