How much
truer this is of polemical writing, which is the general character
of reviews! Riemer was quite right in the opinion he gives in his
_Reminiscences of Goethe:[1] An overt enemy_, he says, _an enemy
who meets you face to face, is an honorable man, who will treat you
fairly, and with whom you can come to terms and be reconciled: but an
enemy who conceals himself_ is a base, cowardly scoundrel, _who has
not courage enough to avow his own judgment; it is not his opinion
that he cares about, but only the secret pleasures of wreaking his
anger without being found out or punished._ This will also have been
Goethe's opinion, as he was generally the source from which Riemer
drew his observations. And, indeed, Rousseau's maxim applies to
every line that is printed. Would a man in a mask ever be allowed to
harangue a mob, or speak in any assembly; and that, too, when he was
going to attack others and overwhelm them with abuse?
[Footnote 1: Preface, p. xxix.]
Anonymity is the refuge for all literary and journalistic rascality.
It is a practice which must be completely stopped. Every article, even
in a newspaper, should be accompanied by the name of its author; and
the editor should be made strictly responsible for the accuracy of the
signature.
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