Memoirs of William Hazlitt
Ch. I 1821
Robert Baldwin to William Hazlitt, 17 April 1821
“The portion of your capital article on Mr.
Crabbe, which I enclose herewith, will, if inserted as it now
stands, place us in a very awkward dilemma. Mr.
Croly had communicated some articles during Mr.
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| | MR. BALDWIN IN A DILEMMA. | 7 |
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Scott’s life, which he highly
valued, and he is likely now to become a more frequent correspondent. There is
also an article prepared on his second part of Paris for the present number, which will not
altogether harmonize with your remarks in the paper on
Crabbe. All this I should not so much care for, if it
were not that the series of ‘Living
Authors’ ought to be as from the editor, not from a casual
correspondent, and ought not, therefore, to want harmony with other parts of
the Magazine.
“Now I think the difficulty may be easily got over by
omitting Croly’s name, and
contrasting the poetry of Crabbe with
that of another school. Almost every line, except the
first three or four, may then be retained, and instead of ringing the change on
Crabbe and Croly, it will be he and they. Indeed this is done at the bottom
of page six. Thus we shall avoid personality, yet hit the mark.
“Wishing to make this article the first of the
number, I have given the rest to the compositors, but I do not venture to make
myself, or suffer any other person to make the desired alteration.
“I remain, my dear Sir,
“Most faithfully yours,
“Robert Baldwin.
“P. N. Row,
“April 17,
1821.
“William Hazlitt, Esq.”
George Crabbe (1754-1832)
English poet renowned for his couplet verse and gloomy depictions of country persons and
places; author of the
The Village (1783),
The
Parish Register (1807),
The Borough (1810), and
Tales of the Hall (1819).
George Croly (1780-1860)
Anglo-Irish poet, novelist, and essayist for Blackwood's; his gothic novel
Salathiel (1828) was often reprinted.
John Scott (1784-1821)
After Marischal College he worked as a journalist with Leigh Hunt, edited
The Champion (1814-1817), and edited the
London
Magazine (1820) until he was killed in the duel at Chalk Farm.
