New-York tribune., 1867-06-20
WAILT WIlIIMAN.

NOTES ON WALT WHITMAN AS PERSON AND POET.
BY JOHN BURROUGHS. I2mo. PIP los. American
News Company.
Most readers will be surprised at the tone Of IN
qualified panegric which runs through Tins lttle
volume. Still no one can follow the enthusiastic
flights OF the writer without certain degree of in
teIest The language of earnest conviction always
commands respect and the worship of Walt Whit
man with the author of this essay is evidently re-
hgiOn. Although we do not profess 10 share his adj
miraton, we would gladly help him to hearing.
The idolatry which Walt Whitman has called forth
in many quarters shows that he must possess some
elements of manness which the public at large has
not recognized He could not easily find more
thorough going advocate than Mr.. Burroughs, aud
while we cannot accept his point of view we have
scruple in presenting it 10 our readers The bit Of
autobiography with which he opens the discussion
creates presumption in favor of the writer and
prepares for a candid reception of his words.
Perhaps can open my subject no better than by
aud raised the head waters OF the Delaware ia New
York, the world OF my practical experience confined
had berone g Wci grown country youth-cuiious about
bOok,-fyud then OF the EIncrsOnian essays and
IL feUu work in the summer and with little study
onset by much hunting aud trapping Wild animals in
winter
From child was familiar with the homely facts OF
the barn. aud Of cattle and h0res tine sugai-making IN
drid, ig,.lfId. rgato.ieId tke delicious Fan months
with their pigeon and squirrel sh0otngs; thashng OF
gucsg & o eJca@ fb bS Ra Rea o. any &Y a TO- o. fe iSSS cpe
air 3nd lis eyhiluat0ns. belonged, rs may say, 10
.iiad them s truy as NV body did ts food j loved
few books much; but loved Nature in al those material
Tire book. Of The wc.i1.
ANoh,atci7 enough at this time, 1891, first made
the Acquaintance vi Leaves Ot Grass, iu tie woods.
Visiting friend in the eastern part OF the state recall
that ont on anuttlng excursion he carried With
him This >nguarlOokng book, from which ho read TO me
shortly after procured the volume-the Boston edition
read n aentiyely and supposed then.
dertOod it, At any rate Understood IL thus far that
% written poem, Or whatever 10 was, IL produced the
Impression upon me in moral consciousness hat actual
Nature dd IN her material forms ana shows This sort of
impression no book had ever before made upon me.
had enjoyed the good Of other books greatly, but it had
equal To . tine sunrise morning, or solitary and dim
old hemock forest 0r a. containing qualities at all akin
70 these.
His first acquaintance with Mr. Whitman was in
the Fall of 1853, when the latter engaged, with
rare self-devOcdness, in the care of the sick and
wounded soldiers IN the army hospitals at Washing
ton. The actual scene as | saw it," says Mr.. Bur
rOughs, " OF this man moving among the manned,
the pale the Owspiried, the neaIt0-death, with all
tho incidents and the interchangeS between him and
those suffering Ones often Young almost to childhood
can hardly be pictured by any pen, however expert
His magnetism was incredible and exhausticss. II
is no figure Of speech but fact deeper than speech
The lusteless eye Enlightened mp at his approach his
commonplace words invigorated a bracing air
seemed 10 nh the ward and neutaze the bad
smells"
An army surgeon who at this time watched with curl
Osiy Nj Nmtmaus movements among the soldiers In the
aa ha- 'iucr told o that s principles OF operation,
eirNe, as they weie srcDed strangely few simple and
low key Ia act upon the appetite 10 cheer by
healthy aud hy bracing appearance and demoanOr; and
So h and satisfy ih certain cHscr the atccODa lOngngs
" the plcui-' was about all lie caIred among them
srnilmenia'n nor mofailng; spoke not 10 any man Of
hiS sins; BAT gave something good 10 eat, buOying
N0rd or trillng gin aud look lie appeared with
rudy lace, clean dress. Win flower green sprig in
the lapet of - coat Crossing The fields IN he
would gather 1ieat hnuch Of dandeOII blossoms and
Ted and White clover 10 bring and scatter tc cots AS
reminder. ol nut door air and sunshine
When practicable, he came 10 The long and crowded
wards o lhc mmod, the fCche and the dyng only after
prp Iar0ii, a. for fcsiyal-sTcngthelicd by a good
IH" rst the bath, nud fresh underclothes lie entered
With huge aielAak sung ls thOnlder full a-
I.:g'.sts Ag.sa gs!e Vaxss4 4ksQ ". aIG1 s.sRR.