J^i^^:/u^ ^/(i^a^^pmi. i/'m^^zJ^m.r kEVHOJ^Di 1756. BEFORE 17 70 BARRY ABOX^T 1781. REYNOLD; ^Uj, ^-c^'. yi}U (yu Wi'O) S "W iR 1. IL'a L I F E O F JOHNS le I m%Uh^ ^Eiktirr (fnil^CT. JJIWI B ©HE T Oil 13 Ml.. ve^ by F. Moll, ironv a sketcru In/ Szi' JTwf Zam-ai^, F. ILi. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON: INCLUDING THEIH TOUR TO THE HEBRIDES. BY THE BIGHT HONOURABI-B JOHN WILSON CROKER, LL.D. F.R.S. NEW EDITION. miit]i portraits. LONDON: JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET. | 1876 LONDON : PRINTED Br SPOTTISWOODE AND CO., NEW-STP.EET SQUAEB AND PAELIAilESP STREET Add to Lib. GIFT ADVERTISEMENT TO THIS EDITION. "~1 In my first edition of this work, in 5 vols. 8vo., 1831, besides endeavour- ing to elucidate the many obscurities which IMr. Boswell had designedly left or which the lapse of time had created, I hazarded the experiment of inlaying upon the text such passages from the other biographers of Johnson as seemed necessary to fill up the long and fj-equent chasms which exist in Boswell's narrative. This plan afforded a more com- plete view of Johnson's life, though it gave, I must own, a less perfect one of Boswell's tcorh. It had, also, as I originally feared, " a con- fused and heterogeneous appearance " — with the further disadvantage of not completely fulfilling its object, — for the materials turned out to be too copious to admit of a thorough incorporation. On the whole, then, the publisher thought it better in a second edition, 8 vols. 12mo., 1835, to omit from the text all extracts from other works ; which were either distributed into the notes, or collected into two supplemental volumes fthe 9th and 10th) under the title of Joiinsoniana — Boswell's Tour to the Hebrides, Johnson's own Letters, his Notes of a Tour in "Wales, and extracts from his correspondence with IMrs. Thrale, being only excepted. That edition included some corrections and many additions of my own ; but it was carried through the press by the late Mr. Wright, (editor of the Parliamentary History, the Cavendish Debates, &c.) who selected the Johnsoniana, broke the narrative into chapters, and added some notes, which I have now marked with his name. The present edition is formed on the same principle, for, in addition to every other motive, its shape and size required as much compression as possible. Boswell's text is, therefore, uninterrupted ; but I have re- tained the most important biographical extracts from the Thrale cor- respondence, and have even found room for a few more original letters. I have also added several new notes, and have abridged, altered, and I hope improved, many of the old ones. I do not flatter myself that I have corrected all former errors, but I have at least diligently endea- voured to do so. As I think I may venture to say that my original edition revived, and in some respects extended, the public interest in Boswell's delightful work, I can desire no more than that my present revision may tend to uuiintain it. J. W. Croker. September, 1S47. 175 CONTENTS. Preface to Mr. Ckoker's Edition - Original Title .... Original Dedication to Sir Joshua Reynolds Mr. Boswell's Advertisements Mr. Malone's Adveutisements • xi • xix - xxl - xxil - xxiv CHAPTER I. 1709— I71G. nilurtion. Johnson's Birth and Parpiitajc. He inherits un his Father "a vile melancholy." His Account of !■ Members of his Family. Traditional .Stories of his ■I rocity. Taken to London to be tciuched by Queen iiiL' for the Scrol'ula ... Page 1 CHAPTER II. 1716-1728. ison at Lichfield School. Boyish Days. Removed to nirbridge. Specimens of hi? School E.xercises and early i-rses. He leaves Stourbridge, and passes two Years ,'h his Father - - - - - 7 CHAPTER IIL 1728—1731. l^ Pembroke College, Oxford. His College Life. The : rliid Melancholy " increases. Translates Pope's Mes- Course of Reading. Quits College - - 12 CHAPTER IV. 1731-1736. Death of his Father. Gilbert Walmesley. Captain Garrick. Mrs. Hill Boothby. " Molly Aston." Johnson becomes Usher of Market-Bosworth School. Removes to Birming- ham. Translates Lobo's Voyage to Abyssinia. Returns to Lichfield. Proposes to print the Latin Poems of Poli. tian. Offers to write for the Gentleman's Magazine. His juvenile Attachments. Marries. Opens a private Academy at Edial. David Garrick his Pupil. Commences "Irene" - - - - 19 CHAPTER V. 1737—1738. Johnson goes to London with Garrick. Lodges in Exeter Street. Retires to Greenwicii,and proceeds with " Irene." Projects a Translation of the History of the Council of Trent. Returns to Lichfield, and finishes " Irene." Re- moves to London with his Wife. List of Residences. Becomes a writer in the Gentleman's Magazine - 27 CHAPTER VI. 1738-1741. ' London, a Poem." Letters to Cave. Endeavours to ob- tain the Degree of M. A. Recommended by Pope to Lord Cower. His Lordship's Letter on his behalf. Begins a Translation of Father Paul's History. Publishes " A Vin- dication of the Licensers of the Stage," and " Marmor Norfolciense." Pope's Note to Richardson concerning him. Characteristic Anecdotes. Parliamentary Debates 33 CHAPTER VII. 1741—1744. ' Irene." Rev lew of the " Conduct of the Duchess of Murl- boroufjh." Lives of Burman and Sydenham. "Proposals for liibliotheca Harleiana." Projects a History of Parlia- ment. Dispute between Crousaz and Warhurton. " De- dication to James's Dictionary : " " Friendship, an Ode." Extreme Indigence. Richard Savage. Anecdotes. " The Life of Savage." Countess of Macclesfield. " Preface to tlie Harleian Miscellany " - - - 45 CHAPTER VIII. 1745-1749. ( I; irvationson Macbeth," and " Proposals for anew Edi- ti II of Shakspeare." " Prologue, on the opening of Drury L:uie Theatre." Prospectus of the Dictionary. Progress of the Work. Ivy Lane Club. Tunbridge Wells. "Life of Roscommon." " Preface to Dodslev's Preceptor." " Vision of Theodore." " The Vanity of Human Wishes." " Irene" acted at Drury Lane - - .53 CHAPTER IX. 1750-1751. The RambUr." His Prayer on commencing it. Obliga- tions to Correspondents. Adversaria. Success of the Rambler. Collected into Volumes. " Beauties " of the Rambler. Prologue for the Benefit of Milton's Grand- daughter. " Life of Cheynel." Lauder's Forgerv. Mrs. Anna Williams - . - - ' - 62 CHAPTER X. 1752, 1753. Progress of the Dictionary. Conclusion of the Rambler. Death of Mrs. Johnson. Prayer on that Occasion. In- scription. Epitaph. Francis Barber. Robert Levett. Sir Joshua Reynolds. Bennet Langton. Topham Beau- clerk. Johnson's Share in " The Adventurer " Page 74 CHAPTER XL 1754. Johnson's " Life of Cave." The Dictionary. Lord Chester- field. His alleged Neglect. Letter to Lord Chesterfield. Bolingbroke's Works. Johnson visits Oxford. Warton's Recollections. Sir Robert Chambers. Letters to Warton. Collins - - - - - 84 CHAPTER XII. 55—1758. Johnson M. A. by Diploma. Correspondence with Warton and the Authorities of the University. Publication of tlie Dictionary. Remarkable Definitions. Abridgment of the Dictionary. The Universal Visiter. The Literary Ma- gazine. Defence of Tea. Pulpit Discourses. Proposals for an Edition of Shakspeare. Jonas Hanway. Soame Jenyns. Charles Burney - - - 91 CHAPTER XIII. 1758—1759. " The Idler." Letters to Warton and Langton. Johnson's Mother. Letters to her, and to Miss Porter. Her Death. " Rasselas." Miscellanies. Excursion to Oxford. Francis Barber. Wilkes. SmoUet. Mrs. Montagu. Mrs. Ogle. Mjlne the Architect - . - - 110 CHAPTER XIV. 17G0— 17G3. Miscellaneous Essays. Acquaintance with Murphy. Aken- side and Rolt. Mackenzie and Eccles. Letters to Baretti. Painting and Music. Sir George Staunton. Letter to a Lady soliciting Church Preferment for her Son. John- son's Pension. Letters to Lord Bute. Visit to Devon- shire witli Sir Joshua Reynolds. Collins - 119 CHAPTER XV. 1763. Boswell becomes acquainted with Johnson. Derrick. Mr. Thomas Sheridan. Mrs. Sheridan. Mr. Thomas Davies. Mrs Davies. First interview. Johnson's Dress. His Chambers in Temple Lane. Dr. Blair. Dr. James Fordyce. Ossian. Christopher Smart. Johnson, the Equestrian. Clifton's Eating House. The Mitre. Collev- Gibber's Odes. Gray. Belief in Apparitions. Cock-Lane Ghost. Churchill. Goldsmith. Mallet's " Elvira." Scotch Landlords. Plan of Study - - - - - 131 CHAPTER XVI. 17G3. Suppers at the Mitre. Dr. John Campbell. Churchill. Bunnell Thornton. Burlesque " Ode on St. Cecilia's Day." The Connoisseur. The World. Miss Williams's Tea Parties. London. Miss Porter's Legacy. "The King can do no wrong." Historical Composition. Bayle. Arbuthnot. The noblest Prospect in Scotland. Rhyme. Adam Smith. Jacobitism. Lord Hailes. Keeping a Journal. The King of Prussia's Poetry. Johnson's Library. " Not at Home." Pity. Style of Hume. In- equality of Mankind. Constitutional Goodness. Miracles. Acquaintance of Young People. Hard Reading. Me- lancholy. Mrs. Macaulay. Warton's Essay on Pope. Sir Janies Macdonald. Projected Tour to the Hebrides. School-boy Happiness - - - 142 CHAPTER XVII. 1763. Table-Talk. Influence of the Weather. Swift. Thomson, liurke. Sheridan. Evidences of Christianity. Derrick. Day at Greenwich. The Methodists. Johnson's " Walk." Convocation. Blacklock. Johnson accompanies Boswell to Harwich. The Journey. " Good Eating." " Abstinence and Temperance." Johnson's favourite Dishes. Bishop Berkeley " refuted." Burke. Boswell sails for Holland 154 A 3 CHAPTER XVni. 17G3-1765. Boswell at Utrecht. Letter from Johnson. The Frisick Language. Johnson's Visit to Langton. Institution of " The Club." Reynolds. Garrick. Dr. Nugent. Granger's " Sugar Cane." Hypochondriac Attack. Days of Ab- straction. Odd Habits. Visit to Dr. Percy. Letter to Reynolds. Visit to Cambridge. Self-examination. Letter to and from, Garrick. Johnson created LL. D. by Dublin University. Letter to Dr. Leland. " Engaging in Politics." William Gerard Hamilton - Page 161 CHAPTER XIX. 1765-1760. Acquaintance with the Thrales. Publication of his Shaks- peare. Kenrirk. Dedications. Roswell returns to England. Voltaire on Pope and Dryden. Goldfmith's " Traveller," and " Deserted Village." Suppers at the Mitre resumed. "Equal Happiness." " Courting great Men." Convents. Second Sight. Corsica. Rousseau. Subordination. " .Making Verses." Letters to Langton - - 109 CHAPTER XX. 1705-1707. Boswcll's Thesis. Study of the Law. Rash Vows. Strea- tham. Oxford. London Improvements. Dedications Mrs. Williams's Miscellanies. Mr. William Drummond. Translation of the Bible into the Gaelic. Case of Heeley. ■ Dr. Robertson. Cuthbert Shaw. '■ Tom Hervey." John- sou's Interview with George III. Visit to Lichfield. Death of Catherine Chambers. Lexiphanes. Mrs. Aston - - - - - 179 .1 :| CHAPTER XXI. 17G8. 1 State of Johnson's Mind. Visit to Town-Mailing. Prologue to Goldsmith's " Good-natured Man." Boswell's " Ac- count of Corsica." Practice of the Law. Novels and Comedies. The Douglas Cause. Reading MSS. St. Kilda. Oxford. Guthrie. Hume. Robertson. Future I Life of Brutes. Natural History. Bell's Travels. Chastity. Choice of a Wife. Baretti's Italy. Liberty. Kenrick. Thomson. Mousev. Swift. Lord Eglintouiie. Letter on the Formation of a Library. Boswell at the Stratlord Jubilee. Johnson's Opinion of his " Corsica" CHAPTER XXII. 1769. Boswell at the Jubilee. His Accnimt of Corsica. General Paoli. Observance of Sunday. Rousseau aud Monboddo. Love of Singularity. London Life. Artemisias. Second Marriages. Scotc'n Gardening. Vails. Prior. Garrick's Poetry. History. Whitfield. The Corsicans. Good Breeding. Fate and Free-will. Goldsmith's Tailor. The Dunciad. Drvden. Congreve. Sheridan. Mrs. Monta- gu's Essay. Lord Kames. Burke. Ballad of Hardyk- nute. Fear of Death. Sympathy with Distress. Foote. Buchanan. Baretti's Tria'l. Maiideville - - 198 CHAPTER XXIII. 17C9 — 1770. " Foote." Trade. Mrs. Williams's Tea-table. James Fer- guson. :Medicatcd Baths. Population of Russia. Large Farms, .\ttachment to Soil. Roman Catholic Religion. Conversion to Popery. Fearof Death. Steevens. "Tom Tvers." Blackmore's " Creation." The Marriage Service. " 'The False Alarm." Percival Stockdale. Self-examina- tion. Visit to Lichfield — and Ashbourne. Baretti's Travels. Letters to Mrs. Thrale, Warton, &c. - -207 CHAPTER XXIV. 1770. Dr. Maxwell's Collectanea. Johnson's Politics, and general Mode of Life. Opulent Tradesmen. London. Hlack- letter Books. " Anatomy of Melancholy." (Jovernment of Ireland. Love. Jacob Behmen. I'^stablished Clergy. Dr. Priestley. Blank Verse. French Novel.s. P6re Bos- covich. Lord Lyttelton's Dialogues. Ossian. The Poet- ical Cobbler. Boetius. National Debt. Mallet. Marriage. Foppery. Gilbert Cooper. Homer. Gregory Sharpe. Poor of England. Corn Laws. Dr. Browne. Mr. Burke. Economy. Fortune-hunters. Orchards. Irish Clergy 215 CHAPTER XXV. 1771. Pamphlet on Falkland's Islands." George Grenville. Junius. Design of bringing Johnson into Parliament. Mr. Str.ahan. Lord North. Mr. Flood. Boswell's Mar- riage. Visit to Lichfield and Ashbourne. Dr. beattie. Lord Jlonboddo. St. Kilda. .^cots Church. Second Sight. The Thirty-nine .A.rticles. Thirtieth of January. Royal Marriage Act. Old Families. Mimickry. Foote. Mr. Peyton. Origin of Languages. Irish aiid Gaelic. Flogging at Schools. Lord Mansfield. Sir Gilbert Elliot 2J1. CHAPTER XXVI. 1772. Sir A. Macdonald. Choice of Chancellors. Lord Coke. Lord Mansfield. Scotch Accent. Pronunciation. Ety- mology. Disembodied Spirits. Ghost Stories. Mrs. Veal. Gray, Mason, and Akenside. Swearing. Warton's Essay on Pope. Pantheon. Luxury. Inequality of Livings. Hon Thomas Erskine. Fielding and Richardson. Coriat's Crudities. Gaming. Earl of Buchan iVttach- ment in Families. Feudal System. Cave's Ghost Story Witches ----- Page 231 CHAPTER XXVII. 1772—1773. Armorial Bearings. Duelling. Prince Eugene. Siege of Belgrade. Friendships. Goldsmith's Natural History. Storv of Prendergast. Expulson of Methodists from Oxford. " In Vino Veritas." Education of the People. Sense of Touch in the Blind. Theory of Sounds. Taste in the Arts. Francis Osborne's Work's. Country Gentle- men. Long Stories. Beattie and Robertson. Advice to Authors. Climate. Walpole and Pitt. Vicious Intromis- sion. Beattie's Essay. Visit to Lichfield and Ashbourne CHAPTER XXVIII. 1773. George Steevens. Goldsmith in St. Paul's. Vop'e. Milton. " The Whole Duty <.i Man." Puns. Lay Patronage. The Bread Tree. Sav.i.i;^ Life. Reasoning of Brutes. Toleration. Martyrdom. Doctrineof the Trinity. Governrnentof Ireland. Invoca- tion of Saints. " Go'ldy." Literary Property. State im Nature. Male Succession. Influence of the Seasons fi:i the Mind. Projected Visit to the Hebrides - 257 CHAPTER XXX. 1773. Johnson sets out en his visit to the Hebrides. Sketch of his Character, Figure, and Manner. He arrives in Scotland. Memorabilia. Law of Prescription. Trial by Duel. Mr. Scott. Sir William Forbes. Practice of the Law. Emi- gration. Rev. Mr. Carr. Chief Baron Orde. Dr. Beattie and Mr. Hume. Dr. Robertson. Mr. Burke. Geuius. Whitfield and Wesley. Political Parties. Garrick - 267 CHAPTER XXXL 1773. Edmburgh. Ogden on Prayer. Lord Hailes. Parliament House. The Advocates' Library. Writing doggedly. The Union. Queen Mary St. Giles's The Cowgate. The College. Holyrood House. Swift. Witchcraft. Lord Monboddo and the Ouran-Outang. Actors. Poetry and Lexicography. Scepticism. Vane and Sedley. Maelaurin, Literary Property. Boswell's Character of Himself. They leave Edinburgh - - - - 27-3 CHAPTER XXXII. 1773. Frith of Forth. Inch Keith. Kinghorn. Cup.ir. Com- position of Parliament. Influence of Peers. St. Andrews. Literature and Patronage. Writing and Conversation. Change of Manners. Drinking and Smoking. The Union. St. Rule's Chapel. John Knox. Retirement from the World. Dinner with the Professors. Subscriji- tion of Articles. Latin Grace. Sharpe's Monument. St. Salvador's. Dinner to the Professors. Instructions for Composition. Supper at Dr. Watson's. Uncertainty of Memory. Observance of Sunday. Trees in Scotland. Leuchars. Transubstantiation. Literary Property. Montrose - - - . , 2i0 CHAPTER XXXIII. 1773. Montrose. Lawrence Kirk. Monboddo. Emigration. Homer. Biography and History. Decrease of Learning. Proniii- tion of Bishops. Citizen and Savage. Aberdeen. Pro- fessor Gordon. Public and Private Educati(m. Sir Alt\- ander Gordon. Trade of Aberdeen. Doctrines of tiic Trinity and the .\tonement. Johnson a Burgess i>i' Aberdeen. Dinner at Sir Alexander Gordon's. War- burton. Locke's Latin Verses. Ossian - - 2-i7 CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXXIV. 1773. I.. I " Ti,o r.rpit Doctor." Goldsmith and Graltam. ^ ^^ns C .tie i adv Errol. Education of Clnldren. RXrofBuclan. Entails. House of Peers. Sir Joshua Rev^olds Earl of Errol. Feudal Times. Str.chen. LitI of Country Gentlemen. Cullen. Lord Monboddo Use and Improvement of Wealth. Elg n. Scenery of MTcbe?h Fores. Leonidas. Paul Whitehead. Derrick. OriK^n of Evil. Nairn. Calder Castle. Calder Manse. Kenneth M'Aulay. Ecclesiastical Subscription. Fainily Worship - - ■ " ° " CHAPTER XXXV, 1773. Fort George. Sir Adolphus Oughton. Lowth and Warbur- ton Dinner at Sir Eyre Coote-s. The Stage. Mrs. C.b- her' Mr " Clive. Mrs. Pritchard. Inverness. Macbeth s Der. ^"■^5.- ^"^^_.. ,, TJrewerv. " Peregr nity." Coinage ^'^ew .-ords John on on H'o'rseback.'A Highland Hut. Fort Augustus. Governor Trapaud. Anoch Emigration. Goklsmifh ^ Ship a Jail. Glensheal. The Macraas TheRattakin. Glenelg - - ' ^"^ CHAPTER XXXVI. 1773. Glenelg Isle of Sky. Armidale. Sir Alexander Mac- ^donim. Church of Slate. Ode on Sky- Corr.chatachm Highland Hospitality. Ode to Mrs. Thrale Country Life Macpherson's Dissertations. Second bight. Rasay. Fin-'al Homer. Infidelity. Bentley. Mallett. Hooke. Duchess of Marlborough. ^Heritable Jurisdictions. Insu- lar Life. Macleod. Sail to Sky. Discourse on Death Lord Elibank. Ride to Kingsburgh. Flora Macdona d CHAPTER XXXVII. 1773. Adventures of the Pretender - - - 326 CH.APTER XXXVIII. 1773. Emigration. Dunvegan. Female Chastity Dr. Cadogan Preaching and Practice. Good Humour. Sir George Mackenzi'-e. Burke. Johnson's Hereditary Me'ancholy. His " Seraolio." Polygamy. Dunvegan Castle. Cun- "n.. "Temple of Anaitis.-' Family Portraits. Bacon's Henry VII. Pennant - • - " ^" CHAPTER XXXIX. 1773. Johnson-s Birth-day. ^?ne"=ig«/\e//'^'8ree °f N^Vn°u^^ The Laird of Muek. Choice of a Wife. Boswell=, Jour- nal Lady Grange. Poetry of Savages. French Literati. Prize Fi-hting. '^French and English Soldiers. Duelling. Ch.-mge of Manners. Landed and trading interests. Loval s Pyramid. Ulinish. Lord Orrery, tec. tec. - - Bath and Bristol. Rowley's Poems. Chatterton. Garrick's " Archer." Brute Creation. Ches- terfield's "Letters." Notes on Shakspeare. Luxury. Oglethorpe. Lord Elibank. Conversation. Egotism. Dr. Oldfield. Commentators on the Bible. Thompson's Case. Dinner at Mr. Dilly's. John Wilkes. Foote's Mimicry. Garrick's Wit. Biography. Dryden. Gibber's Plays. " Difficile est proprie," &c. City Poets. "Dla- bolus Regis." Lord Bute. Mrs. Knowles. Mrs. Rudd 509 CHAPTER LVII. 1776-1777. Johnson's Temper. Sir Joshua Reynolds's Dinners. Gold- smith's Epitaph. The Round Robin. Employment of Time. Correspondence. Reconciliation in the Boswell Family. Blair's Sermons. Severe Indisposition. Easter Day. Prayer. Sir Alexander Dick. Sh.aw's Erse Grammar. Johnson engages to write " The Lives of the English Poets." Edward Dilly. Correspondence. Charles O'Connor - - - . - 518 CHAPTER LVIII. 1777. Bishop Pcarce. Prologue to Kelly's Play. Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Savage's " Sir Thomas Overbury." Thom- son. Mrs. Strickland. The Townley Collection. Dr. Dodd. Boswell at the Tomb of Melancthon. Isaac De Groot. Dr. Watts. Letter to Mrs. Boswell. Visit to Ashbourne. " Harry Jackson." Sidney's " Arcadia." Projected Trip to the Baltic. Sale of Ulva and StatTa - - . . .531 CHAPTER LIX. 777. Boswell at Ashbourne. Grief for Relatives and Friends. Incomes of Curates. Johnson's Interference for Dr. Dodd. Mr. Fitzherbert. Hamilton of Bangour. Bleeding. Hume. Fear of Death. Duties of a Biographer. Stuart Family. Birth-days. Warton's Poems - Page 539 CHAPTER LX. 777. Keddlestone. Derby. Shaving. Nichols's " De AnimS Medica." Dr. Dodd. Blair. Goldsmith. Monboddo's " Air-bath." Early-rising. Sleep. Water-drinking. Rutty's " Spiritual Diary." Autobiographers. Imitators of Johnson's Style. Blographia Britannlca. Melancholy and Madness. London Life. Profession of the Law. Em- ployment. Dr. Taylor's " Sermons." Actors - .548 CHAPTER LXI. 1777—1778. Personal disputes. Duke of Devonshire. Burke's Defi- nition of a Free Government. Ham. The Christian Revelation. Mungo Campbell. Dr. Taylor's Bull-dog. " JE&op at play." Memory. Rochester's Poems. Prior. Hypochondria. Books. Homer and Virgil. Lord Bacon. Topham Beauclerk. Grainger's " Ode on Solitude." Music. Happiness. Future State. Slave Trade. Ameri- can Independence. Corruption of Parliament. Planting. " Oddity Johnson." Decision of the Negro Cause. Mr. Saunders Welch. Advice to Travellers. Corre- spondence . . - . . 556 CHAPTER LXII. 1778. Inmates of Bolt Court. Tom Davies. Counsel at the Bar of the House of Commons. Thomas a Kempis. Uses of a Diary. Strict Adherence to Truth. Ghosts. John Wes- ley. "Alclhlades' Dog. Emigration. Parliamentary Elo- quence. Place Hunters. Irish Language. Thicknesse's "Travels." Honesty. Temptation. Dr. Kennedy's Tra- gedy. Shooting a HIghw.iyman. Mr. Dunning. Con- tentment. Laxity of Narration. Mrs. Montagu. Harris of Salisbury. Definition. Wine-drinking. Pleasure. Goldsmith. Charles the Fifth. Best English Sermons. "Seeing Scotland." Absenteeism. Delany's " Observa- tions on Swift " - - - - 570 CHAPTER LXIII. 1778. Horace's Villa. Country Life. Great Cities. French Literature. Old Age. '" Unius Lacertse." Potter's JEs- chylus. Pope's Homer. Sir W. Temple's Style. Elphin- ston's Martial. Hawkins's Tragedy. Insubordination. Fame. Use of Riches. Economy. Soldiers and Sailors. Charles Fox. De Foe. Cock-Lane Ghost. Asking Questions. Hulks. Foreign Travel. Short Hand. Dodd's Poems. Pennant. Johnson and Percy. Streatham. Correspondence - . . . 579 CHAPTER LXIV. 1778. Chapter concerning .Snakes." Styles in Painting and Writing. George Steevens. Luxury. Different Govern- ments. JIaccaronic Verses. Cookery Books. Inequality of the Sexes. Degrees of Happiness. Soame Jenyns's " Internal Evidence." Courage. Friendship. Free Will. Mandeville. " Private Vices, public Benefits." Hannah More. Mason's Prosecution of Mr. Murray the Bookseller. Fear of Death. Annihilation. Future State of Existence. Wesley's Ghost Story. Jane Harry. Change of Religion. Mrs. Knowles ----- 689 CHAPTER LXV. 1778. Good Friday. Bad Housewifery. Books of Travels. Fleet Street. Meeting with Mr. Oliver Edwards. Lawyers. Tom Tyers. Choice of a Prolession. Dignity of Litera- ture. Lord Camden. George Psalmanazar. Daines Barrlngton. Punishment of the Pillory. Insolence of Wealth. Extravagance. " Demosthenes Taylor." Pamphlets. Goldsmith's Comedies. The Beggars' Opera. Johnson's " HIstorlaStudiorum." Gentleman's Magazine. Avarice. Bon Mots. Burke's Classical Fun. Egotism. 5;7 CHAPTER LXVI. 1778. Buying Buckles. " The first Whig. Wine. Tasso. Homer, .^dam Smith. Pope. Voltaire. Henry's History. Modern Writers. Greece. Rome. Old Age. Dr. Robertson. Addison. Chinese Language. Interest of Money. Ima- gination. Existence. Virtue and Vice. The Bat. Lord Marchmont. " Transpire." House of Peers. Pope's " Universal Prayer." Divorces. Parson Ford's Ghost. Lord Clive - - . . .605 CONTENTS. CHAPTER LXVII. 17 -1779. I.ird Kames. Sir George Vill'ers's Ghost. Innate Virtue. Native Modesty. Foreign Travel. Lord Charleniont. Country Life. Manners of the Great. Home's " Letter to Diiiinin!.'." Dr. Mead. Kasselas and Candide. Francis's Horace. Modern Books of Travels. Lord Chatham. Vows. Education. Blilton's " Tractate." Locke. Visit to Warley Camp. Dr. liiirney. Sir Joshua Reynolds's " Discourses." Publication of the " Lives of the Poets." Death of Garrick. Correspondence -PageOlo cn.\PTER LXVIII. 779. Tasker's " Ode." Man of the World. " Vicar of Wake- field." Junius's Letters. Parental Authority. London. " Government of the Tongue." Good Frida}'. Easter Day. Eel-skinning. Claret, Port, Urandy. Shakspeare's Witches. Lochloinond. Liberty. Hackman. Johnson and Topham Beauclerk. Dlallet. Friendship. Eulogy on Garrick. " Art of getting drunk." Empirics. Pa- rental Affection. Lord Marchmont. Pope. Parnell's "Hermit." Correspondence - - • Gi3 CHAPTER LXIX. 1779. Experiments on the Constancy of Friends. Colonel James Stuart. Choice of Guardians. Adventurers to the East Indies. Poor of London. Pope's " Essay on Man." Lord Bolingbroke. Johnson's Residences in London. Conjugal Infidelitv. Roman Catholics. Helps to the Study of Greek. Middlesex Election. House of Commons. Right of Expulsion. George Whitfield. Philip Astley. Keeping Company with Inlidels. Irish UnioTi. Vulgar Prosperity. " Tlie Ambassador says well." Corre- spondence - - - - - G33 CHAPTER LXX. 1780. Lives of the Poets " creep on. Dr. Lawrence. Loss of a Wife. Death of lieauclerk. Letter-writing. Mr. Melmoth. Fitzosborne's Letters. Sonu-rset- House K\. hibicion. Riots in London. Lord George Gordon. Mr. Akerman. Correspondence. Dr. Beattie. Davies's " Life of Garrick." .Advice to a Young Clergyman. Composition of Sermons. Borough Election. Lady Southwell. Mr. Alexanrier Macbean. Lord Thurlow. Langton's Collectanea. Dr. Franklin's " Demonax" - G-12 CHAPTER LXXL 1781. The " Lives of the Poets " completed. Observations upon, and various Readings in, the Life of Cowley. Waller. Milton. Dryden. Pope. Broome. Addison. Parnell. Blackmore. Philips. Congreve. Tickell. .■\kenside. Lord Lyttelton. Young. Swift . - 6G3 CHAPTER LXXII. 1781. Warren Hastings. Liberty and Necessity. Picture of a Man, by Shakspeare and by Milton. Registration of Deeds. Duty of a Member of Parliament. Deportment of a Bishop. " Merriment of Parsons. " Zachariah Mudge. Dr. Walter Harto. Scale of Liquors. Dancing. .Sir Philip Jennings Clerk. American War. Dudley Long. Exaggerated Praise. " Learning to Talk." Veracity. Death of Mr. Thrale. Queen's Arms Club. Constructive Treason. Castes of Wen. Passion Week. Addison. Blackstone. Steele. Educating by Lectures. The Re- surrection. Apparitions ... 675 CHAPTER LXXIIL 1781. Dinner at Mrs. Garrick's. Miss Hannah More, kludge's "Sermons." A Printer's Devil. Quotation. Letter- writing. Bet Flint. Oratory. Beauclerk's Library. En- glish Sermons. Blue-Stocking Clubs. Miss Monckton. Talking tor Victory. A Cui Bono .Man. " Heroic Epistle." Lord Carlisle's Poems. Dr. Barnard. " Of Tory and Whig." Visit to Welwyn. Dr. Young. Trusting to Impressions. Original Sin. .Antient Egyptians. Wealth. Memory and Recollection. Marrying a pretty Woman. Thrale's Brewery. Mr. Bewley. Johnson's Hearth- broom. Dr. Patten. Visit to Ashbourne and Lichfield C8J CHAPTER LXXIV. 1782. Death of Iiol)ert Levett. Verses to his Memory. Chatte/ton. Dr. Lawrence. Dcatli of Friendship. " Beauties " aud "Deformities" of Johnson. Misery of being in Debt. Six Rules for Travellers. Death of Lord Aucbinleck. " Kindness and Fondness." Life. Old Ago. Evils of Poverty. Prayer on leaving Streatham. Visit to Cowdrey . Nichols's " Anecdotes." Wilson's " Archa;ological Dic- tionary." Dr. Patten - - Page 700 CHAPTER LXXV. 1783. Country Gentleman. House of Hanover. Conversation. Lies of Vanity. Opium. Exaggeration. Neglect of Merit. Use of Riches. Crabbe's - Village." Keeping Accounts. Lords Mansfield, Loughborough, and Thurlow. Harrington's Nugit Antiquae. " Quos Deusvult perdere," &c. Prince of Wales. Burney's Travels. Chinese Ar- chitecture. Innovation. Tyburn. Dr. Hurd. Paren- thesis. " Derrick or Smart." " I'lie great 'I'walmley." Owen Cambridge. Family Histories. " Turkish Spy." Orchards. Oratory. Origin of Language. Madness. Rev. James Compton .... 712 CHAPTER LXXVI. 1783. Population of London. Natural Affection. Self-defence. Duelling. Corpulency. Government of India. Reviewers. Horace. Sickness. Liberty of Teaching. " Alias." Virgil. Cant. Hospitality. Miss Burney. Barry's Pic- tures. Baxter's Works. Devotion. Johnson attacked Willi a Stroke of the Palsy. Recovery. Visit to Laugtun -, with notes. He observed that all works which describe manners require notes in sixty or seventy years or less," post, p. 219. And Dean Swift wrote to Pope on the subject of the Dunciad, " I could wish the notes to be very large in what relates to the persons con- cerned ; for I have long observed, that twenty miles from London nobody understands hints, initial letters, or town facts or passages, and in a few years not even those who live in London."— Z.f«. IG. July, 1728. 3 Mr. Boswell confesses that he has sometimes been in- fluenced by the subsequent conduct of persons in exiiibiting or suppressing Dr. Johnson's unfavourable opinion of them. — See the cases of Lord Monboddo, p. 200., and of Mr. Sheridan, p. 204. ; and it is to be feared he has some- turies " Giants" we conclude that George III. was the great personage ; but all my in- quiries (and some of His Majesty's illustrious iamily have condescended to permit these in- quiries to extend even to them) have failed to ascertain to what person or on what occasion that happy expression was used. Again : When Mr. Boswell's capricious deli- cacy induced him to suppress names and to substitute such descriptions as "an eminent friend," " a young gentleman," " a distinguished orator," these were well understood by the society of the day ; but it is become necessary to apprise the reader of our times, that Mr. Burke, Mr. Sheridan, and Mr. Fox were re- spectively meant Nor is it always easy to appropriate Mr. Boswell's circumlocutory de- sij^nations. It will be seen in the course of this work, that several of them have become so obscure that even the surviving members of the Johnsonian Society were imable to recollect who were meant, and it was on one of these occasions that Sir James Mackintosh told me that " my work had, at least, not come too soon." Mr. Boswell's delicacy is termed capricious, because he is on some occasions candid even to indiscretion, and on others unaccountably mysterious. ,ln the report of a conversation he will clearly designate half the interlocutors, while the other half, without any apparent rea- son, he casts into studied obscurity. Considering himself to be (as he certainly has been to a greater degree than he could have contemplated) one of the distributors of fame, he has sometimes indulged his partialities or prejudices^ by throwing more or less light, and lights more or less favourable, on the dif- ferent persons of his scene ; some of whom he obtrudes into broad dtiy, while others he only '■'■ adumbrates " by imperfect allusions. But many, even of those the most clearly desig- nated and spoken of as familiar to every eye times done so without confessing, perhaps without being conscious, of the prejudice. On the other hand, he is some- times more amiably guilty of extenuation, as in the instances of Doctors Robertson and Beattie, pp. 182. I'Jl. 244. and '25>i. )t is not easy to explain why Mr. Uoswell was unfavourably disposed towards old Sheridan and Goldsmith, thougli the bias is obvious ; but wholly unaccountable are the frequent ridicule and censure whicli he delighted to provoke and to r.'Cord against the amiable Bennet Langton. This is, I think, more apparent latterly : though he still generally de- signates him by some kindly epithet. Those who knew Mr. Boswell intimately have informed me (as indeed he himself involuntarily does) that his vanity was very sensitive, and there can be no doubt that personal pique tinged many passages of his book, which, whenever 1 could trace it, 1 have not failed to notice. PREFACE TO and ear, have already lived their daj', and are hardly to be heard of except in this work. Yet this work must be read with imper- fect pleasure, without some knowledge of the history of those more than half-forgotten per- sons. Facts, too, fade from memory as well as names ; and fashions and follies are still more transient. But, in a book mainly composed of familiar conversation, how large a portion must bear on the facts, the follies, and the fashions of the time ! To clear up these obscurities — to supply these deficiencies — to retrieve obsolete and to collect scattered circumstances — and so to restore to the work as much as possible of its original clearness and freshness, were the main objects of the present Editor. I am but too well aware how unequal I am to the task, and how imperfectly I have accomplished it. But as the time was rapidly passing away in which any aid could be expected from the contempo- raries of Johnson, or even of Boswell, I deter- mined to undertake the Avork — believing that, however ill I might perform it, I should still do it better than, twenty years later, it could be done by any diligence of research or any felicity of conjecture. But there were also deficiencies to be sup- plied. Notwithstanding the diligence and minuteness with which Mr. Boswell detailed what he suiv of Dr. Johnson's life, his book left large chasms. It must be recollected that they never resided in the same neighbourhood, and that the deluded account of Johnson's domestic life and conversation is limited to the oppor- tunities afforded by Mr. Boswell's occasional visits to London — by the Scottish Tour — and by one meeting at Dr. Taylor's in Derbyshire. Of above twenty years, therefore, that their ac- quaintance lasted, periods equivalent in the whole to about three-quarters of a year only' fell under the personal notice of Boswell — and thus has been left many a long hiatus — I'ulde dejlendus, and now, alas, quite irrepa- Mr. Boswell endeavoured, indeed, to fill up these chasms as well as he could with letters, memoranda 2, notes, and anecdotes collected from every quarter ; but the appearance of liis work was so long delayed, that Sir John Hawkins, Mrs. Piozzi, Dr. Strahan, jMr. Tyers, ]\lr. Nichols, and many others, had anticipated • It appears from the Life, thiit Mr. Boswoll visited Eng- land a dozen times during his acquaintance with lit. Johnson, and tliat the number of days on which thev met were about ISO, to which is to be added the time of the Toi'r, when they were together from the ISth August to the 22d No- vember, 1773; in the whole about 27(j days. The number of pages in the separate editions of the two works is 2528, of winch, 1320 are oc.iipicd bv l\n: historv of these 270 days ; so that a /////,• 1,-ss llun, ,t„ hundrcdili part iif Dr. Johnson's life occupies nh.,v,- ,„„■ linlf of Mr. IldswpU's works. Kvery one mu.i.t regret that his personal intercourse with his great friend was not more frequent or more continued ; hut 1 could do but little towards rectifying this disproportion, except by the insertion of the eorretpondence with Mrs. Thrale. 2 On the use of this I.atinism, I venture to repeat much of what he would have been glad to tell. Some squabbles about copyright had warned him that he must not avail himself of their publications ^ ; and he was on such bad tei-nis with his rival biographers that he could not expect any assistance or countenance from them. He nevertheless went as iar as he thought the law would allow in making fre- quent quotations from the preceding publica- tions ; but as to all the rest, which he did not venture to appropriate to his own use, — the grapes were sour — and he took every oppor- tunity of representing the anecdotes of his rivals as extremely inaccurate and generally undeserving of credit. It is certain that none of them have at- tained — indeed they do not pretend to — that extreme verbal accuracy Avith which Mr. Boswell had, by great zeal and diligence, learned to record conversations ; nor in the details of facts are they so precise as IMr. Bos- well, with good reason, claims to be. After all, however, Mr. Boswell himself is not ex- empt from those errors — • quas aiit incuria fiidit, Aut humana parum cavit natura ; and an attentive examination and collation of the authorities (and particularly of Mr. Bos- well's own) produced the final conviction that the minor biographers are entitled not merely to more credit than Mr. Boswell allows them, but to as much as any person writing from recollection, and not from notes made at the moment, can be. But much the largest, and, for (he purpose of filling up the intervals of his private history, the most valuable part of Dr. John- son's correspondence was out of Boswell's reach, namely, that Avliich he for twenty years maintained with Mrs. Thrale, and which she published in 1788, in two volumes octavo. For the copyright of these, Mr. lioswell says, in a tone of admiring envy, " she received five hundred pounds." The publication, however, was not very successful — it never reached a second edition, and is now almost forgotten. But through these letters are scattered almost the only information we have relative to John- son during the long intervals between Mr. Boswell's visits ; and from them he has occa- sionally but cautiously (having the fear of tlie a pleasant anecdote told by Bishop Elrinston. The late Lord Avonmore, giving evidence relative to certain certi- ficates of degrees in the Ur,ivcrsity of Dublin, called them (as they are commonly called; " Te$limoniums." As the clerk was writing down the word, one of the counsel said, "Should it not be rather lesiimonia?" "Yes," replied Lord Avonmore, "if you think it, better Knulish!" This pleasantry contains a just grammatical criticism ; but memo- randa has of late been so generally used as an Knglish plural that I have ventured to retain it. 3 It is a curious proof of these jealousies, that Mr. Boswell entered at Stationers' Hall as distinct publications. Dr. Johnson's letter to Lord Chestcrjielil, and the account of his Conversation with George III., which occupy a few pages of the LiF£. ]\IR. CROKER'S EDITION. i copyright law before his eyes) made interesting extracts. These letters being now public property, I have been at liberty to follow up Mr. Boswell's imperfect example, and have there- fore made numerous and copious selections from them, less as specimens of Johnson's talents for letter-writing, than as notices of his domestic and social life during the intervals of Mr. Boswell's narrative. Indeed, as letters, few of Johnson's can have any great charm for the common reader ; they are fidl of good sense and good-nature, but in forms too didactic and ponderous to be very amusing. In the extracts which I have made from IMrs. Thrale's correspondence, I liave been guided entirely by the object of completing the history of John- son's life.' The most important addition, however, which I have made is one that needs no apology — the incorporation with the 'Life' of the wliole of the ' Tour to the Heukides,' which Bos- well published in one volume in 1785, and which, no doubt, if he could legally have done so, he would himself have incorporated in the Life — of wliich indeed he expressly tells us, he looks on tlie Tour but as a portion. It is only wonderful, that since the copyriglit has expired, any edition of his Life of Johnson should have been published without the addi- tion of this, the most original, curious, and amusing portion of the whole biography. The Prayers and Meditations, published by Dr. Strahan too hastily after Johnson's death, and I think in other respects also, indisci-eetly", have likewise been made use of to an extent which was forbidden to Mr. Boswell. Wliat Dr. Strahan calls meditations are, in fnct, nothing but diaries of the author's moral and religious state of mind, intermixed with some noUces of his bodily health and of tlie interior circumstances of his domestic life. Mr. Boswell had ventured to quote some of these : the present edition contains all that appear to offer any thing of interest. I have also incorporated a diai'y which Johnson had kept during a Tour through No}-th Wales, made, in 1775, in company with jNIr. Thrale and his family. Mr. Bos- well had, it appears, inquired in vain for this diary : if he could have obtained it, he would, no doubt, have inserted it, as he did the similar notes of the Tour in Fi'unce in the succeeding year. By the liberality of Mr. Duppa, who published it in 1806, with copious explanatory notes, I was enabled to add it to my edition. I have likewise given in the Appendix an Account of Dr. Johnsons early ' The number of or/ffinailetters in my edition of 1831 was about 100 — to which I have now added about 20 ; and there are above 50 extracts from the Thrale Correspondence. 2 See the remarks on this subject, pp. 792. 803. 3 Sir Walter Scott and Sir James Boswell, to whom, as the grandson of Mr. Boswell, the inquiries were addressed, unfortunately missed one another in mutual calls ; but 1 have heard from another quarter that the original life, ivritten by himself, published in 1802, but now become scarce ; and I have thrown into the notes or the Appendix a few extracts from other published lives and anecdotes of Dr. Johnson which seemed necessary to complete Boswell's picture. But besides these printed materials, I have been fovoured with many papers connected with Dr. Johnson, his life, and society, hitherto unpublished. Of course, my first inquiries were directed towards the original manuscript of Mr. Boswell's Journal, which would no doubt have enabled me to fill uji all tlie blanks and clear away much of the obscurity that exist in the printed Liff.. It was to be hoped that the *■ archives of Auchinleck,' which Mr. Boswell frequently and pompously mentions, would contain the original materials of these works, which he himself, as well as the world at large, considered as his best claims to distinction. And I thought that I was only fulfilling the duties of courtesy in requesting from IMi". Boswell's representative any information which he might be disposed to afford on the subject. To that request I never received any answer : though the same inquiry was afterwards, on my behalf, repeated by Sir Walter Scott, whose influence might have been expected to have produced a more satisfactory result.^ But was more fortunate in other quarters. The Reverend Doctor Hall, Master of Pem- broke College, was so good as to collate the printed copy of the Pruyei-s and Medita- tions with the original papers, now (most ap- propriately) deposited in the library of that college, and some, not unimportant, light has been thrown on that publication by the personal inspection of the papers which he permitted me to make. Doctor Hall has also elucidated some facts and corrected some misstatements in Mr. Boswell's account of Johnson's earlier life, by an examination of the college records ; and he has found some of Johnson's Oxford exercises, one or two specimens of Avhich have been selected as likely to interest the classical reader. He has further been so obliging as to select and copy several letters written by Dr. Johnson to his early and constant friends, the daugh- ters of Sir Thomas Aston, which, having fiiUen into the hands of Mrs. Parker, were by her son, the Reverend S. II. Parker, presented to Pembroke College. The papers derived from this source are marked Penib. MSS. Dr. Hall, feeling a fraternal interest in the most illustrious of the sons of Pembroke, continued, as will appear in the coiu'se of the work, to favour me with his valuable assistance. The Reverend Dr. Hai'wood, the historian journals do not exist at Auchinleck; perhaps to this fact the silence of Sir James Boswell may be attributed. The manu- script of the Tour was, it is known, fairly transcribed, and so, probably, were portions of the Life ; but it appears from a memoiandum book and other papers in Mr. Auderdon's possession, that Boswell's materials were in a variety of forn"is ; and it is feared that they have been irretrievably dis- persed. PREFACE TO of Lichfield, procured for me, tbi-ougli the favour of Mrs. Pearson, the widow of the legatee of Miss Lucy Porter, many letters acldressed to this lady by Johnson; for which, it seems, Mr. Boswell had inquired in vain. These papers are marked Pearson 3ISS. Dr. Harwood supplied also some other papers, and much information collected by himself.' Lord Rokeby, the nephew and heir of Mrs. INIontague, was so kind as to communicate Dr. Johnson's letters to that lady. JNIr. Langton, the grandson of Mr. Bennet Langton, has furnished some of his grand- father's papers, and several original MSS. of Dr. Johnson's Latin poetry, which have enabled me to explain some errors and obscu- rities in the published copies of those com- positions. INIr. J. F. Palmer, the grand-nephew of Sir Joshua Reynolds and of Miss Reynolds, most liberally communicated all the papers of that lady, containing a number of letters or rather notes of Dr. Johnson to her, which, however trivial in themselves, tend to corrobo- rate all that the biographers have stated of the charity and kindness of his private life. Mr. Palmer also contributed a paper of more importance — a MS. of about seventy pages, written by IMiss Reynolds, and entitled BecoUections of Dr. Johnson" The authen- ticity and general accuracy of these Recol- lections cannot be doubted, and I had there- fore admitted extracts from them into the text of my first edition ; I have now given the whole in the Appendix. Mr. IMarkland has, as the reader will see by the notes to which his name is affixed, favoured me with a great deal of zealous assistance and valuable information. He also communicated a copy of Mrs. Piozzi's anecdotes, copiously annotated, propria maun, by Mr. Malone. These notes have been of use in explaining some obscurities ; they guide us also to the source of many of Mr. Boswell's charges against Mrs. Piozzi ; and have had an effect that Mr. Malone could neither have ex- pected or wished — that of tending rather to confirm than to impeach that lady's veracity. ISIr. J. L. Anderdon favoured me with the inspection of a portfolio bought at the sale of the library of Boswell's second son James, which contained some of the original letters, memoranda, and note books, which had been used as materials for the Life. Their chief value, now, is to show that as far as we may judge from this specimen, the printed book is ' Dr. Harwood likewise favoured me with permission to engrave for the edition of 1831, the earliest known portrait of Dr. Johnson — a miniature worn in a bracelet by his wife, which Dr. Harwood purchased from Francis Barber, Dr. Johnson's servant and legatee. The engraving in the original was by mistake stated to be " in tlie possession of Mrs. Pearson." It belonged to Dr. Harwood. - A less perfect copy of these llccollecthns was .ilso com- municated by Mr. Gwatkin, who married one of Sir Joshua's nieces. ^ This attention on the part of Lord Chesterfield renders still more puzzling Johnson's conduct towards his lordship. See pp. .58. 84. et seq. a faithful transcript from the original notes, except only as to the suppression of names. 'Ml-. Anderdon's portfolio also contains John- son's original draft of the Prospectiis of the Dictionary, and a fair copy of it (written by an amanuensis, but signed, in form, by John- son), addressed to Lord Chesterfield, on which his lordship appears to have made a few criti- cal notes. ^ Through the obliging interposition of JMr. Appleyard, private secretary of the second Earl Spencer, Mrs. Rose, the daughter of Dr. Stra- han, favoured me with copies of several letters of Dr. Johnson to her father, one or two only of which Mr. Boswell had been able to obtain. Li addition to these contributions of manu- script materials, 1 have to acknowledge much and valuable assistance from numerous literaiy and distinguished friends. The venerable Lord Stowell, the friend and executor of Dr. Johnson, was one of the first persons who suggested this work to me: he was pleased to take a great interest in it, and kindly endeavoured to explain the obscu- rities which were stated to him ; but he con- fessed, at the same time, that the application had in some instances come rather too late, and regretted that an edition on this principle had not been undertaken when full light might have been obtained. His lordship was also so kind as to dictate, in his own happy and pecu- liar style, some notes of his recollections of Dr. Johnson. These, by a very unusual accident % were lost, and his lordship's great age and in- creasing infirmity deterred me from again troubling him on the subject. A few points, however, in which I could trust to my own recollection, will be found in the notes. To my revered friend, Dr. Thomas Elrington, Lord Bishop of Ferns, I had to offer my thanks for much valuable advice and assistance, and for a continuance of that friendly interest with which his lordship for many years, and in more important concerns, honoured me. Sir Walter Scott, whose personal kind- ness to me and indefatigable good-nature to every body were surpassed only by his genius, found time from his higher occupations to annotate a considerable portion of this work — the Tour to the Hebrides — and continued his aid to the very conclusion of my task. The Right Honourable Sir James Mackin- tosh, whose acquaintance with literary men and literary history was so extensive, and who, although not of the Johnsonian circle, became early in life acquainted with most of the sur- ■< They were transmitted by post, addressed to Sir Walter Scott in Edinburgh for his perusal ; after a considerable lapse of time. Sir Walter was written to to return them — he had never had them. It then appeared that the post office bag which contained this packet and several others, had been lost, and it has never been heard of. Some of my friends reproached me with want of due caution in hav- ing trusted this packet to the post, but I think unjustly. There is, perhaps, no individual now alive who has despatched and received a greater number of letters than I have done, and I can scarcely recollect an instance of a sim.i- lar loss. MR. CROKER'S EDITION. vivors of that society, not only approved and encoui-aged my design, but was, as the reader will see, good enough to contribute to its execu- tion. It were to be wished, that he himself could have been induced to undertake the work — too humble indeed for his powers, but which he was, of all men then living, perhaps, the fittest to execute. Mr. Alexander Chalmers, the ingenious and learned editor of the last London edition, gave me, with gi-eat candour and liberality, all the iissistance in his power — regretting and wondering, like Lord Stowell and Sir James Mackintosh, that so much should be forgot- ten of what at no remote period every body must have known. To Mr. DTsraeli's love and knowledge of literary history, and to his friendly assistance, I was very much indebted ; as well as to Mr. (now Sir Henry) Ellis of the British Museum, for his readiness on this and other occasions to afford me every information in his power. The Marqiiis AVellesley took an encourag- ing interest in the work, and improved it by some valuable observations ; and the Mar- quis of Lansdowne, Earl Spencer, LordBexley, and Lord St. Helens, the son of Dr. John- son's early friend Mr. FItzhei-bert, were so obliging as to answer some inquiries with which I found it necessary to trouble them. ' In this edition (1847) I have had some valuable assistance from Mr. Peter Cunning- ham (son of Allan Cunningham the Poet'', as well as from my friend Mr. Lockhart, author of the 'Life of Sir Waltei- ScoU'—a, work second only, if indeed it be second, to that of Boswell, in all its higher qualities. How I may have arranged all these mate- rials, and availed myself of so much assistance, it is not for me to decide. Situated as I was when I began and until I had nearly completed the edition of 1835, I could not have ventured to undertake a more serious task ; and I fear that even this desultory and gossiping kind of employment must have suffered from the weightier occupations in which I was then en- gaged, as well as from my own deficiencies. If unfortunately any one should think that I have failed in my attempt to improve the original work, I still have the consolation of thinking that there is no great harm done. For, as I have retrenched- nothing from the best edi- tions of the Life and the Tour, the worst that can happen is that what I have added to the collection may, if the reader so pleases, be rejected as surplusage. Of the value of the notes with which my friends favoured me, I can have no doubt : 1 Of all these eminent persons mentioned in the text. Lords Lansdowne and Bexley, Sir Henry Ellis, and Messrs. Marklandand D'Israeli, only survive — but I preserve, with a tender pleasure and a very excusable pride, this record of my gratitude to so many illustrious friends and assistants. Of all that are mentioned in the work itself as having been acquainted with Johnson, two only — acquaintances also of mine — Lady Keith (Miss Thrale) and Miss Langton, only survire. of my own, I will only say, that I have endea- voured to make them at once concise and explanatory. I hope I have cleared up some obscurities, supplied some deficiencies, and, in many cases, saved the reader the trouble of referring to dictionaries and magazines for notices of the various persons and facts which are incidentally mentioned.^ In some cases I candidly confess, and in many more I fear that I have shown, my own ignorance ; but I can say, that when I have so fiiiled, it has not been for want of diligent Inquiry after the desired information. I have not considered it any part of my duty to defend or to controvert the statements or opinions recorded in the text ; but in a few instances, In which either a matter of fad has been evidently misstated, or an important principle has been heedlessly invaded or too lightly treated, I have ventured a few words towards correcting the error. The desultory nature of the work itself, the repetitions In some instances and the contra- dictions in others, are perplexing to those who may seek for Dr. Johnson's final opinion on any given subject. This difiiculty I could not hope, and have, therefore, not attempted to remove ; it is inevitable in the transcript of table-talk so various, so loose, and so ex- tensive ; but I have endeavoured to alleviate it by occasional references to the different places where the same subject is discussed, and by a copious, and I trust, satisfactory index. I have added translations of most if not all the classical quotations in the work — generally from the most approved translators — some- times, when they did not appear to hit the point in question, I have ventured a version of my own. With respect to the spirit towards Dr. Johnson himself by which I was actuated, I beg leave to say that I feel and have always felt for him a great, but, I hope, not a blind admiration. For his writings, and espe- cially for his Vanity of Human Wishes, the Prefaces to the Dictionary and Shakespeare, and the Lives of the Poets, that admiration has little or no alloy. In his personal conduct and conversation there may be occasionally some- thing to regret and (though rarely) something to disapprove, but less, perhaps, than there would be In those of any other man, whose words, actions, and even thoughts should be exposed to public observation so nakedly as, by a strange concurrence of circumstances, Dr. Johnson's have been. Having no domestic ties or duties, the latter 2 In half a dozen instances an indelicate expression has been omitted ; and, in one or two places (always, however, stated in the notes), the insertion of new matter has oc- casioned the omission or alteration of a few words in the text. 3 As some proof of diligence, I may be allowed to state that the Variorum notes to the edition by Chalmers were little over 1000, while the number of my additional notes is nearly 2500. PREFACE TO portion of his life was, as Mrs. Piozzi observes, nothing but conversation, and that conversation was watched and recorded from night to night and from hour to hour with zealous attention and unceasing diligence. No man, the most staid or the most guarded, is always the same in health, in spirits, in opinions. Human life is a series of inconsistencies ; and when John- son's early misfortunes, his protracted poverty, his strong passions, his violent prejudices, and, above all, his bodily and I may say mental in- firmities, are considered, it is only wonderful that a portrait so laboriously minute and so painfully faithful does not exhibit more of blemish, incongruity, and error. The life of^Dr. Johnson is indeed a most curious chapter in the history of man; for cer- tainly there is no instance of the life of any other human being having been exhibited in so much detail, or with so much fidelity. There are, perhaps, not many men who have practised so much self-examination as to know themselves as well as every reader knows Dr. Johnson. We must recollect that it is not his table-talk or his literary conversations only that have been published : all his most private and most trifling correspondence — all his most common as well as his most confidential intercourses — all his most secret communion with his own conscience — and even the solemn and contrite exercises of his piety, have been divulged and exhibited to the " garish eye " of the world without reserve — 1 had almost said, without delicacy. Young, with gloomy candour, has said " Heaven's Sovereign saves all beings but himself That hideous sight, a naked human heart." What a man must Johnson have been, whose heart, having been laid more bare than that of any other mortal ever was, has passed so little blemished through so terrible an ordeal ! But while we contemplate with such interest this admirable and jjcrfect porti-ait, let us not forget the painter. Mr. Burke told Sir James Mackintosh that he thought Johnson showed more powers of mind in company than in his writings, and on another occasion said, that he thouglit Johnson appeared greater in Boswell's volumes than even in his own. It was a strange and ibrtunate concurrence, that one so prone to talk and who talked so well, sliould be brought into such close contact and confidence with one so zealous and so able to record. Dr. Johnson was a man of extraor- dinary powers, but i\Ir. Boswell had qualities, in their own way, almost as rare. He imited lively manners with indefatigable diligence, and the volatile curiosity of a man about town with the drudging patience of a chronicler. With a vei'y good oj)inion of himself, he was quick in discerning, and frank in applauding, the excellencies of others. Though jjroud of his own name and lineage, and ambitious of the countenance of the great, he was yet so cordial an admirer of merit, wherever found, that much public ridicule, and something like contempt, were excited by the modest assurance with which he pressed his acquaintance on all the notorieties of his time, and by the osten- tatious (but in the main, laudable) assiduity with which he attended the exile Paoli and the low-born Johnson ! These were amiable, and, for us, fortunate inconsistencies. His contemporaries indeed, not without some colour of reason, occasionally complained of him as vain, inquisitive, troublesome, and giddy ; but his vanity was inoflTensive — his curiosity was commonly directed towards laudable objects- - when he meddled, he did so, generally, from good-natured motives — his giddiness was only an exuberant gaiety, which never failed in the respect and reverence due to literature, morals, and religion : and posterity gratefully acknowledges the taste, temper, and talents with which he selected, enjoyed, and described that polished and intellectual society which still lives in his work, and without his work had perished ! " Vixere fortes ante Agamemnona Multi : sed omnes illacrymabiles Urgentur, ignotique longa Nocte, carent quia vate sacro." Such imperfect though interesting sketches as Ben Jonson's visit to Drummond, Selden's Table Talk, Swift's Journal, and Spence's Anecdotes, only tantalise our curiosity and excite our regret that there was no Boswell to preserve the conversation and illustrate the life and times of Addison, of Swift himself, of Milton, and, above all, of Shakespeare ! We can hardly refrain from indulging ourselves with the imagination of works so instructive and delightful ; but that were idle ; except as it may tend to increase our obligation to the faithful and fortunate biographer of Dr. John- son. Mr. Boswell's birth and education familiar- ised him with the highest of his acquaintance, and his good-nature and conviviality with the lowest. He describes society of all classes with the happiest discrimination. Even his foibles assisted his curiosity ; he was sometimes laughed at, but always well received ; he ex.cited no envy, he imposed no restraint. It was well known that he made notes of every conversa- tion, yet no timidity was seriously alarmed, no delicacy demurred ; and we are perhaps in- debted to the lighter parts of his character for the patient indulgence with which every body submitted to sit for their pictures. Mr. Boswell took, indeed, extraordinary and most laudable pains to attain accuracy. Not only did he commit to paper at night the con- versation of the day, but even in general society he would occasionally take a note of any thing remarkable that occurred ; and he afterwards spared no trouble in arranging and MR. CROKER'S EDITION. supp/ying the inevitable deficiencies of these hasty memoranda.' Nor were his talents inconsiderable. He had looked a good deal "into books, and more into the world. The narrative portion of his woVks is written with good sense, in an easy and perspicuous style, and without (which seems odd enough) any palpable imitation of Johnson. But in recording conversations he is unrivalled : that he was eminently accurate in substance, we have the evidence of all his contemporaries ; but he is also in a high degree characteristic — dramatic. The incidental ob- sei'vations with which he explains or enlivens the dialogue, are terse, appropriate, and pic- turesque — we not merely hear his company, we see them ! Yet 'his father was, we are told, by no means satisfied 2 with the life he led, nor his eldest sow with the kind of reputation he attained ; neither liked to hear of his connexion even with Paoli or Johnson ; and both would have been better pleased if he had contented himself with a domestic life of sober respectability. 1 Mr. Wordsworth obligingly furnished me with the following copy of a note in a blank page of his copy of Bosweirs work, dictated and signed in Mr. Wordsworth's presence by the late Sir George Beaumont, whose own accuracy was exemplary, and who lived very much in the society of Johnson's latter days. "Eydal Mount, \2th Sept. 1826. " Sir Joshua Reynolds told me at his table, immediately after the publication of this book, that every word of it might be depended upon as if given on oath. Boswell toas in the habit of bringing the proof sheets to his house previously to their being struck qff, and if any of the company happened to have been present at the conversation recorded, he requested him or them to correct any error, and, not satisfied with this, he would run over all London for the sake of verifying any single word which might be disputed. "G.H.BEAUMONT." Although it cannot escape notice, that Sir Joshua is here reported to have drawn a somewhat wider inference than the premises warranted, the general testimony is satisfactory, and it is to a considerable extent corroborated by every kind of evidence external and internal. - See p. 397. n. This feeling is less surprising in old Lord Auchinleck than in Sir Alexander, who was himself a man of the world, clever, literary, and social. 3 The following letter (in the Reynolds Papers) from Mr. Boswell to Sir Joshua, on the subject of this portrait, ought not to be lost. "London, 7th June, 1785. " 3Iy dear Sir, — The debts which I contracted in my father's lifetime will not be cleared off by me for some years. I therefore think it unconscientious to indulge myself in any ( xpeiisive article of elegant luxury. But in the mean time, The public, however, the dispenser of fame, has judged differently, and considers the bio- grapher of Johnson as the most eminent branch of the family pedigree. With less activity, less indiscretion, less curiosity, less enthusiasm, he might, perhaps, have been what the old lord would, no doubt, have thought more respect- able ; and have been pictured on the walls of Auchinleck (the very name of which we never should have heard) by some stiff", provincial painter in a lawyer's wig or a squire's hunting cap ; but his portrait, by Reynolds ^, would not have been ten times engraved ; his name could never have become — as it is likely to be — as far spread and as lasting as the English lan- guage ; and " the world had wanted " a work to which it refers as a manual of amusement, a repository of wit, wisdom, and morals, and a lively and faithful history of the manners and literature of England, during a period hardly second in brilliancy, and superior in import- ance, even to the Augustan age of Anne. 1st May, 1831. J. w. c. you may die, or I may die ; and I should regret very much that there should not be at Auchinleck my portrait painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds, with whom I have the felicity of living in social intercourse. " I have a proposal to make to you. I am for certain to be called to the English bar next February. Will you now do my picture, and the price shall be paid out of the first fees which I receive as a barrister in Westminster Hall. Or if that fund should fail, it shall be paid at any rate in five years hence, by myself or my representatives. " If you are pleased to approve of this proposal, your sig- nifying your concurrence underneath, upon two duplicates, one of which shall be kept by each of us, will be a sufficient voucher of the obligation. I ever am, with very sincere re- gard, my dear sir, your faithful and affectionate humble servant, "James Boswell. " / agree to Ike above conditions. " London, 10/A Sept. 1785." ' J. Reynolds. An engraving from Sir Joshua's portrait is prefixed to the present volume. I was favoured by Mrs. Denham with a pencil sketch of Mr. Boswell in later life, by Sir Thomas Lawrence : which, although bordering on caricature, is so evidently characteristic, and (as I am assured) so identically like, that I think it worth reproducing. I have also added, oil the next page, a whole length (first published in the duo- decimo edition) of Boswell during the period when he "flourished" (as Mr. Chalmers slily phrases it) with John- son. Both these sketches will, I think, be acceptable, as giving a lively idea, not merelj; of his person, but also, (and particularly the first,) of his mind and manner : — busy self- importance and dogmatiral good-nature were seldom better expressed. if\ {From nn OrUjiml SMch by George Langton, Esq. London : John Murray, Albemarle Street r [original title-page.] THE LIFE SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL.D, COMPREHENDING AN ACCOUNT OF HIS STUDIES, AND NUMEROUS WORKS, in chronological order; A SERIES OF HIS EPISTOLARY CORRESPONDENCE AND CONVERSATIONS WITH MANY EMINENT PERSONS ; AND VARIOUS ORIGINAL PIECES OP HIS COMPOSITION, NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED. THE WHOLE EXHIBITING A VIEW OF LITERATURE AND LITERARY MEN IN GREAT BEITAIN, FOE NEAR HALF A CENTURY DURING WHICH HE FLOURISHED. JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ. IN TWO VOLUMES [qUARTO] Quo fit Ut OMNIS Votiva pateat veluti descripta tabella Vita senis Hokat. LONDON: PRINTED BY HENRY BALDWIN, FOR CHARLES DILLY, IN THE POULTRY. " After my death I wish no other herald, No other speaker of my living actions, To keep mine honour from corruption, But such an honest chronicler as Griffith." ' Shakspeare, Henry VIII. > Sec Dr. Johnson's lettrr to IMrs. Thralo, dated Ostick, in Skie, September 30. 1773 : " Boswell -writes a regular journal of our travels, wliicli I tliink contains as much of what I say and do, as of all other occur- rences together ; 'Jor suc/i a fail/iful chronicler is Griffith.' " — Boswell. DEDICATION. TO SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS. Mt dear Sir, — Every liberal motive that can actuate an author in the dedication of his labours concurs in directing me to you, as the person to whom the following woi'k should be inscribed. If there be a pleasure in celebrating the distinguished merit of a contemporary, mixed with a certain degree of vanity, not altogether inexcusable, in appearing fully sensible of it, where can I find one, in complimenting whom I can with more general approbation gratify those feelings ? Your excellence, not only in the art over which you have long presided with vmrivalled fame, but also in philosophy and elegant literature, is well known to the present, and will continue to be the admiration of future ages. Your equal and placid temper, your variety of conversation, your .true polite- ness, by which you are so amiable in private society, and that enlarged hospitality which has long made your house a common centre of union for the great, the accomplished, the learned, and the ingenious ; all these qualities I can, in perfect confidence of not being ac- cused of flattery, ascribe to you. If a man may indulge an honest pride, in having it known to the world that he has been thought worthy of particular attention by a person of the first eminence in the age in which he lived, whose company has been uni- versally courted, I am justified in availing myself of the usual privilege of a dedication, when I mention that there has been a long and uninterrupted friendship between us. If gratitude should be acknowledged for favours received, I have this opportunity, my dear Sir, most sincerely to thank you for the many happy hours which I owe to your kind- ness, — for the cordiality with which you have at all times been pleased to welcome me, — for the number of valuable acquaintances to whom you have introduced me, — for the metes ccenceqiie Deum, which I have enjoyed under your roof. If a work should be inscribed to one who is master of the subject of it, and whose appro- bation, therefore, must ensure it credit and success, the Life of Dr. Johnson is, with the greatest propriety, dedicated to Sir Joshua Reynolds, who was the intimate and beloved friend of that great man ; the friend whom he declared to be " the most invulnerable man he knew ; whom, if he should quarrel with him, he should find the most difficulty how to abuse." You, my dear Sir, studied him, and knew him well ; you venerated and admired him. Yet, luminous as he was upon the whole. you perceived all the shades which mmgled in the grand composition, all the little peculiarities and slight blemishes which marked the literary Colossus. Your very warm commendation of the specimen wiiich I gave in my " Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides," of my being able to preserve his conversation in an authentic and lively manner, which opinion the public has confirmed, was the best encouragement for me to persevere in my purpose of producing the whole of my stores. In one respect, this work will in some passages be diSerent from the former. In my " Tour," I was almost unboundedly open in my communications ; and from my eagerness to display the wonderful fertility and readiness of Johnson's wit, freely showed to the world its dexterity, even when I was myself the object of it. I trusted that I should' be liber- ally understood, as knowing very well what I was about, and by no means as simply un- conscious of the pointed effects of the satire. I own, indeed, that I was arrogant enough to suppose that the tenour of the rest of the book would sufliciently guard me against such a strange imputation. But it seems I judged too well of the world ; for, though I could scarcely believe it, I have been undoubtedly informed, that many persons, especially in distant quar- ters, not penetrating enough into Johnson's character, so as to understand his mode of treating his friends, have arraigned my judg- ment, instead of seeing that I was sensible of all that they could observe. It is related of the great Dr. Clarke, that when in one of his leisure hours he was imlDend- Ing himself with a few friends in the most playful and frolicksome manner, he observed Beau Nash approaching ; upon which he sud- denly stopped. " My boys," said he, " let us be grave — here comes a fool." The world, my friend, I have found to be a great fool as to that particular on which it has become necessary to speak very plainly. I have there- fore in this work been more reserved ; and though I tell nothing but the truth, I have still kept in my mind that the whole truth is not always to be exposed. This, however, I have managed so as to occasion no diminu- tion of the pleasure which my book should afjord, though malignity may sometimes be disappointed of Its gratifications. I am, my dear Sir, your much obliged friend and faith- ful humble servant. James Boswell. London, 20th April, 1791. MR. BOSAVELL'S ADVERTISEMENTS. TO THE FIRST EDITION. I AT last deliver to the world a work which I have long promised, and of which, I am afraid, too liij^h expectations have been raised. The delay of its publication must be imputed, in a considerable degree, to the extraordinary zeal which has been shown by distinguished persons in all quarters to supply me with additional information concerning its illustrious subject ; resembling in this the grate- ful tribes of ancient nations, of which every indi- vidual was eager to throw a stone upon the grave of a departed hero, and thus to share in the pious office of erecting an honourable monument to his memory. The labour and anxious attention with which I have collected and arranged the materials of which these volumes are composed, will hardly be con- ceived bv those who read them with careless facility. The stretch of mind and prompt as- siduity by whicii so many conversations were preserved, I myself, at some distance of time, con- template with wonder ; and I must be allowed to suggest, that the nature of the work, in other respects, as it consists of innumerable detached particulars, all which, even the most minute, I have sjjared no pains to ascertain with a scrupulous authenticity, has occasioned a degree of trouble far beyond that of any other species of compo- sition. Were 1 to detail the books which I have consulted, and the inquiries which I have found it necessary to make by various channels, I should probably be thought ridiculously ostentatious. Let me only observe, as a specimen of my trouble, that I have sometimes l)een obliged to run half over London, in order to fix a date correctly : which, when I had accomplished, I well knew would obtain me no jiraise, though a failure would have been to my discredit. And after all, per- haps, hard as it may be, I shall not be surprised if omissions or mistakes be pointed out with in- vidious severity. I have also been extremely care- ful as to the exactness of my quotations ; holding that there is a respect due to the public, which ihould oblige every author to attend to this, and never to presume to introduce them with," I think I have read," or " If I remember right," when the originals may be examined. 1 beg leave to express my warmest thanks to those who have been pleased to favour me with communications and advice in the conduct of my work. IJut I cannot sufficiently acknowledge my obligations to my friend Mr. Malone, who was so good as to allow me to read to him almost the whole of my manuscript, and made such remarks as were greatly for the advantage of the work ; tliough it is but fair to him to mention, that upon many occasions I dilTered from him, and followed my own judgment. I regret exceedingly that I was deprived of the benefit of his revision, when not more than one half of the book had passed through the press ; but after having completed his very laborious and admirable edition of Shak- speare, for which he generously would accept of no other reward but that fame which he has so deservedly obtained, he fulfilled his promise of a long-wished-for visit to his relations in Ireland ; from whence his safe rutxirnjinibiis Atticis is desired by his friends here, with all the classical ardour of Sic te Diva potens Cypri ; for there is no man in whom more elegant and worthy qualities are united ; and whose society, therefore, is more valued by those who know him. It is painful to me to think, that while I was carrying on this work, several of those to whom it would have been most interesting have died. Such melancholy disappointments we know to be incident to humanity ; but we do not feel them the less. Let me particularly lament the Reverend Thomas Warton and the Reverend Dr. Adams. Mr. Warton, amidst his variety of genius and learning, was an excellent biographer. His con- tributions to my collection are highly estimable ; and as he had a true relish of my " Tour to the Hebrides," I trust I should now have been gratified with a larger share of his kind approbation. Dr. Adams, eminent as the head of a college, as a writer, and as a most amiable man, had known Johnson from his early years, and was his friend through life. What reason I had to hope for the countenance of that venerable gentleman to this work will appear from what he wrote to me upon a former occasion from Oxford, NovemberlY. 1785: — " Dear Sir, I hazard this letter, not knowing where it will find you, to thank you for your very agreeable ' Tour,' which I found here on my return from the country, and in which you have depicted our friend so perfectly to my fancy, in every attitude, every scene and situation, that I have thought myself in the company and of the party almost throughout. It has given very general satisfaction : and those who have found most fault with a passage here and there, have agreed that they could not help going througli, and being entertained with the whole. I wish, indeed, some few gross expressions had been softened, and a few of our hero's foibles had been a little more shaded ; but it is useful to see the weaknesses inci- dent to great minds ; and you have given us Dr. Johnson's authority that in history all ought to be told." Such a sanction to my faculty of giving a just representation of Dr. Johnson I could not conceal. Nor will I suppress my satisfaction in the con- sciousness, that by recording so considerable a ])ortion of the wisdom and wit of "the brightest ornament of the eighteenth century," ' 1 have largely j)rovi(led for the instruction and entertain- ment of mankind. J. BOSWELL, London, 20th April, 1791. MR. BOSWELL'S ADVERTISEMENTS. TO THE SECOND EDITION That I was anxious for the success of a work whicli had employed much of my time and labour, I do not wish to conceal ; but whatever doubts I at any time entertained, have been entirely removed by the very favourable reception with which it has been honoured. That reception has excited my best exertions to render my book more perfect ; and in this endeavour I have had the assistance not only of some of my particular friends, but of many other learned and ingenious men, by which I have been enabled to rectify some mistakes, and to enrich the work with many valuable additions. Tiicse I have ordered to be printed separately in quarto, for the accommodation of the purchasers of the first edition. INIay I be permitted to say that the typography of both editions does honour to the press of ^Ir. Henry Baldwin, now INIaster of the Worshipful Company of Stationers, whom I have long known as a worthy man and an obliging friend. In the strangely mixed scenes of liuman exist- ence, our feelings are often at once pleasing and painful. Of this truth, the progress of the present work furnishes a striking instance. It was highly gratifying to me that my friend. Sir Joshua Rey- nolds, to whom it is inscribed, lived to peruse it, and to give the strongest testimony to its fidelity ; but before a second edition, which he contributed to improve, could be finished, the world has been deprived of that most valuable man ; a loss of which the regret will be deep, and lasting, and extensive, proportionate to the felicity which he diffused through a wide circle of admirers and friends. In reflecting that the illustrious subject of this work, by being more extensively and intimately known, however elevated before, has risen in the veneration and love of mankind, I feel a satisfaction beyond what fame can afford. We cannot, indeed, too much or too often admire his wonderful powers of mind, when we consider that the principal store of wit and wisdom which this work contains was not a particular selection from his general conver- sation, but was merely his occasional talk at such times as I had the good fortune to be in his com- pany ; and, without doubt, if his discourse at other periods had been collected with the same attention, the whole tcnour of what he uttered would have been found equally excellent. His strong, clear, and animated enforcement of religion, morality, loyalty, and subordination, while it delights and improves the wise and the good, will, I trust, prove an effectual antidote to that detestable sophistry wliich has been lately imported from France, under the false name of philosophy, and with a malignant industry has been employed against the peace, good order, and happiness of society, in our free and prosperous country : but, thanks be to God, without producing the perni- cious effects which were hoped for by its pro- pagators. It seems to me, in my moments of self-com- placency, that this extensive biographical work, however inferior in its nature, may in one respect be assimilated to the Odyssey. Amidst a thousand entertaining and instructive episodes, tlie hero is never long out of sight ; for they are all in some degree connected with him ; and he, in the whole course of the history, is exhibited by the author for the best advantage of his readers : — Quid virtus et quid sapientia possit, Utile proposuit nobis exemplar Ulyssen. Should there be any cold-blooded and morose mortals who really dislike this book, I will give them a story to apjily. When the great Duke of jMarlborough, accompanied by Lord Cadogan, was one day reconnoitring the army in Flanders, a heavy rain came on, and they both called for their cloaks. Lord Cadogan's servant, a good-humoured, alert lad, brought his lordship's in a minute. The duke's servant, a lazy sulky dog, was so sluggish, that his grace, being wet to the skin, reproved him, and had for answer, with a grunt, " I came as fast as I could;" upon which the duke calmly said, " Cadogan, I would not for a thousand pounds have that fellow's temper." There are some men, I believe, who have, or think they have, a very small share of vanity. Such may speak of their literary fame in a decorous style of diffidence. But I confess, that I am so formed by nature and by habit, that to restrain the e.fusion of delight, on having ob- tained such fame, to me would be truly painful. Why then should I suppress it ? Why " out of the abundance of the heart " should I not speak ? Let me then mention with a warm, but no in- solent exultation, that I have been regaled with spontaneous praise of my work by many and various persons, eminent for their rank, learning, talents, and accomplishments ; much of which praise I have under their hands to be reposited in my archives at Auchinleck. An honourable and reverend friend speaking of the favourable recep- tion of my volumes, even in the circles of fashion and elegance, said to me, " You have made them all talk Johnson." Yes, I may add, I have Johnsonised the land ; and I trust they will not only talk but think Jolinson. To enumerate those to whom I have been thus indebted would be tediously ostentatious. I can- not however but name one, whose praise is truly valuable, not only on account of his knowledge and abilities, but on account of the magnificent, yet dangerous embassy, in which he is now employed, which makes every thing that relates to him peculiarly interesting. Lord Macartney favoured me with his own copy of my book, with a number of notes, of which 1 have availed myself On the first leaf I found, in his lordship's handwriting, an inscription of such high commendation, that even I, vain as I am, cannot prevail on myself to pub- lish it. J. BOSWKLL. 1st July, 1793. MR. MALONE'S ADVERTISEMENTS. TO THE THIRD EDITION. Several valuable letters, and other curious matter, having been communicated to the author too late to be arrani'obable that the sale" took place in 1765,' is thus shown to be ' a monstrous blunder.' ' The very page which contains this mon- * strous blunder contains another blunder, 'if possible, more monstrous still. Sir ' Joseph Mawbey, a foolish member of ' Parliament, at whose speeches and whose ' pigsties the wits of Brookes's were, fifty ' years ago, in the habit of laughing * most unmercifully, stated, on the autho- * rity of Garrick, tkat Johnson, while sit- ' ting in a coffee-house at Oxford, alx)ut the ' time of his doctor's degree, used some * contemptuous expressions respecting 'Home's play and Macpherson's Ossiau. ' " Many men," he said, " many women, ' "and many children, might have written ' " Douglas." Mr. Croker conceives that he ' has detected an inaccuracy, and ulorics ' over poor Sir Joseph in a most charac- * teristic manner. " I have quoted this ' " anecdote solely with the view of show- ' *' ing to how little credit hearsay auec- * " dotes are in general entitled. Here is Now, this is a tissue of misrepresenta- tion. The words ' about the time of his ^ doctor's degree,' which the Reviewer attri- butes to Mr. Croker, are Sir Joseph Maw- bey's own, and distinguished by Mr. Croker with marks of quotation (omitted by the Reviewer') to call the reader's atten- tion to the mistake which Mr. Croker supposes Sir Joseph to have made as to the date of the anecdote. But, says the Reviewer, ' Mr. Croker has missed the only real objection to the story, namely, that Johnson had used, as early as 1763, respecting Ossian, the same expressions which Sir Joseph represents him as having used respecting Douglas.' This is really too bad — the Reviewer says that Mr. Croker has missed, because he him- self has chosen to suppress! ]\Ir. Croker's note distinctly states the very fact which he is accused of missing ! ' Every one ' knows,' says Mr. Croker, ' that Dr. John- ANSWERS TO MR. MACAULAY'S REVIEW OF Review. " a story published by Sir Joseph Maw- " bey, a member of the House of Com- ' " mous, and a person every way worthy ' " of credit, who says he had it from ■ " Garrick. Now mark : — Johnson's visit ' " to Oxford, about the time of his doctor's "degree, was in 1754, the first time he " had been there since he left the univer- " sity. But Douglas was not acted till "1756, and Ossian not published till • " 17G0. All, therefore, that is new in • " Sir Joseph Mawbey's story is false." • Assuredly we need not go far to find • ample proof that a member of the House • of Commons may commit a very gross ■ error. Now mark, say we, in the lan- • guage of Mr. Croker. The fact is, that ■ Johnson took his Master's degree in 1754, ' and his Doctor's degi-ee in 1775. In the ■ spring of 1776 he paid a visit to Oxford, ' and at this visit a conversation respecting ' the works of Home and Macpherson might • have taken place, and, in all probability, ' did take place. The only real objection • to the story Mr. Croker has missed. Bos- ' well states, apparently on the best autho- 'rity, that as early at least as the year ' 1763, Johnson, in conversation with ' Blair, used the same expressions respect- ' ing Ossian '"which Sir Joseph represents ' him as having used respecting Douglas. ' Sir Joseph, or Garrick, confounded, we ' suspect, the two stories. But their error 'is venial, compared with that of Mr. ' Croker.' Answer. ' son said of Ossian, that " many men, ' many women, and many children, might ' have written it ;" ' and Mr. Croker con- cludes by inferring exactly ivhat the Ee- vieiver himself does, that Sir Joseph Maw- bey was inaccurate in thus applying to Douglas what had been really said of Ossian ! But the Reviewer, in addition to sup- pressing Mr. Croker's statement, blunders his own facts ; for he tells us that John- son's visit to Oxford, about the time of his doctor's degree, was ' in the spring of 1776.' I beg to infonn him it was in the latter end of May, 1775. (See Boswell, v. iii. p. 254.) The matter is of no mo- ment at all, but shows that the Reviewer falls into the very inaccuracies for which he arraigns Mr. Croker, and which he politely calls in this very instance ' sna/i^- dalous ! ' ' Boswell has preserved a poor epigram ' by Johnson, inscribed '• ad Lauram pari- ' " turam." Mr. Croker censures the poet * for api^lying the word piiclla to a lady in * Laura's situation, and for talking of the * beauty of Lucina. " Lucina," he says, ' " was never famed for her beauty." If ' Sir Robert Peel had seen this note, he 'possibly would again have refuted Mr. ' Croker's criticisms by an appeal to ' Horace. In the secular ode, Lucina is ' used as one of the names of Diana, and ' the beauty of Diana is extolled by all the * most orthodox doctors of ancient mytho- ' logy, from Homer, in his Odyssey, to * Claudian, in his Rape of Proserpine. In * another ode, Horace describes Diana as the * goddess who assists the " laborantes utero * ^'puellas." ' Euge ! by this rule the Reviewer would prove that Hecate was famed for her beauty, for ' Hecate is one of the names of ' Diana, and the beauty of Diana,' and, consequently, of Hecate, ' is extolled by all ' the most orthodox doctors of heathen ' mythology.' Mr. Croker docs not, as the Reviewer says he does, censure the poet for the application of the word puella to a lady in Laura's situation ; but he says that the designation in the first line— which was proposed as a thesis — of the lady as pul- cherrima j^uella, would lead us to expect anything rather than the turn which the latter lines of the epigram take, of repre- senting her as about to lie-in. It needs not the authority either of Horace or the Reviewer to prove that 'ji;ne?/ce' will sometimes be found ' lab&raiites utero.' But it will take more than the authority of the Reviewer to persuade me that Mr. Croker was wrong in saying that it seems a very strange mode of complimenting an English beauty. I MR. CROKER'S EDITION OF BOSWELL. Review. * Jolinson found in the library of a ■ French lady, whom he visited during his ■ short visit to Paris, some works which he ■ regarded with great disdain. " I looli^ed," ' says he, " into the books in the lady's ' " closet, and, in contempt, showed them ' " to Mr. Thrale. Prince Titi— Biblio- • " theque des Fees — and other books." ■ "■ The History of Prince Titi" observes ' Mr, Croker, " was said to be the auto- ' " biography of Frederick Prince of Wales, ' " but was probably written by Ralph his ■ " secretary." A more absurd note never ' was penned. The History of Prince Titi, ' to which Mr. Croker refers, whether writ- ' ten by Prince Frederick or by Ralph, was '■ certainly never piiblished. If Mr. Croker • had taken the trouble to read with atten- ' tion the very passage in Park's Royal and ' Noble Authors, which he cites as his ' authority, he would have seen that the ' manuscript was given up to the govern- 'ment. Answer. Here is a pretty round assertion of a matter of fact. ' The History of Prince ' Titi, whether written by Prince Frederick ' or Ralph, was certainhj vever jnihlislted! ' Now, unfortunately for this learned Re- viewer, we have at this moment on our table the HiSTOIRE DU Prince Titi. AQlegorie) B^oyale). Paris chez la Veuve Oissot, Quai de Conti a la Croix d'Or. And not only was it thus published in Paris, but it was translated into English, and republished in London, under the title of THE History Prince Titi, A Eoyal Allegory. Translated by a Lady. • Even if this memoir had been printed, ' it was not very likely to find its way into * a French lady's bookcase. And would * any man in his senses speak contemptu- ' ously of a French lady for having in her * possession an English work so curious * and interesting as a Life of Prince Fre- ' derick, whether written by himself or by ' a confidential secretary, must have been ? ' The history at which Johnson laughed was a very proper companion to the Bib- liotheque des F^es— a fairy tale about good Prince Titi, and naughty Prince Violent. Mr. Croker may find it in the Magasin des Enfans, the first French book which the little girls of England read to their i What say you to that, Mr. Reviewer ? Is not this, to say the least of it, * a scandalous inaccuracy, and is not he who falls into such a mistake as this entitled to no confidence whatever ? ' But ' if it had been printed, it was not likely to have found its way into the French lady's bookcase.' Why not ? — it was written in French, printed in Paris, a very neat little volume, and is, moreover, just such a piece of fashionable secret his- tory as would be sure to ' find its way to a French lady's bookcase.' But the real fairy tale would have been * a very proper companion to the Biblio- theque des Fe'es.' Indeed ! Pray has the Reviewer, then, ever seen that fairy tale in a separat-z volume f He seems to imply that it has been so published ; and yet in the hext sentence he tells us it is to be found in the Magasin des Enfans. But even here he is mistaken. The old fairy tale of Prince Titi is not to be found in the ANSWERS TO MR. MACAULAI'S REVIFAY OF Review. Answer. 'Magasin des Eiifans ;' but a rifacimento of it is, and ]\Iadamo de Beaumont Avas even blamed by some critics for having spoiled the old story by her modern ver- sion. We have no doubt in the world that Mr. Croker is quite right that the Iloyal AUe- yory of Prince Titi (the only volume with that title which we ever heard of) was on the lady's table, perhaps laid there pur- posely, in the expectation that her English visitors would think it a literary curiosity, which, indeed, it has proved to be ; for Dr. Johnson seems not to have known what it was, and the Edinburgh Reviewer had never seen it, and, even now, so obsti- nately disbelieves the fact, that he un- gratefully calls his informant very hard names. We add, as a point of literary history connected with this curious little volume, that it is possible that Ralph may have been preparing a continuation of it, which has been suppressed ; but it is hardly pos- sible that he could have had any sliare in the composition of the original volume, which was written before Ralph was in the Prince's confidence. ' Mr. Croker has favoured us with some * Greek of his own. " At the altar," says ' Dr. Johnson, " I recommended my 6. (f)." ' " These letters," says the editor, " (which * " Dr. Strahan seems not to have imder- ' " stood,) probably mean dvrjToi (piXoi — de- '" parted friends." Johnson was not a ' first-rate Greek scholar ; but he knew * more Greek than most boys when they * leave school ; and no schoolboy could * venture to use the word Outjtoi in the * sense which Mr. Croker ascribes to it * without imminent danger of a flogging.' The question is not here about classical Greek, but what Johnson meant by the cipher Q $. Mr. Croker's solution is not only ijigenious, but, we think, absolutely certain : it means ' departed friends,^ be- yond all doubt. See, in Dr. Strahan's book, under 'Easter Sunday, 1781,' an instance of the same kind — ' I commended (in jjrayei-) my 9 friends' The Reviewer, with notable caution, omits to tell us which of the derivatives of Qavaros and Ovrja-KO) he would have chosen ; but we think with Mr. Croker that none was more likely to have occurred to Johnson's mind than dmjToi, because it is good Greek, and is moreover a word which we find him quoting on another occasion, in which he deplores the loss of a friend. Good Greek, we say, in defiance of the menaced flogging ; for we have authority that we suppose even the Reviewer may bow to. What does the Reviewer think of the well-known passage in the Swpplices of Euripides, cited even in Hederic ? — ' Ba^t, Acat avTiaa-ov , TiKvcov Te 6vT]Ta>v KOfiia-ai 8efias.^ — V. 275. where TfKvu>v dmjrav is used in the same sense as TeKvatv davotn-wv, v. 12 and 85 ; MR. CROKER'S EDITION OF BOSWELL. XXIX Review. Answer. T€Kva>v (jidlfifvav, v, 60 ; aud TeKvwv k-ar- davovTODv, V. 103 ! Suppose it had been — The Edinburgh lie viewer seems inclined to revive his old reputation for Greek ! He thought he was safely sneering at Mr. Croker, and he unexpectedly finds himself correcting Euripides. * IMr. Croker has also given us a speci- men of his skill in translating Latin. Johnson wrote a note in which he con- sulted his friend, Dr. Lawrence, on the propriety of losing some blood. The note contains these words : — " Si per te licet, " imperatur nuBcio Holderum ad me de- " ducere." Johnson should rather have written " imperatum est." But the mean- ing of the Avords is perfectly clear. " If " you say yes, the messenger has orders " to bring Holder to me." Mr. Croker translates the words as follows : " If you " consent, pray tell the messenger to bring " Holder to me." If Mr. Croker is re- solved to write on points of classical learn- ing, we would advise him to begin by giving an hour every morning to our old fritnd Corderius.' This is excellent ! The Reviewer tells us that Johnson's Latin is incorrect, and then blames Mr. Croker for not having coi-- rectly translated that which the Reviewer thinks himself obliged to alter, in order to make it intelligible. J\[r. Croker probably saw, as well as llie Reviewer, that the phrase was inaccurate ; but, instead of clumsily changing impe- ratur into imjjcratum est, (which, with all deference to the Reviewer, is much worse than the original,) he naturally sup]oscs that imperatur, the indicative mood, is merely the transcriber's error of a s>'>i(^ih- letter for either the imperative or the con- ditional moods, and translates it accord- ingly, without thinking it necessary to blazon the exploit in a long explanation, — ' How a's deposed, and e with pomp re- stored.' We venture to surmise, that, if Johnson's original note be in existence, it will be found that he wrote the word as Mr. Croker has translated it, and has therefore not deserved the ignominy of having his Latin corrccfnl by an Edinburgh Reviewer ; though, to be sure, that is no great insult, seeing that these omniscients appear inclined to correct the Greek of Euripides* I have thus shown that he has charged Mr. Croker — in some instances ignorunfly, and in others /aZse??/— with ignorance and falsehood ; and such being the Reviewer's own sins in the course of half a sheet of the Blue and Yellow, manifestly got up with much assi- duity, (for he quotes, I perceive, from all the five volumes,) is it not contemptible to hear his chuckle over Mr. Croker, who, in the course of between two and three thousand addi- tions to Boswell, has been shown to have fallen, perhaps, into some half-dozen + errors or inaccuracies, one of them evidently a misprint— one an expression apparently incor- rect, because elliptical, and the others . * The three last paragraphs are additional to the answers In Blackwood. t The whole of the passages objected to by the Reviewer are about 28 ; viz. IT as to dates or facts 11 as to lite- rature and criticism. We have noticed 18 or 19 of the most considerable of both classes, and Uie reader may iu.lire lor himself as to the importance and value of the 28 questions raised by the Reviewer upon the 2800 notes of I\ir XXX ANSWERS TO MR. MACAULAY'S REVIEW, &c. Mr. Croker has been convicted of the ' gross and scandalous ' inaccuracy of havini; assiG;ned wrong dates to the deaths of Derrick, Sir Herbert Croft, and the amiable Sir AVilliam Forbes, biographer of Beattie.* He has, moreover, attributed to Henry Bat€ Dudley, the Fighting Parson, the Editorship of the old jMorning Herald, instead of the old Morning Post ; and he has erroneously said that Burgoyne's surrender at Saratoga took place in March, 1778, instead of October, 1777. He is mistaken, too, in saying that Lord Townshend was not Secretary of State till 1720,t the perpetration of which has so incensed the immaculate and infallible Reviewer, that he has not scrupled to assert that the whole of Mr. Croker's part of the work is ill compiled, ill arranged, ill expressed, and ill printed. • These and several similar errors are probably errors of the press, as 1760 for 1769—1806 for 1816 : every one knows how frequently and 9—0 and 1—3 and »— are confounded in the press. + For lie had been Secretary in 1714, and was a second time called to office in 1720. "Mr. Macaulay has republished from the EdhihKrgh Revie^o his slashing article on Mr. Croker's edition of BosioelVs Johnson, repeating in a text of to-day accusations which were refuted long ago, and charges which, if ever true, are not true now, as Mr. Macaulay knows. Everybody is aware that the article was originally levelled less against Mr. Croker the editor than Mr. Croker the politician, and the abuse which may have been relished in times of hot passion and party vindictiveness, reads in our calmer days as so much bad taste and bad feeling. Mr. Croker's 'Johnson,' as it stands in recent editions, is a valuable and ably-edited book." The Athenmim, May 17, 1856. THE LIFE OF SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL.D. CHAPTER L 1709—1716. Introduction. — Johnsoiis Birth and Parentage. — He inherits from his Father "a vile melancholy." — His Account of the Members of his Family. — Traditional Stoi-ies of his Precocity. — Taken to London to be touched by Queen Anne for the Scrofula. To write the life of him who excelled all man- kind in writing the lives of others, and who, whether we consider his extraordinary endow- ments, or his varions works, lias been equalled by few in any age, is an arduous, and may be reckoned in me a presumptuous task. Had Dr. Johnson written his own Life, in conformity with the opinion which he has given, that every man's life may be best written by himself, had he employed in the preservation of his own history, that clearness of narration and elegance of language in which he has embalmed so many eminent persons, the world would probably have had the most perfect example of biography that was ever exhibited. But although he at different times, in a desultory manner, committed to writing many particulars of the progress of his mind and fortunes, he never had persevering dili- gence enough to form them into a regular composition. Of these memorials a few have been preserved ; but the greater part was con- signed by him to the flames, a few days before his death. As i had the honour and happiness of enjoy- ing his friendship for upwards of twenty years ; as I had the scheme of writing his life con- stantly in view ; as he was well apprised of this circumstance, and from time to time obligingly satisfied my inquiries, by communicating to me the incidents of his early years ; as I acquired a facility in recollecting, and was very assi- duous in recording his conversation, of which the extraordinary vigour and vivacity consti- tuted one of the first features of his character ; and as I have spared no pains in obtaining materials concerning him, from every cjuarter where I could discover that they were to be found, and have been favoured with the most 1 Idler, No. 84. " Those relations are commonlv of most value, in which the writer tells his own story."— Boswell. - The greatest part of this book was written while Sir John Hawkins was alive ; and I avow, that one object of my stric- tures was to make him feel some compunction for his illiberal treatment of Dr. Johnson. Since his decease, I have sup- pressed several of my remarks upon his work. But though I would not " war with the dead " offensively, I think it neces- sary to be strenuous In defence of my illustrious friend, which I cannot be, without strong animadversions upon a writer liberal communications by his friends ; I flatter myself that few biographers have entered upon such a work as this, with more advantai^es ; independent of literary abilities, in which 1 am not vain enough to compare myself with some great names who have gone before me in this kind of writing. Since my work was annovinced, several Lives and Memoirs of Dr. Johnson have been pub- lished, the most voluminous of which is one compiled for the booksellers of London, by Sir John Hawkins, Knight^, a man whom, during my long intimacy with Dr. Johnson, I never saw in his company, I think, but once, and I am sure not above twice. Johnson might have esteemed him for his decent religious demeanour, and his knowledge of books and literary history ; but, from the rigid formality of his manners, it is evident that tliey never could have lived together with companion- able ease and familiarity; nor had Sir John ILawkins that nice perception which was necessary to mark the finer and less obvious parts of Johnson's character. His being ap- pointed one of his executors gave him an opportunity of taking possession of such frag- ments of a diary and other papers as were left ; of which, before delivering them up to the residuary legatee, whose property they were, he endeavoured to extract the substance. 1\\ this he has not been very successful, as I have found upon a perusal of those papers, which Iiave been since transferred to me. Sir John Hawkins's ponderous labours, I must acknow- ledge, exhibit tl farrago, of which a considerable portion is not devoid of entertainment to the lovers of literary gossiping ; but besides its being swelled out with long unnecessary ex- tracts from various works, (even one of several who has greatly injured him. I,et mo add, that though I doubt I should not have been very prompt to gratify Sir John Hawkins with any compliment in his lifetime, I do now frankly acknowledge, that, in my opinion, his i-oUime, how- ever inadequate and improper as a life of Dr. .'onrLson, and however discredited by unpardonable inaccuraiies in other respects, contains a collection of curious anecdotes and ob- servations, which few men but its author could have brno.ght together. — BoswELL. I will here observe, once for all, that Mr.Boswellis habitually unjust to Sir J.Hawkins, whose Life BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1709. leaves from Osborne's Harleian Catalogue, and those not compiled by Johnson, but by Oldys,) a very small part of it relates to the person who is the subject of the book ; and, in that, there is such an inaccuracy in the statement of facts, as in so solemn an author is hardly ex- cusable, and certainly makes his narrative very unsatisfactory. But what is still worse, there is throughout the whole of it a dark unchari- table cast, by which the most unfavourable construction is put upon almost every circum- stance in the character and conduct of my illustrious friend ; who, I trust, will, by a true and fair delineation, be vindicated both from the injurious misrepresentations of this author, and from the slighter aspersions of a lady who once lived in great intimacy with him. There is, in the British Museum, a letter from Bishop Warburton to Dr. Birch, on the subject of biography, which, though I am aware it may expose me to a charge of artfully raising the value of my own work, by con- trasting it with that of which I have spoken, is so well conceived and expressed, that I cannot refrain from here inserting it : — " I shall endeavour," says Dr. Warburton, " to give you what satisfaction I can in any thing you ■want to be satisfied in any subject of Milton, and am extremely glad you intend to write his life. Almost all the life-writers we have had before Toland and Desmaiseaux are Indeed strange insipid creatures ; and yet I had rather read the worst of them, than be obliged to go through with this of Milton's, or the other's life of Boileau, where there is such a dull, heavy succession of long quotatioi^s of disinteresting passages, that it makes their method quite nauseous. But the verbose, tasteless Frenchman seems to lay it down as a principle, that every life must be a book, and, what's worse, it proves a book without a life ; for what do we know of Boileau, after all his tedious stuff"? You are the only one (and I speak it without a com- pliment) that by the vigour of your style and sentiments, and the real importance of your ma- terials, have the art (which one would imagine no one could have missed) of adding agreements to the most agreeable subject in the world, which is literary history. — Nov. 24. 1737."' Instead of melting down my matei-ials into one mass, and constantly speaking in my own person, by which I might have appeared to have more merit in the execution of the work, I have resolved to adopt and enlarge upon the excellent plan of J\L-. Mason, in his Memoirs of Gray. Wherever narrative is necessary to explain, connect, and supply, I furnish it to the best of my abilities ; but in the chronological series of Johnson's life, which I trace as dis- tinctly as I can, year by year, I produce, wherever it is in my power, his own minutes, I j letters, or conversation, being convinced that this I mode is more lively, and will make my readers better acquainted with him, than even most of ' those were who actually knew him — but could know him only partially ; whereas there is here an accumulation of intelligence from various points, by which his character is more fully understood and illustrated. Indeed, I cannot conceive a more perfect mode of writing any man's life, than not only relating all the most important events of it in their order, but interweaving what he pri- vately wrote, and said, and thought ; by which mankind are enabled as it were to see him live, and to " live o'er each scene " with him, as he actually advanced through the several stages of his life. Had his other friends been as diligent and ardent as I was, he might have been almost entirely preserved. As it is, I will venture to say, that he will be seen in this work more completely than any man who has ever yet lived. And he will be seen as he really was ; for I profess to write not his panegyric, which must be all praise, but his life ; which, great and good as he was, must not be supposed to be entirely perfect. To be as he was, is indeed subject of panegyric enough to any man in this state of being ; but in every picture there should be shade as well as light ; and when I delineate him Avithout reserve, I do what he i himself recommended, both by his precept and I his example : — I " If the biographer writes from personal know- ledge, and makes haste to gratify the public curiosity, [ there is danger lest his interest, his fear, his grati- tude, or his tenderness, overpower his fidelity, and tempt him to conceal, if not to invent. There are many who think it an act of piety to hide the faults or failings of their friends, even when they can no longer suffer by their detection ; we therefore sec whole ranks of characters adorned with uniform panegyric, and not to be known from one another but by extrinsic and casual circumstances. ' Let me remember,' says Hale, 'when I find myself I inclined to pity a criminal, that there is likewise a I pity due to the country.' If we owe regard to the { memory of the dead, there is yet more respect to be paid to knowledge, to virtue, and to truth." — Rambler, No. 60. What I consider as the peculiar value of the following work, is the quantity it contains of Johnson's Conversation; which is universally a(;knowledged to have been eminently instruc- tive and entertaining ; and of which the speci- mens that I have given upon a former occasion - have been received with so much approbation, that I have good grounds for supposing that the world will not be indifferent to more ample communications of a similar nature. of Johnson (published in 1787) is by no means so inaccurate or unsatisfactory as he misrepresents it. He borrowed largely from it, and it contains a great deal of Johnsonian life which Mr. Boswell had not the opportunity of seeing. Sir John died in 1789.— Cboker, 1 Brit. Mus. 4320. Ayscough's Catal. .Sloane !\iSS Boswell. " In the " Journal of a Tour in the Hebrides ; " separately published in 1785, but which I have incorporated under its proper date in the general " J.ije oj Johnson." — Crokeb. ^T.4. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. That the conversation of a celebrated man, if his talents have been exerted in conversation, will best display his character, is, I trust, too well established in the judgment of mankind, to be at all shaken by a sneering observation of Mr. jMason, in his Memoirs of Mr. William Whitehead, in which there is literally no Life^ but a mere di-y narrative of facts. I do not think it was quite necessary to attempt a de- preciation of what is universally esteemed, be- cause it was not to be found in the immediate object of the ingenious writer's pen ; for, in truth, from a man so still and so tame as to be contented to pass many years as the do- mestic companion of a superannuated lord and lady ', conversation could no more be expected, than from a Chinese mandarin on a chimney- piece, or the fantastic figures on a gilt leather screen. If authority be required, let us appeal to Plutarch, the prince of ancient biographers: — QvTi Toig i-KKpaviardraiQ Trpd^stJi ndi'-wg iveari Sr'jXaxTis dpirijc r) Katciag, dWd Trpdyfia /3paxv ■TToXXdiciQ, Kni prifia, Kai iraiCid riQ ififamv yOovg j iTToiijffiv jiaXXov j) fidxni ^vpwviKpoi, ■wapard^aq [ cd (isyiffrai, Kctl jroXiopKi^ iroXeoiv : — " Nor is it I always in the most distinguished achievements ' that men's virtues or vices may be best dis- cerned ; but very often an action of small note, a short saying, or a jest, shall distinguish a ; person's real character more than the greatest : sieges, or the most important battles." ^ To this may be added the sentiments of the very man whose life I am about to exhibit : — " The business of the biographer is often to pass : slightly over those performances and incidents i which produce vulgar greatness, to lead the thoughts into domestic privacies, and display the minute i details of daily life, where exterior appendages are j cast aside, and men excel each other only by i prudence and by virtue. The account of Thuanus ,; is, with great propriety, said by its author to have :i been written, that it might lay open to posterity r the private and familiar character of that man, ! cujus inycnium et candorem ex ipsius scriptis sunt !• olini semper miraturi, — whose candour and genius i will, to the end of time, be by his writings preserved •i in admiration. • " There are many invisible circumstances, which, t' whether we read as enquirers after natural or moral H; knowledge, whether we intend to enlarge our science or increase our virtue, are more important than : pul)lic occurrences. Thus, Sallust, the great master of nature, has not forgot, in his account of Catiline, to remark, that his walk was now quick, and again slow, as an indication of a mind revolving with violent commotion. Thus the story of Melancthon affords a striking lecture on the value of time, by ; informing us, that when he had made an appoint- ment, he expected not only the hour, but the minute to be fixed, that the day might not run out in the idleness of suspense ; and all the plans and enter- ' William Whitehead lived with William, third Earl of Jersey, and Anne Egerton, his countess Wright. 2 Plutarch's Life of Alexander ; Langhorne's translation. — BOSWELL. 3 Kimchi was a Spanish rabbi, who died in 1240. One prises of De Witt are now of less importance to the world, than that part of his personal character, which represents him as careful of his health, and negligent of his life. " But biography has often been allotted to writers who seem very little acquainted with the nature of their task, or very negligent about the performance. They rarely afford any other account than might be collected from public papers, but imagine themselves writing a life, when they exhibit a chronological series of actions or preferments; and have so little regard to the manners or behaviour of their heroes, that more knowledge may be gained of a man's real character by a short conversation with one of his servants, than from a formal and studied narrative, begun with his pedigree and ended with his funeral. " There are, indeed, some natural reasons why these narratives are often written by such as were not likely to give much instruction or delight, and why most accounts of particular persons are barren and useless. If a life be delayed till interest and envy are at an end, we may hope for impartiality, but must expect little intelligence; for the incidents which give excellence to biography are of a volatile and evanescent kind, such as soon escape the memory, and are rarely transmitted by tradition. We know how few can pourtray a living acquaintance, except by his most prominent and observable par- ticularities, and the grosser features of his mind ; and it may be easily imagined how much of this little knowledge may be lost in imparting it, and how soon a succession of copies will lose all resem- blance of the original." [Rambler, No. 60.] I am fully aware of the objections which may be made to the minuteness, on some occasions, of my detail of Johnson's conversation, and how happily it is adapted for the petty exercise of ridicule, by men of superficial understanding, and ludicrous fancy; but I remain firm and confident in my opinion, that minute particulars are frequently characteristic, and always amus- ing, when they relate to a distinguished man. I am therefore exceedingly unwilling that any thing, however slight, which my illustrious friend thought it worth his while to express, with any degree of point, should perish. For this almost superstitious reverence, I have found very old and venerable authority, quoted by our great modern prelate. Seeker, in whose tenth sermon there is the following passage: — " Rabbi David Kimchi \ a noted Jewish com- mentator, who lived about five hundred years ago, explains that passage in the first psalm, ' His leaf also shall not uithcr,' from rabbins yet older than himself, thus : — That ' even the idle talk,' so he expresses it, 'of a good man ought to be regarded ; ' the most superfluous things, he saith, are always of some value. And other ancient authors have the same phrase nearly in the same sense." Of one thing I am certain, that, considering how highly the small portion which we have of wonders that Seeker's good sense should have condescended to quote this far-fetched and futile interpretation of the simple and beautiful metaphor by which the Psalmist illus- trates the prosperity of the righteous man. — Croker. B 2 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1709. the table-talk, and other anecdotes, of our celebrated writers is valued, and how earnestly it is regretted that we have not more, I am^ justified in preserving rather too many of Johnson's sayings, than too few ; especially as, from the diversity of dispositions, it cannot be known with certainty beforehand, whether what may seem trifling to some, and perhaps to the collector himself, may not be most agreeable to many; and the greater number that an author can please in any degree, the more pleasure does there arise to a benevolent mind. To those who are weak enough to think this a degrading task, and the time and labour which have been devoted to it misemployed, I shall content myself with opposing the authority of the greatest man of any age, Julius Cjesar, of whom Bacon observes, that "in his book of apophthegms which he collected, we see that he esteemed it more honour to make himself but a pair of tables, to take the wise and pithy words of others, than to have every word of his own to be made an apophthegm or an oracle." TAdvancement of Learning, Book I.] Having said thus much by way of Introduc- tion, I commit the following pages to the candour of the public. Samuel Johnson ' was bcri\ at Lichfield, in Staffordshire, on the 18th of September, N.S. 1709; and his initiation into the Christian • He derived, no doubt, his christian name from his god- father, Doctor Samuel Swinfen, a gentleman of landed pro- perty in the neighbourhood of Lichfield, who happened to lodge in Michael Johnson's house at the time of the birth of the child, in whose welfare he seems ever after to have taken a lively interest. This, and some other circumstances subse- quently mentioned, I have found, since my first edition, in a small volume entitled " Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Dr. Johnson," published in 1785, anonymously ; but the writer seems to have received information froni Dr. Swinfcn's daughter, Mrs. Desmoulins, and Johnson's early friend. Mr. Elphinstone. Dr. Swinfen took a degree of Doctor of Medi- cine from Pembroke College, in 1712, and attained consider- able eminence in his profession. — Croker. - The title Gentleman had still, in 1709, some degree of its original meaning, and as Mr. Johnson served the office of sheriff of Lichfield in that year, he seems to have been in some measure entitled to it. The Doctor, at his entry on the books of Pembroke college, and at his matriculation, desig- nated himself as flius generosi. There seems, however, con- siderable difficulty in arriving at a satisfactory opinion as to Michael Jcjhnson's real condition and circumstances. That in the latter years of his life he was poor, is certain ; and Dr. Johnson (in the " Account of his early Life," see Appendix No. I.) not only admits the general fact of poverty, but gives several instances of what may be called indigence : yet, on the other hand, there is evidence that for near fifty years he occupied a respectable rank amongst his fellow-citizens, and appears in the annals of Lichfield on occasions not bespeaking poverty. In 1G87, a subscription for recasting the cathedral bells was set on foot, headed by the bishop, dean, &c., aided by the neighbouring gentry : Michael Johnson's name stands the twelfth in the list; and his contribution, though only lOi., was not comparatively contemptible; for no one, except the bishop and dean, gave so much as 10/. Baronets and knights gave a guinea or two, and the great body of the contributors gave less than Johnson. (Harwood's Lichfield, p. 6'i.) In 1(;94, we find him buryingin the cathedral, and placing a mar- ble stone over a young woman in whose fate he was interested. His house, a handsome one, and in one of the best situations in the town, was his own freehold : and he appears to have added to it, for we find in the books of the corporation the following entry: " 1708, July 18. Agreed, that Mr. Michael Johnson, bookseller, have a lease of his encroachment of his house in Sadler's Street, for forty years, at 2s. 6(/. jier an." church was not delayed ; for Lis baptism is recorded, in the register of St. Mary's parish in that city, to have been performed on the day of his birth : his father is there styled Gentleman, a circumstance of which an igno- rant panegyrist has praised him for not being proud ; Avhen the truth is, that the appellation of Gentleman, though now lost in the indis- criminate assumption oi Esquire, was commonly taken by those who could not boast of gentility." His father was Michael Johnson, a native of Derbyshire, of obscure extraction, who settled in Lichfield as a bookseller and stationer. His mother was Sarah Ford, descended of an ancient race of substantial yeomanry in Warwickshire. They were well advanced in years when they married, and never had more than two children, both sons ; Samuel, their first-born, who lived to be the illustrious character whose various excellence I am to endeavour to record, and Nathanael, who died in his twenty-fifth year. ]Mr. Michael Johnson was a man of a large and robust body, and of a strong and active mind ; yet, as in the most solid rocks veins of unsoimd substance are often discovered, there was in him a mixture of that disease, the nature of which eludes the most minute enquiry, though the effects are well known to be a weariness of life, and unconcern about those things which agitate the greater part of man- kind, and a general sensation of gloomy wretch- edness. From him, then, his son inherited, with some other qualities, " a vile melancholy"^ And this lease, at the expiration of the forty years, was re- newed to the Doctor as a mark of the respect of his fellow- citizens. In 1709, Michael Johnson served the office of sheriff of the county of the city of Lichfield. Nor is it any deroga- tion from the respectability of a county-town tradesman tliat he should let part of his house in lodgings to the principal physician of the city. In 1718, he was elected junior bailiff; and in 1725, senior bailiff, or chief magistrate. Thus respected and apparently thriving in Lichfield, the following extract of a letter, written by the Rev. George Plaxton, chaplain to Lord Gower, will show the high estimation in which he was held in the neighbouring country : " Trentham, St. Peter's day, 1716. Johnson, the Lichfield librarian, is now here ; he propagates learning all over this diocese, and advanceth knowledge to its just height; all the clergy here are his pupils, and suck all they have from him ; Allen cannot make a warrant without his precedent, nor our qwonilam John Evans draw a recognizance sine directione Michaelis." (Gentleman's Magazine, October, 1791.) But on the whole it seems probable that the growing expenses of a family, and losses in trade, had in his latter years reduced Mr. Johnson, from the state of competency which he had before enjoyed, to very narrow circumstances. — Croker. 3 See /JOS/, September IG. 1773. — BoswELL. Miss Seward who latterly showed a great deal of malevolence towards Johnson, delighted to repeat a story that one of his uncles had suffered the last penalty of the law. " Shortly after Mr. Porter's death, Johnson asked his mother's consent to marry tlie old widow. After expressing her surprise at a re- quest so extraordinary — ' No, Sam, my willing consent you will never have to so preposterous an union. You are not twenty-five, and she is turned fifty. If she had any prudence, this reqi;est had never been made to me. Where are your means of subsistence? Porter has died poor, in consequence of his wife's expensive habits. You have great talents, but as yet have turned them into no profitable channel." — ' Mother, I have not deceived Mrs. Porter ; I have told her the worst of me ; that I am of mean extraction ; that I have no money ; and that I have had an uncle hanged.' She re- plied, • that she valued no one more or less for his descent; that she had no more money than myself; and that, though she had not had a relation hanged, she had fifty who deserved hanging.' " (.Seward's Letters, vol. i. p. 45.) This account was given to Mr. Boswell, who, as Miss Seward could not JEt. 4. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. which, in his too strong expression of any dis- turbance of the mind, " made him mad all his life, at least not sober." ' Michael was, how- ever, forced by the narrowness of his circum- stances to be very diligent in business, not only in his shop, but by occasionally resorting to several towns in the neighbourhood, some of which were at a considerable distance from Lichfield. At that time booksellers' shops in the provincial towns of England were very rare, so that there was not one even in liir- mingham, in which town old Mr. Johnson used to open a shop every market-day. lie was a pretty good Latin scholar, and a citizen so creditable as to be made one of the magistrates of Lichfield ; and, being a man of good sense, and skill in his trade, he acquired a reasonable share of wealth, of which, however, he after- wai-ds lost the greatest part, by engaging un- successfully''^ in a niauufa<;ture of parch- ment.^ He was a zealous high-churchman and royalist, and retained his attachment to the unfortunate house of Stuart, though he re- conciled himself, by casuistical arguments of expediency and necessity, to take the oaths imposed by the prevailing power. Thei-e is a circumstance in his life somewhat romantic, but so well authenticated"*^, that I shall not omit it. A young woman of Leek, in Staffordshire, while he served his apprenticeship there, conceived a violent passion for him ; and, though it met with no favourable return, fol- lowed him to Lichfield, where she took lodginsjs opposite to the house in which he lived, and indulged her hopeless flame. "When he was informed that it so preyed upon her mind that her life Avas in danger, he, with a generous humanity, went to her and offered to marry , her, but it Avas then too late : her vital j)ower was exhausted ; and she actually exhibited one j of the very rare instances of dying for love. I She was buried in the cathedral of Lichfield ; and he, with a tender regard, placed a stone over her grave with this inscription : — Here lies tlie Body of Mrs. Elizabeth Bi.aney, a Stranger. She departed tliis Life 20th of September, 1694. Joiinson's mother was a woman of dis- tinguished understanding. I asked his old school-fellow, Mr. Hector, a surgeon, of Bir- mingham^, if she was not vain of her son. He said, " she had too much good sense to be vain, but she knew her son's value." Her piety was not inferior to her understanding ; and to her must be ascribed those early iui- ])i-essions of religion upon the mind of her son, from which the Avorld afterwards derived so much benefit. He told me, that he remembered distinctly having had tlie first notice of heaven, " a place to which good people went," and hell, "a place to which bad people went," commu- nicated to him by her, when a little child in bed with her ; and that it might be the better fixed in his memory, she sent^ him to repeat it have known it of her own knowledge, asked tlie lady for her authority. Miss Seward, in reply, quoted Mrs. Cobb, an old friend of Johnson's, who resided at Lichfield. To her, then, Boswcll addressed himself : and, to his equal surprise and satisfaction, was .^nswered that Mrs. Cobb had not only never told such a story, but that she had not even ever heard of it. — Gent. Mag. vol. 63. p. 1009.) It is painful to have to add, that notwithstanding this denial, Miss Seward persisted in her story to the last. The report as to the hanging was pro- bably derived from a coarse passage in the Rev. Donald M'Nicol's Remarks on Dr. Johnson's ''■ Journey to the He- brides." " But whatever the Doctor may insinuate about the present scarcity of trees in Scotland, we are much de- ceived by fame if a very near ancestor of his, who was a native of that country, did not find to his cost that a tree was not quite such a rarity in his days." ( P. 18. ed. 1779.) There seenis no reason whatsoever to believe that any of Dr. Jolm- son's family were natives of Scotland. — Choker. ' One of the most curious and important chapters in the history of the human mind is still to be written, tliat of Here- ditary Insanity. The symptomatic facts by which tlie disease miyht be traced are generally either disregarded from igno- rance of their real cause and character, or, when observed, carefully suppressed by domestic or professional delicacy. 'I'liis is natural, and e'ven laudable ; yet there iire several important reasons why the obscurity in which such facts are usually buried may be regretted. Morally, we should wish to know, as far as may be permitted to us, the nature of our own intellect, its powers, and its weaknesses ; — medically, it might be possible, by early and systematic treatment, to avert or mitigate the disease which, there is reason to suppose, is now often unknown or mistaken ; — legally, it would be de- sirable to have any additional means of discriminating between guilt and misfortune, and of ascertaining, with more precision, the nice bounds which divide moral guilt from what may be called physical errors;— and in the highest and most im- portant of all the springs of human thought or action, it would be consolatory and edifying to be able to distinguish, with greater certainty, rational faith and judicious piety, from the enthusiastic confidence or the gloomy despondence of disordered imaginations. The memory of every man who has lived not inattentively in society will furnish him with in- stances to which such considerations as these might have been usefully applied. But in reading the life of Doctor Johnsim (who was conscious of the disease and of its cause, and of whose blood there remains no one whose feelings can be now offended), they should be kept constantly in view ; not merely as a subject of general interest, but as elucidating and explaining many of the errors, peculiarities, and weak- nesses of that extraordinary man Chokeii. ^ In this undertaking, nothing prospered : they had no sooner bought a large stock of skins, than a heavy duty was laid upon that article, and, from Michael's absence by his many avocations as a bookseller, the parchment business was committed to a faithless servant, and thence they gradually declined into strait circumstances. — Gent. Mag., vol. Iv. p IOO. — Croker. 3 Johnson, in his Dictionary, defines " excise, a hateful tax, levied upon commodities, arid adjudged not by the common judges of property, but by wretches hired bv tliose to « horn excise is paid ;" and, in the Idler (No. 05.),' he calls a Com- missioner of Excise " one of the lowest of all human beings." 'I'his violence of language seems so unreasonable, that I was induced to suspect some cause of personal animositi/ ; this mention of the trade in parchment (an cTciseable article) alforded a clue, which has led to the confirmation of that sus- jiicion In the records of the Hxcise Board is to be found the following letter, .addressed to the supervisor of excise at Lichfield: — "July 27. I72.'S. The Commissioners received yours of the 22d instant, and since the justices would not give jiidtjment against Mr. Michael Johnson, the tanner, notwith- standing the facts were lairly against him, the Board direct that tlie next time he oflTends, you do n It appears, by the newspapers of the time, that on the 30th of March, 1712, two hundred persons were touched by Queen Anne. — Wright. 5 She lived in Dam Street, at the north corner of Quo- niam's Lane Harwood. Croker. 6 " Mr. Hunter was an odd mixture of the pedant and the s>)ortsman ; he was a very severe disciplinarian and a great setter of game. Happy was the boy who could inform his offended master where a covey of partridges was to be found; this notice was a certain pledge of his pardon." — Dailies' Life of Garrick, vol. i. p. 3. He was a prebendary in the Cathedral of Lichfield, and grandfather to Miss Seward. One of this lady's complaints against Johnson was, that he, in all his works, never expressed any gratitude to his pre- ceptor. It does not appear that he owed him much.— Croker. B 4 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1716. and negligence; for he would beat a boy equally for not knowing a thing, as for neglect- ing to know it. He would ask a boy a ques- tion, .and if he did not answer it, he would beat him, without considering whether he had an opportunity of knowing how to answer it. For inst,ance, he would call up a boy and ask him Latin for a candlestick, which the boy could not expect to be asked. Now, sir, if a boy could answer every (question, there would be no need of a master to teach him." It is, however, but justice to the memory of Mr. Hunter to mention, that though he might err in being too severe, the school of Lichfield was very respectable in his time. The late Dr. T.aylor, prebend.ary of Westminster, who was educated under him, told me, that " he was an excellent master, and that his ushers were most of them men of eminence ; that Holbrook ', one of the most ingenious men, best scholars, and best preachers of his age, was usher during the greatest part of the time that Johnson was .at school. Then came Hague,_ of whom as much might be said, with the addition that he was an elegant poet. H.ague wiis suc- ceeded by Green % afterwards bishop of Lin- coln, whose character in the learned world is well known. In the same form with Johnson wasCongreve^,who afterwards became chaplain to Archbishop Boulter, and by that connection obtained good preferment in Ireland. He was a younger son of the ancient family of Con- greve, m Stfiffordshire, of which the poet was a branch. His brother sold the estate. There was also Lowe, afterwards canon of Wind- sor." * Indeed, Johnson was very sensible how much he owed to ]\Ir. Hunter. Mr. Langton one dav asked him, how he had acquired so ac- curate a knowledge of Latin, in which, I be- lieve, he was exceeded by no man of his time : he said, " ]My master whipt me very well. Without that, sir, I should have done nothing." He told ]\lr. Langton, that while Hunter was flogging his boys unmercifully, he used to say, " And this I do to save you from the gallows." Johnson, upon all occasions, expressed his ap- probation of enforcing instruction by means of tlie rod ^ : " I would rather," said he, " have the rod to be the general terror to all, to make them learn, than tell a child, if you do thus or thus, you will be more esteemed than your brothers or sisters. The rod produces an efle(;t which terminates in itself A child is afraid 1 Edward Holbrook, A.M., afterwards minister of Wit- tenhall, neiir Wolverhampton, and in 1744, at the request of the corporation of Lichfield presented by the Dean and Chapter to the vicarage of St. Mary's in that city, ob. 1772. Choker. - Dr. John Oreen was born in UOG, and died. Bishop of l/incoln, in 1779. He wrote three of the " Athenian Letters," but was not usher at Lichfield till after Johnson had left school. — Croker. 3 Charles Congreve, of whose latter days see Johnson's strikinp description, sub. 22. Mar. 1776. — Croker. ■i Among other eminent men, Addison, Wollaston, Gar- rick, Bishop Newton, Chief Justice Willes, Chief Baron of being whipped, and gets his task, and there's an end on't; whereas, by exciting emulation and comparisons of superiority, you lay the founda- tion of lasting mischief; you make brothers and sisters hate each other." When Johnson saw some yoimg Ijidies in Lincolnshire "5 who were remarkably well be- h.aved, owing to their mother's strict discipline and severe correction, he exclaimed, in one of Shakspeare's lines a little varied '^, " Eod, I will honour thee for this thy duty." That superiority over his fellows, which he maintained with so much dignity in his march through life, was not assumed from vanity and ostentation, but was the natural and constant effect of those extraordinary powers of mind, of which he could not but be conscious by compa- rison ; the intellectual difference, which in other cases of comparison of characters is often a matter of undecided contest, being as clear in his case as the superiority of stature in some men above others. Johnson did not strut or stand on tip-toe : he only did not stoop. From his earliest years, his superiority was perceived and acknowledged. He was from the begin- ning "Ava^ rivS(n7jif, a king of men. His school- fellow, Mr. Hector, has obligingly furnished me with many particulars of his boyish days ; and assured me that he never knew him corrected at school, but for talking and diverting other boys from their business. ^ He seemed to learn by intuition; for though indolence and jjrocrastination were inherent in his constitu- tion, whenever he made an exertion he did more than any one else. In short, he is a memorable instance of what has been often observed, that the boy is the man in miniature; and that the distinguishing characteristics of each individual are the same, through the whole course of life. His favourites used to receive very liberal assistance from him ; and such was the submission and deference with which he was treated, such the desire to obtain his re- gard, that three of the boys, of whom Mv. Hector was sometimes one, used to come in the morning as his humble .attendants, and carry him to school. One in the middle stooped, while he sat upon his back, and one on each side supported him ; and thus he was borne triumphant. Such a proof of the early predo- minance of intellectual vigour is very remark- able, and does honour to human nature. ^ T.alking to me once himself of his being much Parker, and Chief Justice Wilmot were educated at this se- minary. — Anderson. 5 See post, towards the end of 1775. — Croker. 6 Probably the sisters ofhisfriend Mr. Lan;;ton.— Croker. 7 More than a little. This line is in King Henri/ I'l., Part n. act iv. sc. last : — " Sword, I will hallow thee for this thy deed." — Malone. " This is not consistent with Johnson's own statement, to Mr. Langton supra. — Crokeu. 9 Doctor Anderson, in his life of Johnson, suggests that this boyish mastery was obtained more probably by corporeal than intellectual vigour — Cuuker. JEt. 1/ BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. distinguished at school, he tohl me, " They never thought to raise me by comparing me to any one ; they never said, Johnson is as good a schohu- as such a one, but such a one is as good a schohir as Johnson ; and this was said but of one, but of Lowe ; and I do not think he was as good a scholar." He discovered a great ambition to excel, which roused him to counteract his indolence. He was uncommonly inquisitive ; and his me- mory was so tenacious, that he never forgot any thing that he either heard or read. Mr. Hector remembers having recited to him eigh- teen verses, which, after a little pause, he re- peated verbatim, -varying only one epithet, by which he improved the line. He never joined with the other boys in their ordinary diversions; his only amusement was in winter, when he took a pleasure in being drawn upon the ice by a boy barefooted, who pulled him along by a garter fixed round him ; 110 very easy operation, as his size was remark- ably large. His defective sight, indeed, pre- vented him from enjoying the common sports ; and he once pleasantly remarked to me, " how wonderfully well he had contrived to be idle without them." Lord Chesterfield, however, has justly observed in one of his letters, when earnestly cautioning a friend against the per- nicious eifects of idleness, that active sports are not to be reckoned idleness in young people ; and that the listless torpor of doing nothing alone deserves that name. Of this dismal in- ertness of disposition, Johnson had all his life too great a share. Mr. Hector relates, that " he could not oblige him more than by saun- tering away the hours of vacation in the fields, during which ho was more engaged in talking to himself than to his companion." ' Dr. Percy ^ the Bishop of Dromore, who was long intimately acquainted with him, and has preserved a few anecdotes concerning him, regretting that he was not a more diligent collector, informs me, that " when a boy he was immoderately fond of reading romances of chivalry, and he retained his fondness for them through life; so that," adds his lordship, "spend- ing part of a summer at my parsonage-house in the country, he chose lor his regular reading the old Spanish romance of Felixmarte of Hir- cunia ^, in folio, which he read quite through. Yet I have heard him attribute to these extra- I vagant fictions that unsettled turn of mind which prevented his ever fixing in any profes- j sion." j After having resided for some time at the house of his uncle, Cornelius Ford*, Johnson ' was, at the age of fifteen, removed to the school of Stourbridge, in Worcestershire, of which Mr. AVentworth^ was then master. This step was taken by the advice of his cousin the Rev. Mr. Ford, a man in whom both talents and good dispositions were disgraced by licentious- ness'', but who was a very able judge of what was right. At this school he did not receive so much benefit as was expected. It has been said, that he acted in the capacity of an assistant to Mr. Wentworth, in teaching the younger boys. "Mr. Wentworth," he told me, "was a very able man, but an idle man, and to me very severe ; but I cannot blame him much. I was then a big boy ; he saw I did not rever- ence him, and that he should get no honour by me. I had brought enough with me to carry me through ; and all 1 should get at his school would be ascribed to my own labour, or to my former master. Yet he taught me a great deal." He thus discriminated, to Dr. Percy, bishop of Dromore, his progress at his two grammar- schools : — "At one, I learned much in the school, but little from the master ; in the other, I learnt much from the master, but little in the school." The Bishop also informs me, that Dr. John- son's father, before he was received at Stour- bridge, applied to have him admitted as a scholar and assistant to the Rev. Samuel Lea, M.A., head master of Newport school, in Shropshire; — a very diligent good teacher, at that time in high reputation, under whom ^Ir. Hollis is said, in the Llemoirs of his Life, 1 Mr. Hector's recollections had already been published by Hawkins, but Boswoll suppressed a remarkable passage ; " After a long absence from Lichfield, when he returned I was apprehensive of so7net/ii?ig wrong in his conxtilution, which might either impair kis intellect, or endanger his life; but, thanks to Almighty God, my fears have proved false." ~ This absence was, no doubt, his residence at Oxford, on his return from which he had a severe fit of hypochondriacal illness, at Lichfield, in 1729-30. — Crokek. 2 Dr. Thomas Percy, the editor of the " lieliques " was born at Bridgenorth, in 172S. In 1782 ho was nominated to the see of Dromore ; where he died in 1811.— Wimght. 3 In one of his journeys we shall see (27/A March, 1776), that he took with him " // Palmerino d'Inghillerra " in Italian, but then it was for exercise in the language, and he took no Dleasure in the work itself. — Crokeh. * Dr. Ford, an eminent physician, was brother of Johnson's mother.— Ma lone. Dr. Johnson had four uncles Ford, Dr. Joseph (the eldest), Cornelius, Samuel, after whom he was named, and Nathaniel.— J. M. ' Hawkins says that his name was Winkworth, but that, affecting to be of the Straflord family, he assumed that of }VenttvorlU.-Cv.oK^\!.. '■ Heiss.iid tobfthc original of the parson in Hogarth s Midniglit Modern Couvcrsaiion — Buswell. This fact has been doubted, though Johnson himselfseems to have believed it (see post, 12 May, 1778), and in his Life of Fenton, admits the blameable levity of his cousin's character. " Ford, a clcrgjTnan at that time too well known, whose abilities, instead of furnishing convivial merriment to the voluptuous and dissolute, might have enabled him to ex- cel among the virtuous and the wise." In the Historical Register for 1731, we find, "Died Aug. 22., the Rev. Mr. Foni, well known to the world for his great wit and abili- ties." .\nd the Gcntlrman's Magazine of the same date states that he was " esteemed for his polite and agreeable conversation." Mr. Murphy asserts that he was chaplain to Lord Chesterfield, but this was a mistake, arising, as Mr. Peter Cunningh.am has pointed out to me, from the following passage in the liichardsojiia : "When Parson Ford, an in- famous fellow, but of much ofT-hand conversation and wit, besought Lord Chesterfield to carry him over with him as his chaplain when he went ambass.ador to Holland, he said to him, ' I would certainly take you, if you had one vice more than you already have.' ' My Lord,' said Ford. ' I thought I should never be reproached for my deficiency that way.' ' True,' replied the carl. ' but if you had still one more, almost worse than all the rest put together, it would hinder these from giWng scandal.' " p. 225 Crokeu, 1846. 10 BOS WELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1728. to have been also educated. ' This application to ]Mr. Lea was not successful ; but Johnson had afterwards the gratification to hear that the old gentleman, who lived to a very ad- vanced age, mentioned it as one of the most memorabfe events of his life, that" he was very near having that great man for his scholar." He remained at Stoui-bridge little more than a year-, and then he returned home, where he may be said to have loitered, for two years, in a state very unworthy his uncommon abilities. He had already given several proofs of his poetical genius, both in his school-exercises and in other occasional compositions. Of these I have obtained a considerable collection, by the fovour of ]Mr. Wentworth, son of one of his masters, and of Mr. Hector, his schoolfellow and friend ; from which I select the following specimens : — Translation of ViaciL. Pastoral I. MeUbcEus. Now, Tityrus, you, supine and careless laid. Play on your pipe beneath this beechen shade ; V/hile wretched we about the world must roam. And leave our pleasing fields and native home. Here at your ease you sing your amorous flame, And the wood rings with Amarillis' name. Tityrus. Those blessings, friend, a deity bestow'd, For I shall never think him less than God : Oft on his altar shall my firstlings lie. Their blood the consecrated stones shall dye : Pic gave my flocks to graze the flowery meads, And ma to tune at ease th' unequal reeds. Melibcetis. i\Iy admiration only I exprest (No spark of envy harbours in my breast). That, when confusion o'er the country reigns, To you alone this happy state remains. Here I, though faint myself, must drive my goats, Far from their ancient fields and humble cots. This scarce I lead, who left on yonder rock Two tender kids, the hopes of all the flock. Had we not been perverse and careless grown. This dire event by omens was foreshown ; Our trees were blasted by the thunder stroke. And left-hand crows, from an old hollow oak, Foretold the coming evil by their dismal croak. Translation of Horace. Book I. Ode xxii. Thf, man, my friend, whose conscious heart With virtue's sacred ardour glows. Nor taints with death the envenom'd dart. Nor needs the guard of JVIoorish bows : Though Scythia's icy cliflTs he treads, Or horrid Afric's faithless sands ; Or where the famed Hydaspes spreads His liquid wealth o'er barbarous lands. 1 As was likewise the Bishop of Dromore many years after- wards. — Bos WELL. 2 Vet here his genius was so distinguished that, although little better than a school-boy, he was admitted into the best For while by Chloe's image charm'd. Too far in Sabine woods I stray'd ; Me singing, careless and unarm'd, A grizzly wolf surprised, and fled. No savage more portentous stain'd Apulia's spacious wilds with gore; No fiercer Juba's thirsty land. Dire nurse of raging lions, bore. Place me where no soft summer gale Among the quivering branches sighs ; Where clouds condens'd for ever veil With horrid gloom the frowning skies : Place me beneath the burning line, A clime denied to human race : I'll sing of Chloe's charms divine, Her heavenly voice and beauteous face. Translation of Horace. Book II. Ode ix. Clouds do not always veil the skies. Nor showers immerse the verdant plain; Nor do the billows always rise, Or storms afflict the rufiled main. Nor, Valgius, on th' Armenian shores Do the chain'd waters always freeze ; Not always furious Boreas roars. Or bends with violent force the trees. But you are ever drown'd in tears. For ]\Iystes dead you ever mourn ; No setting Sol can ease your care, But finds you sad at his return. The wise experienc'd Grecian sage Mourn'd not Antilochus so long ; Nor did King Priam's hoary age So much lament his slaughter'd son. Leave off, at length, these woman's sighs, Augustus' numerous trophies sing ; Repeat that prince's victories. To whom all nations tribute bring. Niphates rolls an humbler wave. At length the undaunted Scythian yields. Content to live the Roman's slave, And scarce forsakes his native fields. Translation of Part of the Dialogue between Hector and Andromache. From the Sixth Book of Homer's Iliad. She ceas'd ; then godlike Hector answer'd kind (His various plumage sporting in the wind), That post, and all the rest, shall be my care; But shall I, then, forsake th' unfinish'd war? How would the Trojans brand great Hector's name I And one base action sully all my fame, Acquir'd by wounds and battles bravely fought ! Oh ! how my soul abhors so mean a thought. company of the place, and had no common attention paid to him ; of which remarkable instances were long remembered there Percy. JEt. 19. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 11 Long since I learn'd to slight this fleeting breath, And view with cheerful eyes approaching death. The inexorable sisters have decreed That Priam's house and Priam's self shall bleed: The day will come in which proud Troy shall yield, And spread its smoking ruins o'er the field. Yet Hecuba's, nor Priam's hoary age, WTiose blood shall quench some Grecian's thirsty rage, Nor my brave brothers, that have bit the ground, Their souls dismiss'd through many a ghastly wound, Can in my bosom half that grief create, As the sad thought of your impending fate : When some proud Grecian dame shall tasks impose, Mimic your tears, and ridicule your woes ; Beneath Hyperia's waters shall you sweat. And, fainting, scarce support the liquid weight : Then shall some Argive loud insulting cry, Behold the wife of Hector, guard of Troy ! Tears, at my name, shall drown those beauteous eyes. And that ftiir bosom heave with rising sighs. Before that day, by some brave hero's hand, May I lie slain, and spuru the bloody sand ! To A Young Lady on her Bikthdav.' This tributary verse receive, my fair. Warm with an ardent lover's fondtst prayer. May this returning day for ever find Thy form more lovely, more adorn'd thy mind ; All pains, all cares, may favouring Heaven remove. All but the sweet solicitudes of love ! May powerful nature join with grateful art. To point each glance, and force it to the heart ! Oh then, when conquer'd crowds confess thy sway, When ev'n proud wealth and prouder wit obey. My fair, be mindful of the mighty trust, Alas ! 'tis hard for beauty to be just. Those sovereign charms with strictest care employ ; Nor give the generous pain, the worthless joy : With his own form acquaint the forward fool. Shown in the faithful glass of ridicule ; Teach mimic censure her own faults to find, No more let coquettes to themselves be blind, So shall Belinda's charms improve mankind. The Young Author.^ When first the peasant, long inclin'd to roam, Forsakes his rural sports and peaceful home, Pleas'd with the scene the smiling ocean yields, He scorns the verdant meads and flow'ry fields ; Then dances jocund o'er the watery way, While the breeze whispers, and the streamers play: Unbounded prospects in his bosom roll. And future millions lift his rising soul ; In blissful dreams he digs the golden mine. And raptur'd sees the new-found ruby shine. Joys insincere ! thick clouds invade the skies, Loud roar the billows, high the waves arise : > Mr. Hector informs me that this was made almost im- promptii in his presence. — Boswell. 2 This he inserted, with many alterations, in the Gentle- man's Magazine, 1743, p. 37S. — Boswell. He, however, did not add his name Malone. Sick'ning with fear, he longs to view the shore» And vows to trust the faithless deep no more. So the young Author, panting after fame. And the long honours of a lasting name. Intrusts his hap])incss to human kind. More false, more cruel, than the seas or wind. " Toil on, dull crowd," in ecstasies he cries, " For wealth or title, perishable prize ; " While I those transitory blessings scorn, " Secure of praise from ages yet unborn." Tliis thought once form'd, all counsel comes too late. He flies to press, and hurries on his fate ; Swiftly he sees the imagin'd laurels spread. And feels the unfading wreath surround his head. Warn'd by another's fate, vain youth, be wise. Those dreams were Settle's once, and Ogilby's. The pamphlet spreads, incessant hisses rise. To some retreat the baffled writer flies; Where no sour critics snarl, no sneers molest. Safe from the tart lampoon and stinging jest ; There begs of Heaven a less distinguish'd lot, Glad to be hid, and proud to be forgot. Epilogue intended to have been spoken by a Lady who was to personate the Ghost of Herjiione.^ Ye blooming train, who give despair or joy. Bless with a smile, or with a frown destroy ; 111 whose fair cheeks destructive Cupids wait. And with unerring shafts distribute fate ; Whose snowy breasts, whose animated eyes. Each youth admires, though each admirer dies ; Whilst you deride their pangs in barb'rous play, Unpitying see them weep, and hear them pray. And unrelenting sport ten thousand lives away ; For you, ye fair, I quit the gloomy plains. Where sable night in all her horror reigns ; No fragrant bowers, no delightful glades, Receive the unhappy ghosts of scornful maids. For kind, for tender nymphs the myrtle blooms. And weaves her bending boughs in pleasing glooms : Perennial roses deck each purjjle vale, And scents ambrosial breathe in every gale : Far hence are lianish'd vapours, spleen, and tears. Tea scandal, ivory teeth, and languid airs : No pug, nor favourite Cupid there enjoys The balmy kiss, for which poor Thyrsis dies ; Form'd to delight, they use no foreign arms, Nor torturing whalebones pinch them into charms; No conscious blushes there their cheeks inflame. For those who feel no guilt can know no shame ; Unfaded still their former charms they shew. Around them pleasures wait, and joys for ever new. But cruel virgins meet severer fates ; Expell'd and exiled from the blissful seats. To dismal realms, and regions void of peace, Where furies ever how], and serpents hiss. O'er the sad plains perpetual tempests sigh. And pois'nous vapours black'ning all the sky. With livid line the fairest face o'ercast, And every beauty withers at the blast : 3 Some young ladies at Lichfield having proposed to act " The Distressed Mother," Johnson wrote this, and gave it to Mr. Hector to convey it privately to them Boswell. 12 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1728. Where'er they fly their lovers' ghosts pursue, Inflicting all those ills which once tliey knew ; Vexation, Fury, Jealousy, Despair, Vex ev'ry eye, and ev'ry bosom tear ; Their foul deformities by all descried, No maid to flatter, and no paint to hide. Then melt, ye fair, while clouds around you sigh, Nor let disdain sit louring in your eye ; With pity soften every awful grace, And beauty smile auspicious in each face ; To ease their pains exert your milder power, So shall you guiltless reign, and all mankind adore. The two years -which lie spent at home, after I his return from Stourbridge, he passed in wh.at i he thought idleness, and was scolded by his ! father for his lyant of steady application. ' He j liad no settled plan of life, nor looked forward 1 at all, but merely lived from day to day. Yet I be read a great deal in a desultory manner, I without any scheme of study, as chance threw books in his way, and inclination directed him through tliem. He used to mention one curious instance of his casual reading, when but a boy. Having imagined that his brother had hid some apples iaehind a large folio upon an upper shelf in his father's shop, he climbed up to search for them. ■ There were no apples ; but the large folio proved to be Tetrarch, whom he had seen mentioned, in some preface, as one of the restorers of learning. His curiosity having been tlius excited, he sat down with avidity and read a great part of the book.- What he read during these two years, he told me, was not works of mere amusement, " not voyages and travels, but all literature. Sir, all ancient writers, all manly ; thougli but little Greek, only some of Anacreon and Hesiod : but in this irregular manner," added he, "I had looked j into a great many books, which were not com- monly known at the universities, where they seldom read any books but wliat are put into their Jiands by their tutors ; so that wlien I came to Oxford, Dr. Adams, now master of Pembroke College, told me, I was the best qualified for the university that he had ever known come there." In estimating the progress of his mind during these two years, as well as in future periods of his life, we must not regard his own hasty con- fession of idleness ; for we see, when he explains liimself, that he was acquiring various stores ; and, indeed, he himself concluded the account with saying, " I would not luive you think I ' lie probably helped his fatlicr in liis husinpss. Hawkins l\ear2 with Johnson's name CUOKEII. 14 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1729. the just and discriminative eulogy pronounced upon it by my friend Mr. Courtenay. " And with like ease his vivid lines assume The garb and dignity of ancient Rome. Let college verse-men trite conceits express, Trick'd out in splendid shreds of Virgil's dress; From playful Ovid cull the tinsel phrase, And vapid notions hitch in pilfer'd lays, Then with mosaic art the piece combine, And boast the glitter of each dulcet line : Johnson adventur'd boldly to transfuse His vigorous sense into the Latin muse ; Aspir'd to shine by unreflected light. And with a Roman's ardour think and write. He felt the tuneful Nine his breast inspire. And, like a master, wak'd the soothing lyre : Horatian strains a grateful heart proclaim. While Sky"s wild rocks resound his Thralia's name.' Hesperia's plant, in some less skilful hands. To bloom a while, factitious heat demands : Though glowing Maro a faint warmth supplies. The sickly blossom in the hot-house dies By Johnson's genial culture, art, and toil. Its root strikes deep, and owns the fostering soil ; Imbibes our sun through all its swelling veins, And grows a native of Britannia's plains." ^ The " morbid melancholy," which was lurk- ing in his constitution, and to which we may ascribe those particularities, and that aversion to regular life, Avhich at a very early period marked his character, gathered such strength in his twentieth year, as to afflict him in a dreadful manner. While he was at Lichfield, in the college vacation ^ of the year 1729, he felt himself ov^erwhelraed with a horrible hypo- chondria, with perpetual irritation, fretfulness, and impatience ; and with a dejection, gloom, and despair, which made existence misery. From this dismal malady he never afterwards was perfectly relieved, and all his labours, and all his enjoyments, were but temporary inter- ruptions of its baleful influence. How won- derful, how unsearchable are thcAvays of God! Johnson, who was blessed with all the powers of genius and understanding in a degree far above the ordinary state of human nature, was at the same time visited with a disorder so afflictive, that they who know it by dire experience will not envy his exalted endowments. That it was, in some degi-ee; occasioned by a defect in his nervous system, that inexplicable part of our frame, appears highly probable. He told Mr. Paradise * that he was sometimes so lan- guid and inefficient, that he could not distin- guish the hour upon the town-clock. Johnson, upon the first violent attack of this ' Seenosl, G Sept. 1773, the Odo to Mrs. Thrale, written in Sky Orokf.r. '•' Poetical Review of the Literary and Moral Character of Dr. Johnson, by John Courtenay^ Esq. M.P. — BoswEtt. ' A mistake. See ante, p. 13. n. 1. — Choker. ■• John Paradise, Ksq. D.C.L. of Oxford, and F.R.S., was of Greek extraction, the .•ion of the English consul at Salonica, where he was born : he was educated at Padua, but resided the greater part of his life in I-niulon ; in the literary circles of which he was generally known and highly esteemed. He disorder, strove to overcome it by forcible ex- ertions. He frequently walked to Bu-ming- ham and back again, and tried many other ex- pedients, but all in vain. His expression con- cerning it to me was, " I did not then know how to manage it." His distress became so intolerable, that he applied to Dr. Swinfen, physician in Lichfield, his god-father, and put into Ills hands a state of his case, written in Latin. Dr. Swinfen was so much struck with the extraordinary acuteness, research, and elo- quence of this paper, that in his zeal for his godson he showed it to several people. His daughter, Mrs. Desmoulins, who was many years humanely supported in Dr. Johnson's house in London, told me, that upon his disco- vering that Dr. Swinfen had communicated his case, he was so much offended that he was never afterwards fully reconciled to him. He indeed had good reason to be offended ; for though Dr. Swinfen's motive was good, he in- considerately betrayed a matter deeply inter- esting and of great delicacy, which had been intrusted to him in confidence ; and exposed a complaint of his young friend and patient, which, in the superficial opinion of the gene- rality of mankind, is attended with contempt and disgrace. But let not little men triumph upon knowing that Johnson was an HTPocnouDKiAC, was subject to what the learned, philosophical, and pious Dr. Cheyne has so well treated under the title of " The English Malady." Though he suffered severely from it, he was not there- fore degraded. The powers of his great mind might be troubled, and their full exercise sus- pended at times ; but the mind itself was ever entire. As a proof of this, it is only necessary to consider, that, when he was at the very worst, he composed that state of his own case, which showed an uncommon vigour, not only of fancy and taste, but of judgment. I am aware that he himself was too ready to call such a complaint by the name of nuidness ; in con- formity with which notion, he has traced its gradations, with exquisite nicety, in one of the chapters of his Rasselas. ^ But there is surely a clear distinction between a disorder which affects only the imagination and spirits, while the judgment is sound, and a disorder by which the judgment itself is impaired. This distinction was made to me by the late Pro- fessor Gaubius 6 of Leyden, physician to the Prince of Orange, in a conversation which I had with him several years ago, and he ex- panded it thus : " If," said he, " a man tells became intimate with Johnson in the latter portion of the Doctor's life ; was a member of his Essex Street club, and attended his funeral. He died Dec. 12. HO.') Croker. 5 Chapter 44. " On the dangerous Prevalence of Imagina- tion ;" in which Johnson no doubt relates his own sensations. — Croker. s Jerome David Gaubius was born at Heidelberg, in 1705. He died in 1780, leaving several works of considerable value. A translation into English of his " Institntiones Pathologise Medicinalis " appeared in 1779 Wright. JEt. 20. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. nie that he is grievously disturbed, for that he imagines he sees a ruffian coming against him with a drawn sword, though at the same time he is conscious it is a delusion, I pronounce him to have a disordered imagination ; but if a man tells me that he sees this, and in conster- nation calls to me to look at it, I pronounce him to be mad." It is a common effect of low spirits or me- lancholy, to make those who are afflicted with it imagine that they are actually suffering those evils which happen to be most sti'ongly pre- sented to their minds. Some have fancied themselves to be deprived of the use of then- limbs, some to labour under acute diseases, others to be in extreme poverty ; when, in truth, there was not the least reality in any of the suppositions ; so that, when the vapours were dispelled, they were convinced of the delusion. To Johnson, whose supreme enjoy- ment was the exercise of his reason, the dis- turbance or obscuration of that faculty was the evil most to be dreaded. Insanity, there- fore, was the object of his most dismal appre- hension ; and he fancied himself seized by it, or approaching to it, at the very time when he was giving proofs of a more than ordinary soundness and vigour of judgment. That his own diseased imagination should have so far deceived him is strange ; but it is stranger still that some of his friends should have given credit to his groundless opinion, when they had such undoubted proofs that it was totally falla- cious ; though it is by no means surprising that those who wish to depreciate him should, since his death, have laid hold of this circumstance, and insisted upon it with very unfair aggrava- tion. ' Amidst the oppression and distraction of a disease which very few have felt in its full extent, but many "have experienced in a slighter degree, Johnson, in his writings, and in his conversation, never failed to display all the varieties of intellectual excellence.^ In his march through this world to a better, his mind ' This, it is to be presumed, was Eoswell's reason for con- cealing that passage of Mr. Hector's paper quoted in p. 9, note 1.; but Johnson himself was not so scrupulous. He said {post, Sept. 16. 1778), that " he had inherited from his father a vile melancholy, which had made him mart all his life — at least not sober;" and, in a letter to Dr. Warton {Dec. 24. 1754), he says of Collins, then insane, " Poor dear Collins ! I have been often near his state, and therefore have it in great commiseration."— Croker. 2 Mr. Boswell was himself occasionally afflicted with this morbid depression of spirits, and was, at intervals, equally liable to paroxysms of what may be called morbid vivacity. He wrote a Series of Essays in the London Magazine, under the title of the " Hypochondriac," seventy in number, com- mencing in 1777, and carried on till 1783. — Croker. Jan. 29. 1791, Boswell writes thus to Mr. Malone : — " I have, for some weeks, had the most woful return of melan- choly ; insomuch that I have not only had no relish of any- thing, but a continual uneasiness ; and all the prospect before me, for the r^st of life, has seemed gloomy and hopeless." Again, March 8 " In the night between the last of Febru- ary and first of this month, I had a sudden relief from the inexplicable disorder, which occasionally clouds my mind and makes me miserable." — From the originals in the possession of Mr. Upcott. — Wright. 3 "■ Hypochondriacism has been the complaint of the good, and the wise, and the witty, and even of the gay. Uegnard, still appeared grand and brilliant, and impressed all around him with the truth of Virgil's noble sentiment — • " Igneus est ollis vigor et calestis origo." * The history of his mind as to religion is an important article. I have mentioned the early impressions made upon his tender imagination by his mother, who continued her pious cares with assiduity, but, in his opinion, not Avith judgment. " Sunday," said he, " was a heavy day to me when I was a boy. My mother confined me on that day, and made me read ' The "Wliole Duty of ]\lan,' from a great part of which I could derive no instruction. "When, for instance, I had read the chapter on theft, which from my infancy I had been taught was wrong, I was no more convinced that theft was wrong than before ; so there was no accession of knowledge. A boy should be introduced to such books, by having his attention directed to the arrangement, to the style, and other ex- cellencies of composition ; that the mind being thus engaged by an amusing variety of objects, may not grow weary." He communicated to me the following par- ticulars upon the subject of his religious pro- gress: — "I fell into an inattention to religion, or an indifference about it, in my ninth year. The church at Lichfield, in which we had a seat, wanted reparation^, so I was to go and find a seat In other churches ; and having bad eyes, and being awkward about this, I used to go and read in the fields on Sunday. This habit continued till my fourteenth year ; and still I find a great reluctance to go to church. I then became a sort of lax talker against re- ligion, for I did not nuich think against it; and this lasted till I went to Oxford, where it woidd not be suffered. When at Oxford, I took up 'Law's'' Serious Call to a Holy Life,' expecting to find it a dull book (as such books generally are), and perhaps to laugh at it. But I found Law quite an overmatch for me ; and this was the first occasion of my thinking in the author of the best French comedy after MoliOre, was atrabilious, and Moliere himself saturnine. Dr. Johnson, Gray, and Burns, were all, more or less, affected by it occa- sionally. It was the prelude to the more awful malady of Collins, Cowper. Swift, and Sm.irt ; but it by no means fol- lows that a partial affliction of this disorder "is to terminate like theirs." Byron, vol. vi. p. 396.— Wright. This list of superior intellects liable to constitutional, and, asl believe, hereditary disorder, might be largely augmented, and would, in ray opinion, include Lord Byron himself. — Croker, 1846. •i " in them we trace The fiery vigour of a heavenly race." jEn. vi. 730 C. 5 Johnson's parish church, St. Mary's, being in a decayed state, was taken down in 1716, and the present structure was finished and opened in 1721. How important is this other- wise trivial circumstance towards enforcing the ' habit ' of church-going! The accidental interruption of this duty shook for a time Johnson's faith, and was felt even in his maturer days — Croker. 6 William Law was born 1686, entered, in 170.'i, of Em. Coll. Cambridge, Fellow in 1711, and A. M. in 1712. On the accession of the Hanover family he refused the oaths. He was tutor to Mr. Gibbon's father, at Putney, and finally retired, with two pious ladies, Mrs. Hutchinson and Mrs. Gibbon, the aunt of the historian, to a kind of conventual se- clusion at King's Cliffe, his native place. He died in 1761. — Croker. 16 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1729. earnest of religion, after I became capable of rational enquiry." ' From this time forward religion was the predominant object of his thoughts ; though, with the just sentiments of a conscientious Christian, he lamented that his practice of its duties fell far short of what it ought to be. This instance of a mind such as that of Johnson being first disposed, by an unexpected incident, to think with anxiety of the mo- mentous concerns of eternity, and of " what he should do to be saved," may for ever be produced in opposition to the superficial and sometimes profane contempt that has been thrown upon those occasional impressions which it is certain many Christians have experienced : though it must be acknowledged that weak minds, from an erroneous supposition that no man is in a state of grace who has not felt a particular conversion, have, in some cases, brought a degree of ridicule upon them ; a ridicule, of which it is inconsiderate or unfair to make a general application. How seriously Johnson was impressed with a sense of religion, even in the vigour of his youth", appears from the following passage in his minutes kept by way of diary: — " Sept. 7. 1736. I have this day entered upon my 28th year. Mayest thou, O God, enable me, for Jesus Christ's sake, to spend this in such a manner, that I may receive comfort from it at the hour of death, and in the day of judgment! Amen." The particular course of his reading while at Oxford, and during the time of vacation M'hich he passed at home, cannot be traced. ^ Enough has been said of his irregular mode of study. He told me, that from his earliest years he loved to read poetry, but hardly ever read any poem to an end ; that he read Shakspeare at a period so early, that the speech of the ghost in Hamlet terrified him when he was ' Mrs. Pinzzi has given a strange fantastical account nf the original of Dr. Johnson's belief in our most holy religion. " At the age often j'ears his mind was disturbed by scruples of infidelity, which preyed upon his spirits, and made him very uneasy ; the more so, as he revealed his uneasiness to none, being naturally (as he said) of a sullen temper, and reserved disposition. He searched, however, diligently, but fruitlessly, for evidences of the truth of revelation ; and at ienglh. reco/h'cting a book he had once seen [I suppose iit Jive years old] in his father's shop, entitled ' De Veritate Heligionis,' &c. he began to think himself htg/il!/ culpable for neglecting such means of information, and took himself severely to task for this sin, adding many acts of voluntary, .ind to others unknown, penance. The first opportunity which offered, of course, he seized the book with avidity ; but, on examination, not finding himself scholar enovgh to peruse its contents, set his heart at rest ; and not thinking to enquire whether there were any English books written on the subject, followed his usual amusements, and considered his conscience as lightened of a crime. He redoubled his diligence to learn the language that containeii the information he most wished for ; but from the pain which guilt [naniely, having omitted to read what lie did not understand] had given him, he now began to deduce thesoul's immortality [a sensa- tion of pain in this world being an unquestionable proof of existence in another], which was the point that belief first stopped at ; and from that moment resolving to be a Christian, became one of the most zealous and pious ones our nation ever produced." {Anecdotes, p. 17.) This is one of the numerous misrepresentations of this lively lady, which it is worth while to correct ; for if credit should be given to such 8. childish, irrational, and ridiculous statement of the founda- alone ; that Horace's odes were the composi- tions in which he took most delight *, and it was long before he liked his Epistles and Satires. He told me what he read solidly at Oxford was Greek ; not the Grecian historians, but Homer and Euripides, and now and then a little Epigram ; that the study of which he ^vas the most fond was metaphysics, but he had not read much, even in that way. I always thought that he did himself injustice in his account of what he had read, and that he must have been speaking with reference to the vast portion of study which is possible, and to which a iQVJ scholars in the whole history of literature have attained ; for when I once asked him whether a person, whose name I have now for- gotten, studied hard, he answered, " No, Sir. 1 do not believe he studied hard. I never knew a man who studied hard. I conclude, indeed, from the effects, that some men have studied hard, as Bentley and Clarke." Trying him by that criterion upon which he formed his judgment of others, we may be absolutely certain, both from his writings and his couA'cr- sation, that his reading was very extensive. Dr. Adam Smith, than whom few were better judges ^ on this subject, once observed to me, that " Johnson knew more books than any man alive." He had a peculiar facility in seizing at once what was valuable In any book, without submitting to the labour of perusing it from beginning to end. He had, from the irritability of his constltiitlon, at all times, an impatience and hurry when he either read or wrote. A certain apprehension arising from novelty made him write his first exercise at college twice over ; but he never took that trouble with any other composition ; and we shall see that his most excellent works were struck off at a heat, with rapid exertion.'' Yet he appears, from his early notes or memorandums in my possession, to have at tion of Dr. Johnson's faith in Christianity, how little credit would be due to it ! Mrs. Piozzi seems to wish, that the world should think Dr. Johnson also under the influence of that easy logic, " Stet pro ratione voluntas." — Boswell. 2 He was then married and resident at Edial Croker. 3 Seenn/e, p. 13. n. 1. •« Though two or three of his pieces are easy, and in what he perhaps thought the Horatian style, wo shall see that to Miss Carter he confessed a fondness for Martial, and his epigrams certainly savour of that partiality. Dr. Hall had a small volume of hendecasyllabic poetry, entitled Poeta: Ritsticantis Lite, ratum Otitim, sive Carmina Andreie Francisci Landesii. Lond. 1713 ; which belonged to Johnson, and some pecu- liarities of the style of these verses may be traced in his college compositions Croker. 5 Boswell might have selected, if not a better judge, at least a better authority; for Adam Smith had but a slight ac- quaintance with Johnson, and the judgment pronounced by Smith is one which could only be justified by an intimate literary intercourse. But Boswell's nationality inclined him to quote the eminent Scottish professor. We shall see many instances of a similar partiality — not illaudable in Boswell, but which the reader ought to bear in mind. — Crokek. 6 He told Dr. Burney, that he never wrote any of his works that were printed, twice over. Dr. Burney's wonder at seeing several pages of his Lives of the Poets, in manuscript, with scarce a blot or erasure, drew this observation from him. — Malone. But he made large corrections in the second edition of the Rambler, and in the third edition of the Lives of the Poets the variations were so considerable, as to be printed in a separate pamphlet, for the use of former purchaseri. — Croker. ^T. 20. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 17 various times attempted, or at least planned, a methodical course of study, according to com- putation, of ■which he was all his life fond, as it fixed his attention steadily upon something without, and prevented his mind from preying , upon itself. Thus I find in his handwriting the number of lines in each of two of Euri- pides's Tragedies, of the Georgics of Virgil, of the first six books of the ^neid, of Horace's Art of Poetry, of three of the boi^ks of Ovid's Metamorphoses, of some parts of Theocritus, and of the tenth Satire of Juvenal ; and a table, showing at the rate of various numbers a day, (I suppose, verses to be read,) what would be, in each case, the total amount in a week, month, and year. ' No man had a more ardent love of literature, or a higher respect for it, than Johnson. His apartment in Pembroke College was that vipon the second iloor over the gateway. The en- thusiast of learning will ever contemplate it with veneration. One day, while he was sitting in it cpiite alone, Dr. Panting", then master of the College, whom he called " a fine Jacobite fellow," overheard him uttering this soliloquy in his strong emphatic voice : " Well, I have a mind to see what is done in other places of learning. I'll go and visit the uni- versities abroad. Fll go to France and Italy. I'll go to Padua. And I'll mind my business. For an Athenian blockhead is the worst of all blockheads." ^ Dr. Adams told me that Johnson, while he was at Pembroke College, " was caressed and loved by all about him, was a gay and frolicsome fellow, and passed there the happiest part of his life." But this is a striking proof of the fallacy of appearances, and how little any of us know of the real internal state even of those whom we see most frecpiently ; for the truth is, that he was then depressed by poverty, and irritated by disease. When I mentioned to 1 So in the Prayers and Meditations : " 1764. — I resolve to study the Scriptures ; I hope in the original languages. Six hundred and forty verses every Sunday will nearly compri.se the Scriptures in a year The plan which I formed for reading the Scriptures was to read six hundred verses in the Old Testament, and two hundred in the New, every week." — pp. .^7. 99. It appears by a subsequent passage that he meant to read the Old Testament in tlie Septitagint version. There is no trjce of liis having attempted Hebretv. — Croker. 2 Dr. Matthew Panting died I2th Feb. 1739. — Croker. 3 1 had this anecdote from Dr. Adams, and Dr. Joluison confirmed it. Bramston, in his " Man of Taste," has the same thought : — " Sure of all blockheads scholars are the worst." Boswell. Johnson's meaning, however, is, that a scholar who is a blockhead, must be the worst of all blockheads, because he is without excuse. But Bramston, in the assumed character of ah ignorant coxcomb, maintains, that all scholars are block- heads, on account of their scholarship .1. Boswell, jun. •* Dr. Adams was about two years older than Johnson, having been born in 17li7. He became a Fellow of Pembroke in 1723, D. D. in 1756, and iVIaster of the College in 1775.— Ckoker. 5 There are preserved, in Pembroke College, some of these themes, or exercises, both in prose and verse : the following, though the two first lines are awkward, has more point and pleasantry than his epigrams usually have. It m.ay be sur- mised that the college beer was at this time indifferent: — " Mea nee Falernoe Temperant viles, neque Forminni Pocula col/es."— Hor. 1 Od. 20. 10. him this account as given me by Dr. Adams, he said, " Ah, Sir, I was mad antl violent. It was bitterness which they mistook tor frolic. I was miserably poor, and I thought to fight my way by my literature and my wit ; so I disre- garded all power and all authority." The Bishop of Dromore observes in a letter to me, " The pleasure he took in vexing the tutors and fellows has been often mentioned. But I have heard him say, what ought to be recorded to the honour of the present venerable master of that college, the Kcverend AVilliam Adams, D.D., who was then very young *, and one of the junior fellows ; that the mild but judi- cious expostulations of this worthy man, whose virtue awed him, and whose learning he re- vered, made him really ashamed of himself, ' though I fear (said he) I was too j)roud to own it.' " I have heard from some of his contempo- raries that he was generally seen lounging at the college gate, with a circle of young students round him, Avhom he was entertaining with wit, and keeping from tlieir studies, if not spiriting them up to rebellion against the college disci- pline, which in his maturer years he so much extolled."^ He very early began to attempt keeping notes or memorandums, by v,ay of a diary of his life. I find, in a parcel of loose leaves, the following spirited resolution to contend against his natural indolence : " Oct. 1 729. DesidicB valedixi; syrenis istius cantlhus smdam posthac mirem ohveraurus. I bid farewell to Sloth, being resolved henceforth not to listen to her syren strains." I have also in my possession a few leaves of another Libcllm, or little book, entitled Annales, in which some of the early particulars of his history are registered in Latin. I do not find that he formed any close in- timacies with his fellow-collegians. But Dr. Adams told me, that he contracted a love and Quid mirum Maro quod dignfe canit arma virumque. Quill quod putidulOm nostra Camaena sonat ? Limosum nobis Promns dat callidus haustum : Ingenium jubeas purior haustus alat ! No wonder Virgil sang in lofty strain " .\rms and the Man : " — good wine inspired his vein ! If our poor Muses thick aiul dull appear. We blame the crafty butler's muddy beer ; So, would you have poetic genius shine. Give us a generous Helicon of wine — C. ither is in a graver and better style : — " Adjccerc bonce pauloplus artis Al/ienrc." HoR.2. Ep.2 " Quas Xatura dcdit dotes, Academia promit ; Dat menti propriis Musa nitcre bonis. Materiam statute sic prasbet marmora tcllus, Saxea Fhldiaca spiral imago manu." The talents Nature gives, the Schools expand; The Muse the innate spark ol genius fires : Thus a rude block of stone, the sculptor's hand Shapes into beauty and with life inspires. — C. Johnson repeated this idea in the I-atin verses on thuiermtaa- tion of His Dictionary, entitled FNilQI SEATfTON, but nor, as I think, so elegantly as in the epigram. — Croker. C 18 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1731. regard for Pembroke College, which he re- tained to the last. A short time before his death he sent to that college a present of all his works ', to be deposited in theii- library : and he had thoughts of leaving to it his house at Lichfield ; but his friends who were about him very properly dissuaded him from it, and he bequeathed it to some poor relations. He took a pleasure in boasting of the many eminent men who had been educated at Pembroke. In this list are found the names of Mr. Hawkins the Poetry Professor, Mr. Shenstone, Sir Wil- liam Blackstone, and others " ; not forgetting the celebrated popular preacher, Mr. George Whitefield, of whom, though Dr. Johnson did not think very highly, it must be acknowleged that his eloquence was powerful, his views pious and charitable, his assiduity almost incredible ; and that, since his death, the integrity of his character has been fully vindicated. Being himself a poet, Johnson was peculiarly happy in mentioning how many of the sons of Pem- broke were poets; adding, with a smile of sportive triumph, "Sir, we are a nest of singingrbirds." He was not, however, blind to what he thought the defects of his own college : and I have, from the information of Dr. Taylor, a very strong instance of that rigid honesty which he ever inflexibly preserved. Taylor had ob- tained his father's consent to be entered of IPembroke, that he might be with his school- fellow Johnson, with whom, though some years older than himself, he was very intimate. This would have been a great comfort to Johnson. But he fliirly told Taylor that he could not, in conscience, suffer him to enter where he knew he could not have an able tutor. He then made enquiry all round the university, and having found that ]\Ir. Bateman, of Christ- church, was the tutor of highest reputation, Taylor was entered of that college. 'Mr. Bateman's lectures were so excellent, that Johnson used to come and get them at second- hand from Taylor, till his poverty being so extreme, that liis shoes were worn out, and his feet appeared through them, he saw that this humiliating circumstance was perceived by the Christ-church men, and he came no more. He was too proud to accept of money, and some- body having set a pair of new shoes at his door, he threw them away with indignation. ^ How I Dr. Hall says, " Certainly, not all ; and those which we have are not all marked as presented by him." — Croker. - To the list should be added, Francis Beaumont, the dra- matic writer ; Sir Thomas Browne, whose life Johnson wrote ; Sir James Dyer, Chief Justice of the King's Bench, Lord Chancellor Harcourt, John Pym, Francis Rous, the Speaker of Cromwell's parliament, and Bishop Bonner Wright. 3 Authoritatively and circumstantially as this story is told, it seems impossible to reconcile it with some indisputable facts and dates. Taylor was admitted commoner of Christ- church, 27 June 1730 : but Johnson had left Oxford six months before. The only solution that I can imagine fpr these dis- crepancies, is the improbable one of Johnson's having ac- companied Taylor to Oxford without reappearing at his own college. — Cboker. must we feel when we read such an anecdote of Samuel Johnson ! His spirited refusal of an eleemosynary supply of shoes arose, no doubt, from a proper pride. But, considering his ascetic disposition at times, as acknowledged by himself in his Meditations, and the exaggeration with which some have treated the peculiarities of his cha- racter, I should not wonder to hear it ascribed to a principle of superstitious mortification ; as we are told by Tursellinus, in his Life of St. Ignatius Loyola, that this intrepid founder of the order of Jesuits, when he arrived at Goa, after having made a severe pilgrimage through the eastern deserts, persisted in wearing his miserable shattered shoes, and when new ones were offered him, rejected them as an unsuit- able indulgence. The res angusta domi prevented him from having the advantage of a complete academical education. The friend ''^ to whom he had trusted for support had deceived him. His debts in college, though not great, were in- creasing ; and his scanty remittances from Lichfield, which had all along been made with great difficulty, could be supplied no longer, his father having fixUen into a state of insol- vency. Compelled, therefore, by irresistible necessity, he left the college in autumn 1731, without a degree, having been a member of it little more than three years. ^ Dr. Adams, the worthy and respectable master of Pembroke College, has generally had the reputation of being Johnson's tutor. The fact, however, is, that in 1731, Mr. Jorden quitted the college, and his pupils were trans- ferred to Dr. Adams ; so that had Johnson re- turned. Dr. Adams %vould have been his tuto^: It is to be wished, that this connection had taken place. His equal temper, mild disposi- tion, and politeness of manners, might have insensibly softened the harshness of Johnson, and infused into him those more delicate cha- rities, those petites morales, in which, it must be confessed, our great moralist was more defi- cient than his best friends could fully justify. Dr. Adams paid Johnson this high compliment. He said to me at Oxford, in 1776, " I was his nominal tutor*"' ; but he was above my mark." "Wlien I repeated it to Johnson, his eyes flashed with grateful satisfiiction, and he exclaimed, " That was liberal and noble." ■i See anii, p. 12. note 3 — Croker. 5 Error: he was but fourteen months at Oxford. {Ante, p.l3. n.l.) Here, then, are two important years, the 21st and 22d of his age, to he accounted for ; and Mr. Boswell's assertion (a little farther on), " that he could not have been assistant to Anthony Blackwall, because Blackwall died in 1730, before Johnson had left college," falls to the ground. He might have been for two or three months with BIack%vall, who died in April, 1730. — Croker. 6 There is an obvious discrepancy between Boswell's and Dr. Adams's statements, arising, no doubt, from the general error as to the date of Johnson's leaving college. Dr. Adams never was, in any sense, Johnson's tutor Croker. iET.21. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 19 CHAPTER IV. 1731—1736. Death of his Father. — Gilbert Wahnesley. — Cap- tain ' Garrick. — Mrs. Hill Boothby " Molly Aston." — Johnson becomes Usher of Market- Bos- worth SchoaJ. — lieinoves to Birminyham. — 2V«ws- late.s Loho's Voyage to Abyssinia. — Returns to Lichfield. — Proposes to print the Latitj. Poems of Politian. — Offers to write for the Gentleman's Magazine. — His juvenile Attachments. — Marries. — Opens a private Academy at Edial. — David Garrick his Pupil. — Commences " Irene." And now (I had almost said poor) Samuel Johnson returned to his native city, destitute, and not knowing how he should gain even a decent livelihood. His father's misfortunes in trade rendered him unable to support his son ' ; and for some time tliere appeared no means by which he could maintain himself In the De- cember of this year his father died. The state of poverty in which he died ap- pears from a note in one of Johnson's little diaries of the following year, which strongly displays his spirit and virtuous dignity of mind. "1732, Julii 15. Undec.im aiweos deposui, quo die quicquid ante matris fiaius (quod serum sit p7-ecor) de paternis bonis sperari licet., vi- ginti scilicet libras, accept. Usque adeo miki fortuna fingenda est. Interea, ne paupertate vires animi languescant, :tec in fiagitia egestas ahigat, cavendum. I layed by eleven guineas on this day, when I received twenty pounds, being aU that I have reason to hope for out of my father's effects, previous to the death of my moiher ; an event which I pray God may be very remote. I now therefore see that I must make my own fortune. Meanwhile, let me take care that the powers of my mind be not debilitated by poverty, and that indigence do not force me into any criminal act." Johnson was so far fortunate, that the re- spectable character of his parents, and his own merit, had, from his earliest years, secured him a kind reception in the best families at Lichfield. Among these I can mention Mr. Howard -, Dr. Swinfen, Mr. Simpson, Mr. Levett ^, Captain Garrick, father of the great ornament of the British stage ; but above all, Mr. Gilbert Walmesley*, Registrar of the Ecclesiastical 'Johnson's father," says Hawkins, " either during his con- at the university, or possibly before, had been by misfortunes rendered insolvent, if not, as Johnson told me, an actual bankrupt." Amongst the MSS. of Pembroke College are some letters which state that his widow was left in great poverty. — Croker. 2 Mr. Howard was a proctor in the Ecclesiastical Court, and resided in the Close Croker. 3 Mr. Levett was a gentleman of fortune in this neighbour- hood, and must not he confounded with the humble friend of the same name to whom Johnson was so charitable in after life. — Croker. ■» Mr. Warton informs me, that this early friend of Johnson was entered a Commoner of Trinity College, Oxford, aged 17, in 1698 ; and is the author of many Latin verse translations in the Gentleman's Magazine. One of them [vol. xv. p. 102] is a translation of " My time, O ye Muses, was happily spent," Court of Lichfield, whose character, long ailer his decease. Dr. Johnson has, in his life of Edmund Smith [1779], thus drawn in the glowing colours of gratitude : " Of Gilbert Walmesley, thus presented to my mind, let me indulge myself in the remembrance. I knew him very early ; he was one of the first friends that literature procured me, and I hope, that at least my gratitude made me worthy of his notice. " He was of an advanced age, and I was only not a boy, yet he never received my notions with contempt. He was a Whig, with all the virulence and malevolence of his party; yet difference of opinion did not keep us apart. I honoured him, and he endured me. " He had mingled with the gay world without exemption from its vices or its follies; but had never neglected the cultivation of his mind. His belief of revelation was unshaken ; his learning pre- served his principles ; he grew first regular, and then pious. " His studies had b"en so various, that I am not able to name a man of equal knowledge. His ac- quaintance with books was great, and what he did not immediately know, he could, at least, tell where to find. Such was his amplitude of learning, and such his copiousness of communication, that it may be doubted whether a day now passes, in which I have not some advantage from his friendship. " At this man's table I enjoyed many cheerful and instructive hours, with companions .such as are not often found — with one who has lengthened, and one who has gladdened life; with Dr. James, whose skill in physic will be long remembered ; and with David Garrick, whom I hoped to have gratified with this character of our common friend. But what are the hopes of man? I am disappointed by that stroke of death which has eclipsed the gaiety of nations, and impoverished the public stock of harmless pleasure." In these families he passed much time in his early years. In most of them, he was in the company of ladies, particularly at Mr. Walmes- ley's, whose wife and sisters-in-law, of the name of Aston, and daughters of a baronet, were re- markable for good breeding ; so that the no- tion whicli has been industriously circulated and believed, that he never was in good com- pany till late in life, and, consequently, had been confirmed in coarse and ferocious man- ners by long habits, is wholly without founda- tion.^ Seine of the ladies have assured me, &c. He died August 3. 1751, and a monument to his memory has been €rect('d in the cathedral of Lichfield, with an in- scription written by Mr. Seward, one of tlie pret)eiidariis. — BoswELL. He was the son of W. Walmesley, (so they spelled their name,) LL.D., chancellor of thediocese, and in 1701 M.P. for the city of Lichfield, and was born in 1G80; but 1 think Dr. Warton was mistaken in attributing the transla- tion of the song to him, for, though signed " G. Walmsley," it is dated Sid. Col. Cambridge. Johnson's friend was at that date (1745) 65 years of age Croker. 5 His original acquaintance with these ladies must h.ive been short and slight, for Mr.Walmesley's marriage with Miss Aston, the link of the intercourse, did not take place till April I73G, (when Mr. Walmsley was 56), about which time Johnson had removed to Edial, as he did in the following year to London. — Croker. 20 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1732. they recollected hlra well when a young man, as distinguished for his complaisance. And that his politeness was not merely oc- casional and temporary, or confined to the circles of Lichfield, is ascertained by the testi- mony of a lady', who, in a paper with which I have been favoured by a daughter of his in- timate friend and physician. Dr. Lawrence, thus describes Dr. Johnson some years after- wards: — " As the particulars of the former part of Dr. Jolinson's life do not seem to be very accurately known, a lady hopes that the following information may not be unacceptable. — She remembers Dr. Johnson on a visit to Dr. Taylor, at Ashbourn, some time between the end of the year 37, and the middle of the year 40 ; she rather thinks it to liave been after he and his wife were removed to London. During his stay at Ashbourn, he made frequent visits to Mr. Meynell, at Bradley, where his com- pany was much desired by the ladies of the family, who were, perhaps, in point of elegance and accom- plishments, inferior to few of those with whom he was afterwards acquainted. Mr. Meynell's eldest daughterwas afterwards married to Mr. Fitzherbert, father to Mr. AUeyne Fitzherbert, lately minister to the court of Russia [and since Lord St. Helens], Of her, Dr. Johnson said in Dr. Lawrence's study, that she had the best understanding he ever met with in any human being. At Mr. Meynell's he also commenced that friendship with Mrs. Hill Boothby*, sister to the present Sir Brook Boothby, which continued till her death. The young tvomnu whom he used to call MuUy Aston. ^ was sister to Sir Thomas Aston ■*, and daughter to a baronet ; she was also sister to the wife of his friend, Mr. Gilbert Walmesley. Besides his intimacy with the above- mentioned persons, who were surely people of rank and education, while he was yet at Lichfield he used to be frequently at the house of Dr. Swinfen, a gentleman of very ancient family in Staffordshire, from which, after the death of his elder brother, he inherited a good estate. He was, besides, a physi- cian of very extensive practice ; but for want of due attention to the management of his domestic con- 1 The anonymous lady's information is of no great value, even if true, but there is strong reason to doubt its accu- racy. It is full of chronological difficulties, and can be at best but the vague recollections of 50 years before, as the quota- tion from Hawkins ascertains it to have been given subse- quent to 1787. —Choker. 2 Miss Boothby was born in 1708, and died in 1756. For the last three years of her life this lady maintained a pious and somewhat mystical correspondence with Dr. Johnson, which was published in 1805, by Mr. Wright of Lichfield, in the same little volnme, with the ante-biograpnical " Accormt of Dr. Johnson's Early Life, already mentioned." Miss Seward choosed to imagine that there was an early attach- ment between Miss Boothby and Johnson ; but all that lady's stories are worse than apocryphal. The first letter, dated July 1753, proves that the acquaintance was then recent.— Choker. ^ The words of Sir John Hawkins, p. 31G. — Boswell. ■i Sir Thomas Aston, Bart., who died in January, 1724-5, left one son, named Thomas also, and eight daughters. Of the daughters, Catherine married Johnson's friend, the Hon. Henry Hervey ; Margaret, Gilbert Walmsley. Another of these ladies [Jane] married the Rev. Mr. Gastrell [the man who cut down Shakspeare's mulberry-tree] ; Mary, or Molly Aston, as she was usually called, became the wife of Captain Brodie of the navy. Another sister, who was unmarried, was living at Lichfield in 1776. — Malone. Of the latter, whose name was Elizabeth, Miss Seward has put an injurious character into the mouth of Dr. Johnson cerns, left a very large family in indigence. One of his daughters, Mrs. Desmoulins, afterwards found an asylum in the house of her old friend, whose doors were always open to the unfortunate, and who well observed the precept of the Gospel, for he ' was kind to the unthankful and to the evil.' " * [JOHNSON TO MR. GEO. HICKMAN. " Lichfield, Oct. 30. 1731. "Sir, — I have SO long neglected to return you thanks for the favour and assistance received from you at Stourbridge, that I am afraid you have now done expecting it. I can, indeed, make no apology, but by assuring you, that this delay, whatever was the cause of it, proceeded neither from forgetfulness, disrespect, nor ingratitude. Time has not made the sense of obligation less warm, nor the thanks I return less sincere. But while I am acknowledging one ftivour, I must beg another — that you would excuse the composition of the verses you desired. Be pleased to consider, that versifying against one's inclination is the most disagieeable thing in the world ; and that one's own disappointment is no inviting subject; and that though the gratifying of you might have pre- vailed over my dislike of it, yet it proves, upon reflection, so barren, that to attempt to write upon it, is to undertake to build without materials. As I am yet unemployed, I hojie you will, if any thing- should offer, remember and recommend, " Sir, your humble servant, " Sam. Jouwson."] In the forlorn state of his circumstances, he accepted of an offer to be employed as usher 6, in the school of Market-Bosworth, in Lei- cestershire, to which it appears, from one of his little fragments of a diary, that he went on foot, on the IGth of July, — '■'• Julii 16. Bos- vo?-tiam pedes pelii." But it is not true, as has been erroneously related, that he was assistant to the fiimous Anthony Blackwall, whose merit has been honoured by the testimony of Bishop Hurd '', who was his scholar ; for Mr. Blackwall (in a dialogue which she (falsely I have no doubt) reports herself to have had with him). She died in 1785, in the 7Sth year of her .nge. The youngest sister married a Mr. Prn • jean {post, 2d Jan. 1779) Croker. 5 Mr. Boswell should not have admitted this uncharitable insinuation of an anonymous informant against poorSIrs. Des- moulins : who was, probably, not popular with " the ladies of Lichfield." She is supposed to have forfeited the protec- tion of her own family by, what they thought, a derogatory marriage with a writing-master. She and her son were in close and grateful attendance on Johnson in his last dav^, and she was w.atching him at the moment of death Croker. 6 Mr. Nichols, on the authority of this letter to Mr. Hick- man, who was master of the Grammar School at Stour- bridge, thought that Johnson had at this time made a fruit- less attempt to obtain the situation of usher there. (Liferary Anecdotes, vol. viii. p. 416.) But I do not think that the letter itself is quite conclusive on this point. His failure in such an object would be a strange theme for a poetical com- pliment. See post, p. 32. n. 4 Croker ^ There is here (as Mr. James Boswell observes to me) a slight inaccuracy. Bishop Hurd, in the Epistle Dedicatory prefixed to his Commentary on Horace's Art of Poetry, &c., does not praise Blackwall, but the Rev. Mr. Budworth, head- master of the Grammar School at Brewood, in Staffordshiie, who had himself been bred under Blackwall. — M \lone. We shall see presently (p.24.n.l), on the authority of Mr. Nichols, that Johnson proposed himself to Mr. Budworth, as an assist- ant. — Croker. ^T. 24. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 21 died on the 8th of April, 1730, more than a year before Johnson left the University.' This employment was very irksome to him in every respect, and he complained grievously of it in his letters to his friend Mr. llcitor, who was now settled as a surgeon at liiriningham. The letters are lost ; but Mi: Hector recol- lects his writing " that the jioet had described the dull sameness of his existence in these words, ' Vitam continet una dies' (one day con- tains the whole of my life) ; that it was un- varied as the note of the cuckoo ; and that he did not know whether it Avas more disagreeable for him to teach, or the boys to learii, the grammar rules." His general avei'sion to this painful drudgery Avas greatly enlianced by a disagreement between him and Sir Wolstan Dixie, the patron of the school, in whose house, I have been told, he officiated as a kind of do- mestic chaplain, so far, at least, as to say grace at table, but was treated with what he repre- sented as intolerable harshness ; and, after sul- fering for a few months such complicated mi- sery -, he relinquished a situation which all his life afterwards he recollected with the strongest aversion, and even a degree of horror. But it is probable that at this period, whatever un- easiness he may have endured, he laid the foun- dation of much future eminence by application to his studies. Being now again totally unoccupied, he was invited by Mr. Hector to pass some time with hnn at Birmingham, as his guest, at the house of Mr. Warren, with whom Mr. Hector lodged and boarded. Mr. Warren was the first estab- lished bookseller in Birmingham, and was very attentive to Johnson, who he soon found could be of much service to him in his trade, by his knowledge of literature ; and he even oljtained the assistance of his pen in furnishing some numbers of a periodical essay, printed in the newspaper of which Warren was proprietor. After very diligent inquiry, I have not been able to recover those early specimens of that particular mode of writing by which John- son afterwards so greatly distinguished him- self. I ' He continued to live as Mr. Hector's guest j for about six months, and then hired lodgings in ! another part of the town ^, finding himself as I well situated at Birmiiigliam as he supposed he I could be any where, while he had no settled plan of life, and very scanty means oi subsist- ! ence. He made some valuable acquaintances ; there, amongst whom were Mr. Porter, a mer- 1 cer, whose widow he afterwards married, and I Mr. Taylor, avIio, by his ingenuity in mecha- nical inventions, and his success in trade, ac- i quired an immense fortune. But the comfort of being near Mr. Hector, his old schoolfellow and intimate friend, was Johnson's chief induce- j ment to continue here. In what manner he employed his pen at this period, or whether he derived from it any pe- cuniary advantage, I have not been able to as- certain. He probably got a little money from My. Warren ; and we are certain, that he exe- cuted here one piece of literary labour, of which Mr. Hector has favoured me with a mi- nute account. Having mentioned that he had read at Pembroke College a Voyage to Abys- sinia, by Lobo'', a Portuguese Jesuit, and that ! he thought an abridgment and translation of j it from the French into English might be an j useful and profitable publication, Mr. Warren and Mr. Hector joined in urging him to under- take it. He accordingly agreed ; and the book not being to be found in Birmingham, he bor- I'owed it of Pembroke College. A part of the work being very soon done, one Osborn, who was Mr. Warren's printer, was set to work with what was ready, and Johnson engaged to sup- ply the press with copy as it should be wanted ; but his constitutional indolence soon prevailed, and the work was at a stand. Mr. Hector, who knew that a motive of humanity would be the most prevailing argument with his friend, went to Johnson, and represented to him that the printer covild have no other employment I till this undertaking was finished, and that the j poor man and his family were sulFering. John- I son, upon this, exerted the powers of his mind, though his body was relaxed. He lay in bed with the book, which was a quarto, before him, 1 See Gent. Mag., Dec. 1784, p. 957.— Boswem.. But see ante, p. IS. n.3, the disproof of this assertion. — Crokeh. 2 This portion of Johnson's life is involved in great ob- scurity. Mr. Malone states, that he had read a letter of Johnson's to a friend, dated Jult/ 27. 1732, saying, that he had then recently left Sir Wolstan Dixie's house, and had some hopes of succeeding, either as master or usher, in the school of Ashbourn. Now if Mr. Boswell be right in applying the entry in Johnson's diary of J«/)/ Ifi. 1732, to hisj?rseg«ed Jrom her bosom. We all know honest Lucy Porter to have been incapable of the mean vanity of applying to her- self a compliment not intended for her." Such was Jliss Seward's statement, which I make no doubt she supposed to be correct; but it shows how dangerous it is to trust too implicitly to traditional testimony and ingenious inference; for Mr. Hector has lately assured me that Mrs. Piozzi's ac- count is, in this instance, accurate, and that he was the person [as his name Edmund, which Mrs. Piozzi could not have known, clearly proves] for whom Johnson wrote those verses, which liave been erroneously ascribed to Mr. Hammond. I am obliged, in so many instances, to notice Mrs. Piozzi's incorrectness of relation, that I gladly seize this opportunity of acknowledging, that however often, she is 'not always, inaccurate. .The author h.-wing been drawn into a con. troversy with Miss Anna Seward, in consequence of the pre- ceding statement (which may be found in the Gentleman's Magazine, vol. Ixiii. and Ixiv.), received the following letter from Mr. Edmund Hector on the subject : — " Dear Sir, — I am sorry to see you are engaged in .ilterca- tion with a lady, who seems unwilling to be convinced of her errors. Surely it would be more ingenuous to acknowledge th,in to persevere. Lately, in looking over some papers I meant to burn, I found the original manuscript of the Myrtle, with the date on it, 1731, which I have enclosed. " The true history (which I could swear to) is as follows:— Mr. Morgan Graves, the elder brother of a worthy clergyman near l$ath. [the Rev. Richard Graves, author of the " Spiritual Quixote,"] with whom I was acquainted, waited upon a lady in this neighbourhood, who, at parting, presented him the branch. He showed it me, and wished much to return the compliment in verse. I applied to Johnson, who was with me, and in about half an hour dictated the verses, which 1 sent to my friend. I most solemnly declare, at that time, Johnson was an entire str.anger to the Porter family ; and it was almost two years after, that I introduced him to the acquaintance of Porter, whom I bought my clothes of. " If you intend to convince this cbstinate woman, and to exhibit to the public the truth of your narrative, you are at liberty to m.ike what use you please of this statemciit. I hope you will pardon me for taking up so much of your time. This was experienced by Johnson, when he became the fervent admirer of ]\Irs. Porter, after her first husband's death. Miss Porter told me, that when he was first introduced to her mother, his appearance was very forbid- ding : he was then lean and lank, so that his immense structure of bones was hideously strik- ing to the eye, and the scars of the scrofula were deeply visible. He also wore his hair, Avhieh was straight and stiff, and separated be- hind ; and he often had, seemingly, convulsive starts and odd gesticulations, which tended to excite at once surprise and ridicule. ^ Mrs. Porter was so much engaged by his conversa- tion, that she overlooked all these external dis- advantages, and said to her daughter, " This is the most sensible man that I ever saw in my life." Though Mrs. Porter was double the age of Johnson ■*, and her person and manner, as described to me by the late Mr. Garrick, were by no means pleasing to others ^, she must have Wishing you multos etfelices annos, I shall subscribe myself your obliged humble servant. E. Hector. Birmingham, Jan. 9. 17U4." — Boswell. - In 1735 Mr. Walmesley endeavoured to procure Johnson the mastership of the gra'm mar-school at Solihull, in War- wickshire. This and the cause of failure appear by the fol- lowing curious letter, addressed to Mr. Walmesley, and preserved in the records of Pembroke College : — " Solihull, yc 30 August, 1735. Sir,— I was favoured with yours of yc I3th inst. in due time, but deferred answering it til now, it takeing up some time to informe the ffoeofees [of the school] of the contents thereof; and before they would return an Answer, desired some time to make enquiry of ye caracter of Mr. Johnson, who all agree that he is an excelleiit scholar, and upon that account deserves much better than to be schoolmaster of Solihull. But then he has thecar.-icter of being a very haughty, ill-natured gent., and y' he has such a way of distorting his fface (wh though he can't help) ye gent, think it may affect some young ladds ; for these two reasons he is not approved on, ye late master Mr. Crompton's huffing the ffccofees being stil in their memory. However we are all ex- streamly obliged to you for thinking of us, and for proposeing so good a schoUar, but more especially is, dear sir. your very humble servant, Henry Greswold." It was probably prior to this that an attempt to obtain the situation of assistant in Mr. Budworth's school, at Brewood, li.id also failed, and for the same reasons. Mr. Budworth la- mented his having been under the necessity of declining the engagement from an apprehension that the paralytic affection under which John»on laboured might become the object of imitation or ridicule amongst his pupils. This anecdote CaptJiin Budworth, his grandson, (who afterwards married Miss Palmer, and took her name), confirmed to Mr. Nichols. — Crokek. 3 Johnson's countenance, when in a good humour, was not disagreeable : — his face cle.ar, his complexion good, and his features not ill-formed, many ladies have thought they might not be unattractive when he was young. Much misrepresent- ation has prevailed on this subject. — Tercy. * Though there was a great disparity of years between her and Dr. Johnson, she was not quite' so old as she is here represented, being only at the time of her marriage in her forty-eighth year, as appears by the following extract from the parish register of Great Peatling, in Leicestershire : — " Anno Oom. 1G88-9. Elizabeth, the daughter of William Jervis, Esq. and Mrs. Anne his wife, wns born the 4th day of February and mane, baptized IGth day of the same montli, by Mr. Smith, Curate of Little Peatling. John Allen, Vicar." — Malone. Johnson's size, hard features, and decided manners, probably made him look older than he really was, and diminished the apparent disproportion Croker. * That in Johnson's eyes she was handsome, appears from the epitaph which he caused to be inscribed on her tombstone, not long before his own death, and which will be found in a subsequent page, under the year 1752. The following account of Mrs. Johnson, and her family, is copied from a paper, written by L.idy Knight, at Rome, and transmitted by her to Mr. Hoole, the translator of Metastasio, &c. : — " Mrs. Williams's account of Mrs. Johnson was, that she had a good understanding, and great sensibility, but inclined Tcre.Tvxn.'TL iu a "bx-acelet Try" MT.'' Jdhns . lite poCs-ersicai of Hev fPT Ha-nrood, ^T. 27. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 25 had a superiority of understanding and talents, as she certainly insi:)ired him with more than ordinary passion ; and she having signified her willingness to accept of his hand, he went to Lichfield to ask his mother's consent to the marriage ; which he could not but be conscious was a very imprudent scheme, both on account of their disparity of years, and her want of fortune. But Mrs. Johnson knew too well the ardour of lier son's temper, and was too tender a parent to oppose his inclinations. I know not for what reason the marriage ceremony was not performed at Birmingham ' ; but a resolution was taken that it should be at Derby, for which place the bride and bride- groom set out on horseback, I suppose in very good hinnour. But though INIr. Topham Beau- clerk used archly to mention Johnson's having told him, Avith much gravity, " Sir, it was a love-marriage on both sides," I have had from my illustrious friend the following curious account of their journey to church upon the nuptial morn [9th July] : — " Sir, she liad read the old romances, and had got into her head the f;i,ntastical notion that a woman of spirit should use her lover like a dog. So, sir, at first she told me that I rode too fost, and she could not keep up with me ; and, when I rode a little slower, she passed me, and complained that I lagged behind. I was not to be made the slave of caprice ; and I resolved to begin as I meant to end. I therefore pushed on briskly, till I was fairly out of her sight. The road lav between two hedges, so I was sure she could not miss it ; and I contrived that she should soon come up with me. When she did, I observed her to be in tears." This, it must be allowed, was a singular be- ginning of connubial felicity; but there is no doubt, that Johnson, though he thus showed a manly firmness, proved a most affectionate and indulgent husband to the last moment of ]\Irs. Johnson's life ; and in his " Prayers and Medi- tations," we find very remarkable evidence that his regard and fondness for her never ceased even after her death.' j He now set up a private academy, for which i purpose he hired a large house, well situated ; near his native city.^ In the Gentleman's Maga- zine for 173G there is the following advertise- ment : — " At EniAL, near Lichjiihl, In Staffordshire, ijoiuig gentlemen arc boarded and taught the Latin and Greek languages, by Samuel Johnsok."* But the only pupils that were put under his care were the celebrated David (iarrick and his brother George, and a ]\Ir. Offely ^, a young gentleman of good fortune, who died early. As yet, his name had nothing of that celebrity which afterwards commanded the highest at- tention and respect of mankind. Had such an advertisement appeared after the publication of ' his London, or his Rambler, or his Dictionary, how would it have burst upon the world! with what eagerness would the great and the wealthy have embraced an opportunity of putting their sons under the learned tuition of Samuel John- son ! The truth, however, is, that he was not so well qualified for being a teacher of elements and a conductor in learning by regular grada- tions, as men of inferior powers of mind. His own acquisitions had been made by fits and starts, by violent irruptions into the regions of knowledge ; and it could not be expected that his impatience would be subdued, and his im- petuosity restrained, so as to fit him for a quiet guide to novices. The art of communi- cating instruction, of whatever kind, is much to be valued ; and I have ever thought that those who devote themselves to this employ- ment, and do their duty with diligence and success, arc entitled to very high respect from the community, as Johnson himself often main- tained. Yet I am of opinion, that the greatest abilities are not only not required for this office, but render a man less fit for it. While we acknowledge the justness of Thom- son's beautiful remark, — to be satirical. Her first husband died Insolvent: her sons were much disgusted with her for her second marriage, per- haps because they, being struggling to get advanced in life, were mortified to think she had allied herself to a man who had not any visible means of being useful to them ; however, she always retained her affection for them. While they [Dr. and Mrs' Johnson] resided in Gough Square, her son, the officer, knocked at the door, and asked the maid if her mis- tress was at home. She answered, 'Yes, sir, but she is sick in bed.' — ' Oh,' says he,' if it's so, tell her that her son Jervis called to know how she did ; ' and was going away. The maid begged she might run up to tell her mistress, and, with- out attending his answer, left him. Mrs. Johnson, enraptured to hear her son was below, desired the maid to tell him she longed to embrace him. When the maid descended the gen- tleman was gone, and poor Mrs. Johnson was much agitated by the adventure: it was the only time he ever made an effort to see her. Dr. Johnson did all he could to console his wife, but told Mrs. Williams, ' Her son is uniformly undutiful ; so I conclude, like many other sober men, he might once in his life be drunk, and in that fit nature got the better of his pride.' " — Malone. 1 To escape the angry notice of the widow's family and friends seems an obvious and sufficient reason — Croker. 2 For instance: — " Wednesday, March 2S. 1770. " This is the day [17th, O. S.] on which, in I7r>, I was de- prived of poor dear Tetty. Having left off the practice of thinking on her with some particular combinations, I have recalled her to my mind of late less freouently ; but when I recollect the time in which we lived lii.ether, my grief for her departure is not abated ; and I have less pleasure in any good that befalls mt, because she does not partake It. On many occasions, I think what she would have said or done. When I saw the sea at Brighthclmstone, I wished for her to have seen it with me. But, with respect to her, no rational wish is now left, but that we may meet at last where the mercy of God shall make us happy, and perhaps m;ike us in- strumental to the happiness of each other. It is now eigh- teen years." Prayers and Med., p. SO, Q\. — Croker. 3 This project must liave been formed before his marriage, for the advertisement appears in the magazine for .Ivne and .Jiili/, 173(3. It is possible that the obvious advantage of having '.i woman of experience to superintend an establish- ment i>f this kind may have had some influence with John- son ; Init even Johnsim's mental powers cannot excuse her having made so disproportionate an alliance Croker. ■1 A view of " Kdial Hall, the residence of Dr. Samuel Johnson," is given in Harwood's History of Lichfield, 1809, wliore it is stated that " the house has undergone no material alteration since it was inhabited by this illustrious tenant." — CllOKEH. 5 The Memoirs mention Dr. Hawkesworth as one of his pupils, and seems to imply (as, indeed, does Mr. Garnet's subsequent testimony) that there were more. — Crokes. 26 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1736. " Delightful task ! to rear the tender thought, To teach the young idea how to shoot ! " ' we must consider that this delight is percep- tible only by " a mind at ease," a mind at once calm and clear ; but that a mind gloomy and Impetuous, like that of Johnson, cannot be fixed for any length of time in minute attention, and must be so frequently irritated by una- voidable slowness and error in the advances of scholars, as to perform the duty, with little pleasure to the teacher, and no great advantage to the pupils. Good temper is a most essential requisite in a preceptor. Horace paints the character as bland : « Ut pueris ollm dant crustula hlandi Doctores, elementa velint ut discere prima. " ^ Johnson was not more satisfied with his situ- ation as the master of an academy, than with that of the usher of a school ; we need not wonder, therefore, that he did not keep his academy above a year and a half. From Mr. Garrick's account, he did not appear to have been profoundly reverenced by his pujiils. His oddities of manner, and uncouth gesticulations, could not but be the subject of merriment to them; and, in particular, the young rogues used to listen at the door of his bedchamber, and peep through the key-hole, that they might turn into ridicule his tumultuous and awkward fondness for Mrs. Johnson, whom he used to name by the familiar appellation of Tetty or Tetsey^ which, lilie Betty or Betsey, is provincially used as a contraction for Eliza- beth, her Christian name, but which to us seems ludicrous, when applied to a woman of her age and appearance. Mr. Garrick described her to me as very fat, with a bosom of more than ordinary protuberance, with swelled cheeks, of a florid red, produced by thick painting, and increased by the liberal use of cordials ; Baring and fantastic in her dress, and affected both in her speech and her general behaviour. ^ I have seen Garrick exhibit her, by his exquisite talent of mimicry, so as to excite the heai-tiest bursts of laughter ; but he, probably, as is the case in all such representations, considerably aggravated the picture.* That Johnson well knew the most proper course to be pursued in the instruction of youth is authentically ascertained by the foUow- 1 Thomson's remark is just only because the poet applies it to the first education of a child by its own fond parents, and not to the drudgery of hired instruction in the advanced stages of learning — Choker. - " As masters blandly soothe their boys to read With calves and sweetmeats ." Hor. 1 Sat. 1. 25. Francis. 3 As .Johnson kept Garrick much in awe when present, David, when his back was turned, repaid the restraint with ridicule of him and his dulcinea, which should be read with great abatement Percy. * In Loggan's drawing of the ' company at Tunbridge Wells, in 174S, engraved and published in Richardson's Corre- spondence, Mrs. Johnson's figure is not inferior to that of the other ladies (some of whom were fashionable beauties) either in shape or dress ; but it is a slight sketch, and too small and indistinct to be relied upon for details Cuoker. * Mr. Boswell was mistaken in supposing this to have been ing paper ^ in his own handwriting, given about this period to a relation, and now in the pos- session of Mr. John Nichols : — " SCHEME FOR THE CLASSES OF A GRAMMAR SCHOOL. " When the introduction, or formation of notms and verbs, is perfectly mastered, let them learn " Corderius by Mr. Clarke, beginninfc at the same time to translate out of the introduction, that by this means they may learn tlie syntax. Then let them proceed to Erasmus, with an English translation, by the same author. " Class II. learns Eutropiusand Cornelius Nepos, or Justin, with the translation. " N. B. The first class gets for their part every morning the rules which they have learnt before, and in the afternoon learns the Latin rules of the nouns and verbs. They are examined in the rules which they have learnt, every Thursday and Sa- turday. " The second class does the same whilst they are in Eutropius ; afterwards their part is in the irre- gular nouns and verbs, and in the rules for making and scanning verses. They are examined as the first. " Class III. Ovid's Metamorphoses in the morning, and Casar's Commentaries in the after- noon. " Practise in the Latin rules till they are perfect in them ; afterwards in Mr. Leeds's Greek Grammar. Examined as before. Afterwards they proceed to Virgil, beginning at the same time to write themes and verses, and to learn Greek ; from thence passing on to Horace, &c., as shall seem most proper. " I know not well what books to direct y^u to, because you have not informed me what study you will apply yourself to. I believe it will be most for your advantage to apply yourself wholly to the languages, till you go to the university. The Greek authors I think it best for you to read are these : — Cebes. iElian. "j Lucian, by Leeds. [- Attic. Xenophon. Homer. Theocritus. Euripides. Ionic. Doric. Attic and Doric. " Thus you will be tolerably skilled in all the one paper. It is clear that there are two separate schemes, the first for a school — the second for the individual studies of some young friend; and surely this crude sketch for the ar- rangement of the lower classes of a grammar-school does not " authentically ascertain what Johnson thought the most ? roper course to be pursued in the instruction of youth." t may trren be doubted whether it is good as far as it goes, and whether the beginning with authors of injerior latinily, and allowing the assistance of translations, be, indeed, the most proper course of classical instruction ; nor are we, while ignorant of the peculiar circumstances for which the paper was drawn up, entitled to conclude that it contains Dr. Johnson's mature and general sentiments on even the narrow branch of education to which it refers. Indeed, in the second paper, Johnson advises not to read " the latter authors till you are well versed in those of the purer ages." Croker. ^T. 28. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 27 dialects, beginning with the Attic, to which the rest must be referred. " In the study of Latin, it is proper not to read the latter authors, till you are well versed in those of the purest ages ; as Terence, TuUy, Cassar, Salhist, Nepos, Velleius Paterculus, Virgil, Horace, Phie- drus. " The greatest and most necessary task still remains, to attain a habit of expression, without which knowledge is of little use. This is necessary in Latin, and more necessary in English ; and can only be acquired by a daily imitation of the best and correctest authors. " Sam. Johnson." "WTiile Johnson kept his academy, there can be no doubt that he was insensibly furnishing his mind with various knowledge ; but I have not discovered that he wrote any thing except a great part of his tragedy of Irene. Mv. Peter Garrick, the elder brother of David, told me that he remembei'ed Johnson's borrowing the Turkish History ' of him, in order to form his play from it. "When he had finished some part of it, he read what he had done to Mr. Walmesley, who objected to his having already brought his heroine into great distress, and asked him, " How can you possibly contrive to plunge her into deeper calamity ? " Johnson, in sly allusion to the supposed oppressive pro- ceedings of the court of which Mr. Walmesley was registrar, replied, " Sir, I can put her into the Spiritual Court ! " % Mr. Walmesley, however, was well pleased with this proof of Johnson's abilities as a dra- matic writer, and advised him to finish the tragedy, and produce it on the stage. CHAPTER V. 1737 — 1738. Johnson goes to London with Garrick. — Lodges in Exeter Street. — Retires to Greenwich, aiid proceeds with " Irene." — Projects a Translation of the History of the Council of Trent. — Returns to Lichfield, and finishes " Irene." — Removes to London with his Wife. — List of Residences. — Becomes a Writer in the Gentleman's Magazine. Johnson now thought of trying his fortune in London, tlie great field of genius and exertion, where talents of every kind have the fullest scope and the highest encouragement. It is a memorable circumstance, that his pupil, David Garrick, went thither at the same time ^ with mtent to complete his education and follow the profession of the law, from which he was soon diverted by his decided preference for the stage. This joint expedition of those two eminent men to the metropolis was many years after- wards noticed in an allegorical poem on Shak- speare's mulberry tree, by ]\Ir. Lovibond, the ingenious author of " The Tears of Old- May- day." ^ They were recommended to Mr. Colson *, an eminent mathematician and master of an academy, by the following letter from ]\Ir. Walmesley : — TO THE REV. JOHN COLSON. " Lichfield, March 2. 