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Once I Pass'd Through a Populous City ONCE I PASS'D THROUGH A POPULOUS CITY.

ONCE I pass'd through a populous city, imprinting my brain, for future use, with its shows, architec-

ture architecture , customs, and traditions; Yet now, of all that city, I remember only a woman I casually

met there, who detain'd me for love of me; Day by day and night by night we were together,—All else

A Broadway Pageant (Reception Japanese Embassy, June 16, 1860) A BROADWAY PAGEANT.

(RECEPTION JAPANESE EMBASSY, JUNE 16, 1860.)

Were the children straying westward so long? so wide the tramping?

Were the precedent dim ages debouching westward from Paradise so long?

Were the centuries steadily footing it that way, all the while unknown, for you, for reasons?

caused the seizure and detention of certain steamboats; and afterwards, and while such steamboats were

subject to his power as an officer, or supposed to be so subject, and before the actions were brought

agents of said steamboats, to the effect that if they would pay the costs of court, of which they were

paid said sum of money in many instances—while, in fact, the fee allowed him by law could not have exceeded

greatest city in the whole world. 5 The place where the great city stands is not the place of stretch'd

Where the city stands with the brawniest breed of orators and bards; Where the city stands that is beloved

city of the healthiest fathers stands; Where the city of the best-bodied mothers stands, There the great

city stands. 6 How beggarly appear arguments, before a defiant deed!

Were those your vast and solid?

He believes hugely in himself, and in the part he is destined to take in American affairs.

He appears, moreover, at intervals, to have wandered over the North American continent, to have worked

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

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.

some poems of Whitman's in which he seems to yearn towards the East from a westward outlook, as if he were

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

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

A demand arose, and before many months, all the copies of the thin quarto were sold.

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

neck with incomparable love, Plunging his semitic muscle into its merits and demerits, Making its cities

, The superior marine, free commerce, fisheries, whal- ing whaling , gold-digging, Wharf-hemm'd cities

to American persons, pro- gresses progresses , cities? Chicago, Kanada, Arkansas?

I will make cities and civilizations defer to me!

while weapons were everywhere aim'd at your breast, I saw you serenely give birth to children—saw in

And if the body were not the Soul, what is the Soul?

A WOMAN waits for me—she contains all, nothing is lacking, Yet all were lacking, if sex were lacking,

WE TWO—HOW LONG WE WERE FOOL'D. WE two—how long we were fool'd!

ONCE I PASS'D THROUGH A POPULOUS CITY.

ONCE I pass'd through a populous city, imprinting my brain, for future use, with its shows, architec-

About a thousand copies were printed, which were sold in less than a year.

The Van Velsors were noted people for horses.

The clothes were mainly homespun. Journeys were made by both men and women on horseback.

Books were scarce.

Some of the men were dying.

John Burroughs's "Notes on Walt Whitman" was first published in American News in 1867.

where I was born, Well-begotten, and rais'd by a perfect mother; After roaming many lands—lover of populous

pave- ments pavements ; Dweller in Mannahatta, city of ships, my city—or on southern savannas; Or a

put in my poems, that with you is heroism, upon land and sea—And I will report all heroism from an American

ideal of manly love, indicating it in me; I will therefore let flame from me the burning fires that were

the Kanzas, count- less countless herds of buffalo, feeding on short curly grass; See, in my poems, cities

Language in the manuscript is also similar to language that appears in the poem "Poem of Joys" (1860)

Language in the manuscript is also similar to language that appears in the poem "Poem of Joys" (1860)

The first several lines of "Pictures" (not including this line) were revised and published as "My Picture-Gallery

" in The American in October 1880.

46).; This manuscript may relate to the poem titled "A Song of Joys," which first appeared in the 1860

(1860, p. 259).

His love of New York City has more in common with Gavroche's love for Paris than with that of Victor

The fact that the "songs" in Drum-Taps were written under such circumstances ought to have rebutted in

of the news from Sumter upon New York is thus described:— "The Lady of this teeming and turbulent city

"Over the breast of the spring, the land, amid cities; Amid the grass in the fields each side of the

both a place and the name of the Democratic Party political machine that often controlled New York City

both a place and the name of the Democratic Party political machine that often controlled New York City

a military outpost near Charleston, South Carolina, was the location of the first battle of the American

Price, | 279 East 55th street, | New York City." It is postmarked, "Washington | Mar | 13 | D.C."

