Through the Year With Famous Authors Part 46

PASQUALE VILLARI, a distinguished Italian historian, was born at Naples, October 3, 1827, and died in 1914. His princ.i.p.al works are: "Niccolo Machiavelli and His Times," "Ancient Legends and Traditions Ill.u.s.trating the Divine Comedy," "Essays Critical, Historical and Literary,"

"Teaching History," "The School and the Social Question in Italy."

Amongst the ma.s.ses--even in revolutions--aristocracy must ever exist; destroy it in n.o.bility, and it becomes centered in the rich and powerful House of Commons. Pull them down, and it still survives in the master and foreman of the workshop.

--_Guizot_.

FRANcOIS GUIZOT, an ill.u.s.trious French historian and statesman, was born at Nimes, October 4, 1787, and died at Val Richer, near Lisieux, September 12, 1874. He wrote: "History of the English Revolution,"

"Corneille and his Time," "The History of Civilization in Europe," "The History of Civilization in France," "Memoirs," "Shakespeare and His Times," "History of France for my Grandchildren," etc.

Religion, in its purity, is not so much a pursuit as a temper; or rather it is a temper, leading to the pursuit of all that is high and holy. Its foundation is faith; its action, works; its temper holiness; its aim, obedience to G.o.d in improvement of self, and benevolence to men.

--_Jonathan Edwards_.

JONATHAN EDWARDS, a famous American divine and theological writer, was born in East Windsor, Conn., October 5, 1703, and died at Princeton, N.

J., March 22, 1758. Among his works may be mentioned: "The Great Christian Doctrine of Original Sin Defended," "An Inquiry into the Modern Prevailing Notions Respecting that Freedom of the Will which Is Supposed to Be Essential to Moral Agency," "A Dissertation Concerning the End for which G.o.d Created the World," and "The Nature of True Virtue."

We are far more liable to catch the vices than the virtues of our a.s.sociates.

--_Diderot_.

DENIS DIDEROT, a famous French philosopher and encyclopaedist, was born at Langres, October 5, 1713, and died July 31, 1784. He wrote: "Philosophic Reflections," "A Skeptic's Walk," "The Nun," "Rameau's Nephew," "Little Papers," etc.

The world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those who feel.

Letter to Sir Horace Mann, 1770,--_Horace Walpole_.

HORACE WALPOLE, a famous English author and letter-writer, was born in London, October 5, 1717, and died there March 2, 1797. His works include: "Anecdotes of Painters in England," "The Castle of Otranto,"

"Historic Doubts on the Life and Reign of Richard III," "The Mysterious Mother," "Memoirs of the Last Ten Years of the Reign of George II," etc.

His chief fame rests upon his celebrated letters, 9 vols., which were published in 1857-59.

No seed shall perish which the soul hath sown.

"Sonnet, Versohnung, a Belief,"--_John Addington Symonds_.

JOHN ADDINGTON SYMONDS, a distinguished English critic and historian of literature, was born at Bristol, October 5, 1840, and died at Rome, April 19, 1893. He wrote: "Studies of the Greek Poets," "Sketches in Italy and Greece," "Introduction to the Study of Dante," "Shakespeare's Predecessors," "Sketches and Studies in Italy," and his greatest work: "The Renaissance in Italy."

"Freedom!" their battle cry-- "Freedom! or leave to die!

"The Black Regiment,"--_George H. Boker_.

GEORGE HENRY BOKER, a noted American poet and dramatist, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., October 6, 1823, and died there January 2, 1890. His plays include: "Anne Boleyn," "The Betrothed," "Calaynos," "All the World's a Mask," and "Francesca da Rimini." Also, "Poems of the War,"

"Sonnets," "Konigsmark and Other Poems," etc.

The ripest peach is highest on the tree.

"The Ripest Peach,"--_James Whitcomb Riley_.

JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY, a celebrated American poet, was born at Greenfield, Ind., October 7, 1853, and died July 22, 1916. Among his writings are: "The Old Swimmin' Hole and 'Leven More Poems," "Green Fields and Running Brooks," "Child Rhymes," "Love Lyrics," "The Golden Year," "Songs of Summer," "The Rose," "The Riley Baby Book," "Songs of Friends.h.i.+p," "Songs of Cheer," "Old Schoolday Romances," "Songs of Home," "Down Around the River and Other Poems," "A Summer's Day and Other Poems," "All the Year Round," "Knee-Deep in June and Other Poems,"

"The Prayer-Perfect and Other Poems," "A Song of Long Ago," "When My Dreams Come True," "Away," "Do They Miss Me?" "Friends.h.i.+p," etc.

I think that saving a little child And bringing him to his own, Is a derned sight better business, Than, loafing around the throne.

"Little Breeches,"--_John Hay_.

JOHN HAY, a famous American poet and prose-writer, was born in Salem, Ind., October 8, 1838, and died in 1905. His literary fame rests on his famous "Pike County Ballads."

Thy Soul ...

Is as far from my grasp, is as free, As the stars from the mountain-tops be, As the pearl in the depths of the sea, From the portionless king that would be.

"Stanzas from Music,"--_Edmund Clarence Stedman_.

EDMUND CLARENCE STEDMAN, a distinguished American man of letters, was born in Hartford, Conn., October 8, 1833, and died in 1908. He wrote: "Nature and Elements of Poetry," "Poets of America," "Victorian Anthology," "Victorian Poets," "Poems Now First Collected," etc.

Backward, flow backward, O tide of the years!

I am so weary of toil and of tears-- Toil without recompense, tears all in vain!

Take them, and give me my childhood again!

"Rock Me to Sleep,"--_Elizabeth Akers Allen_.

ELIZABETH AKERS ALLEN, a noted American poet, was born at Strong, Me., October 9, 1832, and died in 1911. She wrote: "The Silver Bridge and Other Poems," and a volume of "Poems," the best known among them being: "Rock Me to Sleep, Mother."

Woodman, spare that tree!

Touch not a single bough!

In youth it sheltered me, And I'll protect it now.

"Woodman, Spare that Tree!"--_George P. Morris_.

GEORGE POPE MORRIS, a celebrated American journalist and song-writer, was born in Philadelphia, October 10, 1802, and died in New York City, July 6, 1864. He wrote: "Poems," "The Little Frenchman," "Briercliff,"

and his famous song, "Woodman Spare That Tree."

It was acknowledged by Hume, that it was only in solitude and retirement that he could yield any a.s.sent to his own philosophy.

"Essays,"--_Hugh Miller_.

HUGH MILLER, a distinguished Scottish geologist, was born at Cromarty, October 11, 1802, and died near Edinburgh, December 2, 1856. His most notable works are: "The Old Red Sandstone," "Footprints of the Creator,"

"Testimony of the Rocks," "Poems," "Scenes and Legends of the North of Scotland," etc.