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but must send it sure before long—he has made & sent me a fragmentary trans: of part that I have had my

is Edw'd Carpenter's, as you will see —( Nov: B is more likely to be read and take than any other of my

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

action pretty moderate—rather less irritation & smartness &c than previous days— I am sitting now in my

hour or so—Sitting here now alone—quiet & cold & near sunset—wind shakes the window sashes—here comes my

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

ASYLUM FOR THE INSANE LONDON, ONTARIO London, Ont. 8 Nov 188 9 It is after tea (7 P.M.), I am over in my

soon as I get a few hundred that I can spare (and I look for that time to come very soon now) it is my

Graham bread toasted, & a cup of chocolate—ate pretty well (this & yesterday are favorable days)—In my

eating neither at all ascetic nor sumptuous—pass two hours to-day putting my autograph to the poetic

dinner—two hours—every thing just right every way—a dozen people there, (the family & relatives)—for my

done & will be in the market in a month or so—all about it has proceeded satisfactorily—& I have had my

I do not like to write this way but I think you ought to know my candid opinion.

The 1864 picture you gave me the other day is setting up on the bookshelf at my right hand looking at

to learn he has never been to school as the school is about 2 miles off but he can read right smart. my

would be very happy to see you, we all send our best respects to you and all your friends. you will see my

To give you a definitive idea of what I meant in my notes of March 8 and March 19—& of course stick to—I

The whole thing would not involve an expense of more than from 5 to $10— My proposition is that we at

If you have, I wish you would give me a line of introduction to him for my brother Bertie (Albert) who

Next week (as you will see by my enclosed circular) I am to speak in Chickering Hall on Literary London—rather

There is nothing important or new in my affairs here—I am still in the same Office—find my work mild

written to arrange a meeting—he asks me to stay with him (the people here are very kind if I accepted all my

Here we have had no warm weather—I have worn my over-coat so far all the time.

I found your letter and Mrs Gilchrists and Mr Carpenters on my return, and we were much alarmed at first

I can hardly tell about my trip, but when you return, it will be as well, and you have passed over so

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

Asylum for the Insane, London, March 18 18 80 My dear Walt I send you today a London paper with a sample

—Please let me know at once if this plan meets your approval Many of my friends have an extraordinary

Camden N J—U S America noon July 8 '91 Nothing very new or different in my condition—relish'd quite a

small reliefs)—again I inform you the birth-day supper acc't is to be in August Lippincott (it was my

Monday May 14, '60 My dear Walt : I spent much time yesterday reading your poems, and am more charmed

I want to do great things for you with the book, and as soon as I get over my immediate troubles will

One of my fellow clerks has taken a seat for me, & made me a present of it—the play is "Queen Elisabeth

I am writing this by my big window, where I can look out on the water—the sun is shining bright as silver

Like the bachelor-speaker of "My Boys and Girls," the speaker here knows that the way to keep his heart

Childhood here, as in "My Boys and Girls," calls up other reminders of the sorrows of the world and especially

forced to remember another son of the people, Robert Burns, and one involuntarily thinks of his "O, my

Love's like a red, red rose, That's newly sprung in June: O my Love's like a melodie That's sweetly

(I loved a certain person ardently and my love was unreturned, Yet out of my love have I written these

hardly patience with a man who could offer the public lines like these, and call them poetry: "I tucked my

trowser-ends into my boots, and went and had a good time."

('Just now I am finishing a big volume of about 900 pages comprehending all my stuff, poems and prose

Now he writes, "Have not been out-doors for over six months—hardly out of my room, but get along better

Or in "A Carol closing Sixty-nine':— "Of me myself—the jocund heart yet beating in my breast, The body

old, poor, and paralysed—the strange inertia falling pall-like round me, The burning fires down in my

And in another passage (in the introductory essay) he says—'No one will get at my verses who insists

I do not mean by that that The Century is my ideal of a magazine: it is ideal of a kind: that's what

I had my own way of looking upon the transactions of that exciting period: I did not want to see them

appetite—to spoil my supper."

