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You would want bits here and there in outline of my aims, purposes, whatever?"

the plan he has outlined is a good one, though what you tell me of the picture he will use excites my

It was one of my peculiar experiences." Had been working on some poems today.

Here he handed me Sylvester Baxter's letter, reading thus:Boston, July 30, 1890.My dear friend:That young

I did not ask any question, I rarely do, but I put in—"I wish it was my privilege"—something in my manner

"Yes—I shall read it with interest—anything from Castelar has a flavor to my taste.

And then: "I often enough take into my mouth again and chew on Elias Hicks' saying that as for him, he

"This element of 'profound sympathy with humanity' arouses my suspicions.

Yes, my experience with humorists is, that they are all of the more serious color.

days; it seemed the necessity with some to make me so—to make me what I was not, the better to defeat my

He traded for years on my name—on his resemblance to me—got drinks by the use of this resemblance.

I don't know if time and my own thought will justify that opinion—though it is not improbable.

My invitation to attend some sort of Whitman meeting, uptown [Philadelphia] Wednesday—residence of Adams

get up—whispered, 'Get on your feet—show yourself, if no more' or something of that sort—so up I got—my

In talking with Thomas Sergeant Perry last night we fell to discussing your work, and to my delight I

Howells and he were two of my most honored friends."

understand: why, I am as much as anybody a weigher, investigator—questioning significances—anxious to get at my

I have spent a fearfully depressed day—one of my worst—everything heavy, uncertain, whirling.

But my idea is, that Shakespeare, Browning, unexpressibly grand as their work has been, are democrats

Bonsall may be mistaken—but my guess now would be that it's a good sample of the damned sneaking editorial

My dear Traubel: The lecture referred to by Bush is simply an address that the Colonel gave before a

Adding, with his finger up, "And this time my shorthand man: don't forget!"

And to my "yes," consented.

You know my notions. Make him understand them. I have to trust mainly to you anyway."

I was going along Pennsylvania Avenue one day—in my usual easy-go-lucky way—this way and that—taking

that time, asked me about some dates, saying very frankly, 'You are an old printer and will appreciate my

My school boy reminiscences are not of the brightest—in fact I look on the guides of the rising generation

enlarge, as orators often do, on the dignity and responsibility of the educational vocation; but for my

part I would prefer to see my subject in a wider and more public sphere of usefulness than that afforded

INSANE ASYLUM LONDON ONTARIO 16 Sep. 1891 My dear Walt Whitman / Our friend H.L.T. set rather a bad precedent

immediately after my coming here!

He forwarded me a letter from my old school chum, & dear friend always, Fred Wild.

"No one will get at my verses who insists upon viewing them as a literary performance, or attempt at

"I am not literary, my books are not literature," he proclaimed to Horace Traubel (With Walt Whitman

"The whole drift of my books is to form a new race of fuller & athletic yet unknown characters, men &

ON my Northwest coast in the midst of the night a fishermen's group stands watching, Out on the lake

ON my Northwest coast in the midst of the night a fishermen's group stands watching, Out on the lake

[Whitman wrote to ask that copies of "A Backward Glance on My Own Road" be sent to Edward Dowden, John

Camden New Jersey Saturday Night Jan 14 '88 My best respects & thanks to you, & to the Club—but I am

Camden New Jersey October 1 1884 Received from Critic Fifteen Dollars for my piece " What Lurks " &c—

I spend my evenings mostly in the office. Walt Whitman to Anson Ryder, Jr., [1868?]

ON my northwest coast in the midst of the night, a fishermen's group stands watching; Out on the lake

My days I sing, and lands Lands —with interstice I knew of hapless war War .

Inflating my throat—you, divine average!

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

communed to- gether together Mine too such wild arrays, for reasons of their own; Was't charged against my

Skirting the river road, (my forenoon walk, my rest,) Skyward in air a sudden muffled sound, the dalliance

That sport'st amid the lightning flash and thunder cloud, In them, in thy experiences, had'st thou my

friend over there in the Truebner establishment" [he pronounced it Trubner with diphthong, and bore with my

My enthusiastic description of the day aroused him so that he flung the window sash all the way up.

