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Indeed, all through those years—that period—I was at my best—physically at my best, mentally, every way

I'll send a copy too of my last book, Songs of the Heights and Deeps.

I formerly sent you some of my poetry, but it was early work.

My debt to you is great. Would that I could express it in person!

He does not do full justice to Emerson as I hope to show in my essay.

Friday, March 18, 1892W. not asleep on my round (8:15) but not in shape to say much.

During my visit was turned on right side but could not lie long; cough soon annoyed him.

He saw me and called my name.

Then I asked, "Did Webster send you a check for my fund?" "No, no check—it was only a letter."

I hurried in, the Bolton letter in my hand.

He held my hand then without change till I said good-bye.

Tell him my love is with him daily & hourly.

Also give my love to that little wife Annie whom I forgot in my other letter.

And to my assent, "And did he say it was all in good order, in no way damaged?"

Said W. thereupon, "My latest judgment is like my first—that this is far and above the best thing we

O the sun of the world will ascend, dazzling, and take his height—and you too, O my Ideal, will surely

O lips of my soul, already becoming powerless! O ample and grand Presidentiads!

(I must not venture—the ground under my feet men- aces menaces me—it will not support me: O future too

current songs of beauty, peace, decorum, I cast a reminiscence—(likely 'twill offend you, I heard it in my

their sense, their ears, towards his murmuring, half- caught half-caught words: "Let me return again to my

Give me my old wild battle-life again!"

Sir Today I was coming to Camden full of hope that I might see you but I have not enough money to pay my

Yes—you are good—may I come to see you when my ship returns in about a month?

I hope— Will you accept my "Minutiæ." Will you— if you are able —write to me.

Walt Whitman, My dear Sir:— Your "Old Poets" in the November Number of the North American Review, I read

Pardon my sending you my thoughts, which, judging from the tone of your article I feel sure you will

I am still imprison'd in my sick room, yet sitting up & reading & writing & (in limits) talking & being

worst no prospect of real improvement—I mean in any body or leg strength, wh' is very low indeed—but my

—and at same time a big Vol. (900 pages) comprehending all my stuff—verses & prose—bound in one—Shall

My Dear Walt Through the stupidity of Lewis I did not receive the dispatch until late in the afternoon

I went directly to my frame makers, the frame will be done to-morrow, (it is a beauty) and if you wish

It is my wish it should be seen in Boston. Let me know how you propose to introduce it.

& was verry glad to get them & always shall be I am well the toe is getting along verry fast I ware my

boots A little everry day I think in A few days I shall be able to join my regiment I hope so anyway

Washington for women I think friend walt I should like to Come & see you verry much I hope that I shall join my

I have received my bible and I think a grate great eal deal of it I think it is very nice indeed.

but pop thinks I had better go to haddonfield I think I will come down next week if i can, I must end my

letter so it is good by my Dear Friend.

Camden New Jersey 328 Mickle Street Sept: 1 '87 My dear friend I wish you could take half an hour if

He advertises (Century, Sept. number ) to sell my photo, with autograph.

Go round & see if C will immediately send me copies of the pictures & follow my requests ab't them—Or

D r Harkness (my old friend who you met in Kingston in '80 and who went up the Saguenay with us ) is

This sick spell of mine has knocked all my calculations endways—do not at all know now when I shall go

east or what I shall do—shall probably go to England after a while and see you on my way Best love R

My Dear Friend Walter I now take my pen to Write you a few lines to let you know that I am Well and I

opens We Will have enof to do I think that this summer is agoing to settil this War I am Willing to do my

328 Mickle Street Camden New Jersey March 4 '85 My dear friends Your letter comforts & touches me deeply

Davis, strong & hearty & good natured, a widow, young enough, furnishes me my meals, & takes good care

—Soon as you get this write me how John is getting along—Last Saturday's Critic has a piece about my

friend All about as usual— Rec'd received a London letter day before yesterday, purchasing six sets of my

remitting the pay —(come in good for Christmas pocket money)— Spent last evening till midnight with my

her—But you will see them—they return to London, Canada, in a few days—Your & Herby's letters rec'd —My

June 17, '75 1875 My dear Stedman, I have rec'd received your kind note, & am pleased that you remember

I shall select some scrap of my MS. & send you soon.

Real and Ideal) all sorts of things, prose & (my) poetry.

Bielby, & Dear Doctor, I read the letter of Oct. 29, (full of good kindliness & sympathy—My general physique

still [ke]eps up, the battle with my [se]rious special cerebral ailment—& I think the physique will

yet carry the day—& that I shall come back to Washington, & see you all again—though my case is very

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

Walter Whitman— Sir i take my pen in hand to let you know that i am well and i hope that these few lines

may find you the same i have not got a way yet from this hospittle but i think that my papers will be

home. i am sorry that i did not think to tell you to not mind what he told you Well i must [close] My

do I not see my love fluttering out there among the breakers?

