There was plenty of sparkling
wit and repartee and plenty of serious talk from philosophers
and men of letters and science. Agassiz and Jeffries Wyman
would sometimes debate Darwin's theory of evolution, which
Darwin had confided to Asa Gray, another member, long before
he made it known to the public. Holmes and Lowell contributed
their wit, and Judge Hoar, whom Lowell declared the most brilliant
man in conversation he had ever known, his shrewd Yankee sense
and his marvellous store of anecdote. Some of the greatest
members, notably Emerson and Longfellow and Whittier, were
in general quite silent. But it was worth going a thousand
miles if but to see one of them, or to hear the tones of his
voice.
In the beginning I suspected Dr. Holmes of getting himself
ready for the talk at the dinner as for a lecture. But I
soon found that was utterly unjust. He was always as good
if a new subject were brought up, which he could not have
expected and which was wholly out of the range of his experience.
His stream was abundant and sparkling and clear, whenever
you might tap the cask.
Pages:
724
725
726
727
728
729
730
731
732
733
734
735
736
737
738
739
740
741
742
743
744
745
746
747
748