173G-7. " Dear Sir, — I had the favour of yours, and am extremely obliged to you ; but I cannot say I had a greater atfection for you upon it than I had before, being long since so much endeared to you, as well by an early friendship, as by your many I excellent and valuable qualifications ; and, had I a son of my own, it would be my ambition, instead of sending him to the university, to dispose of him as this young gentleman is. " He, and another neighbour of mine, one Mr. Samuel Johnson, set out this morning for London together. Davy Garrick to be with you early the next week, and Mr. Johnson to try his fate witli the tragedy, and to see to get himself employed in some translation, either from the Latin or the French. j Johnson is a very good scholar and poet, and I have great hopes will turn out a fine tragedy-writer. If * Of Knolles'3 History of the Turks, Johnson says, in the Rambler ; " it displays all the excellences that narration can admit, and iiothin;; could have sunk its author in obscurity, but the remoteness and barbarity of the people whose story he relates." No. 122. " Old KnoUes," said Lord Byron, at Missolonghi, a few weeks before his death, " was one of the first books that gave me pleasure when a child ; and I believe it had much influence on my future wishes to visit the Levant, and gave, perhaps, the oriental colouring which is observed in my poetry." Works, vol. ix.p. 141. — Lockhart. 2 Both of them used to talk pleasantly of this their first journey to London. Garrick, evidently meaning to embellish a little, said one day in ray hearing, " We rode and tied." And the Bishop of Killaloe (Dr. Barnard) informed me, that at another time, when Johnson and Garrick were dining to- gether in a pretty large company, Johnson humorously ascer- taining the chronology of something, expressed himself thus : — " That was the year when I came to London with two- pence halfpenny in my pocket." Garrick overhearing him, exclaimed, " Eh ? what do you say ? with two-pence half- penny in your pocket?" — Johnson. "Why, yes; when I came with two-pence halfpenny in my pocket, and thou, Davy, with three-halfpence in thine." — Boswell. This must have been mere raillery. Indeed, Boswell, in the next page, acknowledges that Johnson had a little money at his arrival ; but, however that may be, Garrick, a young gentleman coming to town, not as an adventurer, but to complete his education and prepare for the bar, could not have been in such indigent circumstances. — Crokeu. 3 Edward Lovibond was a gentleman, residing at Hampton, whose works were little known in his own day. and are now quite and deservedly neglected, though Dr. Anderson has in- troduced them into the Scotch edition of the British Poets, with a life of the author, in a strain of the most hyperbolical and ridiculous panegyric. He died in 1773 — Crokeo. •1 The Rev. John Colson, educated at Emanuel College, Cambridge, became, in 1709, first master of the free school at Rochester. In 1739, he was appointed Lucasian Professor of Mathematics, and died in December, 1759. Mrs. Piozzi, and after her Mr. Malone, have stated that the character of Ge- lidus, in the 24th Rambler, was meant to represent Mr. Col- son ; but this is a mistake. It does not appear that Johnson ever saw Professor Colson, who resided at Rochester ; but there was, as we shall see hereafter, a Mr.Coulson, an ac- quaintance of Johnson's, fellow of University College, Oxford, and a very eccentric man, who, I at first supposed, might have afforded Johnson some characteristic traits for his Gclidus. But my venerable friend, Dr. Fisher, formerly of University College, and latterly Master of the Charter House, who was intimate with both Johnson and Coulson, informed me th.it the character of Gclidus had no resem- blance to this Mr. Colson, whom, moreover, Johnson had never seen tili after he had written the liambUr.— Croker, I84G. 28 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSOK 1737. it should any way lie in your way, doubt not but you would be ready to recommend and assist your countryman, " G. Waljiesley." How he employed himself upon his first coming to London is not particuLarly known. I never heard that he found any protection or encouragement by the means of Mr. Colson, to whose academy David Garrick went. Mrs. Lucy Porter told me, that I\Ir. Walmesley gave him a letter of introduction to Lintot' his book- seller, and that Johnson wrote some things for him ; but I imagine this to be a mistake, for I have discovered no trace of it, and I am pretty sure he told me, that Mr. Cave was the first publisher by whom his pen was engaged in London.' He had a little money when he came to town, and he knew how he could live in the cheapest manner. His first lodgings were at the house of Mr. Xorris, a staymaker, in Exeter Street, adjoining Catherine Street, in the Strand. " I dined," said he, " very well for eight-pence, with very good company, at the Pine- Apple in New Street, just by. Several of them had travelled. They expected to meet every day ; but did not know one another's names. It vised to cost the rest a shilling, for they drank wine ; but I had a cut of meat for sixpence, and bread for a penny, and gave the waiter a penny ; so that I was quite well served, nay, better than the rest, for they gave the waiter nothing." ^ He at this time, I believe, abstained entirely from fermented liquors : a practice to which he rigidly conformed for many years together, at difierent periods of his life. '^ His Ofellus, in the Art of Living in Lon- don ^, I have heard him relate, was an Irish painter, whom he Icnew at Birmingham, and who had practised his own precepts of economy for several years in the British capital. He assured Johnson, who, I suppose, was then meditating to try his fortune in London, but was apprehensive of the expense, " that thirty • Mr. P. Cunningham observes, that this letter must have been to the son of the celebrated Bernarit Lintot, the latter having died 3d Feb. 173G. — Croker, 1846. 2 One curious anecdote was communicated by himself to Mr. John Nichols. Mr. Wilcox, the bookseller, on being in- formed by him that his intention was to get his livelihood as an author, eyed his robust frame attentively, and, with a sig- nificant look, said, " You had better buy a porter's knot " lie, however, added, " Wilcox was one of my best friends." — BoswELL. Perhaps he meant that Cave was the first to whom he was regularly and constantly engaged; but Wilcox and Lintot m.iy have employed him occasionally ; and Dods- ley certainly printed his London before Cave had printed any thing of his but two or three trifles in the Gentleman's Magazine. — Cr.oKER. 3 But if we may trust Mr. Cumberland's recollection, he was about this time, or very soon after, reduced still lower ; " for, painful as it is to relate," (says that gentleman in his IMemoirs.vol.i. p.S.iS.) "I have heard that illustrious scholar. Dr. Johnson, assert, and he never varied from the truth of fact, that he subsisted himself for a considerable space of time upon the scanty pittance of four-pence halfpenny per day." — Crokeu. •• At this time his abstinence from wine may, perhaps, be attributed to poverty, but in his subsequent life he was re- strained from that indulgence by, as it appears, moral, or rather medical considerations. He found by experience that wine, though it dissipated for a moment, yet eventually pounds a year was enough to enable a man to live there without being contemptible. He al- lowed ten pounds for clothes and linen. He said a man might live in a garret at eightecn- pence a week ; i'ew people would inquire where he lodged ; and if they did, it was easy to say, ' Sir, 1 am to be found at such a place.' By spending three-pence in a coffee-house, he might be for some hours every day in very good company ; he might dine for sixpence, breakfast on bread and milk for a penny, and do without supper. On clean- shirt-day he went abroad, and paid visits." ^ I have heard him more than once talk of his frugal friend, whom he recollected with esteem and kindness, and did not like to have one smile at the recital. " This man," said he, gravely, " was a very sensible man, who perfectly understood com- mon afiairs : a man of a great deal of know- ledge of the world, fresh from life, not strained through books. He borrowed a horse and ten pounds at Birmingliam. Finding himself mas- ter of so much money, he set ofi" for West Chester, in order to get to Ireland. He re- turned the horse, and probably the ten pounds too, after he had got home." Considering Johnson's narrow circumstances in the early part of his life, and particularly at the interesting era of his launching into the ocean of London, it is not to be wondered at, that an actual instance, proved by experience, of the possibility of enjoying the intellectual luxury of social life upon a very small income, should deeply engage his attention, and be ever recollected by him as a circumstance of much importance. He amused himself, I remember, by computing how much more expense was absolutely necessary to live ujion the same scale with that which his friend described, when the value of money was diminished by the progress of commerce. It may be estimated that double the money miglit now with difliculty be sufficient- Amidst this cold obscurity, there was one brilliant circumstance to cheer him ; he was well acquainted with Mr. Henry Ilervey' one aggravated the hereditary disease imder which, lie suffered ; and perhaps it may have been owing to a long course of abstinence, that his mental health seems to have been better in the latter than in the earlier portion of his life. He says, in his Prayers and Meditations, (17 ^h^. 1767,) "By abstinence from wine and suppers, I obtained sudden and great relief, and had freedom of mind restored to me ; which I have wanted for all this year, without being able to find any means of obtaining it." See also post, Sept. 16. 1773. These remarks are important, because dcpressiun of spirits is too often treated on a contrary system, from ignorance of, or inattention to. what may be its real cause Crokeu. 5 Ofellus was a Roman rustic whom Horace introduces as giving precepts for frugal living. Boswell, therefore, calls this Irish professor of economy Johnson's Ofellus.— Choker. 6 This species of economy was not confined to indigence. Swift, I think, talks of making visits on shaving-day and clean-shirt-day. — Croker. " The Hon.HenryHervey, third [fourth] son of the first Earl of Bristol, [born 1700,] quitted the army and took orders. He married [in 1730, Catherine the eldest"] sister of Sir Thomas Aston, by whom he got the Aston Estate, and assumed the name and arms of that family Boswbll. Mr. Hervoy's acquaintance and kindness Johnson owed, no doubt, to his friend Mr. Walmesley ; who, it will be recollected, married Mrs. Hervey's sister, Margaret Aston. But I doubt whether Mr. Boswell does not .antedate this intimacy with Hervey and Johnson's love of that«o?«(^ by a couple of years, — for the first JEt. 28. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 29 of the branches of the noble family of that name, who had been quartered at Lichfield as an officer of the army, and had at this time a house in London, where Johnson was fre- quently entertained, and had an opportunity of meeting penteel company. Not very long before his death, he mentioned this, among other particulars of his life, which he was kindly communicating to me ; and he described this early friend " Harry Ilervey," thus : " lie was a vicious man ', but very kind to me. If you call a dog Hervey, I shall love him." He told me he had now written only three acts of his Irene, and that he retired for some time to lodgings at Greenwich, where he })ro- ceeded in it somewhat further, and used to compose, walking in the Park ; but did not stay long enough at that place to finish it. At this period we find the following letter from him to Mr. Edward Cave, which, as a link in the chain of his literary history, it is proper to insert : — JOHNSON TO CAVE. " Greenwich, next door to the Golden Heart, Church Street, July 12. 1737. <« Sir, — Having observed in your papers very uncommon offers of encouragement to men of let- ters, I have chosen, being a stranger in London, to communicate to you the following design, which, I hope, if you join in it, will be of advantage to both of js. " The History of the Council of Trent having been lately translated into French, and published with large notes by Dr. Le Couraycr, the repu- tation of that book is so much revived in England, that, it is presumed, a new translation of it from the Italian, together with Le Courayer's notes from the French, could not fail of a favourable reception. " If it be answered, that the History is already in English, it must be remembered that there was the same objection against Le Courayer's under- taking, with this disadvantage, that the French had a version by one of their best translators, whereas you cannot read three pages of the English history without discovering that the style is capable of great improvements ; but whether tliose improve- ments are to be expected from this attempt, you must judge from the specimen, which, if you approve the proposal, I shall submit to your examination. " Suppose the merit of the versions equal, we may hope that the addition of the notes will turn the balance in our favour, considering the repu- tation of the annotator. " Be pleased to favour me with a speedy answer, if you are not willing to engage in this scheme ; and appoint me a day to wait upon you, if you are. I am, Sir, your luimble servant, " Sam. Johnson." It should seem from this letter, though sub- edition of London contained a sneer at Lord Ilervei/ (Henry's brother), for whose name that of Clodio was afterwards sub- stituted. — Crokek. ' For the excesses which Dr. Johnson justly characterises as vicious, Mr. Hervey was, perhaps, as much to be pitied as blamed. He was very eccentric. See ante, p. .'J. n. 1. His eldest brother was the celebrated Lord Hervey, Pope's Sporus; the next, Thomas, of whom we sliall see more here- scribed with his own name, that he had not yet been introduced to Mr. Cave. W'c shall pre- sently see what was done in consequence of the proposal which it contains. In the course of the summer he returned to Lichfield -, where he had left Mrs. Johnson, and there he at last finished his tragedy, which was not executed with his rapidity of composition upon other occasions, but was slowly and pain- fully elaborated. A few days before his death, while burning a great mass of papers, he picked out from among them the original unformed sketch of this tragedy, in his ov,-n handwriting, and gave it to Mr. Langton, by whose favour a copy of it is now in my possession. It contains fragments of the intended plot, and speeches for the difiercnt persons of the drama, partly in the raw materials of prose, partly worked up iulo verse ; as also a variety of hints for illustration, borrowed from the Greek, Ro- man, and modern writers. The handwriting is very difficult to be read, even by those who were best acquainted with Johnson's mode of penmanship, which at all times was very par- ticular. The King having graciously accepted of this manuscript as a literary curiosity, Mr. Langton made a fiiir and distinct copy of it, which he ordered to be bound up with the original and the printed tragedy ; and the ' volume is deposited in the King's library.^ His Majesty was pleased to permit JVIi*. Lang ton to take a copy of it for himself. The whole of it is rich in thought and im- agery, and happy exi)ressions ; and of the dis- jecta membra scattered throughout, and as yet unarranged, a good dramatic poet might avail himself with considerable advantage. I shall give my readers some specimens of different kinds, distinguishing them by the itidic cha- racter. " Nor think to say, here will I stop, Here will I fix the limits of transgression. Nor farther tempt the avcnyirig rage of heaven. When guilt like this once harbours in the breast. Those holy beings, whose unseen direction Guides through the maze of life the steps of man. Fly the detested mansions of impiety. And quit their charge to horror and to ruin." A small part only of this interesting admo- nition is preserved in the play, and is varied, I think, not to advantage : — " The soul once tainted with so foul a crime, No more shall glow with friendship's haliow'd ardour, Those holy beings whose superior care Guides erring mortals to the paths of virtue, Affrighted at impiety like thine, Resign their charge to baseness and to ruin." after (Oct. 1766), was also very clever but very mad. — Choker. •2 Or more probably to Edial, where it seems Mrs. Johnson had remained. — Croker. 3 The library of King George HI. was given, as I always have thought, under very erroneous advice, by George IV., to the British Museum. Surely the Sovereign should not have been left without a private library. — Croker. 30 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1738. " I feel the soft infection Flush in my cheek, and wander in my veins. Teach me the Grecian arts of soft persu-asion." " Sure this is love, which heretofore I conceived the dream of idle maids, and wanton poets." " Though no comets or prodigies foretold the ruin of Greece, signs which heaven must by another miracle enable us to understand, yet might it be foreshown, by tokens no less certain, by the vices which always bring This last passage is worked up iu the tragedy itself as follows : — Leontius. " That power that kindly spreads • The clouds, a signal of impending showers, To warn the wand'ring linnet to the shade. Beheld, without concern, expiring Greece, And not one prodigy foretold our fate. Dejieteius. " A thousand horrid prodigies foretold it ; A feeble government, eluded laws, A factious populace, luxurious nobles. And all the maladies of sinking states. When public villany, too strong for. justice, Shows his bold front, the harbinger of ruin, Can brave Leontius call for airy wonders, Which cheats interpret, and which fools regard? When some neglected fabric nods beneath The weight of years, and totters to the tempest. Must heaven despatch the messengers of light. Or wake the dead, to warn us of its fall ? " Mahomet (to Ireke). " I have tried thee, and joy to find that thou deservest to be loved by Mahomet, with a mind great as his own. Sure, thou art an error of nature, and an exception to the rest of thy sex, and art immortal ; for sentiments like thine were never to sink into nothing. I thought all the thoughts of the fair had been to select the graces of the day, dispose the colours of the flaunting (flowing) robe, tune the voice and roll the eye, place the gem, choose the dress, and add new roses to the fading cheek, but — sparkling." Thus in the tragedy : — " Illustrious maid, new wonders fix me thine ; Thy soul completes the triumphs of thy face ; I thought, forgive my fair, the noblest aim, The strongest effort of a female soul Was but to choose the graces of the day. To tune the tongue, to teach the eyes to roll, Dispose the colours of the flowing robe. And add new roses to the faded cheek." I shall select one other passage, on account of the doctrine which it illustrates. Irene observes, "that the Supreme Being will- accept of virtue, whatever outward circumstances it may be accompanied with, and inay be delighted with was dictated to him (10/A Oct. 1779). It seems more con- veniently introduced here, and 1 have added, as far as 1 have varieties of worship : but is answered. That variety cannot affect that Beiiig, who, infl?iitely happy in his own perfections, wants no external gratifications ; nor can infinite truth be delighted with fahehood ; that though he may guide or pity those he leaves in dark- ness, he abandons those who shut their eyes against the beayns of day." Johnson's residence at Lichfield, on his re- turn to it at this time, was only for three mouths ; and as he had as yet seen but a small part of the wonders of the metropolis, he had little to tell his townsmen. He related to me \_Sept. 20. 1773] the following minute anecdote of this period : — "In the last age, when my mother lived in London, there were two sets of people, those who gave the wall and those who took it ; the peaceable and the quarrel- some. When I returned to Lichfield, after having been in London, my mother asked me, whether I was one of those who gave the wall, or those who took it. Now it is fixed that every man keeps to the right ; or, if one is taking the wall, another yields it ; and it is never a dispute." He now removed to London with Mrs. John- son ; but her daughter, who had lived with them at Edial, was left with her relations in the country.^ His lodgings were for some time in Woodstock Street, near Hanover Square, and afterwards in Castle Street, near Cavendish Sqiiare. As there is sometliing pleasingly in- teresting, to many, in tracing so great a man through all his different habitations, I shall [here]" present ray readers with an exact list of his lodgings and houses, in order of time, which, in placid condescension to my respectful cu- riosity, he one evening \_Oct. 10. 1779] dictated to me, but without specifying how long he lived at each. Exeter-street, Catherine-street, Strand [1 737]. Greenwich [1737]. Woodstock-street, near Hanover-square [1737]. Castle-street, Cavendish-square, No. 6. [1738]. Boswell-court. Strand. Strand again. ^ [1741]. Bow-street. Holborn. Fetter-lane. Holborn again [at the Golden Anchor, Hol- born-bars, Gough-square Staple-inn Gray's-inn Inner Temple-lane, No. 1. Johnson-court, Fleet-street, No. 7. Bolt-court, Fleet-street, No. 8. 1748]. 1748]. '1758]. 1759]. 1760]. 1765] [1777]. Li the progress of his life I shall have occa- sion to mention some of them as connected with particular incidents, or with the writing of par- discovered it, the year in which Johnson first appears in any of these residences. — Croker. 3 In a letter dated March 31. 1741, Johnson states that he has recently " removed to the Black Boy in the Strand, over against Durham Yard."— Choker. ^T. 29. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 31 ticiilar parts of his works. To some, this mi- nute attention may appear trifling ; but when we consider the punctilious exactness with which the diflerent houses in which Milton re- sided have been traced by the writers of his ' life, a similar enthusiasm may be pardoned in j the biograjiher of Johnson. His tragedy being by this time, as he thought, I completely finished and fit for the stage, he was very desirous that it should be brought for- ward. Mr. Peter Garrick told me, that John- son and he Avent together to the Fountain tavern, and read it over, and that he afterwards solicited Mr. Fleetwood, the patentee of Drury Lane theatre, to have it acted at his house ; but Mr. Fleetwood would not accept it, probably because it was not patronised by some man of high rank ; and it was not acted till 1 749, when his friend David Garrick was manager of that theatre. The Gentleman's JMagazine, begun and car- ried on by ]\Ir. Edward Cave, under the name of Sylvanus Urban, had attracted the notice and esteem of Johnson, in an eminent degree, be- fore he came to London as an adventurer in literature. He told me, that when he first saw St. John's Gate, the place where that deservedly jjopular miscellany was originally printed, he " beheld it with reverence."' I suppose, indeed, that every young author has had the same kind of feeling for the magazine or periodical publication which has first en- tertained him, and in which he has first had an opportunity to see himself in print, without the risk of exposing his name. I myself re- collect such impressions from the Scots IMaga- zine, which was begun at Edinburgh in the year 1739, and has been ever conducted Avith judgment, accuracy, and propriety. I yet cannot help thinking of it with an aifectionate regard. Johnson has dignified the Gentleman's Magazine by the unportance with which he invests the life of Cave ; but he has given it still greater lustre by the various admirable essays which he wrote for it. Though Johnson was often solicited by his friends to make a complete list of his writings, and talked of doing it, I believe with a serious intention that they should all be collected on ' Johnson never could have said seriously that he looked at St. John's Gate as the printing-office of Cave, with reverence. The Gentleman's Magazine had been, at this time, but six years before the public, and its contents were, even whenJohn- son himself had contributed to improve it, not much entitled to reverence : Johnson's reverence would have been more Gate itself, the last relic of the once extensive and magnificent Priory of the heroic knights of the order of St. John of Jeru- salem, suppressed at the Dissolution, and destroyed by suc- cessive dilapidations ? Its last prior. Sir William Weston, though compensated with the annual pension (enormous in those days) of 1000/., died of a broken heart, on Ascension- day, 1540, the very day the house was suppressed. — Croker, 1831. I learn with pleasure that this reliquo of antiquity, . '..,:.:. ^, :. _^-_. :_ i "", -.i-cd, . Croker, 1846. which is much dilapidated, is about to be carefully restored 2 While, in the course of my narrative, I enumerate his writings, I shall take care that my readers shall not be left to waver in doubt, between certainty and conjecture, with his own account, he put it off from year to year, and at last died witliout having done it perfectly. I have one in his own handwriting, which contains a certain number ; I indeed doubt if he could have remembered every one of them, as they were so ntimerous, so various, and scattered in such a multiplicity of imcon- nected publications ; nay, several of them pub- lished under the names of other persons, to whom he liberally contributed from the abun- dance of his mind. We must, therefore, be content to discover them, partly from occa- sional information given by him to his friends, and partly from internal evidence.^ His first performance in the Gentleman's Ma/- gazine, which for many years was his principal source of employment and support, was a copy of Latin verses, in March, 1738, addressed to the editor in so happy a style of compliment, that Cave must have been destitute both of taste and sensibility, had he not felt himself highly gratified.^ Ad Urbanum.* Urbane, nullis fesse laboribus, Urbane, nullis victe calumniis, Cui fronte sertiim in erudita. Perpetuo viret et virebit ; Quid moliatur gens imitantium, Quid et minetur, solicitus parutn, Vacare solis pcrge Musis, Juxta animo studiisque felix. Lingua? procacis plumbea spicula, Fidens, superbo frange silentio ; Victrix per obstantes catervas Sedulitas animosa tendet. Intcnde nervos, fortis, inanibus Risurus olim nisibus a;muli ; Intende jam nervos, habebis Participes opera? Camoenas. Non ulla Musis pagina gratior, Quam quEe severis ludicra jungere Novit, fatigatamquc nugis Utilibus recreare mentem. regard to their authenticity, and for that purpose shall mark with an asterisk (*) those which he acknowledged to his friends, and with a dagger (f) those which are ascertained to be his bv internal evidence. When any other pieces are ascribed to him I shall give my reasons. — Boswell. 3 Taste and sensibility were very certainly not the distin- guishing qualities of Cave ; but was this ode, indeed, "a hairpii style of compliment?" .\re '' fronte sertum in eru- dita " — " Lingtue plumbea spicula " — p'ictrix per obstantes catervas" — Lycoris and /rw — the rose — the violet — and the rainhow — in any way appropriate to the printer of St. John's Gate, his magazine, or his antagonists? How Johnson would in later life have derided, in another, such misapplied pedantry ! Mr. Murphy surmises that " this ode may have been suggested to the mind of Johnson, who had meditated a history of the modern Latin poets (see ante, p. 22.), by Casimir's ode to Pope Urban, — 32 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. Texente nymphis serta Lycoride, Rosse riiborem sic viola adjuvat Immista, sic Iris refulget iEthereis variata fucis.' S. J. It appears that he was now enlisted by Mr. Cave as a regular coadjutor in his magazine, by which he probably obtained a tolerable livelihood. At what time, or by what means, he had acquii'ed a competent knowledge both of French and Italian, I do not know " ; but he was so well skilled in them, as to be suf- ficiently qualified for a translator. That part of his "labour which consisted in emendation and improvement of the productions of other contributors, like that employed in levelling ground, can be perceived only by those who had an opportunity of comparing the original with the altered copy. Vv'hat we certainly know to have been done by him in this way was the debates in both houses of Parliament, imder the name of " The Senate of Lilliput,"^ sometimes with feigned denominations of the several speakers, sometimes with denominations formed of the letters of theif real names, in the manner of what is called anagram, so that they might easily be deciphered. Parliament then kept the press in a kind of mysterious awe, which made it necessary to have re- course to such devices. In our time it has acquired an unrestrained freedom, so that the people in all parts of the kingdom have a fiiir, open, and exact report of the actual i^roceed- ings of their representatives and legislators, which in our constitution is highly to be valued ; though, unquestionably, there has of late been too much reason to complain of the petulance with which obscure scribblers have presumed to treat men of the most respectable chai-acter and situation. This important article of the Gentleman's ]\Iagazine was, for several years, executed by ]Mr. William Guthrie, a man who deserves to ' A translation of this Ode, by an nnknown correspondent, appeared in the Magazine for the month of May following. " Hail, Urban ! indefatigable man," &c. &c. — Boswell. The following translation, attributed by Mr. Nichols to Mr. Jackson of Canterbury, is less vapid tlian that quoted by Boswell, and appeared in the year of Johnson's death, 17S4 : — " Urbar, whom neither toil profound Fatigues, nor calumnies o'erthrow ; — The wreath, thy learned brows around. Still grows, and will for ever grow. Of rivals let no cares infest. Of what they threaten or prepare ; Blest in thyself, thy projects blest. Thy hours still let the muses share. The leaden shafts which folly throws. In silent dignity despise : Superior o'er opposing foes, 1 Thy vigorous diligence shall rise. \ Exert thy strength, each vain design, \ I'',ach rival soon shalt thou disdain ; \ Arise, for see thy task to join. Approach the muses' fav'ring train. "^\JIo»- grateful to each muse the page. Where grave with sprightly themes are join'd ; And useful levities engage. And recreate the wearied mind. be respectably recorded in the literary annals of this country. He was descended of an ancient family in Scotland; but having a small patrimony, and being an adherent of the im- Ibrtunate house of Stuart, he could not accept of any office in the State ; he therefore came to London, and employed his talents and learning as an "author by profession." His writings in history, criticism, and politics, had considerable merit."^ He was the first English historian who had recourse to that authentic source of information, the Parlia- mentary Journals ; and such was the power of his political pen, that, at an early period, government thought it worth their while to keep it quiet by a pension^, which he enjoyed till his death. Johnson esteemed him enough to wish that his life should be written. The debates in Parliament, which were brought home and digested by Guthrie, whose memory, though surpassed by others who have since followed him in the same department, was yet very quick and tenacious, were sent by Cave to Johnson for his revision ; and, after some time, when Guthrie had attained to greater variety of employment, and the speeches were more and more enriched by the accession of Johnson's genius, it was resolved that he should do the whole himself, from the scanty notes furnished by persons employed to attend in both houses of Parliament. Sometimes, how- ever, as lie himself told me, he had nothing more communicated to him than the names of the several speakers, and the part which they had taken in the debate. CHAPTER VI. 1738—1741. "London, a Poem.'" — Letters to Cave. — Endea- vours to obtain the Degree of M. A. — Recommended Thus the pale violet to the rose Adds beauty 'midst the garland's dyes ! And thus the changeful rainbow throws Its varied splendours o'er the skies." — Croker. - French it seems early, as he translated Lobo in 1733 ; but he certainly never attained ease and fluency in speaking that language. We see by his communication with General Paoli (in/A Oct. 1769). and by a letter to a French lady, {post urid^r Nov. 177.')), — if indeed these specimens were not ela- boro.ted beforehand, — that he eouUl write it freely. As to Italian, we have just seen ()i. £S.) that he proposed ;o translate Father Paul from the otiginal, and in a letter to Cave, im- dated, but prior to 174-1. lie pave an cipiiiion on some It.-ilian production. His attention had, probably, been directed to that language by the volume of Petrarch mentioned ante, p. 12. — Ckokek 3 They appeared under this title, for the first time, in June 1738 ; but as to Johnson's share in them, we shall see more presently — Croker. ■1 How much poetry he wrote I know not ; but he informed me that he was the author of the beautiful little piece. " The Eagle and Robin licdbreast," in the collection of poems entitled, " The Union," though it is there said to be written by Alexander Scott, before the year 1000. — Boswell. Mr. P. Cunningham has seen a letter o'f Jos. Warton's, which states that this poem was written by his brother Tom, who edited the volume Croker, 1846. s See, in D'Israeli's Calamities of Authors, vol. i. p. '•>.. .i letter from Guthrie to the minister, dated June 3. 17G2. stating that a pension of 200/. a-year had been " regularly and quarterly " paid him ever since the year 174.^-6. Guthrie was born at Brechin, in 1708, and died in 1770 Croker. Mt. 29. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 33 ht/ Pope to Lord (Tower. — His Lordship's Letter on his behalf. — Begins a Translatioti of Father PuhTs History. — Publishes " A Vindication of the Licensers of the Stage " — a7id " Marmor Norfol- dense." — Pope's Note to Richardson concerning him. — Characteristic Anecdotes. — Parliamentary Debates. Thus was Jolinson employed during some of the best years of his life, as a mere literary labourer "for gain, not glory," solely to obtain an honest support. He, however, indulged himself in occasional little sallies, which the French so happily express by the term jeiix cTesprit, and which will be noticed in their order, in the progress of tliis work. But what first displayed his transcendent powers, and " gave the world assurance of the man," was his " London, a Poem, in imitation of the third Satire of Juvenal ; " which came out in May this year, and burst forth with a splendour, the rays of which will for ever encircle his name. Boileau had imitated the same satire with great success, applying it to Paris ; but an attentive comparison will satisfy every reader, that he is much excelled by the English Juvenal.' Oldham had also imitated it, and applied it to London ; all which per- formances concur to prove, that great cities, in every age, and in every country, will fur- nish similar topics of satire. Whether Johnson had previously read Oldham's imitation I do not know ; but it is not a little remarkable, that there is scarcely any coincidence found between the two performances, though upon the very same subject. The only instances are, in describing London as the sink of foreign worthlessness : — " the common shore, Where France does all her filth and orcUire pour." Oldham. " The common shore of Paris and of Rome." JOHNSOX. And, No calHng or profession comes amiss, A needy monsieur can be what he please." " All sciences a fasting monsieur knows." Johnson. The particulars which Oldham has collected, both as exhibiting the horrors of London, and of the times, contrasted with better days, are different from those of Johnson, and in general well chosen, and well expressed.^ • It is hardly fair to compare the poems in this antagonist way: Boileau's was a mere badinage, complaining of, or rather laughing at, the personal dangers and inconveniences of Paris. Johnson's main object, like Juvenal's, was to satirise gravely the moral depravity of an overgrown city CUOKER. ' I own it pleased me to find amongst them one trait of the manners of the age in London, in the last century, to There are in Oldham's imitation, many pro- saic vei-ses and bad rhymes, and his poem sets out with a strange inadvertent blunder : — " Though mucli concern'd to leave my old dear friend, I must, however, his design commend Of fixing in the country." It is plain he was not going to leave his friend; his friend was going to leave him. A young lady at once corrected this with good critical sagacity, to " Though much concern'd to lose my old dear friend." There is one passage in the original better transfused by Oldham than by Johnson: — " A';7 habet infelix paupcrtns durius in se, Quam quod ridiculos homines facit — " which is an exquisite remark on the galling meanness and contempt annexed to poverty. Johnson's imitation is, — " Of all the griefs that harass the distrest, Sure the most bitter is a scornful jest." Oldham's, though less elegant, is more just, — " Nothing in poverty so ill is borne, As its exposing men to grinning scorn." Where or in what manner this poem was composed, I am sorry that I neglected to ascertain with precision from Johnson's own authority. He has marked upon his corrected copy of the first edition of it, " Written in 1738 ;" and, as it was published in the month of May in that year, it is evident that much time was not employed in preparing it for the press. The history of its publication I am enabled to give in a very s.atisfiictory manner ; and judging from myself, and many of my friends, 1 trust that it will not be uninteresting to my readers. We may be certain, though it is not expressly named in the following letters to Mr. Cave, in 1738, that they all relate to it : — JOHNSON TO CAVE. '■ Castle Street, Wednesday Morning. [March, 1738.] " Sir, — When I took the liberty of writing to you a few days ago, I did not expect a repetition of this same pleasure so soon ; for a pleasure I shall always think it, to converse in any manner with an ingenious and candid man : but having the enclosed poem in my hands to dispose of for the benefit of the author (of whose abilities I shall say nothing, since I send you his performance), I believe I could not procure more advantageous terms from shield from the sneer of English ridicule, what was, some time ago, too common a practice in my native city of Edin- burgh ! " If what I've said can't from the town affright, Consider other dangers of the nii>ht ; When brickbats are from upper stories thrown, And emptied chamberpots come pouring down Fro?n garret windows." — Koswkll. D 34 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1738. any person than from you, who have so much dis- tinguished yourself by your generous encourage- ment of poetry ; and whose judgment of that art nothing but your commendation of my trifle ' can give me any occasion to call in question. I do not doubt but you will look over this poem with another eye, and reward it in a different manner from a mercenary bookseller, who counts the lines he is to purchase, and considers nothing but the bulk. I cannot help taking notice, that, besides what the author may hope for on account of his abilities, he has likewise another claim to your regard, as he lies at present under very disadvan- tageous circumstances of fortune. I beg, therefore, that you will favour me witli a letter to-morrow, that I may know what you can afford to allow him, that he may either part with it to you, or find out (which I do not expect) some other way more to his satisfaction. " I have only to add, that as I am sensible I have transcribed it very coarsely, which, after having altered it, I was obliged to do, I will, if you please to transmit the sheets from the press, correct it for you ; and take the trouble of altering any stroke of satire which you may dislike. " By exerting on this occasion your usual gene- rosity, you will not only encourage learning, and relieve distress, but (though it be in comparison of the other motives of very small account) oblige, in a very sensible manner, Sir, your very humble servant, " Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO CAVE. " Monday, No. 6. Castle Street. [March, 1738.] " Sir, — I am to return you thanks for the pre- sent ' you were so kind as to send by me, and to entreat that you will be pleased to inform me, by the penny-post, whether you resolve to print the poem. If you plecse to send it me by the post, with a note to Dodsley, I will go and read the lines to him, that we may have his consent to put his name in the title-page. As to the printing, if it can be set immediately about, I will be so much the author's friend, as not to content myself with mere solicitations in his favour. I propose, if my calculation be near the truth, to engage for the reimbursement of all that you shall lose by an im- pression of five hundred ; provided, as you very generously propose, that the profit, if any, be set aside for the author's use, excepting the present you made, which, if he be a gainer, it is fit he sliould repay. I beg that you will let one of your servants write an exact account of the expense of such an impression, and send it with the poem, that I may know what I engage for. I am very 1 No doubt the Ode " Ad Vrhanuvt" the imblicatiou of which, in March 1738, and that of London in May, fix the date of this and the following interesting letters. — Croker. 2 Though Cave hesitated about printing the poem, he seems to have relieved the pressing wants of the author by a present — Croker. 3 A poem, published in 1737, of which see au account, nos^, under April 30. 1773 Bosweli. ■* The learned Mrs. Elizabeth Carter. This lady, of whom frequent mention will be found in these Memoirs, was daughter of Nicholas Carter, D.D. She [w.is born at Deal in 1717, and] died, in Clarges Street, February 19. 1806, in her eighty-ninth year. — Malone. Her early acquaintance with Johnson is tlius noticed by her nephew and biographer : sensible, from your generosity on this occasion, of your regard to learning, even in its unhappiest state ; and cannot but think such a temper de- serving of the gratitude of those who suffer so often from a contrary disposition. I am, Sir, your most humble servant, " Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO CAVE. [April, 1738.] " Sir, — I waited on you to take the copy to Dodsley's: as I remember the number of lines which it contains, it will be no longer than Euge- nio^ with the quotations, which must be subjoined at the bottom of the page ; part of the beauty of the performance (if any beauty be allowed it) consisting in adapting Juvenal's sentiments to modern facts and persons. It will, with those ad- ditions, very conveniently make five sheets. And since the expense will be no more, I shall con- tentedly insure it, as I mentioned in my last. If it be not therefore gone to Dodsley's, I beg it may be sent me by the penny-post, that I may have it in the evening. I have composed a Greek epi- gram to Eliza *, and think slie ought to be cele- brated in as many different languages as Lewis le Grand. Pray send me word when you will begin upon the poem, for it is a long way to walk. I would leave my Epigram, but have not daylight to transcribe it. I am, Sir, yours, &c. " Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO CAVE. [April, 1738.] " Sir, — I am extremely obliged by your kind letter, and will not fail to attend you to-morrow with Irene, who looks upon you as one of her best friends. " I was to-day with Mr. Dodsley, who declares very warmly in favour of the paper you sent him, which he desires to have a share in, it being, as he says, a creditable thing to he concerned in. I knew not what answer to make till I had consulted you, nor what to demand on the author's part; but am very willing that, if you please, he should have a part in it, as he will undoubtedly be more diligent to disperse and promote it. If you can send me word to-morrow what I shall say to him, I will settle matters, and bring the poem with me for the press, which, as the town empties, we cannot be too quick with. I am, Sir, yours, &c. " Sam. Johnson." To lis who have long known the manly force, bold spirit, and masterly versification of this poem, it is a matter of curiosity to observe the diffidence with wliich its author brought it forward into public notice, while he is so cau- tious as not to avow it to be his own produc- " Mr. Cave was the me.ins of introducing her to many authors and scholars of note ; among those was Dr. Johnson. This was early in his life, and his name was then but beginning to be known, having just published his celebrated Imitation of the Third Satire of Juvenal, under the name of London. Neither this work nor his general character were as yet much known in the country ; for Dr. Carter, in a letter to his daughter, dated June Ih. 1738, says : ' You mention Johnson ; but that is a name with which I am utterly unacquainted. Neither his scholastic, critical, nor poetical character ever reached my ears. I a little suspect his judgment, if he is very fond of Martial.' Their friendship continued as long at 'Johnson lived." Pennington's Life of Mrs. Carter, p. 39. — Croker. ^T. 29, BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 3o tion ; and with what huinility he offers to allow the printer to " alter any stroke of satire which he might dislike." That any such alteration was made, we do not know. If we did, we could not but feel an indignant regret ; but how painful is it to see that a writer of such vigorous powers of mind was actually in such distress, that the small profit which so short a poem, however excellent, could yield, was courted as a "relief!" It has been generally said, I know not with what truth, that Johnson offered his " London " to several booksellers, none of whom would purchase it. To this circumstance Mr. Der- rick ' alludes in the following lines of his " For- tune, a Rhapsody : " — " Will no kind patron Johnson own ? Shall Johnson friendless range the town ? And every publisher refuse The offspring of his happy muse ? " But we have seen that the worthy, modest, and ingenious Mr. Robert Dodsley ^ had taste enough to perceive its uncommon merit, and thought it creditable to have a share in it. The fact is, that, at a future conference, he bargained for the whole property of it, for which he gave Johnson ten guineas, who told me, " I might, perhaps, have accepted of less ; but that Paul ^^^litehead had a little before got ten guineas for a poem, and I would not take less than Paul AVhltehead." I may here observe, that Johnson appeared to me to undervalue Paul Whitehead upon every occasion when he was mentioned, and, in my opinion, did not do him justice ; but when it is considered that Paul Whitehead was a member of a riotous and profane club ^, we ' Samuel Derrick, a native of Ireland, was born in 1724. He was apprenticed to a linen-draper, but abandoned that calling, first, for the stage, where he soon failed, and then for the trade of literature, in which he is forgotten. Johnson had " a great kindness " for him, and he was Boswell's " first tutor in the ways of London." In 1761, he succeeded Beau Nash as master of the ceremonies at Bath, but his extra- vagance and irregularities always kept him poor. He died in 1769. — Choker. 2 Robert Dodsley was born in 1703. He had been a livery- servant, but wrote some poems and plays, and became an eminent bookseller and publisher. He died in 1764. — Crokeu. 3 Dr. Anderson imagined that the club alluded to in the text was " the Beef Steak Club, held in Covent Garden Theatre, and consisting of an heterogeneous mixture of peers, poets, and players, " — he might have added, princes. But this jovial club, which still exists, by no means deserves the character given in the te.xt, and there can be no doubt tliat Boswell meant a dissolute and blasphemous association which called itself the Monks of Medenkam Abbey, of which Lord Le Despencer, Wilkes, and this P.iul Whitehead were leading members. Whitehead died in 1774, bequeathing his heart to his patron, Lord Le Despencer, who deposited it in a mausoleum in his garden, at High Wycombe. — Crokeu, 1846. ■• In the printed and MS. catalogues of the British Museum " Manners" is strangely attributed to ffV//ia)« Whitehead Croker. 5 Sir John Hawkins, p. 86., tells us, " The event (Savage's retirement) is antedated in the poem of 'London;' but in every particular, except the difference of a year, what is there said of the departure of Thalcs must be understood of Sa- vage, and looked upon as true history." This conjecture is, I believe, entirely groundless. I have been assured that Johnson said he was not so much as acquainted with Savage I when he wrote his " London." If the departure mentioned I in it was the departure of Savage, the event was not antedated may account for Johnson's having a prejudice against him. Paul AVhitehead was, indeed, un- fortunate in being not only slighted by John- son, but violently attacked by Churchill, who utters the following imprecation : — " May I (can worse disgrace on manhood fall ?) Be born a Whitehead, and baptized a Paul ! " yet I shall never be persuaded to think meanly of the author of so brilliant and pointed a satire as " Manners." * Johnson's " London " was published in May, 1738 ^ ; and it is remarkable, that it came out on the same morning with Pope's satire, en- titled "1738:" so that England had at once its Juvenal and Horace as poetical monitors. The Rev. Dr. Douglas 6, now Bishop of Salis- bury, to whom I ana indebted for some obliging communications, was then a student at Oxford, and remembers well the effect which " London " produced. Every body was delighted with it ; and there being no name to it, the first buzz of the literary circles was, "Here is an un- known poet, greater even than Pope." And it is recorded in the " Gentleman's Magazine " of that year, p. 269., that it " got to the second edition in the course of a week." One of the warmest patrons of this poem on its first appearance was General Oglethorpe, whose " strong benevolence of soul ' was un- abated during the coiu'se of a very long life ; though it is painful to think, that he had but too much reason to become cold and callous, and discontented with the world, from the neglect which he experienced of his public and private worth, by those in whose power it was to gratify so gallant a veteran with marks of distinction.'' This extraordinary person was as hwt Jqreseen ; for London was published in May, 1738, and Savage did not set out for Wales till July, 1739, However well Johnson could defend the credibility of second sight, Ipost, 24 Mar. 177.'),] he did not pretend that he himself was possessed of that faculty. — Boswell. Notwithstanding these proofs, the identity of Savage and Thales has been repeated by all the biographers, and has obtained general vogue. It is therefore worth while to add the decisive fact, that if Thales had been Savage, Johnson could never have admitted into his poem two lines that point so forcibly at the drunken fray, in which Savage stabbed a Mr. Sinclair, for which he was con- victed of murder : — " Some frolic drunkard, reeling from a feast. Provokes a broil, and stabs you in a jest." Mr. Murphy endeavours to reconcile the difficulties by sup- posing that Savage's retirement was in contemplation eighteen months before it was carried into effect : but even if this were true (which is very improbable), it would not alter the facts — t\iaX London was written before Johnson knew Savage ; .and that one of the severest strokes in the satire touched Savage's sorest point. — Croker. 6 Dr. John Douglas was a Scotchman by birth, but • educated at St. Mary Hall and Balliol College, Oxford, (M.A. 1743, D.D. 1758,) and owed his first promotions to Lord Bath (to whose son he had been tutor), and his literary reputation to his detection of Lauder. He was made Bishop of Carlisle in 178K, and translated to Salisbury in 1791, in which see he died in 1807. — Croker. " James Edward Oglethorpe, born in 1698, was admitted of C.C. C.Oxford in 1714; but he soon after entered the army, and served under Prince Eugene against the Turks, and in after life used to .iffect to talk slightingly of the great Duke of Marlborough. His activity in settling the colony of Georgia obtained for him the immortality of Pope's cele- brated panegyric : — " One. driven by strong benevolence of soul. Shall fly, like' Oglethorpe, from pole to pole." D 2 36 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1738. remarkable for his learning and taste, as for his other eminent qualities ; and no man was more prompt, active, and generous, in en- couraging merit. I have heard Johnson grate- ftiUy acknowledge, in his presence, the kind and effectual support which he gave to his " London, " though unacquainted with its author. Pope, who then filled the poetical throne without a rival, it may reasonably be presumed, must have been particularly struck by the sud- den appearance of such a poet ; and to his credit let it be remembered, that his feelings and con- duct on the occasion were candid and liberal. He requested Mr. Richardson ', son of the painter, to endeavour to find out who this new author was. Mr. Richardson, after some en- quiry, having informed him that he had dis- covered only that his name was Johnson, and that he was some obscure man. Pope said, " He will soon be deterre?- We shall presently see, from a note written by Pope, that he was him- self afterwards more successful in his enquii-ies than his friend. That in this justly-celebrated poem may be found a few rhymes which the critical precision of English prosody at this day would disallow cannot be denied ; but with this small imper- fection, which in the general blaze of its excel- lence is not perceived, till the mind has sub- sided into cool attention, it is, undoubtedly, one of the noblest productions in our language, both for sentiment and expression. The nation was then in that ferment against the court and the ministry, which some years after ended in the downfall of Sir Robert Walpole ; and it has been said, that Tories are Whigs when out of place, and Whigs Tories when in place ; so, as a Whig administration ruled with what force it could, a Tory opposition had all the animation and all the eloquence of resistance to power, aided by the common topics of patriotism, liberty, and independence ! Accordingly, we find in Johnson's " London " the most spirited invectives against tyranny and oppression, the warmest predilection for his own country, and In 1745 he was promoted to the rank of Major-General, and had a command during the Scotch Rebellion, in the course of which he was, to say the best of it, unfortunate. Though acquitted by a court of enquiry, he never was afterwards employed. He sat in five or six parliaments, and was there considered as a high Tory, if not a Jacobite : to this may, perhaps, be referred most of the particulars of his history — his dislike of the Duke of Marlborough — the praises of Pope — his partiality towards Johnson's political poetry — the suspicion of not having done his best against the rebels — and the " neglect " of the court. He died 30th June, 1785. C. 1831. 1 find in Mr. Knox's "Extra- official State Papers " the following passage on Ogle- thorpe's military character : " Nothing is more easy than for a military commander at a distance from home to acquire a high reputation for skill and valour, if he happens to be connected with an Opposition who never fail to puff off his exploits, while the ministers, for their own sakes, are silent on his misconduct — so it fared with Oglethorpe." (Vol. ii. p. 15.) — Choker, 1846. 1 There were three Richardsons known at this period in the literary world: Ut, Jonathan the elder, usually called the Painter, though he was an author as well as a painter ; he died in 1745, aged 80: 2d, Jonathan the younger, who is the person mentioned in the text, who also painted, though the purest love of virtue ; interspersed with traits of his own particular character and situ- ation, not omitting his prejudices as a "true- born Englishman,"^ not only against foreign countries, but against Leland and Scotland. On some of these topics I shall quote a few passages : — " The cheated nation's happy fav'rites see ; Mark whom the great caress, who frown on me." " Has heaven reserv'd, in pity to the poor, No pathless waste, or undiscover'd shore ? No secret island in the boundless main? No peaceful desert yet unclaim'd by Spain ? Quick let us rise, the happy seats explore, And bear Oppression's insolence no more." " How, when competitors like these contend, Can sur/y Virttie hope to find a friend ? " " This mournful truth is every where confess'd, Slow rises worth, by poverty depress'd ! " We may easily conceive with what feeling a great mind like his, cramped and galled by narrow circumstances, uttered this last line, which he marked by capitals. The whole of the poem is eminently excellent, and there are in it such proofs of a knowledge of the world, and of a mature acquaintance with life, as can- not be contemplated without wonder, when we consider that he was then only in his twenty- ninth year, and had yet been so little in the " busy haunts of men."* Yet while we admire the poetical excellence of this poem, candour obliges us to allow, that the flame of patriotism and zeal for popular re- sistance with which it is fraught had no just cause. There was, in truth, Jio " oppression ;" the " nation " was not " cheated." Sir Robert Walpole was a wise and a benevolent minister, who thought that the happiness and prosperity of a commercial country like ours would be best promoted by peace, which he accordingly maintained with credit, during a very long period. Johnson himself afterwards [Oct. 21, 1773] honestly acknowledged the merit of Wal- pole, whom he called " a fixed star ;" while he not as a profession, and who published several works ; he died in 1771, aged 77 : 3d, Samuel, the author of the cele- brated novels. He was by trade a printer, and had the good sense to continue, during the height of his fame, his attention to his business. He died in 1761, aged 72. — Choker. 2 Sir Joshua Reynolds, from the inl'ormation of the younger Richardson Boswell. 3 It is, however, remarkable, that he uses the epithets which undoubtedly, since the union between England and Scotland, ought to denominate the natives of both parts of our island : — " Was early taught a Briton's right to prize." — Boswell. * What follows will show that Boswell himself was of opinion that " London " was dictated rather by youthful feeling, somewhat inflamed by the political frenzy of the times, than by any " knowledge of the world,"' or any " mature acquaintance with life." It is remarkable that Johnson, who was, in all his latter age, the most constant and enthusiastic admirer of London, should have begun life with this bitter and yet, on some topics, common -place in- vective against it. The truth is, he cared comparatively little about the real merits or defects of the minister or the metro- polis, and only thought how best to make his poem sell. — Croker JEr. 29. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 37 characterised his opponent, Pitt, as " a meteor." But Johnson's juvenile poem was naturally im- pregnated with the fire of opposition, and upon every account was universally admired. Though thus elevated into fame, and con- scious of uncommon powers, he had not that bustling confidence, or, I may rather say, that animated ambition, which one might have sup- posed would have urged him to endeavour at rising in life. But such was his infiexible dig- nity of character, that he could not stoop to court the great ; without which, hardly any man has made his way to a high station.' He could not expect to produce many such works as his " London," and he felt the hardships of writing for bread ; he was therefore willing to resume the office of a schoolmaster, so as to have a sure, though moderate, income for his life; and an offer being made to him of the mastership of a school", provided he could obtain the degree of Master of Arts, Dr. Adams was applied to, by a common friend, to know whether that could be granted him as a favour from the University of Oxford. But though he had made such a figure in the literary world, it was then thought too great a favour to be hsked. Pope, without any knowledge of him but from his " London," recommended him to Earl 1 This seems to he an erroneous and mischievous assertion. If Mr. Boswell, by ' stooping to court Ihc greats means base flatteries and unworthy compliances, then it may be safely asserted that such arts (whatever small successes they may have had) are not those by which men have risen to hi^li stations. Look at the instances of elevation to be found in Mr. Boswell's own work — Lord Chatham, Lord Mansfield, Mr. Burke, Mr. Hamilton, Sir William Jones, Lord Lough- borough, Lord Thurlow, Lord Stowell, and so many digi.i- taries of the law and the church, in whose society Dr. John- S(m passed his later days — with what can they be charged which would have disgraced Johnson V Boswell, it may l)e suspected, wrote this under some little personal disappoint- ment in his own courtship of the great, which, as we shall see, often tinges his narrative. Johnson's own opinions on this point will be found under Feb. 1700, and Sept. 1777 Croker. - In a billet written by Mr. Pope in the following year, this scliool is said to have l)een in Shropshire ; but as it appears from a letter from Earl Go«er, that the trustees of it were "some worthy gentlemen in Johnson's neighbour- hood," I in my first edition suggested that Pope must have, by misLake, written Sliropsliire, instead of StafTordshire. But I have since been obliged to Mr. Spearing, attorney-at- law, for the following information : — " William Adams, formerly citizen and haberdasher of London, founded a school at Newport, in the county of Salop, by deed dated 27th of November, 1656, by which he granted the 'yearly sum of sixtij pounds to such able and learned schoolmaster, from time to time, being of godly life and conversation, who should have been educated at one of the Universities of Oxford or Cambridge, and had taken the degree of Master of Arts, and was well re.ad in the Greek and Latin tongues, as should be nominated from time to time by the said Wil- liam Adams, during his life, and after the decease of the said William Adams by the governors (namely, the Master and Wardens of the Haberdashers' Company of the city of London) iind their successors.' The manor and lands out of whioh the revenues for the maintenance of the school were to iisue are situate at Knighton and Adhastun in Ihc county of Stt^ffbrd." From the foregoing account of this foundation, particularly the circumstances of the salary being sixty pounds, and the degree of Master of Arts being a requisite qualification in the teacher, it seemed probable that this was the school in contemplation ; and that Lord Cower erroneously supposed that the gentlemen who possessed the lands, out of which the revenues issued, were trustees of the charity. Such was the probable conjecture. But in the " Gentle- man's Magazine" for May, 1793, there is a letter from Mr. Henn. one of the masters of the school of Appleby, in Leicestershire, in which he writes as follows : — " 1 compared time and circumstance togetlier, in order to Gower^, who endeavoured to procure for him a degree from Dublin, by the following letter to a friend of Dean Swift: — LORD GOWER TO "Trcntham. Aug. 1. 1739. " SfR, — Mr. Samuel Johnson (author of Lon- noN, a satire, and some other poetical pieces,) is a native of this county, and much respected by some worthy gentlemen in his neighbourhood, who are trustees of a charity-school now vacant ; the certain salary is sixy pounds a year, of which they are desirous to make him master ; hut, unfortunately, he is not capable of receiving their bounty, which would make him happij for life, by not being a master of arts ; which, by the statutes of this school, the master of it must be. " N.iw these gentlemen do me the honour to think tliat I have interest enough in you, to pre- vail upon you to write to Dean Swift, to persuade the University of Dublin to send a diploma to me, constituting this poor man master of arts in their University. They highly extol the man's learning and probity ; and will not be persuaded, that the University will make any difficulty of conferring such a favour upon a stranger, if he is recommended by the Dean, 'i'hey say, he is not afraid of the strictest examination, thougii he is of so long a journey ; and will venture it, if the Dean thinks discover whether the school in question might not be this of Appleby. Some of the trustees at that period were | ' worthy gentlemen of the neighbourhood of Lichfield.* Appleby itself is not far from the neighbourhood of Lich- field : the salary, the degree requisite, together with the time (if election, all agreeing with the stiitutcs of Appleby. The election, as said'in the letter, ' could not be delayed longer than the Ilth of next month,' which was the llth of Sep- | tcmber, just three months after the annual audit-day of Appleby School, which is always on the llth of June ; and the statutes enjoin, ne vl/itis prceceptorum electio diutiut tribus 7»ensibiis moraretur, &c. " These I thought to be convincing proofs that my con- jecture was not ill-founded, and that, in a future edition of that book, the circumstance might be recorded as fact. " But what banishes every shadow of doubt is the Minute Book of the school, which declares the head mastership to be at that time vacant." I cannot omit returning thanks to this learned gentleman for the very handsome manner in which he has in that letter been so good as to speak of this work — Boswell. Sir John Hawkins had already stated the school to have been Appleby, but Mr. Boswell was reluctant to have any obligation to liis rival Choker. 3 At this time only Lord Gower. It seems not easy to re- concile Lord Gower's and Pope's letters, and Mr. Boswell's account of this transaction. Lord Gower's letter says that it is written at the request of some Staffordshire neighbours. Nothing more natural. He does not even allude to Pope ; and certainly it would have been most extraordinary that Pope, the dearest friend of Swift, should solicit Lord Gower to ask a favour of the Dean. The more natural supposition would be, that Lord Gower't letter was addressed to Pope " ■ -...-. ^^,■ote school in Shropshire ; but did not succeed. He makes no allusion to Swift, or the Master's degree. Lord Gower's letter was first published with the date of 1737, then with that of 173S, and, finally, .as of 1739. The first of these dates is clearly wrong ; the latter, I suppose, has been assigned from that of Pope's note, which must have been subsequent to May, 1739; but that note does not say how long before it was written the application to Lord Gower had been made. In short, I cannot reconcile these discrepancies, but by the unsatisfactory conjecture that Pope had applied in the first instance to Lord Gower ; that Lord Gower was willing to assist Johnson, but was met by the difficulty about the degree of .\.M. ; and that then it was arranged that his Lordship should write to Po()e such a letter as he could transmit to Swift. The matter is ni itself of no importance, except as it might explain Johnson's strong dislike both of Lord Gower and Dean Swift; which may have arisen from some misapprehension of their share in this disappointment Croker. D 3 38 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1738. it necessary ; choosing rather to die upon the road, than he starved to death in translating for hook- sellers ; which has been his only subsistence for some time past. " I fear there is more difficulty in this affair than those good-natured gentlemen apprehend ; especially as their election cannot be delayed longer than the eleventh of next month. If you see this matter in the same light that it appears to me, I hope you will burn this, and pardon me for giving you so much trouble about an impracticable thing ; but, if you think there is a probability of obtaining tlie favour asked, I am sure your huma- nity, and propensity tS relieve merit in distress, will incline you to serve the poor man, without my adding any more to the trouble I have already given you, than assuring you that I am, with great truth, Sir, your faithful servant, Gower." It was, perhaps, no small disappointment to Johnson that this respectable application had not the desired effect ; yet how much reason has there been, both for himself and his coun- try, to rejoice that it did not succeed, as he might probably have %yasted in obscurity those hours in which lie afterwards produced his in- comparable works. About this time he made one other effort to emancipate himself from the drudgery of author- ship. He applied to Dr. Adams, to consult Dr. Smalbroke ' of the Commons, whether a person might be permitted to practise as an advocate there, without a doctors degree in civil law. " I am," said he, " a total stranger to these studies ; but whatever is a profession, and main- tains numbers, must be within the reach of common abilities, and some degree of industry." Dr. Adams was much pleased with Johnson's design to employ his talents in that manner, being confident he would have attained to great eminence. And, indeed, I cannot conceive a man better qualified to make a distinguished figure as a lawyer ; for he would have brought to his profession a rich store of vaj"ious know- ledge, an uncommon acuteness, and a command of language, in which few could have equalled, and none have surpassed him. He who could display eloquence and wit in defence of the decision of the House of Commons upon J\Ii-. Wilkes's election for Middlesex, and of the unconstitutional taxation of our fellow-subjects in America, must have been a powerful advo- cate in any cause. But here, also, the want of a degree was an insurmountable bar. He was, therefore, under the necessity of ' Richard Smalbroke, LL.D., second son of Bishop Smal- broke, whose family were long connected with Lichfield, died the senior member of the College of Advocates. — Croker. 2 In the Weekly Miscellany, Oct. 21. 1738, there appeared the following advertisement : — " Just published, Proposals for printing the History of the Council of Trent, translated from the Italian of Father Paul Sarpi ; with the Author's Life, and Kotes theological, his- torical, and critical, from the French edition of Dr. Le Courayer. To which are .added. Observations on the His- tory, and Notes and Illustrations from various Autliors, both printed and manuscript. By .S. Jolinson. 1. The work will consist of two hundred sheets, and be two volumes in quarto. persevering in that course, into which he had been forced ; and we find that his proposal from Greenwich to J\Ir. Cave, for a translation of Father Paul Sarpi's History, was accepted.^ Some sheets of this translation were printed off, but the design was dropped ; for it happened oddly enough, that another person of the name of Samuel Johnson, librarian of St. Martin's in the Fields, and curate of that parish, engaged in the same undertaking, and was patronised by the clergy, particularly by Dr. Pearce, after- wards Bishop of Rochester. Several light skir- mishes passed between the rival translators, in the newspapers of the day; and the consequence was that they destroyed each other, for neither of them Avent on with the work. It is much to be regretted, that the able performance of that celebrated genius Fra Paolo, lost the advantage of being incorporated into British literature by the masterly hand of Johnson. I have in my possession, by the favour of Mr. John Nichols, a paper in Johnson's liand- Avi'iting, entitled " Account between Mr. Ed- ward Cave and Samuel Johnson, in relation to a version of Father Paul, &c., begun August the 2d, 1738 ;" by which it appears, that from that day to the 21st of April, 1739, Johnson received for this work 49/. 7s. in sums of one, two, three, and sometimes four guineas at a time, most frequently two. And it is curious to observe the minute and scrupulous accuracy with which Johnson had pasted upon it a slip of paper, which he has entitled " Small ac- count," and which contains one article, " Sept. 9th, Mr. Cave laid down 25. 6fZ." There is sub- joined to this account, a list of some subscribers to the work, pai'tly in Johnson's handwriting, partly in that of another person; and there follows a leaf or two on which are written a number of characters which have the appear- ance of a short-hand, which, perhaps, Johnson was then trying to learn. JOHNSON TO CAVE. "Wednesday. [Aug. or Sept. 1738.] " Sir, — I did not care to detain your servant while I wrote an answer to your letter, in which you seem to insinuate that I had promised more than I am ready to perform. If I have raised your expectations by any thing that may have escaped my memory, I am sorry ; and if you re- mind me of it, shall thank you for the favour. If I I made fewer alterations than usual in the Debatcf it was only because tliere appeared, and still ap printed on good paper and letter. 2. The price will be 18s. each volume, to be paid, half a guinea at t!'.e delivery of the first volume, and the rest at the delivery of the second volume in sheets. Two-pence to be abated for every sheet less than two hundred. It may be had on a large paper, in three volumes, at the price of three guineas ; one to be paid at the time of subscribing, another at the delivery of the first, and the rest at the delivery of the other volumes. The work is now in the press, and will be diligently prosecuted. Sub- scriptions are taken in by Mr. Dod.sley in Pall Mall, Mr. Ri- vington in St. Paul's Church Yard, by E. Cave at St. John's gate, and the Translator, at No. 6. in Castle Street, by Caven- dish Square." — Boswell. Mr. 29. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 39 pears to be, less need of alteration. The verses to Lady Firebrace i may be had when you please, for you know that such a subject neither deserves much thought nor requires it. " The Chinese Stories - may be had folded down when you please to send, in which I do not recol- lect that you desired any alterations to be made. " An answer to another query I am very willing to write, and had consulted witli you about it last night, if there had been time ; for I think it the most proper way of inviting such a correspondence as may be an advantage to the paper, not a load upon it, " As to the Prize Verses, a backwardness to de- termine their degrees of merit is not peculiar to me. You may, if you please, still have what I can say; but 1 shall engage with little spirit in an affair, which I shall hardli/ end to my own satisfac- tion, and certaiiily not to the satisfaction of the parties concerned.* " As to Father Paul, I have not yet been just to my proposal, but have met with impediments, which, I hope, are now at an end ; and if you find the progress hereafter not such as you have a right to expect, you can easily stimulate a negligent translator. " If any or all of these have contributed to your discontent, I will endeavour to remove it ; and de- sire you to propose the question to which you wish for an answer. I am, Sir, your humble servant, " Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO CAVE. [Sept. 1738.] " Sir, — I am pretty much of your opinion, that the Commentary cannot be prosecuted with any appearance of success ; for as the names of the authors concerned are of more weight in the per- formance than its own intrinsic merit, the public will be soon satisfied with it. And I think the Examen should be pushed forward with the ut- most expedition. Thus, ' This day, &c. an Examen of Mr. Pope's Essay, &c. ; containing a succinct Account of the Philosophy of Mr. Leibnitz on the System of the Fatalists, with a Confutation of their Opinions, and an Illustration of the Doctrine of Free Will ' (with what else you think proper). " It will, above all, be necessary to take notice, that it is a thing distinct from the Commentary. " I was so far from imagining they stood still *, 1 They appeared in the Gentleman's Magazine of Sept. 173^*, with this title : — " Verses to Lady F , at Bury Assizes." — BOSWFXL. It seems quite unintelligible how these six silly lines should be the production of Johnson ; the last of them is This "Nymph, Mtm; and Grace" was a widow Evers, who, in the preceding November, had, at the age of 38, re-married Sir Cordell Firebrace. She subsequently married Mr. Camp- bell, uncle to the Duke of Argyle, and died in 1782. The Peerage, into which her alliance with Mr. Campbell has introduced her, quotes Dr. Johnson as evidence of her beauty. Johnson, I suppose, never saw her ; the lines (if his at all) were made, we see, to order, and probably paid for. — Croker. - Du Halde's Description of China was then publishing l)y Mr. Cave, in weekly numbers, whence Juhnson was to select jiieces for the emtellishnient of the Magazine. — Nichols. that I conceived them to have a good deal before- hand, and therefore was less anxious in providing them more. 15ut if ever tliey stand still on my account, it must, doubtless, be charged to me ; and wliatever else shall be reasonable, I shall not ojjpose ; but beg a suspense of judgment till morn- ing, when I must entreat you to send me a dozen proposals ^ and you shall then have copy to spare. I am. Sir, your.s, impransus, Sam. Johnson." " Pray muster up the proposals if you can, or let the boy recall them from the booksellers." But although he corresponded with Mr, Cave concerning a translation of Crousaz's Examen of Pope's " Essay on Man," and gave advice as one an.xious for its success, I was long ago con- vinced by a perusal of the Preface, that this translation was erroneously ascribed to him ; and I have found this point ascertained, beyond all doubt, by tlie following article in Dr. Birch's manuscripts in the British Museum : — " Elisa; Carters, S. P. D. Thomas Birch. Versionem tuam Examinis Crousaziani jam perjegi. Summam styli et elegantiam, et in re difficillima proprietatem, admiratus. Dabam Novemb. 27°. 1738." « Indeed, Mrs. Carter has lately acknowledged to ]\Ir. Seward, that she was the translator of the " Examen," It is remarkable, that Johnson's last quoted letter to Mr. Cave concludes with a fair con- fession that he had not a dinner; and it is no less remarkable that, though in this state of want himself, his benevolent heart was not in- sensible to the necessities of an humble labourer in literature, as appears from the very next letter : — JOHNSON TO CAVE. [No date.] " Dear Sir, — You may remember I have for- merly talked with you about a military Dictionary. The eldest Mr. Macbean ', wlio was with INIr. Chambers, has very good materials for sucli a work, which I have seen, and will do it .it a very low rate.^ I think the terms of war and navigation might be comprised, with good explanations, in one 8vo. pica, which he is willing to do for twelve shillings a sheet, to be made up a guinea at the 3 The premium of forty pounds proposed for the best poem on the Divine Attributes is here alluded to. — Nichols. ' The compositors in the printing-ollice, who waited for copy — Nichols. ' As Johnson seems to ask for Ihzie proposals, as affording him a pecuniary resource, they must h.ive been the proposals forthe large paper of the translation of Father Paul, forwhich, as we have just seen, one guinea was payable at the time of subscribnig. — Choker. 6 Birch .MSS. Brit. Mus. 4323. — Bos well. There is no doubt that Miss Carter was the translator of the Exatnen, but Johnson seems to have been busy with another work of the same author on the same subject — "a distinct thing," as he calls it — viz. Crousaz's Commentary on the Abbe ncsnel's translation of the Essay on Man ; an anonymous translation of which was published in 1741, and quoted in the Gentleman's Magazine for 1743. — Crokeu. 7 &cp.pnst, April 1781, and 20. June, 1738.-C. 8 This book was published. — Boswell. 40 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 173S. second impression. If you think on it, I will wait on you with him. I am, Sir, your humble servant, Sam. Johnson. " Pray lend me Topsel on Animals." I must not omit to mention, that this Mr. Macbean was a native of Scotland.' In the "Gentleman's Magazine" of this year, Johnson gave a Life of Father Paul* ; and he wrote the Preface to the volumef, which, thougli prefixed to it when bound, is always published with the appendix, and is therefore the last composition belonging to it. The ability and nice adaptation with which he could draw up a prefatory address was one of his peculiar excellencies. It appears, too, that he paid a friendly at- tention to Mrs. Elizabeth Carter ; for in a letter from Mr. Cave to Dr. Birch, November 28. this year, I find " Mr. Johnson advises Miss C. to undertake a translation of Boethius de Cons., because there is prose and verse, and to put her name to it wlien published." This advice was not followed; probably ft-om an appre- hension that the work was not sufficiently po- pular for an extensive sale. How well John- son himself could have executed a translation of this philosophical poet we may judge fi-om the following specimen, which he has given in the " Rambler " {Motto to No. 7.) : — " O qui perpetua mundum ratione gubeinas, Terrarum coelique sator ! Disjice terrenw nebulas et pondera molls, Atque tuo splendore mica! Tu namque serenum, Tu requies tranquilla piis. Te cernere finis, Principium, vector, dux, semita, terminus, idem." " O Thou whose power o'er moving worlds presides, Whose voice created, and whose wisdom guides, On darkling man in pure effulgence shine, And cheer the clouded mind with light divine. 'Tis thine alone to calm the pious breast, With silent confidence and holy rest ; From thee, great God 1 we spring, to thee we tend, Path, motive, guide, original, and end ! " » Mr. Boswell is glad to record that Johnson's national prejudices did not prevent his employing and recommendinj; a Scotchman ; but I suspect Johnson's prejudice against the Scotch was of a later date, deepest, p. 52. n. 1.— Choker. 2 Mr. Boswell here confounds the years 1738 and 1739. The Greek and Latin epigram to Elixa (Miss Carter) were in theMagaiine for April 1738; and another in July to the same lady, on gathering laurels in Pope's garden, is no doubt his. " Elvsios Popi dum ludit la?ta per hortos, En avlda lauros carpit Klisa manu. Nil opus est furto. Lauros tibi, dulcis Elisa, Si neget optatas Popus, Apollo dabit." " In Pope's Elysian scenes Eliza roves. And spoils with greedy hands his laurel groves ; A needless theft — a laurel wreath to thee Should Pope deny, Apollo would decree C. Johnson may have accompanied his young friend to Twicken- ham, and witnessed the incident. The same year's Magazine also contains the celebrated Latin epigram ( see pas/, p. Gil) " To a Lady (Miss Maria Ashton) who spoke in Defence of Liberty," the neatest of Jolinson's couplets. Liber ut esse velim suasisti pulcra Maria. Ut mancam liber, pulcra Maria vale ! " You wish me, fair Maria, to be free ; Then, lair Maria, 1 must fly from thee — C. and a Greek epigram to " Dr. Birth." 1 can find in the In 1739, beside the assistance which he gave to the Parliamentary Debates, his writings In the " Gentleman's Magazine " were " The Life of Boerhaave," * in which it is to be observed, that he discovers that love of chemistry which never forsook him ; " An Appeal to the Public in Behalf of the Editor ;"t "An Address to the Reader ;"t "An Epigram both in Greek and Latin to Eliza" ('^)*,and also English Verses to her (3) * ; and " A Greek Epigram to Dr. Birch." * It has been erroneously supposed that an essay published In that Magazine this year, entitled " The Apotheosis of Milton," was written by Johnson ; and on that supposition it has been improperly Inserted in the edition of his works by the booksellers, after his de- cease. Were there no positive testimony as to this point, the style of the performance, and the name of Shakspeare not being mentioned in an Essay professedly reviewing the principal English poets, would ascertain it not to be the production of Johnson. But there Is here no occasion to resort to internal evidence ; for my Lord Bishop of Salisbtiry (Dr. Douglas) has assured me, that it was written by Guthrie. His separate publications were, " A Complete Vindication of the Licensers of the Stage, from the malicious and scandalous Aspersions of ISIr. Brooke "*, Author of Gustavus Vasa," * being an Ironical attack upon them for their suppression of that Tragedy ; and " IMarmor Norfolclense ^; or, an Essay on an ancient prophetical Inscrip- tion, in monkish Rhyme, lately discovered neai^ Lynne, In Norfolk, by Probus Britannlcus." * In this performance, he. In a feigned Inscrip- tion, supposed to have been found in Norfolk, the county of Sir Robert AValpole, then the obnoxious prime minister of this country, in- veighs against the Brunswick succession, and the measures of government consequent upon it. To this supposed prophecy he added a Commentary, making each expression apply to the times, with warm anti-Hanoverian zeal. This anonymous pamphlet, I believe, did not Magazine for 1739 but one copy of English verses to Kliza. They are in December, and signed Amasius, a signature used by Dr. Swan, the translator of Sydenham, and by Collins upon oiie occasion in the same magazine. — Crokeb. 3 And, probably, the following Latin epigram to Dr. Birch : — " In Birchium. " Arte nova raraque fide perscripserat ausus Birchius egregios claraque gesta virum. Hunc oculis veri Fautrix lustravit acutis, Et placido tandem htec edidit ore, Dea: ' Perge modo, atque tuas olim post funera laudes Qui scribat meritas Birchius alter erit.' " This is a version of his Greek epigram in the preceding Magazine, and he had followed his Greek epigram on Eliza with a Latin paraphrase in the same style as this. — Croker. ■i Henry -Brooke, the author of the celebrated novel of The Fool of Quality, was a native of Ireland. In 1738, his tragedy of Gustavus Vasa was rehearsed at Drury Lane ; but, it being supposed to satirize Sir Robert W'alpole, an order came from the Lord Chamberlain to prohibit its appearance. This, however, did Brooke no injury, as he was encouraged to publish the play by a subscription, which amounted to 800/. He died in 1783.— Choker. 5 The mention of this pasquinade In Pope's undated note (p. 41.) makes it worth while to notice that it seems to have been printed in May, 1739 — Choker. iEx. 30. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 41 make so much noise as was expected, and, therefore, had not a very extensive circulation. Sir John Hawkins relates, that " warrants were issued, and messengers employed to apprehend the author ; who, though he had forborne to subscribe his name to the pamphlet, the vigil- ance of those in pursuit of him had discovered:" and we are informed, that he lay concealed in Lambeth-marsh till the scent after him grew cold. This, however, is altogether without foundation ; for Mr. Steele, one of the Secre- taries of the Treasury, who, amidst a variety of important business, politely obliged me witli his attention to my enquiry, informed me, that " he directed every possible search to be made in the records of the Treasury and Secretary of State's Office, but could find no trace what- ever of any warrant having been issued to ap- prehend the author of this pamphlet." " Marmor Norfolciense" became exceedingly scarce, so that L for many years, endeavoured in vain to procure a copy of it.' At last I was indebted to the malice of one of Johnson's numerous petty adversaries, wlio, in 1775, pub- lished a new edition of it, " witli Notes and a Dedication to Samuel Johnson, Lli.D., by Tri- bunus ; " in which some puny scribbler invi- diously attempted to found upon it a charge of inconsistency against its author, because he had accepted of a pension from his present Ma- jesty, and had written in support of the mea- sures of government. As a mortification to such impotent malice, of which there are so many instances towards men of eminence, I am happy to relate, that this telum imbelle did not reach its exalted object, till about a year after it thus appeared, when I mentioned it to him, supposing that he knew of the republi- cation. To my surprise, he had not yet heard of it. He requested me to go directly and get it for him, which I did. He looked at it and laughed, and seemed to be much diverted with the feeble efforts of his unknown adversary, who, I hope, is alive to read this account. • The inscription and the translation of it are preserved in the London Magazine for the year 1730, p. 244. — Bosvvell. 2 Of these two satirical pamphlets, Hawkins observes thi.t " they display neither learning nor wit, nor, indeed, any ray of their author's genius ; and were prompted by the principle which Johnson frequently declared to be the only true ge- nuine motive to writing, namely, pecuniary profit. He was never greedy of money, but without money could not be stimu- lated to write. Yet was he not so indifferent to the subjects that he was requested to write on, as at anv time to abandon either his religious or political principles. He would no more have put his name to an Arian or Socinian tract than to a de- fence of Atheism. At the time when Faction Detected cSime out, a pamphlet of which the late Lord Egmont is now generally understood to have been the author, Osborne, the bookseller, held out to him a strong temptation to answer it, which he refused, being convinced, as he assured me, that the charge contained in it was made good, and that the argument grounded thereon was unanswerable. The truth is, that John- son's political prejudices were a mist that the eye of his judg- ment could not penetrate : in all tlie measures of Walpole"s government, he could see nothing right ; nor could he be con- vinced, in his invectives against a standing army, as the Jaco- bites affected to call it, that the peasantry of a country was not an adequate defence against an invasion of it by an armed force. He almost asserted in terms, that the succession to the crown had been illegally interrupted, and that from whig politics none of the benefits of government could be expected. From hence it appears, and to his honour be it said, his " Now," said he, " here is somebody who thinks he has vexed me sadly ; yet, if it had not been for you, you rogue, I should probably never have seen it." - As Mr. Pope's note concerning Johnson, al- luded to in a former jiage, refers both to his " London," and his " IMarmor Norfolciense," I have deferred inserting it till now. I am in- debted for it to Dr. Percy, the bisliop of Dro- more, who permitted me to copy it from the original in liis possession. It was presented to his lordship by Sir Joshua Reynolds, to whom it was given by tlie son of Mr. Richardson the painter, the person to whom it is addressed. I have transcribed it with minute exactness, that the peculiar mode of writing, and imperfect spelling of that celebrated poet, may be exhi- bited to the curious in literature. It justifies Swift's epithet of " paper-sparing Pope," ^ for it is written on a slip no larger than a common message-card, and was sent to Mr. Richardson, along with the imitation of Juvenal. " This is imitated by one Johnson who put in for a Public-.school in Stiropsliire, but was disap- pointed. He lias an infirmity of the convulsive kind, that attacks him sometimes, so as to make Him a sad S|)ectacle.'' Mr. P. from the merit of This Work which was all the knowledge he had of Him* endeavour'd to serve Him without his own application ; & wrote to my L"*. gore, but he did not succeed. ]\Ir. Johnson published afterw''^ another Poem in Latin with Notes the whole very numerous call'd the Norfolk Prophecy. P." Johnson had been told of this note ; and Sir Joshua Reynolds informed him of the compli- ment which it contained, but, from delicacy, avoided showing him the paper itself. A^^len Sir Joshua observed to Johnson that he seemed very desirous to see Pope's note, he answered, "Who would not be proud to have such a man as Pope so solicitous in inquiring about him?" The infirmity to which Mr. Pope alludes, ap- peared to me also, as will be hereafter observed, principles co-operated with his necessities, and prostitution of his talents could not, in justice, be imputed to him." — Life, 78. 84. — Croker. 3 " Get all ynur verses printed fair. Then let them well be dried ; And Curll must have a special care To leave the margin wide. Lend these to paper-sparini; Pope ; And when he sits to write, No letter with an envelope Could give him more delight." Advice to Grub-Street Writers. The original MS. of Pope's Homer (preserved in the British Museum) is almost entirely written on the covers of letters, and sometimes between the lines of the letters themselves. — Nichols. •* It is clear that, as Johnson advanced in life, these convul- sive infirmities, part no doubt of his hereditary disease, though never entirely absent, were so far subdued, that he could not he called a sad spectacle. We have seen that he was re- jected from two schools on account of these distortioi'S, which in his latter years were certainly not violent enough to excite disgust. — Crokeu. 5 This is hardly consistent with the story (ante, p. 13. n. 7.) of Pope's In'gh approbation of Johnson's translation of his Messiah. — Choker. 42 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1741. to be of the convulsive kind, and of the nature of that distemper called St. Vitus's dance ; and in this opinion I am confirmed by the descrip- tijon which Sydenham gives of that disease. " This disorder is a kind of convulsion. It manifests itself by halting or unsteadiness of one of the legs, which the patient draws after him like an idiot. If the hand of the same side be applied to the breast, or any other part of the body, he cannot keep it a moment in the same posture, but it will be drawn into a dif- i ferent one by a convulsion, notwithstanding all his efforts to the contrary." Sir Joshua Key- nolds, however, was of a different opinion, and favoured me with the following Paper. " Tliose motions or tricks of Dr. Johnson are improperly called convulsions. He could sit mo- tionless, when he was told so to do, as well as any other man. My opinion is, that it proceeded from a hahit ' which he had indulged himself in, of ac- companying his thoughts with certain untoward actions; and those actions always appeared to me as if they were meant to reprobate some part of his past conduct. Whenever he was not engaged in conversation, such thoughts were sure to rush into I his mind ; and, for this reason, any company, any I employment whatever, he preferred to being alone. The great business of his life (he said) was to escape from himself This disposition he considered as tlie disease of his mind, which nothing cured but company. " One instance of his absence and particularity, as it is characteristic of the man, may be worth relating. When he and I took a journey together into the West, we visited the late Mr. Bankes, of Dorsetshire^; the conversation turning upon pic- tures, which Johnson could not well see, he retired to a corner of the room, stretching out his right leg as far as he could reach before him, then bring- ing up his left leg, and stretching his right still further on. The old gentleman, observing him, went up to him, and in a very courteous manner assured him, though it was not a new house, the flooring was perfectly safe. The Doctor started ■ Sir Joshua Reynolds's notion on this subject is confirmed by what Johnson himself said to a young lady, the niece of his friend Christopher Sm.irt. See a note by 3Ir. Boswell on some particulars communicated by Reynolds, under March 30. 1783. — Malone. 2 Of Kingston Hall, near Corfe Castle. — Croker. 3 See post, under April 22. 1764, and March 27. 1774, .ind in Miss Reynolds's Recollections, in the Appendix, notices of some strange antics which he used to perform on various occasions. — Croker. ■1 Impartial posterity may, perhaps, be a'j little inclined as Dr. Johnson was, to justify the uncommcn rigour exercised in the case of Dr. Archibald Cameron. He was an amiable and truly honest man ; and his offence Aas owing to a gene- rous, though mistaken, principle of '.luty. Being obliged, after 1746, to give up his profession ai, a physician, and to go into 'foreign parts, he was honoured v/ith the rank of Colonel, both in the French and Spanish service. He was a son of the ancient and respectable family of Cameron of Lochiel ; and his brother, who was the cliief of that brave clan, dis- tinguished himself by moderation and humanity, while the Highland army marched victorious through Scotland. It is remarkable of this chief, that though he had earnestly re- monstrated against the attempt as hopeless, he was of too heroic a spirit not too venture his life and fortune in the cause, when personally asLed by him whom he thought his prince. — Boswell. Sir Walter Scott states, in his Introduction to Redgauntlet (Waverley Novels, vol.xxxv. p. viii. &c.), that the govern- from his reverie, like a person waked out of his sleep, but spoke not a word."^ While we are on this subject, my readers inay not be displeased with another anecdote, communicated to me by the same friend, from the relation of Mr. Hogarth. Johnson used to be a pretty frequent vislior at the house of ]\L'. Richardson, author of Clarissa, and other novels of extensive repu- tation. Mr. Hogarth came one day to see Richardson, soon after the execution of Dr. Cameron for having taken arms for the house of Stuart in 1745—6 ; and being a warm parti- san of George the Second, he observed to Richardson, that certainly there must have been some very unfavourable circumstances lately discovered in this particular case, which had induced the King to approve of an execu- tion for rebellion so long after the time when it was committed, as this had the appearance of putting a man to death in cold blood **, and was very unlike his Majesty's usual clemency. While he was talking, he perceived a person standing at a window in the room, shaking his head, and rolling himself about in a strange ridiculous manner. He concluded that he was an idiot, whom his relations had put under the care of Mr. Richardson, as a very good man. To his great surprise, however, this figure stalked forwards to where he and Mr. Richard- son were sitting, and all at once took up the argument, and burst out into an invective against George the Second, as one who, upon all occasions, was unrelenting and barbarous ; mentioning many instances ; particularly, that when an officer of high rank had been acquitted by a court martial, George the Second had, with his own hand, struck his name oif the list.^ In short, he displayed such a power of eloquence, that Hogarth looked at him with astonishment, and actually imagined that this idiot had been at the moment inspired, ^either Hogarth nor Johnson were made known to each other at this interview.^ ment of George II. were in possession of sufficient evidence that Dr. Cameron had returned to the Highlands, 7iot, as he alleged on his trial, for family affairs merely, but as the secret agent of the Pretender in a new scheme of rebellion : the ministers, however, preferred trying this indefatigable partisan on the ground of his undeniable share in the insur- rection of 1745, rather than rescuing themselves and their master from the charge of harshness, at the expense of making it universally kuown, that a fresh rebellion had been in agitation so late as 1752 Lockhart. 5 Dr. Cameron was executed on the ^h of June, 1753. No instance can be traced in the War or Admiralty Offices, of any officer of high rank being struck out of the list about that period, after acquittal by a court martial. It may be surmised that Mr. Hogarth's statement, or Sir Joshua's report of it, was not quite accurate in details, and that Johnson might have alluded to the case of his friend General Oglethorpe, who, after acquittal by a court-martial, was (to use a vulgar but expressive phrase) ;)«< apon the shelf . — See anti, p. 35. n. 6. and post, p. 105. n. 3. — Croker. •= Mrs. Piozzi says, " Mr. Hogarth, among the variety of kindnesses shown to me, was used to be very earnest that I should obtain the .icquaintance, and, if possible, the friend- ship, of Dr. Johnson, whose conversation was (he said) to the talk of other men, like Titian's painting compared to Hudson's. Of Dr. Johnson, when my father and Hogarth were talking together abciut him one d.iy, " That man," said the latter, "is not contented with believing the Bible, but he fairly resolves, 1 think, to believe nothing but the Bible. ^r. 32. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 43 In 1740, Dr. Johnson wrote for the Gentle- man's Magazine the " Preface," ' f the " Life of Admiral Blake," * and the first parts of those of "Sir Francis Drake,"* and "Philip Bar- retier,"-*both which he finished the following year. He also wrote an " Essay on Epitaphs," * and an " Epitaph on Philips, a Musician," * which Avas afterwards published, with some other pieces of his, in Mrs. Williams's Miscel- lanies. This Epitaph is so exquisitely beauti- ful, that I remember even Lord Kames^, strangely prejudiced as he was against Dr. Johnson, Avas compelled to allow it very high praise. It has been ascribed to Mr. Garrick, from its appearing at first with the signature G. ; but I have heard Mr. Garrick declare, that it was written by Dr. Johnson, and give the following account of the manner in which it was composed. Johnson and he were sitting together ; when, amongst other things, Garrick repeated an Epitaph upon this Philips by a Dr. Wilkes, in these words : " Exalted soul ! whose harmony could please The love-sick virgin, and the gouty case ; Could jarring discord, like Amphion, move To beauteous order and harmonious love ; Rest here in peace, till angels bid thee rise, And meet thy blessed Saviour in the skies." Johnson shook his head at these common- place funeral lines, and said to Garrick, " I think, Davy, I can make a better." Then, stirring about his tea for a little while, in a state of meditation, he almost extempore pro- duced the following verses : " Philips, whose touch harmonious could remove The pangs of guilty power or hapless love ; Rest here, distress'd by poverty no more, Here find that calm thou gav'st so oft before ; Johnson (added he), though so wise a fellow, is more like King David than King Solomon ; for he says, in his haste, that a!l men are liars." Dr. Johnson made four lines on the death of poor Hogarth, which were equally true and pleasing : ' The hand of him here torpid lies, That drew the essential form of grace ; Here closed in death the attentive eyes, That saw the manners in the face.' " " I know not," adds Mrs. Piozzi, " wliy Garrick's were pre- ferred to them." See this question answered, and the lines correctly given, post, sub December 12. 1771. — CiioKEn. ' This preface is nothing but a few lines, no douht by Johnson, mtroducing a learned essay on the " Acta Diurna of the old Rom.ins," by some other hand. — Croker. 2 His attention was probably drawn to Barretier by Miss Carter, with whom that young man, who is represented as having been from his infancy a prodigy of learning, corre- sponded. Johnson seems to have been somewhat, and yet not sufficiently, incredulous as to the almost miraculous extent of his acquirements, and confesses that he had few materials but those furnished by Barretier's father ; and certainly what has been preserved of his correspondence in the Life of Mrs. Carter (70— 94.), does not justify the extraordinary accounts which we read of his learning and genius. He died in 1740, set. 111. — Croker. ^ Henry Home, one of the Lords of Session in Scotland, anthor of the '• Elements of Criticism," " Sketcties of the History of Man," .and other ingenious works. — Croker. ■I The epitaph of Philips is in the porcli of Wolverliampton church. The prose part of it is curious : — " Near this place lies Cluirles Claudius Philips, whose absolute contempt of riches, and inimitable performances upon the viiilin, made him the admiration of all that knew him. He was born in Wales, made the tour of Europe, and, after the experience of both kinds of fortune, died in 1732." Mr. Garrick appears not to have recited tlie verses cor- rectly, the origin.d being as follows. One of the various Sleep, undisturb'd, within this peaceful shrine. Till angels wake thee with a note like thine I"* At the same time that Mr. Garrick favoured me with this anecdote, he repeated a very pointed Epigram by Johnson, on George the Second and Colley (Jibber, which Las never yet appeared, and of which I know not the exact date. Dr. Johnson afterwards gave it to me himself: — " Augustus still survives in Marc's strain. And Spenser's verse prolongs Eliza's reign ; Great George's acts let tuneful Cibher sing, For Nature form'd the Poet for the King." [JOHNSON TO MR. PAUL.' " St. John's Gate, January 31st, 1740-41. " Sir, — Dr. James presses me with great warmth to remind you of your promise, that you would exert your interest with Mr. Warren to bring their affairs to a speedy conclusion ; this you know, Sir, I have some right to insist upon, as 'Sir. Cave was, in some degree, diverted from attending to the arbitration by my assiduity in expediting the agreement between you ; but I do not imagine many arguments necessary to prevail upon Mr. Warren to do what seems to be no less desired by him than the Doctor. If he entertains any sus- picion that I shall endeavour to enforce the Doctor's arguments, I am willing, and more than barely willing, to forbear all mention of the ques- tion. He that desires only to do right, can oblige nobody by acting, and must offend every man that expects favours. It is perhaps for this reason that Mr. Cave seems very much inclined to re- sign the office of umpire ; and since I know not whom to propose in his place equally qualified and disinterested, and am yet desired to propose some- body, I believe the most eligible method of deter- mining this vexatious affair will be, that each readings is remarkable, as it is the germ of Johnson's con- cluding line: — " Exalted soul, thtj various sounds could please The love-sick virgin, and the gouty ease ; Could jarring croivds, like old Amphion, move To beauteous order and harmonious love; Rest here in peace, till angels bid thee rise. And meet thy Saviour's consort in the skies." Blakewat. By consort, in the above lines, I suppose concert is meant ; but still I do not see the germ of Johnson's thought Croker. 5 This is the first of a dozen letters or notes of Johnson (communicated to me by Mr. Peter Cunningham) .addressed, two in 1741, and the rest in Wn-ij, to a Mr. Lewis Paul, of Birmingham and subsequently of Brook Green, Hammer- smith. They relate to some question of business between Paul, Warren the Birmingham bookseller. Dr. James, and Cave, Johnson acting as a common friend of all the parties. The case seems to have been that Paul had invented what Cave calls " a machine for making the new spindles for spinning wool and cotton." Towards trying this, Warren and J;imes appear to have advanced money ; and on some differ- ence between them, Cave, at Johnson's request, consented to bean umpire. Cave, however, who, as Johnson says in his /.//<•, impaired his fortune by innumerable projects, of which none succeeded," had himself some pecuniary interest in the con- cern—as landlord, it seems, of the mill in which the machine was worked ; .and in 1750, Johnson was again mediating between Paul and Cave's representatives. The %vhole affair is very obscure, and the letters, though marked with John- son's usual good sense, are perhaps hardly worth insert- ing I yet I am willing to preserve them as additional proofs of his kindness to his friends, and as affording glimpses of hia life at periods of which Boswell knew nothing. The originals are in the possession of Mr. Lewis Pocock — Croker. ;s4S. 44 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1''42. party should draw up in a narrow compass his own state of the case, and his demand upon tlie other ; and each abate somewhat, of which himself or his friends may think due to him by the laws of rigid justice. This will seem a tedious method, but will, I hope, be shortened by the desire, so often expressed on each side, of a speedy determination. If either party can make use of me in this transac- tion, in which there is no opportunity for malevo- lence or prejudice to exert themselves, I shall be well satisfied with the employment. IMr. Cave, who knows to whom I am writing, desires me to mention his interest ', of which I need not remind you that it is complicated with yours ; and therefore cannot be neglected by you without opposition to motives, far stronger than the per- suasions of. Sir, your humble servant, — Pucock, MSS. "Sam. Johkson." JOHNSON TO PAUL, In Birmingham. " Sir, — The hurry of removing and some other hindrances, have kei)t me from writing to you since you left us, nor should I have allowed myself the plea- sure of doing it now, but that the Doctor [James] has pressed me to offer you a proposal, which I know not why he does not rather make himself; but iiis request, whatever be the reason of it, is too small to be denied. He proposes, — 1 . To pay you imme- diately, or give you satisfactory security for the speedy payment of £100. 2. To exchange gene- ral releases with Mr. Warren. These proposals he makes upon the conditions formerly ottered, that the bargain for spindles shall be vacated. The securities for INIr. Warren's debts released, and the debt of £65 remitted with the addition of this new article, that Mr. Warren shall give him the books bought for the carrying on of their joint undertaking. What difference this new demand may make, I cannot tell, nor do I intend to be under- stood in these proposals to express any of my own sentiments, but merely to write after a dictation. I believe I have expressed the Doctor's meaning, but being disappointed of an interview with him, cannot shew him this, and he generally hints his intentions somewhat obscurely. He is very impatient for an answer, and de- sires me to importune you for one by the return of the post. I am not willing, in this affair, to request anythitig on my own account ; for you know already, that an agreement can only be made by a communication of your thoughts, and a speedy agreement only by an expeditious communication. I hope to write soon on some more agreeable subject ; for though, perhaps, a man cannot easily 1 "I have no encouragement to mention anything of tny affairs to Mr. Paul, after sucli a letter as he sent to Mr. John- son, who had made some mention or enquiry for me. Though I am to be kept in the dark, I suppose you who are on the spot must know what hopes you liave of being reimbursed your monev, and s-liall be glad of a line on that head." Cave to Mr. Warren, in Birmingham, April 9. 1741. — P. CuN- NINOHIM. - This is an arrangement of the report of a debate between Cromwell and a committee of the Parliament. It is to be regretted tliat Johnson did not rather reprint the original report, which the editors of the Parliamentary History do not appear to have seen — Choker. 3 Boswell must mean that the sole and exclusive com- position by Johnson began at this date ; because we have seen that he had been employed on these debates as early as find more pleasing employment than of reconciling variances, he may certainly amuse himself better by any other business, than of interposing in con- troversies which grow every day more distant from accommodation, which has been hitherto my fate ; but I hope my endeavours will be, hereafter, more successful. I am. Sir, yours, &c., — Pocock, MSS. " Sam. Johnson."] In 1741 he wrote for the Gentleman's Maga- zine the " Preface ;"t " Conclusion of his Lives of Drake and Barretier ;" * " A free Translation of the Jests of Hierocles, with an Introduc- tion ;" f and, I think, the following pieces : " Debate on the Proposal of Parliament to Cromwell, to assume the Title of King, abridged modified, and digested ;"2f "Translation of Abbe Guyon's Dissertation on the Amazons ;"f " Translation of Fontenelle's Panegyric on Dr. Morin."f Two notes upon this appear to me undoubtedly his. He this year, and the two following, wrote the Parliamentary Debates. He told me himself, that he was the sole com- poser of them for those three years only. He was not, however, precisely exact in his state- ment, which he mentioned from hasty recol- lection ; for it is sufficiently evident, that his composition of them began November 19. 1740, and ended February 23. 1 742-3.^ It appears from some of Cave's letters to Dr. Birch, that Cave had better assistance for that branch of his JNIagazine, than has been generally supposed ; and that he was indefatigable in get- ting it made as perfect as he could. Thus, 21st July, 1735, " I trouble you with the inclosed, because you said you could easily correct what is here given for Lord Chesterfield's speech. 1 beg you will do so as soon as you can for me, because the month is far advanced." And 15th July, 1737, " As you remember the debates so far as to per- ceive the speeches already printed are not exact, I beg the favour that you will peruse the inclosed, and, in the best manner your memory will serve, correct the mistaken passages, or add any thing that is omitted. I should be very glad to have some- tliing of the Duke of Newcastle's speech, which would be particularly of service. A gentleman has Lord Batluirst's speech to add something to." And July 3, 1744, " You will see what stupid, low, abominable stuff is put * upon your noble and learned friend's' 173S. I, however, see abundant reason to believe that he wrote them from the time (June 1738) that they assumed the Lilliputian title, and even the " Introduction " to this new form is evidently his ; and when Mr. Boswell limits Johnson's share to the 23d of Feb. 1743, he refers to the date of the debate itself, and not to that of the report, for the debates on the Gin Act (certainly reported "by Johnson), which took place in Feb. 1743, were not concluded in the Magazine till February, 1744: so that instead of two years and nine months, according to Mr. Hoswell's reckoning, we have, I think. Johnson's own evidence that he was employed in this way for near six years — from 17.38 to 1744. — Cro'ker. ■> I suppose, in another compilation of the same kind — Boswell. 5 Doubtless, Lord Hardwicke — Boswell. JEt. 33. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 45 character, such as I should quite reject, and en- deavour to do something better towards doing jus- tice to the character. But as I cannot expect to attain my desire in that respect, it would be a great satisfaction, as well as an honour to our work, to have the favour of the genuine speech. It is a method that several have been pleased to take, as I could show, but I think myself under a restraint. I shall say so far, that I have had some by a third hand, wliich I understood well enough to come from the first ; others by penny-post, and others by the speakers themselves, who have been pleased to visit St. John's Gate, and show particular marks of their being pleased." — [Birch's MSS. in Brit. Mus. 4302.] There is no reason, I believe, to doubt the veracity of Cave. It is, however, remarkable that none of those letters are in the years dur- ing which Johnson alone furnished the Debates, and one of them is iu the very year after he ceased from that labour. Johnson told me, that as soon as he found that the speeches were thought genuine, he determined that he would write no more of them ; " for he would not be accessory to the propagation of falsehood." And such was the tenderness of his conscience, that a short time before his death he expressed his regret for his having been the author of fictions, which had passed for realities. He nevertheless agreed with me in thinking that the debates which he had framed were to be valued as orations upon questions of public importance. They have accordingly been col- lected in volumes, properly arranged, and recommended to the notice of parliamentary speakers by a preface, written by no inferior ' I am assured that the editor is Mr. George Chalmers, whose commercial works are well known and esteemed BosWELL. This collection is stated in the Preface to the Parliamentary History, vol. x., to be very incomplete : of thirty-two debates, twelve are given under wrong dates, and several of Johnson's best compositions are wholly omitted ; amongst others the important debate of Feb. 1.3. 1741, on Mr. Sandys's motion for the removal of Sir RobertWalpole : other omissions, equally striking, are complained of. — Choker. 2 Sir J. Hawkins's account of the origin and progress of this system of reporting the debates and of Johnson's share in it is too long (pp.94 — 132.) to be introduced here, but is curious and worth consulting. Hawkins, however, seems (as well as the other biographers) to have overrated the value, to Cave and the public, of Johnson's Parliamentary Debat It is shown in the preface to the Parliamentary History 1738 (ed. 1812), that one of Cave's rivals, the London Maga fo. zine, often excelled the Gentleman's Magazine, in the priority and accuracy of its parliamentary reports, which were contributed by Gordon, the translator of Tacitus. Of the reports in the Gentleman's Magazine, Mr. Murphy says: — "That Johnson was the author of the debates was not generally known ; but the secret transpired several years afterwards, and was avowed by himself on the following occasion : — Mr. Wedderburne (afterwards Lord Lough- borough and Earl of Rosslvn), Dr. Johnson, Dr. Francis (the translator of Horace), Murphy himself, and others, dined with the late Mr. Foote. An important debate towards the end of Sir Robert Walpole's administration being men- tioned, Dr. Francis observed, " that Mr Pitt's speech on that occasion was the best he had ever read." He added, "that he had employed eight years of his life in the study of De- mosthenes, and finished a translation of that celebrated orator, with all the decorations of style and language within the reach of his capacity ; but he had met with nothing equal to the speech above mentioned." Many of the company remembered the debate ; and some passages were cited with the approbation and applause of all present. During the ardour of conversation, Johnson remained silent. As soon as the warmth of praise subsided, he opened with these words : — " That speech 1 wrote in a garret in Exeter Street" i hand.' I must, however, observe, that, al- I though there is in those debates a wonderful I store of political information, and very power- j ful eloquence, I cannot agree that they exhibit I the manner of each particular sj)eaker, as Sir I John Hawkins seems to think. Hut, indeed, what opinion can we have of his judgment and j taste in public speaking, who presunies to give, I as the characteristics of two celebrated orators, " the deep-mouthed rancour of Pulteney, and the yeljiing pertinacity of Pitt?"* CHAPTER VII. 1741-1744. " Irene." — Review of the "Conduct of the Duchess of Marlborough." — Lives of Barman and Syden- ham. — " Proposals for Bibliolheca Ilarleiana." Projects a History of Parliament. — Dispute he- tween Croiisaz and Warhurton — " Dedication to James's Dictionary " — " Friendship, an Ode." — Extreme Indigence. — Richard Savaye. — Anec- dotes. — " The Life of Savage."— Countess of Macclesfield. — " Preface to the Harkian Miscel- lany. " This year I find that his tragedy of Irene had been for some time ready lor the stage, and that his necessities made him desirous of get- ting as much as he could for it without delay ; for there is the following letter from Mr. Cave to Dr. Birch, in the same volume of manuscripts The company was struck with astonishment. After staring at each other in silent amaze. Dr. Francis asked how that speech could be written by him ? " Sir," said Johnson, " I wrote it in Exeter Street. I never have been in the gallery of the House of Commons but once. Cave h.id interest with the door-keepers. He, and the persons employed under him, gained admittance: they brougiit away the subject of dis- cussion, the names of the speakers, the sides they took, and the order in which they rose, together with notes of the arguments advanced in the course of the debate. The whole was afterwards communicated to me, and I composed the speeches in the form which they now have in the Parlia- mentary Debates." To this discovery Dr. Francis made answer: — " Then, sir, you have exceeded Demosthenes himself, for to say that you have exceeded Francis's Demos- thenes, would be saying nothing." The rest of the company bestowed lavish encomiums on Johnson : one, in particular, praised his impartiality ; observing, that he dealt out reason and eloquence with an equal hand to both parties. " That is not quite true," said Johnson ; " I saved appearances tolerably well, but I took care that the Whig dogs should not have the best of it." — Murphy. The speech of Mr. Fill's referred to was, no doubt, the celebrated reply tc old Horace Walpole, beginning " The atrocious crime of being a young man," March 10. 1741 ; but there is in the statement a slight inaccuracy, arising, per- haps, from a slip of Johnson's memory, who, by Mr. Bos- well's list of Johnson's residences, appears not to have resided in Kxeter Street after his return to London in 1737. But he may have resided there a second time, or, after the lapse of so many years, have forgotten the exact place. There can be no doubt that Murphy's report was accurate. It is very remarkable that Dr. Maty, who » rote the Life and edited' the Works of Lord Chesterfield, with the use of his Lordship's papers, under the eye of his surviving friends, and in the lifetime of Johnson, should have published, as " specimens of his Lordship's eloquence, in the strong ner- vous style of Demosthenes, as well as in the witty ironical manner of TuUy," three speeches, which are certainly John- son's composition. See Chesterfield's Works, vol. ii. p. 319. and post, May 13. 177S. — Cbokek. 46 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1743. in the British Museum, from which I copied those above quoted. They were most obligingly pointed out to me by Sir William ISIusgrave, one of the curators [trustees] of that noble re- pository. "Sept. 9, 1741. « I have put Mr. Johnson's play into Mr. Gray's i hands, in order to sell it to him, if he is inclined to buy it ; but I doubt whether he will or not. He would dispose of the copy, and whatever advantage may be made by acting it. Would your society \ or any gentleman, or body of men that you know, take such a bargain ? He and I are very unfit to deal with theatrical persons. Fleetwood was to have acted it last season, but Johnson's dif- fidence or ^ prevented it." I have already mentioned that " Irene " was not brought into public notice till Garrick was manager of Drury-lane Theatre. In 1742 ''• he wrote for the Gentleman's Ma- gazine, the "Pref\ice,"t the "Parliamentary Debates," *= "Essay on the Account of the Conduct of the Duchess of Marlborough,"* then the popular topic of conversation. This Essay is a short but masterly performance. We find him, in No. 13. of his Rambler, cen- suring a profligate sentiment in that "Ac- count,"^ and again (10th Sept. 1773) insisting upon it strenuously in conversation. "An Account of the Life" of Peter Burman," * I be- lieve chiefly taken from a foreign publication ; as, indeed, he could not himself know much about Burman ; " Additions to his Life of Bar- retier," * " The Life of Sydenham," * afterwards prefixed to Dr. Swan's edition of his works ; " Proposals for printing Bibliotheca Harleiana, or a Catalogue of the Library of the Earl of Oxford."* "His account of that celebrated col- lection of books, in which he displays the im- portance to literature, of what the French call a catalogue raisonne, when the subjects of it are extensive and various, and it is executed with ability, cannot fail to impress all his readers with admu-ation of his philological attainments. It was afterwards prefixed to the first volume of the Catalogue, in which the Latin accounts of books were written by him. He was em- ployed in this business by Mr. Thomas Osborne ^ the bookseller, who purchased the library for 13,000?., a sum which ]Mr. Oldys says, in one of his manuscripts, was not more than the bind- ing of the books had cost '' ; yet, as Dr. John- son assured me, the slowness of the sale was such, that there was not much gained by it. It has been confidently related, with many em- bellishments, that Johnson one day knocked Osborne down in his shop with a folio, and put his foot upon his neck. The simple truth I had from Johnson himself " Sir, he was imperti- nent to me, and I beat him. But it was not in his shop : it was in my own chamber." A very diligent observer may trace him where we should not easily suppose him to be found. I have no doubt that he wrote the little abridgment entitled " Foreign History," in the Magazine for December. To prove it, I shall quote the Introduction : — " As this is that season of the year in which Nature may be said to command a suspension of hostilities, and which seems intended, by putting a short stop to violence and slaughter, to afford time for malice to relent, and animosity to subside ; we can scarce expect any other account than of plans, , negotiations, and treaties, of proposals for peace, and preparations for war." As also this passage : — " Let those who despise the capacity of the Swiss, tell us by what wonderful policy, or by what happy conciliation of interests, it is brought to pass, that in a body made up of different communities and different religions, there should be no civil commotions, though the people are so warlike, that to nominate and raise an array is the same." I am obliged to Mr. Astle ^ for his ready permission to copy the two following letters, of which the originals are in his possession. Their contents show that they were written about this time, and that Johnson was now engaged in preparing an historical account of the British Parliament. JOHNSON TO CAVE. [.\ug. 1743.] " Sir, — I believe 1 am going to write a long letter, and have therefore taken a whole sheet of paper. The first thing to be written about is our historical design. " You mentioned the proposal of printing in ' John Gray was a bookseller, at the Cross Keys in the Poultry, the shop formerly kept by Dr. Samuel Chandler. Like his predecessor, he became a dissenting minister ; but he afterwards took orders in the church, and held a living at Ripon in Yorkshire Wright. " Not the Royal Society [as Boswell in his two first edi- tions had strangely stated] ; but the " Society for the En- couragement of Learning," of which Dr. Birch was a leading member. Their object was, to assist authors in printing expensive works. It existed from about 1735 to 1746, when, having incurred a considerable debt, it was dissolved. — Boswell. 3 There is no erasure here, but a more blank ; to fill up which maybe .in exercise for ingenious conjecture Bos- well. Probably something equivalent to the reverse of dif- fidence.— Crokv.^. •1 From one of his letters to a friend, written in June, 1742, it should seem that he then purposed to write a play on the subject of Cliarles the Twelfth of Sweden, and to have it ready for the ensuing winter. The passage .alluded to, how- ever, is somewhat ambiguous ; and the work wliich lie then had in contemplation may have been a history of that monarch. — Malone. 5 " A late female minister cf state has been shameless enough to inform the world, thiit she used, when she wanted to extract .any thing from lier sovereign, to remind her of Montaigne's re;isoning ; who has determined, that to tell a secret to a friend is no breach of fidelity, because the number of persons trusted is not multiplied, — a man and his friend being virtually the s.anie." Rambler, No. 13. — Wright. 6 The same who is introduced into the Dunciad under dis- gusting circumstances, which disgrace Pope rather than Osborne, of whom Jolmson says in his Life of the poet, that his " impassible dulness " would not feel the satire. He died in 1767. — Croker. 7 See Censura Litoraria, vol. i. p. 438. — Wright. " Thomas Astle, Esq , many years Keeper of the Records in the Tower, one of the Keepers of the Paper Office, and Trustee of the British Museum. He contributed many articles to the Arcliaeologia -. but his principal work was the " Origin .and Progress of Writing, as well Hieroglyphic as Elementary." He died Dec. 1. 1803. — Wright. JEt, 34. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. numbers as an alteration in the scheme, but I be- lieve you mistook, some way or other, my meaning ; I had no other view than that you might rather print too many of five sheets, than of five and thirty. " With regard to what I shall say oti the man- ner of proceeding, I would have it understood as wholly indifferent to me, and my opinion only, not my resolution. Emptoris sit eligere. " I think the insertion of the exact dates of the most important events in the margin, or of so many events as may enable the reader to regulate the order of facts with sufficient exactness, the proper medium between a journal, which has regard only to time, and a history, which ranges facts according to their dependence on each other, and postpones or anticipates according to the convenience of nar- ration. I think the work ought to partake of the spirit of history, which is contrary to minute exact- ness, and of the regularity of a journal, which is inconsistent with spirit. For this reason, I neither admit numbers or dates, nor reject them. " I am of your opinion with regard to placing most of the resolutions, &c. in the margin, and think we shall give the most complete account of parliamentary proceedings that can be contrived. The naked papers, without an historical treatise interwoven, require some other book to make them understood. I will date the succeeding facts with some exactness, but I think in the margin. " You told me on Saturday that I had received money on this work, and found set down 13/. 2s. 6d. reckoning the half guinea of last Saturday. As you hinted to me that you had many calls for money, I would not press you too hard, and therefore shall desire only, as I send it in, two guineas for a sheet of copy ; the rest you may pay me when it may be more convenient ; and even by this sheet payment I shall, for some time, be very expensive. " The Life of Savage I am ready to go upon ; and in great primer and pica notes, I reckon on sending in half a sheet a day ; but the money for that shall likewise lie by in your hands till it is done. With the debates, shall not I have business enough if I had but good pens ? " Towards Mr. Savage's Life what more have you got? I would willingly have his trial, &c.. 1 " The Plain Dealer "was published in 1724, and contained some account of Savage. — Boswell. = Perhaps the Runic Inscription, Gent. Mag. vol. xii. — Malone. Certainly not — that was published in March, 1742, at least seventeen months before this letter was written ; nor does there appear in the Magazine any inscription to which tliis can refer. It seemed at first sight probable that it might allude to the translation of Pope's Inscription on his Grotto, which appeared (with an apology for haste) in the next Magazine ; but the expression " I could think of nothing till to-day," negatives that supposition. The inscription, then, was I suppose one which Cave requested Johnson to devise, and for which, when Johnson after a long delay produced it, Cave surprised him by paying. — Croker. I have not discovered what this was. — Boswell. 3 Mr. Hector was present when this Epigram was made impromptu. The first line was proposed by Dr. James, and Johnson was called upon by the company to finish it, which he instantly did — Boswell. Angliacas inter pulchcrrima Laura puellas, Mox uteri ponclus depositura grave, Adsii, Laura, tibifacilis Lvj:ina dolcnti, Neve tibi noceat prceniluisse Dete. " Laura, of British girls the loveliest flower. Soon to lay down the burden of thy womb ; O may Lucina help thy painful hour, Nor harm thee, envious of thy brighter bloom. and know whether his defence be at Bristol, and would have his collection of Poems, on account of the preface ; — " The Plain Dealer",' — all the IMagazines that have any thing of his or relating to him. " I thought my letter would be long, but it is now ended ; and I am, Sir, yours, &c., " Sam. Johnson." " The boy found me writing this almost in the dark, when I could not quite easily read yours. " I have read the Italian : — nothing in it is well. " I had no notion of having any thing for the Inscription.* I hope you don't think I kept it to extort a price. I could think of nothing till to-day. If you could spare me another guinea for the history, I should take it very kindly, to- night ; but if you do not I shall not think it au injury. I am almost well again." JOHNSON TO CAVE. "Sir, — You did not tell me your determination about the Soldier's Letter, which I am confident W.1S never printed. I think it will not do by it- self, or in any other place, so well as the Mag. Extraordinary. If you will have it all, I believe you do not think I set it high ; and I will be glad if wliat you give you will give quickly. " You need not be in care about something to print, for I have got the State Trials, and sliall ex- tract Layer, Atterbury, and Rlacclesfield from them, and shall bring them to you in a fortnight ; after which I will try to get the South Sea Re- port." [No date, nor sipnature.] I would also ascribe to him an " Essay on the Description of China, from the French of Du Halde."t His -writings in the Gentleman's Magazine in 1743, .are, the Preflicef, the Parliamentary Debates "j", "Considerations on the Dispute between Crousaz and Warburton, on Pope's Essay on Man ;"t in which, while he defends Crousaz, he shows an admirable metaphysical acuteness and temperance in controversy : "Ad Lauram parlturam Epigramma :" ^ * and, "A This version is, I .im conscious, awkward enough, but not more so, I hope, than the original, which indeed, seems hardly wortli the distinction of being speci.nlly quoted. If the first line Avas proposed as a l/iesis, we cannot much admire the style in wliich it was followed up: the designa- tion, surely, of tlie lady as piielln, would lead us to expect any thing rather than the turn which the epigram talses. Is not the second line gross and iiwkward ; tlie third pe- dantic ; and the conceit of the fourth not even classical — for Lucina was never famed for her beauty ; and does not the whole seem a very strange subject for poetical com- pliment ? — Ckokeh, Wi\. An article in the Edinburgh Review, No. 107. p. 9., since republished in Mr. Macaulay's Essays, censures the foregoing note; and, somewhat superfluously, reminds us, that Horace talks of laborantes utero pvellas. I never said or supposed that a person in that condition might not be still called "jiurl/a," but I thought and think that if, as Boswell states, the Jirst line was given a.\- a t/iesis for the poet to pursue ad libitum in praise of " the prettiest girl in England." one never would have expected the turn the compliment takes, of tell- ing her, in very coarse terms, that she is aboitt to be brought to bed, and of adding, by way of consolation, that she is hand- somer than the midiriie : for this learned critic has further discovered that " Lucina was one of the names of Diana, and the btauty of Diana is extolled by all the most orthodox doctors of ancient mythology." By this style of metonymy Hecatea\io might be made a partaker of Diana's beauty. See Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine for Nov. IRIil. —Csoker, 1846. Mr. Malone states, that an elegant Latin Ode " Ad orna- 48 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1744. Latin Translation of Pope's Verses on his Grotto:"* and, as he could employ his pen with equal success upon a small matter as a great, I suppose him to be the author of an advertisement for Osborne, concerning the great Harlelan Catalogue. But I should think myself much wanting, both to my illustrious friend and my readers, did I not introduce here, with more than ordi- nary respect, an exquisitely beautiful Ode, which has not been inserted in any of the collections of Johnson's poetry, written by him at a very early period, as Mr. Hector informs me, and inserted in the Gentleman's Magazine of this year. Friendship, •' Friendship, peculiar boon of Heaven, The noble mind's delight and pride, To men and angels only given, To all the lower world denied. " While love, unknown among the blest, Parent of thousand wild desires, Tlie savage and the human breast Torments alike with raging fires ; " With bright, but oft destnictlTe, gleam, Alike o'er all liis lightnings fly ; Thy lambent glories only l)eam Around the favourites of the sky, " Thy gentle flows of guiltless joys On fools and villains ne'er descend : In vain for thee the tyrant sighs, And hugs a flatterer for a friend. " Directress of the brave and just, O guide us through life's darksome way ! And let the tortures of mistrust On selfisli bosoms only prey. " Nor shall tliine ardour cease to glow, When souls to blissful climes remove : What rais'd our virtue here below, Shall aid our happiness above." Johnson had now an opporlunity of obliging his schoolfellow Dr. James, of whom he once observed, " No man brings more mind to his profession." James published this year his " Medicinal Dictionary," in three volumes folio. Johnson, as I understood from him, had tisstmam Puellnm" which appeared in the Gentleman's Magazine for 1743 (vol. xiii. ji. S48.), was, many years ago, pointed out to James Bindley, Esq., as written by Johnson, and may safely be attributed to him. I do not think so: it appears to me to be In a difl'erent and (may I venture to add ?) belter style than Johnson's ; and I fiiid, in the Ncta youndling Hospital for Wit, that it is attributed to Bishop Lowth. — Croker. 1 " Sib, — That the Medicinal Dictionary is dedicated to you, is to be imputed only to your reputation for superior skill in those sciences which I have endeavoured to explain and facilitate : and you are, therefore, to consider this address, if it be agreeable to you, as one of the rewards of merit ; and, if otherwise, as one of the inconveniences of eminence. " However you shall receive it, my design cannot be disap- pointed ; because this public appeal to your judgment will show that I do not found my hopes of approbation upon the ignorance of my readers, and that 1 fear his censure least whose knowledge is most extensive. I am. Sir, your most obedient humble servant, R. James." — Boswell. written, or assisted in writing, the proposals for this work ; and being very fond of the study of physic, in which James was his master, he furnished some of the articles. He, however, certainly wrote for it the Dedication to Dr. Meadf, which is conceived with great address, to conciliate the patronage of that very emi- nent man.' It has been circulated ^, I know not with what authenticity, that Johnson considered Dr. Eirch as a dull writer, and said of him, "Tom Birch is as brisk as a bee in conversation ; but no sooner does he take a pen in his hand, than it becomes a torpedo to him, and benumbs all his faculties." That the literature of this country is much indebted to Birch's activity and diligence, must certainly be acknowledged. AVe have seen that Johnson honoured ^ him with a Greek Epigram ; and his correspondence with him, during many years, proves that he had no mean opinion of him. JOHNSON TO BIRCH. " Thursday, Sept. 29. 174.3. '' Sir, — I hope you will excuse me for troubling you on an occasion on which I know not whom else I can apply to: I am at a loss for tlie 'lives and characters of Earl Stanhope, the two Craggs, and the minister Sunderland ; and beg tliat you will inform [me] where I may find them, and send any pamphlets, &c. relating to them to I\Ir. Cave, to be perused for a few days, l)y, Sir, your most Immble servant, Saji. Johnson." His circumstances were at this time embar- rassed ; yet his affection for his mother was so warm, and so liberal, that he took upon him- self a debt of hers, which, though small in itself, was then considerable to him.'' This appears from the following letter which he wrote to Mr. Levett, of Lichfield, the original of which lies now before me. JOHNSON TO MR. LEVETT, In Lichfield. December 1. 1743. " Sir, — I am extremely sorry that we have en- croached so mud) upon your forbearance with respect to the interest, which a great perplexity of affairs hindered me from thinking of with that attention that I ought, and which I am not imme- diately able to remit to you, but will pay it (I 2 By Hawkins, /.j/t", p. 209. There seems no reason to doubt tliat Dr. Birch's conversation exceeded his writings in viva- city, but the phrase itself is, as Mr. P. Cunningham observes, borrowed from Beau Nash, wlio said of himself that " his pen was a torpedo, which, when he grasped it, benumbed all his faculties." Goldsmith's Life of Nash. — Choker. 3 No doubt, as the case has turned out. Birch is honoured by Johnson's compliment ; but at the time when it was written. Birch was of eminence in the literary world, and (what aflfected Johnson more nearly) high in the estimation of Cave ; and Johnson's learned flatteries of him. Miss Carter, and Mr. Urban, were all probably prompted by a desire to propitiate Cave. — Croker. ■1 Dr. Johnson was no doubt an affectionate son, and even to indifferent persons the most charitable of men ; but the praises which Boswell lavishes on this particular affair are uncalled for, as the debt was hardly so much Johnson's mother's as his own. It has already appeared that he had something of his father's property to expect after his mother's death (p. 19.) ; this was the house in Lichfield, ^T. 35. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 49 think twelve pounds) in two months. I look upon this, and on the future interest of that mortgage, as my own debt ; and beg that you will be pleased to give me directions how to pay it, and not to mention it to my dear mother. If it be necessary to pay this in less time, I believe I can do it; but I take two months for certainty, and beg an answer whetlier you can allow me so mucii time. I tiiink myself very much obliged to your forbearance, and shall esteem it a great happiness to be able to serve you. I have great opportunities of dispersing any thing that you may think it proper to make public. I will give a note for the money, payable at the time mentioned, to any one here that you shall appoint. I am. Sir, your most obedient, and most humble servant, Sam. Johnson. " At Mr. Osborne's, bookseller, in Gray's Inn." It does not appear that he wrote any thing in 1744' for the Gentleman's Magazine, but the Preface.j" His life of Barretier was now republished in a pamphlet by itself. But he produced one work this year, fully sufficient to maintain the high reputation which he had acquired. This was "The Life of Richard Savage;"* a man, of whom it is difficult to speak impartially, without wondering that he was for some time the intimate companion of Johnson ; for his character ^ was marked by profligacy, insolence, and ingratitude : yet, as he undoubtedly had a warm and vigorous, though unregulated mind, had seen life in all which was, it seems, mortgageti to Mr. Levett : by the non- payment of the interest Levett would have been entitled to get possession of the property ; and in that case Johnson would have lost his reversion, so that he very justly says, that " he loolts upon this and the future interest on the mortgage as his own debt." — Choker. ' In this and the two next years, Mr. Boswell has not assigned to Jolinson any contributions to the Gentleman's Magazine ; yet there seems little doubt that from his connec- tion with that work he derived, for some years, the chief and almost the only means of subsistence for himself and his wife: perhaps he may have acted as general editor with an annual allowance, and he no doubt employed h imself on more literary works than have been acknowledged In this point the public loss is, perhaps, not great. What he was unwilling to avow, we need not be very solicitous to discover. Indeed, his personal history is, about this period, a blank, hidden, it is to be feared, in"tlie obscurity of indigence — if there was not also some po/ii/ca/ motive for concealment. (See post, p. 54. n. 2.) — Choker. 2 As a specimen of Savage's temper, I insert the following letter from him to a noble Lord [Tyrconnel], to whom he was under great obligations, but who, on account of his bad conduct, was obliged to discard him. The original was in the hands of the late Francis Cockayne Cust, Esq., one of his Majesty's counsel learned in the law : — " Right Honourable Brute and Booby, — I find you want (as Mr. is pleased to hint) to swear away my life, that is, the life of your creditor, because he asks you for a debt. The public shall soon be acquainted with tiiis, to judge whether you are not fitter to be an Irish evidence, than to be an Irish peer. I defy and despise you. I am, your deter- mined adversary, R. S." — Boswell. 3 Sir John Hawkins gives the world to understand, that Johnson, " being an admirer of genteel manners, was capti- vated by the address and demeanour of Savage, who, as to his exterior, was, to a remarkable degree, accomplished." — Hawkins's Life; p. ^2. But Sir John's notions of gentility must appear somewhat ludicrous, from his stating the follow- ing circumstance as presumptive evidence that Savage was a good swordsman : — " That he understood the exercise of a gentleman's weapon, may be inferred from the use made of it in that rash encounter related in his Life." The dexterity here alluded to was, that Savage, in a nocturnal fit of drunkenness, stabbed a man at a coffee-liouse, and killed him : for which he was tried at the Old Bailey, and found guilty of murder. Johnson, indeed, describes him as having " a grave and manly deportment, a solemn dignity of mien ; but wliich, its varieties, and been nmch in the company of the statesmen and wits of his time, he could comumnicate to Johnson an abundant supply of such materials as his philosojjhical curiosity most eagerly desired ; and as Savage's mis- fortunes and miscouduct had reduced him to the lowest state of wretchedness as a writer for bread, his visits to St. John's Gate naturally brought Johnson and him together.^ It is melancholy to reflect, that Johnson and Savage were sometimes in such extreme in- digence *, that they could not pay for a lodg- ing ; so that they have wandered together whole nights in the street. Yet in these almost in- credible scenes of distress, we may suppose that Savage mentioned many of the anecdotes with which Johnson afterwards enriched the life of his unhappy companion, and those of other jioets. He told Sir Joshua Reynolds, that one night in particular, when Savage and he walked round St. James's Square for want of a lodg- ing, they were not at all depressed by their situation ; but, in high spirits and brimful of patriotism, traversed the square for several hours, inveighed against the minister, and " re- solved they would stand by their country. '' I am afraid, however, that by associating with Savage, who was habituated to the dissi- pation and licentiousness of the town, Johnson, upon a nearer acquaintance, softened into an engaging easi- ness of manners." How highly Johnson admired him for that knowledge which he himself so much cultivated, and what kindness he entertained for him, appears from the following lines in the Gentleman's Magazine for April, 1738, which I am assured were written by Johnson : — " Ad Ricardum Savage. Ilumani studium generis cui pectore fervet colat humanum tefoveatque genus."— Boswell. " Thou, whose warm heart for all mankind can beat. In all mankind should friends and favourers meet." C. Boswell should have stated his authority for attributing this poor and obscure couplet to Johnson ; and he should not have suppressed the absurd original title — " Ad Ricardum Savage, Arm. Humani generis amalorem." " To Richard Savage, Esq the lover of the Human race." I am reluctant to believe that Johnson wrote this sad stuff, wliich was certainly written shortly before Johnson became personally acquainted with Savage; and if it be Johnson's, was probably mtended to propitiate Cave, in whose favour Johnson supposed Savage to stand high. The exact date of the commencement of this acquaintance is no where given ; but it was not earlier than April, 1738. This is of some im- portance ; because Johnson has been reproached with an early intimacy with this profligate and unhappy man. In the Gent. Mag., 1785, p. 476., he is said to have written Savage's defence at his trial, and is called "an apologist for murder ; " and another writer (p. 679.) takes some pains to extenuate that culpable fact. Now the trial was in 1727-8, ten years before Johnson ever saw Savage. •> The following striking proof of Johnson's extreme indi- gence, when he published the Life of Savage, was communi- cated to Mr. Boswell, by Mr. Richard Stowe, of Apsley, in Bedfordshire, from the information of Mr. Walter Harte, author of the Life of Gustavus Adolphus : — " Soon after Savage's Life was published, Mr. Harte dined with Edward Cave, and occasionally praised it. Soon after, meeting him. Cave said, ' You made a man very happy t'other day.' — ' How could that be ? ' says Harte ; ' nobody was there but ourselves.' Cave .inswered, by reminding hnn that a plate of victuals was sent behind a screen, which was to Johnson, dressed so shabbily, tliat he did not choose to appear ; but, on hearing the conversation, he was highly delighted with the encomiums on his book." — Malonk. 50 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1744. though his good principles remained steady, did not entirely preserve that conduct, for •which, in days of greater simplicity, he was remarked by his friend Mr. Hector ; but was imperceptibly led into some indulgences which occasioned much distress to his virtuous mind.' That Johnson was anxious that an authentic and favourable account of his extraordinary friend should first get possession of the public attention, is evident from a letter which he wrote in the Gentleman's Magazine for August of the year preceding its publication. TO MR. URBAN. " As your collections show how often you have owed the ornaments of your poetical pages to the correspondence of the unfortunate and ingenious Mr. Savage, I doubt not but you liave so much regard to his memory as to encourage any design that may have a tendency to the preservation of it from insults or calumnies ; and therefore, with some degree of assurance, intreat you to inform the public, that his Life will speedily be published by a person who was favoured with his confidence, and received from himself an account of most of the transactions which he proposes to mention, to the time of his retirement to Swansea in Wales. ' "From that period, to his death in the prison of Bristol, the account will be continued from ma- terials still less liable to objection ; his own letters, and those of his friends, some of which will be inserted in the work, and abstracts of others sub- joined in the margin. " It may be reasonably imagined, that others may have the same design ; but as it is not credible that they can obtain the same materials, it must be expected they will supply from invention the want of intelligence ; and that, under the title of ' The Life of Savage,' they will publish only a novel, filled with romantic adventures and imaginary amours. You may, therefore, perhaps, gratify the lovers of truth and wit, by giving me leave to in- form them in your Magazine, that my account will be published in 8vo. by Mr. Roberts, in Warwick Lane." [No si{;7iature.] In February, 1744, it accordingly came forth from the shop of Roberts, between whom and ' I find no trace of any peculiar distress of mind connected with this period. There is none in his Prayers and Mcdita- tions : and I am convinced bj- many circumstances that this niglit-iralkin^, and all the other supposed consequences of his very short acquaintance with Savage (little more than a year) have been much exaggerated even by Boswell. Haw- kins very uncharitably attributes to the influence of Savage a separation which took place (as he alone asserts) between Johnson and his wife about this period. The whole course of Johnson's life and conduct warrants us in supposing that such temporary separation (if Hawkins be even so far correct) must have been produced by pecuniary distress, and not by an interrujition of affection. He would be naturally solicitous that his wife should find in her own family a temporary refuge from the difficulties with which he was struggling ; but on the other hand, we shall see presently (p. 75.) an ac- cusation against Mrs. Johnson, that she indulged herself with country lodgings and good living, at Hampstead, while her husband was starving in London. All these stories contra, diet one another ; and, indeed, even the sour Hawkins adds, that Johnson was too strict in his morals to have afforded his wife anv reasonable cause for jealousies. i//e, 31G Crokeb. = I find that J. Roberts printed in April, 1744, " The Life of Barretier," probably a reprint from the " Gentleman's Magazine," but 1 have not seen it. Cave sometimes per- mitted the name of another printer to appear on the title- pa^es of books of which he was, in fact,' the publisher, as Johnson I have not traced any connection, except the casual one of this publication.- Li Joiiiison's "Life of Savage," although it must be allowed that its moral is the reverse of — " Respicere exemplar vita moruvique juhcho" a very useful lesson is inculcated, to guard men of warm passions from a too free indulgence of them ; and the various incidents are related in so clear and animated a manner, and illumin- ated throughout with so much philosophy, that it is one of the most interesting narratives in the English language.^ Sir Joshua Reynolds told me, that upon his return from Italy he met with it in Devonshire, knowing nothing of its author, and began to read it while he was standing with his arm leaning against a chim- ney-piece. It seized his attention so strongly, that, not being able to lay down the book till he had finished it, when he attempted to move, he found his arm totally benumbed. The ra- pidity with which this work was composed is a wonderful circumstance. Johnson has been heard to say \_Aug. 11. 1773], " I wrote forty- eight of the printed octavo pages of the Life of Savage at a sitting ; but then I sat up all night," He exhibits the genius of Savage to the best advantage, in the specimens of his ^loetry which he has selected, some of which are of uncom- mon merit. We, indeed, occasionally find such vigour and such point, as might make us sup- pose that the generous aid of Johnson had been imparted to his friend. Mr. Thomas Warton made this remark to me ; and, in support of it, c^Tioted from the poem entitled " The Bastard," a line in which the foncied superiority of one " stamped in Nature's mint with extasy," is contrasted with a regular lawful descendant of some great and ancient family : " No tenth transmitter of a foolish face." But the fact is, that this poem was published some years before Johnson and Savage were acquainted.'^ It is remarkable, that in this biographical disquisition there appears a very strong symp- Miss Carter's " Examen " was printed under the name of Dodd. In this case the fact is certain ; as it appears from the letter to Cave, August, 1743, that Johnson sold the work to him even before it was written Choker. Cave was the purchaser of the copyright, and the following is a copy of Johnson's receipt for the money: — "The 14th day of December, received of Mr. Ed. Cave the sum of fifteen guineas, in full, for compiling and writing ' The Life of Richard Savage, Esq.' deceased ; and in full for all materials thereto applied, and not found by the said Edward Cave. I s Mahomet was in fact played by Mr. Barry, and Deme- trius by Mr. Garrick : but probably at this time the parts were not yet cast. — Boswell. Garrick originally intended to have played Mahomet, but yielded it to Barry to propitiate him in the authors favour. It was first acted on Monday the 6th of February, under the title of Mahomet and Irene Croker. 5 The expression used by Dr. Adams was " soothed." I should rather think the audience was atin'd by the extraor- dinary spirit and dignity of the following lines : — JEr. 41. I30SWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 61 till it came to the conclusion, when Mrs. Prit- chard, the heroine of the piece, was to be strangled upon the stage, and was to speak two lines with the bowstring round her neck. The audience cried out *■ Muixler ! murder!^ ' She several times attempted to speak ; but in vain. At last she was obliged to go off the stage alive." This passage was afterwards struck out, and she was carried off to be put to death behind the scenes, as the play now has it. Tlie Epilogue, as Johnson informed me, was written by Sir William Yonge.^ I know not how his play came to be thus graced by the pen of a person then so eminent in the political world.^ Notwithstanding all the support of such per- formers as Garrick, Barry, Mrs. Gibber, ^Ixs. Pritchard, and every advantage of dress and decoration, the tragedy of Irene did not please the public.'* Mr. Garrick's zeal carried it through for nine nights, so that the author had his three nights' profit ; and from a receipt signed by him, now in the hands of ^Ir. James Dodsley, it appears that his friend, j\lr. Robert Dodsley, gave him one hundred pounds for the copy, with his usual reservation of the right of one edition.^ Irene, considered as a poem, is entitled to the praise of superior excellence. Analysed into parts, it will furnish a rich store of noble sentiments, fine imagery, and beautiful lan- guage ; but it is deficient in pathos, in that delicate power of touching the human feelings, which is the principal end of the drama.^ In- deed, Garrick has complained to me, that John- " Be this at least his praise, be this his pride, To force applause no modern arts are tried : Should partial catcalls all his hopes confound, He bids no trumpet quell the fatal sound ; Should welcome sleep relieve the weary wit. He rolls no thunders o'er the drowsy pit : No snares to captivate the judgment spreads, Nor bribes your eyes, to prejudice your heads. Unmov'd, though witlings sneer and rivals rail. Studious to please, yet not asham'd to fail. He scorns the meek address, the suppliant strain, With merit needless, and without it vain ; In Reason, Nature, Truth, he dares to trust ; Ye fops, be silent, and ye wits, be just ! " — Boswell. • This shows how ready modern audiences are to con- demn in a new play what they have frequently endured very quietly in an old one. Rowe has made Moneses, in Tamer- lane, die by the bowstring, without offence. — Malone. Davies tells us, in his "Life of Garrick" vol. i. p. 128., that the strangling Irene, contrary to Horace's rule, coram populo, was suggested by Garrick Choker. 2 Dr. Anderson says in his Life, that " Mr. Boswell ascribes this epilogue to Sir W. Yonge on no good founda- tion : " yet Mr. Boswell, who in his first edition had simply stated the fact, added in the second, " as Johnson informed me." Mr. Murphy too asserts (i(/i?,p. 154.), that the epilogue was always supposed to be Johnson's, and that Mr. Bos- well's account is a " new discovery, and by no means proba- ble;" and he adds, that " it were to be wished that the epilogue could be transferred to any other writer, it being the worst Jf« d'esprit which ever fell from Johnson's pen." Mr. John Taylor also informed me that Murphy subsequently re- peated to him that Johnson was the author of the epilogue. The first fourteen lines certainly deserve Murphy's censure, and could hardly have been written by the pen of Johnson ; but the last ten lines are much better, and it may be sus- pected that these Johnson added to or altered from the original copy. — Choker. 3 The Right Honourable Sir William Yonge, Secretary at War, in Sir Robert Walpole's administration, and a dis- tinguished parliamentary Speaker. He was the father of .Sir George Yonge, who was Secretary at War under Mr. Pitt. Johnson must, before this, have had some communication with Sir W. Vonge, who told him thatgn-n< should be pro- son not only had not the faculty of producing the impressions of tragedy, but that he had not the sensibility to perceive them. His great friend Mr. Walmesley's i)rediction, that he would " turn out a fine tragedy writer," was, therefore, ill-founded. Johnson was wise enough to be convinced that he had not the talents necessary to write successfully for the stage, and never made another attempt in that species of composition. When asked how he felt upon the ill success of his tragedy, he replied, " Like the Monu- ment;" meaning that he continued firm and unmoved as that column.'^ And let it be re- membered, as an admonition to the genus irri- tabile of dramatic writers, that this great man, instead of previously complaining of the bad taste of the town, submitted to its decision without a murmur. He had, indeed, upon all occasions, a great deference for the general opinion : "A man," said he, "who writes a book, thinks himself wiser or wittier than the rest of mankind ; he supposes that he can instruct or amuse them, and the j)ublic to whom he appeals must, after all, be the judges of his preten- sions." On occasion of this play being brought upon the stage, Johnson had a fiincy that, as a dra- matic author, his dress should be more gay than what he ordinarily wore : he theretbre appeai-ed behind the scenes, and even in one of the side boxes, in a scarlet waistcoat, with rich gold lace, and a gold-laced hat. He humorously observed to Mr. Langton, " that nounccd so as to rhyme with seat, while Lord Chesterfield thought it should rhyme to stale. (See ante, p. 57. n. 1, and post, 27th March, 1772.) — Choker. ■< 1 know not what Sir John Hawkins means by the cold receptiun of Irene. I was at the first representation, and most of the subsequent. It was much applauded the first night, particularly the speech on to-morrow. It ran nine nights at least. It did not, indeed, become a stock-play ; but there was not the least opposition during the representation, except the first night, in the last act, where Irene was to be strangled on the stage, which John [^Buli] could not bear, though a dramatic poet may stab or slay by hundreds. The bowstring was not a Christian nor an ancient Greek or Ro- man death. But this offence was removed after the first night, and Irene went off the st.ige to be strangled. Many stories were circulated at the time, of the author's being observed at the representation to be dissatisfied with some of the speeches and conduct of the play, himself ; and, like La I'ontaine, expressing his disaiiprobation aloud Bi'R- NEY — That the reception was cold is generally admitted, but by Garrick's ze.il it was played oftener than stated by Bos- well or even Burney, who, however, says guardedly,'" nine nights at least." It seems to have been acted from Monday, 6th February, to Monday, 20th February, inclusive. — Geul. Mag., 1749, p. 76. Account of English Stage, vol. iv. p. i;66. — Croker. > Mr. Murphy supposed that the amount of the three benefit nights was not very considerable, as the profit, that stimulating motive, never invited the author to another dra- matic attempt. But it appears, by a MS. note, in Mr. Isaac Reed's co[iy of Murphy's L'fe,tbat the receipts of the third, sixth, and ninth nights, after deducting sixty guineas a night for the expenses of the house, amounted to 195/. 17*.: John- son cleared, therefore, with the copyright, very nearly 300/. — a large sum to him at that time. — Crokeh. « Aaron Hill (vol. ii.p. S.^,").), in a letter to Mr. Mallet, gives the following account of" Irene : "_" I was at the anoma- lous Mr. Johnson's benefit, and found the play his proper representative ; strong sense, ungraced by sweetness or de- corum." — Boswell. ' Or, if the anecdote be true, perhaps more modestly, that he felt no more than the Monument could feel ; but it may be presumed, from the number of nights it ran .ind the sum it produced, that Johnson was far from thinking that his tragedy had failed; and in truth it had nut. — Cbokbr. 62 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1750. when in that dress he could not treat people with the same ease as when in his usual plain clothes." Dress, indeed, we must allow, has more effect, even upon stron^ minds, than one should suppose, without havmg had the expe- rience of it. His necessary attendance while his play was in rehearsal, and durinrr its per- formance, brought him acquainted with many of the performers of both sexes, which pro- duced a more favourable opinion of their pro- fession, than he had harshly expressed in his Life of Savage.' With some of them he kept up an acquaintance as long as he and they lived, and was ever ready to show them acts of kindness. He, for a considerable time, used to frequent the Green-Room, and seemed to take delight in dissipating his gloom, by mixing in the sprightly chit-chat of the motley circle then to be found there. JMr. David Hume related to me fi'om Mr. Garrick, that Johnson at last denied himself this amusement, from considerations of rigid virtue ; saying, " I'll come no more behind your scenes, David ; for the silk stockings and white bosoms of your actresses excite my amorous propensities." [JOHNSON TO MISS PORTER.' " Gnff Square, July 12. 1740. " Dear Miss, — I am extremely obliged to you for your letter, which I would liave answered last post, but that illness prevented me. I have been often out of order of late, and have very much neglected my affiiirs. You have acted very pru- dently with regard to Levett's affair ^ which will, I think, not at all embarrass me, for you may promise him, that the mortgage shall be taken up at Michaelmas, or, at least, some time between that and Christmas ; and if he requires to have it done sooner, I will endeavour it. I make no doubt, by that time, of either doing it myself, or persuading some of my friends to do it for me. " Please to acijuaint him with it, and let me know if he be satisfied. When he once called on me, his name was mistaken, and therefore I did not see him ; but, finding the mistake, wrote to him the same day, but never heard more of him, though I entreated him to let me know where to wait on him. You frighted me, you little gipsy, with your black wafer, for I had forgot you were in mourning, and was afraid your letter had brought me ill news of my mother, whose death is one of the fayr calamities on which I think with terror. I long to know how she does, and bow you all do. Your poor mamma is come home, but very weak ; yet I hope she will grow better, else she shall go into the country. She is now up stairs. 1 This appears to have been by no means the case. His most acrimonious attacks on Garrick, and Sheridan, and players in general, were subsequent to this period. Choker. 2 This letter, and some others of Johnson to his step- daughter, whicli will appear under tlieir proper dates, I owed to the kindness of Dr. Harwood, the historian of Lichfiekl, who procured the copies v. itli permission to publish them from Mr. Pearson of Lich Held, who inlierited tlie originals from Miss Porter.— Croker 3 See ante, p. 48. n. 4. * I have heard Dr. Warton mention, that he was at Mr. and knows not of my writing. I am, dear Miss, your most humble servant, Sam. Johnson."] Pearson MSS. CHAPTER IX. 1750—1751. " The Ramhler." — His Prayer on commencing it. — Ohligations to Correspondents. — Adversaria. — Success of the Ramhler. — Collected into Volumes. — "Beauties" of the Rambler. — Pro- logue for the Benefit of Milton's Grand-dauyhter. — "Life of Cheynel." — Lauder s Forgery. — Mrs. Anna Williams. In 1750 Johnson came forth in the character for which he was eminently qualified, a majestic teacher of moral and religious wisdom. The vehicle which he chose was that of a periodical paper, which he knew had been, upon former occasions, employed with great success. The Tatler, Spectator, and Guardian, were the last of the kind published in England, which had j stood the test of a long trial ; and such an in- terval had now elapsed since their publication, as made him justly think that, to many of his readers, this form of instruction would, in some degree, have the advantage of novelty. A few days before the first of his Essays came out, there started another competitor for fame in the same form, under the title of " The Tatler Revived," which, I believe, was " born but to die." Johnson was, I think, not very happy in the choice of his title, — " The Rambler ; " which certainly is not suited to a series of grave and moral discourses ; which the Italian.-! have literally, but ludicrously, translated by II Vagahondo ; and which has been lately as- sumed as the denomination of a vehicle of licentious tales, " The Rambler's Magazine." He gave Sir Joshua Reynolds the following- account of its getting this name : " What must be done, sir, loill be done. When I was to begin publishing that paper, I was at a loss how to name it. I sat down at night upon my bedside, and resolved that I would not go to sleep till I had fixed its title. 27^e Rambler seemed the best that occurred, and I took it."''^ With what devout and conscientious senti- ments this paper was undertaken, is evidenced by the following prayer, which he composed and offered up on the occasion : — " Almighty God, the giver of all good things, Robert friends, paper w Salad, ' ajiplied Dodsley's with the late Mr. Moore, and several of his considering what should be the name of the periodical hich Moore had undertaken. Garrick proposed the which, by a curious coincidence, was afterwards to himself by Goldsmith : — " Our Garrick's a salad, for in him we see Oil, vinegar, sugar, and saltness agree ! " the company having separated, without any thing of hev approved having been offered, Dodslcy himself of T/ie It'orld. — Boswell. -ffiT. 41. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 63 without whose help all labour is inefTectual, and without whose grace all wisdom is folly : grant, I beseech Thee, that in this undertaking thy Holy Spirit may not be withheld from me, but that I may promote thy glory, and the salvation [both] of myself and others : grant this, O Lord, for the sake of thy Son, Jesus Christ. Amen." (Pr. and Med. p. 9.) The first paper of the Rambler was published on Tuesday the 20th of March, 1749-50 ; and its author was enabled to continue it, without interruption, every Tuesday and Saturday, till Saturday the 17th ' of March, 1752, on which day it closed. This is a strong confirmation of the truth of a remark of his, which I have had occasion to quote elsewhere [Aug. 16. 1773], that " a man may write at any time, if he will set himself doggedly to it ;" for, notwithstand- ing his constitutional indolence, his depression of spirits, and his labour in carrying on his Dictionary, he answered the stated calls of the press twice a week from the stores of his mind during all that time ; having received no as- sistance, except four billets in iSTo. 10., by ]\Iiss Mulso, now Mrs. Chapone ; No. 30., by Mrs. Catherine Talbot ; No. 97., by Mr. Samuel Richardson, whom he describes in an intro- ductory note, as " an author who has enlarged the knowledge of human nature, and taiight the passions to move at the command of virtue ;" " and Numbers 44. and 100., by Mrs. Elizabeth Carter.3 Posterity will be astonished when they are told, upon the authority of Johnson himself, that many of these discourses, which we should suppose had been laboured with all the slow attention of literary leisure, were written in haste as the moment pressed, without even being read over by him before they were printed. It can be accounted for only in this way ; that, by reading and meditation, and a very close inspection of life, he had accumulated a great fund of miscellaneous knowledge, which, by a peculiar promptitude of mind, was ever ready at his call, and which he had constantly accus- ' This was a misdate of the original paper. Saturday was the 14th March, the real date of the last Rambler. This circumstance, though at first sight of very little importance, is worth notice, for Mrs. Johnson died on the 17th, [Old Style, !.. Nunc situs infortnis premit et desert a vetttstas : Adsciscet nova, quee genitor produxerit usus : Vehemens, et Uquidus, puroqtie simillimus amni, Fundet opes Latiumque beahit divite lingua." Epist. lib. ii. ep. 2.' To SO great a master of thinking, to one of such vast and various knowledge as Johnson, might have been allowed a liberal indulgence of that licence which Horace claims in another place : — " Si forte necesse est Indiciis monstrare recentihus abdita.rerum, Fingere cinctutis nan exaudita Cethegis Continget ; dabiturque Ucentia sumpta pudenter ; Et nova fictaque nuper hahebunt verba Jidem, si GrcECO fonte cadant, parcc detorta. Quid autem CcEcilio Plautoque dabit Romanus, adempium Virgilio Varioque ? Ego cur, acquirers pauca Si possum, invideor ; cum lingua Catonis et Emu Sermonem patrium ditaverit, et nova rerwii Nojiiina protulerit ? Licuit, semperque licebit Signatum prcesente notd producere jiomen." Ue Arte Toet.* Yet Johnson assured me, that he had not taken upon him to add more than four or five words to the English language, of his own form- ation ; and he was very much oflended at the general licence, by no means "modestly taken" in his time, not only to coin new words, but to vise many words in senses quite different from their established meaning, and those frequently very fantastical. Sir Thomas Browne, whose Life Johnson wrote, was remarkably fond of Anglo-Latin diction; and to his example we are to ascribe Johnson's sometimes indulging himself in this kind of phraseology.^ Johnson's compre- hension of mind was the mould for his language. Had his conceptions been narrower, his ex- pression would have been easier. His sentences have a dignified march ; and it is certain that his example has given a general elevation to the language of his country, for many of our best writers have approached veiy near to him; ' [" But how severely with themselves proceed The men, who wrote such verse as we can read ! Their own strict judges, not a word they spare That wants or force, or light, or weight, or care, Howe'er unwillingly it quits its place — Nay, though at court (perhaps) it may find grace — Such they'll degrade ; and sometimes, in its stead, In downright charity revive the dead ; Mark where a bold expressive phrase appears. Bright through the rubbish of some hundred years ; Command old words that long have slept to wake, Words that wise Bacon or brave Raleigh spake; Or bid the new be English, ages hence, (For Use will father what's begot by Sense ;) Pour the full tide of eloquence along, Serenely pure, and yet divinely strong. Rich with the treasures of each foreign tongue." Pope.] 2 [" Words must be chosen and be placed with skill : You gain your point, when, by the noble art Of good connection, an unusual word Ts made at first familiar to the ear : But if you write of things abstruse or new, Some of your own inventing may be used. So it be seldom and discreetly done ; But he that hopes to have new words allow'd, Must so derive them from the Grecian spring. As they may seem to flow without constraint. Can an impartial reader discommend and, from the influence which he has had upon our composition, scarcely any thing is written now that is not better expressed than was usual before he appeared to lead the national taste. This circumstance, the truth of which must strike every critical reader, has been so happily enforced by Mr. Courtenay, in his "Moral and Literary Character of Dr. Johnson," that I cannot prevail on myself to withhold it, not- withstanding his, perhaps, too great partiality for one of his friends : — " By nature's gifts ordain 'd mankind to rule, He, like a Titian, form'd his brilliant school ; And taught congenial spirits to excel, While from his lips impressive wisdom fell. Our boasted Goldsmith felt the sovereign sway: From him derived the sweet, yet nervous lay. To Fame's proud cliff he bade our llafFaelle rise: Hence Reynolds' pen with Reynolds' pencil vies. With Johnson's flame melodious Burney glows. While the grand strain in smoother cadence flows. And you, Malone, to critic learning dear, Correct and elegant, refined though clear. By studying him, acquired that classic taste, Which high in Shakspeare's fane thy statue placed. Near Johnson Steevens stands on scenic ground, Acute, laborious, fertile, and profound. Ingenious Hawkesworth to this school we owe. And scarce tlie pupil from the tutor know. Here early parts accomplish'd Jones sublimes. And science blends with Asia's lofty rhymes : Harmonious Jones ! who in his splendid strains Sings Camdeo's sports, on Agra's flowery plains, In Hindu fictions while we fondly trace Love and the Pluses, deck'd with Attic grace. Amid these names can Boswell be forgot, Scarce by North Britons now esteem'd a Scot? * Who, to the sage devoted from his youth, Imbibed from him the sacred love of truth ; The keen research, the exercise of mind, And that best art, the art to know mankind. — Nor was his energy confined alone To friends around his philosophic throne ; In Varius or in Virgil, what he likes In Plautus or Cjecilius ? Why should I Be envied for the little I invent. When Ennius and Cato's copious style Have so enrich'd and so adorn'd our tongue ? Men ever had, and ever will have, leave To coin new words well suited to the age." ROSCOM.VION.] 3 The observation of his having imitated Sir Thomas- Browne has been made by many people ; and lately it has been insisted on, and illustrated by a variety of quotations from Browne, in one of the popular Essays [called " Winter's Evenings ""i written by the Rev. Mr. Knox, master of Tun- bridge-school, whom I have set down in my list as one of those who have sometimes not unsuccessfully imitated Dr. Johnson's style. — Bosweli.. '> The following observation in Mr. Boswell's " Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides " may sufficiently account for that gentleman's being " now scarcely esteemed a Scot "by many of his countrymen : — " If he (Dr. Johnson) was particularly prejudiced against the Scots, it was because they were more in his way ; because he thought their success in England rather exceeded the due proportion of their real merit ; and because he could not but see in them that nationality which, 1 believe, no liberal-minded Scotchman will deny." Mr. Boswell, indeed, is so free from national prejudices, that he might with equal propriety have been described as — Scarce by South Britons now esteem'd a Scot. — Courtenay ^T. 41. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 71 Its influence wide improved our lettered isle. And lucid vigour murk'd the general style : As Nile's proud waves, swoln from their oozy bed, First o'er the neighbouring meads majestic spread ; Till, gathering force, they more and more expand, And with new virtue fertilise the land." Johnson's language, however, must be allowed to be too masculine for the delicate gentleness of female writing. His ladies, there- fore, seem strangely formal, even to ridicule; and are well denominated by the names which he has given them, as Misella, Zoziuia, Pro- perantia, Khodoclia.' It has of late been the fashion to compare the style of Addison and Johnson, and to de- preciate", I think very luijustly, the style of Addison as nerveless and feeble, because it has not the strength and energy of that of Johnson. Their prose may be balanced like the poetry of Dryden and Pope. Both are excellent, though in ditFerent ways. Addison Avrites with the ease of a gentleman. His readers fancy that a wise and accomplished companion is talking to them; so that he insinuates his sentiments and tastes into their minds by an imperceptible in- fluence. Johnson writes like a teacher. He dictates to his readers as if from an academical chair. They attend with awe and admiration ; and his precepts are impressed upon them by his commanding eloquence. Addison's style, like a light wine, pleases every body from the first. Johnson's, like a liquor of more body, seems too strong at first, but, by degrees, is highly relished; and such is the melody of his periods, so much do they captivate the ear, and seize upon the attention, that there is scarcely any writer, however inconsiderable, who does not aim, in some degree, at the same species of excellence. But let us not ungratefully under- 1 Mr. Burke said pleasantly, that " his ladies were all Johnsons in pMicoats." Mr. Murphy (Life, p. IW.) passes somewhat of the same censure on the letter in the r2th Rambler, from a young woman that wants a place : yet — such is the uncertainty of criticism — -this is the paper quoted by Mr. Chalmers, as an example of such ease and familiarity of style, which made him almost doubt whether it was John- son's. Brit. Ess. vol. xix. p. 44. — Cuoker. 2 Where did Mr. Boswell discover this, except in Sir J. Hawkins, who says (p. 270.), with more than usual absurdity and bad taste, " 1 find .in opinion gaining ground, not much to the advantage of Mr. .Addison's style, the characteristics of which are feebleness and inanity — I speak of that alotir, for his sentiments are excellent and his humour exquisite." What the worthy knight meant by inanity, as applied to Addison's style, is not worth inquiring. — Croker. 3 Gibbon says, " By the judicious advice of Mr. Mallet, I was directed to the writings of Swift and Addison : wit and simplicity are their common attributes, but the style of Swift is supported by manly original vigour ; that of Addison is adorned by the female graces of elegance and mildness." Yet his own over-ornate and complicated style is the very reverse of what he praises in Swift and Addison. — Croker. * When Johnson showed mc a proof sheet of the character of Addison, in which he so highly extols his style, 1 could not help observing, that it had not been his own model, as no two styles could diflfer more from each other. " Sir, Addison had his style, and I have mine." When 1 ventured to ask him, whether the difference did not consist in this, that Addison's style was full of idioms, colloquial phrases, and proverbs; and his own more strictly grammatical, and free from such phraseology and modes of speech as can never lie literally translated or understood by foreigners ; he allowed the dis. crimination to be just. Let any value that beautiful style, which has pleasingly conveyed to us much instruction and enter- tainment.^ Though comparatively weak, opposed to Johnson's Herculean vigour, let us not call it positively feeble. Let us remember the character of his style, as given by Johnson himself: "What he attempted, he performed; he is never feeble, and he did not wish to be energetic; he is never rapid, and he never stagnates. His sentences have neither studied amplitude, nor aifected brevity: his periods, though not diligently rounded, are voluble and easy."^ Whoever wishes to attain an English style, familiar, but not coarse, and elegant, but not ostentatious, must give his days and nights to the volumes of Addison." ^ Though the Rambler was not concluded till the year 1752, I shall, under this year, say all that I have to observe upon it. Some of the translations of the mottos by himself, are admir- ably done. Pie acknowledges to have received "elegant translations" of many of them from Mr. James Elphinston ; and some are very happily translated by a ]\Ir. F. Lewis, of whom I never heard more, except that Johnson thus described him to j\Ir. Malone : " Sir, he lived in London, and himg loose* upon society." ^ The concluding paper of his Rambler is at once dignified and pathetic. I cannot, however, but wish, that he had not ended it with an unne- cessary Greek verse, translated also '' into an English couplet. [^kvTwv iK fiaKapwv avrd^ios e'l'rj ctjUoiS^. "Celestial powers ! that piety regard, From you my labours wait their last reward."] It is too much like the conceit of those dra- matic poets, who used to conclude each act with a rhyme; and the expression in the first translate one of Addison'i who doubt< Spectators into Latin, French, or Italian ; and though so easy, familiar, and elegant, to an Englishman, as to give the intellect no trouble ; yet he would find the transfusion into another language extremely difficult, if not impossible. But a Rambler, Adventurer, or Idler of Johnson, would fall into any classical or European language, as easily as if it had been originally conceived in it BlIRNEY. ^ I shall probably, in another work, maintain the merit of Addison's poetry, which has been very unjustly depreci.ited. — Boswell. Mr. Boswell never, that I know of, executed this intention — Croker. In the Gentleman's Magazine for October, 1752, p. 468., he is styled " the Rev. Francis Lewis, of Chiswick." The late Lord Macartney, while he resided at Chiswick, at my request, made some inquiry concerning him at that place, but no intelligence was obtained. The translations supplied by Mr. Elphinston to the first thirty numbers of the Rambler were published in the Gentleman's Magazine for September, n.'iO Malone. Those of the next twenty-seven numbers, marked with the initials of the translators, are to be found in the same m.igazine for October, 1752, with two admirable improvements by Johnson himself of the former translation of the mottos to Nos. 7. and 12., the first of which is already quoted, ante, p. 39. As to Mr. Francis Lewis, I am afr.aid that he did " hang very louse on society." A person of those names, and I have no doubt the s.ime, vas born in Hereford in 1715, graduated at Cli. Ch. Oxford in 1740, and was, soon after, admitted priest-vicar of the Cathedral and College of Hereford. Here his conduct was very irregular, and in 1751, being burser of the College, he absconded with a large balance ; for this he was deprived and expelled ; and then, no doubt, came to live by his wits in London. — CnoKER, 184fi. " Not in the original edition, in folio. — Malone. F 4 72 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1750. line of his couplet, " Celestial powers " though proper in Pagan poetry, is ill suited to Christi- anity, with "a conformity" to which he consoles himself. How much better would it have been to have ended with the prose sentence, "I shall never envy the honours which wit and learn- ing obtain in any other cause if I can be num- bered among the writers who have given ardour to virtue, and confidence to truth." His friend, Dr. Birch, being now engaged in preparing an edition of Ralegh's smaller pieces. Dr. Johnson wrote the following letter to that gentleman : — TO DR. BIRCH. " Gough Square, May 12. 176U. "Sir, — Knowing that you are now preparing to favour the public with a new edition of Ralegh's miscellaneous pieces, I have taken the liberty to send you a manuscript, which fell by chance within my notice. I perceive no proofs of forgery in my examination of it ; and the owner tells me, that, as he has heard, the hand writing is Sir Walter's. If you should find reason to conclude it genuine, it will be a kindness to the owner, a blind person ', to recommend it to the booksellers. I am, sir, your most humble servant, Sam. Johnson." His just abhorrence of Milton's political notions was ever strong. But this did not pre- vent his warm admiration of ]\Iilton's great poetical merit, to which he has done illustrious justice, beyond all who have written upon the subject. And this year he not only wrote a Prologue, which was spoken by Mr. Garrick before the acting of Comus at Drury Lane Theatre, for the benefit of Milton's grand- daughter, but took a very zealous interest in the success of the charity. On the day pre- ceding the performance, he published the fol- lowing letter in the " General Advertiser," addressed to the printer of that paper : — " Sir, — That a certain degree of reputation is acquired merely by approving the works ofgenius, and testifying a regard to the memory of authors, is a truth too evident to be denied ; and therefore to ensure a participation of fame with a celebrated • Mrs. Williams is probably the person meant Boswell. 2 Mr. .'Auditor Benson, in 1737, erected a monument to Milton in Westminster Abbey, and did not omit to inscribe his own name on it, — an ostentation which Pope satirises. See Dunciad, b. iii. 325. and iv. 110 Croker. 3 She survived this benefit but three years, and died child- less,9thMay, 1754. It is remarkable that none of our great, and few even of our second-rate poets, have left posterity — Shakespeare, Jonson, Otway, Milton, Dryden, Rowe, Addi- son, Pope, Swift, Gay, Johnson, Goldsmith, Cowper, have left no inheritors of their names. — Croker. '' For the honour of letters, the dignity of sacred poetry, the spirit of the English nation, and the glory of human nature, it is to be regretted that we do not find a more liberal assistance. Tonson, the bookseller, whose family had been enriched by the sale of the poet's writings, gave twenty pounds, and Bishop Newton, his biographer, brought a large contribution.; but all their efforts, joined to the allurements of Johnson's pen and Garrick's performance, procured only 130/. Anderson. — Wright. ' I-est there should be any person, at any future period, absurd enough to suspect that Johnson was a partaker in Lauder's fraud, or had any knowledge of it, when he assisted him with his masterly pen, it is proper here to quote the words of Dr. Douglas, now Bishop of Salisbury, at the time when he detected the imposition. " It is to be hoped, nay it is f .r/)( c/frf, that the elegant and nervous writer, wliose ju- poet, many, -who would, perhaps, have contributed to starve him when alive, have heaped expensive pageants upon his grave.* " It must, indeed, be confessed, that this method of becoming known to posterity with honour, is peculiar to the great, or at least to the wealthy ; but an opportunity now offers for almost every in- dividual to secure the praise of paying a just regard to the illustrious dead, united with the pleasure of doing good to the living. To assist industrious indigence, struggling with distress and debilitated by age, is a display of virtue, and an acquisition of happiness and honour. " Whoever, then, would be thought capable of pleasure in reading the works of our incomparable Milton, and not so destitute of gratitude as to re- fuse to lay out a trifle in rational and elegant enter- tainment, for tlie benefit of his living remains, for the exercise of their own virtue, the increase of their reputation, and the pleasing consciousness of doing good, should appear at Drury Lane theatre to-morrow, April 5 , when Comus will be per- formed for the benefit of Mrs. Elizabeth Foster, grand-daughter to the author', and the only sur- viving branch of his family. " N.B. There will ot a new prologue on the occasion, written by the author of Irene, and spoken by Mr. Garrick ; and, l)y particular desire, there will be added to the Masque a dramatic satire, called Lethe, in which Mr. Garrick will per- form."* In 1751 we are to consider him as carrying on both his Dictionary and Rambler. But he also wrote " The Life of Clieynel," * in the miscellany called "The Student;" and the Rev. Dr. Douglas having with uncommon acute- ness clearly detected a gross forgery and im- position upon the public by William Lauder, a Scotch shoolmaster, who had, with equal impu- dence and ingenuity, represented Milton as a plagiary from certain modern Latin poets, Johnson, who had been so far imposed upon as to furnish a Preface and Postscript to his work, now dictated a letter for Lauder, addressed to Dr. Douglas, acknowledging his fraud in terms of suitable contrition.'^ dicious sentiments and inimitable style point out the author of Lauder's Preface and Postscript, will no longer allow one to plume himsi-lf with his feathers, who appeareth so little to deserve assistance : an assistance wliich I am persuaded would never have been communicated, had there been the least suspicion of those facts which 1 have been the instru- ment of conveying to the world in these sheets." Milton no Plagiary, 2d edit. p. 78. And his Lordship has been pleased now to authorise me to say, in the strongest manner, that there is no ground whatever for any imfavourable reflec- tion against Dr. Johnson, who expre"ssed the strongest in- dignation against Lauder Bosvvell. See ante, p. 3.5. I cannot find, however, th.it Johnson publicly responded to Dr. Douglas's call, — which surely he ought to have done — Choker, 1846. Lauder afterwards went to Barbadoes, where he some time taught school. His behaviour there was mean and despi- cable, and he passed the remainder of his life in universal contempt. He died about the year 1771 Nichols. In the Gentleman's Magazine for 1754, is a short account of a renewed attack by Lauder on Milton's character, in a pamphlet entitled " The Grand Impostor detected, or Milton convicted of Forgery against King Charles I." Mr. Chal- mers thinks that this review was probably written by John- son ; but it is, on every account, very imlikely. 1 he article is trivial, and seems to be written neither in the style nor sentiments of Johnson — CnoKEu. ^T. 42. BOS^^ELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 73 This extraordinary attempt of Lauder was no sudden effort. He had brooded over it for many years : and to this hour it is uncertain what his principal motive was, unless it were a vain notion of his superiority, in being able, by whatever means, to deceive mankind. To effect this, he produced certain passages from Grotius, Masenius, and others, which had a faint resem- blance to some parts of the " Paradise Lost." In these he interpolated some fragments of Hog's Latin translation of that poem, alleging that the mass thus fabricated was the arche- type from which Milton copied. These fabri- cations he published from time to time in the Gentleman's Magazine ; and, exulting in his fancied success, he in 1750 ventured to collect them into a pamphlet, entitled " An Essay on Milton's Use and Imitation of the Moderns in his Paradise Lost." To this pamphlet John- son wrote a Preface, in full persuasion of Lauder's honesty, and a Postscript recommend- ing in the most persuasive terms a subscription for the relief of a grand-daughter of Milton, of whom he thus speaks : — " It is yet in the power of a great people to re- ward the poet whose name they boast, and from their alliance to whose genius they claim some kind of superiority to every other nation of the earth ; that poet, whose works may possibly be read when every other monument of British greatness shall be obliterated ; to reward him, not with pic- tures or with medals, which, if he sees, he sees with contempt, but with tokens of gratitude, which he, perhaps, may even now consider as not unworthy the regard of an immortal spirit." Surely this is inconsistent with " enmity to- wards Milton," which Sir John Hawkins im- putes to Johnson upon this occasion, adding, " I could all along observe that Johnson seemed to approve not only of the design, but of the argu- ment ; and seemed to exult in a persuasion, that the reputation of Milton was likely to suffer by this discovery. That he was not privy to the im- posture, I am well persuaded ; that he wished well to the argument, may he inferred from the Preface, which indubitably was written by Johnson." Is it possible for any man of clear judgment to suppose that Johnson, who so nobly praised the poetical excellence of Milton in a Postscript to this very "discovery," as he then supposed it, could, at the same time, exult in a persuasion that the great poet's reputation was likely to suffer by it? This is an inconsistency of which ' " Proposals [evidently written by Johnson] for printing the Adamus Exul of Grotius, with a Translation and Notes by William Lauder, A.M." Gent. Mag. 1747, p. 404.— Malone. - But is it not extraordinary that .lohnson, who had him- self meditated a history of modern Latin poetry ( see «h/4, p. 23.), should not have shown his curiosity and love of truth, by, at least, comparing L.iuder's quotations with the original authors ? It was, we might say, his duty to have done so, before he so far pronounced his judgment as to assist Lauder ; and had he attempted but to verify a single quota- tion, he must have immediately discovered the fraud. — Choker. 3 This proposition of an index rerum to a novel will Johnson was incapable ; nor can anything more be fairly inferred from the Preface, than that Johnson, who was alike distinguished for ardent curiosity and love of truth, was pleased with an investigation by which lK)th were gratified. ' That he was actuated by these motives, and certainly by no unworthy desire todepreciate our great epic poet, is evident from his own words ; for, after mentioning the general zeal of men of genius and literature, " to advance the honour, and distinguish the beauties of Paradise Lost," he says, " Among the inquiries to which this ardour of criticism has naturally given occasion, none is more obscure in itself, or more worthy of rational curio- sity, than a retrospect of the progress of this mighty genius in the construction of his work ; a view of the fabric, gradually rising, perhaps, from small beginnings, till its foundation rests in the centre, and its turrets sparkle in the skies ; to trace back the structure through all its varieties to the sim- plicity of its first plan ; to find what was first pro- jected, whence the scheme was taken, how it was improved, by what assistance it was executed, and from what stores the materials were collected ; whether its founder dug them from the quarries of Nature, or demolished other buildings to embellish his own.* Is this the language of one who wished to blast the laurels of IMilton ? JOHNSON TO RICHARDSON. "March 9. 1750-1. " Dear Sir, — Though Clarissa wants no help from external splendour, I was glad to see her im- proved in her appearance, but more glad to find that she was now got above all fears of prolixity, and confident enough of success to supply what- ever had been hitherto suppressed. I never indeed found a hint of any such defalcation, but I re- gretted it ; for though the story is long, every letter is short. " I wish you would add an mdex rerum ^ that when the reader recollects any incident, ho may easily find it, which at present he cannot do, unless he knows in which volume it is told ; for Clarissa is not a performance to be read with eagerness, and laid aside for ever ; but will be occasionally con- sulted by the busy, the aged, and the studious ; and therefore I beg tliat this edition, by which I sup- pose posterity is to abide, may want nothing that can facilitate its use. I am, sir, yours, &c. — Rich. Cor. "Sam. Johnson." Thoujrh Johnson's circumstances were at this appear extraordinary, but Johnson was at this time very anxious to cultivate the favour of Richardson, who lived in an atmosphere of Rattery, and Johnson found it neces- sary to fall mtothe fashion of the society. Mr. Northcote re- lates, that Johnson introduced Sir Joshua Keynolds and his sister to Richardson, but hinted to them, at the same time, th.it if they wished to see the latter in good humour, thev must expatiate on the excellences of Clarissa ; and Mrs. Pinzzi tells us, that when talking of Hichardson. he once said, " You think 1 love flattery — and so I do ; but a little too much alw.iys disgusts me : tliHt fellow. Itirhardson. on the cnntrarv. could not he cnnto'itnl to 9:mI iiuietly rlown the stream "of reputation without Inn^-itr^ to t.istu the froth from every stroke of the oar."— CuoKi.it. 74 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 17.52. time far from being easy', his humane and charitable disposition was constantly exerting itself. Mrs. Anna Williams, daughter of a very ingenious Welsh physician, and a woman of more than ordinary talents and literature, having come to London in hopes of being cured of a cataract in both her eyes, which afterwards ended in total blindness, was kindly received as a constant visiter at his house while Mrs. Johnson lived; and, after her death, having come under his roof in order to have an opera- tion upon her eyes performed with more com- fort to her than in lodgings, she had an apart- ment from him during the rest of her life, at all times when he had a house.' 1 Mr. Prior, who, in preparing his Life of Goldsmith, had access to the papers of Newbery, the bookseller, found several notes of Johnson's, at this period, soliciting small loans, of one and Ikw gttineas. In 1759 and 17G0 Johnson passed to Newbery two notes of hand for 42/. and 30/. I pre- sume for advances on account of the " Idler." Mr. Prior found also the original statement of ;he account between him and Johnson for the Idler, when collected into volumes. £ s. d. Paid for advertising 20 6 Printing 2 vols. 1500 41 13 Paper - - - 52 3 Dr. .Johnson's | Mr. Newbery J Profit on editi( " " " " Friar's Life oj 2 Before the calamity of total deprivation of sight befell Mrs. Williams, she, with the assistance of her father, had acquired a knowledge of the French and Italian languages, and had made great improvements in literature, which, to- gether with the exercise of her needle, at which she was very dexterous, as well after the loss of her sight as before, con- tributed to support her under her affliction, till a time when it was thought by her friends that relief might be obtained from the hand of an operating surgeon. At the request of Dr. Johnson, I went with her to a friend of mine, Mr.Samuel Sharp, senior surgeon of Guy's Hospital, who before had given me to understand that he would couch her gratis if the cataract was ripe ; but upon making the experiment it was found otherwise, and that the crystalline humour was not sufficiently inspissated for the needle to take effect. She had been almost a constant companion of Mrs. Johnson for some time before her decease, but had never resided in the house ; afterwards, for the convenience of performing the intended operation, Johnson took her home; and, upon the failure of that, kept her as the partner of his dwelling till he removed into chambers. Afterward, in 1766, upon his taking a house in Johnson's Court, in Fleet .Street, he invited her thither, aud in that, and his last house, in Bolt Court, she succes- sively dwelt for the remainder of her life. The loss of her sight made but a small abatement of her cheerfulness, and was scarce any interruption of her studies. With the assistance of two female friends, she translated from the French of Pere La Bletrie " the Life of the Emperor Julian," and, in 1766, she published, by subscription, a quarto volume of Miscellanies, in prose and verse, and thereby increased her little fund to three hundred pounds, which, being prudently Invested, yielded an income that, under such protection as she experienced from Dr. Johnson, was sufBclent for her support. She was a woman of an enlightened understanding; plain, as it is called, in her person, and easily provoked to anger, but possessing, nevertheless, some excellent moral qualities, among which no one was more conspicuous than her desire to promote the welfare and happiness of others, and of this she gave a signal proof, by her solicitude in favour of an institution for the maintenance and education of poor deserted females in the parish of St. Sepulchre, London, sup- ported by the voluntary contributions of ladies ; and, as the foundation-stone of a fund for its future subsistence, she be- queathed to it the whole of the little which she had been able to accumulate. To the endowments and qualities here ascribed to her, may be added a larger share of experimental prudence than is the lot of most of her sex. Johnson, in many exigences, found her an able counsellor, and seloom showed his wisdom more than when he hearkened to her advice. In return, she received from his conversation the advantages of religious and moral improvement, which she cultivated so, as CHAPTER X. 1752—1753. Progress of the Dictionary. — Conclusion of the Rambler. — Death of Mrs. Johnson, — Prayer on that Occasion, — Inscription, — Epitaph, — Francis Barber. — Robert Levett, — Sir Joshua Reynolds. — Rennet Langton, — Topham Beauclerk, — Johtison's Share in " The Adventurer," In 1752 Johnson was almost entirely occupied with his Dictionary. The last paper of his Kambler was published March 2. ^ this year ; in a great measure to smooth the constitutional asperity of her temper. When these particulars are known, this inti- macy, which began with compassion, and terminated in a friendship that subsisted till death dissolved it, will be easily accounted for. — Hairkins, p. 322. Mrs. Williams was a person extremely interesting. She had uncommon firmness of mind, a boundless curiosity, retentive memory, and strong judgment. She had various powers of pleasing. Her personal afflictions and slender fortune she seemed to forget, when she had the power of doing an act of kindness: she was social, cheerful, and active, in a state of body that was truly deplorable. Her regard to Dr. Johnson was formed with such strength of judgment and firm esteem, that her voice never hesitated when she repeated his maxims, or recited his good deeds ; though upon many other occasions her want of sight led her to make so much use of her ear, as to affect her speech. Mrs. Williams was blind before she was acquainted with Dr. Johnson. She had many resources, though none very great. With the Miss Wilkinsons she generally passed a' part of the year, and received from them presents, and from the first who died, a legacy of clothes and money. The last of them, Mrs. Jane, left her an annual rent ; but from the blundering manner of the will, I fear she never reaped the benefit of it. The lady left money to erect a hospital for ancient maids : but the number she had allotted being too great for the donation, the Doctor (Johnson) said, it would be better to expunge the word maintain, and put in to starve such a number of old maids. They asked him what name should be given it : he replied, ' Let it be called Jenny's Whim.' [The name of a well-known tavern near Chelsea in former days.] — " Lady Phillips made her a small annual allowance^ and some other Welsh ladies, to all of whom she was related. Mrs. Montague, on the death of Mr. Montague, settled upon her (by deed) ten pounds per annum. As near as I can calculate, ftlrs. Williams had about thirty-five or forty pounds a year. The furniture she used [in her apartment in Dr. Johnson's house] was her own; her expenses were small, tea and bread and butter being at least half of her nourish- ment. Sometimes she had a servant or charwoman to do the ruder offices of the house ; but she was herself active and industrious. I have frequently seen her at work. Upon re- marking one day her facility in moving about the house, searching into drawers, and finding books, without the help of sight, ' Believe me (said she), persons who cannot do these common offices without sight, did but little while they en- joyed that blessing." Scanty circumstances, bad health, and blindness, are surely a sufficient apology for her being some- times impatient : her natural disposition was good, friendly, and humane." — Lady Knight. {Ante, p. 24.) I see her now — a pale, shrunken old lady, dressed in scar- let, made in the handsome French fashion of the time (1775), with a lace cap, with two stiffened projecting wings on the temples, and a black lace hood over it. Her temper has been recorded as marked with Welsh fire, and this might be ex- cited by some of the meaner inmates of the upper floors [of Dr. Johnson's house] ; but her gentle kindness to me I never shall forget, or think consistent with a bad temper. I know nobody from whose discourse there was a better chance of deriving high ideas of moral rectitude. Miss Hawkins's Memoirs, vol. ii. p. 152. See post, sub November, 1766 Cboker. 3 Here the author's memory failed him, for, according to the account given in a former page (see p. 63.), we should here read March 17. ; but, in truth, as has been already ob- served, the Rambler closed on Saturday the fourteenth of March ; at which time Mrs. Johnson was near her end, for she died on the following Tuesday, March 17. Had the con- cluding paper of that work been written on the day of her death, it would have been still more extraordinary than it is, considering the extreme grief into which the author was plunged by that event. The melancholy cast of that con- Ml. 43. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 75 after which, there was a cessation for some time of any exertion of his talents as an essay- ist. But, in the same year, Dr. Hawkesworth, who was his warm admirer, and a studious imitator of his style, and then lived in great intimacy with him, began a periodical paper, entitled, " The Adventurer," ' in connection with other gentlemen, one of whom was John- son's much-loved friend Dr. Bathui-st ; and, without doubt, they received many valuable hints from his conversation, most of his friends having been so assisted in the course of their works. That there should be a suspension of his literary labours during a part of the year 17o2, will not seem strange, when it is considered that soon after closing his Rambler, he suffered a loss which, there can be no doubt, affected him with the deepest distress. For on the 17th of ]\Iarch, O. S., his wife died. Why Sir John Hawkins should unwarrantably take upon him even to suppose that Johnson's fond- ness for her was dissemhled (meaning simulated or assumed"), and to assert, that if it was not the case, " it was a lesson he had learned by rote," I cannot conceive ; unless it proceeded from a want of similar feelings in his own breast. To argue from her being much older than Johnson, or any other circumstances, that he could not really love her, is absurd; for love is not a subject of reasoning, but of feeling, and therefore there are no common principles upon which one can persuade another concern- ing it. Every man feels for himself, and knows how he is affected by particular qualities in the person he admires, the impressions of which are too minute and delicate to be substantiated in language. The following very solemn and affecting prayer was found after Dr. Johnson's decease, by his servant, Mr. Francis Barber, who de- livered it to my worthy friend the Reverend Mr. Strahan^, Vicar of Islington, who at my eluding essay is sufficiently accounted for by the situation of Mrs. Johnson at the time it was written ; and her death three days afterwards put an end to the paper Malone. Mr. Malone seems also to have fallen into some errors, from not adverting to the change of sti/le. Johnson, at this period, used the old style ; so that Mr. Boswcll may have copied from some MS. note the date of the 2d of March as that on which the last Rambler was written, though it was published next day, viz. the 3il, O. S., or 14th, N. S. ; and as Mrs. Johnson's death was on the 17th, O. S., or 28th, N. S., the Rambler was concluded a fortnight before that event ; and was concluded because, as Dr. Johnson expressly says in the last number, " having supported it for^jra years, and multiplied his essays to six volumes, he determined to desist." It died therefore a natural death, though it is very likely that the loss of Mrs. Johnson would have stopped it, had it not been already terminated.— Croker. 1 The last paper of the .'Adventurer assigns to Dr. J. War- ton such as have the signature Z, and leaves the rest to Hawkesworth himself Hawltins adds that the papers marked A, which are said to liavc come from a source that soon failed, were supplied by Dr. Bathurst, and those distinguished by the letter T (the first of which is dated 3rd March, 1753,) by .Tohnson, who received two guineas for every number that he wrote ; a rate of payment which he had before adjusted in his stipulation for the Rambler, and was probably the measure of reward to his fellow-labourers. — 7/«wAin4-. But see post, p. 80. n. it. more on this suliject. — Cuokeu. 2 Johnson himself has in his Dictionary given to the word " dissembled " the same meaning in which it is here used by earnest request has obligingly favoured me with a copy of it, which he and I compared with the original. I present it to the world as an un- doubted proof of a circumstance in the character of my illustrious friend, which, though some, whose hard minds I never shall envy, may attack as superstitious, will, I am sure, endear himniore to numbers of good men. I have an additional, and that a personal motive for pre- senting it, because it sanctions what I myself have always maintained and am fond to in- dulge. "April 2G. I7r>2, being after 12 at Night of the 25th. " O Lord ! Governor of heaven and earth, in wliose hands are embodied and departed spirits, if thou hast ordained the souls of the dead to minister to the living, and appointed my de])arted wife to have care of me, grant that I may enjoy the good effects of her attention and ministration, whether exercised by appearance, impulses, dreams, or in any other manner agreeable to thy government. Forgive my presumption, enlighten my ignorance, and however meaner agents ai-e employed, grant me the blessed influences of thy holy Spirit, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." What actually followed upon this most in- teresting piece of devotion by Johnson, we are not informed ; but T, whom it has pleased God to afflict in a similar manner to that which occasioned it, have certain experience of be- nignant communication by dreams."* That his love for his wife was of the most ardent kind, and, during the long period of fifty years, was unimpaired by the lapse of time, is evident from various passages in the series of his Prayers and Meditations^, pub- lished by the Reverend ]\Ir. Strahan, as Avell as from other memorials, two of which I select, as strongly marking the tenderness and sensi- bility of his mind. " March 28. 1753. I kept this day as the anni- versary of my Tetty's death, with prayer and tears Hawkins. He adds, however, very justly, that such a use of it is erroneous. — Croker. 3 George, afterwards D.D., second son of Jolmson's friend, Andrew Strahan, M.P. and King's Printer. He died May 1824, aged 80. < Mr. Boswell's wife died in Juno, 1790 ; his Life of John- son was first published in April, 1791. See the letter to Mr. Elphinston on a similar loss, nn/e, p. 66. n. 1. — Croker. 5 The originals of this publication are now deposited in Pembroke College. It is to be observed, that they consist of a few little memorandum books, and a great number of sepa- rate scraps of paper, and bear no marks of having been ar- ranged or intended for publication by Dr. Johnson. Each prayer is on a separate piece of paper, generally a sheet— but sometimes a fragment — of note paper. The metnoranda and o/iservations are generally in little books of a few leaves sewed together. This subject will be referred to hereafter ; {sub November and December, 1784) ; but it is even now important that the reader should recollect that Mr. Stra- han's publication was not I'oreseen nor prepared by Dr. Johnson himself, but patched up by the reverend gentleman out of the loose materials above mentioned, and published by him. as I conceive, most unwarrantably — C, 1831. The publication has done no harm ; on the contrary, though it has on a few points given rise to criticism, misrepresenta- tion, and sneer, (see next note.) it, on the whole, raises John- son's character for piety and charity ; but it was in the first instance a breach of confidence towards Johnson, and it as- sumed towards the public a character of authority which it did not possess Croker, I84G. 76 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1752. in the morning. In the evening I prayed for her conditionally, if it were lawful." "April 23. 1753. I know not whether I do not too much indulge the vain longings of affection ; but I hope they intenerate my lieart, and that when I die like my Tetty, this affection will be acknow- ledged in a happy interview, and that in the iticnu time I am incited by it to piety. I will, however, not deviate too much from common and received methods of devotion." ' Her wedding-ring, when she became his wife, was, after her death, preserved by him, as long as he lived, with an affectionate care, in a little round wooden box, in the inside of which he pasted a slip of paper, thiis inscribed by him in fair characters, as follows : — " Eheu ! " Eliz. Johnson, "Nupta Jul. 9° 1736, " Mortua, eheu ! "INIart. 17° 1752." ^ After his death, Mr. Francis Barber, his faithful servant, and residuary legatee, offered this memorial of tenderness to Mrs. Lucy Por- ter, Mrs. Johnson's daughter ; but she having declined ^ to accept of it, he had it enamelled as a mourning ring for his old master, and presented it to his wife, Mrs. Barber, who now lias it. 1 Miss Seward, with equal truth and taste, thus expresses herself concerning these and similar passages :—" Those )]harisaic meditations, with tlieir popish prayers for old Tetty's soul ; tlieir contrite parade about lying in bed on a morning ; drinking creamed tea on a fast day ; snoring at sermons ; and having omitted to ponder well Bel and tlie Dragon, and Tobit and his Dog." And in another letter she does not scruple to say, that Mr. Boswell confessed to her his idea that Johnson was " a Roman Catholic in his heart." Miss Seward's credit is by this time so low that it is hardly neces- sary to observe how improbable it is that Mr. Boswell could have made any such confession. Dr. Johnson thought cha- ritably of the Roman Catholics, and defended their religion from the coarse language of our political tests, which call it impious and idolatrous (post, Oct. 20. 170'j); but he stren- uously disclaimed all participation in tlie doctrines of that church (see post. May 3. 1773 ; April ^. 177C; October 10. 1779; June 3. 1784). Lady Knight («nre, p. 24.) (the mother of Miss Cornelia Knight, author ot " Marcus Fla- minius," wrote from Rome to Mr. Hoole,: _" Dr. Johnson's political principles ran high, both in church and state : he wished power to the king and to the heads of the church, as the laws of England have established : but I know he disliked absolute power : and I am very sure of his disap- probation of the doctrines of the Church of Rome ; because about three weeks before we came abroad, he said to my Cornelia, " You are going where the ostentatious pomp of church ceremonies attracts the imagination ; but if they want to persuade you to change, you must remember, that by increasing your faith, you may be persuaded to become Turk.' If these were not the words, I have kept up to the express meaning." Mrs. Fiozzi says. " Though beloved by all his Roman Catholic acquaintance, yet was Mr. John- son a most unshaken CliurcU-nf-Eniiland man : and I think, or at least I once did think, tliat a letter written by him to Mr. Barnard, the king's librarian, when he was in Italy col. lecting books, contained some very particular advice to his friend to be on his guard against the seductions of the Church of Rome." And finally — which may ]ierliiips be thought more likely to express his real seniiments than even a more formal assertion— when it was proposed (see post, April 30. 1773), that monuments of eminent men should in future be erected in St. Paul's, and when some one in conversation suggested to begin with Pope, Johnson observed, " Why, sir, as Pope was a Roman Catholic, I would not have his to be first." — Croker. 2 It seems as if Dr. Johnson had been a little ashamed of the disproportion between his age and that of his wife, for neither in this inscription nor tliat over lier grave, written The state of mind in which a man must be upon the death of a woman whom he sincerely loves, had been in his contemplation many years before. In his Irene, we find the fol- lowing fervent and tender speech of Demetrius, addressed to his Aspasia : — " From those bright regions of eternal day. Where now thou shin'st amongst thy fellow saints, Array'd in purer light, look down on me .' In pleasing visions and assuasive dreams, ! soothe my soul, and teach me how to lose thee." 1 have, indeed, been told by Mrs. Desmou- lins, who, before her marriage, lived for some time with Mrs. Johnson at Hampstead, that she indulged herself in country air and nice living, at an unsuitable expense, while her hus- band was drudging in the smoke of London, and that she by no means treated him with that complacency which is the most engaging quality in a wife.''^ But all this is perfectly compatible with his fondness for her, especially when it is remembered that he had a high opinion of her understanding, and that the impressions which her beauty, real or imaginary, had originally made upon his fancy, being continued by habit, had not been effiiced, though she herself was doubtless much -altered for the worse.^ The thirty years later, does he mention her age, which was at her death sixty-three. — Croker. 3 Offended perhaps, and not unreasonably, that she was not mentioned in Johnson's will. — C, 1831. It has been observed to me, that neither had she in her will, made before Johnson's death, remembered him — but she could hardly have thought of Johnson's outliving her. — Croker, 1846. 4 " I asked him," says Mrs. Piozzi, " if he ever disputed with his wife (I had heard that he loved her passion- ately). "Perpetually," said he: " my wife had a particular reverence for cleanliness, and desired the praise of neat- ness in her dress and furniture, as many ladies do, till they become troublesome to their best friends, slaves to their own besoms, and only sigh for the hour of sweeping their hus- bands out of tlie house as dirt and useless lumber : a clean floor is so comfortable, she would say sometimes, by way of twitting ; till at last I told her, that I thought we had had talk enough about the floor, we would now have a touch at the ceilina." On another occasion 1 have heard him blame her for a fault many people have, of setting the miseries of their neighbours, half unintentionally, half wantonly, before their eyes, showing them the bad side of their profession, situation, &c. He said, " She would lament the dependence of pupilage to a young heir, &c., and once told a waterman who rowed her along the Thames in a wherry, that he was no happier than a galley-slave, one being chained to the oar by authority, the other by want. She read comedy better than any body he ever heard (he said) ; in tragedy she mouthed too much." Garrick, however, told Mr. Thrale that she was a little painted puppet of no value at all, and quite dis- guised with affectation, full of odd airs of rural elegance ; and he made out some comical scenes, by mimicking her in a dialogue he pretended to have overheard. Mr. Johnson has told me that her hair was eminently beautiful, quite blonde like that of a baby ; but that she fretted about the colour, and was always desirous to dye it black, which he very judi- ciously hindered her from doing. The picture I found of her at Lichfield was very pretjy, and her daughter, Mrs. Lucy Porter, said it was like. Tlie intelligence I gained of her from old Levett, was only perpetual illness and perpetual opium."— Piozzi. But Levett only knew her in her last years, and in very bad health. — Croker. 5 In the Gentleman's Magazine for February, 1794. p. 100., was printed a letter pretending to be that written by John- son on the death of his wife : but it is merely a transcript of the 41st number of " The Idler," on the death of a friend. A fictitious date, March 17. '751, O. S., was added to give a colour to this deception. — Malone. JEt. 43. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 17 dreadful shock of separation took place in the night ; and he immediately despatched a letter to his friend, the Reverend Dr. Taylor, which, as Taylor told me, expressed grief in the strongest manner he had ever read ; so that it is much to be regretted it has not been pre- served. The letter was brought to Dr. Taylor, at his house in the cloisters, Westminster, about three in the morning ; and as it signified an earnest desire to see him, he got up, and went to Johnson as soon as he was dressed, and found him in tears and in extreme agitation. After being a little while together, Johnson requested him to join with him in prayer. lie tlien prayed extempore, as did Dr. Taylor ; and thus by means of that piety which was ever his pri- mary object, his troubled mind was, in some degree, soothed and composed. The next day he wrote as follows : — JOHNSON TO T.\YLOR. "March 18. 1752. " Dear Sir, — Let me have youf company and instruction. Do not live away from me. My dis- tress is great. " Pray desire Mrs. Taylor to inform me what mourning I should buy for my mother and Miss Porter, and bring a note in writing with you. " Remember me in your prayers, for vain is the help of man. I am, dear sir, &c. " Sam. Johnson." That his sufferings upon the death of his wife were severe, beyond what are commonly en- dured, I have no doubt, from the information of many who were then about him, to none of whom I give more credit than to JNIr. Francis Barber, his faithful negro servant ', who came into his family about a fortnight after the dis- mal event. These sufferings were aggravated by the melancholy inherent in his constitution, and although he probably was not oftener in the wrong than she was, in the little disagree- ments winch sometimes troubled his married ■ Francis Barber was born in Jamaica, and was brought to England in 1750, by Colonel Batliurst, father of Johnson's very intimate friend Dr. Bathurst. He was sent, for some time, to the Reverend Mr. Jackson's school, at Barton, in Yorkshire. The Colonel by his will left him his freedom, and Dr. Bathurst was willing that he should enter into Johnson's service, in which he continued from 1752 till Johnson's death, with the exception of two intervals ; in one of which, upon some difference with his master, he went and served an apothecary in Cheapside, but still visited Dr. John- son occasionally ; in another, he took a fancy to go to sea. Part of the time, indeed, he was, by the kindness of his mas- ter, at a school in Northamptonshire, that he might hare the advantage of some learning. So early and so lasting a con- nection was there between Dr. Johnson and this humble friend. — Boswell. Hawkins says that " the uses for which Francis was intended to serve Johnson were not very apparent, for Diogenes himself never wanted a servant less than beseemed todo. The great bushy wig which, through- out his life, he affected to wear, by that closeness of texture which it had contracted and been suffered to retain, was ever nearly as impenetrable by a comb as a quickset hedge ; and little of the dust that had once settled on his outer garments was ever known to have been disturbed by the brusli." But he adds, that "the produce of the Rambler, the pay he was receiving for the Adventurer, and the fruits of his other literary labours, had now exalted him to such a state of com- parative affluence as in his judgment made a man-servant necessary." This is a mistake. Boswell status on cvi- state, during which, he owned to me, that the gloomy irritability of his existence was more painful to him than ever, he might very natu- rally, after Iicr death, be tenderly disposed to charge liimself with slight omissions and of- fences, the sense of which would give him much uneasiness.'^ Accordingly we find, about a year after her decease, that he thus addressed the Suin-eme Being : — " O Lokd, who givest the grace of repentance, and hearest the prayers of the penitent, grant that by true contrition I may obtain forgiveness of all the sins committed, and of all duties neglected, in my union with the wife whom thou hast taken from me ; for the neglect of joint devotion, patient exhorta- tion, and mild instruction." [Pr. and Med. p. 19.] The kindness of his heart, notwithstand- ing the impetuosity of his temper, is well known to his friends ; and I cannot trace the smallest foundation for the following dark and unchari- table assertion by Sir John Hawkins: — "The apparition of his departed wife was altogether of the terrific kind, and hardly afforded him a hope that she was in a state of happiness." That he, in conformity with the opinion of many of the most able, learned, and pious Christians in all ages, supposed that there was a middle state after death, previous to the time at which departed souls are finally received to- eternal felicity, appears, I think, unquestionably from his devotions : — "And, O Lord, so far as it may be lawful in me, I commend to thy fatherly goodness the soul of my departed wife ; beseeching thee to grant her whatever is best in her present state, nm\ finally to receive her tv eternal happinessT'^ [P?-. and Med. p. 20.] But this state has not been looked upon with horror, but only as less gracious. He deposited the remains of Mrs. Johnson in the church of Bromley in Kent''^, to which he was probably led by the residence of his friend Hawkesworth at that place. The funeral sermon which he composed for her, which was never preached, but, having been given to dence which (however improbable the fact) it is hard to resist, that Johnson resigned to Dr. Bathurst all the profits of the Adventurer, two guineas a paper, for about thirty papers ; and all other accounts lead to a belief, that about this period J.ihnson was in extreme distress. It is there- fore more probable that he was induced to take the Negro by charity and his love of Dr. Bathurst — C, 1831. The Anderdon MSS. contain an importunate letter, dated July 3. 1751, from one Mitchell, a tradesman in Chandos Street, pressing Johnson to pay £1, due by his wife ever since August, 1749. and threatening legal proceedings to enforce payment. This letter Mr. Boswell had endorsed, "Proof of t)r. Johnson's wretched circumstances in 1751." — Croker, 184G. - See his beautiful and affecting Rambler, No. 54. — Malone. This was written two years before Mrs. Johnson's death — Croker. 3 It does not appear that Johnson was fully persuaded that there was a middle state : his prayers being only condiCiojiul, i. e. if such a state existed. — Malone. This is not a correct statement of the case: the condition was, that it should be lavful to him so to intercede; and in all his prajers of this nature he scrupulously introduces the humble limitation of " as far as it is lawful," or " as far as may be permitted, I recom- mend," &c. ; but it is also to be observed, that he sojiielimes prays that " the Almighty may have had mercy " on the de- parted, as if he believed the sentence to have been already pronounced.— Croker. •> A few months before his death, Johr.son honoured her 78 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1752. Dr. Taylor, has been published since his death, is a performance of uncommon excellence, and full of rational and pious comfort to such as are depressed by that severe affliction which John- son felt when he wrote it. When it is con- sidered that it was written in such an agitation of mind, and in the short interval between her death and burial, it cannot be read without wonder. From Mr. Francis Barber I have had the following authentic and artless account of the situation in which he found him recently after his wife's death : — " He was in great affliction. Mrs. Williams was then living in his house, which was in Gough Square. He was busy with the Dictionary. Mr. Shiels, and some others of the gentlemen who had formerly written for him, used to come about him. He had then little for himself, but frequently sent money to ]\Ii'. Shiels when in distress. The friends who visited him at that time, Avere cliiefly Dr. Bathurst', and Mr. Diamond, an a])othecary in Cork Street, Burlington-gardens, with whom he and Mrs. Williams generally dined evei'y Sunday. There was a talk of his going to Iceland with him, which would pro- bably have happened, had he lived. There Avere also Mr. Cave, Dr. Hawkesworth, Mr. Ryland, merchant on Tower-hill, Mrs. Masters ^ the poetess, who lived with Mr. Cave, Mrs. Carter, and sometimes Mrs. Macaulay^; also, Mrs. Gardiner, wife of a tallow-chandler on Snow -hill, not in the learned way, but a worthy memory by the following epitaph, which was inscribed on her tombstone, in the church of Bromley : — Hie condimtur reliquia; ELIZABETHS Antiqua Jarvisiorum gente, Peatlinga, apud Leicestrienses, ortse ; Formosae,cuIt», iiigeniosiB, pi;e ; Uxoris, primis nuptiis, Henrici Porter, Secundis, Samiielis .