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sake, Of departing—of the growth of a mightier race than any yet, Of myself, soon, perhaps, closing up my

The States—but I cannot tell whither or how long; Perhaps soon, some day or night while I am singing, my

Then my realities; What else is so real as mine?

done and gone, we remain; There is no final reliance but upon us; Democracy rests finally upon us, (I, my

Inflating my throat—you, divine average! You, Earth and Life, till the last ray gleams, I sing.

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- color'd rose-color'd flesh, To be conscious of my body

How my thoughts play subtly at the spectacles around! How the clouds pass silently overhead!

win- dows windows , my eyes, As I went forth in the morning—As I beheld the light breaking in the east

I remember I said, before my leaves sprang at all, I would raise my voice jocund and strong, with re-

con- tribute contribute to them, When breeds of the most perfect mothers denote America, Then to me my

I have press'd through in my own right, I have offer'd my style to every one—I have journey'd with confident

step, While my pleasure is yet at the full, I whisper, So long!

Remember my words—I love you—I depart from materials, I am as one disembodied, triumphant, dead.

A happy New Year, my dear friend!—And here is a lot of luck for your new vol. of "Leaves."

It is at my room 419 N.Y. av. . Please call for it. Yours truly Geo. F.

is covered with snow here, looks wintry enough—cold weather, but somehow I like it—I have no fire in my

See John Townsend Trowbridge, My Own Story (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1903), 265–67.

I wrote in my last letter that I had met her son Willy in the street, Monday Jan. 7, & he told me she

Well good bye, dear mother—& give my love to George, & Jeff, & Matty, & all. Walt.

and other imaginary trobles troubles , or as I once heard a young Baptist deacon Say—"I won't have my

my dear friend, there is no investment that will pay like this. Do you See it?

In looking over if find I have rather neglected female young America in my Asylum remarks; Altho' she

18 Jan 66 thursday Thursday januar January 17th My dear walt we are all as well as usual and have got

the smoke that helps her very quik quick off those bad spels spells good bie walter dear Jeffy makes my

No report has, within my knowledge, been made to you from this office, in relation to any violations

I had provided a big molasses pound cake for supper—but the snow was too hard, & the wind right in my

I spend quite a good deal of time, evenings & Sundays, in the office at my desk, as I can get in the

of law, mostly—but we have five or six hundred miscellaneous works—I have described to you before, my

quite bright & pleasant—I am feeling well as usual—It looks like winter at the far north as I look from my

Mason, who "used to be in my party on the Water Works."

But my kind Old Friend you must not think that because I wrote to you and mentioned it, that I wish you

myself in debt six hundred dollars and finally came to the conclusion that it was time I closed up my

business, so I did so about the first of July last, and am now at work at my trade in a Piano Forte

& Melodeon Manufactory and find that it pays me better than business on my own book.

Now I think I have given you a good statement of my situation and hope it will be to your satisfaction

I am a married man but I am not happy for my disposition is not right.

21, 1867, Wilson acknowledged Whitman's reply of April 12, 1867: "I do not want you to misunderstand my

motives in writing to you of my Situation & feelings as I did in my last letter or else I shall have

to be more guarded in my letters to you.

I wrote so because you wanted me to write how I was situated, and give you my mind without reserve, and

20 Jan. 1867 sunday Sunday afternoon my dear Walt i must write you a few lines and only a few to let

you know how we are i can hardly write on account of lameness in my right arm down toward my wrist it

redug between this and the great trenches it looks like destruction ) we are all pretty well except my

arm and sis she aint ain't very well she is by my side asleep in the rocking chair its very rare for

must be pretty tough up there on that bleak hill—It has been very cold here, but I have not minded it—My

night, and will not lose any time in answering it this time, but I do not know as you will approve of my

writing on Sundays, but that is about the only time I have for writing except evenings and then my hands

tremble so from my work (which is nearly all done by the hands) that I can scarcely write inteligibly

deserve his love as well as that of thousands of others myself included, and I wish you to give him my

I am a married man but I am not happy for my disposition is not right.

21, 1867, Wilson acknowledged Whitman's reply of April 12, 1867: "I do not want you to misunderstand my

motives in writing to you of my Situation & feelings as I did in my last letter or else I shall have

to be more guarded in my letters to you.

I wrote so because you wanted me to write how I was situated, and give you my mind without reserve, and

Give my love to George, & Jeff & Mat. Walt.

my own rhymes—being assisted in this (perhaps unwise move) by my friends.

May I send you a copy of my book in June?—when it will be safely out. D. V.

