Search Results

Was aroused at my entrance. "Oh! it 'sit's Horace!" How had he been to-daytoday?

is my audience literary, artistic, scientific—to be pleased as such?

I pointed my finger that way. He looked around.

Karl Knortz and his judgment on my translation, which letter I asked him to forward to you.

Take my love to all the boys: the typos: tell them Walt Whitman not only was but is one of them.

and his face assumed its serious aspect.He said again: "I got two letters in my mail today—one from Doctor

Harned's boy was there, also, coming forward in the dark when he heard my voice and informing me, "I

That would be my understanding of him." W. said he had written to Mary Costelloe today.

Then he continued: "In my mail today was a letter from Kennedy.

I said that for my part I looked upon Stedman's position as thoroughly firm and genuine.

He looked at me and seemed to see some distrust in my face. "You think I am condemning Lathrop?

I love him—honor him: if there's anything comes short it excites my regret: I judge no one."

My dear Mr. Burroughs,I have just finished your book on Birds and Poets.

accumulating thunder in my own way.

I get my hands loose now and then, and feel that I have done a little something.

I would not have put it a cent below ten dollars if I had had my way.

W. and Harned both broke in on my reading vigorously.

"When I get out again my first visit will be to that baby."

ideas—break my spirit."

"That's the copy I used to take to the play with me—in my pocket: carried along in my walks: kept with

"Some kind words from my friend William Carey there—William Carey.

Some don't like my long lines, some do: some don't like my commas, some do: some cuss my long catalogues

My proper habitat is out-of-doors."

I spend all my time at work about the place and like it much.

"Yes, they do, and I was about to say so, but you took it out of my mouth.

"If anybody asks you give them my love: tell them I feel better to-daytoday than I have felt any day

He gave me a letter which I did n'tdidn't read at the moment but put into my pocket and found on the

"The great party of those days was the Know-Nothing party: it was rather before my time that they were

Dear Walt Whitman:I have received your book and Ms. and send, with my hearty thanks, a New York check

My Captain! I want to learn it to speak in school."

My stay very brief. I did not desire to do more than get proof.

The unlighted room caught me as I came near the house, aroused my apprehension.

Impressed to hear of my father's growing good opinion of German translation of Leaves of Grass.

I fully see the advantages of it and have mentioned it in my Preface.

But I think I can rely on my father's helping me to the extent needed.

I was born in this town and know every field and nearly every tree since my childhood.

He and my mother are greatly delighted with the two grandchildren we have brought them home.

Rolleston," said W., "has proved to be one of my staunchest friends.

Those fellows have one virtue—they always use good paper: and on that I manage to do a good deal of my

"I've been taken and taken beyond count—taken from every side—even from my blind side"—laughing—"taken

I must be satisfied now if I have succeeded in hinting at matters which it was a part of my original

"I had my temptations, but they were not strong enough to tempt.

"I suppose I did: I wrote things down: I saw them better in my handwriting than in my mind's eye—could

It is indeed to these mostly my habits are adjusted. I have good health.

My dismissal from employment in 1865, by the Secretary of the Interior, Mr.

Nothing in my life, or my literary fortunes, has brought me more comfort and support every way—nothing

to Ellis and Green, of London, to publish my poems complete and verbatim.

And he has a companion in that: my dear enemy Dick: Richard Henry Stoddard.

Aroused by my entrance he was at once cordial and inquisitive. Talked well. Looked well.

Yet I have made up my mind to be cheerful: to sustain myself by what philosophy I can."

"Yes, I often think of it, especially of late days—how fortunate I have been in my friends: I doubt if

This is the very centre, circumference, umbillicus, of my whole career.

So it was with me: I had to cut up my capers.

Eminently cordial—spoke up instantly on my entrance: "I have had a call today from Tom and Mrs.

though somewhat irregularly, for it was nearly dark) endorsed it; sending it, as he put it there, "With my

At my mention deprecatively of "The Mystic Trumpeter," he explained: "I do not mean that—that is exceptional—that

Book in my hands (a present from Clifford; Gilman on Profit-sharing).

today, considering generosity and breadth of purport and spirit.Weather thereupon—the beauty of the day—my

has been giving me the very devil in Liberty for calling the Emperor William a 'faithful shepherd' in my

As he said: "It is all from my friends.

