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English or transatlantic "free will offering"—a proposed affectionate and voluntary gift to me from my

(My publisher David McKay, of Philadelphia, has just been over to pay the last half-annual royalty on

being the income to me from the sale of my books for the last six months.)

rations fairly, write a little, and shall quite certainly soon resume my usual state of health, late

Give my love to Wm M. Rossetti and to all enquiring friends, known or unknown.

interview with the poet from the Cleveland Leader and Herald on June 28, in which Whitman was quoted: "My

income is just sufficient to keep my head above water—and what more can a poet ask?"

328 Mickle St Camden June 9 '85 Dear Harry & Dear Eva I am still badly lamed by my turned ankle of six

venture—all right—But think twice about the monthly periodical project— Nothing specially new with me—I like my

[To Ernest Rhys] 328 Mickle Street Camden New Jersey U S America Nov. 9 1885 My dear Sir Excuse the delay—I

As I understand it, the plan is to make a selection from my Poems & put them in a Volume of your "Canterbury

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

—& stating that I had been prostrated by the heat, somewhat badly, but was on the mend—I still hold my

own & consider myself recuperating—I hope you will meet my young American lady friend Mary Whitall Smith

Street Camden New Jersey Jan: 19 '85 Dear Sir In hasty answer to your request asking me to specify over my

This, with my course on another matter, the securing to public use of Washington Park (Old Fort Greene

thirty-five years ago, against heavy odds, during an editorship of the Brooklyn Eagle , are "feathers in my

Booth and the Old Bowery —which article I reserve the right to include & print in future collections of my

—I am middling well—the trouble in my eyesight (& very annoying it was to my anchor'd condition) seems

I am writing this Sunday afternoon up in my room by wood fire.

27, in which she spoke of "bronchial & asthmatic troubles" and of her lasting affection—"you are in my

328 Mickle Street Camden New Jersey March 4 '85 My dear friends Your letter comforts & touches me deeply

Davis, strong & hearty & good natured, a widow, young enough, furnishes me my meals, & takes good care

—Soon as you get this write me how John is getting along—Last Saturday's Critic has a piece about my

Your friend W W Aleck boy here is a copy slip of my little new poem just out in Harpers' Weekly of May

During my employment of seven years or more in Washington after the war (1865-72) I regularly saved a

great part of my wages; and, though the sum has now become about exhausted by my expenses of the last

three years, there are already beginning at present welcome dribbles hitherward from the sales of my

And that is the way I should prefer to glean my support.

In that way I cheerfully accept all the aid my friends find it convenient to proffer.

"I would like to go on record as having a feeling of the utmost friendliness to all my fellow poets.

As to my works, I am in a peculiar position.

My works 'Leaves of Grass,' and my prose work, 'Specimen Days,' are printed and on sale, but still I

As I grow older I become the more confirmed in my adherence to my original theories.

Grant, in which are embodied all my original theories.

"My health?

My income is just sufficient to keep my head above water—and what more can a poet ask?

"My opinion of other American poets?

"My religion? I should refuse to be called a materialist.

I recovered what I call my second wind from nature.

I look forward to my visit abroad with great expectation. "My health?

My income is just sufficient to keep my head above water—and what more can a poet ask?

of my life.

Sometimes I think my Western experiences a force behind my life work. "Also the battlefield?

"My idea of a book? A book must have a living vertebra to hold it together. "My religion?

"My young friend you ask me a difficult question.

It was reprinted, without the subtitle, in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891) and in the Good-By my Fancy annex

My Dear Walt.

All of us well—especially my two little boys, who enjoy the country life very much.

Louis, July 31st 188 5 My dear Walt— I enclose a check for ten dollars payable to your order—the money

say the heat was greater on the street level than it has been since 1838—it was 102 in the shade at my

Louis, Feb 23rd 1885 My dear Walt I have had such hard work for the last six weeks that I have hardly

books as soon as he can get a little money ahead—but I would like to give him this one  He has read all my

keep pretty well and we all get on in the regular old way A few weeks ago Willard Arnold called at my

Louis, Sept. 11th 188 5 My dear Walt Enclosed please find check for $10—payable to your order  This check

leaf; A draft entitled This Journey (the manuscript suggests Whitman was also considering the title My

to you—to give you any notion of the good you have done me & again I think I speak for hundreds of my

his January 16, 1872 letter to Rudolf Schmidt, Whitman wrote that Freiligrath "translates & commends my

My plan is that sometime (any time) before the 1 st June John Burroughs should run down to Philadelphia

jibs appear in the offing—steamers with pennants of smoke— and under the noonday forenoon sun Where my

Where my gaze as now sweeps ocean river and bay.

"What's all this about, my boy?"

"Is it a patent of nobility, or is it an address from a lot of my young friends?"

