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But my remembrance of her all centers about New York.

Now, in our new book, I try in my Hicks to confirm another item of my triple oath.

I hope if my Paine piece is little it's also O hell."

My hesitations make me think of a story.

'Captain, here's the preface!' 'Is that the preface?'

I had under my arm a big bundle of Saturday's Posts just got from Bonsall.

to send copies to Burroughs, Kennedy, and one or two others, asking me for four for his own use—"for my

However, I showed him my yesterday's letter from Baker, which he read, looked at, grew pathetic over.

For my own Saturday's notes W. could say, "I liked them—they were successfully joined.

My same complaint, my same reason!" This interested W. "Poor Baker, gone under by the same current.

It sends the blood to my extremities!"

Meeting Stedman face to face you would realize many things—would see what my own words about him have

Editorial DepartmentThe Century MagazineUnion Square—New YorkAug. 2—1889.My dear Mr.

the suggestion about O'Connor—& regrets that we have not room for what you suggest.Let me say that my

such that I would not dishonor him by letting a report be printed which did not accurately represent my

what I said & what I am prepared to defend, without the addition of new ideas, or illustrations, & to my

In all my experience I have never met a man who didn't pursue his own pleasure against mine.

says: "There is some peculiar atmospherical influence which reacts strangfely upon the chemistry of my

impossible—really felt that it was out of the question—but after he had gone I turned the matter over in my

W. said of it: "My mind is a slow one—it never hustles: I don't seem to know yet what I think of the

He got up from his chair in rather painful fashion, took my arm, and went with me into the back room.

I for my part don't want to be either haughty or humble.

I want to see if our other corrections were alluded to—if my speech is now in right order."

Returned me my manuscript.

W. was inquisitive: "I felt the winter in my bones as I sat here.

And my fire feels it, too—and hurries up its burning." Monday, December 1, 1890

When I was in New York—the trip seven or eight years ago—he called on me, put a cab at my disposal: was

to take in the character of our work: they want their sonatas, songs, odes—yet I would not turn on my

I helped him across the room: very poorly on his legs: leaned heavily on my arm.

One of my chief delights in it is for this—that here is a woman who shows a capacity for diving down

I turned the bundle over in my hands. "It 'sIt's an important looking package of papers," I said.

My appetite is nearly all gone. I seem to have no wish to eat."

article on "The Whitman-Shakespeare Question," notes on "Good-Bye" from Miss Porter, announcement of my

W. intensely interested in my detail of it all and expressing "entire concurrence with Brinton's attitude

J.Aug. 21st 1891.My dear SirOn Oct 12th (Discovery day falls this year on Sunday) our Pan Republic Congress

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."

It seems Judge Garrison is to take them, and wants my signature. Oh yes!

There was 'Leaves of Grass': what a fight I had for that name"—and to my interposed idea that time had

settled in its favor,—"Well—for 15 or 20 years, everybody objected to it—even my friends."

And he added: "My critic gave all the intellectual reasons in the calendar, but of the emotional, the

I had Roden Noel's book with me, under my arm—and he asking me "How do you get along with it?"

Thoreau, in Brooklyn, that first time he came to see me, referred to my critics as 'reprobates.'

somehow as if none of the changes should have been made: that I should have said, take me as I am: my

bad and my good, my everything—just as I am: to hell with all cuts, all excisions, all moralistic abridgements

W. said again: "Conway could never understand my stony attitude towards expurgations: he at once flew

My dear Walt: I introduce to you Mr.

My whole day full of business and anxiety. Brinton startled at the knowledge I gave him.

"No, but I cannot give up my fears and convictions either."

George Whitman, who was just going at the time of my entrance.) W. had told Mrs.

To Longaker he had said, "Doctor, you always have the bad luck to catch me at my worst.

My mouth, jaw, tongue are sore from the amount of medicine I have taken."

And further, "And this follows your idea in the paper"—referring to one of my notes in the Conservator

list of letters that must be written, and this morning I rec'd yours of the 18th ult. again enforcing my

I have been working very hard in the past year and, in addition to my work in Lachine, have had 2 patents

(in which I am only part inventor) on my mind, with much writing and drawing to do in all my spare moments

This, as much as any one thing, is why my time has been broken into and why I have not written sooner

Yes, I remembered that my payments were only up to Nov. 1st (through Oct.) and as I had expected to start

Harned was present part of the time of my stay.

