Feinberg/Whitman Box 12 Folder 10 General Correspondence Kennedy, William Sloane Jan. 1881 - Feb. 1889[*from W S Kennedy a college-bred man of 30 Southern born but Northern educated, an author & magazine writer*] 1107 Girard St Phi'lad. Jan 20 / 81 [*see notes June 24 1888*] Dear Mr W. Thanks for the N. A. Review. I had already read two or three times yr admirable, cheerful & spirited paper, & wanted to buy it but did feel able. [It] I think (though I am not sure) that an article [will] an it will appear in The American soon, by a couple of us. You will be safe in attributing the praise to me, though I "have somewhat against you" for ruffing the dii minores among our poets, so hard over the coxcombs. Still it will do them good doubtless. They have [ab] treated you generously possibly - always (most of them). You have no idea how I welcome an [article] utterance of yrs. I get so utterly sick of the idiocy and knavery of the mass, that it is like a sea - breeze to [hear] feel & hear your voice.But I have never wondered that you were caviare to the general; because, although I see clearly that yr object in treating the passions as you do [was] is a noble & pure one; yet I have thought that the world was not ready for such a move yet. And besides, I am inclined to think with Stedman, that [there] (to such poor limited and petty creatures as we bipeds are) there is [some] something intrinsically disagreeable in the various grosser functions of the body. I hope we shall grow to be such giants sometime that this will not be so. But that it is the case now, I do not see how we can help admitting. I can't for my poor self at any rate. But never mind this, I congratulate you again on this success. Yr friend cordially, W. S. Kennedy. It tickles my [inmost] diaphragm to see you run yr huge subsoil prairie plough so deep down under the feet of the Lilliputians— knocking down their sham structures & leaving them either sprawling on the [arts] ground, or looking foolishly at one another because exposed in their small trickeries, & small literary bookeries. I heartily congratulate you, dear friend, that at last you are having justice done you (in some degree) by the literary class of this country. My heart, at least, swells with gladness & pride on account of yr honors this winter. It is a red letter season in yr life—The honor not much; but then one likes to stand well at home too, as well as abroad;—one likes it a little better too. W Sloane Kennedy 467 Broadway Cambridge Mass: Walt Whitman Camden New Jersey [*cut from the wrapper used in Dec 18851 by Walt Whitman to wrap a copy of one of his books sent to me as a gift [signed] W. S. Kennedy, 1926]Cross Reference General Correspondence Kennedy, William Sloane, Aug. 1883 See Bane Books Buche, Richard M, Walt Whitman (Philadelphia ; David McKay, 1883) #2504 [*$1.00 in John's book -- fly leaf*] Belmont Mass Jan. 7, 84 My Dear Whitman— I return the J. Burroughs book. & the pamphlet with thanks. The Burroughs book fed me on my journey home, so that I had to buy no other reading. I shall cherish the memory of that blessed January 2nd '85 [with] to the end of my days. My dear Whitman --, I want you to regard me as a sort of son; tell me whenever I can do anything for you; let me loan you 5.00 if you get in a pinch, (& I have it). It is not always easy to borrow on real estate you know, or convenient I mean. & behave handsomely, & intimately & affectionately toward me. I am going to enclose a $1.00 between fly-leaves of the Burroughs' book as half pay for a copy of the new edition of yr poems when it comes out. If it shd never come out, all right. I owe you $10. more anyway; for I (2 got you to make me a present of yr books under false pretenses. I have not lectured on you more than once, & shall feel that I am a fraud until I have [returned] sent you $10. Say not a word. I know you are rich - all poets are. But I want you to have luxuries, now you are getting old. If this humbug government were worth a copper spangle it wd have settled a handsome pension on you - an honorary life salary - as a recognition of your unparalleled services during the war. But it wd probably be odious to you to even have the subject whispered of ?? I found brave little wife well, & got a hearty welcome. Our pretty & remarkably smart cat died the day I returned - whereat tears & swelling breasts, & a private funeral. I must send you my N. Orleans articles. My Creole article in Lit. Wld. is paid for, but not out for 3 weeks. [aff W.S. Kennedy]3 [*¶*] As is my paper entitled "The New Ars Poetica" if you can get a certain number of copies disposed of in advance, enough to cover expense (say $25 (?)) it wd be the means of my being able to publish it. Dr. Bucke will take a certain number, & I shall sell a few I suppose. Wd 20 cts be too high a price for it? Let me know what success you have in the matter. But dont go to any trouble. Aff W. S. Kennedy [*over*]It strikes me that it wd be better to write that essay or preface, & let it be published among yr collected prose works say after yr death - rather than put it before the poems themselves. I too have "qualms" about this latter. Yr new poems will give value enough to the new edition. I believe you will stand stronger, Walt, if you stick to yr old way of not explaining unless in a prose essay in a separate volume, as I said.[*good letters - from WS Kennedy*] Belmont Mass Jan 16 [84] '85 Dear W.W. I send you [?] this mail my [article] paper - "The New Ars Poetica." I want you to read it, &, if you think best, ask McKay to bring it out for us. I have a strong & even strange feeling of the educative and epoch-making nature of your style (poetical) ; & I am confident that my essay will do great good. I want all the chief American & especially, the English, poets to have copies. Nothing in the world, I believe, stands so much in2 [*(over)*] the way of the greater sale of yr "Leaves" as the idea among people that your style is ridiculous & unpoetical. The laugh, I find is always raised by this the first thing. If they cd have good authority or rendered reason & proof that the style was true to nature & good in itself, other difficulties wd easily melt away. I have examined all literary sources, but have had to work out the subject—[largely] in the main, by slow & painful original steps. What do you think of my performance? I wish the libret might even be bound. It ought to sell a small edition. Can you interest some moneyed fellow in it? [*(over)*] as ever yrs. W. S. Kennedy.Last p. Can't you write me something yourself on the all important subject? Come: that wd sell the brochure sure. Write it to me, say, in the form of a letter which I then print by yr permission. Do you see? Do exert yourself in the matter, if you feel able. I believe it wd give you a money return. We shd get people to talking at a great rate. Especially if you are quoted as saying something philosophical on the subject; something new, [different from] in addition to that in preface & yr first quarto. K.Belmont Mass. Dear W. W. How about the article on Ars Poetica? Have you thought about it? rec'd it? lost it? I will send stamps for return if you find that on the whole, nothing can be done with it in Philadelphia. Heard from Dr Bucke recently. He asked what had become of my article. Paper rec'd Camden) Thanks aff W. S. KennedyUS POSTAL CARD NOTHING BUT THE ADDRESS CAN BE PLACED ON THIS SIDE. BELMONT CAMDEN,N.J. MAR MAR 10 12 MASS. 10AM 1885 REC'D. Mr Walt Whitman 328 Mickle St Camden N. JerseyMy Dear Walt Whitman The interpreter of Arestophanes I spoke of is John Hookham F'rere - See 3rd vol of his works. London: 1874 I assure you that you will be thoroughly pleased with these translation. They are the finest I know of in the language for spirit. [all?]W.S. KennedyU S POSTAL CARD. NOTHING BUT THE ADDRESS CAN BE PLACED ON THIS SIDE. U. S. POSTAGE ONE CENT BELMONT JAN 12 MASS. CAMDEN,N.J. JAN 13 8AM 1885 REC'D. [*A Kennedy posted him come by W.W. thr me to Mildrud Dam 1910 [?]