Through the Year With Famous Authors Part 39

WILLIAM MILLER, a noted Scotch poet, was born in Bridgegate, Glasgow, August 16, 1810, and died at Glasgow, August 20, 1872. He wrote: "Scottish Nursery Songs and Other Poems," his best known poem being "Wee Willie Winkie."

Be sure you are right, then go ahead.

--_David Crockett_.

DAVID CROCKETT, a celebrated American politician, hunter and humorist, was born at Limestone, Tenn., August 17, 1786, and was killed at Fort Alamo, San Antonio, Texas, March 16, 1836. He wrote: "Sketches and Eccentricities," "Tour to the North and Down East," his "Autobiography,"

etc.

The greatest thing a man can do for his Heavenly Father is to be kind to some of His other children.

--_Henry Drummond_.

HENRY DRUMMOND, a distinguished Scotch geologist and religious writer, was born at Stirling, August 17, 1851, and died at Tunbridge Wells, England, March 11, 1897. His most famous works are: "Natural Law in the Spiritual World," "The Ascent of Man," "Tropical Africa," "Pax Vobisc.u.m," "The Greatest Thing in the World," "The Programme of Christianity."

A proverb is one man's wit and all men's wisdom.

Quoted in "Memoirs of Mackintosh," Vol. II, p. 473,--_Lord John Russell_.

LORD JOHN RUSSELL, a famous English statesman, was born in London, August 18, 1792, and died at Pembroke Lodge, Richmond Park, May 28, 1878. He is best remembered by his historical works, "Life of William Lord Russell," "Memoirs of the Affairs of Europe" (2 vols.) "Correspondence of John, 4th Duke of Bedford," etc.

It would be superfluous in me to point out to your Lordship that this is war.

"Despatch to Earl Russell," Sept. 5, 1863.--_Charles Francis Adams_.

CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, an eminent American statesman, publicist, and miscellaneous writer, was born at Boston, August 18, 1807, and died at Boston, November 21, 1886. His best known work was: "Life and Works of John Adams."

Sorrow and scarlet leaf, Sad thoughts and sunny weather: Ah me, this glory and this grief Agree not well together!

"A Song for September,"--_Thomas William Parsons_.

THOMAS WILLIAM PARSONS, a distinguished American poet, was born at Boston, August 18, 1819, and died September 3, 1892. Among his writings are: "The Old House at Sudbury," "Ghetto di Roma," "The Magnolia," "The Shadow of the Obelisk," etc. He also made a metrical translation of Dante's "Inferno."

All that is beautiful shall abide, All that is base shall die.

"Balder the Beautiful,"--_Robert W. Buchanan_.

ROBERT WILLIAMS BUCHANAN, a celebrated English author, was born in Warwickshire, August 18, 1841, and died in 1901. He wrote: "Idylls and Legends of Inverburn," "Undertones," "London Poems," "North Coast Poems," "Ballads of Love, Life and Humor," "The City of Dreams," "A Child of Nature," "The Shadow of the Sword," "Foxglove Manor," etc.

Let's learn to temper our desires, Not harshly to constrain; And since excess makes pleasure less, Why, so much more refrain.

Small table, cozy corner--here We well may be beguiled; Our worthy host old wine can boast; Drink, drink--but draw it mild!

"Les Pet.i.ts Coups,"--translation of William Young,--_Pierre Jean de Beranger_.

PIERRE JEAN DE BeRANGER, a famous French poet, was born in Paris, August 19, 1780, and died there July 16, 1857. Some of his noted songs are: "The Old Flag," "Les Pet.i.ts Coups," "The Old Corporal," "Roger Bontemps," "Little Red Man," "Little Gray Man," "King of Yvetot," "My Grandmother," "The Marquis of Carabas," and his "Autobiography."

Attempt the end, and never stand to doubt; Nothing's so hard but search will find it out.

"Seek and Find,"--_Robert Herrick_.

ROBERT HERRICK, a renowned English poet and royalist clergyman, was born in London, August 20, 1591, and died at Dean Prior, Devonshire, October 15, 1674. He wrote: "n.o.ble Numbers," and "Hesperides."

In the Confessions of St. Augustine, pa.s.sion, nature, individuality only appear in order to be immolated to Divine grace. They are a history of a crisis of the soul, of a new birth, of a _Vita Nuova_; the Saint would have blushed to relate more than he has done of the life of the man, which he had quitted.

With Rousseau the case is precisely the reverse; here grace is nothing, nature everything; nature dominant, triumphant, displaying herself with a daring freedom, which at times amounts to the distasteful--nay, to the disgusting.

"Life of Luther," (translation),--_Michelet_.

JULES MICHELET, a famous French historian, was born in Paris, August 21, 1798, and died at Hyeres, February 9, 1874. His princ.i.p.al works are: "History of France," "History of the Revolution," "Abridgment of Modern History," "Of the Jesuits," "Of the Priest, the Wife, and the Family,"

"Of the People," "Poland and Russia," etc.

Who can blame me if I cherish the belief that the world is still young--that there are great possibilities in store for it?

--_John Tyndall_.

JOHN TYNDALL, an eminent British physicist and writer on science, was born at Leighlin Bridge, near Carlow, Ireland, August 21, 1820, and died at Haslemere, Surrey, England, December 4, 1893. He has written: "Philosophical Transactions in Glaciers of the Alps," "Mountaineering in 1861," "Dust and Disease," "Hours of Exercise in the Alps," "Sound: A Course of Eight Lectures," "Nine Lectures on Light," "Essays on the Use and Limit of the Imagination in Science," "The Forms of Water in Clouds and Rivers, Ice and Glaciers," "Essays on the Floating Matter of the Air," "New Fragments," etc.

Equality is one of the most consummate scoundrels that ever crept from the brain of a political juggler--a fellow who thrusts his hand into the pocket of honest industry or enterprising talent, and squanders their hard-earned profits on profligate idleness or indolent stupidity.

--_James Kirke Paulding_.

JAMES KIRKE PAULDING, a distinguished American novelist, was born in Dutchess County, N. Y., August 22, 1779, and died at Hyde Park, N. Y., April 6, 1860. Among his famous works may be mentioned: "The United States and England," "Lay of a Scotch Fiddle," "Letters on Slavery,"

"The Diverting History of John Bull and Brother Jonathan,"

"Koningsmarke," "John Bull in America," "Westward Ho!" "The Dutchman's Fireside," "Life of George Washington," etc.

It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.

"To R. T. H. B."--_William Ernest Henley_.

WILLIAM ERNEST HENLEY, a noted British poet, critic, and editor, was born at Gloucester, August 23, 1849, and died July 11, 1903. Among his works are: "Views and Reviews," "Poems," "London Voluntaries," "Hawthorn and Lavender," etc.

There is what I call the American idea.... This idea demands, as the proximate organization thereof, a democracy--that is, a government of all the people, by all the people, for all the people; of course, a government of the principles of eternal justice, the unchanging law of G.o.d: for shortness' sake I will call it the idea of Freedom.

"Speech at the N. E. Anti-slavery Convention, Boston," May 29, 1850.--_Theodore Parker_.

THEODORE PARKER, an American preacher and reformer of great celebrity, was born at Lexington, Ma.s.s., August 24, 1810, and died at Florence, May 10, 1860. He wrote: "Ten Sermons on Religion," "Theism, Atheism and the Popular Theology," and his most celebrated work: "Discourse on Matters Pertaining to Religion."