With a few deductions for prejudices which he had early imbibed, his merits as a TOURIST will appear great and unclouded. His object was to analyse and compare men, manners, and modes of life; and his volume is at once elegant, philosophic, and ingenious.

That he is entitled, in the most honourable sense of the term, to the appellation of a CRITIC,.. those who shall merely peruse his Preface to Shakspeare, and his Lives of Cowley, Dryden, and Pope, will not probably deny. Since the days of Quintilian, indeed, no better specimens of criticism than these have been given to the world. How highly is it to be lamented then, that, prosecuting the study of his "Lives," we find the. residue for the most part tinctured and deformed by relentless prejudices; by party-zeal and unfeeling dogmatism; by a spirit systematically hostile to received opinion, and unfriendly to con- · temporary merit. With all these defects, however, and they are strikingly prominent, great has been the benefit derived to elegant literature, from the publication of his Critical Biography. It has established an era in the Republic of Letters; it has set an example in this country, which has been assiduously followed, of recording the events attendant on the lives, the studies, and publications of literary men; and it has given birth.

to a widely extending taste for critical disquisitions.

From the usual tenour of his style it was not to be expected that our great moralist would excel as an EPISTOLARY WRITER. The letters of Johnson, however, though sometimes not entirely free from his customary elaboration, are, in general, graceful, easy, and perspicuous. They fully develope the character of the man; some are gloomy, some pathetic and beautifully moral, others lively, domestic, and interesting. If they cannot be said to rival the letters of Cowper, yet will they still take their station among the best epistolary collections in our language.

The opinions and principles of the Doctor as a THEOLOGIAN are chiefly to be gathered from his conversation, as preserved by Mr. Boswell, and from his prayers. He appears from these to have been a zealous High-churchman, with a strong bias towards some of the Roman Catholic tenets. His piety and devotion were warm and sincere; and his prayers, the language of which is altogether plain, simple, and unadorned, teach us, that his faith, his humility, and gratitude, were great. From an ardent desire of further evidence with regard to the state of the departed, he was solicitous to ascertain the possibility of the re-appearance of the dead. His

anxiety on this subject rendered him superstitious," though not credulous; for he was, in a very extraordinary degree, minute and cautious in examining the supposed proofs, and was, more than once, instrumental in detecting their fallacy, and exposing the arts of imposture. To many of his Sermons much praise is due for their perspicuity of style, their felicity of illustration, and their sound practical morality.

We may, indeed, close this summary, with the affirmation, that, if Addison be excepted, no writer of the eighteenth century can be said to have contributed so highly, so copiously, and so permanently, to the improvement of our literature and language as JOHNSON. Whether considered as a BIOGRAPHER, an ESSAYIST, a LEXICOGRA• PHER, or a CRITIC, he is alike entitled to the gratitude of his country and of mankind.*

* There were two works that Johnson had long wished to carry into execution, and which, if health had been allowed him, would most probably have seen the light; namely, a Translation of Thuanus, and a Life of Oliver Cromwell.

APPENDIX, No. 1.

THOUGH HOUGH all the works upon which the reputation of Dr. Johnson rests, have been amply noticed in the preceding Life; yet many small fugitive pieces, such as Prefaces, Dedications, Introductions, Proposals, &c. &c. have been purposely omitted. To give a catalogue of these will afford proof of the Doctor's versatility of talent, and of his readiness to oblige those who petitioned for his assistance.

So altogether temporary or local, however, are the chief of these contributions, that to introduce them in a regular edition of our author's produc tions, would be to most readers uselessly to enhance its bulk. To record that they have existed, is sufficient for our present purpose.

1738. Preface to the Gentleman's Magazine. 1739. Address to the Reader of the Gentleman's Magazine.

Appeal to the Public in behalf of the.
Editor.

Considerations on the case of Dr. Trapp's
Sermons.

1740 Preface to the Gentleman's Magazine.

1741. Preface to the Gentleman's Magazine. Abridged Debate on the Humble Petition

and Advice of the Rump Parliament to Cromwell.

Translation of Abbe Guyon's Dissertation on the Amazons.

1742. Preface to the Gentleman's Magazine. Essay on the Account of the Conduct of the Duchess of Marlborough.

"Foreign History for the Gentleman's Magazine.

1743. Preface to the Gentleman's Magazine. Advertisement for Osborne concerning the Harleian Catalogue.

Dedication to Dr. Mead of James's Medical Dictionary.

1744. Preface to the Gentleman's Magazine. 1748. Foreign History for the Gentleman's Magazine.

1751. Dedication to the Earl of Middlesex of Mrs. Lennox's Female Quixotte.

1753. Dedication to Lord Orrery of Mrs. Lennox's Shakspeare Illustrated.

1756. Preliminary Address to the Literary Magazine.

Dedication and Preface to Payne's Game

of Draughts.