The collected works of William Hazlitt, Vol. 06 (of 12)Hazlitt, William
General
The collected works of William Hazlitt, Vol. 06 (of 12)
Hazlitt, William
English essays -- 19th century
Such are the qualifications and the apprenticeship necessary to make a
man tolerated, to enable him to pass as a cypher, or be admitted as a
mere numerical unit, in any corporate body: to be a leader and dictator,
he must be diplomatic in impertinence, and officious in every dirty
work. He must not merely conform to established prejudices; he must
flatter them. He must not merely be insensible to the demands of
moderation and equity; he must be loud against them. He must not simply
fall in with all sorts of contemptible cabals and intrigues; he must be
indefatigable in fomenting them, and setting every body together by the
ears. He must not only repeat, but invent lies. He must make speeches
and write hand-bills; he must be devoted to the wishes and objects of
the society, its creature, its jackall, its busy-body, its mouthpiece,
its prompter; he must deal in law-cases, in demurrers, in charters, in
traditions, in common-places, in logic and rhetoric—in every thing but
common sense and honesty. He must (in Mr. Burke’s phrase) ‘disembowel
himself of his natural entrails, and be stuffed with paltry, blurred
sheets of parchment about the rights’ of the privileged few. He must be
a concentrated essence, a varnished, powdered, representative of the
vices, absurdities, hypocrisy, jealousy, pride, and pragmaticalness of
his party. Such a one by bustle and self-importance and puffing, by
flattering one to his face, and abusing another behind his back, by
lending himself to the weaknesses of some, and pampering the mischievous
propensities of others, will pass for a great man in a little society.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account