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Is acting on my idea to proceed with circular for book.

My dear Traubel:You are much in my thought these days—days to you of trembling hope and dread, of life

That would be my last and sweetest prize, tuft, plume, gift—Manhattan Island—my first love."

But this is one of my bad days—one of my worst—and I am not up to a talk with you.

Take my love, dear boy—and take with you, too, my best remembrance to all the fellows in New York, telling

Sir: In order that there may be no mistakes as to my position in regard to a rehearing upon the questions

presented by the Interior Department, p. 225 for my opinion in relation to the asserted rights of the

made by that time, I cannot promise to hear it at all, in view of the engagements which press upon my

however, I should find no cause for such suspicion, the opinion already prepared may be considered as my

When painfully athwart my brain Dark thoughts come crowding on, And, sick of worldly hollowness, My heart

out upon the green I walk, Just ere the close of day, And swift I ween the sight I view Clears all my

I am with you in my soul: I shout—I strike the ball with you— With you I race and roll.— Methinks, white‑winged

My dear Uncle Walt: I thought you would like to see your little Kittie's face so send my photograph wishing

(from my dear friend, Little Kitty (14 yr's old) daughter of my friend Johnston the jeweler—with very

My Dear Sir, Your friendly note of the 26th has just come to hand, and yesterday came your noble paper

on Personalism —for both of which attentions you have my thanks.

friend has sent me from time to time appreciative notices of yourself, knowing by some supreme instinct my

I know how fully he shares in my appreciation of yourself and works.

March 30 1886 My dear Sir: I have sent through my publishers a vol. volume of my essays on Poetry & Poets

I hope you may have seen & cared for some of my own work in poetry.

Camden Oct 26, '87 early P M —have just had my dinner, (plain boil'd beef, potatoes & a roast apple—all

relish'd well) & am now sitting here in my big chair in the little front room —Cold & cloudy out—looks

fuller details)—The Pall Mall Gaz. letter you speak of appears to have erased a sentence or two (showing my

of home helpers) —but even as it is I hope it doesn't bear the construction you speak of—I enclose my

the pipes through the house, & burst them yesterday, causing great trouble—I too have got a bad cold, my

three hours during the day)— I will only write this very short letter to you this time, but send you my

love, my darling son—I think about you every day dear son—will write more, soon—here is a kiss for you

letter to you this time—I feel pretty well, but don't seem to feel like writing—Good bye for to-day, my

Dear Pete, dear son, I am sitting here in my room again writing to you—there is no particular change

in the situation—we are having some pretty cold weather here—I go out a little every day, but my walking

I suppose you got mine last Tuesday— —I have just had my dinner, bean soup, boiled beef, & pumpkin-pie

worse—it is now just after 2, & I am feeling quite comfortable—& hope this will find you all right, my

My satisfaction with your proposed German trans[lation] increases the more you unfold it, and I think

In the whole matter I freely trust to your intuitions and 'cuteness as to meanings, my dear friend—you

My letter to Mr Lee was also as a preface to the Russian translation.

much of the internationality element (sentiment) which I have intended as one of the leading fibres of my

May 27, 75 My dear Walt Whitman Your kind letter is received and the sad news of your ill health makes

However my dear friend as you have lived from within and nor from without I am sure you will be able

request; but I cannot say to day or yet tomorrow for I am in the midst of work and am not altogether my

Till I see you my dear friend and fellow toiler goodbye Yours fitfully Joaquin Miller Joaquin Miller

Dear Walt, Just a few lines to express my constant thought of you and my dearest love.

Yesterday, (New Year's Day) was a perfect day—the finest I have seen since my retur n .

But with love to you & best wishes from my inmost innermost heart.

