Search Results

I can never answer my own question—never make up my mind.

I almost think if I had to ask fulfillment, the rock, now my saviour, my peace, would be my wreck, my

him he is often in my thoughts as I sit here in my den."

My purse and my heart are yours!" or to that effect.

Long have I kept my road—made my road: long, long!

It will be my last volume—my finale—without a doubt.

My head, my belly, my bladder—all are out of gear, and for what end?"

My dear Mr.

The failure to rhyme, I mean, for the poem itself—"O Captain! my Captain!"

Some words, all of us, with Captain Noell, who said, "This is possibly my last trip."

My friendships are my own—for Ingersoll or another.

" (from the Independent) and his comment upon W. was this:In some cases, as in Whitman's O Captain, My

"I am all of a jumble today—my stomach, my head."

It is loyal, generous, correct, and true, and doesn't labor to prove that "My Captain" is the best of

Now I laugh content, for I hear the voice of my little captain, "We have not struck," he composedly cries

But neither do some of my friends understand my love for the prairies—my statement, insistence, that

It taught me my own definiteness of address—what my friends call my superfluity.

address—read on that 'My Captain.'

, my Captain," which he will also read, is a pathetic tribute to the same noble name.

A curious letter (dated 3/12/90) starting off—"Dear Walt, my beloved master, my friend, my bard, my prophet

Said as to my inquiries: "I am bad again, very bad—somehow start into a new siege: it is my head, my

My dear Mr.

That is my habit—they call it my procrastination—it has always been my habit.

old days, my youth, my forty years ago, any more!"

But my memory! my memory!"

"My head and my heels tell me so."

My life from my bed to my chair, from my chair to my bed again, is tedious, but endurable."

so—in my friends than in my enemies."

W. writing a note to Harper Brothers who have asked permission to print My Captain in their Fifth Reader

Said to me: "It's My Captain again: always My Captain: the school readers have got along as far as that

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

It is my nephew—the second son of my sister.

Captain: Could you give me a little further information about my brother Capt. George W.

my boy!

way back to my central thought again—my spinal conviction: I resent my resentment—am ashamed of my questions

Some of them say my face there has a rogue in it. O'Connor called it my sea-captain face.

W. commented in this way: "I'm honest when I say, damn My Captain and all the My Captains in my book!

, my Captain!

FIRST DRAFT MANUSCRIPT OF ONE VERSE OF WHITMAN'S "MY CAPTAIN" My captain does not answer, his lips are

My captain does not answer, his lips are closed and still, My father does not feel my arm, he has no

in my optimism, my democracy."

Weda Cook sang a My Captain song of her own composition.

I attribute much of my success in weathering this attack to my good stock—to my father, my mother: indeed

man,' 'my man,' 'my man.'

I must get to my bed: my head reels: I feel as though a minute more on my feet—on my feet—here—would

My head especially—filled me with whirlings, whizzings, spiralings—seeming to send every effervescence

to my poor brain.

I had caught a glimpse of them on Chestnut St. in one of my hurried runs out.

W. suddenly started to get up—asked me for my hand—came to table (east).

He seemed to seal my identity. All great teachers given this power.

As usual, having to answer my question, he spoke first of his health.

They would come over to interview me—insist on knowing my sensations!

(my book). Glad to hear of your new books. Am still reading proof.

But read the letters: I'd rather refresh my memory a bit with 'em." 36, Marlborough Hill,St.

Not that of 1855; for I hear that can be had for three or four.When at my friend Mr. W. B.

instance, to the boys—the messenger boys—who came often, he would put his hands on their shoulders—say, 'My

or 'Sit down there, my son,' something in that way, with a radiant kindliness, humanity—in a natural

O'Connor, always, and from the first—and my claim always belongs and there was the curious great Russian

I signed them, when signed at all, with my last name—Whitman—Whitman alone!

A sort of silk tape about a quarter of an inch in width—yellow was my color—I used to get it—took delight

"No, I feel I have reached my finale. What more needs be said?"

Yes, my experience with humorists is, that they are all of the more serious color.

days; it seemed the necessity with some to make me so—to make me what I was not, the better to defeat my

He traded for years on my name—on his resemblance to me—got drinks by the use of this resemblance.

Osler made light of my condition.

I am as the boys say 'an old rat' and must be left to die in my own way."

I shook my head over the reply.

I don't agree with him but I let every fellow have his day, then have my own opinion anyhow.

I always trust my own feelings: they don't delude me."

Sarrazin is made in one place to say my father was a great lover of infants.

