which left his fentiments free, and required neither the fervility of adulation, nor the labours of fervice. It is not uncommon to fee a defire to be independent, degenerate into avarice. Johnson did not feel it early, for his benevolence counteracted it; but he declined going into Italy, when worth 1500l. befides his penfion, becaufe of the expence; and we fee the furly dignity, which formerly fpurned at an obligation, relaxed, in his refusal of Dr. Brocklesby's affistance, and Lord Thurlow's very delicate offer of the fame kind. Some little cenfure is due to him for his eafy faith, occafioned by his political prejudices, in the forgeries of Lauder. That he should have appeared in public, in company with this defamer of Milton, is to be lamented. Yet his renunciation of all connection with Lauder, when his forgeries were detected, is only a proof of his having believed (a common weakness of worthy minds), with

out examination, not that he was an accomplice with the impoftor.

If there is any one trait by which Johnfon's mind can be discriminated, it is gigantic vigour. In information and taste he was excelled; but what he seriously attempted, he executed with that mafterly original boldness, which leaves us to regret his indolence, that he exerted himself only in the moment when his powers were wanting, and relapfed again into his litera. ry idleness. He united in himself what feldom are united, a vigorous and excurfive imagination, with a strong and steady judgment. His memory was remarkably tenacious, and his apprehenfion wonderfully quick and accurate. He was rather a man of learning than of science. He had accumulated a vaft fund of knowledge, without much of fyftem or methodical arrangement. His reading feems to have been cafual, generally defultory. To converfa

tion he owed much of his varied knowledge; and to his vigorous comprehensive powers, he was indebted for that clearness of diftinction, that pointed judicious difcrimination, which elucidated every question, and aftonished every hearer. From this cafual reading, he rofe with a mind seldom fatigued, endowed with a clear, accurate perception; the variety of his ftudies relieved, without fatiguing or perplexing him; the ideas arranged in order, were ready for ufe, adorned with all the energy of language, and the force of manner. But the

labour of literature was a task from which he always wished to escape; and as he could excel others without great exertion, we seldom perceive his faculties brought forward in their full power. We scarcely see any attempt, beyond a periodical paper, which he did not profeffedly continue with laffitude and fatigue.

He deferves the character of master of the Latin language; but it is easy to perceive that his acquaintance with Greek literature was, what it is commonly fuppofed to be, general and fuperficial, rather than curious or profound. Of natural fcience he knew but little; and moft of his notions on that branch of philosophy were obsolete and erroneous. In his writings he appears to have taken more from his own mind than from books, and he displays his learning rather in allufions to the opinions of others, than in the direct ufe of them. History he professed to disregard; yet his memory was fo tenacious, that we seldom find him at a lofs upon any topic, ancient or modern.

From early prejudices, which all his philosphy and learning could never overcome, he was a zealous and fcrupulous highchurch-man, following to the uttermoft tenet, the notions of Laud, whofe talents

N

talents he has praised, and whofe genius he has deplored in his Vanity of Human Wishes. In his political fentiments, he was a rank Tory, and till his prefent Majesty's acceffion to the throne, a violent Jacobite. He had never examined either his religious or political creed. Bigotted as to a particular fyftem of politics, he appears obftinately to have clofed his eyes against the light of truth; and so far from seeking information on the fubject, ftudiously refifted it. His piety was truly venerable and edifying. In divinity, however, his refearches were limited. He was well acquainted with the general evidences of Christianity; but he does not appear to have read his Bible with a critical eye, nor to have interested himself concerning the elucidation of obfcure or difficult paffages. It was his favourite maxim, "that the proper ftudy of mankind is man ;" and we must confefs that in all the departments of'