The pursuit of knowledge under difficulties
From the introduction:
The various individuals who, in every age of the world, have distinguished themselves by their devotion to intellectual pursuits in the midst of more or less unfavourable circumstances, might perhaps be conveniently enough comprehended in four classes; to be designated, for shortness' sake, the Conquerors of Ignorance, the Conquerors of Adversity, the Conquerors . of Business, and the Conquerors of Custom.
Under the head of the Conquerors of Ignorance would come all who, by their own efforts, have emancipated themselves from ignorance, whether by partially or wholly educating themselves, or by seeking and finding instruction notwithstanding the discouragement or opposition of friends, the difficulties arising from the scantiness of means, a neglected youth, or any of the other causes which usually produce permanent illiteracy.
The Conquerors of Adversity would be those who have clung to the pursuit of knowledge in spite of menial, laborious, or other uncongenial employments, depressing poverty or dependence, confinement, persecution, disease, or deficiency of any of the ordinary corporeal senses.
The Conquerors of Business would include all who have made themselves remarkable by their acquirements or achievements in literature or science, while beset by the usually engrossing demands of what is called active life. Finally, the title of the Conquerors of Custom would be The Pursuit of Knowledge. take in all those who, in their pursuit of knowledge, have had to surmount impediments interposed by the habits, fashions, or prejudices of the Booiety In which they moved.
Some Contents:
CHAPTER I
Classification-of Difficulties.— Our natural Love of Knowledge. — Tne Philosophy that lies in Common Things. Newton; Gravitation.— Galileo; the Pendulum.— Torricelli and Pascal ; the Barometer.— Prince Rupert ; Mezzotinto. — ^Montgolfier; the Balloon. — Self-teaching . . . ' , 1
CHAPTER II.
Strength of the Passion for Knowledge: — Pythagoras; Archimedes; Leibnitz; Galileo;
Heyne 15
CHAPTER III.
Obscure Origin and Humble Station: — Epictetus; Protagoras; Cleanthes; Hairy ; Winckelman ; Arnigio; Duval ; Bandinelli; Scaliger; Protogenes; Baudouin; Gelli; Metastasio; Haydn; Opie ; Parinl ; Prideaux; Inigo Jones; Chief Justice Saunders; Linnfflua; Lomonosoff: Ben Jonson; the Milners; John Hunter. , , .23
CHAPTER IV.
Artists rising from the Lower to the Higher Branches: — B. Cellini; Q. Matsys;. Ibbetson ;
Kent; Towne; Kirby; Schiavoni; Hogarth; Sharp; Thew; Caslon.— Late Learners:—
Cromwell; Sir W.Jones; Cato the Censor; Alfred; Moliere; Valerianus; Tondel;
Pitot; Paucton; Ogilby, .... .... 39
CHAPTER V.
Early Age at which Greatness has been achieved:— Newton; James Gregory; Torricelli; Pascal; Sidney; Otway; Collins, etc; Mozart; Raphael; Correggio; Politian ;
Mirandola . . . . ' 49
CHAPTER VI.
Self-educated Men:— T.Simpson; Edmund Stone; Jerome Stone. , ,61
CHAPTER VII
Pursuit of Knowledge united with that of Business:— Cicero; Sir William Jones; Julius
Caesar; Frederick the Great; Sully; De Thou; Bacon; Clarendon; Selden; Hale ; Grotius. 12
Artists rising from the Lower to the Higher Branches: — B. Cellini; Q. Matsys;. Ibbetson ;
Kent; Towne; Kirby; Schiavoni; Hogarth; Sharp; Thew; Caslon.— Late Learners:—
Cromwell; Sir W.Jones; Cato the Censor; Alfred; Moliere; Valerianus; Tondel;
Pitot; Paucton; Ogilby, .... .... 39
CHAPTER V.
Early Age at which Greatness has been achieved:— Newton; James Gregory; Torricelli; Pascal; Sidney; Otway; Collins, etc; Mozart; Raphael; Correggio; Politian ;
Mirandola . . . . ' 49
CHAPTER VI.
Self-educated Men:— T.Simpson; Edmund Stone; Jerome Stone. , ,61
CHAPTER VII
Pursuit of Knowledge united with that of Business:— Cicero; Sir William Jones; Julius
Caesar; Frederick the Great; Sully; De Thou; Bacon; Clarendon; Selden; Hale ; Grotius. 12
CHAPTER VIII
Literary Soldiers:— Descartes; Ben Jonson; Buchanan; Cervantes.— Sailors:— Dampier
Davis; Drury; Falconer; Giordani; Fransham; Oswald; Columbus; Cook; Vancouver; Collingwood 85
CHAPTER IX.
Literary Pursuits of Merchants-— Solon; Guys; Dudley North; Ricardo. , ,95
CHAPTER X.
Literary Pursuits of Booksellers and Printers:— Solomon Gesner; Aldus Manutius, Paul,
and Aldus the Younger; R. Stephens; H.Stephens; Scapula; Colinseus; Radius;
Froben; Oporinus; Raddiman; Bowyer; Nichols; Richardson . . , .104
CHAPTER XI.
Booksellers aiid Printers continued:— W. Button; R. Dodsley; Almon; Cruden; the
Panckouckes; Rothscholtz; Bagford; Ames; Herbert; Patersou. — Pursuit of Literature In other Trades:— Walton; Defoe; Lolo,116
CHAPTER XII
Self-educated Men-continued:— Ferguson .—Influence of Accident In directing Pursuits:
— Rennle; Linnaeus ; Vemet ; Caravaggio; Tassie; Chatterton; Harrison; Edwards;
Villara; Joly; Jourdain; Bandinelli; Palissy . , • . . 132
CHAPTER XVI.
Defects of the Senses or other Natural Bodily Powers overcome: — ^Demosthenes • De
Beaumont; Navarete; Saunderson; Rugendas; Diodotus; Didymus; Eusebius*
Nicasius de Voerda ; De Pagan ; Galileo ; Euler ; Moyes
This book is an encyclopedia of self-made and self-taught people, it studies the greatness of men who challenged poverty and even bodily defects.
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