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

My dear Friend — It was with much regret that we felt compelled to leave you in your sickness last week

Our passage across the whole way has been nearly as smooth as a duck pond, and my health has been very

I bear your messages of love and remembrance to your many many friends in London, who without my privileges

Alys, my faithful secretary, joins me in the expression of the hearty affection with which I am always

good inscription and the little autograph notes which will make it one of the most precious volumes in my

I feel richer than ever now that I have my "Leaves" all back again and these treasures added to them

this past week but now it is dark, dark, and blowing and raining like all possessed—but I sit here in my

And what do you think of my suggestion to write some autobiographical notes, jottings?

Mr Whitman, Dear Sir, My friend & yours Mr Joaquin Miller tells me that the best way to gratify a long-cherished

greatest men of our age both abroad & at home; & when I remember your work during our dreadful war, my

heart as well as my pride is touched, & I cannot though a stranger to you, forbear presenting to the

true man a nobler title even than that of the true poet, my profoundest respect & admiration— With sincere

Mendocino Co., California Aug. 2. 1877 Walt Whitman My beloved.

I know it was especially for me You will take my kisses and love as from me that knows you and can never

John Burroughs more than any one anyone that I know, fitly expresses my thought of you.

never met that seemed to have the faintest understanding of you so I keep you all to myself locked in my

Walter Whitman My Dear Friend: After the laps lapse of over 8 years, & to let you know that your memory

is yet fresh in my mind; I am mooved moved to write you this letter—I Came to this state after being

My health is not good & has not been since I was in the army—My family is well, & children going to school

April 17, '73 Dear Sir, Your letter of Feb. 8, '73, remitting my acc't account , and sales up to 1st

Also please return me, if convenient, the printed slip I forwarded you of my last acc't. with you, marked

Lee, Shephard & Dillingham whether they would not take my books, (the new editions) & job them.

There is beginning to be a steady, though moderate demand for my books, & if there were a good & permanent

It being my first efforts at publishing, I would make extraordinary efforts to have an extensive sale

One of my reasons for securing your friendship is my appreciation for you as a man, well knowing your

I shall take the liberty of enclosing a card as soon as my arrangement for location is completed.

dark wet day—raining hard outside as I sit here by the window—am feeling pretty well—have just had my

unawares—invites to swell dinners (or societies &c) invariably declined—Am idle & monotonous enough in my

weeks & life here—but upon the whole am mighty thankful it is no worse—my buying this shanty & settling

D[avis] to cook for me, might have been bettered by my disposing some other way —but I am satisfied it

1888] I am about the same—Strangely somehow I don't get any more power in my body or legs—I feel pretty

as before—I have not left the room up stairs yet (now nine weeks)—the Doctor thinks it not best yet— My

all, & thought it best to hurry it done right off—But at present I am much as of late years, except my

few lines from Jeff (in St Louis)—I am now sitting in the big chair—Spend most of the day here—had my

afternoon & all last night—dont seem any improvement in strength or vim —dont yet get out at all of my

literary matters by a sort of trustee-board, yourself, Harned & Horace Traubel —& assigned all [of] my

worldly possessions to Ed, & to my sisters —the "Nov.

sufficient frequent bowel movements—had a very slim day all yesterday —a little easier to-day—but slow, slow—my

without visiting Detroit, I would like to have you make your visit a little late, I will tell you why—My

husband and a son in law are making a trip around the Lakes to Chicago and back—and my son in law Lewis

both Artists, Father and son—the latter just sixteen years of age—but of great promise—I know that my

If you do not feel well enough to answer my questions— wont won't some friend do it for me—and please

brought down here to the front basement, & has in every respect improved much since last Saturday—Then my

will next week be put in the hands of a New York publisher & launched on the market—at least that's my

design at present — When you write tell me all about William—My mother returns bringing cheerful intelligence

whole—& is herself in splendid condition—havn't seen her look & apparently feel better in many years—My

March 6 76 'Bram Stoker, My dear young man, Your letters have been most welcome to me—welcome to me as

Meantime I send you my friendship & thanks.

