Life, 1889-06-13 · page 7 of 16
Life — June 13, 1889 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis This page features a biographical sketch of Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, a prominent Boston physician and Professor of Anatomy at Massachusetts Medical School. The accompanying illustration is labeled "Life's Gallery of Beauties, No. 31: Dr. O. W. Holmes." The text celebrates Holmes's literary and social contributions to New England life, noting that his poetry and essays are essential to public occasions. It mentions his published work "The Autocrat of the Breakfast Table" and credits him with improving public understanding of cooking and serving methods. The illustration appears to be a portrait photograph of Holmes in his later years. At the bottom of the page is a humorous aphorism: "The school-boy thinks that a switch in the hand would be twice as good in the bush"—a playful inversion of the proverb "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush," likely reflecting Holmes's wit.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES. R. HOLMES'S principal claim to distinction lies in the fact that he has lived in Boston and its immediate vicinity since 1809, and has not yet fallen a victim to acute melancholia. This may be accounted for by the other fact that he has since 1847 been Professor of Anatomy in the Massachusetts Medical School, and has therefore had the pri lege of fleeing to the cheering surround- ings of the dissecting-room whenever he felt depression o’erclouding his soul. Dr. Holmes and his little poem are essential to every festive and public occasion in New England. When the selectmen of a New England village decide to lay the corner-stone of a new school-house, or take any other impor- tant step, they first write and ask Dr. Holmes to be present with a poem. If he accepts, they know the Boston papers will send reporters, and that their re- election is assured. If he declines, the letter of declination, written by his secre- tary, is starred on the programme of exercises, Dr. Holmes first gained notice in the world of letters by the publication of “The Autocrat of the Breakfast Table.” In Chicago, St. Louis and other Western cities, this is believed to be a treatise on table manners, and is therefote never read, If the housewives of that section knew that it was really a most charming collection of essays on the proper methods of cooking and serving brown-bread and pork and beans, they would bemoan their former ignorance. Among his other works are ‘‘The Professor at the Breakfast Table,” ‘‘The Poet at the Breakfast Table;” an able effort to demonstrate that in times of necessity conversation may be made to take the place of victuals; and “Elsie Vener,” a romance based on love, hypnotism, and delirium tremens. Just as Paul, from the gloomy sur- roundings of his prison, sent words of cheer and comfort to his brethren out- side, so has Dr. Holmes sent from the bean-sodden atmosphere of Boston mirth and sunshine to the whole reading world. No better evidence of a man's ability to rise superior to his surroundings could be had. Pie for breakfast has not soured his genial disposition, and the blue-laws have had no jurisdiction in his merry heart. He is now eighty years old, and having reached the age of discretion, may decide to remove to New York. In that case there is no reason why he should not gratify his countless lovers and admirers by rounding out a century of life. TH school-boy thinks that a switch in the hand would be twice as good in the bush. LIFE'S GALLERY OF BEAUTIES. DR, 0. W. HOLMES, No. ar. comicbooks.com