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Who is he that would become my follower?

Who would sign himself a candidate for my affec- tions affections ? Are you he?

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?

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

—However, with all my deep chagrin, I c but laugh (long & well), over little Stedman & Holmes (I suppose

You say in it "as to my alleged opinion of Stedman: I have no such opinion.

My feeling toward S. is one of good will & thanks markedly—O'C says he is a good fellow, & I say so too

Stedman w never forgive my trying to comfort him . Ha! ha!

I think I shall now pitch overboard fr my book the Hartmannian lading (supplement) entirely.

Ballacooil Dalby Isle of Man Aug 2nd 1891 My Dear Walt Whitman— We (i.e. my wife, my brother a friend

from Fleetwood brought us to Douglas—the favourite Isle of Man resort but now too noisy & rowdy for my

geting out into the open air now & then & at all events keeping your usual good heart God bless you my

Friend It is with Pleashure Pleasure I take the oppertunity opportunity of writing you a letter As my

written. they Are Splendid. their There is a Preaspeterian Presbyterian Minister Liveing living with my

My Mother & Father was My Mother Is very old I dont don't Suppose She will Be with us on the 4 day of

In the Comeing coming year Well I hope you will get your Health Better, you Will Please Excuse this My

your affection or curiosity, and that there is in your present situation a tedium or sameness which my

At any rate my writing can't hurt you unless I write foolishly and lessen your pleasure in my warm appreciation

Still Walt, he assured that causes with high an Walt, I never in my life sought or would have an office

Let the war pass away, us to of fools place not quarrel with my great friend.

Your books and portraits have in the last month circulated amongst the ladies of my acquaintance, for

Never had I thought in my days (during life-time) to get a spirit (or ghost, none of the expressions

signify exactly our stand) for my help—from America.

I thank him and thee from my full heart.

At present you will understand my meaning! Good by.

Clausen, who Rudolf Schmidt called "my old friend and countryman," corresponded with Schmidt after he

October has been with me some little while, during wh. which my leisure has been of the scantiest.

You say: "I suppose you got my postals on sending the books to J.A. Rose."

To the best of my recollection I never did get these: I am aware however that as a matter of fact Rose

I feel ashamed for my colleagues the English men of the press that the Editor of the Examiner sh d .

all that he says about you: the rest of the book I have had to leave unread as yet, in the press of my

Whitman referred to Rossetti's edition as a "horrible dismemberment of my book" in his August 12, 1871

time fanning away the flies &c—not down ill but not far from that—some blackberries & a rare egg for my

breakfast— Sunset —Have had my supper & relish'd it—send this hence Camden (to Phila) 8 P M July 13—

July 12, 89 Dear Walt, I write you briefly this morning before starting on my 2 week vacation to Delaware

At that time I was having one of my streaks of insomnia, & was very wretched for two or three weeks.

I go about all day with two balls of twine at my side, training the young vines in the way they should

not received the letter  I hope wen those few lines reach you they will find yo well i am quite well my

friday i was exazamend by the beast of dockters i would not go in the invalid corps so they send me to my

ridgement i am willing to go and try and do my duty thair and if the Rebs hit me a gen all rite i will

thair i have ben home sence i left Washington i wish yo would see dockter blis and have him to send my

write and let me know how yo are geting a long and how the boys is gets a long tel them i am going to my

yo and i was glad to here from yo i am not very well and have not ben for some time i have pain in my

head and breast i think the clorform that i have taken is the caus of it my hip is very painful to day

i was exasamend i think that i will go before the board in a day or two i may get my discharge i have

hurd that my ridgement is going home for the winter to recruit thair is only 17 men left inny more for

could get detailed in washington at some thing that i coud do i woud be very glad and would try to do my

seen them, they are quite creditable) has gathered a variety of biographical information—criticises my

a volume ( It at least will not be liable to any District Att'y Attorney episodes—) comprising all my

be three Volumes gyrating together, the L of G—the S D & T—and Dr Bucke's book— Upon the whole, & as my

English stock & birth, but grown up in Canada and the California regions of America, & combining in my

Walt Whitman My last three letters to you have been One of March 8 (or 7) " " 19 & the present one find

Feb 16/81 My dearest friend, At last I am beginning to feel myself again after a four months spell of

I feel as if my usual good health has made me obtuse & unsympathetic towards the ailing.

