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O MY children! O mates!

O my body!

, Or that touches my face, or leans against me.)

songs in sex, Offspring of my loins. 13.

voice—approach, Touch me—touch the palm of your hand to my body as I pass, Be not afraid of my body.

So says Walt Whitman in a foot-note to the little volume which he has just put forth ("Good-bye, my Fancy

Here is his poetical good bye:— Good-bye my Fancy! Farewell dear mate, dear love!

my Fancy.

Essentially my own printed records, all my volumes, are doubtless but offhand utterances from Personality

Indeed the whole room is a sort of result and storage collection of my own past life.

It has been my effort not to grow querulous in my old age, but to have more faith and gayety of heart

Several of the poems I wrote there if left out of my works would be like losing an eye.

Sometimes I think my Western experiences a force behind my life work.

I think it due to the fact that my work was divided equally among both opposing forces and my poetic

I think I combine that with the spiritualistic inseparately in my books and theories.

From the medical point of view they tell me I'm getting on all right, but from the point of view of my

"My head is no good tonight. Last night I felt extra strong." Had not read much proof today.

You'll find in one of John's letters that he talks to me like a Dutch uncle about my health.

Tell them I cannot write myself—describe my situation: tell them how helpless I am.

I think it would lengthen my days to see you once more.With loveJohn Burroughs.

I suppose I have been called crazy at least a hundred times to my own face!"

W. thereupon saying, "Give me my money back, Maurice!"

My piece appears in Post, making a stretch of a column and a half.

O'Connor, my father and Anne together.

My father and Bucke especially at it.

I was looking through some of my scraps today—these were some of the results—I thought you would perhaps

I get from Walt by means of the newspapers, & new & then a postal.With very sincere regards to you, my

My dear Traubel:Here is postal note for the doctor's book—$4.00.

CliffordLove to WaltThank him for liberal terms to my doctor. W. exclaimed: "Good! Good!

Had written Morris' and my own names on the big envelopes, on the former's giving "respects and thanks

He seemed to see an inquiry in my looks. "It don't go very well," he remarked. "I am not up to it."

I took the two Ingersoll articles out of my pocket and gave them to him.

Give him my regards."

They set my head in a whirl—mixes me all up—and besides hurts my throat.

I am not sure but that is the point—and my deficiency!" Passing along, "Who have you seen today?"

through this paralysis pretty sadly disabled," but he always tells me (which he hardly needs to), "My

W. said, "Morris will be one of us yet," and to my, "Yes, don't you remember the walk I told you of only

Callingham has my everlasting thanks for this happy introduction.Below please find a copy of Mr.

Carnegie's letter on my new Year's Greeting to Whitman.Yours sincerely,James D.

I know nothing better—little as good—it fits in with all my theories of democracy. Mrs.

"I put my name in all," he explained, "yet in one or two it already appears several times.

I left with him a copy of New Ideal containing my paper on Parker and Johnson.

"It does my eyes good—is handsome." Had laid out American for me.

"You know—I pride myself on my inclusiveness—that I embrace everybody—and that must stand."

My friendships are my own—for Ingersoll or another.

I can describe it no better than by my old figure—that it seemed as if all the vital insides had fallen

A preliminary cable but does not know when he must sail.W. gives me [notes] for my "memoranda," to be

W. asked, "Did you notice this letter—that it was from my sister's husband at Burlington?"

I ignore him, never recognize him in any way—pity my poor sister—old, sick.

weakness—knowing the spot where I am sore—my love for my sister—ramming his knife in there!

New England Magazine piece), "I think I will get you to set out at greater length—more definitively—my

It is a thing which ought to be plainly said—which my books do not make naked, plain—which perhaps I

He told this once to Bucke (substantially) in my presence.

This time voice, all, strong, pictorial, eloquent.I told W. it was my mother's birthday. "Oh!

"It is a trifle," he said, "but trifles are indicative: tell her that my heart goes with it."

want more than two or three days)—I want to see George, (I have his photograph on the wall, right over my

probably George will come out & see her, & that if he does you will send her word beforehand— Jeff, my

best way to enjoy a visit home, after all—When I come home again, I shall not go off gallivanting with my

& more shaky—how they can make any headway against our new, large & fresh armies next season passes my

it was made to me only as there was no one else in hearing at the moment—(he is quite an admirer of my

Nov. 28 [1881] 29 Lange Strasse Dresden My dear Whitman Yesterday I received all your dispatches—viz,

Still I am very glad that I have it complete in my old .

This volume, with its new poems, etc. offered a field of "pleasant exploration" and renewed my sense

I have ordered my book to be sent to the American papers you mentioned.

You should have recd. received a copy of my Encheiridion by this. Thomas W. H.

My appetite keeps at a high grade, probably three-quarters of the time, for about one-quarter it flunks

Told him I had read "An Old Man's Rejoinder" in Critic on my way over.

Perhaps your feeling is a little mixed with what you know of my criticism from the talks here."

It would be my argument still.

And this may account for my article; having these things in me, they were bound to come out."

Now List to My Morning's Romanza.

