LITERARY HALF-HOUR.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 197, 19 July 1927, Page 2

LITERARY HALF-HOUR.

OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES. ADDRESS AT LUNCHEON CLUB. “The best is always yet to be.” This was the philosophy of Oliver Wendell Holmes, tire celebrated American poet and writer, upon whoso life and work Rev. J. Ernest Parsons delivered an interesting address at the Luncheon Club gathering to-day. Air H. Christmas presided. Holmes was born in 1809, stated Rev. Parsons, the year of “wonderful babies,” . as it was in this year that such celebrated men as Charles Darwin, Abraham Lincoln, Alfred Tennyson, Edgar Allan Poe, W. E.» Gladstone, and Chopin first saw the light of day. It was written of Holmes that, at 19 years of ago, ho was a "youth of small stature with an exceedingly smooth face, who parted liis hair very carefully, buttoned his coat tightly, nnjl smoked “most devoutly.” At this age his first poems had already been published in the form of an anlUliJ.

Another later description of the celebrated writer was that lie was neither sedate nor dissipated, but called himself lazy, and was prepared to discuss bis patriotism with 'any man whose lyditing weight was not more than b stone 41bs. In 1838 he was appointed professor of anatomy and physiology at a medical college in America, later, in 1345, taking up a similar position at Harvard Medical School.

Holmes was most famous for the authorship of the “Autocrat of the Breakfast Table” series, but also composed a number of very line and justly popular poems. A remarkable facility for the use ot similes, and a captivating wit were the paramount characteristics of liis works. Prior to liis death it was said' by Henry Drummond, who visited him at the age of 84 years, that “lie is the cliirpiest old man I ever saw. He has no quarrel with life and is pleased with everything and likes being patted on the back.” On October 7tlg 1894, Holmes passed away at the ripe age of 85 years, dying as lie liad lived, perfectly happy and contented with his lot.

ltev. Parsons interspersed his address by giving several delightful extracts from Holmes’s works. Air J. H. Stevens proposed the customary vote of thanks accorded the speaker, and remarked that such addresses did much towards the cultivation of a good literary taste.