Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 104, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 May 1919 — NO "BEST” MONTH [ARTICLE]

NO "BEST” MONTH

Time of Birth Has Little to Do With Genius. Statistics Show That Nature Practically Plays No Favorites in Her Production of the Gifted Ones of the Earth. Astrologers believe that the planets “reigning” at the time of birth govern us throughout life, and that, from a literary point of view certain months are more favorable ‘than others in which to be born. Taking the hundred best British writers since the (lay of Chaucer, no less than forty-eight were born in the four months February, May, August and November. In February were born Charles Dickens, Pepys the diarist, and Thomas Moore, while of more modern date and fame are George Meredith, Israel Zangwill., Anthony Hope, Harrison Ainsworth and Wilkie Collins. Pope and Addison were both born in May, as also were Browning, Rossetti. Moore, Bulwer Lytton, Thomas Hood, Jerome K. Jerome, and Sir James M. Barrie. August seems to be the birthmonth of poets, for in that month were born Dryden, Herrick, Scott, Shelley, Southey and Tennyson. •Apparently November is an unlucky month for literary people, for among those who were born in November are Thomas Chatterton, who, in disappointment and poverty, committed suicide at eighteen; William Cowper, who suffered from melancholia and suicidal mania, and finally died insane j* Oliver Goldsmith, continually in prison for debt; John Bunyan, who spent 12 years in prison, thereby giving us “Pilgrim's Progress;” Swift, subject to fits of passion and ill-humor, died insane; Robert Louis Stevenson suffered from almost continual ill-health, and died at forty-four. So much for the “favored months.” Of the others, January saw the birth of Bobbie Burns, Byron and Lewis Carrol, author of “Alice in Wonderland,” who was also a famous mathematician. March was the birthiponth of Smollett and Steele, as also of Elizabeth Barrett Browning. In April was born the greatest genius the English language has known, William Shakespeare, while among others born in this month were Wordsworth, Keble, Heber, Sgjpburne and Herbert. Charlotte Bronte and Anthony Trollope were also born in this month. . V'?. ■ June is not a very good month, Charles Reade and Charles Kingsley being the only two writers. July gave us Thackeray and George Bernard Shaw, and those interested in astrology may find a resemblance between the two satirists. September and October were both poor months, Mrs. Hernans and H. G. Wells being born in September and Coleridge, Keats and Sheridan in October. Finally Milton, Gray and Matthew Arnold were born in December, as were’ also Jane Austin and Carlyle. So there is hope for most people as far as birthmonths are concentred.