Johnson's Criticism of Satire and the Problem of the Scriblerians

This essay examines Samuel Johnson as a critic of satire. In his judgements on satires as different as those written by Butler, Dryden, Swift, Gay, and Pope, Johnson demonstrates his sensitivity to its variety of forms. The Scriblerian manner he finds especially problematic. Yet on close examination, his criticism of Scriblerian texts is found to share certain characteristics of that manner. By tempering this satiric inheritance with his essential humanity, Johnson suggests a way of solving this problem. His mature critical manner therefore reveals Johnson as a masterful critic, but also a masterful practitioner, of satire.