Oliver Wendell Holmes

by Stephen Budiansky

  revises Kent’s Commentaries, 163–68; embarks on intensive legal research culminating in The Common Law, 152–53, 162, 168–78; wrongly fears he has TB, 178; accepts professorship at Harvard Law School, 179–80; abruptly leaves Harvard for judgeship on SJC, 180–82, 180; gains invaluable experience as trial judge, 182–96, 197–201; 1888 rail trip West with Shattuck and Fanny, 216–17; 1889 trip to England, 217–19; stirs controversy with dissents sympathetic to labor on SJC, 221–25, 241–43, 247; begins summers at Beverly Farms, 225–26; inherits sizeable legacies from father, sister, and father-in-law, 227–28; 1896 trip to England and Ireland, 234–38; flirtation and correspondence with Clare Castletown, 219, 234–40, 249–53; travels by carriage to nephew’s wedding, 248–49; 1898 trip to England and Ireland, 249–51; appointed chief justice of SJC, 253; 1901 and later trips to England and Ireland, 252, 283–84, 303–5, 323–24, 506n55; named by TR to Supreme Court, 253–59; moves to Washington, 257, 260, 270; buys Washington residence at 1720 Eye Street, 280, 286–87, 306–12, 307, 308, 311, 408; falling-out with TR over Northern Securities case, 299–301; buys Beverly Farms property, 331; receives honorary degrees, Oxford and Berlin, 323–24, 506n55; surprise seventy-fifth birthday party, 353–54; targeted in bomb attack, 386–87, 387; eightieth birthday party, 399; prostate operation, 406–9; growing public fame, 11, 14, 420–23, 421, 422; becomes oldest-ever sitting justice, 438; as acting chief justice, 444; radio broadcast for ninetieth birthday, 446–47; portrait painted, 16, 320, 447; resignation from Court, 20, 448, 449; life in retirement, 448–49; birthday visit from FDR, 449–51; death and funeral, 451–52, 452; will and bequests, 453–55, 522n1; authorized biography project, 16, 455–57; reputation and legacy, 14–17, 457–61

  CHARACTER, PERSONAL LIFE, AND VIEWS:

  on ambition and success, 8, 10, 135, 153, 167–68, 247, 253–54, 323

  amusements and interests: aversion to dilettantism, 55–56; bicycling, 6, 207, 249; books and reading, 5, 7–8, 63, 287, 306, 331–32, 332, 376–77, 406, 408, 442–43; cigars, 93, 135, 307, 312, 448; drives, 3, 248–49, 250, 281, 316, 331, 408; etchings, 53, 60, 60, 88, 319; languages, 8, 331–32; London, 138–39, 147, 234, 283, 287, 303; nature, 53, 55–56, 113, 306–7, 319, 331, 385–86, 424–25; solitaire, 5, 184, 249, 331, 333, 408; summer vacations, 330–34, 365; walking, 1, 315–16, 358–59

  appearance: attire, iv, xii, 1, 5, 283, 450; as a boy, 39, 59; as Union officer, 4, 80, 108; as young man, 140, 147; in middle age, iv, 183, 213, 215, 247; as Supreme Court justice, xii, 1–2, 269, 273, 308, 360, 402; on 85th birthday, 421, 422; in final years, 443, 444, 450

  courage and tough-mindedness, 4, 59–60, 90, 131, 231, 316, 319, 364, 370, 431, 432–33, 461

  dislikes: athletics, 316; “facts,” 42, 341, 357, 389, 412; genealogical bores, 420–21; “gracious ladies,” 274; ignorant praise, 258, 422; newspapers, 257–58, 287, 321; philanthropy, 397–98; stag dinners, 208; tapioca pudding, 50; telephone, typewriter, and “conveniences,” 308–9

  domestic life: attitude toward children, 206–7; automobile, 307, 312; cold baths, 2; daily routines, 5, 315–16; entertaining, 307, 310–11; home decor, 228, 310, 311; meals, 5, 313–14; money and investments, 179, 227–28; servants, 20, 228, 310, 311–12, 331, 453

  duty and work ethic, 4–5, 7–8, 58, 63, 106–7, 118, 124, 129, 365, 423–24

  friendships: importance of, 17–18; letter-writing, 17–18, 211–12, 218, 219–21; with young people, 2, 17, 316–17, 326, 329–30, 354–55, 371

  health: asthma, 406; corns, 141; depression and “pull downs,” 152, 257, 259, 448; effect of war wounds, 128; fall on stairs, 325; prostate trouble and surgery, 207, 406–9, 420, 451; rheumatism, 265; sexuality, 207, 210–11, 483n61, 491–92n20; shingles, 251; tuberculosis scare, 178

  marriage: general thoughts on, 161; relationship with wife, 157, 202–5, 215–16, 238, 239, 277, 279, 303–4, 305 (see also Holmes, Fanny Dixwell)

