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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

I come," she cried, in toneLike sweetest siren song,"Though I have tarried long,I come, my own, my own

Thou art too late; in soothNaught earthly makes me glad;Where wert thou in my mad,My eager, fiery youth

Nay, grieve not thine," she said,"For I have loved full oft,And at my lovers scoffed,Alive to woo them

s "sonorous verse," W. thereupon: "That sounds good: I hope the verse is sonorous: I have my many many

"Take these—mere reminders—with my remembrance, my affection."

And to my questions: "I should not object to appearing in Scribner's if they paid me for it.

I have been so often cuffed—met not only incivility but downright and cowardly insult—I must pick my

Nov. 24, 18 68 Dearest Mother, I suppose you got my letter last Saturday, 21st—All goes along at present

last—To-day it is very fine—I should like to be with you on Thanksgiving, Thursday—I shall take dinner at my

Benedict told me yesterday to bring any of my friends to dinner I wanted to—I still have the same room—I

the office that keep me hard at it— Love to you, dearest mother—& to all— I have had to scratch off my

letter in a hurry, but I wanted you to have something, according to promise in my last.

Anderton, near Chorley Lancashire, England 5 June 1891 My dear Friend, Your most kind letter of May 23

Thank you from my heart.

And yet, my loved friend & master, I know in my heart of hearts that all is well, that "Love like the

God's blessing upon you, & my tenderest love— Wallace James W. Wallace to Walt Whitman, 5 June 1891

Whitman— I have taken so much pleasure of late in re-reading your work that I would not render my spiritual

I have read "Pioneers, O Pioneers" over and over again to my many friends, who study not books but life

I have your picture in my room, and I never see it or take up your book without feeling what a glorious

I send you a few poems of my own. I shall be glad if they please you.

I am not a person that makes literary visits, but I wish that I could meet you this summer, on my return

Syracuse Dec 27th/68 Walt Whitman Dear Friend I suppose you will think by this time that I have forgotten my

Dear old Friend by my long silence & neglect to answer your letter, or acknowledge the receipt of your

think of you & promise myself that I will not delay writing to you any longer but as often I break my

My health is very good. Father has been quite sick for a week but is improving now.

York next summer & cannot come up and make me a short visit let me know when you are coming and if my

& was glad to hear from you—I am still in a pretty bad way—I am writing this over at the office, at my

desk, but feel to-day more like laying down than sitting up—I do not walk any better, & my head has

strength—very slowly—& shall yet get well as ever — Every thing goes on about the same, in the sphere of my

is impossible in reality— I got a long letter from Dowden —he mentions you—As I sit I look over from my

were men out there in their shirt-sleeves raking it up—I have a big bunch of lilacs in a pitcher in my

My Dear friend Walt I now take my pen in hand to let you know how I am getting along I am in very good

health at present & I hope you are the same. my father is not very well at present he has been Laid

I bought some medicine for a freind friend of my fathers & he gave me the money to pay for them & I Spent

Robbins & then I will be Disgraced & Discarged Discharged I asked my Sister to lend three & she would

matter with me now—I fear he is having a bad time—& think of him much—Nothing very different or new in my

affairs—my "cold in the head" still hangs on—some twinge of bladder trouble, but nothing serious—upon

Wednesday 20th —Sunny & cool & fine to-day—My brother Jeff from St Louis (topographical engineer) here

—(as he grows older, we look curiously alike—you would know he was my brother)—he is not well, stomach

the tel[egram] that you w'd not start till next Monday—bowel action this mn'g—am sitting as usual by my

Belmont Mass Oct 3. 89 Dear Old Quaker Friend of the horse-taming sea kings of Long Island: My thorn

He drew those pictures of yr home for my book; but takes the blackguard view of you.

My dame laid him out flat after calling on you. She can do such things, is keen as steel.

White's pitiful parody of L of G. in my face & thot he had floord me, he said he ahd heard that Edwin

I have to do it for my writings now.

