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weight, and the exad appropriation and perfpicuity of Johnfon's 

 words in fome meafure confirms it. But that language, which 

 he does not admit to have funk beneath Milton, would furely 

 have been fufficient to have fupported him j and, as he himfelf 

 obferves, '" though an art cannot be taught without its proper 

 " terms, yet it is not always neceffary to teach the art : in 

 " morality it is one thing to difcufs the niceties of the cafuift, 

 " and another to dire6t the pradice of common life." Let the 

 nature of periodical publications determine, which fhould be 

 more properly the objed of the author. But he is not re- 

 duced to the alternative : if the teftimony of many Englifh 

 authors of eminence, confirmed experimentally by their own 

 pradice, is to be relied on, exadnefs of thought is not necefTarily 

 at variance with familiar expreffion : and if this union was not 

 irapofTible, would not fome endeavour to efFed it have defervcd 

 the attention of Johnfon ? Of Johnfon who, while his didionary 

 proves fuch accurate and copious knowledge of the powers of 

 our received words, as could not have failed of accomplifliing 

 the patriotic tafk, however arduous, gives in his other works 

 the ftronger reafon to lament, that his prejudices in favour of 

 a vicious and affeded flile fhould have prevented his under- 

 taking it. 



But this fault is furely committed without excufe, in every 

 cafe where the language furnifhes a received word adequate to the 

 diftind communication of the idea : and that many fuch have 

 innocently incurred Dodor Johnfon's difpleafure mufl be abun- 

 dantly evident to every reader. A page of his writings, com- 

 pared with one of any of our eminent Englifh authors on the fame 

 fubjed, will furnifhmany inftances, which cannot be accounted for 



[E 2] by 