  New England countryside, affinity for, 53, 55–56, 113, 248–49

  personality: conversation, 38–39, 112, 145, 213–14, 315–16, 424; drinking, 126, 135, 179, 312, 354, 399, 449; generosity, 17, 47, 317, 397–98; “greatness,” 1–2, 15–16, 19; handwriting, 6, 231; humor and wit, 8–10, 231, 266, 293; joie de vivre, 2, 5; privacy, 455–56; profanity and ribaldry, 10, 40, 141–42, 443; susceptibility to flattery, 375, 400; voice, 1, 435, 446; “Yankee,” 227–28, 456

  philosophy of life: on aging and death, 2, 9, 322, 324, 352, 424–25, 451; agnosticism, 56–58, 60, 87, 150–51, 284–86, 322; “bettabilitarian,” 149; disdain for self-importance, 8–9, 10, 19, 128; distrust of certainty, 20–21, 65, 130–31, 151, 224, 243, 293, 376, 461; “jobbism” and professionalism, 4–5, 136, 137–38, 316, 423–24; skepticism, 9, 20–21, 51, 130, 150–51, 223–24, 330; Unitarian influence on, 62–65

  politics: doubts about reforms and “causes,” 14, 130–31, 223, 247, 329–30, 396; inaccurately characterized as “liberal,” 15–16, 354–55, 457–59; low opinion of politicians, 399; Republican Party loyalty, 399; socialism as “drool,” 19, 223

  social views: absence of racial and ethnic prejudice, 19, 359, 413; anti-utopianism, 19, 223, 396, 398; disdain for idle rich, 19–20; egalitarianism, 19, 137–38, 249, 274, 275–76; Malthusianism and Social Darwinism, 62–63, 398, 431, 433; shaped by war experiences, 9, 19, 117

  traveling, anxiety over (“train fever”), 250–51, 330–31, 365

  war: effect of upon, 3–4, 9, 19, 106, 117, 127–32, 136, 259, 452; as “organized bore,” 108; views about, 93, 105–7, 118, 127, 316, 363–64, 478n25

  women: differences between the sexes, 139, 208, 212; flirtations and enjoyment of company, 159, 208–16, 218–19, 239, 279–80, 317; respect for intellect of, 18, 211–13; women’s rights and suffrage, 131

  youth, enthusiasms and melancholy of, 8, 50, 61, 130, 147, 148, 152, 284, 316

  LEGAL SCHOLARSHIP AND THOUGHT:

  adaptability of law, 10–11, 64, 169–73

  “bad man” concept, 244–45, 497n46

  balancing tests and matter of degree, 21, 173–74, 201, 246, 293, 296–97, 346, 383, 434

  community standards, 64, 172, 174–76, 186–87, 233

  constitutional theory, 21–22, 64, 224–25, 293, 296, 460

  external standard, 21, 170, 175–76, 230, 232–33

  general principles, inadequacy of, 20–21, 64, 241, 243–44, 246, 272, 293

  intent and privilege, 175–76, 229–30, 232–33, 241–42, 383–84

  judicial restraint, 21–22, 223, 224–25, 293–94, 396–97, 436

  juries, 175, 234, 432

  law as expression of sovereign force, 131

  and “legal theologians,” 170, 246

  morality in law, 165, 170, 175–76, 232–33, 244–45, 397

  natural law, 376

  negligence, 175–76, 234

  policymaking, 170, 173–74, 241–43

  political impartiality, 21–22, 223–24, 242–43, 295, 302

  prediction theory of law, 243

  “reasonable man,” 21, 175, 232–33

  rights, 21, 65, 106, 297, 369–70, 376, 413, 429

  rules and precedent, 189, 195–96, 415

  statutory interpretation, 198, 200

  and “syllogistic” reasoning, 22, 64, 243, 342

  ON MASSACHUSETTS SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT:

  caseload and circuit sessions, 183–84, 193

  charge to juries, 194

  as chief justice, 253, 264

  criticisms of his decisions, 224, 254, 257–58, 341

  courtroom manner, 194–95

  dissenting opinions, 222–23, 224, 232, 241–42

  divorce cases, 187–89

  and economic competition, 198–99, 241–42, 246

  and external standard, 186–87, 230, 232–33

  fraud cases, 191–92

  free speech cases, 378–79, 383

  inheritance cases, 189–91

  labor law and strikes, 200, 222–23, 241–42, 247, 254–55, 258, 348

  murder trials, 193

/>   number of decisions written, 7

  and “police power,” 200–201

  and power of legislature, 222–25

  and problems of urbanization, 197–98

  record on appeal, 196, 241, 490n50

  reintroduces judicial robes, 253

  relations with fellow justices, 230–31

  salary, 227

  and social and economic legislation, 222–25

  “standard time” case, 186–87, 186

  tort cases, 233–34, 431–32

  as trial justice, 182–96, 197–200

  and verbosity of counsel, 194–95

  and wagering, 199–200

  will cases, 189–91

  writing letters from the bench, 194–95

  writing style, 229

  see also names of specific cases in Index of Court Cases

  AS U.S. SUPREME COURT JUSTICE:

  acting chief, 444

  antitrust cases, 294, 297–301, 339–41

  bound volumes of opinions, 333–34

  brevity, speed, and writing style, 6–7, 11–13, 265–67, 271, 281, 294–95, 341, 431, 438

  building regulation cases, 296–97

  and certiorari, 403, 438

  child labor cases, 362–63, 362

  copyright cases, 272, 273, 273, 277

  courtroom manner, 404–5

  crank mail, 47, 386

  criticisms by academics, 341

  as dissenting justice, 294–95, 344–48, 362–63, 405, 409, 416, 437–38, 442

  and federal common law, 437–38

  free speech cases, 368–71, 378–86, 381, 390–93, 440–42, 460–61

  habeas corpus cases, 348–51, 417–19, 425–28, 459

  labor cases, 291–97, 342, 348, 397, 459

  love of job, 264–65, 266, 281–82

  messengers, 20, 260–61, 352

  number of decisions written, 7, 281

  patent cases, 444

  “puke” test, 293, 459

  racial discrimination cases, 412–17, 428

  relations with fellow justices, 266–67, 270–71, 311, 321, 336–43, 345–47, 353, 403, 404, 405–6, 411

  retirement, 324, 343, 399–400, 420, 448–49, 449

  salary, 228

  secretaries, 5–6, 313–20, 364

  social and economic regulation cases, 272, 292–97, 339–41, 405, 408–12, 459

  and sovereign immunity, 435–36

  sterilization case, 14–15, 428–31

  tax cases, 297, 410, 445, 453n22

  tort cases, 346, 431–42

  work habits and office arrangements, 6–7, 262, 307–9, 308

  see also names of specific cases in Index of Court Cases

  WRITINGS AND SPEECHES:

  “Books” (1858), 57–58, 60

  “Plato” (1860), 60–61

  “Notes on Albert Durer” (1860), 58

  “The Theory of Torts” (1873), 164–65n34

  Kent’s Commentaries (1873), 163–67

  The Common Law (1881), 10, 11, 14, 21, 168–78, 171, 179, 232, 244, 292, 294, 435

  “Memorial Day” (1884), 92, 104, 123, 127

  “The Profession of the Law” (1886), 153, 461

  “The Use of Law Schools” (Harvard Law School Association, 1886), 45, 138n34

  “Privilege, Malice, and Intent” (1894), 230, 241, 242

  “The Soldier’s Faith” (1895), 117–18, 119–20, 127, 223n56, 254, 364, 376

  “Learning and Science” (Harvard Law School Association, 1896), 224n61

  “The Path of the Law” (1897), 129n7, 243–46, 223–24n57

  “George Otis Shattuck” (1897), 155–56n12–13

  Twentieth Regimental Association (1897), 107

  “Law in Science and Science in Law” (1899), 183n14

  “Walbridge Abner Field” (1899), 13n50, 199–200n58, 230–31nn6–8

  “Memoir of George O. Shattuck, LL.B.” (1900), 155n11, 156–57n15

  Bar Association of Boston (1900), 258

  “William Crowninshield Endicott” (1900), 183n15, 193n42

  Chicago Bar Association (1902), 12–13n48, 259n7

  Middlesex Bar Association (1902), 224n57, 259n9

  Tavern Club (1902), 49n2, 50nn4–5

  Second Corps Association (1903), 3–4n10

  Class of ’61 (1911), 461

  Alpha Delta Phi Club (1912), 49–50nn3–4, 59

  “Ideals and Doubts” (1915), 21n74, 223n56

  “Natural Law” (1918), 376, 431

  “Death Plucks My Ear” (1931), 446–47

  Holmes, Dr. Oliver Wendell, Sr. (father of OWH)

