me of the facts
about the members of this club and about the life in London at that time
will be comparatively easy, but to attempt more before reading the
essay does not seem necessary.

II. Reading and Study

The first reading should enable the student to make a simple outline to
be filled in later. The teacher might take part of the recitation
periods to introduce the class to Boswell's _Life of Johnson_.

The second reading should make the class thoroughly familiar with the
matters treated in the essay and with the important features of
Macaulay's style.

III. Study of the Book as a Whole

The students should be required to write in their notebooks outlines and
short paragraphs on topics based on the essay. Most of the following
topics have been used for this purpose:

CONTENT.--The story of Johnson's life; boyhood and education, his thirty
years of struggle, his mature years, his decline and death.

His appearance.

Hindrances to his success--in the time in which he lived, in his
surroundings, in himself.

Preparation for his life work: inherited tastes and tendencies, his
education, circumstances by which he was surrounded.

His friends and associates: patrons, friends in his poverty, friends in
his success, his dependents.

His writings: political, critical, poetical, biographical miscellaneous.

(Mention the separate writings in each division, characterize his work,
and compare his success in one line with that in another.)

Johnson's travels.

Johnson the writer and Johnson the talker.

The Literary Club.

Macaulay's treatment of Boswell.

A detailed outline of the essay.

A character sketch of Johnson showing the weaknesses as well as the
strength of his character.

RHETORICAL FEATURES.--Examine the opening sentence in each of the
paragraphs, pp. 57-69, to see how Macaulay secures coherence in his
essay.

Examine the paragraphs on pp. 64-66, to find the plan of structure.

Find passages in this essay where Macaulay aims to secure emphasis by
the use of the following devices: inverted order in the sentences, the
use of particular terms where the general would be more accurate, the
use of superlatives, striking comparisons, repetition of ideas,
contrast, balanced expressions, succession of short sentences, biblical
language.

Define the following words and use them in sentences: railed, maundered,
coxcomb, parasite, conclave, turgid, folio, overture.

THE LIFE AND CHARACTER OF