JOHNSON. ENGLAND has now placed Samuel Johnson at the head of its most celebrated literați, its purest writers, and most rigid moralists: she justly considers him as the most judicious critic, the best informed, most ingenious and fertile writer of the last century. He was born at Litchfield, in 1709, and in early life experienced the truth of what he has himself so forcibly expressed : Slow rises worth, by poverty depressed. He endeavoured to establish a school at Birmingham; but having no other scholars than Garrick and his brother, he determined to accompany them to London. He there commenced his literary career by writing for a public journal, in which he inserted many admirable pieces. Sometime after, having lost his friend Savage, he published the life of that unfortunate and eccentric bard, and gave a favourable idea of his own talent for discernment and just criticism. But what stamped his fame was his celebrated Dictionary, the mere conception of which evinced the man of genius, while its execution proved his extensive and varied learning. In the prospectus of this great work he detailed the plan which he intended to follow; which consisted in determining the orthography of every English word, with its etymology, and the various senses in which it was used in different authors. When this prospectus appeared in the journals of the day, Dodsley, and a number of other booksellers, agreed to defray the expences of this great undertaking. Johnson, thus encouraged, hired a house, employed several amanuenses, and during nine years devoted himself to this stupendous work with indefatigable zeal and activity. At the end of that period he published this pride of English literature, and the best model for every national dictionary. But the attention of Johnson was not solely occupied by this engagement, important as it was. In the interim he had written his tragedy of Irene; which, for a long time, was rejected by the managers, and at length performed under the auspices of Garrick. This play, though written in that bold and manly style which distinguished all his works, and embellished by the graces of poetry, had only nine representations, and never obtained the success it deserved. Johnson then renounced the stage, and undertook a periodical publication, in the manner of the Spectator, under the name of the Rambler. He was the sole author of the various papers, with very few ex ceptions; and in these he displayed the most profound knowledge of mankind, mingled with most judicious criticisms upon the best established works of his countrymen. The publication of the Rambler induced Dr. Hawkesworth to engage in a similar mis cellany. Johnson essentially contributed to its success, by furnishing several articles under the signature T, which are justly admired for their elegance of 'style, their strength of thought, and soundness of criticism. As Johnson wrote for money, he successively pub lished a great variety of works, among which we may distinguish Rasselas, the Idler, a few political pamphlets, and the Journey to the Hebrides. But his most celebrated production is the Lives of the English Poets, which he undertook at the request of the booksellers, and which is perhaps unrivalled in the annals of biography and criticism. It was justly considered a most astonishing circumstance, that at his age, and so loaded with infirmities as he was, he should have been able to combine in one work so much sagacity and knowledge, appreciating with such accuracy the distinct merit of such a crowd of authors, and delivering his sentiments in a style so elegant and so rapid. Johnson had for a long time established a club, which he had the pleasure to see frequented by the first literary men of the country. It was in the midst of such a society that he passed the latter years of his life. His income, since 1762, had been more ample and secure, by the enjoyment of a pension of 3001. per annum, which the king had conferred upon him, not for what he was to do, but for what he had done : these were the very words of the minister when he announced the royal benefaction. While death seemed to be at a distance, Johnson had dreaded its very name; but his fears vanished when he was informed that he had only two days to live. He expired on the 13th of December, 1784. It was not merely in his last moments that his piety was displayed: he had always been a religious man; but while his faith readily admitted every article of christian belief, he was singularly incredulous whenever religion was not concerned. This made Hogarth say, "Johnson believes in the Bible, but he believes in nothing else." As a writer few have done such essential service to this country, by fixing its language and regulating its morality. In his person Johnson was large, robust, and unwieldy. In conversation violent, positive, and impatient of contradiction. He was a zealous advo-, cate for truth, and for the christian religion, as professed in the church of England. In politics he was a Tory, and at one period of his life a friend to the house of Stuart. He had a noble independence of mind. His judgment was uncommonly acute, his imagination quick and ready, his memory tenacious, and his conversation brilliant and instructive. His works have been published in twelve volumes octavo. |