My friend & yours Mr Joaquin Miller1 tells me that the best way to gratify a long-cherished wish of mine, ie, to have a complete edition of your poems, is to write to you directly for a copy of them—I therefore follow his advice—
If you will write your own name on the fly leaf of the volumes, it will be a great favor to me & most-highly
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appreciated—
I was one of the earliest readers of your Leaves of Grass, that unique book, which so startled the many &
so delighted the few—Permit me to congratulate you & to feel a little pride myself as an American
that you have received such abundant recognition from the greatest men of our age both abroad & at home;
& when I remember your work during our dreadful war, my heart as well as my pride is touched, & I
cannot though a stranger to you, forbear presenting to the true
man a nobler title even than that
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of the true poet, my profoundest respect & admiration—
Correspondent:
Laura Curtis Bullard (1831–1912) was an
American author and women's activist.