The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-28
WALT WHITMAN'S CHILDREN"
He Acknowledged Six, Though Never
"FormalIy Married"
The Book Lover.


The Book Lover.
The intimate personal relations of any
man or woman are matters about which
the outsider as a rule can know but little,
and about which he instinctively feels that
he has no right to inquire. AT the same
time, remarks Edward Carpenter, the rad
ical English poet and essayist, lone cannot
help being conscious that a PERSONS gen.
eral relations to the subject OF sex are an
important part of his temperament, per-
sonafity and mental outft-so important
that 1t is difficult or perhaps impossible to
get a full understanding of his character
without some knowledge on this side; and
one feels, for instance, that biography
which ignores il is far from complete.
Going on to speak of Walt Whitman, whom
he knew personally, Edward Carpenter
says Tin the Reformer, London):
I'm the case of Whitman, whose writings
deal so much, both directly and indirectly,
with the subject of sex, IL seems all the
more natural to wish to have some general
outline of the authors personal and init
mate relations, and to suppose that such
outline, if rightly conceived, would be help
full toward a true understanding or the
poet.
'"There is, however curiously little known
in this respect about Whitmans life. Every
one is aware that he was never married
that is, in any formal or acknowledged way:
His life after the civil war was clouded
by intermittent paralysis, bringing with 1t
invalidism and infirmity; and of his history
before his arrival in Washington, /. e.,
prior to the age of forty-four or so-the
period when he would be most likely to
knit up such relations-only the barest out
line Is known.
Leaves of Grass that extraordinary
piece of self-revelation, gives US the mem
tai attitude of the author. 1t would
not of course, be reasonable to suppose
that all the personal utterances, or acts
done, of passions expressed, OF experiences
lived through or of individuals loved
which are to be found in Leaves of Grass
are to be taken as literal records of things
which actually happened to the author HIM
self. They could hardly be gathered into a
single lifetime Yet one can see that they
are TO be taken experiences, either actual
or potential, for which his inner spirit was
prepared, and as a record OF things which
he could freely accept, understand and find
place for.
At times, observes Mr. Carpenter. one
can hardly avoid the conclusion in reading
certain passages of Whitman's poetry that
he is describing actual occurrences in his
own life. "In a life so full and rich as
Whitman's there must have been many In
innate personal experiences, of which the
world knows nothing, and win know moth
ing" He continues:
HE CWhitman) has himself told his
friends that he had children-and in a let
d.
August, 1890, he mentioned that he had
six.
ron the other hand, it would be rash, and
i thank wrong. conclusion to suppose that
because Whitman had several children
(out of the bounds of formal marriage)
he was therefore a dissolute and uncon-
trolled person. much given TO casual liai-
sons with the opposite sex. We know moth
ing. as 1 have said, of the circumstances
which led TO these connections, nor have
We the material for passing any. judgment
Of the kind referred to-even If we were
so disposed. We know, at any rate, that
In his later life Walt was singularly dis
Greet, almost reserved, in his relations
with women; and in that very interesting
interview with Pete Doyle. which is given
by DR.. Buckle in his edition of 'Calamus'
-one OF the best running accounts of Walt
which We have-Pete says In one passage:
Il never knew a case of Waits being both
clean: he hated anything which was not
clean. No trace Of any kind of dissipa-
ton in him. / ought to know about him
those years-we were awful close to-
gether."
In conclusion Edward Carpenter remarks
on Whitman's warm friendship for men,
declaring that "in his poems we find his
expressions OF love toward men and toward
women put practically on an equality"
On this point he says:
Whether this large attitude toward SEX
this embrace which seems to reach equally
TO the male and the female, indicates a
are accustomed to-a type super-virile,
and so far above the ordinary man and
woman that IL looks upon both with equal
eyes; or whether IL merely indicates a
personal peculiarity-this and many other
questions collateral to the subject / have
not touched upon. 1t has not yet been
my object In making these remarks 10
enter into any vague speculations. but
which seemed clear and obvious and fairly
demonstrable."