JOHNSON. 49 



a kind of reasoning wholly unsuited to the subject matter, 

 pronounced decisions of which the dispute was not 

 susceptible, and fell into errors which more knowing 

 inquirers and calmer disputants, without half his perspi- 

 cacity or his powers of combining, would easily and 

 surely have avoided. 



The peculiarities of his style may be traced to the 

 same source the characteristic features of his under- 

 standing and disposition. What he perceived clearly he 

 clearly expressed ; his diction was distinct ; it was never 

 involved ; it kept ideas in their separate and proper 

 places ; it did not abound in synonymes and repetition ; 

 it was manly, and it was measured, despising meretricious 

 and trivial ornament, avoiding all slovenliness, rejecting 

 mere surplusage, generally, though not always, very con- 

 cise, often needlessly full, and almost always elabo- 

 rate, the art of the workman being made manifest in the 

 plainly artificial workmanship. A love of hard and 

 learned words prevailed throughout ; and a fondness for 

 balanced periods was its special characteristic. But there 

 was often great felicity in the expression, occasionally a 

 pleasing cadence in the rhythm, generally an epigrammatic 

 turn in the language as well as in the idea. Even where 

 the workmanship seemed most to surpass the material, 

 and the word-craft to be exercised needlessly, and the 

 diction to run to waste, there was never any feebleness to 

 complain of, and always something of skill and effect to 

 admire. The charm of nature was ever wanting, but the 

 presence of great art was undeniable. Nothing was seen 

 of the careless aspect which the highest of artists ever 

 give their masterpieces the produce of elaborate but 

 concealed pains ; yet the strong hand of an able work- 



