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This is the first letter I have written for weeks, and I am afraid I write rather obscurely, for my hand

did not answer and acknowledge them I regret to have done so; but if you knew how great the mass of my

Who would suspect that this comic strain proceeded from the author of "My Study Window," and "Among my

I'm dull at prayers: I could not keep awake Counting my beads.

I love my fellow-men: the worst I know I would do good to.

Now, when storms of fate o'ercast Darkly my Present and my Past, Let my Future radiant shine With sweet

The "In Memoriam" explains itself,—the "Watchman of Ephriam," as Osee says, "was with my God."

May 14. 1874 My dearest Friend Two papers have come to hand since I last wrote; one containing the memoranda

A great deal of needlework to be done at this time of year; for my girls have not time for any at present

May is in a sense (& a very real one) my birth month too, for in it were your Poems first put into my

My children are all well and hearty I am thankful to say, & working industriously.

Good bye my dearest Friend. Anne Gilchrist. Anne Gilchrist to Walt Whitman, 14 May 1874

London 26 Feb 1874 My dearest Friend Glad am I when the time comes round for writing to you again—though

I can't please myself with my letters, poor little echoes that they are of the loving, hoping, far journeying

Today (Feb. 25th) is my birthday dearest Friend—a day my children always make very bright & happy to

I can bide my time,—a long long growing & unfolding time.

That is because it is the under current of my whole life.

Singing Thrush" (March 15, 1873; later called "Wandering at Morn"), "Spain" (March 24, 1873), "Sea Captains

London Dec. 9. 1874 My dearest Friend It did me much good to get your Poem—beautiful earnest eloquent

My artist boy is working away cheerily at the R. Academy, his heart in his work.

I feel more completely myself than I have done since my illness.

I think my thoughts fly to you on strongest and most joyous wings when I am out walking in the clear

Good bye my dearest Friend. Annie Gilchrist.

hun.00021xxx.00596HM 6713'Come said my soul. . .'

[Come, said my Soul]about 1875poetry1 leafhandwritten; A signed draft, heavily revised, of the untitled

'Come said my soul. . .'

Singing Thrush" (March 15, 1873; later called "Wandering at Morn"), "Spain" (March 24, 1873), "Sea Captains

My dear friend It is just dawn, but there is light enough to write by, and the birds in their old sweet

My first knowledge of you is all entangled with that little garden.

My chief reason for writing (so I put it to myself) is that I can't help wishing you should know that

Because you have, as it were, given me a ground for the love of men I thank you continually in my heart

And for my sake you must not mind reading what I have written.

But so you know my dear friend they are all real to me—and I often keep them months before I destroy

Many and many a mile have I rode on a Locomotive while in charge of a Freight-train and had you by my

Walt write to me and acknowledge the receipt of this—If you cannot, I shall still keep writing, in my

it seems Centuries)—Father used to tell me I was lazy Mother denied it—and in latter years=(but O' my

own pen, ink, and paper on my own table, in a hired room, warmed by my own fire and lighted by my own

friend the past thou occupiest in my spiritual nature—.

I feel assured you will forgive any remissness of me in writing—My love my Walt is with you alway always

My Father is Dead.

abolished one of the third class clerkships in the office of the Solicitor of the Treasury, and upon my

It is, therefore, my duty to inform you that your services will not be required from and after the first

Friend It is with Pleashure Pleasure I take the oppertunity opportunity of writing you a letter As my

written. they Are Splendid. their There is a Preaspeterian Presbyterian Minister Liveing living with my

My Mother & Father was My Mother Is very old I dont don't Suppose She will Be with us on the 4 day of

In the Comeing coming year Well I hope you will get your Health Better, you Will Please Excuse this My

HOTEL CHATHAM 67 & 69, RUE NEUVE ST AUGUSTIN PARIS My dear Walt Whitman.

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

My address is the Langhorne Hotel, London. Drop me a line.

, but the day has been so beautiful & the charm of the open air so great that I could not long keep my

My bees are working like beavers & there is a stream of golden thighs pouring into the hive all the time

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

Meltonsville (my home office) Mr.

About that time I also, obeying an "impulse" or "law of my being" which was effectual if not "irresistible

" went for a Poet for my county.

Again this summer learned in my backwoods hermit home that Walt's Poems were in books, and that "English

In my disappointment and vexation I then said to my family "the Publisher who would publish and the Bookseller

This I suppose that "nearest friend" or yourself intended as answer to my inquiry whether you were reduced

real, and immediate , I can spare you something of the small store of capital that is helping me in my

dollar I send, to report occasionally whether my idol still lives and how he fares.

