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Mar 23 rd 1892 My Dear Old Friend And how fares it with you tonight?

I look out across the western sky, now studded with twinkling stars & wonder how you are, my dear good

friend of friends My heart's best & truest affection flows out to you & my sympathy can hardly find

I have my dear good old father with me tonight, & with him here & to write to I am happy!

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

Friend Walter— I design bearly to say How do you do, while you are in Boston, & to express my own pleasure

I know what is your mental fare in Boston from my own past personal experience and without wishing to

intrude myself above my true level I could wish I were, at least, a stander-by.

How shall I rise to life (action), is, now, my all pressing & all urgent question.

Accept my affectionate regards. O. K. Sammis To Walt Whitman. O. K.

Give me the drench of my passions! Give me life coarse and rank!

with the dancers, and drink with the drinkers; The echoes ring with our indecent calls; I take for my

love some prostitute—I pick out some low person for my dearest friend, He shall be lawless, rude, illiterate—he

shall be one condemn'd by others for deeds done; I will play a part no longer—Why should I exile my-

self myself from my companions?

the rest of my days in that vicinity.

happiest hours have been spent there—some of my freest hours."

Upon my remonstrance he said: "I will make it a religion to like the new man."

He took it out of my hand, scanned it, handed it back.

"If I die in the midst of things you may fall heir to all my work: think of that: all my work!"

I will not write any more such letters; or, if I write them because my heart is so full it cannot bear

must choose their our own time & mode—but for the simplest current details—for any thing that helps my

And if you say, "Read my books, & be content—you have me in them"—I say, it is because I read them so

my children to be shaped modified vitalized by & through these—outwardly & inwardly.

Good bye my dearest friend. Anne Gilchrist Anne Gilchrist to Walt Whitman, 3 June 1872

My old fencing-master, Boulet, (no better ever lived; he taught once at West Point,) taught me always

to cover my breast with hilt and point, even in the lunge, and I think of his lessons when engaged in

I have freely used the memoranda you sent, and got in as much of it as I could see my way to employ,

I hope my new letter will be as successful with you and the public as my first.

Watch the for my anti-Chadwick. I hardly think it will fail to bring him down.

letter from Bloom yesterday—but, before responding to it (which I will do soon) I must write to you, my

Every day or night I spend four, five, or six hours, among my sick, wounded, prostrate boys.

Some of my boys get well, some die.

, good stock, often mere boys, full of sweetness & heroism—often they seem very near to me, even as my

I make no bones of petting them just as if they were—have long given up formalities & reserves in my

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

He had my list—over 50—the main body foreign.

I had the first proof of the poems in my pocket—gave to him.

I may not be able to read them before evening—evening is my best time: from eleven to five are my worst

Wishes my father to see them. Shall forward to Bucke.

One of my deep joys is to see my own thought well expressed by another, hence I am grateful to you for

NW, Jan 24/72 Dear Friend, I send you photographs of my eldest and youngest children I wish I had some

against a terrible sense of inward prostration, so it has not my natural expression, but I think you

And see my faults flaws shortcomings too dear Friend.

My Husband was taken from us too young to be able to have made any provision for his children.

I have a little of my own—about £80 a year: & for the rest depend upon my Mother whose only living child

This is my permanent address.

I live here in a large old house wh. belonged to my father—a house on a hill among trees looking down

Yet I felt that if you liked my poem you would write.

In these I trust the spirit of the Past is faithfully set forth as far as my abilities allow.

The little girl in one of them is my youngest child.

Beginning My Studies BEGINNING MY STUDIES.

BEGINNING my studies, the first step pleas'd me so much, The mere fact, consciousness—these forms—the

pleas'd me so much, I have never gone, and never wish'd to go, any farther, But stop and loiter all my

walks home late at night, or as I lay in my bed, they came upon me.

; That I was, I knew was of my body—and what I should be, I knew I should be of my body. 7 It is not

mast- hemm'd mast-hemm'd Manhattan, My river and sun-set, and my scallop-edg'd waves of flood-tide,

face, Which fuses me into you now, and pours my meaning into you.

loudly and musically call me by my nighest name! Live, old life!

you suppose, And you that shall cross from shore to shore years hence, are more to me, and more in my

walks home late at night, or as I lay in my bed, they came upon me.

, That I was, I knew was of my body—and what I should be, I knew I should be of my body.

