on, was first assumed in the Rambler. His Dictionary was going on
at the same time, and, in the course of that work, as he grew familiar
with technical and scholastic words, he thought that the bulk of his
readers were equally learned; or, at least, would admire the splendour
and dignity of the style. And yet it is well known, that he praised, in
Cowley, the ease and unaffected structure of the sentences. Cowley may
be placed at the head of those who cultivated a clear and natural style.
Dryden, Tillotson, and sir William Temple followed. Addison, Swift, and
Pope, with more correctness, carried our language well nigh to
perfection. Of Addison, Johnson was used to say, "he is the Raphael of
essay writers." How he differed so widely from such elegant models, is a
problem not to be solved, unless it be true, that he took an early
tincture from the writers of the last century, particularly sir Thomas
Browne. Hence the peculiarities of his style, new combinations,
sentences of an unusual structure, and words derived from the learned
languages. His own account of the matter is: "When common words were
less pleasing to the ear, or less distinct in their signification, I
familiarized the terms of philosophy, by applying them to popular
ideas." But he forgot the observation of Dryden: "If too many foreign
words are poured in upon us, it looks, as if they were designed, not to
assist the natives, but to conquer them." There is, it must be admitted,
a swell of language, often out of all proportion to the sentiment; but
there is, in general, a fulness of mind, and the thought seems to expand
with the sound of the words. Determined to discard colloquial barbarisms
and licentious idioms, he forgot the elegant simplicity that
distinguishes the writings of Addison. He had, what Locke calls, a
round-about view of his subject; and, though he never was tainted, like
many modern wits, with the ambition of shining in paradox, he may be
fairly called an original thinker. His reading was extensive. He
treasured in his mind whatever was worthy of notice, but he added to it
from his own meditation. He collected, "quae reconderet, auetaque
promeret." Addison was not so profound a thinker. He was "born to write,
converse, and live with ease;" and he found an early patron in lord
Somers. He depended, however, more upon a fine taste than the vigour of
his mind. His Latin poetry shows, that he relished, with a just
selection, all the refined and delic