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caused something of a scandal; Traubel recalled that neighbors went to his mother and "protested against my

Oh Captain, Weave in My Hardy Life and We Two Together have been set to music by Edgar Stillman Kelley

In stanza three the last three lines once read, "But I with silenttread Walk the spot my Captain lies

Must I pass from my song for thee, From my gaze on thee inthe west?" etc.

Answerer) 134 1856 Now Precedent Songs Farewell 403 1888 O Captain, My Captain 262 1865 Offerings 218

J., I give to my friend,Peter Doyle, my silverwatch. I give to H.

of power in my left."

Davis to my wife.

My friends do not realize my condition.

My supper is my main meal now.

He enquired what my programme was for the rest of my jaunt.

He asked me somewhat about my life and doings at home.

My memories of Walt Whitman include many talks, in which I did my best to obtain light upon these and

I receive now again of my many translations,from my avataras ascending, while others doubtless await

(p.66.) " Camerado, I giveyou my hand, I give you my love more precious than money."

For my enemy is dead,a man divineas myself isdead.

" thatwould Who is he become my follower?

What I and be asregardless experi ence or shall go from my composition with portray out a shred of my

I heard low one my you,too, murmuring through ofthe wristsaround my head, Heard the pulseof you,when

"He you who spreads a wider breast than own the my proves width of my own.

"BefIrwas born out of my mother, generations guided me, My embryo has never been torpid nothing

The deeplyfeltemotionwith which "My Captain" is readinvariablybringstears ttheeyes ofhearers.] 14 MEMORIES

, My Captain," a of "Bravo, " (encouraged by gentle-kindly ejaculation bravo !

he " I do then with friends as I do your says, my with my books.

My lifend my wealth,yea, allthatismine, be ransom againstTime's wrong forthose who showed true my forecast

Not that tinkling rhymes Captain my Captain this, too, isnot beautiful and pathetic ; but it jars slightly

During my em- MR.

My Captain.

MY DEAR MR.

So go in, my lad.

MY DEAR MR.

benefactor, and have felt much like and New striking my tasks, visiting York to pay you my respects.

charity has no death— my wisdom diesnot,neither earlynor late, And my sweet love bequeathed here and

For my own part, I may confess that itshone upon me when lifewas when I was my broken, weak, sickly,

should be of my body.

my poems.

Was born May 31, 1819, in my father'sfarm-house, atWest Hills,L. I., sailor— on my New York State.

My parents' folks mostly farmers and father'sside, of English — on my mother's,.

hands,my limbsgrow nerveless, My brainfeelrack'd,bewilder'd.

It was for this and for no lesserreason that he was, able to hail Lincoln as "My Captain."

In the " presence of calamity he sobs, as a child, Oh my Captain my Father !"

Gilchrist,and the intimacy which my brother,my friend Mr.

"My great anxiety about my wife lastsstill.

"My Dear Mrs.

"My Dear Mrs.

My Dear Mrs.

I spend my evenings altogether at the hospitals— my days often.

He is of my own party; and my politicshave been from my youth essentiallythe same ashis own.

Who 1,arns my Lesson complete.

My hands, my limbs grow nerveless.

The lecture closed with the recitation by the author of his grandly pathetic ' lament, O Captain, my

the details of an outrage so sigual in its character and so sinister in its bearings as to become, in my

I rubbed my eyes a little to see if this sunbeam were no illusion; but the solid sense of the book is

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

my respects.

well fortified does he think himself in his cobweb Gibraltar, that he blandly imagines the force of my

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—were

as a statement “of all that could be said against that part (and a main part) in the construction of my

On the contrary, without waiting to understand what he has read, he talks about my letter to you being

Oh, my God! my God!"

Oh, my divine Redeemer! Oh, my Friend, my Saviour!"

own husband, my first, my only love, my love forever!

"O my God—my boy George!"

boy, my George; my saved and ransomed George; my son, my son!

as my body did its food.

