Smyrna times., 1876-05-03
mise eIIU25 e OWS.
The Rewards Of Authors.

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is very Indifferent one, for men of letters.
Cervantes, the immortal genius of Spain, is
supposed to have wanted bread; LIE Sage
was victim of poverty all hislife; Camoens,
the solitary pride of Portugal, deprived OF
the necessaries of life, persisted in an
hospital at Lisbon. The Portuguese, after
his death, bestowed on the man of genius
they had starved the appellation of Great.
Vondel, the Dutch Shakespeare, after COM
posing number of popular tragedies, lived
in great poverty, and died at ninety years
of age then he had his coffin carried by |
fourteen poets, who without his genius, |
probably partook of his wretchedness. The
great Tasso was reduced to such dilemma |
that he was obliged to borrow a crown from |
friend to subsist through the week. lie
alludes to his dress in a pretty sonnet,
which he addresses to his cat, entreating
her to assist him, during the night, with
the lustre of her eyes, having no candle to
see to write his verses" One day Louis
XIV. asked Racine what there was new in
the literary world. The poet answered that
he had seen melancholy spectacle in the
house of Corneille, whom he found dying,
deprived even of little broth. Spenser,
the child of Fancy languished out his life
in misery Lord Burleigh, it is said, pre-
vented the Queen giving him 9l0O, think
ing the lowest clerk in his Office more
deserving person. Sydenham, who devoted
his life to laborious version of Plato, died
in miserable spunging-house. "You,"
said Goldsmith to Bob Bryanton, "seem
placed at the centre of fortunes wheel,
and, let it revolve ever so fast, are insensible
to the motion. 1 seem to have been tied
to the circumference, and whirled dis
agreeably round, as if on a whirligig.
Oh gods gods here in garret, writing
for bread, and expecting to be dunned for
milk-score." To another, about the same
time, he wrote, l have been some years
struggling with wretched being-with all
that contempt that indigence brings with
it-with all those passions which make
contempt insupportable. What, then, has
iail that is formidable? l shall at least
have the society of wretches, and such is to
me. true society" Cervantes planned and
commenced "Don Quixote" in prison.
John Bunyan wrote the first part, at least
of Pilgrims Progress " in jail Both Of
these immortal works have been the de
light and solace of reading people wherever
there has been literature. The latter is
said to have been translated into a greater
number of languages than any other book
in the world, with two exceptions, the
Bible and the Imitation of Christ" Si
James Harrington, author of "Oceana,
on pretense of reasonable practices, wa
put into confinement, which lasted unit
he became deranged, when he was lib
Grated. Sir Robert L'Estrange was tries
and condemned to death, and lay in prisol
nearly four years, constantly expecting t
be led forth to execution. Ben johnson
John Selden, Jeremy Taylor, and Edmun
Waller were imprisoned. Sir Waite
Raleigh, during his twelve years imprisor
ment, wrote his best poems and his "Histor
of the World a work accounted vastl
superior to all the English historical PR
ductions which had previously appeared
Written" says the historian Tytler, 81
prison, during the quiet evening of ten
pestuous life, we feel, in its perusal, th
we are the companions of superior min'
nursed in contemplation, and chastene
and improved by sorrow, in which Il
bitter recollection of injury, and the asperi
of resentment, have passed away, leavii
only the heavenly lesson, that all is vanity
Old George Wither wrote his " "Shepherc
Hunting" during his first imprisonmer
The superiority of intellectual pursu
over the qualification of sense, and all t
malice of fortune, has never been mo
touchingly or finely illustrated, it has be
well said, than in this poem.
Can anything be so elegant" as
Emerson, 81 as to have few wants and
serve them ones self? 1t is more elega
TO answer ones own needs than to
richly served inelegant perhaps 1t m
look to day, and to few, but it is an
gance forever and toall.
Parched corn, and house with one apa
ment, that | may be free of all pertur
tons, that / may be serene and docile
what the mind shall speak, and girt a
road-ready for the lowest mission
knowledge or good will is frugality for g
and heroes" Said Confucius, "With Goa
rice to eat, with water to drink, and
bended arm for pillow have still
in the midst Of these things" For
own private satisfaction" said Bisl
Berkeley, ~ had rather be master OF
own time than wear diadem." wo
rather" said Thoreau, sit on a pump
and have it all TO myself, than to
crowded on velvet cushion"
If you have an enterprise before you, tt
in your old clothes. All men want,
something to do Nth, but something 70 d
rather something to Be. Perhaps we she
never procure new suit, however rag
or dirty the old, until we have so cond
ed, SO enterprised or sailed in some
that we feel like new men in the old,
~ ~ x..o,.1l Ia lsl~s. l. ~<x.s 90