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MAY

Joseph Addison, a famous English essayist and poet, was born at Milston, Wiltshire, May 1, 1672, and died in London, June 17, 1719. He wrote 41 original papers in the “Tattler,” and 34 with Steele; 274 in the “Spectator,” 24 to a revived “Spectator,” and 2 to Steele’s “Lover.” His other works include: “Letters from Italy” (a poem), “The Campaign” (a poem), “Fair Rosamond” (an opera), “Remarks on Several Parts of Italy,” and “Cato” (a tragedy).

James Ford Rhodes, a distinguished American historian, was born in Cleveland, Ohio, May 1, 1848. He is best known by his noted work in two volumes, “History of the United States from the Compromise of 1850.” His other works include, “Historical Essays,” “Lectures on the American Civil War Delivered at Oxford,” “History of the Civil War,” “History of the United States from Hayes to McKinley,” etc.

Novalis, the nom de plume of Friedrich Von Hardenburg, a noted German philosopher and mystic, was born in Saxony, May 2, 1772, and died, 1801. Among his writings are: “Hymns to the Night,” “Disciples at Sais,” and “Heinrich von Ofterdingen.”

John Gorham Palfrey, a distinguished American clergyman and author, was born in Boston, May 2, 1796, and died in Cambridge, Mass., April 26, 1881. He published numerous sermons, lectures, addresses, etc., but “The History of New England,” won for him world-wide fame.

Jerome K. Jerome, a famous English writer, was born at Walsall, May 2, 1861. Among his works are: “Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow,” “Three Men in a Boat,” “Novel Notes,” “John Ingerfield,” “Fennel,” “Ruth,” “Passing of the Third Floor Back,” “Esther Castways,” “Malvina of Brittany,” “All Roads Lead to Calvary,” etc.

Niccolo Machiavelli, a renowned Italian statesman and political and historical writer was born at Florence, May 3, 1469, and died there, June 22, 1527. He wrote: “Mandragola,” “The Prince,” “Florentine History,” “Discourses,” “Art of War,” etc.

August Friedrich Ferdinand von Kotzebue, a famous German dramatist, was born at Weimar, May 3, 1761, and died at Mannheim, March 23, 1819. His best known works are: “The Spaniards in Peru,” “The Stranger,” “Misanthropy and Repentance,” “German Provincials,” “The Indians in England,” and his noted novel, “Sorrows of the Ortenberg Family.”

Edward Dowden, a distinguished Irish poet and historian of literature, was born at Cork, May 3, 1843, and died in 1913. He has written: “Life of Percy Bysshe Shelley,” “Primer of French Literature,” “Studies in Literature,” “Poems,” “Southey,” “Shakespeare, His Mind and Art,” “Introduction to Shakespeare,” “Wordsworth,” “New Studies in Literature,” “The French Revolution and English Literature,” “A History of French Literature,” “Robert Browning,” “Michel de Montaigne,” “Essays: Modern and Elizabethan,” “Poetical Works” (2 vols.). His “Letters” appeared in 1914.

William Hickling Prescott, a famous American historian, was born at Salem, Mass., May 4, 1796, and died in New York, January 28, 1859. He wrote: “History of Ferdinand and Isabella,” “History of the Conquest of Mexico,” “History of the Conquest of Peru,” “Critical Essays,” “History of the Reign of Philip II of Spain,” etc.

Horace Mann, a noted American educator and educational writer was born in Franklin, Mass., May 4, 1796, and died in Yellow Springs, Ohio, August 2, 1859. He published: “A Few Thoughts for a Young Man,” “Slavery: Letters and Speeches,” “Powers and Duties of Woman,” etc.

Thomas Henry Huxley, a renowned English scientist, was born in Ealing, May 4, 1825, and died June 29, 1895. Among his famous works are: “Evidence as to Man’s Place in Nature,” “On the Educational Value of the Natural-History Sciences,” “Lectures on the Elements of Comparative Anatomy,” “Lessons in Elementary Physiology,” “On the Physical Basis of Life,” “Half Hours with Modern Scientists,” “American Addresses,” “An Introduction to the Classification of Animals,” “Science and Culture, and Other Essays,” etc., etc.

John William Draper, a famous physiologist, historical and miscellaneous prose-writer, was born near Liverpool, England, May 5, 1811, and died at Hastings-on-the-Hudson, N. Y., January 4, 1882. He has written: “Human Physiology,” “History of the Intellectual Development of Europe,” “History of the American Civil War,” and his most celebrated work, “History of the Conflict Between Religion and Science.”

Joseph Joubert, an eminent French moralist and writer of aphorisms, was born in Montignac, PÉrigord, May 6, 1754, and died at Paris in 1824. Most of his epigrammatic work was published after his death, the titles of the volumes being, “Thoughts,” and “Thoughts, Essays, Maxims, and Correspondence.”

