THE RIGHT OF CRITICISM.
MO THE EDITOR Or TRH "SPECTATOR."
Sfa,—With reference to the controversy between Sir Edward Clarke and Mr. Edmund Goose on the subject of the right of criticism, it is worth noting that if Dr. Johnson had only been alive at the present day Mr. Goose would have been some- what roughly handled ; for the whole case against Mr. Gosse is very forcibly put by Dr. Johnson in a few words, as may be gathered from the following extract from Boswell :— "Dempster said, 'We have hardly a right to abuse this tragedy ; for, bad as it is, how vain should either of us be to
write one not near so good!' Johnson : Why no, Sir; this is not just reasoning. You may abuse a tragedy, though you cannot write one. You may scold a carpenter who has made you a bad table, though you cannot make a table. It is not your trade to make tables.' " Dr. Johnson's remark implies, of course, that it is imperative we should know a bad table from a good one before proceeding to scold the carpenter.— I am, Sir, &c., Fairleigh, near Okehampton. F. R. CAVE.
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