Literary character of men of genius : drawn from their own feelings and confessions / by Isaac Disraeli.

  • Isaac D'Israeli
Date:
[1881?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Literary character of men of genius : drawn from their own feelings and confessions / by Isaac Disraeli. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    33/488 (page 13)
    ever vague, defines the pursuits of the individual, and sepa- rates him from other professions, although it frequently oeeurs that he is himself a member of one. Professional characters are modified by tbe change of manners, and are usually national; while the literary character, from the objects in which it concerns itself, retains a more permanent, and necessarily a more independent nature. Formed by the same habits, and influenced by the same motives, notwithstanding the contrast of talents and temjiers, and the remoteness of times and places, the literary character has ever preserved among its followei's the most striking family resemblance. The passion for study, the delight in books, the desire of solitude and celebrity, the obstructions of human life, the character of their pursuits, the uniformity of their habits, the triumphs and the disappointments of literar}^ glory, were as truly described by Ciceeo and the younger Plikt as by Petearch and Eeasmits, and as they have been by Hume and Giebojt. And this similarity, too, may equally be remarked with respect to that noble passion of the lovers of literature and of art for collectinsj tocjether their mingled treasures; a thirst which was as insatiable in Atticus and Peieesc as in our Ceaciieeode and Toavn- LET.* We trace the feelings of our literary contemporaries in all ages, and among every people who have ranked with nations far advanced in civilization; for among these may be equally observed both the great artificers of knowledge and those who preserve unbroken tbe vast chain of human acqui- sitions. The one have stamped the images of their minds on their works, and the others have preserved the circulation of this intellectual coinage, this ; Gold of the dead, Which Time does still disperse, but not devour. * The Ilev. C. ]\I. Cracherode bequeathed at his death, in 1799, to the British i\Iusciun, the large collection of literature, art, and virtu he had employed an industrious life in collecting. His books numbered nearly 4500 volumes, many of great rarity and value. His drawings, many by early Italian masters, and all rare or curious, were deposited in the priiit- loom of the same establishment; his antiquities, &c. were in a similar way added to the other departments. The “ Townley Gallery” of classic sculpture was purchased of his executors 1^ Government for 28,200L It had been collected with singular taste and judgment, as well as some amount of good fortune also; Townley resided at Home during the researches on c- Tivoli; and he had for aids and advisers ^ir \\ ilham HamiHoii, Gavin Hamilton, and other active collectors; and was the friend and correspondent of D’Hancarvillc and Winckclraann. —Ed.