Search Results

Called my attention to several matters, and as I sat down and read he pored over the papers—patiently

him what I had heard, but that as he was flitting all along the road I should be compelled to take my

If it has come into use, it has come lately—for in my time there was no exaggerated emphasis.

Adding after my assent: "That is my conviction too. Here was Leaves of Grass in gestation.

"It is better," he said to my assurance, "better beyond a doubt.

She must have made a guess on my size and guessed wrong."

He throws nothing in my way, but he does nothing to welcome me.

W. called my attention to some newspaper criticisms of his books.

But my feet are eternally gone." I happened to say to W.: "I will be honest.

My dear Mr.

And I renew my original proposal—that just as soon as you can fix the date, you come & spend the Sunday

with me, not to be my guest only, while here, but I am to pay all of the cost of the journey.

You come on my business, & at my request, & indeed we won't get on without the conference.

I hope that you can arrange to come while my sister Mrs.

I sent it.Now I must say good by.And don't fail to note my meaning.

Appeared to have been reading it; spoke of it immediately upon my entrance after our shaking hands.

more than once, and will have doubtless other expenses—but I want to make it all good.We all keep well—My

you are both gone.No letter from Walt today.Good luck to youRM BuckeW. said, after I had expressed my

My dear Traubel:Your very kind and very welcome letter from London, Ontario, came duly to hand.

Whenever in New York, do me the favor to call to see me, not only at the office here, but at my cosy

Whitman:I talked last night to my Waltham class (of forty ladies) about your work and read to them.

I always advise my pupils so.

I always found myself saying that in spite of my reservations.

faith, my sympathy, all leans to the one side."

I picked a sheet of paper up from under my feet. It was written over in W.'s handwriting.

In the Shakespeare matter, my sympathies are with the fellows who are disturbed, chaotic, off rudderless

But for my part I go with the sinners who are not so damned sure—who do not feel willing to swear we

And as for a message, "Give him my dearest love. Tell him we think he has scored a great triumph.

Likewise a letter from Johnston (N.Y.), "quite a long one for John," which he felt should go among my

Gave me a copy of the Lear for Aggie, who projected having a big charcoal copy made by my father.

My advice would be in the words of Punch in its picture—the little word of four letters, printed as big

this earth, head-up, sorto"'—and he laughingly spelled "sorto" saying—"It is a word I often use—one of my

"Yes, I don't know but that now I like it better than my own: I know Bucke don't—know you don't."

quality, which comes uppermost—most forces itself upon my attention.

Remarked: "My friend Julius Chambers, I see, has gone on The World."

"there have been ten or twelve sent to me for my signature."

I looked over my shoulder at the door of the adjoining room. "Ned Wilkins!

31 1889Dear Sir:I think I subscribed $5 to the publication of the "Camden Compliment," and I enclose my

W. thought: "From my point of view, aside entirely from what is said on it, the book is a success from

I do not get over my astonishment, however, that this is for us—that I have lived to see it."

Said he had "another red-ink postal from the Epoch person, directing my attention to The Epoch of Nov

My own poem looks well: there is a noble breadth given it there—in the mere printerial aspect of it."

I remarked my confidence that the thing would all be done Monday. W. not so confident.

"My neighbor, the grocer at the corner, sends it in.

He says, it is for my old friend, Walt Whitman.

It is now howling & pouring against my window as I write.My heart's best gratitude & love to you for

I know you will pardon my hurrying off.My love to you & yours.I gave R. K.

"I am all of a jumble today—my stomach, my head."

And laughingly told him my discussion with Burroughs, Burroughs contending that W.'

I informed him, "My idea now is, to start my piece with the autobiographic page and close it with your

description of this room—filling in my own matter for the rest."

Yet I shall do so, for from outward evidence he is worse than he has been.He still urges me about my

I did not get out of my chair." Said he had had letters "but nothing significant"—even Dr.

"Much to my surprise, I became interested in it—greatly interested.

I gave the sheet to him out of my pocket.

He could not have done worse if he had set out to do everything the opposite of my instructions.

There was one critic who quoted from Wordsworth to prove that my picture was not only not new, but was

As to "Why should my dog inhabit heaven if I?" W. said: "Why not?

I took it out of my pocket. "Read that passage to me again." I did so.

Adams, my last news of your health, and enclosing also a copy of my last circular (summer of 1876) regarding

My wife received lately a letter from Mrs.

I can but repeat my delight in this prospect, were it to be realized, and my wife's hope and my own that

Something decisive will probably appear in a day or two—either a move against Walt or acquiescence in my

is in so I could send for it.If it is as good as "The Evening Breeze" piece I shall begin to think my

To my mind "The E.B." piece is one of the most wonderful he has ever produced—its inner spiritual meaning

Not yet done with my manuscript. "I want to give it still another reading," he said.

