Washington DC: [The Author], 1872.
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Hardcover. First edition. A little rubbed, else a sharp, near fine copy. A collection of poetry described by Whitman (who wrote most of his own publicity and, occasionally, reviews of his own books – leaving nothing to chance as it were) as: "...the poems of the author's elder age – are the surplusage of *Leaves of Grass* – the wake following that volume, as the eddies behind a ship." The title poem was delivered at the Dartmouth College commencement. This is a presentation copy, Inscribed by the author: "Lilla Gosling from Walt Whitman." Gosling was a nurse whom Whitman met in Canada in June, 1880 through his friend and eventual literary co-executor R.M. Bucke (see William White's edition of Whitman's *Daybooks and Notebooks*). She was the daughter of Thomas and Anne Willson Miller of Niagara/Buffalo and latterly of Owen Sound, Ontario. In 1875 Lilla married Frank Gosling, a banker, in London, Middlesex, Ontario. Richard Bucke, the dear friend of Whitman, was a physician in London, Middlesex. It is of some interest that he signed the book with his full name rather than as "the Author" as was often the case. A particularly nice copy. *BAL* 21408.
Item #36880