The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-06-18

An interesting chapter might be writ
ten about the weaknesses of great men
The anecdotes of Archimedes will be re
membered; he rushed through the street
of Syracuse, al fresco, crying Eureka rs
and at the taking of the city he was
killed by a soldier while tracing geo.
metrical lines on the sand.
Socrates, when filed with some idea,
would stand for hours fixed liked q
statue. 1t is recorded of him that he
stood among the soldiers in the camp of
Potidea, in rooted abstraction, listening
to his prophetic" or supernatural
voice.
Democrites shut himself up for days
together in little apartment in his gar
den. Dante was subject to fits of alb
straction, in which he often quite forgot
himself One day he found an interest
ing book, which he had long sought for,
in druggists shop at Sienna, and sat
reading there till night came on.
Scaliger only slept for a few hours,
and passed whole days without thinking
of food.
Sully, when his mind was occupied
with plans of reform, displayed extraor-
binary fits of forgetfulness. One day
he observed, How cold it is to-dayp
Not more cold than usual" said one
of his attendants. "Then l must have
the ague," said Sully. lis it not more
probable that you are to scantily
dressed ?" was asked. On lifting his
tunic the secret was discovered he had
forgotten all his underclOthes but his
breeches.
Mrs. Bray tells a somewhat familiar
story of the painter Stotherd. When
invited on one occasion to dine with the
poet Rogers, on reaching the house in
st. James Palace he complained of cold,
and CHANGING to put his hand on his
neck, he had fofgotten 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 a grand seigneur,
sported jewels and finery, wore rich lace
and velvets, and was curled and scented
to excess, wearing in his hair enpapilotte
while at his studies. Pope, too, was a
little dandy in a big wig and sword,
and his crooked figure enveloped in fash
ionable garments gave him the appear
ance of an overdressed monkey. Voltaire,
also, was fond of magnificent attire, and
usually dressed in an absurd manner.
Diderot once travelled from st. Peters
burg to Paris in his morning-gown and
night-cap, and in this guise promenaded
the streets and public places of the towns
on his route. He was often taken for a
mailman. While composing his works
he used to walk about with rapid strides,
and sometimes throwing his wig in the
air when he had struck out happy idea.
One day friend found him in tears.
"Good heavensp he exclaimed, "what
is the matterT' 81 am weeping" said
Diderot, cat story have just COM
posed!
Young, the poet, composed his " Night
Thoughts" with skull behind him, in
which he would sometimes place a
lighted candle; and he occasionally
sought his sepulchral inspiration by
wandering among the tombs at mid
night.
Mrs. Radcliffe courted the horrors with
which she filled her gloomy romances by
supping on half raw beefsteaks, plenti-
fully garnished with onions. Dryden
used to take physic before setting him
self to compose new piece. Kant, the
German philosopher, while lecturing
had the habit of fixing his attention
upon one of his auditors who wore
garment without button in a particu-
lar place. One day the student had the
button sewed on. Knat, on commence
ing the lecture, fixed his eye on the
usual place. The button was there !!
Fancy the CONSERVATION of the philoso-
pher, whose ideas had become associated
ture that day was detestable; he was
quite unhinged by the circumstance.
Too many authors have been fond of
the bottle. Rabelais said, Eating and
drinking are my true sources of inspira-
ton. See this bottle 1t is my true and
only Helicon, my cabalistic fountain,
my sole enthusiasm. Drinking, DELHI
crate; celebrating, l drink" Ennius,
Eschulis, and Cato, all got their inspira-
ton while drinking. Mezerai always
had large bottle of wine beside him
among his books; he drank of it at each
page he wrote. He turned the night
into day, and never composed except by
lamp-light, even in the daytime. All
his windows were darkened, and it was
no unusual thing for him to show a
friend to the door with a lamp, though
outside it was broad daylight. On the
contrary, Varillas, the historian, never
wrote except at full midday. His ideas,
he imagined, grew and declined with
the suns light.