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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.

328 Mickle Street Camden New Jersey July 28 '86 My dear Redpath Yours of 26th rec'd—All right & no harm

done—But I mortally hate to have any thing with my name signed go to press without my seeing proof—Also

I wanted the slips—Yes I will furnish you the (ab't) seven page article you request, & soon —My health

And so will some one when I am dead and gone write my life?

(As if any man really knew aught of my life, Why even I myself I often think know little or nothing of

my real life, Only a few hints, a few diffused faint clews and indirections I seek for my own use to

And so will some one when I am dead and gone write my life?

(As if any man really knew aught of my life, Why even I myself I often think know little or nothing of

my real life, Only a few hints, a few diffused faint clews and indirections I seek for my own use to

My dear beloved son dont don't be worried about me i hope i shall be all right again my nervious nervous

very much out of order i know i have brought in on by worrying but i cant can't seem to get over it my

head feels bad sometimes my rheumatics is better if i could be with you dear walt Walt i would be glad

wish but i hope i shall get a better appetite some time as i have such trembling spels spells its all my

England Mar 26 th 1892 My Dear good old Friend Just a line to you by tonights mail to send you my love

once more—always that, always that—& the best I possess, along with my warmest sympathy.

Though I do not write much—for I fear to trouble you—my Love knows no lessening.

I have got my dear good old father staying here with me & am very happy to have him too.

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

dear boy—and though you must now be indeed quite different from the little child I used to lift up in my

In response to your letter I send—not my whole volume of Leaves of Grass —but Drum-Taps , a part of it

published by John Burroughs, who, being a great friend of mine, views every thing relating to me & my

—I send you my love, & I wish you to give my friendliest remembrances to your parents.

My life and recitative, containing birth, youth, mid-age years, Fitful as motley-tongues of flame, inseparably

twined and merged in one—combining all, My single soul—aims, confirmations, failures, joys—Nor single

soul alone, I chant my nation's crucial stage, (America's, haply humanity's) —the trial great, the victory

common bulk, the general average horde, (the best no sooner than the worst)—And now I chant old age, (My

snow-white hairs the same, and give to pulses winter- cool'd the same;) As here in careless trill, I and my

"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

431 Stevens Street Camden Jan: 18 '82 My dear Mrs Childs Yours & Mr Childs', inviting me to dine & meet

an invalid—just suffering an extra bad spell & forbidden to go out nights this weather— Please give my

hearty salutation & American welcome to Mr Wilde— I much desire my friend to briefly report & give my

Niagara Falls Sept 28 '80 Have finished my summer tour of St Lawrence & the Thousand Islands &c.

—have jaunted over 3000 miles mostly river & Lakes—(I believe I sent you a couple of my current letters

here in Canada) & am now on my way home to Camden N J (stopping here a short time)—I am unusually well

& robust for a half-paralytic—Camden will still remain my address.

And so will some one, when I am dead and gone, write my life?

(As if any man really knew aught of my life; Why, even I myself, I often think, know little or noth-

ing nothing of my real life; Only a few hints—a few diffused, faint clues and indi- rections indirections

, I seek, for my own use, to trace out here.)

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.

My Dear friend Walt Whitman I have written so many letters to you dictated by Charles that I feel a painful

although I thought he was likely to die any time, still I find I was unprepared for his departure & my

I look at my three children & think what a work I have got left to perform.

My Mother from Massachusetts is with me for a few days and it is a great comfort.

New Haven, Conn see notes Dec 18 1888 from Mrs Hine | ab't my dear friend C.H. Mrs.

"I would like to go on record as having a feeling of the utmost friendliness to all my fellow poets.

As to my works, I am in a peculiar position.

My works 'Leaves of Grass,' and my prose work, 'Specimen Days,' are printed and on sale, but still I

As I grow older I become the more confirmed in my adherence to my original theories.

Grant, in which are embodied all my original theories.

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!

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!

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!

