The Peerage of Poverty

A Philosophic Cheap Jack-Holbein's Painting-Monu-
ments of Poverty-The Good Goddess of Poverty-
Giotto the Shepherd-boy-Albert Durer-Illustrious
Painters-Old Crome-Dr.
Mother-Life in China

PAGE

Henderson-A Noble

I-24

CHAPTER II.

JOHN CLARE.

A Lunatic's Death-Gifford's Admiration for Clare-A

Peasant Poet-An Excursion into Cloudland-Educa-

tion-Two First Loves-Pilgrimage for a Book-First

Efforts at Verse-Cottage Criticisms-No Poetry with-

out Grammar-An Ambition to be an Author-A

Good Prophet A Visit to Holywell Park-Visit to

the Marquis of Exeter-Visit to London-Visited by

Great Folks-Two Elm Trees-A Poor Proud Pea-

sant-A Poet's Wanderings-Singular Verdict-Last

Verses-Musings in a Madhouse-"I want to go

Home"-Poetical Illustrations-The Poetry of Na-

ture-Home Happiness-Poetry of the Fen Country .

CHAPTER III.

THE DIVINITY OF LABOUR.

Possessions of Humble Genius-The Lowly Order of

Poets-Letters and Labour-David the Psalmist-

False Ideas concerning Literature-Divine Life in the

Workshop-Labour and Poetry-Poetry of the Hand

-What is it Labour does?—A Vision of Workshops

-Hammer and Ploughshare.

25-78

79-91

CHAPTER IV.

THE RACE OF IRON KINGS-AN EPISODE.

The Family of the Smiths-The Ploughshare-The

Sword-The Hammer-Patriarchal Times-Man a

A True Epic Poem-Making the Sparks Fly-The

Learned Blacksmith-Noble Parents--A Diligent Stu-

dent-A Noble Triumph-A Journey in Pursuit of

Knowledge-The Story of a Watch-A Week's Work

-Home Greetings-The Corn-Law Rhymer-Illus-

trative Poems-Political Poetry-Political Vehemence

-Earnestness usually Unjust-Illustrative Poems—

The Poetry of Science-Carlyle's Estimate of Elliott

-The Village Patriarch-Communism

CHAPTER VI.

99-129

THE MIND AND THE HAND-MENTAL LABOUR REALLY PRODUCTIVE.

Genius a great Producing Power-The Labouring Classes

-Man and the World Constructed for Work-The

Mystery Destroyer-Literature and Labour not In-

compatible-Genius versus Prudence.

CHAPTER VII.

CHARACTERISTICS OF HUMBLE GENIUS.

What is Genius? The Professor and the Clerk-A

Rustic Mathematician-Foster's Definition of Genius

--Industry and Genius-A Naval Chaplain-The Bible

in a Walnut-A Wonderful Cherry-stone-Chance

versus Industry-Man, Savage and Civilized-Genius

the Light of the World-The True Inventive Brain

of the World-Brain and Hand-Transformers of

Society-Peter New-Story of M. Jacquard's Loom-

Brindley--Sir Humphrey Davy-Herschel-George

Stephenson-An Eminent Linguist-A Welsh Bible-

National Peerage--Romantic Origin of Noble Houses

--Nameless but Worthy Deeds

130-137

138-168

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE TRANSMIGRATIONS OF A PEASANT.

PAGE

The Italian Gardener-Extraordinary Escapes-"You

may one day be Pope!"-Family Love-The Curate's

Letter The Priest's Letter-The Swineherd becomes

a Cardinal-A Simple Letter-The two Brothers-The

Swineherd as Cardinal-"God Forbid I should be

Pope!"-The Swineherd becomes Pope-Looking for

the Keys of Paradise-The Swineherd as Pope-Sixtus

and the Scriptures-Lessons from the Swineherd's Life 169-183

CHAPTER IX.

THE STORY OF PALISSY THE POTTER.

A Noble Martyrdom-Two Great Books-First Sight of

the Enamelled Cup-Working in the Dark-Haunted

by the White Enamel-The Wife of the Potter-A

Reformer-A Home Picture-More Fuel-Success;

the Enamel Found-Blasphemy-King Nominal and

King Real-Life in Prison-Huguenot Girls-End of

a Brave Life

CHAPTER X.

MICHAEL FARADAY.

Clout-nail making-Mrs. Marcet's "Conversations'

Tyndall's Opinion of Faraday-A Prophet of Science

-Science versus Wealth-Modesty of a Great Man-

Doubtful Knowledge-Magnetisation of Light-Sci-

ence and Faith-"Arms for the Incendiary"-Cook-

shop Theory of the Universe-Faraday and Lord

Melbourne First Electric Machine-Noble Behaviour

of William IV.-Results of Faraday's Labours

CHAPTER XI.

THE ORDER OF SHOEMAKERS.

Poetic Homage to Shoemakers-Sach and Behmen-
Illustrious Shoemakers-An Epitaph-Samuel Drew
the Metaphysician-A Political Shoemaker-Officer
and Shoemaker-" Mortality and Immorality of the
Soul."-Dr. John Kitto-"Lord maketh not ashamed"
-William Gifford-Robert Bloomfield--A Farmer's
Boy in London-Setting up Housekeeping-Thomas
Cooper-Verses on a Mother-A Noble Instance

184-199

200-215

of Self-Culture-A Course of Education-Political
Troubles-Trial-Imprisonment-As a Lecturer-The
"Purgatory of Suicides "-Illustrative Extracts

CHAPTER XII.

PAGE

. 216-248

TAYLOR THE WATER POET-GLIMPSES OF ENGLAND IN THE OLD

TIME.

Southey's Uneducated Poets-Buying a Milch Cow--The

Thames in the Old Time-An Enumeration of Books

"The Pennyless Pilgrimage "—A Choice Bed-An

Azores Adventure-Voyage from London to York-

The Highlanders in Old Time-A Voyage in a Paper

Boat-Taylor's last Voyage-Illustrative Extracts-

Sport in the Highlands-Taylor's Return to London. 249-267

CHAPTER XIII.

THE STORY OF NATHANAEL BOWDITCH.

A Noble Mother-The Possible Almanac maker-The
Young Sailor--Will-making in Action-Anecdote—
Skilful Crew-Fame--A Pleasant Surprise-Works of
Bowditch for Sailors-Studying on Deck-A Noble
Wife--La Place Expounded-A First Glance at Alge-
bra-An Extract from the Will of Bowditch-Charac-
ter and Domestic Life of Bowditch-A Live Man-
Lessons from the Life of Bowditch

CHAPTER XIV.

CEDMON THE PLOUGHMAN.

The Monk's Plough-Forest Canticle-The Monastery

--Genius Shining in Dark Ages-Vision of Cedmon-

Illustrative Extracts-Death of Cedmon-A Literary

Curiosity-A Royal Biographer

CHAPTER XV.

ROBERT NICOLL THE KINE-HERDER.

268-282

"Scotland's Second Burns"-A Scottish Home—A
Glorious Mother-"Elder John "-A Voracious
Reader "When I was Herdin' Kye "-Poetry of
Home A youthful Student-Nicoll's Remarks on
Coleridge-A young Philosopher-Marriage-Editor-
"Going Home to Die "-Interview between Elliott and