Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1854-11-14
SOC q l2Ey.
SA NJ u Ell JOHNSON
TIE LgxIcoGRAruyR.

! ~ -
THE LExIcOGRAruER.
THE characteristic peculiarly Of his in,ellcc
was the union Of great powers with low preiu.
dces. If we judged Of him by The best part.
Of his mind, we should place him almost n,
high as he was placed by theidolatry of Bos
well; II by the worst parts OF his mind, We
should place him below even Boswell himself
When he was not under the influence of some
strange Scruplc or some domineering passion,
which prevented him from boldly and fairly
investigating a subject, lie was wary and ac-
cura'e reasoner, a little too much inclined to
skcpticism, and little too fond of paradox.
No man was less likely 10 be imposed upon by
( iallncics in argument, or by exaggerated state
menls Of fact. Bat if while he was beating
down sophiSns and exposing false testimony,
some childish prejudices, such as would excite
laughter in well managed nursery, came
across him. he was siniltcn rs if by enchant-
mcnt. His mind dwiDdIed away under the
spell from gigantic elevation 10 dwariSh little
ness. Those who had lately been admiring its
amplitude and force were now as much asto.
nished at its strange nartowness and fceblcness
ns The fisherman, IN The iabian tale, when he
saw the genie, whcse statue had oycrsliadowed
| the whole scacoasl, and whose might seemed
equal TO contest with whole armies contract
himself 10 The dimensions of his small prison,
aud lc there the helpless slave OF the charm OF
Solomon.
Johnson was in the habit of sitting with ey-
treme severity the evidence fol all stories which
were merely odd. But when they were not
only odd but Miraculous, his severity RELAXED.
lie began 10 be crcdplous precisely at the point
where The most credulous peop'e begin to be
skeplical. II is CLiiods 10 observe, both in his
writings aud in his conversation, the contrast
between the dSdainrul manner in which he
! rejects unauhentic anecdotes, even when they
were consis eni with The general laws OF nature,
and the respectful manner in which he men,
tons The willcsi stories relating TO the invls-
bic world. A man who told him OF wafer
spout or msteoric stone generally had the lie
direct gwen him for his pains. A man who
told hnn OF prediction OF OF dream wonder
fully accomplished was sure Of courteous
hearing. Johnson" observes lIogarth, "like
King David, says in his haste that all men are
liars" His increduIity," says Mrs. 1hrale,
amounted almost TO disease" She tells us
now he browbeat gentleman who gave him
an account Of hur1c anc in the West Indies,
and poor Quaker WHO related some strange
circumstance about the red-hot balls fired at
The sese Of Gibra'ler. "lt is not SO. II can
moi be true. Don't tell that story again. You
cannot think how poor a figure you make in
telling it," lie once said, half iestingly we
! suppose, that for six months he refused TO ere
d'i The fact Of the earthquake al Lisbon, and
that he sill believed the extent of the Gala
.m'iy 10 be greatly exaggerated. Vel he related
with grave face how Old Mr. Cave, of ST.
Johns Gate, saw ghost, aud how this ghost
was something Of shadowy being. He went
! himself on ghost hum 10 Cock lane, and was
angry with John Wesley for mol following up
another scent Of The same kind with proper spi-
rit and perseverance. He rejects The Celtic
gepeaogies and poems without the least hesi
ation; yet he declares himself willing TO be.
lieye The stories of The second sight. II he hat
examined The claims of the Highland seers witt
half The severity with which he sified the evi
dence for the gcnuincness of Fingal, he would
we suspect, have come away from ScotlaDt
with mind fully made up. In bis Lives o
the Poets we find that be is unwilling 10 Civ,
credit to the accounts of Lord Roscommon
early proficiency in his studies; but lie tell
with great so'emuiiy an absufd romance abou
some intelligence preterGaturaly impressed OF
the mind of that nohleman: lie avows hmseI
10 be in great doubt about the truth of th,
story, aud ends by watning his readers no
wholly 10 slight such impressions.
Many OF his sentiments on religious subjects
are worthy OF a lberaI and enlarged mind II,
could discern clearly enough The folly aGt
meanness of ali bigoifv except his own. Whet
he spoke OF The scruples of the Purilans, h,
spoke like person who had obtained an ia
sight into the divine philosophy of the New
Testament, and who considered Christianity "A
noble scheme OF government, tending TO pro
mite the happiness and elevate The mora ma
tute OF man. The horror which The seclarie
fell for cards, Christmas ale, plum porrdge
mince-pies, and dauciDs- bears, excited hi
contempt. To the arguments urged by SOM