(omnson : Qui multum amatam, diuque defletam Hoc lapide contexit. Obiit Londiiii, Mcnse Mart. A.D. MDCCLH. Boswell. Here are buried the remains of Elizabeth, of the ancient family of Jervis, of Peatling in Leicestershire. Beautiful, accomplished, ingenious, pious, the wife in a first marriage of Henry Porter ; in a second, of Samuel Johnson : who has covered with this stone her whom he much loved and long lamented. She died in London in March, 1752." — C, 1846. ■ Dr. Bathurst, though a physician of no inconsiderable merit, had not the good fortune to get much practice in Lon- don. He was, therefore, willing to accept of employment abroad, and, to the regret of all who knew him, fell a sacri- fice to the destructive climate, in the expedition against the Havannah. Mr. Langton recollects the following passage in a letter from Dr. Johnson to Mr. Bcauclerk : — " The Havan- nah is taken : a conquest too dearly obtained ; for, Bathurst died before it ; " Vix Priamus tanti totaque Troja fuit." — Boswell. There are in Harwood's History of Lichfield two letters from Bathurst to Johnson, dated Barbadoes, January 13. and Jamaica, March 18. 1757 ; from which it would seem that Mr. Boswell's account is liable to some doubt, for Bathurst left London, and returned to the West Indies some years before the expedition against the Havannah (17G2) ; noris his name to be found in the list of medical olficers who accom- panied the army from England; heprobably, therefore.joined tlie expedition in the West Indies. The first ot these letters runs thus : — " The many acts of friendship ainl iir . ;'. n \ .m luive con- ferred upon me, so fully conviiici i; ,' interested in my welfare, that even my previDi ill not pre- vent my taking a pen in my hand lu an, mm:; \oii that lam this instant arrived safe at Barbadcies, and 1 hojje 1 may add. good woman * : Mr. (now Sir Joshua) Rey- nolds ; Mr. Millar, Mr. Dodsley, J\Ir. Bouquet, Mr. Payne, of Paternoster-row, booksellers ; Mr. Strahan, the printer ; the Earl of Orrery *, Lord Southwell 6, Mr. Garrick." Many are, no doubt, omitted in this catalogue of his friends, and in particular, his humble friend Mr. Robert Levett, an obscure practiser in physic amongst the lower people, his fees being sometimes very small sums, sometimes whatever provisions his patients could afford him; but of such extensive practice in that way, that Mrs. Williams has told me, his walk was from Houndsditch to Mai'ylebone. It appears, from Johnson's diary, that their ac- quaintance commenced about the year 1746 ; and such was Johnson's predilection for him, and fonciful estimation of his moderate abili- ties, that I have heard him say he should not be satisfied, though attended by all the College of Physicians, unless he had Mr. Levett with him. Ever since I was acquainted with Dr. Johnson, and many years before, as I have been assured by those who knew him earlier, Mr. Levett had an apartment in his house, or his chambers, and Avaited upon him every morning, through the Avhole course of his late and tedious breakfiist. He was of a strange grotesque appearance, stiff and formal in his manner, and seldom said a Avord while any company Avas present.'' The circle of his friends, indeed, at this time Avas extensive and various, far beyond what without having forgot all your lessons ; and I am confident not without praying most fervently that the Supreme Being will enable me to deserve the approbation and friendship of so great and so good a man : alas ! you little know how un- deserving I am of the favours I have received from you. May health and happiness for ever attend you. Excuse my dropping my pen, for it is impossible that it should express the gratitude that is due to you, from your most affec- tionate friend, and most obliged servant, Richard Ba- thurst." Dr. Johnson told Mrs. Piozzi that he loved "dear, dear Bathurst, better than he ever loved any human creature ; " and it was on him that he bestowed the singular eulogy of being a good hater. " Dear Bathurst," said he, " was a man to my very heart's content ; he hated a fool, and he hated a rogue, and he hated a Whig : he was a very good hater ! " — Croker. - Mary Masters published a small volume of poems about 1738, and, in 1755, " Familiar Letters and Poems," in octavo. She is supposed to have died about 1759 — Croker. 3 Catherine Sawbridge, sister of Mrs. Alderman Saw- bridge, was born in 1733 ; but it was not till 1760 that she was married to Dr. Macaulay, a physician ; so that Barber's account was, in respect to her, incorrect, either in date or name. She was married a second time, in 1778, to a Mr. Graham, with no increase of respectability. She died in 1791. — Choker. ■1 With this good woman, who was introduced to him by Mrs. Masters, he kept up a constant intercourse, and remem- bered her in his will, by the bequest of a book. See post, Nov. 1783 Croker. 5 See nnti, p. 57. n. 2._C. Thomas, second Lord Southwell, F.R.S., born 1698, suc- ceeded his father in 1720, and died in 1766 Croker. " Robert Levett, though an Englishman by birth, became early in life a waiter at a coffee-house in Paris ; where the surgeons who frequented it, finding him of an inquisitive turn, and attentive to their conversation, made a purse for him, and gave him some instructions in their art. They afterwards furnished him with the means of other knowledge, by procuring Jiim free admission to such lectures in pharmacy and anatomy as were read by the ablest professors of that period. Where the middle part of his life was spent is un- certain. He resided about twenty years under Johnson's hospitable roof, who never wished him to be regarded as an inferior, or treated him like a dependent. — Steevens. ^•T. 43. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 79 has been generally imagined.' To trace his acquaintance -with each particular person, if it could be done, would be a task, of which the labour would not be repaid by the advantage. But exceptions are to be made ; one of which must be a friend so eminent as Sir Joshua Reynolds, who was truly his dulce decus, and with whom he maintained an luiinterrupted intimacy to the last hour of his life. When Johnson lived in Castle Street, Cavendish Square, he used frequently to visit two ladies who lived opposite to him, Miss Cotterells, daughters of Admiral Cotterell." Reynolds used also to visit there, and thus they met.^ Mr. Reynolds, as I have observed above, had from the first reading of his Life of Savage, conceived a very high admiration of Johnson's powers of writing. His conversation no less delighted him ; and he cultivated his acquaint- ance with the laudable zeal of one who was ambitious of general improvement. Sir Joshua, indeed, was lucky enough, at their very first meeting, to make a remark, which was so much above the common-place style of conversation, that Johnson at once perceived that Reynolds had the habit of thinking for himself. The la,dies were regretting the death of a friend, to whom they owed great obligations ; upon which Reynolds observed, " You have, how- ever, the comfort of being relieved from a burthen of gratitude." They were shocked a little at this alleviating suggestion, as too selfish ; but Johnson defended it in his clear and forcible manner, and was much pleased with the 7ni7id, the fair view of human nature*, which it exhibited, like some of the reflections of Rochefaucault. The consequence was, that • Mr. Murphy, who is, as to this period, better authority than Mr. Boswell, says, " It was late in life before he had the habit of mixing, otherwise than occasionally, with po- lite company ; " and Dr. Harwood favoured me with the following memorandum, in Johnson's writing, made about this time, of certain visits which he was to pay (perhaps on his return from Oxford m 1754) ; and which, as it contains the names of some of the highest and lowest of his acquaint- ance, is probably a list of nearly all his friends: — ' Visits to Brodie Fowke Taylor Elphinston Osborne Garden Richardson Strahan Millar Tonson Dodsley Reynolds Lenox Gully Hawkesworth Gardiner Drew Lawrence Garrick Robinson,8en. Henry Craster '/>ers .Simpson Hawkins Rose Ryland Giffard Payne Gregory Newberry Desmoulins Bathurst Lloyd Grainger Sherrard." Baker — Croker Weston Millar 2 Captain Charles Cotterell retired totally from the service in July, IT'lT, being put on the superannuated list, with the rank and pay of a rear-admiral. He died in .August, 1754 Croker. •^ It would be naturally inferred from Mr. Boswell's ac- count, that the acquaintance between Johnson and .Sir Joshua took place so early as at the time when the former resided in Castle Street ; but it was not so. Reynolds had not then come to town. The acquaintance must have commenced subsequently to Reynolds' fixing himself in London, towards the end of 1752. In 1753, he took a house in Great Newport Street, where, opposite to khn, resided the Cottrells. (See Northcote's L'fe of Reynolds, vol i. p. CO.) Barber also must have been in error when he described Reynolds as one of Johnson's intimates, at the~period of his wife's death. — Croker. he went home with Reynolds, and supped with him. Sir Joshua told me a pleasant characteris- tical anecdote of Johnson about the time of their first acquaintance. When they were one evening together at the Miss Cotterells', the then Duchess of Argyle^ and another lady of high rank came in. Johnson, tliinking that the Miss Cotterells were too nmch engrossed by them, and that he and his friend were neg- lected, as low company of whom they were somewhat ashamed, grew angry ; and resolvin"' to shock their supposed pride, by making their great visiters imagine that his friend and he were low indeed, he addressed himself in a loud tone to Mr. Reynolds, saying, " How much do you think you and I could gel; in a week, if we were to woi-k as hard as we could ? " — as if they had been common mechanics. His acquaintance with Bennet Langton, Esq., of Langton, in Lincolnshire, another much valued friend, commenced soon after the con- clusion of his Rambler ; which that gentleman, then a youth, had read with so much admira- tion, that he came to London chiefly with a view of endeavouring to be introduced to its author.'' By a fortunate chance, he happened to take lodgings in a house where ]\Ir. Levett frequently visited ; and having mentioned his wish to his landlady, she introduced him to Mr. Levett, who readily obtained Johnson's permission to bring Mr. Langton to him ; as, indeed, Johnson, during the whole course of his life, had no shyness, real or aflected, but was easy of access to all who were properly recommended, and even wished to see numbers at his levee, as his morning circle of company 4 Johnson himself has a sentiment somewhat similar in his 87th Rambler: — "There are minds so impatient of infe- riority, that their gratitude is a species of revenge, and they return benefits, not because recompence is a pleasure, but because obligation is a pain." — J. Boswell, jun. This is, no doubt, " a somewhat similar sentiment ; " but in the Rambler, Johnson mentions it with the censure it deserves ; whereas, in the text, he is represented as applauding it. Such an observation is very little like the usual good manners, good nature, and good sense of Sir Joshua ; and we cannot but suspect the authority, whatever it was, on which Boswell admitted this anecdote. — Ckoker. ' Jane Warburton, second wife of John second Duke of Argyle. His Grace died in 1743. She survived till 1767.— CnoKER. <> Mr. Langton was only 15 when the Rambler was ter- minated, liaving been born about 1737, and he entered "Tri- nity College, Oxford, July 7. 1757. So much of his history is told with that of Dr. Johnson's, that it is unnecessary to say more in this jilace, except that he was remarkable for his knowledge of Greek, and on Dr. Johnson's death, he suc- ceeded him as professor of ancient literature in the Royal Academj;. He died on the 10th of December, 1801, and was buried at Southampton. The following description of his person and appearance later in life is interesting, and its resemblance is confirmed by a beautiful portrait by Rey- nolds, in the possession of his family. " O ! that we could sketch him with his mild countenance, his elegant features, and his sweet smile, sitting with one leg twisted round the other, as if fearing to occupy more space than was equitable; his person inclining forward, as if wanting strength to support his height, and his arms crossed over his bosom, or his h.inds locked together on his knee ; his oblong gold-mounted snuff-box, taken from the waistcoat pocket opposite his hand, and either remaining between his fingers or set by him on the table, but which was never used but when his mind was occupied on conversation ; so soon as conversation began, the box was produced." — Miss Hawkins's Memoirs, vol. ii. p. 2>i2 CiioKEU. 80 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 17-53. might, with strict propriety, be called. Mr. Langton was exceedingly surprised when the sage first appeared. He had not received the smallest intimation of his figure, dress, or man- ner. From perusing his writings, he fancied he should see a decent, well-drest, in short, a remarkably decorous philosopher. Instead of which, down from his bedchamber about noon, came, as newly risen, a huge uncouth figure, with a little dark wig which scarcely covered his head, and his clothes hanging loose about him. But his conversation was so rich, so animated, and so forcible, and his religious and political notions so congenial with those in whi?h Langton had been educated, that he con :eived for him that veneration and attach- me t which he ever preserved. Johnson was no the less ready to love Mr. Langton, for his be \g of a very ancient family ; for I have heard him say, with pleasure, " Langton, Sir, has a grant of free-Avarren from Henry the Second; and Cardinal Stephen Langton, in King John's reign, was of this family."' Mr. Langton afterwards went to pursue his studies at Ti-inity College, Oxford, where he formed an acquaintance with his fellow-student, Mr. Topham Beauclerk", who, though their opinions and modes of life were so different, that it seemed utterly improbable that they should at all agree, had so ardent a love of literature, so acute an understanding, such elegance of manners, and so well discerned the excellent qualities of ]\Ir. Langton, a gentle- man eminent not only for worth and learning, but for an inexhaustible fund of enter- tain ing conversation, that they became intimate friends. Johnson, soon after this acquaintance began, passed a considerable time at Oxford. He at first thought it strange that Langton should associate so much with one who had the cha- racter of being loose, both in his principles and practice ; but, by degrees, he himself was fas- cinated. Mr. Beauclerk's being of the St. Alban's family, and having, in some parti- culars, a resemblance to Charles the Second, contrilauted, in Johnson's imagination, to throw a lustre upon his other qualities; and, in a short time, the nnral, pious Johnson, and the gay, dissipated Beauclerk, were companions. " What a coalition ! (said Garrick, when he heard of this :) I shall have my old friend to bail out of the Round-house." But I can bear testimony that it was a very agreeable associ- ation. Beauclerk was too polite, and valued learninnr and wit too much, to offend Johnson ' It is to be wondered that he did not also mention Bishop Langton, a distinguished benefactor to the cathedral of Lich- field, and who also had a prant of free-warren over his patri- monial inheritance, from Kdward I. ; the relationship might probably be as clearly traced in the one case as in the other. See Harwood's History of Lichfield, p. 139 Croker. 2 Topham Beauclerk, only s(m of Lord Sidney Beauclerk, third son of the first Duke of .St. Albans, was born in 1739, and entered Trinity College, Oxford, in November, 1757. — Croker. by sallies of infidelity or licentiousness ; and Johnson delighted in the good qualities of Beauclerk, and hoped to correct the evil. In- numerable were the scenes in which Johnson was amused by these yoimg men. Beauclerk could take more liberty with him than any body with whom I ever saw him ; but, on the other hand, Beauclerk was not spared by his respectable companion, when reproof was pro- per. Beauclerk had such a propensity to satire, that at one time Johnson said to him, " You never open your mouth but with intention to give pain ; and you have often given me pain, not from the power of what you said, but from seeing your intention." At another time ap- plying to him, with a slight alteration, a line of Pope, he said, — " Thy love of folly, and thy scorn of fools ;' — Every thing thou dost shows the one, and every thing thou say'st, the other." At another time he said to him, " Thy body is all vice, and thy mind all virtue." Beauclerk not seeming to relish the compliment, Johnson said, " Nay, Sir, Alexander the Great, marching'in triumph into Babylon, could not have desired to have had more said to him." Johnson was some time with Beauclerk at his house at Windsor, where he was entertained with experiments in natural jDhilosophy''. One Sunday, when the weather was very fine, Beauclerk enticed him, insensibly, to saunter about all the morning. They went into a churchyard, in the time of divine service, and Johnson laid himself down at his ease upon one of the tomb-stones. " Now, Sir, (said Beauclerk) you are like Hogarth's Idle Ap- prentice." When Johnson got his pension, Beauclerk said to him, in the humorous phrase of Falstaff, " I hope you'll now purge, and live cleanly, like a gentleman." One night when Beauclerk and Langton had supped at a tavern in London, and sat till about three in the morning, it came into their heads to go and knock up Johnson, and see if they could prevail on him to join them in a ramble. They rapped violently at the door of his chambers in the Temple, till at last he ap- peared in his shirt, with his little black wig on the top of his liead, instead of a nightcap, and a poker in his hand, imagining, probably, that some ruffians were coming to attack him. When he discovered who they were, and was told their errand, he smiled, and with great good- humour agreed to their proposal : " What, is it you, you dogs! I'll have a frisk with you."* 3 " Your taste of follies, and our scorn of fools. II Mar. Ep. 276. 4 Perhaps some experiments in electricity, which was, at this time, a fashionable curiosity : it cannot be supposed that the natural philosophy of Mr. Beauclerk's country-house went very deep — Croker. 5 Johnson, as Mr. Kemble observes to me, might here have had in his thoughts the words of Sir John Brute (a character which, doubtless, he had seen represented by Garrick), who uses nearly the same expression in " The Provoked Wife," Act ill. sc. 1 Malone. ^T.44. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. He was soon drest, and they sallied forth to- gether into Covent-Garden, where the green- grocers and fruiterers were beginning to arrange their hampers, just come in from the country. Johnson made some attempts to help them; but the honest gardeners stared so at his figure and manner, and odd interference, that he soon saw his services were not relished. They then rejjaired to one of the neighbouring taverns, and made a bowl of that li(|uor called Bishop, which Johnson had always liked': while, in joyous contempt of sleep, from whicli he had been roused, he repeated the festive lines, " Short, O short then be thy reign, And give us to the world again ! " * They did not stay long, but walked down to the Thames, took a boat, and rowed to Billings- gate. Beauclerk and Johnson were so well pleased with their amusement, that they re- solved to persevere in dissipation for the rest of the day : but Langton deserted them, being engaged to breakfast with some young ladies. Johnson scolded him for "leaving his social friends, to go and sit with a set of wretched un-idead girls." Garrick, being told of this ramble, said to him smartly, " I heard of your frolic t'other night. You'll be in the Chronicle." Upon which Johnson afterwards observed, "iZe durst not do such a thing. His loife would not let him ! " ^ He entered upon this year, 1753, with his usual piety, as appears from the following prayer, which I transcribed from that part of his diary which he burnt a few days before his death : — "Jan. 1. 1753, N. S. ; which I shall use for the future. " Almighty God, who hast continued my life to this day, grant that, by the assistance of thy Holy Spirit, I may improve the time which thou shall grant me, to my eternal salvation. Make me to remember, to thy glory, thy judgments and thy mercies. Make me so to consider the loss of my wife, whom thou hast taken from me, that it may dispose me, by thy grace, to lead the residue of my life in thy fear. Grant this, O Lord, for .Iesus Christ's sake. Amen." He now relieved the drudgery of his Diction- ary, and the melancholy of his grief, by taking an active part in the composition of "The Adventurer," in which he began to write April 10., marking his essays with the signature T., ' And had the gratitude to immortalise in his Dictionary as " a mixture of wine, oranges, and sugar." — Choker, 184(j. 2 Mr. Langton has recollected, or Dr. Johnson repeated, the passage wrong. The lines are in Lord Lansdowne's Drinking Song to Sleep, and run thus : — " Short, very short, be then thy reign. For I'm in haste to laugh and drink again." BOSWELL. 3 As Johnson's companions in this frolic were both thirty years younger than he, it is no wonder that Garrick should be a little alarmed at such extravagances. Nor can we help smiling at the philosopher of fifty scolding a young man of twenty for having the bad taste to prefer the company of a set of wretched un-idea'd girls. The sarcastic allusion to Gar- rick's domestic habits seems a little inconsistent with that by which most of his papers in that collection are distinguished : those, however, which have that signature, and also that of Mysargyrus, were not written by him, but, as 1 suppose, by Dr. Bathurst. * Indeed, Johnson's energy of thought and richness of language are still more decisive marks than any signature. As a proof of this, my readers, I imagine, will not doubt that No. 39., on Sleep, is his; for it not only has the general texture and colour of his style, but the authors with wiiom he was pecu- liarly conversant are readily introduced in it in cursory allusion. The translation of a passage in Statins ^ quoted in that paper, and marked C. B., has been -erroneously ascribed to Dr. Bathurst, whose Christian name was Richr'^d. How much this amiable man actually con ri- Inited to "The Adventurer," cannot be kno»'-n. Let me add, that Hawkesworth's imitations i>f Johnson are sometimes so happy, that il!"is extremely difEcult to distinguish them with certainty, from the composition of his great archetype. Hawkesworth was his closest imi- tator, a circumstance of which that writer would once have been proud to be told; though, when he had become elated by having risen into some degree of consequence, he, in a con- versation with me, had the provoking effron- tery'' to say that he was not sensible of it. Johnson was truly zealous for the success of "The Adventurer;" and very soon after his engaging in it, he wrote the following letter : JOHNSON TO JOSEPH WARTON. "8th March, 17.13. " Dear Sir, — I ought to have written to you before now, but I ouglit to do many things which I do not ; nor can I, indeed, claim any merit from this letter ; for being desired by the authors and proprietor of the Adventurer to look out for another hand, my thoughts necessarily fixed upon you, whose fund of literature will enable you to assist them, with very little interruption of your studies. " They desire you to engage to furnish one paper a month, at two guineas a paper, which you may very readily perform. We have considered that a paper should consist of pieces of Imagina- tion, pictures of life, and disquisitions of literature. Tlie part which depends on the imagination is very well supplied, as you will find when you read the paper ; for descriptions of life, there is now. a treaty almost made with an author and an- authoress'; and the province of criticism and litcra- almost morbid regret which Johnson felt so long for the loss of his own wife. — Croker. ■1 See the note on next page as to Johnson's and Bathurst's share in the "Adventurer." 5 This is a slight inaccuracy. The Latin Sapphics trans- lated by C. B. in th.-it paper were written by Cowley, and are in his fourth book on Plants. — Malone. 6 Kffrontery is too offensive a term for the occasion. The improved style of Dr. Johnson in the Idler might as well be said to be borrowed from the Adventurer, as that of the Ad- venturer from the Rambler. Johnson and Hawkesworth may have influenced each other, and yet either might say, without effrontery, that he was not conscious of it Crokbr. ' >Ir. Malone here added a long note, surmising that this author and authoress were Henry Fielding and his sister ; but he produces no proof, and seems to admit, that even if they were the persons meant, they never contributed — Croker. G 82 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1753. tiire they are very desirous to assign to the com- mentator on Virgil. " I hope this proposal will not be rejected, and that the next post will bring us your compliance. I speak as one of the fraternity, though I have no part in the paper, beyond now and then a motto ; but two of the writers are ray particular friends, and I hope the pleasure of seeing a third united to them, will not be denied to, dear Sir, your most obedient and most humble servant, " Sam. Johnson." The consequence of this letter was, Dr. Warton's enriching the collection with several admirable essays.^ Johnson's saying, "I have no part in the paper, beyond now and then a motto," may seem inconsistent with his being the author of the papers marked T. But he had, at this time, written only one number " ; and besides, even at any after period, he might have used the same expression, considering it as a point of honour not to own them ; for Mrs. Williams told me that, " as he had give7i those Essays to Dr. Bathurst, who sold them at two guineas 1 In this place, though out of order of date, may be given (from Wooll's Lifi of Warton), Johnson's letter to him on the conclusion of the Adventurer : — JOHNSON TO JOSEPH WARTON. "8th March, 1754. " Dear Sir, —I cannot but congratulate you upon the con- clusion of a work, in which you have borne so great a part with so much reputation. I immediately determined that your name should be mentioned, but the paper having been some time written, Mr. Hawkesworth, I suppose, did not care to disorder its text, and therefore put your eulogy in a note. He and every other man mentions your papers of criticism with great commendation, though not with greater than they deserve. " But how little can we venture to exult in any intellectual powers or literary attainments, when we consider the con- dition of poor Collins ! I knew him a few years ago full of hopes and full of projects, versed in many languages, high in fancy, and strong in retention. This busy and forcible mind is now under the government of those who lately would not have been able to comprehend the least and most narrow of its designs. What do you hear of him V are there hopes of his recovery ? or is he to pass the remainder of his life in misery and degradation — perhaps with complete conscious- ness of his calamity ? " You have flattered us, dear Sir, for some time, with hopes of seeing you ; when you come you will find your reputation increased, and with it the kindness of those friends who do not envy you ; for success always produces either love or hatred. " I enter my name among those that love, and love you more and more in proportion as by writing more you are more known ; and believe, that as you continue to diffuse among us your integrity and learning, I shall be still with greater esteem and affection, dear Sir, your most obedient and most humble servant, Sam. Johnson." — Croker. 2 The Author, I conceive, is here in an error. He had be- fore stated, that Johnson began to write in " The Adven- turer" on April 10th (when No. 45. was published), above a month after the date of his letter to Dr. Warton. The two papers published previously with the signature T. and sub- scribed My.sargyrus(No. 34. and 4 l.),were written, I believe, by Bonnel Thornton, who contributed also the papers signed A. This information I received several years ago, but do not precisely remember from whom I derived it. I believe, however, my informer was Dr. Warton. With respect to No. 39., on Sleep, which our author has ascribed to Johnson, even if it were written by him, it would not be inconsistent with his statement to Dr. War- ton ; for it appeared on March 20th, near a fortnight after the date of Johnson's letter to that gentleman. But on con- sidering it attentively, though the style bears a strong resem- blance to that of Johnson, I believe it was written by his Iriend Dr. Bathurst, and perhaps touched in a few places by Johnson. Mr. Boswell has observed, that " this paper not only has the general texture and colour of his style, but the .luthors with whom he was peculiarly conversant are readily introduced in it, in cursory allusion." Now the authors each, he never would own them ; nay, he used to say he did not icrite them: but the fact was, that he dictated them, while Bathurst wrote." I read to him Mrs. Williams's account : he smiled, and said nothing. I am not quite satisfied with the casuistry ^ by Avhich the productions of one person are thus passed upon the world for the productions of another. I allow that not only knowledge, but powers and qualities of mind, may be com- municated; but the actual effect of individual exertion never can be transferred, with truth, to any other than its own original cause. One person's child may be made the child of another person by adoption, as among the Romans, or by the ancient Jewish mode of a wife having children born to her upon her knees, by her handmaid. But these were children in a dif- ferent sense from that of nature. It was clearly understood that they were not of the blood of their nominal parents. So in literary children, an author may give the profits and fame of his composition to another man, but cannot make that other the real author. A Highland gentle- mentioned in that paper are Fontenelle, Milton, Ramazzini, Madle. Scuderi, Swift, Homer, Barretier, Statius, Cowley, and Sir Thomas Browne. With many of these, doubtless, Johnson was particularly conversant ; but I doubt whether he would have characterised the expression quoted from Swift as elegant; and with the works of Ramazzini it is very im- probable that he should have been acquainted. Ramazzini was a celebrated physician, who died at Padua in 1714, at the age of 81 ; with whose writings Dr. Bathurst may be sup- posed to have been conversant. So also with respect to Cow- ley: Johnson, without doubt, had read his Latin poem on plants ; but Bathurst's profession probably led him to read it with more attention than his friend had given to it ; and Cowley's eulogy on the poppy would more readily occur to the naturalist and the physician, than to a more general reader. I believe, however, that the last paragraph of the paper on Sleep, in which Sir Thomas Browne is quoted, to show the propriety of prayer, before we lie down to rest, was added by Johnson Malone. There is a great confusion, and, as it seems, several errors, in Mr. Boswell's and Mr. Malone's accounts of Johnson's share in the Adventurer, but it may be confidently asserted, on the evidence of Hawkins (ante, p. 75. n. 1.), of Dr. War- ton, and on Johnson's own confession to Miss Boothby {Letters, p. 48.), that he wrote all those marked with the signature T., of which No. 39. on Sleep is one. The only difficulty is, that on the 8th March he tells Dr. Warton that he had "no part in the paper," one of the letters of My- sargyrus, marked T., having been published on the 3d : but Johnson, whether he gave some of these essays to Dr. Bathurst or not, probably did not consider himself as having, by the writing one letter, a part — that is, a proprietary or responsible part — in the paper ; and even if the letters prin- cipally in question had not had the mark T., the pedantic signature Mysargyrus would have been enough to lead us to suspect that they were Johnson's. Almost all the names, whether of men or women, affixed to the letters in the Ram- bler and Idler are of the same class ; and, after all, the letter to Warton may be misdated. — Croker. ^ Mr. Boswell's reprehension of this cauistry seems just and candid. A man may undoubtedly sell the works of his mind as well as of his hands, but in neither case am fahehood (which might become fraud) be justified. Dollond would have had a perfect right to present a friend with one of his instruments to be sold to that friend's advantage, but he would not have been justifiable in allowing another maker to use his name. If a publisher had, on the strength of these papers in the Adventurer, offered Dr. Bathurst a large price for a literary work, could Johnson have possibly acquiesced in such a mistake ? But after all, it may be doubted that Johnson did give up all his share of the profits of the Ad- venturer to Dr. Bathurst, who, himself, wrote the papers marked A., for Johnson was at this period in great pecuniary distress — greater, we may suppose, than Bathurst was likely to be in. Mr. Chalmers treats too lightly Dr. Johnson's seeming acquiescence in Mrs. Williams's statement : " Dr. Johnson," says he, " probably smiled to see his friend puzzling himself with a difficulty which a plain question could in a moment have removed." Brit. Ess. vol. xxiii. p. 32. — Crokeb. iEx. 44. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 83 man, a younger branch of a family, once con- sulted me if he could not validly purchase the chieftainship of his family, from the chief who was willing to sell it. I told him it was impos- sible for him to acquire, by purchase, a right to be a diiferent person from what he really was; for that the right cf chieftainship attached to the blood of primogeniture, and,' therefore, was incapable of being transferred. I added, that though Esau sold his birthright, or the advan- tages belonging to it, he still remained the first- born of his parents ; and that whatever agree- ment a chief might make with any of the clan, the Heralds' Office could not admit of the metamorphosis, or with any decency attest that the younger was the elder: but I did not con- vince the worthy gentleman. Johnson's papers iu the Adventurer are very similar to those of the Rambler; but, being rather more varied in their subjects ', and being mixed with essays by other writers, upon topics more generally attractive than even the most elegant ethical discourses, the sale of the work, at first, was more extensive. Without meaning, however, to depreciate the Adven- turer, I must observe, that as the value of the Kambler came, in the progress of time, to be better known, it grew upon the public estima- tion, and that its sale has far exceeded that of any other periodical papers since the reign of Queen Anne. In one of the books of his diary I find the following entry : " Apr. 3. 1753. I began the second vol. of my Dictionary, room being left in the first for Preface, Grammar, and History, none of them yet begun. " O God, who hast hitherto supported me, enable • Dr. Johnson lowered and somewhat disguised his style, in writing the Adventurers, in order that his papers might pass for those of Dr. Bathurst, to whom he consigned the profits. This was Hawkesworth's opinion — Burney. This seems very improbable: it is much more likely that, observing and feeling that a lighter style was better suited to such essays, he, with his natural good sense, fell a little into the easier manner of his colleagues — Croker. 2 " Sir Charles Grandison," which was originally published In successive volumes. This relates to the sixth and seventh volumes. — Croker. 3 Richardson adopted Johnson's hint ; for, in 1755, he pub- lished in octavo, "A Collection of the moral and instructive Sentiments, Maxims, Cautions, and Reflections, contained in the Histories of Pamela, Clarissa, and Sir Charles Grandison, digested under proper heads." It is remarkable, that both to this book, and to the first two volumes of Clarissa, is pre- fixed a Preface by a friend. The " friend," in this latter instance, was the celebrated Dr. Warburton. — Malone. •* Dr. Warton, in a letter to his brother, 7th June, 1753, says, " I want to see Charlotte Lenox's book ;" upon which Mr. WooU, in his Life of Warto7i, adds this silly note : " This eminently learned lady translated the Enchiridion of Epic- tetus, and the Greek theatre of Le Pere Brumoy." — Life of W. p. 217. Poor Mrs. Lenox had no claim to the title of "an eminently learned lady." She did not translate Epic- tetus ; and her translation from the French of Brumoy was not published till 1759. It was probably her above-mentioned book on Shakspeare that Dr. Warton was desirous of seeing in 1753. Mrs. Charlotte Lenox was born in 1720. Her father, Colonel Ramsay, Lieutenant-Governor of New York, sent her over to England at the age of fifteen : but, unfortunately, the relative to whose care she was consigned was either dead or in a state of insanity on Miss Ramsay's arrival. A lady ,vho heard of, and pitied so extraordinary a disappointmeut, interested Lady Rockingham in the fate of Miss Ramsay ; and the result was, that she was received into her ladyship's family, where she remained till she fancied that a gentleman me to proceed in this labour, and in the whole task of my present state ; that wlien I shall render up, at the last day, an account of the talent committed to me, I may receive pardon, for the sake of Jesbs Christ. Amen." JOHNSON TO RICHARDSON. "2Gth Sept. 1753. " De.vk Sir, — I return you my sincerest thanks for the volumes of your new work * ; but it is a kind of tyrannical kindness to give only so much at a time, as makes more longed for ; but that will probably be thought, even of the whole, when you have given it. " I have no objection but to the preface, in which you first mention the letters as fallen by some chance into your hands, and afterwards mention your health as such, that you almost despaired of going through your plan. If you were to require my opinion which part should be changed, I should be inclined to the suppression of that part which seems to disclaim the composition. What is modesty, if it deserts from truth ? Of what use is the disguise by which nothing is concealed ? " You must forgive this, because it is meant well. " I thank you once more, dear Sir, for your books ; but cannot I prevail this time for an index? — such I wished, and shall wish, to Clarissa.' Suppose that in one volume an accurate index was made to the three works — but while I am writing an objection arises — such an index to the three would look like the preclusion of a fourth, to which I will never contribute ; for if I cannot benefit mankind, I hope never to injure them. I am, Sir, your most obliged and most humble servant, " Sam. Johnson." He this year favoured Mrs. Leno.x; with a Dedication* to the Earl of Orrery, of her " Shakspeare Illustrated." '•■ who visited at the house had become enamoured of her : though she is said to have been very plain in her person. This fancied passion led her into some extravagancies of vanity and jealousy, which terminated her residence with Lady Rockingham. Her moral character, however, was never impeached, and she obtained some countenance and protection from the Duchess of Newcastle ; but was chiefly dependent for a livelihood on her own literary exertions. In 1747, she published a volume of poems, and became, probably about that time, known to Mr. Strahan, the printer, in consequence of which she became acquainted with and married a Mr. Lenox, who was in Mr. Strahan's employ, but in what capacity is not known. She next published, in 1751, the novel of Harriot Stuart, in which it is supposed she gave her own history. The Duchess of Newcastle honoured her by standing god- mother to her first child, who was called Henrietta Holies, and did her the more substantial benefits of procuring for Mr. Lenox the place of tidewaiter in the Customs, and for herself an .ipartment in Somerset House. Nothing more is remembered of Mr. Lenox, except that he, at a later period of life, put forward some claim to a Scottish peerage. Mrs. Lenox lost her apartments by the pulling down of Somerset House ; and, in the hitter part of her life, was reduced to great distress. Besides her acquaintance with Dr. Johnson (who was always extremely kind to her), .and other literary characters, she li.ad the good fortune to become acquainted, at Mr. Strahan's, wi'^h the late Right Hon. George Rose, who liberally assisted her in the latter years of her life — particu- larly in her last illness, and was at the expense of her burial in the beginning of January, 1804 For most of the fore- going details, I am indebted to my friend the Right Hon. Sir George Rose, whose venerable mother still (1831 ) remembers Mrs. Lenox — Hawkins gives a graphic account of a John- soniiin orgy in honour of Mrs. Lenox " Mrs. Lenox, a lady now well known to the liter.ary world, had written a novel, entitled ' The Life of Harriot Stuart,' which in the spring of 1751 was ready for publication. One evening at the [Ivv Lane] Club, Johnson proposed to us the celebrating the birth of Mrs. Lenox's first literary child, as G 2 84 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1754. CHAPTER XL 1754. Johnsons " Life of Cave. " — T/ie Dictionary. — Lord ChesterfieUI. — His alleged Neglect. — Letter to Lord Chesterfield. — Bolirtghrokes Works. — Johnson visits O.rford. — JFarton's Recollectio7is. — Sir Robert Chambers. — Letters to Warton. — Collins. In 1754 I can trace nothing published by him, except his numbers of the Adventurer, and "The Life of Edward Cave," in the _ Gentle- man's Magazine for February. In biography there can be no questiou that he excelled, be- yond all who have attempted that species of composition; upon which, indeed, he set the highest value. To the minute selection of characteristical circumstances ', for which the ancients Avere remarkable, he added a philoso- phical research, and the most perspicuous and energetic language. Cave was certainly a man of estimable qualities, and was eminently dili- gent and successful in his own business, which, doubtless, entitled him to respect. But he was peculiarly fortunate in being recorded by Johnson; who, of the narrow life of a printer and publisher, without any digressions or ad- ventitious circumstances, has made an interest- ing and agreeable narrative. ^ The Dictionary, Ave may believe, afforded Johnson full occupation this year. As it ap- proached to its conclusion, he probably worked with redoubled vigour, as seamen increase their exertion and alacrity when they have a near prospect of their haven. Lord Chesterfield, to whom Johnson had paid the high compliment of addressing to his lord- ship the plan of his Dictionary, had behaved to he called her book, by a whole night spent in festivity. Upon his mentioning it to me, I told him I had never sat up a whole night in my life ; but he continuing to press me, and saying, that I should find great delight in it, I, as did all the rest of our company, consented. The place appointed was the Devil Tavern, and there, about the hour of eight, Mrs. Lenox and her husband, and a lady of her acquaintance, still [1785] living, as also the club, and friends to the number of near twenty, assembled. The supper was elegant, and John- son had directed that a magnificent hot apple-pie should make a part of it, and this he would have stuck with bav leaves, because, forsooth, Mrs. Lenox was an authoress, and had written verses ; and further, he had prepared for her a crown of laurel, with which, but not till he had invoked the Muses by some ceremonies of his own invention, he encircled her brows. The night passed, as must be imagined, in plea- sant conversation and harmless mirth, intermingled, at dif- ferent periods, with the refreshments of coffee and tea. About five, Johnson's face shone with meridian splendour, though his drink had been only lemonade ; but the far greater part of the company had deserted the colours of Bacchus, and were with difficulty rallied to partake of a second refreshment of coffee, which was scarcely ended when the day began to dawn. This phenomenon began to put us in mind of our reckoning ; but the waiters were all so overcome with sleep, that it was two hours before a bill could be had, and it was not till near eight that the creaking of the street door gave the signal for our departure." — Crorer. ' This is not Johnson's appropriate praise ; and, indeed, his want of attention to details is his greatest, if not his only, him in such a manner as to excite his contempt and indignation. The Avorld has been for many years amused with a story confidently told, and as confidently repeated with additional circum- stances, that a sudden disgust Avas taken by Johnson upon occasion of his having been one day kept long in Avaiting in his lordship's ante- chamber, for which the reason assigned Avas, that he had company with him; and that at last, Avhen the door opened, out Avalked Colley Cibber; and that Johnson Avas so violently provoked Avhen lie found for Avhom he had been so long excluded, that he Avent aAvay in a passion, and never Avould return. I remember having mentioned this story to George Lord Lyttelton, Avho told me he Avas very intimate , Avith Lord Chesterfield; and, holding it as a well-knoAvn ti'uth, defended Lord Chesterfield by saying, that " Cibber, Avho had been intro- duceil fixtniliarly by the back-stairs, had pro- bably not been there above ten minutes." It may seem strange even to entertain a doubt concerning a story so long and so Avidcly current, and thus implicitly adopted, if not sanctioned, by the authority Avhicli I have mentioned; but Johnson himself assured me, that there was not the least foundation for it. ^ He told me, that there never Avas any particidar incident Avhich produced a quarrel betAveen Lord Chesterfield and him; but that his lordship's continued neglect Avas the reason Avhy he resolved to have no connection Avith him. When the Dictionary Avas upon the eve of publication. Lord Chesterfield, Avho, it is said, had flattered himself Avith expectations that Johnson Avould dedicate the work to him, attempted, in a courtly manner, to soothe and insinuate himself with the sage, conscious, as it should seem, of the cold indifference Avith Avhich he had ti'cated its learned author; and further attempted to conciliate him, by Avriting tAvo papers in "The World," in recommend- fault, as a biographer. In the whole Life of Savage there is but one d.ite — the birlh'of .Savage — and that date is wrong ; and no one, from his L(fe oj Cave, would have imagined that Cave (as appears from the same letter, quoted aiite, p. 65. n. 3.) had been invited to meet the Prince and Princess of Wales, at a country house. Several details and corrections of errors, with which he was furnished for his Lives of the Poets, were wholly neglected. But, in truth, " the minute selection of characteristic circumstances " was neither the style of Johnson, nor the fashion of his day, and Mr. Boswell himself has, more than any other writer, contributed to create the public taste for biographical details Choker. 2 The introductory passage to this Life is, I know not why, omitted in all editions of Johnson's Works. It ought to be restored. See Gent. Mag., vol. 23. p. 55. — Croker. 3 Hawkins, who lived much with Johnson about this period, attributes the breach between him and Lord Chesterfield to the offence taken by Johnson at being kept waiting during a visit of Gibber's; and Johnson himself, in his celebrated letter, seems to give colour to this latter opinion. He says : " It is seven years since I waited in your outer rooms, or was repulsed fiom your door " These expressions certainly give colour to " the long current and implicitly adopted story " as told by Hawkins, and sanctioned by Lord Lyttelton. In all this affair, Johnson's account, as given by Boswell, is in- volved in inconsistencies, which seem to prove that his pride, or his waywardness, had taken offence at what he afterwards felt, in his own heart, to be no adequate cause of animosity. — Croker. m.'^f r Lomimt. .hiHisht'd hy Jofitt Aluiitiif. - JEt. 45. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 85 ation of the work: and it must be confessed, that they contain some studied compliments, so finely turned, that if there had been no previous offence, it is probable that Johnson would have been highly delighteil. Praise, in genera], was pleasing to him ; but by praise from a man of rank and elegant accomplish- ments, he was peculiarly gratified. His Lord- ship says, " I think the jmblic in general, and the republic of letters in i)articular, are greatly obliged to Mr. Johnson for having undertaken and executed so great and desirable a work. Perfection is not to be expected from man ; but if we are to judge by the various works of Johnson already published, we have good reason to believe, that he will bring this as near to perfection as any man could do. Tlie Plan of it, which he published some years ago, seems to me to be a proof of it. Nothing can be more rationally imagined, or more accurately and elegantly expressed. I therefore recommend the previous perusal of it to all those who intend to buy the Dictionary, and who, I suppose, are all those who can afford it." " It must be owned, that our language is, at present, in a state of anarchy, and hitherto, per- haps, it may not have been the worse for it. During our free and open trade, many words and expres- sions have been imported, adopted, and natural- ized from other languages, which have greatly enriched our own. Let it still preserve what real strength and beauty it may have borrowed from others ; but let it not, like the Tarpeian maid, be overwhelmed and crushed by unnecessary orna- ments. The time for discrimination seems to be now come. Toleration, adoption, and naturalisa- tion have run their length. Good order and authority are now necessary. But where shall we find them, and, at the same time, the obedience due to them ? We must have recourse to the old Roman expedient in times of confusion, and choose a dictator. Upon this principle, I give my vote for ]\Ir. Johnson to fill that great and arduous post. And I hereby declare, that I make a total surrender of all my rights and privileges in the English language, as a free-born British subject, to the said JMr. Johnson, during the term of his dictator- ship. Nay, more ; I will not only obey him like an old Roman, as my dictator, but, like a modern Roman, I will implicitly believe in him as my Pope, and hold him to be infallible while in the chair, but no longer. IMore than this he cannot well re- quire ; for, I presume that obedience can never be expected, when there is neither terror to enforce, nor interest to invite it." " But a Grammar, a Dictionary, and a History of our language through its several stages, were still wanting at home, and importunately called for from abroad. jMr. Johnson's labours will now, I 1 It does not appear that there was any thing like " dcvue" or " artifice " in the affair. — Croker. 2 Dr. Johnson appeared to have had a remarkable delicacy with respect to the circulation of this letter; for Dr. Douglas, bishop of Salisbury, informs me, that having many years ago pressed him to be allowed to read it to the second Lord Hard- wicke, who was very desirous to hear it (promising, at the Siime time, that no copy of it should be taken), Johnson seemed much iileased that it had attracted the attention of a noble- man of such a respectable character ; but after pausing some dare say, very fully supply that want, and greatly contribute to the farther spreading of our language in other countries. Learners were discouraged, by finding no standard to resort to; and, consequently, thought it incapable of any. They will now be undeceived and encouraged." This courtly device ' failed of its effect. Johnson, who thought that "all was false and hollow," despised the honied words, and was even indignant that Lord Chesterfield should, for a moment, imagine that he could be the dupe of such an artifice. His expression to me concerning Lord Chesterfield, upon this occasion, was, " Sir, after making great pro- fessions, he had, for many years, taken no notice of me ; but when my Dictionary was coining out, he fell a scribbling in 'The World' about it. Upon which, I wrote him a letter, expressed in civil terms, but such as might show him that I did not mind what he said or wrote, and that I had done with him." This is that celebrated letter of which so much has been said, and about which curiosity has been so long, excited, without being grati- fied. I lor many years solicited Johnson to favour me with a copy of it, that so excellent a composition might not be lost to posterity. He delayed from time to time to give it me"; till at last, in 1781, when we were on a visit at Mr. Dilley's, at Southhill in Bedfordshire, he was pleased to dictate it to me from memory. He afterwards found among his papers a copy of it, Avliich he had dictated to Mr. Baretti, with its title and corrections, in his own hand- writing. This he gave to Mr. Langton; adding, that if it were to come into print, he wished it to be from that copy. By Mr. Langton's kind- ness, I am enabled to enrich my work with a perfect transcript of what the world has so eagerly desired to see. TO THE EARL OF CHESTERFIELD. "February 7. 1755. " ]Mv Lord, — I have been lately informed, by the proprietor of ' The World,' that two papers, in wliich my Dictionary is recommended to the public, were written by your lordship. To be so dis- tinguished, is an honour, which, being very little accustomed to favours from the great, I know not well how to receive, or in what terms to acknow- ledge. " When, upon some slight encouragement, 1 first visited your lordship, 1 was overpowered, like the rest of mankind, by the enchantment of vour address, and could not forbear to wish that I might boast myself Le vaiiiqueur du vaiiiqiteur de la terre* ; time, declined to comply with the request, saying, with a smile, " No, Sir ; I have hurt the dog too much already ; " or words to that purpose. — BoswELt.. This admission favours my opinion that Johnson, when the first ebullition of temper had subsided, felt that he had been unreasonably violent Croker. •' No very moderate expectation for "a JV^Vcrfand uncourtly scholar." Johnson's personal manners and h.ibits, even at a later and more polished period of his life, would probably not have been much to Lord Chesterfield's taste ; but it must be G 3 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1754. — that 1 might obtain that regard for which I saw the world contending ; but I found my attendance so little encouraged, that neither pride nor modesty would suffer me to continue it. When I had once addressed your lordship in public, I had exhausted all the art of pleasing which a retired and uncourtly scholar can possess. I had done all that 1 could ; and no man is well pleased to have his all neglected, be it ever so little. " Seven years, my lord, have now past, since I waited in your outward rooms, or was repulsed from your door; during which time I have been pushing on my work through difficulties, of which it is useless to complain, and have brought it, at last, to the verge of publication, without one act of assistance ', one word of encouragement, or one smile of favour. Such treatment I did not expect, for 1 never had a patron before. " The shepherd in Virgil grew at last ac- quainted with Love, and found him a native of the rocks.* " Is not a patron, my lord, one who looks with unconcern on a man struggling for life in the water, and when he has reached ground, encumbers him with help ? The notice ^ which you have been pleased to take of my labours, had it been early, had been kind ; but it has been delayed till I am indifferent, and cannot enjoy it ; till I am solitary, and cannot impart it^; till I am known, and do not want it. I hope it is no very cynical asperity not to confess obligations where no benefit has been received, or to be unwilling that the public should consider me as owing that to a patron, which Pro- vidence has enabled me to do for myself. remembered, that Johnson's introduction to Lord Chester- field did not take place till his lordship was fast Jifit/, and he was just then attacked by a disease which gradually estranged him from all society. The neglect lasted, it is charged, from 1748 to 175.5 : now, his private letters to his most intimate friends will prove that during that period Lord Chesterfield may be excused for not cultivating Jolinson's society : — e.g. 20th Jan. 1749. " My old disorder in my head liindered me from acknowledging your former letters." .30th June, 17.52. " I am here in my hermitage, very deaf, and, consequently, alone ; but I am less dejected than inost people in my situa- tion would be." 1 0th Oct. 175.3. " I belong no more to social life." IGth Nov. 17-53. " I know my place, and form my plan accordingly, for / strike society out of it." 10th July, 1755. " My deafness is extremely increased, and daily in- creasing, and cuts me wholly off from the society of others, and my other complaints deny me the society of myself," &c. &c. Johnson, perhaps, knew nothing of all this, and imagined that Lord Chesterfield declined his acquaintance on some opinion derogatory to his personal pretensions. Mr. Tyers, however, suggests a more precise and probable ground for Johnson's animosity than Boswell gives, by hinting that Johnson expected some pecuniary assistance from Lord Chesterfield. He says, " It does not appear that Lord Chesterfield showed any substantial proofs of approbation to our philologer. A small present Johnson would have dis- dained, and he was not of a temper to put up with the affront of a disappointment. He revenged himself in a letter to his lordship written with great .acrimony Lord Chestertield indeed commends and recommends Mr. Johnson's Dictionary in two or three numbers of The World: ' but ' not itord< alone please him.' " Bwg. Sketch, p. 7 Croker. ' The following note is subjoined by Mr. Langton: — " Dr. Johnson, when he gave me this copy of his letter, desired that I would annex to it his information to me, that whereas it is said in the letter that ' no assistance has been received,' he did once receive from Lord Chesterfield the sum of ten pounds ; but as th,it was so inconsiderable a sum, he thought the mention of it could not properly find a place in a letter of the kind that this was." — Boswell. But this surely is an unsatisfactory excuse ; for the sum, though so inconsiderable, was one which Johnson tells us, that Paul Whitehead, then a fashionable poet, received for a new work : it was as much as Johnson himself had received for the copyright of his best poetical production ; and when Dr. Madden, some years after, gave uira the same sum for "Having carried on my work thus far with so little obligation to any favourer of learning, I shall not be disappointed though I should conclude it, if less be possible, with less ; for I have been long wakened from that dream of hope, in which I once boasted myself with so much exultation. My Lord, your lordship's most humble, most obedient servant, Sam. Johnson."' " While this was the talk of the town (says Dr. Adams in a letter to me), I happened to visit Dr. Warburton, who, finding that I was acquainted with Johnson, desired me earnestly to carry his compliments to him, and to tell him, that he honoured him for his manly behaviour in rejecting these condescensions of Lord Ches- terfield, and for resenting the treatment he had received from him with a proper spirit. Johnson was visibly pleased with this compli- ment, for he had always a high opinion of War- burton." "^ Indeed, the force of mind which appeared in this lettei-, was congenial with that which Warburton himself amply possessed. There is a curious minute circumstance which struck me, in comparing the various editions of Johnson's Imitations of Juvenal. In the tenth Satire one of the couplets upon the va- nity of wishes even for literary distinction stood thus : — " Yet think what ills the scholar's life assail. Toil, envy, want, the garret, and the jail." But after experiencing the uneasiness which revising a work of his, Johnson said the Doctor " was very generotis : for ten guineas was to me, at that time, a gi-eat sum," (see post, .17-56) : and, as I suppose it was given when the "Plan" was submitted to Lord Chesterfield, it really was a not illiberal return. At all events, when Johnson alleged against him such a trifle as the waiting in his ante- room, he ought not to have omitted the pecuniary obligat on, even if it had been more inconsiderable — Crokeu. - I confess I do not see the object, nor indeed the meaning, of this allusion Croker. 3 The notice could not, for any useful purpose, have been earlier. Johnson may have felt, as Mr. Tyers intimates, that some other kind of notice was not taken, but " the notice his lordship teas pleased to take " was peculiarly veil timed, and could not have come sooner Croker. •> In this passage Dr. Johnson evidently alludes to the l0!-<: of his wife. We find the same tender recollection recurring to his mind upon innumerable occasions ; and, perhaps, no man ever more forcibly felt the truth of the sentiment so elegantly expressed by my friend Mr. Malone, in his pro- logue to Mr. Jephson's tragedy of" Julia: " — " Vain — wealth, and fame, and fortune's fostering care. If no fond breast the splendid blessings share ; And, each day's bustling pageantry once past. There, only there, our bliss is found at last."— Boswell. 5 Upon comparing this copy with that which Dr. Johnson dict.ited to me from recollection, the variations are found to be so slight, that this must be added to the many other proofs which he gave of the wonderful extent and accuracy of his memory. To gratify the curious in composition, I have de- posited' both the copies in the British Museum Boswell. <■' Soon after Edwards's " Canons of Criticism " came out, Johnson was dining at Tonson the bookseller's, witii Hay- man the painter and some more company. Hayman related to Sir Joshua Reynolds, that the conversation iiaving turned upon Edwards's book, the gentlemen praised it much, and Johnson allowed its merit. But when they went farther, and appeared to put that author upon a level with Warburton, " Nay, (said Johnson) he has given him some smart hits to be sure ; but there is no proportion between the two men ; tliey must not be named together. A fly. Sir, may sting a stately horse and make him wince ; but one is but an insect, and the other is a horse still."— Boswell. See the fine passage in his preface to Shakspeare on Warburton and his antagonists P. Cunningham. iEx. 45. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 87 Lord Chesterfield's fallacious patronage made him feel, he dismissed the word garret from the sad group, and in all the subsequent editions the line stands " Toil, envy, want, the Patron, and the jail." That Lord Chesterfield must have been mortified by the lofty contempt, and polite, yet keen, satire with which Johnson exhibited him to himself in this letter, it is impossible to doubt. He, however, with that glossy duplicity which was his constant study, affected to be quite unconcerned. Dr. Adams mentioned to Mr. Robert Dodsley that he was sorry Johnson had written his letter to Lord Chesterfield. Dodsley, with the true feelings of trade, said "he was very sorry too; for that he had a property in the Dictionary, to which his lord- ship's patronage might have been of conse- quence." He then told Dr. Adams, that Lord Chesterfield had shown him the letter. " I should have imagined (replied Dr. Adams) that Lord Chesterfield would have concealed it." — "Poh! (said Dodsley), do you think a letter from Johnson could hurt Lord Chester- field ? Not at all, sir. It lay upon his table, where any body might see it. He read it to me ; said, 'This man has great powers,' pointed out the severest passages, and observed how well they were expressed." This air of in- difference, which imposed upon the worthy Dodsley, was certainly nothing but a specimen of that dissimulation which Lord Chesterfield inculcated as one of the most essontial lessons for the conduct of life. ' His lordship en- deavoured to justify himself to Dodsley from the charges brought against him by Johnson ; but we may judge from the flinisiness of his defence, from his having excused his neglect of Johnson, by saying, that " he had heard he had changed his lodgings, and did not know where he lived;" as if there could have been the smallest difficulty to inform himself of that circumstance, by inquiring in the literary circle 1 Why ? If, as may have been the case, Lord Chesterfield felt that Johnson was unjust towards him, he would not have been mortified — II n'l/ a que la verite qui blcsse. By Mr. Boswell's own confession, it appears that Johnson did not Rive copies of this letter ; that for many years Boswell had in vain solicited him to do so, and that he, after the lapse of twenty years, did so reluctantly. With all these admissions, how can Mr. Boswell attribute to any thing but the magna- nimity (if I may so say) of good taste .ind conscious rectitude. Lord Chesterfield's exposure of a letter which the relent- ing, if not repenting, author was so willing to bury in ob- livion ? — Crokeu. - This, Uke all the rest of the affair, seems discoloured by prejudice. Lord Chesterfield m.ide no attack on Johnson, who certainly acted on the offensive, and not the defensive. — Croker. 3 That collection of Letters cannot be vindicated from the serious charge of encouraging, in some passages, one of the vices most destructive to the good order and comfort of so- ciety, which his lordship represents as mere fashionable gallantry ; and, in'others, of inculcating the base practice of dissimulation, .and recommending, with disproportionate an- xiety, a perpetual attention to external elegance of manners. But it must, at the same time, be allowed, that they contain many good precepts of conduct, and much genuine informa- tion upon life and manners, very happily expressed ; and that there was considerable merit in paying so much atten- L with which his lordship was well acquainted, and was, indeed, himself, one of its ornaments. Dr. Adams expostulated with Johnson, and suggested, that his not being admitted when he called on him, was probably not to be im- puted to Lord Chesterfield; for his lordship had declared to Dodsley, that "he would have turned off the best servant he ever had, if he had known that he denied him to a man who would have been always more than welcome; " and in confirmation of this, he insisted on Lord Chesterfield's general affiibility and easiness of access, especially to literary men. " Sir, (said Johnson) that is not Lord Chesterfield; he is the proudest man this day existing." — "No, (said Dr. Adams) there is one person, at least, as proud; I think, by your own account, you are the prouder man of the two." — "But mine (replied Johnson instantly) was defensive pride." This, as Dr. Adams well observed, was one of those happy turns ^ for which he was so remarkably ready. Johnson having now explicitly avowed his opinion of Lord Chesterfield, did not refrain from expressing himself concerning that noble- man with pointed freedom : "This man, (said he) I thought, had been a lord among wits: but, I find, he is only a wit among lords 1 " And when his Letters to his natural son were published, he observed, that " they teach the morals of a whore, and the manners of a dancing master." ^ The character of a "respectable Hottentot," in Lord Chesterfield's Letters, has been gene- rally understood to be meant for Johnson, and I have no doubt that it was. But I remember when the Literary Property of those letters was contested in the court of session in Scot- land, and ]\Ir. Henry Dundas'^, one of the counsel for tlie proprietors, read this charac- ter as an exhibition of Johnson, Sir David Dalrymple, Lord Hailes, one of the judges, maintained, with some warmth, that it was not intended as a portrait of Johnson, but of a tion to the improvement of one who was dependent upon his lordship's protection: it has, probably, been exceeded in no instance by the most exemplary parent : and though 1 can by no means approve of confounding the distinction between lawful and illicit offspring, which is, in effect, insulting the civil establishment of our country, to look no higher ; I can- not help thinking it laudable to be kindly attentive to those, of whose existence we have, in any way, been the cause. Mr. Stanhope's character has been unjustly represented as diametrically opposite to what Lord Chesterfield wished him to he. He has been called dull, gross, and awkward : but I knew him at Dresden, when he was envoy to that court ; and though he could not boast of the graces, he was, in truth, a sensible, civil, well-beliaved man Boswell. In judging of Lord Chesterfield's Letters, it should be re- collected that they were never intended for publication, and were written only to meet a private, particular, and somewhat extraordinary case : and that it is hard that Lord Chester- field should be held responsible for a publication which he never could have anticipated — but see {post. May, 1776,) Jolnison's more favourable and just opinion of these letters, which, bating their lax moralitv — not to be palliated even by the peculiar circumstances under which they were written — are, I will venture to saj?, masterpieces of good taste, good writing, and good sense. — Choker, ixj'i. ■(Afterwards Viscount Melville. He died in 1811..— CUDKEK. G 4 88 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1754. late noble lord' distinguished for abstruse science. I have heard Johnson himself talk of the character, and say that it was meant for George Lord Lyttelton, in which T could by no means agree ; for his lordship had nothing of that violence which is a conspicuous feature in the composition. Finding that my illus- trious friend could bear to have it supposed that it might be meant for him, I said, laugh- ingly, that there was one trait which uncpies- tionably did not belong to him ; " he throws his meat anywhere but down his throat." — " Sir, (said he) Lord Chesterfield never saw me eat in his life." ° On the 6th of March came out Lord Boling- broke's works, published by Mr. David Mallet. The wild and pernicious ravings imder the name of "Thilosophy," which were thus ushered into the world, gave great offence to all well- principled men. Johnson, hearing of their tendency ^, which nobody disputed, was roused with a just indignation, and pronounced this memorable sentence* upon the noble author and his editor : — " Sir, he was a scoundrel, and a coward : a scoundrel for charging a blunderbuss against religion and morality; a coward, because he had not resolution to fire it (.n liimself, but left half-a-crown to a beggarly Scotchman, to draw tlie trigger after his deatlt ! " ^ Garrick, who, I can attest from my own knowledge, had his mind seasoned with pious reverence, and sincerely disapproved of the infidel writings of several whom in tlie course of his almost universal gay intercourse with men of eminence he treated with external civility, distinguished himself upon this oc- casion. Mr. Pelham having died on the very day on wlilch Lord Bolingbroke's works came out, he wrote an elegant Ode on his death, beginning " Let others hail the rising sun, I bow to that whose course is run ; " in which is the following stanza : — " The same sad morn, to Church and State (So for our sins 't was fix'd by Fate) A double stivike was given ; Black as the whirlwinds of the North, St. John's fell genius issued forth, And Pelham's fled to heaven." • Probably George, second Earl of Macclesfield, who pub- lished, in 17r)l,.-i learned pamphlet on the alteration of the style, and was, in 1752, elected I'resident of the Royal So. ciety. Lord Macclesfield's manner was, no doubt, awkward and embarrassed, but little else in bis character resembles that of the " respectaiile Hottentot," which much more pro- bably was, as the world supposed, intended for Johnson. — Croker. 2 Nor did we — and yet we know that Lord Chesterfield's picture, if meant for Johnson, was not overcharged ; for what between his blindness, his nervousness, and liis eagerness, all his friends describe his mode of e.ating to have been some- thing worse than awkward. See pust, August 5th, 17G3 Crokeh. 3 See post, March, 1750, where Johnson admits that he had not read this book.— Crokek. •1 It was the first remarkable phrase which Mr. Murphy ever heard him utter Croker. ' Mallet's wife, a foolish and conceited wom.in, one even- ing introduced herself to David Ilume, at an assembly, Johnson this year found an interval of lei- sure to make an excursion to Oxford, for the purpose of consulting the libraries there. Of this, and of many interesting circumstances concerning him, during a part of his life when he conversed but little with the world, I am enabled to give a particular account, by the liberal communications of the Rev. Mr. Thomas Warton, who obligingly furnished me with several of our common friend's letters, which he illustrated with notes. These I shall insert in their proper places. JOHNSON TO THOMAS WARTON. " London, July 16. 1754. " Sir, — It is hut an ill return for the book with which you were pleased to favour meS to have de- layed my thanks for it till now. I am too apt to be negligent; but I can never deliberately show my disrespect to a man of your character; and I now pay you a very honest acknowledgment, for the advancement of the literature of our native country. You have shown to all, who shall here- after attempt the study of our ancient authors, the way to success ; by directing them to the perusal of the books which those authors had read. Of this metiiod, Hughes', and men much greater than Hughes, seem never to have thought. The reason why the authors, which are yet read, of the sixteenth century, are so little understood, is, that they are read alone ; and no help is borrowed from those who lived witli them, or before thera. Some part of this ignorance I hope to remove by my book, [tUe Dictionary,] which now draws towards its end; biit wiiich I cannot finish to my mind, with- out visiting the libraries of Oxford, which I there- fore hope to see in about a fortnight. * I know not how long I shall stay, or where I sliall lodge ; but shall be sure to look for you at my arrival, and we shall easily settle the rest. I am, dear Sir, your most obedient, &c. Sam. Johnson." Of his conversation while at Oxford at this time, Mr. Warton preserved and communicated to me the following memorial, which, though not written with all the care and attention which that learned and elegant writer bestowed on those compositions which he intended for the public eye, is so happily expressed in an easy style, that I should injure it by any alter- ation. saying, " JVe deists, Mr. Hume, should know one another." Home was exceedingly displeased and disconcerted, and replied, " Madam, I am no deist ; 1 do not so style myself, nei- ther do I desire to be known by that appellation." — T/nrdy'i- Lz/f (if Lord ChnrU'7)iont, vol. i. p. 2,35. Boswell himself tells the same story in his Ht/pochundriac . This imputation would, even on mere worldly grounds.bevery disagreeable to Ilume; fori have in my possession proof that when Lord Hertford (whose secretary, in his embassy to Paris, Hume had been) was appointeu Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, his lordship declined continuing him in the same character, alleging as a reason the dissatisfaction that it would excite on account of Hume's anti-religious principles. - Crokrr. ^ Observations on Spenser's Fairy Qiiecu, the first edition of which was now published. — Waiiton. ' Hughes published an edition of Spenser Warton. « He came to Oxford within a lortni«hi, and stayed about five weeks. He lodged at Kcttel Hall. — Warpon. But during his visit, he collected nothing in the libraries for his Dictionary — Malone. -^T. 45. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 89 "When Johnson came to Oxford in 1754, the long vacation was beginning, and most people were leaving the place. This was the first time of his being there, after quitting the University. The next morning after his arrival, he wished to see his old college, Pembroke. I went with him. He was highly pleased to find all the college-servants which he had left there still remaining, particularly a very old butler; and expressed great satisfaction at being recognised by them, and conversed with them familiarly. He waited on the master, Dr. lladcliffe, who received him very coldly. Johnson at least expected that the master would order a copy of his Dictionary, now near publication ; but the master did not choose to talk on the subject, never asked Johnson to dine, nor even to visit him, while he staid at Oxford. After we had left the lodgings, Johnson said to me, ' There lives a man, who lives by the revenues of literature, and will not move a finger to support it. ' If I come to live at Oxford, I shall take up my abode at Trinity.'' We then called on the Reverend Mr. Meeke, one of the fellows, and of Johnson's stand- ing. Here was a most cordial greeting on both sides. On leaving him, Johnson said, ' I used to think Meeke had excellent parts, when we were boys together at the college : but, alas ! ' Lost in a convent's solitary gloom 1'— " ' I remember, at the classical lecture in the Hall, I could not bear Meeke's superiority, and I tried to sit as far from him as I could, that I might not hear him construe.' " As we were leaving the college, he said, ' Here I translated Pope's Messiah. Which do you think is the best line in it ? — ]\[y own favourite is, ' Vallis aromaticas fundit Saronlca mtbes.' I told him, I thought it a very sonorous hexameter. I did not tell him, it was not in the Virgilian style. He much regretted that his first tutor was dead ; for whom he seemed to retain the greatest regard. He said, * I once had been a whole morning slid- ing in Christ-Church meadows, and missed his lecture in logic. After dinner he sent for me to his room. I expected a sharp rebuke for my idle- ness, and went with a beating heart. ^ Wlien we were seated, he told me he had sent for me to drink a glass of wine with him, and to tell me, he was not angry with me for missing his lecture. This was, in fact, a most severe reprimand. Some more of the boys were then sent for, and we spent a very 1 There is some excuse for Dr. Ratcliff(!0 he spelt Lis name) not ordering a copy of the book, for this visU occurnil seven or eight months before the Diction.nry was published. Kis personal neglect of Johnson is less easily lobe accountiii for, unless it be by the fact, tliat he was a great invalid ; but the' imputation of his li' ing by the revenues of literature, and doing nothing for it, cannot, as Dr. Hall informed ine, be justly made against Dr. Ratcliff; for he bequeathed to lii> college 1000/. 4 per rents, for the establishment of an exhi- bition for the Sim of a Gloucestershire clergymi.n ; lOCO/. fo.- th- improvement of (he college buildings ; 100/. worth of books ; and 100/. for contingent expenses. . The residue of his property (except GOO/, left for the repair of the prebendal house of Gloucester) he left to the old buller mentioned in the text, who had long been his servant: a beque.-t which Johnson himself imitated in favour of his own servant, Bar- ber — Croker. ' 2 Mr. Warton's own College. — Choker, 3 This was Johnson's earliet account of this liitle event, and probably the most accurate ; many years alter this he told the story toBoswell and Mrs. Piozzi, and made a parade of pleasant afternoon." Besides Mr, Meeke, there was only one other fellow of Pembroke now resident : from both of whom Johnson received the greatest civilities during this visit, and they pressed him very much to liave a room in the college. "In the course of tills visit Johnson and I walked three or four times to EllesReld, a village beautifully situated about three miles from Oxford, to see Mr. [Fr.ancis] Wise, Iladclivian librarian, with whom Johnson was much pleased. At this place, Mr. Wise had fitted up a house and gardens, in a singular manner, but with great taste. Here was an excellent library, particularly a valuable collection of books in Northern literature, with which Johnson was often very busy. One day Mr. Wise * read to us a dissertation which he was preparing for the press, intitled 'A History and Chronology of the Fabulous Ages.' Some old divinities of Thrace, related to the Titans, and called the Cabiri, made a very important part of the theory of this piece ; and in conversation after- wards, i\Ir. Wise talked much of his Cabiri. As we returned to Oxford in the evening, I outwalked Johnson, and he cried out Sufflamina, a Latin word which came from his mouth with jjcculiar grace, and was as much as to say. Put on your drag chain. Before we got home, I again walked too fast for him ; and he now cried out, ' Why, you walk as if you were pursued by all the Cabiri in a body.' In an evening we frequently took long walks from Oxford into the country, returning to supper. Once, in our way home, we viewed the ruins of the abbeys of Oseney and Rewley, near Oxford. After at least half an hour's silence, Johnson said, ' I viewed them with indignation ! ' We had then a long conversation on Gothic build- ings ; and in talking of the form of old halls, he said, ' In these halls, the fire-place was anciently always in the middle of the room, till the Whigs removed it on one side.'* About this time there h;id been an execution of two or three criminals at Oxford on a Monday. Soon afterwards, one day at dinner, I was saying that INIr. Swinton", the chaplain of the gaol, and also a frequent preacher before the university, a learned man, but often thoughtless and absent, preached the condemnation sermon on repentance, before the convicts, on the preceding day, Sunday ; and that in the close he told his audience, that he should give them the remainder of what he had to say on the subject the next Lord's Day. Upon which, one of our company, a doctor of divinity, and a plain matter- of-fact man, by way of ofTering an apology for Mr. his having waited on his tutor, not with a " beating heart," but with " noiKhalance and even insolence." See p. 13. n. 4. — C, •1 Lately Fellow of Trinity College, and at this time wa» Radcliv.in Librarian at Oxford ; of considerable learning, and eminently skilled in Koman and Anglo-Saxon antiqui- ties. — Wartun. '■> What can this mean ? What had the Whips to do with removing the smoky hearths from the centre of the great halls to a more commodious chimney at the side? And there are hundreds of very ancient halls with their chimneys in the sides. Johnson waseither joking, or he alluded to some particular circumstances which 'Wart.'n omitted to notice. — Croker. I have since found that my conjeciure was right, and that Johnson alluded to an alteration of the hall of Uni- versity College, which made some noise at the time i and, I suppose, was effected by some college authoriiies, who hap- pened to be Whigs. 6 The Rev. John Swinton. B.D., rf Ch. Ch., one of the chief writers of the Universal History, (concerning which, aee post, December G. 1781,) died in 1777, aged 79. — Croker. 90 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1754. Swinton, gravely remarked, that he had probably preached the same sermon before the university : ' Yes, Sir (says Johnson), but the university were not to be hanged the next morning.' " I forgot to observe before, that when he left Mr. Meeke, (as T have told above,) he added, ' About the same time of life, Meeke was left be- hind at Oxford to feed on a fellowship, and I went to London to get my living : now. Sir, see the dif- ference of our literary characters ! ' " ' The following letter was written by Dr. Johnson to Mr. Chambers, of Lincoln College, afterwards Sir Robert Chambers, one of the judges in India" : JOHNSON TO CHAMBERS. " London, Nov. 21. 1754. " Dear Sir, — The commission which I de- layed to trouble you with at your departure, I am now obliged to send you ; and beg that you will be so kind as to carry it to Mr. Warton, of Trinity, to whom I should have written immediately, but that I know not if he be yet come back to Ox- ford. " In the catalogue of MSS. of Gr. Brit., see vol. i. page 18. i\ISS. Bodl. Martyrium xv. martyrum sub Juliana, auctore Theophi/lacto. " It is desired that Mr. Warton will inquire, and send word, what will be the cost of transcribing this manuscript. " Vol. ii. p. 32. Num. 1022. 58. Coll. Nov. — Commentaria in Acta Apostol. — Comment, in Septem EpistoJas CathoUcas. " He is desired to tell what is the age of each of these manuscripts ; and what it will cost to have a transcript of the two first pages of each. " If Mr. Warton be not in Oxford, you may try if you can get it done by any l)ody else ; or stay till he comes, according to your own convenience. It is for an Italian literato. " The answer is to be directed to his Excellency Mr. Zon, Venetian Resident, Solio Square. " I hope, dear Sir, that you do not regret the change of London for Oxford. Mr. Baretti is well, and Miss Williams ; and we shall all be glad to hear from you, whenever you shall be so kind as to write to. Sir, your most humble servant, " Sam. Johnson." The degree of Master of Arts, Avhich, it has been observed, could not be obtained for him at an early period of his life, was now con- 1 Curis acuens viortalia corda. Poverty was the stimulus which made Johnson exert a genius naturally, it may be sup- posed, more vigorous than Meeke's, and he was now begin- ning to enjoy the fame, of which so many years of painful distress and penury had laid the foundation. Meeke had lived an easy life of decent competence; and on the whole, perhaps, as little envied Johnson, as Johnson him : the goodness and justice of Providence equalise, to a degree not always visible at first sight, the happiness of mankind — ncc vixit }nale qtiinatus moriensguefefcllil C, 1831. Meeke died about Septe.mber, 1764. His death was followed by a curious incident. Horace Walpole, in one of his curiosity-hunts, in- tending to visit a Sir Thomas Reeves, was misdirected to poor Meeke's parsonage, where he arrived soon after liis decease, and was surprised to find the house shut up, and to he told " the gentleman is dead suddenly." He drove away believing that Sir Thomas was no more. See letter to Montagu, 3 Oct. 1763.— Crokeh, 1840. 2 Sir Robert Chambers was born lu 1737, at Newoastle-on- Tyne, and educated at the same school with Lord Stowell sidered as an honour of considerable import- ance, in order to grace the title-page of his Dictionary ; and his character in the literary world being by this time deservedly high, his friends thought that, if proper exertions were made, 'the University of Oxford would pay him the compliment. JOHNSON TO THOMAS WARTON. " [London,] Nov. 28. 1754. " Dear Sir, — I am extremely obliged to you and to Mr. Wise, for the uncommon care which you have taken of my interest ^ ; if you can accom- plish your kind design, I shall certainly take me a little habitation among you. " The books which I promised to Mr. Wise, I have not been yet able to procure : but I shall send him a Finnick Dictionary, the only copy, perhaps, in England, which was presented me by a learned Swede : but I keep it back, that it may make a set of my own books* of the new edition, with which I shall accompany it, more welcome. You will assure him of my gratitude. "Poor dear Collins*! — Would a letter give him any pleasure ? I have a mind to write. " I am glad of your hindrance in your Spenserian design ^, yet I would not have it delayed. Three hours a day stolen from sleep and amusement will produce it. Let a Servitour ' transcribe the quo- tations, and interleave them with references, to save time. This will shorten the work, and lessen the fatigue. " Can I do any thing to promoting the diploma? I would not be wanting to co-operate with your kindness ; of which whatever be the effect, I shall be, dear Sir, your most obliged, &c. " Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO THOMAS WARTON. "[London,] Dec. 21. 1754. " Dear Sir, — I am extremely sensible of the favour done me, both by Mr. Wise and yourself, i The book " cannot, I think, be printed in less than ! six weeks, nor probably so soon ; and I will keep back the title-page for such an insertion as you seem to promise me. Be pleased to let me know what money I shall send you, for bearing the ex- pense of the affair [of the degree] ; and I will take care that you may have it ready at your hand. and his brother the Earl of Eldon, and afterwards (like them) a member of University College. It was by visit- ing Chambers, when a fellow of University, that Johnson became acquainted with Lord Stowell ; and when Chambers went to India, Lord Stowell, as he expressed it to me, "seemed to succeed to his place in Johnson's friendship." — Croker. 3 In procuring him the degree of M. A., by diploma, at Oxford. — Warton. •< The Rambler Croker. 5 Collins (the poet) was at this time at Oxford, on a visit to Mr. Warton ; but labouring under the most deplorable languor of body, and dejection of mind. —Warton. He was the son of a hatter in Chichester; born in 1720, and died there 1759. — Croker. 6 Of publishing a volume of observations on Spenser. It was hindered by my taking pupils in this College. — Wakton. " Young students of the lowest rank are so called. — WiRTON. 8 His Dictionary. — W.^rton. ^T. 45. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 91 " I had lately the favour of a letter from your brother, with some account of poor Collins, for whom I am much concerned. I have a notion, that by very great temperance, or more properly abstinence, he may yet recover. " There is an old English and Latin book of poems by Barclay, called " The Ship of Fools ;" at the end of which are a number of Eghgues, — so he writes it, from Eghga, — which are probably the first in our language. If you cannot find the book, I will get Mr. Dodsley to send it you. " I shall be extremely glad to hear from you soon, to know if the affair proceeds. I have men- tioned it to none of my friends, for fear of being laughed at for my disappointment. " You know poor Mr. Dodsley has lost his wife ; I believe he is much affected. I hope he will not suffer so much as I yet suffer for the loss of mine. Otfiof rid' ofjuoi; 6v?ira yap TreirSfdaixev.^ I have ever since seemed to myself broken off from mankind; a kind of solitary wanderer in the wild of life, without any direction, or fixed point of view ; a gloomy gazer on the world, to which I have little relation. Yet I would endeavour, by tlie help of you and your brother, to supply the want of closer union by friendship ; and hope to have long the pleasure of being, dear Sir, most affectionately yours, Saji. Johnson." [JOHNSON TO JOSEPH WARTON. " [London,] Dec. 24. 1754. " Dear Sir, — I am sat down to answer your kind letter, though I know not whether I shall direct it so as that it may reach you ; the mis- carriage of it will be no great matter, as I have nothing to send but thanks, of which I owe you many ; yet, if a few should be lost, I shall amply find them in my own mind ; and professions of re- spect, of which the profession will easily be renewed while the respect continues : and the same causes which first produced can hardly fail to preserve it. Pray let me know, however, whether my letter finds its way to you. " Poor dear Collins !- — Let me know whether you think it would give him pleasure if I should write to him. / have nften been near his state, and therefore have it in great commiseration. " I sincerely wish you the usual pleasures of this joyous season, and more than the usual pleasures, those of contemplation on the great event which this festival commemorates. I am, dear Sir, your most affectionate and most humble servant, " Sam. Johnson."] — WooWs Life. 1 This verse is from the long-lost Bellerophon, a tr.-igedy by Euripides. It is preserved by Suidas. — Charles Bijrnev. The meaning is, " Alas ! but why should I say alas ? we have only suffered the coinmon lot of mortality .' " It was the habi- tual exclamation of the philosopher Crantor Croker. - Anti, p. 5. and post, p. 33R. CHAPTER Xn. 1755—1758. Johnson M.A. by Diploma. — Correspondence with Warton and the Authorities of the University. — Publication of the Dictionary. — Remarkable Definitions. — Abridgment of the Dictionary. — The Universal Visiter. — The Literary Maga- zine Defence of Tea. — Pulpit Discourses. — Proposals for an Edition of Shakspeare. — Jonas Hanway. — Soame Jenyns. — Cfiarles Burney. In 1755 we behold him to great advantage ; his degree of Master of Arts conferred upon him, his Dictionary published, his correspond- ence animated, his benevolence exercised. JOHNSON TO THOMAS WARTON. "[London,] Feb. 1. 1755. " Dear Sir, — I wrote to you some weeks ago, but believe did not direct accurately, and therefore know not whether you had my letter. I would, likewise, write to your brother, but know not where to find him. I now begin to see land, after having wandered, according to Mr. Warburton's phrase, in this vast sea of words. What reception I shall meet with on the shore, I know not : whether the sound of bells, and acclamations of the people, which Aricsto talks of in his last Canto *, or a general murmur of dislike, 1 know not: whether I shall find upon the coast a Calypso that will court, or a Polypheme that will eat me. But if Polypheme comes, have at his eye. J hope, however, the critics will let me be at peace ; for though I do not much fear their skill and strength, I am a little afraid of myself, and would not willingly feel so much ill-will in my bosom as lite- rary quarrels are apt to excite. " Mr. Baretti is about a work for which he is in great want of Crescimbeni, which you may have again when you please. " There is nothing considerable done or doing among us here. We are not, perhaps, as innocent as villagers, but most of us seem to be as idle. I hope, however, you are busy ; and should be glad to know what you are doing. I am, dearest Sir, your humble servant, Saji. Johnson." JOHNSON TO THOMAS WARTON. " [London,] Feb. 4. 1755. " Dear Sir, — I received your letter this day, with great sense of the favour that has been done me ^ ; for which I return my most sincere thanks : and enti-eat you to pay to Mr. Wise such returns as I ought to make for so much kindness so little deserved. " " Sento venir per .lUegrezza, un tuono Che fremar 1' aria, e rimbombar far 1' onde : Odo di sqiiille," &c. Orlando Furioso, c. xlvi. s. 2 Wright. 3 His degree had now past the suffrages of the heads of colleges ; but was not yet finally granted by the university : it was carried without a'dissentient voice. — Warton. 92 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1755. " I sent Mr. Wise the Lexicon, and afterwards wrote to him ; but know not whether he had either the hook or letter. Be so good as to contrive to inquire. " But why does my dear Mr. Warton tell me nothing of himself? Where hangs tlie new volume ' ? Can I help ? Let not the past labour be lost, for want of a little more: but snatch what time you can from the Hall, and the pupils, and the coffee-house, and the Parks*, and complete your design. I am, dear Sir, &c., "Saji. Johnson." JOHNSON TO THOMAS WARTON. '• [London.] Feb. 13. 1755. " Dear Sir, — I had a letter Last week from Mr. Wise, but have yet heard nothing from you, nor know in what state my little affair stands ; of which I beg you to inform me, if you can, to- morrow, by the return of the post. " Mr. Wise sends me word, that he has not had the Finnick Lexicon yet, which I sent some time ago ; and if he has it not, you must inquire after it. However, do not let your letter stay for that. " Your brother, who is a better correspondent than you, and not much belter, sends me word, that your pupils keep you in College : but do they keep you from writing too ? Let them at least give you time to write to, dear Sir, your most affectionate, &c., Sam. Johnso.v." JOHNSON TO THOMAS WARTON. " [London,] Feb. 1755. « Dear Sir, — Dr. King* was with me a few minutes before your letter ; this, however, is the first instance in which your kind intentions to me have ever been frustrated.* I have now the full effect of your care and benevolence ; and am far from thinking it a slight honour or a small advan- tage ; since it will put the enjoyment of your con- versation more frecjuently in the power of, dear Sir, your most obliged and aflfectionate, " Sam. Johnson. " P. S. I have enclosed a letter to the Vice- Chancellor, which you will read ; and, if you like it, seal and give him." As the public will doubtless be pleased to see the whole pro<^ress of this well-earned academical honour, I shall insert the Chancellor of Oxford's letter to the University, the di- ploma, and Johnson's letter of thanks to the Vice-Chancellor. > On Spenser Warton. 2 The walks near Oxford so called. _ Croker. 3 Principal of Saint Mary Hall, at Oxford. He brought with him the diploma from Oxford. — Wauton. Dr. Wil- liam King was born in 1G85 ; entered of Baliol 1701 ; D. C. L., 1715; and Principal of Saint Mary Hall in 1718. In 1722, he was a candidate for the representation of the university in parliament, on the Tory interest ; but was de- feated. He was a wit and a scholar, and, in particular, celebrated for his latinity ; highly obnoxious to the Hano- verian party, and the idol of the Jacobites. It appears from his Anecdotes of his own Times, published in 1819, that he was one of those intrusted with the knowledge of the Pre- TO THE REV. DR. HUDDESFORD, [President of Trinity College,] Vice-Chancellor of ftie University of Oxford ; to be communicated to the Heads of Houses, and proposed in Convocation. " Grosvenor Street, Feb. 4. 1755. " Mr. VlCE-CHANCEI-t.OR, AND Gentlemen ; " Mr. Samuel Johnson, who was formerly of Pembroke College, having very eminently distin- guished himself by the publication of a series of essays, excellently calculated to form the manners of the people, and in which the cause of religion and morality is every where maintained by the strongest powers of argument and language ; and who shortly intends to publish a Dictionary of the English tongue, foimed on a new plan, and exe- cuted with the greatest labour and judgment; I persuade myself that I shall act agreeably to the sentiments of the whole university, in desiring that it may be proposed in convocation to confer on him the degree of Master of Arts by diploma, to which I readily give my consent; and am, Mr. Vice-Chancellor, and Gentlemen, your affectionate friend and servant, Arran." Term. Sc Hilarii. DIPLOMA MAGISTRI JOHNSON. " CANCELLARIUS, Magistri, et Scholares Universitatis Oxoiikns'is omnibus ad quos hoc presens scriptum pervenerit, salutein in Domino sempiternam. " Cum eum in finem gradus academici a majoribtis nostris iiistitidi faerint, ut viri ingenio et doctrind prcestantes titidis qunque prater cateros insignirentur ; cunique vir doclissimus Samuel Johnson e Collegia Pemhrochiensi, scriptis sriis popidarium mores infur- mantibus dudum literato orbi innotuerit ; quin et lingua: patritB turn, ornanda; turn stabilienda: (Lexicon scilicet Anglicanum snmmo studio, summo a se jiidicio congestum propediem editnrus') etiam nunc utilissimam impendat operam ; Nos igitur Cancellarius, Magistri, et Scholares antedicti, nd virum de Uteris humaniori- bus optinid meritum diutius inhonoratum pratereamus, in solenni Convocatione Docloriim, Magistrornm, Regentiinn, et non Regentium, decimo die Mensis Februarii Anno Domini Millesimo Septingentisimo Quinquagesimo quinto habitd, prcefatum virum Samuelem Johnson (conspirantibus omnitim suf- fragiis) Magistrum in Artibus renunciuvimus et con- st! tuimus ; eumque, virtiite prasentis diplomatis, singulis juribus, privilegiis, et Iwnoribus ad istum gradum quaqua pertinentibus frui et gaudere jussimus. " In cujus rei testimonium sigillum Universitatis Oxoniensis prcesentibus apponi fecimus. " Datum in Domo nostra Convocationis die 20° Mensis Feb. Anno Dam. pradicto. " Diploma supra scriptum per Registrarium ledum erat, et ex decreto venerabilis Domus communi Uni- versitatis sigillo munittun." ^ tender's being in London in the latter end of the reign of George the Second, where Dr. King was introduced to liim. His Memoirs say, in 1750 ; but this is supposed to be an error of the press or transcriber for 1753. He died in 1763. — CuoKER. ■• I suppose Johnson means, thatmy/nnd i>i At Ellsfield, three miles from Oxford. — Warton. 96 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1755. JOHNSON TO THOMAS WARTON. " [London,] June 24. 1755. " Dear Sib, — To talk of coming to you, and not yet to come, has an air of trifling which I would not willingly have among you ; and which, I believe, you will not willingly impute to me, when I have told you, that since my promise, two of our partners ' are dead, and that I was solicited to suspend my excursion till we could recover from our confusion. " I have not laid aside my purpose ; for every day makes me more impatient of staying from you. But death, you know, hears not supplications, nor pays any regard to the convenience of mortals. I hope now to see you next week ; but next week is but another name for to-morrow, which has been noted for promising and deceiving. I am, &e., " Saji. Johnson." JOHNSON TO THOMAS WARTON. " [London,] Aug. 7. 1755. " Dear Sir, — I told you that among the manu- scripts are some things of Sir Thomas More. I beg you to pass an hour in looking on them, and pro- cure a transcript of the ten or twenty first lines of each, to be compared with what I have ; that I may know whether they are yet published. The manuscripts are these : "Catalogue of Bodl. MS. p. 122. f. 3. Sir Thomas More. 1. Fall of angels. 2. Creation and fall of mankind. 3. Determination of the Trinity for the rescue of mankind. 4. Five lectures of our Saviour's passion. 5. Of the institution of the sacrament, tliree lectures. 6. How to receive the blessed body of our Lord sacramentally. 7. Neomenia, the new moon. 8. De t.ristitia, teedio, puvore, et orationc Christi ante captionem ejus. " Catalogue, p. 154. Life of Sir Thomas More. Qu. Whether Roper's ? P. 363. De resignatione Magni Sigilli in manus Regis per D. Thomam Murum. Pag. 36-1. Mori Defensio Moricc. "If you ]irocure the young gentleman in the library to write out what you think fit to be written, I will send to Mr. Prince the bookseller to pay him what you shall think proper. Be pleased to make my compliments to Mr. Wise, and all my friends. I am, Sir, your aflectionate, &c., " Sam. Johnson." The Dictionary, with a Grammar and His- tory of the English Language, being now at length published, in two volumes folio ^, the world contemplated with wonder so stupendous a work achieved by one man, while other countries had thought such undertakings fit only for whole academies. Vast as his powers were, I cannot but think that his imagination deceived him, when he supposed that by con- stant application he might lia\e performed the 1 Booksellers concerned in his Dictionary. — Warton. Mr. Paul Knapton died on the 12th, and Mr. Thomas Long- man outhe 18th June, 1755.— Choker. " It came out on the 15tl> April, 1755 — price £i 10s. hound. There havebeen several editions in two vols./o/;oand quarto; and in 1818, a largely augmented, l)iit not proportionally im- proved, edition was published by Mr. Todd in four volumes quarto. It is to be hoped that, in any future edition, on task in three years. Let the Preface be at- tentively perused, in which is given, in a clear, strong, and glowing style, a comprehensive, yet particular view of what he had done ; and it will be evident that the time he employed upon it was comparatively short. I am un- willing to swell my book with long quotations from what is in everybody's hands, and I believe there are few prose compositions in the English language that are read with more de- light, or are more impressed upon the memory, than that preliminary discourse. One of its excellencies has always struck me with pecu- liar admiration ; I mean the perspicuity with which he has expressed abstract scientific no- tions. As an instance of this, I shall quote the following sentence : " When the radical idea branches out into parallel ramifications, how can a consecutive series be formed of senses in their own nature collateral ?" ^ We have here an example of what has been often said, and I believe with justice, that there is for every thought a certain nice adaptation of words which none other could equal, and which when a man has been so fortunate as to hit, he has attained, in that particular case, the perfection of language. The extensive reading which was absolutely necessary for the accumulation of authorities, and which alone may account for Johnson's re- tentive mind being enriched with a very large and various store of knowledge and imagery, must have occupied several years. The Pre- face furnishes an eminent instance of a double t.alent, of which Johnson was fully conscious. Sir Joshua Reynolds heard him say, " There are two things which I am confident I can do very well : one is an introduction to any lite- raiy work, stating what it is to contain, and how it should be executed in the most perfect manner ; the other is a conclusion, showing from various causes why the execution has not been equal to what the author promised to himself and to the public." How should puny scribblers be abashed and disappointed, when they find him displaying a perfect theory of lexicographical excellence, yet at the same time candidly and modestly allowing that he " had not satisfied his own expectations." Here was a fair occasion for the exercise of Johnson's modesty, when he Avas called upon to compare his own arduous performance, not with those of other indi- viduals, (in which case his inflexible regard to truth would have been violated had he affected diffidence,) but with speculative perfection ; as he, who can outstrip all his competitors in the race, may yet be sensible of his deficiency Mr. Todd's plan, the additions, and what are called correc- tions of Johnson's original work, may be more clearly and accurately distinguished than they were by Mr. Todd. — Croker, 1840. 3 I confess that I cannot join in Mr. Boswell's opinion of the perspicuity of this passage. I do not understand it : and is there not something like a contradiction in terms ? Can parallels be accurately said to branch out ? — Croker. JEt. 46. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. when he runs against time. Well might he say, that " the English Dictionary was written with little assistance of the learned;" for he told me, that the only aid which he received was a paper containing twenty etymologies, sent to hiui by a person then unknown, who he was afterwai'ds informed was Dr. Pearce ', Bishop of Rochester. The etymologies, though they exhibit learning and judgment, are not, I think, entitled to the first praise amongst the various parts of this immense work. The de- finitions have always appeared to me such astonishing proofs of acuteness of intellect and precision of language, as indicate a genius of the highest rank. This it is which marks the superior excellence of Johnson's Dictionary over others equally or even more voluminous, and must have made it a work of much greater mental labour than mere Lexicons, or Word- Books, as the Dutch call them. They, who will make the experiment of trying how they can define a few words of whatever nature, will soon be satisfied of the unquestionable justice of this observation, which I can assure my readers is founded upon much study, and upon communication with more minds than my own. A few of his definitions must be admitted to be erroneous. Thus, Windward and Leeward, though directly of opposite meaning, are de- fined identically the same way {_'■'■ toward the wind"']; as to which inconsiderable specks it is enough to observe, that his Preface an- nounces that he was aware that there might be many such in so immense a work ; nor was he at all disconcerted when an instance was pointed out to him.^ A lady once asked hini how he came to define Pastern the knee of a horse : instead of making an elaborate defence, as she expected, he ait once answered, " Igno- rance, Madam, pure ignorance." His definition of Netioork [any thing reticulated or decussated i at equal distances, with interstices between the I intersections"^] has been often quoted with j sportive malignity, as obscuring a thing in I itself very plain. But to these frivolous cen- sures no other answer is necessary than that j with which we are furnished by his own Pre- face : — " To explain, retjuires the use of terms less ab- struse than that which is to be explained, and such terms cannot always be found. For, as nothing can l)e proved but by supposing something intuitively known, and evident without proof, so nothing can be defined but by the use of words too plain to admit of definition. Sometimes easy words are changed into harder, as, burial, into sepulture or interment ; dry, into desiccative ; dryness, into j siccity, or aridity; Jit, into paroxysm; for the [ easiest word, whatever it be, can never be translated into one more easy." His introducing his own opinions, and even prejudices, under general definitions of words, while at the same time the original meaning of the words is not explained, as his " Tory [a cant term, derived, I suppose, from an Irish tcord signifying a savage. One who adheres to the ancient constitution of the state and the apostolic hierarchy of the church of England: opposed to a Whig]. " Whig [the name of a faction], " Pension [aw allowance made to any one without an equivalent. In England it is generally under- stood to mean pay given to a state hireling for treason to his country]. " Pensioner [a slave of state hired by a stipend to obey his master]. " Oats [a grain which in England is generally given to horses, hut in Scotland supports the people]. " Excise [a hateful tax levied upon commodities, and adjudged not by the common judges of property, ' but by wretches hired by those to whom excise is id]."^ ' Zachary Pearce, born in 1690, was the son of a distiller in High HolbDrn : he was educated at Trinity College, Cam- bridge, and became Bishop of Rochester in 1756. He died i June ?9. 1774. deepest, under 19th May, 1777 Croker. ] 2 He owns in his Preface the deficiency of the technical , part of his worlt ; and he said, he should be much obliged to me for definitions of musical terms for his next edition, which he did not live to superintend. — Buuney. 3 Boswell, probably out of tenderness to Johnson, did not give the obnoxious definitions ; which I have afforded as a necessary explanation, and to save my readers the trouble of hunting for them in the old editions ; — for Mr. Todd has, unjustifiably as I thinli, obliterated some and altered otliers. — Croker, 184(1. •• The Commissioners of Excise, being offended by this se- vere reflection, consulted Mr. Murray, then Attorney-Ge- neml, to know whether redress could be legally obtained. I wished to have procured for my readers a copy of the opinion which ho gave, and which may now be justly considered as history : but the mysterious secrecy of office, it seems, would not permit it. I am, however, informed, by very good au- thority, that its import was, that the passage might be con- sidered as actionable ; but that it would be more prudent in the board not to prosecute. .Tohnson never made the smallest alteration in this passage. We find he still retained his early prejudice against excise ; for in "The Idler," No. 65., there is the following very extraordinary paragraph : " The au- thenticity of Clarendon's History, though printed with the sanction of one of the first universities of the world, had not an unexpected manuscript been happily discovered, would, with the help of factious credulity, have been brought into question, by the two lowest of all human beings, a scribbler for a party, and a commissioner of excise." The persons to whom he alludes were Mr. John Oldmixon, and George Ducket, Esq — Boswell. I am more fortunate than Mr. Boswell, in being able (through the favour of Sir F. Doyle, deputy chairman of the Excise Board) to present the reader with the case submitted to Lord Mansfield, and his opinion. " Case for the opinion of Mr. Attorney-General. " Mr. Samuel Johnson has liitfly published ' .i Dictionary of the English Language,^ in which are the following words : — " ' Excise, n. s. A hateful tax levied upon commodities, and adjudged not by the common judges of property, but by wretches hired by those to whom excise is paid.' " The author's definition being observed by the Commis- sioners of Excise, they desire the favour of your opinion. ' Qu. Whether it will not be considered as a libel, and if so, whether it is not proper to proceed against the author, prin- ters, and publishers thereof, or any and which of them, by information, or how otherwise?' " / am of opinion that it is a libel. But under all the cir- cumstances, I should think it better to give him an oppor- tunity of altering his definition ; and, in case he do 7wt, to threaten him viih an information. " 29/A Xfiv. 1755. " n'. Murray." Whether any such step was taken. Sir Francis Doyle was not able to discover : probably not ; but Johnson, in his own octavo abridgment of the Dictionary, had the good sense to omit the more offensive parts of the definitions of both Excise and Pension. We have alreaail for Dr. Jolinson." The foregoing note is from Richardson's Correspondence ; but there must be some mistake in the date of the letter itself. The 19th Feb. 175(3, fell on a Thursdai/. As Johnson's handwriting is not easily read, perhaps the transcriber mistook Thursdaij for Tuciday. — Croker. 3 No work of Johnson's appears to have been published separately about this time, except Williams's Account of the Longitude. — Croker. ■< This is a continuation of the correspondence referred to, ante, p. 42. Some of it is trifling, and all obscure ; but it may be hereafter cleared up, and it affords us, as I before said, a glimpse into Johnson's private life at this dark period. — Croker. iET. 47. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 101 JOHNSON TO DR. BIRCH.' " Jan 9. 17r)6. " Sir, — Having obtained from ]Mr. Garrick a benefit for a gentlewoman of [word illegible] , dis- tressed by blindness, almost the only casualty that could have distressed her, I beg leave to trouble you, among my other friends, with some of her tickets. Your benevolence is well known, and was, I believe, never exerted on a more laudable occasion. I am, Sir, your most humble servant, — Birch MSS. " Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO PAUL. " Tuesday, 13th Jan. 1755. [1756.] " Sir, — I am much confused with an accident that has happened. When your papers were brought me, I broke open the first without reading the superscription, and when I had opened it, found it not to belong to me. I did not read it wlien I found my mistake. I see it is a very full paper, and will give you much trouble to copy again, but perhaps it will not be necessary, and you may mend the seal. I am sorry for the mischance. You will easily believe it was nothing more. If you send it me again, the child shall carry it. For bringing Mrs. Swynfen, I know not well how to attempt it. I am not sure that her husband will be pleased, and I think it would look too much like making myself a party, instead of acting the part of a common friend, which I shall be very ready to discharge. I should imagine that the best way would be to send her word when you will call on her, and perhaps the questions on which she is to resuscitate her remembrance, and come to her at her own house. I really know not how to ask her husband to send her, and I certainly will not take her without asking him. I am, Sir, your most humble servant, Sam. Johnson." — Pocock MSS. JOHNSON TO MISS CARTER. " Gough Square, 14th Jan. 1756. " Madam, — From the liberty of writing to you, if I have hitherto been deterred from the fear of your understanding, I am now encouraged to it from t!ie confidence of your goodness. " I am soliciting a benefit for Miss Williams, and beg that if you can by letters influence any in her favour (and who is there whom you cannot in- fluence ?) you will be pleased to patronise her on this occasion. Y'et, for the time is short, and as you were not in town, I did not till this day re- member that you might help us, and recollect how widely and how rapidly light is diffused. " To every joy is appended a .sorrow. The name of Miss Carter introduces the memory of Cave. Poor dear Cave ! I owed him much ; for to him I owe that 1 have known you. He died, I am afraid, unexpectedly to himself, yet surely un- burlhened with any great crime, and for the positive duties of religion I have yet no right to condemn him for neglect. ' In 1756, Mr. Garrick, ever disposed to help the afflicted, indulged Miss Williams with a benefit- play, that proiluced her £'200. — Hawkins. The night was the 2'J7i he became too " siihniissive to power ; " but tlie truth is, tl)at in spite of liis party bias, Johnson was always a Iricnd to (lisciplinc in tlio political, as in the social world ; and allli(iii','h ho joined in the clamour against Walpole, and hated (icor^'c tlie Second, liis general disposition was always to sniiport tlia monarchical part of the constitution.— Cr'okek. of prying with profane eyes into the recesses of policy, it is evident that this reverence can be claimed only by counsels yet unexecuted, and pro- jects suspended in deliberation. But when a design has ended in miscarriage or success, when every eye and every ear is witness to general discontent, or general satisfaction, it is then a proper time to disentangle confusion and illustrate obscurity ; to shew by what causes every event was produced, and in what effects it is likely to terminate ; to lay down with distinct jmrticularity what rumour always liuddles in general exclamation, or per- plexes by indigested narratives ; to shew whence happiness or calaiuity is derived, and whence it may be expected ; and honestly to lay before the people what inquiry can gather of the past, and conjecture can estiinate of the future." Here we have it assumed as an incontro- vertible principle, that in this country the people are the superintendents of the conduct and measures of those by whom government is administered ; of the beneficial effect of which the present reign afforiled an illustrious ex- ample, when addresses from all parts of the kingdom controlled an audacious attempt to in- troduce a new power subversive of the crown.- A still stronger proof of his patriotic spirit appears in his review of an " Essay on Waters, by Dr. Lucas," ^ of whom, after describing him as a man Avell known to the world for his daring defiance of power, when he thought it exerted on the side of wrong, he thus speaks : — " The Irish ministers drove him from his native country by a proclamation, in which they charge him with crimes of which they never intended to be called to the proof, and oppressed him by methods equally irresistible by guilt and inno- cence. Let the man thus driven into exile, for having been the friend of his country, be received in every other place as a confessor of liberty ; and let the tools of power be taught in time, that they may rob, but cannot impoverish." Some of his reviews in this Magazine are very short accounts of the pieces noticed, and I mention them only that Dr. Johnson's opinion of the works may be known ; but many of them are examples of elaborate criticism, in the most masterly style. In his review of the " Memoirs of the Court of Augustus," he has the reso- lution to think and speak from his own mind, regardless of the cant transmitted from age to age, in praise of the ancient Romans. Thus : " I know not why any one but a schoolboy in his declamation should whine over the Com- monwealth of Rome, which grew great only by ■^ Mr. Boswell means Mr. Fox's celebrated India Bill, as an adversary of which he distinguished himself as much as a man in a private station could do. — Croker. 3 Dr. Lucas was an apothecary in Dublin, (afterwards M.D.), who brought himself into public notice and a high degree of popularity by his writings and speeches against the government. He was elected representative of Dublin in ITfil ; and a marble statue to his honour is erected in the Koyal Exchange of tliat city. He died in Nov. 1771. — C'UOKEU. ^T. 47. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 105 the misery of the rest of mankind. The Ro- mans, like others, as soon as they grew rich, grew corrupt ; and in their corruption sold the lives and freedoms of themselves, and of one another." Again : "A people, who while they were poor robbed mankind ; and as soon as they became rich robbed one another." — In his review of the Miscellanies in prose and verse, published by Elizabeth Harrison, but written by many hand:?, he gives an eminent proof at once of his orthodoxy and candour. " Tlie authors of the essays in prose seem gene- rally to have imitated, or tried to imitate, the copiousness and luxuriance of Mrs. Rowo. This, however, is not all their praise; they have laboured to add to her brightness of imagery, her purity of sentiments. The poets have had Dr. Watts before their eyes ; a writer, who, if he stood not in the first class of genius, compensated that defect by a ready application of his powers to the promotion of piety. The attempt to employ the ornaments of romance in the decoration of religion, was, I think, first made by I\Ir. Boyle's ' Martyrdom of Theo- dora ;' but Boyle's philosophical studies did not allow him time for the cultivation of style : and the completion of the great design was reserved for Mrs. Rowe. Dr. Watts was one of the first who taught the Dissenters to write and speak like other men, by shelving them that elegance might consist with piety. Tliey would have both done honour to a better society, for they had that charity which might well make their failings be forgotten, and with which the whole Christian world wish for communion. They were pure from all tlie heresies of an age, to which every opinion is become a favourite that the universal church has hitherto de- tested ! This praise the general interest of man- kind requires to be given to writers who please and do not corrupt, who instruct and do not weary. But to them all human eulogies are vain, whom I believe applauded by angels, and numbered with the just." His defence of Tea against Mr. Jonas Han- way's violent attack upon that elegant and popular beverage, shows how very well a man of genius can write upon the slightest subject, when he writes, as the Italians say, con amore : I suppose no person ever enjoyed with more ' In this review, Johnson candidlj' describes himself as " a hardened and shameless tea-drinker, who has (or many years diluted his meals with only the infusion of this fascinating plant ; whose kettle has scarcely time to cool ; who with tea amuses the evening, with tea solaces the midnights, and with tea welcomes the morning." This last phrase his friend, Tom Tyers, happily parodied, «'te veniente die — /e deccdente." Hawkins calls his addiction to it unmanly, and almost gives it the colour of a crime. The Rev. Mr. Parker, of Henley, is in possession of a tea-pot which belonged to Dr. Johnson, and which contains above two quarts. — Croi^er. 2 " Losing, he wins, because his name will be Ennobled by defeat, who durst contend with me." DUYHEN. 3 Nothing can be more unfounded than the assertion that Byng fell a martyr to " political persecution." It is impossible to read the trial without being convinced that he h^d miscon- ducted himself; and the extraordinary proceedings in both Houses of Parliament subsequent to his trial, prove, at once, the zeal of his friends to invalidate the finding of the court- martial, and tlie absence of any reason for doing so. By a strange coincidence of circumstances, it happened th.it tliere was a total change of ministry between the accusation and the sentence, so that one party prepared the trial and the relish the infusion of that fragrant leaf than Johnson. The quantities which he drank of it at all hours were so great, that his nerves must have been uncommonly strong, not to have been extremely relaxed by such an intemper- ate use of it.' He assured me, that he never felt the least inconvenience from it ; which is a proof that the fault of his constitution was rather a too great tension of fibres, than the contrary. ]\lr. Hanway wrote an angry answer to Johnson's review of his Essay on Tea, and Johnson, after a full and deliberate pause, made a rejily to it ; the only instance, I believe, in the whole course of his life, when he conde- scended to oppose any thing tluat was written against him, I suppose, when he thought of any of his little antagonists, be was ever justly aware of the high sentiment of Ajax in Ovid: " hte tulit preiiumjam nunc certaminis luijus, Qui, cum victus erit, mecuin certasse feretur." '^ But, indeed, the good Mr. Hanv/ay laid himself so open to ridicule, that Johnson's animadver- sions upon his attack were chiefly to make sport. The generosity with which he pleads the cause of Admiral Byng is highly to the honour of his heart and spirit. Though Voltaire affects to be witty upon the fate of that unfortunate oflicer, observing that he was shot '■'' pour en- courager les autres" the nation has long been satisfied that his life was sacrificed to the poli- tical fervour of the times. In the vault be- longing to the Torrington family, in the church of Southill, in Bedfordshire, there is the fol- lowing epitaph upon his monument, which I ho ve transcribed : — "to the perpetual disgrace OF PUBLIC justice, THE HONOURABLE JOHN BYNG, ESQ. ADMIRAL OF THE BLUE, FELL A MARTYR TO POLITICAL PERSECUTION \ MARCH 14. IN THE YEAR 1757 ; WHEN BRAVERY AND LOYALTY WERE INSUFFICIENT SECURITIES FOR THE LIFE AND HONOUR OF A NAVAL OFFICER." Other directed the execution : there can be no stronger proof that he was not a ;j<;/i/i'c«/ martyr. See this subject treated at large in the Quarterly Review for April, 1822 — 1831. But though legally, and, I believe, justly convicted, it is likely that lie would have been pardoned had not popular fury ran so high. The public had from the first condemned the unhappy admiral, and anticipated his fate. Thus Lloyd writes on the SOth September, 17o'>, three months before the change of ministry, and six months before Byitg's execution : — " So ministers of basest tricks, I love a fling at politics ; Amuse the nation's court .and king. By breaking F[ow]ke and hanging Byng." And in the London Magazine for the same month, in a long vituperative poem, addressed to Byng, are these lines : — " An injured nation must be satisfied ; To public execution thou must go, A public spectacle of shame and woe." I now believe that the general officer alludi'il to, ante, p. 42., may have been General I'owke, whom, alter a kind of acquit- ted by a court-martial, George II. struck out of the army lists, and that tlie narrators of the anecdote mistook the (tule. — Crokeu. 106 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1756. Johnson's most exquisite critical essay in the Literary Magazine, and indeed any where, is his revie^Y of Soame Jenyns's " Inquiry into the Origin of Evil." Jenyns was possessed of lively talents, and a style eminently pure and easy, and could very happily play with a light subject, either in prose or verse : but when he speculated on that most difficult and excruci- ating question, the Origin of Evil, he "ventured far beyond his depth," and, accordingly, was exposed by Johnson, both with acute argument and brilliant wit. I remember when the late Mr. Bicknell's humorous perlbrmance, entitled " The Musical Travels of Joel CoUyer," in which a slight attempt is made to ridicule Johnson, was ascribed to Soame Jenyns, "Ha! (said Johnson) I thought I had given him enough of it." His triumph over Jenyns is thus described by my friend Mr. Courtenay, in his "Poetical Review of the literary and moral character of Dr. Johnson ; " a performance of such merit, that had I not been honoured with a very kind and partial notice in it, I should echo the sen- timents of men of the first taste loudly in its praise : — " When specious sophists with presumption scan The source of evil, hidden still from man ; Revive Arabian tales, and vainly hope To rival St. John and his scholar Pope : Though metaphysics spread the gloom of night, By reason's star he guides our aching sight ; The bounds of knowledge marks, and points the way To pathless wastes where wilder'd sages stray ; Where, like a farthing link-boy, Jenyns stands. And the dim torch drops from his feeble hands." ' This year Mr. William Payne, brother of the respectable bookseller of that name, pub- lished " An Introduction to the Game of Draughts," to which Johnson contributed a 1 Some time after Dr. Johnson's death, there appeared in the newspapers and magazines [the following] illiberal and petulant attack upon him, in the form of an Epitaph, under the name of Mr. Soame Jenyns, very unworthy of that gen- tleman, who had quietly submitted to the critical lash while Johnson lived. It assumed, as characteristics of him, .ill the vulgar circumstances of abuse which had circulated amongst the ignorant : — " Here lies poor Johnson. Reader, have a care, Tread lightly, lest you rouse a sleeping bear ; Religious, moral, generous, and humane He was — but self-sufficient, rude, and vain ; Ill-bred and overbearing in dispute, A scholar and a Christian — yet a brute. Would you know all his wisdom and his folly. His actions, sayings, mirth, and melancholy, Boswell and Thrale, retailers of his wit. Will tell you how he wrote, and talk'd, and cough'd, and spit." Gent. Mag. 1786. This was an unbecoming indulgence of puny resentment, at a time when he himself was at a very advanced age, and had a near prospect of descending to the' grave. I was truly sorry for it ; for he was then become an avowed .and (as my Lord Bishop of London, who had a serious conversation with him on the subject, assures me) a sincere Christian. He could not expect that Johnson's numerous friends would patiently bear to have the memory of their master stigma- tized by no mean pen, but that, at least, one would be found to retort. Accordingly, this unjust and sarcastic epitaph was met in the same public field by an answer, in terms by no means soft, and such as wanton provocation only could justify : — Dedication to the Earl of Rochford,* and a Preface,* both of which are admirably adapted to the treatise to which they are prefixed. Johnson, I believe, did not play at draughts after leaving College ; by which he suffered ; for it would have afforded him an innocent soothing relief from the melancholy which dis- tressed him so often. I have heard him regret that he had not learnt to jalay at cards ; and the game of draughts we know is peculiarly calculated to fix the attention without straining it. There is a composure and gravity in draughts which insensibly tranquillises the mind; and, accordingly, the Dutch are fond of it, as they are of smoking, of the sedative influence of which, though he himself never smoked, he had a high opinion." Besides, there is in draughts some exercise of the facul- ties ; and accordingly, Johnson, wishing to dignify the subject in his Dedication with what is most estimable in it, observes, " Triflers may find or make any thing a trifle : but since it is the great characteristic of a wise man to see events in their causes, to obviate consequences, and ascertain contingencies, your lordship will think nothing a trifle by which the mind is inured to caution, foresight, and circumspec- tion." As one of the little occasional advantages which he did not disdain to take by his pen, as a man whose profession was literature, he this year accepted of a guinea from Mr. Robert Dodsley, for writing the Introdiiction to " The London Chronicle," an evening newspaper; and even in so slight a performance exhibited pecu- liar talents. This Chronicle still subsists", and from what I observed, when I was abroad, has a more extensive circulation upon the con- tinent than any of the English newspapers. It was constantly read by Johnson himself; and it is but just to observe, that it has all along " Prepared for a creature not quite dead 7/ct. " Here lies a little ugly nauseous elf. Who, judging only from its wretched self. Feebly attempted, petulant and vain. The ' Origin of Evil ' to explain. A mighty Genius at this elf displeased. With a strong critic grasp the urchin squeezed. For thirty years its coward spleen it kept. Till in the dust the mighly Genius slept ; Then stunk and fretted in expiring snuff. And blink'd at Johnson with its last poor puff." — Boswell. The answer was no doubt by Mr. Boswell himself, and does more credit to his zeal than his poetical talents. This Review was so successful that Johnson re-published it in a separate pamphlet. Jenyns was born in 1705, and died in 1787. He was for near forty years in Parliament, and published some poetry ; but his best known work is his Source of the Nile ; also. Evidences of the Christian Religion, published in 1774. Of this work, the seriousness and sincerity was much questioned, which is the occasion of Mr. Boswell's observation as to his being " a sincere Christian." — Croker. 2 See post, August 19. 1773. Hawkins heard Johnson say, that insanity had grown more frequent since smoking had gone out of fashion — Croker. 3 The London Chronicle, or Universal Evening Post, was published three times a week. The first number, containing Johnson's Introduction, appeared Jan. 1. 1757. Mr. Boswell often wrote in this journal — Croker. JE.T. 47. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 107 been distinguished for good sense, accuracy, moderation, and delicacy. Another instance of the same nature has been communicated ' to me by the lleverend Dr. Thomas Campbell, who has done himself considerable credit by his own writings. " Sit- ting with Dr. Johnson one morning alone, he asked me if I had known Dr. Aladden, who was author of the premium-scheme " in Ireland. On my answering in the affirmative, and also that 1 had for some years lived in his neigh- bourhood, &c., he begged of me that when I returned to Ireland, I would endeavour to procure for him a poem of Dr. Madden's called ' Boulter's Monument. ' ^ The reason (said he) why I wish for it, is this : when Dr. Madden came to London, he submitted that work to my castigation ; and I remember I blotted a great many lines, and might have blotted many more without making the poem worse. * However, the Doctor was very thankful, and very generous, for he gave me ten guineas, ivhich tons to me at that time a great sum." ^ He this year resumed his scheme of giving an edition of Shakspeare with notes. He issued Proposals of considerable length c, in which he shewed that he perfectly well knew what a variety of research such an undertaking re- quired ; but his indolence prevented him from pursuing it with thai diligence which alone can collect those scattered facts, that genius, how- ever acute, penetrating, and luminous, cannot discover by its own force. It is remarkable, that at this time his fancied activity was for the moment so vigoi'ous, that he pi'omised his Avork should be published before Christmas, 1757. Yet nine years elapsed before it saw the light. His throes in bringing it forth had been severe and remittent; and at last we may almost conclude that the Caesarian operation was performed by the knife of Churchill, whose > See post, April 6. 1775. _C. 2 In the College of Dublin, four quarterly examinations of the students are held in each year, in various prescribed branches of literature and science ; and premiums, consisting of books impressed with the College Arms, are adjudged by examiners (composed generally of the Junior Fellows), to those who have most distinguished themselves in the several classes, after a very rigid trial, which lasts two days. This regulation, which has subsisted about seventy years, has been attended with the most beneficial effects. Dr. Samuel Madden was the first proposer of those premiums. They were instituted about the year 1734. He was also one of the founders of the Dublin Society for the Encouragement of Arts and Agriculture. In addition to the premiums which were and are still annually given by that society for this purpose, Dr. Madden gave others from his own fund. Hence he was usually called " Prenuu7ii Madden.''' — Malone. 3 Dr. Hugh Boulter, Archbishop of Armagh, and Primate of Ireland. He died Sept. 27. 1742, at which time he was, for the thirteenth time, one of the Lords Justices of that kingdom. Johnson speaks of him in high terms of commend- ation, in his Life of Ambrose Philips Bosweli.. ■* Dr. Madden wrote very bad verses. The few lines in ' Boulter's Monument ' that rise above mediocrity, may be attributed to Johnson Croker. 5 " Such casual emoluments as these," says Hawkins, " Johnson frequently derived from his profession of an author." About this time, as it is supposed, for sundry bene- ficed clergymen that requested him, he composed pulpit dis- courses, and for these, he made no scruple of confessing, he was paid ; his price, I am informed, was a moderate one, — a guinea ; and such was his notion of justice, that having upbraiding satire, I dare say, made Johnson's friends urge him to dispatch. " He for subscribers baits his liook, And takes your cash ; but where's the book ? No matter where ; wise fear, you know, Forbids the robbing of a foe ; But what, to serve our private ends, Forbids the cheating of our friends .•' " About this period he was offered a living of considerable value in Lincolnshire S if he were inclined to enter into holy orders. It was a rectory in the gift of ]\Ir. Langton, the father of his much valued friend. But he did not accept of it; partly, I believe, from a conscien- tious motive, being persuaded that his temper and habits rendered him unfit for that assiduous and familiar instruction of the vulgar and ignorant, which he held to be an essential duty in a clergyman ; and partly because his love of a London life was so strong, that he would have thought himself an exile in any other place, pai-ticularly if residing in the country.** Who- ever would wish to see his thoughts upon that subject displayed in their full force, may peruse the Adventurer, Xumber 126. In 1757 it does not appear that he published any thing, except some of those articles in the Literary Alagazine, which have been mentioned. That magazine, after Johnson ceased to write in it, gradually declined, though the popular epithet of Antigallican Avas added to it ; and in July, 1758, it expired. He probably pre- pared a part of his Shakspeare this year, and he dictated a speech on the subject of an address to the Throne, after the expedition to Rochfort, which was delivered by one of his friends, I know not in what public meeting. It is printed in the Gentleman's Magazine for October, 1785, as his, and bears sufficient marks of authenticity. By the favour of Mr. Joseph Cooper been paid, he considered them so absolutely the property of the purchaser, as to renounce all claim to them. He reckoned that he had written about forty sermons ; but, except as to some, knew not in what hands they were. " I have," said he, " been paid for them, and have no right to inquire about them." This practice is of very doubtful propriety. In the case of an elective chapel, it might, as the Bishop 'Elrington observed to me, amount to an absolute fraud, as a person might be chosen for the merits of a sermon not written by himself. See ante, p. 82. — CiioKEn. 6 They have been reprinted by Mr. Malone, in the Preface to his edition of Shakspeare. — Boswell. " Langton, •aes.v P artney Croker. 8 HawTcins, who first told this fact on Johnson's own authority, does not mention this latter and lower motive for Johnson's refusal. " It was," he says, " in a pleasant coun- try, and of such yearly value, as might have tempted one in better circumstances, but he had scruples about the duties of the ministerial functions." " I have not," Johnson said, " the requisites for the office, and I cannot in conscience shear the flock which I am unable to feed." And Hawkins further informs us that about this period he was in circumstances more straitened than usual, and even his ordinary relaxation of his club I'ailed him. " About the year 17-'J6, time had jiro- duced a change in the situation of many of Johnson's friends, who were used to meet him in Ivy-lane. Death had taken from them M'Ghie ; Barker went to settle as a practising physician at Trowbridge ; Dyer went abroad; Hawkesworth was busied in forming new connections ; and I had lately made one that removed from me all temptations to pass my evenings from home. The consequence was, that our sym- posium at the King's Head broke up." — Croker. 108 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1757. Walker ', of tbe Treasury, Dublin, I have obtained a copy of the following letter from Johnson to the venerable author of "Disserta- tions on the History of Ireland." JOHNSON TO CHS. O'CONNOR, ESQ.2 "London, April 9. 1757. i, that Langton had been already some time the pupil of Warton. The true date, therefore, of this letter, was, probably, Janu- ary and not June. — Choker. JEt. 48. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 109 upon an old account, I think it my part to write first. This, indeed, I do not only from complai- sance but from interest; for living on in the old way, I am very glad of a correspondent so capable as yourself to diversify the hours. You have, at present, too many novelties about you to need any help from me to drive along your time. " I know not any thing more plea.sant, or more instructive, than to compare experience with ex- pectation, or to register from time to time the difference between idea and reality. It is by this kind of observation that we grow daily less liable to be disappointed. You, who are very capable of anticipating futurity, and raising phantoms before your own eyes, must often have imagined to your- self an academical life, and have conceived what would be the manners, the views, and the conversa- tion of men devoted to letters ; how they would choose their companions, how they would direct their studies, and how they would regulate their lives. Let me know what you expected, and what you have found. At least record it to yourself, before custom has reconciled you to the scenes before you, and the disparity of your discoveries to your hopes has vanished from your mind. It is a rule never to be forgotten, that whatever strikes strongly, should be described while the first impres- sion remains fresh upon the mind. " I love, dear Sir, to think on you, and there- fore should willingly write more to you, but that the post will not now give me leave to do more than send my compliments to Mr. Warton. and tell you that I am, dear Sir, most affectionately, your very humble servant, Sam. Johnson." Mr. Burney having enclosed to him an extract from the review of his Dictionary in the Bibliothcque des Savans [t. iii. p. 482.] and a list of subscribers to his Shakspeare, which Mr. Burney had procured in Norfolk, he wrote the followinc answer : — JOHNSON TO BURNEY, At Lynne, Norfolk. " Gough Square, Dec. 21. 1757. "Sir, — That I may shew myself sensible of your favours, and not commit the same fault a second time, I make haste to answer the letter which I received this morning. The truth is, the other likewise was received, and I wrote an an- swer ; but being desirous to transmit you some proposals and receipts, I waited till I could find a convenient conveyance, and day was passed after day, till other things drove it from my thoughts ; yet not so, but that 1 remember with great pleasure your commendation of my Dictionary. Your praise was welcome, not only because I believe it was sincere, but because praise has been very scarce. A man of your candour will be surprised when I tell you, that among all my acquaintance there were only two, who upon the putdication of my book did not endeavour to depress me with threats of ' Htc Mr. Boswell had inserted a letter to Mr. I.angton, datea, by mistake, June 9. 17.'J8, which, from its internal evi- dence, clearly belongs to 1759, where it will be found. Croker. censure from the public, or with objections learned from those who had learned them from my own preface. Yours is the only letter of good-will that I have received ; though, indeed, I am promised something of that sort from Sweden. " How my new edition [of Shakspeare] will l)e received I know not; the subscription has not been very successful. I shall jiublish about March. " If you can direct me how to send proposals, I should wish they were in such hands. " I remember, Sir, in some of the first letters with which you favoured me, you mentioned your lady. May I inquire after her? In return for the favours which you have shewn me, it is not much to tell you, that I wisli you and her all that can conduce to your happiness. I am, Sir, your most obliged and most humble servant, " Sam. Johnson." In 1758 we find lilni, it should seem, in as easy and pleasant a state of existence, as con- stitutional uuhappiness ever permitted him to enjoy.' JOHNSON TO BURNEY, At Lynne, Norfolk. "London, March 1. ^^hS. " Sir, — Your kindness is so great, and my claim to any particular regard from you so little, that I am at a loss how to express my sense of your favours ^ ; but I am, indeed, much pleased to be thus distinguished by you. " I am ashamed to tell you that my Shakspeare will not be out so soon as I promised my sub- scribers ; but 1 did not promise them more than I promised myself. It will, however, be published before summer. " I have sent you a bundle of proposals, which, I think, do not profess more than I have hitherto per- fortaed. I have printed many of the plays, and have hitherto left very few passages unexplained ; where I am quite at loss, I confess my ignorance, which is seldom done by commentators. " I have likewise enclosed twelve receipts ; not that I mean to impose upon you the trouble of pushing them with more importunity than may seem proper, but that you may rather have more than fewer than you shall want. The proposals you will disseminate as there shall be an oppor- tunity. I once printed them at length in the Chronicle, and some of my friends (I believe Mr. Murphy, who formerly wrote the Gray's- Inn Jour- nal) introduced them with a sjjlendid encomium. " Since the Life of Brown, I have been a little engaged, from time to time, in the Literary INIaga- zine, but not very lately. I have not the collec- tion by me, and therefore cannot draw out a catalogue of my own parts, but will do it, and send it. Uo not buy them, for I will gather all those that have anything of mine in them, and send them to Blrs. Burney, as a small token of gratitude for the regard which she is pleased to bestow upon me. " I aui, Sir, your most obliged and most humble servant, " Saji. Johnson." - This letter was .m answer to one, in which was enclosed a draft for the payment of some subscriptions to his Shak- speare. — Boswell. 110 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1758. Dr. Burney has kindly favoured me with the following memorandum, which I take the liberty to insert in his own genuine easy style. I love to exhibit sketches of my illustrious friend by various eminent hands. " Soon after this, Mr. Burney, during a visit to the capital, had an interview with him in Gough Square, where he dined and drank tea with him, and was introduced to the acquaint- ance of Mrs. Williams. After dinner, Mr. Johnson proposed to Mr. Burney to go up with him into his garret, which being accepted, he there found about five or six Greek folios, a deal writing-desk, and a chair and a half. Johnson, giving to his guest the entire seat, tottered himself on one with only three legs and one arm. Here he gave Mr. Burney Mrs. Williams's historj^ and showed him some vo- lumes of Shakspeare already printed, to prove that he was in earnest. Upon Mr. Burney 's opening the first volume, at the Merchant of Venice, he observed to him that he seemed to be more severe on Warburton than Theobald. ' O poor Tib ! (said Johnson) he was ready knocked down to my hands ; Warburton stands between me and him.' — 'But, Sir, (said Mr. Burney) you'll have Warburton upon your bones, won't you ? ' ' No, Sir ; he'll not come out : he'll only growl in his den.' — ' But you think. Sir, that Warburton is a superior critic to Theobald ? ' — ' O, Sir, he'd make two- and-fifty Theobalds, cut into slices ! The worst of Warburton is, that he has a rage for saying something, when there's nothing to be said.' — Mr. Burney then asked him whether he had seen the letter which Warburton had written in answer to a pamphlet, addressed ' To the most impudent man alive.' He an- swered in the negative. Mr. Burney told him it was supposed to be written by Mallet. The controversy now raged between the friends of Pope and Bolingbroke ; and War- burton and Mallet were the leaders of the several parties. Mr. Burney asked him then If he had seen Warburton's book against Bolingbroke's Philosophy ? — ' No, Sir ; I have never read Bolingbroke's impiety, and therefore am not interested about its con- futation.' " I Of this period of his life, Hawkins says, " The profits ac- cruing from the sale of this paper, and the subscriptions which, from the year 175G, he was receiving for the edition of Shakspeare by him proposed, were the only known means of liis subsistence for a period of near four years, and we may suppose them hardly adequate to his wants, for, upon finding the balance of the account for the Dictionary against him, he quitted his house in Gough Square, and took chambers in Gray's Inn ; and Mrs. Williams, upon this removal, fixed herself in lodgings at a boarding-school, in the neighbourhood of their former dwelling." And Mr. Murphy tells us, that " he retired to Gray's Inn, and soon removed to chambers in the Inner Temple Lane, where he lived in poverty, total idle- ness, and the pride of literature. Mr. Fitzherbert (the father of Lord St. Helen's), a man distinguished through life for his CHAPTER XIII. 1758—1759. " The Idler." — Letters to Warton and Langton. — Johnson's Mother. — Letters to her, and to Miss Porter. — Her Death. — " Rasselas." — Miscel- lanies. — Excursion to Oxford. — Francis Barber. — Wilhes. — Smollett. — Mrs. Montagu. — Mrs. Ogle. — Mylne the Architect. On the fifteenth of April he began a new periodical paper, entitled " The Idler," ' which came out every Saturday in a weekly newspaper, called " The Universal Chronicle, or Weekly Gazette," published by Newbery.- These essays were continued till April 5. 1760. Of one hundred and three, their total number, twelve were contributed by his friends ; of Avhich, Nos. 33. 93. and 96. were written by Mr. Thomas Warton ; No. 67.by Mr. Lani^ton; and Nos. 76. 79. and 82. by Sir Joshua Rey- nolds ; the concluding words of No. 82. — "and pollute his canvas with deformity," — being added by Johnson, as Sir Joshua in- formed me." The Idler is evidently the work of the same mind which produced the Rambler, but has less body and more spirit. It has more variety of real life, and greater facility of language. He describes the miseries of idleness, with the lively sensations of one who has felt them ; and in his private memorandums while engaged in it, we find, " This year I hope to learn dili- gence." [Pr. and Med., p. 30.] Many of these excellent essays were written as hastily as an ordinary letter. Mr. Langton remem- bers Johnson, when on a visit to Oxford, ask- ing him one evening how long it was till the post went out ; and on being told aboiit half an hour, he exclaimed, " then we shall do very well." He upon this instantly sat down and finished an Idler, which it was necessary should be in London the next day. Mr. Langton having signified a wish to read it, " Sir, (said he) you shall not do more than I have done myself." He then folded it up and sent it ofi". Yet there are in the Idler several papers which show as much profundity of thought, and labour of language, as any of this great man's writings. No. 14. " Robbery of time ; " No. 24. "Thinking;" No. 41. " JDeath of a friend ; " No. 43. "" Flight of time ; " No. 5 1 . " Domestic greatness unattainable ; " No. 52. " Self-denial ; " No. 58. " Actual, how short of benevolence and other amiable qualities, used to say, that he paid a morning visit to Johnson, intending from his chambers to send a letter into the city ; but, to his great surprise, he found an author by profession without pen, ink, or paper. The present Bishop of Salisbury [Douglas] was also among those who endeavoured, by constant attention, to soothe the cares of a mind which he knew to be afflicted with gloomy apprehensions." — Croker. 2 This is a slight mistake. The first number of " The Idler" appeared on the 15th of April, 1758, in No. 2. of the Universal Chronicle, &c., which was published by J. Payne, for whom also the Rambler had been printed. On the 29th of April this newspaper assumed the title of" Payne's Uni- versal Chronicle," &c. — Malone. ^T. 49. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. Ill fancied, excellence;" No. 89. "Physical evil moral good;" and his concluding paper on " The horror of the last," will prove this as- sertion. I know not why a motto, the usual trapping of periodical papers, is prefixed to very few of the Idlers, as I have heard John- son commend the custom : and he never could be at a loss for one, his memory being stored with innumerable passages of the classics. In this series of essays he exhibits admirable in- stances of grave humour, of which he had an uncommon share. Nor on some occasions has he repressed that power of sophistry which he possessed in so eminent a degree. In No. 11. he treats with the utmost contempt the opinion that our mental faculties depend, in some de- gree, upon the weather ; an opinion, which they who have never experienced its truth are not to be envied, and of which he himself could ■not but be sensible, as the effecls of weather upon him were very visible. Yet thus he de- claims : — " Surely, nothing is more reproachful to a being endowed with reason, than to resign its powers to the influence of the air, and live in dependence on the weather and the wind for the only blessings which nature has put into our power, tranquillity and benevolence. This distinction of seasons is produced only by imagination operating on luxury. To temperance, every day is bright ; and every hour is propitious to diligence. He that shall re- solutely excite his faculties, or exert his virtues, will soon make himself superior to the seasons; and may set at defiance the morning mist and the evening damp, the blasts of the east, and the clouds of the south." Alas ! it is too certain, that where the frame has delicate fibres, and there is a fine sensibi- lity, such influences of the air are irresistible. He might as well have bid defiance to the ague, the palsy, and all other bodily disorders. Such boasting of the mind is false elevation. " I think the Romans call it Stoicism." But in this number of his Idler his spirits seem to run riot ' ; for in the wantonness of his disquisition he forgets, for a moment, even the reverence for that which he held in high respect; and describes "the attendant on a Court," as one " whose business is to watch the looks of a being, weak and foolish as him- self" 2 His unqualified ridicule of rhetorical gesture or action is not, surely, a test of truth; yet we cannot help admiring liow well It is adapted to produce the elfect which he wished : — " Neither the judges of our laws, nor the repre- sentatives of our people, would be much affected 1 This doctrine of the little influence of the weather, how- ever, seems to have been his fixed opinion : he often repeated it in conversation. See post, p. 146. — Croker. 2 Mr. Boswell seems resolved to forget that Johnson's by laboured gesticulations, or believe any man the more because he rolled his eyes, or puffed his cheeks, or si)read abroad his arms, or stamped the ground, or thumped his breast ; or turned his eyes sometimes to the ceiling, and sometimes to the floor." A casual coincidence with other writers, or an adoption of a sentiment or image which has been found in the writings of another, and af- terwards appears in the mind as one's own, is not unfrequent. The richness of Johnson's fancy, which could supply his page abundantly on all occasions, and the strength of his me- mory, which at once detected the real owner of any thought, made him less liable to the imputation of plagiarism than, perhaps, any of our writers. In tlie Idler, however, there is a paper. In which conversation is asslmihited to a bowl of punch, where there is the same train of comparison as In a poem by Blacklock, In his collection published in 1756; In which a parallel is ingeniously drawn between human life and that liquor. It ends, — " Say, then, physicians of each kind. Who cure the body or the mind. What harm in drinking can there be, Since punch and life so well agree?" To the Idler ^, when collected in volumes, he added, beside the Essay on Epitaphs, and the Dissertation on those of Pope, an Essay on the Bravery of the English common Sol- diers. He, however, omitted one of the origi- nal papers, which in the folio copy is No. 22.''' JOHNSON TO THOMAS WARTON. " [London,] April H. 1758. " Dear Sir, — Your notes upon my poet were very acceptable. 1 beg that you will be so kind as to continue your searches. It will be reputable to my work, and suitable to your professorship, to have something of yours in the notes. As you have given no directions about your name, I sliall there- fore put it. I wish your brother would take the same trouble. A commentary must arise from the fortuitous discoveries of many men in devious walks of literature. Some of your remarks are on plays already printed : but I purpose to add an Appendix of Notes, so that nothing comes too late. " You give yourself too much uneasiness, dear Sir, about the loss of the papers.* The loss is nothing, if nobody has found them ; nor even then, perhaps, if the numbers be known. You are not the only friend that has had the same mischance. You may repair your want out of a stock, which is deposited with Mr. Allen, of Magdalen Hall ; or out of a parcel which I have just sent to Mr. Chambers, for the use of any body that will be so kind as to want them. j\Ir. Langtons are well ; and Miss Roberts, whom I have at last brought to 3 Prior (L(re of Goldsmith, i. :H9.) denies that this paper was added to the early editions of the Idler, and supposes it to liave been Goldsmith's ; but it is evidently Johnson's style. — Croker, 1840. ■< Tliis paper may be found in Stockdale's supplemental volume of Johnson's Miscellaneous Pieces. — Boswell. 5 Receipts for Shakspcarc — Warton. 112 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1758. speak, upon the information which you gave me, that she had something to say. I am, &c., " Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO THOMAS WARTON. "London, June 1. 1758. " Dear Sir, — You will receive this by -Mr. Baretti, a gentleman particularly entitled to tlie notice and kindness of the professor of poesy. He has time but for a short stay, and will be glad to have it filled up with as much as he can hear and see. " In recommending another to your favour, I ought not to omit thanks for the kindness which you have shown to myself Have you any more iiotes on Shakspeare ? I sliall be glad of them. " I see your pupil sometimes ' ; his mind is as exalted as his stature. I am half afraid of him ; but he is no less amiable than formidable. He will, if the forwardness of his spring be not blasted, be a credit to you, and to the University. He brings some of my plays * with him, which he has my permission to show you, on condition you will hide them from every body else. I am, dear Sir, &c., Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO LANGTON, At Lang ton. "Sep. 21. 1758. " Dear Sir, — I should be sorry to think that what engrosses the attention of my friend, should have no part of mine. Your mind is now full of the fate of Dury ' ; but his fate is past, and nothing re- mains but to try what reflection will suggest to mitigate the terrors of a violent death, which is more formidable at the first glance, than on a nearer and more steady view. A violent death is never very painful ; the only danger is, lest it should be unprovided. But if a man can be supposed to make no provision for death in war, what can be the state that would have awakened him to the care of futurity? When would that man have prepared himself to die, who went to seek death without preparation? What then can be the reason why we lament more him that dies of a wound, than him that dies of a fever ? A man that languishes witli disease, ends his life with more pain, but with less virtue : he leaves no example to his friends, nor bequeaths any honour to his de- scendants. The only reason why we lament a soldier's death, is, that we think he might have lived longer ; yet this cause of grief is common to many other kinds of death, which are not so passionately bewailed. The truth is, that every death is violent which is the effect of accident ; every death which is not gradually brought on by the miseries of age, or when life is extinguished for any other reason than that it is burnt out. He that 1 Mr. Langton. — Warton. - Part of the impression of the Shalc'peare, wliich Dr. .Tohnson conducted alone, and published by subscription. This edition came out in 17C5. — Wakton. 3 Major-General Alexander Dury, of tlie First Regiment of Foot Guards, who fell in the gallant discharge of his duty, near St. Cas, in the well-known unfortunate expedition against France, in 1758. His lady and Mr. Langton's mo- ther were sisters. He left an only son, Lieutenant- Colonel Dury, who has a company in the same regiment. — Boswell. 4 Gibbon, in his Memoirs, alludes to this subject with good taste and feeling: — " From my cJiildhood to the present hour, I have deeply and sincerely regretted my sister, whose life was somewhat prolonged, and whom 1 remember to have dies before sixty, of a cold or consumption, dies, in reality, by a violent death ; yet his death is borne with patience, only because the cause of his un- timely end is silent and invisible. Let us endea- vour to see things as they are, and then inquire whether we ought to complain. Whether to see life as it is, will give us much consolation, I know not; but the consolation which is drawn from truth, if any there be, is solid and durable : that which may he derived from error, must be, like its original, fallacious and fugitive. I am, dear, dear Sir, your most humble servant, Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO LANGTON, At Langton. "Jan. 9. 1758(1759). " Dearest Sir, — I must have indeed slept very fast, not to have been awakened by your letter. None of your suspicions are true ; I am not much richer than when you left me ; and what is worse, my omission of an answer to your first letter will prove that I am not much wiser. But I go on as | I formerly did, designing to be some time or other both rich and wise ; and yet cultivate neither mind nor fortune. Do you take notice of my example, and learn the danger of delay. W^hen 1 was as you are now, towering in [the] confidence of twenty- one, little did I suspect that I should be, at forty- nine, what I now am. " But you do not seem to need my admonition. You are busy in acquiring and in communicating knowledge, and while you are studying, enjoy the end of study, by making others wiser and happier. I was much pleased with the tale that you told me of being tutor to your sisters. L ^vho have no sisters nor brothers, look with some degree of in- nocent envy on those who may be said to be born to friends ■* ; and cannot see, without wonder, how rarely that native union is afterwards regarded. It sometimes, indeed, happens, that some supervenient cause of discord may overpower this original amity ; but it seems to me more frequently thrown away with levity, or lost by negligence, than destroyed by injury or violence. We tell the ladies that good wives make good husbands ; I believe it is a more certain position that good brothers make good sisters. " 1 am satisfied with your stay at home, as Juvenal with his friend's retirement to Cumse : I know that your absence is best, though it be not best for me. ' Quamvis digressu veteris confusus amici, Laudo tamen vacuis quod sedem figere Cumis Destinet, atque unnm civem donare Sibyllae.' ^ " Langton is a good Cumic, but who must be Sibylla ? INIrs. Langton is as wise as Sibyl, and as good ; and will live, if my wishes can prolong life, till she shall in time be as old. But she differs seen an amiable infant. The relation of a brother and a sister, particularly if they do not marry, appears to me of a very singular nature. It is a familiar and tender friendship with a female much about our own age ; an affection perhaps softened by tlie secret influence of the sex, but pure from any mixture of sensual desire — the sole species of Platonic love that can be indulged with truth, and without danger." Mem., p. 25. — Croker. 5 " Grieved though I am to see the man depart, Who long has shared, and still must share my heart, Yet (when I call my better judgment home) 1 praise his purpose : to retire from Rome, And give on Cumie's solitary coast, The Sibyl — one inhabitant to boast ! " — CiFFonD. {From the Pninliiig by Sir Joshua Reynolds in the Collection oj Sir Robert Peel) London : John Murray, Albemarle Street ^T. 49. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 113 in this, that she has not scattered her precepts in the wind, at least not those which slie bestowed upon you. " The two Wartons just looked into tlie town, and were taken to see Cleone, where, David [Garrick] says, they were starved for want of com- pany to keep them warm. David and Doddy * iiave had a new quarrel, and, I think, cannot con- veniently quarrel any more. ' Cleone ' was well acted by all the characters, but Bellamy ^ left no- thing to be desired. I went the first night, and supported it as well as I might ; for Doddy, you know, is my patron, and 1 would not desert him. The play was very well received. Doddy, after the danger was over, went every night to the stage- side, and cried at the distress of poor Cleone. " I have left off housekeeping, and therefore made presents of the game which you were pleased to send me. The pheasant I gave to Mr. Richard- son ', the bustard to Dr. Lawrence, and the pot I placed with Miss Williams, to be eaten by myself She desires that her compliments and good wishes may be accepted by the family ; and I make the same request for myself. " iMr. Reynolds has within these few days raised his price to twenty guineas a head *, and Miss ^ is much employed in miniatures. I know not any body [else] whose prosperity has increased since you left them. "Murphy is to have his 'Orphan of China' acted next month ; and is therefore, I suppose, happy. I wish I could tell you of any great good to which I was approaching, but at present my pros- pects do not much delight me ; however, I am always pleased when I find that you, dear Sir, re- member your affectionate, humble servant, " Sam. Johksok." In 1759, in the month of January, his mo- ther died, at the great age of ninety, an event which deeply affected him ; not that " his mind had acquired no firmness by the contemplation of mortality ; " ^ but that his reverential affec- tion for her was not abated by years, as indeed he retained all his tender feelings even to the latest period of his life. I have been told, that he regretted mucli his not havin"; TOne to visit 1 Mr. Dodsley, the author of Cleone, first played 2nd Dec, 1758 BOSWELL. 2 The well-known Miss George .4.nn Bellamy, who played the heroine — Ckoker. 3 The author of Clarissa. — Boswell. ^ Sir Joshua afterwards greatly advanced liis price. I have been informed by Sir Thomas Lawrence, his admirer and rival, that in 1787 his prices were two hundred guineas for the whole length, one hundred for the half-length, seventy for the kit-cut, and fifty for (what is called) the three-quarters. But even on these prices some increase must have been made, as Horace Walpole said, " Sir Joshua, in his old age, becomes avaricious. He had one thousand guineas for nn- picture of the three ladies Waldegrave."— IValpoliana. Tliis picture are half-lengths of the three ladies on one canvas. — CiioKEit. 5 Miss Reynolds, the sister of Sir Joshua. — CnoKEn. 6 Hawkins, p. 395. Mr. Boswell contradicts Hawkins, for the mere pleasure, as it would seem, of doing so. The reader must observe that Mr. Boswell's work is full of anecdotes of Johnson's want of firmness in contemplating mortality: (see a striking instance sub Oct. 20. 1709:) and though Johnson may have been in theory an affectionate son, there is reason to fear that he had never visited Lichfield, and, consequently, not seen his mother, since 1737. Mr. Bos- well alleges as an excuse, that he was engaged in literary labours, which confined him to London. Such an excuse for an absence ot twenty years is Idle ; besides, it is stated that Johnson visited Ashbourne about 1740 (ante, p. 20.), Tun- his mother, for several years previous to her death. But he was constantly engaged in lite- rary labours which confined him to London ; and though he had not the comfort of seeing his aged parent, he contributed liberally to her support. [JOHNSON TO MRS. JOHNSON, In Lichfield.' " 13th Jan. 1758." " HpNouRED Maham, — The account which Miss [Porter] gives me of your health pierces my heart. God comfort and preserve you and save you, for the sake of Jesus Christ. " I would have Miss read to you from time to time the Passion of our Saviour, and sometimes the sentences in the Communion Service, beginning Cortie tinto me, all ye that travail and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. " I have just now read a physical book, which inclines me to think that a strong infusion of the bark would do you good. Do, dear mother, try it, " Pray, send me your blessing, and forgive all that I have done amiss to you. And whatever you would have done, and what debts you would have paid first, or any thing else that you would direct, let Miss [Porter] put it down ; I shall endeavour to obey you. " I have got twelve guineas' to send you, but unhappily am at a loss how to send it to-niglit. If I cannot send it to-night, it will come by the next post. " Pray, do not omit any thing mentioned in this letter. God bless vou for ever and ever. — I am your dutiful son, — Malone. Sam. Joh! JOHNSON TO MISS PORTER, At Mrs. Johnson's, in Lichfield. " 16th Jan. 1759. " My dear Miss, — I think myself obliged to you beyond all expression of gratitude for your care of my dear mother. God grant it may not be with- out success. Tell Kitty '" that I shall never forget bridge Wells in 1748 (ante, p. 58.), Oxford in 17.54 (.anti, p. 88.). We shall see presently, that Johnson felt remorse for this neglect. — Croker. 7 Since the publication of the third edition of this work, the following letters of Dr. Johnson, occasioned by the last illness of his mother, were obligingly communicated to Mr. Malone, by the Rev. Dr. Vyse. They are placed here agree- ably to the chronological order almost uniformly observed by the author ; and so strongly evince Dr. Johnson's piety and tenderness of heart, that every reader must be gratified by their insertion. — Malone. I have added some others Croker. 8 Written by mistake for 1759, as the subsequent letters show. On the outside of the letter of the 13th was written by another hand — " Pray acknowledge the receipt of this by return of post, without fail." — Malone. 9 Six of these twelve guineas Johnson appears to have borrowed from Mr. Allen, the printer. See Hawkins's Life cfJuhnsun,p 366. n. — Malone. 10 Catherine Chambers, Mr.?. Johnson's maid-servant. She died in October, 1767. See Dr. Johnson's Prat/irs and Meditations, p. 71. : " Sunday, Oct. 18. 1707. Yesterday, Oct, 17., I took my leave for ever of my dear old friend, Catherine Chambers, who came to live with my mother about 1724, and has been but little parted from us since. She buried my father, my brother, and my mother. She is now lifty-eigbt years old." — Malone. 114 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1750. her tenderness for her mistress. Whatever you can do, continue to do. My heart is -very full. " I hope you received twelve guineas on Mon- day. I found a way of sending them by means of the postmaster, after I had written my letter, and hope they came safe. I will send you more in a few days. God bless you all. I am, my dear, your most obliged and most humble servant, " Sam. Johnson. " Over the leaf is a letter to my mother." " 16th Jan. 1759. " Dear honoueed Mother, — Your weakness afflicts me beyond what I am willing to commu- nicate to you. I do not think you unfit to face death, but I know not how to bear the thought of losing you. Endeavour to do all you [can] for yourself. Eat as nmch as you can. " I pray often for you ; do you pray for me. I have nothing to add to my last letter. I am, dear, dear mother, your dutiful son, — Malone. " Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO MRS. JOHNSON. "18th Jan. 1759. " Dear honoured Mother, — I fear you are too ill for long letters ; therefore I will only tell you, you have from me all the regard that can possibly subsist in the heart. I pray God to bless you for evermore, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. " Let Miss write to me every post, however short. " I am, dear mother, your dutiful son, — Malone. " Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO MISS PORTER. " 20th Jan. 1759. " Dear Miss, — I will, if it be possible, come down to you. God grant I may yet [find] my dear mother breathing and sensible. Do not tell her lest I disappoint her. If I miss to write next post, I am on the road. I am, my dearest Miss, your most humble servant, Sam. Johnson." On the other side. "2nth Jan. 1759. "Dear honoured Mother ', — Neither your condition nor your character make it fit for me to say milch. You have been the best mother, and I believe the best woman in the world. I thank you for your indulgence to me, and beg forgiveness of all that I have done ill, and all that I have omitted to do well.* God grant you his Holy Spirit, and receive you to everlasting happiness, for Jesus > This letter was written on the second leaf of the pre- ceding, .iddressed to Miss Porter Malone. 2 So, in the prayer which he composed on this occasion : " Almighty God, merciful Father, in whose hands Are life and death, sanctify unto me the sorrow which I now feel. For give me whatever I liave unkindly to my mollier, and whatever I have omitted to do kindly. Make me to remember her good precepts and good example, and to reform my life according to thy holy word," &e Prayers and Meditations, p. 31. — Malone. 3 Mrs. Johnson probably died on the 20th or 21st January, and was buried on the day this letter was written. — Malone. ■i Mr. Murphy states : " With this supply (the price of Rasselas) Johnson set out for Lichfield ; but did not arrive in time to close the eyes of a parent whom he loved. He attended the funeral, which, as appears among his memo- Christ's sake. Amen. Lord Jesus receive your spirit. Amen. — I am, dear, dear mother, your dutiful son, Sam. Johnson." — Malone. JOHNSON TO MISS PORTER. " 23d Jan. 1759.3 " You will conceive my sorrow for the loss of my mother, of the best mother. If she were to live again, surely I should behave better to her. But she is happy, and what is past is nothing to her ; and for me, since I cannot repair my faults to her, I hope repentance will efface them. I return you and all those that h.ave been good to her my sin- cerest thanks, and pray God to repay you all with infinite advantage. Write to me, and comfort me, dear child. I shall be glad likewise, if Kitty will write to me. I shall send a bill of twenty pounds in a few days, which I thought to have brought to my mother ; but God suffered it not. I have not power or composure to say much more. God bless you, and bless us all. I am, dear Miss, your affec- tionate humble servant, Sam. Johnson." — Malone, [JOHNSON TO MISS PORTER. " 25th Jan. 1759. ( The beginning is torn and lost.) " You will forgive me if I am not yet so composed as to give any directions about any thing. But you are wiser and better than I, and I shall be pleased with all that you shall do. It is not of any use for me now to come down * ; nor can I bear the place. If you want any directions, Mr. Howard ^ will ad- vise you. The twenty pounds I could not get a bill for to-night, but will send it on Saturday. I am, my dear, your affectionate servant, — Pearson MS S. "Sam. Johnson."^ JOHNSON TO MISS PORTER. " Gth Feb. 1759. " Dear Miss, — I have no reason to forbear writing, but that it makes my heart heavy, and I l;ad nothing particular to say which might not be delayed to the next post ; but had no thoughts of ceasing to correspond with my dear Lucy, the only person now left in the world with whom I think myself connected. There needed not my dear mother's desire, for every heart must lean to some- body, and I have nobody but you ; in whom I put all my little afJairs with too much confidence to desire you to keep receipts, as you prudently pro- posed. randums, was on the 23d of January, 1759." It is clear, from all these letters, that lie did not person.-ilIy attend on that occasion, and the memorandum mentioned must have re- ferred to the date or expenses of the funeral, and not to his own presence. Rasselas was not written, nor of course, it may be presumed, sold, till two months later.— Crokeb. - Mr. Howard was a proctor in the Ecclesiastical Court, and resided in the Close. — Cboker. 6 " No. 41. of the Idler," says Hawkins, " though it takes the character of a letter to the author, was written by John- son himself on his mother's death, and may be supposed to describe as truly as pathetically his sentiments on the sepa- ration of friends and relations. But it is observable that the Idlers, which now bear the dates of the 13th and 20th Janu- ary, are on trivial subjects, and are even written in a vein of pleasantry. — Crokeb. ^T. 50. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 115 . " If you and Kitty will keep the house, I think I shall like it best. Kitty may carry on the trade for herself, keeping her own stock apart, and laying aside any money that she receives for any of the goods which her good mistress has left behind her. I do not see, if this scheme be followed, any need of appraising the books. My mother's debts, dear mother, I suppose I may pay with little difficulty; and the little trade may go silently forward. I fancy Kitty can do nothing better ; and I shall not want to put her out of a house, where she has lived so long, and v.ith so much virtue. I am very sorry that she is ill, and earnestly hope that she will soon recover; let her know that I have the highest value for her, and would do any thing for her advantage. Let her think of this proposal. I do not see any likelier method by which she may pass the remain- ing part of her life in quietness and competence. " You must have what part of the house you please, while you are inclined to stay in it ; but I flatter myself with the hope that you and I shall some time pass our days together. I am very solitary and comfortless, but will not invite you to come hither till I can have hope of making you live here so as not to dislike your situation. Pray, my dearest, write to me as often as you can. I am, dear Madam, your affectionate humble servant, — Pearson MSS. " Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO MISS PORTER. " 1st March, 1758[9]. " Dear Madam, — I thought your last letter long in coming ; and did not require or expect such an inventory of little things as you have sent me. I could have taken your word for a matter of much greater value. I am glad that Kitty is better ; let her be paid first, as my dear, dear mother ordered, and then let me know at once the sum necessary to discharge her other debts, and I will find it you very soon. " I beg, my dear, that you would act for me without the least scruple, for I can repose myself very confidently upon your prudence, and hope we shall never have reason to love each other less. I shall take it very kindly if you make it a rule to write to me once at least every week, for I am now very desolate, and am loth to be universally for- gotten. I am, dear sweet, your affectionate ser- vant, Sam. Johnson."] MSS. Soon after his mother's death, he wrote his " Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia : " * con- cerning the publication of which Sir John Hawkins guesses vaguely and idly', instead of having taken the trouble to inform himself with authentic precision. Xot to trouble my readers with a repetition of the knight's reve- ries, I have to mention, that the late Mr. Stra- han the printer told me, that Johnson wrote 1 Hawkins's account is substantially the same as Mr. Bos- weirs Croker. 2 Rasselas was published in March orApril, 1759 — Boswell. In chapter 24. Johnson, in the character of Imlac, patheti- it, that with the profits he might defray the expense of his mother's funeral, and pay some little debts which she had left. He told Sir Joshua Reynolds, that he composed it in the evenings of one week", sent it to the press in portions as it was written, and had never since read it over.^ Mr. Strahan, Mr. Johnston, and Mr. Dodsley purchased it for a hundred pounds, but afterwards paid him twenty-five pounds more, when it came to a second edition. Considering the large sums which have been received for compilations, and works requiring not much more genius than compilations, we cannot but wonder at the very low price which he was content to receive for this admirable performance ; which, though he had wi-itten nothing else, would have rendered his name immortal in the world of literature. !N'one of his writings has been so extensively diffused over Europe ; for it has been translated into most, if not all, of the modern languages. This tale, with all the charms of oriental imagery, and all the force and beauty of which the En- glish language is capable, leads us through the most important scenes of human life, and shows us that this stage of our being is full of " va- nity and vexation of spirit." To those who look no further than the present life, or who main- tain that human nature has not fallen from the state in which it was created, the instruction of this sublime story wUl be of no avail. But they who think justly, and feel with strong sensibility, will listen with eagerness and ad- miration to its truth and wisdom. Voltaire's Candide, written to refute the system of Op- timism, which it has accomplished with brilliant success, is wonderfully similar in its plan and conduct to Johnson's Rasselas ; insomuch, that I have heard Johnson say, that if they had not been published so closely one after the other that there was not time for imitation ''■, it would have been in vain to deny that the scheme of that which came latest was taken from the other. Though the proposition illus- trated by both these works was the same, namely, that in our present state there is more evil than good, the intention of the writers was very diiferent. Voltaire, I am afraid, meant only by wanton profaneness to obtain a sport- ive victory over religion, and to discredit the belief of a superintending Providence : John- son meant, by showing the unsatisfactory na- ture of things temporal, to direct the hopes of man to things eternal. Rasselas, as was ob- served to me by a very accomplished lady, may be considered as a more enlarged and more deeply philosophical discourse in prose, upon the interesting truth, which in his " Vanity of a chaise doubtless long after his declaration to Sir Joshua Keyuolds. — Malone. This isnot quite exact. The appearance of the two works cally describes his own feelings : " I have neither mother to was very near, but it seems that Johnson mig/it havt; seen be delighted with the reputation of her son, nor wife to par- Candide, which was published al latest in February 1759, take the honours of her husband — Malone. (Grimm, ii. 388.) and Rassellas was written, it appears, to- s See under June 2. 1781. Finding it then accidentally in wards the middle of March. — Crokek. I 2 I I 116 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1759. Human Wishes" he had so successfully en- forced in verse. The fund of thinking which this work con- tains is such, that almost every sentence of it may furnish a subject of long meditation. I am not satisfied if a year passes without my having read it through ; and at every perusal, my admiration of the mind which produced it is so highly raised, that I can scarcely believe that I had the honour of enjoying the intimacy of such a man. I restrain myself from quoting passages from this excellent work, or even referring to them, because I should not know what to select, or, rather, Avhat to omit. I shall, however, tran- scribe one, as it shows how well he could state the arguments of those who believe in the ap- pearance of departed spirits : a doctrine which it is a mistake to suppose that he himself ever positively held : " If all your fear be of apparitions (said the prince), I will promise you safety: there is no danger from the dead ; he that is once buried will be seen no more. " Thai the dead are seen no more (said Imlac), I will not undertake to maintain, against the con- current and unvaried testimony of all ages, and of all nations. Tliere is no people, rude or learned, among whom apparitions of the dead are not re- lated and believed. This opinion, which prevails as far as human nature is diffused, could become universal only by its truth' ; those that never heard of one another, would not have agreed in a tale which nothing but experience can make credible. That it is doubted by single cavillers, can very little weaken the general evidence ; and some who deny it with their tongues, confess it by their fears." Notwithstanding my high admiration of Rasselas, I will not maintain that the " mor- bid melancholy" in Johnson's constitution may not, perhaps, have made life appear to him more insipid and unhappy than it generally is : for I am sure that he had less enjoyment from it than I have. Yet, whatever additional shade his own particrdar sensations may have thrown on his representation of life, attentive obser- vation and close enquiry have convinced me, that there is too much reality in the gloomy > This is a mere sophism ; all ages and all nations are not agreed on this point, though such a belief may have existed in particular persons, in all ages and all nations. He might as well have said that insanity was the natural and true state of the human mind, because it has existed in all nations and all ages. — Croker. 2 Mr. Boswell, no doubt, saw some meaning in these words ; but what that meaning might be, I cannot guess — Croker. 3 This paper was in such high estimation before it was collected into volumes, that it was seized on with avidity by various publishers of newspapers and magazines, to enrich their publications. Johnson, to put a stop to this unfair pro- ceeding, wrote for the Universal Chronicle the following advertisement ; in which there is, perhaps, more pomp of words than the occasion demanded : " London, Jan. 5. 1759. Advertisement. The proprie- tors of the paper entitled ' The Idler,' having found that those ess?ys are inserted in the newspapers and magazines with so little regard to justice or decency, that the Universal Chronicle, in whirh they first appear, is not always men- picture. The truth, however, is, that we judge of the happiness and misery of life diiferently at dilTerent times, according to the state of our changeable frame. I always remember a re- mark made to me by a Turkish lady, educated in France : " Ma foi, monsieur, notre honheur depend de la faqon que notre sang circule." - This have I learnt from a pretty hard course of experience, and would, from sincere bene- volence, impress upon all who honour this book with a perusal, that until a steady conviction is obtained, that the present life is an imperfect state, and only a passage to a better, if Ave comply with the divine scheme of progressive improvement ; and also that it is a part of the mysterious plan of Providence, that intellectual beings must " be made perfect through suffer- ing ; " there will be a continual recurrence of disappointment and uneasiness. But if we walk with hope in " the mid-day sun " of re- velation, our temper and disposition will be such, that the comforts and enjoyments in our Avay will be relished, while we patiently sup- port the inconveniences and pains. After much speculation and various reasonings, I acknow- ledge myself convinced of the truth of Vol- taire's conclusion, '■'• Apres tout, c' est un monde passable.'" But we must not think too deeply : " where ignorance is bliss, 'Tis folly to be wise," is, in many respects, more than poetically just. Let us cultivate, under the command of good principles, " la tMorie des sensations agreables ; " and, as Mr. Burke once admirably counselled a grave and anxious gentleman, " live plea- sant." The effect of Rasselas, and of Johnson's other moral tales, is thus beautifully illustrated by Mr. Courtenay : " Impressive truth, in splendid fiction drest, Checks the vain wish, and calms the troubled breast : O'er the dark mind a light celestial throws, And soothes the angry passions to repose ; As oil efTus'd illumes and smooths the deep, When round the bark the foaming surges sweep." It will be recollected, that during all this year he carried on his Idler ^ ; and no doubt tioned, think it necessary to declare to the publishers of those collections, that however patiently they have hitherto en- dured these injuries, made yet more injurious by contempt, they have now determined to endure them no longer. They have already seen essays, for which a very large price is paid, transferred, with the most shameless rapacity, into the weekly or monthly compilations, and their right, at least for the present, alienated from them, before they could them- selves be said to enjoy it. But they would not willingly be thought to want tenderness, even for men by whom no ten- derness hath been shown. The past is without remedy, and sliall be without resentment. But those who have been thus busy with their sickles in the fields of their neighbours are henceforward to take notice, that the time of impunity is at an end. Whoever shall, without our leave, l.iy the hand of rapine upon our papers, is to expect that we shall vindicate our due, by the means which justice prescribes, and which are warranted by the immemorial proscriptions of honourable trade. We shall lay hold, in our turn, on their copies, de- grade them from the pomp of wide margin and diffuse typo- graphy, contract them into a narrow space, and sell them -^T. 50. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 117 he was also proceeding, though slowly, in his edition of Shakspeare. He, however, IVoiu that liberality which never fiiiled, when called upon to assist other labourers in literature, found time to translate, for Mrs. Lenox's En- glish version of Brumoy, " A Dissertation on the Greek Coniedy,"t and " The General Con- clusion of the Book/'f An inquiry into the state of foreign coun- tries was an object that seems at all times to have interested Johnson. Hence Mr. New- berv found no great difficulty in persuading him to write the Introduction* to a collection of voyages and travels published by him under the title of " The AVorld Displayed : " the first volume of which appeared this year, and the remaining volumes in subsequent years. I would ascribe to this year the following letter to a son of one of his early friends at Lichfield, Mr. Joseph Simpson, barrister, and author of a tract entitled "Kefiections on the Study of the Law." JOHNSON TO SI.MPSON. " Dear Sir, — Your father's inexorability not only grieves but amazes me : he is your father; he was always accounted a wise man ; nor do I re- member any thing to the disadvantage of his good nature ; but in his refusal to assist you there is neither good nature, fatherhood, nor wisdom. It is the practice of good nature to overlook faults which have already, by the consequences, punished the delinquent. It is natural for a father to think more favourably than others of his children ; and it is always wise to give assistance, while a little help will prevent the necessity of greater. " If you married imprudently, you miscarried at your own hazard, at an age when you had a right of choice. It would be hard if the man might not choose his own wife, who has a right to plead before the judges of this country. " If your imprudence has ended in difficulties and inconveniences, you are yourself to support them ; and, with the help of a little better health, you would support them and conquer them. Surely, that want which accident and sickness pro- duce is to be supported in every region of human- ity, though there were neither friends nor fathers in the world. You have certainly from your father the highest claim of charity, though none of right: and therefore I would counsel you to omit no at an humble price ; yet not with a view of growing rich by confiscations, for we think not much better of money pot by punishment than by crimes. We shall therefore, when our losses are repaid, give what profit shall remain to the Mag- da/ens ; for we know not who can be more properly taxed for the support of penitent prostitutes, than prostitutes in whom there yet appears neitlier penitence nor shame." — BOSWELL. _ ' It is stated in Kippis's Biog. Brit. ii. h'lfi., and repe.ited in Park's edition of the Noble Authors (vol. iv. p. 259.), that Mrs. Lenox's Translation of Brumoy's Oreek Theatre had a " Preface" written by Lord Orrery ; who also trans- lated " The Discourse upon the Theatre uf the Greeks, the Original oj Tragedy, and the Parallel of the Theatres." — Crokeb. - She resided in the house which, by his mother's death, was now become the property of Johnson Cbokek. 3 Lord Stowell informs me that he prided himself in being, during his visits to Oxford, accurately academic in all points ; and he wore his gown almost ostentatiously Croker. decent nor manly degree of importunity. Your debts in the whole are not large, and of the whole l)ut a small part is troublesome. Small debts are like small shot; they are rattling on every side, and can scarcely be escaped without a wound : great debts are like cannon ; of loud noise, but little danger. You must, therefore, be enabled to dis- charge petty debts, that you may have leisure, with security, to struggle with the rest. Neither the great nor little debts disgrace you. I am sure you have my esteem for the courage with which you contracted them, and the spirit with which you endure them. I wish my esteem could be of more use. I have been invited, or have invited myself, to several parts of tlie kingdom ; and will not in- commode my dear Lucy by coming to Lichfield, v/hiie her present lodging is of any use to her. * I hope, in a few days, to be at leisure, and to make visits. Whither I shall fly is matter of no import- ance. A man unconnected is at home every where ; imless he may be said to be at home no where. I am sorry, dear Sir, that where you have parents, a man of your merits should not have a home. I wish I could give it you. I am, my dear Sir, affectionately yours, Sam. Johnson." He now refreshed himself by an excursion to Oxford, of which the following short cha- racteristical notice, in his own words, is pre- served : " is now making tea for me. I have been in my gown ever since I came here.* It was, at my first coming, quite new and handsome. I have swum thrice, which I had disused for many years. I have proposed to Vansittart * climbing over the wall, but he has refused me. And I have clapped my hands till they are sore, at Dr. King's speech." * His negro servant, Francis Barber, having left him, and been some time at sea, not pressed as has been supposed, but with his own consent, it appears from a letter to John Wilkes, Esq., IromDr. Smollett, that his master kindly interested himself in procuring his release from a state of life of which Johnson always expressed the utmost abhorrence. He once said, " No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail ; for being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned." [Augii.st 31. 1773.] And at another time, " A man in a jail has " I5r. Robert Vansittart, of the ancient and respectable family of that name in Berkshire. He was eminent for learning and worth, and much esteemed by Dr. Johnson — BoswELL. Dr. Robert Vansittart, LL.D., professor of civil law at Oxford, and recorder of Windsor. He was a senior fellow of All Souls, where, after he had given up the profession in London, he chiefly resided in a set of rooms, formerly the old library, which he had fitted up in the Gothic style, and where he died about 1794. He was remarkable for his good himiour and inoffensive wit, and a great favourite on the Oxford circuit. He was tall and very thin ; and the bar gave the name of Counsellor Van to a sharp-pointed rock on the Wye. which still retains the name. He was the elder brother of JMr. Henry Vansittart, governor of Bcneal, father of the present Lord Bexley, to whom I am indebted for the above particulars relative to his uncle. — Crokkr 5 At the installation of the Earl of Westmoreland as chan- cellor of the university, July 7. 17.59. This extract was therefore misplaced by Mr. Boswell. — Choker. I 3 118 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1759. more room, better food, and commonly better company." {^September 23, 1773.] The letter was as follows : " Chelsea, 16th March, 1759. "Dear Sir, — I am again your petitioner, in behalf of that great Cham ' of literature, Samuel Johnson. His black servant, whose name is Francis Barher, has been pressed on board the Stag frigate, Captain Angel, and our lexicographer is in great distress. He says the boy is a sickly lad, of a deli- cate frame, and particularly subject to a malady in his throat, which renders him very unfit for his Majesty's service. You know what matter of ani- mosity the said Johnson has against you : and I dare say you desire no other opportunity of resent- ing it, than that of laying him under an obligation. He was humble enough to desire my assistance on this occasion, though he and I were never cater- cousins ; and I gave liim to understand that I would make application to my friend Mr. Wilkes, who, perhaps, hy his interest with Dr. Hay and Mr. Elliot, might be able to procure the discharge of his lacquey. It would be superfluous to say more on this subject, which I leave to your own consideration ; hut I cannot let slip this opportu- nity of declaring that I am, with the most inviolable esteem and attachment, dear Sir, your affectionate, obliged, humble servant, T. Smollett." Mr. Wilkes, who upon all occasions has acted, as a jirivate gentleman, with most polite liberality, applied to his friend Sir George Hay, then one of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty; and Francis Barber was dis- charged, as he has told me, without any wish of his own.^ He found his old master in Cham- bers in the Inner Temple, and returned to his service.^ What particular new scheme of life Johnson had in view this year, I have not discovered; but that he meditated one of some sort, is clear from his private devotions, in Avhich we find [24th March] " the change of outward things which I am now to make ; " and, " Grant me the grace of thy Holy Spirit, that the course which I am now beginning may proceed ac- cording to thy laws, and end in the enjoyment of thy favour." But he did not, in fact, make any external or visible change.'* ' In my first edition this word was printed Chum, as it ap- pears in one of Mr. Wilkes's Miscellanies, and I animad- verted on Dr. Smollett's ignorance ; for which let me propitiate the manes of that ingenious and benevolent gentleman. Chum was certainly a mistaken reading for Cham, the title of the Sovereign of Tartar}-, which is well applied to Johnson, the Monarch of Literature ; and was an epithet familiar to Smollett. See " Roderick Random," chap. Ivi. For this correction I am indebted to Lord Palmerston, whpse talents and literary acquirements accord well with his respectable pedigree of Temple Boswell. After the publication of the second edition of this work, the author was furnished by Mr. Abercrombie, of Philadel- phia, with the copy of a letter written by Dr. John Arm- strong, the poet, to Dr. Smollett, at Leghorn, containing the following paragraph : — " As to the King's Bench patriot [Wilkes], it is hard to say from what motive he published a letter of yours asking some trifling favour of him in behalf of somebody for whom the great Cham of literature, Mr. Johnson, had interested himself."— Malone. 2 He was not discharged till June 1700. 3 Dr. Johnson's acquaintance with Mrs. Montagu probably began about this period. We find, in this year, the first of [JOHNSON TO MISS PORTER. " March 23. 1759. " Dear Madam, — I beg your pardon for having so long omitted to write. One thing or other has put me off. I have this day moved my things, and you are now to direct to me at Staple Inn, London. I hope, my dear, you are well, and Kitty mends. I wish her success in her trade. I am going to publish a little story book [Rasselas], which I will send you when it is out. Write to me, my dearest girl, for I am always glad to hear from you. I am, my dear, your humble servant, — Pearson MSS. " Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO MISS PORTER. "May 10. 1759. " Dear Madam, — I am almost ashamed to tell you that all your letters came safe, and that I have been always very well, but hindered, I hardly know how, from writing. I sent, last week, some of my works, one for you, one for your aunt Hunter, who was with my poor dear mother when she died, one for Mr. Howard, and one for Kitty. " I beg you, my dear, to write often to me, and tell me how you like my little book. I am, dear love, your affectionate humble servant, — Pearson MSS. " Sam. Johnson." TO MRS. MONTAGU. '• Gray's Inn, Dec. 17. 1759. " Madam, — Goodness so conspicuous as yours will be often solicited, and perhaps sometimes solicited by those who have little pretension to your favour. It is now my turn to introduce a petitioner, but such as I have reason to believe you will think worthy of your notice. Mrs. Ogle, who kept the music-room in Soho Square, a woman who struggles with great industry for the support of eight children, hopes by a benefit concert to set herself free from a few debts, which she cannot otherwise discharge. She has, I know not why, so high an opinion of me as to believe that you will pay less regard to her application than to mine. You know, Madam, I am sure you know, how hard it is to deny, and therefore would not wonder at my compliance, though I were to suppress a motive which you know not, the vanity of being supposed to be of any importance to Mrs. Montagu. But the many applications which he made to the extensive and unwearied charity of that excellent ' Johnson to Mrs. Montagu. " June 9. 1759. " Madam, — I am desired by Mrs. Williams to sign receipts with her name for the subscribers which you have been pleased to procure, and to return her humble thanks for your favour, which was conferred with all the grace that elegance can add to beneficence. I am. Madam, your most obedient and most humble servant, Sam. Johnson." This and several other letters, which will be found in their proper places, I owe to the liberality of [the second] Lord Rokeby, the nephew and heir of Mrs. Montagu. It is necessary to request the attention of the reader to the warm terms in which Johnson so frequently expresses his admiration and esteem for Mrs. Montagu, as we shall see that he afterwards took another tone. — Croker. •^ Tills change of life was no doubt the breaking up his es- tablishment in Gough Square, where he had resided for ten years, and retiring to chambers in Staple Inn; while Mrs. Williams went into lodgings. — Croker. Mr. 50. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 119 though I may be wilh"ng to see the world deceived for my advantage, I am not deceived myself, for I know that IMrs. Ogle will owe whatever favours she shall receive from the patronage which we humbly entreat on this occasion, much more to your compassion for honesty in distress, than to the request of, Madam, your most obedient and most humble servant, Saji. Johnson."] —Mmtagu MSS At this time, there being a competition among the architects of London to be emj^loyed in the building of Blackfriars Bridge, a question was very warmly agitated whether semicircular or elliptical arches were jjreferable. In the design offered by Mr. Mylne the elliptical form was adopted, and therefore it was the great object of his rivals to attack it. Johnson's regard for his friend Mr. Gwyn induced him to engage In this controversy against Mr. IVIylne ' ; and after being at considerable pains to study the subject, he wrote three several letters in the Gazetteer, in opposition to his plan. If it should be remarked that this Avas a controversy Avhich lay quite out of Johnson's way, let it be remembered, that, after all, his employing his powers of reasoning and elo- quence upon a subject which he had studied on the moment, Is not more strange than what we often observe In lawyers, who, as Quicqukl agunt homines is the matter of lawsuits, are sometimes obliged to pick up a temporary knowledge of an art or science, of which they understood nothing till their brief was de- livered, and appear to be much masters of it. In like manner, members of the legislature fre- quently introduce and expatiate upon subjects of which they have informed themselves for the occasion. ' Sir John Hawkins has given a long detail of it, in that manner vulgarly, but significant!)-, called rigmarolf ; in which, amidst an ostentatioas exhibition of arts and ai tists, he talks of " proportions of a column being taken from that of the human figure, and adjusted by nature — masculine and feminine — in a man, sesquioctave of the head, and in a wo. man sesquinonal; nor has he failed to introduce a jargon of musical terms, which do not seem much to correspond with the subject, but serve to make up the heterogeneous mass. To follow the knight through all this, would be an useless fatigue to myself, and not a little disgusting to my readers. I shall, therefore, only make a few remarks upon his statement. He seems to exult in having detected Johnson in procur- ing, " from a person eminently skilled in mathematics and the principles of architecture, answers to a string of questions drawn up by himself, touching the comparative strength of semicircular and elliptical arches." Now I cannot conceive liow Johnson could have acted more wisely. Sir John com- plains that the opinion of that excellent mathematician, Wr. Thomas Simpson, did not preponderate in favour of the semicircular arch. But he should have known, that how- ever eminent Mr. Simpson was in the higher parts of abstract mathematical science, he was little versed in mixed and practical mechanics. Mr. Muller, of Woolwich Academy, the scholastic father of all the great engineers which this country has employed for forty years, decided the question by declaring clearly in favour of the elliptical arch. It is ungraciously suggested, that Johnson's motive for opposing Mr. Mylne's scheme may have been his prejudice against him as a native of North Britain ; when, in truth, as has been stated, he gave tlie aid of his able pen to a friend, who was one of the candidates ; and so far was he from having any illiberal antipathy to Mr. Mylne, that he afterwards lived witli that gentleman upon very agreeable terms of acquaint- ance, and dined with him at his house. Sir John Hawkins, indeed, gives full vent to his own prejudice in abusing Black- CHAPTER XIV. 1760—1763. Miscellitneous Essai/s. — Acquaintance with Murphy. — Ahenside and Roll Mackenzie and Eccles. — Letters to Baretti. — Painting and Music. — Sir George Stuunton. — Letter to a Lady solicit- ing Church Preferment for her Son. — Johnson's Pension. — Letters to Lord Bute. — Visit to Devonshire with Sir Joshua Reynolds. — Collins. In 1760 he wrote " An Address of the Painters to George III. on his Accession to the Throne of these Kingdoms," f which no monarch ever ascended with more sincere congratulations from his people. Two generations of foreign princes had prepared their minds to rejolcein having again a king who gloried in being " born a Briton." * He also wrote for 'Mr. Baretti the Dedlcationf of his Italian and English Dictionary, to the Marquis of Abreu, then Envoy-Extraordinary from Spain at the Covirt of Great Britain. Johnson was now either very idle, or very busy with his Shakspearc ; for I can find no other public composition by him except an In- troduction to the Proceedings of the Committee for Clothing the French Prisoners ; * one of the many proofs that he was ever awake to the calls of humanity ; and an account which he gave In the Gentleman's Magazine of Mr. Tytler's acute and able vindication of Mary Queen of Scots.* The generosity of Johnson's feelings shines forth in the following sen- tence ^ : — " It has now been fashionable, for near half a century, to defame and vilify the house of Stuart, friars Bridge, calling it " an edifice, in which beauty and symmetry are in vain sought for ; by which the citizens of London have perpetuated their own disgrace, and subjected a whole nation to the reproach of foreigners." Whoever has contemplated, placido lumine, this stately, elegant, and airy structure, which has so fine an effect, especially on ap- proaching the capital on that quarter, must wonder at such unjust and ill-tempered censure ; and I appeal to all foreign- ers of good taste, wliether this bridge be not one of the most distincuished ornaments of London. As to the stability of the fabric, it is certain that the city of London took every precaution to have the best Portland stone for it ; but as this is to be found in the quarries belonging to the public, under the direction of the Lords of the Treasury, it so happened that parliamentary interest, which is often the bane of fair pursuits, thwarted their endeavours. Notwithstanding this disadvantage, it is well known that not only has Blackfriars Bridge never sunk either in its foundation or in its arches, which were so much the subject of contest, but any injuries which it has suffered from the effects of severe frosts have been already, in some measure, repaired with sounder stone, and every necessary renewal can be completed at a moderate expense. — Boswell. Johnson's essay is an excellent piece of reasoning, and does not betray any personal or national prejudice against Mr. Mylne, though Boswell certainly shews some in his favour. In the result, the Bridge does no great credit to tlie artist. Its inconvenient steepness —the columns with the proportion " not of columns but of can- dles," and the perishable nature of the stone, arc essential defects. — CroivER. " " Born and educated in this country, I glory in the name of Briton."— George III.'s first Speech to his Parliament CnOKER. 3 This sentence may be generous, but it is not very logical. Elizabeth was surely as dead as tlie Stuarts, and would no more pay for praise than they could. — Ckokeu. I 4 120 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1760. and to exalt and magnify the reign of Elizabeth. The Stuarts have found few apologists, for the dead cannot pay for praise ; and who will, without reward, oppose the tide of popularity ? Yet there remains still among us, not wholly extinguished, a zeal for truth, a desire of establishing right in oppo- sition to fashion." In this year I have not discovered a single private letter written by him to any of his friends. It should seem, however, that he had at this period a floating intention of writing a history of the recent and wonderful successes of thcBritish arms in all quarters of the globe ; for among his resolutions or memorandums, September 18., there is, " Send for books for Hist, of War." ' How much is it to be re- gretted that this intention was not fulfilled ! His majestic expression would have carried down to the latest posterity the glorious achieve- ments of his country, with the same fervent glow which they produced on the mind at the time. He would have been under no temp- tation to deviate in any degree from truth, which he held very sacred, or to take a licence, which a learned divine told me he once seemed, in a conversation, jocularly to allow to his- torians. "There are (said he) inexcusable lies, and consecrated lies. For instance, we are told that on the arrival of the news of the un- fortunate battle of Fontenoy, every heart beat and every eye was in tears. Now we know that no man ate his dinner the worse, but there should have been all this concern; and to say there was (smiling), may be reckoned a conse- crated lie." This vear Mr. Murphy, having thought himself ill-treated by the Rev. Dr. Francklin, who was one of the writers of "The Critical Review," published an indignant vindication in "A Poetical Epistle to Samuel Johnson, A. M." in which he compliments Johnson in a just and elegant manner : — " Transcendent Genius ! whose prolific vein Ne'er knew the frigid poet's toil and pain ; 1 The following memorandum, made on his birtliday in this vear, may be quoted as an example of the rules and reso- lutions which he was in the habit of making, for the guidance of his moral conduct and literary studies : " Sept. 18. Resolved, D (eo) j (uvante), To combat notions of obligation : To apply to study : To reclaim imaginations : To consult the resolves on Tetty's coffin : To rise early : To study religion : To go to church : To drink less strong liquors : To keep a journal : To oppose laziness, by doing what is to be done to morrow : Hise as early as I can : ffend for Books for Hist, of War : Put books in order : Scheme of life." Pi: and Med — Croker. The fourth item refers probably to some resolutions he had committed to writing after contemplating his wife's coffin, and which, perhaps, he had not lately looked at. This is confirmed by one of his prayers on her death, (2.'ith April 17'i2.) "Enable me to persevere in the purposes which I recorded in thy sight, when she lay dead before me." — Markland, 184ti. ' It seems strange and very uncandid that !Mr. Murphy did To whom Apollo opens all his store. And every Muse presents her sacred lore ; Say, powerful Johnson, whence thy verse Is fraught With so much grace, such energy of thought ; "Whether thy Juvenal instructs the age In chaster numbers, and new-points his rage ; Or fair Irene sees, alas ! too late. Her innocence exchanged for guilty state ; Whate'er you write, in every golden line Sublimity and elegance combine ; Thy nervous phrase impresses every soul, Wliile harmony gives rapture to the whole." Again, towards the conclusion : — " Thou then, my friend, who see'st the dang'rous strife In which some demon bids me plunge my life, To the Aonian fount direct my feet. Say, where the Nine thy lonely musings meet ; Where warbles to thy ear the sacred throng. Thy moral sense, thy dignity of song ; Tell, for you can, by what unerring art You wake to finer feelings every heart ; In each bright page some truth important give, And bid to future times thy Rambler live." 2 I take this opportunity to relate the manner in which an acquaintance first commenced be- tween Dr. Johnson and Mr. Murphy. During the publication of " The Gray's Inn Journal," a periodical paper which was successfully car- ried on by Mr. Murphy alone, when a very young man, he happened to be in the country with Mr. Foote ; and having mentioned that he was obliged to go to London in order to get ready for the press one of the numbers of that journal, Foote said to him, " You need not go on that account. Here is a French magazine, in which you will find a very pretty oriental tale; translate that and send it to your printer." Mr. ]\Iurphy having read the tale, was highly pleased with it, and followed Foote's advice. When he returned to town, this tale was pointed out to him in "The Rambler," from whence it had been translated into the French magazine. ^ Mr. Murphy then waited upon not acknowledge that this poetical epistle was an imitation of Boileau's Epitre d Moliere. I subjoin a few couplets from both Boileau and Murphy, which will show how little the epistle of the latter is entitled to the character of originality — in fact, such an unacknowledged use of an author is almost plagiarism. Bare etfanieitx esprit, dont la fertile veine Ignore, en icrivant, le travail et la peine. Transcendent genius ! whose prolific vein Ne'er knew the frigid poet's toil and pain. Suuventj'ai bean river riu matin.jusqu' au soir; Quandje vein dire blanc, la quinteuse dit noir. In feverish toil I pass the weary night. And when I would say black, rhyme answers white. On puisque, enfin, tes soins y seroienl superflin, Moliere, enseigne 7noi I'art de ne rimer plus. And since I ne'er can learn thy classic lore. Instruct me, Johnson, how to write no more ! Croker. 3 When Mr. Murphy first became acquainted with Dr. Johnson .he was about thirty-one years old. lie died at Knightsbridge, June 18. 1805, in his eighty-second vear. The extraordinary paper mentioned in the text (The History of Abouzaid. the Son of Morad) is No. 38. of tlie second series [of the Gray's Inn Journal], published on June \h. 17.54; which is a re-translation from the French version of the Ram- bler, No. 11)0. — Malone. ^T.51. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON, 121 Johnson, to explain this curious incident. His talents, literature, and gentleman-like man- ners were soon perceived by Johnson, and a friendship was formed which was never broken. JOHNSON TO LANGTON, At Langton, "October 18. 1760. " Dear Sir, — You that travel about the world, have more materials for letters, than I who stay at home ; and should, therefore, write witli frequency equal to your opportunities. I sliould be glad to have all England surveyed by you, if you would impart your observations in narratives as agreeable as your last. Knowledge is always to be wished to those who can communicate it well. While you have been riding and running, and seeing the tombs of the learned, and the camps of the valiant, I have only staid at home, and intended to do great things, which I have not done. Beau ' went away tu Cheshire, and has not yet found his way back. Chambers passed the vacation at Oxford. " I am very sincerely solicitous for the preserva- tion or curing of Mr. Langton's sight, and am glad that the chirurgeoii at Coventry gives him so much hope. Mr. Sharp is of opinion that the tedious maturation of the cataract is a vulgar error *, and that it may be removed as soon as it is formed. This notion deserves to be considered ; I doubt whether it be universally true ; but if it be true in some cases, and those cases can be distinguished, it may save a long and uncomfortable delay. " Of dear Mrs. Langton you give me no ac- count ; which is the less friendly, as you know how highly I think of her, and how much I interest my- self in her health. I suppose you told her of my opinion, and likewise suppose it was not followed ; however I still believe it to be right. " Let me hear from you again, wherever you are, or whatever you are doing ; whether you wander or sit still, plant trees or make Rustics^, play with your sisters or muse alone ; and in return I will tell you the success of Sheridan'', who at tins instant is playing Cato, and has already played Richard twice. He had more company the second than the first night, and will make I believe a good figure in the whole, though his faults seem to be very many ; some of natural deficienee, and some of laborious affectation. He has, I think, no power 1 Mr. Beauclerk Boswell. 2 Mr. Sharp seems to have once been of a different opinion on this point. See ante. p. 74. n. 2. — Croker. 3 Essays with that title, written about this time by Mr. Langton, but not published. — Boswell. ■» Thomas Sheridan, son of the Iriend of Swift, and father of Richard Brinsley Sheridan, was born at Quilca, in Ireland, in 1721, and died in 1788. This was his first appearance at Drury Lane for sixteen years Croker. 5 Mrs. Sheridan [Frances Chamberlaine] was author of " Memoirs of Miss Sydney Biddulph," a novel of great merit, and of some other pieces.— Boswell. Her last work is, perhaps, her best — Nourjahad, an eastern tale: in which a pure morality is inculcated, with a great deal of fancy and considerable force. No wonder that Dr. Johnson should have liked her ! Dr. Parr, in a letter to Mr. Moure, pub- lished in his Life of K. B. Sheridan (vol. i. p. 11.), thus mentions her: — "I once or twice met his mother, — she was quite celestial! both her virtues and her genius were highly esteemed." This amiable and accomplished woman died at Blois, in September, 17l"ifi ; though the Biograplucal Dictionary, and other authorities, place her death in 17G7. Sec post, sub May 1763. — Croker. of assuming either that dignity or elegance which some men, who have little of either in common life, can exhibit on the stage. His voice when strained is unpleasing, and when low is not always heard. He seems to think too much on the audience, and turns his face too often to the galleries. «' However, I wish him well ; and among other reasons, because I like his wife.* Make haste to write to, dear Sir, your most affectionate servant, " Sam. Johnson."* In 1761 Johnson appears to have done little. He was still, no doubt, proceeding in his edition of Shakspeare ; but what advances he made in it cannot be ascertained. He cer- tainly was at this time not active ; for in his scrupulous examination of himself on Easter eve, he laments, in his too rigorous mode of censuring his own conduct, that his lit'e, since the communion of the preceding Easter, had been " dissipated and useless." (Pr. and Med.) p. 44.) He, however, contributed this year the Preface* to "Holt's Dictionary of Trade and Commerce," in which he displays such a clear and comprehensive knowledge of the subject, as might lead the reader to think that its author had devoted all his life to it. I asked him whether he knew much of Rolt, and of his work. " Sir, (said he) I never saw the man, and never read the book. The booksellers wanted a Preface to a Dictionary of Trade and Commerce. I knew very well what such a Dictionary should be, and 1 wrote a Preface accordingly." Rolt, who wrote a great deal for the booksellers, was, as Johnson told me, a singular character. Though not in the least acquainted with him, he used to say, " I am just come from Sam. Johnson." This was a sutncient specimen of his vanity and impu- dence. But he gave a more eminent proof of it in our sister kingdom, as Dr. Johnson in- formed me. When Akenside's " Pleasures of the Imagination" first came out, he did not put his name to the poem. Rolt went over to Dublin, published an edition of it, and put his own name to it. Upon the fame of this he lived for several months, being entertained at the best tables as " the imrenious Mr. Rolt." '' 6 Extract from a letter of Birch to Lord Royston, dated London, October 25. 1760: — "Sam. Johnson is in treaty with certain booksellers to supply three papers a week, in the nature of Essays, like the Rambler, at tlie unusual rate (if the fact be true), it is said, of three guineas a paper. But I question whether the temptation of even so liberal a reward will awaken him from his natural indolence; for while his Rambler was publishing, which came out but twice a week, the proprietor of it. Cave, told me that copy was seldom sent to the press till late in the night before the day of putjlica- tion." — Mauklvnd. " I have had inquiry made in Ireland as to this story, but do not fmd it recollected there. I give it on the authority of Dr. Johnson, to which may be added, that of the " Biogra- phical Dictionary," and " Biographia Dramatica ; " in both of which it has stood many years. Mr. Malone observes, that the truth probably is. not that an edition was published with Roll's name in the title-page, but that, the poem being then anonymous, Rolt acquiesced in its being attributed to him in conversation. — Boswell. In the late edition of Chalmers's Biographical Dictionarv, the foregoing story is indeed noticed, but with an observation that it has been yfutcd. Richard Rolt died in March, 1770 Croker. 122 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1761. His conversation, indeed, did not discover much of the fire of a poet; but it was recollected, that both Addison and Thomson were equally dull till excited by wine. Akenside, having been informed of this imposition, vindicated his right by publishing the poem with its real author's name. Several instances of such lite- rary fraud have been detected. The Rev. Dr. Campbell, of St. Andrew's, wrote "An Enquiry into the original of Moral Virtue," the manu- script of which he sent to Mr. Innes, a clergy- man in England, who was his countryman and acquaintance. Innes published it with his own name to it ; and before the imposition was discovered, obtained considerable promotion, as a reward of his merit. ' The celebrated Dr. Hugh Blair, and his cousin Mr. George Bannatine, when students in divinity, wrote a poem, entitled " The Resurrection," copies of which were handed about in manuscript. They were, at length, very much surprised to see a pompous edition of it in folio, dedicated to the Princess Dowager of Wales, by a Dr. Douglas, as his own. Some years ago a little novel, entitled " The Man of Feeling," was assumed by Mr. Eccles, a young Irish clergy- man, who was afterwards drowned near Bath.^ He had been at the pains to transcribe the whole book, with blottings, interlineations, and corrections, that it might be shown to several people as an original. It was, in truth, the production of Mr. Henry Mackenzie, an attor- ney in the exchequer at Edinburgh, who is the author of several other ingenious pieces ^ ; but the belief with regard to Mr. Eccles be- came so general, that it was thought necessary for Messieurs Strahan and Cadell to publish an advertisement in the newspapers, contra- dicting the report, and mentioning that they purchased the copyright of Mr. Mackenzie. I can conceive this kind of fraud to be very easily practised with successful etFrontery. The filiation of a literary performance is difficult of proof; seldom is there any witness present at its birth. A man, either in confidence or by improper means, obtains possession of a copy of it in manuscript, and boldly publishes it as his own. The true author, in many cases, may not be able to make his title clear. Johnson, indeed, from the peculiar features of his lite- rary offspring, miglit bid defiance to any at- tempt to appropriate them to others : " But Shakspeare's magic could not copied be ; Within that circle none durst walk but he !" ' I have both the books. Innes was the clergyman who brought Psahnanazar to England, and was an accomplice in his extraordinary fiction. — Boswell. 2 " Died, the Rev. Mr. Eccles, at Bath. In attempting to save a boy, whom he saw sinking in the Avon, he, together with the youth, were both drowned." — Gent. Mag. Aug. 15. 1777. And in the magazine for the next month are some verses on this event, with an epitaph, of which the first line is, " Beneath this stone the " Man of Feeling" lies. — Crokeu. [JOHNSON TO MISS PORTER. " Inner Temple Lane, Jan. 13. 1761. " Dearest Madam, — T ought to have begun the new year with repairing the omissions of the last, and to have told you sooner, what I can always tell you with truth, that I wish you long life and happiness, always increasing till it shall end at last in the happiness of heaven. " I hope, my dear, you are well ; I am at pre- sent pretty much disordered by a cold and cough ; I have just been blooded, and hope I shall be better. " Pray give my love to Kitty. I should be glad to hear that she goes on well. I am, my dearest dear, your most affectionate servant, — Pearson MSS. " Sam. Johnson."] He this year lent his friendly assistance to correct and improve a pamphlet written by Mr. Gwyn, the architect, entitled " Thoughts on the Coronation of George III." * Johnson had now for some years admitted Mr. Baretti to his intimacy ; nor did their friendship cease upon their being separated by Baretti's revisiting his native country, as ap- pears from Johnson's letters to him. JOHNSON TO JOSEPH BARETTI, At Milan.* "London, June 10. 1761. " You reproach me very often with parsimony of v/riting ; but you may discover, by the extent of my paper, that I design to recompense rarity by length. A short letter to a distant friend is, in my opinion, an insult like that of a slight bow or cur- sory salutation ; — a proof of unwillingness to do much, even where there is a necessity ot doing something. Yet it must be remembered, that he who continues the same course of life in the same place, will have little to tell. One week and one year are very like one another. The silent changes made by him are not always perceived ; and if they are not perceived, cannot be recounted. I have risen and lain down, talked and mused, while you have roved over a considerable part of Europe; yet I have not envied my Baretti any of his pleasures, though, perhaps, I have envied others his company : and I am glad to have other nations made ac- quainted with the character of the English, by a traveller who has so nicely inspected our manners, and so successfully studied our literature. I re- ceived your kind letter from Falmouth, in wluch you gave me notice of your departure for Lisbon ; and another from Lisbon, in which you told me that you were to leave Portugal in a few days. To either of these how could any answer be re- turned ? I have had a third from Turin, com- plaining that I have not answered the former. 3 Henry Mackenzie, Esq. died at Edinburgh, Jan. 14. 1831, in his eighty-sixth year. He was an intimate friend of Sir Walter Scott's, who has written his life, and at whose house I had the pleasure of meeting that amiable old man.— Crokeu, 1846. 1 The originals of Dr. Johnson's three letters to Mr. Ba- retti, whicli are among the very liest he ever wrote, were communicated to the proprietors of that instructive and ele- gant monthly miscellany, "The European Magazine," in which they first appeared. —Boswell. ^T. 52. