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I was so warm & snug & my nest was so well feathered; but I have really cut loose & do not expect to

Dearest Mother , I am sitting in my room waiting for the doctor—Mother, you are in my mind most of the

what has kept me up, & is bringing me through—I think I am still on the gain, though it is very slow—my

it—& settle up there—he does better there—but he was doing well enough here, & was very comfortable—My

head troubles me to-day, but I am over here at my desk, at office—Mother, if convenient write me a line

About May 17, 1873, Louisa wrote: "my dearly beloved walter thank god i feel better this morning" (The

my dear beloved walter."

"On taking my seat among them, I noticed a curious thumping at intervals that made the floor vibrate

beneath my feet.

I was so absorbed in my own grief that at first I was hardly conscious of it.

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.

Dearest mother, I suppose you got my letter Monday 12th (written Sunday.)

1873, Louisa Van Velsor Whitman explained that her "nervous system is very much out of order . . . my

mother dear, I am certainly getting well again—I have made a great improvement the last three days, & my

head feels clear & good nearly all the time—& that, the doctor says, will bring my leg all right in

showers here nights—too much rain indeed—still spring is very fine here, & it looks beautiful from my

windows—I am writing this in my room— I am feeling just now well as usual in my general health—part

just as well as ever—but of course I expect a few set–backs before I get well entirely, & supple in my

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

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

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

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

& 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

. … My brother thinks (and I think so, too) that if you have not committed yourself, you could not do

June 29 My dear friends John and 'Sula Burroughs, I am here again in Camden, stopping awhile, with the

there—staid about a couple of weeks—obtained two months leave of absence, & (after almost making up my

been for about two weeks—(I think comparatively better the last two days)—occupying the rooms in which my

in life & heart left by the death of my mother is what will never to me be filled— I am comfortably

hour or two every day, while I am in this condition—The last nine or ten days in Washington, I left my

please—the editor consenting—take two impressions, (proofs) similar to this & send me in this envelope for my

So they are off my mind." The poems appeared in the March 1874 issue (524–25).

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

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

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

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

Bielby—will be in my room to-morrow, Wednesday, from 10 to 11 ½ forenoon—Will always be happy to have

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

My dear Dan Gilette, Your kind letter—with that of your English friend Chrissie Deschamps, (so full of

It seems to be a fluctuating & pretty stout struggle between my general physique & constitution, & my

My best regards & love to you, my friend, & to my English friends the same.

Dear Sir, I am delighted to please you in so trifling a matter as signing the pictures for your—and my—English

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?

The bad spells in my head continued at short intervals all through Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

ready to have them, and pretty sick and sore and bad, especially in head, confusing me, and affecting my

I have rewritten my Will, with some slight changes and additions, and placed it in the pocket of my trunk

here. … Ate my breakfast like a man this morning.

My eyes gave out before through. . . .

My improvement is not much in the head troubles, & hardly any in my left leg, but very perceptible in

my strength & vim generally— & my confidence remains (still unaffected in the main, by all the tediousness

took, at my own price at once & sent me the money)—They are in type, and I have read the proofs.

So they are off my mind.

Nelly, my dear, I received your welcome letter last evening. I am waiting for the photos of my St.

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 .

Dear Charley, My condition continues favorable—& if I dared to hope this will last & improve in proportion—indicates

Eldridge that he had paid Godey, my substitute, the money I sent on for his October pay."

same way this fragment does: "I am still doing as well as when I last wrote" on October 24, 1873, and "My

My head does not get right, that being still the trouble—the feeling now being as if it were in the centre

I keep pretty good spirits, however, & still make my calculations on getting well.

They are the rooms in which my mother died, with all the accustomed furniture, I have long been so used

I have written to Harry Douglas, my fellow clerk in the office, asking him to send me my letters here

My lift at the Ashton's was a great help to me—the change from the 15th st. rooms, & then the weather

My dear friend I am having quite a good spell to-day, (if it only lasts)—I wish you, in conjunction with

Peter Doyle, would go over to my room at Dr.

White's, & unlock the big trunk, (the one that is strapped) and take out My gray suit , coat, vest, &

My black overcoat , quite heavy—it is the one in the trunk— Black felt hat, (there are two black hats

I will write promptly if there is any marked change in my condition.

