Whitman's Book

What does that say?

1) 17th, 10th, price
2) Brochure: Two characters as of a dialogue between a ... as in ? ... Lessons for a president elect Dialogue
3) Antique ... the piece of virtue ... On the second stands the ... the Jew the Christ ... there is love
4) Why now I shall know whether there is anything in you ... I shall see how much you can stand, perhaps shall see the crash
5) Sketch of the head of a bearded man
6) Sketch of the same man standing with his arm reached out
7) Sketch of man with a hat
8) Sketch of a harp, smooth and peaceful music
9) "The Saturday Press"
10) A skull figure with something piercing its chest

First of all, Whitman's handwriting is about as legible as a goat's handwriting. Secondly, the words I was able to make out, really don't seem to add to anything. I understand, from the second page, that Whitman wrote "Two characters as of a dialogue between" and "Lessons for a president elect." From reading the little paragraph on Mrs. Genesky's blog, Whitman "began an imaginary conversation with Abraham Lincoln." This insight allowed me to come to the conclusion that the sketches of the bearded man that were in his notebook were of Lincoln and what he pictured his conversation was like with him. Something that might be significant is part of what I could make out: "Why now I shall know whether there is anything in you ... I shall see how much you can stand, perhaps shall see the crash." Is he having second thoughts about something? Is he questioning his dream encounter with Lincoln? The pages reveal that Whitman was sort of erratic in thoughts, they all weren't fully developed, even though he had this imaginary conversation with Lincoln. It may reveal the beginning reasons for him to write "Leaves of Grass."

Oh. That's what it says.

On the first page, the numbers correspond to addresses of people he encountered or that meant something to him. He also had this fascination with Lincoln but never actually spoke with him. Whitman wrote various titles for a brochure he thought he might publish but never actually did, which incorporates the title "The Saturday Press." And on the note about "the Jew the Christ," it's said that this mention about religion may have been because of Whitman's image of Lincoln and the Civil War, as he may have been imagined as a "four-sided version of God." This may have been important because it describes how Whitman idolized Lincoln and his extreme fascination in how he was and what he stood for, as well as the state of the Union at this point in time. All of these thoughts and questions Whitman scribbled down are important to piece together issues and happenings in his actual life that led him to write "Leaves of Grass" the way he did.

It's also interesting that the sketches in Whitman's notebook of a bearded man who I thought may have been Lincoln, may actually be Whitman himself, drawn by some of his drinking friends. The sketch of the harp corresponds to the emblem of poetry, which is what Whitman wrote. As for the weird skeleton figure, they think it may be an allegory America as it begins its Colonial crumble. Interesting.

Overall, Whitman seems like this huge guy who has a fascination with politics, Lincoln, and writing, with some interesting points about religion and other beliefs mixed in.