ところがこの
However, this temporary madness is not easily evoked. Life-long lunacy is an easier situation, in some ways, than trying to conjure madness with pen in hand and facing a blank page. Even the greatest of masters, it seems, struggle in this regard. Where nature declines to deliver, a man is left to his own. From times of old to the present, learned men have wrestled greatly with this question of how to flow blood to the brain, and then how to draw it back down. One man, in pursuit of inspiration, ate twelve astringent persimmons each day. Astringent persimmons, so his reasoning went, cause constipation, and constipation results in a rush of blood to the head. Still another man jumped into a piping hot bath with a bottle of warmed saké. Indulgence while steeping, he figured, was sure to push blood to the brain. He was further convinced that if this didn't work then immersion in a bath of hot wine would induce the desired effect. Unfortunately, however, he never in his lifetime mustered the funds to confirm this. Finally, there are men who seek inspiration through the behavior of the old masters. The theory behind this is that imitation of outward demeanor and conduct leads to like mental state. Slur your words a bit, and before you know it you're feeling tipsy. Meditate quietly, as a stick of incense slowly burns, and you'll fancy yourself a Buddhist monk. Accordingly, immitation of the great masters, inspired men of old, is sure to excite one's mind. They say that Hugo plotted his stories on the deck of a yacht. Board a boat, gaze at the blue sky above, and inspiration is all but guaranteed. Stevenson, as it's told, wrote while lying on his belly. Take up the pen while lying prone, and blood will course through the brain. In similar manner, many men have tried many things, but none with marked success. As it currently stands, it's no easy feat for men to self-inspire. Regrettably, there's no great method known. Sooner or later, though, inspiration on demand is bound to be mastered. For the sake of humanity, I sincerely hope that it's sooner.