2 DECEMBER 1955, Page 19

Ehe spectator

DECEMBER 4, 1830

POOR HAztrrr! he was a strange mixture of shrewdness and simplicity, of kindness of heart and equivocal life. No person could be more ignorant of the world; and yet he was well acquainted with human nature. His name was almost detested, and yet he never did harm to mortal man. His enemies were innumerable, while he himself wag full of benevolence. His works were admired and praised while they were anonymous, abused and then neglected after he had put his name to them. And yet his greatest fault was poverty. But he was not merely poor, he was also irregular. These are crimes in the world's eye, and give occasion to infinite slander.