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222
Hereditary Genius
Pliny the Elder, naturalist. A most industrious compiler and a student of
extraordinary devotion, but curiously devoid of critical ability. He was
parsimonious of his time; slept little; was grave and noble. Lost his life in
visiting Vesuvius during an eruption.
n. Pliny the Younger (he took the name of his mother's family), author of the
“Epistles.” Very precocious; a man of great accomplishments, a great orator, a
patron of men of learning, and an able statesman.
Porta, Giovanni Baptista; an Italian philosopher of high eminence in his day, 1550—
1615. Inventor of the camera obscura. He was a youthful prodigy, and became
universally accomplished. He wrote well on many subjects besides science. He
founded societies, and gave a notable impulse to the study of natural science.
Unmarried. B. A younger brother shared his ardour for study.
Saussure, H. B. de; Swiss geologist and physicist. Carefully educated; was
appointed Professor at Geneva aet. 22. His constitution became injured by the
effects of Alpine exploration, also by anxiety on money matters. Died aet. 59.
F. Agriculturist and author of works on agriculture and statistics.
S. Nicholas Theodore; naturalist and chemist. Died aet. 78. He was first associated
with his father in his pursuits, but afterwards followed an independent line of
inquiry. Stephenson, George; eminent engineer. The father of railways. A big,
raw-boned youth, who educated himself. By steady but slow advances, he
became engineer to a colliery at £100 a year, aet. 41. His first steam-engine was
made aet. 43. He gained the prize for the best design for a locomotive aet. 49,
and thenceforward his way to fortune was short. He invented the whole
system of railway labour, its signals, “navvies,” rails, stations, and
locomotives; and his success was gained in the teeth of all kinds of opposition
and absurd objections.
S. Robert; precocious and industrious. Became the foremost engineer of his day.
Volta, Alexandre; an Italian physicist of the highest order, best known by his
electrical (Voltaic) researches. Napoleon
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