"Mariage de Figaro."--_Beaumarchais_.
PIERRE AUGUSTIN CARON DE BEAUMARCHAIS, a renowned French dramatist, was
born in Paris, January 24, 1732, and died there, May 18, 1799. His
greatest plays are: "The Barber of Seville," and "The Marriage of
Figaro."
But pleasures are like poppies spread,
You seize the flower, its bloom is shed;
Or, like the snow-fall in the river,
A moment white, then melts forever.
"Tam O'Shanter,"--_Robert Burns_.
ROBERT BURNS, a Scotch poet of world-wide fame, was born in Alloway,
January 25, 1759, and died in Dumfries, July 21,1796. His most famous
poems are: "Hallowe'en," "The Cotter's Saturday Night," "To a Mountain
Daisy," "Twa Dogs," "Tam O'Shanter," and "Highland Mary."
'Tis a little thing
To give a cup of water; yet its draught
Of cool refreshment, drained by fevered lips,
May give a shock of pleasure to the frame
More exquisite than when nectarean juice
Renews the life of joy in happiest hours.
"Ion," Act. i, Sc. 2,--_Thomas Noon Talfourd_.
SIR THOMAS NOON TALFOURD, an eminent English author and statesman, was
born at Doxey, near Stafford, January 26, 1795, and died at Stafford,
March 13, 1854. His works include: "An Attempt to Estimate the Poetical
Talent of the Present Age," "Poems on Various Subjects," "History of the
Roman Republic," "History of Greece," "Final Memorials of Charles Lamb,"
"Critical and Miscellaneous Essays," etc.
"Whatever is, is not," is the maxim of the anarchist, as often as
anything comes across him in the shape of a law which he happens
not to like.
"Declaration of Rights,"--_Richard Bentley_.
RICHARD BENTLEY, a celebrated English critic and essayist, was born in
Oulton, Yorkshire, January 27, 1662, and died July, 1742. His important
works are: "Dissertation on the Epistles of Phalaris," and "Latin
Epistle to John Mill, Containing Critical Observations on the Chronicle
of Joannes Malala."
There is in every man a certain feeling that he has been what he
is from all eternity, and by no means become such in time.
--_Schelling_.
FRIEDRICH WILHELM JOSEPH VON SCHELLING, an eminent German thinker and
philosopher, was born at Leonberg, Wurtemberg, January 27, 1775, and
died at the Ragaz baths, Switzerland, August 28, 1854. Among his many
works are: "On the Possibility of a Form of philosophy," "Ideas for a
Philosophy of Nature," "On the Soul of the World," "Philosophy and
Religion," etc. Four posthumous volumes are: "Introduction to the
Philosophy of Mythology," "Philosophy of Mythology," and "Philosophy of
Revelation," in two separate volumes.
Take care of the sense and the sounds will take care of
themselves.
"Alice in Wonderland," Chap. ix.--_Lewis Carroll_.
LEWIS CARROLL, nom de plume of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, a distinguished
English clergyman and writer on mathematical subjects was born January
27, 1832, and died in January, 1898. His principal works are: "A
Syllabus of Plane Algebraical Geometry," "Guide to the Mathematical
Student," etc. Also: "The Hunting of the Snark," "Rhyme and Reason,"
"Euclid and His Modern Rivals," "Game of Logic," "Mathematica Curiosa,"
and his two popular tales for children, entitled "Alice in Wonderland,"
and "Through the Looking-Glass."
Morgen, Morgen, nur nicht heute;
Sprechen immer trage Leute.[7]
"Der Aufschub,"--_Weisse_.
CHRISTIAN FELIX WEISSE, a noted German poet and writer, was born at
Annaberg, January 28, 1726, and died at Leipsic, December 16, 1804. He
wrote: "Sportive Lays," "Lays of the Amazons," "Songs for Children,"
etc.
Onward, Christian soldiers,
Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus
Going on before!
Christ the royal Master
Leads against the foe;
Forward into battle,
See, His banners go.
Onward, Christian soldiers,
Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus,
Going on before!
"Onward, Christian Soldiers."--_S. Baring-Gould_.
