Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-01-04

part of lady's attire, ycleped a shawl, we will
match any pretty "Friend" against any fair one
of the European continent (always excepting
lady from Spaln.) O, the smoothing OF plalts
that have witnessed, to modify any unseemly
excrescence at the back of the neck. ID, the
patience required to overcome the stubbornness
Of rebeIlious sleeves. which threatened to obscure
the delicate slope of pair Of dropping shoulders!
q, the care that has been required to prevent the
beautiful sinuosity of falIing-in back from be-
ing too much yelled, or the utter humiliation of
remorseless folds!
Boswelrs Life Of Johnson. Some short time
since we extracted from the Edinburg Review
part Of its criticism upon Croker's edition OF Bos-
wells Life of Johnson, in which was bitter t.
rade against the Author of that inimitable biogra
ply. The last number of the Quarterly takes
ground against its rival. and defends the work,
its author and its recent editor. Some passages
from the Quarterly on this subject are given by
the New York Americana; to which paper we are
Indebted often for interesting literary extracts
- Boswcll's Johnson" says the Quarterly, eek
cep,ins few immortal monuments Of creative
genius. is that English book which. were this ISL
and to be sunk tomorrow with all that it inhablls,
would be most priced IN other days and countries,
by the students :. Of US and Of our history"
Dismlssing however, the merits Of this partl-
cular edition of Boswel-the article before US
discusses with power and eloquence the value OF
such contributions as Boswell has furnished, to
the most attractive, we arc not sure but we may
add-the most instructive species Of reading
personal memoirs and biography. After combat
ing the opinion of Wordsworth, that IS the lives
Of authors should not be pried into with the same
dligent curiosity. aud laid open with the same
disregard of reserve,'' as those Of men who have
borne an. active part in the world-the writer
adds this eloquent passage:->
Surely the amentable circumstance is, not
that the Boswellian style should have been ap-
piled to the history Of one great man, but that
there should be so few even of the greatest men
whose lives could be SO dealt with without seri-
GUS injury to their. fame There never says
MIR. Croker, has existed any human being, all
the details of whose life all the motives of whose
actions, all the thoughts of whose mind, have
been SO unreservedy brought before the public;
his most scrupulous self-reproaches, have been
laid before the world They have all been sifted,
too. and commented on, ii may now be added,
with as deliberate an exercise of studious acute
ness as ever frightened conscious imagination.
All that curiosity could CLEAN, orenthusiasm gar
ner, philosophic penetration has boted to the
bran There are. perhaps Mr.. Croker says
elsewhere, not many men who have practised
such self examinations as to know themselves as
well as every reader knows Dr. Johnson And
wha, is the resul?--ihat in spite OF Innumerabe
oddities. and of mass 'aughable, and some few
condemnable weaknesses, when we desire to call
up the notions of "a human being thoroughly, as
far as our fallen clay admits the predlcation OF
such qualities. good and wise; in the whole OF his
mind lofty, of his temper generous, IN the midst
of misery incapable of shabbiness every inch a
man'-the name of Samuel Johnson springs to
everv lip. Whatever our habits OF self.examlna-
ton may have been, we certainly know him bet
ter than we are ever likely to do most of our
friends. and feel that. in one instance at least.
the adage about heroes and their valets-tle-cham-
bre, does not held. The character is before US
bare, and throughout it stands erect, sincere,
great; the thoughts habitually turned on great
things, and vet tie observation Of the world equal
~ keen and broad; the sympathy with human
passions interests, and occupations almost bound
less; and the charity for frailty, and feebeness,
aud sin, most Christian.
1t is, indeed, sad to consider how few even Of
the first could. after such process Of dissection,
lay claim to this high, pervading nobility. If we
want foil for Johnson in his own 'order.' we
have but to pick and choose among the few of re-
cent times who have descended to the grave after
having commanded any thing like the same mea-
sure Of public attention. On all sides, with hard
ly an exception, what 'follies Of the WISE" what
ieaousies, what WEAKNESSES, what ntrigues, what
petty ambitions, what degrading indulgencies,
what shameful subservencies and panderngs TO
the worser parts Of that common nature whichge
mus is sent down among US the appointed instru-
ment to rebuke, charm, and elevate! What
worship of worldly idols, what hsnkering after
toys, what a want of sense, even in the midst of
the most brilliant energy Of the finest understand
ngs, to comprehend the worth Of their own place
md destiny; what maze Of small vanity, and
fierce sef-love, and malice; how little either of
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