Smyrna times., 1870-08-10
NI[Scc Flu u e o us.
Absent Mindedne8s.

!
Some people live very much by their SEN
ses; others Very little The former are never
among the absent minded, the latter very of.
| ten. ~ "
The saying Of Lord Macaulay is pcrbans
100 severe on one of its sides when he rn'
marks that absent -mindedness is the mark of
| either genius or fool
man mind may be 50 intensely occunicd
ana absorbed away in bis spiritual nature. that
MS SctlatS, seemingly, are scarcely awake to the
rGailtles OF TINS tangible world. This, undoubt-
edly, IS true or trauscendcnt genius
1t was SAID Of great painter that he some
times walked along the street, utterly oblivions
TO the presence OF people, horses and carts. and
was observed to wave his hand in the air, as
II holding brush or pencil in the act of dash
ing OH the outline OF some great conccntion.
We know Of young fellow employed in n
country store, who, one day, was sent into the
cellar TO draw gallon Of oil. While waiting.
nc snatched mp piece Of chalk, and in min.
ute was absorbed in Skctching his masters nro-
iIle. The profile on the hogsheal was canit,I
but the masters barrel Of oil, while the boy
artist was absorbed in his pursuit, pursued is
way over the cellar floor. 1t was voted he
would not do Tor merchant but Just now he
Is frst-rate artist.
1t IS said Of Sir Isaac Newton that he often
forgot to eat his dinner, which his bousckcnn-
cr was accustomed to leave in a closet near his
study door. lis head was too much in tho
heavens to mind the earth so a friend, know
ing this pecullanty one day slipped his dinner
out OF the bas Get, and ate itup. VIXEN at last
th' philosopher came out and greeted his
friend, he asked to be excused tIl he took his
lunch. On looking into the basket and finding
It gone, he simply exclaimed, much to his
friend ) amusement, e" Oh, | forgot | had
eaten my dinner ~
But Observation-Disclosures may come from the
hablt OF intense concentration. These eases
are more frequent, especially amOngthose inen
who tram themselves to dwell upon the work
lngs OF pure mind, or whose profession leads
them to the intense pursuit of abstract truth.
1t Is SAID OF the great and good NeaEdcr, the
learned lecturer, and ecclesiastical historian of
Germany, that his sister had to watch him
daily, to see that he did not start to tLe Uni
Vcrslty with bis night cap on, or with his study
gown and slippers; and it was not uncommon
Tor him, when moving aside from the iosthng
crowd IN the street, to step into the gutter,
where he walked on and on, seemingly uncop-
scious where he was stepping.
We know we'll an eminent college President
VINO often seemed to stare at people in the
street, sometimes at his own children, and de-
clare ne dld not see them, nor did he notice
when they spoke.
/
college, was rathera famous illustration. When
ne was counting the young lady who became
ms worthy wife, he would often walk for many
docks IN her company without saying word
and apparently quite obvious of her presence
| One evening she took advantage of his mental
| absence to play him a trick. She slipped her
arm from his ana hurried home a nearer wav.
lie continued to hold his arm in the same 20
sition, walked up the steps of her father
| hOuGp and ranU tha hnll onJ l. H. 4
opened .ho door He started in an incre1u.
lous manner, and exclaimed "Why, s,
how in the world did you get on that side Of
the do0r?'
There is late striking instance given of
Pere Gratsy, who has Just been nominated Di-
rector of the Academy in Paris One day,
when going to the SOrbonne, where he lectured
on theology, he imagined he had forgotten his
watch, and took it out Of his pocket to see if
he had time to go home and fetch it.
But, in most cases, absent mndedness comes
OF the more faulty habits Of inattentiOn, list
lcssness and daydreaming, and sometimes,
temporarily, from young people being very
much in love; in which case it is n temporary
disease like the measles. We had a class
mate who we could rank neither among geni-
uses nor fools, but who often gave very amusing
illustrations Of mind wandering. Sometimes
he would run up stairs, rap on his own door.
'.Iu NIdH'A HilCIiy "dtCilSi VI III u listening aJ-
titude, for some one to say, Come in" lie
has, perhaps, more than once hurried into my
room for Goals, and taken up my shovel, and
marched out with coal shovel in each hand.
However, since he captured the young lady
with whom he was so much in love, he has no
need OF going WOO gathering, or, rather
chignon-hunting, for she is g ever near
Another fellow takes his book and candle up
stairs, wonders why it is so "plaguy dark,
and wakes up to the fact that he has not light
ed his candle
Bob -, up on the line of the Harlem
road, who is somewhat of queer genius and
specuIator in stocks, as well as dairy man, was
lately seen driving, Jehu-like, with his milk
be too late for the train. The villagers stared
as he rushed through the street. The train
! was aEeady standing at the depot he dashed