Transcriber's Note:
Obvious typographic errors have been corrected.
NAPOLÉON.
FAMOUS
LEADERS AMONG MEN
BY
SARAH KNOWLES BOLTON
AUTHOR OF "POOR BOYS WHO BECAME FAMOUS," "GIRLS WHO BECAME FAMOUS,"
"FAMOUS AMERICAN AUTHORS," "FAMOUS AMERICAN STATESMEN,"
"FAMOUS MEN OF SCIENCE," "FAMOUS EUROPEAN ARTISTS,"
"FAMOUS TYPES OF WOMANHOOD," "STORIES FROM LIFE,"
"FROM HEART AND NATURE" (POEMS), "FAMOUS
ENGLISH AUTHORS," "FAMOUS ENGLISH
STATESMEN," ETC., ETC.
The longer I live, the more certain I am that the great difference between men,
the feeble and the powerful, the great and the insignificant, is energy and invincible
determination.—Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton.
NEW YORK: 46 East 14th Street
THOMAS Y. CROWELL & CO.
BOSTON: 100 Purchase Street
Copyright, 1894,
BY
Thomas Y. Crowell & Co.
C. J. Peters & Son,
Type-Setters and Electrotypers,
145 High Street, Boston.
TO MY SON
Charles Knowles Bolton.
PREFACE.
Napoleon said, "My maxim has always been, a career open to talentwithout distinction of birth." It will be seen in these pages that mostof these men rose to leadership by their own efforts. Napoleon was poor,and often without employment in early life, but his industry, goodjudgment, will, and ambition carried him to the heights of power.
Nelson was the son of a minister, whose salary did not support hisnumerous family, but his boy had the energy and force that won success.
Bunyan, a travelling tinker, twelve years a prisoner in Bedford jail,could, while poor and in prison, write a book that is read more than anyother in the world, save the Bible.
Arnold, through love for his work, and his untiring energy and goodsense, became the ideal teacher.
Phillips and Beecher, both eloquent, the latter beginning his labors ona salary of $200 a year, were led into their great careers through agreat motive,—their hatred of slavery.
Kingsley, the Christian socialist, knowing that the pulpit must help inthe solution of the labor problem, lived and preached the brotherhood ofman.
Sherman, the son of a widow, adopted by his father's[Pg vi] friend, had earlyfailures, and won his place of distinction with Grant and Sheridan byhis own ability.
Spurgeon, whose work was marvellous, was poor, and without a collegeeducation.
Phillips Brooks, whose death was an irreparable loss, made his way evenmore by his sincerity and unselfishness than by his eloquence.
Napoleon, who was especially fond of bio