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I send my love specially to Alma and the girls & the new Mrs J— Nothing very new with me—I am ab't as

Portrait —have already outlined & partly prepared it—you shall have it soon — I am writing this up in my

floor all around horribly litter -rary, but a cheery wood fire in the little stove—& I comfortable in my

Here I am sitting up in the big chair—I got up ab't noon, (& shall keep up an hour or two, & send you my

the last two days—but the indications are still favorable (good pulse the Dr says last two days) for my

getting sort abt as usual—Dr B went back to Canada last Tuesday night, R.R. train—I am half thro' on my

roseate toward me & I feel thankful & responsive—& all the confirmatory possible— I am still kept in my

the indication of it—& to-day Saturday a fearful hot & oppressive baker & prostrater , the worst to my

printing office is now all diverged on a Harrison and Morton book, hurry is up—will take them a week—my

—My book Leaves of Grass as now printed, is in its permanent form—My other Vol. of equal size Two Rivulets

, (i.e. of Real and Ideal) will comprise all my other writings, Prose & Verse , & is now being put into

MY spirit to yours, dear brother; Do not mind because many, sounding your name, do not understand you

I do not sound your name, but I understand you, (there are others also;) I specify you with joy, O my

divisions, jealousies, recriminations on every side, They close peremptorily upon us, to surround us, my

A SIGHT in camp in the daybreak gray and dim, As from my tent I emerge so early sleepless, As slow I

Who are you my dear comrade? Then to the second I step—and who are you my child and darling?

A SIGHT in camp in the daybreak gray and dim, As from my tent I emerge so early sleepless, As slow I

Who are you my dear comrade? Then to the second I step—and who are you my child and darling?

My advice about that fellow would be, to let him alone—let him severely alone.

And again, "My charge would be—drop him—he is not worth a word."

W. said, "I shall write Doctor—send my letter over by Warrie (Warrie will undoubtedly go—undoubtedly)

I usually make my address as full as I know.

I gave it draining regards that fixed it in my mind.

I regard it as a noble work, & am very glad of this rich honor done to my poet, & I want to congratulate

It is a fine, nay a great, work, in my opinion.

Fairchild & her husband are going to drive out & see my Cox photo, some time.

thursday Thursday afternoon My dear Walt my letter is rather late this week i waited thinking i should

thought to be good for the neuralghy neuralgia and rheumatism i got a 50 cent bottle and am rubbing my

wish you had some) the folks here goes on just the same seem to mind the loss of their father much my

I write this early in the forenoon, sitting in my room in 55th street, after breakfast.

As to getting my leave extended so that I might stay to vote, I have settled (as I spoke of in a former

I am now going out down town, & across to Brooklyn, to spend a few hours with my mother.

I don't know whether I told you that my sister with her two young children from St.

I have lived as yet but eighteen years: yet in all the constant thoughts and acts of my last few years

, your words have been my guides and true oracles.

spirit of self-assertion: but that I should feel shame for myself, were I not to show the reality of my

gratitude to you, even through the weakness of words—you, whom I thankfully acknowledge for my veritable

Since I first read your poems years ago now they have always had a great influence on my thoughts and

I have found out the truth of your words too from my short experience of life in deed as well as in thought

Your Leaves of Grass I keep with my Shakespeare and my Bible and it is from these three that I have got

My Dear Mr.

Jeff has been a very great blow to me personally, as for a good many years I looked upon him as one of my

and I have learned to lean upon him in so many ways that I feel as though a prop were taken out of my

I am sorry to have to write you a machine letter now, but my crippled arm makes this a necessity.

Camden Thursday 4 afternoon Thank you for the nice chicken—had some for my dinner—was glad to see Van

& to hear from you all— I am getting over my bad spell of health—but very slowly—& have been depressed

know yet what move I shall make—but shall have to do something in a few days—If it hadn't been for my

just rec'd his postal card from Haddonfield that he would try to come up early next week—I send him my

Still I wish to say how much I have enjoyed all things here & how much I regret to have to make my stay

I read Doctor my essay ( N.E. Mag. ) Sunday night.

He set me on my feet with certain improvements in phraseology, on the point of your Washington sickness

He thinks your & my terminology when we get off on that field lamentable if not laughable.

February. 1891 My dear Walt Whitman, I was extremely pleased, last evening, to receive the copy of Ingersoll's

lecture you were kind enough to send me, & I thank you for it with all my heart.

And I rejoice, with all my heart, that at last should have heard so strong a public declaration of the

But my rejoicing is greatly disturbed & overclouded by intelligence received at noon today of your relapse

rascally publisher in New York named Worthington has been printing and selling a cheaper edition of my

, as to be sued—then it cost money— —I am jogging along here about the same—keep pretty well, & eat my

allowance every time—went over to 41st st: Phila: Philadelphia to eat my Thanksgiving dinner, with an

there the good weather middle of November—it has been bad enough since, some bitter cold—I have got my

I enjoyed my visit so much I would to go to Camden often.

