Sketch
Boswell writes, “Dr Samuel Johnson's character, religious, moral, political, and literary, nay his figure and manner, are, I believe, more generally known than those of almost any man; yet it may not be superfluous here to attempt a sketch of him. Let my readers then remember that he was a sincere and zealous Christian, of high Church of England and monarchical principles." The sketch is emblematic of characterization of Johnson. Boswell portrays Johnson as a virtuous individual who upholds morality and piety throughout his experience. Sketching entails assessing an individual’s manifest qualities which are deduced from his mannerisms and affiliations.
Fertile
Boswell expounds, “He united a most logical head with a most fertile imagination, which gave him an extraordinary advantage in arguing; for he could reason close or wide, as he saw best for the moment…he owned he sometimes talked for victory; he was too conscientious to make error permanent and pernicious, by deliberately writing it." The emblematic fertility underlines Johnson's abundant creativity which makes him a critical thinker. Moreover, fertility depicts his intelligence which is evident in how he minimizes the errors he makes during his communication. Therefore, Johnson is a resourceful individual in Boswell’s life.
“Universal Scholar”
Boswell affirms, “Sir Adolphus Oughton, then our Deputy Commander in Chief, who was not only an excellent officer, but one of the most universal scholars I ever knew, had learned the Erse language, and expressed his belief in the authenticity of Ossian's poetry.” The metaphorical ‘universal scholar’ underscores Oughton’s extraordinary enlightenment. He is an intellectual man whose cleverness is manifest for he learns various concepts with ease. He has vast knowledge that would empower him to explain various universal realities. His discourses are indicators of his scholarly nature which prevents any potential clashes with Johnson.
