Search Results

I send you today a piece I wrote for an uncle more than thirty years ago about my old wanderings in the

I promised Horace to send him a copy of my Saguenay poem but please tell him I cannot find one and fear

My Annual Report is out—I have written for some copies and shall send you one as soon as I get them I

I do not like to write this way but I think you ought to know my candid opinion.

The 1864 picture you gave me the other day is setting up on the bookshelf at my right hand looking at

We are all well, I am hearty, very glad to get home again after my run in the East—though I enjoyed my

letter from T B Aldrich Boston—he buys the big book (sending $25 for it) —Am feeling well (for me)—pass my

My people refused to put up the money without adequate protection."

The book reached me this morning, and has taken its place among the volumes that stand within my reach

Have just had my massage treatment. Is beneficial.

Have been hoping all day I sh'd get some word & relieving word from you—but nothing—Can only write my

(Get along though better than you would suppose)—Come and see me if you make y'r trip—Give my love to

This would be my notion of the volume, as a , if I knew nothing of its author—of its "only begetter."

For the regard, the affection, which convoyed your noble argosy to this my haven,—believe me, my dear

He reported you as saying that I wouldn't take off my hat to Apollo, if we sh d happen to meet.

Well: there is too much taking off of hats, but I certainly should doff my own to the Sun-God.

Pray give my kind regards to M. Traubel. Edmund Clarence Stedman to Walt Whitman, 27 March 1889

Dear Friend You were so good as to call yourself so, in my book,—that I value more than you guess,—and

The dear little crocuses I picked from my own tiny spot of earth, and sent each one laden with loving

There seemed no prospect of my going. The way seemed hedged.

ought to have been $10. instead of $6. that would have left margin enough for every thing and it is my

My window hyacinths in fragrant bloom. (honey bunches) W. S. K.

Horace and Mr Blake, Unitarian minister f'm Chicago, here this mn'g—pleasant visit—a spell of my currying

. [—] I have had quite a time the last few days arranging and posting recent additions to my W. W.

We are back home again & I am busy about my farm work.

My plough seems to find as much fat in the ribs of old mother Earth as ever it did & it looks just as

of G. with Sands at Seventy & Backward Glance as epilogue & am busying myself at it (to commemorate my

finishing my 70th year)— Best love— W W Walt Whitman to William D.

yet printed, 7) of his "American Literature" in wh' I appear (with good wood-eng[raving] portrait) —My

I send you my list of misprints—guess you have them all already—have found no new ones lately—not looking

I have written to M c K. as follows: "Please let Mr W. have any copies he wants of my W.

328 Mickle Street Camden New Jersey March 31 '89 Thanks, my dear E C S, for the box of noble books with

for the loving cheering (I fear flattering) long letter, wh' has done me good, & I have read twice—My

I wish to convey my best regards to the printers, proof-readers & print-plate presser &c — I have been

My dear friend, I was glad to hear by your postal that you are getting along without an increase of suffering

My old enemy "melancholia" spreads its vampire wings still over my life and will I presume go with me

Nothing new or different—Pretty dull—my cold in the head rampant—I am trying to while the day with the

"Unstopp'd and unwarp'd by any influence outside the soul within me, I have had my say entirely my own

Let us quote the two poems entitled "Halcyon Days" and "Queries to my Seventieth Year."

('Just now I am finishing a big volume of about 900 pages comprehending all my stuff, poems and prose

Now he writes, "Have not been out-doors for over six months—hardly out of my room, but get along better

Or in "A Carol closing Sixty-nine':— "Of me myself—the jocund heart yet beating in my breast, The body

old, poor, and paralysed—the strange inertia falling pall-like round me, The burning fires down in my

And in another passage (in the introductory essay) he says—'No one will get at my verses who insists

Who said when I invited him to hear my lecture upon your work—"I shall come by all means.

I gave two evenings to your work before my class at New England Conservatory.

My class is composed of about fifty bright young girls studying music.

I shall have "Specimen Days" in my class during Spring term.

. [—] I send you today a copy of my Annual report, after you have looked it over let Horace have it—I

I am well, getting a good rest since my return home, sleep about 10 hours a night right along.

read some of Brown's books if not all of them. [—] A gloomy but pleasant afternoon here as I sit at my

desk in my office and look out the window, roads very sloppy with the melting snow.

This sense forbids my taking up the pen carelessly to intrude upon your attention. I. Mr. H.H.

I came to grasp it; my humility to God, my esteem to you.

to my work as a composer.

Intention must befriend me or my chance must fall.