Saturday, April 2, 1892All the papers moved to my house today. Bucke took supper at McAlister's.

without an owner: Anderton, near ChorleyLancashire, England15 March 1892Dear Walt,Just a line or two, my

dearest friend, my comrade & father, dearest of all to my soul, to express the triumph & joy & cheer

with which I think of you & with which I receive tidings of you.Outwardly sad enough, but deep within my

Be it as if I were with you, & here upon the paper I send you one as a token of my dearest love.

that's about the best I can say—continue to get out a little every day when the weather will permit—but my

last night) is to wear over—I got the stuff, it is first rate Middlesex flannel, cost $5, (same as my

necessary—must then be washed by some one experienced in washing nice flannels—I sent Graphic with my

portrait —(as they sent me some)—also my Capitol letter —I rec'd your good letter last Tuesday Dear

Nash—give them both my love—(I see just a line in the paper that Mr.

see if they would reach you—I was very much disappointed when I went to Armory that evening to find my

Thuey, did you take the envelope you had with my address?

you need not mind ceremony—there is no need of ceremony between dear friends for that I hope we are, my

together again—good by, dear boy, from your true friend— Thuey, I enclose an envelope but will write my

be afraid, my darling comrade—it is little, but it may be some use—Thuey, you write to me just as you

Room 56 Borden Block, Chicago, Feby 3d 188 7 My dear and honoured Walt Whitman:— It is less than a year

I was attracted by the curious title "Leaves of Grass", opened the book at random, and my eyes met the

In the "Spring Song" and the "Song of the Depths" my orbit responded to the new attracting sun.

Imagine that I have expressed to you my sincere conviction of what I owe.

The essay is my "first effort," at the age of 30.

Camden Thursday Evening June 2 My dear friend I suppose it must look fine down there after the heavy

fruit & grain— Nothing very new with me—the big Boston house has sent me word that they will publish my

stands now—I find I can have them publish it, if I choose, but I suppose I am getting pretty lofty in my

old days & must have my own terms, & pretty good ones too— I am feeling pretty well—I think my last

, & a prospect of some pleasant days, sufficiently cool— I am alone in the house, have been all day—My

Louis, April 18th 1869 Wm O'Connor Esq My dear friend The package of "Reports" and afterwards your letter

received—I intended before this to write you and return thanks for the same—but like many other of my

you for the Reports—they furnished me with just the information I needed and you will please receive my

other reports of a like nature  I am very greedy to get these things and shall probably show it in my

the change of "government" will not hurt either you or him I remember with a great deal of pleasure my

JohnRietz"My Picture-Gallery" (1880)"My Picture-Gallery" (1880)First published in The American in 1880

and incorporated into Leaves of Grass in 1881, "My Picture-Gallery" is a (revised) six-line excerpt

My Picture-Gallery," which originally served to set up the 115-line catalogue of "Pictures," is a riddle

With the catalogue of "Pictures" excised, the emphasis of "My Picture-Gallery" is shifted away from the

"My Picture-Gallery" (1880)

My Dear Freind Walter.

It is with mutch pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well and that my leg is

I have had a good many of my young friends to see me.

My Father and Mother are well and send their respects to you for Mother says whoeve[r] did me a faivor

I expect that you still visit the Hospital if so give my respects to the boys I have nothing more to

My Dear Friend, I have been thinking about writing you at Brooklyn but as I did not know for certain

have thought of you very often since I saw you and would have gone to Brooklyn to see you again had my

have not been out much since I saw you as the weather would not admit and when the weather is stormy my

her as you know I have good reason to thank her for many a kind turn which she wrought for me during my

Please tell Mr Woods (if you see him) I am enjoying good health and I send my kind regards to him and

June 29 My dear friends John and 'Sula Burroughs, I am here again in Camden, stopping awhile, with the

there—staid about a couple of weeks—obtained two months leave of absence, & (after almost making up my

been for about two weeks—(I think comparatively better the last two days)—occupying the rooms in which my

in life & heart left by the death of my mother is what will never to me be filled— I am comfortably

hour or two every day, while I am in this condition—The last nine or ten days in Washington, I left my

My South! O quick mettle, rich blood, impulse, and love! Good and evil! O all dear to me!

