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328 Mickle Street Camden New Jersey Jan: 25 '87—noon My dear friend Arthur The box (Oranges) has just

different from usual late years, but older, more broken & paralyzed—I have a little old cottage of my

or a girl with me, I ate with you and slept with you, your body has become not yours only nor left my

body mine only, You give me the pleasure of your eyes, face, flesh, as we pass, you take of my beard

As I ponder'd in silence, Returning upon my poems, considering, lingering long, A Phantom arose before

then I answer'd, I too haughty Shade also sing war, and a longer and greater one than any, Waged in my

Then my realities; What else is so real as mine?

done and gone, we remain; There is no final reliance but upon us; Democracy rests finally upon us, (I, my

These snowy hairs, my feeble arm, my frozen feet, For them thy faith, thy rule I take, and grave it to

AS I ponder'd in silence, Returning upon my poems, considering, lingering long, A Phantom arose before

then I answered, I too haughty Shade also sing war, and a longer and greater one than any, Waged in my

or a girl with me, I ate with you and slept with you, your body has become not yours only nor left my

body mine only, You give me the pleasure of your eyes, face, flesh, as we pass, you take of my beard

"Do you think the meter's success means my failure, Walt?" "It might."

W. said: "That's another of my illusions shattered."

W. exclaimed: "My God! has it come to that? am I fallen so low?

W. asked: "I wonder if my words will be included?

Bucke said: "I hope you won't take offense at my freedom?"

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.

You know my bright particular friend there, Julius Chambers, is now on the World.

W. said for his own part: "I am persuaded that my painter has not yet arrived.

My sympathies all go out towards the outcast." I asked him again about his toast to the Queen.

But in my philosophy—in the bottom-meanings of Leaves of Grass-there is plenty of room for all.

And I, for my part, not only include anarchists, socialists, whatnot, but Queens, aristocrats."

"I cannot fix the details all accurately in my mind: I get a little rusty sometimes."

"John published that against my persuasions—O'Connor's too: our strong objections: but now I know, we

If you have, I wish you would give me a line of introduction to him for my brother Bertie (Albert) who

But I must wait till my lecture to the Nineteenth Century Club, on Feb. 7, is past.Dr.

"I know: don't you see me on my knees? I admire his I'll do as I damned please ways."

and don't want to be both outdoors and indoors: a certain element of irresponsibility is mixed with my

It forms the staple for a number of my lectures on the literature of Democracy.Our friend Baxter had

Every now and then someone goes away after a visit here telling the most monstrous stories of my being

One of the worst features of my confinement here is that fact that I am in the north room, obliged to

If I could talk into a machine—if I didn't have to use a pen—my troubles would be over."

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

the comradeship—friendship is the good old word—the love of my fellow-men.

As to the form of my poetry I have rejected the rhymed and blank verse.

everything of the kind from my books."

I said, "Perhaps not, my dear, in the way you mean, and yet, maybe, it is the same thing."

He said: "It is my chief reliance." He talked of death, and said he did not fear it.

Asked about the weather: urged me to throw my coat off: altogether most cordial.

He added: "My first doubts are my last. I think the little woman (was it Lucy Larcom?)

Then I would re-examine my premises. Yet each attempt was fruitless."

Changed his cover design at McKay's and my suggestion.

I keep it among my records. Monday, November 26, 1888

I was out in my chair yesterday—Warrie took me and we went up towards the city hall.

W. said: "It is so, too: the real doctor, the genuine scientist—he is my man—he every time.

"Still I am not mad at him only, but fond of him too—and my sneaking notion is, to go there again."

As to the pocket edition: "I stick to my liking.

sent up to Tom some scraps, debris, quite a bundle for his Philadelphia lawyer-friend"—and noticing my

My mail brought me intelligence from Burroughs of the "publisherial" fate of his late writing on W.:

My love to Walt.

"Good night," I said, "Good night," and he pressed my hand and replied with his own "Good night!

My many exuberant letters of forenoon already knocked off their feet.

It is hardly fair to use these strong words but there are no others to express my meaning.

At the worst, or best, give him the assurance of my warmest love, comradeship, honor.

I have been counting more upon visiting him, & upon reading to him some of my lecture-work, than upon

any other feature of my trip to Phila. next month.

