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surrounded by blatherers, and always impregnable—the perpetual coming of immigrants—the wharf-hemmed cities

all climates and the uttermost parts—the noble character of the young mechanics, and of all free American

enterprise—the perfect equality of the female with the male—the large amativeness—the fluid movement of the population

," &c.** "For such the expression of the American poet is to be transcendent and new."

Alexander Wilson (1766-1813) and John James Audobon (1785-1851) were both acclaimed ornithologists and

Alexander Wilson (1766-1813) and John James Audobon (1785-1851) were both acclaimed ornithologists and

Schiller, had fulfilled their tasks and gone to other spheres; and all that remained with few exceptions, were

They stand, as it were, on clear mountains of intellectual elevation, and with keenest perception discern

He wears strange garb, cut and made by himself, as gracefully as a South American cavalier his poncho

A portion of that thought which broods over the American nation, is here seized and bodied forth by a

bibliographical data is missing; reprinted in Whitman, Leaves of Grass Imprints(Boston: Thayer & Eldridge, 1860

bibliographical data is missing; reprinted in Whitman, Leaves of Grass Imprints(Boston: Thayer & Eldridge, 1860

If I were to suspect death, I should die now.

I knew a man…he was a common farmer… he was the father of five sons…and in them were the fathers of sons

…and in them were the fathers of sons.

and visit him to see…He was wise also, He was six feet tall…he was over eighty years old…his sons were

the body of the work, wholly ignorant of the writer's name, profession, or age— "Walt Whitman, an American

These anxious longings of the soul as for an unknown good were to his mind the indication of slumbering

When we read that eulogy we were satisfied that this volume would prove to us a sealed book, and that

The Bowery Boys was a nativist, anti-Catholic, and anti-Irish gang based in New York City; they participated

George Robins Gliddon (1809-1857) was an American Egyptologist who published several works on Egyptian

The Bowery Boys was a nativist, anti-Catholic, and anti-Irish gang based in New York City; they participated

of departed spirits, he weighs the hearts of the dead.; George Robins Gliddon (1809-1857) was an American

believe, of the famous Whitman's poems, which made such a flutter among the "gray goose quills" of this city

But the author reasoning that the spirit of the American people, nay, of any people is chiefly represented

His own picture: "Walt Whitman, an American, one of the roughs, a Kosmos, Disorderly, fleshy, sensual

They live in other young men, O kings, They live in brothers, again ready to defy you: They were purified

by death…They were taught and exalted.

He has pasted in the first page a number of notices extracted with the scissors from American newspapers

The relation of the two classes of extracts is curiously illustrative of contemporary American criticism

seemed the sterile and stingy nature, as if too much handiwork, or too much lymph in the temperament, were

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

All I mark as my own you shall offset it with your own, Else it were time lost listening to me.

says Mr Emerson in the printed letter sent to us,—"I rubbed my eyes a little, to see if this sunbeam were

All I mark as my own, you shall offset it with your own, Else it were time lost listening to me.

If nothing lay more developed the quahaug and its callous shell were enough.

and mangers . . the mows and racks: Manufactures . . commerce . . engineering . . the building of cities

snowstorm or rainstorm . . . . the tow-trowsers . . . . the lodge-hut in the woods, and the still-hunt: City

the name of this erratic and newest wonder; but at page 29 we find that he is— Walt Whitman, an American

The words 'an American' are a surplusage, 'one of the roughs' too painfully apparent; but what is intended

The chance of this might be formidable were it not ridiculous.

howling storm: The bearhunt or coonhunt . . . . . . the bonfire of shavings in the open lot in the city

All I mark as my own you shall offset it with your own, Else it were time lost listening to me.

The showman and entertainer Phineas Taylor Barnum (1810-1891) emphasized in his American Museum (purchased

Almost at the first page we opened we lighted upon the confession that the author was "W , an American

be extracted from a periodical entitled the United States Review , the other was headed 'From the American

If I were to suspect death I should die now.

by death…They were taught and exalted.

We are much mistaken if, after all, he does not yet contribute something to American literature which

Anacreon (582 BC-485 BC) was an ancient Green lyric poet whose most popular poems were celebrations of

Year 85 of the States—1860-61. 1 vol., pp. 456.

His writings were neither poetry nor prose, but a curious medley, a mixture of quaint utterances and

people were to be enlightened and civilized and cultivated up to the proper standard, by virtue of his

How the floridness of the materials of cities shriv- els shrivels before a man's or woman's look!

The comedic works of François Rabelais (c. 1490-1553) were known for their risqué quality.

