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April 17, '73 Dear Sir, Your letter of Feb. 8, '73, remitting my acc't account , and sales up to 1st

Also please return me, if convenient, the printed slip I forwarded you of my last acc't. with you, marked

Lee, Shephard & Dillingham whether they would not take my books, (the new editions) & job them.

There is beginning to be a steady, though moderate demand for my books, & if there were a good & permanent

dear, I feel quite well to-day considering—in good spirits, & free from any pain—I suppose you got my

days, strong & sudden winds, & dust— but it is pleasanter to-day—it is now about ½ past 1—I have had my

Mother, I feel to-day as if I was getting well—(but my leg is so clumsy yet— & my head has to avoid much

& was glad to hear from you—I am still in a pretty bad way—I am writing this over at the office, at my

desk, but feel to-day more like laying down than sitting up—I do not walk any better, & my head has

strength—very slowly—& shall yet get well as ever — Every thing goes on about the same, in the sphere of my

is impossible in reality— I got a long letter from Dowden —he mentions you—As I sit I look over from my

were men out there in their shirt-sleeves raking it up—I have a big bunch of lilacs in a pitcher in my

I have just written to the Postmaster at Washington, asking him to forward my letters here, as I suppose

In my case there is no notable amendment—& not much change—I have irregular spells of serious distress

the day or night only, with intervals in which, (while I remain still,) I feel comparatively easy—but my

C[lerk] at which I am truly pleased —Nelly, as I suppose you will see this letter, I will send you my

& did he say any thing new about my sickness or symptoms?

Grier here is confident my principal trouble is cerebral anæmia (blood not properly going to the brain

it arises from a long continued excessive emotional action generally —& thinks it so has arisen in my

moonlight evening—It is bright & clear to-day, & rather hot—It is socially here an utter blank to me—my

dread of being bored by any one is now completely gratified with a vengeance—I look long & long at my

mother's miniature, & at my sister Mat's—I have very good one's of each—& O the wish if I could only

Burlington Tuesday Morning March 4 1873 My Dear Brother How are you this morning.

little I feel glad when its it's bright pleasant weather I think maybe you will gain faster,—I know my

from him and the dear little girls Do you remember Walt some years ago, what a bad time I had with my

back (I think it was neuralgie neuralgia of the spine) anyway I was well only my back I could not walk

do like that young fellow that is so kind to you, Peter Doyle I shall always remember him Good bye my

Washington Feb. 8;—noon— (sitting up on the side of my bed.)

dear, dear sister Matty — O how I have been thinking of you, & shall all day—I have not now the use of my

Louis—I can but send you my love, dear, dear sister— Your unhappy, sorrowful, loving brother Walt Walt

Since my letter of about three weeks since to Charles Eldridge—in which I wrote to you also —I have not

improved any—the distress in my head has not abated—some spells are very bad indeed—(but it fluctuates

Nor can I walk any better—some of the time, not so well—My saving points are pretty good nights' rest

gradually being pulled, and, though I have not at all given up hope of eventual recovery, I do not shut my

been waiting till I felt stronger, to go to Atlantic City (Jersey sea shore) or Long Island, but in my

Dear Pete, I want some things taken out of my trunk, & put in a bundle & sent here by express.

you this afternoon, to-morrow , or next will do just as well, as I am in no hurry— —You both go up in my

room & get them—I want My old gray suit , coat vest &, (I think there are two pair of pants) My old

My dear Edmund Yates, Pardon me for my forgetfulness about the pictures.

Walt Whitman My address here is Solicitor's Office, Treasury , and shall always be happy to hear from

My brother & I are pleased with your plan, in general—my brother favors the ground story of stone ,—but

—I am not very well to-day —but am up & have been out—am generally about the same as noted in my last

I have had a slight stroke of paralysis, on my left side, and especially the leg—occurred Thursday night

last, & I have been laid up since—I am writing this in my room, 535 15th st as I am not able to get

out at present—but the Doctor gives me good hopes of being out and at my work in a few days—He says it

days, but am to-day eating better—I wrote to Mat early last week— Later —I have been sitting up eating my

letter Tuesday—I am about the same—I have not gone over to the office to-day, & am writing this in my

room—mother, I send only $15 in this—will send the other 5 in my next—Write and send me word, soon as

ups and downs—but steadily advance, quite certain, though very slowly—I seem to have a bad cold in my

Philadelphia—it is hard work, especially as I have no one to go with me—but I put a bold face on, & my

easily do if I would I should like much to go on the trips so handy & cheap, right as you might say from my

is to have every thing wanting—(Pete, dear son, there was $89 coming to you, of the money you put in my

love—also my love to Mr & Mrs.

