Letter to Walt Whitman, January 12, 1863 Emerson writes to Whitman, apologizing for his late response, and criticizing his move to one of the “least attractive” cities, Washington.

<fulltext>
Ralph Waldo Emerson to WW
Endorsed (by WW) : “R W Emerson | Jan ’63.”
Address: Walt Whitman, Esq. | Washington.

Buffalo— | 12 Jan’  1863
Dear Sir,
I am very sorry to be so late with my reply to your note, which was received by me just on leaving home to go to Canada, & thence to some of your West N.Y. cities, a journey which has left me no leisure for writing notes to diplomatists, until today.
If you wish to live in that least attractive (to me) of cities, I must think you can easily do so. Perhaps better in the journalism than in the Departments.
You will see I have dated my note from my known residence.
With best hope,
								R. W. Emerson
Walt Whitman, Esq. 
</fulltext>