I am 13 miles from the nearest village Post-script My family Physician quite lately borrowed from me,

all my money except 2 10 ct scrips, 1 gold dollar, and 8 silver quarters, which I bought to pay my (

Singing Thrush" (March 15, 1873; later called "Wandering at Morn"), "Spain" (March 24, 1873), "Sea Captains

your affection or curiosity, and that there is in your present situation a tedium or sameness which my

At any rate my writing can't hurt you unless I write foolishly and lessen your pleasure in my warm appreciation

Still Walt, he assured that causes with high an Walt, I never in my life sought or would have an office

Let the war pass away, us to of fools place not quarrel with my great friend.

man—so careful in all business matters, but I have so written it, both for information and to amuse my

Whitman who has done me the greatest honor of my life.

I know the style of my letters is queer, but if you had thought them absurd insincere you would not have

134 East 38th St, New York, June 23/1874 My beloved Walt— I have read thy sublime poem of the "Universal

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

I return to it as a fountain of joy My beloved Walt.

While my soul exists, the worship must be ever new.

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

Singing Thrush" (later titled "Wandering at Morn") on March 15, 1873; "Spain" on March 24, 1873; "Sea Captains

So I defer my visit to you.

My wife and I Earnestly hope we may see you at our house soon.

All my Thought of late, Walt, is of you, and your great work.

All other books seem to me weak and unworthy my attention.

My wife appreciated the difference greatly .

look through the eyes of the dead, nor feed on the spectres in books : ; "You shall not look through my

beautiful, curious, breathing, laughing flesh is enough; To pass among them, or touch any one, or rest my

afew a few lines that you may now know i I have you in rememberance remembrance yet you were kin to my

hospital afriend a friend in need is a friend indeed Bethuels father has gone to his home to rest and my

The let up & somewhat favorable condition mentioned in my letter of Sunday still continues.

Immediately after my return from Germany (28 February) I did write to you and sent you a long article

If my thoughts did not weaken and wither, when I try to give them expression in the English language,

something rotten in the state of Denmark, still are true, I have the greatest belief of the vitality of my

peasant on Fijen (one of our fertile isles) wrote to me in the spring for two years ago to thank me for my

Clausen, termed in Schmidt's letter "my old friend and countryman," corresponded with Schmidt after he

Do you understand my bad English?

Your answer to my letter from Garsdal I duely duly received.

My first task is to write to you.

sent you myself one copy in loose sheets ( to two of those small parcels) and the editor has during my

My own opinion I wrote you in a letter the last summer. I hope, that you have received it.

With poor Clausen I sent you my picture. If you have not got, then ask it from his widow.

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

two weeks ago it took ago a new bridge as easily as I am flowing a feather away with the breath of my

Schmidt April 4, '74 Copenhagen, April 4, 1874 My dear Walt Whitman, Coming home from our "Athenaeum"

Norwegian "Aftenbladet" (Evening Paper) for April 1 the the first real criticism of your book, I found on my

The author is a young man in my years; his name is Kristian Elster, he is living at present in Throndhjeim

Here follows a photography that gives a true idea of my stature;—the face is not good.

Walt Whitman Esq Dear Sir I will Sell My Lot on Royden St—for $450—all clear of incumbrance.

I.E. by being sold in what is termed the "remainder sale" of course my own feeling respecting this is

silent, and while at oxford I wandered through the Marketplace (for I love to mingle with all kinds of my

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

editorial decisions, which included editing potentially objectionable content and removing entire poems: "My

Whitman, late in life, said to Horace Traubel: "[I] take my Ruskin with some qualifications."

My Dear Sir, Last February, from Hong Kong, I sent you a line or two regarding an original edition of

But I, with silent Tread, Walk the spot my Captain lies, Fallen cold and dead.

Whitman's poem "O Captain! My Captain!

"O Captain! My Captain!"

For more information on the poem, see Gregory Eiselein, "'O Captain! My Captain!'

(I suppose you rec'd received my postal card acknowledging your previous one, briefly, & saying I should

I shall quite certainly come on—cannot now [pla]n the time, but will write before—& take up my quarters

mention I should pay thankfully—Though badly disabled, I am perfectly able to take care of myself, & my

Rein —I am alone, in the house to-day, (except Eddy)—as my sister has gone out to spend the day, & my

My brother Jeff, at St. Louis, is well—his girls are growing finely.

Tennyson, It is a long time since my last to you.

illness—some three months, afterward was recovering at Washington, when called here by the death of my

To-day, a cloudy & drizzly Sunday, I have taken it in my head, sitting here alone & write—follow the

edition you got of Shephard, four or five weeks ago—with the remaining copies (if any) of the 25 sent by my

I have somewhere between 300 & 350 of my little book of later poems, "As a Strong Bird on Pinions free

If you care to have the sole & exclusive command of all my books in existence, take this offer.

