The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. in Nine Volumes, Volume 02: The Rambler, Volume IJohnson, Samuel
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The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. in Nine Volumes, Volume 02: The Rambler, Volume I
Johnson, Samuel
English essays -- 18th century
"A modest young man sends his service to the author of the
Rambler, and will be very willing to assist him in his work,
but is sadly afraid of being discouraged by having his first
essay rejected, a disgrace he has woefully experienced in every
offer he had made of it to every new writer of every new paper;
but he comforts himself by thinking, without vanity, that
this has been from a peculiar favour of the muses, who saved
his performance from being buried in trash, and reserved it to
appear with lustre in the Rambler."
I am equally a friend to modesty and enterprize; and therefore shall
think it an honour to correspond with a young man who possesses both in
so eminent a degree. Youth is, indeed, the time in which these qualities
ought chiefly to be found; modesty suits well with inexperience, and
enterprize with health and vigour, and an extensive prospect of life.
One of my predecessors has justly observed, that, though modesty has
an amiable and winning appearance, it ought not to hinder the exertion of
the active powers, but that a man should shew under his blushes a latent
resolution. This point of perfection, nice as it is, my correspondent
seems to have attained. That he is modest, his own declaration may evince;
and, I think, the _latent resolution_ may be discovered in his letter
by an acute observer. I will advise him, since he so well deserves my
precepts, not to be discouraged though the Rambler should prove equally
envious, or tasteless, with the rest of this fraternity. If his paper is
refused, the presses of England are open, let him try the judgment of
the publick. If, as it has sometimes happened in general combinations
against merit, he cannot persuade the world to buy his works, he may
present them to his friends; and if his friends are seized with the
epidemical infatuation, and cannot find his genius, or will not confess
it, let him then refer his cause to posterity, and reserve his labours
for a wiser age.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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