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 he
has a power to unmake or annihilate his creature.'
'Then it cannot be conceived that a creature can make laws for its
CREATOR[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 where
there is nothing but pure misery, there never is any recourse to the
mention of it[109].'
'A man must be a poor beast that should _read_ no more in quantity than
he could _utter_ aloud.'
'Imlac in _Rasselas_, I spelt with a _c_ at the end, because it is less
like 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 without
having it perceived[111]: for example, a madness has seized a person of
supposing himself obliged literally to pray continually[112]--had the
madness turned the opposite way and the person thought it a crime ever
to pray, it might not improbably have continued unobserved.'
'He apprehended that the delineation of _characters_ in the end of the
first Book of the _Retreat of the Ten Thousand_ was the first instance
of 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 should
continually dwell upon the subject of the Arian heresy.'
'No man speaks concerning another, even suppose it be in his praise, if
he thinks he does not hear him, exactly as he would, if he thought he
was within hearing.'
'The applause of a single human being is of great consequence[114]: This
he said to me with great earnestness of manner, very near the time of
his decease, on occasion of having desired me to read a letter addressed
to 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 particular
upon it might fatigue him, it being of great length, I only told him in
general that it was highly in his praise;--and then he expressed himself
as above.'
'He mentioned with an air of satisfaction what Baretti had told him;
that, meeting, in the course of his studying English, with an excellent
paper in the _Spectator_, one of four[115] that were written by the
respectable Dissenting Minister, Mr. Grove of Taunton, and observing the
genius and energy of mind that it exhibits, it greatly quickened his
curiosity to visit our country; as he thought if such were the lighter
periodical essays of our authours, their productions on more weighty
occasions must be wonderful indeed!'
'He observed once, at Sir Joshua Reynolds's, that a beggar in the street
will more readily ask alms from a _man_, though there should be no marks
of wealth in his appearance, than from even a well-dressed woman[116];
which he accounted for from the greater degree of carefulness as to
money that is to be found in women; saying farther upon it, that the
opportunities in general that they possess of improving their condition
are much fewer than men have; and adding, as he looked round the
company, which consisted of men only,--there is not one of us who does
not think he might be richer if he would use his endeavour.'
'He thus characterised an ingenious writer of his acquaintance: "Sir, he
is an enthusiast by rule[117]."'
'_He may hold up that SHIELD against all his enemies_;'--was an
observation on Homer, in reference to his description of the shield of
Achilles, made by Mrs. Fitzherbert, wife to his friend Mr. Fitzherbert
of Derbyshire, and respected by Dr. Johnson as a very fine one[118]. He
had 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 somewhat
remarkable how seldom, on occasion of coming into the company of any new
person, one felt any wish or inclination to see him again[119].'
This year the Reverend Dr. Franklin[120] having published a translation
of _Lucian_, inscribed to him the _Demonax_ thus:--
'To DR. SAMUEL JOHNSON, the Demonax of the present age, this piece is
inscribed by a sincere admirer of his respectable[121] talents,
'THE TRANSLATOR.'
Though upon a particular comparison of Demonax and Johnson, there does
not seem to be a great deal of similarity between them, this Dedication
is a just compliment from the general character given by Lucian of the
ancient Sage, '[Greek: ariston on oida ego philosophon genomenon], the
best philosopher whom I have ever seen or known.'
1781: AETAT. 72.--In 1781 Johnson at last completed his _Lives of the
Poets_, of which he gives this account: 'Some time in March I finished
the _Lives of the Poets_, which I wrote in my usual way, dilatorily and
hastily, unwilling to work, and working with vigour and haste[122].' In
a memorandum previous to this, he says of them: 'Written, I hope, in
such a manner as may tend to the promotion of piety[123].'
This is the work which of all Dr. Johnson's writings will perhaps be
read most generally, and with most pleasure. Philology and
biography[124] were his favourite pursuits, and those who lived most in
intimacy with him, heard him upon all occasions, when there was a proper
opportunity, take delight in expatiating upon the various merits of the
English Poets: upon the niceties of their characters, and the events of
their progress through the world which they contributed to illuminate.
