Yours of 5th enclosing Kennedy's1 of a year ago
came to hand last evening—Was glad to have the latter—in fact am always glad
to get anything on that subject. So the mess
work on the "Dinner Book"2 is done—that being so
Horace3 ought to have sent me a copy without waiting for the binding—he
promised to do that and I am disappointed
he did not. Tell him if he has not mailed a copy to please to
do so right away. If you or H. have a spare copy of that "New England Monthly" please send it me. Want to
see what the magazine looks like. I am real glad to hear that H.
will write on you in it4 he ought (and I guess will) get up
a first-class paper. He ought to know
loc_es.00642.jpg
his subject pretty well by this time!
No, I was not much interested in the Pan-American business5 though it is worth interest—do not see why Canada is not represented—she ought to be. It will all come right in the end only it takes time.—Good heavens! What a group of nationalities there will be in the Americas some day. Shall you and I see the show, standing together perhaps on Alcyone?
By that time you will be feeling better but I wish you could be a little more comfortable meanwhile I fear you are not having a good time
I am your friend R M BuckeTell H. to send the book sure at once if not sent already
RMB.Correspondent:
Richard Maurice Bucke (1837–1902) was a
Canadian physician and psychiatrist who grew close to Whitman after reading Leaves of Grass in 1867 (and later memorizing it) and
meeting the poet in Camden a decade later. Even before meeting Whitman, Bucke
claimed in 1872 that a reading of Leaves of Grass led him
to experience "cosmic consciousness" and an overwhelming sense of epiphany.
Bucke became the poet's first biographer with Walt
Whitman (Philadelphia: David McKay, 1883), and he later served as one
of his medical advisors and literary executors. For more on the relationship of
Bucke and Whitman, see Howard Nelson, "Bucke, Richard Maurice," Walt Whitman: An
Encyclopedia, ed. J.R. LeMaster and Donald D. Kummings (New York:
Garland Publishing, 1998).