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New York City June 8th, 1875 My dear Whitman: During my wanderings in the tropics, with my nervous system

When I was a boy I read extracts from your first book, in a "Putnam's Mag." review—the "little Captain

Dearest Son, I saw the RR. smash the first thing in the paper in the morning, & run my eyes over the

others , of such accidents, is because they run such a route, over a single track —you may remember my

still I have a sort of feeling not to give it up yet—keep real good spirits—don't get blue, even at my

weather is bright & pleasant here to-day, but cool for the season, & the most backward I have ever known—My

—love to my darling son— Walt Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, 30 April [1875]

Captain "Tim" Buchanan, a conductor on one of the trains, was hospitalized.

after f line, build dood house on top will togedder together laugh to old how out of money— we put my

bring big fiddles too, for play Dixie Den Then if noder another war tomes comes we will be taptains captains

Don't mind my long silences.

My illness has not lifted since I last wrote you, & is still upon me—the last two or three months the

Walt Whitman Before enveloping my letter, I take a good long, long look at the photographs—with all their

, not without solemnity—which you must understand without my writing it—comes over me, like a little

sun–cloud, this vapory day—& with that, & once again my love, I close.

4–6, 1874, she wrote: "I believe if I could only make you conscious of the love, the enfolding love my

letter) she had received Whitman's ring "that put peace and joy and yet such pain of yearning into my

heart—pain for you, my Darling & sorrowing helpless love that waits and must wait useless, afar off,

Friend, be indulgent, as indeed I know you will be, of these poor letters of mine with their details of my

, and My Picture-Gallery, are 14 words of notations in Whitman's hand.

or giving any very deep or elaborate analysis of them, in connection with the Emerson question, (as my

brain is in a state not allowing thought, argument or study)—but still I will give you my first impressions

Manuscript as first rate , (including the opening part)—My opinion is that you had perhaps better work

it all over, & leave out at least half— About the allusions to me, my off–hand thought is that my name

might be brought in, in one or two places, as foil or suggestive comparison— but my name only , without

I could convey no idea to you of how it affects my soul.

I got it, looked into it with wonder, and felt that here was something that touched on depths of my humanity

, but up—yours of March 5 rec'd and welcomed—O how I should like to see you, every day , dear Mitch—my

On March 5, 1875, Farwell, who owned a farm in Michigan, wrote: "Walt my dear old Friend how I would

To Burroughs on June 9, 1875, Dowden admitted that "my article on Victor Hugo is only partially satisfactory

December 17 Dear John Burroughs, I have been back here two weeks & over—My Washington jaunt occupied

Best love to 'Sula Ursula , & to Jenny Grant if there— My new edition is nearly ready—Two Vols Volumes

Walt)—just now though he is quite sick, but I opine will get along—The rest all very well, except that my

I hear young Walt raising his song, in the room overhead as I conclude my letter— Love to you, as always

, my friend— Walt.

Houghton wrote to Joaquin Miller on September 1, 1875, from Chicago: "Please give my best regards to

My dear Einstein, On coming back here, I find your letter of the 20th.

My paralysis has left me permanently disabled, unable to do any thing of any consequence, and yet with

ago, I bought a nice cheap lot, intending to put on a small house to haul in, & live out the rest of my

I had, & yet have I have a sort of idea that my books, (I am getting ready, or about have ready, my completed

But my means, meagre at the best, have gone for my expenses since, & now, while not hitherto actually

Besides numerous other "good" people as almost everybody else would call them, I have in my mind the

instance of my first wife—a girl whom I became acquainted with at a school I attended in my 15th year

in the business of could keep her really contented with out ing my principles.

When it became necessary in order to retain my home that reconstruct my family, I preferred to be content

me "one bit" , and few of my near relatives lost their lives or otherwise badly "hurt".

Though it is but a few days since I posted a letter my dearest friend, I must write you again—because

I cannot help it, my heart is so full—so full of love & sorrow and struggle.