Governor will be our next President. if the Democrats get up a muss I am ready to sholder shoulder my

Give my respects to Frank Post Please accept my sincere thanks for the present you sent me.

Dear Walt, Just a line or two, while I have an opportunity to convey my daily message of loving good

At one o'clock he drove me down to the Railway Station with my trunk & did one or two errands in town

Am full of thoughts of my old chum Fred Wild. It is on his account that I come out here.

Twelve months ago, he revisited the old places, & he will be delighted to hear of my visit.

I sent you yesterday a copy of my paper containing the lecture Keep off the Grass.

The whole edition of my paper is still held at the Post Office awaiting decision from Washington as to

As in my next number I shall have the whole history of this infamous impertinence and audacity in print

I am however loath to intrude my self on public personages— as I know that much of their valuable time

I had, in my years of loafing, forgotten how sweet toil was.

I had quite lost any interest in literature & was fast losing my interest in life itself, but these two

months of work have sharpened my appetite for all things.

I think I can make some money & may be renew my grip upon life. I was glad to see Kennedy.

New York June 1/70 Friend Walter I now take my pen in hand to write to you I am in good health at Present

not want to lend me the I asked for, why Did you not write and say so—not to make out you Did not get my

of it when you was I though thought I would put you in—mind of it if I would be man Enough to keep my

I would not mind if you would give me my Clothes now as I need them very I cant can't go out any wear

. /70 Dear friend Walter I now take my pen in h and to let you know how I am getting along.

received your letter of the Eight & was very glad to hear from you. we have been Stoping stopping at my

I am going to buy a fraim frame for your Picture I have it up in my room I wou ld like to see you very

Boss Mr Hawkins is going to leave the firm the first of march & my friend Oliver Allen & I thought we

living near a railroad— —I am well as usual— WW London Ont Ontario Canada, Nov November 28– 83 1883 My

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.

sense & mellowed & ripened by five years your 1883 book (biographical & critical) about me & L of G—& my

—the text, O'C[onnor]'s letters, the appendix—every page of the 236 left as now—This is my spinal and

business in another sphere & land—Your letters come & are always welcome—As I close I am sitting in my

big chair in my room 1½ p m quiet & measurably comfortable— Walt Whitman Walt Whitman to Richard Maurice

Bucke replied on September 28, 1888: "I note all you say about my 'W. W.'

Sheree L.Gilbert"As I Lay with My Head in Your Lap Camerado" (1865–1866)"As I Lay with My Head in Your

Lap Camerado" (1865–1866)"As I Lay with My Head in Your Lap Camerado" first appeared in Whitman's separately

"As I Lay with My Head in Your Lap Camerado" (1865–1866)

My dear Poet: I spent last evening in fighting for you, in reading you, and, in a feeble way, expounding

up the balance, and that moreover, adulation would as soon turn the head of Moosilanke Moosilauke , my

My friend Baxter sent us his copy of your big book with notes, one or two, from you, pasted in.

I send you my heartiest wishes for the prolongation of your noble life in content and in as great a measure

Tom Harned here last evn'g—full of business—a roast apple for my breakfast—am reading " Holland , its

is ab't 3 & I am feeling in fair mood—dark & damp out, mild, looks like more strom— very uneasy ab't my

sister at Burlington Vermont—She is sick & old & nervous & in a bad way—my niece Jessie (Jeff's daughter

) at St Louis is getting along fairly—my brother Ed is still at the Blackwood institution (we pay $3½

fund which provided Whitman with nursing care, Richard Maurice Bucke observed to Traubel on April 1: "My

idea is that the 'Fund' should pay Dr Longaker and I increase my subscription to meet this [by $5],

My life now seems very pale & poor compared with those days.

which I derive any satisfaction, Julian & that bit of land up there on the river bank where I indulge my

is developing into a very happy, intelligent boy, full of enthusiasms, full of curiosity, & is about my

I hope I can see my way to go to W again to see him. I shall not stay here in P. much longer.

WHO learns my lesson complete?

as every one is immortal; I know it is wonderful—but my eye-sight is equally wonderful, and how I was

conceived in my mother's womb is equally wonderful; And pass'd from a babe, in the creeping trance of

And that my Soul embraces you this hour, and we affect each other without ever seeing each other, and

W. out on my arrival—had gone to the river between 6 and 7.

I alluded to Clifford's question whether (as found in proof of my article) two t's were necessary in

W. said: "I should not wonder but that the question was valid—but if it were my case I should not crack

my skull to fix it—indeed, I doubt if it could be said that the t was wrong—only that it was unnecessary

It seemed to me the word was wisely used, and I told W. my idea of it: but he still persisted: "It is

My head, my belly, my bladder—all are out of gear, and for what end?"

ScovelI read it to my family last night. My father had traced some hidden sarcasm.

(My own books, poems and prose have been a direct and indirect contribution, or attempt.)

Seeing bundle under my arm he asked me at once, "What have you got there?"

