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  Dear Walt Whitman,

Dr Johnston & I yesterday received the papers and book you kindly sent us, & thank you from our inmost hearts.

We have read the reports of the Celebration of your Birthday, and are especially pleased to note that your health is better than a recent newspaper paragraph stated.

The "Celebration" itself—like its predecessors—notwithstanding   the presence of such men as Dr Bucke & Dr Brinton—seems to us to have been very inadequate. But in 300 years from now men will appreciate you better as they have learned to appreciate Bruno.

I am delighted to have the little book on Bruno. Its instrinsic interest is very great to one who loves the memory of the great thinker. And my interest in him was freshened only 3 months ago by an excellent article in the "Atlantic."—But I am   especially proud to receive it as a present from you.

And now we have a further & still greater favour to ask from you!

Dr Johnston has been unwell of late and has been advised to take a sea-voyage. So he proposes to visit America. He will sail from Liverpool on Wednesday next (2nd July) per S.S. "British Prince" to Philadelphia & will cross over at once to Camden in the hope of seeing you. If you are sufficiently well, & it is otherwise convenient to you,   will you kindly honour him with a short interview? If you can do so he will esteem it the most memorable privilege of his life.

He proposes to go from Camden to Long Island (perhaps, if possible, visiting Timber Creek first) to visit West Hills and some of the places associated with your early life, to spend most of his brief holiday there. Thence to New York & Brooklyn, where he will hunt up some of the places you mention in "Specimen Days" & will call   upon Mr Rome, your old friend & publisher, & a distant relative of his own. Then a flying visit to a relative in Canada before returning.—

This, briefly, is his programme:—to take the voyage prescribed, and, during the fortnight or so permitted him ashore, to see you, & some of the places you have told us of.

It will be a life-long pleasure to us both if you can see him—though only for a few minutes—& perhaps advise him in one   or two points as to the places he proposed to visit.

With all best wishes & with gratitude & love always,—Dr Johnston joining me—

I remain Yours affectionately J. W. Wallace Walt Whitman 328, Mickle St. Camden New Jersey US America