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Walt Whitman to Charles W. Eldridge, 2 December [1874]

Dear friend,

The address I want you to send the Tax & Revenue books, reports, documents, or whatever to is To Paul Liptay1 Care of Otto Behrens2 140 Eighth avenue New York City

I wrote to Nelly about a week ago, stating my condition, & what a plight I have been in—& am partially yet—though slowly coming round to what I was just previous—

The doctor still comes every day—rather a curious fellow—a great bully, vehement, loud words & plenty of them (the very reverse of my valued Dr Drinkard)—& yet I value what he says & does for me—He is inclined to think the seat of all my woe has been (what no one ever whispered before,) the liver, acted upon largely also, perhaps almost primarily, thro[ugh] the emotional nature—at any rate he is decided that the present botherations are absolutely liver troubles, & their radiations—

Charley, I have had a sick, sick three weeks since you were here—havn't been out, except just in front of the house in the sun, & only three times that—but don't be alarmed, my dear friend—the probabilities are, (in my opinion any how,) that I shall get partially well yet—


Notes

  • 1. According to a calling card pasted in the Commonplace Book (Charles E. Feinberg Collection, Library of Congress), Lipstay (not Liptay) was a correspondent for "Hungarian Journals." He visited Whitman on August 26, 1876. [back]
  • 2. Ottoe Behrens was listed as a carver in the New York Directory of 1874–1875 and as an engraver in the following year. [back]
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