Through the Year With Famous Authors Part 6

Man has wants deeper than can be supplied by wealth or nature or domestic affections. His great relations are to his G.o.d and to eternity.

--_Mark Hopkins_.

MARK HOPKINS, a distinguished American educator and religious and ethical writer, was born at Stockbridge, Ma.s.s., February 4, 1802; and died at Williamstown, Ma.s.s., June 17, 1887. Among his works are: "Evidences of Christianity," "The Law of Love, and Love as a Law," "An Outline Study of Man," etc.

In depth and variety of coloring, in richness of matter, profundity of thought, and heedlessness of conventional canons, "Cymbeline" has few rivals among Shakespeare's plays. Fascinating as it is, however, this tragi-comedy has never been very popular on the stage. The great public, indeed, has neither studied nor understood it.

"William Shakespeare, A Critical Study," Vol. II, p. 323.--_George Brandes_.

GEORGE MORRIS COHEN BRANDES, a distinguished Danish man of letters, was born at Copenhagen, February 4, 1842. He wrote: "Critiques and Portraits," "French Aesthetics in Our Day," "The Idea of Fate Among the Ancients," and his masterpiece, "Main Currents of 19th Century Literature." Also, "Men of the Modern Revival," "A Study of Ibsen,"

"Goethe," "Poems," "English: Main Currents," "Eminent Authors,"

"Poland," "Recollections of My Childhood and Youth," "Complete Works,"

(21 vols.), "Voltaire," "Caesar," (2 vols.), "The World War," etc.

No statesman e'er will find it worth his pains To tax our labours and excise our brains.

"Night," Line 271,--_Charles Churchill_.

CHARLES CHURCHILL, a famous English satirical poet, was born in Westminster, February 5, 1731, and died at Boulogne, November 4, 1764.

He wrote: "The Farewell," "The Ghost," "The Conference," "The Author,"

"The Prophecy of Famine," and "The Rosciad," the satire that won his fame.

Up the River of Death Sailed the Great Admiral!

"The River Fight,"--_Henry H. Brownell_.

HENRY HOWARD BROWNELL, a noted American poet and writer of historical sketches, was born at Providence, R. I., February 6, 1820, and died at East Hartford, Conn., October 31, 1872. He published his many verses in "Lyrics of a Day, or Newspaper Poetry by a Volunteer in the U. S.

Service." In "The Bay Fight" he describes the battle of Mobile Bay.

Look when the clouds are blowing And all the winds are free: In fury of their going They fall upon the sea.

But though the blast is frantic, And though the tempest raves, The deep immense Atlantic Is still beneath the waves.

"Wind, Moon and Tides,"--_Frederic William Henry Myers_.

FREDERIC WILLIAM HENRY MYERS, a distinguished English poet and critic, was born at Duffield, England, February 6, 1843, and died January 17, 1901. He has written: "Science and a Future Life," "Renewal of Youth and Other Poems," "Essays, Modern and Cla.s.sical," "St. Paul," "English Men of Letters," etc. Also a posthumous work called "Human Personality and Its Survival of Bodily Death," (2 vols.), 1903.

Sir Thomas More advised an author, who had sent him his ma.n.u.script to read, "to put it in rhyme." Which being done, Sir Thomas said, "Yea, marry, now it is somewhat, for now it is rhyme; before it was neither rhyme nor reason."

--_Sir Thomas More_.

SIR THOMAS MORE, the great English statesman and miscellaneous writer, was born in London, February 7, 1478, and was executed July 6, 1535. He wrote: "History of Richard III," "Life of John Picus, Earl of Mirandola," and "Utopia" (which was his most celebrated work), etc.

Oh, a dainty plant is the ivy green, That creepeth o'er ruins old!

Of right choice food are his meals, I ween, In his cell so lone and cold.

Creeping where no life is seen, A rare old plant is the ivy green.

"Pickwick Papers," Chap. vi,--_Charles d.i.c.kens_.

CHARLES d.i.c.kENS, one of the most famous of English novelists, was born at Landport, in Portsea, February 7, 1812, and died June 9, 1870. His most famous works are: "Oliver Twist," "Pickwick Papers," "Sketches by Boz," "Nicholas Nickleby," "Old Curiosity Shop," "A Christmas Carol,"

"American Notes," "The Cricket on the Hearth," "The Chimes," "Pictures from Italy," "Dombey and Son," "The Battle of Life," "David Copperfield," "The Haunted Man," "Bleak House," "Little Dorrit," "A Child's History of England," "Great Expectations," "A Tale of Two Cities," "Hard Times," "Our Mutual Friend," etc.

We can say nothing but what hath been said. Our poets steal from Homer.... Our story-dressers do as much; he that comes last is commonly best.

"Democritus to the Reader,"--_Robert Burton_.

ROBERT BURTON, a famous English writer, was born at Lindley, Leicestershire, February 8, 1577, and died January 25, 1640. His greatest work was: "Anatomy of Melancholy."

It is not written, blessed is he that feedeth the poor, but he that considereth the poor. A little thought and a little kindness are often worth more than a great deal of money.

--_John Ruskin_.

JOHN RUSKIN, the renowned English essayist and critic, was born in London, February 8, 1819, and died January 20, 1900. His princ.i.p.al works are: "The Seven Lamps of Architecture," "Modern Painters," "The Stones of Venice," "Elements of Drawing," "The Two Paths," "Political Economy of Art," "Lectures on Art," "The Art of England," "Verona and Other Lectures," "Sesame and Lilies," "Munera Pulveris," "The Crown of Wild Olive," "Love's Meinie," "The Eagle's Nest," "The Queen of the Air,"

"Arrows of the Chace," "Proserpina," "The King of the Golden River,"

etc.

Hold the fort! I am coming!

Signalled to General Corse in Allatoona from the top of Kenesaw, Oct. 5, 1864,

--_William Tec.u.mseh Sherman_.

WILLIAM TEc.u.mSEH SHERMAN, one of the greatest of American generals, was born in Lancaster, O., February 8, 1820, and died in New York City, February 14, 1891. He published: "Memoirs of Gen. William T. Sherman by Himself" (2 vols.).

O white and midnight sky, O starry bath, Wash me in thy pure, heavenly crystal flood: Cleanse me, ye stars, from earthly soil and scath-- Let not one taint remain in spirit or blood!

"The Celestial Pa.s.sion,"--_Richard Watson Gilder_.

RICHARD WATSON GILDER, a distinguished American poet, was born in Bordentown, N. J., February 8, 1844, and died in 1909. His works include: "Two Worlds and Other Poems," "Five Books of Song," "Lyrics,"

"The New Day," "The Great Remembrance and Other Poems," and "The Celestial Pa.s.sion."

What man supremely admires in man is manhood. The valiant man alone has power to awaken the enthusiastic love of us all.

"Life of Andrew Jackson,"--_James Parton_.

JAMES PARTON, a famous American writer, was born at Canterbury, England, February 9, 1822, and died at Newburyport, Ma.s.s., October 17, 1891. A few of his works are: "Life and Times of Aaron Burr," "General Butler in New Orleans," "Life of Thomas Jefferson," "Famous Americans of Recent Times," "Life of Horace Greeley," "Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin,"

"Life of Voltaire," "Humorous Poetry of the English Language," "Topics of the Time," etc.