Life & Letters

Correspondence

About this Item

Title: Walt Whitman to John Burroughs, 24 September 1881

Date: September 24, 1881

Whitman Archive ID: prc.00075

Source: The current location of this letter is unknown. The transcription presented here is derived from Walt Whitman, The Correspondence, ed. Edwin Haviland Miller (New York: New York University Press, 1961–1977), 3:245–246. For a description of the editorial rationale behind our treatment of the correspondence, see our statement of editorial policy.

Contributors to digital file: Kirsten Clawson, Nima Najafi Kianfar, Stefan Schöberlein, and Nicole Gray




Rand, Avery & Co., Printers.
Boston,
Sept: 24 1881

Dear friend

Yours rec'd—I am now back here finishing up—only stayed a few days in Concord, but they were mark'd days. Sunday, Emerson & his wife, son Edward & wife &c. gave me a dinner—two hours—every thing just right every way—a dozen people there, (the family & relatives)—for my part I thought the old man in his smiling and alert quietude & withdrawness—he has a good color in the face & ate just as much dinner as any body—more eloquent, grand, appropriate & impressive than ever—more indeed than could be described—Wasn't it comforting that I have had—in the sunset as it were—so many significant affectionate hours with him under such quiet, beautiful, appropriate circumstances?

The book is done & will be in the market in a month or so—all about it has proceeded satisfactorily—& I have had my own way in every thing—the old name "Leaves of Grass" is retained—it will be a $2 book—

I shall probably go on to New York in about a week—shall stay at Johnston's, (address me there Mott avenue & 149th street N Y city) about a week or ten days—

Besides this general death-gloom of the nations1—have you heard of the sudden & dreadful death of our young friend Beatrice Gilchrist in performing some chemical experiment with ether?

Joaquin Miller is here—is with me every day—Longfellow has been to see me2—I have met O W Holmes & old Mr James.3

With love—
Walt Whitman


Notes:

1. The death of President Garfield on September 19. See also the letter from Walt Whitman to Louisa Orr Whitman of July 6, 1881[back]

2. Whitman had called on Longfellow on April 16 (Specimen Days, ed. Floyd Stovall [New York: New York University Press, 1963], 266). [back]

3. The father of the novelist. [back]


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