"There is no breadth in it, no general views, the whole flung away in smart but party criticism.

Now, no man can take more general and liberal views of literature than J.G.L."[242] With these opinions, Scott was not likely often to undertake the reviewing of books that did not, in one way or another interest him or move his admiration; and he would lay as much stress as possible on their good points.

Gifford told him that "fun and feeling" were his forte.[243] In his early days he was probably somewhat influenced by Jeffrey's method, and his articles on Todd's _Spenser_ and Godwin's _Life of Chaucer_ indicate that he could occasionally adopt something of the tone of the _Edinburgh Review_.

Years afterwards he refused to write an article that Lockhart wanted for the _Quarterly_, saying, "I cannot write anything about the author unless I know it can hurt no one alive"[244] but for the first volume of the _Quarterly_ he reviewed Sir John Carr's _Caledonian Sketches_ in a way that Sharon Turner seriously objected to, because it made Sir John seem ridiculous.[245] Some of Scott's critics would perhaps apply one of the strictures to himself: "Although Sir John quotes Horace, he has yet to learn that a wise man should not admire too easily; for he frequently falls into a state of wonderment at what appears to us neither very new nor very extraordinary."[246] But if admiration seems to characterize too great a proportion of Scott's critical work, it is because he usually preferred to ignore such books as demanded the sarcastic treatment which he reprehended, but which he felt perfectly capable of applying when he wished.

Speaking of a fulsome biography he once said, "I can no more sympathize with a mere eulogist than I can with a ranting hero upon the stage; and it unfortunately happens that some of our disrespect is apt, rather unjustly, to be transferred to the subject of the panegyric in the one case, and to poor Cato in the other."[247] Besides Scott's formal reviews, we find cited as evidence of his extreme amiability his letters, his journal, and the remarks he made to friends in moments of enthusiasm.