*] Mr. Walt Whitman 328 Mickle St Camden New JerseyBelmont Mass Dear Mr Whitman Yr suggestion is excellent. I hd thot of it vaguely. I send a few stamps for the M S. all I have by me. Thanks for yr kindness & interest in the MS A good holiday to you! yrs W.S. Kennedy BELMONT JAN 2 MASS UNITED STATES POSTAGE TWO CENTS Mr. Walt Whitman 378 Mickle St Camden New JerseyBelmont Mass Aug '85 My Dear Friend You are very kind to remember Kennedy - yr son by adoption & affinity - Nothing in the world makes me fonder than to merit in only a slight degree yr esteem. My indebtedness to you - estimating values by all that makes life high & noble - is simply boundless. Your confidential item abt - royalties also makes me glad & wrings my heart at the same time. I cannot but think that the publishers has at least been negligent of yr interests. Walt - Will you let me pay you now(2) $ 5. on that $13 I owe? The $13 is a pure business debt $5000. represents my [literary] soul indebtedness to Walt Whitman, who is the only god I at present worship apart from the Universe as a whole I can sympathize as to copyrights; I have not rec'd a cent yet for my railroad book- a year's sales- not having sold much over 1000 copies I [am] have passed civil service examinations (State & US) & have a good prospect of soon getting position in the Custom House. May the gods by propitious! I saw "The Voice of the Rain" quoted in newspapers here. I hear that it is considered by many one of the most exquisite things you have done. Popular & sweet & plain it is. Compare Tennyson's latest grind with it for an idea of sophistication vs grand simplicity.3 Editor Baxter of Outing tells me that you think of visiting Boston soon, my most noble poet, & I implore thee (as Whittier wd say) to come & see me for a week & drink in our sublime prospect & be soothed by our matchless rural quiet (flower, birds, & trees). I [hear] see by the [newspapers] Crity'y with some consternation that the [noble] members of the esoteric Whitman comradeship in London are [bri?] making up a good=will offering to send to Walt W. Let 'em do it Walt. But I sh'd suggest that the[y] old way of yrs be hinted to 'em let yr books go over there. i.e. [shal] Let 'em send their tribute [let] if it will please them, but let them take a cargo of books from McKay in return. That is the way to do the square thing.4 Here is a poet whose books are the delight of the finest minds in the world, He has earned & deserves a far greater competence than such an elegant peculator as Longfellow. Let us all then, exert our energy in the attempt to spread a knowledge of yr "new gladness & roughness" wider & wider, That is the business-like & right way. You are defrauded of the wage of yr life's labor otherwise Damn it, what a mistaken blind good bonhomme monster the people are very affect [ly] yrs W.S. Kennedy I shall be grieved to the heart if you dont come out & see me, if you shd come to Boston this is yr home, & I am your lover & friend remember now![*W S Kennedy's letter with enclosure Aug. ' 85*] BELMONT AUG [8]7 MASS. Walt Whitman 328 Mickle St Camden New JerseyW S. Kennedy Belmont Mass.[*from W S Kennedy (the Poet as Craftsman)*] CAMBRIDGE STA. DEC 1 10AM MASS. Walt Whitman Camden New JerseyCAMDEN, N.J. DEC 2 8AM 1885 REC'D.Belmont Mass Dec 2 '85 My Dear Whitman: Maybe yr wholesome advice, (exc. that I put in a page on you & Hugo - parallelism of yr poetic=technique [stra] en=avant freshness &c) I have done gone & published my essay "The Poet as a Craftsman." I set up every stick of it mesilf indade, & corrected my proofs (uh. I'll have you know) were pronounced excellent by the other typos. You did nt know I [was a] bad learned yr boyhood's art --, did you? Well, I have learned [at] just enough to set up this & my poems (Heaven bless the mark - "poems" quotha, - I a d'nt have you ever see 'em for a Scotch bagger's, or a shining gold piece -). I pub. an edition of six copies of the poems! Of this mongrath [we] I struck off 300 copies. McKay (the "publisher") (lucus a non) has 225. You may tell him to let you have all you want at 12 1/2 cts; retail price 25I do hope you are feeling well, & pray fervently you may weather the winter very comfortably, How's the pony? I am going to send copies of "Poets as Crafts" to Bucke, Swinburne, Tennyson, Rossetti: O'Connor, Burroughs, Dowden (what's his address?) Gilder & O'Reilly. These of yr personal friends I mention so you need not send duplicates. I am sick of the pamphlet-by this time; but I believe in it still very thoroughly, & hope it will elicit new thoughts & better, & be a bugle-note for reform. affectionately, as ever W.S. Kennedy I read of the English gift of $500, with joy I send you 3 copies.Feb 5 '86 Belmont Dear Walt Whitman Good news! The book on you wh. I had been contemplating for some years is coming bravely to the birth. It has burst from me as from a ripe pomegranate its seeds, come from me with throes. I have been 2 weeks in a fever of parturition + have gone over all the notes writings, + literature of my past life in relentless search for material to enrich the book on my hero. (It ought to be studded with jewels + written on gold + silver in yr honor.) The longer I live the more I understand + grow up to yr incomparable poems. I have made a 25 p. bibliography of you. Be sure to hunt around now - that's a good boy -- + send me articles or references to articles &c wh. you think will help to make any bibliog complete. I have already I shd think nearly a hundred articles. Please don't tell anyone of my project yet - Wd you?2 I have spent two days unearthing the Oliver Stevens matter. I find Oliver to be a capital Pfaafian fellow, generous + free + entirely innocent - a more cat's paw for others. I have discovered the real instigator, + it forms a very pretty piece of business. I am going to find him in the stocks for all time. I am working out the proofing + laws of yr poetry. But my chief object is to propagandize. I am going to address the American People ( not the damned + twice damned literary + clerical rascals). It's my firm belief that if these scoundrels could be passed -- their scowling ranks -- you cd reach the people -- your true audience. I have constructed a chain of proofs of yr rank in the [world] Valhalla of great men, which I am going to present in a temperate, calm + persuasive way. Then in Part II I make an analysis of the poems + all their vast-- implications + ancillary topics: this3 Part will of course be for the Whitman fellow throughout the world. Knortz has been at me twice to make this book, & I hope you will not be displeased, & also hope my time will not be taken up but that I can finish it soon But I am going to read widely & deeply for it. Dr. Bucke's book is invaluable, but it lacks profundity & literary knack in its treatment of the work (analysis) & estimate of the problems involved. In fact I find it quite inadequate in these respects. What wd you say to having the book, when completed, brought out simultaneously in Glasgow & New York? I shd thus get copyright in countries. Do you think I will have much trouble in getting publisher? If Wilson & McCormack wd co=operate, the expense wd be halved. I supppose. aff yrs Notice of Poet as Craftsman W.S. Kennedy rec'd Thank you. I am about to pub a Ruskin anthology (overI have I believe [once] come to complete agreement with you on the children of Adam question - reached yr altitude & absolute point of view, My Puritan training as a Calvinistic ministers son hindered it for a long time. I have already added one third more to my essay on Poet as Craftsman # [*¶*] I shd like extremely to get the names of noble women = friends of you & yr poems. I only have now Mrs Gilchrist (noble heart, hail & farewell) Nora Perry, May Cole Baker, Mrs. Ritter, Helen Price, Mrs Bigelow [[] [S.A ?] # [*¶*] I did not see, & do not know where appeared yr "As one by one [(] the lofty actors" & poem on Washington Monument. I believe otherwise I have yr poems as pub. # [*¶*] Do you expect to get out soon the volume you are preparing[?] #[*Kennedy's letter Feb 5 '86*] BELMONT FEB 4 1886 MASS. Mr Walt Whitman Camden New Jersey.Overheard in a book shop Old Fogey: "Who is this Kennedy, this Victorian chap who is issuing a Companion Volume to "Leaves of Grass", and throwing out new shoots from so old a stock? Friend: "Oh he's a kind of nature-loving Thoreau, and, like him, possesses half a dozen trades, - forester, horticulturist, journalist, magazinist, professional bookwriter and proofreader, - with an invincible dislike hitherto of the ordinary authorial log-rolling and self-puffery. He is an Italophil and has lived a good deal in Italy and England. His great passion has been Walt Whitman, whom he first learned to know personally and love in 1880. Good Thomas Wentworth Higginson used to say that Kennedy could'nt write anything without lugging in Walt Whitman. He's an imperfectly naturalized Bostonian, a