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I am sure that if no unexpected business comes to this office, and my health holds out in this hot weather

Such things are very common, and my only advice on the subject is that you pay no attention to them.

suit in Baltimore different from the first impression which a verbal statement of the matter made upon my

Sir: I have received your letter of the 23d instant, asking whether my attention had been called to the

Willard, would in any degree affect my official action in that matter.

Perhaps it is not possible for one in your circumstances to view such cases as they appear to one in my

so disproportioned a share of attention given to it, and which was cheerfully given, (on account of my

But this was only a passing impulse on my part, and I desire you to feel that I retain no unkindness

or the mere addition of respectable names to the list of petitioners, will not produce a change in my

Sir: The case of John Pierce, brought to my notice by your letter of the 23d inst. shall receive immediate

Sir: There is no fund under my control appropriated for paying such services as are described in your

Sir: I have just returned from Philadelphia, and find your letter of the 16th instant upon my desk. salary

careful perusal, it fails to satisfy me that I should reverse the determination I expressed to you in my

I write now to say that my omission to answer it immediately was from no indifference to the affairs

Sir: Your letter of the 16th ultimo asks for my opinion whether the keeper of the harbor Light House

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

that no matter affecting the Guano Islands in the Pacific Ocean, alleged to have been discovered by Captain

In my interview with a gentleman connected with the New York Times, I gave an outline of my observations

Whether his version of my conversation was accurate in all other particulars, I cannot at this moment

A spirited, yes, a desperate contest with bad men is, in my judgment, the most expedient course for the

While you have my warmest sympathy, I do not feel that it would be proper official action for me to arrest

You misunderstand my position.

According to my information, this was not the case until the 25th of October.

books and furniture here some two weeks before, I feel at liberty to pay from the time indicated in my

answer to your letter of the 31st ultimo, requesting me to transmit to the Secretary of the Interior my

My judgment concurs with yours as to the expediency of prompt arrests, but Mr.

I hope I was not understood in my previous letter any suspicion that your conduct had not been dictated

I refer to this simply to show my indisposition to advise the removal of an officer upon unproved charges

The transaction which has been lately brought to my notice in the Thomas case obliged me to suggest to

I was not moved in the slightest degree by any thing in the Stokes and Beatty case, but my action was

taken from my own views of propriety, without any suggestion whatever any suggestion whatever from the

In my judgement, the judicial force of the United States can be advantageously increased in the South

I am not quite certain whether a recommendation on the subject would be proper in my official report,

the suggestions which you have made on that subject are entirely reasonable, and if it shall be in my

of Judge Trigg, and have desired that I should make known to you the effect of that statement upon my

My letter of the 28th ultimo, addressed to you at Knoxville, in the case of Mr.

repeat that you seem to understand your Commission as requiring a much larger expenditure than was in my

It was my supposition from your previous communication that the offences which you alleged were perpetuated

The furnishing of professional defence went to the very verge of what I understand to be my authority

To go further, and pay costs out of any funds under my control, seems to me unauthorized.

aim'd at me—like flash of flame Right to my very soul it came.

An infant at that dreary hour, Comes weeping to my silent bower, And wakes me with a piteous prayer,

I, starting, cry, That mak'st my blissful dreams to fly?"

I know him by his bow and dart; (I know him by my fluttering heart:) I take him in—I quickly raise The

(My bosom trembled as he smiled,) I pray thee let me try my bow, For through the rain I've wandered

The books are for my wife "Mary F.

Friend Walt, I have been setting at the foot of what I call my bed idoly speculating, on the past, and

met and called them Friends how often the word Friend, is missplace, but you have told me you were my

Friend and called me your young Friend, I thank you for that priveledge from the inmost recess of my

camp, expecting to meet you there I was sorrowfully disapointed on my arrival there to find that my

little Wife and my home, to enjoy a few of your leisure hours cheerfully.

He was promoted to full captain in the 25th New York Cavalry on 1 Jul 1864.

Apostrophizing his own soul ("And you O my soul"), the poet's analogical process is similar to Oliver

implies that the only way the train can join the dialogue of the recitative is through him ("Roll through my

Gilchrist,and the intimacy which my brother,my friend Mr.

"My great anxiety about my wife lastsstill.

"My Dear Mrs.

"My Dear Mrs.

My Dear Mrs.

& persistence sufficient to write and publish such thoughts;—But increased invalidism has prevented my

preserving your cheerfulness serenity & kindly spirit through it all—I am writing (or scratching rather) for my

good, to satisfy my own soul —So pardon me & I trust the reading of this will not weary you With kindest

Ah dear old friend as I hear from her young lips those soul stirring words of yours my heart strings

My children join me in love and good wishes. Sincerely yours Mrs Anna M Kerr P.S.

I do indeed feel proud to have it direct from the Author, & to have my name written in it by himself.

