It was my turn to be afraid, alone in the house with two of the
stronger sex; and I retired.
On reaching home, I read my note and found it was Friday the 16th, not
the 9th, I was invited for....
Dear Mr. Fields, I shall be very happy to come to your home on Friday
evening, the 16th February, at 8 o'clock, to meet yourself and Mrs.
Fields and hear Mr. James read his paper on Emerson. Always truly
yours,
O. W. HOLMES.
On occasions of social dignity few men have ever surpassed Dr. Holmes
in grace of compliment and perfection of easy ceremony. It was an
acquired gift; perhaps it always must be. But as soon as human nature
was given a chance to show itself, he was always eager, bringing an
unsated store of intellectual curiosity to bear upon every new person
or condition. He was generous to a fault in showing his own hand,
moving with "infinite jest" over the current of his experiences until
he could tempt his interlocutor out upon the same dangerous waters. If
others were slow to embark, he nevertheless interested them in the
history of his own voyage of life.
Dr. Holmes had never known any very difficult hand to hand struggle
with life, but he was quite satisfied with its lesser difficulties. He
could laugh at his own want of courage, as he called a certain lack of
love for adventure, and he could admire the daring of others. He was
happy in the circle of his home affections, and never cared to stray
faraway.
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