Search Results

Then my father got very ill & I had to go down & see him (he is all right now.)

Then business in London, tedious travelling half across Europe, & now my wife and I are fixed in a little

I send you some stanzas about my day's walk with O'Grady (I found out shortly that he was a lover and

In a letter to Horst Frenz of August 13, 1950, Captain C. H.

Rolleston wrote: "I do not think there can be any doubt that my Father's schoolmaster friend was H.

Sept: 9 '81 Dear Harry I keep about the same in health—am & have been very busy with the printing of my

here—have a good room & boarding house, the landlady is first rate & kind [to] me, (as often happens I find my

heart—you know the verse of the old song "A light heart & thin pair of breeches Goes through the world my

Howe, Captain Milton Haxtun, or Ed Dallin.

431 Stevens Street Camden New Jersey U S America Nov: 28 '81 My dear friend, Have time & its influences

My brother & sister are well. The Staffords the same.

I am writing this in the sunshine up in my old 3d story room—Best best love to you & to Herby & Grace

The intensity of her grief is visible in the lines of an undated and unsigned letter: "My dear Children

be resigned—but remorse—that I should have left her; that is like an envenomed wound poisoning all my

O the love for her shut up in my heart" (Charles E.

apologized for not remembering his birthday: "it was past & I had not written one word—not just put my

It is postmarked: LONDON | AM | MY 23 | 81 | CANADA.

431 Stevens Street Camden New Jersey U S America May 30 '81 My dear Edward Carpenter, Yours of May 14

telegraphing— I was on in Boston five weeks since—but I believe I sent you a little printed item of my

you in the loss of the dear mother—I have drunk of that cup—Commend me faithfully in good wishes to my

Sharkland, whose name I have written as you desired, in the Volume— Write to me as often as you can, my

Carpenter wrote from Sheffield what Whitman termed a "good letter": "These friends that I have here and my

for $12.50 on Jan: 22—I write to-day that I have not seen or heard of any such order, but consider it my

I see that Jan: 6 I sent you my circular in answer to previous letter from you—that is the only correspondence—I

But as in all such cases, I consider it my obligation & loss.

I send the Two Volumes, to you, same mail with this—The Two embody all my works—the little Vol's being

for $12.50 on Jan: 22—I write to-day that I have not seen or heard of any such order, but consider it my

. & all the boys & girls as usual— Nothing very new with me—I suppose you have rec'd received my pieces

about ten days ago —trust you are yourself again in sound health by this time —I believe I wrote last my

chilled —felt the effects two months—am now pretty well over it, & expect to be as usual till next time—My

My breath is so short, I cannot walk, which is a privation."

in the Feinberg Collection, Whitman wrote in 1886 or 1888: "Have had this little Vol. at hand or in my

Well, Hank, my Boston tramp, lecture, &c. turned out far ahead of what I had any idea of—it was not a

& callers all the time—So, boy, you see how your uncle was set up —& yet I am going to speak to all my

Y. papers —(will send you the Critic of the latter city next Monday or Tuesday with my piece in)— Havn't

of poetry by a boy 13 years old, in Pennsylvania, he sent it to me with a nice letter —Well, Hank, my

in good spirits—love to you & God bless you—I am sorry enough to hear your mother is unwell—Susan, my

The poet sent "My Picture-Gallery" to Balch on October 8, 1880, for which he received $5, and which appeared

guests when full, mostly families, very nice—capital table, (most too good for me, tempts me too much)— My

I suppose you get the papers I send—the Boston Globe of four or five days ago —& others—I get my letters

well here, sent on from Camden—Lou I send a small package directed to you by mail, please put it up on my

Clark very kind & thoughtful—appears as though I was going to have things all my own way—I have a table

I am not accustomed thus to present my claim to acquaintanceship with writers.

I will believe this also, adding it to my "creed" the "I believes", of my religion which years ago I

I was certain my dear brother would not ask me to read a bad book.

That was my hour of triumph for my poet. For I had heard Mr.

