wilderness like Whittier or Lowell。 His note was heard rather amid the
sweet security of streets； but it was always for a finer and gentler
civility。 He imagined no new rule of life； and no philosophy or theory
of life will be known by his name。 He was not constructive； he was
essentially observant； and in this he showed the scientific nature。
He made his reader known to himself； first in the little； and then in the
larger things。 From first to last he was a censor； but a most winning
and delightful censor； who could make us feel that our faults were other
people's； and who was not wont
〃To bait his homilies with his brother worms。〃
At one period he sat in the seat of the scorner； as far as Reform was
concerned； or perhaps reformers； who are so often tedious and ridiculous；
but he seemed to get a new heart with the new mind which came to him when
he began to write the Autocrat papers； and the light mocker of former
days became the serious and compassionate thinker； to whom most truly
nothing that was human was alien。 His readers trusted and loved him； few
men have ever written so intimately with so much dignity； and perhaps
none has so endeared himself by saying just the thing for his reader that
his reader could not say for himself。 He sought the universal through
himself in others； and he found to his delight and theirs that the most
universal thing was often； if not always； the most personal thing。
In my later meetings with him I was struck more and more by his
gentleness。 I believe that men are apt to grow gentler as they grow
older； unless they are of the curmudgeon type； which rusts and crusts
with age； but with Doctor Holmes the gentleness was peculiarly marked。
He seemed to shrink from all things that could provoke controversy； or
even difference； he waived what might be a matter of dispute； and rather
sought the things that he could agree with you upon。 In the last talk I
had with him he appeared to have no grudge left； except for the puritanic
orthodoxy in which he had been bred as a child。 This he was not able to
forgive； though its tradition was interwoven with what was tenderest and
dearest in his recollections of childhood。 We spoke of puritanism； and
I said I sometimes wondered what could be the mind of a man towards life
who had not been reared in its awful shadow； say an English Churchman； or
a Continental Catholic； and he said he could not imagine； and that he did
not believe such a man could at all enter into our feelings； puritanism；
he seemed to think； made an essential and ineradicable difference。 I do
not believe he had any of that false sentiment which attributes virtue of
character to severity of creed； while it owns the creed to be wrong。
He differed from Longfellow in often speaking of his contemporaries。 He
spoke of them frankly； but with an appreciative rather than a censorious
criticism。 Of Longfellow himself he said that day； when I told him I had
been writing about him； and he seemed to me a man without error； that he
could think of but one error in him； and that was an error of taste； of
almost merely literary taste。 It was at an earlier time that he talked
of Lowell； after his death； and told me that Lowell once in the fever of
his anti…slavery apostolate had written him； urging him strongly； as a
matter of duty； to come out for the cause he had himself so much at
heart。 Afterwards Lowell wrote again； owning himself wrong in his
appeal； which he had come to recognize as invasive。 〃He was ten years
younger than I；〃 said the doctor。
I found him that day I speak of in his house at Beverly Farms； where he
had a pleasant study in a corner by the porch； and he met me with all the
cheeriness of old。 But he confessed that he had been greatly broken up
by the labor of preparing something that might be read at some
commemorative meeting； and had suffered from finding first that he could
not write something specially for it。 Even the copying and adapting an
old poem had overtaxed him； and in this he showed the failing powers of
age。 But otherwise he was still young； intellectually； that is； there
was no failure of interest in intellectual things； especially literary
things。 Some new book lay on the table at his elbow； and he asked me if
I had seen it； and made some joke about his having had the good luck to
read it； and have it lying by him a few days before when the author
called。 I do not know whether he schooled himself against an old man's
tendency to revert to the past or not； but I know that he seldom did so。
That morning； however； he made several excursions into it； and told me
that his youthful satire of the 'Spectre Pig' had been provoked by a poem
of the elder Dana's； where a phantom horse had been seriously employed；
with an effect of anticlimax which he had found irresistible。 Another
foray was to recall the oppression and depression of his early religious
associations； and to speak with moving tenderness of his father； whose
hard doctrine as a minister was without effect upon his own kindly
nature。
In a letter written to me a few weeks after this time； upon an occasion
when he divined that some word from him would be more than commonly dear；
he recurred to the feeling he then expressed： 〃Fifty…six years agomore
than half a centuryI lost my own father； his age being seventy…three
years。 As I have reached that period of life； passed it； and now left it
far behind； my recollections seem to brighten and bring back my boyhood
and early manhood in a clearer and fairer light than it came to me in my
middle decades。 I have often wished of late years that I could tell him
how I cherished his memory； perhaps I may have the happiness of saying
all I long to tell him on the other side of that thin partition which I
love to think is all that divides us。〃
Men are never long together without speaking of women； and I said how
inevitably men's lives ended where they began； in the keeping of women；
and their strength failed at last and surrendered itself to their care。
I had not finished before I was made to feel that I was poaching； and
〃Yes；〃 said the owner of the preserve； 〃I have spoken of that；〃 and he
went on to tell me just where。 He was not going to have me suppose I had
invented those notions； and I could not do less than own that I must have
found them in his book； and forgotten it。
He spoke of his pleasant summer life in the air； at once soft and fresh；
of that lovely coast； and of his drives up and down the country roads。
Sometimes this lady and sometimes that came for him； and one or two
habitually； but he always had his own carriage ordered； if they failed；
that he might not fail of his drive in any fair weather。 His cottage was
not immediately on the sea； but in full sight of it； and there was a
sense of the sea about it； as there is in all that incomparable region；
and I do not think he could have been at home anywhere beyond the reach
of its salt breath。
I was anxious not to outstay his strength； and I kept my eye on the clock
in frequent glances。 I saw that he followed me in one of these； and I
said that I knew what his hours were； and I was watching so that I might
go away in time； and then he sweetly protested。 Did I like that chair I
was sitting in？ It was a gift to him； and he said who gave it； with a
pleasure in the fact that was very charming； as if he liked the
association of the thing with his friend。 He was disposed to excuse the
formal look of his bookcases； which were filled with sets； and presented
some phalanxes of fiction in rather severe array。
When I rose to go； he was concerned about my being able to find my way
readily to the station； and he told me how to go； and what turns to take；
as if he liked realizing the way to himself。 I believe he did not walk
much of late years； and I fancy he found much the same pleasure in
letting his imagination make this excursion to the station with me that
he would have found in actually going。
I saw him once more； but only once； when a day or two later he drove up
by our hotel in Magnolia toward the cottage where his secretary was
lodging。 He saw us from his carriage； and called us gayly to him； to
make us rejoice with him at having finally got that commemorative poem
off his mind。 He made a jest of the trouble it had cost him； even some
sleeplessness； and said he felt now like a convalescent。 He was all
brightness； and friendliness； and eagerness to make us feel his mood；
through what was common to us all； and I am glad that this last
impression of him is so one with the first I ever had； and with that
which every reader receives from his work。
That is bright； and friendly and eager too； for it is throughout the very
expression of himself。 I think it is a pity if an author disappoints
even the unreasonable expectation of the reader； whom his art has invited
to love him； but I do not believe that Doctor Holmes could inflict this
disappointment。 Certainly he could disappoint no reasonable expectation；
no intelligent expectation。 What he wrote； that he was； and every one
felt this who met him。 He has therefore not died； as some men die； the
remote impe