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My answer to it has crossed the letter enclosing yours.

For myself, after some five years work on a book concerning my own especial art, I am now waiting the

Box 1188 May 19, 1875 My dear Whitman, Why have I not written to you? Why has not Spring come?

Aug: 21, 1875 My dear Whitman: First—how are you getting on?

Whitman referred to Rossetti's edition as a "horrible dismemberment of my book" in his August 12, 1871

My dear Sir.

think of you, and I am sure that it affords me much more than that to give this personal expression to my

say entirely my own way, and put it unerringly on record."

In another place the feeling of pride leads to this exclamation: "My Book and I—what a period we have

These snowy hairs, my feeble arm, my frozen feet, For them thy faith, thy role I take, and grave it to

Whitman referred to Rossetti's edition as a "horrible dismemberment of my book" in his August 12, 1871

would have made me feel miserable were it not that before then the matter had already been set right, & my

My first letter to you was written too much from the impulse of the moment; &, finding soon after from

Not one syllable of any one of your poems, as presented in my selection, will be altered or omitted:

To be by your friendship is as great a satisfaction & distinction as my life has presented or ever can

acquiesce in the express views he takes of late years of particular questions wd be simply to abnegate my

My dear Sir, Allow me with the deepest reverence & true affection to thank you for the copy of your complete

My selection was settled more than a month ago, & is now going thro' the press .

I shall always hold it one of the truest & most prized distinctions of my writing career to be associated

A glance at the Sunday Times notice recalls to my attention a sentence therein I sh.d should perhaps

30, 1868, Whitman informed Ralph Waldo Emerson that "Proud Music of the Storm" was "put in type for my

My dear Sir, Your letter of 22 Novr. reached me the other day thro' Mr. Conway .

I think the most convenient course may be for me first to state the facts about my Selection.

publisher told me that he projected bringing out a selection from your poems, & (in consequence of my

My Prefatory Notice explains my principle of selection to exactly the same effect as given in this present

I had previously given it a title of my own, "Nocturn for the Death of Lincoln"; & in my Prefatory Notice

editorial decisions, which included editing potentially objectionable content and removing entire poems: "My

I know I am glad that your selections were put into my hands first, so that I was lifted up by them to

As he told you, there is a chance—not as yet more than a chance—that I may make my way over the Atlantic

been in frequent written com munication on this subject, &, if I hear from you in terms to warrant, my

—I don't well know when my American Selection will be out: my work on it is done, & the rest depends

I sent on the copy of your works transmitted for "The Lady," after some little delay occasioned by my

seems very considerably impressed with the objects & matter of interest in London: I wish it might be my

previously published in Leaves of Grass, "Passage to India" was Whitman's attempt to "celebrate in my

…My brain is too sensitive.

trip with some friends, one of them being the daughter, whom I had known from childhood, of one of my

My wife is greatly interested in you & what concerns you, & bids me not fail to say that she "admires

that her sister, then perhaps barely 17 years of age, seemed more fascinated with your poems, when my

Last month I for the first time in my life faced a public audience (in Birmingham) to deliver a lecture—on

criticism . . . after full retrospect of his works and life, the aforesaid 'odd-kind chiel' remains to my

My dear Mr.

gladly avail myself of so tempting an opening for saying that I am the same—& shall feel confident that my

indeed it cannot have needed telling—that you were a very principal subject of our discourse, & of my

friends amply share my feeling.

My vol. volume of Selections from American Poets doesn't seem likely to be published yet awhile.

editorial decisions, which included editing potentially objectionable content and removing entire poems: "My

chance of enlisting purchasers at such high prices much diminished, I shd should already have drawn up my

My own sympathy (far unlike that of most Englishmen) was very strongly with the Commune—i.e. with extreme

Cozens, without waiting for actual receipt of the money— wh. which , as before stated, is in my hands

The only reason why, contrary to my usual practice, I have so long delayed sending it on to you is that

I enter into all these tiresome details because an explanation of my delay is due to you: but I fear

Adams my last news of your health, & enclosing also a copy of my last circular (summer of 1876) regarding

I can but repeat my delight in this prospect, were it to be realized, & my wife's hope & my own that

Whitman referred to Rossetti's edition as a "horrible dismemberment of my book" in his August 12, 1871

Specimen Days vol. volume right thro: finding various new things, & continual pleasure in reviewing my

My mother is still with us—aged nearly 85: health & facul ties sound on the whole, but naturally bowed

I have also scanned with a good deal of attention (that of complete re-reading) my old & constant admiration

, the Leaves of Grass I observe that some edition (I think the Philadelphia edition is named, but my

is not under my hand at the moment for reference) is mentioned as the only final & complete form of Leaves

Whitman, late in life, said to Horace Traubel: "[I] take my Ruskin with some qualifications."

