The Rambler

Yes, so I've gotten through three of Johnson's Rambler essays. As I was reading this afternoon on the train, I was reminded of Thomas Nagel, an odd association but apt from the standpoint of a writer's gut-level embrace and finely wrought examination of his subject matter. And I thought, too, of Emerson, but with quite a contrary analysis. I've never understood Emerson's popularity as an essayist except that his sentences are emminently quotable. But that was Emerson's whole reason for being, to be quotable...but never mind the lack of sense behind his aphoristic constructions. The difference between Johnson (who must have been one of Emerson's templates) and Emerson is that whereas Johnson uses language (and disciplined rhetoric) to express his ideas, Emerson uses language to form his ideas ... a dicey proposition at best.