There was nothing in this little poem to contradict my earlier philosophy.

leave W. reverted to the Emperor William affair: "Do you think I had better write a little note to my

"That is true—true—if I wrote I would do no more than make it clear that my reference was to the Emperor

I looked at my muddy boots, my flannel shirt—and then W. exclaimed: "Go!

own satisfaction, for last ten years.But my dear comrades I will now tell you something about my own

folks—home here there is quite a lot of us—my father is not living—my dear mother is very well indeed

in my mother's house.

dear comrades, and I pray God to bless you my darling boys, and I send you all my love, and I hope it

—that I invited him here, that he was my guest!—the young scamp that he is!

You know, my friends tell me I am very slow to get mad: very slow: I rarely get mad but when I do I'm

"But Mary respected the death-wish: the situation grew worse and worse: I had my carriage then: Bill

I suppose it comes from my being much run down.I am glad you liked the photo.

I have no doubt her article is good, and when I have read it, I mean to write her my thanks.

The Captain—what is his name?

there comes Captain'"—here W. stopped—"Oh!

the Captain of The Three Bells—what was his name—what was his name?

Then he went on: "Anyhow, Captain Brace turned to me, called: 'By God! there comes Captain Gibson!'

My notes show for a week and more past his own dwelling upon the subject.

My beloved Walt—I have read the sublime poem of the Universal once and again, and yet again—seeing it

It raised my mind to its own sublimity. It seems to me the sublimest of all your poems.

Now I would like to see you, in order to temper my heart, and expand my narrowness.How absurd it is to

The note is below:"Go on, my dear Americans, whip your horses to the utmost—Excitement; money!

He put four of them in a paper bag and gave them to me for my mother.

He passed slowly over to the chair, leaning the one side on the cane, the other on my arm.

"My father was always a Democrat—a Democrat of the old school." "Was he anti-slavery?"

He went on to say, however, anent my remark that nearly all Quakers were opposed to slavery: "My father

"They make quite a bulk: I gave them to my own people—my dear friends: some of them close, O so close

My relations with the boys there in Washington had fatherly, motherly, brotherly intimations— touched

W. answering my inquiry said: "No, I didn't go down stairs today.

it won't hurt me: my caution, you remember, is six and over!

I quoted this: "I knew of the agents that emptied and broke my brother." "Yes," said W.

I reminded W. of one of my sisters similarly afflicted.

Here—take this bunch with my blessing and be happy.

reading an account of it: and of Mars and Jupiter and Venus: I never used to miss them: often spend my

I would sometimes try my eyes on the most distant visible stars—the familiar stars."

outdoors: that's the worst aspect of my confinement."

W. asked him to "give my love" to Mrs.

then I've a good man on my side, haven't I?" Picked up the Bucke portrait again.

prosperous, who had as a soldier been nursed by W. and was offering to send money, "with love and out of my

at one of the hospitals last night Miss Lowe just from Boston came to me and handed me the letters—My

W. asked me about the reception to the Missouri's Captain in Philadelphia Maritime Exchange at noon today

And my man I told you about yesterday, he was a bonnie Scotchman.

"Did I ever tell you of D'Avezac, my old French friend there in New York?

Then: "And I have had wonderful good luck anyhow in my life to have met a number of such originals—not

There was Flynn, too, my Irish friend"—spelled his name, also.

My dear sir,I fear that the Passage to India is a poem too long and too abstract for the hasty and the

My dear Whitman,The Voice of the Rain does not tempt me, and I return it herewith with thanks.Yours ever

My dear Sir:I greatly regret being unable to avail myself of the Poems November Boughs which you so kindly

"Yes, I don't know but that now I like it better than my own: I know Bucke don't—know you don't."

quality, which comes uppermost—most forces itself upon my attention.

Remarked: "My friend Julius Chambers, I see, has gone on The World."

"there have been ten or twelve sent to me for my signature."

I looked over my shoulder at the door of the adjoining room. "Ned Wilkins!

I haven't cast out all of my devils yet." Brought him new proofs which he at once glanced over.