It strengthened my faith, and very curiously wrought upon and contributed to my sense of self, my personality

And again: "My comrade!

O my rapt song, my charm—mock me not!

When it was concluded he added O Captain, My Captain ,and a few other pieces, and joining them to the

weeks have elapsed since the commission of an outrage, to which I have not till now been able to give my

Nothing deepens my respect for the beautiful intellect of the scholar Alcott, like the bold sentence

Adventures of this kind are frequent, and "I took a fancy to you," or "You look like one of my style,

I weigh my words and have considered well.

He is of my own party; and my politics have been from my youth essentially the same as his own.

She has generously acceded to my request.

There is nothing in him that I shall ever let go my hold of.

I do not trouble my spirit to vindicate itself or be understood.

"O the life of my senses and flesh, transcending my senses and flesh!"

"What I am, I am of my body; and what I shall be, I shall be of my body."

In this affair of the clerkship, my friend Mr. Stedman has already printed his disclaimer.

Three months later, in a pamphlet, I did my best to secure for the infamy of Mr.

But it is not my fault if the last fortnight's journals reaching Mr.

My regard for the work antedates by several years my acquaintance with the author, and no one can justly

It was morning in the world with me when I first read those mighty pages, and felt to my imnest soul

Some of them say my face there has a rogue in it. O'Connor called it my sea-captain face.

W. commented in this way: "I'm honest when I say, damn My Captain and all the My Captains in my book!

, my Captain!

FIRST DRAFT MANUSCRIPT OF ONE VERSE OF WHITMAN'S "MY CAPTAIN" My captain does not answer, his lips are

My captain does not answer, his lips are closed and still, My father does not feel my arm, he has no

the rest of my days in that vicinity.

happiest hours have been spent there—some of my freest hours."

Upon my remonstrance he said: "I will make it a religion to like the new man."

He took it out of my hand, scanned it, handed it back.

"If I die in the midst of things you may fall heir to all my work: think of that: all my work!"

Give me a day or two more: I will do my best to be good.

very sick—and sore: tell them I feel as if the whole ground had been swept from under my feet—as if I

of a socialist than I thought I was: maybe not technically, politically, so, but intrinsically, in my

When I go to my tailor I lay down a law to him: that among the prime requisites of a suit of clothes

Held a letter gleefully up before my face. "Here is the Whittier," he said: "Take it—be satisfied."

But I, for my part—we—must not play the game with that end in view.

Osler respected my objection." Box of flowers from Charlotte Fiske Bates.

"I do not seem to get the thing very clearly in my own mind: it eludes me."

He said of it: "I have no doubt you are right: I will give the poems my attention.

Complained, however: "While that is true, my vim and strength do not return: I despair of recovering

"It don't go very well: my brain is not equal to it: could not cope with it—gets tired, takes my pen

out of my hand."

Finally: "Hicks is entitled to my best—not my worst.

My best would be too little—my worst would be an insult."

It now takes all my energy merely to get to the chair and back to the bed again.

"I knew the habitats of Hicks so well—my grand-parents knew him personally so well—the shore up there

What all this comes to is, that just that sort of a debate is going on in my mind now, whether to condemn

For thirty years I have had it in my plans to write a book about Hicks.

the procrastinations, stranded, with nothing but a few runaway thoughts on the subject to show for my

and I am still without the first show of substantial strength—though it is true the acute phases of my

"Yes, indeed, essentially knows it well: I think she takes it in—reads nearly all my books.

My forte was—if I can say it that way—in floating.

After I had written my letter to Emerson I wondered if I had not overdone my call.

My Dear Sir:Mr.

I started something with that end in view, but my condition at the time was rather dubious, so that I

"My writing has been clear from the start—almost from boyhood: not beautiful, but legible."

He called my attention to a letter from the West and called it "empty".

I can never know when the door will be banged shut in my face."

They are not my ideals but they are ideals—very lofty ideals." Saturday, July 21, 1888.

