Gerard Manley Hopkins, poet, b.1844. His most famous poems are God’s Grandeur and Pied Beauty, both of which are beautiful poems. I read some others of his poems, and I rather liked this one:

At the Wedding March

GOD with honour hang your head,
Groom, and grace you, bride, your bed
With lissome scions, sweet scions,
Out of hallowed bodies bred.

Each be other’s comfort kind:
Déep, déeper than divined,
Divine charity, dear charity,
Fast you ever, fast bind.

Then let the March tread our ears:
I to him turn with tears
Who to wedlock, his wonder wedlock,
Déals tríumph and immortal years.

Beatrix Potter, b.1866. Have any of you got any Beatrix Potter original postcards lying around the attic? If so, you’re rich, as far as I’m concerned. Some people recently found four cards in their attic that were illustrated and signed by Ms. Potter herself, and they’re supposed to sell for some phenomenal sum.

I think those are two rather nice people with whom to share a birthdate, don’t you?