To Post Office first thing, where found letters from both Wallace (Aug. 6) and Johnston (Aug. 8). I wrote to the first at once—a final word, I called it, persuasive of the American trip.
Bolton, England Aug 8/91 My Dear TraubelJust a line or two to acknowledge rect. of your kind letter of July 28th with enclosure of slips—"John Herbert Clifford"—& your bundle of oak leaves in the copies of the Conservator & to thank you most heartily for them all.
I have just returned from spending a very pleasant week in the Isle of Man & must now buckle in to work—no easy task after a week's idling.
We are all glad to know that our reception of Dr. Bucke has given you pleasure—it simply expressed the cordiality we felt & when he comes again—wh. he will probably do between the 19th & 24th (he sails on 26th in Majestic)—we shall all feel that we are receiving an old & dear friend.
I have not seen Wallace since my return but shall probably do so on Sun. (Ag 10th). I do hope he will see his way to go to America—the last time I saw him he said that he felt he should see Whitman yet & things seemed to be converging towards that. One thing is certain—your letters have done more to sway his decision than anything else & altho' Walt himself says that his decision in the negative was entirely right he (JWW) feels that the old man himself wd like to see him & he even infers a suspicion of disappointment at that decision in one of Walt's post cards—a disappointment felt but not expressed by him even to you. From what Dr. B. said to us we don't expect Walt to say Come, & we are quite sure that he wd be glad to see Wallace.
With love to you & yours Traubel I remain
Your sincere friend Johnston