The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-28
whitman's Letters to Doyle.

There are letters and letters. There are
well-constructed literary productions and
there are artless. spontaneous utterances.
Within a few years we have had those of
many famous men and women, some stilted
and artificial, evidently written with a
view to publication, others easy and nat
ural, but almost without exception all
showing the careful expression, the trained
hand, the habitual weighing of words and
balancing of sentences which mark the
careful writer. A letter from a friend,
from some one for whom you have affec-
ton, should be personal You can read
book reviews and ethical opinions in print,
but from a friend you wish TO hear of him.
self, of the little details which make up
his daily life. Every one has read letters
sounding for all the world like second-class
orations, the writer having no idea what a
real live communication was. Very likely
he would have thought 1t foolish to tell you
how he had spent the morning, what he
had for dinner, or the color of his new
suit of clothes. He would have thought it
beneath your notice that a robin had built
nest near his window and he had watched
him feeding his young there, or that a fruit
vendor had just passed with a growing
baby perched like chubby god of autumn
in the middle of his cart. But few peo-
PIE know what a letter should contain.
learned essay, but gOSSlpy recital OF their
daily deeds, and they give you this in what
ever words come first, and although they
may turn out some lame grammar. may
split an intinitiVe now and then, and as
was said by a club woman not long ago,
get their shalls out of their will box, and
their shoulds out of their would box yet
what they say contains a delightful quality
often utterly wanting in letters of faultless
diction.
Mr. Laurens Maynard has published in
a small neat volume the letters OF Walt
Whitman, written between 1868 and 1880, TO a
young friend named Peter Doyle. The in
PRODUCTION to the book by Richard Maurice
Buckle prepares one for what follows. Mr..
Buckle was one of Whitman's literary
executors and a warm personal friend.
You gather from his words that you are
not to find the carefully prepared and We'll
natural. easy-fowng speech of friend TO
friend, the free expression OF the man VINO
was not proud of his songs, but OF the
measureless ocean of love within him which
he abundantly poured forth / do not
wholly agree with Mr.. Buckle that in order
to derive enjoyment or oeneht from Ihese
letters it is essential to know something or
the writer, for while all he says of Whit
man is interesting and leaves happy I'M
preston, yet the letters themselves are so
perfectly frank and open, so simple. so full
of feeling they reveal the man completely.
Whitman writes, as he says, ouhand, tell
ing all about himself as if he believes what
ever concerns him will please his friend.
And nothing IS too small to engag@ ms M
terest. The lights at night, the SOUNDS or
labor by day spring ram and winter snow;
the curious people, the beauty of wood and
field, the music of birds. the ripping OF
water, the laughter of children, everything
gives him joy. There is never the slightest
attempt at posing, at playing the superior
not a hint that he, the writer OF books;
is accomplishing or has accompiishe9
greater work than his friend, the railroad
brakeman. Although thirty years or more
older than Doyle and calling MN son
vet he never breaches, never rebukes, asks
no questions makes no demands, gives ad-
vice seldom and then in the klndest way.
He gives counsel If it is asked for, gives
money if il is needed, and there Is untailing
sympathy and affection IN every page. lie
sends messages to Doyle's mother, Is sollc-
itous for her health and comfort, mentions
different members of the family BY name
luck Until her death there is scarcely q
letter but contains an alusOn to his own
mother He says she is well into the seven
ties, but still young and handsome 10 ms
eyes In Illness he is her nurse and When
she is well she cooks for him splendid
buckwheat cakes the best coffee in the
world Juicy steak, such grand DreakIdSlS;
Pete cooked by nanny own hahuS.
Her health begins to fail and ne SPEAKS
of ii cheerfully and without constralht.
When | have bad spells ! wait for thehi
heart" the last series of letters snow az
ways courageous and hopeful in the race %
discomfort and pain. One may dlsappIoNe
OF Leaves of Grass may toss specimen
DAYS" aside, but surely no one can Iea1
these letters without emotion, chllutlhg5 90
they are in simplicity, manly IN Ieenl5'
and crowded with deep human lnteresss'
Boston. MAY w. DOMAIN.