My brother George was much more excited at that time than I was: George, now up there at Burlington:

I was afraid of Ripley but Reid confirmed my impression that Greeley is or has been favorable, and he

"If I could get out, this thing would better adjust itself—but my getting out is wholly uncertain."

I know, Tom, you are able to set that into order without my help."

He was not unmindful of the good-feeling intended—"only, I am an invalid—all knocked up—careful of my

As to photos mounted—he came nearer my own fears. "This card will never get out straight.

I wish he had followed my own hints on this point—chosen a board more like that I sent him.

In fact: "When I got into the hall—up the fine broad stairway—had my seat there at the table—a good bottle

So they set to and transported me without the least effort on my part—chair and all.

It is the usual fate of my things upstairs."

"I shall go for a few minutes into the parlor, then up to my den."

It was in such a way he retorted: and I adopt the story, as fitting my coat!"

I expressed my high value put on the poem, and spoke of its "power." This appeared to strike him.

In the Herald days, though they presented on to fifty of my pieces, never but once or twice—probably

It is evidently drawn to my order—intended for me—I ought to have it."

I said, "In reading of the terrific loss there—ten millions or more—my first wonder was, that a town

I feel I must return to my first love. The summary is brief, yet always definite and satisfactory.

Day by day, in these older years of my life, I see how lucky I was that I was myself thrown out early

I was in a sense a boy of the farm and the streets; it was my fate, my good fate.

Sometimes I do my duty: not always: not because I live by any special method. Duty, duty.

They talked about matter of fact things in a matter of fact way—about their aunts and uncles and my aunts

When I got up to leave and went across the room to W. he took and held my hand and said very seriously

He murmured a "good morning," but I decided not to press my presence.Talcott Williams writes with his

last fund remittance: "I enclose my check for a dearly loved service." 1:20 P.M.

"No, not in the least: my days are dreadful—dreadful." "With pain?"

I turned to W. and gave him my "Good night," which he returned, raising his hand, which I kissed as he

of its poets.Tell W. that I beg of him to give me through you a little light to help me forward with my

As she mentioned the course of her walk, I started, for a dim fear took possession of my mind, to which

"Did you," gasped I faintly, as the name struck my ear, and a feeling of deadly sickness crept over my

I was almost out of my senses with agony and alarm.

But time pressed, and lifting that form so dear to me, in my arms, I bore her into the planter's residence

I shall not think it worth while for my story, to give a minute account of the lady's illness.

Orleans, San Francisco, The departing ships, when the sailors heave at the capstan; —Evening—me in my

room—the setting sun, The setting summer sun shining in my open window, showing the swarm of flies,

, futurity, In space, the sporades, the scatter'd islands, the stars— on the firm earth, the lands, my

thereof—and no less in myself than the whole of the Mannahatta in itself, Singing the song of These, my

my lands are inevitably united, and made ONE IDENTITY; Nativities, climates, the grass of the great

bugle-calls, Trooping tumultuous, filling the midnight late, bending me power- less powerless , Entering my

2 Come forward O my soul, and let the rest retire, Listen, lose not, it is toward thee they tend, Parting

the midnight, entering my slumber-chamber, For thee they sing and dance O soul.

cannot tell itself.) 3 Ah from a little child, Thou knowest soul how to me all sounds became music, My

6 Then I woke softly, And pausing, questioning awhile the music of my dream, And questioning all those

New Orleans, San Francisco, The departing ships, when the sailors heave at the capstan; Evening—me in my

room—the setting sun, The setting summer sun shining in my open window, showing me flies, suspended,

, futurity, In space, the sporades, the scattered islands, the stars —on the firm earth, the lands, my

less in myself than the whole of the Manna- hatta Mannahatta in itself, Singing the song of These, my

ever united lands —my body no more inevitably united, part to part, and made one identity, any more

bugle-calls, Trooping tumultuous, filling the midnight late, bending me power- less powerless , Entering my

