
Two memorable & happy days—yesterday & today.
Your p.c. of June 30th came to hand yesterday morning.
During the morning Johnston called on me & gave me a copy
of a letter he had just received from you, dated June 27th.
& told me he had received the pictures referred to. So I called on him in the
evening after leaving business to see them. I
was delighted to see them & consider them of immense
interest & value. Of course he gave me the duplicated copies,
& I hope to arrange for photographic copies of two or three others
that I have not got. (Mrs Gilchrist's
favourite—another with the hat on—& the
one engraved in the pocket book edn of L of G)
Thank you heartily for your generous loving–kindness in sending them.
This morning Dr J. left me the proof slips just received of the Lippincott article.

I read it at the first opportunity—after dinner & somewhat hastily—to return it later.—I have been looking forward eagerly to reading it, but it surpasses my best anticipations. So complete & full—above all so lifelike, unconventional, easy, flowing, spontaneous, full of abandon, good cheer, & affectionate camaraderie—speeches brief & pithy, but full of gems—the whole to be measured & read again & again—destined to last for generations. I have read nothing for a long time that has interested me so much.

I agree with you that "the best bits are S's, Conways, &
Dr B's"—I consider Dr B's especially valuable—in
conjunction with all the rest.—It seems strange that he should have
taken the part of "devil's advocate," & he will perhaps smile when he thinks
of it. But his impromptu speech—like passages of similar import in your own
poems—add enormously to the power & value of the rest.—not a far
away & emasculated saint you, but a man like the rest
of us! And we poor devils can claim Kindred with you, & draw
hopeful courage & inspiration from your splendid
example—"the highest yet most human too."
In a few days we shall see Dr Bucke himself.
He will find us commonplace fellows enough, not literary
or clever or well informed, but affectionate friends all the same.
Two or three, indeed, I cannot think of without swelling pride & joy
in having such noble manly fellows for my friends. And we love you,
(though some of us don't understand half your books)
And it will be a lifelong pleasure to us to meet your friend
& our friend & to talk about you. To some of us, I trust, it will be something
deeper & better still,—a consecration to the life
you have lived—an apostolic visit to the small church planted here.
May God's blessing rest upon his visit, & his Spirit be poured out upon us.
I want to write a few lines to Traubel tonight, so must now close.

P.S.
I expect Dr Johnston here tomorrow
P.P.S. Saturday aftn.
Telegram from Johnston saying he can't come. Will post this from here.


