not be too often repeated that the RAMBLER is not a work to be hastily laid aside; and that they who from the apparent difficulties of style and manner have been led to study it attentively, have been amply rewarded by the discovery of new beauties; and have been ready to confess, what it would be now extremely difficult to disprove, that literature, as well as morals, owes the greatest obligations to this writer; and that since the work became popular, every thing in literature or morals, in history or dissertation, is better conceived, and better expressed, conceived with more novelty, and expressed with greater energy.

One objection, indeed, remains to be considered, which is common with the friends as well as the enemies of this writer-the melancholy picture he every-where exhibits of human existence. "He had penetration enough to see," says Mr. BOSWELL, "and seeing would not disguise the general misery of man in this state of being, and this may have given rise to the superficial notion of his being too stern a philosopher. But men of reflection will be sensible that he has given a true representation of human existence,. and that he has, at the same time, with a generous benevolence, displayed every consolation which our state affords us, not only those arising from the hopes of futurity, but such as may be attained in the immediate progress through life." The latter part of this opinion may be concealed: indeed Dr. JOHNSON's most gloomy thoughts are so generally followed by consolation, that perhaps no great evil can arise from his dwelling so frequently on the melancholy side of human life; yet I am none of those "men of reflection" who think he has given "a true representation of hu

man life." In writing the papers alluded to, it is evident he was describing his own feelings and state, and that his resources were not the observation of what was passing around him, but that morbid melancholy which domineered over his body and mind, and dictated at this time the reflections which he was fond to indulge in solitude and silence, and often amidst poverty, and sickness and neglect. That he was depicting his own mind must be obvious now when the world knows so much of his history; and that he was conscious his feelings might betray him into exaggeration, is evident from the conclusion of many of his papers, in which, by way of consolation, he almost refutes his former positions. Nay he could sometimes laugh at his prevailing propensity. In No. 109, in the character of a correspondent, he has perhaps said all that his enemies could wish to say on the subject"Whether it be that continued sickness or misfortune has acquainted you only with the bitterness of being; or that you imagine none but yourself able to discover what I suppose has been seen and felt by all the inhabitants of the world; whether you intend your writings as antidotal to the levity and merriment with which your rivals endeavour to attract the favour of the public; or fancy that you have some particular powers of dolorous declamation, and warble out your groans with uncommon elegance or energy: it is certain that whatever be your subject, melancholy for the most part bursts in upon your speculation, your gaiety is quickly overcast, and though your readers may be flattered with hopes of pleasantry, they are seldom dismissed but with heavy hearts That I may therefore gratify you with an imitation of your own syllables of sadness, I

will inform you," &c. Thus humorously could he play with his own failing, in more happy and social intervals.

These gloomy representations appear to have arisen partly from his not having distinguished between the avoidable and unavoidable miseries of life; if these are combined, our state will appear wretched indeed, and we "sorrow as those who have no hope;" if to the dispensations of Providence we add the crimes and follies of mankind, we place ourselves in a situation in which there is no remedy, and from which there is no escape. Another reason for his frequent unfavourable opinions of existence, may perhaps be traced to his not entertaining very clear views of revealed religion. Yet even when somewhat of this darkness and distrust is visible, he seems to shrink from it, and to recommend to his readers, and to repose himself in the consolations of faith and hope, to pray for good,

"But leave to Heav'n the measure and the choice."

Sentiments like these form the conclusion of his most unfavourable reflections on "the bitterness of being," such is the difference between feeling and thinking, and act as an antidote to any supposed mischief that can arise from following his gloomy train of thought; while on the other hand his reflections may be considered as beneficial in proportion to their tendency to anticipate the disappointments of persons of sanguine tempers and credulous affections.

From his private history, his opinions may now be gathered without disguise; and will appear to be, as already observed, frequently dictated by

a mind ill at ease, conflicting with a body of distemper for which no relief could be found, yet occasionally cheered by prosperous events, and always susceptible of the pleasures of social life. His complaints were those of the individual, rather than of the species. Had he seen all around him as unhappy as himself, he would not so frequently have fled into company as a relief for his private anxieties. There was this singularity, indeed, in his dislike of life, that it never drove him into retirement, which he wrote and inveighed against with vehemence. And although he indulged melancholy views of existence, for which he was conscious an apology might be found in his unhappy constitution of body, he would check a similar disposition in others, when he had reason to suspect that its source was affectation and not suffering. This habit, which some men contract as they contract other affected habits, to draw attention, he on one occasion calls "an hypocrisy of misery."

Of Dr. JOHNSON'S life and character more is known than ever was known of any man. Mr. BOSWELL has exhibited a more finished picture than the utmost ardour of curiosity could have hoped. This ingenious biographer has proved, contrary to the common opinion, and by means which will not soon be repeated, that the life of a mere scholar may be rendered more instructive, more entertaining, and more interesting, than that of any other human being. And although the "confidence of private conversation" has been thought to be sometimes violated in this work, for which no apology is here intended, yet the world seems agreed to forgive this failing in consideration of the pleasure it has afforded; that wonderful variety of subjects, of wit, sentiment,

and anecdote, with which it abounds; and above all the valuable instruction it presents on many of the most important duties of life. It must be allowed that it created some enemies' to Dr. JOHNSON among those who were not enemies before this disclosure of his sentiments. Vanity has been sometimes hurt, and vanity has taken its usual revenge. It is generally agreed, however, that Mr. BoswELL's account of his illustrious friend is impartial: he conceals no failing that revenge or animosity has since been able to discover; all his foibles of manner and conversation are faithfully recorded, and recorded so frequently that it is easier for a stranger to form a just estimate of Dr. JOHNSON than of any eminent character in the whole range of biography.

To some, and particularly to the wits, Mr. BOSWELL'S minuteness has afforded a topick of ridicule, and this ridicule may be indulged without any injury to the great object of the work. The world would not have sunk in darkness, if it had not been told how Dr JOHNSON pared his nails, and scraped the joints of his fingers-what he paid for an ounce of vitriol-in what estimation he held Bologna sausages-or what he did with squeezed oranges. Some of Mr. BoswELL'S illustrations may have likewise provoked a smile; and the following was probably never read with

out one:

"Talking of shaving the other night at Dr. TAYLOR'S, Dr. JOHNSON said, Sir, of a thousand shavers, two do not shave so much alike as not to be distinguished.' I (Mr. BosWELL) thought this not possible, till he specified so many of the varieties in shaving:-holding the razor more or less perpendicular drawing long or short

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