Evening star., 1928-04-29


brary of Congress.
This series, which continued for ap-
proXimately 20 years and was written
in Holmes characteristic style, is I'M
portant. not only as distinct addition
10 his literary work. but because the
letters contain his own practical inter-
3 pretations of his philosophy ana the
lessons of his experience.
The letters we're written to Esther
Bernon Carpenter, a l7-year-old Rhode
Island girl. and began shortly after
Christmas in 1869. Miss Carpenter
afterward achieved considerable success
as local historian. After her death,
the letters were found in her papers
by her nieces, Miss Mary Carpenter ot
Newport and Mrs. Stephen Hopkins OF
Providence. who have Just presented
them 10 the Library of Congress
DR. Holmes was aiming his advice at
q type of personality which he was pc
culiarly fitted to understandable per-
son with a perilous leaning towards in
troversion. This type is common among
artists and writer's.
The letter follows:
Boston, Dec. 26, 1869.
UNTY dear Miss Ester: 1 shall take
AfA YOUR letter as my text and preach
you a little Sermon-not tault-nnolng
one. YOU cav be sure, but a sermon Of
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS eAAt SCSNA NA@S~Af
is fitting st this sweet season when the
N,illars of our churches arc budding like
Aaron's rod with fragrant evergreenS
and their Vaulted roofs shaking with
"Afraid, were you, my dear child, to
send me this letter? never received
trller, simpler. sweeter one, nor one
which / would more earnestly wish my
children to read and l have had letters
al Fr.sNa. nf
people of the earth--or that l might be
vain of. at the least, as my correspond
ents. I only wonder what I have said
or done to deserve such tribute as
YOU pay n1e-nothing, nothing put
sneak a few kind words which any
human creature with a few drops OF
mothers blood in his veins could hardly
find it in his heart not to speak. NO
Christian tribute has come home to me
quite so nearly and so warmed my bet
ter nature. If only deserved 1t.
You have written TO me from time to
time. never at Superfluous length as so
many Young people do. never insisting
on perpetual answers TO unenolng queS-
tions, but always. it has seemed to me.
at the right moment, with rare dis
cretion asking a few words OF counsel
when they we're needed, telling me Just
enough Of yourself to guide me in ao-
NEAA& AOl anu 4 A4AAAAA = ASNA& - NAy @~@S
TO YOU, never writing an idle line or one
that YOU need remember with regret.
And I have always answered you, not
but a church could do less. have given
YOU a few brief hints and showed lit
tie human interest in you-what has
that cost me? I sometimes think that
in doing small favors we give ourselves
such an amount Of selfish pleasure that
it is almost like cheating TO purchase
11aA n
thank me for these best hours OF your
life I can only sigh and say: Count
II not a sin. my TaskmaSter, If have
won the pleasure such words give with
out paying for it.
"Ail you tell me of yourself and your
family is. on the whole. most crafty
ing. For in the first place you give me
good news of your father whose we'll
being must form one great element IN
your daily happiness and there Is GER
tain air of c0ntent-I do not mean that
hiIarIty which Is born with some people
but the content which has been fought
for in many daily contest and many a
nightly vigil which is based IN sacred
trust in elf-ronouest. in self surrender
Il am greatly pleased that your rector
is a man in whose human syfnpatnies
as well as IN whose spiritual teachings
you can trust Every soul knows for IT.
Refined and delicate natures that find
the wind of the open creeds too strong
for tlem-tlaat love the decencies and
the dignity Of well ordered service-are
greatly attached TO the Episcopal
Church. ! doubt II any Of the Prot
estsnt denominations meet all the
wants Of many young persons and those
among the most devout and the most
sensitive 70 religious influences. so well
aUNGFatfQ1
OF every church Is that 1t shah sub
st4tute nothing for Our Father
of the Lords Prayer and admit no
equivalent for duty and character. But
your church has many large-minded
and large hearted men who, think are
not very far removed from my opinion
on this point.
Nov. as to your self accusations.
know all about trem-for ! am one Of
the same Kind Fight them-Fight
them heartily, cI1eerily. You and
ehan never overcome them. quite. for
they are constitutional with both Of
us. Your case is, perhaps, a little
graver than mine but l. your Doctor,
tell you you are greatly improved, doing
well-so vel that I have only 10 say
go on-and do what today lays before
you AS veil Is you can,
AS ePer IN the Great Tasknaster'G
eye
and avoid reproacfing yourself and
calling for undeserved Teproaches as
part ~ your duty. Have you a book Of
poems including The Changed Gross
and The Shadow of the R0ck3 Write
me If you have not and ] will send II
10 you as Christmas gift. Mind this
command.
%. w HOLMES"
Boston, Feb n. 1872.
TEAR Miss Ester: / received your
- Ms today ard have read every word
OF II straight through without stop
ping DO not know whether II would
BE- available for q popular periodical or
mott Is 80 fuli Of detailed expert
eficeg that II appeals ~ the thought
fll and sensitive nature more than
20 the loyeF 81 sensation stories
and the common run of people
WHO are interested by the pages of
q magazine But II l. exceedingly well
written and erolnently natural truthful
feel that and delicate n Is
very Interesting. and II you should de-
gtToy Is Or lft anYDoGY else % -, you
ought " - smut 8p in the garret 81 an
Cd hoQge and kept on bread and water
fgF z month.
Boston. May S. 1917.
DEhR Miss Ester ! shall forget ~
- answer your question about the
meteor u o. not begin with 1T. Mo
i 6ldnI see IL, though lhe window NJ
my library commands larger slice VI
sky than any ! have lookec through IN
q laouse " ny own. But. then, 0ne
Doesn't Io0k out II The windows 81 the
stsFg aE much as be ought to~ne b.
boxing down, instead ~ up. Ike the
man win ihe naRlckEake.
I reso your papeF straight through
and found y remarkably we'll ~fittsD.
s.,.s8,stst s}afs5&pg az eye for nature and