New-York tribune., 1886-01-19
THE WISEAND WITTY DOCTOR
soME NOTES ON OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES.

RONE NOTES ON OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES.
H. r. Hq,ses IN The Pou Hatl Gazette
II was on " Wednesday,, November 4, 1880 at
recep;ion gwen us 10y kind friends. Mr. and Mrs
Parker at Boston. that first met DIR. olyer wendell
Iomcs-a small spare man OF some seventy six years
with gem mobile face, lips seldom at rest Kind eyes'
nWns him to como out to see me been about to
pay my res poets him. "Well. said he. don't 20
one NAV expect to cit at home aud be visited hike
Chinese god; (; but have como out to sre you
seems to Se lie is always the auocat or the pro,
fcssor or the q Of the oresx,.st M M tape sweet;
we all love it," His mind Is naturally prone 10 70 pa
TO that bsnt eirelsIEmerspn Whittier JAMS
Russell Loweof which he himself was so ,na so'r nrss M
Snl. Alter lie ike mine may we'll live lite as
pigs said to do. ones own tat We cersny ns wa
Agassz his flashing eyes so full Of me- ana genus
snd insight and eloq ,sHcs sI4 a4r Ike blush
ing schoolgirl of fourteen. For Whole evening 70. yt
then Margaret Fulier--rather dull as I think IL her
books-wss tslker-ovcrrated though. ne nuneo
heri Perhaps never did her quite justice 1t began
when were children We used to 90 to school S
an essay beginning Trito may be the remark etc
She she rTrnS rs1% 10 & GG cutie TeT% pued and
lofty superiority Is II not absurd Ihe ria, @
chrcn snSS and i1 oi oo As for Poe really
poor creatuse-a very poor creature he gave gre U
h@ ba. az he Treated them Sfmoasy Holmes always
stood little ousd1 the Emerson clique on Suro TO
and sunny hut the stuff talked in his name about trin
cysr since The Sranless ittfrateurs and charatans
that lived his pecuarites and mimic sed
native 1t was clear inspiration. We are too IN
dulgent here in Boston TO mere ltteratenrs we 90 V
see thiGgs in right proportion we hardly KNOW hrst
rate quality from secOndrate" and after pause % ne ne
added No. ne nor Hs. In and the back Of his
house commands view of the sea and the sunset HIs
scribe with inimtabe humor the waybe by
admirers Yet think he would miss them ne
a letter asking for his autograph; lie opened an0tner
requesting sentiment and third wanting MS
but what am do with the books people send me ana
urge me to read 4" told him what Stanley. tho late
OF postcard with Dear Sir, viii net wait to open
your book hut best thanks-A. p g. Holmes thanked
SELL his poems varied experiences of admirers.
Ms - G He he would Complain Of being
made a butt OF by every one who wanted int III nnt
% s% m yn or m me s he So"d cheek himself s
with: "Dear me. am talking OF nothing Dnt mysell.
grow Ola said; the 7lsor and FRESHNESS Of your
soul will Keep you Young for ever sIla snS me-
pose. all must pass TIL we get washed Clean as
h0ps we snail Dr. o. Ho@es We sitting at home like
Chinese god, certainly mot MIN out several umesIn
and wherever he was the talk sure to be bright
genial good and kindly At grst reception Gys fdnnS No
myself close TO oliver wendei Holmes WHO is that
bishop" asked who Just spoke to and a Sot
NJ ali bad fellow either | will tell you why have
n the Street in the rainhe had brand-new hat
happened to know those ladies' lhey Merc 'o,a onH
walked of in the rain and quietly spoiled his hat Now
Holmes, "a man loves his ha-and Disnop hae
few days afterward was fortunate enough TO near
him reed .ome Of his own verses Dcroths cue @'cl'
B and joe and one or "@ mGTs ~rstaren them
with Of those graceful imprnmptn lhtro
which at proclaimed the rracscd lecturer Holmes
IS an exquisite reader the sRguary sympathetic and
vibrating voice rising at times into passionate ou'
cond %o hep fscsiRg tss fase and appropriate
the GERS oeasiom Tor Which he he
will take rank In poetic literature at the SIDE OF Long
fg and TS So VOICE. and
Holmes is one OF the most amusing n ar M tSe
talk the better be talks. which docs not prevent
him from being very good s,ener one re EgHs vii & a.
accounts of his early ectnrng tours when tno mana
grs Of orlorp institutions tried to pate MN SmgeS 20
fields reach some remote t'wn, and then SEND MS
audience Ay" said h-, things are changed now
Yon gentlemen come over here with your rer ntatons
NV You're days no Lal heard of mo- aud few peoPe
knew what lecture was There was no n'siaiy pnonc
we had create the taste, and uphili WORK u was
can tell you but 1t had is adven ure aud us swoetness
nS S coars Ssm 60 and o u ssag
lanah inn aftermy lecture with glass OF NOT an
opposite me whom could tslE to or let alone as |
pleased aud and" aided his ewes twnhhg sa z Win m
pocket" He very fond Of Enrr'on and u, gather
much with MIN tOMard Tue cloSe VI hlT nv,
his MUD had entirely given aud ne could recoeet
nothing. "IIis beautiful spirit he sad "reInainel
oujts uncloucd and serene" al hOugh his memory was
gone; latiery he would read a book without turning
OF II forgotten what he had been resdlng ana
conld begin all over again. After Longieows death
said Holmes, as he lay IN the chapei ncore .e cI'
last poor friend. Emerson stood gazing AT
tho quiet race for moments Then turning 10 ne
ead, That IL the face Of very amiaDle gentleman
but do not know who he is Al his sensihlliy ms ms
memory gone. OF all men that have ever known
he WAS the serene and angelic down TO the very
end"
From another intimate friend OF the great Concord
philosopher obtained curious glimpse INTO Eiber.
sons method OF composition. He knew nothing thor
read nothing system9uealy aud oiton Tor long l"ter
read little but he would go out ihto the WOODS ana
fields. 81 place myself in right and happy relations
nature, ht would say, and let thouRdJ come 10
lye when idea strikes mo put II down In my note
book and fortunate II In one morning or day get
n real living thought OF my own when Wish TO write
from it thoss thoughts which seem capable OF being
welded appropriately together | work at me
expression OF them Till nave reached |
so"f leave them" these fragments of Enierson's
talk explained much to one who like myself Tor years
had loving Emcrsonlan studeDt The essays are
Ell. They abound In leaps and gaps OF Thought IKE
Paus Epistes there 10 no great reason why para
graphs ont essay should not be neatly 1ed into
any other with good effect The whole OF Emerson Is
fhns frsgmeptary; but fertile aud suggestive that
without system, no has oavened most systems or con-
temporary philosophy aud sent thousands OF ardent
minds along tracks OF luminous Thought He seems
10 me- indeed OF the greatest initial forces OF the
ard lofty "transcendentalsln."
Ills keen insight the Of things his contempt
of wealth. his severe ANALYSIS OF me- SHOWN IN those
cepths stand revealed EmersoB 10 the true and timely
connerpose TO the hungry. inoneygeting materalism