Fifteen Minutes a Day
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January 1
“Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve”—was one of the rules for success framed by America’s first “self-made” man.
Read: FRANKLIN'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY Vol. I, pp. 79-85 read · scan
Great Ideas in these pages: Virtue and Vice · Habit · Wisdom · Temperance
January 2
(First edition of Milton’s collected poems published Jan. 2, 1645.)
At the age of sixteen, Milton first appeared before the public eye as a promising young poet. These early verses, written while he was a boy in school, indicate his brilliant future.
January 3
(Cicero born Jan. 3, 106 B. C.)
“Fire and water are not of more universal use than friendship”— such is the high value put upon this great human relationship by the most famous orator of Rome.
Read: Cicero ON FRIENDSHIP Vol. 9, pp. 16-26 read · scan
Great Ideas in these pages: Friendship · Love · Virtue and Vice · Duty
January 4
(Jacob Grimm, elder of the famous Grimm brothers, born Jan. 4, 1785.)
A fisherman, so the story goes, once caught a flounder that spoke, begging to be released. This was granted, whereupon the fisherman’s wife demanded that it grant her one miracle after another, until even the flounder was disgusted.
Read: GRIMM'S FAIRY TALES Vol. 17, pp. 83-90 read · scan
Great Ideas in these pages: Desire · Family · Wealth · Monarchy
January 5
(Byron arrived in Greece to fight for Greek freedom, Jan. 5, 1824.)
Mazzini labored for the freedom of Italy, but was exiled. Byron and Goethe also battled for liberty. Mazzini wrote an essay in which he compared Byron to a soaring eagle and Goethe to a contented stork.
Read: Mazzini's BYRON AND GOETHE Vol. 32, pp. 377-396 read · scan
Great Ideas in these pages: Poetry · Liberty · Progress · Man
January 6
(H. Schliemann, discoverer of ancient Troy, born Jan. 6, 1822.)
In the dead of night Hector’s ghost appeared to warn Aineas of the impending doom to come upon the walled city of Troy. Eneas lifted his aged father on his back and, taking his son by the hand, sought safety in flight. Off to Latium!
Read: Virgil's AENEID Vol. 13, pp. 109-127 read · scan
Great Ideas in these pages: War and Peace · Fate · Family · Courage
January 7
The Sultan had a habit of beheading each dawn his beautiful bride of the night before, until he encountered Scheherazade. Cleverly she saved her life a thousand and one mornings.
Read: THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS Vol. 16, pp. 5-13 read · scan
Great Ideas in these pages: Family · Emotion · Desire · Angel
January 8
~ God was pleased with the piety of Job, but Satan accredited the piety to Job’s prosperity and happiness. So a trial was made. See how each succeeding affliction visited on Job shook the depths of his nature, and how he survived.
Read: THE BOOK OF JOB Vol. 44, pp. 71-87 read · scan
Great Ideas in these pages: God · Life and Death · Justice · Emotion
January 9
(Drake died at Nombre de Dios, Jan. 9, 1596.)
With only fifty-two men, Sir Francis Drake conceives the idea of attacking his archenemy, Spain, at her most vulnerable point the treasure at Nombre de Dios.
Read: Nichol's SIR FRANCIS DRAKE REVIVED Vol. 33, pp. 135-145 read · scan
Great Ideas in these pages: War and Peace · Courage · Prudence · Wealth
January 10
King Pantheus of Thebes contended against Dionysus, the God, for the adoration of the Theban women. The god was winning by bewitching the women when the king interceded. Euripides tells the story in a masterpiece of Greek drama.
Read: Euripides' THE BACCHAE Vol. 8, pp. 368-372 read · scan
Great Ideas in these pages: Religion · God · Punishment · Family
January 11
(Alexander Hamilton born Jan. 11, 1757.)
Hamilton organized the Treasury Department. He penned most of the Federalist papers, which were greatly influential in bringing New York into the Union—the first step toward its eminent position in national and world finance.
