The correspondence, Vol. 5 g445cd50f

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The Collected Writings of Walt Whitman

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sitting here the same in cane chair in my Mickle Street den—the big whistle has sounded 1 o’clock—my good nurse Warry has just bro’t me some nice ice cream, wh’ I have duly eaten—A N Y man has offered me $100 for a novel (shortish story, 5000 words) —shall probably not try*— Love to Mrs: B and the childer—

| Walt Whitman 9262. To William Sloane Kennedy ADDRESS: Sloane Kennedy | Belmont | Mass:.

POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | J(?) 21 | 8 am | 90;

N Y. | 7-21-90 | 11 am | 12.

Camden Sunday noon July 20 | ’90 Will write a word as I suppose you are back at B[elmont]—Am greatly disappointed at not seeing you here—Horace T is too—but perhaps you will be coming to Phil. for two or three days the coming fall or winter —We all like the little “Quaker traits” piece—it is a bit of style too, like the happiest songs or pictures—veracity (I hope) of the most undeniable,

with curious ease, carelessness & impromptude—Yes, I want to send a book (or books) to Trans[cript] man (or men) for courtesy in sending me paper—It comes promptly & I always read it—

Walt Whitman

96. WW commented on Symonds’ chapter (237-268) in The Critic; see

2269-2270. On August 20-22 Bucke remarked: “The whole article is ‘flat, stale and unprofitable’-—a saw dust chewing business—dealing with the hull, the shell, the superfices, never for one line, one flash of insight penetrating to the heart of the business” (Feinberg).

97. Poet-lore, 11 (1890), 368-371. WW’s reply, “Shakspere for America,” ap-

peared in October (11, 492-493), and was reprinted in The Critic on September 27. 98. Franklin File, of a newspaper syndicate including the Boston Herald and the Philadelphia Press, made the proposal on July 16 (Feinberg). See also 2176, 7.6. 99. On July 20 Bucke informed WW that he had begun to compile a bibliography: “I find that what I am shortest in is first editions of poems and prose pieces by the said

LETTER 2264: JULY 23, 1890 65 2263. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Jul 22 | 8 pm |

90; London | pm | (?) 24 | 9 | Canada.

Camden PM July 22 ’90 Y’rs of 20th just rec’d—will send you anything I find or think of in that line.” Fine weather continued here—cool enough—was out in wheel chair last evn’g—have not written the O’C [onnor] preface yet but will get at it soon’—head & nerve power worn & half sore lately—backward & poor, tho’ physical condition same as usual—bowel action fair—no drug medicine of any kind for most a year—has Dr Johnston got there yet?—I

send affectionate remembrance to him—Have not heard f’m Kennedy since—nothing f’m the Smiths lately—

Walt Whitman

9264. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Jul 23(?) | 6

PM | 90.

Camden PM July 23 ’90 So Kfennedy] is back all right & this is his letter’-—The same subject continued with me—bodily matters fair—Have just written to some (unknown) friends—quite a cluster of them, men & women, Bernard O’Dowd their spokesman—in Melbourne, Victoria, who persistently read & inwardly digest L of G. there at the antipodes & get along with it (as far as the law allows) —O’D’s letters please me—Nothing very new with me—Y’r letters rec’d—quiet here to day—fine weather—McKay sent over for big book yesterday—Horace T[raubel] cannot get away till W. W.-—I mean as they came out in newspapers and magazines—if you have any of these (especially early ones), that you do not especially want to keep I wish you would let me have them” (Feinberg). 1. On May 29 Mrs. O’Connor asked WW to write a preface for a collection of tales by O’Connor which she hoped to publish—The Brazen Android and Other Tales (later entitled Three Tales). After the poet’s approval was conveyed to her through Bucke, Mrs. O’Connor wrote on June 1: “Your name & William’s will be associated in many ways, &

this loving word from you will be a comfort to me for all time.” Not having heard directly from him, she wrote about the preface once more on June 30 (Feinberg).

2. WW wrote on the verso of Kennedy’s letter erroneously dated July

23 (actually written a day or two earlier), in which he commented exuberantly upon his recent trip to Canada (Feinberg).

66 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN October—Did I tell you that a monument designer, Phila: has bro’t me a design for the Cemetary vault (do you remember Blake’s “Death”? )° Best love to you all—

Walt Whitman

9965. To Robert Adams (?)* Camden New Jersey July 27 ’90 Dear Sir Y’rs of 25th rec’d & thank you. I remember you & y’r call & the ladies very well & send my best wishes & respects to all—I w’d be glad to send you four (or three) copies of the big book, (complete works) —as you say, they w’d to you be $4 each (retail 6)—I cannot add in MS any thing more than is already in each & all—I w’d take back & allow for the vol. you speak of—they w’d best be sent you by express, (as the postage is 40cts a copy) —If you take, remit me pay in P O order. Enclosed find circulars— Respectfully &c:

Walt Whitman

2266. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario

Canada. postMARKs: Camden, N.J. | Jul 29 | 8 pm |

90; London | pm | Jy 31 | 9 | Canada.

Camden July 29 °90 Am keeping pretty well—have just written & sent off a little ($6) bit for a N Y paper the Morning Journal, by request rec’d this morn’g.° Y’rs of 28th® rec’d—Symonds’ letter is here somewhere am’ng my stuff & I

will send it you soon as I get it—the “Studies,” the new book (old writing of his I guess) is interesting but not first rate—Harry Stafford has been here—is well—no word f’m Dr Johnston or Kennedy—

Walt Whitman 3. J. E. Reinhalter, the designer, and Ralph Moore called on July 11 to discuss the vault (CB). 4, The letter was probably sent to Robert Adams, to whom WW sent four books on October 28; see 2336. 5. On July 28 the New York Morning Journal requested “a short article on some such topic as ‘Old Brooklyn Days,’ ” which appeared on August 3 (LC).

LETTER 2269: AUGUST 4, 1890 67 2267. To Hannah Heyde Camden July 30 ’90 Dear Sister, Am thinking of you a good deal of the time—Lots of sickness & trouble & mischief & want hereabout but I seem to get along somehow out of this fearful weather & every thing else myself—very hot to-day—have just had my daily bath—my breakfast three hours ago on bread & stew’d prunes & a cup of tea—appetite fair—yesterday wrote a little $6 piece to order for a N Y paper—sent off last evn’g—I sit here alone in my den as usual—a light nice but faint breeze comes in the open window. I enclose for you $2'—Sh’d you wish papers more or any reading I can send, as |

have plenty—Mrs: D[avis] has just bo’t some clams & I am to have a small plate raw for my supper—

Walt Whitman

2268. To C.F. Currie Camden New Jersey | Aug: 1 ’90 Dear Sir

Herewith find $45:50 to pay my brother Ed’s board for Aug:, Sept: & Oct: ’90— Respectfully &c

Walt Whitman

2269. To the Editor, The Critic ADDRESS: Critic | weekly paper | 52 Lafayette Place | New York City. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Aug 4 |

1 30 pM | 90.

Camden New Jersey | Aug: 4 ’90 If you can use this the price w’d be $10 & 20 slips (proof slips) from the type—I want a proof, wh’ I sh’d send back immediately— (the slips w’d be indispensable ) °*—

Walt Whitman 6. WW was in error. Bucke’s letter was dated July 27; he asked again about the whereabouts of the Symonds letter (Feinberg). 7. He sent his sister $5 on July 8 and again on July 20 (cB).

8. “An Old Man’s Rejoinder,” partly in answer to Symonds’ chapter in Essays Speculative and Suggestive (see 2261, n.96), appeared in The Critic on August 16. Joseph B. Gilder sent $10 in payment on September 25 (cB).

68 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

2270. To William Sloane Kennedy

Camden PM Aug: 4 ’90 Hot weather here but I am getting fairly along through it—bathe often & live on bread & honey—get out in wheel chair at sunset & after— get to the Delaware shore as before—the last two evenings have enjoy’d steady damp cool S W breezes very refreshing—have rec’d from Addington Symonds his two new vols: “Essays Speculative & Suggestive”—one of the essays “Democratic Art, with reference to W W”—of course the whole thing is scholarly & interesting & more—I have scribbled a brief piece anent of the Dem: Art essay & sent it to the Critic—so if they print it you will see, but for a good while now all my pieces come back rejected (the Century, Harpers, the Eng: Nineteenth Century, the Cosmopolitan &c: &c: all send my pieces back’) —Horace T[raubel] is well—comes in every evn’g—is invaluable to me—I enclose Dr Bucke’s last, just rec’d— also other things—I am sitting here in my den in the big old rattan chair writing this—if you see Baxter tell him I have rec’d his note & entirely repudiate Hartmann’s WW opinions, they are utterly fraudulent”— Walt Whitman

2271. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Aug 6 | 6 PM |

90; London | pm | Au 7 | (?)O | Canada.

Camden Aug: 6 90 Still continues hot weather here—but every thing goes on much the same—I bother (scribble, transpose, add, dawdle) at my little annex —one point ab’t wh’ will be to have a copyright holding L of G (thro’ it the finale) for over 40 y’rs f’m date—Love to you all & God’s blessing—

Walt Whitman

9. For the rejections referred to, see 2237, 2137, and 1692.

10. On July 30 Baxter informed WW that Hartmann “has sent me a MS. for [Boston] Herald called ‘A Lunch with Walt Whitman,’ worse than the N. Y. Herald yarn of two years ago, or so, in its mischief-making potency. It consists of cheap tattle, with malicious and ill-natured flings at prominent men” (Feinberg). 11. In his letter Kennedy mentioned his “curious distaste for writing—at present.”

LETTER 2273: AUGUST 12, 1890 69 9272. To William Sloane Kennedy Camden noon Aug: 8 ’90 Y’rs of 6th just comes—(are you not a little blue?—it’s no use— one has to obey orders, & do duty, & face the music till he gets formal dismissal—& may as well come up to the scratch smiling )”—

I am still getting along thro’ the hot season—have things pretty favorable here in my shanty, with ventilation, (night & day) frequent bathing, light meals & lassaiz faire—all wh’ makes it better for me in my utterly helpless condition to tug it out here in Mickle street, than transfer myself some where to sea-shore or mountain—It is not for a long time any how—then Elias Hicks’s saying to my father “Walter, it is not so much where thee lives, but how thee lives.”

Symonds’s new vols: are deep, heavy, bookish, infer not things or thoughts at first hand but at third or fourth hand, & after the college point of view—the essays are valuable, but appear to me to be elderly chestnuts mainly—Horace is preparing an article ab’t me for N[ew] E[ngland] Magazine”—I make dabs with the little 2d Annex & licking it in shape—I made my breakfast on bread, honey & a cup of coffee—a cloudy drizzling day, pleasant—Love to you & the frau—

Walt Whitman

9273. To Logan Pearsall Smith 8.12.[1890] ADDRESS: Logan Smith | Friday’s Hill | Haslemere Surrey | England. posTtMARK: Camden (?) | A(?)

12 | 8 pm | 90.

Camden New Jersey US America | Aug: 12 Y’rs recd—thanks—it is delightful to hear f’m you & thro’ you f’m all—Probably it will be better to do up the twelve books (perhaps others) in a parcel & send by express to 44 Grosvenor Road—(as I do not know they c’d go that way to H[aslemere]) —The money $58.80 has been sent

me by A L S[mith] Phila.“ Has been long hot weather but to-day & He also said: “Dr. B[ucke] & I will bring out my book on you sometime, perhaps sooner

than we any of us know. I wrote fr. London Canada to Fredk. Wilson, peremptorily ordering him to return my MS to me” (Feinberg). See also 2180, 7.14. On August 12 he denied he was “a bit blue. Am perennially happy & contented” (Feinberg). 12. “Walt Whitman at Date.” 13. Robert Pearsall Smith sent the money to WW through A. L. Smith of Philadelphia (cB). Logan’s letter, which WW sent to Kennedy on August 27, is evidently lost.

70 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN yesterday fine & cool—I am as well as usual & writing a little—Best love to you & y’r dear father & M[ary] & A[lys]. Write whenever you can—

Walt Whitman

2274. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Cam(?) | Aug 14 | 8 pm | 90.

Camden Aug: 14 ’90 | the noon whistle is Just blowing Continue pretty well considering—had a good breakfast, a bit of mutton chop, bread, raspberry jam & coffee—now the fourth day of fine

weather, pleasantly cool—go out in wheel chair every day a little—am pottering at my “annex”—have a little piece in (probably) the forthcoming C’ritic (16th Aug: ) anent of Symonds’ Essay “Democratic Art” & me —Shall send you a copy probably in a slip—Suppose you got what I sent ab’t that ridiculous Prof: Woodberry*— (“the foe dies hard—& dying fights, or living fights”) — Havn’t yet written the O’C[onnor] preface, but feel to, & will, & likely soon. Logan Smith has bo’t twelve copies of the pocket-b’k-b’d L of G. &

sent the money—the dear, good, loving faithful young man—I sell occasionally a big book (complete works ) —likely they have nearly repaid the expense of their printing & binding, & I have 3/5ths left. A letter this mn’g

Pm W S Klennedy]—he is well—letter fm Mr Wallace, Eng:—photo enc—good fellow—friend of Dr Johnston (no word of him, since he left here, Camden). Harry Stafford was here yesterday—he is pretty well—is on the farm —am sitting here as usual alone all day—fair condition as c’d be expected I guess—fair bodily secretive & excretive affairs considering—dawdle on writing or reading—the summer will soon be through—Love to Mrs: B and W[illiam] G[urd] & God bless you all—

Walt Whitman 14. Charles J. Woodbury published “Emerson’s Talks with a College Boy” in Century in February (621-627) and Talks with Ralph Waldo Emerson later in the year. In the latter he averred that Emerson told him WW appeared coatless at a dinner party (128). The poet denied the accusation in an unsigned article in the Camden Post on August 12, which he reprinted, again anonymously, in Lippincott’s in March, 1891; see cP, 774-775. Bucke commented on the matter on August 17: “These foolish, would be visions, lies & liars will one day come to an end—in the meantime I do not know but they do more good than harm—Keep things stirred up” (Feinberg). Woodbury also praised WW both in the magazine (625) and in the book (62-63). On February 21, 1866,

LETTER 2277: AUGUST 18, 1890 71 2275. To William Sloane Kennedy ADDRESS: Sloane Kennedy | Belmont | Mass:.

POSTMARK: Camden, N(?) | Aug 14 | 6 pm | 90.

Camden Aug: 14 ’90 Evn’g Thanks for the Herald too with the good acc’t, wh’ I was wanting” —Have you seen a good acc’t of the rebel veteran show at the Richmond Lee statue unveiling? It is very curious. I have a good acc’t wh’ I will lend you if you want—(to be return’d to me) —All goes on fairly with me these days—Have a little piece in (probably) the forthcoming C’ritic—have just got outside of my supper—am going out in wheel chair—

WW

2276. To J. W. Wallace ADDRESS: J W Wallace | Anderton near Chorley | Lancashire England. PosTMARK: Camden, N.J. |

Aug 15 | 8 pm | 90.

Aug: 15 ’90 | Camden New Jersey US America As I write am getting a little uneasy at not hearing fm Dr J[ohnston]—no doubt he is all right & back there—send me a word immediately on getting this’*—he did not visit Dr Bucke, Canada (wh’ Dr B regrets much.) I send you my last screed in Critic N Y, (have sent other papers too)—Am getting along fairly considering—fair secretions & excretions—Memories & best respects to you & all—

Walt Whitman

9277. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Aug 18 | 8 po | 90.

Camden Aug: 18 °90 Frank Sanborn’s letter f’m Belgium enc’d—the Transcript copies Woodbury, then twenty-one years old, wrote an exuberant letter to WW in which he averred that “Emerson did not say the best things” (G. W. Allen; Barrus, 37). For his retraction, see 2586, 7.43. 15. Kennedy described the G. A. R. convention on August 12 and evidently sent a clipping from the Boston Herald (Feinberg). Apparently WW sent the letter to a Camden newspaper; see Kennedy to WW on August 23 (Feinberg). The poet did not comment on Kennedy’s report of the death of his old friend John Boyle O’Reilly; however, it was noted in the Camden Morning News on August 15 (McLeod, 29). 16. Before this card reached him, Wallace, on August 18-19, wrote of Johnston’s safe arrival. He noted on August 28 receipt of The Critic (Feinberg ).

(2 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN my “rejoinder” complete.” Rainy dark forenoon here—I keep ab’t well as usual (has been very hot here again)—made my breakfast of bread and honey in the comb—was down to river side in wheel-chair last evn’g—the contemptible little Woodberry shirt:sleeve story (being piquant & a lie) is

copied & circulated every where—I have not heard f’m Dr Johnston (Eing’d)—Suppose you rec’d three papers f'm me—the “rejoinder,” the Woodberry comment & W S K[ennedy]’s letter—get quite a good many solicitous & other such-kind letters (one enc’d)—Tom Harned’s family have ret’d f'm Cape May—Am on the watch for Symonds’s letter to send you soon as I find it am’g my heaps— God bless you all—

Walt Whitman

2278. To John Addington Symonds [8.19. 1890] ENDORSED: “Aug 19 90—Sent to Symonds | Switzerland.” DRAFT LETTER.”

Y’rs of Aug: 3d just rec’d & glad to hear f’m you as always—Abt the little portraits, I cheerfully endorse the Munich reproduction of any of them you propose or any thing of the sort you choose—(I may soon send

you some other preferable portraits of self)—Suppose you have rec’d papers & slips sent of late—Ab’t the questions on Calamus pieces &c: they

quite daze me. L of G. is only to be rightly construed by and within its own atmosphere and essential character—all of its pages & pieces so coming strictly under ¢hat—that the calamus part has even allow’d” the possibility of such construction as mention’d is terrible—I am fain to hope

the pages themselves are not to be even mention’d” for such gratuitous and quite at the time entirely undream’d & unreck’d possibility of morbid 17. On August 16 the Boston Evening Transcript printed a long article by Sanborn entitled “ “The City of the Simple’” (an account of “a Famous Belgian Insane Asylum”) as well as “An Old Man’s Rejoinder,” both of which clippings are with the letter. 18. The original of this famous letter is apparently not extant, and for the first time the entire letter, which may have been rearranged and altered slightly in the final version, is reproduced. On August 3, using Havelock Ellis’ references to comradeship in The New Spirit as an introduction to a matter which gravely (and personally) concerned him, Symonds proceeded to ask a series of questions such as no one had put to the poet before: “In your conception of Comradeship, do you contemplate the possible intrusion of those semi-sexual emotions & actions which no doubt do occur between men? I do not ask, whether you approve of them, or regard them as a necessary part of the relation? But I should much like to know whether you are prepared to leave them to the inclinations & the conscience of the individuals concerned? . . . 1 agree with the objections I have mentioned that, human nature being what it is, & some men having a strong natural bias toward persons of their

own sex, the enthusiasm of ‘Calamus’ is calculated to encourage ardent & physical intimacies. But I do not agree with them in thinking that such a result would absolutely

be prejudicial to social interests” (Feinberg). If WW was upset by Symonds’ questions about the implications of “Calamus,” he

LETTER 2279: AUGUST 21, 1890 73 inferences—wh’ are disavow’d by me & seem damnable. Then one great difference between you and me, temperament & theory, is restraint—I know that while I have a horror of ranting & bawling I at certain moments let the spirit impulse, (?demon) rage its utmost, its wildest, damnedest—

(I feel to do so in my L of G. & I do so). I end the matter by saying I wholly stand by L of G. as it is, long as all parts & pages are construed as | said by their own ensemble, spirit & atmosphere. I live here 72 y’rs old & completely paralyzed—brain & right arm ab’t same as ever—digestion, sleep, appetite, &c: fair—sight & hearing halfand-half—spirits fair—locomotive power (legs) almost utterly gone—am propell’d outdoors nearly every day—get down to the river side here, the

Delaware, an hour at sunset—The writing and rounding of L of G. has been to me the reason-for-being, & life comfort. My life, young manhood, mid-age, times South, &c: have all been jolly, bodily, and probably open to criticism—

Tho’ always unmarried I have had six children—two are dead—One living southern grandchild, fine boy, who writes to me occasionally. Circumstances connected with their benefit and fortune have separated me from intimate relations. I see I have written with haste & too great effusion—but let it stand.

2279. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Aug 21 | 6 pM |

90; London | pm | Au 23 | 9 | Canada.

Camden Aug: 21 ’90 Mr & Mrs: Ingram here yesterday f’m their journey back safe & was offhand at the beginning of his reply, perhaps deliberately so. That, however, he took the trouble to compose a draft letter—with an artfully deceptive sentence at the conclusion —indicates that this was no offhand answer.

Symonds’ reply on September 5 concealed his disappointment. As a disciple he thanked the poet for stating “so clearly & precisely what you feel about the question I raised.” But his opinion remained unchanged: “It seems to me, I confess, still doubtful whether (human nature being what it is) we can expect wholly to eliminate some sensual alloy from any emotions which are raised to a very high pitch of passionate intensity” (Feinberg). The same reservation appears in Studies in Sexual Inversion (1897): “No one who knows anything about Walt Whitman will for a moment doubt his candour and sincerity. Therefore the man who wrote ‘Calamus,’ and preached the gospel of comradeship, entertains feelings at least as hostile to sexual inversion as any law-abiding humdrum

Anglo-Saxon could desire. It is obvious that he has not even taken the phenomena of abnormal instinct into account. Else he must have foreseen that, human nature being what it is, we cannot expect to eliminate all sexual alloy from emotions raised to a high pitch of

passionate intensity, and that permanent elements within the midst of our society will emperil the absolute purity of the ideal he attempts to establish” (1964 ed., 186). 19. WW originally wrote “open’d.”

| 20. He substituted “even mention’d” for “blamed.”

14 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN full of glowing acc’ts of their visit to you & the Asylum”—No news yet ab’t Dr: Johnston & I shall be uneasy until I hear—All well as usual with me—hot weather—light eating—frequent bathing—the bladder botheration my worst trouble—sent off a big parcel of books to Logan Smith & E.dw’d Carpenter yesterday”— Love to you and all—

WW

9280. To William Sloane Kennedy Camden Aug: 22, °90 Thanks for Wednesday’s Herald*—& indeed for all papers &c:— the calamus lozenges come [on] an occasion (rec’d quite a while ago) — Am well as usual—eat &c: heartily—hot weather here—plenty wet—am anchor’d helpless here all day but get along fairly—fortunately have a placid, quiet, even solitary thread quite strong in the weft of my disposition—

Walt Whitman

2281. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Aug 25 | 6 AM | 90.

Camden Sunday noon | Aug: 24 °90 Continue well as usual. Horace here this morning & yesterday afternoon—Tom Harned last evn’g—Geo: Stafford (the elder) yesterday —Cool weather here—fine sunny—My nurse Warren Fritzinger went to Atlantic City yesterday—returns to-night—He is very good to me—made a good relishy breakfast, bread, honey in the comb, coffee—appetite fair to plus—I sent you (Aug: 17) the “rejoinder” a printed slip with papers— enclose another in this (copied Boston T'ranscript)”*—papers notice it 21. Bucke commented on August 17: “Mr & Mrs Ingram are still here—they will go I believe tomorrow—we all like them well and have enjoyed their visit with us” (Feinberg). 22. He sent two copies of Complete Poems & Prose to Carpenter on August 19 (CB).

23. “Walt Whitman’s Art,” with quotations from “An Old Man’s Rejoinder,” appeared in the Boston Herald on August 20. 24, An offprint of “An Old Man’s Rejoinder,” headed “From The Critic, New York,

LETTER 2282: AUGUST 26, 1890 75 some—(is my old theory repeated, that’s ab’t all) —you are a little more severe on Symonds than I sh’d be*—he has just sent me a singular letter, wh’ I have answer’d (tho’t at first I w’d not answer at all, but did) —have not found the older letter of his, but doubtless will & will surely send it you — (sometimes I wonder whether J A S don’t come under St Paul’s famous category )—I am sitting here alone in my den thick undershirt & big blue woolen gown but open window. Scribble away some—Love to you & all—

WW

9982. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Aug 2(?) |

6 pm | 90.

Camden Aug: 26 °90 Mainly the same subject continued—the printed slip is a horrible dislocation & hate manufactured out by J M Scovel of a talk the preceding evn’g when he visited me (his tendency is to vilify me mentally sensibly & bodily—he can’t help it)”*—the other bit is W S K[ennedy]’s letter just rec'd” —fine & a little warm to-day—has been almost cool here four days —made my breakfast on bread & canteloupe—still have my supper at 41% —no dinner—fair excretion business—out in wheel ch’r last evn’g—my grip has call’d in upon me again the last two or three days (probably the great change in the weather & stoppage of sweating )—not yet so bad as formerly—bladder botheration—a sister of one of my war soldiers call’d yesterday—a nice smart old maid—my soldier still lives & flourishes—in California—Anson Ryder*—I get word or calls or jogs or mementos f’m them (the war soldiers) occasionally—one sends a stout cane (I use it daily )—one a $5 gold piece—

Walt Whitman

Aug. 16, 1890.”

25. See 2261, 1.96.

26. Bucke concurred on August 28: “Scovel’s cussedness is damnable because he evidently means so well and does so badly.. . . But these little skits are nothing. The real Whitman will duly appear to the next and all following generations—do not be the least uneasy about that” (Feinberg). I do not know where Scovel’s article appeared. 27. Kennedy’s letter of August 23 (Feinberg). 28. For Ryder’s correspondence with WW, see Corr., 1, 377-378, Appendix C.

76 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

9283. To J. W. Wallace ADDRESS: J W Wallace | Anderton near Chorley | Lancashire | England. postmMarks: Camden, N.J. |

Aug 26 | 6 pm | 90; Philadelphia, Pa. | Aug 26 | 8 AM | Paid.

Camden New Jersey US America |

Aug: 26 ’90 PM Thanks for y’r consideration & kindness send’g the cable message

ab’t Dr J[ohnston]—I was getting to be a little uneasy—Nothing very new or different with me—am pretty well & writing—get out doors & down to river side almost daily—make my meals of fruit, bread, honey, coffee &c—

Did J. give the portrait (of self) to you in good order? (I dont like that Illustrated News one—it looks a little foxy)”— I send my love, remembrance &c to Dr J—in fact affectionate respects to you all—

Walt Whitman

9284. To Frederick Oldach Camden New Jersey | 328 Mickle Street |

Aug: 27 1890 Mr Oldach, binder, | Dear Sir, I want you to make up fifty (50) sets in sheets, folded &c: of the big book (complete works) with the plates, autograph sheet, and every thing entire & ship-shape, & send to David McKay 23 S 9th St®°—

I believe you have all the plates—but I think I have to send you from here the 50 autograph sheets. Walt Whitman

9285. To William Sloane Kennedy

Camden earlyPM Aug: 27 ’90 Y’rs rec’d—the Trans[cript] comes regularly—thanks—enclosed Logan Smiths letter—Am feeling fairly—writing a little—presents of 29. See 2157. 30. On August 19 McKay inquired the price of 50 copies of Complete Poems & Prose and was informed that it was $150 (CB). See also 2345. 31. Apparently in a lost letter WW suggested that Kennedy prepare this article, for on August 23 the latter wrote: “Thank you very much for yr flattering suggestion anent writing on the Dutch out-flashings &c. I shd be glad of the points fr. you any time, & think they wd be the only part of value. But I agree with you as to letting one’s thought

drop mellow from the bough of the mind; & I must say that I have as yet but

LETTER 2286: AUGUST 28, 1890 17 fruit (have just eaten two nice pears) —have just sold 50 copies folded in sheets (unbound) the big book (complete works) $3 each—wh’ quite sets me up—was out last evn’g in wheel chair—plenty of rain here (rain last night )—get frequent word f’m Dr Bucke—all well—quite a good run of visitors, talkers &c: street cries, hucksters, &c:—some fine little children come—letters lots, some queer enough—occasionally one yet from former war-soldiers (one yesterday f’m California) —two or three days ago one f'm J A Symonds f’m Switzerland—the grip has caught me again—have rather a bad bladder trouble—interferes with my rest at night—inertia at times great—Spirits bound up tho’ soon as the pressure eases any—eyes giving out plainly—want to finish & turn out this 2d annex while they serve, altho’ I guess there is nothing to it—Horace T[raubel] 1s composing a piece ab’t me for the N[ew] E[ngland] Magazine at their order I believe to come under the name of W W at date—we will see what it am’ts too—I am conciliatory ab’t it—Horace is very good to me, ever faithful—yes let the Dutch article lie fallow a while—(but there is something special in it)**—there I believe I have babbled enough—love to you & frau—

Walt Whitman

92286. To Richard Maurice Bucke 8.28-29. [1890] ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.(?) | Aug 29 |

8 pm | 90. Camden

Aug: 28 P M— Dr Johnston got back to England all right—he went down to Long Island West Hills &c:—saw Herbert Gilchrist—saw John Burroughs”—the Illustrated American (N Y) Aug: 30 has a long middling good piece ab’t Ruskin, a { or two devoted to me*—fine sunny weather—

bread & fruit & comb honey for breakfast—The essay “Comparison of Elizabethan with Victorian Poetry” (2d vol) in Symonds’s books makes

up for all the ponderosity (if that’s the trouble) of the rest & is first vague-shimmering ideas or sense-perceptions as to W W’s Dutch aspects” (Feinberg). But when he sent a post card on [September 1] he evidently had almost completed the piece (Feinberg). 32. Burroughs commented on Dr. Johnston’s visit in his journal on July 24: “A canny young Scot. Like him first rate” (Barrus, 292). 33. “John Ruskin” by “A Companion of His Guild of St. George,” 111 (August 30, 1890), 347-352, not only referred to WW but also reprinted a letter from the poet to the author, William Harrison Riley (see 909).

18 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN rate—Yes, I enclose a slip of “rejoinder”—I have just sold 50 sets in sheets

big book $3 each—(I suppose some Londoner, Eng—don’t know for certain) —have had my early supper—out soon in wheel chair—pleasant cool evn’g—

Aug: 29, early A M—have had my breakfast—oatmeal, comb honey, & some melon—fine day—was out last evn’g—-O W Holmes has a fling at me in last Atlantic—I send you it in paper™—the “rejoinder” continues to

be extracted & criticised & talked ab’t—(it is nothing but what I say throughout in my books)**—frequent visitors—generally receive them, but do not if too ill or stupid wh’ happens at times—Sit here the same in the old den—as now—my grip takes the form of cold in the head & sore throat to-day— God bless you & all—

Walt Whitman

2287. To William Sloane Kennedy Camden noon Aug: 29 ’90 Nothing very new—Am pretty well but have the grip again & sore throat & swell’d head—but ate my breakfast & got out last evn’g in wheel chair & might be (& doubtless shall be) much worse— Enclosed I send what I have just scratch’d off ab’t the Hollandisk piece (I believe that’s ab’t the best word to nip & print & stick to) —It is quite a theme—quite significant—means a good deal to me & for me—hope the mood will get hold of you one of these times soon—have just heard from Dr B[ucke], all well—I am sitting here as usual in my den—fine sunshiny day & cool enough— God bless you—

Walt Whitman I sh’d suggest the Critic for the Hollandisk piece—“Walt Whitman’s Dutch traits” is a good name—Of course rambly & careless—like y’r little Quaker piece—not thinking of getting it all in by a long shot—but a few little hints & seed-facts of the Matter*— 34. The Atlantic Monthly, txv1 (September, 1890), 388-389. Bucke had his say about Holmes on September 2: “O. W. is to all intents and purposes an Englishman (and a very good speciment too) Such a book as L. of G. and the mentality that goes with such a book is as far as possible from his ideal” (Feinberg). 35. In the same letter Bucke agreed: “Of course you have said it all before (and more than once) but the children have not learned the lesson yet and there is no harm

LETTER 2290: SEPTEMBER 2, 1890 79 2288. To J. W. Wallace ADDRESS: J W Wallace | Anderton near Chorley | Lancashire | England. postmMARK: Camden, N. J. |

Aug 30 | 8 pm | 90.

Camden New Jersey US America | Aug: 30, ’90 I sent you the little pocket-b’k-bound L of G. by mail some time

since (in answer to your letter rec’d—money rec’d—thanks)*’—Dr J[ohnston]’s letter rec’d. Nothing of any acc’t in my condition or affairs— the grip has seized me ag’n—headache & sore throat—still I sit up, eat my meals & get out in wheel chair—Look at the magazine Universal Review

15th Feb. 1890 (Sonnenschein & Co. London) for an article in French ab’t L of G. Love to you & Dr J & all the friends—

Walt Whitman

9989. To Richard Maurice Bucke Camden Sunday Evn’e Aug: 31 | ’90 All well as usual—fine day cool—a quiet day—Have I sent the enc’d before? If not I tho’t you might like to have them—Have had my supper—roast beef & cold slaw—ate with appetite—grip continued—last day of summer—have been looking over old reminiscent letters rec’d War times—

Walt Whitman

9290. To William Sloane Kennedy [9.]2. 1890 ADDRESS: Sloane Kennedy | Belmont | Mass:. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Sep 2 | 8 pm | 90.

Camden noon [Sept:]* 2 ’90 Y’r card rec’d ab’t piece—don’t know of Williams having any mark’d Welsh blood—never heard ab’t that—one of the stock names on (even need) to repeat” (Feinberg). 36. On September 10 Kennedy informed WW that his “racy bit of work” was now in the hands of the editor of the Boston Evening Transcript, and that he preferred not to send the piece to “Miss Gilder and her dilettante sheet” (Feinberg). 37. Wallace sent 22 shillings for the book on August 18-19 (Feinberg). 38. As the postmark indicates, WW misdated his card. For the references to WW’s maternal ancestors, see Allen, 596.

80 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN the womens’ (Williams’) side was Kossabone (doubtless Causabone) (Jenny Kossabone my g’t grandmother mother’s side)—Yes, keep it awhile, no hurry at all—If you feel to do so, send MS to me to see if points right—but do as you have a mind to—no hurry ab’t piece—

WW

2291. To Gabriel Sarrazin TRANSCRIPT.

Camden New Jersey. US America| Sept: 5 1890 Dear friendGS Y’r letter fr’m Nouméa came this forenoon & has quite surprised me*—no doubt it will all be better for you—any mark’d move by a man, (we call it in English “a change of base”) will be something of a gain— Still, here laid up in my old chair & room waning slowly but surely, pretty fair in physical conditions (had some oysters, ryebread & coffee for breakfast) maintain good spirits—am propell’d in wheel chair out door & to the river side nearly every day—and in other respects “hold the port” sort o’ as we might call it—& as I believe I have told you in letters before—Y’r letter to H L Traubel comes here & that to Morris” is doubtless rec’'d—We will see if this gets through as well to you—& I must be sure to send you a paper now & then & see if they reach you all right—I told you I had y’r essay ab’t L of G English’d, (& it has done me more comfort than you can know ) —& it shall be printed here one of these days. (It & Col: Ingersoll’s speech lately are my grand panaceas) —I have also a copy of the London

Universal Review that prints it in French. I am collecting a little final Annex (2nd annex) to be added to L of G. When printed I will send you the sheets—Also an appendix to November Boughs—What can I send you hence? Write to me & tell—I am sitting here alone in comfort & the fifth sunny perfect day outside as I glance fr’m the window—Best wishes & love & thanks.

Walt Whitman 39. Sarrazin’s letter of July 3 said: “As I have no fortune whatever, and journalism does not suit my temper, I obtained a situation in our colonial magistracy and now [am] in New Caledonia. It will be now easy for me to write my books in peace and without being incessantly troubled with pecuniary difficulties” (Feinberg). He wrote again from Nouméa on December 18 (Feinberg). 40. Harrison S. Morris translated Sarrazin’s essay. For Morris’ account of his first meeting with the poet on June 8, 1887, see his Walt Whitman (1929), 80-83. WW did

not hesitate to edit Morris’ translation; see 98-99. According to Wallace, the poet

LETTER 2292: SEPTEMBER 7, 1890 &1 2292. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Sep 8 | 6 AM | 90.

