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My dear Sir: A short time ago while on a visit to New York I happened one evening to find your Leaves

Bayard Taylor's library: and taking it with me to my room at the hotel I spent a night of glory and delight

purchase a copy (which please mail to the above address) I cannot resist the temptation to render you also my

the person which your pages so unreservedly make, yet I feel sure that I understand you therein, and my

subject that offers itself—making a compact, the-whole-surrounding, National Poem , after its sort, after my

especially with the literary classes, to make it worth your while to give them a sight of me with all my

I reserve the use of the piece in any collection of my poems I may publish in future.

Should my name be printed in the programme of contributors at any time it must not be lower down than

No 321 High S t Newark New Jersey June 15th / 91 My Dear Friend Walt , I see by the papers that a short

Just reaching up to my Three score. I have been thinking how long since I saw you.

I have in my mind one, that is George Storms as you used to ride more with him than any one else: but

I hardly think I will find many of them but I will try my best to find some of them. in the meantime

I had to come back to look after my farm. The heavy rains came near washing it away.

I & my man live alone in the old house, I am chief cook & bottle washer I keep well & busy, & am not

In a couple of weeks my grapes will be all off (only 1/2 crop this year) & I shall take another holiday

I wish you were here to enjoy this view, & this air, & also my grapes & peaches. Drop me a card.

Who said when I invited him to hear my lecture upon your work—"I shall come by all means.

I gave two evenings to your work before my class at New England Conservatory.

My class is composed of about fifty bright young girls studying music.

I shall have "Specimen Days" in my class during Spring term.

Dear Pete, Here I am yet, in my big chair in the parlor—I am up & around, but not very well—I am having

O'Connor— I have no doubt I shall feel better—my sickness comes & goes—& my relief spells the same—I

me a long time, & which I had quite given up—which puts me in better spirits—good bye for present, my

Toward sunset Had a good thorough bath this afternoon, hot water—my "cold" has not altogether withdrawn—I

day—I almost envy your having such lots to do, responsibilities & strong & well & energetic to do 'em—My

lassitude is one of the worst points in my condition—but whether Sidney Morse's man's answer (when reproach'd

probably say)—Well I will adjust myself for dinner, & hope you & Mrs B & all are having good times—& send my

My dear sir, I have been much interested in a letter from you to Mr.

Of the enclosed check, ten dollars of the amount is contributed by my sister, Mrs. G.W.

Briggs of Salem, to whom I read your letter, & ten dollars by my friend Edward Atkinson.

I hope you will continue in your good work, as I am sure from your letter, & from what my friend, Mr.

It appeals to my printer-sense too—is a handsome & generous piece of typography & mechanical book making

well—Mont is married —(I went down Sunday to G to take him Harry home, at his request)—I am still here in my

when I saw you last, but not much different—mentally the same—physically a sad wreck—I am reciting my

visit from Chas Rowley of Manchester yesterday—I am well as usual—Love to you—Spring is tardy here—My

I have had a slight stroke of paralysis, on my left side, and especially the leg—occurred Thursday night

last, & I have been laid up since—I am writing this in my room, 535 15th st as I am not able to get

out at present—but the Doctor gives me good hopes of being out and at my work in a few days—He says it

days, but am to-day eating better—I wrote to Mat early last week— Later —I have been sitting up eating my

(For what is my life, or any man's life, but a conflict with foes—the old, the incessant war?)

painful and choked articulations—you mean- nesses meannesses ; You shallow tongue-talks at tables, (my

resolutions, you racking angers, you smoth- er'd smother'd ennuis; Ah, think not you finally triumph—My

TO the leaven'd soil they trod calling I sing for the last, (Forth from my tent emerging for good, loosing

vistas beyond, to the South and the North, To the leaven'd soil of the general Western world to attest my

Northern ice and rain that began me nourish me to the end, But the hot sun of the South is to fully ripen my

TO the leaven'd soil they trod calling I sing for the last, (Forth from my tent emerging for good, loosing

vistas beyond, to the South and the North, To the leaven'd soil of the general Western world to attest my

Northern ice and rain that began me nourish me to the end, But the hot sun of the South is to fully ripen my

(For what is my life, or any man's life, but a conflict with foes—the old, the incessant war?)

painful and choked articulations—you mean- nesses meannesses ; You shallow tongue-talks at tables, (my

You broken resolutions, you racking angers, you smother'd ennuis; Ah, think not you finally triumph—My

latest from our dear friend O'Connor not knowing whether you will get word directly —I am having one of my

bad spells, but it will probably pass over—I have had my breakfast, (two or three stewed oysters & a

piece of toast)—am sitting here in the little front room down stairs—the sun is shining & my bird singing—I

328 Mickle street Camden New Jersey U S America May 30 1886 My dear friend Yours of May 17, enclosing

which I indeed, indeed thank you, and all—We have beautiful sunshiny weather here, & I am sitting by my

I send best respects & love to my British contributor-friends—they have done me more good than they think

I was surprised & greived grieved to hear of my old friend Jeffs death.

boy, & I well remember the many long walks he & I had together.— He was a good true friend & often at my

With a heart full of love to you my dear friend, I am Yours truly Sam. G. Stanley. 323 Macon St.

as one who values your writings more than I can ever attempt to express, please allow me to express my

Your teachings rest always in my mind like gleams of sunlight upon the pathway of the future, & I may

write a leading article without trying, as much as lies within me, to hold your "Democratic Vistas" in my

Permit me to assure that such a motive was foreign to my mind.

