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Louis？〃
He had even had the inspiration to quote the word he preferred to the one
I had written； so that there was no merciful possibility of mistaking it
for a misprint； and my blood froze in my veins at sight of it。 Mr。
Fields had given me the sheets to read while he looked over some letters；
and he either felt the chill of my horror； or I made some sign or sound
of dismay that caught his notice； for he looked round at me。 I could
only show him the passage with a gasp。 I dare say he might have liked to
laugh； for it was cruelly funny； but he did not； he was concerned for the
magazine as well as for me。 He declared that when he first read the line
he had thought I could not have written it so； and he agreed with me that
it would kill the poem if it came out in that shape。 He instantly set
about repairing the mischief； so far as could be。 He found that the
whole edition of that sheet had been printed； and the air blackened round
me again； lighted up here and there with baleful flashes of the newspaper
wit at my cost； which I previsioned in my misery； I knew what I should
have said of such a thing myself； if it had been another's。 But the
publisher at once decided that the sheet must be reprinted； and I went
away weak as if in the escape from some deadly peril。 Afterwards it
appeared that the line had passed the first proof…reader as I wrote it；
but that the final reader had entered so sympathetically into the
realistic intention of my poem as to contribute the modification which
had nearly been my end。
X。
As it fell out； I lived without farther difficulty to the day and hour of
the dinner Lowell made for me； and I really think； looking at myself
impersonally； and remembering the sort of young fellow I was； that it
would have been a great pity if I had not。 The dinner was at the
old…fashioned Boston hour of two； and the table was laid for four people
in some little upper room at Parker's； which I was never afterwards able
to make sure of。 Lowell was already； there when I came； and he presented
me； to my inexpressible delight and surprise； to Dr。 Holmes； who was
there with him。
Holmes was in the most brilliant hour of that wonderful second youth
which his fame flowered into long after the world thought he had
completed the cycle of his literary life。 He had already received full
recognition as a poet of delicate wit； nimble humor； airy imagination；
and exquisite grace； when the Autocrat papers advanced his name
indefinitely beyond the bounds which most immortals would have found
range enough。 The marvel of his invention was still fresh in the minds
of men； and time had not dulled in any measure the sense of its novelty。
His readers all fondly identified him with his work； and I fully expected
to find myself in the Autocrat's presence when I met Dr。 Holmes。 But
the fascination was none the less for that reason； and the winning smile；
the wise and humorous glance； the whole genial manner was as important to
me as if I had foreboded something altogether different。 I found him
physically of the Napoleonic height which spiritually overtops the Alps；
and I could look into his face without that unpleasant effort which
giants of inferior mind so often cost the man of five feet four。
A little while after； Fields came in； and then our number and my pleasure
were complete。
Nothing else so richly satisfactory； indeed； as the whole affair could
have happened to a like youth at such a point in his career； and when I
sat down with Doctor Holmes and Mr。 Fields； on Lowell's right； I felt
through and through the dramatic perfection of the event。 The kindly
Autocrat recognized some such quality of it in terms which were not the
less precious and gracious for their humorous excess。 I have no reason
to think that he had yet read any of my poor verses； or had me otherwise
than wholly on trust from Lowell； but he leaned over towards his host；
and said； with a laughing look at me； 〃Well； James； this is something
like the apostolic succession； this is the laying on of hands。〃 I took
his sweet and caressing irony as he meant it； but the charm of it went to
my head long before any drop of wine； together with the charm of hearing
him and Lowell calling each other James and Wendell； and of finding them
still cordially boys together。
I would gladly have glimmered before those great lights in the talk that
followed； if I could have thought of anything brilliant to say； but I
could not； and so I let them shine without a ray of reflected splendor
from me。 It was such talk as I had； of course； never heard before； and
it is not saying enough to say that I have never heard such talk since
except from these two men。 It was as light and kind as it was deep and
true； and it ranged over a hundred things； with a perpetual sparkle of
Doctor Holmes's wit； and the constant glow of Lowell's incandescent
sense。 From time to time Fields came in with one of his delightful
stories （sketches of character they were； which he sometimes did not mind
caricaturing）； or with some criticism of the literary situation from his
stand…point of both lover and publisher of books。 I heard fames that I
had accepted as proofs of power treated as factitious； and witnessed a
frankness concerning authorship； far and near； that I had not dreamed of
authors using。 When Doctor Holmes understood that I wrote for the
'Saturday Press'； which was running amuck among some Bostonian
immortalities of the day； he seemed willing that I should know they were
not thought so very undying in Boston； and that I should not take the
notion of a Mutual Admiration Society too seriously； or accept the New
York Bohemian view of Boston as true。 For the most part the talk did not
address itself to me； but became an exchange of thoughts and fancies
between himself and Lowell。 They touched； I remember； on certain matters
of technique； and the doctor confessed that he had a prejudice against
some words that he could not overcome； for instance； he said； nothing
could induce him to use 'neath for beneath； no exigency of versification
or stress of rhyme。 Lowell contended that he would use any word that
carried his meaning； and I think he did this to the hurt of some of his
earlier things。 He was then probably in the revolt against too much
literature in literature； which every one is destined sooner or later to
share； there was a certain roughness； very like crudeness； which he
indulged before his thought and phrase mellowed to one music in his later
work。 I tacitly agreed rather with the doctor； though I did not swerve
from my allegiance to Lowell； and if I had spoken I should have sided
with him： I would have given that or any other proof of my devotion。
Fields casually mentioned that he thought 〃The Dandelion〃 was the most
popularly liked of Lowell's briefer poems； and I made haste to say that I
thought so too； though I did not really think anything about it； and then
I was sorry； for I could see that the poet did not like it； quite； and I
felt that I was duly punished for my dishonesty。
Hawthorne was named among other authors； probably by Fields； whose house
had just pu