Book V

, Chap. 9.--_William Paley_.

WILLIAM PALEY, a noted English divine and philosopher, was born at Peterborough, June 25 (?), 1743, and died May 25, 1805. He published his lectures, revised and enlarged under the title of "The Principles of Moral and Political Philosophy"; also "Deity Collected from the Appearances of Nature."

Dryden's practical knowledge of English was beyond all others exquisite and wonderful.

"The Diversions of Purley,"--_John Horne Tooke_.

JOHN HORNE TOOKE, a celebrated English political writer and grammarian, was born at Westminster, June 25, 1736, and died at Wimbledon, March 18, 1812. His principal work was: "Epea Pteroenta (Winged Words); or The Diversions of Purley."

Live while you live, the epicure would say, And seize the pleasures of the present day; Live while you live, the sacred preacher cries, And give to God each moment as it flies. Lord, in my views, let both united be: I live in pleasure when I live to thee.

"Epigram on his Family Arms,"--_Philip Doddridge_.

PHILIP DODDRIDGE, a distinguished English non-conformist divine, was born in London, June 26, 1702, and died in Lisbon, Portugal, October 26, 1751. Among his works are: "The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul," "The Family Expositor," and "Evidences of Christianity."

Lafcadio Hearn is a painter with the pen.

LAFCADIO HEARN, a noted American journalist and miscellaneous writer, was born at Santa Maura, Ionian Islands, June 27, 1850, and died September 26, 1904. He has written: "Two Years in the French West Indies," "Youma," "Some Chinese Ghosts," "Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan," "Gleanings in Buddha-fields," "Out of the East," "Kokoro," "Exotics and Retrospectives," "Shadowings," "A Japanese Miscellany," "Kotto," "Japanese Fairy Tales," "Kwaidan," etc.

Days of absence, sad and dreary, Clothed in sorrow's dark array,-- Days of absence, I am weary: She I love is far away.

"Days of Absence,"--_Jean Jacques Rousseau_.

JEAN JACQUES ROUSSEAU, the renowned French writer, was born in Geneva, June 28, 1712, and died at Ermenonville near Paris, July 2, 1778. Among his numerous works may be mentioned: "A Project of Perpetual Peace," "To the Archbishop of Paris," "Letters from the Mountain," "Consolations of My Life," "Memoir on the Shape of the Earth," "The Village Soothsayer," "Letter on French Music," "On Political Economy," "Letters to Voltaire," "Narcissus," "The Social Contract," "Letters on His Exile," and his famous, "Confessions."

So long as a ray of sunlight illumines her fields, Italy will reverence Alfieri as the first to give to tragedy a noble mission, to raise it from the dust in which it lay, and make of it the instructor of the people.

"Life and Writings," Vol. II,--_Mazzini_.

JOSEPH MAZZINI, a famous Italian patriot, was born at Genoa, June 28 (?), 1805, and died at Pisa, March 10, 1872. "Complete Works" (18 vols.), 1861-91. His "Memoirs" were published in 1875.

For right is right, since God is God, And right the day must win; To doubt would be disloyalty, To falter would be sin.

"The Right Must Win,"--_Frederick W. Faber_.

FREDERICK WILLIAM FABER, a distinguished English hymn-writer, was born in Calverley, Yorkshire, June 28, 1814, and died at the Oratory, Brompton, September 26, 1863. His collection of "Hymns" appeared in 1848.

Be silent and safe,--silence never betrays you.

"Rules of the Road,"--_John B. O'Reilly_.

JOHN BOYLE O'REILLY, a celebrated Irish-American poet and prose-writer, was born near Drogheda, Ireland, June 28, 1844, and died at Hull, Mass., August 10, 1890. He wrote: "Songs of the Southern Seas," "Moondyne," etc.

Don't you remember, sweet Alice, Ben Bolt? Sweet Alice, whose hair was so brown; Who wept with delight when you gave her a smile, And trembled with fear at your frown!

"Ben Bolt,"--_Thomas Dunn English_.

THOMAS DUNN ENGLISH, a noted American writer, was born in Philadelphia, June 29, 1819, and died in 1902. He is best remembered by his famous song, "Ben Bolt."

Just take a trifling handful, O philosopher! Of magic matter: give it a slight toss over The ambient ether--and I don't see why You shouldn't make a sky.

"Sky-Making." To Professor Tyndall,--_Mortimer Collins_.

