Nature uses in bringing forth the lovely bloom of the
rose. But the poisonous character of the refuse has been chemically
transformed in giving vitality to the roses. And so from unhealthy
stock, from temperaments affected by disease, have sprung the roses of
genius--transformed by the mysterious alchemy of the imagination into
pure and lovely things. There are, of course, poisonous flowers, just as
there is a type of genius--not the highest type--that is morbid. But
this does not affect my contention that genius is not necessarily morbid
because it may have sprung from a morbid soil. Hazlitt is a case in
point. His temperament was certainly not free from morbidity, and this
morbidity may be traced in his writings. The most signal instance is the
_Liber Amoris_--an unfortunate chapter of sentimental autobiography which
did irreparable mischief to his reputation. But there is nothing morbid
in Hazlitt at his best; and let it be added that the bulk of Hazlitt's
writings displays a noble sanity.

Much has been written about his less pleasing idiosyncrasies, and no
writer has been called more frequently to account for deficiencies. It
is time surely that we should recall once more the tribute of Lamb: "I
think William Hazlitt to be in his natural and healthy state one of the
wisest and finest spirits breathing."

II

The complexity of Hazlitt's temperament was especially emphasized by the
two strong, opposing tendencies that called for no ordinary power of
co-ordination. I mean the austere, individualistic, Puritan strain that
came from his Presbyterian forefathers; and a sensuous, voluptuous strain
that often ran athwart his Puritanism and occasioned him many a mental
struggle. The general effect of these two dements in his nature was
this: In matters of the intellect the Puritan was uppermost; in the realm
of the emotions you felt the dominant presence of the opposing element.

In his finest essays one feels the presence at once of the Calvinist and
the Epicurean; not as two incompatibles, but as opposing elements that
have blent together into a noble unity; would-be rivals that have
co-ordinated so that from each the good has been extracted, and the less
worthy sides eliminated. Thus the sweetness of the one and the strength
of the other have combined to give more distinction and power to the
utterance.

Take this passage from one of his lectures:--

"The poet of nature is one who, from the el