Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-12-01

mulgated his notion of universal freedom
of person and trade, and of throwing all
taxes upon the land-the germ, perhaps
of the French Revolution-in the Boudoir
of Madame de Pompadour.
Luther, when studying, always had his
dog lying at his feet-a dog he had
brought from Wartburg, and of which he
was very fond. An ivory crueiix stood
on the table before him, and the walls of
his study were stuck around with carrica-
| lures 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
porch, and there execute some musical
phantansy, (for he was skilful musici-
an, when the ideas would flow upon him
as fresh as flowers after summers rain.
Music was his invariable solace at such
times. Indeed, Luther did not hesitate to
say that, after theology, music was the
first of arts. Music said he, SIS the art
of the prophets; it is the only other art,
which, like theology, can calm the agita
ton of the 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 NOR
ming, at FIVE or six o'clock he had his
books, manuscripts and papers carried to
him there, and he worked on for hours
together. If he had occasion to go out,
on his return he undressed and went to
bed again, to continue his studies. In
latter years he dictated his writings to
secretaries. He rarely corrected any
thing. The sentences issued complete
from his mouth. Ifhe felt his facility of
composition leaving him, he forthwith
quilted his bed, gave up writing and COM
posing, and went about his out door du-
ties for days, weeks and months together.
But as soon as he felt the inspiration fall
upon him again, he went back to his
bed, and his secretary went 20 work forth
with.
Cujas, another learned man used to
study, laid all his length upon the car
pet, his face towards the floor, and there
he revelled amidst piles of books which
accumulated about him. The learned Am
yot never studied without the harpsichord
beside him, and he only quilted his pen
to play it. Bentham, also, was extremely
fond of the piano7forte, and had one in
nearly every room in his house.
Richlieu amused himself in the inter-
walls of his labor, with squadron of cats,
of whom he was very fond. He used to
go to bed at eleven at night, and after
sleeping three hours, rise and write, die
tate, or work, till from six to eight o'clock
in the morning, when his daily levce was
held. This worthy student displayed an
extravaganza equal to Wollsey. His an
nual expenditure was about four millions
of francs, or about G17o,OOO sterling
How different the fastidious temperance
of Milton. He drank water and lived on
| the humblest fare. In his youth he stu
died during the greatest part of the night;
but in his more advanced years he went
early to bed, by nine o'clock, rising to
his studies at four in the summer and five
in the winter. He studied till midday,
| then he took an hours exercise, and af-
ter dinner he sang and played on the or
gan, or listened to Others music. He
studied again till six, and from that hour
till eight he engaged in conversation with
friends who came to see him. Then he
supped, smoked pipe of tobacco, drank
glass of water, and went to bed. Glo-
rious visions came to him in the night,
for it was then, while lying on his couch,
that he composed in thought the greater
part of his sublime poems. Sometimes,
when the fit of composition came strong
upon him, he would call his daughter to
his side 70 commit to paper that which he
had composed.
! Milton was of the opinion that the YER
ses composed by him between the autumn
nal and spring equinoxions were always
the best, and he was never satisfied with
the verses he had written any other sea-
son. Alferi, on the contrary, said that
the equinoctial winds produced state of
almost complete stupidity in him. Like
the nightingales, he could only sing in
summer 1t was his favorite season.
Pierre Corneille, in his loftiest flights of
imagination, was often brought TO a stand
still for want of words and rhyme
Thoughts were seething in his brain,
which he rainly strove toreduce to order,
and he would often run to his t'Thomas"
| for a word. Thomas rarely failed him
| Sometimes, in his fits of inspiration, he
would throw himself on the sofa and die
tate to his wife-who almost worshipped
his genius. Thus he would pass whole
days, debating to her his great tragedies,
his wife scarcely venturing to speak, al
most afraid to breathe. Afterwards,
when tragedy was finished, he would
call in his sister Martha, and submit it to
her Judgments Meliere used to consult
his old housekecper about the comedies
he had newly written. @
I Racine composed his verses while walk
ing about reciting them in loud voice.
One day, while working at his play of
Mithridates, in the Tuileries Gardens, a
crowd of workmen gathered around hing,