more than the fuppreffion of faults: a happy line, or a single elegance, may perhaps be added; but of a large work the general character must always remain; the original conftitution can be very little helped by local remedies ; inherent and radical dullnefs will never be much invigorated by extrinfick animation.

This poem, if he had written nothing else, would have tranfmitted him to pofterity among the first favourites of the English Mufe; but to make verfes was his tranfcendent plea→ fure, and as he was not deterred by cenfure, he was not fatiated with praise,

He deviated, however, fometimes into other tracks of literature, and condefcended to entertain his readers with plain profe. When the Spectator ftopped, he confidered the polite world as deftitute of entertainment; and in concert with Mr. Hughes, who wrote every third paper, published three times a week the Lay Monaftery, founded on the supposition that fome literary men, whofe characters are defcribed, had retired to a house in the country to enjoy philofophical leifure, and resolved.

to

to inftruct the public, by communicating their difquifitions and amusements. Whether

1

any

real perfons were concealed under fictitious names, is not known. The hero of the club is one Mr. Johnfon; fuch a conftellation of excellence, that his character fhall not be fuppreffed, though there is no great genius in the defign, nor skill in the delineation.

"The first I fhall name is Mr. Johnfon, a "gentleman that owes to Nature excellent "faculties and an elevated genius, and to in

dustry and application many acquired ac"complishments. His tafte is diftinguishing, juft and delicate; his judgement clear, and "his reafon ftrong, accompanied with an imagination full of fpirit, of great compafs, "and ftored with refined ideas. He is a "critick of the firft rank; and, what is his peculiar ornament, he is delivered from the oftentation, malevolence, and fupercilious temper, that fo often blemish men of that "character. His remarks refult from the nature and reafon of things, and are formed by a judgement free, and unbiaffed by the authority of those who have lazily followed ❝each other in the same beaten track of think

2

❝ing, and are arrived only at the reputation "of acute grammarians and commentators;

men, who have been copying one another

many hundred years, without any improve"ment; or, if they have ventured farther, "have only applied in a mechanical manner "the rules of antient criticks to modern' writ❝ings, and with great labour discovered no

thing but their own want of judgement and "capacity. As Mr. Johnson penetrates to "the bottom of his subject, by which means “his obfervations are folid and natural, as "well as delicate, fo his defign is always to "bring to light fomething useful and orna"mental; whence his character is the reverse "to theirs, who have eminent abilities in in"fignificant knowledge, and a great felicity in "finding out trifles. He is no lefs induftri

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66

ous to search out the merit of an author, "than fagacious in difcerning his errors and "defects; and takes more pleasure in com' mending the beauties than expofing the " blemishes of a laudable writing: like Horace, in a long work, he can bear fome deformities, and juftly lay them on the imperfection of human nature, which is incapable of faultlefs productions. When an

"excellent

"excellent Drama appears in publick, and by "its intrinfick worth attracts a general applause, "he is not ftung with envy and fpleen; nor "does he exprefs a favage nature, in fastening

upon the celebrated author, dwelling upon "his imaginary defects, and paffing over his "confpicuous excellences. He treats all

writers upon the fame impartial foot; and " is not, like the little criticks, taken up entirely "in finding out only the beauties of the an"cient, and nothing but the errors of the mo"dern writers. Never did any one express more "kindness and good nature to young and unfi"nifhed authors; he promotes their interefts, protects their reputation,

faults, and fets off their vitenuates their

and by his can"dour guards them from the severity of his

judgement. He is not like thofe dry criticks, "who are morose because they cannot write "themselves, but is himself mafter of a good "vein in poetry; and though he does not " often employ it, yet he has fometimes en"tertained his friends with his unpublished performances."

The reft of the Lay Monks feem to be buť feeble mortals, in comparison with the gigan

tic Johnson; who yet, with all his abilities, and the help of the fraternity, could drive the publication but to forty papers, which were afterwards collected into a volume, and called in the title A Sequel to the Spectators.

Some years afterwards (1716 and 1717) he published two volumes of Effays in profe, which can be commended only as they are written for the highest and nobleft purpose, the promotion of religion. Blackmore's prose is not the profe of a poet; for it is languid, fluggish, and lifelefs; his diction is neither daring nor exact, his flow neither rapid nor eafy, and his periods neither smooth nor ftrong. His account of Wit will fhew with how little clearness he is content to think, and how little his thoughts are recommended by his language.

"As to its efficient caufe, Wit owes its. pro"duction to an extraordinary and peculiar "temperament in the constitution of the pof"feffor of it, in which is found a concur"rence of regular and exalted ferments, and ❝ an affluence of animal fpirits, refined and "rectified to a great degree of purity; whence,