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O CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN! O Captain, my Captain!

O the bleeding drops of red, Where on the deck my Captain lies Fallen cold and dead.

O Captain, my Captain, rise up and hear the bells.

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse

Exult O shores, and ring O bells, But I with mournful tread Walk the deck my Captain lies, To analyze

Camden N J Sept: September 6 I cheerfully give permission to print "O Captain My Captain" in your book

my Captain!

O the bleeding drops of red, Where on the deck my Captain lies Fallen cold and dead. O Captain!

my Captain!

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still, My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse

But I with mournful tread, Walk the deck my Captain lies, The most prejudiced will not deny that that

He explains his inspiration thus: Speech is the twin of my vision, it is unequal to measure itself, It

He explains the limit of his happiness: I merely stir, press, feel with my fingers, and am happy, To

touch my person to some one else's is about as much as I can stand .

Whenever he does this he writes lines that will live—notably, his "O Captain, my Captain," inspired by

Grass" will remain a real contribution to the thought of America, and some of the additional pieces, "My

Captain, O My Captain," "Song of the Banner at Daybreak," "Out of the Cradle, Endlessly Rocking," once

Y.) and My Life on It as Child and Young Man…Printing Office—Old Brooklyn…Lafayette…Broadway Sights…My

I have been exercised deeply about it my whole life.)

Again he was ask'd to yield, this time by a rebel captain.

The rebel captain then shot him—but at the same instant he shot the captain.

From today I enter upon my 64th year.

Rolleston's son, Captain C. H.

Rolleston, informed Horst Frenz in 1950: "I do not think there can be any doubt that my Father's schoolmaster

few pieces which are marked by the "piano-tune" quality that he derides—the true and tender lyric of "My

Captain" and the fine poem on "Ethiopia Saluting the Colors."

Marston is the target for you —If I learn more I will notify you— WW Have you seen my N A North American

O'Connor on May 20 approved of Whitman's "magnanimous" attitude toward Osgood & Co., he believed that "my

In his reply on May 20, O'Connor said that he had "focussed all my fire right upon Oliver Stevens, who

same size, same sort of type, binding &c as L of G—same price—as I write, (Sunday afternoon) up in my

I will do my best to keep up the controversy."

puto translates from Latin to "I am a human being: I regard nothing of human concern as foreign to my

puto translates from Latin to "I am a human being: I regard nothing of human concern as foreign to my

pages 166 to 168) after an interval I am satisfied with it, and am willing to let those sections of my

This draft letter is endorsed: "Letter sent Dr Bucke—with his return'd MS | My letter to Dr Bucke | Feb

March 1, 1882, in which he quoted Swinburne's praise of Whitman: "I have by no manner of means relaxed my

I have never for a moment wavered in my belief in this truth since it burst upon me a veritable sunrise

synopsis of it I can recall—quite certainly the same in amount as I told you while it was fresh in my

memory—the which with hasty scribblings on my relations with Emerson—I hope (working in as from yourself

even passionate well-wishing, which I felt then and feel to this hour the gratitude and reverence of my

And my arriere and citadel positions—such as I have indicated in my June North American Review memorandum

with Emerson, in this particular (it was not needed any where else) that goes on with many other of my

clerical blackguard, who has the audacity to accuse me of wilfully and consciously lying, and I shall do my

O'Connor "judged it prudent to withhold my reply to 'Sigma.'"

next N A North American Review (June number) will have a piece A Memorandum at a Venture signed by my

name in which I ventilate my theory of sexual matters treatment & allusion in Children of Adam —I shall

reprinting Burroughs's letter of May 1, Traubel interpolated an explanation of the loan: "This was money in my

well—have had a very fair summer, (though so much hot weather)— I commenced publishing L of G in June on my

He did not even ask about your health, or any other human thing, & made me feel that my call upon him

Specimen Days —drops into Rees Welsh's shoes—It is just as well—& is indeed to me no change—for really my

me"—supplements to Heywood's paper "the Word"—(I believe I will just enclose H's letter—slips & all)—My

16—(As to the vehement action of the Free religious & lover folk, in their conventions, papers &c in my

As I write, it is a cloudy moist warmish Sunday, 10¼ a. m. pleasant—quiet here—I am up in my 3d story

I am holding my own in the recovery of my half state of health—am contemplating some change of base,

—the more I think of it, the more I am convinced that is Comstock's game, (see my letter)" (Henry W.

On March 21, 1883, O'Connor explained to Burroughs that the project had been delayed because of "my cares

I have loved you for years with my whole heart and soul.

I am too impetuous; I feel my subject too deeply.

And yet I am a writer and make my living by my pen.

hand your beautiful grey hair, and possibly feel your arm about my waist.

It is nothing to me who sees them; I am proud of my feeling for you.

