Emerson's Letter to Whitman
Title
Emerson's Letter to Whitman
Subject
Emerson responds to Whitman's gift of the first edition of Leaves of Grass
Description
Letter, Ralph Waldo Emerson to Walt Whitman extolling Whitman's poetry, 21 July 1855.
In one of the most quoted letters in American literary history, Emerson writes to an eager Whitman, "I greet you at the beginning of a brilliant career..." Though Emerson was never able to match this exuberance when it came to Whitman's poetry, these words have circulated broadly, giving Whitman the impress of authority before he actually found his audience.
In one of the most quoted letters in American literary history, Emerson writes to an eager Whitman, "I greet you at the beginning of a brilliant career..." Though Emerson was never able to match this exuberance when it came to Whitman's poetry, these words have circulated broadly, giving Whitman the impress of authority before he actually found his audience.
Creator
Emerson, Ralph Waldo
Source
Library of Congress: American Memory Project
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?mcc:4:./temp/~ammem_zj48::@@@mdb=mcc,gottscho,detr,nfor,wpa,aap,cwar,bbpix,cowellbib,calbkbib,consrvbib,bdsbib,dag,fsaall,gmd,pan,vv,presp,varstg,suffrg,nawbib,horyd,wtc,toddbib,mgw,ncr,ngp,musdibib,hlaw,papr,lhbumbib,rbpebib,lbcoll,alad,hh,aaodyssey,magbell,bbc,dcm,raelbib,runyon,dukesm,lomaxbib,mtj,gottlieb,aep,qlt,coolbib,fpnas,aasm,denn,relpet,amss,aaeo,mff,afc911bib,mjm,mnwp,rbcmillerbib,molden,ww2map,mfdipbib,afcnyebib,klpmap,hawp,omhbib,rbaapcbib,mal,ncpsbib,ncpm,lhbprbib,ftvbib,afcreed,aipn,cwband,flwpabib,wpapos,cmns,psbib,pin,coplandbib,cola,tccc,curt,mharendt,lhbcbbib,eaa,haybib,mesnbib,fine,cwnyhs,svybib,mmorse,afcwwgbib,mymhiwebib,uncall,afcwip,mtaft,manz,llstbib,fawbib,berl,fmuever,cdn,upboverbib,mussm,cic,afcpearl,awh,awhbib,sgp,wright,lhbtnbib,afcesnbib,hurstonbib,mreynoldsbib,spaldingbib,sgproto,scsmbib,afccalbib,mamcol
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?mcc:4:./temp/~ammem_zj48::@@@mdb=mcc,gottscho,detr,nfor,wpa,aap,cwar,bbpix,cowellbib,calbkbib,consrvbib,bdsbib,dag,fsaall,gmd,pan,vv,presp,varstg,suffrg,nawbib,horyd,wtc,toddbib,mgw,ncr,ngp,musdibib,hlaw,papr,lhbumbib,rbpebib,lbcoll,alad,hh,aaodyssey,magbell,bbc,dcm,raelbib,runyon,dukesm,lomaxbib,mtj,gottlieb,aep,qlt,coolbib,fpnas,aasm,denn,relpet,amss,aaeo,mff,afc911bib,mjm,mnwp,rbcmillerbib,molden,ww2map,mfdipbib,afcnyebib,klpmap,hawp,omhbib,rbaapcbib,mal,ncpsbib,ncpm,lhbprbib,ftvbib,afcreed,aipn,cwband,flwpabib,wpapos,cmns,psbib,pin,coplandbib,cola,tccc,curt,mharendt,lhbcbbib,eaa,haybib,mesnbib,fine,cwnyhs,svybib,mmorse,afcwwgbib,mymhiwebib,uncall,afcwip,mtaft,manz,llstbib,fawbib,berl,fmuever,cdn,upboverbib,mussm,cic,afcpearl,awh,awhbib,sgp,wright,lhbtnbib,afcesnbib,hurstonbib,mreynoldsbib,spaldingbib,sgproto,scsmbib,afccalbib,mamcol
Date
21 July 1855
Language
English
Type
Letter
Coverage
The Feinberg-Whitman Collection is the largest such collection of Whitman papers in existence.
Original Format
A32 (color slide; page 1); A33 (color slide; pages 2 and 3); A34 (color slide; pages 4 and 5); LC-MSS-18630-5 (B&W negatives; pages 1-5)
Collection
Citation
Emerson, Ralph Waldo, “Emerson's Letter to Whitman,” Digital Exhibits, accessed October 30, 2025, http://digitalexhibits.wsulibs.wsu.edu/items/show/4293.