W. said: "I am fortunate: now I can make sure of all my possessions.

Congratulated me on my possession of the picture.

the letters extra meanings: I am passing many of them over to you: I want to sort of fasten them in my

I don't well know when my American Selection will be out: my work on it is done, and the rest depends

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 interposing—"No: you remember I testify in my article that you are sharply determined in all such minute

And that "Lincoln granted it, only said—'But my plan is, to meet each day as it appears—to have no rules

, except the rule to apply my best force to every new circumstance.'"

Then to Harned's for consultation about the meter—to my house for some further Whitman talk—finally to

And when I had given him my good report: "How good for her—for Tom—for us!

The man seemed to have caught on to my idea almost before I expressed it: the green ends, the tipping

I said: "My heart warms to him."

monument idea on the whole a good one—that it might mean something in the friendship of nations: all that: my

Was quite well—"comfortable, in my sense."

New Year's wish—he holding my hand and exclaiming—"Good boy!

Mind you, I don't tell this to you as a thing I know—it is only my guess."

I quoted against this my own edition (1876)—which W. had not seen—in which W. appeared.

—"Do you think it would be worth my while to hunt it up?"

"It states my position—lets me state it in my own words: then lets the reader answer for the rest."

C.December, 16, 1888.My dear Sir:I should like, if I can do so without impertinence, to send you my grateful

Of the portrait sent by Smith: "That was my prime—that was the period of my power—of endurance: the period

"I always expect you to know a lot about me without my having to say it to you—about my feelings: especially

my feelings towards you."

And again, "That reminds me: what do you think of my new portrait?"

"Carey sent me this—sent me a number for my name.

date it is sent.I had brought in "Where Meadows Meet the Sea" and the Bucke volume he had marked for my

Yet in my heart I do feel some fear that his forebodings are not unreasonable.

My determination invincible.

He grasped my hand and held it, saying, "I am glad to have it again: it carries me into my right humor

My New Ideal piece out. Had no copy with me. Have sent copies to Ingersoll and Baker.

Thought my souvenir would be "thoroughly unique: I almost enviges you!"

After he had shaken hands with me, he said: "The McClure syndicate has taken my Brazil piece—may use

He said I should "put it in my pocket" if it was of interest— "though how can it be?"

And remarked, "The nights drag wearily through," replying to my questions to say, "I have spent a bad

Advised me as I left, "Arrange everything with Dave: you know my whims, notions—I trust to you."

he had said, "I have passed a lifeless, useless, helpless day—have not read, written—hardly opened my

W.: "This part of the back of my belly to the left is the great trouble—sore and hurts and swells."

And yet when I told him of Harned's sickness and my belief that much of it came from too much in-doorness

Then he amusedly asked me—"you have not seen my new mittens, have you?"

He advised me: "I have been thinking today about your mention of my birthday.

And then, have the girls there: it is not a little in my mind, how the girls are appealed to—it has,

—and to my assent—"It is important to know what such a man thinks,"—though very cautious as I could see

"I am a prisoner," he said, smilingly, "but you are not my jailer."

Then after a pause: "Indeed, far from that: you are in fact my deliverer."

At present my brain is just mud—I have a heap of letters unanswered.

My own health is pretty good.

It has reduced my weight about ten per cent. My belly has gone away as if I had been confined.

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.

And to my further saying; "It is not everybody who can paint you—" W.

And I am sure neither Gilder nor William Carey, my friends there, would refuse to give some weight to

my words in that connection.

And to my phrase "brutally natural" he said—"I like it said that way: it takes us back to the elements

I remember that a doctor said to me once down in Virginia, when I shook my head: 'What?

I showed him my letter of the 16th, received today.

think of it: I have sent him my pieces, put my price on them, been paid that price: an important item

And I wish to put in my best greeting to Mrs.

He noticed my interest. "Do you like it? then take it along."

Had written Bucke, gave me the letter to mail, along with papers for Captain Rayner and Gilchrist, postal

I was glad enough to hear this and went at once to the next room to my overcoat, bringing the contracts

Warrie, bring my glasses," which Warrie did, likewise bringing the rest, asking W., "Shall I lift you

W. advised him, "I want you to go see my friend J.

My dear Traubel:I received, and read with great pleasure, your tribute to Walt Whitman, to be published

And the reply came—'Inasmuch as ye have done it to the least of these—my children, O my children!

And to Harned, "I think my difference with Bob would be this—that is, be in my assertion that back of

My surprise is, that a man like Huxley—superb in every way, making a mere noise of Gladstone—should ever

I am sure I feel it an honor to be asked, and am glad to have my word go in there, for I feel it is in

I had my doubts from the first."

