Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-28
Recreations of Great Men.

From Hygiene.
need hardly mention Mr. Gladstone-who
has not heard Of the Grand Old Mans wood
cutting exploits? Among famous devotees of
the rod and line may beNoted Walton, Her
bert, Paley and Dryden, the latter quite cele-
brsted for his fishing parties. Thomas Warrior,
author Of "The History of Modern Poetry"
was often to be found drinking in tav-
erns-a taste which he shared with
Turner, the painter. Charles Lamb
was an admirer of London, and never wearied
of wandering about the streets. Without Lon
don he considered life would scarcely be worth
living; he would not exchange the dirtiest
drab-frequented alley for Skiddaw and Helvel-
lyn." johnson was another eulogist of the me-
tropolis, and it was down Fleet street that he
took his daily walk, which. owing to the series
of tasks he made compulsory on himself, was a
really curious performance. First. every post
required to be touched as he passed it, next it
was a point Of honor to step exactly in the
middle Of each paving slab; and, lastly, as he
approached his destination. "A series of graduated
strides had to be employed in order to reach the
door with one particular foot. Godolphin, the
statesman. spent much of his spare time in the
cockpit. Pope, like William Ill, was fond of
landscape gardening. Prior, one of our best
minor poets. whiled away his evenings at q low
public house in Long Acre, chatting with an
old soldier and his shrewish helpmate.
Burke. when at his country estate, Beacons-
field. transformed himself from politician into
an enthusiastic farmer. and 1.-THE reader'-here
quote from the work by John Morley-..may
smile as he recognizes the ardor, the earnest
ness. the fervid gravity of the political speeches
in letters which discuss the merits of carrots in
fattening porkers and the precise degree to
which they should be boiled"
Wordsworth. Dickens and Longfellow were
immense pedestrians. Wordsworth did the
major part Of his writing in the open air: a
visitor who called to see the poets study
was shown a small room, the home of q few
tattered books. This" said the servant
maid. lis masters library, but his study is
out Of doors" Dickens liked the sights Of q
London walk and was also fond of tramp
on the sea downs. CARLYLE invariably
covered several miles before beginning
work and enjoyed riding inside an
omnibus, while Victor Hugo preferred the
outside. No weather could detain Buckle
from his fifteen minutes constitutional be-
fore breakfast, and Macaulay was likewise a
great walker, always accompanied, however,
by volume of some sort. Shelley used to
sail paper boats on the Serpentine, and
took as much interest n child in their
safety Sir Walter SCOTS chief pursuits were
riding and coursing; his dogs and he appear
in the same piece Of sculpture, testifying to
his habits. Later in life he patronized gar
dening in which the American historian Ban
croft, has since borne him company. Milton
sought relaxation in the companionship Of the
| "pealing organ" and Byron amused himself BY
shooting at a piece of money fixed in n stick
and practiced this more persistently than ht
ever did anything else. OF present celebrities
Mr.. Chamberlain is an amateur horticulturist
Sir John Lubbock passes the flying moments il
studying his ants and bees, Mr. Black enjoy
Yachting among the Hebrides and many Of tn.
nobility have a pronounced fancy for hors,
racing.