The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1897-01-19
kaRSurla.rIrs OF GENIUS.
uts Relations 40 Madness in Kostd
reopie.

.Heine. the German poet, once OBJ
served that genius may be nkened TO
the GlitterinR pearl in the oyster--'a
eplendid disease" Seneca, much to the
same effect, Gays that In every great
genius there IL mixture OF insanity.
However this may be. the fact le-
mains that the majority OF the most
highly gifted and the specially talent
ed haye not only been moro remark
able In their whims and eocentricities
than the average mankind; but In too
many instances have their luminous
,ntcllccta been ultimately clouded by
madness.
Tho connection between poetry and
insanity hns often been of nn Intimate
kind. Tasso. the Italian poet, and
Cam,oens, the Portuguese, both died
mad. Burns suffered from delirium;
and ~ hon hoen said that Shellev ""n'd
not have becn pronounced entirely
sane.
,.,mper was subject to Mnacy, and
poor Collins Is said to have run through
the aislee Of Chichester Cathedral
bowling madman." Chatterton, the
marvellous boy-poet, committed sui
eide in a fit OF mental arrangement at
the carly age Of serenteen; and even
Pope suffered as hypochondriac.
The charge OF insanity was brought
agNinst Sophocles. the great Greek
poet, though his works were produced
as an evidence Of eoundncss OF mind.
Byron once remarked OF himself. I
see myseH terminating my days like
Swift, a grinning IDIOT" and he actual
ly enumerated eeveral OF his maternal
relatives who had died BY their own
hands.
Lee. the dramatist, while an inmate
Of Bcdlam, probably with view to
proving that he was q fit and proper
person 10 belong 20 such an Institution.
wrote q trayery In no fewer than twen-
ty-nve actsi
Rousseau was, like Lamb, subject to
Ats of lunacy, and Cervantes himseH
more mad than his own hero. Don
Qulxote. It has oven been sah by
Father Prout that the great Newton
was mad when ne commented on the
Revelations Baron Napier, the In
yentor OF logarithms which have since
probably contributed TO send others
crazy, himself became ultimately mad
also.
southey outlived his intellectual facui-
Ties, as did also Dean Swift, who, prob
ably In anticipation OF approaching
madness, devoted his last remaining
sanity TO the founding Of an asylum
for idiots.
have not exhibited traits OF positive in
sanity. their peculiar whims and crazes
have been sufficiently pronounced to
mark them as greatly different to ordi-
nary mortals. These craEes and idio-
syncracies In great men have often
taken very queer forms.
The famous DR.. Watts, who was ply
sically but very little man, INDUCED
in the extra ordinary notion 1ust be-
fore he died that his swelling propor-
lions were becoming a matter Of In
convenience to him. and that there was
no door in his house which vas sufil-
ctently large 10 allow him TO pass
through without squeezing.
Am ill,rsion of still more wonderful
nature was entertained by DR.. Simon
Browne. a preacher and controversl-
rllst Of some note In his own day. who
Tor hong held the belief that he had
annshiiated in him the thinking sub
stance" end that he was utterly diyest-
cd of consciousness. He was pcrpetu-
ably hatntcd by this curious Illusion,
even while furniehing the complctest
refutation Of Il In tho active vlgor Of
his mind. and by writing most able
tracts and producing most laborious
compilations.
Thomss Gainsboropgh, the painter.
seems to have been haunted by"a rather
grim delusion for some years before
his death, and was under the impress
sion that he had not long to live. On
one occasion ne took Sheridan by the
hand. and exacted from him solemn
promise that he would attend his fu-
neral; on the required promise being
given. he Immediately became as Jovial
as ever.
But one OF the most remarkable In.
stances OF Gendue being united TO queer
hiosyncrAcy was that Of William
Blake. He not only believed that no
had lived before. but his mind was one
mass of weird and curious fancies. He
believer that he could. by an effort OF
the will. summon into his presence
those who had been dead thousands OF
years: and he would produce most
striking portraits from these imaginary
sitters.
Among other curious productions
from his rencil was the magnified ghos
OF a fiea. which he averred had appear
ed to him In vision. On one occasion.
this extraordinary man positively de-
c1ared that he had Witnessed q fairy's
funeral In his garden. and he described
the dead fairy being laid ON single
rOee-IeaS anfi hurled amid sweat aOnpa
from the tiny followers.
Mosart. the great composer, habit
ually exhibited eccentricities which I'm
any loser mortal without his wonder
ful genius. would have caused him to
DO regarded as a Ut candidate for an
asylum. Il Is more than probable that
bis facous RcquIom would mover have
been produced but for the morbid fancy
which possessed him that the myster-
ious patron who ordered It was an
omiesary from the o'hcr world.
Men Of ScniU5 and talent have often
shown an Inconsistency whiuh may be
described ms little short OF insanity.
The POET Dante was wanderer from
wife and children, yet passed the whole
OF reckless life In morbid brooding
over and nursing his dream OF ideal
love.
In the same manner. Petrarch, who
would not suffer his only daughter to
live with him. spent thlrty-two years
on HIS monomaniacal passion for Laura
VINO was already wife and the mother
OF several children. and who moreover
treated his insane love with proper dis
dain.