Nash the next time you go there—so good by for the present my darling son, & you must keep good heart

Bielby, & Dear Doctor, I read the letter of Oct. 29, (full of good kindliness & sympathy—My general physique

still [ke]eps up, the battle with my [se]rious special cerebral ailment—& I think the physique will

yet carry the day—& that I shall come back to Washington, & see you all again—though my case is very

30 Jan 73 My dear darling walt Walt I have just got your letter i am glad my dear you are as well as

Walter dear remember me to peter write just as you are say you are better than you are god bless you my

Dear friend, I suppose you got my postal card.

try to get around—have better spirits than I could expect—but on trial, the least exertion confuses my

But I am sitting here at present in my room, comparatively comfortable—& feel every hope that I shall

our house you must send your love to her also when you write i wish you would write to them this is my

sometimes you are writing at your desk well i am writing this down stairs all alone i have been on my

though maybee maybe i would come but i havent haven't had a word from her since she dident didn't get my

letter) write as often as you can dear and say if you got my letter of Louisa Van Velsor Whitman to

you the Graphic, with piece by me, about the Capitol, which I suppose you rec'd—also same paper with my

& criticism by "Matador" —I have rec'd a letter lately from Eldridge—nothing new at Washington, in my

—Love to both of you—I am writing this up in my room—it is growing dark—I am going out to tea, to an

—I send you some papers to-day— —There is nothing new with me, or my condition—My principal malady is

no worse)—but I have had for three or four days a wretched cold in the head, sore throat, most lost my

nice view for me to sit & look out—the letter carrier comes around in about an hour from now, & takes my

alone & think, for two hours on a stretch—have not formed a single acquaintance here, any ways intimate—My

in the morning, & keeps me a good bed & room—All of which is very acceptable—(then, for a fellow of my

run foul of any)—Still I generally keep up very good heart—still think I shall get well—When I have my

have got a letter from Charley Towner—I am finishing this by the open window—still in the rooms where my

A.MS. draft.loc.00248xxx.00236[(Returning to my pages front once]between 1873-1876poetryhandwritten1

[(Returning to my pages front once]

get it Saturday—which may have made you some uneasy—but you need not be, as I still continue to hold my

proposed Centennial Exposition —I will send you pictures of the buildings soon— I am sitting here in my

& come and call on me, should he come to Philadelphia—Tell Wash Milburn, & Parker also, I send them my

at their bloody tricks till the U.S. (& perhaps England) steps in & kicks them out of Cuba—which in my

Earls Colne Halstead August 12, 1873 My dearest Friend The paper has just been forwarded here which tells

My Darling—let me use that tender caressing word once more, for how can I help it, with heart so full

My darling.

around, returns once more, as I have every summer for five & twenty years, to this old village where my

in fact, the old Priory they have inhabited ceased to be a Priory at the dissolution of monasteries—My

Whitman referred to Rossetti's edition as a "horrible dismemberment of my book" in his August 12, 1871

Dear Charley, All continues to go well with my health &c.

My leg is not much different, & I still have an occasional spell with the head—but I am much better .

sit up several times during the day now, for a few minutes at a time—am gradually gaining the use of my

as I am lying here—I have not written to Han since I had the paralysis—Mother, you might send one of my

letters to her, Han , when you next write—(this one, or any)—Say I sent my love, & will be up before

Trübner & Company, Dear Sirs, Please make out acc't account of sales of my books, Leaves of Grass &c.

for the closing year, & remit me am't amount due, by mail here, by draft payable to my order.

Saturday My dear Walt i have received severall several paper s this week but no letter that has been

of company this week mostly girls from the place where she used to work all have to be taken up in my

got hans Han's letter and Jeffs Jeff's poor matt i feel so bad about her i cant can't keep her out of my

Dear Sir When my friend, Mr.

The "Leaves of of Grass" have become a part of my every-day thought and experience.

Often when I have been alone in the company of one or other of my dearest friends, in the very deliciousness

My dear M r Whitman, Thank you for the kind thought which sent me the newspaper containing good news

under all feeling which the fact of your illness produces lies the one feeling (which the growth of my

Burroughs would be willing to take the trouble; (& he would add to my gain if he would mention to me

My wife joins with mine her love & both go to you together. We are well.

