Biography. 1 j 3 



tuous man's life with the recital of every momen- 

 tary error and ridiculous foible; to dwell with as 

 much studious care on the trivial follies and pre- 

 judices of such a character, as on his sublime 

 powers and excellence; and to record every vain 

 or erroneous saying, or unjustifiable action, which 

 cannot be considered as properly belonging to the 

 character, may be safely pronounced to be a plan 

 of biography which, though highly interesting, is 

 neither useful nor wise/ 



The manner of M. Bayle has been imitated by 

 many subsequent writers. Of these the most re- 

 markable compiler of individual Lives, in the 

 English language, is Mr. Harris, whose biogra- 

 phical works, on James I. Charles I. Oliver 

 Cromwell, and Charles II, are generally known, 

 and have been much applauded. 



Many single Lives of eminent men, on different 

 plans, and of various degrees of merit, appeared 

 on the continent of Europe, in the course of the 

 last age. Of these the Life of Petrarch, by the 

 Abbe De la Sade; and the Life of Erasmus, by 

 M. Burigni, deserve particular notice. They are 

 both biographical works of great merit, and pro- 

 bably have few superiors of their kind in any lan- 

 guage. Perhaps it might be added, that the plan 



k There are two extremes into which biographers are apt to fall. The 

 one is adopting a continued strain of eulogy, and endeavouring either 

 wholly to keep out of view, or ingeniously to varnish over the errors and 

 weaknesses of those whose lives they record. To this fault in biographical 

 writing Mr. Haley discovers, perhaps, too strong a tendency. If I donor 

 greatly mistake, his Life of Milton and his Life of Cowper may both be 

 justly impeached on this ground. The other, and a more mischievous ex- 

 creme is, recording against departed worth, with studied amplitude, and 

 disgusting minuteness, the momentary mistakes of forgetfulhess, the occa- 

 sional vagaries of levity, and the false opinions, expressed not as the re- 

 sult of sober reflection, but thrown out either in a mirthful hour, or in the 

 heat of disputation. Of the latter fault Mr. Boswell's Life of Johnson 

 furnishes perhaps the most singular example. The proper course is between 

 these extremes; and of this course it is to be lamented that we have so 

 few models. 



VOL. II. X 