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 123 Your English style still continues in its purity and vigour. With vigour your genius will supply it ; but its purity must be continued by close attention. To use two languages familiarly, and without con- taminating one by the other, is very difficult : and to use more than two, is Iiardiy to be hoped. The praises which some have received for their multiplicity of languages, may be sufficient to ex- cite industry, but can hardly generate confidence. " I know not whether I can heartily rejoice at the kind reception which you have found, or at the popularity to which you are exalted. I am willing that your merit should be distinguished ; but cannot wish that j'our affections may be gained. I would have you happy wherever you are : yet I would have you wish to return to England. If ever you visit us again, you will find the kindness of your friends undiminished. To tell you how many inquiries are made after you, would be tedious, or if not tedious, would be vain ; because you may be told in a very few words, that all who knew you wish you well ; and that all that you embraced at your departure, will caress you at your return : therefore do not let Italian academicians nor Italian ladies drive us from your thoughts. You may find among us what you will leave be- hind, soft smiles and easy sonnets. Yet I shall not wonder if all our invitations should be rejected : for there is a pleasure in being considerable at home, which is not easily resisted. " By conducting Mr. Southwell ' to Venice, you fulfilled, I know, the original contract: yet I would wish you not wholly to lose him from your notice, but to recommend him to such acquaintance as may best secure him from suffering by his own follies, and to take such general care both of his safety and his interest as may come within your power. His relations will thank you for any such gratuitous attention at least, they will not blame you for any evil that may happen, whether they thank you or not for any good. " You know that we have a new king and a new parliament. Of the new parliament Fitzherbert is a member. We were so weary of our old king, that we are much pleased with his successor ; of whom we are so much inclined to hope great things, that most of us begin already to believe them. The young man is hitherto blameless ; but it would be unreasonable to expect much from the immaturity of juvenile years, and the ignorance of princely education. He has been long in the hands of the Scots, and has already favoured them more than the ' Probably the Hon. Thomas Arthur Southwell, afterwards second Viscount Southwell, who was boin in 1742, and suc- ceeded his father in 1780. — Croker, - This classification of the art of painting and the exhibition of its productions among the futile trifles by which mankind endeavour to get rid of time, will excite some surprise, but Hawkins tells us that " of the beauties of painting, notwith. standing the many culogiums on that art which, after the commencement of his friendship with Sir Joshua Reynolds, he inserted in his writings, Johnson had not the least con- ception ; and the notice of this defect led me to mention the following fact. One evening, at the club, I came in with a small roll of prints, which, in the afternoon, I had picked up: I think they were landscapes of Perelle, and laying it down with my hat, Johnson's curiosity prompted him to take it up and unroll it: he viewed the prints severally with great at- tention, and asked me what sort of pleasure such things could afford me : I replied that, as representations of nature, con- taining an assemblage of such particulars as render rural scenes delightful, they presented to my mind the objects themselves, and that iny imagination realised the prospect i English will contentedly endure. But, perhaps, he scarcely knows whom he has distinguished, or whom lie has disgusted. " The artists have instituted a yearly Exhibition [ of pictures and statues, in imitation, as I am told, \ of foreign academies. This year was the second Exhibition. They please themselves much with the multitude of spectators, and imagine that the English school will rise in reputation. Reynolds is without a rival, and continues to add thousands to thousands, which he deserves, among other ex- cellencies, by retaining his kindness for Baretti. This Exhibition has filled the heads of the artists and lovers of art. Surely life, if it be not long, is tedious, since we are forced to call in the assistance of so many trifles to rid us of our time, — of that time which never can return. ^ " I know my Baretti will not be satisfied with a letter in which I give him no account of myself: yet what account shall I give him ? I have not, since the day of our separation, suffered or done any thing considerable. The only change in my way of life is, that I have frequented the theatre more than in former seasons. i3ut I have gone thither only to escape from myself We have had many new farces, and the comedy called ' The Jealous Wife,' ^ which, though not written with much genius, was yet so well adapted to the stage, and so well exhibited by the actors, that it was crowded for near twenty nights. I am digressing from myself to the playhouse ; but a barren plan must be filled with episodes. Of myself I have nothing to say, but that I have hitherto lived without the concurrence of my own judgment ; yet I continue to flatter myself, that, when you return, you will find me mended. I do not wonder that, where the monastic life is permitted, every order finds votaries, and every monastery inhabitants. Men will submit to any rule, by which they may be exempted from the tyranny of caprice and of chance. They are glad to supply by external authority their own want of constancy and resolution, and court the government of others, when long experience has convinced them of their own inability to govern themselves. If I were to visit Italy, my curiosity would be inore attracted by convents than by palaces ; though I am afraid that I should find ex- pectation in both places equally disappointed, and life in both places supported with impatience and quitted with reluctance. That it must be so soon quitted, is a powerful remedy against impatience ; but what shall free us from reluctance ? Those before me. He said, that was more than his would do, for that in his whole life he was never capable of discerning the least resemblance of any kind between the picture and the subject it was intended to represent. To the delights of music he was equally insensible : neither voice nor instru- ment, nor the harmony of concordant sounds, had power over his affections, or even to engage his attention. Of music in general, he has been heard to say, " it excites in my mind no ideas, and hinders me from contemplating my own ; " and of a fine singer, or instrumental performer, that "he had the 1 merit of a Canary-bird." Not that his hearing was so de- fective as to account for this insensibility, but he laboured under the misfortune which he has noted in the Life of Bar- retier, and is common to more persons than in this musical age are willing to confess it, of wanting that additional sense or f:iculty, which renders music grateful to the human ear." — CnoKEU. I 3 Colman's comedy of the Jealous Wife came out in Feb- ruary, 1701. The characters of Mr. Oaklv and Mrs. Oakly were perl'ormpd by Garrick and Mrs. Pritchard, and Mrs. ] Clive was tlie Ladv Freelove. — Wuight. 124 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1762. who have endeavoured to teach us to die well, have taught few to die willingly : yet I cannot but hope that a good life might end at last in a con- tented death. " You see to what a train of thought I am drawn by the mention of myself. Let me now turn my attention upon you. I hope you take care to keep an exact journal, and to register all occurrences and observations ; for your friends here expect such a book of travels as has not been often seen. You have given us good specimens in your letters from Lisbon. I wish you had staid longer in Spain, for no country is less known to the rest of Europe; but the quickness of your discernment must make amends for the celerity of your motions. He that knows which way to direct his view, sees much in a little time. " Write to me very often, and I will not neglect to write to you ; and I may, perhaps, in time, get something to write : at least, you will know by my letters, whatever else they may have or want, that I continue to be, your most affectionate friend, " Sam. Johnson." In 1762 lie wrote for the Rev. Dr. Kennedy, rector of Bradley in Derbyshire, in a strain of very courtly elegance, a Dedication to the King * of that gentleman's work, entitled " A complete System of Astronomical Chro- nology, unfolding the Scriptures." He had certainly looked at this work before it was printed ; for the concluding paragraph is un- doubtedly of his composition, of which let my readers judge : — " Thus have I endeavoured to free religion and history from the darkness of a disputed and uncer- tain chronology ; from difficulties which have hitherto appeared insuperable, and darkness which no luminary of learning has hitherto been able to dissipate. I have established the truth of the Mosaical account, by evidence which no transcrip- tion can corrupt, no negligence can lose, and no interest can pervert. I have shewn that the uni- verse bears witness to the inspiration of its historian, by the revolution of its orbs and the succession of its seasons ; that the stars in their courses fight against incredulity, that the works of God give hourly confirmation to the law, the prophets, and the gospel, of which one day telleth another, and one night certifieth another ; and that the validity of the sacred writings never can be denied, while the moon shall increase and wane, and the sun shall know his going down." He this year wrote also the Dedication f to the Earl of Middlesex of Mrs. Lenox's " Fe- male Quixote," and the Prefixce to the " Cata- logue of the Artists' Exhibition."f I George Leonard Staunton was born in Gal way, in Ire- land, 1737, and having adopted the profession of medicine, which he studied in France, he came to London in 1760, where he wrote for the periodical publications of the day, and formed an acquaintance svith Dr. Johnson. In 1702 he went to the West Indies, where he practised as a physician for a short time, and bv that and some civil otKces, accumulated a competent fortune, wliich lie invested in estates in the island of Granada. He returned to England in 1770 ; but, in 1772, again went to Granada, where he was appointed attorney- general, and made the valuable acquaintance of Lord Mac- artney, who became governor of that island in 1774. By the capture of Granada by the French, in 1779, Lord Macartney The following Tetter, wliich, on account of its intrinsic merit, it would have been unjust both to Johnson and the public to have with- held, was obtained for me by the solicitation of my friend Mr. Seward: — JOHNSON TO DR. STAUNTON.' "June I. 1762. " Dear Sir, — I make haste to answer your kind letter, in hope of hearing again from you before you leave us. I cannot but regret that a man of your qualifications should find it necessary to seek an establishment in Guadaloupe, which if a peace should restore to the French, I shall think it some alleviation of the loss, that it must restore likewise Dr. Staunton to the English. " It is a melancholy consideration, that so much of our time is necessarily to be spent upon the care of living, and that we can seldom obtain ease in one respect but by resigning it in another ; yet I suppose we are by this dispensation not less happy in the whole, than if the spontaneous bounty of Nature poured all that we want into our hands. A few, if they were left thus to themselves, would, perhaps, spend their time in laudable pursuits ; but the greater part would prey upon the quiet of each other, or, in the want of other objects, would prey upon themselves. " This, however, is our condition, which we must iinprove and solace as we can : and ihougli we cannot choose always our place of residence, we may in every place find rational amusements, and possess in every place the comforts of piety and a pure conscience. " In America there is little to be observed except natural curiosities. The new world must have many vegetables and animals with which philoso- phers are but little acquainted. I hope you will furnish yourself with some books of natural history, and some glasses and other instruments of ob- servation. Trust as little as you can to report ; examine all you can by your own senses. I do not doubt but you will be able to add much to knowledge, and, perhaps, to medicine. Wild nations trust to simples ; and, perhaps, the Peruvian bark is not the only specific which those extensive regions may afford us. " Wherever you are, and whatever be your for- tune, be certain, dear Sir, that you carry with you my kind wishes ; and that whether you return hither, or stay in the other hemisphere, to hear that you are happy will give pleasure to, Sir, your most affectionate humble servant, " Sam. Johnson." A lady having at this time solicited him to obtain the Archbishop of Canterbury's patron- lost his government, and Staunton his property. He returned to England with, it is supposed, little of the wreck of his fortune. He, however, liad acquired Lord Macartney's friendship, and he accompanied his lordship to Madras in 1781 ; and for his distinguished services during his official residence there had a pension of 500/. per annum settled on him, in 178+, by the East India Company, and was created a baronet. When Lord Macartney was selected for tlie cele- brated embassy to China, Sir George was named to accompany him as secretary and minister plenipotentiary. His splendid account of that embassy is well known. He died in London, January 14. 1801, and was buried in Westminster Abbey. — Croker. ,IEt. 53. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 125 age to have her son sent to the University, — one of those solicitations which are too frequent, where people, anxious for a particular object, do not consider propriety, or the opportunity which the persons whom they solicit have to assist them, — he wrote to her the following answer ; with a copy of which I am favoured by the Rev. Dr. Farmer ', JMaster of Emanuel Colleje, Cambridire. JOHNSON TO MRS. "Junes. 1762. " Madam, — I hope you will believe that my delay in answering your letter could proceed only from my unwillingness to destroy any hope that you had formed. Hope is itself a species oF happi- ness, and, perhaps, the chief happiness which this world affords : but, like all other pleasures im- moderately enjoyed, the excesses of hope must be expiated by pain ; and expectations improperly indulged, must end in disappointment. If it be asked, what is the improper expectation which it is dangerous to indulge, experience will quickly answer, that it is such expect:ition as is dictated, not by reason, but by desire ; expectation raised, not by the common occurrences of life, but by the wants of the expectant ; an expectation that re- quires the common course of things to be changed, and the general rules of action to be broken. " When you made your request to me, you should have considered, INIadam, what you were asking. You ask me to solicit a great man, to whom I never spoke, for a young person whom I had never seen, upon a supposition which I had no means of knowing to be true. There is no reason why, amongst all the great, I should choose to supplicate the Archbishop, nor why, among all the possible objects of bis bounty, the Archbishop should choose your son. I know. Madam, how unwillingly conviction is admitted, when interest opposes it ; but surely. Madam, you must allow, that there is no reason why that should be done by me, which every other man may do with equal reason, and which, indeed, no man can do properly, without some very particular relation both to the Archbishop and to you. If I could help you in this exigence by any proper means, it would give me pleasure ; but this proposal is so very remote from usual methods, that I cannot comply with it, but at the risk of such answer and suspicions as I be- lieve you do not wish me to undergo. " I have seen your son this morning ; he seems a pretty youth, and will, perhaps, find some better 1 Dr. Richard Farmer was born at Leicester, in 1735, and educated at Emanuel College, Cambridge, of which he became Master in 1775. In 17fi6 lie published his celebrated " Kssay on the Learning of Shakspeare : " a work by which, as Dr. Warton emphatically expresses it, an end is put for ever to the dispute concerning the Learning of Shakspeare." He died Sept. 6. 1797.— Croker. 2 Mrs. Porter, the actress, lived some time with Mrs. Cot- terel and her eldest daughter. The younger Miss Cotterel (Charlotte), had married the Rev. John Lewis, wlio became Dean of Ossory in 1755.— Crokeu. 3 " Levett married, when he was near sixty, a woman of the town, who had persuaded him (notwithstanding their place of congress was a small coal shed in Tetter Lane) that she was nearly related to a man of fortune, but was kept by him out of large possessions. Johnson n.^ed to say, that, compared with the marvels of this trans- friend than I can procure him ; but though he should at last miss the university, he may still be wise, useful, and happy. I am, Madam, your most bumble servant, Sam. Jounson." JOHNSON TO BARETTI, At Milati. "London, July 20. 1762. " Sir, — However justly you may accuse me for want of ])unctuality in correspondence, I am not so fdT lost in negligence as to omit the opportunity of writing to you, which Mr. Beauclerk's passage through Milan affords me. " I suppose you received the Idlers, and I in- tend that you shall soon receive Shakspeare, that you may explain his works to the ladies of Italy, and tell them the story of the editor, among the other strange narratives with which your long re- sidence in this unknown region has supplied you. " As you have now been long away, I su])pose your curiosity may pant for some news of your old friends. Miss Williams and I live much as we did. Miss Cotterel still continues to cling to Mrs. Porter, and Charlotte is now big of the fourth child.* Mr. Reynolds gets six thousands a year. Levett is lately married, not Avithout much sus))i- cion that he has been wretchedly cheated in liis luatch.* IMr. Chambers is gone this day, for the first time, the circuit with the Judges. Mr. Richardson * is dead of an apoplexy, and his second daughter ' has married a merchant. " My vanity, or my kindness, makes me flatter myself, that you would rather hear of me than of those whom I have mentioned ; but of myself I have very little which I care to tell. Last winter I went down to my native town, where I found the streets much narrower and shorter than I thought I had left them, inhabited by a new race of people, to whom I was very little known. •* My play- fellows were grown old, and forced me to suspect that I was no longer young. IMy only remaining friend ' has changed his principles, and was become the tool of the predominant faction. My daughter- in-law, from whom I expected most, and whom I met with sincere benevolence, has lost the beauty and gaiety of youth, without having gained much of the wisdom of age. I wandered about for five days, and took the first convenient opportunity of returning to a place, where, if there is not much happiness, there is, at least, such a diversity of good and evil, that slight vexations do not fix upon the heart. " I think in a few weeks to try another excur- sion ; though to what end ? Let me know, my action, the Arabian Nights seemed familiar occurrences. Never was hero more completely duped. He had not been married four months before a writ was taken out against him, for debts contracted by his wife. He was secreted, and his friend then procured him a protection from a Ibreign minister. In a short time afterwards she ran away from him, and was tried for picking pockets at the Old Bailey. She pleaded her own cause, and was acquitted ; a separation took place : and Johnson then took Levett home, where he continued till his death." — Steevcns. — Croker. 1 Samuel Richardson, the author of Clarissa, &c., died July 4. 1761, aged 72. _ Malone. 5 Martha, his chief amanuensis, married Edward Bridgen, April, 1762. — Croker. •i All this supports the opinion (ante, p. 113. n. 6), that he had not visited Lichfield between 1737 and 1761. — Choker. " Supposed by Dr. Harwoodto be Mr. Howard. — Croker. 126 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1762. Baretti, what has been the result of your return to your own country : whether time has made any alteration for the better, and whether, when the first raptures of salutation were over, you did not find your thoughts confessed their disappointment. " Moral sentences appear ostentatious and tumid, when they have no greater occasions than the journey of- a wit to his own town : yet such plea- sures and such pains make up the general mass of life ; and as nothing is little to him that feels it with great sensibility, a mind able to see common incidents in their real state is disposed by very common incidents to very serious contemplations. Let us trust that a time will come, when the pre- sent moment shall be no longer irksome ; when we shall not borrow all our happiness from hope, which at last is to end in disappointment. " I beg that you will shew Mr. Beauclerk all the civilities which you have in your power ; for he has always been kind to me. " I have lately seen Mr. Stratico, Professor of Padua, who has told me of your quarrel with an Abbot of the Celestine order ; but had not the par- ticulars very ready in his memory. When you write to Mr. Marsili, let him know that I re- member him with kindness. " May you, my Baretti, be very happy at Milan, or some other place nearer to. Sir, your most affectionate humble servant, Sam. Johnson." The accession of George the Third to the throne of these kingdoms opened a new and brighter prospect to men of literary merit, who had been honoured with no mark of royal favour in the preceding reign. His present Majesty's education in this country, as well as his taste and beneficence, prompted him to be the patron of science and the arts ; and early this year, Johnson having been represented to him as a very learned and good man, without any certain provision, his Majesty was pleased to grant him a pension of three hmidi-ed pounds a year. The Earl of Bute, who was then Prime Minister, had the honour to announce this instance of his Sovereign's bounty, con- cerning which, many and various stories, all equally erroneous, have been propagated ; ma- liciously representing it as a political bribe to Johnson, to desert his avowed principles, and become the tool of a government which he held to be founded in usurpation. I have taken care to have it in my power to refute them from the most authentic information. Lord Bute told me, that Mr. Wedderburne, now 1 There is no doubt that these pamphlets contained John- son's genuine opinions, but Mr. Boswell's statement seems hardly consistent with some admitted facts. One, at least, of these jjamphlets, The Patriot, was "called for" by his poli- tical friends (see J^os^ letter to Mr. Boswell, Nov. 26. 1774) ; and two of the others were (see post, letter to Langton, March 20. 1771, and Ma/ch 21. 1775) submitted to the revision and correction of ministers Croker. 2 This was said by Lord Bute, as Dr. Burney was in. formed by Johnson himself, in answer to a question which he put, previously to his acceptance of the intended bounty : " Pray, my lord, what am I expected to do for this pension ?" — Malone. 3 Such favours are never conferred under express condi- tions of future servility,— the phrases used on this occasion have been employed in all similar cases, but they are here insisted on by Mr. Boswell, in order to reconcile Johnson's Lord Loughborough, was the person who first I mentioned this subject to him. Lord Lough- j borough told me, that the pension was granted to Johnson solely as the reward of his literary I merit, without any stipulation whatever, or ; even tacit understanding that he should write I for administration. His Lordship added, that he was confident the political tracts which I Johnson afterwards did write, as they were entirely consonant with his own opinions, would have been written by him, though no pension had been granted to him.' I Mr. Thomas Sheridan and Mr. Murphy, who then lived a good deal both with him and Mr. AVedderburne, told me, that they jireviously talked with Johnson upon this matter, and that it was perfectly understood by all parties that the pension was merely honorary. Sir ' Joshua Beynolds told me, that Johnson called i on him after his Majesty's intention had been ! notified to him, and said he wished to consult his friends as to the propriety of his accepting this mark of the royal favour, after the defini- tions which he had given in his Dictionary of pension and j^ensioners. He said he should not have Sir Joshua's answer till next day, Avhen he would call again, and desired he might think of it. Sir Joshua answered that he was clear to give his opinion then, that there could be no objection to his receiving fi-om the King a re- ward for literary merit ; and that certainly the i definitions in his Dictionary were not applicable to him. Johnson, it should seem, was satisfied, for he did not call again till he had accepted the pension, and had waited on Lord Bute to thank him. He then told Su* Joshua that Lord Bute said to him expressly, "It is not given you for any thing you are to do, but for what you have done." ^ His Lordship, he said, behaved in the handsomest manner. He re- peated the words twice, that he might be sure Johnson heard them, and thus set his mind perfectly at ease. This nobleman, who has been so virulently abused, acted with great honour in this instance, and displayed a mind truly liberal. A minister of a more narrow and selfish disposition would have availed himself of such an opportunity to fix an implied obli- gation on a man of Johnson's powerful talents to give him his support.^ Sir. Murphy ''^ and the late Mr. Sheridan severally contended for the distinction of hav- conduct on this occasion, with his definitions of pension and pensioner — Croker. •» This is not correct. Mr. Murphy did not " contest this distinction" with Mr. Sheridan. Reclaimed, we see, not the first suggestion to Lord Loughborough, but the first notice from his lordship to Johnson. His words are: — "Lord Loughborough, who, perhaps, w business, had authority to mention quainted with Johnson ; but, having heard much of his in- dependent spirit, and of the downfall of Osborne, the book- seller, he did not know but his benevolence might be rewarded with a folio on his head. He desired the author of these Memoirs to undertake the task. This writer thought the opportunity of doing so much good the most happy incident in his life. He went, without delay, to the chambers in the Inner Temple Lane, which, in fact, were the abode of wretchedness. By slow and studied approaches the message ^T. 53. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 127 ing been tbe first who mentioned to Mr. "VVed- derburne that Johnson ought to have a pension. When I spoke of this to Lord Loughboi-oiiiih, wishing to know if he recollected the ]iriiae mover in the business, he said. "All his I'riends assisted : " and when I told him that Mr. She- ridan strenuously asserted his claim to it, his Lordship said, " He rang the bell." And it is but just to add, that Mr. Sheridan told me, that when he communicated to Dr. Johnson that a pension was to be granted him, he re- plied in a fervour of gratitude, " The English language does not afford me terms adequate to my feelings on this occasion. I must have recourse to the French. I am pentlre with his Majesty's goodness." When I repeated this to Dr. Johnson, he did not contradict it. His definitions of pension and pensioner, partly founded on the satirical verses of Pope, which he quotes, may be generally true ; and yet every body must allow, that there may be, and have been, instances of pensions given and received upon liberal and honourable terms. Thus, then, it is clear, that there was nothing inconsistent or humiliating in Johnson's ac- cepting of a pension so unconditionally and so honourably offered to him. But I shall not detain my readers longer by any words of my own, on a subject on which I am happily enabled, by the favovir of the Earl of Bute, to present them with what Johnson himself wrote ; his Lordship having been pleased to communicate to me a copy of the following letter to his late father, which does great honour both to the writer, and to the noble person to whom it is addi-essed : — JOHNSON TO THE EARL OF BUTE. "July 20. 17G2. " My Lord, — When the bills * were yesterday delivered to me by Mr. Wedderburne, I was in- formed, by him of the future favours which his Majesty lias, by your Lordship's recommendation, been induced to intend for me. " Bounty always receives part of its value from was disclosed. Johnson made a long pause: he asked if it was seriously intended ? He fell into a profound meditation, and his own definition of a pensioner occurred to him. He was told, 'that he, at least, did not come within the defi- nition.' He desired to meet next day, and dine at the Mitre Tavern. At that meeting he gave up all his scruples. On the following day Lord Loughborough conducted him to the Earl of Bute." Murphy, p. 92. — Croker. 1 It does not appear what bills these were ; evidently something distinct from the pension, yet probably of the same nature, as the words "future favours " seem to imply that there had been some present favour Croker. » " The addition of three hundred pounds a year, to what Johnson was able to earn by the ordinary exercise of his talents, raised him to a state of comparative affluence, and afforded him the means of assisting many whose real or pre- tended wants had formerly excited his compassion. He now practised a rule which he often recommended to his friends, always to go abroad with some loose money to give to beggars, imitating therein, though certainly without intending it, that good but weak man, old Mr. Whislon, whom I have seen distributing, in the streets, money to beggars on each hand of him, till his pocket was nearly exhausted." — Hawkins. " He loved the poor as I never yet saw any one else do, with an earnest desire to make them happy. What signifies, says some one, giving halfpence to common beggars ? they only lay it out in gin or tobacco. 'And why (says Johnson) should they be denied such sweeteners of their existence ? it is surely very savage to refuse them every possible avenue to the manner in which it is bestowed : your Lord- ship's kindness includes every circumstance that can gratify delicacy, or enforce oljligation. You have conferred your favours on a man who has neither alliance nor interest, who has not merited them by services, nor courted them by otliciousness ; you have spared him the shame of solicitation, and the anxiety of suspense. " What has been thus elegantly given, will, I hope, not be reproachfully enjoyed ; I shall endea- vour to give your Loi-dship the only rccompence which generosity desires, — the gratification of finding that your benefits are not improperly be- stowed. I am, my Lord, your Lordship's most obliged, most obedient, and most humble servant, " Sam. Johnson."* This year his friend. Sir Joshua Reynolds, paid a visit of some weeks to his native county, Devonshire, in which he was accompanied by Johnson, who Avas much pleased with this jaunt, and declared he had derived from it a great accession of new ideas. He was enter- tained at the seats of several noblemen and gentlemen in the west of England ^ ; but the greatest part of this time was passed at Ply- mouth, where the magnificence of the navy, the ship-building and all its circumstances, afforded him a grand subject of contemplation. The Commissioner of the Dock-yard [Captain Francis Rogers] paid him the compliment of ordering the yacht to convey him and his friend to the Eddystone, to which they accord- ingly sailed. But the weather was so tempestu- ous that they could not land. Reynolds and he were at this time the guests of Dr. Mudge, the celebrated surgeon, and now physician, of that place, not more distin- guished for quickness of parts and variety of knowledge, than loved and esteemed for his amiable manners '* ; and here Johnson formed an acquaintance with Dr. Mudge's father, that very eminent divine, the Rev. Zachariah Mudge, Prebendary of Exeter, who Avas idolised in the west, both for his excellence as a preacher and the uniform perfect propriety of his private pleasure, reckoned too coarse for our own acceptance. Life is a pill which none of us can bear to swallow without gilding ; yet for the poor we delight in stripping it still barer, and are not ashamed to show even visible displeasure, if ever the bitter taste is taken from their mouths." In pursuance of these principles he nursed whole nests of people in his house, where the lame, the blind, the sick, and the sorrowful found a sure retreat from all the evils whence his little income could secure them." — Piozzi. "When visiting Lichfield, towards the latter part of his life, he was accustomed, on his arrival, to deposit with Miss Porter as much cash as would pav his expenses back to London. He could not trust him- self with his own money, as he felt himself unable to resist the importunity of the numerous claimants on his bene- volence." — //a)-!/ood. — Croker. 3 At one of these seats Dr. Amyat, physician in London, told me he happened to meet him. In order to arause him till dinner should be ready, he was taken out to walk in the garden. The master of the house, thinking it proper to introduce something scientific into the conversation, addressed him thus: "Are you a botanist. Dr. Johnson ? " " No, Sir, (answered Johnson) I am not a botanist -, and, (alluding, no doubt, to his near-sightedness,) should I wish to become a botanist, I must first turn myself into a reptile." — BoSWELL. •1 Dr. John Mudire died in 1791. He was the father of Colonel William Mudge, distinguished by his trigonome- trical survey of England and Wales, carried on by order of the Ordnance — Wright. 128 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1762. conduct. He preached a sermon purposely that Johnson might hear him ; and we shajl see afterwards that Johnson honoured his memory by drawing his character.' While Johnson was at Plymouth, he saw a great many of its inhabitants, and was not sparing of his very entertaining conversation. It was here that he made that frank and truly original confession, that " ignorance, pure ignorance," was the cause of a wrong definition in his Dictionary of the word pastern, to the no small surprise of the lady who put the question to him ; who, having the most profound reverence for his character, so as almost to suppose him endowed with infallibility, expected to hear an explanation (of what, to be sure, seemed strange to a common reader,) drawn from some deep-learned source with which she was unac- quainted. Sir Joshua Reynolds, to whom I was obliged for my information concerning tliis excursion, mentions a very characteristical anecdote of Johnson while at Plymouth. Having observed, that in consequence of the Dock-yard a new town had arisen about two miles olF as a rival to the old ; and knowing from his sagacity, and just observation of human nature, that it is certain, if a man hates at all, he will hate his next neighbour; he concluded that this new and rising town could not but excite the envy and jealousy of the old, in which conjecture he was very soon confirmed ; he therefore set him- self resolutely on the side of the old town, the established town, in Avhich his lot was cast, con- sidering it as a kind of duty to stand by it. He accordingly entered warmly into its interests, and upon every occasion talked of the Dockers, as the inhabitants of the new town were called, as upstarts and aliens. Plymouth is very plen- tifully supplied with water by a river brought into it from a great distance, which is so abun- dant that it runs to waste in the town. The Dock, or New-town, being totally destitute of water, petitioned Plymouth that a small por- tion of the conduit might be permitted to go to them, and this was now iinder consideration. Johnson, affecting to entertain the passions of the place, was violent in opposition ; and half laughing at himself for his pretended zeal, where he had no concern, exclaimed, "No, no ! I am against the Dockers ; I am a Ply- mouth-man. Rogues ! let them die of thirst. They shall not have a drop ! " " Lord Macartney obligingly fiivoured me with a copy of the following letter, in his own hand- writing, from the original, which was found, by the present Earl of Bute, among his father's papers. 1 See pos<, Miirch, 1781. "I have lirard Sir Joshua de- clare, that Mr. Z. Mudge was, in his opinion, the wisest man he ever met with, and that he had intended to liave republished his Sermons, and written a sketch of his life and character." — Nort/icote. Thomas Mudge, the celebrated watch-malicr in Fleet Street, who made consideral)le improvements in time-keepers, and wrote several pamphlets on that subject, was another son of Mr. Zachariah Mudge. He died in !794. — Croker. One of Reynolds's best portraits is a head of JOHNSON TO THE EARL OF BUTE. " Temple Lane, Nov. 3. 1762. " My Lord, — That generosity, by which I was recommended to the favour of his Majesty, will not be offended at a solicitation necessary to make that favour permanent and effectual. " The pension appointed to be paid me at Michaelmas I have not received, and know not where or from wliom I am to ask it. I beg, there- fore, that your Lordship will be pleased to supply Mr. Wedderburne with such directions as may be necessary, which, I believe, his friendship will make him think it no trouble to convey to me. " To interrupt your Lordship, at a time like this, with such petty difficulties, is improper and un- seasonable ; but your knowledge of the world has long since taught you, that every man's affairs, however little, are important to himself. Every man hopes that be shall escape neglect ; and with reason may every man, whose vices do not preclude his claim, expect favour from that beneficence which has been extended to, my Lord, your Lord- ship's most obliged and most humble servant, " Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO BARETTL At Milan. "London, Dec. 21. 17C2. " Sir, — You are not to suppose, with all your conviction of my idleness, that I have passed all this time without writing to my Barctti. I gave a letter to Mr. Beauclerk, who in my opinion, and in his own, was hastening to Naples for the recovery of his health ; but he has stopped at Paris, and I know not when be will proceed. Langton is with him. " I will not trouble you with speculations about peace and war. The good or ill success of battles and embassies extends itself to a very small part of domestic life : we all have good and evil, which we feel more sensibly than our petty part of public miscarriage or prosperity. I am sorry for your disappointment, with which you seem more touched than I should expect a man of your resolution and experience to have been, did I not know that general truths are seldom applied to particular occasions ; and that the fallacy of our self-love extends itself as wide as our interest or affections. Every man be- lieves that mistresses are unfaithful, and patrons capricious ; but he excepts his own mistress, and his own patron. We have all learned that greatness is negligent and contemptuous, and that in courts life is often languished away in ungratified expectation; but he that approaches greatness, or glitters in a court, imagines that destiny has at last exempted him from the common lot. " Do not kt such evils overwhelm you as thou- sands have suffered, and thousands have sur- mounted ; but turn your thoughts with vigour to some other plan of life, and keep always in your mind, that, with due submission to Providence, a man of genius has been seldom ruined but by him- Zachariah Mudge, and one of Chantrej's best busts a trans- lation of it into marble ; part of a monument to Mudge's memory, erected in the church of St. Andrew's, Plymouth. — P. CUNNINGH.4M. 2 A friend of mine once heard him, during this visit, ex- chiim with the utmost vehemence, " I hate a Docker." — Blakeway. Dock is now absurdly enough called Devonport. — Croker. ^T. 54. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 129 self. Your patron's weakness or insensibility will finally do you little hurt, it' he is not assisted by your own passions. Of your love I know not tlie propriety, nor can estimate the power ; but in love, as in every other passion of which hope is the essence, we ouglit always to remember the uncer- tainty of events. ITiere is, indeed, nothing that so much seduces reason from vigilance, as the thouglu of passing life with an amiable woman ; and if all would happen that a lover fancies, I know not wliat other terrestrial happiness would deserve pur- suit. But love and marriage are different states. Those who are to suffer the evils together, and to suffer often for the sake of one another, soon lose that tenderness of look, and that benevolence of mind, which arose from the particijjation of un- mingled pleasure and successive amusement. A woman, we are sure, will not be always fair ; we are not sure she will always be virtuous : and man cannot retain tiirough life that respect and assiduity by which he pleases for a day or for a month. I do not, however, pretend to have discovered that life has any thing more to be desired than a pru- dent and virtuous marriage ; therefore know not what counsel to give you. " If you can quit your imagination of love and greatness, and leave your hopes of preferment and bridal raptures to try once more the fortune of literatuie and industry, the way through France is now open. We flatter ourselves that we shall cultivate, with great diligence, tlie arts of peace ; and every man will be welcome among us who can teach us any thing we do not know. For your part, you will find all your old friends willing to receive you. " Reynolds still continues to increase in reputa- tion and in riches. Miss Williams, who very much loves yoit, goes on in the old way. Miss Cotterel is 6till with IMrs. Porter. Miss Charlotte is mar- ried to Dean Lewis, and has three children. JMr. Levett has married a street-walker. But the gazette of my narration must now arrive to tell you, that Bathurst went physician to the army, and died at the Havannah. " I know not whether I have not sent you word that Huggins' and Richardson are both dead. When we see our enemies and friends gliding away before us, let us not forget that we are subject to the general law of mortality, and shall soon be where our doom will be fixed for ever. I pray God to bless you, and am. Sir, your most affec- tionate humble servant, Sam. Johnson. " Write soon." 1 Huggins, the translator of Ariosto. His enmity to Baretti and Johnson will be explained by the following ex- tract from a MS. letter of Dr. Warton to his brother, dated Winslade, April 28. 1755 : — " He (Huggins) abuses Baretti infernally, and says that he one day lent Baretti a gold watch, and could never get it afterwards ; that after many excuses Baretti skulked, and then got Johnson to write to' Mr. Huggins a suppliant letter ; that this letter stopped Huggins awhile, while Baretti gTiJs r-is: . JEt. 54. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 133 mind by a series of as deep distress as can art'ect humanity, in the amiable and pious lieroine, who goes to her grave unrelieved, but resigned, and full of hope of " heaven's mercy." Johnson paid lier this high com- pliment upon it : "I know not, Madam, that you have a right, upon moral principles, to make your readers suffer so much." Mr. Thomas Davies the actor, who then kept a bookseller's shop in Russell-Street, Covent Garden ', told me that Johnson was very nmch his friend, and came frequently to his house, wiiere he more than once invited me to meet him ; but by some unlucky accident or other he was prevented from coming to us. JNIr. Thomas Davies was a man of good luiderstanding and talents, witli the advantage of a liberal education. Though somewhat pojupous, he was an entei-taining companion ; and his literary performances have no incon- siderable share of merit, lie was a friendly and very hospitable man. Both he and liis wife (who has been celebrated - for her beauty), though upon the stage for many years, maintained an uniform decency of cha- racter ; and Johnson esteemed them, and lived in as easy an intimacy with them as with any family which he used to visit. Mr. Davies recollected several of Johnson's remarkable sayings, and was one of the best of the many imitafors of his voice and manner, while relating them. He increased my impatience more and more to see the extraordinary man whose works I highly valued, and whose conversation was reported to be so peculiarly excellent. At last, on Monday, the 16th of IMay, when I was sitting in Mr. Davies's back parlour, after having drunk tea with him and Mrs. Davies, Johnson unexpectedly came into the shop ^ ; and Mr. Davies having perceived him through the glass-door in the room in which we were sitting, advancing toward us, he announced his awful approach to me, somewhat in the manner of an actor in the part of Ho- ratio, when he addresses Hamlet on the ap- pearance of his father's ghost, " Look, my lord, it comes ! " I found that I had a very perfect idea of Johnson's figure, from the ment. Had he not been nursed in nonconformitj-, tie probably would not have been tainted with those heresies (as I sin- cerely, and on no sliglit investigation, think them) both in religion and politics, which, while 1 read, I am sure, with candour, I cannot read without offence Boswf.ll. One wonders that with these feelings he thought it worth while to intrude, with so little excuse for it, Mr. Belsham's very common-place remarks. — Crokf.r. 1 No. 8. — The very place where I was fortunate enough to be introduced to the illustrious subject of this work, de- serves to be particularly marked. 1 never pass by it without feeling reverence and regret. — Roswell. 2 By Churchill, in the Rosciad. " With him came mighty Davies : on my life. That Davies has a very pretty wife. Statesman all over — in plots famous grown — He mouths a sentence as curs mouth a lione." (post, April portrait of him painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds soon after he had published his Dictionary, in the attitude of sitting in his easy chair in deep meditation; which was the first picture his friend did for him, which Sir Joshua very kindly presented to me, and from which an engraving has been made ibr this work. Mr, Davies mentioned my name, and respectfully introduced me to him. I was much agitated ; and recollecting his prejudice against the Scotch, of whicii I had heard mucli, I said to Davies, '• Don't tell where 1 come from." — " From Scotland," cried Davies, roguishly. " Mr. Johnson," said I, " I do indeed come from Scotland, but I cannot helj) it." I am willing to Hatter myself that I meant this as light pleasantry to soothe and conciliate him, and not as an humiliating abasement at the expense of my country. But however that might be, this speech was somewliat unlucky ; for with that quickness of wit for which lie was so remarkable, he seized the expression " come from Scotland," which I used in the sense of being of that country ; and, as if I had said that I had come away from it, or left it, retorted, " That, Sir, I find, is what a very great many of your countrymen cannot help." This stroke stunned me a good deal ; and when we had sat down, I felt myself not a little embarrassed, and apprehensive of what might come next. He then addressed himself to Davies : " What do you think of Garrick ? He has refused me an order for the play for Miss Williams, because he knows the liouse will be full, and that an order would be worth three shillings." Eager to take any opening to get into conversation with him, 1 ventured to say, •' O Sir, I cannot think Mr. Garrick would grudge such a trifle to you." " Sir," said he, with a stern look, "1 have known David Garrick longer than you have done : and I know no right you have to talk to me on the subject." Perhaps I deserved this check ; for it was rather presumptuous in me, an entire stranger, to express any doubt of the justice of his animadversion upon his old acquaintance and pupil."^ I now felt myself much mortified, and began to think that the hope which I had long indulged of obtaining 3 Mr. Murphy, in his " Essay on the Life and Genius of Dr. Jolinson," [lirst published after the first edition of this work,] has given an account of this meeting consider- ably different from mine, I am persuaded without any consciousness of error. His memory, at the end of near tliirly years, has undoubtedly deceived him, and he supposes himself to have been present at a scene which he has pro- bably heard inaccurately de.scribcd by others. In my note taken on the very day, in which I am confident I marked every thing material that passed, no mention is made of this gen- tleman •, and I am sure that I should not have omitted one so well known in the literary world. It may easily he imagined th.at this my first interview with Dr. Johnson, with all its circumstances, made a strong impression on my mind, anil would he registered with peculiar attention — Bosweli.. •> That this was a momentary sally against Garrick there can be no doubt ; for at Johnson's desire he had, some years before, given a benefit-night at his theatre to this very person, by which she had got two humlred pounds. Johnson, indeed, upon all other occasions, when I w.-is in his company, prai.sed the very liberal charity of Garrick. 1 once mentioned to K 3 134 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1763. his acquaintance was blasted. And, in truth, had not my ardour been uncommonly strong, and my resolution uncommonly persevering, so rough a reception might have deterred me for ever from making any further attempts. Fortunately, however, I remained upon the field not wholly discomfited; and was soon rewarded by hearing some of his conversation, of which I preserved the following short minute, without marking the questions and observations by which it was produced. " People," he remarked, " may be taken in once, who imagine that an author is greater in private life than other men. Uncommon parts require uncommon opportunities for their exertion." " In barbarous society, superiority of parts is of real consequence. Great strength or great wisdom is of much value to an indi- vidual. But in more polished times there are people to do every thing for money ; and then there are a number of other superiorities, such as those of birth, and fortune, and rank, that dissipate men's attention, and leave no extra- ordinary share of respect for personal and intellectual superiority. This is wisely ordered by Providence, to preserve some equality among mankind." " Sir, this book (' The Elements of Cri- ticism ; ' ' Avhich he had taken up) is a pretty essay, and deserves to be held in some estima- tion, though much of it is chimerical." Speaking of one '^ who with more than ordinary boldness attacked public measures and the royal fiimily, he said, " I think he is safe from the law, but he is an abusive scoundrel ; and instead of applying to my Lord Chief Justice to punish him, I would send half a dozen footmen and have him well ducked." " The notion of liberty amuses the people of England, and helps to keep off the tcedium vitce. AVhen a butcher tells you that his heart bleeds for his countrij, he has, in fact, no uneasy feeling." " Sheridan will not succeed at Bath with his oratory. Ridicule has gone down before him, and, I doubt. Derrick is liis enemy." ^ " Derrick may do very well, as long as he can outrun his character ; but the moment his character gets up with him, it is all over." him, " It is observed. Sir, that you attick Garrick ymirself, but will suffer nobody else to do it." Johnson (smiling) : "Why, Sir. that is true."— Boswell. These sallies are of too frequent recurrence to allow us to receive BoswcU's apologetical assertion that they were momcntarij ; and too many circumstances of l)is conduct towards both Garrick and Sheridan remind us of Davies's admission, in his Life of Garrick, that .Johnson was but too susceptible of the feeling of envy. " I never, " he says, "knew any man but one — Doctor Johnson — who had the honesty and courage to confess that he had a tincture of envi/ in him." ii. 380. It is creditable to the candour both of Davies and Johnson, tliat this p.issage was read by Johnson before its publication. See also a somewirat similar confession from Boswell himself, post, sub I7th Apri), 1778.— Crokeu. 1 By Henry Home, Lord Karnes; published in 1762.— CnoKER. It is, however, but just to record, that some years afterwards, when I reminded him of this sarcasm, he said, " Well, but Derrick has now got a character that he need not run away from." 1 was highly pleased with the extraordinary vigour of his conversation, and regretted that I was drawn awa,y from it by an engagement at another place. I had, for a part of the evening, been left alone with him, and had ventured to make an observation now and then, which he received very civilly : so that I was satisfied that though there was a rough- ness in his manner, there was no ill-nature in his disposition. Davies followed me to the door, and when I complained to him a little of the hard blows which the great man had given me, lie kindly took upon him to console me by saying, " Don't be uneasy, I can see he likes you very well." A few days afterwards I called on Davies, and asked him if he thought I might take the liberty of Avaiting on Mr. Johnson at his chambers in the Temple. He said I certainly might, and that Mr. Johnson would take it as a compliment So upon Tuesday the 24th of INIay, after having been enlivened by the witty sallies of Messieurs Thornton '^, Wilkes, Churchill, and Lloyd, with whom I had passed the morning, I boldly repaired to Johnson. His chambers were on the first floor of iNo. 1. Inner Temple Lane, and I entered them with an impression given me by the Rev. Dr. Blair of Edinburgh, who had been introduced to me not long before, and described his having " found the Giant in his den ; " an expression which, when I came to be pretty well ac- quainted with Johnson, I repeated to him, and he was diverted at this picturesque ac- count of himself Dr. Blair ^ had been presented to him by Dr. James Fordyce.*' At this time the controversy concerning the pieces published by Mr. James Macpherson, as translations of Ossian, was at its height. Johnson had all along denied their authenticity ; and, what was still more provoking to their admirers, maintained that they had no merit. The subject having been introduced by Dr. Fordyce, Dr. Blair, relying on the internal evidence of their antiquity, asked Dr. Johnson whether he thought any man of a modern age could have written such poems ? Johnson - Mr. Wilkes, no doubt. Boswell was a friend and, per- sonally, an admirer of Wilkes, and therefore very pro- perly (Wilkes being still alive) suppressed the name Choker. 3 Mr. Sheridan was then reading lectures upon Oratory at Bath, where Derrick was Master of the Ceremonies ; or, as the phrase is. King Boswell. ■t Boswell had a passion for getting .icquainted with all the notorieties of the day, and tlicse were then reigning wits. — Crokeu. 5 Dr. Hugh Blair, the celebrated professor and minister of Edinburgh; born in 1718, died in 1800. The Doctor's " Dissertation on Ossian" appe.ired in 1702 — Wright. 6 Dr. James Fordyce, author of " Sermons to Young Women," &c., was born at Aberdeen in 1720, and died at Bath in 1790. — Wright. ^T. 54. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 135 replied, " Yes, Sir, many men, many -women, and many children." Johnson, at this time, did not know that Dr. Blair had just pub- lished a Dissertation, not only defending tlieir authenticity, but seriously ranking them with the poems of Homer and Virgil ; and when he ■was afterwards informed of this circumstance, he expressed some displeasui-eatDr.Fordyce's having suggested the topic, and said, " I am not sorry that they got thus much for their pains. Sir, it was like leading one to talk of a book when the author is concealed behind the door." He received me very courteously ; but it must be confessed, that his apartment, and furniture, and morning dress, were sufficiently uncouth. His brown suit of clothes looked very rusty ; he had on a little old shrivelled unpowdered wig, which was too small for his head ; his shirt-neck and knees of his breeches were loose; his black worsted stockings ill drawn up ; and he had a pair of unbuckled shoes by way of slippers. But all these slovenly particularities were forgotten the moment that he began to talk. Some gentle- men, whom I do not recollect, were sitting with him ; and when they went away, I also rose ; but " he said to me, " Nay, don't go." — " Sir," said I, "I am afraid that I intrude upon you. It is benevolent to allow me to sit and hear you." He seemed pleased with this com- pliment, which I sincerely paid him, and answered, " Sir, I am obliged to any man who visits me." — I have preserved the following short minute of Avhat passed this day. " Madness frequently discovers itself merely by unnecessary deviation from the usual modes of the world. My poor friend Smart showed the disturbance of his mind by falling upon his knees and saying his prayers in the street, or in any other unusual place. Now, although, rationally speaking, it is greater madness not to pray at all, than to pray as Smart did, I am afraid there are so many who do not pray, that their understanding is not called in question." Concerning this unfortunate p.oet, Christo- pher Smart, who was confined in a mad- house ', he had, at another time, the following conversation with Dr. Burney. — Burney. " How does poor Smart do, Sir? is he likely to recover?" Johnson, "It seems as if his mind had ceased to struggle with the disease ; for he grows fat upon it." Burney. " Perhaps, Sir, that may be from want of exercise." Johnson. " No, Sir ; he has partly as much exercise as he used to have, for he digs in the garden. Indeed, before his confinement, he used for exercise to walk to the ale-house ; • It has been wondered why Johnson, who obtained a pl.ice in the edition of British Poets lor Yalden, Pomfr^t, Watts, and Blackmore, did not do as much for his friend Smart, a better poet than any of them, and not less pious. Perhaps he was deterred by the irregularity of poor Smart's mind and life, in connection with which he probably thought that his pious poems would rather scandalist' than edil'y : or there but he was carried back again. I did not think he ought to be shut up. His infirmities were not noxioiis to society. He insisted on people praying with him ; and I'd as lief pray with Kit Smart as any one else. Another charge was, that he did not love clean linen : and I have no passion for it." Johnson continued. " jNIankind have a great aversion to intellectual labour - ; but even supposing knowledge to be easily attainable, more people would be content to be ignorant than would talce even a little trouble to ac- quire it." " The morality of an action depends on the motive from which we act. If I fling half a crown to a beggar with intention to break his head, and he picks it up and buys victuals with it, the physical etiect is good ; but, with respect to me, the action is very wrong. So, religious exercises, if not performed with an intention to please God, avail us nothing. As our Saviour says of those who perform them from other motives, ' Verily they have their reward.' " The Christian religion has very strong evidences. It, indeed, appears in some degree strange to reason ; but in History we have undoubted facts, against which, in reasoning a priori, we have more arguments than we have for them : but then, testimony has great weight, and casts the balance. I would re- commend to every man whose faith is yet unsettled, Grotius, Dr. Pearson, and Dr. Clarke." Talking of Garrick, he said, " He is the first man in the world for sprightly con- versation." When I rose a second time, he again pressed me to stay, which I did. He told me, that he generally went abroad at four in the afternoon, and seldom came home till two in the morning. I took the liberty to ask if he did not think it wrong to live thus, and not make more use of his great talents. He owned it was a bad habit. On reviewing, at the distance of many years, my journal of this period, I wonder how, at my first visit, I ventured to talk to him so freely, and that he bore it with so much indulgence. Before we parted, he was so good as to j^romise to favour me with his company one evening at my lodgings ; and, as I took my leave, shook me cordially by the hand. It is almost needless to add, that I felt no little elation at having now so happily established an acquaintance of which I had been so long ambitious. j\Iy readers will, I trust, excuse me for m,iy have been some difficulty about the copyright of his poems, as there was, we know, about those of Goldsmith See post, sub July 9. 1770. Smart's are to be found, with a Lije, in Anderson's Poets. Smart died in 1770, aet. 70 — Croker. 2 Si.-e post, July 30. 1713, an opinion somewhat different— CUOKEII. K 4 136 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1763. being thus minutely circumstantial, when it is considered that the acquaintance of Dr. Johnson was to me a most valuable acquisi- tion, and laid the foundation of whatever instruction and entertainment they may re- ceive from my collections concerning the great subject of the work which they are now pe- rusing. I did not visit him again till Monday, June 13th, at which time I recollect no part of his conversation, except that when I told him I had been to see Johnson ride uj)on three horses, he said, " Such a man, Sir, should be encouraged ; for his performances show the extent of the human jjowers in one instance, and thus tend to raise our opinion of the taculties of man. He shows what may be attained by persevering application ; so that every man may hoj^e, that by giving as much application, although perhaps he may never riile three horses at a time, or dance upon a wire, yet he may be equally expert in what- ever profession he has chosen to pursue." ' He again shook me by the hand at part- ing, and asked me why I did not come oftener to him. Trusting that I was now in his good graces, I answered, that he had not given me much encouragement, and reminded him of the check I had received from him at our first interview. " Poh poh ! " said he, with a complacent smile, " never mind these things. Come to me as often as you can. I shall be glad to see you." I had learnt that his place of frequent resort was the Mitre Tavern in Fleet Street, where he loved to sit up late, and I begged I might be allowed to pass an evening with him there soon, which he promised I should. A few days afterwards I met him near Temple Bar, about one o'clock in the morning, and asked if he would then go to the Mitre. " Sir," said lie, " it is too late ; they won't let us in. But I'll go with you another night with all my heart." A revolution of some importance in my plan of life had just taken place; for instead of procuring a commission in the foot-guards, which was my own inclination, I had, in com- pliance with my father's wishes, agreed to study the law, and was soon to set out for Utrecht, to hear the lectures of an excellent civilian in that University, and then to pro- ceed on my travels. Though very desirous of obtaining Dr. Johnson's advice and instruc- tions on tiie mode of pursuing my studies, I was at this time so occiipied, shall I call it ? or so dissipated, by the amusements of London, 1 " In the year 1762 one Johnson, an Irishman, exhibited many feats of activity in horsemanship, and was, it is be- lieved, the first performer, at that time, in or about London He was an active clever fellow in his way." Prior's Life of Burke, vol. i. p. 124. — Croker. - A row of tenements in the Strand, between Wych Street and Temple Bar, and " so called from the butchers' shambles on the south side." (Strype, B. iv. p. 118.) Butclier Row was pulled down in 1813, and the present Pickett Street erected in its stead. — P. Cu.nningham. that our next meeting was not till Saturday, June 25th, when, happening to dine at Clifton's eating-house, in Butcher Kow^, I was surprised to perceive Johnson come in and take his seat at another table. The mode of dining, or rather being fed, at such houses in London, is well known to many to be particularly un- social, as there is no Ordinary, or united company, but each person has his own mess, and is under no obligation to hold any inter- course with any one. A liberal and full-minded man, however, who loves to talk, Avill break through this churlish and unsocial restraint. Johnson and an Irish gentleman got into a dispute concerning the cause of some part of mankind being black. " Why, Sir," said Johnson, " it has been accounted for in three ways : either by supposing that they are the posterity of Ham, who was cursed ; or that God at first created two kinds of men, one black and another white ; or that by the heat of the sun the skin is scorched, and so acquires a sooty hue. This matter has been much canvassed among naturalists, but has never been brought to any certain issue." What the Irishman said is totally obliterated from my mind ; but I remember that he became very warm and intemperate in his expressions : upon which Johnson rose, and quietly walked away. When he had retired, his antagonist took his revenge, as he thought, by saying, " He has a most ungainly figure, and an affectation of pomposity, unworthy of a man of genius." Johnson had not observed that I was in the room. I followed him, however, and he agreed to meet me in the evening at the Mitre. I called on him, and we went thither at nine. AVe had a good supper, and port wine, of which he then sometimes drank a bottle. The orthodox high-church sound of the Mitre, ^-^ the figure and manner of the celebrated Samuel Johnson, — the extraordinary power and precision of his conversation, and the pride arising from finding myself admitted as his companion, produced a variety of sensa- tions, and a pleasing elevation of mind, beyond what I had ever before experienced. I find in my Journal the following minute of our con- versatiim, which, though it will give but a very faint notion of what passed, is, in some degree, a valuable record ; and it Avill be cu- rious in this view, as showing how habitual to his mind were some opinions which appear in his works. " CoUey Cibber ^, Sir, was by no means a blockhead : but by arrogating to himself too 3 Colley Cibber was born in 1671, bore arms in favour of the revolution, and soon after went on the stage as an actor. In IG9.') he appeared as a writer of comedies with great and deserved success. He quilted the stage in 1730, on being appointed poet laureate, and died in 17.57. His Memoirs of his own Life, under the modest title of an Apology, is not only a very amusing collection of theatrical anecdotes, but shows considerable power of observation and delineation of character. — Croker. Ml. 54. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 137 much, he was in danger of losing that degree of estimation to which he was entitled. His friends gave out that he intended his birth-day Odes should be bad : but that was not the case, Sir ; for he kept them many months by him, and a few years before he died he showed me one of them, with great solicitude to render it as perfect as might be, and I made some corrections, to which he was not very willing to submit. I remember the following couplet in allusion to the King and himself: — ' Perch'd on the eagle's soaring wing, The lowly linnet loves to sing.' Sir, he had heard something of the fabulous tale of the wren sitting upon the eagle's wing, and he had applied it to a linnet. Gibber's familiar style, however, was better than that which Whitehead has assumed. Grand non- sense is insupportable. Whitehead is but a little man to inscribe verses to players." ' I did not presume to controvert this censure, which was tinctured with his prejudice against players ; but I could not help thinking that a dramatic poet might with propriety pay a com- pliment to an eminent performer, as White- head has very happily done in his verses to Mr. Garrick. " Sir, I do not think Gray a first-rate poet. He has not a bold imagination, nor much command of words. The obscurity in which he has involved himself will not persuade lis that he is sublime. His Elegy in a Churchyard has a happy selection of images -, but I don't like what are called his great things. His ode which begins — ' Ruin seize thee, ruthless King, Confusion on thy banners wait ! ' lias been celebrated for its abruptness, and plunging into the subject all at once. But such arts as these have no merit, unless when they are original. We admire them only once ; and this abruptness has nothing new in it. We have had it often before. Nay, we have it in the old song of Johnny Armstrong : — ' Is there ever a man in all Scotland, From the highest estate to the lowest degree,' &c. And then, Sir, • Yes, there is a man in Westmorland, And Johnny Armstrong they do him call.' There, now, you plunge at once into the sub- ject. You have no previous narration to lead you to it. The two next lines in that Ode are, I think, very good : — • Tliis was a sneer aimed, it is to be feared, more at Oar- rick (to whom the verses were inscribed) than at Whitehead. As to Whitehead, see ante, p. 50. ii. 2.— CnoKEii. 2 And surely a happv selection of rxpressums. What does it then want? As to the criticism an Terhaps not of llioir talents, but sometimes, it m.ay be Icared, of their success. See anti, p. 133. n. 4. — Cbokeb. 138 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1763. — " For my part, Sir, I think all Christians, whether Papists or Protestants, agree in the essential articles, and that their differences are trivial, and rather political than religious." We talked of belief in ghosts. He said, " Sir, I make a distinction between what a man may experience by the mere strength of his imagination, and what miagination cannot possibly produce. Thus, suppose I should think that I saw a form, and heard a voice cry, ' Johnson, you are a very wacked fellow, and unless you repent you will certainly be punished : ' ray own unworthiness is so deeply impressed upon my mind, that I might imagine I thus saw and heiird, and therefore I should not believe that an external communication had been made to me. But if a form should appear, and a voice should tell me that a par- ticular man had died at a particular place, and a particular hour, a fact which I had no ap- prehension of, nor any means of knowing, and this fact, with all its circumstances, should afterwards be unquestionably proved, I should in that case be persuaded that I had super- natural Intelligence imparted to me." Here It is proper, once for all, to give a true and fair statement of Johnson's way of thinking upon the question, whether departed spirits are ever permitted to appear In this world, or In any way to operate upon human life. He has been ignorantly mlsi-epresented as weakly credulous vipon that subject ; and therefore, though I feel an inclination to disdain, and treat with silent contempt, so foolish a notion concerning my illustrious friend, yet, as I find it has gained ground, it is necessary to refute It. The real fact then is, that Johnson had a very philosophical mind. 1 There needed no apology for this ; 'tis the ground of all reasoning : the debateable question is as to the authentic proof. — Croker. 2 No rational man doubted that inquirj- would lead to detection ; men only wondered, and do still wonder, that Dr. Johnson should so far give countenance to this flimsy imposition as to think a solemn inquiry necessary. — Croker. 3 The account was as follows: — " On the n'iKht of the 1st of February , many gentlemen, eminent for their rank and character, were, by the invitation of the Rev. Mr. Aldrich, of Clerkenwell, assembled at his house, for the examination of the noises supposed to be made by a departed spirit, for the detection of some enormous crime. — About ten at niglit the gentlemen met in the chamber in which the girl, supposed to be disturbed by a spirit, had, with proper caution, been put to bed by several ladies. Tliey sat rather more than an hour, and hearing nothing, went down stairs, when they interro- gated the father of the girl, who denied, in the strongest terms, any knowledge or belief of fraud The supposed spirit had before publicly promised, by an aflSrmative knock, that it would attend one of the gentlemen into the vault under the church of St. Jolm, Clerkenwell, where the body is deposited, and give a token of her presence there, by a knock upon her cotlin ; it was therefore determined to make this trial of the existence or veracity of the supposed spirit. — While they were inquiring and deliberating, they were summoned into the girls chamber by some ladies who were near her bed, and who had heard knocks and scratches. When the gentlemen entered, the girl declared that she felt the spirit like a mouse upon her back, and was required to hold her hands out of bed. From that time, though the spirit was very soleranljf required to manifest its existence by appearance, by impression on the hand or body of any pre- sent, by scratches, knocks, or any other agency, no evidence of any preternatural power was exhibited. —The spirit was then very seriously advertised, that the person to whom the promise was made of striking the coffin was then about to and such a rational respect for testimony, as to make him submit his understanding to what was authentically proved, though he could not comprehend why it was so.' Being thus dis- posed, he was willing to inquire into the truth of any relation of supernatural agency, a general belief of which has prevailed in all nations and ages. But so far was he from being the dupe of implicit faith, that he ex- amined the matter with a jealous attention, and no man was more ready to refute its false- hood when he had discovered It. Churchill, in his poem entitled " The Ghost, " availed himself of the absurd credulity imputed to Johnson, and drew a caricature of him under the name of " Pomposo," representing him as one of the liellevers of the story of a ghost in Cock-lane, which, in the year 1762, had gained very general credit In London. Many of my readers, I am convinced, are to this hour under an impression that Johnson was thus foolishly deceived. It will therefore surprise them a good deal when they are Informed upon undoubted authority, that Johnson was one of those by whom the Imposture was detected.^ The story had become so popular, that he thought it should be Investigated ; and in this research he was assisted by the Eev. Dr. Douglas, now Bishop of Salisbury, the great detecter of impostures ; who informs me, that after the gentlemen who went and exaiuined Into the evidence were satisfied of its fivlslty, Johnson wrote in their presence an account of it, which was published in the newspapers and Gentleman's Magazine, and undeceived the world.^ Our conversation proceeded. " Sir," said he, " I am a friend to subordination, as most visit the vault, and that the performance of the promise was then claimed. The company at one o'clock went into the church, and the gentleman to whom the promise was made went with another into the vault. The spirit was solemnly required to jierform its promise, but nothing more than silence ensued : the person supposed to be accused by the spirit then went down with several others, but no effect was perceived. Upon their return they examined tlie girl, but could draw no confession from her. Between two and three she desired and was permitted to go home with her father. It is, therefore, the opinion of the whole assembly, that the child has some art of making or counterfeiting a particular noise, and that there is no agency of any higher cause." — BosWELL. Hawkins tells u^ that "Mr. Saunders Welch, Johnson's intimate friend, would have dissuaded him from his purpose of visiting the place, urging that it would expose him to ridicule ; but all his arguments had no effect. What Mr. Welch foretold was verified ; he was censured for his cre- dulity, his wisdom was arraigned, and his religious opinions resolved into superstition. Nor was this all : that facetious gentleman, Foote, who had ass\imed the name of the modern Aristophanes, and at his theatre had long entertained the town with caricatures of living persons, thought that at this time a dr.ima, in which himself should represent Johnson, ■ind in his mien, his garb, and liis speech, should display all his comic powers, would yield him a golden harvest. John- son was apprised of his intention ; and gave Mr. Foote to understand, that the licence under which he was permitted to entertain the town would not justify the liberties he was accustomed to take with private characters, and that if he i persisted in his design, he would, by a severe chastisement I of his representative on the stage, and in the face of the I whole audience, convince the world, that, whatever were his I infirmities, or even his foibles, they should not be made the 1 sport of the public, or the means'of gain to any one of his profession. Foote, upon this intimation, had discretion enough ^T. 54. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 139 conducive to the happiness of society. There is a reciprocal pleasure in governing and being governed." " Dr. Goldsmith is one of the first men we now have as an author, and he is a very worthy man too. He has been loose in his principles, but he is coming right." I mentioned Mallet's tragedy of " Elvira," which had been acted the preceding winter at Drury-Iane, and that the Hon. Andrew Erskine', Vlv. Dempster ", and myself, had joined in writing a pamphlet, entitled " Critical Strictures," against it ^ ; that the mildness of Dempster's disposition had, however, relented ; and he had candidly said, " We have hardly a riglit to abuse this tragedy ; for, bad as it is, how vain should either of us be to write one not near so good ! " Johnson. " Why no. Sir ; this is not just reasoning. You mat/ abuse a tragedy, though you cannot write one. You may scold a carpenter who has made you a bad table, though you cannot make a table. It is not your trade to make tables." When I talked to him of the paternal estate to wliich I was heir, he said, " Sir, let me tell you, that to be a Scotch landlord, where you have a number of families dependent upon you, and attached to you, is, perhaps, as high a situation as humanity can arrive at. A merchant upon the 'Change of London, with a hundred thousand pounds, is nothing ; an English Duke, with an immense fortune, is nothing : he has no tenants who consider themselves as under his patriarchal care, and who will follow him to the field upon an emer- gency." His notion of the dignity of a Scotch land- lord had been formed upon what he had heard of the Highland chiefs ; lor it is long since a Lowland landlord lias been so curtailed in his feudal authority, that he has little more in- lluence over his tenants than an English land- lord ; and of late years most of the Highland chiefs have destroyed, by means too well known, the princely power which they once enjoyed.* He proceeded : — " Your going abroad. Sir, and breaking off idle habits, may be of great importance to you. I would go where there are courts and learned men. There is a good deal of Spain that has not been peram- bulated. I would have you go thither. A to desist from his purpose. Johnson entert.iined no resent- ment against him, and they were ever after friends." — Crokek. 1 Third son of the fifth Earl of Kellie, born In 1739, died 1793. He published in 17G3 some letters and poems addressed to Mr. Boswell. — Croker. ■•! George Dempster, of Dunnichen. secretary to the Order of the Thistle, and long M. P. for the Fife district of boroughs. He was a man of talents and very a«reeable manners. Burns mentions him more than once with eulogy. Mr. Dempster retired from parliament in 1700, and died in 1818, in his 86th year. — Choker. s The Critical Review, in which Jfallet himself sometimes wrote, characterised this pamphlet as " the crude efforts of envy, petulance, and self-conceit." There being thus three man of inferior talents to yours may furnish us with useful observations upon that country." His supposing me, at that period of life, capable of writing an account of my travels that would deserve to be read, elated me not a little. I appeal to every impartial reader whether this faithful detail of his frankness, com- placency, and kindness to a young man, a stranger, and a Scotchman, does not refute the unjust ojjinion of the harshness of his general demeanour. His occasional reproofs of folly, impudence, or impiety, and even the sudden sallies of his constitutional irritability of temper, which liave been preserved tor the poignancy of their wit, have produced that opinion among those who have not considered tliat such instances, though collected by Mrs. Piozzi into a small volume ^, and read over in a few hours, were, in fact, scattered through a long series of years : years, in which his time was chiefly spent in instructing^ and delighting mankind by his writings and conversation, in acts of piety to Gou, and good-will to men. I complained to him that I had not yet acquired much knowledge, and asked his advice as to my studies. He said, " Don't talk of study now. I will give you a plan ; but it will requii-e some time to consider of it." " It is very good in you," I replied, "to allow me to be with you thus. Had it been foretold to me some years ago that I should pass an evening with the author of the Rambler, how should I have exulted ! " What I then expressed, was sincerely from the heart. He was satisfied that it was, and cordially answered, "Sir, I am glad we have met. I hope we shall pass many evenings, and morn- ings too, together." AYe finished a couple of bottles of port, and sat till between one and two in the morning. He wrote this year in the Critical Review the account of " Telemachus, a Mask," by the Rev. George Graham, of Eton College.^ The subject of this beautiful poem was particularly interesting to Johnson, who had much ex- perience of " the conflict of opposite prin- ciples," which he describes as " the contention between pleasure and virtue ; a struggle which will always be continued while the present system of nature shall subsist ; nor can his- tory or poetry exhibit more than pleasure epithets, we, the three authors, had a humorous contention how each should be appropriated.— Boswell. ■* Boswell alludes, principally at least, to the substitution of sheep farming for the old black-cattle system in the High- lands and islands of Scotland, in consequence of which, fewer h.-inds being required on the chiefs' estates, a large portion of their clansmen were driven into exile in America. We shall hear more of these affairs in the course of the Hebridean journal, post — Lockhart. s Mr. Boswell here, and elsewhere, hints blame against Mrs. Piozzi for repeating Johnson's conversational asperities. Any one wlio examines the two works will find that Boswell relates ten times as many as the lady. No one would honestly relate Johnson's conversation without giving such sallies. — CriOKER. 6 Sec post, 18th Feb. 1777. — C. 140 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1763. triumphing over virtue, and virtue subjugating pleasure." I As Dr. Oliver Goldsmith will frequently I appear in this narrative, I shall endeavour to [ make my readers in some degree acquainted with his singular character. He was a native of Ireland, and a contemporary with Mr. Burke, at Trinity College, Dublin, but did not then give much promise of future cele- brity.' He, however, observed to Mr.Malone, that " though he made no great figure in ma- thematics, which was a study in much repute there, he could turn an Ode of Horace into English better than any of them." He after- wards studied physic at Edinburgh, and upon the continent ^ ; and, I have been informed, was enabled to pursue his travels on foot, partly by demanding at Universities to enter the lists as a disputant, by which, according to the custom of many of them, he was entitled to the premium of a crown, when, luckily for him, his challenge was not accepted ; so that, as I once observed to Dr. Johnson, he disputed his passage through P>urope. He then came to England, and was employed successively in the capacities of an usher to an academy, a corrector of the press, a reviewer, and a writer for a newspaper.^ He had sagacity enough to cultivate assiduously the acquaint- .ance of Johnson, and his faculties were gradually enlarged by the contemplation of such a model. To me and many others it ap- peared that he studiously copied the manner of Johnson, though, indeed, upon a smaller scale. At this time I think he had published no- thing with his name, though it was pretty gene- rally known that one Dr. Goldsmith was the author of "An Inquiry into the present State of Polite Learning in Europe," and of "The Citizen of the World" a series of letters • Goldsmith got a premium at a Cliristmas examination in Trinity College, Dublin, which I have seen. — Keakney. The Christmas premium is the most honourable, being the first of the academic year: at the other three examinations, the one who has already had a premium can only have a certificate that he had been the best answerer. — SIalone. Dr. Kearney must have been under some misconception ; as it seems certain that Oliver Goldsmith never obtained any premium Croker. 2 With no great success, it seems, from his being in 175S rejected by the College of Surgeons, as not qualified for an Hospital Mate. Prior's Life, ii. 282. — Crokeb. 3 The story of George Primrose in the Vicar of Wakefield contains many circumstances of his own personal history. — Crokeb, 1846. ■< He had also published in 1759, " The Bee ; being Essays on the most interesting Subjects." — Malone. 5 See his Epitaph in Westminster Abbey, written by Dr. Johnson . — Bosw ELL. 6 In allusion to this, Mr. Horace Walpole, who admired his writings, said he was "an inspired idiot ;" and Garrick described him as one " for shortness caU'd Noll, Who wrote like an angel, and talk'd like poor Poll." Sir Joshua Reynolds mentioned to me, that he frequently heard Goldsmith talk warmly of the pleasure of being liked, and observe how hard it would be if literary excellence should preclude a man from that satisl'action, which he per- ceived it often did, from the envy which attended it ; and therefore Sir Joshua was convinced th.it he was intentionally more absurd, in order to lessen himself in social intercourse, trusting that his character would be sufficiently supported by his works. If it indeed was his intention to appear absurd supposed to be wi-itten from London by a Chinese.'* No man had the art of displaying with more advantage, as a writer, whatever literary acquisitions he made. " Ni}iil quod tetigit non o)-navit." ^ His mind resembled a fertile, but thin soil. There was a quick, but not a strong vegetation, of whatever chanced to be thrown upon it. No deep root could be struck. The oak of the forest did not grow there ; but the elegant shrubbery and the fragrant parterre appeared in gay succession. It has been generally circulated and believed that he was a mere fool in conversation ^ ; but, in truth, this has been greatly exaggerated. He had, no doubt, a more than common share of that hurry of ideas which we often find in his countrymen, and which sometimes produces a laughable confusion in expressing them. Pie was very much what the French call 7m etoiu'di ; and from vanity and an eager desire of being conspicuous wherever he was, he frequently talked carelessly without know- ledge of the subject, or even without thought. His person was short, his countenance coarse and vulgar, his deportment that of a scholar awkwardly affecting the easy gentleman. Those who were in any way distinguished, excited envy in him to so ridiculous an excess, that the instances of it are hardly credible. When accompanying two beautiful young ladies "^ with their mother on a tour in France, he was seriously angry that more attention was paid to them than to him ; and once, at the exhibition of the Fantoccini in London, when those who sat next him observed with what dexterity a puppet was made to toss a pike, he could not bear that it should have such praise, and exclaimed with some warmth, " Pshaw ! I can do it better myself." ^ He, I am afraid, had no settled system of in company, he was often very successful. But, with due deference to Sir Joshua's ingenuity, I think the conjecture too refined. — Boswell. ' Miss Hornecks, one of whom is now married to Henry Bunbury, Esq., .and the other to Colonel Gwyn — Boswell. Mrs. Gwyn survived to favour my first edition with some communications, and died in 1840, within a few days of having completed her 88th year. Mr. Prior, with his usual good-natured anxiety to whitewash Goldsmith, tells us that he has the authority of one of the ladies (no doubt Mrs. Gwyn) for saying that Goldsmith's alleged jealousy of the attention paid to them was a mere pleasantry. I can- not, however, think that he makes out his case. The fact of Goldsmith's having made the absurd complaint is ad- mitted—but, says Mr. Prior's informant, "it was in mere playfulness, and I was shocked many years afterwards to see it in print, as a proof of his envious disposition." The good-natured construction which the kind old lady was willing, after a lapse of above sixty years, to put on Gold- smith's behaviour, she did not express in her previous com- munication with me, though it had afforded so obvious an opportunity of correcting the alleged injustice; and after all, it can be only matter of opinion whether the vexation so se- riously exhibited by Goldsmith was real or assumed : and the lady went on, according to Mr. Prior, to state an- other circumstance, which proves Goldsmith's absurd vanitv almost as strongly as the fact which she extenuates. " Of I'aris," said she, " he soon grew tired, the celebrity of his name not ensuring him that attention from its literary circles which the applause he received at home induced him to ex- pect" Prior's Life, ii. 291. — Crokeb, 184G. 8 He went home with Mr. Burke to supper ; and broke his shin by .attempting to exhibit to the comp.iny how much better he could jump over a stick than the puppets. — Boswell JEt, 54. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 141 any sort, so that his conduct must not be strictly scrutinised; but his afTections were social and generous, and when he had money he gave it away very liberally. His desire of imaginary consequence predominated over his attention to truth. When he began to rise into notice he said he had a brother who was Dean of Durham'; a fiction so easily detected, that it is wonderful how he should have been so inconsiderate as to hazard it. He boasted to me at this time of the power of his pen in commanding money, which I believe was true in a certain degree, though in the instance he gave he was by no means correct. He told me that he had sold a novel for four hundred pounds. This was his " Vicar of Wakefield." But Johnson informed me, that he had made the bargain for Goldsmith, and the price was sixty pounds. "And, Sir," said he, "a suffi- cient price too, when it was sold ; for then the fame of Goldsmith had not been elevated, as it afterwards was, by his ' Traveller ; ' and the bookseller had such faint hopes of profit by his bargain, that he kept the manuscript by him a long time, and did not publish it till after the ' Traveller ' had appeared. Then, to be sure, it was accidentally worth more money." ^Irs. Piozzi « and Sir John Hawkins ^ have strangely mis-stated the history of Goldsmith's situation and Johnson's friendly interference, when this novel was sold. I shall give it authentically from Johnson's own e.xact nar- ration : — " I received one morning a message from poor Goldsmith that he was in great distress, and, as it was not in his power to come to me, begiring that I would conie to him as soon as possible. I sent him a guinea, and promised to come to him directly. I accordingly went as soon as I was dressed, and found that his landlady had arrested him fur his rent, at which he was in a violent passion. I perceived that he had already changed my gumea, and had got a bottle of Madeira and a glass before him. I put the cork into the bottle, desired he would be calm, and began to talk to him of the means by which he might be extricated. He then told me that he had a novel ready for the press, which he produced to me. I looked into it, and saw Its merit ; told the landlady I should soon return ; and, having gone to a bookseller, sold it for sixty pounds. I brought Goldsmith the money, and he discharged "his rent, not without rating his landlady in"a high tone for having used him so ill." * ' I am willing to liope aistake as to this anecdote that there may have been some mistake as to this anecdote, though 1 liad 'it from a dignitary of the church. Dr. Isaac (ioldsmith, his near relation, was Dean of Cloyne in l?-!?. — Koswell. 2 It may not be improper to annex here Mrs. Piozzis account of this transaction, in her own words, as a specimen of the extreme in.iccuracy with which all her anecdotes of Dr. Johnson are related, or rather discoloured and dis- torted : — " I have forgotten the year, but it could scarcely, I think, be later than iTHt or 176ti, that he was calleii tbruptly from our /w2ije after dinner, and, returning in about three fiotcrs, said he had been with an enraged author, whose landlady pressed him for payment within doors, while the bailiffs beset him without ; that he was drinking himself drunk with Madcria, to drown care, and fretting over a novel, which. vhenfinishai, was to be his whole fortune ; hxxt he could not get it dt)nefor disiriic/ion, nor could he step out of doors to oflter it for sale. Blr. Johnson, therefore, sent away the bottle, and went to the bookseller, recommending the per- formance, and desiring some immediate relief ; which when he brought back to the writer, he called the woman of the house directly to partake of punch, and pass their time in tnerriment." Anecdotes, p. 119. — Boswkll. Johnson sometimes repeated the same anecdote with dif- ferent circumstances. Here the greatest discrepancy between the two stories is the time of the day at which it happened ; and, unluckily, the admitted fact of the boitle of Madeira seems to render Mrs. Piozzi's version the more probable of the two. If, according to Mr. Boswell's account. Goldsmith had, in the morning, changed Johnson's charitable guinea for the purpose of getting a bottle of Madeira, we cannot wonder that Mrs. Piozzi represents him as " drinking hiinself drunk with Madeira ; " but there is a more serious objection to Mrs. Piozzi's Story. She says, Johnson left her table to go and sell the novel; now the novel was sold in 1761 — four years before Johnson's acquaintance with the Thrales, — though it was not published till March, 17tlnd s.aid, " Surely, surely, my dear friend, I did not say so ? " " Nay," replied Burke, " if you had not s.iid so, how should I h.ive known it?" " Thafs true," answered Goldsmith, with great humility: " 1 am very sorry — it was very foolish: I do recollect thai mmirthing of the kind passed through my mind, but I did not think I had uttered it." — Cuokur. 142 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. CHAPTER XVL 1763. Suppers at the Mitre. — Dr. John Campbell. — Churchill. — Bonnell Thornton. — Burlesque " Ode on St. Cecilia's Day." — The Connoisseur. — The World. — Miss Williams's Tea Parties. — London. — Miss Porter's Legacy. — " The King can do no Wrong." — Historical Composition. — Bayle. — Arhuihnot. — The noblest Prospect in Scot- land. — Rhyme. — Adain Smith. — Jacobitism. — Lwd Hniles. — Keeping a Journal. — The King of Prussia's Poetry. — Johnson's Library. — " Not at Home. " — Pity. — Style of Hume. — Inequality of Mankind. — Constitutional Goodness. — Mira- cles. — Acquaintance of Young People. — Hard Reading. — Melancholy. — Mrs. Macaulay. — Warton's Essay on Pope. — Sir James Macdonald. — Projected Tour to the Hebrides. — School-boy Happiness. My next meeting with Johnson was on Friday the 1st of July, when he and I and Dr. Goldsmith supped at the Mitre. I was before this time pretty well acquainted with Goldsmith, who was one of the brightest orna- ments of the Johnsonian school. Goldsmith's respectful attachment to Johnson was then at its height ; for his own literary reputation had not yet distinguished him so much as to excite a vain desire of competition with his great master. He had increased my admiration of the goodness of Johnson's heart, by incidental remarks in the course of conversation ; such as, when I mentioned Mr. Levett, whom he entertained under his roof, " He is poor and honest, which is recommendation enough to Johnson ;" and when I wondered that he was very kind to a man of whom I had heard a very bad character ', " He is now become miserable, and that insures the protection of Johnson." Goldsmith attempting this evening to maintain, I sujjpose from an affectation of ' This is so ambiguously worded, that it is necessary to observe, that the "bad cliaructer" was not Levett Crokbr. 2 'I am inclined to think that he was misinformed as to this circumstance. I own I am jealous for my worthy friend Dr. John Campbell. For though Milton could without remorse absent himself from jiublic worship, I cannot. On the contrary, I have the same habitual impressions upon my mind, with those of a truly venerable judge, who said to Mr. Langton, " Friend Langton, if I have not been at church on .Sunday, I do not feel myself easy." Dr. Campbell was a sincerely religious man. Lord P.lacartuey, who is eminent for his variety of knowledge, and attention to men of talents, and knew him well, told me, that when he called on him in a morning, he found him reading a chapter in the Greek New Testament, which he informed his lordship was his constant practice. The quantity of Dr. Campbell s composition is almost incredible, and his labours brought him large profits. Dr. Joseph Warton told me that Johnson said of liim, •' He is the richest author that ever grazed the common of litera- ture." — BOSWELL. Mr. Boswell quotes this dicttim as if it was evidence onlv of Dr. Campbell's wealth ; he probably did not see that i't paradox, "that knowledge was not desirable on its own account, for it often was a source of unhappiness ; " — Johnson. " Why, Sir, that knowledge may in some cases produce unhap- piness, I allow. But, upon the whole, know- ledge, per se, is certainly an object which every man would wish to attain, although, perhaps, he may not take the trouble necessary for attaining it." Dr. John Campbell, the celebrated political and biographical writer, being mentioned, Johnson said, " Campbell is a man of much knowledge, and has a good share of imagina- tion. His 'Hermippus Redivivus' is very entertaining, as an accoimt of the Hermetic philosophy, and as furnishing a curious history of the extravagancies of the human mind. If it were merely imaginary, it would be nothing at all. Campbell is not always rigidly careful of truth in his conversation ; but I do not believe there is any thing of this carelessness in his books. Campbell is a good man, a pious man. I am afraid he has not been in the inside of a church for many years ^ ; but he never passes a church without pulling off his hat. This shows that he has good principles. I used to go pretty often to Cambj^ell's on a Sunday evening ^, till I began to consider that the shoals of Scotchmen who flocked about him might probably say, when any thing of mine was well done, ' Ay, ay, he has learnt this of Cawmell ! ' " He talked very contemptuously of Church- ill's poetry, observing, that "it had a tem- porary currency, only fi-om its audacity of abuse, and being filled with living names, and that it would sink into oblivion." I ventured to hint that he was not quite a fair judge, as Churchill had attacked him violently. Johnson. " Nay, Sir, I am a very fair judge. He did not attack me violently till he found I did not like his poetry ; and his attack on me shall not prevent me from continuing to say what I think of him, from an apprehension that it may be ascribed to resentment. No, Sir, I called the fellow a blockhead at first, and I will call him a blockhead still. However, I will acknowledge that I have a better opinion characterised his celebrated friend, by no very complimentary allusion, as grazing the common of literature. The strange story of Campbell's " pulling off his hat whenever he passed a church, though he had not been for many years inside one," must have arisen from some error. Johnson could hardly have seriously told such an absurdity. It is well known, that the members of the kirk of Scotland do not think it neces- sary to uncover on entering places of worship, though the lower classes sometimes show a kind of superstitious vene- ration for burial-places : perhaps Dr. Campbell may, in con- versation with Johnson, have alluded to those circumstances, and thus given occasion to this misapprehension. His " Lives of the Admirals " is the only one of his almost innumerable publications that is now called for. He was born in 1708, and died in 177-5 Croker. 3 '■ Campbell's residence for some years before his death was the large new-built house situate at the north-west corner of Queen Square, Bloomshury, whither, particularly on a Sunday evening, great nimibers of persons of the first emi- nence for science and literature were accustomed to resort for the enjoyment of conversation." Hawkins, p. 210 P. Cun- ning H a.m. iET. 54. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. J-J3 of him now than I once had; foi- he has shewn more fertility than I expected. To be sure, he is a tree that cannot produce good fruit : he only bears crabs. But, Sir, a tree that produces a great many crabs is better than a tree which produces only a few." In this depreciation of Churchill's poetry I could not agree with him. It is very true that the greatest part of it is upon the topics of the day, on which account, as it brought him great fame and profit at the time, it must propor- tionably slide out of the jJublic attention as other occasional objects succeed. But Church- ill had extraordinary vigour both of thought and expression. His portraits of the players will ever be valuable to the true lovers of the drama ; and his strong caricatures of several eminent men of his age, will not be forgotten by the curious. Let me add, that there is in ])is works many passages which are of a general nature ; and his " Prophecy of Famine " is a ])oem of no ordinai-y merit. It is, indeed, I'ulsely injurious to Scotland; but therefore nuxy be allowed a greater share of invention. Bonnell Thornton had just published a burlesque " Ode on St. Cecilia's Day," adapted to the ancient British music, viz. the salt-box, the Jew's harp, the marrow-bones and cleaver, the hum-strum or hurdygurdy, &c. Johnson praised its humour, and seemed much diverted with it. He repeated the following passage : " In strains more exalted the salt-box shall join. And clattering and battering and clapping com- bine ; With a rap and a tap, while the hollow side sounds, Up and down leaps the flap, and with rattling rebounds." ' I mentioned the pei-iodical paper called "The Connoisseur." He said it wanted matter. — No doubt it had not the deep thinking of Johnson's writings; but surely it has just views of 'the surface of life, and a very sprightly manner. His opinion of " The World " was not much higher than of " The Connoisseur." Let me here apologise for the imperfect manner in which I am obliged to exhibit John- son's conversation at this period. In the early partof my acquaintance with him, I was so wrapt in admiration of his extraordinary colloquial talents, and so little accustomed to his peculiar mode of expression, that I found it extremely diilicult to recollect and record his conversa- tion with its genuine vigour and vivacity. In ' In 17G9 I set for Smart and Newbery, Thornton's bur- lisque Ode on St. Cecilia's day. It was pertormed at Uanclagh in masks, to a very crowded audience, as I was told ; tor I then resided in Norfolk. Heard sang the salt-box song, which was admirably accompanied on that instrument by Brent, the fencing-master and father of Miss Brent, the cele- liratetl singer ; Skeggs on the broomstick, as bassoon ; and a remarkable performer on the Jew's harp. — " Buzzing twangs the iron lyre." Cleavers were cast in bell-metal for this entertainment. All the performers of the old woman's Oratory, employed by Foote, were, I believe, employed at Kanelagh on this occasion — Burney. In the original progress of time, when my mind was, as it were, strongly impregnated with the Johnsonian (Ether, I could, with much more facility and exactness, carry in my memory and commit to paper the exuberant variety of his wisdom and wit. At this time Miss "Williams, as she was then called, though she did not reside with him in I the Temple under his I'oof, but had lodginifs in Bolt-court, Fleet-street, had so nmch of his attention, that he every night drank tea with her before he went home, however late it miidit be, and she always sat up for him. This, it may be fairly conjectured, was not alone a proof of his regard for her ; but of his own unwillingness to go into solitude, before that upseasonable hour at which he had habituated himself to expect the oblivion of repose. Dr. Goldsmith, being a privileged man, went with him this night, strutting away, and calling to me with an air of superiority, like that of an esoteric over an exoteric disciple of a sage of antiquity-, " I go to Miss Williams." I confess, I then envied him this mighty privilege, of which he seemed so proud; but it was not long before I obtained the same mark of distlnc"^ tion. On Tuesday the 5th of July, I again visited Johnson. He told me he had looked into the poems of a pretty voluminous writer, Mr. (now Dr.) John OgUvIe, one of the Pres- byterian ministers of Scotland, which had lately come out, but could find nothing in them. BoswELL. " Is there not imagination in them, Sir ? " Johnson. " Why, Sir, there is in them, what ivas imagination, but it is no more imagination, in hiin, than sound is sound in the echo. And his diction, too, is not his own. We have long ago seen white-rohcd innocence, and Jioicer-bcspangled 7neads." Talking of London, he obsei'ved, " Sir, if you wish to have a just notion of the magnitude of this city, you must not be satisfied with seeing its great streets and squares, but must survey the innumerable little lanes and courts. It is not in the showy evolutions of buildings, but in the multiplicity of human habitations which are crowded together, that the wonderful immensity of London consists." — I have often amused myself with thinking how different a place London Is to different people. Thev, whose narrow minds are contracted to the consideration of some one particular pursuit, view it only through that medium. A poli- tician thinks of it merely as the seat of go- edition of this ode now before me, the date on the title-page is 171!), a mistake, no doubt, for 17G9. For the use to which Dr. Burney put it, as a burlesque vehicle for music, it is very well ; but as a literary production, it seems without object or meaning. It has not even the low merit of being a parody ; the best line is that on the Jew's harp, above quoted •' Buzzing twangs the iron lyre."— Ckoker. 2 The ancient philosophers were supposed to have two sets of tenets — one, the exoteric, external, or public doctrines — the other, the esoteric, the internal, or secret doctrines, H hich were reserved for the more favoured few. — Ckokeb. 144 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. IG3. vernraent in its different departments ; a grazier, as a vast market for cattle ; a mercantile man, as a place where a prodigious deal of business is done upon 'Change ; a dramatic enthusiast, as the grand scene of theatrical entertain- ments ; a man of pleasure, as an assemblage of taverns, and the great emporium for ladies of easy virtue. But the intellectual man is struck with it, as comprehending the whole of human life in all its variety, the contemplation of which is inexhaustible. [JOHNSON TO MISS PORTER. " July 5. 1763. "My dearest Dear, — I am extremely glad that so much prudence and virtue as yours is at last awarded with so large a fortune ', and doubt not hut that the excellence which you have shewn in circumstances of difficulty will continue the same in the convenience of wealth. " I have not written to you sooner, having no- thing to say, which you would not easily suppose — nothing but that I love you and wish you happy ; of which you may be always assured, whetiier I write or not. " 1 have had an inflammation in my eyes ; but it is much better, and will be, I hope, soon quite well. " Be so good as to let me know whether you design to stay at Lichfield this summer ; if you do, 1 purpose to come down. I shall bring Frank with me; so that Kitty must contrive to make two beds, or get a • servant's bed at the Three Crowns, which may be as well. As I suppose she may want sheets, and table linen, and such things, I have sent ten pounds, which she may lay out in conveniences. I will pay her for our board wliat you think proper ; I think a guinea a week for me and the boy. " Be pleased to give my love to Kitty. — I am, my dearest love, your most humble servant, — Pearson MSS. " Sam. Johxson."] On "Wednesday, July 6., he was engaged to sup with me at my lodgings in Downing-street, Westminster. But on the preceding night my landlord having behaved very rudely to me and some company who were with me, I had resolved not to remain another night in his house. I was exceedingly uneasy at the awkward appearance I supposed I should make to Johnson and the other gentlemen whom I had invited, not being able to receive them at home, and being obliged to order supper at the Mitre. I went to Johnson in the morning, and talked of it as of a serious distress. He laughed, and said, "Consider, Sir, how insignifi- > Miss Porter had just received a legacy of ten thousand pounils, by the death of lier brother. — Cik/ker. 2 Certainly not ; you must use them according to the con- tract, expressed or implied, under which you have hired them. If a landlord breaks Wis part of tiie contract, the law will relieve the other party ; but the latter is not at liberty to take such violent and illegal steps as Johnson suggests Croker. 3 Isaac Ambrose Eccles, Esq., of Cronroe, ,n the county of Wicklow. whom I have heard talk of this supper. He was of a literary turn, and published one or two plays of Shakspeare, with notes Croker. cant this will appear a twelvemonth hence." Were this consideration to be applied to most of the little vexatious incidents of life, by which our quiet is too often disturbed, it would prevent many painful sensations. I have tried it frequently with good effect. " There is nothing," continued he, " in this mighty mis- fortune ; nay, we shall be better at the Mitre." I told him that I had been at Sir John Fielding's office, complaining of my landlord, and had been informed that, though I had taken my lodgings for a year, I might, upon proof of his bad behaviour, quit them when I pleased, without being under an obligation to pay rent for any longer time than while I possessed them. The fertility of Johnson's mind could show itself even upon so small a matter as this. " AVhy, Sir," said he, "I suppose this must be the law, since you have been told so in Bow-street. But, if your land- lord could hold you to your bargain, and the lodgings should be yours for a year, you may certainly use them as you think fit.^ So, Sir, you may quarter two life-guardsmen upon him; or you may send the greatest scoundrel you can find into your ajiartments ; or you may say that you want to make some experiments in natural philosophy, and may burn a large quantity of assafoetida in his house." I had as my guests this evening at the Mitre tavern. Dr. Johnson, Dr. Goldsmith, ]\Ir. Thomas Davies, Mr. Eccles^, an Irish gentleman, for whose agreeable company I was obliged to J\Ir. Davies, and the Rev. I\lr. John Ogilvie '^, who was desirous of being in com- pany Avith my illustrious friend ; while I, in my turn, was proud to have the honour of showing one of my countrymen upon what easy terms Johnson permitted me to live with him. Goldsmith, as usual, endeavoured, with too much eagerness, to sJtiiie, and disputed very warmly with Johnson against the well-known maxim of the British constitution, " the king can do no wrong;" affirming, that "wha't was morally false could not be politically true ; and as the king might, in the exercise of his reg.al power, command and cause the doing of Avhat was wrong, it certainly might be said, in sense and in reason, that he could do wrong." Johnson. " Sir, you are to consider, that in our constitution, according to its true prin- ciples, the king is the head, he is supreme ; he is above every thing, and there is no power by which he can be tried. Therefore it is. Sir, •1 The northern bard mentioned page 1-13. When tasked Dr. Johnson's permission to introduce him, he obligingly ,agreed ; adding, however, with a sly pleasantry, " but he must give us none of his poetry." It is' remarkab'le that Johnson and Cliurcliill, however much they difffred in other points, agreed on this suhjcct. See Churchill's " Journey." It is, however, but justice to Dr. Ogilvie to observe, that his " Day of Judgment " has no inconsiderable share of merit.— BoSWELt. Boswell's naivete in thinking it remarkable that two per- sons should agree in disliking the poetry of his northern bard is amusing : it might have been more remarkable if two had agreed in liking it Croker. Mr. 54. BOS WELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 145 that we hold the king can do no wrong ; that whatever may happen to be wrong in govern- ment may not be above our reach, by being ascribed to Majesty. Redress is always to be had against oppression, by punishing the im- mediate agents. The king, th(jugh he should command, cannot force a judge to condemn a man unjustly ; therefore it is the judge whom we prosecute and punish. Political institu- tions are formed upon the consideration of what will most frequently tend to the good of the whole, although now and then exceptions may occur. Thus it is better in general that a nation should have a supreme legislative power, although it may at times be abused. And then. Sir, there is this consideration, that if the nhuse he enormous, Nature icill rise np ; aud, claiming her original rights, ocerturu a corrupt political system." I mark this animated sentence with peculiar pleasure, as a noble instance of that truly dignified spirit of freedom which ever glowed in his heart, though he was charged with slavish tenets by superficial observers ; because he was at all times in- dignant against that false jiatriotisin, that pretended love of freedom, that unruly rest- lessness, which is inconsistent with the stable authority of any good goverrim'ent. This generous sentiment, which he uttered with great fervour, struck me exceedingly, and stirred my blood to that pitch of fancied resistance, the possibility of which I am glad to keep in mind, but to which I trust I never shall be forced. " Great abilities," said he, " are not re- quisite for an historian ; for in historical composition all the greatest powers of tlie human mind are quiescent. He has facts ready to his hand ; so there is no exorcise of inven- tion. Imagination is not required in any high degree ; only about as much as is used in the lower kinds of poetry. Some penetration, accuracy, and colouring, will fit a man for the task, If he can give the application which is necessary." " Bayle's Dictionary is a very useful work for those to consult who love the biographical part of literature, which Is what I love most." ' Talking of the eminent writers in Queen Anne's reign, he observed, "I think Dr. Arbuthnot the first man among them. He was the most universal genius, being an ex- 1 " Someboily speaking of Bayle's manner in his Dic- tionary, Mr. Pope said : — ' Ay, he is the only man that ever collected with so much judg?nent, and wrote with so much spirit, at the same time.' " — Spence — Wbioht. 2 Mrs. Brooke [Frances Moore, wife of the Rev. Mr.Brooke, chaplain to the forces in Canada, whither she accompanied him] received an answer not unlike this, when expatiating on the accumulation of sublime and beautiful objects, which form the fine prospect up the river St. Lawrence in North America: "Come, madam, (says Dr. Johnson,) confess that nothing ever equalled your pleasure in seeing that sight reversed, and finding yourself looking at the happy prospect Do«N the river St. Lawrence." Mrs. Brooke wrote two novels called " Emily Montague," and " Lady Julia Mande- ville." She afterwards produced several dramatic pieces, one of which, " Rosina," still keeps the stage. She is said to have been much esteemed by Johnson. She died in 1789. cellent physician, a man of deep learning, and a man of nuicli humour. IMi-. Addison was, to be sure, a great man : his learning was not pro- found ; but his morality, his humour, and his elegance of writing, set him very higii." IMr. Ogilvie was unlucky enough to choose for the topic of his conversation the praises of his native country. He began with saying, that there was very rich land around Edin- burgh. Goldsmltli, who had studied ])hysic there, contradicted this, very untruly, witli a sneering laugh. Disconcerted a little by this, Mr. Ogilvie then took new ground, where, I suppose, he tliought himself perfectly safe; for he observed, that Scotland had a great many noble wild prospects. Johnson. "I believe, Sir, you have a great many. Norway, too, has noble wild prospects ; and Lapland is remark- able for prodigious noble wild prospects. But, Sir, let me tell you, the noblest prospect wliich a Scotchman ever sees, is the high road that leads him to England ! " ^ This unexpected and pointed sally produced a roar of applause. After all, however, those who admire the rude grandeur of Nature cannot deny it to Cale- donia. On Saturday, July 9., I found Johnson surrounded with a numerous levee, but have not preserved any part of his conversation. [JOHNSON TO MISS PORTER. "July 12. 1763. " My dearest Love, — I Iiad forj^ot my debt to jioor Kitty ; pray lt.'t her have the note, and do what you can for her, for she has been always very good. I will help her to a little more money if slie wants it, and will write. I intend that she shall have the use of the house as long as she and I live. " That there should not be room for me at the iiouse is some disappointment to me, but the mat- ter is not very great. I am sorry you have had your head filled with building', for many reasons. It was not necessary to settle immediately for life at any one place ; you might have staid and seen more of the world. You will not have your work done, as you do not understand it, but at twice the value. You might have hired a house at half the interest of the money for which you build it, if your house cost you a thousand jiounds. You mifrlit liave the Palace for twenty pounds, and make forty of your thousand pounds ; so in twenty years you would " The truth is," adds Mrs. Piozzi, " he hated to hear about prosficcts and views, and laying out ground, and taste in gardening:— " That was the best garden (he said) which produced most roots and fruits ; and that water was most to be prized which contained most fish." He used to laugh at Shenstone most unmercifully for not caring whether there was any thing good U^eat in the streams he was so fond of. Walk- ing in a wood when it rained was, 1 think, the only rural image which pleased his fancy. He loved the sight of fine forest- trees, however, and detested Brighthclmstone Downs, " be- cause it was a country so truly desolate (he said), that if one had a mind to li.ing one's self for desperation at being obliged to live there, it would be difficult to find a tree on which to fasten the rope." — Crokp,!!. 3 Miss Porter laid out nearly one-third of her legacy in building a handsome house at Lichfield, where Johnson in after years frequently visited her. — Choker. 146 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON 1763. have saved four hundred pounds, and still have had your thousand. I am, dear dear, yours, &c., — Pearson MSS. " Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO GEORGE STRAHAN. " 14th July, 1763. " Dear Geoiige, — To give pain ought always to be painful, and I am sorry that I have been the occasion of any uneasiness to you, to whom I hope never to [do] any thing but for your benefit or your pleasure. Your uneasiness was without any reason on your part, as you had written with sufficient frequency to me, and I had only neg- lected to answer them, because as nothing new had been proposed to your study, no new direction or Incitement could be offered you. But if it had happened that you had omitted what you did not omit, and that I had for an hour, or a week, or a much longer time, thought myself put out of your mind by something to which presence gave that prevalence, which presence will sometimes give even where there is the most prudence and ex- perience, you are not to imagine that my friend- ship is light enough to be blown away by the first cross blast, or that my regard or kindness hangs by so slender a hair as to be broken off by the unfelt weight of a petty offence. I love you, and hope to love you long. You have hitherto done nothing to diminish my good will, and though you had done much more than you have supposed imputed to you, my good will would not have been diminished. " I write thus largely on this suspicion, which you have suffered to enter into your mind, because in youth we are apt to be too rigorous in our ex- pectations, and to suppose that the duties of life are to be performed with unfailing exactness and regu- larity ; but in our progress through life we are forced to abate much of our demands, and to take friends such as we can find them, not as we would make them. " These concessions every wise man is more ready to make to others, as he knows that he shall often want them for himself; and when he remem- bers how often he fails in the observance of a culti- vation of his best friends, is willing to suppose that his friends may in their turn neglect him, without any intention to offend him. " When therefore it shall happen, as happen it will, that you or I have disappointed the expecta- tion of the other, you are not to suppose that you have lost me, or that I intended to lose you ; nothing will remain but to repair the fault, and to go on as if it never had been committed. I am, Sir, your affectionate servant, Sam, Johnson."] — Rose MSS. Oa the 14th we had another evening by ourselves at the Mitre. It happening to be a very rainy night, I made some common-place observations on the relaxation of nerves and depression of spirits which such weather occa- 1 Johnson would suffer none of his friends to fill up chasms in conversation with remarks on the weather : — " Let us not talk of the weather." — Birney. 2 Mrs. Piozzi says tliat " though Dr. Johnson owed his very life to air and exercise given him when his organs of re- spiration could scarcely play, in the year 1766, yet he ever p<^rsisted in the notion, that neither of them had any thing to sioned ' ; adding, however, that it was good for the vegetable creation. Johnson, who, as we have already seen, denied tliat the temperature of the air had any influence on the human frame, answered, with a smile of ridicule, " Why, yes, Sir, it is good for vegetables, and for the animals who eat those vegetables, and for the animals who eat those animals." This observation of his aptly enough introduced a good supper ; and I soon forgot, in Johnson's company, the influence of a moist atmosphere.^ Feeling myself now cptite at ease as his companion, thougli I had all possible reverence for him, I expressed a regret that I could not be so easy with my father, though he was not much older than Johnson, and certainly, how- ever respectable, had not more learning and greater abilities to depress me. I asked him the reason of this. Johnson. " Why, Sir, I am a man of the world. I live in the world, and I take, in some degree, the colour of the world as it moves along. Your father is a judge in a remote part of the island, and all his notions are taken from the old world. Besides, Sir, there must always be a struggle between a father and son, while one aims at power and the other at independence." I said, I was afraid my father would force me to be a lawyer. Johnson. " Sir, you need not be afraid of his forcing you to be a laborious practising lawyer; that is not in his power. For, as the pi-overb says, ' One man may lead a horse to the water, but twenty cannot make him drink.' He may be displeased that you are not what he wishes you to be ; but that displeasure will not go far. If he insists only on your having as much law as is necessary for a man of property, and then endeavours to get you into parliament, he is quite in the right." He enlarged very convincingly upon the excellence of rhyme over blank verse in En- glish poetry. 1 mentioned to him tliat Dr. Adam Smith, in his lectures upon composition, when I studied under him in the College of Glasgow, had maintained the same opinion strenuously, and I repeated some of his argu- ments. Johnson. " Sir, I was once ^ in com- pany with Smith, and we did not take to each other ; but had I known that he loved rhyme as much as you tell me he does, I should have HUGGED him." Talking of those who denied the truth of Christianity, he said, " It is always easy to be on the negative side. If a man were now to deny that' there is salt upon the table, you could not reduce him to an absurdity. Come, let us try this a little further. I deny that Canada is taken, and I can support my denial do with health." " People live as long," said he, " in Pepper Alley as on Salisbury Plain ; and they live so much happier, that an inhabitant of the first would, if he turned cottager, starve his understanding for want of conversation, and perish in a state of mental inferiority." — Croker. 3 See post, 29th Oct. 1773, and 29th April, 1778 — C. J ^.T. o4. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 147 by pretty good arguments. The French are a much more numerous people than we ; and it is not likely that they would allow us to take it. ' But the ministry have assured us, in all the formality of the Gazette, that it is taken.' — Very true. But the ministry have put us to an enormous expense by the war in America, and it is their interest to persuade us tliat wc have got something for our money. — • 'But the fact is confirmed by thousands of men who were at the taking of it.' — Ay, but these men have still more interest in deceiving us. They don't want that you should think the French have beat them, but that they have beat the French. Now suppose you should go over and find that it really is taken ; that would only satisfy yourself; for when you come home we will not believe you. We will say, you have been bribed. — Yet, Sir, notwithstanding all these plausible objections, we have no doubt that Canada is really ours. Such is the weight of common testimony. How much stronger are the evidences of the Christian religion ! " " Idleness is a disease which must be com- bated ; but I would not advise a rigitl ad- herence to a particular plan of. study. - I myself have never persisted in any plan for two days together. A man ought to read just as inclination leads him ; for what he reads as a task will do him little good. A young man should read five hours in the day, and so may acquire a great deal of knowledge." To a man of vigorous intellect and ardent curiosity like his own, reading without a re- gular plan may be beneficial ; though even such a man must submit to it, if he would attain a full understanding of any of the sciences. To such a degree of unrestrained frankness had he now accvistomed me, that in the course of this evening I talked of the numerous reflections which had been thrown out against him on account of his having accepted a pension from his present Majesty. " Why, Sir, (said he, with a hearty laugh,) it is a mighty foolish noise that they make.^ I have accepted of a pension as a reward which has been thought due to my literary merit ; and now that 1 have this pension, I am the same man in every respect that I have ever been ; I retain the same principles. It is true, that I cannot now curse (smiling) the house of Ha- nover ; nor would it be decent for me to drink King James's health in the wine that King George gives me money to pay for. But, Sir, I think that the pleasure of cursing the house of Hanover, and drinking King James's health, » Seepoj^his letter to Mr. George Strahan, May 25. 1765. — C. 2 When I mentioned the same idle clamour to him several years afterwards, he said, with a smile, " 1 wish my pension were twice as large, that they might make twice as much noise." — Boswell. 3 It seems unlikely that he and Mr. Walmesley could have had much intercourse since 1737, when Johnson removed to London: Mr. Walmesley continuing to reside in Lichfield, are amply overbalanced by three hundred pounds a year." There was here, most certainly, an aflfecta- tion of more Jacobitism than he really had ; and indeed an intention of admitting, for the moment, in a mucli greater extent than it really existed, the charge of disalfection im- puted to him by the world, merely for the purpose of showing how dexterously he could repel an attack, even though he were placed in the most disadvantageous position ; for I have heard him declare, that if holding up his right hand Avould have secured victory at CuUoden to Prince Charles's army, he was not sure he would have held it up ; so little confidence had he in the right claimed by the house of Stuart, and so fearful was he of the consequences of another revolution on the throne of Great Britain ; and Mr. Topham Beauclerk assured mc, he had heard him say this before he had his pension. At another time he said to JMr. Langton, " Nothing has ever offered that has made it worth my while to consider the ques- tion fully." He, however, also said to the same gentleman, talking of King James the Second, " It was become impossible for him to reign any longer in this country." lie no doubt had an early attachment to the house of Stuart ; but his zeal had cooled as his reason strengthened. Indeed, I heard him once say, " that after the death of a violent Whig, with whom he used to contend with great eagerness, he felt his Toryism much abated." I suppose he meant Mr. Walmesley.^ Yet there is no doubt that at earlier periods he was wont often to exercise both his plea- santry and ingenuity in talking^ Jacobitism. My much respected friend. Dr. Douglas, now Bishop of Salisbury, has favoured me with the following admirable instance from his Lord- ship's own recollection. One day when dining at old Mr. Langton's, where Miss Roberts, his niece, was one of the company, Johnson, with his usual complacent attention to the fair sex, took her by the hand and said, " My dear, I hope you are a Jacobite." Old Mr. Langton, who, though a high and steady Tory, was attached to the present royal family, seemed offended, and asked Johnson with great warmth, what he could mean by putting such a question to his niece ? " Why, Sir," said Johnson, " I meant no offence to your niece ; I meant her a great compliment. A Jacobite, Sir, believes in the divine right of kings. He that believes in the divine right of kings believes in a Divinity. A Jacobite believes in the divine right of bishops. He that believes in the where he died in ITSl : it was more probably some member of the Ivy-lane club, perhaps M'Ghie, who was a strong Whig; as indeed was Dyer, but he survived to 1772.— C, 1831. I cannot but believe that the events of H-IS had some influence on Dr. Johnson personally, tothe diminution of his Jacobite feelings. See ante, p. .M. n. 2. The battle of Cul- Idden was fought some months after the Pretender's retreat out of England, when, if at all. the occasion of Johnson's disgust must have happened. — Crokeu, IS-fG. I. 2 148 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1763. divine right of bishops believes in the divine authority of the Christian religion. Therefore, Sir, a Jacobite is neither an atheist nor a deist. That cannot be said of a "VVliig ; for Whiggism is a negation of all principle." ' He advised me, when abroad, to be as much as I could with the professors in the universi- ties, and with the clergy ; for from their con- versation I might expect the best accounts of every thing, in whatever country I should be, with the additional advantage of keeping my learning alive. It will be observed, that when giving me advice as to my travels. Dr. Johnson did not dwell upon cities, and palaces, and pictures, and shows, and Arcadian scenes. He was of Lord Essex's ^ opinion, who advises his kins- man, Roger Earl of Rutland, " rather to go a hundred miles to speak with one wise man, than five miles to see a foir town." ^ I described to him an impudent fellow from Scotland, who affected to be a savage, and railed at all established systems. Johnson. " Tliere is nothing surprising in this, Sir. He wants to make himself conspicuous. He would tumble in a hogsty, as long as you looked at him and called to him to come out. But let him alone, never mind him, and he'll soon give it over." I added, that the same person * maintained that there was no distinction between virtue and vice. Johnson. " Why, Sir, if the fellow does not think as he speaks, he is lying ; and I see not what honour he can propose to himself from having the character of a liar. But if he does really think that there is no distinc- tion between virtue and vice, why. Sir, when he leaves our houses let us count our spoons." Sir Uavid Dali-ymple, now one of the Judges of Scotland by the title of Lord Hailes^, had contributed much to increase my high opinion of Johnson, on account of his writings, long before I attained to a personal acquaintance with him : I, in return, had in- formed Johnson of Sir David's eminent cha- racter for learning and religion ; and Johnson was so much pleased, that at one of our even- ing meetings he gave him for his toast. I at this time kept up a very frequent corre- spondence with Sir David ; and I read to Dr. Johnson to-night the following passage from the letter which I had last received from him : — 1 He used to tell, with great humour, from my relation to him, the following little story of my early years, which was literally true : — " Boswell, in the year lt-15, was a fine hoy, wore a white corkade, and prayed fur King .Tames, till one of his uncles (General Cochran) gave him a shilling on con- dition that he would pray for King George, which he accordingly did. So you see fsays Boswell) that Whigs of all ages are made the same way." — Boswell. 2 The celebrated and unfortunate Karl of Essex Croker, 1846. 3 Letter to Uutland on Travel, 16mo. 1.506. — Boswell. ■< This person has, fortunately for him, escaped my in- quiries after his identity Croker, 184G. ' This learned and excellent person was born in 172G ; educated at Eton, and afterwards at Utrecht ; called to the Scotch bar in 1748 ; a lord of session in 1766. He died in " It gives me pleasure to think that you have obtained the friendship of Mr. Samuel Johnson. He is one of the best moral writers which England has produced. At the same time, I envy you the free and undisguised converse with such a man. May I beg you to present my best respects to him, and to assure him of the veneration which I en- tertain for the author of the Rambler and of Ras- selas ? Let me recommend this last work to you ; with the Rambler you certainly are acquainted. In Rasselas you will see a tender-hearted operator, who probes the wound only to heal it. Swift, on the contrary, mangles human nature. He cuts and slashes, as if he took pleasure in the operation, like the tyrant who said, Ita feri ut se sentiat emori." Johnson seemed to be much gratified by this just and Avell-turned compliment. He recommended to me to keep a journal of my life, full and unreserved. He said it would be a very good exercise, and would yield me great satisfaction when the particulars were faded from my remembrance. I was uncom- monly fortunate in having had a previous coincidence of opinion with him upon this subject, for I had kept such a journal for some time ; and it was no small pleasure to me to have this to tell him, and to receive his appro- bation. He counselled me to keep it private, and said I might surely have a friend who would burn it in case of my death. From this habit I have been enabled to give the world so many anecdotes, which would other- wise have been lost to posterity. I mentioned that I was afraid I put into my journals too many little incidents. Johnson. " There is nothing. Sir, too little for so little a creature as man. It is by studying little things, that we attain the great art of having as little misery and as much happiness as possible." Next morning Mr. Dempster happened to call on me, and was so much struck even with the imperfect account which I gave him of Dr. Johnson's conversation, that to his honour be it recorded, when I complained that drinking port and sitting up late with him, affected my nerves for some time after, he said, " One had better be palsied at eighteen than not keep company with such a man." On Tuesday, July 19., I found tall Sir Thomas Robinson ^ sitting with Johnson. Sir Thomas said, that the King of Prussia valued himself upon three things : — upon being a hero, a musician, and an author. Johnson. 1792. He wrote some papers in the Vr'orld and Mirror, and published several original tracts on religious, historical, and antiquarian subjects, and republished a great many more Crokeh. 6 The elder brother of the first Lord Rokeby, called long Sir Thomas Robinson, on account of his height, and to dis- tinguish him from SirThomas Robinson, first Lord Grantham. He was a familiar acquaintance of Lord Chesterfield, and by him, as Hawkins relates, employed as a mediator with Johnson, who, on his first visit, treated him very indignantly. It was on his request for an epigram that Lord Chesterfield made the distich — " f/wlike my subject will I make my song. It shall be witty and it shan't be lung :" and to whom he said in his last illness, " Ah, Sir Thomas, JE-r. 54. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 149 " Pretty well, Sir, for one man. As to his I beinj; an author, I have not looked at his } poetry ; but his prose is poor stuff. He writes just as you may suppose Voltaire's ibotboy to do, who' has been his amanuensis. He has such parts as the valet might have, and about ' as much of the colouring of the style as might ! be got by transcribing his works." When I I was at Fernoy, I repeated this to Voltaire, in order to reconcile him somewhat to Johnson, whom he, in affecting the English mode of ! e.xpression, had previously characterised as " a superstitious dog ; " but after hearing such a criticism on Frederick the Great, with whom he was then on bad terms, he exclaimed, " An honest fellow! " lint I think the criticism much too severe ; for the "Memoirs of the House of Branden- burgh" are written as well as many works of that kind. His poetry, for the style of which he himself makes a frank apology, '■'• jargommnt un Fninqois barhare" though frauglit with pernicious ravings of infidelity, has, in many places, great animation, and in some a pathetic tenderness. Upon this contemptuous animadversion on the King of Prussia, I observed to Johnson, " It would seem then, Sir, that much less parts are necessary to make a king, than to nuike an author ; for the king of Prussia is confessedly the greatest king now in Europe, yet you think he makes a very poor figure as an author." Mr. Levett this day showed me Dr. Johnson's library, which was contained in two garrets over his chambers, where Lintot, son of the celebrated bookseller of that name, had formerly his warehouse. I found a number of good books, but very dusty and in great con- fusion. The floor was strewed with manu- script leaves, in Johnson's own handwriting, which I beheld with a degree of veneration, supposing they perhaps might contain portions of the Rambler, or of Rasselas. I observed an apparatus for chemical experiments, of which Johnson was all his life very fond. The place seemed to be very favourable for retirement and meditation. Johnson told me, that he went up thither without mentioning it to his servant when he wanted to study, secure from interruption; for he would not allow his servant to say he was not at home when he really was. " A servant's strict regard for truth," said he, "must be weakened by such a practice. A philosopher may know that it is merely a It will, be sooner over with me than it would be with you, for I am dying by inches. Lord Chesterfield was very short. Sir Thomas did not long survive his witty friend, and died in 1777. — CROKiiB. 1 William Johnson Temple, LL B , of Trinity Hall, Cam- bridge. Boswell had formed an intimacy with this pintleman at tlie University ol Glasgow. Temple's sketch of Gray's character, adopted both by Mason and Johnson, has trans- mitted his name to posterity. For some particulars of his preferment and works, see Mitford's " Johnson told Dr. Burney, that Goldsmith said, when he first began to write, he determined to commit to paper nothing but what was new; but he afterwards found that what was new was generally false, .and from that time was no longer solicitous about novelty — Bukney. See post, March 26. 1779. — C. 5 This boyish practice appears to have adhered, in some degree, to the 7nan Croker. ^T. 54. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. l^l fellow, I was a great arguer for the advan- tages of poverty ; but I was, at the same time, very sorry to be poor. Sir, all the arguiiients which are brought to represent poverty as no evil, show it to be evidently a great evil. You I never find people labouring to convince you that you may live very happily upon a plen- tiful fortune. So you hear people talking how miserable a king must be; and yet they all wish to be in his place." It was suggested, that kings must be un- I happy, because they are deprived of the greatest of all satisfactions, easy and unre- served society. Johnson. " That is an ill- founded notion. Being a king does not exclude a man from such society. Great kings have always been social. The king of Prussia, the i only great king at present, is very social. j Charles the Second, the last king of England who was a man of parts, was social ; and our Henrys and Edwards were all social." ' Mr. Dempster having endeavoured to main- tain that intrinsic merit oiLght to make the only distinction amongst mankind. Johnson. "Why, Sir, mankind have found that this cannot be. How shall we determine the proportion of intrinsic merit ? Were that to be the only distinction amongst mankind, we should soon quarrel about the degrees of it. Were all distinctions abolished, the strongest would not long acquiesce, but would endeavour to obtain a superiority by their bodily strength. But, Sir, as subordination is very necessary for society, and contentions for superiority very dangerous, mankind, that is to say, all civilised nations, have settled it upon a plain invariable principle. A man is born to hereditary rank ; or his being appointed to certain offices gives him a certain rank. Subordination tends greatly to human happiness. Were we all upon an equality, we should have no other enjoyment than mere animal pleasure." I said, I consider distinction of rank to be of so much importance in civilised society, that if I were asked on the same day to dine with the first duke in England, and with tbe first man in Britain for genius, I should hesitate which to prefer. Johnson. " To be sure, Sir, if you were to dine only once, and it were never to be known where you dined, you would choose rather to dine with the first man for genius ; but to gain most respect, you should dine with the first duke in England. For nine people in ten that you meet with, would have a higher opinion of you for having dined with a duke ; and the great genius him- self would receive you better, because you had been with the great duke." I This opinion received strong confirmation from George the Fourth, whose natural abilities were undoubtedly very considerable, whose reign was eminently glorious, and whose private life ivns in a high degree amiable and social ; but after all. the dullest people must be social in their own way, and George I. was probably as social in the Duchess of Kendal's circle as Cliarles II. in the Duchess of Cleveland's — Croker. He took care to guard himself against any possible suspicion that his settled principles of reverence for rank, and respect for wealth, were at all owing to mean or interested motives ; for he asserted his own independence as a literary man. " No man," said he, "who ever lived by literature, has lived more in- dependently than I have done." He said he had taken longer time than he needed to have done in composing his Dictionary. He received our compliments upon that gi'eat work with complacency, and told us that the Academy clella Crusca could scarcely believe that it was done by one man. Next morning I found him alone, and have preserved the following fragments of his con- versation. Of a gentleman ^ who was men- tioned, he said, " I have not met with any man for a long time who has given me euch general displeasure. He is totally unfixed In his prin- ciples, and wants to puzzle other people." I said his principles had been poisoned by a noted infidel writer, but that he was, neverthe- less, a benevolent good man. Johnson. "We can have no dependence upon that instinctive, that constitutional goodness, which is not founded upon principle. I grant you that such a man may be a very amiable member of society. I can conceive him placed in such a situation that he is not much tempted to de- viate from what is right ; and as every man prefers virtue, when there is not some strong incitement to transgress its precepts, I can conceive him doing nothing wrong. But If such a man stood in need of money, I should not like to trust him ; and I should certainly not trust him with young ladies, for there there is always temptation. Hume, and other scep- tical innovators, are vain men, and will gratify themselves at any expense. Truth will not afford suflicient food to their vanity ; so they have betaken themselves to error. Truth, Sir, Is a cow which will yield such people no more milk, and so they are gone to milk the bull. If I could have allowed myself to gratify my vanity at the expense of truth, what fame might I have acquired ! Every thing which Hume has advanced against Christianity had passed through my mind long before he wrote. Always remember this, that after a system is well settled upon positive evidence, a few partial objections ought not to shake it. The human mind is so limited, that it cannot take in all the })arts of a subject, so that there may be objections raised against any thing. There are objections against a plc7imii, and ob- jections against a vacuum; yet one of them must certainly be true." 2 Probably Mr. Dempster, whose share in the preceding conversation — (and it is, I dare say, not fully reported by his friend Boswell) — was very likely to have displeased John- son. The "infidel writer" is no dOubt their countryman, Hume. — Croker. 152 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1763. I mentioned Hume's argument against the I belief of miracles, that it is more probable i that the witnesses to the truth of them are mistaken, or speak falsely, than that the mi- racles should be true. Johnson. " Why, Sir, the great difficulty of proving miracles should make us very cautious in believing them. But let us consider ; although God has made Nature to operate by certain fixed laws, j yet it is not unreasonable to think that he may j suspend those laws, in order to establish a ; system highly advantageous to mankind. Now j the Christian religion is a most beneficial system, as it gives us light and certainty where we were before in darkness and doubt. The miracles which prove it are attested by men who had no interest in deceiving us ; but who, on the contrary, were told that they should suffer persecution, and did actually lay down their lives in confirmation of the truth of the facts which they asserted. Indeed, for some centuries the heathens did not pretend to deny the miracles ; but said they were performed by the aid of evil spirits. This is a circumstance of great weight. Then, Sir, when we take the proofs derived from prophecies which have been so exactly fulfilled, we have most satisfac- tory evidence. Supposing a miracle possible, as to which, in my opinion, there can be no doubt, we have as strong evidence for the miracles in support of Christianity as the nature of the thing admits." At night, Mr. Johnson and I supped in a private room at the Turk's Head coffee-house, m the Strand.' "I encourage this house," said he, " for the mistress of it is a good civil woman, and has not much business." " Sir, I love the acquaintance of young people ; because, in the first place, I don't like to think myself growing old. In the next place, young acquaintances must last longest, if they do last; and then. Sir, young men have more virtue than old men ; they have more generous sentiments in every respect. I love the young dogs of this age ; they have more wit and humour and knowledge of life than we had 2; but then the dogs are not so good scholars. Sir, in my early years I read very hard. It is a sad reflection, but a true one, that I knew almost as much at eighteen as I do now.^ My jiidgment, to be sure, was not so good; but I had all the facts. I remember very well, when I was at Oxford, an old gentleman said to me, ' Young man, ply your book diligently now, and acquire a stock of knowledge; for when years come unto you, you will find that poring upon books will be but an irksome task.' " ' A coffee-house over against Catherine Street, in the Strand, recently rebuilt and called " Wright's Hotel." — P. Cunningham. 2 The justice ofthisassertion may hequestioned. Johnson was comparing men of sucli a rank and station as he now met, with the narrow, provincial, and inferior society in which his own youth was spent. — Crokf.r. 3 His great period of study was from the age of twelve to This account of his reading, given by him- self in plain words, sufficiently confirms what I have already advanced upon the disputed question as to his application. It reconciles any seeming inconsistency in his way of talking upon it at different times ; and shows that idleness and reading hard were with him relative terms, the import of which, as used by him, must be gathered from a comparison with what scholars of different degrees of ardour and assiduity have been known to do. And let it be remembered, tliat he was now talking spontaneously, and expressing his genuine sentiments ; whereas at other times he might be induced, from his spirit of contradiction, or more properly from his love of argumentative contest, to speak lightly of his own application to study. It is pleasing to consider that the old gentleman's gloomy prophecy as to the irksomeness of books to men of an advanced age, which is too often fulfilled, was so fiir from being verified in Johnson, that .his ardour for literature never failed, and his last writinofs had more ease and vivacity than any of his earlier productions. He mentioned it to me now, for the first time, that he had l^een distressed by melan- choly, and for that reason had been obliged to fly from study and meditation, to the dissi- pating variety of life. Against melancholy he recommended constant occupation of mind, a great deal of exercise, moderation in eating and drinking, and especially to shun drinking at night. He said melancholy people were apt to fly to intemperance for relief, but that it sunk them much deeper in misery. He observed, that labouring men, who work hard,- and live sparingly, are seldom or never troubled with low spirits. He again insisted on the duty of maintaining subordination of rank. " Sir, 1 would no more deprive a nobleman of his respect, than of his money. I consider myself as acting a part in the great system of society, and I do to otliers as I would have them to do to me. I would behave to a nobleman as I should expect he would behave to me, were I a nobleman and he Sam. Johnson. Sir, there is one Mrs.Macaulay *, in this town, a great republican. One day when I was at her house, I put on a very gr.ave countenance, and said to her, ' Madam, I am now become a convert to your way of thinking. I am convinced that all mankind are upon an equal footing ; and to give you an unquestion- able proof. Madam, that I am in earnest, here is a very sensible, civil, well-behaved fellow citizen, your footman; I desire that he may be allowed to sit down and dine with us.' I thus, that of eighteen ; as he told Mr. Langton, who gave me this information — Mai.one. He went to Oxford in his nineteenth year, and ))roduced, if he had not previously made, his trans- lation of the Messiah before he had been there quite three months Crokrr. ■* This " one Mrs. Macaulay " was the same personage, whe afterwards made herself so much known as " the celebrated female historian." — Boswell. See ante, p. 78. n. 3 C. ^T. 54. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 153 Sir, showed her the absurdity of the levelling doctrine. She has never liked ine since. Sir, your levellers wish to level down as far as themselves ; but they cannot bear levelling vp to themselves. They would all have some people under them ; why not then have some people above them ? " I mentioned a certain author who disgusted me by his forwardness, and by showing no deference to noblemen into whose company he was admitted. Johnson. " Suppose a shoemaker should claim an equality with him, as he does with a lord: how he would stare ! " A^'hy, Sir, do you stare ? (says the shoemaker,) I do great service to society. 'Tis true, I am paid for doing it ; but so are you. Sir : and, I am sorry to say it, better paid than I am, for doing something not so necessary. For mankind could do better without your books, than without my shoes.' Thus, Sir, there would be a perpetual struggle for precedence, were there no fixed invariable rules for the dis- tinction of rank, which creates no jealousy, as it is allowed to be accidental." He said. Dr. Joseph A\''arton was a very agreeable man, and his " Essay on the Genius and Writings of Pope" a very pleasing book. I wondered that he delayed so long to give us the continuation of it. Johnson. " Why, Sir, I suppose he finds himself a little disap- pointed, in not having been able to ])ersuade the world to be of his opinion as to Pope." We have now been favoured with the con- cluding volume, in which, to use a parlia- mentary expression, he has explained, so as not to appear quite so adverse to the opinion of the world, concerning Pope, as was at first thought ; and we must all agree, that his work is a most valuable accession to English litera- ture. A writer of deserved eminence ' being men- tioned, Johnson said, " Why, Sir, he is a man of good parts, but being originally poor, he has got a love of mean company, and low jocularity ; a very bad thing. Sir. To laugh is good, as to talk is good. But you ought no more to think it enough if you laugh, than you are to think it enough if you talk. You may laugh in as many ways as you talk; and surely evei-y way of talking that is practised cannot be esteemed." I spoke of Sir James Macdonald^ as a young man of most distinguished merit, who united the highest reputation at Eton and Oxford, with the patriarchal spirit of a great 1 It is not easy to say who was here meant. Murphy, who was born poor, was disthij-Miished for elcpance of manners and conversation; and Fielding, who could not have been spoken of as ahve in 1703, was born to better prospects, though he kept low company ; and had it been Goldsmith, Boswell would probably have had no scruple in naming him. — C, 1830. The neighbouring mention of the name of Joseph Warton. and the allusion to " a fondness for low company," with which he has been often reproached (though Dr. Mant says unjustly),creates a suspicion that A(? is the person meant. The Quarterly Review (1831) suggests Smollett; who had left London for Italy the month before this conversation Highland chieftain. I mentioned that Sir James had said to me, that he had never seen jNIr. Johnson, but he had a great respect for him, though at the same time it was mixed with some degree of terror. Johnson. " Sir, if he were to be acquainted with me, it might lessen both." The mention of this gentleman led us to talk of the Western Islands of Scotland, to visit Avhich he expressed a wish, that then ap- peared to me a very romantic fimcy, which I little thought would be afterwards realised, lie told me, that his father had put Martin's account of those islands into his hands when he was very young, and that he was highly pleased with it : that he was particularly struck with the St. Kilda man's notion that the high church of Glasgow had been hollowed out of a rock ^ ; a circumstance to which old Mr. Johnson had directed his attention. He said, he would go to the Hebrides with me, when I returned from my travels, unless some very good companion should offer when I was absent, which he did not think probable; adding, "There ai-e few people to whom I take so much as to you." And when I talked of my leaving England, he said with a A'cry af- fectionate air, " ]My dear Eoswell, I should be very unhappy at parting, did I think we were not to meet again." — I cannot too ofteii remind my readers, that although such instances of his kindness are doubtless very flattering to me, yet I hope my recording them will be ascribed to a better motive than to vanity; for they afford unquestionable evidence of his tenderness and complacency, which some, while they were forced to acknowledge his great powers, have been so strenuous to deny. He maintained, that a boy at school was the happiest of human beings. I supported a dif- ferent opinion, from which I have never yet varied, that a man is happier : and I enlarged upon the anxiety and sufferings which are endured at school. Johnson. " Ah ! Sir, a boy's being flogged is not so severe as a man's having the hiss of the world against him. Men have a solicitude about fiimc; and the greater share they have of it, the more afraid they are of losing it." I silently asked myself, " Is it possible that the great Samuel Johnson really entertains any such apprehension, and is not confident that liis exalted fame is established upon a foundation never to be shaken ? " He this evening drank a bumper to Sir David Dalrymple, " as a man of worth, a occurs, and might naturally be talked of; but, on the whole, I believe Warton was meant. — Croker. 2 A young baronet of great promise, whom Mr. Boswell called the Marcellus of Scotland, and whom the concurrent testimony of his contemporaries proves to have been a very extraordmary young man. (Mrs. Carter's Letters, vol.1, p. 316.) Hediedat Romein 17fi6. See pos«, 5th Sept. 1773. He was the elder brother of Sir Alexander, created Lord Macdonald, and of the late Chief Baron. — Choker, 1846. 3 Addison, in the Spectator, No. 50., makes the Indian king suppose that St. Paul's was carved out of a rock.— . Croker. 154 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1763. scholar, and a wit." " I have," said he, "never heard of him, except from you ; but let him know my opinion of him : for, as he does not show himself much in the world, he should have the praise of the few who hear of him." CHAPTER XVII. 1763. Table- Talk. — Influence of the Weather. — Swift. — Thomson. — Burke. — Sheridan. — Evidences of Christianity. — Derrick. — Day at Greenwich. — The Methodists. — Johnsoii's "Walk." — Con- vocation. — Blacklock. — Johnson accompanies Boswell to Harwich. — The Journey. — " Good Eating." — ^'Abstinence and Temperance." — Johnson's favourite Dishes. — Bishop Berkeley " refuted." — Burke. — Bosivell sails for Holland. On Tuesday, July 26., I found ]\Ir. Johnson alone. It was a very wet day, and I again complained of the disagreeable effects of such weather. Johnson. " Sir, this is all imagina- tion, Avhich physicians encourage ; for man lives in air, as a fish lives in water ; so that, if the atmosphere press heavy from above, there is an equal resistance from below. To be sure, bad weather is hard upon people who are obliged to be abroad ; and men cannot labour so well in tlie open air in bad weather, as in good : but, Sir, a smith or tailor, whose work is within doors, Avill surely do as much in rainy weather as in fair. Some very delicate frames indeed may be affected by wet weather ; but not common constitutions." We talked of the education of children ; and I asked him what he thought was best to teacli them first. Johnson. " Sir, it is no matter what you teach them first, any more than what leg you shall put into your breeches first. Sir, you may stand disputing which is best to put in first, but in the mean time your breech is bare. Sir, while you are considering which of two things you should teach your child first, another boy has learnt them both." On Thursday, July 28., we again supped in private at the Turk's Head coffee-house. Johnson. " Swift has a higher reputation than he deserves. His excellence is strong sense, for his humour, though very well, is not remarkably good. I doubt whether the ' This opinion was given by him more at large at a subse- (|uent period. See pos^ Aug. IG. 1773.— Boswell. How could .Johnson doubt that Swift was the author of the Tale of a Tub, when, as he himself relates in his Life of Swift, " no other claimants can be produced ; and when Archbishop Sharpe and the Duchess of Somerset, by showing it to Queen Anne, debarred Swift of a bishopriek, he did not deny it?" We have, moreover. Swift's own acknowledgment of it, in his letter to Ben. Tooke, the printer, June 29. 1710. — Choker. ' Tale of a Tub ' be his ; for he never owned it, and it is much above his usual manner.' " Thomson, I think, had as much of the poet about him as most writers. Every thing ap- peared to him through the medium of his favourite pursuit. He could not have viewed those two candles burning but with a poetical eye." " Has not " a great deal of wit, Sir ? " Johnson. " I do not think so. Sir. He is, indeed, continually attempting wit, but he fails. And I have no more pleasure in hearing a man attempting wit and failing, than in seeing a man trying to leap over a ditch and tumbling into it." He laughed heartily when I mentioned to him a saying of his concerning Mr. Thomas Sheridan, which Foote took a wicked pleasure to circulate. "Why, Sir, Sherry is dull, naturally dull ; but it must have taken him a great deal of pains to become what we now see him. Such an excess of stupidity. Sir, is not in Nature." — " So," said he, " I allowed him all his own merit." He now added, " Sheridan cannot bear me. I bring his declamation to a point. I ask him a plain question, 'What do you mean to teach? '3 Besides, Sir, what influence can Mr. Sheridan have upon the language of this great country, by his narrow exertions ? Sir, it is burning a farthing candle at Dover, to show light at Calais." Talking of a young man * who was uneasy from thinking that he was very deficient in learning and knowledge, he said, " A man has no reason to complain who holds a middle place, and has many below him ; and perhaps he has not six of his years above him ; — perhaps not one. Though he may not know any thing per- fectly, the general mass of knowledge that he has acquired is considerable. Time will do for him all that is wanting." The conversation then took a philosophical turn. Johnson. " Human experience, which is constantly contradicting theory, is the great test of truth. A system built upon the dis- coveries of a great many minds, is always of more strength than what is jiroduced by the mere workings of any one mind, which, of itself, can do little. There is not so poor a book in the world that would not be a pro- digious effoi't wei'e it wrought out entirely by a single mind, without the aid of prior investi- gators. The French writers are superficial, because they are not scholars, and so proceed upon the mere power of their own minds ; and we see how vei'y little power they have." 2 There is no doubt that this blank must be filled with the name of Mr. Burke. See post, Aug. l.'j. and Sept. 15. 1773, and April 25. 1778. — Croker. 3 He endeavours to assign a reason for Sheridan's dis- satisfaction very different from the true one ; there is even reason to suppose, from Mr. Boswell's own account, that Johnson and Sheridan never met after Johnson's insult to Sheridan on the subject of the pension.— Croker. ■< No doubt Boswell himself, now about twenty -two. — Croker ^T. 54. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 155 "As to the Christian religion, Sir, besides the strong evidence which we have for it, there is a balance in its favour from the number of great men who have been convinced of its truth, after a serious consideration of the question. Grotius was an acute man, a lawyer, a man ac- customed to examine evidence, and he was convinced. Grotius was not a recluse, but a man of the world, who certainly liad no bias to the side of religion. Sir Isaac Newton set out an infidel, and came to be a very firm believer." ' He this evening again recommended to me to perambulate Spain.^ I said it would amuse him to get a letter from me dated at Sala- manca. Johnson. " I love the university of Salamanca ; for when the Spaniards were in doubt as to the lawfulness of their conquering America, the university of Salamanca gave it as their opinion that it was not lawful." He spoke this with great emotion, and with that generous warmth which dictated the lines in his " London," against Spanish encroachment.^ I expressed my opinion of my friend Derrick as but a poor writer. Johnson. " To be sure, Sir, he is : but you are to consider that his being a literary man has got for him all that he has. It has made him King of Bath. Sir, he has nothing to say for himself but that he is a writer. Had he not been a writer, he must have been sweeping the crossings in the streets, and asking halfpence from everybody that passed." In justice, however, to the memory of Mr. Derrick, who was my first tutor in the ways of London, and showed me the town in all its variety of departments, both literary and sportive, the particulars of which Dr. Johnson advised me to put in writing, it is proper to mention what Johnson, at a subsequent period \21th August, 1773], said of him, both as a writer and an editor : " Sir, I have often said, that if Derrick's letters had been written by one of a more established name, they would have been thought very pretty letters." And [22d September, 1773], "I sent Derrick to Dry- den's relations to gather materials for his life ; and I believe he got all that I myself should have got." Poor Derrick ! I remember him with kind- ness. Yet I cannot withhold from my readers a pleasant humorous sally which could not have hurt him had he been alive, and now is 1 Where, Bishop Elrington asked, did Johnson learn this ? It is true that Dr. Horsley declined publishing some papers on religious subjects which Newton left behind him _ some have suspected that they were tainted with Uni- tarianisra ; others (probably from a consideration of his work on the Revelations) believed that they were in a strain of mysticism not (in the opinion of his friends) worthy of so great a genius ; and the recent publication of his two letters to Locke, in a style of infantine simplicity (See Lord King's Life of Locke), gives additional colour to this latter opinion ; but for Johnson's assertion that he set out an inlidel, there appears no authority, and all the inferences are the other way.— Croker. 2 I fully intended to have followed advice of such weight ; but having staid much longer both in Germany and Italy perfectly harmless. In his collection of poems, there is one upon entering the harbour of Dublin, his native city, after a long absence. It begins thus : — " Eblana ! much loved city, hail ! Where first I saw tlie light of day." And after a solemn reflection on his being " numbered with forgotten dead," there is the following stanza : " Unless my lines protract my fame, And those who chance to read them, cry, I knew him ! Derrick was his name, In yonder tomb his ashes lie ; " — which was thus happily parodied by Mr. John Home, to whom we owe the beautiful and pathetic tragedy of " Douglas : " " Unless my deeds protract my fame, And he who passes sadly sings, I knew him ! Derrick was his name, On yonder tree his carcase swinys ! " I doubt much whether the amiable and ingenious author of these burlesque lines will recollect them ; for they were produced ex- tempore one evening while he and I were walking together in the dining-room at Eg- lingtoune Castle, in 1760, and I have never mentioned them to him since. Johnson said once to me, " Sir, I honour Derrick for his presence of mind. One night, when Floyd'*, another poor author, was wander- ing about the streets in the night, he found Derrick fast asleep upon a bulk : upon being suddenly waked. Derrick started up, ' My dear Floyd, I am sorry to see you in this destitute state : will you go home with me to mi/ lodg- ings ? ' " 5 I again begged his advice as to my method of study at Utrecht. " Come," said he, " let us make a day of it. Let us go down to Greenwich and dine, and talk of it there." The following Saturday was fixed for this excursion. As we walked along the Strand to-night, arm in arm, a woman of the town accosted us, in the usual enticing manner. " No, no, my girl," said Johnson, " it won't do." He, how- ever, did not treat her with harshness ; and we talked of the wretched life of such women, and agreed, that much more misery than hap- piness, upon the whole, is produced by illicit commerce between the sexes. than I proposed to do, and having also visited Corsica, I found that I had exceeded the time allowed me by my father, and hastened to France in my way homewards — Boswell. 3 " Has Heaven reserved, in pity to the poor, No pathless waste, or undiscover'd shore ? No secret island in the boundless main ? No peaceful desert yet unclaira'd by Spain ? " — CUOKER. ■< Thomas Floyd published, in ITGO, " Bibliothcca Bio- graphica ; a Synopsis of Universal Biography," in three volumes, 8vo Boswell. 5 No great presence of mind ; for Floyd would have naturally accepted such a proposal, and then Derrick would have been doubly exposed Croker. lo6 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1763. On Saturday, July 30., Dr. Johnson and I took a sculler at the Temple-stairs, and set out for Greenwich. I asked him if he really thought a knowledire of the Greek and Latin languages an essential requisite to a good education. Johnson. " Most certainly. Sir ; for those who know them have a very great advantage over those who do not. Nay, Sir, it is won- derful what a difference learning makes upon people even in tlie common intercourse of life, which does not .appear to be much connected with it. " And yet," said L " people go through the world very well, and carry on the business of life to good advantage, without learning." Johnson. " Why, Sir, that may be true in cases where learning cannot possibly be of any use ; for instance, this boy rows us as well without learning as if he could sing the song of Orpheus to the Argonauts, who were the first sailors." He then called to the boy, " What would you give, my lad, to know about the Argonauts ? " " Sir," said the boy, " I would give what I have." Johnson was much pleased with his answer, and we gave him a double fare. Dr. Johnson then turning to me, "Sir," said he, "a desire of knowledge is the natural feeling of mankind ; and every human being, whose mind is not debauched, will be willing to givealhhat he has, to get knowledge."' We landed at the Old Swan", and walked to Billingsgate, where we took oars and moved smoothly along the silver Thames. It was a very fine day. We were entertained with the immense number and variety of ships that were l3'ing at anchor, and with the beautiful country on each side of the river. I talked of preaching, and of the great success which those called methodists ^ have. JonivsoN. " Sir, it is owing to their expressing themselves in a plain and familiar manner, which is the only way to do good to the com- mon people, and which clergymen of genius and learning ought to do from a principle of duty, when it is suited to their congregations ; a practice, for which they will be praised by men of sense. To insist against drunkenness as a crime, because it debases reason, the noblest faculty of man, would be of no service to the common people : but to tell them that they may die in a fit of drunkenness, and show them how dreadful that would be, cannot fail to make a deep impression. Sir, when your Scotch clergy give up their homely manner, religion will soon decay in that country." Let this observation, as Johnson meant it, be ever remembered. I was mu'ih pleased to find myself with Johnson at Greenwich, which he celebrates in his " London " as a favourite scene. I had the poem in my pocket, and read the lines aloud with enthusiasm : " On Thames's banks in silent thouglit we stood, Where Greenwich smiles upon the silver flood : Struck with the seat that gave Eliza birth, We kneel and kiss the consecrated eartli." He remarked that the structure of Green- which Hospital was too magnificent for a place of charity, and that its parts were too much detached, to make one great whole. Buchanan, he said, was a very fine poet; and observed, that he was the first who com- plimented a lady, by ascribing to her the dif- ferent perfections of the heathen goddesses*; but that Johnstone ^ improved upon this, by making his lady, at the same time, free from their defects. He dwelt upon Buchanan's elegant verses to Mary Queen of Scots, Nijmpha Caledonice, &c., and spoke with enthusiasm of the beauty of Latin verse. " All the modern languages," 1 No doubt there is a hunger and fh/rsl of the mind as well as of the body : mark the intellectual voracity of chil- dren Croker, 1846. •^ The erection of a new London Bridge may render it useful to observe, that witii the flood-tide it was impossilile, and with the ebb-tide dangerous, to pass through, or shoot, the arches of the old bridge: in tlie latter case, prudent passengers, therefore, landed .ihove the bridge, and walked to some wharf below it C. I had once the honour of at- tending tlie Duke and Duchess of York on a party of plea- sure down the river, and we were about to land to allow the barge to slmot the bridge. The Duchess asked " why ?" and being told that it was on account of the danger, positively refused to get out of the boat, and insisted on shooting, which we reluctantly did ; but we shipped a good deal of water, and all got very wet ; Her Royal Highness showing not tlie least alarm or regret Croker. 3 All who are acquainted with the history of religion, (the most important, surely, that concerns the human mind,) know that the appellation of Methodists was first given to a society "f students in the University of Oxford, who, about the year 1730, were distinguished by an earnest and 7He- thodi'cal attention to devout exercises. This disposition of mind is not a novelty, or peculiar to any sect, but has been, and still may be, found in many Christians of every denomi- nation. Johnson himself was, in a dignifie;? manner, a methodist. In his Kamblor, No. 110., he mentions with resiicct " the whole discipline of regulated piety ; " and in his " Prayers and Meditations," many instances occur of his anxious examination into his spiritual state. That this religious earnestness, and in particular an observation of the influence of the Holy Spirit, has sometimes degenerated into folly, and sometimes been counterfi ited for base purposes, cannot be denied. But it is not, therefore, fair to decry it when genuine. The principal argument, in reason and good sense, against methodism is, that it tends to debase human nature, and prevent the generous exertions of goodness, by an unworthy supposition that OoD will pay no regard to tliem ; alihough it is positively said in the scriptures, that he " will reward every man according to his works." But lam happy to have it in my power to do justice to those whom it is the fashion to ridicule, without any knowledge of their tenets ; and this I can do by quoting a passage from one of their best apologists, Mr. Milner, who thus expresses their doctrine upon this subject : — " justified by faith, renewed in his faculties, and constrained by the love of Christ, the believer moves in the sphere of love and gratitude, and all his duties flow more or less from this principle. And thougli they are accumulnlittg for hint iti heaven a treasure of bliss proportioned to his fiiilhfulness and activilt/, and it is by no means inconsistent unth his principles to feel the force of this consideration, yet love itself sweetens every duty to Ills mind; and he thinks there is no absurdity in his feeling the love of God as the grand commanding principle of his life." — Eisays on religious Sichjects, Sic, by Joseph Milner, A.M., Master of the Grammar School of Kingston-upon-IIull, 1789, p. II. — BoswELL. Joseph Milner was brother of the better known Dr. Isaac Milner, who died Dean of Carlisle. — Croker. ■< Epigram, Lib. II. "In Elizabeth, Angliae Reg." — I suspect that the author's memory here deceived him, and that Johnson said, " the first modern poet;" for there is a well-known Epigram in the " Anthologia," containing this kind of eulogy Malone. 5 Arthur Johnstone, born near Aberdeen in 1587, an ele- gant Latin poet. His principal works are a volume of epigrams (in which is to be found th.atto which Dr. Johnson alludes,) and a Latin paraphrase of the Psalms. He died at Oxford in 1 041. — Croker. Mt. 54. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 157 said he, " eaiuiot furnish so melodious a line as — ♦ Formosam resonare doces AmarilUda silcas.' " ' Afterwards he entered upon the business of the day, which was to give me his advice as to a course of study. And here I am to mention, with much regret, that my record of what he said is miserably scanty. I recollect with admiration an animating blaze of elo(]uence, which roused every intellectual power in me to the highest pitch, but must have dazzled me so much, that my memory could not preserve the substance of his discourse ; for the note which I find of it is no more than this : — "He ran over the grand scale of human know- ledge ; advised me to select some particular branch to excel in, but to acquire a little of every kind." The defect of my minutes will be fully supplied by a long letter upon the subject, which he favoured me with, after I had been some time at Utrecht, and which my readers will have the pleasure to peruse in its proper place. We walked in the evening in Greenwich Park. He asked me, I suppose by way of trying my disposition, " Is not this very fine ? " Having no exquisite relish of the beauties of nature, and being more delighted with "the busy hum of men," I answered, "Yes, Sir; but not equal to Fleet-street." Johnson. " You are right. Sir." I am aware that many of my readers may censure my want of taste. Let me, however, shelter myself under the authority of a very fashionable baronet" in the brilliant world, who, on his attention being called to the fragrance of a May evening in the country, observed, " This may be very well ; but, for my part, I prefer the smell of a flambeau at the playhouse." We staid so long at Greenwich, that our sail up the river, in our return to London, was by no means so pleasant as in the morning ; for the night air was so cold that it made me shiver. I was the more sensible of it from having sat up all the night before recollecting and writing in my Journal what I thought worthy of preservation ; an exertion, which, during the first part of my acquaintance with Johnson, I frequently made. I remember having sat up four nights in one week, without being much incommoded in the daytime. Johnson, whose robust frame was not in the least affected by the cold, scolded me, as if my shivering had been apalti-y effeminacy, saying, " Why do you shiver ? " Sir William Scott ^, of the Commons, told me, that when he com- ■ " And the wood rings with Amarillis' name." Virg. Eel. i. .'). Dr. Johnson, anti,\\. 10 — Crokfr. 2 Mv friend Sir Michael I.e P'leming. of Rydall in West- moreland. This gentleman, with all his experience of sprightly and elegant life, inherits, with the beautiful family domain, no inconsiderable share of that love of literature, which distinguished his venerable grandfather the Bishop of Carlisle. He one day observed to me, of Dr. Johnson, in a plained of a headach in the ])o. Dr. Johnson seems to have been imperfectly acquainted with Berkeley's doctrine; as his experiment only proves that we have the sensation of solidity, which Berkeley did not deny. He admitted that we had sensations or ideas that are usually called sensible qualities, one of which is solidity: he only denied the existence of matter, i. e. an inert sense- less substance, in which they are supposed to subsist. John- son's exemplification concurs with the vulgar notion, that solidity is matter. — Kearney. ^T. 54. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 161 or the original principles of Reid and of Eeattie ; without admitting which, we can no more ai'gue in metaphysics, than we can argue in mathematics without axioms. To me it is not conceivable how Berkeley can be answered by pure reasoning ; but I know that the nice and difficult task was to have been undertaken by one of the most luminous minds ' of the present age, had not politics " turned him from calm philosophy aside." What an admirable display of subtlety, united with brilliance, might his contending with Berkeley have afforded lis ! How must we, when we reflect on the loss of such an intel- lectual feast, regret that he should be charac- terised as the man, — " Who, born for the universe, narrow'tl his mint], And to party gave up what was meant for man- kind ? " 2 My revered friend walked down with me to the beach, where we embraced and parted with tenderness, and engaged to correspond by letters. I said, "I hope, Sir, you will not forget me in my absence." Johnson. " Nay, Sir, it is more likely you should forget me, than that I should forget you." As the vessel put out to sea, I kept my eyes upon him for a considerable time, Avhile he remained rolling his majestic frame in his usual manner ; and at last I perceived him walk back into the town, and he disappeared. [JOHNSON TO GEORGE STRAHAN. "20th Sept. 17f;3. " Deaii Sir, — I should have answered your last letter sooner if I could have given you any valu- able or useful directions ; but 1 know not any way by which the composition of Latin verses can be much facilitated. Of the grammatical part, which comprises the knowledge of the measure of the foot, and quantity of the syllables, your grammar will teach you all that you can be taught, and even of that you can hardly know any thing by rule but the measure of the foot. The quantity of syllables, even of those for whicli rules are given, is commonly learned by practice and retained by observation. For the poetical part, which com- prises variety of expression, propriety of terms, dexterity in selecting commodious words, and readiness in changing their order, it will all be produced by frequent essays and resolute per- severance. Tlie less help you have the sooner you will be able to go forward without help. " I suppose you are now ready for another author. I would not have you dwell longer upon one book than till your familiarity with its style makes it easy to you. Every new book will for a time be difficult. Make it a rule to write some- 1 Mr. Burke —Croker. 3 In Uirt latter years of his life, Mr. Burke reversed the conduct winch Goldsmith so elegantly reprehended, and gave up parly for what he conceived lo be the good of vian- kind. — Choker. 3 Captain, afterwards Sir George Collier, was about to thing in Latin every day ; and let me know what you are now doing, and what your scheme is to do next. Be pleased to give my compliments to Mr. Bright, I\Ir. Stevenson, aiul jNIiss Page. I am, dear Sir, your aflfectionate servant, — i?ose MSS. " Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO MISS REYNOLDS. " Oxford, 27th Oct. [1763.] " Your letter has scarcely come time enough to make an answer possible. I wish we could talk over the affair. I cannot go now. I must finish my book. I do not know Jlr. Collier. 1 have not money beforehand sufficient. How long have you known Collier, that you should have put your- self into his hands? I once told you that ladies were timorous, and yet not cautious.^ " If I might tell my thoughts to one with whom they never had any weight, I should think it best to go through France. The expense is not great ; I do not much like obligation, nor think the gross- ness of a ship very suitable to a lady. Do not go till I see you. I will see you as soon as 1 can. I am, my dearest, most sincerely yours, — Re7jn. MSS. "Sam. Jouneox.''] CHAPTER XVIIL 17G3-1765. Bo^well at Utrecht. — Letter from Johnson. — The Frisick Langtiage. — Johnso7i's Visit to Langton Institution of " The Club." — Reynolds. — Gar rick. — Dr. Nugent. — Granger's " Sugar Cane." — Hypochondriac Attack. — Days of Abstraction. — Odd Habits. — Visit to Dr. Percy. — Letter to Reynolds. — Visit to Cambridge. — Self-examina- tion. — Letter to, and from, Garrick. — Jo/inson created LL.D. by Dubli)i University. — Letter to Dr. Leland. — "-Engaging in Politics." — William Gerard Hamilton. Utrecht seeming at first very dull to me, after the animated scenes of London, my spirits were grievously affected ; and I wrote to Johnson a plaintive and desponding letter, to which he paid no regard. Afterwards, when I had acquired a firmer tone of mind, I wrote him a second letter, expressing much anxiety to hear from him. At length I received the following epistle, which was of important service to me, and, I trust, will be so to many others. sail to the Mediterranean, and offered Miss Keynolds a passage ; and she appears to have wished that Johnson miRht be of the party. Johnson was not iaw.-ire that Captain Collier's lutty was also going. Sir Joshua had gone to the Moditerr.mean in a similar way with Captain Keppcl Croker. M 162 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1763. A. M. M. BOSWELL, A la Cour de V Empereur, Utrecht. " London, Dec. 8. 1763. "Dear Sir, — You are not to think yourself forgotten, or criminally neglected, that you have had yet no letter from me. I love to see my friends, to hear from them, to talk to them, and to talk of them ; but it is not without a considerable effort of resolution that I prevail upon myself to write. I would not, however, gratify my own in- dolence by the omission of any important duty, or any office of real kindness. " To tell you that I am or am not well, that I have or have not been in the country, that I drank your health in the room in which we last sat together, and that your acquaintance continue to speak of you with their former kindness, topics with which those letters are commonly filled which are written only for the sake of writing, I seldom shall think worth communicating; but if I can have it in my power to calm any harassing disquiet, to excite any virtuous desire, to rectify any im- portant opinion, or fortify any generous resolution, you need not doubt but I shall at least wish to prefer the pleasure of gratifying a friend much less esteemed than yourself, before the gloomy calm of idle vacancy. Whetlier I shall easily arrive at an exact punctuality of correspondence, I cannot tell. I shall, at present, expect that you will receive this in return for two which I have had from you. The first, indeed, gave me an account so hopeless of the state of your mind, that it hardly admitted or deserved an answer ; by the second I was much better pleased ; and the pleasure will still be in- creased by such a narrative of the progress of your studies, as may evince the continuance of an equal and rational application of your mind to some use- ful inquiry. " You will, perhaps, wish to ask, what study I would recommend. I shall not speak of theology, because it ought not to be considered as a question whether you shall endeavour to know the will of God. " I shall, therefore, consider only such studies as we are at liberty to pursue or to neglect ; and of these I know not how you will make a better choice, than by studying the civil law as your father advises, and tlie ancient languages as you had de- termined for yourself : at least resolve, while you remain in any settled residence, to spend a certain number of hours every day amongst your books. The dissipation of thought of which you complain, is nothing more than the vacillation of a mind sus- pended between different motives, and changing its direction as any motive gains or loses strength. If you can but kindle in your mind any strong desire, if you can but keep predominant any wish for some particular excellence or attainment, the gusts of imagination will break away, without any effect upon your conduct, and commonly without any traces left upon the memory. " There lurks, perhaps, in every human heart a desire of distinction, which inclines every man first to hope, and then to believe, that nature has given him something peculiar to himself. This vanity one mind nurse aversion, and another actuate desires, till they rise by art much above their origi- nal state of power ; and, as affectation in time im- proves to habit, they at last tyrannise over him who at first encouraged them only for show. Every desire is a viper ui the bosom, who, while he was chill, was harmless ; but when warmth gave him strength, exerted it in poison. You know a gen- tleman ', who, when first he set his foot in the gay world, as he prepared himself to whirl in tlie vortex of pleasure, imagined a total indifference and uni- versal negligence to be the most agreeable con- comitants of youth, and the strongest indication of an airy temper and a quick apprehension. Vacant to every object, and sensible of every impulse, he thought that all appearance of diligence would deduct something from the leputation of genius ; and hoped that he should appear to attain, amidst all the ease of carelessness, and all the tumult of diversion, that knowledge and those accomplish- ments which mortals of the common fabric obtain only by mute abstraction and solitary drudgery. He tried this scheme of life awhile, was made weary of it by his sense and his virtue ; he then wished to return to his studies ; and finding long habits of idleness and pleasure harder to be cured than he expected, still willing to retain his claim to some extraordinary prerogatives, resolved the common consequences of irregularity into an un- alterable decree of destiny, and concluded that Nature had originally formed him incapable of rational employment. " Let all such fancies, illusive and destructive, be banished henceforward from your thoughts for ever. Resolve, and keep your resolution ; choose, and pursue your choice. If you spend this day in study, you will find yourself still more able to study to-morrow ; not that you are to expect that you shall at once obtain a complete victory. De- pravity is not very easily overcome. Resolution will sometimes relax, and diligence will sometimes be interrupted ; but let no accidental surprise or deviation, whether short or long, dispose you to despondency. Consider these failings as incident to all mankind. Begin again where you left off, and endeavour to avoid the seduceraents that pre- vailed over you before. " This, my dear Boswell, is advice which, per- haps, has been often given you, and given you without eflTect. But this advice, if you will not take from others, you must take from your own reflections, if you purpose to do the duties of the station to which the bounty of Providence has called you. " Let me have a long letter from you as soon as you can. I hope you continue your journal, and enrich it with many observations upon the country in which you reside. It will be a favour if you can get me any books in the Frisick language, -and can inquire how the poor are maintained in the Seven Provinces. I am, dear Sir, your most affectionate servant, Sam. Johnson." I am sorry to observe, that neither in my own minutes, nor in my letters to Johnson which have been preserved by him, can I find any information how the poor are maintained Boswell himself Cboker, 1835. JEt. 55. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 163 in the Seven Provinces. But I shall extract from one of my letters what I learnt concern- ing the other subject of his curiosity. " I have made all possible inquiry with respect to the Frisick language, and find that it has been less cultivated than any other of the northern dia- lects ; a certain proof of which is their deficiency of books. Of the old Frisick there are no remains, except some ancient laws preserved by Schotanus in his ' Beschryvinge van die Heerlykeid van Fries- land :' and his ' Ilistoria Frisica.' I have not yet been able to find these books. Professor Trotz, who formerly was of the University of Vranyken in Friesland, and is at present preparing an edition of all the Frisick laws, gave nie this information. Of the modern Frisick, or what is spoken by the boors of this day, I have procured a specimen. It is ' Gisbert Japix's Bymclerie,' which is the only book that they have. It is amazing that they have no translation of the bible, no treatises of devotion, nor even any of the ballads and story-books which are so agreeable to country people. You shall have Japix by the first convenient opportunity. I doubt not to pick up Schotanus. Mynheer Trotz has promised me his assistance." Early in 1764, Johnson paid a visit to the Langton family, at their seat of Langton in Lincohishire, where he passed some time much to his satisfaction. His friend Bennet Langton, it will not be doubted, did every thing in his power to make the place agreeable to so illustrious a guest ; and the elder JMi-. Langton and his lady, being fully capable of under- standing his value, were not wanting in atten- tion. He, however, told me, that old Mr. Langton, though a man of considerable learn- ing, had so little allowance to make for his occasional "laxity of talk," that becattse in the course of discussion he sometimes men- tioned what might be said in fiivour of the peculiar tenets of the Romish church, he went to his grave believing him to be of that com- munion.' Johnson, during his stay at Langton, had the advantage of a good library, and saw several gentlemen of the neighbourhood. I have obtained from Mr. Langton the following particulars of this period. He was now fully convinced ° that he could not have been satisfied with a country living ; for, talking of a respectable clergyman in Lin- colnshire, he observed, " This man. Sir, fills up the duties of his life well. I approve of him, but could not imitate him." To a lady who endeavoured to tindicate herself from blame for neglecting social atten- 1 See post, April 177G, an anecdote that does not say much for Mr. Langton's learning or even good sense. — Croker. 2 This alludes to the offer to him of the living of Langton. See ante, p. 107. The clergyman was probably the person wlio, on his refusal, had been nominated — Croker. 3 This ring is now, as Dr. Harwood informs nie, in the possession of Mrs. Pearson Croker, 1831. ■* Johnson, as Mrs. Piozzi tells us, called Sir Joshua their Romulus. —Croker. 5 It was Johnson's original intention, that the number of tion to worthy neighbours, by saying " I would go to them if it would do them any good ; " he said, " >V]iat good. Madam, do you expect to h.ave in your power to do them ? It is showing them respect, and that is doing them good." So socially accommodating was he, that once, when Mr. Langton and he were driving together in a coach, and Mr. Langton com- plained of being sick, he insisted "that they should go out, and sit on the back of it in the open air, which they did. And being sensible how strange the appearance must be, observed, that a countryiaau whom they saw in a field would probably be thinking, "If these two madmen shoidd come down, what would be- come of me ? " [JOHNSON TO MISS PORTER. " London, Jan. 10. 1704. " Mr Dear, — I was in hopes tliat you would have written to me before this time, to tell me that your house was finished, and that you were happy in it. I am sure I wish you happy. By the carrier of this week you will receive a box, in which I have put some books, most of which were your poor dear mamma's, and a diamond ring*, which I hope you will wear as my new year's gift. If you receive it with as much kindness as I send it, you will not slight it ; you will be very fond of it. " Pray give my service to Kitty, wlio, I hope, keeps pretty well. I know not now when I shall come down ; I believe it will not be very soon. But I shall l;e glad to hear of you from time to time. " I wish you, ray dearest, many happy years ; take wliat care you can of your health. I am, my dear, your affectionate humble servant, — Paarson MSS. " Sam. Johnson."] Soon alter his return to London, which was in February, was founded that Club wliich existed long without a name, but at Mr. Garrick's funeral became distinguished by the title of The Literakt Club. Sir Joshua Reynolds had the merit of being the first pro- poser of it ^ ; to which Johnson acceded, and the original members were. Sir Joshua Rey- nolds, Dr. Johnson, Mr. Edmund Burke, Dr. Nugent, Mr. Beauclerk, Mr. Langton, Dr. Goldsmith, Mr. Chamier, and Sir John Hawkins. They met at the Turk's Head, in Gerrard Street, Soho, one evening in every week, at seven, and generally continued their conversation till a pretty late hour.'^ This club has been gradtially increased to its present this club should not exceed nine, but Mr. Dyer, a member of that in Ivy Lane before spoken of, and who "for some years had been .abroad, made his appear.ance ,imong them, .and was cordially received. The hours which Johnson spent in this society seemed to be the happiest of his life. He would often applaud his own sagacity in the selection of it, and was so constant at its meetings as never to absent himself. It is true, he came late, but then he stayed late, for, as has been already said of him, he little regarded hours. Our evening toast was the motto of Padre Paolo, " Esto perpetua." A M 2 164 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1764. [1791] number, thirty-five. After about ten years, instead of supping weekly, it was resolved to dine together once a fortnight during the meeting of Parliament. Their original tavern having been converted into a private house, they moved first to Prince's in Sackville Street, then to Le Telier's in Dover Street, and now meet at Parsloe's, St. James's Sti-eet. Between the time of its formation, and the tmie at which this work is passing through the press (June, 1792), the following persons, now dead, were members of it : Mr. Dunning (afterwards Lord Ashburton), Mr. Samuel Dyer, Mr. Garrick, Dr. Shipley Bishop of St. Asaph, Mr. Vesey, Mr. Thomas W'arton, and Dr. Adam Smith. The present members are, Mr. Burke, Mr. Langton, Lord Charle- mont, Sir Robert Chambers, Dr. Percy Bishop of Dromore, Dr. Barnard Bishop of Killaloe, Dr. Marlay Bishop of Clonfert, Mr. Fox, Dr. George Fordyce, Sir William Scott, Sir Joseph Banks, Sir Charles Bunbury, Mr. Windham of Norfolk, INIr. Sheridan, Mr. Gibbon, Sir William Jones, IMr. Colman, Mr. Steevens, Dr. Burney, Dr. Joseph Warton, Mr. Malone, Lord Ossory, Lord Spencer, Lord Lucan, Lord Palmerston, Lord Eliot, Lord JNIacartney, Mr. Richard Burke junior, Sir William Ilamilton, Dr. Warren, Mr.Courtenay, Dr. Hinchliffe Bishop of Peterborough, the Duke of Leeds, Dr. Douglas Bishop of Salis- bury, and the writer of this account. Sir John Hawkins represents himself [Zi/e, p. 425.] as a"5ece(Zer" from this society, and assigns as the reason of his " icithch-awing " himself from it, that its late hours were incon- sistent with his domestic arrangements. Li this he is not accurate ; for the fact was, that he one evening attacked Mr. Burke in so rude a manner, that all the company testified their displeasure ; and at their next meeting their reception was such, that he never came again." ' He is equally inaccurate with respect to ;^^r. Garrick, of whom he says, " He trusted that the least intimation of a desire to come among us, woidd procure him a ready admis- sion ; " but in this he was mistaken. Johnson lady*, distinguished by her beauty, and taste for literature, invited us, two successive years, to a dinner at her house. Curiosity was her motive, and possibly a desire of inter- mingling with our conversation the charms of her own. .She affected to consider us as a set of literary men, and pf r- liaps gave the first occasion for di'ii;)'-'iii-!-i::.: t h ■ ^oi'iety by the name of the " Literary Club," i m -i; which it never assumed to itself. — At tin- ■ l -hnson, as indeed he did every where, led th' ( -11. ;- i'; ii ) .t was he far from arrogating to himself that superiority, whicli, some years before, he was disposed to contend for. He had seen enough of the world to know, that respect was not to be extorted, and began now to be satisfied with that degree of eminence to whicli his writings had exalted him. This changO in his behaviour was remarked by those who were best acquainted with his character, and it rendered him an easy and delightful companion. Our discourse was miscel- laneous, but chiefly literary. Politics were alone excluded. Hawkins. "It was a supper-meeting then," says Mrs. * Either Mrs. Jlontagu, Mrs. Vrsey, or Mrs. Ord. — Mr. Pennington (Miss Carter's nephew) tliought the latter. — Choker. consulted me upon it ; and when I could find no objection to receiving him, exclaimed, ' He will disturb us by his buffoonery ; ' — and afterwards so managed matters, that he was never formally proposed, and, by consequence, never admitted." ^ In justice both to Mr. Garrick and Dr.. Johnson, I think it necessary to rectify this mis-statement. The truth is, that not very long after the institution of our club, Sir Joshua Reynolds was speaking of it to Gar- rick. " I like it much," said he ; " I think I shall be of you." When Sir Joshua mentioned this to Dr. Johnson, he was much displeased with the actor's conceit. " Hell be of us^' said Johnson, " how does he know we will pe?-mit him ? the first duke in England has no right to hold such language." However, when Garrick was regularly proposed some time afterwards, Johnson, though he had taken a momentary off'ence at his arrogance, warmly and kindly supported him, and he was ac- cordingly elected [Blarch, 1773], was a most agreeable member, and continued to attend our meetings to the time of his death. Mrs. Piozzi ^ has also given a similar misre- presentation of Johnson's treatment of Garrick in this particular, as if he had used these con- temptuous expressions : " If Garrick does apply, I'll blackball him. — Surely, one ought to sit in a society like ours, ' Unelbow'd by a gamester, pimp, or player.'" I'OPE. I am happy to be enabled by such unques- tionable authority as that of Sir Joshua lley- nolds *, as well as from my own knowledge, to vindicate at once the heart of Johnson and the social merit of Garrick. In this year, except what he may have done in revising Shakspeare, we do not find that he laboured much in literature. He wrote a review of Grainger's " Sugar Cane," a poem, in the London Chronicle. He told me that Dr. Percy wrote the greatest part of this review ; but, I imagine, he did not recollect it distinctly, for it appears to be mostly, if not altogether, his own. He also wrote, in the Piozzi, " on a Friday night, and I fancy Dr. Nugent [Mrs. Burke's father, who was a Roman Catholic] ordered an omelet ; and Johnson felt very painful sensations at the sight of that dish soon after his death, and cric-d, ' Ah, my poor dear friend, I shall never eat omelet with Ihce again ! ' quite in an agony." — Croker. ■' From Sir Joshua Reynolds. — Boswell. The kni'gkt having refftscd to pay his portion of the reckoning for supper, because he usually ate no supper at home, Johnson observed, " Sir John, Sir, is a very unc/ubab/e man." — Bdrney. Hawkins was not knighted till October, 1772, long after he < had left the club. Burney, in relating the story, puts the nunc pro tunc. — Croker. 2 Hawkins no doubt meant " never " while he himself belonged to the Club. — Croker. 3 Letters, vol. ii. p. 387. — Boswell. ■1 It does not appear how Sir Joshua Reynolds's authority can be made available in this case. The expression is stated to have been used to Mr. Thrale ; and the apt quotation from Pope, the saucy phrase which Boswell admits that Garrick used, and the fact, that he was for near ten years excluded from the Club, seem to accredit Mrs. Piozzi's anecdote. — Croker. -^T. 55. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 165 Critical Review, an account f of Goldsmith's excellent poem, " The Traveller." The ease and independence to which he had at last attained by royal munificence, increased his natural indolence. In his " Meditations," [p. 53.] he thus accuses himself: " Goon Friday. April 20. 1764 1 have made no reformation ; I have lived totally useless, more sensual in thought, and more addicted to wine and meat." And next morning he thus feelingly com- plains : — " My indolence, since my last reception of the sacrament, lias sunk into grosser sluggishness, and my dissipation spread into wilder negligence. My thoughts have been clouded with sensuality ; and, except that from the beginning of this year I liave, in some measure, forborne excess of strong drink, my appetites have predominated over my reason. A kind of strange oblivion has overspread me, so that I knoiv not what has become of the last year ; and perceive that incidents and intelligence pass over me without leaving any impression." He then solemnly says, " This is not the life to Avhich heaven is promised ; " and he ear- nestly resolves an amendment. [" Easter-day, April 22. 1 764. Having, before T went to bed, composed the foregoing meditation, and the following prayer, I tried to compose my- self, but slept unquietly. I rose, took tea, and prayed for resolution and perseverance. Tiiought on Tetfy, dear poor Tetty, with my eyes full. I went to church ; came in at the first of the Psalms, and endeavoured to attend the service, which 1 went through without perturbation. After sermon, I recommended Tetty in a prayer by herself; and my father, mother, brother, and Bathurst, in an- other. I did it only once, so far as it might be lawful for me. " I then prayed for resolution and perseverance to amend my life. I received soon : the communi- cants were many. At the altar, it occurred to me that I ought to form some resolutions. I resolved, in the presence of God, but without a vow, to repel sinful thoughts, to study eight hours daily, and, I think, to go to church every Sunday, and read the Scriptures. I gave a shilling ; and seeing a poor girl at the sacrament in a bedgown, gave her privately a crown, though I saw Hart's Mymns' in her hand. I prayed earnestly for amendment, and repeated my prayer at home. Dined with Miss W[illiams] ; went to prayers at church ; went to *, spent the evening not pleasantly. Avoided wine, and tempered a very few glasses with sherbet. Came home and prayed. I saw at I the sacrament a man meanly dressed, whom I have always seen there at Easter." '] It was his custom to observe certain days with a pious abstraction : viz. Xew-ycar's-day, the day of his wife's death, Good Friday. Easter-day, and his own birth-day. He this year [on his birth-day] says, " I have now spent fifty-five years in resolving ; having, from the earliest time almost that I can re- member, been forming schemes of a better life. I have done nothing. The need of doing, therefore, is pressing, since the time of doing is short. O God, grant me to resolve aright, and to keep my resolutions, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen." Such a tenderness of conscience, such a fervent desire of improvement, will rarely be found. It is, surely, not decent in those who are hardened in indiflerence to spiritual im- provement, to treat this pious anxiety of John- son with contempt. About this time he was afflicted with a very severe return of the hypochondriac disorder, which was ever lurking about him He was so ill, as, notwithstanding his remarkable love of company, to be entirely averse to society, the most fatal symptom of that malady. Dr. Adams told me, that, as an old friend, he Avas admitted to visit him, and that he found him in a deplorable state, sighing, groaning, talking to himself, and restlessly walking from room to room. He then used this emphatical expression of the misery Avhich he felt : " I would consent to have a limb amputated to recover my spirits." Talking to himself was, indeed, one of his singularities ever since I knew him. I was certain that he was frecpiently uttering pious ejaculations ; for fragments of the Lord's Prayer have been distinctly overheard.^ His friend Mr. Thomas Davies, of whom Churchill says, " That Davies hath a very pretty wife ; " when Dr. Johnson muttered " lead us not into temptation" — used with waggish and gallant humour to whisper Mrs. Davies, " You, my dear, are the cause of this." He had another particularity, of which none of his friends ever ventured to ask an explana- tion. It appeared to me some superstitious habit, which he had contracted early, and from which he had never called upon liis reason to disentangle him. This was his ' " Hymns composed on various Subjects, by the Rev. John Hart, of the Grey Friars' Church, KdinhurKh ; with a Brief Account of the Author's Experience." I'imo. 1759. The " though " is here very characteristic Crokeh. " Dr. Hall found, in the original M.S., instead of this blank, the letters Davi, followed by some other letters which are illegible. They, no doubt, meant either Davies, the bookseller, or David Garrick ; most likely the farmer Choker. 3 See post, p. 167. - C. * It used to be imagined at Mr. Thralc's, when Johnson retired to a window or corner of the room, by perceiving his lips in motion, and hearing a murmur without audible articu- lation, that he was praying ; but this was not alwai/s the case, for I was once, perhaps unperccivcd by him, writing at a table, so near the place of liis retreat, that I heard him repeating some lines in an ode of Horace, over and over again, as if by iteration to exercise the organs of speech, and fix the ode in his i " .Audiet cives aceuisse ferrum Quo graves Pcrsts melius perirent, Audiet pugnas ... " " Our sons shall hear, shall hear to latest times, Of Roman arms with civil gore imbued, AVhich better liad the Persian foe subdued." — Francis, It was during the .American war. — Blrney. M 3 166 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1765. anxious care to go out or in at a door or passage, by a certain number of steps from a certain point, or at least so as that either his right or his left foot (I am not certain which) should constantly make the first actual move- ment when he came close to the door or passage. Thus I conjecture : for I have, upon innumerable occasions, observed him suddenly stop, and then seem to count his steps with a deep earnestness ; and when he had neglected or gone wrong in this sort of magical move- ment, I have seen him go back again, put him- self in a proper posture to begin the ceremony, and, having gone through it, break from his abstraction, walk briskly on, and join his com- panion. A strange instance of something of this nature, even when on horseback, happened when he was in the Isle of Sky [I2fh Octoher, 1773]. Sir Joshua Reynolds has observed him to go a good way about, rather than cross a particular alley in Leicester Fields; but this Sir Joshua imputed to his having had some disagreeable recollection associated with it.' That the most minute singularities which belonged to him, and made very observable parts of his appearance and manner, may not be omitted, it is requisite to mention, that, while talking, or even musing as he sat in his chair, he commonly held his head to one side towards his right shouldei", and shook it in a tremidous manner, moving his body backwards and forwards, and rubbing his left knee in the same direction, v/ith the palm of his hand. In the intervals of articulating he made various sounds with his mouth, sometimes as if rumi- nating, or what is called chewing the cud, sometimes giving a half whistle, sometimes making his tongue play Ijackwards from the roof of his mouth, as if clucking like a hen, and sometimes protruding it against his upper gums in front, as if pronouncmg quickly, under his breath, too, too, too : all this accom- panied sometimes with a thoughtful look, but more frequently with a smile. Generally, when he had concluded a period, in the course of a dispute, by which time he was a good deal exhausted by violence and vociferation, he used to blow out his breath like a whale. This, \ 1 See, ante, p. 42., his conduct at Mr. Bankes's, which seems something of the same Ivind. Dr. Fisher, Master of the Charter House, told me, that in walking on the quad- rangle of University College, he would not step on the junc- ture of the stones, but carefully on the centre : but this is a trick which many persons have when sauntering on any kind of tessellation. "Dr. Fisher adds, that lie would sometimes take a phial to the college pump, and alternately fill and empty it, without any object that Dr. Fisher could dis- cern. " Mr. Sheridan," says Mr. Whyte, " at one time lived in Bedford Street, opposite Henrietta Street, which ranges with the south side of Covent Garden, so that the prospect lies open the whole way, free of interruption. We were standing together at the drawing-room window, expecting Jolmson, who was to dine there. Mr. Sheridan asked me, could I see the length of the Garden ? ' No, Sir.' [Mr. Whyte was short-sighted.] ' Take out your opera-glass, Johnson is coming ; jou may know him by his gait.' I perceived him at a good distance, working along with a peculiar solemnity of deportment, and an awkward sort of measured step. At that time the broad llapging at I suppose, was a relief to his lungs ; and seemed in him to be a contemptuous mode of expres- sion, as if he had made the arguments of his opponent fly like chaff before the wind. I am fully aware how very obvious an occa- sion I here give for the sneering jocularity of such as have no relish of an exact likeness ; which to render complete, he Avho draws it must not disdain the slightest strokes. But if witlings should be inclined to attack this ac- count, let them have the candour to quote what I have offered in my defence. He was for some time in the summer at Easton Maudit, Northamptonshire, on a visit to the Rev. Dr. Percy, now Bishop of Dromore.^ Whatever dissatisfaction he felt at what he considered as a slow progress in intellectual improvement, we find that his heart was tender, and his affections warm, as appears from the following very kind letter : — JOHNSON TO REYNOLDS, III Leicester Fields. " Dear Sir, — I did not hear of your sickness till I heard likewise of your recovery, and there- fore escape that part of your pain, which every man must feel, to whom you are known as you are known to me. " Having had no particular account of your dis- order, I know not in what state it has left you. If the amusement of my company can exhilarate the languor of a slow recovery, I will not delay a day to come to you ; for I know not how I can so effec- tually promote my own pleasure as by pleasing you, or my own interest as by preserving you, in whom, if I should lose you, I should lose almost the only man whom I call a friend. " Pray, let me hear of you from yourself, or from dear Miss Reynolds. Make my compliments to Mr. Mudge. I am, dear Sir, your most affectionate and most humble servant, Sam. Johnson. " At the Rev. j\Ir. Percy's, at Easton Maudit, Northamptonshire, (by Castle Ashby,) Aug. 19. 1764." Early in the year 1765 he paid a short visit to the University of Cambridge, with his friend Mr. Beauclerk. There is a lively pic- turesque account of his behaviour on this visit each side the streets was not universally adopted, and stone posts were in fashion, to prevent the annoyance of carriages. Upon every post, as he passed along, I could observe, he deliberately laid his hand ; but missing one of them when he had got at some distance, he seemed suddenly to recollect hinisell, and immediately returning back, care- fully performed the accustomed ceremony, and resumed his former course, not omitting one till he gained the crossing. This, Mr. Sheridan assured me, however odd it might appear, was his constant practice ; but why or wherefore he could not inform me." — IVhyte, Miscellanea Nova, p. 49. Mr. Samuel Whyte, the writer of this volume, was a cele- brated schoolmaster in Dublin, related, I believe, and much attached to the Sheridan family. Richard Brinsley Sheridan and his elder brother Charles, were placed very early under his tuition, as was, at an interval of above thirty years, my friend Thomas Moore, who, in his Life of Sheridan, pays an aflfectionate tribute to their common preceptor. — Croker. - He spent parts of the months of June, July, and August with me, accompanied by his friend, Mrs. Williams, whom Mrs. Percy found a very agreeable companion Percy. ^T. 56. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 167 in the Gentleman's Magazine for March, 1785, being an extract of a letter from the late Dr. John Sharp.' "Cambridge, March 1. 1765. — As to John- son, you will be surprised to hear that I have had him in the chair in which I am now writing. He has ascended my aerial citadel. He came down on a Saturday evening, with a Mr. Beauelerk, who has a friend at Trinity [Mr. Lister]. Caliban, you may be sure, was not roused li-om his lair before next day noon, and his breakfast probably kept him till night. I saw nothing of him, nor was he heard of by any one, till JNIonday afternoon, when I was sent for home to two gentlemen unknown. In conversation I made a strange faux pas about Burnaby Greene's poem ^, in which Johnson is drawn at full length. He drank his large potation of tea loith me, interrupted hy maiuj an indignant contradiction, and many a noble senti- vient. He had on a better wig than usual, but one whose cui-ls were not, like Sir Cloudesley's, ' formed for eternal buckle.' Our conversation was chiefly on books, you may be sure. He was much pleased with a small Milton of mine, published in the author's lifetime, and with the Greek epigram on his own eftigy, of its being the picture, not of him, but of a bad painter. There are many manuscript stanzas, for aught I know, in Milton's own handwriting, and several interlined hints and fragments. We were puzzled about one of the sonnets, which we thought was not to be found in Newton's edition, and differed from all the printed ones. But Johnson cried, ' No, no ! ' repeated the whole sonnet instantly, memoriter, and showed it us in Newton's book. After which he learn- edly harangued on sonnet-writing, and its different numbers. He tells me he will come hither again quickly, and is promised ' an habi- tation in Emanuel College' [with Dr. Farmer]. He went back to town next morning ; but as it began to be known that he was in the univer- sity, several persons got into his company the last evening at Trinity, where, about twelve, he began to be very great ; stripped poor Mrs. Macaiday to the very skin, then gave her for his toast, and drank her in two bumpers'' ^ The strictness of his self-examination, and scrupulous Christian humility, appear in his pious meditation on Easter-day this year. 1 Dr. John Sharp, grandson of Sharp, Archbishop of York, and son of the Archdeacon of Durham, in which pre- ferment he succeeded his father. He was a member of Trinity College, Cambridge. He died in 1792, aged 69 Croker. 2 Edward Burnahv, who took the name of Greene, pub- lished in 1756 an imitation of the 10th Ep. of the First Book of Horace. He died in 1788 Croker. 3 Of this letter Boswell had quoted only the two paragraphs marked in Italics, adding that " they were very characteris- tic :" but surely the rest is equally so.— Croker. * This and the following letter are from the originals in the possession of Mr. Upcott. It would be a great palliation of Johnson's ill humour towards Garrick, if he was under the impression that Garrick had not subscribed to his Shake- speare. " I puqjose again to partake of the blessed sacra- ment ; yet when I consider how vainly 1 have hitherto resolved, at this annual commemoration of my Saviour's death, to rej^ulatc my life by his laws, I am almost afraid to renew my resolutions." [p. 61.] The concluding woi-ds are very remarkable, and show that he laboured under a severe depression of spirits. " Since the last Easter I have reformed no evil habit ; my time has been unprofuably spent, and seems as a dream that has left nothing behind. My memory grows confused, and" 1 know not how the days pass over me. Good Lord, deliver me ! " [He proceeds : — " I purpose to rise at eight, because, though I shall not yet rise early, it will be much earlier than I now rise, for I often lie till two, and will gain me much time, and tend to a conquest over iHlr ^^j and give time for other duties. I hope to rise yet earlier." " I invited home with me the man whose pious behaviour I had for several years observed on this day, and found him a kind of Blethodist, full of texts, but ill-instructed. I talked to him with temper, and offered him twice wine, which he re- fused. I suffered him to go without the dinner which I had purposed to give him. I thought this day that there was something irregular and par- ticular in his look and gesture ; Imt having in- tended to invite him to acquaintance, and having a fit opportunity by finding him near my own seat after I had missed him, I did what I at first de- signed, and am sorry to have been so much dis- appointed. Let me not be prejudiced hereafter against the appearance of piety in mean persons, who, with indeterminate notions, and perverse or inelegant conversation, perhaps are doing all they can."] [JOHNSON TO GARRICK.* " May 18. 17G5. " Dear Sir, — I know that great regard will be had to your opinion of an Edition of Shakspeare. I desire, therefore, to secure an honest prejudice in my favour by securing your suffrage, and that this prejudice may really be honest, I wish you would name such plays as you would see, and they shall be sent you by, Sir, your most humble servant, — Upcott MS S. " Saji. Johnson." GARRICK TO JOHNSON. " May 31. 1765. " Dkar Sir, — My brother greatly astonished me this morning, by asking me ' if I was a subscriber to your Shak- speare ? ' i told him, yes, that I was one of the first, and as soon as I heard of your intention ; and that I gave you, at the same time, some other names, among which were the Duke of Devonshire, Mr. Beighton, &c. I cannot imme- diately have recourse to my memorandum, though I re- member to have seen it just before I left England. I hope that you will recollect it, and not think me capable of neglecting to make you so trifling a compliment, which was doubly duo from me, not only on account of the respect I have always had for your abilities, but from the sincere re- gard I shall ever pay to your friendship. I am, Sir, your most obedient humble servant, David Garuick." — Crokek. M 4 1G8 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1765. JOHNSON TO GEORGE STRAHAN, University College, Oxford. " May 25. 1765. " De.\r Sir, — That I have answered neither of your letters you must not impute to any declension of good will, but merely to the want of something to say. I suppose you pursue your studies dili- gently, and diligence will seldom fail of success. Do not tire yourself so much with Greek one day as to be afraid of looking on it the next ; but give it a certain portion of time, suppose four hours, and pass the rest of the day in Latin or English. I would have you learn French, and take in a litprary journal once a month, which will accustom you to various subjects, and inform you what learn- ing is going forward in the world. Do not omit to mingle some lighter books with those of more im- portance ; that which is read remisso aniino is often of great use, and takes great hold of the remem- brance However, take what course you will, if you be diligent you will be a scholar. I am, dear Sir, yours affectionately, Saji. Johnson."] —Rose MSS. No man was more gratefully sensible of any kindness done to him than Johnson. There is a little circumstance in his diary this year, which shows him in a very amiable light. " July 2. I paid Mr. Simpson ten guineas, which he had formerly lent me in my necessity, and for which Tetty expressed her gratitude." "July 8. I lent Mr. Simpson ten guineas more." Here he had a pleasing opportunity of doing the same kindness to an old friend, which he had formerly received from him. Indeed his liberality as to money was very remarkable. The next article in his diary is, "July 16th, I received seventy-five pounds.' Lent Mr. Davies twenty- five." Trinity College, Dublin, at this time sur- prised Johnson with a spontaneous compliment of the highest academical honours, by creating him Doctor of Laws. The diploma, which is ill my possession, is as follows : — " OMNIB US ad quos prcesentes litercB pervenerint, salutem. Nos Prmpositus et Socii Seniores Collegii Sacrosancta et Individual Trinitatis Reginm Eliza- het/itB juxta Dublin, testamur, Sainueli Johnson, Amiigero, oh egregiam scriptorum tlegantiam et uti- litatem, gratiam concessam fiiisse pro gradu Doctora- tus in titroque Jure, octavo die Julii, Anno Domini millesimo septingentesimo sexagesimo-quinto. In 1 A quarter's pension. — Croker. 2 Dr. Thomas Leland, the translator of Demosthenes, and author of the History of Ireland, was born at Dublin, in 1722, and died in 1785. — Wright. 3 The same who has contributed some notes to this work, and the elder brother of my earliest literary friend Dr. John Kearnev, sometime Provost of Dublin College, and after- wards Bishop of Ossory. Both the brothers were amiable men and accomplished scholars — Crokeb. ■> Hawkins and Murphy seem to think that this honour followed the publication of Shakspeare, but that is a mistake. The degree was in July at the annual Commencement ; the publication of Shakspeare in October. Johnson's acknow- ledgment was postponed to the end of the academic vacation. — Cboker. cujus rei testimonium singulorum manus et sigillum quo in hisce tttimur apposuimus ; vicesimo terlio die Julii, Anno Domini millesimo septingentesimo sexa- gesimo-quinto. GuL. Clement. Fran. Andrews. R. Mirray. Tho. Wilson. Pneps. RoB'us. Law. Tho. Leland. - Mich. Kearney." 3 This unsolicited mark of distinction, con- ferred on so great a literary character, did much honour to the judgment and liberal spirit of that learned body. Johnson acknow- ledged the favour in a letter to Dr. Leland, one of their number. JOHNSON TO DR. LELAND. " Johnson's Court, Fleet Street, London, " Oct. 17. 1705. 1 " Sir, — Among the names subscribed to the de- gree which I have had the honour of receiving from the University of Dublin, I find none of which I have any personal knowledge but those of Dr. Andrews and yourself. " Men can be estimated by those who know them not, only as they are represented by those who know them ; and therefore I flatter myself that I owe much of the pleasure which this dis- tinction gives me, to your concurrence with Dr. Andrews in recommending me to the learned society. " Having desired the Provost to return my general thanks to the University, I beg that you, Sir, will accept my particular and immediate ac- knowledgments. I am. Sir, your most obedient and most humble servant, Sam. Johnson." * He appears this year to have been seized with a temporary fit of ambition, for be had thoughts both of studying law, and of en- gaging in politics. His "Prayer [p. 67.] before the Study of Law " is truly admirable : — " Sept. 26. 1765. Almighty God, the giver of wisdom, without whose help resolutions are vain, without whose blessing study is ineffectual ; enable me, if it be thy will, to attain such knowledge as may qualify me to direct the doubtful, and instruct the ignorant ; to prevent wrongs and terminate con- tentions ; and grant that I may use that knowledge which I shall attain, to thy glory and my own salvation, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen." His prayer in the view of becoming a poli- tician is entitled, "Engaging in politics with H n," no doubt, his friend, the Eight Hon. William Gerard Hamilton ^, for whom, during 5 Hawkins and Murphy thought that Johnson's attachment to Oxford prevented him from assuming the title which it conferred. The fact is true ; but it is still more remarkable that he never used the title of Doctor before his name, even after his Oxford degree, (post, 30th Mar. 1775.) Hawkins says that he disliked to be called Doctor, as reminding him that he had been a schoobnaster . This seems improbable ; my opinion is, that he did not use his Irish title, expecting an Oxford one, and when the Oxford one came tardily and ungraciously ten years later, he disdained to assume it. — Croker. 6 Single-speech Hamilton had been secretary to Lord Hali- fax, as Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, and remained a short time with his successor, Lord Northuniberlaml, b'lt he re- signed in 17G4. Though he never sjioke In iiarliament after JEt. 56. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 169 a long acquaintance, be had a great esteem, and to whose conversation he once paid this liigh compliment : " I am very unwilling to be lei't alone, Sir, and therefore I go with my company down the first pair of stairs, in some hopes that they may, perhaps, return again ; I go with you. Sir, as far as the street-door." Ill what particular department he intended to engage ' does not appear, nor can IMr. Hamil- ton explain. His prayer is in general terms : " Enligliten my understanding with knowledge of right, and govern my will by tliy laws, that no ileceit may mislead me, nor temptation corrupt mo; that I may always endeavour to do good, and liinder evil." [Amidst all the hopes and fears of this world, take not thy Holy Spirit from me.] There is nothing upon the subject in his tliary. CHAPTER XIX. 1765—1766. Acqunintnnce with the Thralcs. — PuhUcation of his Shakspeare. — Kenrick. — Dedications. ■ — • Boswell returns to England. — Voltaire on Pope and Dn/den. — Goldsmith's " Traveller," and " De- serted Village." — Suppers at the Mitre resumed. — " Equal Happiness." — " Courting great Men." — Convents. — Second Sight. — Corsica. — Rousseau. — Subordination. — " Maldng Verses." — Letters to Langton. Tins year was distinguished by his being introduced into the family of Mr. Thrale, one of the most eminent brewers in England, and member of Parliament for the borough of Southwark. I'oreigners are not a little amazed ^vhen they hear of brewers, distillers, and men in similar departments of trade, held Ibrth as ])ersons of considerable consequence. In this uieat commercial country it is natural that a this, his biographer informs us (perhaps on the authority of this passage), that he meditated taking an active part in political life: he, however, did not, and his alliance with .lolinson, whatever it was intended to be, seems to have pro- duced little or nothing. He died in 179G. _ Choker. 1 In the preface to a late collection of Mr. Hamilton's Pieces, it has been observed that our author was, by the U'lniorality of Jahnson's words, " led to suppose that he was 'lizert with a temporary fit of ambition, and that lience he was induced to apply his thoughts to law and politics. But Mr. Boswell was certainly mistaken in this respect: and tinse words merely allude to Johnson's having at that time entered into some engagement with Mr. Hamilton occasion- ally to furnish him with his sentiments on the great political topics which sho»ld be considered in parliament." In con- se [iience of this engagement, Johnson, in November, 17GG, wrote a very valuable tract, entitled "' Considerations on Corn," which is printed as an appendix to the works of :\Ir. Hamilton, published by T. Payne in 1808. — Malone. 1 cannot doubt that so solemn a '■^prayer, on engaging in politics," must have had a serious meaning ; and the passage as to "hopes and fears," though omitted in Bos- wcU's quotation, confirms this opinion. It were perhaps vain now to inquire after what Mr. Hamilton professed not to be able to explain ; but we may be sure that it was, in Johnson's opinion, no such slight and casual assistance situation which produces much wealth should be considered as very respectable ; and, no doubt, honest industry is entitled to esteejn. 15ut, perhaps, the too rapid advance of men of low extraction tends to lessen the value of that distinction by birth and gentility, which has ever been found beneficial to the grand scheme of subordination. Johnson used to give this account of the rise of IVIr. Thrale's father : " He worked at six shillings a week for twenty years in the great brewery, which afterwards was his own. The proj)rIctor of it - had an only daughter, who was married to a nobleman. It was not fit that a peer should continue the business. On the old man's death, therefore, the brewery was to be sold. To find a purchaser for so large a property was a difficult matter ; and, after some time, it was suggested, that it would be advisable to treat with Thrale, a sensible, active, honest man, who had been employed in the house, and to transfer the whole to him for thirty thousand pounds, security being taken upon the pro- perty. This was accordingly settled. In eleven years Thrale paid the purchase-money. He acquired a large fortune, and lived to be a member of parliament for Southwark.^ But what was most remarkable was the liberality with which he used his riches. He gave his son and daughters the best education. The esteem which his good conduct procured him from the nobleman who had married his master's daughter, made him be treated with much attention; and his son, both at school and at the university of Oxford, associated with young men of the first rank. His allow- ance from his father, after he left college, was splendid ; not less than a thousand a year. This, in a man who had risen as old Thrale did, was a very extraordinary instance of gene- rosity. He used to sny, " If this young dog does not find so much after I am gone as he expects, let him remember that he has a great deal in my own time." The son, though in afflueait circumstances, had good sense enough to carry on his father's as is suggested in the foregoing note. From a letter to Miss Porter (post, January 14. 