The Press., 1897-11-18
GENIUS OR INSANITY
THE PADS AND PECULIARlTlES OF
 WRITERS AND COMPOSERS.

Alterations.
 It is not an easy matter to try to draw the frontier line of insanity. Although certain psychologists, passing their opin- ion on the physical anomalies and ec- centricities of mind observed in men of genius, claim, with apparent reason, that genius and insanity are the same tbing, 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- ally that"the whole world is satisfied to admire. It is constituted by the exag- gerated development of single faculty, usually at the expense of the others. This is the cause of the imperfections of these brilliant meteore anG the explana- tion of their degeneraCy on other points. Essentially spontaneous and original genius is natural phenomenon that we cannot explain, although it is unques- tionably the result of natural causes.
 Talent is different. It 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 fills us with admi- ration and reveals painter of genius.
 Actions, therefore, ill appearance ex- traordinary do not warrant us in infer ring insanity on the part of those who accomplish them, especially as these ao- tions, however abnormal they may seem at first, are often very rational and jus tifable
 Thus, in order to be able to mediate at their ease, many writers insist on not being disturbed by anything and seek seclusjon. Montaigne, ill 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 saccess 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 coultl only lecture ill tho midst of great racket. When his scholars wished to manifest against him. they kept absolute s lenoe, as under such conditions he was inca pablo of making an addition even,
 Just as noise stimulates the brain of some, motion quiclzens the circu lation of others, whence the large number of persons who can only compose while exercising Ampere could not explain clearly even the things he knew best unless the action of his brain was Lelped by exercise. Victor Hugo, while com posing, walked about muttering to him self
 In our day many writers prefer to walk Catulle Mendes walks up and down, and then writes at his desk; Jean Lombard, the we'll known writer, who died few years ago, walked 8 great ! deal; Mistral, the Provenoal poet, com poses while walking.
 On the 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 horizontal position. For !, example, Descartes, who used to lie down motionless, and Cujas, who could , only work proftably lying on his stom- , ach on the carpet.
 whole class of writers, Theophile Gautier, Baudelaire, Francois Coppee and Scaccini, require the presence of cats to write Gautier used to have as ' many as 12 or 15. Leon Cladal writes z in wooden shoes, in the society of his 2 dog in garrett. At intervals he takes his dog off for walk. Intellectual stimulants are largely
 used, among which coffee is great fa- vorite. Lortzing drank bowls cf it while : composing his melodies, and BalzGc used . it to great excess. De Musset, Poe, Yer. . laine and many others preferred alcohol ' while Schubert wrote his beautiful SO 7 natas under the influence of large Cuan . titles of Rhine wine.
 Tobacco smoke is also much used. : Flaubert could not write word untl V he had smoked three or four large pipes
 and half dozen very strong cigars
 Daudet smokes enormously, Catullt ?, Mendes smokes cigars while writing and often has three or four going at the . same time through absentmindedness Perfumes were highly appreciated by ' Baudelaire, Theophile Gautier, Loti ant I. Maizeroy. Byron couldn't write with . out having the odor of truffles about him
 and frequently carried his pockets full
 of them. Cooper acted on his sense oi s taste by filling his mouth with honey : tablets and small pieces of licorice . Carolus Duran and Aime Morot worked " themselves up before painting by play
 ing the piano and organ. Darwin pre- . ferred the violin.
 The singularities, queer traits ana
 even manias to which have just called
 attention in writers and artists are, i. . one reflects, generally applicable. N 4 doubt some of them betray nervous s condition that is on the limits of menta
 derangement, but as rule they are sim
 pie peculiarities, whose importance il
 exaggerated on account of the public DO n- sition of the writer and would not justi q. s fy in any sense the term insanity, hicl ,a for this reason Lombroso would like tt a, attribute to men of great talent. -Pari c. Herald,