NOW LIST TO MY MORNING'S ROMANZA. 1 Now list to my morning's romanza—I tell the signs of the Answerer

And I stand before the young man face to face, and take his right hand in my left hand, and his left

hand in my right hand, And I answer for his brother, and for men, and I an- swer answer for him that

to the President at his levee, And he says, Good-day, my brother!

Next best, is your admiration of my lightnings.

Of course, I was delighted, for my article puts the matter just in the shape I wanted it to appear—gives

I think John will be delighted with my sword-play.

pleased with me, and the poignant and perfumed little note of thanks I sent him after the appearance of my

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

I hope, therefore, my paragraphing may be permitted by the benignant printer.

I was horrified to learn that my footnote about Lowell was set as per copy.

The note, I guess, will have to stand as it is, for I am at the disadvantage of having left my annotated

My name is Promptness. Good printer-man, thou, too, be not obdurate, but grant me a revise!

I am rummaging my memory for an epigraph for the appendix, as you requested.

Yet all my feeling was in good temper.

I have a constant bath in my own perspiration.

Only my brother is now upon the old farm.

my sleep a good deal.

My book, Signs and Seasons, will be out this month.

It had made W. read 'Old Poets' again, as I found him doing on my entrance.

My laughing question, "Do you never get tired reading your own articles," seemed vastly to excite him

Said to me, "I have a new idea about the portraits—have changed my mind: will get several envelopes made

I shall bind it in my volume with the lecture.

Looked over [Harper's] Young People.W. had written me my "dedication" as follows. Would it do?

SCENTED herbage of my breast, Leaves from you I yield, I write, to be perused best afterwards, Tomb-leaves

O blossoms of my blood!

O I think it is not for life I am chanting here my chant of lovers—I think it must be for Death, For

Grow up out of my breast! Spring away from the concealed heart there!

Do not remain down there so ashamed, herbage of my breast!

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

1869 Feb or March Not March tuesday Tuesday 30 My dear walt Walt i have just received your letter i was

would when he wen t away if he could leave) i am pretty well only last sunday Sunday morning i hurt my

knee i catched caught my foot and struck my knee and it got so lame in the coarse course of the day

soon i have been trying to get things straighened straightened up a little prepa tory to moving when my

knee was so lame i thought what would i if i was so i walk but i can walk quite smart to day if i keep my

By this time you will, I trust, be in possession of my printed notes and of the numbers of Great Thoughts

I feel to him just now as though he were my grandfather or an aged uncle; as though I once knew him but

my remembrances were like an infant's."

A similar occasion last year on my birthday Dec. 8 suggested the enclosed "Snow Thought" It is now a

glistening road & through the keen, frosty air has exhilirated me & sent the warm blood tingling to my

out—(George turned 'em out for impudence to mother)—I write every other day, & send papers & stuff—My

like to come on, according to your invitation, & pay you a good visit, but it is doubtful this time—My

But I should like to have a good long visit home, & be with mother—my getting leave does not work yet

as I hoped—but I expect to fix it somehow, & go home before very long—I am very well this winter—My

Dear sister Mat, & Hatty & California, love to you all—I am writing this at my desk, toward noon, very

My occasional contributions more than pay for it. Glad he likes it.

I should get no pay anyway for my contributions."

and on my assent, "I see then, how it is.

afterwards lose you. 2 (Now we have met, we have look'd, we are safe; Return in peace to the ocean, my

love; I too am part of that ocean, my love—we are not so much separated; Behold the great rondure—the

space—Know you, I salute the air, the ocean, and the land, Every day, at sundown, for your dear sake, my

Now we have met, we have look'd, we are safe, Return in peace to the ocean my love, I too am part of

that ocean my love, we are not so much sepa- rated separated , Behold the great rondure, the cohesion

little space—know you I salute the air, the ocean and the land, Every day at sundown for your dear sake my

moments—when you come upon me—ah you are here now, Give me now libidinous joys only, Give me the drench of my

and drink with the drinkers, The echoes ring with our indecent calls, I pick out some low person for my

one condemn'd by others for deeds done, I will play a part no longer, why should I exile myself from my

Now we have met, we have look'd, we are safe, Return in peace to the ocean my love, I too am part of

that ocean my love, we are not so much sepa- rated separated , Behold the great rondure, the cohesion

little space—know you I salute the air, the ocean and the land, Every day at sundown for your dear sake my

moments—when you come upon me—ah you are here now, Give me now libidinous joys only, Give me the drench of my

and drink with the drinkers, The echoes ring with our indecent calls, I pick out some low person for my

one condemn'd by others for deeds done, I will play a part no longer, why should I exile myself from my

good outdoor days there—Have had a pretty severe attack of what appears to be (mostly) rheumatism in my

right shoulder—more pain to me last night than I have before felt any time, I think, in my whole life—besides

Ed, Harry & Debby, &c. well—Mr S. pretty well— Saturday & Sunday lots of Company —Am writing this in my

going ab't same—bad grip bad bladder bother, &c: &c:—hear often f'm Dr Bucke he is well & busy—made my

broth toast & tea—am writing a little—will keep you posted & of any thing printed—(ups & downs—most of my

things are yet rejected)—rather a gloomy three weeks the last—the death of my dear Brother in St Louis—cloudy

My eye got open at last, but is still bleary and bad.

