Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1851-10-18
Gitrrarn Ancr0otcs.
From Arvinc's C.c1mrda OF Anccd,try
HABITS OF AUTHORS IN COMPO.
SING AED CORRECTING.

l~oCTATEs. VIRGIL, AND CAssIUs.-The
ancients were prrtIuacious in their correc-
items. lsocrates, i is said, was employed
Tor ten years on one OF his works and, to
appear natural, studied with the most re-
fined art.
After a labor OF eleven years, Virgil pro-
nounced his .Enrid imperfect.
Do Cassius devoted twelve wears to the
composition Of his history, and Diodorus
SicuIns, thirty.
There is middle between velocity and
torpidity. The Italians say, it is not ne
crsSary to be a stag, but we ought not TO be
tortoise.
Nor 50 DAD FAULT.-An old French
writer, more remarkable for originality Of
thought than for grace of style, was once
r'proach"d by a friend with the frequent
r-prli'ionS to be found in his works.
"Naur them to me- said the author. -
Tn" critic, with ohiiGinE precision, men
toned all the id"as which had most ire-
0uenlv r"currrd in the book. II am salts
fird," replied the honest author; 'you re-
member nay ideas, ! repeated them so
often on purpose 10 prevent you from for
grttint them. Without my repetitions, /
2hould never have suCCredrd."
SALuAoIu> AID HonBEs.-SaImasiu used
to read aud write in the company of his
wifi, and amidS, the noise of his children,
without juconveni'ncc.
Hl.a.s wls accustomed to shut himself
Up lu pr,iopud cuin,urss.
H,-rs :. L"vlArrIAN.-Aubrev has min
a fy,r ,t,h,
/ lluJors composed his Levia'han. II is We
/ ~ curious for literary students. SHE walk
ed much and contemplated and he had
! in the head OF his can" a pen and inkhorn,
and carried ALWAYS q note book IN his pock-
/ ct and as soon as thought darted, he pre-
Senl!y entered it into his book, or other
/ wise he might have lost it. He had drawn
the design Of the book into chapters, &C.,
and he knew whereabouts it would come in.
Thus that book was made
EcCENrEIcITIEs.-Among literary men,
some have been eccentric in their method
Of composing and Studying.
Drs Cartrs used to lie in bed, very fire.
quently, for twelve or fourteen hours in
the day, with the curtains drawn.
Thompson sometimes spent the whole
day in bed.
Rousseau and Pope procured some oI
their best thoughts in bed.
M'z'rai, the historian, always composed
by candle light.
Much OF this is folly. Nature has con.
stitutrd human beings so similarly, thai
what is consistent with common sense, anc
suitable for one man, would be found adap..
ed for all, if they would but accustom
themselves TO it. Ecccntricties are moi
only productive of no advantages, but the,
are frequently the occasion of awkward
ness and unpleasantness.
PASCAL, MLToN, SHEFFIELD, TuuAYUs
AND NEwToN.-PascaI subjected his letter
10 the inspection Of the members of hi
college, aud every advantageous alteration
that was suggested was introduced. Th
method occasions much correctness, but i
destroys the originality of the author
thoughts and style.
Sometimes Milton would dictate a Ger
attn number of lines, and then reduce then
to one halt th- quantity.
Sheffield, Duke OF Buckingham, wrot,
an essay on satlre, which was altered anC
amended so much, that at last, like tn,
stocking Of Aristotle, it became a new
thing.
The commencement of the History O
Thuanus is said to have cost the author al
immense deal OF labor.
Sir Isaac Newton informed Bisho,
Pearce that he had written his Chronolog
'ot Ancient Kingdoms sixteen times.