Creator[107]?" To this question, said Dr. Johnson, I could have replied,that--in the first place--the idea of a CREATOR must be such as that hehas a power to unmake or annihilate his creature.''Then it cannot be conceived that a creature can make laws for itsCREATOR[108].''Depend upon it, said he, that if a man _talks_ of his misfortunes,there is something in them that is not disagreeable to him; for wherethere is nothing but pure misery, there never is any recourse to themention of it[109].''A man must be a poor beast that should _read_ no more in quantity thanhe could _utter_ aloud.''Imlac in _Rasselas_, I spelt with a _c_ at the end, because it is lesslike English, which should always have the Saxon _k_ added to the_c_[110].''Many a man is mad in certain instances, and goes through life withouthaving it perceived[111]: for example, a madness has seized a person ofsupposing himself obliged literally to pray continually[112]--had themadness turned the opposite way and the person thought it a crime everto pray, it might not improbably have continued unobserved.''He apprehended that the delineation of _characters_ in the end of thefirst Book of the _Retreat of the Ten Thousand_ was the first instanceof the kind that was known.''Supposing (said he) a wife to be of a studious or argumentative turn,it would be very troublesome[113]: for instance,--if a woman shouldcontinually dwell upon the subject of the Arian heresy.''No man speaks concerning another, even suppose it be in his praise, ifhe thinks he does not hear him, exactly as he would, if he thought hewas within hearing.''The applause of a single human being is of great consequence[114]: Thishe said to me with great earnestness of manner, very near the time ofhis decease, on occasion of having desired me to read a letter addressedto him from some person in the North of England; which when I had done,and he asked me what the contents were, as I thought being particularupon it might fatigue him, it being of great length, I only told him ingeneral that it was highly in his praise;--and then he expressed himselfas above.''He mentioned with an air of satisfaction what Baretti had told him;that, meeting, in the course of his studying English, with an excellentpaper in the _Spectator_, one of four[115] that were written by therespectable Dissenting Minister, Mr. Grove of Taunton, and observing thegenius and energy of mind that it exhibits, it greatly quickened hiscuriosity to visit our country; as he thought if such were the lighterperiodical essays of our authours, their productions on more weightyoccasions must be wonderful indeed!''He observed once, at Sir Joshua Reynolds's, that a beggar in the streetwill more readily ask alms from a _man_, though there should be no marksof wealth in his appearance, than from even a well-dressed woman[116];which he accounted for from the greater degree of carefulness as tomoney that is to be found in women; saying farther upon it, that theopportunities in general that they possess of improving their conditionare much fewer than men have; and adding, as he looked round thecompany, which consisted of men only,--there is not one of us who doesnot think he might be richer if he would use his endeavour.''He thus characterised an ingenious writer of his acquaintance: "Sir, heis an enthusiast by rule[117]."''_He may hold up that SHIELD against all his enemies_;'--was anobservation on Homer, in reference to his description of the shield ofAchilles, made by Mrs. Fitzherbert, wife to his friend Mr. Fitzherbertof Derbyshire, and respected by Dr. Johnson as a very fine one[118]. Hehad in general a very high opinion of that lady's understanding.''An observation of Bathurst's may be mentioned, which Johnson repeated,appearing to acknowledge it to be well founded, namely, it was somewhatremarkable how seldom, on occasion of coming into the company of any newperson, one felt any wish or inclination to see him again[119].'This year the Reverend Dr. Franklin[120] having published a translationof _Lucian_, inscribed to him the _Demonax_ thus:--'To DR. SAMUEL JOHNSON, the Demonax of the present age, this piece isinscribed by a sincere admirer of his respectable[121] talents,'THE TRANSLATOR.'Though upon a particular comparison of Demonax and Johnson, there doesnot seem to be a great deal of similarity between them, this Dedicationis a just compliment from the general character given by Lucian of theancient Sage, '[Greek: ariston on oida ego philosophon genomenon], thebest philosopher whom I have ever seen or known.'1781: AETAT. 72.