2 Come forward O my soul, and let the rest retire, Listen, lose not, it is toward thee they tend, Parting

the midnight, entering my slumber-chamber, For thee they sing and dance O soul.

cannot tell itself.) 3 Ah from a little child, Thou knowest soul how to me all sounds became music, My

6 Then I woke softly, And pausing, questioning awhile the music of my dream, And questioning all those

New Orleans, San Francisco, The departing ships, when the sailors heave at the capstan; Evening—me in my

room—the setting sun, The setting summer sun shining in my open window, showing the swarm of flies,

, futurity, In space, the sporades, the scattered islands, the stars —on the firm earth, the lands, my

less in myself than the whole of the Manna- hatta Mannahatta in itself, Singing the song of These, my

my lands are inevitably united, and made ONE IDENTITY; Nativities, climates, the grass of the great

Now I, who so love to see my neighbors happy," the hunchback grinned, "could not bear that the pretty

I approached, and told him my errand.

He took my letter—and then asked me into his hut; for it was near at hand.

He put before me some drink and meat, and then, though he spoke not, I saw he wished my departure.

"And now you have all of my story—and I must go, for it is time Peter Brown received his answer."

Although one additional poem, "Come, said my Soul," would later be restored to the Leaves as epigraph

Between the poems and the essay, filling pages 405–422, appeared the second annex, "Good-Bye my Fancy

of his long labors: "L. of G. at last complete—after 33 y'rs of hackling at it, all times & moods of my

work, books especially, has pass'd; and waiting till fully after that, I have given (pages 423–438) my

by the 1889 text of the poems of Leaves of Grass; the two annexes, "Sands at Seventy" and "Good-Bye my

They have taken up my principal time and labor for some months past.

I always carry some, cut up in small plugs, in my pocket.

I thought I would include in my letter a few cases of soldiers, especially interesting, out of my note-book

, but I find my story has already been spun out to sufficient length.

Nor do I find it ended by my doing some good to the sick and dying soldiers.

Have you studied out MY LAND, its idioms and men?

What is this you bring my America? Is it uniform with my country?

in your and my name, the Present time.

Open mouth of my Soul, uttering gladness, Eyes of my Soul, seeing perfection, Natural life of me, faithfully

To prepare for sleep, for bed—to look on my rose- colored flesh, To be conscious of my body, so amorous

friend, my lover, was coming, then o I was happy; each breath tasted sweeter—and all that day my food

The poet’s fluid movement between the singular “my friend, my lover” and the more indefinite “a friend

“I know my words are weapons, full of danger, full of death,” the poet declares in “as I lay with my

“Touch me, touch the palm of your hand to my body as I pass, / Be not afraid of my body,” says the naked

legs and his tongue was in my bellybutton. and then when he was tickling my fundament just behind the

instance, to the boys—the messenger boys—who came often, he would put his hands on their shoulders—say, 'My

or 'Sit down there, my son,' something in that way, with a radiant kindliness, humanity—in a natural

O'Connor, always, and from the first—and my claim always belongs and there was the curious great Russian

I signed them, when signed at all, with my last name—Whitman—Whitman alone!

A sort of silk tape about a quarter of an inch in width—yellow was my color—I used to get it—took delight

this letter from Gilder: Editorial DepartmentThe Century MagazineUnion Square, New YorkMarch 3rd, 1892.My

My best love to Walt.Yours sincerely,R. W. Gilder Thought best to wait—not refer to W. just now.

My work great—from early morning to midnight—putting correspondence in all the odd moments of all the

and with my "oh yes!" I was instantly at the bed and grasped his reaching hand.

Heine, "The moon is up and shining," and he continued, "In the old days it was such an hour I took for my

I am now pretty near the end of my own history, but mark what I have said—it is the gospel of our democracy—the

JohnstonWe have told Wallace of the proposal mentioned in my last letter to you but he says No to it!