If I were younger I would strive with all my to do something worthy of my worship of your genius, worthy

431 Stevens Street Camden New Jersey U S America Dec: 18 '81 My dear Rudolf Schmidt Yours of Nov: 27

too mourn the death of Elster —though unknown I had formed a liking for him—I shall forward one of my

book will not be published for some months—perhaps a year—I send you, same mail with this, a copy of my

is Sunday, just before sunset—& we have had a fine day—indeed a fine mild winter so far—have been in my

new edition is David Bogue, St Martin's Place, Trafalgar Square— I have heard that my book is to be

you, & sister & father, & have you located —All sorrowful, solemn, yet soothing thoughts come up in my

mind at reminiscences of my dear friend, your dear mother —have often thought of you all, since '73

mine—I know him well — I have just returned from Boston, where I have been the past week—went on to read my

under the benumbing influences of paralysis, but thankful to be as well as I am—still board here (make my

head quarters here) with my brother & his wife—Eddy, my brother, is living & well, he is now boarding

Camden Friday afternoon May 6 My dear friend I am sorry to hear of your feeling so unwell, & have thought

while I was there)—I had a lively time in Boston—Susan I wish you could have been there the evening of my

such a collection of people as would have suited you, & been a study—different from any I ever saw in my

them from the usual crowd—about 300—(I will tell you more when I see you)— As I write this part of my

supper, & here I am in perfect quiet up in my room, finishing my letter—Susan my dear friend I hope

am always glad to get any letters from you dear boy)—Harry, you certainly know well enough you have my

it all—I go back to the times at Timber Creek beginning most five years ago, & the banks & spring, & my

should not be a living man to-day —I think & remember deeply these things & they comfort me— & you my

—Of the occasional ridiculous little storms & squalls of the past I have quite discarded them from my

you will too—the other recollections overtop them altogether, & occupy the only permanent place in my

Camden Thursday Evening June 2 My dear friend I suppose it must look fine down there after the heavy

fruit & grain— Nothing very new with me—the big Boston house has sent me word that they will publish my

stands now—I find I can have them publish it, if I choose, but I suppose I am getting pretty lofty in my

old days & must have my own terms, & pretty good ones too— I am feeling pretty well—I think my last

, & a prospect of some pleasant days, sufficiently cool— I am alone in the house, have been all day—My

March 6 Dear friend The days go along with me pretty much after the old sort, though I dont don't get my

did in the fall & early winter—I busy myself writing some & reading a little—am doing quite well with my

books, & have been all winter—when the weather permits I try to get out, but my strength soon fails

think of coming down next Friday to stay two or three days at any rate—a friend of mine here about my

a long letter from her last week—Susan I am afraid this is not a very lively letter—I have just had my

Dear Hank I am here seeing to the setting up & stereotyping of my book in a big printing office, (Rand

I sent—they will give you some acc't account of two or three little happenings in my jaunt—I was down

on Long Island at the spot where I was born & where I had spent my summers in youth from time to time—went

fine very old trees)—I am now writing this in Osgood's place in Boston (they are the publishers of my

—I wish you to give my love to your father & mother—Debbie & Jo Ed, Mont, & Van—Ruth & little George—

431 Stevens Street Camden New Jersey Jan: 15 '81 My dear friend As I have not rec'd received the proof

In the Feb: February N A North American Review there is a piece of mine about Poetry (a good many of my

send to Mr Rice, the editor, or Mr Metcalf the business manager, & I think get the sheets—you can use my

name— Walt Whitman Should you notice, send to me In my last I addressed you at 757 Broadway—is either

Jersey Dec: 10 '81 Dear Sirs Please send me here by express fifteen free copies Leaves of Grass for my

sheets are sent)— Then another thing: I have a few copies remaining (between one & two hundred sets) of my

mostly in England —which I should like to sell whenever applied to—price $10— You have no objections to my

good than harm to it—but is not of much importance any how—only (to me) as putting a few dollars in my

431 Stevens Street, Camden, Jan: 26 '81 My dear friend I am sorry to have to send you word that I am

unable to meet you & the other friends at dinner— I send you herewith a couple of pictures (I call it my

Quaker picture)—one is for your father—also the books herewith —also my love to you— Walt Whitman Walt