Sept: 19 Perfect sunny day—am feeling pretty well—grip palpable tho'—(cold in the head feeling)—ate my

breakfast with rather subdued appetite—bowel action this forenoon—miss Mrs: D[avis] somewhat —call f'm my

New York decidedly, but it is probable they will have it in Phila: —there is some opposition to me or my

his endorsement & advocacy, & think that speech at the Reisser dinner one of the chief pinnacles of my

snakes & bed-bugs are not half as loathesome as some humans can be)—I call the H man whelp altogether in my

page on the following day, and the account in the Camden Post on June 2 the poet reprinted in Good-bye My

1890: "I think you are right to stand aside (personally) from this I[ngersoll] demonstration but for my

since I last wrote you has passed on, bringing no decided change in my condition—in my bad spells, (&

I have them often enough) I 'most think the end is not far off—but I get over them & my natural buoyancy

reässerts itself—(& in the main keeps control of the helm)—though to a man of my lazy-activity this

I was discharged from my clerkship on the last of June, by B.

hun.00021xxx.00596HM 6713'Come said my soul. . .'

[Come, said my Soul]about 1875poetry1 leafhandwritten; A signed draft, heavily revised, of the untitled

'Come said my soul. . .'

Leaves of Grass (1891) COME, said my Soul, Such verses for my Body let us write, (for we are one,) That

Ever and ever yet the verses owning—as, first, I here and now, Signing for Soul and Body, set to them my

Nov 5 18 70 My dear Mr.

Huntington: I write to say I would like to postpone the pleasure of my visit to, & breakfast with, you

Walt Whitman I send the Galaxy with one of my last pieces —as I am not certain whether I sent it to you

328 Mickle Street Camden New Jersey Nov: 30 '85 My dear Wm Rossetti Yours of Nov: 13 with 31 pounds 19

shillings has been received—the third instalment of the "offering" —my thanks are indeed deeper than

been writing to Herbert Gilchrist ab't his mother, & am filled with sadness—nothing new with me, only my

431 Stevens Street, Camden, Jan: 26 '81 My dear friend I am sorry to have to send you word that I am

unable to meet you & the other friends at dinner— I send you herewith a couple of pictures (I call it my

Quaker picture)—one is for your father—also the books herewith —also my love to you— Walt Whitman Walt

has been giving me the very devil in Liberty for calling the Emperor William a 'faithful shepherd' in my

As he said: "It is all from my friends.

There was nothing in this little poem to contradict my earlier philosophy.

leave W. reverted to the Emperor William affair: "Do you think I had better write a little note to my

"That is true—true—if I wrote I would do no more than make it clear that my reference was to the Emperor

I went down to the Cemetery—Harleigh: I want you to go there, too—see my lot.

And curiously, he is the first man of the kind, in such a position, whose views coincide with my own.

No—no—I do not think he is anything but what he appears—my impression was a good one, favorable: the

Not only asked to buy my whole stock of books—but the copyright as well.

I am willing to sell books and books—but my freedom?"

the still woods I loved, I will not go now on the pastures to walk, I will not strip the clothes from my

body to meet my lover the sea, I will not touch my flesh to the earth as to other flesh to renew me.

I do not see any of it upon you to-day, or perhaps I am deceiv'd, I will run a furrow with my plough,

I will press my spade through the sod and turn it up underneath, I am sure I shall expose some of the

transparent green-wash of the sea which is so amorous after me, That it is safe to allow it to lick my

the still woods I loved, I will not go now on the pastures to walk, I will not strip the clothes from my

body to meet my lover the sea, I will not touch my flesh to the earth, as to other flesh, to renew me

I do not see any of it upon you to-day—or perhaps I am deceived, I will run a furrow with my plough—I

will press my spade through the sod, and turn it up un- derneath underneath , I am sure I shall expose

transparent green-wash of the sea, which is so amorous after me, That it is safe to allow it to lick my

the still woods I loved, I will not go now on the pastures to walk, I will not strip the clothes from my

body to meet my lover the sea, I will not touch my flesh to the earth as to other flesh to renew me.

I do not see any of it upon you to-day, or perhaps I am deceiv'd, I will run a furrow with my plough,

I will press my spade through the sod and turn it up underneath, I am sure I shall expose some of the

transparent green-wash of the sea which is so amorous after me, That it is safe to allow it to lick my

I have just written to the Postmaster at Washington, asking him to forward my letters here, as I suppose

In my case there is no notable amendment—& not much change—I have irregular spells of serious distress

the day or night only, with intervals in which, (while I remain still,) I feel comparatively easy—but my

C[lerk] at which I am truly pleased —Nelly, as I suppose you will see this letter, I will send you my

& did he say any thing new about my sickness or symptoms?

