This is one of the American Men of Letters series, published by Houghton, Mifflin & Co. Though issued two years ago, the words twelfth thousand, on the titlepage, indicate the deserved popularity of this biography.
There is a delicacy about Dr. Holmes's poetic touch which is as delightful as a June morning. We regret that the Index (which the Preface states was prepared by J. H. Wiggin, whose literary work is not unknown to this Journal) does not give more references to Dr. Holmes's own beautiful passages; but he modestly decided that the allusions should be to his subject, not to himself. Ralph Waldo Emerson was a century plant,—a man who could see wondrously deep, and tell what he saw; and the poet-physician gives a picture of him delightful to peruse. Holmes could see Emerson as he was,—the man, as well as the philosopher.
