nd
Hampden know that they were once on the point of setting out
for America to live before they took part in England's civil
war? How many people remember Agassiz's noble answer when
offered a large salary to lecture,--'I cannot afford to
waste time in making money'?"

=BROOKLYN MAGAZINE=:

"Daniel De Foe, Keats, Oliver Cromwell, Hugh Miller, John
Bunyan, Benjamin Franklin, Elihu Burritt, Benjamin West, and
hundreds of others are cited as instances to illustrate that
genius is independent of circumstances. A galaxy of the
names of the world's great men is presented to demonstrate
the fact that the humblest may rise to be the greatest. Mr.
Ballou's book is crowded full of interest from cover to
cover. He shows a wide knowledge of men and events, and his
strict regard for accuracy gives a permanent value to the
book. To place such a book as this in the hands of young men
is to confer a blessing upon them. It is full of beneficial
illustrations and lessons, and many a young man will take
new heart after a perusal of its pages."

=JOURNAL OF EDUCATION= (=Boston=):

"The book has much of the fascination of a conversation,
chatting leisurely about the gossip, history, anecdotes,
etc., which the names of hundreds of authors, artists, and
other celebrities suggest. The index is so complete and
accurate as to make this marvellous compilation as available
as an encyclopaedia."

=SUNDAY BUDGET=:

"A work of exceeding interest and value, for it is a
veritable epitome of biography, dealing with all the famous
characters of literature, science, and art, and presenting a
wealth of instructive data such as no volume of similar
compass has ever contained. A more instructive and
interesting book has not been brought out the present
season, and its charm exerts a hold upon the reader that
leads him on from page to page."

=THE JOURNALIST= (=New York=):

"A charming, gossipy volume of literary anecdotes. It is
this very gossipy style which makes the book an easy one to
read; and, while the briefness of some of the references
frequently piques the reader's curiosity into further
investigation, they are full enough to furnish much valuable
information concerning the masters of art and literature.
M