“Discuss
how William Hazlitt expresses his romantic love of nature in “On Going a Journey”.
Answer: Though we are mighty fine fellows now a days, we cannot
write like Hazlitt. Thus spoke R.L. Stevenson who himself aped Hazlitt most
sedulously. Hazlitt’s place among English essayist is very high, though few
critics have placed him among him. In some respect in fact Hazlitt’s essayists
beats Lamb and post him into the second place. Hazlitt’s catholicity
(University) zests for life, vivid and emotional expression full of glowing
images are each assets. Whereas Lamb has certainly a more romantic imagination,
Hazlitt combines his imagination with a searching intellect. As an essayist
Hazlitt is not of the school of Addition or Dr. Johnson. He used his essayist
as a tool for self revelation. It is said that the perfect egoist is the
perfect essayist. After reading an essay of Hazlitt our knowledge about life
and personality of the writer is bound to be increased. Hazlitt himself said
that, “I myself am the subject of my book” and it is very interesting to see
how Hazlitt makes every subject to adjust to his personality.
