He
was warmed up into giving a sketch of his boyhood. It was
an eloquent narrative, and is ineffaceably impressed on my
memory, with every look and gesture of the speaker. What gave
chief charm to this history was its fearless ingenuousness. It
was delightful to note the impression produced by his magnetic
genius and independent character.
'In the evening we had a long conversation upon Woman,
Whigism, modern English Poets, Shakspeare,--and, in
particular, Richard the Third,--about which we had actually
a fight. Mr. Neal does not argue quite fairly, for he uses
reason while it lasts, and then helps himself out with wit,
sentiment and assertion. I should quarrel with his definitions
upon almost every subject, but his fervid eloquence,
brilliancy, endless resource, and ready tact, give him great
advantage. There was a sort of exaggeration and coxcombry in
his talk; but his lion-heart, and keen sense of the ludicrous,
alike in himself as in others, redeem them. I should not like
to have my motives scrutinized as he would scrutinize them,
for I prefer rather to disclose them myself than to be found
out; but I was dissatisfied in parting from this remarkable
man before having seen him more thoroughly.
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