In the first, I send you a copy of this work, I have perforce of my religious perception, vested the

out clear & inspiriting—y'r letter comes—Ed has been down to the bank to deposit some cheques for me —My

. & at better presentation, picture &c. than you might fancy) —Am still under my "cold in the head" misery

My dear Sir.

think of you, and I am sure that it affords me much more than that to give this personal expression to my

say entirely my own way, and put it unerringly on record."

In another place the feeling of pride leads to this exclamation: "My Book and I—what a period we have

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

Whitman referred to Rossetti's edition as a "horrible dismemberment of my book" in his August 12, 1871

—I am here coop:d up just as closely & helpless as ever—don't get my health or strength an atom more—Sit

Whitman occasionally referred to Stafford as "My (adopted) son" (as in a December 13, 1876, letter to

Camden April 7 '89 Y'r letters arrived & welcome—My card yesterday f'm Mrs: O'C speaks of our dear friend

sitting up next forenoon—Nothing new with me—Horace, Tom, Mrs: H. and Mr Morehouse have just call'd—My

same—am slowly getting on with the new (pocket-book) ed'n L of G. with Annex bits & Backw'd Glance at end—My

Gardner of Paisley, accepting my MS. "Walt Whitman the Poet of Humanity."

suppose his idea is that people will buy L. of G. more if they are not given the passages in question in my

He bites hard—says "it wd be a vast pity if the book were to fall through," owing to my obstinacy I suppose

Well, here comes my dinner— W W Walt Whitman to Richard Maurice Bucke, 8 April 1889

like to read—(T B Aldrich's also tho' short is very friendly & eulogistic—not sent here)— Nothing in my

, I have had a notion for, & now put out partly to occupy myself, & partly to commemorate finishing my

For the regard, the affection, which convoyed your noble argosy to this my haven,—believe me, my dear

Well: there is too much taking off of hats, but I certainly should doff my own to the Sun-God.

Pray give my kind regards to M. Traubel. Walt Whitman to William Sloane Kennedy, William D.

Am still laid up here by disablement and paralysis—am confined entirely to my room and mostly to my chair

My dear friend O'Connor is very ill at Washington.

substantial volume—not that I am overwhelmed or even entirely satisfied by it, but as I had not put my

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

Camden April 11 '89 Splendid sunny perfect weather here—I sit with my window open—friendly notices from

There is a certain idea in my works—to glorify industry, nature and pure intstict.

I always remember that my ancestors were Dutch .

In my books, in my prose as well as my poetry, are many knots to untie.

I don't know why some men compare my book with the Bible.

Mendelssohn is my favorite. I always like to hear him.

My impressions were written on the next day, and my memory has been vividly refreshed.

He walked with bared head to my desk and laid one in my hand, saying: Please tell Mr.

The voice caught my ear.

on my desk.

My metre is loose and free.

Camden April 14 '89 Fine sunny weather—nothing special in my health—(if any difference am suffering less

My dear friend, I was glad to hear by your postal that you are getting along without an increase of suffering

My old enemy "melancholia" spreads its vampire wings still over my life and will I presume go with me

Gardner of Paisley, accepting my MS. "Walt Whitman the Poet of Humanity."

suppose his idea is that people will buy L. of G. more if they are not given the passages in question in my

Camden April 14 '89 Fine sunny coolish day—Ab't same as before with me—(fancy less rub-a-dub in my brain

Camden April 16 '89 Nothing very different or new in my affairs—the past ten days bad rather—sort of

last rec'd—have no opinion or comment or suggestion to make —did you receive (& send on to O'C[onnor]) my

Camden April 16 '89 Cloudy raw weather—(may be part of my glum condition)—No word from O'C[onnor] now

It may seem ungracious . . . to say so (for Dick is my friend and means me well) but his piece impresses

angry—they are invented or distorted most horribly—I take it all phlegmatically—Dark, heavy, raw day, & my

Camden April 17 '89 A heavy saturated leaden day—& my condition ab't the same.

N[elly]'s card came yesterday—my best prayers for more mark'd improvement—I have just sent off books

bo't in England—one Dr B[ucke]'s book specially sent for —I have just finished my supper:dinner.

April 18 Thursday Afternoon 89 I do hope my dearest brother you are feeling a good deal better to day

today I do want you to be. so much. my My greatest comfort is thinking about your being pretty well,

I think of you always my dear brother as I always like to tell you indeed Walt I dont don't think I could

I had not heard you was were sick my dear brother It is right pretty to hear about those wild flowers

.— Walt dear I send love with all my heart.

Camden NJ US America April 19 '89 Am still anchor'd here in my second story in Mickle street—not much

Camden NJ US America April 22 '89 Y'r welcome letter has come & Mary's word—my best love to all, not