The sun., 1891-06-14
The Loves Of Men Of Genius.

Mr. THOMAS HITCHCOCK has just pub
lished a delightful book on the Unhappy
Loves Of Men Of Genius" and tho Messrs.
HARrER have issued the volume in a taste
full topographic form which well BELTS the
dolicacy OF its subject and the literary grace
OF its treatment.
Mr.. HITCHCOCK is one Of those men who
can be truly described as man Of learning.
even at this time. when the term implies 80
much. What he knows he knows exactly
and thoroughly; and, as the range OF his
study and information is wide, including
many and various fields Of thought and in
quiry, the accuracy and the profundity of
his knowledge are the more remarkable.
He is one OF the most learned and sagacious
writer's on finance at this day. He
Is also distinguished as practical
tinancier, Of judgment which Is al
most unerring. He was educated as
a lawyer and his associates at tho Law
School Of Harvard, impressed by his high
Intellectual ability and his extraordinary
grasp Of legal principles expected for him a
career as q great jurist. But these very
qualities made the routine OF legal practice
distasteful to him. and as, happily. he was
able to turn whittier he chose, he has found
more grateful occupation in scientific and
philosophic study and reflection touching
the ca,isee and influences which determine
and affect the material conditions of human
society, and mould and color its intellectual
and spiritual development.
The subject which he treats in the beautl.
full volume published by the HARpKRs has q
Ito, oto {okn
coCK. whose mind is OF poetic cast hardly
less pronounced than its philosophic and
severely intellectual character. OF all the
forces affecting mankind, the passion or
sentiment OF love is the strongest, unless it
be religion; and even OF religion love is an
integral part. The two are interviewer In
the whole history OF the race, and in their
manifestation they are closely similar. The
ecstasy Of the enraptured saint and the
transports Of the enamored lover are very
much alike; and as religion grows more
spiritual, love becomes more elevated.
It Is OF this elevated love that Mr.. HITCH
COCK treats In this volume with the delicacy
and sympathy Of an author capable Of its
fullest understanding and Interpretation.
At time when even the loveliest women
writers are picturing loveas carnal and de.
vouring lust only. he celebrates it as a
poetic inspiration and q lofty and refining
influence in tho lives aud characters Of
men Of genius. He tells OF the loves Of
GIBBoN and Nine. NEcKER. OF DR.. JOHNSON
and Mrs. THRALE, GOETHE and CHARLOTTE
vow STEIN, MOZART and ALoYs1A WEBER,
CAvoUR and an unknown divinity, and Ed
WARD IRVING and JANE BAILLIE WELSH,
afterward the wife OF THoMAs CARLYLE. In
each OF these cases both the men and the
women were distinguished for their gifts
and accomplishments, and In none was the
sentiment manifested otherwise than In its
purest form. 1t was respect, admiration,
and friendship elevated and translated into
exalted and poetic love. In the case Of
GIBBoN 1t yielded eventually to selfish
remained long In both his own mind aud
Nine. NRcKER's. II. indeed. 1t did not con-
tinue vital to the very end OF Their lives.
ALI the loves described by Mr.. HITCHCOCK
were unhappy in their consequences, so far
as concerns the fruitlon Of marriage, though
In tho men more especially they produced
profound effect extending through their
whole careers and serving an important
purpose in their development. Such senti-
ment Is really stronger in men than women.
It goes deeper and 1t rises higher, the ma
ternal instinct, and not love for the lover.
being the overmastering passion In women
When women love mon the most, the ma
ternal quality most distinguishes their son.
timept for them.
So far as Mr.. HIrcHcocK's book teaches
any definite lesson. tho lesson may be that
the Ideal love Of the man OF genius, bred and
fed by tho imagination. is not likely ever to
lind satisfaction In matrimony. It can SUBJ
sist only In the imagination; and that is the
explanation Of the frequency Of unhappy
marriages among men Of genius. They
loved not mortal women, but immortal
dlvinities created by their poetic fancy.
But the run OF men are not men
OF genius. Those rare beings are scat
tered singly and at long intervals In the
history OF the race. Usually the marriage
OF one man to one woman 10 the most sue