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be more erroneous than the notion which some persons have entertained, that Johnson was then a retired author, ignorant of the world; and of consequence, that he wrote only from his imagination, when he described characters and manners. He said to me, that before he wrote that work, he had been "running about the world," as he expressed it, more than almost any body; and I have heard him relate, with much satisfaction, that several of the characters in the Rambler were drawn so naturally, that when it first circulated in numbers, a club in one of the towns in Essex imagined themselves to be severally exhibited in it, and were much incensed against a person who, they suspected, had thus made them objects of public notice; nor were they quieted till authentic assurance was given them, that the Rambler was written by a person who had never heard of any one of them. Some of the characters are believed to have been actually drawn from the life, particularly that of Prospero from Garrick, who never entirely forgave its pointed satire. For instances of fertility of fancy, and accurate description of real life, I appeal to No. 19, a man who wanders from one profession to another, with most plausible reasons for every change: No. 34, female fastidiousness and timorous refinement; No. 82, a Virtuoso who has collected curiosities; No. 88, petty modes of entertaining a company, and conciliating kindness: No. 182, fortune-hunting; No. 194–195, a tutor's account of the follies of his pupil: No. 197-198, legacy-hunting: He has given a specimen of his nice observation of the mere external appearances of life, in the following passage in No. 179, against affectation, that frequent and most disgusting quality: " He that stands to coutemplate the crouds that fill the streets of a populous city, will see many passengers, whose air and motions it will be difficult to behold without comtempt and laughter; but if he examine what are the appearances that thus powerfully excite his risibility, he will find among them neither poverty nor disease, nor any involuntary or painful defect. The disposition to derision and insult, is awakened by the softness of foppery, the swell of insolence, the liveliness of levity, or the solemnity of grandeur; by the sprightly trip, the stately stalk, the formal strut, and the lofty mien ; by gestures intended to catch the eye, and by looks, elaborately formed as evidences of importance."

Every page of the Rambler shews a mind teeming with classical allusion and poetical imagery: illustrations from other writers are, upon all occasions, so ready, and mingle so easily in his periods, that the whole appears of one uniform vivid texture.

The style of this work has been censured by some shallow critics as involved and turgid, and abounding with antiquated and hard words. So ill-founded is the first part of this objection, that I will challenge all who may honour this book with a perusal, to point out any English writer whose language conveys his meaning with equal force and perspicuity. It must, indeed, be allowed, that the structure of his sentences is expanded and often has somewhat of the inversion of Latin; and that he delighted to express familiar thoughts in philosophical language; being in this

the reverse of Socrates, who, it is said, reduced philosophy to the simplicity of common life. But let us attend to what he himself says in his concluding paper: "When common words were less pleasing to the ear, or less distinct in their signification, I have familiarised the terms of philosophy, by applying them to popular ideas."* And, as to the second part of this objection, upon a late careful revision of the work, I can with confidence say, that it is amazing how few of those words, for which it has been unjustly characterised, are actually to be found in it; I am sure not the proportion of one to each paper. This idle charge has been echoed from one babbler to another, who have confounded Johnson's Essays with Johnson's Dictionary; and because he thought it right in a Lexicon of our language to collect many words which had fallen into disuse, but were supported by great authorities, it has been imagined that all of these have been interwoven into his own compositions. That some of them have been adopted by him unnecessarily, may, perhaps, be allowed; but in general they are evidently an advantage, for without them his stately ideas would be cramped. "He that thinks with more extent than another, will want words of larger meaning." He once told me, that he had formed his style upon that of Sir William Temple, and upon Chamber's Proposal for his Dictionary. He certainly was mistaken; or if he imagined at first that he was imitating Temple, he was very unsuccessful; for nothing can be more unlike than the simplicity of Temple, and the richness of Johnson. Their styles differ as plain cloth and brocade. Temple, indeed, seems equally erroneous in supposing that he himself had formed his style upon Sandys's View of the State of Religion in the Western parts of the World.

The style of Johnson was, undoubtedly much formed upon that of the great writers in the last century, Hooker, Bacon, Sanderson, Hakewell, and others ; those " GranTs," as they were well characterised by A GREAT PERSONAGE, whose authority, were I to name him, would stamp a reverence on the opinion.

