De La Salle Fifth Reader Part 54

and "Bits of Travel." She lived some years in Colorado, where her life brought to her notice the wrongs done the Indians. In their defense she wrote "A Century of Dishonor," The last book she wrote is "Ramona," an Indian romance, which she hoped would do for the Indian what "Uncle Tom's Cabin" had done for the slave. Mrs. Jackson died in California in 1885.

"MERCEDES" is the pen name of an able, zealous, and devoted Sister of one of our great Teaching Communities. She has written several excellent "Plays" for use in Convent Schools which have met the test of successful production. Her "Wild Flowers from the Mountain-side" is a volume of Poems and Dramas that exhibit "the heart and soul and faith of true poetry." A competent critic calls these "Wild Flowers sweet, their hues most delicate, their fragrance most agreeable." Mercedes has also enriched the columns of _The Missionary_ and other publications with several true stories, in attractive prose, of edifying conversions resulting from the missionary zeal of priest and teacher. Her graceful pen is ever at the service of every cause tending to the glory of G.o.d and the good of souls.

MOORE, THOMAS, was born in the city of Dublin, Ireland, in the year 1779, and was educated at Trinity College. His matchless "Melodies" are the delight of all lovers of music, and are sung all over the world.

Archbishop McHale of Tuam translated them into the grand old Celtic tongue. Moore is the greatest of Ireland's song-writers, and one of the world's greatest. As a poet few have equaled him in the power to write poetry which charms the ear by its delightful cadence. His lines display an exquisite harmony, and are perfectly adapted to the thoughts which they express and inspire. His grave is in England, where he spent the later years of his life, and where he died in 1852. In 1896, the Moore Memorial Committee of Dublin erected over his grave a monument consisting of a magnificent and beautiful Celtic cross.

MOORE, CLEMENT C., poet and teacher, was born in New York in 1779.

In 1821 he was appointed professor in a Seminary founded by his father, who was Bishop Benjamin Moore of the Protestant Episcopal diocese of New York. He died in 1863.

MORRIS, GEORGE P., poet and journalist, wrote several popular poems, but is remembered chiefly for his songs and ballads. He was born in Philadelphia in the year 1802, and died in New York in 1864.

MCCARTHY, DENIS ALOYSIUS, poet, lecturer and journalist, was born in Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary, Ireland, in the year 1871, and made his elementary and intermediate studies in the Christian Brothers'

School of his native town. Since his arrival in America in 1886, he has published two volumes of poems which he modestly calls "A Round of Rimes" and "Voices from Erin." "His poetry," says a distinguished critic who is neither Irish nor Catholic, "is soulful and sweet, and sings itself into the heart of anyone who has a bit of sentiment in his make-up." Mr. McCarthy is at present a.s.sociate Editor of the _Sacred Heart Review_ of Boston. He lectures on literary and Irish themes, and contributes poems, stories, essays, book reviews, etc., to various papers and magazines.

NEWMAN, CARDINAL JOHN HENRY, was born in London in 1801, and studied at Trinity College, Oxford. In 1824 he became a minister of the Church of England, and rose rapidly in his profession. In 1845 he abandoned the English ministry, renounced the errors of Protestantism, and entered the Catholic Church, of which he remained till death a most faithful, devoted, and zealous son. He was ordained priest in 1848, was made Rector of the Catholic University of Dublin in 1854, and in 1879 was raised to the rank of Cardinal by Pope Leo XIII. Cardinal Newman's writings are beyond the grasp of young minds, yet they will profit by and enjoy the perusal of his two great novels, "Loss and Gain" and "Callista." The former is the story of a convert; the latter a tale of the third century, in which the beautiful heroine and martyr, Callista, is presented with a master's art. Newman is the greatest master of English prose. In this field he holds the same rank that Shakespeare does in English poetry. To his style, Augustine Birrell, a noted English essayist, pays the following graceful and eloquent tribute: "The charm of Dr. Newman's style baffles description. As well might one seek to a.n.a.lyze the fragrance of a flower, or to expound in words the jumping of one's heart when a beloved friend unexpectedly enters the room." This great Prince of the Church died the death of the saints in the year 1890.

O'REILLY, JOHN BOYLE, patriot, author, poet and journalist, was born on the banks of the famous river Boyne, in County Meath, Ireland, in the year 1844. In 1860 he went over to England as agent of the Fenian Brotherhood, an organization whose purpose was the freedom of Ireland from English rule. In 1863 he joined the English army in order to sow the seeds of revolution among the soldiers. In 1866 he was arrested, tried for treason, and sentenced to death. This was afterwards commuted to twenty years' penal servitude. In 1867 he was transported to Australia to serve out his sentence, whence he escaped in 1869, and made his way to Philadelphia. He became editor of the Boston _Pilot_ in 1874.