"I do little nowadays but sit and thank my stars that I have fallen into such good hands in the time

of my need."

W. added, answering another question of Harned's: "I like to keep my prices down to the level of my real

My acquaintance with Leaves of Grass dates from my early university days some ten years ago, when having

and don't want to be both outdoors and indoors: a certain element of irresponsibility is mixed with my

It forms the staple for a number of my lectures on the literature of Democracy.Our friend Baxter had

Every now and then someone goes away after a visit here telling the most monstrous stories of my being

One of the worst features of my confinement here is that fact that I am in the north room, obliged to

If I could talk into a machine—if I didn't have to use a pen—my troubles would be over."

"The Captain sails away for Baltimore today, don't he?

he asked, after a pause, and to my "nothing" he added: "nor have I anything.

My mail was small enough: a letter from Bucke—a short one—in which he says his two brothers are still

As I had—my engagement being for tomorrow afternoon.

I did not prolong my stay. W. not in good talking mood. In such cases I never linger.

How deliciously like my old friend Henry Peterson is that critical exegesis on your lines!

So it would seem my words were prophetic.

Don't let Scovel print it (as the divvle did my note to him—wasn't I astonished!)

I wonder if my life-saving career draws to an end. March fourth comes near.

I can't put my hands on it just now." Friday, April 13, 1888.

my soul."

the end of my tether."

I talked awhile ago of my old man who was afraid of Catholicism.

My presence would spoil the soup."

I said my good night and left. Monday, February 4, 1889

W. said: "My friends there—I think Kennedy for one—say he was put up to it—that there was more in the

to The Critic piece he said again as he had said before: "It is nothing: I sent it because it was in my

Yes, I have no reason to question it: but better than all that—than anything else—seems the word of my

I was a tough—obscene: indeed, it was my obscenity, libidinousness, all that, upon which they made up

Dear Walt:I have been so ill, and so burdened with the office charge, being scarcely able to hold my

I have never made any full statement on religion in any of my writings but I have always intended to.

W. saying of it to me: "Eddy appeals to my heart, to my two arms: I seem to want to reach out and help

But for myself I do not feel that I could be overwhelmed by any misfortune that left my mind untouched

I came across the book this last summer, and it laid hold of my mind so that I could not put it away

But I got my roots stronger in the earth—master would not do anymore: no, not then: would no longer do

I got my estimate on a thousand." W. then: "Well, I don't know but I'll have a thousand anyway."

My head is in a bad state tonight. I must not worry it with anything at all."

He spoke of this today and as illustrating his notion gave me a letter from his table and called my attention

I was compelled to [take] many car rides in my transit to "the city."

birth—to such an one there is a debt due of allegiance and profound gratitude.I thank you Sir, with all my

I go to my home in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, tomorrow.

"I want to be ready for you: you are the oasis in my desert."

I asked him: "Do you really feel that way about my coming?

He says: "I keep myself down: I don't worry the strength out of my body: my one word is conservation.

He adds: "I have to subject all my rebellious moods to the necessities of my corporeal self."

He took my dare beautifully meek, I must say.

He motioned me to a seat—questioned me about my day's work, etc.

W. said: "I am confident of it: but I always plant myself on my own plans in the end."

But my book has aroused his suspicions.

I said something in my note to Bucke to-daytoday about the possibility of W.'

Lanier was once my friend—once thought himself on my side: he shied off later—could n'tcouldn't stand

Did not till later mention my own message. He answered: "Yes—and quite a long letter, too.

"Doctor returned me the slip, with reference to my future use of it—it is there in the note."

W. asked: "Did they understand my note?"

"I don't know whether too much or not, but I like to know my men—who they are, what they do.

Bucke called my attention to it at the time.

work and having my jaunts together.

I will call on you on my way back to New York.

So my dear old friend I have protected your interests to the best of my judgment and if you want me to

I would also like you to answer my letters.

All right my dear J.

"With each month that passes I feel more and more uncertain on my pins.""

A little of it here and there I might say no to, but I guess my no wouldn't be very loud."

My friends here and there, both sides, do not realize how badly broken up I am. Another thing.

"After my dear, dear mother, I guess Lincoln gets almost nearer me than anybody else."