My paralysis has made me so lame lately that I had to give up even my walks for health, let alone my

rambles in the country, and my constitution has suffered for exercise.

TO EASE MY DECLINING YEARS.

I often see your name mentioned in the various papers, and I have your address in my Memorandum Book.

I am living with my Son in law his wife (my daughter) and their 2 children.

signature, might suffice and I would be pleased to hold a letter from you, one who I esteem, one who knew , my

Samuel Harris Smith (1829–1864) was a captain of the Union army and served alongside his brother Palin

Steel of South Carolina in 1880 that read: "At the battle of the Mine, at Petersburg, 1864, I was Captain

Company I, Seventeenth Regiment, South Carolina Volunteers, and in this desperate hand to hand fight, a Captain

Sims, of a New York regiment (I think from Brooklyn), as he mounted the breastworks immediately before my

reciting (published as Old Chants in 1891), Grand is the seen (first published in 1891), Death dogs my

"My eyes are feeling pretty badly, and yesterday and to-day I consulted Dr.

I have lost my poise in walking and cannot promenade at all.

I go out every day in my carriage, and a friend of mine, Willie Duckett, a neighbor's little boy, always

I still retain my hopeful, bouyant spirits. I feel better to-night than I have for several days."

Dec 6th 188 5 Mr Walt Whitman My Dear Old Friend.

Walt Whitman Esteemed Sir, Will you permit me to offer you, as emphasizing my appreciation of the melodies

its every drop distills something of the warm appreciation your exceptional creations have kindled in my

I have lived as yet but eighteen years: yet in all the constant thoughts and acts of my last few years

, your words have been my guides and true oracles.

spirit of self-assertion: but that I should feel shame for myself, were I not to show the reality of my

gratitude to you, even through the weakness of words—you, whom I thankfully acknowledge for my veritable

In the summer of '80, my oldest son (of this, my second wife,) being then a well-grown, strong, and healthy

Since that young man was taking a law advantage of myself and other creditors of my dead son, after he

My kin, always recognized as of superior honesty, have shown themselves in all this matter immeasurably

My kin are much allied with those bad people by marriages.

I shall talk to my Dr Doctor about you when I see him again, but if I were you I would adopt such a diet

as would make my blood as thin as possible, & so lessen the arterial strain This is common sense, &

Well, my time has come—that is all. You see, I am somewhat of a fatalist!"

I have just sent off the copy for my new vol volume : think I shall stick to "Signs & Seasons" for the

He wanted my opinion about the argument of the essay, so I told him that I never felt like quarreling

May 18, 85 Dear Walt: I have set my house & heart in order for a visit from you before these May days

You would enjoy the country here now, & it would add to the length of my days to see you here again.

I go early in the morning (Sunday) to see Mary—my wife at Atlantic —but Monday will see you at 7 .

I will call on you on my way back to New York.

But I write now to tell you why, because my visit will be on business I believe you have never met Mr

My Dear Walt Whitman: I am very, very sorry to learn that your physical condition is so low and that

stands in the way won't you please state what you will ask for it, and then I shall have the matter off my

Whitman: I got your letter when I was in Washington and fully expected to stay over and see you on my

Now, my dear Walt Whitman, won't you go to work at once because Rice is chained lightning in a dress

So my dear old friend I have protected your interests to the best of my judgement and if you want me

I also would like you to answer my letters.

OFFICE OF Special Agent Treasury Department, Camden NJ 5.7., 1885. 10 am My Dear Walt.

Camden NJ 4th 7th 85. 12 midnight Walt Whitman My Dear Walt Your letter did not reach me: till tonight

God knows & Walt knows that I am as slow as the wrath of God—to take offense especially at what my friends

(2) To start right again I think you had better send me my MSS—and let me do as I d—m please with it

Camden NJ 5th 12th 85 Walt Whitman Esq Dear Walt: I fear you do not fully appreciate my relations to

deal of writing about it, between them & me—and about two weeks ago I sent on a red-hot interview of my

And I want you to go at it or let me have my MSS . so I can get it off by next Saturday night.

It was publised with the revised title in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891). Interpolation Sounds

manuscript also contains two clippings (with handwritten revisions) of the essay A Backward Glance on My

How I Made a Book, A Backward Glance on my Own Road and My Book and I (which was published in Lippincott's

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

Aldrich (1828–1908) was an ornithologist, a member of the Iowa House of Representatives, an infantry captain

a better account of your health yet, hoped that you were beginning to get around as usual, and like my

Alma Tadema the most celebrated artist over here has written to congratulate me over my last picture

It is rather a feather in my cap—and will perhaps prove a turning point in my artistic career, who knows

I lead a quiet but moderately varied life and am able to enjoy my work and possess one or two friends