In the parasol and top hat days of pre-DeLorean time machines!

Just shy of the Victorian era, from 1903 by Archibald Williams:

"The romance of modern invention, containing interesting descriptions in non-technical language of wireless telegraphy, liquid air, modern artillery, submarines, dirigible torpedoes, solar motors, airships, etc., etc."

In today's more non-poetic terms: "At 70, though he was a fine worker, he had to retire."

From "Notice of Ezekiel Price, Esquire, Member of the Historical Society" in the "Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society," vol. 8, pg. 85:

"And in these, and many other stations, he acted his part well in society; until that decay, which so often attends the age of three-score years and ten, made it necessary for him to retire to his family."

:D / D:

By Oscar Lewis regarding Albert Maurice Bender:  "A.M.B.:  some aspects of his life and times, begun in playful mood for his entertainment of his 75th birthday and now completed for his sorrowing friends as a token of remembrance and affection."

Born in 1866 and dying 3 1/2 months before his 75th birthday, Bender was an important figure in the San Francisco art world during the 1920s and '30s.  Born in Dublin to a German Jewish couple (his father was a rabbi), he immigrated to the U.S. in his teens under the care of his uncle in San Francisco.  Another uncle hired him to work in his insurance company and the young Bender eventually became a successful broker.

His cousin, Anne Bremer, a respected San Francisco artist, inspired Bender to begin collecting art just as he had collected rare books in his younger years.  Focusing his collection primarily on the work of local artists (and art from China, Japan and Tibet), he was also interested in knowing the artists and writers themselves, thus becoming acquainted with many of them.  His monetary assistance played a large role in the cultural development of the Bay Area art scene and helped launch careers -- most notably, that of photographer Ansel Adams by financing the publication of his first portfolio and first book.

Additionally, Bender was a prolific donor of artwork to many state galleries, museums and libraries (as well the National Museum of Ireland which received 260 pieces of Asian art in memory of his mother).  He was also one of Diego Rivera's first American patrons and co-founder of the Book Club of California.  Oscar Lewis, the author of "A.M.B.," was once secretary of the club.  A San Francisco writer and historian, Lewis died in 1992 at the age of 99.

The rising action, the climax, the dénouement...

By James Antony Syms, three titles published in the 1980's which document not only the churches of Kent, England, but leave no doubt of the author's passion for his subject:

"Kent country churches:  a personal exploration"
"Kent country churches continued:  an undiminished infatuation"
"Kent country churches concluded:  the end of an account"

It's a little too late to be asking that question...

By Barrett Wendell, a paper read before the Essex Institute on Feb. 29, 1892:  "Were the Salem witches guiltless?"

Need a reason to procreate? Just ask Aunt Rachel.

Published by the Massachusetts Sabbath School Society in 1856:  "Aunt Rachel's hints, or, How children may be useful."

Too bad Alden didn't go into dentistry...

A collection of some interesting names found during my work:  Marmaduke Dallas, Valentine Ball, Charles Wellbeloved, Cecil ffrench Salkeld, and Alden Perley White.

Mr. Parker's motto: "Hard work never killed anyone."

From circa 1911, the 131-page "In sacred memory of William Thornton Parker, Jr., 1876-1900" regards a young Harvard law student who'd graduated MIT with top honors and "scarcely [took] any time for meals and little for sleep" in his pursuit of higher education.

According to news reports at the time of his death, Parker was taking an exam in constitutional law (which he was pursuing as a specialty) when he suddenly "went insane."  Hands on his head, he started to scream "Constitutional law!" before his tone became "agonized" and he followed with moans and "unintelligible sentences."  He died a few days later.

The reports claimed he perished of "an abscess on the brain" caused by "intense mental strain" -- or "overstudy."  Modern belief is that he died of an aneurysm -- which is apparently what was believed at the time by those not seeking juicy headlines:  The death notice appearing in the Harvard Crimson mentions neither an "abscess" nor "insanity" as the cause of his demise but, rather, what it very likely was -- a cerebral hemorrhage.

By the way, the title of this post came from a comment on a blog entry about Parker, found here, where you can find reproductions of the newspaper reports as well as a link to the Crimson obituary (which, as one would expect, doesn't hint at all to the dramatic scene that occurred during what could now be humorously referred to as an exam able to drive one to deadly madness).