MY FRIEND I have a friend who is so true to me, We may not parted be.

away; He is my perfect day.

Thou art indeed my friend while ages roll, O! thou my deathless soul. C. W. S. AT ANCHOR.

Sir: I have the honor herewith to transmit my opinion as to the proper course to be taken in reference

Tapara, which you have brought to my notice since that opinion was prepared, does not seem to me to authorize

I have just changed my quarters—I moved to-day back again to the same house Mrs.

Benedict— I have not got my old-room but a room right over it—it is in the attic, it is true, but I think

is, as well as one is apt to like any quarters here in Washington—I will write you how I like it in my

stomach, just in the waist—last Saturday he had an operation & had it extracted—it was in, the length of my

longer—He seemed to be well pleased with his visit, & I am sure it was a great comfort to me— I rather like my

Well, mother, I left my letter awhile, & have been out taking a walk, & now return & finish my letter—It

O'Connor has taken a real liking to him— I hope this will find you relieved of your rheumatism—I send my

21 Feb '67 21 of febuary February My dear Walter here we are with another awfull awful snow storm it

should go but i would have had a pretty hard time with dooing doing the work and davis to cook for with my

coal but i let every thing slide along but i think matty gets better) but we get along pretty well my

Thomas Jefferson "Jeff" Whitman wrote that Mason "used to be in my party on the Water Works" (see his

Bowling Green Febry February 24th 1867 My Dear Friend I was thinking to day today whether I had answered

good berth in Tennessee but being of a modest disposition of course I cannot call his attention to my

It is pleasant here this forenoon—as I look out of my window, the river looks fine—there is a slight

My dear Nelly, I will be at the house in time to go with you & see the Capitol lighted.

27 Feb '67 februy February 27 my dear walt i feel as if i must write a few lines every time i get a letter

write every week but if i dont don't it seems as if i had something to doo do that i had neglected my

midling well sometimes i think im I'm real sick but it goes over i have been troubled with a pain in my

have had a mustard plaister plaster on part of the time i thought it helpt helped me some but i feel my

Thomas Jefferson "Jeff" Whitman wrote that Mason "used to be in my party on the Water Works" (see his

I cannot tell how my ankles bend, nor whence the causes of my faintest wish, Nor the cause of the friendship

That I walk up my stoop, I pause to consider if it really be.

A morning glory at my window satisfies me more than the meta- physics metaphysics of books."

I blow through my embouchures my loudest and gayest music to them. Vivas to those who have failed.

In the faces of men and women I see God, and in my own face in the glass.

We havnt got the money yet, but I suppose it is sure— I like my boarding house very well, take it altogether—we

Van Velsor Whitman's letter of February 27, 1867 was filled with complaints about her health ("i feel my

Attorney Gen'l , has gone on to Philadelphia with wife & child, to spend three or four days—I like my

new boarding place very well, take it altogether — Mother, I am writing this at my table, by the big

Jeff don't say whether you got my last Tuesday's letter, (March 5,) with the envelopes, &c.

very tired, when I arrived home—We don't have dinner till 5 o'clock—but I always take a good lunch in my

please—then I am getting many books for the Library (our office Library) that I have long wanted to read at my

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

15 March 67 M 15 my dear walter i just write a line to you this friday Friday morning before breakfast

begins to look quite old jeff is to let him have 200 dollars he is in hopes of selling one to a sea captain

matty still has company mrs mason i felt walt as if i must write a line or two i am still troubled with my

wrist and my thumb it pains me some but i feel thankful i can dress myself and around Walt think you

March 19, 1867 Dearest mother, I got both your letters last week, & they were a relief to my mind—I want

was a little frightened at first seeing your writing dident didn't look at first at the burlington my

but but all well she says she calafornia when uncle comes home well walt i cant can't write much more my

warmer it will get better George has just been up and tells me they have sold one of the houses to the captain

he was captain of the contest taken by the alabamans in the war times) this peice piece was cut out

Thomas Jefferson "Jeff" Whitman wrote that Mason "used to be in my party on the Water Works" (see his

The name of the "captain" and the "contest taken by the alabamans" are unclear.

If a ship captain, it cannot be Homer C.

Blake, the captain of the USS Hatteras, the only Union warship taken by the CSS Alabama, because Blake

Or this captain may have been associated with a Union defeat in the land war.

My dear Walt. Your welcome letter was duly received for which accept many thanks.

The tax on my part the last year was quite as much as I received— Well, what we want is to have them

Mother, all the news I have to write about my affairs, is the same old thing—we have had another long

this week—they have carried all their measures successfully over the President—I am writing this at my

March 27, 1867 My dear friend, Although your letter I see has the N.

