To John Swinton (?)
Washington | June 9, 1865
My dear friend,
The Homer has come & is now lying before me. I thank you deeply. I am very well, this summer, & go to the Hospitals daily & nightly—as I find a greater proportion of sad cases than ever--& for some reason or other there are few or no visitors. I enjoy my visits with a sad but profound joy & satisfaction—especially at night, when the light is nearly turned off, & I am soothing some suffering one.
I send you, same mail with this, two copies of the little book Drum Taps. Farewell.
Walt Whitman