Explore "The Services of Mr. Ricardo to the Science of Political Economy, Briefly and Plainly Stated" by Thomas de Quincey on Textopian.
(_March, 1824._)
I do not remember that any public event of our own times has touched me so nearly, or so much with the feelings belonging to a private affliction, as the death of Mr. Ricardo. To me in some sense it _was_ a private affliction -- and no doubt to all others who knew and honoured his extraordinary talents. For great intellectual merit, wherever it has been steadily contemplated, cannot but conciliate some personal regard: and for my own part I acknowledge that, abstracting altogether from the use to which a man of splendid endowments may apply them -- or even supposing the case that he should deliberately apply them to a bad one, I could no more on that account withhold my good wishes and affection from his person -- than, under any consideration of their terrific attributes, I could forbear to admire the power and the beauty of the serpent or the panther. Simply on its own account, and without further question, a great intellect challenges, as of right, not merely an interest of admiration -- in common with all other exhibitions of power and magnificence -- but also an interest of human love, and (where that is necessary) a spirit of tenderness to its aberrations. Mr. Ricardo however stood in no need of a partial or indulgent privilege: his privilege of intellect had a comprehensive sanction from all the purposes to which he applied it in the course of his public life: in or out of parliament, as a senator -- or as an author, he was known and honoured as a public benefactor.[31]