Pennsylvanian-New Englander, of Scotch-English-Provencal stock, and comes from the Whitcomb Riley region. The Houghton-Mifflin, whaleboned-Puritanical, Barret-Wendellian, Atlantic Monthly clique, with their little Boston Authors' Club have always shied at him suspiciously, though asking him to join 'em, too. But they didn't like so much cold-roast Indiana with their baked beans and Frog-Pond water. So, like old Coriolanus, he banished them. Old Fogey: "Huh! Bostonian indeed! I should say not. Why, he'd pull old Death himself by the beard, steal his style, and pluck the cotton batting from between his mouldy ribs. Friend: "He would. His Death is the beautiful convoying angel of Dante's vision, or Landor's pensively smiling youth with inverted torch, an unseen Hermes from the opiate shades. He is a sardonic satirist, too. Beware of him. Even his friend Walt Whitman misunderstood him a little. In on of the "With Walt Whitman in Camden" books, Walt says, "No, Kennedy would make a poor camper with Burroughs. He'd miss his coffee ad chop." But Walt did not know that he is a non-meat-eater and eschews all poisons, such as coffee and tobacco and tea. As for camping and mountaineering, he's done more of these than John Burroughs ever did, in the far-off days when he flew the coop, and declined to become a preacher. He's had romantic adventures, and often pulled the Devil by the tail, wandering ramingo. He loves the open air and shun s the camphorated respectabilities and pompous humbugs of the professions, including the molly-coddles of literature. He carries a Diogenes lantern. Look out for it.BOSTON. MASS APR 20 9-AM 1886 Walt Whitman Camden N. Jersey Paper recd also!! good! 328 Mickle St 2 Concordance, or index to yr first [words] lines & passages. (keep it mum) I want to add also a chapter on "The Friends of Whitman," with personal notes on you too. I am hoping to come down & see you in July shd like to have [some] a peep at that wonderful fairy-land of yrs down on Timber Creek, & maybe get a sketch of it, for the book. Wilson & McCormick sent me Dowden's English Critics on WW. I have got in my cellar, Walt, about 50 bottles of elderberry cordial—fine, smacky, made by myself last fall out of purest spring water & lump sugar. Am going to send you ½ doz soon. But it ought not to be drank for 3 or 4 years. Mrs Davis will tell you how long it ought to be kept to be good. Cheer up, noble heart! You "ain't" going to get blue now? You are good for 20 years yet, sure. My grand poet, my friend Yours as ever W.S. Kennedy How's the pony? Belmont Mass April 19. '86 My Dear Poet: Your postal rec'd. I have completed (rough finish) my seven chapters on you. They are the most stunning eulogy & defence a poet ever rec'd I do believe—260 pp—Have done for you what Ruskin did for Turner. It is the most scholarly, fiery, and heavy-artillery piece of work I have yet done; took all my strength, I can tell you. It about exhausts the subject & me too, I have a bibliography also abt done. It is of astonishing proportions. Don't tell Bucke for fear he'll get jealous. O'Connor, Stedman, Knortz & Whiting &c. are helping me on it. I am going to add a partialCAMDEN, N.J. APR 20 7AM 1862 REC'D.Belmont, Mass June 17, 1886. My Dear Whitman,- Don't you thik it would be well for you to give me a line to Prof. Dowden, telling him that you have read the bibliography of my forthcoming book, and that you think you can commend the work to his careful reading. Also a word of introduction to Symonds, in case he will be willing to write an Introduction to it,(the book). I am afraid they will be but dilatory in taking hold of the matter on my request alone. But a word of introduction from you, worded as you please, would secure their devoted service. There is not a word of criticism in the book; it is solely an enthusiastic eulogy and an interpetation and defence of your whole life, aims, and work, - accompanied by a valuable bibliog, and concordance, with an appendix, and three illustrations. My belief is that it will have a great sale in Great Britain, if it is got before your public there in the right way. For my part, I dislike to ask anyone for to serve as go-between, but you seemed to think it would be wise. Be sure and tell me always how you are. I am just finishing the chapter "Walt W. & his Friends." My roses are superb; have pitched a tent in my yard. Aff. W. S. Kennedy. [*Could you answer at once, sending me the letters of introduction?*]Belmont JUN 18 1886 MASS. Walt Whitman Camden Camden New Jersey. [*Kennedy*]CAMDEN, N.J. JUN 19 7 A M 1886 REC'D.Take good care of yourself, now, & don't go & have another sun-stroke Belmont July 1. Dear W.W. The birth of the baby occurred in Fitchburg where Mrs Kennedy has been, at her aunt's, for a month. The child will have to be with relatives, I fear, for a year or so, until I get a settled position. You were partially right in thinking me connected with a large printing establishment. I do do proof-reading for such at times, but have no reg. position. I had a $100. job this winter _ reading Greek & Hebrew proofs. But my chief reliance is on my pen at present. I am pulling every rope to get into the custom house. In the mean time, calmly, toilingly! ohne hast, ohne rast, working away on my [and] literary chef-d-oeuvre, [Walt] "Whitman, the Poet of Humanity," [Wish] —here in my idyllic, noiseless home-cottage. Wish I cd send you some of the pinks, accept my love instead in return for yours, as something more precious. You renovate & cheerify my ethical nature every time I visit you. WS Kennedy. Walt Whitman Camden New Jersey 328 Mickle St.CAMDEN: N.J. JUL 3 1 PM 1886 REC'D.328 Mickle Street Camden New Jersey July 8 '86 Dear W S K I have returned from my jaunt to the Jersey sea shore—& have rec'd yours of the 1st—Don't exactly know the scope, drift, spine of your proposed book ab't me, but entertain full faith that it has a reason-for-being, & that it will fulfil that reason — I see in your letter, you have crossed out the "Walt" in the name—I like best to have the full name always if possible instead of merely "Whitman"2 —Give both words, & don't be afraid of the tautology. I will help you & suggest or criticise freely & candidly, leaving the decision to you of course —hope you understand this, as it is. Very hot weather here—I am quite comfortable, though—Have you rec'd Dr Knortz's German lecture?—Burroughs is home from his Kentucky trip—Dr Bucke will be back from England next week — Love to you Walt WhitmanWSKBelmont Mass July 10/86 My Dear Whitman: Yrs of the 8th read. Yes; I read Knortz's pam. in same mail with yr letter. I have read it + find it a good - comprehensive, scholarly, +fair. I wd not want a better or more complete introduction to the whole German nation than that contained in his pamphlet. I see no trace of clericalism in it. He devotes five pages to an earnest + unqualified defense of Children of Adam Although as he says, you do "smoke pretty strong tobacco" [!] in those poems. He finds "Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking" the finest, tenderest + moot - some mastering Bird=idyl in the whole literature of the world He covers the whole ground (hastily) without however, rising over into any very profound or original thought. Did you find that letter of Rhys's? I will gladly accept yr suggestion as to title "Walt Whitman" +cI shd like very much to have something about Scovel to put in if anybody cd give me a few data. He has been such a good friend. I know Donaldson so little that I hardly know whether to class him with Burroughs + O'Connor or not: I hardly dare to state here on paper the uncertainties I feel about him. You see how what I have written about him strikes you when you come to read the MS I may omit it altogether. I have preluded + bragged so much (as is my naive way) that I guess I'd better give you now a hint as to the "spine" of my book. It is a good deal of a melange; but I believe the back=bone idea of it lies in the word "apotheosis".3 Here are the contents: -- Chap I " Enfans d'Adam II Whitman's Title to Greatness III The Style of Leaves of Grass IV [Historical] Analytical Introduction To Leaves of Grass V Democrat or Comrade VI Passage to India VII Walt Whitman and His Friends 1 Appendix (Conway & Jay [Cha] C. Goldsmith.) 2 Conectdance. 