Fortnightly Flotsam: T.S. Eliot, G.K. Chesterton, M. Carlsen, M. Harrington . . . and Student Loans

T.S. Eliot

T.S. Eliot was one of those writers who dominated his age. Russell Kirk said Eliot was to the early 20th century what Samuel Johnson was to the 18th century . . . or what Homer was to his age. Of course, when people determined he was Tory conservative, like Samuel Johnson (Satan was the first Whig), the knives came out: anti-Semitism, rough marriage, etc.

But I guess the new definitive biography about him is kinder and balanced. The Wall Street Journal has a review-essay here, which provides this memorable quote from (the not-so Toryish-conservative) Virginia Woolf, who said Eliot was, “a religious soul: an unhappy man, a lonely very sensitive man, all wrapt up in fibres of self torture, doubt, conceit, desire for warmth & intimacy. And I’m very fond of him — like him in some of my reserves & subterfuges.” She also wrote to her sister: “Tom Eliot, whom I love, or could have loved, had we both been in the prime and not in the sere; how necessary do you think copulation is to friendship?” High praise indeed.

G.K. Chesterton

G.K. Chesterton was a leading character, and a surprisingly true-to-life one, in DC’s award-winning comic book, The Sandman, numbers 10 through 16…