I put my disengaged hand in my pocket and drew them forth. "Could you hear them?"

"Then it is time for my medicine." Took it. Hiccough continues.7.45 Turned on right side.

I entered the room with the big envelopes under my arm.

And with my big envelopes along, too!"

I swung my hand across the big face of the envelope, "There is a chance for you to spread out a big Walt

And he questioned me frankly for the bases of my high estimate.

thinks of W.I like Stoddart's idea of a Whitman no. and hope he will carry it out—Would he care for my

Called my attention to a couple of transposed lines in the Lippincott's galley proof—prose.

He spoke of my cold hand, "You don't know how grateful it is to me: an immediate flavor of out-of-doors

You have touched upon the subject nearest & dearest to my heart.This idea of having William's descriptions

, so I get my sister to make the copy of the letter.If the story comes out in April & May, it will soon

Give him my love. & thank you, too, for the papers.I am glad Walt is so well & able to do his literary

And I told you what his vague answer was—that my four lines had appeared—that I came out there in company

with all my friends—Chamberlain, Boyle O'Reilly—naming others.

I send money to some poor friends—relatives, some of them—my sister, others—but, as I have told you,

I hate the whole thing more and more: the older I get, the fuller my conviction.

W. every day asks me about my copy of the Atlantic.

To my return that "the doctor seems to expect his recovery," he said, "Good! Good!

Meter matters take a lot of my time and all looks well in that direction tho' I doubt much whether I

shall accomplish any thing very definite during my present stay here.

Give 'em my realest, substantiallest, thanks.

Good-By my Fancy Walt Whitman (David McKay, Philadelphia).

People criticised my article for its applause—it was "too strong."

Said he: "The older I grow, the broader, deeper, larger that word Solidarity is impressed on my convictions—Solidarity

My niece had written in the course of a note to my sister, "There is a nasty dirty polecat prowling around

W. laughed uproariously over my recital of this. "It's too good to keep!"

that I could get out, that I could practically demonstrate my admiration, my applause!

"That was my own feeling: I wondered if he had anything to say.

And not, besides, be square with my known principles, for, as with Emerson, I claim Shakespeare for the

I will expose you by the exactness of my portrait!

That was one of my pleasures in George Kennan's articles in the Century: when he struck a bad [hard?]

That seemed especially made for my benefit!

I remember my Washington experience: here were lives just wavering in the balance—life on that side,

—especially the actors, in which I flatter myself—tickle my egotism—by assuming I have quite a clientage

Referred to "The Canadian preacher who set out to make me define—was bound to make me define my attitude

For instance, I doze—that has lately been my recourse—not to sleep, no—to doze—to lay on my back.

by his determination that I should discuss with him the other literary fellows— cèlébres—deliver him my

Johnston & Co.17 Union Square, New YorkAug. 4 1891Dear TraubelI enclose my check for $5.00.Isn't it terrible

I went to Leadville in '79, carried $38,000 worth diamonds and left my revolver in the hands of the makers

so that my reference to it will not be of use to you. I help all I can here its circulation.

"the Gita" is one of my favourite Books, it is the gem of all Indian lore. it is as wide in its teachings

—but what is it that is not so. and to Carlyle and my own nature too and lastly to you and your teachings

I pause in my thoughts on all such, and gaze on them in wonderment—even with awe and silence too.— How

Will my subscription to your New Edition of your works, if sent you direct to America, be of any real

criticism . . . after full retrospect of his works and life, the aforesaid 'odd-kind chiel' remains to my

In the summer of '80, my oldest son (of this, my second wife,) being then a well-grown, strong, and healthy

Since that young man was taking a law advantage of myself and other creditors of my dead son, after he

My kin, always recognized as of superior honesty, have shown themselves in all this matter immeasurably

My kin are much allied with those bad people by marriages.

some of those battles—I get thinking about it sometimes, & it works upon me so I have to stop & turn my

get them—I sent them & another paper to George—Mother, you none of you ever mention whether you get my

would take away your appetite I know—Mother, I have some idea Han is getting some better, it is only my

idea somehow—I hope it is so from the bottom of my heart—did you hear from Mary's Fanny since?

them, for grandmother will perhaps leave them to you in her will, if you behave like a lady—Matty, my

