Feinberg/Whitman
Box 17 Folder 14
General Correspondence
Street, John Phillips
July 13 - 16, 1891J.P. Sheet

[?] sent 
John Phillips Street 
New Brunswick, N.J. 
July 13, 1891.
Walt Whitman, Esq.,
My dear Sir: 
At the suggestion of  
a friend some weeks ago I began
to read your poems, and 
have become so much interested
in them from my hasty perusal
of them, that I have decided 
to make them the object of my 
studies during the present summer. 
I have one difficulty, however 
and it is the occasion
of my writing this letter to 
you. From the various libraries
of this city, - public and private, 
to which I have access, Ihave been able to secure
but two different editions,
neither of which quite satisfied
me. One was "Leaves of Grass",
published in Boston by Thayer and
Eldridge, in 1860-61 & the other
was "Leaves of Grass", published 
in Philadelphia by David McKay,
in 1884.  As I said 
above, neither of these quite
satisfied me. The poems were
classified in each one in an
entirely different manner from the 
other, which at times proved 
very confusing.
I write to you, therefore,
to ask if you will direct
me where I can secure what

you consider the best edition
of your poems, so that when
I secure it I may feel that 
I possess that which bears
the author's mark of approval.
Before closing this letter
I wish to express my appreciation
of the many beauties of 
your verses, & to testify as to
the pleasure, comfort, and instruction
they have put at
my service.
Believe me,
Very sincerely yours,
John Phillips Street.JOHN PHILLIPS STREET
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J.

July 16, 1891

Walt Whitman, Esq.-
Dear Sir:-
Your advertising circular
which you sent me gives
me much of the information I
want & I thank you for it.
However my pocket-book just at
present is in such a condition 
that I will have to content
myself with a cheaper edition.
If is not troubling you too
much can you not recommend
to me some cheaper edition of 
your complete poems [sold for?]
$2 or $3?
Yours [very?] truly,
John Phillips Street