Camden Sunday Sept: 7 PM _ ’90 Quiet day—All goes well as usual with me—am sitting here same —Sarrazin has gone to New Caledonia a French colony, where he has a post (magistrat) at town of Nouméa—has written to me, nothing new or important—seems to keep up his view of L of G—

Y’r letters rec’d—John Burroughs has sent me a good basket of grapes, & the word is that he will soon come himself—meanwhile he seems to be working & flourishing there on his fruit farm on Hudson river

shore—no word very lately f'm the Smiths who are probably all down doing happily in the country at Haslemere (dear Mrs: Gilchrist’s country )“—Herbert is still out at Centreport, Suffolk Co: Long Island—was here in N J ten days ago, but did not call on me—Horace comes daily, is very good to me—is cooking up the piece all ab’t me for Boston N[ew] E[ngland] Magazine “W W at date” (good title I say) collating all sorts of concrete & personal bits not literary criticism (first rate) —

The 50 big books have been box’d up & sent off to England”—have eaten oysters my meals several times lately—they are good, plenty & cheap

here now, (& for coming season) —Mrs: D[avis] cooks them to just suit me—agree with me markedly—Enclose J W Wallace’s letter lately rec’d (can send photo: of him & friends on a card if you care to have it—I have two such cards ) —

Did I tell you I am composing a prose piece under the name of “Old Poets—(and other things)”*—don’t know what I sh’ make of it—moderately short—ab’t 2% as I close this—Shall lie down now a little—in ab’t two hours have my supper & then get out an hour or two in wheel chair— Walt Whitman

characterized Morris as “A nice fellow—nervous, literary—snatched from the ranks of the enemy through Horace” (Visits, 171).

41. WW had not received Robert Pearsall Smith’s letter of August 28 from

Haslemere, in which he observed: “When, oh, when! will there be a vista through the perplexing obstructing surroundings of life to show us the eternal verities. We are both near the disrobing—where & how will come ‘the clothing upon’ of eternity. Do you feel any nearer to the solution of this than when we last talked it all over?” (Feinberg).

42, See 2284. 43. See also 2172.

82 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

2293. To Dr. John Johnston ADDRESS: Dr J Johnston | 54: Manchester Road | Bolton | Lancashire | England. postmaARKs: Camden,

N.J. | Sep 8 | 6 pm | 90; Philadelphia, Pa. | Sep 8 |

9 po | Paid.

Camden NJ US America | Sept: 8 ’90 The photos have come safely, & we all like them well—Warry has his—he is well. Is it practicable to fac-similize your plate (of course at our expense here) of my picture (in 1890) to send here for my forthcom-

ing little (2d) annex? We all like it much, & I sh’d like to have one to keep here to print from. Am well as usual & send love & thanks. Warry & Mrs: D[avis] same—

Walt Whitman

9294. To J. W. Wallace ADDRESS: J W Wallace | Anderton near Chorley |

Lancashire | England. postMarks: Camden, N.J. | Sep 8 | 6 pm | 90; Philadelphia, Pa. | Sep 8 | 9 pm | Paid.

Camden NJ US America | Sept: 8 790 Y’r kind letter rec’d & I have enc’d it in my letter to Dr Bucke to-day“—I continue well as usual of late—had melon & rye bread for my breakfast—fair appetite—have just written a card to Dr J[ohnston]—his photo’s rec’d. good—I am getting some sharp notices [in p]rint here lately

—one I hear of (I have not seen it yet) in Sept. Atlantic Mag: by Dr Holmes— (the physician you doubtless know, wants to achieve a good job, more than to get the love of the patient ) —

Walt Whitman

44, Wallace’s letter of August 28 (Feinberg). 45. According to the New York Tribune the tariff bill was passed by the United States Senate strictly on party lines, WW’s Republicans supporting a position which he considered intolerable.

46. On September 11-12 Wallace explained that he had requested by telegram a copy of the pocket-book edition which was to be a birthday present for a member of the

LETTER 2296: SEPTEMBER 11, 1890 83 9295. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Sep 11 | 8 pm | 90.

Camden PM Sept: 11 ’90 Continue all the same—ab’t as well as usual—have had the Dr Holmes article—(points small, treatment small) —Horace is still on his Nliew] E[ngland] Magazine article—I enclose Sarrazin’s note f'm New Caladonia (where is that?) —also my Eng: friend Wallace’s—am eating peaches—John Burroughs sends me a nice basket of ’em—Mrs: Davis jaunts off to Kansas this afternoon, to be gone two weeks, I believe—am at my 2d annex in fits & very leisurely—well the (combined robbers’) tariff bill here is half pass’d & likely to whole pass—(“go on your way” says the fellow “if you think there’s no hell” )“—cloudy & wet & cooler here.

Walt Whitman

2296. To J. W. Wallace ADDRESS: J W Wallace | Anderton near Chorley | Lancashire | England. PosTMARK: Camden, N.J. |

Sep 11 | 6 pm | 90.

Camden New Jersey US America | Evn’g Sept: 11 ’90 Rec’d a telegram badly mangled (probably here) fr’m wh’ I infer that you want a second copy of pocket:b’k b’d L of G—& I now send it by same mail with this*—Nothing very new or different in my condition or affairs—am well as usual—have rec’d y’r letters—thank you, & best salutations to you & the friends all—& especially to Dr. Jlohnston]—I am lazily working at my 2d annex—the hot season seems over—wet & cool to day—

Walt Whitman

Bolton circle, the Rev. F. R. C. Hutton, for which he was enclosing 22 shillings. He also reported that the Society was meeting on the following day “to hear Dr. J[ohnston]’s account of his visit to you” (Feinberg). Johnston himself commented on this meeting on September 13: “Nearly all ‘the boys’ were present with two friends & the reading of my notes &c which took place in a green field beneath a tree, occupied nearly two hours & was much enjoyed by every one & by none more than myself for I seemed to be living over again the happy time I spent with you” (Feinberg ).

84 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

9297. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Sep 13 | 3 pM | 90.

Camden am Sept: 13 ’90 Medley sort of weather half rain half sunshine some breeze—will probably send you Kennedy’s Dutch piece soon (see enclosed letter f’m him )*”—Am looking over the Kreutzer Sonata & have Ingersoll’s criticism in N[orth] A[merican] Review“—the political intestinal agitation here in

U S is essentially ab’t unrestricted trade (general reciprocity) and the damnable diseased policy the Harrison gov’t typifies call’d protectionism —thats the bottom of it, below every thing else—probably the world never saw such a mean dog-in-the-manger principle so thoroughly attempted & made the base of a great party (the remains, dead cadaverous trunk of the once glorious live Lincoln party of 60 to °64 and ’5) as to-day & in the US —But agitation, experiment &c: must* be a gain one way or another here in U S—

I told you Mrs Davis has gone on a visit to Kansas—It is a long jaunt —she gets there 14th—

Walt Whitman I return enc’d Dr J[ohnston]’s letter.”

9298. To Dr. John Johnston ADDRESS: Dr Johnston | 54 Manchester Road | Bolton | Lancashire | England. pPosTMARK: Camden, N.J. |

Sep 13 | 3 pm | 90.

Camden New Jersey US America | Sept: 13 ’90 All as usual with me—Sit here in the big ratan heavy-timber’d old 477. Kennedy’s letter of September 10 (Feinberg); see 2287. 48. Ingersoll, “Tolstoi and ‘The Kreutzer Sonata,’” The North American Review, cLI (September, 1890), 289-299. 49. The word is underscored heavily: possibly WW was ironic, although he rarely was, or more probably he had to convince himself that all things worked out well in the end.

50. On August 27 Dr. Johnston wrote to Bucke to apologize for not visiting him in Canada and to report in reverential terms his meeting with WW: “The memory of that ‘good time’ will ever be one of my most valued possessions and it is associated with my most unique experience. Although it is now over six weeks since I saw him it is no exaggeration for me to say that I still feel the magnetism of his personality” (Feinberg). 51. Johnston’s gratitude in his letter of September 27 was awesome: “Thanks too

LETTER 2299: SEPTEMBER 15, 1890 85 yellow chair much the same as when you were here—pleasant weather (frequent showers )—Warry is somewhere down in the cellar with the wood-fuel preparations & cleaning up—the massage book came safe (val-

uable book) —I have sent a 2d copy of p’k’t-b’d L of G. to our friend Wallace—enclosed letters f’'m Dr Bucke to me rec’d lately—(I just send letter to Dr B who writes me ab’t twice a week—welcome ) —Warry has just come in & made the bed—A sudden quite heavy shower—Loving salutation to you, to Wallace & to all the friends” —

Walt Whitman

9299. To Mrs. Mary O. Davis [9].15-16. [1890] ADDRESS: Mrs: Mary O Davis | Downs | Osborne County | Kansas. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Sep 16 |

12 m | 90.”

328 Mickle Street Camden New Jersey | Monday 15th Dear Mary Davis, Every thing is going on right here, & ab’t as usual—I keep ab’t the same, & well enough considering—went out yesterday afternoon, ( Warry wheel’d me up of course in the chair) to Mr & Mrs: Harned’s where we had a first-rate dinner (my 5 o’clock supper) of champagne & oysters—

the best & plenty—come back just after 8. Both Mr and Mrs H so hospitable & generous & good to me—Mrs Doughty and Maggy are well & Mrs D does very well—gives me plenty for my meals & all mght*— we've killed one of the roosters, (he behaved very badly & put on airs) and had a chicken pot pie & I had some of the c[hicken] for my breakfast this morning—& some new coffee better than the old, (wh’ was not good) — My appetite is good as ever—Warry is well & jolly & keeps first rate & good to me—we go out towards evn’g as ever—last night it rained & keeps it half-up to day, & is cloudy & dark & half warm—Warry has just been in to make up the bed, &c: — for the domestic details and glimpses into your daily life which you favour me with, all of which possess a genuine and deep interest for me and which serve to vivify and deepen the ever present and ineradicable image & memory of yourself and your surroundings and to recall the numerous & unexampled kindnesses you had shewn me” (Feinberg ). Johnston appended the following note to WW’s letter: “In the gummed envelope of

this Letter there is a white hair which was probably detached from the beard of Walt Whitman.” On December 16 Wallace related with the sobriety of his devotion that a friend had set this discovery (or revelation) to music in a line reading, “[Dr. Johnston] triumphantly has shown us a hair from off your beard!” (Feinberg ).

52. The envelope is endorsed: “The above is Walt Whitmans handwriting. |

Presented to R[?] H Bell | May 13th 1903 by Mrs. Mary O Davis.” 53. Mrs. Doughty and her daughter(?) took Mrs. Davis’ place during her absence (CB).

86 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN The most important event is Harry’s marrying,” which is to come off this evn’g, to be by Squire Tarr at his house—

Harry was up with me yesterday noon to talk ab’t it—I felt quite solemn ab’t it (I think more of the boy, & I believe he does of me, than we knew ) —He kissed me & hung on to my neck—O if he only gets a good wife & it all turns out lasting & good (Mary, I think more of Harry than you suppose ) —at any rate one first-rate point, it may anchor him in a way

that nothing else might, & give him a definite object & aim to work up to—(& perhaps he needs that) —I am sitting up in my big den, in the old chair as I write, every thing comfortable—

5 P M—Chicken pot pie & rice pudding to-day—& oysters & champagne yesterday—so you see, Mary, we are not starving—

Tuesday forenoon Sept: 16—Harry and Becky were married last evn’g, & they came around here afterward a little while, at my special invitation—I have had my breakfast (Warry broiled a bit of meat for me, very nice) —the sun has been under a cloud, but I see it is plainly coming out—Love to you f’m me & all of us—I enclose $5, 2 for Mrs: M[apes],” 2 for the dear mother & 1 for dear boy Glen & my best respects & well wishes to all—

Walt Whitman

2300. To William Sloane Kennedy ADDRESS: Sloane Kennedy | Belmont | Mass:. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Sep 16 | 4 30 pm | 90.

1890 Camden Sept: 16 early PM Y’r two impromptu cards rec’d—thank[s]—you will doubtless get

the pretty little Phila: magazine “Poet-Lore” with this with a word of mine in it on that huge jungle question the Shakspere one”—I keep pretty

well—was out Sunday to a champagne & oyster supper to Mr & Mrs. Harned’s (both good to me) —all right yesterday & to-day with me—rainy 54. Harry Fritzinger, Mrs. Davis’ adopted son. 55. See 2039. He sent Mrs. Mapes $5 on July 8 (cB). According to a notation in CB, she later married M. E. Stanley of Atkinson, Kansas. 56. See 2261. 57. But on [September 14] Kennedy observed that Symonds on WW “seems somehow comic—so inadequate is it & off. . . . S. lacks healthy contact with the live world” (Feinberg ).

58. Louisa Orr Whitman, George’s wife, and Jessie Louisa Whitman, Jeff’s

daughter, came to discuss their visit to Burlington, Vermont, where Hannah was ill (cB).

59. On September 17 Bucke quoted from a letter from John H. Johnston: “This morning an hours talk with Ingersoll and I got his promise and authority to proceed and get up a lecture entertainment by him for Walt’s benefit—in Phila I guess—Shall I put you

LETTER 2301: SEPTEMBER 19, 1890 87 weather here (broken)—another letter f'm Symonds (I think there’s something first class in him)*’—One of my two boys 26 yrs old was married last evn’g—he came yesterday to talk ab’t it & hung on my neck & kiss’d me twenty times—

Walt Whitman

2301. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Sep 19 | 6 PM | 90.

Camden 1890 | Sept: 19 Perfect sunny day—am feeling pretty well—grip palpable tho’— (cold in the head feeling )—ate my breakfast with rather subdued appetite —bowel action this forenoon—miss Mrs: D[avis] somewhat—call f’m my sister & neice this mn’g”*—Ab’t the Ingersoll affair I am in favor of New York decidedly, but it is probable they will have it in Phila:*—there is some opposition to me or my cause being identified with I. wh’ seems to make the special I[ngersoll] and freethinking folks more intense 1n identifying this W W affair with mark’d freethinking and non-orthodox (almost) passion—all of wh’ is annoying to me—But I let the current move as it will or may, & shall not meddle—but there are items ab’t it that are not acceptable to me—for instance I do not like Col. I being solicited to do this as he appears to have been—of course it is not his fault in the least degree—Certainly I have neither prompted nor authorized any thing of the kind—I welcome him & applaud him—he is a noble & frank man, and I am proud of his endorsement & advocacy, & think that speech at the Reisser dinner one of the chief pinnacles of my life—but I wince f’m any solicitation of that kind utterly—but enough of all that®°—I have just had a nice basket of seckel pears (f’m Prof: J McK Cattell,” Penn. Univeron committee?” (Feinberg). Almost invariably Johnston was the instigator of the remunerative benefits given for WW in the last decade of his life. 60. Bucke replied to this objection on September 22: “I think you are right to stand aside (personally) from this I[ngersoll] demonstration but for my part (as a friend of the cause) I look upon it (and think you should) with great complacency. I think therefore that you are entirely wrong to be ‘annoyed’ at a demonstration in your favor even if it were entirely by freethinker[s]—they cannot alter you or your teaching and (on the contrary )

you will undoubtedly, in the end, alter many of them and will have (in the end) in all probability your most extreme partisans & lovers in this section of humanity” (Feinberg). 61. Professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania from 1888 to 1891; later he was editor of The Psychological Review, Scientific Monthly, and School and Science.

86 |§=THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN sity) & have sent some to old & sick neighbors— (best tasting pears ever was ) —

later P M—the grip trouble is middling pronounced—sit here & read & write—day continues extra fine—am worried a good deal ab’t a dear sister Mrs: Heyde (aged, sick, nervous) at Burlington Vermont a noble woman, her life (& mine too) made miserable by the damndest whelp of a husband ever allow’d on earth (the snakes & bed-bugs are not half as loathesome as some humans can be) —I call the H man whelp altogether in my private letters—so you see I have some worries”— Love to Mrs: B and the childer—

Walt Whitman

2302. To William Sloane Kennedy TRANSCRIPT.

Sept. 19, ’90

A basket of nice Seckel pears just rec’d (Prof. Cattell, Penn. Univ.: ), sweet and juicy.

2303. To Dr. John Johnston ADDRESS: Dr Johnston | 54 Manchester Road | Bolton Lancashire | England. pPosrtMARK: Camde(?) | Sep

20 | 6 pM | 90.

CamdenN J US America | Sept: 20, ’90 Y’rs of 6th rec'd. I send the little pk’t-b’k L of G with this (pay rec’d)—Am well as usual (the old grip has hold of me tenaciously) — Suppose you had the time on 13th & hope it was indeed a good one—(no doubt you or Wallace has written me some acc’t of it)“—Best affectionate remembrances to you & W & the friends all—If the photo: plate cant be duplicated (probably impracticable) I w’d like to have it (the plate) sent to me here to be printed from & returned to you— WwW W

62. According to Heyde’s letter on August 28, the two women had cleaned the house, bought various necessities, but had failed to leave “25 dollars for the taxes.” Heyde complained again on September 8 that “no money was bestowed,” and said that he was consulting real estate agents in Camden about buying a house there (no doubt a threat)

LETTER 2305: SEPTEMBER 20, 1890 8&9 9304. To John H. Johnston Camden PM _ Sept: 20 ’90 Best remembrance & love to all—I am getting along better than you w’d suppose (have this tenacious grip though) —was out last Sunday —was propell’d in the wheel chair—to my Camden friends Mr. and Mrs. T B Harned who treated me to a splendid meal of oysters & champagne— to wh’ abstemious me did fullest justice (I think the best ch: I ever drank) —I am writing a little annex (the 2d) to L of G. & giving out the design of my burial vault (on a little wooded slope in Harleigh Cemetery here) —the Lord bless you all—

Walt Whitman Give this to Alma & the girls—

2305. To John H. Johnston ADDRESS: J H Johnston | Diamond Merchant | 150 Bowery cor: Broome St: | New York City. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Sep (2?) | 6 am | (?).

Camden New Jersey Sept: 20 ’90 Dear friend J H J— have just heard by Horace Traubel that (thro’ you) Col. Ingersoll

favors the idea of a public meeting & address ab’t me—(get the notion that he has been solicited or even persuaded—wh’ I don’t like at all—not warranted or authorized by me, at any rate—but let that pass) —If this is so ab’t Col. I’s design I myself think the best place would be New York City, tho’ I believe Horace & some other friends believe Phila: best—Of course I dont know what Col. I’s drift and vein may be, but I know it w’d be grand, & something I sh’d be proud of—On the impulse of the moment

I have gather’d these items enclosed & send to you, to give all the note (with scraps enclosed all as it is) to Col. I with my respects, thanks, & love“—I shall give the whole proposed meeting, address &c: into his and yr & the friends’ hands—without any meddling by me—

Walt Whitman (Trent). On November 5 and again on December 3, after effusive praise, he reminded WW of the $25 needed to pay taxes and interest (Trent). 63. See note 46 above.

64. On October 3 WW “sent copies of the big book, Dr Bl[ucke]’s W W. and J[ohn] B[urroughs]’s Notes (with portraits W W in envelope) to Col: Ingersoll” (cz).

90 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

2306. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N(?) | Sep 22 | 6 AM |

90; London | pm | Sp 23 | 9(?) | Canada.

Camden Sept: 21 PM _ ’90 Have got at the O’C[onnor] bit for preface this forenoon & finished it & will put it in type & send you an impression say in three days.” Feeling fairly—Grip and bladder trouble yet—Markedly colder weather to-day— sent letter yesterday to J H Johnston to be handed to Col: Ingersoll—the Lord be with you—

Walt Whitman

2307. To Ellen M. O'Connor ADDRESS: Mrs. O’Connor | 1015 O Street N W | Washington | D C. postMaRkKs: Camden, N.J. | (?);

Washington, Rec’d. | 6 am | (?) 22 | (2).

Camden PM Sept: 21 ’90 Have got at the piece for preface this forenoon, & shall send it to you in say three days—Am getting along fairly, bodily matters &c—the erip ahold of me tenaciously—How are you? I have not heard now for a long time. Dr. Bucke is well and busy.

Walt Whitman

2308. To J. W. Wallace ADDRESS: J W Wallace | Anderton near Chorley | Lancashire | England. PostMARK: Camden, N.J. |

Sep 22 | 8 pm | 90.

Camden New Jersey US America | Sept: 22 ’90 Y’rs of 11th rec’d—p o order rec’d® & thank you—Sent the little L of G (pocket b’k ed’n) three or four days since—possibly I may have made the mistake of directing it to Dr J[ohnston]— (hope I have not also made the mistake of writing y’r or his name in it—cannot now remember distinctly )—but at any rate you must have rec’d it by this time— 65. With a collector’s avidity Bucke on September 24 requested the manuscript of the preface if Mrs. O’Connor was not to receive it (Feinberg), which WW promised (in

LETTER 2310: SEPTEMBER 24, 1890 91 The little “new volume” to be put out by me will be only a further annex (the 2d one) to L of G.—fixing the bits of the last year and a half in book shape—will send you word of it & probably the sheets themselves— tell Dr J. the photos (of myself & Frank Warren Fritzinger, my friend & gillie) are rec’d & valued both by me & Warry.” Cooler weather here, but I get out in wheel chair a littl—Keep as well as usual—enclose a printed slip (a 2d one, give to Dr J) —Respects to F R C Hutton & all the friends

Walt Whitman

2309. To John H. Johnston ADDRESS: J H Johnston | 17 Union Sq: cor: B’dway | & 15th St: | New York City. PosTMaRK: Camden,

N.J. | Sep 23 | 3 pm | 90.

Camden New Jersey | Sept: 23 ’90 Y’rs of yesterday rec’d—I suppose you gave my letter & enclosures

to Col. I[ngersoll] as I meant them (especially the enc’s) to get to him— Yes, dear friend, I too think with pride (& something more, if there is any thing more) of having Ingersoll go on permanent record on L of G.—have no sharper regret than the passing away unrecorded of that Reisser speech in Phila: —I don’t believe either Ing: or any of you realize how inimitable & perfect it was. I keep as well as usual—

Walt Whitman

9310. To Richard Maurice Bucke 9.24-25. 1890 ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camde(?) | Sep 25 | 8 pm | 90.

1890 Camden | Sept 24—noon Sunny cool day—Warry (my nurse) proposes that we get a horse and wagon & drive down to the Staffords’s, but I dont feel for it somehow

—I enclose the O’C[onnor] preface, such as it is—I wanted to put on record my personal tribute—I havn’t heard for some time f’m Mrs: O’C —don’t know whether the Tales have settled on publisher, & when to appear— 2315) to send. 66. Wallace enclosed a money order for 22 shillings (Feinberg). 67. The photograph is reproduced in this volume.

92. THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN Y’r letter rec’d—don’t misconstrue me—I only deprecate any solicitation of Ing[ersoll] but am wholly & deeply proud & responsive to his good will &c—(shall probably go & sit in propria personae on the platform or

front seat)—consider Ing: as one of the very few first class individual American typical men of the present time, wholly worthy of the land and day—his very specialties & points (oddments—marks) prove the rule— prove his splendid freedom & individuality—have rec’d letters f'm J H

Johnston—am unshaken in my preference of N Y city for the Ing: speech—

Sept: 25—Rec’d this mn’g the enc’d f'm Dr Johnston*—also letter f’m J H Johnston, advocating New York as place for Ing: speech—you know what my feeling (or preference) is, but I believe I don’t care to interpose definitely in deciding it, as Horace & the Phila: friends are quite vehement for Phila: since the action of the Academy Directors*—you know too the

Y. M. Christ: Ass: Directors refused me their Hall to address on Elias Hicks—so our friends are on their mettle here—cold spell of weather here —egrip bad on me to-day side, back of neck sore & swelled—of course have written to Mrs: O’C & sent the preface—sun shining brightly out.

Walt Whitman

9311. To John Burroughs Camden PM Sept: 25 ’90 Dear J B

Here is a copy of my little impromptu Preface to dear Wm: O’C[onnor]’s tales to be printed soon I believe (by whom I don’t know) —

I have not heard lately f'm Mrs: O’C but I think she is yet at Wash’n in the same place on O street—

Nothing very different or new with me. Am still here in the same shanty & getting along as well as could be expected—A little lamer & blinder perhaps—but fair spirits (& spunk) —and fair appetite & nights’ sleep, &c—Col: Ingersoll is to give a public address ab’t L of G & me—the enc’d card came last evn’g—Affectionate wishes to “Sula and Julian—the baskets of grapes and pears came safe—best thanks—

Walt Whitman 68. Johnston’s letter of September 13 (Feinberg). 69. The hostility in Philadelphia to the Ingersoll lecture aroused the wrath of the

Whitmanites, although they secretly delighted in the opportunity to battle with the “enemy.” Bucke, who had wanted a New York lecture, sputtered on September 28, “Now I

am in favor of Phila for the sake of the dear Pharisees there. If I were down East and assisting to run the thing I would give them (at least try to give them) a dose that they

LETTER 2313: SEPTEMBER 26, 1890 93 2312. To Ellen M. O’Connor ADDRESS: Mrs: O’Connor | 1015 O Street N W | Washington | D C. posrMaARKs: Cam(?) | Sep (?) | 8 pm | 90; Washington, D.C. | Sep 26 | 7 AM | 1.

Camden New Jersey Sept.25 1890 My dear friend

Here is the Preface—two printed slips, copies—not so much of preface to the tales but my memorial & reminiscence of dear W[illiam] —& to give a dash of appropriate & something (I hardly can say what but I think I know) different or varied to the book— How are you getting along?—I often think ab’t you & Wm & old times —& you & y’r fortunes present tapering off the rest. I am here in the same spot & in not much different conditions—good spirits enough (constitutional I guess, physiological likely ) —but almost a complete bodily wreck, cannot get across the room without holding on to something or being led —have a stout man nurse—go out doors in wheel chair occasionally—was out yesterday at sunset—I sell my own books when I can get purchasers &

am still rejected by all the magazines—my right arm power & volition good yet—appetite, sleep &c: fair—am now well on my 72d year—have the grip rather bad—cool spell of weather here—Dr Bucke is well—Horace ‘T'raubel comes daily— God bless you—

Walt Whitman

2313. To Elizabeth Porter Gould ADDRESS: Elizabeth Porter Gould | 131 Chestnut

Street | Chelsea, Mass:.

Camden New Jersey | Sept: 26 1890 Y’rs of 22d welcomed—of course they are original autograph &

date—Am getting along ab’t as usual—have just lighted a fire in my stove, & had the big old wolf-skin spread on the back of my chair”—

Walt Whitman would remember and that would do them good.” He returned to the subject on September 80: “Chaff the Pharisees and tell them to ‘come on!’ Lord how dear old O’C[onnor] would be tickled to be in the middle of the thing!” (Feinberg). 70. Miss Gould added a note: “Written to me concerning an autograph on one of

the pictures of himself he sent me, which a friend thought might be an imprint. The picture now belongs to the Public Library, Boston.”

94 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

9314. To William Sloane Kennedy

Camden noon Sept: 26 ’90 Am getting along ab’t as usual—Some nice oysters (with a bit of lemon) for my breakfast—cloudy & wet inclined to chilly to-day here—

was out in wheel-chair last even’g—I enclose my Preface note ab’t O’Connor for the new book of his tales—written off hand—Col: Ingersoll

is to speak anent of L of G &c. in Phila. probably last part of coming month, (the piece in T’rans[cript] rec’d—thanks ) —sold a big book yesterday—have just lit a little fire in my stove—

Walt Whitman

9315. To Richard Maurice Bucke 9.26-[27]|. 1890 ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden (?) | Sep 27 | 8 pm | 90.

1890 Camden | Friday Sept: 26 PM Cloudy & wet & inclined to chilly—feeling ab’t usual—fairly enough— (thankful it is no worse) —grip & bladder bother—have started a little fire in the stove & had the old wolfskin spread back of chair—Appears to be settled decided that Ing[ersoll]’s address shall be in Phila: — just as well (I appreciate Horace’s and Frank Williams’ vehement point that it will not do to give up here after the Academy Directors’ action to say nothing of the Y M Christ Ass: bluff) —I believe I told you that I had

sent the O’C[onnor] bit to Mrs. O’C (printed slip)—I wrote to J Burroughs yesterday—expect him here before long—

5% quite a hearty supper—oysters vegetables coffee—all eaten with relish—still dark & rainy—quite a copious mail to day—y’rs rec’d—

Saturday noon—Cloudy & wet still—feeling badly—the change of weather & coming on of cool bad for me, less cool to day—sitting here newspaper reading &c: no mail this mn’g—Mrs: D[avis] expected back this evn’g f’m her long western jaunt (Kansas & Colorado &c) —Horticultural Hall ($75) Phila: will probably be hired for the Ing: address—well on in next month the date—Enc’d the first proof of the O’C bit—& will

give you the copy (a terrible mangle) if it is not destroy’d—the Critic prints my little Shakspere bit f’m the Poet-Lore"— (I suppose you got the 71. See 2261, 7.97.

LETTER 2316: SEPTEMBER 29, 1890 95 one I sent) —the tariff bill of the bandit-combination is pass’d or is sure to be— (“Keep on, sir, if you think there’s no hell” said the girl) — God bless you all—

Walt Whitman

2316. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Cam[den, N.]J. | Sep 29 |

8 pm | 90.

Camden Sept: 29 1890 Rec’d word from Mrs: O’Connor—She has moved to 112 M Street N W, Washington D C wh’ is now her address—She has a brief (two months’) appt’m’t in the Census Bureau—appears to be ab’t as usual—asks me to designate some title for the book—I have suggested the Brazen Android and other tales

By —__ ___ I enclose Wallace’s letter just rec’d”—I was out to Harned’s to supper

Y~ past 5 yesterday—John Burroughs is here to see me—was at the Supper—is well & in good spirits—has grown quite gray—left here to-day —was down some days at R U Johnsons at Babylon L I, & thinks of going on to see Herbert Gilchrist at Centreport—Still bother’d with my grip &

bladder trouble—pretty cold here (I have fire)—but fine sunny bright day out—nothing newer ab’t the Ing[ersoll] affair—it will be in Phila: (1 have not interposed ) —

The cemetery Sup’t: and monument architect have just been here to talk ab’t and see me anent of the tomb—I enclose a (very hasty, crude) outline of it, as I have the idea & will probably direct 1t done—very plain &

massive quite alone on a side (moderate) hill & trees—Mrs: Davis has return’d f’m Kansas well & hearty—I have grapes & eat heartily of them—

Walt Whitman

72. Probably Wallace’s letter of September 19 (Feinberg); see 2318. With the letter is a rough sketch of the tomb, which is reproduced in this volume.

96 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

2317. To Ellen M. O'Connor ADDRESS: Mrs: E M O’Connor | 112 M Street N W | Washington | D C. posTMARK: C[amden,] N.J. |

Sep 2(?) | 8 pm | 90.

Camden Sept: 29 1890 Dear friend, Y’rs just come telling me of y’r moving—As you don’t mention my letter of ten days since contain’g the little printed slips (in lieu) of preface J suppose it & they have not reach’d you—so I enclose two more—Or do they not suit? If so, let them go—I wanted to go on record embalming (as much as I could) my tribute of dear W[illiam]’s memory & past. Y’r letter to-day is the first I have heard f’m you in two months & over” — Dr Bucke is well & busy—I hear f’m him often. I continue on ab’t the

same—slowly letting down peg after peg—my mind & my right arm remain’g abt the same—I want to finish & print a 2d little annex (the last)

to L of G. I am sitting in my room in Mickle Street in the big old ratan chair with wolf-skin spread on back—have a little fire in stove—cool weather—bright sun out—was taken out in wheel chair yesterday afternoon— What is doing—or what has been done—abt the book of tales &c: ? —John Burroughs has just been to see me—He, wife & boy still on their Hudson river farm— Best respects & love—

Walt Whitman later—afternoon—Yr 2d letter just rec'd & I see you have the Preface slip—but perhaps may as well send this yet. Bright sunny day but cool—the grip has hold of me pretty badly—wouldn’t The Brazen Android and other Tales By &c: &c:

merely be as good a title as any?

73. Mrs. O’Connor replied on October 5: “Thank you again for the Preface. I am pleased with it, for I know you wrote what you felt to write. I know that you & I feel more

& more a most tender & growing love for dear William, & all his noble and generous qualities show out to me by contrast, all the time” (Feinberg). 74. Wallace on September 19 sent 22 shillings for Thomas Shorrock, a clerk in the

LETTER 2320: OCTOBER 2, 1890 97 9318. To J. W. Wallace ADDRESS: J W Wallace | Anderton near Chorley | Lancashire | England. posrtmMARK: Camden, N.J. |

Sep 30 | 8 pm | 90.

Camden New Jersey US America | Sept: 30 ’90 Y’rs rec’d—thanks—I send the little p’k’t-b’k L of G. (paid) by same mail with this’*—coolish weather has set in, but very fine, sunny to-day—John Burroughs has been visiting me—all well—Salutations to

you & Dr J[ohnston] & the friends all— , Walt Whitman

9319. To William Sloane Kennedy ADDRESs: Sloane Kennedy | Belmont | Mass:. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Sep 30 | 8 pm | 90.

Camden pm Sept: 30 ’90 Nothing special to write ab’t. Have just sold & sent off to Eng’d my

little p’k’t-b’k L of G. Grip & bladder trouble bad. Nothing new in the Ing[ersoll] address—will probably come off here in Phila: latter part of Oct. (I count Ing: as one of my noblest friends & upholders) —John Burroughs has been here to see me—he is well & hearty. I shouldn’t wonder if you see him in Boston”—

Walt Whitman

9320. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESs: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Oct 2 | 3 PM | 90; London | Am | Oc 4 | O | Canada.

Camden PM Oct: 2 ’90 Y’rs of 30th Sept: rec’d—Mr Baker™ (from Ing[ersoll]) is in Phila conferring with Horace ab’t place, date, & &c—We will see what Bolton police court (Feinberg).

75. On [October 6] Kennedy informed WW that the Boston Evening Transcript would bring out “Walt Whitman’s Dutch Traits” “in time”; the editor “Clement is all

right—a man—but very timid & slow in pushing the piece” (Feinberg).

76. Isaac Newton Baker, Ingersoll’s secretary; see The Letters of Robert G.

Ingersoll (1951), 391n.

98 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN comes of it all—I rode out to Harleigh Cem’t’ry yesterday afternoon—they have commenced the tomb, broke ground yesterday & will build the vault proper—the stone quarried at Quincy Mass: will be a month yet—Splendid day yesterday—enjoy’d my hour’s drive—R Moore Supt. took me— orip & bladder bother on me—

Walt Whitman

2321. To Bernard O'Dowd ADDRESS: Bernard O’Dowd | Supreme Court Library | Melbourne | Victoria | via San Francisco | & Sidney. POSTMARK: Camden, N.(?) | Oct 3 | 6 Pm | 90.

Camden New Jersey US America | Oct: 3 1890 Dear Bernard O’Dowd (& all the friends ) Y’r good letter of Sept: 1 has just come, & is welcomed™—I like to

hear every thing & anything ab’t you all—& ab’t the Australian bush & birds and life & toil & idiosyncrasies there—& how it looks—& all the sheep work &c: &c:—you please me more than you know by giving such things fully—write often as you feel to & can—The Dr Bucke book (that I had dispatch’d by mail hence early in July) came back to me after a long interval for more post stamps wh’ I put on & re-sent hence July 25 last, same address as this—& I sort 0’ hope & trust it has reached you safely by this time—if not I will send another—Ingersoll is to come to Philadelphia & make a public address (the bills call it a “testimonial” to me) the latter week of this month & to raise moneys for me I suppose— (thank him, the true Christian of them all) —They refused to rent him the hall he wanted —but I believe he has found one yet—If reported I will send you the acc’t & speech—Cloudy & wet here lately but today is sunny & perfect & I shall get out this afternoon in wheel chair—I remain much the same—spirits good—sleep, appetite, digestion &c: not bad—but the grip (a catarrhal, cold-in-the-head affection) and bladder trouble seem tenaciously on me— good right arm volition—mentally not seriously impair’d &c: &c: (I write to you as an elder brother might to the young bro’s & sisters, & doubtless repeat parrot-like)—what books of mine have you?—I sh’d like to send 77. At one point in his letter of September 1 O’Dowd wrote: “The tension of an ecstacy, such as a Mohammedan would feel, if privileged to write to & to receive letters from his Prophet, is on me, while I write and therefore I can’t write as I would wish to. I can hardly think it is not a dream that I am writing to Walt Whitman. Take our love, we have little more to give you, we can only try to spread to others the same great boon you

LETTER 2323: OCTOBER 3, 1890 99 you a little pocket-book b’d L of G. as a present to be used by any of you & may be handy, & indeed am only restrain’d by the uncertainty of the mails f’m sending many more things. But I already get enough to know I have your good will & love & that my missives have struck deep even passionately into dear human hearts—

Walt Whitman

9322. To the Editor, The North American Review Camden New Jersey | Evn’g Oct: 3 1890 Y’rs asking me to write piece for Review &c: rec’d—Yes, (and thanks) —Just now my chosen theme and head-line w’d be “Old Poets— (and other things.)” It takes in the subject you mention too. If that sh’d suit I w’d send you in a week”*"—

Walt Whitman I must apologize to (I think) Mr Bryce anent of his letter & request quite long ago—I was critically ill at the time & the letter got neglected—

9323. To Richard Maurice Bucke 10.34. 1890 ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden (?) | Oct 4 | 8 pm | 90.

