Man of Power

MEN OF POWER By FRED EASTMAN FOREWORD I shall try to explain these men, not expose or glorify them. They all had power. Where did they get it? They accomplished great things for the common good. Why? Together with the men in the four other volumes in this series they bequeathed to us no small part of our social, scientific, political, and spiritual heritage. How? To paraphrase Shakespeares line, The cause, dear reader, was not in their stars, But in themselves, that they were men of power. In these studies I hope to discover the influences that operated to lift these men above the level of the com monplace and to set their feet on higher ground. I shall present each mans heredity, his cultural and na tional background, his early home and rchool, his friendships, his purposes, his habits of work, his oppo nents, and his philosophy of life. From these consid erations it may be possible to construct an under standable picture of his growing personality. Such biographical portraits will give more attention to each mans early struggles than to his later accomplishments, more importance to what went on within his heart as a youth and young man than to the honors that came to him as an old man. Gratefully I acknowledge the constructive criticism of my wife, whose passion for accuracy has saved me from many a slip and whose encouragement has kept me at the task. My thanks also to my young colleagues, Edward Ouellette and Thomas Dick, for their assist ance in preparing the sketches in this volume. F. E. CONTENTS: FOREWORD I - BENJAMIN FRANKLIN II - RALPH WALDO EMERSON III - GEORGE FOX IV - CHARLES DARWIN BIBLIOGRAPHY