NOTES

DR. JOHNSON AND DR. WARTON.

Amongst the poems of the Rev. Thos. Warton, vicar of Basingstoke, who is
best remembered as the father of two celebrated sons, is one entitled
_The Universal Love of Pleasure_, commencing--

"All human race, from China to Peru,
Pleasure, howe'er disguised by art, pursue."
&c. &c.

Warton died in 1745, and his Poems were published in 1748.

Johnson's _Vanity of Human Wishes_ appeared in 1749; but Boswell
believes that it was composed in the preceding year. That Poem, as we
well remember, commences thus tamely:--

"Let observation with extensive view,
Survey Mankind from China to Peru."

Though so immeasurably inferior to his own, Johnson may have noticed
these verses of Warton's with some little attention, and unfortunately
borrowed the only prosaic lines in his poem. Besides the imitation
before quoted, both writers allude to Charles of Sweden. Thus Warton
says,--

"'Twas hence rough Charles rush'd forth to ruthless war."