eare and Johnson.

It was in 1773, that, urged by Boswell, he made his famous _Journey to the
Hebrides_, or Western Islands of Scotland, of which he gave delightful
descriptions in a series of letters to his friend Mrs. Thrale, which he
afterwards wrote out in more pompous style for publication. The letters
are current, witty, and simple; the published work is stilted and
grandiloquent.

It is well known that he had no sympathy with the American colonies in
their struggle against British oppression. When, in 1775, the Congress
published their _Resolutions_ and _Address_, he answered them in a
prejudiced and illogical paper entitled _Taxation no Tyranny_.
Notwithstanding its want of argument, it had the weight of his name and of
a large party; but history has construed it by the _animus_ of the writer,
who had not long before declared of the colonists that they were "a race
of convicts, and ought to be thankful for anything we allow them short of
hanging."

As early as 1744 he had published a Life of the gifted but unhappy
Savage, whom in his days of penury he had known, and with whom he had
sympathized; but in 1781 appeared his _Lives of the English Poets, with
Critical Observations on their Works_, and _Lives of Sundry Eminent
Persons_.

LIVES OF THE POETS.--These comprise fifty-two poets, most of them little
known at the present day, and thirteen _eminent persons_. Of historical
value, as showing us the estimate of an age in which Johnson was an usher
to the temple of Fame, they are now of little other value; those of his
own school and coterie he could understand and eulogize. To Milton he
accorded carefully measured praise, but could not do him full justice,
from entire want of sympathy; the majesty of blank verse pentameters he
could not appreciate, and from Milton's puritanism he recoiled with
disgust.

Johnson died on the 13th of December, 1784, and was buried in Westminster
Abbey; a flat stone with an inscription was placed over his grave: it was
also designed to erect his monument there, but St. Paul's Cathedral was
afterwards chosen as the place. There, a colossal figure represents the
distinguished author, and a Latin epitaph, written by Dr. Parr, records
his virtues and his achievements in literature.

PERSON AND CHARACTER.--A few words must suffice to give a summary of his
character, and will exhibit some singular contrarieties. He had varied but
not very profound learning; was earnest, self-sati