Quote by John Cam Hobhouse
If the reviewing of books be... an ungentle craft, the making of them is, for the most part, a dishonest one -- and that department of literature which ought to be entrusted to those only who are distinguished for their moral qualities is, not infrequently, in the hands of authors totally devoid of good taste, good feeling, and generous sentiment. The writers of Lives have, in our time, assumed a license not enjoyed by their more scrupulous predecessors -- for they interweave the adventures of the living with the memoirs of the dead; and, pretending to portray the peculiarities which sometimes mark the man of genius, they invade the privacy and disturb the peace of his surviving associates.
Summary
This quote emphasizes the unethical practices prevalent in book reviews and the problematic nature of the process of creating books. The author argues that the responsibility of reviewing books should be given only to individuals who possess moral qualities, as the act of reviewing can be unkind. Furthermore, the quote criticizes the current trend among writers of biographies who blend the lives of living individuals with those who have passed away. This invasion of privacy and disruption of peace among the associates of deceased individuals is seen as a consequence of the writers' lack of good taste, good feeling, and generous sentiment.
Topics
Legacy
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