W.: "I can realize that abstractly without connecting it with my own person. Yes, I see it."

My business is to be—the rest will come as a matter of course, a necessary incident!"

W. continued on the bed throughout my stay. Tuesday, July 14, 1891

Perhaps he will not pay that, but that is my price." Gave me last number of Review of Reviews.

Some of your late prose has not been to my mind up to your standard—but your verse has not fallen off

excursion but I doubt if it comes to anything—I really have no plans at present—think perhaps it may end in my

But tell me when you want to come and I will keep that in my head in making plans.As far as I myself

That was my impression. It has left a pain with me: I can hardly shake it off. But the letter—oh!

Now I suppose that you would like to know how I enjoy my self: Well I go out most every day but I do

Hospital at Georgetown, so we aint got so many shoulder strapes hear, but we have got enough yet for my

My leg is rather worse this morning & the Doctor sayes that I must stay in bed to day, so I suppose that

Well I think my letter is getting full long as I must begin to think about closing.

scaffold all up—I have not bin up to the Capitol for some time, but probily I will go up on Monday if my

You objects that call from diffusion my meanings and give them shape!

Why are there men and women that while they are nigh me, the sun-light expands my blood?

Why, when they leave me, do my pennants of joy sink flat and lank?

It is safe—I have tried it—my own feet have tried it well. Allons! Be not detained!

I give you my hand!

You objects that call from diffusion my meanings and give them shape!

Why, when they leave me, do my pennants of joy sink flat and lank?

My call is the call of battle—I nourish active re- bellion rebellion ?

It is safe—I have tried it—my own feet have tried it well. Allons! Be not detain'd!

I give you my hand!

he saw a carrier in Bedford aven Avenue so i thought you was worse and the thoughts that run through my

with symptoms that Walt had listed in an early February letter: he had described a "severe cold in my

Earlier in the month, Walt Whitman reported a "severe cold in my head" and "bad spells, dizziness" (see

sixty-five poems that had originally appeared in November Boughs (1888); while the second, "Good-Bye my

Whitman occasionally referred to Stafford as "My (adopted) son" (as in a December 13, 1876, letter to

The evenings are my best times." The Jane Carlyle lay open face down on the floor.

My dear and great Walt.As you did not come up yesterday afternoon I did not expect you today.I hope to

I could convey no idea to you how it affects my soul.

means the best, highest, most natural, most effective form of expression.I salute you as the poet of my

heart, my intellect, my ideality, my life.Yours,J.

Had kept letter open in order to include my Philadelphia address.

My eye is now under battery treatment (assault and battery treatment, you would think to look at it!)

and just as soon as I can recover my sight a little better, I will plunge into the volume, which now

you have turned my memory back to an old story. Did I ever tell you?

Well, that day, with Dana: the instant I saw him, I made for him, talked my loudest, saying: 'What in

"I count this one of my very best days, taking it altogether."

"That's pretty good for my book," he said. I had a proof of the title portrait with me at last.

The master asked him: 'Are you sure, now, that you have everything belonging to me—every scrap of my

and the man looked at him and answered: 'Yes, my lord—at least!'

Give my love to the O'Connors.Good bye. Your friend,J. T. Trowbridge. Tuesday, October 23, 1888.

I have it in my memorandum book here—the date: can get it if we need to.

I guess I made it evident I wouldn't turn a damned inch on my heel for any of them."

that's my method: I rarely write on the reverse side of the sheet.

"I see you know without my telling you. Well, do it that way.

In reply to my expressed suspicion that there was someone on the Christian Union interested in ignoring

The Emerson letters were brought out (I had them in my pocket) and read aloud—Frank Williams the 1855

On my way to Camden we debated whether to go to W.'s at all.

I am here with most of my duds off—have been taking a wash, bath. Now must take care myself."

Then suddenly looking over my way (I was hid by the round table, piled full, that was between us, and

I would like to look at it at my leisure and long." After which our good-byes.