Gazette and sentinel., 1860-01-14
Habits of Great Students.

tHc buhc vi tuscany, never Stillcu
abroad, but lived amid books. They
were his bed, board, and washing. lie
passed eight and forty years in their
midst, only twice in the course of his
life vcnturing beyond the walls Of Flo
renee; once 10 go two leagues oil, and
the other time three and a half leagues,
by order Of the Grand Duke. lie was
an extremely frugal man, living upon
eggs, bread and water III great modcra-
ton.
Luther, when studying, always had
his dog lying at his feet, u dog he had
brought from Wartburg, and of which
he was very fond. IN ivory cruciliX
stood at the table, before him. and the
walls OF lis study were stuck round
with caricaturcs Of the Pope. lie work
cd at his desk for days together witlDul
gong out: but when iatIgucd, and the
IDEAS began 10 stagnatc. he took his
! guitar with him into the porch, and there
executed some musical fantasy, (for ne
was Il skllltul musician when the ideas
would flow out upon him rs fresh as
! flowers after a summers rain. Music
was his HlyariaLlc solacc at such times.
Indeed, Luther did rot hesitate to say.
that after theology, music was the first
OF arts. Music said he, is the art
Of the prophets; it is the only other art
which, like theology, can calm the agi-
tatlon UI the soul, and put the devil 10
flight. Next t. music, ii not before il,
Luther loved children and flowers
That great guarlcd man had a heart as
tender as a womaH's.
Calvin studied in his bed. Every
morning At five or six o'clock he had
books, manuscripts aud papers carried
L. him there, and hadhc occasion to go
cut, on lis return be unGrcSsci and went
H. bed again to continue his studies. In
his latter years he dictated his writings
TO secretaries. lie rarely corrected
anything. The sentences issued com
llctc from lis mouth. II he icltfacility
Of composition leaving him, lie forth
with quilted hh bed, gave up writing
and composing, and went about his out
door duties for days, weeks and months
together. But as soon as ne felt The III
spIratiOn fan upon him again. he went
back 10 bed, and his secretary set to
work forthwith.
Aristotle was a tremendous worker:
he took little sleep, and was constantly
rctrcnching it, He had = continuance
10y which he awoEe early, and 10 awake
with HIM was to commence to work.
DcmUsthcncs passed three months in
a convent 10y the seaside, laboring to
overcome the defects of his voice. There
he read, studied aud acclaimed.
Rousseau wrote his works early in the
morning; lie Sage at midday; Byron at
midnight. Hardouin rose at four in the
morning, and wrote till late at night.
Rabclais composed his life OF Cara
Santua at Belly, in the company 81 Ro-
man cardinals; and under the eyes of
Bishop of Paris.
La Fontainc wrote his fables chiefly
under the shade Of a tree, and somctims.
the side of Racine and BOileau.
Paschal wrote most of his thoughts
on little scraps Of paper at his by-mo-
Fenelon wrote. his Tclcmachus in the
of Versailles, at the Court Of the
Irand Monarque, when discharging the
lutics Of tutor to the Dauphin. That a
book 50 thoroughly democratic should
ISSUED from such 4 source, and be |
by It priest, may seem surpri-
De Quincy first promulgated his no
ions, Of universal freedom of person I
ND trade, and of throwing all taxes on
he land-the germ perhaps of the
Revolution-in the boudoir of
ladamc de Pompadour. {
Bacon knclt before composing his
'reat work, and prayed for light and in
piratiOn from Heaven. c
Pope never could compose well with
ut first declaiming for some time at the
Up Of his voice, and thus rousing his II
ervous system to its fullest acrivitv. !
The life of Liebnits was one of read l
~, writing and meditation. That was
secret of his prodigious knowledge.
.ftcr an attack Of govt, he confined ;
imself to a diet of bread and milk
'ftcn he slept in a chair, and rarely
'cnt to bed till after midnight. b.
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How IL ATS NAV pr E~pv,- "