Camden 1890| Friday PM Oct: 8 Have just rec’d another good (pretty long) letter fm my friends in Australia—(a fine cluster, men & women, centred in Melbourne) —& have just sent word in answer—somehow to be read so thoroughly & made so much of by those tried & thoughtful folks of both sexes, away off at the antipodes, drives deep into me—The wet & cloudy days have pass’d & it is sunny & fine to-day—I made my breakfast of oysters brown bread & coffee —have sent my big book, your W W, & John Burroughs’ Notes, with a cluster of my portraits all in a bundle by express to Ingersoll, 45 Wall st have given to us” (Feinberg; McLeod, 25). 78. On October 3 William H. Rideing, the assistant editor, requested an article of

about “4000 words” on “Recent aspects of American literature” for “the sum of Two hundred dollars” or on “some other subject on which you would be more willing to write”

(Feinberg). WW sent “Old Poets” to the magazine on October 9, returned proof on October 18, and received $75 (CB).

100 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN N Y (as I heard he had not y’r book)”—Shall probably get out in wheel chair this aft’n—

Saturday a m Oct: 4—Fine sunny day—The Ing: address will probably be (as I before told you) at Horticultural Hall, Phil: ab’t 22d Oct— but the definite decision waits for Ing’s word—(he was absent f'm N Y yesterday )—I doubt if Mrs: O’C[onnor] tumbles to my “preface”—she probably expected something more conventional & literary—but I find (upon second & more deliberate tho’t) I have said it as I wanted to ab’t Wm O’C & my wish to put on record such a testimony (tho’ short) signed by my name, suits me exactly, & is consistent with the proposed book—I will send you the MS.—I have rec’d a formal invitation to write for the N[orth] A[merican] Review & sh’l probably do so. God bless you—

Walt Whitman

9324. To the Editor, The North American Review TRANSCRIPT.

Camden, New Jersey, Oct. 9, 1890 Y’r telegram rec’d & I send on the first piece (I am preparing two,

one on the subject you named )—if it will do. The price is seventy five dollars ($75) and I reserve the right to print in future book... . Walt Whitman

2325. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Oct 9 | 6 PM | 90; London | pm | Oc 10 | O | Canada.

Camden PM Oct:9 ’90 Cool & sunny—bad night—grip & bladder—have just sent off “Old Poets” MS. to N[orth] A[merican] Review—if printed shall send you—The Ing[ersoll] lecture enterprise is going on well here—big posters

out Sat: night—head-line & subject “Liberty € Literature” (isn’t it good? )—The fellows are aroused—Horace especially—McKay has just 79. Never one to leave things to chance, WW wrote to Ingersoll twice before the lecture, as evidenced by the latter’s replies on October 12 and 20 (Feinberg; The Letters of Robert G. Ingersoll [1951], 393-394).

LETTER 2327: OCTOBER 12, 1890 101 sent me $44.80 for royalty for my two books the last six months. God bless you all—

Walt Whitman

2326. To Richard Maurice Bucke

Camden PM Oct: 10 ’90 Nothing very different with me—fair enough—Did I tell you I sent off “Old Poets” (5 pages—maybe minus) to N[orth] Al[merican] Revliew]?—(I rec’d yesterday mn’g a telegram f’m them soliciting it) —I guess the Ing[ersoll] enterprise continues to move well—Horace is nearer excited than I ever saw him—I was out an hour in wheel-chair yesterday —am very susceptible to the jolting—always come back with a confused,

topsy-turvy head-achy feeling—sunny to-day—Enclose two MSS the O’C[onnor] preface & the little Shakspere bit,” (both w’d take prize for dilapidated printers’ copy) —we are surfeited with horrible murder cases

& such, here—then visits f’m the g’t miners engineers & the French prince” —I welcome all—

Walt Whitman

2327. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKs: Camden, N.J. | Oct 12 | 5 pm |

90; London | pm | Oc 13 | O | Canada.

Camden NJ Sunday PM | Oct: 12 ’90 Sorry to hear (by H[orace]) of the pain &c: f’m the bruise & fracture (is it fracture? ) —if it is eligible to irritation & feverishness don’t come down here 21st inst: —I have sort of fear ab’t 1t—I will send you all accts & reports—All goes well—you will get a sample of big poster just up —J shall go to the Hall & show myself, & just say publicly a word or so (as I wish to definitely settle my identification, sympathy & gratitude, & there has been some dodging & perhaps cowardice here) —I am (keep) fairly but the grip is on me bad yet—am writing. God bless you all—

Walt Whitman 80. “Shakspere for America.” 81. Here WW summarized the leading articles on the first page of the Philadelphia Press: “Little Girls Murdered”; President Harrison at Ottumwa, Iowa; and the Count of Paris in Richmond, Virginia.

102 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

9328. To William Sloane Kennedy ADDRESS: Sloane Kennedy | Belmont Mass:. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Oct 12 | 5 pm | 90.

Camden NJ Sunday PM | Oct: 12 °90 The Ingersoll lecture (Liberty & Literature) is to come off even’g Oct: 21, a week from next Tuesday, Horticultural Hall, Phila. I shall go & show myself & say publicly a word or so (as I wish to definitely show my identification, sympathy & gratitude, & there has been some dodging & perhaps cowardice )—Looks now as there is going to be a full and lively meeting—Ing’s: heart is in it—I will send you the best accts & reports (wish you & the dear frau c’d be here) —the grip is still hold of me—am writing” —

Walt Whitman

2329. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: (?) | Oct 15 | 8 pm | 90.

Camden PM Oct: 15 ’90 All goes propitiously—I shall probably say a very short say at the Ing[ersoll] meeting Tuesday evn’g—but y’r latest indicate that you will be here y’rself. Probably (I guess) there will be a fair-full house—no thanks to the papers either, (O how fearful they are of putting in a word looks like for Ingersoll) —but there is a great subterranean feeling for us—I am getting along so-so—grip yet—bladder bother—&c: &c:—fine sunny day —rather cool—I have a fire—no word ab’t my “Old Poets” piece yet— Mrs: Johnston (N Y) is to be here Saturday—have sold two books*—a friend (after using it apparently some time—it is well worn) sends me a little book ab’t Browning, f’m England™—& the duty the P O here makes me pay is 20cts—so much for the banditti-combine tariff—(the little 2d 82. On [October 17] Kennedy gloated about the lecture: “It will be a tremendous blow to the anti-Whitmanites—the anti-naturalists—the Christians & ascetics” (Feinberg). On September 14, interestingly, he found Boccaccio’s stories “too much for my flesh. My Imagination is too vivid. I have to throw him aside” (Feinberg).

83. He sent the pocket-book edition on October 13 to J. W. Smith, who paid $5 (Pt Wallace on October 4 (typescript: Bolton) sent Edward Berdoe’s Browning’s Message to His Time: His Religion, Philosophy, and Science (1890), which contains comments on WW (35, 48).

LETTER 2331: OCTOBER 23, 1890 103 hand b’k w’d likely be b’t here at a stand for 10cts) —Y’r letters rec’d—am

sitting in the big chair with [wolf] skin on back in my old den as usual—God bless you all—

Walt Whitman

9330. To David McKay ADDRESS: David McKay | 23 S 9th St | Phila:.

Camden, Oct 20 ’90 Please give me four copies L of G (last ed’n with Sands at 70) by bearer” —

Walt Whitman

9331. To Richard Maurice Bucke and Horace Traubel ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: (?) | Oct 24 | 6 am | 90.

Camden PM Oct: 23 790 Dear Doctor & Dear Horace” A dark cloudy rainy forenoon & probably day on thro’out here—I am feeling pretty well—warm & comfortable enough—Sent Warry down

to the bank & deposited $930.65—(Ain’t that enough to take y’r breaths away, both of you) —WJ[arry] has gone over to Phila to give word to Dr Thomas, the oculist, & to take my aged white hat (25 y’rs old & more) to be done over, if possible—Have rec’d a handsome printed copy (I suppose you get one there in London) of R G I[ngersoll]’s lecture complete, & have just read it through, & it expands, deepens, satisfies & explains itself splendidly & more & more—it is a poem & the finest at that of itself—one of its best charms to me is a certain careless handling like Nature’s—or 85. On the following day he “furnish’d” McKay with 50 sets of Complete Poems & Prose at $3 a copy in addition to the 50 ordered on August 27 (CB).

86. After the lecture Traubel went to Canada with Bucke. On October 22 WW

recorded in CB his impressions of Ingersoll’s speech: “Well the Ingersoll lecture came off last evn’g in Horticultural Hall, Broad st: Phila: —a noble, (very eulogistic to WW & L of G) eloquent speech, well responded to by the audience. There were 1600 to 2000 people, (choice persons, ) one third women (Proceeds to me $869.45 )—I went over, was wheeled on the stage in my ratan chair, and at the last spoke a very few words—A splendid success for Ingersoll, (& me too.) Ing. had it written, & read with considerable fire, but perfect ease.”

104 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN the flowing of water—I am more yet desirous of the little book the three opinions (Sarrazin’s, the Irishman, & Ingersolls)*’—Had a fair night—relish’d my breakfast, & have taken a bath— Good times to you both—

Walt Whitman

9331.1 To Robert G. Ingersoll [10(?).23(2).] 1890 TRANSCRIPT.

Camden 1890 Thanks to you for coming on and giving us all a good look at you —Thanks for the speech, Thanks for the money. Walt Whitman

2332. To Richard Maurice Bucke and Horace Traubel Camden nearnoon Oct: 24 ’90 Dear friends Doctor & Horace

Cloudy & wet yet—Am feeling fairly—the rain has kept me in lately of course—last night fair sleep—for breakfast small mutton chop &

br’d & coffee—am sitting now by the fire (you can both imagine it all) —the Blasius people™ sent over yesterday to ask whether we wanted to “count the tickets” in the boxes first, as they were going to clear out & destroy them—TI sent word that as far as I was concern’d J sh’d not come for any such purpose, & they might clear out & destroy for all me—have had some visitors—(am the object of some cranks & lunatics among the rest )—grip on me palpably yet—the temperature getting colder here—I enclose the printed slip sent by Wallace, England*—also the Hort: Hall note—Horace, we all miss y’r evn’g calls here—So I suppose you have

taken in Niagara—the Lakes and the St Lawrence too are not to be despised—Best respects & remembrances to Dr Beemer & to Dick Flynn” 87. On December 12 Bucke identified the Irishman as Rolleston (Feinberg). 88. The reference is probably to Blasius & Sons, retailers of pianos and presumably agents for the Hall.

89. Perhaps the clipping from the Sunday Chronicle of February 27, 1887,

referring to “Walt Whitman Junior,” which Wallace sent on October 15 (Feinberg). 90. Flynn came to Camden in 1889; see 2098 and 2101.

91. J. E. Reinhalter, of P. Reinhalter & Company, on October 11 urged WW to

LETTER 2334: OCTOBER 26, 1890 105 & to half a dozen more friends there—As I look out of the window the last of autumn appears plainer than ever. God bless you all—

Walt Whitman

2333. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Oct 25 | 4 30

PM | 90; London | am | Oc 27 | O | Canada.

Camden earlyP M Oct: 25 ’90 Fine & sunny to-day rather cool—have signed & sent the contract with Rheinhalter Bros: 18 Broad st: Phila: architects &c: for my burial

house in Harleigh Cemetery—Ralph Moore to have control & charge under my name & be my representative”—no mail today—dull & heavy, the grip on me—ate a fair breakfast—fair night—Tom Harned made a warm big political speech last night, good (independent—mugwump ) — Hope you are having good times—

Walt Whitman

2334. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Oct 26 | 5 pM | 90; London | m | Oc 27 | O | Canada.

Camden Sunday noon Oct: 26 ’90 Fine sunny day—ab’t right as usual—had a fair night—letter f’m Niagara came—the oculist Dr Thomas came late yesterday & examined & will furnish me with suitable glasses (a satisfactory friendly visit )—I send you to-day’s Press with half correct half fraudulent report of the little Layfayette talk (good transcript of the Murger poemet)*”—Warry and Mrs: D[avis] are off to Phil. to-day—shall try to get out in wheel chair this afternoon. (Don’t know for certain) —This is the 4th I have sent since yr departure. God bless you both & all—

Walt Whitman “be kind enough and look over the paper wich I left with you [&] see if all correct, as we are govern[ing] ourselfs according.” He also said that his “brother has gone to the Quarry in Massachusetts and will stay there untill all the stones connected with your work are split out” (Feinberg). See also 2682. 92. On October 29 Bucke commented that the article “Whitman-Ingersoll-Death” “might have been worse—but it also might have been a good deal better without being anything wonderful” (Feinberg).

106 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

9335. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Oct 27 | 3 PM | 90.

Camden PM Oct: 27 ’90 Every thing going as usual—well—rather cool here—pass’d a fair night—Hl[orace]’s letter rec’d—thanks—Harrison Morris has been over to see me, a very pleasant visit—bro’t “The American” 25th with piece

“Walt Wh: & Ingersoll”—I sit here as usual writing this—Warry is down stairs practising on his fiddle—the steam puffing of the cars sounds f’'m Bridge av: n w wind—I have oysters (good) & roast apples & graham br’d to eat—

Walt Whitman

2336. To Robert Adams 10.28. 1890 Mr Adams Dr to W Whitman

Four books $4 each $16 Rec’d Payment

Camden New Jersey

Oct 28 1890

BILL Have sent the books by Express to same address as this note—remit to me either by P O order or bank cheque—

Walt Whitman

9337. To David L. Lezinsky Camden New Jersey Oct: 28 ’90 Dear friend D L L”®

I am here yet much the same as when you saw me—perhaps two or

three pegs lower (from time & age,) but essentially “the same subject continued”—have spells of pretty severe depression & illness & then get back again to condition such as it is—have the grip permanently—I sent 93. Lezinsky, a poet and a graduate of the University of Califoria in 1884; see AL, vill (1937), 437n. WW’s earlier letters to Lezinsky are apparently lost. See also 2230.

94, On October 26 Bucke wrote: “Horace is quite struck with Pardee (your old

LETTER 2388: OCTOBER 28, 1890 107 from here (4th June last—also letter to you) some of my big books (complete works) by express, directed to you care O K Lerris, Hotel, Butte City Montana. Did you get them? (I rec’d the money safe, & order) —Also rec’d y’r letter f’m Berkley, some three months ago, & ans’d it wh’ I suppose you rec’d—was very ill when y’r letter came & for three weeks on —I send (same mail with this) newspaper report of Robt G. Ingersoll’s lecture in Phil. ab’t L of G. Have not seen Ed Stead the driver lately, but I guess he is all right. Mrs Davis, my housekeeper, is well—She has been off to Kansas & Colorado on a jaunt—Warren Fritzinger my nurse is still with me & is well—the forthcoming (Nov.) N[orth] Almerican] Review has a little piece of mine “Old Poets”—As I write I am sitting here in my

big chair with wolf skin on back of it—dark & chilly day—have had buckwheat cakes & coffee for breakfast—God bless you—

Walt Whitman

2338. To Richard Maurice Bucke 10.28-29. 1890 ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden (?) | Oct 30 | 6 Am

90(?).

Mickle St Camden 1890|8%PM Oct: 28 Sitting here alone in my den—rather a bad day—this grip on me heavily—sweating a little the last hour & rather better—y’r good letter of 26th came at sundown mail, & has somehow cheer’d me—had my supper & relished it—oysters—havn’t rec’d “Old Poets” yet but I believe it is in the Nov. N[orth] A[merican] Review—you will see how (intentionally ) gossipy it is—I wonder whether I had better adhere to that way & style wh’ is very easy to my fingers & rather pleasant as work to my mind— Have been putting the last hour in a leisurely body bath—& shall have a good massage in a short hour f’m now, as I get to bed—Give my love to dear boy Pardee, & tell him I remember him well, & hope to see him yet” —the Boston Trans[cript] gives an item to the Layfayette evening lunch & copies the “Midnight Visitor” wonderfully correctly as recited by me—the Ing[ersoll] affair seems to be largely newspaperially commented on pro &

con, & reported everywhere—shoals of vermin enemies of W W are roused too with their strange shocking slanders (“at wh’ innocence itself is confounded” as O’C[onnor] used to say ) — favorite) and thinks him a splendid boy” (Feinberg). On October 27 Traubel himself wrote of the “Grecian loveliness of expression & demeanor” of Bucke’s two children, Ina and Pardee (Feinberg ).

108 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

29th Oct a m—dark wet forenoon—good bowel action—Wm Ingram here this mn’g—nothing new—ab’t as usual with me—my love to you, Horace—Tom [Harned] is in the midst of the (local) political whirl —I finish as I sit here alone by the stove—

Walt Whitman

2339. To William Sloane Kennedy

Camden PM Oct: 29 ’90 Y’r card rec’d—thanks—the best report of Ing[ersoll]’s lecture was the Phil: Times” (I sent it) —produced me $869.45—will be printed verbatim in full in book & you sh’l of course have one—Dr Bucke and Horace Traubel are in London Canada—H T will be back here very soon —my piece “Old Poets” (gossipy) is to be in Nov. N[orth] A[merican] Review—We have (Mrs. Davis has) just had a baking. O how I wish I c’d send the dear frau one of our nice pumpkin pies—(a very little ginger no other spice) —I am pretty well, but still have the grip badly—Assimilations, secretions, excretions, &c, not markedly bad—well that’s a good deal & to thank God for—Enclose letters from Mrs. O’C[onnor] and Dr B to me, may interest you—dont want them back—God bless you & frau—

Walt Whitman

9340. To the Philadelphia Press Oct: 29 ’90 Press newspaper | counting room

If convenient send me by this young man ten (10) papers Wednesday Oct: 22—and 4 papers of Sunday Oct: 26—fourteen altogether—

Walt Whitman 328 Mickle St: Camden 95. Ihave not seen the account in the Times, but the Philadelphia Press on October 22 devoted two columns to Ingersoll’s address.

96. See 2348. 97. On the following day Bucke wrote the kind of personal letter WW rarely

brought himself to compose: “You cannot imagine, dear Walt, how peaceful and dreamy the landscape is this morning—the air is full of great, white, soft feathers that come down as tenderly upon the grass and trees as a mother’s love falls upon her child. I have never

LETTER 2342: NOVEMBER 1, 1890 109 9341. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Nov 1 | 6 AM | 90; London | AM | No 3 | O | Canada.

Camden Evn’g Oct: 31 ’90 Horace has ret’d safely & was here last evn’g—Have signatured the books and wrapt them safely to be express’d back to you—suppose they will go forthwith—grip on me badly—headache & congestion—slim mail with me—have been out to day in wheel chair—clear, colder weather —small miserable local politics & elections Penn: and N. J. now—a fight of crows & kites—(“intestinal agitation”)—Y’rs rec’d—God bless you all—

Walt Whitman

9342. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden (?) | Nov 1 | 6 pM | 90.

Camden 34%PM Nov: 1 790 Have been out in wheel chair for hour & half, & enjoy’d it—all goes as usual—sunny to day cool—I send slip of “Old Poets”—Horace here last evn’g—he will delay sending back the signatured books for reasons—Partly promised the N[orth] A[merican] Rev[iew] I w’d give them a 2d article ab’t American Literature (enormous name!) or something that sort’—& I think I will get at it, but it must be a rehash of what I have already said—still grip—bad head, pains &c:—am sitting here by stove in my den, same as ever—Horace will send you Morris’s piece (contra-Ingersoll) in American—I cannot find fault with M sharply (as H does) while J thank & side with & even espouse Ing-ism & Ing: himself —(he has treated me so splendidly too)” —

Walt Whitman witnessed anything more exquisite. The silence and quietude here this Sunday morning are equal to—they are ‘the peace of God that passes all understanding.’ It calls up that longing feeling—which visits us at intervals—to drop the body and float off into the eternal stillnesses. Surely that will be the best thing of all when it comes? I remember once when a little boy this feeling, passion, to escape into the real came upon me so strongly that for

the time it seemed I could hardly wait. But I am glad now I waited for had I not I might have missed you in that other land where ‘it is not chaos or death but form, union, plan, eternal life, happiness’ ” (Feinberg).

110 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

2343. To William Sloane Kennedy Camden noon Nov: 1 ’90 All goes much as usual—eating oysters, pumpkin pie, Graham bread, coffee &c:—Send you herewith printed slip of “Old Poets”*— (have sent a copy to editor Transcript and one to Baxter) —Horace Traubel is back (cant tell you how I miss’d him) with glowing acc’ts of his visit & Dr B[ucke] & his ways & character—& of lunatics, Canada, Niagara &c: &c:—Sh’d you want another slip or two of Old Poets I can furnish you—splendid sunny day here—cold & dry (after rain)—am going out now propell’d in wheel chair—still have the grip & bladder trouble—have an oak fire—sit at present in the heavy arm chair & old wolf-skin on back (this is the third or fourth winter) as formerly—God bless you all—

Walt Whitman

9344. To Dr. John Johnston ADDRESS: Dr Johnston | 54 Manchester Road | Bolton | Lancashire | England. POSTMARK: Camden,

N.J. | Nov 1 | 6 em | 90.

Camden New Jersey US America |

Nov: 1 ’90 Evn’g Only a word to salute you & Wallace & all the friends—to say that matters go on with me much the same—& to enclose a printed slip, “Old

Poets,” my latest writing (age’s garrulity I guess)—have been out in wheel chair this fine sunny cool afternoon—God bless you all—

Walt Whitman

934.5. To David McKay Camden New Jersey | Nov: 1 1890 David McKay Debtor to Walt Whitman

For Fifty full sets in sheets of Complete Works @ $3 each” $150 Received Payment 98. Kennedy answered on November 3: “How is this? I shd not have thought you

cd have written so masterfully on so old a theme... . Not a living man could have written more vigorously than that” (Feinberg ).

LETTER 2346: NOVEMBER 2, 1890 111 Camden New Jersey | Aug: 27 1890 David McKay Debtor to Walt Whitman

For Fifty full sets in sheets of Complete Works @ $3 each $150. Rec’d Payment

Camden Novl, ’90 Dear Mac: Above find the last & previous bills—I stipulated for cash down on selling them @ $3 a set—& of course expected it. I sent the copy of big book you desired—it makes the fourth you now owe me for—Can you send me the pay for the two bills sheets—$300?

I am getting along ab’t as usual—have a piece in Nov: Nforth] A[merican] Rev[iew]—God bless you & all—

Walt Whitman

9346. To Edward Carpenter 328 Mickle Street |Camden New Jersey US America | Nov: 2 ’90 Dear E C—

Am still here holding out (sort o’ as I call 1t)—Did you get the two big vols: (Complete Works 900 pp) I sent for you in a bundle by International Express to my friend R Pearsall Smith 44 Grosvenor Road, Embankment, London? One copy was for you & one for Miss Ford—If not rec’d by you, send & get them—

Things are going on much as ever, every additional season a peg or two falling out—ab’t same constitutional good spirits (a great factor) holding on, but grip & bladder bother—I enclose you my latest piece just

out—Had a benefit, Philadelphia, grand (eulogistic) speech fm R G Ingersoll—Suppose you have rec’d the report in newspaper I sent—the Staffords are as usual—Harry has given up telegraphing & has a farm—

has two children—Dr Bucke is well in Canada—comes down here occasionally’— God bless you—

Walt Whitman 99. Oldach & Company sent McKay the 50 sets at WW’s request on October 24 (Feinberg). McKay requested a bill on October 31 (Feinberg). 1. Carpenter replied from Ceylon on December 11 and commented on Eastern mysticism (Feinberg).

112 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

2347. To Bernard O'Dowd Camden New Jersey US America | Nov: 3 1890 Dear friend Bernard O’Dowd (& dear friends all )

Y’r good letter 29/9 & the newspaper came this mn’g & was welcome, as always’—am cheer’d to hear f’m you all, & y’r affectionate

treatment of me, thro’ L of G. See you must have rec’d all my letters, papers, slips & scraps, & Dr Bucke’s book (remember that Dr B gives his coloring f’m the eye of a zealous friend—I know well enough that W W is not a quarter as good as B makes him out, but is full of defects & vagaries & faults) —I have since sent you report of R G Ingersoll’s big lecture in

Philadelphia here Oct. 21—I have rec’d from it (& him) $869.45 wh’ keeps me in bread & [milk] & shanty-keeping a good time yet—I also send

to you printed slip, “Old Poets” my latest piece—am not sure but this internationality of P O & mails (I got a letter this mn’g. all safe f’m Nagasaki, written very fair English, f'm a young Japanese reader & absorber of L of G) is the grandest proof of modern civilization, practical

brotherhood & Christianity—we feel it here in the U S f'm Canada to Texas, & f'm Atlantic side to Pacific shore—& you must too in Australia— Am mainly ab’t same in health but slowly dimming & the pegs coming

gradually out as I call it—this grip has hold of me thoroughly, & bladder trouble badly—but I keep fair spirits & I suppose mentality & (as before written) fair appetite & sleep—have a good nurse, Warren Fritzinger, a strong hearty good natured young American man, has been f’m boyhood a sailor & all round the world—go out in propell’d wheel chair—was out last evn’g to a friend’s & wife’s to supper, (drank a bottle of first rate cham-

pagne)*—when you write don’t be afraid to send me ab’t Australian idiosocrasies, the woods, special trees & birds & books, life, people, pecul-

larities, occupations &c. (Under the thin glaze-surface of conventionalities, as here, a vast plummetless-depth of democratic humanity is existing, thinking, acting, ebbing & flowing—there no doubt—that I would like O

so like to flatter myself I am giving or trying to give voice to)—I am leisurely cooking up a little 2d annex for my L of G, & a collected 2. O’Dowd’s letter of September 29 (Feinberg; McLeod, 27-30) was accompanied by a clipping from Argus, “a sample of the only kind of notice you get in the ‘feudal’ creles Undoubtedly at the Harneds’, although he made no entry in CB. 4, “To the Sun-Set Breeze.” Stoddart on November 21 promised to send ten copies of the magazine (Feinberg).

LETTER 2349: NOVEMBER 5, 1890 113 appendix for Nov. Boughs. I enclose you a couple of slips of my last poemet in Dec. Phila. Lippincott’s Magazine*—

Barney, you don’t know how much you & all there have done me— words by pen & ink are poor perhaps but O how I wish to give you all & each a God bless you & my love to you & the dear wife & baby’ & to Fred [Woods] & Jim [Hartigan] & Kate, & Ada, Eve, & Mr & Mrs Fryer & Mr Bury & other friends I fear I have not specified— Walt Whitman

2348. To The Editor, Vhe North American Review Camden New Jersey Nov: 4 ’90 Dear Sir: I am getting ready an article headed National Literature w’d make probably six to eight pages in the Review—will send the MS on in less than ten days.” Thank you for pay of “Old Poets”—the receipt herewith,

Walt Whitman

2348.1 To Robert Adams TRANSCRIPT.

November 5, 1890 Dear Sir,

above find receipt for the money’—& thanks to you. Give my respects to Miss Wixon—I am sometimes very ill for days & cannot read, write, or talk or be talked to—& on such occasions answer no letters... .

am sitting here in my den in great old ratan chair (with big wolf skin spread over back) sunny but pretty cold—have a good oak wood fire.

Walt Whitman

9349. To Frederick Oldach & Company ADDRESS: Oldach & Co: | Book Binders | 1215

Filbert Street | Philadelphia.

328 Mickle Street Camden NJ|Nov: 5 1890 Messrs: Oldach | Bookbinders Please bind up in the same style as formerly, exactly same & sort 5. On September 1 O’Dowd reported the birth of a son, Montaigne Eric Whitman (Feinberg; McLeod, 26); see also wwR, vit (1961), 30n. 6. WW sent “American National Literature” on November 7, in care of Rideing, and received $75 (CB). On December 16 Rideing informed the poet that the article would appear in the January issue (Feinberg); it was not printed, however, until March, 1891. 7. According to the auction record, a receipt for $16, for the four books mentioned in 2336, preceded the personal note.

114 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN (copy herewith) one hundred and fifty (150) copies big book complete works, with plates &c: & the rest (the sheets) fold up, with plates put in, all carefully done, & each copy neatly tied with good cord, so as to be ready at once when wanted. You have there all the plates I believe. I will furnish you the first sheets, for the whole, with autograph, wh’ I have here—will also furnish you with back labels.

Walt Whitman

2350. To William Sloane Kennedy Camden forenoon Nov: 8 ’90 Fine sunny day—was out in wheel chair yesterday 12 to 242— went to the north point shore of the city, Cooper’s Point they call it—a ship building region—saw (almost gloatingly) the most beautiful just finished large four-masted schooner I ever saw sitting like a duck on the water—there thought I is indeed a poem—I send you in paper a full report of Ingersoll’s lecture"—Dr Bucke dont like (for some reason—what?) the Old Poets piece—I have followed it (its style) however by another piece “National Literature” (!!) wh’ I sent off to N[orth] A[merican] Rev[iew] last evn’ g—

Am not even as well as usual—have the grip & bladder trouble—have eaten my breakfast though—enjoy mild outings the sun &c and am going

to try it on now—Here is an item you can put in the paper if you care to’—

2351. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Nov 8 |

4 30 pm | 90.

Camden noon Nov: 8 ’90 Fine sunny day mild—was out in wheel chair two hours yesterday 12 to 2—sick but expect to go out a little—bad grip & gastric & bladder trouble—y’r letters rec’d—See you don’t like “Old Poets”—it don’t am’t to 8. See note 10 below. 9. The item was a comment on the recent elections: “Walt Whitman likes the result of the late election, and wants more of it. Though an old Republican, he calls the party in power ‘the banditti combine,’ and says, if it were not for American elections as safety-valves, we should likely have a French Revolution here and Reign of Terror”; see Kennedy, 39. Kennedy on November 10 was pleased with WW’s note: “It shows how true a man you are that old age even can never catch yr nimble wits in a rut (Chinese) but you adhere still to principle & the ideal right” (Feinberg).

LETTER 2353: NOVEMBER 12, 1890 115 much any how—sent off another article “National Literature” (!!) to North Al[merican] Rev[iew] last evn’g—ab’t same style—am having 100

complete works bound up same style as the first (boards) with printed back-label & ab’t 200 folded in sheets (with plates, autos, &c: all complete

in sets) & tied & stored away—send you copy of Truth Seeker with Ing[ersoll]’s lecture, complete (& appears correct & full)”—hear f’m Kennedy, is all right, & with Z'rans[cript] the same—enclose Logan Smith’s last to me”—had a lively gent visitor day before yesterday f’m Eng.”—gives a strong acc’t of L of G receptivity & popularity am’g choice

circles, students, (the big colleges) & younger folk there—middle aged man very gentlemanly & pleasant—

Horace is well, is invaluable & faithful to me—I am tickled hugely with the election (“Do you think the common people are logs or boulders” said a first rate lady friend Mrs. EK L Rose to me once in N Y, anent old French Revo) —A bad head and belly ache as I end this—the children are playing & laughing in the street—

Walt Whitman

9352. To an Unidentified Correspondent [11.10. 1890] ENDORSED (by Traubel): “10 Nov. 90.”

Jo, I shall want thirty (30) little printed slips of this { on good paper with the line

From the Critic, New York (date here) overhead, sent me here by mail (no pay for this 4 is expected of course)”

Walt Whitman Camden

New Jersey

9353. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario |

Canada. POSTMARK: C(?) | N(?) 12 | 6 pm | 90.

Camden Nov: 12 ’90 Cloudy wet & dark—mild temperature—y’rs of 9th rec’d last 10. He noted in cB receipt of 30 copies of The Truth Seeker, which printed

“Testimonial to Walt Whitman” on November 1 (xvi1, 690—693, 700). 11. Logan Smith wrote from Oxford on October 27 at the beginning of the college year (Feinberg).

12. Gleeson White, from London, visited the poet on November 4 (cB), after

requesting permission on November 2 (Feinberg). On March 4, 1889, White wrote for information to include in an article for an English magazine for girls (Feinberg). 13. Probably “Shakspere for America,” reprinted in The Critic from Poet-lore.

116 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN evn’g"*—Horace here—Shall call my little 2d annex “Good Bye my Fancy” after a little piece in it—’Tom Harned’s mother is dead 65 y’rs old —funeral to-morrow f’m his house— George Stafford the father has been very ill, a stroke of paralysis, lay

three days in a very critical condition—now better—probably over it & getting right—I saw Ed—I have belly ache continued now ten days—grip & bladder trouble—am sitting here in big chair in den as usual—oatmeal & tea for breakfast—Enclose a couple of letters just rec’d for want of any thing better—God bless you all—

Walt Whitman

2354. To William Sloane Kennedy Camden Novl2 ’90 Y’rs rec'd & welcomed—All goes on ab’t same—I have grip &

bladder trouble & permanent belly ache—rainy & dark here—Tom Harneds mother is dead 65 y’rs old cancer buried to-morrow noon f’m T[om]’s house—Geo. Stafford the father has had a very critical spell of paralysis but is over it & getting along. Did I tell you I had sent off an article “National Literature” to the N[orth] Afmerican] Rev[iew]? (It may not suit them) —I saw my § ab’t the “banditti combine” in paper*—I am having bound up 100 more of the big book complete work, & 200 folded complete ready in sheets— (Printed 600 & have got rid of 300) — am licking the 2d & last Annex into shape—shall put a prose budget (bits, essays, speeches &c) in an Appendix—possibly print it Spring or before— God bless you & frau—

Walt Whitman

9355. To George and Susan Stafford Camden Nov: 12 1890 Dear friends all

I saw Ed in the street yesterday & he told me ab’t George’s bad sickness & serious time—Bad enough I have felt ab’t it & last evn’g—but I

understand he is over it & is getting all right—Ed looks well—If I was well enough I w’d come down & give you all a call, but I seem to be 14, In this letter Bucke thanked WW for signing the editions of Leaves of Grass which Traubel had brought with him to Camden for this purpose (Feinberg ).

15. See 2350, n.9.

LETTER 2357: NOVEMBER 18, 1890 117 helpless with the grip & bladder trouble—Keep up tho—& get out in wheel chair when weather fair—cloudy & wet here to-day—warmish—I hear second hand f’m Herbert there down Long Island—he is well & [I hear] thinks of [buying?] the place there—All goes on much the same in my affairs— Write me [soon?] & tell me how George gets along—Love to you all & God bless you—

Walt Whitman

9356. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camde(?) | Nov 14 | 6 AM | 90.

Camden Nov: 13 ’90 Now abt 2 P M—have been out to Mrs: Harned’s (Tom’s mother’s) funeral at noon & for quite a spin in wheel chair since—the sun came out finely, after a cloudy mn’g, & the past two days’ rain—a little cool— The grip (I suppose it is) bad enough on me, & this persistent belly ache

varied with dots (shoots) of spasms of pain (quite instantaneous) in abdomen—have the pain early morning, bed rising—my eating sufhciently careful I guess—drink tea the last week (no coffee )—Dr Thomas came over & Fox subsequently with nice glasses wh’ upon trial did not seem to agree with my eyes—strained them, & less clear than my old ones,

wh’ I resumed & since prefer to use—but something may come of it yet—Am specially unwell to-day, head ache, but shall probably soon be as usual—I sit here as usual—prospect of fine weather the rest of the day— The hatter (Phil) said the hat c’d not be well done over, & sent it back to me—have sold one or two big books lately"—

Walt Whitman

9357. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, (?) | Nov 19 | 6 aM | 90.

Camden noon Nov: 18 °90 Had some oatmeal porridge & tea for breakfast—bladder trouble 16. On November 5 he sent Complete Poems & Prose to F. Townsend Southwick, of New York City (CB), the director of a school of oratory, who, in an undated fragment, probably written in 1890, requested permission “to select & edit a number of your poems for class use & recitation” (LC).

