i yo SAMUEL JOHNSON

which degrades nature by faintness and dim- inution, by obscuring its appearances, and weakening its effects." In Chevy-Chase there is not much of either bombast or affectation ; but there is chill and lifeless imbecility. The story cannot possibly be told in a manner that shall make less impression on the mind.

��As a teacher of wisdom, he may be confid- ently followed. His religion has nothing in it enthusiastic or superstitious ; he appears neither weakly credulous nor wantonly scepti- cal ; his morality is neither dangerously lax nor impracticably rigid. All the enchantment of fancy and all the cogency of argument are employed to recommend to the reader his real interest, the care of pleasing the Author of his being. Truth is shown sometimes as the phantom of a vision ; sometimes appears half- veiled in an allegory; sometimes attracts re- gard in the robes of fancy; and sometimes steps forth in the confidence of reason. She wears a thousand dresses, and in all is pleasing. Milk habet ornatus, mille decenter habet.

His prose is the model of the middle style ; on grave subjects not formal, on light occa- sions not grovelling ; pure without scrupu- losity, and exact without apparent elaboration ;

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