Manhatta , My river and sun-set, and my scallop-edged waves of flood-tide, The sea-gulls oscillating

loudly and musically call me by my nighest name! Live, old life!

walks home late at night, or as I lay in my bed, they came upon me.

; That I was, I knew was of my body—and what I should be, I knew I should be of my body.

, My river and sun-set, and my scallop-edg'd waves of flood-tide, The sea-gulls oscillating their bodies

face, Which fuses me into you now, and pours my meaning into you.

loudly and musically call me by my nighest name! Live, old life!

"I have had my second bath today," he explained, "and that may in part account for my good condition.

my trump card—the abiding thing of all, and it is that I wish to point out.

That is one of the fruits of my receiving you downstairs instead of here yesterday afternoon.

"You know all about Eddy, my brother there. We put him there at the start because of Mrs.

"Very little—I could not say, nothing, but then my memory is such a devilish queer factor in my economy

Upon my saying that Brinton's stock was Quaker far back, W. said: "Ah!

And upon my remarking, with the heavy book in my arms—"It is a great institution"—W. continued: "It ought

It is in part the explanation of my work—of Leaves of Grass.

hold me from my contract."

to my objection that a man should save some heat for something else.

Camden Friday afternoon May 6 My dear friend I am sorry to hear of your feeling so unwell, & have thought

while I was there)—I had a lively time in Boston—Susan I wish you could have been there the evening of my

such a collection of people as would have suited you, & been a study—different from any I ever saw in my

them from the usual crowd—about 300—(I will tell you more when I see you)— As I write this part of my

supper, & here I am in perfect quiet up in my room, finishing my letter—Susan my dear friend I hope

My Dear Friend Walter, Your very kind and long looked for letter of Aug 1st came to hand on the 6th &

Now I will put in a word for myself my leg still continues to mend verry slow but I hope sure, and I

have ben enjoying my self as well as I could with my sore leg I have bin a way on a visit for a week

& I have enjoyed my sel[f] verry much (for a wounded soldier is something hear I tell you) for the people

a copperhead & a Reblle I would shoot the copperhead first, and to tell you the truth I am proud of my

WHILE my wife at my side lies slumbering, and the wars are over long, And my head on the pillow rests

vacant midnight passes, And through the stillness, through the dark, I hear, just hear, the breath of my

with eager calls, and orders of officers; While from some distant part of the field the wind wafts to my

or near, (rousing, even in dreams, a devilish exultation, and all the old mad joy, in the depths of my

galloping by, or on a full run; With the patter of small arms, the warning s-s-t of the rifles, (these in my

WHILE my wife at my side lies slumbering, and the wars are over long, And my head on the pillow rests

night midnight passes, And through the stillness, through the dark, I hear, just hear, the breath of my

with eager calls and orders of officers, While from some distant part of the field the wind wafts to my

far or near, (rousing even in dreams a devilish exultation and all the old mad joy in the depths of my

galloping by or on a full run, With the patter of small arms, the warning s-s-t of the rifles, (these in my

WHILE my wife at my side lies slumbering, and the wars are over long, And my head on the pillow rests

night midnight passes, And through the stillness, through the dark, I hear, just hear, the breath of my

with eager calls and orders of officers, While from some distant part of the field the wind wafts to my

far or near, (rousing even in dreams a devilish exultation and all the old mad joy in the depths of my

galloping by or on a full run, With the patter of small arms, the warning s-s-t of the rifles, (these in my

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.

England Oct October 1: 1879 My dear Mr.

I have just received a letter from my friend in which he says: "I enclose you my promised Provençal translation

Do, I beg of you, do me the great favor to present them to him, in my name, when next you see him.

If ever I go to America, I assure you that one of my first visits will be to this most sympathetic of

poets, for whose large & lofty nature my admiration is merged into love ."

My dear Friend: As you see by the date of this, I am back again in Washington, moving around regularly

My health is pretty good, but since I was prostrated last July, I have not had that unconscious and perfect

The physician says my system has been penetrated by the malaria—it is tenacious, peculiar and somewhat

It is my first appearance in the character of a man not entirely well.

C., as I call for my letters daily at the post office. Should you have an opportunity to see Dr.

I again take my pen in hand to write a few lines to you to let you know how I am a getting This makes

that Gettysburg Battle. he sais that it was awful, and that he never wants to see the like of it again My

health is verry good, and my leg dos still continue's to mend slowly—but verry slow, the Doctor has

I am enjoying my self as well as I can with my four legs but I cannot go about much yet I am a going

No more at present but good by and write soon with my love to you and all enquiring friends, I remain

My 71st Year. MY 71ST YEAR.