Since I wrote last to you little sums have been accumulating in my hands: I enclose an account of them

Rossetti of November 30, 1885, he has little positive to say about his health: "nothing new with me, only my

October has been with me some little while, during wh. which my leisure has been of the scantiest.

You say: "I suppose you got my postals on sending the books to J.A. Rose."

To the best of my recollection I never did get these: I am aware however that as a matter of fact Rose

I feel ashamed for my colleagues the English men of the press that the Editor of the Examiner sh d .

all that he says about you: the rest of the book I have had to leave unread as yet, in the press of my

Whitman referred to Rossetti's edition as a "horrible dismemberment of my book" in his August 12, 1871

It escaped me to mention in my previous letter that a Mr.

Dear Whitman, This note is written beforehand, in expectation of my paying-in tomorrow at a Post-Office

the ￡33.16.6. wh. which I named to you in my recent letter.

The postal order, on my obtaining it, will be enclosed herein, & dispatched to you.

Since the date of my last something further has come in: it will be accounted for at a future opportunity

On 13 Jany I expect to leave London, & stay some four weeks with my family at the Clarendon Hotel, Ventnor

I look round the circle of my acquaintance for her equal.

I shall always esteem it a privilege to have borne my small share in testifying the respect & gratitude

My wife & children are away at Ventnor (Isle of Wight), as the London winter threatened to be too much

for my wife's delicate chest.

The order (as you are aware) does not pass thro' my own hands.

Carpenter —who paid two long visits at my house, & whom I liked much, obtaining from him numerous details

G before now, but for incessant occupations, & in the last 2 mos. months much anxiety regarding my brother's

I shd should have said that the £4.12. was the only money now actually in my hands on your account.

Whitman referred to Rossetti's edition as a "horrible dismemberment of my book" in his August 12, 1871

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

The sums which have as yet come into my hands as Treasurer are £22.2.6.

Aldrich (1828–1908) was an ornithologist, a member of the Iowa House of Representatives, an infantry captain

I received your book some three weeks ago when I was preparing for my half yearly examinations and as

Advertiser Office Boston Aug. 1 1887 My dear Sir: I have lately been spending happy days with my dear

Returning home I found on my table the papers and pamphlet, and photogravure photograph of yourself,

The portrait hangs now on my wall in my little book-lined den at Waltham, where I may see it whenever

I raise my eyes from my work.

With profound gratitude for your especial notice of my faulty work, and a deep sense of obligation for

have just returned home last eve[ning] from Washington, being there to see about getting the body of my

"Walt Whitman" My dear Sir On Oct 12th (Discovery day falls this year on Sunday) our Pan Republic Congress

10 th 89 O Good Gray Poet, When I read the notes on your life made by Ernest Rhys the tears came to my

feeling of the boundlessness of the universe, of the greatness of a man—perhaps, only perhaps, it may be my

glory to help others to "justify" your work; it surely is my heart's desire.

My excuse for writing you is the sending of a book; a first utterance, called "Voices & Undertones"—it

Whitman in the early 1990s, and it took more than ten years and at least a thousand dollars to complete my

I have sometimes used the while working on scholarly essays when I am away from my home institution.

short & if you can register the parcel so as to render safer its receipt by me, pray do so & increase my

I have lent my copy to others.

Now you may call me a fool for my request, but if you will comply with it, I shall be just as well satisfied

I wish to frame it, to hang in my room, in company with a autograph of Charles Mackay, another of my

"As for poetry, my boy, listen to this."

Now, however, I put my faith in humanity.

He said simply but without petulance, and as if he rather pitied my intelligence: "Of course my poetry

And, after all, in "O Captain! my Captain!"

