The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-09-28
Price Of Being Q Genius.

It is q great bore to be q genius. Perhaps
you don't believe it, reader you may have
hliudly and foolishly wished yourself one.
Never do it again. It is to wish for ten
thousand miseries of which now you have
not even conception.
In the first place, q real genius generally
has his heart almost broken before any one
discovers what ails him. He is commonly
taken for fool, or at least for an insane
being, He lie perpetually badgered and
leased, and rebuked athome, and his mates
are never weary of assuring him that he is
unlike everybody else in the world. He
is made to feel thrust out and alone I; an
orphan, though he has father and mother
homeless though his fathers honse is wide;
without kindred though brothers and ais
ters throng around him. If his genius is
poetry, his poems, II discovered ny his
friends, bnt know not howl are ridiculed
"Our Walter means to be second Byron.
Hark ! hear this magnificent poem," and
they read it, rs some people know how
when they desire to commit murder.
| "The child lie ruined" says one wiseacFe,
with solemn shake Of the head" "ruined
for certain, if gets into his head that he
can make poetry"
"Whip it out of him." growls another !;
| and the unlacky genius is whipped.
But by and by, when the world, in some
| CulD GU InOr0 JUSG anu ma&u8nluOuS IMAM
| nearest and dearest friend, has recognized
him as one Of its singing children, Or one
of its great thinkers or immortal re ormers
| tho tune at home, and in the circle of the
genins's personal acquaintance, changes.
All now sing high where before all spng
low, and the tune is just as bad as it was
before. There is nothing now but what
people think the genius ought to do for
them. Why, he is a great man, and all he
has to do to make any body's fortune is just
to nod to fate. His influence is 80 power
fol, of course he ought to exert it for the
benefit of whomsoever has need of aid.
| His brains are so apt in the coming OF
money, why should they not coin for others
as we'll as for himself7 So pack of hun
CRY creatures are constantly in full cry
after the genius ; and as he has sensitive
and generous heart, and nervous system
which is his unutterable torment, he must
deliver himself up to be devoured; or must
and himself, which, in its effects upon his
own mind, is almost as disastrous.
Then what comfort in social life is there
for genius He knows we'll that where
ever he goes he is expected to do OR say
something extraordinary and that very
: knowledge renders his state of mind very
, ordinary. Few geniuses can work to orde
with any success.
He has small confidence in the love O
any-syanpathy is a thing which he despair
OF finding ON earth. he has gilt OF IN
stinct which reveals to him the nature o
the feelings with which he is regarded, aut
while he sees plenty which can feed vanit,
If he chooses to allow it-he finds meagr'
, food for his unsatisfed and yearning
heart.
t While the genius is subject to all tn
> ills of ordinary men, he is the victim o
r safferiugs from which they are free-and i
. his capacity for happiness is greater, 81
much more employment for the latter ca
pacity than it has for the former.
Then never desire for yourself, or 70
8 your children, the painful gift of genius
, Desire, rather, a kind and cheerful and in
:. dnstrious temper, good health, and the low
r of God in the heart. These are NOR
1 blessed gifts than any mere strength an
: splendor of the intellect.