—which, upon my opening, he examined with pleasure and relish.

have had a sculptor visitor—his name is O'Donovan—he is from New York—he has come on proposing to take my

Then I told him what S. had detailed and he laughed, "Well, I put my foot in it there, to be sure—for

He called my thoughts in another direction.

s room, he looked at it and confirmed my opinion, "I am inclined to repeat what you say—that it is better

He has "no word from the North American Review yet—yet I see that my piece on National Literature is

My warm response to this causing his pathetic reference to Jeff: "The good boy!

Do not usually mention my letters because W. is curious to see them and there's always something in them

"Tempting as it is, I have forborne—have stuck by my room."

My heart's best gratitude to you for it. It was indeed welcomed.

Tonight I have had two good hours' work upon my paper (on you) wh.

I have just returned from a long round of visits in my open carriage wh.

window as I write & gloifies the sombre brick building of the Lanc & York Ry Good's yard opposite—(my

I must now stop as my time is up.

Traubel, With Walt Whitman in Camden, Friday, September 13, 1889 and Saturday, September 14, 1889: "My

last July & August and then for the last two months have been in Boston, seeing to the printing of my

complete poems "Leaves of Grass" in one volume—which is all done to my satisfaction, & the book will

did have some jolly times I tell you— The Saturday evening before I came away I gave a reception to my

all right—I should be real glad to see them & Deb too—When Harry comes home Sunday tell him I sent my

—Well it is growing twilight & I must stop— Walt Whitman my address here for ten days will be Mott av

My dear Walt,— Your letter to Wm. of July 24. he forwarded to me in a letter that I got last evening.

Did you like my picture?

You told William you got my letter, so you must have got the picture enclosed.

It was in my first letter—I have sent you three, this is my fourth to you, have you got them all?

Just think, Walt, of my being a lion down here on your account, because it is known that I have the honor

I were nothing; From what I am determin'd to make illustrious, even if I stand sole among men; From my

The oath of the inseparableness of two together—of the woman that loves me, and whom I love more than my

warp and from the woof; (To talk to the perfect girl who understands me, To waft to her these from my

own lips—to effuse them from my own body;) From privacy—from frequent repinings alone; From plenty of

the right person not near; From the soft sliding of hands over me, and thrusting of fingers through my

I were nothing, From what I am determined to make illustrious, even if I stand sole among men, From my

The oath of the inseparableness of two together—of the woman that loves me, and whom I love more than my

, (To talk to the perfect girl who understands me—the girl of The States, To waft to her these from my

own lips—to effuse them from my own body;) From privacy—From frequent repinings alone, From plenty of

the right person not near, From the soft sliding of hands over me, and thrusting of fingers through my

Though away at the moment of my coming, W. was not long in making his appearance.

I have made up my mind that Harry and Buckwalter should have copies—so as Harry was here, I thought he

"It is not my funeral, you know!"

I have often taken to wondering lately, if my Quaker habit of waiting for the spirit or Socratic demon

I find anyhow that a great many of my readers credit my writings with things that do not attach to the

Told him my facsimiles had not arrived yet. "That is too bad, and yours the most important of all!"

condition, "He is undoubtedly on the down road again: I detected impairment in the few days between my

Give her my love & sympathy, poor dear girl!

It is my intention to mount and frame it, and have it on the most conspicious wall of my house where

Tom spoke of Hodgins as a friend of Bucke, W. calling Bucke "my best friend."

hill, fifty yards from the house, where my books and papers are, and where I spend most of my time.

I have theories of my own."

How considerate, gentle and generous my British friends are!

L. and my New England friends.

world dont mourn forme my beloved sons and daughters farewell my dearbeloved Walter" Sunday, April 7

Then: "I can easily see that what you say is true: for my part these things have little value: but I

Especially now do I need other fodder: my mind is in such a state I need food which will frivol it.

I want to frivol my evening away." He was very earnest.

companion in my delinquency!'"

Though we have never met personally, I have heard of you from my mother and sister.

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

Not in this beating & pounding at my temples & wrists, O pulse of my life!

See the pastures and forests in my poems.

My children and grand-children—my white hair and beard, My largeness, calmness, majesty, out of the long

stretch of my life.— I will duly pass the day, O my mother!

A.MS. draft and notes.loc.00287xxx.00263[All my emprises]about 1874poetryhandwritten1 leaf; A draft of

[All my emprises]

A.MS. draft and notes.loc.00268xxx.00263[Thou knowest my]about 1874poetryhandwritten1 leaf; A draft of

[Thou knowest my]

A.MS. draft and notes.loc.00277xxx.00263[my end draws]about 1874poetryhandwritten1 leaf; A draft of lines

[my end draws]

and good: if not then I shall run the risk and keep the sheets in my own hands."

book is of another order: it is the collected statement of my life— of my work: a statement of what

"It probably is a whim—my whimsicality—but so it must be."

Insisted on my taking the nickel for the paper.

This will be my birthday gift to the world, my last, my parting, gift: the world has made many birthday

He sat in his armchair reading the Press, but at once took the Herald out of my hands.

I can honestly say that I like to hear all that is to be said in criticism of my work, my life: but you

My vehemence amused him.

That will be my good-bye to the letter.

The world must move on without my fighting for it."