Chesterton was a journalist: he wrote several essays that were later bundled in, for example, 'The defendant', or 'Twelve types'. This last book can be described as a collection of 'mini-biographies', but actually the essays discuss some general concepts, with a certain person as starting point.
One of Chesterton's favorite topics seems to be pessimism. This is discussed in the essay about Byron. The related topics about 'satire' and about 'comedies' have Pope and Rostand as focal points.
The essay about Francis of Assisi discusses ascetism; I am curious to read the book Chesterton wrote later in life about Francis. King Charles II is discussed in the context of Puritanism versus Restoration. The essay about Stevenson is actually about Stevenson, and about the misunderstandings around this writer. According to Chesterton Stevenson had not only 'the first qualification of a great man: that of being misunderstood by his opponents', but also 'the other essential qualification, that of being misunderstood by his admirers'. Because of the variety in his writings, no-one has really valued the complete and complex works of this author.
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