My present woe is a festered pen finger, sore as death, and preventing me writing.

It is one of my afflictions, though without pain.—I will try to write soon.

Your book, a gift always to be handed down & treasured by my clan, reached me on my 55 th birthday, and

made me wonder that your November Boughs still hang so rich with color, while my October Leaves are

who have set up & electrotyped a new, complete & markedly fuller edition (with several new pieces) of my

at once, with the request that you will immediately have the book entered for copyright & secured in my

I am under many obligations in the past to my friend your Josiah Child, & should like to have this matter

Camden Aug: 18 '90 Frank Sanborn's letter f'm Belgium enc'd —the Transcript copies my "rejoinder" complete

Rainy dark forenoon here—I keep ab't well as usual (has been very hot here again) made my breakfast of

Harned's family have ret'd f'm Cape May—Am on the watch for Symonds's to send you soon as I find it am'g my

Whitman's "Rejoinder" was also reprinted in Good-Bye My Fancy (1891).

My dear Trowbridge, Your letter has reached me—my best thanks for your contribution to the wounded &

Times of two months since containing a sketch of my Visits to Hospitals —I thought one had been sent

./89 My dear Mr Whitman Among other precious things from Camden which greeted me this morning is the

And now our summer "loaf" is over, & glad I am of it, for loafing does not agree either with my health

Accept my dear Mr Whitman the assurances of our sincerest affection.

Dearest mother, I suppose you got two letters from me last week, Wednesday & Saturday—My cold still troubles

neuralgia—but I guess I shall get over it—I have good meals, I do not cook for myself, at present—but get my

forming on one of his eyes, & will have to undergo a surgical operation—Mother, I told you all about my

received —Shall be very glad to go up with you Friday for a couple of days or so —Should like to fetch my

boy Harry Stafford with me, as he is my convoy like—We occupy the same room & bed— We had another reception

but can't stand these things long—Dull half rainy day here—have been in all day—sitting muchly for my

letter Tuesday—I am about the same—I have not gone over to the office to-day, & am writing this in my

room—mother, I send only $15 in this—will send the other 5 in my next—Write and send me word, soon as

ups and downs—but steadily advance, quite certain, though very slowly—I seem to have a bad cold in my

He started up instantly on my quiet entrance. "Oh!"

You have touched a chord that always induces my sympathy."

I looked at my watch. He asked: "Haven't you time?"

over the manuscript to my colleague.

I wanted to send Minden my translation of Starting from Paumanok, with my preface to the work and Freiligrath's

My dear friend:I think that Mr.

Adding, "I do not think my friends understand the extent of my advocacy and approval of Ingersoll, of

my recent thought.

My mood was this.

The letter you showed me has been my surprise, my rejoicing."

My own position is the writer's, not the publisher's.

New YorkSep. 16. 1891.My Dear Traubel,Your tender letter of sympathy reached me in due course.

And thanks to the careful nursing of my dear wife, and the pure and healthful air of the mountains, my

My shattered right arm is still however a cause of great anxiety.

against me in the days of my worst struggle.

It is that part of my endeavor which has caused the harshest criticism and prevented candid examination

Still I have gone on adding, building up, persevering, so far as I am able to do, in my original intention

"I am not embittered by my lack of success.

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

Yet we want very little from him—very—simply a copy, in which my corrections are duly made.

My idea is, to ballot for Brinton, science, liberty—against the minister." How did he feel?

"Well, it is all I can do to hold my head up.

I am so faint, weak, merely to keep straight, to be on my feet at all, is a victory.

Adding to my "no"—"Well, I suppose after all that is provided for in the nature of things.

Who is he that would become my follower? Who would sign himself a candidate for my affections?

doned abandoned ; Therefore release me now, before troubling yourself any further—Let go your hand from my

it, Nor do those know me best who admire me, and vauntingly praise me, Nor will the candidates for my

love, (unless at most a very few,) prove victorious, Nor will my poems do good only—they will do just

Who is he that would become my follower? Who would sign himself a candidate for my affections?

don'd abandon'd ; Therefore release me now, before troubling yourself any further—Let go your hand from my

those know me best who admire me, and vaunt- ingly vauntingly praise me, Nor will the candidates for my

love, (unless at most a very few,) prove victorious, Nor will my poems do good only—they will do just

Who is he that would become my follower? Who would sign himself a candidate for my affections?

be abandon'd, Therefore release me now before troubling yourself any further, let go your hand from my

acquire it, Nor do those know me best who admire me and vauntingly praise me, Nor will the candidates for my

love (unless at most a very few) prove victorious, Nor will my poems do good only, they will do just

beget superb children, To speak readily and clearly—to feel at home among common people, And to hold my

Let me have my own way, Let others promulge the laws—I will make no ac- count account of the laws, Let

charged against me, half as bad as the evil I really am; I call to the world to distrust the accounts of my

friends, but listen to my enemies—as I my- self myself do; I charge you, too, forever, reject those