In 1860, Erastus Otis Parker was indicted on seven counts of theft.

Burroughs's Notes can be easily obtained by writing to the publishers, American News Company, 121 Nassau

st., New York City.

American Feuillage AMERICAN FEUILLAGE. AMERICA always! Always our own feuillage!

Always the prairies, pastures, forests, vast cities, travelers, Kanada, the snows; Always these compact

White drift spooning ahead, where the ship in the tempest dashes; On solid land, what is done in cities

sit on the gunwale, smoking and talking; Late in the afternoon, the mocking-bird, the Ameri- can American

day, driving the herd of cows, and shouting to them as they loiter to browse by the road-side; The city

that men and women were flexible, real, alive! that every- thing everything was alive!

To think of all these wonders of city and country, and others taking great interest in them—and we taking

Do you enjoy yourself in the city? or engaged in business?

7 It is not to diffuse you that you were born of your mother and father—it is to identify you, It is

The threads that were spun are gathered, the weft crosses the warp, the pattern is systematic.

fool'd 114 Native Moments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 Once I Pass'd through a Populous City

ONCE I PASS'D THROUGH A POPULOUS CITY.

ONCE I pass'd through a populous city, imprinting my brain, for future use, with its shows, architec-

I loved well those cities; I loved well the stately and rapid river; The men and women I saw were all

to American persons, pro- gresses progresses , cities? Chicago, Kanada, Arkansas?

FIRST, O songs, for a prelude, Lightly strike on the stretch'd tympanum, pride and joy in my city, How

costumes of peace with indifferent hand; How your soft opera-music changed, and the drum and fife were

Forty years had I in my city seen soldiers parading; Forty years as a pageant—till unawares, the Lady

The blood of the city up—arm'd! arm'd!

Old matron of the city! this proud, friendly, turbulent city!

CITY OF ORGIES. CITY of orgies, walks and joys!

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

Or the vaunted glory and growth of the great city spread around me?

I DREAM'D in a dream, I saw a city invincible to the attacks of the whole of the rest of the earth; I

, if I could be with you, and become your loving comrade; Be it as if I were with you.

The Amnesty Proclamations of the President embraced, with but a very few exceptions, the whole population

ages, that men and women like us grew up and travel'd their course, and pass'd on; What vast-built cities—what

and phrenology; What of liberty and slavery among them—what they thought of death and the soul; Who were

O I know that those men and women were not for nothing, any more than we are for nothing; I know that

Do their lives, cities, arts, rest only with us? Did they achieve nothing for good, for themselves?

Attorney General has received your report of the 12th inst. informing him that in January 1866, sundry Americans

property of the inhabitants of Bagdad, on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande, and that indictments were

—You add that "the dignity of the American name requires that something be done to bring the arch offenders

the earth and the sea never gave us; Not through the mighty woods we go, but through the mightier cities

What, to pavements and homesteads here—what were those storms of the mountains and sea?

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

prepared in the mountains, absorbs your im- mortal immortal strong nutriment; Long had I walk'd my cities

ground before me, Continually preceding my steps, turning upon me oft, ironically hissing low; —The cities

1Undated, on the American Idiomloc.05224xxx.005241st DemocracyBetween December 1867 and May 1868prose2

to form part of the same sheet of paper, and form an outline for the three essays—only two of which were

that there were more of the same sort, our country needs them.

Go on, and may God bless you and your efforts, as a true American. Respectfully F. B.

sea-bird, and look down as from a height; I do not deny the precious results of peace—I see pop- ulous populous

cities, with wealth incalculable; I see numberless farms—I see the farmers working in their fields or

spacious and haughty States, (nor any five, nor ten;) Nor market nor depot are we, nor money-bank in the city

Let those that were prisoners take the keys! (Say! why might they not just as well be transposed?)