118 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN bad—head stuffy & thick—send off, (at their request) a little thanksgiving poemet to N Y World $10"—I shall write & send (perhaps a little poetry cluster) to the Arena monthly as they have ask’d something’*— (1 am writing a little)—an Englishman Hamilton Aidé, companion & (I

believe) secretary of Stanley,” has been over to see me—talked well (good, a little passé, genteel) pleasant impression, very eulogistic—belly ache seems to have ab’t fizzled out—splendid show here of the brightest prettiest yellow chrysamthemums I ever saw, & white ones too—a fine sunny forenoon but now clouded up & looks like rain or snow— Have written a poemet “Old Chants” wh’ when printed I will send you

—(I wanted to bow down to the great old poems more deferentially than ever )—they are going on with the printing R G I[ngersoll]’s lecture in little book in N Y—the Dec. Lippincotts has this piece I enc:”—y’r letters rec'd & always welcomed—I have sent the white (mole color’d) hat over to be dyed black & trimmed—Have been re-reading that long letter in the old Bury (Eng) paper ab’t y’r early explorations—growing colder—I have a good oak fire—Fox’s eye glasses to me are failures—

Walt Whitman Y’rs of 16th rec’d.

2358. To Dr. John Johnston ADDRESS: Dr Johnston | 54 Manchester Road | Bolton Lancashire | England. PosrMaArRK:

Camden, N.J. | Nov 19 | 6 am | 90.

Camden NJ US America | Nov: 18 °90 Y’rs & J W W[allace]’s letters rec’d & welcomed—I am here yet & much the same way—Still the grip & the bladder trouble—am writing a 17. To Julius Chambers, of the New York World, he sent a piece entitled “Walt Whitman’s Thanksgiving,” which appeared on November 23 with this preface: “From out

of buoyant spirits, fine weather and brightest sunshine (Nov: 18, 90) I send hearty salutations in advance to The World readers, staff, and printers—Why not say, all the Commonwealth—aye, the orb itself, all hands? Carlyle said the truest poetry was impell’d

by gratitude, adoration, the richness of love, thanksgiving (it is a deep criticism). I sometimes wonder whether this native festa of ours is not to be kicked out of all the celebration days of our New World, and spread to all our confines, and become our distinctive day, autochthonous, representative of our whole Nationality. “Though old and helplessly paralyzed, I am among you in New York more than you think; and, while I cannot send you anything particularly new, I re-dedicate to you all, as

follows, one of my late personal utterances. . . .” “Thanks in Old Age” was quoted in entirety. The poet was paid $10 on November 23 (CB).

18. He sent on November 22 six poems to Isaac N. Baker, who was apparently associated with The Arena: “Old Chants,” “On, on the Same, Ye Jocund Twain!” “Sail

LETTER 2360: NOVEMBER 20, 1890 119 little—just sent off a little thanksgiving poemet for N Y paper (ordered) —the Ing[ersoll] lecture is to be printed in book & I will send you one—H

Traubel here daily & invaluable & kind—hear f’'m Dr Bl[ucke]— affectionate regards to you & Wallace & all—

Walt Whitman

2359. To Mary Smith Costelloe ADDRESS: Mrs: Costelloe | 40 Grosvenor Road | the Embankment | London England. posTMARK: Ca[mden,] N.J. | Nov 19 | 6 am | 90.

Camden NJ US America| Nov: 18 ’90 Seems a long time since I have heard f’m or written to yu—Am still here (still holding out after a fashion) —am writing a little, mentality (sort o’) & good right arm—I sent you my “Old Poets” essay, & shall send bits when printed—Love to the childer & all” —

Walt Whitman

2360. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London Ontario | Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Nov 20 |

8 pm | 90; London | pm | No 22 | 9 | Canada.

Camden Evn’g Noy.20 ’90 Cool weather—I went out at 12 in wheel chair, but was driven back by snow & wind squall—sun out since—the worst of belly ache over, but just a reminder sometimes—Everything as well as could be expected I guess.

Walt Whitman Out for Good, Eidélon Yacht,” “L. of G.’s Purport,” “For Us Two, Reader Dear,” and “My Task”(?). The cluster was rejected by B. O. Flower, the editor, on December 2; he preferred “an essay from your pen to poems” (Feinberg ). 19. Charles Hamilton Aidé (1826-1906), poet, novelist, and British army officer; and Sir Henry Morton Stanley (1841-1904), who made a triumphal tour of America in 1890.

20. Of “To the Sun-Set Breeze” Bucke said on November 22: “If I know any thing of L. of G. or of you this is one of the most subtle, extraordinary little poems you ever wrote and so far from its being done off-hand it seems to me deeper than the deepest study —even to follow in thought the (double) meaning of it makes me feel giddy as in looking up, up, into the far sky” (Feinberg). This is the poem highly praised by Ezra Pound; see CRE, 546—547n.

21. In her reply on November 28 Mrs. Costelloe lamented “Parnell’s incredible meanness” and spoke of her interest in “the reform of existing social abuses, such as the overwork & underpay & the generally wretched conditions under which the poor live” (Feinberg ).

120 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

9361. To Joseph M. Stoddart TRANSCRIPT.

Camden, Nov. 20, 1890 Horace Traubel tells me that you favor his writing a piece abt me

(I am willing, I will help & talk, &c) to be printed soon with a picture portrait you have. Also you contemplate for some number a full page of my poetic bits with name attached.”. . . Walt Whitman

2362. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: C[amden,] N.J. | Nov 23 |

6 pM | 90.

Camden earlyPM Nov: 22 ’90 Have sent off some poemets to make two pages for Arena magazine, printed in Boston, to I N Baker (with R G Ingersoll) —ask $100 for the whole—No proof or news rec’d by me of my “National Literature” piece sent to N[orth] A[merican] Review—probably dont suit—Stoddart (Lippincott’s Mag) contemplates a full page of my poemets in mag— Suppose you got the slips “Sunset Breeze” bit—

Sunny to day, sharp cold, squally wind gales here—am beleagured with belly-ache quite bad, is apt to begin at daybreak—is on me now—dia-

phragm region & upper breast at times sore & achy—(probably bad digestion) —bowel voiding action (tho not good) is by no means as obstinately bad as a year ago & as it has been past—Enclose letters (tho’

not knowing whether they may interest you)—send also a little in “Munyon’s Ill[ustrated] World””’—am sitting here as usual in my den— oak wood fire—big wolf skin over back of chair—Warry is down stairs practising on his fiddle—Mrs. D[avis] is out in the kitchen room cooking —she has just bro’t up a dish of nice crispy sweet cakes, (but I set them away & think I best not eat them, at any rate at present) —Horace here last evn’g—a small earthquake in the financial world just now, as you see in the papers—well the money question is the least of my troubles—yr 22. Stoddart wrote about a Whitman page on October 10 (Feinberg). The March issue of Lippincott’s in 1891 (xvi, 376-389) contained WW’s portrait as a frontispiece, “Old Age Echoes” (including “Sounds of the Winter,” “The Unexpress’d,” “Sail Out for

LETTER 2364: NOVEMBER 25, 1890 121 letters rec’d & always cheer me—Respects & love to Mrs. B. (the 15th page of the paper is for her to read to the young children ) —

Walt Whitman

9363. To William Sloane Kennedy Camden Sunday noon Nov: 23 ’90 Enclosed two copies my latest f’'m Lippincott’s Dec—Nothing very new—Cold weather, grip & bladder bother continued—physically uncom-

fortable enough—sunny to-day though—steady belly ache—fixed comfortably enough here (surroundings &c)—word f’m Dr B[ucke] every other day, he is all right—Horace T[raubel] every evn’g (welcome) — Stanley’s companion & secretary (Hamilton Aidé) has been over to see me —Talcott Williams comes—I sit here by oak fire every thing quiet.

Walt Whitman

9364. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camd(?) | Nov 2(?) |

4 30 PM | 90.

Camden early PM Nov: 25 ’90 Y’rs of three days since rec’d & welcomed—the enclosed is just rec'd f'm Dr Johnston—his celluloid photo plate I have consigned to be used in Horace’s article ab’t me in N[ew] E[ngland] Magazine if they print it— I am easier to-day, belly ache milder but still not gone—sunny & cold —shall probably get out an hour or so hence in wheel chair (first in three days) —Am to send Mrs: Ingersoll 400 5th av: N Y. some good photos of

self in big handsome envelope for Christmas present—oysters plenty & good, ate them yesterday & to-day—the papers copy “sun set Breeze” — Horace’s sister Agnes, do you remember Agnes? (a nice healthy, ‘cute, womanly Americo-German girl, a great friend of mine) —has just gone & got married—Still apparently some flurry & sporadic failures in financial & brokers’ circles hereabout—but I guess nothing serious, nothing chronic —a fair normal bowel passage this fore'n—Young Dr Mitchell (he said Good, Eidélon Yacht!” and “After the Argument”), WW’s “Some Personal and Old-Age Memoranda,” Traubel’s “Walt Whitman: Poet and Philosopher and Man,” and “The Old Man Himself. A Postscript.” 23. Probably “The Perfect Human Voice”; see 2182.

122. THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN his father sent him) was here f’m Phila. yesterday evn’g—fine y’ng fellow —no medicine (at least yet )—some head ache to-day—have just sent off a € to the Critic announcem’t number (Novy. 29) for O’Connor’s book (no news of its publication yet )**— Well I will now put on a top coat & see if Warry is ready to propel me out—

Walt Whitman

2365. To Dr. John Johnston ENDORSED: “Recd | Dec 2 | 90 JJ.” ApprEss: Dr Johnston | 54 Manchester Road | Bolton Lancashire | England. PosTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Nov 25 |

430 pm | 90.

Camden New Jersey US America | Nov: 25 °90 Y’rs of 15th rec’d & welcomed—the celluloid photo plate came safe

(rec'd gratefully) & I grant its use to a magazine article ab’t me (N[ew] E[ngland] Magazine) by Horace Traubel wh’ he is finishing—will send you, if printed. Will soon send you (soon as I get some) a Phila: mag. with my latest poemet.” Sunny & cold here—Ab’t same as usual. Love to you & Wallace (show him this) & to all the boys—

Walt Whitman

2366. To Mary Elizabeth Van Nostrand TRANSCRIPT.

Camden, N. J. | Nov. 28, ’90 Dear Sister

I suppose you rec’d the paper I sent with the notice of Brother Jeff’s death in St. Louis last Tuesday—typhoid pneumonia. George went on—(must have arrived there this m’ning )—Jessie went immediately the first train—but poor Jeff was dead before she arrived. Lou was in here yesterday. Han is poorly but around the house & sometimes just gets out.

Ed is well. I am rather poorly at present—the grip, bladder trouble & (probably ) catarrh of bowels (quite a snarl altogether) —but I sit up here 24, WW’s paragraph in the magazine began with an announcement of Good-bye My Fancy, which at this time was to include an appendix with essays by Sarrazin,

Rolleston, and Ingersoll, and mentioned O’Connor’s book toward the conclusion. WW later abandoned the appendix under pressure from Bucke and Traubel; see 2563.

LETTER 2368: NOVEMBER 28, 1890 123 —read & write. I suppose you got the magazine I just sent—Love to you and all & God bless you all.

Walt Whitman

2367. To Edward Whitman Camden NJ Nov: 28 ’90 Dear Ed: It is pretty sad days just now for me here—our dear brother Jeff died last Tuesday at St Louis, Missouri, of typhoid pneumonia. Jessie went on first train soon as she heard he was sick, but poor Jeff was dead when she arrived—George has gone on—(must have got there this morning ) —Hannah is poorly at Burlington Vermont, but gets about the house. Very cold here. I am still about (not much about for I can only move by help) but have the grip badly, & bladder trouble. I often think of you & hope you have comfortable times—I have heard you have a good kind attendant who has been there some time in the asylum—I wish he would stop here at 328 Mickle & see me a few minutes when he is in Camden. My best respects to Mr and Mrs. Currie”—My love to you—

Walt Whitman

2368. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden (?) | Nov 29(?) |

8 AM | 9(?).

Camden noon Nov: 28 ’90 Gloomy & depressed enough these two or three days—My brother Jeff died Tuesday last at St Louis—typhoid pneumonia—was in his 58th

year—was very much with me in his childhood & as big boy greatly attached to each other till he got married—(I was in 16th year when he was born) —Sunny out to day—cold, little or no appetite—bad belly ache continued—(I suspect it is catarrh of bowels) —sitting here in big chair as usual alone—Ed Stafford here last evn’g to see me—All well or getting along there—Y’rs rec’d last evn’g, thanks— God bless you all—

Walt Whitman . 25. “To the Sun-Set Breeze” in Lippincott’s. The photograph is the frontispiece of ur The superintendent of the asylum where Edward was hospitalized. This is the only extant letter from the poet to his feeble-minded brother.

124 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

2369. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Nov 30 |

5 pm | 90; London | pm | De 1 | 90 | Canada.

Camden Nov: 29 °90 Have been out nearly an hour in wheel chair—sunny but cool— y rs rec'd, thanks—had a pretty good night’s rest—belly ache comes on first

thing at daybreak, lasts three or four hours, then gone—will probably pass over—letters to day f’m Bolton Eng: —

Walt Whitman

2370. To Dr. John Johnston ADDRESS: Dr Johnston | 54 Manchester Road | Bolton Lancashire | England. PosTMARK: Camden,

N.J. | Nov 30 | 5 pm | 90.

Camden NJ US America | Nov: 29 ’90 Yrs & J W Wl[allace]’s kind letters rec’d—thanks—have sent the L of G. to Rev: Mr: Johnstone”—Still ab’t the same—catarrhal bad head and abdomen—cold & sunny weather—have been out at mid day an hour in wheel chair—Sad & gloomy days here—death of my brother T. J. W. at St Louis Missouri—

Walt Whitman

2371. To Jessie Louisa Whitman ADDRESS: Miss Jessie L Whitman | 2437 2d Carondelet Av | St Louis | Missouri. posTMARK:

Camden (?) | Nov 30 | (?) pm | 90.

Camden NJ Evn’g Nov: 30 °90 Dear Jess George got back safe ab’t 4 past 1 & has been with me part of this afternoon, & gone back to B[urlington] home for rest. Dear girl, I hope you will bear up under this great affliction. I have written to Hannah, to

Mary at Greenport, and to Eddy. Soon as you feel to, come to us here. Love to you & God bless you—Remem[ mutilated]

Walt Whitman 27. He mailed the pocket-book edition to the Rev. T. B. Johnstone, of Bolton,

LETTER 2373: DECEMBER 1, 1890 125 2372. To David Lezinsky ADDRESS: David Lezinsky | p 0 box 211 | Berkeley Cal:. POSTMARK: Camden | Nov 30 | 5(?) pm | 90.

Camden New Jersey | Nov: 30 1890 My dear D L Y’rs of 21st rec’d & welcomed—the Callifornia] papers rec’d—I am sitting here 2d story room, in big ratan chair with wolf-skin spread back—pretty cold spell of weather here but sun out today pleasant. Am getting along much in the same old way, rather a let down in health even f'm what it was—grip (pretty bad) bladder trouble & (probably) catarrh of bowels—but I keep up sort o’ & was out yesterday noon a short jaunt in wheel chair—have a good oak fire & comfortable & plenty to eat (but no

appetite) —Ed Stead (driver hansom) was here Aug: 20 last—havn’t seen him since—I never heard whether you rec’d the books I sent you by express package directed to you care O K Lerris Hotel Butte City Montana (sent June 4 last from here) —when you next write tell me. Ingersoll’s lecture on me here, is to be printed in a little book in N Y. &

I will send it to you soon as I get it—Warren Fritzinger is still with me—Mrs: Davis is well—Have had a depressed gloomy week—my brother Jeff (T J Whitman) died last Tuesday in St Louis, Mo: was a civil engineer—Hear often fm Dr Bucke my Canada friend—Horace Traubel comes in every day—I contemplate a little 2d annex to L of G.&

am fashioning at it—am writing a little for outside (for order) —but pieces I volunteer (to magazines &c) are quite always sent back rejected. I

suppose you got my last I sent. | God bless you—

Walt Whitman

2373. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARK: Cam(?) | Dec (?) | 8 PM |

90; London | PM | De 3 | 9 | Canada.

Camden PM Dec: 1 ’90 Cold & raw & dark, feels & looks like snow—nothing very different

with me—my bro: George has got back f’m St Louis—my poor neice Jessie (Jeff’s daughter) was very sick (alarmingly) but is easier—I was out in chair yesterday—am sitting here in den comfortable enough—

Walt Whitman England, on this date (CB).

126 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

9374. To Susan Stafford Camden Dec: 1 ’90 Cloudy & raw & dark weather to-day & looks like snow out—has been a rather gloomy week past with me—my dear brother Jeff died last Tuesday at St Louis, had typhoid pneumonia but was over the worst of it, & then some heart attack which proved mortal—Jessie the daughter was here, & hurried back first train, but he died before she got there—she was very low & sick several days, but at last acc’ts was getting better & they think will pull through.

Your Ed (dear young man) was in to see me a few ev’n’gs ago & I wish he w’d come oftener, I am here alone most of the time—got out in wheel chair a little yesterday & day before too, but it is rather dull, at best — (folks don’t know how rich they are in even being able to walk) —I am writing a little (to order) for publication—am shaping a little 2d annex for L of G.—you know it has one already—this is to be the 2d & last—Col: Ingersoll’s lect: is being printed in a small book in N Y, & I will send you one—sell my books to purchasers once in a while (sold one to-day)”— Hope George gets better & stronger—write soon & tell me ab’t him, & w’d like to send him something for Christmas present—And, my dear Harry, O how I wish we were near enough for me to have him with me every day —I am getting more helpless than ever in legs and ankles—only my right arm keeps good fortunately—have catarrh of bowels in addition to other troubles—am sitting here as usual in den in big cane chair with old wolfskin back—Remembrances to you & George, & to Ed & Harry & Deb & Van & Jo—& Jane” too if she is there— _ God bless you all—

Walt Whitman

9375. To Dr. John Johnston ADDRESS: Dr Johnston | 54 Manchester Road | Bolton | Lancashire | England. posTMARK:

Camden (?) | Dec 2 | 8 pm | 90. .

Camden New Jersey US America |

Dec: 2 ’90

The Notes & Good Words have come all right*°—of the Notes I w’d like you to send a copy each to , 28. He “sent big book to D McKay—this makes the 4th one unacc’ted (unpaid) for oo. ‘Deborah and J oseph Browning and Van Doran Stafford. I cannot identify Jane.

LETTER 2376: DECEMBER 4, 1890 127 Mrs: O’Connor, 112 M street N W. Washington D C Mrs: Mary E Van Nostrand, Greenport, Suffolk Co: New York

Miss Whitman, 24.36 2d Carondelet Av: St Louis, Missouri c

Mrs: H L Heyde, 21 Pearl street, Burlington, Vermont >

R G Ingersoll, 45 Wall street New York City 5

Sloane Kennedy, Belmont, Mass: 5

David McKay, Publisher, 23 south 9th st Philadelphia Talcott Williams, Press newspaper office, Philadelphia

Bernard O’Dowd Supreme Court Library, Melbourne, Victoria

R Pearsall Smith 44 Grosvenor Road, Westminster Embankm’t London Edw’d Carpenter, Millthorpe near Chesterfield Eng: M Gabriel Sarrazin, magistrat, Nouméa, Nouvelle Caledonie (Colonies Francaises ) ? to Tennyson

W M Rossetti, Euston Square London J Addington Symonds Davos Platz, Switzerland Have read the Notes all through & accept & like them—(am pleased & flatter’d always best in the human side)—hope you have had a good lot struck off by the printer, as they will surely be wanted—& (barring their fearfully eulogistic tinge) I endorse all—Nothing very new or different here—physically bad off these times, bad gastric condition—catarrh of bowels—“grip” bladder trouble &c:—the pict: in “Good Words” has got a decidedly better turn to it than the big III: one”—a gloomy blue week here—death of my brother Jeff six days ago at St Louis, Missouri—Cold weather here—all white f’'m snow out—Affectionate remembrances to all

—I am sitting here in the big old chair with wolf skin spread—sun shining merrily out on the snow—

Walt Whitman

2376. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Dec 5 | 6 Am |

90; London | pm | De 6 | 90 | Canada.

Camden Evn’g Dec: 4 ’90 Mainly the same—poorly. Lippincott, Stoddart & fine young lady 30. Dr. Johnston’s account of his visit to America was privately printed in 1890; it was later included in Visits, 31-86. A partial facsimile of this letter appears in Visits,

* 31. The reference is to the “foxy” picture in the Illustrated London News; see 2157.

128 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN here, full of courtesy &c. Cold—snow vanish’d—the poems sent to Arena rejected, sent back to me—have been reading Felton’s Greece” (the fight 1828 with the Turks &c ) —lying down awhile on bed—no mail to day— God bless you—

Walt Whitman

9377. To Joseph M. Stoddart ENDORSED: “Personal | to J MS.”

Camden Dec: 5 ’90 My dearJ MS J like y’r plan & feel greatly complimented by it & hope it will be

carried out forthwith say in the February number. Of course I will do whatever I can—remember what I said ab’t the printerial proportion & look. Send me soon a printed slip of the pieces you have, so I can make a nice flush page.

I send you herewith the MS of personal article (must not have my name signed) —Of course if you print it send me good proof—The price w’d be $20 & I reserve the right to print in future book if I wish & shall want 25 numbers of the Mag:* [incomplete]

2378. To George and Susan Stafford Camden Sunday Evn’g Dec: 7 ’90 Dear friends all Y’r letter, Susan, rec’d & welcomed, & of course I was glad to hear f’m you all but hoped that George had fully or most fully recovered—but it is slow & tedious work & I hope & trust for the best. I want to come down & see him & I hope to yet.

Still keeps pretty dull & poorly with me, going down slowly but surely all the time—pretty serious catarrh (probably) in the head & bowels too

—& bladder malady—havn’t been out the past week—am comfortable here, wood fire—cloudy out & looks & feels like snow—have had a couple of visitors to-day, one f’m the college near Boston—™ My brother George return’d f’m St Louis & was here a couple of hours 32. Cornelius Conway Felton, Greece, Ancient and Modern (1867), 2 vols.

33. See 2361. 34. The caller was probably Professor Josiah Royce of Harvard, whose visit was

LETTER 2380: DECEMBER 8, 1890 129 —my neice Jessie remains at present in St L—It was all a dark & rather sudden blow—Susan, I enclose two dollars for Harry’s little ones, give it to Eva for them—Maybe Harry will be here in a day or two—I hope he will—That bad accident here or the foolish misplacing of the RR switch

—we knew the poor conductor Leap, kill’d (leaves 6 children poor enough)—Love to you all—Ed, stop here often as you can—you too, Susan—George, keep a good heart—my love to you, Harry dear—God bless you all—

Walt Whitman

2379. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. posTMARKs: Camden, N.J. | Dec 9 | 6 AM |

90; London | pm | De 10 | 90 | Canada.

Camden Dec: 8 ’90 Snow storm to-day—Horace returns f’m N Y—poorly enough but sitting up as usual—bowel action yesterday—head uncomfortable & aching—am getting in 100 new bound big books, (ab’t 100 left in sheets big) —Sit here as usual—send you paper with article & pict: (failure—impression poor—bad) of the cemetery place*—suspicion of belly ache, but not strong—am trying to read & write—Lord be with you—

WW

2380. To Richard Maurice Bucke 12.8-9. 1890 ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden (?) | Dec 9 |

430 PM | 90.

Camden NJ 1890 | Monday night— Dec 8 Horace has been here back from his brief N Y trip—he saw Ingersoll at I’s splendid Wall st offices, surrounded with his clerks & Mr Baker, & had a long talk, varied & animated & interesting—was at (Jeweler) Johnston’s—staid there—had good confabs & good meals there— went to the Ethical Convention &c &c &c—

I am sitting here alone—had my supper two hours ago—mostly vegeproposed by Talcott Williams on December 5 (Feinberg). 35. According to Bucke’s letter of December 12, WW sent the Camden Courier of December 6 with “long piece abt. tomb” (Feinberg).

130 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN tables & a cup of tea—am feeling middling comfortable—cold weather— snow, rain & mist—financial failures these days—but I believe the experts here don’t feel generally alarmed—Have just had a good icy cup of sweet

milk bro’t to me wh’ I am drinking slowly at intervals as I write—the sound of the RR cars on the track next street, and a half-muffled whistling in the snow—

A M Dec: 9—Sun shining—west wind—snow on ground—some toast & tea for breakfast—sent off proof of obituary of my dear bro: Jeff to N Y Engineering Record (will send you one when printed) *“°—did you get

Critic of Nov. 29? Or shall I send you mine? Talcott Williams (Phil: Press) had a stenographer there at Reisser’s evn’g May 31 °89, & took down the conversation bet’n Ingersoll and self (ab’t immortality &c) after supper it seems—& is now typewriting it out & to send me copies, one of wh’ I will surely forward to you soon as he does”—have just got a letter f’m Johnston N Y, buying a big book enc: the money*—enough bellyache to signify itself (indigestion mainly I guess)—noon & early afternoon fine out but bad traveling—What is this I hear ab’t some one in Phila: (at some bust there anent of me) giving him (Johnston N Y) $10 to hand me?”—how was it?—bowel motions but slow & hard & sluggish—

Walt Whitman

2381. To Richard Maurice Bucke 12.12-13. 1890 ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Dec 14 |

5 pm | 90.

Camden 1890 | Dec: 12 early PM Bright & coolish—pleasant—Warren has gone over to Dr Mitchell’s with urinary specimen”—have the belly ache plain enough early in the morning in bed—& then during the day subsides or is quite gone—a bit of chop & some bread & tea for my breakfast—dull heavy head—y’r letters rec’d & welcomed—sit here in den as usual— Dec 13—got out yesterday 142 P M in wheelchair but was too chill’d &

made it short—cold weather here—Keep good fire—just my breakfast bit 36. “An Engineer’s Obituary” appeared in The Engineering Record on December

a 37. Williams was in Camden on December 5 with the “proof” typescript of “Offhand talk between WW and R [G] Ingersoll” (cB). 38. The book was for Agnes Schilling (CB).

39. Bucke explained the matter on December 12: a man named Beers gave

LETTER 2383: DECEMBER 14, 1890 131 of broil’d chicken, cranberries & bread & tea—eat light—appetite middling (to poor) —mark’d symptoms of cold in the head to-day—write this early in forenoon—

P M-—bad day—neglected here badly—cold—probably chill’d (badly) f’m sitting here in cold room—am feeling sick & cross & unattended to here & probably feel ugly enough—sun shining out—

Walt Whitman

2382. To Horace Tarr Camden New Jersey | Dec: 13 ’90 Dear HT Y’rs just rec’d—I send photo of Jeff—If properly handled (“processed” is the common way, for preparing for printing on the power press )

it can be made a capital picture, can be enlarged to any size. Is a good likeness & was taken eight or ten years ago—Yes I| will write a few lines to

go with it—I shall want some copies sent here by mail without fail. My copies of the Eng[ineering] Record with article have not come—slips also not come—I hope they will not be neglected—& will ask you if convenient to jog the editor’s memory—Horace, ab’t the kind mention & offer ab’t my

dear neice (God bless you, Horace dear boy—and God bless the dear engineers) —I do not at this moment know what to say definitely (for Jessie) —and will write you further—also ab’t the sculptor—am unwell to-day" —

Walt Whitman

Tho’ I sit up & eat my rations & have my right arm & (sort o’) mentality I am paralyzed & utterly disabled here—cannot walk across the room—my respects to Worthen—show him this—

2383. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDREss: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Dec 14 |

5 pm | 90; London | pm | De 15 | 90 | Canada.

Camden earlyPM Dec: 14 ’90 Sitting here as usual—nothing very new or different—sunny Johnston $10 for tickets on the day of the Philadelphia lecture (Feinberg).

40. See 2394. 41. Tarr on December 1 had requested that WW write an obituary of Jeff. On

December 13 he asked for a picture, and, after a conference with William E. Worthen, an engineer and old friend (see Corr., 1, 226, 228), inquired about Jeff’s “probable financial condition.” He thought that “a thousand of dollars or so could be cheerfully raised, or given.” He concluded by asking the poet to sit for an unnamed sculptor (Feinberg).

182. THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN weather—quiet & dull enough—Jeweler J[ohnston] of N Y. sent me the 10 (by Horace) —bowel action this forenoon—a little afraid I got a chill yesterday (worse for my grip)—The great general “intestinal agitation” going on over the U S (& perhaps the civilized world) but nothing heroic or historic in the old sense (special-individualistic) I guess—as I sit here & read the paper, & simmer—

WW

2384. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Dec 15 |

6 pm | 90; London | pm | De 1(?) | 90 | Canada.

Camden NJ Dec: 15 ’90 Feeling fairly—send you the little obituary ab’t my bro:—seems as tho’ my piece “National Literature” is to be out in coming Jan: N[orth] A[merican] Rev[iew]*—pleasant sunny day here—have just got a fine plain gold ring to give Mrs: Davis for Christmas present— Walt Whitman

2385. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKs: Camden, N.J. | Dec 16 |

6 pM | 90; London | m | De 17 | 90 | Canada.

Camden Dec: 16 ’90 Fairly—bowel action so-so—four or five times a week—once in a while fairly full—sluggish quite always but not at all as bad as a year & a

half ago—I suppose you got the Eng’ng Record N Y with the little obituary—am sitting here in den—Warren is down stairs practicing on fiddle—in the distance (grumbling thunder) the Parnell rumpus & the

Sioux raid—indeed distant, that P. row—short note from Mrs: O’C[onnor]—no news yet f’m H[oughton] M[ifflin] & Co: Boston*—

WW 42, Plans were altered; see 2387.

43. Mrs. O’Connor wrote on December 12 that she had not heard from the

publishers of The Three Tales (Feinberg).

LETTER 2387: DECEMBER 18, 1890 133

2386. To Talcott Williams [12.16. 1890] ADDRESS: Talcott Williams | office Press newspaper | Phila:. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Dec 16 |

6 pM | 90; Received | Dec | 16 | 8 30 pM | Phila.

| Camden Tuesday Evn’g Thank you for the papers requested—But the type-written report of the Ing[ersoll] conversation has not reached me“—

Walt Whitman

2387. To Richard Maurice Bucke 12.18-20. 1890 ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: (?) | Dec 20(?) | 6 Pm | 90.

Camden Thursday forenoon Dec: 18 ’90 Y’rs of 16th recd—thanks—a storm wind rain &c: yesterday & preceding night—but comfortable & snug here for me—my locale seems to be out f’m stress of winds & waters, & we have a capital roof over the shanty—appetite good—made my breakfast of buckwheat cakes & tea— you must not worry ab’t me—I am undoubtedly getting along here as well [as] is practicable (perhaps possible) —Mrs. Davis is & has always been good & kind & willing, ready to cook any thing I wish—& always genial & respectful—I now feel & have always felt to have her mind for me as long as I live—Recd word f’m N[orth] A[merican] Rev[iew] that my piece will

not be printed (as at first announced) in Jan: number*—some hitch— what exactly we may or may not find out—sold two books yesterday*— suppose you rec'd the Eng’g Record (with obituary of my dear brother Jeff )—& the Chester (Eng: ) paper I sent—Have heard nothing more of late f'm Stoddart (Lippincott’s) or Talcott Williams (the Ingersoll talk) —2\2 P M—the sun is out again—

Dec: 19 a m—Fine & sunny out—cold—Wm Ingram here—all well with him—y’rs of 17th recd & welcomed—feeling poorly enough this forenoon—head bad, belly ditto—pain (dots of sort 0’ spasms) in left breast heart region—

7 p m—Easier three hours or so—Mrs. D at my request made me a big cup of hot tea early in middle of afternoon, wh’ | sipp’d, drank & 44, See 2380. 45, Rideing, assistant editor of the journal, informed WW on December 16 that “Old Poets” would “probably” appear in the February issue (Feinberg). 46. Mr. Sheppard, a friend of Frank Harned, purchased two books (CB).

134 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

enjoyed & a sort of mild sweat follow’d. At any rate I am easier—H T[raubel] here this evn’g—has seen Stoddart (Lippincott’s) who wants (proposes) to make his March number what he calls a Whitman number with articles (some of mine, with name) & picture— Dec: 20 noon—fine sunny day—pains in left breast, with lancinating dashes—am sitting here writing—Merry Christmas to you, to Mrs. B and to all the childer—

Walt Whitman

2388. To Dr. John Johnston ADDRESS: Dr Johnston | 54 Manchester Road | Bolton | Lancashire England. posrmMark: Camden, N.J. | Dec 20 |] 6 Am | 90.

Camden New Jersey US America | Dec: 19

Evn’g ’90 Y’r circular (ab’t Art meeting) rec’d this mn’g—this & all letters & papers &c: welcomed—the celluloid plate promises a good impression — (it is now over in the photo-printers’ in Phila: to have some printed for me) —Am poorly enough to-day, head, gastric & bladder trouble all bad. I suppose you rec’d Engineering Record of N Y. with obituary of my dear brother Jeff at St Louis—Love to you and Wallace—best respects to all the friends—sunset just shining out here—

Walt Whitman

9389. To Hannah Heyde Camden Dec: 22 1890 Dear sister Han

Merry Christmas to you first thing, from my heart and soul— Nothing very new with me—fine sunny to-day, (just after noon) and I want to get out if possible in wheel chair—Send you enclosed 10—you might give one of the 5s to C[harles]—havn’t heard any thing further f’m 477. Heyde thanked his brother-in-law on December 24, on the back of which letter WwW wrote two days later: “This is the only decent (or nearly decent) letter f’m the whelp I have rec’d for two years—(but there is a mean sneer & snarl even in this)” (Feinberg). Heyde wrote again on December 29: Hannah “is much stricken, Walt—gray —thin, her hair blanched—whitened—her hands shrunken—the bones protruding as it were.” He thanked WW for his generosity but lamented the stinginess of George—“Very stupid and very mean I consider George and Lou to be.” They obviously, like WW, were anxious to supply Hannah’s needs but not to provide for the self-styled “unworthy” Heyde

LETTER 2391: DECEMBER 23, 1890 135 Jessie f'm St Louis since—Y’rs recd—Love to you, sister dear—& God bless you” —

Y’r affectionate brother

Walt Whitman

2390. To Dr. John Johnston ADDRESS: Dr Johnston | 54 Manchester Road | Bolton | Lancashire England. postMARkKs: Ca(?) |

Dec 24 | 12 m | 90; Philadelphia, Pa. | Dec 24 | 2 pM | Paid.

Camden New Jersey US America | Dec: 23—Evn’g—’90

Y’r letter comes this evn’g: & I write a line at once.” Matters are ab’t as usual—had my 2d meal for the day at 4, a bit of broiled chicken, some bread & prunes, & a cup of tea, with relish—am sitting here (in the room you know) very comfortably—storming out—Shall have a stout massage in abt an hour & then go to bed—Shall not forget to send you, (or at the worst notify you) of any thing by or ab’t me may interest you. Best remembrances to the friends all—

Walt Whitman Have sent the book to F[red] W[ild]*#—

2391. To J. W. Wallace ADDRESS: J W Wallace | Anderton near Chorley | Lancashire England. POosTMARKS: Camden, N.J. |

Dec 24 | (?)2 M | 90; Philadelphia, Pa. | Dec 24 | 3 PM | Paid.

Camden New Jersey US America | Ewn'g: Dec: 23 790 Y’r letter welcomed—Feel pretty fair (considering )—was out in (Trent). 48. Johnston’s letter of December 13, like most of his notes, abounded in the sentimental vitality of an idealistic little group of men who met frequently for evenings of poetry reading, good fellowship, and edifying injunctions—“rousing us to a sense of the value & importance of our little Society of Friends & urging upon us the necessity for strengthening the bonds of mutual manly love & true Comradeship & the cultivation of the Higher Self” (Feinberg). A dearly beloved age beyond recall! 49. On the next day WW mailed the pocket-book edition to Fred Wild (cB).

