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My copies of the Eng[ineering] Record with article have not come—slips also not come—I hope they will

—& will ask you if convenient to jog the editor's memory—Horace, ab't the kind mention & offer ab't my

and will write you further—also ab't the sculptor—am unwell to–day— Walt Whitman Tho' I sit up & eat my

rations & have my right arm & (sort o') mentality I am paralyzed & utterly disabled here—cannot walk

across the room—my respects to Worthen —show him this— Walt Whitman to Horace Tarr, 13 December 1890

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

Borrowdale, Cressington Park Sep 29 To Walter Whitman, Esq r Sir, To my only Brother, who for nearly

has been a helpless sufferer in Santiago, I am sending a specially prepared Birthday Book: and it is my

very earnest wish to obtain for insertion in my Book the name of your most honored self.

I trust you will graciously pardon my freedom in asking the favour of your sign-manual on enclosed slip

Studio 2 W. 14 th st New York Febr. 12 90 My dear sir I have delivered your book to Mr. Bancroft.

I take the pleasure to mail to you some proofs of my drawings and ask you to accept them with my kindest

Thanking you for your kindness at the occasion of my visit to you, and wishing you good health I am most

Monday afternoon April 14 1879. 1309 Fifth av: near 86th st My dear Reid— As you might possibly have

room in the paper—& a full report might hit—I send you a complete copy of my lecture, to take the chances

to-morrow's paper —(As I calculate, it would make about three quarters of a column in your small type) — —My

plan is to break the tedium of my half invalidism from time to time (& also collect a few shekels) by

Belmont Mass April 19. '86 My Dear Poet: Your postal rec'd. received I have completed (rough finish)

my seven chapters on you.

It is the most scholarly, fiery, and heavy-artillery piece of work I have yet done; took all my strength

I have got in my cellar, Walt, about 50 bottles of elderberry cordial—fine, smacky, made by myself last

My grand poet, my friend Yours as ever W.S. Kennedy How's the pony? Paper also!! good!

There is nothing new or noteworthy in my own affairs.

I keep fashioning & shaping my books at my leisure, & hope to put them in type the current year.

You speak of my prose preface to first "Leaves of Grass."

I am writing this at my desk in the Treasury building here, an immense pile, in which our office occupies

From my large open window I have an extensive view of sky, Potomac river, hills & fields of Virginia,

I gaze at the Sea while I eat my food and think of thee. . . . and often while I gaze thereon I think

I have been about sick with a cold on my lungs, and after my days work was done I did not feel like writing

I am going to give up my place the first of Ap r .

My health will not admit of it.

Often when my mind wanders back to the days that I spent in Armory Square, I can but cry.

My Hearts desire is that you may live a long and happy life and when you leave this Earth you may be

KarenWolfe"Good-Bye my Fancy!" (1891)"Good-Bye my Fancy!"

1891)The concluding poem of the Second Annex to the "authorized" 1891–1892 Leaves of Grass, "Good-Bye my

"Good-Bye my Fancy!"

"Good-Bye my Fancy!"

"Good-Bye my Fancy!" (1891)

431 Stevens Street Camden Oct October 2 My dear girls (for this letter is for you both) I will just write

you a few lines without formality— It is evening—has just struck 8—I am sitting up in my room alone—I

pleasant ride out to the Park in the open car, this afternoon— return'd returned about an hour ago, & had my

get along pretty much in the old way— To-day Today I rec'd received an order for five full sets of my

books from England, accompanied by the money —(which of course doesn't hurt my feelings a bit)— havn't

Louis, Mo., Jan. 26th, 1888 My dear Jessie My darling girl , I enclose you a check for $50, hoping it

before you leave Burlington I got home from Ark yesterday, after a pretty hard time—I had to abandon my

I suppose I shall be gone about a week  Mr Smith of Leavenworth was at my office on Monday last and came

to—No I must make the best of what is wanted now—I presume I shall have lots of time after awhile— Well my

place—and if he does I would like to have you go Nothing new with me—I am feeling fairly well—except I have my

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 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

see notes July 29, '88 | also Aug 1 All right my dear J R —$60 for the Booth article will do, in full

—(I reserve the right of printing it in future collections of my writings—this is indispensable.)

I have been & am lingering under the miserable inertia following my sunstroke—otherwise should have sent

you one or two articles—have them on the stocks— Am very slowly gaining the tally of my previous strength—had

A carol closing sixty-nine—a résumé—a repetition, My lines in joy and hope continuing on the same, Of

ye, O God, Life, Nature, Freedom, Poetry; Of you, my Land—your rivers, prairies, States—you, mottled

entire—Of north, south, east and west, your items all; Of me myself—the jocund heart yet beating in my

, old, poor and paralyzed—the strange inertia falling pall-like round me, The burning fires down in my

He sat eating and talking during nearly the whole time of my stay.

my preference.

But neither do some of my friends understand my love for the prairies—my statement, insistence, that

But I understand why I make my claim—I know—I see its justification—its necessity.

