Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1858-03-25

| cons spcuous in the humber As in the higher
Classes. A real nobeman by birth and feel
ing would be infinitely amused il he could
see the shades of precedence and grades of
responsibility amongst people that appear
to him on all our common level.
| From the London Journal:J
Doctor johnson.
| DR.. SAMUEL JOHNSON was one of the
brightes. literary ornaments Of the eighteenth
century. He was born at Eitchfeld, in
Staffordsnire, in September, l7O9, and died
in December, 1854, at the advanced age of
nearly seventy-six years. His father was a
bookseller. and from him he inherited 2o-
litical prejudices and morbid melancholy,
which had baneful influence on his life:
He was troubled with scr0fuia, which dis6g-
ured his face, and deprived him of the sight
of one of his eyes. Notwithstanding these
natural and constitutional defects, he rose
TO the highest eminence in the world of
literature, by that patient ond dogged indus
try, which, if not in reality genius, is one of
the best substitutes for it that can be found.
ne HdS q COhuOhci ot OAioi' iOi
years, and was driven from his studies there
through extreme poverty. His first literary
attempt was a translation, for which he re-
ceived five guineas. In his twenty-sixth
wear he married widow nearly double his
age, whose fortune was less than eight hun
dred pounds sterling. He was a school
master for year and half, and during this
period wrote the most of his tragedy called
Irene.
In 1887, he came to London. with one of
his pupils, the celebrated David g arrick.
His tragedy was refused by The managers
of the theatres in LondonS and for some
years he was wholly dependent for support
on his employment as a writer in the Gen
tleman's Magazine. The most remarkable
part of DR.. Johhson's career was certainly
that of his contributions to this magazine,
consisting of the fabrication of the speeches
of the most eminent members Of both
! Houses of Parliament. These imaginary
orations induced Vultare to compare the
British eloguence of the senate with the
eloquence Of the ancient orators of Greece
and Rome; but they were the creations of
DR.. Johnson's mind. They were hastily
sheiched by. him ut period when he was
barely thirty-two years of age, but little &C.
quainted with the word, and struggling, not
for distinction or literary fame, but FOR ex-
istence. These speeches, which he put into
the mouths of the members of both Houses,
were composed from scanty notes taken by
ilIiterate reporters; and sometimes he had
nothing given to him but the names of the
speakers, and the party they took in the de-
| bate.
About this period, several public itions of
DR. Johnson attracted the notice of the pub
lie; particularly poem entitled London"
in imitation of the third satire of Juvenal,
which received the appreciation of Pope.
His friendship with the poet Savage was a
curious part of his literary history, and his
| life OF that unfortunat. man has be N both
admired and condemned. As literary pro-
ductiun, it ranks very high. In l749, he
wrote his celebrated prologue for his pupil
Garrick, who had undertaken the manage
ment of O-ury Lane Theatre; and he COM
menced his immortal work, "The Diction-
ary o: the !lish Language" His conduct
towards his pretended patron, Lord Chester
field, on the completion Of this great work.
is worthy of admiration, notwithstanding the
polished asperiiy with which it was accom-
panied lie rejected his lordsh:p's advances
after the work hid received the appreciation
of the public. lie tin, him know, in very po-
lite terms, that he was unwilling that the
public should cnrsiler him to be owing 10
patron that which Providence had enabled
| him TO do for himself.
His wife, whom, Notwithstanding the
disparity o: years, he appears to have sim
crrely loved, died in 1852. and he lamented
her loss as loag as he lived. While the
dictionary was advancing to completion, he
had published "The Rimi lee," periodical
of wonderful merit, aud the "A'iventurer,"
a similar work; the latter with the ist-
ance OF friends. In 1853, he published,
"The ldler," anlther periodical. but of in
terror merit to the former. IN the following
year he wrote his celebrated n-"vi, emitted
aRasseIas; or, the Prince of AhysSinia," )" in
order to defray, by its sale, the expenses of
of his mothers funeral, and to liluiJa some
debts she had lett unpaid-an example to
thousands who pr, tend to greater charity
than the doc or.
In 1862, he obtained frOr G vernment
pension for three hundred pounds per an
mum for his past abnrs. In I764 he insti-
tuted "The Literary Club" which met at
the Turks Head, in Gerari-stre. t, Soho;
and, in l765, gave to the world his e.itiun
of Shakespeare In l773, he visiieI the west
ern is ands OF Scotland, and published an
amusing account o: his journey, which pro-
voked the ire OF the Scots, who could not
stand the j,cular sarca|'ns ui the witty
author. la 1881, he finished his Gel brated
work, The LIVES OF the puets."a work
which has provoked much criticism, and
which certainly il not without its ianl's
notwithstanding the great abilities OF the
author.
DR.. Johnson was a man Of great strength
OF body, and great powers OF mind, although
he was the subject oil painful hereditary
disease, and an uncUnqueraGle institutional
, melancholy.
He had a strong sense o! the Importance
orrelgion, tinc,ured with gloom and super
st,iou. He had roughness in his manper
which concealed his good qualities; hut ,hus2
] who knew him best, loved him most. lie
was both generous aud grateful, aud su, csF'
, tible of the kindest Impressions His wri'
, tihgs brea'be pure morality, and are digni-
5 fed by an elegance and magnifcence of
D siyle which has often been initiated, but
/ rarely or never surpassed. His works will
: long stand as monument OF the learning
E Ingenuity. and classic erudi,ion Of the cen
Il tory which he adorned.