136 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

wheel chair yesterday, but cold—sit here today in big chair with old wolf-skin spread on back—some visitors—write & read (or rather go thro’ the motions )—once in a while something or somebody that cheers me— (what an art that 1s!) —Often think of you all there—

Walt Whitman

2392. To William Sloane Kennedy Camden PM Dec: 23 ’90 Merry Christmas to you—ditto to frau—y’r card rec’d this mn’g —thanks—all is going ab’t same—bad grip, bad bladder bother, &c: &c. —hear often f'm Dr Bucke—he is well & busy—made my breakfast of mutton broth toast & tea—Am writing a little—will keep you posted & of any thing printed—(ups & downs—most of my things are yet rejected) —rather a gloomy three weeks the last—the death of my dear brother in

St Louis—cloudy & dark out—was out yesterday short jaunt in wheel chair, but cold & I hurried back—folks dont realize (& I dont care to dwell

on or realize) what a wretched physical shack (a western word) I really am— What was that of Epictetus ab’t “a spark of soul dragging a poor corpse shell around”?”

Walt Whitman

2393. To William Hawley Smith ADDRESS: Wm Hawley Smith, Peoria, Illinois. TRANSCRIPT.

Camden, New Jersey Dec: 23 °90 Y’rs rec’d to-day (with pay $6.40 safely rec’d—thanks) with order

for big book to S. R. Henderson Los Angeles, Cal. just sent by mail postpaid.

Walt Whitman 50. According to Kennedy, WW sent the following item for publication in the Boston Evening Transcript: “The Epictetus saying, as given by Walt Whitman in his now quite utterly dilapidated physical case—and Whitman is particular about verbalism and even commas. . .—is ‘a little spark of soul dragging a great lummux of corpse body clumsily to and fro around”; see Kennedy, 39. The quotation became the letterhead on his stationery in the last year of his life. 51. On December 22 Bucke wrote: “The best letter I have had for a long time was one this moment received written by Dr Mitchell jr. to Horace and forwarded me by the

latter. This letter gives an acct. of the analysis of your water and according to it your kidneys are absolutely normal. There is nothing at all wrong with your water works

LETTER 2395: DECEMBER 24, 1890 137 9394. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. posTMARK: Philadelph(?) | Dec 24 |

1 pm | 90.

Camden Dec: 24 °90 Y’rs rec’d: ab’t the catheter &c:*'—thanks—Am feeling tolerably easy—bowel voidance—clear sunny weather here—

Horace is sending his piece to N[ew] E[ngland] Magazine—I send MS “Some Personal Memoranda” & a poemet to Lippincott’s intended for

March”—I have also sent (did I tell you?) some poetic stuff to Scribner’s*”—McKay has paid me for the 100 big book sets sheets went to

England—Enclose Dr J[ohnston]’s letter came last evn’g”—(good friends, good set there in Bolton) —letter this mn’g f’m Ed Wilkins, welcomed—

Christmas at hand—(a sort of general prosperity & “intestinal agitation”) —Looks fine out & I sh’l likely get in wheel chair—God bless you all—

Walt Whitman

9395. To Edward Wilkins Camden New Jersey | Dec: 24 1890 Dear Ed Y’rs came this mn’g, & was welcome (& you w’d be y’rself) —I am here yet, a peg additional dropping out every successive month or so but in

many things the same subject continued—bladder trouble & the grip (aggravated cold in the head & stomach) are the worst—but I still keep pretty fair spirits & (fortunately) a stout strong right arm considering. Things in the house are ab’t same—Mrs: D[avis] has just been in, is well — Warren has gone over to Phila—I am sitting here in the big chair with wolf skin spread over back—fine sunny day out—cold—no sleighing here —write when you can, dear boy, & I will too—God bless you—

Walt Whitman except the enlarged prostate and the irritation consequent upon it. Your main difficulty is that on account of the enlargement of the prostate the bladder is not entirely emptied at any time—the urine retained undergoes decomposition and causes irritation—Now what is wanted is that a catheter should be passed morning and evening and all the water drawn off (in this way) twice a day” (Feinberg). 52, See 2361 and 2401.

53. He sent on December 17 four poems: “Old Chants,” “Grand Is the Seen,” “Death dogs my steps,” and “two lines.” He requested $100, but the poems were rejected on January 23, 1891 (cB). 54. Dr. Johnston’s letter of December 13 (Feinberg).

138 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

2396. To Bernard O’Dowd 328 Mickle Street n’r Delaware river | Camden

New Jersey US America | Dec: 26 ’90 Herewith are copies of my big book “Complete Works,” one for Jim Hartigan, one for Fred Woods, and two for you (four altogether ) —

all paid for—& cannot pay for the expressage as it [is] all uncertain here—& I sh’l only be too glad if the bundle reaches you safe—y’rs of Nov. 24th rec’d & welcomed, with Mr Bury’s letter with the 5 pound postal order—Shall send a letter to you by mail also at once in duplicate of

this—mean time my sympathy & love to you all, dear friends, men & women—

Walt Whitman

2397. To Bernard O'Dowd Camden New Jersey US America | Dec: 27 °90 Dear friend B O’D,

The books in a bundle, (four complete works) have just gone in Adams’s Express, Wells, Fargo & Co: f’m San F[rancisco], a bundle in brown envelope, (16 inches square, 4 inches thick, y’r address on) to Melbourne, I have paid the expressage throughout—Look out for them in due time & if worth while inquire there at the main Adams, Wells, Fargo & Co Express office—of course I sh’l be a little anxious till I hear they have

arrived for certain—Nothing perhaps notable or new ab’t self—I sent papers with report of Ingersoll’s address here (in Phila) wh’ I hope have reached you before this time—It was a fine success—big hall filled full— $869.45 clear’d above expenses & paid to me—(I will send you the printed speech in little book now being printed in N Y) —

I keep fairly—appetite fair—a quite hearty breakfast at 9 to-day, a meat chop, some oatmeal & cup of tea—the grip on me yet & bladder trouble—am writing a little—spirits easy—heavy snow storm & cold these days all over hereabout—but I keep a stout oak wood fire—& read & write

& while away the time imprisoned here in my room—hope you get the

papers I send—often think of you there more than you know—(my favorite notion is to entwine the working folk of right sort all round the

globe, all lands, that is the foundation of L of G.—they are banded together in spirit and interest essentially all the earth) —My respects & love to you & wife & Fred & Jim & Ada & Ted [Machefer] & Mr & Mrs

LETTER 2400: DECEMBER 29, 1890 139 Fryer & others unspecified—As I finish I hear f’m the express office—the bundle is paid thro hence to you & I shall want to hear f’m it—

Walt Whitman

2398. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POsTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Dec 27 | 8 PM |

90; London | pm | De 29 | 9 | Canada.

Camden Sat: PM Dec: 27 ’90 Snow storm two days—all white out—of course I am imprison’d

—sent off four big books to Melbourne, Australia, paid, by express, $7.50—sitting here dull, heavy-headed, congested—good fire—no mail for me to-day—Warren has gone out sleighing—I hear the boys playing, snow balling &c:—am rather afraid George Stafford is lingering-stricken, by acc’ts—Harry keeps well—some six old fellows (80 and over) died hereabout the last fortnight— Happy New Year to you & all—

Walt Whitman

2399. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. PostMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Dec 29 | 7 30

AM | 90; London | pm | De 30 | 90 | Canada.

Camden noon Dec: 28 ’90 Middling—no palpable belly ache or the small pain dots (spasms) I spoke of for four days now—appetite fair—bowel voidance this forenoon—

Sunny weather—sharp cold—hot cakes & tea for breakfast—sitting here as usual in 2d story room—quiet Sunday—have been lying down half dozing to while away the time—have to keep up good fire—

Walt Whitman

2400. To William Sloane Kennedy

Camden PM Dec: 29 ’90 Much the same continued—Dr Bucke has had a bad fall & dislocated left shoulder—makes rather light of it & will probably be in fair trim

140 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN before many days—writes yet—J M Stoddart, editor Lippincott’s Magazine, contemplates for the March number a picture of & articles ab’t (one or two from) W W-speaks of it as his Whitman (proposed) number— If it suits, how w’d it do to send him that piece on Dutch points?—If yes, send it on to him—I am in favor of it—I have just had an order (with the money ) f’m Melbourne Australia for four of the big books—wh’ I sent by express ($7.50) —sit here imprison’d in room—Horace Traubel faithful daily—(don’t know what I c’d do without him) —have sent a cluster of

poemets (a page intended) to Scribner's mag—have not heard yet— Mrs O’Connor “Brazen Android” MSS for book are yet in the hands of the

Houghton house y’r city—no decided answer yet—Write a little most every day—read (or rather dawdle) a good deal—Keep a good oak fire—appetite, digestion, sleep &c might be much worse—cold—sun shining out to-day on the white snow” —

Walt Whitman

2401. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Dec 30 |

8 pM | 90; (?) | 91 | Canad[a].

Camden PM Dec: 30 ’90 Much the same continued—have sent over “Some Personal Memoranda” and a little poemet to Lippincott’s*—cold & clear weather—Mrs.

D[avis] has just bro’t me in a little jar of bees’ honey—sit here by fire—Happy New Year—

Walt Whitman

2402. To David McKay(?) Camden Dec: 30 1890 Please send me

Six (6) copies Dr Buckes W W

Four (4) “ Lof G (with Sands) — Walt Whitman 55. WW (understandably) did not comment on this exuberant passage in Kennedy’s letter of December 28: “Do you suppose a thousand years fr now people will be celebrating the birth of Walt Whitman as they are now the birth of Christ. If they dont the more fools they. But I hope they won’t mythologize you & idiotize themselves as they do over that poor Christ. Why the glorious mystic & genius wd have cut his throat if he had known what idiots people were to be over him” (Feinberg). 56. He sent “Some Personal and Old-Age Memoranda” (later “Some Personal and Old-Age Jottings”) and “Sail Out for Good, Eidélon Yacht!” for which he received $50

LETTER 2403.38: (?).(?). 1890? 141

29403. To Gabriel Sarrazin [12.31. 1890] TRANSCRIPT.

Camden New Jersey. US America Tho’t I w’d send a short word as I sit here late night Dec: 31 ’90 & a storm out—& to-morrow a new year beginning (& I pray it will be one

lucky and blessed to you)—Am here yet & much the same—when | publish any thing new I will send you—If you receive this, write & give me directions—God bless you.

Walt Whitman

2403.1 To an Editor [(2).(2).] 1890" TRANSCRIPT.

Camden 1890 Dear Editor, If you put this in type send me a proof without fail—put this MS. in some good compositor’s hands in the printing office & he will get along well enough with it.

9403.2 To an Unidentified English Admirer [(?).(2).] 1890” TRANSCRIPT.

Camden 1890 Am sitting up as I write . . . but quite completely physically disabled. [WW thanked the correspondent for his $5.00 in payment for a book. |

2403.3 To an Unidentified Correspondent [(?).(?).1890?2]” . . . last letter—I wrote to H day before yesterday—I am at my 2d annex for L of G. (to conclude it) —Sold two books Friday—God bless you all—

Walt Whitman (CB).

57. Until the manuscript appears, it is impossible to arrive at a more precise date

for this note. 58. The text is probably from a post card which, when discovered, will identify the recipient and probably the exact date.

59. This fragment does not seem to be part of an extant letter. “H” may be Horace Traubel, Thomas B. Harned, or Harry Stafford, probably the last named. Although WW was at work on his final edition in 1890, this letter may, of course, have been sent in the following year.

1891 2404. To Richard Maurice Bucke [12.31. 1890]-1.1. 1891 ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, (?) | Jan 1 |

10 AM | 91; London | pm | Ja2 | 91 | Canada.

Camden New Jersey Am writing this late evening Dec: 31, ’90, & tho’t I w’d send you a

line—We all have deep sympathy with you in y’r painful dislocation & sleeplessness—all continues as before here—Horace is at work at the bank all night—a splendid etching “Milton Visiting Galileo” f’m Johnston—

Jan: 1, °91—Well it arrives here in the shape of a dark stormy morning—but it will soon clear—

Walt Whitman

2405. To Jessie Louisa Whitman [712.31. 1890|—1.1. 1891 ADDRESS: Miss Jessie Louisa Whitman | 2437 2d Carondelet Av: | Saint Louis | Missouri. POSTMARK:

Camden, N(?) | Jan 1 | 10am | 91.

Camden New Jersey Tho’t I w’d send a line to show we do not forget you—but have no particular word to write—suppose you rec’d the letters & papers I sent— Have heard f’m y’r aunts H[annah] and M[ary] lately—both are poorly in health but H is getting around—nothing new with me—as I write it is late at night Dec: 31 ’90—a storm out. Jan: 1, ’91—Well it has come—a dark stormy morning here—but of course it will clear & brighten up—

Walt Whitman

2406. To Bernard O’Dowd 1.1-2. 1891 Camden New Jersey US America | Jan: 1 791 Well the New Year has come & it is a dark foggy stormy glum day here—my troubles are still from this inveterate grip & bladder affection 142

LETTER 2407: JANUARY 2, 1891 143 (bad) —But I am sitting here, & blessing the powers that it is no worse—

as before written I keep pretty good heart (that’s the old south side phrase) & a fair appetite & strong right hand—I sent off a parcel with four books (big vols: complete works) directed to you & sent by express paid

thro’ in full—if you find a little note in the bundle, to pay expressage there, it is wrong as | after found they required prepayment in the Ex. office here’—they said on Wells, Fargo & Co’s (y’r Pacific side Co: ) acc’t

—but the main thing will be, if the bundle reaches you safe, wh’ is one motive of my sending now—I am putting some little licks on a little 2d annex to be called “Good bye my Fancy” wh’ I will send you when printed

—& my L of G. & all will be done—I wrote to you ab’t a week ago too—has it come all right?—

Y% after 4 p m—(half light) —have just finished a good hearty meal roast turkey, &c: (Am writing all this quite at random to depend on y’r making it out—connecting &c ) —Fog, wet & dark out as I look—Hope you are all jolly there & having good times to day—

Jan: 2d—same foggy glum weather—not cold—falls like a great wet blanket over the country everywhere—but the general inside glitter & fun & feasting go on & even increase (it 1s a kind of delirtum)—Of course when you write tell me what has arrived of my sendings, as I am uncertain ab’t the mail—do you get the papers I send?—I fancy the letters get there safe—I have rec’d three (? or four) f’m you, all welcomed—As I write I hear the great steam whistle (for noon) of a huge factory down by the river—looks sulky enough out (& I must beware lest I get sulky too) — Good will & affectionate remembrances to you & all—New Year happiness & luck to you all—

Walt Whitman

9407. To Jessie Louisa Whitman ADDREsS: Miss Jessie Louisa Whitman | 2437 2d Carondelet Av: | Saint Louis | Missouri. POSTMARK:

Camden, (?) | Jan2|6 Pm | 91.

Camden NJ Jan:2 ’91 The sun is just out the first in four days—(has been very glum) —yr good letter came this mn’g & was welcomed—Matters continue on much the same with me—try to while away the time reading & writing— 1. See 2396.

144 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN am preparing a 2d annex & completion to L of G. Am sitting here in my 2d story room same—affectionate uncle

Walt Whitman

2408. To Bertha Johnston ADDRESS: Miss Bertha Johnston | 305 E 17th Street |

New York City. PostmaRKs: Camden, N.J. | Jan 2 |

6 pM | 91;D | 1-3-91| 64] N.Y.

Camden NJ Jan: 2 ’91 Thank you, dear girl, for y’r kind welcome letter safely rec’d. Am here still holding the fort sort 0’ (as I call it) —has been four days of glum weather here, but the sun is just shining out—pretty fair spirits but bad grip & other bothers—Best love to yr dear father & Alma, & all, & God make the new year happy to you all—

Walt Whitman

2409. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Jan 3 | 1 30 PM | 91.

Camden Jan3 ’91

Continuing on much the same—fine sunny day—Mrs: O’C[onnor]’s letter enclosed—Houghton & Co. are to publish her book, in the way you will see—all well—no particular news—made my breakfast of oatmeal porridge, a bit of cold turkey & cup of tea—am sitting here at present as usual—rec’d a good letter f’m my neice Jessie in Saint Louis

(superior girl, sensible, intuitive, a little reticent, undemonstrative) —a good letter f’m Bertha Johnston N Y—F’m an item I see E. Gosse has been

writing something sharp ab’t me in Jan. Forum’?—Horace T here last evn’g—get complimentary letters (holiday) f’m unknown persons foreign and domestic—Ab’t noon as I send this off & sun looks fine out, but I suppose rather too cool for my outing in chair, & snow on ground yet— Warry is down stairs practising on his fiddle— The Lord be with you & bless all—

Walt Whitman 2. “Is Verse in Danger,” The Forum, x (1891), 517-526. 3. “The Pallid Wreath” appeared in The Critic on January 10. This note to the Gilders was written directly beneath the holograph.

4, On January 2 she informed WW that Houghton, Mifflin & Company was

LETTER 2412: JANUARY 5, 1891 145 2410. To Joseph B. and Jeannette L. Gilder 1.4. 1891 ADDRESS: Critic weekly paper | 52 Lafayette Place | New York City. PosTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Jan 4 |

5 pm | 91.

My friends

Can you use this in the Critic? The price is $5 & 10 printed slips—Send me a proof wh’ I will return immediately’—

WW

Jan4 91 Camden Evn’g:

9411. To Ellen M. O’Connor ADDRESS: Mrs: O’Connor | 112 M Street N W |

Washington | D C. PostMarK: Camden, N.J. | Jan 4 | 5 pM | 91.

Camden NJ Jan: 4 791

Y’rs rec’d & glad to hear f’m you & ab’t the book’—have sent word to Dr B[ucke]—Matters going on much the same with me as of late—as [|

write sit in my den in 2d story—well on P M—might be much worse— God bless you—

Walt Whitman

2412. To Dr. John Johnston ADDREsS: Dr Johnston | 54 Manchester road | Bolton | Lancashire England. posTMARKs: Camden,

N.J. | Jan 5 | 8 pm | 91; Philadelphia, Pa. | Jan 5 | 11 PM | Paid.

Camden NJ US America | Jan: 5 ’91 Thank you for the “Review of Reviews,” wh’ I was just wanting —Y’r letter too rec’d & welcomed’—letter also f'm Mr Johnstone very acceptable—

Cold weather here—comfortable with me—a rush of visitors to-day & planning to print “The Brazen Android” in The Atlantic Monthly in April and May and to “issue the volume next fall, as they say it is a Christmas book really” (Feinberg).

5. Dr. Johnston on December 20 (Feinberg) forwarded the Christmas issue of The Review of Reviews, which reprinted “To the Sun-Set Breeze” and extracted from “Old Poets.”

146 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN last evn’g—just sold a big book & got the money—am still writing a little for publication—word just fm Dr Bucke, he 1s getting on well—Snow & sleighing there—O’Connor’s book (tales) is settled to be pub’d by Hough-

ton & Co. Boston—Aff. remembrances to J W W[allace] & all the friends—

WW

9413. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Jan 7 | 6 am | 91.

Camden Jan: 6 ’91 Getting along fairly enough—two little proofs to-day—sent back one to Lippincotts & one to Critic°—(so the machine is revolving ) —I told

you Houghton], Ml[ifflin] & Co: Boston accept her book fm Mrs. O’C[onnor] to publish—Cold & sunny to day here—I have buckwheat cakes for my breakfast & mutton & rice stew for supper. Y’rs rec’d last evn’g—

Walt Whitman

9414. To William T. Stead’ Camden New Jersey US America | Jan: 6 ’91 Y’rs rec’d—Thank you for kind help to me word & deed. I am totally paralyzed, f’m the old Secession wartime overstrain—only my brain volition & right arm power left. This great bulk of seventy varied millions of people, call’d America, is now having a good season of intes-

tinal agitation. Of course sometimes the bad elements (so call’d) get momentary rule. But it is all right I am sure—and the long run will prove it (namely Democracy) right.

Walt Whitman 6. A corrected proof of “Old Age Echoes,” which appeared in Lippincott’s in March, is in the Feinberg Collection. WW also returned the proof of “The Pallid Wreath” to The Critic. 7. According to Stead’s letter of December 10, 1890 (Feinberg), WW had sent him proof of “Old Poets” from which Stead extracted in the Christmas issue of The Review of Reviews. On February 16 Stead forwarded the February issue, in which WW’s post card was reproduced in facsimile (111, 163). The magazine printed excerpts from Lip-

LETTER 2416: JANUARY 8, 1891 147 2415. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camd(?) | Jan 7| 8 pm | 91.

Camden PMJan:7 ’91 Cold & sunny fine out—Ab’t same with me as before—but as I just came f’m the bath room I wonder’d whether I did not feel stronger than ordinary—even than for two years—probably an accidental evanescent whiff—but it was sort 0’ good even at that—

This is Stoddart’s note’—I take it that they really intend to make that March L[ippincott’s] what they call “a Whitman number”—Horace is to offer a piece anent of me—his MS is to be ready to-morrow—

Had buckwheat cakes & syrup for breakfast—they cannot be served better than Mrs: D[avis] has them—I am still taking the little capsules young Dr Mlitchell] prescribed for the bladder botheration—wh’ continues—the belly-ache & flashes of left-breast-pain mostly departed or lulled. Am sitting here by the fire with a quilt wrapper high up ab’t neck, back & shoulders, ag’t cold—

WW

2416. To Joseph M. Stoddart

Camden|PM Jan:8 91 Personal | My dear JMS If we are going into this thing my notion is to do it as thoroughly as consistent & tempered by publishing a monthly mag: for popular reading. My suggestion w’d be (if you feel to give space enough) to print after that “personal memoranda” of mine, the three pieces as follows: the Quaker bit the piece ab’t L of G. in science & then Traubel’s piece, (pretty high handed & eulogistic as it is)” each of these three pieces signed by its author’s name (now that O’Connor and Mrs: Gilchrist are dead those three are perhaps my best representative adherents, illustrators & longest knowers, personal & literary) —H T pincott’s in March (111, 249), from The New England Magazine in June (111, 570-571), and a portrait as well as a review of Good-bye My Fancy in August (Iv, 197). 8. WW wrote on the verso of a letter from Stoddart dated January 5, in which he transmitted a check for $50 and the “proofs of a page of poetry” (Feinberg).

9. Kennedy’s “Walt Whitman’s Quaker Traits” (but he probably meant the unprinted “Walt Whitman’s Dutch Traits”), Bucke’s “Leaves of Grass and Modern Science,” and Traubel’s biographical piece. As usual, the poet was carefully supervising publication.

148 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN has been & is faithful & invaluable to me—I have cull’d out some parts of

his MS too eulogistic & transcendental & if you note any more, do so further—I have been clear to supervise all this matter not only f’m the self-description & self-love points, but also of the point of view of an article for a monthly mag: for miscellaneous readers.

H T’s MS will probably come to you forthwith—Let me see good proofs in good time.

Walt Whitman

9417. To Hannah Heyde 1.8-10. 1891 Camden Jan: 8night ’91 Am sitting here in my den, & will write a line—Much the same as usual, comfortable—good oak fire—cold weather—do not get out—busy myself writing or reading—alone most the time—have some friends come in occasionally—the enclosed is Jessie’s letter I tho’t you might care to read—poor J is getting composed—have just sent off a piece for publication—will send it to you when printed—

Jan: 9 night again—have had to put off sending this—will send it to-morrow afternoon—writing to day—this evn’g rec’d some reprints f’m last photo portrait & will soon send you one— Jan: 10 A M—have had my breakfast of buckwheat cakes & tea—feel-

ing pretty well considering—looks out like snow—God bless you, sister dear,” with love

Walt Whitman

2418. To Dr. John Johnston ADDREss: Dr Johnston | 54 Manchester Road | Bolton | Lancashire | England. posTMaARKs: Camden,

N.J. | Jan 10 | 12 m | 91; Philadelphia, Pa. | Jan 10 | 4 pM | Paid.

Camden New Jersey US America | Jan: 9 night ’91 Y’rs of Dec: 27 welcomed with copy of J A S[ymonds]’s & the paper & poem—yes I will send the copy to Dr B[ucke] (it 1s beautiful)” 10. WW enclosed $2 in the letter (CB). 11. Johnston included in his letter some of his verses, a copy of the Annandale Observer, and a typescript of Symonds’ letter dated December 22, 1890, a tender and moving piece in which he wrote: “For a broken & ageing man of letters up here among the Alpine snows [in Davos Platz], these particulars . . . bring a film before the eyes, through which swims so much of life, of the irrecoverable past, of the unequal. battle with

LETTER 2420: JANUARY 13, 1891 149 —have just rec’d some impressions f’m the plate printer f’m y’r celluloid negative—curiously good & fine, no better work (I often say the last best work is the right press-work ) —next time you write give me a list of whom

you have sent the Notes to—(I think you have builded better than you knew) —Am getting along fairly, even well—am sweating here to night (all right in itself) —steady cold & at present dry & clear—God bless you all—

Walt Whitman

9419. To Richard Maurice Bucke 1.9-10. 1891 ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Jan 10 |

12M] 91.

Camden Jan:9 night ’91 Here are Dr Johnston’s letter & his copy of Symonds’s beautiful letter—(the last return to me—no hurry)—Am feeling fairly—sweating to-night (tho’ it is cold weather dry & clear at present) —am a little timid

& cautious ab’t getting cold, but welcome the sweat—the March Lip[pincott’s] will probably have all paid for & quite handsomely a page of my poemetta with some prose, personal memoranda (autobiographic) & a

passable picture, maybe more stuff (will see how the cat jumps) —the Critic (last (next) or following one) has or will have a little poemet—& the Lord knows what else a coming—

have now intervened with a leisurely sitz-bath & foot washing—& shall leave a little blank for to-morrow & send off at evn’g mail— Jan: 10 a m—Have had my breakfast of buckwheat cakes & tea—feeling pretty well considering—a p c this mn’g f’m Kennedy— God bless you & all—

Walt Whitman

2420. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Jan 13 | 8 pM |

91; London | pm | Ja 15 | 9(?) | Canada.

Camden Jan: 13 °91 Evn’g Have had two bad days & nights—bad bladder plight & lots circumstances, of spiritual forces wh’ have sustained, & of the failures wh’ have saddened. I do not know whether you have seen a short piece of writing by me, in which I said that Whitman’s work had influenced me more than any thing in literature except the Bible & Plato. This expresses the mere fact, so far as I can read my inner self, though perhaps my

own industry in life, on the lines of author mainly, may not seem to corrobrate my statement” (typescript: Feinberg).

150 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN else—easier this evn’g—“hope ever springs”— (bad surmises tho’ yester-

day)”—Sh’l probably have a piece in the forthcoming N[orth] A[merican] Rev[iew] (Feb:)“—the intentions keep on ab’t March Lip[pincott’s] (we will see) —I write in fair trim—

WW

2421. To William Sloane Kennedy TRANSCRIPT.

Jan. 13, 91 Yr and frau’s nice box of plums and ginger candy came right and have done me and lots of other children great good.

2422. To Bernard O’Dowd [1.13 ]-14. [1891] As I sit here (Jan: 13) rather late at night alone quite unwell & sleepless & thinking of you all I tho’t I wd write & commune with you & Eve & Jim Hardigan & Mr & Mrs Fryer & Ada & Fred Woods & Ted & Louis [&] with any others I cannot name (yet wish to) —

The first thing is whether the express parcel of books—the four big books—have they come to you safely. Since I sent them I have written to you twice— & in my mind have had Australia & life in the bush & the gum trees, & shearing, & many a mate & shadow more than once—I welcome what you have hinted ab’t those things more than you know“— One of L of G’s best running criticisms & comments is by a French-

man named Sarrazin—its tone & points w’d deeply interest (perhaps please) you, & I will send it if ever translated & printed here—I enclose a 12. WW’s remarks disturbed Bucke, who on January 17 wrote a “Private” letter to Traubel: “How do you account for such gloomy reports f’m W. to me when you see every thing ‘coleur de rose’? My impression is that tho’ putting (for most part) a good face on

things W. is really in a pretty bad way and liable to collapse at any time.” Again on February 10 in a letter for Traubel marked “For yourself only,” Bucke expressed his

concern about WW’’s health: “I look for a sudden end (when it comes) and I feel satisfied it may come any day” (Feinberg). (Traubel and Bucke wrote to each other several times a week during the last fifteen months of WW’s life; I have drawn heavily upon Bucke’s letters in my annotations for this period. ) 13. The delayed “American National Literature”; see 2348. WW returned proof on the preceding day (cB). 14. Probably WW referred to O’Dowd’s lengthy confession on June 9, when he wrote: “Love episode of a strange nature; as usual, with bad luck to me. ‘Shouldered

LETTER 2423: JANUARY 15, 1891 151 touch of it—Have you a foreign bookstore in Melbourne? It is named La Renaissance de la Poesie Anglaise, by Gabriel Sarrazin, Paris, (is in one moderate sized Vol: ) various poets treated— I will send Ingersoll’s lecture as soon as I get the little printed book— Did you get the full report I sent in the N Y “Truth-Seeker” paper?

If you like the last photo in the express parcel (if you got it) I can send you some more—it 1s the last—& perhaps the best likeness—I want

to be as much among you all as possible—(or you mention any of the other pictures any of you want & I will send it.)

Jan: 14 noon—Bad hours with me—bad night—feel like giving you all good word & loving message possibly for the last—But I may be better & as clear as usual to-morrow or next day—a bevy of visitors (young women & others) send me notice of calling ab’t noon 15th°—I mustn’t forget the dear baby, God bless the child, & God bless you all—It seems to be growing milder weather & the sun is out—

Walt Whitman

9423. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, (?) | Jan 16 |

6am | 91;N Y | 1-16-91 | 10 am | 7.

Camden Evn’g: Jan: 15 ’91 Feeling fairly after two very bad days & nights—ate my supper with relish—many visitors to-day—Herb: Gil[christ], Stoddart & five others—Arthur Stedman* &c: &c:—Horace T[raubel] just here—the March No. of Lip[pincott’s] will indeed be Whitmanesque—am sitting here writing by a little tallow candle—clear but a storm preparing—

WW

bluey’ with Ted [Machefer, “a scapegrace, a swagman, but a true mate”] & went through 5 months strange experiences in Australian wilds. Hard times, starvation, annihilation of soul almost, degradation everywhere, I touched with it as much as any I suppose. Staunch mates almost to death” (Feinberg; McLeod, 21).

15. On January 13 Stoddart asked permission to bring over a number of guests

including Francis Wilson, the actor, the daughter of Julian Hawthorne, and possibly Paul Belloni Du Chaillu, the African explorer and author (1835-1903). On the letter WW wrote: “ans’d | told them to come” (Feinberg). On January 16 Wilson asked the poet to accept a gift (Feinberg). 16. The son of Edmund Clarence Stedman in 1892 published Selected Poems and Autobiographia, or the Story of a Life, consisting of selections from WW’s prose writings. The former is in the Feinberg Collection, with the publisher’s agreement and a letter from Stedman to Traubel concerning the selection of poems for the volume. See An Exhibition of the Works of Walt Whitman (1955), 97, 40.

152 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

2424. To Susan Stafford ADDRESS: Mrs: Susan Stafford | Ashland | (Glendale) | New Jersey. POSTMARK: Cam(?) |

(?) |6am | 91.

Camden Jan: 16 ’91 Was glad to have a visit fm Herbert, & to hear f’m George & you all—Am still pretty sick but not as bad as two days ago—appetite pretty fair—nights ditto—yesterday a steady string of visitors, but I was glad to see them all—have not been out now for three weeks—am writing—wish I c’d send you some nice doughnuts Mrs: D[avis] made yesterday—my neice still in Saint Louis—my two sisters both bad health—Best Love to Harry and to Ed—Geo: must keep good heart—when the spring comes no doubt he will get better’’—

WW

9425. To the Editors, The Critic [1.16(2).1891]” TRANSCRIPT.

Am having an extra bad spell these days. May blow over—may not. Best respects to New York friends.

9426. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden(?) | (?) 17 |

8 pm | 91.

Camden Jan: 17 ’91 Dark, cold, stormy—wet day out, slippery—falling rain freezing. Have had a markedly bad week days & nights but am weathering-it-on (as my phrase is) —smally but palpably easier to day—easier debouch to both water works & bowel works this forenoon & consequently less muddle & pain in head & general tone—appetite middling—am abstemious but I 17. He probably enclosed the $10 mentioned in an undated entry (between

January 12 and 18) in cB. 18. Perhaps this note was sent after payment for “The Pallid Wreath,” which was forwarded by Joseph B. Gilder on January 15 (Feinberg). The text appeared in “The Lounger” in The Critic on January 24. 19. “Walt Whitman’s Dutch Traits” appeared in The Conservator in February,

LETTER 2428: JANUARY 19, 1891 153 find it dont answer for me to be markedly abstemious, as I have tried two or three times to be—still eat rice & mutton stew, vegetables & bread, & drink mainly tea—Lippincotts wont print Kennedy’s Dutch piece “affinities of W W” &c. but Horace wants it for his little paper & I have written to K for consent—(I like the piece)*°—Have not heard f’m the page of poemetta I sent to Scribner’s a month or more ago”—I also sent a little piece to Youth’s Companion Boston & no word f’m them™”—expect printed

slips of N[orth] A[merican] Rev[iew] & Lip: pieces, & sh’l send you copies if I get them—Enclosed my last bit” (pay rec’d—small, but all I ask’d) f’m Critic (wh’ you will not likely commend) —So things go.

I am sitting here same, (a little shawl extra around my back, neck & right shoulder ag’t draft) comfortable & good trim enough & fair spirits but dark & glum enough out—

Walt Whitman

2427. To William Sloane Kennedy TRANSCRIPT.

Camden, Jan.17 91 I seem to be weathering on, appetite middling, digestion ditto, both commendable signs, am sitting here in the old chair. [WW also mentioned Arthur Stedman. |

Walt W

2428. To the Editor, The Youth’s Companion ADDRESS: Youth’s Companion | Boston | Mass:. POSTMARKS: Camden, N. J. | Jan 20 | 8 pm | 91;

Boston, Mass. | Jan 21 | 1—pm | 1891.

Received Camden | New Jersey, January 19 1891 Fifteen Dollars paid to me by Youth’s Companion, Boston, for little poem Ship Ahoy. I reserve the right of printing in future book*—

Walt Whitman 1891. See 2429.

20. See 2394 and 2431. 21. See 2428. 22. “The Pallid Wreath.” 23. The editors sent $15 on January 14 (Feinberg). “Ship Ahoy!” appeared on March 12 (LxIv, 152).

154 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

2429. To William Sloane Kennedy 1.20-21. 1891 Camden Night Jan: 20 ’91 Y’rs agreeing that H T[raubel] may have the Dutch piece to print rec'd & I have given him the copy—the immediately coming paper number for Feb: is all made up but this will be put in type for next & proof sent to you—& in due time some of the papers & prob’y some printed slips (as I have stipulated for some)”—The Lippincott for March will have a personal & old age memoranda article by me, & a W W piece by H T—& portrait (might be worse, not much either) —all that’s the present program—the Feb: N[orth] Almerican] Rev[iew] (I suppose) will have a (funny?)* article by me headed “American Nat’l Literature*—Is there any such thing—or can there ever be?”—then the Youth’s Companion (y’r city) has accepted & handsomely paid for a wee little poem Ship Ahoy —So you see the crank is grinding away even in old age—

Dr Bucke has had the annoyance of a suit (small) for slander—ag’t him—$500 mulct—I send paper report”—Herbert Gilchrist, the young English artist, comes here—very welcome visits—I am badly under the weather & have been ten days & nights—the main abutments & dykes are shattered & threaten to give out—we will see—At this moment I am sitting up here in my room alone rather late—had my supper (dinner) of a slice of toast & cup of tea—quiet & comfortable enough—good fire of oak wood—

Jan: 21 noon—badly enough physically—head, belly & bladder matters all in bad way—am sitting in big chair—toast & egg for breakfast— God bless you & frau—

Walt Whitman

2430. To Richard Maurice Bucke 1.21-22. 1891 ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Jan 22 | 8 pm | 91.

Camden ’91| Jan: 21 earlyPM Poorly continued—head, belly & bladder matters—am sitting here 24. On February 1 Kennedy accepted all of WW’s “emendations” to his article: “We've together hammered out a bit of wrought-iron work of some value. . . . The thing grew upon both of us, as we went on” (Feinberg). 25. WwW’s question mark. 26. This letter was written on the verso of one from The North American Review dated January 10, which accompanied proofs of the article (Feinberg). 27. On January 16, 18, and 22, Bucke wrote about a court action “for slander by a discharged employee (a young woman)” which had gone against him (Feinberg). The Canadian government decided to support Bucke in appealing the decision.