At the time of my acquaintance I could not lay my finger on any more definite example of this than his

thought of your cordial invitation to me to write to you, but I have waited until I have got settled into my

Without much trouble I found a sunny room in Cambridge and having at last got my books within reach I

It is pleasant to be my own master again, and to be able, for the present at least, to follow my inclinations

—But I must stop, first, because you may find my garrulity tedious, and second, because the clocks have

Commemoration Ode," which has often, since its publication, been contrasted with Whitman's own tribute, "O Captain

My Captain!" For further information on Whitman's views of Lowell, see William A.

LIPPINCOTT'S MONTHLY MAGAZINE Philadelphia, Sept 16th. 188 6 My dear Sir: Your article, "My Book and

I have been purposing to call over to see you, but my days are pretty well engaged and I am afraid of

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

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.

"Publish my name and hang up my picture as that of the tenderest lover." — Leaves of Grass .

To my reminiscences of the poet in his later years, and my description of his homes and haunts, let me

The deeply felt emotion with which "My Captain" is read invariably brings tears to the eyes of hearers

My health is reasonably good."

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

I for my part will advise him to collect and send on the whole amount as soon as he possibly can.

I am sure we shall all be quite satisfied with yr plans, for my part I am pleased that you are going

arranged that my contribution be my expenses to Camden & board bills there helping you get domicilled

(I built my own study out in Ohio when a lad).

But I shan't impart my surmise to any one else.

My Dear Whitman— I return the J. Burroughs Book. & the pamphlet with thanks.

The Burroughs book fed me on my journey home, so that I had to buy no other reading.

I shall cherish the memory of that blessed January 2nd '85 to the end of my days.

I must send you my N. Orleans articles. My Creole article in Lit.

it be the means of my being able to publish it. Dr.

It tickles my diaphragm to see you run huge subsoil prairie plough so deep down under the feet of the

My heart, at least, swells with gladness & pride on account of honors this winter.

I can't for my poor self at any rate.

I send you by this mail my paper—"The New Ars Poetica" I want you to read it, &, if you think best, ask

strange feeling of the educative and epoch-making nature of your style (poetical); & I am confident that my

What do you think of my performance? I wish the libret might even be bound.

He asked what had become of my article. Paper (Camden) Thanks aff affectionately W.S. Kennedy.

Belmont Mass Aug '85 My Dear Friend: You are very kind to remember Kennedy— yr your son by adoption &

My indebtedness to you—estimating values by all that makes life high & noble—is simply boundless.

Your confidential item abt about royalties also makes me glad & wrings my heart at the same time.

The $13. is a pure business debt. $5000. represents my soul indebtedness to Walt Whitman, who is the

the Universe as a whole I can sympathize as to copyrights; I have not rec'd received a cent yet for my

volumes of Horace Traubel's With Walt Whitman in Camden (various publishers: 1906–1996) and Whitman's "My

Belmont Mass Dec 2 '85 My Dear Whitman— Maugre yr your wholesome advice, (exc. that I put in a page on

you & Hugo—parallelism of poetic-technique en-avant freshness &c) I have done gone & published my essay

I set up every stick of it mesilf indade , & corrected my proofs ( wh. which I'll have you know) were

Well, I have learned just enough to set up this & my poems (Heaven bless the mark—"poems" quotha,—I wd'nt

Whitman referred to Rossetti's edition as a "horrible dismemberment of my book" in his August 12, 1871

Eve (I free from the gnarring of the finite at my heels).

I wont weary you by saying more than to express my heartfelt sympathy & thankfulness & good wishes .

My dear father-confessor, I feel a strong desire to be clasped closer to yr your breast, to know my friend

—Well, there, my eye lights on my memorandum of it.

I have not time to copy out my translation. affec. as always W.S.

I offer my congratulations in advance.

that item about my reading proofs) before I give him the MS.

But my chief reliance is on my pen at present.

In the mean time, calmly, toilingly, ohne hast, ohne rast, working away on my literary chef-d-oeuvre,

"Whitman, the Poet of Humanity,"—here in my idyllic, noiseless home-cottage.

Wish I cd could send you some of the pinks, accept my love instead in return for yours, as something

You renovate & cheerify my ethical nature every time I visit you. WS Kennedy.