Addison writes with the ease of a gentleman. His readers fancy that a wise and accomplished companion is talking to them; so thathe insinuates his sentiments and taste into their minds by an imperceptible influence. Johnson writes like a teacher. He dictates to his readers as if from an academical chair. They attend with awe and admiration; and his precepts are impressed upon them by his commanding eloquence. Addison's style, like a light wine, pleases everybody from the first. Johnson's, like a liquor of more body, seems too strong at first, but, by degrees, is highly relished.

I am sensible that my keenness of temper, and a vanity to be distinguished for the day, make me too often splash in life.... I amresolved to restrain myself and attend more to decorum.

A page of my journal is like a cake of portable soup. A little may be diffused into a considerable portion.

All censure of a man's self is oblique praise.

Melancholy cannot be clearly proved to others, so it is better to be silent about it.

The connection between authors, printers, and booksellers must be kept up.

My mind was, as it were, strongly impregnated with the Johnsonian ether.