LETTER 2431: JANUARY 24, 1891 155 in big chair as usual. Mrs: D[avis] over at Phila—Warry down stairs— made my breakfast of toast, tea & fresh egg—pleasant weather—the travel clear—Herbert Gilchrist comes often—Geo: Stafford is better— Harry S[tafford] is pretty well—has to move—wants to go back to RR employment*—You know ab’t Kennedy’s “Dutch Traits of W W”—well Horace T[raubel] has the MS & is to print it in his little paper, next but one—(H T is very active & popular—quite ardent—as you know is very radical & revolutionary in all this business of technical theological & political reform) is permanently assiduous & helpful & friendly to me all alonge’”’—the one o’clock big whistle just blows—1% fair debouch f’m water works—first for 20 hours—

Jan: 22—noon—Ab’t same—dark wet day not very cold—the little Ingersoll (N Y) book is out—I have not seen it but Horace has one & says it is well done printerially & bookishly for that kind of thing—quiet & monotonous with me so far to day, no letters—buckwheat cakes & honey for breakfast—pretty fair night last—am writing a little—the printing of the reduced photo on celluloid plate new style (W W 1890 % length in chair) is specially well done—same as y’r large photo—if you want any of these small ones I can supply you—I return herewith J W Wallace’s letter to you—the rain & dark seem to be set in for the day—Best physical &c: feelings early evn’g—

Walt Whitman

9431.To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camd(?) | Jan 25 | 5 pm | 91.

Camden Sat: earlyPM Jan 24] 91 Herbert Gilchrist comes & takes lunch with me—he goes to N Y Monday—& soon returns to his hermitage Centreport L I—Eakins’ portrait W W is among the great show Penn: Art Exhibition Phila®—Horace T goes to N Y this afternoon—returning Monday—Scribner’s has rejected & returned to me my offered poems—the 1 o’clock whistle 1s just 28. Now the father of two children and about thirty-three years of age, Harry was still a restless young man. After the birth of his second son in 1890, he gave up his position with the railroad and hired a farm (see 2195), and less than a year later he was ready to return to his former job.

29. On January 24 Bucke responded: “If I am not mistaken the future will

recognize in H[orace] one of your most powerful lieutenants. I say this not so much for what he has done (which is good) as for what I feel sure he will do (which will be better still)” (Feinberg). 30. Apparently Eakins’ portrait was in the sixty-first exhibition of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, which was announced in the Philadelphia Press on this date.

156 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN peeling cheerily—I am feeling half-and-half—had a pretty fair night— b’kfast raw oysters—have read Horace’s piece in March Lip[pincott’s] satisfactory, probably best he has written ab’t me & I like it—(a little too markedly eulogistic may-be) he is a faithful friend—J M Stoddart the editor Lip: seems to be another—I enclose a warm friendly letter just rec'd f’m our Bolton friends—

Walt Whitman Y’rs of 22d ab’t the little law suit &c: rec’d—

9432. To Horace Traubel Mickle street Camden New Jersey |

Jan: 24 1891 As I sit here chair-imprison’d (have not been out-doors for a month

—partly the bad weather—more my bad spell, head-catarrh, gastric &

bladder troubles—bad)—have been deliberately reading this piece through. Thank you, Horace, dear boy. I like it all & well. You have the reins pretty well in hand—the horses are strong & lively, in their own right (jump & caper sometimes, of their own heat & life) —but you have the ribands firmly in y’r hands.” Walt Whitman

9433. To the Editor, Once A Week ADDRESS: Editor | Once-a-Week | Warren st Paper |

New York C[ity]. posrmarks: Camden, N.J. | Jan

25 | 5 pm | 91; P.O.N.Y. | (?) 25-91 | 11-15 | 6 (2).

Camden New Jersey | Jan: 25 ’91 Yes, inclined favorably—If you have any definite subject, or any thing special might indicate it—Send me two or three papers by mail”— Walt Whitman 31. This note was written on the final page of the galley proofs of Traubel’s article, “Walt Whitman: Poet and Philosopher and Man.” WW underscored in red ink one line in the essay: “His book was to get as close to nature as his reserves would permit.”

32. See 2539. 33. For Symonds’ letter see 2418. Wallace’s character sketch of his boyhood “chum” Wild on January 16 was an icon: “not ‘literary’ at all though he is not without appreciation of the best literature. He has an artist’s eye for the beauties of Nature...

LETTER 2436: JANUARY 28, 1891 157 2434. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Jan 27 | 6 AM | 91.

Camden earlyPM Jan: 26 ’91 Heavy wind & sleet storm yesterday evn’g—fine & sunny as I write

—nothing emphatic or “toppish” with me—bad sulky physical cond’n mostly gastric—buckwheat cakes, honey & tea for breakfast—constipation—lancinating pains, extreme left breast—Horace T in N Y—back this evn’g—good letters fm England, Australia &c:— God bless you all—

Walt Whitman Y’rs of 24th rec’d—

2435. To Dr. John Johnston ADDRESS: Dr Johnston | 54 Manchester road | Bolton | Lancashire England. posrTMARK: Camden,

NJ. | (2) | (2) | 91.

Camden NJ US America | Jan: 27 °91 Yrs & J W Wf[allace]’s letters rec’d & welcomed—also copy of J A Symonds’ good letter—thanks for all & to W. for delineation of Fred Wild*—& to him & all, my loving wishes & regards. Rev. of Rev’s. rec’d,

thanks—I continue rather poorly. End uncertain. Have sent copies of Ingersoll’s little book, one to you, one to J W W*“—Fine sunny weather —Am sitting here in my den as usual—Show this to Wallace—

Walt Whitman

9436. To Hannah Heyde Camden Jan: 28 791 Just sent papers &c: to Jessie, St Louis—dont hear much, but suppose she is there & [takes?] up affairs &c: & is well—Havn’t [heard any] thing of Lou or Geo: for awhile [—they are] well no doubt—Sold a but prefers Nature at first hand... . He has a wild native wit of his own, and is frank, outspoken, and free. . . . At the heart of him is a deep constant affectionateness, faithful

and unswerving. . . . He has a wife and four children of whom he is fond” (Feinberg). 34. Dr. Johnston noted receipt of the book on February 6: “He has left untouched what I regard as the main & vital element in L of G viz. the spirituality which permeates & animates every page, every line & is the inspiring element in your teaching” (Feinberg).

158 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

[big book?] yesterday*—having a pre[tty] bad time—grip, gastric & bladder troubles—am sitting here as usual—stormy weather here, (stand it well though in this stout old little house) —have just had a good visitor f'm Australia*—read L of G. out there, said there were many there suits them—was unwell & had to dismiss him—am afraid I am not sending you a

very cheery letter, sister dear—try to do better next time— [indecipherable | God bless you” —

9437. To Richard Maurice Bucke 1.[380]|-31. 1891 ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Jan 31 | 3 pM | 91.

Camden 1891 [Jan. 30]* Friday, sunset—Just finish’d supper—toasted bread & stew’d tomatoes & tea (had a nice steak & egg, but did not touch them) appetite fair—sweating—fair bowel action last evn’g, (after four or five days’ stoppage) —upon the whole statu quo, if anything easier than lately—my article does not appear in Feb: N[orth] A[merican] Rev[iew]—still anticipate the pieces in Lippincotts but we will wait & see (Stoddart I guess is friendly to me, but publishers generally are cold—or worse) —Suppose

you rec’d the good photo cards I sent—hope you will like them as I do—am getting the little 2d annex in printerial shape—I like to get it & put it like tanners’ skins in soak awhile I suppose—it will be very brief & most of the pieces you have seen already—the days are lengthening—here as I write by daylight it is 12 past 5— Col: Ingersoll & his chief clerks have gone off to Montana to take hand in a big will case—see this item“—I have sent a few of his Phila: address

to friends—have you some?—had a letter f'm Lezinsky, my California (2Jewish) friend— Jan: 31 just before noon—very light breakfast—cup of tea & a small Graham biscuit—pretty fair night last—uneasy stomachic condition— thirsty—the Feb: Century comes & I have been looking over it—rather interesting—dark dampish day—did I tell you Ernest Rhys is married? 35. He sent a copy of Complete Poems & Prose on the preceding day to Charles E. Barrett, of Atchison, Kansas (CB). 36. Probably a friend of Bernard O’Dowd.

37. The signature has been cut off and the text mutilated. With his letter WW

enclosed $2 (CB). 38. The date is in Bucke’s hand.

39. The news item mounted at this point referred to a legal suit over an estate

LETTER 2439: FEBRUARY 3, 1891 159 —headache as I write—am sitting here same—Warry is down stairs practising on his fiddle—God bless you all—

Walt Whitman

2438. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Feb 2 | 6 pM | 91.

Camden Feb:2 am ’91 Rec’d Clare’s letter while I was at breakfast, & it sort o’ struck a chill thro’ me“—have been thinking of you as so invulnerable—But solace myself with y’r cheery lines will no doubt be near right in two days more —Sun out here—nothing very new—fair spirits this mn’g—toast & tea & rare fresh egg—bowel voidance—glad you got the last pict’s—somehow | like them best of any—(dont part with any except markedly enjoined by will & heart self) —Warry is half or three quarters sick (what they call a

bilious spell) —Have been reading Osler’s letter in Feb: Century on Women in Johns Hopkins“—like it—Hope this will find you cheery—but that I am sure—& all right again or toward it—

Walt Whitman

9439. To William Sloane Kennedy

Camden Feb: 3 PM ’91 The worst item is Dr Bucke’s bad sickness—see enclosed letter— have not heard any thing since—am uneasy—the proof” comes, & will be carefully & minutely corrected—some slips & papers will be sent you—

also of what is printed in March forthcoming Lippincott’s—the trial mulcted B 500 but the government has assumed the whole thing—B seems to be as wholly, morally, every way scatheless as I see it—did I tell

you Arthur Stedman (dear good invalid, consumptive y’ng fellow) has

been to see me? E C [Stedman]* is making g’t fixings for the Johns Hopkins lectures—I am having bad times—head, gastric & bladder bad —wet & dark to-day—nights middling fair—

Walt Whitman worth $13,000,000.

40. Apparently Bucke’s daughter (Clare) wrote about her father’s illness in a missing letter. On February 4 Bucke minimized his indisposition: “You see I was not sick —just a little pain and bad cold” (Feinberg). 41. Osler’s “Open Letter,” Century, x1 (February, 1891), 635. 42, Of “Walt Whitman’s Dutch Traits.” 43. For Stedman’s lecture see 2485.

160 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

2440. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. postTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Feb 4 | 6 am |

91; London | pm | Fe 5 | 9(?) | Canada.

Camden night Feb: 3 ’91 A little uneasy at not having any word f’m you to day—letter f'm Kennedy sending back proof of his Dutch piece—he is well & getting along same as usual—letter f’m J W Wallace Eng: & the Strand the new mag—not equal to the leading American mag’s—uncomfortable day— gastric worst—Sit here as usual reading & writing—Hope this will find you much better—

WW

9441. To Hannah Heyde Camden Feb: 4 ’91 Cold & sunny here—Lou was in this mn’g—all are well as usual —Jess is getting along at St Louis—nothing very new or different—Ed is the same at Blackwood—Have not heard f’m Mary lately—A pretty bad fortnight with me the last, but might be worse—am sitting here as usual as I write this—Dr Bucke is quite sick abed—Love to you, sister dear—$2

enclosed—Sun out shining beautifully—the 1 o’c[lock] whistle just blown—

Walt Whitman

2442. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden (?) | Feb 4 | 8 pm | 91.

Camden Feb: 4 ’91 No word f’m you yesterday, nor yet to-day—feeling uneasy—quite

unwell with me—abdominal bothers (doubtless some inward fermentations or something in spite of all my care in eating &c) —Grace Johnston (the new wife N Y) has borne a girl baby“—John Swinton writes in N Y Sun (alludes to me)—Harry Stafford was here yesterday—is well—my 44, In an undated letter probably written in 1890, Mrs. Johnston informed the poet that Grace, her step-daughter, was to marry an unnamed man who “has both children and

LETTER 2445: FEBRUARY 6, 1891 161 sister Lou just here—all well—Cold & sunny to-day—Tom Harned and Horace here last evn’g. Hope to hear f’m you yet to day as there is a mail ab’t 5—

Walt Whitman

9443. To Joseph M. Stoddart Camden N J—Feb: 4 °91 Sh’d like to have (for our own uses to send about this country & to

Europe) 100 printed impressions (the whole stuff) of the poems & my own & H Traubel’s piece—so that we c’d have them stitched if we like. Of

course we will pay the printers. Horace T. will hand you this & will arrange & boss the thing, if you folks are agreeable (as I suppose there is no reason but what you sh’d be. )

Walt Whitman

9444, To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Feb 6 | 6 AM |

91; N.Y. | 2-6-91 | 10 30 a | 8.

Camden NJ Feb: 5 ’91 Y’r own letter of recovery (or essentially) came last evn’g & was a

great relief—to H T[raubel] also—I handed it to him. The slip Springfield Rep[ublican] must be ’82 or ’3, & probably by Frank Sanborn®—

| Walt Whitman Nothing notable to write—Sunshiny & cold—

9445. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Feb 6 |

4 30 pm | 91; London | am | Fe 9 | 1 | Canada.

Camden Feb:6 ’91 Much relieved to know you get over so easily f’m the bad little money” (Feinberg). I have not identified Swinton’s article. 45. Probably the notice that appeared on November 10, 1881; see 1073.

162 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN attack—am well pleas’d that Beemer sh’d have one of the pictures—physically much the same with me—a Californian magazine (“Overland”) in

an art. in wh’ I am alluded to, just rec’d“—will send it to you—dark & rainy mn’¢ but is clearing I think now.

Walt Whitman

2446. To William Sloane Kennedy ADDRESS: Sloane Kennedy | Belmont | Mass:. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Feb 6 | 4 30 po | 91.

Camden Feb: 6 ’91 Dr Blucke] is better—is at office & seems all right again—the proof came & piece will be out in ten days or less—did I tell you that the Scribner man rejected my stuff & sent it back?—Ab’t same as usual with me—(a horrible heavy inertia, lassitude)—write often as convenient— God bless you & Frau & my Boston friends—

Walt Whitman

2447. To Horace Traubel [2.7(2). 1891] Horace T: You call on Mr: S[toddart] & act & settle it in my place. I hereby empower you fully.” Walt Whitman

2448. To Dr. John Johnston ADDRESS: Dr Johnston | 54 Manchester road | Bolton | Lancashire | England. postmMarks: Camden,

N.J. | Feb 8 | 5 pm | 91; Philadelphia, Pa. | Feb 8 | 1(?) pm | Paid.

Camden N J—U S America | Feb: 8 °91—Evn’g¢ Nothing special to write but tho’t I w’d send a word—Ab’t as usual 46. In “The Colonel, at Home, in Sonoma County,” Overland, xvu1 (February, 1891), 200-208, Laura Lyon White has the Colonel recite to reluctant children some excerpts from “Song of Myself,” until one of them cries: “Enough, enough, . . . [I] am now ready to acknowledge the truth of Emerson’s assertion that ‘Walt Whitman is a god with a grunt’” (202-203). On January 29 she wrote to WW: “If there is a wounding word in the ‘Overland’ article . . . I trust it may be pardoned one who admiringly reads your writings, and who fancies she feels their spirit” (Feinberg).

LETTER 2450: FEBRUARY 10, 1891 163 with me—a bad two months—Keep up tho’—Y’rs & Wallace’s letters, mag’s & papers rec’d—best thanks & love to you both—Dr B[ucke] has had a short sharp sick spell but is now out again—Warry well—

Walt Whitman

2449. To Hannah Heyde Camden Feb: 10 ’91 Dear sister Am sitting here pretty much same—got in a new cord of saw’d & split oak wood, so I keep warm enough—sold a book yesterday—Heard f'm Ed this mn’g—he is well & hearty—Been a long dark rain storm, three days & nights here, but the sun is out this mn’g. Am at my 2d annex for L of G. to complete it—God bless you, sister dear, 2 enclosed—

Walt Whitman

2450. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Feb 10 | 8 PM | 91.

Camden Sunset Feb: 10 ’91 Y’rs of 8th rec’d an hour ago—enc’d see Kennedy’s melange rec’d this mn’g**—fine sunny day here—shall try to get out in wheel chair soon as it is milder—my locomotive power decreases—can hardly get across the

room—my evn’g massages help me much—water works capricious, & sometimes threatening, but take one day with another & altogether, as much voiding of urine as expectable— I am a little fretted getting the 2d annex in shape that suits me—havnt

it yet exactly—but shall have (must have) & put it soon in the hands of the printers—As I look out the sunshine now at its last for to-day looks splendid beyond description—

Walt Whitman 47, The note was written at the bottom of Stoddart’s reply, dated February 7, to

—" Wallace wrote at length on January 23 of the influence of Carlyle and Ruskin upon his development (Feinberg ).

49. Of Kennedy’s “Walt Whitman’s Dutch Traits,” Bucke observed on February 14: “It is first class, nothing more suggestive has ever been penned on the critter” (Feinberg).

164 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

2451. To J. W. Wallace ADDRESS: J W Wallace | Anderton near Chorley | Lancashire | England. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. |

Feb 10 | 8 pm | 91.

Camden N J—US America | Feb: 10 °91 It is sunset & growing dark but I tho’t w’d write you just a line—Nothing new or notable with me—rather bad times, but have eaten my supper, & am sitting here in fair trim—that is might be much worse —God bless you”—

Walt Whitman

2452. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden (?) | Feb 11 |

8 pm | 91.

Camden PM Feb: 11 ’91 Y’rs rec’d last evn’g—fine sunny day—am sitting here as usual— have been preparing a list of addresses for the Lip[pincott] people to send

March No. to—Am feeling fairly—head congestion—enc: the Dutch piece—you can have some H T[raubel]’s paper cont’g it— (will be out in four or five days) —as many of it, or Lip: as you want—poor Jas Redpath

is just dead in N Y—I knew him well—The papers here are talking largely of the Canadian situation" —

WW 9453. To William Sloane Kennedy Camden Feb: 11 ’91 near noon Bright sunlight out—Am feeling fairly—send you a couple slips of the Dutch piece—it is the best thing of its kind yet—H T[raubel]’s paper will be out in four days & you can have as many as you want or more slips

either—Yes Ernest Rhys was married in London early last month—If I get letter or details, I will send you—Dr B[ucke] is recovered fully—is well—I see James Redpath is dead in N Y—Y’r letter rec’d”—

Walt Whitman 50. Wallace on February 20 was reassured that WW’s health was not so precarious as newspaper reports had led him to believe. He quoted a passage from a book entitled Captain Lobe in which the hero, broken in health, goes to the village graveyard: “Long grass grew over the graves, such as Walt Whitman calls the hair of the dead” (Feinberg’).

LETTER 2456: FEBRUARY 16, 1891 165 2454. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Feb 14 |

6 pM | 91.

Camden mid aftern: Feb: 14 ’91 Sun bright as I look out—much the same with me—half & half— sitting here as usual—Horace comes daily—breakfast of toast & stew’d

prunellas—y’r letters rec’d—slim mail these days. Y’rs of 12th just rec’ d—

Walt Whitman

2455. To Dr. John Johnston ADDRESS: Dr Johnston | 54 Manchester road | Bolton | Lancashire | England. POSTMARK:

Camden (?) | Feb 14 | 6 pm | 91.

Camden NJ US America | Feb: 14 ’91 Fine sun shining out as I look—have been kept in now six weeks & over by bad weather & my physical incapacities & poor spell generally— enclose you a printed slip to make up for writing meagerness—but I send you & to Wallace a heart full of good wishes & affectionate regards—get the Phila March Lippincotts Magazine if to be had there—but I will send

you one to make sure—Warry & Mrs. D[avis] well—thanks for papers &e:—

Walt Whitman

94.56. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Feb 16 |

8 pM | 91.

Camden PM Feb: 16 ’91 Dark wet day—poorly with me, long obstinate constipation— 51. On February 8 Bucke wrote: “The Canadian House of Commons is dissolved— General election 5th next month—whole country in tremendous excitement” (Feinberg). 52. The transcription of this note in Kennedy reads as follows: “Send you a couple of slips of the Dutch piece. J like it well. It is the best thing of its kind yet. I have added a few trivialities” (67).

166 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN Have you had “the New Spirit” book by Havelock Ellis, printed in shilling vol: by Walter Scott?® Y’rs of 14th rec’d this noon—am sitting here same —letters fm Bolton Eng: —

Walt Whitman

2457.10 William Sloane Kennedy 2.16. [1891] TRANSCRIPT.

Feb. 16.

Terrible headache.”

2458. To Dr. John Johnston ADDRESS: Dr Johnston | 54 Manchester road | Bolton | Lancashire | England. PosTMARKs:

Camden, N.J. | Feb 17 | 1 30 pm | 91; Philadelphia,

Pa. | Feb 17 | 8 po | Paid.

Camden N J—U S America | Feb: 17 noon °91 The item was right—Am in a bad way—“may blow over—may

not” but it will be all right either way. Remembrance to you & J W Wlallace] & all the friends—Am sitting here as usual—& have had a cup of coffee—God bless you & all—

Walt Whitman

9459. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Feb 19 |

6 pM | 91.

Camden N J—US America | Feb: 17 noon °91 Just perceptible turn for the easier—& I am pottering with the copy for my 2d annex—wh’ I want to go into the printer’s hands Monday—

Walt Whitman 53. Ellis mailed the book on February 3: “It is a feeble attempt to express the help & delight that your work has given me” (Feinberg). Bucke noted on February 22 that he had had Ellis’ book for a year: “The ‘W. W.’ is mostly good—has some bad shots in it” (Feinberg). Kennedy, however, disliked Ellis’ “wofully mistaken and beastly idea of the

LETTER 2461: FEBRUARY 19, 1891 167 2460. To Dr. John Johnston ADDRESS: Dr Johnston | 54. Manchester road | Bolton | Lancashire | England. posTMARKS:

Camden (?) | Feb 19 | 6 pm | 91; Philadelphia, Pa. |

Feb 19 | 11 pm | (?).

Camden N J—U S America |

Feb: 19 pm °91 Palpable slight turn for the better with me (or I take it so) —Suppose you have rec’d my frequent notes & papers—convey this to J W Wl[allace]—my copy is to go to printers in three days for the 2d annex— fine sunny middling cool day—God bless you all—

Walt Whitman

2461. To Bernard O'Dowd 2.19-20. 1891 Camden New Jersey U S America | Feb: 19 PM ’91 Again I will reel off a few words to you & all, at random—Has the express parcel come, with the four copies of the big book complete? Have

the mail letters come? & the slips & papers? I wanted you all to get the quaint “Dutch traits” slip—& I want you to get March number of Lippincott’s magazine (Philadelphia) —Is it on sale there? I shall send you one by mail—

Have had a bad, bad month or six weeks—but am (or fancy myself) perceptibly easier last evn’g & this forenoon—am sitting here in my den alone same as told before—oftener think of you all than you have any idea of—have been fixing up the copy for 2d annex & shall send to the printers in three days, wh’ will conclude L of G—retain fair spirits & appetite & get

along tolerably nights, (all wh’ helps amazing) —wish you could see the great fresh splendid shoot of canary-yellow tulips a friend bro’t in five days ago, in a goblet on the table near me ever since & quite fine yet—

Feb: 20 noon—Dark muggy wet day—Shall send you the earliest printed stuff that is out—send you to-day by mail the March Lippincott— am sitting here very dull & stupid seeking some canny tho’ts or intelli-

gence to make out my letter to prevent it being irremediably dull as it doubtless will be—Send me word next time if any of you wish any special Calamus poems”; see FBW, 39. WW’s copy of The New Spirit is in the Feinberg Collection.

54, Judging from Kennedy’s reply on [February] 18, WW must have referred in this note to Ellis’ book, as he did in 2456. Kennedy concluded: “Love unlimited fr. yr constant lover & friend. | W.S.K.” (Feinberg).

166 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN of my books or pictures, & I will send them—do not remit any money for them as I wish to present them—I am now going to give a sharp look over the copy for the little (very little) “Good-bye my Fancy” wh’ goes to the printers the third day hence (Monday next)—my friend & housekeeper Mrs. Davis has just been in a few minutes “for a small break” as she calls it—she is very cheery & good to me—has a good presence—is a sailor’s widow—

Concluding with love & best respects to you & Eve & little Eric & to Fred Woods & Jim Hartigan & Kate & Mr & Mrs Fryer & Ada & Ted & Louie & all else, Mr Bury not forgotten—what we hold to & pass each other is pure sentiment, good will &c. (am not sure but such things are the

| Walt Whitman

best proof of immortality ) —

God bless you all—& see my words at bottom re-affirmed”—

2462. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Feb 22 |

5 pM | 91; London | (?) | Fe 23 | 91 | Canada.

Camden Feb: 22 ’91 Fine bright sun out—Am ab’t same—bad condition—the printers

make a beginning at the 2d Annex to-morrow. Y’rs rec’d—thanks— Lip[pincott] mag. seems to be delayed two or three days—

Walt Whitman

2463. To Dr. John Johnston ADDRESS: Dr Johnston | 54 Manchester Road | Bolton | Lancashire | England. POSTMARKS:

Camde(?) | Feb 22 | 5 pm | 91; Philadelphia, Pa. | Feb 22 | 10 pm | Paid.

Camden N J—U S America | Feb: 22 ’91 Sunny & bright outside—things continuing on same with me— condition bad—y’r letter & WTallace]’s rec’d—thanks—copy for 2d Annex goes to printer to-morrow—

Walt Whitman 55. Since this postscript in the actual letter appeared at the top of the page, there

being no additional room at the bottom, the reference is to the statement about “immortality” above the signature. 56. On February 26 Bucke spoke as a doctor: “The enema business is all very well

LETTER 2466: FEBRUARY 26, 1891 169 2464. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKs: Camden, N.J. | Feb 23 |

8 pM | 91; London | pm | Fe 25 | 91 | Canada.

Camden earlyPM Feb: 23 °91 Sunny bright day—still bound up & bad but a slight turn for better— (have just bo’t & used a good enema pipe & seems helpful) *— Sent off the copy for “Good Bye” pp: 3 to 42 to printer, but he sends me word he can only put one man on it— (dont expect the proof complete for ten days )—my piece is adv: for March N[orth] A[merican] Rev[iew] (it will be very scrappy ) —a little delay in March Lip[pincott] but yrs will go to-morrow I guess—yr letter rec’d—

Walt Whitman

9465. To J. W. Wallace ADDRESS: J W Wallace | Anderton near Chorley | Lancashire England. PosTMARK: Camden, N.J. |

Feb 23 | 8 pm | 91.

Camden N J—America | Feb: 23 791 Still badly off, but a shade easier if anything this forenoon—the Art Magazine has come—it is a fine number—thank you—the first batch of copy for “Good-Bye” has gone to the printer—but tho’ a little matter

sh’l not have proof of it for ten days—the next (March) number of N[orth] A[merican] Review is adv’d to have an essay (very scrappy it will be) by me—

WW

2466. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | (2?) 26 | (?) pm |

91; London | PM | Fe 28 | 91 | Canada.

Camden Evn’g: Feb: 26 ‘91 Essentially ab’t same—suppose you have March Lippincotts—y’rs in its way but it will not do much for you—you want the upper bowel to act as well as the lower—if you would take a dose of Freidrickshall early in the morning and an enema after

3 or 4 hours to assist it (if necessary) that would be more like what is wanted and you might do this 2 or 3 times a week” (Feinberg).

170 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

rec’'d—thanks—first dribbles of proof begin f'm “Good-Bye”—dark slushy glum weather—just finish’d my supper tea & rice pudding—a good deal of interest here in y’r Canadian political excitement—

Walt Whitman

2467. To Dr. John Johnston ADDRESS: Dr Johnston | 54 Manchester road | Bolton Lancashire | England. POSTMARK:

Camden, N.J. | Feb 26 | (?) pm | 91.

Camden N J—U S America | Feb: 26—Evn’g—91

Ab’t same—have just had my supper, rice & tea—Suppose you have March Lippincotts—Best thanks to you & dear J W W[allace] for Review, Black & White Songs, & other kind & welcome reminders—

Walt Whitman

2468. To William Sloane Kennedy 2.26. [1891] TRANSCRIPT.

Feb. 26. Depress’d bad condition, how it is going to end doubtful.

2469. To an Unidentified Correspondent Camden New Jersey | U S America |

Feb: 26 ’91 Don’t like that portrait in the Illustrated paper some months ago —(for all its fine work & splendid technical handling.) It gives me a foxy, professional look, both distasteful.” I send you three pictures from life— all & each satisfactory.

Walt Whitman

2470. To Richard Maurice Bucke 2.28-3.1. 1891 ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario |

Canada. posTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Mar 1 | 5 pM | 91.

Camden 1891 | Feb: 28,342PM So-so with me—took last evn’g one of the powders (y’r prescrip57. Perhaps the note was addressed to Munyon’s Illustrated World; see 2180—2181.

58. See 2443.

LETTER 2471: MARCH 3, 1891 171 tion of June 10 1888) & some Fred: water this mn’g—a faint result but beneficial as far as it goes I guess—I never had so long & obstinate a constipation attack—I am poorly enough—but am amazed that I dont take down worse—y’rs of 25th rec’d—you must have got the Lip[pincott|s by this time—the pieces & general show of them are satisfactory—you'll see

the Boston Transcript notice pities me & the poetic pieces for their sad waning—Horace’s piece comes out finely—the picture is a queer one though—the Lip[pincott]s paid me $90 for my six pages—besides sending (addressing mailing) 100 copies at my instance*—am at the Good Bye—the printers get on strangely slow, but I sh’l have some proofs to-night likely—but n’importe if the text turns out right—(or rather if it does not turn out a palpable failure) —Have two orders for the big book, one for N Y City, & one for Illinois, to-day.” I suppose y’r Canada is all boiling with politics & will be for a week to come—

March 1st afternoon—Sharp cold to-day but sunny & bright—some proof last evn’g, (but very little, very slow) —no matter I am in no great hurry—The Lip: March & K[ennedy]’s “Dutch Traits” piece have been sent out by Stoddart & H T[raubel] copiously by mail, home & foreign— Have you rec’d y’r Lip?

Suppose you there are all red hot in political excitement—As I write there is not a breath here (except a faint vibration of Warry’s fiddle down stairs) —No visitors & no mail to-day—a good oak-wood fire—God bless you all—

Walt Whitman

9471. To Dr. John Johnston ApDREsSs: Dr Johnston | 54 Manchester road | Bolton Lancashire | England. posTMARKs: Camden

(2) | Mar 3 | 8 pm | 91; Philadelphia, Pa. | Mar 3 | 11 pm | Paid.

Camden New Jersey—U S America |

Evn’g M’ch 3 91 Snow storm & east wind the last twenty hours—have just eaten my dinner—supper, fine sweet oysters & toast & coffee—& have been leisurely writing for two hours—So you can see I do not give up—Yet may have to soon, as I am in a bad way (digestion power very languid or gone) —papers & mags: rec’d—thanks—send to Wallace—

Walt Whitman 59. On March 2 he sent copies of Complete Poems & Prose to O. J. Bailey, in Peoria, Illinois, and to Alfred P. Burbank, at the Lotos Club in New York City, both of whom paid $12.80 (cB).

172 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

2472. To Wallace Wood ENDORSED: “For Dr. Wood”; “in setting this up follow copy in abbreviations, short &’s & spelling & punctuation.”

Camden New Jersey March3’91 Y’rs, & the third kind solicitation, rec’d; to wh’ I hurriedly respond.” The answer to such questions ought to be the thoughts and results of a life time & w’d need a big volume. Seems to me, indeed, the whole varied machinery, intellect, & even emotion, of the civilized universe, these years, are working toward the answer. (My own books, poems & prose, have been a direct & indirect attempt at contribution.) No doubt what will be sent you will be salutary & valuable, & all fit in. Though the constituents of “perfect manhood” are much the same all lands & times, they will always be sifted & graduated a good deal by conditions, and especially by the United States. Then I sh’d say, with emphasis, we c’d not have (all

things consider’d) any better chances than mainly exist in these States to-day—common education, general inquiry, freedom, the press, Christianity, travel, &c. &c. But perhaps I may vary and help by growling a little

as follows: For one thing out of many, the tendency in this Commonwealth seems to favor & call for & breed specially smart men. To describe

it (for reasons) extra sharply I sh’d say we New Worlders are in danger of turning out the trickiest, slyest, ’cutest, most cheating people that ever lived. ‘Those qualities are getting radically in our business, politics, literature, manners, and filtering in our essential character. All the great cities exhibit them—probably New York most of all. They taint the splendid & healthy American qualities, & had better be well understood like a threatening danger, & well confronted & provided against.

Walt Whitman

9473. To Hannah Heyde

Camden Evn’g March4 91 Best love to you, sister dear—I still keep up, & have eat my supper, 60. Wood, of the New York Herald, wrote to WW on February 2 and again on March 15 (the latter may be misdated in view of the date of WW’s reply), asking him to participate in a symposium “on the anthropological and ethical subject of the ‘Coming

Man’” (Feinberg). Apparently WW’s reply did not appear in the Herald, but was

included in Wood’s Ideas of Life. Human Perfection. How to Attain It. A Symposium on the Coming Man (1892), 389-390. See William White’s article in The American Book Collector, x1 (May, 1961), 30-31, where Wood’s second letter is reprinted. 61. Heyde wrote twice in March, if the dates assigned to the letters by Bucke can

be trusted—on March 14 and 22—and reported in somewhat incoherent fashion on

LETTER 2475: MARCH 8, 1891 173 but am very poorly—have just had a piece printed & paid for by magazine

(Nforth] A[merican] Review March) & I enclose you 5 (give 2 to C[harles] ) —Cold here, but sun out to-day. Mrs. Davis is very good—& in

fact all are. I keep a stout fire—am printing my 2d annex & busy with proofs &c:—Expect to have some printed slips of the N A Rev: piece & when so will send you one.

God bless you, dear H”—

Walt Whitman

9474, To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Mar 5 | 8 pm | 91.

Camden early PM March5 ’91 Y’rs of 3d rec’d—No I am not worse—bad enough, the most obstinate & long continued bound up spell yet—but I fancy a slight shade

leaning to the better—you must be this moment at the highest of the tempest gale there”—we have got the international copyright law pass’d here—my piece is in March N[orth] A[merican] Rev[iew]. I send you slips™—

WW

9475. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Mar 8 |

5 pm | 91; London | (?)m | Mr 9 | 91 | Canada.

Camden March8 ’91 Nothing new or particular. Am still poorly, badly so. Have finish’d the proofs of poetic part (very brief) of “Good-Bye” & now go on with the prose bits”—

WW

Hannah’s condition and his own poverty (Trent). 62. In his letter on March 3 Bucke referred to the forthcoming Canadian elections:

“IT am boiling over with suppressed excitement—thank goodness only 2 more days” (Feinberg ).

63. On March 10 Bucke commented: “It is good, first rate in fact—the language a little cranky and queer in places but the thought fresh and vigorous and true. I like it well” (Feinberg ). 64. On receipt of this card Bucke wrote on March 10: “Your condition still seems wretched—you do not seem to rally—that is bad—why do you not send for a good doctor? Surely something could be done to give you relief” (Feinberg).

174 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

2476. To Dr. John Johnston ADDRESS: Dr Johnston | 54 Manchester road | Bolton Lancashire | England. PosTMARKsS: Camden,

N.J. | Mar 8 | 5 pm | (?); Philadelphia, Pa. | Mar 8 | 9 po | Paid.

Camden N J—US America | March 8 °91 Nothing very new or particular but tho’t I w’d send you a line— pass it on to J W W[allace]—Still poorly—have finish’d the (very brief) proofs of my poetic parts of “Good-Bye” & now go on with brief prose bits—

WW 2477. To Dr. John Johnston ADDRESS: Dr Johnston | 54 Manchester road | Bolton | Lancashire England. pPosTMARK: Camden

(2?) | Mar 10 | 4 30 pm | 91.

Camden N J—US America | March 10 791 Fine superb sunny day out—poorly still but suspicion of shade of betterment—am taking medicine—sit up here in chair as usual—y’r & J W Wlallace]’s letters rec’d to day & welcom’d—(hand him this) —y’r celluloid of the ’90 pict. satisfies me & all more & more—you are authorized to give it out as you like—(dont like those smart professional foxy prints of me) —getting on fairly with proofs of 2d annex—

Walt Whitman

2478. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Mar 10 |

4 30 pM | 91; London | am | Mr 12 | 91 | Canada.

