The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL. D. (Volume 4) (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: Numb. 3. Tuesday, March 27, 1750. Virtus, refu!fr nejiiaforditlte Intaminatis fulgent bonoritus, Necfumit out panit fecures Arblirio pofularis aure. HoR. Undifappointed in defigns, With native honours virtue fliines; Nor takes up posv'r, nor lays it down, As giddy rabbles fmile or frown. Elphinstow. H E tafk of an author is, either to teach what is not known, or to recommend known truths by his manner of adorning them; either to let new light in upon the mind, and open new fcenes to the profpect, or to vary the drefs and fituation of common objects, fo as to give them frem grace and more powerful attractions, to fpread fuch flowers over the regions through which the intellect has already made its progrefs, as may tempt it to return, and take a fecond view of things haftily pafled over or negligently regarded. Either of thefe labours is very difficult, becaufe that they may not be fruitlefs, men muft not only be per- fuaded of their errours, but reconciled to their guide; they muft not only confefs their ignorance, but, what is ftill lefs pleafing, muft allow that he from whom they are to learn is more knowing than themfelves. It 'might be imagined that fuch an employment was in itfclf fufficiently irkfome and hazardous; that none would be found fo malevolent as wantonly to add weight to the (tone of Sifyphus; and that few endeavours would be ufed to obftruct thofe advances to reputation, which muft be made at fuch an ex- pence of time and thought, with fo great hazard in the mifcarriage, and with fo little advantage from the f'lccefe. Yet there is a certain race of men, that either imagine it their duty, or make it their amufement, to hinder the reception of every work of learning or genius, xvho ftand as centinels in the avenues of fame, and ...