Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-08-16
llGmtester Daily Spp.


VI A~ANtfafy Men.
Hisoire Literaire des Foas, History OF Liter.
lry Madmen,) Is the title Of somewhat Gu
nous book recently published by M.Delepielre
Of Parls' In the commencement, the author
remarks, that the biographical history of mad
men, or "mad literary men" is. if pronerlv
executed, more extensive undertaking. than
would, at first thought, be supposed. Tie
lithculty turns upon the precise definition of
dle word madman. What are the qualifica
IONS absolutely Indispensable to constitute
madness Great wit, we know is "oft to
madness near allied" and the line OF demar-
s&n between them is, in not few cases, so
Tihg and underlined as to be almost if not
Turely lmperceptlbe If habitual inability
WhalIuclhatlons OF a more or less intense and
lbnormal nature be held to be sufficient TO
qualify man for the designation of mailman.
then many men OF the most illustrious reputa-
ton were undoubtedly mad The names of
Pythag0ras, Numa PompIlius, and Mahomet
will at once suggest themselves as cases in
point Pascal used always TO carry about
with nm a mystic amulet, in the form of a
strip OF paper covered with writing, which was
found after his death sewn up in his garments
and M. LIEUT., member of the institute. has
written treatise on the subject in which he
shows that this great man was TO a certain ex.
tent mad. The same gentleman has further
written another book in which, according to
NJ. Deleplerre, he has established Calmly
and scientifically" that what is called the
demon OF Socrates must be regarded as
nothing else than a state of ecstacy.
momentary madness. A further difficulty.
arises from the fact that no definite CON
custom can be drawn from the conference of
Mtravagances of a literary production, as TO
the sanity or insanity of its authors. NJ Del
enerre quotee several pieces of poetry written
BY inmates of asylums, many of which are
quite as good as much that is published as po-
cry at the present day and it is notorious
hat, during an access of insanity, the patient
ot unfrequently breaks out into a strain of
ity eloquence or true poetic Imagination, the
Ike OF which he is, i'll his sane moments, utter
unable to produce. 1t is not, perhaps, so
enerally known that the converse of this fact
snO less true ; and that men who are usually
markable for the lucidity and elegance Of
heir style, are liable to occasional outbursts of
reOherence, which would do no discredt to
e most accomplished professional lunatic.
ADeleplerre cites the case of physician at
New YORK, who, having just terminated
{ long ana dlihcult investigation, which requir.
Z ID Tor lis accomplishment the fullest exercise
the highest mental powers, signalized its
completion by writing to his sister in the fol.
owing terms -
. "ny Dear Sister-As the cedars of Lebanon
have been walking through Edgeworth forest
50 long, you must have concluded that | have
returned to the upper world but am still in
purgatory for James Folks sins, which, if thew
Do not end III smoke, surely have as good a
chance OF beginning that way, as the ideas be-
glnt shoot for il Thomas had not left his
trunk on the cart at the depot, our shades
would have been a deuced sight nearer 10
Lands End than DIR. johnson said they
would, by the time the Yankees rebeled, &C."
In order, therefore, to reduce q subject so
extensive to something like practical dimen-
SONS, M Delepierre confines his attention in
the present essay to the cases OF authors who
have either been actually shut up in lunatic
&yIums, or who have at least shown them
selves, by universal consent to be amply quail
lied for this distinction. The Instances which
be cites are, for the most part, those OF men
whose names are not generally known, and
whose sole claim to distinction appears TO rest
upon their exceeding madness.
Under the head of theological madness he
seems inclined to place the authors of those
DEVOTIONAL works, with singularly practical
titles, which were so common in the times of
the Puritans, of which Bakers Hooks md
Eyes for Belieoa''S BreecheS is a familiar exam.
pie; and he gives the titles OF two French
works OF the same class, which are certainly
not less racy and characteristic, and at the
ame time are less generally known, La .Serin-
que SpiritueIe pour les dmeS cOnStpeeS en- deuo.
ton, and La 1obatiere SpntueAe pour tair eter-
Hav les ames devottS. A certain Geoffioy Val
lee showed his insanity in manner very I'M
usual in the age in which he lived, by having
shirt for every day in the year, and by al.
ways sending his linen TO be washed in Elan
leIs III spring famous for the limpidity of
lis water. As If this were not enough, he
must needs write an incoherent book on the
oogy, which, says M Deepierre, was burnt,
@gether with its author, on February 9th
lo'4. Descending to The present century
We find one j. A. Soubira, who found mys-
eTlous and irresistible attraction in the num-
Der 666, and published, among other works, u
pamphlet having this number for its sole title
consisting Of eighteen stanzas of five lines
each, the tayorite number being repeated at
The end Of each line.
Under the head of literary madmen, we
have mentioned one Thomas Bishop, the au-
thor of a drama which was printed in London
10 1911, with the title, "Koranzzo's Feast, or
he Unfair Marriage a tragedy founded on
acts, 1866 years ago, and 555 years before the
birth OF Christ" Among the dramatis per
.
Persia, Lord Strawberry, Doctor Pill, Madam
Hector, four queens, three savages, and five
ghosts. The stage directions for the final
'cene are as follows Zone side of the stage
Fcpresents forest, part of which is in dark
ness. Two sofas, and the appearance of a
clock Three savages in the distance" This
piece was unfortunately never played, having
been rejected, according to Mr.. Bishop, in con-
sequence of "some error"
Ut philosophical madmen, one of the most
Femarkable was Thomas Wirgman, gold.
smith of London. He was, certainly, very
mad. He spent fortune OF 100000 in pub
Lshing his works They were printed ON pa
per made expressly for the purpose, each leaf
being of different color; and whenever any
Particular tint did not please him. he at once
canceled the sheet in which 1t occurred
Among other celebrated literary maumen us
Cussed in this book, we find the name Of Con-
cordance, who was partially insane at the time
Of writing his great work, and finally died