And the brother, too—Wilhelm—a great man by all my means of knowing.

"It must be milder: my body tells me so." Letter from Bucke, he said. Searched for it.

He laughed heartily: "That's what I was just saying: it's my funeral that's in the way!"

He went on I could see rather because of his own impulse than of my suggestion.

He was interested in my account of my father's extensive reading of the German classics and of his great

I said I considered my playdays quite as valuable for life-making as my workdays: did he?

I read my mail while there—letters from Hallam Tennyson, Bucke, Wallace, Mary Ashley. W.'

On my "good-bye" I kissed him and stroked his head. "God bless you!" That and I left.10:18 P.M.

W. said on my entrance: "Someone has been sending me a copy of The Scottish-American in which there is

blustering, swearing creature—going about with a red shirt on—sleeves rolled up—quid of tobacco in my

I for my part have never been deeply convicted on the point of the late poems—never absolutely certain

Gilchrist's solicitude—and she was one of the cutest women ever born, and signal among my friends—; her

my soul."

the end of my tether."

I talked awhile ago of my old man who was afraid of Catholicism.

My presence would spoil the soup."

I said my good night and left. Monday, February 4, 1889

Indeed put it in my own words."

I whipped a sheet of paper out of my pocket and wrote in the dark as he dictated.

My warmest thanks to him & you, which please convey to him if you can.

Then repeated to him the substance of my talk with Dave.

My dearest love to you & my most fervent prayers & good wishes are yours always.Wallace I, too, had letters

told me at the door that W. spent a good day, but he shook his head and said: "This has been one of my

Whitman:During my absence your note of the 4th, inst was left here by Mr. Traubel.

S. & act & settle it in my place.

in your first colloquy with the man I venerate so deeply, you should have handed him the reprint of my

This expresses the mere fact, so far as I can read my inner self, though perhaps my own industry in life

To 328 on my way home. Happened in a little earlier than normal—and when W. shortly called Mrs.

I went over my mail categorically. "What does Sarrazin say? He is still sick? Poor fellow!

Give him my sympathy.

he asked, and to my, "Well," exclaimed, "Dear girl!" I adding, "She was here last night."

You need not be surprised to receive a dispatch warning you of my approach.

I have never told him, he knows that creatures of his kind are distasteful, ugly to me—that I have my

"It needs to have some kinks and corners in before it fits my head"—taking it off, punching it, then

s on my way home—stayed till six: twilight: he sitting by the fire, the door of the stove open an inch

Expressed great pleasure over my hearing from Morse to-daytoday.

pleased with such comparisons: I have a face: it seems to make up fairly well in a picture: that is all: my

made up for Oldach, he said, looking at me: "You know I am very arbitrary: always determined to have my

But as my opinion is not worth anything, being a boy, I should not have intruded it upon you.

"He was always William's and my friend—and he will appreciate—will measure up—this piece."

Give him my love and the love of us all. Mrs.

Then give him my love—my love for all: for wife, daughters—and though I am hard beset, assure him not

the least of my benefits is his, their, love."

Repeated to him my interview with McKay.

s on my way home. Quite near sundown; the room in shadow.

"A bit better—but by no means well—my head, belly, bladder—seem all astray—gone from their moorings."

"That's just the trouble—I attribute a good deal of my cold, chilliness, discomfort, to the variable

W. objected, "But the best thermometer is my feeling."

I get the paper regularly & my friend Mr.

But spoke of his outing yesterday and visit at my father's.

He picked up my hand and pressed it.

"You are my one vital means of connection with the world—the one live wire left.

I shook my head. "No?" "No.

I said: "Perhaps my father can do it: I'll ask him."

I want to be generous: I'll share my possessions with you."

W. spied my figure but could not distinguish who it was. "Who is that?"

My eyesight is not much good at such a distance!" Longaker then questioned him about his condition.

"I try to do a little writing and reading: my worst affliction is to have to lie still so much of my

He was in warm mood—held my hand all the time we talked.

He grasped my hand ardently. Does he sometimes think it may be the last?

Kissed him—entered at once into recital of my trip.

Probably reference to my piece.Asked me if I had a set of Lippincott's proofs to "swop-off for the set

After leaving W. now found the whole order home, and on my way to Philadelphia took 20 to him.

memorandum written on a slip of colored paper: "Get me some paper like this—I prefer it to white to write my