Edward Dowden's letter containing among others your subscription for a copy of my new edition, has just

My physique is entirely shatter'd—doubtless permanently—from paralysis & other ailments.

dear, I feel quite well to-day considering—in good spirits, & free from any pain—I suppose you got my

days, strong & sudden winds, & dust— but it is pleasanter to-day—it is now about ½ past 1—I have had my

Mother, I feel to-day as if I was getting well—(but my leg is so clumsy yet— & my head has to avoid much

Nothing very different with me—I go out by my own volition not at all, as my power of walking &c. is

Review for November—(they pay quite well, & Redpath is very good to me) —Have a paper "My Book & I" in

Lippincott's for Jan. next —will send it you in printed slip—Shall probably get ready my little concluding

for there is nothing to write ab't—only the fact of writing to you if that is anything—Here I am in my

den as for a year & a half, but not so much different or given out yet—My sleeping & appetite yet hold

fair—you know I am along now in my 71st— Love to you all— Walt Whitman Walt Whitman to Mary Whitall

walk with God in the dark, Than go alone in the light; I would rather walk with him by faith Than pick my

"After the dazzle of day is gone, Only the dark, dark night shows to my eyes the stars; After the clangor

of organ majestic, or chorus, or perfect band, Silent, athwart my soul, moves the symphony true" Thomas

Walt Whitman, My dear Sir; Pardon my recent neglect of your case.

days, to see you again and that, in the meantime, you will steer along cheerfully, hopefully, without my

431 Stevens street Camden New Jersey Nov: November 17 My dear friend I do myself the real pleasure of

presenting you with a set of my books—which are sent by same mail with this—I have inscribed Mrs G's

name with yours on the fly leaf, & please show her this as a testimony of my remembrance & affection

London Ontario Canada I have journey'd out here from my home in Camden, & this will be my head-quarters

to different parts of Canada, but coming back here)—I have rec'd received the two Iowa papers, with my

328 Mickle Street Camden New Jersey June 20 '87 Thank you my friend for the delicious chocolate—I have

it for my breakfast frequently, & enjoy it—Please accept a copy of my little book "Specimen Days" London

I had my choice when I commenc'd.

My Book and I—what a period we have presumed to span!

my own distinctive era and surroundings, America, Democracy?)

I felt it all as positively then in my young days as I do now in my old ones; to formulate a poem whose

But my volume is a candidate for the future.

But I shall try my best to let you have it for tomorrow." Title-page he now wholly approved.

I have had a dreadful bad day all through—my constipation and my cold have been the two beans in the

"I have nothing final on it: my head got so bad I put aside, resigned, everything."

And he answered as he fervently kept my hand—"I shall not, my boy—no—no—not for a minute"—and then "Goodbye

Davis on my way out. Ed had gone for his music lesson.

Her mother was my mother's cousin. Never met her before."

I have never forsworn my allegiance to the printers—never.

At any rate," looking directly at me, "take my authorization with you: I authorize you to promise just

Called my attention to the fact that the Long Islander reprinted my Lippincott's piece in full, giving

before I get the piece in my book."

s on my way home from West Philadelphia. Found him industriously reading proofs of book.

And, "I feel as if this was my last pull of shad!"

He is opposed to my making any plans for the birthday. "Who knows? I may not be above ground then!"

Had read the papers—written "some notes"—that was the "beginning and end of my day."

My dear Mr. Traubel:I have yours of the 15th.

London Dec. 9. 1874 My dearest Friend It did me much good to get your Poem—beautiful earnest eloquent

My artist boy is working away cheerily at the R. Academy, his heart in his work.

I feel more completely myself than I have done since my illness.

I think my thoughts fly to you on strongest and most joyous wings when I am out walking in the clear

Good bye my dearest Friend. Annie Gilchrist.

