The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-05-16
/, METROPOLITAN MUSINGS.

ian proverb which account for the very small por
ton of the world usually found In the possession OF the
brain workers They do not demand the world, and, as
consequence, they do not receive II 1t ~ very Ia
mentble indication but 1t is true as the present enpu
of the Middle Aged Mans pnrse that the modest
and retiring Of genius has chance OF success In the
scramble OF the worldly If these sentences are read by
young man who considers success In life, in the COM
worldly acceptation Of the torn, the worthies
Object Of his ambition, let exhort him. by all means
TO cruelty any remnant of modesty with which he may
be busisne In the he designs 10 run humility
is encumbance II IL to talk OF the recogn
ton Of true genius its CRY for bread is either not OBJ
served, answered by posthumous gift of stone. If
you would be felt in the world you must tread ON its
1t IL the churlish grunblcr 70 whom every
defcrs it is tho gasconadng plaxsrist who IL usually
quoted Nobody receives much attentlon ~ he who
has the reputation Of demanding unusual service No
ones jokes laughed at, his who seldom speaks
but in anger Somebody said an internal machine
is of respectful treatment and that whole heet
gives wide berth to fire ship An irritable man is
marked handle with care, and is placed upon tho soft
est seat fed upon the choicest pieces and regarded with
by his andady. HIS coffee ia never thick has
boots always well blacked his Union is pur
oined by other boalers his tortured by
Miss Sophronia abonabe belaborng OF the piano. and
if he is but barely CIVIL the world is asonished at the
Of his courtesy Life is BATTLE and they who
would be ts generals must expect to many brave fell
lows struck down. Setting aside the nober success OF
virtue and right there is possibility OF prosperity
without pushing The tread of the multitude often
crushes better than are borne on ts shoulders
know this sounds like cyncs, but II play Diogenes Is
tnot because my board-b like an Alexander, steals my
sunlight will return to my tub, however, and muse
on the E
Dwellings of the Genii,
-, a. a. L. f,t.ra,
regard the plural of genius In that very pretty
gift-book sThe Homes OF American Authors, We have
been treated to exterior views Of the dwellings of GER
tain literary gentlemen who have had brass enough to
build houses this has always struck as being very
much like the portrait Of Southey, by Edward Nash,
prefxed to the doctor wherein 'my dear kind heart
ed friend and follow-traveller has given e-like
likeness of the back of the LAureatcs head In view
Of the homo OF author want photograph OF his
working room must tho man surrounded by his
Instruments and they must not be in holiday attire all
fresh from the proane hands Of uphoIseres and house
maids like the view Of the library at Abbotsford, but
Just as they appear when the literary workman is in
the midst Of his chips and shavings havo always
loved that picture of the visit of Johnson to Goldsmith
because the author of the Vicar Of Wakefield is in dha
bile and has plenty of loose papers about him. II
had never heard of Napoleon, should know he was
great from the Napoleon at Fontainebeau,' In
which the hooks not all squared by line and plum
met but lie in the orderly disorder created by students
habS. one needed key to the history OF Chatter,
ton II might be found In the wonderful little painting
which saw IN tho aArt Treasures Rxhibition at Man
chester last summer in which Wallis has mmortalized
himself by depicting tho Death. Of Chatterton In
the contrast of that poor gaet and the impsy form of
the poet, upon which the golden light is streaming
through the easement with the distant spires of
rich, luxurious selfish, wicked London we have the
whole biography of the marvellous boy" BY two
great misfortunes missed the opportunity of seeing
two of the gen in their for when visited West
moreland dear old Christopher North sleeping in
new made grave and Harriet Martineau too Ill to
ceive visit Now what the gift book above named
calls the 'ihomes of these writer's but their houses inn
pressed only the shell of pearl oyster, the bar
red windows of bank Very different the feeling
in the humble little house known Nab Cottage close
by the side fronting Ryda Lake. where poor Hartley
Colerdge lived-and o @ O. and died let the
stars mysteries to him who sned or, SHINING,
knows 'thc quality of mercy. Show your study
and will tell you your character is, have doubt,
the proper reading of popular proverb Precision and
peiantry are first cousins Whom mans books are all
bound in calf the bindings generally symbolic his
brains lawyers excepted If he writes pretty hand
he is probably slow thinker and If he gilt-edged
paper he il either puppy millionaire or congress-
ma,--all of which do not mean the same thing. But,
most Of ALL il he talks book quoting history giving
dates expounding scientific mysteries, hurng dead Ian
guages your head without just cause povocation
raising grammatical bubbles of him, he is pill
ferer of dead mems brains Encyclopedia Ghou,
schoolmaster than which there is grievance,
save chronic punster have often wished could look
into the workroom of that wonderful old man whose
name must be printed in the type bestowed ordi-
nary mortals,
Alexander Won Humboldt,
aud was made slecpess for night two by passage
in one Of Bayard Taylor letters do not read all his
letters having travelled myself, and possessing tolera
bly, good Gazetteer and Atlas In his account Of his
ond interview with Humboldt, Taylor says ~ glad
to learn from seert that Hildebrants admirable
color drawing of Humboldt in his Library is be
printed in chromo-tint, that very accurate copies
Of IL can be obtained at, moderate price. As
have not only seen the original, but the room and
man it represents testify TO it's entire fidelity and
will suggest to Humbodts admirers in America that
they cannot procure better illustration of him. Much
to my surprise and qualification found this chromotint
copy exhibition in Mr.. Philips store where 1t is at
tracing univel,si admiration and being subscribed for
very rapidly The picture justies all the theories have
advanced above. The study Of Humboldt plain work
shop; there is no gilt mahogany about II. heavy
table is loaded down with books, rolls of manuscript
and mathematical instruments. Tho library, one of
the richest in tho world, in certain departments, is
in that admirable state of disturbance which in
dicates use Pictures busts bronzes, and portraits