1760), it may be guessed, that this engagement was in some way connected with the parlia- mentary session ; perhaps an alliance to write pamphlets or paragraphs, or to prepare speeches. Whatever it was, it may be inferred, from the obscurity in which they involved and left it, that it was something which Johnson did not chose to talk about, nor Hamilton to avow. — CnoKER. 2 The predecessor of old Thrale was Edmund Halsey, Esq.; the nobleman wlio married his daughter was LordCobham, great uncle of the first Marquis of Buckingham. But I believe Dr. Johnson was mistaken in assigning so very low an origin to Mr. Thrale. The clerk of St. Albans, a very aged man, told me, that ho (the elder Thrale) married a sister of Mr. Halsey. It is at least certain that the family of Thrale was of some consideration in that town : in the abbey church is a handsome monument to the memory of Mr. John Thrale, late of London, merchant, who died in 1704, aged 54, Mar- garet his wife, and three of their children who died young, between tha years 1676 and 1690. The arms upon this monu- ment are, paly of eight, gules and or, impaling, ermine, on a chief indented wfrt, three wolves' (or gryphons') heads, or, couped at the neck : — Crest on a ducal coronet, a tree, verl. — Blakeway. 3 In 1733 he served the office of high sheriff for .Surrey. He died .-^pril 9. 1758. — Croker. 170 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1765. trade, whicli was of such extent, that I re- member he once told me, he would not quit it for an annuity of ten thousand a year : " Not," said he, " that I get ten thousand a year by it, but it is an estate to a family." Having left daughters only, the property was sold for the immense sum of one hundred and thirty-five thousand pounds : a magnificent jjroof of what may be done by fair trade in a long period of time. There may be some who think that a new system of gentility ^ might be established, upon principles totally different from what have hitherto prevailed. Our present heraldry, it may be said, is suited to the bai'barous times in which it had its origin. It is chiefly founded upon ferocious merit, upon military excellence. Why, in civilised times, we may be asked, should there not be rank and honours, upon principles which, independent of long custom, are certainly not less worthy, and which, when once allowed to be connected with elevation and precedency, would obtain the same dignity in our imagination? Why should not the knowledge, the skill, the expertness, the as- siduity, and the spirited hazards of trade and commerce, when crowned with success, be entitled to give those flattering distinctions by which mankind are so universally captivated ? Such are the specious, but false arguments for a proposition which always will find nu- merous advocates, in a nation where men are every day starting up from obscurity to wealth. To refute them is needless. The general sense of mankind cries out, with irresistible force, " Un gentilhomme est toujours gentil- homme." ^ Mr. Thrale had married Miss Hesther LjTich Salusbury, of good Welsh extraction, a lady of lively talents, improved by education. That Johnson's introduction into Mr. Thrale's family, which contributed so much to the hap- piness of his life, was owing to her desire for his conversation, is a very probable and the ' Mrs. Burney informs me that she heard Dr. Johnson say, " An English merchant is a new species of gentleman." He. perhaps, had in his mind the following ingenious passage in " The Conscious Lovers," Act iv. Scene 2., where Mr. Sealand thus addresses Sir John Bevil : — " Give me leave to say, that we merchants are a species of gentry that have grown into the world this last century, and are as honour- able, and almost as useful, as you landed-folks, that have always thought yourselves so much above us ; for your trading, forsooth, is extended no farther than a load of hay, or a fat ox. You are pleasant people indeed ! because you are generally bred up lazy, therefore, I warrant you, industry is dishonourable." — Boswell. If, indeed, Johnson called merchants a new species of gentlemen, he must ijave forgotten not only the merchants of Tyre, who were " princes," and the Medici of Florence, but the Greshams, Cranfields, Osbornes, Duncombes, and so many others of England Croker. 2 This dictuni.whatever be its value, is not applicable to this question, which is, not whether a gentleman can ever cease to be one, but, whether a plel)eian can ever become one. — Croker. 3 "The first time," says Mrs. Piozzi,"! ever saw this extra- ordinary man was in the year 1764, when Mr. Murphy, who had long been the friend and confidential intimate of Mr. Thrale, persuaded him to wish for Johnson's conversation, extolling it in terms which that of no other person could have deserved, till we were only in doubt liow to obtain his company, and find an excuse for the invitation. The celebrity general supposition : but it is not the truth. Mr. Murphy, who was intimate with Mr. Thrale, having spoken very highly of Dr. Johnson, he was requested to make them ac- quainted. This being mentioned to Johnson, he accepted of an invitation to dinner at Thrale's, and was so much pleased with his reception, both by Mr. and Mrs, Thrale, and they so much pleased with him, that his in- vitations to their house were more and more frequent, till at last he became one of the family, and an apartment was appropriated to him, both in their house at Southwark and in their villa at Streatham.^ Johnson had a very sincere esteem for ]Mr. Thrale, as a man of excellent principles, a good scholar, well skilled in trade, of a sound understandiug, and of manners such as pre- sented the character of a plain independent English 'squire. As this family will frequently be mentioned in the course of the following pages, and as a false notion has prevailed that My. Thrale was inferior, and in some degree insignificant, compared with Mrs. Thrale, it may be proper to give a true state of the case from the authority of Johnson himself in his own words. " I know no man," said he, " who is more master of his wife and family than Thrale. If he but holds up a finger, he is obeyed. It is a great mistake to suppose that she is above him in literary attainments. She is more flippant ; but he has ten times her learning : he is a regular scholar; but her learning is that of a schoolboy in one of the lower forms." My readers may naturally wish for some re- presentation of the figures of this couple.'* Mr. Thrale was tall, well proportioned, and stately. As for Madam., or my Mistress, by which epithets Johnson used to mention ^Ii's. Thrale, she was short, plump, and brisk.^ She has herself given us a lively view of the idea which Johnson had of her person, on her appearing before him in a dark-coloured gown : " You of Mr. VVoodhouse, a shoemaker, whose verses were at that time the subject of common discourse, soon afforded a pre- tence, and Mr. Murphy brought Johnson to meet him, giving me general cautions not to be surprised at his figure, dress, or behaviour. What 1 recollect best of the day's talk was his earnestly recommending Addison's works to Mr. Wood- house as a rhodel for imitation. ' Give nights and days. Sir,' said he, ' to the study of Addison, if you mean either to be a good writer, or, what is more worth, an honest man.' When I saw something like the same expression in his criticism on that author, in the Lives of the Poets, I put him in mind of his past injunctions to the young poet, to which he replied, ' that he wished the shoemaker might have remembered them as well.' Mr. Johnson liked his new acquaintance so much, however, that from that time he dined with us every Thursday through the winter."— Croker. ■• The 'reader will not fail to observe the tone in which Boswell permits himself to talk of ''this couple." It marks a prejudice which pervades his book Croker. 5 He should have added that she was very pretty. She was about twenty-four or twenty-five years of age, when this acquaintance commenced. At the time of my first edition I was unable to ascertain precisely Mrs. Piozzi's age but a subsequent publication, named Piozziana, fixes her birth on her own authority to the IGth January, 1740 ; yet even that is not quite conclusive, for she calls it 1740 old style, that is, 1741. I must now, of course, adopt, though not without some doubt, the l.idy's reckoning. See Quarterly Ileiiiczo, vol. xlix. p. 252. — Croker, 1840. ^Et. 56: BOS WELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 171 little creatures should never woar those sort oC clothes, however ; they are unsuitable in every way. What ! have not all insects gay colours ?" ' Mr. Thrale gave his wife a liberal indulgence, both in the choice of their com- ]iany, and in the mode of entertaining them, lie understood and valued Johnson, without louiission, from their first acquaintance to the il IV of his death. Mrs. Thrale was enchanted ivith Johnson's conversation for its own sake, ;.iid had also a very allowable vanity in appear- ing to be honoured with the attention of so celebrated a man. ^STothing could be more fortunate for John- son than this connection. He had at Mr. 'i'lirale's all the comforts and even luxuries of 'il'e; his melancholy was diverted, and his irregular habits lessened, by association with ail agreeable and well-ordered family. He Avas treated with the utmost respect, and even aifection. The vivacity of Mrs. Thrale's lite- rary talk roused him to cheerfulness and exertion, even when they were alone. But tliis was not often the case ; for he found here a constant succession of what gave him the liighest enjoyment, the society of the learned, the witty, and the eminent in every way ; who were assembled in numerous companies, called forth his wonderful powers, and gratified him with admiration, to which no man could be insensible. In the October of this year he at length gave to the world his edition of Shakspeare, Avliich, if it had no other merit but that of ])roducing his Preface, in which the excellences and defects of that immortal bard are displayed with a masterly hand, the nation would have liad no reason to complain." A blind indis- criminate admiration of Shakspeare had ex- ])osed the British nation to the ridicule of foreigners. Johnson, by candidly admitting the fixults of his poet, had the more credit in bestowing on him deserved and indisputable praise; and doubtless none of all his pane- gyrists have done him half so much honour. Their praise was like that of a counsel, upon liis own side of the cause : Johnson's was like the grave, well-considered, and impartial opi- ' Anecdotes, p. 279. — Boswell. - Hawkins says that " Johnson was insensible to Churchill's abuse ; but the poem before mentioned had brought to remembrance that his edition of Shakespeare had long been due. His friends took the alarm, and, by all the arts of reasoning and persuasion, laboured to convince him that, having taken subscriptions for a work in which he had mnde no progress, his credit was at stake. He confessed ho was culpable, and promised from time to time to begin a course of such reading as was necessary to qualify him for the work : this was no more than he had formerly done in an engagement with Coxeter*, to whom he had bound him- self to write the Life of Shakespeare, but he never could be prevailed on to begin it, so that even now it was questioned whether his promises were to be relied on. For this reason * Thomas Coxeter, Esq., from whose manuscript notes the "Lives of the English Poets," by Shiels and Cibber, were principally compiled. He was bred at Trinity College, Ox- ford, and died in London, April 17. 1747. in his fifty-ninth year. See Gent. Mag. for 1781, p. 173. — Malone nion of the judge, which falls from his lips with weight, and is received with reverence. What he did as a commentator has no small share of merit, though his researches were not so ample, and his investigations so acute, as they might have been ; which we now. certainly know from the labours of other able and in- genious critics who have followed him. He has enriched his edition with a concise account of each play, and of its characteristic excel- lence. Many of his notes have illustrated obscurities in the text, and placed passages eminent for beauty in a more conspicuous light ; and he has, in general, exhibited such a mode of annotation, as may be beneficial to all subsequent editors. His Shakspeare was virulently attacked by Mr. William Kenrick, who obtained the degree of LL.D. from a Scotch university, and wrote for the booksellers in a great variety of branches. Though he certainly was not with- out considerable merit, he wrote with so little regard to decency, and principles, and decorum, and in so hasty a ma-nner, that his reputation was neither extensive nor lasting. I remember one evening, when some of his works were mentioned, Dr. Goldsmith said, he had never heard of them ; upon which Dr. Johnson observed, " Sir, he is one of the many who have made themselves public, without making themselves known." ^ A young student of Oxford, of the name of Barclay, wrote an answer to Kenrick's review of Johnson's Shakspeare. Johnson was at first angry that Kenrick's attack should have the credit of an answer. But afterwards, con- sidering the young man's good intention, he kindly noticed him, and probably would have done more, had not the young man died. In his Preface to Shakspeare, Johnson treated Voltaire very contemptuously, observing, upon some of his remarks, "These are the petty cavils of petty minds." Voltaire, in revenge, made an attack upon Johnson, in one of his numerous literary sallies which I remember to have read ; but, there being no general index to his voluminous works, have searched in vain, and therefore cannot quote it.''^ Sir Joshua Reynolds, and some other of his friends, who were more concerned for his reputation than himself seemed to be, contrived to entangle him by a wager, or some other pecuniary engagement, to perform his task by a certain time." — C. — Grainger thus writes to Percy on this subject, " 27th June, 17S8 : I have several times called on Johnson to pay him part of your subscription — I say part, because he never thinks of working if he has a couple of guineas in his pocket." And again, 20th July: " As to his Shakespeare, movet scd non proniovct. I shall feed him occasionally with guineas." Prior's Goldsmith, i. 23-5. — Croker, 1846. 3 Kenrick was born at Watford, Herts, and was brought up to the business of a rule-maker, which he quitted for literature. Of this " attack," entitled " A Review of Dr. Johnson's new edition of Shakespeare ; in which the Igno- rance or Inattention of that Editor is exposed, and the Poet defended from the Persecution of his Commentators," Dr. Johnson only said, " He did not think himself bound by Kenrick's rules." In 1774 he delivered Lectures on Shake- speare, and the next year commenced the London Review, which he continued to his death, June 10. 1779. — Wright. ■< " Je ne veux point soupgonner le sieur Jonson d'etre UD mauvais plaisant, et d'aimer trop le vin : mais je trouve un 172 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1765. Voltaire was an antagonist witli whom I thought Johnson should not disdain to contend. I pressed him to answer. He said, he perhaps might ; but he never did.' [JOHNSON TO DR. JOSEPH WARTON. " Oct. 9. 17C.5. " Dear Sir, — Mrs. Warton uses me hardly in supposing that I couUl forget so much kindness and civility as she showed me at Winchester. I remember, likewise, our conversation about St. Cross.2 The desire of seeing her again will be one of the motives that will bring me into Hamp- sliire. " I have taken care of your book ; being so far from doubting your subscription, that I think you have subscribed twice : you once paid your guinea into my own hand in the garret in Gough Square. When you light on your receii)t, throw it on the fire ; if you find a second receipt, you may have a second book. " To tell the truth, as I felt no solicitude about this work, I receive no great comfort from its con- clusion ; but yet am well enough pleased that the public has no farther claim upon me. I wish you would write more frequently to, dear Sir, your aHectionate humble servant, " Sam. Johnson."] Mr. Burney having occasion to write to Johnson for some receipts for subscriptions to his Shakspeare, which Johnson had omitted to I deliver when the money was paid, he availed himself of that opportunity of_ thanking Johnson for the great pleasure which he had received from the perusal of his Preface to Shakspeare ; which, although it excited much clamour against him at first, is now justly ranked among the most excellent of his writings. To this letter Johnson returned the following answer : — JOHNSON TO BURNEY, In Poland Street. " Oct. IG. 17G5. " Sir, — I am sorry that your kindness to me has brought upon you so much trouble, though you have taken care to abate that sorrow, by the plea- siue which I received from your ai)probation. I defend my criticism in the same manner with you. We must confess the faults of our favourite, to gain credit to our praise of his excellencies. He that claims, either in himself or for another, the honours of perfection, will surely injure the repu- peu singulierqu'ilcomptelalioun'onner Ips beautes da tlieiitre tragique ; " &c. >S losopliique, art. " Art Dramatique." Voltaire, lidit. 1784, vol. xxxviii. p. 10. — Wright. 1 He appears in the course of this summer to have visited Dr. Warton, Head Master of Winchester School, and on the publication of his Shakespeare wrote to him the letter in tlie lext, which I extract from Wooil's Life of Warton. — Croker. ■^ The hospital of St. Cross, near Winchester, endowed formerly for the maintenance of seventy resident members, clergy and laity, with one hundred out-pcnsioners: but, since the Dissolution, reduced to ten residents, with (he master and cliaplain, and three out-pensioners. — Chokkr. tation which he designs to assist. Be pleased to make my compliments to your family. I am. Sir, your most obliged and most humble servant, " Sam. Johnson. ' From one of his Journals I transcribed what follows : — " At church, Oct. —65. " To avoid all singularity : Bonaventiira.^ "To come in before service, and compose my mind by meditation, or by reading some jiortious of scripture. Tetty. " If I can hear the sermon, to attend it, unless attention be more troublesome than useful. " To consider the act of prayer as a reposal of myself upon God, and a resignation of all into his holy hand." Tn 1764 and 1765 it should seem that Dr. Johnson was so busily employed with his edition of Shakspeare, as to have had little leisure for any other literary exertion, or, indeed, even for private correspondence.* He did not favour me with a single letter for more than two years, for which it will appear that he afterwards apologised. He was, however, at all times ready to give assistance to his friends, and others, in revising their works, and in writing for them, or greatly improving, their Dedications. In tliat courtly species of composition no man excelled Dr. Johnson. Though the loftiness of liis mind prevented him from ever dedicating in his own person, he wrote a very great number of De- dications for others. Some of these, the persons who were favoured with them are un- willing should be mentioned, from a too anxious apprehension, as I think, that they might be suspected of having received larger assistance ; and some, after all the diligence I have be- stowed, have escaped my inquiries. He told me, a great many years ago, "he believed he had dedicated to all the lloyal Family round;" and it was indifferent to him what was the subject of the work dedicated, provided it were innocent. He once dedicated some music for the German Flute to Edward, Duke of York. In writing Dedications for others, he considered himself as by no means speaking his own sentiments.^ Notwithstanding his long silence, I never omitted to write to him, when I had any tiling worthy of communicating. I generally kept 3 He was probably proposing to himself the model of this excellent person, who for his piety was named the Seraphic Doctor — BoswELL. '^ This trait is amusing : Mr. Boswell concludes that be- cause Johnson did not, for two years, write to him. he wrote to nobody, and was exclusively occu|)ied witli his .Sliake- speare, though we have seen tliat, in those years, he found time to pay visits to his friends in Lincolnsliire and North- amptonshire, and at Cambridge and Winchester. He also visited Brighton. If Mr. Boswell had been these two years in London, there can be no doubt that he would have found Johnson by no means absorbed in Shakespeare — Choker. 5 This paragraph about Dedications seems accidentally mis- placed, it would come in betterunder April 15.1773 — Croker. ^T. O* BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 173 copies of my letters to him, that I might have a full view of our correspondence, and never be at a loss to understand any reference in his letters. lie kept the greater part of mine very carefully ; and a short time before his death was attentive enough to seal them up in bundles, and ordered them to be delivered to mo, which was accordingly done. Amongst them I I'ound one, of which I had not made a copy, and which I own I read with pleasure at the distance of almost twenty years. It is dated November, 1765, at the palace of Pascal Faoli, in Corte, the capital of Corsica, and is full of generous enthusiasm. After giving a sketch of what I had. seen and heard'in that island, it proceeded thus : " I dare to call this a spirited tour, I dare to challeniie your ap- probation." This letter produced the following answer, which I found on my arrival at Paris. A M. M. BOSWELL, Chez Mr. Waters, Banqiiicr, a Purls. "Johnson's Court, Fleet Street, Jiin. 14. 17GG. " Dear Sir, — Apologies are seldom of atiy use. We will delay till your arrival the reasons, good or bad, which have made me such a sparing and un- grateful correspondent. Be assured, for the ])re- sent, that nothing has lessened either the esteem or love with which I dismissed you at Harwich. Both have been increased by all that I have been told of you by yourself or others ; and when you return, you will return to an unaltered, and, I hope, un- alterable friend. " All that you have to fear from me Is the vexa- tion of disappointing me. No man loves to frus- trate expectations which have been formed in his favour ; and the pleasure which I promise myself from your journals and remarks is so great, that perhaps no degree of attention or discernment will be sufficient to afford it. " Come home, however, and take your chance. I long to see you, and to hear you ; and hope that we shall not be so long separated again. Come home, and expect such welcome as is due to him, wliom a wise and noble curiosity has led, where perhaps no native of this country ever was before. " I have no news to tell you that can deserve your notice; nor would I willingly lessen the ])leasure that any novelty may give you at your re- turn. I am afraid vre shall find it dilficidt to keep among us a mind which has been so long feasted with variety. But let us try what esteem and kindness can effect. 1 See an/e. p. 1G9. n. 1. — Croker. - In the Life of Dr. Warton, p. 312., we find s. letter (dited J.in. 11. 17fi6) from him to his brother, giving some account of Johnson and his society at this period : — "' I only dined with Johnson, who seemed cold and indifferent, ;ind scarce said anything to me; perhaps he has heard what 1 said of his Shakespeare, or rather was otTended at what 1 wrote to him — as he pleases. Of all solemn coxcombs. Goldsmith is the first ; yet sensible— but affects to use John- son's hard words in conversation. We had a Mr. l)ycr(«7!/e, \i.h%. and post, 177.) who is a scholar and a gentleman. (Jarricli is entirely off from Johnson, and cannot, he says, forgive him his insinuating that he withheld his old editions, which always were open to him, nor I suppose his xiever mentioning him in all his works." This coohiess "As your father'.s liberality has indulged \ou with so long a ramble, I doubt not but you will think his sickness, or even his desire to see you, a sufficient reason for ha.stening your return. 'J'h.e longer we live, and the more we think, the higher value we learn to put on the friendship and tender- ness of parents and of friends. Parents we can have but once ; and he promises himself too much, who enters life with the expectation of finding many friends. Upon some motive, I hope, that you will be here soon ; and am willing to think that it will be an inducement to your return, tliat it is sincerely desired by, dear Sir, your affectionate humble servant, Sam. Johnson." [JOHNSON TO MISS PORTER. " Johnson's Court, Fleet Street, Jan. 14. 1766. " Dear Madam, — The reason why I did not answer your letters was that I can please myself with no answer. I was loth that Kitty should leave the house till I had seen it once more, and yet for some reasons I cannot well come during the session of parliament.' I am unwilling to sell it, yet hardly know why. If it can be let, it should I)e repaired, and I purpose to let Kitty have part of the rent while we both live ; and wish that you would get it surveyed, and let me know how much money will be necessary to tit it for a tenant. I would not have you stay longer than is convenient, and I thank you for your care of Kitty. " Do not take my omission amiss. I am sorry for it, but know not what to say. You must act by your own prudence, and I shall be pleased. Write to me again ; I do not design to neglect yo'.i any more. It is great pleasure for me to hear from you ; but this whole affair is painful to me. I wish you, my dear, many happy years. Give my respects to Kitty. I am, dear IMadam, your most affectionate humble servant, — Tiarsnti MSS. " Sam. Johnson." '] I returned to London in February, and found Dr. Johnson in a good house in John- son's Court, Fleet Street, in which he had ac- commodated Miss Williams with an apartment on the ground floor, while Mr. Levett occupied his post in the garret : his faithful Francis was still attending upon him. He received me with much kindness. The fragments of our first conversation, which I have preserved, are these : I told him that Voltaire, in a con- versation with me, had distinguished Pope and Dry den thus: — "Pope drives a handsome chariot, with a couple of neat trim nags; Dryden a coach, and six stately horses.^ between Johnson and Warton was probably not subsequent difference arising out of a dispute at Sir Joshua Rpvniilds's table was more lasting — Crokeb. 3' It is remarkable that Mr. Gray has employed somewh.at the same image to characterise Dryden. He, indeed, furnishes his tar with but two horses ; but they are of" ethereal race : " — " Behold where Drydcn's less presumptuous car j Wide o'er the fields of glory bear ! Two coursers of ethereal race, j With necks in thunder clothed, and long resounding pace." i Bos-.vEi.L. I Johnson, in the Life of Pope, has made a comparison j between hira and Dryden, in the spirit of this correction of 174 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 176C. Johnson. " Why, Sir, the truth is, they both drive coaches and six ; but Dryden's horses are either galloping or stumbling : Pope's go at a steady even trot." He said of Goldsmith's " Traveller," which had been published in my absence, " There has not been so fine a poem since Pope's time." And here it is proper to settle, with au- thentic precision, what has long floated in public rejjort, as to Johnson's being himself the author of a considerable part of that poem. Much, no doubt, both of the sentiments and expression, were derived from conversation with him ' ; and it was certainly submitted to his friendly revision : but, in the year 1783, he, at my request, marked with a pencil the lines which he had furnished, which are only line 420th: — " To stop too fearful, and too faint to go ; " and the concluding ten lines, except the last couplet but one, which I distinguish by the Italic character : " How small of all that human hearts endure, That part which laws or kings can cause or cure ! Still to ourselves in every place consign'd, Our own felicity we make or find : With secret course, which no loud storms annoy, Glides the smooth current of domestic joy. The lifted axe, the agonizmg wheel, Luke's iron crown, and Damien's bed of steel. To men remote from power, but rarely known, Leave reason, faith, and conscience all our own." He added, " These are all of which I <;an be sure." They bear a small propor- tion to the whole, whieli consists of four hundred and thirty-eight verses. Goldsmith, in the couplet which he inserted", mentions Luke as a person well known, and superficial readers have passed it over quite smoothly ; while those of more attention have been as much perplexed by Luke as by Lydiat, in " The Vanity of Human Wishes." The truth is, that Goldsmith hmiself was in a mistake. In the " Respublica Hungarica" there is an ac- count of a desperate rebellion in the year 1514, headed by two brotliers of the name of Zeck^ George and Luke. When it was quelled, George, not Luke, was punished, by his head being encircled with a red-hot iron crown; " corona candescente ferrca coronaturT ^ The same severity of torture was exercised on the Earl of Athol, one of the murderers of King James I. of Scotland ! Voltaire's metaphor. It is one of the most beautiful critical passages in our language, and was prolidblv suggested to Johnson's mind by this conversation, althou'gh he did not make use of the same illustration. — Crokku. Johnson con- demns the image in his Life of Gray. '■ The car of Dryden," he says, " with his two coursers, has nothing in it peculiar ; it is a car in which any other rider may be placed." — P. Cunningham. ' This rests on no authority whatpver, and may well be doubted. The Traveller is a poem which, in a peculiar degree, seems written from the personal observation and feelings of its author. — Croker. 2 This is a strange way of speaking of the lines of an author in his own poem — Johnson's were rather the Dr. Johnson at the same time favoured me by marking the lines which he furnished to Goldsmith's " Deserted Village," which are only the last four : — " That trade's proud empire hastes to swift decay, As ocean sweeps the labour'd mole away : VVh.ile self-dependent power can time defy. As rocks resist the billows and the sky." Talking of education, " People have now-a- days," said he, " got a strange opinion that every thing should be taught by lectures. Now, I cannot see that lectures can do so much good as reading the books from which the lectures are taken. I know nothing that can be best taught by lectures, except where experiments are to be shown. You may teach chymistry by lectures : — you might teach making of shoes by lectures ! " At night I supped with him at the Mitre tavern, that we might renew our social in- timacy at the original place of meeting. But there was now a considerable difference in his way of living. Having had an illness '^, in which he was advised to leave off wine, he had, from that period, continued to abstain from it, and drank only water, or lemonade. I told him that a foreign friend of his ^, whom I had met with abroad, was so wretchedly perverted to infidelity, that he treated the hopes of immortality with brutal levity ; and said, " As man dies like a dog, let him lie like a dog." Johnson. " i/"he dies like a dog, let him lie like a dog." I added, that this man said to me, " I hate mankind, for I think myself one of the best of them, and I know how bad I am." Johnson. " Sir, he must be very singular in his opinion, if he thinks himself one of the best of men ; for none of his friends think him so." — He gaid, " No honest man could be a Deist ; for no man could be so after a fixir examination of the proofs of Christianity." I named Hume. Johnson. " No, Sir ; Hume owned to a clergyman in the bishopric of Durham, that he had never read the New Testament with attention." — I mentioned Hume's notion, that all who are happy are equally happy ; a little miss with a new gown at a dancing-school ball, a general at the head of a victorious army, and an orator after having made an eloquent speech in a great assembly. Johnson. " Sir, that all who are happy, are equally happy, is not true. A peasant and a philosopher may be equally satis- inserlion ; and it must be observed that they could only have been alterations of, or substitutions for other lines, convey- ing, though perhaps in less effective language, the same or similar sentiments Croker. 3 Mr. Boswell is in error. The names of the brother rebels were George and Luke Dosa, and they (or at least George) were punished, as stated in the poem. Felicien Zecli (properly Zncli), was a different person — John Murray. "The alteration therefore which a late editor of Goldsmith, Mr. Bolton Corney, has made, of iw/.x' into " Zeck," is doubly improper. — P. Cunningham. ■f Probably the severe fit of hypochondria mentioned and, p. 165. — Croker. 5 Probably Baretti. — Crobleb. /Ex. 5' BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 17 a Jied, hut not ecjually happy. Happiness consists in the multiplicity of agreeable consciousness. A Dcasant has not capacity for having equal happiness with a philosopher. " I rcuieiuber tills very question very happily illustrated, in o]iposition to Hume, by the Rev. Mr. Robert Brown, at Utrecht. " A small di-inking-glass and a large one," said he, " may be equally full ; but the large one holds more than the <;nall."' Dr. Johnson was very kind this evening, and said to me, " You have now lived five-and- t'A-enty years, and you have employed them veil." " Alas, Sir," said I, " I fear not. Do I know history? Do I know mathematics? Do I know law?" Johnson. "Why, Sir, I'liough you may know no science so well as to 1)0 able to teach it, and no profession so well as to be able to follow it, your general mass of knowledge of books and men renders you very capable to make yourself master of any science, ! or fit yourself for any profession." I men- tioned, that a gay friend had advised me against boing a lawyer, because I should be excelled iiv plodding blockheads. Johnson. "Why, ^^ir, in the formiilary and statutory part of law, ;i plodding blockhead may excel ; but in the ii'.gunlous and rational part of it, a plodding blockhead can never excel." I talked of the mode adopted by some to rise In the world, by courting great men, and asked him whether he had ever submitted to it. cToHNSON. " Why, Sir, I never was near enough to great men, to court them. You may be prudently attached to great men, and yet independent. You are not to do what you think wrong ; and. Sir, you are to calculate, and not pay too dear for what you get. You must not give a shilling's worth of court for sixpence worth of good. But if you can get a shilling's worth of good for sixpence worth I if court, you are a fool if you do not pay court." He said, " If convents should be allowed at all, they should only be retreats for persons unable to serve the public, or who have served It. It is our first duty to serve society^, and, alter we have done that, we may attend wholly to the salvation of our own souls. A youthful '■ Bishop Hall, in disciissins this subject, has tlie same imase: " Yet so conceive of these heavenly dcKrees, that tlie !i';i should have performed all our duties to society ; which would be, in fact, an adjournment sine die. But Dr. Johnson was talking of monastic retirement, and from the context, as .•;ell as from his own practice, it is clear that he must have rieant, that an entire abstraction from the world, ;md an ex- i/»s;'w<; dedication to rec/MSf devotion, was not justifiable, as 1 lilt; as any of our duties to society were unperformed. Uromy Taylor, who will not be suspected of worldliness, has ; wMiiimen't not dissimilar : — " If our youth be chaste and r.n.norat", moderate and industrious, proceeding, through a lnudeDl and sober manhood, to a religious old age, tlien we p.ission for abstracted devotion should not l-i encouraged. I introduced the subject of second sight, and other mysterious manifestations ; the ful- filment of which, I suggested, might happen by chance. Johnson. " Yes, Sir, but they have happened so often ^ that mankind have agreed to think them not fortuitous." I talked to him a great deal of what I had seen in Corsica, and of my intention to publish an account of it. He encouraged me by saying, " You cannot go to the bottom of the subject; but all that you tell us will be new to us. Give us as many anecdotes as you can." Our next meeting at the Mitre was on Saturday the 15th of February, when I pre- sented to him my old and most intimate friend, the Rev. Mr. Temple, then of Cambridge. I having mentioned that I had passed some time with Rousseau in his wild retreat, and having- quoted some remark made by Mr. Wilkes, v/ith v/hom I had spent many pleasant hours in Italy, Johnson said, sarcastically, " It seems. Sir, you have kept very good company abroad, — Rousseau and AVilkes ! " Thinking it enough to defend one at a time, I said nothing as to my gay friend, but answered with a smile, " My dear Sir, you don't call Rousseau bad company. Do you really think him a bad man ? " Johnson. " Sir, if you are talking jestingly of this, I don't talk with you. If you mean to be serious, I think him one of the worst of men ; a rascal, who ought to be hunted out of society, as he has been. Three or four nations have expelled him : and it Is a shame that he is protected in this country." BoswELL. " I don't deny. Sir, but that his novel '^ may, perhaps, do harm ; but I cannot think his intention was bad." Johnson. " Sir, that will not do. We cannot prove any man's intention to be bad. You may shoot a man through the head, and say you intended to miss him ; but the judge will order you to be hanged. An alleged want of intention, when evil is committed, will not be allowed in a court of justice. Rousseau, Sir, is a very bad man. I would sooner sign a sentence for his transportation, than that of any felon who has have lived our whole duration, and shall never die." — Holy Dying, c. i. s. c. Neitlier tlie Uishop nor Dr. Johnson could mean that youth and matthood should not be religious, but that they should not be religious to the exclusi07i oi the social duties of industry, prudence, Ac. See post, Aug. 19. 1773, where Johnson quotes from Hesiod, and explains in this sense, a line which Bishop Taylor had perhaps in his mind, and of which Boswell there gives this translation : — " Let youth in deeds, in counsel men engage : I'rayer is the proper duty of old age." — Croker. 3 The fact seems rather to be, that they have happened so seldom that (however general superstition may be) there does not seem to be on record, in the jjrofane history of the world, one single well-authenticated instance of such a manifestation — not one such instance as could command the full belief of rational men. Although Dr. John.^on generally leaned to the superstitious side of this question, it will be seen that he occasionally took a more rational view of it — Crokeii ■* La Noiivelle Hilo'tsc, published in 1701. — Croker. 176 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 17{)6 il'jno from the Old Bailey these many years. Yes, I should like to have him work in the plantations." Boswell. " Sir, do you think him as bad a man as Voltaire? Johnson. " Why, Sir, it is difficult to settle the propor- tion of iniquity between them." This violence seemed very strange to me, who had read many of Rousseau's animated writings with great pleasure, and even edifica- tion; had been much pleased with his society, and was just come from the continent, where he was very generally admired. Xor can I yet allow that he deserves the very severe censure which Johnson pronounced upon him. His absurd preference of savage to civilised life, and other singularities, are proofs rather of a defect in his understanding, than of any de- pravity in his heart.' And notwithstanding the unfavourable opinion which many worthy men have expressed of his " Profession de Foi du Vicairc Savoyard" I cannot help admiring it as the performance of a man full of sincere reverential submission to Divine Mystery, though beset with perplexing doubts : a state of mind to be viewed with pity rather than with anger. On his favourite subject of subordination, Johnson said, " So far is it from being true that men are naturally equal, that no two people can be half an hour together, but one shall acquire an evident superiority over the other." " I mentioned the advice given us by philo- sophers, to console ourselves, when distressed or embarrassed, by thinking of those who are in a worse situation than ourselves. This, I observed, could not apply to all, for there must be some who have nobody worse than they ai-e. Johnson. "Why, to be sure, Sir, there are ; but they don't know it. There is no being so poor and so contemptible, who does not think there is somebody still poorer, and still more contemptible." As my stay in London at this time was very short, I "had not many opportunities of being with Dr. Johnson : but I felt my veneration for him in no degree lessened, by my having seen midtorum hoininum mores et urhes? On the contrary, by having it in my power to compare him with many of the most celebrated '- Boswell was always engoue of notorieties; and the Con- fessions of this miserable man had not been at this time published. If we are to admit Mr. Boswell's distinction between the understanding and the heart, it would seem that his judgment on this point should be reversed, for Rousseau's understanding would probably have been sound enough, if the folly and turpitude of his heart had not disordered it. I do not think tlicre is in literature so hollow and undeserved a reputation as Kousseau's Cbokeh. 2 No mistake was ever greater, in terms or in substance, than that which affirms the natural equality of mankind. Men, on the contrary, are born so very unequal in rapacities and powers, mental and corporeal, that it requires laws and the institutions of civil society to bring tl;cm to a !.tate of moral equality. Social equality — that is, - i|iialitv in pro- l>erty, power, rank, and respect— if it \i. , i, , .nilouly established, could not maintain itself a wcil, - ;:.:.ii;. 3 Horace, (de Art. Poet. 142.,) of Ulysso-, i , iMn^iun to the opening lines of the Odyssey, wlio, — persons of other countries, my admiration of his extraordinary mind was increased and con- firmed. The roughness, indeed, which sometimes appeared in his manners, was more striking to me now, from my having been accustomed to the studied smooth complying habits of the continent; and I clearly recognised in him, not without respect for his honest conscientious zeal, the same indignant and sarcastical mode of treating every attempt to unhinge or weaken good jjrinciples. One evening, when a young gentleman teased him with an account of the infidelity of his servant, who, he said, would not believe the scriptures, because he could not read them in the original tongues, and be sure that they were not invented. "Why, foolish fellow," said Johnson, "has he any better authority for almost every thing that he believes ? " Boswell. " Then the vulgar, Sir, never can know they are right, but must submit them- selves to the learned." Johnson. " To be sure. Sir. The vulgar are the children of the State, and must be taught like children. Boswell. "Then, Sir, a poor Turk must be a Mahometan, just as a poor Englishman must be a Christian ? " Johnson. " Why, 3'es, Sir ; and what then ? This, now, is such stuff* as I used to talk to my mother, when I first began to think myself a clever fellow ; and she ought to have whipt me for it." Another evening Dr. Goldsmith and I called on him, with the hope of prevailing on him to sup with us at the Mitre. We found him in- disposed, and resolved not to go abroad. " Come, then," said Goldsmith, " we will not go to the Mitre to-night, since we cannot have the big man ^ with us." Johnson then called for a bottle of port, of which Goldsmith and I partook, while our friend, now a water-drinker, sat by us. Goldsmith. "I think, ]\Ir. John- son, you don't go near the theatres now. You give yourself no more concern about a new play, than if you had never had anything to do with the stage." Johnson. "VVhy, Sir, our tastes greatly alter. The lad does not care for the child's rattle, and the old man does not care for the young man's mistress."^ Goldsmith. " Nay, Sir ; but your Muse was not a pros- " Wandering from clime to clime, observant stray'd. Their manners noted, and their states sarvey'd." — Pope. — Choker. ^ It may be suspected that Dr. Johnson called this " child- ish stvff'' somewhat hastily, and from a desire of evading tlie subject; for, no doubt, the principle involved in ft.'r. Boswell's inquiries is one of very high importance, and of very great difficulty — for it applies not merely to the sub- mission of the ignorant to the interpretations of the learned, but to the degree of absolute, verbal and literal authority, to which human transcripts of the divine inspiration are enti- tled. This question has a great share in the infidel sophistry of some modern Germans. — Croker, 1831 — 1846. 5 These two little words may be observed as marks of Mr. Boswell's accuracy in reporting the expressions of his person- ages. It is a jocular Irish phrase, which, of all Johnson's acquaintances, no one, probably, but Goldsmith, would lla^■|^ used Croker. i> Mr. Macaulay, in the essay before mentioned, csnifurcs ^T. 57. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. titute. " Johnson. " Sir, I do not think slie was. JBut as we advance in the journoy of life we drop some of the tilings wliich have jileased lis; whether it be that we are fatii,nied, and don't choose to carrv so many thinjis any farther, or tliat we find other things which we like better." Boswell. " Bnt, Sir, why don't you give us something in some other way?" Goldsmith. "Ay, Sir, we have a claim upon jou." Johnson. " No, Sir, I am not obliged to do any more. Xo man is obliged to do as much as he can do. A man is to have part of his life to himself". If a soldier has fought a good many campaigns, he is not to be blamed if he retires to ease and tranquillity. A l)hy- sician, who has practised long in a great city, may be excused if he retires to a small town, and takes less practice. Now, Sir, the good I can do by my conversation bears the same proportion to the good I can do by my writings, that the practice of a physician, retired to a small town, does to his practice in a great city." Boswell. " But I wonder. Sir, you have not more pleasure in writing than in not writing." Johnson. " Sir, you mcaj wonder." He talked of making verses, and observed, " The great difficulty is, to know when you have made good ones. When composing, I have generally had them in my mind, perhaps fifty at a time, walking up and down in my room ; and then I have written them down, and often, from laziness, have written only half lines. I have written a hundred lines in a day. I remember I wrote a hundred lines of ' The Vanity of Human Wishes' in a day. Do(;tor," turning to Goldsmith, "I am not quite idle; I made one line t'other day ; but I made no more." Goldsmith. "Let iis hear it: we'll put a bad one to it." ' Johnson. " No,, Sir ; I have forgot it." Such specimens of the ensy and ])layful con- versation of the great Dr. Samuel Johnson are, I think, to be prized ; as exhibiting the little varieties of a mind so enlarged and so powerful when objects of consequence re- quired its exertions, and as giving us a minute knowledge of his character and modes of thinking. my capricious delicacy, in omitting, in one or two instances, an indecent passage, and in substituting, in two or three olliers, for a coarse word, a more decorous equivalent ; and lie regrets particularly the suppression of " a strong old- fashioned English word, familiar io all who read their Bibles." It would be easy, 1 think, to refute Mr. Macaulav's general principle, and to expose his equally sophistical .ind irreverent allusion to the Bible ; hut I shall here content myself with adducing the contrary authority of Sir Walter Scott, and the author of the Lives of Burke and Goldsmith, who, having, since my edition and Mr. Macaulay's Review were published, occasion to quote some of those passages, adopted my reserve : and I am convinced that the public at large must approve of my endeavour to remove from this delightful book the few expressions that might offend I'emale delicacy. lam srtrry, however, to say, that one or two of Mr. Macaulay's "strong old-fashioned vmrds" still remain, being so interwoven with the context, that I could not re- iTiove them without too much laceration. — CROKtR. ' Mr. Langton's eldest sister — Cuoker. 3 Mr. hiirke came into Parliament under the auspices of the Marquess of Kockingham, in the year 17G.5 Choker. JOHNSON TO L.VNGTON, At lAinyto Spihhy. " Johnson's Court, Fleet Street, March 9. 17GG. "De.\r Sir, .— What your friends have done, that from youl departure till now nothinjr lias been heard of you, none of us are able to inform the rest; but as we are lill neglected alike, no one thinks himself entitled to the privilege of complaint. " 1 should have known nothing of you or of Langton, from the time that dear INIiss Langton ' left us, had not I met Mr. Simpson, of Lincoln, one day in the street, by whom I was informed that IVIr. Langton, your mamma, and yourself, had been all ill, but that you were all recovered. " That sickness should suspend your corre- spondence, I did not wonder ; but hoped that it would be renewed at your recovery. " Since you will not inform us where you are, or how you live, I know not whether you desire to know any thing of us. However, I will tell you that THE Club subsists; but we have the loss of Burke's company since he has been engaged in public business^ in which he has gained more re- putation than perhaps any man at his [first] ap- pearance ever gained before. He made two speeches in the House for repealing the Stamp Act, which were publicly commended by Mr. Pitt, and have filled the town with wonder. " Burke is a great man by nature, and is ex- pected soon to attain civil greatness. 1 am grown greater too, for I have maintained the newspapers these many weeks ' ; and what is greater still, I have risen every morning since New-year's day, at about eight : when I was up, I have, indeed, done but little ; yet it is no slight advancement to obtain, for so many hours more, the consciousness of being. " I wish you were in my new study ; I am now writing the first letter in it. I think it looks very pretty about me.^ " Dyer = is constant at the Club ; Hawkins is remiss; I am not over diligent ; Dr. Nugent, Dr. Goldsmith, and I\Ir. Reynolds are Very constant. Mr. Lye** is printing his Saxon and Gothic Dic- tionary : all THE Club subscribers. " You will pay my respects to all my Lincoln- shire friends. I am, dear Sir, most affectionately yours, Sam. Johnson." ■* He entered this study 7th March, 1766. with a prayer " On entering Kovum Museum." Pr. and Med. p. 68. Hall. — Croker. 5 Samuel Dyer, Esq., a most learned and ingenious mem- ber of the " Literary Club," for whose understanding and attainments Dr. Johnson had great respect. He died Sept.l4. 1772. A more particular account of this gentleman may be found in a Note on the Life of Dryden, p. 186., prefixed to the edition of that great writers's Prose Works, in four volumes, 8vo. 1800 : in which his character is vindicated, and the very unfavour.ible representation of it, given by Sir John Hawkins in his Life of Johnson, pp. 222. 232., is' minutely examined. — Mai.one. 6 Kdward Lye was born in 1704. He published the Eti/- mologicum Anglicanum of Junius. His great work is that referred to above, which he was printing ; but he did not live to see the publication. He died in 1767, and the Dictionary was published, in 1772, bv the Rev. Owen Manning, autnor of the History and .intiquities of Surrey. — Crokeb. 178 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1766. JOHNSON TO LANGTON, At Langton. " Johnson's Court, Fleet Street, May 10. 17C6. "Dear Sir, — In supposing that I should be more tlian commonly affected by the death of Pere- grine Langton ', you were not mistaken ; he was one of those whom I loved at once by instinct and by reason. I have seldom indulged more hope of any thing than of being able to improve our ac- quaintance to friendship. Many a time have I placed myself again at Langton, and imagined the pleasure with which I should walk to Partney ^ in a summer morning ; but this is no longer possible. We must now endeavour to preserve v/hat is left us, — his example of piety and economy. I hope you make what inquiries you can, and write down what is told you. The little things whicli dis- tinguish domestic characters are soon forgotten : if you delay to inquire, you will have no informa- tion ; if you neglect to write, information will be vain.' ' Mr. LMigton's uncle. — Bosv^ell. 2 The place of residence of Mr. Peregrine Langton — — BOSWELL. 3 Mr. Langton did not disregard the counsel given by Dr. Johnson, but wrote an account which he has been pleased to communicate to me : — " The circumstances of Mr. Peregrine Langton were these. He had an annuity for life of two hundred pounds per annum. He resided in a village in Lincolnshire : the rent of his house, with two or three small fields, was twenty-eight pounds : the county he lived in was not more than moderately cheap ; his family consisted of a sister, who paid him eighteen pounds annually for her board, and a niece. The servants were two maids, and two men in livery. His common way of living, at his table, was three or four dishes ; the appurtenances to his table were neat and handsome -, he frequently entertained company at dinner, and then his table was well served with as many dishes as were usual at the tables of the other gen- tlemen in the neighbourhood. His own appearance, as to clothes, was genteelly neat and plain. He had always a post- chaise, and kept three horses. " Such, with the resources I have mentioned, was his way of living, which he did not sudor to employ his whole in- come : for he had always a sum of money lying by him for any extraordinarv expenses that might arise. Some money he put into the" stocks ; at his death, the sum he had there amounted to one hundred and titty pounds. He purchased out of his income his household furniture and linen, of which latter he had a very ample store ; and, as I am assured by those that had very good means of knowing, not less than the tenth part of his income was set apart for charity : at the time of his death, the sum of twenty-five pounds was found, with a direction to be employed in such uses. " He had laid down a plan of living proportioned to his income, and did not practise any extraordinary degree of parsimony, but endeavoured that in his family there should be plenty without waste. As an instance that this was his endeavour, it may be worth while to mention a method he took in regulating a proper allowance of malt liquor to be drunk in his family, that there might not be a deficiency, or any intemperate profusion. On a complaint made that his allowance of a hogshead in a month was not enough for his own family, he ordered the quantity of a hogshead to be put into bottles, had it locked up from the servants, and dis- tributed out. every day, eight quarts, which is the quantity each day at one hogshead in a month ; and told his servants, that if that did not suffice, he would allow them more ; but, by this method, it appeared at once that the allowance was much more than sufficient for his small family ; and this proved a clear conviction, that could not be answered, and saved all future dispute. He was, in general, very diligently and punctually attended and obeyed by his servants ; he was very considera'te as to the injunctions he gave, and explained them distinctly; and, at their first coming to his service, steadily exacted a close compliance with them, without any remission ; and the servants, finding this to be the case, soon grew habitually accustomed to the practice of their business, and then very little further attention was necessary. On extraordinary instances of good behaviour, or diligiint ser- vice, he was not wanting in particular encouragements and " His art of life certainly deserves to be known and studied. He lived in plenty and elegance upon an income which, to many, would appear indigent, and to most, scanty. How he lived, therefore, every man has an interest in knowing. His death, I hope, was peaceful ; it was surely happy. " I wish I had written sooner, lest, writing now, I should renew your grief; but I would not for- bear saying what I have now said. "This loss is, I hope, the only misfortune of a family to whom no misfortune at all should happen, if my wishes coidd avert it. Let me know how you all go on. Has Mr. Langton got him the little horse that I recommended? It would do him good to ride about his estate in fine weather. " Be pleased to make my compliments to Mrs. Langton, and to dear Miss Langton, and Miss Bi, and Miss Juliet, and to every body else. " Tht. C;.uu holds very well together. Monday is my night.* I continue to rise tolerably well, and read more than I did. I hope something will yet come on it. I am, Sir, your most affectionate servant, .Sam. Johnson." presents above their wages : it is remarkable that he would permit their relations to visit them, and stay at his house two or three days at a time. " The wonder, with most that hear an account of his economy, will be, liow he was able, with such an income, to do so much, especially when it is considered that he paid for every thing he had. He had no land, except the two or three small fi.'lds which I have said he rented ; arid, instead of gain- ing any thing by their produce, I have reason to think he lost by them ; however, they furnished him with no further as- sistance towards his luinsekecping, than grass for his horses (not hay, for that I know he boUiiht),and for two cows. Every iSlonday morning he settled his family accounts, and so kept up a constant attention to the confining his expenses within his income ; and to do it more exactly, compared those expenses with a computation he had made, how much tliat income would afford him every week and d.ay of the year. One of his economical practices was, as soon as any repair was wanting in or about his house, to have it immedi- ately performed. When he had money to spare, he chose to lay in a provision of linen or clothes, or any other neces- saries ; as then, he said, he could afford it, which he might not be so well able to do when the actual want came ; in consequence of which method, he had a considerable supply of necessary articles lying by him, beside what was in use. " But the main particular that seems to have enabled him to do so much with his income, was, that he paid for every thing as soon as he had it, except, alone, what were current accounts, such as rent for his house, and servants' wages ; and these he paid at the stated times with the utmost exact- ness. He gave notice to the tradesmen of the neighbouring market towns, that they should no longer have his custom, if they let any of his servants have any thing without their paying for it. Thus he put it out of his power to commit those imprudences to which those are liable, that defer their payments by using their money some other way than where it ought to go. And whatever money he had by him, he knew that it was not demanded elsewhere, but that he might safely employ it as he pleased. " His example was confined, by the sequestered place of his abode, to the observation of few, though his prudence and virtue would have made it valuable to all v.ho could have known it. These few particulars, which I knew myself, or have obtained from those who lived with him, may afford instruction, and be an incentive to that wise art of living, which he so successfully practised." — Bosvvell. With all our respect for Mr. Uennet Langton's acknow- ledged character for accuracy and veracity, there seems something, in the foregoing relation, absolutely incompre- hensible — a house, a good table, frequent company, four servants (two of them men in livery), a carriage and three horses on two himdred pounds a year ! Economy and ready- monev payments will do much to diminish. current expenses, but what eflect can they have had on rent, taxes, wages, and other periinuicnt charges of a respectable domestic establish- ment ?— CltoKEK. ■> Of his being in the chair of the Literary Club, which at this time met once a week in the evening. — Boswell. The day was soon after changed to Friday. — Choker. ^T. 57. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 179 CHAPTER XX. 1765—1767. BosweWs Thesis — Slud;/ of the Law. — Jlash Vows. — Streat/iam. — O.vford. — London Im- provements. — Dedications. — Mrs. Jfilliams's Miscellanies. — Mr. William Driimnwnd. — Trans- lation of the Bible into the Gaelic. — Case of Heeley.' — Dr. Robertson. — Cuthbtrt Shaw. — " Tom Hervey." — Johnsons Interview with George III. — Visit to Lichfield. — Death of Catherine Chambers. — Lexiphanes. — Mrs. Aston. After I had been some time in Scotland, I mentioned to liim in a letter that " On my first return to my native country, after some years of absence, I was told of a vast number of my acquaintance who were all gone to the land of forgetudness, and I found myself like a man stalking over a field of battle, who every moment perceives some one lying dead." I complained of irresolution, and mentioned my having made a vow as a security for good con- duct. I wrote to him again without being able to move his indolence: nor did I hear from him till he had received a copy of my inaugural Exercise, or Thesis in Civil Law, which I published at my admission as an Ad- vocate, as is the custom in Scotland. He then wrote to me as follows : — JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " London, August 10. 1766. "Dear Sir, — The reception of your Thesis put me ill mind of my debt to you. Why did you . . .' I will punish you for it, by telling you that your Latin wants correction.^ In the beginning, Spei altera, not to urge that it should be primce, is not grammatical : altenv should be alteri. In the next line you seem to use genus ab- solutely, for what we call family, that is, for illus- trious extraction, I doubt without authority. Homines nullius originis, for nullis orti mnjoribus, or mtllo loco nati, is, as I am afraid, barbarous. — Rud- diman is dead.^ " I have now vexed you enougli, and will try to please you. Your resolution to obey your father I sincerely approve ; but do not accustom yourself to enchain your volatility by vows ; they will sometime leave a thorn in your mind, which you will, perhaps, never be able to extract or eject. Take this warning ; it is of great importance. ' The passage omitted alluded to a private transaction. BOSWPXL. 2 This censure of my I-atin relates to the dedication, which was as follows: — " Viro nobilissimo, ornatissimo, Joanni, Vicecomiti Mountstuart, atavis edito regibus, excelsiEfamilia; de Bute spei alter ce ; labente seculo, quum homines nullius originis genus JEquare opibus aggrediuntur, sanguinis an- tiqui et illustris semper memori, natalium splendorem virtutibus augenti : ad publica populi comitia jam legato ; in optimatium vero Magn* Britanniae senatu, jure hsreditario, dim consessuro : vim insitam varia doctrind promovente, nee tamen se venditante, praedito : prisca fide, animo liber- rimo, et morum elegantia insigni : in Italiae visitanda; itinere socio suo honoratissimo : hasce jurisprudentis primitias, devinctissimee araicitije et observantiie, raonumentum, D. D. C. Q. Jacobus Boswell." — Boswell. " The study of the law is what you very justly term it, cojnous and generous^ ; and in adding your name to its professors, you have done exactly what I always wished, wlien 1 wished you best. I hope that you will continue to pursue it vigorously and constantly. You gain, at least, what is no small advantage, security from those troublesome and wearisome discontents, wliich are always obtruding themselves upon a mind vacant, unemployed, and undetennined. '• You ought to think it no small inducement to diligence and perseverance, that they will i)lease your father. We all live upon the hope of pleas- ing somebody, and the pleasure of pleasing ought to be greatest, and at last always will be greatest, when our endeavours are exerted inconsequence of our duty. " Life is not long, and too much of it must not pass in idle deliberation how it shall be spent : de- liberation which those who begin it by prudence, and continue it with subtilty, mu.st, after long ex- pense of thought, conclude'by chance. To prefer one future mode of life to another, upon just reasons, requires faculties which it has not pleased our Creator to give us. '■ If, therefore, the profession you have chosen has some unexpected inconveniences, console your- self by reflecting that no profession is without them; and thatall the importunities and perplexities of business are softness and luxury, compared with the incessant cravings of vacancy, and the unsatis- factory expedients of idleness. — ' Ha3c sunt qua; nostra pofui te voce monere ; Vade, age.'^ " As to your History of Corsica, you have no materials which others have not, or may not have. You have, somehow or other, warmed your ima"'i- nation. I wish there were some cure, like the lover's leap, for all heads of which some single idea has obtained an unreasonable and irregular posses- sion. Mind your own affairs, and leave the Corsi- cans to theirs. — I am, dear Sir, your most humble servant, Sam. Johnson." BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. " Auchinlech, Nov. 6. 17fi6. " Much esteemed and dear Sir, — I plead not guilty to ..... .* " Having thus, I hope, cleared myself of the charge brought against me, I presume you will not be displeased if I escape the punishment which you have decreed for me unheard. If you have dis- charged the arrows of criticism against an innocent man, you must rejoice to find they have missed him, or have not been pointed so as to wound him. 3 He says Ruddiman (a great grammarian) is dead as in former days it was said that Priscian's head was brnkeu. Ruddiman, who was born in 1674, had died in 1757. Choker. ■1 This alludes to the first sentence of the Procemium of my Thesis. " Jurisprudentise studio nullum uberius, nullum generosius : in legibus enim agitandis, populorum mores, variasque fortunse vices ex quibus leges oriuntur.contemplari simul solemus." — BoswELL. !> Ila-c sunt quae nostra liceat tc voce i These are the counsels that my voice may give ; Go —follow them.— jEvi. vi. 461 . 6 The passage omitted explained the transaction to which the preceding letter had alluded. — Boswell. 180 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1766. " To talk no longer in allegory, I am, with all deference, going to offer a few observations in de- fence of my Latin, which you have found fault with. " You think I should have used spei priiiKe in- stead of spei altera:. Spes is, indeed, often used to express something on which we have a future de- pendence, as in Virg. Eclog. i. 1. 14. — ' modo namque gemellos Spem gregis, ah ! silice in nuda connixa reliquit :' and in Georg. iii. 1. 4 73. — ' Spemque gregemque simul,' for the lambs and the sheep. Yet it is also used to express any thing on wliich we have a present de- pendence, and is well applied to a man of distin- guished influence, — our support, our refuge, our prcBiidiuni, as Horace calls Mreeenas. So, iEneid xii. 1. ,57., Queen Amata addresses her son-in-law, Turnus: — 'Spes tu nunc itna :' and he was then no future hope, for she adds, — ' decus imperiumque Latini Te penes ; ' which might have been said of my Lord Bute some years ago. Now I consider the ))resent Earl of Bute to be ' Excelsce familicc de Bute spes prima ; ' and my Lord Mountstuart, as his eldest son, to be "■spes altera.' So in ^neid xii. 1. 16S., after having mentioned Pater iEneas, who was the present spes, the reigning spes, as my German friends would say, the spes prima, the poet adds, — ' Et juxta Ascanius, magnae spes altera Roma?.' ' " You think altera ungrammatical, and tell me it should have been alter!. You must recollect, that in old times alter was declined regularly ; and when the ancient fragments preserved in tlie Juris Chilis Pontes were written, it was certainly de- clifred in the way that I use it. This, I should think, may protect a lawyer who writes alterce m a dissertation upon part of his own science. But as I could hardly venture to quote fragments of old law to so classical a man as I\Ir. Johnson, I have not made an accurate search into these remains, to find examples of what I am able to produce in poetical composition. We find in Plant. Rudens, act iii. scene 4 ' Nam huic altera patria quae sit profecto ncscio.' Plautus is, to be sure, an old comic writer ; but in the days of Scipio and Lelius, we find Terent. Heautontim. act ii. scene 3. — ' hoc ipsa in itinere altera Dum narrat, forte audivi.' ' It is very strange that Johnson, who in his letter quotes the iEneid, should not have recollected this obvious and de- cisive authority for spes altera, nor yet the remarkable use of these words, attributed to Cicero, by Servius and Donatus : I the expressions of tiie latter are conclusive in Mr. Boswell's 1 favour : — At cum Cicero quosdnyn versus ( Virgilii) audisset, \ in fine ail : ' Magna; spes altera Komae.' — Quasi ipse lingua: I LaliruE spes prima /M«.9e<, ct Maro futurus Donat. vit. Vir. J 41. — Crokkk. •■! .Seeare^e, p. 123. — C. 3 Mrs. Piozzi says," In the year 1766, Mr. Johnson's health grew so bad, that he could not stir out of his room, in the court he inhabited, for many weeks together — I think months. Mr. Thrale's attentions and my own now became so acceptable to him, that he often lamented to us the hor- rible condition of his mind, which he said was nearly dis- essel secunda.' " You doubt my having authority for using ^e/jj^s absolutely, for what we call family, that is, for illustrious extraction. Now I take genus in Latin to have much the same signification with birth in English ; both in their primary meaning expressing simply descent, but both made to stand Kar e^oxv for noble descent. Genus is thus used in Hor. lib. ii. Sat. v. 1. 8. — ' Et genus et virtus, nisi cum re, vilior alga est.' And in lib. i. Epist. vi. 1. 37. — ' Et gen?is et formam Regina Pecunia donat.' And in the celebrated contest between Ajax and Ulysses, Ovid's Metamorph. lib. xiii. 1. 140. — ' Nam ge7ius et proavos, et quae non fecimus ipsi, Vix ea nostra voco.' " Homines nullius originis, for mdlis orti majoribus, or 7itillo loco nati, is, ' you are afraid, barbarous.' " Origo is used to signify extraction, as in Virg. iEneid i. 286" ' Nascetur pulchra Trojanus origine Cssar : ' and in ^neid x. 1. 618. — ' Ille tamen nostra deducit origine nomen. and as jiulhis is used for obscure, is it not in the genius of the Latin language to write mdllus originis, for obscure extraction? " I have defended myself as well as I could. " Might I venture to difi'er from you with regard to the utility of vows? I am sensible that it would be very dangerous to make vows rashly, and without a due consideration. But I cannot help thinking that they may often be of great advantage to one of a variable judgment and irregular inclina- tions. I always remember a passage in one of your letters to our Italian friend Baretti ; where, talking of the monastic life, you say you do not wonder that serious men should put themselves under the protection of a religious order, when they have found how unable they are to take care of themselves.^ For my own part, without affecting to be a Socrates, I am sure I have a more than ordinary struggle to maintain with the Evil Prin- ciple ; and all the methods I can devise are little enough to keep me tolerably steady in the paths of rectitude. " I am ever, with the highest veneration, your affectionate humble servant, " James Boswell. It appears from Johnson's diary, that he was this year at 'Mr. Thrale's ^ from before Mid- tnvrted ; and though he charged ?is to make him odd solemn promises of secrecy on so strange a subject, yet when we waited on liim one morning, and heard him, in the most pathetic terms, beg the prayers of Dr. Delap [Rector of Lewes], who had left him as we came in, I felt excessively affected with grief, and well remember that my husband in- voluntarily lifted up one hand to shut his mouth, from provo- cation at hearing a man so wildly proclaim what he could at last persuade no one to believe, and what, if true, would have been so very unfit to reveal. Mr. Thrale went away soon after, leaving me with him, and bidding me prevail on him to quit his close habitation in the court and come with us to Streatham, where I undertook the care of his health, and had the honour and happiness of contributing to its restoration." — Croker. ^T. 57. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 181 summer till after Michaelmas, and that he afterwards passed a month at Oxford, lie liad then contracted a great intimacy with Mr. Chambers of tliat University, afterwards Sir Robert Chambers, one of the Judges in j India. I He published nothing this year in his own name ; but the noble Dedication * to the King, of Gwyn's " London and Westminster Im- proved," ' was written by him ; and he fur- nished the Preface,! ^"^ several of the pieces, which compose a volume of INliscellanies by Mrs. Anna Williams, the blind lady who had an asylum in his house.^ Of these, there are his "Epitaph on Philips ,'' * "Translation of a Latin Epitaph on Sir Thomas Hanmer ; " f " Friendship, an Ode ; " * and, " The Ant," * a paraphrase from the Proverbs, of which I ha^'e a copy in his own handv/rlting ; and, from internal evidence, I ascribe to him, " To Miss , on her giving the Author a gold and silk network Purse of her own weaving ; " f ' and "The happy Life." f — Most of the pieces in this volume have evidently received additions from his superior pen, particulai-ly " Verses to Mr. Richardson, on his Sir Charles Grandison ;" "The Excursion;" "Reflections on a Grave digging in Westminster Abbey." There is in this collection a poem, " On the death of Stephen Grey, the Electrician;"* which, on reading it, appeared to me to be undoubtedly Johnson's. I asked ^Irs. Williams whether it was not his. " Sir," said she, with some warmth, " I wrote that poem before I had the honour of Dr. Johnson's acquaintance." I, j however, was so much impressed with my first notion, that I mentioned it to Johnson, repeat- ing, at the same time, what Mrs. Williams had said. His answer was, "It is true. Sir, that she wrote it before she was acquainted with me ; but she has not told you that I wrote it all over again, except two lines." * "The Foun- tains," f a beautiful little Fairy tale in prose, written with exquisite . simplicity, is one of Johnson's productions ; and I cannot withhold from Mrs. Thrale the praise of being the m.iny instances the details, of the most important improv ments which have been made in the metropolis in onr day. A bridge near Somerset Honse — a great street from the Haymarket to the New Koad — the improvement of the interior of St. James's Park — quays along the Thames — new approaches to London Bridge — the removal of Smith- field market, and several other suggestions on which we pride ourselves as original designs of our own times, are all to be found in Mr. Gwyn's able and curious work. It is singular, that he denounced a row of houses t/icn building in Pimlico, as intolerable nuisances to Buckingham Pal.nce, and of these very houses the public voice now calls for the destruction. Gwyn had, what Lord Chatham calleil, " the prophetic eye of taste." — Choker. 2 The following account of this publicaiion was given by Lady Knight (see anti, p. 21. and 74.). "As to her poems, she many years attempted to publish them, the half-crowns she had got towards the publication, she confessed to me, went for necessaries, and that the greatest pain she ever felt was from the appearance of defrauding her subscribers : " but what can I do' the Doctor [Johnson] always puts me off with ' Well, we'll think about it ; ' and Goldsmith says, ' Leave it to me." " However, two of her friends, under her directions, made a new subscription at a crown, the whole price of the work, and in a very little time raised sixty pounds. Mrs. Carter author of that admirable poem, " The Three Warnings. He wrote this year a letter, not intended for publication, which has, perhaps, as strong marks of his sentiment and style, as any of his compositions. The original is in my possession. It is addressed to the late Mr. William Drum- mond, bookseller in Edinburgh, a gentleman of good family, but small estate, who took arms for the house of Stuart in ] 745 ; and during his concealment in London till the act of general pardon came out, obtained the acquaintance of Dr. Johnson, who justly esteemed him as a very worthy man. It seems some of the members of the Society in Scot- laud for propagating Christian knowledge had opposed the scheme of translating the Holy Scriptures into the Erse or Gaelic language, from political considerations of the disad- vantage of keeping up the distinction between the Highlanders and the other inhabitants of North Britain. Dr. Johnson being informed of this, I suppose by Mr. Drummond, wrote with a generous indignation as follows : — JOHNSON TO WILLI.AM DRUMMOND. " Johnson's Court, Fleet Street, Aug. 13. 17GG. " Sir, — 1 did not expect to hear that it could be, in an assembly convened for the propagation of Christian knowledge, a question whether any nation uninstructed in religion should receive instruction ; or whether that instruction should be imparted to them by a translation of the holy books into their own language. ]f obedience to the will of God be necessary to happiness, and knowledge of his will be necessary to obedience, I know not how he that withholds this knowledge, or delays it, can be said to love his neighbour as himself. He that volun- tarily continues ignorance is guilty of all the crimes which ignorance produces ; as to him that should extinguish the tapers of a light-house, might justly he imputed the calamities of shipwrecks. Christianity is the highest perfection of humanity ; and as no man is good but as he wishes tlie good of others, no man can be good in the highest de- gree, who wishes not to others the largest measures of the greatest good. To omit for a year, or lor was applied to by Mrs. Williams's desire, and she, with the utmost activity and kindness, procured a long list of names. At length the work was published, in which is a fine written but gloomy [fairy] tale of Dr. Johnson. The money (150/.) Mrs. Williams had various uses for, and a part of it was funded." — Malone. 3 See ante, p. 54., where it is shown that the " Verses on the Purse " are by Hawkesworth. It is strange that Boswell should there state his belief that both the Latin epitaph on Hanmer and its translation were Johnson's, when it appears on the face of Mrs. Williams's volume, that it (I presume the Latin) was " written by Dr. Friend," who was celebrated for this species of composition.— Crokeh, 1831—1846. "i These lines record a memorable fact which I have not seen elsewhere noticed. Miss Williams, it seems, in her earlier life, had been an assistant to Gray in his electrical experi- ments, and mention is made of " the electric flame : — " The flame ■wh\c\\ first, weak pupil of thy lore, " I saw — condemned, alas ! to see no more." To which is appended a note, saying, " The publisher of this Miscellany, as she was assisting Mr. Gray in his experiments, was the first that observed and notified the emission oi the electric spark from the human body. Misc. p. 42._Croker, 184G. N 3 182 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1767. a day, the most efficacious method of advancing Christianity, in compliance with any purposes that terminate on this side of the grave, is a crime of which I know not that the world has yet had an ex- ample, except in the practice of the planters of America, — a race of mortals whom, I suppose, no other man wishes to resemhle. " The Papists have, indeed, denied to the laity the use of the Bible ; but this prohibition, in few places now very rigorously enforced, is defended by arguments, which have for their foundation the care of souls. To obscure, upon motives merely political, the light of revelation, is a practice reserved for the reformed ; and, surely, the blackest midnight of popery is meridian sunshine to such a reformation. I am not very willing that any language should be totally extinguished. The similitude and deriva- tion of languages afford the most indubitable proof of the traduction of nations, and the genealogy of mankind. They add often physical certainty to historical evidence ; and often supply the only evi- dence of ancient migrations, and of the revolutions of ages which left no written monuments behind them. " Every man's opinions, at least his desires, are a little influenced by his favourite studies. My zeal for languages may seem, perhaps, rather over-heated, even to those by whom I desire to be well esteemed. To those who have nothing in their thoughts but trade or policy, present power, or present money, I should not think it necessary to defend my opi- nions ; but with men of letters I would not un- willingly compound, by wishing the continuance of every language, however narrow in its extent, or however incommodious for common purposes, till it is reposited in some version of a known book, that it may be always hereafter examined and com- pared with other languages, and then permitting its disuse. For this purpose, the translation of the Bible is most to be desired. It is not certain that the same method will not preserve the Highland language, for the jjurposes of learning, and abolish it from daily use. When the Highlanders read the Bible, they will naturally wish to have its obscurities cleared, and to know the history, collateral or ap- pendant. Knowledge always desires increase : it is like fire, which must first be kindled by some ex- ternal agent, but which will afterwards propagate itself. When they once desire to learn, they will naturally have recourse to the nearest language by which that desire can be gratified ; and one will tell another, that if he would attain knowledge, he must learn English. " This speculation may, perhaps, be thought more subtle than the grossncss of real life will easily admit. Let it, however, be remembered, that the efficacy of ignorance has long been tried, and has not produced the consequence expected. Let know- 1 The Rev. Mr. John Campbell, minister of the parish of Kippon, near Stirling, who lias lately favoured me with a long, intelligent, and very obliging letter upon this work, makes the following remark: —" Dr. Johnson has alluded to the worthy man employeil in the translation of the New Tes- tament. Might not this have aiTorded you an opportunity of paying a proper tribute of respect lo the memory of the Kev. Mr. James Stuart, late minister of Killin, distinguished by his eminent piety, learning, and taste V The amiable sim- jilicity of his life, his warm benevolence, his indefatigable and successful exertions for civilising and improving the parish of which he was minister for upwards of fifty years, ledge, therefore, take its turn ; and let the patrons of privation stand awhile aside, and admit the ope- ration of positive principles. " You will be pleased. Sir, to assure the worthy man who is employed in the new translation ', that he has my wishes for his success ; and if here or at Oxford I can be of any use, that I shall think it more than honour to promote his undertaking. " I am sorry that I delayed so long to write. I am, Sir, your most humble servant, "Sam. Johnson." The opponents of this pious scheme being made ashamed of their conduct, the benevolent undertaking was allowed to go on. _ The following letters, though not written till the year after, being chiefly upon the same subject, are here inserted. JOHNSON TO DRUMMOND. "Johnson's Court, Fleet Street, April 21. 1767. " Dear Sir, — That my letter should have had such effects as you mention, gives me great plea- sure. I hope you do not flatter me by imputing to me more good than I have really done. Those whom my arguments have persuaded to change their opinion, show such modesty and candour as deserve great praise. " I hope the worthy translator goes diligently forward. He has a higher reward in prospect than any honours which this world can bestow. I wish I could be useful to him. " The publication of my letter, it it could be of use in a cause to which all otiier causes are nothing, I should not prohibit. But first, I would have you to consider whether the publication will really do any good ; next, whether by printing and distri- buting a very small number, you may not attain all that you propose ; and, what perhaps I should have said first, whether the letter, which I do not now perfectly remember, be tit to be printed. If you can consult Dr. Robertson, to whom I am a little known, I shall be satisfied about the propriety of whatever he shall direct. If he thinks that it should be printed, I entreat him to revise it; there may, perhaps, be some negligent lines written, and whatever is amiss, he knows very well how to rec- tify.^ Be pleased to let me know, from time to time, how this excellent design goes forward. " Make my compliments to young I\Ir. Drum- mond, whom I hope you will live to see such as you desire him. I have not lately seen Mr. El- phinston, but believe him to be prosperous. I shall be glad to hear the same of you, for I am, Sir, your affectionate humble servant, "Sam. Johnson." entitle him to the gratitude of his country, and the vene- ration of all good men. It certainly would be a pity, if such a character should be permitted to sink into oblivion." — BOSWELL. 2 This paragraph shows Johnson's real estimation of the character and aliilities of the celebrated Scottish Historian, however lightly, in a moment of caprice, he may have spoken of his works — Boswell. He seems never to have spoken otherwise than slightingly of Dr. Robertson's works, however he may have respected both his general character and his judgment on this particular subject. See post, April 19. 1772, April 30. 1773, &c. — Crokeu. -^T. 58. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 183 JOHNSON TO DIIUMMOND. " Johnson's Court, Floet Street, Oct. 24. 17G7. *' Sir, — 1 returned this week from the country, after an ahsence of near six months, and found your letter with many others, which I should have an- swered sooner, if I had sooner seen them. " Dr. Robertson's opinion was surely right. Men should not he told of the faults which they have mended. I am glad the old language is taught, and honour the translator, as a. man whom God has distinguished by the high office of propagating his word. " I must take the liberty of engaging you in an office of charity. INIrs. Heely, the wife of Mr. Heoly, who had lately some office in your theatre, is ray near relation, and now in great distress. They wrote me word of their situation some time ago, to which I returned them an answer which raised hopes of more than it is proper for me to give them. Their representation of their affiiirs I have discovered to be such as cannot be trusted ; and at this distance, though their case requires haste, I know not how to act. She, or her daughters, may be heard of at Canongate head. I must beg, Sir, that you will enquire after them, and let me know what is to be done. I am willing to go to ten pounds, and will transmit you such a sum, if upon examination you find it likely to be of use. If they are in immediate want, advance them what you think proper. What I could do I would do for the woman, having no great reason to pay much regard to Heely himself.' " I believe you may receive some intelligence from Mrs. Baker of the theatre, whose letter I re- ceived at the same time with yours ; and to whom, if you see her, you will make my excuse for the seeming neglect of answering lier. " Whatever you advance within ten pounds shall be immediately returned to you, or paid as you shall order. I trust wholly to your judgment. I am, Sir, &c., Sam. Johnson." ]VIr. Cuthbert Shaw -, alike distinguished by his genius, misfortunes, and misconduct, published this year a poem, called " The Race, by Mercurius Spur, Esq.," in which he whimsi- cally made the living poets of England contend for pre-eminence of fame by running : " Prove by their heels the prowess of the head." In this poem there was the following portrait of Johnson. 1 This is the person concerning uhora Sir John Hiiwkins lias thrown out* very unwarrantable reflections both against Dr. Johnson ,ind Mr. Francis B,-irber. — Boswell. Hawkins wished to persuade the world that Ur. Johnson acted unjustifiably in the disposal of his property, in pre- ferring Barber to "this man, whom Sir John and his daughter, in iier Memoirs, with a most surprising disregard of truth, call Johnson's relation, but who, in fact, had only married his relation. She was dead, and Heeley had married another woman, at the titne when Hawkins attected to think that he had claims to be Dr. Johnson's heir. We see that so early as seventeen years before his death Johnson expressed a marked disregard for Heely himself. See post, sub Oct. 20. and Dec. 1784, the probable motive of Hawkins's misstatement — Croker. - See an account of him in the European Magazine. Ja- nnarv I7S6. — Boswell. Cuthbert Shaw was born in 1738 or 17:);).'aiiil died, overloaded with complicated distress, in Titch- lield Street, Oxford Market, Sept. 1. 1771.— Wright. ■' Here Johnson comes, — unblest with outward grace, His rigid morals stamp'd upon his face ; While strong conceptions struggle in his brain ; (For even wit is bnjught to bed with pain :) To view him, porters with their loads would rest, And babes cling frighted to the nurses' breast. With looks convulsed hp roars in pompous strain. And, like an angry lion, shakes his mane. The Nine, with terror struck, who ne'er had seen Aught human with so terrible a mien. Debating whether they should stay or run, Virtue steps forth, and claims him for her son. With gentle speech she warns him now to yield, Nor stain his glories in the doubtful field ; But, wrapt in conscious worth, content sit down, Since Fame, resolved his various pleas to crown, Though forced his present claim to disavow. Had long reserved a chaplet for his brow. He bows, obeys ; for Time shall first expire, Ere Johnson stay, when Virtue bids retire." The Hon. Thomas Hervey' and his lady having unhappily disagreed, and being about to separate, Johnson interfered as their friend, and wrote him a letter of expostulation, which I have not been able to find; but the sub- stance of it is ascertained by a letter to John- I son in answer to it, which Mr. Hervey printed. The occasion of this correspondence between Dr. Johnson and Mr. Hervey was thus related to me by Mr. Beauclerk. " Tom Hervey had a gre.at liking for Johnson, and in his will had left him a legacy of fifty pounds. One day he said to me, ' Johnson may want this money now, more than afterwards. I have a mind to give it him directly. Will you be so good as to carry a fifty pound note from me to him ? ' This I positively refused to do, as he might, perhaps, have knocked me down for insulting him, and have afterwards put the note in his pocket. But I said, if Hervey would write him a letter, and enclose a fifty pound note, I should take care to deliver It. He accordingly did write him a letter, mentioning that he was only paying a legacy a little sooner. To his letter he added, ' P.S. I am going to part loith mi/ wife.' Johnson then wrote to him, saying nothing of the note, but remonstrating with him against parting with his wife." When I mentioned to Johnson this story, in as delicate terms as I could, he told me that the fifty pound note was given ■• to him by Mr. 3 The Hon. Thomas Hervey, whose " Letter to Sir Tho- mas Hanmer " in 1742, was much read at that time. He was the second son of John, first Earl of Bristol, and one of the brothers of Johnson's early friend, Henry Hervey. He [was born in 1698,] married, in 1744, Anne, daughter of Francis Coughlan, Esq., and died Jan. 20. 177.5. — IM.\lone. ■> This is not inconsistent with Mr. Beauclerk's account. It may have been in consideration of this pamphlet that Her- vey left Johnson the fifty pounds in his will, and on second thoughts he may have determined to send it to him. It were, however, to be wished, that the story had stood on its original ground. The acceptance of .an anticipated legacy from a friend would have had nothing objectionable in it ; but can so much be said for the employment of one's pen for hire, in the disgusting squabbles of so mischievous and pro- fligate a madman as Mr. Thomas Hervey? " He was well known," says the gentle biographer of the Peerage (Sir Egerton Brydges), "for his genius and eccentricities." The Letter to Sir Thomas Hanmer, above mentioned, was the first N 4 184 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. '67. Hervey in consideration of his having written for him a pamphlet against Sir Charles Ilan- bury Williams, who, Mr. Hervey imagined, was the author of an attack upon him ; but that it was afterwards discovered to be the work of a garreteer ', who wrote "The Fool;" the pamphlet therefore against Sir Charles was not printed. In February, 1767, there happened one of the most remarkable incidents of Johnson's life, which gratified his monarchical enthusiasm, and which he loved to relate with all its cir- cumstances, when requested by his friends. Tliis was his being honoured by a private con- versation with his Majesty, in the library at the Queen's house." He had frequently visited those splendid rooms and noble collection of books 3, which he used to say was more nu- merous and curious than he supposed any person could have made in the time which the King had employed. Mr. Barnard, the libra- rian, took care that he should have every ac- commodation that could con(ril)ute to his ease and convenience, while indulging his literary taste in that place ; so that he had here a very agreeable resource at leisure hours. His Majesty having been informed of his (1741), it is believed, of the many appeals which Mr. Hervey made to tlie public, relative to his private concerns. The subject is astonishing. Lady Hanmer eloped from her hus- band with Mr. Hervey, and made, it seems, a will, in his favour, of certain estates, of which Sir Thomas had a life possession. Hervey's letter avows the adultery, and assigns very strange reasons for the lady's leaving her luisband, and then goes on to complain, that Sir Thomas was cutting tim. her on the estate which had belonged to " our triff," so he calls her, and of which the reversion was Hervey's, and begging that, if Hanmer did sell any more timber, he would give him, Hervey, the refusal of it. All this is garnished and set off by extravagant flights of fine writing, the most cutting sarcasms, the most indecent details, and the most serious expressions of the writer's conviction, that his conduct was natural and delicate, and such as every body must approve ; and that, finally, in Heaven, Lady Hanmer, in the distri- bution of wives [suam cuique), would be considered as his. Twenty years did not cool his brain. Just at the close of the reign he addressed a letter to King George the Second, which still more clearly explains the state of his intellect. He tiiliis, amidst a great deal of scandalous extravagance, of " the hideous subject oj his mental excruciation," and com- plains that "his doctor mistook his case, by calling that sl nervous disorder wiiich was clearly inflammatorij, and, in consequence of ihaX fatal error, Hervey •' passed eleven years trilhout any more account of time, or other notice of things, than a person asleep, under the influence of some horrid dream," and so on. It is this letter which Horace Walpole thus o or 7nore microscopes, but by aiii>lyiiiir two iibj.-rt lilasst's'lo one micro- scope; and the ailv :int:i'.'r nt (liiiiini^lii'd sjiheriral errors by this contrivance is wrll Known. '.\M's a' nnuit of the experi. ment is obscurely and iiineeiuMtely e\|ire>sed in one or two particulars; but there can l)e no doubt that he is substan- tially right, and that Dr. Johnson's statement was altogether unfounded — Croker. 2 Mr. Gibbon, however, about the same time (1763) gave a different judgment : — " I can hardly express how much I am delighted with the Journal des Savans ; its characteristics are erudition, precision, and taste ; but what I most admire is that impartiality and candour which distinguish the beauties and delects of a work, giving to the former due and hearty praise, and calmly and tenderly pointing out the latter." Misc. Works, vol. v. p. 442 Lockhart. 3 This perhaps may have given Dr. Johnson the idea of the most popular and entertaining of all his works, '• The Lives of the Poets.^' He himself says in his advertisement, that he " was persuaded to furnish the booksellers with pre- faces," but that is not inconsistent with his having been pre- disposed by the royal wish Croker. ■i This reminds us of Madame de Sevigne's charming naivete, when, after giving an accoutit of Louis XIV. having danced with her, sne adds, " Ah ! c'est le plus grand r&i du monde ! " — Croker. ^T. 58. EOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 187 which he had been flattered; but it was strongly suspected that he was fretting with chagrin and envy at the singular honour Dr. Johnson had lately enjoyed. At length, the frankness and simplicity of his natural cha- racter prevailed. He sprung from the sofa, advanced to Johnson, and in a kind of flutter, from imagining himself in the situation which he had just been hearing described, exclaimed, " Well, you acquitted yourself in this conver- sation better than I should have done ; for I should have bowed and stammered through the whole of it." ' I received no letter from Johnson this year ; nor have I discovered any of the correspond- ence " he had, except the two letters to Mr. Drummond, which have been inserted for the sake of connection with that to the same gentleman In 1766. His diary affords no light as to his employment at this time. He passed thi ee months at Lichfield ^ : and I cannot omit an affecting and solemn scene there, as related by himself: — "Sunday, Oct. 18. 1767. Yesterday, Oct. 17., at about ten in the morning, I took my leave for ever of my dear old friend, Catherine Chambers, who came to live with my mother about 1724, and has been but little parted from us since. She buried my father, my brother, and my mother. She is now fifty-eight years old. "I desired all to withdraw, then told her that we Wycre to part for ever ; that as Christians, we should part with prayer; and that I would, if she was willing, say a short prayer beside her. She ex- pressed great desire to hear me ; and held up her poor hands, as she lay in bed, with great fervour, while I prayed, kneeling by her, nearly in the fol- lowing words : — " Almighty and most merciful Father, whose loving kindness is over all thy works, behold, visit, and relieve this thy servant, who is grieved with sickness. Grant that the sense of her weakness may add strength to her faith, and seriousness to her repentance. And grant that by the help of thy Holy Spirit, after the pains and labours of this short life, we may all obtain everlasting happiness, through ' !t is remarkable that Jolmson should have scon four, if not live, of our sovereigns, and been in tlie actual presence of three if not four of them. Queen Anne louclied him ; Oeorge the First he probably never saw ; hut George the Second he must frequently have seen, though only in public. George the Third he conversed with on this occasion ; and he once told Sir John Hawkins, that, in a visit to Mrs. Percy, who had the care of one of the young princes, at the Queen's house, the Prince of Wales, afterwards George IV., being a child, came into the room, and began to play about ; when Johnson, with his usual curiosity, took an opportunity of asking him what books he was reading, and, in particular, inquired as to his knowledge of the Scriptures ; the Prince, in his answers, gave him great satisfaction. It is possible, also, tliat at that visit he might have seen Prince William Henry (William IV.), who was, I think, as well as the Duke of Kent, under Mrs. Percy's care. — CnoKEn. 2 !t is proper here to mention, that when I speak of his correspondence, I consider it independent of the voluminous j collection of letters wliich, in the course of many years, he ■ wrote to Mrs. Thrale, — which forms a separate part of his works ; and, as a proof of the high estimation set on any I thing which came from his pen, was sold by that lady for the j sum of five hundred pounds Boswell. In my former edition I had extracted largely from those letters to (ill up Jesus Christ our Lord, for whose sake hear our prayers. ■» Amen. Our Father, &c. " I then kissed her. She told me, that to part was the greatest pain that she had ever felt, and that she hoped we should meet again in a better place. I expressed, with swelled eyes, and great emotion of tenderness, the same hopes. We kissed, and parted. I humbly liope to meet again, and to part no more."* By those who have been taught to look upon Johnson as a man of a harsh and stern cha- racter, let this tender and affectionate scene be candidly read; and let them then judge whether more warmth of heart, and grateful kindness, is often found in human nature. We have the following notice in his devo- tional record : — " August 2. 1767. I have been disturbed and unsettled for a long time, and have been without resolution to apply to study or to business, being hindered by sudden snatches. " I have for some days forborne wine and suppers. Abstinence is not easily practised in another's house ; but I think it fit to try. " I was extremely perturbed in the night, but have had this day more ease than I expected. D [eo] gr [alia]. Perhaps this may be such a sudden relief as I once had by a good night's rest in Fetter Lane. " From that time, by abstinence, T have had more ease. I have read five books of Homer, and hope to end the sixth to-night. I have given Mrs. Desmoulins a guinea. "By abstinence from wine and suppers, I ob- tained sudden and great relief, and had freedom of mind restored to me ; which I have wanted for all this year, without being able to find any means of obtaining it." He, however, furnished ]\Ir. Adams with a Dedication * to the King of that ingenious gentleman's "Treatise on the Globes," con- ceived and expressed In such a manner as could not fail to be very grateful to a monarch, distinguished for his love of the sciences. This year was published a ridicule of his the lacuna (such as this) in Mr. Boswell's narrative, but the restricted plan of this edition obliges me to limit myself to such extracts as are essential to carry on tne Life of Johnson Croker. 3 In his letter to Mr. Drummond, dated Oct. 24. 1767, he mentions that he had arrived in London, after an .absence of nearly six months in the country. Probably part of that time was spent at Oxford — M.vlone. He appears to have been more than " three months " in Lichfield. Writing to Mr. Thrale, 20th July, 1707, he says that he had already been aw.ay "much longer than he proposed or expected." And it ap- pears that he remained there till the 18th October. It is probable that he was on a visit to Miss Porter, for he adds, " Miss Lucy is more kind and civil than I expected, and has I raised my esteem by many excellencies very noble and 1 resplendent, though a little discoloured by hoary virginity." — Croker. •1 The greater part of this prayer is, as Bishop Elrington observed to me, in the Visitation of the Sick in our Liturgy, j where, indeed, the best helps to prayer for all occasions may j be found. — Croker. I 5 Catherine Chambers, .as Dr. Harwood informed me, died in a few days after this interview, and w.as buried in St. I Chad's, Lichfield, ou the 7th of Nov. ITG?.— CuoKer. i 188 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1768. style, under the title of " Lexiplianes." Sir John Hawkins ascribes it to Dr. Kenrick ; but its author was one Campbell, a Scotch purser in the navy. The ridicule consisted in apply- ing Johnson's "words of large meaning" to insignificant matters, as if one should put the armour of Goliath upon a dwarf. The con- trast might be laughable ; but the dignity of the armour must remain the same in all con- siderate minds. This malicious drollery \ therefore, it may easily be supposed, could do no harm to its illustrious object. JOHNSON TO LANGTON, At Mr. RothweWs, Perfu Bond Street. " Lichfield, Oct. 10. 1767. " Dear Sir, — That you have been all summer in London is one more reason for which I regret my long stay in the country, I hope that you will not leave the town before my return. We have here only the chance of vacancies in the passing carriages, and I have bespoken one that may, if it happens, bring me to town on the fourteenth^ of this month ; but this is not certain. It will be a favour if you communicate this to Mrs. Williams : I long to see all my friends. I am, dear Sir, your most humble servant, Sam. Johnson." [JOHNSON TO MRS. ASTON.^ " Nov. 17. 17G7. " !!Madam, — If you impute it to disrespect or inattention, that I took no leave when I left Lich- field, you will do me great injustice. I know you too well not to value your friendship. " When I came to Oxford I inquired after the product of our walnut-tree, but it had, like other trees tiiis year, but very few nuts, and for those few I came too late. The tree, as I told you. Madam, we cannot find to be more than thirty years old, and, upon measuring it, I found it, at about one foot from the ground, seven feet in circumference, and at the height of about seven feet, the circum- ference is five feet and a half; it would have been, I believe, still bigger, but that it has bee'.i lopped. The nuts are small, such as they call single nuts ; whether this nut is of quicker growth than better I have not yet inquired ; such as they are, I hope to send them next year. f^" You know, dear Madam, the liberty I took of hinting, that I did not think your present mode of life very pregnant with happiness. Reflection has not yet changed my opinion. Solitude excludes ])leasure, and does not always secure peace. Some communication of sentiments is commonly necessary to give vent to the imagination, and discharge the mind of its own flatulencies. Some lady surely might be found, in whose conversation you might delight, and in whose fidelity you might repose. The World, f.ays Locke, has people of all sorts. You will forgive me this obtrusion of my opinion ; I am sure I wish you well. " Poor Kitty has done what we have all to do, and Lucy has the world to begin anew : 1 hope she will find some way to more content than I left her possessing. " Be pleased to make my compliments to Mrs. Hinckley and Miss Turton. I am. Madam, your most obliged and most humble servant, — Parker MSS. " Sam. Johnson."] • It may have been malicious, but it certainly is not droll. It is so overcharged, as to have neither resemblance nor pleasantry. Hawkins, in liis second edition, (published long before Boswell) had corrected his error, and attributed it to Campbell Choker. Archibald Campbell, son of Professor Archibald Campbell, of St. Andrew's, was also author of " The Sale of .\uthors ; a Dialogue, in imitation of Lucian." — Anuerson. 2 We have just seen that he was detained till the I8th. — Cboker. •* Elizabeth, one of the younger daughters of Sir Thomas Aston: see nn^e, p . 20. n.4. Some letters of Johnson to Mrs. Aston, communicated to me after that note was first printed, are in a uniform spirit of tenderness and respect, and, even if of no other value, afford an additional proof of the inaccuracy of Miss Seward. A bundle of her letters were destroyed by Johnson just before his death, with a strong expression of regard and regret for the writer. — Croker. •» It appears that he visited, with the Thrales, (though Mr. Boswell never mentions it,) Mr.Brnoke of Town-mailing, of whose primitive house and manners we find some account in the Letter t. CHAPTER XXI. 1768. Slate of Johnson s Mind. — Msit to Town- Mallingi. — Prolog ue to Goldsmith's "Good-natured Man." — Bosu-elVs " Account of Corsica." — Practice of the Law. — Novels and Comedies. — T7ie Douglas Cause. — Reading MSS. — St. Kilda.— Oxford. — Guthrie. — Hume. — Robertson. — Future Life of Brutes. — Natural History. — BelVs Travels. — Chastity. — Choice of a Wife. — Baretti's Italy. — Liberty. — Kenrick. — Thom- son. — Monsey. — Swift. — Lord Eglintoune. — Letter on the Formation of a Library. — Boswell at the Stratford Jubilee. — Johnson s Opinion of his " Corsica." It appears from his notes of the state of his mind, that he suffered great perturbation and distraction in 1768. " Town -Mailing, in Kent*, 18th Sept. 1768, at night. — I have now begun the sixtieth year of my '• Dr. Juhuson to Mrs. Thralc,1Zd August, 1777. — " It was very well done by Mr. Brooke to send for you. His liouse is one of my favourite places. His water is very commo- dious, and the whole place has the true old appearance of a little countrv town." " Mrs. Thrak to Dr. Johnson, \5th September, 1777.— "Come, here is news of Town- Mailing, the quiet old- fashioned place in Kent, that you liked so, because it was agreeable to your own notions of a rural life. I believe we were the first people, except the master of it, who had, for many years, taken delight in the old coach without springs, the two roasted ducks in one dish, the fortified flower. gaVden, and fir-trees cut in figures. A spirit of innovation has however reached even there at last. The roads are mended ; no more narrow shaded lanes, but clear open turn- pike trotting. A yew hedge, or an eugh hedge if you will, newly cut down too by his nephew's desire. Ah '. those nephews. And a wall pulled away, which bore incomparable fr uit — to call in the country — is the phrase. Mr. Thrale is wicked enough to urge on these rough reformers: how it will end I know not. For your comfort, the square canals still drop into one another, and the chocolate is still made in the yEt. 59. BOS WELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 189 life. How the last year has past, I am unwilling to terrify myself with thinking. Tliis day has been past in great perturbation : I was distracted at church in an uncommon degree, and my distress has had very little intermission. I have found my- self somewhat relieved by reading, which I there- fore intend to practise when I am ::ble. This day it came into my mind to write the history of my melancholy. On this I purpose to deliberate ; I know not whether it may not too much disturb me." Nothing of bis writings was given to the public this year, except the Prologue * to bis friend Goldsmith's comedy of " The Good- natured Man." The first lines of this Prologue are strongly characteristical of the dismal gloom of his mind ; which in his case, as in the case of all who are distressed with the same malady of imagination, transfers to others its own feelings. Who could suppose it was to introduce a comedy, when Mr. Bensley solemnly began, " Press'd with the load of life, the weary mind Surveys the general toil of human kind." But this dark ground might make (ioklsmith's humour shine the more.' In the spring of this year, having published my " Account of Corsica ", with the Journal of a Tour to that Island," I returned to London, very desirous to see Dr. Jolinson, and bear him upo'n the subject. I found he was at Oxford, with his friend Mr. Chambers, who was now Vinerian Professor, and lived in New-Inn Hall. Having had no letter from him since that in which he criticised the Latinity of my Thesis, and having been toUl by somebody that he was offended at my having put into my book an extract of his letter to me at Paris, I was impatient to be with him, and therefore followed him to Oxford, where I was enter- tained by Mr. Chambers, with a civility which I shall ever gratefully remember. I found that Dr. Johnson had sent a letter to me to Scot- land, and that I had nothing to complain of but his being more indifferent to my anxiety than I wished him to be. Instead of giving, with the circumstances of time and place, such fragments of his conversation as I preserved during this visit to Oxford, I shall throw them together in continuation. I asked him whether, as a moralist, he did not think that the practice of the law, in some degree, hurt the nice feeling of honesty. I Johnson. "Why no. Sir, if you act properly. You are not to deceive your clients with false representations of your ojiinion : you are not to tell lies to a Judge." Boswell. "But what do you think of supporting a cause which you know to be bad ?" Johnson. " Sir, you do not know it to be good or bad till the Judge determines it. I have said that you are to state facts fairly : so that your thinking, or what you call knowing, a cause to be bad, must be from reasoning, must be from your i supposing your arguments to be weak and in- conclusive. But, Sir, tJiat is not enough. An argument whicli does not convince yourself, may convince the judge to whom you lu'ge it : and if it does convince him, why, then. Sir, you are wrong, and he is right. It is his business to judge ; and you arc not to be con- fident in your own opinion that a cause is bad, I but to say all you can for your client, and then , hear the judge's opinion." Boswell. "But, ! Sir, does not affecting a warmth when you i have no warmth, and appearing to be clearly of one opinion when you are in reality of another opinion, does not such dissimulation impair one's honesty ? Is there not some danger that a lawyer may put on the same }nask in common life, in the intercourse with his friends?" Johnson. "Why no. Sir. Every body knows you are paid for affecting warmth for your client ; and it is, therefore, properly no dissimulation : the moment you come from the bar you resume your usual be- haviour. Sir, a man v/ill no more carry the artifice of the bar into the common inter- course of society, than a man who is paid for tumbling upon his hands will continue to tumble upon his hands when he should walk on his feet."^ room by a maid, who curtsies as she presents every cup. Dear old Daddy Brooke looks well, and even handsome, at eighty-one years old ; while I saw his sister, who is ninety, four years old and calls him Frankey, eat more venison at a sitting than Mr. Thrale. These are the proper contem- plations of this season. May my daughter and my friend but enjoy life as long, and use it as innocently as these sweet people have done. The sight of such a family consoles one's heart."— Croker. ' In this prologue, after the line — " And social sorrow loses half its pain," the following couplet was inserted : — " Amidst the toils of this returning year. When senators and nobles learn to fear. Our little bard without complaint may share The bustling season's epidemic care." So the prologue appeared in the Public Advertiser. Gold- smith probably thought that the lines printed in Italic characters might give ofTence, and therefore prevailed on Johnson to omit them. The epithet little, whicli perliaps the author thought might diminish his dignity, was also changed to anxious. — Malone. Goldsmith was low in stature, a circumstance often alluded to by his contem- poraries. — CnoivER. 2 " Mr. Boswell's book I was going to recommend to you when I received your letter: it has pleased and moved me strangely, all (I mean) that relates to I'aoli. He is a man born two thousand years after his time ! The pamphlet proves what I have always maintained, that any fool may write a most valuable book 'oy chance, if he will only tell us what he heard and saw with veracity. Of Mr. Boswell's truth 1 have not the least suspicion, because I am sure he could invent nothing of this kind. The true title of this part of his work is, a Dialogue between a Green-Goose and a Hero. Gray to Horace Walpole, Feb. 2.i. I7G8. — Croker, 1846. 3 See post, Aug. !•'>. 1773, where Jolinson has supported the same agument. — J. Boswell, jun. Cicero touches this question more than once, but never with much confidence. " Atqui etiam hoc praeceptum officii diligenter tenendum est, ne quem unquam innocentem judicio capitis arcessas ; id, enim, sine scelere fieri nuUo pacto potest. Nee tamen, ut hoc fugiendum est, ita habendum est religion!, nocentcm aliqunndo, modo ne nefarium i7npiu?nque, de- fendere. Vult hoc multitudo, patitur consuetudo, fert etiam humanitas. Judicis est semper in causas verum sequi, jiatroni nonnunquam verisimile, ctiamsi minus sit verum, defendere." (De Off. 1. 2. c. 14.) We might have expected a less conditional and apologetical dr-fence of his own pro- fession from the great philosophical er.itor. — Crokek. 190 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 768. Talking of some of the modern plays, he said, " False Delicacy " ' was totally void of character. He praised Goldsmith's " Good- natured J\Ian ; " said it was the best comedy that had appeared since " The Provoked Husband," and that there had not been of late any such character exhibited on the stage as that of Croaker. I observed it was the Suspirius of his Rambler [No. 59.]. He said. Gold- smith had owned he had borrowed it from thence. " Sir," continued he, " there is all the diifereuce in the world between characters of nature and characters of manners ; and there is the difference between the characters of Fielding and those of Richardson. Characters of manners are very entertaining ; but they are to be understood, by a more superficial observer than characters of nature, where a man must dive into the recesses of the human heart." It always appeared to me, that he estimated the compositions of Richardson too highly '■'■, and that he had an unreasonable prejudice against Fielding. In comparing those two writers, he used this expression ; " that there was as great a difference between them, as between a man who knew how a watch was made, and a man who could tell the hour by looking on the dial-plate." This was a short and figurative state of his distinction between drawing characters of nature and characters only of manners. But I cannot help being of opinion, that the neat watches of Fielding are as well constructed as the large clocks of Richardson, and that his dial-plates are brighter. Fielding's characters, though they do not expand themselves so widely in dissertation, are as just pictures of human nature, and I wUl venture to say, have more striking features, and nicer touches of the pencil ; and, though Johnson used to quote with approbation a saying of Richardson's, " that the virtues of Fielding's heroes were the vices of a truly good man," I will ventvire to add, that the moral tendency of Fielding's writings, though it does not encourage a strained and rarely possible vii-tue, is ever favourable to honour and honesty, and cherishes the benevolent and generous affections. He who is as good as 1 By Hugh Kelly, the poetical stayraaker : he died, an. a:tat. 38, Feb. 3. 1777. — Croker. 2 See post, April 6. 1772. — C. 3 " Johnson,"' says Hawkins, " was inclined, as being per- sonally acquainted with Richardson, to favour the opinion of his admirers ; but he seemed not firm in it, and could at any time l5e talked into a disapprobation of all fictitious relations, of which he would frequently say, they took mo hold of the mind." — Choker. ^ In The Provoked Husband, begun by Sir John Van- brugh, and finished by Colley Gibber. — Wright. 5 By Dr. Benjamin Hoadly. Garrick's inimitable per- formance of Ranger was the main support of the piece during its first run. George 11. was so well pleased with this comedv, that he sent the author one himdred pounds — Wright. Horace Walpolo gives as a reason of George the Second's favour, that one of the causes nf suspicion against the innocent heroine (the finding Ranger's hat) was the same with one of those alleged against his mother, the Electress Dorothea — the hat of Count Konigsmark (the same who Fielding would make him, is an amiable mem- ber of society, and may be led on by more regulated instructors, to a higher state of ethical perfection.^ Johnson proceeded : " Even Sir Francis Wronghead '' Is a character of manners, though drawn with great humour." He then repeated, very happily, all Sir Francis's credulous ac- count to Manly of his being with " the great man," and securing a place. I asked him, if " The Suspicious Husband " ^ did not furnish a well-drawn character, that of Ranger. Jokn- soK. " No, Sir ; Ranger is just a rake, a mere rake, and a lively young fellow, but no clia- racter. The great Douglas Cause was at this time a very general subject of discussion. I found he had not studied it with much attention 6, but had only heard parts of it occasionally. He, however, talked of it, and said, "I am of opinion that positive proof of fraud should not be required of the plaintiff, but that the Judges should decide according as probability shall appear to preponderate, granting to the de- fendant the presumption of filiation to be strong in his favour. And I think too, that a good deal of weight should be allowed to the dying declarations, because they were sponta- neous. There is a great difference between what is said without ovu- being urged to it, and what is said from a kind of compulsion. If I praise a man's book without being asked my opinion of it, that is honest praise, to ■which one may trust. But if an author asks me if I like his book, and I give him something like praise, it must not be taken as my real opinion." " I have not been troubled for a long time with authors desiring my opinion of their works. I used once to be sadly plagued with a man who wrote verses, but who literally had no other notion of a verse, but that it consisted of ten syllables. Lay your hiife and your forli across your plate, was to him a verse : — 'Lay your knife and your fork across your pliite.' As he wrote a gi-eat number of verses, he sometimes by chance made good ones, though he did not know it." '^ He renewed his promise of coming to Seot- caused the murder of Mr. Thynne) having been found in her apartment. — Croker. 6 Boswell, who was counsel on the side of Mr. Douglas, had published, in 1766, a pamphlet entitled the " Essence of the Douglas Cause," but which, it will be seen, post, April 27. 1773, he could not induce Johnson even to read LOCKHART. " " Dr. Johnson did not like that his friends should bring their manuscripts for him to read, and he liked still less to read them when they were brought : sometimes, however, when he could not refuse, he would take the play or poem, or whatever it was, and give the people his opinion from some one page that he had peeped into. A gentleman car- ried him his tragedy, which, because he loved the author, Johnson took, and it lay about our rooms at Streatham some time. ' What answer did you give your friend, Sir ? ' asked I, after the book had been called for. ' I told him,' replied he, ' that there was too much Tig and Terry in it.' Seeing me laugh most violently, ' Why, what wouldst have, child ? ' said he ; ' I looked at nothing but the dramatis persons, and JEt. 59. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 191 land, and going with me to the Hebrides, but said he would now content himself with seeing one or two of the most curious of them. He said, " Macaulay, who writes the account of St. Kilda, set out with a prejudice against ! prejudice, and wanted to be a smart modern thinker; and yet he affirms for a truth, that wlien a ship arrives there all the inhabitants are seized with a cold." Dr. John Campbell, the celebrated writer ', I took a great deal of pains to ascertain this fact, and attempted to account for it on phy- j sical principles, from the eftect of effluvia from human bodies. Johnson, at another time I [Marc?i 21. 1772], praised Macaulay for his ! " magnanimitij" in asserting this wonderful I story, because it was well attested. A lady of I Norfolk, by a letter [Ocif. 2. 1773], to my I friend Dr. Burney, has favoured me with the j following solution : — " Now for the explication of this seeming mys- tery, which is so very obvious as, for that reason, to have escaped the penetration of Dr. Johnson and his friend, as well as that of the author. Reading tlie book with my ingenious friend, tlie late Rev. Mr. Christian of Docking — after ruminating a little, ' The cause,' says he, ' is a natural one. Tlie situation of St. Kilda renders a north-east wind in- dispensably necessar}' before a stranger can land. The wind, not the stranger, occasions an epidemic cold. If I am not mistaken, Mr. Macaulay is dead ; if living, this solution might please him, as I hope it will Mr. Boswell, in return for the many agreeable hours his works have afforded us." Johnson expatiated on the advantages of Oxford for learning. " There is here. Sir," said he, "such a progressive emulation. The students are anxious to appear well to their tutors ; the tutors are anxious to have their pupils appear well in the college ; the colleges are anxious to have their students appear well in the univer- sity; and there are excellent rules of discipline in every college. That the rules are sometimes ill observed may be true, but is nothing against the system. The members of an university may, for a season, be unmindful of their duty. I am arguing for the excellency of the institu- tion." Of Guthrie, he said, " Sir, he is a man of ])arts. He has no great regular fund of know- ledge ; but by reading so long, and writing so long, he no doubt has picked up a good deal." He said he had lately been a long while at there was T/^ranes and TiVidates, or T^)-ibazus, or such stuff." — Piozzi. This was Murphy's tragedy of Zcnobia, in which there are two characters, Tt'arancs and Teribazus, whose names, abbreviatefl, as is usual in plays, would be Tig. and Teri Crokeii. 1 Seenra/e, p. 140. — C. " Johnson's invectives against Scotland, in common con- versation, v/ere more in pleasantry and sport than real and malignant ; for no man was more visited by natives of that country, nor were there any for whom he had a greater esteem. It was to Dr. Grainger, a Scottish physician, that I owed my first acquaintance with Johnson, in 1750.— Percy. They were something more than sport. — Cuokf.r. ■' It is to be regretted that Mr. Boswell should have per- sisted in repeating these assertions. Dr. Johnson, on every occasion, seems to have expressed a great contempt for Dr. Robertson's works — very unjustly indeed; but, however Mr. Boswell might lament Johnson's prejudice, ho was not justified in thus repeatedly misstating the fact. See anti, p. 179., post, sub 19th April, 1772, where Boswell suppresses, and 30th April, 1773, where he again misi-eprcsenls Johnson's opinions of Dr. Robertson. — Croker. ■• " An Essay on the Future Life of Brute Creatures, by Richard Dean, curate of Middleton." This work is reviewed in the Gentleman's Magazine for 3768, p. 177., in a style veiy like Johnson's; and a story of "a very sensible dog " is noticed with rensure. So that it may tirobably have been Johnson's OHOKiin. Lichfield, but had grown very weary before he left it. lioswELii. " I wonder at that. Sir ; it is your native place." Johnson. " Wliy so is Scotland yo2ir native place." His prejudice against Scotland appeared re- markably strong at this time.* When I talked of our advancement in literature, " Sir," said he, " you have learnt a little from us, and you think yourselves very great men. Hume would never have written history, had not Voltaire written it before him. He is an echo of Voltaire." Boswell. " But, Sir, we have lord Kaines." Johnson. " You have lord Kames. Keep him; ha, ha, ha! We don't { envy you him. Do you ever see Dr. Robert- 1 son ? " Boswell. " Yes, Sir." Johnson. "Does the dog talk of me?" Boswell. " Indeed, Sir, he does, and loves you." Think- ing that I now had him in a corner, and being solicitous for the literary fame of my country, I pressed him for his opinion on the merit of Dr. liobertson's History of Scotland. But to my surprise, he escaped. — " Sir, I love Robertson, and I won't talk of his book." It is but justice both to him and Dr. Robert- son to add, that though he indulged himself in this sally of wit, he had too good taste not j to be fully sensible of the merits of that ad- mirable work.^ An essay, written by Mr. Dean, a divine of the Church of England, maintaining the future life of brutes'*, by an explication of certain parts of the Scriptures, was mentioned, and the doctrine insisted on by a gentleman who seemed fond of cin-ious speculation ; Johnson, who did not like to hear of any thing concern- ing a future state which was not authorised by the regular canons of orthodoxy, discouraged this talk ; and being offended at its continua- tion, he watched an opportunity to give the gentleman a blow of reprehension. So, when the poor speculatist, with a serious metaphy- sical pensive face, addressed him, " But really, Sir, when we see a very sensible dog, we don't know what to think of him ; " Johnson, rolling with joy at the thought which beamed in his eye, turned quickly round, and replied, " True, Sir : and when we see a very foolish fellow, we don't know what to think of him." He then rose up, strided to the fire, and stood for some time laughing and exulting. I told him that I had several times, when in Italy, seen the ex]>eriment of placing a scorpion within a circle of burning coals ; that it ran 192 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 176?. round and round In extreme pain ; and finding no way to escape, retired to the centre, and, like a true Stoic philosopher, darted its sting into its head, and thus at once freed itself from its woes. " This must end 'cm." I said, this was a curious fact, as it showed deliberate suicide in a reptile. Johnson would not admit the tact. He said, Maupertuis ^ was of opinion that it does not kill itself, but dies of the heat ; that it gets to the centre of the circle, as the coolest place ; that its turning its taU in upon its head is merely a convulsion, and that it does not sting itself. He said he would be satisfied if the great anatomist j^Jorgagni, after dissecting a scorpion on which the experiment had been tried, should certify that its sting had penetrated into its head. He seemed pleased to talk of natural philo- sophy .^ " I'hat woodcocks," said he, " fly over the northern countries is proved, because they have been observed at sea. Swallows certainly sleep all the winter. A number of them con- globulate together, by flying round and round, and then all in a heap throw themselves under water, and lie in the bed of a river." ^ He told us, one of his first essays was a Latin poem upon the glow-worm ; I am sorry I did not ask where it was to be found. Talking of the Russians and the Chinese, he advised me to read Bell's Travels.* I asked liim wliether I should read Du Halde's Ac- count of China. " Wliy yes," said he, " as one reads such a book ; that is to say, consult it." He talked of the heinousness of the crime of adultery, by which the peace of iamilies was destroyed. He said, " Confusion of pro- geny constitutes the essence of the crime ; and therefore a woman who breaks her marriage vows is much more criminal than a man who does it. A man, to be sure, is criminal In the sight of God ; but he does not do his wife a very material injury, if he does not insult her; if, for Instance, from mere wantonness of appetite, he steals privately to her chamber- maid. Sir, a wife ought not greatly to resent this. I would not receive home a daughter who had run away from her husband on that account. A wife should study to reclaim her husband by more attention to please him. Sir, a man will not, once in a hundred instances, leave his wife and go to a harlot, if his wife has not been negligent of pleasing." Here he discovered that acute discrimination, that solid judgment, and that knowledge of human nature, for wliich he was upon all oc- casions remarkable. Taking care to keep in view the moral and religious duty, as under- stood in our nation, he showed clearly, from reason and good sense, the greater degree of culpability in the one sex deviating from it than the other ; and, at the same time. In- culcated a very useful lesson as to the way to keep him. I asked him If It was not hard that one deviation from chastity should so absolutely ruin a young woman. Johnson. " AVhy no. Sir ; It is the great principle which she is taught. When she has given up tliat principle, she has given up every notion of female honour and virtue, which are all included in chastity." A gentleman 5 talked to him of a lady whom he greatly admired and wished to marry, but was afraid of her superiority of talents. " Sir," said he, " you need not be afraid ; marry her. Before a year goes about, you'll find that reason much weaker, and that wit not so bright." Yet the gentleman may be justified In his apprehension by one of Dr. Johnson's admirable sentences in his Life of Waller : " He doubtless praised many whom he would have been afraid to marry ; and, perhaps, married one whom he would have been ashamed to praise. Many qualities contribute to domestic happiness, upon which poetry has j no colours to bestow ; and many airs and j sallies may delight imagination, which he who flatters them never can approve." He praised Signer Barettl. " His account of Italy is a very entertaining book ; and. Sir, I know no man who carries his head higher in conversation than Barettl. There are strong powei's In his mind. He has not, indeed, many hooks ; but with what hooks he has, he grapples very forcibly." At this time I observed upon the dial-plate of his watch a short Greek Inscription, taken from the New Testament, Nu| yap epx^rm^, being the first words of our Saviour's solemn • I should think it impossible not to wonder at the variety of Johnson's reading, however desultory it might have been. Who could have imagined that tlie High Churcii of England- man would be so prompt in quoting Maupertuis, who, I am sorry to think, stands in the list of those unfortunate mis- taken men, who call themselves exprits forls. 1 have, however, a high respect for that philosopher, whom the great Frederic of Prussia loved and honoured, and addressed pathetically in one of his poems, " Mnnpertuis, cher Mauj)erfuis, Que notre vie est pen de diuse." There was in Maupertuis a vigour and yet a tenderness of sentiment, united with strong intellectual powers, and un- common ardour of soul. Would he had been a Christian ! I cannot help earnestly venturing to hope that he is one now. — BoswBii.. Maupertuis died in 17S9, at the age of G2, in the arms of the Bernoulli, Iris cluKtiennement. — Burney. Mr. Boswell seems to contemplate the possibility of a pos< 7)ioriem conversion to Christianity Croker. 2 Natural history. — Croker. ^ This story has been entirely exploded I-ockhart. ■• John Bell, of Antermony, who publishrd at Glasgow, in I7G3, " Travels from St. Petersburgh, in Russia, to divers Parts of Asia. — Croker. ^ Probably Boswell himself. — Croker. 6 John ix. 4. I know not why Boswell calls them \.hi: first words : on the contrary, they are expletive of the former part of the admonition. Hawkins says that this watch (made for Johnson by Mudge .nnd Dutton in 17C8) was the first he ever possessed ; but he adds that the Greek inscription was made unintelligible by the mistake of inscribing v/i? for nl- This Mr. Steevens denied ; and he certainly bequeathed to his niece a watch l)earing, as 1 am informed, the correct inscription : but from the evidence of Hawkins, one of Johnson'* executors, and from the known propensity of Stee- vens to what is leniently called mystification, I conclude that iET. 59. BOSAVELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 193 admonition to the improvement of that time which is allowed us to prepare I'or eternity ; ''the night comelh when no man can work." lie some time afterwards laid aside this dial- plate ; and when I asked him the reason, he :r:iid, " It might do very well upon a clock which a man keeps in his closet ; but to have it upon his watch, which he carries about with hhn, and which is often looked at by others, niiuht be censured as ostentatious. " Mr. Siv^'cvens is now possessed of the dial-plate iiiscrihed as above. lie remained at Oxford a considerable time.' I was obliged to go to London, where I re- c.'ived this letter, which had been returned I'l uiii Scotland. JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " Oxford, March 23. 17G8. "'My dear Boswell, — I have omitted a long time to write to you, without knowing very well v>hy. I could now tell why I should not write ; for wlio would write to men who publish the letters of their friends, without their leave ? ^ Yet I write t 1 you ill spite of my caution, to tell you that I shull be glad to see you, and that I wish you would L'liipty your head of Corsica, which I think has filled it rather too long. But, at all events, I shall he glad, very glad, to see you. 1 am, Sir, yours atfectionately, Sam. Johnson." I answered thus : — BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. " London, April 26. 17G8. " My dear Sir, — I have received your last letter, which, though very short, and by no means complimentary, yet gave me real pleasure, because it contains these words, ' I shall be glad, very glad, to see you.' — Surely you have no reason to com- plain of my publishing a single paragraph of ons of you." letters ; the temptation to it was so strong. \vl irrevocable grant of your friendship, and your signifying my desire of visiting Corsica with the epithet of ' a wise and noble curiosity,' are to me more valuable than many of the grants of kings. " But how can you bid me ' empty my head of Corsica?' My noble-minded friend, do you not feel for an oppressed nation bravely struggling to be free? Consider fairly what is the case. The Corsicans never received any kuidness from the Cienoese. They never agreed to be subject to them. 'I'liey owe them nothing, and when reduced to au abject state of slavery, by force, shall they not rise in the great cause of liberty, and break the galling yoke ? And shall not every liberal soul be warm liis was not the original dial. However that may be, the dial was laid aside by Johnson, as being, Boswell says, " too ostentatious," and Hawkins, " too pedantic." But Johnson may have had a better reason, even if vt/| were not mis. spelled. Giving the inscription, no dotibt from memory, he had altered the divine phrase, which is simply I^x^txi i/uj, and Johnson, when he perceived the variance, probably re- moved the dial. Boswell in his first edition had given the text correctly ; he afterwards adopted the mistake of adding y«<. — Choker. Sir Walter Scott put the same Greek words on a sun-dial in hii garden at Abbotsford. — Lockhart. ' Where, it appears, from the Letters, 1. 14., that he was for them ? Empty my head of Corsica I Empty it of honour, empty it of humanity, empty it of friend- ship, empty it of piety. No ! while I live, Corsica, and the cause of the brave islanders, shall ever em- ploy much of my attention, shall ever interest me in the sincerest manner. * * ». I am, ^c, " James Boswell." [JOHNSON TO MISS PORTER. •' Oxford, April 18. 1708. " My nEAR, HEAR Love, — You have had a very great loss.^ To lose an old friend, is to be cut off from a great part of the little pleasiue that this life allows. But such is the condition of our nature, that as we live on we must see those whom we love drop successively, and find our circle of relations grow less and less, till we are almost un- connected with the world ; and then it must soon be our turn to drop into the grave. There is always this consolation, tliat we have one Protector who can never be lost but by our own fault, and every new experience of the uncertainty of all other comforts should determine us to fix our hearts where true joys are to be found. All union with the inhabitants of earth must in time be broken ; and all the hopes that terminate here, must on [one] part or other end in dlsajipointment. " I am glad that Mrs. Adey and Mrs. Cobb do not leave you alone. Pay my respects to them, and the Sewards, and all my friends. When Mr. Porter comes, he will direct you. I-et me know of his arrival, and I will write to him. " When I go back to London, I will take care of your reading-glass. Whenever I can do any thing for you, remember, my dear darling, that one of my greatest pleasures is to please you. " The punctuality of your correspondence I con- sider as a proof of great regard. When we shall see each other, I know not, but let us often think on each other, and think with tenderr\,ess. Do not forget me in your prayers. I have for a long time back been very poorly ; but of what use is it Jo complain ? Write often, for your letters always give great plea.sure to, my dear, your most affec- tionate and most humble servant. — Malone. " Sam. Johnson."] Upon his arrival in London in May, he sur- prised me one morning "with a visit at my lodging in Halfmoon Street, was quite satisfied with my explanation, and was in the kindest and most agreeable frame of mind. As he had objected to a part of one of his letters bekig published, I thought it right to take this oppor- tunity of asking him explicitly whether it would be improper to publish his letters after his death. His answer was, " Nay, Sir, when I am dead, you may do as you will." for some time confined to Mr. Chambers's apartments in New Inn Hall by a fit of illness, and took a strong interest in the triumphant election of high church candidates for the University. " The virtue of Oxford." he says, " once more prcvniled over the slaves of power and the soliciters of favour." — Choker - Mr. Koswell, in his " Journal of a Tour in Corsica," had printed the second and third paragraphs of Johnson's letter to him of January 14. 1760 Croker. 3 Tlie death of her aunt, Mrs. Hunter, widow or Johnson's schoolmaster. — ©boker. 194 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1768. He talked in his usual style with a rough contempt of popular liberty. " They make a rout about universal liberty, without consider- ing that all that is to be valued, or indeed can be enjoyed by individuals, is private liberty. Political liberty is good only so far as it pro- duces private liberty. Now, Sir, there is the liberty of the press, which you know is a con- stant topic. Suppose you and I and two hun- dred more were restrained from printing our thoughts : what then ? What proportion would that restraint upon us bear to the private hap- piness of the nation ?" ' This mode of representing the inconveniences of restraint as light and insignificant, was a kind of sophistry in which he delighted to indulge himself, in opposition to the extreme laxity for which it has been fashionable for too many to argue, when it is evident, upon reflection, that the very essence of government is restraint; and certain it is, that as government produces rational happiness, too much restraint is better than too little. But when restraint is iinneces- sary, and so close as to gall those who are sub- ject to it, the people may and ought to re- monstrate ; and, if relief is not granted, to resist. Of this manly and spirited principle, no man was more convinced than Johnson himself. About this time Dr. Kenrick attacked him, through my sides, in a pamphlet, entitled " An Epistle to James Boswell, Esq., occasioned by his having transmitted the moral Writings of Dr. Samuel Johnson to Pascal Paoli, General of the Corsicans." I was at first inclined to answer this pamphlet ; but Johnson, who knew that my doing so would only gratify Kenrick, by keeping alive what would soon die away of itself, would* not suSer me to take any notice of it. 2 His sincere regard for Francis Barber, his faithful negro servant, made him so desirous of his further improvement, that he now placed him at a school at Bishop Stortford, in Hert- fordshire.^ This humane attention does John- son's heart much honour. Out of many letters which Mr. Barber received from his master, he has preserved three, which he kindly gave me, and which I shall insert according to their dates. 1 Seeposi, p.200. n. 1. — C. 2 Hawkins says, Johnson's silence proceeded not more from his contempt of such an adversary, than from a settled resolution he had formed, of declining all controversy in defence either of himself or of his writings. Against personal abuse he was ever armed, by a reflection that I have heard him utter: — " Alas ! reputation would be of little worth, were it in the power of every concealed enemy to deprive us of it ; " and he defied all attacks on his writings by an answer of Dr. Bentley to one who threatened to write him down, that " no author was ever written down but by himself." — Cboker. ^ The sending his negro servant, at least five and twenty years old, to a boarding-school, seems a strange exercise of Jolinson's good nature. It was very unpopular with his other inmates. When Mrs. Williams and Francis quar- JOHNSON TO FRANCIS BARBER. " May 28. 1768. " Dear Francis, — I have been very much out of order. I am glad to hear that you are well, and design to come soon to you. I would have you stay at Mrs. Clapp's for the present, till I can determine what we shall do. Be a good boy. My compliments to Mrs. Clapp and to Mr. Fowler. I am yours affectionately, Sam. Johnson." Soon afterwards, he supped at the Crown and Anchor tavern, in the Strand, with a com- pany whom I collected to meet him. They were, Dr. Percy now Bishop of Dromore, Dr. Douglas now Bishop of Salisbury, Mr. Lang- ton, Dr. Robertson the Historian, Dr. Hugh Blair, and Mr. Thomas Davies, who wished much to be introduced to these eminent Scotch literati; but on the present occasion he had very little opportunity of hearing them talk ; for, with an excess of prudence, for which Johnson afterwards found fault with them, they hardly opened their lips, and that only to say something which they were certain would not expose them to the swoYd of Goliath ; such was their anxiety for their fame when in the presence of Johnson. He was this evening in remarkable vigour of mind, and eager to exert himself in conversation, which he did with great readiness and fluency ; but I am sorry to find that I have preserved but a small part of what He allowed high praise to Thomson as a poet; but when one of the company said he was also a very good man, our moralist con- tested this with great warmth, accusing him of gross sensuality and licentiousness of manners. I was very much afraid that, in writing Thom- son's life, Dr. Johnson would have treated his private character with a stern severity, but I was agreeably disappointed ; and I may claim a little merit in it, from my having been at pains to send him authentic accounts of the affectionate and generous conduct of that poet to his sisters, one of whom, the wife of Mr. Thomson, schoolmaster at Lanark, I knew, and was presented by her with three of his letters, one of which Dr. Johnson has inserted in his life. He was vehement against old Dr.Mounsey, of Chelsea College, as " a fellow who swore and talked indecently."* "I have been often in his relied, as was very frequent, the lady would complain to the doctor, adding, " This is your scholar, on whose education you have spent 300^." Dr. Johnson, in the conclusion of the letter, calls him a " boy," but sixteen years had already elapsed since he entered Johnson's own service — Ckoker. •• A coarser word is used in the original. Messenger Mounsey, M. D., died at his apartments in Chelsea College, Dec. 26. 1788, at the age of ninety-five. An extraordinary direction in his will may be found in the Ge7itleman's Magazine, vol. 50. p. ii. p. 1183. — BIalons. The direction was, that his bodjf should not suffer any funeral ceremony, but undergo dissection, and, after that operation, be thrown into the Thames, or where the surgeon pleased. It is surprising that tliis coarse and crazy humorist should have been an intimate friend and favourite of the ele- gant and pious Mrs. Montagu Choker. In the following ^T. 59. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 195 company," said Dr. Percy, "and never heard him swear or talk indecently." Mr. Davies, \\lio sat next to Dr. Percy, having after this had some conversation aside with him, made a discovery which, in his zeal to pay court to Dr. Johnson, he eagerly proclaimed aloud from the foot of the table : " Oh, Sir, I have found out a very good reason why Dr. Percy never heard Mounsey swear or talk indecently ; for he tells me he never saw him but at the Duke of Northumberland's table." " And so. Sir," said Dr. Johnson loudly to Dr. Percy, " you would shield this man from the charge of swearing and talking indecently, because he did not do so at the Duke of Northumberland's table. Sir, you might as Avell tell us that you had seen him hold up his hand at the Old Bailey, and he neither swore nor talked indecently ; or that you had seen him in the cart at Tyburn, and "he neither swore nor talked indecently. And is it thus. Sir, that you presume to con- trovert what I have related?" Dr. Johnson's animadversion was uttered in such a manner, that Dr. Percy seemed to be displeased, and soon afterwards left the company, of which Johnson did not at that time take any notice. Swift having been mentioned, Johnson, as usual, treated him with little respect as an author. Some of us endeavoured to support the Dean of St. Patrick's, by various argu- ments. One, in particular, praised his " Con- duct of the Allies." Johnson. " Sir, his ' Con- duct of the Allies' is a perfoi-mance of very little ability." " Surely, Sir," said Dr. Douglas, " you must allow it has strong facts." ' Jounson. " Why yes. Sir ; but what is that to the merit of the composition ? In the Sessions-paper of the Old Bailey there are strong facts. House- breaking is a strong fact ; robbery is a strong fact ; and murder is a mighty strong fact : but is great praise due to the historian of those strong facts ? No, Sir, Swift has told what he had to tell distinctly enough, but that is all. lie had to count ten, and he has counted it right." Then recollecting that IMr. Davies, by acting as an mformer, had been the occasion of his talking somewhat too harshly to his friend 5:1 atige, :m(l, although it relates to his own body, we may say t.rutal letter to Mr. Cruicksliank, dated May 12. 1787, now ill the Museum of the College of Surgeons, Mounsey says : " Mr. Thomson Foster, surgeon, in Union Court, Broad Street, has promised to open my carcass, and see what is the matter with my heart, arteries, and kidneys. He is gone to Norwich, and may not return before I am [dead]. Will you be so good as to let me send it to you, or, if he comes, will ) ou like to be present at the dissection ? Let me see you to- morrow, between eleven and one or two, or any day. I am now very ill, and hardly see to scrawl this, and feel as if I should live|[but] two days — the sooner the better. lam, though unknown to you, your respectful humble serv.ant, .vIessenger Mounsey." His body was accordingly dissected liy Mr. Foster, and preparations were deposited in the Museum of St. Thomas's Hospital Wright. ' My respectable friend, upon re.iding this passage, ob- served, that he probably must have said not simply '"strong facts," but "strong facts well arranged." His Lordship, however, knows too well the value of written documents tn insist on setting his recollection against mv notes taken at the time. He does not .-ittempt to traverse 'the record. The Dr. Percy, for which, probably, when the first ebullition Avas over, he felt some compunction, he took an opportunity to give him a hit : so added, with a preparatory laugh, " Why, Sir, Tom Davies might have written ' The Conduct of the Allies.' " Poor Tom, being thus suddenly dragged into ludicrous notice in presence of the Scottish doctors, to whom he was ambitious of appearing to advantage, v/as grievously mortified. Nor did his punishment rest here'; for upon subsequent occasions, whenever he, " statesman all over," ^ assumed a strutting im- portance, I used to hail him — '■'■the Author of the Conduct of the Allies." When I called upon Dr. Johnson next morn- ing, I found him highly satisfied with his col- loquial prowess the preceding evening. " Well," said he, " we had good talk." Bosaveix. " Yes, Sir ; you tossed and gored several persons." The late Alexander Earl of Eglintoune^, who loved wit more than wine, and men of genius more than sycophants, had a great admiration of Johnson ; but, from the remark- able elegance of his own manners, was, per- haps, too delicately sensible of the roughness which sometimes appeared in Johnson's be- haviour. One evening about this time, when his lordship did me the honour to sup at my lodgings with Dr. Robertson and several other men of literary distinction, he regretted that Johnson had not been educated with more refinement, and lived more in polished society. " No, no, my lord," said Signer Baretti, " do with him what you would, he would always have been a bear." "True," answered the earl, with a smile, " but he would have been a dancing bear." To obviate all the reflections which have gone round the world to Johnson's prejudice, by applying to him the epithet of a hear., let me impress upon my readers a just and happy saying of my friend Goldsmith, who knew him well : — " Johnson, to be sure, has a roughness in his manner; but no man alive has a more tender heart. He has nothing of the hear but his skin."'* fact, perhaps, may have been, either that the additional words escaped me in the noise of a numerous company, or that Dr. Johnson, from his impetuosity, and eagerness to seize .an opportunity to make a lively retort, did not allow Dr. Douglas to finish his sentence Boswell. 2 See the hard drawing of him in Churchill's " Rosciad." Anti,]>. 133.— Boswell. 3 Tenth earl, who was shot, in 1769, by Mungo Campbell, whose fowling-piece Lord Eglintoune attempted to seize. To this nobleman Boswell was indebted, as he himself said, for his early introduction to the circle of the great, the gay, and the ingenious. Boswell thus mentions himself in a tale called " The Cub at Newmarket," published in 1762 : — " Lord Eglintoime, who loves, you know, A little dish of whim or so. By ch.-ince a curious cub h.id got. On Scotia's mountains newly caught." Gent. Mai;. — Croker. •> It was tirplly said, in reference to the pensions granted to Doctors Shebbeare and Johnson, that the King had pen- sioned a She-bear and a lie-bear Croker. o 2 196 BOSWELLS LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1768. [JOHNSON TO MR. BARNARD.' " May 28. ITGS. "Sir, — It is natural for a scholar to interest himself in an expedition, undertaken, like yours, for the importation of literature ; and therefore, though, having never travelled myself, I am very little qualified to give advice to a traveller ; yet, that I may not seem inattentive to a design so worthy of regard, I will try whether the present state of my health will suffer me to lay before you what observation or report have suggested to me, that may direct your inquiries, or facilitate your success. Things of which the mere rarity makes the value, and which are prized at a high rate l)y a wantonness rather than by use, are always passing from poorer to richer countries ; and therefore, though Germany and Italy were principally pro- ductive of typographical curiosities, I do not much imagine that they are now to be found there in great abundance. An eagerness for scarce books and early editions, which prevailed among the English about half a century ago, filled our shops with all the splendour and nicety of literature ; and when the Harleian Catalogue was published, many of the books were bought for the library of the King of France. " I believe, however, that by the diligence with which you have enlarged the library under your care, the present stock is so nearly exhausted, that, till new purchases supply the booksellers with new stores, you will not be able to do much more than glean up single books, as accident shall produce them ; this, therefore, is the time for visiting the continent. " What addition you can hope to make by ransacking other countries we will now consider. English literature you will not seek in any place but in England. Classical learning is dittused every where, and is not, except by accident, more co))ious in one part of the polite world than in another. But every country has literature of its own, which may be best gathered in its native soil. The studies of the learned are influenced liy forms of government and modes of religion; and, there- fore, those books are necessary and common in some places, which, where ditferent opinions or dif- ferent manners prevail, are of little use, and for that reason rarely to he found. " Thus in Italy you may expect to meet with canonists and scholastic divines, in Germany with writers on the feudal laws, and in Holland with civilians. The seiioolmen and canonists must not be neglected, for they are useful to many purposes ; nor too anxiously sought, for their influence among us is much lessened by the Reformation. Of the canonists at least a few eminent writers may be sufficient. The schoolmen are of more general value. But the feudal and civil law I cannot but wish to see complete. The feudal constitution is the original of the law of property, over all the civilised part of Europe ; and the civil law, as it is generally understood to include the law of nations, may be called with great propriety a regal study. Of these books, which have been often published, and diversified by various modes of im- pression, a royal library should have at least the most curious edition, the most splendid, and the most useful. The most curious edition is com- monly the first, and the most useful may be ex- pected among the last. Thus, of Tully's Offices, the edition of Fust is the most curious, and that of Gra'vius the most useful. The most splendid the eye will discern. With the old printers you are now become well acquainted ; if you can find any collection of their productions to be sold, you will undoubtedly buy it ; but this can scarcely be hoped, and you must catch up single volumes where you can find them.; In every place things often occur where they are least expected. I was shown a Welsh grammar written in Welsh, and printed at Milan, I believe, before any grammar of that language had been printed here. Of purchasing entire lii)raries, I know not whether the incon- venience may not overbalance the advantage. Of libraries connected with general views, one will have many books in common with another. When you have bought two collections, you will find that you have bought many books twice over, and many in each which you have left at home, and, there- fore, did not want ; and when you have selected a small number, you will have the rest to sell at a great loss, or to transport hither at perhaps a greater. It will generally be more commodious to buy the few that you want, at a price somewhat advanced, than to encumber yourself with useless books. But libraries collected for particular studies will be very valuable acquisitions. The collection of an eminent civilian, feudist, or mathematician, will perhaps have very few superfluities. Topo- graphy or local history prevails much in many parts of the continent. I have been told that scarcely a village of Italy wants its historian. These books may l)e generally neglected, but some will deserve attention by the .elebrity of the place, the eminence of the authors, or the beauty of the sculptures. Sculpture has always been more culti- vated among other nations than among us. The old art of cutting on wood, which decorated the books of ancient impression, was never carried here to any excellence ; and the practice of engraving on copjier, which succeeded, has never been much employed among us in adorning books. The old books with wooden cuts are to be diligently sought; the designs were often made by great masters, and the prints are such as cannot be made by any artist now living. It will be of great use to collect in every place maps of the adjacent country, and plans of towns, buildings, and gardens. By this care you will form a more valuable body of geography than can otherwise be had. Many coiuitries have been very exactly surveyed, but it must not be expected that the exactness of actual mensuration will be preserved, when the maps are reduced by a con- tracted scale, and incorporated into a general ! system. j " The king of Sardinia's Italian dominions are j not large, yet the maps made of thern in the reiixn ' of Victor fill two Atlantic folios. This part of j your desigti will deserve particular regard, because', in this, your success will always be proportioned to i j'our diligence. You are too well acquainted with 1 Mr., afterwards Sir Francis, Barnard, was Librarian to King George HI. See ante, p. 184. — This is the letter which, I cannot guess why, Mr. Barnard refused to Bosv after his Majesty had consented to its production. — Cuok JEt. 59. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 197 literary history not to know that many books derive their value from the reputation of the printers. Of the celebrated printers you do not iKcd to be informed, and if you did, might consult IJaillet, Jugemcns des S^avans. The productions of Aldus are enumerated in the Bibliotheca Gra^ca, so tliat you may know when you have them all ; wliich is always of use, as it prevents needless search. The great ornaments of a library, furnished for magnificence as well as use, are the first editions, of which, tlierefore, I would not willingly neglect the mention. You know, sir, that the annals of ty])ography begin with the Codex, 1457 ; but there i-i great reason to believe, that there are latent, in nbsc'ure corners, books printed before it. The SLL ular feast, in memory of the invention of printing, is celebrated in the fortieth year of the century ; if this tradition, therefore, is right, the art had in 1457 been already exercised nineteen years. " Tliere prevails among typographical antiquaries a vague opinion, that the 13ible had been printed three times before the edition of 1462, whicli Calmet calls ' La premiere edition bien averee. ' OiiqI of these editions has been lately discovered in a convent, and transplanted into the French king's lilirary. Another copy has likewise been found, i)ut I know not whether of the same impression, or another. These discoveries are sufficient to raise liope and instigate inquiry. In the purchase of olil books, let me recommend to you to inquire with great caution, whether they are perfect. In the first edition the loss of a leaf is not easily ob.servcd. You remember how near we both were to purchasing a mutilated Missal at a high price. " All this perhaps you know already, and, there- fore, my letter may be of no use. I am, however, /Jesirous to ^how you, that I wish prosperity to yom- undertaking. One advice more I will give, of more importance than all the rest, of which I, therefore, hope you will have still less need. You are going into a part of the world divided, as it is said, between bigotry and atheism : such repre- sentations are always hyperbolical, but there is certainly enough of both to alarm any mind soli- citous for piety and truth ; let not tlie contempt of superstition precipitate you into infidelity, or the horror of infidelity ensnare you in superstition. — I sincerely wish you successful a-nd happy, for I am, Sir, &c., Sam. Johnson." — MS. JOHNSON TO MISS PORTER. "June 18 ]7r,H. " IMv Love, — It gives me great pleasure to find that you are so well satisfied with what little things > 77(1? Maxarijie Bible, printed by Gutemberg and Faust at Maonz, 1452-55 ; many copies of it exist in tlie chief libraries of Kurope J. M. - .\ difference took place in the March ofthis year between Mr. Thrale and Sir .loseph Mawbey, his colleague in the rc- pri-spiitation of Southwark, when Sir Joseph endeavoured to defond himself from some anti-popular step he had taken, by inculpating Mr. I'hrale. Thei e is an account of the affair in the GfnWenian'i M(i^'«j;!'«c(vol.xxxix.p.lf)2.)which seems to have been written by Or. Johnson. The article recommends a recurrence to triennial parliaments, a measuro to which Johnson's hatred of the WhiKseptenrdal bill would naturally incline him; and as, for Mr. Thrale's sake, he was obliged, by tliB violence of the times, to adopt some popular topic, he would probably adopt that of triennial parliaments CaoKEii. In which pi, ice he has been succeeded by Beiinet l.ang- ton, Esq. When that truly religious gentleman was elected to it has been in iny power to send you. I hope you will always employ me in any office that can con- duce to your convenience. My healtli is, I thank God, much better ; but it is yet very weak ; and very little things put it into a troublesome state; but still I hope all will be well. Pray for me. " I\Iy friends at Lichfield must not think that I forget them. Neither INIrs. Cobb, nor Mrs. Adey, nor Miss Adey, nor Miss Seward, nor Miss Vise, are to sup|)osc that I have lost all memory of their kindness. Mention me to them when you see them. I hear Mr. Vise has been lately very much in danger. I hope he is better. " When you write again, let me know how you go on, and what company you keep, and what you do all day. I love to think i n you, but do not know when I sliall see you. Pray, write very often. I am, dearest, your humble servant, — Pearson MSS. " Saji. Johnson."] In 1769, so far as I can discover, the pub- lic was favoured with nothing of Johnson's composition, either for himself or any of his friends.- His " Meditations " too strongly prove that he suffered much both in body and niind ; yet was he perpetually striving against evil, and nobly endeavouring to advance his intellectual and devotional improvement. Every generous and grateful heart must feel for the distresses of so eminent a benefactor to mankind ; and now that his unhappiness is certainly known, must respect that dignity of character which prevented him from complain- ing. Ills Majesty having the preceding year instituted the Iloyal Academy of Arts in London, Johnson had now the honour of being appointed Professor in Anticnt Literature.* In the course of the year he wrote some letters to Mrs. Thrale, passed some part of the summer at Oxford and at Lichfield, and when at O.xford he wrote the following letter : — JOHNSON TO THOMAS WARTON- '^ May 31. 17(39. " Deak Sir, — Many years ago, when I used to read in tlie library of your College, I promised to recompense the college for that permission, by adding to their books a Baskerville's Virgil. I have now sent it, and desire you to reposit it on the shelves in my name. 4 " If you will be jileased to let me know when you have an hour of leisure, I will drink tea with you. I am engaged for the afternoon to- this honorary Professorship, at the same time that Edward Gibbon, Esq., noted for introducing a kind of sneering infi- delity into his historical writings, was elected Professor in Ancient History, in the room of Dr. Goldsmith, I observed tliMt It bron;.'lit to my mind, " Wicked Will Whiston and good Mr. Dittoii." — 1 am now .ilso [1791] of that admirable insti- tntion, as .Secretary for Foreign Correspondence, by the favonr of the Academicians, and the approbation of the sovereign. — Bosweli.. « It has this inscription in a blank leaf : — " Htinc lihrum n. D. Sdtnucl Juhitson eo guod Inc loci sttidiis iulerdum vncaret." Of this library, which is an old Gothic room, he was very fond. On my observing to him that some of the midcrn libraries of the University were more commodious and ple.isant for study, as being more spacious and airv, he replied, " Sir, if a man has a mmd to prance, he must study at Christchurch and All-Souls." — Warton. o 3 198 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1769. morrow, and on Friday : all my mornings are my own.' I am, &c., Sam. Johnson." [JOHNSON TO MRS. THRALE. ( Extract.) " Lichfield, August 14. 1769. " We passed the night at Coventry ; but came in late and went out early ; and therefore I did not send for my cousin Tom^ but I design to make him some amends for the omission. " Next day we came early to Lucy, who was, I believe, glad to sec us. She had saved her best gooseberries upon the tree for me ; and as Steele says, / was 7ieither too proud nor too wise to gather them. I have rambled a very little inter fontes etfltimina nota, but I am not yet well. They have cut down the trees in George Lane. Evelyn, in his book of Forest Trees ^ tells us of wicked men that cut down trees, and never prospered after- wards ; yet nothing has deterred these audacious aldermen from violating the Hamadryad of George Lane. As an impartial traveller, I must, however, tell that, in Stow Street, where I left a draw-well, I have found a pump, but the lading-well in this ill-fated George Lane lies shamefully neglected. " I am going to-day or to-morrow to Ashbourne ; but I am at a loss how I shall get back in time to London. Here are only chance coaches, so that there is no certainty of a place. If I do not come, let it not hinder your journey. T can be but a few days behind you ; and I will follow in the Bright- helmstone coach. But I hope to come." JOHNSON TO MRS. ASTON. "Brighthelmstone, August 26. 1769. "Madam, — I suppose you have received the mill : the whole apparatus seemed to be perfect, except that there is wanting a little tin spout at the bottom, and some ring or knob, on which the bag that catches the meal is to be hung. When these are added, I hope you will be able to grind your own bread, and treat me with a cake made by yourself, of meal from your own corn of your own grinding. " I was glad. Madam, to see you so well, and hope your health will long increase, and then long continue. I am, Madam, your most obedient servant, Sam. Johnson."] _ Parker MSS. CHAPTER XXn. 1769. Boswdl at the Jubilee. — His Account of Corsica General Paoli. — Observance of Sunday. — Rous- seau and Mojiboddo. — Love of Singularity. — London Life. — Artemisias. — Second Marriages, — Scotch Gardening. — Vails. — Prior. — Gar- rick's Poetry. — History. — Whitfield. — The Corsicans. — Good Breeding. — Fate and Free- will. — Goldsmith's Tailor. — The Dunciad. — Drydcn. — Congreve. — Sheridan. — Mrs. Mon- tagu's Essay. — Lord Karnes. — Burke, — Ballad of Hardykmtte. — Fear of Death, — Sym- pathy ivith Distress. — Foote, — Buchanan. — BarettVs Trial. — Mandeville, I CAME to London in the autumn ; and having informed him that I was going to be married in a few months, I wished to have as much of his conversation as I. could before engaging in a state of life which would pro- bably keep me more in Scotland, and prevent me seeing him so often as when I was a single man ; but I found he was at Brighthelmstone with Mr. and Mrs. Thrale. I was very sorry that I had not his company with me at the Jubilee, in honour of Shakspeare, at Strat- ford-upon-Avon, the great poet's native town.* Johnson's connection both with Shakspeare and Garrick founded a double claim to his presence ; and it would have been highly gratifying to Mr. Garrick. Upon this occasion I particularly lamented that he had not that warmth of friendship for his brilliant pupil, which we may suppose would have had a benignant effect on both. When almost every man of eminence in the literary world was happy to partake in this festival of genius, the absence of Johnson could not but be wondered at and regretted. The only trace of him there, was in the whimsical adver- tisement of ahaberdashei-, who sold Shahsperian ribands of various dyes ; and by way of illus- trating their appropriation to the bard, intro- duced a line from the celebrated Prologue, at the opening of Drury Lane theatre : — " Each change of many-colow'd life he drew." 1 During this visit he seldom or never dined out. He appeared to be deeply engaged in some literary work. Miss Williams was now with him at Oxford Wauton. 2 We shall see more by and bye of poor cousin Tom ; who. Dr. Harwood thought, was the son of his uncle Andrew, of whom he told Mrs. Piozzi that he, for a whole year, kept the ring at Smithfield (where they wrestled and boxed), and never was thrown or conquered. — Choker. 3 Historical Account of the Sacredness and Use of Stand- ing Groves, p. 638. 4to. 1776. — CiiOKEK. •1 Mr. Boswell, on this occasion, justified Johnson's fore- sight and prudence, in advising him to " clear his head of Corsica: " unluckily, the advice had no effect, for Boswell made a fool of himself at the Jubilee by sundry enthusiastic freaks ; amongst others, lest he sliould not be sufficiently distinguished, he wore the words CoiisicA Boswell in large letters round his hat. — C, IHlil. There was an absurd print of him, I think In the Loiuion Magazine, published, no doubt, with his concurrence, in tlie char.icter of an armed Corsican chief, at the Jubilee masquerade on the evening of the 7th Sept. 1769, in which he wears a cap with the in- scription of " J'lva la IJbcrta! " — but his friend and ad. mirer, Tom Davics, records that he wore ordinarily the vernacular inscription of " CousiCA Boswell in large letters outside his hat."— Life of Garricit, ii. 212. Earlier in the year he had visited Ireland, and was no doubt the corre- spondent who furnished the following paragraph to the Public Advertiser of the 7th July, 1769. " Extract of a letter from Dublin, 8th June. " James Boswell, Esq., having now visited Ireland, he dined with his Grace the Duke of Leinster, at his seat at Carton. He went also by special invitation, to visit the Lord Lieutenant at his country seat at Leixlip ; to which he was conducted in one of his Excelli?ncy's coaches by Lt. Col. Walshe. He dined there, and stayed all night, and next morning came in the coach with his Excellency, to the Phce- nix Park, and was present at a review of Sir Joseph Yorke's Dragoons. He also dined with the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor. He is now set out on his return to Scotland." — Crokeb, 1846. ^T. 60. BOS WELL'S LIFE OF .TOHNSON. 199 From Brighthelmstone Dr. Johnson wrote mo the following letter ; which they who may tliink that I ought to have suppressed, must have less ardent feelmgs than 1 have always avowed.' JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " Brighthelmstone, Sept. 9. 17C9. " Dear Sir, — "Why do you charge me with unkindness? I have omitted nothing that could do you good, or give you pleasure, unless it be that I iiave forborne to tell you my opinion of your ' Account of Corsica.' I believe my opinion, if you think well of my judgment, might have given you pleasure ; but when it is considered how much vanity is excited by praise, I am not sure that it would have done you good. Your History is like other histories, but your Journal is, in a very high degree, curious and delightful. There is between the history and the journal that difference which there will always be found between notions bor- rowed from without, and notions generated within. Your history was copied from books ; your journal rose out of your own experience and observation. You express images which operated strongly upon yourself, and you have impressed them with great force upon your readers. I know not whether I could name any narrative by which curiosity is better excited, or better gratified. " I am glad that you are going to be married ; and as I wish, you well in things of less importance, wisl) you well witli proportionate ardour in this crisis of your life. What I can contribute to your liappiness, I should be very unwilling to withhold ; for I have always loved and valued you, and shall love you and value you still more, as you become more regular and useful ; effects which a happy marriage will hardly fail to produce. " I do not find that I am likely to come back very soon from this place. I shall, perhaps, stay a fortnight longer ; and a fortnight is a long time to a lover absent from his mistress. Would a fortnight ever liave an end ? I am, dear Sir, your most affectionate humble servant, Sam. Johnson." 1 In the Preface to my Account of Corsica, published in 1761!!, I thus express myself: — " He who publishes a book, affecting not to be an author, and professing an indifference for literary fame, may possibly impose upon many people such an idea of his consequence as he wishes may be receii-ed. For my part, I should be proud to be known as an author, and I have an ardent ambition for literary fame ; for, of all possessions, 1 should imagine literary fame to be the most valuable. A man who has been able to furnish a book, which has been approved by the world, has established himself as a respectable character in distant society, without any danger of having that character lessened by the observation of his weaknesses. To preserve an uniform dignity .imong those who see us every day, is hardly possible ; and to aim at it, must put us under the fetters of perpetual restraint. The author ;of an approved book may allow his natural disposition an easy play, and yet , indulge the pride of superior genius, when he' considers that I by those who know him only as an author, he never ceases to be respected. Such an author, when in his hours of gloom and discontent, may have the consolation to think, that his writings are, at that very time, giving pleasure to numbers ; and such an author may cherish the hope of being remem- bered after death; which has been a great object to the noblest minds in all ages." — Boswell. - Pascal Paoli was born in 1726, was appointed by his countrymen Chief Magistrate and General in their resistance to the Genoese. He, after an honourable, and for a time successful defence, was at last overpowered by the French, and sought refuge in England in 17G9, where he resided, till the French revoliition seeming to afford an opportunity to liberate his country from the yoke of France, he went thither, and was a principal promoter of its short-lived union to the British Crown. When this was dissolved, PaoU returned to England, and resided here till his death in 1807. — Croker. 3 21st Sept. 1769. General Paoli arrived at Mr. Hutchin- son's, in Old Bond Street. 27th Sept. General Paoli was presented to his Majesty at St. James's. — Ann Reg. Mr. Boswell's ostentatious attendance on General Paoli, which was blazoned in all the newspapers, excited, at the time, a good deal of observation and ridicule — Croker. ■> Mrs.Piozzi says, " He ridiculed a friend who, looking out on Streatham Common from our windows one day, lamented the enormous wickedness of the times, because some birdcatchers were busy there one fine Sunday morning. " While half the Christian world is permitted," said he, " to dance and sing, and celebrate Sunday .is a day of festivity, how comes your puritanical spirit so offended with frivolous and empty deviations from exactness ? Whoever loads life with unnecessary scruples. Sir," continued he, •' provokes the attention of others on his conduct, and incurs the censure of singularity without reaping the reward of superior virtue." But ttiough Dr. Johnson may have been induced by a spirit of contradiction or impatience, to say something of the kind here stated by Mrs. Piozzi, it is proper to observe, that he was, both in precept and practice, a decorous and generally a strict, though not a puritanical, observer of the Sabbath. — Croker. ^ The first edition of Hume's History of England was full of Scotticisms, many of which he corrected in subsequent editions. — Malone. o 4 After his return to town, we met frequently, and I continued the practice of making notes of his conversation, though not with so much assiduity as I wish 1 had done. At this time, indeed, I had a sufBcient excuse for not being able to appropriate so much time to my journal; for General Paoli", after Corsica had been overpowered by the monarchy of France, I was now no longer at the head of his brave countrymen ; but, having with difficulty es- caped from his native island, had sought an asylum in Great Britain : and it was my duty, as well as my pleasure, to attend much upon him.^ Such particulars of Johnson's convers- ation at this period as I have committed to writing, I shall here introduce, without any strict attention to methodical arrangement. Sometimes short notes of different days shall be blended together, and sometimes a day may seem important enough to be separately distin- guished. He said, he would not have Sunday kept with rigid severity and gloom, but with a gravity and simplicity of behaviour.* I told him that David Hume had made a short collection of Scotticisms. " I wonder," said Johnson, " that Jie should find them." ^ He would not admit the importance of the question concerning the legality of general warrants. " Such a power," he observed, " must be vested in every government, to answer par- ticular cases of necessity ; and there can be no just complaint but when it is abused, for which those who administer government must be answerable. It is a matter of such indif- ference, a matter about which the people care so very little, that were a man to be sent over Britain to offer them an exemption from it at a halfpenny a piece, very few would purchase it." This was a specimen of that laxity of talking, which I had heard him fairly acknow- ledge ; for, surely, while the power of granting 200 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1769. general warrants was supposed to be legal, and the apprehension of them hun^ over cm- heads, we did not possess that security of free- dom, congenial to our happy constitution, and which, by the intrepid exertions of Mr. Wilkes, has been happily established. He said, " The duration of parliament, whether for seven years or the life of the king, appears to me so immaterial, that I would not give half a crown to turn the scale one way or the other. The habeas coj-pus is the single advantage which our government has over that of other countries." ' On the 30th of September we dined together at the jNIitre. I attempted to argue for the superior happiness of the savage life, upon the usual fanciful topics. Johnson. " Sir, there can be nothing more false. The savages have no bodily advantages beyond those of civilised men. They have not better health ; and as to care or mental uneasiness, they are not above it, but below it, like bears. No, Sir ; you are not to talk such paradox : let me have no more on't. It cannot entertain, far less can it instruct. Lord Monboddo, one of your Scotch judges, talked a great deal of such non- sense. I suffered him ; but I will not suffer 9/011." BoswELL. " But, Sir, does not Rous- seau talk such nonsense?" Johnson. "True, Sir ; but Rousseau knoics he is talking non- sense, and laughs at the world for staring at him." BoswELL. " How so. Sir ? " John- son. " Why, Sir, a man who talks nonsense so well, must know that he is talking nonsense. But I am afraid (chuckling and laughing) Monboddo does 7iot know that he is talking nonsense." ^ Boswell. " Is it wrong, then. Sir, to affect singularity, in order to make people stare ? " Johnson. " Yes, if you do it by propagating error : and, indeed, it is wrong in any way. There is in human nature ' This surely is jiaradox. See njj/i-, p. 197. n, 1., the pio- l)able motive of this opinion as to the duration of parliaments : but did he reckon the power of the Commons over tlie pub- lic purse as nothing? and did he calculate how long tlie ha/ieas corpus might exist, if the freedom of the press were destroyed, and the duration of parliaments unlimited? — Crokeu. 2 His lordship having frequently spoken in an abusive manner of Dr. Johnson, in my company, 1, on one occasion, during ttie lifetime of my illustrious friend, could not refrain from retaliation, and repeated to him this saying. He has since published I don't know how many pages in one of his curious books, attempting, in much anger, but with pitiful effect, to persuade mankind that my illustrious friend was not the great and good man which they esteemed and ever will esteem him to be Boswell. Sir James Mackintosh told Mr. Markland that Lord Monboddo resented Boswell's account of his visit to Monboddo (post, sub Aug. 21. 1773) as a breach of hospitality, and retaliated on him by saying that " though he knew him to be a fool, he believed him to be a gentleman ; now he knew that he was not a gentleman, and still a fool." — Boswell may have sometimes trespassed on the confidence of private life, but never with an ungentle- manly motive or feeling ; and .as to his being a. fool, the reader holds" in his hand a sufficient answer Choker, ISIG. 3 Mrs.Piozzi says," Few people had a more settled reverence for the world than Dr. Johnson, or were less captivated by innovations on the long-received customs of common life. We met a friend driving six very small ponies, and stopped to admire them. ' Why does nobody,' said our Doctor, ' begin the fashion of driving six .spavined horses, all spavmed of the same leg' it would have a mighty pretty eflect, and produce the distinction of doing something worse than the common way.' He hated the way of leaving a a general inclination to make people stare ; and every wise man has himself to cure of it, and does cure himself. If you wish to make people stare, by doing better than others, why, make them stare till they stare their eyes out. But consider how easy it is to make people stare, by being absurd. I may do it by going into a drawing-room without my shoes. You re- member the gentleman in the ' Spectator,' [No. 576.] who had a commission of lunacy taken out against him for his extreme singu- larity, such as never wearing a wig, but a night-cap. Now, Sir, abstractedly, the night- cap was best : but, relatively, the advantage was over-balanced by making the boys run after him." ^ Talking of a London life, he said, "The happiness of London is not to be conceived but by those who have been in it. I will ven- ture to say, there is more learning and science within the circumference of ten miles from where we now sit, than in all the rest of tlie kingdom." Boswell. " The only disadvan- tage is the great distance at which people live from one another." Johnson. " Yes, Sir ; but that is occasioned by the largeness of it, which is the cause of all the other advantages." Boswell. " Sometimes I have been in the humour of wishing to retire to a desert." Johnson. " Sir, you have desert enough in Scotland." Although I had promised myself a great deal of instructive conversation with him on the conduct of the married state, of which I had then a near prospect, he did not say much upon that topic. Mr. Seward * heard him once say, that " a man has a very bad chance for happiness in that state, unless he marries a woman of very strong and fixed principles of religion." He maintained to me, contrary to the common notion, that a woman would not company without taking notice to the lady of the house that he was going; and did not much like any of the contrivances by which ease has been lately introduced into society instead of ceremony, which had more of his approbation. C.irds, dress, and d.ancing, however, all lound their advocates in Dr. Johnson, who inculcated, upon principle, the cultivation of those arts, which many a moralist thinks himself bound to reject, and many a Christian holds unfit to be practised. ' No person,' said he, one day, ' goes under-dressed till he thinks himself of consequence enough to forbear carrying the badge of his rank upon his back.' And, in answer to the argu- ments urged by Puritans, Quakers, &c. against showy de- corations of the human figure, I once heard him exclaim, ' Oh, let us not be found, when our Master calls us, ripping the lace off our waistcoats, but the spirit of contention from our souls and tongues ! Let us all conform in outward cus- toms, which are of no consequence, to the manners of those whom we live among, and despise such paltry distinctions. Alas ! Sir, ' continued he, ' a man who cannot get to heaven in a green coat, will not find his way thither the sooner in a grey one.' "— Croker. ■5 William Seward, Esq. F.R.S., editor of "Anecdotes of some Distinguished Persons, &c." in four volumes, 8vo., well known to a numerous and valuable acquainfance for his literature, love of the fine arts, and social virtues. I am indebted to him for several communications concerning Johnson Boswell. Mr. Seward was born in London in 1717, the son of a wealthy brewer, partner in the house of Calvert and Seward. He was educated at the Charter House and at Oxford, and died, April 24. 1799. — Malone. Besides the " Anecdotes," he published " Biographiana," and " Lite- ^T. 60. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 201 be the worse wife for being learned ; in which, from all that I have observed of Artemisias ', I humbly ditfered from him. That a woman should" be sensible and well informed, I allow to be a great advantage ; and think that Sir Thomas "Overbury, in his rude versification, has very judiciously pointed out that degree of intelligence which is to be desired in a female companion : — " Give me, next good, an understanding wife, By nature wise, not learned by much art; Some knowledge on her side will all my life IMore scope of conversation impart ; Besides, her inborne virtue fortifie ; They are most firmly good, who best know why." ^ When I censured a gentleman of my ac- quaintance for marrying a second time, as it j sliowed a disregard of his first wife, he said, '• Not at all, Sir. On the contrary, were he not to marry again, it might be concluded that his first wile had given him a disgust to mar- riage ; but by taking a second wife he pays the highest compliment to the first, by showing that she made him so happy as a married man, that he wishes to be so a second time." So ingenious a turn did he give to this delicate ipiestion. And yet, on another occasion, he owned that he once had almost asked a pro- mise of Mrs. Johnson that she would not marry again, but had checked himself. Indeed I cannot help thinking, that in his case the request would have been unreasonable ; for if ^Irs. Johnson forgot, or thought it no injury to the memory of her first love — the husband of her youth and the father of her children — to make a second marriage, why should she be jn-ecluded from a third, should she be so in- clined ? In Johnson's persevering fond ap- propriation of his Tetty^ even after her de- cease, he seems totally to have overlooked the prior claim of the honest Birmingham trader.^ I presume that her having been married before had, at times, given him some uneasiness ; for I remember his observing upon the marriage of one of our common friends, " He has done a very foolish thing. Sir ; he has married a widow, when he might have had a maid." We drank tea with Mrs. Williams. I had la^t year the pleasure of seeing Mrs. Tlirale at Dr. Johnson's one morning, and had convei'sa- ti(in enough with her to admire her talents; and to show her that I was as Johnsonian as herself. Dr. Johnson had probably been kind enough to speak well of me, for this evening he delivered me a very polite card from ^Ir. Thrale and her, inviting me to Streat- ' "Though Artemisia talks, by fits, Ofcouncils, classics, fathers, wits ; Reads Malbranche, Boyle, and Locke : Yet in some things niethinks she fails ; 'Twere well if she would pare her nails. And wear a cleaner smock." — Pope. This was meant for Lady M. W. Montagu Choker. 2 "A Wife," a poem, 1614._Bosweh.. On the 6th of October I complied with this obliging invitation ; and found, at an elegant villa, six miles from town, every circumstance that can make society pleasing. Johnson, though quite at home, was yet looked up to with an awe, tempered by affection, and seemed to be equally the care of his host and hostess. I rejoiced at seeing him so happy. He played off his wit against Scotland with a good-humoured pleasantry, which gave me, though no bigot to national prejudices, an op- portunity for a little contest with him. I having said that England was obliged to us for gardeners, almost all their good gardeners being Scotchmen : — Johnson. " AVhy, Sir, that is because gardening is much more neces- sary amongst you than with us, which makes so many of your people learn it. It is all gardening with you. Things which grow wild here, must be cultivated with great care in Scotland. Pr.ay now (throwing himself back in his chair, and laughing), are you ever able to bring the sloe to perfection ? " I boasted that we had the honour of being the first to abolish the unhospitable, trouble- some, and ungracious custom of giving vails to servants. Johnson. " Sir, you abolished vails, because you were too poor to be able to give them." Mrs. Thrale disputed with him on the merit of Prior. He attacked him powerfully ; said he wrote of love like a man who had never felt it ; his love verses were college verses : and he repeated the song, " Alexis shunn'd his fellow swains," &c. in so ludicrous a manner, as to make us all wonder how any one could have been pleased with such fantastical stuff. Mrs. Thrale stood to her gun with great courage, in defence of amorous ditties, which Johnson despised, till he at last silenced her by saying, " My dear lady, talk no more of this. Nonsense can be defended but by nonsense. " * Mrs. Thrale then praised Garrick's talents for light gay poetry ; and, as a specimen, repeated his song in " Florizel and Perdita," and dwelt with peculiar pleasure on this line ; — " I'd smile with the simple, and feed with the poor." Johnson. " Nay, my dear lady, this will never do. Poor David ! Smile with the simple ! — Avhat folly is that ? And Avho would feed with the poor that can help it? No, no ; let me smile with the wise, and feed with the rich." I repeated this sally to G.arrick, and wondered to find his sensibility as a writer not a little irri- 3 Yet his inquisitive mind might have been struck bv his friend Tom Hervey's startling application of the scriptural question to Sir Thomas Hanmer, relative to the lady who was the cause of their contention : — "In heaven, whose wife shall she be?" Luke xx. 33. See an/f, p. 183. n. 4.— Choker. * See post, Sept. 23. 1777, his strange defence of Prior's delicacy — Croker. 202 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1769. tated by It. To soothe him, I observed, that Johnson spared none of us ; and 1 quoted the passage in Horace, in which he compares one who attacks his friends for the sake of a laugh to a pushing ox, that is marked by a bunch of hay put upon his horns : foenum habet in curnur " Ay," said Garrick, vehemently, " he has a whole viow of it." Talking of history, Johnson said, " We may know historical facts to be true, as we may know facts in common life to be true. Motives are generally unknown.' We cannot trust to the characters we find In history, unless when they are drawn by those who knew the persons ; j as those, for instance, by Sallust and by Lord I Clarendon." He would not allow much merit to Whit- field's oratory. " His popularity. Sir," said he, " Is chiefly owing to the peculiarity of his manner. He would be foUoAved by crowds were he to wear a night-cap in the pulpit, or were he to preach from a tree." I know not from what spirit of contradiction j he burst out into a violent declamation against the Corsicans, of whose heroism I talked In j high terms. " Sir," said he, " what Is all this rout about the Corsicans ? TJiey have been at war with the Genoese for upwards of twenty years, and have never yet taken their fortified towns. They might have battered down their walls, and reduced them to povv^der in twenty years. They might have pulled the walls in pieces, and cracked the stones with their teeth in twenty years." It was In vain to argue with him upon the want of artillery : he was not to be resisted for the moment. On the evening of October 10. I presented Dr. Jolmson to General Paoli. I had greatly wished that two men, for whom I had the highest esteem, should meet." They met with a manly ease, mutually conscious of their own abilities, and of the abilities of each other. The General spoke Italian, and Dr. Johnson English, and vinderstood one another very well, with a little aid of Interpretation from me, in which I compared myself to an Isthmus which joins two great continents. Upon Johnson's approach, the General said, " From what ] have read of your works. Sir, and from wliat Mr. Boswell has told me of you, I have long held you in great veneration." The General talked of languages being formed on the particular notions and manners of a people, without knowing which, we cannot know the 1 This was what old Sir Robert Walpole probably meant, wlien his son Horace, wishing to amuse Itim one evening, after his fall, offered to read him some historical work. "Any thing," said the old statesman. " but history — that must be false." Mr. Gibbon says, " Malheureux sort de I'histoire ! Les spectateurs sont trop peu instruits, et les acteurs trop interesses,pour que nous puissions compter sur les recits des uns ou des autres ! " {Misc. Works, vol. iv. p. 410.) — Crokee. ■^ Boswell, in his " Journey to Corsica," published in 1768, p. 336., had anticipated this meeting, witli apparent satis- faction : — " What an idea," he observes, " may we not form of an interview between such a scholar and philosopher as language. We may know the direct significa- tion of single words ; but by these no beauty of expression, no sally of genius, no wit is con- veyed to the mind. All this nmst be by allusion to other Ideas. " Sir," said Johnson, "you talk of language, as If you had never done any thing else but study it. Instead of governing a nation." The General said, " Questo e un troppo gran complimeiito ; " this is too great a compliment. Johnson answered, " I should have thought so, Sir, if I had not heard you talk." ^ The General asked him what he thought of the spirit of Infidelity which was so prevalent. Johnson. " Sir, this gloom of infidelity, I hope. Is only a transient cloud passing through the hemisphere *, which Avill soon be dissipated, and the sun break forth with his usual splendour." " You think then," said the General, " that they will change their principles like their clothes." Johnson. "Why, Sir, If they bestow no more thought on prin- ciples than on dress, it must be so." The General said, that " a great part of the fashion- able Infidelity was owing to a desire of showing courage. Men who have no opportunities of showing it as to things In this life, take death and futurity as objects on which to display It." Johnson. " That is mighty foolish afi'ectation. Fear is one of the passions of human nature, of which it Is impossible to divest it. You remember that the Emperor Charles V,, when he read upon the tomb-stone of a Spanish nobleman, ' Here lies one who never knew fear,' wittily sairl, ' Then he never snuffed a candle with his fingers.' " He talked a few words of French to the General; but finding he did not do It with facility, he asked for pen. Ink, and j^aper, and wrote the following note : — " <7'ai lu dans la geographie de Lvcas de Liiida un Pater-noster ecrit dans une langue toiit-d-fait differente de Vltalietute, et de toutes autres lesquelles se derivent du Latin. Uauteur Vappelle linguam Corsica riisticam : elle a peut-etre passe, peu a. peu ; inais elle a certainement prevalue autrefois dans les mon- tagjies et dans la campagne. Le mCme auteur dit la meine chose en parlant de Sardnigne ; qu'il y a deux langues dans V Isle, une des villes, I'autre de la cam- pagne. The General Immediately informed him, that the lingua rustica was only in Sardinia.^ Dr. Johnson went home with me, and drank tea till late in the night. He said, " General Mr. Johnson and such a legislator and general as Paoli ! " _ Markland. ^ See ante, p. 185., the compliment of King George the Third to himself. — Croker. •< I suppose Johnson said atmosphere Croker. 5 Bishop Elrington suggested whether it was not possible that a military colony of Jews, transported into Sardinia in the time of Tiberius, may have left some traces of their lan- guage there? Tac. An. 1. 2. c 8.5. Suet. Vit. Tib. c.36. Joseph. 1. 18. c. 3 — Crokek. Sardinia had been, many ages earlier, colonised by Carthage, whose language was near akin to the Hebrew Lockiiart. ^T. 60. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 203 Paoli hud the loftiest port of any man lie had ' ever seen." ' He denied that military men were always the best bred men. " Perfect iTood breeding, he observed, consists in having no particular mark of any profession, but a lioneral elegance of manners ; whereas, in a military man, you can commonly distinguish the brand of a soldier rhomme iVepee"- r3r. Johnson shunned to-night any discussion of the perplexed question of fate and free-will, which I attempted to agitate : " Sir," said he, " we linow our will is free, and there 's an end on't." He honoured me with nis company at dinner on the 16th of October, at my lodgings in Old Bond Street, with Sir Joshua Reynolds, ]\rr. Garrick, Dr. Goldsm.ith, Mr. Murphy, ]Mr. Bickerstatf^ and Mr. Thomas Davies. Garrick played round him with a fond vivacity, taking hold of the breasts of his coat, and, looking up in his face with a lively archness, (Complimented him on the good health which he seemed then to enjoy; while the sage, I shaking his head, beheld him with a gentle I complacency. One of the company not being ' come at the appointed hour, I proposed, as :sual, upon such occasions, to order dinner to u' served; adding, "Ought six people to be k^pt waiting for one ? " " Why, yes," an- ! sweretl Johnson, with a delicate humanity, " if the one will suffer more by your sitting down, j than the six will do by waiting." Goldsmith, to divert the tedious minutes, strutted about, I bragging of his dress, and I believe was se- ' riously vain of it, for his mind was wonderfully 1 prone to such impressions. " Come, come," said Garrick, " talk no more of that. You are, perhaps, the worst — eh, eh!" — Goldsmith was eagerly attempting to interrupt him, when I Garrick went on, laughing ironically, " Nay, vou will always look like a gentleman ; but I am talking of being well or ill drest." " Well, let me tell you," said Goldsmith, " when my 1 When I saw him some thirty years later, he appeared slightly over the middle size, ofa quiet and gentleman-like air and manners ; and the most peculiar feature that I re- member, was a long broad chin, which gave an air of gravity to his countenance — Croker, 1846.'. - It was, Johnson said to Mrs. Piozzi, the essence of a gentleman's character to bear the visible mark of no pro- fession whatever. — Crorer. 3 Isaac Bickprstaff, a native of Ireland, the author of " Love in a Village," "Lionel and Clarissa," the " Spoiled Child," and several other theatrical pieces of considerable merit and continued popularity. This unhappy man was obliged to fly tlie country, on suspicion of a capital crime, on which occasion Mrs. Piozzi relates, that " when .Mr. Bickerstaft-s flight confirmed the report of his guilt, and Mr. Thrale said, in answer to Johnson's astonishment, that he had long been a suspected man, ' By those who look close to the ground dirt will be seen. Sir,' was the lofty rejily : 'I hope I see things from a greater distance.' " — Croker. ^ It is due to Boswell's character for minute accuracy to state that Mr. Prior has found the tailor's bill for this cele- brated suit, dated the very same day on which Goldsmith sported it at Boswell's. "17fi&,0ct. 16. Mr. Oliver Goldsmith, Dr. to William Filby. To making a half-dress suit of ratteen lined with satin .^12 12 n_ To a pair of bloom coloured breeches - - 1 4 G" Life of Ooldsmit/i, ii. 232. — Croker, 1846. '' Mr.Langton informed me that he once related to Johnson (on the authority of Spence) that Pope himself admired tailor brought home my bloom-coloured coat, he said, ' Sir, I have a favour to beg of yOu. When any body asks you who made your clothes, be pleased to mention John Filby, at the Harrow, in AVater Lane.'" Johnson. " Why, Sir, that was because he knew the strange colour would attract crowds to gaze at it, and thus they might hear of him, and see how well he could make a coat even of so absurd a colour."*^ After dinner our conversation first turned upon Pope. Johnson said, his characters of men were admirably drawn, those of women' not so well. He repeated to us, in his forcible, melodious manner, the concluding lines of the Dunciad.5 While he was talking loudly in praise of those lines, one of the company ven- tured to say, " Too fine for such a poem : — a poem on what ? " Johnson (with a dis- dainful look), " Why, on dunces. It was worth while being a dunce then. Ah, Sir, hadst thou lived in those days ! ^ It is not worth while being a dunce now, when there are no wits." Bickerstatf observed, as a peculiar circum- stance, that Pope's fame was higher when he was alive than it was then. Johnson said, his Pastorals were poor things, though the versifi- cation Avas fine. He told us, with high satis- faction, the anecdote of Pope's inquiring who was the author of his " London," and saying, he will soon be deterre. He observed, that in Dryden's poetry there were passages drawn from a profundity which Pope could never reach. He repeated some fine lines on love, by the former, which I have now forgotten "", and gave great applause to the character of Zimri.^ Goldsmith said, that Pope's character of Addison showed a deep knowledge of the human heart. Johnson said, that the descrip- tion of the temple, in " The Mourning Bride," ^ was the finest poetical passage he had ever read ; he recollected none in Shakspeare equal to it. — "But," said Garrick, all alarmed for those lines so much, that when he repeated them his voice faltered : " And well it might. Sir," said Johnson, " for they are noble lines." — J. BoswELL,jun. 6 What a lively idea of the tyranny of Johnson's conver-i sation does the word ventured give ! Boswell was himself the object of this sarcasm. " Boswell lamented that he had not lived in the Augustan age of England, when Pope and others flourished. Sir Joshua Reynolds thought that Boswell had no right to complain, as it were better to be alive than dead. Johnson said, ' No, Sir, Boswell is in the right ; as, perhaps, he has lost the opportunity of having his name immortalised in the Uunciad." l^orthcotc. Life qf Reynolds.— Croker. ^ Probably that from the Fables which Johnson quotes in the Life of Dry den; — " Love various minds does variously inspire : It stirs in gentle bosoms gentle fire. Like that of incense on the altar laid ; But raging flames tempestuous souls invade," &c. though it is by no means the most beautiful that might be selected." — Croker. » Tlie Uuke of Buckingham, in "Absalom and Achitophel." — Croker. 9 " How reverend is the face of this tall pile. Whose ancient pillars rear their marble heads, . To bear aloft its arch'd and pond'rous roof. By its own weight made stedfast and unmoveable, Looking tr.inquillity ! — It strikes an awe And terror on my aching sight." Act ii. sc. 1. 204 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1769. " the God of bis idolatry," " we know not the extent and variety of his powers. We are to suppose there are such passages in his works. Shakspeare must not suffer from the badness of our memories." Johnson, diverted by this enthusiastic jealousy, went on with great ardour : " No, Sir ; Congreve has nature " (smiling on the tragic eagerness of Garrick) ; but composing himself, he added, " Sir, this is not comparing Congreve on the whole with Shakspeare on the whole ; but only maintain- ing that Congreve has one finer passage than ' any that can be found in Shakspeare. Sir, a man may have no more than ten guineas in the world, but he may have those ten guineas in one piece ; and so may have a finer piece than a man who has ten thousand pounds : but then he has only one ten-guinea piece. — What I mean is, that you can show me no passage where there is simply a description of material objects, without any intermixture of moral notions ', which produces such an effect." ]Mi\ jNIurphy mentioned Shakspeare's descrip- tion of the night before the battle of Agin- court ; but it was observed it had men in it. Mr. Davies suggested the speech of Juliet, in which she figures herself awaking in the tomb of her ancestors. Some one mentioned the description of Dover Cliff. Johnson. " No, Sir; it should be all precipice, — all vacuum. The crows impede your fall. The diminished appearance of the boats, and other circum- stances, are all very good descrijition ; but do not impress the mind at once with the horrible idea of immense height. The impression is divided ; you pass on by computation from one stage of the tremendous space to another. Had the girl in ' The Mourning Bride ' said she could not cast her shoe to tlie top of one of the pillars in the temple, it would not have aided the idea, but weakened it." " Talking of a barrister who had a bad utter- ance, some one (to rouse Johnson) wickedly said, that he was unfortunate in not having • In Congreve's description tliere seems to be nn inter- mixture of moral rMtiotis ; as tlie affecting power of the passage arises from tlie vivid impression of tlie described objects on tlie mind of a speaker : " And slioot a chillness," &c — Kearney. So surely are the first words of the speech, " how reverend.," and, again, " it strikes an aive," and again, " looliing tranquillity." — CnoKEn. 2 We should have been at a loss to account for all this para- doxical preference of Congreve to Shakespeare, and this total insensibility to, or misrepresentation of, the beautiful descrip- tion of the cliff, but that Mrs.Piozzi says that Johnson boasted to her how he used co teaze Garrick by commendations on the tomb scene in Congreve's Mourning Bride, protesting that Shakespeare had, in the same line of excellence, nothing as good : " All which," he would add, " is strictly true ; but that is no reason for supposing that Congreve is to stand in competition with Shakespeare : these fellows know not how to blame, or how to commend." He himself does not heie show much taste either in his blame or commendation. He surely could not think that " the crows impede tiie fall." " It should," he says, " be all vacuum " — hut how is vacutim to be painted but'by sucli circumstances and contrasts as Shake- speare has so admirably introduced ? Johnson seems also to have forgotten that this was not really a local picture, but a description from Edgar's memory or imagination of such circumstances as he thought most likely to impose on his blind auditor Croker. 3 " There is a writer, at present of gigantic fame in these days of little men, who has pretended to scratch out a Life of been taught oratory by Sheridan. Johnson. " Nay, Sir, if he had been taught by Sheridan, he would have cleared the room." Garrick. " Sheridan has too much vanity to be a good man." — We shall now see Johnson's mode of defending a man ; taking him into his own hands, and discriminating. Johnson. " No, Sir. There is, to be sure, in Sheridan, some- thing to reprehend and every thing to laugh at ; but. Sir, he is not a bad man. No, Sir ; were mankind to be divided into good and bad, he would stand considerably within the ranks of good. And, Sir, it must be allowed that Sheridan excels in plain declamation, though he can exhibit no character." I should, perhaps, have suppressed this dis- quisition concerning a person of whose merit and worth I think with respect, had he not attacked Johnson so outrageously in his Life of Swift, and at the same time, treated us his admirers as a set of pigmies.^ Pie who has provoked the lash of wit, cannot complain that he smarts from it. Mrs. Montagu, a lady distinguished for having written an Essay on Shakspeare, being mentioned : — Reynolds. " I think that essay does her honour." Johnson. " Yes, Sir ; it does her honour, but it would do nobody else honour. I have, indeed, not read it all. But when I take up the end of a web, and find it packthread, I do not expect, by looking further, to find embroidery. Sir, I will venture to say, there is not one sentence of true criticism in her book." Garrick. " But, Sir, surely it shows how much Voltaire has mistaken Shak- speare, which nobody else has done." John- son. " Sir, nobody else has thought it worth while. And what merit is there in that ? You may as well pi'aise a schoolmaster for whipping a boy who has construed ill. No, Sir, there is no real criticism in it : none showing the beauty of thought, as formed on the workings of the human heart." The admirers of this Essay ■•■ may be offended Swift, but so misercibly executed as only to reflect back on himself that disgrace, which he meant to throw upon the character of the Dean."— Sheridan. Life of Strift. It how- ever should be recollected that Sheridan's just cause of resentment against Johnson occurred many years before the publication of his Life of Swift. Johnson was, throughout, the aggressor. — Choker. ■• Of whom, I acknowledge myself to be one, considering it as a piece of the secondary or comparative species of criti- cism ; and not of that profound species which alone Dr. Johnson would allow to be " real criticism." It is, besides, clearly and elegantly expressed, and has done effectually what it professeci to do, namely, vindicated Shakspeare from the misrepresentations of Voltaire ; and considering how many young people were misled by his witty, though false observations, Mrs. Montagu's Essay was of service to Shak- speare with a certain class of readers, and is, therefore, eiititled to praise. Johnson, I am assured, allowed the merit which I have stated, saying (with reference to Voltaire), " It is conclusive adhominem." — Boswell. Horace Walpole has preserved an admirable reply of hers on the subject of Voltaire. She happened to be present at a sitting of VAca- deniie Franfaise.v/hen a violent invective against Shakespeare by Voltaire was read. Suard, the secretary, said to her, " Je crois Madame quevous etcs unpeufuchee de ce que vous venez d'entendre.'" She replied, with admirable good taste and good manners, '' Moi, Monsieur? — Point du tout — Je ne suis pas aniie de M. de Voltaire." Lett, to Mann, Dec. 1. 1776. — Croker. JEt. 60. BOSWELL'S LIFP: OF JOHNSON. 205 .at the slighting manner in which Johnson ypoke of it : but let it be remembered, that he gave his honest opinion unbiassed by any pre- judice, or any ])roud jealousy of a woman intruding herself into the chair of criticism ; for Sir Joshua Reynolds has told me, that when the Essay first came out, and it was not known who had written it, Johnson wondered how Sir Joshua could like it. At this time Sir Joshua himself had received no information concerning the author, except being assured by one of our most eminent literati, that it was clear its author did not know the Greek tragedies in the original. One day at Sir Joshua's table, when it was related that Mrs. Montagu, in an excess of compliment to the author of a modern tragedy ', had exclaimed, " I tremble for Shakspeare," Johnson said, " When Shakspeare has got for his rival, and Mrs. Montagu for his defender, he is in a poor state indeed." - Johnson proceeded : "The Scotchman (Lord Karnes) has taken the right method in his ' Elements of Criticism.' I do not mean that he has taught us any thing ; but he has told us did things in a new way." Murphy. " He seems to have read a great deal of French cri- ticism, and wants to make it his own ; as if he had been for years anatomising the heart of man, and peeping into every cranny of it." Goldsmith. " It is easier to write that book, tlian to read it." Johnson. " We have an example of true criticism in Burke's ' Essay on the Sublime and Beautiful ; ' and, if I re- collect, there is also Du Bos (' Reflexions Cri- ticjues sur la Poesie et sur la Peinture), and Bouhours (' Maniere de bien penser dans les CEuvres d'Esprit), who shows all beauty to depend on truth. There is no great merit in telling how many plays have ghosts in them, and how this ghost is better than that. You must show how terror is impressed on the human heart. In the description of Night in IMacbeth, the beetle and the bat detract from ' Probably Mr. Jephson, the author of" Braganza," which appeared with great and somewhat excessive applause in 1775, to which date this anecdote belongs. — CROKiiR. - And yet when Mrs. Montagu showed him some China lilates wh'ich had once belonged to Queen Elizabeth, he told her, " that they had no reason to be ashamed of their present possessor, who was so little inferior to the tirst." — Piozzi. It has been often said, that the coolness between Mrs. Montagu and Dr. Johnson arose out of his treatment of Lord Lyttelton, in the " Lives of the Poets ; " but we see that he began to speak disrespectfully of her long before ; and, indeed, there is hardly any point of Dr. Johnson's conduct less ex plicablc, and, as far as I can see, less defensible, than the contemptuous way in which he appears to have sometimes spoken of a lady to whom he continued to address such extravagant compliments as that just quoted, and to write such flattering letters as'we shall read hereafter. There is some private history in .all this, which I am no further able to unravel than by repeating that Boswell himself had a strong dislike to Mrs. Mont.agu, who, little knowing his real talents, and what a dispenser of fame he was to be, treated him with a distance bordering on contempt. — Crokeii. 3 " Ere the bat hath flown His cloister'd flight ; ere to black Hecat's summons The shard-borne beetle, with his drowsy hums. Hath rung night's yawning peal, there shall be done A deed of dreadful note." — .ict iii. sc. '1. the general idea of darkness — inspissated gloom." ^ Politics being mentioned, he said, " This petitioning ** is a new mode of distressing go- vernment, and a mighty easy one. 1 will undertake to get petitions either against quarter guineas or half guineas, with the help of a little hot wine. There must be no yield- ing to encourage this. The object is not im- portant enough. AVe are not to blow up half a dozen palaces, because one cottage ia burn- injr." The conversation then took another turn. Johnson. " It is amazing what ignorance of certain points one sometimes finds in men of eminence. A wit about town, who v/rote in- decent Latin verses, asked me, how it happened that England and Scotland, which were once two kingdoms, were now one : — and Sir Fletcher Norton did not seem to know that there were such publications as the Reviews." " The ballad of Hardyknute ^ has no great merit, if it be really ancient. People talk of nature. But mere obvious nature may be ex- hibited with very little power of mind." On Thursday, October 19., I passed the evening with him at his house. He advised me to complete a Dictionary of words peculiar to Scotland, of which I showed him a specimen. " Sir," said he, "Ray (in his 'English Pro- verbs ') has made a collection of north-country words. By collecting those of yoiu" country, you will do a useful thing towards the history of the language." He bade me also go on with collections which I was making upon the anti- quities of Scotland. " Make a large book ; a folio." Boswell. " But of Avhat use will it be. Sir ? " Johnson. " Never mind the use ; do it." I complained that he had not mentioned Garrick in his Preface to Shakspeare ; and asked him if he did not admire him. Johnson. " Yes, as ' a poor player, who frets and struts his hour upon the stage ; ' — as a shadow." Sec ante, p. 204. n. 2. ; but again, I cannot but think that Johnson's criticism is wholly erroneous in fact as well as in taste. Darkness, like vacuum, only could have been de- scribed by circumstances ; but, in fact, Shakespeare li.ad no intention to describe darkness — " inspissated gloom," as Johnson absurdly calls it. Macbeth is stating a mere ques- tion of time, and instead of saying b^ore morning, more poetically selects the awful images of night. — Croksk. ■> A great number of petitions, condemnatory of the pro. ceedings against Mr. Wilkes, and inflamed with all the violence of party, were at this period presented to the King. — Croker. * It is unquestionably a modern fiction. It was written by Sir John Bruce of Kinross, and first published at Edinburgh in folio, 1719. See " Percy's Reliques of Ancient English Poetry," vol. ii. pp.96. 111., fourth edition. —Malone. Mr. Kobert Chambers of Edinburgh, who has favoured me with several notes and corrections, says, that the real author of the ballad was Elizabeth Halket, daughter of Sir Charles Halket, of Pitferrane, Bart., and wife of Sir Henry AVardlaw, of Fitreavie, Bart. ? she died about 1727. The reason why Sir John Bruce's name has been mentioned was, probably, that she introduced her ball.ad to the world by the hands of that gentleman, who was her brother-in-law. — Croker, 183.5. The ballad of Hardyknute was the first poem I ever read, and it will be the last I shall forget. — Sir Walter Scott. 206 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1769. BoswELL. " But has he not brought Shak- speare into notice ? " Johnson. " Sir, to allow that, would be to lampoon the age. Many of Shakspeare's plays are the worse for being acted : Macbeth, for instance." ^ Bos- well. " What, Sir, is nothing gained by de- coration and action ? Indeed, I do wish that you had mentioned Garrick." Johnson. " My dear Sir, had I mentioned him, I must have mentioned many more ; Mrs. Pritchard, Mrs. Gibber — nay, and Mr. Gibber too ; he too altered Shakspeare." Boswell. " You have read his ' Apology,' ^ Sir ? " Johnson. " Yes, it is very entertaining. But as for Gibber himself, taking from his conversation all that he ought not to have said, he was a poor crea- ture. I remember when he brought me one of his Odes to have my opinion of it, I could not bear such nonsense, and would not let him read it to the end ; so little respect had I for that great man ! (laughing.) Yet I remember Richardson wondering that I could treat him with familiarity." I mentioned to him that I had seen the exe- cution of several convicts at Tyburn ^, two days before, and that none of them seemed to be under any concern. Johnson. " Most of them. Sir, have never thought at all." Bos- well. " But is not the fear of death natural to man ? " Johnson. " So much so, Sir, that the whole of life is but keeping away the thoughts of it." He then, in a low and earnest tone, talked of his meditating upon the awful hour of his own dissolution, and in what manner he should conduct himself upon that occasion : " I know not," said he, " whether I should wish to have a friend by me, or have it all between God and myself." Talking of our feeling for the distresses of others : — Johnson. " Why, Sir, there is much noise made about it, but it is greatly exaggerated. No, Sir, we have a certain de- gree of feeling to prompt us to do good ; more than that Providence does not intend. It would be misery to no purpose." Boswell. " But suppose now, Sir, that one of your inti- mate friends were apprehended for an offence for which he might be hanged." Johnson. " I should do what I could to bail him, and give him any other assistance : but if he were once fairly hanged, I should not suiTer." Bos- well. " Would you eat your dinner that day. > Again I venture to dissent : from the variety of action and scenery, and the rapid march of events, Macbeth seems to be one of Shakespeare's best acting plays Crokeh. 2 The Memoirs of liimself and of' the Stage, which Gibber published under the modest title of an '• Apology for his Life." — Croker. 3 Six unhappy men were executed at Tyburn, on Wed- nesday, the 18th (one day before). It was oiie of the irregu- larities of Mr. Boswell's mind to l)e passionately fond of seeing these melancholy spectacles. Indeed he avows and de.fends it (in the Hypochondriac. No.fiS. Lond. Mag. 1783) at a natural and irresistible impulse. — Croker. ■1 It would seem, however, that Davies's anxiety was more sincere than Johnson thought. He .says, in a letter to Granger, " I have been so taken up with a very unlucky accident that befel an intimate friend of mine, that for this last fortnight I have been able to attend to no business, though ever so urgent." Granger's Letters, p. 28. — Choker. ' See Piozzi's Anecdotes, pp. 66. 68. 118. 136., and a7ite, p. 164. n. I, Johnson's own agony at an omelet. — Croker. 6 When Mr. Foote was at Edinburgh, lie thought fit to entertain a numerous Scotch comjiany, with «■ great deal of coarse jocul.arity, at the expense of Dr. Johnson, imagining it would be acceptable. I felt this as not civil tome; but sat very patiently till he had exhausted bis merriment on that subject ; and then observed, that surely Johnson must be allowed to have some sterling wit, and that I had heard him say a very good thing of Mr. Foote himself. '■ Ah ' my old friend Sam," cried Foote, " no man says better thing? ; do let us have it." Upon which I told the above story, whith pro- duced a very loud laugh from the company. But I uever saw Foote so disconcerted. He looked grave and angry, and Sir ? " Johnson. " Yes, Sir ; and eat it as if he were eating with me. Why, there's Baretti, who is to be tried for his life to-morrow, friends have risen up for him on every side ; yet if he should be hanged, none of them will eat a slice of pudding the less. Sir, that sympathetic feeling goes a very little way in depressing the mind." I told him that I had dined lately at Foote's, who showed me a letter which he had received from Tom Davies, telling him that he had not been able to sleep from the concern he felt on account of " this sad affair of Baretti^" beg- ging of him to try if he could suggest any thing that might be of service ; and, at the same time, recommending to him an indus- trious young man who kept a pickle shop." Johnson. " Ay, Sir, here you liave a speci- men of human sympathy ; a friend hanged, and a cucumber pickled. We know not whether Baretti or the pickle-man has kept Davies from sleep ; nor does he know himself."'' And as to his not sleeping, Sir ; Tom Davies is a very great man ; Tom has been upon the stage, and knows how to do those things : I have not been upon the stage, and cannot do those things." Boswell. " I have often | blamed myself, Sir, for not feeling for others as sensibly as many say they do." Johnson. " Sir, don't be duped by them any more. You will find these very feeling people are not very ready to do you good. They pay you by feel- Boswell. " Foote has a great deal of humour." Johnson. " Yes, Sir." Boswell. " He has a singular talent of exhibiting cha- racter." Johnson. " Sir, it is not a talent, it is a vice ; it is wha* others abstain from. It is not comedy, which exhibits the character of a species, as that of a miser gathered from many misers : it is farce, which exhibits indi- viduals." Boswell. " Did not he think of exhibiting you. Sir ? " Johnson. " Sir, fear restrained him ; he knew I would have broken his bones. I would have saved him the trouble of cutting off a leg ; I would not have left him a leg to cut off." Boswell. " Pi'ay, Sir, is not Foote an infidel ? " Johnson. I do not know. Sir, that the fellow is an infidel ; but if he bo an infidel, he is an infidel as a dog is an infidel ; that is to say, he has never thought upon the subject." *> Bosv/ell. " I suppose, ^T. 60. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 207 Sir, he bas thought superficially, and seized the fii'st notions which occurred to his mind." Johnson. " Why then, Sir, still he is like a Jog, that snatches the jDiece next him. Did you never observe that dogs have not the ] )ower of comparing ? A dog will take a small bit of meat as readily as a large, when both are before him." " Buchanan, " he observed, " has fewer centos ' than any modern Latin poet. He not only had great knowledge of the Latin language, but was a great poetical genius. Both tiae Scaligers praise him." He again talked of the passage in Congreve with high commendation, and said, " Shakspeare never has six lines together without a fault.^ Perhaps you may find seven : but this does not refute my general assertion. If I come to an : orchai-d, and say there's no fruit here, and then comes a poring man, who finds two apples ; and three pears, and tells me, " Sir, you are mistaken, I have found both apples and pears,' I should laugh at him : what would that be to | the purpose ? " BoswELL. " ^^^lat do you think of Dr. Young's ' Night Thoughts, Sir ? " Johnson, i •■ Why, Sir, there are very fine things in them." I BoswELL. " Is there not less religion in the i iiution now. Sir, than there was formerly ? " Johnson. "I don't know. Sir, that there is." liOSWELL. "For instance, thei-e used to be a j chaplain in every great family^ which we do not find now." Johnson. " Neither do you find any of the state servants which great families used formerly to have. There is a change of modes in the whole department of life." ' Next day, October 20., he appeared, for the only time I suppose in his life, as a witness in a court of justice, being called to give evidence to the character of Mr. Baretti, who, having stabbed a man in the street ^, was arraigned at I the Old Bailey for murder. Never did such a ! constellation of genius enlighten the awful j Sessions-house, emphatically called Justice- I hall ; Mr. Burke, jNIr. Garrick, Mr. Beauclerk, j and Dr. Johnson : and undoubtedly their fa- l vourable testimony had due weight with the ! court and jury. Johnson gave his evidence in a slow, deliberate, and distinct manner, which was uncommonly impressive.'' It is well known that Ml'. Baretti was acquitted. entered into a serious refutation of the justice of the re- m:irk. " What, Sir," said he, " talk thus of a man of liberal education— a man who for years was at the University of Oxford —a man who has added sixteen new characters to tlie I'.nglish dram.a of his country ! " — Boswell. 1 " A composition formed by joining scraps from other authors." Johnson's Dictionary Crokek. - What strange " laxity of talk " all this is from the author of the " Preface to Shakespeare " ! I can imagine no better txcuse for it, than that he had got into the vein to vex Garrick, is,ee aiite, p. 204. n. 2) and that Boswell teazed him into a perverse maintenance of his paradox. — Choker. 3 On the 3d of October, as Baretti was going hastily up ] the Haymarket, he was accosted by a woman, who behaving I with great indecency, he was provoked to give her a blow on tlie hand: upon which three men immediately interfering, :uid endeavouring to push him from the pavement, with a view to throw h,m into a puddle, he was alarmed for his CHAPTER XXm. 1769—1770. " Foote." — Trade. — Mrs. Williams's Tea-table. — James Ferguson. — Medicated Baths. — Popula- tion of Russia. — Large Farms. — Attachment to Soil. — Roman Catholic Religion. — Conversion to Popery. — Fear of Death. — Steevens. — '• Tom Tyers." — Blackmore's " Creation." — The Mar- riage Service. — " The False Alarm." — Percival Stockdale. — Self-examination. — Visit to Lichfield — aiid Ashhouryie. — Baretti's Travels. — Letters to Mrs. Thrale, Warton, §-c. On the 26th of October, we dined together at the Mitre tavern. I found fcult with Foote for indulging his talent of ridicule at the ex- pense of his visitors, which I colloquially termed making fools of his company. John- son. " Why, Sir, when you go to see Foote, you do not go to see a saint : you go to see a man who will be entertained at your house, and then bring you on a public stage ; who will entertain you at his house, for the very ■purpose of bringing you on a public stage. Sir, he does not make fools of his company; they Avhom he exposes are fools already ; he only brings them into action." Talking of trade, he observed, " It is a mistaken notion that a vast deal of money is brought into a nation by ti-ade. It is not so. Connnodities come from commodities; but trade produces no capital accession of wealth. However, though there should be little profit ■ ; in money, there is a considerable profit in pleasure, as it gives to one nation tha produc- I tions of another , as we have wines and fruits, and many other foreign articles, brought to us." Boswell. " Yes, Sir, and there is a I profit in pleasure,, by its furnishing occupation to such numbers of mankind." Johnson. " Why, Sir, you cannot call that pleasure, to which all are averse, and which none begin but with the hope of leaving off; a thing which men dislike before they have tried it, and when they have tried it." Boswell. " But, Sir, the mind must be employed, and we grow weary when idle." Johnson. " That is, Sir, because others being busy, we want company ; safety, and rashly struck one of them with a knife (which he constantly wore for the purpose of carving fruit and sweet- meats), and gave him a wound, of which he died the next day. European Magazine, vol. xvi. p. 91 Wright. ■• The following is the substance of Dr. Johnson's evidence : — "Dr. J. I believe I began to be acquainted with Mr, Baretti about the year 1753 or 1754. 1 have been intimate with him. He is a man of literature, a very studious man. a man of great diligence. He gets his living by studv. 1 have no reason to think he was ever disordered with liquor in his life. \ man that I never knew to be otherwise than peace- able, and a man that I take to be rather timorous. — Q. Was he addicted to pick up women in the streets ? — Dr J. I never knew that he was.