Through the Year With Famous Authors Part 8

RUFUS WILMOT GRISWOLD, a distinguished American journalist and prose-writer, born in Benson, Vt., February 15, 1815, and died in New York, August 27, 1857. His works include: "Poets and Poetry of America,"

"Poets and Poetry of England in the Nineteenth Century," "Prose Writers of America," "Female Poets of America," etc.

Up anchor! Up anchor!

Set sail and away!

The ventures of dreamland Are thine for a day.

"Dreamland,"--_Silas Weir Mitch.e.l.l_.

SILAS WEIR MITCh.e.l.l, a distinguished American physician, poet and novelist, was born in Philadelphia, February 15, 1829, and died January 4, 1914. He has written: "In War Time," "Poems," "Hephzibah Guinness, and Other Stories," "Hugh Wynne," "The Adventures of Francois," "The Red City," "Westways," "Complete Poems," etc.

Noth lehrt auch die Konige beten.[2]

"Der Trompeter von Sakkingen, Drittes Stuck,"--_Scheffel_.

JOSEPH VIKTOR VON SCHEFFEL, an eminent German poet and novelist, was born at Karlsruhe, February 16, 1826, and died April 9, 1886. He wrote: "Gaudeamus," "Ekkehard," "Mountain Psalms," and his famous epic poem, "The Trumpeter of Sakkingen," which won for him great fame, and has reached more than 250 editions.

It is probable that for many millions of years but one climate prevailed over the whole earth, which very closely resembled, or even surpa.s.sed the hottest tropical climate of the present day.

"Change of Climate and its Influence on Life," from "History of Creation."--_Ernst Heinrich Haeckel_.

ERNST HAECKEL, a renowned German naturalist, was born at Potsdam, February 16, 1834, and died in 1919. Among his most famous works are: "On the Division of Labor in Nature and Human Life," "On the Origin and Genealogy of the Human Race," "Life in the Great Marine Animals," "The Arabian Corals," "The System of the Medusa," "A Visit to Ceylon,"

"Riddle of the Universe," "Natural History of Creation," "Souvenirs of Algeria," "Monoism as Connected with Religion and Science," etc.

Darlings of the forest!

Blossoming alone When Earth's grief is sorest For her jewels gone-- Ere the last snow-drift melts, your tender buds are blown.

"Trailing Arbutus,"--_Rose Terry Cooke_.

MRS. ROSE (TERRY) COOKE, a noted American poet and short-story writer, was born at West Hartford, Conn., February 17, 1827, and died at Pittsfield, Ma.s.s., July 18, 1892. Her complete poems were published in 1888, and her stories were published in book form under the t.i.tles: "Somebody's Neighbors," "Root-Bound," "The Sphinx's Children," "Happy Dodd," "Huckleberries," "Steadfast," a novel, appeared in 1889.

He [Hampden] had a head to contrive, a tongue to persuade, and a hand to execute any mischief.

"History of the Rebellion," Vol. iii, Book vii,--_Edward Hyde Clarendon_.

EDWARD HYDE, EARL OF CLARENDON, a celebrated English historian and statesman, was born at Dinton, Wiltshire, February 18, 1609, and died at Rouen, France, December 9, 1674. His famous works are: "History of the Civil War in Ireland," "History of the Rebellion and Civil Wars in England," "Essay on an Active and Contemplative Life."

The earth is not the center of the universe.

--_Copernicus_.

NICOLAS COPERNICUS, a famous Polish astronomer, was born at Thorn, Poland, February 19, 1473, and died at Frauenburg, Prussia, May 24, 1543. He wrote: "Revolutions of the Celestial Orbs (De Orbium Coelestium Revolutionibus)."

I'm growing old, I'm sixty years; I've labored all my life in vain.

In all that time of hopes and fears, I've failed my dearest wish to gain.

I see full well that here below Bliss unalloyed there is for none My prayer would else fulfilment know-- Never have I seen Carca.s.sonne!

"Carca.s.sonne," Translated by John Reuben Thompson, Stanza i,--_Gustave Nadaud_.

GUSTAVE NADAUD, a well-known French composer and song-writer, was born in Roubaix, February 20, 1820, and died in Paris, April 28, 1893. He wrote a novel, "An Idyll," and published "Songs," "More Songs,"

"Unpublished Songs," and "New Songs."

Lead, kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom, Lead thou me on!

The night is dark, and I am far from home: Lead thou me on: Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see The distant scene: one step enough for me.

"The Pillar of the Cloud,"--_John Henry Newman_.

JOHN HENRY NEWMAN, a celebrated religious writer, first in the Church of England, and later in the Roman Catholic Church, was born in London, February 21, 1801, and died at Birmingham, August 11, 1890. His princ.i.p.al works are: "Five Letters on Church Reform," "St. Bartholomew's Eve," "Plain and Parochial Sermons," "Loss and Gain," "Verses on Religious Subjects," "Essay in Aid of a Grammar of a.s.sent," "Lectures on Justification," "The Arians of the Fourth Century," "Tracts for the Times," "Hymns for the Use of the Birmingham Oratory," and "Apologia pro Vita Sua," his most celebrated work.

John Smith was the most picturesque figure in the early history of America; and his writings are like him--bold, free, highly colored.

"An Introduction to the Study of American Literature,"

(1896),--_Brander Matthews_.

(JAMES) BRANDER MATTHEWS, a famous American author, was born in New Orleans, February 21, 1852. Among his works may be mentioned: "French Dramatists of the Nineteenth Century," "With My Friends," "Studies of the Stage," "Bookbindings, Old and New," "Introduction to the Study of American Literature," "Aspects of Fiction," "A Confident To-morrow,"

"The Historical Novel," "Parts of Speech," "Essays in English,"

"Development of the Drama," "Recreations of an Anthologist," "Inquiries and Opinions," "The American of the Future," "A Study of the Drama,"

"Moliere," "Shakespeare as a Playwright," "These Many Years," etc.

To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.

"Speech to both Houses of Congress," Jan. 8, 1790,--_George Washington_.

GEORGE WASHINGTON, the ill.u.s.trious American statesman and first President of the United States, was born at Pope's Creek, Westmoreland County, Va., February 22, 1732, and died at Mt. Vernon, Va., December 14, 1799.

Natural ability can almost compensate for the want of every kind of cultivation; but no cultivation of the mind can make up for the want of natural ability.

--_Schopenhauer_.

ARTHUR SCHOPENHAUER, a renowned German philosopher, was born at Dantzic, February 22, 1788, and died at Frankfort-on-the-Main, September, 1860.

He wrote: "The Fourfold Root of the Principle of the Sufficient Cause,"

"The World as Will and Representation," "On Vision and Colors," "The Two Fundamental Problems of Ethic," "Parerga and Paralipomena," etc.

And while the wicket falls behind Her steps, I thought if I could find A wife I need not blush to show I've little further now to go.

--_William Barnes_.

WILLIAM BARNES, a celebrated English poet and philologist, was born in Dorsetshire, February 22, 1800, and died in Winterbourne Came, in October, 1886. He wrote many works on philology, and a series of "Poems of Rural Life in Dorsetshire Dialect," "Poems of Rural Life," etc.