WALT WHITMAN Photocopies Furness, Clifton Joseph, notebook, 1940 Box 2 Folder 6 M125 [*Prof. Ralph Eaton on Kant & Whitman*] [*Harvard*] THIS BOOK BELONGS TO Clifton Joseph Furness 19 Phillips Street - Boston, Mass CLASS OF Graduate School, A. & S. HARVARD UNIVERSITY (reward if returned) HARVARD COOPERATIVE SOCIETY ... JOIN THE COOP ... COOP PURCHASES PAY DIVIDENDS for Florence Mc Dermid to copy-- gave her list [?] p. 19 1940 "Tomb Blossoms" p. 243 French travel [?] leans 1861 p. 21 LIB. OF CONGRESS IMP. THINGS notapad listed pp. 343-345, 434 WALT WHITMAN MSS BOOK III eureinm, 30 80 ¶ from notebook desc. p. 419 -->give desc. of notebooks in footnote [Par?llet passage to cite with tra??bel body passages (A????? ???h] The expression of a perfect made man appears not only in his face--but in his limbs--the motion of his hands and arms and all his joints--his walk--the carriage of his neck-- and the fleck of his waist and hips. Dress does not hide him. The quality he has and the clean strong sweet supple nature he has strike through cotton and woolens-- To see him walk conveys the impression of hearing a beautiful poem.--To see his back and the back of his neck and shoulderside is a spectacle, great is the body! There is something in the [d???] torque! [presence] of any [human being] candid and dear person--what it is I do not know....but it fills me with wonderful and esquisiate sensations--It is enough to be with him [or with her} add here p 345 and 416 [*note w/o spellings] describe the perfect male body pancratist--perfect in all gynasia Poem of the Wrestlers My respiration and inspiration....the beauty of my heart....the passing of blood and air through my lungs. ¶ .W. W's Reading Book "contents" a The Diver "by Schitler As noted by W.W. at the performance in aid of the (poor of Camden, night of [*es right here*] Jun 27, 1876) [printed?] "Last Words", begins " I'm going to die", says the widder green, ends, "won't no more be pestered by -- widder Green." " John Anderson, my Jo." 2 titles - Reading book "Thou who hast Slept all night upon the storm (The Man-of-War Bird)" by W. W. author Note - the version here corresponds exactly to that given in McKay 1894 ed. L.of G., except for punctuation. In general, this has a great many more commas than in the 1894 ed., also some dashes where 1894 ed. has commas. ¶Sheet of letter; Eagerness, [*see p. 336 this vol*] I was so fortunate not long ago, as to find a copy of the '55 ed. Very Respectfully Philip Hale [*cf. MS Bk VI, 399 & Traubel, Camden, III, p. 533 letter from Hale to W.W. 1871*] On this letter are made following memoranda Colorado is now to come in as a state -- making the 38th -- 38 stars in the flag [*[cont. on p. 6]*] [*5*] ?? pp. 4-6-8-10-12 5 COPY COMPLETE CONTENTS for BOOK (also the poem, [p. 41] "The Midnight Visitor" with W's revisions -- Miss Johnston knows about it?) COPY showed W's note of explanations [p. 41] how? W.W. used this book for Public Readings 'W's Reading Book " [C????shed] by Hanned? copy original [???ted] for? of "Man of War Bird" (as pub. London Athenaeum April 1 '76) to compare with [Euistein's] version. W's. notation of great works of art, on back of letter by Philip Hale * copy for N.E.2 [he later attacked Walt ? Ed. Ev. H's son did.] * "The Battle of Naseby" (so labeled in W's own hand) in proof sheet! * Locate the poem! -- by Lord Macaulay Hood * "The Bridge of Sighs" -- ditto Collins Ode on "The Passions" -- with printer's directions! page of notes made at Stafford's, May 14-15 '76 on "alfresco days "(? with Mat?) by W. W. * "The Singer in the Prison" [2 printed scraps with W's corrections -- COPY! * "The Whale Chase", ditto W. W. * " Proud Music of the Storm (with deletions) W. W. also title MURGER author * "The Midnight Visitor [From Anecreon]" very important early printed poem, with proof readings & revisions, variant ?idings COPY. [See pp. 41-49] [*6*] [*(cont. from p.5)*] [*W. W. & art*] [*subject matter*] Finest work of art—as specified to me by Col. Johnston A group of three figures, sculpture, antique, over one of the entrances to the Pitti Palace Florence, representing an incident from the Rape of the Sabines —one man swinging the nude body of a woman &c sculp—unknown (in a chuch down a lane) A dead Christ. A man in a net rescued by an angel (hundreds of dead Christs) Kiss's St. George & the Dragon Danneker's Ariadne Horace Vernet's battle pieces Delaroche's pictures [*[on opposite page is written]*] the "Napolitan Bull" at the Royal Museum Naples ancient 20 or 25 feet square —10 or 12 figures of men binding a woman on a wild bull (colossal) —full of action—life—by some thought the greatest sculpture in the world. [*8 [cont. from p. 6]*] [*W. W's Reading Book contents*] “The Battle of Naseby” (printed on galley sheets) (no author indicated begins; It was about noon of a glorious day in June. That we saw their banners dance and their cuirasses shine. ends; And to-morrow shall the fox, from her chambers in the rocks Lend forth her tawny cubs to howl alone the prey. [*[see p. 41 ff]*] "The Midnight Visitor" by Henry Murger "The mystic Trumpeter" [[worked] for public reading; following excisions indicated] all of strophe 3 out [*W. W.*] all of " 7 out strophe [four] 4 appears like this [pencil addendum later erased] 4 [blow again, trumpeter! free & clear! and for my nervous eyes,] "The Bridge of Sighs" (One more unfortunate weary of breath, etc.) "The Sailor's Wife" by W. J. Mickle "O Captain! My Captain!" 10 [cont. from p. 8] Poem "Raven" (torn from National Fifth Reader) [*BIBLIOG pencil note on margin: Davis 27 S 6th St.*] "The Singer in the Prison" [by WW] exactly as given in McKay's 1900 ed. with refrain after each stanza of hymn (but not like McKay 1899 ed.) has following line in strophe 4 emended! One glance swept from her [clear, calm] eyes enclosing all those up turn'd faces, Also these words not printed in book versions, appearing as subtitle; Anecdote [*printed*] of Parepa Rosa written in pencil before strophe 3: the lady song to the convicts [*Originally put in Saturday Eveng Visitor with subtitle-"a Christmas Incident"*] "The Whale Chase"[*taken from "A Song of Joys" some changes from final reading [?] para {?] Annex 43-52*] begins 1. O to make the most jubilant poem O for the dropping of rain-drops in a poem! O for the sunshine, the motion of [wave?] in a poem 2. O the engineer's joys! To go with a locomotive! etc. 3. O the whaleman's joys! O I cruise my old cruise again! etc. [*12 [cont from p. 10]*] "Proud Music of the Storm." "The midnight Visitor [from Anacreon.]" (see p.45) Lord Houghton's poem beginning, "It was a holy usage to record upon each refectory['s] side or end The last mysterious supper of our Lord That meanest appetite might [to] upward tend." Collins' ode on "The Passions [printed]" (also pencil outline of same, pinned in, for memorizing purposes? [for notes in this volume on uncomposed poems, see p. 99] [*Miss Johnston? or Mrs. Epragus or WSK? 41 [?] can throw some light on this? [?] ¶ "The Midnight Visitor" puzzle (See Donaldson, P. 74 about W's habit of having poems printed in Camden probably by himself, before sending to publisher, - this a possible explanation of the fact that the two following poems are set up in type & printed in a form which look like galley proof sheets) [*[embed?] by Traubel in Poet [?]Oct 94 -see Fight, p 79*] [*At Brussell's 2 3 see [WS?] Bk VI, 313, 353*] [*Harned's notations*] * Whitman's personal Reading Book see inside [*on cover*] Walt Whitman used this book in his public readings. [*on verso of cover*] He had it with him for many years, and on several occasions read from it, usually after his Lincoln Lecture -- T. B. Harned Poem printed on proof paper, poor impression. The Midnight Visitor By Henry Murger, died in Paris, 1861, aged 39 "Whose steps are those? Who comes so late?" [*red*] "Let me come in -the door unlock". [*black*] [*Red*] "Tis midnight now--my lonely gate I open to no strangers knock. "Who art thou? Speak!"