Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1834-10-30


guor and diseased melancholy which were
10 his body and his mind
Croker remarks that though Johnson
iived latterly at the table Of wealth and
luxury. be never mingled in the society Of
high life. The truth is. that his early
habits were Extensively vulgar, and every
rank OF life had then its own habits and
ceremonials. which perhaps were carried
too Tar; though great evils have arisen
from throwing down, as at present. all
barriers, No one ever vet entirely put
Oh, when closely viewed, the familiar
ussges Of his childhood. II would not.
therefore, have been desirable Cor Johnson
IN those days 10 have mixed with classes
so much above him in mere station. And
what would he have gained3 Each class
IS wei IN IFS own way, but not to 20 out
OF IT. Johnson, while he kept in his own
order, was a thousand times greater than
the highest Of them: there was o,hing
which he could learn from them, except
the smoothness of the surface. The loss
was 10 them. not TO him. am for an an
Gent, inherited, and Unbeatable aristocra.
cy, because | firmly believe il TO be for
the good Of the whole; but am no ser.
vile worshipper Of il; would not for one
moment submit to its inselence, nor pay
any other respect TO it thaa the formal
ceremonIals which attach TO its prece-
dence.--Aud as to a parvenu aristocracy.
l think IT one of the greatest abuses Of
social institutions. if men think talents
or wealth just grounds Of distincrion--as
they are-let them rely on that on which
they build their distinction. Though John
son associated little with the great, he had
a weakness to feel an adula,ory reverence
OF them at the first address. He was 10
this respect the reverse Of Swirl. whose
contrary extreme. was, however, still more
offensive and absurd.
In my time ] have not found men
who conversed at all like Johnson --though
several who excelled in humour and the
relation Of stories and bon mots. Johnson
had seen diversity of literary characters,
and been admitted into all the penetralia
Of authorship; and with deep natural
sagacity he saw into these mems minds,
and all their workings The result was
too much abatement Of the respect which
the world had paid them.
"l knew Scott, who threw into his con-
versation the character oil his writings
but never saw Byron ] suspect that he
did not converse very well. except by
some momentary fit: he was too morbid,
too jealous, and too irritable His know
ledge was irregular, and his whole mind a
chaos Of light and darkness Bloomfield
was dull in conversation but humble,
simple, mild, and unpretending Some cui
tivate a technical art Of conversation,
which, If inoffen.ive, is apt to be quaint
and insipid. 1t appears TO me that the
immediate results Of conversation are sci.
dom as instructive as the hints they elicit
for future consideration
"Cowper lived in utter secIusion, but
specuiatcd eloquendy upon the moral
world He was not at the mercy OF the
opinions of the day; but looked upon
things with his own uninfluenced mind.
He saw the vanities of all the bubble pas.
sons and ambitions of bus,leing msnkind.
The simplicity and frankness with which
he poured out Of his impressions have
made him lavorite even with that multi
tude whose ways he despised. The world
ling himself is frequently sick Of the stir
and dust in which he lives, and enjoys
solitude-at least in imagination. But
these out breathings are still more force
full in Cowley than in Cowper. because
Cowley had been long Involved in the toll
and fever of public business. Charles Cot
ten and Sir Henry Woouen also are de-
lightful prasers Of solitude. Charles Fox,
when he retired to ST. Anne's Hill, felt
intensely the JOY Of solitude. johnson
alone, of speculative minds, had horror
of solitude.n