placido
lumine_[196], when I am afraid mankind in general are better pleased
with severity, he may surely express a grateful sense of their
civility[197].

_Various Readings in the Life of_ LYTTELTON.

'He solaced [himself] _his grief_ by writing a long poem to her memory.

The production rather [of a mind that means well than thinks vigorously]
_as it seems of leisure than of study, rather effusions than
compositions_.

His last literary [work] _production_.

[Found the way] _undertook_ to persuade.'

As the introduction to his critical examination of the genius and
writings of YOUNG, he did Mr. Herbert Croft[198], then a Barrister of
Lincoln's-inn, now a clergyman, the honour to adopt[199] a _Life of
Young_ written by that gentleman, who was the friend of Dr. Young's son,
and wished to vindicate him from some very erroneous remarks to his
prejudice. Mr. Croft's performance was subjected to the revision of Dr.
Johnson, as appears from the following note to Mr. John Nichols[200]:--

'This _Life of Dr. Young_ was written by a friend of his son. What is
crossed with black is expunged by the authour, what is crossed with red
is expunged by me. If you find any thing more that can be well omitted,
I shall not be sorry to see it yet shorter[201]'

It has always appeared to me to have a considerable share of merit, and
to display a pretty successful imitation of Johnson's style. When I
mentioned this to a very eminent literary character[202], he opposed me
vehemently, exclaiming, 'No, no, it is _not_ a good imitation of
Johnson; it has all his pomp without his force; it has all the
nodosities of the oak without its strength.' This was an image so happy,
that one might have thought he would have been satisfied with it; but he
was not. And setting his mind again to work, he added, with exquisite
felicity, 'It has all the contortions of the Sybil, without the
inspiration.'

Mr. Croft very properly guards us against supposing that Young was a
gloomy man[203]; and mentions, that 'his parish was indebted to the
good-humour of the authour of the _Night Thoughts_ for an Assembly and a
Bowling-Green[204].' A letter from a noble foreigner is quoted, in which
he is said to have been 'very pleasant in conversation[205].'

Mr. Langton, who frequently visited him, informs me, that there was an
air of benevolence in his manner, but that he could obtain from him less
information than he had hoped to receive from one who had lived