The Walt Whitman Archive
Life & Letters
Correspondence
About this Item
Title: Walt Whitman to James R. Osgood & Company, 17 July 1881
Date: July 17, 1881
Whitman Archive ID: whs.00001
Source: Wisconsin Historical Society. 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.
Notes for this letter were derived from Walt Whitman, The Correspondence, ed. Edwin Haviland Miller, 6 vols. (New York: New York University Press, 1961–1977), and supplemented, updated, or created by Whitman Archive staff as appropriate.
Contributors to digital file: Kirsten Clawson, Nima Najafi Kianfar, Stefan Schöberlein, and Nicole Gray
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431 Stevens Street1
Camden New
Jersey
July 17 '81
Dear Sirs
I have been unwell & disabled the last fifteen days from the heat & several little things happening. Am pretty well shattered anyhow—Am busy with the copy of the book—thought I had finished—but I find it will bear about as much work as I can put on it—& I can't hurry—But it is about in printing office shape—
How will it do to have this definite arrangement—that I come on by (or just before) 1st of September to Boston—& we make a clear start with it at once then?—Ought to be put through I suppose in two months—say by the end of October—
I was thinking something might be done with an extra bound edition for the holiday book trade for '81–2 for gift books—Couldn't we get it out early half of November if I am in Boston with the copy complete on or before 1st September sure?2
Walt Whitman
Notes:
1. A draft version of this letter is available at the Library of Congress. [back]
2. On July 18 the firm was ready to "start the book whenever you wish, and should consider six to eight weeks sufficient time for it." [back]