Beyond O'Kane's copies of Leaves of Grass (200 or about), and the copies (27 was it?) of the '67 edition you got of Shephard, four or five weeks ago—with the remaining copies (if any) of the 25 sent by my order two months since to Piper & Co.—there are, positively, no other copies in existence, & of course none in the market. There are no other copies in N.Y.—none in Boston—none in Washington—whatever you were "told"—none anywhere in America. A hundred copies were sent by me to England about a year & a half ago. But these have certainly been mostly sold. I made & exclusively own the plates, & of course [indecipherable].
What I told you in our interview, upon that subject, you must remember, & can fully depend on & act on. I have somewhere between 300 & 350 of my little book of later poems, "As a Strong Bird on Pinions free," bound & ready, I should like to furnish you with—
Should be willing—guaranteeing the just mentioned—to make over the whole of the copies L of G. and every thing to you on liberal terms, one half cash down, the remainder in three months—with a guarantee that no new edition of L of G. or any of these books shall be put out for at least six months. If you care to have the sole & exclusive command of all my books in existence, take this offer. I am sick & paralyzed—a tedious prospect still before me—& should be glad to have the books off my hands.
About Piper's debt, take this note & collect it when you go to Boston. The one I furnished you with, is for a wrong am't . Destroy it.
Please get the books from O'Kane, soon as convenient, & send me receipt specifying number—also receipt for those of ed. '67.
Order on Piper enclosed.
A. K. Butts & co.[no handwritten text supplied here]36 Day st.[no handwritten text supplied here]N. Y. have had, & have to acc't to me for,
27. | Leaves of Grass ed. 1867– |
9 | Drum Taps |
168 | Leaves of Grass |
86 | Democratic Vistas |
?94 | As a Strong Bird |
42 | Notes on W. W. as Poet & Person |
18 | Passage to India |
2 | After All not to Create Only |
see his letter Feb. 4. '74 |