Etat. 42] SIR THOMAS BROWNE 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 information; 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 Browne, whose life Johnson wrote, was remarkably fond of AngloLatin 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 conceptions 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. From an engraving after a picture-group by Miss Highmore, of Samuel Richardson reading "Sir Charles Grandison" to his friends MRS. HESTER CHAPONE (1727-1801) essayist, the daughter of Thomas Mulso. Her "Letters on the Improvement of the Mind," 1773, enjoyed great popularity. She "could sing exquisitely, and was skilful enough at drawing to sketch Miss Carter for Richardson " (Dict. Nat. Biog.). She was an early friend of Dr. Johnson, and contributed four essays to the Rambler. 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, From him deriv'd the sweet, yet nervous lay. 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 critic learning dear, Correct and elegant, refin'd though clear, Near Johnson STEEVENS stands, on scenic 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, 1 The observation of his having imitated Sir Thomas Browne has been made by many people; and lately it has been insisted on, and illustrated by a variety of quotations from Browne, 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. 9-(7151W) In Hindu fictions while we fondly trace Who, to the sage devoted from his youth, To friends around his philosophic throne ; First o'er the neighbouring meads majestic Till, gathering force, they more and more expand, And with new virtue fertilize 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 that 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 wine, pleases everybody 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. 2 Whoever wishes to attain an English style, familiar 66 1 The following observation in Mr. Boswell's " Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides " may sufficiently account for that gentleman's being " now scarcely esteemed a Scot " by many of his countrymen: "If he (Dr. Johnson) was particularly prejudiced against the Scots, it was because they were more in his way; because he thought their success in England rather exceeded the due proportion of their real merit; and because he could not but see in them that nationality which, I believe, no liberal-minded Scotchman will deny." Mr. Boswell, indeed, is so free from national prejudices, that he might with equal propriety have been described as "Scarce by South Britons now esteem'd a Scot."-Courtenay. 2 [When Johnson showed me a proof sheet of the character of Addison, in which he so highly extols his style, I could not help observing, that it had not been his own model, as no two styles could differ more from each other." Sir, Addison had his style, and I have mine."-When I ventured to ask him, whether the difference did not consist in this, that Addison's style was full of idioms, colloquial phrases, and proverbs and his own more strictly grammatical, and free from such phraseology and modes of speech as can never be literally translated or understood by foreigners; he allowed the discrimination to be just.-Let any one who doubts it try to translate one of Addison's Spectators into Latin, French, or Italian; and though so easy, familiar, and elegant to an Englishman, as to give the intellect no trouble, yet he would find the transfusion into another language extremely difficult, if not impossible. But a Rambler, Adventurer, or Idler, of Johnson, would fall into any classical or European language, as easily as if it had been originally conceived in it. B.] Etat. 42] JOHNSON'S STYLE 131 but not coarse, and elegant but not ostentatious, must give his days and nights to the volumes of Addison." 1 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 mottoes 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."2 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 a 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, if 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 : 1 I shall probably, in another work, maintain the merit of Addison's poetry, which has been very unjustly depreciated. 2 [In the Gentleman's Magazine for October, 1752, p. 468, he is styled, "the Rev. Francis Lewis, of Chiswick," Lord Macartney, at my request, made some inquiry concerning him at that place, but no intelligence was obtained. The translations of the mottoes supplied by Mr. Elphinston, appeared first in the Edinburgh edition of the Rambler, and in some instances were revised and improved, probably by Johnson, before they were inserted in the London octavo edition. The translations of the mottoes affixed to the first thirty numbers of the Rambler were published, from the Edinburgh edition, in the Gent. Mag. for September, 1750, before the work was collected into volumes. M.] 3 [Not in the original edition, in folio. M.] should find reason to conclude it genuine, it will be a kindness to the owner, a blind person, 1 to recommend it to the booksellers. 