The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. in Nine Volumes, Volume 03 / The Rambler, Volume II

state to king William the third, who, having resigned his pla

m; a firm, yet

prudent; constan

ng'd, a prin

ide, but mod'r

urtier, yet

ince, and to h

sense of age, th

ngling, yet a

ith, from sup

ace, and hat

as; who now, fr

oys that libe

ng told of him whose name is concealed? An epitaph, and a history of a nameless hero, are equally absurd, since the virtues and qualities so recounted in either are scattered at the mercy of fortune to be appropriated by guess. The name, it i

his subject. He said, perhaps, the best that could be said. There are, however, some defects which were not made necessary by the character

e should be a word of emphasis; nor can this rule be safely neglected, except where the length of the poem makes

illed is weak and prosaick, having no particula

epitaph been written on the poor conspirator[154] who died lately in prison, after a confinement of more than forty years, without any crime prove