Soon soon as ever my boy has one to love & care for him all his own, I will come, I may not before, not

if it should break my heart to stop away from you, for his welfare is my sacred charge & nearer & dearer

than all to me verily my God, strengthen me, comfort me, stay for me—let that have a little beginning

America July 31, '75 My dear Rudolf Schmidt , Your letter of July 17, from near Wiemar has just reached

I do not recover my health —for over two months past have been worse than ever, but feel better to–day

world, as an active worker—& the best I look for is to keep up, by care & moderation, & have the use of my

mind as so far, with the partial use of my physical powers, for whatever term of life I have yet to

this forenoon, riding in a street car—& to the printing office, where I am printing a little book, my

I had an auction yestarday yesterday 4 of March to sell my Personally personal troperty property as I

told you in my other letter I have rented my farm of 35 acers acres for 5 years I would like to see

Why can not you com come & see my family I have a wife & littel little Girl 5 years old this month When

the house I felt proud of it myself I will have to get a frame for it and hang it up on the wall Walt my

We move about half a mile from this place my Post office will be the same (address) your in hast haste

Howard Lake, Minn Minnesota July 21, 1875 My Dear Friend Walt I was glad to hear from you But Sory Sorry

to know that your Health was not Improving But glad that you remember me My health's Failig Failing

I am trying for an Envelid Invalid Pentian Pension I have Now only the Need of to two witnesses of my

M D Halans is my agent St.

Paul Howard Lake is Improving Fast I wished you would come and visit this place My wife sends her Best

London May 18, 1875 My dearest Friend, Since last I wrote to you at the beginning of April (enclosing

at Colne) I have been into Wales for a fortnight to see Percy & have looked, for the first time in my

That is the end of my long story.

My children are all well & growing & unfolding to my heart's content.

Goodbye my dearest Friend. A. Gilchrist. Anne Gilchrist to Walt Whitman, 18 May 1875

weaks weeks ago last summer I was in brooklyn & I hunted for you but could not find you I mad made up my

is night now & I was agoing to the villiage tomorrow So I thought I would write A few lines to you my

halth health is good & so is my family I have got three boys & one girl the way that I came to be in

me this spring I ame am owing some debts that I no whether I can pay them or not this spring one of my

stock youre your letters was directed rite right the two firts first years of my mairage marriage my

to hear that you have sick so long I have been sick with the Chills & Fever I have had wine to day my

20 of June so I am alone I am at the same employment yet I have plenty of work but the pay is small My

well before he went away he has been better cine they have been there they are near the Salt water my

wife is well the young Lady you met with me at the Cor Corner of Fulton and Cart Sts Streets that is my

Wednesday I went to Hartford to the reunion of the Vetrans Veterans and spent two days I met a good many of my

Walt you know wat what good times Petter and your selfe self and me had together Walt how is Harry my

not Receved Received no answer as yet but you must tell him that you have herd heard from me and give my

love to him and take a good share your self give my love to all the Boys on the Rail Road as mr sailor

to go to the D. and so forth Walt I want you to write to me as soon as you get this you must excuse my

me George D Cole Tottenville Staten Island in care of Cap t JW Sprague how is old car no number 29 my

My dear Walt Whitman (Somehow the Mr does not come well before Walt Whitman).

broken ground, glad also that you find something to approve of in a work so utterly unlike your own as my

I am this morning starting with my wife & Sons on a tour to the Continent.

in an extreme hurry, packing up & after these few words must bid you goodbye, not without expressing my

May 27, 75 My dear Walt Whitman Your kind letter is received and the sad news of your ill health makes

However my dear friend as you have lived from within and nor from without I am sure you will be able

request; but I cannot say to day or yet tomorrow for I am in the midst of work and am not altogether my

Till I see you my dear friend and fellow toiler goodbye Yours fitfully Joaquin Miller Joaquin Miller

Walt Whitman— Dear friend— ui gust (of a degree) with my sur take write what may yet be of entertain

make previously plowed d for g and hoeing, (the first in months,) I went to our p a view writing to my

So as I had to pass by there way to in law's home (where my d I stop k to show to my own folks No father

I left him with a statement your work, and the wond chan ge in my estimate of it change.

