of the person who made overtures to his acquaintance； for he was aware
that his friendship lay close to it； he wanted to be sure that he was a
nice person； and though I think he preferred social quality in his
fellow…man； he did not refuse himself to those who had merely a sweet and
wholesome humanity。 He did not like anything that tasted or smelt of
Bohemianism in the personnel of literature； but he did not mind the scent
of the new…ploughed earth； or even of the barn…yard。 I recall his
telling me once that after two younger brothers…in…letters had called
upon him in the odor of an habitual beeriness and smokiness； he opened
the window； and the very last time I saw him he remembered at eighty…five
the offence he had found on his first visit to New York； when a
metropolitan poet had asked him to lunch in a basement restaurant。
III。
He seemed not to mind； however； climbing to the little apartment we had
in Boston when we came there in 1866； and he made this call upon us in
due form； bringing Mrs。 Holmes with him as if to accent the recognition
socially。 We were then incredibly young； much younger than I find people
ever are nowadays； and in the consciousness of our youth we felt； to the
last exquisite value of the fact； what it was to have the Autocrat come
to see us； and I believe he was not displeased to perceive this； he liked
to know that you felt his quality in every way。 That first winter；
however； I did not see him often； and in the spring we went to live in
Cambridge； and thereafter I met him chiefly at Longfellow's； or when I
came in to dine at the Fieldses'； in Boston。 It was at certain meetings
of the Dante Club； when Longfellow read aloud his translation for
criticism； and there was supper later； that one saw the doctor； and his
voice was heard at the supper rather than at the criticism； for he was no
Italianate。 He always seemed to like a certain turn of the talk toward
the mystical； but with space for the feet on a firm ground of fact this
side of the shadows； when it came to going over among them； and laying
hold of them with the band of faith； as if they were substance； he was
not of the excursion。 It is well known how fervent； I cannot say devout；
a spiritualist Longfellow's brother…in…law； Appleton； was； and when he
was at the table too； it took all the poet's delicate skill to keep him
and the Autocrat from involving themselves in a cataclysmal controversy
upon the matter of manifestations。 With Doctor Holmes the inquiry was
inquiry； to the last； I believe； and the burden of proof was left to the
ghosts and their friends。 His attitude was strictly scientific； he
denied nothing； but he expected the supernatural to be at least as
convincing as the natural。
There was a time in his history when the popular ignorance classed him
with those who were once rudely called infidels； but the world has since
gone so fast and so far that the mind he was of concerning religious
belief would now be thought religious by a good half of the religious
world。 It is true that he had and always kept a grudge against the
ancestral Calvinism which afflicted his youth； and he was through all
rises and lapses of opinion essentially Unitarian； but of the honest
belief of any one； I am sure he never felt or spoke otherwise than most
tolerantly； most tenderly。 As often as he spoke of religion； and his
talk tended to it very often； I never heard an irreligious word from him；
far less a scoff or sneer at religion； and I am certain that this was not
merely because he would have thought it bad taste； though undoubtedly he
would have thought it bad taste； I think it annoyed； it hurt him； to be
counted among the iconoclasts； and he would have been profoundly grieved
if he could have known how widely this false notion of him once
prevailed。 It can do no harm at this late day to impart from the secrets
of the publishing house the fact that a supposed infidelity in the tone
of his story The Guardian Angel cost the Atlantic Monthly many
subscribers。 Now the tone of that story would not be thought even mildly
agnostic； I fancy； and long before his death the author had outlived the
error concerning him。
It was not the best of his stories； by any means； and it would not be too
harsh to say that it was the poorest。 His novels all belonged to an
order of romance which was as distinctly his own as the form of
dramatized essay which he invented in the Autocrat。 If he did not think
poorly of them； he certainly did not think too proudly； and I heard him
quote with relish the phrase of a lady who had spoken of them to him as
his 〃 medicated novels。〃 That； indeed； was perhaps what they were； a
faint； faint odor of the pharmacopoeia clung to their pages； their magic
was scientific。 He knew this better than any one else； of course； and if
any one had said it in his turn he would hardly have minded it。 But what
he did mind was the persistent misinterpretation of his intention in
certain quarters where he thought he had the right to respectful
criticism in stead of the succession of sneers that greeted the
successive numbers of his story； and it was no secret that he felt the
persecution keenly。 Perhaps he thought that he had already reached that
time in his literary life when he was a fact rather than a question；
and when reasons and not feelings must have to do with his acceptance or
rejection。 But he had to live many years yet before he reached this
state。 When he did reach it； happily a good while before his death；
I do not believe any man ever enjoyed the like condition more。 He loved
to feel himself out of the fight； with much work before him still；
but with nothing that could provoke ill…will in his activities。 He loved
at all times to take himself objectively； if I may so express my sense of
a mental attitude that misled many。 As I have said before； he was
universally interested； and he studied the universe from himself。 I do
not know how one is to study it otherwise； the impersonal has really no
existence； but with all his subtlety and depth he was of a make so
simple； of a spirit so naive； that he could not practise the feints some
use to conceal that interest in self which； after all； every one knows is
only concealed。 He frankly and joyously made himself the starting…point
in all his inquest of the hearts and minds of other men； but so far from
singling himself out in this； and standing apart in it； there never was
any one who was more eagerly and gladly your fellow…being in the things
of the soul。
IV。
In the things of the world； he had fences； and looked at some people
through palings and even over the broken bottles on the tops of walls；
and I think he was the loser by this； as well as they。 But then I think
all fences are bad； and that God has made enough differences between men；
we need not trouble ourselves to multiply them。 Even behind his fences；
however； Holmes had a heart kind for the outsiders； and I do not believe
any one came into personal relations with him who did not experience this
kindness。 In that long and delightful talk I had with him on my return
from Venice （I can praise the talk because it was mainly his）； we spoke
of the status of domestics in the Old World； and how fraternal the
relation of high and low was in Italy； while in England； between master
and man； it seemed without acknowledgment of their common humanity。
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃I always felt as if English servants expected to be
trampled on； but I can't do that。 If they want to be trampled on； they
must get some one else。〃 He thought that our American way was infinitely
better； and I believe that in spite of the fences there was always an
instinctive impulse with him to get upon common ground with his fellow…
man。 I used to notice in the neighborhood cabman who served our block on
Beacon Street a sort of affectionate reverence for the Autocrat； which
could have come from nothing but the kindly terms between them； if you
went to him when he was engaged to Doctor Holmes； he told you so with a
sort of implication in his manner that the thought of anything else for
the time was profanation。 The good fellow who took him his drives about
the Beverly and Manchester shores seemed to be quite in the joke of the
doctor's humor； and within the bounds of his personal modesty and his
functional dignity permitted himself a smile at the doctor's sallies；
when you stood talking with him； or listening to him at the carriage…
side。
The civic and social circumstance that a man values himself on is
commonly no part of his value； and certainly no part of his greatness。
Rather； it is the very thing that limits him； and I think that Doctor
Holmes appeared in the full measure of his generous personality to those
who did not and could not appreciate his circumstance； and not to those
who formed it； and who from life…long association were so dear and
comfortable to him。 Those who best knew how great a man he was were
those who came from far to pay him their duty； or to thank him for some
help they had got from his books； or to ask his counsel or seek his
sympathy。 With all such he was most winningly tender； most intelli