AFTER surmounting three-score and ten, With all their chances, changes, losses, sorrows, My parents'

deaths, the vagaries of my life, the many tearing passions of me, the war of '63 and '4, As some old

O my father, It is so broad, it covers the whole sky! FATHER.

now the halyards have rais'd it, Side of my banner broad and blue—side of my starry banner, Discarding

eastern shore, and my western shore the same; And all between those shores, and my ever-running Mississippi

, with bends and chutes; And my Illinois fields, and my Kansas fields, and my fields of Missouri; The

My limbs, my veins dilate; The blood of the world has fill'd me full—my theme is clear at last: —Banner

O my father, It is so broad, it covers the whole sky! FATHER.

now the halyards have rais'd it, Side of my banner broad and blue—side of my starry banner, Discarding

eastern shore, and my western shore the same; And all between those shores, and my ever running Mississippi

, with bends and chutes; And my Illinois fields, and my Kansas fields, and my fields of Missouri; The

My limbs, my veins dilate; The blood of the world has fill'd me full—my theme is clear at last : —Banner

compliance with request in your name in letter from George Routledge & Sons, New York, of December 28th & my

For my own convenience & to insure correctness I have had the MS. put in type, & thus transmit it to

It is to be distinctly understood that I reserve the right to print it in any future editions of my book

Hoping success to the Magazine, & that my piece may be found acceptable for it, I remain Respectfully

&c yours, Walt Whitman My address is at Attorney General's Office, Washington City, U.S.A.

I am prompted to take this liberty by a sense of my indebtedness to you, and I feel sure that you will

It is one of the desires of my life to look upon your venerable face in the flesh, and to be taken by

the hand of my loving Comrade; and I am not without the hope of one day being thus honoured by him who

has done so much to enrich my life and to rescue my Soul from its quagmire of Doubt and Despondency.

My dear Mr. Whitman: Allow me to introduce to your acquaintance, my young friend, Mr. E. H.

I remember with great pleasure my visit to you last March, when I was on my way home from Johns Hopkins

I am, my dear Sir, Very truly yours.

April 15 1876 My dear sir Please find enclosed my check for $5.—for a copy of "Leaves of Grass."

My delay is because of my intention to canvas canvass my friends and secure additional subscribers and

Dear Friend Abby, and all my friends, Helen & Emmy & Mr.

Arnold, I will write a line only—My paralysis still leaves me extremely feeble—& with great distress

I have lost my dear, dear sister Martha, in St.

present I can hardly move ten steps without feeling sick—I am sitting here now in the rocking chair in my

writing this—most of the time alone which suits me best—it is paralysis of left side—Love to all— Walt (My

You know I am well on my 71st year—lame and almost helpless in locomotion—inertia like a heavy swathing

ample dropping pall over me most of the time, but my thoughts and to some extent mental action ab't

I have had my daily mid-day massage (another just as I go to bed).

Tho't of going out a little in my wheel chair but it is bitter cold today here and I shall not.

I have just had a drink of milk punch—am sitting at present in my two-story den in Mickle St, alone as

Rossetti.No. 4Washington, Dec. 3, 1867 My dear Mr.

of the full volume of my poems.

I cannot and will not consent, of my own volition, to countenance and expurgated edition of my pieces

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, Nocturne for the Death of Lincoln; and in my Prefatory Notice

I had an auction yestarday yesterday 4 of March to sell my Personally personal troperty property as I

told you in my other letter I have rented my farm of 35 acers acres for 5 years I would like to see

Why can not you com come & see my family I have a wife & littel little Girl 5 years old this month When

the house I felt proud of it myself I will have to get a frame for it and hang it up on the wall Walt my

We move about half a mile from this place my Post office will be the same (address) your in hast haste

Had my breakfast & relish'd it—three or four hot stew'd oysters, a stout slice of toasted Graham bread

, & a mug of coffee— My housekeeper Mrs: Davis is compell'd to be temporarily absent these two days &

Ed my nurse gets my breakfast & gets it very well.

often bless the Lord & congratulate myself that things are as well with me as they are—that I retain my

mentality intact—that I have put my literary stuff in final form—that I have a few (but sufficient)

— I expect to return in about two weeks—I am writing this here in the kitchen home,—I have deserted my

cakes for breakfast—sometimes I fry them myself—I wish you could just be here & eat breakfast—I think my

mammy makes the best coffee in the world, & buckwheats ditto—mince-pies ditto— —My new edition looks

the best yet—it is from the same plates as the last, only in One Vol. bound handsomely in green cloth—my

books sent to England by to-morrow's steamer—Dear son, I send my best love, as always.

