Fame, Reputation, and Public Opinion

Where it surfaces

• Character of Cobbett

  Cobbett is portrayed as a 'fourth estate' whose reputation as a powerful political writer is both celebrated and critiqued; his inconsistency and bullying nature affect his public standing.

• On People with One Idea

  The chapter discusses the gap between genuine intellectual achievement and public acclaim, highlighting the slow and often unfair process of gaining reputation.

• The Indian Jugglers

  Hazlitt argues that true greatness is measured by lasting impact on history, not by popularity or temporary notoriety.

• On Living to One’s-Self

  Hazlitt excoriates the public as envious, ungrateful, and fickle, arguing that seeking their applause leads to misery and loss of self.

• On Thought and Action

  Discusses how reputation and public opinion affect the success of practical men versus thinkers, and the role of custom in business.

• On Will-Making

  The desire for posthumous fame and control over one's legacy is a central theme, as seen in conditional bequests and name changes.

• On Paradox and Commonplace

  Hazlitt critiques poets and reformers who seek notoriety through shocking opinions rather than genuine contribution to public good.

• On Milton's Sonnets

  Hazlitt contrasts Milton's steadfastness with modern writers who 'chant and chime in with triumphs over their own views,' emphasizing Milton's indifference to shifting public opinion.

• On Coffeehouse Politicians

  Hazlitt explores the ephemeral nature of fame, contrasting the lasting genius of Elizabethan writers with the short-lived popularity of contemporary figures like Gray and Byron.

• On the Aristocracy of Letters

  The chapter explores how reputation is manufactured through pretension and social standing rather than actual achievement, and how the public colludes in this deception.

• On Criticism

  Hazlitt discusses how critics can destroy an author's reputation through malicious reviews, and how public opinion is swayed by dogmatic assertions.

• On Great and Little Things

  The chapter discusses poets' vanity and the desire for recognition, as well as the social dynamics of class and pretension in love and marriage.

• On Familiar Style

  Hazlitt discusses how writers' reputations are affected by their style, and how public opinion may be swayed by superficial grandeur rather than substance.

• On Effeminacy of Character

  Examines how writers' anxiety about public opinion leads to insipid, unoriginal work and a lack of masculine energy.

• Whether Actors Ought to Sit in the Boxes?

  Hazlitt discusses how actors' public visibility affects their reputation and the audience's perception, arguing that too much exposure breeds contempt.

• On the Disadvantages of Intellectual Superiority

  Discussed in terms of how intellectual superiority often leads to unpopularity and failure in the public eye.

• On Patronage and Puffing

  Hazlitt dissects how reputation is artificially constructed through puffing, patronage, and sycophancy, rather than genuine merit.

• On the Fear of Death

  Hazlitt discusses how quickly the rich and powerful are forgotten after death, and how posterity only remembers those who conferred benefit.

• Endnotes

  Anecdotes about King George III's opinion of Claremont and the public reception of actors illustrate themes of reputation.