John Burroughs always beautifully said my father was a lover of children—and that is right—children is

Speaks in warm terms of my Liberty piece on O'Connor. W. very susceptible to cold.

My dear friend:I think that Mr.

Adding, "I do not think my friends understand the extent of my advocacy and approval of Ingersoll, of

my recent thought.

My mood was this.

The letter you showed me has been my surprise, my rejoicing."

Send her my love—hopes for her. Oh!

W. thereupon fervently, "Them's my sentiments, out and out!

of Emerson,' but just whether to like it or not, I don't make out," saying, "Sidney is on to one of my

I think my memory is getting worse and worse. After a bit it will be a blank!"

Near their rallying place I had been born (Manchester) if my parents had put off their voyage for a single

Will you return to them my cordial thanks and good wishes.

How proudly my father & mother will drop their tears on the message!...Ever,John H.

My memory plays me the devil's own trips." Will "try" to "have it made ready tomorrow."

I stamped it out with my foot. But for the chance of my presence, things may have gone evil.

I know how quick he always was to resent my exceptions.

Then suddenly, while we still "harped on" George, he reached towards the table saying as he did so:"My

W. entirely satisfied with my arrangement of bastard titles.

And he said: "Yes, I guess so: I am willing to bear my testimony to the old man—say a good word for the

not knowing if she already had a copy—one to Doctor—one to that dear friend of William's who is also my

copy of more of L. of G.Leaves of Grass for Edmund Clarence Stedman and of whom W. instantly asked on my

I gave him my conclusions—that S. made three overwhelming statements—that L. of G.Leaves of Grass was

"This deafness stands badly in my way—and worse, it seems to be growing and growing."

demonstrative of his cordiality.I gave W. the following extract from letter from Stedman to Morris: "Do give my

Think of it: think of that as a reflection of my work, of my life, of my own dear, dear mother!

And still in the same line: "There are liars by inclination—born liars—and I seem to have had my share

I put in, "Yes, to say: I am in the hands of my friends."

In the points wherein we differ I think my work makes our difference plain and sets me up in my own individuality

This doctor gave my eyes an extended, elaborate examination.

This called out by my quote from Burroughs, that W.'

Though for my taste I should have thought it good enough purple.

Harned said something which disparaged my politics.

, or, Give him my love.

Lots of my fish fight shy of my rod for a long time but I eventually game them all."

I keep freshening and shaping my books at my leisure, and hope to put them in type the coming year.You

I keep it in my prose volume.

samples, and he was very happy in them, saying at once on handling them: "Yes, they will do—he caught my

Adding—"I shall look at them at my leisure. And what about the cost?"

Called my attention to it. Asked me: "Is Morris unusually gay and happy?

That was a great Long Island phrase in my early days.

There was one of my English critics who dwelt upon the prominence I give to the sense of smell—gave it

That has been my experience."

My dear Mr. Traubel:Yours received. I have just telegraphed you. Make it Lecture and not Address.

You must have understood my position better.

Not for a moment have I dreamed of objecting to him—it never entered my head."

W. has come to my mind here. For how many people has not he filled Nature with a fuller life!

W. remarked on my recital of this—"And a bright newspaper man he must be."

I can never answer my own question—never make up my mind.

It is a question in my mind, whether the dash of insanity which Plato permits—even insists upon—for the

Asked me, "Is the general closed-inness of things I see out my window here prevailing in Philadelphia—on

I laid my hat down. We shook hands.

I showed him the title page my father had drawn. He looked at it quietly—was greatly interested.

In this case the wives were on my side. Alma, the present Mrs.

That's the way of some of my friends." Kirk had written of Charles the Bold?

My dear Walt—I most cheerfully write the note that you request to Gen.

Opened my bundle and showed him what I had.

I shook my head. Then he asked: "Does it betray eccentricity?"

My ways are very methodical: I have been much criticised for that: but my ways are mine and are necessary

It is from my sister—I have been worried about her.

Look at my own great strength.

"To My Seventy-First Year" he said, "is the name of the Century piece to appear next month.

Bucke passed my baggage (including books) through customs without investigation. Then away.

I did some writing on the trip down but neither the environment nor my mood encouraged me much.

"Well, I don't know if it would be called that: he said something, so did I—I suppose my part of little

Bucke calls this my 'bible.'

It is about my dear sister at Burlington.

It is written by a woman who helps my sister: my sister has jaundice—is in bed—can do little for herself

Conway always excites both my interest and my suspicion."