My satisfaction with your proposed German trans[lation] increases the more you unfold it, and I think

In the whole matter I freely trust to your intuitions and 'cuteness as to meanings, my dear friend—you

My letter to Mr Lee was also as a preface to the Russian translation.

much of the internationality element (sentiment) which I have intended as one of the leading fibres of my

431 Stevens Street Camden Jan: 26 '81 My dear friend I am sorry to have to send you word that I am not

unable to meet you & the other friends at dinner—I send you herewith a couple of pictures (I call it my

Quaker picture) —one is for your father —also the books herewith—also my love to you— Walt Whitman Walt

Osgood and Co of Boston for the publishing of my poems complete in one volume, under the title of "Walt

Nothing very new otherwise—you must have kept posted about my Boston jaunt, for I sent you papers—it

My forthcoming summer movements are not exactly decided—probably go on to Boston for two or three weeks

, as I like to keep a sharp eye on my proofs and typography—then I must go a month in Canada—I will keep

MY DEAR WALT: You don't write me a letter nor take any notice of my magnificent offers concerning "Pond

My mother is away staying with Beatrice in Edinburgh city, recruiting her health, which has most sadly

advice or opinion of a drawing connected with my father's book.

My cousin Sidney Thomas is, or was, in America, a good deal lionized, I understand.

Interested in those Boston scraps you send my mother.

431 Stevens Street Camden Sunday afternoon Jan: 16 My dear friends You havn't haven't sent for the two

I was out once or twice sleighing—my brother took me—his mare Nelly is in fine condition—pretty lively—makes

things fly sometimes I have been in all day reading & writing—I have put up two sets of my books, to

farmer—well if he is satisfied, it is about as good as anything, I don't know but better— There comes my

call to dinner, & I shall go for it without delay & finish my helter-skelter letter afterwards.

fullest satisfaction (if not already—which I thought the case—distinctly, amply, legally secured by my

correspondence between us ante )—But the copyright of Leaves of Grass must remain absolutely & solely in my

I want to say over again that while I reserve to the fullest degree all my own rights & the means to

maintain them, you are to be, & I hereby make & confirm you, the sole issuers and publishers of my completed

strenuously & loyally in the enterprise—& to add that I do not fix any term or limit of years, because it is my

BOSTON,__________188 Monday noon Oct: October 10 '81 My dear friend Yours rec'd received , & thanks—I

still linger along here—the printing of my book is finished—but one or two little things I want to see

word a day beforehand—I am well as usual—Have had a very pleasant time here, & the book printed &c. to my

But I would like to have a sample page in bourgeois too for my calculations —I hope it will be new type—The

typographical show of my poems—how they shall show (negatively as well as absolutely) on the black &

white page—is always in my idea in making them—I am printer enough for that— Walt Whitman Walt Whitman

431 Stevens Street Camden New Jersey May 8 '81 My dear Mr Osgood I write in answer to the note on the

other side from my dear friend O'Reilly —My plan is to have all my poems, down to date, comprised in

Nov. 28 [1881] 29 Lange Strasse Dresden My dear Whitman Yesterday I received all your dispatches—viz,

Still I am very glad that I have it complete in my old .

This volume, with its new poems, etc. offered a field of "pleasant exploration" and renewed my sense

I have ordered my book to be sent to the American papers you mentioned.

You should have recd. received a copy of my Encheiridion by this. Thomas W. H.

Feb 16/81 My dearest friend, At last I am beginning to feel myself again after a four months spell of

I feel as if my usual good health has made me obtuse & unsympathetic towards the ailing.

It was very hard for us to be sundered during my illness—but was the right thing to do, she was so much

My letter seems all about myself but then I want you to know why I have been so long silent.

I send you a photo of my little grandson. Anne Gilchrist to Walt Whitman, 16 February 1881

who have set up & electrotyped a new, complete & markedly fuller edition (with several new pieces) of my

at once, with the request that you will immediately have the book entered for copyright & secured in my

I am under many obligations in the past to my friend your Josiah Child, & should like to have this matter

O'Grady | sent photos to him Dec 24 '81 11 Lr Lower Fitzwilliam St Dublin October 5, 1881 Dear Sir, My

My impressions regarding this literature I have published in various works.

poems & tales into a complete whole & so the student can never be exactly certain what is & what is not my

In the revolt of Islam he has a fine Panegyric on the future of America Fr For my own part I put him

I do not meet in you the expression of every changing ideal punctuating even the remotest parts of my

Dear Friend and Master You see I am now back in my own country.