He is the author of "Songs from the Southern Seas," "Songs, Legends and Ballads," and of other works. He died in 1890. All through life the voice and pen of Boyle O'Reilly were at the service of his Church, his native land, and his adopted country. Kindness was the keynote of his character. In 1896 Boston erected in his honor a magnificent memorial monument.

RILEY, JAMES WHITCOMB, called the "Hoosier Poet," was born in Indiana in the year 1852. In many of his poems there is a strong sense of humor. What he writes comes from the heart and goes to the heart. He has written much in dialect. His home is in Indianapolis.

RUSKIN, JOHN, one of the most famous of English authors, was born in London in 1819, and educated at Oxford. He spent several years in Italy in the study of art. He wrote many volumes of essays and lectures, chiefly on matters connected with art and art criticism. In his writings we find many beautiful pen-pictures of statues and fine buildings and such things. His "Modern Painters," a treatise on art and nature, established his reputation as the greatest art critic of England. He died in 1900.

SANGSTER, MRS. MARGARET E., editor and poet, was born in New Roch.e.l.le, N.Y., on the 22d of February, 1838, and educated in Vienna.

She has successfully edited such periodicals as _Hearth and Home, Harpers' Young People, and Harpers' Bazaar,_ in which much of her prose and poetry has appeared. She is at present (1909) the editor of _The Woman's Home Companion._

SOUTHEY, ROBERT, an eminent English poet and author, was born in the year 1774. He began to write verse at the age of ten. In 1792 he was expelled from the Westminster School for writing an essay against corporal punishment. He then entered one of the colleges of Oxford University, where he became an intimate friend of Coleridge. While residing at Lisbon he began a special study of Spanish and Portuguese literature. In 1813 he was appointed poet-laureate of England, and in 1835 received a pension from the government. He died in 1843. Southey, Coleridge and Wordsworth are often called "The Lake Poets," because they lived together for years in the lake country of England, and in their writings described the scenery of that beautiful region.

TENNYSON, ALFRED, is considered the greatest poet of his age, and one of the great English poets of modern times. He was born in the year 1809, and educated at Cambridge University. In 1850 he gave to the world "In Memoriam," his lament for the loss by death of his friend, Arthur H.

Hallam. In 1851 he succeeded Wordsworth as poet-laureate of England. His poems, long and short, are general favorites. His "Idyls of the King,"

"The Princess," "Maud," and "In Memoriam" are his chief long poems.

These are remarkable for beauty of expression and richness of thought, of which Tennyson was master. He died in 1892, lamented by the entire English-speaking world, and was buried in Westminster Abbey. Tennyson always loved the sea, the music of whose restless waves awakened an answering echo in his heart.

WALLACE, WILLIAM R., was born at Lexington, Ky., in the year 1819.

As a poet he is best known as the author of "The Sword of Bunker Hill."

WESTWOOD, THOMAS, an English poet, was born in the year 1814, and died in 1888. He wrote several volumes of poetry, one of which was "Beads from a Rosary."

WHITTIER, JOHN G., called the "Quaker Poet," was born in Ma.s.sachusetts in the year 1807. His parents were Quakers and were poor.

When young he learned to make shoes, and with the money thus earned he paid his way at school. He was a boy of nineteen when his first verses were published. His poems were inspired by current events, and their patriotic spirit gives them a strong hold upon the public. "Snow-bound"

is considered his greatest poem. Whittier loved home so much that he never visited a foreign country, and traveled but little in his own. He gave thirty of the best years of his life to the anti-slavery struggle.

While other poets traveled in foreign lands or studied in their libraries, Whittier worked hard for the freedom of the slave. Of this he wrote-- "Forego the dreams of lettered ease, Put thou the scholar's promise by; The rights of man are more than these."

Mr. Whittier died in the year 1892.

WISEMAN, CARDINAL NICHOLAS PATRICK, was born in the year 1802 in Seville, Spain, of an Irish family settled there. His family returned to Ireland, where he was educated. When he was sixteen he entered the English College, Rome, and was ordained priest in 1825. In 1840 he was appointed Coadjutor Bishop, and in 1850 the Pope named him Archbishop of Westminster, and at the same time created him a Cardinal. He was a profound scholar, an eloquent preacher, and a brilliant writer, and is the author of many able works. He was one of the founders of the _Dublin Review._ He died in 1865. His "Fabiola or the Church of the Catacombs,"

from which some selections have been taken for this Reader, is one of the cla.s.sics of our language. It was written in 1854.

WOODWORTH, SAMUEL, editor and poet, was born in Ma.s.sachusetts in 1785, and died in 1842. With George P. Morris, he founded the _New York Mirror._ "The Old Oaken Bucket" is the best known of his poems.

For sketches of other authors from whom selections are taken for this book, see the Third and the Fourth Reader of the series.