It is said that even Burke often emptied the benches, as
if his associates in parliament did not appreciate him so well as those
who now enjoy reading his works.
An artist who draws with a free hand, will be able to develop his talent
to its full extent, but one who draws in a cramped or false manner will
always suffer more or less from the effects of it; but this was not the
worst of the matter. Self-control does much for the artist, but
unprejudiced criticism is also necessary. This Phillips never could
obtain. There were persons who judged him impartially, but he was not in
the way of obtaining their opinions. He was surrounded by a small band
of adherents who praised him without discrimination, and who fiercely
repelled the attacks of those who found fault with him. The newspapers
all took sides against him, for both political parties dreaded the
agitation of the slavery question, and Phillips could rarely look into
one of them without meeting with a savage attack on himself by some
subaltern who knew of no better use for his quill than the manufacture
of these venomous darts. Neither could he walk through the streets of
Boston without hearing himself cursed and execrated. Meanwhile Mrs.
Chapman and Mrs. L. Maria Child extolled him to the skies. Faithful and
undistorted picture of himself he could meet with nowhere.
We read of saintly characters who have endured persecution with
Christian humility and resignation, who have blessed those who cursed
them, and loved those who hated them; but how many such have we been
personally acquainted with? If we except Desdemona there are none in the
great dramatists.
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