tion of
biography, and such principles and illustrations of criticism, as, if
digested and arranged in one system, by some modern Aristotle or
Longinus, might form a code upon that subject, such as no other nation
can shew. As he was so good as to make me a present of the greatest part
of the original and indeed only[128] manuscript of this admirable work,
I have an opportunity of observing with wonder, the correctness with
which he rapidly struck off such glowing composition. He may be
assimilated to the Lady in Waller, who could impress with 'Love at
first sight:'

'Some other nymphs with colours faint,
And pencil slow may Cupid paint,
And a weak heart in time destroy;
She has a stamp, and prints the boy[129].'

That he, however, had a good deal of trouble, and some anxiety in
carrying on the work[130], we see from a series of letters to Mr.
Nichols the printer[131], whose variety of literary inquiry and
obliging disposition, rendered him useful to Johnson. Mr. Steevens
appears, from the papers in my possession, to have supplied him with
some anecdotes and quotations; and I observe the fair hand of Mrs.
Thrale as one of his copyists of select passages. But he was principally
indebted to my steady friend Mr. Isaac Reed, of Staple-inn, whose
extensive and accurate knowledge of English literary history I do not
express with exaggeration, when I say it is wonderful; indeed his
labours[132] have proved it to the world; and all who have the pleasure
of his acquaintance can bear testimony to the frankness of his
communications in private society.

It is not my intention to dwell upon each of Johnson's _Lives of the
Poets_, or attempt an analysis of their merits, which, were I able to
do it, would take up too much room in this work; yet I shall make a few
observations upon some of them, and insert a few various readings.

The Life of COWLEY he himself considered as the best of the whole, on
account of the dissertation which it contains on the _Metaphysical
Poets_. Dryden, whose critical abilities were equal to his poetical, had
mentioned them in his excellent Dedication of his Juvenal, but had
barely mentioned them[133]. Johnson has exhibited them at large, with
such happy illustration from their writings, and in so luminous a
manner, that indeed he may be allowed the full merit of novelty, and to
have discovered to us, as it were, a new planet in the poetical
hemisphere[134].

It is remarked by