O'Connor wrote: "I have freely used the memoranda you sent, and got in as much of it as I could see my

My old fencing-master, Boulet, (no better ever lived; he taught once at West Point,) taught me always

to cover my breast with hilt and point, even in the lunge, and I think of his lessons when engaged in

I have freely used the memoranda you sent, and got in as much of it as I could see my way to employ,

I hope my new letter will be as successful with you and the public as my first.

Watch the for my anti-Chadwick. I hardly think it will fail to bring him down.

Camden Sunday Sept: 10 Dear Harry Thanks for your good letter—I have had my hands full the last six or

eight weeks getting my new book in shape, seeing to every thing, and watching the proofs day & night

job two or three times a year)—I have had the mighty good luck to keep well this summer all through—my

letter a lady opposite is singing & playing the hymn "Nearer my god to Thee"—how beautiful it sounds

— Love to you my darling young brother W.W.— Walt Whitman to Harry Stafford, 10 September [1882]

1882 June 10th 29 Lange Strasse Dresden My dear Whitman I learn to day to my great surprise that the

This will perhaps lead to my finding a collaborateur for the translation—said translation owing to press

of other business has not been very rigorously pursued lately, but after this month I shall take off my

Yet then, and always, that was the cause that had my affection & interest—only I saw such obstacles in

Now all that has changed itself in my mind.

431 Stevens Street Camden Jan: 18 '82 My dear Mrs Childs Yours & Mr Childs', inviting me to dine & meet

an invalid—just suffering an extra bad spell & forbidden to go out nights this weather— Please give my

hearty salutation & American welcome to Mr Wilde— I much desire my friend to briefly report & give my

Camden Sunday Sept: September 10 My dear friend I went round last evening to call on Mrs Rogers, & thought

yesterday—he is well & hearty & seems to be having good times—I shall write to him to-day—Well the work on my

new book "Specimen Days" is finished, & I feel as if a troublesome job was off my hands The enclosed

the pond, the first three summers '76, '77 and '78 I was down there at your house—We could not get my

miles from Philadelphia— (While I am writing this it is a very pleasant quiet Sunday—as I sit here by my

you can keep posted, & make whatever mention, if any, accurately— but would rather not myself only my

In connection let me state that I am putting a new book in type, my Prose Works , called Specimen Days

, & Collect , about 380 pages—gives a lot of random typical days, diary fashion, during my life—& then

swoops pell mell my past literary papers, essays &c. in the Collect , (like fish in a net)—is to be

a companion Vol to my Poems—Is to be pub. published by Rees Welsh & Co: 23 South 9th st.

The second copy of book & my lending one, has come safe—too—and the card that told of your attack of

illness, & the welcome news of your recovery in the Paper; & I have been fretting with impatience at my

own dumbness—but tied to as many hours a day writing as I could possibly manage, at my little book now

(last night)—finished, all but proofs, so that I can take my pleasure in "Specimen Days" at last; but

My love to brother & sister & to Hattie [&] Jessie. Good-bye, dear Walt.

From to-day I enter upon my 64th year.

I easily tire, am very clumsy, cannot walk far; but my spirits are first-rate.

or boat, hundreds of miles—live largely in the open air—am sunburnt and stout, (weigh 190)—keep up my

But the principal object of my life seems to have been accomplish'd accomplished —I have the most devoted

My feet strike an apex of the apices of the stairs, On every step bunches of ages, and larger bunches

Cycles ferried my cradle, rowing and rowing like cheerful boatmen, For room to me stars kept aside in

I open my scuttle at night and see the far-sprinkled systems, And all I see multiplied as high as I can

; No friend of mine takes his ease in my chair;— I have no chair, no church, no philosophy, I lead no

man to a dinner-table, library, exchange; But each man and each woman of you I lead upon a knoll, My

Whitman writes about this in the passage Paumanok, and My Life on It as a Child and a Young Man, published

MY DEAREST FRIEND: Herby went to David Bognes David Bogue about a week ago: he himself was out, but H

His father was the publisher of my husband's first literary venture & behaved honourably.

Also my own longing is always for a chronological arrangement, if change at all there is to be; for that

Without these faculties at ready command my dear Gabriel would not have been himself."

Whitman with my love, or if you prefer to keep both, I will send her others.

Camden N J Aug: August 27 All going on well with me—the type-setting of my new prose book "Specimen Days

As I write, (Sunday afternoon) up in my 3d story room, heavy clouds & rain falling in torrents.

My brother & sister well—I saw Mrs.

