Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1852-12-11
SATURDAY DECEMBER ~
HABITS OF GREAT STUDENTS.

Racine composed his verses while walking
about, reciling them in loud voice. Gu,
day, when thus working at his play Of Milh.
ridates, in the Tuilleries Gardens, crown OF
workmen gathered around him, attracted by
his gestures; they took him TO be madman
about to throw himself into the basin. On
his return home from such walks he would
write down scene by scene, at first in prose,
and when ho had thus written it out, he
would exclaim, "My tragedy is done ~ con-
sidering The dressing Of the acts up in verse
as very small affair
Magliabecchi, the learned librarian 10 the
Duke Of Tuscany, on the contrary, never
stirred abroad, but lived amidst books and
upon books. They were his bed, board, aud
washing. He passed eight.and.forty years
in their midst, only twice in the course OF
his life ven,uring beyond the " nlls Of Flor
ence once TO 60 two leagues of, and the
other time three aqd a half leagues, By order
of the Grand Duke. He was an extremely
frugal man, Lying upon eggs, bread and wa
ter, in grea, moderation.
Luther when study ing always had his dog
lying a, his feet a dog he had brought from
Warlburg, and of which he was very fond.
An ivory cTucifx stood on the table before
him, and the wall Of his study were stuck
round with carica,ures of the Pope. He
worked at his desk for days together without
going out; bu, when fatigued, and the ideas
began TO slagnate in his brain, he would take
his flute or his guitar with him into the porch,
and there execute some musical fantasy,
flor he was skillful musician) when The
ideas would flow upon him as fresh as flow.
ers after summers rain. Music was his in
variable solace at such times Indeed Luther
did not hesitate 10 say that, after theology,
music was the first of arts. "Nlusic," said
he, ''s the ar, of the prophets it is the only
other art which, like theology, can calm the
agitation of the soul, and put the devil 10
high,.n Next to music, il not before it, Lu.
,her loved children and flowers, That grea,
gnarled man had hear, as tender as wo.
mans
Calvin studied in his bed. Every morning,
at five or six O'Clock, be had books, manu-
scripts aud paper carried TO him there, and
he worked on for hours together. II he had
occasion to go out, on his return he undress.
ed and went TO bed again 10 continue his
: studies. In his later years he dictated his
writings 10 secretaries. he rarely corrected
! anything. The sentences Issued complete
from his mouth. If he felt his facility of
composition leaving him, he forthwith quit
ted his bed, gave up writing and composing
, and went about his outdoor duties for days,
weeks and months together. But as soon
as he fel, the inspiration fall upon him again,
he wen, back 10 his bed, and his secretary
set to wGrk forthwith
Rosseau wrote his works early in the
S morning; lie Sage al midday; Byron a,
midnight. Hardauin rose at four in The NOR
ming, and wrete ill late at night.
Aristotle was a Tremendous worker; he
took his sleep, and was constantly retrench.
ing it He had a conrivance by which he
awoke early, and TO awake was with him 10
commence work. Demosthenes passed three
, ,a0p,hs in cavern by The sea side, in laboI-
ing 10 overcome the defects of his voice
, There he read, studied and declamed.
Rabelais composed his lie of Garsantpa
! ! al beay, in the company of Roman cardi-
mails, and under the eyes Of The Bishop oi
Paris La Routane wrote his fables chiefly
= under the shades of a Tree, and sometimes by
The side of Lacine and Boileap. Pascal wrote
. mos, of his thoughts on little scraps Of paper
e al his by-momeuts. Fenelon wrote hi:
Telemachus in the palace of Versailles, a
the copr, Of the Grand Alonarque, when dis
e charging The duties of tutor TO the Dauphin
r That bogE so ,hoyoughly democratic shoulC
e have issued from such source, and writer
by pies,, may seem surprising. De auip
cy first promulgated his notion OF universe
'. freedom of peIson and trade, aud Of THROWN;
- all taxes on the land-ihe germ, perhaps, O
% the French Revolulion.-in the boudior 0
m Madame de Pompadour!
q Bacon kneIi down before composing hi
great work, and prayed for light and heaven
Pope never GOULD compose well without frs
Of declaiming for some time at the top OF hi
lie voice, and thus TeusiRg his nervous syeten I
re its fullest activity.
n The life of Liebniiz was one Of reading
,e wiring, and mediialion. That was The Sc
i, Gre, of his prodigious knowledge. After a
ATTACK Of gout, he confined himself 10 a die
On OF bread and milk. Often he slept in cha
Id and rarely went TO bed till after midnight
a Sometimes he was months without quilin
I'd his seat, where he slept by nigh! and wrot
~ by day. He had an ulcer in his right lie
II. which prevented his walking about, eve
he had he wished TO do so.-Elisg Cook
an Journal
~ The NEw PORTAGE RAIlnoD.-The Mou
:, tain lPa.) Seminal, says that the new Sta
90 Road will be so far completed by the first
~ December, as to avoid Plane No. 2-connec
!. ing with the present road al the foot OF n