
Well, dear friend, I have had another bad spell—perhaps the worst of all—a violent whack at what nervous power I had—but I am now up for a few moments & I write you to show you I can write—
I cannot medically describe the situation of the last four days but will ask definitely from Dr Walsh here who comes every day—& I like every thing except he gives me too much medicine—Ed is very faithful & watches me day & night—Not a word to me ab't O'C rec'd—I suppose Horace Traubel sent to you four copies of the big book in common binding by Canadian Express to-day—unpaid this end—write me what the freight & tariff—You ought to get them by Saturday 15th—I shall look till I get word of their reception—
Of course I have a good deal to say but must defer it & get back to bed where I have laid since Sunday last—extreme debility one thing—many points even too disagreeable ab't—But I think I am beginning to approximate myself—
Walt Whitman
I rec'd this f'm Kennedy —the "Solitude" MS is of course a fraud entire & have so written to K.—(I never had any relations with Lowell)

Did you ever write a production called "Solitude"? It is credited to you by a pencil-script line in the Harvard College Library. I don't believe it is yrs, but that it is an imitation. It is unbound, about 2/3 the size of this sheet, contains 16 pp. & has written on it in pencil "Presented [illegible] Library by Prof. Jas. Russell Lowell, 1860. Sept 26." It is divided into two sections, with running titles "Chamber," & "Street," & begins "O! this everlasting contact with men; This agony of a continual presence."
I shd like to get yr written word on it.
W. S. K.