Chap. XVIII.] Blographij, 305 



Among the numerous single biographical works 

 which the last age produced it will be impossible 

 to recount all, or even the greater ])art of those 

 which are worthy of notice. A few of those which 

 are distinguished in the annals of English literature 

 may be slightly mentioned. The Life oj' Cicero, 

 by Dr. Middleton ; the Life of Erasmus, by Dr. 

 Jortin ; tht Life of Siv'if't, by ]\Ir. Sheridan; the 

 Life of Mctastasio, by Dr. Burney ; the Life of 

 Peti^arch, by Mrs. Dobson ; the Life of Bacon, by 

 Mr. Mallet ; the Life of Lorenzo de Medici^ by xMr. 

 Roscoe*; 2Lud the Lfe of Sir Robert U^iipole, by 

 Mr. Coxe, claim a distinction in this class of mo- 

 dern writings. 



The Lfe of Dr. Johnson, by JMr. Boswell, is 

 a curious and singular specimen of biography. 

 Perhaps no character was ever so ftdly displayed 

 in its alternate exhibitions of greatness and little- 

 ness as the illustrious subject of this work. Mr. 

 Boswell, in the compilation, had in view as a 

 model the Memoirs of Gray, by Mr. Mason t ; 



Johnson, and particularly on the great biographical woik which is 

 the subject of the above paragrapli, it is perhaps proper to inform 

 the reader that my opinions, on a variety of subjects, by no means 

 coincide with those which he frequently avows, and takes pains to 

 inculcate. What these opinions are it would be unsuitable in tlii* 

 place to detail. 



* The Life of Lorenzo de Medici, by Mr. Roscoe, is worthy of 

 more respectful notice than a simple insertion of its title in a list 

 of biographical works. It indicates an extent of reading, and an 

 elegance of taste, which will do lasting honour to the author. 



t Works intended to do honour to learned and ingenious men, 

 by collecting their wise and witty sayings, and giving familiar de- 

 uils of their conduct, were compiled many centuries anterior to 



