Description
Excerpt from Hazlitt''s Essays: A Selection
Some men are born essayists; some achieve the art Of essay-writing; others, as I know only too well, have it thrust upon them. If there has ever been a born essayist, it was William Hazlitt. Except his friend Charles Lamb, of whom he has given by far the best description, no English writer surpasses him in this peculiar line. Francis Bacon and David Hume were far greater men; but their essays were an acci dent, not the essence, Of their greatness. It is as philosophers that they are, and always will be remem bered. Hazlitt, though he dabbled in metaphysics, was no philosopher, but simply a journalist and a man Of letters. Bacon''s essays are not so much works of art, complete in themselves, as detached fragments from a. Mighty mind, overcharged with thought, and breaking into aphorisms. Macaulay''s, even more popular than Bacon''s, are historical and biographical rhetoric, preparations for the work Of his life, the ground Of ''his fame. Hazlitt''s Essays, like Lamb''s, and the illustrious Montaigne''s, are himself.
The King has read your book, said some courtier to Montaigne, and wants to know you. If the King knows my book, was the answer, he knows me. Without exalting Hazlitt into a class which it takes centuries and all the world to fill, one may say that he put into his essays the best he had. The exquisite humour, the poetic fancy of Lamb were not, indeed.
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
Some men are born essayists; some achieve the art Of essay-writing; others, as I know only too well, have it thrust upon them. If there has ever been a born essayist, it was William Hazlitt. Except his friend Charles Lamb, of whom he has given by far the best description, no English writer surpasses him in this peculiar line. Francis Bacon and David Hume were far greater men; but their essays were an acci dent, not the essence, Of their greatness. It is as philosophers that they are, and always will be remem bered. Hazlitt, though he dabbled in metaphysics, was no philosopher, but simply a journalist and a man Of letters. Bacon''s essays are not so much works of art, complete in themselves, as detached fragments from a. Mighty mind, overcharged with thought, and breaking into aphorisms. Macaulay''s, even more popular than Bacon''s, are historical and biographical rhetoric, preparations for the work Of his life, the ground Of ''his fame. Hazlitt''s Essays, like Lamb''s, and the illustrious Montaigne''s, are himself.
The King has read your book, said some courtier to Montaigne, and wants to know you. If the King knows my book, was the answer, he knows me. Without exalting Hazlitt into a class which it takes centuries and all the world to fill, one may say that he put into his essays the best he had. The exquisite humour, the poetic fancy of Lamb were not, indeed.
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
Details
Publisher - Forgotten Books
Author(s) - William Hazlitt
Hardback
Published Date -
ISBN - 9780331541885
Dimensions - 22.9 x 15.2 x 1.4 cm
Page Count - 199
Paperback
Published Date -
ISBN - 9781330336212
Dimensions -
Page Count -
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