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ESSAY on the STILE of Doaor SAMUEL JOHNSON. 



No. IL 

 By the Rev.^OWB.'^r BURRO WES, A M. and M. R. I. A. 



XT is hardly poffible for an author who writes much to avoid Read 

 a pecuHarity of manner. The recurrence, of thoughts, fimilar in i7°86.'^' 

 their reftridions and mutual dependance, introduces to the mind, 

 by a natural afTociation, the fame arrangement and conftrudion ; 

 and the mind, difdaining to beftow upon words that attention 

 which is due only to things, will be too apt, through hafte to 

 execute its tafk, to admit the firft expreffions as the beft. It 

 defpifes the humble as well as tedious labour of turning back to 

 re-examine fentences already marked with approbation, and will 

 not eafily be perfuaded to vary, what confidered fimply in itfelf 

 appears to have no fault. Thus from the peculiar turn of each 

 author's thoughts, even though there fhould be no other caufe 

 concurring, there will naturally arife a correfponding peculiarity 

 of ftile: a peculiarity which the powerful influence of habit 

 makes fo predominant, that there are very few pages, even of 



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