I think the old man would see me or my son who saw him before.

Traubel—I saw Whitman because my father could not go, but he will go when he can.

I described to W. my hunt most of my spare time to-daytoday for the steel plate.

He pushed the paper into my hand.

I must be on my guard: I must take care not to grow helpless before my time."

He placed his hand on mine and looked into my face affectionately.

I have given my oath to the Union.'

Called my attention to the Century. "Morris has a poemet there," he said. Mrs.

W. thought my suggestion a good one. Saturday, November 30, 1889

Then after a pause, "I gave him a copy of my big book—gave away three copies, in fact—one to each of

And as for my own? No, never!

In fact, I am not a demonstrable being, even to my intimate friends.

And to my "yes" he added, "Then you have said truth.

Give her my love, anyway." Saturday, November 7, 1891

Traubel:Did you not get my letter saying I must be in Cleveland night of Ingersoll—I was there and thought

Sent matter over to Oldach today by express.Spoke again of note for my lecture book.

despise the Copperheads, irrespective of who they are, their fame—what-not: but aside from that, all my

My impression of Julian as I met him here at the dinner was a good one—very good."

I wrote of it in my letter to Doctor—that you had such a letter—that it was not to be publicated, at

I also feel sure that he also felt that my home would be with my dear sister Mrs.

don't know who will be my guardian now!

My Montreal venture was a decided success. Mrs.

It was distinctly wrong of W.S.K. to allude in print to my T. letter—just shows that you can not trust

begin at once, no end of meter work which must be done, some pressing family affairs requiring a lot of my

:New York, Oct. 10th 1890 My dear Traubel:Still excessively busy. I enclose draft for Ad.

Don't give away an unnecessary dollar is my best judgement and advice on this.I think it well however

My best to Mr. Morris. You say nothing about cash advance to pay expenses. Don't you want any?

No amount of argument could of course remove my feeling.

my eyes in work and my right arm is very helpless and painfull—it keeps me from getting good rest at

I noticed that he said of my expression—but that does not worry me."

: at least, in forenoon and part of the afternoon: but "gathered together again" later on: "made up my

My answer to it has crossed the letter enclosing yours.

He then said: "Well, it is sweet—it is helpful to my soul—to hear that from you: it is the best thing

For my own part, I cannot explain my faith in the book: my satisfaction, if I may say so, is intuitive—not

When he spoke to me I may have nodded my head: when people advise me I have a way of saying 'yes, yes

W. called my attention to a box on the floor.

For my name, work, appears many times.

heart to stand still at the inscription that met my eye!

My heart was strangely moved by this incident.

My best friends have been women. Put that in your pipe and smoke it."

Traubel:My wife leaves at 3 P.M. today for Phil. and I will leave with Ingersoll at 12:20 Tuesday.Say—my

wife wonders if I ought to have my dress suit in.I guess not.

Called my attention to a postal from The Epoch office reading—"Your attention is called to an item in

W. remarked: "That good news about Sidney rejoices my soul."

I find it hard to steady my nerves for it—it means so much to me, will mean so much to you, means so

Then he reached his hand out and took my own, holding it: "We won't go on with it tonight—not tonight

I feel better for my brush with the water." Not "a good day on the whole," however.

No, I thought Jennie was a sister—that was always my impression—but I may mistake the truth."

I had a couple of pears in my pocket for him, from my sister Agnes.

It is seriously a question, whether I want that given to the world as my estimate, summing up, of Whittier

W. said: "My day was bad but I came up smiling this evening."

My only thought has been, how could a man in West's position write so insipid, so stupid, a letter?

I remember: I had Bonsall tell me about it and was very strong in my denunciation of it at the time."

I waited for more but that was all he said—except that, seeing inquiry on my face, he concluded: "Not

get on my feet again."

Congress this time.The money I'm sending in this letter (about 15 dollars) is chiefly for "Good-Bye, My

Lastly, my youngest son, Maurice Buxton Forman, is likely to go out into the world soon—most probably

It ought to have been clearly understood by my letter and by Doctor's itself that there was to be no

Long had curiously said, "One of my doubts of Shakespeare is in the fact that no two men seem to agree

But I am tempted to try my hand on the question.

Miss Porter has been solicitous to use my Whitman-Lowell paper. Wrote me about it—date 27th.

I must off to my duties wh. await me.

so divines from my few missives.

