The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-07-08
DIR. HOLMES AT HOME.
A Glimpse Into His Library and a
Glance at His FavOrite Books.

Otnot one Of our public men can it
be said more trily that he is growing
old grAcefuilr." In the youth of his
old age Dr. Holmes finds himself with
out an inirmity Of body and with no
loss of spirit. Ii his eyesigbt 70
becoming somewhat dim and the
written pag.5 of letters are not so
clearly distlnguishab as they were
once. who will marcel when be can
look back over an active literery Cal, O.
of more Than three score OF years?
Although within the short period Of
two months DR.. Holmes will, says The
Book Buyer, enter upon his eigntieth
year, each day finds him at his desk 10
the luxurious library at his Beacon Hill
home. His daily life is Systematically
divided. The morning is given to his
extensive correspondence. The ami
ability of DR.. Holmes is prov verbal, and
his reputation for good nature has led
many persons who have no claim hat
ever to his attention toimpose upon him
through the mail. OF late, however, b.
has had all amanuensis for an assistant
and letters to strangers in his own hand
writing are becoming fewer. The after
noon is the part of the day which the
poet devotes to receiving his friends
In the evening the lamp is lighted, and
DR.. Holmes looks over the latest books
nearly all of which are sent to him.
Books, likeletters. come to him by every
mail, some for perusal, others for
critical opinions.
DR.. Holmes books are scattered
- q
floor but has lis separate range Of book
shelves. Betwt, the front basement
room, where are :1red works in foreign
Vulnerable phamL! lets and smaller
books raj ged on shell .. is distributed
q library of nearly SOC volumes. Of
these, Fix or eight IunQIed me6ical
works were recently given TO the boston
Medical Library, while ano her pack
age of between three and four hundred
books were sent to the Boston public
library.
About one-half of DR.. Holmes books
are in his study, the room on the
second floor so often described, with its
spacious bay-window, from which one
has fine view of the Charles river. In
the centre of the room is the poets
desk, at which his literary work is per-
formed. 1t is not the typical literary
den," that the visitor finds, but a
large room luxurious in its furnishings,
With evidences of sorurulous care and
neatness on every hand. DR.. Holmes
iuI Of men. The gold pen with its
swans quill holder, with which Elsie
Yenner," the "Autocrat" papers and
l., r. 81 oil
works were written, lies carefully wiped.
oa a Furnished rest besides crystal
nkstand. Books are ranged on every
side along the walls, while three NOV
able cases stand within easy reach
In one of these stand the books most
consulted. A glance at them
the Bibles, the concordance
70 the Bible, a copy of the revised New
quotations." glossary of Milton,
ish literature, and indexes to the
a tIqntic Monthly, and other periodicals.
CARLYLE and Scott rests on adjoining
shelves, while Longfellow and Thackeray
are close by. All the great encyclo-
oedias published here and abroad are
n shelves near by of the library proper.
The American and English poets are
all fully represented in rich bindings,
while here and there in Eooks and cor
ners are hidden rare and old editions.
= l have few" explains DR.. Holmes,
but do rot indulge my fancy for
them" A complete set of the poets
own works is found modestly turned to
The wall in one of the revolving book
cases.
To know which of DR.. Holmes own
poems are his favorites will be interest
ing to many, as told in his own len
gusge. In my own opinion The
Nautilus is my most
finished piece of work, and | think
it is my favorite. But there are, also,
The Voiceless, My Aviary,' written at
my window there; The Battle of Bunker
hlll' and Dorothy o. written to the
portrait of my great grandmother,
which you see on the wall there. All
these have a liking for, and when |
speak of the poems [ like best, there
are two others that ought to be included
The Silent Melody and The Last
Leaf l think these are among my
best"
What is the history of The Cham
bered Nautilus?' 1t has none-it wrote
itself. So, too, did The One Hoss
Shay That was one of those random
conceptions that gallop through the
brain, and that you catch by the bride
l caught it and refined it. All my
poems are written while am in sort
of spasmodic mental condition that al
most takes me out of my own self, and
I write only when under such influence.
1t is for this reason, think, that | can
never remember poem short time
after it is written any more than the
subject of double consciousness can re-
call the ideas of his other state"
A favorite corner with DR.. Holmes in
the Beacon Street home Is the lower
basement. Here, osite shelves of
books, is fitted up small carpenter
shop, to which the poet often resorts.
Chisels, hammers, nails, and files are
all in their proper places, while before
the window stands foot-lathe. st is
pleasant exercise to tread this and see
it do its work so quickly and neatly"
says DR.. Holmes, with merry twinkle
in his eye, as he picks up a small piece
OF wood and watches the borer's work
as it twirls throueh it. And here al
most daily is found the genial poet at
the carpenters bench. doing some little
odd job as diversion from singing aud
writing his way into the hearts of thou
sands. who hope it may be long time
before
By lifes decaying fire
His fingers sweep the stringless'lyre.