Camden March 10 ’91 Splendid sunny day—beautiful bunch of spring (hot house) roses on my table—poorly yet, but suspicion of shade of improvement—am taking medicine, the calomel powders & Fred water—sit here in chair— make my meals of Graham br’d, stew’d mutton, roast apples, & such— proof of 2d annex getting along.

Walt Whitman 65. Gilchrist settled on Long Island and attempted unsuccessfully to support himself as an artist. As Morris observes in his Walt Whitman (1929), 83-84, “his life was really a veiled tragedy. . . . In the end he snuffed out his career, like a comedian who hides his grief under a courageous smile.” 66. Wallace wrote on March 6, not March 3: “In the centuries to come, when your

LETTER 2481: MARCH 14, 1891 175 2479. To Hannah Heyde Camden Marchll ’91 Sunny & fine to-day—had a letter f’m Jess, St. Louis, this mn’g— She is well & seems to be getting along—is ab’t 5 now, & I have eaten my early supper—had a fine varied meal bro’t to me, but selected only some stew’d tomatoes (with onions & crust bread) and half cup coffee, & sent the rest back—am sitting here same as usual—hope & pray it is comfortable with you, sister dear—a poor English street-singing boy stops out in the street & sings “the flowers that bloom in the spring” while another boy (his brother I fancy) fiddles. $2 enclosed—God bless you, Han—

Walt Whitman

2480. To Herbert Gilchrist ADDRESS: Herbert H Gilchrist | artist | Centreport | Suffolk Co: New York. posTMARK: Camden, N.J. |

Mar 11 | 6pm | 91.

Camden NJ—Marchl1l °91 Y’r letter came & is welcomed. I am poorly yet—nothing very new —Harry S[tafford] was here yesterday—the folks are well as usual—Geo: is getting along well—Harry has not found any place yet. Did you get the March Lippincott? I am sitting in the old chair in my Mickle st. den writing this—fine weather®—

Walt Whitman

2481. To J. W. Wallace ADDRESS: J W Wallace | Anderton near Chorley |

Lancashire | England. PostMARK: Cam(?) | Mar 14 | 8 pm | 91.

Camden N J—US America | March 14 Evn’g ’91 First, thanks for y’r affectionate fervid letter of 3d wh’ I have read twice & absorb’d®—dont expect much of the little 2d annex—it is very renown—‘the renown of personal endearment’—is fully established, men will comfort themselves by the memory of the loving poet and saviour, who, in his prime, sang such a strong brave song of gladness and love and faith, and who, in the pain and weakness of

declining age, ‘kept up the lilt’ of his previous song in unquestioning acceptance,

unconquerable faith and tender love” (typescript: Bolton).

176 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN brief & most of it you have seen already—then it is bro’t out in sickness &

e’t depression—Sorry I have no cheery or favorable news to send of physique—am up and abt to eat a bite of supper—

Walt Whitman

2482. To Bernard O'Dowd TRANSCRIPT.

Camden, N. J.—U.S. America ’91 | March 15, Evn’g— Well how are you getting along there 10,000 miles f’m here—&

“how’s all”? (as the black people say down south)—Did you get the package of four big books I sent Dec. 27 last by express to you? & my two letters since—& the March Lippincott’s magazine?—Am now sick here & have been several weeks, & nothing promising ahead—but sit up & read &

write—have just had a little stew’d rice & mutton for my supper—am busy with 2d annex to L of G. & Nov: Boughs—have just finish’d & sent

off the proofs of the poetic bits (16 or 17 pages altogether) & sent the printers part of the “copy” of the rest—it will all be very brief & scrappy —(you have seen a great part of it)—Did you get Ingersoll’s address in little book form I sent? intend to post you future pieces yet—if you have a

chance, look for an essay on Australia in the Century magazine Feb. ’"91—page 607 seems to have some meat in it”—Thoughtful folks here are

paying much attention to you south there & Canada north—I find the advice (apparent drift) is not to be in too g’t a hurry to cut loose fm G’t Britain—but you both are the best judges & deciders of all that—I am still up & interesting myself but inertia & disablement hold me powerless four fifths of the time—Again best respects & love to you & again to Eve & Mr & Mrs Fryer & Fred Woods & Jim Hartigan & Ada & Ted & Louie & the baby & Tom Touchstone, & may be other friends not named—mates of mine unspecified there whom you are authorized to give them if any my

good remembrance heart word—Without any special reason I yet have felt to write you all once more—but now I shall probably give you a rest awhile.

Walt Whitman 67. “The Anglo-Saxon in the Southern Hemisphere. The Workingmen in Australia,” Century, xL1 (1891), 607-613. 68. This letter was written on the verso of the third page of Kennedy’s of March 14 (Feinberg). 69. Note the curious verbal repetitions here—“The Base of All Metaphysics” or the often-reiterated refrain “the Mother of All” (twice used, for example, in “The Return of

LETTER 2485: MARCH 19, 1891 177 2483. To Richard Maurice Bucke Camden early P M March 16 ’91 Still very poorly—obstinate rigid horrible indigestion (now two months and over) at the bottom and base of all—wonder that I keep up as well as I do—all the poetic bits for the little 2d Annex proof finished & sent in—printers now on the prose pages—all will be very brief & scrappy

—a fair night past, considering—eat a little—drink Fred: water every mn’g & have taken four powders—no mark’d effect"—

WW

2484. To William Sloane Kennedy 8.16. [1891] TRANSCRIPT.

March 16. Obstinate long continued horrible indigestion—base of all, parent of most all physical harm.”

2485. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Mar 19 |

8 pM | 91.

Camden March19 PM ’91 Am getting along fairly I guess considering. Dr Longaker, of 652 north 8th St. Phila. has been here & we have had a good long comprehensive talk—he too thinks the use of the catheter unquestionably advisable —& I have used it for the first time—He has given a prescription for the terrible bowel obstinacy (pills) & I have just sent off to the druggist’s for it”—the proofs of the poetic part for Good-Bye are sent back & the plates of them (18 or 20 pages) will probably be cast to-day—(are likely cast now ) —then they will set up the prose pages—y’r letter rec’d last evn’g—I receive frequent & loyal & affectionate letters f’m the Bolton, Eng. friends —one to-day—Horace is going off soon to N Y. to hear Ingersoll orate on the Heroes,” ll. 94, 106). 70. Daniel Longaker was WW’’s physician until his death. In making his quarterly payment of $9 to the fund which provided WW with nursing care, Bucke observed to Traubel on April 1: “My idea is that the ‘Fund’ should pay Dr Longaker and I increase my subscription to meet this [by $5], I calculate that Dr L. should have $30.00 or $40.00 a mth. fm now on (?)” (Feinberg).

178 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN Shakspere—will be a great treat—Harrison S Morris was here, telling me of Stedman’s “Poetry” lectures at Johns Hopkins—S. spoke of me & L of G. several times & in a favorable tone—there are to be more lectures.” Tom Harned here last evn’g—full of business—a roast apple for my

breakfast—am reading “Holland, its Places & People” trans. f’m the Italian of Amicus”—What a people they have been and are! “The pills have come” f’m the druggist’s & I have just taken one (take every three hours )—Have you the Round-Table pamphlet 52 pp: Walt Whitman— Edinburgh?” If not I can mail it to you—As I close it is ab’t 3 & I am feeling in fair mood—dark & damp out, mild, looks like more storm—am very uneasy ab’t my sister at Burlington Vermont—She is sick & old & nervous & in bad way—my neice Jessie (Jeff’s daughter) at St Louis is getting along fairly—my brother Ed is still at the Blackwood institution (we pay $314 a week) all satisfactory— Love to you all & God bless you—

Walt Whitman

2486. To Dr. John Johnston ADDRESS: Dr Johnston | 54 Manchester Road | Bolton | Lancashire England. PostMARK: Camden,

(?) | Mar 19 | 8 pm | 91.

Camden N J—U S America |

March 19 Evn’g 791 Nothing worse at any rate—the Dr. has just been here & his talk & atmosphere are cheering. The book “Holland” rec’d—thanks—have just had my supper, some stew’d mutton & rice—It is 6 but quite light yet— Loving remembrances to J W W[allace]—

Walt Whitman

2487. To Dr. John Johnston ADDRESS: Dr Johnston | 54 Manchester Road | Bolton | Lancashire England. posTMARK: Camden,

N.J. | Mar 22 | 5 pm | 91.

Camden N J—US America |

March 21 PM ’91

The best to say probably is that nothing is worse—Have been 71. Morris’ article “Mr. Stedman’s Lectures on Poetry” appeared in The Conservator in April, 1892.

72. Edmondo de Amicis (1846-1908), Holland and Its People (1885), translated by C. Tilton.

LETTER 2490: MARCH 23, 1891 179 much interested in the ““Holland” book—H T\[raubel] goes to N Y this evn’g to stay two days—I am sitting here expecting the doctor.

Walt Whitman

2488. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Mar 22 | 5 pM |

91; (2?) | Mr 23 | 91 | Canada.

Camden PM March 22 ’91 No worse—just taken a small cup of cocoa—sent off MS of “old actors in N Y” to Truth weekly, $16—the Doctor has just been—upon the whole he thinks things satisfactory—I am whacking away valiantly (I suppose) with pen & ink—weather dark & sullen—death all around us— Walt Whitman

2489. To Hannah Heyde Camden evn’g March 23 ’91 Am uneasy ab’t you, sister dear, fear you are worse than usual. Nothing new or different with me—am getting along fairly considering— the doctor here yesterday—I like him—fine sunny afternoon—wrote & sent off a piece yesterday to N Y paper—Am sitting here as usual in big chair, have a wood fire—roast apple for my supper—best love to you, Han dear— 2 enclosed” —

2490. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Mar 24 |

6 AM | 91; London | pm | Mr 25 | 91 | Canada.

Camden March 23 evn’g °91 Getting along tolerably—no worse—relish’d my supper, a dish of 73. John Robertson’s Walt Whitman, Poet and Democrat (Roung Table Series, Edinburgh, 1884). 74. “Old Actors, Singers, Shows, &c., in New York.” WW returned the proof of the essay on April 10 (cB). See 2498. 75. The signature has been cut off.

180 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN string beans & bit of cold meat—Dr Forkaner™ came yesterday—I1 like him—have you had a good report of Ingersoll’s lecture last night in N Y?

Walt Whitman

2491.To J. W. Wallace ADDRESS: J W Wallace | Anderton near Chorley | Lancashire | England. PosTMARK: Camden, N.J. |

Mar 24 | 6 AM | 91.

Camden N J—U S America |

Evn’g March 23 ’91 Just a word—nothing worse with me—Doctor here yesterday— have just eaten a light supper—

Walt Whitman

2492. To Dr. John Johnston ADDRESS: Dr Johnston | 54 Manchester road | Bolton Lancashire | England. POSTMARK: Camden,

N.(?) | Mar 24 | 4 30 po | 91.

Camden N J—U S America | March 24 °91 Still no worse & even suspicion of a shade easier, & the long & horrible drain spell being broken—(that’s the consummation most devoutly to be wish’d)—have just eaten a small farina pudding—Y’rs & Wlallace]’s letters came this mn’g—best thanks—the small Good-Bye proofs are moving slowly—

Walt Whitman

2493. To Henry S. Tuke TRANSCRIPT.

Camden, N. J., March 24, 1891 Y’rs of 9th rec’d with pay—& I now send the big book complete 76. Bucke alluded to WW’s misspelling of Longaker’s name on March 30: “But whatever you may call or miscall him he is certainly doing you good” (Feinberg). 77. Tuke, a young Englishman, sent 25 shillings for a copy of Leaves of Grass on March 9: “I cannot tell you what a blessed thing it was to me when I found your poems, & I could say the same of several other young Englishmen I know” (Feinberg). 78. On March 7 Symonds wrote to Wallace of his health, of his fears for his family,

of an autobiography (“which perhaps may yet be published; if its candour permits

publication”), and of his affection for WW: “What is beautiful in this sunset of a great strong soul, is the man’s own cheerful & calm acceptance of the situation. ‘It will be all right either way.’ Ab eo disce vivere ac mori!” (Wallace’s transcription: Feinberg).

LETTER 2495: MARCH 29, 1891 181 works same address as this card—Kindly send me word when it safely reaches you, notifying me.”

Walt Whitman

2494. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camd(?) | Mar 2(?) | 8 pm | 91.

Camden Friday PM March27 ’91 Getting along still—Dr Foraker here yesterday (comes ab’t every 2d day)—am taking medicine pills (I suppose to placate the digestive parts & produce evacuation )—sort of (very moderate) bowel movements the last three or four days—water works I guess better action—use the catheter—feelings dull & heavy enough nearly all time—have my daily massage (generally on going to be[d], a little after 9) —eat my two meals tolerably yet—rice, sago, roast apple, stew’d mutton, &c:—I send a full set printing office proofs, the poetic pp:—Enc’d J A Symonds to J W Wallace]. Horace T was just in—God bless you—

WW

2495. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Mar 30 | 6 AM | 91; London | pm | Mr 31 | 91 | Canada.

Camden Noon March29 °91 Still keep up (but it is a heavy pull part of the time) —No worse.” Dr L[ongaker] comes, & 1s valuable to me—dark glum weather all the time—proofs of “Good-Bye” get slowly on—have sent back to 31st page

—there will not be much more than 40 unless I put Sarrazin &c: in an appendix (wh’ I believe I sh’l not, as you and H T[raubel] are decidedly against )*’—Suppose you rec’d the full proofs of the L of G. 2d annex I sent—am having distress in head to-day—God bless you all—

Walt Whitman Wallace on March 13-14 delighted especially in Symonds’ phrase “ ‘sealed of the tribe of Walt’” (Feinberg ). 79. Bucke commented to Traubel on April 1 on the gravity of the poet’s condition: “The great trouble with W. is that his reflex nerve centres-cord &c. are in such bad shape —I am looking (week by week) for W. to break down badly” (Feinberg). 80. On February 14 Bucke protested WW’s tentative decision to include critical pieces by others in an appendix to Good-bye My Fancy (Feinberg). Of WW’s decision to exclude Sarrazin’s essay, Bucke wrote to Traubel on April 1: “By all means keep him in this mind” (Feinberg). Meanwhile Traubel and Bucke were preparing a collection of critical (eulogistic) essays.

182 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

2496. To Dr. John Johnston ADDRESS: Dr Johnston | 54 Manchester Road | Bolton Lancashire | England. postMARK: Camden (2) | Mar 30 | 6 AM | 91.

Camden N J—U S America | March 29 noon °91 Still up—no worse I guess but bad enough—thanks to you & J W Wallace] for kind messages, papers & books—bad weather here all the time—head distress to-day—the R[eview] of R[eview]s came—my proofs of “Good-Bye” getting on slowly, 3-4ths done—Have just sent off two big books to Cambridge Eng.” God bless you & to W. & the friends—

Walt Whitman

9497. To John Addington Symonds ADDRESS: J Addington Symonds | Davos Platz | Switzerland. PosTMARKS: Camden | Mar 31 | 6 AM |

91; Davos - | 11 1v 91-6 | Platz.

Camden New Jersey—U S America |

March 30 evn g 91 Nothing special to write ab’t—but tho’t I w’d forward you a line—Still keep the fort (sort 0’) & have had a glum winter—but signs of spring opening—have the good photo you sent me on my wall here, & y’r last Essays handy—so you see you are not forgotten—am reading printer’s proofs of very little 2d annex concluding L of G.—shall send you soon as printed—God bless you—

Walt Whitman

81. He sent two copies to Clare Reynolds, for which he received $12.80 (CB). 82. The National Review, xvii (1891), 56~71, a review of Stedman’s A Library of American Literature. William Sharp (Fiona Macleod) (1855-1905) visited WW on January 23, 1892, with a letter of introduction from Arthur Stedman (Berg). Through Mrs. McKay he obtained a copy of the final edition, in which he wrote the following: “ ‘William Sharp, when you go back to England, tell those friends of whom we have been speaking and all others whom you may know though I do not, that words fail me to express my deep gratitude to them for sympathy and aid truly enough beyond acknowledgment. Good-bye to you and to them—the last greetings of a tired old poet’. Said to me at the last, with difficulty and halting breath by Walt Whitman, when I took farewell of him to-day at his bedside. W.S. 23:1:’92” (Catalog of Alan G. Thomas, Bournemouth, England, 1963).

LETTER 2498: MARCH 30, 1891 183

2498. To Richard Maurice Bucke 3.30-31. 1891 ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario |

Canada. POSTMARK: Camden (?) | Apr 1 | 6 am | 91.

Camden ’91| March30 PM Bright sunny day—Am getting along—no worse—if anything indications of better—the obstinate long bowel-chock shows a suspicion of being started, (but I mustn’t hurrah before clearing the woods) —something like a (limited but decided) bowel discharge last evn’g—& another slight one to-day—

Mrs. D[avis] has just bro’t me a small cup of hot wheat gruel (salt)

wh’ tastes good & I have taken—J W W[allace] has sent me the Nat[ional] Review Eng. wherein I read the piece by Wm Sharp on Amer: National Literature—nothing deep”—my Bolton friends are very kind &

punctual—O’Connor’s “Android” begins (half printed I guess) in the Atlantic for April*—the print adjoining is to-day’s Phil. Inquirer.” Y’rs of 27th came to-day—I continue to like the visits of Dr Longaker*®—Van Stafford (one of the boys) was here last evn’g—the S’s are there yet ab’t same—the elder George keeps up but I am afraid is substantially dismantled (I don’t know—maybe better than I think for) —Poor Harry has moved home to his parents with his wife & two young ones—I take pills, the Fred. water & use the catheter—

Tuesday 14% PM—March 31 Dr Lfongaker] has been—thinks the affair is going on satisfactory —& I guess it is—bowel action not copious but decided every day the last three days—McKay just orders six sets big books in sheets—the “Truth” people have paid me ($26) for two moderate contributions®—I don’t think Ing[ersoll]’s Shakspere piece in N Y. has been reported or printed —(kept back I guess for fuller corrections )—dark glum weather to-day —lots of grip around & I have mine plain & settled—have just sent Warry up for more Fred: bottles (take a little in hot water every mn’g) —have 83. The Atlantic Monthly, txvu (April—May, 1891), 433-454, 577-600. 84. At this point WW mounted a clipping from the newspaper announcing the appearance of the tale, which “stands out amid the mass of every-day short stories with startling distinctness.” 85. In this letter Bucke alluded to a communication received directly from Longaker: “He finds nothing the matter with you that is threatening to life tho’ much that would be absolutely destructive of all comfort unless looked sharp after” (Feinberg).

86. “Old Chants” appeared in Truth on March 19 (FBW, 272); it was “sent...

by y’ng Mr Stoddart” on March 15, and WW received $12 (cB). If he received $16 for “Old Actors, Singers, Shows, &c., in New York” as recorded in CB, there is a discrepancy in his figures. The prose piece evidently appeared on April 2 (cB); I have not been able to see a file of Truth.

184 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN just written to Dr Johnston—have just sent back some proofs (to page 386)—Mrs: O’C[onnor] is still in office at Wash’n—Chief Kimball* has

sent the Life-Service Reports to H T[raubel] who thinks of excerpting W DO's special parts, as | suppose you know. It is 2 P M as I close & all goes fairly—

Walt Whitman

2499. To Dr. John Johnston 3.30-31. 1891 ADDRESS: Dr Johnston | 54. Manchester road | Bolton Lancashire | England. posTMARK: Camden

(?) | Apr 1 | 6am | 91.

Camden N J—U S America | March 30 earlyP M °91 Pleasant sunny day out & I am getting on fairly considering—the long fearful obstinate bowel-block seems to be edged upon, even started, (or suspicion of it)—have pretty good nights—must have five or six hours

sleep—no vehement pain night or day that I make acc’t of—bladder trouble not pronounced at present—use the catheter most every day—eat my two meals daily or something of them, farina, roast apple, rare fried ego, mutton & rice, &c. &c.—Dr Longaker, (652 north 8th st: Philadelphia) comes every 2d day, & I like him & his doings—there has been some

little correspondence bet’n him & Dr Bucke—the latter is well—I got letter to-day. Wish you to pass this scrawl to J W W[allace], as he may like to know particulars—the Nat[ional] Review comes to-day & I have been looking at W Sharp’s piece—(all guessing ab’t future American National Literature seems to me guessing on the weather of years f’m now )—the proofs of “Good-Bye My Fancy” are slowly getting along— have sent back 31 pp: to be corrected—(there may be ab’t 45) —don’t you look out for anything stirring—it is small any how, & mostly to untune (let down) clinch what I have said before, pass the fingers again carelessly over the strings & probably some parrot-like repetitions & to close the book avoiding any thing like trumpet blasts or attempts at them —intend it to be bound in with “November Boughs” & make it supplementary part. 87. Sumner I. Kimball was chief of the Life-Saving Service in the Treasury Department. On March 5 Mrs. O’Connor sent a eulogy written by Kimball for the

Life-Saving Report (Feinberg). 88. Dr. Johnston was especially grateful for this long letter. When he replied on April 14-15, he recalled “the sound of your ‘valved voice,’ and I seem to live over again those two red letter—nay rather epoch-making—days of my life which I spent with you, my dear, old Camerado & Elder Brother” (Feinberg). 89. On the same day WW sent McKay six books at $3.20 each—“owes me $19.20 for them”—and noted that Oldach had “ab’t 190 big books complete in sheets” (cB).

LETTER 2502: APRIL 2, 1891 185 Tuesday 81st 1 pn—Dr L has just been—thinks matters are going along satisfactorily—Dark glum day—& I am too, but it is blessed to be no worse, & even indication of turning better—am sitting here same way in big chair alone &c: —drizzling out—God bless you & all*—

Walt Whitman

2500. Zo Hannah Heyde Camden March31 PM ’91 Am getting along fairly—wonder how it is with you, sister dear— have not seen Lou or heard f’m Jess very lately—the Dr has just been in (comes in every 2d or 3d day—I like him) —I have better strength wh’ is a great help—$2 enclosed—Still at my proofs 2d annex tho’ it will be only a little wee affair—sold a big book yesterday—it is ab’t 3 P M as I write, & every thing goes fairly. God bless you, my darling sister—

Walt Whitman

2501. To Horace Traubel ADDRESS: Horace Traubel | Farmers’ & Mechanics’

Bank | 427 Chestnut St: | Phila:.

Camden Tuesday mn’g | March 31 °91 Horace, I think the sheets (including those first ones, with auto) are all over in Oldach’s made up complete & inclusive—If you can, go there & see if that is not so—see how many big books in sheets he has there.

Walt Whitman Of course Mc[Kay]’s order will then get the six complete”—

9502. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Apr 3 | 6 AM |

91; N.Y. | 4-3-9 | 10 30 am | 9.

Camden April 2 ’91 Y’rs of 31st M[arch] comes & helps me much”—& I need it for I 90. Bucke on March 31 wrote eloquently of Good-bye My Fancy, quoting from “L. of G.’s Purport”: “Well, the ‘haughty song—before in ripened youth—never even for one brief hour abandon’d,’ is finished, and the singer soon departs—and the present listeners soon depart. But the song remains and will do its work—that same song is the most virile, potent and live thing on this earth today—and the singer and the listeners they go the way

provided for them but they will not get out of the range of this prophetic utterance” (Feinberg). That Bucke was in part writing for posterity is evident from a passage in his letter to Traubel on April 5: “If you see my letter to W. of 31st Mar kicking about save it or return it to me—W. refers to it in card of 2d inst. and I may want it later” (Feinberg).

186 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN am feeling badly—& yet guess things medically & physically are going on

as near to satisfaction as c’d be expected—bowel action to-day—(g’t straining )—Dr L{ongaker] not here to-day—company & talk make me headachy & deaf—dark & raw weather—

Walt Whitman

2503. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Apr 3 |

8 pM | 91; London | Am | Ap 6 | 91 | Canada.

Camden 4PM Apr: 3 ’91 Getting along—Dr Lfongaker] here to-day—partial bowel impulse—Mr O’Donovan, N Y, sculptor of repute, has been here to arrange fr sculping me—I told him I w’d submit—we’ll see what comes of it—

quite a train of visitors talkers &c: and I am tired & deaf*—am sitting here alone & glum as usual— Best luck to you—

Walt Whitman

2504. To Hannah Heyde Camden April3 °91 Have just sold a couple of books—$2 enclosed (suppose you got the one four days ago) —nothing new with me—think ab’t you every day —dark wet weather—am partly busy with the proofs of the little 2d annex for L of G. to conclude it—Have been visited on business & feel tired out —Love to you, sister dear—

Walt Whitman

2505. To David McKay ADDRESS: David McKay publisher &c: | 23 South 9th Street | Philadelphia.

Camden New Jersey | April 3, 91 Yes there were certainly 100 sets—I see by my memoranda book 91. His callers included Longaker, McKay, and William R. O’Donovan, the sculptor

(1844-1920), who came with a letter of introduction from George W. Childs of the Philadelphia Public Ledger (Feinberg and CB).

92. See 2345. On the following day McKay paid WW $127.87—“pays up (does

LETTER 2508: APRIL 7, 1891 187 —50 to y’r order Aug: 27 90 & 50 same order Oct: 21 ’90”—you can of course verify it all by Oldach’s delivery—

Walt Whitman

2506. To David McKay [4.5(2). 1891] Dave, I see according to my tally & memoranda book I have furnish’d you

eight (8) big books b’d—You have allowed—credited—me with only six—

2507. To David McKay 4.[6(2)]. 1891 TRANSCRIPT.

Here are the dates of the sending of the big book copies unacc’td for

one copy date missing—before Aug. 13 ’90 one copy— Aug: 13 ’90

74 66 Oct. 21 6¢ c¢ it 4 Dec. 1 66 74 66 Dec. 9A, 4 6¢ 66 Dec. D5 6¢

o “ Feb. 19791 CC 6¢ Feb. 20 6693 I don’t know but one of the big books above was furn’d by me (as I offer’d) to go in with the 100 sets of sheets. If so you owe me for one only ( $4.) —if not you owe me for two—

WW

2508. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Apr 8 | 6 AM |

91; N. Y. | 4-8-91 | 10 30 aM | 1.

Camden—April7 791 Keeping on fairly I guess—Dr L[ongaker] here yesterday—take it?) to date everything (inc’ng the 6 sets above)” (cB). See also 2501 and the next two letters.

° “93. WW wrote this reply on McKay’s note of April 6 requesting “the dates for 2 books you are not credited with” (Mrs. Charles Cridland). The entries for the books appear in CB on the various dates.

1886 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN medicine every day—bowels moderately loose—inertia & headache quite heavy—appetite so-so (no nausea)—sleep middling—the proofs (prose) have pass’d page 51—D McKay has just paid me $127.87—Warry has gone over to Phila: with last proofs—

WW

2509. To J. W. Wallace ADDRESS: J W Wallace | Anderton near Chorley | Lancashire | England. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Apr 8 | 6 AM | 91.

Camden NJ US America | April 7 °91 Y’rs rec’d to-day—thanks—fine sunny spring-like day out—keeping on much the same—no worse I guess—Have you seen my dead friend O’Connor’s story “The Bronzoid Android” com[mence]d in April Atlantic monthly?

Am sitting here (listless & stupid as a great log) in my den—take medicine every day—God’s blessings on you & Dr. [Johnston]—& my love™—

Walt Whitman

2510. To Dr. John Johnston | ADDRESS: Dr: Johnston | 54 Manchester road | Bolton | Lancashire | England. PosTMARK: Camden,

N.J. | Apr 8 | 6 pm | 91.

Camden New Jersey |US America—April 8 °91 The sun is shining so finely out, & the spring weather (half warm, half cool) comes on to day, I tho’t I w’d send you a line tho’ I really have nothing to write ab’t—The best probably is I am no worse—if no better effectually—dont seem to get any strength or grip yet—but “Keep my end up” much the same, (a phrase am’g the seine fishermen) —& that’s something—not to fall behind hand. Still on my proofs at 2d annex, well toward the end—all goes fairly— One of the boys has just bro’t up to me a nice little cup of hot cocoa for 94, Wallace responded soulfully to this brief card on April 21: “Your loving-kindness—inexhaustible, warm and ever-renewed—deeply impresses us, and the lowest deeps of our hearts and souls respond to it. Your words to me—‘God’s blessings on you and the

LETTER 2512: APRIL 8, 1891 189 lunch—nice—g’t demand hereabout for doctors—three here yesterday same time in an area of 100 feet—Remembrances to J W W[allace] & all the friends—

Walt Whitman

2511. To Ellen M. O'Connor [4.8. 1891] ADDRESS: Mrs: O’Connor | 112 M Street N W | Washington D C. postMARK: Camden, N.J. |

Apr 8 | 8 pm | 91.

Yes, Nelly, the magazine came all straight—We all like the story —so much in the turn of it reminds me of William & the days that are gone— We are of course more whetted than ever to have the full book fm H[oughton] M[ifflin] & Co:—Is it yet in abeyance?—And you, & how are you getting along? Nicely I hope—H T[raubel] is going over his Life] S[ervice] books & more & more impress’d with the sketches”—

I have had a bad winter & have yet—grip, catarrh of bowels, bladder trouble &c: &c:—have not been outdoors for ten weeks—but sit up here & read & write much of the time—but fearful inertia & loss of interest, grip, or zest—Have a good doctor & take medicine daily—Am printing the little 2d annex, “Good-Bye my Fancy”—reading the proofs & putting it through slowly—Should not get along with it or anything without Horace Traubel

—comes every day, & is invaluable—Dr B[ucke] is still the same in London Canada—I believe expects to come this way (& to Washington ) in three weeks—Fine sunny day as I write—had my breakfast, a rare fried ego, Graham wet toast & coffee—my supper at 5—no dinner—pretty fair spirits—often think of you there & the former times—Write when you can. God bless you—

Walt Whitman

2512. To Richard Maurice Bucke 4.8-9. 1891 ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, (?) | Apr 9 | 8 pm | 91.

Camden April8 ’91 It is near sunset—have had my supper, some mutton broth, graDoctor and my love’—seem to me to carry their own fulfilment, for I feel, indeed, that in your love God has given me his authentic and dearest blessing, more sacred and precious to me than a oases except the memories of my mother” (typescript: Bolton).

190 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN ham toast & tea—the days are lengthening—& I generally feel a shade easier toward evn’g—Y’rs of 6th comes—no arrival yet of O’Donovan the sculptor to commence but we are looking for him—Herbert Gilchrist was here yesterday & knows him & speaks very well of him—my own feeling

w'd be to leave the event to tell the story & define it—my personal impression of O’D is agreeable & I sh’l give him a chance—that’s ab’t all I see at present— 642—Horace comes—no proof this evn’g—some to-morrow—pleasant rather mild day been—letter to Dr J[ohnston], Bolton, Eng.—Just got in Y2 cord sawed oak wood—Short p. c’s f'm Mrs: O’C[onnor]— 9 evn’g—have been looking over & adding to some little reminiscent

notes for “Good-Bye”—& have had my usual bath or half bath—am feeling pretty easy—once & awhile I have a spell (hour or several hours)

when I am more (negatively) comfortable than you m’t think for—40 minutes ago Mrs. D[avis] bro’t me up a cup of cold lemonade—seems to have done me good—I have my evn’g massage regularly—in the main pretty fair nights—wh’ is of course a great help—Good night— Thursday 9th—Sunny & fine again—bowel motion at 10—began the mn’g with my wash pill & Fred water (same routine over & over lately) — a good deal of sickness around here—lots of grip cases—the forenoon is well along as I conclude this—am sitting here in the big chair in my den as usual—

Walt Whitman

2513. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POsSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Apr 12 |

5 pm | 91; (2?) | (?) | Ap 13 | (2) | Canada.

Camden Apr: 11(2PM) 91 Getting along ab’t same—wet dark glum weather—bowel action —proofs moving slowly—will be ab’t 60 pp: altogether—quite many small personal notes & reminiscences—letter f'm Dr J[ohnston] Bolton Eng:—yr letters rec’d, always welcome—have just rec’d a bunch of spicy arbutus, very nice—hear f’m W S K[ennedy] Boston—he is hard at work & well—

Walt Whitman 96. Probably Wallace’s letter of March 27, in which he outlined a speech he was to

deliver to the Bolton “college” on April 10 (Feinberg). Bucke spoke on April 14 of Wallace’s letter: “It is a noble production and raises Wallace even higher than ever in my

LETTER 2516: APRIL 15, 1891 191 2514. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Apr 12 |

5 PM | 91.

Camden Sundaynoon Apr: 12 91 Cloudy & damp yet—am feeling a shade better this forenoon— bowel actions (more or less, generally less, but I believe decided at that) each of the three past days—wh’ is of course a great gain—Tom Harned was here last evn’g—he is busy & prosperous (very possibly going off on business to San Francisco, for a few days) —Horace here as usual—proof will soon be done—enclosed a MS from J W Wf[allace] of Bolton, Eng:” —God bless you all—

Walt Whitman

9515. To Hannah Heyde Camden Aprill4 791 Am getting fairly on, considering—weather almost warm— Warry comes in advising me to try & get out a few minutes in the wheel chair (he to push it)—& I havn’t give it up yet—But I am very feeble & listless yet & shall probably not—Dr Longaker here yesterday—he encourages me—roast apple for my breakfast, (a little 7 y’r old boy, friend of mine, bro’t me two yesterday ) — Love to you, sister dear—$2 enc’d—

Walt Whitman

2516. To Dr. Daniel Longaker 4.15. [1891] TRANSCRIPT.

April 15th, 1 o’clock

Went out in wheel chair fifteen minutes; warm, bright sun, flustered, headache—eyes badly blurred— (first time out in four months). regard—I know W. pretty well and between ourselves I think he is a very choice

spirit—his spiritual insight is especially keen and fine—I guess there is no man understands L. of G. more profoundly” (Feinberg).

192 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

2517. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Apr 16 |

6 AM | 91; London | pm | Ap 17 | 91 | Canada.

Camden mid PM April15 °91 Y’rs of 13th comes with the bad foot acc’t—a spell of warm weather here—got out to-day for 15 minutes in wheel chair, (first owt in four months) —but it was so confusing & blinding I came back soon” — Every thing goes on fairly I guess—proofs nearly done—Dr L[ongaker] here yesterday.

Walt Whitman

2518. To Dr. John Johnston ADDRESS: Dr Johnston | 54 Manchester road | Bolton Lancashire | England. PostmMaRrK: Camden,

N.J. | Apr 15 | 8 pm | 91.

Camden N J—US America| April 15 evn’g 91 Perhaps the best self-news to send you is that I have to-day got out (little but decided) in the open air on wheel chair propell’d by Warry— the first time for four months—was so confused & blinded & excited tho’, I soon came back & have been unsettled since—but am now feeling easier —the sculptor f’m N Y is here & begins on me to-morrow—

Walt Whitman

2519. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Apr 16 |

6 pm | 91; London | Am | Ap 18 | 91 | Canada.

Camden N J—Apr: 16 ’91 Y’rs of 14 rec’d—always welc’d & this specially interesting*— Spell of warm weather here—Medically ought to feel easy as things go on that way fairly, but I am prostrated with a weak & gone-in condition to day

worse than ever, hardly strength to hold my head up. Pulse faint & 97. An account, undoubtedly written by WW, in the Camden Post on the following day omitted reference to the after-effects of the excursion; see CP, 706.

98. WW was probably referring to Bucke’s comment on Wallace; see 2514, 1.96. 99. His entry in CB on this date read: “weak as death—strange, depress’d day.”

1. See 1381-1382.

LETTER 2521: APRIL 20, 1891 193 low”—Do you follow President Harrison’s trip south &c?—it is quite curlous—he is going 10,000 miles all in our own settled demesne—

Walt Whitman

2520. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Apr 18 | 6 pM | 91.

Camden April18 noon ’91 Nothing very different—nothing worse quite certainly—but uncomfortable worst kind, head, stomach &c. feelings—fact is, grip, & gastric & bladder maladies have deep possession of corpus & are not going to

be dislodged, probably here to stay—letter f'm J W Alexander the N Y portrait painter that some admirer of the pict. & him & me has bo’t the pict.

