Johnson v. Addison

             Born to a stubborn Scottish family, James Boswell did not originally begin his career as a writer but studied law first. However, as time took its course, Boswell turned to what he was much more renowned for, his writing. It was not until his acquaintance with Samuel Johnson that Boswell wrote at his finest. Known as one of the first biographies of all time, The Life of Samuel Johnson incorporated notations of his friend Johnson's "ever conversation, habit, and peculiarity with conscientious fidelity." Known for other pieces as well, Samuel Johnson was an admirable writer who actually authored the first dictionary. In their lifetime, Boswell and Johnson became close friends. His admiration for Johnson caused Boswell to write an account of Johnson's life. At the same time that Johnson and Boswell were living, another writer, known as Joseph Addison, was familiar with prominence. Although he too was a popular writer, Boswell was not as fond of Addison as he was of Johnson. Boswell's feelings were evident in his biography of Johnson, The Life of Samuel Johnson.
             In a specific selection of The Life of Samuel Johnson, with the use of his diction, Boswell makes evident his beliefs that he feels Johnson's writing is superior to that of Addison. Boswell states that in comparison of the two, he "thinks[s] very unjustly, the style of Addison as nevertheless and feeble." Boswell feels that Addison's writing is weak and meaningless. The writing does not display the same strength that Johnson's does. Johnson's writing is stronger and has more meaning. .
             Boswell also dislikes Addison's writing because he feels that is possesses no emotion. He compares Addison to a gentleman, a man whom possesses the characteristic of making everyone feel comfortable. Addison writes what his readers want to read. He "insinuates his sentiments and taste into their minds by an imperceptible influence.".
             Yet as he writes to the liking of his readers, Addison also tells his readers how they should act and think, in Boswell's opinion.