he

brilliant; a most retentive memory, stored with knowledge; were uniformly directed to promote the cause of wisdom, virtue, and religion. His Essays,' to use the words of his able biographer, * form a body of ethics.' In the usual progression of great minds, he becaine, as he advanced in years and knowledge, more practical. His Rambler shewed more of man in his general nature, as he himself says of Dryden: his Idler, as says of Pope, more of man in his local manners. His Rambler was the work of a profound, comprehensive philosopher: his Idler, of a man of genius, experienced in life. The former describes men as they always are; the latter as they were then in England. As a critic, the world, since the time of Aristotle, has seen few, if any, equal to Johnson. Disregarding mere usage, he follows nature and reason. He considers not the mode in which the Greek tragedians arranged their performances, but the ope

*Mr. Murphy, in his Life of Johnson, p. 155.

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ration of passion, sentiment, and character
in real life. He estimates imitative works
by their likeness to originals. As a bio-
grapher, he stands unrivalled. He thoroughly
knew the human understanding and heart;
was perfectly acquainted with the kind of
circumstances in which his subjects acted;
with their individual history and character.
In his literary portraits he ably marks the
progress of mind; the incidents and causes
which retarded or accelerated its movements,
and the completion of its powers, attain-
ments, and exertions.
As a philologist,
Johnson had not mere knowledge, but also
science he not only collected usages, but
investigated principles. He has enriched
our language; and improved it, if not in
ease and elegance, in precision and force.
In politics he shewed less advancement than
in philology, criticism, biography, and ethics.
I do not mean the erroneousness only of his
particular notions, but the mode of his ge-
neral reasoning. In his other writings he
is practically wise; in his political, specu-
latively abstract.

From the whole of his works numerous. and important additions have been made to the general mass of information; and still more momentous accessions to the general mass of instruction. Such have been the consequences of an extraordinary mind, exerted upon objects dependent for success on its intrinsic efforts. The moral character of Johnson was as estimable as his intellectual was admirable. He was temperate, intrepid, magnanimous, just, pious, benevolent, and beneficent. His head, his heart,' his purse, were employed in doing good, and in dispensing happiness. His manners were less agreeable than his other qualities were valuable. His temper was irritable ;he was impatient of folly and frivolity. He had an INTOLERANCE TO NONSENSE, very unpleasing to its numerous votaries; and very troublesome in the intercourse of fashionable life: he was peculiarly inimical to nonsense and folly, arrayed in the garb of sense and wisdom. But, with some defects in his social habits, he was, as a moral

and a religious being, far above common

men.

Johnson esteemed Burke above all men: he said, he was a perpetual stream of mind. Burke is the only man whose common conversation corresponds with the general fame he has in the world. Take up whatever topic you please, he is ready to meet you.' As Johnson always praised the wonderful genius of Burke, Burke allowed the extraordinary talents of Johnson. One evening that they spent in company with Mr. Langton, Johnson happened to take most of the conversation. On their way home, Burke observed to Langton, that Johnson had been very great that night. Langton admitting this, added, he wished he had heard more from another person.

.

Oh, no,' said Burke, it is enough for me. to have rung the bell to him.' This observation arose from Burke's modesty: had he appreciated with impartiality his own powers, he would have reflected that Johnson or no man was his superior in genius

and acquirements. That was, indeed, Johnson's own opinion. He one day quoted, as a very high compliment, an eulogium on his journey to the Western Islands. • Mr.

Jackson,' he said, ' told me, there was more good sense upon trade in it, than he should hear in the House of Commons in a year, except from Burke.' Burke, who, as well as his friend Johnson, delighted most in exhibitions of human nature, preferred those parts of the tour that describe the inhabitants to those which merely paint the face, of the country.

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Burke was one of the chief mourners at the funeral of his illustrious friend the others were, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Sir John Hawkins, Mr. Coleman, and the deceased's faithful black servant. These were present, besides Dr. Horsley, General Paoli, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Malone, and many other distinguished persons. Burke, in the ardour of his feeling for the loss of Johnson, uttered the following sentence:- He has made a chasm which not only nothing can fill up,