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  Walt Whitman, My Dear Friend:—

Allow me to express my ineffable gratefulness to you for the immense delight your "Leaves of Grass" have thrilled me with, in the form of a few of my rhapsodies which I take pleasure in committing to you—though, I fancy I shall survive minus encouragement, it would be infinitely   agreeable to me to receive any cheer you may be disposed to render me—Mr. Emerson's recommends of your work secured you a very nice introduction to the world, and, perhaps, I should become as famous(!) under the ban of your warm regards for my poetic productions—(properly belonging to the 21 & 22 centuries.)

 

Like our great poets, I, too, am familiar with straitened circumstances..—Being, now, in a position, that would find a small-fortune a great blessing:—since, I do not seem to be endowed with the worldly tact or talent for making lucre—I have, however, amassed material both poetical and philosophical for volumes, as soon as ever,   I can accrue the wherewithal for publishing.. Had, already, edited stray poems, which were received with much pleasure by the public—But they were the poorest specimens of my work—Had it been otherwise—that is, one of my most select copies,—the people would have recoiled from them horrified!—Unable to accompany me to the heights   of such transcendent rhapsody.

Awaiting your benign consideration of me, I here will waft you my adieu,

Votre devouée Ami Albert Waldo Howard 25 5th St North Minneapolis, Minn— To Walt Whitman, Camden, New Jersey     out   Mind your helm | & | Keep the run of the log.