The comedic works of François Rabelais (c. 1490-1553) were known for their risqué quality.

city, and brought up in Brooklyn and in New York.

They are certainly filled with an American spirit, breathe the American air, and assert the fullest American

Year 85 of the States (1860—61). London: Trübner & Co.

The first three cantos of his epic poem, The Messiah ( Der Messias ), were published in 1749; the final

cantos were published in 1773.

The first three cantos of his epic poem, The Messiah (Der Messias), were published in 1749; the final

cantos were published in 1773.

Leaves of Grass (Boston: Thayer and Eldridge, year 85 of the States—1860–61. London: Trübner.)

On that occasion we were spared the trouble of setting forth the new poet's merits, as he or his publisher

, which we were satisfied to reprint along with a few extracts illustrative of the volume they recommended

We are almost ashamed to ask the question—but do American ladies read Mr. Whitman?

A sort of catalogue of scenes of American life, which, according to Mr.

London: Trübner and Co. 1860.

Leaves of Grass Boston: Thayer and Eldridge. 1860–61. pp.456.

Walt Whitman is sane enough to do the poetry for an American newspaper or two: from whose columns these

supposed to answer this question: All I mark as my own, you shall offset it with your own, Else it were

Presently he dissects his own individuality a little more closely: Walt Whitman, an American, one of

Review of Leaves of Grass (1860–61)

and the family at large accumulated by past ages, With all which would have been nothing if anything were

I assert that all past days were what they should have been, And that they could no-how have been better

than they were, And that today is what it should be— and that America is, And that today and America

fellow Dutchman, Jan Matthys, along with other Anabaptists, briefly established a theocracy in the city

The Münster Rebellion ended when Protestant and Catholic armies took over the city; van Leiden was executed

fellow Dutchman, Jan Matthys, along with other Anabaptists, briefly established a theocracy in the city

The Münster Rebellion ended when Protestant and Catholic armies took over the city; van Leiden was executed

Songs of Parting,' under which the last is 'So Long,' a title that a foreigner and perhaps many an American

There were plenty of criticisms to make, even after one had finished crying Oh!

A cardinal sin in the eyes of most critics is the use of French, Spanish, and American-Spanish words

He shows crudely the American way of incorporating into the language a handy or a high-sounding word

and his mode of expression is immense, often flat, very often monotonous, like our great sprawling cities

of Walt Whitman, who, some will have it, is by preeminence of art and nature our representative American

deepest ethical instincts of a great multitude—we should certainly hope the vast majority of those American

Would it were as clean! In form he reminds us of Martin Farquhar Tupper.

American he is, of the ruder and more barbaric type, a prairie cow boy in a buffalo robe, with a voice

and were not.

In his volume all the objectionable passages which were the cause of so much complaint at the time of

range and diversity—always the continent of Democracy; Always the prairies, pastures, forests, vast cities

Their eulogies, however, were rather on the thoughts and sentiments of the author than praise of his

Milton and Goethe, at their desks, were not more truly poets than Phidias with his chisel, Raphael at

Phidias and Raphael and Beethoven were judged in accordance with the merits of what they produced.

by irrational things, I will penetrate what it is in them that is sarcastic upon me, I will make cities

(Democracy, while weapons were everywhere aim'd at your breast, I saw you serenely give birth to immortal

that the book is not amenable to the laws against sending obscene literature through the mails; and were

and there, With ranging hills on the banks, with many a line against the sky, and shadows, And the city

declare that Walt Whitman has not the poet's gift in the slightest measure—that he is only an ignorant American

He could not have been bred anywhere but in a certain part of New York city a generation ago—in any other

And American letters were in a peculiar transition state when he made his first appearance in print,

Review of Leaves of Grass (1860–61)

An Englishman might have written ninety-nine hundredths of American poetry.

The spirit that pervades is essentially American. It is more.

The philosophy and theology are decidedly American, the ethics are altogether of New York.

full of truly American exaggeration.

Everything American is the subject of his praises:— "These states are the amplest poem.

the Orientalism of the book is manifestly unconscious, it is really meant to be, and is, intensely American

He dreams a dream of "a city invincible to the attacks of the whole of the rest of the earth," which

We many notice here that among the young Americans whom this strange poet or prophet has inspired, one

To a small job printing-office in that city belongs the honour, if such, of bringing it to light.

If he will but learn to tame a little, America will at last have a genuine American poet.

A Perfect Poem-Picture of American Democracy. The Hermit Thoreau's Opinion of Our Good Gray Poet.