Elizabeth Drew (Barstow) Stoddard, a noted American novelist and poet, was born in Mattapoisett, Mass., May 6, 1823, and died in 1902. Among her works are: “Temple House,” “Two Men,” “The Morgesons,” and “Poems,” collected and published in 1895, etc.

Robert Browning, the renowned English poet, was born in Camberwell, May 7, 1812, and died in Venice, December 12, 1889. Among his poetical works are: “A Soul’s Tragedy,” “The Return of the Druses,” “Colombe’s Birthday,” “Strafford,” “Pauline,” “Christmas Eve and Easter Day,” “Fifine at the Fair,” “Men and Women,” “King Victor and King Charles,” “Jocoseria,” “Red-Cotton Nightcap Country,” “Dramatic Idylls,” “Pippa Passes,” etc.

Alain RenÉ Le Sage, a famous French novelist and dramatist, was born at Sarzeau, near Cannes, May 8, 1668, and died at Boulogne-sur-Mer, November 17, 1747. His greatest works were: “The Bachelor of Salamanca,” “Gil Blas,” “The Life and Adventures of M. de BeauchÈne,” “The Devil on Two Sticks,” and two well-known comedies, “Crispin His Master’s Rival,” and “Turcaret.”

Jean Charles LÉonard Simon de Sismondi, an illustrious Swiss historian, was born at Geneva, May 9, 1773, and died there, June 25, 1842. His most noted works are: “History of the Italian Republics in the Middle Ages,” “History of the New Birth of Liberty in Italy,” “History of the Fall of the Roman Empire,” “History of the French,” “Julia Severa: or, the Year 492,” and “Literature of the South of Europe.”

James Matthew Barrie, a noted Scottish author, was born in Kirriemuir, Forfarshire, May 9, 1860. He has written: “When a Man’s Single,” “Better Dead,” “Auld Licht Idylls,” “A Window in Thrums,” “My Lady Nicotine,” “Sentimental Tommy,” “Margaret Ogilvy,” “The Little Minister,” “Tommy and Grizel,” “The Little White Bird,” “Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens,” “Peter and Wendy,” Dramatic works are: “The Professor’s Love Story,” “The Wedding Guest,” “Little Mary,” “Peter Pan,” “Alice-Sit-by-the-Fire,” “What Every Woman Knows,” “The Legend of Leonora,” “The Will,” “The Adored One,” “Half an Hour,” “Der Tag,” “Rosy Rapture,” “A Kiss for Cinderella,” “Seven Women,” “Dear Brutus,” “Echoes of the War,” etc.

James Bryce, a noted British statesman, diplomat, and historian, was born in Belfast, May 10, 1838, and died Jan. 22, 1922. His most important works are: “The Holy Roman Empire” and “The American Commonwealth.”

Thomas Noel, a noted English poet, was born May 11, 1799, and died in 1861. Among his volumes of verse are: “Rhymes and Roundelayes,” etc.

Charles Joseph, Prince de Ligne, a distinguished Belgian soldier and miscellaneous writer, was born at Brussels, May 12, 1735, and died December 13, 1814. He wrote: “Military, Literary and Sentimental Miscellanies,” “Life of Prince Eugene of Savoy,” etc.

Giuseppi Giusti, a notable Italian poet and political satirist, was born in Monsummano, May 12, 1809, and died in Florence, March 31, 1850. His first masterpiece was the poem “Dies IrÆ,” other pieces are: “The Boot,” “The Crowned,” “The Investiture of a Knight,” and the satires written from 1847 to 1849.

Dante Gabriel Rossetti, the renowned English painter and poet, was born in London, May 12, 1828, and died at Birchington, Kent, April 9, 1882. Among his poetical works are: “Blessed Damozel,” “Sister Helen,” “The White Ship,” “The House of Life,” “The King’s Tragedy,” “Hand and Soul,” and “Rose Mary.” Also: translations of “Early Italian Poets.”

George Edward Woodberry, a famous American poet and miscellaneous writer, was born at Beverly, Mass., May 12, 1855. He has written: “The North Shore Watch, and Other Poems,” “History of Wood Engraving,” “Life of Edgar Allan Poe,” “The Flight and Other Poems,” “North Africa and the Desert,” “Shakespeare: An Address,” “Great Writers,” “Poems,” “The Inspiration of Poetry,” “Wendell Phillips,” “Two Phases of Criticism,” “Ideal Passion” (sonnets).

John Sullivan Dwight, a noted American musical critic, was born at Boston, May 13, 1813, and died September 5, 1893. His noted poem is, “God Save the State.”

Alphonse Daudet, a distinguished French novelist, was born at NÎmes, May 13, 1840, and died December 16, 1897. He wrote: “The Little Thing: Story of a Child,” “Letters from My Mill,” “Monday Tales,” “Fromont, Jr. and Risler, Sr.,” “The Nabob,” “Kings in Exile,” “Numa Roumestan,” “The Gospeller,” “Sappho,” “Tartarin,” “Prodigious Adventures of Tartarin,” “Tartarin in the Alps,” “Port Tarascon,” “Thirty Years of Paris,” “Recollections of a Man of Letters,” etc.