My impression is, there is little or no chance of getting Congress to pass, at this time, a special resolution

thing does — Still, I will try what I can do—I will see a few of the members, forthwith—I have one in my

long it treated mostly about a rabbitt rabbit in the wood house i must write to han as soon as i can my

arm keeps lame yet it gets up my arm more i got your letter yesterday walt with the money all safe if

. ; my personal washing amounts to just 4 pieces a week, with a pair of stocking and two or three handkerchiefs

She is too thoroughly selfish—There has been a proposition also for my absence—a few short months, run

down my place more than I would like to recover—So I shall rent the house—It is but a shelter since,

I was sick; she deliberately turned the key on me, and I had to stay at my room all night—comment is

time—I am feeling very well—no trouble in the head, nor any thing, so far—I get along very well in my

Syracuse April 7th/67 Dear Friend & Comrade I can not make any other excuse for my delay in answering

thought would interest you, and I do not know as it will now for I have not much to write of except my

My Wife started for New York City last friday night to be gone several weeks. she is to be with her Sister

I am a married man but I am not happy for my disposition is not right.

and to talk about, but I fear I shall weary you with such a letter as this so I will close it with my

I am a married man but I am not happy for my disposition is not right.

21, 1867, Wilson acknowledged Whitman's reply of April 12, 1867: "I do not want you to misunderstand my

motives in writing to you of my Situation & feelings as I did in my last letter or else I shall have

to be more guarded in my letters to you.

I wrote so because you wanted me to write how I was situated, and give you my mind without reserve, and

have satisfied myself that no copy was delivered here—had such been the case it would have come under my

notice—I therefore sent your order to Mr Gray and have received from him a copy for which you have my

My dear loving boy, I wish things were situated so you could be with me, & we could be together for a

I must put something to you better than that in my letter.

So I will cheer my boy [&] tell you again, Benton, that I love you dearly, & always keep you in mind,

I am a married man but I am not happy for my disposition is not right.

1867 letter, Wilson acknowledged Walt Whitman's reply of April 12: "I do not want you to misunderstand my

motives in writing to you of my Situation & feelings as I did in my last letter or else I shall have

to be more guarded in my letters to you.

I wrote so because you wanted me to write how I was situated, and give you my mind without reserve, and

13 April 1867 April 13th My dear Walt it is saturday Saturday afternoon and martha is gone away and hattie

the bustle I have lived in the country so long it seemed quite strange i suppose Walt you have got my

waiting to take the letter i am about the same some days i feel very well then again i feel quite spry my

already—the grass & trees are beginning to look green—they have made a large flower garden right in front of my

idea for days & days, & of course suffered awfully—One of the watchmen of the Treasury, (formerly a Captain

Walt If Mary & the girls come, you must give them my love, & tell Mary I shall send her a small package

Walt Whitman, I was very much pleased a few days ago to receive your prompt answer of April 12 th to my

I recd received a letter from my wife about the middle of last week she had arrived safely and was enjoying

I do not want you to misunderstand my motives in writing to you of my Situation & feelings as I did in

my last letter or else I shall have to be mor more guarded in my letters to you.

I wrote so because you wanted me to write how I was situated, and give you my mind without reserve, and

I am a married man but I am not happy for my disposition is not right.

21, 1867, Wilson acknowledged Whitman's reply of April 12, 1867: "I do not want you to misunderstand my

motives in writing to you of my Situation & feelings as I did in my last letter or else I shall have

to be more guarded in my letters to you.

I wrote so because you wanted me to write how I was situated, and give you my mind without reserve, and

hear—But, Mother, you must not worry about it—it will be arranged some way— There is nothing new in my

I write this at my desk—spring is quite advanced here—it is a damp, misty, cloudy forenoon—but pleasant—I

Mason who "used to be in my party on the Water Works" in his February 10, 1863 to Walt Whitman.

Dear William O'Connor, When I arrived home yesterday I found my brother worse than I had anticipated.

spoon, to some one wrapt in a great blanket, & seated in an arm chair, by the stove—I did not recognize my

Mother put down the cup, &c. & began to cry—this affected poor George—yet I preserved my composure, though

House —also other of my young men friends—they are all very, very cordial & hospitable—I shall go over

Dear Nelly, I send you my love—also to Charles Eldridge—shall probably remain here the ensuing week.

"Henry Clapp," Walt Whitman said to Horace Traubel, "stepped out from the crowd of hooters—was my friend