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Letter to Louisa Van Velsor Whitman, December 4, 1866

Whitman, Walt. "Letter to Louisa Van Velsor Whitman, December 4, 1866." Walt Whitman: The Correspondence. New York: New York University Press, 1961. 299-300.
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Type: 
manuscript
Genre: 
correspondence
Abstract: 

Whitman writes a letter to his mother from the Attorney General’s Office in Washington. He has just heard from Han, and is going to see the play “Queen Elisabeth.”

Full Text


To Louisa Van Velsor Whitman
Attorney General’s Office,
Washington, Dec 4, 1866.
Dearest Mother,
I wrote you yesterday, (Monday,) which I suppose you rec’d, with the money. I have just heard from Han, & I write to-day because I knew it would be a comfort to you to know right away. Heyde had just sent me a letter—he seems to be in very good humor—writes a lot of stuff—but not about domestic affairs this time—on “poetry” & “criticism” &c. &c—of not interest at all to me—then at the close of the letter he says:
“Han is much better than usual, & is constantly promising to write to her mother.”
Mother, I send you the part of the N. Y. Times, containing a good long piece about me. It is the N. Y. Daily Times, of Sunday, Dec 2—but perhaps George or Jeff brought it to you last Sunday.
I feel pretty well generally—with now & then a poorish spell—
I am going to hear the great actress Ristori to-morrow night. One of my fellow clerks has taken a sear for me, & made me a present of it—the play is “Queen Elisabeth”—I wish you & Mat could go with me—
The piece in the Times is by O’Connor. He grows stronger & stronger, & fiercer & fiercer in his championship of “Leaves of Grass”—no one can ever say a word against it in his presence, without a storm. Did you get the “Galaxy” of Dec 1--?
William Swinton is here in Washington, temporarily. He is interested in speculating in gold. It is very fine weather here to-day. I am writing this by my big window, where I can look out on the water—the sun is shining bright as silver.
Walt.

People who Created this Work

Whitman, Walt author

People Mentioned in this Work

Swinton, William [pages:300]

Whitman mentions that Swinton is in Washington temporarily and is interested in speculating on gold.