[ 64 ] 



whofe writings have raifed up fuch an hoft of imitators, of friends 

 and of enemies. 



Johnson varied the ftyle of Englifh profe in three inftances — 

 in the form of its phrafes, in the conftrudion of fentences, and 

 in didion. To defcribe accurately thefe variations were to give 

 an Effay on his flyle and writings ; and th>s has been already 

 fo ably done by a member of this Society * that it would be 

 unfafe and unneceflary again to attempt it. The nature of this 

 Eflay, however, requires that on this fubjed fomething (hould 

 be faid, not to point out his beauties or defeds, but merely to 

 mark the variations which he has introduced. 



Of the changes in phrafeology introduced by Johnfon the; 

 principal is the fubftitution of the fubftantive exprefling the quality 

 in the abftrad for the adjedivc exprefling it in concrete, or, the 

 verbal fubftantive for the verb itfelf. Thus when he fays that 

 " none of the axioms which recommend the antient fages to 

 " veneration feems to have required lefs extent of knowledge 

 " or lefs perfpicacity of penetration than' the remark of Bias, 

 " o^ vXioveg Komoi" he fubftitutes extent for cxtenfive, and 

 perfpicacity for acute : and when he makes Dicaulus fay that " every 

 " tongue was diligent in prevention or revenge" he makes him 

 fay what in the language of other men would have been " diligent 

 *' to prevent or to revenge." 



By 



* Vide Dr. Burrowes' Effay on this fubjedt in the Memoirs of the Royal Irifli 

 Academy. 



