In James Boswell’s “The Life of Samuel Johnson,” Boswell meticulously documents Johnson’s conversations. Which of the following best represents Johnson’s views on literary criticism as recorded by Boswell?
1
Literary criticism should focus exclusively on moral instruction
2
Criticism is inferior to creative writing and should be approached sparingly
3
All forms of learning, including criticism, serve to elucidate human nature
4
Literary critics must have practical experience in writing fiction or poetry