In this era of crushing intellectual conformism, it is always a pleasure to read about figures of the past who were not afraid to be themselves and to express a set of opinions which belonged to them and to nobody else.
I couldn't help but reflect on how much Belloc's lament over the lost English countryside is repeated in E M Forster's Howards' End, where the automobile and its ongoing destructiveness is almost a character in itself, not to mention the predatory capitalism of the Wilcoxes being a major theme in the novel.
Until recently, Id never heard of Hillaire Belloc. Recently, though, I read A Moveable Feast, Hemingway`s novel about the time that he spent living in Paris after WWI. I started writing a review of that book, but I have so much to say about it that Im unlikely to finish it soon. Its really amazing that Hemingway manages to write a book of celebrity gossip which also has so much literary value. Try pulling that feat off. If you dont know what Im talking about, Hemingway literally has a whole chapter about how his friend F. Scott Fitzgerald had a small dick. Im sure that Hemingway wasnt the least inspired by jealousy at the fact that critics liked The Great Gatsby better than anything he ever wrote. But anyway, so long as were talking about anti-semitism, I thought Id bring up Ezra Pound.
Hemingway manages to scorn just about every author he writes about, with the exception of Pound (well, I guess that he does say that he was a lousy boxer, but thats it). He heaps praise on Pound and presents him as almost saint-like. Yet Pound today is remembered as a fascist and anti-semite. Im tempted to go track down some of his controversial writings, to see whether or not he really was a fascist, or whether he was portrayed as one by certain people who objected to his political views (I`m guessing that if you equate Jews and usurers, you could portray anyone strongly opposed to usury as an anti-Semite... Does that make Chris Hedges anti-semitic?)
Curious as always about your perspective... was Ezra Pound really a fascist?
Well, yes... He was even a paid propagandist for the Italian Fascist regime. That is not to deny his talent, but, with the considerable benefit of hindsight, I would say that he made the same mistake as Belloc in embracing Italian Fascism as an authentic alternative to capitalism and state socialism. It was never what he thought it was, what he projected onto it, but merely another cynical recuperation of revolt to reinforce and advance the dominant system.
Ah. I didnt know that. Im not a fan of Ezra Pound or anything... I never penetrated his poetry, honestly... its too thick with obscure literary references for me... but he seems to have been extremely influential prior to WWII... and is arguably one of the greatest literary hype men of all time. Im not making excuses for him, though... Someone with a deep knowledge of literature should have a sense of historical time that should have shielded him from the type to scapegoating that characterized fascism in both Italy and Germany.
In case youre wondering about Belloc`s role in A Moveable Feast, its very much a cameo. Ill quote from a random article I just pulled up:
So there follows an amusing exchange in which Hemingway first asks Ford why he “cut” him (“because a gentleman always cuts a cad” is the reply); and then, leading the older man on, inquires whether a gentleman should always cut a “bounder” as well as a cad (no, “because it would be impossible for a gentleman to have known a bounder”); before finally wondering whether he (Hemingway), despite being American, could also be considered a gentleman.
“Absolutely not,” replies Ford, who then adds, with the magnanimity of an Englishman: “You might be considered a gentleman in Italy.”
Anyway, all this is beside the point. Which is that, in the tale’s denouement, after Ford has departed and Hemingway has been joined by another acquaintance, he sees the man with the cape pass by again and says: “That’s Hilaire Belloc. Ford was here this afternoon and cut him dead.”
Whereupon the friend calls him a “silly ass” and points out that it wasn’t Belloc at all”. “That’s Alestair Crowley, the diabolist. He’s supposed to be the wickedest man in the world.” Crowley was indeed known as the wickedest man in the world, at least to the tabloid press of his native England. He was also a bit of a renaissance figure, being among other things a poet, magician, and mountaineer. But it was for his occultism, and his busy sex life, with both men and women, that he became notorious.
I couldn't help but reflect on how much Belloc's lament over the lost English countryside is repeated in E M Forster's Howards' End, where the automobile and its ongoing destructiveness is almost a character in itself, not to mention the predatory capitalism of the Wilcoxes being a major theme in the novel.
Lovely piece, thank you for this.
Until recently, Id never heard of Hillaire Belloc. Recently, though, I read A Moveable Feast, Hemingway`s novel about the time that he spent living in Paris after WWI. I started writing a review of that book, but I have so much to say about it that Im unlikely to finish it soon. Its really amazing that Hemingway manages to write a book of celebrity gossip which also has so much literary value. Try pulling that feat off. If you dont know what Im talking about, Hemingway literally has a whole chapter about how his friend F. Scott Fitzgerald had a small dick. Im sure that Hemingway wasnt the least inspired by jealousy at the fact that critics liked The Great Gatsby better than anything he ever wrote. But anyway, so long as were talking about anti-semitism, I thought Id bring up Ezra Pound.
Hemingway manages to scorn just about every author he writes about, with the exception of Pound (well, I guess that he does say that he was a lousy boxer, but thats it). He heaps praise on Pound and presents him as almost saint-like. Yet Pound today is remembered as a fascist and anti-semite. Im tempted to go track down some of his controversial writings, to see whether or not he really was a fascist, or whether he was portrayed as one by certain people who objected to his political views (I`m guessing that if you equate Jews and usurers, you could portray anyone strongly opposed to usury as an anti-Semite... Does that make Chris Hedges anti-semitic?)
Curious as always about your perspective... was Ezra Pound really a fascist?
Well, yes... He was even a paid propagandist for the Italian Fascist regime. That is not to deny his talent, but, with the considerable benefit of hindsight, I would say that he made the same mistake as Belloc in embracing Italian Fascism as an authentic alternative to capitalism and state socialism. It was never what he thought it was, what he projected onto it, but merely another cynical recuperation of revolt to reinforce and advance the dominant system.
Ah. I didnt know that. Im not a fan of Ezra Pound or anything... I never penetrated his poetry, honestly... its too thick with obscure literary references for me... but he seems to have been extremely influential prior to WWII... and is arguably one of the greatest literary hype men of all time. Im not making excuses for him, though... Someone with a deep knowledge of literature should have a sense of historical time that should have shielded him from the type to scapegoating that characterized fascism in both Italy and Germany.
In case youre wondering about Belloc`s role in A Moveable Feast, its very much a cameo. Ill quote from a random article I just pulled up:
So there follows an amusing exchange in which Hemingway first asks Ford why he “cut” him (“because a gentleman always cuts a cad” is the reply); and then, leading the older man on, inquires whether a gentleman should always cut a “bounder” as well as a cad (no, “because it would be impossible for a gentleman to have known a bounder”); before finally wondering whether he (Hemingway), despite being American, could also be considered a gentleman.
“Absolutely not,” replies Ford, who then adds, with the magnanimity of an Englishman: “You might be considered a gentleman in Italy.”
Anyway, all this is beside the point. Which is that, in the tale’s denouement, after Ford has departed and Hemingway has been joined by another acquaintance, he sees the man with the cape pass by again and says: “That’s Hilaire Belloc. Ford was here this afternoon and cut him dead.”
Whereupon the friend calls him a “silly ass” and points out that it wasn’t Belloc at all”. “That’s Alestair Crowley, the diabolist. He’s supposed to be the wickedest man in the world.” Crowley was indeed known as the wickedest man in the world, at least to the tabloid press of his native England. He was also a bit of a renaissance figure, being among other things a poet, magician, and mountaineer. But it was for his occultism, and his busy sex life, with both men and women, that he became notorious.
Yes, this confusion between Belloc and Crowley is mentioned in Chris Hare's book, in fact. Their philosophies were very different, in reality.