CHARLES KNIGHT, PALL MALL EAST;
LONGMAN, REES, ORME, BROWN, & GREEN, PATERNOSTER ROW;
OLIVER & BOYD, EDINBURGH; T. ATKINSON & Co., GLASGOW;
WAKEMAN, DUBLIN; WILLMER, LIVERPOOL;
& BAINES & CO., LEEDS.

MDCCCXXXI,

LONDON:

Printed by WILLIAM CLOWES,
Stamford Street.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Amusement in the Pursuit of Knowledge; Pursuit of

Knowledge by Persons of rank or wealth: Democritus;

Anaxagoras; Nicephorus Alphery; Marcus Aurelius;

Julian; Charlemagne; Alfred; James I. of Scotland;

Elizabeth; Alphonso X.

CHAPTER II.

Page

1

Advantages of Wealth in the Pursuit of Knowledge.-

Napier.

CHAPTER IV.

Drummond of Hawthornden; Tycho Brahe; Tschirnhausen ;

Boyle. The Air-pump.-Cavendish

CHAPTER V.

Other Individuals of rank distinguished in Literature and

Science :-Marquis of Worcester, &c.-Self-educated

cultivators of Science :-Parkes; Davy.

CHAPTER VI.

Diversities of Intellectual Excellence.-Painters:-Ben-

jamin West

22

39

67

97

131

CHAPTER VII.

Other English Painters :-Spencer; Highmore; Hannam;

Gilpin, Gainsborough; Barry; Lawrence

155

CHAPTER VIII,

Foreign Painters :-Giotto; Greuze; Ehret; Solario.-

Other cultivators of the Fine Arts:-Canova; Bewick .

179

CHAPTER IX.

Usefulness of such encouragements as the examples here

given are calculated to afford to youthful genius in every

department of study.-Self-educated Poets :-John

Taylor; Antonio Bianchi; Ramsay; Bloomfield

201

223

CHAPTER XII.

Professors of Optical Discovery :-Dollond; Ramsden;

Herschel; Thomas Phelps and John Bartlett; Fraun-

hofer; Palitzch

CHAPTER XIII.

Discovery and Improvement of the Steam-Engine.-James

Watt

CHAPTER XIV.

Sir Richard Arkwright.-The Cotton Manufacture

CHAPTER XV.

Invention of the Power-Loom.-Dr. Cartwright.-W. Ed-

wards.-R. Walker

CHAPTER XVI.

Pursuit of Knowledge by Travellers.-Lithgow; Walking

Stewart; Athenian Stuart; Niebuhr; Ledyard; Bel-

zoni. Conclusion

243

267

295

325

345

367