We may, with the utmost propriety, apply to his learned style that passage of Horace, a part of which he has taken as the motto to his Dictionary;

"Cum tabulis animum censoris sumet honesti :
"Audebit quæcumque parùm splendoris habebunt
"Et sine pondere erunt, et honore indigna ferentur,
"Verba movere loco, quamvis invita recedant,
"Et versentur adhuc intra penetralia Vestæ.

“ Obscurata diu populo bonus eruet, atque

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Proferet in lucem speciosa vocabula rerum,

"Quæ priscis memorata Catonibus atque Cethegis,
"Nunc situs informis premit et deserta vetustas:
"Adsciscet nora, quæ genitor produxerit usus;
"Vehemens, et liquidus, puroque simillimus amni,
"Fundet opes Latiumque beabit divite linguâ.”

Yet his style did not escape the harmless shafts of pleasant humour; for the ingenious Bonnell Thornton published a mock Rambler in the Drury-lane Journal.

To so great a master of thinking, to one of such vast and various knowledge as Johnson, might have been allowed a liberal indulgence of that licence which Horace claims in another place:

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Virgilio Varioque? Ego cur, acquirere pauca
"Si possum, invideor; cam lingua Catonis et Enni
"Sermonem patrium ditaverit, et nova rerum
"Nomina protulerit? Licuit, semperque licebit

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Signatum præsente notâ producere nomen.”

Yet Johnson assured me, that he had not taken upon him to add more than four or five words to the English language, of his own formation; and he was very much offended at the general licence by no means "modestly taken" in his time, not only to coin new words, but to use many words in senses quite different from their established meaning, and those frequently very fantastical.

Sir Thomas Brown, whose Life Johnson wrote, was remarkably fond of Anglo-Latin diction; and to his example we are to ascribe Johnson's sometimes indulging himself in this kind of phraseology.* Johnson's comprehension of mind was the mould for his language. Had his conception been narrower, his expression would have been easier. His sentences have a dignified march; and, it is certain, that his example has given a general elevation to the language of his country, for many of our best writers have approached very near to him; and, from the influence which he has had upon our composition, scarcely any thing is written now that is not better expressed than was usual before he appeared to lead the national taste.

This circumstance, the truth of which must strike every critical reader, has been so happily enforced by Mr. Courtenay, in his " Moral and Literary Character of Dr. Johnson," that I cannot prevail on myself to withhold it, notwithstanding his, perhaps, too great partiality for one of his friends:

"By nature's gifts ordain'd mankind to rule,
"He, like a Titian, form'd his brilliant school;
"And taught congenial spirits to excel,
“While from his lips impressive wisdom fell.

"Our boasted GOLDSMITH felt the sovereign sway;

"From him deriv'd the sweet, yet nervous lay.

The observation of his having imitated Sir Thomas Brown has been made by many people; and lately it has been insisted on, and illustrated by a variety of quotations from Brown, in one of the popular Essays written by the Reverend Mr. Knox, master of Tunbridge-school, whom I have set down in my list of those who have sometimes not unsuccessfully imitated Dr. Johnson's style.

"To Fame's proud cliff he bade our Raffaelle rise;
"Hence REYNOLDS' pen with REYNOLDS' pencil vies.
"With Johnson's flame melodious BURNEY glows,
"While the grand strain in smoother cadence flows.
"And you, MALONE, to critick learning dear,
"Correct and elegant, refin'd though clear,
"By studying him, acquir'd that classick taste,
"Which high in Shakspeare's fane thy statue plac'd.
"Near Johnson STEEVENS Stands, on scenick ground,
Acute, laborious, fertile, and profound.

