FATHER MATHEW.

PAGB

The Annual Celebration of his Birthday in New York - The Usefulness of the Father

Mathew Societies-Origin of Father Mathew's Interest in Temperance

Beginning of his Labors - His wonderful Success in Ireland - The beneficial

Effects of his Labors - Anecdotes - Extracts from one of his Sermons

last Sickness and Death

SCENE IN THE LIFE OF AARON BURR.

-

- His

109

Burr severed from the human Race, and why-Interest of the Ladies in his Sorrows

- A Clergyman deputed to converse with Him - Dr. Mathews selected -

The Interview - Burr's subsequent Career as a Lawyer

115

CHARLES AVERY.

-

His splendid Tomb at Pittsburg - His early Life and Education - Makes his For-

tune at Pittsburg - Operates in Copper-His great Benevolence - - Founds

a Negro College - Why it has not succeeded

WAS BENJAMIN FRANKLIN MEAN?

Remark of Jefferson Davis His Liberality in Childhood - As a Youth-As a

Husband and Master -As a public Man - His Generosity to his poor Friends

and Relations

THE BROTHERS MONTGOLFIER.

Character and Vocation of the Brothers - Previous Attempts to navigate the Air

The Balloon invented - First Exhibition- The First Ascensions from Paris-

Dr. Franklin interested - Little subsequent Progress of the Invention

JAMES WATT.

-

-

Truth stranger than Fiction How Watt conceived his Idea - The Ancestors of
Watt His great Invention - His long Struggle In Partnership with
Boulton Character of Boulton- Great Success of the Firm - Anecdote of
Boswell - Watt and Sir Walter Scott - Great Importance of the Invention

The First Exhibition of the Steamboat at Philadelphia -
-The early Misfortunes of

the Inventor His miserable Marriage - Abandons his Wife Serves in the

Revolutionary War - Conceives the Idea of a Steamboat - Great Progress of

the Invention - Fails from want of Capital - The Inventor broken-hearted

A Suicide

Gets Idea of the Steamboat from poor John Fitch - Not the Inventor - Never

claimed to be Early Life - Troublesome Boy at School - Generosity to his

Mother Gives her a Farm - A Minature Painter in Philadelphia - Goes to

Europe Lives with Benjamin West Paints a Panorama - Experiments on

the Steamboat in France - Partnership with Chancellor Livingston - First

Steamboat sinks The "Clermont" on the Hudson Brilliant Triumph-

Sickness and Death

Invents the Cotton Gin-Anecdote of the Suggestion of the Idea

Whitney Utility of his Invention - Cheated out the Benefit of it - Improves

and Manufactures Firearms - Marriage -The future Field for Improvers

in the South

AUDUBON.

Early Life - His Love of Birds- Pursues his Studies in France · - His Wanderings

in the Western Forests - Terrible Loss of his Specimens by Mice - Publishes

his Work His Person described - Retires to the Banks of the Hudson -

Death

153

159

163

Antiquity of his Family - In College-Why a Lawyer - His Success at the Bar

Member of Congress -After the Revolution - His Death, and Epitaph

PAGE

168

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173

JOHN ADAMS AND MRS. ADAMS AT THE COURT OF GEORGE III.

John Adams presented to the King - His Speech - The King's Reply - The Sub-

sequent Conversation - Mrs. Adams and the Queen - Mrs. Adams at Court

INAUGURATION OF JOHN ADAMS.

181

Mrs. Adams upon the Election of her Husband General Washington's Joy on

retiring from Office The Inauguration - Mr. Adams' own Account of

the Scene

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191

STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS.

His Arrival in Illinois - His early Life-A successful Politician

Congress - Scene at Chicago Close of his Life

-

NICHOLAS COPERNICUS.

-

Great Men appear in Groups Education of Copernicus - - His arduous Studies

His Discoveries - Danger of the Inquisition- A good Churchman

published - His House still preserved - His Death

Clocks in old Times -Yankee Clocks now Family and Training of Jerome
Apprenticed to a Carpenter - Begins Clockmaking - The wooden Clock in-
vented Rapid Growth of the Business - Jerome sets up for Himself - A
magnificent Order - Invents the cheap Brass Clock - His great Success -
His Ruin - Finds Work in Chicago

CHARLES GOODYEAR.