I have heard what the talkers were talking, the talk of the beginning and the end, But I do not talk

stoppage and never can be stoppage, If I, you and the worlds, and all beneath or upon their surfaces were

No doubt there have always been dens where such deeds were unblushingly recited, and it is no merit to

judgment, under the circumstances, is worthy of all commendation, but he might write differently today were

than the one which is the caption of this paper, nor one that has attracted more attention in the American

clear up the passages in nature which God has left obscure; the writer does not explain that the poems were

power—pulse of the continent," offer the finest embodiment of the grandeur of applied mechanics which American

thought, and writing; and from this effort, whatever the mistakes or limitations of its method, American

stoppage and never can be stoppage, If I, you, and the worlds, and all beneath or upon their surfaces, Were

He has not omitted, as some editors might have done, In a City Dead House and The Flight of the Eagles

Nature had given him a strong constitution, and his features were those of a dreamy sensualist.

to American persons, progresses, cities?—Chicago, Kanada, Arkansas?

Walt Whitman, an American, one of the roughs, a Kosmos, Disorderly, fleshy, sensual, eating, drinking

vulgar inditings of an uneducated man, free from any Old World philosophy, or Old World religion, were

Boston, Thayer & Eldridge. 1860 Washington, Philp & Solomons.

and the opening words of his critique on the latter were graduated to a point no finer than to say, "

If the Aristarch of "Scotch Reviewers" were still in the flesh, and felt called, in the spirit of the

characterize this singular production by saying that Walt Whitman, who describes himself as ——an American

Review of Leaves of Grass (1860–61)

one can hope to understand from his book, or in any way except to go off tramping with him through cities

Jean-Jacques Rousseau's (1712-1778) (1782) were probably regarded as "coarse" because of Rousseau's candor

.; Jean-Jacques Rousseau's (1712-1778) Confessions (1782) were probably regarded as "coarse" because

neat form, Walt Whitman's ridiculous rigmarole, by an extreme stretch of critical courtesy called " American

If it were only decent prose we might stand it; but it does not rise to the dignity of a dessertation

While the words "Walt Whitman's American Institute Poem" appear on both the volume's cover and one of

Whitman wrote the poem following a request by the Committee on Invitations of the American Institute

While the words "Walt Whitman's American Institute Poem" appear on both the volume's cover and one of

Whitman wrote the poem following a request by the Committee on Invitations of the American Institute

As if it were necessary to trot back generation after generation to the Eastern records!"

"I will report all heroism from an American point of view." "America always!

I assert that all past days were what they should have been.

It is done in this fashion: "I see the cities of the earth, and make myself at random a part of them;

And do you rise higher than ever yet, O days, O cities! Crash heavier, heavier yet, O storms!

Ruskin insists that there are errors and blemishes of such exceeding and immedicable vileness that, if

Having got at his secret, you soon learn to take stock of the American bard.

When we reflect that, among the American poets thus slightingly waived aside, were, to mention no others

In his ideal city "the men and women think lightly of the laws."

Tammany Hall is famous as the democratic machine in New York city politics.

Both painters were denounced by John Ruskin in similar terms in Modern Painters, The Complete Works of

1813–1873) was a Scottish explorer of Africa, and Paul Belloni Du Chaillu (1835—1903) was a French-American

Fiske," was a leading American actress of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.

Tammany Hall is famous as the democratic machine in New York city politics.

his way from city to city, and to have consorted liberally with the draff of men on bold and equal conditions

He pictures the pageant of life in the country and in cities; all is a fine panorama, wherein mountains

gleams of sunlight, babes on the breast and dead men in shrouds, pyramids and brothels, deserts and populated

All I mark as my own, you shall offset it with your own, Else it were time lost listening to me.

All the stuff which offended American virtue is to be found here.

contemporary lands, I will trail the whole geography of the globe, and salute cour- teously courteously every city

oceans and inland seas, over the continents of the world, over mountains, forests, rivers, plains, and cities

Consequently, Walt Whitman, who presents himself as the Poet of the American Republic in the Present

Meantime we submit, as appropriate in this connection, the following critical remarks from the North American

Year 85 of the States (1860—61). Walt Whitman

republican egotism: "What very properly fits a subject of the British crown, may fit very ill an American

Sure as the heavens envelop the earth, if the Americans want a race of bards worthy of 1855, and of the

only one man…he is the father of those who shall be fathers in their turns, In him the start of populous

Leaves of Grass," of the Brooklyn poet who describes himself in one of them as: "Walt Whitman, an American

spite of all the freedom which has budded and bloomed since that year 1616, when his sacred ashes were

before introducing us to his poetry, to enlighten our benighted minds as to the true function of the American

The Americans of all nations at any time upon the earth have probably the fullest poetical nature.

peace is the routine out of him speaks the spirit of peace, large, rich, thrifty, building vast and populous

statistics as far back as the records reach is in you this hour—and myths and tales the same; If you were

backtop, The faces of hunters and fishers, bulged at the brows …the shaved blanched faces of orthodox citi

We were aware of this, and expected in an American poet some one who would sing for us gently, in a minor

And to explain it evident and sufficient causes were producible, and were produced.