His mind was so full of that kind of information, and it was so well
arranged in his memory, that in performing what he had undertaken in
this way, he had little more to do than to put his thoughts upon paper,
exhibiting first each Poet's life, and then subjoining a critical
examination of his genius and works. But when he began to write, the
subject 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], he
produced an ample, rich, and most entertaining view of them in every
respect. In this he resembled Quintilian, who tells us, that in the
composition of his _Institutions of Oratory[126], Latius se tamen
aperiente materia, plus quam imponebatur oneris sponte suscepi._ The
booksellers, justly sensible of the great additional value of the
copy-right, presented him with another hundred pounds, over and above
two hundred, for which his agreement was to furnish such prefaces as he
thought fit[127].
This was, however, but a small recompense for such a collection of
biography, and such principles and illustrations of criticism, as, if
digested and arranged in one system, by some modern Aristotle or
Longinus, might form a code upon that subject, such as no other nation
can shew. As he was so good as to make me a present of the greatest part
of the original and indeed only[128] manuscript of this admirable work,
I have an opportunity of observing with wonder, the correctness with
which he rapidly struck off such glowing composition. He may be
assimilated to the Lady in Waller, who could impress with 'Love at
first 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 in
carrying on the work[130], we see from a series of letters to Mr.
Nichols the printer[131], whose variety of literary inquiry and
obliging disposition, rendered him useful to Johnson. Mr. Steevens
appears, from the papers in my possession, to have supplied him with
some anecdotes and quotations; and I observe the fair hand of Mrs.
Thrale as one of his copyists of select passages. But he was principally
indebted to my steady friend Mr. Isaac Reed, of Staple-inn, whose
extensive and accurate knowledge of English literary history I do not
express with exaggeration, when I say it is wonderful; indeed his
labours[132] have proved it to the world; and all who have the pleasure
of his acquaintance can bear testimony to the frankness of his
communications in private society.
It is not my intention to dwell upon each of Johnson's _Lives of the
Poets_, or attempt an analysis of their merits, which, were I able to
do it, would take up too much room in this work; yet I shall make a few
observations upon some of them, and insert a few various readings.
The Life of COWLEY he himself considered as the best of the whole, on
account of the dissertation which it contains on the _Metaphysical
Poets_. Dryden, whose critical abilities were equal to his poetical, had
mentioned them in his excellent Dedication of his Juvenal, but had
barely mentioned them[133]. Johnson has exhibited them at large, with
such happy illustration from their writings, and in so luminous a
manner, that indeed he may be allowed the full merit of novelty, and to
have discovered to us, as it were, a new planet in the poetical
hemisphere[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 not
find that this is applicable to prose[136]. We shall see that though his
amendments in this work are for the better, there is nothing of the
_pannus assutus_[137]; the texture is uniform: and indeed, what had been
there 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 the
pleasures_ of other minds.
'The wide effulgence of [the blazing] a _summer_ noon.'
In the Life of WALLER, Johnson gives a distinct and animated narrative
of publick affairs in that variegated period, with strong yet nice
touches of character; and having a fair opportunity to display his
political principles, does it with an unqualified manly confidence, and
satisfies 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 than
three uncommon or learned words[139]; one, when giving an account of the
approach of Waller's mortal disease, he says, 'he found his legs grow
_tumid_;' by using the expression his legs _swelled_, he would have
avoided this; and there would have been no impropriety in its being
followed 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 readily
understood; 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 of
these are _hard_ or _too big_ words; that custom would make them seem as
easy as any others; and that a language is richer and capable of more
beauty of expression, by having a greater variety of synonimes.
His dissertation[142] upon the unfitness of poetry for the aweful
subjects of our holy religion, though I do not entirely agree with with
him, has all the merit of originality, with uncommon force and
reasoning.
_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] _recovered
right_.
'He that has flattery ready for all whom the vicissitudes of the world
happen to exalt, must be [confessed to degrade his powers] _scorned as a
prostituted 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 and
unconsequential.
'His images are [sometimes confused] _not always distinct_?
Against his Life of MILTON, the hounds of Whiggism have opened in full
cry[143]. But of Milton's great excellence as a poet, where shall we
find such a blazon as by the hand of Johnson? I shall select only the
following passage concerning _Paradise Lost_[144]:
'Fancy can hardly forbear to conjecture with what temper Milton surveyed
the silent progress of his work, and marked his reputation stealing its
way in a kind of subterraneous current, through fear and silence. I
cannot but conceive him calm and confident, little disappointed, not at
all dejected, relying on his own merit with steady consciousness, and
waiting without impatience the vicissitudes of opinion, and the
impartiality of a future generation[145].'
