Birth--Parentage--Early education--Graduates at Yale College--Becomes an artist--His masters--Visits England--His first attempt--"The Dying Hercules"--Opinion of Benjamin West--Wins the medal of the Adelphi Society of Arts--Ambition as an artist--His cold reception by the Americans--Mr. Tuckerman's comments--Organizes the National Academy of Design--Visits Europe the second time--The homeward voyage in the "Sully"--News of the experiments at Paris with the electro-magnet--How the electric telegraph was invented--Morse is made a professor in the University of New York--Completion of his model--An imperfect telegraph--His first experiments--The duplicate finished--First exhibition of the telegraph--Morse applies for a patent--Visits Europe to introduce his invention--His failure--Seeks aid from Congress--A disheartening effort--A long struggle--Independence of Morse--Despondent at last--A sudden lifting of the cloud--The experimental line--The trial--A curious Cabinet Minister--Success of the telegraph--Establishment of companies in the United States--Professor Morse wins fame and fortune--The telegraph in Europe--Honors at home and abroad--A list of his rewards--Morse originates submarine telegraphy, and predicts the laying of an Atlantic telegraph--Personal characteristics. IV. PUBLISHERS. CHAPTER XXI. JAMES HARPER. The Brothers Harper--Birth and parentage of James Harper--The Long Island home--James Harper goes to New York--Becomes a "devil"--Winning his way--How he gave his card to a stranger--Arrival of "Brother John"---Good habits--Sets up for himself--"J. & J. Harper, Printers"--How they started in business--Integrity rewarded--First job--Their first effort at stereotyping--The Harpers become publishers on their own account--Their early ventures--Feeling their way to success--Their publications--Character of their books--How they drove the "yellow covers" out of the market--Their prosperity--Admission of new partners--The great fire--Destruction of the establishment of Harper & Brothers--Energy of the firm--Re-establishment of their business--Their new premises--Description of the buildings--Personal characteristics of Mr. James Harper--Religious life--Liberality of sentiment--His industry--Elected Mayor of New York--Kindness to his operatives--Physical Vigor--"The Lord knows best"--Accident to Mr. Harper and his daughter--His death. CHAPTER XXII. JAMES T. FIELDS.