It was very hard for us to be sundered during my illness—but was the right thing to do, she was so much

My letter seems all about myself but then I want you to know why I have been so long silent.

I send you a photo of my little grandson. Anne Gilchrist to Walt Whitman, 16 February 1881

hours every day (sometimes I think it as good in its way as the Creek)—I go about nearly the same, my

lameness no better (occasionally pretty bad, worse) but my feelings of comfort & strength in general

know him) — Sunday 14th Rather cold, the feeling of snow, but dry & pleasant in a way—I sell some of my

Do you see any thing of my friend Josiah Child?

office, London General Post Office) has written to me twice in the interest of publishing a Vol: of my

"That is something that is often said even by my friends: I do not appreciate it: I have made my decision—must

as it was laid on my arm."

My mother spoke to me: she said (laid her hand on my arm): 'I know what you are thinking—I know you feel

My dear mother was wonderful wise and cute.

Whitman, that my idea is not that there is evil in the book: my idea is that by taking certain things

dear brothers' and sisters' sake, for the soul's sake, Wending my way through the homes of men, rich

words, mine only, Young and strong I pass knowing well I am destin'd myself to an early death; But my

charity has no death—my wisdom dies not, neither early nor late, And my sweet love bequeath'd here and

side, warlike, equal with any, real as any, Nor time nor change shall ever change me or my words. 4

Softly I lay my right hand upon you, you just feel it, I do not argue, I bend my head close and half

dear brothers' and sisters' sake, for the soul's sake, Wending my way through the homes of men, rich

words, mine only, Young and strong I pass knowing well I am destin'd myself to an early death; But my

charity has no death—my wisdom dies not, neither early nor late, And my sweet love bequeath'd here and

side, warlike, equal with any, real as any, Nor time nor change shall ever change me or my words. 4

Softly I lay my right hand upon you, you just feel it, I do not argue, I bend my head close and half

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

Belmont Mass Dec 2 '85 My Dear Whitman— Maugre yr your wholesome advice, (exc. that I put in a page on

you & Hugo—parallelism of poetic-technique en-avant freshness &c) I have done gone & published my essay

I set up every stick of it mesilf indade , & corrected my proofs ( wh. which I'll have you know) were

Well, I have learned just enough to set up this & my poems (Heaven bless the mark—"poems" quotha,—I wd'nt

Whitman referred to Rossetti's edition as a "horrible dismemberment of my book" in his August 12, 1871

Pete, I am sitting in my room home, finishing this—have just had a bath, & dressed myself to go over

Foul Play" —if not, I have one here I will send you— Dear son, I believe that is all this time—I send my

love, dear son, & a good loving kiss—I think of you every day—Give my best regards to all enquiring

friends, & inform them I expect to be back in about three weeks— Good bye, my darling boy—from your comrade

since I first bought the "Leaves of Grass" and before that time I had most earnestly proclaimed to all my

Gilchrist has and to write my name also in my copy. I make this request because Mrs.

I learn from her that your health is better and she showed me a card from you which to my great delight

m Dear friends I send the within letter just rec'd from Harry—I am about as usual, & nothing new in my

time—better luck next time—It is heavy and bad outside, the wind blowing a gale—(I should like to put on my

W W London Feb 10—84 Dr Dear Old Friend: Am quite well with the exception of the abcess on my neck, it

Most of my friends appear to have forgotten me or think me of too little importance to drop a line.

My dear friend: I have just heard from Kennedy that your illness continues.

so glad that you have to help you so devoted a friend as young Traubel, and through you I give him my

hand and my thanks.

