Biographical Stories: (From: "True Stories of History and Biography")Hawthorne, Nathaniel
General
Biographical Stories: (From: "True Stories of History and Biography")
Hawthorne, Nathaniel
Biography -- Juvenile literature
Temple; “and no doubt a great many
people would think it more useful to manufacture steam-engines than to
search out the system of the universe. Other great astronomers besides
Newton have been endowed with mechanical genius. There was David
Rittenhouse, an American,—lie made a perfect little water-mill when
he was only seven or eight years old. But this sort of ingenuity is but a
mere trifle in comparison with the other talents of such men.”
</p>
<p>
“It must have been beautiful,” said Edward, “to spend whole nights in a
high tower as Newton did, gazing at the stars, and the comets, and the
meteors. But what would Newton have done had he been blind? or if his eyes
had been no better than mine?”
</p>
<p>
“Why, even then, my dear child,” observed Mrs. Temple, “he would have
found out some way of enlightening his mind and of elevating his soul. But
come; little Emily is waiting to bid you good night. You must go to sleep
and dream of seeing all our faces.”
</p>
<p>
“But how sad it will be when I awake!” murmured Edward.
</p>
<p>
<br /><br /><br /> <a name="chap04"></a>
</p>
<h4>
CHAPTER IV.
</h4>
<p>
In the course of the next day the harmony of our little family was
disturbed by something like a quarrel between George and Edward.
</p>
<p>
The former, though he loved his brother dearly, had found it quite too
great a sacrifice of his own enjoyments to spend all his play-time in a
darkened chamber. Edward, on the other hand, was inclined to be despotic.
He felt as if his bandaged eyes entitled him to demand that everybody who
enjoyed the blessing of sight should contribute to his comfort and
amusement. He therefore insisted that George, instead of going out to play
at football, should join with himself and Emily in a game of questions and
answers.
</p>
<p>
George resolutely refused, and ran out of the house. He did not revisit
Edward’s chamber till the evening, when he stole in, looking confused, yet
somewhat sullen, and sat down beside his father’s chair. It was evident,
by a motion of Edward’s head and a slight trembling of his lips, that he
was aware of George’s entrance, though his footsteps had been almost
inaudible. Emily, with her serious and earnest little face, looked from
one to the other, as if she longed to be a messenger of peace between
them.
</p>
<p>
Mr. Temple, without seeming to notice any of these circumstances, began a
story.
</p>
<p>
<br /><br /><br /> <a name="johnson"></a>
</p>
<h3>
SAMUEL JOHNSON
</h3>
<h4>
[BORN 1709 DIED 1784.]
</h4>
<p>
“Sam,” said Mr.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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