Let the Asiatic, the African, the European, the Ameri- can American , and the Australian, go armed against

Let there be wealthy and immense cities—but through any of them, not a single poet, savior, knower, lover

Gilson, then Secretary of that Territory, with the designated depository of the United States at Oregon City

one of Gilson's sureties,) dated at Paris, France, September 1, 1867, that Gilson was then in that city

"sporting his American buggy, fast horse," etc. which letter also contains an offer on the part of the

the scaffold;) I would sing in my copious song your census returns of The States, The tables of population

wast not gifted to sing, thou would'st surely die.) 5 Over the breast of the spring, the land, amid cities

and night, with the great cloud darkening the land, With the pomp of the inloop'd flags, with the cities

me from sleep;) As the night advanced, and I saw on the rim of the west, ere you went, how full you were

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

the rising and sinking waves—over the myriad fields, and the prairies wide; Over the dense-pack'd cities

to philadelphe Philadelphia most a week Jeff came home last night but mat dident didn't come they were

Hattie and her sister Jessie were both favorites of their uncle Walt.

American Telephone and Telegraph Company (1880–1908).

Emily and her sister Helen were regular visitors to Louisa Van Velsor Whitman.

During the 1860s, Price and her family, especially her daughter Helen, were friends with Walt Whitman

In 1860 the Price family began to save Walt's letters. In a November 15, 1863 letter to Ellen M.

And if the body were not the Soul, what is the Soul?

and pause, listen, and count. 3 I knew a man, a common farmer—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

I am drawn by its breath as if I were no more than a helpless vapor—all falls aside but myself and it

The weather is quite cool—but nevertheless vegetation is getting forward fast—and just out side the city—where

hope you will be able to come on here and make me a visit if I stay here long—I begin to like the city

Louis Water Works, a system Kirkwood had designed for the state Board of Water Commissioners and the city

But he liked the energetic young city, the companionship of prominent men like Henry Flad, the excitement

Partly because the city council had rejected Kirkwood's original location for the works and insisted

on a less expensive site nearer the city, Jeff was plagued with such problems as poor soil for foundations

See Thomas Jefferson Whitman to Walt Whitman, 16 April 1860.

American masses!

Were all educations, practical and ornamental, well display'd out of me, what would it amount to?

Were I as the head teacher, charitable proprietor, wise statesman, what would it amount to?

Were I to you as the boss employing and paying you, would that satisfy you?

Congress convenes every Twelfth-month for you; Laws, courts, the forming of States, the charters of cities

15th inst. purporting to be a communication from a correspondent of that paper, writing from this city

recited in this publication, in the archives of the Attorney General's Office, except those which were

1Undated, on the American IdiomUntitled and Unidentifiedloc.05620xxx.01135Go into the subjectBetween

sheet of paper (loc.05224), and on the verso is an outline for the three essays, only two of which were

Smell you the buckwheat, where the bees were lately buzzing?)

Ah, now the single figure to me, Amid all teeming and wealthy Ohio, with all its cities and farms, Sickly

In view of this fact, though we are favorably impressed, as we were when we first wrote you, with the

written under the pseudonym Richard Haywarde) and The Sparrowgrass Papers, a humorous account of a city

The Club produced periodicals, as well as reprints of rare, curious, and old American, English, French

, and Latin books (American Literary Gazette and Publishers Circular [Philadelphia: George W.

For more information on the Club, see Adolf Growell, "The Agathynian Club (1866–1868)," American Book

Beekman & Spruce, | New York City."

I received a portion of the books remaining—the most of them were lost" (Horace Traubel, With Walt Whitman

Look'd toward the lower bay to notice the arriving ships, Saw their approach, saw aboard those that were

These, and all else, were to me the same as they are to you; I project myself a moment to tell you—also

I loved well those cities; I loved well the stately and rapid river; The men and women I saw were all

I had done seem'd to me blank and sus- picious suspicious ; My great thoughts, as I supposed them, were

as much of you —I laid in my stores in advance; I consider'd long and seriously of you before you were

You flagg'd walks of the cities! you strong curbs at the edges! You ferries!

I think heroic deeds were all conceiv'd in the open air; I think I could stop here myself, and do miracles

Whoever accepts me, he or she shall be blessed, and shall bless me. 6 Now if a thousand perfect men were

to which you were des- tined destined —you hardly settle yourself to satisfaction, before you are call'd

the fruits of or- chards orchards and flowers of gardens, To take to your use out of the compact cities

Americans have not granted the English any protection for their works or choice about bringing them out

to the general public will come much more gracefully from an English literary man than from any American

noble pamphlet, and, which is still more important, it can never have so much effect here for an American

to praise American work.