The splendour, picturesqueness, and oceanic amplitude and rush of these great cities, the unsurpassed

but such a picture only represents the worst side of the life of great cities.

Only I will establish in the Mannahatta, and in every city of These States, inland and seaboard, And

the woman of the Indian tribes, are represented in the "Songs of the Sierras" as never before in American

Ernest Jones’s war strains; of a new poem by the American poet, Mr.

Buchanan Reade ∗ —a gracefully rhymed, imaginative story; or of another American production which, according

Here, our latter-day poets are apt to whine over the times, as if Heaven were perpetually betraying the

the most amazing, one of the most startling, one of the most perplexing, creations of the modern American

with which Walt can paint the unhackneyed scenery of his native land, we subjoin a panorama:— By the city's

Walt Whitman, the world needed a "Native American" of thorough, out and out breed—enamored of women ladies

It were a spectacle worth seeing, this glorious Native American, who, when the daily labor of chisel

Were I an artist I would like no more suggestive subjects for my easel than Walt Whitman's pen has furnished

seems to me the beautiful uncut hair of graves I close the extracts from these "Leaves," which it were

So much for his Americanism, which has an inherent meaning and a power, in spite of all that is said

There is certainly a thing which may be called Americanism.

The following verses were admiringly quoted by Prof.

country, and they were often in the habit of displaying their pugilistic accomplishments."

Quoted in Dictionary of Americanisms (1848).

Sidgwick and William Clifford were both members of "The Apostles," the famous elite literary society

gives this account of the origin of the term "Hoosier": "Throughout all the early Western settlements were

The boatmen of Indiana were formerly as rude and as primitive a set as could well belong to a civilized

country, and they were often in the habit of displaying their pugilistic accomplishments."

Quoted in Dictionary of Americanisms (1848).

Hugo's protest against the disapprobation of those French critics whose conventional imaginations were

very much disturbed by the astonishing leaps through time and space that were made by this untrammelled

"I assert that all fast days were what they must have been, And that they could no-how have been better

than what they were, And that to-day is what it must be, and that America is, And that to-day and America

publisher's name, and, if the reader goes to a bookstore for it, he may expect to be told at first, as we were

Walter Whitman, an American,—one of the roughs,—no sentimentalist,—no stander above men and women, or

The sternest enemy of the American philosopher and of the great fog-bank school to which he, in some

These dreary pieces of laboured humour are not as popular now as they were twenty years ago, but Walt

J OHN H OLLINGSHEAD . ∗ Leaves of Grass Boston (U.S.): Thayer and Eldridge. 1860–61. J. T. S.

These are slightly misquoted lines from the 1860 , pp. 46-47.

.; These are slightly misquoted lines from the 1860 Leaves of Grass, pp. 46-47.

states his character, and replies to this question in the following general terms: 'Walt Whitman, an American

pseudonym of Johann Paul Friedrich Richter) (1763-1825) was a German novelist and humorist, whose works were

pseudonym of Johann Paul Friedrich Richter) (1763-1825) was a German novelist and humorist, whose works were

Nay, have we not felt we were in some sort worse than those others, because, being guilty, we were praised

A thousand copies were printed.

Few if any copies of the book were sold.

When the war was over he obtained, successively, two offices under the American Government.

Makepeace Thackeray (1811–1863), English novelist, best known for his satirical novel Vanity Fair American

.; American writer (1825–1878) who wrote for newspapers, travel books, novels, poetry, and critical essays

the finest strain that a human ear can hear, yet conclusively and past all refutation, that there were

rearrangement with reference to the sub-titles and to each other, leave them, we are told, as they were

If all poets were in the habit of using this recitative rhythm as a vehicle for their thoughts, what

auditor's smile or half sneer at the author's sometimes forced rhymes or prosy lines; as though that were

uniting the whole" may be lost "just in moving this trifle or that," and so you "Take away, as it were