From the Edinburgh Review. grand revolution he meditated; whereas there Life of Benjamin Robert Haydon, Historical were many other existing causes, all tending Painter, with his Autobiography and Jour- to the same result,-elements in which and nals. Edited and compiled by Tom Taylor, through which he might have worked instead of the Inner Temple, Esq. 3 vols. London: of setting them, as he did, in opposition 1853. [Reprinted by Harper & Brothers, against himself. Still, when we review the New York.j rise and progress of that comprehensive and enlightened code of criticism to which LessTHIS is a sadly suggestive, a painfully in- ing and Goethe had given the first impulse in structive book. As a revelation of a morbid Germany, we see Haydon standing out among spirit, as a psychological fact, there has been us here, not owing any thing to the great scarce anything since the days of Rousseau Germans, not even taking up the same to compare with it. Of course we speak ground, yet in his own way an original thinkwithout reference to the immorality which de- er, a powerful writer, a passionate pleader for forms the work of that celebrated writer. the true objects and interests of his art, a From any such corruption this book, right daring exposer of the mean mistaken aims manly and English with all its faults, is wholly and subserviency of artists; a fearless defree. But otherwise, in melancholy interest, nouncer of the short-sighted neglect and conin picturesque and vigorous writing, in graphic summate ignorance of those in high places touches of character, in the conscious exposi- who had to decide on the ultimate uses of the tion of feelings, and the quite unconscious ex- Fine Arts, as a part of the culture of a peoposition of failings, such as men usually keep ple, and their protection and encouragement earthed up and hidden deep from sight, we as a part of the duty of a government. question whether the famous "Confessions" These ideas sound trite at present; they were would not sometimes pale in comparison. then new. The fashionable faith of our day Considered merely as a contribution to the was then the creed of a small set of pioneers, history of the Fine Arts in this country, the ill understood by others, not always underbook has also a peculiar value. Certainly no standing themselves. Haydon led this forlorn retrospect of the progress of Art or of opin- hope with an impetuosity which threw him ion as relates to Art during the last forty quite beyond the reach of less ardent, less years, could be written without reference to sanguine spirits. It is not his eminence as an the remarkable and unfortunate man who artist, but the story of his relations with Art stands self-portrayed before us in this extra- - his battles with the Academy, his interordinary piece of biography. Haydon over-course with painters, with patrons, with poets, rated himself every way, which is, perhaps, with men of letters and statesmenone reason why he was underrated by others. form the artistic and historical value of the As a power, both artistic and literary, he was book. The man's peculiar idiosyncracy, his in his own time quite misapprehended. By undoubted talent, his really noble aspirations, some regarded as a wild enthusiast, who in- and the terrible demonstration before us that, jured his own cause by his exaggerated pre- thus richly gifted, thus loftily ambitious, thus tensions and self-opinionated advocacy. By undauntedly persevering, his career was a almost all who had begun by admiring and wretched failure, ending in self-inflicted death aiding him shunned at last as a most unprinci- these form the moral interest of the book. pled and shameless beggar. By not a few Under both aspects it is full of matter, and denounced as an absolute madman; and, in might well claim, with the concomitant and contruth, there seems to have existed from the temporary interests touched upon, more ample first that disproportion in the structure of his consideration than can be given to it here. mind which tends to eventual insanity. But We observe that among the critics who have the history of our national progress during been, we must think prudishly, severe in their the last half century is now receding into dis- strictures on this remarkable book; some are tance. It assumes as a picture its due grada- shocked by the tragic depth, the pitiable weaktion of light and shade; the figures take their ness, the careless indiscretion of the revelaproper place and comparative prominence; tions contained in it, and have thence decided and now it has really become a question that it has been prematurely given to the whether Haydon, with all his inordinate ego-world. Others go so far as to pronounce that tism, did overrate the importance of his ob- it ought not to have been published at all. jects, though he may have overrated his own From such critics we differ wholly. We acability to achieve them. His mistake, his mis- count it good service to the cause of truth gefortune, lay in the self-willed arrogance which, nerally, and of Art particularly, that this perpetually irritated by contradiction and strange history, with all its manifold faults and stimulated by opposition, saw only Haydon mistakes, has seen the light. We think it "wherever he looked, wherever he moved," as could hardly have appeared at a more fitting the great first cause, the primum mobile, of the moment than now, amid the awakened inter - these est and keen discussion in and out of Parlia- server can estimate the