--In 1781 Johnson at last completed his _Lives of thePoets_, of which he gives this account: 'Some time in March I finishedthe _Lives of the Poets_, which I wrote in my usual way, dilatorily andhastily, unwilling to work, and working with vigour and haste[122].' Ina memorandum previous to this, he says of them: 'Written, I hope, insuch a manner as may tend to the promotion of piety[123].'This is the work which of all Dr. Johnson's writings will perhaps beread most generally, and with most pleasure. Philology andbiography[124] were his favourite pursuits, and those who lived most inintimacy with him, heard him upon all occasions, when there was a properopportunity, take delight in expatiating upon the various merits of theEnglish Poets: upon the niceties of their characters, and the events oftheir progress through the world which they contributed to illuminate.His mind was so full of that kind of information, and it was so wellarranged in his memory, that in performing what he had undertaken inthis way, he had little more to do than to put his thoughts upon paper,exhibiting first each Poet's life, and then subjoining a criticalexamination of his genius and works. But when he began to write, thesubject swelled in such a manner, that instead of prefaces to each poet,of no more than a few pages, as he had originally intended[125], heproduced an ample, rich, and most entertaining view of them in everyrespect. In this he resembled Quintilian, who tells us, that in thecomposition of his _Institutions of Oratory[126], Latius se tamenaperiente materia, plus quam imponebatur oneris sponte suscepi._ Thebooksellers, justly sensible of the great additional value of thecopy-right, presented him with another hundred pounds, over and abovetwo hundred, for which his agreement was to furnish such prefaces as hethought fit[127].This was, however, but a small recompense for such a collection ofbiography, and such principles and illustrations of criticism, as, ifdigested and arranged in one system, by some modern Aristotle orLonginus, might form a code upon that subject, such as no other nationcan shew. As he was so good as to make me a present of the greatest partof the original and indeed only[128] manuscript of this admirable work,I have an opportunity of observing with wonder, the correctness withwhich he rapidly struck off such glowing composition. He may beassimilated to the Lady in Waller, who could impress with 'Love atfirst sight:''Some other nymphs with colours faint,And pencil slow may Cupid paint,And a weak heart in time destroy;She has a stamp, and prints the boy[129].'That he, however, had a good deal of trouble, and some anxiety incarrying on the work[130], we see from a series of letters to Mr.Nichols the printer[131], whose variety of literary inquiry andobliging disposition, rendered him useful to Johnson. Mr. Steevensappears, from the papers in my possession, to have supplied him withsome anecdotes and quotations; and I observe the fair hand of Mrs.Thrale as one of his copyists of select passages. But he was principallyindebted to my steady friend Mr. Isaac Reed, of Staple-inn, whoseextensive and accurate knowledge of English literary history I do notexpress with exaggeration, when I say it is wonderful; indeed hislabours[132] have proved it to the world; and all who have the pleasureof his acquaintance can bear testimony to the frankness of hiscommunications in private society.It is not my intention to dwell upon each of Johnson's _Lives of thePoets_, or attempt an analysis of their merits, which, were I able todo it, would take up too much room in this work; yet I shall make a fewobservations upon some of them, and insert a few various readings.The Life of COWLEY he himself considered as the best of the whole, onaccount of the dissertation which it contains on the _MetaphysicalPoets_. Dryden, whose critical abilities were equal to his poetical, hadmentioned them in his excellent Dedication of his Juvenal, but hadbarely mentioned them[133]. Johnson has exhibited them at large, withsuch happy illustration from their writings, and in so luminous amanner, that indeed he may be allowed the full merit of novelty, and tohave discovered to us, as it were, a new planet in the poeticalhemisphere[134].It is remarked by Johnson, in considering the works of a poet[135], that'amendments are seldom made without some token of a rent;' but I do notfind that this is applicable to prose[136]. We shall see that though hisamendments in this work are for the better, there is nothing of the_pannus assutus_[137]; the texture is uniform: and indeed, what had beenthere at first, is very seldom unfit to have remained._Various Readings[138] in the Life of COWLEY._'All [future votaries of] _that may hereafter pant for_ solitude.'To conceive and execute the [agitation or perception] _pains and thepleasures_ of other minds.'The wide effulgence of [the blazing] a _summer_ noon.'In the Life of WALLER, Johnson gives a distinct and animated narrativeof publick affairs in that variegated period, with strong yet nicetouches of character; and having a fair opportunity to display hispolitical principles, does it with an unqualified manly confidence, andsatisfies his readers how nobly he might have executed a _Tory History_of his country.So easy is his style in these Lives, that I do not recollect more thanthree uncommon or learned words[139]; one, when giving an account of theapproach of Waller's