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pleasure。 The definitions show so much acuteness of thought and
command of language； and the passages quoted from poets； divines； and
philosophers are so skilfully selected； that a leisure hour may always be
very agreeably spent in turning over the pages。 The faults of the book
resolve themselves； for the most part； into one great fault。 Johnson was a
wretched etymologist。 He knew little or nothing of any Teutonic language
except English； which indeed； as he wrote it； was scarcely a Teutonic
language； and thus he was absolutely at the mercy of Junius and Skinner。
The Dictionary； though it raised Johnson's fame； added nothing to his
pecuniary means。 The fifteen hundred guineas which the booksellers had
agreed to pay him had been advanced and spent before the last sheets
issued from the press。 It is painful to relate that； twice in the course of the
year which followed the publication of this great work； he was arrested
and carried to spunging…houses； and that he was twice indebted for his
liberty to his excellent friend Richardson。 It was still necessary for the
man who had been formally saluted by the highest authority as Dictator of
the English language to supply his wants by constant toil。 He abridged his
Dictionary。 He proposed to bring out an edition of Shakspeare by
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
subscription； and many subscribers sent in their names and laid down their
money； but he soon found the task so little to his taste that he turned to
more attractive employments。 He contributed many papers to a new
monthly journal； which was called the Literary Magazine。 Few of these
papers have much interest； but among them was the very best thing that he
ever wrote； a masterpiece both of reasoning and of satirical pleasantry； the
review of Jenyn's Inquiry into the Nature and Origin of Evil。
In the spring of 1758 Johnson put forth the first of a series of essays；
entitled the Idler。 During two years these essays continued to appear
weekly。 They were eagerly read； widely circulated； and indeed；
impudently pirated； while they were still in the original form； and had a
large sale when collected into volumes。 The Idler may be described as a
second part of the Rambler； somewhat livelier and somewhat weaker than
the first part。
While Johnson was busied with his Idlers； his mother； who had
accomplished her ninetieth year； died at Lichfield。 It was long since he had
seen her； but he had not failed to contribute largely； out of his small means；
to her comfort。 In order to defray the charges of her funeral； and to pay
some debts which she had left； he wrote a little book in a single week； and
sent off the sheets to the press without reading them over。 A hundred
pounds were paid him for the copyright； and the purchasers had great
cause to be pleased with their bargain； for the book was Rasselas。
The success of Rasselas was great； though such ladies as Miss Lydia
Languish must have been grievously disappointed when they found that
the new volume from the circulating library was little more than a
dissertation on the author's favourite theme； the Vanity of Human Wishes；
that the Prince of Abyssinia was without a mistress； and the princess
without a lover； and that the story set the hero and the heroine down
exactly where it had taken them up。 The style was the subject of much
eager controversy。 The Monthly Review and the Critical Review took
different sides。 Many readers pronounced the writer a pompous pedant；
who would never use a word of two syllables where it was possible to use
a word of six； and who could not make a waiting woman relate her
adventures without balancing every noun with another noun； and every
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
epithet with another epithet。 Another party； not less zealous； cited with
delight numerous passages in which weighty meaning was expressed with
accuracy and illustrated with splendour。 And both the censure and the
praise were merited。
About the plan of Rasselas little was said by the critics； and yet the
faults of the plan might seem to invite severe criticism。 Johnson has
frequently blamed Shakspeare for neglecting the proprieties of time and
place； and for ascribing to one age or nation the manners and opinions of
another。 Yet Shakspeare has not sinned in this way more grievously than
Johnson。 Rasselas and Imlac； Nekayah and Pekuah； are evidently meant to
be Abyssinians of the eighteenth century： for the Europe which Imlac
describes is the Europe of the eighteenth century； and the inmates of the
Happy Valley talk familiarly of that law of gravitation which Newton
discovered； and which was not fully received even at Cambridge till the
eighteenth century。 What a real company of Abyssinians would have been
may be learned from Bruce's Travels。 But Johnson； not content with
turning filthy savages； ignorant of their letters； and gorged with raw steaks
cut from living cows； into philosophers as eloquent and enlightened as
himself or his friend Burke； and into ladies as highly accomplished as Mrs
Lennox or Mrs Sheridan； transferred the whole domestic system of
England to Egypt。 Into a land of harems； a land of polygamy； a land where
women are married without ever being seen； he introduced the flirtations
and jealousies of our ball…rooms。 In a land where there is boundless liberty
of divorce； wedlock is described as the indissoluble compact。 〃A youth
and maiden meeting by chance； or brought together by artifice； exchange
glances； reciprocate civilities； go home； and dream of each other。 Such；〃
says Rasselas； 〃is the common process of marriage。〃 Such it may have
been； and may still be； in London； but assuredly not at Cairo。 A writer who
was guilty of such improprieties had little right to blame the poet who
made Hector quote Aristotle； and represented Julio Romano as flouris