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

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.

way we talked of, (& I have no doubt we shall,) & satisfaction is felt on both sides, it is certainly my

Whitman observed to Horace Traubel in 1889: "What a sweat I used to be in all the time . . . over getting my

May 23 d my inexpressibly beloved mother died in Camden.

Though my plans depend on yet uncertain results, my intention, as far as any thing, is, on getting stronger

My post office address continues there, (Solicitor's Office Treasury.)

I send my love to Percy, & all your dear children.

The enclosed ring I have just taken from my finger & send you with my love.

August 12, 1873, Gilchrist, moved by newspaper reports of his continued illness, addressed him as "My

98–101) she wrote about her children; and on December 18, 1873, she said of his health: "Perhaps if my

I turn my face to the westward sky and before I lie down to sleep, deep & steadfast within me the silent

it goes, it will be all right—the little Philadelphia paper piece was about the right statement of my

My brother Jeff has come on from St.

excursion, a week on a yacht voyage—I told him to call on you, if possible—& he will if he can work it—My

her I rec'd received her letter & thank her for it—I have not felt to write to her, or any one but my

I have had—but unspeakable —my physical sickness, bad as it is, is nothing to it— The following are

Dear Friend Abby, and all my friends, Helen & Emmy & Mr.

Arnold, I will write a line only—My paralysis still leaves me extremely feeble—& with great distress

I have lost my dear, dear sister Martha, in St.

present I can hardly move ten steps without feeling sick—I am sitting here now in the rocking chair in my

writing this—most of the time alone which suits me best—it is paralysis of left side—Love to all— Walt (My

Portions of this manuscript contributed to Some Personal and Old-Age Jottings, Good-Bye My Fancy (1891

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

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

Louis, March 30th 1873 My dear Walt Although I have written two or three letters to you, and Hattie one

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, Feb 7th 1873 My dear Mother I wrote you a few days ago apprising you as to Mattie's health  I

Louis March 26th 73 My dear Mother I received your latest letter—I was glad indeed to hear from you—yet

acknowledged on March 13 that "the principal trouble is yet in the head, & so easily getting fatigued—my

whole body feels heavy, & sometimes my hand" (Edwin Haviland Miller, ed., The Correspondence [New York

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

Louis— Apl 24th 1873 My dear Mother— Your letter was handed me just as I was leaving the city to go to

My health, and that of the Children continues first-rate  we get along nicely at Mrs Bulkley['s] and

I am ashamed that I have not been more thoughtful in this respect—but what with Mat's sickness and my

look—We would like to pop in on you some evening—what a jolly time we would all have would we not Give my

Walt Whitman after she added this postscript: "Write to poor Mat Walter dear  i am about as usual  my

Sea Captains, Young or Old

your Mother telling me of your very severe illness in wich which you have our Heartfelt Sympathy (Both my

poor hand at it—and the trouble with cousin-Sarah she writes her letters so plainly—you must excuse my

that interests me just now and I will tell you all about—it is to take place this month) to two of my

wifes that can grace the parlor or grace the kitchen (if need be) this is the kind of wife, men in my

I could have written a more sympathetic letter (But then my heart is so full of my own sad Afflictions

was in bankruptcy, Redfield noted that the balance due Walt Whitman ($63.45) "will have to go in with my

I think my estate will pay 50 cents on the dollar: hope so at any rate."

If my article on you should appear in any american magazine, I should like to have sent a copy.

Clausen, who Rudolf Schmidt called "my old friend and countryman," corresponded with Schmidt after he

volumes of Horace Traubel's With Walt Whitman in Camden (various publishers: 1906–1996) and Whitman's "My

Now wait till I get my dress fixed and Papa waited and then she fell over & never spoke another word

8 April 1873 My dear walt Walt i got your letter of sunday Sunday and monday Monday and the papers all

fereplaces fireplaces and its much cheaper to have stove pipes than firplac es what do you think of my

For the poem that he enclosed, see "Sea Captains, Young or Old," published in the April 4, 1873 issue

confined comments on his condition to two brief remarks, that he did "not feel very well" and that "My