MORTIMER COLLINS, a famous English novelist and poet, was born in Plymouth, June 29, 1827, and died at Knowl Hill, Berkshire, July 28, 1876. His novels include: "Who Is the Heir," "Sweet Anne Page," "The Ivory Gate," "The Vivian Romance," "The Marquis and Merchant," "Two Plunges for a Pearl," "Blacksmith and Scholar," etc. Also: "Idyls and Rhymes," "Summer Songs," and "The British Birds."

No historian who has yet written has shown such familiarity with the facts of English history, no matter what the subject in hand may be: the extinction of villeinage, the Bloody Assizes, the appearance of the newspaper, the origin of the national debt, or the state of England in 1685. Macaulay is absolutely unrivaled in the art of arranging and combining his facts, and of presenting in a clear and vigorous narrative the spirit of the epoch he treats. Nor should we fail to mention that both Essays and History abound in remarks, general observations, and comment always clear, vigorous, and shrewd, and in the main very just.

"Library of the World's Best Literature," ed., Warner, p. 9386.--_John Bach McMaster_.

JOHN BACH MCMASTER, a renowned American historian, was born at Brooklyn, N. Y., June 29, 1852. He has written: "Brief History of the United States," "Cambridge Modern History," "A Primary School History of the United States," "Daniel Webster," "The Struggle for the Social, Political and Industrial Rights of Man," "Life and Times of Stephen Girard," and his most famous work, "History of the People of the United States."

Is she not more than painting can express, Or youthful poets fancy when they love?

"The Fair Penitent," Act III, Sc. I,--_Nicholas Rowe_.

NICHOLAS ROWE, a distinguished English dramatist and poet-laureate, was born at Little Barford, Bedfordshire, June 30 (?), 1674, and died December 6, 1718. He is best known as the translator of Lucan's "Pharsalia." He was the author of many successful plays, the most popular being: "Tamerlane," "The Fair Penitent," "Jane Shore," and "Lady Jane Grey."

Why thus longing, thus forever sighing For the far-off, unattained, and dim, While the beautiful all round thee lying Offers up its low, perpetual hymn?

"Why thus Longing?"--_Harriet Winslow Sewall_.

HARRIET (WINSLOW) SEWALL, a noted American poet, was born at Portland, Me., June 30, 1819, and died at Wellesley, Mass., February, 1889. "Poems, with a Memoir," was published in 1889.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] He who flies can also return; but it is not so with him who dies.

[2] Brave men are brave from the very first.

JULY

JULY

Moderation is the silken string running through the pearl chain of all virtues.

"Christian Moderation," Introduction,--_Bishop Hall_.

JOSEPH HALL (BISHOP HALL), a famous English bishop and satirist, was born at Bristow Park near Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire, July 1, 1574, and died in 1656. He wrote "Episcopacy by Divine Right," "An Humble Remonstrance to the High Court of Parliament," "Of Toothless Satyrs," "Christian Moderation," "Contemplations," etc.

Solitude holds a cup sparkling with bliss in her right hand, a raging dagger in her left. To the blest she offers her goblet, but stretches towards the wretched the ruthless steel.

--_Klopstock_.

FRIEDRICH GOTTLIEB KLOPSTOCK, a renowned German poet, was born at Quedlinburg, July 2, 1724, and died at Hamburg, 1803. He is best known by his great epic, "The Messiah," and his "Odes."

Discouragement seizes us only when we can no longer count on chance.

"Handsome Lawrence," Ch. II,--_George Sand_.

GEORGE SAND (BARONNE DUDEVANT), the great French novelist, was born in Paris, July 2, 1804, and died at Nohant, June 7, 1876. Among her numerous works may be mentioned: "Indiana," "Aldo the Poet," "The Private Secretary," "Andrè," "A Winter at Majorca," "Gabriel," "Pauline," "Horace," "The Seven Strings of the Lyre," "Consuelo," "The Companion of a French Tour," "Isidora," "The Countess of Rudolstadt," "The Miller of Angibault," "The Castle of Solitude," "The Master Ringers," "Story of My Life," "The Snow Man," "Flavia," "Tamaris," "The Last Love," "Cadio," "A Rolling Stone," "The Little Daughter," "Narcissus," "Village Walks," "Loves of the Golden Age," "Journal of a Tourist During the War," etc., etc.

Silence is the speech of love, The music of the spheres above.

"Speech of Love,"--_Richard Henry Stoddard_.