Fixed up my Gutekunst picture for me as I waited.

me—it is urgent, persistent: he sort of stands in the road and says: 'I won't movetilluntil you answer my

I have had my own troubles—I have seen other men with troubles, too—worse than mine and not so bad as

This is my permanent address.

Yet I felt that if you liked my poem [See In Re Walt Whitman] you would write.

to you to have arrogantly confounded your own fine thought and pure feeling with the baser metal of my

both—Logan's letter rec'd & gladly—With me slowly jogging along (down hill)—easier the last few days of my

watching half an hour or more—was there last evening at sunset—Suppose you rec'd the papers, accting my

birth day supper (I am now in my 72d y'r you know)—Dr Bucke is home in Canada at his Asylum busy as

a bee—is well—I have heard of my lines & note ab't the Queen's birthday in the English papers —my last

July. 1891 My dear Walt Whitman, I intended to write you a good long letter tonight for tomorrow's mail

will send you a long account of D r Bucke's visit & D B will have sent you his But I must send you my

Last week I got no proper opportunity of writing at all—to my great regret.

And that is the crowning glory & privilege of my life, opening out vistas of sacred cheer & hope & purposes

And my deepest love to you evermore. Wallace James W. Wallace to Walt Whitman, 21 July 1891

Law Offices JEROME BUCK, 206 BROADWAY, NEW YORK, October 16 188 8 My dear Sir, Please accept my lasting

I sought only thro' through Tom Harned a line from your hand to place in my copy of 'Leaves of Grass.

If you ever come my way I know a place hard by, where a bottle of the reddest Burgundy may be found that

I am my dear Mr Whitman Gratefully & faithfully yours Jerome Buck For Walt Whitman Esquire Camden NJ

is W S K's letter just rec'd —fine & a little warm to–day—has been almost cool here four days—made my

breakfast on bread & canteloupe—still have my supper at 4½—no dinner—fair excretion business—out in

wheel ch'r last evn'g—my grip has call'd in upon me again the last two or three days (probably the great

the weather & stoppage of sweating)—not yet so bad as formerly—bladder botheration—a sister of one of my

war soldiers call'd yesterday—a nice smart old maid—my soldier still lives & flourishes—in California—Anson

I suffer much with my head, & locomotion is more clumsy & paralyzed even than usual—But my inward feeling

We are having it warm & bright & spring like here at present—very attractive out, but my head prevents

My nieces are well—the one with the hair a la Chinois is California, (Jessie,) the younger—the other

Louis, full of work—both my brothers have plenty of noble, manly work, & very remunerative.

Dear & honoured Friend & Master I thank you from my heart for the gift of your great book—that beautiful

But my heart has not the power to make my brain & hands tell you how much I thank you.

I cannot even attempt to tell yourself (upon this page of paper with this pen in my hand), what it is

If my health, riven to the bottom like a tree in me, twelve years ago,—& the cares of a family, complicated

reliance on you, & my hope that you will not disapprove of my conduct in the last resort.

The misfortune of the case is, that he happens to be married to my sister. You know the Mrs.

side, who commerces my anxieties, troubles, trials—my brotherly affections—and my sister there, she

Why," he added, "I always went in my early days to the 25-cent place in the theatre, and it was my breath

My early life especially was full of it.

My intimate friends would have their best fun with a man who brought them such a doubt!"

though shining out very brightly by fits and starts, seemed incapable of conveying any warmth, I took my

hat, which I was able to keep on my head not without considerable effort.

My flesh quivered with the bitter coldness of the air. My breath appeared steam. Qu-foo-o!

I gave an extra pull of my hat over my brows—a closer adjustment of my collar around my shoulders, and

way homeward, imbue my fancy with a kindred glee and joyousness!

the best last news of Wm —Quite certainly I am weathering—to all appearance—this ab't sixth whack of my

war paralysis—(thanks mainly I opine to a sound strong body heredity from my dear father & mother)—I

am still keeping my room—shall attempt a mild raid soon—take no medicines—have finished (sent in all

copy) my little Nov: Boughs —Horace Traubel is a noble faithful fellow—Weather continues superb— Walt

Also said: "I have great faith in my power of endurance.

I have no doubt now but I shall hold out my time—that is, I shall not hasten my death by anything I do

cause—make my cause theirs: quite a cluster.

It was a tempting offer—it pulled at my heart-strings: my friends over there all said, come, you will

Even some of my friends here said, go: and some were angry when I decided not to: but my own heart never

earliest convenience, to return my answers thereto in writing.

Before my appointment to my present office, I was a lawyer.

In my youth, before my first entering the public service, I had not adopted a permanent occupation. 5

I was educated by my parents, and by solitary study. 6.

The law clerk's hours are similar to my own.

December 3, 1867.My dear Mr.

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

I boil: burn up: but often I keep my mouth shut: I am a slow mover: I don't hurry even in my tantrums

That infernal damned meter's getting on my nerves.

