DISTRESSES OF MEN OF GENIUS.
Pope Urban VIII. erected an hospital for the benefit of decayed authors, and called it “The Retreat of the Incurables,” intimating that it was equally impossible to reclaim the patients from poverty or poetry.
Homer is the first poet and beggar of note among the ancients: he was blind, sung his ballads about the streets, and his mouth was oftener filled with verses than with bread.
Plautus, the comic poet, was better off; for he had two trades: he was a poet for his diversion, and helped to turn a mill in order to gain a living.
Terence was a slave, and Boethius died in a jail.
Among the Italians, Paulo Burghese, almost as good a poet as Tasso, knew fourteen different trades, and yet died because he could get no employment in either of them.
Tasso was often obliged to borrow a crown from a friend, to pay for a month’s subsistence. He has left us a pretty sonnet to his cat, in which he begs the light of her eyes to write by, being too poor to buy a candle.
Bentivoglio, whose comedies will last with the Italian language, dissipated a noble fortune in acts of benevolence, fell into poverty in his old age, and was refused admittance into an hospital which, in his better days, he had himself paid for building.
In Spain, the great Cervantes died of hunger; and Camoens, equally celebrated in Portugal, ended his days in an hospital.
In France, Vaugelas was surnamed “the Owl,” from having been obliged to keep within all day, and only venturing out by night, through fear of his creditors. In his last will, he bequeathed every thing towards the discharge of his debts, and desired his body to be sold, to that end.
Cassander was one of the greatest geniuses of his time, but barely able to procure his livelihood.
In England, the last days of Spenser, Otway, Butler, and Dryden are our national reproach.
S. S. S.
ON CHANGE.
No. II.
For the Table Book.
Noah is now a tailor, No. 63, Pall-mall.
Ham, a watchmaker, No. 47, Skinner-street, Snow-hill.
Isaac, a fishmonger, No. 8, Cullum-street.
Jacob, an umbrella and parasol maker, No. 42, Burlington Arcade.
Israel is a surgeon in Keppell-street, Russel-square.
Joseph is a pencil manufacturer, No. 7, Oxford-street.
Joshua, a grocer, No. 155, Regent-street.
Simon, a ship broker, No. 123, Fenchurch-street.
Joel, an auctioneer, No. 44, Clifton-street, Finsbury.
Paul, a manufacturer of mineral waters, No. 5, Bow-street, Covent-garden.
Matthew, a brush maker, No. 106, Upper Thames-street.
Mark, a malt factor, No. 74, Mark-lane.
Luke, a boot maker, No. 142, Cheapside; and
John, a solicitor, No. 6, Palsgrave-place, Temple-bar.
July, 1827 Sam Sam’s Son.