Loud I call to you, my love!

who I am, my love.

Hither, my love! Here I am! Here!

But my love no more, no more with me! We two together no more!

Harned, my sister Gussie, the boy, Clifford, along. W. in bright mood. Talked fluently.

Picked up a box of candies which he gave to my sister.

In the midst of some talk, W. turned to my sister: "And the baby?"

Then: "Yes: yes: Priestley is my man too—my man as you present him, but not my man in the aspect these

W. said: "Tom, all of you are too good to me: my friends: you give me so much without my asking I'd feel

Nothing that I can read seems to change my opinion of Carlyle.

The morning after my return some wretch poisoned my dog and the loss has quite upset me.

Alcott praised my Emerson piece, but Sanborn appeared not to know anything about my writings.

I did not feel like calling on him of my own motive. Alcott said he was well.

He evidently wanted to pitch into my Eagle, but was afraid of the claws.

It is one of the strongest of my good-humored pictures.

Some of my pictures are strong but too severe—don't you think so?

I was looking fixedly at the portrait in my hand. He noticed it. "What's the matter?"

"On the whole, I'd rather not: if I do I won't have enough for my own purpose."

So I put my stuff together and came to Camden. That was in the first period of my paralysis.

He answered: "I suppose I have destroyed the most of the letters that came back with my poems.

There is some Galaxy stuff still coming to you: I can't just now just put my hand on it."

But he still said: "Read a few: I want to have my memory refreshed."

My dear Mr. Whitman,I am glad you can do the nursing article. Thanks for the Father Taylor.

Musgrove will step in presently and put me to bed with or without my consent, and then——".

Good of you to attend to the complete vol. for my friend Muirhead—wh.

And he added, "Paine was one of my first loves and is one of my last, and he will yet achieve a high

Described my day's letter to Symonds. "I like it well—I like it all."

It was a good answer—would have been my own." A few more words, then farewell.

After I had left he called Warrie, "My grog, boy."

I have written Walt giving account of my reception here; you will see that letter and I need not repeat

I may say however that if nothing comes of my trip but what has already come of it here I shall consider

My reception here has been such that I am absolutely dumbfounded.

Called my attention to a postal he had written Johnston (I mailed it on my way up).Referred to O'Donovan

Longaker and Reeder to my house late in evening—photoed Morse bust by flash light.

Said of his condition: "Till this evening, my day has been very poor—a poor one indeed.

That has been my course from the first—to write what I must write—not hesitatingly but decisively—and

But I found no change from my first impression.

I have been recommended by quite a dozen—and a dozen of the best fellows—my fellows, friends—to read

I have often felt, my good luck with the women has been phenomenal!"

W. listened to my detail of this with apparently intense interest.

I am very careless of my possessions.

The fact is the subject was so august to my mind that I never got courage or time to sit down to it.

Now about my obligation on November Boughs, I despair of doing what I wish to do.

I like once a year, when I can, to give my people a good thorough dose of some noble works.

Referred to it: "Yes—my piece appeared today—and today came the proof of the other piece, too—'Old Age's

It was indeed a striking piece of work, and on my remark that it was the best Century page for a long

The noble breadth of page seems to lend itself to my lines."

W. taking my repetition of this thus: "I feel it is true.

Clemens) for Walt Whitman.I write from my bed. Where's the book?SincerelyR. W.

Spoke of my trip to New York.

Traubel:I am glad you called my attention to the Contemporary Club bill.

He was so new in every way and I shocked my wife by saying—"He reminds me of Jesus in some way."

My impression was of a new force introduced into life, and because it killed a lot of sacred prejudices

My judgement has and will confirm.He is deep in life and I love life.

Dear Pete, According to announcement in my last, I have made a movement & change of base, from tumultuous

I suppose you got my last letter, 14th, from N. Y. I expect to return to N. Y. about the 22d.

Last night, when I went up at 11 o'clock to my room, I took up three great bunches, each as big as my

It is quite a change here from my associations & surroundings either in Washington or New York.

I send you my love, dear Pete. So long . Will write from N. Y. soon as I return there. W W P.S.

, I wrote you a two-page letter (with scrap codicil ) on August 14 1875, giving you the " theory of my

have prompted me to ask you if it would be necessary for my theory to be abandoned "!

And now seeing how my laziness is growing on me so much, the question comes to me thus— will you let

me resign my commission ?

I tender you my resignation of the Lieutenant .

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