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Studio
Aug 3d–'911
Our reverd and true Friend—in whom we have placed our reliance—
You will be please to learn that Han's2 condition is improving—Dr
Binghams3 father4 is very old and failing—he has gone to see him,
and has supplied Han with all necessary remedies—
I have grown nervous—as a consequence of this illness of Han's—I was
allways of an apprehensive nature——
I think that Lou5 could come on, without detriment, to Han's convalescence, and yet
her visit might have a prostrating effect—I will write every day—here it
is—hopefull now—
Gratefully ever,
Charlie
Correspondent:
Charles Louis Heyde (ca.
1820–1892), a French-born landscape painter, married Hannah Louisa Whitman
(1823–1908), Walt Whitman's sister, and they lived in Burlington, Vermont.
Charles Heyde was infamous among the Whitmans for his offensive letters and poor
treatment of Hannah. For more information about Heyde, see Steven Schroeder,
"Heyde, Charles Louis (1822–1892)," Walt
Whitman: An Encyclopedia, ed. J.R. LeMaster and Donald D. Kummings (New
York: Garland Publishing, 1998).
Notes
- 1. Richard Maurice Bucke has
supplied the year for this letter, writing "'91" in red ink following Heyde's
date. [back]
- 2. Hannah Louisa (Whitman) Heyde
(1823–1908), youngest sister of Walt Whitman, married Charles Louis Heyde
(ca. 1820–1892), a Pennsylvania-born landscape painter. Charles Heyde was
infamous among the Whitmans for his offensive letters and poor treatment of
Hannah. Hannah and Charles Heyde lived in Burlington, Vermont. For more, see
Paula K. Garrett, "Whitman (Heyde), Hannah Louisa (d. 1908)," Walt
Whitman: An Encyclopedia, ed. J.R. LeMaster and Donald D. Kummings (New
York: Garland Publishing, 1998). [back]
- 3. Dr. Leroy Monroe Bingham
(1845–1910) graduated from Bellevue Medical College in New York in 1870
and moved to Burlington, Vermont, in 1874. He became Hannah's physician after
1882. For more information, see William B. Atkinson, M.D., The
Physicians and Surgeons of the United States (Philadelphia: Charles
Robson, 1878), 375. [back]
- 4. As yet we have no information about
this person. [back]
- 5. Louisa Orr Haslam Whitman (1842–1892), called
"Loo" or "Lou," married Whitman's brother George Whitman on April 14, 1871. Their
son, Walter Orr Whitman, was born in 1875 but died the following year. A second
son was stillborn. Whitman lived in Camden, New Jersey, with George and Louisa from
1873 until 1884, when George and Louisa moved to a farm outside of Camden and
Whitman decided to stay in the city. Louisa and Whitman had a warm relationship
during the poet's final decades. For more, see Karen Wolfe, "Whitman, Louisa Orr Haslam (Mrs. George) (1842–1892)," Walt Whitman: An Encyclopedia, ed. J.R. LeMaster and
Donald D. Kummings (New York: Garland Publishing, 1998). [back]