AUTHOR'S NOTE.

My aim has been to furnish an intelligible sketch of the personal character and writings of Dr. Holmes, with the view of popularizing, if possible, him and his works among English readers. Those works are

already widely known and appreciated in this country; but there is room for an extended knowledge of them; for they contain much to instruct and elevate the mind, as well as please its lighter fancy. I have ventured in some few instances to turn from the immediate purpose of the work, and introduce some reflections of my own. Should these prove dull, I

may hope to be forgiven, as they will at least serve as foils to the beauties I have culled from the writings under criticism.

Throughout my work I have often referred to "The Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table," "The Professor at the Breakfast-Table," and "The Poet at the BreakfastTable," respectively, by the abbreviated terms of "The Autocrat," "The Professor," and "The Poet."

J. B.

Fanuary, 1878.

CHAPTER I.

PREFATORY.

а

THE lives of great men are so often marred by wretchedness of outward circumstances, or by their own perversities of living, that it is a rare pleasure when one is able to contemplate the life of a great man, who is also a successful, good, and happy man. Such is the pleasure which we may experience in the following out of the purpose of these pages.

Our purpose is to place before our readers a sketch of the personal circumstances and character of Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes-a brief biographyand to discuss critically his works: illustrating both biography and criticism with examples from his writings. In the working out of this purpose, we shall therefore-if we are successful-look at "the outer wrapping" of the man, that which belongs to him as an individual: and then discover his " spirit," that which belongs not only to himself, but to all men of all times who are willing to study him and accept

B