I am sick & paralyzed—a tedious prospect still before me—& should be glad to have the books off my hands

With Walt Whitman in Camden in 1889: "What a sweat I used to be in all the time . . . over getting my

previously published in Leaves of Grass, "Passage to India" was Whitman's attempt to "celebrate in my

O'Kane has undoubtedly sent you all the copies of my books remaining in his possession—he received originally

And since then he has delivered about 30 Leaves of of Grass to my order—leaving only 30 or 40 more to

As said in my note, you now, (with the exception of about 350 copies of As A Strong Bird , which are

at my printer's in N.Y., & which I can send you an order for,) you now have my books in the market.

Strong Bird on store in N.Y., which I can send you an order for, if you wish, at once.) you have all my

My books, Leaves of Grass , Passage to India Democratic Vistas &c. will be duly dispatched to-night or

previously published in Leaves of Grass, "Passage to India" was Whitman's attempt to "celebrate in my

Liptay Care of Otto Behrens 140 Eighth avenue New York City I wrote to Nelly about a week ago, stating my

day—rather a curious fellow—a great bully, vehement, loud words & plenty of them (the very reverse of my

valued Dr Drinkard)—& yet I value what he says & does for me—He is inclined to think the seat of all my

been out, except just in front of the house in the sun, & only three times that—but don't be alarmed, my

dear friend—the probabilities are, (in my opinion any how,) that I shall get partially well yet— The

Clark Dear Sir, In answer to your note I send enclosed a copy of my poem for Tuft's College on the 17th—which

alternations—not perhaps quite as well, of late, (the last ten or twelve days)—& yet I dont don't abandon my

& hope— feel to , which is a main thing with me—I have a good deal of pain, more or less steady, in my

been so since—(though not enough to prevent me from eating some nice stewed oysters in moderation for my

needlessly apprehensive, Nelly dear—for I shall get better, & we will meet yet— When you write tell me about my

Tell me all the news—tell me about Charles Eldridge—& all my other friends.

Johnson one with the greatest pleasure—(it is one of Brady's photos)—I wish you to give my best respects

inaction—but upon the whole not so severely—& I think very decidedly gradually growing less—The worst is my

—(Unfortunately it was, however, at a time when I was feeling almost at my worst.)

womanly beauty & development—I always thought it in her to do so—Nelly, when you next see her give her my

love—I return Willie's picture—dear child—it has pleased me much—I held it a long time in my hand &

I have overlooked—or forgotten—any request to that effect in the letter sending it)— I send my love to

Brownell—also to Garry Howard when you see her—(what you say of her in your letter I fully endorse as my

all night afterward—But this morning as I write, (9 o'clock after breakfast—fish, Graham bread, tea, my

in the parlor alone by the window, it is very pleasant—soothing—it is a sweet balmy, not hot morning—my

paper—I have thought much of it, through the interesting account you gave—Indeed death has been much in my

Graphic first number just out—ask Charley to get it for you—In my next—anent of Bull Run—I mention Mrs

Saw the doctor (Grier) day before yesterday—he made a careful ausculation of my heart—pronounced it all

Drinkard , a great talker, & very demonstrative)— Nelly, you needn't send the photos of my nieces back

Thanks for your letter of 20th—give my love to Mrs.

I suffer much with my head, & locomotion is more clumsy & paralyzed even than usual—But my inward feeling

We are having it warm & bright & spring like here at present—very attractive out, but my head prevents

My nieces are well—the one with the hair a la Chinois is California, (Jessie,) the younger—the other

Louis, full of work—both my brothers have plenty of noble, manly work, & very remunerative.

I know—I send you a piece by me from the paper here —the young man alluded to was much like one of my

shall come on to Washington yet—on a brief visit—Tell Charles Eldridge I shall write to him this week—My

brother & sister & Eddy here are well—My sister at Burlington, Vt. was as usual at last acc't account

Louis—As I write I am sitting here in my big chair alone ( alone muchly ,) in the parlor by the window—It

Johnson & her sister mentioned in my article —& please give them my best remembrances.

I feel that I am better, in the main—yet still have daily & nightly bad spells in the head, & my leg

I have been waiting ever since I wrote, to get the photos. of my nieces, (my dear sister Mat's girls,

Drinkard—I sent Garaphelia Howard a paper, the Graphic that has my picture—how is she?

Give her my love—Poor, good Mr.

August 5 Dear Nelly, Your good letter came all right—it is pretty much "the same subject continued"—with my

square frame, with thin strip of gilt inside, & good plate glass)—I shall look for Charles Eldridge— My

[am] feeling decidedly better than usual this morning—I have spent an hour in the bath room, (quite my

For I suppose you know that my condition is very tantalizing in its fluctuations—Like today as I write

G. of 7th March is my last no. —did you get it?