HEZLIT William (Hazlitt William)

(1778-1830)
Born April 10, 1778 in Maidstone (Kent), the family priest and Unitarian. In 1783 Hezlity emigrated to Philadelphia, but soon moved to Boston. In 1787, returning to England, the family settled in Uerne (Shropshire). In 1793-1795, while studying in college, has acquired an excellent knowledge of ancient and modern languages, but 'found detestation' for religious life and the next three years devoted to the study of art and literature. In 1798 Hezlit paid a visit to ST Coleridge, through whom met with U. Vordsvordom. Under their influence, he was awakened interest in literary activities. However, Coleridge and Vordsvord not been impartial in his endeavors, besides they did not approve of political sympathies Hezlita. By 1803 their relationship discord, mainly because of 'excessive' admiration Hezlita Napoleon.
In search of a true vocation Hezlit went to Paris to study painting and 'copy the old masters' in the Louvre. He stayed until the end of days an ardent admirer of fine art, but soon discovered that the main areas of his interests - philosophy and literature. In 1805 appeared Essay on the principles of human action (An Essay on the Principles of Human Action), in which Hezlit consistently defended the 'unity of consciousness', contrary to prevailing opinion about the primacy of sensory perception. Also in the bud contained the aesthetic theory of sympathy, according to which a work of art should be a balance of internal and external perceptions, devoid of 'unusual' and 'unnatural'. Hezlita formative years as a professional writer occur in 1806-1812. In 1812, Officer 'Morning Chronicle' ( 'Morning Chronicle'), he began his career as the most prolific critic of his time: he soon wrote for the magazines 'Champion' ( 'Champion') and 'Ekzeminer' ( 'Examiner'), which was the publisher of J . Lee Hunt. In 1814 Hezlit was printed in the 'Edinburgh Review' ( 'Edinburgh Review').

In 1817 Hezlit published his first great book Roundtable (The Round Table), which immediately caught everyone's attention by a daring, caustic style and broad education author. It includes an essay, first printed in magazines and newspapers. In the same year his book Characters of Shakespeare's plays (Characters of Shakespeare's Plays), once established his fame as the second after Coleridge scholar of Shakespeare. It was followed by in-depth analysis of dramatic works in Lectures on the English Elizabethan drama (Dramatic Literature of the Age of Elizabeth, . 1820) and a subtle study of the novel in Lectures on the English comic writer (Lectures on the English Comic Writers, . 1819), . which, along with lectures on English poets (Lectures on the English Poets, . 1818) have caused serious personal attacks in 'Blekvudz Magazine' ( 'Blackwood's Magazine') and 'Quarterly rivyu' ( 'Quarterly Review'),
. On the eclectic tastes Hezlita can be judged by his most famous book table talk (Table Talk, 1821-1822), where the collected essays on various topics: theater, visual arts, sports, philosophy, travel and literature.

In 1820 Hezlit hopelessly in love with the daughter of his landlord's Sarah Walker. His cruel suffering and deception sweetheart he described in his book Liber Amoris (Latin. - Book of Love, 1823). In 1825 came his best work Zeitgeist (The Spirit of the Age), which contained criticism of Byron, Coleridge, Godwin, Scott, Vordsvorda and Lema.

In recent years Hezlit devoted monumental four-volume work Life of Napoleon Bonaparte (Life of Napoleon Buonaparte). The book is not a success, although he Hezlit considered it his main work.

Hezlit possess diverse knowledge and refined style. Living in an era of political and literary disputes, it is equally easy to use epigram, invective and irony. He is a master of free form essays. Hezlit died in London on September 18, 1830.