3 Bibliography. The first three chapters attempt to once & for all set at rest the uncertainty as to the purity & supreme worth of Leaves of Grass, & the greatness of W. W. as a man & author. They form a tremendous eulogium, [which] & seem to me to be exhaustive & unanswerable. The next three chapter are interpretative & analytical chiefly. The seventh is personal.4 But I must stop & get to work on it. For serious interruptions are looming up in the near future. A publisher buttonholed me in Boston yesterday. One of those scorcher days nearly used me up. Glad you are well as usual. Thanks for yr news abt J. B. & Dr. B. Edward Carpenter has sent me a really fine article of his on Simplification of Life. I know it is his by the style. Aft. W S Kennedy.BELMONT JUL 12 1886 MASS. Walt Whitman Esq 328 Mickle St. Camden New Jersey [*from W S Kennedy July '86 Outline of his proposed Book Summing up of Dr Knortz's lecture*]CAMDEN,N.J. JUL 13 10AM 1886 REC'D.Belmont, Mass. Aug. 2 '86. Dear Walt Whitman, I send the MS to-day by Adams Express. Return at my expense by ditto. Take yr time. I am dissatisfied with the thing.—as I always am with any work when done. But in this case I feel particularly blue—after all my rooster = crowing—for anything put beside yr writing dwindles immediately. The MS. is not done, & never [will] would be: I have simply suspended work. I cd write forever on L. of G. because its scope is infinite. Have made the acquaintance of Sidney Morse. Good talks with him. He is going to bust you again in the Autumn! A good fellow! bye bye W. S. Kennedy BELMONT AUG 8 1886 MASS. Walt Whtiman Camden New Jersey 328 Mickle St.CAMDEN, N.J. AUG 4 10 AM 1886 REC'D.Bibliography where I speak of your typographical finesse &c? Or wd you prefer to send me a clean draft of something in case the publishers thought best to give the fac-simile? People like to see the erasures &c I believe. I have thought that I might perhaps get more from Chatto & Windus if I guaranteed them for three years against the republication of the book in this country. I am going to copyright it, here right away, or very soon. What wd you say to this—guaranteeing the British publisher the market? An error in L. of G. By the way I suppose of course you have noticed that the characters "§ 9" of the Salut are by mistake omitted in L. of G. I have a nice letter form Scovel wh. I shall answer. The hot weather has worked on me a little too. As ever dear Walt W.S. Kennedy I will omit Conway & Goldsmith entirely, & not sorry to do it. If Morse makes a bust satisfactory to you, I shall have picture of it in the book.Dear Walt Whitman - The MS, to - hand I am very glad indeed, & thankful, for all the capital suggestions & amendments you have made. I have followed them all, or am doing it. I have [reade] a good many little additions to make myself - things which the close work of concordance = making suggested to me. I [think I] will cut out everything you advise. As to Ballon & Scovel, I will cut out nearly everything of Ballon's retaining only a little to put with large quotations from Scovel's article. I can improve that personal chapter very much by working it over, smoothing down & melding things together more. How wd that MS [of] - "Of That Blithe Throat" &c - you gave me, do for a fac-simile page to put into theI also intend to send you paged proofs. The book being written by me solely out of love + admiration for you, it must be just as you want it, that is be true. W.S.K. Walt Whitman Camden New Jersey 328 Mickle St. [* MONT AUG 18 MASS *][* CAMDEN AUG 19 10AM 1886 REC'D *]From W.S. Kennedy Belmont Mass Walt Whitman Camden New Jersey [* BELMONT NOV 19 1886 MASS *] [* Columbia River Oregon *]Belmont Jan'y: 10 '87 Dear Walt: Rhys is here -- now two days. We are having a capital time together. I am knocking off work to have a good visit with him. (Am so tired at night after all chores are done that I have not been able to do much more than crawl into bed. This is to excuse my dilatoriness as a correspondent) Rhys + I go up to lunch with Lanborn + ride -- Rhys to stay all night. Saturday he goes to the Saint-Protolgh Club, + Sunday (snowy) we have been concocting a Boston Herald blast (varied by a forest walk after fresh eggs. I am much pleased with Rhys2 his bright optimistic nature. We are rubbling together as contentedly as two cats. Had a good letter [abt] from Sidney Morse, & was (as tickled as Rhys says your were) over his fine old mother. I suppose Rhys will write you further. I fear you are suffering from that old true my lethargy & congested brain, keep a good heart, dear friend, & believe me yours as ever W S Kennedy P.S. Rhys is obeying yr injunction to show me myself. Nothing delights me more & my limitations are so many. I see chances of improvement in many directions, already from his friendly suggestions. Rhys sends love. I may see you soon myself.5½ A M. Jan. 11 '87 Dear W. W. Your good long letter Jan. 10—recd It's so cold I could'nt sleep this morn. Your letter alarms me for yr health, somewhat. I have decided to come on & see you in a week or so. I will be very careful not to fatigue or bother you. I begin to see that it is useless to wait till you are free from other visitors. For Rhys says he is coming on to see you too, & you will always be more or less besieged. By coming on I could bring my MS with me, & stay three days at least There is no hurry about the MS, for Wilson does not want it of course on hand, until the subscribers' names mount up pretty cheerily. He is anxious to have it boomed up through, & asks permission to announce it, wh. I have granted by this mail. I am revising the MS. for punctuation & style.—Dr. B. sends me word that he will send me a list of Whitmanites. I have already made out a long one—going over all my scraps & records for the purpose Our brilliant young fellow Rhys is booming on here. I assume the papa toward him a little. We are trying to rub the British bloom "off 'n him."We go to Sanborn's at Concord Frid to dine, Sat to St Botolph's club goes he &c &c. He gets definite 'invite' to lecture bef. 19 cent. club. farewell dear friend for to-day friend in the deepest sense. May we soon strike hands together! affec'y W S Kennedy P.S. I must stop & roust up Rhys so he can read me his lecture to me before [he] I go to work. Will send you my Herald article on him when it appears.UNITED STATES POSTAL CARD Nothing but the address to be on this side. CAMDEN FEB 17 3PM 1887 N J W. Sloane Kennedy Belmont Mass:Camden Feb 17 '87 I continue much the same. Shall make up a little budget (perhaps trunk or box) of what MS memorabilia or relics I think may be worth while - for you - Fine sunny weather here today, & I have been out in it with my horse & wagon by myself two hours - O'Connor has gone to southern California - the poor fellow I fear is in a bad way - Write often - W W But Baxter likes to have his own way always. I must ask him about his Herald notice of it. For we must draw attention to it. He seems to have acted on Sidney M's suggestion abt Williams & Everetts' being a better place than Chase's. W. S. Kennedy Belmont Dec. 5 '87 Dear Friend:- I hope the Rhys brothers have not gone to the bottom! It begins to fill me with alarum that we do not hear from the Croma in ab. he sailed. I went in [to?] Williams & Everetts this evening after work, & passed a few rapt moments in looking at the bust of you which is handsomely mounted on a polished wood tall pedestal standing on the middle landing of the stairs & just before a pier glass mirror- The very best position in the rooms. I then sawthat I had not really seen it all in the right way-before (I mean) it was on a pedestal & viewed at a distance. I gave it a draining regard that fixed it in my mind. I regard it as a noble work, & am very glad of this rich honor done to my poet, & I want to congratulate Morse very heartily on it. It is a fine, nay a great, work, in my opinion. It seems to me that the chief traits that emerge are compassion blended with alert curiosity. I don't know whether it strikes other so. or whether you wd want these traits emphasized so much. I do see too, in some measure, the far forward look you spoke of in yr good letter to me. But I think Morse might put more of the prophet or seer in it or another one, possibly. Mrs. Fairchild & her husband are going to drive out & see my Cox photo some time. I suppose Baxter has written you that we [are negotiating] have written to [with] Boot. Pub. Lib. about acceptance of bust. They have a little gallery of sculpture-as I now remember, & it will be a good place for it. Though I preferred the art museum. IF NOT CALLED FOR UNITED STATES UNITED STATES POSTAGE IN TEN DAYS LETTER SHEET TWO 2 CENTS POSTMASTER WILL PLEASE ENVELOPE. RETURN TO BELMONT APR 11 87 MASS. Walt Whitman Camden New Jersey, U. S. PATENT, JULY 1, 1879. [CAMDEN,N.J. APR 1[?] [10AM] 1887 REC'D.Dear W. W. Rhys writes that Wilson is very ill, & will have to put off the book till Fall. So R is in the mean time going to see if he can make it go with a London publisher, still keeping a hold on Wilson. I have just had an idea-rather wild perhaps- [of] i.e. to have the English authors-who I hear contemplate getting up a W. W. Testimonial Vol.