The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-10-04

ist's love Of porter. by representing hlm IN
the character Of bear with mug Of that
liquor in its paw. Tasso aggravated his
mental irritabllity by the use of wines, des-
pite the en,realies OF his physicians. Du-
ring his long Imprisonment, be speaks CRATE
fully in his letters of some sweetmea,s with
which he had been supplied, and after his
release, he relates with delight the good
things tia, were provided for him by his
patton, the Duke of Mantua-.the bread
aud fruit, the flesh and fish, the wines, sharp
and brisk, and the confec,ions." Pope, who
was somewhat Of an epicure, when staying
al the house OF his friend, Lord Bolingbroke,
would lie ia bed for days together, unless
ho heard there were 10 be sirewed lampreys
for dinner, when he would forthwith arise,
and make his appearance at the table. DR..
johnson had voracious liking for leg oil
mutton SAT my Aunt Fords," he said,
81 ate SO much Of leg Of mutton, that she
used 10 talk of it," gentleman once treat
ed him 10 dish of lew honey and clonied
cream. of which he partook so enormously
| that his entertainer was alarmed
Quin, the famous actor, has been known
10 travel from London 10 Bath, for the mere
sake Of dining upon a John Dorey. Dr. Barr
IN a private letter, confesses 10 his passionate
love of hot boiled lobslers, with profuslon
of shrimp sauce. Shelly was for many years
a vege tartan; and in the notes TO his earliest
edition of Queen Nab, speaks with enthus-
asm of dinner Of "greens, potatoes and tur-
nips He ate fast, and of whatever was near
est 10 him; often beginning with the bread
upon the table before the other dishes came.
Being visited one day by stranger, ho de-
voured all the dinner tina, was provided for
both and when aflerward censufed for his
! impoliteness, only observed that "the gen.
eman should have taken care Of himself"
Handel ale enormously aud Dr. Kirchner
relates of him, that whenever he dned at
tavern, he ordered dinner for three. On be-
ing told iha, all was ready as soon as ihe
company shorld arrive, he would exclaim
Den pring up de dinner prestissimo-l AM DE
COMPANY" Lord Bryon's favoria dish was
eggs and bacon; and though he could never
eat it without suffering from all attack Of in.
digestion, he had not always sufficient firm
ness TO resist the temptation. Lalande, the
great French astronomer, would cal spiders
as relish. Linn@us delighted in chocolate,
and il was he that bestowed upon it its gen.
eric name Of Theobroma, or food for the
gods.n Fontonelle deemed strawberries the
most delicious eating in the world, and du-
ring his last illness, used to exclaim constant
ly: "lf can but reach the season OF straw
berries !"
The amusements OF remarkable persons
have been various and often eccentric. The
great Bayle would frequently wrap himself
in bis cloak and hasten 10 places where
mountebanks resoHed: and this was his chief
| relaxation from the intensity Of study. Spi-
noza delighted TO sci spiders fighting, and
would laugh immoderaiely a; beholding their
insect warfare. Cardinal Rchelieu used TO
seek amusement in violen, exercise, and was
found by De Cannot jumping with his SER
want, to see which could jump the highest,
The great lcgician, Samuel Clarke, was equal
! ly fond OF such saltatory inietludes 10 his
hours OF meditation, and has been discovered
leaping over tables and chairs. Once, obser-
wing the approach of pedani, he said: Now
we must leave off, for fool is coming in
The learned Peiavius used to twrl his chair
round and round five minutes, at the end OF
every two hours, Tycho Brahe diverted hun
self in polishing glasses for spec,acles Pa
ley, the author of Natural Theology, was so
much given to angling, tha, he had his por.
trait painted with a rod and line in his hand.
Louis XVI of sad memory, amused himself
| with lock making. Salvador Rosa used 10
perform in exlempore comedies, and take the
character Of u mountebark in the streets Of
Rome. Anthony Magliabecchi, the famous
librarian 10 the Duke Of Tuscany, took a
great interest in the spiders that thronged his
apartments; and while sitting among his
mountains Of books, you'd caution his visi.
tors "nol 10 hurt the spidersw Moses Mem
delssohn, surnamed the Jewish Socrates,
would sometimes seek relief from too much
thought in standing at his window snd count
ing The titles upon his neighbor's roof
Thomas Wharton, the poelica antiquarian,
used to associate with the schoolboys, while
visiting his brother, DR.. ]. Wharton. Camp.
bell says Z" When engaged with them in
some culinary occupation, and when alarmed
by the sudden approach of The master, he has
been known TO hide himself in dark corner
OF tho kitchen, aud has been dragged from
thence by the doctor, who has taken him for
some great boy. Cowper kept hares, and
made bird cages DR.. Johnson was so fond
Of his cal, tha, he would even go out himself
10 buy oysters for puss, because his servant
was 10 proud TO do 80. Goethe kept tame
snake, but hated dogs. Ariosto delighted in
gardening; but he destroyed all he planted
1 by turning up the mould 10 see il The seeds
were terminating. Thomson had his garden
at Richmond, respecting which the old story
OF how he ate peaches Of the trees with his
hands in his pocket is related, Gibbcn was