The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1884-05-24
oddities of Genius.

Some amusing features from the lives
Of celebrated men have been brought
together by German writer.
Auber wrote on horseback; 1t was
not possible for him to write In any
other place than In Paris, however
beautiful another residence might be,
and however many other attractions it
might offer. Adam composed the best
when he lay with his clothes on in bed,
and showed as great antipathy to all
nature as love to his cats. The same
antipathy to all beauty is charged to
Donizetti, who always slept when he
went on journey, when he should have
given his attention to the romantic
scenery of Switzerland and Italy. Sarti
could only become inspired in room
without furniture, and which was dim
ly lighted. Stontini could only COM
pose In the dark, and Meyerbeer COM
posed best during violent thunder
storms, under the roof Of his house.
Salieri gained his inspiration while he
walked quickly through the streets
filed with human throng, meantime
eating great quantity Of CONNECTIONS.
Haydn in order to compose, 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 violently, as if he
were an actor on the boards. Handel
wandered in the church-yard, and when
he wished to become inspired, he sat
himself down in one corner of it, which
was shaded by weeping willows.
Paesiello composed in bed, and did not
leave it until he had finished whole
operate scene or act. Mehul was
great worshiper of flowers, and often
fell into silent reverle in observing
them. He fe.t happiest in quiet gar
den. Mozart gained his inspiration by
reading Homer, Dante, l'etrarch,
Schiller, Ossian and Victor Hugo.
Schiller inspired his muse by the
smell of rotten apples, which he kept
constantly in his desk; besides this he
liked to live amid surroundings cores
bonding to the subject upon 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" he neglected
no review or other military spectacle,
and at home Lis wife must sing battle
)pieces to him. Goethe loved to have
plastic works of art before HIM as he
wrote. 1t is known that in his crea-
ton OF his Iphigenia, he had the image
of an antique female before him, in
order to see if that which he made his
heroine say would suit the features
before him. Jean Paul replenished his
ideas while taking walk and drank a
glass Of beer now and then on the way.
In writing he loved the strong smell of
flowers. Herr Won 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 with Father
Wieland. In making his poems he
trllled lively song, and sometimes
would spring away from his work and
cut a caper in the air. Kotzebue. IN
the composing of his dramas was also
an actor. He himself acted single
scenes in his study. 1t is related that
when Sand murdered him, his little
son, as he saw him reel and then writht
upon the ground, cried to his mother
''See, mamma, father plays comedy
againl" Berger the immortal poet o.
Leonore, is SAID to have whistled stree
songs as he wrote his verse on paper
e His conversation In such moments i
said to have been obscene. Simila
u things are SAID of the French romance
y writer Lafontaine. His wife fOunC
him before his writing desk swimmin
in tears. ooh, 1t is too sad, )" he said
ut don't go at all, !" he sobbed; 81 an
still in the first volume" Matthisol
wrote his poems by moonlight, Will
standing at the window. Lamartin
. wrote his best things in the morning
= before breakfast while sitting befor
=, the fire.
II