$5 from Mr Lane had miscarried—this morning when I came down to Major Hapgood's office I found it on my

Mother, what to do about Andrew I hardly know—as it is I feel about as much pity for you as I do for my

cheerfully I would give them, whether they availed any thing for Andrew or not—yet I have long made up my

all do what we can for Andrew—Mother, I think I must try to come home for a month—I have not given up my

Well, dear mother, I must close—I am first rate in health, so much better than a month & two mo's ago—my

ought to be," but attributed the condition to his mother's frugality: "I have not the least doubt in my

Chicago Dear Walt,— The old war refrain—"All's quiet on the Potomac" —seems to have a new rendering in my

thought as I go about my daily work: "All silent in Camden."

with me an hour or so, and, on departing, asked permission to write a paragraph for the journal about my

But he made the worst mess about the Holmes talk, & my contempt for facts .

Is Mrs Davis still with you—Give her my best regards.

Whitman: "Because you have, as it were, given me a ground for the love of men I thank you continually in my

located, but the passages alluded to, including the "old varmint" story, appear in a similar form in "My

series of poets was last year begun by Walter Scott the publisher under the occasional editorship of my

and in their list a month or two after my arrival in London as a student of life & letters this year,

I saw rather to my astonishment your name amid the rest, & feeling that in some ways I had a special

As for my own share, all I really care about is to procure a serviceable popular edition, giving all

I feel very much inclined to say a great deal more about my hopes and ideals, but to-night perhaps it

'82 29 Lange Strasse Dresden Tuesday Feb 14 My dear Whitman So you have had a visit from the Aesthete

I enclose herewith a page of my translation of the Leaves of Grass—you needn't save it as I don't want

Well, if I was to unburden all my mind on this weary subject I should go on till—till things got better

My wife knows them well too.

York has given very high praise to my Encheiridion.

up this way are very modest so I got off quite an Elaborate elaborate address in which I expressed my

Phellow fellow Phelinx to the best of my abilities & wished the cause of Temperance Everlasting progress

interrupted with "hear" "hear" and any amount of cheering & in the midst of the cheering I brought my

I am still improving in health getting more blooming Every day Day people who saw me on my way here &

you will know it Just to see if you will recognize the Boy who left Washington some time ago got over my

It was there that I hastened to seek my old friend Walt Whitman on the first morning after my arrival

when the federal troops occupied the village of Falmouth on the Rappahannock river, the house owned by my

father, where my early life was passed, was used as a hospital, and it was in that house that Walt began

On the day after my call, Walt came to see and dine with me, and I had many hours' conversation with

Features of my equals, would you trick me with your creas'd and cadaverous march?

I saw the face of the most smear'd and slobbering idiot they had at the asylum; And I knew for my consolation

what they knew not; I knew of the agents that emptied and broke my brother, The same wait to clear the

pickets, Come here, she blushingly cries—Come nigh to me, lim-ber-hipp'dlimber-hipp'd man, Stand at my

upon you, Fill me with albescent honey, bend down to me, Rub to me with your chafing beard, rub to my

1 COME, my tan-faced children, Follow well in order, get your weapons ready; Have you your pistols?

2 For we cannot tarry here, We must march my darlings, we must bear the brunt of danger, We, the youthful

O my breast aches with tender love for all!

12 See, my children, resolute children, By those swarms upon our rear, we must never yield or falter,

18 I too with my soul and body, We, a curious trio, picking, wandering on our way, Through these shores

Features of my equals, would you trick me with your creased and cadaverous march?

I saw the face of the most smeared and slobbering idiot they had at the asylum, And I knew for my consolation

what they knew not; I knew of the agents that emptied and broke my brother, The same wait to clear the

Come nigh to me limber-hip'd man and give me your finger and thumb, Stand at my side till I lean as high

Fill me with albescent honey . . . . bend down to me, Rub to me with your chafing beard . . rub to my

Features of my equals, would you trick me with your creased and cadaverous march?

I saw the face of the most smeared and slobbering idiot they had at the asylum, And I knew for my consolation

what they knew not, I knew of the agents that emptied and broke my brother, The same wait to clear the

she blushingly cries—Come nigh to me, limber-hipp'd man, and give me your finger and thumb, Stand at my

upon you, Fill me with albescent honey, bend down to me, Rub to me with your chafing beard, rub to my

Features of my equals, would you trick me with your creas'd and cadaverous march?

