Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1853-08-09

Cd at his desk for days together without
going cut, but when fa,isucl, and the
ideas began TO stngnate in his brain, he
would .ako his flute or guilar with him
into aire porch anl there execute some
s,ssicai phantasy, (for he was n skillful
Musician, ,)whcn the ideas wou!l flow up.
On him as fresh as 1owels after q sum.
mer shower. Music was his invaluable
solncc at such times. indeed. Luther
did not hesitate TO say, that after t'ieo!o.
qy, music was the first of arts. Next 10
music, If not before it, Luther loved chill
dren and flowers. That great gnarlcd
man had hear MS tender as woman's.
Calvin studicI ia his bed. Every NOR.
ming, OF five or six o'claek, he had books
manuscripts and papers carried to him
there, onl he work cd on for hours toSeth'
er. fhc had occasion 10 90 out. on his
return he undrcsscl and went TO bed
again to continue his s,uliss. in his
later years he dictated his writings 10
secretaries. He enrely corrected any.
ihing, Tac sentence !ssrcl complete
from his mouth. If he felt his faculty
for composition leaving him, he forthwith
quilted his bel, gave up writing and
composing, and wen, about his outdoor
duties for days, weeks AMI months 10.
gc,her. Blu. as soon as he felt his inspi
ration fall upon him again, he went back
10 bed, and his secretary set to work.
Cuias, and other learned men, used
10 study when laid all his length on the
carpet his face towards the floor, and
there lie revelel amid piles of books
which accumulated about him. The
learned Aymot never studied without
the harpsichord beside him: and he only
quilted the pen to play it. Bentkam,
also, was extremely fond of the piano.
forte, and had one of them ia nearly cv.
cry 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
90 TO bed at eleven at night; and, after
sleeping three hours. rise and write.
dictate or work, till from six to eight
o'clock in the morning, when his daily
levec was held. This WORTH student
displayed all extravaganza cqualinG that
Of Wolsey. His annual expenditure
wa. about four millions Of francs, or
about SsOO,0OO. How different the ias'
tidious temperance of Milton. lie drank
water, and lived on the humblcst fare.
In his youth he studied during the great
est part Of the night; but in his more ad.
vanccd years he went early to bed, by
nine o'clock, rising TO studies at four in
the morning Of summer and five in the
winter. He studied till midday, and then
took an hours exercise, and after dim
ner he sang and played the organ, or lis.
tened 10 other music. lie studied again
ill six, and from that hour till eight he
engaged in convcrs alton with friends
who came 10 see him. Then he suppcl
and smoked pipe Of tobacco, drank
q glass Of water and went to bed. Clio.
rious visions came to him in the night,
for it was then, whiIc lying on his couch,
ahat he composed The ereatct part olhis
poem. Sometimes when the fits OF com
position came strong upon him, he
would call his daughter to his side. 20
commi, to paper that which he had COM
posed.
He was Of opinion that the verses
composed by him between the autum-
nal and spring equ.noxes were always
the best, and he was never satisfied with
the verses he hal written al any other
season. Al6eri, on The contrary, said
that the equinoctal winds produced
state OF almost complete stupidity in him.
Like the nightingale, he coull only
sing in SPINNER. 1t was his favor,c
season.
Pierre Corncillc, in his loflicst flights
of Imagination, was often brought to
stand by want Of words and rhyme.
Thoughts were seething in his brain,
which he vainly tried to reduce to order,
and he would often have TO run to Thorn.
ms for word; Thomas ra,eiy failed him.
Sometimes in his fits Of Inspiration, he
would bardage his eyes, throw himself
no the sofa, and dictate to his wife, who
almost worshipped his genius. Thus
he would pass whole days debating to
her bis great TRACE lies; his wife scarcely
vcnturing to spcuk, olnost afraid to
breathe. Aferwarl, when agcdy was
finished, he would call his sister Mar.
tha, and submit, it to her judgment; at
Moliele he used TO consult his old house.
keeper about all the comedies he had
newly written.
Racine composed his verses while
walking about, reciting them alou'. One