[ 44 ] 



Not that it is denied, that magnificence and harmony are 

 objeds worthy an author's regard ; but the means made ufe of 

 to attain thefe, if not fkilfully feleded, may fail of their intended 

 effed ; may fubflitute meafurement for harmony, and make that 

 only pompous which was defigned to be magnificent. On 

 dignified fubjeds they are no doubt to be attended to, for the 

 flile (hould always be proportioned to the fubjed ; but on fa- 

 miliar and meaner topics they Ihould, by a parity of reafoning, 

 be avoided : and however well adapted to excite attention, it may 

 be remarked, that in general they rather fix it on the expreffion, 

 than on the fentiment, and too often cloy that appetite they 

 were intended but to ftimulate. 



Johnson's ftudy of fplendor and magnificence, by inducing 

 him as much as pofiible to rejed the weaker words of language, 

 and to difplay only the important, has filled his pages with 

 many peculiarities. His fentences, deprived of thofe feeble ties 

 which reftrained them to individual cafes and circumftances, feem 

 fo many detached aphorifms, applicable to many other parti- 

 culars, and certainly miore dignified as more univcrfal. But 

 though he may have employed this art with fome advantage, it 

 is yet hardly to be recommended. Johnfon's thoughts were fo 

 precife, and hi^^expreffions fo minutely difcriminated, that he 

 was able to keep the leading circumftances of the particular 

 cafe diftindly in view, and in the form of an univeifal fentence 

 implicitly to infinuate them to the reader: an injudicious imitator, 

 by generalizing his expreflions, might in fome inftances make 

 that falfe which under reftridions might have been true ; and 

 in almoft all, make that obfcure which otherwife would have 

 been perfpicuous. 



As 