  appearance, 24, 34, 39, 44

  background and early life, 23, 33, 34–35

  Boston and Cambridge residences, 31–32, 32, 48–49, 50, 88, 159–60, 160, 217, 225

  on Boston’s intellectual ferment, 23–24, 27

  conflicts and rivalry with son, 38–39, 43–47, 87–88, 97–99, 106–7, 122, 276

  on effects of the war, 131–32

  and Emerson, 38, 43, 49

  humor and flippancy, 9, 37, 41–43, 44, 109

  interests and hobbies, 37–38, 52–53

  “kicks” OWH into the law, 134–35, 167–68

  literary pursuits, 23, 35, 41–43

  medical studies and career, 27, 35–37, 46–47

  old age and death, 217, 226–27

  OWH criticizes for triviality, 44

  and OWH’s troubles at Harvard, 58, 74–75

  and OWH’s war wounds, 87–88, 97–98

  praises Fanny’s character, 157, 229

  present at OWH’s Lowell Lectures, 177

  religious disbelief, 33–34

  and Saturday Club, 38, 46

  slavery views, 68–69, 70

  summer homes, 51–53, 52, 225–26, 226

  as talker, 38–39, 43, 140

  Homer, 8, 107, 311, 377

  Hooper, Clover (Mrs. Henry Adams), 139, 146, 183, 281

  Hooper, Rose, 157

  Hoover, Herbert, 329, 444

  Hoover, J. Edgar, 387

  Horwitz, Morton J., 245–46, 246–47

  House of Commons, 140

  “House of Truth,” 328–30, 328, 353, 354

  Howe, Daniel, 62, 131, 134, 137

  Howe, Mark Anthony DeWolfe, 456

  Howe, Mark DeWolfe

  authorized biography of OWH, 16, 18, 456–57

  interviews and materials on OWH collected by, 16, 18, 165, 219, 239, 309, 456–57, 465

  learns of destruction of Fanny Holmes’s personal papers, 205–6

  observations on OWH: originality of work on Kent’s Commentaries, 163–64; relations with women, 210, 211–12, 215

  omissions in OWH’s published letters, 207, 472n3, 495n18, 514n57, 523n11

  and OWH’s bequest to U.S. government, 454

  OWH’s remarks to: writing opinions “like pissing,” 10; relations with father, 47; challenging his morals professor at Harvard, 57; “real horror” of war, 107; old Court chamber “a beauty,” 263–64; sex in modern novels, 443; glad at Court’s rejection of fictitious test of “business affected with public interest,” 449; seeing Lincoln at Fort Stevens, 480n70

  papers, 465

  as secretary to OWH, 10, 320

  Howe, Walter, 330

  Howells, William Dean, 220

  Hughes, Justice Charles Evans

  ally of OWH on Court, 336, 337, 350, 353

  on dissents as appeals to future, 347

  Hoover appoints chief justice, 444–45

  on inconvenience of Court chambers, 263

  on OWH’s mastery of common law, 165–66

  and OWH’s resignation, 20, 448, 449

  on OWH’s Uncle John, 40

  passed over for chief justice in 1910, 322–23

  radio broadcast on OWH’s birthday, 446

  on relations of OWH with fellow justices, 338, 341

  resigns to run for president, 353, 401

  Hughes, Tom, 159

  Hunt, Dr. William, 87, 1
09

  Huntington, Frederic Dan, 57, 58

  Huntington Hall, 176, 176

  Illinois, OWH’s hunting trip to, 284

  Illinois Law Review, 393

  immigrants, see Boston: Irish in; Civil War: immigrants in; German-Americans; Jews

  inaugurations, presidential, 399

  income tax, 268, 269, 523n22

  independent agencies, 524n22

  industrial accidents, 222, 397, 435

  Industrial History of the United States, The (Coman), 332

  industrialization, problems of, 196–98, 221–24

  Inferno (Dante), 8

  inheritance cases, 190–91, 192, 196

  inheritance taxes, 410, 445

  injunctions

  in equity cases, 184, 385

  labor, 241, 348, 405, 458, 459

  injury cases, see torts and tort law; workers’ compensation; workplace safety

  insurance

  bank deposit, 342

  contested beneficiaries of, 189

  regulation of, 291

  social, 397

  intent

  in criminal law, 232–33, 383–84

  legislative, 200

  in liability, 175–76

  malicious, 230

  and privilege, 229–30, 241–42

  interpretation, statutory, 200

  Introduction to Mathematics (Whitehead), 332

  Inveraray Castle, 142

  Ireland, OWH’s visits to, 215, 215, 236–38, 237, 250–52, 283–84, 304, 325–26

  Irish-Americans, 19, 76, 77, 78–79, 132–34, 197

  Italy, OWH’s visit to, 159

  Jackson, Judge Charles (maternal grandfather of OWH), 45, 51, 307

  Jackson, Dr. James (great-uncle of OWH), 27, 51

  Jackson, Patrick Tracy (great-uncle of OWH), 51

  Jackson, Mrs. Stonewall, 278, 501n61

  James, Alice, 45–46, 203, 218