I wish each to be told my remembrance (or to see this letter if convenient).

positions & ideas in your Westminster article—and radiating from the central point of assumption of my

I would say that (as you of course see) the spine or verteber principle of my book is a model or ideal

(And I want my friends, indeed, when writing for publication about my poetry, to present its gay-heartedness

And now, my dear friend, I must close.

I think the dinner my good friends gave me recently, at Morgan's Hall, gave me a new lease of life.

"At least here I am surrounded by my books, and the roses you see my friends send me daily.

Arnold, you are right welcome to my home."

My second wife, you know, was an American lady, and that gives me a claim on your people.

There was no ceremoniousness about my visit to the President, and as a journalist I liked my brief talk

My morning's round took me to W.'s.

Could then only leave my order. Wrote Creelman.

—seeing an open paper in my hands.

Imparted substance of my correspondence with Creelman.

, and so on—that is the nature of my desires.

streets, among people again—the blare, everything—I was totally blinded, almost—everything obfuscated—my

head swam, my hearing dulled—all my senses seemed to desert me.

I could not stand it—my brain whirled—was in a ferment.

And it was a revelation to me of two things: my sight is going—going markedly—and I am weak—very weak—my

W. afterwards, "I wore my new hat today. It made a great dash."

Bucke calls this my 'bible.'

It is about my dear sister at Burlington.

It is written by a woman who helps my sister: my sister has jaundice—is in bed—can do little for herself

Conway always excites both my interest and my suspicion."

W. said last: "How can I ever pay my debt to you?"

"I go from my bed to the chair—from my chair to the bed—again and again—never staying long in either

place, never losing altogether the sense of lethargy which characterizes my present condition.

"I feel keenly my mental shakeup—my loss of continuity: my overwhelming weariness.

He knew of my special interest in his hospital records. "Yes—read it—keep it, if you like.

I send my thanks and love to yourself, your sister, husband, and the sisters Wigglesworth.

If I can make that much gain I may be able to do my work.

Clifford wrote today: "My love to dear Walt Whitman.

He raised his head from the pillow: "My love to dear John Clifford!

I often find myself misplacing names, things—find that I must go back and rectify my errors—retrace my

steps—review my work."

He passed slowly over to the chair, leaning the one side on the cane, the other on my arm.

"My father was always a Democrat—a Democrat of the old school." "Was he anti-slavery?"

He went on to say, however, anent my remark that nearly all Quakers were opposed to slavery: "My father

"They make quite a bulk: I gave them to my own people—my dear friends: some of them close, O so close

My relations with the boys there in Washington had fatherly, motherly, brotherly intimations— touched

This suggested my remark: "Garland asked that you send an autograph copy to Howells."

I wrote down what came into my head at the time—what then seemed required."

"No—I had my doubts the other night but they were only momentary doubts.

My surprise is, how they can receive me?

Your book, always to be handed down and transferred by my clan, reached me on my fifty-fifth birthday

"Here are the proofs—but, Horace, do not rely upon my readings.

In fact, all my experiences South—all my experiences in the hospitals, among the soldiers in the crowds

Then read.Montenotte, Cork,Sept. 3, 1872.My dear Mr.

My address is as before, 50, Wellington Road, Dublin.

He took my hand—pressed it fervently. "I am in luck. Are you?

Armory Sq Hospital,Sunday Evening Oct 4Dear Madam,Your letter reached me this forenoon with the $30 for my

Who put you on to my secret?" "It's not even a secret—anybody might know it who looked."

My nature, my temperament, my blood, should take me close to the Teuton."

Here was my first tally of life—here were my first tries with the lute—in that book I am just like a

for two hours on my tin horn."

My dear Traubel,Hearty thanks for your letters to myself.Johnston, Wallace & Carpenter have sent on to

correspondence, & to sympathise most deeply in all your hours.And there I have your photograph upon my

It revolutionized my previous conceptions, & made me another man. Revolution is always a bad thing.

previous environment and my own feeble self.I pour all this out upon you now, because, while Whitman

Glad you have my book. Have you two nurses now?