"My head and my heels tell me so."

miner in California; Or rude in my home in Dakota's woods, my diet meat, my drink from the spring; Or

place, with my own day, here.

My comrade!

my intrepid nations! O I at any rate include you all with perfect love!

steamers steaming through my poems!

; Or rude in my home in Dakotah's woods, my diet meat, my drink from the spring; Or withdrawn to muse

place, with my own day, here.

My comrade!

my intrepid nations! O I at any rate include you all with perfect love!

steamers steaming through my poems!

home in Kanuck woods, Or wandering and hunting, my drink water, my diet meat, Or withdrawn to muse and

In the Year 80 of The States, My tongue, every atom of my blood, formed from this soil, this air, Born

Take my leaves, America!

My comrade!

steamers steaming through my poems!

do not procreate like men; all of them and all existing creeds grows not so much of God as I grow in my

moustache, And I am myself waiting my time to be a God; I think I h shall do as much good and be as

pure and prodigious, and do as much good as any; — And when my do, I am, do you suppose it will please

wriggles through the world mankind and hides under helmets and it is not beloved never loved or believed.— My

See in particular the lines: "The supernatural of no account . . . . myself waiting my time to be one

sings as well as I, because although she reads no newspaper; never learned the gamut; And to shake my

The first lines of the notebook poem were revised and published as "My Picture-Gallery" in The American

May 20 th /73 My dearest Friend Such a joyful surprise was that last paper you sent me, with the Poem

& by thoughts you have given me blent in & suffusing all: No hope or aim or practical endeavour for my

For there is not a line nor a word in it at which my spirit does not rise up instinctive and fearlessly

draught that I know is for me, because it is for all—the love that you give me on the broad ground of my

Good bye my best beloved Friend. Annie Gilchrist.

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

My dear Sir: Mr.

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

My name is known to your friend Mr.

I enclose prospectus of my Editions of Poe's works.

Only not mounted as I want it for mounting in my own fashion, safest way of sending is round a small

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

It gives me a deep sincere pleasure to write this note, but I should like to say about my article, that

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

Dear Mr Whitman Please pardon my intrusion but as I am a great lover of literature especially poetry,

Miller's muse If you will be so kind as to answer my critical questions I will thank you very much.

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

My great regret is that with his magnificent abilities he should have done so comparatively little to

It is postmarked: London | PM | MY 13 | 89 | Canada; Camden, N.J. | May | 15 | 30 PM | 1889 | Rec'd.

Your card of the 24th came two days ago, not a little to my relief.

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

Brooklyn January 20 1865 My dear friend I suppose you must have heard from Ashton that I received Mr.

We got word yesterday by means of an exchanged prisoner, from my brother George, but only up to November

I suppose you got my letter of some ten days since.

Nelly, I send you my love, & hope you are well & [in] good spirits. Farewell.

Of the O'Connors, Thomas Jefferson Whitman wrote on June 13, 1863: "I am real glad, my dear Walt, that

I am sitting in the old chair in my Mickle st. den writing this—fine weather— Walt Whitman Walt Whitman

Whitman occasionally referred to Stafford as "My (adopted) son" (as in a December 13, 1876, letter to

June 9 '89 Lou, I rec'd the aspargus, strawberries &c, by Charley—have had some of the a[sparagus] for my

least either on the right or left side) with a button at top—I am so in the habit of carrying things in my

dull here muchly—I am sitting up in the 2d story room alone—door & windows open—Did you or George get my

Whitman noted that Louisa "bro't my new blue gown" on June 11, 1889 (The Commonplace-Book, Charles E.

there from Saturday night until Monday morning before any train left I dont think I ever was so sick in my

with your office I am in hopes you have recd it before this time I begun to think that your office & my

discharge had gone to the same place now I have got my papers I think you had ought to receive yours

I cant write any more this time my hand trembles so I can hardly write but I will try & do better next

time give my best respects to Mr & Mrs O Connor.

Of the O'Connors, Thomas Jefferson Whitman wrote on June 13, 1863: "I am real glad, my dear Walt, that

same with me—I wonder if (& hope) you will see Edw'd Carpenter (Millthorpe n'r Chesterfield) one of my

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

It is postmarked: LONDON | MY 7 | 91 | CANADA.; CAMDEN, N.J. | MAY | 9 | 1PM | 1891 | REC'D.

Louis Nov. 10 th My Dear Uncle Walt, I have been thinking about you so much lately, that I am going to

I am still at my old quarters and will remain for this Winter, after that is as yet an unsettled problem

was an admirer of the former, I think even more of him, for the good taste in thinking so much of "my

Traubel, With Walt Whitman in Camden, Thursday, September 12, 1889 and Saturday, September 14, 1889: "My

My dear Friend and Master, About twelve years since, I was in Boston and looking at the books of an old

In all my troubles and successes I have been strengthened by your divine teachings.

(My words seem utterly paltry and drivelling, and I am thoroughly ashamed of them.

My dear Master— do write to me—your faithful pupil and lover.

My will not prove my love, but could you have seen my work since I first read your divine Message—you