force; associated influment bearing on the very topics which fill its ences of which no observer can trace the link. pages. We do not cavil with Mr. Tom Tay- The man himself uses the best gifts with which for for suppressing what he has suppressed, God has graced him to hold up the mirror since the whole, as it now stands, coheres into truly to himself, as if driven by some power, completeness in story and character, at least some pressure from within, which is not consufficiently so for the best uses to be derived science, rather an instinct, a fatality arising out from either. But we are especially thankful of the very structure of his being. We have that he has not been led, by the scruples of alluded to Rousseau. Who could have painted others or his own, to suppress more. It has that compound of mud and fire as he has been said that pain has been inflicted, or may painted himself? Who could have placed be inflicted, on many worthy and sensitive before us the meanness, profligacy, vanity, people by certain allusions to them or their falsehood, the utter degradation of that most friends, or their relations to the sixth degree miserable and most gifted of the sons of men of cousinship, and therefore this and similar with such a wondrous truth? Who that knew publications involve a moral wrong of which Moore, the lively, ever welcome, genial singer public morality should take cognizance. We of Ireland, would have ventured in the slang really do not see the question in this serious phrase- to "show him up" as he has " shown point of view. Those who read these volumes up" himself? His bitterest enemy, we think, through-and read aright the peculiar tem- would not have the heart, certainly not the perament of the man- will surely not be power, to do it. Such men, under such influguided in their estimate of character by any ences, become like the unwilling prophet of opinion of his, however honest in intent, nor old, unconscious utterers of the truths they rely on the accuracy of his portraiture how- see not, and "wiser than they know." ever vivid. No fear, we think, that our idea| But it will be said that such revelations, of the wit and the wisdom of Sydney Smith even when spontaneous and authorized, are should be lowered because Haydon saw in dishonoring to our common nature, inasmuch him only the "careless cassock," the "jocular as they lower at once our standard of virtue parson." Sir George Beaumont remains to and our estimate of genius, or rather our estius the accomplished gentleman, the generous, mate of the men on whom genius has been amiable patron and judge of Art, though bestowed; and that it is a killing blow to our brought into collision with the unruly self-love faith in good if we must needs behold in the of his wayward protege. Mr. William Hamil-greatest-wisest," also the "meanest of manton's beneficent nature and exquisite taste kind." It may be answered, in the first place, shine out not the less because of the passing that nothing can dishonor our common nature ungrateful sneer which Haydon, in one of his which enlightens us as to its true conditions; distempered moods, bestows upon his much nothing can lower our moral standard which enduring friend. If Mr. Taylor has suppress- enlarges our moral sympathies. And secondly, ed many notices of this kind, no doubt he has that it is a too common mistake to defer to the been guided by deliberate reflection and good opinions and feelings of gifted men on all subfeeling; but we really think that in most cases jects because they have shown themselves it will be found to have been superfluous as great in some, to set them up as gods inregards the reputation or the feelings of the deed, because they have given forth one or supposed victims, and if a charity at all, one two divine oracles. Better is it that we should only to the memory of the author. learn discrimination in our hero-worship: bet For, with regard to the autobiographies of ter that we hold fast to the principles that distinguished men, it is undeniable that no truth in the long run is worth the price, whatportrait drawn of a man of genius equals in ever it may be, that we are called on to pay truth, and therefore often in severity, that for it. Do we despond over our beautiful which unconsciously and involuntarily he ex-idols cast down to earth before the coming of hibits of himself. Let him suppress what he the purer, the diviner light? Let us rememmay, let him excuse what he can, let him ber that the inestimable gain to the future is throw over his actions and motives whatever worth the present loss to ourselves. It is coloring may be derived from the most inge- through such data as these before us,-painnious logic, aided by the most captivating ful often, and often humiliating, that we graces of style, he will yet reveal such unmis- shall at length be enabled to solve some of takable features of the inner self that he those momentous problems in ethics and edushall be more justly judged out of his own cation, on the solution of which the moral words than by any portrait which the ablest, well-being of mankind as a race must ultimost acute, most impartial of observers could mately depend. What is understood as yet have drawn of him. There are abysses of of the training of genius and exceptional passion and of pain which no observer can character? How are we to recognize their thom; impelling motives of which no ob-presence and their power before it be too late, before we are called upon to answer the fear- or wound, we are