Evening journal., 1896-11-28
GENIUS OR INSANITY
THE FADs AND PECULlARlTlES or
WRITERS AND COMPOSERS.

stimuIus-T TriGing Hianias THAT Lom.
broso Incorrectly Regards as Mental
Alterations.
It is not an easy matter to try to draw
the frontier line Of insanity. Although
certain psychologists, basing their opin.
ion on the physical anomalies and &C.
centricitios Of mind observed in men Of
genius, claim, with apparent reason,
thai genius and insanity are the same
thing, it is going to excess to consider
writers and artists insane in whom
queer traits and little manias appear.
In this respect Lombroso and his disci-
pies have gone too far, their tendency
being to make no distinction between
genius and talent
Genius Is an anomaly, but an anom-
My that tho whole world is satisfied to
admire. Ii is constituted by the exag-
gerated development of a single faculty.
usually at the expense Of the others
This is the cause Of the imperfections Of
these brilliant meteors and the explana-
tlon Of their degeneracy on othor points
Essentially spontaneous and original
genius is natural phenomenon that we
cannot explain, although it is unques-
tlonably the result of natural causes.
Talent is different 1t is the fruit of
work and sustained application, and it
can be acquired and developed at any
time AT the present day, for instance,
there are few men Of genius among
painters, and yet they almost all have
talent The consequence is that the
greater number of the paintings in our
exhibitions are pleasing to us, although
no exceptional work nlls us with admi-
ration and reveals a painter Of genius.
Actions, therefore, in appearance ex-
traordinary do not warrant us in infer
ring insanity on tho part Of those who
accomplish them, especially as these ao-
tions, however abnormal they may seem
at first, arc often very rational and JUS
tiiable
Thus, in order to be able to mediate
at their ease, many writers insist on not
being disturbed by anything and seek
seclusion. Montaigne, in his moments
Of inspiration, used to run out of his
house and go and shut himself up in an
old tower, into which no one else enter
ed Jean jacques Rousseau used to
mediate in the fields while gathering
flowers in the sunshine In order to
shut out the noise Of the world he liked
to bury himself in the hay or close his
ears with cotton.
Others can only compose with success
in the midst of tumults. The celebrated
italian composer Cimarosa was Of this
number, and only found the fine motives
Of his operas in the midst Of the joys
and noise Of the crowd.
Such was also the professor Of whom
Felix Regnault says that he could only
lecture in the midst Of a great racket.
When his scholars wished to manifest
against him, they kept absolute silence,
as undor such conditions he was inca
pable Of making an addition even.
Just as noise stimulates tho brain Of
some, motion quickens the circulation
Of others, whence the large number Of
persons who can only compose while
exercising. Ampero could not explain
clearly oven the things he knew best
unless the action Of his brain was helped
by exercise. Victor hugo, while COM
posing, walked about muttering to him
self
in our day many writers prefer to
walk. Catullo Mendes walks up and
down, and then writes at his desk; Jean
Lombard, the we'll known writer, who
died few years ago, walked a great
deal; Mistral, the Provonoal poet, COM
poses while walking.
On tho other hand, certain writers
avoid all motion, probably on account
of their weak constitutions, and in order
to stimulate the brain circulation put
themselves in "a horizontal position. For
example, Doscartes, who used to lie
down motionless, and Cujas, who could
only work protitably lying on his stom-
aeh on tho carpet.
A whole class Of writers, Thcophile
Gautier, Baudolaue, Francois Coppee
and Soaccini, require the presence Of
cats to write. Gauticr used to have as
many as l3 or is. Leon Cladal writes
ia wooden shoes, in the society Of his
dog in q garnet. at intervals he takes
his dog or for walk
intellectual etimulants arc largely
used, among which coffee is a great "a
voritc. Lortzing drank bowls Of itwhile
composing his melodies, and Balzac used
it to great excess. De Musset, Poe, Ver-
laine and many others preferred alcohol,
while Schubert wrote his beautiful so.
natas under the influence Of large guam
titles of Rhine wine
Tobacco smoke is also much used
Flaubert could not write a word until
he had smoked three OF four large pipes
and half o dozen very strong cigars
Daudct smokes enormously, Catullc
Meudes smokes cigars while writing
and often has three or four going at the
same timo through absontmindedness.
Perfumes were highly appreciated by
Baudelaire. Theophile Cauticr Lott and
Maizeroy byron couldn't write with
cut having tho odor Of truflles about him
and frequently carried his pockets full
Of them. Cooper acted on his sense Of
tasto by filing his mouth with honey
tablets ana small pieces Of licorico
Carolus Dnsan and Aimo Morot worked
themselves up before painting by play