- combine their contributions with mine- mine to follow theirs in order of printing. [???] I have proposed this to Rhys. Camden Courier rec'd Bon Voyage to New York WSK April 9 '87Nuova Analolgia Fasicolo XXIII 1 Dicembre 1887 art un Hugo i "Choses Vues" 7 450 "Norrei che Eschilo, Dante, Milton, Schiller, Shelley Victor Hugo, Whitman i grandi write poeti della ginstizia & della umanila, ____ fossero fra ie mani di tutti i giovanni come un sicuro antidoto, O, secondo l'energica espressione di Ruskin a proposito della (Divina Commedia), (Come una forte dose di intellettuale chimino contro i miasmi pestilenziali di un) arte egaista, evirata & febbricitante)"Cross Reference GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE Kennedy, William Sloane to Whitman, Jan. 2, 1888 See Verso GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE Bucke, Richard M. Letters from Whitman to Bucke, Jan 6, 1888, Box 6Frid. '88 Dear W. W. Dr. Bucke tells me that the list of names he sent me was yr own list-up to 1880. If you know any intelligent young fellow who wants to earn a dollar or $1.50, by copying from yr book (if you have such) or yr record (if you have such) the names you may have kept since that time. I shd be glad indeed to have the list. It might insure the publication of the book: for purchasers of L. of G. are of all most likely to buy my work. I see that Howells was in the "Ed. Study" of Feb. Harper's Monthly some colorless & diplomatically drawing=roomish talk on you & Tolstoi. Pretty good though, & worth yr reading. H. is never profound, methinks; but is graceful & happy. Comradely yrs W. S. Kennedy How is yr health? I fear you are "loguey". BELMONT FEB 8 MASS. Walt Whitman Camden New Jersey.CAMDEN.N.J. FEB 4 10 AM 1888 REC'DUNITED STATES POSTAL CARD. ONE CENT NOTHING BUT THE ADDRESS TO BE ON THIS SIDE. NO CAMBRIDGE STA CAMDEN,N.J. FEB FEB 25 27 8AM 6AM MASS. REC'D. Walt Whitman Camden N. JerseySat. '88 Good morning! I see a Mr. Gardner of Paisley, Scotland has filched F. W. Wilson's Dr. Bucke's W. W. (will.Dowden's' tail=piece & is to bring it out at once. Hartmann is figuring as teacher of dramatics (latest) scrawl from Baxter who is in Tempe. Arizona with Hemenway Exploration Expedition. Aff.son (in the spirit) W.S.Kleaves goes to the house of Kate Gannett Wells. It is a dreadful pity that R. is so on the wrong track as to the ethics of labor, - poor fellow. He will have to face about squarely & get out of this soon or he is lost. I have not much faith in the despatch of F. W. Wilson: we must let him drag, I suppose. I have sent him 20 names. He must have a hundred at least, by this time. Not a written word fr. him since I sent him the 150 circulars. But he is evidently crawling on, tortoise-style. My dear father:confessor, I feel a strong desire to be clasped closer 8 1/2 A.M: March 29 .88 Dear Walt (best loved friend) The enforced infrequency of my gossippy letters turns often to my advantage since it brings you out in a nice page letter to know why the garrulous voice from Belmont (the cicada) has intermitted its notes (Just laid my pen down to see to a sick cat I am doctoring: how curious the habit we have of laying a pen down, & forgetting totally where we put it!) Your Kottabos red'd & letter. Why. yes I confess I felt a good deal of sympathy for our cranky friend Johnson the planter His insinuations as [?] assumed pecadilloes of yrs were of no importance in my eyes, but such things if spoken of to third parties sometimes do mischief. Though, supposing all the things he mentioned were so, (and doubtless some of them were in a measure) they wd not affect a rational man's temper or friendship a jot. But, unfortunately, our fellow men are far from being rational.I have written to Tennyson asking him (and stating that I of course wrote without the knowledge of any one else) if he wd like to say a few words of you for the appendix to the book. Also wrote to Enrico Nencioni (of Nuova Anotologia, Rome) asking him to sent a statement as to "Walt Whitman in Italy." I had a long letter fr Charles Eldridge, wh. I incorporated partly in the Bibliog. under hear of "1860 Edition". He says he finds a few vols. of the [pure spurious] fraudulent 1860 Ed. in Los Angeles. I cd find none in Boston recently, although I see my own ed. for ab. I paid 3.00 to Clark here 8 yrs ago. is one of the fraudulent ones I am in despair as to getting any time for intellectual life or correspondence. I work at office 9 hours. I think I must solve the problem by having both wife & I get our chief meal at 6 o'c at restaurants-she in Boston, & I in Cambridge. Rhys's Chickering Hall lecture being worse than a failure (financially) some of his Back Bay friends have got him up a private lecture in grand style & passed around the hat to the tune of $200. Chamberlin who writes the Listener for the Transcript had Rhys at home for a month. Rhys drove him [cr] frantic, as he did us, & Chamberlin one day disappeared leaving R. with the three children. C's friends find him out; doctor says [healt] he is over-worked; send him to Savannah (that is the reason the Listener is so brief lately, as you see). C's wife come hom (she was in Chicago); and R. 5 15 yr breast, to know my friend in more intimate personal ways (for I feel that I am worthy of yr richest love & confidence). I am longing to have a few good old style talks on many subjects, & for that purpose am secretly laying by (little by little) a small sum for expenses of a week's [train] visit. In about a week I shall [begin] be put [into] into a room to read first proof for six or seven weeks. About the first week in June then, I expect to have a change again, when I [will] shall be able to run down to see you. They are training me up for a permanent reader (corrector of the press) To=day, having a bad cold, I am staying at home: hence this letter to you. Give my love to Scovel & O'Connor. I discovered still another flattering reference to you by Neucioni recently in Autologia (in a noble article by him on Hugo's "Choses Vues" ("Things Seen").- [the] Well, there, my eye lights on my memorandum of it. Keep it, & get it translated by someone or do it yourself. I have not time to copy out my translation. affec. as always W. S. Kennedy over CAMBRIDGE STA. MAR 28 2PM MASS UNITED STATES POSTAGE ONE 1 CENT Walt Whitman Camden New JerseyTo think that yr 70th birthday is approaching. I had not realized it. I offer my congratulations in advance. ——— I have the ms. of my "W.W." here, & shall ask Wilson to sign a duplicate contract (in wh. is to be embodied that item about my reading proofs) before I give him the MS. ——— Am reading again Landor's "Examination of Wm Shakspere." Rich! Cotter Morison's "The Service of Man" also lies on my table, trying to get read. It is a remarkable book—good heroic medicine for conventional religionists. puts the problem in a masterly=clear way. Wide historic grasp, plain speech, & good reasoning powers. I had a letter from Herbert J. Bathgate of England. CAMDEN MAR 30 10 AM REC'D Dear Friend: C'est A great moment at last this April 22, (88) Sund. Eve (I free from the gnarring of the finite at my heels). Your very interesting letters rec'd & forwarded. Last night I saw Bronson Howard's play— Henrietta—Robson & Crane chief actors. A very useful play,—satire on Wall Street. Matthew Arnold's article on America in the April Nineteenth Century you ought to read. He's as insolent & haughty toward us (amusingly so) as all other Englishmen. They are getting afraid of us—to tell the truth? W.S.KUNITED STATES POSTAL CARD. NOTHING BUT THE ADDRESS TO BE ON THIS SIDE. NO CAMBRIDGE STA APR [?] 