Preface [5-8]
[5] In this war of wonders to many people the most wonderful thing is, perhaps, the part which aircraft has played. Very few of us realized less than three years ago what a formidable weapon aircraft was to
prove, and most of us can remember the days–they seem not so very distant–when flying was treated as a great mad joke save on occasion when it became a tragedy through some ‘mad-brained enthusiast’ being killed during an experimental flight. Novelists, who are free to be prophets, naturally seized upon the subject of flight and predicted all sorts of things which perhaps they themselves did not believe would happen; a few men, wiser than their generation, and gifted with far-seeing eyes, seriously insisted on the military importance of aircraft in the near future, but people generally believed that many years must elapse before aircraft could be of practical value. Then came the war, which in due course [6] revealed unsuspected uses to which aircraft could be put. Very soon it was discovered that the flying men were the eyes of the navies and of the armies, and as time went on it was realized that the side which obtained ascendancy in the air was well on the way to victory. It is now safe to predict, in view of all that has happened, that aircraft will play a decisive part in the final stages of the mighty conflict. The increased range of the heaviest guns, both naval and military, demand methods of observation different from any previously known and utilized; in fact, it may be said that long-range guns–at least guns of such a range as now in use–have been made effectively possible only by aerial observation. The character of trench warfare, also, similar in some respects to, yet in others very different from, the war of trenches in other conflicts, has demanded the aerial scout, even as that latest ingenious war device, the Tank, calls for assistance from the aeroplane. This little book, however, is not a serious study of aircraft in war, but, as its title indicates, a compilation of thrilling deeds of [7] British airmen chosen from a very large number to illustrate various types and phases of aerial operations. Sometimes the telling has been in the nature of making bricks without straw, because of the absence of details in so many official reports. I trust, however, that in expanding such terse accounts of what obviously were heroic incidents I have not done violence to truth. My aim has been to present what were probably the facts, and I have carefully followed the suggestions contained in the brief originals with that object in view. What wonderful stories, indeed, must be hidden behind some of the cold phraseology of official communiqués! What courage, what sheer audacity! Some day, perhaps, we may be allowed to know more, and then the world will be thrilled indeed. I am aware that many of our gallant flying men desire to remain anonymous, and because
of that the only cases in which names are given in the book are those in which the official reports have lifted the curtain of anonymity. Very often details could have been given which would have made certain things much [8] clearer, but discretion demanded that those details should be omitted, as being in the nature of secrets. The book is intended to be a tribute to the gallant men of the air–the humble tribute of one who is not a flier, but who has a great admiration for those who are. I hope that it may be privileged to play some small part in keeping alive the widespread interest which has been aroused in the doings of the Flying Services.
E. W.

Preface [5-7]
[5] The volume here presented can lay no claim to originality–the author’s object has been to retell in simple and direct style the stories of those early explorers whose deeds have won them an abiding place on the roll of fame. Neither has the subject been treated exhaustively: to have done this would have demanded more space than could be allowed, and although some familiar names may be missing, the author believes that the collection presents a sufficiently comprehensive account of the chief voyages of discovery of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries–those ages of enterprise which still cause us to marvel when we reflect upon the masterful courage and perseverance of the mariners whose work opened up the world to us. The voyages dealt with, and the discoveries chronicled, have in them all the charm and compelling interest of romance. They often read more like scenes from fiction. And, indeed, these voyages are scenes in a drama on the stage of the world’s history. The characters come before us, not with the perfections of the heroes of fiction, but with many, if not all, of the defects that flesh is heir to: a condition of being which links them indissolubly with men of all time, instead of [6] lifting them out of the world of men into airy heights from which they and their works would make little appeal to us of to-day. Our heroes and their works are not forgotten; we have entered into the heritage which their labours have secured to us, and the men themselves live therein. While the world lasts, the story of the exploits of these daring mariners–from Henry of Portugal in his Sagres castle to Raleigh in search of his El Dorado–will be ever welcome to those who can appreciate the great deeds of noble men. Our ships have changed; the same journeys can be made in but a small fraction of the time formerly taken; but the same spirit that prompted these ancient mariners to dare unknown dangers, and brave unsailed seas in frail vessels, is still alive; and although the discoveries of to-day may not yield such glorious results, yet the world is ever agape for knowledge of new lands–whether they lie north or south–and their discoverers will never lack due honour, whether they be a Nansen, a Scott, a Shackleton, or, last, but not least, a Peary. A word as to the method adopted in describing these famous voyages: strict chronological order has not been observed, the adventurers of each nation being kept together; but inasmuch as dates are given, and there are connecting links in the narrative, the historical perspective will not be lost. The sources from which the author has obtained his information are too numerous to mention in detail […] [7] With the wish that his humble attempt to retell these stories may inspire in his young readers a thirst for further knowledge, the author lays his work before them, confident that they will find entertainment as well as instruction herein.
Eric Wood

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No preface or introduction

41 contributions, presumably taken from the Boys’ Own Paper; most are narratives of adventure and military heroism.

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No preface

No Preface

This book is a companion volume to Miles’ A Book of Brave Girls at Home and Abroad [no. 1.3.18].

Preface [3-5]
It is part of the fallacy that leads us to designate as “good old days” some of the worst periods of history, which causes some to imagine that times of noble purpose and high achievements have passed for ever, and that opportunities of heroism are no more. The fact is, as Time turns the kaleidoscope of Life, we see constant changes in the patterns of things; and though history is said to repeat itself, there are not two patterns which are exactly alike. In on the red will be dominant, in another the blue, and in a third the colours will neutralise each other and present a grey or a dull appearance. But we do not for this say, “Ah! there is no red in the kaleidoscope nowadays,” or “The blue has passed from happening for ever,” for we know that all the colours remain in the sphere of the phenomena, that all go to the making of the dullest pattern, and that it is but varying circumstances and conditions which from time to time bring about the dominance of one or another shade. There is no more indisputable fact in life than that [4] human nature is “the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever”; and while human nature remains without change, courage will always be called for and heroism will always respond. To doubt the courage and heroism of the times is to doubt the red and the blue of the kaleidoscope, and to do so for the same reason, because we cannot trace their contribution to the colour-scheme. It is of course true that as civilisation advances barbarous forms of courage find fewer opportunities of display; but it may well be doubted whether the tyrannies of civilisation, though less brutal, are not more cruel than the tyrannies of barbarism, and do not require more courage in their endurance and greater heroism for their combat. It is not too much to say that nowadays men and women and boys and girls are as brave as their ancestors were, and that the great colours which have left their mark on the pages of history are equalled in our own time by hues as bright and fast, but which, in these days of larger opportunity, are more widely diffused as well as actively operate. It is this that gives us so many heroes in humble life. We are not limited to Knights of Round Tables, however large, or battle-fields, however red, for examples heroism and chivalry. The boy learns early the value of “the honour of the school,” the youth becomes soon impressed with the necessity for “playing the game,” the competitor in many sports acquires the cheerful [5] courage which fights as valiantly a losing as a winning cause, and comrades everywhere becomes inspired by esprit de corps. And so we have heroes in the school and the home, in the playing field, in the workshop, the factory, and the mine: and so we have the possibility of such records of courage and devotion as occupy the following pages. Adventures are far to seek in English life, though heroism is a powerful factor in the national character; hence the English boy often lacks those opportunities for the dramatic display of the courage within him which abound in other countries both east and west, though he may, and often does, show an equal heroism of pluck and endurance under mundane circumstances which attract little or no attention. We have to go to Europe, Africa, India, and America for our most thrilling examples of the heroic; and the West, which includes all nationalities and all climates, is naturally one of the most fertile fields of research. The pages of the Youth’s Companion, Harper’s Young People, and other American serials, are veritable storehouses of heroic records, to which the Editor cheerfully acknowledges his great indebtedness.
A. H. M.

See also the companion volume Heroines that Every Child Should Know [no. 1.3.17]

Introductory Note to “Heroes Every Child Should Know” [v]
The endeavor has been made in this volume to bring together the heroic men of different races, periods and types; and in the selection of material the most attractive, intelligent and authoritative literature has been drawn upon. In cases in which the material selected belongs distinctively to the best literature, no changes have been made, although narratives have been abbreviated; in cases in which the material has a historical rather than a distinctively literary quality, the text has been treated for “substance of doctrine,” and omissions have been freely made, and connecting words, phrases and even sentences have been introduced to give the narrative clear connection and completeness. […]
H.W.M.

Introduction [xi-xvii]
[xi] “If there had been no real heroes there would have been created imaginary ones, for men cannot live without them. The hero is just as necessary as the farmer, the sailor, the carpenter and the doctor; society could not get on without him. There have been a great many different kinds of heroes, for in every age and among every people the hero has stood for the qualities that were most admired and sought after by the bravest and the best; and all ages and peoples have imagined or produced heroes as inevitably as they have made ploughs for turning the soil or ships for getting through the water or weapons with which to fight their enemies. To be some kind of a hero has been the ambition of spirited boys from the beginning of history; and if you want to know what the men and women of a country care for most, you must study their heroes. To the boy the hero stands for the highest success: to the grown man and woman he stands for the deepest and richest life.”

No preface and no page numbers.

Preface [v-vii]
[v] These brief historical sketches were written primarily for young people, though it is hoped that some older readers my find pleasure in renewing their acquaintance with heroes of chivalry whose names are familiar still, but whose deeds are recalled to mind but vaguely. It is the purpose of the book to enliven the study of history by giving the romantic details omitted in text-books, and to enable the readers to form a more vivid and lifelike conception of the great men with whom it deals and the turbulent and picturesque times in which they lived. The endeavor of the authors has been to narrate events and portray characters accurately and impartially, but in the sympathetic spirit that recognizes the wide difference between modern standards of conduct and the ideals of the Middle Ages, – the spirit that strives to depict vividly and adequately the fine, strong virtues and great deeds that won for these knights the unbounded admiration of their own age, rather than to dwell [vi] upon those traits and acts that are justly condemned by the finer moral sense of the twentieth century. Emphasis is laid upon the noble in character and deed rather than the ignoble, on the great rather than the little. In the preparation of the book many histories, chronicles, and legends have been consulted, and it is hoped that a fair degree of accuracy has been attained where the narrative belongs to the domain of history. The stories of Roland and the Cid, of course, are largely legendary, and there is evidently a considerable admixture of fiction in the contemporary accounts of Godfrey and Richard. The authors have endeavored to follow recognized historical authority closely when practicable; but historians differ so widely among themselves that it is often impossible to determine which version of events is most reliable. No important fact has been stated without good historical authority, but one or two minor incidents of Godfrey’s life and crusade were taken from Tasso’s “Jerusalem Delivered.” In the treatment of a few unimportant events, some imaginative details and circumstances strictly in harmony with the meagre historical record of facts have been added to give color and interest to the narrative. Also in several instances [viii] where the subject-matter of a conversation or speech is purely legendary, or is given by historians in the third person, it has been put in the first person in order to render the story livelier and more vivid. No other liberties have been taken with facts as related by historians of learning and repute.

No preface

The book collects fictional stories by G.A. Henty and other writers.

Preface [vii-viii]
What is a hero? One of the greatest thinkers of our age, when asked this question, replied: “A man who does his duty.” At first the answer seems inadequate. And yet – is it? The greatest heroes the world has ever seen have been the men who, without hesitation, have done their duty. The man who makes it one of the guiding principles of his life to do his duty at all costs and all hazards, may for years find that duty demands nothing of him but the faithful performance of “the common round, the daily task.” But, all unexpectedly, a moment comes when some special need arises for the display of special heroism, and because the need is in the line of his own life, it may be, he saves some other from peril of death, and becomes at once, in popular esteem, a hero. The world applauds the deed of the moment, but it forgets the years of simple devotion to daily duty which makes such deeds possible. For, as a rule, heroes are made, not born. We are all ready enough to applaud deeds of supreme heroism, by whomsoever performed; don’t let us [viii] forget that hidden behind them is a consistent following out of the old precept, “Doe ye nexte thynge.” This book will fail of its purpose unless it rouses in its readers a longing to emulate the courage and heroism of those whose stories it tells. To all who, having read it, say, “I want to be a hero,” only this need be said: “Doe ye nexte thynge.” Do it consistently and fearlessly, as in the sight of God, and then you will be preparing yourself to rise at any moment to any height of heroism. Then, even though there may never come in your life a time which calls for any deed, for doing which the world would inscribe your name on its roll of fame, you will still be a hero. For after all he is a true hero who – “Where duty calls, or danger, / Is never wanting there.”

The book was part of the “British Boys Library”.

Preface [v-vi]
[v] It cannot be too often or too strongly urged that the reading of well-authenticated stories of heroism is bound to have a good influence, more particularly on young people. In the present instance the aim of the compiler has been, not to relate deeds which are simply daring and nothing more; for in that case it would be difficult to distinguish the very thin line which divides simple daring from mere foolhardiness. His endeavour has been rather to bring before the notice of his readers stories of that daring which is born of a strong desire to help some fellow-creature in imminent peril of life or limb. And his object will have been attained if this book serves to emphasise, even in one mind, the fact that though daring is sometimes degraded and ignoble, yet there is a nobility of daring which all may emulate with advantage to themselves and others. That man may be ‘daring’ who risks his life by walking a tight-rope or diving from a dizzy height into a shallow tank for the entertainment of a gaping crowd, whose interest is aroused not so much by his cleverness or [vi] nimbleness as by a haunting, unacknowledged dread that he may fall and injure himself. But how infinitely nobler is the daring of the man who walks the top of the tottering wall of some burning house, or plunges into unplumbed ocean depths, to recue man or woman or child from threatened death! These, and such as these, are the deeds that win the world’s sincerest admiration; and it is because the compiler of this book has so strong a faith in the attractive power of deeds of noble daring, that he ventures to hope for it a kindly welcome from those into whose hands it may fall.

The book is a compilation of stories taken from various sources (including Yonge’s Book of Golden Deeds) and retold in very simple language.
Its 27 stories are mostly about worthy men who save others’ lives, but also refer to female heroism. In “A Timely Warning”, women save a train when a bridge has collapsed (87–94):
“The world’s roll of heroines does not contain so many names as its list of heroes – not because women are by nature less heroic than men, but because their opportunities for heroism are fewer. Man is the natural guardian and protector of woman; it is his duty to shield her from harm and danger as far as it is in his power to do so. His business takes him out into the world, and his daily intercourse with his fellowmen brings him opportunities for heroism such as woman, in the comparative seclusion of home, never meets. And yet, when occasion demands, wives and mothers and sisters can show themselves every whit as brave as husbands and fathers and brothers. Is there any danger a woman will not face if her helpless little children are in peril? For love’s sweet sake women have dared death itself – and will again. But though heroism prompted by love is grand and noble, there is a heroism of yet another kind which almost surpasses it. When love is the incentive, danger is never considered; but what of the heroism that sees the danger, and, although the resistless, compelling power of love be absent altogether, dares everything just for the sake of common humanity!” (87)
“What She Could: The Story of Alice Ayres” (101–106)
“A Teacher’s Deed of Daring” [Hannah Rosbotham] (160–164)
“A Woman’s Heroism” (170–174)

Preface [iii-iv]
[iii] These stories of heroism in life and action will scarcely need commendation to those fond of contemplating high ideals or of holding them up for the admiration and inspiration of others, and yet, were they all of the highly wrought character which the title might be held to imply, it might be necessary to apologise for the strength of the dose, and insist upon homoeopathic application. But the fact is, heroism is a quality called for in every walk of life and at every stage of existence, and it is none the less heroism because it is shown among quiet surroundings, in integrity of character, in inflexibility of purpose, in patience of endurance, or in cheerfulness of suffering. Such in the main is heroism illustrated in the following pages. […]

The book presents 52 fictional stories, each told by a known author; the stories are taken partly from journals.

The book was part of Mundell’s “Adventure Series”, which also included Stories of Balloon Adventure, Stories of Alpine Adventure and Stories of Travel Adventure.

Preface [n. pag.]
In selecting the incidents for this book, I have had a most difficult task to perform, owing to the super-abundance of material, all equally interesting, and it was after much consideration that eventually the book took its present form. I have been guided in my choice mainly by strangeness of incident in the various narratives, illustrating the adventures and perils of those who go down to the sea in ships, while at the same time preserving the modern and thoroughly up-to-date character of the series. F.M.

Introduction
[13] No stories are of more enthralling interest than those which tell of the sea, ships, and sailors, for none are so full of thrilling incident, heroic adventure, and weird surroundings. The dangers which the sailor has to face are of a kind and variety that is not easy for a landsman to comprehend. When we read of a disaster at sea, we form a vague, general idea of what has happened; but how often do we really grasp the true significance of the occurence, especially if a deed of daring has been performed. When an accident happens on land, it is so easy for those who have had any warning to provide for their safety by flight; but at sea there is practically no escape. […] Then it is that the chivalrous devotion to duty, which is so marked a characteristic of the sailor, is seen in its grandest light. […] In these pages will be found incidents taken from the everyday life of the sailor, some of which show forth in no uncertain light the grandeur of this spirit of self-sacrifice, which our mariners have evinced again and again.

The book was part of Mundell’s “Daring Deeds Library” (which also included titles such as Stories of the Coal Mine; Stories of the Royal Humane Society; Stories of the Fire Brigade; Stories of the Victoria Cross; Stories of the Lifeboat; Stories of North Pole Adventure).

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Epigraph [8]
Thus saith the Queen: “For him who gave
His life as nothing in the fight,
So he from Russian wrong might save
My crown, my people, and my right;
Let there be made a cross of bronze,
And grave thereon my queenly crest;
Write ‘Valour’ on its haughty scroll,
And hang it on his breast.”
Thus saith the Land: “He who shall bear
Victoria’s Cross upon his breast,
In token that he did not fear
To die, had need been, for her rest;
For the dear sake of her who gives,
And the high deeds of him who wears,
Shall, high of low, all honour have,
From all through all his years.”
Sir Edwin Arnold

The book was available for 2s6d.

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Dedication [ix-x]
To the young men of Great Britain, whose only inheritance is the heritage of Work, this story of the lives of New World Heroes is affectionately dedicated, in the hope that it may inspire them with hope and courage for the race that is before them. The wish of the compiler is, that as it is read by British firesides, the eyes of the young men may brighten with new resolution – many hearts beat high with fresh determination. That which in character Lincoln, Garfield, Garrison, Lee, and Grant were, others may become. The possibilities of developing character and courage that faced them stand waiting, in their degree, for those who [x] have the power to win them. The tall giant who emancipated the slaves, and the gentlemanly scholar whose guiding-star was Honesty, the noble orator, the generals who bravely fought, being dead yet speak; and their cry rings through the land – Live worthily, not for thyself, but for thy fellow-man, and for thy God! And it will surely reach the ears, and sink into the hearts of some whom the future shall crown as the New Heroes of the Old World!

The book is dedicated to the wife of Sir John Franklin, who is named as “one of our heroines” (“whose name will ever live in the hearts of all true Englishmen, the type of womanly devotion, courage, and fortitude”) because of her efforts to maintain the quest for her husband and his lost expedition. Foremost, however, the book honours male explorers who, like medieval knights, show “dauntless courage in the face of untold peril, rare piety, stern self-abnegation, perseverance when the hope was, indeed, forlorn, fortitude under every trial”. (1)

Preface [vii-viii]
[vii] No excuse seems necessary at the present time, when so much public interest is felt in the Polar Expeditions which have just left our shores, for the publication of the present work. The writer has endeavoured to indicate clearly the salient points in the lives of our Arctic Heroes, while in briefer form offering a connected history of exploration in the far north. The compilation has been a work of
some labour – more than one hundred volumes have been consulted ; and the author is indebted to his brother Edward (the author of “Scrambles in the Alps”) for access to a most complete and valuable library of Arctic books. […] Great Britain has taken by far the largest share in Arctic exploration, but in later years, more especially, several other nations have entered the lists. The expeditions sent out by the United States, although few in number, have been specially fruitful in results. […] [viii] The German and Austro-Hungarian expeditions – important in results and most interesting in the narratives – have been described as fully as was possible in a work of limited size, and the writer has endeavoured to do impartial justice to the efforts and successes of the brave men of other nations, as well as to those of his own country. The orthography of proper names in this work is always that of the authors quoted, and some minor differences will therefore be easily understood.
London, June 1875.

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Preface [vii-viii]
[vii] In the following pages the writer has endeavoured to give a brief account of the origin and history, as well as of the principles of construction, of the lifeboat. He has also presented the reader with instances illustrative of the services rendered to shipwrecked persons by the brave men who form the crews of the lifeboats, and who are ever ready, by night as well as by day, to risk their lives in the attempt to save those of others. If there be one subject rather than another which should commend itself to the sympathy of the British people, it surely must be the safety of those who carry the commerce of the country on every sea. But notwithstanding the noble exertions of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the roll of disaster yearly grows longer, calling for increased support from the generosity of the public. It is to be hoped that this support will not be withheld, and that the Institution will be enabled to add new boats to its already expensive fleet. The writer begs to acknowledge the assistance he [viii] has received in his task of writing this little work from the Journal of the National Lifeboat Institution, which was kindly lent for that purpose. He hopes that the perusal of these pages may be the humble means of extending the support which that splendid Institution receives from the charity of the public. The expenses it has to meet are annually growing larger owing to the extension of our shipping, and thus there is an increasing necessity for contributions. And surely no better interest can be obtained for money than the satisfaction of reflecting that it has been instrumental in the saving of human life, or in rescuing our fellow-creatures from suffering.

Preface [v-vi]
Every year sees the production of a vast crop of stories for young readers. Many of these tales are sensational (in the bad sense of the word); others are sentimental and silly; while few can leave any good impression in the mind. Without admitting that always “truth is stranger than fiction,” the editor of the present volume may express his regret that more attention is not given to true tales of travel and adventure, and the romantic events of real history and life. Some previous attempts to provide such books have proved successful, and the author gratefully acknowledges the favourable notices of the press, which have been generally in the tone of the reviewer in the Times, who said of one of them, that “these are matters such as young people are, or ought to be, interested in, and they never like a story the worse because it is true.” Not with desire of deprecating criticism, but in the way of explanation, a few words may be allowed concerning some of the comments on the work last issued, Stirring Stories of Peace and War, by Sea and Land. One reviewer discovered that the stories were not in correct chronological order, and so might mislead the youthful reader. The retreat of Sir John Moore to Corunna was actually made to precede the famous [vi] “Retreat of the Ten Thousand” in the days of Cyrus! The simple answer is, that the stories do not profess to be in any order, and that each is complete in itself, and has its own separate interest. Another criticism was that some of the stories were familiar and “often-told tales.” This is quite true; but it must be remembered that some of the oldest of the world’s stories are among the best, and that they are new to successive generations of readers. Only one other remark may be referred to; in a brief but friendly notice in Truth, the writer said, that “the contents of the book are evidently the collected contributions of the author to periodicals during the year.” The truth is that not one of the stories had appeared in that form, but all were either written or selected for the volume, as are those which are now provided for the enjoyment of youthful readers, with the hope of approval by older critics.

Preface [v-vi]
[v] In the following pages – intended, primarily, for young people, my object has been to sketch the careers of the leading Warriors and Statesmen by whose genius and heroism British rule was established in India; to describe the labours of zealous Missionary-pioneers in that land; and, finally, to tell of some of the men who, when the existence of the Empire was imperiled by the great Sepoy Mutiny, defended it with such valour and success. No attempt hast been made to give full biographies, but I have aimed rather to narrate a series of Stories which, while presenting a view of events in India from the time of Clive downwards, shall, [vi] particulary, picture the Heroes themselves and their more striking achievements. Besides the authorities mentioned in the text, I desire to express indebtedness for historical information to the “History of India,” by Mr. Marshman – whose spelling of Indian names I have in the main adopted – and to Mr. Sewell’s “Analytical History of India.”
E.F.

No Preface

Introduction [7-8]
[7] Life, even in this so-called ‘prosaic’ nineteenth century, is full of strange events and startling adventures. Englishmen are as heroic under the conditions of ‘the new order’ as ever they were in the days of old; and they are as often put to the test. This is well: for deeds of high daring and enterprise raise and exalt both nations and individuals. And boys still love to read the record of brave deeds, and feel their hearts burn within them at every tale of dauntless courage and self-sacrifice. It is happy for mankind that they do so feel; for thus the germs are sown of a future race of heroes; and any boy who dares to emulate even the few deeds recorded in this little volume, will become an honour to his race and country, and leave another name to draw men upwards. But no one can be a true hero who is not ready to sacrifice self, and the first step in the path of heroism is to learn to be unselfish. The great Example of this truth in our century has just died a martyr’s death; betrayed at the post of duty, but leaving a name – immortal in its fullest and most perfect sense – to show us how a man ought to live and die. May all boys desire to emulate the noble life of Gordon, with its unselfish devotion and its perfect trust in God. [8] It is with the hope of adding some slight kindling to the noble fire of heroism, that these pages have been collected. They tell stories of dangers, endurance, courage, and self-devotion unmatched, we believe, in the history of any people who do not speak our noble English tongue – for we need scarcely say that several of our recitals belong to our kindred ‘over the sea.’ Trusting that they may give pleasure to the young reader, as well as show him that ‘Whatever men dare they may do,’ we offer him these annals of ‘moving accidents by flood and fell,’ asking him to remember that –

‘Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time; –

‘Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o’er life’s solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.’

No preface

The book cost 2s6d and seems to have been addressed to both boys and girls.

Other books in this series include: Mechanicians (T.C. Lewis, 1884), Astronomers (E.J.C. Morton, 1882), Chemists (M.M. Pattison Muir, 1883), Botanists, Zoologists, and Geologists (P. Martin Duncan, 1882). All were published by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.

Preface [v-vii]
[v]The following pages claim no originality, and no merits beyond that of bringing within reach of every boy and girl material which would otherwise be available only to those who had extensive libraries at their command, and much time at their disposal. In the schools and colleges in which the principles of physical science are well taught, the history of the discoveries whereby those principles have been established has been too much neglected. The series to which the present volume belongs is intended, in some measure, to meet this deficiency. A complete history of physical science would, if it could be written, form a library of considerable dimensions. The following pages deal only with [vi] the biographies of a few distinguished men, who, by birth, were British subjects, and incidental allusions only are made to living philosophers; but, nothwithstanding these narrow restrictions, the foundations of the Royal Society of London, of the American Philosophical Society, of the great Library of Pennsylvania, and of the Royal Institution, are events, some account of which comes within the compass of the volume. The gradual development of our knowledge of electricity, of the mechanical theory of heat, and of the undulatory theory of optics, will be found delineated in the biographies selected, though no continuous history is traced in the case of any one of these branches of physics. The sources from which the matter contained in the following pages has been derived have been, in addition to the published works of the subjects of the several sketches, the following: –
“The Encyclopedia Britannia.”
“Memoir of the Honourable Robert Boyle,” by Thomas Birch, M.A., prefixed to the folio edition of his works, which was published in London in 1743.
“Life of Benjamin Franklin,” from his own writings, by John Bigelow.
Dr. G. Wilson’s “Life of Cavendish,” which [vii] forms the first volume of the publications of the Cavendish Society; and the “Electrical Researches of the Hon. Henry Cavendish, F.R.S.,” edited by the late Professor James Clerk Maxwell.
“The Life of Sir Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford,” by George E. Ellis, published by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, in connection with the complete edition of his works.
“Memoir of Thomas Young,” by the late Dean Peacock.
Dr. Bence Jones’s “Life of Faraday;” and Professor Tyndall’s “Faraday as a Discoverer.”
“Life of James Clerk Maxwell,” by Professor Lewis Campbell and William Garnett.
It is hoped that the perusal of the following sketches may prove as instructive to the reader as their preparation has been to the writer.
WM. Garnett.
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, December, 1885

No preface

The book was originally serialised in 14 parts at 7d per issue and could be subscribed to. It was last re-issued 1895-97 by Cassell & Co.

The first chapter (1–14) serves as an introduction to the book and gives a comprehensive definition of heroes and heroic behaviour, including a history of the word hero and its changing meanings from classical antiquity to the present.
[1] “In very early times a hero was regarded as a person intermediate between gods and men, and usually, on one side or the other, of divine descent. Founders of great cities and the ancestors of great races of men were worshipped with divine honours, but the divine origin of a hero was not insisted on. The Heroic Age, properly so called, lasted for an uncertain period (perhaps for 200 years), and terminated with the immediate descendants of the Greeks who returned from Troy. In Homer the word hero frequently occurs, but in a totally different sense; it is applied to warriors, without reference to individuals of peculiar merit; in other instances it is used as a mere expletive, and is applied promiscuously to kings, [2] counsellors, or wise men, and is not limited to warriors. It was in the age succeeding the Homeric poems that the word hero was associated with the superhuman and divine. When the Greeks looked back to the warlike legends of the earlier race who had borne the title – the lays, exploits, and persons were called heroic; and from the combined effect of poetical exaggeration, reverence for antiquity, and traditions of national descent, the more modern Greek use of the word arose, carrying with it notions of mythical dignity, and superiority to the later races of mankind. Past events were magnified, human leaders were transformed in imagination to protecting genii or daemons, and were to be worshipped, appeased, propitiated, as the gods themselves. It need not be said that the use of the word hero in our own time conveys no such idea. A hero may be defined as a man of distinguished valour, intrepidity, or enterprise in danger; heroism, as the qualities of a hero – bravery, gallantry, intrepidity, daring, courage, boldness, magnanimity, self-sacrifice. But even this definition must be placed under certain restrictions and limitations. For example, daring is not heroism when it is mere daring, and courage is not heroism when it is mere brute courage. The acrobat who risks his life to gratify the prurient taste of a frivolous audience may be daring and courageous; the man of science who risks his life in solving a problem that shall benefit all humanity is a hero; the reckless adventurer who, for the mere love of adventure, courts death in a thousand forms, may perhaps command our admiration for his pluck, but the scientific explorer who sets before him some great object, having for its result a definite good, and to accomplish this, sacrifices comfort, health, it may be life itself, that man we designate a hero. Even with these restrictions the subject before us is a large one, for the age in which we live has produced more great men than any age in the world’s history. Exploration, scientific discovery, philanthropic effort, never had so many representatives as they have to day. In religion, science, politics, literature, there stand forth an army of original men who are heroes, men who look ‘through the show of things into things’, men who are leaders of their fellows, modellers of opinion, harbingers of results to which the world aspires, of higher knowledge, more solid peace, better days. One has but to think for a moment, and a hundred names recur to the memory, of men whose deeds are held in universal estimation, whose names are familiar as household words, whose virtues are taught to the new generation springing up around us; and it is not presumptuous to say that in no other age in the history of the world could such names as Wilberforce, Andrew Reed, John Williams, Moffat, Carey, John Franklin, Fowell Buxton, Florence Nightingale, Howard, Raikes, Livingstone, Bishop Patteson, Havelock, Elizabeth Fry, Goodenough, have taken such a hold upon the heart of the people. It is not, however, to the men and women whose praises have sounded in every home in the land, that we shall look exclusively for our heroes and heroines. Wherever we find a life that has been devoted to energetic and praiseworthy efforts for the good of others, there we shall find material for our pages. For it is not the brilliant career that constitutes heroism, and perhaps there is a national tendency to pay homage to those whose praises are the theme of general panegyric, and ignore those who, with equal heroism, have toiled and passed away unhonoured. There are many who labour in spheres of usefulness just as important, entailing as much self-denial, as much bravery, [3] as was demanded of those whose efforts have brought them into world-wide celebrity, and yet from the nature of their enterprises have had little or none of the applause, and have never surmised that their names would ever be inscribed on any hero-roll. If the ‘History of Heroic Failures’ were to be published, it would be found that those failures were but the stepping-stones to others’ successes, and that oftentimes the laurels have been placed upon the wrong brows. We read with pleasure of the few who, with Government to back them, have fought the battle of the slave abroad; but how many gallant heroes and heroines have fought the battle of the slave at home? Think of those who struggled for the freedom of poor factory children in our own land, and secured the passing of the Factory Acts; of those who espoused the cause of the dressmaker, and redeemed her from the cruelty of oppressive hours in poisonous atmospheres; of those who fought in the interests of dumb animals and found them protection; of the originators of countless charities; of the organisers of schemes innumerable for the welfare of weaker men. It is not necessary that publicity should be given to such labours, it is no part of heroism that heroism should be known, still this phase of the subject will receive careful treatment in these pages, since the knowledge of great works accomplished by apparently feeble hands, and with altogether inadequate means, may stimulate others into imitation, who might else be repelled by those startling acts of heroism which attract universal attention. Having thus ascertained in what respects the modern Hero differs from the ancient, and in what his Heroism consists – having, in short, ‘defined our terms’, to use one of Dr. Johnson’s favourite expressions – we may now proceed to indicate the scope of the work before us, and the manner of treatment which will be adopted.”

The chapter then characterises the many types of heroes that are the subjects of the subsequent chapters:
Heroes of the Faith/the heroism of religion; Philanthropic Heroes/the heroism of brotherhood; Conscientious Heroes/heroes on behalf of Principle, Patriotic Heroes/heroism on behalf of country, Every Day Heroes/heroism in the cause of duty, Scientific heroes/heroism in the cause of science, Spontaneous Heroes/heroes of circumstance.

Preface [iii-iv]
[iii] The purpose of the present compilation is to bring before the public mind, in as vivid and popular a manner as possible, the great sufferings heroically undergone by some of our foremost modern explorers. It is due to such men, not only that their contributions to our knowledge of other peoples and countries, and their many services to the advancement of Science and Commerce, should be recorded on the page of history, but that the memory of the fearless courage, boundless enthusiasm, indomitable perseverance, and manifold perils and privations displayed and endured by them in the progress of exploration, should be kept in the minds of the people. […]

No Preface

The book was part of the “Deeds of Daring Library”.

No preface

Preface [iii-iv]
[iii] Prefaces are not usually read, therefore we will make this as brief as possible; it shall serve the purpose of an index to point out the contents of the volume. We have given the book no startling or sensational title, yet still we trust it will find favour and acceptance with very many readers. We have gathered into one volume a series of narratives, real experiences, personal adventures, which otherwise can only be gleaned from many books. The volume opens with stories of poor prisoners, and their desperate and persevering attempts to escape from the cells and dungeons where a cruel and despotic power had immured them. The sea with its episodes of storm and shipwreck never wearies; the interest is perpetually kept alive: incessantly our sea-girt island sends forth its armies of sailors to see ‘wonders of the Lord in the great deep,’ to do valiant battle with its tempests, and to brave its perils of shipwreck and death; and ever and again there floats to our shore the news of some terrible disaster, to shed its gloom over happy homes and hearts. Thus, even while the last pages of this work were passing through the press, the news spread rapidly through the length and breadth of the land, of the founding of the La Plata and the [iv] burning of the Cospatrick, and the subsequent privations, sufferings, and horrors through which the miserable remnants of their crews passed. We have therefore devoted a space to the narratives of calamitous shipwrecks, of perilous voyages in open boats, and of men left upon desolate islands. Here, too, the reader will find interesting narrations of perils encountered in savage warfare among North American Indians, in which they are not always proved to be as chivalrous as Cooper has drawn them with his able pen; and lastly will be found the exploits of the hunter in the forest and the field, in his warfare with their savage denizens, – the whole forming a piquant and attractive bill of fare. We have to thank those gentlemen – Sir Samuel Baker, Sir George L’Estrange, and others – who have kindly allowed us to use material from their works. In conclusion, we have only this word to add, to boys and all, Read the book, thereby slightly altering the famous and laconic preface by which Dr. Abernethy introduced one of his works to the public – ‘Read my book.’

From the same author as Military Enterprise [no. 1.2.5]

Preface [n. pag.]
The British nation[n] has always been proud of its seamen – the Right Hand of its Mighty Empire – and stories of their irresistible valour, their generosity, and their gay good-humour, never fall on reluctant ears. It is hoped, therefore, that the young generation who enjoy in peace the blessings our Navy earned at the cost of much blood and suffering, will welcome these simple records of Naval enterprise, told chiefly in the very words of the men who toiled and died for them; and that “Poor Jack” will thus gain that place in their estimation which he so richly merits, and which he may chance somewhat to forfeit in these piping times of peace.

No preface

The introduction [1-4] presents “Uncle Hardy” as the narrator and a seaman himself who frequently tells stories like those in the book to his nephews and grandsons:
[4] […] One word as to the plan of the book. I have carefully bound myself down not to make any shipwreck an excuse for mere story-telling. My aim has been to give you facts; and you will find plenty in them for your own imagination to fed upon. In these days public attention is being specially directed to our immense loss of life at sea. It is a frightful loss. Much of it I have no doubt might be prevented; and I have here endeavoured to furnish you with plain narrations of the mishaps, errors, ignorance, and incompetence which lead to these deplorable disasters.

Preface [v-vi]
In compiling this record of heroic and adventurous deeds, the Editor has endeavoured to avoid as much as possible those which are best known, and which have been most often told. At the same time, when the genius of the modern historian has given a fresh life to world-renowned scenes, she has not hesitated to give her young readers the pleasure of seeing them thus described. From the old Naval Chronicles of the early part of the century, and from some books which are not quite as popular as they deserve to be, a few little-known anecdotes (but worthy of all fame) have been disinterred. The record ranges from the fourteenth century to the present day; beginning with some extracts from a valuable book which ought to be a great favourite with boys, the Historical Parallels, and continuing, chiefly, in the words of the actors in the adventures themselves; who are frequently first-rate writers as well as brave and adventurous men. [vi] The Editor trusts that the perusal of these extracts, and the force of examples thus presented to them, may nourish in British lads the dauntless spirit which speaks in the Cameron motto: “Whatever men dare they may do.”

Prospectus (iii)
The Book of Battles will record, in one collection, the grandest achievements of Naval and Military Genius. The Editor is aware of the responsibility attaching to his task; for many, while admitting War as a grim necessity, deprecate all mention of the rack and ruin, the wear and tear that follow in its train. Some even go so far as to say that its pomp and glitter, paraded by the press, corrupt the public taste. But until we beat our swords into ploughshares we must talk and write about those who have fought and bled for their native land, and the popular sentiment will always favour those who stood to their guns at the call of duty. The Editor, however, will exercise great caution to avoid errors into which he might easily fall. First, the Narratives will be strictly true, so that the reader may have before him the actions of men like himself – not creations of an author’s brain. Then, the details of most Exciting Adventures will not he overcharged for the mere purpose of producing a morbid sensation. Over sufferings incidental to War the veil will be gently drawn, and at heroic deeds involving often the rise of One Man upon the sacrifice of Thousands there will only he expressed the admiration of a rational observer in a Christian country. Another feature of the Book of Battles will be Daring Deeds by Land and Sea, affording rare instances of those noble virtues, Self-reliance and Self-denial. After mature consideration the Editor has resolved on illustrating the many-sided careers of Soldiers and Sailors by a series of Original Fictions, entitled. “Tales of the Camp Fire und the Quarter-Deck.” These, it is hoped, will impart a continuous attractiveness to the work, and commend themselves as life-like pictures to the reader’s approval.

Preface [iii-iv]
The following pages are intended to depict the Heroism of Boyhood, and especially to exhibit the heroism of moral worth. In former times, a man, to be a hero, was expected to slay his thousands, to found empires, and to subjugate nations. But now, better taught by the experience of the past, we understand that true heroism may consist in performing our duty in that state of life unto which it may please God to call us. There is a heroism in refraining from evil, in speaking the truth, in the exercise of humanity, in devoting ourselves to some difficult task for the sake of others, and in the vindication of principle. The great and good of all countries and in all ages afford instances of this in their early days; and in [iv] selecting a few of these from authentic sources. I feel confident in performing a service to the Boys of England, and even to England herself; as the greatness of a nation does not consist so much in armies, in fleets, in extended conquests, or unbound wealth, as in the exercise of the high virtue of our nature, in deeds of love, gentleness, honour, honesty, and truth.
Peter Parley.
Christmas, 1864.

The preface is signed with “Peter Parley”; the book was a Peter Parley’s Annual, which William Martin edited.

Part of the “Brave Deeds: A Series of Cheap Gift Books”. The book went through many editions; last new edition 1911.

Preface [v-viii]
As the most striking lines of poetry are the most hackneyed, because they have grown to be the common inheritance of all the world, so many of the most noble deeds that earth can show have become the best known, and enjoyed their full need of fame. Therefore it may be feared that many of the events here detailed, or alluded to, may seem trite to those in search of novelty; but it is not for such that the collection has been made. It is rather intended as a treasury for young people, where they may find minuter particulars than their abridged histories usually afford of the soul-stirring deeds that give life and glory to the record of events; and where also other like actions, out of their ordinary course of reading, may be placed before them, in the trust that example may inspire the spirit of heroism and self-devotion. For surely [vi] it must be a wholesome contemplation to look on actions, the very essence of which is such entire absorption in others that self is not so much renounced as forgotten; the object of which is not to win promotion, wealth, or success, but simple duty, mercy, and loving-kindness. These are the actions wrought, “hoping for nothing again,” but which most surely have their reward. […] [vii] There is a cloud of doubt resting on a few of the tales, which it may be honest to mention, though they were far too beautiful not to tell. These are the details of the Gallic occupation of Rome, the Legend of St. Genevieve, the Letter of Gertrude von der Wart, the stories of the Keys of Calais, of the Dragon of Rhodes, and we fear we must add, both Nelson’s plan of the battle of the Nile, and likewise the exact form of the heroism of young Casabianca, of which no two accounts agree. But it was not possible to give up such stories as these, and the thread of truth there must be in them has developed into such a beautiful tissue, that even if unsubstantial when tested, it is surely delightful to contemplate. Some stories have been passed over as too devoid of foundation, in especial that of young Henri, Duke of Nemours, who, at ten years old, was said to have been hung up with his little brother of eight in one of Louis XI’s cages at Loches, with orders that two of the children’s teeth should daily be pulled out and brought to the king. The elder child was said to have insisted on giving the whole supply of teeth, so as to save his brother; but though they were certainly imprisoned after their father’s execu[viii]tion, they were released after Louis’s death in a condition which disproves this atrocity. The Indian mutiny might likewise have supplied glorious instances of Christian self-devotion, but want of materials has compelled us to stop short of recording those noble deeds by which delicate women and light-hearted young soldiers showed, that in the hour of need there was not wanting to them the highest and deepest “spirit of self-sacrifice.” At some risk of prolixity, enough of the surrounding events have in general been given to make the situation comprehensible, even without knowledge of the general history. This has been done in the hope that these extracts may serve as a mother’s storehouse for reading aloud to her boys, or that they may be found useful for short readings to the intelligent, though uneducated classes.

November 17th, 1864.

Introduction by Herbert Strange to later a edition, [London: Henry Frowde, Hodder & Stoughton, n.y. – Herbert Strange’s Library – abridged] pp. v-viii

[…] [viii] Her special appeal was to children, or at least to young people; but many of her works found a very large circle of adult readers. She wrote on many subjects, for her education had given her a wider field than most women writers of her generation; but whatever her subject, the tendency of each and all of her books was always religious and educational. It is characteristic of Charlotte Yonge that the proceeds of the scores of books that flowed from her pen during over fifty years of ceaseless literary activity were largely devoted to religious and educational objects. A Book of Golden Deeds, first published in 1864, has been one of the most deservedly popular of Charlotte Yonge’s works. It is full of noble enthusiasm for the great virtues, courage and self-sacrifice, that inspired the principal actors in these stirring narratives. Miss Yonge died in 1901, at her native village of Otterbourne. There, except for a few brief absences, she had spent the whole of her long life – truly a life of golden deeds, though not perhaps so stirring or dramatic as those of which she loved to tell us in these pages.

Excerpts from chapter 1, What is a Golden Deed? [1-10]
We all of us enjoy a story of battle and adventure. Some of us delight in the anxiety and excitement with which we watch the various strange predicaments, hairbreadth escapes, and ingenious contrivances that are presented to us; and the mere imaginary dread of the dangers thus depicted, stirs our feelings and makes us feel eager and full of suspense. This taste, though it is the first step above the dullness that cannot be interested in anything beyond its own immediate world, nor care for what it neither sees, touches, tastes, nor puts to any present use, is still the lowest form that such a liking can take. It may be no better than a love of reading about murders in the newspaper, just for the sake of a sort of startled sensation; and it is a taste that becomes unwholesome when it absolutely delights in dwelling on horrors and cruelties for their own sake; or upon shifty, cunning, dishonest stratagems and devices. To learn to take interest in what is evil is always mischievous. [2] But there is an element in many of such scenes of woe and violence that may well account for our interest in them. It is that which makes the eye gleam and the heart throb, and bears us through the details of suffering, bloodshed, and even barbarity – feeling our spirits moved and elevated by contemplating the courage and endurance that they have called forth. Nay, such is the charm of brilliant valour, that we often are tempted to forget the injustice of the cause that may have called forth the actions that delight us. And this enthusiasm is often united with the utmost tenderness of heart, the very appreciation of suffering only quickening the sense of the heroism that risked the utmost, till the young and ardent learn absolutely to look upon danger as an occasion for evincing the highest qualities. […] The true cause of such enjoyment is perhaps an inherent consciousness that there is nothing so noble as forgetfulness of self. Therefore it is that we are struck by hearing of the exposure of life and limb to the utmost peril, in oblivion, or recklessness of personal safety, in comparison with a higher object. That object is sometimes unworthy. In the lowest form of courage it is only avoidance of disgrace; but even fear of shame is better than mere love of bodily ease, and from that lowest motive the scale rises to the most noble and precious actions of which human nature is capable – the truly golden and priceless deeds that are the jewels of history, the salt of life. And it is a chain of Golden Deeds that we seek [3] to lay before our readers; but, ere entering upon them, perhaps we had better clearly understand what it is that to our mind constitutes a Golden Deed. It is not mere hardihood. There was plenty of hardihood in Pizarro when he led his men through terrible hardships to attack the empire of Peru, but he was actuated by mere greediness for gain, and all the perils he so resolutely endured could not make his courage admirable. It was nothing but insensibility to danger, when set against the wealth and power that he coveted, and to which he sacrificed thousands of helpless Peruvians. Daring for the sake of plunder has been found in every robber, every pirate, and too often in all the lower grade of warriors, from the savage plunderer of a besieged town up to the reckless monarch making war to feed his own ambition. There is a courage that breaks out in bravado, the exuberance of high spirits, delighting in defying peril for its own sake, not indeed producing deeds which deserve to be called golden, but which, from their heedless grace, their desperation, and absence of all base motives–except perhaps vanity–have an undeniable charm about them, even when we doubt the right of exposing a life in mere gaiety of heart. Such was the gallantry of the Spanish knight who, while Fernando and Isabel lay before the Moorish city of Granada, galloped out of the camp, in full view of besiegers and besieged, and fastened to the gate of the city with his dagger a copy of the Ave Maria. It was a wildly brave action, and yet not without service in showing the dauntless spirit of the Christian army. But the same can hardly be said of the daring shown by the Emperor Maximilian when he displayed himself to the citizens of Ulm upon the topmost pinnacle of their cathedral spire; or of Alonso de Ojeda, who figured in like manner [4] upon the tower of the Spanish cathedral. The same daring afterwards carried him in the track of Columbus, and there he stained his name with the usual blots of rapacity and cruelty. These deeds, if not tinsel, were little better than gold leaf. A Golden Deed must be something more than mere display of fearlessness. Grave and resolute fulfilment of duty is required to give it the true weight. Such duty kept the sentinel at his post at the gate of Pompeii, even when the stifling dust of ashes came thicker and thicker from the volcano, and the liquid mud streamed down, and the people fled and struggled on, and still the sentry stood at his post, unflinching, till death had stiffened his limbs; and his bones, in their helmet and breastplate, with the hand still raised to keep the suffocating dust from mouth and nose, have remained even till our own times to show how a Roman soldier did his duty. […] Such obedience at all costs and all risks is, however, the very essence of a soldier’s life. An army could not exist without it, a ship could not sail without it, and millions upon millions of those whose “bones are dust and good swords are rust” have [5] shown such resolution. It is the solid material, but it has hardly the exceptional brightness, of a Golden Deed. And yet perhaps it is one of the most remarkable characteristics of a Golden Deed that the doer of it is certain to feel it merely a duty; “I have done that which it was my duty to do” is the natural answer of those capable of such actions. They have been constrained to them by duty, or by pity; have never even deemed it possible to act otherwise, and did not once think of themselves in the matter at all. For the true metal of a Golden Deed is self-devotion. Selfishness is the dross and alloy that gives the unsound ring to many an act that has been called glorious. And, on the other hand, it is not only the valour, which meets a thousand enemies upon the battlefield, or scales the walls in a forlorn hope, that is of true gold. It may be, but often it is a mere greed of fame, fear of shame, or lust of plunder. No, it is the spirit that gives itself for others – the temper that for the sake of religion, of country, of duty, of kindred, nay, of pity even to a stranger, will dare all things, risk all things, endure all things, meet death in one moment, or wear life away in slow, persevering tendance and suffering. Such a spirit was shown by Leæna, the Athenian woman at whose house the overthrow of the tyranny of the Pisistratids was concerted, and who, when seized and put to the torture that she might disclose the secrets of the conspirators, fearing that the weakness of her frame might overpower her resolution, actually bit off her tongue, that she might be unable to betray the trust placed in her. The Athenians commemorated her truly golden silence by raising in her honour the statue of a lioness without a tongue, in allusion to her name, which signifies a lioness. [6] […] Another woman, in 1450, when Sir Gilles of Brittany was savagely imprisoned and starved in much the same manner by his brother, Duke François, sustained him for several days by bringing wheat in her veil, and dropping it through the grated window, and when poison had been used to hasten his death, she brought a priest to the grating to enable him to make his peace with Heaven. Tender pity made these women venture all things; and surely their doings were full of the gold of love. So again two Swiss lads, whose father was dangerously ill, found that they could by no means procure the needful medicine, except at a price far beyond their means, and heard that an English traveller had offered a large price for a pair of eaglets. The only eyrie was on a crag supposed to be so inaccessible, that no one ventured to attempt it, till these boys, in their intense anxiety for their father, dared the fearful danger, scaled the precipice, cap [7]tured the birds, and safely conveyed them to the traveller. Truly this was a deed of gold. Such was the action of the Russian servant whose master’s carriage was pursued by wolves, and who sprang out among the beasts, sacrificing his own life willingly to slake their fury for a few minutes in order that the horses might be untouched, and convey his master to a place of safety. But his act of self-devotion has been so beautifully expanded in the story of “Eric’s Grave”, in “Tales of Christian Heroism”, that we can only hint at it, as at that of the “Helmsman of Lake Erie”, who, with the steamer on fire around him, held fast by the wheel in the very jaws of the flame, so as to guide the vessel into harbour, and save the many lives within her, at the cost of his own fearful agony, while slowly scorched by the flames. Memorable, too, was the compassion that kept Dr. Thompson upon the battlefield of the Alma, all alone throughout the night, striving to alleviate the sufferings and attend to the wants, not of our own wounded, but of the enemy, some of whom, if they were not sorely belied, had been known to requite a friendly act of assistance with a pistol shot. Thus to remain in the darkness, on a battlefield in an enemy’s country, among the enemy themselves, all for pity and mercy’s sake, was one of the noblest acts that history can show. Yet, it was paralleled in the time of the Indian Mutiny, when every English man and woman was flying from the rage of the Sepoys at Benares, and Dr. Hay alone remained because he would not desert the patients in the hospital, whose life depended on his care–many of them of those very native corps who were advancing to massacre him. This was the Roman sentry’s firmness, more voluntary and more glorious. Nor may we pass by her to whom our title page points as our living type of Golden Deeds – to her who [8] first showed how woman’s ministrations of mercy may be carried on, not only within the city, but on the borders of the camp itself – “the lady with the lamp”, whose health and strength were freely devoted to the holy work of softening the after sufferings that render war so hideous; whose very step and shadow carried gladness and healing to the sick soldier, and who has opened a path of like shining light to many another woman who only needed to be shown the way. Fitly, indeed, may the figure of Florence Nightingale be shadowed forth at the opening of our roll of Golden Deeds. Thanks be to God, there is enough of His own spirit of love abroad in the earth to make Golden Deeds of no such rare occurrence, but that they are of “all time”. […] Of martyrdoms we have scarcely spoken. They were truly deeds of the purest gold; but they are too numerous to be dwelt on here: and even as soldiers deem it each man’s simple duty to face death unhesitatingly, so the “glorious army of martyrs” had, for the most part, joined the Church with the expectation that they should have to confess the faith, and confront the extremity of death and torture for it. What have been here brought together are chiefly cases of self-devotion that stand out remarkably, either from their hopelessness, their courage, or their patience, varying with the character of their age; but with that one essential distinction in all, that the dross of self was cast away. Among these we cannot forbear mentioning the poor American soldier, who, grievously wounded, [9] had just been laid in the middle bed, by far the most comfortable of the three tiers of berths in the ship’s cabin in which the wounded were to be conveyed to New York. Still thrilling with the suffering of being carried from the field, and lifted to his place, he saw a comrade in even worse plight brought in, and thinking of the pain it must cost his fellow soldier to be raised to the bed above him, he surprised his kind lady nurses (daily scatterers of Golden Deeds) by saying, “Put me up there, I reckon I’ll bear hoisting better than he will”. And, even as we write, we hear of an American Railway collision that befell a train on the way to Elmira with prisoners. The engineer, whose name was William Ingram, might have leapt off and saved himself before the shock; but he remained in order to reverse the engine, though with certain death staring him in the face. […] While men and women still exist who will thus suffer and thus die, losing themselves in the thought of others, surely the many forms of woe and misery with which this earth is spread do but give occasions of working out some of the highest and best qualities of which mankind are capable. And oh, young readers, if your hearts burn within you as you read of these various forms of the truest and deepest glory, and you long for time and place to act in the like devoted way, bethink yourselves that the alloy of such actions is to be constantly worked [10] away in daily life; and that if ever it be your lot to do a Golden Deed, it will probably be in unconsciousness that you are doing anything extraordinary, and that the whole impulse will consist in the having absolutely forgotten self.

From the same author as Naval Enterprise [no. 1.2.11]

Preface [n. pag.]
This little volume has been compiled chiefly from old works on the subject, some of which are now little known. To modern authors we are indebted for some few anecdotes of more recent Military Enterprise: of these, we beg to acknowledge our obligation to Sir William Napier’s “Battles of the Peninsula;” to Kinglake’s magnificent “Invasion of the Crimea,” and to the Rev. Wm. Brock’s interesting “Biographical Sketch of Sir Henry Havelock.” The passage to which we refer will be found indicated in the Table of Contents.

An earlier edition with the same title and the same editor was published in 1858 (London: Kent). This earlier edition was itself an expanded edition of Lawrence Drake’s The Heroes of England of 1843 (whose list of heroes still ended with the Duke of Wellington).
The 1884 edition is an expanded one: “To which is added an account of the career of Admiral Collingwood with Twelve Illustrations in Permanent Photography.”

Preface [v-vii]
[v] The title of this volume so clearly indicates the nature of the contents that a few lines by way of preface will suffice to introduce it to the reader. The book is intended to narrate the exploits and achievements of those heroes who, against the enemies of their country, have fought the battles of England at sea and on the land; and who, by their genius and valour, have added to the national greatness, and contributed to the national glory. In the following pages will be found memoirs of the principal personages whose heroic actions have illustrated our history from the time of the victor of Poitiers to that of the hero of Cawnpore; and they have been compiled in such a way as to give the reader an idea of the great battles fought by our ancestors against foreign foes, during the long and eventful period that intervened. [vii] The advantages to be derived by “boy-readers” from such a work, if perused in an intelligent spirit, will hardly be questioned. Even the historical information to be thus acquired is not to be lightly regarded. But, apart from that consideration, it will not be denied that such scenes as those of the Black Prince treating his vanquished enemy with chivalrous courtesy; Sir Philip Sidney handing the untasted cup of water to the dying soldier with the immortal words, “Thy necessity is greater than mine;” and Havelock, after showing himself through life the Christian soldier, saying at the hour of death, “Come, my son; and see how a Christian man can die!” are well calculated to enlist the sympathies, elevate the thoughts, and ennoble the aspirations of youthful readers. “The Heroes of England” came before the public years ago, and has since passed through several editions. The book may, therefore, claim the distinction of being not quite unknown to fame. On the present occasion, an account of the life of Admiral Lord Collingwood has been added, which, it is hoped, will increase the popularity of the volume. In conclusion, it may be remarked, that biography, which renders us familiar with the habits and powers of illustrious characters who flourished in past ages, has been long and justly regarded as among the most in [vii] teresting subjects in the whole range of literature; and even in this age, when it is rather too much the fashion to pull down great reputations, matters can hardly have come to such a pass as that of the youth of England being indifferent to the exploits of their countrymen – at St. Vincent, the Nile, and Trafalgar; at Cressy and Agincourt, Blenheim and Waterloo.

The book was part of “Chambers’s Library for Young People”. The book includes stories translated from French as well as from English authors.

No Preface

No Preface

This book embeds its stories about moral heroes (who are explicitly contrasted to military heroes) in a frame narrative: Here a mother conducts didactic dialogues with her two sons, John and James, who in turn discuss the issue of moral versus military heroism with their friends. The text engages with current definitions of heroism, which it contests and qualifies from a Christian and pacifist position. This discourse about the heroic takes off in an important religious and commemorative institution of British society, St Paul’s Cathedral. Possibly because of its esteem for moral heroism, the book also includes some examples of female heroism. The strong emphasis on moral (rather than physical action) heroism appears to facilitate the incorporation of female examples.

In the book’s introductory chapter, John and James are impressed by the monuments for military heroes in St. Paul’s Cathedral: [5] “‘What a grand thing it is to be courageous, to fight valiantly, to die gloriously!’” This is contested by their mother: “‘I do not think being courageous means fighting: nor do I think being killed in battle is dying gloriously.’” This raises her sons’ objection: “‘But it says so here, in this place of Christian worship’, persisted John. ‘It is written on the marble’, added James.” The mother then leads the boys to two other monuments in the cathedral which, to her, also represent heroes: [6] “one was erected to John Howard, and the other to Samuel Johnson. When they [the boys] pronounced the names, they looked at their mother with surprise. ‘Are you not mistaken’, said John. ‘These were good men, but not heroes.’ ‘I think them both heroes’, replied the mother. ‘Both great conquerors, particularly Howard, who fought a good fight with cruelty, oppression, and evil of various kinds. [7] He fought not in the company of allies, but alone; through danger, personal suffering, fatigue, and privations of every kind, and all to do his fellow-creatures good – to comfort the sorrowful, to relieve the wretched, to succour the sick: – and he conquered; for thousands bless his name. His spirit is to this hour animating many. Oh! He was indeed valiant – a champion of truth, and a messenger of mercy.’” And she continues: “‘And I look too with pleasure on Dr. Johnson’s monument, because he gave a noble example of perseverance, industry, and learning. He classified our language, and enriched our literature, and, by the constant exercise of his talents, left the world wiser in many things than he found it. Such men I call heroes.’” Her son retorts: “‘But that is not the usual way in which people apply the word’, said John. ‘It is always used to denote chieftains and warriors.’ ‘There are many common terms and phrases misapplied, and therefore misunderstood’, replied his mother; ‘and among those most frequently wrongly used are the words valour, courage, bravery, heroism. They are supposed to mean a willingness to fight, a [8] contempt of danger, and a love of war. Now, I think, true courage, real bravery, the great and heroic in the noblest sense, has nothing whatever to do with the horrors and bloodshed of war, and the fierceness and fury of warriors.’”
Leaving St Paul’s, the boys are not convinced and prefer reading books about warriors.
[9] “Their mother, ever watchful over them, was convinced that her boys had learned a dangerous lesson from the monuments of the warriors; indeed it was evident that, although they generally respected her opinions, and were both dutiful and affectionate youths, they thought her somewhat mistaken on this one subject. It was clear to them that the character of a great warrior was made up of many noble qualities, and was well worthy of admiration and imitation.”
“At school, they talked to their young companions, and the majority of the boys agreed that a hero meant a warrior, and that such men as Alexander, Caesar, William the Conqueror, the Black Prince, the Duke of Marlborough, Napoleon, and Wellington, were // [10] the greatest and bravest of mortals.” […] “Meanwhile their mother had not been idle; she was in the habit, two evenings in every week, of talking or reading to them on some interesting and instructive subject, and seeing how strong a propensity they showed in favour of warlike characters, she took an early opportunity to resume the conversation on courage and valour.”
[12] “‘[…] Now, while I think courage, that is, bravery to make great attempts, and fortitude to endure great trials, is one of the noblest qualities a human being [13] can possess, I think, when it has been applied to carry on war, that it becomes ferocity, rashness, cruelty, and vainglorious hardihood. War never did any good, it has always done a fearful amount of evil, that no tongue can tell, and no mind can calculate; and therefore, those qualities you speak of as necessary to carry on war are misapplied, put to a bad purpose […] – do you not see that clearly?’”
The mother knows from where her son’s wrong ideas about courage and heroism originate: “‘I am neither surprised nor angry that this should be so. I know that histories, biogra[14]phies and many other school-books, speak in terms of admiration of the character of a warrior; he is called a hero, and young persons, boys especially, think his career very splendid and worthy of highest admiration; other characters may be very excellent, but this is thought pre-eminently great and noble. It is a common error, but not the less an error because it is common: and as I greatly desire to see you free from unchristian, foolish, and dangerous prejudices, I should like to show you, from the lives of the good and wise who have benefited their fellow-creatures and blessed the world by their labours, that real heroism does not belong to those men who have employed their lives and their talents in destroying their fellow-creatures, but to those who have benefited them. I wish to show you, that a man may be a hero, and yet not be a warrior; that he may have fortitude, without learning it in forced marches and on the blood-stained battle-field; that he may be brave and noble, and yet live a life of peace and usefulness; nay, that these very qualities are seen in their highest excellence when united with meekness, love, and all the gentler virtues.’”
The boys’ fascination with “interesting lives” is commented thus by their mother: [15] “‘[T]he reason you like them best is, because the interest is confined for the time to an account of one individual, and we enter into the joys and sorrow from a feeling of personal sympathy.’” She then decides to read to her boys what she once excerpted from biographies: “The following chapters were the result of the mother’s endeavour to teach her sons ‘a more excellent way’ of considering human character, and understanding the truly heroic [16] in human actions.”

Chapter XI, on “heroism exhibited in the female character”, begins with a general discussion of the possibility of heroic behaviour of women: [312] “As the sphere of woman’s duties is limited for the most part to the social circle, her station in society being ordinarily that of subordination, superficial or arrogant observers may suppose that the quality called moral heroism is not often found united with the female character. This, however, is a conclusion which the wise and discerning will not be likely to arrive at, for this reason; as it is a mental quality not depending on bodily strength, it may be exhibited by the weakest and most tender in physical structure, equally with the most hardy and robust. And the sex who [313] are called to endure the greatest amount of suffering – whose cares, while they may be more limited, are certainly more affecting, and probably more incessant, endure a discipline of circumstance likely to produce a very great amount of the quality under consideration. No station in life is more important and arduous than that of a wife and a mother. The happiness and the virtue of society depend mainly on the wise and faithful fulfilment of those relationships.”
[314] “The difficulty of portraying instances of moral heroism in women, does not arise from scarcity, but is rather the difficulty of wise selection from a mighty mass of material.”
[316] “One fact, however, is apparent – that moral heroism in woman, to be permanent, is always the result of piety. In man it sometimes, as we have seen, may spring from what is called strength of mind, or philosophical contemplation. In woman this is rarely the case. Her reasoning powers seldom lead her to delight in drawing supports and incitements from varied sources of investigation; but with the trusting confidence of a child in the command of a parent, she goes at once to Scripture, and learns there, and there only, the reasons on which to sustain her hope, and the encouragements to foster her moral heroism.”

Advertisement [iii]
A preface is now considered an established introduction to a book, yet the writer of the following pages ventures to usher in his work without the usual formal bow. Like Sir John Falstaff, he might talk of plentiful reasons, but he contents himself with two; namely, that his book is addressed solely to those whose young hearts, alive to every natural emotion, will glow at the generous and lofty deeds of their renowned countrymen, without the necessity of the recorder requiring of them – while their frank minds demand no flattery to win their favourable regard.

L.D.

London, Nov. 1, 1842.