The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-09

spire in a wooden hitching post and
calling him with the damnation of
inaccurate praise "slngularly broad
minded" Certainly he showed sense
when he elected to stage the Great
Bear and not the bluestocking soror-
ity. And he did make intimate biog-
raphy a science: doubtful blessing?
Before him biography was eulogy:
vices were deleted and virtues IDEAL
ICED. Johnson himself said at one
time. concerning the question Of put
ting the poet Parnell's liquid overin-
dulgences into his Life: More III
may be done by the example than
good by telling the whole truth" but
at another time he said: "If man
is to write panegyric he may keep
vices out of sight. but II he processes
to write a life he must represent II
really as II was. II would produce
an instructive caution to avoid drink
ing when II was seen that even the
learning and genius Of Parnell could
be deba sed by IT," Walpole, theoreti-
cally opposed to expurgation. remon-
sttated with Mason because in his
life OF Gray he lost, by his frankness.
an opportunity to establish that
poets character 'unimpeached,' to
"consecrate" his name. At least Bozzy
had the honesty Of the photograph.
Prof. Tinker sums up in Boswelrs
case:
That he had a kind Of mischievous
delight In what he was doing no one need
take the trouble to tell us; but that he
was sort Of skilful bIackmailer is now
unthinkable. He felt that he was doing
the world a service In showing that great
man was human: and time has proved
that he was right
Sight must not be lost Of the fact
that in present day discussion Of Bos-
well-Johnson II In always the john
son that Boswell defined that we con-
slider. and the biographer had before
him the living man, not mass OF
written records, inherited opinions.
We are apt to criticise Boswelrs
Johnsoniana as though we knew more
about Johnson than Boswell did.
though practically all our knowledge
of the great doctor comes, whether
directly or indirectly, from the great
parasite.
The great ladies Of England had
salons in Elizabethan days; then the
the last quarter OF the eighteenth CEN
fury by the Bluestocking Club. Sheri-
dan was not the only satirist Of lit
erary society and its conversation
parties" The Rev. Samuel Hoole. son
of the translator Of Tasso and Ariosto.
published in 1852 Modern Manners.
or the Country Cousins. in a Series
of Poetical Epistles.' A north coun-
try family visits England. Mr.. Ralph
Rusty goes to Lady Chattonys con-
versazione. has warm coffee and n
tantalizlng nibble. circulates among
the groups and writes:
My lovely Miss was,an." says pretty
Reau Brisker,
i've seen your dear friend. sweet Miss
Fatty Fanfrisker."
Dear creature She's truly what all
men adore So
Faith. not quite 80 charming hut some
/ know more SO"
You dif'cult thing You're as rude
as bear.
You think nobody handsome, vow and
declare
what fault can you Hndr To he sure
her hairs sandy.
And scapegrace declares that her leg. are
quite bandy----'
And SO on. Some Of the takers
hahhe OF music. among them 81
nymph with white vanished face
and sallow thin man. almost COW
cred with lace" Then the politicians.
and the fans" OF literature:
Cries a little black man. I'm convinced.
DR. Guzz~.
'Tis poor paltry book that was men
toned By Puzzle
I'm told too that Ratshane and Scr.ach-
owl abuse It.
Have YOU, my dear Doctor. had tim. O.
peruse i,.s
rlhle trash.
An Cleo ~ nonsense. an 81 savored hash"
Johnson's in town. writing away"
You've read his Milton? Not sr
indeed Read johnson, Id sooner
subscribe to the creed \ Scot
Away with Johnson and Milton both
Il cannot perceive What there is in
your poem Of Adam and Eve: An Os-
sian you read. Milton Gamma 20 down e
And a quarrel between the Londoner
and him from the land of cakes. II
the satire is rather heavy il fits a
time al! heavy The English salon
fits in somewhere between this am
the Partisan hit off by Waipole: "Only
figure the coalition Of prudery. de.
hauchery. sentiment. history. Gree;
/ Latin. French. Italian ana metaphys,
/ les: all, except the second, understood
/ by halves, by quarters. or not AT all
Prof. Tinkcr's links in the connec,
ton Of the salon with English litera,
| ture. from THE French BACKGROUND
I 10 the social spirit in English letters
are, personally and topically, johnson
| and the art of conversation. Walpo'
and the art Of familiar Corrcspon,
GenCe, Fanny Burney and the art ~
the diarist. Roswell and the art OF in.
innate biography.