6AM MASS. Walt Whitman Camden New JerseyBELLMONT JUN 8 MASS. Walt Whitman Camden New Jersey.CAMDEN,N.J. JUN 9 8AM 1888 REC'D.CAMDEN,N.J. APR23 1 8PM 88 Wm Sloane Kennedy Belmont Mass: WALT WHITMAN, CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY.BELMONT APR 24 MASS. PHILADELPHIA, PA APR 23 9 PM 1888 TRANSITBelmont June 8 / 88 Dear Walt Whitman;— Mr Harned has written me of yr recent attack of illness. It was at first quite alarming. But thank God it was no worse. I wont weary you by saying more than to express my heartfelt sympathy & thankfulness & good wishes. I sent Mr Harned's letter to John B., & suggested his sending it to O'Connor. Mrs Fairchild asks affectionately after you. She is just going to England. W.S. KennedyBelmont: Mond. July 9/88 Dear Friend: -- Best wishes for a good day for you this cool July morning. Mrs K. will send some pinks soon. J.B. (West Park) sends me a card saying he will come on & see you this week probably. affec. W.S.Kennedy a good letter from Mr Traubel rec'd .BOSTON.MASS. JUL 9 10 AM 1888 CAMDEN,N.J. JUL 10 8AM 1888 REC'D. Walt Whitman Camden New JerseyCAMDEN AUG13 8PM 88 Editor Republican newspaper Springfield Mass:SPRINGFIELD 14 AUG 1030AM 1888 REC'D. [*110- P jRyt 57*]BELMONT AUG 28 MASS. Walt Whitman Camden N. Jersey 328 Mickle St.CAMDEN,N.J. AUG 29 8AM 1888 REC'D.Belmont. My Dear Walter (as poor Emerson wd say) I some weeks ago devised a cunning scheme for getting a call, or visit from you in spite of yourself, & at same time putting a couple of hundred dollars into your pocket. Shortly after you had yr sun=stroke I went in & called on O'Reilly, & [we] asked him [about] [why] if we cd not manage to call the attention of some good government friend of yrs to the amazing fact that the most deserving veteran of the war has never rec'd from an ungrateful country any 2 [inventory] adequate quid pro quo, for his services. (I thought—there might be some office for you, with nominal services, wh. you might accept) O'Reilly during the conversation said he wished we could get you on to Boston to lecture or read about October 1st or 5th (say). I took up the idea & having my time at my disposal, I am going to work you up a lecture. Have seen Bartlett (T.H.) & only await [you] a letter from you to start me off advertising & printing tickets & seeing the Papyrus & other club men, &c &c. Do you think you will be able to come by that time, my dear friend? I have never heard you either read or lecture & shall be a thousand times repaid for my trouble. aff— W.S. Kennedy Thanks for poems (19th Cent) & Theatre. reminiscence piece. "Last of Ebb" is my favorite[* see notes sept 1 1888 *] Belmont Mass Aug 30 88 Dear Walt Whitman: I long -- and have lary syne + every day longed - to throw some details of yr days now. For some reason Mr Traubel has never seen fit to tell me anything about your daily doings -- whether you sit up or whether you are prone on yr back. It is cruel to keep a fellow ignorant. Can't you tell me in a line or two yourself? Thank you for the magazine -- "Boothmaker" -- with its picture of you. Herbert Gilchrist has sent me a proof of what seems to me the best of the two photographs of Mrs. Gilchrist. I prize it highly. [* see notes sept 1 1888 *]any news from the three Bucke, O.C. or J.B.? I am reading with tremendous interest + absorption (by bits as I get time) Scott's best novels again, + looking up all the hard Scotch words in Jamieson's Dictionary. They have made my summer glorious, My love of that man is something strong as fate. Indeed I believe the ties of blood draw me to him + to Scotland -- my "forbears" being Scotch-Irish (on one side) I am now revelling in the "Antiquity" wh. I opine to be the healthiest + most humorous of all, perhaps. yrs affect as ever, W.S. KennedyDear Walt W. I enclose letter fr St Louis I have begun to copy over (clean) some 70 pp of the Whitman MS (my book). Glad to hear of yr now books. Am still reading proof. WS Kennedy I don't see much prospect of my work on you seeing the light soon. But --. Regards to Traubel3 in trust, Mr Lanborn accepted it for the Concord School. But as the School is closed for the following year, I suppose he neglects to call for it. I shall take occasion to speak of it (indirectly) some day, + follow his directions. The bust shall surely go into some gallery, or I'll be busted myself. I hope to write a notice of the 'Boughs' for the Transcript. Affectionately + admiringly Your friend W.S. Kennedy Sorry indeed to hear of O'Connor's bad state, We all need out o' door life continually. University Press, Press Revise Room Sept.9.88 Dear W.W. The precious Volume November Boughs arrived last night and drew forth an exclamation of delight from me as I untied the package at the supper table. The portrait was a real surprise, + I value very highly the portrait of E. Hicks, a remarkable face. A god=smit man of the old heroic stamp. The melanye of the vol. exhibits a range + strength that I had not tho't to be quite so marked, when I read the pieces separately as they came out. The very mass is wonderful, considering that they emanate from a semi-invalid. I thank you deeply for the beautiful P.S. I am so sorry to hear so much of your bad digestion + lethargy. Don't you think you ought to take a railway sleeper for Florida this winter? 2 vol. + for its inscription, + the good nice Sunday-afternoon letter. I devoured the new poems + prose pieces bit by bit, stealthily today, having the book (disguised by cover) in my drawer, whence I took it out to read from time to time. I notice a deepening shade of the sombre + of pathos throughout the latest bits of poetry. But- it is better so: it completes your picture of a typical man - a man complete, clear through the "opiate" shades to the gates of death. The plaster bust I still holdBELMONT SEP B 4 MASS. Walt Whitman Camden New Jersey. [*See notes Sept. 5th '88*]CAMDEN,N.J. SEP 5 8AM 1888 REC'D.UNITED STATES POSTAL CARD. NOTHING BUT THE ADDRESS TO BE ON THIS SIDE. BELMONT OCT 18 MASS. CAMDEN,N.J. OCT 19 1888 REC'D. Whitman Camden New Jersey [*See notes Oct. 19, 1888*]I send you the Transcript with my notice of November Boughs ____ hastily pencil = scrawled bet. jobs on my proof desk. I have really no time (myself non - exc. a sleepy hour o'evening. The same Transcript contains a good long price by young Sadikichi Hartmann yr card just rec'd. Thank you. Be sure to tell me abt O'C. when you hear. I asked Traubel to tell you that Wilson (Glaswegian) had written me abt my book. Cordially yrs W.S. Kennedy.[*Wm Sloane Kennedy*] CAMBRIDGE STA. OCT 9 7 PM 1888 MASS. Walt Whitman Camden New Jersey [*see note Oct 11 1888*] Mr. Sadakichi Hartmann will open his dramatic season with "Narcisse" on Monday, the twelfth of November. Mr. Hartmann played the part with great success in Darmstadt and other German cities. Dear W.W. & Traubel: ⎯ I saw our ambitious young friend Sadakichi's photos in an art store in Boston, & the legend beneath it: "Mr Hartmann as he appears in his plays". I have nothing against him that I know of; wish him well. he seems quite a picturesque character; smack of the adventurer; but what of it? I enjoyed very much Mr Traubel's last letter just rec'd. How interesting the magazines are now! We enjoyed Dear Walt, yr little bit in the Century, & Iam looking with Eageruen for the new books. As I understand Horace the Ger. trans'l of L of G is out. affec. W S Kennedy Belmont Mass Sept 18 / 88says Edmund Gosse "Never simple, never easy, never in one single lyric natural and spontaneous for more than one [single] stanza, always forcing the note, always concealing his bareness and lameness by grotesque violence of image & preposterous storm of sound, [Sidney] Lanier appears to me to be as conclusively not a fact of genius as any ambitious man who ever lived, labored and failed." (The Forum, Vol⎯, '88 Edmund Gosse in Forum. Oct 1 88 1888 see note Oct 2 1888 [??] [??] [??d] to the [con??] [??] intention by dating [??] 