b. ? and d. ?

French electrician. Inventor of an auto-accumulator cell remarkable for its small size, light weight, low cost, and freedom from deleterious fumes, and an atmospheric battery consisting of a small rod of sodium in contact with an amalgamated copper wire, wrapped in paper and secured to a plate of porous carbon. No liquid was used. In 1876 he introduced the “electric candle” which bears his name. It consisted of two carbon rods fixed parallel a slight distance apart, with an insulating material between which was consumed at the same rate as the carbons themselves.

Education is not confined to books alone. The
world with its thousand interests and occupations
is a great school. The recorded experience and
wisdom of others may be of the greatest aid and
benefit to us. We can look about us to-day and see
many who have brought the light of that intelligence
which has been the guiding-star of others to bear
upon their own paths, and by its aid have achieved
an enviable position among men. Honor lies in doing
well whatever we find to do; and the world estimates
a man’s abilities in accordance with his success
in whatever business or profession he may engage.

—B. F. Trowbridge

1878, March 28—Electric light was tried at Westminster Palace, London.

b. November 9, 1731 and d. October ? 1806

American negro mathematician. He prepared and published almanacs for Maryland and the adjoining States. Assisted Ellicott in surveying the site of Washington and the boundaries of the District of Columbia.

It isn’t the thing you are doing,
But the way that you do it, my friend;
Not the course, but the way of pursuing,
On which your successes depend.

There are prizes in every vocation,
And he is the fortunate man
Who frets not, because of his station,
But does just the best that he can.

—True Worth Wins: Lillie Sheldon

In this theatre of man’s life, it is reserved only
for God and angels to be lookers-on.

—Pythagoras

3761 B. C.—The era of the Jews begins.

3101 B. C. (or 3348)—The Hindu era begins.

45 B. C.—The Roman year is again corrected by Julius Cæsar; he makes it 3651/4 days.

27 B. C., February 14—The Augustan era begins, 727 years after the foundation of Rome.

1 A. D., January 1—The Christian era commences with the traditional date of the birth of Christ (4 (?) B. C.).

632, June 26—The beginning of the Yezdegerd or Persian era, with the election of King Yezdegerd III. (Formerly of universal use in Persia, and now used by the Parsees in India.)

b. August 12, 1753 and d. November 8, 1828

Englishman who revived the art of engraving on wood in 1775. His best work was his “History of British Birds,” 1804. He illustrated Goldsmith’s “The Traveller” and “The Deserted Village,” the “Fables of Æsop,” and other works.

The eternal Master found
His single talent well employ’d.

—Samuel Johnson

He whose grasp is sure, whose step is firm,
Whose brain is constant-he makes one proud rock
The means to scale another, till he stand
Triumphant on the peak.

—Auchindrane

1460—Wood engraving was invented.

1460—Printing in dyes was invented.

1490—Chiaroscuro engraving was first practiced.

1789—Wood engraving was greatly improved by Bewick, his brother and his pupils.

1820—Color-printing was invented.

1823—Color-printing with metal plates in book-binding was employed by Congreve.

1843—C. Pul, of Copenhagen, invented the chemitype, a process of etching a zinc plate for printing.

1848—Chromolithography, method of printing from stone in colors, was introduced.