I want Horace to come down with his hatchet or come down and use my hatchet and open the box."

I said my question was: Do I want to go back to it? W. approving.

My inquiry then was: "Then you don't like Brown?" "No.

"No," he said, "but I have my eye out sharply for it: it seems as if it must be there in the mix—yet

W. said: "My father had been an acceptor of Paine: Paine had been much vilified."

My dear Mr.

"It is my invariable test of a doctor, his not too-great certainty.

Ed says W. suggested to him: "I should rather eat my crust on my own dung hill than a good meal on another's

I wrote in one of my letters to Doctor that Stedman was mad.

To Brahms I owe my redemption from the ultra-Wagnerian school.

The fact is I renewed my musical youth by his acquaintance.

"Here are the proofs—but, Horace, do not rely upon my readings.

In fact, all my experiences South—all my experiences in the hospitals, among the soldiers in the crowds

Then read.Montenotte, Cork,Sept. 3, 1872.My dear Mr.

My address is as before, 50, Wellington Road, Dublin.

He took my hand—pressed it fervently. "I am in luck. Are you?

Whitman:I am very anxious not to leave this country without paying my respects to you, and bearing to

My judgment would, on the whole, the judgment I sent to The Herald, be considered unfavorable."

It more than meets my expectations: its serenity, its seriosity—which stops finely short of ministerial

You go as my representative." "All right. And what shall I say of the picture when I get there?"

My dear Mr. Whitman:Allow me to introduce to you Mr.

My eye caught on the woodpile a bunch of manuscript. I picked it up. "What is this?

I stopped: that was always the case—always my habit."

He is seven years my senior, I believe: Herbert says, shows age, is round-shouldered, stoops."

After a pause: "My mental work was always taken easy: more-over, I have never forgotten what I owe my

Was greatly interested anyhow in my Germantown trip—in my description of greens—the rain-freshened landscape.I

W. listened intently to my rehearsal of Clifford's opinions and reasons, and for the rest of the time

of my stay seemed much more troubled and silent than before.

s consent to write to Stedman for my two letters, submit them to W., and if he approved, consent that

Nowadays my memory for names seems strangely deserting me—strangely."

I wasted many of my own opportunities."

He would not permit my defense of Oldach.

I put my hand over my heart. "From in here." He wanted to know: "Have you a safe guide in there?"

I explained: "I don't mean my future beyond this life but my future here." W.'s face lighted up.

W. poked his thumb up before my eyes.

"These are my visiting cards: I put them in my pocket when I go out."

My dear Walt Whitman:In London last week I met many mutual friends who were asking after you and wondering

Of course this suits me, born Democrat as I am, but I trust it will not at all disturb the future of my

My address is the Langhorne Hotel. Drop me a line.Yours faithfully,Joaquin Miller.

"My today's mail has been chiefly an autograph mail.

Not a day but the autograph hunter is on my trail—chases me, dogs me!

I settle myself in my chair, get the glasses on my nose, and lo! every note is for an autograph.

Amer—about April 10, I shall return here again and my address will be—— I am writing this at my desk—as

My mind advises me that I must suspend operations for to-nighttonight.

W. in bathroom on my arrival.

Spoke of Scribner's I had in my hand and with which he said he was finished.

Our talk of Alcott had arisen out of my remark that Camden had got its fame through W. W.

Then my objection as above.

And after my reply—"He was a priest then?" I asked him if he had not read George Eliot's "Romola."

"My position had been simple: sitting here day after day in this litter"—looking around—"my one idea

My dear Mr.

As to Walt Whitman, I am glad that my little note pleased the good and grand old man.

I often feel that the succession of events and of work is a thing hardly in my own hands.

It has been about me now for fifty years: I am very close to it: it is one of my bibles."

My Arnold piece did not appear in Tuesday's Herald.

I am myself of late years more inclined to sit still exploiting and expounding my views than was the

Walt Whitman, Esq.Dear Sir—I have tried in vain to obtain a good portrait of my father for you and am

traps—stored in garret or cellar of my new house where all things are at sixes and sevens.The one as

I am always uneasy about the inquirers when they come buzzing about: they get on my skin and irritate