1888 instead of [??] . . He had [da]care [??] the [letter?] wit the [??] it preparatory to [??] put it into [ar?] His little slips [??]below the [?? ked] [??ten] me (my father [?eavy] [co??] I took [??] would [label?] curiously drawn [?awn?] = keep written. bad, to his eye, [??] he sought in [??] " & design, if [??] up all night, to [??] both with & " -- [??] [??] circumstance of [Protection? death [??] shocking -- shocking undead : -- It is always a puzzle with me when I get letters from any of the [group?] of [the?] friends I feel it a duty to have him hear -- yet am in fear lest he should decide to examine the notes himself. Each not has talk & speculation about [be?] and [when?] which it would bebe highly damaging for hime to see. -- He seems to reward a [??] [f??] himself -- give me his own letter absolutely, yet is [??ed] to [??] [??] [??] [??] rival of [the?] book. I have thought of his "fibre", as a thing going back to his parents. "I was blessed, in that way -- with good father, mother: strong, wise, temperate, pure --" [?sler} not [our?] today, according to promise. Got [Jergerson's?] bill -- 107.20 for printing complete whitman ---18.40 for fuel wages (letters &c) & correction in [??] [??] Belmont Mass Oct 20 '88 My dear W.W. Your good letter (so kind of you to remember me in my [condition] loneliness of grim work) rec'd this Eve. Mrs K. is in Boston at a Symphony Concert and a precious ½ hour for my soul being at my disposal I feel a strong inner impulse to pour out here in the evening solitude, my heart to you in a genuine heart-letter of affection, welling up out of the of the deeps you long ago touched as no other ever did or can. Dear friend whom I have for so long admired, do you not feel that all is well with you & the great cause of freedom for which you have laid down yr life? I do. I feel somehow that the future is going to be with you, with us. [Then] Humanity [are] is sweeping on into the larger light. To we who have drank at all fountains of literature, the world over, & climbed the lonely peaks of thought in every land & age, your Leaves of Grass still towers [stands] up [concerning] above everything else in grand aspiration, right philosophy, & the heart beats of true liberty. Hugo does not satisfy, he saddens & depresses me. He is a giant of despair, the limner of scélerats (rascals & beggars chiefly)2 You are very kind to offer to send me the new big vol.4 I shall prize it highly. I hope you will pardon the brevity & inadequacy of my notice of "Nov. B." in Transcript. I am really ill with hard work—nerves trembling, eye fluttering & above all sleepy. The rush of Holiday printing will be over in a month I hope, & then I shall be able to breathe again. We are rolling out 90–100 books at once, & every page must pass under my eye twice & receive my fecit before it goes out,—my guarantee. Dear Burroughs writes me that [he was] I had better come & raise fruit,—buy land adjoining him. Perhaps I may some time. How I wish you were going to live 50 yrs more. You may hold out 25 yrs yet, I shldn't wonder. Live & make us happy, noble friend. You are the only great literatus left alive in the world just at present. We can't spare you. The Infinite must wait. I must stop & copy a page or so (my daily stint) of my Whitman bibliography (sawdusty job rather, but of some little use I hope). Wife is well as can be & we are cheery & busy. Regards to all friends. Goodbye once more. I press yr hand, W.S. Kennedy. Jo. B. Alder has bt my railway book plates. Baxter & Prof Morse must be having a jolly nice thing of it in Berlin, "Soft snap"—this globe jogging & junketing is. I feel glad for good solid, moral Baxter. He will enjoy the trip, & I repeat Horace's ode ("Sic Te diva potens Cypri" &c) for his safe return.The envelope addressed by Walt Whitman to Wm. Sloane Kennedy, postmarked Dec. 4, 1888, is listed on the Checklist of Walt Whitman's Correspondence, 1957, p. 111. The whereabouts of the letter is unknown. When the Checklist was printed in 1957, the envelope was not listed as being in the Feinberg Collection.WALT WHITMAN AUTOGRAPH LETTERS 1888 Dec. 4 WHITMAN, WALT, to Wm. Sloane Kennedy Camden, N. J., Envelope. Whereabouts of A.L.s unknown. 7-6-61 FEINBERG COLLECTION OF WALT WHITMANCAMDEN,N.J. DEC 4 8PM 88 Wm Sloane Kennedy Belmont Mass: WALT WHITMAN, CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY.BELMONT, MASS. 7AM DEC 5 1888 REC'D.UNITED STATES POST CARD. ONE CENT NOTHING BUT THE ADDRESS TO BE ON THIS SIDE. BOSTON. MASS. 3-45 DEC 13 1888 CAMDEN,N.J. DEC 14 [88 REC'D.] Walt Whitman Camden New JerseyI hope the dear poet is comfortable & improved. I have been anxious abt that water [?] the sleeplessness above all. It's too bad. What a blessed rare fellow our Bucke is! to care for your comfort. I tell you I wish the world were full of such men. As I sit here looking up Brattle Square Cambridge from my proof-room window, the gay elastic - voties children are trooping by as usual to school. Weather cold & bright. W. S. KennedyCross Reference GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE Kennedy, William Sloane to Whitman, Dec. 13, 1888 See Verso GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE Bucke, Richard M. Letters from Whitman to Bucke, Dec. 13, 1888, Box 6Camden Tuesday PM Dec: 18 '88 Thanks for the 13th note—write oftener —I have been thro another very bad spell—ten days, two of them quite serious—but am somewhat better—am sitting up anyhow writing this, but my brain is flabby—my grip weak —The doctor speaks of a pronounc'd gastric trouble, from long indigestion—No I have no recollection of any "Solitude"—have no doubt it is a total invention (not to use the word fraud wh' is perfectly proper) —my relations were never at all intimate with Lowell —there are a good many such—it might be worth while to stamp them peremptorily in future—I have included all my stuff in "Complete Vol," a big book authenticated by me now, rather cheaply bound & I w'd like to send a package of four or five copies (including one to you) by Express to you—one for Harland, one for Baxter and one for Mrs. Fairchild—all for Christmas presents —package to be prepaid—can you receive it & see they get to their destination?—Where shall it (the package) be directed to you, in Boston, if so?—I have seen the notice in the Literary World & like it well enough— Dr Bucke (I hear from him often) likes it well—do you know its author? The Paris (France) Revue Independent magazine November has a notice L of G. —also something in a Palermo (Italy) paper—Dr B has them —No word now for quite a while from my dear O'Connor— I am very uneasy ab't him—I have (did I tell you?) a good strong willing nurse, & good doctoring watch—I send my love & memories to Mrs: F., to Baxter, to Harland, to yourself, dear friend, & wife—& to Sanborn if you see him—I must now get to the bed— Walt Whitmanp128 Ksch WSKBelmont Hill overlooking the sea on this bright warm day Dec 25, '88 Dear Friend:— Merry Xmas yrself ! You are prolific in surprises these days! The Complete Whitman is a great surprise. It dwarfs everything else. That wonderful title page I look at & look at, & can't seem to get dovetailed into my mind. —it is so original— unique, & full of speaking life. I had a good time yesterday (an exciting warm dash here & there) in Boston while getting the books to their respective destinations. Please don't mention the express ch'g . it was only— a trifle & I want you to let me pay it please. You will have heavy postage on so many others of yr 150. Have the other 450 McKay's imprint? I left Baxter's on his office table, & he got it shortly, although I did not succeed in seeing him. Garland's I left with Baxter, having previously verified him (Garland) to be on the lookout. (He had a col. & ½ piece in Herald on single tax (Hen. Georgeism5) yesterday. Sanborn, since his loss of the state inspectorship of Charities office, has a table & chair at 141 Franklin St. (Geo. H. Ellis's printing & pub. house)7. I left his book on his table in charge of good hands. I afterwards took a long walk down to 191 Commonwealth Ave, but found thatMrs Fairchild cd see no one, owing to one of her children having the measles -- a catching disease or ailment. I was disappointed, as I wanted to chat with her abt her visit to England. Mrs K's pleasant proof-room is at Geo. H. Ellis; + as I happened down there to see Sanborn at 12 o'c, we (wifey + I) went out together + got a good dinner at Atlantic Ave, where we cd glimpse the sparkling sea + see the foreign masts right-at-hand across the street. My day had a sad ending. A man right by me in a crowd at Fitchbury R.R. station tried to jump aboard train - partially intoxicated I tho't - fell under the wheels, had his foot cut off + otherwise, probably fatally injured. It was the first bad accident I had ever witnessed (strange to say) + it made me sick, haunted me all the evening + night. I tho't of you + your hospital work + realized for the first time the awful strain it must have been on you nurses + visitors. Such is the web of our life - joy + sorrow in rhythmic alteration. Please give my very special congratulations to Traubel anent this big volume (for I suppose he helped some). And give my regards to your Canadian nurse-friend. Wife sends love + rembrances. affec. W.S. Kennedy (Write again soon if you can.)