It has always seemed to me more my proper work than prose, but if a sufficient experiment proves the

Louis, Monday Feb 24th 1873 My dear dear Mother Since Matties death I could not write you before—there

 she was cheerful to a degree and at noon of the day she died sat up in her chair and directed how my

and then took my horse and buggy arriving at the house abt 3ck—I found Mattie dressed—furs &c on—sitting

awaiting me—I took her in my arms and carried her out to the buggy as I sat her in—she said "wait now

'till I fix my dress"—these were the last words she spok—She then fell over on her side I immediately

My dear walt Walt i received your letter to day its a great consolation to get your letters nearly all

the comfort i have) as i have no one to talk too to about any of my own i get letters from helen price

without hearing mine they think Lou is in the family way and therefore she has to be kept up stairs in my

since i got up this morning till i come up to writ write this letter i have had very little good of my

I am still about the same as when I last wrote—am no worse, & not much better—though I perceive my general

strength is at least as good as any time since I have been sick—My head still troubles me with pain

thinking that every thing with me might be a great deal worse—I can put up with all but the death of my

mother—that is my great sorrow that sticks—affects me just as much now, or more, than at the time.

cut out the piece below from a Philadelphia paper, thinking it might interest you—As is I sit here in my

I have a great deal of pain in my head yet—no let up.

Farewell my loving son, till next time. Walt. I send a small bundle of papers.

'73 Friday morning—9 o'clock Dearest mother, The sun shines out bright & cheerful this morning—& in my

first sick) —I think I am feeling better to-day, & more like myself—I have been in the habit of soaking my

cold—so I have stopt stopped it, & I have a notion I feel better from stopping it— —I have just had my

here, rooms enough to live in for you & Ed and me —I realize it more, far more now, than ever—even for my

with a shed kichen with no fireplace in the house except in the kichen. . . . what do you think of my

to substitute the services of the bearer Walter Godey , in the office, for the present, instead of my

I would ask you to put him at my desk and give him a trial—on some letters first, before giving him the

quite good spells—but am not feeling well just now—have got over to the office, & am now sitting at my

hear of many cases, some good, some unfavorable— As to myself, I do not lose faith for a moment, in my

—I am feeling better—my head is some easier—Love to you, dear mama, & all— Walt.

I send you a paper same mail with this, containing a little piece that describes my case.

I have not forgotten you, my loving soldier boy, & never shall. Walt Whitman 322 Stevens st.

My dear walt Walt its another monday Monday morning and edd Edd and me is alone george George has gone

i have been better of the rheumatism this winter untill until a week or so ago i got quite lame in my

knees so i could hardly get down stairs but i think i took cold going out to the privy getting my feet

hardly realize she is gone as her picture hangs here and looks so much like life it brings the tears to my

21 April 1873 monday Monday My ever dear walt Walt i thought i would write to you to day as i dident

the best and the largest sometime i feel bad enoughf enough if i was younger i should show some of my

getting along if you think you cant can't get a house for us to live in worry about me i shall live my

words "dignity" and "now" Louisa Van Velsor Whitman canceled the phrase "it would bee all good to have my

morning—have something of the kind pretty often—Still it seems certain I am improving, generally,—& that my

rec'd a letter from Chas Eldridge—& another from Walter Godey, the young man who is working for me as my

to-day—nothing particular—send the Herald Did I tell you that a doctor I have talked with here says my

are both very helpful to me—one comes day time, & one evening—I had a good night's sleep last night—My

mind is just as clear as ever—& has been all the time—(I have not been at all down hearted either)—(My

it—I shall be getting well soon—am on a fair way to it now— latest ½ past 4 I have just set up & had my

am so much afraid you have been worried about me I hope not—for I care as much about your health as my

How is Eddy I send ever & ever so muc much love to you my dear and to all Han Hannah Whitman Heyde to

August 29 . 75 My dear son, Your letter came all right last Monday, & the papers.

needn't mind the other Sunday papers—I send you Harper's magazine for September—I am still holding my

I rec'd your letter, dear mother—you may rest assured that I write the exact facts about my sickness—I

window looking out on the river & scenery—it is beautiful weather now—they have sent over & paid me my

feeble, and have distress in the head—these are the worst features—but am gradually regaining the use of my

written a short letter to Hannah , & also one to Jeff —which they must have rec'd by this time— I keep up my

1873 march March 4 5 oclock o'clock dear walt Walt i suppose you have got my letter i wrote last saturday

and mrs Mrs. buckly be a kind of mother to me and little poor hattie Hattie it made the tears come in my

hot weather i think it would us both good so we must both get so we can walk without limping good bie my

to keep house without stopping Hattie's schools and I did not wish to do that—but I shall not sell my

them away as I best may and hope as soon as Hattie gets a couple of years older we will try again Well my

thinking or wondering about you—I have often thought how I would like to see you and if I can so arrange my

Louis May 9th 1873 My dear Walt I received your letter and I do not think you can form an idea how very

sincerely hope that you are right in your theory that the slow recovery indicates permanency—I hope to God, my

Drinkard—he rubs the handles over my leg & thigh, for perhaps twenty minutes—the shock is very perceptible—it

not sure) it is Jule Mason —it is quite interesting—I am going to work for a couple of hours now at my