— Q. How is he as to eyesight ? Dr. J. He does not see me now, nor do I see him. 1 do not believe he could be capable of assaulting any bodv in the street, without great provocation." Gc7it. 3/<7^.— Crokeu. 208 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1769. but if we were all idle, there would be no growing weary ; we should all entei'tain one another. There is, indeed, this in trade ; — it gives men an opportunity of improving their situation. If there were no trade, many who are poor would always remain poor. But no man loves labour for itself" Eoswell. " Yes, Sir, I know a person who does.' He is a very laborious Judge, and he loves the labour." Johnson. " Sir, that is because he loves respect and distinction. Could he have them without labour, he would like it less." Boswell. " He tells me he likes it for itself." Johnson. " Why, Sir, he fancies so, because he is not accustomed to abstract." We went home to his house to tea. Mrs, i Williams made it with sufficient dexterity, notwithstanding her blindness, though her manner of satisfying herself that the cui)s were full enough, appeared to me a little awkward; for I fimcied she put her finger down a certain way, till she felt the tea touch it.^ In my first elation at being allowed the privilege of at- tending Dr. Johnson at his late visits to this lady, which was like being e secr'etiorihus con- siliis, I willingly drank cup after cup, as if it had been the Heliconian spring. But as the charm of novelty went oif, I grew more fastidious : and besides, I discovered that she was of a peevish temper. There was a pretty large cn-cle this evening. Dr. Johnson was in very good humour, lively, and ready to talk upon all subjects. Mr. Fergu- son, the self-taught philosopher^, told him of a new-invented machine which went without horses'*: a man who sat in it turned a handle, which worked a spring that drove it Ibrward. " Then, Sir," said Johnson, '' wiiat is gained is, the man has his choice wliether he will move himself alone, or himself and the machine too." Dominicetti ^ being mentioned, he would not allow him any merit. " There is nothing in all this boasted system. Xo, Sir ; medicated baths can be no better than warm water : their only effect can be that of tepid moisture." One of the company took tlie other side, main- taining that medicines of various sorts, and some too of most powerful effect, are introduced into the human frame by the medium of the pores ; and, therefore, when warm water is impregnated with salutiferous substances, it may produce great effects as a bath. This ap- peared to me very satisfactory. Johnson did not answer it ; but talking for victory, and ' His father, Lord Auchinlech Cboker. 2 1 have since had reason to think that I was mistaken ; for I have been informed by a ladv, who was long intimate with her, and liltely to be a more accurate observer of such matters, that she had acquired such a niceness of touch, as to know, by the feeling on the outside of the cup, how near it was to being full. — Boswell. 3 James Ferguson was born in BamflT, in 1710, of very poor parents. While tending his master's sheep, he acquired a knowledge of the stars, and constructed a celestial globe. This attracted the notice of some gentlemen, who procured him further instructions. At length, he went to Edinburgh, where he drew portraits in miniature at a small price ; and this profession he pursued afterwards, when he resided in Belt Court. His mathematical and miscellaneous works determined to be master of the field, he had recourse to the device which Goldsmith im- puted to him in the witty words of one of Gibber's comedies : " There is no arguing with Johnson ; for when his pistol misses fire, he knocks you down with the but-end of it." He turned to the gentleman ", " Well, Sir, go to Dominicetti, and get thyself fumigated ; but be sure that the steam be directed to thy head, for that is the peccant party This produced a triumphant roar of laughter from the motley assembly of philosophers, printers, and de- pendents, male and female. I know not how so whimsical a thought came into my mind, but I asked, " If, Sir, you were shut up in a castle, and a new-born child with you, what would you do ? " Johnson. " Why, Sir, I should not much like my company." Boswell. " But would you take the trouble of rearing it ? " He seemed, as may well be supposed; unwilling to pursue the subject : but upon my persevering in my question, replied, " Why yes. Sir, I would ; but I must have all conveniences. If I had no garden, I would make a shed on the roof, and take it there for fresh air. I should feed it, and wash it much, and with warm water to please it, not with cold water to give it pain." Boswell. "But, Sir, does not heat relax ? " Johnson. " Sir, you are not to imagine the water is to be very hot. I would not coddle the child. No, Sir, the hardy method of treating children does no good. I'll take you five children from London, who shall cuff five Highland children. Sir, a man bred in London will carry a burthen, or run, or wrestle, as well as a man brought up in the hardest manner in the country." Bos- well. " Good living, I suppose, makes the Londoners strong." Johnson. "Why, Sir, I don't know that it does. Our chairmen from Ircl-aad, who are as strong men as any, ha-\e been brought up upon potatoes. Quantity makes up for quality." Boswell. " Would you teach this child that I have furnished you with, any thing? " Johnson. " No, I should not be apt to teach it." Boswell. " Would not you have a pleasure in teaching it." John- son. "No, Sir, I should not have a pleasure in teaching it." Boswell. " Have you not a pleasure in teaching men ? There I have you. You have the same pleasure in teaching men, tliat I should have in teaching children." Johnson. " Why, something about that." Boswell. "Do you think, Sir, that what are comprised in ten volumes. He died Nov. 16. 177C. — Wright. ■• " The very ingenious Mr. Patence. of Bolt CourC, has con- structed a ph.ieton which goes without horses, and is built on a principle different from any thing of the kind hitliorto attempted." London Chron. Sept. 11. 1769 Wright. 5 Dominicetti was an Italian quack, who made a consiiler- ble noise about this time, by the use of medicated batiis, which were established in 1765 in Cheney Walk, Clielsea. In 1782 he became a bankrupt.— Croker. 6 Mr. Boswell himself. Mr. Chalmers told me that Bos- well's mode of relating Johnson's wit, without confessing that he himself was the object of it, was well understood, and much laughed at, on the first publication of liis work. — Choker. ^T. 60. EOSATELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 209 is called natural affection is born with iis ? It seems to me to be the effect of habit, or of gratitude for kindness. No child has it for a parent whom it has not seen." Johnson. "Why, Sir, I think there is an instinctive natural affection in parents towards their children." Russia being mentioned as likely to become a great empire, by the rapid increase of popu- lation : — Johnson. " ^Vhy, Sir, I see no prospect of their propagating more. They can have no more children than they can get. I know of no way to make tliem breed more than they do. It is not from reason and prudence that people marry, but from inclina- tion. A man is poor : he thinks, ' I cannot be worse, and so I'll e'en take I'eggy.' " Boswell. "But have not nations been more po])ulous at one period than another?" Johnson. "Yes, Sir; but that has been owing to the people being less thinned at one period than another, whether by emigrations, war, or pestilence, not by their being more or less prolific. Births at all times bear the same proportion to the same number of people." Boswell. " But, to consider the state of oiu- own country ; — does not throwing a number of farms into one hand hurt population ? " Johnson. " Why no, Sir; the same quantity of food being j produced, will be consumed by the same num- ber of mouths, though the people may be disposed of in different ways. We see, if corn be dear, and butchers' meat cheap, the [ farmers all apply the)nselves to the raising of corn, till it becomes plentiful and cheap, and j then butchers' meat becomes dear ; so that an equality is always preserved. No, Sir, let ' fanciful men do as they will, depend upon it, it is difficult to disturb the system of life." Boswell. " But, Sir, is it not a very bad thing for landlords to oppress their tenants, liy raising their rents?" Johnson. " Very | bail. But, Sir, it never can have any general inlluence ; it may distress some individuals. For, consider this : landlords cannot do without i tenants. Now tenants will not give more for | land, than land is worth. If they can make mure of their money by keeping a shop, or any | otlier way, they'll do it, and so oblige landlords I to let land come back to a reasonable rout, in | oiili'r that they may get ti^nants. Land, in 1 England, is an article of commei'ce. A tenant wiio pays his landlord his rent, thinks himself no more obliged to him, than you think your- self obliged to a man in whose shop you buy a piece of goods. He knows the landlord does not let him have his land for less than he can get from others, in the same manner as the shopkeeper sells his goods. No shopkeeper ! sells a yard of riband for sixpence when seven- : pence is the current price." Boswell. "But, Sir, is it not better that tenants should be dependent on landlords ?" Johnson. "Why, Sij-, as there are many more tenants than land- lords, perhaps, strictly speaking, we should wish not. But, if you please, you may let your lands cheap, and so get the value, part in money and part in homage. I should agree with you in that." Boswell. " So, Sir, you laugh at schemes of political improvement." Johnson. " Why, Sir, most schemes of political improve- ment are very laughable things." He observed, "Providence has wisely ordered that the more numerous men are, the more ditScult it is for them to agree in any thing, and so they are governed. There is no doubt, that if the poor should reason, ' AVe'U be the poor no longer, we'll make the rich take their turn,' they could easily do it, were it not that they can't agree. So the common soldiers, though so much more numerous tiian their officers, are governed by them for the same reason." He said, " IMankind have a strong attach- ment to the habitations to which they have been accustomed. You see the inhabitants of Norway do not with one consent quit it, and go to some part of America, where there is a mild climate, and where they may have the same jjroduce from land, with the tenth part of the labour. No, Sir ; their atlection for their old dwellings, and the terror of a general change, keep them at home. Thus, we see many of the finest spots in the world thinly inhabited, and many rugged spots well in- habited." " The London Chronicle," which was the only newspaper he constantly took in, being brought, the office of i-eading It aloud was assigned to me. I was diverted by his impa- tience. He made me pass over so many parts of it, that my task was very easy. He would not suffer one of the petitions to the King about the Middlesex election to be read. I had hired a Bohemian as my servant while 1 remained in London ; and being much pleased with him, I asked Dr. Johnson whether his being a Roman Catholic should prevent my taking him with me to Scotland. Johnson. " Why no. Sir. If he has no objection, you j can have none." Boswell. " So, Sir, you j are no great,, enemy to the Roman Catholic j religion." Johnson. " No more. Sir, than to j the Presbyterian religion." Boswell. " You j are joking." Johnson. " No, Sir, I really think so. Nay, Sir, of tlie two, I prefer the Popish." 1 Boswell. " How so, Sir ? " John- son. " Wiiy, Sir, the Presbyterians have no church, no apostolical ordination." Boswell. " And do you think that absolutely essential, Sir?" Johnson. "Why, Sir, as it was an apostolical institution, I think it is dangerous to be without it. And, Sir, the Presbyterians have no public worship : they have no form of prayer in which they know they are to join. They go to hear a man pray, and are to judge whether they will join with him." Boswell. "But, Sir, their doctrine is the same with that See anle, p. 7G. n. 1. 210 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1769. of the Church of England. Their confession of faith, and the thirty-nine articles, contain the same points, even the doctrine of predes- tination." Johnson. " Why yes, Sir ; pre- destination was a part of the clamour of the times, so it is mentioned in our articles, but with as little positiveness as could be." Bos- i WELL. " Is it necessary. Sir, to believe all the thirty-nine articles ? " Johnson. " AVhy, Sir, that is a question which has been much agitated. Some have thought it necessary that they should all be believed ; others have con- sidered them to be only articles of peace ', that is to say, you are not to preach against them." BoswELL. " It appears to me. Sir, that predestination, or what is equivalent to it, cannot be avoided, if we hold an universal prescience in the Deity." Johnson. "Why, Sir, does not God every day see things going on without preventing them ? '' Boswell. " True, Sir ; but if a thing be certainly fore- j seen, it must be fixed, and cannot happen otherwise ; and if we apply this consideration to the human mind, there is no free will, nor do I see how prayer can be of any avail." He mentioned Dr. Clarke, and Bishop Bramhall on Liberty and Necessity, and bid me read South's Sermons on Prayer ; but avoided the question which has excruciated philosophers and divines, beyond any other. I did not press it further, when I perceived that he was displeased, and shrunk^ from any abridgment of an attribute usually ascribed to the Divinity, however irreconcileable in its full extent with the grand system of moral government. His supposed orthodoxy here cramped the vigorous powers of his understanding. He was confined by a chain which eai'ly imagination and strong habit made him think massy and strong, but which, had he ventured to try, he could at once have snapt asunder.- I proceeded : " What do you think, Sir, of Purgatory, as believed by the Koman Catho- lics ? " Johnson. " Why, Sir, it is a very harmless doctrine. They are of opinion that the generality of mankind are neither so obstinately wicked as to deserve eveilasting punishment, nor so good as to merit being admitted into the society of blessed spirits ; and therefore that God is graciously pleased to allow of a middle state, where they may be purified by certam degrees of sufiering. You see. Sir, there is nothing unreasonable in this." Boswell. "But then, Sir, their masses for the dead?" Johnson. "Why, Sir, if it be once established that there are souls in purga- tory, it is as proper to pray for them, as tor our brethren of mankind who are yet in this life." Boswell. " The idolatry of the mass ? " — Johnson. " Sir, there is no idolatry in the mass. They believe God to be there, and they adore him." Boswell. "The worship of saints? " Johnson. " Sir, they do not worship saints ; they invoke them ; they only ask their prayers. I am talking all this time of the doctrines of the Church of Rome. I grant you that, in practice, purgatory is made a lucrative imposition, and that the people do become idolatrous as they recommend themselves to the tutelary protection of particular saints.^ I think their giving the sacrament only in one kind is criminal, because it is contrary to the express institution of Christ, and I wonder how the Council of Trent admitted it. " Bos- well. " Confession ? " Johnson. " Why, I don't know but that is a good thing. The Scripture says, ' Confess your faults one to another,' and the priests confess as well as the laity. Then it must be considered that their absolution is only upon repentance, and often upon penance also. You think your sins may be forgiven without penance, upon repentance alone." I thus ventured to mention all the common objections against the Roman Catholic church, that I might hear so great a man iipon them. What he said is here accurately recorded. But It is not improbable that, if one had taken the other side, he might have reasoned dif- ferently. I must however mention, that he had a respect for "fAe old religion^'' as the mild Melancthon called that of the Roman Catholic church, even while he was exerting himself for its reformation in some particulars. Sir William Scott informs me, that he heard Johnson say, " A man who is converted from Protestantism to Popery, may be sincere : he parts with nothing : he is only superadding to what he already had. But a convert irom Popery to Protestantism gives up so much of what he has held as sacred as any thing that he retains — there is so much laceration of mind In such a conversion — that It can hardly be sincere and lasting." * The truth of this reflection may be confirmed by many 1 Dr. Simon Patrick (afterwards Bishop of Ely) thus ex- presses himself on this subject, in a letter to the learned Dr. John Mapletoft, dated Feb. 8. 16S2-3 : — " I always took the ' Articles ' to be only articles of com- munion ; and so Bishop Bramhall expressly maintains against the Bishop of Chalcedon ; and I remember well, that Bishop Sanderson, when the King was first restored, received the subscription of an acquaintance of mine, which he declared was not to them as articles of faith but peace. I think you need make no scruple of the matter, because all that I know so understand the meaning of subscription, and upon other terms would not subscribe." — Malone. 2 The solution is to be found in what Boswell states as the difficulty. All eternity is present to the Deity, and his pre- science foresees what man will have chosen, though man feels that he is free to choose. What Cowley says of Heaven, is equally true of this world, in the eye of Providence : — " Nothing there is to come, and nothing past ; But an eternal now doth always last ! " This is one of the mysteries which, though above human reason, is in no degree contrary to it Crokeu, \SiG. 3 They are sometimes rather ridiculous than idolatrous. I have now before me a Roman Catholic Prayer-book, printed at Ghent so lately as 1823, in which there is a prayer to the Virgin, addressing her as " Ma divine Princesse," and another to St. Joseph, as " Mon aimable patron Crokeb. ■» Bishop Elrington expressed his surprise, that Johnson should have forgotten Latimer, Ridley, Hooper, and all those of all nations who have renounced popery Crokeb. ^T. 60. BOSWELL'S LIFE OP JOHNSON. 211 and eminent instances, some of whieh will occur to most of my readers.' When we were alone, I introduced the subject of death, and endeavoured to maintain that the fear of it might be got over. I told him that David Hume said to me, he was no more uneasy to think he should 7iot be after this life, than that he had not been before he began to exist. Jounson. " Sir, if he really thinks so, his perceptions are disturbed ; he is mad : if he does not think so, he lies. He may tell you, he holds his finger in the flame of a candle without feel- ing pain ; would you believe him ? When he dies, he at least gives up all he has." BoswELL. " Foote, Sir, told me, that when he was very ill he was not afraid to die." Johnson. "It is not true, Sir.^ Hold a pistol to Foote's breast, or to Hume's breast, and threaten to kill them ; and you'll see how they behave." Boswell. " But may we not fortify our minds for the approach of death?" — Here I am sensible I was in the wrong, to bring before his view what he ever looked upon with horror ; for although, when in a celestial frame of mind, in his "Vanity of Human Wishes," he has supposed death to be " kind Nature's signal for retreat " from this state of being to "a happier seat," his thoughts upon this awful change were in general full of dismal apprehensions. His mind resembled the vast amphitheatre, the Coliseum at Rome. In the centre stood his judgment, which, like a mighty gladiator, combated those apprehensions that, like the wild beasts of the arena, were all around in cells, ready to be let out upon him. After a conflict, he drives them back into their dens ; but not killing them, they were still assailing him. To my question, whether we might not fortify our minds for the approach of death, he answered, in a passion, " No, Sir, let it alone. It matters not how a man dies, but how he lives. The act of dying is not of importance, it lasts so short a time." He added (with an earnest look), " A man knows it must be so, and submits. It will do him no good to whine." 1 I do not understand this allusion. I am not aware of " many and eminent instances " of persons converted from pr>|icry to protestantism relapsing either into superstition or inlidelity. I suspect that Mr. Boswell, who often alludes to I\[r. Gibbon's vacillation, really meant him in this passage, though his conversion from Protestantism to Popery and back again, which had ended in infidelity, does not exactly fit the case put by Johnson Croker. - Foote's statement did not merit so flat a contradiction : it is confirmed by those who have had the best means of speaking to the fact. Sir Henry Halford felt surprised that of the great number he has attended, " so few have appeared reluctant to die," adding, " many, we may easily suppose, have manifested this willingness to die, from an impatience of suffering, or from that passive indifiference, which is some- times the result of debility and extreme bodily pain." Essays, p. 69. — Markland. There is a distinction, which neither Johnson nor Mr. Markland seem to have made, — between a violent and premature death, always terrible ; and one coming gradually in the course of nature, under which the exhausted frame and weary spirit sink without reluctance Croker, 1846. . ^ George Steevens, Esq., who, in the next year, became I attempted to continue the conversation. He was so provoked, that he said, — " Give us no more of this ;" and was thrown into such a state of agitation, that he expressed himself in a way that alarmed and distressed me ; showed an impatience that I shoidd leave him, and when I was going away, called to me sternly, " Don't let us meet to-morrow." I Avent home exceedingly unensy. All the harsh observations which I had ever heard made upon his character crowded into my mind ; and I seemed to myself like the man who had put his head into the lion's mouth a great many times with perfect safety, but at last had it bit off. Next morning pTth October], I sent him a note, stating that I might have been in the wrong, but it was not intentionally ; he was therefore, I could not help thinking, too severe upon me. That notwithstanding our agreement not to meet that da^, I would call on him in my way to the city, and stay five minutes by my watch. " You are," said I, " in my mind, since last night, surrounded with cloud and storm. Let me have a glimpse of sunshine, and go about my afiairs in serenity and cheer- fulness." Upon entering his study, I was glad that he was not alone, which would have made our meeting more awkward. There were with him, Mr. Steevens ^ and Mr. Tyers "*, both of whom I now saw for the first time. My note had, on his own reflection, softened him, for he re- ceived me very complacently ; so that I unex- pectedly found myself at ease, and joined in the conversation. He said, the critics had done too much honour to Sir Richard Blackmore, by writing so much against him. That, in his " Creation," he had been helped by various wits, a line by Phillips and a line by Tickell; so that by their aid, and that of others, the poem had been made out.^ I defended Blackmore's supposed lines, which have been ridiculed as absolute non- " A painted vest Prince Vortiger had on, Which from a naked Pict his grandsire won."® associated with Johnson in the edition of Shakespeare, which goes by their joint names. Mr. Steevens w.is born in 1736, and died at Hampstead in 1800. A cynical disposition and a strong turn for literary deceptions, more ingenious than candid or creditable, rendered him unpopular with his ac- quaintance, as we shall have occasion to notice in the sequel. — Croker. ^ For an account of " Tom Tyers," as Johnson always called him, see post. April 17. 1778. 5 Johnson himself has vindicated Blackmore upon this very point. See the Lives of the Poets, vol. iii. p. 75. 8vo., 1791. — J. Boswell, jun. 6 A correspondent of the European Magazine, April, 1792, has completely exposed the mistake of ascribing these lines to Klackmore, notwithstanding that Sir Richard Steele, in •' The Spectator," [No. 43.] mentions them as written by the author of " The British Princes," the Hon. Edward Howard. The correspondent above-mentioned, shows this mistake to be so inveterate, that not only / defenued the lines as Blackmore's, in the presence of Dr. Johnson, with- out any contradiction or doubt of their anthenticitv. but that the Kev. Mr. Whitaker has asserted in jiriiit. that he understands they were suppressed in the late editions of p 2 212 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1769. I maintained it to be a poetical conceit. ' A Pict being painted, if be is slain in battle, and a vest is made of bis skin, it is a painted vest won from bim, tbougb be wasnaked. Jobnson spoke unfavourably of a certain pretty voluminous autbor, saying, " He used to write anonymous books, and tben otber books commending tbose books, in wbicb there was something of rascality." ' I whispered him, " Well, Sir, you are now in good humour." Johnson. " Yes, Sir." I was going to leave bim, and had got as far as the staircase. He stopped me, and smiling, said, "Get you gone in;" a curious mode of inviting me to stay, which I accordingly did for some time longer. This little incidental quarrel and reconcili- ation, which, perhaps, I may be thought to have detailed too minutely, must be esteemed as one of many proofs which his friends had, that though he might be charged with bad hmnonr at times, he was always a good-natured man ; and I have heard Sir Joshua Reynolds, a nice and delicate observer of manners, particularly remark, that when upon any occasion Johnson had been rough to any person in company, he took the first op- portunity of reconciliation, by drinking to him, or addressing his discourse to bim ; but if he found his dignified indirect overtures sul- lenly neglected, he was quite indifferent, and considered himself as having done all that he ought to do, and the other as now in the wrong. Being to set out for Scotland on the lOtb of November, I wrote to him at Streatham, beg- ging that he would meet me in town on the 9th ; but if this should be very inconvenient to him, I would go thither. His answer was as follows : — JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " Nov. 9. 1769. " Dear Sir, — Upon balancing? the incon- veniences of both parties, I find it will less incom- mode you to spend your night here, than me to come to town. I wish to see you, and am ordered by the lady of this house to invite you hither. Whether you can come or not, I shall not have any occasion of writing to you again before your marriage, and therefore tell you now, that with BlacKmore " After all," says this intelligent writer, " it is not unttorthy of particular oliservation, that these lines, so often quoted, do not exist either in Blackmore or Howard." In " The British Princes," 8vo. 1G69, now before me, p. 9G., they stand thus : — " A vest as .idmired Vortiger had on, Which from this Island's foes his grandsire won, Whose artful colour pass'd the Tyrian dye. Obliged to triumph in this legacy." It is probable, I think, that some wag, in order to make Howard still more ridiculous than he really was, has formed the couplet as it now circulates. — Boswell. 1 Mr. Chalmers supposed that this was Dr. Hill, who used to play such tricks, net only anonymously, but under false names, such .is Dr. Critie, Dr. Uveda/e, and many others. Smollett has also been surmised ; and as Boswell had certainly no tenderness for //i7/'« character (see ante, p. 18G.),the sup- pression of the name has been thought to favour this latter great sincerity I wish you happiness. I am, dear Sir, your most affectionate humble servant, " Sam. Johnson." I was detained in town till it was too late on the 9th, so went to him early in the morning of the lOtli of November. "Now," said he, " that you are going to marry, do not expect more from life than life will afford. You may often find yourself out of humour, and you may often think your wife not studious enough to please you ; and yet you may have reason to consider yourself as upon the whole very happily married." Talking of marriage in general, he observed, " Our marriage service is too refined. It is calculated only for the best kind of marriages : whereas, we should have a form for matches of convenience, of which there are many." " He agreed with me that there was no absolute necessity for having the marriage ceremony performed by a regular clergyman, for this was not commanded in Scripture. I was volatile enough to repeat to liim a little epigrammatic song of mine ■^, on matri- mony, which ]\Ir. Garrick had, a few days before, procured to be set to music by the very ingenious Mr. Dibdin. A Matrimonial Thought. " In the blithe days of hoiiey-moon, With Kate's allurements smitten, I loved her late, I loved her soon, And called her dearest kitten. " But now my kitten's grown a cat, And cross like other wives ; Oh ! by my soul, my honest ]Mat, I fear she has nine lives." My illustrious friend said, " It is very well. Sir ; but you should not swear." Upon which I altered " Oh ! by my soul," to " Alas, alas ! " He was so good as to accompany me to London, and see me into the post-chaise wliich was to carry me on my road to Scotland. And sure I am, that however inconsiderable many of the particulars recorded at this time may appear to some, they will be esleemed by the best p.art of my readers as genuine traits of his character, contributing together to give a full, ^lir, and distinct view of it. opinion. I, however, doubt both guesses, but can make no better Croker. - It may be suspected that Mr. Boswell, in transciil)ing for the press, at the interval of twenty-iivc years, bis original note, may have misrepresented Dr. Johnson's opinion. There are, no doubt, marriages of convenience, but such often turn out to be very happy marriages — nav, Johnson himself thought they might be the happiest (March 22. 1777). Moreover, one would ask, how is the marriage ceremony too refined f It seems more open to a contrary criticism. Hor, finally, can I believe that Johnson agreed in Boswell's Scottish views of a secular ceremony, and aljove all for the absurd reason stated — for it is not " commanded in Scrip- ture" that any ceremony should be performed by a regular clergyman ; and, again ; if there were two services, who would ever consent to be married by that which implied some degree of degradation, or at least of inferiority ? — ("koker. 3 Mr. Boswell used (as did also his eldest son. Sir Alex- ander) to sing in convivial society songs of his own com- position. — Ciiokeu. ^.T. 61. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 213 In 1770, he published a political pamphlet, entitled " The False Alarm," intended to justify the conduct of the ministry and their majority in the House of Commons, for having virtually assumed it as an axiom, that the expulsion of a member of parliament was equivalent to exclusion, and thus having declared Colonel Luttrell to be duly elected for the county of Middlesex, notwithstanding Mr. Wilkes had a great majority of votes. This being justly considered as a gross violation of the right of election, an alarm for the constitution extended itself all over the kingdom. To prove this alarm to be false, was the purpose of Joiinson's pamphlet ; but even his vast powers were in- adequate to cope with constitutional truth and reason, and his argument failed of efTect ; and the House of Commons have since expunged the offensive resolution from their Journals. That the House of Commons might have ex- pelled Mr. Wilkes repeatedly, and as often as he should be re-chosen, was not denied ; but incapacitation cannot be but by an act of the whole legislature. It was wonderful to see how a prejudice in favour of government in general and an aversion to popular clamour, could blind and contract such an understanding as Johnson's, in this particular case; yet the wit, the sarcasm, the eloquent vivacity which this pamphlet displayed, made it be read with great avidity ' at the time, and it will ever be read with pleasure, for the sake of its composition. That it endeavoured to infuse a narcotic in- difference, as to public concerns, into the minds of the people, and that it broke out sometimes into an extreme coarseness of contemptuous abuse, is but too evident. It must not, however, be omitted, that when the storm of his violence subsides, he takes a fair opportunity to pay a grateful compliment to the King, who had rewarded his merit : — " These low-born rulers have endeavoured, surely without effect, to alienate the affections of the people from the only King who for almost a century has much appeared to desire, or much endeavoured to deserve them." And, "Every honest man must lament, that the faction has been regarded with frigid neutrality by the Tories, who being long accustomed to signalise their principles by opposition to the Court, " The False Alarm " was published by T. C.idell, in the Strand, Jan. 16. 1770 ; a second edition appeared Feb. 6., and a third, March 13 Wright. 2 " This," says Mrs. Piozzi, "his first and favourite pamphlet, was written at our house, lietween eight o'clock on Wednesday night and twelve o'clock on Thursday night : we read it to Mr. Thrale, when he came very late home from the Hou.'e of Commons." Boswell, it must be remembered, was a Wilkite Croker. public of his former attacks upon government, and of his now being a pensioner, without allowing for the honourable terms upon which Johnson's pension was granted and accepted, or the change of system which the British court had undergone upon the accession of his present Majesty. He was, however, soothed in the highest strain of panegyric, in a poem called " The Remonstrance," by the llev. Mr. Stockdale ^, to whom he was, upon many occa- sions, a kind protector. The following admirable minute made by him, describes so well his own state, and that of numbers to whom self-examination is ha- bitual, that I cannot omit it : — " June 1. 1770. Every man naturally persuades himself that he can keep his resolutions, nor is he convinced of his imbecility but by length of time and frequency of experiment. This opinion of our own constancy is so prevalent, that we always despise him who sufters his general and settled purpose to be overpowered by an occasional desire. They, therefore, whom frequent failures have made des- perate, cease to form resolutions ; and they who are become cunning, do not tell them. Those who do not make them are very few, but of their effect little is perceived ; for scarcely any man persists in a course of life planned by choice, but as lie is restrained from deviation by some external power. He who may live as he will, seldom lives long in the oljservation of his own rules. I never yet saw a regular family, unless it were that of Mrs. Harriot's, nor a regular man, except Mr. *, wliose exactness I know only by his own rejjort, and Psalmaiia/.er, whose life was, I think, uniform." [Pr. and Med. p. 100.] Of this year I have obtained the following letters : JOHNSON TO DR. FARMER. "Johnson's Court, March 21. 1770. " Sir, — As no man ought to keep wholly to himself any possession that may be useful to the public, I hope you will not think me unreasonably intrusive, if I have recourse to you for such infor- mation as you are more able to give me than any other man. " In support of an opinion which you have already placed above the need of any more support, Mr. Steevcns. a very ingenious gentleman, lately of King's College, has collected an account of all the translations which Shakspeare might have seen and used. He wishes his catalogue to be perfect, and therefore entreats that you will favour him by the insertion of such additions as the accuracy of your inquiries has enabled you to make. To this request, I take the liberty of adding my own solicitation. 3 The Rev. Percival Stockdale, whose strange and ram- bling " Autobiography " was published in 180H : he was the author of si:veral bad poems, and died in 1810, at the ape of 7S. He was Johnson's neighbour for some years, both in Johnson's Court and Bolt Court. — Croker. < The name in the original manuscript is, as Dr. Hall in- formed me, Campbell. The Scotch non juring Bi^liop Camp- bell was probably the person meant. See an account of this gentleman, pos/, Oct. 25. 1773 Ckokek. r 3 214 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1770. " We have no immediate use for this catalogue, and therefore do not desire that it should interrupt or hinder your more important employments. But it will be kmd to let us know that you receive it. I am, Sir. &c., Sam. Johnson." [JOHNSON TO MISS PORTER. "May 1. 1770. " Dearest Mabam, — Among other causes that have hindered me from answering your last kind letter, is a tedious and painful rheumatism, that has afflicted me for many weeks, and still continues to molest me. I hope you are well, and will long keep your health and your cheerfulness. " One reason why I delayed to write was, my uncertainty how to answer your letter. I like the thought of giving away the money very well ; but when I consider that Tom Johnson is my nearest relation, and that he is now old and in great want ; that he was my playfellow in childhood, and has never done any thing to offend me ; I am in doubt, whether I ought not rather give it him than any other. " Of this, my dear, I would have your opinion. I would willingly please you, and I know that you will be pleased best with what you think right. Tell me your mind, and do not learn of me to neglect writing ; for it is a very sorry trick, though it be mine. " Your brother is well ; I saw him to-day, and thought it long since I saw him before : it seems he has called often, and could not find me. I am, my dear, your affectionate humble servant, — Pearson MSS. " Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO JMISS PORTER. " London, May 29. 1770. " Mr dearest Dear, — I am very sorry that your eyes are bad ; take great care of them, especially by candlelight. Mine continue pretty good, but they are sometimes dim. My rheumatism grows gradually better. I have considered your letter, and am willing that the whole money should go where you, my dear, originally intended. I hope to help Tom some other way. So that matter is over. " Dr. Taylor has invited me to pass some time with him at Ashbourne ; if I come, you may be sure that I shall take you and Lichfield in my way. When I am nearer coming, 1 will send you word. " Of Mr. Porter I have seen very little, but I know not that it is iiis fault, for he says that he often calls, and never finds me ; I am sorry for it, for I love him. Mr. Mathias has lately had a great deal of money left him, of which you have probably heard already, I am, my dearest, your most affectionate servant, Sam. Johnson."] — Pearson MSS. ' About the end of June lie made a visit to the midland counties ; some account of which, extracted from his letters to Mrs. Thrale, 1 have placed in the text, and shall continue to make similar extracts where necessary to fill up lacuncE in Mr. Boswell's narrative — the dates will be sutficient refer- ence to the originals Croker, 1846. s See post, March 23. 177G. - C. JOHNSON TO THOMAS WARTON. " London, June 23. 1770. " Dear Sir, — The readiness with which you were pleased to promise me some notes on Shak- speare, was a new instance of your friendship. I shall not hurry you ; but am desired by Mr. Steevens, who helps me in this edition, to let you know, that we shall print the tragedies first, and shall therefore want first the notes which belong to them. We think not to incommode the readers with a supplement ; and therefore, what we cannot put into its proper place, will do us no good. We shall not begin to print before the end of six weeks, perhaps not so soon. I am, &c., " Sam Johnson."' [JOHNSON TO MRS. THRALE. {Extracts.) "Lichfield, July 7. 1770. " I thought I should have heard something to-day about Streatham ; but there is no letter; and I need some consolation, for rheumatism is come again, though in a less degree than formerly, I reckon to go next week to Ashbourne, and will try to bring you the dimensions of the great bull. The skies and the ground are all so wet, that I have been very little abroad : and Mrs. Aston is from home, so that I have no motive to walk ; when slie is at home, she lives on the top of Stow- hill, and I commonly climb up to see her once a day. There is nothing there now but the empty nest. To write to you about Lichfield is of no use, for you never saw Stowpool, nor Borowcop- hlll. I believe you may find Borow or Borough- cop-hill in my Dictionary, under cop or cob. Nobody here knows what the name imports." "Lichfield, July 11. 1770. " Mr. Greene ^ the apothecary, has found a l)Gok which tells who paid levies in our parish, and how much they paid, above an hundred years ago. Do you not think we study this book hard ? Nothing is like going to the bottom of things. Many families that paid the (larish rates are now extinct, like the race of Hercules. Piilvis et iimhra sumus. What is nearest us touches us most. The passions rise higher at domestic than at imperial tragedies. I am not wholly unaffected by the revolutions in Sadler Street^; nor can forbear to mourn, when old names vanish away, and new come into their place." " Ashbourne, July 20. 1770. " I came hither on Wednesday, having staid one night at a lodge in the forest of Nedewood. Dr. Taylor's is a very pleasant house, with a lawn and a lake, and twenty deer and five fawns upon the lawn. Whether I shall by any light see Matlock I do not yet know. " That Baretti's book, [" Travels through Spain, Portugal, and France,"] would please you all, I make no doid)t. I know not whether the world has ever seen such travels before. Those whose ^ At tlie corner of which stood his own house. I have satisfied myself on the spot that Michael Johnson's cncroac//- tnent in Sadler Street, (anti, p. 4. n. 2.) for which he paid two shillings and sixpence a year, and a lease of which was renewed to his son, was most probably a shop bow-window, which jutted out into Sadler Street. — Cuokek. JEt. 61. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 215 I lot it is to ramble can seldom write, and those who I know how to write very seldom ramble. If Sidney I liad gone, as he desired, the great voyage with Drake, there would probably have been such a iiairative as would have equally satisfied the poet and the philosopher." " Ashbourne, July '23. 1770. « I have seen the great bull ', and very great he is. I have seen likewise his heir a])parent, who promises to inherit all the bulk and all the virtues of his sire. I have seen the man wlio offered an hundred guineas for the young bull, while he was yet little better than a calf. Matlock, I am afraid, I shall not see, but I purpose to see Dovedale ; and, after all this seeing, I hope to see you."] JOHNSON TO JOSEPH WARTON. " Sept. 21. 1770. " Dear Sir, — I am revising my edition of Shakspeare, and remember that I formerly mis- represented your opinion of Lear. Be pleased to write the paragraph as you would have it, and send it If you have any remarks of your own upon that or any other play, I shall gladly receive them. Make my compliments to Mrs. Warton. I some- times think of wandering for a few days to Win- chester, but am apt to delay. 1 am. Sir, your most humble servant, Saji. Johnson." JOHNSON TO FRANCIS BARBER, At Mrs. Clapp's, Bishop- Stortford. " London, Sept. 25. 1770. "Dear Francis, — I am at last sat down to write to you, and should very much blame myself for having neglected you so long, if I did not impute that and many other failings to want of health. I hope not to be so long silent again. I am very well satisfied with your progress, if you can really perform the exercises which you are set ; and I hope Mr. Ellis does not suffer you to impose on him, or on yourself. Make ray compliments to Mr. Ellis, and to Mrs. Clapp, and Mr. Smith. " Let me know what English books you read for your entertainment. You can never be wise unless you love reading. Do not imagine that I shall forget or forsake you ; for if, when I examine you, 1 find that you have not lost your time, you shall want no encouragement from yours aflfectionately, " Sam Johnson." JOHNSON TO FRANCIS BARBER. "December 7. 1770. " Dear Francis, — I hope you mind your business. I design you shall stay with Mrs. Clapp these holidays. If you are invited out you may go, if JMr. Ellis gives leave. I have ordered you some clothes, which you will receive, I believe, next week. INIy compliments to Mrs. Clapp, and to Mr. Ellis, and to Mr. Smith, &c. — I am your affectionate, Sam. Johnson." > Dr. T.iylor had a remarkably fine breed of cattle ; and one bull, in particular, was of celebrated size and beauty. — — .Croker. • 2 Dr. William Maxwell was the son of Dr. ,Tohn Maxwell, Archdeacon of Downe, in Ireland, and cousin of the Honour- able Henry Maxwell, Bishop of Dromore in 17G5, and of Meath in 1700, from whom he obtained preferment ; but having a considerable property of his own, lie resigned the living when, as it is said, his residence was insisted on ; and he fixed himself in Bath, where he died, so late as 1818, at the age of 87. Dr. Maxwell was deservedly proud of his acquaintance with Johnson, and had caught something of his style of conversation. Some of his anecdotes are trifling, others obscure, some misprinted, and several, 1 suspect, mis- ttated ; which is not suriirisiiig, as they seem to have been CHAPTER XXIV. 1770. Dr. MaxwelVs Collectanea. — Johnson's Politics, and general Mode of Life. — Opulent Tradesmen. — London. — Black-letter Books. — " Anatomij of Melancholy." — Government of Ireland. — Love. — Jacob Behmen, — Established Clergy. — Dr. Priestley. — Blank Verse. — French Novels. — Pere Boscovich. — Lord Lyttelton's Dialogues. — Ossian. — The Poetical Cobbler. — Boetius. — National Debt. — Mallet. — Marriage. — Foppery. — Gilbert Cooper. — Homer. — Gregory Sliarpe. — Poor of England. — Corn Laws. — Dr. Browne. — Mr. Burke. — Economy. — Fortune-hunters. — Orchards. — Irish Clergy. DuRiSG this year there was a total cessation of all correspondence between Dr. Johnson and me, withont any coldness on either side, but merely from procrastination, continued from day to day ; and, as I was not in London, I had no opportunity of enjoying his company and recording his conversation. To supply this blank, I shall present my readers with some Collectanea, obligingly furnished to me by the liev. Dr. Maxwell ^, of Falkland, in Ire- land, some time assistant preacher at the Temple, and for many years the social friend of Johnson, who spoke of him with a very kind regard. Collectanea. " My acquaintance with that great and venerable character commenced in the year 1754. I was in- troduced to him by Mr. Grierson ^ his Majesty's printer at Dublin, a gentleman of uncommon learn- ing, and great wit and vivacity. ]Mr. Grierson died in Germany, at the age of twenty-seven. Dr. Johnson highly respected his abilities, and often observed, that he possessed more extensive know- ledge than any man of his years he had ever known. His industry was equal to his talents ; and he par- written for Mr. Boswell's publication from memory, a great many years after the events. — Choker. 3 Son of the learned Mrs. Grierson, who was patronised by the late Lord Granville, and was the editor of several of the classics. — BoswELL. Her edition of Tacitus, with the notes of Rvchius, in three volumes, 8vo. 1730, was dedicated, in very eleg.'mt Latin [from her own pen], to John, Lord Carteret (afterwards Earl Granville), by whom she was patronised during his residence in Ireland as Lord Lieutenant be- tween 1724 and 1730. — Malone. Lord Carteret gave her family the lucrative patent office of king's printer in Irel.and, still enjoyed by her descendants. She was very handsome, as well as learned. — Crokek. The patent has just expired — P. Cunningham, 184G. p 4 216 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1770. ticularly excelled in every species of philological learning, and was, perhaps, the best critic of the age he lived in. " I must always remember with gratitude my obligation to Mr. Grierson, for the honour and liappiness of Dr. Johnson's acquaintance and friend- ship, which continued uninterrupted and undimi- nished to his death : a connection that was at once the pride and happiness of my life. " What pity it is, that so much wit and good sense as he continually exhibited in conversation, should i)erish unrecorded ! Few persons quitted his company without perceiving tliemselves wiser and better than they were before. On serious subjects he flashed the most interesting conviction upon his auditors ; and upon lighter topics, you might have supposed — Albano musas de monte locutas. " Though I can hope to add but little to the celebrity of so exalted a character, by any com- munications I can furnish, yet, out of pure respect to his memory, I will venture to transmit to you some anecdotes concerning him, which fell under my own observation. The very minutia of such a character must be interesting, and may be compared to the filings of diamonds. " In politics he was deemed a Tory, but certainly was not so in the obnoxious or party sense of the term ; for while he asserted the legal and salutary prerogatives of the crown, he no less respected the constitutional liberties of the people. Whiggism, at the time of the Revolution, he said, was .accom- panied with certain principles ; but latterly, as a mere party distinction under Walpole and the Pel- hams, was no better than the politics of stock-job- bers, and the religion of inlidels. " He detested the idea of governing by parlia- mentary corruption, and asserted most strenuously, that a prince steadily and conspicuously pursuing the interests of his people could not fail of parlia- mentary concurrence. A prince of ability, he con- tended, might and should be the directing soul and spirit of his own administration ; in short, his own minister, and not the mere head of a party : and then, and not till then, would the royal dignity be j sincerely respected. "Johnson seemed to think, that a certain degree of crown influence over the Houses of Parliament, (not meaning a corrupt and shameful dependence) was very salutary, nay, even necessary, in our mixed government. ' For,' said he, ' if the members were under no crown influence, and disqualified from re- ceiving any gratification from Court, and resembled, as they possibly might, Pym and Haslerig, and other stubborn and sturdy members of the Long j Parliament, the wheels of government would be totally obstructed. Such men would oppose, merely to show their power, from envy, jealousy, and per- versity of disposition ; and, not gaining themselves, would hate and oppose all who did : not loving the person of the prince, and conceiving they owed him little gratitude, from the mere spirit of insolence and contradiction, they would oppose and thwart him upon all occasions.' " The inseparable imperfection annexed to all human governments consisted, he said, in not being able to create a sufficient fund of virtue and prin- ' No doubt Madame de Boufflers. See post, sub an. 1775. Choker. ciple to carry the laws into due and effectual exe- cution. Wisdom might plan, but virtue alone could execute. And where could sufficient virtue be found ? A variety of delegated, and often dis- cretionary, powers must be entrusted somewhere ; which, if not governed by integrity and conscience, would necessarily be abused, till at last the constable would sell his for a shilling. " This excellent person was sometimes charged with abetting slavish and arbitrary principles of government. Nothing, in my opinion, could be a grosser calumny and misrepresentation ; for how can it be rationally supposed, that he should adopt such pernicious and absurd opinions, who supported his philosophical character with so much dignity, was extremely jealous of his personal liberty and independence, and ct)uld not brook the smallest ap- pearance of neglect or insult, even from the highest personages ? " But let us view him in some instances of more familiar life. " His general mode of life, during my acquaint- ance, seemed to be pretty uniform. About twelve o'clock I commonly visited him, and frequently found him in l)eil, or declaiming over his tea, which he drank very i)leiitifully. He generally had a levee of morning visiters, chiefly men of letters ; Hawkes- worth. Goldsmith, IMurphy, I-angton, Steevens, Beauclerk, &c. &c., and sometimes learned ladies; particularly I remember a French lady ' of wit and fashion doing him the honour of a visit. He seemed to me to be considered as a kind of public oracle, whom every body thought they had a right to visit and consult; and doubtless they were well re- warded. I never could discover how lie found time for his compositions. He declaimed all the morn- ing, then went to dinner at a tavern, where he connnonly stayed late, and then drank his tea at some friend's house, over which he loitered a great while, but seldom took supper. I fancy he must have read and wrote chiefly in the night, for I car» scarcely recollect that he ever refused going with me to a tavern, and he often went to Ranelagh, which he deem.ed a place of innocent recreation. " He irequently gave all the silver in his pocket to the poor, who watched him between his house and the tavern where he dined. He walked the streets at all hours, and said he was never robbed, for the rogues knew he had little money, nor had the appearance of having much. " Though the most accessible and communicative man alive, yet when he suspected he was invited to f be exhibited, he constantly spurned the invitation. | " Two young women from Staffordshire visited I him when I was present, to consult him on the \ subject of Methodism, to which they were inclined. [ ' Come,' said he, ' you pretty fools, dine with Max- well and me at the Mitre, and we will talk over that subject;' which they did, and after dinner he took one of them upon his knee, and fondled her for half an hour together. " Upon a visit to me at a country lodging near Twickenham, he asked what sort of society I had there. I told him, but indifferent ; as they chiefly consisted of opulent traders, retired from business. He said, he never much liked that class of people ; ' For, Sir,' said he, ' they have lost the civility of tradesmen, without acquiring the manners of gentle- men.' iET.61, BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 217 " Johnson was much attached to London : lie (ihserved, that a man stored his mind better tliere, than any where else; and that in remote situations a man's body might be feasted, but his mind was starved, and his faculties apt to degenerate, from want of exercise and competition. ' No place,' lie said, ' cured a man's vanity or arrogance, so well as London ; for as no man was either great or good per sc, but as compared with others not so good or great, he was sure to find in the metropolis many his equals, and some his superiors.' He observed, that a man in London was in less danger of falling in love indiscreetly, than any where else ; for there the difficulty of deciding between the conflicting pretensions of a vast variety of objects, kept him safe. He told me, that he had frequently been of- fered country preferment ', if he would consent to take orders ; but he cotdd not leave the improved society of the capital, or consent to exchange the exhilarating joys and splendid decorations of iniblic lite, for the obscurity, insipidity, and uniformity of remote situations. " Speaking of Mr. Harte^ Canon of Windsor, and writer of 'The History of Gustavus Adolphus,' he much commended him as a scholar, and a man of the most companionable talents he had ever known. He said, the defects in his History pro- ceeded not from imbecility, but from foppery. " He loved, he said, the old black-letttr books ; they were rich in matter, though their style was inelegant; wonderfully so, considering how con- versant the writers were with the best models of nntifjuity. " Burton's ' Anatomy of Melancholy,' he said, was the only book that ever took him out of bed two hours sooner than he wished to rise.^ " He frequently exhorted me to set about writing a History of Ireland ; and archly remarked, there had been some good Irish writers, and that one Irishman might at least aspire to be equal to another. He had great compassion for the miseries and distresses of the Irish nation, particularly the Papists ; and severely reprobated the barbarous de- bilitating policy of the British government, which, he said, was the most detestable mode of persecution. To a gentleman who hinted such policy might be necessary to support the authority of the English crovernment, he replied by saying, ' Let the au- thority of tlie English government perish, rather than be maintained by iniquity. Better would it be to restrain the turbulence of the natives by the antliorlty of the sword, and to make them amenable to law and justice by an cflectual and vigorous jioiice, than to grind them to powder by all manner of disabilities and incapacities. ' Better,' said he, ' to hang or drown people at once, than by an un- relenting persecution to beggar and starve them.' ' I suspect ^'frequently'" to be an error— the offer of the living of Lani;toii {ante, p. 105. and IGO.) is the only one nientinncil bv Boswell.— Choker. 184G. ■i Walter Ilarte, born about 1707, A. M. of St. Mary H;ill, in Oxford, was tutor to Lord Chesterlield's natural son, Mr. Stanhope, and was, by his Lordship's interest, made Canon of Windsor : he die Did hu not vary the phrase, and say st^rf instead of nee, for he had just before imputed as blame, that there was a tiresome recurrence of the same images? Croker. - .See ante, p. 170. n. 3. There is an account of this poetical proiliii!/, as he was called, in the Gentleman's Maga- zinr for 17i;4, p. 289. He was brought into notice by Shen- stone, _ Croker. 3 1 suspect -no treat' to be a misprint — perhaps for ' nothing ' — Croker. ^ He meant evidently that if the interest o( 7nillions — the country at large — required that the national debt should be spouge'd off, it would prevail over the interest of t/iousands — the holders of stock. — Croker. 5 Dr Benjamin Kennicott, born in 1718, A. M., and Fellow of Exeter College, Oxford, in U-W, and D.D. in 1760, — having distinguished himself by a learned dissertation on the state of the Hebrew text of the Old Testament, was, about 1759, persuaded by Archbishop Seeker, and encouraged " Of Dr. Kennicott's Collations *, he observed, that ' though the text should not be much mended thereby, yet it was no small advantage to know that we had as good a text as the most consummate industry and diligence could procure." "Johnson observed, 'that so many objections might be made to every thing, that nothing could overcome them but the necessity of doing some- thing. No man would be of any profession, as simply opposed to not being of It : but every one must do something.' " He remarked, that a London parish was a very comfortless thing : for the clergyman seldom knew the face of one out of ten of his parishioners. " Of the late Mr. Mallet he spoke with no great respect : said, he was ready for any dirty job ; that he had wrote against Byng at the instigation of the ministry, and was equally ready to write for him, provided be found his account in it. '' A gentleman who had been very unhappy in marriage, married immediately after his wife died : Johnson said, it was the triumph of hope over ex- perience. " He observed, that a man of sense and education should meet* a suitable companion in a wife. It was a miserable thing when the conversation could only be such as, whether the mutton should bo boiled or roasted, and probably a dispute about that. " He did not approve of late marriages, observing that more was lost in point of time, than compen- sated for by any possible advantages. Even ill- assorted marriages were preferable to cheerless celibacy. " Of old Sheridan he remarked, that he neither wanted parts nor literature ; but that bis vanity and Quixotism obscured his merits. " He said, foppery was never cured ; it was the bad stamina of the mind, which, like those of the body, were never rectified : o.Qce a coxcomb, and always a coxcomb. " Being told that Gilbert Cooper called him the Caliban of literature. ' Well,' said he, ' I must dub him the Punchinello." " Speaking of the old Earl of Cork and Orrery, he said, ' That man spent his life in catching at an object (literary eminence), which he had not power to grasp.' " To find a substitution for violated morality, he said, was the leading feature in all perversions of religion. " He often used to quote, with great pathos, those tine lines of Virgil : — ' Optima quajque dies miseris mortalibus ffivi Prima fugit ; subeunt morbi, tristisque senectus, Et labor, et durae rapit inclementia mortis.'* by a large subscription, to undertake a collation of all tlie Hebrew MSS. of the Old Testament. The first volume of his learned labour was, however, not published till 177G ; and the second, with a general dissertation, completed tlie work in 1783. He was Radcliffe librarian, and canon of Christ Church; in which cathedral he was buried in 1783 Croker. Perhaps a misprint for "seek."— Croker. 7 John Gilbert Cooper, Esq., author of a good deal of prose and verse, but best known as the author of a Life of So- crates, and a consequent di^pute with Bishop Warbiirton. (hooper was in person short and squab; hence Johnson's allusion to Punch. He died in 17fi9. — Crokeb. « In youth alone unhappy mortals live. But ah ! the mighty bliss is fugitive. Discoloured sickness, anxious labours come. And age and death's inevitable doom. Geor. iii. G8 Dryden. — C. 220 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1770. ♦' Speaking of Homer, whom he venerated as the prince of poets', Johnson remarked, that the advice given to Diomed ' by his father, when he sent him to the 'IVojan war, was the noblest exhortation that could be instanced in any heathen writer, and com- prised in a single line : — Aiey a.pi(mvnv koX vweipoxov tjxjxevai iWoiv : which, if I recollect well, is translated by Dr. Clarke thus : — semper appetere prastantisnima, et omnibus aliis anteceltere. " He observed, ' it was a most mortifying re- flection for any man to consider, what he had done, compared with what he might have done..' " He said few people had intellectual resources sufficient to forego the pleasures of wine. They could not otherwise contrive how to fill the interval between dinner and supper. " He went with me, one Sunday, to hear my old master, Gregory Sharpe ', preach at the Temi>le. In tlie prefatory prayer, Sharpe ranted ahowt liberty, as a blessing most fervently to be implored, and its continuance prayed for. Johnson observed, that our liberty was in no sort of danger : — he would have done much better to pray against our licentiovsness. " One evening at Mrs. Montagu's, where a splendid company had assembled, consisting of the most eminent literary characters, I thought he seemed highly pleased with the respect and atten- tion that were shown him, and asked him, on our return home, if he was not highly gratified by his visit. ' No, Sir,' said he, ' not highly gratified; yet I do not recollect to have passed many evenings loith feicer objections.' " Though of no high extraction himself, he had much respect for birth and family, especially among ladies. He said, 'adventitious accomplishments may be possessed by all ranks ; but one may easily distinguish the born gentlewoman.' " He said, 'the poor in England were better pro- vided for than in any other country of the same extent : he did not mean little cantons, or petty republics. Where a great proportion of the people,' said he, ' are suffered to languish in helpless misery, that country must be ill policed, and wretchedly governed : a decent provision for the poor is the true test of civilisation. Gentlemen of education,' he observed, ' were pretty much the same in all countries ; the condition of the lower orders, the poor especially, was the true mark of national dis- crimination.' 1 Johnson's usual seal, at one time of his life, w.is a head of Homer, and at another, a head of Augustus, as appears from the envelopes of his letters Croker. 2 Dr. Maxwell's memory has deceived him. Glaucus is the person who received this counsel ; and Clarke's trans- lation of the passage (11. vi. 1. 20a) i.* as follows: — " Ut semper fortissime rem gereretn, et superior virtute esse7n aliis. — J. BoswELL, jun. Pope's version is — " To stand tlie first in worth as in command. ' — Cboker. 3 Gregory Sharpe, D.D. F.R.S. and F.A.S., born in 1713. He published some religious works, and several critical Essays on the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin languages. Max- well calls him his old master, because Sharpe was Master of the Temple when Maxwell was assistant preacher. He died in 1771. — Crokeu. ■> Dr. John Browne, born in 1715 ; A.B. of St. John's, Cambridge, in 173.'), and D.D. in 17.'j-"); besides his celebrated " Estimate of the M.-inners and Principles of the Times," — a work which, in one year, ran through seven editions, and is now forgotten, — and several religious and miscellaneous works, he was the author of two tragedies, " Barbarossa " and "Athelstan." He was a man of considerable, but irregular genius; and died insane, by his own hand, in 176G.- Croker. " When the corn laws were in agitation in Ire- land, by which that country has been enabled not only to feed itself, but to export corn to a large amount. Sir Thomas Robinson observed, that those laws might be prejudicial to the corn-trade of England. ' Sir Thomas,' said he, ' you talk the language of a savage : what. Sir, would you prevent any people from feeding themselves, if by any honest means they can do it?' " It being mentioned, that Garrick assisted Dr. Browne'', the author of the 'Estimate,' in some dr.imatic composition, ' No, Sir,' said Johnson ; 'he would no more suffer Garrick to write a line in his play, than he would suffer him to mount his pulpit.' " Speaking of Burke, he said ' It was commonly observed he spoke too often in parliament ; but no- body could say he did not speak well, though too frequently and too familiarly.'' " Speaking of economy, he remarked, it was hardly worth while to save anxiously twenty pounds a year. If a man could save to that degree, so as to enable him to assutne a different rank in society, then, indeed, it might answer some purpose. " He observed, a principal source of erroneous judgment was viewing things partially and only on one side ; as for instance, fortune-hutiters, when they contemplated the fortunes singly and separately, it was a dazzling and tempting object ; but when they came to possess the wives and their fortunes together, they began to suspect they had not made quite so good a bargain. " Speaking of the late Duke of Northumberland^ living very magnificently when Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, somebody remarked, it would be difficult to find a suitable successor to him : ' Then,' ex- claimed Johnson, 'he is only fit to succeed himself.' " He advised me, if possible, to have a good orchard. He knew, he said, a clergyman of smali income, who brought up a family very reputably, which he chiefly fed with apple dumplings. ' " He said he had known several good scholars among the Irish gentlemen ; but scarcely any of them correct in quantity. He extended the same observation to Scotknd. " Speaking of a certain prelate *, who exerted himself very laudably in building churches and par- sonage houses ; ' however,' said he, ' I do not find that he is esteemed a man of much professional learning, or a liberal patron of it ; — yet, it is well where a man possesses any strong positive excellence. Few have all kinds of merit belonging to their !> Mr. Burke rame into parll.iment in 176.5. _ Cboker. 6 Sir Hugh Smithson, who, by his marriage with the d.iughter of Algernon, last Duke of Somerset, of that branch, became second Earl of Northumberland ol the new creation, was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland from 1703 to 17C5 ; he w.is created a duke in 176R. I suppose Johnson's phrase was meant as an lliljernicism, imitated from Theobald's cele- brated blunder, in the Hejj Baffowf, " None but himself can be his i)arallel ! " which, however, Warton discovered to be itself borrowed from Seneca's Hercules Furens — "Queris AlcidfE parem ? Nemo, nise ipse." i. 84. Croker. ? This seems strange. I suppose Dr. Maxwell, at the in- terval of so many years, did not perfectly recollect Dr. Johnson's statement.— Croker. " Probably Dr. Kichard Robinson, Archbishop of Armagh .nnd Primate of Ireland from 17G.'J to 1795. He was created Lord Rokeliy in 1777, with remainder to the issue of his cousin, Matthew Robinson, of West Layton. He built what is called Canterbury Gate, and the adjacent Quadrangle, in Christ Church, Oxford. — Croker. JE.T.6L BOSVVELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 221 character. We must not examine matters too deeply. No, Sir. ?i fallible being tvill fail iomtichere.' " Talking of the Irish clergy, he said, 'Swift was a man of great parts, and the instrument of much good to his country. Berkeley was a profound scholar, as well as a man of fine imagination ; but Usher,' he said, ' was the great luminary of the Irish church : and a greater,' he added, ' no church could boast of; at least in modern times.' " We dined tete-d-tele at the Rlitre, as I was pre- paring to return to Ireland, after an absence of many years. I regretted much leaving London, where I had formed many agieenble connections : ' Sir,' said he, ' 1 don't wonder at it : no man, fond of letters, leaves London without regret. But re- member. Sir, you have seen and enjoyed a great deal ; — you have seen life in its highest decorations, and the world has nothing new to exhibit. No man is so well qualified to leave public life as he who has long tried it and known it well. We are alivays hankering after untried situations, and imagining greater felicity from them than tliey can afford. No, Sir. knowledge and virtue may be acquired in all countries, and your local consequence will make you some amends for the intellectual gratifications you relinijuish.' Tlieii he quoted the following lines with great pathos : — " ' He "ho has early known the pomps of state, (For things unknown 't is ignorance to con- demn ;) And having view'd the gaudy bait. Can boldly say, the trifle I contemn ; With such a one contented could I live, Contented could I die.' '• He then took a most affecting leave of me ; said, he knew it was a jjoint of duty that called me away. — ' We shall all be sorry to lose you,' said he : ^laudo tamen.' " > Being desirous to trace these vcrsps to the fountain head, after having in vain turned over sevtr.il of our elder poets with the hope of lighting on them, I applied to Dr. Maxwell, now resident at Bath, for the purpose of ascertaining their author: but that gentleman could furnish no aid on this occasion. At length the lines have been discovered by the author's second son, Mr. James Boswell, in the London Magazine for July 1732, where they form part of a poem on Retirement, there published anonymously, but in fact (as he afterw.irds found) copied, with some sliglit variations, from one of Walsh's smaller poems, entitled " The Retirement ; " and they exhibit another proof of what has been elsewhere observed by the author of the work before us, that Johnson retained in his memory fragments of obscure or neglected poetry. In quoting verses of that description, he appears by a slight deviation to have sometimes given them a moral turn, and to have dexterously adapted them to his own sentiments, where the original had a very different tendency. Thus, in the present instance (as Mr. J. Boswell observes to me), "the author of the poem above mentioned exhibits himself as having retired to the country, to avoid the vain follies of a town life, — ambition, avarice, and the pursuit of pleasure, contrasted with the enjoyments of the country, and the delightful conversation that the brooks, &c. furnish ; which he holds to be infinitely more pleasing and instructive than any which towns afford. He is then led to consider the weakness of the human mind, and, after lamenting that he (the writer,) who is neither enslaved by avarice, ambition, or pleasure, has yet made himself a slave to love, he thus proceeds : — ' If this dire passion rvever will be gone. If beauty always must my heart enthral, O, rather let me be confined by one, Than madly thus become a slave to all : ' One who lias early known the pomp of state (For things ftfiknown 'tis ignorunce lo condemn). And, after having view'd the gaudy bait. Can coldly say, the trifle I contemn ; CHAPTER XXV. 1771. " Pamphlet on Falkland's Islands." — George Gren- ville. — Junius. — Design of bringing Johnson into Parliament. — Mr. Strahan. — Lord North. — Mr. Flood. — Bosweirs Marriage. — T'isit to Lichfield and Ashbourne. — Dr. Deattie. — Lord Monboddo St. Kilda.— Scots Church. — Second Sight. — The Thirty-vine Articles. — Thirtieth of January. — Royal Marriage Act. — Old Fa- milies. — Mimickry. — Footc. — Mr. Peyton. — Origin of Languages. — Irish and Gaelic. — Flogging at Schools. — Lord Mansfir'd. — Sir Gilbert Elliot. Ix 1771 he published another political pam- phlet, entitleti " Thoujihts on the late Trans- actionsrespecting Falkland's Islands," in which, upon materials furnished to him by ministry, and upon general tojjics, expanded in his rich style, he successfully endeavoured to persuade the nation that it was wise and laudable to suffer the question of right to remain un- decided, rather than involve our country in another w.ar. It has been suggested by some, with what truth I shall not take upon me to decide, that he rated the consequence of those islands to Great Britain too low. But however this may be, every humane mind must surely applaud the earnestness with which he averted the calamity of war : a calamity so dreadful, that it is astonishing how civilised, nay. Christian nations, can deliberately continue to renew it. His description of its miseries, in • In her blest arms contented could I live. Contented could I die. But O, my mind, Imaginary scenes of bliss deceive With hopes of joys impossible to find.' " Another instance of Johnson's retaining in his memory verses by obscure authors is given post, Aug. 27. 177.3. In the autumn of 1782, when he was at Brighthelmstone, he frequently accompanied Mr. Philip Metcalfe in his chaise, to take the air ; and the conversation in one of their excur- sions happening to turn on a celebrated historian, [no doubt Gibbon], since deceased, he repeated, with great pre- cision, some verses, as very characteristic of that gentleman. These furnish another proof of what has been above ob- served ; for they are found in a very obscure quarter, among some anonymous poems .nppended to the second volume of a collection frequently printed by I.intot, under tlie title of "I'ope's Miscellanies:" — " See how the wand'ring Danube flows, Bealms and religions parting ; A friend to all true christian foes. To Peter, Jack, and Martin; " Now Protestant, and Papist now, Not constant long to either, At length an infidel docs grow. And ends his journey neither. " Thus manv a vouth I 've known set out, Half Protestant, half Papist, And rambling long the world about. Turn infidel or atheist." In reciting these verses, I have no doul>t that Johnson sub- stituted some word for infidel [perhaps Mussulma?i'] in the second stanza, to avoid the disagreeable repetition of the same exjiression — Malone. 222 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1771. this pamphlet, is one of the finest pieces of eloquence in the English language. Upon this occasion, too, we find Johnson lashing the party in opposition with unbounded severity, and making the fullest use of what he ever reckoned a most effectual argumentative instrument, — contempt. His character of their very able mysterious champion, Junius, is executed with all the force of his genius, and finished with the highest care. He seems to have exulted in sallying forth to single combat against the boasted and formidable hero, who bade defiance to " principalities and powers, and the rulers of this world." ' This pamphlet, it is observable, was softened in one particular, after the first edition; for the conclusion of Mr. George Grenville's cha- racter stood thus : " Let him not, however, be depreciated in his grave. He had powers not universally possessed : could he have enforced payment cf the Manilla ransom, he coxild have counted it." Which, instead of retaining its sly sharp point, was reduced to a mere flat un- meaning expression, or, if I may use the word, — truism : " He had powers not universally pos- sessed : and if he sometimes erred, he was like- wise sometimes right." JOHNSON TO LANGTON. "March 20. 1771. " Dear Sir, — After much lingering of my own, and much of the ministry, I have, at length, got out my paper. But delay is not yet at an end. Not many had been dispersed, before Lord North ordered the sale to stop. His reasons I do not distinctly know. You may try to find them in the perusal. Before his order, a sufficient number were dispersed to do all the mischief, though, perhaps, not to make all the sport that might be expected from it. " Soon after your departure, I had the pleasure 1 He often (says Mrs. Piozzi) delighted his imagination with the thoughts of having destroyed Junius. One day I had received a remarkably fine Stilton cheese as a present from some person who had packed and directed it carefully, but without mentioning whence it came. Mr. Thrale, de- sirous to know who they were obliged to, asked every friend as they came in, but nobody owned it. " Depend upon it. Sir," says Johnson, "it v/ds sent by Junius." — Croker. - Prohably a canal, in which Mr. Langton was, and his family is, I believe, still interested. What the danger was is not now recollected. — Croker. 3 Mr. Langton married. May 24. 1770, Jane Lloyd, widow of John, eighth Earl of Rothes, who died in 1767. — Malone. It was, Mr. Chalmers told me, a saying about that time, " Married a Countess Dowager of Rothes ! Why, every body marries a Countess Dowager of liolhesi " And there were, in fact, about 1772, three ladies of that name married to second husbands. Mary Lloyd, married to Mr. Langton ; Jane Maitland, widow of John, ninth Earl of Rothes, married the Honourable P. Maitland, seventh son of the sixth Earl of Lauderdale ; and Lady Jane Leslie, Countess of Rothes, widow of John Raymond Evelyn, Esq., remarried to Sir Lucas Pepys.— Croker. 4 The Hermit of Warkworlh ; London, 1771, 4to.— P. Cl'NNtNGHAM. * Robert Nugent, an Irish gentleman, who married the sister and heiress of Secretary Craggs. He was created, in 17(J7, Baron Nugent and Viscount Clare, and in 1777, Earl Nugent. His only daughter married the first Marquis of Buckingham, on whose second son the title of Baron Nugent devolved. Lord Nugent wrote some odes and light pieces, which had some merit and a great vogue. He died in 1788. Goldsmith addressed to him his lively verses called " The Haunch of Venison." The characters exhibited in this piece of finding all the danger past with which your navigation was threatened.^ I hope nothing hap- pens at home to abate your satisfaction ; but that Lady Rothes ^ and Mrs. Langton and the young ladies, are all well. " I was last night at the Club. Dr. Percy has written a long ballad* in many jfits ; it is pretty enough. He has printed, and will soon publish it. Goldsmith is at Bath, with Lord Clare.* At Mr. Thrale's, where I am now writing, all are well. I am, dear Sir, your most humble servant, " Sam. Johnson."^ IVL". Strahan, the printer, who had been long in intimacy with Johnson, in the course of his literary labours, who was at once his friendly agent in receiving his pension for him, and his banker in supplying him with money when he wanted it ; who was himself now a member of parliament, and who loved much to be em- ployed in political negotiation; thought he should do eminent service, both to govern- ment and Johnson, if he could be the means of his getting a seat in the House of Commons. With this view, he wrote a letter to one of the Secretaries of the Treasury ^, of which he gave me a copy in his own handwriting, which is as follows : — MR. STRAHAN TO . "New Street, March 30. 1771. " Sir, — You will easily recollect, when I had the honour of waiting upon you some time ago, I took the liberty to observe to you, that Dr. Johnson would make an excellent figure in the House of Commons, and heartily wished he had a seat there. My reasons are briefly these : " I know his perfect good affection to his Ma- jesty and his government, which I am certain he wishes to support by every means in his power. "He possesses a great share of manly, nervous, and ready eloquence ; is quick in discerning the are very comic, and were no doubt drawn from nature ; but Goldsmith ought to have confessed that he had borrowed the idea and some of the details from Boileau.— Croker. 6 One evening. In the oratorio season of 1771, Mr. Johnson went with Mrs. Thrale to Covent Garden : and though he was for the most part an exceeding bad playhouse compa- nion, as his person drew people's eyes upon the box, and the loudness of his voice made it difficult to hear anybody but himself, he sat surprisingly quiet, and she flattered lierself that he was listening to the music. When they got home, however, he repeated these verses, which he said he had made at the oratorio ; — IN THEATRO. Tertii verso quater orbe lustri. Quid theatrales tibi, Crispe, pompae ! Quam decet cauos male litteratos Sera voluptas ! Tene mulceri fidibus canoris ? Tene cantorum raodulis stupere ? Tene per pictas, oculo elegante, Currere formas ? Inter equales, sine felle liber. Codices, veri studiosus, inter, Rectius vives : sua quisque carpat Gaudia gratus. Lusibus gaudet puer otiosis, Luxus oblectat juvenem theatri. At seni, fluxo sapienter uti Tempore restat.— Crokeb. 7 The secretaries of the Treasury, at this time, were Sir Grey Cooper and James West, Esq. — Croker. JEt. 62. BOS\VELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. strengtli and weakness of an argument ; can express himself with clearness and precision, and fears the face of no man alive. " Ills known character, as a man of extraordinary sense and unimpeached virtue, would secure him tlie attention of the House, and could not fail to give him a proper weight there. •' He is capable of the greatest application, and cm undergo any degree of labour, where he sees it necessary, and where his heart and artections are strongly engaged. His Majesty's ministers might therefore securely depend on his doing, upon every proper occasion, the utmost that could be expected from him. They would find him ready to vindi- cate such measures as tended to promote the stability of government, and resolute and steady in carrying them into execution. Nor is any thing to be apprehended from the supposed impetuosity of his temper. To the friends of the king you will find him a lamb, to his enemies a lion. " For these reasons I humbly apprehend that he would be a very able and useful member. And I "ill venture to say, the employment would not be disagreeable to him ; and knowing, as I do, his strong atfection to the king, his ability to serve him in that capacity, and the extreme ardour with which I am convinced he would engage in that SCI vice, I must repeat, that I wish most heartily to see him in the House. " !f you think this worthy of attention, you will he pleased to take a convenient opportunity of mentioning it to Lord North. If his lordship should happily approve of it, I shall have the satistaction of having been, in some degree, the humble instrument of doing my country, in my opinion, a very essential service. I know your good-nature, and your zeal for the public welfare, will plead my excuse for giving you this trouble. I am, with the greatest respect. Sir, your most obedient and humble servant, " William Strahan." This recommendation, we know, was not efTectual ; but how, or for what reason, can only be conjectured.' It is not to be believed that j\Ir. Strahan would have applied, unless Johnson had appi-oved of it. I never heard him mention the subject; but at a later period f)f his life, when Sir Joshua Reynolds told him that Mr. Edmund Burke had said, that if he had come early into parliament, he certainly would have been the greatest speaker that ever was there, Johnson exclaimed, " I should like to try my hand now." It has been much agitated among his friends and others, whether he would have been a powerful speaker in parliiunent, had he been brought in when advanced in life. I am in- clined to think that his extensive knowledge, j his quickness and force of mind, his vivacity I and richness of expression, his wit and humour, i and above all, his jioignancy of sarcasm, would have had a great elfect in a popular assembly ; and that the magnitude of his figure, and striking peculiarity of his manner, Avould have aided the effect. But I remember it was ob- served by Mr. Flood, that Johnson, having been long used to sententious brevity, and the short flights of conversation, might have lixiled in that continued and expanded kind of argu- ment, which is requisite in stating complicated matters in public speaking ; and, as a proof of this, he mentioned the supposed speeches in parliament written by him for the magazine, j none of which, in his opinion, were at all like real debates. The opinion of one who was himself so eminent an orator, must be allowed to have great weight. It was confirmed by Sir William Scott [Lord Stowell], who men- tioned, that Johnson had told him that he had several times tried to speak in the Society of Arts and Sciences, but " had found he could not get on." ^ From Mr. William Gerard Hamil- ton I have heard, that Johnson, when observing to him that It was prudent for a man who had not been accustomed to speak In public, to begin his speech In as simple a manYier as pos- sible, acknowledged that he rose in that society to deliver a speech which he had prepared ; " but," said he, " all my flowers of oratory for- sook me." I however cannot help wishing, that he had "tried his hand" in Parliament; and I wonder that ministry did not make the experiment. I at length renewed a correspondence which had been too long discontinued : — BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. "Edinburgh, April 18. 1771. My dear Sir, — I can now fully understand those intervals of silence in your correspondence with me, which have often given me anxiety and uneasiness ; for although I am conscious that my veneration and love for Mr. Johnson have never in 1 Hawkins tells us that Mr. Thr.ile made a like attempt. " Mr. Thrale, a man of slow conceptions, but of a sound juili-'raent, entertained a design of bringing Johnson into parliament. We must suppose that he had previously de- termined to furnish him with a legal qualification, and John- sou, it is certain, was willing to accept the trust. Mr. Thrale had two meetings with the minister, who, at first, seemed inclined to find him a seat ; but, whether upon con- versation he doubted his fitness for his purpose, or that he thought himself in no need of his assistance, the project failed. Johnson was a little soured at this disappointment : he spoke of Lord North in terms of severity." Lord Stowell told me, that it was understood amongst Johnson's friends that " Lord North was afraid that John- son's help (as he himself said of Lord Chesterfield's) mipht have been sometimes e?nbarrassmg." " He perhaps thought, and not unreasonably," added Lord Stowell, •' that, like the elephant in the battle, he was quite as likely to trample down his friends as his foes." This, and perhaps some dissatis- faction with Lord North, concerning the Falkland Islands pamphlet, may, as Hawkins suggests, have given Johnson that dislike that he certainly felt towards Lord North. — Croker. - Dr. Kippis, however, (.Bio/;. Brit. art. "J. Gilbert Cooper," p. 266. n. new edit.) says, that he " once heard Dr. Johnson speak in the Society of Arts and Manufactures, upon a subject relative to mechanics, with a propriety, per- spicuity, and energj", which excited general admiration." — Malone. I cannot give credit to Dr. Kippis's account against Johnson's own statement, vouched by Lord Stowell and Mr. Hamilton ; but even if we could, one speech in the Society of Arts was no test of what Johnson miglit have been able to do in parliament ; and it may he suspected that, at the age of sixty-two, he, with all his talents, would have failed to acquire that peculiar tact and dexterity, without which even great abilities do not succeed in that very fastidious assem- bly.— Croker. 22-i BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1771. the least abated, yet I have deferred for almost a year and a half to write to him." In the subsequent part of this letter, I gave him an account of my comfortable life as a married man ' and a lawyer in practice at the Scotch bar ; invited him to Scotland, and pro- mised to attend him to the Highlands and Hebrides. JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. "London, June 20. 1771. "Dear Sir, — If you are now able to com- prehend that I might neglect to write without diminution of affection, you have taught me, like- wise, how that neglect may be uneasily felt without resentment. I wished for your letter a long time, and when it came, it amply recompensed the delay. I never was so much pleased as now with your account of yourself; and sincerely ho)3e, that between public business, improving studies, and domestic pleasures, neither melancholy nor caprice will find any place for entrance. Whatever philosophy may determine of material nature, it is certainly true of intellectual nature, that it abhors a vacuinn : our minds cannot be empty ; and evil will break in upon them, if they are not pre-occu- pied by good. ]\Iy dear Sir, mind your studies, mind your business, make your lady happy, and be a good Christian. After this, -tristittam et nietus ' Trades protervis in. mare Creticum ' Pertare ventis.' - " If we perform our duty, we shall be safe and steady, ' She per,' &c. whether we climb the High- lands, or are tossed among the Hebrides ; and I hope the time may come when we may try our powers both with cliffs and water. I see but little of Lord Elibank ', I know not why ; perhaps by my own fault. I am this day going into Stafford- shire and Derbyshire for six weeks.* I am, dear Sir, your most affectionate and most humble servant, Sam. Johnson." [JOHNSON TO MRS. THRALE. ( Extract.) "Lichfield, June 22. 1771. « Last night I came safe to Lichfield ; this day I was visited by Mrs. Cobb. This afternoon I went to Mrs. Ashton, wliere I found Miss T[urton], and waited on her home. IMiss T[urton] wears spectacles, and can hardly climb tlie stiles. I was not tired at all, either last night or to-day. 1 Mr. Boswell had married, in November, 17C9, Miss Margaret Montgomerie, of the family of the Montgoraeries of Lainshawe, who were baronets, and claimed the peerage of Lyle. Dr. Johnson savs of this lady to Mrs. Thrale, in a letter from Auchinleck, August 23. 1773 : — " Mrs. B. has the mien and manner of a gentlewoman, and such a person and mind as would not in any place either be admired or con- demned. She is in a proper degree inferior to her husband : she cannot rival him. nor tan he ever be ashamed of her." — Croker. 2 " All grief and care Give to the wanton winds to bear Far to the Cretan sea."— Hor. 1. 26 Croker. 3 Patrick Murray, fifth Lord Klil)ank. He had been in the army, and served as a colonel in the expedition against Miss Porter is very kind to me. Her dog and cats are all well. " .\shbourne, July 3. 1771. " Last Saturday I came to Ashbourne — Ash- bourne in the Peak. Let not the barren name of the Peak terrify you ; I have never wanted straw- berries and cream. The great bull has no disease but age. I hope in time to be like the great bull," " Ashbourne, July 7. 1771. " Poor Dr. Taylor is ill, and under my govern- ment : you know that the art of government is learned by obedience ; I hope I can govern very tolerably. The old rheumatism is come again into my face and mouth, but nothing yet to the lum- bago ; however, having so long thought it gone, I do not like its return. Miss Porter was much phased to be mentioned in your letter, and is sure that I have spoken better of her than slie deserved. Slie holds that both Frank and his master are much improved. The master, she says, is not half so loiiiiping and untidy as he was ; there was no such thing last year as getting him off his chair." " Ashbourne, July 8. 1771. " Dr. Taylor is better, and is gone out in the chaise. IMy rheumatism is better too. I would have been glad to go to Hagley, in compliance with ]\Ir. Lyttelton's* kind invitation, for, beside the pleasure of his company, I should have had the opportunity of recollecting past times, and wander- ing per monies notos ^ et flumina nota, of recalling the images of sixteen, and reviewing my conver- sations with poor Ford.' But this year will not bring this gratification within my power. I pro- mised Taylor a month. Every thing is done here to jjlease me ; and his health is a strong reason against desertion."] JOHNSON TO REYNOLDS, In Leicester Fields, " Ashbourne, July 17. 1771. " Dear Sir, — When I came to Lichfield, I found tiiat my portrait' had been much visited, and much admired. Every man has a lurking wish to appear considerable in his native place ; and I was pleased with the dignity conferred by such a testimony of your regard. " Be pleased, therefore to accept the thanks of, Sir, your most obliged, and most humble servant, " Sam. Johnson. " Compliments to Miss Reynolds." BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. "Edinburgh, July 27. 1771. " My dear Sir, — The bearer of this, Mr. Beattie, professor of moral philosophy at Aberdeen, Carthagena in 1740. He was a man of wit and talents, and wrote some tracts relative to the statistics and history of Scotland. He died in 1778, a?t. 75.— Croker. * I have here extracted as usual some account of his summer excur.^i(m tnim the letters to Mrs. 'I'hrale. ^ The uncle of Lord Ljttelton, who lived near H.igley. — Croker. 6 Thus in Mrs. Piozzi's hook.— Crokkr. ' Cornelius Ford, son of Dr. Joseph Ford, her eldest uncle. -J. M. " The second portrait of Jolinson, painted by Sir Joshua Keyniilds ; with iiis arms raised and his hands bent. It was at this time, it is believed, in the possession of Miss Lucy Porter.— Malone. It is now the property of the Duke of Sutherland Crokek. Mt. 62. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 225 is desirous of being introduced to your acquaintance. His genius and learning, and labours in the service of virtue and religion, render him very worthy of it ; and as he has a high esteem of your character, I hope you will give him a favourable reception. 1 ever am, &c., James Bosvvei.l." [JOHNSON TO MRS. THRALE. (Extract.) " Lichfield, Saturday, Aug. 3. 1771. " Having stayed my month with Taylor, I came away on Wednesday, leaving him, I think, in a disposition of mind not very uncommon, at once weary of my stay, and grieved at my departure. My purpose was to have made haste to you and Streatham ; and who would have expected tliat I should have been stopped by Lucy ? Hearing me give Francis orders to take our places, she told me that I should not go till after next week. I thought proper to comply ; for I was pleased to find that I L'ould please, and proud of showing you that I do not come an universal outcast. Lucy is likewise a very peremptory maiden ; and if I had gone with- out permission, I am not very sure that I might have been welcome at another time."] JOHNSON TO LANGTON, At Langton. "August 29. 1771. ' Dear Sir, — I am lately returned from Staf- fordshire and Derbyshire. The last letter mentions two others which you have written to me since you received my pamphlet. O these two I never had but one, in which you mentioned a design of visiting Scotland, and, in consequence, put my journey to Langton out of my thoughts. My summer wanderings are now over, and I am en- gajring in a very great work, the revision of my Dictionary ; from which I know not, at present, liow to get loose. If you have observed, or been told, any errors or omissions, you will do me a great favour by letting me know them. '■ Lady Ilotlies, I find, has disappointed you and herself. Ladies will have these tricks. Tlie Queen and Mrs. Thrale, both ladies of experience, yet both missed their reckoning this summer. I hope, a few months will recompense your uneasiness. " Please to tell Lady Rothes how highly I value the honour of her invitation, which it is my pur- pose to obey as soon as I have disengaged myself. I a the mean time I shall hope to hear often of her ladyship, and every day better news and better, till I hear that you have both the happiness, which to both is very sincerely wished, by, Sir, your most I affectionate and most humble servant, " Sam. Johnson." In October, 1771, John Bell, Esq. of Hertfordshire, a itleman with whom he had maintained a long and strict friendship, had the misfortune to lose his wife, and wished Jolmson, from the outlines of her character, which he should give him, and his own knowledge of her worth, to compose a monumental inscription for her: he returned the husband tlianks for the confidence he placed in him, and .acquitted himself of the task in a fine eulogium, now to be seen in the l)arish church of Watford in Hertfordshire Hawkins. See post, 240. — Choker. -On Hogarth, for his tomb in Chiswick Churchyard. This answers Mrs. Piozzi's question (ante, p. 42. n. G. ) why Garrick's epitaph on Hogarth was preferred to John- son's. Johnson's stanzas (Mrs. Piozzi gives but one) were, it seems, only an alteration, and not always, I think, an im- In October I again wrote to him, thanking him for his last letter, and his obliging recep- tion of Mr. Beattie ; informing him that I had been at Alnwick lately, and had good accounts of him from Dr. Percy.' [JOHNSON TO GARRICK. "Streatham, Dec. 12. 1771. " Dear Sir, — I havethought upon your epitaph', but without much effect. An epitaph is no easy thing. " Of your three stanzas, the third is utterly un- worthy of you. The first and third together give no discriminative character. If the first alone were to stand, Hogarth would not be distinguished from any other man of intellectual eminence. Suppose you worked upon something like this: " The Hand of Art here torpid lies That traced the essential form of Grace : Here Death has closed tiie curious eyes That saw the manners in the face. " If Genius warm thee. Reader, stay. If Merit touch thee, shed a tear ; Be Vice and Dulness far away ! Great Hogarth's honour'd dust is here." " In your second stanza, pictured morals is a beautiful expression, which I would wish t« retain ; but learn and mourn cannot stand for rhymes. Art ajid nature have been seen together too often. In the first stanza is feeling, In the second /eeZ. Feel- ing for tenderness or sensibilitg is a word merely colloquial, of late introduction, not yet sure enough of its own existence to claim a place upon a stone. If thou hast neither, is quite prose, and prose of the familiar kind. Thus easy is it to find faults, but it is hard to make an Epitaph. " When you have reviewed it, let me see it again : you are welcome to any help that I can give, on condition that you make my compliments to Mrs. Garrick. I am, dear Sir, your most, &c., — MS. "Sam. Johnson."] In his religious record of this year we ob- serve that he was better than usual, both in body and mind, and better satisfied with the regularity of his conduct. But he is still " trying his ways " too rigorously. He charges himself with not rising early enough ; yet he mentions what was surely a sufficient excuse for this, supposing it to be a duty seriously re- quired, as he all his life appears to have thought it: — "One great hindrance is want of rest; my nocturnal complaints grow less trouble- provement, of Garrick's, — who, however, took Johnson's advice in suppressing an introductory stanza, and certainl* adopted some others of his suggestions. The epitaph finally appeared in Chiswick Church in this shape : — Farewell, great painter of mankind. Who reached the noblest point of art ; Whose pictured morals charm the mind, And through the eye correct the heart. If genius fire thee, Reader, stay; If nature touch thee, drop a tear ; If neither move thee, turn away. For Hogarth's honoured dust lies here t Crokrr. 226 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1772. some towards morning ; and I am tempted to repair the deficiencies of the night." [Pr. and Med. p. 104.] Alas! how hard would it be, if this indulgence were to be imputed to a sick man as a crime. In his retrospect on the fol- lowing Easter-eve, he says, " When I review the last year, I am able to recollect so little done, that shame and sorrow, though perhaps too weakly, come upon me." [p. 109.] Had he been judging of any one else in the same circumstances, how clear would he have been on the favourable side. How very difficult, and in my opinion almost constitutionally im- possible, it was for him to be raised early, even by the strongest resolutions, appears from a note in one of his little paper-books (contain- ing words arranged for his Dictionary), written, I suppose, about 1753 : — " I do not remember that, since I left Oxford, I ever rose early by mere choice, but once or twice He was one of his executors. The large space which (thanks to Mr. Boswell) Dr. Johnson occupies in our esti- mate of the society of his day, makes it surprising that he should never have been in company with Lord Mansfield ; but Boswell was disposed to overrate the extent and rank of Johnson's acquaintance. It is proper here to correct an error relative to Lord Mansfield and Dr. Johnson, which has found its way into print. In Miss Hawkins's Memoirs, vol. ii. p. 218., she gives the following anecdote, on the authority of her brother, who states that, " calling upon Dr. Johnson shortly ajter the death nj Lord Mansjield, and mentioning the degree of it. But, Sir, there can be no doubt that they may attain to a perfect English pro- nunciation, if they will. We find how near they come to it ; and certainly, a man who conquers nineteen parts of the Scottish accent, may conquer the twentieth. But, Sir, when a man has got the better of nine tenths he grows weary, he relaxes his diligence, he finds he has corrected his accent so far as not to be dis- agreeable, and he no longer desires his friends to tell him when he is wrong ; nor does he choose to be told. Sir, when people watch me narrowly, and I do not watch myself, they will find me out to be of a particular county. In the same manner. Dunning^ may be found out to be a Devonshire man. So most Scotchmen may be found out. But, Sir, little aberrations are of no disadvantage. I never catched Mallet in a Scotch accent ; and yet Mallet, I suppose, was past five-and-twenty before he came to London." Upon another occasion I talked to him on this subject, having myself taken some pains to improve my pronunciation, by the aid of the late Mr. Love ■*, of Drury Lane theatre, when he was a player at Edinburgh, and also of old Mr. Sheridan. Johnson said to me, " Sir, your pronunciation is not oSensive." With this concession I was pretty well satisfied ; and let me give my countrymen of North Britain an advice not to aim at absolute perfection in this respect ; not to speak High English, as we are apt to call what is far removed from the Scotch, but which is by no means good English, and makes "the fools who use it" truly ridi- culous. Good English is plain, easy, and smooth in the mouth of an unafiected English gentleman. A studied and factitious pronuncia- tion, which requires perpetual attention, and imposes perpetual constraint, is exceedingly disgusting. A small intermixture of provincial peculiarities may, perhaps, have an agreeable effijct, as the notes of different birds concur in the harmony of the grove, and please more than if they were all exactly alike. I could name some gentlemen of Ireland ^, to whom a slight proportion of the accent and recitative of that country is an advantage. The same observation will apply to the gentlemen of event, Johnson answered, ' Ah, sir; there was little learning, and less virtue.' " It happens, unluckily for the accuracy of this .inecdote, that Lord Mansfield survived Dr. Johnson above eightyears — Croker. 2 The general tone of society is probably improved in this respect, and there is certainly a marked amendment in forensic manners since the times Sir Alexander Macdonald alluded to Croker. 2 John Dunning, born in 1731, one of the most successful lawyers of his time, and an active politician. He attached himself to Lord Shelburn, .ind was created Lord Ashburton during his short administration. He died in 17S3 Croker. •• Love was an assumed name. He was the son of Mr. Dance, the architect. He resided many years at Edinburgh as manager of the theatre ; he removed, in 1762. to Drury L.ine, and died in 1771. He wrote some theatrical pieces of no reputation. — Cboker. 5 Mr. Boswell probably included, in this observation, Mr. Burke ; who, to the last, retained more of the Irish accent than was agreeable ts English ears. — Croker. ^T.63. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 233 Scotland. I do not mean that we should speak as broad as a certain prosperous member of par- liament from that country ' ; though it has been well observed, that " it has been of no small use to him, as it rouses the attention of the House by its uncommonness; and is etpial to tropes and figures in a good English speaker." I would give as an instance of what I mean to recommend to my country- men, the pronunciation of the late Sir Gilbert Elliot^; and may I presume to add that of the present Earl of Marchmont ^, wlio told me with great good humour, that the master of a shop in London, where he was not known, said to him, " I suppose, Sir, you are an American." " Why so. Sir ? " said his Lord- ship. " Because, Sir," replied the shopkeeper, "you speak neither English nor Sc(jtch, but something dilFerent from both, which I con- clude is the language of America." BoswELi.. " It may be of use. Sir, to have a Dictionary to ascertain the pronunciation." Johnson. "A\Tiy, Sir, my Dictionary shows you the accent of words, if you can but re- member them." BoswELL. "But, Sir, we want marks to ascertain the pronunciation of the vowels. Sheridan, I believe, has finished such a work." Johnson. " AVhy, Sir, consider how much easier it is to learn a language by the ear, than by any marks. Sheridan's Dictionary may do very well ; but you cannot always carry it about with you : and, when you want the word, you have not the Dic- tionary. It is like a man who has a sword that will not draw. It is an admirable sword, to be sure : but while your enemy is cutting your throat, you are unable to use it. Be- sides, Sir, what entitles Sheridan to fi.x the pronunciation of English ? lie has, in the first place, the disadvantage of being an Irishman ; and if he says he will fix it after the example of the best company, why, they difler among themselves. I remember an in- stance : when I published the plan for my Dictionary, Lord Chesterfield told me that the word great should be ])ronounced so as to rhyme to state ; and Sir William Yonge * sent me word that it should be pronounced so as to rhyme to seat, and that none but an Irishman would pronounce it grait. Now, here were two men of the highest rank, the one the best speaker in the House of Lords, ' Mr. Dundas, successively Lord Advocate, Secretary of State, First Lord of the Admiralty, and Viscount Melville, whose accent and many of whose phrases were to the last peculiarly national. See post, sub Sept. 29. 1777 Croker. « The third Baronet, father of the first Lord MInto ; a gentleman of distinction in the political, and not unknown in the poetical, world : he died in 1777 Is it not, however, rather Hibernian to recommend as a model of pronunciation one who is already dead — ignotum per ignotiusf — Choker. Sir Gilbert Elliot wrote the beautiful pastoral ballad quoted in the notes to the Lay of the Last Minstrel, " My sheep I neglected," &c. — Lockh.^rt. 3 Hugh, fourth Earl of Marchmont, the friend and exe- cutor of Pope ; born in 170H. died in 171)4. — Ckokkr. < Sir William Yonge, Secretary at War in Sir Robert the other the best speaker in the House of Commons, difiering entirely." I again visited him at night. Finding him in a very good humour, I ventured to lead him to the subject of our situation in a future state, having much curiosity to know his notions on that point. Johnson. "AVliy, Sir, the happiness of an unembodied spirit will consist in a consciousne^'S()f the favour of God, in the contemplation of truth, and in the pos- session of felicitating ideas." BoswELL. "But, Sir, is there any harm in our ibrming to our- selves conjectures as to the j)articulars of our happiness, though the Scripture has said but very little on the subject ? ' We know not what we shall be.'" Johnson. " Sir, there is wo harm. AVhat philosophy suggests to us on this topic is probable : what Scripture tells us is certain. Dr. Henry JNIcfre* has carried it as far as philosophy can. You may buy both his theological and philosophical works, in two volumes folio, for about eight shillings." Bos- well. " One of the most jyleasing thoughts i.-^, that we shall see our friends again." •* Johnson. " Yes, Sir ; but you must consider, that when we are become purely rational, many of our friendships Avill be cut ofl". Many friendships are formed by a community of sensual pleasures : all these will be cut off. AVe form many friendships with bad men, be- cause they have agreeable qualities, and they can be useful to us ; but, after death, they can no longer be of use to us. We form many friendships by mistake, imagining people to be diSerent from what they really are. After death, we shall see every one in a true light. Then, Sir, they talk of our meeting our rela- tions ; but then all relationship is dissolved ; and we shall have no regard lor one person more than another, but for their real value. However, we shall either have the satisfaction of meeting our friends, or be satisfied without meeting them." Boswell. " Yet, Sir, we see in Scripture, that Dives still retained an an- .\ious concern about his brethren." Johnson. "AVhy, Sir, we must either suppose that passage to be metaphorical, or hold, with many divines and all the Turgatorians, that departed souls do not all at once arrive at the utmost perfection of which they are capa])le." BoswELL. " I think. Sir, that is a very rational supposition." Johnson. " Why yes, Sir ; but Walpole's administration, .ind therefore very odious to Pope, who makes frequent depreciating allusions to him. He died in 175.T. — The pronunciation is now settled beyond question in Lord Chesterfield's way Croker. 5 Called the Platonist, on account of his voluminous efforts to blend the Platonic philosophy with Christianity. He, Van Helmont, and Valentine Greatrakes, all mystics m their si'veral professions, were patronised by Anne Finch, Lidy Conway, (herself a mystic,) and all resided for some time in her house at Ragley, where there is a portrait of Van Hel- mont, and where were found, by Horace Walpole, several letters of Dr. More. — Croker. 6 Bishop Hall, in his Epistle, "discoursing of the different degrees of heavenly glory, and of our mutual knowledge of each other above," holds the affirmative on both these ques- tions. — Malo.se. 234 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1772. we do not know it is a true one. There is no harm in believing it: but you must not compel others to make it an article of flxith ; for it is not revealed." Boswell. " Do you think, Sir, it is wrong in a man who holds the doc- trine of Purgatory, to pray for the souls of his deceased friends." Johnson. " Why no. Sir." Boswell. "I have been told, that in the liturgy of the episcopal church of Scotland, there was a form of prayer for the dead." Johnson. " Sir, it is not in the liturgy which Laud framed for the episcopal church of Scot- land : if there is a liturgy older than that, I should be glad to see it." Boswell. " As to our employment in a future state, the sacred writings say little. The Revelation, however, of St. John gives us many ideas, and parti- cularly mentions music." Johnson. " Why, Sir, ideas must be given you by means of something which you know : and as to music, there are some philosophers and divines who have maintained, that we shall not be spiri- tualised to such a degree, but that something of matter, very much refined, will remain. In that case, music may make a part of our future felicity." Boswell. " I do not know whether there are any well-attested stories of the appearance of ghosts. You know there is a famous story of the appearance of Mrs. Veal, prefixed to 'Drelincourt on Death.'" Johnson. "I believe. Sir, that is given up.' I believe the woman declared upon her death-bed that it was a lie." Boswell. " This objection is made against the truth of ghosts appearing : that if they are in a state of happiness, it would be a punishment to them to return to this world ; and if they are in a state of misery, it would be giving them a respite." Johnson. " Why, Sir, as the happiness or misery of embodied^ spirits does not depend upon place, but is intellectual, we cannot say that they are less happy or less miserable by appearing upon earth." We v/ent down between twelve and one to Mrs. Williams's room, and drank tea. I men- tioned that we were to have the Remains of Mr. Gray, in prose and verse, published by Mr. Mason. Johnson. " I think we have had enough of Gray. I see they have published a splendid edition of Akenside's works. One bad ode may be suffered ; but a number of them together makes one sick." Boswell. "Akenside's distinguished poem is his 'Plea- sures of Imagination ; ' but for my part, I never could admire it so much as most people do." Johnson. " Sir, I could not read it through." Boswell. " I have read it through ; but I did not find any great power in it." I mentioned Elwal, the heretic, whose trial ^ Sir John Pringle had given me to read. John- > Tliis fiction is known to have been invented by Daniel Defoe, and was added to tlio second edition of the English translation of Drelincourt's work (which was origin.iUy written in French), to make it sell. The first edition had it not. — Malone. SON. " Sir, Mr. Elwal was, I think, an iron- monger at Wolverhampton ; and he had a mind to make himself famous, by being the founder of a new sect, which he wished much should be called Elwallians. He held, that every thing in the Old Testament that was not typical, was to be of perpetual observance; and so he wore a riband in the plaits of his coat, and he also wore a beard. I remember I had the honour of dining in company with Mr. Elwal. There was one Barter, a miller, who wrote against him ; and you had the con- troversy between Mr. Elwal and Mr. Barter. To try to make himself distinguished, he wrote a letter to King George the Second, challeng- ing him to dispute with him, in which he said, ' George, if you be afraid to come by yourself, to dispute with a poor old man, you may bring a thousand of your iZac^-guards with you ; and if you shoidd still be afraid, you may bring a thousand of your red guards.' The letter had something of the impudence of Junius to our present King. But the men of Wolver- hampton were not so inflammable as the com- mon council of London ; so Mr. Elwal failed in his scheme of making himself a man of great consequence." On Tuesday, March 3L, he and I dined at General Paoli's. A question was started, whether the state of marriage was natural to man. Johnson. " Sir, it is so far from being natural for a man and woman to live in a state of marriage, that we find all the motives which they have for remaining in that connection, and the restraints which civilised society im- poses to prevent separation, are hardly suffi- cient to keep them together." The General said, that in a state of nature a man and woman uniting together would form a strong and constant atfection, by the mutual pleasure each would receive ; and that the same causes of dissension would not arise between them, as occur between husband and wife in a civil- ised state. Johnson. " Sir, they would have dissensions enough, though of another kind. One would choose to go a hunting in this wood, the other in that ; one would choose to go a fishing in this lake, the other in that ; or, per- haps, one would choose to go a hunting, when the other would choose to go a fishing ; and so they would part. Besides, Sir, a savage man and a savage woman meet by chance : and when the man sees another woman that pleases him better, he will leave the first." We then fell into a disquisition, whether there is any beauty independent of utility. The General maintained there was not. Dr. Johnson maintained that there was ; and he ] instanced a coffee cup which he held in his ' hand, the painting of which was of no real use, 2 Shonld not this be " disembodied " ? — Croker. 3 " The Triumph of Truth ; being .an Accotmt of the Trial of E. Elwal for Heresy and Blasphemy, 8vo. Lond." This is rather the rambling declamation of an enthusiast, than the account of a trial Cuokek. jEi. 63. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 235 ' as the cup would hold the coffee equally well ' if plain ; yet the painting was beautiful. We talked of the strange custom of swearing in conversation. The General said, that all I barbarous nations swore from a certain violence I of temper, that could not be confined to earth, i but was always reaching at the powers above. ' He said, too, that there was greater variety of I swearing, in proportion as there was a greater I variety of religious ceremonies. j Dr. Johnson went home with me to my lodgings in Conduit Street and drank tea, pre- vious to our going to the Pantheon, which neither of us had seen before. He said, " Goldsmith's Life of Parnell is poor ; not that it is poorly written, but that he had poor materials ; for nobody can write the life of a man, but those who have eat and drunk and lived in social intercourse with him." I said, that if it was not troublesome and presuming too much, I would request him to toll me all the little circumstances of his life ; what schools he attended, when he came to Oxford, when he came to London, &c. &c. lie did not disapprove of my curiosity as to tliise particulars ; but said, "They'll come out 1 'v degrees, as we talk together." ' He censured Ruffhoad's Life of Pope " ; and said, " he knew nothing of Pope, and nothing of poetry." He praised Dr. Joseph Warton's Essay on Pope ; but said, " ho supposed we should have no more of it, as the author had not been able to persuade the world to think of Pope as he did." Boswell. "Whj^ Sir, should that prevent him from continiung his work ? He is an ingenious counsel, who has made the most of his cause : he is not obliged to gain it." Johnson. " But, Sir, there is a difference, when the cause is of a man's own making." We talked of the proper use of riches. Johnson. " If I were a man of a great estate, I would drive all the rascals whom I did not like out of the county, at an election." I asked him, how far he thought wealth should be employed in hospitality. Johnson. ot .luiy, 1773, I happened to allude to his future biographer, ' And who will be my biographer,' said he, ' do you think ? ' ' Goldsmith, no doubt,' replied I, 'and he will do it the best among us.' — ' The dog would write it best, to be sure,' replied he ; ' but his particular malice towards me, and general disregard lor truth, would make the book useless to all, and injurious to my char.-icter.' — ' Oh ! as to that," said I, ' we should all fasten upon him, and force him to do you justice ; but tlie worst is, the Doctor does not know your life ; nor can I tell, indeed, who does, except Dr. Taylor of Ashbourne." — ' Why, Taylor,' said he, ' is better acquainted with my heart than any man or woman now alive ; and the history of my Oxford exploits lies all between him and Adams ; but Dr: James knows my very early days better than he. After my coming to London to drive the world about a little, you must all go to Jack Hawkesworth for anecdotes : I lived in great familiarity with him (though I think there was not much affection) from the year 1753 till the time Mr. Thrale and you took me up. I intend, however, to disappoint the rogues, and either make you w^rite the Life, with Taylor's intelligence ; or, which is better, do it myself, after outliving you all. I am now,' " You are to consider that ancient hospitality, of which we hear .so much, was in an uncom- mercial country, when men, being idle, were glad to be entertained at rich men's tables. But in a commercial country, a busy country, time becomes precious, and therefore hospitality is not so nmch valued. No doubt there is still room for a certain degree of it ; and a man has a satisfaction in seeing his friends eating and drinking around him. But promis.^uous hos- pitality is not the way to gain real influence. You must help some people at table before others ; you must ask some people how they like their wine ottener than others. You there- fore offend more people than you please. You ai'e like the French statesman^, who said, when he granted a fiivour, '■ J'aifait dix mecontents et un ingrat.' Besides, Sir, being entertained ever so well at a man's table, impresses no lasting regard or esteem. No, Sir, the way to make sure of power and intiuence is, by lending money confidentially to your neighbours at a small interest, or perhaps at no interest at all, and having their bonds in your possession." BoswELL. " May not a man, Sir, employ his riches to advantage, in educating young men of merit ?" Johnson. " Yes, Sir, 'if they fall in your way ; but if it be understood that you patronise young men of merit, you will be harassed with solicitations. You will have numbers forced upon you, who have no merit ; some will force them upon you from mistaken partiality ; and some from downright interested motives, without scruple ; and you will be dis- graced." " Were I a rich man, I would propagate all kinds of trees that will grow in the open air. A greenhouse is childish. I would introduce foreign animals into the country ; for instance, the rein-deer." "'^ The conversation now turned on critical subjects. Johnson. " Bayes, in ' The Re- hearsal,' is a mighty silly character. If it was intended to be like a particular man, it could only be diverting while that man was remem- bered. But I question whether it was meant for Dryden, as has been reported ; for we .iddcd he, ' keeping a diary, in hopes of using it for that pur- pose some time.' " I suspect that there is here a good deal of error ; the allusion to Oxford exploits (as well as the story of the shoes, anti, p. 18.) seems inconsistent with the evidence of the books of Pembroke and Christ Church Colleges, that John- son had left Oxford before Taylor came thither. There is also manifest inconsistency in the reference to Hawkes- worth for his carit/ London life, with the statement, that their intimacy began in 1753, when Johnson had been already sixteen years in London Choker. - Owen Ruff head was born in 1723, and died in I7C9 ; in which year his " Life of Pope " was published. The ma- terials were supplied by Dr. Warburton, who corrected the proof sheets Wright. •1 This project has since been realised. Sir Henry Liddel, who made a spirited tour into Lapland, brought two rein- deer to his estate in Northumberland, where they bred ; but the race has unfortunately perished. — Boswell. 2S6 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1772. know some of the passages said to be ridiculed were written since the Rehearsal : at least a passa£;e mentioned in the Preface is of a later date." ' I maintained that it had mei-it as a general satire on the self-importance of dra- matic authors. But even in this light he held it very cheap. j AVe then walked to the Pantheon. The first view of it did not strike us so much as Rane- lagh ^, of which he said, the coup (Tail was the finest thing he had ever seen." The truth is, [ Ranelagh is of a more beautiful form ; more of j it, or rather indeed the whole rotunda, appears at once, and it is better lighted. However, as Johnson observed, we saw the Pantheon in time of mourning, when there was a dull uni- formity ; whereas we had seen Ranelagh when the view was enlivened with a gay profusion of colours. Mrs.Bosville^ of Gunthwait, in York- shire, joined us, and entered into conversation with us. Johnson said to me afterwards, " Sir, this is a mighty intelligent lady." I said there was not half a guinea's worth of pleasure in seeing this place. Johnson. " But, Sir, there is half a guinea's worth of inferiority to other people in not having seen it." Bos- WELL. " I doubt, Sir, whether there are many happy people here." Johnson. "Yes, Sir, there are many happy people here. There are many people here who are watching hundreds, and who think hundreds are watching them." Happening to meet Sir Adam Ferguson '*, I presented him to Dr. Johnson. Sir Adam expressed some apprehension that the Pantheon would encourage luxury. " Sir," said John- son, " I am a great friend to public amuse- ments ; for they keep people from vice. You now," addressing himself to me, " would have been with a wench, had you not been here. Oh ! I forgot you were married." Sir Adam suggested, that luxury corrupts a people, and destroys the spirit of liberty. Johnson. " Sir, that is all visionary. I would not give half a guinea to live under one form of "overnment rather than another. It is of 1 Dr. Johnson seems to have meant the address to the reader, witli a key, which has been prefixed to the later edi- tions ; he did not know, it appears, that several additions were made to " The Itehearsal," after the first edition. The ridicule on the passages here alluded to is found among those adrfi/iOBi.'— Malone. Bayes was perhaps originally sketched for Sir William Davenant, as the brown paper patch on his nose indicates, but there is no doubt that the finished picture was meant for Dryden — be himself complains bitterly that it was so ; and Johnson, better informed when he came to write Dryden's Life, expressly says, that ■' he was cha- racterised under the name of Bayes in ' The Rehearsal.' " — Croker. 2 Ilanelaglh so called because its site was that of a villa of Viscount Ranelagh, near Chelsea, was a place of entertain- ment, of which the principal room was a Rotunda of great di- mensions, with an orchestra in the centre, and tiers of boxes all round. The chief amusement was promenading, as it was called, round and round the circular area below, and taking refreshments in the boxes, while the orchestra executed dif- ferent pieces of music. The Pantheon, in Oxford Street, was built in 1772, after Wyatt's designs, as a kind of town Ranelagh, but partook more of the shape of a theatre (to the purposes of which it was sometimes applied). Both these places had a considerable vogue for a time, but are now almost forgotten: the last appearance (if one may use the expression) of Ranelagh was at the installation ball of the no moment to the happiness of an individual. Sir, the danger of the abuse of power is no- thing to a private man. What Frenchman is l)revcnted from passing his life as he pleases ?"^ Sir Adam. " But, Sir, in the British consti- tution it is surely of importance to keep up a spirit in the people, so as to preserve a balance against the crown." Johnson. " Sir, I per- ceive you are a vile Whig.'' Why all this childish jealousy of the power of the crown ? The crown has not power enough. When I say that all govei-nments are alike, I consider that in no government power can be abused long. Mankind will not bear it. If a sovereign oppresses his people to a great degree, they will rise and cut off his head. There is a remedy in lumian nature against tyranny, that will keep us safe under every form of govern- ment. Had not the people of France thought themselves honoured in sharing in the brilliant actions of Louis XIV., they would not have endured him ; and we may say the same of the King of Prussia's people." Sir Adam intro- duced the ancient Greeks and Romans. John- son. " Sir, the mass of both of them were barbarians. The mass of every people must be barbarous where there is no printing, and consequently knowledge is not generally dif- fused. Knowledge is diffused among our peo- ple by the newspapers." Sir Adam mentioned the orators, poets, and artists of Greece. John- son. " Sir, I am talking of the mass of the peo- l)Ie. We see even what the boasted Athenians were. The little effect which Demosthenes' orations had upon them shows that they were barbarians." Sir Adam was unlucky in his topics ; for he suggested a doubt of the propriety of bishops having seats in the House of Lords. Johnson. " How so. Sir ? Who is more proper for having the dignity of a peer, than a bishop, provided a bishop be what he ought to be ? and if improper bishops be made, that is not the fault of the bishops, but of those who make them." Knights of the Bath, in 1803, when I saw it, as I have de- scribed, very brilliant in company, but somewhat faded in its own decorations. It has since been razed to the ground, and no vestige of that once fairy palace reinains. The original Pantheon was burned down in 1792, but was rebuilt on a more moderate scale, and used to be heard of as the scene of an occasional masquerade or concert; but it has not been o|iened, it is believed, for the last twenty years. — Chokeu. In 1834, the building was converted into a bazaar. — Wright. 3 Diana Wentworth, wife of Godfrey Bosville, Esq., of Gunthwait, whose daughter had married, in 1768, Sir Alex- ander (afterwards created Lord) Macdonald. — Croker. * Sir Adam Ferguson of Kelkerran, Bart., member of Par- liament for Ayrshire from 1774 to 1780. — Croker. "> This again is " laxity of talk." If a Frenchman had written any thing like Johnson's " Norfolk Prophecy," or talked of Louis XV. as Johnson did of George the Second, he woidd have been either forced to flv, or would have ex- piated his indiscretion in the Bastille : poor Marmontel was, we know, sent to the Bastille for repeating the parody of a few lines in a play, at which a lord of the bedchamber hap- pened to be ofTended. — Choker. <> These words must have been accompanied and softened by some jocular expression of countenance or intonation of voice ; for, rude as Johnson often was, it is hardly conceiv- able that he should have seriously said such a thing to a gentleman whom he saw for the first time. — Choker. ^T. 63. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 23' .'J On Sunday, April 5., after attending divine service at St. Paul's church, I found hiin alone. Of a schoolmaster ' of his acquaintance, a na- tive of Scotland, he said, " He has a great deal of good about him ; but he is also very defective in some respects. Ilis inner part is good, but his outer part is mighty awkward. You in Scotland do not attain that nice critical skill in languages, which we get in our schools in England. I would not put a boy to him, whom I intended for a man of learning. But for the sons of citizens, who are to learn a little, get good morals, and then go to trade, he may do very well." I mentioned a cause in which I had appeared as counsel at the bar of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, where a Probationer (as one licensed to preach, but not yet ordained, is called) was opposed in his application to be inducted, because it was alleged that he had been guilty of fornication five yeai-s before. Johnson. " ^^Hiy, Sir, if he has repented, it is not a sufficient objection. A man who is good enough to go to heaven, is good enough to be a clergyman." This was a humane and liberal sentiment. But the character of a clergyman is more sacred than that of an ordinary Chris- tian. As he is to instruct with authority, he should be regarded with reverence, as one upon whom divine truth has had the effect to set him above such transgressions, as men less e.xalted by spiritual habits, and yet upon the whole not to be excluded from heaven, have been betrayed into by the predominance of passion. That clergymen may be considered as sinners in general, as all men are, cannot be denied ; but this rellection will not counteract their good precepts so much, as the absolute knowledge of their having been guilty of cer- tain specific immoral acts. I told him, that by the rules of the Church of Scotland, in their " Book of Discipline," if a scandal, as it is called, is not prosecuted for five years, it can- not afterwards be proceeded upon, " unless it be of a heinous nature, or again become flagrant ;" and that hence a question arose, whether for- nication was a sin of a heinous nature ; and that I had maintained, that it did not deserve that epithet, inasmuch as it was not one of those sins which argue very great depravity of heart : in short, was not, in the general accept- ation of mankind, a heinous sin. Johnson. " No, Sir, it is not a heinous sin." A heinous sin is that for which a man is punished with • Mr. Elphinstone: see anli, p. 05. n. 4. — Ckoker. -' It must not be presumed that Dr. Johnson meant to give any countenance to licentiousness, though in the character of an' advocate he made a just and subtle distinction between occasional and habitual transgression — Boswell. I con- fess that I could have wished that Boswell had not repeated this loose talk. Johnson's coarse illustration does little credit to the philologist, and none at all to the moralist, and could hardly have been his real opinion Croker. 3 Born in 1748 ; entered the navy as a midshipman in 176), and the army as an ensign in the Royals in 170H. Me was called to the bar in 1779 ; appointed a King's counsel in 1783 ; and, in 1800, Lord Chancellor of England, and created a baron by the title of Lord Erskine, soon after which time my acquamtance with him began. lie died in 1823. Neither his conversation (even to the last remarkable for fluency and vivacity, though certainly not for precision) nor his parliamentary speeches ever bore any proportion to the extraordinary force and brilliancy of his forensic eloquence. Those who only knew him in private, or in the House of Commons, had some difficulty in believing the effect he pro- duced at th« bar. Durmg the last years of his life, his rnnduct was eccentric, to a degree th.nt justified a suspicion, ami even a hope, that his understanding was impaired — — Crokkh. death or banishment." Boswell. " But, Sir, after I had argued that it was not a heinous sin, an old clergyman rose up, and repeating the text of scripture denouncing judgment against whoremongers, asked, whether, consi- dering this, there could be any doubt of for- nication being a heinous sin." Johnson. "Why, Sir, observe the word ivhore monger. I Every sin, if persisted in, will become heinous. ! Whoremonger is a dealer in whores, as iron- monger is a dealer in iron. But as you don't ' call a man an ironmonger for buying and selling a penknife ; so you don't call a man a I whoremonger lor getting one wench with child." 2 I spoke of the inequality of the livings of the clergy in England, and the scanty provi- ! sions of some of the curates. Johnson. " Why yes. Sir ; but it cannot be helped. You must consider, that the revenues of the clergy are not at the disposal of the state, like the pay of j an army. Different men have founded dif- ferent churches ; and some are better endowed, some worse. The state cannot interfere and make an equal division of what has been parti- j cularly appropriated. Now when a clergyman has but a small living, or even two small livings, he can afford very little to the curate." He said, he went more frequently to church when there were prayers only, than when there was also a sermon, as the peo])le required more an example for the one than the other ; it being much easier for them to hear a sermon, than to fi.x their minds on prayer. On Monday, April 6., I dined with him at Sir Alexander Macdonald's, where was a young officer in the regimentals of the Scots Royal, who talked with a vivacity, fluency, and pre- cision so uncommon, that he attracted parti- cular attention. He proved to be the Honour- able Thomas Erskine, youngest brother to the Earl of Buchan, who has since risen into such brilliant reputation at the bar in Westminster Han.3 Fielding being mentioned, Johnson exclaim- ed, " He was a blockhead ; " and upon my expressing my astonishment at so strange an, assertion, he said, " What I mean by his being- a blockhead is, that he was a barren rascal." Boswell. " Will you not allow. Sir, that he draws very natural pictures of human life ? " Johnson. " Why, Sir, it is of very low life. Richardson used to say, that had he not known who Fielding was, he should have believed he 238 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1772. was an ostler. Sir, there is more knowledge of the heart in one letter of Richardson's, than in all ' Tom Jones.' ' I, indeed, never read ' Joseph Andrews.' " Erskine. " Surely, Sir, Richardson is very tedious." Johnson. " Why, Sir, if you were to read Richardson for the story, your imjiatience would be so much fretted that you would hang yourself. But you must read him for the sentiment, and con- sider the story as only giving occasion to the sentiment." I have already given my opinion of Fielding; but I cannot refrain from re- peating here my wonder at Johnson's excessive and unaccountable depreciation of one of the best writers that England has produced. " Tom Jones " has stood the test of public opinion with such success, as to have esta- blished its great merit, both for the story, the sentiments, and the manners, and also the varieties of diction, so as to leave no doubt of its having an animated truth of execution throughout. A book of travels, lately published under the title of Coriat Junior^ and written by Mr. Paterson ^^ was mentioned. Johnson said, this book was in imitation of Sterne ^, and not of Coriat, whose name Paterson had chosen as a whimsical one. " Tom Coriat," said he, " was a humorist about the court of James the First. He had a mixture of learning, of wit, and of buffoonery. He first travelled through Europe, and published his travels."' He after- wards travelled on foot through Asia, and had made many remarks ; but he died at Mandoa, and his remai'ks were lost." We talked of gaming, and animadverted on it with severity. Johnson. " Nay, gentle- men, let us not aggravate the matter. It is not roguery to play with a man who is igno- rant of the game, while you are master of it, and so win his money ; for he thinks he can play better than you, as you think you can play better than he; and the superior skill carries it." Erskine. " He is a fool, but you are not a rogue." Johnson. " That's much about the truth. Sir. It must be considered, that a man who only does what every one of the society to which he belongs would do, is not a dishonest man. In the republic of Sparta it was agreed, that stealing was not 1 Johnson's seventy against Fielding did not arise from any viciousness in his style, liut from his loose life, and the profligacy of almost all his male characters. Who would venture to read one of his novels aloud to modest women ? — BURNEY. 2 Mr. Samuel Paterson, eminent for his knowledge of books.— BoswELL. He was the son of a woollen-draper: he kept a bookseller's shop, chiefly for old books, and was after- wards an auctioneer ; but seems to have been unsuccessful in all his attempts at business. He made catalogues of several celebrated libraries. He died in 1802, fetat. 77 CnoKER. 3 Mr. Paterson, in a pamphlet, ))roduced some evidence to show that his work was written before Sterne's " Sentimental Journey " appeared. — Bosv.'fi.i,. Under the title of "f'r France, Savoy, Italy, Rhcli.i ' ' in 1577, educated atWcstinn; ; inlG17, at Sm-nZ, after he li lu , 5 Lord Erskine was fouil ..i me the first time that 1 had tli' ly gobbled up in '" Coriat was born 1 Oxford, and died — Choker. ,le. He told it to being in his com- dishonourable if not discovered. I do not commend a society where there is an agreement that what would not otherwise be fair, shall be fair ; but I maintain, that an individual of any society, who practises what is allowed, is not a dishonest man." Boswele. " So then, Sir, you do not think ill of a man who wins perhaps forty thousand pounds in a winter ? " Johnson. " Sir, I do not call a gamester a dishonest man ; but I call him an unsocial man, an improfitable man. Gaming is a mode of transferring pro- perty without producing any intermediate good. Trade gives employment to numbers, and so produces intermediate good." Mr. Erskine told us that, when he was in the island of Minorca, he not only read prayers, but preached two sermons to the regi- ment.^ He seemed to object to the passage in scripture, where we are told that the angel of the Lorfl smote in one night forty thousand Assyrians." ^ " Sir," said Johnson, " you should recollect that there was a supernatural interposition ; they were destroyed by pesti- lence. You are not to suppose that the angel of the Lord went about and stabbed each of them with a dagger, or knocked them on the head, man by man." After Mr. Erskine was gone, a discussion took place, whether the present Earlof Buchan, when Lord Cardross, did right to refuse to go secretary of the embassy to Spain, when Sir James Gray, a man of inferior rank, went ambassador. Dr. Johnson said, that perhaps in point of interest he did wrong ; but in point of dignity he did well. Sir Alexander insisted that he was wrong; and said that Mr. Pitt intended it as an advantageous thing for him. " Why, Sir," said Johnson, " Mr. Pitt might think it an advantageous thing for him to make him a vintner, and get him all the Portugal trade : but he would have demeaned himself strangely, had he accepted of such a situation. Sir, had he gone secretary while his inferior was am- bassador, he would have been a traitor to his rank and family" '' I talked of the little attachment which sub- sisted between near relations in London. " Sir," said Johnson, " in a country so com- mercial as ours, where every man can do for himself, there is not so much occasion for that pany, and often repeated it, boasting that he had been a sailor, a soldier, a lawyer, and a parson. The latter he affected to think the greatest of his efforts, and to support that opinion would quote the prayer for the clergy in the liturgy, from the expression of which he would (in no com- mendable spirit of jocularity) infer, that the enlightening them was one of the " greatest marvels" vthich could be worked. — Croker. •> One hundred and eighty- five thousand. See Isaiah, xxxvii. 3G., and 2 Kings, xix. 3.5.— Malone. 7 If this principle were to be admittrd, the young nobility would be excluded from all the ]>rll|■^'s^i(lIl^ ; t'..r the superiors in the profession would frequentlv hi- tlnii- iiilV-riors in per- sonal rank. Would Johnson have dissunaed Lord Cardross from entering on the military prufessiuu, because at his out- set he must have been commanded by a person inferior in personal rank? This, if ever it was a subject of real doubt, is no longer so, and young men of the highest rank think it no degradation to enter into the junior ranks of the military, naval, and diplomatic and official professions. — Croker. ^T. 63. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 239 attachment. No man is thought the worse of here, whose brother was hanged.' In uncom- mercial countries, many of the branches of a family must depend on the stock ; so, in order to malce the head of the family take care of them, they are represented as connpcted with his reputation, that, self-love being interested, he may exert himself to promote their interest. You have, first, large circles, or clans ; as commerce increases, the connection is confined to families ; by degrees, that too goes off, as having become unnecessary, and there being few opportunities of intercourse. One brother is a merchant in the city, and another is an officer in the guards : how little intercourse can these two have ! " I argued Avarmly for the old feudal system. Sir Alexander opposed it, and talked of the pleasure of seeing all men free and inde- pendent. Johnson. " I agree with Mr. Bos- well, that there must be high satisfaction in being a feudal lord ; but we are to consider, that we ought not to wish to have a number of men unhappy for the satisfaction of one." I maintained that numbers, namely, the vassals or followers, were not unhappy ; for that there was a reciprocal satisfaction between the lord and them, he being kind in his authority over them, they being respectful and faithful to him. On Thursday, April 9., I called on him to beg he would go and dine with me at the Mitre tavern. He had resolved not to dine at all this day. I know not for what reason ; and I was so unwilling to be deprived of his company, that I was content to submit to suffer a want, which was at first somewhat painful ; but he soon made me forget it : and a man is always pleased with himself when he finds his intellectual inclinations predo- minate. He observed, that to reason philosophi- cally on the nature of prayer, was very un- profitable. Talking of ghosts, he said, he knew one friend, who was an honest man and a sensible man, who told him he had seen a ghost; old JMr. Edward. Cave, the printer at St. John's Gate. He said, Mr. Cave did not like to talk of it, and seemed to be in great horror whenever it was mentioned. Boswell. " Pray, Sir, what did he say was the appearance ? " Johnson. " "VYhy, Sir, something of a shadowy ■ It is scarcely worth remarking, that Johnson would as- suredly not have volunteered this allusion if there had been any colour for Miss Seward's calumny, ante, p. 4. n. 3. — Ckokeu. •^ See this curious question treated by him with most acute ability, pos/, Aug. 16. 1773. — Boswell. 3 The passa^'e to which Johnson alluded is to be found (as I conjecture) in the " Phoenissa;," 1. 1120. 'O TTf xuvxyoZ Xlet^Bitoaa-io; ixynto;, Eni2HM'ltw>OIKEION h fMiru (faixii. J. Boswell, Jan. The meaning is, that " Parthenopaeus had, in the centre of his shield, the domestic sign — Atatanta kiiling the JEtolian I mentioned witches, and asked him what they properly meant. Johnson. " Why, Sir, they properly mean those who make use of the aid of evil spirits." Boswell. " There is no doubt. Sir, a -general report and belief of their luiviiig existed." Johnson. " You have not only the general report and belief, but you have many voluntary solemn con- fessions." He did not afiirm any thing j)0- sitively upon a subject which it is the fashion of the times to laugh at as a matter of absurd credulity. He only seemed willing, as a candid inquirer after truth, however strange and inexplicable, to show that he understood what might be urged for it.^ CHAPTER XXVII. 1772—1773. Armorial Bearings. — DueUiiig. — Prince Eugene. — Sieye of Belgrade. — Friendships. — Gold- smith's Natural History. — Story of Prcndergast. — Expulsion of Methodists from Oxford. — " In Vino Veritas." — Education of the People. — Sense of Touch in the Blind. — Theory of Sounds. — Tuste in the Arts. — Francis Osborne's Works. — Country Gentlemen, — Long Stories. — Beattie and Robertson. — Advice to Authors. — Climate. — Walpole and Pitt. — Vicious Intromission. — Beattie's Essay. — Visit to Lichfield and Ash- bourne. On Friday, AjDril 10., I dined with him at General Oglethorpe's, where we found Dr. Goldsmith. Armorial bearings having been mentioned, Johnson said, they were as ancient as the siege of Thebes, which he proved by a pas- sage in one of the tragedies of Euripides." I started the question, whether duelling was consistent with moral duty. The brave old general fired at this, and said, with a lofty air, ' Undoubtedly a man has a right to defend his honour." Goldsmith (turning to me). " I ask you first. Sir, what would you do if you were affronted?" I answered, I should think it necessary to fight. ""UHiy then," replied Goldsmith, "that solves the boar : " but this, admitting that the story of Atalanta was the " armori;U bearing" of Parthenopaeus, would only prove them to be as ancient as Euripides, who flourished ('122 .\.C.) 800 years after the siege of Thebes (1225 A. C). Homer, whom the chronologlsts place 500 years before Euripides, describes a sculptured shield ; and there can be little doubt that very soon after ingenuity had made a shield, taste would begin to decorate it. The words "domestic sign" arc cer- tainly very curious, yet probably mean no more than that he bore on his shield the representation of a family story. The better opinicm seems to be, that it was not till the visor con- cealed the face of the warrior, that the ornaments of the shields and crests became distinctive of individuals and families in that peculiar manner which we understand by the terms " armorial bearings." — Cbokek. 240 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1772. question." Johnson. "No, Sir, it does not solve the question. It does not follow, that •what a man would do is therefore right." I said, I wished to have it settled, whether duelling was contrary to the laws of Chris- tianity. Johnson immediately entered on the subject, and treated it in a masterly manner ; and, so far as I have been able to recollect, his thoughts were these : " Sir, as men be- come in a high degree refined, various causes of offence arise ; which are considered to be of such importance, that life must be staked to atone for them, though in reality they are not so._ A body that has received a very fine polish may be easily hurt. Before men arrive at this artificial refinement, if one tells his neighbour — he lies, his neighbour tells him — he lies; if one gives his neighbour a blow, his neighbour gives him a blow ; but in a state of highly polished society, an aifront is held to be a serious injury. It must, there- fore, be resented, or rather a duel must bo. fought upon it ; as men have agreed to banish from society one who puts up with an affront without fighting a duel. Now, Sir, it is never unlawful to fight in self-defence. He, then, who fights a duel, does not fight from passion against his antagonist, but out of self-defence ; to avert the stigma of the world, and to prevent himself from being driven out of society. I could wish there was not that superfluity of refinement; but while such notions prevail, no doubt a man may lawfully fight a duel." _ " Let it be remembered, that this justifica- tion is applicable only to the person who receives an affront. All mankind must con- demn the aggressor." ' The General told us, that, when he was a very young man, I think only fifteen, serving under Prince Eugene of Savoy, he was sitting in a company at table with a prince of Wirtemberg. The prince took up a glass of wine, and, by a fillip, made some of it fly in Oglethorpe's face. Here was a nice dilemma. To have challenged him instantly, might have fixed a quarrelsome character upon the young soldier : to have taken no notice of it, might ' The frequent disquisitions on this subject bring pain- fully to recollection the death of Mr. Boswell's eldest son, Sir Alexander, who was killed in a duel, arising from a political dispute, on the 2(;tli of March, 1822. by Mr. Stuart, of Dunearn. See post, 24th Oct. 1775.— Croker. This conversation on duelling was quoted on Mr. Stuart's trial by his counsel Lockhart. 2 By the Turks, in 1739. — Croker. 3 Of which Mr. Burke was a zealous member. — Choker. * Mr. Malone and .Mr. James Boswell, junior, both consi- der Boswell's statement as obscure, and endeavour severally to explain the allusion to Sappho. Malone thinks it refers to the expression, " umnique d parte placebani." Ovid. Epist. Sapp. ad Phaonem, 1. 51. Boswell junior rather con- jectures that the passage was 1. 45. : " Si, nisi qu£e facie poterit le digna videri, Nulla futura tua est ; nulla futura tua est:" and adds, " The lines which I have .juoted are thus expanded in Pope's Paraphrase ;" which, to say the truth, I suspect was •It this moment more in Jolmson's recollection than the oriBinal : — have been considered as cowardice. Oglethorpe, therefore, keeping his eye upon the prince, and smiling all the time, as if he took what his highness had done in jest, said '■'• Mon Prince,, • — " (I forget the French words he used; the purport however was) "That's a good joke ; but we do it much better in England ; " and threw a whole glass of wine in the prince's face. An old general, who sat by, said, '•'• II a hien fait,, mon prince,, vous Vavez C07nmence : " i and thus all ended in good humour." ! Dr. Johnson said, " Pray, General, give us ! an account of the siege of Belgrade." ^ Upon which the general, pouring a little wine upon the table, described every thing with a wet finger : "Here we were; here were the Turks," &c. &c. Johnson listened with the closest at- tention. ' A question was started, how far people who disagree in a capital point can live in friend- ship together. Johnson said they might. Goldsmith said they could not, as they had not. the idem velle atquc idem nolle — the same likings and the same aversions. Johnson. " Whj^, Sir, you must shun the subject as to v/hich you disagree. For instance, I can live very well * with Burke : I love his knowledge, his genius, his difiiision, and affluence of conversation ; ' but I would not talk to him of the Rockingham party." ^ Goldsmith. " But, Sir, when jieople live together who have something as to which tliey disagree, and which they want to shun, they will be in the situation mentioned in the story of Bluebeard : ' You may look into all the chambers but one.' But we should have the greatest inclination to look into that cham- ber, to talk of that subject." Johnson (with a loud voice). " Sir, I am not saying that yoit, could live in friendship with a man from whom you difier as to some point ; I am only saying that / could do it. You put me in mind of Sappho in Ovid."* Goldsmith told us, that he was now busy in writing a Natural History * ; and, that he might have full leisure for it, he had taken lodgings at a farmer's house, near to the six mile-stone, on the Edgewane-road, and had carried down his books in two returned post- " If to no charms thou wilt thy heart resign But such as merit, such as equal thine, Bv none, alas ! by none, thou canst be moved, Pnaon alone by Phaon must be loved." I cannot, however, see how either of these quotations, nor indeed any thing else in the epistle to Phaon, would explain the allusion. Boswell's would at best liken Goldsmith to Phaon, not to Sappho ; and would be a compliment, not a rebuff. Perhaps the meaning may be, " You are as unreason, able as Sappho, whom nothing could please while one object was wanting." " For whom should Sappho use such arts as these? He's gone whom only she desired to please." Pupe. This is a strained explanation : but it is the best I can give. — Croker. 5 Published, in 1774, in eight volumes, 8vo, undej- the title of a " History of the Earth and of Animated Nature."— Croker. Mr. 63. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 241 I chaises. He said, he believed the farmer's family thought him an odd character, simihir to that in which the Spectator appeared to his landhxdy and her children: he was The Gentle- man. Mr. Mickle ', the translator of " The Lusiad," and I, went to visit him at this plac( a few days afterwards. He was not at home , but, having a curiosity to see his apartment, we went in, and found curious scraps of de- scriptions of animals, scrawled upon the wall with a black-lead pencil. The subject of ghosts being introduced, Johnson repeated what he had told me of a friend of his [Cave], an honest man, and a man of sense, having assorted to him that he had seen an apparition. Goldsmith told us, he was assured by his brother, the lleverend Mr. Goldsmith, that he also had seen one. Ge- neral Oglethorpe told us, that Prendergast, an officer in the Duke of Marlborough's army, had mentioned to many of his friends, that he should die on a particular day ; that u[)on that day a battle took place with the French ; that after it was over, and Prendergast was still alive, j his brother officers, while they were yet in ; the field, jestingly asked him, where was his prophecy now? Prendergast gravely answered, " I shall die, notwithstanding what you see." Soon afterwards, there came a shot from a French battery, to which the orders for a cessation of arms had not yet reached, and he was killed upon the spot. Colonel Cecil, i who took possession of his effects, found in his pocket-book the following solemn entry: — [Here the date.] "Dreamt — or " Sir Jolin Friend meets me : " (here the very- day on which he was killed was mentioned.) Prendergast had been connected with Sir John Friend, who was executed for high treason. General Oglethorpe said, he was with Colonel Cecil, when Pope came and in- quired into the truth of this story, which made a great noise at the time, and was then confirmed by the colonel. On Saturday, April 11., he appointed me to come to him in the evening, when he should be at leisure to give me some assist- ance for the defence of Hastie, the school- master of Campbelltown, for whom I was to appear in the House of Lords. When I came, I Ibund him unwilling to exert himself I ' pressed him to write down his thoughts upon I the subject. He said, "Tliere's no occasion fi)r my writing : Pll talk to you." He was, I however, at last prevailed on to dictate to ' me, while I wrote.' I "This, Sir," said he, "you are to turn in your mind, and make the best use of it you can in your speech." Of our friend Goldsmith he said, " Sir, he ; is so much afraid of being unnoticed, that j he often talks merely lest you siiould Ibrget that he is in the company." Boswkll. " Yes, he stands forwiird." Johnson. " True, Sir ; but if a man is to stand forward, he should wish to do it, not in an awkward posture, not in r.igs, not so as that he shall only be exposed to ridicule." Boswell. " For my part, I like very well to hear honest Gold- smith talk away carelessly." Johnson. " ^^'hy, yes. Sir ; but he should not like to hear himself" On Tuesday, April 14., the decree of the court of sessions in the Schoolmaster's cause was reversed in the House of Lords, after a very eloquent speech by Lord Mansfield, who showed himself an adept in school dis- cipline, but I thought was too rigorous towards my client. On the evening of the next day I supped with Dr. Johnson, at the Crown and Anchor tavern, in the Strand, in company with Mr. Langton and his brother- in-law. Lord Binning.* I repeated a sentence of Lord Mansfield's speech, of which, by the aid of Mr. Longlands, the solicitor on the other side, who obligingly allowed me to compare his note with my own, I have a full copy : — " My Lords, severity is not the way to govern either boys or men." " Nay," said Johnson, " it is the way to govern them. I know not whether it be the way to mend them." I talked of the recent^ expulsion of six students from the University of Oxford, who were methodists, and would not desist from publicly praying and exhorting. Johnson. "Sir, that expulsion was extremely just and proper. AVhat have they to do at an uni- • Willi.im Julius Mickle, the son of a Scotch clergyman, was born at L.ingholm, Dumfriesshire, in 1734. lie lived the life thiit poets lived In those days ; th.it is, in diHicultics and distress, till 1779, when, being appointed secretary to Com- modore Johnson, he realised by prize agencies a moderate competence. He retired to Forest Hill, near Oxford, where he died in 1788. His translation of the Lusiad is still in gome repute : and his ballad of " Cumnor Hall " sug);este(l '•Keniluorth " to Scott ; but his other works are almost all forgotten Choker. - Here was a bl.ink, which may be filled up thus : — " was told try an apparilion ;" the writer being probably uncertain whether he was asleep or awake, when his mind was im- pressed with the solemn presentiment with which the fact afterwards happened so wonderfully to correspond — Bos- well. Lord Hardinge. when Secretary at War, informed me, that it appears that Colonel Sir Thomas Prendergast, of the twenty-second foot, was killed at M.ilplaquet, August 31. 1709; but no trace can be found of any Colonel Cecil in the army at that period. The well-known Jacobite, Colonel William Cecil, who was sent to the Tower in 17-14, could haritly have been, in 1700, of the age, r.mk, and station which Oglethorpe's anecdote seems to imply. Is it not very strange, il this story made so great a noise, we should read of it no where else? and, as so much curiosity was excited, thai the paper should not have been preserved, or, at least, so gene- rally shown as to be mentioned by some other witness ? — Choker. 3 This, and some similar law arguments, which would very much interrupt the narrative, will be found collected in the .Appendix.— Croker. Charles, I>ord Uinning, afterwards eighth Karl of H.id- i the son of ftlary Holt, who, by a first marriage dington, was I " Not very recent, if he alluded to six miinbers of St. Edmund H No. l.W. Osborne advises his son to appear, in lus habit, rather ,nbove than below his fortune ; and tells hiin that he will find a handsome suit of clothes always procures some additional respect Wright. " Not quite : men who live in cities have theatres, clubs, and all the variety of public and private society within easier reach — Choker. R 2 244 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1772. character : it varies according to circumstances. Alexander the Great swept India ' ; now the Turks sweep Greece." A learned gentleman [Dr. VansittartJ, who, in the course of conversation, wished to inform us of this simple fact, that the counsel upon the circuit of Shrewsbury were much bitten by fleas, took, I suppose, seven or eight minutes in relating it circumstantially. He in a plenitude of phrase told us, that large bales of woollen cloth were lodged in the town-hall; that by reason of this, tieas nestled there in prodi- gious numbers; that the lodgings of the counsel were near the town-hall ; and that those little animals moved from place to place with won- derful agility. Johnson sat in great impatience till the gentleman had finished his tedious nar- rative, and then burst out (playfully however), " It is a pity. Sir, that you have not seen a lion ; for a flea has taken you such a time, that a lion must have served you a twelvemonth." ^ He would not allow Scotland to derive any credit from Lord Mansfield ; for he was edu- cated in England. " ]\Iuch," said he, " may be made of a Scotchman, if he be caught young." Talking of a modern historian and a modern moralist, he said, " There is more thought in the moralist than in the historian. There is but a shallow stream of thought in history." BoswELL. *' But, surely. Sir, an historian has reflection J* " Johnson. " Why, yes. Sir ; and so has a cat when she catches a mouse for her kitten : but she cannot write like \_Beattie'] ; neither can [Robertson']." ^ He said, " I am very unwilling to read the manuscripts of authors, and give them my opinion. If the authors who apply to me have money, I bid- them boldly print without a name ; if they have written in order to get I money, then to go to the booksellers and make the best bargain they can." Boswell. " But, Sir, if a bookseller shoidd bring you a manu- script to look at ? " Johnson. " Why, Sir, I would desire the bookseller to take it away." I mentioned a friend of mine'' who had resided long in Spain, and was, unwilling to return to Britain. Johnson. " Sir, he is attached to some woman." Boswell. " I rather believe, Sir, it is the fine climate which keeps him there." Johnson. "Nay, Sir, how can you talk so ? What is climate to happiness ? Place me in the heart of Asia ; should I not be exiled ? What proportion does climate bear to the complex system of human life? You may advise me to go to live at Bologna to eat 1 This seems somewhat obscure, but the meaning, I«sup- pose, is, that Greece, which formerly sent forth the con- querors of Asia, had sunk to be the province of an Asiatic empire Choker. 2 Mrs. Piozzi, to whom I told this anecdote, has related it as if the gentleman had given " the natural history of the mouse." Anecdotes, p. I'.ll. — Boswell. The "learned gentleman " was certainly Dr. Vansittart, as is proved by two passages in the correspondence between Mrs. Thrale and Dr. Johnson, July and August, 1773. She writes to the Dr. in Scotland, " / have seen the fiian that saw the 7nouse," &c. sausages. The sausages there are the best in the world ; they lose much by being carried." On Saturday, May 9., Mr. Dempster and I had agreed to dine by ourselves at the British Cofl^ee-house. Johnson, on whom I happened to call in the morning, said he would join us ; which he did, and we spent a very agreeable day, though I recollect but little of what passed. He said, " Walpole was a minister given by the King to the people : Pitt was a minister given by the people to the King, — as an adjunct." " The misfortune of Goldsmith in conversa- tion is this : he goes on without knowing how he is to get off. His genius is great, but his knowledge is small. As they say of a gene- rous man, it is a pity he is not rich, we may say of Goldsmith, it is a pity he is not know- ing. He would not keep his knowledge to himself." Before leaving London this year, I consulted him upon a question purely of Scotch law. It was held of old, and continued for a long period to be an established principle in that law, that whoever intermeddled with the elfeets of a person deceased, without the in- terposition of legal authority to guard against embezzlement, should be subjected to pay all the debts of the deceased, as having been guilty of what was technically called vicious intromission. The court of session had gra- dually relaxed the strictness of this principle, Avhere the interference proved had been in- considerable. In a case ^ which came before that court the preceding winter, I had laboured to persuade the judge to return to the ancient law. It was my own sincere opinion, that they ought to adhere to it ; but I had exhausted all my powers of reasoning in vain. Johnson thought as I did ; and, in order to assist me in my application to the Court for a revision and alteration of the judgment, he dictated to me the Ibllowing Argument. [See A])pendix.] With such comprehension of mind, and such clearness of penetration, did he thus treat a subject altogether new- to him, without any other preparation than my having stated to him the argimients which had been used on each side of the question. His intellectual powers appeared with peculiar lustre, when tried against those of a writer of such fame as Lord Kames, and that, too, in his Lordship's own department. Johnson replies, " Poor V , &c. ; he is a good man, and, when his mind is composed, a man of parts." This proves the identity of the person, and also that Johnson him- self sanctioned Mrs. Piozzi's version of the story — motise versus j?f«. — Choker. s The historian and the moralist, whose names Mr. Boswell had left in blank, are Doctors Robertson and Seattie. — CnOKER. * Probably Mr. Boswell's brother David. See post, April 29. 1780. — CuoKER. 5 Wilson against Smith and Armour Boswell. xEt. 63. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 24o This masterly ai-gument, after being prc- fiR'cd and concluded with some sentences of my own, and garnished with the usual formu- laries, was actually printed and laid before the lords of session, but without success. IMy respected friend Lord Ilailes, however, one of that honourable body, had critical sagacity enough to discover a more than ordinary hand in the petition. I told him Dr. Johnson liad favoured me with his pen. His lordship, with wonderful acumen, pointed out exactly where hi? composition began, and where it ended. But, that I may do impartial justice, and con- form to the great rule of courts, Suum cuique tribuito, I must add, that their lordships in general, though they were pleased to call this '" a well-drawn paper," preferred the former very inferior petition, which I had written ; thus confirming the truth of an observation niade to me by one of their number, in a merry mood : — " My dear Sir, give yourself no trouble in the composition of the papers you present to us ; for, indeed, it is casting pearls before swine." ' I renewed my solicitations that Dr. Johnson would this year accomplish his long-intended visit to Scotland. JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. "August 13. 1772. "Dear Sir, — The regret has not been little with which I have missed a journey so pregnant with pleasing expectations, as that in which I could promise myself not only the gratification of curio- sity, both rational and fanciful, hut the delight of seeing those whom I love and esteem. But such has been the course of things, that I cou'.d not come ; and such has been, I am afraid, the state of my body, that it would not well have seconded iny inclination. I\Iy body, I think, grows better, and I refer my hopes to another year ; for I am very sincere in my design to pay the visit, and take the ramble. In the mean time, do not omit any oppor- tunity of keeping up a favourable opinion of me in the minds of any of my friends. Beattie's book * is, I believe, every day more liked ; at least, I like it more, as I look more upon it. " 1 am glad if you got credit l)y your cause; and am yet of opinion that our cause was good, and that the determination ought to have been in your favour. Poor Hastie [the Schoolmaster], I think, had hut his deserts. " You promised to get me a little Pindar : you may add to it a little .\nacreon. " The leisure which I cannot enjoy, it will be a ])leasure to liear that you employ upon the anticjui- ties of the feudal establishment. The whole system of ancient tenures is gradually passing away ; and ' This applic.ntion of the scriptur.il phmse was not very becoming, but the meaning was correct : the facts ami the law only ought to be considered by the judge — the verbal decorations of style should be of 'no weight. It is pro- b.ible that the judge who used it was ban'ering Boswell on some pleading in which there was, perhaps, more ornament than substance. — Choker. - " Essay on Truth." of which a third edition w.is pub- lished in 1772. — Crokeu. ^ ■• While memory lasts and life inspires my frame." — I wish to have the knowledge of it preserved ade- quate and complete ; for sucli an institution makes a very important part of the history of mankind. Do not forget a design so worthy of a scholar who studies the law of his country, and of a gentleman who may naturally be curious to know the con- dition of his own ancestors. I am, dear Sir, yours with great affection, Sam. Johnson," BOS^VELL TO JOHNSON. " Edinburgh, Dec. 25. 1772. " Mv DEAR Sir, — I was much disappointed that you did not come to Scotland last autumn. How- ever, I must own that your letter prevents me from complaining ; not only because I am sensible that tile state of your health was but too good an excuse, but because you write in a strain which shows that you have agreeable views of the scheme which we have so long proposed. " 1 communicated to Beattie what you said of his book in your last letter to me. He writes to me thus : — ' You judge very rightly in supposing that Dr. Johnson's favourable opinion of my book must give me great delight. Indeed, it is impossible for me to say how much I am gratified by it; for there is not a man upon earth whose good opinion I would be more ambitious to cultivate. His talents and his virtues I reverence more than any words can express. The extraordinary civilities (the paternal attentions I should rather say), and the many instructions I have had tiie honour to re- ceive from him, will to me be a perpetual source cf pleasure in the recollection, — ' Dum mevior ipse mei, dam spiritus Iios rcget arius.'^ " ' I had still some thoughts, while the summer lasted, of being obliged to go to London on some little business; otheiwise I should certainly have troubled him with a letter several months ago, and given some vent to my gratitude and admiration. This I intend to do as soon as I am left a little at leisure. Meantime, if you have occasion to write to him, I beg you will offer him my most respectful compliments, and assure him of the sincerity of my attachment and the warmth of my gratitude.' "I am, &c., Jajies Boswell." [JOHNSON TO MRS. THU.\LE.^ ( Extracts. ) " Lichfield, Oct. 19. 1772. — I set out on Thurs- day night, at nine, and arrived at Lichfield on Friday night, at eleven, no otherwise incommoded than with want of sleep, which, however, I en- joyed very comfortably the first night. I think a stage coach is not the worst bed. " Ashbourne, Nov. 4. 1772 — Since I came to Ashbourne I have been out of order. I was well at I>ichfield. You know sickness will drive me to you ; so, perhaps, you very heartily wish me better : JEn.iv.SST). Yet it seems that Boswell had allowed John- son's kind letter of the 13lh August to remain above four months un.inswered. — Croker. ■* It appears from the extracts of his letters to Mrs. Thrale, which 1 have given in the text, that in the autumn of this year Johnson again visited Lichfield and .\shbourue, where he was somewhat indisposed ; and on his return to town had a fit of the gout, accompanied by a cough, which gave him more trouble Croker. R 3 246 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1772. but you know likewise that health will not hold me away. "Ashbourne, Nov. 27. 1772. — If you are so kind as to write to me on Saturday, the day on which you will receive this, I shall have it before I leave Ashbourne. I am to go to Lichfield on Wednesday, and purpose to find my way to London through Birmingham and Oxford. I was yester- day at Chatsworth. It is a very fine house. I wish you had been with me to see it ; for then, as we are apt to want matter of talk, we should have gained something new to talk on. They compli- mented me with playing the fountain, and opening the cascade. But I am of my friend's opinion, that, when one has seen the ocean, cascades are but little things."] CHAPTER XXVIII. 1773. It is almost unnecessary to say, that by his great and valuable additions to Dr. Johnson's I work, he justly obtained considerable reputa- ; tion: — I " Divisum imperium cum Jove Cassar habet." I [JOHNSON TO MRS. THRALE. I (^Extracts.) I " Tuesday, J.in. 2G. 1773. " Last night was very tedious, and this day makes . no promises of much ease. However, I liave this ' day put on my shoe, and hope that gout is gone. j I shall have only the cough to contend with; and I I doubt whether I shall get rid of that without j change of place. I caught cold in the coach as I went away, and am disordered by very little things. Is it r.ccident or age ? " " Feb. 19. 1773. " I think I am better, but cannot say much more than that I think so. I was yesterday with 3Iiss Lucy Southwell and Mrs. 'Williams, at Mr. South- well's.* Miss Frances Southwell is not well. I have an invitation to dine at Sir Joshua Reynolds's on Tuesday. May I accept it ? "] George Steeve7is. — Goldsmith and Evans. — Dal- rymple's History. — Action in Spealring. — Ches- terfield and Tyrau-ley. — The Spectator. — Sir Andrew Freeport. — Burnet's Own Times. — Good Friday. — Easter Day. — A Dinner at Johnson's. — Wages to JFomen Servants. — Keeping a Journal. — Luxury. — Equality. — The Stuarts. — Law Reports " The Gentle Shepherd." — Whigs and Tories. — Sterne. — Charles Townshend. — '■'Happy Revolution." — ^' She Stoops to Con- quer." — Short- Hand. — Dedications. — James Harris. — The Fid,1le. — Duelling. — Lord Chatham's Verses to Garrick. — Savage Life. — Suicide. — Budgell. — The Douglas Cause. In 1773 ', his only publication was an edition of his folio Dictionary, with additions and cor- rections ; nor did he, so far as is known, furnish any productions of his fertile pen to any of his numerous friends or dependants, except the Preface * to his old amanuensis Macbean's " Dictionary of Ancient Geography." His Shakspeare, indeed, which had been received with high approbation by the public, and gone through several editions, was this year repub- lished by George Steevens, Esq., a gentleman not only deeply skilled in ancient learning, and of very extensive reading in English literature, especially the early writers, but at the same time of acute discernment and elegant taste. JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " London, Feb. 22. 1773. " De.ar Sik, — I have read your kind letter much more than the elegant Pindar which it ac- companied. I am always glad to f:nd myself not forgotten ; and to be forgotten by you would give me great uneasiness. My northern friends have never been unkind to me : I have from you, dear Sir, testimonies of affection, which I have not often been able to excite ; and Dr. Beattie rates the tes- timony which I was desirous of paying to his merit, much higher than I should have thought it reason- j able to expect. j " I have beard of your masquerade.' What says j your synod to such innovations? 1 am not studi- ously scrupulous, nor do I think a masquerade either evil in itself, or very likely to be the occa- sion of evil ; yet, as the world thinks it a very licentious relaxation of manners, I would not have been one of the Jirst masquers in a country where no masquerade had ever been before.'' " A new edition of my great Dictionary is printed, from a copy which I was persuaded to . revise ; but. having made no preparation, 1 was able to do very little. Some superfluities I have expunged, and some faults I have corrected, and : here and there have scattered a remark ; but the i main fabric of the work remains as it was. I had ' looked very little into it since I wrote it ; and, I i think, I found it full as ofteu better, as worse, than | I expected. ] ' He, however, wrote, or partly wrote, an Epitaph on Mrs. Bell, wife of his friend John Bell, Esq., brother of the Kev. Dr. Bell, Prebendary of Westminster, which is printed in his works. It is in English prose, and has so little of his manner, that I did not believe he had any hand in it, till I was satisfied of the fact by the authority of Jlr. Bell Bos- well. See ante, p. 22-5 C. - Dr. Johnson's early friend. Mr. Edmond Southwell, third son of the first Lord Southnell. bom in 170.% had died in the preceding Xovember, aged 67 : the Mr. Southwell here mentioned was, probably, Thomas Arthur, afterwards : the fourth Lord and second Viscount. (See ante, p. 123.) | The two ladies mentioned were, probably, daughters of the lirst lord : Frances, born in 170S, and Lucy, bom in 1710. — Croker. 3 Given by a lady at Edinburgh Boswell. ■< There had been masquerades in Scotland ; but not for a very long time. — Boswell. This masquerade was given on the' I5th of January, by the Countess Dowager of Fife. Johnson hr.d no doubt seen an account of it in the Gentle- man's M;vrazine for January, where it is said to have been the first masquemde ever seen in Scotland. Mr. Boswell himself .ippeared iu the character of a Dumb Conjurer. — Crokeb. JEr. 63 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 47 " Baretti and Davies ' have had a furious quar- rel ; a quarrel, I think, irreconclleable. Dr. Gold- smith has a new comedy, which is expected in the sprinpj. No name is yet given it. The chief diver- sion arises from a stratagem by which a lover is made to mistake his future father-in-law's house for an inn. This, you see, borders u])on farce. The dialogue is quick and gay, and the incidents are so prepared as not to seem imjjrobable.' " I am sorry that you lost your cause of Intro- mission, because I yet think the arguments on your side unanswerable. But you seem, I think, to say that you gained reputation even by your defeat ; and reputation you will daily gain, if you keep Lord Auchinlcck's precept in your mind, and en- deavour to consolidate in your mind a lirm and regular system of law, instead of picking up occa- sional fragments. " My health seems in general to improve ; but I have been troubled for many weeks with a vexa- tious catarrh, which is sometimes sufficiently dis- tressful. I have not found any great effects from bleeding and physic ; and am afraid that I must expect help from brighter days and softer air. " Write to me now and then ; and whenever any good befalls you, make haste to let me know it ; for no one will rejoice at it more than, dear Sir, your most humble servant, Saji. Johnson. " You continue to stand very high in the favour of Mrs. Thrale." "While a former edition of my work was passing tln-oiigh the press, I was unexpectedly favoured with a packet from Philadelphia, from Mr. James Abercrombie, a gentleman of that country, who is pleased to honour me with very high praise of my " Life of Dr. Johnson." To have the lame of my illustrious friend, and his fliithful biographer, echoed from the Xew World, is extremely flattering; and my grateful acknowledgments shall be wafted across the Atlantic. Mr. Abercrombie has politely con- ferred on me a considerable additional obliga- tion, by transmitting to me copies of two letters from Dr. Johnson to American gentlemen. " Gladly, Sir," says he, " would I have lent you the originals; but being the only relics of the kind in America, they are considered by the possessors of such inestimable value, that no possible consideration would induce them to part with them. In some future publication of yours relative to that great and good man, they may perhaps be thought worthy of in- sertion." JOHNSON TO MR. B- ■D.» • Davies was the piiblishor of Baretti's Travels ; and this was probably a quarrel between author and publisher. — Crokek. - '■ .She Stoops to Conquer, or the Mistakes of a Night," was perforiiipil, for the first time, at Covent Garden, on the 15th of March. Mr. Prior, in his Life of Goldsmith, tells us that something like the main incident had happened to the Author himself in early life. — .ind the farcical trick of driving Mrs. Hardcastle round her own house, while she fancied she going a journey, was actually practised by Sheridan on Madame de Gcnlis. — Choker. ^ This gentleman, who now resides in .America, in a public character of considerable dignity, desired that his name might not be transcribed at lull length. — Boswell. Probably a Mr. Richard Bland, of Virginia, whose " Inquiry " Johnson's Court, March 1. 1773. " Sir, — Tliat in the hurry of a sudden departure you should yet find leisure to consult my con- venience, is a degree of kindness, and an instance of regard, not only beyond my claims, but above my expectation. You are not mistaken in supposing that I set a high value on my American friends, and that you should confer a very valuable favour upon me by giving me an opportunity of keeping myself in their memory. " I have taken the liberty of troubling you with a packet, to which I wish a safe and speedy con- veyance, because I wish, a safe and speedy voyage to him that conveys it. I am, Sir, your most humble servant, S.\m. Johnson." JOHNSON TO REV. MR. WHITE." " Johnson's Court, March i. j773. " Dear Sir, — Your kindness for your friends accompanies you across the Atlantic. It was long since observed by Horace, that no sliij) could leave care behind : you have been attended in your 1 voyage by other powers, — by benevolence and con- stancy ; and I hope care did not often show her face in their company. I " I received the copy of Rasselas. The impres- I sion is not magnificent, but it flatters an author, because the printer seems to have expected that it would be scattered among the people. The little ' book has been well received, and is translated into Italian, French, German, and Dutch. It has now one honour more by an American edition. I " I know not that much has liappened since your ': departure that can engage your curiosity. Of all I public transactions the whole world is now in- ' formed by the newspapers. Opposition seems to despond ; and the dissenters, though they have taken advantage of unsettled times, and a govern- ment much enfeebled, seem not likely to gain any immunities. " Dr. Goldsmith has a new comedy in rehearsal at Covent Garden, to which the manager predicts ill success.* I hope he will be mistaken. I think it deserves a very kind recejition. " I shall soon publish a new edition of my large Dictionary. I have been persuaded to revise it, and have mended some faults, but added little to its usefulness. " No book lias been published since your de- parture, of which much notice is taken. Faction only fills the town with ]nmiphlets, and greater subjects are forgotten in tlie noise of discord. " Thus have I written, only to tell you how little I have to tell. Of myself I can only add, that into the Rights of the British Colonies " was republished ill London in 1770 — Cboker. ■• Afterwards Dr. White, and Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Pennsjlvania. During his first visit to England in 1771, as a candidate for holy orders, he was several times in company with Dr. Johnson, who expressed a wish to see the edition of Rasselas, which Dr. White told him had been printed in America. Dr. White, on his return, immediately sent him a copy. — Crokkr. ' Colman thought so ill of it, that when, at one of the last rehearsals, Mrs. Reynolds and some other ladies objected to one of Tony Lumpkin's sallies, he exclaimed, " Pshaw! of what consequence is a squib, when we have been sitting for two hours on a barrel of gui-powder ? "— Choker. R 4 248 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1772. having been afflicted many weeks with a very troublesome cough, I am now recovered. " I take the liberty which you give me of trou- bling you with a letter, of which you will please to fill up the direction. I am. Sir, your most humble servant, Sam. Johnso.v." [JOHNSON TO W. S. JOHNSON, LL.D.', Stratford, Connecticut. " Jolinson's Court, March 4. 1773. " Sir, — Of all those whom the various accidents of life have brought within my notice, there is scarce any man whose acquaintance I have more desired to cultivate than yours. I cannot indeed charge you with neglecting me, yet our mutual inclination could never gratify itself with oppor- tunities. The current of the day always bore us away from one another, and now the Atlantic is between us. " Whether you carried away an impression of me as pleasing as that which you left me of your- self, I know not ; if you did, you have not for- gotten me, and will be glad that I do not forget you. Merely to be remembered is indeed a barren pleasure, but it is one of the pleasures which is more sensibly felt as human nature is more exalted. "To make you wish that I sliould have you in my mind, I would be glad to tell you something which you do not know ; but all public affairs are printed ; and as you and I have no common friend, I can tell you no private history. "The government, I think, grow stronger; but I am afraid the next general election will be a time of uncommon turbulence, violence, and outrage. " Of literature no great product has appeared, or is expected ; the attention of the people has for some years been otherwise employed. " I was told a day or two ago of a design which must excite some curiosity. Two ships are in pre- paration, which are under the command of Captain Constantine Phijjps, to explore the northern ocean ; not to seek the north-east or the north-west passage, but to sail directly north, as near the pole as they can go. They hope to find an open ocean, but I suspect it is one mass of perpetual congela- tion. I do not much wish well to discoveries, for I am always afraid they will end in conquest and robbery. " I have been out of order this winter, but am grown better. Can I never hope to see you again, or must I be always content to tell you that in ' The late Winfane Samuel Johnson of Connpcticut. This gentleman spent several years in England abnul the miiidle ot'thelast centurj'. He received the degree of Doctcir ot Civil Law troni the University of Oxford ; and this circum- stance, together with the accidental similarity of name, re- commended him to the acquaintance of Dr. Samuel Johnson. Two letters passed between them, after the American Dr. Johnson had returned to his native country ; of which, how- ever, this is the only one remaining Gent. Mag Crokek. He died 1819. I '.i The play in question was Goldsmith's new comedy, " She Stoops to Conquer." Johnson calls it " Caiman's Plai/," because Colman was the manager of Cnvent Garden Theatre, where it had been produced (15th March) contrary to the wishes of the manager, who thought it very ill adapted fir success on the stage. The piece, however, was completely successful ; and some of the friends of Goldsmith, and some of the small wits about town, filled the newspapers with verses to Colman, which would appear to have annoyed the manager so much, that he, as Johnson says, solicited Gold- another hemisphere I am, Sir, your most humble servant? Sam. Johnson." — Gent. Mag. JOHNSON TO MRS. THRALE. (^Extract.) " March 2'). 1773. " Did not I tell you that I had written to Boswell ? He has answered my letter. I am going this evening to put young Otway to school with Mr. Elphinston. " C\olman'\ * is so distressed with abuse about his play, that he lias solicited Goldsmith to taliehlm (/ff the rack of the newspapers. M[/cA7e]' is preparing a whole pamphlet against G[arrzcA]', and G\_m-rick] is, I suppose, collecting materials to confute M[tcAfe]. Jennens* has published Hamlet, but without a preface, and S[teevens'\ declares his intention of letting him pass the rest of his life in peace. Here is news." On Saturday, April 3., tlie clay after my arrival in London this year, I went to his house late in the evening, and sat with Mrs. "Williams till he came home. I found in the London Chronicle, Dr. Goldsmith's apology to the public for beating Evans, a bookseller, on account of a paragraph ^ in a newspaper pub- lished by him, which Goldsmith thought im- pertinent to him and to a lady of his acquaint- ance. The apology was written so much in Dr. Johnsoji's manner, that both Mrs. Williams and I supposed it to bo his; but when he came home, he soon imdeceived us. When he said to Mrs. Williams, "Well, Dr. Goldsmith's manifesto has got into your paper ; " I asked him if Dr. Goldsmith had written it, with an air that made him see I suspected it was his, though subscribed by Goldsmith. Johnson. " Sir, Dr. Goldsmith would no more have asked me to write such a thing as that for him, than he would have asked me to feed him with a spoon, or to do any thing else that denoted his imbe- cility. I as much believe that he wrote it, as if I had seen him do it. Sir, had he shown it to any one friend, he would not have been allowed to publish it. He has, indeed, done it very well ; but it is a foolish thing well done. I suppose he has been so much elated with the success of his new comedy, that he has thought every thing that concerned him must be of smith " to take him ofT the rack of the newspapers." Some of the squibs have been reprinted by Prior in his Life of Goldsmith. — P. Cunningham. 3 See Garrick's letter to lioswell, nos?, Oct. 23. 1773: the quarrel was on the subject of the " Siege of Marseilles." — Crokek. < Charles Jennens, of Gopsal, Esq., a man of large fortune, , but questionable taste, meditated an edition of Shakespeare, and published two or three plays as specimens. Something in his preface to King Lear stirred up the rivalry and bile of Steevens, who for some time persecuted the old amateur with a malignity more personal than critical, but accepted, it appears, the publication of Hamlet without a preface, as a peace-ofTering ; but Jennens did not long enjoy this tr.-m- quillity, for he died the same year Chokeii. 5 The offence given was a long abusive letter in the Lon- don Packet. A particular account of this transaction, and Goldsmith's Vindication (for such it was, rather than an Apology), may be found in the Life of that poet, prefixed to < his Miscellaneous Works M.tLONE. JEt. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 249 importance to the public." Boswell. "I fancy, Sir, this is the first time that he has liL'cn engaged in such an adventure." Johnson. '• ^V'hy, iSir, I believe it is the first time he has brat ' , he may have been beaten before. This, Sir, is a new plume to him." 1 mentioned Sir John Dalrymple's " Memoirs ut' Great Britain and Ireland,' and his dis- >veries to the prejudice of Lord Russell and -VlL,^ernon Sidney. Johnson. "Why, Sir, tvi-ry body who had just notions of govern- ment thought them rascals before. It is well that all mankind now see them to be rascals." Boswell. " But, Sir, may not those dis- coveries be true without their being rascals ?" Johnson. " Consider, Sir ; would any of them have been willing to have had it known that they intrigued with France ? Depend upon it. Sir, he who does what he is afraid should be known, has something rotten about him. This Dalrymple seems to be an honest fellow ; for he tells equally what m;ikes against both sides. But nothing can be poorer than his mode of writing, it is the mere bouncing of a school- boy : Great He ! but greater She ! and such stuff."'' I coidd not agree with him in this criticism ; for though Sir John Dalrymple's style is not regularly formed in any respect, and one cannot help smiling sometimes at his afi'ticted grandilo- quence, there is in his writing a pointed vivacity, and much of a gentlemanly spirit. At 1NL-. Thrale's, in the evening, he repeated his usual paradoxical declamation against action in public speaking. " Action can have no effect upon reasonable minds. It may augment noise, but it never can enforce argu- ment. If you speak to a dog, you use action ; you hold up your hand thus, because he is a brute ; and in proportion as men are removed from brutes, action will have the less influence upon them." Mrs. Thrale. " What then. Sir, becomes of Demosthenes' saying ? ' Ac- tion, action, action ! ' " Johnson. " Demos- thenes, Madam, spoke to an assembly of brutes; to a barbarous people." ^ I thought it extraordinary, that he should deny the power of rhetorical action upon human nature, when it is proved by innumerable facts in all stages of society. Reasonable beings are not solely reasonable. They have fancies which may be pleased, passions which may be roused. Lord Chesterfield being mentioned, Johnson remarked, that almost all of that celebrated nobleman's witty sayings were puns. lie, how- I ever, allowed the merit of good wit to liis I lordship's saying of Lord Tyrawley* and him- ! self, when both very old and infirm : " Ty- I rawley and I have been dead these two years ; 1 but we dim't choose to have it known." I He talked willi approbation of an intended edition of " The Spectator," with notes ; two volumes of which had been prepared by a gentleman eiuiiient in the literary workP, and the materials wliich lie had collected for the remainder had l)een transferred to another hand. He observed, that all works which describe manners, require notes in sixty or seventy years, or less ; and told us, he' had communicated all he knew that could throw light upon " The Spectator." He said, " Ad- dison had made his Sir Andrew Freeport a true Whig, arguing against giving charity to beggars, and throwing out other such ungra- cious sentiments ; but that he had thought better, and made amends by making him found an hospital for decayed farmers." He called for the volume of " The Spectator" in which that account is contained, and read it aloud to us. He read so well, that every thing ac- quired additional weight and grace from his utterance. The conversation having turned on modern imitations of ancient ballads, and some one having praised their simplicity, he treated them with that ridicule which he always displayed when that subject was mentioned.* He disapproved of introducing scripture phrases into secidar discourse. This seemed to me a question of some difficulty. A scripture expression may be used, like a highly classical phrase, to produce an instantaneous strong im- pression ; and it may be done without being at all improper. Yet I own there is danger, that applying the language of our sacred book to ordinary subjects may tend to lessen our re- verence for it. If therefore it be introduced at all, it should be with very great caution. On Thursday, April 8., I sat a good part of the evening with him, but he was very silent. 1 Mr. Chalmers, in the article " Goldsmith," in the I}iog. Diet., stales, on the authority of Evans, that he had beaten Goldsmith, and not Goldsmith him ; and Mr. Vrior, who seldom concedes anything to Goldsmith's disparaEement, produces the recollections of Harris the bookseller, late of St. Paul's Church Yard, who was Evans's shopman, and present at the fray, which gave Goldsmith rather the worst of it. Goldsmith alleged in defence of his proceeding, that the article was disrespectful to a young lady — one of the Miss Hornecks {ante, p. 138. n. 2.); but the allusion to her was very slixbt, »nd hardly disrespectful. Goldsmith was obliged to compromise the assault by paying 50^ to a Welsh charity. — Croker. 2 A bombastic ode of Oldham's on Ben Jonson, begins thus : '• Great thou ! " which perhaps his namesake remem. bered M.\lone. Mr. Malone's note is absurd. Johnson, as Mr. Hallam observed to me, clearly meapt Dalrymple's description of the parting of Lord and Lady Uussell : — •" lie great in this last act of his life, but she greater." — Crokeu, ISS.'i. 3 Johnson might have better replied, that Demosthenes never used this term in our sense, here alluded to, of theatri- cal gesture — he probably meant energy. Somewhat like Danton's requisite for a revolutionary leader, "de I'audace, encore de I'audace, toiijours de I'audace." — Crokeh. •• James O'llara, Lord Tyrawley, a general officer, was born in IG90, and died July 1.3. 1773. His name, I fear, was meant to All a blank in Pope's satire — ■ or lewd T- t'." — Croker. 5 Mr. Chalmers (who, himself, has performed this task) informs me, tnat the first of these gentlemen was Dr. Percy, and the second Dr. John Calder, of whom some account will be found, Gent. Mag. vol. Ixxxv. p. 564. — Croker. 6 Boswell, good-naturedly reluctant to publish Johnson's frequent ridicule on Bishop Percy (who was still aVu-e), here suppressed details, which however may be sufficientfy guessed at from what wo shall see subsequently, po47, March 21. 1776, and April, 1778. — Choker. 250 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. He said, "Burnet's 'History of his own Times' is very entertaining. The style, indeed, is mere chit-cliat. I do not believe that Burnet intentionally lied ; but he was so much pre- judiced, that he took no pains to find out the truth. He was like a man who resolves to re^Tulate his time by a certain watch ; but will not inquire whether the watch is right or not." Though he was not disposed to talk, he was unwilling that I should leave him ; and when 1 looked at my watch, and told him it was twelve o'clock, he cried, "What's that to you and me?" and ordered Frank to tell Mrs. Williams that we were coming to drink tea with her, which we did. It was settled that we should go to church together next day. On the 9th of April, being Good Friday, I breakfasted with him on tea and cross-buns ; Doctor Levett, as Frank called him, making the tea. He carried me with him to the church of St. Clement Danes, where he had his seat ; and his behaviour v/as, as I had imaged to myself, solemnly devout. I never shall forget the tremulous earnestness Avith which he pro- nounced the awful petition in the Litany : " In the hour of death, and at the day of judgment, good Lord deliver us." We went to church both in the morning and evening. Intheintervalbetv/eenthe two services we did not dine ; but he read in the Greek New Testament, and I turned over several of his books. In Archbishop Laud's Diary, I found the following passage, which I read to Dr. John- son : — " 1623. February 1., Sunday. I stood by the most illustrious Prince Charles', at dinner. He was then very merry, and talked occasionally of many things with his attendants. Among other things, he said, that if he -were necessitated to take any particular profession of life, he could not be a lawyer, adding his reasons: ' I cannot,' saith he, ' defend a bad, nor yield in a good cause.' " JoHKsoN. " Sir, this is false reasoning ; because every cause has a bad side : and a lawyer is not overcome, though the cause which he has endeavoured to support be determined against him." I told him that Goldsmith had said to me a few days before, " As I take my shoes from the shoemaker, and my coat from the tailor, so I take my religion from the priest." I regretted this loose way of talking. Johnson. " Sir, he knows nothing ; he has made up his mind about nothing." To my great surprise he asked me to dine with him on Easter Day. I never supposed that he had a dinner at his house ; for I had not then heard of any one of his friends having been entertained at his table. He told me, " I generally have a meat pie on Sunday : it is baked at a public oven, which is very properly allowed, because one man can attend it ; and thus the advantage is obtained of not keeping servants from church to dress dinners." April IL, being Easter Sunday, after having attended divine service at St. Paul's, I repaired to Dr. Johnson's. I had gratified my curiosity much in dining with Jean Jaques Rousseau, while he lived in the wilds of Neufchatel : I had as great a curiosity to dine with Dr. Samuel Johnson, in the dusky recess of a court in Fleet Street. I supposed we should scarcely have knives and forks, and only some strange, imcouth, ill-ckest dish : but I found every thing in very good order. We had no other company but Mrs. Williams and a young woman whom I did not knov»r. As a dinner here was considered as a singular phenomenon, and as I was frequently interrogated on the subject, my readers may perhaps be desirous to know our bill of fare. Foote, I remember, in allusion to Francis, the negro, was willing to suppose that our repast was black broth. But the fact was, that we had a very good souj). a boiled leg of lamb and spinach, a veal pie", and a rice pudding. Of Dr. John Campbell, the author, he said, " He is a very inquisitive and a very able man, and a man of good religious principles, though I am afraid he has been deficient in practice. Campbell is radically right ; and we may hojje that in time there will be good practice." ^ He owned that he thought Hawkesworth was one of his imitators, but he did not think Goldsmith was. Goldsmith, he said, had great merit. Boswell. " But, Sir, he is much indebted to you for his getting so high in the public estimation." Johnson. " Why, Sir, he has, perhaps, got sooner to it by his intimacy with me." Goldsmith, though his vanity often excited him to occasional competition, had a very high regard for Johnson, which he had at this time expressed in the strongest manner in the De- dication of his comedy, entitled, " She Stoops to Conquer." "* Johnson observed, that there were very few books printed in Scotland before the vmion. He had seen a complete collection of them in the possession of the Hon. Archibald Campbell, a non-juring bishop.^ I wish this collection had been kept entire. Many of them are in ' Afterwards Cliarles I. — BoswELL. ^ Boswell does not say whether the pie had the extraordi- nary addition of " plums and sugar," which Mrs. Piozzi tells us were ingredients in Dr. Johnson's veal pies. — Croker. 3 Sec ami. p. 140. — C. ■i " By inscribing this slight performance to you, I do not mean so much to compliment you as myself. It may do me some honour to inform the public, that 1 have lived many years in intimacy with you. It may serve the interests of mankind also to inform them, that the greatest wit may be found in a character, without impairing the most unaffected pictv." — Boswell. 5 See an account of this learned and respectable gentle- man, and of his curious work on the " Middle State," post, Oct. 25. 1773.— Boswell. And 9th June, 1784 — C J ^T. 64, BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 251 the library of the Faculty of Advocates at Edinburgh. I told Dr. Johnson that I had some intention to write the life of the learned and worthy Thomas Ruddiman. He said, " I should take pleasure in helping you to do honour to him. But his farewell letter to the Faculty of Advocates, when he resigned the office of their librarian, should have been in Latin." I put a question to him upon a fact in com- mon life, which he could not answer, nor have I found any one else who could. What is the reason that women servants, though obliged to be at the expense of purchasing their own clothes, have much lower wages than men servants, to whom a great proportion of that article is furnished, and when in fact our female house-servants work much harder than the male ? ' He told me that he had twelve or fourteen times attempted to keep a journal of his life, but never could persevere. He advised me to ilo it. " The great thing to be recorded," said he, " is the state of your own mind ; and you .-liould write down every thing that you re- member, for you cannot judge at first what is oiiod or bad ; and write immediately while the impression is fresh, for it will not be the same a week afterwards." I again solicited him to communicate to me the particulars of his early life. He said, '• You shall have them all for twopence. I hope vou shall know a great deal more of me before you write my Life." He mentioned to me this (lay many circumstances, which I wrote down wlien I went home, and have interwoven in the former part of this narrative.^ On Tuesday, April 13., he and Dr. Gold- smith and I dined at General Oglethorpe's. Goldsmith expatiated on the common topic, that the race of our people Avas degenerated, and that this was owing to luxury. Johnson. " Sir, in the first place, I doubt the fiict.^ I believe there are as many tall men in England now, as ever there were. But, secondly, sup- posing the stature of our people to be dimi- nished, that is not owing to luxury ; for, Sir, ' 1 Thereisagreater varietyof employment for men, than for \vomen : therolore tlie demand raises the price Kearney. And there is more specialty, and generally greater difficulty I unci responsibility, in the duties of the mpn. — Crokeu. I - The foliowin? is his own minute but not uninteresting ' memorandum of this day : — I " April 1 1 . 1773. I had more disturbance in the night than I has been customary for some weeks past. I rose before nine 1 ill the morning, and prayed and drank tea. 1 came, I think, I to church in tlie beginning of the prayers. I did not riis- ] tinctly hear the Psalms, and found th.at 1 had been reading the Psalms for Good Friday. I went through the Litany, I alter a short disturbance, with tolerable attention. " After sermon, 1 perused my prayer in the pew, then went nearer the altar, and being introduced into another pew, used my prayer again, and recommended my relations, with Biithurst and [Miss] Boothby, then my wife again by herself. Then I went nearer the altar, and read the collects chosen for meditation. I prayed for Salusbury, [Mrs. Thrale's mother, then langushing with an illness of which she snon died] and, I think, the Thrales. I then communicated with calmness, used the collect for Easter Day, and returning to the first pew, prayed my prayer the third time. I came home again ; used my prayer and the Easter Collect. Tlien went consider to how very small a proportion of our people luxury can reach. Our soldiery, surely, are not luxurious, who live on sixpence a day ; and the same remark will apply to almost all the other classes. Luxury, so far as it reaches the poor, will do good to the race of peojile ; it will strengthen and multiply them. Sir, no nation was ever hurt by luxury ; for, as I said before, it can reach but to a very few. I admit that the great increase of commerce and manufactures hurts the military spirit of a people ; because it produces a competition for something else than martial honours, — a com- petion for riches. It also hurts the bodies of the people ; for you will observe, there is no man who works at any particular trade, but you may know him from his appearance to do so. One part or the other of his body being- more used than the rest, he is some degree deformed: but, Sir, that is not luxury. A tailor sits cross-legged ; but that is not luxury." Goldsmith. " Come, you're just going to the same place by another road." Johnson. " iSTay, Sir, I say that is not luxury. Let us take a walk from Charing Cross to "White- chapel, through, I suppose, the greatest series of shops in the world ; what is there In any of these shops (if you except gin-shops) that can do any human being any harm ? " GoldSxMIth. "Well, Sir, I'll accept your challenge. The very next shop to Northumberland House is a pickle-shop." Johnson. " Well, Sir ; do we not know that a maid can in one afternoon make pickles sufficient to serve a whole family for a year ? nay, that five pickle-shops can serve all the kingdom ? Besides, Sir, there is no harm done to any body by the making of pickles, or the eating of pickles." We drank tea with the ladies ; and Gold- smith sang Tony Lumpkin's song in his comedy, " She Stoops to Conquer," and a very pretty one, to an Irish tune, which he had designed for Miss Hardcastle; but as Mrs. Bulkeley, who played the part, could not sing, it was left out. He afterwards wrote it down for me, by which means it was preserved, and now appears amongst his poems."'' Dr. Johnson, into the study to Boswell, and read the Greek Testament. Then dined, and when Boswell went away, ended the four first cliapters of St. Matthew, and tlie Beatitudes of the fifth. I then went to Evening prayers, and was composed. I gave the pew-keepers each five shillings and three-pence." — Frai/ers and Meditations. Quarter guineas of Ss. 3d. were at that time in circulation Croker. •> There seems no reason whatever to believe the fact: old coffins and old armour do not designate a taller race of men. Pope tells us that CoUcy Cibber obtained King Edward's armour from the Tower, and wore it in a theatrical proces- sion ; and I have never seen .iny ancient armour of extraor- dinary size. The doors, windows, and ceilings of old houses are not loftier than those of modern days. Other animals, too, cannot have degenerated in size by the hixury of man ; and they seem, by all evidence, to have borne in old times the same proportion to the human figure that they now bear. — Croker. * The humours of Ballamagairy. — Boswell. This air, which is essentially low comic, would have been very ill suited to the character of Miss Hardcastle, e\ en as the Cham- bcrmaid. It was long after more appropriately employed by Colman for Looncy Mactouller iu his farce of " The Wags of Windsor.''^ Mr. Moore has since tried to bring it 252 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. in his way home, stopped at my lodgings in Piccadilly, and sat with me, drinking tea a second time, till a late hour. I told him that Mrs. Macaulay said, she wondered how he could reconcile his political principles with his moral : his notions of in- equality and subordination with wishing well to the happiness of all mankind, who might live so agreeably, had they all their portions of land, and none to domineer over another. Johnson. " Why, Sir, I reconcile my prin- ciples very well, because mankind are happier in a state of inequality and subordination. AVere they to be in this pretty state of equality, they would soon degenerate into brutes ; they would become Monboddo's nation ; their tails would grow. Sir, all would be losers, were all to work for all : they would have no intel- lectual improvement. All Intellectual improve- ment arises from leisure ; all leisure arises from one working for another." Talking of the family of Stuart, he said, " It shoutd seem that the family at present on the throne has now established as good a right as the former family, by the long consent of the people ; and that to disturb this right might be considered as culpable. At the same time I own, that it is a very difficult question, when considered with respect to the house of Stuart. To oblige people to take oaths as to the dis- puted right, is wrong. I know not whether I could take them; but I do not blame those who do." So conscientious and so delicate was he upon this subject, which has occasioned so much clamour against him. Talking of law cases, he said, " The English reports, in general, are very poor ; only the half of what has been said is taken down ; and of that half, much is mistaken. Whereas, in Scotland, the arguments on each side are dcli- berate4y put in writing, to be considered by the court. I think a collection of your cases upon subjects of importance, with the opi- nions of the Judges upon them, would be valuable." On Tlnirsday, April 15., I dined with him and Dr. Goldsmith at General Paoli's. AVe found here Signor Martinelli ' of Florence, author of a History of England in Italian, printed at London. I spoke of Allan Ramsay's " Gentle Shep- herd," in the Scottish dialect, as the best pastoral that had ever been written ; not only abound- ing with beautiful rural imagery, and just and pleasing sentiments, but being a real picture of manners ; and I offered to teach Dr. Johnson to understand it. " No, Sir, " said he, " I into good company, in the ninth number of his Irish Melo- dies. The words, too, which Mr. Boswell preserved, might have been lost without any injury to Goldsmith's fame. " Ah, me ! when sh.iU I marry me ; Lovers are plenty ; but fail to relieve me : He, fond youth, that could carry me. Offers to lave, but means to deceiveme," &c Croker. won't learn it. You shall retain your supe- riority by my not knowing it. ' This brought on a question whether one man is lessened by another's acquiring an equal degree of knowledge with him. John- son asserted the affirmative. I maintained that the position might be true in those kinds of knowledge which produce wisdom, power, and force, so as to enable one man to have the government of others ; but that a man is not in any degree lessened by others knowing as well as he what ends in mere pleasure : — " eating fine fruits, drinking delicious wines, reading exquisite poetry." The General observed, that Martinelli was a Whig. Johnson. "I am sorry for it. It shows the spirit of the times : he Is obliged to tem- porise." Boswell. " I rather think. Sir, that Toryism prevails In this reign." Johnson. " I know not why you should think so. Sir. You see your friend Lord Lyttelton, a nobleman. Is obliged in his History (of Henry II.) to write the most vulgar Whigglsm." An animated debate took place whether Martinelli should continue his History of Eng- land to the present day. Goldsmith. " To be sure he should." Johnson. " No, Sir ; he would give great offence. He would have to tell of almost all the living great what they do not wish told." Goldsmith. " It may, perhaps, be necessary for a native to be more cautious ; but a foreigner who comes among us without prejudice, may be considered as holding the place of a judge, and may speak his mind freely." Johnson. " Sir, a foreigner, when he sends a work from the press, ought to be on his guard against catching the error and mistaken enthusiasm of the people among whom he happens to be." Goldsmith. " Sir, he wants only to sell his history, and to tell truth ; one an honest, the other a laudable motive." Johnson. " Sii-, they are both laudable mo- tives. It is laudable In a man to wish to live by his labours ; but he should write so as he may live by them, not so as he may be knocked on the head. I would advise him to be at Calais before he publishes his history of the present age. A foreigner who attaches himself to a political party In this country. Is In the worst state that can be imagined : he Is looked upon as a mere intermeddler. A native may do it from Interest." Boswell. " Or prin- ciple." Goldsmith. " There are people who tell a hundred political lies every day, and are not hurt by It. Surely, then, one may tell truth with safety." Johnson. " Why, Sir, in the first place, he who tells a hundred lies has 1 Vincenzio Martinelli instructed many of our nobility in his native idiom. His History of Kngland, in two quarto volumes, is a mere compilation from Kapin. An octavo volume of his " I,';ttere Familiare" is rather amusing, for the complacency of the writer respecting his own importance, and the narratives of his visits to various noblemen, whose names spangle his pages. — Croker. AvT. 6 i. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 2o3 disarmed the force of his lies. But, besides ; a man liad rather have a hundred lies told of him, than one truth which he does not wish should be told." Goldsmith. " For my part, I'd tell truth, and shame the devil." Johnson. " Yes, Sir ; but the devil will be angry. I wish to shame the devil as much as you do, but I should choose to be out of the reach of his claws. " Goldsmith. " His claws can do you no harm, when you have the shield of truth." It having been observed that there was little hospitality in London : Johnson. " Nay, Sir, any man who has a name, or who has the power of pleasing, will be very generally invited in London. The man Sterne, I have been told, has had engagements for three months." Goldsmith. "Aud a very dull fellow." Johnson. " Why, no. Sir." ' Martinelli told us, that for several years he lived much with Charles Townshend '^, and that he ventured to tell him he was a bad joker. Johnson. "Why, Sir, thus much I can say upon the subject. One day he and a lew more agreed to go and dine in the country, and each of them was to bring a friend in his rarriage with him. Charles Townshend asked Fitzherbert to go with him, but told him, " You must find somebody to bring you back ; I can only carry you there." Fitzherbert did not much like this arrangement. He however consented, observing sarcastically, ' It will do j very well ; for then the same jokes will serve I you in returning as in going.' " An eminent public character ^ being men- tioned: Johnson. "I remember being present when he showed himself to be so corrupted, or at least something so different from what I think right, as to maintain, that a member of parliament should go along with his party, right or Avrong. Now, Sir, this is so remote from native virtue, from scholastic virtue, that a good man must have undergone a great change before he can reconcile himself to such a doc- trine. It is maintaining that you may lie to the public; for you lie when you call that right which you think wrong, or the reverse. A friend of ours, who is too much an echo of that gentleman, observed, that a man who does > Sterne, as may be supposed, was no great favourite with Dr. Johnson ; and a lady once ventured to ask liim how he liked Yorick's sermons: " I know nothing about them. Madam," was his reply. But some time afterwards, forget- ting himself, he severely censured them, and the lady very aptly retorted. " I understood you to say, Sir, that you had never read them." " No, madam, I did read them, but it was in a stage-coach. I should never have deigned even to look at them had I been at large." — Craddock's Mem. p. 208 Croker. 2 The Right Hon. Charles Townshend, brother of the first Marquis Town,-.hend, whose greiit but eccentric talents have been so celebrated by Horace Walpole and immortalized by Burke. He died Sep. 4. 1767.— Croker. 3 "This is an instance," as Sir James Mackintosh observed to me, "which proves that the task of elucidating Boswell has not been undertaken too soon." Sir James, Lord Wellesley, Mr. Chalmers, and I doubted, at first, whether the "■ eminent public character" was not Mr. Fox, and the friend of Johnson's, " too much the echo " of the former, Mr. Burke; but we finally agreed that Mr. Burke and Sii- Joshua Reynolds were meaut ; the designation of eminent not stick uniformly to a party, is only waiting to be bought. ^Vhy then, said I, he is only waiting to be what that gentlenuui is already." We talked of the king's coming to see Gold- smith's new play [She Stoops to Conquer.] — " I wish he would," said Goldsmith : adding, however, with an affected indifference, " Not that it would do me the least good." Johnson. " Well, then. Sir, let us say it would do him good (laughinjj;). No, Sir, this afiectation will not pass ; — it is mighty idle. In such a state as ours, who would uot wish to please the chief magistrate?" Goldsmith. "I do wish to please him. I remember a line in Dryden, — ' And every poet is the monarch's friend.' It ought to be reversed." Johnson. " Nay, there are finer lines in Dryden on this subject : — ' For colleges on bounteous Kings depend, And never rebel was to arts a friend.' * General Paoli observed, that successful re- bels might. Martinelli. " Happy rebellions." Goldsmith. " We have no such phrase." Ge- neral Paoli. "But have you not the thing?" Goldsmith. " Yes ; all our happy revolutions. They have hurt our constitution, and will hurt it, till we mend it by another happy revolu- tion." — I never before discovered that my friend Goldsmith had so much of the old preju- dice in him. General Paoli, talking of Goldsmith's new play, said, " II a fait un compliment tres-gra- cieux a line certaine grande dame ; " meaning a duchess of the first rank.'*^ I expressed a doubt whether Goldsmith intended it, in order that I might hear the truth from himself It, perhaps, was not quite fair to endeavour to bring him to a confession, as he might not wish to avow positively his taking part against the Court. He smiled and hesitated. The General at once relieved him, by this beautiful image : " Monsieur Goldsmith est comme la mer, qui jette des perles et heau- coiip d'autres belles chases, sans s'en apperqevoir" Goldsmith. '•'•Tres-hien dit, et tri's-elegamment." A person was mentioned, who it was said could take down in short-hand the speeches in public character was, in 1773, more appropriate to Burke than to Fox. Mr. Fox, too, had lately changed his party, while Burke always maintained (see /)os<, l.^th August, 1773), and was, indeed, the first who, in his " Thoughts on the Present Discontents," openly avowed and advocated the principle of inviolable adherence to political connections, "puttuig," as Mr. Prior says, "to silence the hitherto com- mon reproach applied to most public characters of being parly-men." — Life nf Burke, vol. i. p. 23-^. This supposition ■i Thel.idy was Anne I.uttrell, sister of Lord Carhampton, widow of Mr Horlon, whose marriage with the Duke of Cum- berland had recently made a great noise, and was marked with the severe disapprobation of the king. The " co7nplimeiU " no doubt was Hastings' speech to Miss Neville, in the second act, when he proposes to her to fly " to France, where, even among slaves, the laws of marriage are r.spccted." The audience the first night applied this to the Duke of Cumber- land, who happened to be present, with a burst ot applause : but this, though it could not have pleased the king, did not lirevcnt his ordering the play on its tenth night. — Crokhr. 254 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. parliament with perfect exactness. Johnson. " Sir, it is impossible. I remember one Angel, •who came to me to write for him a preface or dedication to a book upon short-hand, and he professed to write as f\ist as a man could speak. In order to try him, I took down a book, and read while he wrote ; and I favoured him, for I read more deliberately than iisual. I had proceeded but a very little w.ay, when he begged I would desist, for he could not follow me." Hearing now for the first time of this preface or dedication, I said, "What an ex- pense, Sir, do you put us to in buying books, to which you have written prefaces or dedica- tions." ' Johnson. " Why, I have dedica^ted to the royal flxmily all round ; that is to say, to the last generation of the royal family." Gold- smith. " And perhaps. Sir, not one sentence of wit in a whole dedication." Johnson. "Per- haps not, Sir." Bosv»-ell. "What then is the reason for applying to a particular person to do that which any one may do as well?" Johnson. "Why, Sir, one man has greater readiness at dohig it than another." " I spoke of ilr. Harris 2, of Salisbury, as being a very learned man, and in particular an eminent Grecian. Johnson. " I am not siire of that. His friends give him out as such, but I know not who of his friends are able to judge of it." Goldsmith. "He is what is much better : he is a worthy humane man." Johnson. " Nay, Sir, that is not to the purpose of our argument : that will as much prove that he can play upon the fiddle as well as Giardini, as that he is an eminent Grecian." Goldsmith. " The greatest musical performers have but small emoluments. Giardini, I am told, does not get above seven hundred a year." Johnson. " That is indeed but little for a man to get, who does best that which so many en- deavour to do. There is nothing, I think, in which the power of art is shown so much as in playing on the fiddle. In all other things we can do something at first. Any man will forge a bar of iron, if you give him a hammer ; not so well as a smith, but tolerably. A man will saw a piece of wood, and make a box, though a clumsy one; but give him a fiddle and a fiddlestick, and he can do nothing." On ilonday, April 19., he called on me with Mrs. Williams, in Mr. Strahan's coach, and carried me out to dine with Mr. Elphinston,^ at his academy at Kensington. A printer having 1 Mr. Boswell does not include this dedication of " AngePs SUnography" published in 1758, in his list of Johnson's compositions Croker. 2 James Harris, Esq., father of the first Earl of Malmes- bury, was born in 1709, and died in 1780. In 1801, his son published a magnificent edition of his works in two volumes quarto. — Wright. Johnson had a strong prejudice against Mr. Harris ; I know not why. Of the Dedication to his " Hermes," Mrs. Piozzi heard Johnson observe, that, though but fourteen lines long, there were six gramm.itical faults in it. And see post^ 2d Nov. 1773, where he calls him " a coxcomb."— Cboker. 3 The Hamiltons were respectable publisliers for three generations. — Crokek. acquired a fortune sufficient to keep his coach, was a good topic for the credit of literature. Mrs. Williams said, that another printer, ]\Ir. Hamilton ', had not waited so long as Mr. Stra- han, but had kept his coach several years sooner, Johnson. " He was in the right. Life is short. The sooner that a man begins to enjoy his wealth, the better." Mr. Elphinston talked of a new book that was much admired, and asked Dr. Johnson if he had read it. Johnson. " I have looked into it." " What," said Elphinston, " have you not read it through ? " Johnson, offended at being thus pressed, and so obliged to own his cursory mode of reading, answered tartly, "No, Sir; do you read books tlirough f " He this day again defended duelling, and put his argument upon what I have ever thought the most solid basis; that if public war be allowed to be consistent with morality, private war must be equally so. Indeed we may observe what strained arguments are used to reconcile war with the Christian religion. But, in my opinion, it is exceedingly clear that duelling, having better reasons for its barbarous violence, is more justifiable than war, in which thousands go forth without any cause of per- sonal quarrel, and massacre each other. On Wednesday, April 21., I dined with him at Mv. Thrale's. A gentleman attacked Gar- rick for being vain. Johnson. " No wonder. Sir, that he is vain ; a man who is perpetually flattered in every mode that can be conceived. So many bellows have blown the fire, that one wonders he is not by this time become a cinder." Boswell. "And such bellows too! Lord Mansfield with his cheeks like to burst : Lord Chatham like an zEolus.''' I have read such notes from them to him, as were enough to turn his head." Johnson. " True. When he whom every body else flatters, flatters me, I then am truly happy." Mrs. Thrale. "The sentiment is in Congreve, I think." Johnson. " Yes, Madam, in ' The Way of the Woi-ld : ' — " If there's delight in love, 'tis when I see That heart which others bleed for, bleed forme." No, Sir, I should not be surprised though Gar- rick chained the ocean and lashed the winds." Boswell. " Should it not be, Su-, lashed the ocean and chained the winds?" Johnson, " No, Sir ; recollect the original : — < Lord Chatham addressed to him, while on a visit at Mount Edgecumbe, the pretty lines : — " Leave, Garrick, leave the landscape, proudly gay, Rocks, forts, and navies, bright'ning all the bay ; To my plain roof repair, primeval seat ! Yet there no wonders your quick eye can meet, Save should you deem it wonderful to find Ambition cured, and an unpassion'd mind . . . Come, then, immortal spirit of the stage. Great nature's proxy, glass of every age. Come, taste the simple life of patriarchs old. Who, rich in rural peace, ne'er thought of pomp or gold." — Croker. iET. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 255 ' In Corum atque Eiirum solitus savire flagellis Barbarus, jEolio nunquam hoc in carcere passos, Ipsum compedibus qui vinxerat Ennosig(Eum.^ ' " This docs very well, when both the winds and the sea are personified, and mentioned by their mythological names, as in Juvenal ; but when they are mentioned in plain language, the application of the epithets suggested by me is the most obvious ; and accordingly ray Iriend himself, in his imitation of the passage v.hich desci'ibes Xerxes, has — •• Tlie waves he lashes, and enchains the wind. " * The modes of living in different countries, and the various views with which men travel in quest of new scenes, having been talked of, a learned gentleman' who holds a considerable office in the law, expatiated on the happiness of a savage life ; and mentioned an instance of an officer who had actually lived for some time ill the wilds of America, of whom, when in that state, he quoted this reflection Avith an air of admiration, as if it had been deej^ly philoso- ])hical : " Here am I, free and unrestrained, luuidst the rude magnificence of Xature, with tiiis Indian woman by my side, and this gun, with which I can procure food when I want it : what more can be desired for human happi- ness?" It did not require much sagacity to foresee that such a sentunent would not be permitted to pass without due animadversion. Johnson. " Do not allow yourself, Sir, to be imposed upon by such gross absurdity. It is sad stuff; it is brutish. If a bull could speak, he might as well exclaim, — Here am I with this cow and this grass ; what being can enjoy greater felicity?" "We talked of the melancholy end of a gen- tleman* who had destroyed himself. John- son. " It was owing to imaginary difficulties in his affairs, which, had he talked of with any friend, would soon have vanished." Boswell. " Do you think. Sir, that all who commit sui- cide are mad?" Johnson. " Sii-, they are often not universally disordered in their in- tellects, but one passion presses so upon them, that they yield to it, and commit suicide, as a passionate man will stab another." He added, "I have often thought, that after a man has taken the resolution to kill himself, it is not courage in him to do any thing, however des- " The proud Barbarian, whose impatient ire Chastised the winds that disobeyed his nod With stripes, ne'er sufTercd from the /Eolian God, Fetter'd the Shaker of the sea and l;ind." Juv. x. 182. Giffiird — Ckuker. So r.lso Butler, Hudibras, p. ii. c. I v. 845. : _ 3 I presume Mr., afterw.irds Sir W. W. Pepys, a Master in Chancery, a frequent visitor at Streatham, but between whom and Johnson there was not itiucli good will CrtoKEii. •• The gentleman here meant was, no doubt, .lohnson's friend, William Fitzherbert, Esq., Member for Derby, who terminated his own existence in January, 1772. — CitoKEii, 1835. perate, because he has nothing to fear." Gold- smith. " I don't see that." Johnson. " Nay, but, my dear Sir, why should you not see what every one else sees ? " Goldsmith. " It is for fear of something that he has resolved to kill himself: and will not that timid disposition restrain him? " Johnson. " It does not sig- nify that the fear of something made him resolve ; it is upon the state of his mind, af^er the resolution is taken, that I argue. Sup- pose a man, either from fear, or pride, or con- science, or whatever motive, has resolved to kill himself; when once the resolution is taken, he has nothing to fear. He may then go and take the king of Prussia by the nose, at the head of his army. He cannot fear the rack, v/ho is resolved to kill himself. ^ When Eustace Budgel*^ was walking down to the Thames, de- termined to drown himself, he might, if he pleased, without any ajjprehension of danger, have turned aside, and first set fire to St. James's Palace." [JOHNSON TO GOLDSMITH. •' .April 23. 