Feinberg/Whitman
Box 35  Folder 33
Literary File  Prose  "American Personality" (undated).   A.MS.draft.

958
American Personality:  note. A.MS. (4p. 21 x app. 11 cm.)
Written in pencil, with one correction in ink, on 4 tall slips
all torn from different kinds of stationery, 108, 82, 35, 73 = 
298 words:
[1[ all the latter part, (or [first] ante-latter-part) of his piece
--what he says about permanency, politically or principally building
once for all, &c. seems to me to be answered by [the] such a
fact for instance or  analogy by [such a] as that of the  continual
process of change in the [continual] physical elements of the human
body.  The principles of [grow] vitality & growth last, but not the
identical grains or the combinations.  The identity being fixed,
[the] & cohesion provided for life demands fluid ? ductile ? [permissible]
? [perm] eligibility, for those purposes  of developement,
growth, adaptability to circumstances, & all expanded needs  /
[2] Would he think he granted  all that was necessary for  these
classes, when he grants the privileges of the poor-house to the 
old, & the charity-school to children.
Suppose in [th] answer to this [insolent late] late most unworthy
[over]

959
most [unworthy & most unchristian inhuman becoming [injury] & insult
to these classes
[Some] Some [poor repres] young man's soul should  burst forth, in
Hebraic mood, even from lowest London slums, or out of factory=
[S] smoke from Birmingham or Manchester   /
[3] ([for] and of the like of such, [doubtless] surely [prop great] mystic
Biblic prophets, [greater than dxx] [?] afterward the 
Pinnacle of all
the  prophets,)--or [some] even some youthful "nigger" [youth] out of 
the Western Indies.--   ?  /
[4] Put in a ¶ that [this is by itself] [the] I dont wonder that Democracy in Europe flags 
& is without encouragement -- 
--No one can really feel encouraged unless he [sees]  personally 
sees America, American personality, or knows all about it. - In fact, -- with all the faults & errors here--there is to a severe 
& practical test, little encouragement any where except in America.
--¶ for [American] personality -- the [best] young men [?]  /

all the latter part, (or
[first] ante-latter-part) of
this piece- what he says 
about permanency, building politically or [?] [?]
once for all &c seems to 
me to be answered by such a fact for instance or analogy [such a]
as that of the continual process of
change in the physical 
elements of the human
The principles of [grow] vitality & growth
body last but not the identical grains or their combinations.
The identity by & cohesion provided for 
fixed [The] life demands 
[fluid] ductile [permissible]
? [perm] eligibility, for those
purposes of devolopement,
growth, adaptability to 
circumstances, &  all expanded
needs.


Would he think he granted
all that way necessary for
these classes when he grounds
the privileges of the poor house
to the old & the charity
school to children. 

Suppose in answer
to this late most unworth most in. 
becoming
& insult to these classes
Some
your man's soul should
burst fourth, in Herbaic
mood, even from lowest
London slums or out of 
factory = smoke for
Birmingham on Manchester

(and the like of 
[?] of such, jewels
majestic biblic prophets, 
afterward the Pinnacle
of all the prophets.)-
or some even some[*youthful*]
"nigger" youth out 
of the Western Indies-
?

This in by itself
But in a (paragraph sign) that [like]
I don't wonder, that Democracy in Europe 
flags or is without
encouragement -
-No one can really feel encouraged unless
he [sees] personally &
practically sees America,
American personality, or
knows all about it.[*-with all the faults and errors here-*]
-In fact, there is to a severe & practical test 
little encouragement any
where except in 
America. -(paragraph sign) for
American personality-
the best you know

Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.