FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81  
82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   >>   >|  
remarks on entomology, he went into his studio--painted till dinner time--dined hastily, if at home, and then resumed his labors, or else forgot himself over Homer, or Dante, or Shakspeare, or Milton, till midnight. FUSELI'S WIFE'S METHOD OF CURING HIS FITS OF DESPONDENCY. He was subject to fits of despondency, and during the continuance of such moods he sat with his beloved book on entomology upon his knee--touched now and then the breakfast cup with his lips, and seemed resolutely bent on being unhappy. In periods such as these it was difficult to rouse him, and even dangerous. Mrs. Fuseli on such occasions ventured to become his monitress. "I know him well," she said one morning to a friend who found him in one of his dark moods, "he will not come to himself till he is put into a passion--the storm then clears off, and the man looks out serene." "Oh no," said her visitor, "let him alone for a while--he will soon think rightly." He was spared till next morning--he came to the breakfast table in the same mood of mind. "Now I must try what I can do," said his wife to the same friend whom she had consulted the day before; she now began to reason with her husband, and soothe and persuade him; he answered only by a forbidding look and a shrug of the shoulder. She then boldly snatched away his book, and dauntlessly abode the storm. The storm was not long in coming--his own fiend rises up not more furiously from the side of Eve than did the painter. He glared on his friend and on his wife--uttered a deep imprecation--rushed up stairs and strode about his room in great agitation. In a little while his steps grew more regular--he soon opened the door, and descended to his labors all smiles and good humor. Fuseli's method of curing his wife's anger was not less original and characteristic. She was a spirited woman, and one day, when she had wrought herself into a towering passion, her sarcastic husband said, "Sophia, my love, why don't you swear? You don't know how much it would ease your mind." FUSELI'S PERSONAL APPEARANCE, HIS SARCASTIC DISPOSITION, AND QUICK TEMPER. Fuseli was of low stature--his frame slim, his forehead high, and his eyes piercing and brilliant. His look was proud, wrapt up in sarcastic--his movements were quick, and by an eager activity of manner he seemed desirous of occupying as much space as belonged to men of greater stature. His voice was loud and commanding--nor had he learned much of
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81  
82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

friend

 
Fuseli
 
breakfast
 

husband

 
morning
 
passion
 
sarcastic
 

stature

 

FUSELI

 

entomology


labors
 

stairs

 

occupying

 

strode

 
rushed
 
descended
 

smiles

 

manner

 

desirous

 
regular

opened
 

agitation

 

belonged

 

commanding

 
furiously
 

learned

 

coming

 
uttered
 

greater

 
glared

painter
 

imprecation

 

forehead

 

TEMPER

 

SARCASTIC

 
DISPOSITION
 

APPEARANCE

 

PERSONAL

 

Sophia

 
characteristic

spirited

 

original

 

activity

 

method

 
curing
 

brilliant

 

towering

 
piercing
 

movements

 

wrought