In these days the glorious words you have spoken about Death comes up in my mind, and I feel much as

INSANE, LONDON, ONTARIO London, Ont., 15 June 188 8 Since reaching home Wednesday evening I have had my

I wish I could drive you about them—the weather is charming here—I have in front of me, on my desk, here

in my office an enormous bouquet of snowballs, peonies, sweet flag &c Love to you RM Bucke I have gone

My opinion (not that it is worth any thing) is that this book of yours ought to have a sale and I think

Whitman on December 21, 1883, sent "A Backward Glance on My Own Road" to The North American Review and

& now I am paying the penalty of the exposure to the severe cold in another attack of neuralgia in my

I have just sent off my MS. to Briton.

If I can devise a better title I shall do so, but I think my readers will understand this one; the great

public does not care for my books anyhow.

buried a gifted and beautiful young wife, and such a letter from you did not tend to solace the pain of my

I gave my employé at the Secularist office the sum of £3 to procure a P.O.O. which I instructed him to

My employé, then, must have cheated me.

I would have done this at once on receiving your letter, but my wife's illness and death were so costly

New York Sunday 11/3/88 My dear Mr.

Whitman: You will remember my calling a few weeks back when I remember that I do so as a friend of Earl

I am as you know Wellesley Sayle an Englishman & am proud to be one of many thousands of my fellow countrymen

I shall most likely call at Phila on my way where I hope to have the pleasure of seeing you again.

London Ont Ontario Canada, Nov November 28– 83 1883 My Dear Old Friend: I arrived here safely Saturday

I am up in my little room writing this while my patients are sadly pacing up and down the hall.

Have 42 men in my charge. Will have to close for the present so good-bye.

M Nothing special to-day—weather fine, sunny—no doctor visiting—note f'm Century (Gilder) accepting my

met at the binder's, & I am to have as designed by them a specimen of the good cover, &c. ready for my

whack at it several times)— Sunday Jan: 13 Another fine sunny day—just right—Continue well considering—my

wolf skin spread on the back of it & the woolen foot-cloth in front on the floor, with a lap-spread on my

Whitman's poem "My 71st Year" was published in Century Illustrated Magazine in November 1889.

three days—good temperature, neither hot nor cold to-day—I neither improve nor really go back—Keep my

room rigidly yet—have had today a bowel movement—& sit up most of the time—eat my meals sufficiently

will document (witnessed by ocular witnesses as this state statute requires) and the designation of my

cool and raw—bad feeling in belly and head regions, all day so far—had the preluded coca-wine, & then my

Camden Feb: 28 '90 4PM Dark wet & warm (almost) to-day—stay in to-day—yesterday out nearly two hours in my

coffin, as I took a notion to, & was acquainted with him—Keep up the massages—am sitting here alone in my

den—lots of fog here lately—My supper is coming— March 1 early p m —weather "same subject continued"

just drink'd a mug of milk punch—dull & heavy enough here—read the papers, & read again— 1½ Have had my

Dear friend, My feeling and attitude about a volume of selections from my Leaves by Mr.

since that seems to be the pivotal affair, & since he has the kindness to shape his action so much by my

The recherché or ethereal sense of the term, as used in my book, arises probably from the actual Calamus

. [—] I send you today a copy of my Annual report, after you have looked it over let Horace have it—I

I am well, getting a good rest since my return home, sleep about 10 hours a night right along.

read some of Brown's books if not all of them. [—] A gloomy but pleasant afternoon here as I sit at my

desk in my office and look out the window, roads very sloppy with the melting snow.

Wonderfully cheerful in the evening on my arrival, talking most freely for more than an hour.

My last thought confirmed my first: it seemed like supererogation to impose such a statement upon the

"But Washington, New Orleans, Brooklyn—they are my cities of romance.

He asked me some questions about my health.

I could not stand before a Millet picture with my hat on." Monday July 23, 1888.

My ground is a peculiar one: I know nothing on the other side of the question—the side of statistics,

I build up my conviction mainly on the idea of solidarity, democracy—on the dream of an America standing

I have kept quiet through practically my whole career—almost utter silence—and have never had occasion

and then upon my saying "yes": "Well—give him my love: tell him I know as little about that Herald author

I set up some of it myself: some call it my hand-work: it was not strictly that—there were about one

W. was greatly interested in my repetition of this.

I was on my way to Philadelphia to hear Tom Davidson's lecture on Aquinas.

