The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-10-22
Habits Of Authors.

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Habits of Authors.
Racine composed his verses while
walking about, reciting them in a
loud voice. One day, when thus
working at his play Of Mithridates,
ir the Tuileries Gardens, a crowd Of
workmen gathered around him, at
tracted by his gestures; they took
him to be mad man. about to throw
himself into tho basin. On his re-
turn home from such walks, he would
write down scene by scene, at first
iii prose, and when he had thus writ
ten it out, he would exclaim, sMy
tragedy is done' considering the
dressing Of the acts up in verse as a
very small affair.
Magliabcchi, the learned librarian
to the Duke Of Tuscany, on the con-
trary, never stirred abroad, but lived
amidst books and upon books. They
were his bed, board, and washing.-
lie passed eight.and. forty.years in
their midst, only twice in the course
of his life Fssatpring beyond the walls
of Florence; once to go ttRo- leagues
soff, anT the other time three and a
halt leagues,sby order of the Grand
sDuke. lie was an extremely frugal.
man, living upon eggs, bread and
water, inSsrept moderation.
MS U3g lying ast stpss ~ s:s;;a. :
he had brought from Wartburg, and
of which lie was very fond. An
ry crucifix stood on the table before 0
him, aud the walls of his study were
stuck round with caricatures of the
Pope. He worked at his desk for
days together without going out; but
when fatigued, and the ideas began
to stagnate in his brain, he would
take his flute or his guitar with him
into the porch, aud there execute
some musical fantasy, (for he was a
skilful musician,) when the ideas
would flow upon him as fresh as flow.
ers after summers rain. Music was
his invariable solacc at such times.
Indeed Luther did not hesitate to
say that, after theology, music was
the first Of arts. Music said he,
lis the art of the prophets; 1t is the
only other art which, like theology,
calm the agitation of tho soul, and
put the Devil to flight Next to
music, if not before it, Luther loved
children and flowers. That great
gnarled man had heart as tender
as woman's.
Calvin studied in his bed. Every
morning, at five or six O'Clock, he
had books, manuscripts. and papers
carried to him there, and he worked
OH for hours together. If he had oc.
casion to so out, on his return he un-
dressed and went to bed again to
continue his studies. In his later
years he dictated his writings to sec
rctarics. He rarely corrected any.
thing. The sentences issued com
plete from his mouth. If he felt his
facility Of composition leaving him,
he forthwith quilted his bed, gave up
writing and composing, and went
about his outdoor duties for days,
weeks and months together. But as
soon as he felt the inspiration fall up.
on him again, he went back to his
bed, and his secretary set to work
forthwith.
Rousseau wrote his works early in
the morning; Lc Sage at midday;
Byron at midnight; IIardouin rose
at four in the morning, and wrote till
late at night.
Aristotle was tremendous work
cr; he took little sleep, and was con-
stantly retrenching it. He had a
contriyance by which he awoke early,
and to awake was with him to com.
mence work. Demosthencs passed
three months in a cavern by the sea.
side. in laboring to overcome the de-
fects of his voice. There he read,
studied, and dcclaimed.
Rabclais composed his life Of Gar
gantua at Bellay, in tho company of
Roman cardinals, and under the
eyes of the Bishop of Paris. La