Whitman paid for the publication of the first version of "Leaves of Grass" himself and had it printed at a local print shop. A total of 795 copies were printed. The first page was an image of Whitman, but he doesn't write his name until 500 lines into the body of the text. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote a kind five-page letter to Whitman and praised the book to friends. The first edition of "Leaves of Grass" was very popular, but was some people didn't like the "obscene" or offensive parts of the poetry.