Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1864-11-18

How a Philosopher Lived.

| In recent number of the Corphill
Magazine We find this account Of tho pri.
vate life Of Kant.
| Kant lived in modest and retired
house, on quiet street behind the old
palace. Every morning, winter and sum.
lner, the old soldier who was his servant.
came into his bedroom at Eve mihutes 70
five, and said ut is time" The philoso.
pher rose Instantly, dressed with wonder.
full rapidity, and by 1--WE was seated at his
breakfast table, where he drank one Or
two cups Of tea-nothing more-smoksd
a pipe and collected his ideas for the
work of the day. At seven he went ous
to his lectures and on returning set to
work till quarter to one. Precisely At
the quarter he dressed tor dinner, took
glass of wine to incite his appetite and
was ready for the guests whom he had
invited. He never dined alone, and al.
ways breakfasted alone. Dinner was the
time when he liked to receive his friends.
At his breakfast he was so much aceus.
toned to solitude that when once friend
dropped in at that hour and asked to
8 are his meal, k,nt was emba, + .ssed.
and ended by asking his friend to sit
where he could not see him, saying that
for more than halt century he had new.
er seen soul near him while he drank
his tea in the morning.
Bat at dinner he could not bear to b
left to himself. He always took care to
invlt, some Of his friends before hand.
and one day when none Of them could
come, he sent his servant into the street
to pick up the first passer-by and bring
him into dinner. He could not bear ID
be kept waiting. For this reason he De.
tested ceremony at table, and his moet
agreeable guest was the one who took .
dish without oferAg 3 it to others, 30 that
the turn of the host game the more quick.
Iy. 1t must be remembered that Kant
had eaten nothing all the morning, and
had been working steadily.
Dinner lasted two hours or more: and
was very pleasant meal, the great meta.
physician talking in simple and populap
style on all subjects Of the day, especial.
ly politics, Of which he was a diligent
reader. His passion for them was such
that he sometimes flung himself eagerly
on the newspapers in the morning; which
one would have thought PROCLAMATION for
his study was the sanctuary, sacred to in.
telec,ual labor, and nothing mundane
was heard in it. Not till the guests had
quilted the study and entered the dining.
room did Kant relax his philosophis
gravity.
After dinner he took his regular walk
up and down small alley of lines, which
is called the Philosophers Alley: His
walk was always solitary, except on rainy
nnd threatening days, when servant fol.
lowed him, with an umbrella under his
arm. and with a restless and vigllaht
10 k, the exact image of Providence.
Kant had two reasons Cor walking alone:
he wanted to think, and he did not wart
to open his mouth. He thought BY
breathing through his nose, the air would
be gradually admitted to his lungs, and
that he had less risk of taking cold. On
coming home he read the papers. In the
evening he made notes for lecture, the
next day, or for his writings, read and
meditatcd on what he read, writing down
any ideas that struck him. AT ten he
went to bed; "a quarter of an hour before
retiring he suspended all occupations and
cleared his mind Of all thoughts that
might prevent him sleeping. His bed.
room was never heated its windows were
always kept Shut summer and winter, and
the light was as carefully excluded as the
alr;