What I said about my and my wrecking us, was immediately occa apparent ect and danger of a severe inistered

London Earls Colne Aug. 28. 1875 My dearest Friend Your letter came to me just when I most needed the

comfort of it—when I was watching and tending my dear Mother as she gently, slowly, with but little

I do not need to tell you anything my dearest friend—you know all—I feel your strong comforting hand—I

I had all my children with me at the funeral— O the comfort your dear letter was & is to me.

My children join their love with mine. Anne Gilchrist to Walt Whitman, 28 August 1875

eachother each other yet our Children are anxious to see you the picture you sent Bethuel looks some like my

grandfather Deen that is my fathers father's father if Harvy Allen and Sally should go to philadelphia

about two miles from glensfalls Glens Falls iwent I went to meeting one Sunday evening and enjoyed my

fashioned hymns and old tunes it seemed like old times when young idont I dont now know as you can read my

riting writing but we feel anxious to hear from you and how you get along god bless you with my best

June 17, '75 1875 My dear Stedman, I have rec'd received your kind note, & am pleased that you remember

I shall select some scrap of my MS. & send you soon.

Real and Ideal) all sorts of things, prose & (my) poetry.

—My book Leaves of Grass as now printed, is in its permanent form—My other Vol. of equal size Two Rivulets

, (i.e. of Real and Ideal) will comprise all my other writings, Prose & Verse , & is now being put into

Along with the parcel of papers which you sent me after getting my baby's letter I got the picture and

I have yet on hand two big bales of my cotton crop intended for spending money for the —sold other of

my crop (three more big ) on one credit to get interest.

might think, except that I have been almost insane about yours because you have so well expressed " my

(Please don't other hunter come down my dilapidated dwelling ) John Newton Johnson Ala Alabama for the

I hope you will excuse me for not writing sooner I have been laid up with a pain in my back ever since

I am agoing going to have it framed if nothing happens I want that Picture to remain in my family as

hopeing hoping this may find you improving in health .. also with much love & many thanks from myself & my

I still keep a little at work—there is a printing office here, where I am doing my work—they are young

considerate & respectful to me—fix every thing in type, proof, &c. just to suit me—I am leisurely preparing my

Come when you can, my darling boy.

I had mined that if writing for a while corres pondent except my son in T exas I would wait a good long

My interest, profit and pleasure have been much distracted by fruit-rotting so generally of years.

cause you one bit of sorrow or anxiety if bad luck should befall us in any way— still, myself, children my

(My & Wife's dreadful "tempers" may wreck us any time—so care not much for us.

I would not recommend my section for a Northern man to make a fortune except in raising clover or other

My dear Mr.

spirits—not well enough to go out in the world & go to work—but not sick enough to give up either, or lose my

till I read it, how much eligibility to passion, character and art arousings was still left to me in my

But first let me explain part of my head-line.

"But I, for my poems—What have I? I have all to make .

I wish to see my benefactor, and have felt much like striking my tasks and visiting New York to pay you

my respects.

My enemies discover fancy ones.

Floyd, Dear Sir, As far as I can tell by my impression—which is a very vague one, for I have never seen

I am still unwell from my cerebral trouble—but still looking for better times, & counting on them.

