John Forster

John Forster, by Percy
Hethrington Fitzgerald

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Title: John Forster
Author: Percy Hethrington Fitzgerald
Release Date: June 12, 2007 [EBook #21815]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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JOHN

FORSTER

BY
ONE OF HIS FRIENDS

LONDON
CHAPMAN & HALL LTD.
1903
* * * * *

JOHN FORSTER.
A MAN OF LETTERS OF THE OLD SCHOOL.
One of the most robust, striking, and many-sided characters of his time
was John Forster, a rough, uncompromising personage, who, from
small and obscure beginnings, shouldered his way to the front until he
came to be looked on by all as guide, friend and arbiter. From a
struggling newspaperman he emerged into handsome chambers in
Lincoln's Inn Fields, from thence to a snug house in Montague Square,
ending in a handsome stone mansion which he built for himself at
Palace Gate, Kensington, with its beautiful library-room at the back,
and every luxury of "lettered ease."
If anyone desired to know what Dr. Johnson was like, he could have
found him in Forster. There was the same social intolerance; the same
"dispersion of humbug"; the same loud voice, attuned to a mellifluous
softness on occasion, especially with ladies or persons of rank; the love
of "talk" in which he assumed the lead--and kept it too; and the
contemptuous scorn of what he did not approve. But then all this was

backed by admirable training and full knowledge. He was a deeply read,
cultivated man, a fine critic, and, with all his arrogance, despotism, and
rough "ways," a most interesting, original, delightful person--for those
he liked that is, and whom he had made his own. His very "build" and
appearance was also that of the redoubtable Doctor: so was his loud
and hearty laugh. Woe betide the man on whom he chose to "wipe his
shoes" (Browning's phrase), for he could wipe them with a will. He
would thus roar you down. It was "intol-er-able"--everything was
"in-tol-erable!"--it is difficult to describe the fashion in which he rolled
forth the syllables. Other things were "all Stuff!" "Monstrous!"
"Incredible!" "Don't tell me!" Indeed I, with many, could find a parallel
in the great old Doctor for almost everything he said. Even when there
was a smile at his vehemence, he would unconsciously repeat the
Doctor's autocratic methods.
Forster's life was indeed a striking and encouraging one for those who
believe in the example of "self-made men." His aim was somewhat
different from the worldly types, who set themselves to become
wealthy, or to have lands or mansions. Forster's more moderate
aspiration was to reach to the foremost rank of the literary world: and
he succeeded. He secured for himself an excellent education, never
spared himself for study or work, and never rested till he had built
himself that noble mansion at Kensington, of which I have spoken,
furnished with books, pictures, and rare things. Here he could,
Mæcenas-like, entertain his literary friends of all degrees, with a vast
number of other friends and acquaintances, notable in their walks of
life. It is astonishing what a circle he had gathered round him, and how
intimate he was with all: political men such as Brougham, Guizot,
Gladstone, Forster, Cornwall Lewis (Disraeli he abhorred as much as
his friend of Chelsea did, who once asked me, "What is there new
about our Jew Premier?"): Maclise, Landseer, Frith, and Stanfield, with
dozens of other painters: every writer of the day, almost without
exception, late or early. With these, such as Anthony Trollope, he was
on the friendliest terms, though he did not "grapple them to him with
hooks of steel." With the Bar it was the same: he was intimate with the
brilliant and agreeable Cockburn; with Lord Coleridge (then plain Mr.
Coleridge), who found a knife and a fork laid for him any day that he

chose to drop in, which he did pretty often. The truth was that in any
company his marked personality, both physical and mental; his
magisterial face and loud decided voice, and his reputation of judge and
arbiter, at once impressed and commanded attention. People felt that
they ought to know this personage at once.
It is extraordinary what perseverance and a certain power of will, and
that