misc writings and speeches(米斯克说与写3)-第20章
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informed the world that one of the Doctor's uncles had been convicted of
felony in Scotland； and had found that there was in that country one tree
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capable of supporting the weight of an Englishman。 Macpherson； whose
Fingal had been proved in the Journey to be an impudent forgery；
threatened to take vengeance with a cane。 The only effect of this threat
was that Johnson reiterated the charge of forgery in the most
contemptuous terms； and walked about； during some time； with a cudgel；
which； if the impostor had not been too wise to encounter it； would
assuredly have descended upon him； to borrow the sublime language of
his own epic poem； 〃like a hammer on the red son of the furnace。〃
Of other assailants Johnson took no notice whatever。 He had early
resolved never to be drawn into controversy； and he adhered to his
resolution with a steadfastness which is the more extraordinary； because
he was； both intellectually and morally； of the stuff of which
controversialists are made。 In conversation； he was a singularly eager；
acute； and pertinacious disputant。 When at a loss for good reasons； he had
recourse to sophistry； and； when heated by altercation； he made unsparing
use of sarcasm and invective。 But； when he took his pen in his hand； his
whole character seemed to be changed。 A hundred bad writers
misrepresented him and reviled him； but not one of the hundred could
boast of having been thought by him worthy of a refutation； or even of a
retort。 The Kenricks； Campbells； MacNicols； and Hendersons； did their
best to annoy him； in the hope that he would give them importance by
answering them。 But the reader will in vain search his works for any
allusion to Kenrick or Campbell； to MacNicol or Henderson。 One
Scotchman； bent on vindicating the fame of Scotch learning； defied him to
the combat in a detestable Latin hexameter。
〃Maxime； si tu vis； cupio contendere tecum。〃
But Johnson took no notice of the challenge。 He had learned； both
from his own observation and from literary history； in which he was
deeply read； that the place of books in the public estimation is fixed； not
by what is written about them； but by what is written in them； and that an
author whose works are likely to live is very unwise if he stoops to
wrangle with detractors whose works are certain to die。 He always
maintained that fame was a shuttlecock which could be kept up only by
being beaten back； as well as beaten forward； and which would soon fall if
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there were only one battledore。 No saying was oftener in his mouth than
that fine apophthegm of Bentley； that no man was ever written down but
by himself。
Unhappily； a few months after the appearance of the Journey to the
Hebrides； Johnson did what none of his envious assailants could have
done； and to a certain extent succeeded in writing himself down。 The
disputes between England and her American colonies had reached a point
at which no amicable adjustment was possible。 Civil war was evidently
impending； and the ministers seem to have thought that the eloquence of
Johnson might with advantage be employed to inflame the nation against
the opposition here； and against the rebels beyond the Atlantic。 He had
already written two or three tracts in defence of the foreign and domestic
policy of the government； and those tracts； though hardly worthy of him；
were much superior to the crowd of pamphlets which lay on the counters
of Almon and Stockdale。 But his Taxation No Tyranny was a pitiable
failure。 The very title was a silly phrase； which can have been
recommended to his choice by nothing but a jingling alliteration which he
ought to have despised。 The arguments were such as boys use in debating
societies。 The pleasantry was as awkward as the gambols of a
hippopotamus。 Even Boswell was forced to own that； in this unfortunate
piece； he could detect no trace of his master's powers。 The general opinion
was that the strong faculties which had produced the Dictionary and the
Rambler were beginning to feel the effect of time and of disease； and that
the old man would best consult his credit by writing no more。
But this was a great mistake。 Johnson had failed； not because his mind
was less vigorous than when he wrote Rasselas in the evenings of a week；
but because he had foolishly chosen； or suffered others to choose for him；
a subject such as he would at no time have been competent to treat。 He
was in no sense a statesman。 He never willingly read or thought or talked
about affairs of state。 He loved biography； literary history； the history of
manners； but political history was positively distasteful to him。 The
question at issue between the colonies and the mother country was a
question about which he had really nothing to say。 He failed； therefore； as
the greatest men must fail when they attempt to do that for which they are
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unfit； as Burke would have failed if Burke had tried to write comedies like
those of Sheridan； as Reynolds would have failed if Reynolds had tried to
paint landscapes like those of Wilson。 Happily； Johnson soon had an
opportunity of proving most signally that his failure was not to be ascribed
to intellectual decay。
On Easter Eve 1777； some persons； deputed by a meeting which
consisted of forty of the first booksellers in London； called upon him。
Though he had some scruples about doing business at that season； he
received his visitors with much civility。 They came to inform him that a
new edition of the English poets； from Cowley downwards； was in
contemplation； and to ask him to furnish short biographical prefaces。 He
readily undertook the task； a task for which he was pre…eminently qualified。
His knowledge of the literary history of England since the Restoration was
unrivalled。 That knowledge he had derived partly from books； and partly
from sources which had long been closed； from old Grub Street traditions；
from the talk of forgotten poetasters and pamphleteers who had long been
lying in parish vaults； from the recollections of such men as Gilbert
Walmesley； who had conversed with the wits of Button； Cibber； who had
mutilated the plays of two generations of dramatists； Orrery； who had been
admitted to the society of Swift； and Savage； who had rendered services of
no very honourable kind to Pope。 The biographer therefore sate down to
his task with a mind full of matter。 He had at first intended to give only a
paragraph to every minor poet； and only four or five pages to the greatest
name。 But the flood of anecdote and criticism overflowed the narrow
channel。 The work； which was originally meant to consist only of a few
sheets； swelled into ten volumes； small volumes； it is true； and not closely
printed。 The first four appeared in 1779； the remaining six in 1781。
The Lives of the Poets are； on the whole； the best of Johnson's works。
The narratives are as entertaining as any novel。 The remarks on life and on
human nature are eminently shrewd and profound。 The criticisms are often
excellent； and； even when grossly and provokingly unjust； well deserve to
be studied。 For； however erroneous they may be； they are never silly。 They
are the judgments of a mind trammelled by prejudice and deficient in
sensibility； but vigorous and acute。 They therefore generally contain a
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portion of valuable truth which deserves to be separated from the alloy；
and； at the very worst； they mean something； a praise to which much of
what is called criticism in our time has no pretensions。
Savage's Life Johnson reprinted nearly as it had appeared in 1744。
Whoever； after reading that life； will turn to the other lives will be struck
by the difference of style。 Since Johnson had been at ease in his
circumstances he had written little and had talked much。 When； therefore；
he； after the lapse of years； resumed his pen； the mannerism which he had
contracted while he was in the constant habit of elaborate composition was
less perceptible than formerly； and his diction frequently had a colloquial
ease which it had formerly wanted。 The improvement may be discerned by
a skilful critic in the Journey to the Hebrides； and in the Lives of the Poets
is so obvious that it cannot escape the notice of the most careless reader。
Among the lives the best are perhaps those of Cowley； Dryden； and
Pope。 The very worst is； beyond all doubt； that of Gray。
This great work at once became popular。 There was； indeed； much just
and much unjust censure： but even those who were loudest in blame were
attracted by the book in spite of themselves。 Malone computed the gains
of the publishers at five or six thousand pounds。 But the writer was very
poorly remunerated。 Intending at first to write very short prefaces； he had
stipulated for only two hundred guineas。 The booksellers； when they saw
how far his performance had surpassed his promise； added only another
hundred。 Indeed； Johnson； though he did not despise； or affect to despise；
money； and though his strong sense and long experience ought to have
qualified him to protect his own interests； seems to have been singularly
unskilful and unlucky in his literary bargains。 He was generally reputed
the first English writer of his time。 Yet several
