The Huntington argus. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1872-1905, 1872-07-06
ExoENrRIc CHARACTERS.

~" 80 tuoUSand DOLLARS worm OF ul3-
monds IN his shoes, while his sword hiit
aud hsldriek were studded with precious
stones OF great value Bruyere, whose
written lines were all aglow with poetry
and wit, Was coarse, heavy, and ynlgarly
stupid IN society, and, as a contemporary
declares, was in consequence the subject OF
many practical Joke Nexi there occurs
70 us the great philosopher. Descartes, who
had perfect passion for wigs not unlike
Sir Richard Steele, who would sometimes
spend forty guineas on a black peruke Cor
neille the French Shakespeare, spoke in
language 30 upgramatical as to mortiiy his
friends constantly, while his CONVERSATION
was the acme OF stupidity. What was said
Of Descartes might apply also to him, viz.
thst he, had received his intellectual wealth
from nature in solid bars, not in current
coin. Who ever thinks Of Goldsmith with
out calling up that irrepressible peach col
ored coat2 IL is as immortal as it, master.
and one never forgets the German flute
that fed and lodged the tinerant in his
wanderings over half OF Europe Yet the
man who wrote "The Deserted Village
Citizen ofthe World, etc, ''couidn' talk"
it was said, ANY more than a parrot"
According to johnson, Pope had such
high opinion Of himselfas to think he was
one of the pivots of the system OF the
world; the little deiormed satirist was pride
personified Vanity builds its nest and
matches its brood in highplaces. Ma.
poleon prided himself on the smallness OF
his hands and feet Sir Walter Scott was
prouder of being Sheriff of Selkirk-shire
than Of his reputation as the author of
Waverly. Byron was vain to excess, vain
OF his genius, his rank, and vain even of
4 L. La
selves, as the panorama OF the mind un
roll- the imprint OF memory DRYDEN. the
illusirious poet, was yet all he described
himself tie be. "ShOw in conversation, dull
in humor saturine, and reserved" The ii.
tie saying, that no man is hero to his own
valet, has abundant illustration. The
Count de Grammont once surprised Card-
nal Richelieu jumping with his servant t.
see which could leap the highest and by
joining in the ridiculous sport, aud per
hitting the cardinal to beat him by a lew
inches, he gained his fixed friendship -. d
great political prefermenL Salvador Rosa
was full Of fun and frolic, often playing in
iInpromtu comedies, and was more than
once detected by his friends in the streets
of Rome dressed a mountebank. Medioc-
rity lie ever valuable, and geni,ts oftnest re-
ticent Addison : conversational deficien-
cies are well known, nor was the great
master of literature himself ignorant of the
fact, as he used to declare that Ne had a
good bank at home, but didn't carry small
change with him.
The favOrlte recreation OF Patavins. the
learned Jesuit, was after application To
study and writing for hours, to twirl his
chair steadily Tor five or ten minutes. That
profound divine, Samuel Clark, after be-
coming weary over his books, would Of
ten place the chairs and labels in a row.
and be discovered jumping over them con-
secutively back and forth Cujas, the ia
nous lawyer, studied lying on the floor
with his books about him. Odd enough
most certainly are the fancies OF genius
SplnoZa took strange and absorbing de-
light IN seeing spiders fight, returning to
thus strange amusement frequently during
the day while "A singular contrast and vet
partial resemblance WAS seen in MagIia
becchi, the famous librarian Of the Duke
OF Tuscany. lie was passionately fond OF
spidere, fed and protected them, had his
rooms filled with them to be disturbed He
was profound student yet hourly return
ed TO his strange pete a. relaxation and
Amusement Moses Mendelssohn. called
the Jewish Socrates, passed hours together
AN occupation which lac fou nd very com
posing and quieting, mentally and physi.
cally." Cowper, while prey to the deep
est melancholy, a sort OF monomaDia. in.
deed, wrote the famous burle.aue John
Gilipin, and passed his leisure hours in
Masking bird cages and breeding rabbits.
Nina, the justly famous Swiss painter.
always had room full Of eats, and one
upon his shoulder while drawing Even
DR.. Johnson, the blunt oil philosopher
petied his cat constantly, and kept it with
him at night, when be made il quite COM
Portable at the foot OF the bed On the
contrary, II will be remembered taat Hem
ry III, OF France conld not remain in the
room with cat Sometimes the idio-y.
ncraises OF great men are repnlsiye. for in
stance, Goethe the noblsst German OF them
all, mad iOndness isr snakes and petted
Il tame adder, while ~ the same time lie
had mos, unaCcOuntahle aversion % dogs.
which was exhibited whenever he saw one
Erasmus, tie profound scholar aud philos.
rher, wac terrified aud would almost faint
q; the sight OF a 6-h Ihomsoup GREAT.
est delight wac 10 saunter INTO biz garden
hnd eat ripe pcaChc- or tie trellses. with
his hands .n his pockc'- au inyariable
practice in the fruit Pcason. and Cray said
be should like 10 pass his life on a sofa.
reading French novels The cynical but
profound Rochetoucauii sought inspira-
ton ~ raw onions, and our own Choate
like DR. Shsw the naturalist. would drink
ten cupe Of strong tea at a sitting Thack.
cray ielt 20 sensitive st the dIminutiye
character Of bic no-c LAT he never forgot
70 present a iull face % Won when talking.
aud on all occasion- to preventing expos
ing HE profile Lamb suffered 80 a. 20
nearly tumble over his half uttered sen