England has her Stratford Scotland has her Alloway and America too has her Dresden. For there on August 11 1833 was born the greatest and noblest of the Western World an immense personality -- unique lovable sublime the peerless orator of all time and as true a poet as Nature ever held in tender clasp upon her loving breast and in words coined for the chosen few told of the joys and sorrows hopes dreams and fears of universal life a patriot whose golden words and deathless deeds were worthy of the Great Republic a philanthropist real and genuine a philosopher whose central theme was human love -- who placed the holy hearth of home higher than the altar of any god an iconoclast a builder -- a reformer perfectly poised absolutely honest and as fearless as truth itself -- the most aggressive and formidable foe of superstition -- the most valiant champion of reason -- Robert G. Ingersoll.