Through the Year With Famous Authors Part 14

--_Richter_.

JEAN PAUL FRIEDRICH RICHTER, the celebrated German philosopher and humorist, was born at Wunsiedel, Bavaria, March 21, 1763, and died at Bayreuth, November 14, 1825. His noted works were: "The Country Valley,"

"t.i.tan," "Flower, Fruit, and Thorn Pieces," "The Invisible Lodge," "The Life of Quintus Fixlein," "The Jubilating Senior," "Introduction to Aesthetics," "Hesperus," "Wild Oats," etc.

This is the charm, by sages often told, Converting all it touches into gold: Content can soothe, where 'er by fortune placed, Can rear a garden in the desert waste.

"Clifton Grove," L. 130,--_Henry Kirke White_.

HENRY KIRKE WHITE, a noted English poet, was born at Nottingham, March 21, 1785, and died October 19, 1806. He published: "Clifton Grove, a Sketch in Verse with Other Poems," which was dedicated to Georgiana, d.u.c.h.ess of Devonshire. He also wrote numerous religious verses.

In George Sand's finest work there is a sweet spontaneity, almost as if she were an oracle of Nature uttering automatically the divine message. But, on the other hand, when the inspiration forsakes her, she drifts along on a windy current of words, the facility of her pen often beguiling the writer into vague diffuseness and unsubstantial declamation.

"Life of George Eliot,"--_Mathilde Blind_.

MATHILDE BLIND, a celebrated German-English poet, was born in Mannheim, March 21, 1847, and died in London, November 26, 1896. Among her writings are: "Life of George Eliot," "Madame Roland," "The Heather on Fire," "Ascent of Man," "Dramas in Miniature," "The Prophecy of St.

Oran, and Other Poems," "Songs and Sonnets," and "Birds of Pa.s.sage."

Time still, as he flies, brings increase to her truth, And gives to her mind what he steals from her youth.

"The Happy Marriage,"--_Edward Moore_.

EDWARD MOORE, a famous English dramatist and fabulist, was born at Abingdon, March 22, 1712, and died in London, March 1, 1757. He wrote: "Fables for the Female s.e.x," "Gil Blas," "Poems, Fables, and Plays,"

"Dramatic Works," etc.

The Night has a thousand eyes, And the Day but one; Yet the light of the bright world dies With the dying sun.

The Mind has a thousand eyes, And the Heart but one; Yet the light of a whole life dies When Love is done.

"Light,"--_Francis W. Bourdillon_.

FRANCIS W. BOURDILLON, a noted English poet, was born March 22, 1852. He has published: "Among the Flowers and Other Poems," "Ailes d'Alouette,"

"A Lost G.o.d," "Bedside Readings," "Sursom Corda," "Nephele," "Through the Gateway," "Auca.s.sin and Nicolette," "Prelude and Romances," etc.

Some shall reap that never sow And some shall toil and not attain.

"Success,"--_Madison Julius Cawein_.

MADISON JULIUS CAWEIN, a distinguished American poet, was born in Louisville, Ky., March 23, 1865, and died December 7, 1914. Among his works are: "Blooms of the Berry," "The Triumph of Music," "Lyrics and Idyls," "Days and Dreams," "Moods and Memories," "Accolon of Gaul,"

"Intimations of the Beautiful," "Red Leaves and Roses," "Undertones,"

and "Poems of Nature and Love."

I sing the sweets I know, the charms I feel, My morning incense, and my evening meal, The sweets of Hasty Pudding.

"Hasty Pudding," Canto I,--_Joel Barlow_.

JOEL BARLOW, a famous American poet and statesman, was born in Redding, Conn., March 24, 1754, and died near Cracow, Poland, December 24, 1812.

He wrote: "The Vision of Columbus," "The Columbiad," "The Conspiracy of Kings," and his celebrated poem, "Hasty Pudding."

O thrush, your song is pa.s.sing sweet But never a song that you have sung, Is half so sweet as thrushes sang When my dear Love and I were young.

"Other Days,"--_William Morris_.

WILLIAM MORRIS, a celebrated English poet and writer on socialism, was born near London, March 24, 1834, and died at Hammersmith, October 3, 1896. His poetical writings include: "Defence of Guenevere and Other Poems," "Life and Death of Jason," "The Earthly Paradise," "Love Is Enough," "Poems by the Way," "The Story of Sigurd," etc. He also wrote: "The House of the Wolfings," "The Roots of the Mountains," "Hopes and Fears for Art," etc., and translated the "aeneid" in 1876, and the "Odyssey" in 1887.

Oh, dinna ask me gin I lo'e ye: Troth, I daurna tell!

Dinna ask me gin I lo'e ye,-- Ask it o' yoursel'.

"Dinna Ask Me,"--_John Dunlop_.

JOHN DUNLOP, a noted Scottish song-writer, was born March 25 (?), 1755, and died at Port Glasgow, September 4, 1820. His Most famous song is, "Oh, Dinna Ask Me Gin I Lo'e Ye," which won for him great fame.

The stately ship is seen no more, The fragile skiff attains the sh.o.r.e; And while the great and wise decay, And all their trophies pa.s.s away, Some sudden thought, some careless rhyme, Still floats above the wrecks of Time.

"On an Old Song,"--_William Edward Hartpole Lecky_.

WILLIAM EDWARD HARTPOLE LECKY, a distinguished English historian, was born in Dublin, Ireland, March 26, 1838, and died in 1903. Among his works may be mentioned: "History of the Rise and Influence of the Spirit of Rationalism in Europe," "The Leaders of Public Opinion in Ireland," "A History of England in the 18th Century," "A History of Ireland in the 18th Century," "Democracy and Liberty," "A History of European Morals from Augustus to Charlemagne."

When I was one and twenty I heard a wise man say: "Give crowns and pounds and guineas But not your heart away."

"A Shropshire Lad,"--_Alfred Edward Housman_.

ALFRED EDWARD HOUSMAN, a noted English poet, was born March 26, 1859.

Among his poetical pieces are: "A Shropshire Lad," "The Recruit," "The Street Sounds to the Soldiers' Tread," "The Day of Battle," "On the Idle Hill of Summer," "Loveliest of Trees," etc.

The army is a good book to open to study human life. One learns there to put his hand to everything, to the lowest and highest things. The most delicate and rich are forced to see living nearly everywhere poverty, and to live with it, and to measure his morsel of bread and draught of water.

--_Alfred de Vigny_.

ALFRED VICTOR, COMTE DE VIGNY, a celebrated French writer, was born in Loches, March 27, 1799, and died in Paris, September 17, 1863. His works include: "Cinq-Mars," "Consultations of Dr. Noir," etc. He also wrote several plays, "Chatterton" being the most famous.

But the sunshine aye shall light the sky, As round and round we run; And the truth shall ever come uppermost, And justice shall be done.

"Eternal Justice," Stanza 4,--_Charles Mackay_.

CHARLES MACKAY, a noted Scottish poet, journalist, and miscellaneous writer, was born at Perth, March 27, 1814, and died in London, December 24, 1889. He wrote: "Voices from the Mountains," "Voices from the Crowd," "The Salamandrine, or Love and Immortality," etc.