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Walt Whitman to Edward Wilkins, 10 July 1890

About This Item

  • Title: Walt Whitman to Edward Wilkins, 10 July 1890
  • Date: July 10, 1890
  • Creator(s): Walt Whitman
  • Whitman Archive ID: loc.04867
  • 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: Ian Faith Ryan Furlong Blake Bronson-Bartlett Stephanie Blalock
  • Cite this page: Whitman, Walt. "Walt Whitman to Edward Wilkins, 10 July 1890." The Walt Whitman Archive. Gen. ed. Matt Cohen, Ed Folsom, & Kenneth M. Price. Accessed 10 May 2025. <http://www.whitmanarchive.org>.
  • Source File: loc.04867.xml (TEI)
 loc_vm.01324.jpg Camden1 July 10 '90 Dear Ed

Y'r letter has come this forenoon2—finds me quite sick & lying down most of the time—Will write soon & more at length—I have these spells sometimes & then have to let every thing go. Nothing serious—shall be all right in a few days—Keep a stout heart dear boy, & God bless you—

Walt Whitman  loc_vm.01325.jpg  loc_vm.01322.jpg  loc_vm.01323.jpg

Correspondent:
Edward "Ned" Wilkins (1865–1936) was one of Whitman's nurses during his Camden years; he was sent to Camden from London, Ontario, by Dr. Richard M. Bucke, and he began caring for Whitman on November 5, 1888. He stayed for a year before returning to Canada to attend the Ontario Veterinary School. Wilkins graduated on March 24, 1893, and then he returned to the United States to commence his practice in Alexandria, Indiana. For more information, see Bert A. Thompson, "Edward Wilkins: Male Nurse to Walt Whitman," Walt Whitman Review 15 (September 1969), 194–195.

Notes

  • 1. This letter is addressed: Ed: Wilkins | 137 King Street | London | Ontario | Canada. It is postmarked: Camden N.J. | Jul 10 | 8 PM | 90; 3 | PM JY | 12; Philadelphia, PA | Jul | 10 | 90 | Transit; London | PM | JY [cutaway] | CA[cutaway]. [back]
  • 2. This letter does not seem to be extant. [back]
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