Top 25 Quotes by Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. of 112 - Page 5

Science is a first-rate piece of furniture for a man's upper chamber, if he has common sense on the ground-floor. But if a man hasn't got plenty of good common sense, the more science he has, the worse for his patient.

Science is a first-rate piece of furniture for a man's upper chamber, if he has common sense on the ground-floor. But if a man hasn't got plenty of good common sense, the more science he has, the worse for his patient.

Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

Science, Men, Common Sense

Oliver Wendell Holmes (1887). “The "Breakfast-table" Series: The Autocrat of the Breakfast-table; The Professor at the Breakfast- Table; The Poet at the Breakfast- Table”

Seventeen hundred and fifty-five. Georgius Secundus was then alive,-- Snuffy old drone from the German hive.

Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

Drones, Alive, Fifty

Oliver Wendell Holmes (1862). “Songs in Many Keys”, p.167

Man is born a predestined idealist, for he is born to act. To act is to affirm the worth of an end, and to persist in affirming the worth of an end is to make an ideal.

Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

Men, Philanthropy, Ends

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Richard A. Posner (1997). “The Essential Holmes: Selections from the Letters, Speeches, Judicial Opinions, and Other Writings of Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.”, p.95, University of Chicago Press

We call those poets who are first to mark, Through earth's dull mist the coming of the dawn, Who see in twilight's gloom the first pale spark, While others only note that day is gone.

Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

Twilight, Dawn, Gone

Oliver Wendell Holmes (1875). “Songs of Many Seasons : 1862-1874”, p.110

A pun does not commonly justify a blow in return. But if a blow were given for such cause, and death ensued, the jury would be judges both of the facts and of the pun, and might, if the latter were of an aggravated character, return a verdict of justifiable homicide.

Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

Character, Blow, Aggravation

Oliver Wendell Holmes (1875). “The Autocrat of the Breakfast-table: Every Man His Own Boswell”, p.13

I hate facts. I always say the chief end of man is to form general propositions - adding that no general proposition is worth a damn.

Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

Hate, Science, Men

Oliver Wendell Holmes (1943). “The Mind and Faith of Justice Holmes: His Speeches, Essays, Letters, and Judicial Opinions”, p.444, Transaction Publishers

Cupid "the little greatest enemy."

Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

Life, Enemy, Littles

Me wretched! Let me curr to quercine shades! Effund your albid hausts, lactiferous maids! O, might I vole to some umbrageous clump,-- Depart,--be off,--excede,--evade,--erump!

Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

Maids, Shade, Might

Oliver Wendell Holmes (1863). “The Poems of Oliver Wendell Holmes”, p.319