New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-18
HOLMES IN BOSTON.
HIS EXPERIENCES ON CHARLES RIVER
HIS INFLUENCE on ROWING-PRESlD-
HIS INFLU ENtF On NOW NV 7 T'I1'7'I7
ING AT THE PAUL MORPHf
DINNER - THE SATURDAY
CLJB-TI-E EIGHTIETH
BIRTHDAY.
London. November ,.

CLTB-TIE EIGHTIETH
BIRTHDAY.
Lordon November ,
NV memories Of Holmes go back great many
wears and to times and places which have
nothing TO d. with his. visit to England. But as
7 NAV not find another opportunity. ! viii set
down one or two of them here. They connect
themselves alm4st at first with boating am
old enough 10 remember the very beginning ~
that American enthusiasm for rowing which
has since spread over the land and SUI young
enough to rejoice in it. and In having r'wed IN
| the first University race between Yale and Har-
| ward on Lake WiniplseoGee-l hope | spell II
| right-in w-Hampshre in 1852; the first race
| and the first defeat Of Yale; long after u be
| ca brilliantly redeemed 4 little later. in the
| Law School at Harvard. and after that when AT
| the bar in Boston. / spent many an hour IN
boats on Charles River, and there 1t was mat
| 7 used 10 meet Holmes. He lived then IN
house I'm Chares-st looking on the Hver' as
! ala the larger house In Beacon-st TO which ne
| afterward moved.
As his ACQUAINTANCE with boats began late in
! life he never aspired TO distinction in rowing
nor had ANYTHING 10 do with racing. except 70
take a keen interest in IT, II he ever TOOK IN
terest in anything IT keen interest. II
|
that others should. For himself he was content
with his little outrigger-not quite what Is now
caled an outrigger-in which he sculled hinscll
IN and down tie river in a leisurely way. WIN
! an, nretensions TO science or to pace. he rowed
| nevertheless very WELL and very much al
home in his cockeshcll as a man had need 70
! be who wandered about on this stream TOT II
broadcns as it nears the red brick houses ana
the expanse Of water between the Mill Dam ana
tho Cambridge shore and bridges IL enough 10
orov ~ q sea getting up In which an outrigger
might easily upset and sometimes did never
heard that this catastrophe befell Holmes, but
ne risked II.
His boat was kept at Rraman's Baths' wh'ch
were also the headquarters OF the Union N'"
| ing Club OF those days; the club before whl'h
on one memorable day the red banner 81 liar
,ard wont down. when Union six beat the
| Harvard eight. and as one OF the Union SIN
though, nv mishaps on Lake WinipiseoFce
a,ged Holmes looked As he was a
harvard man. he took less pleasure in this event
tbar we did but he manfully congratulated us
all the same. His sympathies were always
| brand enough for such occasions. lie thought
| rfvalries ought to be generous. and looked upon
| = dereat as only a preparation for victory.
Tn sense he was a pioneer In that great
athletic movement in America of which the
| boqinnings may be assigned TO that period As
a man of science and Of medicine ne kne" the
need Of It. And as a student OF human nature
no knew the moral value Of outdoor sports ana
Of physical training. 1t is so well understood
now that the present generation may wonder
that within a time so recent. 1t should have
bcen thought of no consequence or ridculed
But 1T was rdculed and resisted what Is
called the practical mind set Itself against any
form Of exertion which was not productive. ON
. walk one summers day from Troy to Schen-
ectady. ! overlook farmer Jogging comfort
ablv ON In his wagon at foot's pace. He very
eood-naturedly asked me 20 get up FOR ride
thanked him and said was walking for ex-
orcse "Whatr' retoried this practical man. lis
,horo M hav 10 be mown?" His at that
time a tvpicaI view and he was himself type
Perhaps he was not wrong in thinking tha'
tbere was work enough In the fields to keep al
the snare muscle of all the young men employed
But Holmes knew best. He knew very wei
that there was muscle which would not swing
the scythe and would the oar, and he wanted
10 provide occupation for all OF It, MY farmer
friend would have had you idle unless your
work was useful; what he thought useful
Everybody in Boston knew that the Harvard
professor. the man Of letters, the social orna
ment of the city: the friend OF Lowell. OF Finer
son of Phillips OF everybody who was eminent
could be seen daily in his boat toiling with th'
oars Everybody heard him extol the exercise
He taught by example and by precept. ana by
both gave an impetus to a young movemen
which then in need of all the help 1t coui'
get Not only rowing. but baseball. football an(
, every other manly game now practsea
america owes a debt to Wendell Holmes
, In his own house the Autocrat was at hi
, best. He loved 1t, loved think, best of all h
, library and the view from the library window
over the Charles. and the sunshine that streamet
, | in with the fresh breezes. The large, com
, Portable, airy, well-lighted ROOM with books al