W. said last: "How can I ever pay my debt to you?"

My own explanation was, that somebody or other plagued him for a piece—offered him 50 pounds, guineas

To my idea, "Arnold is not discriminate' W. returned, "I don't know—I should hardly say it that way:

of his demonstrations—his praises; perhaps the fact that I was so addressed tended to excuse him in my

My brother George was there, and they sat together and had quite a chat.

had many such espousers in Washington [some] time ago—perhaps have still—these fellows belonged among my

Only a word, my friends, only a word.

After all, the main factor, my friends, is in meeting, being face to face and meeting like this.

I thought I would like to come forward with my living voice and thank you for coming and thank Robert

After we had shaken hands, I said immediately, handing them out, "I have kept my part of the bargain:

W.: "Good, good—that would be my gospel, too, and this will help him to see America.

"Do so, do so—I will give you a copy of my book to take him. It will help you to open up."

My Annual Report is finished and sent off. I begin lectures to students Monday.

Wallace says, "I feel that my mission is about done. I might go home now, as well as later."

only wrote me the flattering note yesterday—sent the book—but came up like a man long ago and asked my

My reading is wholly without plan: the first thing at hand, that is the thing I take up."

I hope you will continue writing me such notes as these, "My food nourishes me better."

My love to W.W.J. B.W. asked: "Is the postmark West Park?

W. says: "Maybe I've put my foot in it: maybe I'd better kept my mouth shut."

I had not repeated this to W., who today said to me: "Carpe diem is my motto."

I supposed so—felt it in my bones. It is too warm here now?"

It was my idea that he should make this his headquarters—then stretch out some—see more of the States

To my notion that we must not have a reader of books, W. laughed out an "amen!"

Have not been at the office today—but had my mail & the Col's sent to the Col's house, where I have been

Express to me to my home address: 19 E. 80th St.

Who wants my autograph."—"It is a heavy penalty sometimes."

So he wrote my name on the face of it with pencil.Spoke of his happiness that I would go home with Bucke

And for my part I think he has gone about under fortunate conditions.

W. calls attention to "an English offer to publish my works abroad—for all England and for English readers

Botolph Club years ago to arrange for my lecture in Boston—my lecture on the murder of Lincoln.

There will be no more occasions like that: my time is gone—my time for gadding about on speechifying

"He prints editions each time upon my special grant," explained W.

purpose—was within my means: so here I came, have been ever since."

I shall mail you my latest piece in a magazine to be out presently.

He commended my statement to Baker that W. took no part in the details.

and as you say I am most generally alluded to as 'Walt Whitman,' probably from the long insistence of my

I am very warmly disposed towards the South: I must admit that my instinct of friendship towards the

What you tell me goes to confirm my old faith in the masses.

He says: "My head must be much better: otherwise the clatter would have worried me."

I found a copy of The Esoteric under my feet. He regarded me with amused eyes.

publish his book, I will strive to refurbish my contribution and make it better.Dr.

Adding after my nod of assent, "Well, if there's anyone in the world he ought to know by this time—would

Did you go to hear my good friend Herne read while he was in Philadelphia.

He is my convert to the Single Tax. By the way does W. W. indicate interest in it still?

Give him my love.

The last one—the closing one—just the last year—in this room—since my sickness.

abuses me, calls me 'accursed,' is evidently written by a woman who for some reason or other thinks my

I told him of my saying to narrow alignments: "However you have a platform that shuts me off, my platform

Published in Good-Bye My Fancy, 1891. Courtesy Library of Congress went there.

My first idea was to have the poems together, making a page, but he wished to use them each by itself

But so far these big books have not given me back my money.

Found him in very good condition, with the best of cheer to dispense—so much this, that my toil and its

I had the idea to make my new piece—"Walt Whitman and Some of His Comrades."

"My time is completely over. I am too much of age." Had he seen this in the Post?

Called my attention to a letter from Kennedy. "Sloane complains I do not write. I suppose I do not.

But he deserves my best good will."

My heart foreboding much, I rang the bell, Mrs.

my boy I have gone far under!

Then: "I have done nothing to-daytoday: for the first time my appetite has positively, wholly, given

I reached down, kissed him: he kissed me, saying thickly: "Bless you, my boy! bless you!"

It is my nephew—the second son of my sister.

And to my remark that Aldrich however was much more likable than Stoddard, except for some of S.Stoddard's

s phrase, "The Last Bard," describing my father's picture—had attracted me.

W.: "Yes, I have noticed it, too: though it hardly forced my attention.

And then: "I sent my own word in to Whitney: not to him direct, because I do not know him—but to Dick

W. said: "Never mind—I shall not miss it: I always keep my eyes open for Bob."