The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1852-11-04
NO. xxx.

est part Of the night; bu, in his more advanced
years he went early to bed-by nine O'Clock
rising to his studies at four Iii summer aud i've in
the winter. He studied ill midday, then hs
took hours exercise, and after dinner. lie sang
and played the organ, or listened 10 others music.
He studied again till six, and from that hour Ill!
eight he engaged in conversations with friends
who came 10 see him. Then he supped, smoked
il pipe Of tobacco, drank glass OF water, and
went to bed Glorious visions Came 10 him in the
night, for it was then, while lying on hls couch,
that he composed in thought. the greater part Of
| his sublime poem. Sometimes, when the fit Of
composition came strong upon him, he would cs
| his daughter to his side, to commit 10 paper that
which he had composed.
Milton was Of opinion that the verses composed
by him betw ween the auiuninai and spring -quin-
oxes were always the best, and he was sat-
Isfed with the verses he bad written at any other
season. Aferi on the contrary, said that the
equmoctial winds produced d state Of almost COM
Plete stupidity in him. Like the nightingale, he
could only sing in summer. Ii was his tavorilo
| season.
Pierre Corneille, 10 his Icfiiest flights Of imag-
nation, was often brought to stand still fox want
OF words and rhyme. Thoughts we're seelhing in
hls brain, which he vainly tried TO reduce 10
der, and he would often TO HE Thomas "for
word" Thomas rarely Sailed him. Sometimes
IN his hts Of inspiration, he would bandage his
eyes. throw himself upon the ,ofa, and dictate 10
his wife, who almost worshipped his genus; then
he wodd pass whole days dls!atng 10 her his
great Tragedies; his wife scarcely yen:urcd TO
speak, almost afraid 10 breath. Afterwards when
tragedy was finished, he would call in his SIS
ter Martha, and submit il 10 her Judgment; az
Moiiere used to consult his old hossekeeper about
the comedies he had newly written.
Racine composed his verses while walking
about, recIting them in loud voice One day,
when thus working at his play of ''Mlthridates,"
IN the Iuileries Gardens, crowd Of workmen
gathered around him, attracted BY his gestures;
they took him 20 he a nadman about to throw
himself into the basin. On hs return home from
such walks, he would write down scene after
scene. at first IN prose. and when he had thus
written II oHt, he would exclaim--"My tragedy
is done" considering the dressing of tho acts up
In verse as very small atiuir.
Magilabecch The learned ibrarian to the Duke
.! Tuscany, on 'he contrary, never went abroad.
but lived amidst books and lived upon booAs.-
They were his bed, board and washing. lie
passed eight and forty years in their midst, only
twice IN the course Of hIs iie venturing beyond
the walls Of Florence: once 10 70 two leagues of,
and the other, three and Il baif leagues, by order
OF the Grand Duke. lie wa- an extremely fru-
"a! man, living upon eggs. bread aud water, in
great moderation.
The life Of Iehni'Z was one Of reading, writ
ing and meditation. That WIS the secret OF his
prodigous knowledge After IN attack of the
govt, he confined himself TO "A diet Of bread and
milk. Often he slept in chair, and rarely went
10 bed ill after midnight; sometimes lie
months without quitting his seat, where ne slept
by night and wrote by day. lie had an ulcer IN
his right leg which prevented his walking about,
even had be wished 10 20 so-[ Eliza Cooks
Journal.