& put it in the Met. Art Ex. for good'—the proofs of “Good-Bye” are essentially done & pass’d in—Al Johnston* was here yesterday—have many visitors, often have to decline seeing—Horace 1s faithful to the last

—long interregnum without any word fm R P S[mith] or Mrs. C[ostelloe]’—very frequent word from the Bolton, Eng. friends—Am sitting here same—have just taken a pill, & am sipping a cup of cocoa Mrs. D[avis] has bro’t in—the sculptor has gone back to N Y—returns early in the week I believe to pitch in for real*—

after 2 P M—fine & sunny out—am fearfully torpid, or w’d try to get [out]—have been talking to Warry ab’t India, the Ganges, & Benares (He has been there ) —God bless you—

Walt Whitman

92521. To Hannah Heyde

Camden April20 ’91 Fine weather here & Warry thinks I ought to get out doors, even if but a bit—& I may as it 1s not noon yet—Nothing very new or different— (of course I skip all the many bad points & botherings as you have plenty

enough y’r own)—Lou was here Saturday—all well as usual—my 2d 2. The son of John H. Johnston, the New York jeweler, and the poet’s companion on a visit to Burroughs in 1878; see 868-869.

3. See 2590, n.51. 4, Apparently O’Donovan was again in Camden on April 24, when an entry in CB read, “the hand sculping.”

194 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN annex proofs are substantially done wh’ is a g’t triumph & relief—Dearest

Han, I will send you one as soon as I get—I am sitting here alone expecting the doctor—$2 enclosed’— God bless you, sister dear—

Walt Whitman

2522. To Dr. John Johnston ADDRESS: Dr Johnston | 54 Manchester road | Bolton Lancashire | England. posTMaARKs: Camden,

(?) | Apr 21 | 6 pm | 91; Philadelphia, Pa. | Apr 21 | (?) pm | Paid.

Camden N J—U S America | April 20 791 Have been out in wheel chair this afternoon, the weather fine— Y’rs & J W W[allace]’s good letters rec’d this evng—thanks—the doctor has just been in—thinks I am getting along fairly—have had my supper, four nice raw oysters & some bread & farina. (Convey to our dear friend

JW W)— Walt Whitman

2523. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARK: Camden (?) | Apr 2(?) |

8 pM | 9(?).

Camden sunset April 21 ‘91 Y’rs rec’d—hope this will reach you over at the big building & moving around as usual*°—Have read the printed sheets of Horace’s article

in May N[ew] E[ngland] Magazine—I was anticipating a great dislocation & many outs, but am relieved & find it very passable & satisfactory’—

Have not had the Mag. itself yet—Fine & warm here—am getting along 5. Heyde, in a letter dated “Monday—April 1891,” commented on a recent donation: “I have bought numerous delacacies with it for her—And now I am expecting

14 ton of coal, adding a dollar myself—regretting that I could not pay for all of it” (Trent). 6. According to his letter of April 19 Bucke was still confined to his room (Feinberg). Two days later when he wrote to Traubel, he was back in his hospital office (Feinberg). 7. “Walt Whitman at Date,” The New England Magazine, n.s., 1v (May, 1891), 275-292. Traubel evidently lamented these excisions in letters he sent to Bucke and Wallace; see Bucke’s letters to Traubel on April 21 and 24 (Feinberg) and Wallace’s to

WW on April 30 (typescript: Bolton). The article, unabridged, appears in In Re

(1893), 109-147. On May 7 Bucke wrote to Traubel in its praise: “Its only fault is that it ends too soon—I should like a big Vol. of just such pages—I could read in it day and night. And by & by (thanks to you) we shall have such vols! Think how people today

LETTER 2525: APRIL 29, 1891 195 fairly—not the deadly weakness of yesterday—have just eaten a good supper, stew’d chicken, farina & tea—no bowel action yesterday or to day —Mrs. D[avis] is away—an old man, Warry’s grandfather, 1s very low, may be dying—(lots of death & bad sickness all around here) —have the window by me, open for a half hour—reading skimpily an article [in] the

Eng. Contemporary by E Gosse (I call him young Capt. Cuttle) on Democracy in Literature (wh’ he is no more able to grasp than a neat cockroach w’d one of Kepler’s principal laws )*—It is most 6—Horace has been here—says the printer-foreman w’d like six pages more (to make 72, good job) if possible—fearful tho’t—

Walt Whitman

2524. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Apr 29 | 8 PM | 91.

Camden well on PM | Apr: 29 ’91 Seven or eight bad days & in one now—bowel action (restricted) yesterday evn’g—Dr L[ongaker] comes faithfully—pretty fair nights yet

—have been formally invited by a N Y Club (quite swell) to a public dinner, my birth night anniversary—of course shall decline’—

Walt Whitman

9525. To Dr. John Johnston ADDRESS: Dr Johnston | 54. Manchester Road | | Bolton | Lancashire | England. PostMARK: Camden (2?) | Apr 29 | 8 pm | 91.

Camden N J—U S America | April 29 °91 Hold out yet tho’ bad days these—have had ten days of depression,

worst kind, & am now in the midst of same—Your & J W W[allace]’s delight to read great volumes of Pepys and Boswell—that being so, how much more will they rejoice in years to come to read similar volumes (as characteristic and as truthful) about this far greater man? My dear boy, you are in a great position. You have a big morgage on the future and don’t you forget it!” (Feinberg). And so the article was the first instalment of With Walt Whitman in Camden, three volumes of which appeared in Traubel’s lifetime, two volumes posthumously, with perhaps three more to come—but Traubel—alas—was no Boswell.

8. “The Influence of Democracy on Literature,” The Contemporary Review, LIx (April, 1891), 523-536. Gosse failed to mention WW, although he considered Howells “inspired by the democratic spirit” (535). Captain Edward Cuttle appears in Dickens’ Dombey and Son.

9. Julius Chambers extended the invitation on April 25 on behalf of the Quaint Club. He also noted that he had printed WW’s paper in the New York World on the preceding day (Feinberg).

196 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN letters come & are welcomed indeed, with the Mag’s in wh’ I find many interesting bits—Dr Bucke is sick or half sick in Canada—I enclose two or three pp: of the extra proofs—Dr Longaker comes faithfully, was here

yesterday—fortunately I retain pretty fair nights—Warry gives me a good robust massage when I go to bed & that helps muchly—pass part of the day lying on bed—am not writing any thing—Affectionate wishes to you all—

Walt Whitman

9525.1 To William Sloane Kennedy TRANSCRIPT.

Camden Apr. 30, ’91 The proofs of little “Good-Bye” are done (66) and the pages cast (if you like careless touches you'll be satisfied with it) —20 pp: go into L of G. as concluding annex, the rest is melanged prose “as if haul’d in by some old fisherman’s seine, & disburs’d at that”. . . It will, after the first specific ed’n, be bound as latter part of “November Boughs,” etc.

Walt Whitman

2526. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | May 5 |

8 pm | 91; London | pm | My 7 | 91 | Canada.

Camden May5 PM ’91 Bad days—bad condition. Was taken out to Harleigh yesterday,

had to be led, assisted every movement, to see the tomb—it is well advanced—is a hefty very unornamental affair not easily described—is satisfactory to me & will be to you—some pieces stone weigh 6 or 8

tons—splendid weather—Mrs. D[avis] & Warry good to me—Dr L[ongaker] sick & home—

WW 2527. To Dr. John Johnston ADDRESS: Dr Johnston | 54 Manchester Road | Bolton Lancashire | England. POsTMARK: Camden,

N.J. | May 5 | 8 pm | 91.

Camden N J—US America | May 5 91 Bad condition all around—Fine weather—was taken out yesterday to the cemetery to see my burial house—You & J W W[allace] w’d dwell

LETTER 2531: MAY 8, 1891 197 on it long & silently—will send you photo soon as done—God bless you all—

Walt Whitman

2528. To William Sloane Kennedy TRANSCRIPT.

May 5, ’91 Was taken out to the cemetery (Harleigh) to see if I was satisfied with the work on my burial place. Entirely so—you will see it one day.

2529. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | May 8 | 3 PM | 91.

| Camden May8 PM ’91 Still hold the fort, but it is pretty tough elusive business. No bowel

action for a long while. Dr L[ongaker] is sick, has not been here in a fortnight—my grip runs dominant & riot—How are you getting along? Have you had the N[ew] E[ngland] Magazine? I rec’d one day before yesterday, & can send it you—

Walt Whitman

9530. To Dr. John Johnston ADDRESS: Dr Johnston | 54 Manchester road | Bolton Lancashire | England. posTMARK: Camden,

N.J. | May 8 | 5 pm | 91.

Camden N J—US America| May8 PM ’91 Just a word any how & shaped the most favorable possible—Am still not dislodged but a bad three weeks & “the same subject continued” —with hope of sending you better acc’ts by & by. Am up & in the big chair writing this with love to all—

Walt Whitman

9531. To an Unidentified Correspondent 5.8. 1891 Seems to me you had better take half a dozen (6) copies of the big

198 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN book complete works—See Circ: herewith. I w’d send you the six for $30

(by Ex:)— Walt Whitman 328 Mickle st: Camden N J

May8 ’91

no “previous letter” has come— : 2532. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | May 9 |

3 PM | 91.

Camden May 9 ’91 Things continuing on same with me & bad enough physically—Dr L{ongaker] absent sick—no bowel action—deathly weakness—passable nights—have just drink’d a cup of hot water—appetite poor but no nausea —growing warmer weather—am sweating a little now—sunshiny out—

Dr L comes in as I write & is welcome—seems all right—Letters f’m Kennedy & the Bolton friends to-day”—

Walt Whitman

9533. To J. W. Wallace 5.9-10. 1891 ADDRESS: J W Wallace | Anderton near Chorley | Lancashire | England. posTMARK: Camden, N. (?) |

May 10 | 5 pm | 91.

Camden N J—U S America | May 9 °91—Even’g Thanks for y’r loving cable missive, rec’d to-day—Every thing with me is at low ebb—perhaps the lowest—perhaps the waters may come in again—perhaps not—it will be all right either way—Dr Longaker has

come in to day after ten days absence—is very welcome—Y’rs & Dr J[ohnston]’s good letters rec’d to-day & a good letter frm Dr Bucke. Have sent a copy May N[ew] E[ngland] Magazine to Dr J. for his & y’r service —seems a spell of warm sunny weather started here— 10. Mounted at the lower left-hand corner, a newspaper clipping related that Dr. Osler planned to remain at the Johns Hopkins Hospital and not to accept a professorship at Jefferson College in Philadelphia.

LETTER 2535: MAY 10, 1891 199 May 10 noon—Fine sunny warm day—among favorable items this mn’g is a fair bowel action (first in ten days) —deadly lassitude & weakness continued—appetite just receptive—a rare egg on Graham toast for my breakfast with coffee. Do you keep at all the American presidential trip Pacific-ward & south

west ward? with the tip top off hand speeches of Prest: Harrison? All curious & significant & satisfactory to me—a lunch-trip of 10,000 miles “& all on our own land”—

Walt Whitman

9534. To Dr. Daniel Longaker 5.10. [1891] TRANSCRIPT.

May 10th. Am feeling this deadly lassitude and weakness to-day the same still. One favorable item at 10, a bowel movement (the first in ten days), viscid quite definite mostly formed, brown, no g’t straining (no use of the syringe). If this is the result of the new pills they are very welcome for that obstinate deep-set-in constipation is the back and bottom of all our

woes (and seems come to stay). I got the pills soon after 1 yesterday afternoon and took one—then near 5 another—then at 9 this morning another. Had a tolerable night. A rare egg on Graham toast for breakfast —coffee; have been moist—skin half sweating the last 15 or 20 hours. Am sitting here in the big chair in my den as usual.

2535. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | May 11 | 6 AM | 91; London | AM | My 12 | 1 | Canada.

Camden May10 PM|’91 Ab’t same—fair bowel movem’t to day (first in ten days) —have been sitting up seven hours & am now going to lie down—warm—skin moist—

WW The handwriting in this letter reveals graphically the “deathly weakness”: “action” and “sunshiny” were written over, and “nausea” resembled in its crudely formed letters the writing of his mother.

200 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

2536. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camd(?) | May 15(?) | 6 AM | 91.

Camden May 14 ’91 Pretty bad times with me—low ebb—Horace sent you a full set (66 pp:) “Good-Bye” annex last night”—the paper, print &c: are good— satisfy & please—(the credit is mostly due to H) —O’Donavan the sculptor was here yesterday—I havn’t seen any thing or h’d directly but I sort 0’

guess he is getting along well & w’d suit us—I get a good & strong impression of htm—you know he is in Eakins’s studio, 1330 Chestnut st:

Phila:—Dr J[ohnston]’s letter enc’d just recd—word fm W § K[ennedy]—He likes the Boston Mag: piece”— WwW W

2537. To Susan and George Stafford ADDRESS: Mrs: Susan Stafford | Ashland | (Glendale) | New Jersey. POSTMARK: Camden,

N.J. | May 19 | 8 pm | 91.

Camden May19 ’91 Well, Susan and George, how are you? & how are things geeing along with you there? I often think of you both—Am myself in a bad way, grip & catarrh & gastric & bladder trouble, & extra bad all of them the last three months, & at present. Fortunately have tolerably passable nights wh’ relieves greatly—my poor sister at Burlington Vermont is very sick, it all

worries me badly—(of course the miserable whelp her husband makes everything as aggravating as he possibly can) —Dr Bucke has been half sick or perhaps more so (old age & former whacks are perhaps beginning to show) —but is at last news getting all right—I hear that Herbert has bought the place he is [in], & an acre of land, & settled there for good. How & where is Harry? I have fin’d my little 2d annex to L of G. & shall soon send you one—write soon & tell me ab’t all—Best love to you & Geo. & to Harry & Eva & Ed: & Deb: —

Walt Whitman 11. On May 17 he sent unbound copies of the new book to Symonds, Dr. Johnston, Tennyson, Sarrazin, Kennedy, and Melville Philips (cB). Johnston noted receipt on May 30 “of your ‘Carte-de-visite to posterity’ ” (Feinberg).

12. On May 12 Kennedy asserted that “it’s the best thing ever done here in

Masschts. on W. W.” (Feinberg).

LETTER 2539: MAY 21, 1891 201 2538. To Bernard O'Dowd Camden New Jersey—U S America | May 20 1891 Dear comrade B O’D | & dear friends & comrades all men & women—

Y’r letter (postmark’d Melb[ourne] April 18) came this forenoon & was of course welcome—so you have safely rec’d the big books & the pictures, wh’ is a g’t relief to me—I send you same mail with this the 2d annex “Good-Bye my Fancy” stitched sheets unb’d (but a good copy) —

Am still holding out—low condition & sick & near at the end of the rope— (but all that will manage itself without talk) — So y’r country is forging away at separate identity & independence—

like marriage to grown people it is the thing to do, perhaps every way proper & indispensable—but how it will all turn out is in the mystery & fortune of the untried unknown to come. (Seems to me for a century the British gov't has upon the whole been more a loving parent, indulgent & liberal—than any querulous captious one, to its colonies all) —Good bye for this time, dear B, & all dear friends—& God & God’s peace be yours—

Walt Whitman The last drawn pict: “at 90” is the truest—the London Ill. News one is disagreeable foxy—

Can you get there the N[ew] E[ngland] Magazine for May 1891?

2539. To Melville Philips | [5.21( 2). 1891] Dear M P—

This is the best I can do for y’r request—The pieces have not hitherto been publish’d at all but are to be finally included in the little vol:

to come out (such “out” as it may be, probably small one) in ab’t three weeks or longer—If Mr R[obinson] can publish them before it will do, & the proprieties conform’d to—The price is $10°— New Poetry.

By Walt Whitman 13. On May 19 Philips asked whether WW had received $10 from the Philadelphia Press for an unidentified poem, and requested “a $10 bit” for Nugent Robinson, of Once a

Week (Feinberg). According to CB, WW furnished, “On, on the Same, Ye Jocund Jain! and “Unseen Buds.” Philips sent the money on May 21 (Feinberg). See also

202 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

92540. To George Ferguson ADDRESS: Ferguson | Printer | 15 North 7th Street |

Philadelphia. |

328 Mickle St: | Camden New Jersey | May 22 °91 Dear Sir, If the paper is bo’t & any commencem’t made in printing the 400 “Nov: Boughs” all right—If nothing, stop i¢ & wait for further orders. The press work paper &c: of the little “Good-Bye my Fancy” make a

first rate, good, satisfactory job—& the press work is capital. If worth while I sh’d like the pressmen, foreman &c: to see this. Respectfully

Walt Whitman This is Warren Fritzinger, my nurse & friend—

2541. To William Sloane Kennedy ADDRESS: Sloane Kennedy | Belmont | Mass:. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | May 22 | 8 pm | 91.

Camden May 22 ’91 Y’r card rec’d—If you have not printed ab’t “Good-Bye” keep it back for eight or ten days, as that w’d be preferable for reasons— I still hold out, but the worst kind of botherings, gastric, catarrhal & bladder—Dr comes—I take medicine—am sitting here at present in my chair by window—warm weather— WwW W

2542. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden (?) | May 23 |

8 pm | 91.

Camden PM May23 ’91 Nothing very new or different—bad bad enough—the fiendish indigestion block continued—heavy torpor increasing—the burial house 14. WW wanted to have the poems appear in Once a Week before the book was released and reviewed; apparently, according to the next letter, Kennedy had already published his review. On the envelope of Bucke’s letter of May 26 WW wrote, presumably

to Traubel: “Send Dr the slip (if you have it) %4 sheet Boston Trans[cript]—his little

LETTER 2543: MAY 23, 1891 203 in Harleigh well toward finished—I paid the constructor $500 last week” —(as far as I can see I am favor’d in having Ralph Moore as my alter ego in making it) —I wish to collect the remains of my parents & two or three other near relations, & shall doubtless do so—I have two deceased children

(young man & woman—illegitimate of course) that I much desired to bury here with me—but have ab’t abandon’d the plan on acc’t of angry litigation & fuss generally & disinterment f’m down south— Kennedy has printed a short criticism of “Good-Bye”—finds it without

the sign-marks of early L of G—praises it highly tho’—As I get toward estimate—but that is more in the forming than settled state—f’m my own point of view I accept without demur its spurty (old Lear’s irascibility ) —its off-handedness, even evidence of decrepitude & old fisherman’s seine

character as part of the artism ({’m my point of view) & as adherence to

the determin’d cartoon of Personality that dominates or rather stands behind all of L of G. like the unseen master & director of the show—

WW

9543. To J. W. Wallace ADDRESS: J W Wallace | Anderton near Chorley | Lancashire | England. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. |

May 23 | 8 pM | 91.

Evn’g May 23 °’91 | Camden N J—U S America Nothing pronounced to write—y’r kind letters promptly rec’d, thanks—the Contemporary Mag: & Manchester Guardian 13th rec’d: & others—is now well on to sunset—have had my supper, mainly a dish of strawberries, (good & plenty & cheap now here) —my condition the same continued, bad bad enough—(if my birth-day reveller friends don’t look

out they will run on as bad a snag as the good friends who went with loving gifts & words to congratulate the old musician & found he was just dead & cold up in the garret) —Suppose you have had the stitched “GoodBye” I sent Dr [Johnston]—sh’l soon send you & Dr a portrait or mask of self photo just taken, the most audacious thing in its line ever taken*°—Dr Bucke is still lamed badly—

WW

criticism ‘Good-Bye’ of five days ago” (Feinberg ).

15. He made the payment to Reinhalter & Company on May 12 (cB). The firm had reported the work “over half done” on April 27 (Feinberg). 16. The photograph is reproduced in this volume.

204 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN

2544. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | May 27 |

8 PM | 91; London | pm | My 29(?) | 91 | Canada.

Camden New Jersey | Evn’g May 27 91 Y’rs rec’d, welcomed (two to day) —of course come down but not put y’rself out badly—things tho’ bad enough are not essentially worse—a

bowel movement to-day, first in a week—a splendid (very short, very sweet) autograph word f’m Tennyson’’—yes that is essentially the controling more or less invisible clef to “Good-Bye,” but needs much expatiation & patient waiting for*—

WW

2545. To William Sloane Kennedy

Camden Evn’g: May 27 ’91 Pretty bad gastric, bladder & catarrhal times continued but might be worse—bowel movement to day, first in a week—Sit up most of the time—one third of the time deathly weak, cannot rise—Splendid short autograph word f’m Tennyson anent of birthday—have sent “Good-Bye” to Garland—(he sent $5. I sent two) —the preparatory all-enclosing continual theory of L of G. is myself, opening myself first to the countless techniques, traditions, samples, items, knowledges, &c: &c: &c: as a fund & interior battery, magazine & identity:sphere, nothing too small to be despised, all welcom’d, to be digested & formulated by my own living personal emotionality, wh’ shapes & stamps the L[eaves] birth marks f’m

first to last, more than any book known—(it is the volume of human Personality down below every thing else) —The screws have been turn’d down on the clef of “Good-Bye,” to keep things low, yet garrulous, perhaps sometimes irascible (Lear like) but quite a different atmosphere f’m the preceding (while the same subject continued) —I have been a little afraid of monotony, but the trend of the invisible wind is mainly the same —all this—Keep all this for your own uses—

WW 17. The note on May 14 was indeed brief: “My dear W. W. | All health &

happiness to you on your birthday & hence forward | Yours ever | Tennyson | May 14th—91” (Feinberg).

18. On May 26 Bucke concurred in the estimate given in 2542: “Your own

criticism of ‘Good-Bye’ is good—will probably be the best—its general ‘old age’ character

is of course what it should have and if that involves (as in some sense it must) loss of

LETTER 2547: JUNE 1, 1891 205 2546. To J. W. Wallace TRANSCRIPT.

New Jersey, U.S. America | May 28, ’91 Still badly prostrated—horrible torpidity. Y’rs & Dr [Johnston]’s letters rec’d & cheer me much. Am sitting here in big chair at this moment. I guess I have a good deal of the feeling of Epictetus & stoicism, or tried to have. They are specially needed in a rich & luxurious & even scientific age—But I am clear that I include & allow & probably teach some things stoicism would frown upon & discard—One’s pulses & marrow are not democratic & natural for nothing—Let Plato’s steeds prance & curvet & drive at their utmost, but the master’s grip & eyes & brain must retain the ultimate power for all, or things are lost. Give my loving compliments to all the boys, & give this scrawl to Wentworth Dixon to keep if he cares for it.”

WW

9547. To Dr. John Johnston ADDRESS: Dr Johnston | 54 Manchester Road |

Bolton Lancashire | England | f'm Walt Whitman America. POSTMARK: Camden, (?) | Jun 1 | 8 pm | 91.

Camden N J—U S America | June 1 91 Well here I am launch’d on my 73d year—We had our birth anniversary spree last evn’g—ab’t 40 people, choice friends mostly—12 or

so women—Tennyson sent a short and sweet letter over his own sign manual—y’r cable was rec’d & read, lots of bits of speeches, with gems in

them—we had a capital good supper (or dinner) chicken soup, salmon, roast lamb &c: &c: &c: I had been under a horrible spell fm 5 to 6, but ‘Warry me got” dress’d & down (like carrying down a great log)—& Traubel had all ready for me a big goblet of first-rate iced champagne—I suppose I swigg’d it off at once—I certainly welcom’d them all forthwith,

& at once felt if I was to go down I would not fail without a desperate struggle—must have taken near two bottles champagne the even’g—so I added (“I felt to”) a few words of honor & reverence for our Emerson, power, dash and life it implies and gives something else just as good as these: undying courage, vim(?), and faith to the last in the scheme of the world and in man” (Feinberg). 19. This letter is in the possession of Dixon’s daughters, Mrs. H. M. Harrison and

Miss Helen Dixon. On April 17 Wallace sent WW 21 shillings for a copy of the

pocket-book edition which was to be presented to Dixon on his birthday (typescript: Bolton). Dixon thanked the poet for the letter and the book on June 13 (Feinberg). 20. This reversal of words was WW’s.

206 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN Bryant, Longfellow dead—and then for Whittier and Tennyson “the boss of us all” living (specifying all) —not four minutes altogether—then held out with them for three hours—talking lots, lots impromptu—Dr B[ucke] is here—Horace T is married™—fine sunny noon—

Walt Whitman Doctor, if easy & cheap photo (fac-simile) this June 1 note, not the mask, & give one to each of the friends that desires—send Tennyson one —send Symonds one—send Whittier one (Amesbury, Mass:) & half a dozen to me”—

WW just send them without explanation—

2548. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Jun 5 | 6 AM | 91.

Camden June4 Evn’g: 91 I ought to have written before, but there has been & is nothing particular—Both y’r letters have duly come f’m Niagara—am pulling al’g so-so, stomachic and bladder bother & fearful lassitude—Warry went out to Harleigh yesterday—the date is chipp’d off (W says an improvement) —the ponderous door is not yet hung, baffles even the machinist & stone-cutters—when done &c: will probably be the rudest most undress’d

structure (with an idea)—since Egypt, perhaps the cave dwellers—am sitting here in the big chair—my supper has appear’d & is waiting before me—Seems to me at any rate a suspicion of easier & let up as I conclude. How delightful the country you are in & must have pass’d thro’ surely looks—

God bless you, & love to all—

Walt Whitman 21. ‘Traubel married Anne Montgomerie on May 28 (cB). The couple went to

Canada with Bucke and returned to Camden on June 14. 22. He received the facsimiles on June 26. 23. When the canary died, Warry and Mrs. Davis had it stuffed and placed on the mantle beneath a photograph. According to Dr. Johnston’s letter on May 19-20, Warry had apparently suggested that the poet give it to the Bolton group (Feinberg). Bucke duly took it with him when he went to England, and on July 23 Wallace thanked WW for “a very affecting & precious souvenir of you to me” (Feinberg). On August 3 he wrote to

LETTER 2550: JUNE 5, 1891 207 2549. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden. N.J. | Jun 5 | 8 PM | 91.

Camden noon June5 ’91 O’Donovan and Ralph Moore f’m the Cemetery have been here— Eidw’d Carpenter & three or four friends of L of G & me (women & men)

have sent me f’m Eng: a birth-day gift of 40 pounds sterling—(1 am keeping the banker’s order for Horace to get it for me, when he comes back ) —

Am having a pretty fair day—sent you a letter & papers last night— live largely on strawberries—have had eight letters to day & seven of them autograph applications—superb sun and temperature—the dear canary bird (& I love him)*—Harrison Morris has just been over to see me —Comfortable as I sit here—fine bouquet of roses & honeysuckles—

Walt Whitman

9550. To Edward Carpenter ADDRESS: Edward Carpenter | Millthorpe | near

Chesterfield | England. postmark: Camden, N.J. | Jun 5 | 3 Po | 91.

Camden New Jersey—U S America | June 5 ’91 Thanks, dear friend—& thanks, friends Bessie & Isabella Ford, R D Roberts of Cambridge, & William, Arthur & Ethel Thompson, for the welcome & noble birthday gift wh’ has safely reach’d me (40 pounds ) & is hereby receipted.™ I still hold the fort, (after a fashion) —send you my latest & doubtless

concluding chirps of L of G. by this mail—also sent you lame report of late birth-day spree—I sit up most of the time—but am a fearful wreck f’m grippe, gastric & bladder malady &c &c—my vocalization & right arm

power & (sort o’) ratiocination left middling fair—Dr Bucke has been here—has gone home to Canada—H Stafford is living down as farmer Mrs. Davis: “I need not tell you how deeply I prize it. It is a very precious & affecting souvenir of Mr Whitman—of his lonely room, his thoughts & memories, & the cheer received from the canary’s (also caged imprisoned) joyous warblings. It connects itself with memories of my mother’s like condition—her only companion often a canary too” (Barrett). See also Visits, 60-61n. 24. Carpenter wrote on May 20 after his return to England from Ceylon and India; in addition to the monetary gift he enclosed “a bit of sweetbriar wh’ grows by the door of this little house” (Feinberg).

208 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN (address Ashland, Camden County, New Jersey) is well—has been quite ill—has two children—Herbert Gilchrist at Centreport, Suffolk Co: N Y: well—am sitting here comfortable as I write— Walt Whitman

2551. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Jun 6 |

8 pm | 91; London | pm | Ju 8 | 91 | Canada.

Camden Evn’g June 6 ’91 Am just finishing a bad day—yesterday was a comparatively easy one—T'wo letters f’m Bolton—

Dear Horace, y’rs of 3d just come— Am sitting here in chair—day waning—still eat strawberries (but feel to change now) —feel a suspicion of an easier evn’g—a deadly sinking all day, as if the bottom had dropt out & let the works go—T Eakins &

two ladies here—stopt on my way back from bath room at top stairs a moment—

WW 2552. To Dr. John Johnston ADDRESS: Dr Johnston | 54 Manchester road | Bolton | Lancashire England. PostMARK: Camden,

NJ. | Jun 6 | 8 pm | 91.

Camden N J—US America | Evn’g June6 91 Will write even if only a line or two—Y’rs & W[allace]’s letters just rec’d—am getting along, but sick enough to day (yesterday easier) —just rec’d letter f’m H T[raubel] in Canada—cool weather (after almost hot )—Probably Dr B[ucke] will be in Eng: soon & come & make you all a short visit—Love to you & all—

Walt Whitman

9553. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camde(?) | Jun 8 |

6 AM | 91; London | pm | Ju 9 | 91 | Canada. , Camden Sunday PM June 7 ’91

Much the same, but mainly free f’m the deadly weakness of yester-

day—a great relief—rainy & coolish—am sitting the day out mostly in 25. Geoffrey Buckwalter, a Camden friend and one of the organizers of the

LETTER 2555: JUNE 7, 1891 209 chair—Mr Buckwalter® call’d but I excused—(have quite a good many visitors—often send excuses)—rose late—tea & wet Graham toast for breakfast (am pretty abstemious ) —quiet day, negative (the best I expect now )—Remembrances & love to Mrs: B and Annie—

Walt Whitman

9554. To Dr. Daniel Longaker TRANSCRIPT.

June 7, 1891, Sunday ew’ng, 4:30

Have just had my 2d meal, mutton and rice stew, wet Graham toast, &c.; relished fairly—drank a little of the Rhine wine—take the granules (3 to-day). No motion of the bowels now, I think, five perhaps six days. To-day easier (negative )—freer from the horrible deathly sinkiness of yesterday and Thursday—have been sitting up reading and writing all day—had one or two visitors, excused myself.

Horace Traubel still in Canada, having a good time I guess. Expect him back last of the coming week. A half-medical acquaintance was in—said, “You look all right—surely there’s nothing the matter with your health!” Didn’t know whether to take it as compliment or the other thing. (Ah! this immovable block of constipation. )

9555. To Horace Traubel 6.7-8. 1891 ADDRESS: Horace L Traubel | Care Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK:

Camden (?) | Ju(?) | (?) am | 91.

June 7, evn’s—’91 Suppose you receive the letters & papers I send every evn’g—have

had pretty fair day, this last, (as already said) negative as I call it (free f’m vehement distresses) & am sitting here twilight almost cold—Warry has been in for twenty minutes to cheer me up & talk—I like the (Murray) photo profile more and more—Eakins says O’D[onovan] wants the presence of that oil portrait while sculping, & that then he (E.) will send it on to C[anada] as agreed—all right—

June 8 just past noon—So-soish to-day—have eaten a small mutton chop for my breakfast—y’r letter comes—thanks—sunny but coolish weather—still the horrible constipation block—am sitting here the same seventieth birthday celebration.

210 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN —Warry is down stairs practising the fiddle—letters f'm Bolton last evn’g & papers this mn’g—quite a heavy mail to-day—

Mid-afternoon—Sunny & bright out—quiet—no visitors—How is Annie enjoying the trip? I hope well—

Walt Whitman

2556. To Hannah Heyde

Camden PM June 8 91 Afraid you are having a sick time of it, dear sister—think ab’t it all —very quiet here the last two days—few visitors & then I send excuses—

eat my meals fairly—just had a good little broil’d mutton chop for my supper (Still eat no dinner)—$5 enclosed—Sunny but cool—will send you a better acc’t of the birth-day supper the young fellows gave me, soon as I get copies. Best love & God bless you— yr affectionate brother

Walt Whitman do you remember who James Townsend, N Y., was? He is dead (of shock—there was a fire near & he was hurriedly removed) —he was very old—good—was Priscilla’s husband—mother’s cousin—P. is dead—also John Avery—

2557. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden, N.J. | Jun 9 |

1 30 pm | 91; Lo(?) | pm | Ju 10 | 91 | Canada.

Camden June 9 noon 91 Ab’t same—having one of my so-so days—partial bowel action last evn’g—Dr L[ongaker] here yesterday—mutton chop breakfast—sunny & cool—sitting here in big chair—

WW 2558. To Dr. John Johnston TRANSCRIPT.

June 9, 91. Sunset. Just finish’d my supper—mutton chop, &c. More freedom the last three days f’m excessive lassitude, &c. This is f’'m Prof. B[rinton] who 26. “Walt Whitman’s Last” appeared in Lippincott’s in August. Although Stoddart said in the magazine that “it was only after considerable persuasion on the editor’s part

that Mr. Whitman consented to write the above,” this note scarcely bears him out.

LETTER 2561: JUNE 10, 1891 211 wanted to read the Notes—the other f’'m H[orace] T[raubel] in Canada I tho’t might interest you. Sit up %rds of the day—retain pretty buoyant spirits. Always thanks & love to you & J. W. W[allace]. Letters, magazines, &c. come. God bless [you]. Am sitting here as usual.

2559. To Harry Stafford ADDRESS: Harry L Stafford | Ashland | New Jersey. POSTMARK: Camden (?) | Jun 10 | 6 AM | 91.

Camden June9 ’91 Still keep sick & helpless. Send best wishes & love to E[ va] and the

young ones—E Carpenter has return’d f'm Ceylon & written to me— speaks of you—he is well & flourishing—How are you getting along, & your dear parents? I hope well—Dr Blucke] is back in Canada well & busy—

Walt Whitman

2560. To Joseph M. Stoddart ADDRESs: J M Stoddart Editor Lippincotts Publishers Market Street Philadelphia. TRANSCRIPT.

Camden, June 9, 1891 If you use that page of MS: (wh’ you are at liberty to do as suits) dont fail to first send me proof wh’ I will return immediately.”

Walt Whitman

2561. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario | Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Jun 10 |

8 pM | 91.

Camden June 10 PM ’91 A bad day—but I hold the fort—perturbed bowel & water works regions—partial evacuation (impacted) this mn’g—comforted to get y’r However, see 2563.

The text of this letter was sent in 1936 to Professor Rollo G. Silver by William R. Langfield of Philadelphia. I have not been able to ascertain its present location.

212 THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF WALT WHITMAN letter to day & Horace’s last evn’g—no visitors to-day—toast & tea for breakfast—am expecting one of Mary Davis’s nice rice puddings (baked in old red tile dish) for my supper—am looking out for some good prunes —the huge banditti financial inside exposé in Phila continues—the deeper it is probed the worse it appears—is a significant item of business & social life, rottening the whole city, community—no, perhaps that is too far, but it is general enough—fine steady sunny day, cool, some breeze—Warry groans at my refusal to go out—but | have hardly power to raise my hand to my head—& this letter is mostly automatic—

Walt Whitman

2562. To Horace Traubel ADDRESS: H L Traubel | Care Dr Bucke | asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARKS: Camden,

N.J. | Jun 10 | 8 pm | 91; Lon(?) | pm | Ju 12 | 91 | Canada.

, Camden Junel0O evn’g 791 Stoddart has been over, & is a great strain for the MS: the copy— If possible if you get this, send it on to him at once, & [you]” will see when you return in type—

WW 2563. To Richard Maurice Bucke ADDRESS: Dr Bucke | Asylum | London | Ontario Canada. POSTMARK: Camden, N.J. | Jun 11 |

8 pM | 91.

Camden June ll ’91 Evn’g: Y’rs of yesterday just rec’d—Horace must make up the acc’t, & send it (or bring it) in double-quick time—for Stoddart is in a stew ab’t it, & 1s keeping the mag: back for it—If he (H) gets here to furnish S with it Monday even’g, I guess he (S) will be mollified—if not, not. He has persuaded me to sign a hasty page (criticism) I sent for him to use or throw away—wh’ he intends to put so, verbatim, in mag.—Letters f’m Bolton to-day—good weather, warm—I have just made my supper—some string beans & a dish Mary Davis makes very nicely, tomatoes stew’d with 27. WW wrote “I” but obviously meant “you.” He referred to the account of his birthday that appeared in Lippincott’s in August.

28. O’Grady’s article, “Walt Whitman: the Poet of Joy”; see 422, n.24. Both

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