Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. Quotes

The hat is the ultimatum moriens of respectability.

The hat is the ultimatum moriens of respectability.

I know it is a sin
For me to sit and grin
At him here;
more

I know it is a sin
For me to sit and grin
At him here;
But the old three-cornered hat
And the breeches and all that
Are so queer.

Day hath put on his jacket, and around
His burning bosom buttoned it with stars.

Day hath put on his jacket, and around
His burning bosom buttoned it with stars.

Thou art a female, Katydid!
I know it by the trill
That quivers through thy piercing notes
more

Thou art a female, Katydid!
I know it by the trill
That quivers through thy piercing notes
So petulant and shrill.
I think there is a knot of you
Beneath the hollow tree,
A knot of spinster Katydids,--
Do Katydids drink tea?

The crack-brained bobolink courts his crazy mate,
Poised on a bulrush tipsy with his weight.

The crack-brained bobolink courts his crazy mate,
Poised on a bulrush tipsy with his weight.

Then there is that glorious Epicurean paradox, uttered by my
friend, the Historian in one of his flashing moments: more

Then there is that glorious Epicurean paradox, uttered by my
friend, the Historian in one of his flashing moments: "Give us
the luxuries of life, and we will dispense with its necessaries."

Scarce one tall frigate walks the sea
Or skirts the safer shores
Of all that bore to more

Scarce one tall frigate walks the sea
Or skirts the safer shores
Of all that bore to victory
Our stout old Commodores.

Nail to the mast her holy flag,
Set every threadbare sail,
And give her to the God more

Nail to the mast her holy flag,
Set every threadbare sail,
And give her to the God of storms,
The lightning and the gale.

Boston State-house is the hub of the solar system. You couldn't
pry that out of a Boston man if more

Boston State-house is the hub of the solar system. You couldn't
pry that out of a Boston man if you had the tire of all creation
straightened out for a crow-bar.

I find that the great thing in this world is not so much where we
stand as in what more

I find that the great thing in this world is not so much where we
stand as in what direction we are moving: To reach the port of
heaven, we must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes
against it--but we must sail, and not drift, nor lie at anchor.