RICHARD HENRY STODDARD, a distinguished American lyric poet, was born at Hingham, Mass., July 2, 1825, and died in 1903. His works include: "Abraham Lincoln: A Horatian Ode," "Poems," "The Lion's Cub," "Songs of Summer," etc.

Life is a voyage. The winds of life come strong From every point; yet each will speed thy course along, If thou with steady hand when tempests blow Canst keep thy course aright and never once let go.

"The Voyage of Life,"--_Theodore Chickering Williams_.

THEODORE CHICKERING WILLIAMS, a noted American clergyman, educator and author, was born at Brookline, Mass., July 2, 1855, and died in 1915. He has written: "Character Building," "Elegies of Tibullus," "Virgil's Æneid," "Poems of Belief," "Virgil's Georgics and Eclogues," etc.

At twenty years of age, the will reigns; at thirty, the wit; and at forty, the judgment.

--_Grattan_.

HENRY GRATTAN, a noted Irish orator and statesman, was born in Dublin, July 3, 1746, and died in London, June 4, 1820. He wrote: "Letters on the Irish Union," "Correspondence," and numerous speeches.

We do ourselves wrong, and too meanly estimate the holiness above us, when we deem that any act or enjoyment good in itself, is not good to do religiously.

"Marble Faun," Bk. II, Ch. VII,--_Nathaniel Hawthorne_.

NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE, a famous American novelist and short-story writer, was born in Salem, Mass., July 4, 1804, and died at Plymouth, N. H., May 19, 1864. He wrote: "The House of the Seven Gables," "Tanglewood Tales," "The Wonder Book," "Tales of the White Hills," "Twice-Told Tales," "Mosses from an Old Manse," "Fanshawe," "Our Old Home," "The Marble Faun," "The Scarlet Letter," etc.

Let travellers devote one entire morning to inspecting the Arcos and the Mai das agoas, after which they may repair to the English Church and cemetery, Pere-la-chaise in miniature, where, if they be of England, they may well be excused if they kiss the cold tomb, as I did, of the author of "Amelia," the most singular genius which their island ever produced, whose works it has long been the fashion to abuse in public and then read in secret.

"The Bible in Spain,"--_George Borrow_.

GEORGE BORROW, a distinguished English philologist, and traveler, was born in East Dereham, Norfolk, July 5, 1803, and died in Oulton, Suffolk, July 30, 1881. Among his writings are: "Romano Lavo Lil, or Word-Book of the Romany," "The Zincali, or Gipsies of Spain," "The Bible in Spain," "Lavengro," "The Romany Rye," and "Wild Wales."

The knowledge which we have acquired ought not to resemble a great shop without order, and without an inventory; we ought to know what we possess, and be able to make it serve us in need.

--_Leibnitz_.

GOTTFRIED WILHELM VON LEIBNITZ, a renowned German philosopher and scholar, was born at Leipsic, July 6, 1646, and died at Hanover, November 14, 1716. Among his writings are: "Essays on God's Goodness, Man's Freedom, and the Origin of Evil," "Principles of Nature and Grace," "New Essays on the Human Understanding," etc.

Alexander Wilson, in the Preface to his "American Ornithology," (1808), quotes these words, and relates the story of a boy who had been gathering flowers. On bringing them to his mother, he said, "Look, my dear Ma! What beautiful flowers I have found growing in our place! Why, all the woods are full of them!"

--_Alexander Wilson_.

ALEXANDER WILSON, a celebrated Scotch-American ornithologist, was born at Paisley, Scotland, July 6, 1766, and died in Philadelphia, August 23, 1813. His most important work, "American Ornithology," won for him great fame.

Awake thee, my Lady-Love! Wake thee, and rise! The sun through the bower peeps Into thine eyes.

"Waking Song,"--_George Darley_.

GEORGE DARLEY, a noted Irish poet and critic, was born in Dublin, July 7, 1795, and died near Rome, November 23, 1846. He wrote: "Sylvia, or the May Queen," "Nepenthe," "Errors of Extasie and Other Poems," and numerous studies of other men's work.

There's a hope for every woe, And a balm for every pain, But the first joys of our heart Come never back again!

"The Exile's Song,"--_Robert Gilfillan_.

ROBERT GILFILLAN, a renowned Scotch poet, was born in Dumfermline, July 7, 1798, and died at Leith, December 4, 1850. His "Original Songs" have made him famous, the best known of the collection being: "In the Days o' Langsyne," "Peter McCraw," and "The Exile's Song."

The opinion of the strongest is always the best.

"The Wolf and the Lamb," from "Fables,"