I saw the face of the most smear'd and slobbering idiot they had at the asylum; And I knew for my consolation

what they knew not; I knew of the agents that emptied and broke my brother, The same wait to clear the

pickets, Come here, she blushingly cries—Come nigh to me, lim-ber-hipp'dlimber-hipp'd man, Stand at my

upon you, Fill me with albescent honey, bend down to me, Rub to me with your chafing beard, rub to my

1 COME, my tan-faced children, Follow well in order, get your weapons ready; Have you your pistols?

2 For we cannot tarry here, We must march my darlings, we must bear the brunt of danger, We, the youthful

O my breast aches with tender love for all!

12 See, my children, resolute children, By those swarms upon our rear, we must never yield or falter,

18 I too with my soul and body, We, a curious trio, picking, wandering on our way, Through these shores

COME my tan-faced children, Follow well in order, get your weapons ready, Have you your pistols?

For we cannot tarry here, We must march my darlings, we must bear the brunt of danger, We the youthful

O my breast aches with tender love for all!

See my children, resolute children, By those swarms upon our rear we must never yield or falter, Ages

I too with my soul and body, We, a curious trio, picking, wandering on our way, Through these shores

Features of my equals, would you trick me with your creased and cadaverous march?

I saw the face of the most smeared and slobbering idiot they had at the asylum, And I knew for my consolation

what they knew not, And I knew of the agents that emptied and broke my brother, The same wait to clear

she blushingly cries—Come nigh to me, limber-hipp'd man, and give me your finger and thumb, Stand at my

upon you, Fill me with albescent honey, bend down to me, Rub to me with your chafing beard, rub to my

This face owes to the sexton his dismalest fee, An unceasing death-bell tolls there. 3 Features of my

I saw the face of the most smear'd and slobbering idiot they had at the asylum, And I knew for my consolation

what they knew not, I knew of the agents that emptied and broke my brother, The same wait to clear the

near the garden pickets, Come here she blushingly cries, Come nigh to me limber-hipp'd man, Stand at my

upon you, Fill me with albescent honey, bend down to me, Rub to me with your chafing beard, rub to my

This face owes to the sexton his dismalest fee, An unceasing death-bell tolls there. 3 Features of my

I saw the face of the most smear'd and slobbering idiot they had at the asylum, And I knew for my consolation

what they knew not, I knew of the agents that emptied and broke my brother, The same wait to clear the

near the garden pickets, Come here she blushingly cries, Come nigh to me limber-hipp'd man, Stand at my

upon you, Fill me with albescent honey, bend down to me, Rub to me with your chafing beard, rub to my

COME my tan-faced children, Follow well in order, get your weapons ready, Have you your pistols?

For we cannot tarry here, We must march my darlings, we must bear the brunt of danger, We the youthful

O my breast aches with tender love for all!

See my children, resolute children, By those swarms upon our rear we must never yield or falter, Ages

I too with my soul and body, We, a curious trio, picking, wandering on our way, Through these shores

I have met Fields—his wife particularly was, is, my friend—Anne Fields.

He responded: "And that is a great deal my own feeling—is to be considered—considered carefully.

My disposition towards it now is, to say—if he uses it, well; if not, well again.

suppose I can have proof, so that when the matter comes up that way I can suggest changes—in fact, put my

So I read, he intent upon my word and my face, as I saw in several times looking up.

Ed carried the bust there from Harned's, and my father superintended the job. W. "Glad it is done."

My stay but brief. Ed reported W. as "quite bad" today.

So I rely upon a good account from you to make up for my loss."

And then he added to my remonstrance that the picture did not satisfy me—"I am not always sure but you

Then, however: "And yet my friend Arnold would say to all this: You would not talk so if you were a reader

W. saw my sister's inquiring look and knew what it meant.

I have my doubts!" I had with me a copy of the Moss process engraving catalogue.

He asked to "step in upon Melville Phillips" some day at my leisure.

"Ask him about my proofs—why I have had none.

I described how in my boyhood I had used to watch the pump-maker outside Camden—a Mr.