I noted the French Review—fain would I have read it, but alas I can only read my own tongue.

meaning of much I see in other tongues, but alas though I often call up spirit alas—comes to aid me at my

of real Kinship between your two natures I felt sorry to find you had not fully grasped the hand of my

I find in my travels and talks with men, many of their poor hard toiling souls to whom his Poems are

least try. we are far apart that is true. yet even here something I might do as a manifestation of my

criticism . . . after full retrospect of his works and life, the aforesaid 'odd-kind chiel' remains to my

all right it has allways always seemed to me since our Son came home that some of us should to you my

hard place indeed you have seen some of the hardship of it perhaps all you wish to see or even hear of my

and stay with me this winter they are with me this winter Joseph is in the lumberwoods this winter my

health is very good iwas I was not well for about one year after my husbands husband's death almost

to see you wemay we may see eachother each other yet sometime if you Canot Cannot read this send you my

My dear Linton; I want you to have printed very nicely for me 1000 impressions of the cut, my head, to

My dear friends, John R. & Rebecca B.

I wonder if you either of you have any idea how the otherwise monotony of my Camden existence has been

If there is I will do it if it is in my power.

My Wife is quite sick and has been for the past two weeks. The Children are all well as usual.

I went the other day by appointment to visit him at his home in Camden, and after my usual quantum of

A few commonplace words and I settled my mind to business.

I project the future—depend on the future for my audience.

I know perfectly well my path is another one. Most of the poets are impersonal; I am personal.

In my poems all revolves around, radiates from, and concentrates in myself.

but very sorry to hear of your loss of health & bereavement this liaves leaves me and family all well my

through the winter and have not quite caught up yet I have got a little Buisness Business out side of my

Do you remember meeting a yong young Lady with me at the corner of Fulton and Court Sts once that is my

Sunday , March 28 Dear Linton, My note of yesterday, (or day before,) asking for the bill was written

To-day, better, I have just taken up yours to read a second time, (as I generally do with my friends'

My general strength, however, from fair to middling.

Dont feel to leave my anchorage here, just now—but hope yet to take advantage of your affectionate &

Walter Storms April 26—75 Pascack Apr. 20 1875 My dear Friend, Mr.

to hear from you so soon after writing nevertheless, I was just as glad to hear from you, I wrote in my

inches of snow and people rode with the sleigh, there are no gardens made yet, but I have plants in my

I am not much of a young man yet, I am 17 years old, all but a few days, but very small for my age I

My Dear Friend, I think I have all of your books (2 or 3 Editions of some) except the last, —specified

in my former note, —which alone I intended to ask for.

It was there that I hastened to seek my old friend Walt Whitman on the first morning after my arrival

when the federal troops occupied the village of Falmouth on the Rappahannock river, the house owned by my

father, where my early life was passed, was used as a hospital, and it was in that house that Walt began

On the day after my call, Walt came to see and dine with me, and I had many hours' conversation with

so that my reference to it will not be of use to you. I help all I can here its circulation.

"the Gita" is one of my favourite Books, it is the gem of all Indian lore. it is as wide in its teachings

—but what is it that is not so. and to Carlyle and my own nature too and lastly to you and your teachings

I pause in my thoughts on all such, and gaze on them in wonderment—even with awe and silence too.— How

Will my subscription to your New Edition of your works, if sent you direct to America, be of any real

criticism . . . after full retrospect of his works and life, the aforesaid 'odd-kind chiel' remains to my

myself in memory of Poe, which I have obeyed; but not the slightest impulse to make a speech, which, my

Even my own objections draw me to him at last; and those very points, with his sad fate, will make him

That figure of my lurid dream might stand for Edgar Poe, his spirit, his fortunes, and his poems—themselves

Gais, Switzerland June 13 1875 My dear Sir I was very much delighted some weeks ago to receive a copy

Time does not diminish my reverential admiration for your work, nor do the unintelligent remarks of the

My permanent address is: Clifton Hill House Clifton, Bristol.

Aug 20, 1875 Aug 16 th 1875 Dear Uncle Walt I received your Postal Card. but I was away to work when my

will say that we are well as common I am going to California in November if the Lord will permit that my

My dear Walt Whitman, I write you these lines from a little village two miles from Weimar, where I have

If the language did not impact my fancy and ideas I should have a great deal to tell you.