The other day the Saturday Review which once ridiculed Leaves of Grass began a review of some American's

"Calamus" was first published in the 1860 edition of Leaves of Grass.

It later described the 1860 Leaves of Grass as "a book evidently intended to lie on the tables of the

possessor to get it into his pocket or to hide it away in a corner" (Saturday Review 10 [ July 7, 1860

However, on September 21, 1867, the Review published a review of American poets, "Some American Verse

," which exempts Whitman from the otherwise "feeble, commonplace, and pretty" school of American poetry

whom these securities are held, as well as the several treaties and acts under which the investments were

The abstracted Bonds above mentioned are understood to be a part of those which were stolen while in

By Act of July 12, 1862 [12 Stat. at Large, p. 539.] sums amounting in the aggregate to $660,412:01 were

(City of Wheeling) Bonds 168,000 65,520 6 pr. ct. Certificate or Reg.

Bonds 100,000 The Bonds of the City of Wheeling and of the Richmond and Danville RR. above described,

Simpson & Company of New York, Slave Songs of the United States was the earliest collection of African American

Northern abolitionists who collected the songs—many of which were spirituals—while they worked in the

The Club produced periodicals, as well as reprints of rare, curious, and old American, English, French

, and Latin books (American Literary Gazette and Publishers Circular [Philadelphia: George W.

For more information on the Club, see Adolf Growell, "The Agathynian Club (1866–1868)," American Book

Green the midsummer verdure, and fresh blows the dal- lying dallying breeze, O'er proud and peaceful cities

not with terror; But suddenly, pouring about me here, on every side, And below there where the boys were

Twenty thousand were brought against us, A veteran force, furnish'd with good artillery.

close together, very compact, their flag flying in the middle; But O from the hills how the cannon were

day; But the night of that, mist lifting, rain ceasing, Silent as a ghost, while they thought they were

—Stoddard, Steadman, Aldrich, Howells, Garrison, &c. were mentioned—there appears to be nothing new to

lately been playing at Memphis, Tenn—is now about playing at Albany—Clapp remains as clerk in the City

Grier, "Walt Whitman, the Galaxy, and Democratic Vistas," American Literature, 23 (1951–1952), 332–350

See also Clapp's March 27, 1860 and October 3, 1867 letters to Whitman.

From 1860 to 1870, he was a literary reviewer for the New York World.

Dictionary of American Biography).

Hier, Jr., "The End of a Literary Mystery," American Mercury, 1 (1924), 471–478.

City of Ships CITY OF SHIPS. CITY of ships! (O the black ships! O the fierce ships!

City of the world!

city of hurried and glittering tides!

City of wharves and stores! city of tall façades of mar- ble marble and iron!

Proud and passionate city! mettlesome, mad, extrava- gant extravagant city! Spring up, O city!

I WAS asking for something specific and perfect for my city, Whereupon, lo!

there is in a name, a word, liquid, sane, unruly, musical, self-sufficient; I see that the word of my city

river, passing along, up or down, with the flood-tide or-ebb tide or ebb-tide ; The mechanics of the city

The beautiful city, the city of hurried and sparkling waters! the city of spires and masts!

The city nested in bays! my city! The city of such women, I am mad to be with them!

too much rent but we couldent couldn't no better then if we only had one more room or the bedrooms were

one yesterday to be shure sure i got one from mary it was for matty but it was directed mrs Whitman city

Lane later designed and constructed the Milwaukee Water Works and served there as city engineer, and

For Lane's career, see "Moses Lane," Proceedings of the American Society of Civil Engineers [February

Portsmouth is probably Portsmouth, New Hampshire, a city on the border of Maine with a naval shipyard

"Nelly" O'Connor, who, with Charles Eldridge and later John Burroughs, were to be his close associates

City of Orgies CITY OF ORGIES. CITY of orgies, walks and joys!

City whom that I have lived and sung in your midst will one day make you illustrious, Not the pageants