Bucke's letter 29th very hearty and specially recognizing my occupations and excusing my silence, even

"It was about me—about my affairs.

tone so valorous, so penetrating, so to the marrow of what I am, what I stand for—its loss will be my

W. in his room—not appearing extra well, nor feeling so—for he said: "This is one of my bad days: I have

I promised to leave it with him in the morning on my way to Philadelphia.

there's not more to be known: I don't absolutely adopt his theory—in fact, any man's theories, even my

W. said: "That is exactly right—that is my time." Prepared today to insure our sheets.

Whitman my kind regards and hopes for his returning strength.I remain, yours,G. M.

Well, give him my love: that is real: and if he is satisfied to be the happy owner of my love he owns

New Haven, Conn.,July 1, 1885.My dear Whitman:I see by the papers that you may be going to England.

I realize that I am at last on the verge of dissolution: my vim has departed, my strength is gone, life

He used to handle my skepticism about Poe without gloves: Edgar Poe: he would not have my qualifications

life and may be used as in some byways an explanation of my addiction to the trades and my apprenticeship

What he says of Scott has my entire approval: Scott is my man, too: I go to him sometimes with a real

They have made my summer glorious. My love of that man is something strong as fate.

On the beautiful bending simple cove road W. again said, "This was in the old days one of my favorite

I do not think my writing in that article would be called remarkable for clearness, especially that passage

I confess the book has taken a strong hold of me—it has opened my eyes, made me feel that we have a master

If I found it in my line, I should write out all I have been telling you—put it in print somewhere.

But in the first place it is not in my line. Then, I am too lazy.

My surprise is, not that they feel it or say it among themselves, but that they are damned fools enough

It's the story over again of my woman friend in Washington who complained that whereas her sister, who

My main objection to him, if objection at all, would be, that he is too eulogistic—too flattering.

are in personal relations with him, convey him my hearty though belated congratulations?

In the midst of my reading, others entering, W. suggested I begin over again, which I did.

For my part I thoroughly trusted Proctor: he was modest, made no claims for himself, went quietly about

I shall have to try my hand at a design or two."

For example, my parents lived to be more than ninety years old, and they drank wine; from my childhood

Then he said: "Them's my sentiments—every one of them: there can be no rule: every man must be a rule

My address is—Sept. 4 '76.R.

Signing name and being named W. said, "I like best my name in full—Walt Whitman—not Whitman alone nor

My fair correspondent feels that this vocable meets a long felt want in our much-lacking language.

There was "The Burial Hymn of Lincoln," "Captain, Oh, My Captain," so praised by Swinburne.

He makes my head ache." "But even the Captain?" "I have never read it."

Seeking out Whitman's books I copied "Captain, Oh, My Captain," with the pious purpose of reclaiming

:New York, Sept 19, 1890 My Dear Traubel:Fire away.

"That was pretty near my first thought, though I went it even worse than that.

And still again, "Not even in my good humor can I altogether get rid of the notion that Holmes felt:

think that Whittier's paper will pass," and he added that he felt he could "thoroughly reciprocate" my

On my entrance was reading a newspaper. Started a considerable hunt for a copy of the Transcript.

I, for my part, rejoice in the opposition—in the whole turmoil—it evokes declarations from the other

But this is not my view—not at all.

s credit in the office, and W. said: "I hope my 50-centses and whatnot always go direct to the men?

It plainly reached my hands too late for this year.

Well—you told what was true: I wouldn't turn on my heel for it.

I closed my review with a wish that you might try a voyage across the Atlantic.

"The sentence, 'you annex your friends so closely,': that's my guess."

may be a little afraid of some of my friends.

Give him my love, tell him you found me here, tell him the beautiful note nestled to its place in my

If I will send you copy of my lecture on Shakespeare will you read it to Whitman?

I have put some in my cellar."

W. asked, "My proofs? Not come yet?" I was to have them Monday.

And now, Horace, if you write to the Colonel, don't forget my love.

A hint of my own private affection, of indebtedness to O'Connor."

Showed him proof of my matter for Poet-Lore. "You will leave it till morning? Yes, do.

I can then read it at my ease."

He greatly enjoyed my father's big crayon of W., saying of W.'

own view of Hugo "is undoubtedly in great part a reaction from O'Connor's attempt to ram Hugo down my

Tom read Clark the Symonds letter upon my recommendation.

My wonder is, is Brinton the man to write a book on that subject?

And my doubt of Brinton would be, not that he could produce a valuable study, but that he would produce

If he has not the book, I should be glad to have him use my copy. Tell him so."

In my time, usually thinner than this—this already is fat."

This will be my last utterance, my final message: in it, then, I must aim for the utmost excellence compatible

with my financial means and physical condition."

Ashton has spoken (at my instigation) to Mr.

Horace, I've had God's own luck with my friends no matter what my enemies say about me."

Sidney—my poor fellow!—there you are wrong—wrong!

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.