All human race, from China to Peru,
Pleasure, howe'er disguised by art, pursue.
Thomas Warton: Universal Love of Pleasure.
De Quincey (Works, vol. x. p. 72) quotes the criticism of some writer, who contends with some reason that this high-sounding couplet of Dr. Johnson amounts in effect to this: Let observation with extensive observation observe mankind extensively.
Nothing in poverty so ill is borne
As its exposing men to grinning scorn.
Oldham (1653-1683): Third Satire of Juvenal.
[366:2] Three years later Johnson wrote, "Mere unassisted merit advances slowly, if—what is not very common—it advances at all."