Books and Manuscripts

Holmes, Oliver Wendell
Autograph Letter, signed
Boston, February 28, 1878. One sheet folded to make four pages, 8 1/8 x 5 1/8 in. (206 x 130 mm). Lengthy four-page autograph letter, signed by Oliver Wendell Holmes to Dr. Joseph G. Richardson, regarding Holmes's anatamony lectures; with original enveloped addressed by Holmes. Creasing from original folds. 

"My dear Dr. Richardson, 
I had a very pleasant call yesterday from two ladies, one of them being Mrs. Weigley, bringing with her the box and the three preparations. Tried them all while ladies sat in my library and was truly delighted. It seems strange that I, Professor of Anatomy have to be under obligations to so many friends for assistance, when I ought to be able to do all these things myself.--But with every year I find my time more and more encroached upon and you know how much patience and persistence is required  to make first rate mirco____ preparations. I am very fond of mechanical manipulations, but I have been of late altogether too much pressed with various duties to sit quietly down and make and mount those very objects of which I have need in my demonstrations. It save me so much time to have good mounted preparations instead of hunting for a good selection among twenty or thirty fresh ones that I lay all my willing friends--and who is so willing as I or at least more willing that your self? Under con__, calling on them to "Pity-the donor of a poor old Professor when travelling hands have brought him to your section-cutters or razor. 

Was that mine do really __ yet, but it is about time for __ to.--Well I thank you most heartily for three specimens every one of which will be of great service to me. I put up a fine specimen of organic muscular fibre which I have still, but the nuclei hardly shewed at all. I put a specimen of connective tissue cup__ from an embryo pig, but they were not well displayed and I had to hunt long before I found two or three in passable shape for exhibition. Now I do not expect in my Lecture-room to shew a great deal, but I do wish to shew everything clearly that I attempt to exhibit at all.--We have a special micro__ department where a few young men really take hold and work with the instruments. But I have to cover the whole ground of Anatomy, of course Histology can only have its practical __ in my course of Lectures.

I found the nuclei in the transverse section without difficulty, and saw all that I worked for in all three of the specimens.

Thanking you once more a thousand times for your great kindness. I am dear Richardson 
Very truly yours 
OW Holmes"