Redelia Bates to Walt Whitman, 8 April 1872

About This Item

Title: Redelia Bates to Walt Whitman, 8 April 1872
Date: April 8, 1872
Creator(s): Redelia Bates
Whitman Archive ID: loc.05427
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: Alex Kinnaman Stefan Schöberlein Nicole Gray Kenneth M. Price
Cite this page: Bates, Redelia. "Redelia Bates to Walt Whitman, 8 April 1872." The Walt Whitman Archive. Gen. ed. Matt Cohen, Ed Folsom, & Kenneth M. Price. Accessed 09 May 2025. <http://www.whitmanarchive.org>.
Source File: loc.05427.xml (TEI)

loc_gk.01441.jpg 470 State Street Brooklyn April 8th/72 Mr Walt Whitman Dr Sir:

I regret exceedingly the awkwardness which seemed to impress you this morning as a disposition to pry impudently into your business for the purpose of making you a subject of public gossip. Permit me to assure that such a motive was foreign to my mind. My object in calling upon you was simply that of friendly interest which I had been encouraged to think was reciprocal during our brief acquaintance in loc_gk.01443.jpg loc_gk.01442.jpg Washington. If my presence was an intrusion pray pardon it: but do not I beseech you attribute to presumption or idle curiosity that which sprang only from the most disinterested feelings of friendship.

Trusting that this explanation will exonerate me from all undeserved suspicion, I have the honor to remain

Most respectfully Redelia Bates.

loc_gk.01444.jpg

Correspondent:
Redelia Bates (1842–1943) was a female suffrage lecturer from St. Louis who married American socialist Albert Brisbane. After his death, she edited and published his autobiography.