Through the Year With Famous Authors Part 9

No man is born into the world whose work Is not born with him. There is always work, And tools to work withal, for those who will; And blessed are the h.o.r.n.y hands of toil.

"A Glance behind the Curtain,"--_James Russell Lowell_.

JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL, the great American poet and critic, was born at Cambridge, Ma.s.s., February 22, 1819, and died there August 12, 1891.

Some of his works are: "The Bigelow Papers," "A Year's Life," "Poems,"

"Under the Willows and Other Poems," "My Study Windows," "Among My Books," "Latest Literary Essays and Addresses," "Heartsease and Rue,"

"Political Essays," "Democracy, and Other Addresses."

Nearer, my G.o.d, to Thee!

Nearer to Thee!

E'en though it be a cross That raiseth me.

Still all my song shall be, Nearer, my G.o.d, to Thee!

Nearer to Thee!

"Nearer, my G.o.d, to Thee!"--_Sara Flower Adams_.

SARA FLOWER ADAMS, a noted English hymn-writer, was born at Great Harlow, Ess.e.x, February 22, 1805, and died August, 1848. She wrote many lyrics and hymns, the most popular of which is "Nearer, My G.o.d, to Thee!"

Never yet was a springtime Late though lingered the snow, That the sap stirred not at the whisper Of the southwind, sweet and low; Never yet was a springtime, When the buds forgot to blow.

"Awakening,"--_Margaret Elizabeth Sangster_.

MARGARET ELIZABETH (MUNSON) SANGSTER, a celebrated American poet and prose-writer, was born in New Roch.e.l.le, N. Y., February 22, 1838, and died in 1912. Among her writings are: "May Stanhope and her Friend,"

"Little Kingdom of Home," "Good Manners for all Occasions," "Radiant Motherhood," "Easter Bells," "Little Knight and Ladies," "Lyrics of Love," "Fairest Girlhood," "Eleanor Lee," "A Little Book of Homespun Verse," "Women of the Bible," "The Story Bible," "From My Youth Up--an Autobiography," "My Garden of Hearts," and her famous poems, "Our Own"

and "Are the Children at Home?"

To St. Paul's Church Yard to my book-sellers ... choose ...

"Hudibras," both parts, the book now in greatest fashion for drollery, though I cannot, I confess, see enough where the wit lies.

"_Diary_," Dec. 10, 1663,--_Samuel Pepys_.

SAMUEL PEPYS, a famous English diarist, was born in London, February 23, 1633, and died there May 26, 1703. His fame rests on the remarkable "Diary" that bears his name.

Rocked in the cradle of the deep I lay me down in peace to sleep; Secure I rest upon the wave, For Thou, O Lord! hast power to save.

I know Thou wilt not slight my call, For Thou dost mark the sparrow's fall, And calm and peaceful shall I sleep, Rocked in the cradle of the deep.

"Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep," Stanza I,--_Emma (Hart) Willard_.

EMMA (HART) WILLARD, a noted American educator, historian, and poet, was born at New Berlin, Conn., February 23, 1787, and died at Troy, N. Y., April 15, 1870. She has written: "A History of the United States,"

"Universal History in Perspective," etc. She also wrote: "Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep," and much other verse.

By one great Heart, the Universe is stirred: By Its strong pulse, stars climb the darkening blue; It throbs in each fresh sunset's changing hue, And thrills through low sweet song of every bird.

"Life,"--_Margaret Deland_.

MARGARET WADE DELAND, a famous American author, was born at Allegheny, Pa., February 23, 1857. She has written: "John Ward, Preacher," "The Old Garden and Other Verses," "Old Chester Tales," "Dr. Lavendar's People,"

"The Common Way," "The Awakening of Helena Richie," "An Encore," "The Iron Woman," "The Voice," "Partners," "The Hands of Esau," "Around Old Chester," "The Rising Tide," etc.

While we read history we make history.

"The Call of Freedom,"--_George William Curtis_.

GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS, a distinguished American author, was born in Providence, R. I., February 24, 1824, and died at Staten Island, August 31, 1892. His works include: "The Howadji in Syria," "Nile Notes of a Howadji," "Manners upon the Road," "Lotus Eating," "Prue and I,"

"Potiphar Papers," "Trumps," etc.

If Goldsmith had to struggle socially against the disadvantages of poverty, intellectually it cannot be doubted that poverty very amply compensated him. His circ.u.mstances forced him to be an unwilling spectator of scenes, and the companion of men of whom affluence or his laziness would have kept him ignorant. His "Citizen of the World," indeed, is an epitome of London life as it was exhibited to the observer of that age.

"Goldsmith and La Bruyere," _The Argosy_, p. 265,--_William Clark Russell_.

WILLIAM CLARK RUSSELL, a noted English-American novelist, was born in New York City, February 24, 1844, and died in 1911. Among his numerous sea stories and novels are: "The Wreck of the Grosvenor," "A Sailor's Sweetheart," "My Watch Below," "A Sea Queen," "Jack's Courtship," "A Strange Voyage," "The Frozen Pirate," "The Death Ship," "Marooned," "The Romance of Jenny Harlowe," "The Good Ship Mohock," "Overdue," "The Ship's Adventure," "Abandoned," "Voyage at Anchor," "Yarn of Old Harbor Town," etc.

All flowers, it would seem, were in their earliest form yellow; then some of them became white; after that a few of them grew to be red or purple; and finally, a comparatively small number acquired various shades of violet, mauve, lilac, or blue.

"The Colors of Flowers,"--_Grant Allen_.

GRANT ALLEN (CHARLES GRANT BLAIRFINDIE ALLEN), a celebrated English naturalist, essayist, and novelist, was born in Kingstone, Canada, February 24, 1848, and died October 24, 1899. His most noted works are "The Devil's Die," "Under Sealed Orders," "Recalled to Life," "The Woman Who Did," "Strange Stories," "The British Barbarians," "Science in Arcady," "Vignettes from Nature," "Colin Clout's Calendar," "The Color Sense," "Colors of Flowers," "Flowers and Their Pedigrees," "Force and Nature," etc.

Bello e il rossore, ma e incommodo qualche volta.[3]

"Pamela," I, 3,--_Goldoni_.

CARLO GOLDONI, a noted Italian comedy-writer, was born in Venice, February 25, 1707, and died at Paris, January 6, 1793. He wrote: "The Good Father," "The Singer," "Pamela," "Belisarius," "The Venetian Gondolier," "Rosamond," and "The Coffee House."

Let us reckon upon the future. A time will come when the science of destruction shall bend before the arts of peace; when the genius which multiplies our powers--which creates new products--which diffuses comfort and happiness among the great ma.s.s of the people--shall occupy in the general estimation of mankind that rank which reason and common sense now a.s.sign to it.

"Eloge on James Watt."--_Arago_.

DOMINIQUE FRANcOIS ARAGO, an eminent French astronomer and physicist, was born near Perpignan, February 26, 1786, and died in Paris, October 2, 1853. Among his publications are: "Popular Lectures on Astronomy,"

"Meteorological Essays," "Biographies of Scientific Men," and his own "Autobiography."

A queen devoid of beauty is not queen; She needs the royalty of beauty's mien.

"Eviradnus," V,--_Victor Hugo_.

VICTOR HUGO, the great French novelist, was born at Besancon, February 26, 1802, and died at Paris, May 22, 1885. His most famous works are: "Odes and Ballads," "New Odes," "The Orientals," "Various Odes and Poems," "Twilight Songs," "Inner Voices," "Sunbeams and Shadows,"

"Autumn Leaves," "Songs of the Streets and Woods," "The Four Winds of the Spirit," "The Legend of the Ages," "Notre Dame de Paris," "The Last Day of a Condemned Man," "Claude Gueux," "Napoleon the Little," "Les Miserables," "The Man Who Laughs," "Acts and Words," "History of a Crime," "The Toilers of the Sea," etc. Also numerous plays, among them, "Amy Robsart," "Cromwell," "Hernani," "Lucretia Borgia," "Marie Tudor,"