1773. " Sir, — I beg that you will excuse my absence to the Club ; I am going this evening to Oxford.' " I have another favour to beg. It is that I may be considered as proposing Mr. Boswell for a candidate of our society, and that he may be con- sidered as regularly nominated. I am. Sir, your most humble servant, Sam. Johnson'."] On Tuesday, April 27., IVIr. Beauclerk and I called on him in the morning. As we walked up Johnson's Court, I said, " I have a venera- tion for this court;" and was glad to find that Beauclerk had the same reverential enthusiasm. We found him alone. We talked of Mr. An- drew Stuart's elegant and plausible Letters to Lord Mansfield ^ : a copy of which had been sent by the author to Dr. Johnson. Johnson. " They have not answered the end. They have not been talked of; I have never heard of them. This is owing to their not being sold. People seldom read a book which is given to them ; and few are given. The way to spread a work is to sell it at a low price. No man will send to buy a thing that costs even six- pence, without an intention to read it." Bos- well. " JNIay it not l)e doubted. Sir, whether it be proper to publish letters, arraigning the 5 This goes far beyond Johnson's original thesis, and is undoubtedly erroneous. Suicide is often attempted to avoid an ignominious death, and would be, no doubt, still more frequently to avoid torlurr. — Choker. fi A friend and relative of .\ddison's, who drownril him- self [in 1737] to escape a prosecutiou on account of firging the will of Dr. TInd.al, in which Budgel had provided himself with a legacy of '2000/. To this Pope alludes : — " I,et UudKoll charge low Grub Street on his quill. And write whate'er he please — except 7«y will" — Choker. " Boswell makes no mention of this excursion, which, I suppose, did not take place, as Boswell saw him in London on the '.'7th, and Johnson attended Boswell's election at the Club on the 30th. — CnoKER. " On the Douglas cause, in 1773 Croeer. 256 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. ultimate decision of an important cause by the supreme judicature of the nation ? " John- son. " No, Sir, I do not think it was wrong to publish these letters. If they are thought to do harm, why not answer them ? But they will do no harm. If j\Ir. Douglas be indeed the son of Lady Jane, he cannot be hurt : if he be not her son, and yet has the great estate of the family of Douglas, he may well submit to have a pamphlet against hini by Andrew Stuart. Sir, I think such a publication does good, as it does good to show us the possibilities of human life. And, Sii-, you will not say that the Dou- glas cause was a cause of easy decision, when it divided your Court as much as it could do, to be determined at all. When your judges are seven and seven, the casting vote of the president must be given on one side or other ; no matter, for my argument, on which ; one or the other must be taken; as when I am to move, there is no matter which leg I move first. And then, Sir, it was otherwise deter- mined here. No, Sir, a more dubious deter- mination of any question cannot be imagined."* He said, " Goldsmith should not be for ever attempting to shine in conversation : he has not temper for it, he is so much mortified when he fails. Sir, a game of jokes is composed partly of skill, partly of chance ; a man may be beat at times by one who has not the tenth part of his wit. Now Goldsmith's putting himself against another, is like a man laying a hundred to one, who cannot spare the hundred. It is not worth a man's while. A man should not lay a hundred to one, unless he can easily spare it, though he has a hundred chances for him : he can get but a guinea, and may loss a hundred. Goldsmith is in this state. When he contends, if he gets the better, it is a very little addition to a man of his literary repu- tation : if he does not get the better, he is miserably vexed." Johnson's own superlative powers of wit set him above any risk of such uneasiness. Gar- rick had remarked to me of him, a few days before, "Rabelais and all other wits are nothing compared with him. You may be diverted by them ; but Johnson gives you a forcible bug, and shakes laughter out of you, whether you will or no." Goldsmith, however, was often very fortu- nate in his witty contests, even when he entered the lists with Johnson himself Sir Joshua Reynolds was in company with them one day, when Goldsmith said, that he thought he could write a good fable, mentioned the simplicity which that kind of composition requires, and observed, that in most fables the animals intro- ^ duced seldom talk in character. "For in- I stance," said he, " the fable of the little fishes, I who saw birds fly over their heads, and, envying tliem, petitioned Jupiter to be changed into birds. The skill," continued he, " consists in making them talk like little fishes." AVhile he indulged himself in this fanciful reverie, he observed Johnson shaking his sides, and laugh- ing. Upon which he smartly proceeded, " Why, Dr. Johnson, this is not so easy as jou seem to think : for if you were to make little fishes talk, they would talk like whales." Johnson, though remarkable for his great variety of composition, never exercised his talents in fable, except we allow his beautiful [fairy] tale [the Fountains'] published in Mrs. ^Villiams's Miscellanies to be of that species. I have, however, found among his manuscript collections the following sketch of one : " Glow-worm ^ lying in the garden saw a candle in a neighbouring palace, — and complained of the littleness of its own light ; — another observed — wait a little ; — soon dark, — have outlasted 7roA\ [many] of these glaring lights, which are only brighter as they haste to nothing." On Thursday, April 29., I dined with him at General Oglethorpe's, whei'c were Sir Joshua Reynolds, Mr. Langton, Dr. Gold- smith, and Mr. Thrale. I was very desirous to get Dr. Johnson absolutely fixed in his i-csolution to go with me to the Hebrides this year; and I told him that I had received a letter from Dr. Robertson, the historian, upon the subject, with which he was much pleased, and now talked \n such a manner of his long intended tour, that I was satisfied he meant to fulfil his engagement. The custom of eating dogs at Otaheite being mentioned. Goldsmith observed, that this was also a custom in China; that a dog-butclter is as common there as any other butcher; and that when he walks abroad all the dogs fall on him. Johnson. " That is not owing to his killing dogs. Sir. I remember a butcher at Lichfield, whom a dog that was in the house where I lived, always attacked. It is the smell of carnage which provokes this, let the animals he has killed be what they may." Goldsmith. " Yes, there is a general abhor- rence in animals at the signs of massacre. If you put a tub full of blood into a stable, the horses are like to go mad." Johnson. " I doubt that." Goldsmith. "Nay, Sir, it is a fact well authenticated." Thrale. " You had better prove it before you put it into your book on natural history. You may do it in my stable if you will." Johnson. " Nay, Sir, I ' I regretted that Dr. Johnson never took the trouble to study a question which Interested nations. He would not even read a pamphlet which I wrote upon it, entitled, " The Essence of the Douglas Cause; " which, I have reason to flatter myself, had considerable effect in f.avour of Mr. Dou- glas ; of whose legitimate filiation I was then, and am still, lirmly convinced. Let me add, that no fact can be more respectably ascertained, than by the judgment of the most august tribunal in the world ; a judgment in which Lord Mansfield and Lord Camden united in 1769, and from which only five of a numerous body entered a protest Boswell. - It has already been observed [ante, p. 46.] that one of his first Essays was aLatin poem on a Glow-worm ; but whether it be any where extant, has not been ascertained. — Malone. ^T. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 257 would not have him prove it. If he is content to take his information from others, he may get through his book with little trouble, and with- out much endangering his reputation. But if he makes experiments for so comprehensive a book as his, there would be no end to them ; his erroneous assertions would then fiiU upon himself; and he might be blamed for not having made experiments as to every par- ticular." The character of Mallet having been intro- duced, and spoken of slightingly by Gold- smith; — Johnson. "Why, Sir, Mallet had talents enough to keep his literary reputation alive as long as he himself lived ; and that, let me tell you, is a good deal." Goldsmith. "But I cannot agree that it was so. His literary reputation was dead long before his natural death. I consider an author's literary reputation to be alive only while his name will insure a good price for his copy from the book- sellers. I will get you (to Johnson) a hundred guineas for any thing whatever that you shall write, if you put your name to it." Dr. Goldsmith's new play, " She Stoops to Conquer," being mentioned; — Johnson. "I know of no comedy for many years that has so much exhilarated an audience, that has answered so much the great end of comedy — making an audience merry." Goldsmith having said, that Garrick's com- pliment to the Queen, which he introduced into the play of " The Chances," which he had altered and revised this year, was mean and gross flattery ' ; — Johnson. " Why, Sir, I would not icrite, I would not give solemnly under my hand, a character beyond what I thought really true; but a speech on the stage, let it tlatter ever so extravagantly, is formular. It has always been formular to flatter kings and queens; so much so, that even in our church-service we have ' our most religious king,' used indiscriminately, who- ever is king. Nay, they even flatter them- selves; — ' we have been graciously pleased to grant.' No modern flattery, however, is so gross as that of the Augustan age, where the emperor was deified; — '■ Prasens Diviis habe- hitiir Augustus.'" And as to meanness" — (rising into warmth) — "how is it mean in a player,— ^ a showman, — a fellow who exhi- bits himself for a shilling, to flatter his (jueen ? The attempt, indeed, was dangerous ; for if it had missed, what became of Garrick, and what became of the queen ? As Sir AVilliam Temple says of a great general, it is necessary not only that his designs be formed in a masterly man- ner, but that they should be attended with 1 Don John. " Ay, but when things are at the worst they'll mend : example does every thing, and the fair sex will cer- tainly grow better, whenever the ireatest is the best woman in the kingdom." .Act v. sc. 2. — Wright. 2 " so shall .liigustus hr. Though still on earth, proclaimed a Deity." Hor. Od. iii. v. 2. — Croker. success. Sir, it is right, at a time when the royal family is not generally liked, to let it be seen that the people like at least one of them." Sir Joshua Keynolus. " I do not perceive why the profession of a player should be despised; for the great and ultimate end of all the employments of mankind is to produce amusement. Garrick produces more amuse- ment than any body." Boswei.l. " You say, Dr. Johnson, that Garrick exhibits himself lor a shilling. In this respect he is only on a foot- ing with a lawyer, who exhibits himself for his fee, and even will maintain any nonsense or absurdity, if the case require it. Garrkk re- fuses a play or a part which he does not like : a lawyer never refuses." Johnson. " AVhy, Sir, what does this prove ? only that a lawyer is worse. Boswell is now like Jack in ' The Tale of a Tub,' ^ who, when he is puzzled by an argument, hangs himself. He thinks I shall cut him down, but I'll let him hang" — (laughing vociferously). Sir Joshua Rey- nolds. " Mr. Boswell thinks that the profes- sion of a lawyer being unquestionably honour- able, if he can show the profession of a player to be more honourable, he proves his argu- ment." CHAPTER XXIX. 1773. Dinner at Beauderk's. — Boswell elected of the Club. — Goldsmith in Company, and in his Sludy. — His Roman History. — " Talking for Victory." — Pilgrim's Progress. — Monuments in St. Paul's. — Pope. — Milton. — " The Whole Duty of Man." — Puns. — Lay Patronage. — The Bread Tree. — Savage Life. — Reasoning of Brutes. — Toleration. — Martyrdom. — Doctrine of the Trinity. — Government of Ireland. — Invocation of Sai7its. — " Goldy." — Literary Property. — State of Nature. — Male Succession. — Influence of the Seasons on the Mind. — Projected Visit to the Hebrides. On Friday, April 30., I dined with him at Mr. Beauclerk's, where were Lord Cliarlemont, Sir Joshua Reynolds, and some more members of the Literary Club, whom he had oblig- ingly invited to meet me, as I was this evening to be balloted for as candidate for admission into that distinguished society. Johnson had done me the honour to propose me, and Beau- clerk was very zealous for me. Goldsmith being mentioned ; — Johnson. " It is amazing how little Goldsmith knows. He 3 The allusion is not to the Tale of a Tub, but to the Histori/ of .hhn Bull, part iv. chap. ii. ; where however Jack does not hang himself for any such reason ; but the misrepre- sentation turned the laugh against Boswell, and that was all Johnson cared for. — Locrhart. 258 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. seldom comes where he is not more ignorant than any one else." Sir Joshua Reynolds. " Yet there is no man -whose company is more liked." Johnson. " To be sure, Sir. When people find a man of the most distinguished abilities as a writer, their inferior while he is with them, it must be highly gratifying to them. What Goldsmith comically says of him- self is very true, — he always gets the better when he argues alone; meaning, that he is master of a subject in his study, and can write well upon it; but when he comes into com- pany, grows confused, and unable to talk. Take him as a poet, his 'Traveller' is a very fine performance ; ay, and so is his ' Deserted Village,' were it not sometimes too much the echo of his ' Traveller.' Whether, indeed, we take him as a poet, — as a comic writer, — or as an historian, he stands in the first class." BoswELL. " An historian ! My dear Sii% you surely will not rank his compilation of the Roman History with the works of other his- torians of this age ? " Johnson. " Why, who are before him?"" Boswell. "Hume, — Ro- bertson, — Lord Lyttelton." Johnson (his antipathy to the Scotch beginning to rise). " I have not read Hume ; but, doubtless, Gold- smith's History is better than the verbiage of Robertson, or the foppery of Dalrymple." BoswELL. " Will you not admit the supe- riority of Robertson, in whose History' we find such penetration, such painting ? " John- son. " Sir, you must consider how that pene- tration and that painting are employed. It is not history, it is imagination. He who de- scribes what he never saw, draws from fancy. Robertson paints minds as Sir Joshua paints faces in a history-piece : he imagines an heroic countenance. You must look upon Robert- son's work as romance, and try it by that standard. History it is not. Besides, Sir, it is the great excellence of a writer to put into his book as much as his book will hold. Gold- smith has done this in his History. Now Robertson might have put twice as much into his book. Robertson is like a man who has packed gold in wool : the wool takes up more room than the gold. No, Sir ; I always thought Robertson would be crushed by his own weight, — would be buried under his own ornaments. Goldsmith tells you shortly all you want to know : Robertson detains you a great deal too long. No man will read Robertson's cumbrous detail a second time; but Goldsmith's plain • Robertson's Charles V. and Goldsmith's Roman History ■were both published in 1769. — Wright. 2 See ante. Mr. Boswell's friendship for both Johnson and Robertson is here sorely perplexed — but there seetns no ground for doubting that ' his real and decided opinion ' of Robertson's works was very low — he, on -every occasion, repeats it with contemptuous consistency. — Crokeh. 3 And our name may, perhaps, be mixed with theirs ! Ovid, de Art. Amand. i. iii. v. 339 C. * The heads of Messrs. Fletcher and Townley, executed on the 31st July, 1746, for the rebellion of 1745, were placed on Temple Bar : whether the heads of the rebels of 1715 remained there, or whether others were afterwards added, I do not know. — Croker. 5 In allusion to Dr. Johnson's supposed political principles, narrative will please again and again. I would say to Robertson what an old tutor of a college said to one of his pupils: 'Read over your compositions, and wherever you meet with a passage which you think is particularly fine, strike it out.' Goldsmith's abridgement is better than that of Lucius Florus or Eutro- pius ; and I will venture to say, that if you compare him with Vertot, in the same places of the Roman History, you will find that he excels Vertot. Sir, he has the art of compil- ing, and of saying every thing he has to say in a pleasing manner. He is now writing a Natui'al History, and wiU make it as enter- taining as a Persian tale." I cannot dismiss the present topic without observing, that it is probable that Dr. Johnson, who owned that he often " talked for victory," rather urged plausible objections to Dr. Robert- son's excellent historical works, in the ardour of contest, than expressed his real and decided opinion ; for it is not easy to suppose, that he should so widely differ from the rest of the literary world." Johnson. "I remember once being with Goldsmith in Westminster Abbey. While we surveyed the Poets' Corner, I said to him, ' Forsitan et nostrum nomen miscebitur istis. ' ^ "Wlien we got to Temple Bar he stopped me, pointed to the heads* upon it, and slily whis- pered me, ' Forsitan et nostrum nomen miscebitur istis.' " ^ Johnson praised John Bunyan highly. " His 'Pilgrim's Progress' has great merit, both for invention, imagination, and the conduct of the story ; and it has had the best evidence of its merit, the general and continued approbation of mankind. Few books, I believe, have had a more extensive sale. It is remarkable, that it begins very much like the poem of Dante ; yet there was no translation of Dante when Bunyan wrote. There is reason to think that he had read Spenser." A proposition which had been agitated, that monuments to eminent persons should, for the time to come, be erected in St. Paul's church, as well as in Westminster Abbey, was men- tioned ; and it was asked, who should be ho- noured by having his monument first erected there. Somebody suggested Pope. Johnson. " Why, Sir, as Pope was a Roman Catholic, I would not have his to be first. I think Milton's rather should have the precedence.^ I think and perhaps his own — Boswell. Goldsmith was certainly not a Jacobite, though he was a Tort/. In a letter to Lang- ton (Sept. 7. 1771) he says of some criticisms on his History of England: "However, they set me down as an arrant Tory, and consequently an honest man."— Prior's Life, ii. 330. — Croker, 1846. ^ Here is another Instance of his high admiration of Milton as a poet, notwithstanding his just abhorrence of that sour republican's political principles. His candour and dis- crimination are equally conspicuous. Let us hear no more of his " injustice to Milton." — Boswell. A monument to Milton in St. Paul's Cathedral would, as Dr. Hall observes, be the more appropriate from his having received his early education in the a^oining school. — Crokek. ©(LO^dl^ (g@L©§!R5flflTK] (From the I'dinting bij Sir Joshua Reynolds) London : John Murray, Albemarle P ^T. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 259 more highly of him now than I did at twenty. There is more thinking in him and in Butler, than in any of our poets." Some of the company expressed a wonder why the author of so excellent a book as " The Whole Duty of Man" should conceal himself Johnson. "There may be diiferent reasons assigned for this, any one of which would be A'cry sufficient. He may have been a clergy- man, and may have thought that his religious counsels would have less weight when known to come from a man whose profession was theology. He may have been a man whose l)ractice was not suitable to his principles, so that his character might injure the effect of his book, which he had written in a season of penitence. Or he may have been a man of rigid self-denial, so that he would have no re- ward for his pious labours while in this world, but refer it all to a future state." The gentlemen went away to their club, and I was left at Beauclerk's till the fate of my election should be announced to me. I sat in a state of anxiety which even the charming conversation of Lady Di Beauclerk could not entirely dissipate. In a short time I received the agreeable intelligence that I was chosen. I hastened to the place of meeting, and was introduced to such a society as can seldom be found. Mr. Edmund Burke, whom I then saw for the first time, and whose splendid talents had long made me ardently wish for his ac- quaintance ; Dr. Nugent, Mr. Garrick, Dr. Goldsmith, JVir. (afterwards Sir AVilliam) Jones, and the company with whom I had dined. Upon my entrance, Johnson placed himself behind a chair, on v/hich he leaned as on a desk or pulpit, and with humorous formality gave me a charge, pointing out the conduct expected from me as a good member of this club. Goldsmith produced some very absurd verses which had been publicly recited to an audience fur money. Johnson. " I can match this non- • In a manuscript in the Bodleian Library several cir- cumstances are stated, which strongly incline me to believe that Dr. Accepted Frewen, Archbishop of York, was the author of this work Malone. See, on the subject of the author of this celebrated and excellent work, Gent. Mag. vol. xxiv. p. 26., and Ballard's Memoirs of Learned Ladies, p. 300. The late eccentric but learned Dr. Barrett, of Trinity College, Dublin, believed, I know not on what evidence, that Dr. Chapel, formerly pro- vost of that college, was the author Choker. - Dr. Johnson's memory here was not perfectly accurate : " Eupenio" does not conclude thus. There are eight more lines after the last of those quoted by him ; and the passage which he meant to recite is as follows : — " Say now, ye fluttering, poor assuming elves. Stark full of pride, of folly, of— yourselves ; Say, Where's the wretch of all your impious crew Who dares confront his character to view ? Behold Eugenic, &c. &c. Mr. Reed informs me that the author of Eugenio, Thomas Beech, a wine-merchant at Wrexham in Denbighshire, soon after its "publication, viz. May 17. 1737, cut his own throat ; and that it appears by Swift's works, that the poem had been shown to him, and received some of his corrections. John- son had read " Eugenio " on his first coming to town, for we see it mentioned in one of his letters to Mr. Cave, which has been inserted in this work. — Boswell. One wonders at sense. There was a poem called 'Eugenio,' which came out some ycai's ago, and concludes thus : — ♦ And now, ye trifling, self-assuming elves, Brimful of pride, of nothing, of yourselves, Survey Eugenio, view him o'er and o'er, Then sink into yourselves, and be no more.'* Nay, Dryden, in his poem on the Royal Society', has these lines : — ' Tlien we upon our globe's last verge shall go, And see the ocean leaning on the sky ; From thence our rolling neighbours we shall know, And on the lunar world securely pry.' " Talking of puns, Johnson, who had a great contempt for that species of wit, deigned to allow that there was one good pun in " Mena- giana," I think on the word corps.* Much pleasant conversation passed, which Johnson relished with great good humour. But his conversation alone, or what led to it, or was interwoven with it, is the business of this work. On Saturday, May 1., we dined by ourselves at our old rendezvous, the Mitre tavern. He was placid, but not much disposed to talk. He observed, that " the Irish mix better with the English than the Scotch do ; their language is nearer to English ; as a proof of which, they succeed very well as players, which Scotch- men do not. Then, Sir, they have not that extreme nationality which we find in the Scotch. I will do you, Boswell, the justice to say, that you are the most umcottijied of your countrymen. You are almost the only in- stance of a Scotchman that I have known, who did not at every other sentence bring in some other Scotchman." ^ We drank tea with Mrs. Williams. I intro- duced a question which has been much agitated in the church of Scotland, whether the claim of lay-patrons to present ministers to parishes be well founded ; and supposing it to be well the patience and good nature with which Swift read and corrected this stupid poem Chokkr. 3 There is no such poem ; — the lines are part of an allu- sion to the Koyal Society, in the Annus Mirabilis, stanza 1C4 CnoKER. ■' 1 formerly thought that I had perhaps mistaken the word, and imagined it to be corps, from its similarity of sound to the real one. For an accurate and shrewd unknown gentleman, to whom I am indebted for some remarks on my work, observes on this passage: — " Q. if not on the word, /or/? A vociferous French preacher said of Bour- daloue, ' II preche fort bien, et moi bienjort.' — Mcnagiana. See also Anecdotes Litliraires, art. Bourdaloue." But my ingenious and obliging correspondent, Mr. Abercrombie of Philadelphia, has pointed out to me the following passage ; which renders the preceding conjecture unnecessary, and confirms my original statement : — " Madame de Bourdonne, chanoinesse de Remireraont, venoit d'entenUre un discours plein de feu et d'esprit, niais fort peu solide, et trds-irreguher. Une de ses amies, qui y prenoit interet pour I'orateur, lui dit en sortant, ' Kh bien, Madame, que vous semble-t-il de ce que vous venez d'en- tendre? Qu'il y a d'esprit ?' — ' II y a tant,' rfepondit Madame de Bourdonne, ' que je n'y ai pas vu de corps.' " Mcnagiana, tome ii. p. 64.— Boswell. '^ Boswell confesses that Garrick used to rally him on his nationality, and thereare abundant instances in these volumes to show that he wa« not exempt from that amiable prejudice. — Croker. S 2 260 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. founded, whether it ou;rht to be exercised without the concurrence of the people ? That church is composed of a series of judicatures : a presbytery, a synod, and finally, a general assembly ; before all of which this matter may be contended : and in some cases the presby- tery having refused to induct or settle, as they call it, the person presented by the patron, it has beeu found necessary to appeal to the General Assembly. He said, I might see the subject well treated in the " Defence of Plu- ralities ; " and although he thought that a patron should exercise his right with tender- ness to the inclinations of the people of a parish, he was very clear as to his right. Then, supposing the question to be pleaded before the General Assembly, he dictated to me what follows. > [See Appendix.] Though I present to my readers Dr. John- son's masterly thoughts on the subject, I think it proper to declare, that notwithstanding I am myself a lay patron, I do not entirely subscribe to his opinion. On Friday, May 7., I breakf\isted with him at Mr. Thrale's in the Borough. While we were alone, I endeavoured as well as I could to apologise for a lady^ who had been divorced from her husband by act of parliament. I said that he had used her very ill, had behaved brutally to her, and that she could not con- tinue to live with him without having her delicacy contaminated ; that all affection for him was thus destroyed ; that the essence of conjugal luilon being gone, there remained only a cold form, a mere civil obligation ; that she was in the prime of life, with qualities to produce happiness ; that these ought not to be lost ; and, that the gentleman on whose account she was divorced had gained her heart while thus unhappily situated. Seduced, perhaps, by the charms of the lady in question, I thus attempted to palliate what I was sensible could not be justified ; for when I had finished my harangue, my venerable friend gave me a proper check: — "My dear Sir, never accus- tom your mind to mingle virtue and vice. The woman's a , and there's an end on't." ^ He described the father '^ of one of his friends thus : — " Sir, he was so exuberant a talker at public meetings, that the gentlemen of his 1 This question has been still more seriously debated in our own day, and is not at all, I fear, satisfactorily settled — Croker, 1846. 2 No doubt Lady Diana Spencer, daughter of Charles Duke of Marlborough, born in 1734, married in ITS? to Viscount Bolingbroke, from whom she was divorced in 17G8, and married immediately after Mr. Topham Beauclerk. All that Johnson says is very true ; but he would have been better entitled to hold such hijh language if he had not practically waived his right by living in that lady's private society. He should either, as a strict moralist, have refused her his countenance, or, as a man of honour and gratitude, been silent as to her frailties. It was not fair to enjoy her societv, and disparage her character. — Croker. 3 " One evening," says Mrs. Piozzi,"in theroomsat Bright- helmstone, he fell into a comical discussion with Lord Bolingbroke, that lady's first husband : happening to sit by him, he chose to harangue very loudly about the nature, and use, and abuse of divorces. Many people gathered round them to hear what was said, and when my husband called him away, and told him to whom he had been talking, he county were afraid of him. No business could be done for his declamation." He did not give me full credit when I men- tioned that I had carried on a short conversation by signs with some Esquimaux, who were then in London, particularly with one of them, who was a priest. He thought I could not make them understand me. No man was more in- credulous as to particular facts which were at all extraordinary ; and therefore no man was more scrupulously inquisitive, in order to dis- cover the truth. I dined with him this day at the house of my friends. Messieurs Edward and Charles Dilly, booksellers in the Poultry : there Avere present, their elder brother Mr. Dilly of Bedfordshire, Dr. Goldsmith, Mr. Langton, Mr. Claxton^, Rev. Dr. Mayo, a dissenting minister, the Rev. ]Mr. Toplady^, and my friend the Rev. ]\£i-. Temple.'' Hawkesworth's compilation of the Voyages to the South Sea being mentioned ; — John- son. " Sir, if you talk of it as a subject of commerce, it Avill be gainful ; if as a book that is to increase human knowledge, I believe there will not be much of that. Hawkesworth can tell only what the voyagers have told him ; and they have found very little, only one new animal, I think." Boswell. " But many in- sects, Sir." Johnson. " Why Sir, as to insects, Ray reckons of British insects twenty thousand species. They might have staid at home and discovered enough in that way." Talking of birds, I mentioned Mr. Daines Barrington's ingenious Essay against the re- ceived notion of their migration. Johnson. " I think we have as good evidence for the migration of woodcocks as can be desired. AVe find they disappear at a certain time of the year, and appear again at a certain time of the year; and some of them, when weary in their flight, have been known to alight on the rig- ging of ships far out at sea." One of the com- pany observed, that there had been instances of some of them found in summer in Essex Johnson. " Sir, that strengthens our argument Exceptio prohat regulam. Some being found shows that, if all remained, many would b( found. A few sick or lame ones may b( foimd." Goldsmith. " There is a partial mi- received an answer which 1 will not venture to write down.' Something, no doubt, equivalent to what Boswell repeats ii the text. — Croker. ■i Old Mr. Langton — Croker. 5 I suppose John Claxton, Esq. F..\.S., author of a pape in the Archceologia. — Croker. 6 A. M. Toplady, Vicar of Broad Hembury, in Devon author of Historic Proof of /he Doctrinal Calvinism of Ih' Church of England " and many works of the same Calvinisti principle: he died in 177S, aet. 38. — Croker. ? In his letter to Mrs. Thrale, 2nth May, 177'>, he says, " dined yesterday in a large company at a Dissenting booF seller's, and disputed against toleration with one Dr. Mayer. This must have been the dinner noted in the text, but 1 car not reconcile the dates, and the mention of the death of th Queen of Denmark, which happened on the 10th May, 177 ascertains that the date of the letter is correct. Boswel who made many of his notes on mere scraps, and in a vei confused way, must, I think, have misdated and misplac( his note of this conversation. iET. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 261 gration of the swallows ; the stronger onos ' migrate, the others do not." j BoswELL. " I am well assured that the I people of Otaheite, who have the bread tree, the fruit of which serves them for bread, laughed heartily when they were informed of the tedious process necessary with us to have bread; plowing, sowing, harrowing, reaj)ing, threshing, grinding, baking." Johnson. " AVhy, Sir, all ignorant savages will laugh when they are told of the advantages of civilised life. "Were you to tell men who live without houses, how we pile brick upon brick, and rafter upon rafter, and that after a house is raised to a cer- tain height, a man tumbles off a scaffold, and breaks his neck ; he would laugh heartily at our folly in building ; but it does not follow that men are better without houses. No, Sir, (holding up a slice of a good loaf), this is better than the bread tree." He repeated an ai-gument which is to be found in his " Rambler," against the notion that the brute creation is endowed with the faculty of reason : " Birds build by instinct ; they never improve ; they build their first nest as well as any one they ever build." Goldsmith. " Yet we see, if you take away a bird's nest ■with the eggs in it, she will make a slighter nest and lay again." Johnson. " Sir, that is because at firsi; she has full time, and makes her nest deliberately. In the case you mention she is pressed to lay, and must therefore make her nest quickly, and consequently it will be slight." Goldsmith. " The nldification of birds is what is least known in natural history, though one of the most curious things in it." I introduced the subject of toleration.' Johnson. "Every society has a right to pre- serve public peace and order, and theretbre has a good right to prohibit the propagation of opinions which have a dangerous tendency. To say the magistrate has this right, is using an inadequate word : it is the society for which the magistrate is agent." He may be morally or theologically wrong in restraining the propaga- tion of opinions which he thinks dangerous, but he is politically right." Mayo. " I am of opinion. Sir, that every man is entitled to liberty of conscience in religion ; and that the magistrate cannot restrain that right " John- son. " Sir, 1 agree with you. Every man has a right to liberty of conscience, and with that the magistrate cannot interfere. People con- found liberty of thinking with liberty of talk- ing ; nay, with liberty of preaching. Every man has a physical right to think as he pleases; for it cannot be discovereil how he thinks. He has not a moral right, for he ought to in- form himself, and think justly. But, Sir, no member of a society has a right to leach any doctrine contrary to what the society holds to be true. Tiio magistrate, I say, may be wrong in what he thinks : but while he thinks him- self right, he may and ought to enforce what he thinks." !Mayo. " Then, Sir, we are to re- main always in error, and truth never can prevail ; and the magistrate was right in per- secuting the first Christians." Johnson. " Sir, the only method by which religious truth can be established is by martyrdom. The magis- trate has a right to enforce what he thinks ; and he who is conscious of the truth has a right to sulFer. I am afraid there is no other way of ascertaining the truth, but by perse- cution on the one hand and enduring it on the other." Goldsmith. " But how is a man to act, Sir? Though firmly convinced of the truth of his doctrine, may he not think it wrong to expose himself to persecution ? Has he a right to do so ? Is it not, as it were, com- mitting voluntary suicide ? " Johnson. "Sir, as to voluntai-y suicide, as you call it, there are twenty thousand men in an army who will go without scruple to be shot at, and mount a breach for tivepence a day." Goldsmith. But have they a moral right to do this?" Johnson. "Nay, Sir, if you will not take the universal opinion of mankind, I have nothing to say. If mankind cannot defend their own way of thinking, I cannot defend it. Sir, if a man is in doubt whether it would be better for him to expose himself to martyrdom or not, he should not do it. He must be convinced that he has a delegation from heaven." Gold- smith. "I would consider whether there is the greater chance of good or evil upon the whole. If I see a man who has fallen into a well, I would wish to help him out ; but if there is a greater probability that he shall pull me in, than that I shall pull him out, I would not attempt it. So, were I to go to Turkey, I might wish to convert the grand signior to the Christian faith ; but when I considered that I should probably be put to death without effec- tuating my purpose in any degree, I should keep myself quiet." Johnson. " Sir, you must consider that we have perfect and imperfect obligations. Perfect obligations, which are generally not to do something, lu-e clear and positive ; as, ' Thou shalt not kill.' But charity, for instance, is not definable by limits. It is a duty to give to the poor ; but no man can say how much another should give to the poor, or when a man has given too little to save his soul. In the same manner it is a duty to in- struct the ignorant, and of consequence to convert infidels to Christianity; but no man in the common course of things is obliged to carry this to such a degree as to incur the I danger of martyrdom, as no man is obliged to strip himself to the shirt in order to give charity. I have said, that a man must be per- 1 I may take this occasion for noticing th.it of which we meet so many instances — Boswell's perverse, but for us fortunate, inclination to introduce subjects that he hoped would produce difference and debate — Ckoker. - This is the rationale of the interfere!: in any case. — Croker, 1846. ; of the magistrate 262 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. suaded that he has a particular delegation from heaven." Goldsmith. " How is this to be known ? Our first reformers, who were burnt for not believing bread and wine to be Christ " Johnson (interrupting him). " Sir, they were not burnt for not believing bread and wine to be Christ, but for insulting those who did believe it.* And, Sir, when the first re- formers began, they did not intend to be martyred: as many of them ran away as could." BoswELL. " But, Sir, there was your countryman Elwal^ who you told me chal- lenged King George with his black-guards, and his red-guards." Johnson. " My countryman, Elwal, Sir, should have been put in the stocks — a proper pulpit for him ; and he'd have had a numerous audience. A man who preaches in the stocks will always have hearers enough." BoswELL. " But Elwal thought himself in the right." Johnson. " We are not providing for mad people ; there are places for them in the neighbourhood " (meaning Moorfields). Mayo. " But, Sir, is it not very hard that I should not be allowed to teach my children what I really believe to be the truth ? " Johnson. " Why, Sir, you might contrive to teach your children extra scandalum ; but. Sir, the magis- trate, if he knows it, has a right to restrain you. Suppose you teach your children to be thieves ?" Mayo. " This is making a joke of the subject." Johnson. " Nay, Sir, take it thus : — that you teach them the community of goods ; for which there are as many plausible arguments as for most erroneous doctrines. You teach them that all things at first were in common, and that no man had a right to any thing but as he laid his hands upon it; and that this still is, or ought to be, the rule amongst mankind. Here, Sir, you sap a great principle in society, — property. And don't you think the magistrate would have a right to prevent you ? Or, suppose you should teach your children the notion of the Adamites, and they should run naked into the streets, would not the magistrate have a right to flog 'em into their doublets ? " Mayo. " I think the ma- gistrate has no right to interfere till there is some overt act ? " Boswell. " So, Sir, though he sees an enemy to the state charging a blunderbuss, he is not to interfere till it is fired off! " Mayo. " He must be sure of its direction against the state." Johnson. " The magistrate is to judge of that. He has no right to restrain your thinking, because the evil centres in yourself. If a man were sitting at 1 This seems to be altogether contrary to the fact. The first reformers, whether of Germany or England, were cer- tainly not burned lor insulting individuals : they were burned for heresy ; and abominable as that was, it was less inde- fensible than what Johnson is said to have stated, that they were burned for insulting individuals : but, indeed, I can hardly doubt that lioswell's note of this rapid discussion at a dinner table was very imperfect. — Croker, 1831. 1846. 2 See anid, p. 234. — C. 3 The Magistrate might for better reasons : either sus- pecting insanity ; or, because he that mutilates himself be- comes a burden upon others ; or, because no citizen of a state has a right to disable himself from the performance of his active duties. — Croker. this table, and chopping off" his fingers, the ma- gistrate, as guardian of the community, has no authority to restrain him, however he might do it from kindness as a parent. — Though, indeed, upon more considei-ation, I think he may ; as it is probable, that he who is chopping off his own figures, may soon proceed to chop off those of other people.^ If I think it right to steal Mr. Dilly's plate, I am a bad man ; but he can say nothing to me. If I make an open declaration that I think so, he Avill keep me out of his house. If I put forth my hand, I shall be sent to Newgate. This is the grada- tion of thinking, preaching, and acting : if a man thinks erroneously, he may keep his thoughts to himself, and nobody will trouble him ; if he preaches erroneous doctrine, society may expel him ; if he acts in consequence of it, the law takes place, and he is hanged." ]\Iayo. "But, Sir, ought not Christians to have liberty of conscience?" Johnson. "I have already told you so. Sir ? You're coming back to where you were." Boswell. " Dr. Mayo is always taking a return post-chaise, and going the stage over again. He has it at half-price." Johnson. " Dr. Mayo, like other champions for unlimited toleration, has got a set of words.''' Sir, it is no matter, politically, whether the magistrate be right or wrong. Suppose a club were to be formed, to drink confusion to King George the Third, and a happy restoration to Charles the Third, this would be very bad with respect to the state ; but every member of that club must either conform to its rules, or be turned out of it. Old Baxter, I i-emember, maintains, that the magistrate should ' tolerate all things that are tolerable.' This is no good definition of tolera- tion upon any principle ; but it shows that he thought some things were not tolerable." Toplady. " Sir, you have untwisted this difficult subject with great dexterity." During this argument. Goldsmith sat in restless agitation, from a wish to get in and shine. Finding himself excluded, he had taken his hat to go away, but remained for some time with it in his hand, like a gamester, who, at the close of a long night, lingers for a little while, to see if he can have a favourable open- ing to finish with success. Once, when he was beginning to speak, he found himself over- powered by the loud voice of Johnson, who was at the opposite end of the table, and did not perceive Goldsmith's attempt. Thus dis- appointed of his wish to obtain the attention of ■• Dr. Miiyo's calm temper and steady perseverance, ren- dered him an admirable subject for the exercise of Dr. Johnson's powerful abilities. He never flinched ; but, after reiterated blows, remained seemingly unmoved as at the first. Tlie scintillations of Johnson's genius flashed every time he was struck, without his receiving any injury. Hence he obtained the epithet of The Li/erary Anvil.— BoswEth. Boswell talks as if these encounters were so frequent as to have obtained Dr. Mayo a distinctive epithet : but it is certain that Johnson had never seen him before this day, when he did not even know his name ; and I cannot tra'ce that he met him more than once again — Croker. ^T. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 263 the company, Goldsmith in a passion tlirew down Lis hat, looking angrily at Johnson, and exclaiming in a bitter tone, " 2\ike it." "When Toplady was going to speak, Johnson uttered some sound, which led Goldsmith to think that he was beginning agaiji, and taking the words from Toplady. Upon which, he seized this opportunity of venting his own envy and spleen, under the pretext of supporting another person : " Sir," said he to Johnson, " the gen- tleman has heard you patiently for an hour : pray allow us now to hear him." Johnson (sternly). " Sir, I was not interrupting the iCentlenian. I was only giving him a signal of my attention. Sir, you are impertinent." Goldsmith made no reply, but continued in the company for some time. A gentleman present ' ventured to ask Dr. Johnson if there was not a material difference as to toleration of opinions which lead to action, and opinions merely speculative ; for instance, would it be wrong in the magistrate to tolerate those who preach against the doctrine of the Trinity ? Johnson was highly offended, and said, '• I wonder, Sir, how a gentleman of your l)iety can introduce this subject in a mixed company." He told me afterwards, that the impropriety was, that perhaps some of the com- pany might have talked on the subject in such terms as might have shocked him ; or he might have been forced to appear in their eyes a narrow-minded man. The gentleman, with submissive deference, said, he had only hinted at the question from a desire to hear Dr. John- son's opinion upon it. Johnson. " Why then, Sir, I think that permitting men to preach any opinion contrary to the doctrine of the esta- blished church, tends, in a certain degree, to lessen the authority of the church, and, con- sequently, to lessen the influence of religion." ■• It may be considered," said the gentleman, • whether it would not be politic to tolerate in such a case." JonNsoN. "Sir, we have been talking of right : this is another question. I think it is not politic to tolerate in such a ca.se." Though he did not think it fit that so awful a subject should be introduced in a mixed lompanj-, and therefore at this time waved the iheolojjical question; yet his own orthodox belief in the sacred mystery of the Trinity is \ inced beyond doubt, by the following passage u his private devotions : — " O Lord, hear my prayer, for Jesus Christ's sake ; to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost, three persons and one God, be all honour and glory, world without end. .\men." [Pr. a7ivn part. Kven by nnswcll's account, nothing could be less •• play/ul" than Johnson's tone, and the mention of a leg,icy, I here and in a subsequent letter (next page), makes me sus- I pert that there was some personal disappointment at the i bottom of this strange obstreperous and sour merriment. — I Ckoker. 266 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. We cannot but admire his spirit, when we know, that amidst a complication of bodily and mental distress, he was still animated with the desire of intellectual improvement. ^ Various notes of his studies appear on different days, in his manuscript diary of this year ; such as, — " Inchoaiii lectioncm Pentateuchi. Finivi lectionem Conf. Fab. Burdonum, Legi primum actum Troa- dum. Legi Dissertationem Chrici postremam de Pent. 2 of Clark's Sermons. L. ApoUonii pugnam Betri- ciam. L. centum versus Homeri," Let this serve as a specimen of what acces- sions of literature he was perpetually infusing into his mind, while he charged himself with idleness. This year died Mrs. Salusbury (mother of Mrs. Thrale), a lady whom he appears to have esteemed much, and whose memory he honoured with an epitaph." In a letter from Edinburgh, dated the 29th of May, I pressed him to persevere in his reso- lution to make this year the projected visit to the Hebrides, of which he and I had talked for many years, and which I was confident would afford us much entertainment. JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " Johnson's Court, July 5. 1773. " Dear Sir, — When your letter came to me, I was so darkened by an inflammation in my eye that I could not for some time read it. I can now write without trouble, and can read large prints. My eye is gradually growing stronger ; and I hope will be able to take some delight in the survey of a Caledonian loch. " Chambers is going a judge, with six thousand a year, to Bengal. He and I shall come down to- gether as far as Newcastle, and thence I shall easily get to Edinburgh. Let me know the exact time when your courts intermit. I must conform a little to Chambers's occasions, and he must conform a little to mine. The time which you shall fix must be the common point to which we will come as near as we can. Except this eye, I am very well. " Beattie is so caressed, and invited, and treated, and liked, and flattered by the great, that I can see nothing of him. I am in great hope that he will be well provided for, and then we will live upon him at the Marischal College, without pity or modesty. 1 Not six months before his death, he wished me to teach him the scale of music: " Dr. Burney, teach me at least the alphabet of your language." — Burney. 2 Tills event also furnished him with a subject of medi- tation for the evening of June the 18th, on which day this lady died : — " Friday, June 18. 1773. This day, after dinner, died Mrs. Salusbury ; she had for some days almost lost the power of sneaking. Yesterday, as I touched her hand, and kissed it, she pressed my hand between her two hands, which she pro- bably intended as the parting caress. At night her speech returned a little ; and she said, among other things, to her " ' left the town without taking leave of me, and is gone in deep dudgeon to .♦ Is not this very childish ? Where is now my le- gacy ? " I hope your dear lady and her dear baby are both well. I shall see them too when I come ; and I have that opinion of your choice, as to suspect that when I have seen Mrs. Boswell, I shall be less willing to go away. I am, dear Sir, your aflTectiun- ate humble servant, Sam. Johnson. " Write to me as soon as you can. Chambers is now at Oxford." I again wrote to him, informing him that the court of session rose on the 12th of August, hoping to see him before that time, and ex- pressing, perhaps in too extravagant terms, my admiration of him, and my expectation of plea- sure from our intended tour. JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. "Augusts. 1773. " Dear Sir, — I shall set out from London on Friday the 6th of this month, and purpose not to loiter much by the way. Which day I shall be at Edinburgh, I cannot exactly tell. I suppose I must drive to an inn, and send a porter to find you. " I am afraid Beattie will not be at his college soon enough for us, and I shall be sorry to miss him ; but there is no staying for the concurrence of all conveniences. We will do as well as we can. I am, Sir, your most humble servant, " Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. "Augusts. 1773. " Dear Sir, — Not being at Mr. Thrale's when your letter came, I had written the inclosed paper and sealed it ; bringing it hither for a frank, I found yours. If any thing could repress my ardour, it would be such a letter as yours. To disappoint a friend is unpleasing ; and he that forms expectations like yours, must be disappointed. Think only, when you see me, that you see a man who loves you, and is proud and glad tliat you love him. I am. Sir, your most affectionate, "Sam. Johnson." daughter, I have had much time, and I hope I have used it. This morning, being c.iUed about nine to feel her pulse, I said, at parting, God bless you, for Jesus Christ's sake. She smiled, as pleased. She had her senses perhaps to tlie dying moment." [Pr. and Med., p. r27.] He complains, about this period, that his memory had been for a long time very much confused ; and that names, and persons, and events, slide away strangely from him. " But," he adds, " I grow easier." lib. p. 129.] — Crokeb. 3 1 Both these blanks must be filled with Langton. See last page. — Croker. ^1. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 267 CHAPTER XXX. 1773. Johnson sets out on Jiis Visit to the Hebrides. — Sketch of his Character, Figure, and Manner. — He arrives in Scotland. — Memorabilia Lato of Prescription. — I'rial by Duel. — Mr. Scott Sir William Forbes. — Practice of the Law. — Emigration. — Rev. Mr. Carr. — Chief Baron Orde. — Dr. Beatlie and Mr. Hume. — Dr. Robertson. -^ Mr. Burke. — Genius. — Whitfield and Wesley. — Political Parties. — Garrick. Dr. Johnson had ', for many years, given me hopes that we should go together and visit the Hebrides. Martin's account of those islands had impressed us with a notion, that we might there contemplate a system of life almost to- tally different from what we had been accus- tomed to see ; and to find simplicity and wild- ness, and all the circumstances of remote time or place, so near to our native great islands, was an object within the reach of reasonable curiosity. Dr. Johnson has said in his " Jour- ney," that "he scarcely remembered how the wish to visit the Hebrides was excited ; " but he told me, in summer, 1763, that his father put Martin's account into his hands when he was very young, and that he was much pleased with it. ^ We reckoned there would be some inconveniences and hardships, and perhaps a little danger ; but these, we were persuaded, were magnified in the imagination of every body. ^Vhen I was at Ferney,in 1754, I men- tioned our design to Voltaire. He looked at me, as if I had talked of going to the North Pole, and said, " You do not insist on my accom- panying you ? " — " No, sir." " Then I am very willing you should go." I was not afraid that our curious expedition would be prevented by such apprehensions ; but I doubted that it would not be possible to prevail on Dr. John- son to relinquish, for some time, the felicity of a London life, which, to a man Avho can enjoy it with full intellectual relish, is apt to make existence in any narrower sphere seem insipid 1 Here begins the Journal of the Tour to the Hebrides, to which Mr. Uoswell had prefixed two raottos, the first in the title-page, from I'ope : " ! wliile along the stream of time thy name F.ipandiriflirs, and "Others all its fame. Say, shall nip tittle baric, attendant sail. Pursue the triumph and partake the gale f " The other on a fly-leaf, from Baker's Chronicle : " He was of an admirable pregnancy of wit, and that pregnancy much improved bij continual study from his chiMhood ; ■// which he had gotten such a promptness in ex- pressing his inind, that his cxtemporal speeches were little in- ferior to his premeditated writings. Many, no doubt, had read as much, and perhaps more than he ; but scarce ever any concocted his reading into Judgment as he did." Mr. Boswell tells us that .Tohnson read this journal as it Srocceded, which, strange as the reader will think it, when comes to read some passages of it, Johnson himself con- firms ; for he says to Mrs. Thrale, " You never told mc, and I omitted to inquire, how you were entertained by Boswell's Journal. One would think the man had been hired to be a spy upon me. He was very diligent, and caught oppor- or irksome. I doubled that he would not be willing to come down from his elevated state of philosophical dignity ; from a superiority of wisdom among the wise, and of learning among the learned ; and from Hashing his wit upon minds bright enough to reflect it. lie had disappointed my expectations so long, that I began to despair ; but, in spring, 1773, he talked of coming to Scotland that year with so much firmness, that I hoped he was at last in earnest. I knew that, if he were once launched from the metropohs, he would go forward very well ; and I got our common friends there to assist in setting him afloat. To JMrs. Thrale, in particular, whose enchantment over him seldom failed, I was much obliged.^ It was, "I'll give thee a wind." — "Thou art kind." To attract him, we had invitations from the chiefs Macdonald and Macleod ; and, for additional aid, I wrote to Lord Elibank, Dr. William Robertson, and Dr. Beattie. To Dr. Robertson, so far as my letter con- cerned the present subject, I wrote as fol- lows : — " Our friend, Mr. Samuel Johnson, is in great health and spirits ; and, I do think, has a serious resolution to visit Scotland this year. The more attraction, however, the better ; and, therefore, though I know he will be happy to meet you there, it will forward the scheme, if, in your answer to this, you express yourself concerning it with that power of which you are so happily possessed, and which may be so directed as to operate strongly upon him." His answer to that part of my letter was quite as I could have wished. It was written with the address and persuasion of the histo- rian of America. " When I saw you last, you gave us some hopes that you might prevail with Mr. Johnson to make out that excursion to Scotland, with the expecta- tion of which we have long flattered ourselves. If he could order matters so as to pass some time in Edinburgh, about the close of the summer season, and then visit some of the Highland scenes, I am confident he would be pleased with the grand fea- tures of nature in many parts of this country : he will meet with many persons here who respect tunities of writing from time to time. You may now conceive yourself tolerably well acquainted with the expedition." Letters, vol. i. p. 233. — Cboker. " It is entitled, A Description of the Western Islands of Scotland, by M. Martin, Gent., 1703. A second edition ap- peared in 17GI. On a copy of Martin In the Advocates' Library I found, last summer (1834), the following note in the handwriting of Mr. Boswell : — " This very book accompanied Mr. Samuel Johnson and me in our Tour to the Hebrides, in autumn 1773. Mr. John- son told me that he had read Martin when he was very young. Martin was a native of the Isle of Sky, where a number of his relatives still remain. His book is a very imperfect per- formance, .nnd he is erroneous as to many particulars, even son;<^ concerning his own island. Yet, as it is the only book upon llie subject, it is very generally known. I have seen a second edition of it. I cannot but have a kindness for him, notwithstanding his defects James Boswell." — Upcott. 3 She gives, in one of her letters to Dr. Johnson, the reasons which induced her to approve this excursion: — " Fatigue is profitable to your health, upon the whole, and keeps fancy from playing foolish tricks. Exercise for your body, and exertion for your mind, will contribute more than .ill the medicine in the universe to preserve that life we all consider as invaluable." — Letters, vol. i. p. 190. — Crokbk. 268 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. him, and some whom I am persuaded he will think not unworthy of his esteem. I wish he would make the experiment. He sometimes cracks his jokes upon us ; but he will find that we can dis- tinguish between the stabs of malevolence and the rebukes of the righteous, which are like excellent oil ', and break not the head. Offer my best com- pliments to him, and assure him that I shall be happy to have the satisfaction of seeing him under my roof." To Dr. Beattie I wrote, " The chief intention of this letter is to inform you, that I now se- riously believe Mr. Samuel Johnson will visit Scotland this year: but I wish that every power of attraction may be employed to secure our having so valuable an acquisition, and therefore I hope you will, without delay, write to me what I know you think, that I may read it to the mighty sage, with ]3roper em- phasis, before I leave London, which I must do soon. He talks of you with the same warmth that he did last year. We are to see as much of Scotland as we can, in the months of August and September. We shall not be long of being at Marischal College.* He is particularly desirous of seeing some of the Western Islands." Dr. Beattie did better : ipse venit. He was, however, so polite as to wave his privilege of nil viihi rescribas, and wrote from Edinburgh as follows : — " Your very kind and agreeable favour of the 20th of April overtook me here yesterday, after having gone to Aberdeen, which place I left about a week ago. I am to set out this day for London, and hope to have the honour of paying my respects to j\L-. Johnson and you, about a week or ten days hence. I shall tlien do what I can to enforce the topic you mention ; but at present I cannot enter upon it, as I am in a very great hurry, for 1 intend to begin my journey within an hour or two." He was as good as his word, and threw some pleasing motives into the northern scale. But, indeed, Mr. Johnson loved all that he heard, from one whom he tells us, in his Lives of the Poets, Gray found " a poet, a philosopher, and a good man." My Lord Elibank did not answer my letter to his lordship for some time. The reason will appear when we come to the Isle of Sky. I shall then insert my letter, with letters from his lordship, both to myself and IVIr. Johnson. I beg it may be imderstood, that I insert my own letters, as I relate my own sayings, rather as keys to what is valuable belonging to others, than for their own sake. Luckily Mr. Justice (now Sir Robert) Chambers, who was about to sail for the East Indies, was going to take leave of his relations at Newcastle, and he conducted Dr. Johnson 1 Our friend Edmund Burke, who. by this time, had re- ceived some pretty severe strokes froiti Dr. Johnson, on account of the unhappy difference in their politics, upon mv repeating this passage to him, exclaimed, " Oil of vitriol 1 '' — BOSWELL. to that town ; whence he wrote me the fol- lowing : — JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " Newcastle, August 11. 1773. "Dear Sir, — I came hither last night, and hope, but do not absolutely promise, to be in Edin- burgh on Saturday. Beattie will not come so soon. I am, Sir, your most humble servant, " Sam. Johnson. " My compliments to your lady." Mr. Scott, of University College, Oxford, afterwards Sir William Scott and Lord Stow- ell, accompanied him from thence to Edin- burgh. With such propitious convoys did he proceed to my native city. But, lest metaphor should make it be supposed he actually went by sea, I choose to mention that he travelled in post-chaises, of which the rapid motion was one of his most favourite amusements. 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, which he would not tamely suffer to be ques- tioned ; steady and inflexible in maintaining the obligations of piety and virtue, both from a regard to the order of society, and from a veneration for the Great Source of all order ; correct, nay, stern in his taste ; hard to please, and easily oflTended : impetuous and irritable in his temper, but of a most humane and be- nevolent heart ; having a mind stored with a vast and various collection of learning and knowledge, which he communicated witli pecu- liar perspicuity and force, in rich and choice expression. 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 could, when he chose it, be the greatest sophist that ever wielded a weapon in the schools of declamation, but he indulged this only in conversation; for he owned he sometimes talked for victory; he was too conscientious to make error permanent and pernicious, by deliberately writing it. He was conscious of his superiority. He loved praise when it was brought to him ; but was too proud to seek for it. He was some- what susceptible of flattery. His mind was so full of imagery, that he might have been perpetually a poet. It has often been re- marked, that in his poetical pieces, which it is to be regretted are so few, because so excellent, his style is easier than in his prose. There is 2 This, I find, is a Scotticism. I should have said, " Tt will not be long before we shall be at Marischal College." — BoswELL. In spite of this warninR. Walter Scott fell into the same error, " The light foot of Mordaunt was not long qf bearing him to Jarlok." Pirate, c. viii. — Croker, 1846. ^T. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 269 deception in this : it is not easier, but better suited to the dignity of verse; as one may dance with grace, whose motions, in ordinary walking, in the common step, are awkward. He had a constitutional melancholy, the clouds of which darkened the brightness of his fancy, and gave a gloomy cast to his whole course of thinking : yet, though grave and awful in his deportment, when he thought it necessary or proper, he frequently indulged himself in plea- santry and sportive sallies. He was prone to superstition, but not to credulity. Though his imagination might incline him to a belief of the marvellous and the mysterious, his vigor- ous reason examined the evidence with jea- lousy. He had a loud voice, and a slow, de- liberate utterance, which no doubt gave some additional weight to the sterling metal of his conversation. Lord Pembroke said once to me at Wilton, with a happy pleasantry, and some truth, that " Dr. Johnson's sayings would not appear so extraordinary, were it not for his bow-ivow imy." But I admit the truth of this, only on some occasions. The Messiah played upon the Canterbury organ is more sublime than when played on an inferior instrument ; but very slight music will seem grand, when conveyed to the ear through that majestic me- dium. While, therefore. Dr. Johnson's sayings are read, let his manner be taken along with them. Let it, however, be observed, that the sayings themselves are generally great ; that, though he might be an ordinary composer at times, he was for the most part a Handel. His person was large, robust, I may say ap- proaching to the gigantic, and grown unwieldy from corpulency. His countenance was na- turally of the cast of an ancient statue, but somewhat disfigured by the scars of that evil, which, it was formerly imagined, the royal touch could cure. He was now in his sixty- fourth year, and was become a little dull of hearing. His sight had always been somewhat weak ; yet, so much does mind govern, and even supply the deficiency of organs, that his perceptions were uncommonly quick and ac- curate. His head, and sometimes also his body, shook with a kind of motion like the effect of a palsy : he appeared to be frequently dis- turbed by cramps, or convulsive contractions ', of the nature of that distemper called St. Vitus's dance. He wore a full suit of plain brown clothes, with twisted hair-buttons of the same colour, a large bushy greyish wig, a plain shirt, black worsted stockings, and silver buckles. Upon his tour, when journeying, he wore boots, and a very wide brown cloth great ' Such they appeared to me ; but, since the first edition, Sir Joshua Ileynolds has observed to me, that "Dr. Johnson's extraordinary gestures were only habits, in which he indulged himself at certain times. When in company, where he was not free, or when engaged earnestly in conversation, he never gave way to such habits, which proves that they were not involuntary." I still, however, think that these gestures were involuntary ; for surely, had not that been the case, he coat, with pockets which might liave almost held the two volumes of his folio Dictionary ; and he carried in his hand a large English oak stick. Let nie not be censured ibr mentioning such minute particulars : every thing relative to so great a man is worth observing. I re- member Dr. Adam Smith, in his rhetorical lectures at Glasgow, told us he was glad to know that Milton wore latchets in his shoes instead of buckles.'^ When I mention the oak stick, it is but letting Hercules have his club ; .and, by-and-by, my readers will find this stick will bud, and produce a good joke. This imperfect sketch of " the combination and the form " of that wonderful man, whom I venerated and loved while in this world, and after whom I gaze Avith humble hope, now i that it has pleased Almighty God to call him to a better world, will serve to introduce to the fiincy of nay readers the capital object of the following journal, in the course of which I trust they will attain to a considerable degree of acquaintance with him. His prejudice against Scotland was an- nounced almost as soon as he began to appear in the world of letters. In his " London," a poem, are the following nervous lines : — " For who could leave, iinbribed, Hibernia's land? Or change the rocks of Scotland for the Strand? There none are swept by sudden fate away ; But all, whom liuuger spares, (vith age decay." The truth is, like the ancient Greeks and Romans, he allowed himself to look upon all nations but his own as barbarians : not only Hibernia and Scotland, but Spain, Italy, and France, are attacked in the same poem. If he • was particularly prejudiced against the Scots, it was because they were more in his way ; because he thought their success in England rather exceeded the due proportion of their real merit ; and because he could not but see in them that nationality which I believe no liberal-minded Scotsman will deny. He was, indeed, if I may be allowed the phrase, at bot- tom much of a John Bull : much of a blunt true-born Englishman. There was a stratum of common clay under the rock of marble. He was voraciously fond of good eating ; and he had a great deal of that quality called humour, which gives an oiliness and a gloss to every other quality. I am, I flatter myself, completely a citizen of the world. In my travels through Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Corsica, France, I never felt myself from home ; and I sincerely would hiive restrained them in the public streets Boswell. See anti, p. 42. Sir Joshua's reasoning at large. Notwith- standing which, it seems the better opinion that these gestures were the consequence of nervous affections, and not of trick or habit. — Croker. ■^ This was no great discovery ; the fashion of shc?e- buckles was long posterior to Milton's day Crokeu. 270 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. love " every kindred and tongue and people and nation." I subscribe to what my late truly learned and philosophical friend Mr. Crosbie ' said, that the English are better animals than the Scots ; they are nearer the sun ; their blood is richer, and more mellow : but when I humour any of them in an outrage- ous contempt of Scotland, I fairly own I treat them as children. And thus I have, at some moments, found myself obliged to treat even Dr. Johnson. To Scotland, however, he ventured ; and he returned from it in great good humour, with his prejudices much lessened, and with very grateful feelings of the hospitality with which he was treated ; as is evident from that admir- able work, bis "Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland," which, to my utter asto- nishment, has been misapprehended, even to rancour, by many of my countrymen. To have the company of Chambers and Scott, he delayed his journey so long, that the court of session, which rises on the 11th of August, was broke up before he got to Edin- burgh. On Saturday, the 14th of August, 1773, late in the evening, I received a note from him, that he was arrived at Boyd's inn % at the head of the Canongate. " Saturday night. " Mr. Johnson sends his compliments to Mr. Boswell, being jast arrived at Boyd's." I went to him directly. He embraced me cordially; and I exulted in the thought that I now had him actually in Caledonia. Mr. Scott's amiable manners, and attachment to our Socrates, at once united me to him. He told me that, before I came in, the Doctor had unluckily had a bad specimen of Scottish cleanliness. He then drank no fermented liquor. He asked to have his lemonade made sweeter; upon which the waiter, with his greasy fingers, lifted a lump of sugar, and put it into it. The Doctor, in indignation, threw it out of the window. Scott said he was afraid he would have knocked the waiter down.^ Mr. Johnson [has since] told me that such another trick was played him at the house of a lady in Paris.* He was to do me the honour to lodge under my roof. I regretted sincerely that I 1 Mr. Crosbie, one of the most eminent advocates then at the Scotch bar. Lord Stowell recollects that Johnson was treated by the Scottish literati with a degree of deference bordering on pusillanimity; but he excepts from that ob- servation Mr. Crosbie, whom he characterises as an intrepid talker, and the only man who was disposed to stand up (as the phrase is) to Johnson.— Choker. 2 The sign of the White Horse It continued a place from which coaches used to start till the end of the eighteenth century ; some twelve or fifteen years ago it was a carrier's inn, and has since been held unworthy even of that occupation, and the sign is taken down. It was a base hovel. — Walter Scott. It was the best of the only three inns in Edinburgh, wliere,at that time, people of any condition could be accommo- dated. The room in which Johnson had sat used to be pointed out by its later occupants.— Chambers. had not also a room for Mr. Scott. Mr. John- son and I walked arm-in-arm, up the High Street, to my house in James's Court ' ; it was a dusky night : I could not prevent his being assailed by the evening effluvia of Edinburgh. I heard a late baronet, of some distinction in the political world in the beginning of the present reign, observe, that " walking the streets of Edinburgh at night was pretty perilous, and a good deal odoriferous." The peril is much abated, by the care which the magistrates have taken to enforce the city laws against throwing foul water from the windows; but, from the structure of the houses in the old town, which consist of many stories, in each of which a diiferent family lives, and there being no covered sewers, the odour still continues. A zealous Scotsman would have wished Mr. Johnson to be without one of his five senses upon this occasion. As we marched slowly along, he grumbled in my ear, " I smell you in the dark ! " But he ac- knowledged that the breadth of the street, and the loftiness of the buildings on each side, made a noble appearance. My wife had tea ready for him, which it Is well known he delighted to drink at all hours, particularly when sitting up late, and of which his able defence against Mr. Jonas Hanway should have obtained him a magnificent reward from the East India Company. He showed much complacency upon finding that the mistress of the house was so attentive to his singular liabit ; and as no man could be more polite when he chose to be so, his address to her was most courteous and engaging ; and his conversation soon charmed her into a forget- fulness of his external appearance. I did not begin to keep a regular full journal till some days after we had set out from Edinburgh ; but I have luckily preserved a good many fragments of his Memorabilia from his very first evening in Scotland. We had a little before this had a trial for murder, in which the judges had allowed the lapse of twenty years since its commission as a plea in bar, in conformity with the doctrine of prescription In the civil law, which Scot- land and several other countries in Europe have adopted.^ He at first disapproved of this ; but then he thought there was something in It if there had been for twenty years a 3 " The house," said Lord Stowell to me, " was kept by a woman, and she was called Luckie, which it seems is synony- mous to Goody in England. I, at first, thought the appel- lation very inappropriate, and that Unlucky would have been better, for Dr. Johnson had a mind to have thrown the waiter, as well as the lemonade, out of the window. — Choker. 1 See post, Nov. 1775. — C. 5 " Boswell has very handsome and spacious rooms, level with the ground at one side of the house, and on the other four stories high." Lett. 1. 109. — Choker. It was con- sidered a very good house and was entailed, but Sir Alexander Boswell obtained an act of Parliament to sell it, to discharge the land tax from the rest of his property. It was lately occupied by a printer. — Chambers. 6 See post, August 22. 1773. — C. JEt. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 271 neglect to prosecute a crime which was known. He would not allow that a murder, by not being discovered for twenty years, should escape punishment. We talked of tiie ancient trial by duel. He did not think it so absurd as is generally supposed ; " for," said he, " it was only allowed when the question was in equilibrio, as when one affirmed and another denied; and they had a notion that Provi- dence would interfere in favour of him who was in the right. But as it was found that, in a duel, he who was in the right had not a better chance than he who was in the wrong, therefore society instituted the present mode of trial, and gave the advantage to him who is in the right." We sat till near two in the morning, having chatted a good while after my wife left us. She had insisted, that, to show all respect to the sage, she would give up her own bedcham- ber to him, and take a worse. This I cannot but gratefully mention as one of a thousand obligations which I owe her, since the great obligation of her being pleased to accept of me as her husband. Sunday, A^ig. 15. — Mr. Scott came to breakfast, at which I introduced to Dr. John- son, and him, my friend Sir William Forbes, now of Pitsligo ', a man of whom too much good cannot be said ; who, with distinguished abilities and application in his profession of a banker, is at once a good companion and a good Christian, which, I think, is saying enough. Yet it is but justice to record, that once, when he was in a dangerous illness, he was watched with the anxious apprehension of a general calamity ; day and night his house was beset with affectionate inquiries, and, upon his re- covery, Te Deum was the universal chorus from the hearts of his countrymen. INIr. Johnson was pleased with my daughter Veronica^, then a child about four months old. She had the appearance of listening to him. His motions seenued to her to be intended for her amusement; and when he stopped she fluttered, and made a little infantine noise, and a kind of signal for him to begin again. She would be held close to him, which was a proof, from simple nature, that his figure was not horrid. Her fondness for him endeared her still more to me, and I declared she should have five hundred pounds of additional fortune. We talked of the practice of the law. Sir William Forbes said, he thought an honest 1 This respectable baronet, who published a Life of Beattie, died in 1806, at the age of sixty-eight. — Croker. - The saint's name of Veronica was introduced into our family through my great grandmother Veronica. Countess of Kincardine, a Dutch lady of the noble house of Sommelsdvck, of which there is a full account in Bayle's Dictionary, i'he family had once a princely right in Surinam. The governor of that settlement was appointed by the states-general, the town of Amsterdam, and Sommelsdyck. The states-general have acquired Sommelsdyck's right ; but the family has still great dignity and opulence, and by intermarriages is con. nected with many other noble families. When I was at the Hague, 1 was received with all the afTection of kindred. The lawyer should never undertake a cause which he was satisfied was not a just one. " Sir," said Mr. Johnson, "a lawyer has no business with the justice or injustice of the cause which he undertakes, unless his client asks his opi- nion, and then he is bound to give it honestly. The justice or injustice of the cause is to be decided by the judge. Consider, Sir, what is the purpose of courts of justice ? It is, that every man may have his cause fairly tried, by men appointed to try causes. A lawyer is not to tell what he knows to be a lie : he is not to produce what he knows to be a false deed ; but he is not to usurp the province of the jury and of the judge, and determine what shall be the effect of evidence, — what shall be the result of legal argument. As it rarely happens that a man is fit to plead his own cause, lawyers are a class of the community who, by study and experience, have acquired the art and power of arranging evidence, and of applying to the points at issue what the law has settled. A lawyer is to do for his client all that his client might fairly do for himself, if he could. If, by a superiority of attention, of knowledge, of skill, and a better method of communication, he has the advantage of his adversary, it is an advantage to which he is entitled. There must always be some advantage, on one side or other ; and it is better that advantage should be had by talents than by chance. If lawyers were to undertake no causes till they were sure they were just, a man might be precluded altogether from a trial of his claim, though, were it judicially examined, it might be found a very just claim." This was sound practical doctrine, and rationally repressed a too refined scrupulosity of conscience.^ Emigration was at this time a common topic of discourse. Dr. Johnson regretted it as hurtful to human happiness ; " For," said he, "it spreads mankind, which weakens the de- fence of a nation, and lessens the comfort of living. Men, thinly scattered, make a shift, but a bad shift, without many things. A smith is ten miles off; they'll do without a nail or a staple. A tailor is far from them ; they'll botch their own clothes. It is being con- centrated which produces high convenience." Sir William Forbes, JNIr. Scott, and I, ac- companied Mr. Johnson to the chapel, founded by Lord Chief Baron Smith, for the service of the Church of England. The Rev. ]\Ir. Carr, the senior clergyman, preached from these words, — " Because the Lord reigneth, let the present Sommelsdyck has an important charge in the re- public, and is as worthy a man as lives. He has honoured me with his correspondence for these twenty years. My great grandfather, the husband of Countess Veronica, was Alex- ander, Earl of Kincardine, that eminent royalist whose character is given by Burnet in his " History of his own Times." Flora him the blood of Bruce flows in my veins. Of such ancestry who would not be proud ? And as " Nihil est, nisi hoc sciat .liter " is peculiarly true of genealogy, who would not be glad to seize a fair opportunity to let it be known ? — Boswell. s Sec ami, pp. 186. 24C.— C. !72 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. I eartli be glad." I was sorry to think Mr. Johnson did not attend to the sermon, Mr. Carr's low voice not being strong enough to reach his hearing. A selection of Mr. Carr's sermons has since his death been published by Sir William Forbes, and the world has ac- knowledged their uncommon merit. I am well assured Lord JMansfield has pronounced them to be excellent.' Here I obtained a promise from Lord Chief Baron Orde, that he would dine at my house next day. I presented Mr. Johnson to his lordship, who politely said to him, " I have not the honour of knowing you ; but I hope for it, and to see you at my house. I am to wait on you to-morrow. " This respectable English judge will be long remembered in Scotland, where he built an elegant house, and lived in it magnificently. His own ample fortune, with the addition of his salary, enabled him to be splendidly hospitable. It may be fortunate for an individual amongst ourselves to be Lord Chief Baron, and a most worthy man " now has the office ; but, in my opinion, it is better for Scotland in general, that some of our public employments should be filled by gentlemen of distinction from the south side of the Tweed, as we have the benefit of promotion in Eng- land. Such an interchange would make a beneficial mixture of manners, and render our union more complete. Lord Chief Baron Orde was on good terms with us all, in a narrow country, filled with jarring interests, and keen pai'ties ; and, though I well knew his opinion to be the same with my own, he kept himself aloof at a very critical periv^d indeed, when the Douglas cause shook the sacred security of birthright in Scotland to its foundation ; a cause which, had it happened before the Union, when there was no appeal to a British House of Lords, would have left the great fortress of honours and of property in ruins.^ When we got home, Dr. Johnson desired to see my books. He took down Ogden's Ser- mons on Prayer, on which I set a very high value, having been much edified by them, and he retired with them to his room. He did not stay long, but soon joined us in the drawing- room. I presented to him Mr. Robert Ar- buthnot*, a relation of the celebrated Dr. Arbuthnot, and a man of literature and taste. To him we were obliged for a previous recom- mendation, which secured us a very agreeable reception at St. Andrew's, and which Dr. Johnson, in his " Journey," ascribes to " some invisible friend." Of Dr. Beattie, JNIr. Johnson said, " Sir, he lias written like a man conscious of tlie truth, and feeling his own strength. Treating your adversary with respect, is giving him an ad- vantage to which he is not entitled. The greatest part of men cannot judge of reason- ing, and are impressed by character ; so that, if you allow your adversary a respectable character, they will think, that though you differ from him, you may be in the wrong. Sir, ti'eating your adversary with respect, is striking soft in a battle. And as to Hume, a man who has so much conceit as to tell all mankind that they have been bubbled for ages, and he is the Avise man who sees better than they — a man who has so little scrupu- losity as to venture to oppose those principles which have been thought necessary to human happiness — is he to be surprised if another man comes and laughs at him ? If he is the great man he thinks himself, all this cannot I hurt him : it is like throwing peas against a rock. " He added " something much too rough," both as to Mr. Hume's head and heart, which I suppress.^ Violence is, in my opinion, not suitable to the Christian cause. Besides, I always lived on good terms with 'Mr. Hume, though I have frankly told him, I was not clear that it was right in me to keep company with him. " But," said I, " how much better ' are you than your books ! " He was cheerful, obliging, and instructive ; he was charitable to the poor ; and many an agreeable hour have I passed with him. I have preserved some entertaining and interesting memoirs of him, particularly when he knew himself to be dying, which I may some time or other communicate to the world. I shall not, however, extol him so very highly as Dr. Adam Smith does, who says, in a letter to Mr. Strahan the printer (not a confidential letter to his friend, but a letter which is published * with all formality) : 1 The nev. George Carr was born at Newcastle. February 16. 1704, and died suddenly on Sunday, August 18. 1776. — Wright. 2 James Montgomery, created a baronet in 1801, on his resignation of the office of Chief Baron. He died in 1803. — CaoKER. 3 It must be recollected that Mr. Boswell was not only counsel, but a violent partisan in this cause. There was, in fact, no attempt at " shaking the sacred security of birth- right." The question was, " to whom the birthright be- longed; " that is, whether Mr. Douglas was or was not the son of those he called his father and mother — Croker. ■1 Robert Arbuthnot, Esq. was secretary to the Board of Trustees for the Encouragement of the Arts and Manu- factures of Scotland ; in this office he was succeeded by his son William, Lord Provost of Edinburgh, when King George the Fourth visited Scotland, who was made a baronet on that occasion, and has lately died much lamented. Both father and son were accomplished gentlemen, and elegant scholars. — Walter Scott. * It may be supposed that it was somewhat like what Mrs. Piozzi rel.ites that he said of an eminent infided, whose name she does not give, but who was probably either Hume or Gibbon (Malone thought Gibbon).^ " You will at least," said some one, " allow him the lumieres." — " Just enough," replied the Doctor, " to light him to hell." — Croker. 6 This letter, though shattered by the sharp shot of Dr. Home of Oxford's wit, in the character of "One of the People called Christians," is still prefixed to Mr. Hume's excellent History of England, like a poor invalid on the piquet guard, or like a list of quack medicines sold by the same bookseller, by whom a work of whatever nature is pub- lished ; for it has no connection with his History, let it have what it may with what are called his Philosophical Works. A worthy friend of mine in London was lately consulted by a lady of quality, of most distinguished merit, what was the best 'History of England for her son to read. My friend re- commended Hume's. But, upon recollecting that its usher was a superlative panegyric on one, who endeavoured to sap the credit of our holy religion, he revoked his recommend- ation. I am really sorry for this ostentatious alliance ; because I admire " The Theory of Moral Sentiments," aud ^T. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 273 " Upon the whole, I have always considered him, both in his lifetime and since his death, as approaching as nearly to the idea of a per- fectly wise and virtuous man as perhaps the nature of human frailty will permit." Let Dr. Smith consider, "Was not Mr. Hume blest with good health, good spirits, good friends, a competent and increasing fortune ? And had he not also a perpetual feast of fame ? But, as a learned friend has observed to me, "What trials did he undergo, to pi'ove the perfection of his virtue ? Did he ever experience any great instance of adversity ? " When I read this sentence, delivered by my old profej^sor of moral pliilosophy, I could not help exclaiming with tlie rsalinist, " Surely I have now more understanding than my teachers ! " While wo were talking, there came a note to me from Dr. William Robertson. " Dear Sir, — I have been expecting every day to hear from yon of Dr. Johnson's arrival. Pray, what do you know about his motions? I long to take hhn hy the liand. I write this from the college, wliere I have only this sera]) of paper. Ever yours, W. R. " Sunday." It pleased me to find Dr. Robertson thus eager to meet Dr. Johnson. I was glad I could answer that he was come ; and I begged Dr. Robertson might be with us as soon as he could. vahie the greatest part of "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations." Why should such a writer be so forgetful of human comfort, as to give any countenance to that dreary infidelity which would " make us pnnr indeed ? " — Boswell. ' This was one of the points upon which Dr. Johnson was strangely heterodox. For surely Mr. Burke, with his other remarkable qualities, is also distinguished for his wit, and for wit of all kinds too ; not merely that power of language Which Pope chooses to denominate wit: — " True wit is Nature to advantage dress'd ; What oft was thought, but ne'er so well exprcss'd ; " but surprising allusions, brilliant sallies of vivacitj', and pleasant conceits. His speeches in parliament are strewed with them. Take, for instance, the variety which lie has given in his wide range, yet exact detail, when exhibiting his Reform Hill. And his conversation abounds in wit. Let me put down a specimen. I told him I had seen, at a blne- stockiyig assembly, a number of ladies sitting round a wortliy and tall friend of ours [Mr. Langton], listening to his litera- ture. " Ay," said he, '• like maids round a May-pole." I told him, I had found out a perfect definition of human nature, as distinguished from Che animal. An ancient phi- losopher said, man was "a two-legged animal without feathers ; " upon which his rival saae had a cock plucked bare, and set him down in the school before all the disciples, as a "philosophic man." Dr. Franklin said, man was " a tool-making animal," which is very well ; for no animal but man makes a thing by means of which he can make another thing. But this applies to very few of the species. My definition of man is, " a cooking animal." The beasts have memory, judgment, and all the faculties and passions of our mind, in a certain degree ; but no beast is a cook. The trick of the monkey using the cat's paw to roast a chestnut is only a piece of shrewd malice in I hat turpissima bestia, which humbles us so sadly by its similarity to us. Man alone can dress a good dish ; and every man whatever is more or less a cook, in seasoning what he himself eats. " Your definition IS good," said Mr. Burke, " and I now see the full force of the common proverb,' There is reasonin roasting of eggs.' " When Mr. Wilkes, in his days of tumultuous opposition, was borne upon the shoulders of the mob, Mr. Burke (as Mr. Wilkes told me himself, with classical admiration) applied to him what Horace says of Pindar, — Sir William Forbes, Mr. Scott, Mr. Ar- buthnot, and another gentleman, dined with us. " Come, Dr. Johnson," said I, " it is com- monly thought that our veal in Scotland is not good. But here is some which I believe you will like." There was no catching him. John- son. " Why, Sir, what is commonly thought, I should take to be true. Your veal may be good ; but that will only be an exception to the general opinion, not a proof against it." Dr. Robertson, according to the custom of Edinburgh at that time, dined in the interval between the forenoon and afternoon service, which was then later than now ; so we had not the pleasure of his company till dinner was over, when he came and drank wine with us ; and then began some animated dialogue, of which here follows a pretty full note. We talked of Mr. Burke. Dr. Johnson said, < he had great variety of knowledge, store of imagery, copiousness of language. Robertson. " He has wit too." Johnson. " No, Sir ; he never succeeds there. "lis low ; 'tis conceit. I used to say, Burke never once made a good joke.' What I most envy Burke for is, his being constantly the same. He is never what we call Humdrum ; never unwilling to begin to talk, nor in haste to leave off." Boswell. " Yet he can listen." Johnson. " No ; I cannot say he is good at that. So desirous is he to talk, that if one is speaking at this end of the table, he'll speak to somebody at the nuvicrisque fertur Lege solutis. Sir Joshua Reynolds, who agrees with me entirely as to Mr. Burke's fertility of wit, said, that this was " dignifying a pun." He also observed, that he has often heard Burke say, in the course of an evening, ten good things, each of which would have served a noted wit (whom he named) to live upon for a twelvemonth. — Boswell. I hnd, since the former edition, that some persons have objected to the instances which I have given of Mr. Burke's wit, as not doing justice to my very ingenious friend ; the specimens produced having, it is alleged, more of conceit tlian real wit, and being merely sportive sallies of the mo- ment, not justifying the encomium which they think, with me, he undoubtedly merits. 1 was well aware, how hazard- ous it was to exhibit particular instances of wit, which is of so airy and spiritual a nature as often to elude the hand that attempts to grasp it. The excellence and efficacy of a bon mot depend frequently so much on the occasion on which it is spoken, on the particular manner of the speaker, on the per- son to whom it is applied, the previous introduction, and a thousand minute particulars which cannot be easily enume- rated, that it is always dangerous to detach a witty saying from the group to which it belongs, and to set it before the eye of the spectator, divested of those coiicoinitan^circum- stances, which gave it animation, mellowness, and relief. I ventured, however, at all hazards, to put down the first instances that occurred to me, as proofs of Mr. Burke's lively and brilliant fancy ; but am very sensible that his numerous friends could have suggested many of a superior quality. Indeed, the being in company with him, for a single day, is sufficient to show that what I have asserted is well founded ; and it was only necessary to have appealed to all who know him intimately, for a coirplete refutation of the heterodox opinion entertained by Dr. Johnson on this subject. He allowed Mr. Burke, as the reader will find hereafter, to be a man of consummate and unrivalled abilities in every light except that now under consideration ; and the variety of his allusions, and splendour of his imagery, have made such an impression on all the rest of the world, that superficial observers are apt to overlook his other merits, and to sup- pose that wit is his chief .ind most prominent excellence ; when in fact it is only one of the many talents that he pos- sesses, which are so various and extraordinary, that it is verv difficult to ascertain precisely the rank and value of each. — Malo.ve. See post, 2&th April, 1778 C. 274 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. other end. Burke, Sir, is such a man, that if you met him for the first time in the street, where you were stopped by a drove of oxen, and you and he stepped aside to take shelter but for five minutes, he'd talk to you in such a manner, that, when you parted, you would say. This is an extraordinary man. Now, you may be long enough with me, without finding any thing extraordinary." He said, he believed Burke was intended for the law ; but either had not money enough to follow it, or had not diligence enough. He said, he could not un- derstand how a man could apply to one thing, and not to another. Robertson said, one man had more judgment, another more imagination. JoiiNSON. " No, Sir ; it is only, one man has more mind than another. He may direct it differently ; he may, by accident, see the suc- cess of one kind of study, and take a desire to excel in it. I am persuaded that had Sir Isaac Newton applied to poetry, he would have made a very fine epic poem. I could as easily apply to law as to tragic poetry." ^ Boswell. " Yet, Sir, you did apply to tragic poetry, not to law." Johnson. " Because, Sir, I had not money to study law. Sir, the man who has vigour may walk to the east, just as well as to the west, if he happens to turn his head that way." BoswELL. " But, Sir, 'tis like walking up and down a hill ; one man may naturally do the one better than the other. A hare will run up a hill best, from her fore-legs being short ; a dog down." Johnson. " Nay, Sir ; that is from mechanical powers. If you make mind mechanical, you may argue in that manner. One mind is a vice, and holds fast ; there's a good memory. Another is a file ; and he is a disputant, a controversialist. Another is a razor ; and he is sarcastical." We talked of Whitfield. He said he was at the same college with him, and knew him before he ' How much a man deceives himself! Of all Johnson's literary efforts, his tragic pnctrij was the least successful. — Croker. Dryden says, " The same parts and the same ap- plication which have made me a poet, might have raised me to any honours of the gown, which are often given to men of as little learning and less honesty than myself. Ded. of the Third Miscellany. — V. Ci^nningham. 2 That cannot be said now, after the flagrant part which Mr. John Wesley took against our American brethren, when, in his own name, he threw amongst his enthusiastic flock the very individual combustibles of Dr. Johnson's " Taxation no Tyranny ; " and after the intolerant spirit which he mani- fested against our fellow Christians of the Roman Catholic communion, for which that able champion. Father O'Leary, has given him so hearty a drubbing. But I should think my- self very unworthy, if I did not at the same time acknowledge Mr. John Wesley's merit, as a veteran " soldier of Jesus Christ," who has, I do believe, turned many from darkness into light, and from the power of Satan to the living God BoswEti.. 3 Mr. Burke. See anti, p. 249. — Croxer. ■• If due attention were paid to this observation, there would be more virtue even in politics. What Dr. Johnson justly condemned has, I am sorry to say, greatly increased in the present reign. At the distmce of four years from this conversation, 21st of February, 1777, mv Lord Archbishop of York, in his " Sermon before the Society for the Propa- gation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, "thus indignantly describes the then state of parties : _ '• Parties once had a principle belonging to them, absurd, perhaps, and indefensi- ble, but still carrying a notion of duty, by which honest minds might easily be caught. But they are now combi- nations of individuals, who, instead of being the sons and began to be better than other people (smiling); that he believed he sincerely meant well, but had a mixture of politics and ostentation: whereas Wesley thought of religion only.^ Robertson said, Whitfield had strong natural eloquence, which, if cultivated, would have done great things. Johnson. "Why, Sir, I take it he was at the height of what his abilities could do, and was sensible of it. He had the ordinary advantages of education ; but he chose to pursue that oratory which is for the mob." Boswell. " He had great effect on the passions." Johnson. " Why, Sir, I don't think so. He could not represent a succession of pathetic images. He vociferated, and made an impression. There, again, was a mind like a hammer." Dr. Johnson now said, a certain eminent political friend ^ of ours was wrong in his maxim of sticking to a certain set of men on all occasions. " I can see that a man may do right to stick to a party," said he, " that is to say, he is a Whig, or he is a Tory, and he thinks one of those parties tipon the whole the best, and that to make it prevail, it must be generally supported, though, in particulars, it may be wrong. He takes its faggot of prin- ciples, in which there are fewer rotten sticks than in the other, though some rotten sticks, to be sure ; and they cannot well be separated. But, to bind one's self to one man, or one set of men (who may be right to-day, and wrong to-morrow), without any general preference of system, I must disapprove." ''■ He told us of Cooke, Avho translated Hesiod, and lived twenty years on a translation of Plautus, for which he was always taking subscriptions ; and that he presented Foote to a club in the following singular manner " This is the nephew of the gentleman who was lately hung in chains for murdering his brother." ^ servants of the community, make a league for advancing their private interests. It is their business to hold high the notion of political honour. I believe and trust, it is not in- jurious to say, that such a bond is no better than that by which the lowest and wickedest combinations are held I together ; and that it denotes the last stage of political de- pravity." To find a thought, which just showed itself to us from the i mind of Johnson, thus appearing again at such a distance of time, and without any communication between them, ( larged to full growth in the mind of Markham, is a curious object of philosophical contemplation. That two such great' and luminous minds should have been so dark in one corner;' that they should have held it to be " wicked rebellion " in the British subjects established in America, to resist the ( abject condition of holding all their property at the mercy of British subjects remaining at home, while their allegiance to,' our common lord the king was to be preserved inviolate, is a I striking proof, to me, either that " he who sitteth in heaven'V scorns the loftiness of human pride, or that the evil spirit,i}i whose personal existence I strongly believe, and even in this' age am confirmed in that belief by a Fell, nay, by a Hurd ! has more power than some choose to allow Boswell. II may be suspected that Archbishop Markham's observationi were covertly aimed at Mr. Burke's doctrine of party allegi- ance (ante^ p. 2.53. n. 3). Markham and Burke had been inti mate political as well as private friends, but when the pros pect of high church preferment opened upon Markham, h^ , seems to have broken off from Mr. Burke as too violent A politician. See Burke's Correspondence Croker, 184fi. * Mr. Foote's mother was the sister of Sir J. Dinel Goodere, Bart., and of Captain Goodere, who commande H. M. S. Ruby, on board which, when lying in King's Roac ^T. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 275 In the evening I introduced to Mr. Johnson ' two good friends of mine, Mr. AYilliam Nairne, advocate, and Mr. Hamilton of Sundnini, my neighbour in the country, both of wlioni supped with us. I have preserved nothing of what passed, except that Dr. Johnson disphiyed an- other of his heterodox opinions — a contempt of tragic acting. He said, the action of all players in tragedy is bad. It should be a man's study to repress those signs of emotion and passion, as they are called." He was of a directly contrary opinion to that of Fielding, in his '• Tom Jones ; " who makes Partridge say of Garrick, " Why, I could act as well as lie myself I am sure, if I had seen a ghost, I should have looked in the very same manner, and done just as he did." For, when I asked him, " Would not you, Sir, start as Mr. Gar- rick does, if you saw a ghost ? " he answered, " I hope not. If I did, I should frighten the CHAPTER XXXI. 1773. Edinburgh. — Ogden on Prat/er. — Lord Hailes. — Parliament House. — The Advocates' Library. — Writing doggedly. — The Union. — Qveen Mary. — St. Giles's. — The Cowgate. — The College.— Holyrood House. — Swift. — Witchcraft. — Lord Monboddo and the Onran- Outang. — Actors. — Poetry and Lexicography. — Scepticism. — Vane and Sedley. — Maclaurin. — Literary Pro- perty. — Boswell's Character of Himself — They leave Edinburgh. Monday, August \&h. — Dr. William Ro- BEETSON came to breakfast. We talked of Ogden on Prayer. Dr. Johnson said, " The same arguments which are used against God's hearing prayer, will serve against his rewarding good, and punishing evil. He has resolved, he has declared, in the former case as in the latter." He had last night looked into Lord Ilailes's "Remarks on the History of Scot- Iniul." Dr. Robertson and I said, it was a jiity Lord Hailes did not Avrite greater things. His lordship had not then published his Bristol, in January, 1741, the captain caused his brother to be forcihy carried, and there barbarously murdered. Captain Goodere was, with two of his accomplices, executed for this crime in the April following. The circumstances of this extravagant case, and some other facts connnected with this family, lead to an opinion that Captain Goodere was insane ; and some unhappy circumstances in Foote's life render it probable that he had not wholly escaped this hereditary irregularity of mind. Ths last baronet, who called him- self Sir John Dinely, died in 1809, a poor Knight of Windsor — insane and in indigence. — Crokek. Foote's first pub- lication was a pamphlet in defence of his uncle's memory Walter Scott. > It may be observed, that I sometimes call my great friend Mr. Johnson, sometimes Dr. Johnson ; though he had at this time a Doctor's degree from Trinity College, Dublin. The University of Oxford afterwards conferred it upon him by a diploma, in very honourable terms. It was some " Annals of Scotland." Johnson. " I re- member I was once on a visit at the house of a lady for whom I had a high respect. There was a good deal of company in the room ■\Vhen they were gone, I said to this lady, ' What foolish talking have we had !' — ' Yes,' said she, ' but while they talked, you said no- thing.' I was struck with the reproof How much better is the man who does any thing that is innocent, than he who does nothing ! Besides, I love anecdotes. I fancy mankind may come, in time, to write all aphoristically, except in narrative ; grow weary of prepar- ation, and connection, and illustration, and all those arts by which a big book is made. If a man is to wait till he weaves anecdotes into a system, we may be long in getting them, and get but few, in comparison of what we might get." Dr. Robertson said, the notions of Eupham Macallan, a fanatic woman, of whom Lord Hailes gives a sketch, were still prevalent among some of the presbyterians ; and there- fore, it was right in Lord Hailes, a man of known piety, to undeceive them. We walked out, tliat Dr. Johnson might see some of the things which we have to show at Edinburgh. We went to the Parliament- house ", where the parliament of Scotland sat, and where the ordinary lords of session hold their courts, and to the new session-house ad- joining to it, where our court of fifteen (the fourteen ordinaries, with the lord president at their head) sit as a court of review. We went to the advocate's library, of which Dr. Johnson took a cursory view ; and then to what is called the Laigh (or under) Parliament-house, where the records of Scotland, which has an universal security by register, are deposited, till the great register office be finished.^ I was pleased to behold Dr. Samuel Johnson rolling about in this old magazine of antiquities. There was, by this time, a pretty numerous circle of us attending upon him. Somebody talked of happy moments for composition, and how a man can write at one time, and not at another. " Nay," said Dr. Johnson, " a man may write at any time, if he will set himself doggedly to it."* I here began to indulge old Scottish senti- ments, and to express a warm regret, that, by time before I could bring myself to call him Doctor ; but, as he has been long known by that title, I shall give it to him in the rest of this Journal Boswell. Johnson never, it seems, called himself Doctor. See ante, p. 1G8. Croker. 2 It was on this visit to the parliament-house, that Mr. Henry Erskine (brother of Lord Buclian and Lord Erskine), after being presented to Dr. Johnson by Mr. Boswell, and having made his bow, slipped a shilling into Boswell's hand, whispering that it was for the sight of his hear. Walter Scott. This was the subject of a cotemporary caricature. — Wright. 3 This great Register Office is now one of the archi- tectural beauties of Edinburgh.— Croker. ■' This word is commonly used to signify sullenly, gloomily ; and in that sense alone it appears in Dr. Johnson's Dic- tionary. I suppose he meant by it, " with an obstinate reso- lution, similar to that of a sullen man."— Boswell. T 2 276 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773, our union with England, we were no more ; our independent kingdom was lost. Johnson. " Sir, never talk of your independency, who could let your queen remain twenty years in captivity, and then be put to death, without even a pretence of justice, without your ever attempting to rescue her ; and such a queen too ! as every man of any gallantry of spirit would have sacrificed his life for." Wortliy Mr. James Kerr, keeper of the records. " Half our nation was bribed by English money." Johnson. " Sir, that is no defence : that makes you worse." Good Mr. Brown, keeper of the advocates' library. " We had better say nothing about it." Boswell. " You would have been glad, however, to have had us last war, Sir, to fight your battles ! " Johnson. " We should have had you for the same price, though there had been no union, as we might have had Swiss, or other troops. No, no, I shall agree to a separation. You have only to go horned Just as he had said this, I, to divert the subject, showed him the signed assurances of the three successive kings of the Hanover family, to maintain the pres- byterian establishment in Scotland. " We'll give you that," said he, " into the bargain." ' We next went to the great church of St. Giles, which has lost its original magnificence in the inside, by being divided into four places of presbyterian worship. " Come," said Ur. Johnson jocularly to Principal Robertson '^, " let me see what was once a church ! " We entered that division which was formerly called the New Church, and of late the High Church, so well known by the eloquence of Dr. Hugh Blair. It is now very elegantly fitted up ; but it was then shamefully dirty. Dr. Johnson said nothing at the time ; but when we came to the great door of the royal infirmary, where, upon a board, was this inscription, " Clean your feet ! " he turned about slyly, and said, " There is no occasion for putting this at the doors of your churches ! " We then conducted him doWn the Post- house-stairs, Parliament-close, and made him look up from the Cowgate to the higliest building in Edinburgh (from which he had just descended), being thirteen floors or stories from the ground upon the back elevation ; tlie front wall being built upon the edge of the hill, and the back wall rising from the bottom of the liill several stories before it comes to a level with the front wall.^ We proceeded to the college, with the Principal at our head. ' This seems to li.ive been a touch of Jacobite jocularity, meaning that Johnson would be willing, in consideration of the dissolution of the Union, to allow the Hanover family to reign in Scotland, inferring, of course, that the Stuarts were to reign in England. — Croker. Perhaps, Johnson meant that they, the Scotch, were welcome not only to stay at home, but to keep their kirk too — as inferior to the church as Scotland to England. — Lockhart. 2 I have hitherto called him Dr. William Robertson, to distinguish him from Dr. James Robertson, who is somi to make his appearance ; but Principal, from his being the ht'ad of our college, is his usual designation, and is shorter : S') I shall use it hereafter.— Boswell. Dr. Adam Fergusson, whose "Essay on the History of Civil Society " gives him a respect- able place in the ranks of literature, was witt us. As the college buildings are indeed very mean, the Principal said to Dr. Johnson, that he must give them the same epithet that a Jesuit did when showing a poor college abroad ; " Ha miserice nostra." Dr. Johnson was, how- ever, much pleased with the library, and with the conversation of Dr. James Robertson, pro- fessor of Oriental languages, the librarian. We talked of Kennicot's edition of the Hebrew Bible, and hoped it would be quite faithful, Johnson. " Sir, I know not any crime so great that a man could contrive to commit, as poisoning the sources of eternal truth." I pointed out to him where there formerly stood an old wall enclosing part of the college, which I remember bulged out in a threatening manner, and of which there was a common tradition similar to that concerning Bacon's study at Oxford, that it would fall upon some very learned man. It had some time before tliis been taken down, that the street might be widened, and a more convenient wall built Dr. Johnson, glad of an opportunity to have i pleasant hit at Scottish learning, said, " The) have been afraid it never would fall." We showed him the royal infirmary, fo;,' which, and for every other exertion of generou public spirit in his power, that noble-mindei citizen of Edinburgh, Georere Drummond'' will be ever held in honourable remembrance And we were too proud not to carry him t the abbey of Holyrood House, that beautift piece of architecture, but, alas ! that deserte mansion of royalty, which Hamilton of Bangoui in one of his elegant poems calls, " A virtuous palace, where no monarch dwells." I was much entertained while Princip: Robertson fluently harangued to Dr. Johnso! upon the spot, concerning scenes of his ceh brated History of Scotland. We surveyc that part of the palace appropriated to tl Duke of Hamilton, as keeper, in which oi beautiful Queen Mary lived, and in whi( David Rizzio was murdered, and also the sta' rooms. Dr. Johnson was a great reciter of ii sorts of things, serious or comical. I overhea, him repeating here, in a kind of mutterii tone, a line of the old ballad, "Johnny An' strong's Last Good Night." ' " And ran him through the fair body !"* We returned to my house, where there n i 3 This lofty house was burnt down in 1824. The sitiJ now occupied by Sir William Forbes's bank Cha.mbebsJ, ■• This excellent m.igistrate died in 17C6. Some ytjl after his death, a bust of him, by NoUekens, was placecii the public hall of the hospital, with this inscription from V pen of Robertson : — " George Drummond, to whom 'k> country is indebted for all the benefit which it derives f |t the royal infirmary." — Boswell. f ; 5 The stanza from which he took this line is — ' " But then rose up all Edinburgh, They rose up by thousands three ; A cowardly Sent came John behind, And ran him through the fair body !"— Boswi • ^T. 64. boswp:ll's life of johnson. him, at dinner, the Duchess of Douglas ', Sir Adoiphus Oughton, Lord Chief Baron [Onle], Sir William Forbes, Principal Robertson, Mr. Cullen, advocate. Betbre dinner, he told us of a curious conversation between the famous George Faulkner and him. George said, that England had drained Ireland of fifty thousand pounds in specie, annually, for fifty years. "How so. Sir ?" said Dr. Johnson : "you must have very great trade ? " — " No trade. " — "Very rich mines?" — "No mines." — "From whence, then, does all this money come ? " — " Come ! why out of the blood and bowels of the poor people of Ireland ! " He seemed to me to have an unaccountable prejudice against Swift" ; for I once took the liberty to ask him, if Swift had personally of- fended him, and he told me, he had not. He said to-day, "Swift is clear, but he is shallow. In course humour he is inferior to Arbuthnot ; in delicate humour he is inferior to Addison. So he is inferior to his contemporaries, without putting him against the whole world. I doubt if the ' Tale of a Tub ' was his ; it has so much more thinking, more knowledge, more power, more colour, than any of the works which are indisputably his. If it wa^ his, I shall only say, he was impar sibi.'' We gave him as good a dinner as we could. Our Scotch muir-fowl, or grouse, were then abundant, and cpiite in season ; and, so fiir as wisiiom and wit can be aided by administering agreeable sensations to the palate, my wife took care that our great guest should not be deficient. Sir Adoiphus Oughton, then our deputy commander in chief, who was not only an ex- cellent officer, but one of the most universal .scholars ^ I ever knew, had learned tlie Erse language, and expressed his belief in the au- thenticity of Ossian's Poetry. Dr. Johnson took the opposite side of that perplexetl ques- tion"*, and 1 was afraid the dispute would have run high between them. But Sir Adoiphus, who had a very sweet temper, changed the dis- course, grew playful, laughed at Lord iMon- boddo's notion of men having tails, and called him a judge a posteriori, which amused Dr. Johnson, anil thus hostilities were prevented. At supper we had Dr. Cullen, his son the advocate, Dr. Adam Fergusson, and Mr. Cros- bie, advocate. Witchcraft was introduced. Mr. Crosbie said he thought it the greatest 1 M.irgaret, cLuiRhtfr of Jamrs Doiigl.is, F,, who, ill his department of literature, is profound? Without admittmt; tliat Swift was " inferior in coarse humour to Arbuthnot" (of whose precise share in the works to which he is supposed to have contributed, we know little or nothing), it may be observed, that he who is blasphemy to suppose evil spirits counteracting the Deity, and raising storms, for instance, to destroy his creatures. Johnson. "Why, Sir, if moral evil be consistent with the government of the Deity, wliy may not physical evil be also consistent with it ? It is not more strange that there should be evil spirits than evil men : evil unembodied spirits, than evil embodied spirits. And as to storms, we know there are such things ; and it is no worse that evil spirits raise them than that they rise." Crosbie. " But it is not credible that witches should have effected what they are said in stories to have done." Johnson. " Sir, I am not de- fending their credibility. I am only saying that your arguments are not good, and will not overturn the belief of witchcraft. — (Dr. Fergusson said to me aside, ' He is right.') — And then. Sir, you have all mankind, rude and civilised, agreeing in the belief of the agency of preternatural powers. You must take evi- dence ; you must consider that wise and great men have condemned witches to die." Crosbii:. " But an act of parliament put an end to witchcraft." Johnson. " No, Sir, witchcraft had ceased ; and, therefore, an act of parlia- ment was passed to prevent persecution for what was not witchcraft. Why it ceased we cannot tell, as we cannot tell the reason of many other things." Dr. Cullen, to keep up the gratification of mysterious disquisition, with the grave address for which he is re- markable in his companionable as in his pro- fessional hours, talked in a very entertaining manner, of people walking and conversing in tiieir sleep. I am very sorry I have no note of this.^ We talked of the ouran-outang, and of Lord Monboddo's thinking that he might be taught to speak. Dr. Johnson treated this with ridicule. Mr. Crosbie said that Lord iSIonboddo believed the existence of every tiling possible ; in short, that all which is in posse might be found in esse. Johnson. "But, Sir, it is as possible that the ouran-outang docs not speak, as that he speaks. However, I shall not contest the point. I sliould have thought it not possible to find a Monboddo ; yet he exists." I again mentioned the stage. Johnson. " The ai)i)earance of a player, with whom I have drunk tea, counteracts the ima- gination that he is the character he represents. Nay, you know, nobody imagines that he is the character he represents. They say, ' See .tiionti to the greatest masters of different stvlcs mav be said to be the first on the whole. It is as certain that the Tale of a Tub was Swift's as that the Kainbler was Johnson's CnoKF.K. 3 l.ord Stowell remembered with pleasure the elegance and extent ■ f Sir Adoiphus Oughton's literature, and the suavity >it his manners. — Croker. ■• A (iiiestioii ju-rpleied only liy national prejudices, heigliteiied, in a few cases, by individual obstiii.icy. See past. Sept. 23. 1773. — Croker. i There is in the Life of Bl.icklock, in Anderson's Brit. Poets, an anecdote of Dr. Bl.icklock's somn.imbulism. whicli may " TV probably have been one of the topics on this occasion ..KEII T 3 278 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. Garrick ! how he looks to-night ! See how he'll clutch the dagger ! ' That is the buzz of the theati'e." Tuesday, Aug. 17. — Sir William Forbes came to breakfast, and brought with him Dr. Blacklock, whom he introduced to Dr. Johnson, who received hin\ with a most humane com- placency ; " Dear Dr. Blacklock, I am glad to sec you ! " Blacklock seemed to be much sur- prised when Dr. Johnson said, " it Avas easier to him to write poetry than to compose his Dictionary. His mind was less on the stretch in doing the one than the other.^ Besides, composing a dictionary requires books and a desk : you can make a poem walking in the fields, or lying in bed." Dr. Blacklock spoke of scepticism in morals and religion with ap- parent uneasiness, as if he wished for more certainty." Dr. Johnson, who had thought it all over, and whose vigorous understanding was fortified by much experience, thus en- couraged the blind bard to apply to higher speculations what we all willingly submit to in common life : in short, he gave him moi'e fami- liarly the able and fiiir reasoning of Butler's Analogy : " 'WTiy, Sir, the greatest concern we have in this world, the choice of our profession, must be determined without demonstrative reasoning. Human life is not yet so well known, as that we can have it : and take the case of a man who is ill. I call two physicians ; they differ in opinion. I am not to lie down, and die between them : I must do something." The conversation then turned on atheism ; on that horrible book, Systeme de la Nature ; and on the supposition of an eternal necessity with- out design, without a governing mind. John- son, "if it were so, why has it ceased? Why don't we see men thus produced around us now ? Why, at least, does it not keep pace, in some measure, with the progress of time ? If it stops because there is now no need of it, then it is plain there is, and ever has been, an all-powerful intelligence. But stay ! (said he, with one of his satiric laughs). Ha ! ha ! ha ! I shall suppose Scotchmen made neces- sarily, and Englishmen by choice." At dinner this day we had Sir Alexander Dick, whose amiable character and ingenious and cultivated mind are so generally known ; (he was then on the verge of seventy, and is now (1785) eighty-one, with his faculties entire, his heart warm, and his temper gay) ^ ; Sir David Dalrymple, Lord Hailes ; Mr. Mac- laurin, advocate ; Dr. Gregory, who now 1 There is hardly any operation of the intellect which re- quires nicer and deeper consideration than definition. A thousand men may write verses, lor one who has the power of defining and discriminating; the exact meaning of words and the principles ot grammatical arrangement — Croker. - See his Letter on this sul)ject in the Appendix. — BOSWEIX. 3 Sir A. Dick was born in 17(«; died Nov. 10. 1785 — Wright. * See ante, p. 244., and Appendix.— C. » Mistress of Edward IV. — Boswell. worthily fills his father's medical chair; and my uncle, Dr. Boswell. This was one of Dr. Johnson's best days. He was quite in his ele- ment. All was literature and taste, without any interriaption. Lord Hailes, who is one of the best philologists in Great Britain, who has written papers in the World, and a variety of other works in prose and in verse, both LatiD and English, pleased him highly. He told him he had discovered the Life of Cheynel, in the Student, to be his. Johnson. " No one else knows it." Dr. Johnson had before this dic- tated to me a law-paper ^ upon a question purely in the law of Scotland, concerning vi- cious intromission, that is to say, intermeddling with the effects of a deceased person, without a regular title ; which formerly was understood to subject the intermeddler to payment of all the defunct's debts. The principle has of late been relaxed. Dr. Johnson's argument was for a renewal of its strictness. The paper was printed, with additions by me, and given into the court of session. Lord Hailes knew Dr. Johnson's part not to be mine, and pointed out exactly where it began and where it ended.. Dr. Johnson said, " It is much now that his lordship can distinguish so." In Dr. Johnson's Vanity of Human Wishes there is the following passage : — " The teeming mother, anxious for her race, Begs, for each birth, the fortune of a face ; Yet Vane could tell what ills from beauty spring: And Sedley cursed the charms which pleased a king." Lord Hailes told me he was mistaken in the instances he had given of unfortunate fair ones; for neither Vane nor Sedley had a title to that description. His lordship has since been so obliging as to send me a note of this, for the communication of which I am sure my readers will thank me. " The lines in the tenth Satire of Juvenalj ac- cording to my alteration, should run thust — " Yet Shore* could tell ; AndValiere" cursed ." " The first was a penitent by compulsion, the second by sentiment ; though the truth is, Made- moiselle de la Valiere threw herself (but still from sentiment) in the king's way. " Our friend chose Vane', who was far from being well-looked ; and Sedley^, who was so ugly that Charles II. said his brother had her by way of penance."* ^ Mistress of Louis XIV. — Boswell. 7 Seeon/e, p. 60.— C. 8 Catliorine Sedley. created Countess of Dorchester for life. Her father. Sir Charles, resenting the seduction of his daughter, joined in the Whig measures of the Revolution, and excused his revolt from .Tames under an ironical pro- fession of gratitude. " His Majesty," said he, " having done me the unlooked-for honour of making my daughter a countess, I cannot do less in return thai: endeavour to make his daughter a queen."— Croker. 9 Lord Hailes was hypercritical. Vane was handsome, or, iET. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 279 JMr. Maclaurin's ' learning and talents en- aLled hini to do his part very well in Dr. Jolin- son's company. He produced two epitaphs upon his lather, the celebrated mathematician. One was in English, of which Dr. Johnson did not change one word. In the other, which was in Latin, he made several alterations. In place of the very words of Virgil, " Ubi luctus et pavor et plurima mortis imago," he wrote " Ubi luctus regnant et })avor." He introduced the vcord pro rxus into the line " Mortalibus prorsus non absit solatiimi : " and after " Hujus enini scripta evolve," he added, "Mentemque tan- tarum rerum capacem corpori caduco super- stitem crede ; " which is quite applicable to Dr. Johnson himself." Mr. JMurray, advocate, who married a niece of Lord Mansfield's, and is now one of the judges of Scotland, by the title of Lord Heu- deriand, sat with us a part of the evening ; but did not venture to say any thing that I re- member, though he is certainly possessed of talents which would have enabled him to have shown himself to advantage if too great anxiety had not prevented him. At supper we had Dr. Alexander "Webster ^, who, though not learned, had such a knowledge of mankind, such ix fund of information and entertainment, so clear a head, and such ac- commodating manners, that Dr. Johnson found him a very agreeable companion. When Dr. Johnson and I were left by our- selves, I read to him my notes of the opinions what is more to our purpose, appeared so to her royal lover ; and Sedley, whatever others may have thought of her, had the "charms which pleased a king." So that Johnson's illustrations are morally just. His lordship's proposed sul)- stitution of a fabulous' (or at least apocryphal) heauty like Jane Shore, whose story, even if true, was obsolete ; or that of a foreigner, like Mile', de la Valiere, little known and less cared for amongst us, is not only tasteless but inaccurate ; for Mile, de la Validre's beauty was quite as much questioned by her contemporaries as Miss Sedley's. Bussy Rabutin was exiled for sneering at Louis's admiration of her mouth, which he calls .\nd Madame Du Plessis Bellifevre writes to Fouquet, " Mile. de la Vallifire a fait la capable envers moi. Je I'ay encensce par sa beaute qui n'est pourtant pas grande." And finally, after Lord Hailes had clipped down the name into I'allierc, his car might have told him that it did not fit the metre.— Croker. 1 Mr. Maclaurin, advocate, son of the great mathematician, and afterwards a judge of session by the title of Lord Dreg- horn. He wrote some indifferent English poems ; but was a good Latin scholar, and a man of wit and accomplishment. His quotations from the classics were particularly apposite. In the famous case of Knight, which determined the right of a slave to freedom if he landed in Scotland, Maclaurin pleaded the cause of the negro. The counsel opposite was the celebrated Wight, an excellent lawyer, but of a very homely appearance, with heavy features, a blind eye, which projected from the socket, a sw.ig belly, and a limp. To him Maclaurin applied the lines of Virgil — " Quamvis ille nigcr, quamvis tu candidus esses, O forraose puer, nimium ne crede colori." Mr. Maclaurin wrote an essay against the Homeric tale of " Troy divine," I believe, for the sole purpose of introducing a happy motto,— " Non anni domuere decern, non mille carins." Walter Scott. * Mr. Maclaurin's epitaph, as engraved on a marble tomb- tone, la the Grayfriars churchyard, Edinburgh : — of our judges upon the questions of literary property. He did not like them ; and said, " they make me think of your judges not with that respect which I should wish to do." To the argument of one of them, that there can be no property in blasphemy or nonsense, he an- swered, " then your rotten sheep are mine ! — By that rule, when a man's house falls into decay, he must lose it." ^ I mentioned an ar- gument of mine, that literary performances are not taxed. As Churchill says, " No statesman j'et has thought it worth his pains To tax our labours, or excise our brains ; " and therefore they are not property. " Yet," said he, " we hang a man for stealing a horse, and horses are not taxed." Mr. Pitt has since put an end to that argument. Wednesday., Aug. 18. — On this day we set out from Edinburgh. "We should gladly have had Mr. Scott to go with us, but he was obliged to return to England. I have given a sketch of Dr. Johnson : my readers may wish to know a little of his feUow- traveller. Think, then, of a gentleman of ancient blood, the pride of which was his predominant passion. He was then In his thirty -third year, and had been about four years happily married. His inclination was to be a soldier, but his father, a respectable judge, had pressed him into the profession of the law. He had travelled a good deal, and seen many varieties of human life. He Infra situs est COLIN MACLAURIN, Mathes. olim in Acad. Edin. Prof. Electus ipso Newtono suadente. H. L. P. F. Non ut nomini paterno consulat. Nam tali auxilio nil eget ; Sed ut in hoc infelici campo, Ubi luctus regnant et pavor, Mortalibus prorsus non absit solatium : Hujus enim scripta evolve, Mentemque tantarum rerum capacem Corpori caduco superstitem crede. — BoswBLU Johnson probably changed the very words of Virgil, as not thinking an exact quotation from a heathen poet quite appro- priate to a Christian epitaph Croker. 3 Dr. Webster was remarkable for the talent with which he at once supported his place in convivial society, and a high character as a leader of the strict and rigid presbyterian party in the church of Scotland. He was ever gay amid the gayest : when it once occurred to some one present to ask, what one of his elders would think, should he see his pastor in such a merry mood " Think !" replied the Doctor; "why he would not believe his own eyes." — Walter Scot't. * Dr. Johnson's illustration is sophistical, and might have been retorted upon him ; for if a man's sheep are so rotten as to render the meat unwholesome, or, if his house be so decayed as to threaten mischief to passengers, the law will confiscate the mutton and abate the house, without any re- gard to property, which the owner thus abuses. Moreover, Johnson should have discriminated between a criminal offence and a cii:istrate of Lichfield, lived thus. They never began to have a lire in the parlour, but on leaving off business, or some great revo- lution of their life." Dr. Watson said, the luill was a kitchen in old squires' houses. .JoHNSox. " No, Sir. The hall was for great occasions, and never was used for domestic ' re- fection." AVe talked of the Union, and what money it had brought into Scotland. Dr. Watson observed, that a little money formerly went as far as a great deal now. Johnson. " In speculation, it seems that a smaller quan- tity of money, equal in value to a larger quantity, if equally divided, should produce the same effect. But it is not so in reality. Many more conveniencies and elegancies are enjoyed where money is plentiful, than whei-e it is scarce. Perhaps a great familiarity with it, which arises from plenty, makes us more easily part with it." After what Dr. Johnson had said of St. Andrew's, which he had long wished 'to see, as our oldest univei'sity, and the seat of our pri- mate in the days of episcopacy, I can say little. Since the publication of Dr. Johnson's book, I find that he has been censured for not seeing here the ancient chapel of St. Rule -, a curious piece of sacred architecture. But this was neither his fault nor mine. We were both of us abundantly desirous of surveying such sort of antiquities ; but neither of us knew of this. I am afraid the censure must fall on those who did not tell us of it. In every place, where there is any thing worthy of observation, there should be a short printed directory tor strangers, such as we find in all the towns of Italy, and in some of the towns in England. I was told that there is a manuscript account of St. Andrew's, by Martin, secretary to Arch- bishop Sharp ; and that one Douglas has published a small account of it. I inquired at a bookseller's, but could not get it. Dr. Johnson's veneration for the hierarchy is well known. There is no wonder then, that he was aiFected with a strong indignation, while he beheld the ruins of religious magnificence. I hai)pened to ask where John Knox was buried. Dr. Johnson burst out, " I hope in tlie high- ^yay.' I have beeK looking at his reforma- tions." It was a very fine day. Dr. Johnson seemed quite wrapt up in the contemplation of the scenes which were now presented to him. He • I believe Jolinsnn was mistaken. The Hall was fre- quently, If not generally, the common refectory Croker. - It is very singular how they could miss seeing St. Rule's chapel, an ecclesiastical buililirig, the most .incient, perhaps, in Great Briuin. It is a square tower, which stands close by the ruins of the old cathedral. Martin's Rfliquitc Divi AndTCiE are now published Walter Scott. 3 It is, says Mr. Chambers, a little odd, though Boswell has overlooked it, th.it Knox vas buried in a place which soon after became, and ever since has been, a highway ; namely, the old churchvard ot St. Ciles in Kdinburgh. — Croksb, 1835. kept his hat off while he was upon any part of the ground where the cathedral had stood. lie said well, that " Knox had set on a mob, without knowing where it would end ; and that differing from a man in doctrine was no reason why you should pull his house about his ears." As we walked in the cloisters, there was a solemn echo, while he talked loudly of a proper retirement from the world. Mr. Nairne said, he had an inclination to retire. I called Dr. Johnson's attention to this, that I might hear his opinion if it was right. Johnson. " Yes, when he has done his duty to society. In general, as every man is obliged not only to ' love God, but his neighbour as himself,' he must bear his part in active life ; yet there are exceptions. Those who are exceedingly scru- pulous (which I do not approve, for I aiy no friend to scruples), and find their scrupulosity invincible, so that they are quite in the dark, and know not what they shall do, — or those who cannot resist temptations, and find they make themselves worse by being in the world, without making it better, — may retire. I never read of a hermit, but in imagination I kiss his feet : never of a monastery, but I coulil full on my knees, and kiss the pavement. But I think putting young people there, who know nothing of life, nothing of retirement, is dangerous and wicked. It is a saying as old as Hesiod — ''E/>ya viZv, $ov\ai re fiicrccv, tUxai re yepSyrcav.' * That is a very noble line : not that young men should not pray, or old men not give counsel, but that every season of life has its proper duties. I have thought of retiring, and have talked of it to a friend ; but I find my vocation is rather to active life." I said, some young monks might be allowed, to show that it is not age alone that can retire to pious solitude ; but he thought this would only show that they could not resist temptation. He wanted to mount the steeples, but it could not be done. There are no good inscrip- tions here. Bad Roman characters he naturally mistook for half Gothic, half Roman. One of the steeples, which he was told was in danger, he wished not to be taken down ; " for," said he, " it may fall on some of the posterity of John Kno.x ; and no great matter ! " ^ Dinner was mentioned. Johnson. " Ay, ay, amidst all these sorrowful scenes, I have no objection to dinner." We went and looked at the castle where Cardinal Beaton was murdered^, and then * " Let youth in deeds, in counsel man engage: Prayer is the proper duty of old age." —Boswell. See anlc, p. 175. This line is a fragment attributed to Hesiod. Boswell prints /3ot;Aaj«, tii^a/T-f, no doubt an error of the press. The reading of most editions is j3cvXai ii ivrcii ii. — Croker. ' I'hese towers have been repaired by the government, with a proper attention to the antiquities of tlie country. — Walter Scott. 6 David Beaton, Cardinal .ind Archbishop of St. Andrew".!, was murdered on the 29th of Mav, 154G, in bis castle of St. 284 BOSWELL'8 LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. visited Principal Murison at his college, where is a good library room ; but the Principal was abundantly vain of it, for he seriously said to Dr. Johnson, " You have not such a one in England." ' The professors entertained us with a very good dinner. Present : Murison, Shaw, Cooke, HilP, Haddo, AVatson, Flint, Brown. I ob- served, that I wondered to see him eat so well, after viewing so many sorrowful scenes of ruined religious magnificence. " Why," said he, " I am not sorry, after seeing these gentle- men, for they are not sorry." Murison said, all sorrow was bad, as it was murmuring against the dispensations of Providence. Johnson. " Sir, sorrow is inherent in humanity. As you cannot judge two and two to be either five or thre%, but certainly four, so, when comparing a worse present state, with a better which is past, you cannot but feel sorrow. It is not cured by reason, but by the incursion of present objects, which wear out the past. Yovi need not murmur, though you are sorry." Murison. " But St. Paul says, ' I have learnt, in what- ever state I am, therewith to be content.' " Johnson. " Sir, that relates to riches and poverty ; for we see St. Paul, when he had a thorn in the flesh, prayed earnestly to have it removed ; and then he could not be content." Murison, thus refuted, tried to be smart, and drank to Dr. Johnson, " Long may you lec- ture ! " Dr. Johnson afterwards, speaking of his not drinking wine, said, " Tiie Doctor spoke of lecturing (looking to him). I give all these lectures on water." He defended requiring subscription in those admitted to universities, thus : " As all who come into the country must obey the king, so all who come into an university must be of the Church." And here I must do Dr. Johnson the justice to contradict a very absurd and ill-natured story, as to what passed at St. Andrew's. It has been circulated, that, after grace was said in English, in the usual manner, he, with the greatest marks of contempt, as if he had held it to be no grace in an university, would not j sit down till he had said grace aloud, in Latin. Ttiio xvriiilfl linvo l-iof>n nn in«iilt. indppd in tllp This would have been an insult indeed to the gentlemen who were entertaining us. But the truth was precisely thus. In the course of conversation at dinner. Dr. Johnson, in very good humour, said, " I should have expected to have heard a Latin grjice, among so many learned men : we had always a Latin grace at Oxford. I believe I can repeat it." Which he did, as giving the learned men in one place a specimen of what was done by the learned men in anotJier place.-' We went and saw the church, in which is Archbishop Sharp's * monument.' I was struck with the same kind of feelings with which the churches of Italy impressed me. I was much pleased to see Dr. Johnson actually in St. Andrew's, of which we had talked so long. Professor Haddo was with us this afternoon, along with Dr. Watson. We looked at St. Salvador's College. The rooms for students seemed very commodious, and Dr. Johnson said, the chapel was the neatest place of worship he had seen. The key of the library could not be found , for it seems Professor Hill, who was out of town, had taken it with him. Dr. Johnson {old a joke he had heard of a monas- tery abroad, where the key of the library could never be found. It was somewhat dispiriting, to see this ancient arcliiepiscopal city now sadly deserted. We saw in one of its streets a remarkable proof of liberal toleration ; a nonjuring cler- gyman, strutting about in his canonicals, with a jolly countenance and a round belly, like a well-fed monk. We observed two occupations united in the same person, who had hung out two sign- posts. Upon one was "James Hood, White Iron Smith " (i. e. tin-plate worker). Upon another, " The Art of Fencing Taught, by James Hood." Upon this last were painted some trees, and two men fencing, one of whom had hit the other in the eye. to show his great dexterity ; so that the art was well taught. Johnson. " Were I studying here, I should go and take a lesson. I remember Hope ", in his book on this art, says, ' the Scotch are very good fencers.' " We returned to the inn, where we had been entertained at dinner, and drank tea in Andrew's, by John and Norman Leslie (of the Rothes family), and some others, in vengeance, as they alleged (though no } doubt they had also personal motives), of the share the cardinal had In the death of Mr. Georjje Wishait, a pro- , testant minister of great reputation, who had lately been j burned for heresy in tlie cardinal's own presence. " The cardinal was murdered," says Johnson in his " Journey," " by the ruffians of rolormation, in the manner of which Kno\ has given what he himself caUs a merry narrative." — Croker. ' " The library," says Johnson, " is not very spacious, but I elegant and luininnus". The doctor hy whom it was shown | hoped to irritate or subdue my English vanity by telling me, that we had no such repository of books in Kngland." — Letters. Johnson, with unusual forliearance, appears not to have contradicted him, as assuredly he might ; for the library of .St. Andrew's is, I am informed, but 75 feet long, whilst that of All Souls, in Oxford, is 198 feet ; of Christ Church, 141 ; of Queen's, 123 ; and each of the three divisions of the Bodleian is more than twice as long as the library of St. Andrew's. —Crokeb. ■2 Dr. George Hill, author of Theological Institutes, &c. ; born in 1750, died in December, 1819 Wkight. 3 Boswell might have added, that as this dinner was at an inn, Johnson could not have seriously expected a Latin grace, said even "at Oxford" in the college halls only.— LOCKHAKT. •» J.ames Sharp, Archbishop of St. Andrew's, was dragged from his coach, and murdered in the arms of his daughter, on Magus Moor, 3d of Mav, 1679. Sir Walter Scott, in his celebrated tale, entitled Old Mortality, has told this story with all the force of history and all the interest of romance. — Crokek. 5 The monument is of Italian marble. The brother of the archbishop left a sum for preserving it, which, in one un- happy year, was expended in painting it in resemblance of reality. The daubing is now removed. — Walter Scott. 6 Sir V,filliam Hope, of the Hopetoune family, published, in 169'2, a work entitled The Complete Fertcing Master. — Wright. JF.T. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 2a5 company with some of the professors, of whose civilities I beg leave to add my humble and vei-y grateful acknowledgment to the honour- able testimony of Dr. Johnson, in his "Journey." We talked of composition, which was a fiivourite topic of Dr. Watson, who first dis- tinguished himself by lectures on rhetoric. Johnson. "I advised Chambers, and would advise every young man beginning to compose, to do it as fast as he can, to get a habit of having his mind to start promptly ; it is so nuich more difficult to improve in speed than in accuracy." Watson. "I own I am for much attention to accuracy in composing, lest one should get bad habits of doing it in a slovenly manner." Johnson. "Why, Sir, you are confounding doing inaccurately with the j necessity of doing inaccurately. A man knows when his composition is inaccurate, and when he thinks fit he'll correct it. But, if a man is accustomed to compose slowly, and with diffi- culty, upon all occasions, there is danger that he may not compose at all, as we do not like to do that which is not done easily ; and, at any rate, more time is consumed in a small matter j than ought to be." Watson. " Dr. Hugh I Blair has taken a week to compose a sermon." j Johnson. " Then, Sir, that is for want of the habit of composing quickly, which I am insist- ing one should acquire." Watson. " Blair was not composing all the week, but only such hours as he found himself disposed for compo- sition." Johnson. " Nay, Sir, unless you tell nie the time he took, you tell me nothing. If I say I took a week to walk a mile, and have j had the gout five days, and been ill otherwise another day, I have taken but one day. I myself have composed about forty sermons.' I j liave begun a sermon after dinner, and sent it j off by the post that night. I wrote forty-eight ' of the printed octavo pages of the Life of Savage at a sitting ; but then I sat up all j night. I have also written six sheets in a day of translation from the French."- Boswell. < " We have all observed how one man dresses ; himself slowly, and another fast." Johnson. \ "Yes, Sir ; it is wonderful how much time ! some people will consume in dressing ; taking i up a thing and looking at it, and'laying it | down, and taking it up again. Every one [ should get the habit of doing it quickly. I would say to a young divine. Here is your ' The "Sermons Irfi /or publication by Dr. Taylor " (see anli; p. 107. n. 5. and post, '21. Sept. 1777) are but twentu-fivc in number. — Cboker, 184G. 2 This must have been the translation of Lobo, for Johnson translated no other work, that 1 know of, consisting of !iG pages, from the French. This account of so much diligence does not seem to agree with that before given of his indolence in completing that translation. See anli, p. 21. But, as Sir Walter Scott observes, " a pool is usually succeeded in a river by a current, and he may have written fast to make up lee way." — Choker. Perhaps, the I^oboisnot meant at all. During certain years of early life, which Boswell leaves nearly a blank. Dr. Johnson may have translated many French trifles for the booksellers, as to which in after days he might choose to be silent Lockiiart. 3 It is very singular that Dr. Johnson, with .ill his episcopal partiality, should have visited Archbishop Sharp's monument, te.xt; let me see how soon you can make a sermon. Then I'd say. Let me see how much better you can make it. Thus I should see both his powers and his judgment." We all went to Dr. Watson's to supper. IMiss Sharp, great grandchild of Archbishop Sharp ^, was there, as was Mr. Craig, the in- genious architect of the new town of Edin- burgli, and nephew of Thomson, to whom Dr. Johnson has since done so much justice in his "Lives of the Poets." We talked of memory, and its various modes. Johnson. " Memory will play strange tricks. One sometimes loses a single word. I once \o?,ifugaces in the Ode ' Fosthume, Posl- hume.' " I mentioned to him, that a worthy gentleman of my acquaintance actually forgot his own name. Johnson. " Sir, that was a morbid oblivion." Friday, Aug. 20. — Dr. Shaw, the professor of divinity, breakfasted with us. I took out 1 my " Ogden on Prayer," and read some of it ! to the company. Dr. Johnson praised him. | " Abernethy," * said he, " allows only of a physical elfect of prayer upon the mind, which may be produced many ways as well as by prayer ; for instance, by meditation. Ogden goes farther. In truth, we have the consent of all nations for the efficacy of prayer, whether offered up by individuals or by assemblies; and Revelation has told us it will be eff(2ctual." I said, " Leechman ^ seemed to incline to Abernethy's doctrine." Dr. Watson observed, that Leechman meant to show that, even ad- mitting no effect to be produced by prayer, respecting the Deity, it was useful to our own minds. He had given only a part of his system : Dr. Johnson thought he should have given the whole. Dr. Johnson enforced the strict observance of Sunday. " It should be different (he ob- served) from another day. People may walk, but not throw stones at birds. There may be relaxation, but there should be no levity." " We went and saw Colonel Nairne's garden and grotto. Here was a fine old plane tree. Unluckily the colonel said there was but this and another large tree in the county. This assertion was an excellent cue for Dr. Johnson, who laughed enormously, calling to me to hear it. He had expatiated to me on the nakedness of that part of Scotland which he had seen.'' His " Journey " has been violently abused for and been in company with his decend.int, without making any observation on his char.icter and melancholy death, or on' the general subject of Scottish episcopacy Waiter Scott. •< An Irish dissenting divine, whose Discourses on the Divine Attributes, and some volumes of sermons, are highly esteemed even by the clergy of the Church of ICngland. He died in 1740. — Croker. i Dr. William Leechman, Principal of the College at Glasgow (where Johnson subsequently visited him), who published, among other valuable works, a discourse On the Nature, Reasonableness, and Advantages of Prayer. He died in Mi'h. aged eighty. — Croker. 6 Yet see anli, p. 199. n. 4. _ C. 7 Johnson^ has been unjustly abused for dwelling on the bareness of Fife. There are good trees in many parts of that county, but the east coast, along whicli lay Johnson's route, 266 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. what he has said upon this subject. But let I it be considered that, when Dr. Johnson talks j of trees, he means trees of good size, such as j he was accustomed to see in England ; and of ; these there are certainly very few upon the j eastern coast of Scotland. Besides, he said, ! that he meant to give only a map of the road ; j and let any traveller observe how many trees, } which deserve the name, he can see from the • road from Berwick to Aberdeen. Had Dr. i Johnson said, " there are no trees " upon this line, he would have said what is colloquially i true ; because, by no trees, in common speech, j we mean few. When he is particular in count- | ing, he may be attacked. I know not how j Colonel Nairne came to say there were but i two large trees in the county of Fife. I did | not perceive that he smiled. There are cer- j tainly not a great many; but I could have shown him more than two at Balmuto, from whence my ancestors came, and which now belongs to a branch of my family. The grotto was ingeniously constructed. In the front of it were petrified stocks of fir, plane, and some other trees. Dr. Johnson said, " Scotland has no right to boast of this grotto ; it is owing to personal merit. I never denied personal merit to many of you." Professor Shaw said to me, as we walked, " This is a wonderful man ; he is master of every subject he handles." Dr. Watson allowed him a very strong understanding, but wondered at his total inattention to established manners, as he came from London. I have not preserved, in my Journal, any of the conversation which passed between Dr. Johnson and Professor Shaw ; but I recollect Dr. Johnson said to me afterwards, " I took much to Shaw." We left St. Andrew's about noon, and some miles from it, observing, at Leuchars, a church with an old tower, we stopped to look at it. The manse, as the parsonage-house is called in Scotland, was close by. I waited on the minister, mentioned our names, and begged he would tell us what he knew about it. He was a very civil old man ; but coidd only inform us, that it was supposed to have stood eight hundred years. He told us there Avas a colony of Danes in his parish ; that they had landed at a remote period of time, and still remained a distinct people. Dr. Johnson shrewdly in- quired, whether they had brought women with them. We were not satisfied as to this colony.' We saw, this day, Dundee and Aberbrothick, is certainly destitute of wood, excepting young plantations. The other tree mentioned by Colonel Nairne is probably the Prior Letham plane, measuring in circumference at the surface nearly twenty feet, and at the setting on of the branches nineteen feet. This giant of the forest stands in a cold exposed situation, apart from every other tree Walter Scott. 1 The colony of Leuchars is a vain imagination concerning a certain fleet of Danes wrecked on Sheughy Dikes Walter Scott. The fishing people on that coast have, the last of which Dr. Johnson has celebrated in his " Journey." ^ Upon the road we talked of the Roman Catholic faith. He mentioned (I think) Tillotson's argument against tran- substantiation : — " That we are as sure we see bread and wine only, as that we read in the Bible the text on which that false doc- trine is founded. We have only the evidence of our senses for both." — " If," he added, " God had never spoken figuratively, we might hold that he speaks literally, when he says, ' This is my body.' " Boswell. " But what do you say, Sir, to the ancient and continued tradition of the Church upon this point?" Johnson. " Tradition, Sir, has no place where the Scriptures are plain ; and tradition cannot persuade a man into a belief of transubstan- tiation. Able men, indeed, have said they believed it." This is an awful subject. I did not then press Dr. Johnson upon it ; nor shall I now enter upon a disquisition concerning the import of those words uttered by our Saviour^, which had such an efiect upon many of his disciples, that they " went back, and walked no more with him." The catechism and solemn office for communion, in the Church of Eng- land, maintain a mysterious belief in more than a mere commemoration of the death of Christ, by partaking of the elements of bread and wine. Dr. Johnson put me in mind, that at St. Andrew's I had defended my profession very well, when the question had again been started. Whether a lawyer might honestly engage with the first side that offers him a fee. " Sir," said I, " it was with your arguments against Sir William Forbes ; but it was much that I could wield the arms of Goliath." He said, our judges had not gone deep in the question concerning literary property. I mentioned Lord Monboddo's opinion, that if a man could get a work by heart, he might print it, as by such an act the mind is exercised. Johnson. " No, Sir ; a man's repeating it no more makes it his property, than a man may sell a cow which he drives home." I said, printing an abridgment of a work was allowed, which was only cutting the horns and tail off the cow. Johnson. " No, Sir ; 't is making the cow have a calf." About eleven at night we arrived at Mont- rose. We found but a sorry inn, where I myself saw another waiter put a lump of sugar with his fingers into Dr. Johnson's lemonade, for which he called him " rascal ! " It put me however, all the appearance of being a different race from the inland population, and their dialect has many peculiari- ties. — Lockhart. = " I should scarcely have regretted my journey, had it afforded nothing more than the sight of Aberbrothick." — Journey Wright. 3 " Then Jesus said unto them. Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you." — See St. John's Gospel, chap. vi. 53. and following verses. — Boswell. JEt. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 287 in rrreat glee that our landlord was an English- man. I rallied the Doctor upon this, and he grow quiet. Both Sir John Hawkins's and Dr. Barney's " History of Music " had then been advertised. I asked if this was not unlucky : would they not hurt one another ? Johnson. " No, Sir. They will do good to one another. Some will buy the one, some the other, and compare them ; and so a talk is made about a tl/Ing, and the books are sold." He was angry at me for proposing to carry lemons with us to Sky, that he might be sure to have his lemonade. " Sir," said he, " I do not wish to be thought that feeble man who cannot do without any thing. Sir, it is very bad manners to cai-ry provisions to any man's house, as if he could not entertain you. To an inferior, it is oppressive ; to a superior, it is insolent." Having taken the liberty, this evening, to remark to Dr. Johnson, that he very often sat quite silent for a long time, even when in com- pany with only a single friend, which I myself had sometimes sadly experienced, he smiled and said, " It is true. Sir. Tom Tyers (for so he familiarly called our ingenious friend, who, since his death, has paid a biographical tribute to his memory), Tom Tyers desci'ibed me the best. He once said to me, ' Sir, you ai'e like a ghost : you never speak till you are spoken to.' " 1 CHAPTER XXXin. 1773. Montrose. — Lawrence Kirli. — Monhoddo. — Emi- gration. — Homer. — Biography and History. — Decrease of Learning. — Promotion of Bishops Citizen and Savage. — Aberdeen. — Professor Gordon. — Public and Private Education. — Sir Alexander Gordon. — Trade of Aberdeen. — Doctrines of the Trinity and the Atonement — Johnso7i a Burgess of Aberdeen. — Dinner at Sir Alexander Gordon's. — . Warhurton. — Locke's Latin Verses. — . Ossian. Montrose., Saturday., Aug. 21 xt. — Neither the Rev- IMr. Nisbet, the established minister, nor the Rev. Mr. Spooner, the episcopal minister, were in town. Before breakfast, we went and saw the town-hall, where is a good dancing - ' This description of Dr. Johnson .-ippears to have been borrowed from Turn Jones, book xi. chap. 2. : " The other, who, like a ghost, only wanted to be spoke to, readily answered," &c — Boswell. Tyers was not thinking of Tom j Jones : both he and Fielding alluded to the same general superstition, that jjhosts must be first spoken to. — Croker. 2 There were several points of similarity between them ; learning, clearness of head, precision of speech, and a love of research on many subjects which people in general do not investigate. Foote paid Lord Monboddo the compliment of saying, that he was " an Elzevir edition of Johnson." It has room, and other rooms for tea-drinking. The appearance of the town from it is very well ; but many of the houses are built with their ends to the street, which looks awkward. When we came down from it, I met Mr. Gleig, a merchant here. He went with us to sec the Englisli chapel. It is situated on a pretty dry spot, and there is a fine walk to it. "^It is really an elegant building, both within and without. The organ is adorned with green and gold. Dr. Johnson gave a shilling extraordi- nary to the clerk, saying, " He belongs to an honest church." I put him in mind, that epis- copals were but dissenters here ; they were only tolerated. " Sir," said he, " we are here, as Christians in Turkey." He afterwards went into an apothecary's shop, and ordered some medicine for himself, and wrote the prescrip- tion in technical charactei-s. The boy took him for a physician. I doubted much which road to take, whether to go by the coast, or by Lawrence Kirk and ]\Ionboddo. I knew Lord Monboddo and Dr. Johnson did not love each other ; yet I was unwilling not to visit his lordship; and was also curious to see them together.* I men- tioned my doubts to Dr. Johnson, who said he would go two miles out of his way to see Lord Monboddo. I therefore sent Joseph fonvard, with the following note : — " Montrose, 21st .\ugust. " My dear Lord, — Thus far I am come with Mr. Samuel Johnson. We must be at Aberdeen to-night. I know you do not admire him so much as I do ; but I cannot be in this country witliout making you a bow at your old place, as I do not know if I may again have an opportunity of seeing Monboddo. Besides, Mr. Johnson says, he would go two miles out of his way to see Lord iNIonboddo. I have sent forward my servant, that we may know if your lordship be at home. I am ever, &c. "James Boswell." As we travelled onwards from Montrose, we had the Grampian hills in our view, and some good land around us, but void of trees and hedges. Dr. Johnson has said ludicrously, in his "Journey," that the hedges were oi^tone; for, instead of the verdant thorn to refresh the eye, we found the bare icall or dike intersecting the prospect. He observed, that it was won- derful to see a country so divested, so denuded of trees. "We stopped at Lawrence Kirk, where our great grammarian, lluddiman, was once school- master. We respectfully remembered that been shrewdly observed, that Foote must have meant a dimi- nutive or pocket edition. — Boswell. Johnson himself thus describes Lord Monboddo to Mrs. Thrale : " He is a Scotch judge, who has lately written a strange book about the origin of language, in which he traces monkeys up to men, and says that in some countries the human species have tails like other beasts. He inquired for these long-tailed men from [Sir Joseph] Banks, and was not pleased that they had not been found in all his peregrinations. He talked nothing of this to me." — Letters Croker. 288 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. excellent man and eminent scholar, by whose labours a knowledge of the Latin language [ will be preserved in Scotland, if it shall be ; preserved at all. Lord Gardenston ', one of j our judges, collected money to raise a monu- ' ment to him at this place, which I hope will be well executed. I know my father gave five guineas towards it. Lord Gardenstone is the proprietor of Lawrence Kirk, and has encou- raged the building of a manuflicturing village, of which he is exceedingly fond, and has writ- ten a pamphlet upon it, as if he had founded Thebes, in which, however, there are many useful precepts strongly expressed. The village seemed to be irregularly built, some of the houses being of clay, some of brick, and some of brick and stone. Dr. Johnson ob- served, they thatched well here. I was a little acquainted with Mr. Forbes, the minister of the parish. I sent to inform him that a gentleman desired to see him. He returned for answer, " that he would not come to a stranger." I then gave my name, and he came. I remonstrated to him for not coming to a stranger ; and, by presenting him to Dr. Johnson, proved to him what a stranger might sometimes be. His Bible inculcates " be not forgetful to entertain strangers," and mentions the same motive." He defended himself by saying, " He had once come to a stranger, who sent lor him ; and he found him ' a little-worth person .' ' " Dr. Johnson insisted on stopping at the inn, as I told him Lord Gardenstone had furnished it with a collection of books, that travellers might have entertainment for the mind as well as the body. He praised the design, but wished there had been more books, and those better chosen. About a mile from Monboddo, where you turn off the road, Joseph was waiting to tell us my loi-d expected us to dinner. We drove over a wild moor. It rained, and the scene was somewhat dreary. Dr. Johnson repeated, with solemn emphasis, Macbeth's speech on meeting the witches. As we travelled on, he told me, " Sir, you got into our Club by doing what a man can do.^ Several of the members wished to keep you out. Bm-ke told me, he doubted if you were fit for it : but, now you are in, none of them are sorry. Burke says, that you have so much good-humour naturally, it is scarce a virtue." Boswell. " They were afraid of you. Sir, as it was you who proposed me." Johnson. Sir, they knew, that if they re- fused you, they'd probably never have got in another. I'd have kept them all out. Beau- - clerk was very earnest for you." Boswell. " li eauclerk has a keenness of mind which is very uncommon." Johnson. " Yes, Sir ; and every thing comes from him so easily. It ap- pears to me that I labour, when I say a good , thing." BoswELL. " You are loud, Sir, but it i is not an effort of mind." , Monboddo is a wretched^ place, wild and !j naked, with a poor old house, though, if I re- i collect right, there are two turrets, which mark an old baron's residence. Lord Monboddo received us at his gate most courteously ; , pointed to the Douglas arms upon his house, and told us that his great-grand mother was of !, that family. " In such houses," said he, " our ancestors lived, who were better men than < we." " No, no, my lord," said Dr. Johnson ; , " we are as strong as they, and a great deal wiser." This was an assault upon one of Lord Monboddo's (capital dogmas, and I was afraid there would have been a violent altercation in the very close, before we got into the house. But his lordship is distinguished not only for " ancient metaphysics," but for ancxewt jwlitesse, " la vieille cour" and he made no reiAy. His lordship was drest in a rustic suit, and wore a little round hat ; he told us, we now saw him as Farmer Burnet, and we should have his family dinner, a farmer's dinner. He said, " I should not have forgiven IVlr. Boswell, , had he not brought you here. Dr. Johnson." He produced a very long stalk of corn, as a specimen of his crop, and said, " You see here the IcBtas segetes : " he added, that Virgil seemed to be as enthusiastic a farmer * as he, and was certainly a practical one. Johnson. " It does not always follow, my lord, that a man, who has written a good poem on an art, has practised it. Philip Miller told me, th.at in Philips's " Cyder," a poem, all the precepts were just, and indeed better than in books written for the purpose of instructing ; yet Philips had never made cyder." ^ i I started the subject of emigration. John- son. " To a man of mere animal life, you can urge no argument against going to America, - but that it will be some time before he will get the earth to produce. But a man of any in- tellectual enjoyment will not easily go andi immerse himself and his posterity for ages in i barbarism. He and my lord spoke highly of Homer, i Johnson. " He h.ad all the learning of his age. The shield of Achilles shows a nation in war, a nation in peace : harvest sport, nay steal- ! 1 Fr.nncis Garden, a Scotch Lord of Session, who erected a very pretty temple over St. Bernard's Well, on the bank of the water of Leitli. He was a man of talents, but of some irregularity of mind, and died (it was said by his own act) in 1794._Croker. 2 " Be not forgetful to entertain strangers ; for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." — Heb. xiii. 2. A pious and modest allusion on the part of Boswell ! — Croker. 3 This, I find, is considered obscure. I suppose Dr. Johnson meant, that I assiduously and earnestly recom- mended myself to some of the members, as in a canvass for ( an election into parliament. — Boswell. ■< Walter Scott used to tell an instance of Lord Monboddo's i agricultural enthusiasm, that returning home one riiglit j after an absence (I think) on circuit, he went out witn aij candle to look at a field of turnips, then a novelty in Scotland. — Croker, 1846. 5 This Johnson repeated in his Life of Philips. Miller, the author of the Gardener's Dictiunart/, was born at Chelsea in 1691, and died in 1771. — Wright. Mt. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 289 ing." ' MoNBODDO. " Ay, and what we (lookine to me) would call a parliament-house scene ; a cause pleaded." Johnson. " That is part of the life of a nation in peace. And there are in Homer such characters of heroes, and combinations of qualities of heroes, that the united powers of mankind ever since have not produced any but what are to be found there." INIoxboddo. " Yet no character is described."* Joiixson. "No; they all deve- lope themselves. Agamemnon is always a gentleman-like character; lie has always J: ')oets in three distant ages born, Greece, Italy, and England did adorn : The first in loftiness of thought surpass'd ; The next, in majesty ; in both the last. The force of Nature could no further go ; To make a third, she join'd the former two :" and a part of a Latin, translation of it done at Oxford ' : he did not then say by whom. He received a card from Sir Alexander Gordon, who had been his acquaintance twenty years ago in London, and who, " if forgiven for not answering a line from him," would come in the afternoon. Dr. Johnson rejoiced to hear of him, and begged he would come and dine with us. I was much pleased to see the kindness with which Dr.- Johnson received his old friend Sir Alexander ; a gentleman of good family (Lismore), but who had not the estate. The King's College here made him Professor of Medicine, which affords him a decent sub- sistence. He told us that the value of the stockings exported from Aberdeen was, in peace, a hundred thousand pounds ; and amounted in time of war, to one hundred and seventy thousand pounds. Dr. Johnson asked what made the difference ? Here we had a proof of the comparative sagacity of the two professors. Sir Alexander "answered, " Be- cause there is more occasion for them in war." Professor Thomas Gordon answered, " Because the Germans, who are our great rivals in the manufacture of stockings, are otherwise em- I ployed in time of war." Johnsoj.-. '■ Sii', you I have given a very good solution.'-' At dinner, Dr. Johnson ate several platefuls of Scotch broth, with barley and peas in it, and seemed very fond of the dish. I said, " You never ate it before." Johnsox. " No, Sir ; but I don't care how soon I eat it again." My cousin. Miss Dallas, formerly of Inverness, was married to Mr. Riddoch, one of the minis- ters of the English chapel here. He was ill, and confined to his room; but she. sent us a kind invitation to tea, which we all accepted. She was the same lively, sensible, cheerful woman, as ever. Dr. Johnson here threw out some jokes against Scotland. He said, " You go first to Aberdeen ; then to Emlru (the "Scottish pronunciation of Edinburgh) ; then to Newcastle, to be polished by the colliers ; then to York ; then to London." And he laid hold of a little girl, Stuart Dallas, niece to Mrs. Riddoch, and, representing himself as a giant, said, he would take her with him ! tell- ing her, in a hollow voice, that he lived in a cave, and had a bed in the rock, and she should have a little bed cut opposite to it ! He thus treated the point, as to prescrip- tion " of murder in Scotland. "A jury in England would make allowance for deficiencies of evidence, on account of lapse of time : but a general rule that a crime should not be punished, or tried for the purpose of punish- ment, after twenty years, is bad. It is cant to talk of the king's advocate delaying a prose- cution from malice. How unlikely is it the king's advocate should have malice against persons who commit murder, or should .even know them at all. If the son of the murdered man should kill the murderer who got off merely by prescription, I would help him to maJvC his escape ; though, were I upon his jury, I would not acquit him. I would not advise him to commit such an act. On the contrary, I would bid him submit to the determination of society, because a man is bound to submit to the inconveniences of it, as he enjoys the good : but the young man, though politically wrong, would not be morally Avrong. He would have to say, ' Here I am amongst bar- barians, who not only refuse to do just'ice, but I London, 2d of May, 177S. Dr. Johnson acknowledged that he was himself the author of the translation above alluded to, and dictated it to me as follows : — '■ Quos laudet vates Grains Romanus et .\nglus Tres tria temporibus secla dedere suis. Sublime ingenium Graius ; Romanus habebat Carmen grande sonans ; .■\nglu3 utrumque tulit. Nil majus Natura capit : clarare priorcs Quae potuere duos tertius unus habet."— BoswE^t,. See anli, p. 270. • C. U 2 292 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. encourage the greatest of all crimes. I am therefore in a state of nature ; for, so far as there is no law, it is a state of nature ; and consequently, upon the eternal and immutable law of justice, which requires that he who sheds man's blood should have his blood shed, I will stab the murderer of my father." We went to our inn, and sat quietly. Dr. Johnson borrowed, at Mr. Riddoch's, a volume of Massillon's Discourses on the Psalms ; but I found he read little in it. Ogden too he sometimes took up, and glanced at ; but threw it down again. I then entered upon religious conversation. Never did I see him in a better frame : calm, gentle, wise, holy. I said, " Would not the same objection hold against the Trinity as against transubstantiation ? " — " Yes," said he, " if you take three and one in the same sense. If you do so, to be sure you cannot believe it ; but the three persons in the Godhead are three in one sense, and one in another. We cannot tell how, and that is the mystery ! " I spoke of the satisfaction of Christ. He said his notion was, that it did not atone for the sins of the world; but, by satisfying divine justice, by showing that no less than the Son of God suffered for sin, it showed to men and innumerable created beings the heinousness of it, and therefore rendered it unnecessary for divine vengeance to be exercised against sinners, as it otherwise must have been ; that in this way it might operate even in favour of those who had never heard of it ; as to those who did hear of it, the effect it should produce would be repentance and piety, by impressing upon the mind a just notion of sin ; that ori- ginal sin was the propensity to evil, which no doubt was occasioned by the fall. He pre- sented this solemn subject in a new light to me ', and rendered much more rational and clear the doctrine of what our Saviour lias done for us; as it removed the notion of im- puted riijhteousness in co-operating ; whereas, by this view, Christ has done all already that he had to do, or is ever to do, for mankind, by making his great satisfaction ; the consequences of which will affect each individual according to the particular conduct of each.^ I would illustrate this by saying, that Christ's satisfac- tion resembles a sun placed to show light to men, so that it depends upon themselves whether they will walk the right way or not, which they could not have done 'without that sun, " the sun of righteousness." There is, i however, more in it than merely giving light — "a light to lighten the Gentiles ; " for we are ! told, there is, " healing undei- his tvings." Dr. j Johnson said to me, " Richard Baxter com- mends a treatise by Grotius, ' De Satisfactione Christi.' I have never read it ; but I intend to read it ; and you may read it." 1 remarked, upon the principle now laid down, we might explain the difficult and seemingly hard text, " They that believe shall be saved ; and they that believe not shall be damned." They that believe shall have such an impression made upon their minds, as will make them act so that they may be accepted by God. We talked of one of our friends^ taking ill, for a length of time, a hasty expression of Dr. Johnson's to him, on his attempting to prosecute a subjeat that had a reference to religion, beyond the bounds within which the Doctor thought such topics should be confined in a mixed company. Johnson. " What is to become of society, if a friendship of twenty years is to be broken off for such a cause ? " As Bacon says, — " Who then to frail mortality shall trust. But limns the water, or but writes in dust." I said, he should write expressly in support of Christianity ; for that, although a reverence for it shines through his works in several places, that is not enough. " You know," said I, " what Grotius has done, and what Addison has done, you should do also." He replied, " I hope I shall." Minidmj, Avg. 23. — Principal Campbell, Sir Alexander Gordon, Professor Gordon, and Professor Ross, visited us in the morning, as did Dr. Gerard ", who had come six miles from the country on purpose. We went and saw the Marischal College *, and at one o'clock we waited on the magistrates in the town-hall, as they had invited us, in order to present Dr. Johnson with the freedom of the town, which Provost Jopp ■ did with a very good grace. Dr. Johnson was much pleased with this mark of attention, and received it very politely. There was a pretty , numerous company assembled. It was striking to hear all of them drinking, "Dr. Johnson!' Dr. Johnson ! " in the towu-liall of Aberdeen, ■ and then to see him with his biu'gess-ticket, or diploma^, in his hat, which he wore as he. walked along the street, according to the usual custom. It gave me great satisfaction to ob-! 1 My worthy, infelligont, .ind candid friend. Dr. Kippis, inforns me, that several divines liave thus explained tlie mediation of our Saviour. Wliat Dr. Jolmson now delivered was liut a temporary opinion ; for he afterwards was fully eonvinri'd orth(; proi)iliat(irv sacrifice, as 1 shall show at large in my UiMirc work, " 'I'lie I.ile of Samuel Johnson, I^LD." KoswKLL. Dr. Kippis was a dissenter. Dr. Johnson's Prai/ers and Medilatiuns abundantly prove that he was, as far back as we have any record of his religious feelings, fully convinced of the propitiatory sacrifice. In the prayer on his birthday, in 1738 (transcribed by him in 1768), he'expressly states his hope of salvation " through the satisfaction of JesMb- Christ." — See his full opinion, sub June 3. 1781.— Ckoker. 2 No doubt Mr. Langton. But see ante, p. 265., as to the re.al cause of this temporary coolness — Croker. = Dr. Alexander Cerard, autl;or of an " Essay on Genius,' &-C. ; born in Aberdeenshire, 172s, ilied ITfi."".— Croker. ■t Dr. Beattie was so kindly entertained in England, tha he had not yet retmned home. — Boswell. s Dr. Johnson's bure;ess-ticket was in these words : — " Aberdonia?, vigesimo tertio die mensis Augusti, annr Domini millessimo septingentcsimo septuagesimo tertio, ii: presentia honorabilium virorum, Jacobi Jopp, armigeri; prtepositi. Adami Duff, Gulielmi Young, Georgii Marr, e Gulielmi Forbes. Balivorum, Gulielmi Rainie Decani guilda et Joannis Nicoll Tliesaurarii dicti burgi. —Quo die vir gene JEt. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 293 serve the regard, and, indeed, fondness too, which every body here had for my fatlier. While Sir Alexander Gordon conducted Dr. Johnson to Old Aberdeen, Professor Gordon and I called on J\Ir. lliddoch, whom I found to be a grave wortliy clergyman. lie observed that, whatever might be said of Dr. Johnson while he was alive, he would, after he was dead, be looked upon by the world with regard and astonishment, on accoimt of his Dictionary. Professor Gordon and I walked over to the old college, which Dr. Johnson had seen by this time. I stepped into the chapel, and looked at the tomb of the founder. Archbishop El- phinston, of whom I shall have occasion to write in my History of James IV^. of Scotland, the patron of my family.' We dined at Sir Alexander Gordon's. The provost. Professor lloss, Professor Dunbar, ■Professor Thomas Gordon, were there. After dinner came in Dr. Gerard, Professor Leslie, Professor Macleod. "We had little or no con- versation in the morning ; now we were but barren. The professors seemed afraid to speak. Dr. Gerard told us that an eminent printer- was very intimate with "Warburton. Johnson. " Wliy, Sir, he has jjrinted some of his works, and periiaps bought the property of some of them. The intimacy is such as one of the pro- fessors here may have with one of the carpenters who is repairing the college." — " But," said Gerard, "1 saw a letter from him to this printer, in which he says, that the one half of the clergy of the Church of Scotland are fanatics, and the other half infidels." Johnson. " Warbur- ton has accustomed himself to write letters just rosiis et doctrina clanis, Sainnel Johnson, LL.D. receptus ct .ulniissus fuit in niunicipes et fratres Ruildae prasfati burgi rte .\berileen : in dcditissinii amoris et affectus ac exiinia; obser- vantia' tesseram, quibiis diet! magistratus eum aniplectuntur. Extractum per me, Alex. Carnegie."— Boswell. ' This, like many similar intimations scattered through these volumes, docs not appear to have been carried into effect. Nor is Elphinston's designation as ajcA- bishop cor- rect. Aberdeen never was an archiepiseopal see Cboker. 3 Mr. .Strahan. See Forbes's Life uf ISeatlie, vol. ii. p. 170. — Crokek. ' Had — for vould have. This turn is seldom used in prose. — Croker. •• .Ml this, as Dr. Johnson suspected at the time, w.is the immediate invention of his own lively imagination ; for there is not one word of it in Mr. Locke's complimentary perform- ance. My readers will, I have no doubt, like to be satisfied, by comparing them ; and, at .iny rate, it may entertain them to read verses composed by our great metaphysician, when a bachelor in physic. AUCTORI, IM TRACTATOM EJUS DE PEBRIBIIS. Febriles a;stiu, virturnqm- ardnrilms nrbcm Flevit, non tantis par medicina mails. Quum post mille artes, medicae tentamina cura?, .\rdet adhuc febris , nee velit arte rcgi. Praeda sumus flammis ; solum hoc speramus abigne, Ut restet paucus, qurm capit urna. cinis. Dum qua:rit medicus febris causamquc. modumque, Klammarum et tenebras. et sine luce faces ; Quas tractat p.-ititur flammas, ct febre calescens, Corruit ipse suis victima rapta focis. Qui tardos potult morhos, artnsque trementes, Sistere, febrili se videt ignc ra]>i. Sic faber exesos fnlsit tibicine muros ; J)um trahiC aatiquas Icnta ruina Stygem. Extorsit Lachesi cultros, petisque venenum .Abstulit, et tanlos non sinit esse metus. Quis tandem arte nova domitam mitescere pestem Credat, ct antiquas ponere posse minas ? Tost tot mille neces, cumulataque funera busto, Victa jacet, parvo vulnere, dira lues, .^theria: quanquam spargunt contagia ftammse, Quicquid inest istis ignibus, ignis erit. Delapss rcelo flammie licet acrius urant. Has gclida extlngui non nisi morte putas ? Tti niiliiira paras victrix medicina ; tuusque Totis (pi.e siipcrat rnncta, triumphus eris. \i\r liber, victis fcbrilibus ignibus; unus I'e simul ct mun Here followed a note with the names of the then mem- bers of the Club, which Boswell subsequently incorporated in the text of the L>fe, ante, p. 163. _ Croker. iEx. 64. BOS^YELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 299 I which I regretted much, as we should have had a very elegant reception from his lordship. We found here but an indifferent inn.' Dr. John- son wrote a long letter to Mrs. Thrale. I won- dered to see him write so much so easily. He verified his own doctrine, that " a man may always write when he will set himself doggedly to it." Thursday, Aug. 26. — We got a fresh chaise here, a very good one, and very good horses. V,'e breakfasted at CuUen. They set down dried haddocks broiled, along with our tea. I ate one ; but Dr. Johnson was disgusted by the sight of them, so they were removed. - Cullen has a comfortable appearance, though but a very smidl town, and the houses mostly poor buildings. I called on j\Ir. Robertson, who has the charge of Lord FIndlater's affairs, and Avas formerly Lord Slonboddo's clerk, was three times in France with him, and translated Con- damine's Account of the Savage Girl, to which his lordship wrote a preface, containing several remarks of his own. Robertson said he did not believe so much as his lordship did ; that it was plain to him the girl confounded what she imagined with what she remembered ; that, besides, she perceived Condamine and Lord Monboddo forming theories, and she adapted her story to them. Dr. Johnson said, " It is a pity to see Lord Monboddo publish such notions as he has done ; a man of sense, and of so much elegant learning. There would be little in a fool doing it ; we should only laugh : but when a wise man does it, we are sorry. Other people have strange notions ; but they conceal them. If they have tails, they hide them ; but Monboddo is as jealous of his tail as a squirrel." I shall here put down some more remarks of Dr. Johnson's on Lord Monboddo, which were not made exactly at this time, but come in well from connection. He said he did not approve of a judge's calling himself Farmer Burnett 2, and going about with a little round hat."*' He > Here, unluckily, the windows had no pulleys, and Dr. Johnson, who was constantly eager for fresh air, had much struggling to get one of them kept open. Thus he had a notion impressed upon him, that this wretched defect was general in Scotland, in consequence of which he has errone- ously enlarged upon it In his " Journey." I regretted that he did not allow me to read over his book before it was printed. I should have changed very little, but I should ha\-e suggested an alteration in a few places where he has laid himself open to be attacked. I hope I should have pre- vailed with him to omit or soften his assertion, that " a Scotsman must be a sturdy moralist, who does not prefer Scotland to truth," — for I really think it is not founded, and it is harshly said. — Boswell. Boswell furnished Johnson with along list of errors — great and small — in hxsJouiTtey, not one, I think, of which Johnson gave himself the trouble of correcting. They will be found in the Appendix. — Croker. - A protest may be entered on the part ot most Scotsmen against the Doctor's taste in this i)articular. A Finnon had- dock dried over the smoke of the sea-weed, and sprinkled with salt water during the process, acquires a relish of a very peculiar and delicate flavour, inimitable on any other coast than that of Aberdeenshire. Some of our Edinburgh phi- losophers tried to produce their equal in vain. I was one of a party at a dinner, where the philosophical haddocks were placed in competition with the genuine Finnon-lish. These laughed heartily at his lordship's saying he was an enthusiastical farmer; "For," said he, "what can he do in farming by his enthusiasm?" Here, however, I think Dr. Johnson mistaken. He who wishes to be successful, or happy, ought to be enthusiastical, that is to say, very keen in all the occupations or diversions of life. An ordinary gentleman -fiirmer will be satisfied with looking at his fields once or twice a day : an enthusiastical farmer will be con- stantly employed on them ; will have his mind earnestly engaged ; will talk perpetually of them. But Dr. Johnson has much of the nil admirari in smaller concerns. That survey of life which gave birth to his " Vanity of Human Wishes " early sobered his mind. Besides, so great a mind as his cannot be moved by inferior ob- jects : an elephant does not run and skip like lesser animals. ]\Ir. Robertson sent a servant with us, to show us through Lord Findlater's wood, by which our way was shortened, and we saw some part of his domain, which is indeed ad- mirably laid out. Dr. Johnson did not choose to walk thi-ough it. He always said that he was not come to Scotland to see fine places, of which there were enough in England ; but wild objects — mountains — waterfalls — pecu- liar manners ; in short, things which he had not seen before. I have a notion that he at no time has had much taste for rural beauties. I have myself very little. Dr. Johnson said there was nothing more contemptible than a country gentleman living beyond his income, and every year growing poorer and poorer. He spoke strongly of the influence which a man has by being rich. " A man," said he, " who keeps his money, has in reality more use from it tlian he can have by spending it." I observed that this looked very like a paradox : but he explained it thus : " If it were certain that a man would keep his money locked up for ever, to be sure he would have no influence ; but, as so many want money, and he has the power of giving it, and they were served round without distinction whence they came; but only one gentleman, out of twelve present, espoused the cause of philosophy. — W.\lter Scott. 3 It is the custom in Scotland for the judges of the Court of Session to have the title of Lords, from their estates ; thus Mr. Burnett is Lord Monboddo, as Mr. Home was Lord Kames. There is something a little awkward in this ; for they are denominated in deeds by their names, with the addition of " one of the senators of the college of justice ; " and subscribe their Christian and surname, as James Bur- nett, Henry Home, even in judicial acts Boswell. "VVe see that the same custom prevailed amongst other gentlemen as well as the judges. All the lairds who are called by the names of their estates, as Kasay, Col, Sec, sign their Chris- tian and surnnmes. as J. Macleod, A. Maclean, tSrc. The dignity of the judicial bench has consecrated, in the case of the judges, what was once the common practice of the country. — Croker. ■' Why not, in a remote country retirement?— Croker. It may bo worth while to remark, that down to a very re- cent period, judges both in London and Edinburgh were distinguished, when mixing in common societv, bv certain grave peculiarities of dress : these, with some f^'w ancient and venerable exceptions, have now disappeared : and it seems doubtful whether the innovation was wise. — Lock- hart, 183-5. 3rx) BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. know not but by gaining- bis favour they may obtain it, the rich man will always have the greatest iniluence. lie, again, wlio lavishes his money, is laughed at as foolish, and in a great degree with justice, considering how much is spent from vanity. Even those who partake of a man's hospitality have but a tran- sient kindness for him. If he has not the com- mand of money, people know he cannot help them if he would ; whereas the rich man always can, if he will, and for the chance of that, will have much weight." Boswell. " But philoso- phers and satirists have all treated a miser as contemptible." Johxson. " He is so philoso- phically ; but not in the practice of life. Bos- well. " Let me see now : I do not know the instances of misers in England, so as to ex- amine into their influence." Johnson. " We have had few misers in England." Boswell. " There was Lowther." ' Johnson. " Why, Sii", Lowther, by keeping his money, had the com- mand of the county, which the family has now lost, by spending it. '^ I take it he lent a great deal ; and that is the way to have influence, and yet preserve one's wealth. A man may lend his money upon very good security, and yet have his debtor much under his power." BoswELL. "aSTo doubt, S'x. He can always distress him for the money ; as no man borrows who is able to pay on demand quite conve- niently." AVe dined at Elgin, and s.iw tlie noble ruins of the cathedral. Though it rained much. Dr. Johnson examined them with the most patient attention. He could not here feel any abhor- rence at the Scottish reformers, for he had been told by Lord Hailes, that it was destroyed before the reformation, by the Lord of Baden- och^, who had a c^uarrel with the bishop. The bishop's house, and those of the other clergy, which are still pretty entire, do not seem to have been proportioned to the magnificence of the cathedral, which has been of great extent, and had very fine carved work. The ground with- in the walls of the cathedral is employed as a burying-place. The family of Gordon have their vault here ; but it has nothing grand. We passed (Gordon Castle'^ this forenoon, which has a princely appearance. Fochabers, the neighbouring village, is a poor place, many of the houses being ruinous ; but it is remark- able, they have in general orchards well stored with appletrees. Elgin has what in England are called piazzas, that run in many places on each side of the street. It must have been a much better place formerly. Probably it had piazzas all along the town, as I have seen at Bologna. I approved much of such structures in a town, on account of their convenience in wet weather. Dr. Johnson disapproved of them, " because," said he, " it makes the under story of a house very dark, which greatly over- balances the conveniency, when it is considered how small a part of the year it rains ; how few are usually in the street at such times ; that many who are might as well be at home ; and the little that people suflcr, supposing them to be as much wet as they commonly are in walking a street." We fared but ill at our inn here ; and Dr. Johnson said, this was the first time he had seen a dinner in Scotland that he could not eat. In the afternoon, we drove over the very heath where Macbeth met the witches, accord- ing to tradition. ^ Dr. Johnson again solemnly repeated — " How far is't call'd to Fores? What are these, So wither'd, and so wild in tlieir attire ? That look not like the inhabitants o' the earth, And yet are on't?" He repeated a good deal more of Macbeth. His recitation was grand and affecting, and, as 1 He means, no doubt, Sir James Lowther, of Whitehaven, Bait., who died in 1755, immensely rich, but without issue, and his estates devolved on his relation. Sir James, after- wards firstJEarl of Lonsdale — Croker. 2 I do nm know what was at this time the state of the parliamentary interest of the antient family of Lowther ; a family before the conquest : bai all the nation knows it to be very extensive at present. Adiie mixture of severity and kindness, economy and munific^^ce,^characterises its present representative. — Boswell. The second Viscount and only Earl Lonsdale of his branch, who was rccnm:iicnded to Bos- well's peculiar favour by having married Ladv Mary Stuart, the daughter of John Karl of Bute.— CnoKEii. 3 Nole,hy'Lord Hailes 'SChe cathedral of Elgin was burnt by the Lord of Hadenoch, qjecause the Bishop of Moray had pronounced an award not to^is liking. Tlie indemnifi- cation that the see obtained was, that the Lord of Badenoch stood for three days barefooted at the gnat gate of the cathedral. The story is in the chartulary of Elgin." — Bos- well. Light as this penance was. an liish chieftain fared still better. The eighth Earl of Kildare was charged before Henry VH. with having burned the eatliedral of Cashel : he expressed his contrition for this sacrilege, adding, that he never would have done it had Ik^ not thought that the arch- bishop had been in it. The king niailc him lord-liiutenant. — Croker, 1831. IMr. Chambers observ.'s to me, tliat " it is strange that Boswell should not have known, or that Lord Hailes should have failed to tell him. that the cathedral of Elgin had revived from the sacrilege of the D'ulf of Badenoch, and its final ruin was accomplished by the cii|iiiiity of Murray, nicknamed the good Regent, who stripped the lead from the roof, and shipped it to be sold in Holland ; but the ship with its unhallowed freight sunk soon after it had left the harbour ; so" the cathedral was ruined, without any profit to the spoiler." — Croker, 18.10. 4 I .am not sure whether the Duke was at home ; but, not having the honour of being much known to his grace, I could not have presumed to enter his castle, though to intro- duce even so celebrated a stranger. We were at any rate in a hurry to get forward to the wildness which we came to see. Terhaps, if this noble family had still preserved that se- questered magnificence which they maintained when catho- lics, corresponding with the Grand Duke of Tuscany, we might have been induced to have procured proper letters of introduction, and devoted some time to the contemplation of venerable superstitious state. — Boswell. 5 Mr. William Macpherson, of Trinity College, Cambridge, who favoured me with several remarks on my first edition, observed on this passage, that " Boswell was quite mis- taken in imagining that lie saw the spot where Macbeth met the witches between Elgin and Fores. The true place is between Fores and Nairn. The "blasted heath" had been subsequently planted with trees, and when they were cut down some years ago, the late Laird of Brodie preserved a clump to mark the consecrated ground. The moor has been since replanted, but the older grove is still distinguish- able from the rest of the wood. The locality of the scene has never been doubted, as far as 1 can learn."— Crokeb, 1835. Johnson, more accurate than Boswell, states that it was 7}cxt day, on the journey between Fores and Nairn, that they " entered upon the road on which Macbeth heard the fatal prediction."— Croker, 184G. JEt. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFP: OF JOHNSON. 301 Sir Joshua Reynolds lias observed to me, had Tio more tone than it should have : it was the l>ctter for it. He then parodied the "All Iiuil" of the witches to Macbeth, addressing himself to me. I had purchased some land 1 ailed Dalblair; and, as in Scotland it is cus- tomary to distinguish landed men by the name (if their estates,! had thus two titles, Dalblair :nul young Auchinleck. So my friend, in imitation of " All hail, Macbetli ! hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor !" condescended to amuse liimself with uttering " All hail, Dalblair! hail to thee, Laird of Auchin- leck ! " ' We got to Fores at night, and found an admirable inn, in which Dr. Johnson was pleased to meet with a landlord, who styled himself " Wine-Cooper, from London." Fi'iday, Aug. 27. — It was dark when we came to Fores last night ; so we did not see what is called King Duncan's monument. ^ I shall now mark some gleanings of Dr. John- son's conversation. I spoke of Leonidas, anJ said there were some good passages in it. Johnson. "Why, you must seek for them." He said, Paul Whitehead's Manners was a poor performance. Speaking of Derrick, he told me " he had a kindness for him, and had often said, that if his letters had been written by one of a more established name, they would have been thought very pretty letters." This morning I introduced the subject of the origin of evil. Johnson. " Moral evil is occasioned by free will, which implies choice between good and evil. With all the evil that there is, there is no man but would rather be a free agent, than a mere machine without the evil ; and what is best for each individual, must be best for the whole. If a man would rather be a machine, I cannot argue with him. He is a different being from me." Boswell. "A man, as a machine, may have agreeable sensations ; for instance, he may have pleasure in music." Johnson. " No, Sir, he cannot have pleasure in music ; at least no power of producing music ; for he who can produce music may let it alone : he who can play upon a fiddle may break it : such a man is not a machine." This reasoning satisfied me. It is certain, there cannot be a free agent, unless 1 Then, as Mr. noswell tells us, pronounced as a dis- syllable, AJfieck, but now, as it is written, AuchinlccI:. So I was informed by his lovely, lively, and intelligent grand- daughter, Teresa Lady Elliot, of Stobbs, who was snatched from her friends by an early dc.itli in 1836. — Croker. 2 Duncan's monument ; a hu!io\ved it to me. It recommended " two cele- iiiated gentlemen ; no less than Dr. Johnson, author of his Dictionary, and IMr. Boswell, known at Edinburgh by the name of Paoli.'' He said, he hoped I had no objection to what he had written ; if I had, he would alter it. I thought it was a pity to check his effusions, and acquiesced ; taking care, however, to seal the letter, that it might not appear that I had read it. A conversation took place about saying grace at breakfast (as we do in Scotland), as well as at dinner and supper ; in which Dr. Johnson said, " It is enough if we have stated seasons of prayer ; no matter when. A man may as well pray when he mounts his horse, or a woman when she mUks her cow (which Mr. Grant told us is done in the Highlands), as at meals ; and custom is to be followed."^ • Dr. Johnson did not neglect what ho had undertaken. By his interest with tlie Rev. Dr. Ad.ims, master of Pem- broke College, OxI'ord, where he was educated lor some time, he obtained a servitorship for young M'.Aiilay. But it seems he had other views; and I believe went abroad. — Boswell. 2 He could not bear to have it thought that, in any in- stance whatever, the Scots were more pious than the English. I think grace as proper at breakfast as at any other meal. It is the pleasantest meal we have. Dr. Johnson has allowed the peculiar merit of breakfast in Scotland Boswell. 3 Bruce, the Abyssinian Traveller, found in the annals of that region a king named Jlrus. which he chooses to con- sider tlie genuine orthography of the name. This circum- stance occasioned some mirth at the court of Gondar ^VALTER Scott. ^ It is now said that this question is settled by an autograph in a volume (Florio) in the British Museum ; but though the trustees gave a large sum for the book, and that Sir F. Madden has written a pamphlet to prove the writing genuine, I confess that it appears to me very apocryphal — in fact, as I suspect, another of the mauy Shakespearian forgeries. — Croker, 184G. We proceeded to Fort George. "NMien we came into the square, I sent a s'oldier with the letter to ]Mr. Feme. He came to us imme- diately, and along with him Major Brewse of the Engineers, pronounced Bruce. He said he believed it was originally the same Norman name with Bruce : that he had dined at a i house in London, where were throe Bruces, one of the Irish line, one of the Scottish line, and himself of the English line. He said he was shown it in the Herald's Office, spelt four- teen different ways. ^ I told him the different spellings of my name. Dr. Johnson observed, that there had been great disputes about the spelling of Shakspeare's name ; at last it was thought it would be settled by looking at the original copy of his will ; but, upon examining it, he was found to have written it himself no less than three different ways. * Mr. Feme and Major Brewse first carried us to wait on Sir Eyre Coote, whose i-egiment, the 37th, was lying here, and who then com- manded the fort. He asked ^s to dine with him, which we agreed to do. Before dinner we examined the fort. The Major explained the fortification to us, and Mr. Feme gave us an account of the stores. Dr. Johnson talked of the proportions of char- coal and saltpetre in making gunpowder, of granulating it, and of giving it a gloss. He made a very good figure upon these topics. He said to me afterwards, that " he had talked ostentatiously." We reposed ourselves a little in Mr. Feme's house. He had every thing in neat order as in England ; and a tolerable col- lection of books. I looked into Pennant's Tour in Scotland. He says little of this fort ; but that " the barracks, 8cc. formed several streets." This is aggrandising. Mr. Feme observed, if he had said they form a square, with a row of buildings before it, he would have given a juster description. Dr. Johnson remarked, '•How seldom descriptions correspond with realities ; and the reason is, the people do not write them till some time after, and then their imagination has added circumstances." We talked of Sir Adolphus Oughton. The Major said, he knew a great deal for a military man. Joiixson. " Sir, you will find few men, of any profession, who know more. Sir Adol- phus is a very extraordinary man ; a man of boundless curiosity and unwearied diligence." I know not how the Major contrived to in- troduce the contest between Warburton and Lowth. JoHNSox. '' Warburton kept his temper all along, while Lowth was in a passion. 804 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. Lowth published some of Warburton's letters. Warburton drew him on to write some very abusive letters, and then asked his leave to publish them ; which he knew Lowth could not refuse, after what he had done. So that Warburton contrived that he should publish, apparently with Lowth's consent, Avhat could not but show Lowth in a disadvanta^reous light." ' At three the drum beat for dinner. I, for a little while, fancied myself a military man, and it pleased me. We went to Sir Eyre Coote's, at the governor's house, aiid found him a most gentleman-like man. Ilis lady is a very agree- able woman, with an uncommonly mild and sweet tone of voice. There was a pretty large company : Mv. Feme, Major Brewse, and several officers. Sir Eyre had come from the East Indies by land, through the deserts of Arabia. He told us, the Arabs could live five days without victuals, and subsist for three weeks on nothing else but the blood of their camels, who could lose so much of it as would suffice for that time, v/ithout being exhausted. He highly praised the virtue of the Arabs ; their fidelity, if they undertook to conduct any per- son ; and said, they Avould sacrifice their lives rather than let him be robbed. Dr. Johnson, who is always for maintaining the superiority of civilised over uncivilised men, said, " Why, Sir, I can see no superior virtue in this. A sergeant and twelve men, who are 'my guard, will die rather than that I shall be robbed." Colonel Pennington, of the 37th regiment, took up the argument with a good deal of spirit and ingenuity. Pennington. " But the soldiers are compelled to this, by fear of punishment." Johnson. " Well, Sir, the Arabs are com- pelled by the fear of infamy." Pennington. " The soldiers have the same fear of infiimy, and the fear of punishment besides ; so have less virtue ; because they act less voluntarily." Lady Coote observed very well, that it ought to be known if there was not, among the Arabs, some punishment for not being faithful on such ocasions. We talked of the stage. I observed, that we had not now such a company of actors as in the last age ; Wilks, Booth, &c. &c. John- son. " You think so, because there is one who excels all the rest so much ; you compare them Avith Garrick, and see the deficiency. Garrick's great distinction is his universality. He can represent all modes of life, but that of an easy fine-bred gentleman." ' Pennington. " He should give over playing young parts." John- son. " He does not take them now : but he 1 Here Dr. Johnson gave us part of a conversation lipid between a great personage and him, in the library at the Queen's palace, in the course of which this contest was con- sidered. I have been at great pains to get that conversation as perfectly preserved as possible. It may perhaps at some future time be given to the public. — Bosvvell. It is given ante, p. IS-l. — CnoKER. 2 Garrick, on the other liand. used to tell that Johnson was so ignorant of what the manners of a fine gentleman were, that he said of some stroller at Lichfield, tliat there does not leave ofi" those which he has been used i to play, because he does them better than any ; one else can do them. If you had generations of actors, if they swarmed like bees, the young ones might drive off" the old. Mrs. Gibber, I think, got more reputation than she deserved, as she had a great sameness ; though her ex- pression was, undoubtedly, very fine. Mrs. Clive was the best player I ever saw. Mrs. Pritchard was a very good one ; but she had something affected in her manner : I imagine she had some player of the former age in her eye, which occasioned it." Colonel Pennington said, Garrick sometimes failed in emphasis ; as, for instance, in Hamlet, " I will speak daggers to her ; but use none,^' instead of " I will speak daggers to her ; but use none." We had a dinner of two complete courses, variety of wines, and the regimental band of music playing in the square, before the windows, after it. I enjoyed this day much. We were quite easy and cheerful. Dr. Johnson said, "I shall always remember this fort with grati- tude." I could not help being struck with some admiration, at finding upon this barren sandy point such buildings, such a dinner, such company : it was like enchantment. Dr. John- son, on the other hand, said to me more ra- tionally, that " it did not strike him as any thing extraordinary ; because he knew, here was a large sum of money expended in building a fort ; here was a regiment. If there had been less than what we found, it would have surprised him." He looked coolly and deli- berately through all the gradations : my warm imagination jumped from the barren sands to the splendid dinner and brilliant company ; to borrow the expression of an absurd poet, " Without ands or ifs, I leapt from off the sands upon the cliffs." The whole scene gave me a strong impression of the power and excellence of human art. We left the fort between six and seven o'clock : Sir Eyre Coote, Colonel Pennington, and several more, accompanied us down stairs, and saw us into our chaise. There could not be greater attention paid to any visitors. Sir Eyre spoke of the hai-dships which Dr. Johnson had before him. Boswell. " Considering what he has said of us, we must make him feel something rough in Scotland." Sir Eyre said to him, "You must change your name, Sir."- BoswELL. "Ay, to Dr. M'Gregor."^ We got safely to Inverness, and put up at Mackenzie's inn. Mr. Keith, the collector of was a courtly vivacity about him ; " whereas in fact," added Garrick, "he was the most vulgar ruffian that ever trod the boards,"— (porf, 12th March, 177G). No doubt the most difficult, thoiiiili. ijC'.h.iiis. not the highest, branch of the .actor's art, is ; i v i'> li !'; I:,'lit colours and forms of f^ishion- able lil'e ; Im' i;(: , -, i;i) lived so much in the highest society, \r.v\ i • :; , what actor could ever hope to possess it V — ( ■; I'l. I ii. 3 Tlie-chr.i :;;iJ name M'Grcgor had been proscribed. Crokeu, 7Et. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 305 excise here, my old acquaintance at Ayr, who lad seen iis at the fort, visited us in the evening, ; and engaged us to dine with him next day, I promising to breakfast with us, and take us to I the English chapel ; so that we Avere at once /'I >nimodIously arranged. Xot finding a letter here that I expected, I frit a momentary impatience to be at home. j Tr:insient clouds darkened my imagination, :iiid in those clouds I saw events from which I hrunk : but a sentence or two of the Ram- IiIlt's conversation gave me firmness, and I ' iinsidered that I was upon an expedition for vAilch. I had wished for years, and the recol- l.ction of which Avould be a treasure to me for Snndai/, Aug. 29. — Mr. Keith breakfixsted \vith us. Dr. Johnson expatiated rather too iiongly upon the benefits derived to Scotland frniu'the Union, and the bad state of our p 'ople before it. I am entertained with his copious exaggeration upon that subject; but r am uneasy when peojjle are by, who do not know him as well as I do, and may be apt to 1 1 1 i nk him narrow-minded.^ I therefore diverted till' subject. The English chapel, to which we went this 111 n-ning, was but mean. The altar was a bare lir table, with a coarse stool for kneeling on, covered with a piece of thick sailcloth doulaled, liv way of cushion. The congregation was small. Mr. Tait, the clergyman, read prayers \('i-y well, though with much of the Scotch .lecent. He preached on " Love your enemies." It was remarkable that, when talking of the connections amongst men, he said, that some connected themselves with men of distinguished I ilcnts; and since they could not equal them, lied to deck themselves with their merit, by '■ing their companions. The sentence was to this purpose. It had an odd coincidence with what might be said of my connecting myself \v\\\\ Dr. Johnson. After church, we walked down to the quay. ■ then went to Macbeth's castle ? " I had a . lantic satisfaction in seeing Dr. Johnson i dly in it. It perfectly corresponds with ':ord Chesterfield, Hut was not Dr. Johnson's rebuke to the L.idy at least j which he dictated to me, I reserve for the Life Boswell. olioient in good breeding ? — Choker. ' See them ,ill, anti, p. 8-1. ct scq C. X .306 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. with uncommon regard. Mr. Keith and Mr. Grant, whom we had seen at Mr. M'Aulay's, supped with us at the inn. We had roasted kid, which Dr. Johnson had never tasted be- fore. He relished it much, 3fonday, Aug. 30. — This day we were to begin our equitation, as I said ; for / would needs make a word too. It is remarkable, that my noble, and to me most constant, friend, the Earl of Pembroke ' (who, if there is too much ease on my part, will please to pardon what his benevolent, gay, social intercourse, and lively correspondence, have insensibly produced), has since hit upon the very same word. The title of the first edition of his lordship's very useful book was, in simple terms, " A Method of Breaking Horses and Teaching Soldiers to ride." The title of the second edition is "Mili- tary Equitation." We might have taken a chaise to Fort Au- gustus ; but, had we not hired horses at Inver- ness, we should not have found them afterwards : so we resolved to begin here to ride. We had three horses, for Dr. Johnson, myself, and Joseph, and one which carried our portman- teaus, and two Highlanders who walked along with us, John Hay and Lauchland Vass, whom Dr. Johnson has remembered with credit in his Journey, though he has omitted their names. Dr. Johnson rode very well. About three miles beyond Inverness, we saw, just by the road, a very complete specimen of what is called a Druid's temple. There was a double circle, one of very large, the other of smaller stones. Dr. Johnson justly observed, that, " to go and see one druidical temple is only to see that it is nothing, for there is neither art nor power in it"; and seeing one is quite enough." It was a delightful day. Loch Ness, and the road upon the side of it, shaded with birch trees, and the hills above it, pleased us much. The scene was as sequestered and agreeably wild as could be desired, and for a time en- grossed all our attention. To see Dr. Johnson in any new situation is always an interesting object to me ; and, as I saw him now for the first time en horseback, jaunting about at his ease in quest of pleasure and novelty, the very different occupations of his former laborious life, his admirable pro- ductions, his " London," his " Eambler," &c. &c., immediately presented themselves to my mind, and the contrast made a strong impression on my imagination. When we had advanced a good way by the side of Loch Ness, I perceived a little hut, with an old-looking woman at the door of it. I thought here might be a scene that would amuse Dr. Johnson ; so I mentioned it to him. " Let's go in," said he. We dismounted, and we and our guides entered the hut. It was a wretched little hovel of earth only, I think, 1 Henry, tenth Earl, born 1735, died 1794. — Croker. 2 This seems hastily said, and probably with reference to these very poor Scottish specimens ; but Johnson had not and for a window had only a small hole, which was stopped with a piece of turf, that was taken out occasionally to let in light. In the middle of the room or space which we entered was a fire of peat, the smoke going out at a hole in the roof. She had a pot upon it, with goat's flesh, boiling. There was at one end under the same roof, but divided by a kind of partition made of wattles, a pen or fold in which we saw a good many kids. Dr. Johnson was curious to know where she slept. I asked one of the guides, who ques- tioned her in Erse. She answered with a tone of emotion, saying (as he told us), she was afraid we wanted to go to bed to her. This coquetry, or whatever it may be called, of so wretched a being, was truly ludicrous. Dr. Johnson and I afterwards wore merry upon it. I said, it was he who alarmed the poor woman's virtue. " No, Su-," said he, "she'll say, ' There came a wicked young fellow, a wild dog, who, I believe, would have ravished me, had there not been with him a grave old gentleman, who repressed him : but when he gets out of the sight of his tutor, I'll warrant you he'll spare no woman he meets, young or old.' " — " No, Sir," I replied, " she'll say, ' There was a terri- ble rufiian who would have forced me, had it not been for a civil decent young man, who, I take it, was an angel sent from heaven to pro- tect me.' " Dr. Johnson would not hurt her delicacy, by insisting on " seeing her bed-chamber," like Archer in the Beaux Stratagem. But my curiosity was more ardent ; I lighted a piece of paper, and went into the place where the bed was. There was a little partition of wicker, rather more neatly done than that for the fold, and close by the wall was a kind of bedstead of wood, with heath upon it by way of bed ; at the foot of which I saw some sort of blankets or covering rolled up in a heap. The woman's name was Fraser ; so was her husband's. He was a man of eighty. Mr. Fraser, of Balnain, allows him to live in this hut, and keep sixty goats, for taking care of his woods, where he then was. They had five children, the eldest only thirteen. Two were gone to Inverness to buy meal ; the rest were looking after the goats. This contented family had four stacks of barley, twenty-four sheaves in each. They had a few fowls. We were informed that they lived all the spring without meal, upon milk and curds and whey alone. What they get for their goats, kids, ami fowls, maintains them during the rest of the year. She asked us to sit down and take a dram. I saw one chair. She said she was as happy as any woman in Scotland. She could hardly speak any English except a few detached words. Dr. Johnson was pleased at seeing, for the first time, such a state of human life. yet seen Stonehenge — to erect which there must surely have been some art and y^sXpower. (See post, October 9. 1783.) — Cboker. ^T. 64. BOS WELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 307 She asked for snuff. It is her hixury, and she uses a great deal. We had none ; bvit gave her sixpence apiece. She then brought out her whisky bottle. I tasted it ; as did Joseph and our guides : so I gave her sixpence more. She sent us away with many prayers in Erse. We dined at a public house called the GeneraVs Hut ', from General Wade, who was lodged there when he commanded in the north. Near it is the meanest parish kirk I ever saw. It is a shame it should be on a high road." After dinner we passed through a good deal of mountainous country. I had known Mr. Tra- paud, the deputy-governor of Fort-Augustus, twelve years ago, at a circuit at Inverness, where my fother was judge. I sent forward one of our guides, and Jose]ih, with a card to him, that he might know Dr. Johnson and I were coming up, leaving it to him to invite iis or not. It was dark when we arrived. The inn was wretched. Government ought to build one, or give the resident governor an additional salai-y ; as in the present state of things, he must necessarily be put to a great expense in entertaining travellers. Joseph announced to us, when we alighted, that the governor waited for us at the gate of the fort. We Avalked to it. He met us, and with much civility con- ducted us to his house. It was comfortable to find ourselves in a well-built little square, and a neatly furnished house, in good company, and with a good supper before us ; in short, with all the conveuiencies of civilised life, in the midst of rude mountains. Mrs. Trapaud, and the governoi*'s daughter, and her husband, Capt. Newmarsh, were all most obliging and polite. The governor had excellent animal spirits, the conversation of a soldier, and some- what of a Frenchman, to which his extraction entitles him. He is brother to General Cyrus Trapaud. We passed a very agreeable evening. Tuesday, Aifg. 31. — The governor has a very good garden. We looked at it, and at the rest of the fort, which is but small, and may be commanded from a variety of hills around. We also looked at the galley or sloop belonging to the fort, which sails upon the Loch, and brings what is wanted for the garri- son. Captains Uric and Darippe, of the loth regiment of foot, breakfasted with us. They had served in America, and entertained Dr. Johnson much with an account of the Indians. He said he could make a very pretty book out of them, were he to stay there. Governor Trapaud was nuich struck with Dr. Johnson. " I like to hear him," said he, " it is so majestic. ' It is very odd, that when these roads were made, there was no care taken for Inns. The King's House, and the General's Hul, are miserable places ; but the project and plans were purely military. — Walteii Scott. ' Boswell's shame seems to have been not for the mean- ness of the kirk, but that it should have been unluckily pLiecd in so visible a situation. — Choker. ^ A M'Queen is a Highland mode of expression. .An Englishman would say one M'Queen. But where there are clans or tribes of men, distinguished by patronymic sur- names, the individuals of each are considered as if'they were I should be glad to hear him speak in your court." He pressed us to stay dinner ; but I considered that we hail a rude road before us, which we could more easily encounter in the morning, and that it was hard to say when Ave might get up, were we to sit down to good entertainment, in good company : I therefore begged the governor wfiuld excuse us. Here, too, I had another very pleasing proof how much my father is regarded. The governor expressed the highest respect for him, and bade me tell him that, if he would come that way on the northern circuit, he would do him all the honours of the garrison. Between twelve and one we set out, and travelled eleven miles, through a wild country, till we came to a house in Glenmorison, called Anoch, kept by a M'Queen.^ Our landlord was a sensible fellow : he had learnt his gram- mar, and Dr. Johnson justly observed, that " a man is the better for that as long as he lives." There were some books here : a Treatise against Drunkenness, translated from the French ; a volume of the Spectator ; a volume of Prideaux's Connexion, and Cyrus's Travels. M'Queen said he had more volumes ; and his pride seemed to be much piqued that we were surprised at his having books. Near to this place we had passed a party of soldiers, under a sergeant's command, at work \q3on the road. We gave them two shillings to drink. They came to our inn, and made merry in the barn. We went and paid them a visit. Dr. Johnson saying, " Come, let's go and give 'em another shilling a piece." We did so ; and he was saluted " My lord " by all of them. He is really generous, loves in- fluence, and has the way of gaining it. He said, " I am quite feudal. Sir." Here I agree with him. I said, I regretted I was not the head of a clan : however, though not possessed of such an hereditai-y advantage, I would always endeavour to make my tenants follow me. I could not be a patriarchal chief, but I would be a feudal chief The poor soldiers got too much liquor. Some of them fought, and left blood upon the spot, and cursed whisky next morning. The house here was built of thick turfs, and thatched with thinner turfs and heath. It had three rooms in length, and a little room which pro- jected. Where we sat, the side-walls were wainscoted, as Dr. Johnson said, with wicker, very neatly plaited. Our landlord had made the whole with his own hands. After dinner, M'Queen sat by us a while. of different species, at least as much as nations are distin- guished ; so that a M'Queen, a IM'Donald, a M'Lean, is said, as we say a Frenchni.-in, an Italian, a Spaniard. — Boswell. I believe Boswell is mistaken. The English and Scottish idiom are, I think, the same in this respect. An Englishman would say, in such a case, a "Johnson " or a " Jackson," with reference to families, as " such a one married a Johnson ;" but with reference to an individual, I presume the Scotch would fay, like the English, that "one Macqueen was hurt In tlie riot." — Croker, 184G. 308 BOS WELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. and talked witli us. He said, all the Laird of Glenmorison's people would bleed for him, if they were well used ; but that seventy men had gone out of the glen to America. That he himself intended to go next year ; for that 1 the rent of his farm, which twenty years ago i was only five pounds, was now raised to twenty | pounds. That he could pay ten pounds, and live, but no more. Dr. Johnson said, he wished M'Queen laird of Glenraorison, and the laird to go to America. M'Queen very generously answered, he shoidd be sorry for it, ' for the laird could not shift for himself in America as he could do. I talked of the officers whom we had left to-day ; how much service they had seen, and how little they got for it, even of fiime. John- son. " Sir, a soldier gets as little as any man can get." BoswELL. " Goldsmith has acquired more fame than all the officers of the last war, who were not generals." Johnson. " Why, Sir, you will find ten thousand fit to do what they did, before you find one who does what Goldsmith has done. You must consider, that a thing is valued according to its rarity. A pebble that paves the street is in itself more useful than the diamond upon a lady's finger." I wish our friend Goldsmith had heard this. I yesterday expressed my wonder that John Hay, one of our guides, who had been pressed aboard a man of war, did not choose to con- tinue in it longer than nine months, after which time he got off. Johnson. " AVhy, Sir, no man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail ; for being in a ship is being in a jail with the chance of being drowned." We had tea in the afternoon, and our land- lord's daughter, a modest, civil girl, very neatly dressed, made it for us. She told us she had been a year at Inverness, and learnt reading and writing, sewing, knotting, working lace, and pastry. Dr. Johnson made her a present of a book which he had bought at Inverness.' The room had some deals laid across the joists, as a kind of ceiling. There were two Jieds in the room, and a woman's gown was hung on a rope to make a curtain of separation between them. Joseph had sheets, which my wife had sent with us, laid on them. We had j much hesitation, whether to undress, or lie down with our clothes on. I said at last, " I'll i plunge in! There will be less harbour for vermin about me when I am stripped." Dr. | 1 This book has given rise to much inquiry, whicii nas ended in ludicrous surprise. Several ladies, wishing to learn the kind of reading which the great and good Dr. Johnson esteemed most fit for a young woman, desired to know what book he had selected for this Highland nymph. " They never adverted," said he, " tliat I had no choice in the matter. I have said that I presented her with a book, wliicli I hap- pened to have about me." And what was this book? iVIy readers, prepare your features for merriment. It was Cocker's Arithmetic ! Wherever this was mentioned, there was a loud laugh, at which Dr. Johnson, when present, used sometimes to be a little angry. One day, when we were dining at General Oglethorpe's, where we had many a valuable day, 1 ventured to interrogate him, " But, Sir, is it not somewhat singular that you should happen to have Johnson said, he was like one hesitating whether to go into the cold bath. At last he resolved too. I observed he might serve a campaign. Johnson. " I could do all that can be done by patience : whether I should have strength enough, I know not." He was in excellent humour. To see the Bamhler as I saw him to-night, was really an amusement. I yesterday told him, I was thinking of writing a poetical letter to him, on his return from Scotland, in the style of Swift's humorous epistle in the character of Mary Gulliver to her husband. Captain Lemuel Gulliver, on his return to England from the country of the Houyhnhnms : — " At early morn I to the market liaste, Studious in ev'ry thing to please thy taste. A c\.n\o\is fowl and sparaprass I chose ; (For I remember you were fond of th;-sG :) Three shillings cost tlie first, the last seven groats; Sullen you turn from both, and call for Oats." He laughed, and asked in whose name I would write it. I said in Mrs. Thrale's. He was angry. " Sir, if you have any sense of de- cency or delicacy, you Avon't do that." Bos- WELL. " Then let it be in Cole's, the landlord of the Mitre tavern, where we have so often sat together." Johnson. " Ay, that may do." After we had offered up our private de- votions, and had chatted a little from our beds, Dr. Johnson said, " God bless us both, for Jesus Christ's sake ! Good night." I pro- nounced " Amen." He fell asleep immediately. I was not so fortunate for a long time. I fan- cied myself bit by innumerable vermin under the clothes ; and that a spider was travelling from the loainscot towards my mouth. At last I fell into insensibility. Wednesday, Sept. \. — I awaked very early. I began to imagine that the landlord, being about to emigrate, might murder us to get our money, and lay it upon the soldiers in the barn. Such groundless fears will arise in the mind, before it has resumed its vigour after sleep. Dr. Johnson had had the same kind of ideas ; for he told me afterwards that he considered so many soldiers, having seen us, would be Avit- ■ nesses, should any harm be done, and that i circumstance, I suppose, he considered as a | security. When I got up, I found him sound asleep in his miserable sty, as I may call it, \ with a coloured handkerchief tied round his ' head. With difliculty could I awaken him. It ; I Cocker's Arithmetic about you on your journey ? Whst \ [ made you buy such a book at Inverness ?" He gave me a i very sufficient answer. " Why, Sir, if you are to have but one book witli you upon a journey, let it be a book of ' science. When you have read througli a bonk of entertain- ment, you know it, and it can do no more for you ; but a book ' of science is inexhaustible." — Boswelk. Mr. (^^irrufliers. in his Highland Note Book, informs us that Laclilan M'Queen of Anoch was not a mere innkeeper, but an occupant ol tlie farm; it was stipulated that he sliould receive travellers; hence his entertainment of the " Olla Sassenach " (the hearty Englishman). He did not go to America, but removed to the farm of Dalcataig in the same glen. His daugliter, the donee of Cocker, married Mr. J. Mackintosh, a watch-maker, and died without children in Morayshire.— Cboker, 1846. JKt. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 309 roiuinded me of Henry the Fourth's fine soli- lii(|uy on sleep', for there was here as uneasy a l>:illet as the poet's imagination could possibly rouceive. A red coat of the loth regiment, whether olliccr, or only sergeant, I could not be sure, came to the house, in his way to the mountains •(I shoot deer, which it seems the Laird of Glen- morison does not hinder any one to do. Few, indeed, can do them harm. We had him to 1 ireakfast with us. We got away about eight. ra-(iueen walked some miles to give iis a con- voy, lie had, in 1745, joined the Highland army at Fort Augustus, and continued in it till after the battle of Culloden. As he nar- rated the particulars of that ill-advised, but brave attempt, I could not refrain from tears. There is a certain association of ideas in my mind upon that subject, by which I am strongly aifected. The very Highland names, or the sound of a bagpipe, will stir my blood, and lill me with a mixture of melancholy and respect lor courage ; with pity for an unfortu- nate and superstitious regard for antiquity, and thoughtless inclination for war ; in short, with a crowd of sensations with which sober rationality has nothing to do. We passed through Glensheal, with pro- digious mountains on each side. We saw where the battle was fought, in the year 17 19.