SABINE BARING-GOULD, a renowned English antiquary and novelist, was born
in Exeter, January 28, 1834; died January, 1924. Among his numerous
works may be mentioned: "Lives of the Saints," "Yorkshire Oddities," "In
the Roar of the Sea," "The Deserts of Southern France," "A Garland of
Country Song," "Old Fairy Tales Retold," "Napoleon Bonaparte," "A Study
of St. Paul," "A Book of the Riviera," "A Book of the Rhine," "A Book of
the Pyrenees," "Devonshire Characters," "Cornish Characters," "The Land
of Teck," "Cliff Castles and Cave Dwellings," "The Church Revival," and
his most famous work, "Curious Myths of the Middle Ages."
A man after death is not a natural but a spiritual man;
nevertheless he still appears in all respects like himself.
"Conjugal Love," Par. 31,--_Swedenborg_.
EMANUEL SWEDENBORG, the famous Swedish mystic philosopher and author,
was born in Stockholm, January 29, 1688, and died there March 29, 1772.
His notable works include: "Principles of Chemistry," "Conjugal Love and
its Chaste Delights," "Opera Philosophica et Mineralia," "Domini Jesu
Christi Servus," etc.
The sublime and the ridiculous are often so nearly related, that
it is difficult to class them separately. One step above the
sublime makes the ridiculous, and one step above the ridiculous
makes the sublime again.
"Age of Reason," Part ii, note,--_Thomas Paine_.
THOMAS PAINE, an eminent American publicist, was born at Thetford in
Norfolkshire, England, January 29, 1737, and died at New Rochelle, New
York, June 8, 1809. The most important of his Works are: "Decline and
Fall of the English System of Finance," "Common-Sense," "The Age of
Reason," "The Rights of Man."
A delicate thought is a flower of the mind.
--_Charles Rollin_.
CHARLES ROLLIN, a noted French historian and professor of
_belles-lettres_, was born at Paris, January 30, 1661, and died
September 14, 1741. His chief works are: "On the Study of
Belles-Lettres," "Ancient History" (12 vols. 1730-1738), and "History of
Rome."
Shakespeare is not our poet, but the world's--
Therefore on him no speech! And brief for thee,
Browning! Since Chaucer was alive and hale,
No man hath walk'd along our roads with steps
So active, so inquiring eye, or tongue
So varied in discourse.
"To Robert Browning,"--_Walter S. Landor_.
WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR, the celebrated English poet and prose writer, was
born at Ipsley Court, Warwickshire, January 30, 1775, and died at
Florence, September 17, 1864. His best known works are: "The
Pentameron," "The Hellenics," "Popery, British and Foreign," "Poems,"
"Antony and Octavius: Scenes for the Study," "Heroic Idylls, with
Additional Poems," and his most famous work, "Imaginary Conversations of
Literary Men and Statesmen."
Nur eine Mutter weiss allein, was lieben heisst und glücklich
sein.[8]
"Frauen Liebe und Leben," 7.--_A. von Chamisso_.
ADELBERT VON CHAMISSO, a famous German lyrist, was born at the castle of
Boncourt Champagne, January 30, 1781, and died at Berlin, August 21,
1838. His most celebrated work is "Peter Schlemihl," which has been
translated into all the principal languages of Europe.
When thou a fast would'st keep,
Make not thy homage cheap,
By publishing its signs to every eye;
But let it be between
Thyself and the Unseen,
So shall it gain acceptance from on high.
--_Bernard Barton_.
BERNARD BARTON, a noted English poet, was born in Carlisle, January 31,
1784, and died in Woodbridge, February 19, 1849. He published: "Metrical
Effusions," "Devotional Verses," "Household Verses," etc.
Gather leaves and grasses,
Love, to-day;
For the Autumn passes
Soon away.
Chilling winds are blowing
It will soon be snowing.
"Gather Leaves and Grasses,"--_John Henry Boner_.
JOHN HENRY BONER, a well-known American poet and literary worker, was
born at Salem, N. C., January 31, 1845, and died in 1903. He is best
remembered for his volume of verse, "Whispering Pines."