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

Whitman; Dear Sir My desire to address you springs from a question addressed me by a member of my class

to secure a volume of Leaves of Grass, which I understand are your earlier poems— I should feel that my

Should you pardoning my presumption, and my candor, be kind enough to explain the points to which I have

Earls Colne Sept. 3. 1874 My dearest Friend The change down here has refreshed me more than usual and

I find my Mother still wonderful for her years (the 89th), able to get out daily in her Bath chair for

I have been before breakfast mostly in a beautiful garden (the old Priory garden) with my beloved Poems

heart—pain for you, my Darling.

always to be with my Mother here.

his letter to Anne Gilchrist of August 18, 1873, a ring: "The enclosed ring I have just taken from my

finger & send you with my love."

, 1873, she wrote about her children; and on December 18, 1873, she said of his health: "Perhaps if my

I turn my face to the westward sky and before I lie down to sleep, deep & steadfast within me the silent

London May 18, 1875 My dearest Friend, Since last I wrote to you at the beginning of April (enclosing

at Colne) I have been into Wales for a fortnight to see Percy & have looked, for the first time in my

That is the end of my long story.

My children are all well & growing & unfolding to my heart's content.

Goodbye my dearest Friend. A. Gilchrist. Anne Gilchrist to Walt Whitman, 18 May 1875

Dec. 30, 1874 I see, my dearest Friend, I must not look for those dashes under the words I thought were

going to convey a joyful confirmation of my hopes.

I believe my dear love that what you need to help on your recovery is a woman's tender cherishing love

are very bright & cheerful—she & indeed all my children enjoy the cold much provided they have plenty

you are well, and that you have felt the warm grasp of many loving friends this wintry cloudy time my

Camden Sq July 4, 1874 My Dearest Friend Are you well and happy and enjoying this beautiful summer?

life-giving treasure—open on my lap.

My Darling! such patience yet needed along the tedious path!

—Not more spontaneously & wholly without effort or volition on my part, does the sunlight flow into my

My children are all well, dear Friend.

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.

Sept 4–1873 I am entirely satisfied & at peace "my Beloved—no words can say how divine a peace.

My Darling! take comfort & strength & joy from me that you have made so rich & strong.

When my eyes first open in the morning, often such tender thoughts yearning ineffably pitying sorrowful

—my hands want to be so helpful, tending, soothing, serving my whole frame to support the stricken side

My children send their love, their earnest sympathy.

not think hard of me for not writing oftener, especially the last seven months—If you could look into my

his letter to Anne Gilchrist of August 18, 1873, a ring: "The enclosed ring I have just taken from my

finger & send you with my love."

, 1873, she wrote about her children; and on December 18, 1873, she said of his health: "Perhaps if my

I turn my face to the westward sky and before I lie down to sleep, deep & steadfast within me the silent

Dec. 8, 1873 My dearest Friend The papers with Prof: Young's speech came safely, & I read it, my hand

—Are you getting on my Darling?

sensations in the head & can move without such effort and difficulty a hymn of thankfulness will go up from my

O it is a slow struggle back to health my Darling!

I turn my face to the westward sky before I lie down to sleep, deep & steadfast within me the silent

Singing Thrush" (March 15, 1873; later called "Wandering at Morn"), "Spain" (March 24, 1873), "Sea Captains

London 26 Feb 1874 My dearest Friend Glad am I when the time comes round for writing to you again—though

I can't please myself with my letters, poor little echoes that they are of the loving, hoping, far journeying

Today (Feb. 25th) is my birthday dearest Friend—a day my children always make very bright & happy to

I can bide my time,—a long long growing & unfolding time.

That is because it is the under current of my whole life.

Singing Thrush" (March 15, 1873; later called "Wandering at Morn"), "Spain" (March 24, 1873), "Sea Captains

May 14. 1874 My dearest Friend Two papers have come to hand since I last wrote; one containing the memoranda

A great deal of needlework to be done at this time of year; for my girls have not time for any at present

May is in a sense (& a very real one) my birth month too, for in it were your Poems first put into my

My children are all well and hearty I am thankful to say, & working industriously.

Good bye my dearest Friend. Anne Gilchrist. Anne Gilchrist to Walt Whitman, 14 May 1874

Or it may be my words have led you to do me some kind of injustice in thought,—& then I could defend

only might, but ought, on pain of being untrue to the greatest, sweetest instincts & aspirations of my

own soul, to answer it with all my heart & strength & life.

out life giving warmth & light to my inward self as actually as the Sun does to my body, & draws me

to it and shapes & shall shape my course just as the Sun shapes the Earth's.

Novr. 12, 1872 My dearest Friend, I must write not because I have anything to tell you—but because I

impulses of thought & emotion that would shape themselves melodiously out of that for the new volume— My

Percy my eldest, whom I have not seen for a year is coming to spend Xmas with us— Good bye dearest Friend

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

July 14/72 The 3d July was my rejoicing day, dearest Friend,—the day the packet from America reached

I speak out of my own experience when I say that no Myth, no "miracle" embodying the notion of a direct

of the heart suddenly grow adequate to such new work—O the passionate tender gratitude that flooded my

breast, the yearning that seemed to strain the heart beyond endurance that I might repay with all my

to be so, now: that for me too love & death are folded inseparably together: Death that will renew my

"Democratic Souvenirs" (later "My Legacy") was included in Whitman's "Songs of Parting," which contained