“Ingenious HAWKESWORTH to this school we owe,
"And scarce the pupil from the tutor know.
"Here early parts accomplish'd JONES sublimes,
"And science blends with Asia's lofty rhymes:
"Harmonious JONES! who in his splendid strains
"Sings Camdeo's sports, on Agra's flowery plains,
"In Hindu fictions while we fondly trace
"Love and the Muses, deck'd with Attick grace.
"Amid these names can BoswELL be forgot,
"Scarce by North Britons now esteem'd a Scot?
"Who to the sage devoted from his youth,
"Imbib'd from him the sacred love of truth;
"The keen research, the exercise of mind,
"And that best art, the art to know mankind.-
"Nor was his energy confin'd alone
"To friends around his philosophick throne;
"Its influence wide improv'd our letter'd isle.
“And lucid vigour mark'd the general style:
"As Nile's proud waves, swoln from their oozy bed,
"First o'er the neighbouring meads majestick spread:
"Till gathering force, they more and more expand,
"And with new virtue fertilise the land."

Johnson's language, however, must be allowed to be too masculine for the delicate gentleness of female writing. His ladies, therefore, seem strangely formal, even to ridicule; and are well denominated by the names which he has given them, as Misella, Zozima, Properantia, Rhodoclia.

It has of late been the fashion to compare the style of Addison and Johnson, and to depreciate, I think, very unjustly, the style of Addison as nerveless and feeble, because it has not the strength and energy of Johnson. Their prose may be balanced like the poetry of Dryden and Pope. Both are excellent, though in different ways. Addison writes with the ease of a gentleman. His readers fancy that a wise and accomplished companion is talking to them; so that he insinuates his sentiments and taste into their minds by an imperceptible influence. Johnson writes like a teacher. He dictates to his readers as if from an academical chair. They attend with awe and admiration; and his precepts are impressed upon them by his commanding eloquence. Addison's style, like a light' . No. 2.

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wine, pleases every body from the first. Johnson's like a liquor of more body, seems too strong at first, but by degrees, is highly relished; and such is the melody of his periods, so much do they captivate the ear, and seize upon the attention, that there is scarcely any writer, however inconsiderable, who does not aim, in some degree, at the same species of excellence. But let us not ungratefully undervalue that beautiful style, which has pleasingly conveyed to us much instruction and entertainment. Though comparatively weak, opposed to Johnson's Herculean vigour, let us not call it positively feeble. Let us remember the character of his style, as given by Johnson himself: "What he attempted, he performed; he is never feeble, and he did not wish to be energetic; he is never rapid, and he never stagnates. His sentences have neither studied amplitude, nor affected brevity: his periods, though not diligently rounded, are voluble and easy. Whoever wishes to attain an English style, familiar but not coarse, and elegant but not ostentatious, must give his days and nights to the volumes of Addison."

Though the Rambler was not concluded till the year 1752, I shall, under this year, say all that I have to observe upon it. Some of the translations of the mottos by himself, are admirably done. He acknowledges to have received "elegant translations" of many of them.from Mr. James Elphinston; and some are very happily translated by a Mr. F. Lewis, of whom I never heard more, except that Johnson thus described him to Mr. Malone: "Sir, he lived in London, and hung loose upon society." The concluding paper of his Rambler is at once dignified and pathetic. I cannot, however, but wish, that he had not ended it with an unnecessary Greek verse, translated also into an English couplet. It is too much like the conceit of those dramatic poets, who used to conclude each act with rhyme; and the expression in the first line of his couplet, "Celestial powers," though proper in Pagan poetry, is ill suited to Christianity, with "a conformity" to which he consoles himself. How much better would it have been, to have ended with the prose sentence " I shall never envy the honours which wit and learning obtain in any other cause, it I can be numbered among the writers who have given ardour to virtue, and confidence to truth."

His friend, Dr. Birch, being now engaged in preparing an edition of Ralegh's smaller pieces, Dr. Johnson wrote the following letter to that gentleman:

“SIR,

"To DR. BIRCH.

"Gough-square, May 12, 1750, "KNOWING that you are now preparing to favour the public with a new edition of Ralegh's miscellaneous pieces, I have taken the liberty to send you a Manuscript, which fell by chance within my notice. I perceive no proofs of forgery in my examination of it; and the owner tells ine, that as he has heard, the hand-writing is Sir Walter's. If you should find reason to conclude it genuine, it will be a kindness to the owner, a blind person, to recommend it to the booksellers. "I am, Sir, "Your most humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON."

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