The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-02-02

Wives OF Literary Men.

It'es VI Meh ot souius. OocIates, Dante
Milton. MoutsigDe. Aoliere, Roussea
Byron, Bulwer and Dickens are smou0
the most striking instances cited of un.
happy unions; and feeling has gone
abroad that matrimony is the state for
which mind workers are constitution
ally untitled. The lives of men of letters
TEEN with examples OF harmonious and
well assorted unions. and it shall be
our province to cite few of the most
striking and beautiful. Button once nc.
knowledged thst his wife hsd consider
able influence over bis compositions
'Often, said he, when l cannot please
myself, and am impatient at disappoint.
ment, Madame de Button teammates nv
exertion, or wihdTaws me to repose for
. short interval; return to my pen re-
freshed and aided by her advice Pliny,
the younger. has given us delightful
family picture in his letters. OF CAL
phurnis. his wife. he says: Her affec-
tion to me has given her q turn to
books; and my compositions, which she
takes pleasure in reading. and even
getting by heart. are continually in her
hands. The wife Of Klopstock, the
great German poet-author of "The
Messlah" writing to Richardson. the
novelist. in her German English, says:
Il am always present at the birth Of the
young verses, which begin by frag-
ments. here and there, OF subject with
which his soul Is just then filled. Per-
sons who live as we do have no need of
two chambers; We are always in the
same How happy the domestic life of
Thomss Day. author of Stanford and
Merton must have bcen may be seen
by the impression which even his be-
loved books made on his wife. MY
ideas of my husband" she said, are 20
much associated with his books, that to
part with them would be, as it were,
breaking some If the last ties which
still connect ME with 90 beloved an Oh
jecr." Burke said of his home Every
care vanishes the moment enter under
my roof" Luther. speaking Of his
wife, said: II would not exchange my
poverty with her for all the riches Of
Crnsus without her." De Tocqueville
wrote Of bis domestic life: MANY ex-
ternal circumstances Of happiness have
been grasted me. But more than oil /
have TO thank heaven for having be
slowed Oh me true domestic happiness.
the first of human blessings" Mr..
Disraeli's married life was q model
one. In his dedication to "Sybil," he
says: II would inscribe this work to
one whose noble spirit and gentle
nature ever prompt her to sympathize
with the suffering; to one whose sweet
voice has often encouraged. and whose
taste and Judgment have ever guided
Its pages; the most severe of critics. but
"A perfect wife." John Stuart Mill
also found in his wife a CO. worker, q
mind that could appreciate and sympa-
thize with his, and a noble and devoted
companion. In his autobiography he
pays lofty tribute to her memory. He
says: ITO her outer circle she was
beauty and wit. with an air of natural
distinction. felt by all who approached
her; to the inner. u woman OF deep and
strong feeling. of penetrating and intui
tive intelligence. and of an eminently
meditative and poetic nature"
Guizot found in his wife noble com.
panion, whose sympathy aud encourage
ment sustained him in many vi. issi-
tudes. He tells US in his Memories:
"Even in the midst Of great undertake
ings. domestic affections form the basis
of life; and the most brilliant career has
only superficial and incomplete enjoy
ments, if stranger to the happy ties
of family ana friendship" When Gni-
zot became first Minister of France his
wife wrote to FREUD; i now see my
husband much less than l desire, but
still see him. If God spares us 10 each
other l shall always be in the midst of
every trial and apprehension the happi-
est of beings What would poor Tom
Hood have been without his Jane?-
poor, struggling invalid as hs was! She
was bright spirit-an angel Of light
who lowered over him; nursing, caring
for him, consOlinG him. She cheered
him with encouraging smile. wrote to
him. and helped him with her ready
memory He published nothing with
out submitting it to her judgment. In
one of his letters to-her. he writes: i
never was anything. dearest. till l knew
you; and have been better. happier,
and more prosperous man ever since.
Lsy by that truth in lavender. sweetest.
aad remind me Of it when l fail. l am
writing warmly and tondly. hut not
without good cause. First, your own
afcciionate letter. lately received; next,
the rsmembeaucs Of our own dear
children, pledges-w darling onesl
of our familiar love: then delicious
impulse to pour out the overfiowings OF
my heart into yours; aid last not least.
the knowledge that your dear eyes will
read what my hand is now writing.
Perhaps there is an after thought that,
whatever may befall me. the wife OF
my bosom will have the acknowledg-
meot Of her tenderness, worth and ex-
cellence-all this is wifely or womanly
from ny pen' A parallel case to
that Of Hoods was that OF Heinrich
Heine. He was another OF the sweet
singers and brilliant humorists whose
groans came forth in flashes Of merri-
ment. He too. knew much poverty.
and much sickness: and yet. like Hood,
his spirit never for an instant lost Its
unclouded serenity. When his wife
died. be said: Alas. among my griefs
must I reckon ever her love-the strong
est. truest that ever inspired the heart
OF woman--which made me the hahpi-
est Of mor,als, and vet WAS to me
fountain of thousand distress~s. M
quietudes and cares To entire cheer
fulness. perhaps. she never attained;
but for what unspeakable sweetness,
what exalted. enrapturing Joys. is not