The Opelousas courier., 1883-11-24
Wbims of Celebrated Men.

Some amusing features from the l1ves
of celebrated men have been brought to-
gether by a German writer. Auber wrote
on horseback; it was not possible Tor nm
to write in any other place than IN Paris,
however beautiful another residence
might be, and however many attractions
it might offer. Adam composed best
when he lay, with his clothes IN, in bed,
and showed as great antipathy te all
landscape beauty as love to his cats.
The same antipathy to all natural beauty
is charged to Donizetti, who always slept
when upon a journey, when he should
have given his attention to the romantic
scenery of Switzerland and Italy. Gina
rosa could not write without having a lot
of friends around him, with whom he
kept up an active conversation about art
matters. Sacchini's train of thought was
interrupted when his cats did not play
their antics upon his writing-desk. sartI
could only become inspired in a room
without furniture, and which was dlmly
| lighted. Spontini could only compose
in the dark, and Meyerbeer composed
best during violent thunderstorms, undef
the roof of his house. Salieri gained his
inspiration while he walked quickly
| through the streets filed with a human
| throng, meantime eating a great quantity
| of CONNECTIONS. Haydn, in order to com
pose. sat in a soft armchair, with
his gaze directed to heaven. Gluck
composed in the open air best, in the
| glaring sunshine. He liked champagne
by his work, and gesticulated very VIC
lently, as if he were an actor on the
boards. Handel wandered in the church
ward. and when he wished to become in
| spired he sat himself down in n corner
Of it which was shaded by weeping will
lows. Mozart gained his inspiration
from reading Homer, Dante and Pc
trarch; Verdi must read passages from
Shakespeare, Goethe, Schiller, 0ssian
and Victor Hugo. Schiller inspired his
muse by the smell of rotten apples, which
he kept constantly in his desk; beside
this, he liked to live amid surroundings
corresponding to the subject on which he
worked. When he wrote the last act to
"Mary Stuart" he had his servants
clothed in black; and SO long as he
worked ON "Wallenstein y he neglected no
review or other military spectacle, and
at home his wife must sing battle pieces
to him.
Goethe loved to have plastic works of
art before him as he wrote. Jean Paul
replenished his, ideas while taking Il walk,
and drank a glass of beer now and then
on the way. In writing he liked the
strong smell of flowers. Herr o Kleist
worked with great difficulty, and when
he made poetry it was as if he had a
conflict with an invisible fiend.
Just the opposite was the case Withfa father
Wie1and. In making hispoems he trilIed
a lively song, and sometimes would spring
away from his work, and cut a caper in
the air. Burger, the immortal poet OF
Leonore. is said to have whistled street
songs as he wrote his verses on paper.
His conversation in such moments is said
to have been obscene. Holderlin was
often found crying when he composed
poems. Similar things are said of the
French romance writer, Lafontainea His
wife once found him before his writing
desk swimming In tears. aOh, it is too
sad, . he sighed. cit don't go at all, y
he sobbed ; II am still in the first
volume.n Matthison wrote his poems by
moonlight, while standing at the window.
Lamartine wrote his best things in the
morning, before breakfast, while sitting
before the fire. A contemporary OF
Dumas wrote thus: THE Writing-desk
Of Alexander Dumas presents a picture
Of classical disorder. The study floor is
covered with books and papers, behind
which he is seated, formally barricaded.
Also a quantity Of dogs, cats, poultry,
pigeons and singing birds are to be seer
around, and these he feeds, strokes and
keeps out of mischief while heis writing.
In the background stand a number Of
printers devils waiting for copy, and
booksellers and such people, who have
business with him. He writes very
rapidly, and carries on, very often, 9
conversation at the same time. He is
very negligent in his dress. 1PArenoloai
cal Journal.