Origin of his Interest in India Rubber - The India Rubber Mania in New England

Begins his Experiments - His many Failures - Difficulties in the Way

Partial Successes lure him on - Extreme Poverty - Sufferings of his Family -

His Final Triumph - Continues to Experiment - Dies insolvent

209

215

JOHN A. SUTTER.

An Officer in the French Army - Emigrates to America - His Misfortunes and

Wanderings here- Settles in California - Extent of his Possessions - Mar-

shall joins Him - Gold discovered - The Secret divulged - The Rush of Gold

Seekers Sutter and Marshall ruined - Marshall now a Grape-grower

DR. VALENTINE MOTT.

Receives his Death-Shock by hearing of President Lincoln's Assassination - His

early Life and professional Education Studies in Europe - Anecdote of his

procuring Bodies for Dissection - His Success as a Surgeon - His great

Operations

THEODORE R. TIMBY.

The thrilling News of our Deliverance by the Monitor

-

Timby the true Inventor of

the Revolving Turret His early Life Invents the Floating-Dock - Invents

and exhibits the Turret - Patents it in 1843 In 1848 exhibits it to Jefferson

Dayis The Government acknowledged his Claim and paid him a Royalty

--

RECOLLECTIONS OF WINFIELD SCOTT.

His Poverty-First Sight of him - Interviews with him - His Recollections of

Aaron Burr

PAGE

238

SIR ISAAC NEWTON.

His celebrated Fight at School - Place of his Birth - His Education - His mechan-

ical Talent in Childhood - Newton at Cambridge- - His arduous Studies

Makes his great Discovery of the Law of Gravitation - How he was led to it

Appointed Master of the Mint - Twice in love - Extracts from his Diary

Anecdotes The Inscription on his Tomb

GALILEO.

244

Terrors of the Inquisition - Poverty of his Childhood - His Love of Learning -

His Discoveries Arrested by the Inquisition Pronounced guilty, and

obliged to recant - A blind old Man - His great Knowledge

His Rank as a Discoverer -

VASCO DA GAMA.

Selected to command the Expedition to India - Sails

for that Country -Events on the Voyage - Quells a Mutiny - Reaches India

- His subsequent Voyages - His Person and Character

DOCTOR HAHNEMANN.

His Birth and Education - Practises Medicine - Dissatisfied with the Science

Founds Homopathy - Persecuted by the Apothecaries - His great Successes

Removal to Paris

ALFONSE THE FIRST OF PORTUGAL.

261

266

272

Former Greatness of Portugal - Indebtedness of the Country to Alfonse

Life Ilis gigantic Stature His brilliant Campaigns - Founds the Kingdom

of Portugal Takes Lisbon His Marriage and Family

-

BARTHOLOMEW DIAS.

-

What the World owes to Portugal - The Mariner's Compass introduced - The first

Discoveries on the Coast of Africa - The great Voyage of Dias — He discovers

the Cape of Good Hope - His Shipwreck and Death

EARLY LIFE OF LORD BYRON.

Effect of his Title upon his Mind- Spoiled by his Mother - Schoolboy Anecdote

At College His early Poetry His subsequent Career

Commonly called Magellan - Importance of Portugal in Navigation - -He enters the

Portuguese Navy Employed by Charles V. Discovers Patagonia - Passes

through Magellan Straits -Reaches the Ladrones His Death

283

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288

His Appearance as a Lecturer in London - Anecdote - His Education

-

His Inven-
tions and Discoveries - Marries a Fortune - Made a Baronet - His Character

SIR MARTIN FROBISHER.

296

302.

Character of the Yorkshiremen - Frobisher ambitious of making Discoveries

Finds a Patron in the Earl of Warwick - His Voyage to Labrador — Supposes

he has discovered Gold - Sails under Sir Francis Drake

300

ALPHONSE D'ALBUQUERQUE.

Persecution of the Heathen in former Times - Fights the Moors in Africa - His

Voyage to India — His Conquests in that Country - His Booty - His edifying

Death

311

HERNANDO CORTEZ.

His early Life A Love Adventure - Emigrates to the West Indies - A Planter

Sails for Mexico - His Conquests in Mexico - His Scruples of Conscience.

FRANCISCO PIZARRO.