Walt Whitman: I came across your, and now my, Leaves of Grass when I was eighteen, that is a year ago

I took it to my mother and "wheedled" her as she says, and got her to give the "leaves" to me.

At the page where you breathed on and pressed your hand, I also pressed my hand and so we have had a

condition of London and I am working hard to get out of it and back to America, where I shall bury my

And you have done my brothers & sisters, the race, good.

Meltonsville (my home office) Mr.

About that time I also, obeying an "impulse" or "law of my being" which was effectual if not "irresistible

" went for a Poet for my county.

Again this summer learned in my backwoods hermit home that Walt's Poems were in books, and that "English

In my disappointment and vexation I then said to my family "the Publisher who would publish and the Bookseller

Grier here is confident my principal trouble is cerebral anæmia (blood not properly going to the brain

it arises from a long continued excessive emotional action generally —& thinks it so has arisen in my

moonlight evening—It is bright & clear to-day, & rather hot—It is socially here an utter blank to me—my

dread of being bored by any one is now completely gratified with a vengeance—I look long & long at my

mother's miniature, & at my sister Mat's—I have very good one's of each—& O the wish if I could only

O'Connor has just paid me a pleasant visit—& I have been eating my lunch of a roast apple & biscuit—I

pain & comparatively comforting, & that it cannot be very long before I shall have the good use of my

downward, partially helpless— but the principal trouble is yet in the head, & so easily getting fatigued— my

whole body feels heavy, & sometimes my hand—Still, I go out a little every day almost—accompanied by

I am sitting here in my room—it is very pleasant out apparently— I generally go out a little between

the still woods I loved; I will not go now on the pastures to walk; I will not strip the clothes from my

body to meet my lover the sea; I will not touch my flesh to the earth, as to other flesh, to renew me

I do not see any of it upon you to-day—or perhaps I am deceiv'd; I will run a furrow with my plough—I

will press my spade through the sod, and turn it up under- neath underneath ; I am sure I shall expose

transparent green-wash of the sea, which is so amorous after me, That it is safe to allow it to lick my

What had been my feeling?

He probably got hold of my piece—knew I had been present at the concert: my habits, enjoyment: inserted

My book is my best letter, my response, my truest explanation of all.

In it I have put my body and spirit.

I wrote to Stedman for W. to-daytoday: sent the message out of my sheet of notes.

31 1889Dear Sir:I think I subscribed $5 to the publication of the "Camden Compliment," and I enclose my

W. thought: "From my point of view, aside entirely from what is said on it, the book is a success from

I do not get over my astonishment, however, that this is for us—that I have lived to see it."

Said he had "another red-ink postal from the Epoch person, directing my attention to The Epoch of Nov

My own poem looks well: there is a noble breadth given it there—in the mere printerial aspect of it."

431 Stevens Street Camden New Jersey Nov: November 26 '80, p m My dear Gilder I wonder if you can help

about a year ago bo't bought at auction the electrotype plates (456 pages) of the 1860–'61 edition of my

book Leaves of Grass —plates originally made by a young firm Thayer & Eldridge under my supervision

Second I want my royalty for all he has sold, (though I have no idea of ever getting a cent.)

I am the sole owner of the copyright—& I think my copyright papers are all complete—I publish & sell

I would be willing to make you an immediate payment of $250.00 on account and will do everything in my

my book Leaves of Grass W. Whitman" (Whitman's Commonplace Book).

Burlington Tuesday Morning March 4 1873 My Dear Brother How are you this morning.

little I feel glad when its it's bright pleasant weather I think maybe you will gain faster,—I know my

from him and the dear little girls Do you remember Walt some years ago, what a bad time I had with my

back (I think it was neuralgie neuralgia of the spine) anyway I was well only my back I could not walk

do like that young fellow that is so kind to you, Peter Doyle I shall always remember him Good bye my

At my request he sends the paragraph on the back of his own photo.

My drawings and my clay greatly interest her and a large company of boys & girls who flock to her porch

God sends my due—or approximates it. My busts sell, but my landlord stands at the door.

