Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1872-08-10


The fayufite recreation Of Prtyis, the
learned Jesuit, vas an applicM on to s,u
rs aud writing for hours, To tWirl HE
chair steadily for hye or ten miuute-.
That profound divine, Snluurl CLARK. after
becoming weary over his hOCk-, WnHld
often place the chairs and table IN Il row
aud he discovered lumping nser them con-
seCutVely back and fourth. Cula,, the
famous lawyer, studied lying un the nu0r
with h,s hnuks around him Odd enough
most certainly are the iancies of genius.
Spuula took II strange aud absorbing de-
light in -reing spi iers light, returning to
this strange amusement frequently duliug
tile day, while u singular ulntlHsi aud
vet martial rsrml lance WAS seen In MAJ
liuhrrclIi, the famous librarian OF The DUKE
OF Tuscany, lie wah passionutcly fond Oi
spiders, fed and projected them, had his
rooms died With them, and would not
permit them to he Disturbed. lie was a
profound student, vt hours tuuIhed to
his strange pets As a relaxation and
amusement. Moses MendelssOln, called
the Jewish SOcr7 3, passed hours tuguth-
er counting The tiles on "a neighhOrinn
roof, IAN occn'atlOn which he found very
composing and quoting, mentally and
| physicully.n tOwpcr while prey to the
uttIllnA III. IAhIhhlllH a SUI ~ llhlOnhNlAs
indeed wrole that famous Burlesqur, John
| Gilpiu, and passed his leisure bgufs IN max
ing bird ca scs aud breeding rabbits.
Miua, The justly celebrated Swiss
painter, always had room full Of cats,
aud one upon his shoulder while drawing.
| Even DR.. johnson, the blunt old phluso
/ pher. pctted his cat constantly, aud kept
il with him at night, when che made ii
| qaitr comfortable ut the foot Of the bed -
Gu the contrary, il will he remembered
that Henry ILL.,, Of France, could not
remain In The roQm with cat. Some,
times tie idiosyneiases of great men arc
repulsiVe for iHstaVFe, llOethe, the
nohlest German Of thgm all had "a fond.
| ness for snakes, and petted tame adder
| while at the same time be had q most
| unaccOuntable aversion 10 dogs which
was exhibited whenever he saw one
Erasmus the profound scholar and phi
losopher, was terrified, and would nlway,
faint ut the sight of a fish. Thompson
greatest delight WAS TO saunter into hi,
garden, and eat rlre peaches off the trel.
lises, with his handt in his pockets, az
invaFiabie practice in the fruit season
and Gray said he should like to pass hi,
life on II sofa reading French novels. TIL,
cynical but profound Rocheloucault
sought inspiration in raw onions, and oul
own Choate, like DR.. Shaw, the naturalist
would drink ten cups Of strong tea ut 4
sitting. Thackerdy felt go sensitive ~
the dininutiye character of his nose tha
he neter forgot to present full face I,
You when talking, aud on all occasions L
prevent exposing his profile. Lamb slut
tered so as To nearly tumble over hli
half tattered sentences, yet the pen o
Ella glided like a fairy wand as il re
corded the lives now 30 tenderly cherished
Cromwell, who was said TO "live upol
stilts," sometimes came down, laid asidl
his Puritanic gravity, and played at blnt
mans bull wish his attendants, showing
all the eagerness Of earnest and irolics0mt
boyhOod. Charles IL, of England, rompcl
in st. James Park, surrounded by trOoI
of those diminutive spaniels which bea
his name, also passing hours In feednl
the ducks. Beethoven had II passion 70
padding cold water, and carried his fincl
to sneia an extent that the door OF his roo
was flooded, aud the wafer would tllte
through 10 the lower stoIils. ejmel imp
he would al morning rup rurei0oleS
through the dewy grass. Shelley wa
passOnaicly fond Of sailing paper boats il
The park, and on one occasion, indin!
himself there without paper, save a fifty
. pound noie, he unhesitatiIgly gave it thl
proper shape, and launched d on ID,
wafer, running round lhc pond 10 receiy,
his venture as il clme 10 TIT shOTc at liz
opposite bank. sqme one has aaid lher
Is no genius in which there is not al
element OF madness,