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  My dear Walt Whitman,

I was very pleased and proud yesterday morning to receive the stitched copy of "Good Bye" you sent me, & the enclosed profile photo.

Of course I have seen Johnston's copy of "Good Bye," but I only had it for one evening's hasty reading. So that I am very glad to have a copy that I can read at leisure & absorb fully.  And I am very proud to receive it from you, my dearest friend & benefactor.

The profile photo. pleases me immensely. It's strong contrasts of black & white (no half tones) & the peculiar disposition of the lights are very striking, & give it a strange effect—as of a half materialized spirit (one of Ossian's ghosts—or some antique prophet) grand & pensive, brooding over unfathomable mysteries, sad & tender.  The majestic dome of the head is better shewn than in any other portrait I have, & the noble strength & tenderness of the expression are very fine. I shall treasure it while I live as a precious addition to my other portraits of you.

Johnston sent me copies of your P.C. of June 6th & your letter of June 9th (recd today) I am glad to learn from the latter that you were "more free from excessive lassitude." But I fear the results of the extreme heat reported from the States.  I was very glad to read Traubel's good & interesting letter.

I haven't seen Johnston for over a week!—the first time such a thing has happened since he returned from America. (I usually see him several times in a week.) But I have been very busy, & out of town a good deal, & when he has called on me I have been out.

I will send the sketches from Rivington by book post this mail. (Lent them to Greenhalgh tonight to show to one or two of the friends) I have numbered them in pencil on the back.

 

No 1—Painted at place referred to in two or three letters—(where we had our talk May 31st) Fairly good as a whole—Outline of Pike not satisfactory,—where shewn level it really rises by beautiful & subtle curves to buttress the main elevation—moorland hills to left not indicated—church too large &c.

(Three small lakes in all in line This the middle one—nearest here, the most beautiful of the three, & the one I usually visit & often walk round. Very inadequately represented by this one sketch)

 

No. 2 The lowest lake seen from just below the Village. This lake much the least interesting of the lot.

No. 3 Rivington Church sketched from the village green

No. 4 Sketch in Rivington village green on the left. Very pretty little village (about a dozen houses & cottages) but too scattered to be focussed into a picture.

The last three are sketched (as the above notes indicate) from points very near each other. Cooper's time being very  limited he couldn't get over the ground, so he had to do as he best could, making his own selection of bits.(I choosing No. 1).

I wish I could send you a more representative lot of sketches of a bit of country very dear to us—homely, unsophisticated, pure & sweet—a bit of old world English country & country life left untouched by the swarming populations & murky industries of Lancashire. Such as they are, however,  I send them to you with my love.

Good night & God bless you— Wallace

P.S. If Traubel fancies any of them I shall be glad to arrange with Cooper for a painting on his return from Norway. I wanted to send T. something & can think of nothing better. Bright warm summer weather.