I used to count him one of my best friends on the river."

"You know them all," he said, when I shook my head over some names he mentioned.

of having received the pocket edition—but never says a word about the dinner—evidently had not got my

W. had said at the outset: "As they say at Washington, I will give the matter my thoughtful consideration

Not that I thought much about it—only, that was my impression, gathered of long doubt and dubiosity.

There came at the end of one month there, a check for my usual amount—the usual stipend.

For one thing, it gives me a wedge-shaped head—yet my head is not wedge-shaped—nor is the bust: if anything

, my head is rather chunky."

The Herald brings back one of the good stories of my dear Daddy: there was a man named Smith, or something

, who ran off, owing a lot of money, among others to my father—perhaps a hundred dollars or so to him

perhaps there was not something in him after all—but much that has lately been happening has disappointed my

Harrison has been lately playing a constant part—a devilish, picayune part—worthy of him—worthy of my

original idea of him, unworthy of my hope.

Scott at first protested that he would not go up at all, but finally went, on my assurance that he might

In the Shakespeare matter, my sympathies are with the fellows who are disturbed, chaotic, off rudderless

But for my part I go with the sinners who are not so damned sure—who do not feel willing to swear we

And as for a message, "Give him my dearest love. Tell him we think he has scored a great triumph.

Likewise a letter from Johnston (N.Y.), "quite a long one for John," which he felt should go among my

Gave him account of my talk with McKay. W.'

Johnston, I will keep mine for my own immediate people. Mary has that one copy downstairs now."

It is my idea: I won't let you have it for yourself alone."

And will you use my '72 L. of G. as sample? If not wd. you please send the '72 to me?

:New York, Sept 19, 1890 My Dear Traubel:Fire away.

"That was pretty near my first thought, though I went it even worse than that.

And still again, "Not even in my good humor can I altogether get rid of the notion that Holmes felt:

think that Whittier's paper will pass," and he added that he felt he could "thoroughly reciprocate" my

My dear Mr.

John's Wood, London NW1 March 1891Dear Traubel,You were very prompt in getting my small unreasonableness

The Foreign & Colonial business of the Post Office is my "bread & butter" life as you call it; & this

Give him my love, and believe me to beVery sincerely yoursH.

W. said immediately as to my cold hand, "How good that is! How it takes me out of doors.

This hand of yours has become my daily escape from these walls!"

He brought me my proof—there"—pointing to a chair in which I could faintly catch its long line—"and I

You remember my old story—that every woman, every man—has his or her mate, waiting somewhere on the globe

and let one line of my poems contra- dict contradict another!

tain-high mountain-high ; Brazen effrontery, scheming, rolling like ocean's waves around and upon you, O my

my lands!

Let him who is without my poems be assassinated!

better than she had for years before, I hope she will continue to feel so, (I think I mentioned in my

thousand dollars he is comeing north, And I too am saveing all I can get I give Walter five dollars (my

peice a foot square  So ended all that Monday April 24th By this mornings mail I received a letter from my

I shall write to you again pretty soon, untill then good bye your son Jefferson Whitman My love to Mary

Come, my tan-faced children, Follow well in order, get your weapons ready; Have you your pistols?

For we cannot tarry here, We must march my darlings, we must bear the brunt of danger, We, the youthful

O my breast aches with ten- der tender love for all!

See, my children, resolute children, By those swarms upon our rear, we must never yield or falter, Ages

I too with my soul and body, We, a curious trio, picking, wandering on our way, Through these shores,

I quoted John's phrase: "Try life my own master."

I had the letter in my pocket. I said: "I want to read a line or two from O'Connor's letter."

My eye got open at last but is still bleary and bad.

My present trial is a festered penfinger, sore as death, and preventing me writing.

It is one of my afflictions, though without pain.

And as to the complaint made against my piece that it was too strong, "Well, why should we not be strong

I would like to add my own, but do not feel able this year.

Tell me also if you think Walts changes good to pull through the summer.I am very busy in my vineyards

, but hope to find time to get off a week or so in JulyIf Walt could come here & occupy part of my old

It is the old, old story: woe be to the man who believes in any doxy that is not mine—does not wear my

"I feel as if every bone in my body was being shaken up."

