The Walt Whitman Archive
In Whitman's Hand
Manuscripts
About this Item
Title: The most perfect wonders of
Creator: Walt Whitman
Date: 1850s
Whitman Archive ID: nyp.00057
Source: The Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection of English and American Literature, New York Public Library. Transcribed from digital images of the original. For a description of the editorial rationale behind our treatment of manuscripts, see our statement of editorial policy.
Editorial note: Edward Grier writes of this manuscript that "[t]he sentiments and the handwriting are those of 1855 or earlier" (Notebooks and Unpublished Prose Manuscripts [New York: New York University Press, 1984], 1:186). Some of the language is similar to wording in the 1855 and 1856 poems that would be titled "Song of Myself," "A Song for Occupations," and "Salut au Monde!" At some point, this manuscript formed part of Whitman's cultural geography scrapbook.
Contributors to digital file: Kirsten Clawson, Janel Cayer, Kevin McMullen, Nicole Gray, Kenneth M. Price, and Regan Chasek
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![[Page image: https://whitmanarchive.org/manuscripts/figures/M_1221587.jpg]](https://whitmanarchive.org/manuscripts/figures/M_1221587.jpg)
The most perfect wonders of the earth are not [I?] rare and distant but present with every [illegible]person,—you as much as any!—
Man! Woman! Youth! wherever you are, in the Northern, Southern, Eastern, or Western States—in Kanada—by the sea-coast, or far inland—the
Th What is more amazing than the day sun-rise, the day, the floods of light enveloping the fields, t waters, grass, trees, persons?—What is more beautiful than the night, the full moon, and the stars?—The prairies, the lakes, [t?] rivers, forests,—all are
Not distant caverns, volcanoes, cataracts, curious islands, birds, foreign cities, architecture, costumes, markets, ceremonies, shows, are any more wonderful than what is common to you, near you now, and continually with you.—
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![[Page image: https://whitmanarchive.org/manuscripts/figures/nyp_rc.00005.jpg]](https://whitmanarchive.org/manuscripts/figures/nyp_rc.00005.jpg)