Read: THE FEDERALIST Vol. 43, pp. 199-207 read · scan
Great Ideas in these pages: Government · Constitution · National Character · Liberty
January 12
(Edmund Burke born Jan. 12, 1729.)
A Turkish sultan, relates Burke, when shown a picture of the beheaded John the Baptist, praised many things, but pointed out one gruesome defect. Did this observation show the sultan to be an inferior judge of art?
Read: Burke ON TASTE Vol. 24, pp. 11-26 read · scan
Great Ideas in these pages: Beauty · Judgment · Sense · Knowledge
January 13
(Jean Jacques Rousseau arrived in England, Jan. 13, 1766.)
Rousseau taught that men were not created free and equal. To substantiate his daring beliefs he traced man’s history back to his primitive beginnings. For his teachings, Rousseau was forced to seek refuge in England.
Read: Rousseau's INQUIRY ON INEQUALITY Vol. 34, pp. 215-228 read · scan
Great Ideas in these pages: Government · Slavery · Liberty · Tyranny
January 14
(Fundamental Orders of Connecticut adopted Jan. 14, 1639.)
The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut is “the first written constitution as a permanent limitation on governmental power, known in history.” It is the work of the Connecticut Yankee.
Read: THE FUNDAMENTAL ORDERS OF CONNECTICUT Vol. 43, pp. 60-65 read · scan
Great Ideas in these pages: Government · Democracy · Constitution · Religion
January 15
(“Rubatyat of Omar Khayyam” first published Jan. 15, 18 59.)
Omar Khayyam laughed and enjoyed the good things of life. His “Rubaiyat,” the most popular philosophic poem, is the best of all books to dip into for an alluring thought.
Read: THE RUBAIYAT OF OMAR KHAYYAM Vol. 41, pp. 943-953 read · scan
Great Ideas in these pages: Life and Death · Time · Pleasure and Pain · God
January 16
An old woman once found a wine jar, but it was empty. She sniffed at the mouth of the jar and said: “What memories cling ‘round the instruments of our pleasure.”
Read: AESOP'S FABLES Vol. 17, pp. 43-44; also pp. 31-43 read · scan · read · scan
Great Ideas in these pages: Prudence · Desire · Opinion · War and Peace
January 17
(Benjamin Franklin born Jan. 17, 1706.)
Good middle-class people, Franklin boasts, were his ancestors. Some have attributed his genius to his being the youngest son of the youngest son for five generations. In his famous autobiography, he reveals quaint family history.
Read: FRANKLIN'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY Vol. 1, pp. 5-15 read · scan
Great Ideas in these pages: Family · Education · Labor · Poetry
January 18
“Shall I crack any of those old jokes, master, at which the audience never fails to laugh?” Like an up-to-date vaudeville team, Xanthias and Dionysus start off a dialogue that mingles wit and poetry with humor and keen satire.
Read: Aristophanes' THE FROGS Vol. 8, pp. 439-449 read · scan
Great Ideas in these pages: Religion · Poetry · Virtue and Vice · Life and Death
January 19
(Edgar Allan Poe born Jan. 19, 1809.)
Regarded in Europe as one of America’s greatest writers, Poe originated the detective story, perfected the mystery short. story, and produced America’s first great poems. Here he unravels the fabric of which all poetry is woven.
Read: Poe's THE POETIC PRINCIPLE Vol. 28, pp. 371-380 read · scan
January 20
(St. Agnes’ Eve, Jan. 20.)
At midnight on the eve of St. Agnes there were certain solemn ceremonies which all virgins must perform to have “visions of delight and soft adorings from their loves.” Porphyro took advantage of this custom to win his bride.
Read: Keats' EVE OF ST. AGNES Vol. 41, pp. 883-893 read · scan
Great Ideas in these pages: Love · Religion · Emotion · Beauty
January 21
The Emperor of China lies on his deathbed grieving for the song of his favorite bird. Hark, the song! It charms, coaxes, and bribes Death to depart. It brings new life to the master.
