The Walt Whitman Archive
Life & Letters
Correspondence
About this Item
Title: Walt Whitman to Talcott Williams, 4 May 1886
Date: May 4, 1886
Whitman Archive ID: loc.04873
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: Stefan Schöberlein and Kyle Barton
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328 Mickle Street
Camden New Jersey
May 4 '861
I have been going for two weeks to write special letters of thanks &c to you & T D2 for your kindness & labors in my lecture, and raising in it, $674 for me—I appreciate all, & indeed thank you—It is the biggest stroke of pure kindness & concrete help I have ever rec'd—But all formal letters must just fizzle down to this card—whose duplicate I send to T D—
Walt Whitman
Correspondent:
Talcott Williams
(1849–1928) was associated with the New York Sun
and World as well as the Springfield Republican before he became the editor of the Philadelphia Press in 1879. His newspaper vigorously defended Whitman
in news articles and editorials after the Boston censorship of 1882. For more
information about Williams, see Philip W. Leon, "Williams, Talcott (1849–1928)," Walt Whitman:
An Encyclopedia, ed. J.R. LeMaster and Donald D. Kummings (New York:
Garland Publishing, 1998).
Notes:
1. This postal card is addressed: Talcott Williams | Daily Press office | Corner Chestnut & Seventh St. | Phila:. It is postmarked: CAMDEN | MAY | 6 | 8 PM | N.J.; RECEIVED | MAY 6 | 9 PM | [illegible] [back]
2. Thomas Donaldson (1843–1898) was a lawyer from Philadelphia and a friend of Whitman. He introduced Whitman to Bram Stoker and later accompanied Stoker when he visited the poet; he also organized a fund-raising drive to buy Whitman a horse and carriage. He authored a biography of Whitman titled Walt Whitman, the Man (1896). For more information about Donaldson, see Steven Schroeder, "Donaldson, Thomas (1843–1898)," Walt Whitman: An Encyclopedia, ed. J.R. LeMaster and Donald D. Kummings (New York: Garland Publishing, 1998). [back]