willing to admit not withful question as to how far excelling and com- out a sigh of compassion and forgiveness manding genius shall be at once indulged and the validity of the plea. outlawed? Would it not be well that men It does not suit, however, with all men to of rare endowments should know, and lay to stand up before the bar of posterity either selfheart, that henceforth they shall be amenable excused or self-condemned. How many, rather to the rising moral sense of mankind? that than plead at all, would call on the darkness henceforth they shall not skulk behind their to shroud them and the hills to cover them! glory to conceal their shame, nor plead their The publication of recent memoirs, and the great gifts in extenuation of judgment? that comments to which they have given rise, have those who in life have not feared the "ever- dismayed some people remarkable for nice lasting face to face with God," must stand, scruples, if not for high principles. There has after life, face to face with humanity, and an- ensued, it is said, of late a vast burning of paswer, like the dead Egyptian kings, its appeal pers, letters, private journals, and such memoagainst them?" Cruel," will it be said? Yes, randa. Be it so. Burn by all means. But of as all that is immutable, all that is inevitable, utterances out of the heart and life of man adall that is inexorable in God's moral law seems dressed to man, there will always be enough, cruel where we have to make the application and more than enough. The same strong huin particular cases, be it in that of a Bacon, a man sympathies which crave to know, prompt Rousseau, a Byron, or in that of a poor, dis- also to reveal. Vanity will not refrain; passion tracted, self-immolated Haydon. will not be silent; conviction will speak; anThere is another lesson conveyed in this guish, which has bled in silence, will utter at book and others of its kind, and one of not last the long-suppressed cry, if not for justice less solemn import. They enlarge our expe- -if not for pity-yet for relief: As the rience of the conditions on which men of an beast crieth, expansive not appealing;" and anomalous temperament, or devoted to some the echoes of humanity will catch it up, and one soul-absorbing pursuit, may hope to preserve respond to it, as they do now to this wild reunimpaired mental and moral health. In com- proachful voice, startling us from the tomb. mon with many who knew Haydon in the The narrative before us is divided into two later years of his life, we had the impression parts: we have, first, Haydon's autobiography that his mind was disordered. No one, we from his birth to his thirty-sixth year. It ap think, can read this autobiography without a pears to have been compiled partly from recolconviction that the seeds of disease were early lection, partly from his voluminous journals, to be traced in an organization from the first kept with great regularity from an early age. distempered and disproportioned, and that the He prefaces this narrative by a short introduclatent evil was developed by sudden vicissi- tion, in which he gives his reasons for writing tudes of fortune, by the wear and tear of an it- reasons sufficiently indicative of the morunquiet life, and an habitual neglect of all the bid feelings under which it was written: conditions of physical health. It is clear that he had a mournful consciousness of the dan- Every man who has suffered for a principle, gerous tendencies of his own mind. In more and would lose his life for its success-who in than one place we find dark communings with his carly days has been oppressed without ever himself as to the causes and the right or giving the slightest ground for oppression, and wrong of suicide, as if his fate had been fore- persecuted to ruin because his oppression was shadowed, as if in the midst of triumphant anti-unmerited - who has incurred the hatred of his enemies exactly in proportion as they became cipation a spectre of despair were looming in convinced they were wrong-every man who, the distance. Frequently he alludes to his want like me, has eaten the bitter crust of poverty and of early training as one cause of his arrogance endured the penalties of vice and wretchedness, and obstinacy; "Why did I not yield?" he when he merited the rewards of virtue and insays, on the occasion of his quarrel with Sir dustry-should write his own life. (IntroducGeorge Beaumont, "because my mind wanted tion, p. i.) the discipline of early training. I trace all the misfortunes of my life to this early and ir- The date of this autobiography is not given; remediable want; my will had not been curb-but from internal evidence it appears to have ed, or my will was too stubborn to submit to been written at different times, some part of it curbing." Perhaps," he adds, "mine is a so late as 1843, when he was fifty-seven. It is character in which all the parts would have obvious that Haydon, as his editor expresses it, harmonized if my will had been broken early."" believed himself a hero, and thought that all Such self-justification we reject while a man the world would believe it when these records is living, while he can give us blow after blow came to light." In this belief they do not diton the heart, and then plead as an excuse for fer from other memoir writers who imagine obstinacy in wrong his want of early training. that the aspect under which they choose to reBut when he is dead, and can no longer injure gard their own conduct is that which will be accepted by