FEINBERG/WHITMAN LITERARY FILE Prose "Afterthought" (AUG 1884). A.MS. draft. Box 33 Folder 55 Includes partial verso letter from unidentified, Aug. 12, 1884.[*55*] 1884 Afterthought: prose fragment. A.MS. (3p. 16 x 21 ½ cm. largest) Written in ink, with some corrections in pencil, on three sheets of paper of various sizes (one tan, another on the verso of a letter, dated Aug. 12, 1884, from an author in Ann Arbor who wrote of Whitman in the Baldwin Monthly for July 1884, and the third made up of two envelopes opened and pasted together, dated June 2 and Nov. 22, 1884), about 200 words: 'Note Note M *For [further] thoughts [strictly] akin to the [purposes present] letter [of this preface essay preface epilogue], see especially my "Democratic Vistas," Prefaces to L. of G. 1855, and 1876, Preface to "As a Strong Bird," 1872, "Poetry to-day in America," [end] and "[A] and "A Memorandum at a Venture," and (sheet pasted down here) Note Always remembering that this is a the ?stet? [This essay] little missive is an after-thought, [the work over, and an interval inferr'd for all I now make put put it as preface to my poems Leaves]. The [origin and] utterance of [the bulk of them] my Leaves [were] was [cer-] /over/[*55A*] [were certainly utter'd] in blissful [unconsci-] unconsciousness of [what it] the [pe] points and doctrines here indited, [and inferred-inferred, and] [after all is ever the work An interv] The work is over, and an interval inferr'd. [It is perhaps more the 'afterward' than the 'before'/] After all [is] that could be said the [only rugged] exegesis of L. of G.--I repeat it--is in the pages of itself only. [This preface--and one purpose underlying Specimen Days--are to smoothe the entrance of the re] But I hope this Preface, [//and] with Specimen Days may somewhat smoothe and at least [light] glimmer the entrance to that [ragged] exegesis, and / (page numbered 5) verses of Leaves of Grass [really] turn mainly on providing for their [that new reader] a [that already alluded to] new point of view toward the whole objective and subjective universe and adjusting him or her to it--[as already alluded to]. I thought a [Preface] free utterance on the principle mentioned, might serve [that] such [underlying] ? [and in some respects most important] part of the project [which] and this consideration has bornedown every other one. [And produced the gossips the present letter] Yet even now that I [have written and am printing ] an writing it, I half56 Afterthoughts: p. 2 incline [at times] to revoke the [entire] entire essay. I had wish'd to tally the method of Nature, in simply putting forth what was to be born or utter'd, and leaving it to introduce and justify or not, in itself alone, [and] regardless of [any exposition] any parleying or exposition whatever.' After all [is] that could be said the [only rugged] exegesis of L. of G. -I repeat it,- is in the pages of itself only. [This preface -and one purpose underlying Specimen Days - are to smoothe the entrance of the re] [?] But I hope this Preface, wirh [?] [and] Specimen Days may somewhat smoothe and at least [light] glimmer the entrance to that [rugged] exegesis, [and]Ann Arbor, Michigan. August 12th 1884. Mr. Walt Whitman. My Dear Sir: In Baldwin's Monthly for July there was quite a long article relative to yourself, written by me. I do not know whether you saw it or not, but fancy that you did. You have doubtless forgotten me, though I met you, as I have indicated in the article.[*note*]. [*note m*] [* * *] For [further] thoughts [strictly] akin to the [present] better purposes of this [preface] [essay] [preface] epilogue, see especially my "Democratic Vistas," prefaces to L. of G. 1855. and 1876. Preface to "As a Strong Bow," 1872, "Poetry to-day in America," ["A] and "A Memorandum at a Venture," [and] [*note*] [*?stet?*] Always remembering that this is the [This essay] [letter] missive is an after-thought, [the work over and an interval inferr'd] - [for all I now [make] put it as preface to my [poems] Leaves.] The utterance of [the] [origin and bulk of [them]] my Leaves [were] was [certainly were] [certainly utter'd] in blissful [unconsc] unconsciousness of [what is] [the po] points and doctrines here indited [on an interval inferred, and] [after all the work is over] [An interv] The work is over and an interim inferr'd. [It is perhaps more the 'afterward' [a?] than] the 'before'[HEILMANDALE] Jun 2 PA United States Postage Two 2 Cents Walt Whitman; Camden, N.J. [?] 3 [?] UNITED STATES POSTAGE BOSTON MASS Walt Whitm 328 [?] Cam [?] CAMDEN N.J. [?] 24 [?] [?][*5*] verses of Leaves of Grass [really] turn mainly on providing for their reader [that is new] a [that] [the] [already alluded into] new point of view toward the whole objective and subjestive universe and adjusting him or her to it. [as already alluded to] I thought a [Preface] free utterance on the principle mention'd, might serve [that] such ? [underlying] [and in some respects, most important] part of the project— and this [which] consideration has borne down every other one. [him produced the gossip the present letter] yet even now that I have [written] [and am printing] am writing it. I half incline [at times] to revoke the [entire] entire essay. I had wish'd to tally the method of Nature, in simply putting forth what was to be born or utter'd, and leaving it to introduce and justify or not, in itself alone [and] regardless of [any exposition or] any parleying or exposition whatever[*?*] versus really turn on providing for the reader [a] that new point of view toward the whole objective and subjestive universe and adjusting him or her to it [??? already alluded to]. I thought a [preface] free utterance on the principle mention'd, might serve [that underlying] [and in some aspects most important] part of the project - [which] consideration has borne down every other one. Yet even now that I have written and am printing it, I half incline to revoke the entire essay. I had wish'd to tally the method of Nature, in simply putting forth what was to be [????????????????????????????????????]