... I believe that there may be further dimensions and greater subtleties to Johnson's construction of the rustic idyll than have previously been realized. In an essay published on the occasion of Dr. Johnson's 250th birthday, Mary Lascelles concludes that 'London has not the brilliance of its original, because it lacks the lightening flash of its irony'.2 Lascelles is arguably right to find irony in Juvenal ... ironically is a contentious topic. Lascelles believes that where Umbritius urges Juvenal to come with him, 'ironic overtones can be heard',3 she continues that the town of...

• Word Count: 2578
• Approx Pages: 10
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate