John Muir was born this day in 1838. Filmmaker Marcel Camus was born in 1912. Comedic screenwriter Norman Panama was born in 1914. Anthony Quinn in 1915. And American citizen gunned down without due process of law, Anwar al-Aulaqi was born in 1971.

Queen Elizabeth II is 87 today. The great comedian Elaine May is 81. Charles Grodin is 78. Since I mentioned Hitler’s birthday yesterday, I guess I have to mention that James Dobson is 77 day. The great Iggy Pop is 66. Talentless beauty Andie MacDowell is 55. And Robert Smith of The Cure is 54.

But the day belongs to Charlotte Bronte who was born 1816 and died not all that much later. She is, of course, the author of Jane Eyre, a wonderful, if flawed novel. I will always remember the line, “You must be tenacious of life!” (I use it a lot; and it’s opposite!)

Happy birthday Charlotte Bronte!