mortal disease, he says, 'he found his legs grow_tumid_;' by using the expression his legs _swelled_, he would haveavoided this; and there would have been no impropriety in its beingfollowed by the interesting question to his physician, 'What that_swelling_ meant?' Another, when he mentions that Pope had _emitted_proposals; when _published_ or _issued_ would have been more readilyunderstood; and a third, when he calls Orrery and Dr. Delany[140],writers both undoubtedly _veracious_[141], when _true, honest_, or_faithful_, might have been used. Yet, it must be owned, that none ofthese are _hard_ or _too big_ words; that custom would make them seem aseasy as any others; and that a language is richer and capable of morebeauty of expression, by having a greater variety of synonimes.His dissertation[142] upon the unfitness of poetry for the awefulsubjects of our holy religion, though I do not entirely agree with withhim, has all the merit of originality, with uncommon force andreasoning._Various Readings in the Life of_ WALLER.'Consented to [the insertion of their names] _their own nomination_.'[After] _paying_ a fine of ten thousand pounds.'Congratulating Charles the Second on his [coronation] _recoveredright_.'He that has flattery ready for all whom the vicissitudes of the worldhappen to exalt, must be [confessed to degrade his powers] _scorned as aprostituted mind_.'The characters by which Waller intended to distinguish his writings are[elegance] _sprightliness_ and dignity.'Blossoms to be valued only as they [fetch] _foretell_ fruits.'Images such as the superficies of nature [easily] _readily_ supplies.'[His] Some applications [are sometimes] _may be thought_ too remote andunconsequential.'His images are [sometimes confused] _not always distinct_?Against his Life of MILTON, the hounds of Whiggism have opened in fullcry[143]. But of Milton's great excellence as a poet, where shall wefind such a blazon as by the hand of Johnson? I shall select only thefollowing passage concerning _Paradise Lost_[144]:'Fancy can hardly forbear to conjecture with what temper Milton surveyedthe silent progress of his work, and marked his reputation stealing itsway in a kind of subterraneous current, through fear and silence. Icannot but conceive him calm and confident, little disappointed, not atall dejected, relying on his own merit with steady consciousness, andwaiting without impatience the vicissitudes of opinion, and theimpartiality of a future generation[145].'Indeed even Dr. Towers, who may be considered as one of the warmestzealots of _The Revolution Society_[146] itself, allows, that 'Johnsonhas spoken in the highest terms of the abilities of that great poet, andhas bestowed on his principal poetical compositions the most honourableencomiums[147].'That a man, who venerated the Church and Monarchy as Johnson did, shouldspeak with a just abhorrence of Milton as a politician, or rather as adaring foe to good polity, was surely to be expected; and to those whocensure him, I would recommend his commentary on Milton's celebratedcomplaint of his situation, when by the lenity of Charles the Second, 'alenity of which (as Johnson well observes) the world has had perhaps noother example, he, who had written in justification of the murder of hisSovereign, was safe under an Act of Oblivion[148].''No sooner is he safe than he finds himself in danger, _fallen on evildays and evil tongues_, [and] _with darkness and with danger compassedround_[149]. This darkness, had his eyes been better employed, hadundoubtedly deserved compassion; but to add the mention of danger, wasungrateful and unjust. He was fallen, indeed, on _evil days_; the timewas come in which regicides could no longer boast their wickedness. Butof _evil tongues_ for Milton to complain, required impudence at leastequal to his other powers; Milton, whose warmest advocates must allow,that he never spared any asperity of reproach, or brutality ofinsolence[150].'I have, indeed, often wondered how Milton, 'an acrimonious and surlyRepublican[151],'--'a man who in his domestick relations was so severeand arbitrary[152],' and whose head was filled with the hardest and mostdismal tenets of Calvinism[153], should have been such a poet; shouldnot only have written with sublimity, but with beauty, and even gaiety;should have exquisitely painted the sweetest sensations of which ournature is capable; imaged the delicate raptures of connubial love; nay,seemed to be animated with all the spirit of revelry. It is a proof thatin the human mind the departments of judgement and imagination,perception and temper, may sometimes be divided by strong partitions;and that the light and shade in the same character may be kept sodistinct as never to be blended[154].In the Life of Milton, Johnson took occasion to maintain his own and thegeneral opinion of the excellence of rhyme over blank verse, in Englishpoetry[155]; and quotes this apposite illustration of it by 'aningenious critick,' that _it seems to be verse only to the eye_[156].The gentleman whom he thus characterises, is (as he told Mr. Seward) Mr.Lock[157], of Norbury Park, in Surrey, whose knowledge and taste in thefine arts is universally celebrated; with whose elegance of manners thewriter of the present work has felt himself much impressed, and to whosevirtues a common friend, who has known him long, and is not muchaddicted to flattery, gives the highest testimony._Various Readings in the Life of_ MILTON.'I cannot find any meaning but this which [his most bigotted advocates]_even kindness and reverence_ can give.'