--"Men call me FAME, To immortality I lead." [*Red*]"Pass, idle phantom of a name." "Listen again--and now take heed. [*Black*]"Twas false--my names are SONG, LOVE, ART; My poet, now unbar the door." [*Red*] "Art's dead--Song cannot touch my heart, My once love's name I chant no more! [*Black*] "Open then, now, for see, I stand, RICHES my name, with endless gold, Gold, & your wish in either hand." [*Red*] --"Too late--my youth you still with hold." [*Black*] "Then if it must be, since the door Stands shut, my last true name to know, Men call me DEATH. Delay no more; I bring the cure of every woe." The door flies wide. [*Red*] "Ah guest so wan, Forgive the poor place where I dwell, 44 "O sir" with tearful voice and thin The young one said, "O take me in" [*45*] Red. [An Ice-cold hearth, a heart-sick man, Stand here to welcome thee full well." [*[N.B. Walt has underscored & marked at end of line, with red ink all words of living man, with black ink, all words of Death. C. J. F.] ¶another poem, set up in similar way, in another part of Book *Quote at end of Harned Intro, in connection with Oratory Notes (& to prove how painstaking his method of work was.)*] [*[FROM ANACREON]*] THE MIDNIGHT VISITOR [*note position of > — wasn't set up by W. W. himself?*] T'was noon of night, when round the Pole, The sullen Bear is seen to roll, [And] when mortals wearied with the day, Are slumbering all their cares away; An infant, at that dreary hour, Came weeping to my silent bower And waked me with a piteous prayer To save him from the chill wet air. "And who art thou," I, starting, cry, "That mak'st my blissful dreams to fly?" ["O gentle sir," the young one said,] [In pity take me in thy [???d];] 47 Nor fear deceit - A lonely child Faint, lost, I wander o'er the wild, Numb with the rain, while not a ray Illumes the drear [and] unknown way. 'the I hear the [baby's] [young] little one's tale of woe, While sharp the bitter night-winds blow, And eager to relieve his fate Trimming my lamp, I opt the gate. ['Twas] 'Tis LOVE - the little mystic sprite! His pinions sparkle through the night! I know him by his bow and dart; I know him by my fluttering heart; I take him in, and quickly raise The smouldering embers' cheery blaze, Press from his dark, his clotted hair The crystals of the freezing air, And to my inner body hold His little fingers stiff & cold. Till but awhile, rosy & warm, Supple and soft leaving my arms, "I pray thee," said the cunning child (My bosom trembled as he smiled,) [*49*] "I pray thee, let me try my bow; For thro' the rain I've wondered so that much I fear the pouring shower Has injured its elastic power." I gave assent. The bow he drew. Swift from the string the arrow flew, Ah—aim'd at me like glancing flame, Right to my very soul it came. "Thanks and Farewell," I hear[d] him say, As with each laugh, he soar['d]s away; "The glow thou gav'st me, back I send, Thy books, philosophy, to end; To warm thy life—to break the spell, This, this thou need'st—Thanks and farewell." 49 "I pray thee, let me try my bow; For thro' the rain I've wandered so That much I fear the pouring shower Has injured its elastic power." I gave assent. The bow he drew, Swift from the string the arrow flew, Ah--aim'd at me like glancing flame, Right to my very soul it came. "Thanks and Farewell" I hear[d] him say, As with each laugh, he soar'[d] away; s[/] 'the glow thou gav'st me, back I send, Thy books, philosophy, to end; To warm thy life--to break the spell This, this thou need'st--Thanks and farewell." [*50*] * THESIS Source of Coleridge ref. It is probably an oblique reference to the passage quoted at opening of Foerster & Stedman, Writing & Thinking, about "mechanical form & organic form" in which Coleridge says that every thought creates its own form. see also W. W. on Coleridge, in Uncoll. P. & P., I, 131 51 Lib. of Cong April 7 '28 Digest & Summary of all material indexed in preceding pp, not already copied (recorded before sending miscellaneous books of Harvard W. W. collection back to shelves, and beginning work on MSS.) N. York [Sun?] March 10, 1907 - review of one entire page by M. W. H. on Binn's Life. very good summary: - From Coleridge, Whitman learned that every impelling motive for song has its own perfect and inalienable vehicle. (Can locate no passage in Binns' with this explicit reference.) ... Actually It is the poet's own personality or attitude of mind that most affects the world, and it seemed to W. that this must communicate itself thru the medium of his thoughts by the rhythm or pulse of speech & phrasing. Among the metrical forms in current use he found no medium which served to his efforts for his purpose