The worry of Ruskin —he has at various times sent to me for six sets of my ($10, two Vol. volume ) centennial

Leaves of Grass is that they are too personal , too emotional, launched from the fires of myself , my

William, (as you seem to be destin'd destined to defend the banner) I say here once for all you have my

permission to make any extracts, at any time, should you so like from any of my letters— W W Walt Whitman

up from a three weeks' visit down in the Jersey woods, & find your card of 26th—The only copies of my

complete poems "Leaves of Grass," in my control, are of a special autograph & portrait edition, 1882

Walt Whitman I also supply, when desired, my prose volume "Specimen Days & Collect"—price $2.—374 pages

Next best, is your admiration of my lightnings.

Of course, I was delighted, for my article puts the matter just in the shape I wanted it to appear—gives

I think John will be delighted with my sword-play.

pleased with me, and the poignant and perfumed little note of thanks I sent him after the appearance of my

My task is to do this, and thoroughly, the first time. No after claps.

seen them, they are quite creditable) has gathered a variety of biographical information—criticises my

a volume ( It at least will not be liable to any District Att'y Attorney episodes—) comprising all my

be three Volumes gyrating together, the L of G—the S D & T—and Dr Bucke's book— Upon the whole, & as my

English stock & birth, but grown up in Canada and the California regions of America, & combining in my

Walt Whitman My last three letters to you have been One of March 8 (or 7) " " 19 & the present one find

since I first bought the "Leaves of Grass" and before that time I had most earnestly proclaimed to all my

Gilchrist has and to write my name also in my copy. I make this request because Mrs.

I learn from her that your health is better and she showed me a card from you which to my great delight

I sent you yesterday a copy of my paper containing the lecture Keep off the Grass.

The whole edition of my paper is still held at the Post Office awaiting decision from Washington as to

As in my next number I shall have the whole history of this infamous impertinence and audacity in print

I am however loath to intrude my self on public personages— as I know that much of their valuable time

your proposals—I have had several—For one point I should like some publishing & radiating spot near my

own locality—for another to retain control of my book & personally advise in selling & publishing it—Will

I want to publish my Prose writings in a companion volume to L of G—Then there is a Canada man who has

magazines—the more necessary now as quite a set-back & very bad piece of luck has happened to me in my

one's mind that no words or writing can describe—I wish Jo and Debby to see this letter—& I send them my

back here again by nine o'clock, in time to finish the piece I have under way—Tell Mrs Rogers I send my

pleasure the nice visit & dinner in Linden Street—I have not forgotten Jane either — Susan you speak of my

It was conducted by a gentleman and his niece, free—I tell you it opened my eyes to many new things—makes

My Dear Friend: I feel so drawn to send you a Christmas greeting.

Did you receive an invitation to the wedding of my daughter, Blanche, on the 14th of June last?

So often I think of the days of my youth, amid the calm content of Quaker society, so beautiful.

Tears came into my children's eyes. After meeting I asked them why?

I am my friend with kindest regards, Yours truly, Elisa S. Leggett.

for him, in a whirl of bitter work and many cares, a long helter-skelter sort of an introduction, for my

He thought my prolegomena good, and I was sorry I could not make it better, but if Rees, Welsh & Co.

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

The thing for a pamphlet will be my letters upon Oliver Stevens and company, when we get to a stopping

Postmaster General, with my assistance, and we will put in a copy of this letter of Chainey's.

They are to publish L of G. same style as O[sgood]'s ed'n edition , same price, from my plates, & pay

me 35 cts cents a copy royalty—They are also to publish immediately my prose writings, Specimen Days

before him—perhaps has already decided—I keep well— W W The Boston Herald has articles strongly in my

January 15 th My dear dear Walt Your altogether good letter came to hand yesterdy yesterday morn: old

The chiming of church bells float musically up Haverstock Hill greeting my ears pleasantly as I sit here

nations no longer go to church & church bells cease chiming, but I needn't worry for it wont be in my

explained the good points wch which a violin should possess: as a musician he praises the conception of my

Camden N J Sept: September 12 My dear friend I just write to tell you that I have heard of your dear

father's death, & that you have my true sympathy—Love to Arthur and Emily & all—It is no time now to

On the 5th page is my touch at Comstock. I hope it will do you good.

I will do my best to keep up the controversy. Tucker has fairly cowed Stevens & Co in Boston.

My private advices are very amusing. Pity Osgood was such a craven, though better for you.

Camden N J March 19 '82 Dear Sirs I have been expecting response to my letter sent you some twelve days

I re-affirm my suggestions and disposition of March 8 — Walt Whitman Walt Whitman to James R.

Camden New Jersey Feb: 9 '82 My dear Madam — Yours of 9th rec'd received —I should be pleased to send

you the book—the price is $2—My Photo & auto[graph] are sold by the Camden Children's Home , Haddon

Camden New Jersey U S America Oct: October 13 '82 1882 Evn'g Evening I send you by same mail with this my

received your elegant little volume—Dr Bucke has also his —I am well as usual— Walt Whitman do I address my