Life & Letters

Correspondence

About this Item

Title: George Chainey to Walt Whitman, 27 July 1882

Date: July 27, 1882

Whitman Archive ID: loc.05967

Source: This photocopy is held in 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 and Nicole Gray



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51 Fort Ave/Roxbury/Boston Mass
July 27th/82

Walt Whitman—
Dear Friend

Your kind note of the 26th is received also the package—& "Leaves of Grass"—both of which are to me more precious than gold. I sent you yesterday a copy of my paper containing the lecture Keep off the Grass. As it may be withheld by the P O. Officials I send you one to day enclosed in a new book that I have just published. The whole edition of my paper is still held at the Post Office awaiting decision from Washington as to its alleged indecency by PM. Tobey. As in my next number I shall have the whole history of this infamous impertinence and audacity in print I will not weary you with writing it here—. I have received a very kind note from Mr O'Connor from whose splendid article I quoted—containing the offer of his kind offices at Washington. As I cannot think there can be another edition-of-such-holy impurity and-insensibility to all the sacred rights of man as Tobey I hope soon to have it in circulation I have a circulation of 2600—scattered all over the Union—Canada—& a few of them in England Scotland France Switzerland Italy Australia New Zealand & the West Indies among whom you have many ardent admirers—When I first lectured from Leaves of Grass I received many expressions of gratitude from them—I am sorry that last Winter I allowed a press of business to lead me to postpone calling on you until I found that it was too late—. I am however loath to intrude my self on public personages—as I know that much of their valuable time is thus wasted.—I shall however always feel as though I have touched your soul & felt the beating of your heart near to mine in the few kind words you have sent me—and whenever I read Leaves of Grass your personal inscription on the fly leaf—will make every line fragrant with your love.

Your friend
George Chainey


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