FEINBERG/WHITMAN LITERARY FILE Prose ¨Emerson¨ [1870´s?] A.MS.draft. Box 33 folder 12 Includes letter from John H. Johnston to ___ Irving, Apr. 26, 1909. Also includes letter from Johnston to Ernest H. Crosby. Apr. 14, 190. 508 187 ? Emerson:prose. A.MS. (1 p. 24 1/2 x 19 1/2 cm.) Written in ink with one correction in pencil and a line in blue pencil, on the verso of a sheet of stationery with letterhead Department of Justice Washington, . . . . .187, 125 words: Emerson is [healthy] sane and sweet-breathed, but always literary, always smacks of the libraries. Precious, indeed, are [libraries the the] the libraries, [but] yet they [should] must [no] know their place. In Literature, at its very greatest there is singularly little or no vestige of literature. Let us try this man by the [so left] severest standards, [That would will be worthy of him, and fitting to our question-argument] for he is [great enough to be] worthy of it. He is literary intellectual, clean acute, He occasionally soars high, and takes [His] audience is few & choice. [He} Had he [might have] soared higher yet [far], haply the - [and spread far wider, and had the] world [for] been his audience. Accompanying this MS is a letter on the letterhead of J. H. Johnston & Son, Diamond Merchants and Jewelers, 18 John Street, New York: 509 April 14th 1900 My Dear Friend: Please accept this MSS. and Photo of Walt Whitman with loving regards of J. H. Johnston To Ernest H. Crosby And another letter on the same letterhead, with a different address --12, 14 & 16 John Street--and phone number: April 26th 1909 My Dear Mr Irving: I shall not attempt to tell you how much we appreciate your sending us a box for the Play tomorrow. My wife is out of town and will not be with me, but two daughters and a tall son will be with me and I have invited Will Carleton--the Farm Ballad poet to join us but do not know whether he can come or not. I am sending with this a little gift for you to hang in your library in your English home. It is a page of Walt Whitman MSS. part of an essay of his on Emerson; the interesting thing is--it shows how he wrestled for just the exact word to express his meaning. When I learned that President Roosevelt was a reader of [more] 510 2--Emerson "Leaves of Grass" and a lover of Walt, I sent him a page like this, and his expression of thanks was a corker. This page I presented to Ernest Crosby and after his death his wife thought I would like to have it back and sent it to me, together with a splendid cane which [some one] had belonged to Walt, but which I had not sent him. Hoping that you and your wife will have a great success tomorrow, and with [kinest] kindest regards to her, Believe me Very Sincerely Yours J. H. Johnston JOHN H. JOHNSTON ALBERT EDW. JOHNSTON Fine Watch Repairing. Diamonds Remounted. J. H. JOHNSTON & SON Jewelry repaired or remodeled. Old gold and DIAMOND MERCHANTS AND JEWELERS silver taken in exchange or purchased. 12, 14, & 16 JOHN STREET TELEPHONE 4606 CORTLAND ESTABLISHED 1844 New York April 26th 1909 My Dear Mr Irving: I shall not attempt to tell you how much we appreciate your sending us a box for the Play tomorrow. My wife is out of town and will not be with me, but two daughters and a tall son will be with me and I have invited Will Carleton - the Farm Ballad poet to join us but do not know yet whether he can come or not. I am sending with this a little gift for you to hang in your library in your English house. It is a page of Walt Whitmans MSS, part of an essay of his on Emerson; the interesting thing is -- it shows how he wrestled for just the exact word to express his meaning. When I learned that President Roosevelt was a reader of "Leaves of Grass" and a lover of Walt, I sent him a page like this, and his expression of thanks was a corker. This page I presented to Ernest Crosby and after his death his wife thought I would like to have it back and sent it to me, together with a splendid cane which [someone] had belonged to Walt, but which I had not sent him. Hoping that you and your wife will have a great success tomorrow, and with kindest regards to her, Believe me Very Sincerely Yours J. H. Johnston JOHN H. JOHNSTON. ALBER EDW. JOHNSTON. All communications should be J. H. JOHNSTON & SON, addressed to the firm. DIAMOND MERCHANTS AND JEWELERS, 18 JOHN STREET. TELEPHONE, 3805 CORTLANDT. ESTABLISHED 1844. New York, April 14th 1900 My Dear Friend; Please accept this Mess. and Photo of Walt Whitman with loving regards of J. H. Johnston To Evert H Crosby Emerson is [healthy] sane and sweet-breathed but always literary always smacks of the libraries. Precious, indeed, are [libraries the the] the libraries, [but] yet they [should] must [no] know their place. In Literature at its very greatest there is singular little or no vestige of literature. Let us try this man by the [In loft] severest standards for he is great enough to be worthy of it. [That would will be worthy of him, and fitting to our question argument.] He is literary intellectual, clean acute, He occasionally soars high, and takes [His] audience in few & choice. [He] Had he [might have] soared higher yet [far], haply the [and] [spread far wider, and had the] world [for] had been his audience. Department of Justice Washington 187 Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.