W. said to him, "The last 15 hours have been the worst in my experience."

This last day has been the worst in my history—and it's been a hard history, some parts of it."

So I tried my own hand in the box in the corner and really found half a dozen.

Also I have your "Telegram"—many thanks.Now as for my attitude towards Arthur Stedman and his book?

though I lie so sleepy and sluggish, my tap is death" (1855, p. 74).

man who claims or takes the power to own another man as his property, stabs me in that the heart of my

own The one scratches me a little on the cheek forehead , the other draws his murderous razor through my

t T hat black and huge lethargic mass, my sportsmen, dull and sleepy as it seems, has holds the lightning

eventually titled "Song of Myself": "Buying drafts of Osiris and Isis and Belus and Brahma and Adonai, / In my

And I would not have my wife come hither, at least at present—for I think of no good she can do.

Tell me, Father Luke, how long do you think will be the duration of my illness?"

But judging from the best of my knowledge, I may be able to recover you in three days, so that you can

At this very moment you are falling into a fever which will require all my watchfulness.

Now, my son, compose yourself to sleep."

buildings which form so common a style of residences of the moderately "well-off" Southerners—especially of my

In the other sub-valley (my term) the big, broad mountain and gentle undulations of the valley itself

grown men The Negroes are mostly in two c lusters about two or three miles northeast and southwest of my

My mother was married at 26 and died 29, the day I was born—she of a family of ters from Virginia —her

audiences—you can that disposition to give away all you —you can travel, see more of the world, see me and my

there's not more to be known: I don't absolutely adopt his theory—in fact, any man's theories, even my

W. said: "That is exactly right—that is my time." Prepared today to insure our sheets.

Whitman my kind regards and hopes for his returning strength.I remain, yours,G. M.

Well, give him my love: that is real: and if he is satisfied to be the happy owner of my love he owns

New Haven, Conn.,July 1, 1885.My dear Whitman:I see by the papers that you may be going to England.

Upon the distraction which filled my breast, when it was found in the morning that the widow had died—and

If you leave me, my heart will crack!" Then in a whisper: "O, never tell me of her kindness.

Never in all my life did I receive such a shock, as when authentic information was first brought me of

I shut myself up in my room for several days, waiting the conclusion of all these horrible circumstances

I have already dwelt long enough, and too long, on this part of my history.

So with wool-hat crushed in my hand behind me, for the sundown breezes felt good, there on old "Clover

I took my time, and expanded to the glory spread over heaven and earth.

It seemed as if all that the eye could bear, were unequal to the fierce voracity of my soul for intense

His feelings were not returned. with all her blandishments, never touched my heart in the least.

I write as I feel; and I feel that there are not a few who will pronounce a Yes to my own confessions

—at last I accept your terms; Bringing to practical, vulgar tests, of all my ideal dreams, And of me,

for something to repre- sent represent the new race, our self-poised Democracy, Therefore I send you my

Camden Dave, I see according to my tally & memoranda book I have furnish'd you eight (8) big books b'd—You

328 Mickle Street Camden New Jersey Dec. 28 '87 Thanks, my dear friend, for your kind letter & (Christmas

for something to repre- sent represent the new race, our self-poised Democracy, Therefore I send you my

—at last I accept your terms; Bringing to practical, vulgar tests, of all my ideal dreams, And of me,

Was intercepted by the circus parade on Federal Street on my way down.

W. had heard the bands, and asked me about it on my coming. He sat in his room, not doing anything.

We talked of my interview with McKay yesterday afternoon.

was mad that people would not see what he thought he saw in it and said: 'Give it to me—give it in my

a poem to be read at the debuting, adventing, of a big affair—a big exposition; is now included in my

All my intimate friends who have known me for many years—know well enough that that appearance of age

Some have said to me that I look younger now than I did in my youth.

Ingram came in and stayed about fifteen minutes during my stay.

That is my surmise only—of course—but I am willing to bet on it.

W. said: "You have my card?—make use of it!"