I am staying, with my wife (I have been married about 18 months) at my father's house.

You did not say anything about my translation of Epictetus which I sent you.

I want it as a present for a friend, so don't write my name in the beginning.

Indeed the friend is my wife—so on second thoughts I would be glad, & so would she, if you would write

last July & August and then for the last two months have been in Boston, seeing to the printing of my

complete poems "Leaves of Grass" in one volume—which is all done to my satisfaction, & the book will

did have some jolly times I tell you— The Saturday evening before I came away I gave a reception to my

all right—I should be real glad to see them & Deb too—When Harry comes home Sunday tell him I sent my

—Well it is growing twilight & I must stop— Walt Whitman my address here for ten days will be Mott av

when we meet, Tom—but some six weeks ago was careless enough to get badly chill'd chilled all through my

My great loafing place out there is a big old woods, mostly pine & oak, but lots of laurel & holly, old

Broadway New York from the top of an omnibus—at other times along the seashore at Coney Island)— Tom, my

filled & I must close—I wanted to write something about the running & matches, but must postpone it—Give my

love to all my friends there & you yourself, dear boy— Walt Whitman Walt Whitman to Thomas Nicholson

sassier this winter so far than for some years, am very comfortable here, plain & quiet though—eat my

any book particular you want, you tell me, & I will try to get it—Lots of sleighs out, good sleighing—my

had dinner, hot soup, cold roast beef, apple pie—all good—the sun is out real warm, & I shall go at my

should just like to have a ten mile ride behind his nag with the sleigh bells—Dear boy, I send you my

About the plate my impression still is that in the hands of a good expert steel plate printer it will

My notion is against getting up any further portrait (this steel plate will have to permanently continue

carefully done , & with good ink)—& the binding, color, style, (strong, plain, unexpensive inexpensive , is my

& fixing the ground , more & more & more—& now that the seed is dropt dropped in it sprouts quickly—my

own feeling ab't about my book is that it makes (tries to make) every fellow see himself , & see that

real, & are mostly within reach of all—you chew on this— Hank, I am still feeling under the weather—My

My dear Mr Mr.

Spofford If convenient won't you inform me soon as possible by letter here, of the dates of my copyrights

here for a few days, after spending a week down on Long Island, mostly at West Hills and Cold Spring, my

parents' places of nativity—& my own place.

Jan 21 1881 Walt Whitman My dear Sir Permit me to thank you on behalf of the readers of the Review for

be able to afford to the readers of the Review frequent opportunity of being instructed by you I am my

London Dec 6 th —81 To my Dear Friend M r Whitman, I sit now in my hall on duty, to write you these few

I gus guess I will bring my letter to a close, By sending the Love of all the asylum Employies Employees

Before the window where I do my morning work, there is an old lilac tree, dating from my grandmother's

Forgive my assurance, and, if possible give me that pleasure of that great recompense for being so unknown

431 Stevens Street Camden New Jersey Dec 21 '81 My dear W S K Yours rec'd received & glad to hear from

L of G—have just sent you a package by express of the late & other editions & Vols. of poems &c. as my

431 Stevens Street Camden New Jersey June 1 '81 My dear Mr Osgood Yours of May 31 just rec'd received

—Thanking you warmly for willingness, promptness, &c. my terms are: 25 cts on every copy sold if the

16 '81 Dear Sirs I have been down in the Jersey woods the last ten days—just returned —have finished my

be new or substantially new long primer —I sent on the proof page for a little change, last night on my

once or twice, you find it is nothing to be afraid of— I have been busy all the forenoon fixing one of my

Y New York paper, the Critic —they give me $10 a piece for them, & want several more—I make use of my

time this reaches you—It is now noon & I must get out a bit —I went out & took a short stroll, but my