Homes and Haunts of the Most Eminent British Poets, Vol. 2 (of 2)Howitt, William
General
Homes and Haunts of the Most Eminent British Poets, Vol. 2 (of 2)
Howitt, William
Literary landmarks -- Great Britain; Poets, English -- Homes and haunts
He promulgates doctrines, and attacks selfish interests, in a manner
which would, on the other hand, bring down destruction on an author
who had to live by his labors. There are critics, and those calling
themselves liberal, too, who have crushed others for the very deeds
for which they have applauded and still continue to applaud Savage
Landor. Why? Because they know that Landor is invulnerable through his
property. If they raised the hue and cry against him of democrat,
republican, of violent or revolutionary, he would still eat and drink
independent of them; his book would remain, and his position and
influence would enable it at length to testify against them. There is,
moreover, a large class of critics who see principles, when they see
them at all, through the medium of a man's condition in the world, and
that which is audacious in a poor man, becomes only a generous
boldness in a rich. If I were to select the opinions of Savage Landor
on half-a-dozen great questions from his works, and quote him in all
his undisguised strength upon them, I could show half-a-score men of
less fortune who have been immolated by Landor's own admirers for the
proclamation of these identical opinions, or whose works have been
left unnoticed because they could not very consistently condemn in
them what they had eulogized in him! How few men in this country can
afford to be honest!
But not the less do I recognize, nor the less estimate, the sacrifices
of Landor to immortal truth. Though he could not be deprived of his
daily bread for his sins of plain speaking, yet he has had his share
of the malevolence of the low and selfish. The reptiles have bitten,
and no doubt have stung, at times, deeply, when he has trodden them
beneath his feet, or flung among them his clinging and scalding Greek
fire. But he knows that the fruit of his life will not be lost.
Already he has lived long enough to see that the tide of opinion and
reform is setting in strongly in the direction which he has indicated.
It is amazing what progress the truth has made within the last twenty
years; and a man like Landor knows that at every future step it must
derive fresh strength from his writings. He has pandered to no
corruption, he has flattered no fashion; his efforts are all directed
to the uprooting of error and the spread of sound reason; and,
therefore, the more the latter prevails the more his writings will
grow into the spirit of the age. There are those who say that Landor's
writings never can be popular. They are greatly mistaken. There is a
large reading class, every day becoming larger, in which, were they
made cheap enough, they would find the most lively acceptation. It is
the class of the uncorrupted people itself. His opinions, and his
manly, uncompromising spirit, are just what fall on the popular spirit
like showers in summer. They are drank in with a thirsty avidity, and
give at once life and solace. In this respect I do not hesitate to
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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