My lectures succeed, but the money they bring takes me back home, & then comes a dying whisper—"nothing

My husband ("J.C.T.

but I am surprised to see that in Lippincott's (foot-note to p 381) you quote, instead of this, from my

Harrison's letters and have been comforting my soul with the idea that you prized the one I refer to,

fanciful imagination, whistled merrily, or moaned sadly, according to my thoughts.

emboldens me to ask whether my husband and I may not call upon you some day at your convenience.

Trautwine's note" in revising the Lippincott's piece for publication in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891): see

The Hospitals still engross a large part of my time and feelings—only I don't remain so long and make

It comes from a bad cold, gathering I think in my head.

Things here are just the same with me, neither better nor worse—(I feel so engrossed with my soldiers

, I do not devote that attention to my office-hunting, which is needed for success.)

Jeff, you must give my best respects to Mr. and Mrs.

Wrote Creelman, specifying my notions of the flower business and W.'

Warning again against appeals, speaking of my fund and of W.'

Defined my message to Creelman.

Adding, "Give her my love: tell her to take the best care of herself."

I often rub my eyes to see if much or most of this kindness is not a dream."

It is not new, particularly to you, to my friends. But it is one of my choice notes.

," and on my explanation: "Yes, that is good."

No, I do not see that my presence is necessary, indispensable.

I do not know but that it could be best to have it understood all is to go in my pocket."

"They will give you notions of how I pass my life." Tuesday, September 16, 1890

"I am all of a jumble today—my stomach, my head."

And laughingly told him my discussion with Burroughs, Burroughs contending that W.'

I informed him, "My idea now is, to start my piece with the autobiographic page and close it with your

description of this room—filling in my own matter for the rest."

Yet I shall do so, for from outward evidence he is worse than he has been.He still urges me about my

W. had just finished his dinner, and talked well during the 20 minutes of my stay.

"Yes," he said to my inquiries, "I woke well this morning—pass along reasonably well.

Yes, the summer has been a severe one—but the profuse sweatingness, so to call it, has been in my case

For instance, where he says—the world is my country, to do good is my religion.

Called my attention to brief editorial in the Boston Herald.

He kept my cold hand—said: "Its cold is no offense—refreshing, rather."

Yet on the other hand I am always determined—have been, whether when I wrote or spoke, to present my

own case, be myself, let my own position be understood.

No—Williams will not print—at least with my consent: I should, as I see it now, be positively opposed

I explained my idea—"Their democracy is born of something other than democracy—ours from democracy itself

My friend, Why the dickins didn't you come out to the whig meeting at the court house, last Saturday

—The awful occasion impressed indeliby upon my memory every agonising moment of that infernal excursion

skin is even now peeling, and four mortal pounds of flesh which ran off in a state of dilution from my

lumps of red hot fire—not a tree not a shed to shelter us from the intolerable glare.— I gave you in my

last some account of my first "huckleberry frolick," but this beats it all hollow.

My regard for you is so great that I am very sorry, not to be able to buy more copies of your books and

I am, everywhere in my teaching and writing, making your claims felt and shall continue to do so.

I do not think a single pupil held out against my arguments supplemented by readings from your work.

than in the American mind ," I have also used in company with Spencer's great law of progress upon my

I hope to be able to please you with my treatment of your great work.

especially such as this one: I was sitting at breakfast yesterday morning, when the lines came into my

longing to send you a word, but you can't imagine how hard it is for me to rouse myself to write, in my

my wretched lameness prevents me from exerting myself as I want to.

Despite my illness and inanition, I am all agog for the result.

"O for the light of another sun, With my Bazra sword in my hand!"

Heyden's "The Last Words of Al-Hassan" contains the lines "O Allah, for the light of another sun, / With my

I shall have Specimen Days in my class during spring time.

chair here, folding my hands on my lap, and having you do my work!

My friend and yours, R.

"O for the light of another sun,With my Bazra sword in my hand!"

He said: "You have opened my eyes."

down & see you—sister & bro: at Burlington N J are well— own sister Burlington Vermont sick & poorly—my

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

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

"Walt Whitman's Last," an "explanation" of his book Good-Bye My Fancy (1891), was published in the August