Morning journal and courier., 1888-07-04
DIR. HOLMEs IN HIS LIBRARY.
He Mentions HIS FavOrffe P0ems-A
 Glance at HIS Books.

He Mentions HIS Favorffe Poems-A9
 Glance at Ills Books. Jf
 From the June Book-Buyer.1
 To know which of Dr. Holmes own poems are his faYorites will be interesting to many as told in his own language. Tn my own opinion sThe Chambered Nautilus is my most finished piece of work, and I think it is my faYorite. But there are also The Voiceless,
 My Aviary,' written at my window there,
 The Battle of Bunker Hi1l' and Dorothy O.
 written to the portrait of my great grand-
 father, which you see on the wall there. All
 these have liking for, and when speak
 of the poems I like best there are two others
 that ought to be ircluded-'The Silent Melo-
 dy' and sThe Last Leaf' I think these are
 among my best.
 tfWhat is the history of The Chambered
 Nautilusa' It has none-itself wrote it. So too did The One Hoss Shay That was one of those random conceptions that gaiop through the brain and that you catch by the
 bridle I caught it and refined it. All my poems are written while I am in sort of spasmodic mental condition that almost takes me out of my own sel1, ana Wr1ts only when under such influence. lf IS Tor this reason, I think, that l can never remember a poem a short time after 1t IS written any more than the subject of double consciousness can recall the idea of his other state."
 Dr. Holiness books are scattered. through out his house. There is not 8 floor but has it's separate range of bookshelves. Between the front basement room, where are stored works in foreign languages, up to the attic with it's innumerable pamphlets and smaller books ranged on shelves, is distributed IT. brary of nearly six thousand volumes.
 I About one-half of his books are in his study, the room on the second floor 50 often described, with it's spacious bay window, from which one has a fine view of the Charles river. In the center of the room is the poets desk, at which his literary work is performed. It is not the typical literary 'fden" that the visitor finds, but large room, luxurious in it's furnishings, with eVi- dences of scrupulous care and neatness on every hand. Dr. Holmes is one of the most pen with it's swans quill holder, with which s'Elsie Venner," the "Autocrat" papers and the most famous of the authors other works ! were written, lies carefully wiped on bur ! nished rest beside crystal inkstand.
 Books are ranged on every side against the walls, while three movable cases stand with \ in easy reach. In one of these stand the ! books most frequently consulted. A glance at them discloses the Bible, the Concordance \ to the Bible, a copy of the revised New Tes' | lament, Shakespeare, Familiar Quotations, glossary of Milton, encyclopedias of Ameri- 1 can and English literature, and indexes te ! the Atlantic Monthly and other periodicals \ Carlyle and Scott rest on adjoining shelves, while Longfellow and Thaokeray are clost i by. All the great encyclopedias published | here and abroad are in shelves near by of tht \ library proper. The American and Englisl poets are all fnlly represented in, rich bind ings, while here and there in hooks and cor ners are hidden rare and old editions. e have few," exclaimed Dr. Holmes, "but do not indulge my fancy for them" A com plete set of the poets own works Is found modestly turned to the wall in one of the re \ volving bookcases.