New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-07
LEIGH HUNT ON HIMSELF.
A FRANK ESTIMATE.
q London Athpnapnm

hiOCraphy'
his many pleasant works, and one OF the most inter-
estinc OF its Interesting class If he estimated him
self ndugently and sought TO prove that his iailng'
spang mainly from his own virtues and the iaults vi
Others 1t merely showed the human nature III MN.
I,ut he often treated himself very fairly ana cahuu-
IL. Tn December, 1850. you printed from his long
forgotten "Tacr" an estimate OF himself as literary
man and OF his relations to Shelley and Keats, evoked
bv some remarks OF Arthur llaam In the eqlihy
forgotten "Engllshmans Magazine for EEL
taye since found another selfe>timate-thS time OF
his whole nature and characerwhch as is existence
was unknown to friend Mr. AleAahnef iie'"n"' VIII
probably be to most people.
| found the document In volume OF paInphets'
etc. bound up by John Forster. and now In ms
collection at South Kensington. II Is qhat'o nan
Sheet apparently printed to match win tie hf'' eur
ton OF Hunts Lord Byron and His Contemporaries
the only book that Hunt ever regretted he hao
written And he had ample reason for regret LOT us
manifold faults OF taste and temper were severely
criticised the book having especially hurt the leei
ings many literary gentlemen. who envied Hunt Ills
opportunities OF receiving Ill treatment at the hahds
of a lord.
The balfsheet. which is unpaged and without
printers signature is headed: "An Attempt Of the
Author TO Estimate His Own Character"
As have said 50 much OF Others IT may be proper
that shculd be- equally explicit with regard 10
myself will b. and solely on mat account,
There are things In tins book, which make II
proper 10 show how little desire TO have QUALITIES
What / have to say win contain matter, which no
reputation for rnGor c Gond nans me e set down
il did not believe that truth in society were 'ne one
Born Of parents Of very different tcmperamcn's
and after they had undergone great adversity, Sly,
believe that my existence has been mofihtd accoiu
ingly. am at the >ickeSt and most s;fsume
OF my race The hveos and mos, Dnsi cdoen
and the most aborfous.
NOT NATURALLY 4 TRUTH-TELLER.
am not naturally teller OF truth Impulse
and fancy would tend 10 make me the reverse but
saw the danger Of 1t: should admire sincerity "
II were for nothing but the graccs OF 1t; but nave
learnt TO love 1t with ali my heart and soul as the
onIv safe ground for humanity to go upon. ana the
one thing desirable all others In the moral world
/ believe truth TO be that In words which the dis
covery OF the experimental philosophy has been Ill
science; and that the latter Will infaiiby after
the face Of society and give II the most new eoideh
and unhoped for opportunities. so the former VIII DE
re secret for securing its happiness feel certain
that II men could but compare notes tomorrow ana
confess to another their real feelings ana DESIRES
am naturally hasty and jealous: or rather was
made Jealous, believe others TO be- IN me common
inerferer with love to De a natural human passion;
Eut have become iealous for Others more tnan Ei
them and the ncceNey for great patience has entirely
subdned my hastiness but the power OF pleasing and
great Indulgence from my friends have LEFT me Ga
the first smartlng OF any wound to my VANITY rx-
tremely painful to me So 1at ma, n1 hsa, 10 mH Check
But the next minute philosophize my my
Ie vii, a@ s ont one of the suTest things know that
nobody wound my self-ove so much as 10
T procIaming it. Melancholy has done that kind
service that 1t has taught me to think TOO deeply OF
human nature to quarrel at heart with any being
Revenge should be too indolent to care about about
even II had not learnt to know 1t for what IL IS.
pretend to he above nothing in proud sense Duo
some things have got remote FROM ana s Is o smd
life OF letters. accompanied with an tnprovidencr
partly cScaone% BY nSOSn oss naTy &sm mna Of
everything like an arithmoticsl education have rem
dered o v oSe of So wSa m graceful er that the
necessity for health Itself would hardly hinder nd me
confess II is constant and hard exercise Of my
philosophy not TO eat too much ana make my
My friends will be surprised to hear this But But
sr myself they win be more sHTpr nsn T IN the
telling ~ that am not nms ,Se ma aYe Of l Se
o os wee were 'e orsakDg me When say they
ought not and this reflection treasures me- YES,
% aRa% 8"y to way Born With has
been weakened by subsequent cares and orma il,
Outrage. In a family Of men remarkable for their
bravery l the only t'mid person: Wien . LOOK
mother and the calamities caused by the American
have deprived me Of part o, my mr'nr' pac
face and little rejection ana as inee Is Sc Ser
is none could not go through with in good cause
NO PHYSICAL But MUCH MORAL COURAGE
I differ with the world upon some great points OF
morals and religion. Modern philosophy and hew
views for society, have taught me 10 do 50. know
that could stood to the lastthat should not
have been the first the last aithless friend
by the side OF an unequivoca.ly go)d ;ystem-good
for all, sincere plain, eluable, and fit Tor eternity
But cannot and will not be traitor to the nobler
aspirations planted within and tending 20 produce
such system. II the world can BE- altered, VIII
not be TO balk event so glorious; II 1t cannot
my endeavors shall be among those that Keep II IN
heart. / have indeed something OF the Hamlet In
me (these specuations far beyond either modeSty
vanity which makes me somelim's mseve ny
st one emu time neoG IS the same at anoihcr But
educated under system. and learned To believe
nesses but fasehoods revenge, and mpacallity; and
must take my chance among other sirngsleri,. sure
cere how gladly would learn Of them, instead Of
teach; and how surely would the world know what
Is best for it, by the comparisons OF thor experience
II is a singular chance in my history, that lave
been led to give Of n %nosr n"Sv
less given than m, self to tatte and gossip or VINO
care less TO make case out for himself at anothers
expense. perhaps the greatest difference between
me and any other living writer with the exception
and at my own risk, whereas the custom is to rail
and play the hypoeIte in mask; and none none. will
those who have played IL most. have sympathi,ed
deeply with almost every pain and pleasure o. s ,
as there is scarcely a pain, bodily mental. which
! hate not felt, 50 am not aware Of one which I
foolshy.
THE HAIDsHIPs OF EARNING.
would not have missed the obligations have
had from my friends: no. hardly to have been exempt
from all the Of money: little do hold with
that writer who spoke the other day OF the degrad
ing obligations OF private friendship see beyond
that. But do not the less hold with him that it
Is comedy and sweet" 10 be able to ones own
su1hciency. | only think that II should not DE made
so hard matter tn do as II very often Is. by the
systems OF society. and the effects which they have
In for even before born, and In our
very Compartments well fortunes and think
also that the world would have been losers In very
large way-fsr beyond what the utitarlans suppose.
and yet their ground-ii certain Of lively
end improvldent genius. humanisis Of the most per
suasve order. had not sometimes left themselves
under the necessity OF being assisted in u smaller
But desire, for my own part, not TO be excused In
anything In Which do not take the whole OF
felow-creaturcs and their along with Let
not BE- left out OF the pale OF humanity for praise