posterity. They are mistaken, such thoughts had occurred, and I found my however. Where a man excuses and defends journals an absolute capital to draw upon. I himself, we readily pardon the self-love-it is hope that my journals, if ever they are thought natural; where he makes avowal of error, or worthy of publication, may give as much pleasworse, we receive it as spoken in confidence ure to others as other journals have given delight -reproach is disarmed: but in neither case is the ultimate judgment of posterity either blinded or averted. The second and third volumes continue the to me. This passage and some others show that Haydon contemplated the publication of his papersonal history, chiefly by extracts from his pers, and on them rested his hopes of posthujournals, with occasional letters; Haydon be- he been a really great artist in his profession, mous justice. We conceive, however, that had ing everywhere, and as far as possible, the sole he would not have made his appeal to posterexponent of his own character and feelings. ity in words. It was said of him, that "if he The passages taken from the journals are con- had been more intent on painting good picnected, where necessary, by short portions of tures, and less intent on persuading the world narrative, supplied by the editor, and written that he painted good pictures, he had been a with much calm, good sense, and in a just and wiser man." But it is fair to say that no one gentle spirit towards his subject; but with lit- could have been more intent on learning and tle of sympathy, and still less of approval. It doing, as well as talking and writing- no one is clear that Mr. Tom Taylor has not deemed could' labor more earnestly and diligently in it a part of his duty to point out absurdities, to his calling. His memoranda will at least have reconcile discrepancies, or to excuse delin- this good effect: they will give to the ignorant quencies. It is to be regretted that some and the unthinking some idea of the struggles, things which are known to be false, or at least the sorrows, the vicissitudes, the crosses, and so tinctured by Haydon's mood when most the cares which wait on those who work with moody as to be unworthy of credit, should have hand and brain: the artist class-for whom gone forth to the world without some protest, fame is not only identical with love, but alas! some explanation on the part of the editor. also with bread. Such better knowledge will This, if not due to individuals, was due to the lead to sympathy; and such sympathy will not cause of truth and justice generally. Then we be lessened by the pity which is here excited do not understand why some names are shel- by failure, nor by the condemnation which tered under initials, and others given at full waits on error. Some of these minute details, length. Still less why the same names are in carrying us through the history of a picture one place given at length, and in another sup- from the moment it was "rubbed in" to its pressed. Why Edwin Landseer may not "ride up Bond Street on a blood horse," without be- If we possessed, with regard to any great work completion, have an almost dramatic interest. ing disguised under a couple of dashes; why a of art of world-wide fame, the same exact distinguished critic and littérateur, of whom memoranda that Haydon has given us of his nothing is recorded that is not only honorable Judgment of Solomon or the Entry into Jeruto his character, but personally complimentary; salem-if, for instance, we could read of the should be exhibited under a thin alphabetical daily progress of the School of Athens or the disguise pervious to the dimmest capacity, we Heliodorus-of the models employed-of the profess ourselves unable to divine. The want books studied—of the various alterations sugof any heading to the chapters, any table of gested or adopted—the celebrities of the time contents, any help whatever to reference, who sat for the various heads-Urbino, Caswhere the matter is so multifarious and desul- tiglione, Bramante, and how they looked and tory, is a great inconvenience. There are oth-talked-what a record had it been!--what er mistakes and oversights, which will proba- an inestimable value would the wondrous bly be corrected in a future edition. On the beauty and renown of the work itself have whole, however, a very difficult task has been lent to every trifling detail! But with regard executed, we think, with meritorious good faith to Haydon, it is just the reverse. The notices and good feeling. All editorial responsibility given here may lend an interest to the picture, has been lightened by the fact that Haydon even to its short-comings and mistakes; but was in the habit of keeping daily memoranda. the picture will hardly lend value to the notes. Here also he has given his reasons for doing If the painter's hand could have executed what he willed and aspired to do, whole pages had not been filled with the description of what he I acquired. (he says,) in early life a great love intended to do; or would, or could, or might of the journals of others, and Johnson's recom- have done-and did not do. As it has been mendation to keep them honestly I always bore in mind. I have kept one now for thirty-four well observed, "failures detract little from the years. It is the history, in fact, of my mind; and reputation of those who have really done great in all my lectures I had only to refer to them for things;" but it was the misfortune of Haydon such and such opinions-to look when such