Read: ANDERSEN'S TALES Vol. 17, pp. 301-310 read · scan
Great Ideas in these pages: Beauty · Art · Monarchy · Life and Death
January 22
(Corneille elected to French Academy, Jan. 22, 1647.)
The classic plays of French literature are produced to-day precisely as when they were given for the resplendent kings they were written to please. We are fortunate to have in English, excellent translations of these noble plays.
January 23
(Pascal publishes “Provincial Letters,” Jan. 23, 1656.) ao
Pascal, the keen-minded philosopher and mathematician, fathomed the human traits of man’s nature with the same accurate measurements which made him famous in the realm of geometry. Read his searching analysis of man’s conceit.
Read: Pascal's THE ART OF PERSUASION Vol. 48, pp. 400-411 read · scan
Great Ideas in these pages: Logic · Reasoning · Rhetoric · Mathematics
January 24
When his ship approached the siren’s rock, Odysseus stuffed the ears of his crew with wax and had himself bound to the mast that he might hear the alluring voice of the siren and yet not wreck his ship on the enchanted rock.
Read: Homer's ODYSSEY Vol. 22, pp. 165-173 read · scan
Great Ideas in these pages: Courage · Prudence · Desire · Prophecy
January 25
(Robert Burns born Jan. 25, 1759.)
A humble Scotchman, plowing his fields, turns over the nest of a frightened mouse. He apologizes with the deepest sincerity and explains how “the best-laid schemes 0’ mice an’ men gang aft agley.”
Read: TO A MOUSE and Burns' other poems Vol. 6, pp. 119-120, 388-394 read · scan
Great Ideas in these pages: Man · Animal · Diversion · Poetry
January 26
A king who entombed his daughter in a golden cow—the worship of the bull and the cat—scandal of the court and the gossip of the temples is given by Herodotus in his delightful story of old Egypt.
Read: Herodotus' AN ACCOUNT OF EGYPT Vol. 33, pp. 65-75 read · scan
January 27
(Dante victim of political persecution in Florence, Jan. 27, 1302.)
Dante fell madly in love with Beatrice at first sight; but it is doubted if he ever spoke to her in this world. He tells of his happy meeting with Beatrice in Paradise.
Read: Dante's DIVINE COMEDY Vol. 20, pp. 267-279 read · scan
Great Ideas in these pages: Sign and Symbol · Sin · Poetry · Emotion
January 28
A pure heart, says Thomas 4 Kempis, comprehends the very depths of Heaven and Hell. And it is by the wings of simplicity and purity that man is lifted above all earthly things.
Read: Thomas a Kempis Vol. 7, pp. 242-249 read · scan
Great Ideas in these pages: Religion · Love · Friendship · God
January 29
(Darwin married Emma Wedgewood, Jan. 29, 1839.)
South of Patagonia is Tierra del Fuego—“The Land of Fire.” The natives of that primitive country are to-day almost extinct. Darwin made a careful and vitally interesting study of that land and its ill-fated inhabitants.
Read: Darwin's VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE Vol. 29, 209-221 read · scan
Great Ideas in these pages: Man · Nature · Race and Nationality · Custom and Convention
January 30
(Sophocles died at Athens, Jan. 30, 405 B. C.)
Antigone, an orphan princess, defies a king’s mandate and risks her life to do her duty to her brother. What is this duty which her brother calls her to perform and the king forbids?
Read: Sophocles' ANTIGONE Vol. 8, pp. 255-266 read · scan
Great Ideas in these pages: Man · Punishment · War and Peace · Art
January 31
Slayer of windmills, rescuer of fair damsels in distress, eccentric Don Quixote, scores of years behind his time, set out on a mad quest of knight-errantry. Worlds of fun and killing satire are in this absorbing story of Cervantes.
Read: DON QUIXOTE Vol. 14, pp. 60-67 read · scan
Great Ideas in these pages: Chivalry · Love · Courage · Sense
January February March April May June July August September October November December