Timothy Dwight, a celebrated American Congregational clergyman, was born in Northampton, Mass., May 14, 1752, and died in New Haven, Conn., January 11, 1817. He wrote: “Observations on Language,” “Essay on Light,” “Greenfield Hill” “Travels in New England and New York,” “Theology Explained and Defended,” etc.

Sir Thomas Henry Hall Caine, an eminent English novelist, was born at Runcorn, Cheshire, May 14, 1853. His most noted works are: “The Deemster,” “A Son of Hagar,” “Recollections of Rossetti,” “The Scapegoat,” “The Shadow of a Crime,” “The Manxman,” “The Christian,” “The White Prophet,” “The Prodigal Son,” “The Woman Thou Gavest Me,” etc. Also: “The Drama of 365 Days,” “Scenes in the Great War,” “Britain’s Daughters,” etc.

Samuel Laman Blanchard, a noted British author and journalist, was born May 15, 1804, and died February 15, 1845. He published “Lyric Offerings,” etc.; and edited numerous magazine journals.

HonorÉ de Balzac, the greatest of French novelists, was born in Tours, May 16, 1799, and died in Paris, August 18, 1850. He wrote in all about 97 celebrated novels. Among them: “Le Vieille Fille,” “Contrat De Marriage,” “Le Colonel Chabert,” “Les Chouans,” “Pierrette,” “Seraphita,” “Les EmployÉs,” “Modeste Mignon,” “Histoire Des Treize,” “DÉbut Dans La Vie,” “Ursule Mirouet,” “EugÈne Grandet,” “Cousin Pons,” “Le PÈre Goriot,” “Les Paysans,” “Cousine Bette,” etc., etc.

RenÉ FranÇois Armand Sully-Prudhomme, a famous French poet, was born at Paris, May 16, 1839, and died in 1907. He has written: “The Broken Vase,” “Stanzas and Poems,” “The Stables of Augeas,” “The Wildernesses,” “Revolt of the Flowers,” “Reflections on the Art of Versification,” etc.

Isaac Disraeli, a distinguished English literary essayist, compiler and historian, was born at Enfield in Middlesex, May 17, 1766, and died January 9, 1848. Among his writings are: “Curiosities of Literature,” “Calamities of Authors,” “Quarrels of Authors,” “Miscellanies, or Literary Recollections,” etc. Also: “Commentaries on the Life and Reign of Charles I.”

John Wilson (Christopher North), a noted Scottish writer, was born May 18, 1785, at Paisley, and died April 3, 1854. Among his works are: “The Isle of Palms,” “The City of the Plague,” “Lights and Shadows of Scottish Life,” “The Trials of Margaret Lindsay,” “The Foresters,” etc.

Johann Gottlieb Fichte, a renowned German philosopher, was born at Rammenau in Upper Lusatia, May 19, 1762, and died at Berlin, January 27, 1814. Among his works are: “Foundations of the Whole Doctrine of Science,” “Introduction to the Doctrine of Science,” “The Doctrine of Science,” “System of Moral Doctrine,” “Man’s Destiny,” and his celebrated treatise, “Essay Toward a Critique of All Revelation.”

John Stuart Mill, a famous English philosophical writer, logician, and political economist, was born in London, May 20, 1806, and died at Avignon, France, May 8, 1873. Among the most important of his works are: “Essay on Liberty,” “Logic,” “Political Economy,” “On the Subjection of Women,” “Examination of Sir William Hamilton’s Philosophy,” “Auguste Comte and Positivism,” and “Utilitarianism.” His “Autobiography” appeared in 1873.

Alfred Domett, a noted British statesman and poet, was born at Camberwell Grove, Surrey, May 20, 1811, and died in 1887. The best known of his works are: “Ranolf and Amohia, a South Sea Day Dream,” and “Flotsam and Jetsam: Rhymes Old and New.”

Alexander Pope, the renowned English poet, was born at London, May 21, 1688, and died at Twickenham on the Thames, May 30, 1744. His most famous works are: “Homer’s Odyssey,” “The Iliad of Homer,” translated, “Epistles from Eloisa to Abelard,” “The Rape of the Lock,” “The Temple of Fame,” “Essay on Criticism,” “The Dunciad,” “Imitations of Horace,” “Essay on Man,” etc.

Joseph FouchÉ (Duke of Otranto), a celebrated French statesman, was born May 21, 1759, and died in 1820. A few of his famous political pamphlets and reports are: “RÉflexions sur le jugement de Louis Cofret,” “RÉflexions sur l’Éducation publique,” “Rapport et project de loi relatif aux CollÈges,” etc.

A sudden thought strikes me,—let us swear an eternal friendship.

“The Rovers,”—J. H. Frere.