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reader and editor could accumulate on the margin of his proofs； and when
they were both altogether wrong he was still grateful。 In one of his
poems there was some Latin…Quarter French； which our collective purism
questioned； and I remember how tender of us he was in maintaining that in
his Parisian time； at least； some ladies beyond the Seine said 〃Eh；
b'en；〃 instead of 〃 Eh； bien。〃 He knew that we must be always on the
lookout for such little matters； and he would not wound our ignorance。
I do not think any one enjoyed praise more than he。 Of course he would
not provoke it； but if it came of itself； he would not deny himself the
pleasure； as long as a relish of it remained。 He used humorously to
recognize his delight in it； and to say of the lecture audiences which
in earlier times hesitated applause； 〃Why don't they give me three times
three？ I can stand it！〃 He himself gave in the generous fulness he
desired。 He did not praise foolishly or dishonestly； though he would
spare an open dislike； but when a thing pleased him he knew how to say so
cordially and skilfully； so that it might help as well as delight。
I suppose no great author has tried more sincerely and faithfully to
befriend the beginner than he； and from time to time he would commend
something to me that he thought worth looking at； but never insistently。
In certain cases； where he had simply to ease a burden； from his own to
the editorial shoulders； he would ask that the aspirant might be
delicately treated。 There might be personal reasons for this； but
usually his kindness of heart moved him。 His tastes had their
geographical limit； but his sympathies were boundless； and the hopeless
creature for whom he interceded was oftener remote from Boston and New
England than otherwise。
It seems to me that he had a nature singularly affectionate； and that it
was this which was at fault if he gave somewhat too much of himself to
the celebration of the Class of '29； and all the multitude of Boston
occasions； large and little； embalmed in the clear amber of his verse；
somewhat to the disadvantage of the amber。 If he were asked he could not
deny the many friendships and fellowships which united in the asking；
the immediate reclame from these things was sweet to him； but he loved
to comply as much as he loved to be praised。 In the pleasure he got he
could feel himself a prophet in his own country； but the country which
owned him prophet began perhaps to feel rather too much as if it owned
him； and did not prize his vaticinations at all their worth。 Some polite
Bostonians knew him chiefly on this side； and judged him to their own
detriment from it。
VI。
After we went to live in Cambridge； my life and the delight in it were so
wholly there that in ten years I had hardly been in as many Boston
houses。 As I have said； I met Doctor Holmes at the Fieldses'； and at
Longfellow's； when he came out to a Dante supper； which was not often；
and somewhat later at the Saturday Club dinners。 One parlous time at the
publisher's I have already recalled； when Mrs。 Harriet Beecher Stowe and
the Autocrat clashed upon homeopathy； and it required all the tact of the
host to lure them away from the dangerous theme。 As it was； a battle
waged in the courteous forms of Fontenoy； went on pretty well through the
dinner； and it was only over the coffee that a truce was called。 I need
not say which was heterodox； or that each had a deep and strenuous
conscience in the matter。 I have always felt it a proof of his extreme
leniency to me； unworthy； that the doctor was able to tolerate my own
defection from the elder faith in medicine； and I could not feel his
kindness less caressing because I knew it a concession to an infirmity。
He said something like； After all a good physician was the great matter；
and I eagerly turned his clemency to praise of our family doctor。
He was very constant at the Saturday Club； as long as his strength
permitted； and few of its members missed fewer of its meetings。
He continued to sit at its table until the ghosts of Hawthorne；
of Agassiz； of Emerson； of Longfellow； of Lowell； out of others less
famous； bore him company there among the younger men in the flesh。
It must have been very melancholy； but nothing could deeply cloud his
most cheerful spirit。 His strenuous interest in life kept him alive to
all the things of it； after so many of his friends were dead。 The
questions which he was wont to deal with so fondly； so wisely； the great
problems of the soul； were all the more vital； perhaps； because the
personal concern in them was increased by the translation to some other
being of the men who had so often tried with him to fathom them here。
The last time I was at that table he sat alone there among those great
memories； but he was as gay as ever I saw him； his wit sparkled； his
humor gleamed； the poetic touch was deft and firm as of old； the serious
curiosity； the instant sympathy remained。 To the witness he was
pathetic； but to himself he could only have been interesting； as the
figure of a man surviving； in an alien but not unfriendly present； the
past which held so vast a part of all that had constituted him。 If he
had thought of himself in this way； it would have been without one
emotion of self…pity； such as more maudlin souls indulge； but with a love
of knowledge and wisdom as keenly alert as in his prime。
For three privileged years I lived all but next…door neighbor of Doctor
Holmes in that part of Beacon Street whither he removed after he left his
old home in Charles Street； and during these years I saw him rather
often。 We were both on the water side； which means so much more than the
words say； and our library windows commanded the same general view of the
Charles rippling out into the Cambridge marshes and the sunsets； and
curving eastward under Long Bridge； through shipping that increased
onward to the sea。 He said that you could count fourteen towns and
villages in the compass of that view； with the three conspicuous
monuments accenting the different attractions of it： the tower of
Memorial Hall at Harvard； the obelisk on Bunker Hill； and in the centre
of the picture that bulk of Tufts College which he said he expected to
greet his eyes the first thing when he opened them in the other world。
But the prospect； though generally the same； had certain precious
differences for each of us； which I have no doubt he valued himself as
much upon as I did。 I have a notion that he fancied these were to be
enjoyed best in his library through two oval panes let into the bay there
apart from the windows； for he was apt to make you come and look out of
them if you got to talking of the view before you left。 In this pleasant
study he lived among the books； which seemed to multiply from case to
case and shelf to shelf； and climb from floor to ceiling。 Everything was
in exquisite order； and the desk where he wrote was as scrupulously neat
as if the sloven disarray of most authors' desks were impossible to him。
He had a number of ingenious little contrivances for helping his work；
which he liked to show you； for a time a revolving book…case at the
corner of his desk seemed to be his pet； and after that came his
fountain…pen； which he used with due observance of its fountain
principle； though he was tolerant of me when I said I always dipped mine
in the inkstand； it was a merit in his eyes to use a fountain pen in
anywise。 After you had gone over these objects with him； and perhaps
taken a peep at something he was examining through his microscope； he sat
down at one corner of his hearth； and invited you to an easy chair at the
other。 His talk was always considerate of your wish to be heard； but the
person who wished to talk when he could listen to Doctor Holmes was his
own victim； and always the loser。 If you were well advised you kept
yourself to the question and response which manifested your interest in
what he was saying； and let him talk on； with his sweet smile； and that
husky laugh he broke softly into at times。 Perhaps he was not very well
when you came in upon him； then he would name his trouble； with a
scientific zest and accu