1 "I am, Sir, your most humble servant, SAM. JOHNSON." But this did His just abhorrence of Milton's political notions was ever strong. not prevent his warm admiration of Milton's great poetical merit, to which he has done illustrious justice, beyond all who have written upon the subject. And this year he not only wrote a Prologue, which was spoken by Mr. Garrick before the acting of "Comus at Drury-lane Theatre, for the benefit of Milton's grand-daughter, but took a very zealous interest in the success of the charity. On the day preceding the performance, he published the following letter in the General Advertiser, addressed to the printer of that paper. 66 THAT a certain degree of reputation is acquired merely by approving the works of genius, and testifying a regard to the memory of authors, is a truth too evident to be denied; and therefore to ensure a participation of fame with a celebrated poet, many, who would, perhaps, have contributed to starve him when alive, have heaped expensive pageants on his grave. 2 66 It must, indeed, be confessed, that this method of becoming known to posterity with honour, is peculiar to the great, or at least to the wealthy; but an opportunity now offers for almost every individual to secure the praise of paying a just regard to the illustrious dead, united with the pleasure of doing good to the living. To assist industrious indigence, struggling with distress and debilitated by age, is a display of virtue, and an acquisition of happiness and honour. Whoever, then, would be thought capable of pleasure in reading the works of our incomparable Milton, and not so destitute of gratitude as to refuse to lay out a trifle in rational and elegant entertainment, for the benefit of his living remains, for the exercise of their own virtue, the increase of their reputation, and the pleasing consciousness of doing good, should appear at Drury-lane theatre to-morrow, April 5, when Comus will be performed for the benefit of Mrs. Elizabeth Foster, grand-daughter to the author, 3 and the only surviving branch of the family. "N.B.-There will be a new prologue on the occasion, written by the author of “Irene," and spoken by Mr. Garrick; and, by particular desire, there will be added to the Masque, a dramatic satire, called ' Lethe,' in which Mr. Garrick will perform." See the Dunciad, b. iv. M.] 1 Mrs. Williams is probably the person meant. CHAPTER VIII-1751-1754 JOHNSON'S CIRCLE OF FRIENDS Progress of the Dictionary and the Rambler-Lauder's Forgeries-Account of Miss Williams-Close of the Rambler-Commencement of Hawkesworth's Adventurer-Death of Mrs. Johnson-Robert Levett -Johnson's Friendship with Reynolds-Langton-Beauclerk-Contributions to the AdventurerExtract from the Diary-Mrs. Lennox's "Shakspeare Illustrated." 66 IN 1751 we are to consider him as carrying on both his Dictionary and Rambler. But he also wrote The Life of Cheynel "[*] in the miscellany called The Student; and the Reverend Dr. Douglas having with uncommon acuteness clearly detected a gross forgery and imposition upon the public by William Lauder, a Scotch schoolmaster, who had, with equal impudence and ingenuity, represented Milton as a plagiary from certain modern Latin poets, Johnson, who had been so far imposed upon as to furnish a Preface and Postcript to his work, now dictated a letter for Lauder, addressed to Dr. Douglas, acknowledging his fraud in terms of suitable contrition. 1 This extraordinary attempt of Lauder was no sudden effort. He had brooded over it for many years; and to this hour it is uncertain what his principal motive was, unless it were a vain notion of his superiority, in being able, by 1 Lest there should be any person, at any future period, absurd enough to suspect that Johnson was a partaker in Lauder's fraud, or had any knowledge of it, when he assisted him with his masterly pen, it is proper here to quote the words of Dr. Douglas, now Bishop of Salisbury, at the time when he detected the imposition. "It is to be hoped, nay it is expected, that the elegant and nervous writer, whose judicious sentiments and inimitable style point out the author of Lauder's Preface and Postscript, will no longer allow one to plume himself with his feathers, who appeareth so little to deserve assistance: an assistance which I am persuaded would never have been communicated, had there been the least suspicion of those facts which I have been the instrument of conveying to the world in these sheets." "Milton no Plagiary," 2d edit. p. 78. And his Lordship has been pleased now to authorise me to say, in the strongest manner, that there is no ground whatever for any unfavourable reflection against Dr. Johnson, who expressed the strongest indignation against Lauder. [Lauder renewed his attempts on Milton's character in 1754, in a pamphlet entitled, "The Grand Impostor detected, or Milton convicted of forgery against King Charles I," which was reviewed, probably by Johnson, in the Gent. Mag. 1754, p. 97. A.C.] [Lauder afterwards went to Barbadoes, where he died very miserably, about the year 1771. M.] From an engraving by E. Mackenzie after the painting He was one of Johnson's intimate friends and |