St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-11-27
PARTNERS OF GENIUS.
Tho Lettered and UHIettered Vices Of Lit
erary Hen.

cFdTV -NfNs
lLondon,Letter in Washington Post.I
The stories Of lettered aud unlettered
wives, the partners OF genius, would iii q
large volume. Disraeli, In his Literary
Character" has an interesting chapter on
the subject. He ascribes some Of the con-
spicuous blemishes Of several great compost
tons 10 the domestic iefeliclties OF their au-
thors. Thus the desultory life Of Camoens
is perceptlble in the deficient connection of
his epic. and MiltOn's blindness and divided
family prevented that castigating criticism
which otherwise had erased passages which
escaped his revising hand. Dryden himself
pleads for the inequalities OF bis work from
his domestic circumstances. The wife Of
Whitelocke more than once DESTROYED his
manuscript, and the marks Of her nails have
come down to posterity in the numerous
decorations still gaping in his memorials
Moliere, Notwithstanding all his skillful ana
lysis of human life, married girl from his
own troupe, who made hun experience all
those bitter disgusts and ridiculous embar-
easements which he himself PLAYED of al the
theatre. On the other hand, there are many
pleasant instances OF happy literary marri-
ages. Wieland's wife was a comfortable
and affectionate woman; she knew her hus-
band was a great poet without reading his
books. Button, the great naturalist, wrote
Of his wife; "Often, when / cannot please
myself and am impatient at the disappOint-
ment, Nine. de Button teammates my exer-
ton or withdraws me TO repose, aud / return
10 my pen refreshed and aided by her
advice"
Gessner declared that, whatever his talents
might be, the person who had most contribu-
ted 10 develop them was his wife. The late
Lord Beaconsfeld owed much OF his success
10 the affectionate devotion Of his wife. The
modest but sufficient fortune which she pos
sessed on his marriage enabled him TO COM
mence his parliamentary career much earlier
than would otherwise have been possible, and
from first 10 last she was in every respect the
partner Of his joys and sOrrows; aud my lady
readers will be interested in the fact that
Lord Beaconsfeld's father, than whom no
one knew more about the literary life, de-
clared years before that few great men have
fourished who, we're they candid, would not
acknowledge TO themselves advantages they
have experienced in the earlier years OF their
career from the spirit and sympathy of wom-
en-. Our friend, the professor, at the breakfast
table, illustrates the difference between char
aeter and genius in men and women in his
own inimitable fashion. 'You talk of the
fire OF genius" he says; "many blessed
woman, who dies unsung and unremem-
bered, has given 1t more OF the real vital heat
that keeps life in human souls without a
spark fitting through her humble chimney
10 tell the world about il than would set a
dozen theories smoking or a hundred odes
simmering in the brains Of so many men of
genius" NJ. de Tocqueville pays a delight
full compliment TO his wife in one Of his let
tiers. 81 could not,n he says, ego on with
my task If ii were not for the refreshing calm
OF Marie's companionship. 1t would be i'm
possible TO find happier contrast TO my own
In nv perpetual irritability Of body and mind
she is proyidential resource.