The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-10-10
The GREAT CHARACTERS
KNOWN IN ART, LITERATURE
AND USEFUL INVENTIONS.
Their Origin and LabOrs- Hardships
and Disappointment Necessary to
Their Development.

b'IihNn no Ahln 10 LlldI
the origin OF thoee whom the world
have called grest-men who have
written their names indaiibly upon
the pages OF history-is often Of the
bumblest character. Such men have
m ,tt frequently risen from the ranks.
In fact, genious ignores all social bar.
RES and springs forth wherever
heaven has dropped the seed. The
Rrandtst characters known in art, it,
ersture aud the useful inventions
have illustrated the axiom that
"crive deeds are the ancestors Of
b'sve men," and it would almost ap-
pear that an element OF hardship is
necessary TO the effective develop
ment Of tue genius. Indeed, when
We come to the highest achievements
OF the greatest minds it seems that
they we're not limited by rae =, condi-
tions OF life or the circuu stances o.
their age at u.s." says Emerson,
"the nature of poetry to spring, ! Ike
the rainbow, daughter of Wonder,
from the invisible, 10 abolish the past
and TO refuse all history" But Ihis,
OF q urse, refers only to poetry in its
Hottest and n1blest conceptions and
sen iments, and then only in p ls. ages
of great work.
We need not coufine ourselves.
however, TO so remote period TO IL
lus rate that genius is independent If
c re umstpnces. 10 our random treat
ment OF the subject there occurs TO us
the name OF BAndoccin, one of the
most learned men of the sixteenth
century, who was the 8 OF an timer
ant shoemaker, and who YVES him elf
brought up to the trade. Cell, the
prolific Italian author and president
OF the Florentine A 'sdemy, was
tailor by trade, and OF very humble
Dir b His moral Dialogues entitled
ICdpricci del Bottdjo ("The Whims Of
the Co perry have been pronounced
by competent critics to be extra0rdi'
nary Tor originality and p quancy,
while all his works are remarkable for
purity If diction. Oanovs, the sculp-
tor Of worldwide fame, WAS the son OF
q day laborer in the marble quarries.
0pie, the distinguished English paint
er, earne 4 his bread at the carpenters
trade until his ms orlty, bnt before his
death became professor OF painting in
tic Royal Academy.
Amyot, the brilliant scholar and
pr festor Of Greek, Hebrew and Latin,
who ia ranked among those who have
contributed most towards the periec-
ton of the French language, learned
to write upon birch bark with cha
coal, while he lived on a loaf OF bread
per day. This man rose TO be grand
almonger OF France, and proved thst
courage, perseverance, and genius need
no ancestors.
Bsranger, the lyric poet OF France,
whose effectiveness end purity Of style
defy criticism, wSs at one time bare
footed orphan on the boulevards OF
the great city. His verses, bold. pa
trio ic and tatirical, were in every
mouth among thu masses Of his coun-
teymeD, contributing moro than any
other caus' to produce the revolution
II 1880. He had tue noble indepen-
lence to refuse all official recognition
1ncer government. Rachael, it will be
remembered, was In her childhood a
street ballad singer. A resident OF the
French capital once pointed out to the
writer spot on the Champs L ysees
where, at the age OF ~ years, 30 pale
as TO seem scarcely more than q
shadow, she used TO appear daily, ac-
compsnied by her brother. A rude
CLOTH was spread on the ground, upon
which she stood aud r,ciied tragic
scenes fom Corneille and Racine, or
sang patriotic songs for pennies, "a
compauied on the violin by her
brother.
Thorwaldsen, the great Danish
sculptor, was the sou OF an humble
lceandic fisherman, but by resson If
native genius he rCss to bear the
name Of the greatest Of mo tern sculp
tors. He left In the Copenhagen Mu.
scum alone 900 grand examples OF the
srt he adorned. Many OF our readers
will remember having seen n ar La.
cerne, Switzerland, Que of his most re.
mNksbIe pi cas Of sculpture represent.
ing a wounded and dying lyon OF
colossal size, designed to commence.
rate the hel ole fidelity of the Swiss
Guards who fell August 10, 1892
Tnorweldsen va passionately fond of
children, 20 that the moment he
entered the house he gathered all the
Juveniles about him; AMI in most OF
mis- msrhle group, he introduces chil.
dren. H9 never married, bat made
his bcauriiul mistr, "a, the Roman For
tuusta, celebrated by repeating her
tsce in many OF his ideL gloups.
Thorwa'd,en gave an impulse to art in
his naive country which HIS no like
example Ia history; indeed, art is TO-
day the religion Of Copenhagen, and
Thorwald,en Is iis prophet.
Wiukelu am, author of the History
Of Ancient Art lived in ignorance aud
ob!curity uuti the prime of his life,
whea Ia b cana famous. Lander wa,
busy with au'honhip until Pfter he
wsS0. The Earl Of Chethan mals
his mos remarkable orstorcal sfI, ri
at 20. snd our own American ora or
and statesman, Robert y. Winthrop,
at as III later Period Il his life. Fon.
teoell 'ntinued his literary purs uj,s
unit he was 90, "h'ost oming in the
winter OF his days." IS Lord 0 rery
wro g OF him. Menago, che celebrat. d
Frerch critic d sChola-, wrote son.
ne sand epig am7 a 30. Ju'ius Sea-
iRor the Renowned I'elian scholar and
noel, Dictated to his son, 1T tie age If
70, 20 ve's # hs owa cumpo ,ition
ION memory. Mr. Glads one ar d
John Br ght, thu +, glish ststosmen,
arr nor" recent examples OF ocatoricel,
meutal aud phl tical powers in adj.
vancsd ycirs. George Rane Oft, the
America his orian, in hls seth year
- still crgag 4 IN authorship, and
Whittier and HI mes are writing with
unabfttd v gor II, nta'ly so years OF
a.e.
Mis- + beth Pea ody, at "a. is
still a vigorous writer snd active phi
lanlh,op st, and 'ha same may b,
Haid 4 Mrs. Jul a Ward Howe at the
age 0f CO. Mrs. Howe, indeed, is one
Of the f1rem, 81 Of American women,
1nh ,iher We regard the rpeuess OF heI
scholar hip, the breadth of her uudfr
star ding the r'ohUess of her magma.
zion the quiet iouepidily with
which sha champions grebt eiorms
al