[Perhaps no] _scarcely any_ man ever wrote so much, and praised so few.'A certain [rescue] _perservative_ from oblivion.'Let me not be censured for this digression, as [contracted] _pedantick_or paradoxical.'Socrates rather was of opinion, that what we had to learn was how to[obtain and communicate happiness] _do good and avoid evil_.'Its elegance [who can exhibit?] _is less attainable._'I could, with pleasure, expatiate upon the masterly execution of theLife of DRYDEN, which we have seen[158] was one of Johnson's literaryprojects at an early period, and which it is remarkable, that afterdesisting from it, from a supposed scantiness of materials, he should,at an advanced age, have exhibited so amply.His defence[159] of that great poet against the illiberal attacks uponhim, as if his embracing the Roman Catholick communion had been atime-serving measure, is a piece of reasoning at once able and candid.Indeed, Dryden himself, in his _Hind and Panther_, has given such apicture of his mind, that they who know the anxiety for repose as to theaweful subject of our state beyond the grave, though they may think hisopinion ill-founded, must think charitably of his sentiment:--'But, gracious GOD, how well dost thou provideFor erring judgements an unerring guide!Thy throne is darkness in the abyss of light,A blaze of glory that forbids the sight.O! teach me to believe thee thus conceal'd,And search no farther than thyself reveal'd;But Her alone for my director take,Whom thou hast promis'd never to forsake.My thoughtless youth was wing'd with vain desires;My manhood long misled by wand'ring fires,Follow'd false lights; and when their glimpse was gone,My pride struck out new sparkles of her own.Such was I, such by Nature still I am;Be thine the glory, and be mine the shame.Good life be now my task: my doubts are done;What more could shock[160] my faith than Three in One?'In drawing Dryden's character, Johnson has given, though I supposeunintentionally, some touches of his own. Thus:--'The power thatpredominated in his intellectual operations was rather strong reasonthan quick sensibility. Upon all occasions that were presented, hestudied rather than felt; and produced sentiments not such as Natureenforces, but meditation supplies. With the simple and elementalpassions as they spring separate in the mind, he seems not muchacquainted. He is, therefore, with all his variety of excellence, notoften pathetick; and had so little sensibility of the power of effusionspurely natural, that he did not esteem them in others[161].' It mayindeed be observed, that in all the numerous writings of Johnson,whether in prose or verse, and even in his Tragedy, of which the subjectis the distress of an unfortunate Princess, there is not a singlepassage that ever drew a tear[162]._Various Readings in the Life of_ DRYDEN.'The reason of this general perusal, Addison has attempted to [find in]_derive from_ the delight which the mind feels in the investigationof secrets.'His best actions are but [convenient] _inability of_ wickedness.'When once he had engaged himself in disputation, [matter] _thoughts_flowed in on either side.'The abyss of an un-ideal [emptiness] _vacancy_.'These, like [many other harlots,] _the harlots of other men_, had hislove though not his approbation.'He [sometimes displays] _descends to display_ his knowledge withpedantick ostentation.'French words which [were then used in] _had then crept into_conversation.'The Life of POPE[163] was written by Johnson _con amore_, both from theearly possession which that writer had taken of his mind, and from thepleasure which he must have felt, in for ever silencing all attempts tolessen his poetical fame, by demonstrating his excellence, andpronouncing the following triumphant eulogium[164]:--'After all this, itis surely superfluous to answer the question that has once been asked,Whether Pope was a poet? otherwise than by asking in return, If Pope benot a poet, where is poetry to be found? To circumscribe poetry by adefinition, will only shew the narrowness of the definer; though adefinition which shall exclude Pope will not easily be made. Let us lookround upon the present time, and back upon the past; let us enquire towhom the voice of mankind has decreed the wreath of poetry; let theirproductions be examined, and their claims stated, and the pretensions ofPope will be no more disputed.'I remember once to have heard Johnson say, 'Sir, a thousand years may