"The text is a little mixed up," W. said of it apologetically: "My mind is not now-a-days a perfect machine

"My brain often takes speed and is away—gets rein-free and flies without will or plan—and I am helpless

"My whole soul revolts against that line: my very first feeling was one of utter disgust."

My place in Washington was a peculiar one—my reasons for being there, my doing there what I did do.

I do not think I quite had my match.

Wonderfully cheerful in the evening on my arrival, talking most freely for more than an hour.

My last thought confirmed my first: it seemed like supererogation to impose such a statement upon the

"But Washington, New Orleans, Brooklyn—they are my cities of romance.

He asked me some questions about my health.

I could not stand before a Millet picture with my hat on." Monday July 23, 1888.

perhaps in a day or two I may be able to render them in a better shape, when I write again to tell you of my

Here health I bring you in one draught of song Caught in my rhymster's cup from earth's delight Where

I had these letters in my pocket when I saw him today. Letter three he had me read aloud.

"I rely a good deal upon my general feeling about a piece when it comes back to me in type."

Sometimes I think he is a little afraid of my friends.

"My head is behaving itself right decently just now. But it's funny, how unambitious my body is.

My fatal procrastination has tripped me up at last.

"My notes are very accurate.

"I want no club founded in my name."

The effect upon me was slow, though one of the surgeons there finally called my attention to my own peril

"Some kind words from my friend William Carey there—William Carey.

Some don't like my long lines, some do: some don't like my commas, some do: some cuss my long catalogues

My proper habitat is out-of-doors."

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

"Yes, they do, and I was about to say so, but you took it out of my mouth.

Those fellows have one virtue—they always use good paper: and on that I manage to do a good deal of my

"I've been taken and taken beyond count—taken from every side—even from my blind side"—laughing—"taken

I must be satisfied now if I have succeeded in hinting at matters which it was a part of my original

"I had my temptations, but they were not strong enough to tempt.

"I suppose I did: I wrote things down: I saw them better in my handwriting than in my mind's eye—could

Armory Sq Hospital,Sunday Evening Oct 4Dear Madam,Your letter reached me this forenoon with the $30 for my

Who put you on to my secret?" "It's not even a secret—anybody might know it who looked."

My nature, my temperament, my blood, should take me close to the Teuton."

Here was my first tally of life—here were my first tries with the lute—in that book I am just like a

for two hours on my tin horn."

W. answering my inquiry said: "No, I didn't go down stairs today.

it won't hurt me: my caution, you remember, is six and over!

I quoted this: "I knew of the agents that emptied and broke my brother." "Yes," said W.

I reminded W. of one of my sisters similarly afflicted.

Here—take this bunch with my blessing and be happy.

I haven't cast out all of my devils yet." Brought him new proofs which he at once glanced over.

"I do little nowadays but sit and thank my stars that I have fallen into such good hands in the time

of my need."

W. added, answering another question of Harned's: "I like to keep my prices down to the level of my real

My acquaintance with Leaves of Grass dates from my early university days some ten years ago, when having

I have never made any full statement on religion in any of my writings but I have always intended to.

W. saying of it to me: "Eddy appeals to my heart, to my two arms: I seem to want to reach out and help

But for myself I do not feel that I could be overwhelmed by any misfortune that left my mind untouched

I came across the book this last summer, and it laid hold of my mind so that I could not put it away

But I got my roots stronger in the earth—master would not do anymore: no, not then: would no longer do

Said as to my inquiries: "I am bad again, very bad—somehow start into a new siege: it is my head, my

My dear Mr.

That is my habit—they call it my procrastination—it has always been my habit.

old days, my youth, my forty years ago, any more!"

But my memory! my memory!"

in my optimism, my democracy."

Weda Cook sang a My Captain song of her own composition.

I attribute much of my success in weathering this attack to my good stock—to my father, my mother: indeed

man,' 'my man,' 'my man.'