[Belmont Tues Eve. Jan 29, '87] [Thank you for yr good letter. I appreciate such immensely (& you ill, too). I agree with you that Sarrazin article (and I take him to be a young or middle=aged man) is powerful. It took me several days to absorb it and make my extracts & c. The man got such a grip on his subject, has it all at his fingers' ends understands you & loves you. This is as it shd be. We need such apostles in Europe; and more will be sure to appear. I notice in the Nuova Antolgia author Italian, Chiarini; mentions you, as being familiar with L. of G. I am re-reading Robert Browning a little.] [I am anxious abt that health of yrs, yet thankful it is no worse. Dont you think you are sometimes a little cold and repressive? When I visited you I suppose you tho't: "well here's another spier & critic & drew in yr horns. I want yr personal love; the book I write chiefly to gain that & if it tends to make hearty sympathy impossible I wd rather pitch it into the sea. (I fear my digestion must be poor to-night judging from the [tone?] of the foregoing!) Had a card fr Rhys lately.—yes I to think F W. Wilson was scared by Gardner. We shall see. I keep toiling away kicking my MS into shape, adding touches &c &c] [W S Kennedy]Camden Feb: 1 '89 yr's of 29th Jan: rec'd + welcom'd as always - I continue on much the same the last two days. I fancy a little plus, something like strength - have got so when negative favors (to be free from special botheratious) quite set me up. -Had my breakfast + relish'd it - three or four stew'd oysters, a stout slice of toasted Graham bread, + a mug of coffee - -My housekeeper Mrs: Davis is compelled to be temporarily absent these two days + Ed my nurse gets my breakfast + gets it very well. -I get along here without any luxury or any special order, but I am satisfied + comfortable + often bless the Lord + congratulate myself that things are as well with me as they are - -that I retain my mentality intact - That I have put my literary stuff in final form - -that I have a few (but sufficient) real + competent + determined advocates + understandery + bequeathery (important as much as anything) -Cold weather to-day + I keep a good oak fire -- At Dr B's there had been something of a conflagration - one of the detached dwellings burnt -no loss of life or limb - piles on more labor + delay on Dr however - I write a few lines every two or three days to O.C. + send Mrs. OC the Tran's -Enclosed find a proof of yr condensed translation of Sarrazin (I don't mind hasty somewhat broken form) wh- read + correct if anything + returned to me at once - + I will send you some impressions - I like it well - Best love to you Walt Whitmanp133 Ksch WSK p61 W.W.CAMDEN,N.J. FEB1 8PM 89 [*'89 CS7*] Sloane Kennedy Belmont Mass: WALT WHITMAN, CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY.BELMONT,MASS. 5PM FEB 2 1889 REC'D.CAMDEN,N.J. FEB11 8PM 89 [*'89 C[?]7*] Sloane Kennedy Belmont Mass: WALT WHITMAN, CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY.BELMONT, MASS. 5PM FEB 12 1889 REC'D.Camden pm Feb 11 '89 Much the same subject continued. I am still confined to the room & chair -eat & drink moderately-my meals mostly mutton with bits of the well-stew'd meat- broth & Graham bread & sometimes roasted apples or cup custard - appetite fair- -of course monotonous here (it is getting to be the ninth month) - but I am comparatively comfortable & get along better than you wd suppose-snowing today, half-melting when it falls - you got the printed slips of the Sarrazin tran: I sent ? Dr. B has the magazine-he has been forced to delay his jaunt this way -& now names the 18th inst to start hither- may go directly to Washington to see O'C -with a possibility of it being further put off-O'Connor is badly off- worse -[?] I am much worried abt him - he is laid up mainly bedfast in his house-very bad, at my last acct's four days since from Mrs. O'C - I hear that the German (partial) tran is advertised in the German papers -so we will soon get the book here - & I will send you one when I get some -pray you Dont mind any little proof lapses in the S. trans (if any)- it is a wonderfully consoling piece to me - coming from so evidently a fully equipt, sharp-eyed, sharp-nosed, sharp- ear'd Parisian Frenchman- running the critical leads the very deepest-& here what he reports - I have rec'd a good long warm flattering letter from Addington Symonds from Switzerland with a large photo head- the best photo I ever saw- Best love Walt WhitmanW.W. by W.S.K. p. 62 p.135 Ksch22nd Feb. 89. Dear Walt W.:- How is the healthy invalid to=day? I recd mag. of Poetry (& re=mailed) & the Chicago paper. Good "ads" for you they ought to be. How hard it is to live down a pre-conceived wrong impression! These very numerous articles ought to sell any man's books rapidly. I have just spent an hour or so writing to publishers Gardner & Wilson. Have expressed the MS. to Gardner, after waiting six weeks in vain on Wilson. I dislike him & his ways much, But I tell him it is still not too late if he will say the word. He acts like an imbecile- to me. W S.K.The Electric lamps in Belmont. Beautiful! Have just been out - to see the brilliant star show; noticed the big cherry tree in the lane splashed all over one side with white, + found it was one of the electric lamps a full quarter of a mile away (on a rise of ground) that caused it. These new lights poetize the night wonderfully dont they?Dear W.W. Just as my MS pkg was consigned to steamer Roman of the Warren Line, comes crawling along - like a fly in molasses - one of Fred. W. Wilson's. idiotic little letters asking to see the MS. before agreeing to give me copyright, and assure me seeing of proofs &c - mere trifles. I distrust him, I think him incompetent. However, if Gardner declines we will fall back on the tortoise. He cannot say I did not give him every chance. I am glad that you had Bucke's Sarrazin translation too, if it pleased you. It is first rate, gives parts I omitted, & good ones too. It's just as I told you: the article is strong & adequate. The Dr. in his haste (& I suspect you slyly inveigled him as you did me) misses the point twice. Sarrazin does not say that [?man] Hegel is the greatest of the philosophers after Whitman: he says Hegel is the greatest &c according to Whitman. Après means after; but d'après (used by Sarrazin: I saw it in the article at Harvd Library again lvz day) means according to, or in the opinion of, on the authority of, & always imbodies that idea. Again come good Dr. misses it in the condor business. Here is Sarrazin: He says [?] were (he details are removed from Leaves of Grass. vous vous apercevez imme'diatement que la vie et la [*you perceive immediately that the life & the*] variété se sont retirées du tableau, et qu 'il n'est [*variety themselves have taken away from the picture, and that it is no*] plus traversé que de grands et monotones coups d'ailes de [*more traversed except by great & monotonous strokes of wing of*] condor. [*the condor. (But Dr. B. gives the exact opposite of the true rendering n. his translation) (overI dont think I have seen the article by O'Connor you allude to. very cold to-day. Feb 25-'89 What a fine Lowell number the critic has (too much taffy; but good reading some of it) Bucke's " a banditti of politicians" is funny; in English it means " a robbers of politicians."! If I had tho't we cd have got a pub. I shd have taken several days (instead of two hours) & made a careful extensive translation of the bulk of the piece. However, it is just as well. It grieves me much, dear friend to hear of those pains "inside night & day." Dear me, can't you get rid of 'em? affec. Billy K (that's the way they called me out West.)NORTH CAMBRIDGE, STA. FEB 26 8AM 1889 MASS. Walt Whitman Camden New JerseyCAMDEN, N.J. FEB 27 10AM 1889 REC'D.BELMONT FEB 23 MASS. Walt Whitman Camden New Jersey.CAMDEN, N.J. FEB 25 5AM REC'D.Dear Walt Whitman: We sent you some flowers yesterday. Be sure not to think it necessary to acknowledge these little gifts it gives us much pleasure to send, though I prize your letters immensely when it does not bore you to write. Just rec'd the neat "Democ. Vistas" vol fr. Rhys. I enclose a letter rec'd from him. Am toiling away 10 hrs a day at proof-reading. Just put up 32 quarts of current jam (our own growth the fruit) last Sunday + Sunday before. Affec, W. S. Kennedy