Character and Personality. Johnson died in London, December 13, 1784, and was buried in Westminster Abbey. His character and personality are better and more widely known than those of any other English man of letters. Boswell has told the whole story, sparing none, himself least of all. Johnson was blunt, rough, prejudiced, dictatorial, slovenly in dress and table manners, given to queer performances, like touching every lamp post as he went down town. He was, on the other hand, a stanch friend, a very wise as well as a learned man, devoutly religious, and considerate of those who needed his consideration. JAMES BOSWELL, 1740-1795 Johnson's biographer was born in Edinburgh, of a good family. Against his will he prepared for his father's profession of law. During a tour on the Continent he sought and obtained a meeting with Paoli, the hero of Corsica, then struggling for its freedom. On his return he wrote an Account of Corsica, sang the praises of the island, its people, and its leader; and according to his own story, was known in Edinburgh as "Paoli Boswell." Macaulay says "he was the laughing-stock of the whole of that brilliant society which has owed to him the greater part of its fame." Two Views of Boswell. Boswell was ever a seeker of notoriety, a worshipper of heroes; and Macaulay makes much of this characteristic. "He was always laying himself at the feet of some eminent man, and begging to be spit and trampled upon." Carlyle, in an essay which is largely a reply to Macaulay's, points out that somehow Boswell never tache but Tanso And ag heart a and e feeling The 1791. & CF55. But for atively Bos In a s Johnso teads countr Berty gether French to i Hero's Mean when 1 to do t well's quite ralued to mak named 1 ("Single-Speech" Hamilton), "Single-Book" Boswell, and yet be worthy of a higher place in the annals of literature than many men having numerous volumes to their credit. OLIVER GOLDSMITH, 1728-1774 Boswell's Attitude toward Goldsmith. Two portraits of Goldsmith have been familiar for many years: Boswell's and that of other people. When Boswell is stating facts, we may accept them as such, though a recent biographer of Goldsmith questions both Boswell's accuracy and his good faith. When, however, Johnson's worshipper ventures upon a judgment of Goldsmith, implicit confidence cannot be placed in his statements. He was extremely jealous of every one favored by his idol; and his envy of Goldsmith appears to have been as great as he thought Goldsmith's envy of Johnson was. Personality. Yet there is, in Boswell's estimate of Goldsmith, one word which seems the most adequate possible to characterize the man. It is the word "singular." Goldsmith was truly "singular" in appearance, dress, management (or mismanagement) of finances, manner of talking, and above all, in manner of writing. These singularities are given an unfavorable twist by Boswell; but this has been more than counteracted by the favorable interpretations of Washington Irving and many subsequent critics. The general estimate is well put in Irving's opening sentence: "There are few writers for whom the reader feels such personal kindness as for Oliver Goldsmith, for few have so eminently possessed the magic gift of identifying themselves. with their writings." To know Johnson one must go to F. F. Moore (1911). |