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  see notes May 8 1888 from Dowden March 16 '76 My dear Mr. Whitman,

Yesterday your post-card & your very welcome books reached me. I spent a good part of the day over Two Rivulets, the Preface, & the Memoranda of the War, & was not far from you, I think, in feeling, however separated in place. I seem to see some gains from the illness which has grieved us. Tones & tints have passed from it into your writings which add to their comprehensiveness & their truth & tenderness. At the same time I hold to L. of G. & accept it,—taking it as a whole,—with entire satisfaction. It seems to me more for the soul, &   for things beyond physiology than you, contrasting it with your projected songs more specially for the soul, quite recognize. The non-moral parts of it, such parts as simply are the "tally" of nature are taken up into other portions of L. of G. & are spiritualized; & each part belongs to the other. In L. of G. I find a complete man, not body alone, or chiefly, but body & soul. That its direct tendency (& not alone its indirect) is to invigorate & reinforce the soul I feel assured. But in contrast to the pride & buoyancy, & resonant tones of L. of G. the tenderer, more penetrating, more mystic & withdrawn tones of Passage to India, & of the recent poems & prose seem to me to be a gain, as serving the same, & not other, purposes but for other moments,   other moods & natures,—& I think many of your future readers may gain an entrance to your earlier writings through your later & that for some persons this will be the fittest way—

At present I have little doubt you ought not to set yourself to any brain-work, but at the same time you ought not to think of ceasing to write, for every now & again the mood will come, & you will write something as admirable as anything you have written heretofore. Your friends here want to think of you as free from all pressure to write, & anxieties about material well-being, with your spirit open to all pleasant & good influences the Earth, & the Season, & your own thoughts bring to you. The Newspaper paragraph you sent Rossetti & me has made us   fear it may not be so with you, & we remain in suspense as to whether we might not make some move which would relieve us from some of this dissatisfied feeling on your behalf. Ought it not to be a duty, too, of—not the American public to recognize your gift to America as a writer but—the American Government to recognize your services, as of one who saved the lives, & lightened the sufferings of many American citizens—It would be honourable to the Government & to you. I write knowing little of the actual probability of this, but I believe in England we would be careful of such a voluntary public servant.

We are all well, my wife & children & I.

Always affectionately yours Edward Dowden