The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1867-02-09

Racine composed his verses while walk.
! ing about, reciting them in loud voice
One day, while thus working at his play
of hithridates, in the Tuilcrios gardens
crowd of workmen gathered around him
attss acted by his gestures; they took him
for aadman about TO throw himself into
the basig On his return home from such
walks, he would write down scene by scene
at first in prose, and when he had written
it out he would exclaim, "My tragedy is
donem considering the dressing ofthe acts
up in verse "a very small affair.
Magliabecchi, the learned learned Ii.
brarian to the Duke Of Tuscany, on the
contrary, never stirred Tut lived amidst
books. He passed eight-and. forty years
in their midst, ouly twice in the course Of
his life vcnturing beyond the walls Of
Florence once togo two leagues of, aud the
other three and half leagues, by order of
the Grand Duke. He was an extremely
frugal man, living upon eggs, bread, and
water in great moderation.
Luther, when studying, always had his
dog lying at his feet, 4 dog he had
brought from Wirtemburg, aud of which
he was very fond. An ivory cruciGx
stood at tie table before him, and the
walls Of his study wera stuck round sith
caricatures of the Pope. lie worked at his
desk for days together without going out;
but when fatigued, and his ideas began to
stagnate, he took his guitar with him into
the porch, aud there executed some
fine musical phantasy, (lOr he was
skillful musician). Then the ideas
would flow upon him as fresh 6cwers af
ter a summers rain. Music was his In
variable solacc at such times. Indeed
Luther did not hesitate to say that, after
theology, music was the first of arts
"Music," said he, sis the art Of the proph.
cts; it is the only art which, like theology
can calm the agitation Of the soul, and put
the devil to fight" Next to music if mol
before it, Luther loved children and flow,
ers. The great gnarled man had hear
as tender as a Woman's.
Calvin studied in his bed. Every morn.
ing, at five or six o'clock, he had books
manuscripts, and papers carried to hin
there; and had he occasion to go out, on
his return no went to bed again to contin
ue his studies. In his latter years he die
tated his writings to secretaries. He
rarely corrected anything. The sentences
issued complete from his mouth. IF he
felt the faculty Of composition leaving hin
he forthwith quilted his bed, gave VI
| writing andcomposing, and went about hi
outdoor duties for days, weeks and months
together. But as soon as he felt the in
spiration fall upon him again, he wen
back to his bed, and his secretary was SCI
to work forthwith - "g&
Pascal wrote most of his thoughts OF
little scraps Of paper at his by-moments
Fenelon wrote his Telemachus in the
palace of Versailles, at the court of thu
Grand Monarque, when discharging tht
duties of tutor to the Dauphin. That !;
book so thoroughly democratic should have
irsued from such source, and be writer
by priest, may Seem surprising.
De Quincy first promulgated his no
tionss of universal freedom of person ant
trade, and Of throwing all tax on the lant
the germ, perhaps, of the French Rev
olution-in the boudoir of Madame d.
Pompadour.
Bacon knelt down before composing hi
great work, and prayed for light and in
spiration from heaven. 8
Pope never could compose well withou
first declaiming for some time at the tol
of his voice and thus fousing his nervous
system to its fullest activity. =
f9Fhe life of Leibnitz was one of reading
writing and meditation. That was the Sc
4 cret of his pFodigious knowledge. Afte
| an attack of the gout, he confined himsel
to diebof bread and milk. Often he slep
in chair, and rarely went to bed till at
ter midnight. Sometimes he was months
without quitting his seat. where he slep
by night and wrote by day. g He had al
ulcer in bis right leg, which prevented
his walking about, even had hefwfshed t.
! do SO. : .'.. z