My object in calling upon you was simply that of friendly interest which I had been encouraged to think

If my presence was an intrusion pray pardon it: but do not I beseech you attribute to presumption or

endorsement of your friendly enterprise, translating and publishing in Germany, some of the poems of my

It has not been for my own country alone —ambitious as the saying so may seem— that I have composed that

One purpose of my chants is to cordially salute all foreign lands in America's name.

winter—yet every thing goes on comfortably with me—I am sitting here by the window down stairs, in my

big chair, writing this—(the sun shining outside, & my little canary singing furiously in his cage in

Susan I enclose a letter Herbert sent me some months ago—nothing particular—Ed I still wish to sell my

For my own part I have just had a glorious dinner of roast turkey and plum pudding and feel well!

My great anxiety now is to put meter matters in such shape that I may get to Phila and see yourself and

Traubel and see with my own eyes how things are with you.

Camden NJ—US America Nov: 1 '91 Just a word anyhow while I am waiting for my supper—y'rs last rec'd is

have progressive paralysis , wh' is eligible to have a fatal termination any hour—so you must all take my

letters & conveyances of friendship & affection (strangers as we are face to face) as my last missives—write

328 Mickle Street Camden New Jersey U S America Aug: 26 '86 My dear Edward Dowden Herbert Gilchrist has

I think of collecting together my prose & verse of the last five years, & printing a little Vol: under

the title of "November Boughs"—also of bringing out a complete budget of all my writing in one book.

Russell, which came to us through my sister Miss Stevenson.

is pleasant to know where one has excited an interest, & in asking you to acknowledge its receipt, my

My direction is to care of Charles P. Curtis, Boston. With regard, I am, Margaret S.

My friend, Jules Laforgue (who died only too prematurely) has already given to the public two of your

In expectation of your kind reply, Sir and dear poet, permit me to assure you of my sympathy in art and

of my profound admiration.

[I approve of your attempt to translate certain of my poems into the German tongue.

Indeed, arrogant as the statement may seem, I had more than my own native land in view when I was composing

I had also in mind, as one of my objects, to send a hearty greeting to these lands in America's name.

My dear Sir: Would you be willing to entertain a proposition to cross this Autumn to England and deliver

From facts in my possession I am quite sure that you would be very successful for the cultured class

My friend and yours, R.

Wednesday—I am better than I was last week—not as well as I would like to be, but well enough to keep on with my

It is beautiful weather here to-day—I have got my new trowsers—$20!!—only think of that!

—it is lucky I wear my clothes a long while— Walt.

What do my shouts amid lightnings and raging winds mean?)

songs in Sex, Offspring of my loins.

Behold me where I pass—hear my voice—approach, Touch me—touch the palm of your hand to my Body as I pass

; Be not afraid of my Body.

all was still, ringing little bells last night under my ear.

Do you not see, O my brothers and sisters?

During my attendance upon Mr.

'I have had my hour'; I have had my hour ; only let me rest in peace until its close."

In these days and nights it is different; my mutton-broth, my little brandy, to be 'turned' promptly

My only difficulty with Mrs. Davis and Warren was in getting them to let me do my full share.

Good-Bye my Fancy [Good-bye my Fancy Farewell]

Good-Bye my Fancy [Good-bye my fancy I]

Opened my bundle and showed him what I had.

I shook my head. Then he asked: "Does it betray eccentricity?"

My ways are very methodical: I have been much criticised for that: but my ways are mine and are necessary

It is from my sister—I have been worried about her.

Look at my own great strength.

"My first feeling about Howells' piece," he said, "is wholly indifference."

"That depends: I am not at all settled in my own notions on the subject as yet."

If I say it's not in my line then it's not in my line: that's the end of it: that settles it: do you

"Perhaps I would: perhaps I wouldn't: not my line: that's my say: let's stop right there."

I think you will like it as well as my first letter.

"I went silently, so as not to disturb Mary, but I realized my exhaustion."

—and on my shaking my head: "Well—I intended to: it escaped me."

own way—not to be unnecessarily interfered with even here, even in my incompetencies."

faith—in the end my faith prevails.

