The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-10-09

Oliver Wendell Holmes was born in
Cambridge, Mass, on August 2. 1893.
His father was the Rev. AbIel Holmes, a
clergyman of Cambridge, and an hlsto-
rian, who is said to have made the FIRST
attempt at writing history Of this coun-
try in his Anglican Annals"
His great-grandfather was John Holmes,
one Of the old Puritan stock, who set
oliver Wendell Holmes Inherited his
fathers literary instinct, and very early
began to write verse. At college he be
came the editor of the college magazine,
and at the age of tWenty-One the year
after his graduation, the agitation over
the announcement OF the intended de-
structiOn of the old war frgate Constitu-
tion began, and he wrote the well-known
lished in the Boston Advertiser He be-
came famous at once He had struck a
popular note, and the tide of public Opin-
ion set strongly against the destruction
of the vessel
As boy at Phillips Academy Holmes
translated the "Aeneid." After gradual
ton from college he turned his attention
at first to law, but never practised and
later took up the study Of medicine. lie
spent three years In hospital study. and
practised in Edinburgh and Paris. and i'm
1896 he received his medical degree. In
that year he published his first volume Of
poems.
He always continued to make medicine
his profession, but early made literature
his diversion. and as poet and author
became known 10 the people. He ac-
cepted the professOrship Of anatomy and
physiology at Dartmouth College in lS33.
and later practised medicine in Boston
where he married Amelia Lee Jackson,
daughter of Judge Charles Jackson of
the Massachusetts Supreme Court by
whom he had two sons and a daughter.
In 1917 Or. Holmes was made professor
OF anatomy at Harvard-a chair In which
he continued until 1882 when he resigned
and was made professor emeritus. PTesi-
dent Elliott paid this tribute 10 his skill.
There are 500 men throughout New
England who Will remember Or. Holmes
through their lives. and transmit to their
children the memory Of him as a teacher
OF exact science"
DR.. Holmes wrote forty-two works on
medical subjects, and lived TO see many
of his early ideas of medicine, which at
nrst met with condemnation, accepted by
the leading physicians of the world.
Speaking OF this recently, DR.. Holmes re-
called the storm of indignation which was
raised by his famous epigram that If all
the medicine in the world were thrown
into the sea, it would be all the better
for mankind-and all the worse for the
fishes. And then he laughed quietly as
sion practically agreed with him.
In 1857, when the Atlantic Monthly was
started, Lowell asked Dr. Holmes to con-
at the Breakfast Table" essays, which
obtained immediate popularity. and the
success Of the magazine was assured.
'"rhe Professor at the Breakfast Table"
1S6Ol, and 1.-The Poet at the Breakfast
Table" QS79. followed and then, after
long years, game a number OF papers I'm
he same vein. In the new Scribner's Maga-
zine over the Teacups' which ap-
peared a few years ago, was made the oc-
casion OF the announcement by DIR.
Holmes that 1t would probably be the
last OF the series.
DR.. Holmes was sociologist, though
ne was not often recognized as such.
In the only two novels which he wrote,
Elsie Venner' 0S6l), and THE Guardian
Angel Qsss), his skill In dealing with
social problems was shown. ELSIE Yen-
ler" was a curious study In heredty.
Mature in mind In early years, DR..
Holmes in age was young In thoughts. ]
More than thirty years ago, at class
gathering. he said:
Has there any old fellow got mixed with
the boys?
Z there has. take him out without making
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