My dear Poet, Walt Whitman.

Possibly my answer to Mr.

In case of the latter, I should have been glad had he thought my name worthy of mention as a friend.

Comes to my mind as I think of the hour When our poet and friends will be lovingly drinking The mystical

But, though absent in body, there's nothing can hinder My tasting the joys of that festive birthday;

Camden Sunday Sept: 10 Dear Harry Thanks for your good letter—I have had my hands full the last six or

eight weeks getting my new book in shape, seeing to every thing, and watching the proofs day & night

job two or three times a year)—I have had the mighty good luck to keep well this summer all through—my

letter a lady opposite is singing & playing the hymn "Nearer my god to Thee"—how beautiful it sounds

— Love to you my darling young brother W.W.— Walt Whitman to Harry Stafford, 10 September [1882]

My dear friend, Yours of the 8th has just come.

For a month or so, I have not been very well—my trouble takes the form, sometimes, of neuralgia—but is

I send my love to Helen and Emmy & all—I have rec'd a letter from mother to-day—she seems to be about

Give my respects to Mr. Arnold —also to Mr.

Parker's family —I am writing this by my window in the office—it is a fine view, ten miles of river,

it goes, it will be all right—the little Philadelphia paper piece was about the right statement of my

My brother Jeff has come on from St.

excursion, a week on a yacht voyage—I told him to call on you, if possible—& he will if he can work it—My

her I rec'd received her letter & thank her for it—I have not felt to write to her, or any one but my

I have had—but unspeakable —my physical sickness, bad as it is, is nothing to it— The following are

along real well, upon the whole—I went out and over to the office yesterday— went in & sat down at my

desk a few minutes—It was my greatest effort yet, and I was afraid I had overshot the mark again, as

getting along all right—I am going out a little to-day, but not much— I feel now over the worst of my

bit of sickness, & comparatively comfortable— Poor Martha—the thoughts of her still come up in my mind

Price— Mother, I shall try to get out, & get my Feb. pay, I have to get it from the old office, & then

I reminded him of my original favor.

"Is my time at last here? Alas!" Was he curious to see the book?

I had and yet have a sort of idea that my books (I am getting ready, or about have ready, my completed

But my means, meagre at best, have gone, for my expenses since, and now, while not hitherto actually

bodily ills would seem to leave me—then I'dI would feel almost like my complete self again: what my

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.

As I am now sitting in my room & have no desire to go to bed yet, I will commence another.

Give my best respects to George Smith —also to Pensey Bell & his brother George —also to Mr.

Shedd —and in fact to all my railroad friends, whenever they inquire after me— Dear son, I can almost

about the heavenly bodies—& in the midst of it I look around & find you fast asleep, & your head on my

shoulder like a chunk of wood—an awful compliment to my lecturing powers.

54 Manchester Rd Bolton England July 15 th , 1891 My Dear Old Friend, This is a sacred day for me—a day

hand, sat & talked with you—a day for ever memorable to me as one of the three supremely Happy Days in my

These are:— I The Day when I was "capped" & received my Degree at the University of Edinburgh— (Aug 1

And yet I seem to have known you all my life!

Give him my love! " Yes little birdie; I will send him your loving message, along with my own.

am always glad to get any letters from you dear boy)—Harry, you certainly know well enough you have my

it all—I go back to the times at Timber Creek beginning most five years ago, & the banks & spring, & my

should not be a living man to-day —I think & remember deeply these things & they comfort me— & you my

—Of the occasional ridiculous little storms & squalls of the past I have quite discarded them from my

you will too—the other recollections overtop them altogether, & occupy the only permanent place in my

1882 June 10th 29 Lange Strasse Dresden My dear Whitman I learn to day to my great surprise that the

This will perhaps lead to my finding a collaborateur for the translation—said translation owing to press

of other business has not been very rigorously pursued lately, but after this month I shall take off my

Yet then, and always, that was the cause that had my affection & interest—only I saw such obstacles in

Now all that has changed itself in my mind.