I am reminded of the flow and fun of
the Autocrat. But you never say so to yourself when you are sitting in
his room.

I had arranged with my friend Mr. Sample that he should carry his
camera to the house, and it was in gaps in this very conversation that
the picture of both of us was taken. I told Doctor Holmes how pleased
I was at this chance of going to posterity under his escort.

I told him of the paper on Emerson which I had in hand, and thanked
him, as well as I could, in a few words, for his really marvellous
study of Emerson in the series of American authors. I said I really
wanted to bring him my paper to read. What I was trying to do, was to
show that the great idealist was always in touch with his time, and
eager to know what, at the moment, were the real facts of American
life.

_I._ I remember where Emerson stopped me on State Street once, to
cross-question me about some details of Irish emigration.

_Holmes._ Yes, he was eager for all practical information. I used to
meet him very often on Saturday evenings at the Saturday Club; and I
can see him now, as he bent forward eagerly at the table, if any one
were making an interesting observation, with his face like a hawk as
he took in what was said. You felt how the hawk would be flying
overhead and looking down on your thought at the next minute. I
remember that I once spoke of "the three great prefaces," and quick as
light Emerson said, "What are the three great prefaces?" and I had to
tell him.

_I._ I am sure I do not know what they are. What are they?

_Holmes._ They are Calvin's to his "Institutes," Thuanus's to his
history, and Polybius's to his.

_I._ And I have never read one of them!

[Illustration: THE HOUSE IN RUE MONSIEUR LE PRINCE WHERE DOCTOR HOLMES
LIVED FOR TWO YEARS WHEN STUDYING MEDICINE IN PARIS.]

_Holmes._ And I had then never read but one of them. It was a mere
piece of encyclopaedia learning of mine.

_I._ What I shall try to do in my address is to show that Emerson
would not have touched all sorts of people as he did, but for this
matter-of-fact interest in his daily surroundings--if he had not gone
to town-meetings, for instance. Was it you or Lowell who called him
the Yankee Plato?

_Holmes._ Not I. It was probably Lowell, in the "Fable for Critics." I
called him "a winged Franklin," and I stand by that. Matthew Arnold
quoted that afterwards, and I was glad I had said it.

_I._ I do not remember where you said it. H