The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-10-27
LITERARY HUSBANDS.
Their seifishness and IrritabiIity-Ad-
vice TO Ladies-Trials and
Pau<> OF Authorxhfp.


There could be few more critical tasks
than to write treatise on the choice of
wives or husbands: but we need not be
over-scrupulous about warning ladies in
search of husbands to beware of men of
literary habits and we shall be doing a
kindness if we advise literary men con-
templating matrimony to select for their
wives judicious and patient nurses rather
than charming and brilliant women.
There i a comfortable doctrine held
by wives that all husbands are more or
less selfish and we admit that there is
much to be said in support of this the
ory- Hunting husbands, shooting hus-
bands, Parliamentary husbands and busi-
ness husbands generally seek their own
amusement as the principal end of their
lives, while the pleasures of their wives
are regarded as desirable but secondary
objects; but none of the aforementioned
are so purely selfish as are certain lit
erary husbands Strictly pleasure-seek-
ing husbands often study their own
amusement only, while they worship
their wives. Literary husbands also
study their own amusement only. while
they worship themselves Moreover, in |
intercourse with their fellow-creatures
ordinary mortals usually imbibe some |
fresh ideas or learn little entertaining |
gossip, and are consequently more or less |
agreeable companions to their wives.
But the literary man spends the day at
home in his own den, where his brain
feeds chiefly upon itself, with few
books, by way of condiment, by writers
fzesiding his -own identical opinions; so E.
that he is unlikely to be very fresh or
amusing when he seeks the society of his
wife.
Like savage animal that cannot be
approached without danger, the literary
husband, as we have said, spends his
time in his study- He may be concoct-
ing jokes for comic paper or writing a
treatise on Christian gentleness; but for
all that. when sitting at his syriting-table
he will be as ill-tempered and as snap
pish as a bull-terrier on his chain. The
judicious wife will be wary in approach
ing him on such occasions. II the kitchen
chimney is on fire. or if the pipes are
bursting. dear George must not be
disturbed on that account, or the heat of
his wrath and the explosion of his temper
are likely to exceed the worst that can
happen from those domestic calamities. /.
he may be writing the most calm and
judgment on the disputes
between the Guelfs and the Ghibelins: l
but II would be unwise in his wife to I
calculate on his giving an equally tenn !
perate decision on squabble between ,,
the cook and the butler during the hours /,
that he spends in his chair of literary !
jurisdiction. 1t is true that there are
some literary husbands who will make
attempts to be courteous when invaded
in their sanctums- They will assure !
their wives that they '.are not in the least !.
in the way" while their nervous rest
essness too plainly bellies their words; i
they may even assume ghastly smile q
when a thorough reorganization of their
rooms is suggested, and there NAV be a u
very pretty struggle between the parental ';
Ind the literary instincts when their u
Youngest children are brought into their u
lens; but it only requires half an eve to $
zee that they are in reality as much put
,ut as servant disturbed at meal,
which we take to be the extreme example
II human acridity- Perhaps the most
expression ever assumed by
J literary husband is that which he wears ~
when his wife requests him to come into (;
he drawing-room to help to entertain N
ONE friends, especially when she as q
ures him that they are aware he is at q
Iome- His face, again, is a study, il she N
nters his room when he is in the middle n
I long and carefully prepared sem ii
ence. with the pleasing announcement +,
hat the housekeeper complains of "a K
NELL in one of the back passages. d
Much literary work is apt to engender n
When the mind is deeply Il
bsorbed in some interesting subject, and "
n idea has been grasped after consider K
BILE mental exertion, abrupt interruption N
! very trying. A sudden disturbance of Is
I such a kind will produce actual head :,
che in some people 1t is also ex- n
eedingly irritating to feel that the clew hi
Thich had only just. been found, after so h,
luch trouble, has been lost, perhaps No
ever to be regained. 1t is needless to T,
id that much literary occupation, re- h;
eyed by but little fresh air and exercise. =,
a most likely cause of dyspepsia. Now e,
ne combination of an original mind and a,
dyspeptic body may be highly favor #
bic to amusing writing of a pungent N
nd sarcastic nature, but It is far from II,
eing equally favorable to domestic hap n
mess. Another thing that detracts
'om the sociability of a literary husband
his habit OF relapsing the ideas that W.
sfuse to be invoked in the study begin ~,
} flow in the drawing-room or dining y
,om, and . literary husband when his -,
leas are ION the 1ow' is an object -
lcred from disturbance. When in that 81 -,
,lestial condition he is doubtless worthy =. -
great reverence, but he can scarcely e
called an amusing member of society. =, ~
There are many living creatures that IA
70 nuisance in house. A naughty w,
3y is one, . NANCY dog is another, q so
lird is an early student Of the violin; he
1t, of all domestic nuisances, q man n
no Is writing book is, to our mind,
% worst II he is writing it as mat
Z OF business. he In an s1uu,ifiuofod ho
~. He thinks of nothing else. What on
it 10 him that the country is involved on
war that the Ministry have bean n