I must get to my bed: my head reels: I feel as though a minute more on my feet—on my feet—here—would

"It must be milder: my body tells me so." Letter from Bucke, he said. Searched for it.

He laughed heartily: "That's what I was just saying: it's my funeral that's in the way!"

He went on I could see rather because of his own impulse than of my suggestion.

He was interested in my account of my father's extensive reading of the German classics and of his great

I said I considered my playdays quite as valuable for life-making as my workdays: did he?

"I didn't say smash, Maurice: I only said I felt it in my bones that you'd never be tested."

Why, I felt as if he was kicking my ass out of the house!"

Then he added: "There are some of my friends who are determined that I shall not be represented as a

I must not wait any longer now, though there is a fog outside and a fog or something of the sort in my

For my own sake, as well as yours, I wish it were!

"My God, no!

"You may go along, to give my step a sort of certainty."

Just today I read Bucke out of my notes W.'

My God!" W. mockingly said: "Maurice, you shock me!"

and still my withers are unwrung!"

"Do you think the meter's success means my failure, Walt?" "It might."

W. said: "That's another of my illusions shattered."

W. exclaimed: "My God! has it come to that? am I fallen so low?

W. asked: "I wonder if my words will be included?

Bucke said: "I hope you won't take offense at my freedom?"

W. reading Century which he laid down on my entrance. Reported his health "rather on the improve."

book: I'm still uncertain where he is—whether he has yet got back to West Park or not: I addressed my

Didn't my lower stomach shout to my upper stomach with loud halloos!

My talk with him must have sunk in.

I remember what poor William says: he says I always like my idiot pictures best!"

my body against his.

My God! has my love of life survived? have my dreams survived?" A sob burst from his throat.

"Horace: you must return as my delegate to Walt: take my body and take my soul, with you: set them down

God was on my side after all.

I run my pennants up up into the air and fill the skies with my cry: Victory is mine forever!"

s on my way to Germantown, as he expected.

Then I remembered that he was my mother's son, my brother—not my counsellor.

Now my voice is stronger. I ask—why will you not speak to me?

For the first time I act as my nature prompts me.

Farewell, my dear friend.

stirs my curiosity—makes me wonder how far I survived in his good graces.

I reminded W. of Captain Lindell's wife, who suffered similarly. W.

oh my yes!" "I wondered: I wondered."

all the people who really know me, my work, consider, include, love, admire, William.

"Good: that's it: my soul won't let me. That's the way we have to keep up the balance."

he is my old boss." Adding: "Evarts was a very kind, friendly fellow." In the literary way?

Germantown, Sunday night,March 3d, 1889.My dear Traubel:Now that you and Doctor Bucke are gone I have

My God! but he's a time-taker: he's slower'n pitch on a frosty morning!

My lameness is very bad, and I am very exhausted before many hours pass each day.

of the bowels, and must, under medical orders, resort to artificial means, and this is my remedy.

To my: "I do," he answered: "The situation as I see it now is a good deal worse than I had supposed."

body thus and so: the question is my mind's question, not my body's: the mind, not the body, must answer

Knowing my name would be called I slipped out the back door. Salter asked for W.'

B. said: "I have no call to speak for Walt about this but my impression is that while he believes the

so—in my friends than in my enemies."

Chamberlin's letter shows that DeLong got my letter of last Friday—though where this W.W. meeting was

Well, Horace, having pleased William and Nellie, I may rest on my oars."

I doubt if that does any good: I think my friends, some of my friends, quite understand that that is

He pointed his finger towards me: "Leave it to you in my will." Laughed.

My life now seems very pale and poor compared with those days.

cold still persists: my head is still much choked by it."

work finally makes on me—the response it meets with, in my own consciousness."

Still at times my thoughts all go back ["God knows, John!

I can't get back my ruminating habit.

Then: "After my meal, my dinner, I put up the sash—so—on all these milder days: today is debatable ground