The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-12-04

He regretted that in the presence much learn
ing and eloquence he had not written speech or
a poem He wanted to call attention to the fact that
DR.. Holmes was. besides being a poet and philoso-
nh l scientist Who had trained himself for hair
a century in the exactness of scientific study. He
knew the course, of every vein and artery
and. said Professor Eliot. I have often no.
ticed in his writings the results of this
telling his hearers that the doctor lectured in his
class room in the Medical Institute four times
same practice would be kept up for years to come
Eve would now like to hear something from Mark
TWAIN said Mr.. howells. and tho genial humorist
of Hartford made the following RESPONSE
TwAIN's ADDRESS.
would have travelled a much greater distance
than have come to witness the paying Of honors
ways been one of peculiar warmth. When one re-
ceiyes letter from great man for the first time
in his life it is large event to him, all of you
know by your own experiences. You never can re-
ceive letters enough from famous men afterward to
pleasant surprise was and the qualification 1t gave
you. Lapse OF time cannot make it ommonplace
or CHEAP Well the ss great man w wnS EYER wrote
He also the hrst great literary man ever stole
anything from-and that is how came to write to
him and he to When my first book was
friend of mine said. "The dedication is very neat"
Yes said, thought it was My friend said. IT
nocents Abroad" naturally said. .What do you
mean? Where did you ever see 1t beforeY ''Well.
saw it. rss some years Mage ago. as ME- Holmes deai
first impulse to prepare this mans
mains for burial, but upon reflection said would
deprieve him for moment or two and give him
chance to prove his assertion il he could. We
stepped into bookstore and he did prove it. had
really stolen that dedication almost word for word.
/ could not imagine how this curious thing had
happened; for knew one thing for a dead
tainty-that certain amount Of pride always goes
pride protects man from deliberately stealing
other peoples IDEAS That is what teaspoonful of
brains vil do for man-and admirers had often
told me Ihad nearly basketful, though they
rather reserved as to the size of the basket How
ever, thought the thing out and solved the mys-
terry Two years before had been laid up q couple
of weeks in the Sandwich Islands. and had read and
re-resd Dr. Holmes poems until IL my mental rsser-
cation lay on top and handy-so by and by uncon-
sciously it. Perhaps unconsciously stole the
rest of the volume, too for many people have told
me that my book was pretty poetical, in one way
another. Well. OF course l wrote DR.. Holmes
and told him hadn't meant to steal, and he wrote
back and said in the kindest way that it was all
right and no harm done; and added that he believed
all unconsciously worked over ideas gathered in
reading and hearing. imagining they were original
with ourselves. He stated truth-and did it in such
a pleasant way, ard salved my spot
gently and healingly that was rather glad had
committed the crime for the sake of the letter. I
afterward called on him, and told him to make per-
fectly free with any ideas of that struck hnAas
being good protoplasm for poetry He could see by
that that there wasn't anything mean about me; 80
we got along right from the start.
have met DIR. Holmes many times since, and
lately he said-however. am wandering wildly
away from the one thing which got my feet to
fellow teachers Of the great public and likewise to
say right glad to that DR.. Holmes is still in
his prime and full OF generous life and as age Is not
ties of mind and body, hope 1t may be very long
time yet before any can truthfuly say. HE is grow
ing old.
JOSEPH W. HARPER.
At the close of Mr.. Clemens speech Mr.. J. w. Har
e
some "reminiscences OF his first meeting with DR..
Holmes in Boston. He said it was the province Of
NAxu <o ADMIN and ifo vfoN fkroo
that 1t sometimes admired Boston Boston did
not, however. own DR.. Holmes; he belonged to the
English language. In admiringsthe genial autocrat,
therefore. New York did not admire Boston insti-
tuition.
e. C. sTEDMAN's POEM.
Twas tho of feasts when the bithe birds had met
In their easternmost arbor. an innocent throng.
And they made the glad birthday Of each gsddsr yet
What brave terra-lirrasl But clear amid all
- AT each festival held in the favorte haunt,
Tho nightin gales music would quaver and fall
And surest and sweetest of all was his chant.
At last the nightingale's fete and they sought
%s Ss a AS the Sa
The moments quick rapture, the Joy that is near
pu%sd and
Fer silent %%onS &
Que domnagei must failure like theirs be tesst
Must our ehoristers voice e his own fste be ss
But at this can give you such odds If I will"
What avail fellow minstrels, crotchets staves
Though tribute like mine rises straight from the
Unless while the bough his laurel bush waves
To his own Sangerfest the one guest lends his art
Whose swift wit like his with which none daros to vs
Sound cheeriy dear Holmes for the sun is still high.
poem was also read by Mrs Helen. Hunt.
Thomas Bailey Adrich made pleasant speech
and was followed by J. T. Trowbridge.. who read a
G. +. Crouch and Colonel Higginson closed the
the brilliant occasion with speeches and poems.