Indeed even Dr. Towers, who may be considered as one of the warmest
zealots of _The Revolution Society_[146] itself, allows, that 'Johnson
has spoken in the highest terms of the abilities of that great poet, and
has bestowed on his principal poetical compositions the most honourable
encomiums[147].'
That a man, who venerated the Church and Monarchy as Johnson did, should
speak with a just abhorrence of Milton as a politician, or rather as a
daring foe to good polity, was surely to be expected; and to those who
censure him, I would recommend his commentary on Milton's celebrated
complaint of his situation, when by the lenity of Charles the Second, 'a
lenity of which (as Johnson well observes) the world has had perhaps no
other example, he, who had written in justification of the murder of his
Sovereign, was safe under an Act of Oblivion[148].'
'No sooner is he safe than he finds himself in danger, _fallen on evil
days and evil tongues_, [and] _with darkness and with danger compassed
round_[149]. This darkness, had his eyes been better employed, had
undoubtedly deserved compassion; but to add the mention of danger, was
ungrateful and unjust. He was fallen, indeed, on _evil days_; the time
was come in which regicides could no longer boast their wickedness. But
of _evil tongues_ for Milton to complain, required impudence at least
equal to his other powers; Milton, whose warmest advocates must allow,
that he never spared any asperity of reproach, or brutality of
insolence[150].'
I have, indeed, often wondered how Milton, 'an acrimonious and surly
Republican[151],'--'a man who in his domestick relations was so severe
and arbitrary[152],' and whose head was filled with the hardest and most
dismal tenets of Calvinism[153], should have been such a poet; should
not only have written with sublimity, but with beauty, and even gaiety;
should have exquisitely painted the sweetest sensations of which our
nature is capable; imaged the delicate raptures of connubial love; nay,
seemed to be animated with all the spirit of revelry. It is a proof that
in 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 so
distinct as never to be blended[154].
In the Life of Milton, Johnson took occasion to maintain his own and the
general opinion of the excellence of rhyme over blank verse, in English
poetry[155]; and quotes this apposite illustration of it by 'an
ingenious 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 the
fine arts is universally celebrated; with whose elegance of manners the
writer of the present work has felt himself much impressed, and to whose
virtues a common friend, who has known him long, and is not much
addicted 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 the
Life of DRYDEN, which we have seen[158] was one of Johnson's literary
projects at an early period, and which it is remarkable, that after
desisting 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 upon
him, as if his embracing the Roman Catholick communion had been a
time-serving measure, is a piece of reasoning at once able and candid.
Indeed, Dryden himself, in his _Hind and Panther_, has given such a
picture of his mind, that they who know the anxiety for repose as to the
aweful subject of our state beyond the grave, though they may think his
opinion ill-founded, must think charitably of his sentiment:--
'But, gracious GOD, how well dost thou provide
For 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 suppose
unintentionally, some touches of his own. Thus:--'The power that
predominated in his intellectual operations was rather strong reason
than quick sensibility. Upon all occasions that were presented, he
studied rather than felt; and produced sentiments not such as Nature
enforces, but meditation supplies. With the simple and elemental
passions as they spring separate in the mind, he seems not much
acquainted. He is, therefore, with all his variety of excellence, not
often pathetick; and had so little sensibility of the power of effusions
purely natural, that he did not esteem them in others[161].' It may
indeed be observed, that in all the numerous writings of Johnson,
whether in prose or verse, and even in his Tragedy, of which the subject
is the distress of an unfortunate Princess, there is not a single
passage 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 investigation
of 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 his
love though not his approbation.
'He [sometimes displays] _descends to display_ his knowledge with
pedantick 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 the
early possession which that writer had taken of his mind, and from the
pleasure which he must have felt, in for ever silencing all attempts to
lessen his poetical fame, by demonstrating his excellence, and
pronouncing the following triumphant eulogium[164]:--'After all this, it
is surely superfluous to answer the question that has once been asked,
Whether Pope was a poet? otherwise than by asking in return, If Pope be
not a poet, where is poetry to be found? To circumscribe poetry by a
definition, will only shew the narrowness of the definer; though a
definition which shall exclude Pope will not easily be made. Let us look
round upon the present time, and back upon the past; let us enquire to
whom the voice of mankind has decreed the wreath of poetry; let their
productions be examined, and their claims stated, and the pretensions of
Pope will be no more disputed.'
I remember once to have heard Johnson say, 'Sir, a thousand years may
