566 Biographi/. [Chap. XVIIL 



but in the opinion of the best judges the biogra- 

 pher of Johnson, with all his vanity and weak- 

 ness, greatly exceeds Mr. Mason in the quantity, 

 the variety, and the richness of his materials. In 

 favour of this plan of biographical composition 

 much may be said. Had we memoirs of this ample 

 and minute kind of every great benefactor to the 

 interests of science, Hterature, and virtue, they 

 would form a very curious, and, in some respects, 

 an invaluable treasure. But it may well be que- 

 stioned whether dragging into public view, and 

 placing on permanent record, the occasional fol- 

 lies, the temporary mistakes, and every unguarded 

 sally of merriment or passion, into which a great 

 mind may be led, ought to be approved or encou- 

 raged. To delineate a character faithfully in its 

 leading features, whether great and honourable, or 

 otherwise, is the duty of every good biographer; 

 but to crowd the pages of an eminently wise and 

 virtuous man's life with the recital of every mo- 

 mentary errour and ridiculous foible ; to dwell 

 with as much studious care on the trivial follies 

 and prejudices of such a character, as on his sub- 

 lime powers and excellence ; and to record every 

 vain or erroneous saying, or unjustifiable action, 

 which cannot be considered as properly belonging 



the eighteenth. The earliest work of tliis kind now extant is the 

 Memorabilia of Xeiiophon. Woliius, in his Causabo7iiana, tells u& 

 that the first of the booh in ana was that compiled in honour of the 

 great Scaliger, and called Scaligcrana, drawn from the papers of 

 Vassant and Vertunian, who took the whole from the mouth of 

 that celebrated scholar. In later times works of this nature have 

 "^vonderfully multiplied. Monihhj Reiicxi;, 



