The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1854-11-29
Peculiarities of Celebrat ed Authors.

Rachine composed his verses while
walking about, reciting them in loud
voice. One day when thus working at
his play OF Mithrdates, in the TuilIeries
Garden, a crowd of workmen gathered
around him, attracted by his gestures,
they took him to be mailman about to
throw himself into the basin. On his re-
turn home from such walks, he would
write down scene by scene, at first in
prose, and when he had thus written it
out, he would exclaim, "My tragedy is
done!" considering the dressing of the
acts up in verse as very small affair.
MAJ gliabecchia, the learned Librarian to
the Duke of Tuscany, on the contrary,
never stirred abroad, but lived amidst
books and upon books. They were his
bed, board, and washing. He passed
eight-and-forty years in their midst, only
twice in the course of his life venturing
beyond the walls of Florence once TO
go two leagues, by ordsr Of the Grand
Duke. lie was an extremely frugal man,
living upon eggs, bread and water, i'll
great moderation.
Luther, when studying, always had his
dog lying at his feet a dog he had broc
from Watberg, and of which he was very
fond. An ivory crucitix stood on the
table before him, and 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,
and there execute some musical fantasy,
(for he was skiliul musican,) when the
ideas would flow upon him as fresh as
flowers after summers rain. Music was
his invariable solace ut such times. In
deed Luther did not hesitate to say that
after theology, music is the first Of arts
"Music," said he, sis the art of the pro-
phets it is the only art which, like the
ology, can calm the agitation of the soul,
and put the devil to flight Next to mu.
sic, if not before it, Luther loved children
and flowers. The great gnarlel man had
a heart us tender as n woman.
Calvin studied in his bed. Every NOR
ming, at 5 or 6 o'clock, he had books,
manuscripts, and papers carried to him
there, and he worked on, for hours to-
gether. If he had occasion TO go out,o his
return he undressed and went to bed again
to continue his studies. In his latter
years he dictated his writing to secretaries.
He rarely corrected anything. The sem
tences issued complete from his mouth
IL be felt his facility Of composition leay-
ing him, he forthwith quilted his bed,
gave up writing and composing and went
about his out-doorS duties 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 hi, secretary
set to work forthwith.
Rous eau wrote his works early in the
morning Ls Sage at midday Byron at
midnight. Hardonin rose at in the
morning, and wrote till late at night.
Aristotle was a tremendous worker he
took little sleep, and was constantly re-
trenching it. lie had contrivance by
which he swoke early, and to awake was
with him to commence work. Demos
themes passed three months in cavern
by the seaside, in laboring to overcome
the defects in his voice. There he read.
studied, and declaimed.
Rsbslais composed his life Of Gafgan-
tua at Bellay, in the company Of Roman
Cardinals, and under the eyes OF the Bish-
op of Paris. La Fontaine wrote his
fables, chiefly under the shade Of a tree,
and sometimes by the side Of Racine and
Boileau Pascal wrote most OF hi:
Thoughts, on little scraps Of paper, at his
I'by moments. Fenelon wrote his Tele
machus in the palace Of Versailles, q
the court Of the Grand Mouarqae, wheI
discharging the duties Of tutor 20 th'
Dauphin. That book so thorough,
democratic should have izsaed from sucl
source, aud be written lsy q priest, ma.
seem sarprising. De Quincy iirst pro
] mnIgated bis notion of universal freedom
II Of person and trade, and Of throwing a
taxes on the land 1.-The germ. perhaps, {
the French Revelation the boudoir {
i Madame de Pompadouri