The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-12-10
afhefling gfgister.
Gossip About Great Men.

\ SOsslp ADOuS Ofe6t MEN.
An interesting chapter might be
written about the weakness of grea,
men. The anecdotes of Archimedes
will be remembered; he rushes through
the streets;of Syracuse, al .trescO, crying
Eureka" and at the taking Of the
city he was killed BY soldier while
tracing geometrical lines on the sand.
Socrates, when filled with some idea,
would stand for hours fixed like a statue.
1t is recorded of him that he stood
amid the soldiers in the camp of Poti-
dea, in rooted abstraction, listening to
his prophetic" or Supernatural voice.
Democritus shut himself up for days
together in a little apartment in his
garden. Dante was subject to fits Of
abstraction, in which he often quite for.
got himself. One day he found an in
teresting book, which he had long
sought for, in a druggists shop at
SIENNA, and sat reading there till night
came on.
Bude, whom Erasmus called the won
der of France, was a thoroughly absent.
man. One day his domestic broke into
his study with the intelligence that his
house was on fire. "Go inform my witt"
you know ] do not interfere in house
hold affairs !"
ScalIger only slept for a few hours,
and passed whole days without think
ing of food. Sully, when his mind was
occupied with plans of reform, display
ed extraordinary fits of forgetfulness.
One day in winter, when on his way to
church, he observed, "How cold it is 10.
day p Not more cold than usual,
said one of his attendants. Then i
must have the ague," said Sully. as
it not more probable that you are too
scanitly dressedY' he was asked. On
lifting the tunic the secret was discov-
cred; he had forgotten all his under|
clothes but his breeches!
Mrs. Bray tells a somewhat familiar
story OF the painter Stothard. When
invited on one occasion to dine with the
poet Rogers, on reaching the house in
St. James's Palace, he complained OF
cold, and CHANGING to put his hand on
his neck, he had forgotten to put on
his cravat, when he hastily returned
home to complete his attire.
Button was very fond OF dress. He
assumed the air OF the grand seigneur,
sported Jewels and fnery, wore rich
lace and velvets, and was curled and
scented to excess-wearing his. hair en-
papiloue while at his studies. Pope, too,
was a little dandy in a bag-wig and
sword and his crooked figure, enveloped
in fashionable garments, gave him the
look of an over-dressed monkey. Vol
taire, also, was fond of magnificent
attire, and usually dressed in an ab'
surd manner.
Diderot once travelled from st. Peters
burg to Paris in his morning-gown and
nig6t.cap, and in this guise promenaded
the streets and public places of the
towns on his route. He was often taken
for a madmau. While composing his
works he used to walk about with rapid
strides, and sometimes throwing mis-
wig in the air when he had struck out
a happy idea. One day friend found
him 10 tears. "Good heavens" be ex-
claimed, what is the matter r. VI am
weeping" said Diderot, at a story that
have just composed
Young, the poet, composed his
Might Thoughts" with skull before
him. in which he would sometimes
olace a lighted candle; and he occas~
ionly sought his sepulchral inspiration
by wandering among the tombs at
midnight. Mrs. Radcliffe courted the
horrors with which she filled her
gloomy romances by suppiug on half
raw beefsteaks, plentifully garnished
With onions. Dryden used to take
physic before setting himself to compose
new piece. Kant, the German phi
losopher, while lecturiug had The habit
of fixing his attention upon one OF his
auditors who wore garment without a
button in particular place. One day
the student had the button sewed on.
Kent, on commencing the lecture, fixed
his eve on the usual place. The button
was there! Fancy the CONSERVATION OF
the philosopher, whose ideas had be
come associated with that buttonless
garment His lecture that day was de-
testable; he was quite uuhinged by the
circumstance.
Too many authors have been fond Of
the bottle. Rabelais said, Eating and
drinking are my sources Of inspiration.
See this bottlel 1t is my true and only
Helicon, my cabalistic fountain, my
sole enthusiasm. Drinking, l deliber.
ate; and celebrating | drink.
Ennius, Eschylus, and Cato all got
their inspiration while drinking.
Mezerai always had large cup OF wine
beside him among his books: he drank
it at each page he wrote. He turned
the night into day, and never composed
except by lamp light, even in daytime,
All his windows were dsrkened, and II
was no unusual thing for him to show
friend to the door with a lamp
though outside it was broad dayl'ght L.
On the contrary, Varillas, the historian
never wrote except at full midday.
-. l. ;,,op;nod grew and de-