Critical Miscellanies (Vol. 3 of 3), Essay 7: W.R. Greg: A Sketch — John Shaqi
Critical Miscellanies (Vol. 3 of 3), Essay 7: W.R. Greg: A SketchMorley, John
History
Critical Miscellanies (Vol. 3 of 3), Essay 7: W.R. Greg: A Sketch
Morley, John
Greg, William R. (William Rathbone), 1809-1881
a remarkable proof of intellectual courage and independence to venture
on introducing to the English public the best results of German
theological criticism, with fresh applications from an original mind.
Since then the floods have broken loose. One may add that Mr. Greg's
speculations show, as Hume and smaller men than Hume had shown before,
how easily scepticism in theology allies itself with the fastidious and
aristocratic sentiment in politics.
As was to be expected under the circumstances, much of Mr. Greg's time
was given to merely fugitive articles on books or groups of passing
events. Even the slightest of them, so far as they are known to me, show
conscience and work. In 1852, for example, he wrote no less than twelve
articles for the four leading quarterlies of that date. They were, with
one exception, all on political or economical subjects. 'Highland
Destitution,' and 'Irish Emigration,' 'Investments for the Working
Classes,' 'The Modern Exodus;'--these were not themes to be dealt with
by the facile journalist, standing on one foot. Mr. Greg always showed
the highest conception of the functions and the obligations of the
writer who addresses the public, in however ephemeral a form, on topics
of social importance. No article of his ever showed a trace either of
slipshod writing or of make-believe and perfunctory thinking. To compose
between four and five hundred pages like these, on a variety of grave
subjects, all needing to be carefully prepared and systematically
thought out, was no inconsiderable piece of work for a single pen. The
strain was severe, for there was insufficient stimulus from outside, and
insufficient refreshment within his own home. Long days of study were
followed by solitary evening walks on the heights, or lonely sailing on
the lake. In time, visits to London became more frequent, and he got
closer to the world. Once a year he went to Paris, and he paid more than
one visit to De Tocqueville at his home in Normandy. I remember that he
told me once how surprised and disappointed he was by the indifference
of public men, even the giants like Peel, to anything like general views
and abstract principles of politics or society. They listened to such
views with reasonable interest, but only as matters lying quite apart
from their own business in the world. The statesman who pleased him
best, and with whom he found most common ground, was Sir George
Cornewall Lewis.
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