"Yes—just that: though I don't get into a boil over it I keep up a devil of a thinking in my corner—my

THE SLEEPERS. 1 I WANDER all night in my vision, Stepping with light feet, swiftly and noiselessly stepping

I stand in the dark with drooping eyes by the worst-suffering and the most restless, I pass my hands

He whom I call answers me and takes the place of my lover, He rises with me silently from the bed.

. 2 I descend my western course, my sinews are flaccid, Perfume and youth course through me and I am

darn my grandson's stockings.

THE SLEEPERS. 1 I WANDER all night in my vision, Stepping with light feet, swiftly and noiselessly stepping

I stand in the dark with drooping eyes by the worst-suffering and the most restless, I pass my hands

He whom I call answers me and takes the place of my lover, He rises with me silently from the bed.

. 2 I descend my western course, my sinews are flaccid, Perfume and youth course through me and I am

darn my grandson's stockings.

My greatest loss will be in you, my dear Walt, but then I shall look forward to having you up here a

I hope you are well and will write to me, and will go up and see my wife.

Next best is your admiration of my lightnings.

I think John will be delighted with my swordplay.

My task is to do this, and thoroughly, the first time. No afterclaps.

"I feel a bit better today but you notice I wear no extra feathers in my cap."

I am not embittered by my want of success.

My last volume is in response to the interest of my friends abroad.'"

There were tears in my eyes.

I stuck them in my pocket.

despise the Copperheads, irrespective of who they are, their fame—what-not: but aside from that, all my

My impression of Julian as I met him here at the dinner was a good one—very good."

I wrote of it in my letter to Doctor—that you had such a letter—that it was not to be publicated, at

I also feel sure that he also felt that my home would be with my dear sister Mrs.

don't know who will be my guardian now!

"Exactly—exactly: so do I: this man says neither in a way to excite my admiration.

I admire a good many of my enemies more than I admire some of my friends.

"I have a dim notion of the truth in my brain but I am not confident I know.

Tell all the boys what I have said to you about that—give them my love."

I pricked up my ears. Was the revelation about to come? He saw my interested face.

He endorsed my set of plate-proofs as follows: First proof-sheets of November Boughs—to my friend Horace

But what mystifies me about it is, where the devil he got my sitting, my superscription, and when the

If you like, and I can put my hands on them, the letters may be transferred to your collection.

words, Whitman [or Walt Whitman or Walt]—mark my words, put them down: I want to say them now because

W. was lying down on my arrival but got up at once and hobbled to the chair, asking me what I had to

my friends, the sky: thinking life away from, outside, all appetites."

W. said: "That all goes to corroborate my argument—it confirms my own experiences—my own excursions everywhere

That was exactly my case.

in my optimism, my democracy."

I am greedy—never satisfied: their house is an oasis in my domestic desert."

He took my hand. "I feel somehow as if you had consecrated yourself to me.

That entails something on my part: I feel somehow as if I was consecrated to you.

He took my face between his hands and drew me to him and kissed me. Nothing more was then said.

I went back to my chair and we sat in silence for some time.

November Boughs will be my good bye." Friday, May 25, 1888.

My dear Sir,I hardly know through what a malign series of crooked events—absence chiefly on my part in

This is now framed and hangs in my bedroom.

My sister, Tom's wife, sent him a spring chicken.

It printed my Grant piece."

All my own tastes are towards books you can easily handle—put into your pocket.

Washington, giving you my new address, as yesterday came the Conservator, with the 112 M St. on it.

My love to Annie, & to you. I hope that you are both well.

He took a slip and his blue pencil and wrote at my dictation. Where was the address book?

Finally at my urging said, "Well, a dozen, then."

"I forgot my copy—lost it here—fully intended to send it."

of Grass" imperfect enough (which of course enters another phase of the subject).I had Poet-Lore in my

My "Lowell, Holmes & Whitman" was well received.

My lecture is with my sketches, about 2 hours long—1/2 hour to each part, & about 1/2 hour to the sketches

My sculptor's art begins at 8. and gets done at 10. or 10 1/2—just as the people feel.

Traubel last night giving her some of the particulars she asked for of my voyage.

My yesterday's telegram to Ingersoll was: "Slightly favorable change. Will write."

My opinion now is that January will put an end to all this business."

"Of course I will keep my promise and speak at the funeral.

Give my love to all—my love to all—all," and seemed exhausted, adding after a slight cough, "The great

But you know I am not my own master—that I have duties." "Yes, Maurice, I know."

I don't know what it indicates—but my spirit is getting into rebellion.

Repeated to W. the purport of my discussion with McKay.

W. instantly said, "No, my disposition is immediately to say no, to negative him.

I have waited long and long and long to pronounce my determination.

O'Connor has called my attention to this: Washington, November 24, 1868. My dear Mr.