Works in the Collection      Manuscript Materials      Biographies

Oliver Wendell Holmes was born in Cabridge, Massachusetts. After a brief foray into law, he embarked upon a career in medicine. A noted physician, Holmes was a professor of Anatomy at both Dartmouth and Harvard. He was a frequent contributor to the Atlantic Monthly from its first issue, writing essays and light verse. Holmes also authored novels, which were influenced by his medical and psychological views. Prolific and opinionated, Holmes drew many honors as a lecturer, essayist, poet, novelist, and biographer.

Works in the EAF Collection

Elsie Venner: A Romance of Destiny (1861) [Volume 1] [Volume 2] (Restricted)

The Guardian Angel (1867) (Restricted)

EAF Manuscript Materials

Letter: Holmes to "Dear Sir" (no date)

Letter: Holmes to Frederick Swartwout Cozzens (February 9, 1859)

Letter: Holmes to "Dear Sir" (July 4, 1881)

Letter: Holmes to Elizabeth Stuart Phelps [Ward] (November 4, 1883)

Photo: O. W. Holmes (signed)

Photo: Holmes, standing

Contemporary Biographies

From Oscar Fay Adams, A Dictionary of American Authors (1901)

From Samuel Austin Allibone, A Critical Dictionary of English Literature (1900)

From Evert A. Duyckinck, Cyclopaedia of American Literature (1856)