Camden
Sunday Afternoon March 6 '87
Am sitting here quietly—(rather dully)—to-day in the little down stairs
room—nothing at all eventful or new with me—a dark sulky day outside,
cold yet not quite cold enough to freeze—no visitors—have had my dinner
& relished it with appetite—went over to the theatre yesterday
afternoon—Wilson Barrett1 sent over a carriage for
me & I had just a good ride, & liked the play "Clito"2—Mrs. Davis3 went with me, & every thing was enjoyable—I
was made much of & got back (thro' a snow storm) just
before sunset—So you see I do get around
some—(when I am helped—not much of my own volition)—Alma, I shall
have to draw on your good nature to accept [this thin?] gossip for a
letter—thank you for yours, & the girls' from Dresden, that came to me
safely—
Love to you & John4—& Ally5 & all—
Walt Whitman
Correspondent:
Alma Calder Johnston was an author
and the second wife of John H. Johnston. Her family owned a home and property in
Equinunk, Pennsylvania. For more on the Johnstons, see Susan L. Roberson, "Johnston, John H. (1837–1919) and Alma Calder" (Walt Whitman: An Encyclopedia, ed. J.R. LeMaster and
Donald D. Kummings (New York: Garland Publishing, 1998).
Notes
- 1. Wilson Barrett
(1846–1904) was a British actor and playwright who was then performing in
the United States. He played the lead role in Clito, a
new blank-verse drama set in ancient Greece, written by the English dramatist
Sydney Grundy (1848–1914) in collaboration with Barrett. Whitman was
apparently quite taken with Barrett's acting and even met with him several times
in early 1887. [back]
- 2. Clito
was a new blank-verse drama set in ancient Greece, written by the English
dramatist Sydney Grundy (1848–1914) in collaboration with Barrett, who
played the lead role. [back]
- 3. Mary Oakes Davis (1837 or
1838–1908) was Whitman's housekeeper. For more, see Carol J. Singley,
"Davis, Mary Oakes (1837 or 1838–1908)," Walt
Whitman: An Encyclopedia, ed. J.R. LeMaster and Donald D. Kummings (New
York: Garland Publishing, 1998). [back]
- 4. John H. Johnston (1837–1919) was a New York
jeweler and close friend of Whitman. Johnston was also a friend of Joaquin
Miller (Horace Traubel, With Walt Whitman in Camden, Tuesday, August 14, 1888). Whitman visited the Johnstons for the
first time early in 1877. In 1888 he observed to Horace Traubel: "I count
[Johnston] as in our inner circle, among the chosen few" (Horace Traubel, With Walt Whitman in Camden, Wednesday, October 3, 1888). See also Johnston's letter about
Whitman, printed in Charles N. Elliot, Walt Whitman as Man,
Poet and Friend (Boston: Richard G. Badger, 1915), 149–174. For
more on Johnston, see Susan L. Roberson, "Johnston, John H. (1837–1919) and Alma Calder," Walt Whitman: An Encyclopedia, ed. J.R. LeMaster and
Donald D. Kummings (New York: Garland Publishing, 1998). [back]
- 5. Probably Albert Johnston
(see the letter from Whitman to Mannahatta Whitman of June 22–26, 1878). However, as Whitman's letter of March 7, 1887 to John H. Johnston indicates, the
reference may be to a new child. [back]