The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-11

3ng precocity In essays and in disputation. but
bn arriving at the age oftwenty he relinIuished
ehe idea OF becoming minister and took to
painting. His elder brother. John. had been a
pupil OF Sir Joshua Reynolds, and was sue
cessful painter OF portraits and miniatures.
and this. with his own natural bent. seems to
have determined Williams choice. After some
preliminary teaching by his brother he went
over in the autumn Of 1902 to Paris to pursue
his studies. and spent four months there. The
next year he returned home and made pro-
iessional tour in the north Of England. finally
settling with his brother in London. Here he
had but little success. either in portraiture or
in original composition. and owing to the bad
qualities of the paints he used mono Of his
works have been preserved in good condition.
Ultimately he abandoned painting for litera-
ture. and in this he found his true vocation.
While Haz!tt was still living with his father
he had made the acquaintance OF Coleridge
who. being then also Unitarian preacher had
come to pay his father fraternal visit His
PAINTING Of the portrait OF Charles Lamb. IN
1906. led to q close intimacy with that eccentric
genius and his sister Mary. and II was about
this time that he published his first book. the
Essay on tho Principles OF Human Actions"
Itmade no Impression but, not discouraged,
he foil wed 1t by political tract, which also
failed. In 1907, however. his reply to Malthus's
essay on population attracted considerable at
tentioD, and led to his employment as an editor
and compiler and In 1912 he delivered at the
Russell Institution a series OF lectures on the
English philosophers and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
which established his reputation. Thereafter
his pen was kept very busy until his death In
1880, working for newspapers and reviews, and
he often earned by II. and by lecturng. as
much rs 5000 q year. which in those days was
q largo sum. His last important production
was life OF Napoleon Bonaparte. of whom he
was a sincere and enthusiastic admirer. but 1t
Is lot now highly esteemed. The works by
which he is best known are his essays. crit-
cisms and lectures. and his Table Talk"
or Hazlitt's personal appearance We have lit
tie information. The only good likeness Of
him ex'ant is a miniature on ivory. painted
when he was 80 years OF age by his brother
John and OF which an outline copy Is printed
above. His most striking popularity seems
to have been his way OF walking. which is de-
scribed as q sort Of SLOUGH or shuttle. but with
which. nevertheless. he got over an amazing
extent Of ground. being Jealous pedestrian.
At one time in his life he seems to have been
addicted to drink but for some years previous
to his death he INDUCED In nothing but tea, Of
which he was large consumer.
Intellectually Hazitt was acute, penetrat-
Ing. and subtle. and this. with his devoted and
unfiinching honesty. gives to his criticisms
especially of works Of art, In which he had
special training great value. Sergeant Tai
iourd who became acquainted with him In
1915, says OF him: HE had as unQuenchable
desire for truth as others have for wealth, or
power. or fame; and he pursued 1t with sturdy
Bingleness OF purpose. and enunciated 1t with
out favor or fear. But. besides the love OF
truth. that sincerity In pursuing 1t, and that
boldDess In telling 1t, he had also a fervent
aspiration alter the beautiful: q vivid sense OF
pleasure. and an intense consciousness OF his
own individual being which sometimes pro-
duced obstacles to tho current OF speculation.
py which 1t was broken into dazzling eddies or
urged into devious Wlndings." He was an OK
cellent companion and OF the brilliant circle |
which met on Wednesday evenings at Charles
Lambs rooms In Inner Temple Lane. conf
prisinR among others. Colerldge. Dyer. William |
Goawin. Thelwall. Barnes Hayden, Lloyd, |
Leigh Hunt. and occasionally Wordsworth he |
was one OF the most entertaining members.
Coupled with this intellectual superiority |
were moral weaknesses. which furnish the koy
10 much OF Hazltts strange behavior. AS
Talfourd says: Tho spirit was willing, but
the flesh Wa stronR;" and his grandson. who
wrote his biography confessed that " his brain
was as clear as crystal, but not. as crystal. cold
His was q mind OF Intense and vast sensibili-
ties, susceptible OF the most violent, nervous
fluctuations, and OF avouptuous tenn permanent.
1t opened itself willingly to pleasurable i'm
pressions. 1t was Of an epicurean complex
Son. The instincts and impulses OF the flesh
had their share in governing It, and perhaps 1t
was too large a share" In another place tho
same grandson Observes OF him: "He com
pretended the worth OF constancy, fidelity.
chastity. and all other virtues, as well as most
mon. and could have written upon them better
than most: but sinister influence or agency
was almost perpetually present, thwarting and
elouding q superb understanding -that singu-
lar voluptuousness Of temperament which wo
find ar the root OF much that he offended
against heaven and earth In. as we'll as OF
many OF tho fino things we owe to his pen"
That man OF this character and DISPOSE
tlon should bo extremely susceptible OF tho
attractions OF women was inevitable. and ac-
eordingiy we find Habit frequently the victim
Of the tender passion. While on visit TO
Wordsworth a. the Lakes 10 1903. he was struck
b. the charms Of village beauty In the neigh