O dear to me my birth-things—All moving things, and the trees where I was born—the grains, plants, rivers

; Dear to me my own slow sluggish rivers where they flow, distant, over flats of silvery sands, or through

the Tombigbee, the Santee, the Coosa, and the Sabine; O pensive, far away wandering, I return with my

the graceful palmetto; I pass rude sea-headlands and enter Pamlico Sound through an inlet, and dart my

I send my friendliest remembrances & good wishes. And to my ever dear friends, Mrs.

—We have had a snowy day—as I look out of my window the ground is white in every direction—William has

bad cold, has not been down to work to-day, but has just come down town, & is this moment sitting by my

are going to have exciting times generally—but I guess no appeal to arms— I have heard lately from my

dear mother—she is well as usual—Emma Price can tell you more directly about her, as I hear, (to my

328 Mickle Street Camden Dec: 21 '85 My dear friend Real glad to hear from you once more, as by yours

Seems to me mortality never enclosed a more beautiful spirit— The trouble ab't my eyesight passed over

had dinner &c—I go there every Sunday—So I get stirr'd up some, but not half enough—three reasons, my

natural sluggishness & the paralysis of late years, the weather, & my old, stiff, slow horse, with a

better—he gives up for the present his European tour, but is coming here soon for a week—As I close, my

My South! O quick mettle, rich blood, impulse, and love! Good and evil! O all dear to me!

O dear to me my birth-things—All moving things, and the trees where I was born—the grains, plants, rivers

; Dear to me my own slow sluggish rivers where they flow, distant, over flats of silvery sands, or through

the Tombigbee, the Santee, the Coosa, and the Sabine; O pensive, far away wandering, I return with my

the graceful palmetto; I pass rude sea-headlands and enter Pamlico Sound through an inlet, and dart my

My South! O quick mettle, rich blood, impulse, and love! Good and evil! O all dear to me!

O dear to me my birth-things—All moving things, and the trees where I was born—the grains, plants, rivers

; Dear to me my own slow sluggish rivers where they flow, distant, over flats of silvery sands, or through

the Tombigbee, the Santee, the Coosa, and the Sabine; O pensive, far away wandering, I return with my

the graceful palmetto; I pass rude sea-headlands and enter Pamlico Sound through an inlet, and dart my

my South! O quick mettle, rich blood, impulse and love! good and evil! O all dear to me!

O dear to me my birth-things—all moving things and the trees where I was born—the grains, plants, rivers

, Dear to me my own slow sluggish rivers where they flow, distant, over flats of silvery sands or through

, the Tombigbee, the Santee, the Coosa and the Sabine, O pensive, far away wandering, I return with my

parrots in the woods, I see the papaw-tree and the blos- soming blossoming titi; Again, sailing in my

my South! O quick mettle, rich blood, impulse and love! good and evil! O all dear to me!

O dear to me my birth-things—all moving things and the trees where I was born—the grains, plants, rivers

, Dear to me my own slow sluggish rivers where they flow, distant, over flats of silvery sands or through

, the Tombigbee, the Santee, the Coosa and the Sabine, O pensive, far away wandering, I return with my

parrots in the woods, I see the papaw-tree and the blos- soming blossoming titi; Again, sailing in my

Howard Lake, Minn Minnesota July 21, 1875 My Dear Friend Walt I was glad to hear from you But Sory Sorry

to know that your Health was not Improving But glad that you remember me My health's Failig Failing

I am trying for an Envelid Invalid Pentian Pension I have Now only the Need of to two witnesses of my

M D Halans is my agent St.

Paul Howard Lake is Improving Fast I wished you would come and visit this place My wife sends her Best

left yesterday in the 4 p m train, had a fine run to Phila: Philadelphia & here I am to-day today in my

regular den—all the better for my month's trip— Nothing very new—brother & sister well as usual—my two

I suppose you got the Tribune of July 4 with my letter in.

Walt Whitman I eat my biscuits for supper only—have two or three of them in a bowl soak'd for an hour

America Feb. 6 1892 Camden N J—U S America Feb.6 '92 Well I must send you all dear fellows a word from my

All are good—physical conditions &c. are not so bad as you might suppose, only my suffering[s] much of

the time are fearful—Again I repeat my thanks to you & cheery British friends may be last—my right arm

must combine all the bulk people of all lands, the women not forgetting—But the mustard plaster on my

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