and that he never did anything great enough to make us forget his failures. Often, in de- father represented the imprudence of giving scribing what he means to do, he places a far up a profitable business for an uncertain profiner picture before the mind's eye than his fession. As vainly did his too indulgent hand could realize. The sublime shapes which mother plead that she rested on him, her only throng his fancy in the hour of meditation, son, her hopes for the future; and Haydon when he sits down to his easel refuse to wait acknowledges that hers had not been up to upon his summons. It is not that he could not that time by any means a happy, or even a give to those spirits a form; he could not give tranquil, existence. "He would be a painto forms a spirit to lift them to the height of his ter!" Had Haydon really accomplished his own conception. They sank down and re- boyish dream, had he become what he conmained of the earth, earthy. The materialism ceived himself destined to be- a Raphael, a of his pictures is their worst fault. Michael Angelo, a Titian combined in one, But we must pause in these general criti-"the glory of England and of modern Art," such cisms on Haydon's personality, as man and art- early resolution had been recorded as the proist, to enter upon the subject matter of the phetic self-assertion of conscious greatness, book. So much of its peculiar charm and in- whereas, in contrast with the result, it strikes terest and significance depend on the author's us rather as the conceit and obstinacy of a own peculiar style of narrative, with all its pas- headstrong boy. He began his career at least sionate redundancies, its vigorous colloquial characteristically by purchasing, against his English, its repetitions and contradictions, that, father's will, a copy of " Albinus" (an expenas a matter of justice, we must refer the reader sive anatomical work with superb plates), to the original work if he would have a true and sending it home to his father to be paid picture of the man. Our object for the pres- for; and having obtained all he wanted, and ent is to give such a rapid and condensed view extracted from his parents a reluctant conof Haydon's career as an artist as shall illus- sent, he set off for London, at the age of trate the history of Art during the last forty eighteen, "his head full of Sir Joshua, drawyears, and explain the circumstances which ing, dissection, and High Art." We must do lifted him, during his life, into considerable Haydon the justice to record that on his arrireputation and notoriety. The publication of val in London, a raw youth, without " guide, these memoirs is likely, both at home and philosopher, or friend," he did not fall into abroad, to add to his reputation and enhance dissipation or idleness; he set to work with notoriety into celebrity; not indeed the ce- that mixture of impetuosity and dogged deterlebrity he coveted, which he pertinaciously mination which was in his nature. For three and grandiloquently claimed and anticipated, months he shut himself up, seeing nothing but but a celebrity shadowed by pain, by pity, and his books, his casts, and his drawings. He by a not unmerited reprobation. was once, he says, so long without speaking to a human creature, that "his gums became Benjamin Robert Haydon-HISTORICAL painfully sore from the clenched tightness of PAINTER, as he loved to designate himself- his teeth." Some one who found him was born at Plymouth in the year 1786. His stretched on the floor of his room, and poring father, descended from an old but decayed over his "Albinus," went away with the idea Devonshire family, carried on the business of that he was "quite mad." He had resolved a bookseller in his native town. Young Hay- to be a great painter, to unite in himself all don showed almost in infancy a turn for draw- the excellences which had separately distining and imitation, in which he was assisted by guished the greatest painters of old -"form, one of his father's apprentices, and by an light and shadow, color, expression," Italian bookbinder who was employed in the the end surpass them all! shop, and who "set the boy on fire with talk| After months of intense study, he recolof Italy, Raphael, and the Vatican.' He lected that he had a letter of introduction to owed much also to Dr. Bidlake, the master of Prince Hoare, who in turn introduced him to the grammar school, who, not satisfied, it Northcote and Opie. He describes with seems, with teaching his boys a little Latin much life and humor his reception by both. and less Greek, imparted some smattering of The captious, sardonic, misanthropic insolence such pursuits as he himself delighted in of Northcote "laughing like an imp." The music, drawing, and natural history- took manly, but somewhat saturnine, good sense them out sketching, and seems altogether to and good nature of Opie, and the hatred of have been a most rare and eccentric school-the two men for each other. He received master for those days. When the time came good advice from both, neutralized perhaps by for young Haydon to assist his father in his the fact that the counsel given by the one was business, he threw the whole family into con- in direct opposition to that given by the other. sternation by refusing to serve behind the The elder Smirke also gave him sensible encounter, and declared his resolve to go up to couragement and admonition; "but it is curiLondon and become a painter. In vain his ous," he says, "the power I had of sifting all - and in |