Through the Year With Famous Authors Part 26

Satire should, like a polished razor keen, Wound with a touch that's scarcely felt or seen.

"To the Imitator of the First Satire of Horace," Book ii,--_Mary Wortley Montagu_.

MARY WORTLEY, LADY MONTAGU, a celebrated English letter-writer, was born at Th.o.r.esby, Notts, May 26, 1689, and died in England, August 21, 1762.

Her "Letters" won for her great literary fame.

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea, With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me; As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free.

"Battle Hymn of the Republic,"--_Julia Ward Howe_.

JULIA WARD HOWE, a famous American poet, essayist, lecturer, biographer, and writer of travels, was born in New York, May 27, 1819, and died in 1910. Among her works are: "Life of Margaret Fuller," "Trip to Cuba,"

"s.e.x and Education," "The World's Own," "Later Lyrics," "From the Oak to the Olive," and her celebrated "Battle Hymn of the Republic."

A cause is like champagne and high heels,--one must be prepared to suffer for it.

"The t.i.tle,"--_Arnold Bennett_.

ENOCH ARNOLD BENNETT, a famous English author and journalist, was born at North Staffordshire, May 27, 1867. Among his many works are: "The Truth About an Author," "A Great Man," "The Old Wives' Tale," "The Regent," "The Price of Love," "Over There," "War Scenes on the Western Front," "Books and Persons," "The Pretty Lady," "The Roll Call," "Things That Have Interested Me." Among his plays are: "Milestones" (with Edward k.n.o.blauch), "The Great Adventure," "The t.i.tle," "Judith," "Sacred and Profane Love."

Whate'er there be of Sorrow I'll put off till To-morrow And when To-morrow comes, why then 'Twill be To-day and Joy again.

"The Word,"--_John K. Bangs_.

JOHN KENDRICK BANGS, a noted American humorist and novelist, was born May 27, 1862, and died January 21, 1922. Among his publications are "Coffee and Repartee," "Mr. Bonaparte of Corsica," "Water Ghost and Other Stories," "A Houseboat on the Styx," "A Rebellious Heroine," "The Pursuit of the Houseboat," "Olympian Nights," "Over the Plum Pudding,"

"Mollie and the Unwise Man," "The Inventions of the Idiot," "Songs of Cheer," "Little Book of Christmas," "Line o' Cheer for Each Day of the Year," "The Foothills of Parna.s.sas," "From Pillar to Post," "Half-Hours with the Idiot."

The harp that once through Tara's halls The soul of music shed, Now hangs as mute on Tara's walls As if that soul were fled.

So sleeps the pride of former days, So glory's thrill is o'er; And hearts that once beat high for praise Now feel that pulse no more.

"The Harp that Once Through Tara's Halls,"--_Thomas Moore_.

THOMAS MOORE, one of the greatest of Irish poets, was born at Dublin, May 28, 1779, and died near Devizes, February 25, 1852. His most famous works were: "Irish Melodies," "Loves of the Angels," "Odes and Epistles," "The Twopenny Post Bag," "History of Ireland," "The Epicurean," and "Lalla Rookh," his most famous work.

Asa Gray and Dr. Tarrey are known wherever the study of botany is pursued. Gray, with his indefatigable zeal, will gain upon his compet.i.tors.

"Life and Correspondence," ed. Aga.s.siz, Vol. ii, p. 437, Letter to Milne Edwards,--_L. Aga.s.siz_.

JEAN LOUIS RODOLPHE AGa.s.sIZ, a renowned Swiss naturalist, was born at Motier, Switzerland, May 28, 1807, and died at Cambridge, Ma.s.s., December 14, 1873. He published: "Studies of Glaciers," "Principles of Zoology," "The Structure of Animal Life," "Scientific Results of a Journey in Brazil," etc.

Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty G.o.d! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!

"Speech in the Virginia Convention," March, 1775,--_Patrick Henry_.

PATRICK HENRY, an ill.u.s.trious American orator, was born at Studley, Va., May 29, 1736, and died at Red Hill, Va., June 6, 1799. His numerous speeches may be found in a (3 vols.) book, ent.i.tled "Life," by William Wirt Henry.

"Vanitas Vanitatum" has rung in the ears Of gentle and simple for thousands of years; The wail still is heard, yet its notes never scare Either simple or gentle from Vanity Fair.

"Vanity Fair,"--_Frederick Locker-Lampson_.

FREDERICK LOCKER-LAMPSON, a noted English poet, was born at Greenwich, May 29, 1821, and died in 1895. His fame rests princ.i.p.ally upon his "Society Verses."

In this dim world of clouding cares, We rarely know, till wildered eyes See white wings lessening up the skies The angels with us unawares.

"Babe Cristabel,"--_Thomas Gerald Ma.s.sey_.

(THOMAS) GERALD Ma.s.sEY, a celebrated English poet, was born near Tring, Hertfordshire, May 29, 1828, and died October 29, 1907. He published "Voices of Freedom and Lyrics of Love," "The Ballad of Babe Cristabel,"

"War Waits," and "A Tale of Eternity." He collected the best of these volumes into a two-volume edition of poems called "My Lyrical Life." He also wrote: "The Book of the Beginnings," "The Natural Genesis," and his most important work, "Ancient Egypt: The Light of the World."

"Truths turn into dogmas the moment they are disputed."

"Heretics,"--_G. K. Chesterton_.

GILBERT KEITH CHESTERTON, a famous English author was born in London, May 29, 1874. He has published: "Robert Browning," "Charles d.i.c.kens,"

"George Bernard Shaw," "What's Wrong with the World?" "The Victorian Age in Literature," "The Wisdom of Father Brown," "Poems," "A Shilling for My Thoughts," "A Short History of England," "Irish Impressions," "The Superst.i.tion of Divorce," etc.

So long as faith with freedom reigns And loyal hope survives, And gracious charity remains To leaven lowly lives; While there is one untrodden tract For intellect or will, And men are free to think and act, Life is worth living still.

"Is Life Worth Living?"--_Alfred Austin_.

ALFRED AUSTIN, a noted English poet, critic and journalist, was born at Headingly, near Leeds, May 30, 1835, and died in 1913. He was appointed poet laureate of England in 1896. Among his writings are: "The Golden Age: A Satire," "The Tower of Babel," "The Human Tragedy," "Veronica's Garden," etc.

Die Liebe wintert nicht Nein, nein! Ist und bleibt Fruhlings-Schein.[4]

"Herbstlied,"--_Ludwig Tieck_.

JOHANN LUDWIG TIECK, a celebrated German poet and miscellaneous writer, was born in Berlin, May 31, 1773, and died there, April 28, 1853. Among his works may be mentioned: "William Lovell," "Ostrich Plumes,"

"Abdallah," "Peter Lebrecht: A Story Without Adventures," "Prince Zerbino," "Romantic Fancies," "Life and Death of St. Genevieve," "Love Songs of the Suabian Past," "Old English Dramatists," "The Tourists,"

"The Old Man of the Mountain," "Society in the Country," "Dramatic Pages," "The Betrothal," "Musical Joys and Sorrows," etc.

To me every hour of the light and dark is a miracle, Every cubic inch of s.p.a.ce is a miracle.

"Miracles,"--_Walt Whitman_.

WALT WHITMAN, a renowned American poet, was born at West Hills, L. I., May 31, 1819, and died at Camden, N. J., March 26, 1892. He wrote: "Leaves of Gra.s.s," "As a Strong Bird on Pinions Free, and Other Poems,"

"Two Rivulets" "November Boughs," "Memoranda During the War," "Drum Taps," "Pa.s.sage to India," etc.