Q & AThe Americas

Happy Fourth of July

"Other states indicate themselves in their deputies . . . . but the genius of the United States is not best or most in its executives or legislatures, nor in its ambassadors or authors or colleges or churches or parlors, nor even in its newspapers or inventors . . . but always most in the common people. Their manners speech dress friendships -- the freshness and candor of their physiognomy -- the picturesque looseness of their carriage . . . their deathless attachment to freedom -- their aversion to anything indecorous or soft or mean -- the practical acknowledgment of the citizens of one state by the citizens of all other states -- the fierceness of their roused resentment -- their curiosity and welcome of novelty -- their self-esteem and wonderful sympathy -- their susceptibility to a slight -- the air they have of persons who never knew how it felt to stand in the presence of superiors -- the fluency of their speech -- their delight in music, the sure symptom of manly tenderness and native elegance of soul . . . their good temper and openhandedness -- the terrible significance of their elections -- the President's taking off his hat to them not they to him -- these too are unrhymed poetry. It awaits the gigantic and generous treatment worthy of it."

-- Walt Whitman, preface to Leaves of Grass, 1855 edition.

Q & AThe Americas

Happy Fourth of July

"Other states indicate themselves in their deputies . . . . but the genius of the United States is not best or most in its executives or legislatures, nor in its ambassadors or authors or colleges or churches or parlors, nor even in its newspapers or inventors . . . but always most in the common people. Their manners speech dress friendships -- the freshness and candor of their physiognomy -- the picturesque looseness of their carriage . . . their deathless attachment to freedom -- their aversion to anything indecorous or soft or mean -- the practical acknowledgment of the citizens of one state by the citizens of all other states -- the fierceness of their roused resentment -- their curiosity and welcome of novelty -- their self-esteem and wonderful sympathy -- their susceptibility to a slight -- the air they have of persons who never knew how it felt to stand in the presence of superiors -- the fluency of their speech -- their delight in music, the sure symptom of manly tenderness and native elegance of soul . . . their good temper and openhandedness -- the terrible significance of their elections -- the President's taking off his hat to them not they to him -- these too are unrhymed poetry. It awaits the gigantic and generous treatment worthy of it."

-- Walt Whitman, preface to Leaves of Grass, 1855 edition.

WPR BlogThe Americas

Happy Fourth of July

“Otherstates indicate themselves in their deputies . . . . but the genius ofthe United States is not best or most in its executives orlegislatures, nor in its ambassadors or authors or colleges or churchesor parlors, nor even in its newspapers or inventors . . . but alwaysmost in the common people. Their manners speech dress friendships –the freshness and candor of their physiognomy — the picturesquelooseness of their carriage . . . their deathless attachment to freedom– their aversion to anything indecorous or soft or mean — thepractical acknowledgment of the citizens of one state by the citizensof all other states — the fierceness of their roused resentment –their curiosity and welcome of novelty — their self-esteem andwonderful sympathy — their susceptibility to a slight — the air theyhave of persons who never knew how it felt to stand in the presence ofsuperiors — the fluency of their speech — their delight in music, thesure symptom of manly tenderness and native elegance of soul . . .their good temper and openhandedness — the terrible significance oftheir elections — the President’s taking off his hat to them not theyto him — these too are unrhymed poetry. It awaits the gigantic andgenerous treatment worthy of it.”

— Walt Whitman, introduction to Leaves of Grass, 1855 edition.

WPR BlogGlobal

Happy Fourth of July

“Other states indicate themselves in their deputies . . . . but the genius of the United States is not best or most in its executives or legislatures, nor in its ambassadors or authors or colleges or churches or parlors, nor even in its newspapers or inventors . . . but always most in the common people. Their manners speech dress friendships — the freshness and candor of their physiognomy — the picturesque looseness of their carriage . . . their deathless attachment to freedom — their aversion to anything indecorous or soft or mean — the practical acknowledgment of the citizens of one state by the citizens of all other states — the fierceness of their roused resentment — their curiosity and welcome of novelty — their self-esteem and wonderful sympathy — their susceptibility to a slight — the air they have of persons who never knew how it felt to stand in the presence of superiors — the fluency of their speech — their delight in music, the sure symptom of manly tenderness and native elegance of soul . . . their good temper and openhandedness — the terrible significance of their elections — the President’s taking off his hat to them not they to him — these too are unrhymed poetry. It awaits the gigantic and generous treatment worthy of it.”

— Walt Whitman, introduction to Leaves of Grass, 1855 edition.