Chapter I: Front Matter

THE WORKS OF OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES

AN INDEX

By Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

Project Gutenberg Editions

EDITOR'S NOTE:

This is the physician and poet, not his son of the same name who was a Supreme Court Justice and famous in his own right. Very early on Dr. Holmes became my mentor and guide in the philosophy of medicine. Though his world-wide fame was based on his prose and poetry, he was an eminent leader in medicine. Many—too many years ago I would often assign Holmes' "Medical Essays" to a medical student whose sharp edges of science needed some rounding-off with a touch of humanity. I have no longer the privilege of assigning anything to anybody, yet encourage any of you, especially any who may be physicians, to read the thoughts of a family doctor of the early 1800's. David Widger

AUTOCRAT AT THE BREAKFAST TABLE

THE PROFESSOR AT THE BREAKFAST TABLE

THE POET AT THE BREAKFAST TABLE

OVER THE TEACUPS

ELSIE VENNER

THE GUARDIAN ANGEL

A MORTAL ANTIPATHY

PAGES FROM AND OLD VOLUME OF LIFE

MEDICAL ESSAYS

MEMOIR OF JOHN LOTHROP MOTLEY

AUTOCRAT AT THE BREAKFAST TABLE

THE PROFESSOR AT THE BREAKFAST TABLE

PREFACE TO REVISED EDITION.

PREFACE TO THE NEW EDITION

THE PROFESSOR AT THE BREAKFAST-TABLE.

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

VII

VIII

IX

X

XI

XII

THE POET AT THE BREAKFAST TABLE

PREFACE.

PREFACE TO THE NEW EDITION.

THE POET AT THE BREAKFAST-TABLE.

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

VII

VIII

IX

X

XI

XII

OVER THE TEACUPS

PREFACE.

OVER THE TEACUPS.

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

VII

VIII.

IX

X

XI

XII

ELSIE VENNER

PREFACE.

A SECOND PREFACE.

PREFACE TO THE NEW EDITION.

ELSIE VENNER.
CHAPTER I. THE BRAHMIN CASTE OF NEW ENGLAND.
CHAPTER II. THE STUDENT AND HIS CERTIFICATE.
CHAPTER III. MR. BERNARD TRIES HIS HAND.
CHAPTER IV. THE MOTH FLIES INTO THE CANDLE.
CHAPTER V. AN OLD-FASHIONED DESCRIPTIVE CHAPTER.
CHAPTER VI. THE SUNBEAM AND THE SHADOW.
CHAPTER VII. THE EVENT OF THE SEASON.
CHAPTER VIII. THE MORNING AFTER.
CHAPTER IX. THE DOCTOR ORDERS THE BEST SULKY.
CHAPTER X. THE DOCTOR CALLS ON ELSIE VENNER.
CHAPTER XI. COUSIN RICHARD'S VISIT.
CHAPTER XII. THE APOLLINEAN INSTITUTE.
CHAPTER XIII. CURIOSITY.
CHAPTER XIV. FAMILY SECRETS.
CHAPTER XV. PHYSIOLOGICAL.
CHAPTER XVI. EPISTOLARY.
CHAPTER XVII. OLD SOPHY CALLS ON THE REVEREND DOCTOR.
CHAPTER XVIII. THE REVEREND DOCTOR CALLS ON BROTHER FAIRWEATHER.
CHAPTER XIX. THE SPIDER ON HIS THREAD.
CHAPTER XX. FROM WITHOUT AND FROM WITHIN.
CHAPTER XXI. THE WIDOW ROWENS GIVES A TEA-PARTY.
CHAPTER XXII. WHY DOCTORS DIFFER.
CHAPTER XXIII. THE WILD HUNTSMAN.
CHAPTER XXIV. ON HIS TRACKS.
CHAPTER XXV. THE PERILOUS HOUR.
CHAPTER XXVI. THE NEWS REACHES THE DUDLEY MANSION.
CHAPTER XXVII. A SOUL IN DISTRESS.
CHAPTER XXVIII. THE SECRET IS WHISPERED.
CHAPTER XXIX. THE WHITE ASH.
CHAPTER XXX. THE GOLDEN CORD IS LOOSED.
CHAPTER XXXI. MR. SILAS PECKHAM RENDERS HIS ACCOUNT.
CHAPTER XXXII. CONCLUSION.

THE GUARDIAN ANGEL

TO MY READERS.

PREFACE TO THE NEW EDITION.

THE GUARDIAN ANGEL