Leaves of Grass: 1

Liberty relies upon itself, invites no one, promises nothing, sits in calmness and light, is positive and composed, and knows no discouragement.

Importance
This quote emphasizes the importance that Whitman gives to the freedom of speech. The first 30 or so pages of Leaves of Grass are filled with seemingly strange, almost stream-of-consciousness sentences about the inherent poetry in human nature, and Whitman, by addressing liberty in such a way, shows that liberty is equally inherent in people. That being said, he also is explaining that in order to keep liberty, one must actively want it because it "relies upon itself"; it must be fought for to be readily available. He wants to stress the fact that Americans must be actively involved in government and their natural rights.

Analysis
Whitman uses personification in this quote to give liberty a human quality to it, which exemplifies the fact that it is indeed a natural part of humanity. By giving liberty a personality that is not passive ("promises nothing," "invites no one") Whitman states his opinion that in order to maintain their natural rights, Americans cannot just expect to have them but instead show their desire for them. This desire, however, must be expressed peacefully because liberty itself is calm and positive. The qualities that Whitman gives liberty are qualities that he wants to see mirrored in the American people, because in this case, he believes that liberty and Americans are one in the same.