Transitions are rocky and the view can be dim.
At other times, Johnson's unique lyricism lights up his book's interior world . . . There's no doubt about the power of this writer's vision. Shapiro himself can't seem to make up his mind about the results . . . But Shapiro's contribution seems to me especially valuable. . . . He is able to bring into his discussion a solid familiarity with the folklore of the medieval and postmedieval age . . .