In Hazlitt’s On Going a Journey he describes the pleasures of being alone when traveling; he uses countless allusions to highly respected and praised works. These allusions create for an extremely high register and this contributes to Hazlitt’s somewhat pompous essay on how much he hates other people. Hazlitt contradicts himself several times throughout the essay however the biggest contradiction that he makes is when he says that he needs no literary devices to describe the beauty of his journey because nature can speak for itself, “ No one likes puns, alliterations, antitheses, argument and analysis better then I do; but I sometimes had rather be without them” (Hazlitt 241). This sparked some questions as a reader because I was unaware of how early literary terms were introduced to the world of literature. Unfortunately there is a void in the historical information on the true beginnings of Figurative language, however there is evidence of a first book that covered mostly all of the devices and attempts to discover its origins.
In 1879 a book was published under the name “Figurative language, its Origin and Constitution” by Leo Hartley, this was the first widely recognized book that actually named and defined Literary Devices that was available to the public. Although poets and writers had been using these devices for decades, it wasn’t until this book that someone actually defined and titled each one. Hazlitt’s On Going a Journey was written in 1822, many years before this book was published, so there must have been some introduction of these devices separate of this book and Hazlitt’s as well, whether it be through constant repetition or through a book that has not yet been released to the public. There is still much unknown about the emergence of Literary Terms however it is not unlikely that Hazlitt had a part in securing them among the literary world. If you are interested in reading the book on them there is a link included below.
https://archive.org/embed/figurativelangua00grin
The literary devices used in On Going a Journey serve as contradictions to ironic and paradoxical situations that Hazlitt experiences. Hazlitt’s arrogant diction accompanies his highbrow allusions that only a well-read man of this period could understand. This means his audience was that of the upper class gentry of England, and perhaps this is the reason for his ruthless criticism of the society in which he lives. He makes the point that when he is alone he never has to argue his opinion, “Now I never quarrel with myself, and take all my own conclusions for granted until I find it necessary to defend them against objections”(Hazlitt 242). This is a ridiculous notion because the only way to prove something as true is to test their ability to stand up to the contradictions brought upon them. In my opinion Hazlitt was simply afraid of being wrong, and so he finds comfort in his presumptuous essay on the joys of taking a journey alone.
While solitude is something that more people should strive for, Hazlitt has such an egotistical view of the world the solitude he describes is one that relies heavily upon fear rather then the superiority he claims. The “independent” and seemingly “intelligent” existence that Hazlitt embodies is disillusioned. Although he has many opinions and claims, he shys away from backing them up with his own thoughts and ideas, and instead uses figurative language as a crutch for a intelligent image. Simply because someone is well read does not automatically denote their intelligence, at a first glance this essay seems to reveal some new ideas and concepts however upon closer inspection its just a compilation of exemplary allusions that make up his seemingly unique ideas and notions. He refuses to join the other writers of this time in their pursuit of literary technique and discovery of different methods of criticism because he argues that it ruins the work, “It is beautifully said: but in my opinion, this continual comparing of notes interferes with the involuntary impression of things upon the mind, and hurts the sentiment” (Hazlitt 242). Perhaps he realizes his work would be heavily criticized and therefor strays from the possible censure of his work. Behind his many allusions, alliterations, metaphors and puns lies a man whose prose relies heavily on authors such as Coildierage and Wordsworth to support his claims rather then support them with his own words. In the end Hazlitt is an author that is so frightened of his lack of intelligence that he smothers it in words of the intelligent.
- Serena McCracken
British Romanticism at Georgia State University 