The students speculate on why he is leaving, but do not much care since despite being academically brilliant, he is generally despised as being strict, stern and humourless.
en.wikipedia.org He dreaded the brutality and ignorance of the mob as much as he despised the avarice and ennui of the upper class.
en.wikipedia.org He despised the upscale journalism of the daythe seriousness of tone, the phlegmatic dignity, the party affiliations, the sense of responsibility.
en.wikipedia.org He had a writer's interest in the occult, notably mesmerism, but despised fraud and believed in the superiority of the scientific method over superstition.
en.wikipedia.org A very un-ostentatious man, who despised flatterers and time-servers, throughout his life he repeatedly refused titles and honours, though his influence behind the scenes was immense.
en.wikipedia.org