Begins Life a Swine-herd - Enlists in the Spanish Army - Settles at Panama

Sails for Peru - Conquers the Country - His tragical Death — His Character

PAGE

317

323

SEBASTIAN CABOT.

The Residence of John Cabot in England

the two Cabots - Their Discoveries

and Character.

Sebastian a Map-maker - The Voyage of

- Sebastian's other Voyages - His Object

-

PAUL JONES.

Early Life Joins the United States Navy-His great Success Cruises in the

English Waters Attacks White Haven - Restores the Earl of Selkirk's

Plate Captures the Drake Takes the Serapis - His last Plan

-

329

334

-

His early Education -Studies Law Successful at the Bar A Democrat

Congress Anecdotes concerning the Declaration of Independence - Governor

of Virginia - President of the United States

-

SIR FRANCIS DRAKE.

- In

346

---

His Family and early Life Goes to Sea as a Cabin-Boy - Commands a Ship at

Eighteen Embarks in the Slave Trade Attacked by a Spanish Fleet

Ravages the Coasts of New Granada - Sails through the Straits of Magellan-

Second in command against the Spanish Armada - What are we to think

of Him?.

357

HENRY HUDSON.

He was not a Dutchman His first Voyage -Sails again in the Service of Holland

-Discovers the Hudson River His last Voyage- - Discovers Hudson's Bay

- Mutiny of his Crew - Murdered .

JACQUES CARTIER.

-

Why the St. Lawrence was so named - Early Importance of the Cod Fishery –

Cartier's first Voyage Enters the Mouth of the St. Lawrence His second

Voyage- - Discovers and Names the St. Lawrence Lands on the Island of

Montreal-Sufferings of the Crew

His Early Life and Voyages

Sails to Canada His Second Voyage to Canada

Founds the City of Quebec - Discovers Lake Champlain His Death at

Quebec

Born in Poverty Goes to Sea in a Coal Vessel -Becomes an Officer in the Royal

Navy Serves in Canada under General Wolf-His romantic Marriage-His

Voyages in the Pacific- Killed by the Savages

Serves in the War of 1812 in the English Navy Sails to the North under Captain

Ross Commands an Expedition -Ten Months in the Ice Saves his Men

from Scurvy - Endeavors to reach the North Pole - Cause of his Failure

SIR JOHN FRANKLIN.

-

-

The Franklin Family - His early Fondness for the Sea - Enters the Navy- Serves

gallantly under Nelson - His Marriage Governor of Van Diemen's Land-

His last and fatal Expedition to the North- The Efforts made to rescue

Him Causes of their Failure — Discovery of the Relics

-

THE GREAT CATHERINE OF RUSSIA.

Her Origin - Marries the Crown Prince of Russia - Character of her Husband

Ascends the Throne Her Services to Russia - Her Character

CONFUCIUS.

His early Life -His Marriage and first Employments His Efforts to obtain

Wisdom His Death-His Works - Outline of his Teaching - Promulgates

the Golden Rule

THE TWO CATOS.

-

Origin of the Family -Cato the Censor Affects great Austerity- His Removal to

Rome Accompanies Scipio to Sicily - Specimens of his Sayings - His Person

Cato the Philosopher His Suicide

-

PETER THE GREAT.

408

419

His early Life - His Friendship for Francis Lefort His Education under Lefort

-Seizes the supreme Power - Travels in Quest of Knowledge ·

Country-

- His Faults and Virtues

-

The Name celebrated by Voltaire and Byron The true Story of his early Life

Why he was an Enemy of Peter the Great Joins Charles the Twelfth

Shares his Fate

DEATH OF LOUIS FOURTEENTH.

439

Easier to die well than to live well- The King's Declining Health - Seized with

mortal Sickness - His Advice to his Heir- His Farewell to his Court

last Words - His Death

-His

444

JOHN LAW.

His great Celebrity - His Family and Education - Wanders over Europe - Makes

a Fortune by Gambling - Settles in Paris - Disorder in the Finances - His

Schemes to restore them Appointed Minister of Finance — Evils of an in-

flated Currency The Reaction One hundred thousand Persons ruined

The Funeral of a Member of Congress Attended by the President - Fired at by a

Madman Examination of the Prisoner What the President thought of it

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469