Smyrna times., 1855-09-19

its paw. TassO aggravated his mental rrIta-
blllty by the use of wines, despite the entrea-
ties of his physicians During his long mpri-
sonment, he speaks gratefully IN his letters of
some sweet-meats with which he had been sup
piled and after his release he relates with de-
light the good things that were provided for
him by his patron, the Duke of Mantua-"the
bread and truit, the fish and flesh, the wines,
sharp and brisk, and the confections." Pope,
who was somewhat of an epicure, when stay
ing at the house of his friend Lord Boiling
broke, would lie IN bed for days together, un.
less ne heard there were to be stewed lampreys
for dinner, when he would forthwith arise, and
make his appearance at table. DR.. Johnson
had vOracOus liking for leg of mutton.-
At my Aunt Ford's," he SAID, " ate 30 much
of leg of mutton, that she used to talk OF It,"
A gentleman once treated him To dish af new
honey and clUuted cream, OF which he partook
So enormously, that his entertainer was alarm
ed.
Quln, the famous actor, his been known to
t1avel IRON London to Bath, for the mere sake
OF dining upon a John Dory. DIR. Parr, in a
private letter, conresses to his passionate love
of hot boiled lobste g, with a protuson OF
shrimp sauce. Shelly was for many years
vegetarian; and in the notes 10 his earliest edl
tlon OF Queen Nab, speaks with enthusiasm of
dinner of "greens, potaloes anu turnlpS."
Arlosto was excessively iond Of turnIps. lie
ate fast, and Of whatever was nearest to hun,
before the other dishes came. Being VISITED
one da! by stranger, he devoured al! the soup
that WAS provided for both; and when after
ward censured for u1poltcncss, only observed
that " the gentleman should have taken care OF
hIinseit' Handel ate enormou.ly and DR..
Kitchener relates pt him that when yer he
dined at tavern, he ordered dinner for three.
On being told that ali was ready as soon as the
company should arrive, he would excaim -
" Den bring up the dinner prestlssimo-I am
the company :" Lord Byrou's favorlte dish
was eggs and bacon; and though he could
naver eat 1t without suffering from an attack of
IN ilgestlon, he had not always sufficient firm.
ness to resist the temptation. Laiande, the
| great French astronomer, would eat spiders as
a relish. LinnGus delighted in chocolate; and
it was he who bestowed upon it its generic
name of theobroma, OF i" food of the gods'--
| Fontelle deemed Strawberries the most delicious
eating in the world; and during his last lness
used 10 exclalm constantly: "lf | can but
| reach the season VI stra wberries! -
The amusemenis OF remarkable persons have
been various and often eccentric. The great
B1yle would frequently wrap himself III his
cloak, and hasten to places where nOuutebanks
resorted aud tins was his chlet relaxation from
the intensity of study. Spinoza delighted to
set spiders fighting, and would laugh Immoder.
ately at beh0ldIng their insect warfare. Car.
dlnal RcheiIeu used to seek amusement in
violent exercise, aud was found by De. Gram.
mont Jumping with his servant to see which
could leap the highest. Cowper kept hares
and kept birdcages. DR.. Johnson was 80 tonC
OF his cat, that he would even 60 out hinsel
to buy oysters for puss because his servant wal
too proud to do so. Goethe kept a tame snake
but hated dogs. ArIosto delighted in garden
ing, but he destroyed all he planted, BY turnln,
up the mold TO see If the seeds were germlna
ting. Thomson had his garden at Richmond
respecting which, the old story of how he at
peaches off the tree with his hands in his poch
4 cts Is related. Glbbon was lazy man. Cole
ridge was c>ntent to sit from morning till nigh
s threading the dreamy mazes OF his ow
nInd. Gray said that he wished to be aIway
: lying on sofas, reading eternal new novels
= :, Crabillon and Murivaux. The eminent scho
ar, Fenton, died from sheer inactivity: he ros
late, and when he had risen, sat down to h
books and pa pers. 4 woman whu waited upc
him III his lodgings said, that " he would /
= a bed and be ted with spoon" Contra e,
y amples to that OF Sir Walter Scutt who wro
= all his finest works before breakfast!
: To return to the recreatons OF celekrat,
persons. Oliver Cromwell is SAID to ha,
r. sometimes cast aside his Puritan gravity, al
; played at bllnd-mau's butt with his danghte
4. and attendants. Henri Quatre delighted TO
IA about in disguise among the peasantry. Charl
the Seconds most innoceat amusement consis
IN ed in feeding the ducks IN 81. James PARK, a.
TO- in rearing numbers of tn Sc beautiful spanls
ed that still bear his name. Beethoven wou
nd splash in cold water at ell times of the ds
tes till his chamber was swamped, and the wal
80 sozed through the flooring to the rooms /
re-. meath; he would also walk out IN the de,
- fields at night or morning without shoes
ie. stockings. Shelley took an unaccountable 1
ne, light in roating little paper boats on any pie
nor of water he Ghanced To be near There il
- pond on Hampetead-heath which has often boz
led his tiny fleets; and there is an anecdote rela
yne of him--rather too good, we fear. to be true
ep. which says. that being one day beside the 8
err. pentine, and having no other paper in
rne pocket wherewith to indulge his passion