W. inquisitive—greatly "tempted" by my description of D.'

My details few, but he evidently a good listener.

He was amused with my account of nervousness preceding.

"My God, no!

"You may go along, to give my step a sort of certainty."

Just today I read Bucke out of my notes W.'

My God!" W. mockingly said: "Maurice, you shock me!"

and still my withers are unwrung!"

Once during my stay got up to urinate but could not.

I said something about the birth of the boy at Harned's: my sister's courage and physical sanity and

I told him that my sister had sat up reading Robert Elsmere last night.

It reminded him of a kindred experience: "When I had my great attack—my great paralysis—I was reading

My dear poet: I wrote you from N.

s at 9.30 on my way to Germantown.

He knew me, dark as it was—called my name.

Harned in during a part of my stay this evening. I met Michael J.

all: I feel I have lost what I call my grip."

way back to my central thought again—my spinal conviction: I resent my resentment—am ashamed of my questions

—adding with the same fire: "My 'verbal' suggestion would be for him to stop the whole thing at once.

Insisted on my taking Burroughs' Pepacton to read.

My few friends are a great host—my many enemies are a few."

Dear Walt:I have sent you the MS. of my letter to Bucke.

Do you see my dilemma?

It's meaty and original anyway—like yr article.Thank Walt for the slips & give him my love.W. S.

that is so familiar a guest in my mind, and so loved and respected a guest too.

sound and that my prospects of life and vigor seem excellent for a man of my age.

Of course I would like to have my piece in and would overhaul it carefully 5.

I thank you sincerely for the honor & compliment in submitting it to my eye.

one day in Boston that Joaquin Miller, whose acquaintance I had gained through a poetical trifle of my

Whitman— I have tried all my life to write for the masses.

A few days later I called upon Whitman, my pockets stuffed with verses.

At its conclusion he smiled forgivingly and asked me to tell him about my grandfather on my mother's

Such a boy, to my mind, is positively nauseating.

I wrote to Han yesterday, (before I received this letter of Heyde's), I wrote a short letter of my own

new ones, I could not find any one to do them as I wear them, & it would have cost such a price—& so my

they were too thick & more still because they were worse gone in than any I ever yet wore I think in my

life, especially the trowsers—wearing my big boots had caused the inside of the legs just above the

same as what I always wear, (pants pretty full,) so upon the whole all looks unusually good for me, my

My dear Walt: The article you sent Nelly from the London Leader is in my possession. Good!

If, ever since I have been here, I had not had the worst cold I ever had in my life—a cold which has

made me really sick and spoiled the pleasure of my visit—I should doubtless have ere this sent off the

On my way through New York I enquired at Harpers for Curtis and found he was out of town.

My wife returns your friendly remembrance and yours, I hope, has not forgotten me.

Sir: Your reply of the 6th to my letter of the 4th inst. in regard to the employment of counsel for the

As I have already stated, my inquiries addressed to you were made at the request of the Secretary of

Esq.,—undertake the management of this defence, a reasonable compensation, founded on the basis of my

trod, calling, I sing, for the last; (Not cities, nor man alone, nor war, nor the dead, But forth from my

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 ripen my

YET, yet, ye downcast hours, I know ye also, Weights of lead, how ye clog and cling at my ankles, Earth

Despairing cries float ceaselessly toward me, The call of my nearest lover, putting forth, alarm'd, uncertain

, The sea I am quickly to sail, come tell me, Come tell me where I am speeding, tell me my destination

YET, yet, ye downcast hours, I know ye also, Weights of lead, how ye clog and cling at my ankles, Earth

Despairing cries float ceaselessly toward me, The call of my nearest lover, putting forth, alarm'd, uncertain

, The sea I am quickly to sail, come tell me, Come tell me where I am speeding, tell me my destination

might afterward 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

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