The Walt Whitman Archive
Life & Letters
Correspondence
About this Item
Title: Walt Whitman to William D. O'Connor, 28 April 1889
Date: April 28, 1889
Whitman Archive ID: nyp.00682
Source: The Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection of English and American Literature, New York Public Library. The transcription presented here is derived from The Correspondence, ed. Edwin Haviland Miller (New York: New York University Press, 1961–1977), 4:327. For a description of the editorial rationale behind our treatment of the correspondence, see our statement of editorial policy.
Contributors to digital file: Alex Ashland, Caterina Bernardini, Brandon James O'Neil, and Stephanie Blalock
Camden1
Sunday afternoon
April 28 '89
Clearing up & sunshine as I write—good roots for the N Y show,2—(on which great calculations on)—Nothing new with me, nor better nor worse—no visitors or mail—pretty heavy dull day (but not at all on those acct's),—Am sitting here in the big bare-wood chair as usual—Best love—
Walt Whitman
Correspondent:
William Douglas O'Connor
(1832–1889) was the author of the grand and grandiloquent Whitman pamphlet
"The Good Gray Poet," published in 1866 (a digital version of the pamphlet is
available at "The Good Gray Poet: A Vindication"). For more on Whitman's
relationship with O'Connor, see Deshae E. Lott, "O'Connor, William Douglas (1832–1889)," Walt
Whitman: An Encyclopedia, ed. J.R. LeMaster and Donald D. Kummings (New
York: Garland Publishing, 1998).
Notes:
1. This letter is addressed: Wm D O'Connor | 1015 O Street N W | Washington D C. It is postmarked: Camden [illegible] | Apr 28 | 5 PM | 89; Washington, Rec'd. | Apr29 | 2 A M | 89 | 7. [back]
2. Whitman is referring to the three-day celebration of the centennial commemorating the inauguration of George Washington. [back]