Mr. Hutcheson upon the word _merit_. I remember a controversy
I had with Dr. Johnson upon this very term: we began with theology
fiercely, I gently carried the conversation onward to philosophy, and
after a dispute of more than three hours he lost sight of my heresy, and
came over to my opinion upon the metaphysical import of the term.' _Life
of Romilly_, ii. 365. When Parr was a candidate for the mastership of
Colchester Grammar School, Johnson wrote for him a letter of
recommendation. Johnstone's _Parr_, i. 94.

[56] 'Somebody was praising Corneille one day in opposition to
Shakespeare. "Corneille is to Shakespeare," replied Mr. Johnson, "as a
clipped hedge is to a forest."' Piozzi's _Anec_. p. 59.

[57] Johnson, it is clear, discusses here Mrs. Montagu's _Essay on
Shakespeare_. She compared Shakespeare first with Corneille, and then
with Aeschylus. In contrasting the ghost in _Hamlet_ with the shade of
Darius in _The Persians_, she says:--'The phantom, who was to appear
ignorant of what was past, that the Athenian ear might be soothed and
flattered with the detail of their victory at Salamis, is allowed, for
the same reason, such prescience as to foretell their future triumph at
Plataea.' p. 161.

[58] Caution is required in everything which is laid before youth, to
secure them from unjust prejudices, perverse opinions, and incongruous
combinations of images. In the romances formerly written, every
transaction and sentiment was so remote from all that passes among men,
that the reader was in very little danger of making any applications to
himself.' _The Rambler_, No. 4.

[59] Johnson says of Pope's _Ode for St. Cecilia's Day_:--'The next
stanzas place and detain us in the dark and dismal regions of mythology,
where neither hope nor fear, neither joy nor sorrow can be found.'
_Works_, viii. 328. Of Gray's _Progress of Poetry_, he says:--'The
second stanza, exhibiting Mars' car and Jove's eagle, is unworthy of
further notice. Criticism disdains to chase a school-boy to his
common-places.' _Ib_. p. 484.

[60] See _ante_, ii. 178.

[61]

'A Wizard-Dame, the Lover's ancient friend,
With magic charm has deaft thy husband's ear,
At her command I saw the stars descend,
And winged lightnings stop in mid career, &c.'

Hammond. _Elegy_, v. In Boswell's _Hebrides_ (Sept. 29), he said
'Hammond's _Love Elegies_ were poor things.'

[62] Perhaps Lord Corke and Orrery. _Ante_, iii. 183. CROKER.