^* Dr. Johnson owned lie was now in a scene of as wild nature as he could see ; but he cor- rected me sometimes in my inaccurate obser- vations. " There," said 1, " is a mountain like a cone." Johnson. " No, Sir, it would be called so in a book ; and when a man comes to look at it, he sees it is not so. It is indeed pointed at the top ; but one side of it is larger than the other." ^ Another mountain I called immense. Johnson. " No ; it is no more than a considerable protuberance." We came to a rich green valley, compara- ' " Why. rather, Sleep, ly'st thou in smoky cribs, Upon uneasy pallets stretching thee, A\id Imsh'd with buzzing night-flies to thy slumber ; Than in the perfumed chambers of the great. Under the canopies of costly state. And lull'd with sounds of sweetest melody ? " Henry IV. act iii. sc. 1. — C. 2 In 1719, -Spain projected an invasion of Scotland in be- half of the Chevalier, and destined a great force for that purpose, under the command of the Duke of Ormond. Hut owing to storms, only three frigates, with throe hundred or four hundred Spaniards on board, arrived in Scotland. Thev had with tlicm the banished Earl of Seaforth, chief of the Mackenzics, a man of great power, exiled for his share in the rebellion of 1715. He raised a considerable body of High- landers of his own and friendly clans, and disembarking the Spaniards, came as far as the great valley called Glensheal, in the West Highhinds. C.eneral Wightman marched against them from Inverness with a few regular forces, and several of the Grants, Rosses. Munros, .ind other clans friendly to government. He found the insurgents in possession of a very strong pass called Strachel. from which, after a few days' | skirmishing, they retired, Seaforth's party not losing a man, i and the others having several slain. But the Earl of Sea- j forth was dangerously woundi'd in the shoulder, and obliged to be carried back to the ships. His clan deserted or dis- persed, and the Spaniards surrendered themselves prisoners ofwarto General Wightman — Walter Scott. i 3 This was hypercritical ; the hill is indeed not a cone, but it is tike one Walter .Scott. I •* Dr. Johnson, in his "Journey," thus beautifully de- j tlvely speaking, and stopped a while to let our horses rest and eat grass.''' We soon after- wards came to Auchnasheal, a kind of rural village, a number of cottages being built to- gether, as we saw all along in the Highlands. ^Ve passed many miles this day without seeing a house, but only little summer huts, called shielings. Evan Campbell, servant to Mr. JMin-chison, factor to the Laird of Macleod in Glenelg, ran along with us to-day. He was a very obliging fellow. At Auchnasheal, we sat down on a green turf-seat at the end of a house ; they brought us out two wooden dishes of milk, M'hich we tasted. One of them was frothed like a syllabub. I saw a woman pre- paring it with such a stick as is used for choco- late, and in the same manner. We had a considerable circle about us, men, Avomen, and children, all M'Craas ^ Lord Seaforth's people. Not one of them could speak English. I ob- served to Dr. Johnson, it was much the same as being with a tribe of Indians. Johnson. " Yes, Sir, but not so terrifying." I gave all j who chose it sntiff and tobacco. Governor ' Trapaud had made us buy a quantity at Fort Augustus, and put them up in small parcels. I also gave each person a piece of wheat bread, which they had never tasted before. I then gave a penny apiece to each child. I told Dr. Johnson of this : upon which he called to Joseph and our guides, for change lor a shil- ling, anil declared that he would distribute among the children. Upon this being an- nounced in Erse, there Avas a great stir : not only did some children come running down from neighbouring huts, but I observed one black-haired man, who had been with us all along, had gone off, and returned, bringing a very young child. IMy fellow traveller then ordered the children to be drawn up in a row, and he dealt about his copper, and made them and their parents all happy. The poor M'Craas, scribes his situation here: " I sat down on a bank, such as a writer of romance might have delighted to feign. I h.id, indeed, no trees to whisper over my head, hut a clear rivulet streamed at my feet. The day was calm, the air soft, and all was rudeness, silence, and solitude. Before me, and on either side, were high hills, which, by hindering the eye from ranging, forced the mind to find entertainment for it- self. Whether T spent the hour well, I know not ; for here I tirst conceived the thought of this narration." The Critical Reviewers, with a spirit and expression worthy of the subject, say, "We congr.itulate the i)ublic on the event with which this quotalion concludes, and are fully persuaded that the hour in which the entertaining traveller conceived this narra- tive will be considered,by every reader of taste, as a fortunate event in the annals of literature. Were it suitable to the task in which we are at present engaged, to indulge ourselves in a poetical flight, we would invoke the winds of the Cale- donian mountains to blow for ever, with their softest breezes, on the bank where our author reclined, .ind request of Flora, that it might be perpetually adorned with the gayest and most fragrant productions of the year. — Boswell. ^ The Mac Raes are an example of what sometimes oc- curred in the Highlands, a clan who had no chief or banner of their own, but mustered under that of another tribe. They were originally attached to the Frasers, but on oc- casion of an intermarriage, they were transferred to the Mackenzies, and have since mustered under Seaforth's st.indard. Thoy were always, and are still, a set of bold hardy men, as much attached to the Cahcrfcu- (or stag's head) as the Mackenzies, to whom the standard properly belongs. — Walter Scott X 3 310 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. whatever may be their present state, were of considerable estimation in the year 1715, when there was a line in a song : And the brave M'Craas are cominpr." ' There was great diversity in the faces of the circle around us ; some wei-e as black and wild in their appearance as any American savages whatever. One woman was as comely almost as the figure of Sappho, as we see it painted. We asked the old woman, the mistress of the house where we had the milk (which, by the by. Dr. Johnson told me, for I did not observe it myself, was built not of turf, but of stone), what we should pay. She said what we pleased. One of our guides asked her, in Erse, if a shilling was enough. She said, "Yes." But some of the men bade her ask more. This vexed me ; because it showed a desire to im- pose upon strangers, as they knew that even a shilling was high payment. The woman, how- ever, honestly persisted in her first price ,• so I gave her half a crown. Thus we had one good scene of life uncommon to us. The people were very much pleased, gave us many bless- ings, and said they had not had such a day since the old Laird of Macleod's time. Dr. Johnson was much refreshed by this repast. He was pleased when I told him he would make a good chief. He said, " Were I a chief, I would dress my servants better than myself, and knock a fellow down if he looked saucy to a Macdonald in rags ; but I would not treat men as brutes. I would let them know why all of my clan were to have attention paid to them. I would tell my upper servants why, and make them tell the others." We rode on well, till we came to the high mountain called the Rattakin, by which time both Dr. Johnson and the horses were a good deal fatigued. It is a terrible steep to climb, notwithstanding the road is formed slanting along it ; however, we made it out. On the top of it we met Captain Macleod, of Balme- noch (a Dutch ofiicer who had come from Sky), riding with his sword slung across him. He asked, "Is this INIr. Boswell ? " which was a proof that we were expected. Going down the hill on the other side was no easy task. As Dr. Johnson w^as a great weight, the two guides agreed that he should ride the horses alternately. Hay's were the two best, and the Doctor would not ride but upon one or other of them, a black or a brown. But, as Hay complained much after ascending the Rattakin, ' The M'Craas, or Macraes, were, since that time, brought into the king's army, by the late Lord Seaforth. When they lay in Edinburgh Castle, in 1778, and were ordered to embark for Jersey, they, with a number of other men in the regiment, for different reasons, but especially an apprehension that they were to be sold to the East India Company, though inlisted not to be sent out of Great Britain without their own con- sent, made a determined mutiny, and encamped upon the lofty mountain, Arthur's Seat, where they remained three days and three nights, bidding defiance to all the force in Scotland. At last they came down, and embarked peaceably, having obtained formal .articles of capitulation, signed by Sir Adolphus Onghton, commander-in-chief. General Skene, deputy commander, the Duke of Buccleugh, and the Earl of the Doctor was prevailed with to mount one of Vass's grays. As he rode upon it down hill, it did not go well, and he grumbled. I walked on a little before, but was excessively enter- tained with the method taken to keep him in good humour. Hay led the horse's head, talking to Dr. Johnson as much as he could ; and (having heard him, in the forenoon, ex- press a pastoral i^leasure on seeing the goats browsing) just when the Doctor Avas uttering his displeasure, the fellow cried, with a very Highland accent, " See, such pretty goats ! " Then he whistled ivhu! and made them jump. Little did he conceive what Dr. Johnson was. Here now was a common ignorant Highland clown imagining that he could divert, as one does a child. Dr. Samuel Johnnson ! The ludi- crousness, absurdity, and extraordinary con- trast between Avhat the fellow fancied, and the reality, was truly comic. It grew dusky ; and we had a very tedious ride for what was called five mUes, but I am sure would measure ten. We had no conver- sation. I was riding forward to the inn at Glenelg, on the shore opposite to Sky, that I might take proper measures, before Dr. John- son, v/ho v/as now advancing in dreary silence, Hay leading his horse, should arrive. Yass also walked by the side of his horse, and Joseph followed behind. As, therefore, he was thus attended, and seemed to be in deep meditation, I thought there could be no harm in leaving him for a little while. He called me back with a tremendous shout, and was really in a pas- sion with me for leaving him. I told him my intentions, but he was not satisfied, and said. " Do you know, I should as soon have thought of picking a pocket, as doing so." Boswell. " I am diverted with you. Sir." Johnson. " Su", I could never be diverted with incivility. Doing such a thing makes one lose confidence in him who has done it, as one cannot tell what he may do next." His extraordinary warmth confounded me so much, that I justi- fied myself but lamely to him ; yet my inten- tions were not improper. I wished to get on, to see how we were to be lodged, and how we were to get a boat; all which I thought I could best settle myself, Avithout his having, any trouble. To apply his great mind to minute particulars is wrong : it is like taking an immense balance (such as is kept on quays for weighing cargoes of ships) to weigh a guinea. I knew I had neat little scales, which would do better : and that his attention to Dunmore, which quieted them. Since the secession of the Commons of Rome to the Mens Sacer, a more spirited ex- ertion has not been made. I gave great attention to it from first to last, and have drawn up a particular account of it. Those brave fellows have since served their country effectu- ally at Jersey, and also in the East Indies, to which, after being better informed, they voluntarily agreed to go Bos- well. Mr. Macpherson observes that Boswell misquotes tlie " Clicvalier's muster-roll," in which the line is, '■ And the ivild Mac Ka"3 comin." See Hogg's JncobUe Relics. — Crokeii. ^T. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 311 every thing which falls in his way, and his un- common desire to be always in the right, would make him weigh, if he knew of the particulars : it was right, therefore, for me to weigh them, and let him have them only in eifect. I, how- ever, continued to ride by him, finding he wished I should do so. As we passed the barracks at Bernera, I looked at them wishfully, as soldiers have always every thing in the best order ; but there was only a sergeant and a few men tliere. "We came on to the inn at Glenelg. There was no provender for our horses ; so they were sent to grass, with a man to watch them. A maid showed us up stairs into a room damp and dirty, with bare walls, a variety of bad smells, a coarse black greasy fir table, and forms [benches] of the same kind ; and out of a wretched bed started a fellow from his sleep, like Edgar in King Lear, " Poor Toms a cold" 1 This inn was furnished with not a single article that we could either eat or drink ; but IMi-. Murchison, factor to the Laird of Macleod, in Glenelg, sent us a bottle of rum and some sugar, with a polite message, to acquaint us, that he was very sorry that he did not hear of us till we had passed his house, otherwise he should have insisted on our sleeping there that night ; and that, if he were not obtiged to set out for Inverness early next morning, he would have waited upon us. Such extraordinary attention from this gentleman, to entire strangers, deserves the most honourable com- memoration. Our bad accommodation here made me uneasy, and almost fretful. Dr. Johnson was calm. I said he was so from vanity. Johnson. " No, Sir ; it is from philosophy." It pleased me to see that the Rajuhler could practise so well his own lessons. I resumed the subject of my leaving him on the road, and endeavoured to defend it better. He was still violent upon that head, and said, " Sir, liad you gone on, I was thinking that I should have returned with you to Edinburgh, and then have parted from you, and never spoken to you more." I sent for fresh hay, with which we made beds for ourselves, each in a room equally miserable. Like Wolfe, we had a " a choice of difficulties.''' ~ Dr. Johnson made things easier by comparison. At M'Queen's, last night, he observed, that few were so well lodged in a ship. To-night, he said, Ave were better than if we had been upon the hill. He lay down buttoned up in his great coat. I had my sheets spread on the hay, and my clothes and great coat laid over me, by way of blankets.^ ' It is amusing to observe the different images which this being presented to Dr. Johnson and me. The Doctor, in his " Journey," compares him to a Cyclops.— Boswell. - This phrase, now so common, excited some surprise and criticism when used by General Wolfe, in his despatch from before Quebec. See London Gazette Extraordinary, 16th October, 1759. — Cuoker. CHAPTER XXXVI. 1773. Glenelg Isle of Sky. — Armidale. — Sir Jlex- ander Macdonald. — Church of Slate Ode on Sky. — Con-iciiatachln Highland Hospitality Ode to Mrs. Thrale. — Country Life. — Mac- pherson's Dissertations. — Second Sight. — liasay. — Fhigul. — Home?: — Infidelity. — Bentley. — Mullett. — Hooiie. — Duchess of Marlborough. — Heritable Jurisdictions. — Insular Life. — Mac- leod. — Sail to Shy. — Discourse on Death. — Lord Elibank. — Bide to Kingsburgh. — Flora Mac- donald. Thursday, Sept. 2. — I had slept ill. Dr. Johnson's anger had afiected me much. I considered that, without any bad intention, I might suddenly forfeit his friendship ; and was impatient to see him this morning. I told him how uneasy he had made me by what he had said, and reminded him of his owin remark at Aberdeen, upon old friendships being hastily broken ofi". He owned, he had spoken to me in passion ; that he would not have done what he threatened ; and that, if he had, he should have been ten times worse than I ; that form- ing intimacies would indeed be " limning the water," were they liable to such sudden disso- lution ; and he added, " Let's think no more on't. " Boswell. " Well then. Sir, I shall be easy. Remember, I am to have fair warning in case of any quarrel. You are never to spring a mine upon me. It was absurd in me to believe you." Johnson. " You deserved about as much, as to believe me from night to morning." After breakfast, we got into a boat for Sky. It rained much when we set off, but cleared ixp as we advanced. One of the boatmen, who spoke English, said that a mile at land was two miles at sea. I then observed, that from Glenelg to Armidale in Sky, which was our present course, and is called twelve, was only six miles ; but this he could not understand. " Well," said Dr. Johnson, " never talk to me of the native good sense of the Highlanders. Here is a fellow Avho calls one mile two, and yet cannot comprehend that twelve such ima- ginary miles make in truth but six." We reached the shore of Armidale before one o'clock. Sir Alexander Macdonald came down to receive us. He and his lady (for- merly Miss Boswell-*, of Yorkshire), were then in a house built by a tenant at this place, which is in the district of Slate, the family •s Johnson thus describes this scene to Mrs. Thrale: " / ordered hay to be laid thick upon the bed, and slept U|X)u it in my great coat. Boswell laid sheets upon his bed, ard reposed in linen, like a gentleman." — Letters.— Croker. •> The Yorkshire branch of the family have generally spelt tlic name Basvillc. Then- estates are now possessed by Lord Macdonald. — Boswell. X 4 312 BO SWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. mansion here having been burned in Sir Donald Macdonald's time.' CThe most ancient seat of the chief of the Macdonakls in the Isle of Sky was at Duntulm, where there are the remains of a stately castle. The principal residence of the family is now at ]\Iugstot, at which there is a considerable building. Sir Alexander and Lady Macdonald had come to Armidale in their way to Edin- burgh, where it was necessary for them to be soon after this time. Armidale is situated on a pretty bay of the narrow sea, which flows between the main land of Scotland and the Isle of Sky. In front there is a grand prospect of the rude moun- tains of Moidart and Knoidart. Behind are hills gently rising and covered with a finer verdure than I expected to see in this climate, and the scene is enlivened by a number of little clear brooks.) [Instead of finding the head of the Mac- donakls surrounded with his clan, and a festive entertainment, we had a small company, and cannot boast of our cheer. The particulars are minuted in my "Jovxrnal," but I shall not trouble the public with them. I shall mention but one characteristic circumstance. My shrewd and hearty friend. Sir Thomas (Went- worth) Blacket, Lady Macdonald's uncle, who had pi-eceded us in a visit to this chief, upon being asked by him, if the punch-bowl, then upon the table, was not a very handsome one, replied, " Yes, if it were full."] Sir Alexander Macdonald having been an Eton scholar S and being a gentleman of talents. Dr. Johnson had been very well pleased with him in London. But my fellow- traveller and I were now full of the old High- land spirit, and were dissatisfied at hearing [heavy complaints] of rents racked, and [the people driven to] emigration; and finding a chief not surrounded by his clan, Dr. Johnson said, ["It grieves me to see the chief of a great clan appear to such disadvantage. This gentle- man has talents, nay, some learning ; but he is totally unfit for his situation." I meditated an escape from this house the very next day ; but 1 Here commence the rariances between the first and second editions of Boswell's Tour which deserve to be par- ticularly noted. The paragraphs between ( ) were inserted by Mr. Boswell in the second edition to fill the space of those between [], which were in the first edition, and omitted in the second. In the first of these substituted paragraph?, Boswell says, tliat Sir Alexander and his lady " came to Armidale on their way to Edinburgh, where it was necessary they should be ; " but both Boswell and Dr. Johnson really be- lieved that thev had come to this hovel, to escape the neces- sity of entertaining the visitors at their usual residence. Johnson, in a letter to Mrs. Thrale, says, " We had a passage of about twelve miles to the point where [Sir A. Macdonald] resided, having come from his seat, in the middle of the island, to a small house on the shore, as we believe, that he might u'itli less reproach entertain us meanly. If he aspired to meanness, his retrograde ambition was completely grati- fied ; but he did not succeed equally in escaping reproach. He had no cook, nor I suppose much provision ; nor had the lady the common decencies of her tea-table: we picked our sugar with our fingers. Boswell was very angry, and re- proached him with his impr.f>per parsimony." — kwi. again : " 1 have done thinking of [Sir Alexander], whom we now call Sir Sawney ; he has disgusted all mankind by inju- Dr. Johnson resolved that we should weather it out till Monday. He said,] " Sir, the High- land chiefs should not be allowed to go farther south than Aberdeen. A strong-minded man, like [his brother] Sir James Macdonald, may be improved by an English education ; but in ge- neral they will be tamed into insignificance." We found here Mr. Janes of Aberdeenshire, a naturalist. Janes said he had been at Dr. Johnson's in London, with Ferguson the astronomer. Johnson. " It is strange that, in such distant places, I should meet with any one who knows me. I should have thought I might hide myself in Sky." Friday., Sept. 3. — This day proving wet, we should have passed our time very uncomfort- ably, had we not found in the house two chests of books, Avhich we eagerly ransacked. After dinner, when I alone was left at table with the few Highland gentlemen who were of the company, having talked ^ with very higli respect of Sir James IMacdonald, they were all so much affected as to shed tears. One of them was Mr. Donald Macdonald, who had been lieutenant of grenadiers in the Higliland regiment, raised by Colonel Montgomery, now Earl of Eglintoune, in the war before last; one of those regiments which the late Lord Chatliam prided himself in having brought from " the mountains of the north ; " by doing which he contributed to extinguish in the Highlands the remains of disaffection to the present royal family. From this gentleman's conversation, I first learnt how very popular his colonel was among the Highlanders ; of which I had such continued proofs, during the whole course of my Tour, that on my return I could not help telling the noble Earl him- self, that I did not before know how great a man he was. We were advised by some persons here to visit Rasay, in our way to Dunvegan, the seat of the Laird of Macleod. Being informed that the Rev. Mr. Donald M'Queen was the most intelligent man in Sky, and having been favoured with a letter of introduction to him, by the learned Sir James Foulis ^ I sent it to dicions parsimony, and given occasion to so many stories, that Boswell has some thoughts of collecting them, and making a novel of his life." — Letters. These passages, and the extracts from the first edition, leave no doubt as to the person meant in the various .allusions to the mean and parsimonious landlord and chieftain, which the reader will find in the subsequent parts of the Tour. It was said at the time that Boswell was induced to make these alterations and suppressions by a hostile remonstrance from Sir A. Macdonald. — See pos<, p. 408. n. 3. CnoKEU. 2 See his Latin verses addressed to Dr. Johnson, in the Appendix, — Boswell. Indifferent, and, indeed, nnin- telligible, as these verses are, they probably suggested to Dr. Johnson's mind the writing those Latin verses in Skye and Inch- Kenneth, which we shall see presently. — Croker. ^ Here, in the first edition, was a leal cancelled , which, no doubt, contained some strictures on Sir Alexander Macdo- nald's want of hospitality and spirit, still stronger than those which were permitted to appear Croker. ■i Sir James Foulis, of CoUinton, Bart., was a man of an .-incient family, a good scholar, .and a hard student ; duly im- bued with a large share both of Scottish shrewdness and Scottish prejudice. His property, his income at least, was very moderate. Others might have increased it in a voyage A JF.'v. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 313 him by an express, and requested he would meet us at Rasay ; and at the same time en- closed a letter to the Laird of Macleod, in- lurinin " They which forewent us did leave a room for us, an why should wc grieve to doe the same to those which shoul come after us? Who. being admitted to see the exquisil rarities of some antiquary's cabinet, is grieved, all viewed, tj have the curtain drawn, and give place to new Pilgrims ?.j &c. — Cypress Grove, edit. 1G30. — Lockhart. i ^T. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 323 lie YL't would rather have it, than not exist at I ;J1. No; there is no rational principle by I •svliich a man can die contented, but a trust in ! tlie mercy of God, through the merits of Jesus Christ." This short sermon, delivered with an ; earnest tone, in a boat upon the sea, which was perfectly calm, on a day appropriated to | religious worship, while every one listened witii an air of satisfaction, had a most pleasing effect upon my mind. Pursuing the same train of serious reflection, he added, that it seemed certain that happi- ness could not be found in this life, because so many had tried to find it, in such a variety of ways, and had not found it. We reached the harbour of Portree, in Sky, which is a large and good one. There was 1 lying in it a vessel to carry off the emigrants, called the Nestor. It made a short settlement of the differences between a chief and his i clan : — ■ Nestor componere lltes Inter Peleiden festinat et inter Atriden." ' We approached her, and she hoisted her colours. Dr. Johnson and Mr. M'Queen re- mained in the boat : llasay and I, and the rest, went on board of her. She was a very pretty vessel, and, as we were told, the largest in Clyde. Mr. Harrison, the captain, showed her to us. The cabin was commodious, and even elegant. There was a little library, finely bound. Portree has its name from King James the Fifth having landed there in his torn* through the Western Isles, ree in Erse being king, as re is in Italian ; so it is Port- Royal.^ There was hei-e a tolerable inn. On our landing, I had the pleasure of finding a letter from home ; and there were also letters to Dr. Johnson and me, from Lord Elibank, which had been sent after us from Edinburgh. His lordship's letter to me was as follows : — LORD ELIBANK TO BOSWELL. " 21st August, 1773. ■ Dear Boswell, — I flew to Edinburgh the moment I heard of Mr. Johnson's arrival ; but so defective was my intelligence, that I came too late. ' It is but justice to believe, that I could never fbvgive myself, nor deserve to be forgiven by others, if I was to fail in any mark of respect to that very great genius. I hold liim in the highest venera- tion ; for that very reason I was resolved to take no share in the merit, perhaps guilt, of enticing him to honour this country with a visit. I could not persuade myself there was any thing in Scotland worthy to have a summer of Samuel Johnson be- ' Nestor To reconcile the angry parties tries." Hor. Epist. i. II. Francis. ■ Croker. F 2 Why does not Mr. Boswell also discover that port is, in ^Erse, port? Indeed I suppose that the original Erse was the language of a very poor and barbarous people, for the names now employed for the principal objects of commerce, Stowed on it ; but since he has done us that com- pliment, for Heaven's sake inform me of your Tuotions. I will attend them most religiously ; and though I should regret to let Mr. Johnson go a mile out of his way on my account, old as I am', I shall be glad to go five hundred miles to enjoy a day of his company. Have the charity to send a council-post* with intelligence ; the post does not suit us in the country. At any rate, write to me. I will attend you in the north, when I shall know where to find you. J am, my dear Boswell, your sincerely obedient humble servant, Elibank." The letter to Dr. Johnson was in these words : — LORD ELIBANK TO JOHNSON. " Dear Sir, — I was to have kissed your hands at Edinburgh, the moment I heard of you, but you was gone. " I hope my friend Boswell will inform me of your motions. It will be cruel to deprive me an instant of the honour of attending you. As I value you more than any king in Christendom, I will perform that duty with infinitely greater alacrity than any courtier. I can contribute but little to your entertainment ; but my sincere esteem for you gives me some title to the opportunity of express- ing it. " I dare say you are by this time sensible that things are pretty much the same as when Buchanan complained of being born solo et seculo inerxtdito. Let me hear of you, and be persuaded that none of your admirers is more sincerely devoted to you, than, dear Sir, your most obedient and most hum- ble servant, Elibank." Dr. Johnson, on the following Tuesday, an- swered for both of us, thus : — JOHNSON TO LORD ELIBANK. " Skie, Sept. 14. 1773. " My Lord, — On the rugged shore of Skie I had the honour of your lordship's letter, and can with great truth declare that no place is so gloomy but that it would be cheered by such a testimony of regard, from a mind so well qualified to estimate characters, and to deal out approbation in its due proportions. If I have more than my share, it is your lordship's fault ; for I have always reverenced your judgment too much, to exalt myself in your presence by any i'alse pretensions. " I\Ir. Boswell and I are at present at the dis- posal of the winds, and therefore cannot fix the time at which we shall have the honour of seeing your lordship. But we should either of us think our- selves injured by the supposition that we would and of social or political life, seem to have been borrowed from foreigners, as liivg, port, horse, cow, &c., unless, in. deed, as some philologers imagine, these were derived from roots common to all languages. — Croker. 3 His lordship was now 70, having been born in 1703. — Croker. ■< A term in Scotland for a special messenger, such as was formerly sent with despatches by the Lords of the Council. _ Boswell. y 2 324 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. miss your lordship's conversation when we could enjoy" it ; for I have often declared that I never met you without going away a wiser man. I am, my Lord, your lordship's most obedient and most humble servant, Sam. Johnson." At Portree, Mr. Donald M'Queen went to church and officiated in Erse, and then came to dinner. Dr. Johnson and I resolved that we should treat the company, so I played the landlord, or master of the feast, having pre- viously ordered Joseph to pay the bill. Sir James Macdonald intended to have built a village here, which would have done great good. A village is like a heart to a country. It produces a perpetual circulation, and gives the people an opportunity to make profit of many little articles, which would otherwise be in a good measure lost. We had here a dinner, et prceterea nihil. Dr. Johnson did not talk. When we were about to depart, we found that Rasay had been beforehand with us, and that all was paid ; I would fain have contested this matter with him, but seeing him resolved, I declined it. We parted with cordial embraces from him and worthy Malcolm. In the even- ing Dr. Johnson and I remounted our horses, accompanied by Mr. M'Queen and Dr. Mac- leod. It rained very hard. We rode what they call six miles, upon Ra-says lands In Sky, to Dr. Macleod's house. On the road Dr. Johnson appeared to be somewhat out of spirits. When I talked of our meeting Lord Elibank, he said, " I cannot be with him much. I lonof to be again In civilised life; but can stay but a short while" (he meant at Edin- burgh). He said, " Let us go to Dunvegan to-morrow." — "Yes," said I, "if it Is not a deluge." "At any rate," he replied. This showed a kind of fretful impatience ; nor was it to be wondered at, considering our disagree- able ride. I feared he would give up Mull and IcolmklU; for he said something of his apprehensions of being detained by bad weather in going to Mull and lova. However, I hoped well. We had a dish of tea at Dr. Macleod's, Avho had a pretty good house, where was his brother, a half-pay officer. His lady was a polite, agreeable woman. Dr. Johnson said, he was glad to see that he was so well married, for he had an esteem for physicians. The doctor accompanied us to KIngsburgh, which is called a mile farther ; but the computation ' It is stated in the account of the rebellion, published un der the title of " Ascanius" that she was the daughter of Mr. Macdonald, a tacksman or gentleman-farmer, of Melton, in South T)ist, and was, in 1746, about twenty-four years old. It is also said, that her portrait was painted in London in 1747, for Commodore Smith, in whose ship she had been brought prisoner from Scotland; but 1 have not been able to trace it. Dr. Johnson says of her to Mrs. Thrale, " She must then have been a very young lady ; she is now not old ; of a pleas- ing person, and elegant behaviour. She told me that she thought herself honoured by my visit ; and I am sure that whatever regard she bestowed on me was liberally repaid. ' if thou likest her opinions, thou wilt praise her virtue.' She w.is carried to London, but dismissed without a trial, and came down with Malcolm Macleod, against whom sufficient evidence could not be procured. She and her husband are of Sky has no connection whatever with real distance. I was higiily pleased to see Dr. Johnson safely arrived at KIngsburgh, and received by the hospitable Mr. Macdonald, who, with a most respectful attention, supported him into the house. Kingshurgh was completely the figure of a gallant Highlander, — exhibiting " the graceful mien and manly looks," which our popular Scotch song has justly attributed to that character. He had his tartan plaid thrown about him, a large blue bonnet with a knot of black riband like a cockade, a brown short coat of a kind of duffil, a tartan waist- coat with gold buttons and gold button-holes, a bluish phllibeg, and tartan hose. He had jet black hair tied behind, and was a large stately man, with a steady sensible countenance. There was a comfortable parlour with a good fire, and a dram went round. By and by sup- per Avas served, at which there appeared the lady of the house, the celebrated Miss Flora Macdonald.' She Is a little woman, of a genteel appearance, and uncommonly mild and well bred. To see Dr. Samuel Johnson, the great champion of the English Tories, salute Miss Flora Macdonald in the isle of Sky, was a striking sight; for, though somewhat con- genial in their notions, It was very Improbable they should meet here. Miss Flora Macdonald (for so I shall call her) told me, she heard upon the main land, as she was returning home about a fortnight be- fore, that Mr. Boswell was coming to Sky, and one Mr. Johnson, a young English buck ", with him. He was highly entertained with this fancy. Giving an account of the afternoon which we passed at Anock, he said, " I, being a buck, had Miss in to make tea." He was rather quiescent to night, and went early to! bed. I was in a cordial humour, and promoted a cheerful glass. The punch was excellent. Honest Mr. M'Queen observed that I was in high glee, '•'■ \ay governor homg gone to bed." Yet in reality my heart was grieved, when I; recollected that Kingshurgh was embarrassec in his affairs, and intended to go to America: However, nothing but what was good was pre-; sent, and I pleased myself in thinking that s( spirited a man would be well every where. . slept in the same room with Dr. Johnsopj Each had a neat bed, with tartan curtains, ii' an upper chamber. poor, and are going to try their fortune in America. Si; rerum volvitnr orbis." — Letters. They did emigrate t' America; but returned to Sky, where she died on tli; 4th of March, 1790. — Croker. It is remarkable th;' this distinguished lady signed her name Flory, instead (, the more classical orthography. Her marriage contraci which is in tiv possession, bears the name spelled Flory. ■ Walter ScoiT. We shall see presently that she sometimi signed /''/or«. — Croker. 2 It may be useful to future readers to know that the woi " 7nacaroni" in a former passage of this work, and tl word "buck," here employed, are nearly synonymous wl the term "dandy," employed now-a.days (1831—1846) express a young gentleman who in his dress and manne affects the extreme of the fashion. Macaroni is preserv, In the " School for Scandal." — Choker. JEt. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. o26 Monday, Sept. 13. — The room where we hiy was a celebrated one. Dr. Johnsou's bed was the very bed ' in which the jiranilson of the untbrtunate King James the Second - hiy, on one of the nights after the failure of his rash attempt in 1745-6, while he was eluding the pursuit of the emissaries of government, which had offered thirty thousand pounds as a re- ward for apprehending him. To see Dr. Samuel Johnson lying in that bed, in the isle of Sky, in the house of Miss Flora Macdonald, struck me with such a group of ideas as it is not easy for words to describe, as they passed through the mind. He smiled, and said, "I have had no ambitious thoughts in it." ^ The room was decorated with a great variety of maps and prints. Among others, was Hogarth's print of Wilkes grinning, with the cap of liberty on a pole by him. That, too, was a curious circumstance in the scene this morn- ing ; such a contrast was Wilkes to the above group. It reminded me of Sir William Cham- bers's "Account of Oriental Gardening," in j which, we are told, all odd, strange, ugly, and jeven terrible objects, are introduced for the {sake of variety; a wild extravagance of taste I which is so well ridiculed in the celebrated [Epistle to him.^ The following lines of that ipoem immediately occurred to me : — " Here too, O kinj^ of vengeance ! in thy fane, Tremendous Wilkes shall rattle his gold chain." Upon the table in our room I found in the morning a slip of paper, on which Dr. Johnson had written with his pencil these words : — 1 In the examination of Ki'ngsbuygh and his wife, by Cap- tain Kergussone of the Furnace man of war, relative to this affair, Fergussoue asked '* where Miss Flora, and the person ;in woman's clothes, who 'answered with gentlemanly spi iFloral.-iy ; but as for servants, he never asked any questions (about them." The captain then, brutally enough, asked ; Mrs. Macdonald " whether she laid the young Pretender .ind Miss Flora in the same bed?" She answered with great ; temper and readiness, " Sir, whom you mean by the young i Pretender, 1 do not pretend to guess ; but I can assnre you > it is not the fashion in Sky to lay mistress and maid m the [(Same bed together." The captain then desired to see the i rooms where they lay, and shrewdly enough remarked that J the room wherein the supposed maid-servant lay was better Jthan that of her mistress. — Ascanius Croker. i 2 I Jo not call him Ihe Prince of Wales, or tlie Prince, be- ! cause I am quite satisfied that the right which the house of I Stuart had to the throne is extinguished. 1 do not call him I the I'rclender, because it appears to me as an insult to one i who is still alive, and, I suppose, thinks very differently. It may be a parliamentary expression ; but it is not a gentle- I manly expression. I know, and I exult in having it in my power to tell, that " the only person in the world who is en- titled to be offended at thU delicacy thinks and feels as I do ;" ind has Ul)erality of mind and generosity of sentiment enough : to approve of my tenderness for what even has been blood 'royal. That he is a prince by courtesy cannot be denied ; , l)ecause his mother was the daughter of Sobicsky, King of . Poland. 1 shall, therefore, on that account alone, distinguish ■ him by the name of Vrince Charles Edward. — Boswell. The .generosity of King George tlie Third, alluded to in this note, was followed up by his successor, who caused a monument to ; be erected over the remains of the Cardinal of York, in whom "Quantum cedat virtutibus auruin."^ What he meant by writing them I could not tell." He had caught cold a day or two ago, and the rain yesterday having made it worse, he was become very deaf. At breakfast he said, he would have given a good deal rather than not have lain in that bed. 1 owned he was the lucky man ; and observed, that without doubt it had been contrived between Mrs. IMac- donald and him. She seemed to acquiesce ; adding, "You know young bucks are always favourites of the ladies." He spoke of Prince Charles being here, and asked ]\lrs. jMacdonald " Who was with him ? We were told. Madam, in England, there was one Miss Elora Mac- donald with him." She said, " they were very right ;" and perceiving Dr. Johnson's curiosity, though he had delicacy enough not to question her, very obligingly entertained him with a recital of the particulars which she herself knew of that escape, which does so much honour to the humanity, fidelity, and generosity of the Highlanders. Dr. Johnson listened to her with phicid attention, and said, " All this should be written down." From what she told us, and from what I was told by others personally concerned, and from a paper of information which Ranay was so good as to send me, at my desire, I have com- piled an abstract, which, as it contains some curious anecdotes, will, I imagine, not be un- interesting to my readers, and even, perhaps, be of some use to future historians. the line of James the Second ended. It was a liberal and judicious tribute to private and to public feeling : the political danger had been extinguished for more than half a century; and the claims of kindred, and the honour of the English name, not only justified, but seemed to require sucli an exer- cise of royal generosity Ikoker. 3 This, perliaps, was said in allusion to some lines ascribed to Pope, on his lying, at John Duke of Argyle's, at Adder- bury, in the same bed in which Wilmot, Earl of Rochester, had slept : — " With no poetic ardour fired, I press the bed where Wilmot lay ; That here he lived, or here expired. Begets no numbers, grave or gay." — Boswell. •< The Heroic Epistle to Sir William Chambers, by Mason, and, as I think, Horace Walpole, had just appeared. A pub- lished letter of Walpole to Mason seems to prove that it was altogetlier Mason's, iiut I have seen .inother letter of Wal- pole's to Mason that satisfies me that it was a joint produc- tion — Walpole perhaps supplying the points, and Mason the poctrj'. — Croker, 1831. 184G. * " With virtue weigh'd, what worthless trash is gold ! "— Boswell. <> Since the first edition of this book, an ingenious friend has observed to me, that Dr. Johnson h!\d probably been thinking on the reward which was ottered by government for the apprehension of the grandson of King James II., and that he meant by these words to express his admiration of the Highlanders, whose fidelity and attachment had resisted the golden temptation that had been held out to them. — Boswell. Y 3 326 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. CHAPTER XXXVII. 1773. Adventures of the Pretender. Prince Charles Edward, after the battle of CuUoden, was conveyed to what is called the Long Island, where he lay for some time con- cealed. But intelligence having been obtained where he was, and a number of troops having come in quest of him, it became absolutely necessary for him to quit that country without delay. Miss Flora Macdonald, then a young lady, animated by what she thought the sacred jirinciple of loyalty, offered, with the magna- nimity of a heroine, to accompany him in an open boat to Sky, though the coast they were to quit was guarded by ships. He dressed himself in women's clothes, and passed as her supposed maid, by the name of Betty Bourke, an Irish girl. They got off undiscovered, though several shots were fired to bring them to, and landed at Mugstot, the seat of Sir Alexander Macdonald. Sir Alexander was then at Fort Augustus, with the Duke of Cumberland; but his lady was at home. Prince Charles took his post upon a hill near the house. Flora Macdonald waited on Lady Margaret ', and acquainted her of the enter- prise in which she was engaged. Her ladyship, whose active benevolence was ever seconded by superior talents, showed a perfect presence of mind and readiness of invention, and at once settled that Prince Charles should be conducted to old Rasay, who was himself concealed with some select friends. The plan was instantly communicated to Kingsbu7-gh, who was despatched to the hill to intbrm the wanderer, and carry him refreshments. When Kingsburgli approached, he started up, and .advanced, holding a large knotted stick, and in appearance ready to knock him down, till he said, "I am Macdonald of Kingsburgh, come to serve your Highness." The wanderer answered, " It is well," and was satisfied with the plan. Flora Macdonald dined with the Lady jMargaret, at whose table there sat an officer of the army, stationed here with a party of soldiers to watch for Prince Charles in case of his flying to the Isle of Sky. She after- wards often laughed in good humour with this gentleman on her having so well deceived him. After dinner, Flora l^acdonald on horseback, 1 She was daughter of the ninth Earl of Eglintoun, and Jird in March 1799. Though her husband took iirms for the house of Hanover, she was suspected of being an ardent Jacobite ; and, on that supposition, Flora Macdonald guided the Pretender to Mugstot — Croker. On the subject of Lady Margaret Macdonald, it is impossible to omit an anecdote wliich does much honour to Frederic!:, Prince of Wales. By some chance Lady Margaret had been presented to the and her supposed maid, and Kingsburgh, with a servant carrying some linen, all on foot, proceeded towards that gentleman's house. Upon the road was a small rivulet which they were obliged to cross. The wanderer, forget- ting his assumed sex, that his clothes might not be wet, held them up a great deal too high. Kingsburgh mentioned this to him, observing, it might make a discovery. He said he would be more careful for the future. He was as good as his word ; for the next brook they crossed he did not hold up his clothes at all, but let them float upon the water. He was very awkward in his female dress. His size ' was so large, and his strides so great, that some women whom they met reported that they had seen a very big woman, who looked like a. man in women's clothes, and that perhaps it ! was (as they expressed themselves) the Prince, after whom so much search was making. ; At Kingsburgh he met with a most cordial , reception; seemed gay at supper, and after it indulged himself in a cheerful glass with his ' worthy host. As he had not had his clothes off for a long time, the comfort of a good bed was highly relished by him, and he slept . soundly till next day at one o'clock. ' The Mistress of Corrichatachin told me that ' in the forenoon she went into her father's ' room, who was also in bed, and suggested to ; him her apprehensions that a party of the ; military might come up, and that his guest and \ he had better not remain here too long. Her | father said, " Let the poor man repose himself,' after his fatigues ! and as for me, I care not, j though they take off this old grey head ten or ; eleven years sooner than I should die in the i course of nature." He then wrapped himself: in the bed-clothes, and again fell fast asleep. ! On the afternoon of that day, the wanderer, : still in the same dress, set out for Portree,; with Flora Macdonald and a man-servant.; His shoes being very bad, Kingsburgh provided him with a new pair, and taking up the old,' ones, said, " I will faithfully keep them till you; are safely settled in St. James's. I will then; introduce myself by shaking them at you, tcj put you in mind of your night's entertainmenlj and protection under my roof." He smiled, and said, " Be as good as your word ! ' Kingsburgh kept the shoes as long as he lived After his death, a zealous Jacobite gentlemai, gave twenty guineas for them. I Old ]\Irs. Macdonald, after her guest hac! left the house, took the sheets in which he ha(' lain, folded them carefully, and charged he; daughter that they should be kept unwashed and that, when she died, her body should b ' princess, who, when she learnt what share she had taken i the Clievalier's escape, hastened to excuse herself to tl prince, and explain to him that she was not aware that Lac iWargaret was the person who had harboured the fnsitiv The prince's answer was noble : " And would i/ou not ha' done the same, madam, had he come to you, as to her, , distress and danger? I hope— lam sure you would ! " Walter Scott. vEt. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 327 wrapped in them as a winding sheet. Her will was religiously observed. Upon the road to Portree, Prince Charles changed his dress, and put on man's clothes again ; a tartan short coat and waistcoat, with philibeg and short hose, a plaid, and a wig and bonnet. JNIr. Donald M'Donald, called Donald Roy, had been sent express to the present laird [Ila- say], who was at that time at his sister's house, about three miles from Portree, attending his brother, Dr. Macleod, who was recovering of :■ wound he had received at the battle of Cul- lii'len. ]\Ir. JNI'Douald communicated to young lltsay the plan of conveying the wanderer to where old Rusay was ; but was told that old Ifnmy had fled to Knoidart, a part of Glengarry s estate. There was then a dilemna what shoidd be done. Donald Roy proposed that he should conduct the wanderer to the main land ; but young Rusay thought it too ilangerous at that time, and said it would be 1 letter to conceal him in the island of Rasay, till old Rasay could be informed where he was, and give his advice what was best. But the diHIeulty was, how to get him to Rasay. They could not trust a Portree crew, and all the Rasay boats had been destroyed, or carried off by the militaiy, except two belonging to Malcolm JNIacleod, which he had concealed somewhere. Dr. Macleod, being informed of this diffi- culty, said he would risk his life once more for Prince Charles ; and it having occurred, that there was a little boat upon a freshwater lake in the neighbourhood, young Rasay and Dr. Macleod, with the help of some women, brought it to the sea, by extraordinary exer- tion, across a Highland mile of land, one half of which was bog, and the other a steep precipice. These gallant brothers, with the assistance of one little boy, rowed the small boat to Rasay, where they were to endeavour to find Captain Macleod, as Malcolm was then called, and get one of his good boats, with which they might return to Portree, and receive the wanderer ; or, in case of not finding him, they were to make the small boat serve, though the danger was considerable. Fortunately, on their first landing, they found their cousin Malcolm, who, with the utmost alacrity, got ready one of his boats, with two strong men,' John M'Kenzie and Donald M'Friar. Malcolm, being the oldest man, and most cautious, said, that as young Rasay had not hitherto appeared in the unfortunate business, he ought not to run any risk ; but that Dr. Macleod and himself, who were already publicly engaged, should go on this expedition. Young Rasay answered, with an oath, that he would go at the risk of his life and fortune " In God's name then," said Malcolm, " let us proceed." The two boatmen, however, now stopped short, till they should be informed of their destination ; and M'Kenzie declared he would not move an oar till he knew where they wei-e going. Upon which they were both sworn to secrecy ; and the business being imjiarted to them, they were eager to put ofl" to sea without loss of time. The boat soon landed about half a mile from the inn at Portree. All this was negotiated before the wanderer got forward to Portree. Malcolm Macleod and M'Fi-iar were despatched to look for him. In a short time he appeared, and went into the public house. Here Donald Roy, whom he had seen at Mugstot, received him, and in- formed him of what had been concerted. He wanted silver for a guinea, but the landlord had only thirteen shillings. He was going to accept of this for his guinea ; but Donald Roy very judiciously observed, that it would discover him to be some great man; so he desisted. He slipped out of the house, leaving his fair protectress, whom he never again saw ; and Malcolm Macleod was presented to him by Donald Roy, as a captain in his army. Young Rasay and Dr. Macleod had waited, in impa- j tient anxiety, in the boat. When he came, their names were announced to him. He would not permit the usual ceremonies of respect, but saluted them as his equals. Donald Roy staid in Sky, to be in readiness to get intelligence, and give an alarm in case the troops should discover the retreat to Rasay ; and Prince Charles was then conveyed in a boat to that island in the night. He slept a little upon the passage, and they landed about daybreak. There was some difficulty in accom- modating him with a lodging, as almost all the houses in the island had been burnt by the soldiery. They repaired to a little hut, which some shepherds had lately built, and having prepared it as well as they could and made a bed of heath for the stranger, they kindled a fire, and partook of some provisions which had been sent with him from Kingsburgh. It was observed, that he would not taste wheat-bread or brandy, while oat-bread and whisky lasted ; " for these," said he, "are my own country bread and drink." This was very engaging to the Highlanders. Young Rasay being the only person of the company that durst appear with safety, he went in quest of something fresh for them to eat; but though he was ai;:idst his own cows, sheep, and goats, he could not venture to take any of them for fear of a discovery, but was obliged to supply himself by stealth. He therefore caught a kid and brought it to the hut in his plaid, and it was killed and dressed, and furnished them a meal which they relished much. The distressed wanderer, whose health was now a good deal impaired by hunger, fatigue, and watching, slept a long time, but seemed to be frequently disturbed. Malcolm told me he would start from broken slumbers, and speak to himself in difierent languages, Y 4 328 BO SWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. French, Italian, and English. I must however acknowledge, that it is highly probable that my worthy friend Malcolm did not know precisely the difference between French and Italian. One of his expressions in English was, " O God ! poor Scotland." While they were in the hut, M'Kenzie and M'Friar, the two boatmen, were placed as sentinels upon different eminences ; and one day an incident happened, which must not be omitted. There was a man wandering about the island, selling tobacco. Nobody knew him, and he was suspected to be a spy. M'Kenzie came running to the hut, and told that this suspected person was approaching. Upon which the three gentleman, young Ramy, Dr. Macleod, and Malcolm, held a council of war upon him, and were unanimously of opinion that he should instantly be put to death. Prince Charles, at once assuming a grave and even severe countenance, said, " God forbid that we should take away a man's life, who may be innocent, while we can preserve our own." The gentlemen however persisted in their resolution, while he as strenuously continued to take the merciful side. John M'Kenzie, who sat watching at the door of the hut, and overheard the debate, said in Erse, " Well, well ; he must be shot. You are the king, but we are the parliament, and will do what we choose." Prince Charles, seeing the gentlemen smile, asked Avhat the man had said, and being told it in English, he observed that he was a clever fellow, and, notwithstanding the perilous situation in which he was, laughed loud and heartily. Luckily the unknown person did not perceive that there were people in the hut, at least did not come to it, but walked on past it, unknowing of his risk. It was afterwards found out that he was one of the Highland army, who was him- self in danger. Had he come to them, they were resolved to despatch him ; for, as Malcolm said to me, " We could not keep him with us, and we durst not let him go. In such a situa- tion, I would have shot my brother, if I had not been sure of him." John M'Kenzie was at Kasays house when we were there.' About eighteen years before he hurt one of his legs while dancing, and being obliged to have it cut off, he was now going about with a wooden leg. The story of his being a member of par- liament is not yet forgotten. I took him out a little way from the house, gave him a shilling to drink Rasays health, and led him into a detail of the particulars which I have just related. With less foundation, some writers have traced the idea of a parliament, and of the British constitution, In rude and early times. I was curious to know if he had really heard, or understood, any thing of that subject, which, had he been a greater man, would 1 This old Scottish 7nembcr of parliament, I am informed, Is still living (1785). — Boswell. probably have been eagerly maintained. "Why, John," said I, " did you think the king should be controlled by apai-llament ?" He answered, " I thought, Sir, there were many voices against one." The conversation then turning on the times, the wanderer said, that, to be sure, the life he had led of late was a very hard one ; but he would rather live in the way he now did, for ten years, than fall into the hands of his enemies. The gentlemen asked him, what he thought his enemies would do with him, should he have the misfortune to fall into their hands. He said, he did not believe they would dare take his life publicly, but he dreaded being privately destroyed by poison or assassination. He was very particular in his inquiries about the wound which Dr. Macleod had received in the battle of CuUoden, from a ball which entered at one shoulder, and went across to the other. The doctor happened still to have on the coat which he wore on that occasion. He men- tioned, that he himself had his horse shot under him at Culloden ; that the ball hit the horse about two inches from his knee, and made him so unruly that he was obliged to change him for another. He threw out some reflections on the conduct of the disastrous affair at Culloden, saying, however, that per- haps it was rash in him to do so. I am now convinced that his suspicions were gi'oundless ; for I have had a good deal of conversation upon the subject with my very worthy and ingenious friend, ]\Ir. Andrew Luraisden, who was under secretary to Prince Charles, and afterwai'ds principal secretary to his father at Rome, who, he assured me, was perfectly satis- fied both of the abilities and honour of the generals who commanded the Highland army on that occasion. Mr. Lumisden has written an account of the three battles in 1745-6, at once accurate and classical. Talking of the different Highland corps, the gentlemen who were present wished to have his opinion which were the best soldiers. He said, he did not like comparisons among those corps : they were all best. He told his conductors, he did not think it advisable to remain long in any one place ; and that he expected a French ship to come for him to Lochbrooni, among the Mackenzies. It then was proposed to carry him in one of Mal- colm's boats to Lochbroom, though the distance was fifteen leagues coastwise. But he thought this would be too dangerous, and desired that, at any rate, they might first endeavour to obtain intelligence. Upon which young Rasay wrote to his friend, Mr. Mackenzie of Apple- cross, but received an answer, that there was no appearance of any French ship. It was therefore resolved that they should return to Sky, which they did, and landed In Strath, where they reposed in a cow-house belonging to Mr. Niccolson of Scorbreck. The sea was very rough, and the boat took in a ^Et. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 329 irood deal of water. The wanderer asked if there was danger, as he was not used to such a vessel. Upon being told there Avas not, he sung an Erse song with much vivacity. He ii;ul by this time acquired a good deal of the Erse language. Young Rasay was now despatched to where Donald Roy was, that they might get all the intelligence they could ; and the wanderer, with much earnestness, charged Dr. Macleod to have a boat ready, at a certain place about seven miles off, as he said he intended it should carry him upon a matter of great consequence ; and gave the doctor a case', containing a silver spoon, knife and fork, saying, " Keep you that till I see you," which the Doctor understood to be two days from that time. But all these orders were only blinds : for he had another plan in his head, but wisely thought it safest to trust his secrets to no more persons than was absolutely necessary. Having then desired Malcolm to walk with him a little way froni the house, he soon opened his mind, saying, " I de- liver myself to you. Conduct me to the Laird of iM'Kinnon's country." Malcolm objected that it was very dangerous, as so many parties of soldiers wore in motion. He answered, "There is nothing now to be done witiiout danger." He then said that Malcolm must be the master, and he the servant; so he took the bag, in which his linen was put up, and carried it on his shoulder ; and observing that his waistcoat, which was of scarlet tartan, witli a gold twist button, was finer than Malcolm's, which was of a plain ordinary tartan, he put on ^lalcolm's waistcoat, and gave him his ; remarking at the same time, that it did not look well that the servant should be better dressed than the master. Malcolm, though an excellent walker, found himself excelled by Prince Charles, who told him he should not much mind the parties that were looking for him, Avere he once but a musquet-shot from them ; but that he was somewhat afraid of the Highlanders who were against him. He was well used to walking in Italy, in pursuit of game ; and he was even now so keen a sportsman that, having observed some partridges, he was going to take a shot ; but Malcolm cautioned him against it, observ- ing that the firing might be heard by the tenders who were hovering upon the coast. As they proceeded through the mountains, taking many a circuit to avoid any houses, Malcolm, to try his resolution, asked him what tiiey should do, should they fall in with ■X party of soldiers : he answered, " Fight, to be sure!" Having asked Malcolm if he should be known in his present dress, and Malcolm having replied he would, ho said, "Then I'll blacken my iace with powdi-i ' ' The case with the silver spoon, knife, and fork, given by tlie Chevalier to Dr. Macleod, came into the hands of Mary, Lady Clerk of Pennycuik, who entrusted me with the " That," said Malcolm, " would discover you at once." " Then," said he, " I must be put in the greatest dishabille possible." So he pulled off his wig, tied a handkerchief round his head, and put his nightcap over it, tore the ruffles from his shirt, took the buckles out of his shoes, and made Malcolm fasten them with strings ; but still Malcolm thought he would be known. " I have so odd a face," said he, " that no man ever saw me but he would know me again." He seemed unwilling to give credit to the horrid narrative of men being massacred in cold blood, after victory had declared for the army conmianded by the Duke of Cumberland. He could not allow himself to think that a general could be so barbarous. When they came within two miles of M'Kin- non's house, Malcolm asked if he chose to see the laird. " No," said he, " by no means. I know M'Kinnon to be as good and as honest a man as any in the world, but he is not fit for my purpose at present. You must conduct me to some other house ; but let it be a gentle- man's house." JMalcolm then determined that they should go to the house of his brother-in- law, Mr. John M'Kinnon, and from thence be conveyed to the main land of Scotland, and claim the assistance of Macdonald of Scot- house. The wanderer at first objected to this, because Scothouse was cousin to a person of whom he had suspicions. But he acquiesced in Malcolm's opinion. WTien they were near to Mr. John M'Kin- non's house, they met a man of the name of Ross, who had been a private soldier in the Highland army. He fixed his eye steadily on the Avanderer in his disguise, and having at once recognised him, he clapped his hands, and exclaimed, "Alas! is this the case ?" Find- ing that there was now a discovery, Malcolm asked, " What 's to be done ? " " Swear him to secrecy," answered Prince Charles. Upon Avhich Malcolm drew his dirk, and on the naked blade made him take a solemn oath, that he would say nothing of his having seen the Avanderer, till his escape should be made public. Malcolm's sister, Avhose house they reached pretty early in the morning, asked him who the person Avas that Avas along Avith him. He said it Avas one Lewis CaAv, irom Criefi', Avho, being a fugitive like himself, for the same reason, he had engaged him as his servant, but that he had fallen sick. "Poor man!" said she, "I pity him. At the same time my heart Avarms to a man of his apj)earance." Her husband was gone a little Avay from home ; but was expected every minute to return. She set doAvn to her brother a plentiful Highland breakfast. Prince Charles acted the servant very Avell, sitting at honourable commission of presenting the name, to his present Majesty, upon his 1822.— Walter Scott 330 BOSWELL'S Lli'E OF JOHNSON. 1773. a respectful distance, with his bonnet off. Mal- colm then said to him, " Mr. Caw, you have as much need of this as I have ; there is enough for us both : you had better draw nearer and share with me." Upon which he rose, made a profound bow, sat down at table with his sup- posed master, and eat very heartily. After this there came in an old woman, who, after the mode of ancient hospitality, brouiiht warm water and washed Malcolm's feet. He desired her to wash the feet of the poor man who attended him. She at first seemed averse to this, from pride, as thinking him beneath' her, and in the periphrastic language of. the High- landers and the Irish, said warmly, " Though I wash your fiither's son's feet, why should I wash his father's son's feet?" She was, however, persuaded to do it. They then went to bed, and slept for some time ; and when Malcolm awaked, he was told that Mr. John M'Kinnon, his brother-in-law, was in sight. He sprang out to talk to him before he should see Prince Charles. After saluting him, Malcolm, pointing to the sea, said, " What, John, if the prince should be prisoner on board one of those tenders?" "God forbid!" replied John. "What if we had him here?" said Malcolm. "I wish we had," answered John ; " we should take care of him." " Well, John," said Malcolm, " he is in your house." John, in a transport of joy, wanted to run du-ectly in, and pay his obei- sance ; but Malcolm stopped him, saying, "Now is your time to behave well, and do nothing that can discover him." John composed him- self, and having sent away all his servants upon different errands, he was introduced into the presence of his guest, and was then desired to go and get ready a boat lying near his house, which, though but a small leaky one, they resolved to take, rather than go to the Laird of M'Kinnon. John M'Kinnon, how- ever, thought otherwise ; and upon his return told them, that his chief and Lady M'Kinnon were coming in the laird's boat. Prince Charles said to his trusty Malcolm, " I am sorry for this, but must make the best of it." M'Kinnon then walked up from the shore, and did homage to the wanderer. His lady waited in a cave, to which they ail repaired, and were entertained with cold meat and wine. Mr. Malcolm Mac- leod being now superseded by the Laird of M'Kinnon, desired leave to return, which was granted him, and Prince Charles wrote a short note, which he subscribed James Thompson, informing his friends that he had got away from Sky, and thanking them for their kind- ness; and he desired this might be speedily conveyed to young Rasay and Dr. Macleod, that they might not wait longer in expectation of seeing him again. He bade a cordial adieu to Malcolm, and insisted on his accepting of a silver stock-buckle, and ten guineas from his purse, though, as Malcolm told me, it did not appear to contain above forty. Malcolm at first begged to be excused, saying, that he had a few guineas at his service ; but Prince Charles answered, " You will have need of money : I shall get enough when I come upon the main land." The Laird of M'Kinnon then conveyed him to the opposite coast of Knoidart. Old Rasay, to whom intelligence had been sent, was cross- ing at the same time to Sky ; but as they did not know of each other, and each had appre- hensions, the two boats kept aloof. These are the particulars which I have col- lected concerning the extraordinary conceal- ment and escapes of Prince Charles in the Hebrides. He was often in imminent danger. The troops traced him from the Long Island, across Sky, to Portree, but there lost him. Here I stop, — having received no farther authentic information of his fatigues and perils before he escaped to France. Kings and sub- jects may both take a lesson of moderation from the melancholy fate of the house of Stuart ; that kings may not suffer degradation and exile, and subjects may not be harassed by the evils of a disputed succession. Let me close the scene on that unfortunate house with the elegant and pathetic reflections of Voltaire, in his Histoire Generale. " Que les hommes prives," says that brilliant writer, speaking of Prince Charles, " qui se croyent mallieureux, jettent les yeux sur ce prince et ses ancetres." In another place he thus sums up the sad story of the family in general : — " II n'v a aucun exemple dans I'liistoirc d'une maison si longtems infortunee. Le premier des Rois d'Ecosse, qui eut le nom de Jacques, apres avoir ete dix-huit ans jirisonnier en Angleterre, mourut assassine, avec sa feinme, par la main de sessujets. Jacques TI. son fils, fiit tue a vingt- neuf ans en combattant contre les Anglais. Jacques III. mis en prison par son peuple, fut tue ensuite par les revokes, dans une bataille. Jacques IV. perit dans un combat qu'il perdlt. Marie Stuart, sa petite fille, chassee de son trone, fugitive en Angleterre, ayant langui dix-huit ans en prison, se vit condamnee a mort par des juges Anglais, et eut la tete tranch^e. Charles I. petit fils de Marie, Roi d'Ecosse et d' Angleterre, vendu par les Ecos- sois, et juge a mort par les Anglais, mourut sur un echaffaut dans la place publiqiie. Jacques, son fils, septieme du nom, et deuxieme en Angleterre, fut chass(5 de ses trois royaumes ; et pour comble de malheur on contesta a son fils sa naissance ; le fils ne tenta de remonter sur le trone de ses peres, que pour faire perir ses amis par des bourreaux ; et nous avons vu le Prince Charles Edouard, reunis- sant en vain les vertus de ses peres, et le courage du Roi Jean Sobieski, son ayeul maternel, oxecuter les exploits et essuyer les malheurs les plus in- croyables. Si quelque chose justifie ceux qui croyent une fatal ite a laquelle rien ne peut se soustraire, c'est cette suite continuelle de malheurs iET. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 331 qui a persecute la maison de Stuart, pendant plus de trois cent annees." ' The gallant Malcolm^ was apprehended in about ten days after they separated, put aboard a ship, and carried prisoner to London. He said, the prisoners in general were very ill treated in their passage ; but there were sol- diers on board who lived well, and sometimes invited him to share with them : that he had the good fortune not to be thrown into jail, but was confined in the house of a messenger of the name of Dick. To his astonishment, only one witness could be found against him, though he had been so openly engaged; and therefore, for want of sufficient evidence, he was set at liberty. He added, that he thought himself in such danger, that he would gladly have compounded for banishment. Yet, he said, " he should never be so ready for death as he then was." There is philosophical truth in this. A man will meet death much more firmly at one time than another. The enthu- siasm even of a mistaken principle warms the mind, and sets it above the fear of death; which in our cooler moments, if we really think of it, cannot but be terrible, or at least very awful. Miss Flora Macdonald being then also in London^, under the protection of Lady Primrose, that lady provided a post-chaise to convey her to Scotland, and desired that she 1 The foregoing account is by no means so full, or so curious, as might have been expected from Mr. Boswell's activity of inquiry, and his means of information. It relates only to a few days of the Pretender's adventures, which, however, lasted ^w months. Even of Miss Flora Macdonald it tells less than had been already in print forty years before Mr. Boswell's publication. It does not say who she was, nor when she met the prince, nor why she was selected or in- duced to interfere, and, in short, tells as little as possible of her personal share in the events. We should particularly have liked to know, from her own report, the particulars of her examination and reception in London. The reader who may be curious to know more of the details of the Pretender's escape, will find them in the Gentleman's MagCKine for 1747, pp ."iSI. 638.; in the little volume before referred to, called Ascamus ; and in a Journal in the second volume of the Lockhnrt Papers. — Croker. 2 Who had succeeded Flora Macdonald as guide to the Prince, and had so greatly contributed to his escape. — Crokf.r. 3 When arrested, which was a few d;iys after parting from the Prince, Flora was conveyed on board the Furnace, Captain Fergussone, and conveyed to Leith. There she was removed on board Commodore Smith's ship, and conveyed to the Nore, whence, on the 6th of December, after being five months on ship-board, she was transferred to the custody of the messenger Dick, in which she remained till July, 1747, when she was discharged, and returned to Edinburgh Ascanius. It seems strange that Mr. Boswell, affecting to give an accurate account of all this affair, should use expres- sions which not only give no intimation of Flora's arrest and confinement, but seem even to negative the fact. Is it possible that the lady's delicacy wished to suppress all recollection of her having been a prisoner ? It will be seen, by a comparison of Mr. Boswell's account with other statements of the trans- action, that Flora gave him very little information — none, indeed — that had not been already published. Lady Prim- rose's protection must have been very short, for Flora return- ed, it seems, to Scotland immediately after her release from confinement. Lady Primrose was Miss Drelincourt, daughter of the Dean of Armagh, and relict of Hugh, third Viscount Primrose. It is not known how she became so ardent a Jacobite ; but she certainly was so. for she was in the secret of the young Pretender's visit to London, which (notwith- standing Dr. .Johnson's disbelief) did certainly occur in 1753 — Choker. might choose any friend she pleased to accom- pany her. She chose Malcolm. " So," said he with a triumphant air, " I went to London to_ be hanged, and returned in a post-chaise with jMiss Flora Macdonald." ]\Ir. Macleod of Muiravenside, whom we saw at Rasay, assured us that Prince Charles was in London in 1759*, and that there was then a plan in agitation for restoring his family. Dr. John- son could scarcely credit this story, and said there could be no probable plan at that time. Such an attempt could not have succeeded, unless the King of Prussia had stopped the army in Germany ; for both the army and the fleet would, even without orders, have fought for the king, to whom they had engaged them- selves. Having related so many particulars concern- ing the grandson of the unfortunate King James the Second ; having given due praise to fidelity and generous attachment, Avhich, however erro- neous the judgment may be, are honourable for the heart ; I must do the Highlanders the justice to attest, that I found every where amongst them a high opinion of the virtues of the king now upon the throne, and an honest disposition to be faithful subjects to his Ma- jesty, whose fiimily has possessed the sove- reignty of this country so long, that a change, even for the abdicated fiunily, would now hurt the best feelings of all his subjects. The abstract point of right would involve 1 Dr. King states, ante. p. 92., the visit at which he saw the Pretender at Lady Primrose's to have been in 1750, while other authorities (if there were not two visits) place it in 1753. Of this last there can be no doubt. — Hume so stated it (see his letter to Sir John Pringle in the Gent. Mag. for 1788) on the separate, but concurring authority of Lord Marechal, who saw him at Lady Primrose's, and of Lord Holderness, Secretary of State from 1751 to 1754, who had official knowledge of the fttct. I think it unlikely that there were two visits so near together, and I therefore still think that the date 1750 in King's Memoirs is an error for 1753. Hume adds, that he was assured, that on this occasion the Prince formally renounced the Roman Catholic religion in the New Church in the Strand. About this, however, Hume was, as he says, a sceptic. Lord Marechal further told him that the Pretender was present at the coronation of George III., but the evidence adduced is very slight. I find nowhere any confirmation of Mr. Macleod's statement of a visit in 1759, and believe that to be also a mistake for 1753. Mr. Cole, of Norton Street, possesses, and permits me to print, an original letter of Flora Macdonald's, which proves that a small provision was made for her by her Jacobite friends, perhaps the Prince himself, through the hands of Lady Primrose. 1 give this Jacobite relic literatim. — CnoKER. " Kingsborrou, Aprile 23d, 1751. Sir, — Few days agoe yours of the 26th March Came to hand, by which I understand my Lady Primrose hath Lodged in your hands for my behoof €627 Sterg, and that her Lady- ship had in view, to add more, of which you would aquent me So as to send a proper Discharge to my Lady, which I am ready Doe how soon you are pleas'd to advise me and as I am to have Security, to my friends satisfaction, on Sir James McDonald's estate its design'd, the whole shau'd be payed next may to John McKinzie of Del pin written att Ednr, of which My father in Law spook to Kenneth mcKen- zie attorney who will give you proper derections, at the same time I shall be glad to hear from you as oft as you pleas, in order I mav observe such derections as my Lady will be pleas'd to give you concerning me, I was uneasie befor the recipt of your Letter that my Lady was not well, haveing wrott frequently to her Ladyship, but has had no turn. Please bo so good as to offer my humble Duty to mj Lady, & Mrs. Drelincourt, and I am SiiYour most humble Ser«- Flora McDonald. 332 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. us in a discussion of remote and perplexed questions ; and, after all, we should have no clear principle of decision. That establish- ment, -which, from political necessity, took place in 1688, by a breach in the succession of our kings, and which, whatever benefits may have accrued from it, certainly gave a shock to our monarchy, the able and constitutional Blackstone wisely rests on the solid footing of authority. " Our ancestors having most indis- putably a competent jurisdiction to decide this great and important question, and having, in fact, decided it, it is now become our duty, at this distance of time, to acquiesce in their de- termination." ' ISIr. Paley, the present Archdeacon of Car- lisle, in his " Principles of Moral and Political Philosophy," having, with nuich clearness of argument, shown the duty of submission to civil government to be founded neither on an indefeasible jus divinum, nor on compact, but on expediency, lays down this rational position : <' Irregularity in the first foundation of a state, or subsequent violence, fraud, or injustice, in getting possession of the supreme power, are not sufficient reasons for resistance, after the government is once peaceably settled. No subject of the British empire conceives himself engaged to vindicate the justice of the Norman claim or conquest, or apprehends that his duty in any manner depends upon that controversy. So likewise, if the house of Lancaster, or even the posterity of Cromwell, had been at this day seated upon the throne of England, we should have been as little concerned to inquire how the founder of the family came there." ^ In conformity with this doctrine, I myself, though fully persuaded that the house of Stuart had originally no right to the crown of Scotland, for that Ballol, and not Bruce, was the lawful heir, should yet have thought it 1 Commentaries on the Laws of England, book i. chap. 3. 2 Book vi. chap. 3. Since I have quoted Mr. Archdeacon Paley upon one subject, I cannot but transcribe, from his excellent work, a distinguished passage in support of the Christian revelation. After showing, in decent but strong terms, the unfairness of the indirect attempts of modern in- fidels to unsettle and perplex religious principles, and par- ticularly the irony, banter, and sneer of one, whom he politely calls " an eloquent historian," tlie Archdeacon thus expresses himself: — " Seriousness is not constraint of thought ; nor levity, freedom. Every mind which wishes the advancement of truth and knowledge, in the most important of all human re- searches, must abhor this licentiousness, as violating no less the laws of reasoning than the rights of decency. There is but one description of men to wliose principles it ought to be tolerable. 1 mean that class of reasoners who can see little in Christianity, even supposing it to be true. To such adversaries we address this reflection. Had Jesus Christ delivered no other declaration than the following, ' The hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth ; they that have done well unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation,' he had pronounced a message of inestimable importance, and well worthy of that splendid apparatus of prophecy and miracles with which his very culpable to have rebelled, on that account, against Charles the First, or even a prince of that house much nearer the time, in order to assert the claim of the posterity of Baliol. However convinced I am of the justice of that principle, which holds allegiance and pro- tection to be reciprocal, I do, however, ac- knowledge, that I am not satisfied with the cold sentiment which would confine the exer- tions of the subject within the strict line of duty. I would have every breast animated with the fervour of loyalty ; with that generous attachment which delights in doing somewhat more than is required, and makes " service perfect freedom." And, therefore, as our most gracious sovereign, on his accession to the throne, gloried in being ho?'n a Briton ; so, in my more private sphere. Ego me nunc denique natum, gratulor. I am happy that a disputed succession no longer distracts our minds ; and that a monarchy, established by law, is now so sanctioned by time, that we can fully indulge those feelings of loyalty which I am ambitious to excite. They are feelings which have ever actuated the inhabitants of the Highlands and the Hebrides. The plant of loyalty is there in full vigour, and the Brunswick graft now flou- rishes like a native shoot. To that spirited race of people I may with propriety apply the elegant lines of a modern poet, on the " facile temper of the beauteous sex : " " Like birds new-caught, who flutter for a time, And struggle with captivity in vain ; But by-and-by they rest, they smooth their plumes, And to new masters sing their former notes." ^ Surely such notes are much better than the querulous growlings of suspicious Whigs and discontented republicans. mission was introduced and attested : a message in which the wisest of mankind would rejoice to find an answer to their doubts, and rest to their inquiries. It is idle to say that a future state had been discovered already. It had been dis- covered as the Copernican system was ; it was one guess amongst many. He alone discovers who proves; and no man can prove this point but the teacher wlio testifies by miracles that his doctrine comes from God." — Book v. chap. 9. If infidelity be disingenuously dispersed in every shape that is likely to allure, surprise, or beguile the imagination, in a fable, a tale, a novel, a poem, in books of travels, of philosophy, of natural history, as Mr. Paley has well ob- served, I hope it is fair in me thus to meet such poison with an unexpected antidote, which I cannot doubt will be found powerful. — BosvvELL. It is almost unnecessary to add, how much Paley increased and confirmed the early reputation acquired by the work so justly praised by Boswell, by his Horcs PaulirnE, 1790, Evidences of Christianity, 1794, Natural Theology, 1803, — and many of the best, as 1 ven- ture to think, sermons in our language. — He was born in July, 1743, and died 25th May, 1805. Mr. Wmdham once pronounced to me a glowing panegyric on the intrinsic ex- cellence and public utility of Paley's works. — Croker, 1846. 3 Agis, a tragedv, by John Home. —Boswell. ^T. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 333 CHAPTER XXXVIII. Emigration. — Diinvegan. — Female Chastity. — Dr. Cadogan. — Preaching and Practice. — Good Humour. — Sir George Mackenzie. — Burke. — Johnson's Hereditary Melanchdy. — His " Seraglio." — Polygamy. — Dunvegan Castle. — Cunning. — " Temple of Anaitis." — Family Portraits. — Bacon s Henry VII. — Pennant. KiNGSBURGH conducted us in his boat across one of the lochs, as they call them, or arms of the sea, which flow in upon all the coasts of Sky, to a mile beyond a place called Grishinish. Our horses had been sent round by land to meet us. By this sail we saved eight miles of bad riding. Dr. Johnson said, " When we take into the computation what we have saved, and what we have gained, by this agreeable sail, it is a great deal." He observed, " It is very disagreeable riding in Sky. The way is so narrow, one only at a time can travel, so it is quite unsocial ; and you cannot indulge in meditation by yourself, because you must be always attending to the steps which your horse takes." This was a just and clear description of its inconveniencies. The topic of emigration being again intro- duced. Dr. Johnson said, that " a rapacious chief would make a wilderness of his estate." Mr. Donald M'Queen told us, that the oppres- sion, which then made so much noise, was owing to landlords listening to bad advice in the letting of their lands ; that interested and designing people flattered them with golden dreams of much higher rents than could rea- sonably be paid ; and that some of the gentle- men tacksmen, or upper tenants, were them- selves in part the occasion of the mischief, by overrating the farms of others. That many of the tacksmen, rather than comply with exor- bitant demands, had gone off" to America, and impoverished the country, by draining it of its wealth : and that their places were filled by a number of poor people, who had lived under them, properly speaking, as servants, paid by a certain proportion of the produce of the lands, though called sub-tenants. I observed, that if the men of substance were once banished from a Highland estate, it might probably be greatly reduced in its value ; for one bad year might ruin a set of poor tenants, and men of any property would not settle in such a country, unless from the temptation of getting land extremely cheap ; for an inhabitant of any good county in Britain had better go to Ame- rica than to the Highlands or the Hebrides. Here, therefore, was a consideration that ou" ht to induce a chief to act a more liberal part, from a mere motive of interest, independent of the lofty and honourable principle of keeping a clan together, to be in readiness to serve his king. I added, that I could not help thinking a little arbitrary power in the sovereign, to- control the bad policy and gi-cediness of the chiefs, might sometimes be of service. In France, a chief would not be permitted to- force a number of the king's subjects out of the country. Dr. Johnson concurred with me» observing, that " were an oppressive chieftain- a subject of the French king, he would, pro- bably, be admonished by a letter.''' ' During our sail. Dr. Johnson asked about the use of the dirk, with which he imagined the Highlanders cut their meat. He was told, they had a knife and fork besides to eat with. He asked, how did the women do ? and was answered, some of them had a knife and fork too ; but in general the men, when they had cut their meat, handed their knives and forks to the women, and they themselves eat with their fingers. The old tutor- of Macdonald always eat fish with his fingers, alleging that a knife and fork gave it a bad taste. I took the liberty to observe to Dr. Johnson, that he did so. " Yes," said he, " but it is because I am short-sighted, and afraid of bones, for which reason I am not fond of eating many kinds of fish, because I must use my fingers." Dr. M'Pherson's " Dissertations on Scottish Antiquities," which he had looked at when at Corrichatachin, being mentioned, he re- marked, that " you might read half an hour, and ask yourself what you had been reading :: there were so many words to so little matter, that there was no getting through the book." As soon as we reached the shore, we took leave o{ Kingsburgh, and mounted our horses. We passed through a wild moor, in many places so soft that we were obliged to walk, which was very fatiguing to Dr. Johnson.. Once he had advanced on horseback to a very bad step. There was a steep declivity on his- left, to which he was so near, that there was not room for him to dismount in the usual way. He tried to alight on the other side, as if he had been a young buck indeed, but in the attempt he fell at his length upon the ground ; from which, however, he got up im- mediately without being hurt. During this dreary ride, we were sometimes relieved by a view of branches of the sea, that imiversal medium of connection amongst mankind. A guide, who had been sent with us from Kings- burgh, explored the way (much in the same manner as, I suppose, is pursued in the wilds of America) by observing certain marks known only to the inhabitants. We arrived at Dun- vegan late in the afternoon. The great size of the castle, which is partly old andpartly new, ' Meaning, no doubt, a " Icttrc de cac/irt. " —CnoKf.R. 3 He means one of Uie family (an uncle probably) "•as piiardian during the minority of the young heir. Choker. 334 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. and is built upon a rock close to the sea, while the land around it presents nothing but wild, moorish, hilly, and craggy appearances, gave a rude magnificence to the scene. Having dis- mounted, we ascended a flight of steps, which was made by the late Macleod, for the accom- modation of persons coming to him by land, there formerly being, for security, no other access to the castle but from the sea ; so that visiters who came by the land were under the necessity of getting into a boat, and sailed round to the only place where it coiild be ap- proached. We were introduced into a stately dining-room, and received by Lady Macleod, mother of the Laird, who, with his friend Talisker, having been detained on the road, did not arrive till some time after us. We found the lady of the house a very polite and sensible woman, who had lived for some time in London, and had there been in Dr. Johnson's company. After we had dined, we repaired to the drawing-room, where some of the young ladies of tlie family, with their mother, were at tea. This room had formerly been the bed-Qhamber of Sir Roderick Macleod, one of the old lairds : and he chose it, because behind it there was a considerable cascade, the sound of which disposed him to sleep. Above his bed was this inscription : — " Sir Korie Macleod of Dunvegan, Knight. God send good rest ! " Rorie is the contraction of Roderick. He was called Rorie More, that is, great Roi-ie, not from his size, but from his spirit. Our entertainment here was in so ele- gant a style, and reminded my fellov/ -traveller so much of England, that he became quite joyous. He laughed, and said, " Loswell, we came in at the wrong end of this island." " Sir," said I, '' it was best to keep this lor the last." He answered, "I would have it both first and last." Tuesday, Sept. 14. — Dr. Johnson said in the morning, " Is not this a fine lady ? " ' There was not a word now of his " impatience to be in civilised life;" though indeed I should beg pardon — he found it here. We had slept well, and lain long. After breakfast we svir- veyed the castle and the garden. Mr. Bethune, the parish minister, Magnus Macleod of Clag- gan, brother to Talisker, and Macleod of Bay, two substantial gentlemen of the clan, dined witli us. We had admirable venison, generous wine; in a word, all that a good table has. This was really the hall of a chief. Lady Macleod had been much obliged to my father, who had settled, by arbitration, a variety of perplexed claims between her and her relation, 1 She was the daughter of Alexander Brodie, F'sq , of Brodie, Lyon King at Arms She had latch come with her daiiRhters out of Hampshire, to supei nitt lul hi i on i 1 ouse- hold at Dunvegan. This resptctihlc I i(l\ liud m lsn3 It lias been said that she expre^vi 1 i 1 ii 1 li Uistation at Dr. Johnson's rude behavioi i I 1 1 i i aid- son, the present Macleod, assm i i i ,i ,t .^o " they were all," he says eniph I I I / \Mtli him ' and, indeed, his father's Memoii ^utti mi mipi^bsion ol satisfaction on all pohits but Ossian Ckoklu 2 See post, p. 337. and 10th Oct., 1779, where again John- son argues, I think,this great moral question on too narrow grounds — Cuoker. 3 What my friend treated as so wild a supposition, has ac- tually happened in the western islands of Scotland, if we may believe Martin, who tells it of the islands of Col and Tyr-yi, and says that it is proved by the parish registers. the Laird of Brodie, which she now repaid by particular attention to me. Macleod started the subject of making women do penance in the church for fornication. Johnson. " It is right. Sir. Infamy is attached to the crime, by universal opinion, as soon as it is known. I would not be the man who would discover it, if I alone knew it, for a woman may reform ; nor would I commend a parson who divulges a woman's first offence ; but being once di- vulged, it ought to be infamous. Consider of what importance to society the chastity of women is. Upon that all the property in the world depends. We hang a thief for stealing a sheep, but the unchastity of a woman trans- fers sheep, and farm, and all, from the right owner.- I have much more reverence for a common prostitute than for a woman who con- ceals her guilt. The prostitute is known. She cannot deceive : she cannot bring a strumpet into the arms of an honest man, without his knowledge." Boswell. " There is, however, a great difference between the licentiousness of a single woman, and that of a married woman." Johnson. " Yes, Sir ; j there is a great difference between stealing a j shilling and stealing a thousand pounds ; be- tween simply taking a man's purse, and mur- j dering him first, and then taking it. But when ] one begins to be vicious, it is easy to go on. \ Where single women are licentious, you rarely find faithful married women." Boswell. " And yet we are told, that in some nations in India, the distinction is strictly observed." Johnson. " Nay, don't give us India. That puts me 'n\ mind of Montesquieu, who is really a fellow of genius too in many respects ; when- ever he wants to support a strange opinion, he quotes you the practice of Japan, or of some other distant country, of which he knows nothing. To support polygamy, he tells you of the island of Formosa, where there are ten women born for one man. He had but to suppose another island, where there are ten men born for one woman, and so make a mar- riage between them.^ At supper. Lady Macleod mentioned Dr. Cadogan's book on the gout. Johnson. " It is a good book in general, but a foolish one in particulars. It is good in general, as recom- mending temperance, and exercise, and cheer- fulness. In that respect it is only Dr. Cheyne's book told in a new way; and there should come out such a book every thirty years, dressed in the mode of the times. It is foolish, in maintaining that the gout is not hereditary, and that one fit of it, when gone, is like a fever JEt. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 335 when gone." Lady Macleocl objected that the author does not practise what he teaches.' Johnson. " I cannot help that, Madam. That does not make his book the worse. People are influenced more by what a man says, if his practice is suitable to it, because they are blockheads. The more intellectual people are, the readier will they attend to what a man tells them. If it is just, they will follow it, be his pi-actice what it will. No man prac- tises so well as he writes. I have, all my life long, been lying till noon ; yet I tell all young men, and tell them with great sincerity, that nobody who does not rise early will ever do any good. Only consider ! You read a book ; you are convinced by it ; you do not know the author. Suppose you afterwards know him, and find that he does not practise what he teaches ; are you to give up your former con- viction ? At this rate you would be kept in a state of equilibrium, when reading evei-y book, till you knew how the author practised." " But," said Lady Macleod, " you would think better of Dr. Cadogan, if he acted according to his principles." Johnson. " Why, Madam, to be sure, a man who acts in the face of light is worse than a man who does not know so much ; yet I think no man should be the worse thought of for publishing good principles. There is something noble in publishing truth, though it condemns one's self." I expressed some surprise at Cadogan's recommending good humour, as if it were quite in our own power to attain it. Johnson. " Why, Sir, a man grows better humoured as he grows older. He improves by experience. When young, he thinks himself of great consequence, and every thing of importance. As he advances in life, he learns to think himself of no conse- quence, and little things of little importance ; and so he becomes more patient, and better pleased. All good humour and complaisance are acquired. Naturally a child seizes directly what it sees, and thinks of pleasing itself only. By degrees, it is taught to please others, and to prefer others ; and that this will ultimately produce the greatest happiness. If a man is not convinced of that, he never will practise it. Conmion language speaks the truth as to this : we say, a person is well bred. As it is said, that all material motion is primarily in a right line, and is never per ciraiitum, never in an- other form, unless by some particular cause ; so it may be said intellectual motion is." Lady Macleod asked, if no man was naturally good ? ' This was a general reflection againstDr. Cadogan, when his very popular book was first published. It w?^ said, that what- ever precepts he might give to others, he himself indulged ■freely in the bottle. But I have since had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with him, and, if his own tcstmony may be believed (and I have never h.^ard it impeached), his course of life has been conformable to his doctrine Boswell Dr. Cadogan died in 1707, in the eighty-sixth year of his age. —Wright. 2 It seems as if Boswell and Lady Macleod had expected Ihat Johnson would have excepted women from the general lot of mankind — Choker. Johnson. "No, Madam, no more than a wolf." Boswell. " Nor no woman, Sir ? " Johnson, "No, Sir." Lady Macleod started at this, saying, in alow voice, "This is worse than Swift?"-" ^ilacleod of Ulinish had come in the after- noon. We were a jovial company at supper. The Laird, surrounded by so many of his clan, was to me a pleasing sight. They listened with wonder and pleasure, while Dr. Johnson harangued. I am vexed that I cannot take down his full strain of eloquence. Wednesday, Sept. 15. — The gentlemen of the clan went away early in the morning to the harbour of Lochbraccadale, to take leave of some of their friends who were going to Ame- rica. It was a very wet day. AVe looked at Rorie Morels horn, which is a large cow's horn, with the mouth of it ornamented with silver curiously carved. It holds rather more than a bottle and a half. Every Laird of Macleod, it is said, must, as a proof of his manhood, drink it ofl" full of claret without laying it down. From Norie More many of the branches of the family are descended; in particular, the Talisker branch ; so that his name is much talked of. We also saw his bow, which hardly any man now can bend, and his glaymoi'e^, which was wielded with both hands, and is of a prodigious size. We saw here some old pieces of iron armour, immensely heavy. The broad-sword now used, though called the glaymore (i. e. the great sword), is much smaller than that used in Roric More's time. There is hardly a target now to be found in the Highlands. After the disarming act, they made them serve as covers to their butter-milk barrels ; a kind of change, like beating spears into pruning-hooks. Sir George Mackenzie's Works (the folio edition) happened to lie in a window in the dining-room. I asked Dr. Johnson to look at the Characteres Advocatormn. He allowed him power of mind, and that he understood very well what he tells ; but said, that there was too much declamation, and that the Latin was not correct. He found fault with appropin- quahant in the character of Gilmour. I tried him with the opposition between gloria and palma, in the comparison between Gilmour and Nisbet, which Lord Hailes, in his " Catalogue of the Lords of Session," thinks difficult to be understood. The words are, '■^ penes ilium gloria, penes hunc palma.''' * In a short Ac- count of the Kirk of Scotland, which I pub- lished some years ago, I applied these words to 3 Commonly called claymore, but more vro^et\y glai/more, quasi g/ah'cmon; the great sword. Oleve or Oiaive is used in this sense both in English and French — derived, says Menage, from the Latin gladius. — Croker. ■1 " Opposuit Gilmorio providentia Nisbetum : qui summi doctrinaconsummataqueeloquentiacausas agebaC, ut justitise scalre in equilibrio essent ; nimia tamen arte semper utens [Nisbetus] artem suam suspectam reddebat. Quoties ereo conflixerunt, penes Gilmorium gloria, penes Nisbetum palma fuit ; quoni.im in hoc plus artis et cultus, in illo plus naturje et virium." — Mackenzie's Works, edited by Ruddiman, 2 vols, folio, 1722. _ Wright. 336 BOSvYELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. the two contending parties, and explained them thus : " The popular party has most elo- quence; Dr. Robertson's party most influence." 1 was very desirous to hear Dr. Johnson's ex- plication. Johnson. " I see no difficulty. Gilmour was admired for his parts ; Nisbet carried his cause by his skill in law. Palma is victory." I observed, that the character of Nicholson, in this book, resembled that of Burke ; for it is said, in one place, " in omnes lusos et jocos se scepe resolvebat ; " ' and, in another, " sed accipUris more^ c conspectu ali- quando astantium sublimi se protrahens volatu, in preedam miro impetii descendehat." ^ John- son. " No, Sir ; I never heard Burke make a good joke in my life." ^ Boswell. " But, Sir, you will allow he is a hawk." Dr. Johnson, thinking that I meant this of his joking, said, "No, Sir, he is not the hawk there. He is the beetle in the mire." I still adhered to my metaphor ; " but he soars as the hawk." John- son. " Yes, Sir ; but he catches nothing." Macleod asked, what is the particular ex- cellence of Burke's eloquence ? Johnson. " Copiousness and fertility of allusion ; a power of diversifying his matter, by placing it in various relations. Burke has great information, and great command of language ; though, in my opinion, it has not in every respect the highest elegance. Boswell. "Do you think. Sir, that Burke has read Cicero much ? " Johnson. " I don't believe it. Sir. Burke has great knowledge, great fluency of words, and great promptness of ideas, so that he can speak with great illustration on any subject that comes before him. He is neither like Cicero, nor like Demosthenes, nor like any one else, but speaks as well as he can." In the sixty-fifth page of the first volume of Sir George Mackenzie, Dr. Johnson pointed out a paragraph beginning with Aristotle, and told me there was an error in the text, which he bade me try to discover. I Avas lucky enough to hit it at once. As the passage is printed, it is said that the devil answers even in engines. I corrected it to — ever in cenigmas. " Sir," said he, " you are a good critic. This would have been a great thing to do in the text of an ancient author." Thui-sday. Sept. 16. — Last night much care was taken of Dr. Johnson, who was still distressed by his cold. He had hitherto most strangely slept without a nightcap. Miss Macleod made him a large flannel one, and he was prevailed with to drink a little brandy when he was going to bed. He has great virtue in not drinking wine or any fermented ' " He often indulged himself in every species of pleasantry and wit." — Boswell. 2 •' But like the hawk, having soared with a lofty flight to a height which the eye could not reach, lie was wont to swoop upon his quarry with wonderful rapiditv." — Boswell. 3 Seean^c, p. 23., and p. '28. n. It should not be forgotten that all this passed at an early stage of Burke's public life — he had been but eight years in parliament, ami had not yet attained nor deserved the great repm.uion ol his subsequent days. — CiioKEit. liquor, because, as he acknowledged to us, he could not do it in moderation. Lady Macleod would hardly believe him, and said, " I am sure. Sir, you would not carry it too far." Johnson. " Nay, Madam, it carried me. ' I took the opportunity of a long illness to leave it off. It was then prescribed to me not to drink wine ; and having broken oflT the habit, I have never returned to it." In the argument on Tuesday night, about natural goodness, Dr. Johnson denied that any child was better than another, but by diSerence of instruction; though, in consequence of greater attention being paid to instruction by one child than another, and of a variety of imperceptible causes, such as instruction being counteracted by servants, a notion was con- ceived, that of two children, equally well edu- cated, one was naturally much worse than another. He owned, this morning, that one might have a greater aptitude to learn than another, and that we inherit dispositions from our parents. '■'• I inherited,''' said he, "a vile melancholy from my father, lohich has made me MAD all my life, at least not sober." Lady Mac- leod wondered he should tell this. "Madam," said I, " he knows that with that madness * he is superior to other men." I have often been astonished with what exactness and perspicuity he will explain the process of any art. He this morning explained to us all the operation of coining, and, at night, all the operation of brewing, so very clearly, that Mr. M'Queen said, when he heard the first, he thought he had been bred in the Mint ; when he heard the second, that he had been bred a brewer. I was elated by the thought of having been able to entice such a man to this remote part of the world. A ludicrous, yet just image presented itself to my mind, which I expressed to the company. I compared myself to a dog who has got hold of a large piece of meat, and runs away with it to a corner, where he may devour it in peace, without any fear of others taking it from him. " In London, Reynolds, Beauclerk, and all of them, are contending who shall enjoy Dr. Johnson's conversation. We are feasting upon it, undisturbed, at Dunvegan." It was still a storm of wind and rain. Dr. Johnson however walked out with Macleod, and saw Rorie More's cascade in full perfec- tion. Colonel Macleod, instead of being all life and gaiety, as I have seen him, was at present grave, and somewhat depressed by his anxious concern about Macleod's afiairs, and ^ See anti, p. 4. Mr. Boswell was, we see, theirs/ to pub- , lish this fact, though he afterwards chose to blame others for alluding to it. Dryden's apliorism, that " great wit," mean- ing mental powers generally, " is nearly allied to madness," is so true as to have become a proverb : but it stands on older and graver authority. Seneca says, NiiUittn magnum in- genium, sine mixtura dmientiie. — De Tranq. Anim. c. xv. S. 77 CltOKER. J£t. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 33/ by finding some gentlemen of the clan by no means disposed to act a generous or affectionate part to their chief in his distress, but bargain- in'T with him as with a stranger. However, he was agreeable and polite, and Dr. Johnson said he was a very pleasing man. My fellow-tra- veller and I talked of going to Sweden ; and, while we were settling our plan, I expressed a Pleasure in the prospect of seeing the king. OHNSON. " I doubt. Sir, if he would speak to us." Colonel Macleod said, " I am sure Mr. Boswell would speak to him." But seeing me a little disconcerted by his remark, he politely added, " and with great propriety." Here let me offer a short defence of that pro- pensity in my disposition, to which this gentle- man alluded. It has procured me much hap- piness.' I hope it does not deserve so hard a name as either forwardness or impudence. If I know myself, it is nothing more than an eagerness to share the society of men distin- guished either by their rank or their talents, and a diligence to attain what I desire. If a man is praised for seeking knowledge, though mountains and seas are in his way, may he not be pardoned, whose ardour, in the pursuit of the same object, leads him to encounter diffi- culties as great, though of a different kind ? After the ladies were gone from the table, we talked of the Highlanders not having sheets ; and this led us to consider the advan- tage of wearing linen. Johnson. " All animal substances are less cleanly than vegetables. Wool, of which flannel is made, is an animal substance; flannel therefore is not so cleanly as linen. I remember I used to think tar dirty ; but when I knew it to be only a preparation of the juice of the pine, I thought so no longer. It is not disagreeable to have the gum that oozes from a plum-tree upon your fingers, because it is vegetable ; but if you have any candle-grease, any tallow upon your fingers, you are uneasy till you rub it off. — I have often thought that, if I kept a seraglio, the ladies should all wear linen gowns, or cotton — I mean stuffs made of vegetable substances. I would have no silk ; you cannot tell when it is clean ; it will be very nasty before it is perceived to be so. Linen detects its own dirtiness." To hear the grave Dr. Samuel Johnson, "that majestic teacher of moral and religious wisdom," while sitting solemn in an arm-chair in the isle of Sky, talk, ex cathedra, of his keeping a seraglio, and acknowledge that the supposition had often been in his thoughts, struck me so forcibly with ludicrous contrast, that I could not but laugh immoderately. He was too proud to submit, even for a moment, to be the object of ridicule, and instantly retaliated with such keen sarcastic wit, and such a variety of degrading images, of every one of which I was the object, that, though I can bear such attacks as well as most men, I yet found myself so much the sport of all the company, that I would gladly expunge from my mind every trace of this severe retort. Talking of our friend Langton's house in Lincolnshire, he said " the old house of the family was burnt. A temporary building was ei-ected in its room ; and to this day they have been always adding as the family increased. It is like a shirt made for a man when he was a child, and enlarged always as he grows older." We talked to-night of Luther's allowing the Landgrave of Hesse two wives, and that it was with the consent of the wife to whom he was first mai-ried. Johnson. "There was no harm in this, so far as she was only concerned, because volenti noii Jit injuria. But it was an offence against the general order of society, and against the law of the Gospel, by which one man and one woman are to be united. No man can have two wives, but by preventing somebody else from having one." " Friday, Sept. 17. — After dinner yesterday, we had a conversation upon cunning. Macleod said that he was not afraid of cunning people ; but would let them play their tricks about him like monkeys. " But," said I, " they'll scratch;" and ]\L. M'Queen added, "they'll invent new tricks, as soon as you find out what they do." Johnson. " Cunning has effect from the credulity of others, rather than from the abilities of those who are cunning. It requires no extraordinary talents to lie and deceive." This led us to consider v/hether it did not require great abilities to be very wicked. Johnson. " It requires great abilities to have the poiver of being very wicked ; but not to he very wicked. A man who has the power, which great abilities procure him, may use it well or ill ; and it i-equires more abili- ties to use it well, than to use it ill. Wicked- ness is always easier than virtue ; for it takes the short cut to every thing. It is much easier to steal a hundred pounds, than to get it by labour, or any other way. Consider only what act of wickedness requires great abilities to commit it, when once the person who is to do it has the power ; for there is the distinction. It requires great abilities to conquer an army, but none to massacre it after it is conquered." The weather this day was rather better than any that we had since we came to Dunvegan. Mr. jM'Queen had often mentioned a curious piece of antiquity near this, which he called a temple of the goddess Anaitis. Having often talked of going to see it, he and I set out after breakfast, attended by his servant, a fellow ' And to the world much amusement and instruction, a too narrow ground on which to rest this great doctrine — But forthis obtrusive propensity we should not have liud this : a doctrine which is the foundation of all human civilisation, work. — Croker. ,ind of all individual happiness. See ante, p. 334., and post, 2 This last argument is ! think a false, and, at all events, 1 0th Oct. 1779. — Croker. 338 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. quite like a savage. I must observe here, that in Sky there seems to be much idleness ; for men and boys follow you, as colts follow pas- sengers upon a road. The usual figure of a Sky-boy is a lown with bare legs and feet, a dirty kilt, ragged coat and waistcoat, a bare head, and a stick in his hand, which, I suppose, is partly to help the lazy rogue to walk, partly to serve as a kind of a defensive weapon. We walked what is called two miles, but is pro- bably four, from the castle, till we came to the sacred place. The country round is a black dreary moor on all sides, except to the sea- coast, towards which there is a view through a valley ; and the farm of Bay shows some good land. The place itself is green ground, being well drained, by means of a deep glen on each side, in both of which there runs a rivulet with a good quantity of water, forming several cascades, which make a considerable appear- ance and sound. The first thing we came to was an earthen mound, or dyke, extending from the one precipice to the other. A little farther on was a strong stone wall, not high, but very thick, extending in the same manner. On the outside of it were the ruins of two houses, one on each side of the entry or gate to it. The wall is built all along of uncemented stones, but of so large a size as to make a very firm and durable rampart. It has been built all about the consecrated ground, except where the precipice is steep enough to form an enclosure of itself. The sacred spot con- tains more than two acres. There are within it the ruins of many houses, none of them large, — • a cairn, — and many graves marked by clusters of stones. Mr. M'Queen insisted that the ruin of a small building, standing east and west, was actually the temple of the goddess Anaitis, where her statue was kept, and from whence processions were made to wash it in one of the brooks. There is, it must be owned, a hollow road visible for a good way from the entrance ; but Mr. M'Queen, with the keen eye of an antiquary, traced it much farther than I could perceive it. There is not above a foot and a half in height of the walls now remaining ; and the whole extent of the building was never, I imagine, greater than an ordinary Highland house. Ml-. M'Queen has collected a great deal of learning on the subject of the temple of Anaitis ; and I had endeavoured, in my Journal, to state such particulars as might give some idea of it, and of the surrounding scenery; but from the great difficulty of describing visible objects, I found my account so unsatisfactory, that my readers would probably have exclaimed, " And write about it, goddess, and about it ;'" and therefore I have omitted it. When we got home, and were again at table 1 Dunciad, b. 4. v. 252. — C. 2 The simple common sense of this remark should silence those who pretend to undervalue portrait painting, and to prefer, as a higher branch of the art, what they call history, hut which is generally a mere fable, and a very uninterest- ing one, while portraiture as Johnson described it, and as with Dr. Johnson, we first talked of portraits. He agreed in thinking them valuable in families. I wished to know which he preferred, fine por- traits, or those of which the merit was resem- blance. Johnson. " Sir, theii* chief excellence is being like." Boswell. " Are you of that opinion as to the portraits of ancestors, whom one has never seen?" Johnson. "It then becomes of more consequence that they should be like ; and I would have them in the da-ess of the times, which makes a piece of history.^ One should like to see how Rorie More looked. Truth, Sir, is of the greatest value in these things." Mr. M'Queen observed, that if you think it of no consequence whether portraits are like, if they are but well painted, you may be indifferent whether a piece of history is true or not, if well told. Dr. Johnson said at breakfast to-day, " that it was but of late that historians bestowed pains and attention in consulting records, to attain to accuracy. Bacon, in writing his History of Henry VII., does not seem to have consulted any, but to have just taken what he found in other histories, and blended it with what he learned by tradition." He agreed with me that there should be a chronicle kept in every considerable family, to preserve the characters and transactions of successive generations. After dinner I started the subject of the : temple of Anaitis. Mr. M'Queen had laid stress on the name given to the place by the country people, — Ainnit; and added, " I knew not what to make of this piece of antiquity, till : I met with the Anaitidis deluhrum in Lydiae, ' mentioned by Pausanias and the elder Pliny." ■ Dr. Johnson, with his usual acuteness, ex- amined Mr. M'Queen as to the meaning of • the word Ainnit, in Erse ; and it proved to be a water-place, or a place near water, " which," said Mr. M'Queen, " agrees with all the de- scriptions of the temples of that goddess, which were situated near rivers, that there might be : water to wash the statue." Johnson. " Nay, < Sir, the argument from the name is gone. ; ji The name is exhausted by what we see. We \ have no occasion to go to a distance for what ! we can pick up under oui- feet. Had it been ' an accidental name, the similarity between it i and Anaitis might have had something in it ; ^ but it turns out to be a mere physiological name." Macleod said, Mr. M'Queen's know- ledge of etymology had destroyed his con- . jecture. Johnson. " Yes, Sir ; Mr. M'Queen ; is like the eagle mentioned by Waller, who was J shot with an arrow feathered from his own, wing." Mr. M'Queen would not, however, give up his conjecture. Johnson. " You havel one possibility for you, and all possibilities t against you. It is possible it may be the templei Vandyke, Reynolds, and Lawrence practised it, is resl history. I do not hesitate to record my opinion, that what is commonly called history is an inferior walk of art, and in our days practised chiefly by those who are incapable of the higher task of representing living nature — CroKBB 1845. ^T. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. ;3P of Anaitis ; but it is also possible that it may I be a fortification ; or it may be a place of i Christian worship, as the first Christians often i chose remote and wild places, to make an ini- I pression on the mind ; or, if it was an heathen temple, it may have been built near a river, for the purpose of lustration ; and there are such a multitude of divinities, to whom it may have I been dedicated, that the chance of its being a ! temple of Anaitis is hardly any thing. It is 1 like throwing a grain of sand upon the sea- i shore to-day, and thinking you may find it to- morrow. No, Sir, this temple, like many an ill-built edifice, tumbles down before it is roofed it." In his triumph over the reverend antiquarian, he indulged himself in a conceit ; ! for, some vestige of the altar of the goddess I being much insisted on in support of the hypo- I thesis, he said, " Mr. M'Queen is fighting pro i aris etfocis." I It was wonderful how well time passed in a I remote castle, and in dreary weather. After j supper, we talked of Pennant. It was objected i that he was superficial. Dr. Johnson defended I him warmly. He said, " Pennant has greater j variety of inquiry than almost any man, and I has told us more than perhaps one in ten thou- sand could have done, in the time that he took. 1 He has not said what he was to tell ; so you i cannot find fault with him for Avhat he has not j told. If a man comes to look for fishes, you ; cannot blame him if he does not attend to fowls." " But," said Colonel Macleod, " he ; mentions the unreasonable rise of rents in the . Higlilands, and says, 'the gentlemen are for emptying the bag without filling it,' for that is t the phrase he uses. Why does he not tell how [ to fill it?" Johnson. " Sir, there is no end of negative criticism. He tells what he observes, ': and as much as he chooses. K he tells what is \ not true, you may find fault with him; but, ! though he tells that the land is not well culti- 1 vated, he is not obliged to tell how it may be ! well cultivated. If I tell that many of the j Highlanders go barefooted, I am not obliged to tell how they may get shoes. Pennant tells I a fact. He need go no farther, except he I pleases. He exhausts nothing; and no subject whatever has yet been exhausted. But Pen- nant has surely told a great deal. Here is a man six feet high, and you are angry because he is not seven." Notwithstanding this elo- quent Oratio pro Pemiantio, which they who have read this gentleman's Tours, and recol- lect the savage and the shopkeeper at JNIon- boddo, will probably impute to the spirit of contradiction, I still think that he had better have given more attention to fewer things, than have thrown together such a number of imperfect accounts. • Johnson writes: " Boswell, with some of his troublpsome kindness, has informed this family, and reminded rae,that the 18th of September is my birthday. The return of my birthday, if I remember it, fills me with thoughts which it seems to be the general care of humanity to escape. I can now look back upon tliree score and four years, in which little has been done, and little has been enjoyed ; a life diversified CHAPTER XXXIX. 1773. Johnson's Birth-day. — Languages the Pedigree of Nations. — The Laird of Mueh. — Choice of a Wife. — BosweU's Journal. — Lady Grange. Poetry of Savages. — French Literati. — Prize Fighting. — French and English Soldiers. — Duel- ling. — Change of Manners. — Landed and trad- ing Interests. — LovaVs Pyramid. — Vlinish. — Lord Orrery, Sfc. S^c. Saturday, Sept. 18. — Before breakfast, Dr. Johnson came up to my room, to forbid me to mention that it was his birthday; but I told him I had done it already ; at which he was displeased — ^I suppose from wishing to have nothing particular done on his account.' Lady Macleod and I got into a warm dispute. She wanted to build a house upon a farm which she has taken, about five miles from the castle, and to make gardens and other ornaments there ; all of which I approved of; but insisted that the seat of the family should always be upon the rock of Dunvegan. Johnson. " Ay, in time we '11 build all round this rock. You may make a very good house at the farm ; but it must not be such as to tempt the Laird of Macleod to go thither to reside. Most of the great families of England have a secondary residence, which is called a jointure-house; let the new house be of that kind." The lady insisted that the rock was very inconvenient ; that there was no place near it where a good garden could be made ; that it must always be a rude place ; that it was a Herculean labour to make a dinner here. I was vexed to find the alloy of modern refinement in a lady who had so much old family spirit. " Madam," said I, " if once you quit this rock, there is no know- ing where you may settle. You move five miles first ; then to St. Andrew's, as the late Laird did ; then to Edinburgh ; and so on till you end at Hampstead, or in France. No, no ; keep to the rock ; it is the very jewel of the estate. It looks as if it had been let down from heaven by the four corners, to be the residence of a chief. Have all the comforts and con- veniences of life upon it, but never leave Rorie Mare's cascade." " But," said she, " is it not enough if we keep it ? Must we never have more convenience than Rorie More had? he had his beef brought to dinner in one basket. by misery, spent part in the sluggishness of penury, and part under the violence of pain, in gloomy discontent or importunate distress. But, perhaps, I am better than I should have been, if I had been less afflicted. With this I will try to be content." — Letters. See post, Sept. 17. 1777, his dislike to hear his birthday noticed — Crokeb. z 2 340 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. and his bread in another. Why not as well be Iioi-ie More all over, as live upon his rock ? And should not we tire, in looking perpetually on this rock ? It is very well for you, who have a fine place, and every thing easy, to talk thus, and think of chaining honest folks to a rock. You would not live upon it yourself." " Yes, Madam," said I, " I would live upon it, were I Laird of Macleod, and should be un- happy if I were not upon it." Johnson (with a strong voice and most determined manner). " Madam, rather than quit the old rock, Bos- well would live in the pit ; he would make his bed in the dungeon." I felt a degree of ela- tion, at finding my resolute feudal enthusiasm thus confirmed by such a sanction. The lady was puzzled a little. She still returned to her pretty fiirm— rich ground — fine garden. " Madam," said Dr. Johnson, " were they in Asia, I would not leave the rock." ' My opi- nion on this subject is still the same. An ancient family residence ought to be a primary object ; and though the situation of Dunvegan be such that little can be done here in garden- ing or pleasure ground, yet, in addition to the veneration acquired by the lapse of time, it has many circumstances of natural grandeur, suited to the seat of a Highland chief: it has the sea — islands — rocks — hills — a noble cascade; and when the family is again in opulence, something may be done by art." Mr. Donald M'Queen went away to-day, in order to preach at Braccadale next day. We were so comfortably situated at Dunvegan, that Dr. Johnson could hardly be moved from it. I proposed to him that we should leave it on Monday. " No, Sir," said he, " I will not go before Wednesday. I will have some more of this good." However, as the weather was at this season so bad, and so very uncertain, and we had a great deal to do yet, Mr. M'Queen and I prevailed with him to agree to set out on Monday, if the day should be good. Mr. M'Queen, though it was inconvenient for him to be absent from his harvest, engaged to wait on Monday at Ulinish for us. When he ■was going away. Dr. Johnson said, "I shall ' Dunvegan well deserves the stand which was made by Dr. Johnson in its defence. Its greatest inconvenience was that of access. This had been originally obtained from the sea, by a subterranean staircase, partly arched, partly cut in the rock, which, winding up through the cliff, opened into the couri of the castle. This passage, at all times very in- convenient, had been abandoned, and was ruinous. Avery indifferent substitute had been made by a road, which, rising from the harbour, reached the bottom of the moat, and then ascended to the gate by a very long stair. The present chief, whom I am happy to call my friend, has made a perfectly convenient and characteristic access, which gives a direct approach to the further side of the moat, in front of the castle gate, and surmounts the chasm by a drawbridge, which would have delighted Buric Mare himself. 1 may add, that neither Johnson nor lioswcll were antiquaries, other- wise they must have remarkeil, amongst the Cimelia of Dun- vegan, the fated or fairy banner, said to be given to the clan by a Banshee, and a curious drinking cup (probably), said to have belonged to the family when kings of the Isle of Man — certainly of most venerable antiquity Walter Scott. - Something has indeed been, partly in the way of accom- modation and ornament, partly in improvements yet more estimable, under the direction of the present beneficent Lady ever retain a great regard for you : " then asked him if he had the " Rambler." Mr. M'Queen said, "No, but my brother has it." Johnson. " Have you the " Idler ?" M'Qujoen. " No, Sir." Johnson. " Then I will order one for you at Edinburgh, which you will keep in remembrance of me." ]\Ir. M'Queen was much pleased with this. He expressed to me, in the strongest terms, his admiration of Dr. John- son's wonderful knowledge, and every other quality for which he is distinguished. I asked Mr. M'Queen if he was satisfied with being a minister in Sky. He said he was ; but he owned that his forefathers having been so long there, and his having been born there, made a chief ingredient in forming his con- tentment. I should have mentioned, that on our left hand, between Portree and Dr. Mac- leod's house, Mr. M'Queen told me there had been a college of the Knights Templars ; that tradition said so; and that there was a ruin remaining of their church, Avhich had been burnt: but I confess Dr. Johnson has weak- ened my belief in remote tradition. In the dispute about Anaitis, Mr. M'Queen said, Asia Minor was peopled by Scythians, and, as they were the ancestors of the Celts, the same religion might be in Asia Minor and Sky. Johnson. " Alas ! Sir, what can a nation that has not letters tell of its original? I have always difficulty to be patient when I hear authors gravely quoted, as giving accounts of savage nations, which accounts they had from the savages themselves. AVhat can the M'Craas tell about themselves a thousand years ago ? ^ There is no tracing the connection of ancient nations, but by language ; and therefore I am always sorry when any language is lost, be- ; cause languages are the pedigree of nations. If you find the same language in distant coun- tries, you may be sure that the inhabitants of each have been the same people ; that is to say, if you find the languages a good deal the same; ■ for a word here and there being the same, will ' not do. Thus Butler, in his ' Hudibras,' re- '. membering that penguin, in the Straits ofl Magellan, signifies a bird with a white head,: of Macleod [Miss Stephenson]. Slie has completely acquired^ the language of her husband's clan, in order to qualify her-i self to be their effectual benefactress. She has erected i schools, which she superintends herself, to introduce amonf i them the benefits, knowledge, and comforts of more civilisen society; and a young and beautiful woman has done more for the enlarged happiness of this primitive people, than ha( been achieved for ages before Waltkh Scott. 3 "What can the M'Craas tell of themselves a thousani years ago ? " More than the Doctor would suppose. I hav> a copy of their family history, written by Mr. John Mac Ra minister of Dingwall, in Rossshire, in 1702. In this historj they are averred to have come over with those Fitzgerald now holding the name of M'Kenzie, at the period of th battle of Largs, in 1263. I was indulged with a copy of th pedigree, by the consent of the principal persons of the clai in 1826, and had the original in my possession for some timr, It is modestly drawn up, and apparently with all the accuraci which can be expected when tradition must be necessaril much relied upon. The name was in Irish, Mac Grati: softened in the Highlands into Mac Ra, Mac Corow, Mi' Rae, &c. ; and in the Lowlands, where the patronymic Wij often dropped, by the names of Crow, Craw, &c Walti' ScoTi. i ^T. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 341 and that the same word has, in Wales, the sig- nification of a white-headed wench (pen head, and guin white), by way of ridicule, concludes that the people of those straits are AVelsh." A young gentleman of the name of M'Lean, nephew to the Laird of the Isle of Muck, came this morning ; and just as we sat down to dinner came the Laird of the Isle of Muck himself, his lady, sister to Talisker, two other ladies, their relations, and a daughter of the late M'Leod of Hamer, who wrote a treatise on tlie second sight, under the designation of " Theophilus Insulanus." ' It was somewhat droll to hear this laird called by his title. Muck would have sounded ill ; so he was called Isle of Muck, which went otl" with great rea- diness. The name, as now written, is unseemly, but is not so bad in the original Erse, which is Mouach, signifying the Sows' Island.^ Bu- chanan calls it Insula Porcorum. It is so called from its form. Some call it the Isle of Monk. The Laird insists that this is the proper name. It was formerly church-land belonging to Icolmkill, and a hermit lived in it. It is two miles long, and about three quarters of a mile broad. The Laird said, he had seven score of souls upon it. Last year he had eighty persons inoculated, mostly children, but some of them eighteen years of age. He agreed with the surgeon to come and do it at half a crown a head. It is very fertile in corn, of which they export some ; and its coasts abound in fish. A tailor comes there six times in a year. They get a good blacksmith from the Isle of Egg. Sundai/, Sept. 19. — It was rather worse weather than any that we had yet. At break- fast Dr. Johnson said, " Some cunning men [ choose fools for their wives, thinking to manage I them, but they always fail. There is a spaniel i fool, and a mule fool. The spaniel fool may be I made to do by beating. Tlie mule fool will . neither do by words nor blows ; and the I spaniel fool often turns mule at last : and sup- ' pose a fool to be made do pretty well, you must have the continual trouble of making liLT do. Depend upon it, no woman is the | worse for sense and knowledge." Whether afterwards he meant merely to say a polite thing, or to give his opinion, I could not be ' The work of " Theophilus Insulanus " was written in .is credulous a style as either Dr. Johnson or his biographer could have desired Walteh -Scott. 2 Properly,— Mr. William Macpherson informed me, of sea-iwinc or seals. — Cuoker. j ' As ! have faithfully recorded so many minute particulars, I hope I shall be pardoned for insertinc so flattering an en- ( comium on what is now oflfered to the public. _ Boswell. I ■» By the very use of this word, Mr. Boswell shows, that he \ himself was prejudiced in favuur of the second sight, either ' because it suited the credulous temper of his own mind, or ; because it looked like a national honour. The clergy were ; probably not prejudiced against it, otherwise than as, being the best educated and most intelligent persons in those : regions, they saw the absurdity of the fables on which the I superstition was supported. Gener.il Macleod found John- . son more willing to believe in the second sight than in i Ossian. And Boswell boasts of being an iibsolute believer. See post, under 24th March, 177.1. - Cboker. 5 xhe true story of this lady, which hapi)ened in this cen- sure ; but he added, " Men know that women are an over-match for them, and therefore they choose the weakest or most ignorant. If they did not think so, they never could be afraid of women knowing as nmeh as themselves." In justice to the sex, I think it but candid to acknowledge, that in a subsequent conversa- tion he told me that he was serious in what he had said. He came to my room this morning before breakfast, to read my Journal, which he has done all along. He often before said, " I take great delight in reading it." To-day he said, " You improve : it grows better and better." I observed, there was a danger of my getting a habit of writing in a slovenly manner. " Sir," said he, " it is not written in a slovenly manner. It might be printed, were the subject fit for printing." ^ While Mr. Bethune preached to us in the dining-room, Dr. Johnson sat in his own room, where I saw lying before him a vohime of Lord Bacon's works, " The Decay of Christian Piety," Monlioddo's " Origin o'f Language," and Sterne's Sermons. He asked me to-day, how it happened that we were so little together ; I told him my Journal took up much time. Yet, on reflection, it appeared strange to me, that although I will run from one end of London to another, to pass an hour with him, I should omit to seize any spare time to be in his company, when I am settled in the same house with him. But my Journal is really a task of much time and labour, and he forbids me to contract it. I omitted to mention, in its place, that Dr. Johnson told jMr. M'Queen that he had found the belief of the second sight universal in Sky, except among the clergy, who seemed de- termined against it. I took tiie liberty to observe to Mr. M'Queen, that the clergy were actuated by a kind of vanity. "The world," say they, "takes us to be credulous men in a remote corner. AVe'lI show them that we are more ■ enlightened than they think. " The worthy man said, that his disbelief of it was from his not finding siifticient evidence ; but I could perceive that he was prejudiced^ against it. After dinner to-day, we talked of the extra- ordinary fact of Lady Grange's ^ being sent to tury, is as frightfully romantic as if it had been the fiction of a giooniy fancy. She was the wife of one of the Lords of Session in Scotland, a man of the very first blood of his country. For some mysterious reasons, which have never been discovered, she was seized and carried off in the dark, she knew not by whom, and by nightly journeys was con- veyed to the Highland shores, 'from whence she was trans- ported by sea to the remote rock of St. Kilda, where she remained, amongst its few wild inhabitants, a forlorn pri- soner, but had a constant supply of provisions, and a woman to wait on her. No inquiry was made after her, till she at last found means to convey a letter to a confidential friend, by the daughter of a Cateehist, who concealed it in a clue of yarn. Information being thus obtained at Edinburgh, a ship was sent to bring her off; but intelligence of this being re. ceived, she was conveyed to Maclcod's island of Hcrries, where she died Boswell. The story of Lady Grange is well knov.n. I have seen her Journal. She had become privy to some of the Jacobite in- trigue.';, in which her husband, Lord Cninge (an Erskine z 3 342 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. St. Kilda, and confined there for several years, without any means of relief.' Dr. Johnson said, if Macleod would let it be known that he had such a place for naughty ladies, he might make it a very profitable island. We had, in the course of our tour, heard of St. Kilda 2)oetry. Dr. Johnson observed, " It must be very poor, because they have very few images." BoswELL. " There may be a poetical genius shown in combining these, and in making poetry of them." Johnson. " Sir, a man cannot make fire but in proportion as he has fuel. He cannot coin guineas but in propor- tion as he has gold." At tea he talked of his intending to go to Italy in 1775. Macleod said, he would like Paris better. Johnson. " No, Sir : there are none of the French literati now alive, to visit whom I wovild cross a sea. I can find in Buffbn's book all that he can say." ^ After supper he said, " I am sorry that prize-fighting is gone out ; every art should be preserved, and the art of defence is surely important. It is. absurd that our soldiers should have swords, and not be taught the use of them. Prize-fighting ^ made people accus- tomed not to be alarmed at seeing their own blood, or feeling a little pain from a wound. I think the heavy glaymore was an ill-contrived weapon. A man could only strike once with it. It employed both his hands, and he must of course be soon fiitigued with wielding it ; so that if his antagonist could only keep play- ing awhile, he was sure of him. I would fight with a dirk against Roine Mare's sword. I could ward ofi" a blow with a dirk, and then run in upon my enemy. When within that heavy sword, I have him ; he is quite helpless, and I brother of the Earl of Mar, and a Lord of Session), and his family were engaged. Being on indifferent terms with her husband, she is said to have thrown out hints that she knew as much as would cost him his life. The judge probably thought with Mrs. Peachum, that it is rather an awkward state of domestic affairs, when the wife has it in her power to hang the husband. Lady Grange was the more to be dreaded, as she came of a vindictive race, being the grand- child of that Chiesley of Dairy, who assassinated Sir George Lockhart, the Lord President. Many persons of importance in the Highlands were concerned in removing her testimony. The notorious Lovat, with a party of his men, were the direct agents in carrying her off (see ante, p. 5.5. n. 3.) ; and St. Kilda, belonging then to Macleod, was selected as the place of confinement. The name by which she was spoken or written of was Corpach, an ominous distinction, corre- sponding to what is called subject in the lecture-room of an anatomist, or s/iot in the slang of the Westport murderers. — Walter Scott. Rachel Chiesley was. as Mr. Chambers informs me, the daughter, not the grand-daughter, of the murderer. The Earl of Mar, restored in 1824, was her grandson. She was buried, as Macleod informs me, at Dun- vegan — Croker. ' In " Carstare's State Papers," we find an authentic narrative of Connor, a catholic priest, who turned protest- ant, being seized by some of Lord Seaforth's people, and detained prisoner in the island of Harris several years : he was fed with bread and water, and lodged in a house where he was exposed to the rains and cold. Sir James Ogilvy writes, June 18. 1607, " that the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Advocate, and himself, were to meet next day, to take fiTectual methods to have this redressed. Connor was then still detained." — p. 310. This shows what private oppres- sion might in tlie last century be practised in the Hebrides. In the same collection, the Earl of Argyle gives a pictur- could stab him at my leisure, like a ca^f. It is thought by sensible military men, that the English do not enough avail themselves of their superior strength of body again&t the French ; for that must always have a great advantage in j^ushiug with bayonets. I have heard an officer say, that if women could be made to stand, they would do as well as men in mere interchange of bullets from a distance ; but if a body of men should come close up to them, then to be sure they must be overcome ; now," said he, "in the same manner the weaker-bodied French must be overcome by our strong soldiers." The subject of duelling was introduced. Johnson. "There is no case in England where one or other of the combatants must die^ : if you have overcome your adversary by disarm- ing him, that is sufficient, though you should not kill him ; your honour, or the honour of your family, is restored, as much as it can be by a duel. It is cowardly to force your antagonist to renew the combat, when you know that you have the advantage of him by superior skill. You might just as well go and cut his throat Avhile he is asleep in his bed. When a duel begins, it is supposed there may be an equality ; because it is not always skill that prevails. It depends much on presence of mind; nay, on accidents. The wind may be in a man's face. He may fall.^ Many such things may decide the superiority. A man is sufficiently punished by being called out, and subjected to the risk that is in a duel." But on my suggesting that the injured person is equally subjected to risk, he fairly owned he could not explain the ra- tionality of duelling. 31ondai/, Sept. 20. -s— When I awaked, the received a letter yesterday from M'Neil of Barra, who lives very far off, sent by a gentleman in all formality, offering his service, which had made you laugh to see his entry. The style of his letter runs as if he were of another kingdom." — p. 643. — BoswELL. It was said of M'Neil of Barra, that when he dined, his bagpipes blew a particular strain, inti- mating that all the world might go to dinner. — Walter Scott. 2 I doubt the justice of my fellow-traveller's remark con- cerning the French literati, many of whom, I am told, have considerable merit in conversation, as well as in their writings. That of M. de Buffon, in particular, I am well assured, is highly instructive and entertaining Boswell. At all events he would have had more literary conversation in France, than he could have expected in Italy : he knew little or no Italian, and his pronunciation of Latin would have been hardly intelligible Croker, 1846. 1 3 Mrs. Pi'ozzi says, " Mr. Johnson was very conversant in the art of attack and defence by boxing, which science he , had learned from his uncle Andrew, I believe ; and I have ; heard him descant upon the age when people were received, 1 and when rejected, in the schools once held for that brutal 1 amusement, much to the admiration of those who had no expectation of his skill in such matters. — See ante, p. 198. ) n. 2. —Croker. ■> I think it right, as matter of historical fact, to record that j Johnson was mistaken in saying that there was no case in • which one of the parties " must die." Duelling has happily i gone out of fashion of late years, but there always were, and > still I suppose would be, cases in which mortal reparation would be required ; such as personal indignity to a man, or the dishonour of a woman — Choker, 1846. 5 Johnson considers duels as only fought with swords, a practice now wholly .superseded, in these countries, by the use of pistols, a weapon which, generally speaking, is more equal than the sword could be Croker. i JEt. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 343 storm was higher still. It abated about nine, and the suu shone ; but it rained again very soon, and it was not a day for travelling. At breakfast, Dr. Johnson told us, " there was onee a pretty good tavern in Catharine Street in the Strand, where very good company met in an evening, and each man called for his own half-pint of wine, or gill, if he pleased ; they were frugal men, and nobody paid but for what he himself drank. The house fux-nished no supper; but a woman attended with mutton pies, which any body might purchase. I was introduced to this company by Gumming the Quaker ', and used to go there sometimes when I drank wine. In the last age, when my mother lived in London, there were two sets of people, those who gave the wall, and those who took it ; the peaceable and the quarrel- some. When I returned to Lichfield, after having been in London, my mother asked me, whether I was one of those who gave the wall, or those who took it. Now, it is fixed that every man keeps to the right ; or, if one is talcing the wall, another yields it, and it is never a dispute." He was very severe on a lady whose name was mentioned. He said, he would have sent her to St. Kilda. That she was as bad as negative badness could be, and stood in the way of what was good : that insipid beauty would not go a great way ; and that such a woman might be cut out of a cab- bage, if there was a skilful artificer. Macleod was too late in coming to breakfast. Dr. Johnson said, laziness was worse than tlie tooth-ache. Boswell. " I cannot agree with you, Su'; a basin of cold. water, or a horse- whip, will cure laziness. " Johnson. " No, Sir ; it will only put off the fit ; it will not cure the disease. I have been trying to cure my laziness all my life, and could not do it." Boswell. " But if a man does in a shorter time what might be the labour of a life, there is nothing to be said against him." Johnson (perceiving at once that I alluded to him and his Dictionary). "Suppose that flattery to be true, the consequence would be, that the world would have no right to censure a man ; but that will not justify him to himself." After breakfast, he said to me, " A Highland chief should now endeavour to do every thing to raise his rents, by means of the industry of his people. Formerly, it was right for him to have his house full of idle fellows ; they were ' Tliomas Cummin<; was a bold and busy man, who mis- took his vocation when he turned Quaker (for he was not born in that sect). He planned and almost commanded a military expedition to the coast of Africa, in 17-W, which ended in the capture of Senegal. It and its author make a considerable figure in Smollett's History of EngLind, vol. ii. p. 278., where the anomaly of a Quaker's heading an army is attempted to be excused by the event of the enemy's having surrendered without fighting ; and a protest that Gumming would not have engaged in it, had he not been assured, that against c some difference between the plus and minus of the ancient ingredients employed by the translator. — Walter Scott. 1 think we may now venture to pro- nounce them to be altogether fabrications. So much keen and intelligent inquiry as has been made, could not have failed to discover some disjecti membra pacta;, had such ex- isted, — the fragments of Erse poetry that have been found are contemptible as compared with Ossian Crokek. 3 " When she saw any of the comp.iny very warm in a wrong opinion, she was more inclined to confirm them in it than oppose them. The excuse she gave was, ' that it pre- vented noise, and saved time.' Yet I have known her vei'y angry with some, whom she much esteemed, for sometimes falling into that infirmity."— Swift's CAaractVr o/ SfcWa. — Wright. •• I think it but justice to say, that I believe Dr. Johnson meant to ascribe Mr. M'Queen's conduct to inaccuracy .ind enthusiasm, and did not mean any severe imputation against him Boswell. could not help observing, that, were he ex- amined in a court of justice, he would find himself under a necessity of being more explicit. Johnson. " Sir, he has told Blair a little too much, which is published ; and he sticks to it. He is so much at the head of things here, that he has never been accustomed to be closely examined ; and so he goes on quite smoothly." Boswell. " He has never had any body to work him." Johnson. " No, Sir ; and a man is seldom disposed to work himself, though he ought to work himself, to be sure." Mr. M'Queen made no reply.* Having talked of the strictness with which witnesses are examined in courts of justice, Dr. Johnson told us, that Garrick, though ac- customed to face multitudes, when produced as a witness In Westminster Hall, was so dis- concerted by a new mode of public appearance, that he could not understand what was asked. It was a cause where an actor claimed a free benefit, that is to say, a benefit without paying the expense of the house ; but the meaning of the term was disputed. Garrick was asked, " Sii-, have you a free benefit ? " " Yes." "Upon what terms have you it ? " "Upon — the terms — of — a free benefit." He was dis- missed as one from whom no information could be obtained. Dr. Johnson is often too hard on our friend j\L'. Garrick. When I asked him, why he did not mention him in the Preface to his Shakspeare, he said, " Garrick has been liberally paid for any thing he has done for Shakspeare. If I should praise him, I should much more praise the nation who paid him. He has not made Shakspeare better known ^ ; he cannot illustrate Shakspeare : so I have reasons enough against mentioning him, were reasons necessary. Thei-e should be reasons _/b?- it." I spoke of Mrs. Montagu's very high praises of Garrick. Johnson. " Sir, it is fit slie should say so much, and I should say no- thing. Reynolds is fond of her book, and I wonder at it ; for neither I, nor Beauclerk, nor Mi-s. Thrale, could get through it.'' 5 It has been triumphantly asked, " Had not the plays of Shakspeare lain dormant for many years before the appear- ance of Mr. Garrick ? Did he not exhibit the most excel- lent of them frequently for thirty years together, .and render them extremely popular by his own inimitable perform- ance?" He undoubtedly did. But Dr. Johnson's assertion has been misunderstood. Knowing as well as the objectors what has been just stated, he must necessarily have meant, that " Mr. Garrick did not, as a critic, make Shakspeare better known ; he did not illustrate any one passage in any of his ijlays by acuteness of disquisition, or sagacity of conjec- ture :" and what has been done with any degree of excellence in that way, was the proper and immediate subject of his tirefacc. I may add in support of this explanation the fol- owing anecdote, related to me by one of the ablest commen- tators on Shakspeare, who knew much of Dr. Johnson : " Now I have quitted the tlieatre," cries Garrick, " I will sit down and read Shakspeare." '• 'Tis time you should," ex- claimed Johnson, " for 1 much doubt if you ever examined one of his plays, from the first 'scene to the last. "— . Boswell. ^ No man has less inclination to controversy than I have, particularly with a lady. But as I have claimed, and am con- scious of being entitleil to, credit for the strictest fidelity, my respect for the public obliges me to take notice of an in- sinuation which tends to impeach it. Mrs. Piozxi (late Mrt. 348 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. CHAPTER XL. 1773. Ulinish. — Tanning. -— Butchers. — Learning of the Scots. — Ship worse than Jail. — Peter the Great. — "Island /sa." — Talisl/er. — Scottish Clergy. — French Hunting.— CachilUn's Well. — Young Col. Birch. — Percy. — " Every Island is a Prison." — Corrichatachin. — Good Fellowship — and Head- ache. — Kingsburgh's Song. — Lady Margaret Macdonald. — Threshing and Thatching. — Price of Labo7ir. — Ostig. — Shenstone. — Hammond. — Sir C. H. Williams. — Burke. — Young. — Doddridge's Motto. — " Adventures of a Guinea." — Armidale. — German Courts. — Goldsmith's Love of Talk. — St. Kilda. Last niirht Dr. Johnson gave ns an account of the whole process of tanning, and of the nature of milk, and the various operations upon it, as making whey, &c. His variety of information is surprising ' ; and it gives one much satis- faction to find such a man bestowing his at- tention on the useful arts of life. Ulinish was much struck with his knowledge ; and said, " He is a great orator, Sir ; it is music to hear this man speak." A strange thought struck me, to try if he knew any thing of an art, or whatever it should be called, which is no doubt very usefnl in life, but which lies for out of the way of a philosopher and poet ; I mean the trade of a butcher. I enticed him into the subject, by connecting it with the various re- searches into the manners and customs of un- civilised nations, that have been made by our Thrale), to her " Anecdotes of Dr. Johnson," added the following postscript : — " Xaples, 10th Feb. 178C. " Since the foregoing went to press, having seen a passage from Mr. Boswell's ' Tour to the Hebrides,' in which it is said, tliat I could not f,et through Mrs. Montagu's ' Essay on Shakspeare,' I do not delay a moment to declare, that, on the contrary, I have always commended it myself, and heard it commended by everyone else ; and few things would give me more concern than to be thought incapable of tasting, or unwilling to testify my opinion of its excellence." It is remarkable, that this postscript is so expressed, as not to point out the person who said that Mrs. Thrale could not get through Mrs. Montagu's book ; and. therefore, I think it necessary to remind Mrs. Piozzi, that the assertion concern- ing her was Dr. Johnson's, and not mine. The second ob- servation that I shall make on this postscript is, that it does not deny the fact asserted, thoueh I must acknowledge, from the praise it bestows on Mrs. Montagu's book, it may have been designed to convey that meaning. What Mrs. Thrale's opinion is, or was, or what she mayor may not have said to Dr. Johnson concerning Mrs. Mon- tagu's book, it is not necessary for me to inquire. It is only incumbent on me to ascertain what Dr. Johnson said to me. I shall therefore confine myself to a very short state of the fact. The unfavourable opinion of Mrs. Montagu's book, which Dr. Johnson is here reported to have given, is known to have been I hat which he uniformly exjiressed, as many of his friends well remember. So much for the authenticity of the paragraph, as far as it relates to his own sentiments. The words containing the assertion, towliich Mrs. Piozzi objects, are printed from mv manuscript Journal, and were taken down at the time. The Journal was read by Dr. Johnson, who pointed out some inaccuracies, which I corrected, but did not mention any inaccuracy in the paragraph in ques- late navigators into the South Seas. I began with observing, that Mr. (now Sir Joseph) Banks tells us, that the art of slaughtering animals was not known in Otaheite, for, instead of bleeding to death their dogs (a common food with them), they strangle them. This he told me himself; and I supposed that their hogs were killed in the same way. Dr. Johnson said, " This must be owing to their not having knives, though they have sharp stones with which they can cut a carcass in pieces toler- ably." By degrees, he showed that he knew something even of butchery. " Different ani- mals," said he, " are killed differently. An ox is knocked down, and a calf stunned ; but a sheep has its throat cut, without any thing being done to Rtupify it. The butchers have no view to the case of the animals, but only to make them quiet, for their own safety and con- venience. A sheep can give them little trouble. Hales is of opinion that every animal should be blooded, without having any blow given to it, because it bleeds better." Boswell. " That would be cruel." Johnson. " No, Sir ; there is not much pain, if the jugular vein be pro- perly cut." Pursuing the subject, he said, the kennels of Southwark ran with blood two or three days in the week; that he was afraid there were slaughter-houses in more streets in London than one supposes (speaking with a kind of horror of butchering) ; " and yet," he added, "any of us would kill a cow, rather than not have beef." I said we could not. " Yes," said he, "any one may. The business of a butcher is a trade indeed, that is to say, there is an apprenticeship served to it ; but it may be learnt in a month." I mentioned a club in London, at the Boar's Head in Eastcheap, the very tavern " where tion : and what is still more material, and very flattering to me, a considerable part of my Journal, containing this para- graph, tras read several years ago by Mrs. Thrale herself, who had it for some time in her possession, and returned it to me, without intimating that Dr. Johnson had mistaken her sentiments. When the first edition of my .Tournal was passing through the press, it occurred to me, that a peculiar delicacy was necessary to be observed in reporting the opinion of one literary lady concerning the performance of another ; and I had such scruples on that head, that, in the proof sheet, I struck out the name of Mrs. Thrale from the above para- graph, and two or three hundred copies of my book were actually printed and published without it ; of these Sir Joshua Reynolds's copy happened to be one. But while the sheet was working off, a friend, for whose opinion I have great respect, suggested that I had no right to deprive Mrs. Thrale of the high honour which Dr. Johnson had done her, by stating her opinion along with that of Mr. Beauclerk, as coinciding with, and, as it were, sanctioning his own. The observation appeared to me so weighty and conclusive, that I hastened to the printing-house, and, as a piece of justice, restored Mrs. Thrale to that place from which a too scru- pulous delicacy had excluded her. On this simple state of facts I shall make no observation whatever. — Boswei.i,. The fact of Mrs. Piozzi's having read his Journal, and made no objection, completely justifies Mr. Boswell, and throws some doubt over her own veracity. Yet it is just pqssible that this giddy lady may not have read every line of the manuscript. Mrs. Montagu's Essay is lively, and not long, and it would have been very strange if Mrs. Piozzi had not been able to read it through. See anti, p. ll"*. — Croker. 1 We have already seen that he had an early opportunity of learning the details of the art of tanning, and no doubt of other trades connected with it. — Croker. - Not the very tavern which was burned down in the great JEt. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 349 Falstaff and his joyous companions met ; the members of which all assume Shakspeare's characters. One is Falstaff, another Prince Plenry, another Bardolph, and so on. John- son. " Don't be of it, Sir. Now that you have a name, you must be careful to avoid many things, not bad in themselves, but which will lessen your character.' This every man who has a name must observe. A man who is not publicly known may live in London as he pleases, without any notice being taken of him ; but it is wonderful how a person of any conse- quence is watched. There was a member of parliament ", who wanted to prepare himself to speak on a question that was to come on in the house ; and he and I were to talk it over to- gether. He did not Avish it should be known that he talked with me ; so he would not let me come to bis house, but came to mine. Some time after he had made his speech in the house, Mrs. Cholmondeley ^, a very airy lady, told me, ' Well, you could make nothing of him ! ' naming the gentleman ; which was a proof that he was watched. I had once some business "'^ to do for government, and I went to Lord North's. Pi-ecaution was taken that it should not be known. It was dark before I went ; yet a few days after I was told, ' Well, you have been with Lord North.' I'hat the door of the prime minister should be watched is not strange ; but that a member of parliament should be watched is wonderful." ^ AVe set out this morning on our way to Ta- lisker, in Uli7iish''s boat, having taken leave of him and his family. Mr. Donald M'Queen still favoured us with his company, for which we were much obliged to him. As we sailed along. Dr. Johnson got into one of his fits of railing at the Scots. He owned that they had been a very learned nation for a hundred years, from about 1550 to about 1650 ; but that they afforded the only instance of a people among whom the arts of civil life did not ad- vance in proportion with learning ; that they had hardly any trade, an}' money, or any ele- gance, before the Union ; that it was strange that, with all the advantages possessed by other nations, they had not any of those con- veniencies and embellishments which are the fruit of industry, till they came in contact with a civilised people. "We have taught you," said he, " and we'll do the same in time to all barbarous nations, to the Cherokees, and at fire. Goldsmith and Washington Irving have fallen into the same mistake — P. Cinningham. The house rt-built on the original site had a stone sign of a boar's head with the date of IOCS, let into the wall. — Choker, 1846. > I do not see why 1 might not have been of this club with- out lessening my character. But Dr. Johnson's caution against supposing one's self concealed in London may be very useful to prevent some people from doing many things, not only foolish, but criminal Boswell. '- Was this Mr. Fitzherbert ? of whom no speech is pre- served—or, as I rather suspect, Mr. Gerrard Hamilton? with whom Johnson had some political dealings, but who did not speak with any considerable success after his first celebrated speech in Nov. 1755. Sec ante, pp. 1G8, 1G9. — Croker. 3 Mrs. Cholmondeley was a younger sister of the celebrated Margaret Wolfington. She married the Hon. and Kev. George Cholmondeley Croker. ■' No doubt about one of his political pamphlets ; probably that respecting the Falkland Islands Croker. 5 It is more probable that the fact transpired by some other means. I do not believe that any such system of watching was ever employed in England. — Croker. 6 See (in/t, p. 308., and post, 18th March, 1776. — C. ^ When Buonaparte first surveyed his new sovereignty of Elba, he talked jocularly of taking the little island of Pianosa. So natural to mankind seems to be the de«ire of conquest, that it was the first thought of the speculative moralist as well as of the dethroned usurper. — Croker. last to the Ouran-Outangs," laughing with as i much glee as if Monboddo had been present. ' Boswell. " We had wine before the Union." ' Johnson. " No, Sir ; you had some weak j stuff, the refuse of France, which would not j make you drunk." Eosavell. " I assure you, I Sir, there was a great deal of drunkenness." ! Johnson. " No, Sir ; there were people who died of dropsies, which they contracted in try- ing to get drunk." I must here glean some of his conversation at Ulinish, which I have omitted. He repeated his remark, that a man in a ship was worse | than a man in a jail. " The man in a jail," said he, " has more room, better food, and commonly better company, and is in safety." "Ay; but," said Mr. M'Queen, "the man in the ship has the pleasing hope of getting to shore." Johnson. " Sir, I am not talking of a man's getting to shore, but of a man while lie is in a ship ; and then, I say, he is worse than a man while he is in jail. A man in a jail may have the 'pleasing hope ' of getting out. A man confined lor only a limited time actually has it." ^ Macleod mentioned his schemes for carrying on fisheries with sjiirit, and that he would wish to understand the construction of boats. I suggested that he might go to a dock-yard and work, as Peter the Great did. Johnson. " Nay, Sir, he need not work. Peter the Great had not the sense to see that the mere mechanical work may be done by any body, and that there is the same art in constructing a vessel, whether the boards are well or ill wrought. Sir Chris- topher Wren might as well have served his time to a britiklayer, and first, indeed, to a brickmaker." There is a beautiful little island in the Loch of Dunvegan, called Isa. Macleod said, he would give it to Dr. Johnson, on condition of his residing on it three months in the year ; nay one month. Dr. Johnson was highly amused with the fancy. I have seen him please himself with little things, even with mere ideas like the present. He talked a great deal of this island : how he would build " house there — how he would fortify it — how : he would have cannon — how he would plant — how he would sally out, and take the Isle of INIuck'' ; and then he laughed with uncommon glee, and could hardly leave off. I have seen him do so at a small matter that struck him. 350 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. I and was a sport to no one else. Mr. Langton I told me, that one night he did so while the ] company were all grave about him; — only 1 Garrick, in his signiScant smart manner, dart- 1 ing his eyes around, exclaimed, " Very jocose, I to be sure ! " Macleod encouraged the fancy j of Dr. Johnson's becoming owner of an island ; ! told him, that it was the practice in this country to name every man by his lands ; and begged leave to drink to him in that mode : " Island I Isa, your health ! " U/inish, Talisker, Mr. 1 M'Queen, and I, all joined in our different I manners, while Dr. Johnson bowed to each, with much good humour. I "We had good weather and a fine sail this day. The shore was varied with hills, and rocks, and corn-fields, and bushes, which are here dignified with the name of natural wood. We landed near the house of Ferneley, a farm possessed by another gentleman of the name of Macleod, who, expecting our arrival, was waiting on the shore, with a horse for Dr. Johnson. The rest of us walked. At dinner, I expressed to Macleod the joy which I had I in seeing him on such cordial terms with his j clan. " Government," said he, " has deprived ! us of our ancient power ; but it cannot deprive I us of our domestic satisfactions. I would rather drink punch in one of their houses i (meaning the houses of his people), than be I enabled, by their hardships, to have claret in i my own." This should be the sentiment of [ every chieftain. AU that he can get by raising I his rents is mere luxury in his own house. Is i it not better to share the profits of his estate, I to a certain degree, with his kinsmen, and thus I have both social intercourse and patriarchal influence ? We had a very good ride, for about three miles, to Talisker, where Colonel Macleod in- troduced us to his lady. We found here Mr. Donald M'Lean, the young Laird of Col (nephew to Talisker), to whom I delivered the letter with which I had been favoured by his uncle, Professor Macleod, at Aberdeen. He was a little lively young man. We found he had been a good deal in England, studying farming, and was resolved to improve the value of his father's lands, without oppressing his tenants, or losing the ancient Highland fashions. Talisker is a better place than one commonly finds in Sky. It is situated in a rich bottom. Before it is a wide expanse of sea, on each hand of which are immense rocks ; and, at some distance in the sea, there are three columnal rocks rising to sharp points. The • This was a dexterous mode of description, for the pur- pose of his argument ; for what he alluded to was, a sermon published by the learned Dr. William Wishart, formerly principal of the college at Edinburgh, to warn men against confiding in a death-bed repentance, of the Inefficacy of which he entertained notions very different from those of Dr. John- son. — BoswELL. Mr. Boswell seems here to have been betrayed by the personal or national offence which he took at Dr. Johnson's depreciation of the Scottish clergy, into making billows break with prodigious force and noise on the coast of Talisker. There are here a good many well-grown trees. Talisker is an extensive farm. The possessor of it has, for several generations, been the next heir to Macleod, as there has been but one son always in that family. The court before the house is most injudiciously paved with the round bluish- grey pebbles which are found upon the sea- shore ; so that you walk as if upon cannon balls driven into the ground. After supper, I talked of the assiduity of the Scottish clergy, in visiting and privately instructing their parishioners, and observed how much in this they excelled the English clergy. Dr. Johnson would not let this pass. He tried to turn it oif, by saying, " There are different ways of instructing. Our clergy pray and preach." Macleod and I pressed the subject, upon which he grew warm, and broke forth : " I do not believe your people are better instructed. If they are, it is the blind leading the blind ; for your clergy are not in- structed themselves." Thinking he had gone a little too far, he checked himself, and added, " When I talk of the ignorance of your clergy, I talk of them as a body : I do not mean that there are not individuals who are learned (looking at Mr. M'Queen). I suppose there are such among the clergy in Muscovy. The clergy of England have produced the most valuable books in support of religion, both in theory and practice. What have your clergy done, since you sunk into presbyterianism ? Can you name one book of any value, on a re- ligious subject, written by them?" We were silent. " I'll help you. Forbes wrote very well ; but I believe he wrote before episcopacy was quite extinguished." And then pausing a little, he said, " Yes, you have Wishart against Repentance." ' Boswell. " But, Sir, we are not contending for the superior learning of our clergy, but for their superior assiduity." He bore us down again, with thundering against their ignorance, and said to me, " I see you have not been well taught ; for you have not charity." He had been in some measure forced into this warmth, by the exulting air which I assumed ; for, when he began, he said, " Since you will drive the nail ! " He again thought of good Mr. M'Queen, and, taking him by the hand, said, " Sir, I did not mean any disrespect to you." Here I must observe, that he conquered by deserting his ground, and not meeting the ar- gument as I had put it. The assiduity of the Scottish clergy is certainly greater than that an uncharitable and, as it would seem, unfounded charge on his great friend's religious tenets. It does not — that I am aware of — appear that Johnson ever expressed any confi- dence in a death-bed repentance ; on the contrary, his whole life was a practical contradiction of his entertaining any such belief. His Prayers and Meditations refute such an impu- tation in every page ; and, in his conversations, Boswell himself records numberless instances of an absolutely oppo- site opinion Crokrr. ^T. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 351 of the English. His taking tip the topic of their not having so much learning, was, though ingenious, yet a fallacy. It was as if there should be a dispute whether a man's hair is well dressed, and Dr. Johnson should say, " Sir, his hair cannot be well dressed ; for he has a dirty shirt. No man who has not clean linen has his hair well dressed." "When some days afterwards he read this passage, he said, " No, Sir ; I did not say that a man's hair could not be well dressed because he has not clean linen, but because he is bald." He used one argument against the Scottish clergy being learned, which I doubt was not good. " As we believe a man dead till we know that he is alive ; so we believe men ig- norant till we know that they are learned." Now our maxim in law is, to presume a man alive, till we know he is dead. However, indeed, it may be answered, that we must first know he has lived ; and that we have never known the learning of the Scottish clergy. ]\Ir. M'Queen, though he was of opinion that Dr. Johnson had deserted the point really in dispute, was much pleased with what he said, and owned to me, he thought it very just ; and Mrs. Macleod was so much captivated by his eloquence, that she told me, "I was a good advocate for a bad cause." Friday, Sept. 24. — This was a good day. Dr. Johnson told us, at breakfast, that he rode harder at a fox chase than any body.^ " The English," said he, " are the only nation who ride hard a-hunting. A Frenchman goes out upon a managed horse, and capers in the field, and no more thinks of leaping a hedge ^ than of mounting a breach. Lord Powerscourt ^ laid a wager, in France, that he would ride a great many miles in a certain short time. The French academicians set to work, and calcu- lated that, from the resistance of the air, it was impossible. His lordship, however, per- formed it." Our money being nearly exhausted, we sent a bill for thirty pounds, drawn on Sir William Forbes and Co., to Lochbraccadale, but our messenger found it very difficult to procure cash for it ; at length, however, he got us value from the master of a vessel which was to carry away some emigrants. There is a great scar- city of specie in Sky.'* Mr. M'Queen said he had the utmost difficulty to pay his servants' wages, or to pay for any little thing which he has to buy. The rents are paid in bills, which ' This startling assertion is corroborated by Hawkins and Mrs.Piozzi. She says that " he certainly rode on Mr.Thrale's old hunter with a good firmness, and though he would follow the hounds fifty miles an end sometimes, would never own himself either tired or amused." All this seems very strange. That he might now and then have ridden out with the harriers, on Brighton Downs, I ran understand ; but that he ever was a fox-hunter I cannot believe — Ckoker. * Because, in the greater part of France, there are no hedges; nor do they hunt, in the sense — in which we use that word — oCrunning down the animal. — Choker. ' Edward Wiagfield, second Viscount of the last creation. the drovers give. The people consume a vast deal of snuff and tobacco, for which they must pay ready money ; and pedlars, who come about selling goods, as there is not a shop in the island, carry away the cash. If there were encouragement given to fisheries and m.anu- factorics, there might be a circulation of money introduced. I got one and twenty shillings in silver at Portree, which was thought a won- derful store.^ Talisker, ISh: M'Queen, and I, walked out, and looked at no less than fifteen different waterfalls, near the house, in the space of about a quarter of a mile. We also saw Cuchillin's well, said to have been the fiivourite spring of that ancient hero. I drank of it. The water is admirable. On the shore are many stones full of crystallisations in the heart. Though our obliging friend, Mr. M'Lean, was but the young laird ", he had the title of Col constantly given him. After dinner he and I walked to the top of Prieshwell, a very high rocky hill, from whence there is a view of Barra — the Long Island '' — Bernera — the Loch of Dunvegan — part of Rum — part of IJasay — and a vast deal of the Isle of Sky. Col, though he had come into Sky with an intention to be at Dunvegan, and pass a consi- derable time in the island, most politely re- solved first to conduct us to Mull, and then to return to Sky. This was a very fortunate circumstance ; for he planned an expedition for us of more variety than merely going to Mull. He proposed we should see the islands of Egg, Muck, Col, and Tyr-yi. In all these islands he could show us every thing worth seeing ; and in Mull he said he should be as if at home, his father having lands there, and he at a farm. Dr. Johnson did not talk much to-day, but seemed intent in listening to the schemes of future excursion, planned by Col, Dr. Birch, however, being mentioned, he said, he had more anecdotes than any man. I said, Percy had a great many ; that he flowed with them like one of the brooks here. Johnson. " If Percy is like one of the brooks here, Birch was like the river Thames. Birch excelled Percy in that, as much as Percy excels Goldsmith." I mentioned Lord Hales as a man of anecdote. He was not pleased with him, for publishing only such memorials and letters as were unfa- vourable for the Stuart family. " If," said he, born in 1729, succeeded his brother in 1762, and died in 1764. He was called the French Lord Powerscourt. — Croker. ■• This scarcity of cash still exists on the islands, in several of which five shilling notes are necessarily issued to have some circulating medium. If you insist on having change, you must purchase something at a shop. — Walter Scott. 5 See anti, p. 327., the Pretender's difficulty in getting change of a guinea at Portree. 6 Because he was considered the actual possessor of the property. See post, p. 379. — Croker 7 A series of islands ; the two Uists, Benbecula, and some others, arc called by the general name of Lo7ig Ibland. — Croker. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. " a man fairly warns you, ' I am to give all the ill — do you find the good,' he may ; but if the object which he professes be to give a view of a reign, let him tell all the truth. I would tell truth of the two Georges, or of that scoundrel. King William. Granger's ' Biographical His- tory ' is full of curious anecdote ^, but might have been better done. The dog is a Whig. I do not like much to see a Whig in any dress ; but I hate to see a Whig in a parson's gown." Saturday, Sept. 25. — It was resolved that we should set out, in order to return to Slate, to be in readiness to take a boat whenever there should be a fair wind. Dr. Johnson re- mained in his chamber writing a letter, and it was long before we could get him into motion. He did not come to breakfast, but had at sent to him. When he had finished his letter, it was twelve o'clock, and we should have set out at ten. When I went up to him, he said to me, "Do you remember a song which begins — " ' Every island is a prison Strongly guarded by the sea ; Kings and princes, for that reason, Prisoners are as well as we ' ? " I suppose he had been thinking of our con- fined situation.' He would fain have got in a boat from hence, instead of riding back to Slate. A scheme for it was proposed. He said, " We'll not be driven tamely from it : " but it proved impracticable. We took leave of IMacleod and Taliske?; from whom we parted with regret. Talisher, having been bred to physic, had a tincture of scholarship in his conversation, which pleased Dr. Johnson, and he had some very good books ; and being a colonel in the Dutch service, he and his lady, in consequence of having lived abroad, had introduced the ease and politeness of the continent into this rude region. Young Col was now our leader. Mr. M'Queen was to accompany us half a day more. We stopped at a little hut, where we saw an old woman grinding with the quern, the ancient Highland instrument, which it is said was used by the Romans ; but which, being very slow in its operation, is almost entirely gone into disuse. The walls of the cottages in Sky, instead of being one compacted mass of stones, are often formed by two exterior surfaces of stone, filled up with earth in the middle, which 1 The Rev. James Granger,Vicar of Sliiplake, died in 1776. His Biographical History of England, dedicated to Horace Walpole, was published in 1769. A continuation, by the Kev. Mark Noble, appeared in 180G. In a letter to Boswell, Aug. 30. 1776, Dr. Johnson says, " I have read every word of Granger: it has entertained me exceedingly." — Wbight. 2 Th« song begins — " Welcome, welcome, brother debtor, To this poor but merry place." makes them vei-y warm. The roof is ge- nerally bad. They are thatched, sometimes with straw, sometimes with heath, some- times with fern. The thatch is secured by ropes of straw, or of heath ; and, to fix the ropes, there is a stone tied to the end of each. These stones hang round the bottom of the roof, and make it look like a lady's hair in papers ; but I should think that, when there is wind, they would come down, and knock people on the head. We dined at the inn at Sconser, where I had the pleasure to find a letter from my wife. Here we parted from our learned companion, jVIi-. Donald M'Queen. Dr. Johnson took leave of him very afiectionately, saying, " Dear Sir, do not forget me ! " We settled, that he should write an account of the Isle of Sky, which Dr. Johnson promised to revise. He said, Mr. M'Queen should tell all that he could ; distinguishing what he himself knew, what was traditional, and what conjectural.'* We sent our horses round a point of land, that we might shun some very bad road ; and resolved to go forward by sea. It was seven o'clock when we got into our boat. We had many showers, and it soon grew pretty dark. Dr. Johnson sat silent and patient. Once he said, as he looked on the black coast of Sky, — black, as being composed of rocks seen in the dusk, — " This is very solemn." Our boatmen were rude singers, and seemed so like wild Indians, that a very little imagination was necessary to give one an impression of being upon an American river. We landed at Strolimus, from whence we got a guide to walk before us, for two miles, toCorrichatachin. Not being able to procure a horse for our baggage, I took one portmanteau before me, and Joseph another. We had but a single star to light us on our way. It was about eleven when we arrived. We were most hospitably received by the master and mistress, who were just going to bed, but, with unaffected ready kindness, made a good fire, and at twelve o'clock at night had supper on the table. James Macdonald, of Knockow, KingshurgKs brother, whom we had seen at Kingsburgh, was there. He showed me a bond granted by the late Sir James Macdonald, to old Kings- hiu'g, the preamble of which does so much honour to the feelings of that much-lamented gentleman, that I thought it worth transcrib- ing. It was as follows : — " I, Sir James IMacdonald, of Macdonald, Baronet, now, after arriving at my perfect age, from the The stanza quoted by Johnson is the sixth. See Ritson'i Songs, vol. ii. p. 105 Croker. 3 The letter Johnson had been writing was to Mrs.Thrale, and it begins with the same question, — " Do you remember the song, 'Every island, &c.' ? " — Wright. ■< The Rev. Donald M'Queen died at Edinburgh, Oct. 24. 1776; but without lulfillin? this project. See Nichols's Jllust. vol. V. p. 405. and Cenl. Mag. vol. Ixiv. p. 881.— CUOKER. JEt. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. friendship I bear to Alexander Macdonald, of Kingsburgh, and in return for the long and faith- ful services done and performed by liim to my de- ceased father, and to myself during my minority, when he was one of my tutors and curators ; being resolved, now that the said Alexander Macdonald is advanced in years, to contribute my endeavours for making his old age placid and comfortable," — therefore he grants him an annuity of fifty pounds sterling. Dr. Johnson went to bed soon. When one bowl of punch was finished, I rose, and was near the door, in my way np stairs to bed ; but Comchatachin said it was the first time Col had been in his house, and he should have his bowl ; — and would not I join in drinking it ? The heartiness of my honest landlord, and the desire of • doing social honour to our very obliging conductor, induced me to sit down again. CoVs bowl was finished ; and by that time we were well warmed. A third bowl was soon made, and that too was finished. We Avere cordial, and merry to a high degree ; l)ut of what passed I have no recollection, with any accuracy. I remember calling Cor- richatachin by the familiar appellation of Corri, which his friends do. A fourth bowl was made, by which time Col, and young M'Kinnon, Corrichatachin s son, slipped away to bed. I continued a little with Corri and Knockow ; but at last I left them. It was near five in the morning when I got to bed. Sunday, Sept. 26. — I awaked at noon, with a severe headache. I was much vexed, that I should have been guilty of such a riot, and afraid of a reproof from Dr. Johnson. I thought it very inconsistent with that conduct which I ought to maintain, while the com- panion of the Rambler. About one he came into my room, and accosted me, " What, drunk yet ? " His tone of voice was not that of severe upbraiding ; so I was relieved a little. "Sir," said I, "they kept me up." He answered, "No, you kept them up, you drunken dog." This he said with good-hu- moured English pleasantry. Soon afterwards, Corrichatachin, Col, and other friends, as- sembled round my bed. Co7'ri had a brandy- bottle and glass with him, and insisted I should take a dram. "Ay," said Dr. Johnson, "fill him drunk again. Do it in the morninff, that ' My ingenuously relating this occasional instance of in- temperance has, I find, been made the subject both of serious criticism and ludicrous banter. With the bantercrs I nhall not trouble myself, hut I wonder that those who pretend to the appellation of serious critics should not have had sa- gacity enough to perceive that here, as in every other part of the present work, my principal object was to delineate Dr. Johnson's manners and character. In justice to him I would not omit an anecdote, which, though in some de- gree to my own disadvantage, exhibits in so strong a light the indulgence and good humour with which he could treat those excesses in his friends of which he highly disapproved. In some other instances, the critics have been equally .wrong as to the true motive of ray recording particulars, the ob- jections to which I saw as clearly as they. But it would be an endless task for an author to point out upon every occa- sion the precise object he has in view. Contenting himself with the approbation of readers of discernment and taste, he we may laugh at him all day. It is a poor thing for a fellow to get drunk at night, and sculk to bed, and let his friends have no sport." Finding him thus jocular, I became quite easy ; and when I offered to get up, he very good- naturedly said, "You need be in no such hurry now." ' I took my host's advice, and drank some brandy, which I found an eltectual cure lor my headache. When I rose, I went into Dr. Johnson's room, and taking up JNIrs. M'Kinnon's Prayer-book, I ojiened it at the twentieth Sunday after Trinity, in the epistle for which I read, " And be "not drunk with wine, wherein there is excess." Some would have taken this as divine interposition. Mrs. M'Kinnon told us at dinner, that old Kingsburgh, her father, was examined at Mugstot, by General Campbell 2, as t- the particulars of the dress of the person who had come to his house in woman's clothes, along with ]\Iiss Flora Macdonald; as the general had received intelligence of that disguise. The particulars were taken down in writing, that it might be seen how far they agreed with the dress of the Irish girl who went with Miss Flora from the Long Island. Kingsburgh, she said, had but one song, which he always sung when he was merry over a glass. She dic- tated the words to me, which are foolish enough : — " Green sleeves and pudding pies, Tell me where my mistress lies. And I'll be with her before she rise, Fiddle and aw' together. " May our affairs abroad succeed, And may our king come home with speed, And all pretenders shake for dread, And let his health go round. " To all our injured friends in need. This side and beyond the Tweed ! — Let all pretenders shake for dread. And let his health go round. Green sleeves, &c." ' While the examination was going on, the present Talisher, who was there as one of IVIacleod's militia*, could not resist the plea- santry of asking Kingsburgh, in allusion to his only song, " Had she green sleeves ? " Kings- burgh gave him no answer. Lady Margaret ought not to complain that some are found who cannot or will not understand him Boswell. 2 General Campbell, it seems, was accompanied by Captain Fergussone, of the Furnace, part of whose share in this examination we have already seen, ante, p. 325 Croker. 3 " Green sleeves." however, is a song a great deal older than the Kevolution. " His disposition and words no more adhere and keep pace together, than the hundredth psalm and the tune of Green sleeves," says Mrs. Ford, in the Mcrrij IVives of Windsor — Choker. •• Macleod and Macdonald, after some hesitation, which the Jacobites called treachery, took part with the Hanoverian monarch, and arrayed their clans on that side. Talisker, who commanded a body of Macleod's i)eople, seems to have been the person who actually arrested Flora Macdonald. (.iscanitis.) — But he probably did so, to prevent her falling into ruder hands Croker. A A 354 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. Macdonald' was very angry at Taliskcr for joking on such a serious occasion, as Kings- burgh was really in danger of his life. Mrs. M'Kinnon added, that Lady Margaret was quite adored in Sky. That when she travelled through the island, the people ran in crowds before her, and took the stones off the road, lest her horse should stumble and she be hurt.^ Her husband. Sir Alexander, is also remem- bered with great regard. We were told that every week a hogshead of claret was drunk at his table. This was another day of wind and rain ; but good cheer and good society helped to beguile the time. I felt myself comfortable enough in the afternoon. I then thought that my last night's riot was no more than such a social excess as may happen without much moral blame ; and recollected that some phy- sicians maintained, that a fever produced by it was, upon the whole, good for health : so dif- ferent are our rellectlons on the same subject, at different periods ; and such the excuses with which we palliate what we know to be wrong. Monday, Sept. 27. — Mr. Donald Macleod, our original guide, who had parted from us at Dunvegan, joined iis again to-day. The weather was still so bad that we could not travel. I found a closet here, with a good many books, besides those that were lying about. Dr. Johnson told nie, he found a library in his room at Talisker ; and observed, that it was one of the remarkable things of Sky, that there were so many books in it. Though we had here great abundance of provisions, it is remarkable that Corricliafachin has literally no garden : not even a turnip, a carrot, or a cabbage. After dinner, we talked of the crooked spade used in Sky, already described, and they maintained that it was better than the usual garden-spade, and that there was an art in tossing it, by which those who were accustomed to it could work very easily with it. " Nay," said Dr. Johnson, "it may be useful in land where there are many stones to raise ; but it certainly is not a good instrument for digging good land. A man may toss it, to be sure ; but he will toss a li^ht spade much better : its weight makes it an in- cumbrance. A man 7nay dig any land with it; but he has no occasion for such a weight iu digging good land. You may take a field-piece to shoot sparrows ; but all the sparrows you can bring home will not be worth the charge.' He was quite social and easy amongst them ; and, though he drank no fermented liquor, toasted Highland beauties with great readiness. His conviviality engaged them so much, that they seemed eager to show their attention to him, and vied with each other in crying out, Seeante,p.3'iG. — C. Johnson made a compliment on this subject to Lady M. with a Strong Celtic pronunciation, " Toctor Shonson, Toctor Shonson, your health ! " This evening one of our mai'ried ladies, a lively pretty little woman, good humouredly sat down upon Dr. Johnson's knee, and, being encouraged by some of the company, put her hands round his neck, and kissed him. " Do it again," said he, " and let us see who will tire first." He kept her on his knee some time, while he and she drank tea. He was now like a buck indeed. All the company were much entertained to find him so easy and pleasant. To me it was highly comic, to see the grave philosopher — the Rambler — toying with a Highland beauty ! But what could he do ? He must have been surly, and weak too, had he not behaved as he did. He would have been laughed at, and not more respected, though less loved. He read to-night, to himself, as he sat in com- pany, a great deal of my Journal, and said to me, " The more I read of this, I think the more highly of you." 2 The gentlemen sat a long time at their punch, after he and I had retired to our chambers. The manner in which they were attended struck me as singular. The bell being broken, a smart lad lay on a table in the corner of the room, ready to spring up and bring the kettle Avhenever it was wanted. They continued drinking, and singing Erse songs, till near five in the morning, when they all came iii.to my room, where some of them had ' beds. Unluckily for me, they found a bottle ! of punch in a corner, which they drank ; and j Corrichatachin went for another, which they : also drank. They made many apologies for' disturbing me. I told them, that, having been ' kept awake by their mirth, I had once thoughts • of getting up and joining them again. Honest Corrichatachin said, " To have had you done , so, I would have given a cow." Tuesday, Sept. 28. — The weather was worse! than yesterday. I felt as if imprisoned. Dr. ! Johnson said it was irksome to be detained' thus : yet he seemed to have less uneasiness, or' more patience, than I had. What made our situation worse here was, that we had no rooms i that we could command; for the good people' had no notion that a man could have any occa-' sion but for a mere sleeping place ; so, during, the day, the bed-chambers were common to all the house. Servants eat in Dr. Johnson's, and mine was a kind of general rendezvous of alli under the roof, children and dogs not excepted.! As the gentlemen occupied the parlour, th« ladies had no place to sit in, during the day but Dr. Johnson's room. I had always somt quiet time for writing in it, before he was up and, by degrees, I accustomed the ladies to le- me sit in it after breakfast, at my Journal, without minding me. JIacdonald, when he afterwards met her, at dinner, in Lon don. See 8th April, 1770. — Croker. 3 Otyou! — Croker. ^T. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. I Dr. Johnson was this morning for going to j see as many islands as we could, not recollecting the uncertainty of the season, which might de- tain us in one place for many Aveeks. He said to me, " I have more the spirit of adventure than you." For my part, I was anxious to get ; to Mull, from whence we might almost any day I reach the main land. j Dr. Johnson mentioned, that the few ancient Irish gentlemen yet remaining have the highest I pride of family ; that Mr. Sandford, a friend i of his, whose mother was L-Ish, told him, that O'Hara (who was true Irish, both by father i and mother) and he, and Mr. Ponsonby, son to the Earl of Besborough, the greatest man of the three, but of an English family, went to ; see one of those ancient Irish, and that he dis- tinguished them thus : " O'Hara, you are welcome ! ]\Ir. Sandford, youi' mother's son is welcome ! jSL-. Ponsonby, you may sit down ! " } He talked both of threshing and thatching. j He said it was very difficult to determine how to agree with a thresher. " If you pay him by 1 the day's wages, he will thresh no more than ; he pleases : though, to be sure, the negli- gence of a thresher is more easily detected than that of most labourers, because he must always make a sound while he woi-ks. K you pay him by the piece, by the quantity of grain i which he produces, he will thresh only while the grain comes freely, and though he leaves a good deal in the ear, it is not worth while to thresh the straw over again ; nor can you fix him to do it sufficiently, because it is so diffi- cult to prove how much less a man threshes than he ought to do. Here then is a dilemma: jbut, for my part, I would engage him by the |day ; I would rather trust his idleness than his '! fraud." He said, a roof thatched with Lin- olnshire reeds would last seventy years, as he iwas informed when in that county ; and that he told this in London to a great thatchei-, who said, he believed it might be true. Such are the pains that Dr. Johnson takes to get the best information on every subject. He proceeded : " It is difficult for a former lin England to find day-labourers, because the lowest manufacturers can always get more than a day-labourer. It is of no consequence how high the wages of manufacturers are ; but it would be of very bad consequence to raise the wages of those who procure the immediate accessaries of life, for that would raise the price of provisions. Here then is a problem '.'or politicians. It is not reasonable that the oiost useful body of men should be the worst ■paid ; yet it does not apjjcar how it can be or- lered otherwise. It were to be wished, that a mode for its being otherwise were found out. In the mean time, it is better to give temporary issistance by charitable contributions to poor 1 It must bfe remembered that Mrs. M'Kinnon was old l\.inj;sburgh's daughter, and was in the house vhen the Pre- endei- was there in woman's clothes. Ascanius relates an '.oecdote of her being alarmed (she was then very vouug) labourers, at times when provisions are high, than to raise their wages ; because, if wages are once raised, they will never get down again.' Happily the weather cleared tqi between one and two o'clock, and we got ready to depart ; but our kind host and hostess would not let us go without taking a snatch, as they called it ; which was in truth a very good dinner. While the punch went round. Dr. Johnson kept a close whispering conference with Mrs. M'Kin- non, which, however, Avas loud enough to let us hear that the subject of it was the particulars of Prince Charles's escape.' The company were entertained and pleased to observe it. Upon that subject, there was something con- genial between the soul of Dr. Samuel Johnson and that of an Isle of Sky farmer's wife. It is curious to see people, how far soever removed from each other in the general system of their lives, come close together on a particular point which is common to each. We were merry with Corrichatachin, on Dr. Johnson's whis- pering with his wife. She, perceiving this, humorously cried, " I am in love with him. What is it to live and not to love ? " Upon her saying something, which I did not hear, or cannot recollect, he seized her hand eagerly, and kissed it. As we were going, the Scottish phrase of " honest man ! " which is an expression of kind- ness and regard, was again and again applied by the company to Dr. Johnson. I was also treated with much civility ; and I must take some merit from my assiduous attention to him, and from my contriving that he shall be easy Vi^herever he goes, that he shall not be asked twice to eat or drink any thing (which always disgusts him), that he shall be provided with water at his meals, and many such little things, which, if not attended to, would fret him. I also may be allowed to claim some merit in leading the conversation : I do not mean leading, as in an orchestra, by playing the first fiddle ; but leading as one does in examining a witness — starting topics, and making him pur- sue them. He appears to me like a great mill, into which a subject is thrown to be ground. It requires, indeed, fertile minds to furnish materials for this mill. I regret whenever I see it unemployed ; but sometimes I feel my- self quite barren, and having nothing to throw in. I know not if this mill be a good figure ; though Pope makes his mind a mill for turning verses. We set out about four. Young Corrichata- chin went v/ith us. We had a fine evening, and arrived in good time at Ostig, the resi- dence of Mr. Martin M'Pherson, minister of Slate. It is a pretty good house, built by his father, upon a farm near the church, ^^'e were received here with much kindness by !Mi-. and with the masculine manners and bold strides of the " muclde woman" \w the hall. Mrs. M'Kinnon was the maternal grandmother of my friend Major-General Macdonald, now (1846) Adjutant- General. — Croker. AA 2 356 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. Mrs. M'Pherson, and his sister, Miss MTherson, who pleased Dr. Johnson much by singing Erse songs, and playing on the guitar. He after- war'ds sent her a present of his " Rasselas." In his bed-chamber was a press stored with books, Greek, Latin, French, and English, most of which had belonged to the father of our host, the learned Dr. M'Pherson ; who, though his " Dissertations " have been mentioned in a former page as unsatisfactory, was a man of distinguished talents. Dr. Johnson looked at a Latin paraphrase of the Song of Moses, written by him, and published in the " Scots Magazine" for 1747, and said, "It does him honour ; he has a great deal of Latin, and good Latin." Dr. M'Pherson published also m the same Magazine, June, 1739, an original Latin ode, which he wrote from the Isle of Barra, where he was minister for some years. It is very poetical, and exhibits a striking proof how much all things depend upon com- parison : for Barra, it seems, appeared to him so much worse than Sky, his natale solum, that he languished for its " blessed mountains," and thought himself buried alive amongst bar- barians where he was. My readers will pro- bably not be displeased to have a specimen of this ode : — " Hei mihi ! quantos patior dolores, Dum procul specto juga ter beata, Dum ferae Barrje steriles arenas Solus oberro. " Ingemo, indignor, crucior, quod inter Barbaros Thulen lateam colentes ; Torpeo languens, morior sepultus Carcere coeco." After wishing for wings to fly over to his dear country, which was in his view, from what he calls Thule, as being the most western isle of Scotland, except St. Kilda ; after describing the pleasures of society, and the miseries of solitude ; he at last, with becoming propriety, has recourse to the only sure relief of thinking men, — Sursum corda\ — the hope of a better world, and disposes his mind to resignation : " Interim, fiat tua, rex, voluntas : Erigor sursum quoties subit spes Certa migrandi Solymam supernam Numinis aulam." He concludes in a noble strain of orthodox piety : " Vita turn demum vocitanda vita est. Tum licet gratos socios habere, Seraphim et sanctos triadem verendam Concelebrantes. " 1 The I>atin for the apostrophe in the Communion Scr- ee, "Lift up your liearts." — Choker. a For this letter I am indebted to the present Macleod. . CROKti, 1831. [JOHNSON TO MACLEOD.* " Ostig, 28th Sept. 1773. <' Dear Sir, — We are now on the margin of the sea, waiting for a boat and a wind. Boswell grows impatient ; but the kind treatment which I find wherever I go, makes me leave, with some heaviness of heart, an island which I am not very likely to see again. Having now gone as far as horses can carry us, we thankfully return them. My steed , will, I hope, be received with kindness ; — he has borne me, heavy as 1 am, over ground both rough and steep, with great fidelity ; and for the use of him, as for your other favours, I hope you will be- , lieve me thankful, and willing, at whatever distance we may be placed, to show my sense of your kind- ness, by any offices of friendship that may fall within my power. , " Lady ]\Iacleod and the yoimg ladies have, by ; their hospitality and politeness, made an impression on my mind, which will not easily be effaced. Be; pleased to tell them, that I remember them with, great tenderness, and great respect. — I am, Sir, your most obliged and most humble servant, i " Sam. Johnson." ' " P. S. — We passed two days at Talisker very happily, both by the pleasantness of the place and,| elegance of our reception."] —Macleod MSS. Wednesday, Sept. 29. — After a very goo( sleep, I rose more refreshed than I had bee: for some nights. We were now at but a littL distance from the shore, and saw the sea fron our windows, which made our voyage seen nearer. Mr. M'Pherson's manners and addres pleased us much. He appeared to be a man o' such intelligence and taste as to be sensible c the extraordinary powers of his illustriou- guest. He said to me, "Dr. Johnson is a honour to mankind, and, if the expression ma, be used, is an honour to religion." Col, who had gone yesterday to pay a visit r Camuscross, joined us this morning at break ( fast. Some other gentlemen also came 1 enjoy the entertainment of Dr. Johnson's coi versation. The day was windy and rainy, s that we had just seized a happy interval f( our journey last night. We had good ente: tainment here, better accommodation than ; j Corrichatachin, and time enough to ourselvf The hours slipped along imperceptibly.^ "W talked of Shenstone. Dr. Johnson said, 1 was a good layer-out of land, but would n allow him to approach excellence as a po( He said, he believed he had tried to read i his " Love Pastorals," but did not get throuj them. I repeated the stanza, " She gazed as I slowly withdrew ; I\iy jjath I could hardly discern ; So sweetly she bade me adieu, I thou"ht that she bade me return."' 3 He quotes this and some other stanzas from the i poem in his Life of Shenstone. — P. Cunningham. 1 ^Et. (J4. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 357 He said, " That seems to be pretty." I observed that Shenstone, from his short maxims in prose, appeared to have some power of thinking ; but Dr. Johnson would not allow him that merit. He agreed, however, with Shenstone, that it was wrong in the brother of one of his (;orre- spondents to burn his letters ; " for," said he, " Shenstone was a man whose eori'espondence w;i5 an honour." He was this afternoon lull of critical severity, and dealt about his censures on all sides. He said, Hammond's "Love Elegies" were poor things.' He spoke contcun)tuously nt'our lively and elegant, though too licentious lyric bard, Hanbury Williams, and said, " he had no fame, but from boys who drank with him." * 'While he was in this mood, I was unfortunate enough, simply perhaps, but I could not help thinking undeservedly, to come within " the whiff and wind of his fell sword." I asked him, if he had ever been accustomed to wear a nightcap. He said, " No." I asked, if it was best not to wear one. Johnson. " Sir, I had this custom by chance, and pei'haps no man shall ever know whether it is best to sleep with or without a night-cap." Soon after- wards he was laughing at some deficiency in the Highlands, and said, " One might as well go without shoes and stockings." Thinking to have a little hit at his own deficiency, I ven- tured to add, " or without a night-cap. Sir." But I had better have been silent, for he retorted directly, " I do not see the connection there (laughing). Nobody before was ever foolish enough to ask Avhether it was best to wear a night-cap or not. This comes of being a little wrong-headed." He carried the com- pany along with him : and yet the truth is, that if he had always worn a night-cap, as is the common practice, and found the Higli- landers did not wear one, he would have wondered at their barbarity ; so that my hit was fair enough. 1 Thursday^ Sept. 30. — There was as great a storm of wind and rain as I have almost ever : seen, which necessarily confined us to the house ; but we were fully compensated by Dr. Johnson's conversation. He said, he did not grudge Burke's being the first man in the House of Commons, for he was the first man i ' ■' The truth is, these Elegies have neither passion, 1 tare, nor manners. Whore there is fiction, there is no ij.ission : he tliiit describes himself as a shepherd, and his NeiEra or Delia as a shepherdess, and talks of goats and lambs, feels no passion. He that courts his mistress with Roman imagerj- deserves to lose her ; for she mav witli good reason suspect his sincerity." Johnson, Lije of Uam- tnond. — Croker. 2 See ante, p. 184. — C. ^ He did not mention the name of any p.irtinilar person : but those who are conversant with the political world will probably recollect more persons than one to whom this ob- servation may be applied Boswell. I have little doubt that this very unjust portrait was meant for Lord North. — CaoKER, 1846. every where ; but he grudged that a fellow who makes no figure in company, and has a mind as narrow as the neck of a vinegar cruet, should make a figure in the House of Conmions, merely by having the knowledge of a few forms, and being furnished with a little occasional in- formation.3 He told us, the first time he saw Dr. Young was at the house of Mr. Kichardson, the author of " Chirissa." He was sent for, that the doctor might read to him his " Con- jectures on Original Composition," which he did, and Dr. Johnson made his remarks ; and he was surprised to find Young receive as no- velties, what he thought very common maxims. He said, he believed Young was not a great scholar, nor had studied regularly the art of writing ; that there were very fine things in his " Night Thoughts," though you could not find twenty lines together without some ex- travagance. He repeated two passages from his " Love of Fame," — the characters of Bru- netta and Stella ^, which he praised highly. He said Young pressed him much to come to Wel- wyn. He always intended it, but never went. He was sorry when Young died. The cause of quarrel between Young and his son, he told us, was, that his son insisted Young should turn away a clergyman's widow, who lived with him, and who, having acquired great influence over the fivther, was saucy to the son. Dr. Johnson said, she could not conceal her re- sentment at him, for saying to Young, that "an old man should not resign himself to the ma- nagement of any body." I asked him if there was any improper connection between them. " No, Sir, no more than between two statues. He was past fourscore, and she a very coarse woman. She read to him, and, I suppose, made his coffee, and frothed his chocolate, and did such things as an old man wishes to have done for him." ^ Dr. Doddridge " being mentioned, he ob- served, " he was author of one of the finest epigrams in the Englisli language. It is in Orton's Life of him. The subject is his family motto, ' Diim viuimus viramus,^ which, in its primary signification, is, to be sure, not very- suitable to a Christian divine ; but he para- phrased it thus : — Think nought a trifle, though it small appear : .Small sands the mountain, moments make the year. And trifles, life." " See Stella ; her eyes shine as bright As if her tongue was never in the right ; And yet what real learning, judgment, fire ! She seems inspired, and can herself inspire." Young's Love of Fame. * Mrs. Hallows was a woman of piety, improved by reading. She was always treated by Dr. Young and by his guests, even those of the highest rank, with the politeness and re.spect due to a gentlewoman. She died in 1780. — Anderson. * Dr. Philip Doddridge, an eminent dissenting divine, born in 1702, died at Lisbon ^whither he had gone for the recovery of his health) in 1751. Some of his letters have been re- cently published, with no great advantage to his fame. — Croker. A A 3 358 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. ' Live while you live, the Epicure would say, And seize the pleasures of the present day. Live while you live, the sacrod Preacher cries, And give to God each moment as it flies. Lord, in my views let both united be ; I live in pleasure, when I live to thee.' " I asked if it was not strange that govern- ment should permit so many infidel writings to pass without censure. Johnson. " Sir, it is mighty foolish. It is for want of knowing their own power. The present family on the throne came to the crown against the will of nine tenths of the people. Whether those nine tenths were right or wrong, it is not our busi- ness now to inquire. But such being the situ- ation of the royal fiunily, they Avere glad to encourage all who would be their iriends. Now you know every bad man is a Whig ; every man who has loose notions. The church was all against this family. They were, as I say, glad to encourage any friends : and, there- fore, since their accession, there is no instance of any man being kept back on account of his bad principles ; and hence this inundation of impiety." I observed that INlr. Hume, some of whose writings were very unfavourable to religion, was, however, a Tory. Johnson. " Sir, Hume is a Tory by chance, as being a Scotchman ; but not upon a principle of duty, for he has no principle. If he is any thing, he is a Hobbist." There was something not quite serene in his humour to-night, after supper ; for he spoke of hastening away to London, without stopping much at Edinburgh. I reminded him that he had General Oughton, and many others, to see. Johnson. " Nay, I shall neither go in jest, nor stay in jest. I shall do what is fit." BoswELL. " Ay, Sir, but all I desire is, that you will let me tell you when it is fit." John- son. " Sir, I shall not consult you." Bos- well. " If you are to run away from us, as soon as you get loose, we will keep you con- fined in an island." He was, however, on the whole, very good company. Mr. Donald Mac- leod expressed very well the gradual impres- sion made by Dr. Johnson on those who are so fortunate as to obtain his acquaintance. " When you see him first, you are struck with awful reverence; then you admire him; and then you love him cordially." I read this evening some part of Voltaire's "History of the War in 1741," and of Lord Karnes against " Hereditary Indefeasible Right." This is a very slight circumstance, with which I should not trouble my reader, but for the sake of observing, that every man should keep minutes of whatever he reads. Every circum- • Mr. Barclay. Sec «»<'■, p. 171. Johnson's desire to ex- press his contempt of Kenrick is shown by liis perseverance in representing this younp gentleman as a bui/ ; as if to say, it was too much honour lor Kenrick that even a bot/ should answer him. — Ckokeu. 2 Dr. lieattie's " Kssay on the Nature and Immutability of Truth " appeared in May 1770.— Crokeh. stance of his studies should be recorded ; what books he has consulted ; how much of them he has read ; at what times ; how often the same authors ; and what opinions he formed of them, at different periods of his life. Such an account would much illustrate the history of his mind. Friday, Oct. 1 . — I showed to Dr. Johnson verses hi a Magazine, on his Dictionai-y, com- posed of uncommon words taken from it ; " Little of Anthropopathy has he," &c. He read a ?ew of them, and said, " I am not answerable for all the words in my Dictionary." I told him, that Garrick kept a book of all who had either praised or abused him. On the subject of his own reputation, he said, " Now that I see it has been so current a topic, I Avish I had done so too ; but it could not well be done now, as so many things are scattered in newspapers." He said he was angry at a boy of Oxford \ who wrote in his defence against Kenrick ; because it was doing him hurt to answer Kenrick. He was told afterwards, the boy was to come to him to ask a favour. He first thought to treat him rudely on account of his meddling in that business ; but then he considered he had meant to do him all the service in his power, and he took another resolution : he told him he would do what he could for him, and did so ; and the boy was satisfied. He said, he did not know how his pamphlet was done, as he had read very little of it. The boy made a good figure at Oxford, but died. He remarked, that at- tacks on authors did them much service. " A man, who tells me my play is very bad. Is less my enemy than he who lets It die in silence. A man, whose business it is to be talked of, is much helped by being attacked." Garrick, I observed, had often been so helped. Johnson. " Yes, Sir ; though Garrick had more oppor- tunities than almost any man, to keep the public in mind of him, by exhibiting himself to such numbers, he would not have had so much reputation, had he not been so much attacked. Every attack produces a defence ; and so attention Is engaged. There is no sport In mere praise, when people are all of a mind." BoswELL. " Then Hume is not the worse for Beattie's attack ? " Johnson. " He Is, be- cause Beattie has confuted hlm.^ I do not say but that there may be some attacks which will hurt an author. Though Hume suffered from Beattie, he was the better for other attacks." (He certainly could not Include in that number those of Dr. Adams and Mr. , Tytler.) ^ Boswell. " Goldsmith is the 3 Mr. Boswell adds this parenthesis, probably, because the gentlemen alluded to were friends of his ; but if Dr. Johnson " did MO/ mean to include them" whom did he mean? for they were certainly (after Beattie) Hume's most prominent antagonists. --Choker. ^x. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 359 better for attacks." Johnson. "Yes, Sir; but he does not think so yet. When Gold- smith and I published, each of us something, at the same time, we were given to understand that we might review each otlier. Goldsmith was for accepting the offer. I said, no ; set reviewers at defiance. It was said to old Bentley, upon the attacks against him, ' Why, they'll write you down.' ' No, Sir,' he replied ; ' depend upon it, no man was ever written down but by himself.' " He observed to me afterwards, that the advantages authors de- rived from attacks were chiefly in subjects of taste, where you cannot confute, as so much may be said on either side. He told me he (lid not know who was the author of the " Ad- ^•entures of a Guinea ;" ^ but that the bookseller hud sent the first volume to him in manu- script, to have his opinion if it should bo printed ; and he thought it should. The weather being now somewhat better, Mr. James M'Donald, factor to Sir Alexander M'Donald, in Slate, insisted that all the com- pany at Ostig should go to the house at Armidale, which Sir Alexander had left, having gone with his lady to Edinburgh, and be his guests, till we had an opportunity of sailing to JNIull. We accordingly got there to dinner ; and passed our day very cheerfully, being no less than fourteen in number. Suturdcaj, Oct. 2. — Dr. Johnson said, that " a chief and his lady should make their house like a court. They should have a certain number of the gentlemen's daughters to re- ceive their education in the family, to learn pastry and such things from the housekeeper, and manners from my lady. That was the way in the great families in Wales ; at Lady Salusbury's, Mrs. Thrale's grandmother, and at Lady Philips's. I distinguish the f\imilies by the ladies, as I speak of what was properly their province. There were always six young ladies at Sir John Philips's ; when one was married, her place was filled up. There was a large school-room, where they learnt needle- work and other things." I observed, that, at some courts in Germany, there were academies for the pages, who are the sons of gentlemen, and receive their education without expense to their parents. Dr. Johnson said, that manners were best learnt at those courts. " You are admitted with great facility to the prince's company, and yet must treat him with much respect. At a great court, you are at such a distance that you get no good." I said, "Very true: a man sees the court of Ver- » It is strange that Johnson should not have known that the " Adventures of a Guinea " was written by a namesake of his own, Charles Johnson. Being disqualified for the bar, which was his profession, by a supervening deafness, he went to India, and made some fortune, and died there about 1800. —Walter Scott. He died, says the Biographical Dic- tionary, in Bengal, about ISOO. He must not be confounded with an earlier Charles Johnson, also bred to the bar, but who became a very voluminous dramatic writer, and died about 1744. _ Croker. * Count Castiglione was born at JIantua in 1478, and died sailles, as if he saw it on a theatre." He said, " The best book that ever was written upon good breeding, ' II Cortegiano,' by Castiglione, grew up at the little court of Urbino, and you should read it." " I am glad always to have his opinion of books. At INIi-. Macpherson's, he commended " Whitby's Commentary," ^ and said, he had heard him called rather lax ; but he did not perceive it. He had looked at a novel, called " The Man of the World," at Rasay, but thought there was nothing in it. * He said to-day, while reading my Journal, " This will be a great treasure to us some years hence." Talking of a very penurious gentleman of our acquaintance ^, he observed, that he ex- ceeded L'Avare in the play. I concurred with him, and remarked that he would do well, if introduced in one of Foote's farces ; that the best way to get it done would be to bring Foote to be entertained at his house for a week, and then it would be fucit indignatio. Johnson. " Sir, I wish he had him. I, who have eaten his bread, will not give him to him ; but I should be glad he came honestly by him." He said he was angry at Thrale, for sitting at General Oglethorpe's without speaking. He censured a man for degrading himself to a non-entity. I observed, that Goldsmith was on the other extreme ; for he spoke at ven- tures. Johnson. "Yes, Sir; Goldsmith, rather than not speak, will talk of what he knows himself to be ignorant, which can ovly end in exposing him." " I wonder," said I, " if he feels that he exposes himself. If he was with two tailors " " Or with two founders," said Dr. Johnson, interrupting me, " he would fall a talking on the method of making cannon, though both of them would soon see that he did not know what metal a cannon is made of." We were very social and merry in his room this forenoon. In the even- ing the company danced as usual. We per- formed, with much activity, a dance which, I suppose, the emigration from Sky has occa- sioned. They call it Ameinca. Each of the couples, after the common involutions and evo- bdions, successively whirls round in a circle, till all are in motion ; and the dance seems intended to show how emigration catches, till a whole neighbourhood is set afloat. Mrs. M'Kinnon told me, that last year, when a ship sailed from Portree for America, the people on shore were almost distracted when they saw their relations go off; they lay down on the in 1.529, after having been employed by Ludovico Sforza, both as a soldier and a statesman Wright. 3 Dr. Daniel Whitby, born lG38,died 1726. His celebrated Paraphrase and Commentary on the New Testament was first published in 1703. — Wright. ■• By Henry Mackenzie. Though not, perhaps, so popular as the " Man of I'eeling " by the same amiable author (anti, p. 122.], the " Man of the World " is a very pathetic tale. — Walter Scott. The Man of the Workl was published in 1773, without the name of the author. — Croker. ^ Sir Alexander Macdonald. — Croker. A A 4 360 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. ground, tumbled, and tore the grass with their teeth. This year there was not a tear shed. The people on the shore seemed to think that they would soon follow. This indifference is a mortal sign for the country. AVe danced to-night to the music of the bagpipe, which made us beat the ground with prodigious force. I thought it better to en- deavour to conciliate the kindness of the people of Sky, by joining heartily in tlieir amusements, than to play the absti-act scholar. I looked on this tour to the Hebrides as a copartnership between Dr. Johnson and me. Each was to do all he could to promote its success ; and I have some reason to flatter myself, that my gayer exertions were of service to us. Dr. Johnson's immense fund of knowledge and wit was a wonderful source of admiration and delight to them ; but they had it only at times ; and they required to have the intervals agree- ably filled up, and even little elucidations of his learned text. I was also fortunate enough frequently to di-aw him forth to talk, when he would otherwise have been silent. The foun- tain was at times locked up, till I opened the spring. It was curious to hear the Hebridians, when any dispute happened while he was out of the room, saying, " Stay till Dr. Johnson comes ; say that to liim ! " Yesterday, Dr. Johnson said, " I cannot but laugh, to think of myself roving among the Hebrides at sixty. I wonder where I shall rove at fourscore ! " This evening he disputed the truth of what is said as to tlie people of St. Kilda catching cold whenever strangers come. " How can there," said he, " be a phy- sical effect without a physical cause ? " He added, laughing, " the arrival of a ship full of strangers would kill them ; for, if one stran^^er givesthem one cold, two strangers must give them two colds; and so in proportion." I wondered to hear him ridicule this, as he had praised M'Aulay for putting it in his book ; saying, that it was manly in him to tell a fiict, however strange, if he himself believed it. He said, the evidence was not adequate to the im- probability of the thing ; that if a physician, rather disposed to be incredulous, should go to St. Kilda, and report the fact, then he would begin to look about him. They said, it was annually proved by Macleod's steward, on whose arrival all the inhabitants caught cold. He jocularly remarked, " The steward always comes to demand something from them ; and so they fall a coughing.' I suppose the people in Sky all take a cold when '^ (naming a certain person) comes." They said, he came only in summer. Johnson, " That is out cf tenderness to you. Bad weather and he, at the same time, would be too much." 1 See ante. p. 191., an, at least, ingenious solution of tliis enigma. — Crokek. CHAPTER XLI. 1773. Johnson leaves the Isle of Shy. — A Storm Driven into Col. — His Appearance on a Sheltle. — Sea Sicktiess. — " Burnet's Own Times. " — Bev, Hector M'Lean. — B If Dr. Johnson had not been in the habit of reading the Journal, we should, instead of this remonstrance, sweetened with so much extenuation and flattery, have lure had the details of the harshness which Bosweil regrets, and which must have been pretty severe to remind Boswell that his violence " spared neither age nor sex."— CiiOKEii. 2 " 1 wonder any man alive should ever rear a daughter ; For when she's dress'd with care and cost, all tempting, fine, and gay, As men should serve a cucumber, she flings herself away." — Wright. 3 M'Swyne has an awkward sounil, but the name is held to be of high .intiquity, both in the Hebrides and the north of Ireland. — Walter ScoTT. In the county of Donegal, in the North of Ireland, a singular hole in a cliff, communi- cating with a cave below, through which, in certain circum- stances of the sea and wind, the spray is driven up with great force, is called M'Swine's (for M'Sweyn's) Gun. The name, no doubt, was originally Scandinavian, but seems to have been established in England before the Conquest. " In rerleia (Fernely, Yorkshire) Gnduin et Suen habnerunt, iSrc. ubi nunc habet llbertus de Lacy." — Doomsday book. — Cbokeb. 'I Hatyin foam (see ante, p. 316.). Avery popular air in the Hebrides, written to the praise and glory of Allan Muidartach, or Allan of Muidart, a chief of the Olanranald family. The following is a translation of it by a fair friend of mine [the late Margaret Maclean Cleplianc, Marchioness of Northampton] : — He appeared to be near fourscore; but looked as fresh, and was as strong, as a man of fifty. His son Hugh looked older; and, as Dr. Johnson observed, had more the manners of an old man than he. I had often heard of such instances, but never saw one before. Mrs. M'Sweyn was a decent old gentlewoman. She was dressed in tartan, and could speak nothing but Erse. She said, she taught Sir James M'Donald Erse, and would teach me soon. I could now sing a verse of the song Hatyin foarn eri*, made in honour of Allan, the famous captain of Clanranald, who fell at Sher- rif-muir : whose servant, who lay on the field watching his master's dead body, being asked next day who that was, answered, " He was a man yesterday." We were entertained here with a primitive heartiness. Whisky was served round in a sliell, according to the ancient Highland custom. Dr. Johnson would not partake of it ; but, being desirous to do honour to the modes " of other times," drank some water out of the sheU. In the forenoon Dr. Johnson said, " It would require great resignation to live in one of these islands." Boswell. " I don't know. Sir; I have felt myself at times in a state of almost mere physical existence, satisfied to eat, drink, and sleep, and walk about, and enjoy my own thoughts : and I can figure a continuation of this." JoHxsoN. " Ay, Sir ; but if you were shut tip here, your own thoughts Avould tor- ment you : you would think of Edinburgh, or of London, and that you could not be there." AVe set out after dinner for Breacacha, the " Come, here's a pledge to young and old, We quaff the blood-red wine ; A health to Allan Muiilart bold, The dearest love of mine. Chorus. " Along, along, then haste along. For here no more I'll stay ; I'll braid and bind my tresses long. And o'er the hills aw.iy. " When waves blow gurly off the strand. And none the bark may steer ; The grasp of Allan's strong right hand Compels I'.er home to veer. Along, along, &c. " And when to old Kilphedar * came Such troops of damsels gay ; Say, came they there for Allan's fame, Or came they there to pray ? Along, along, &c. " And when these dames of beauty rare Were dancing in the hall. On some were gems and jewels rare. And cambric coifs on all. " Along, along, Ac." Walter Scott. The song seems to or Walter's MS. — Crokeh. St. Peter's Church in Sky Cbokeb. ^T. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 365 family seat of the Laird of Col, accompanied by the young laird, who had now got a horse, and by the younger ]\[r. ^I'Sweyn, whose wife had gone thither before us, to prepare every thing for our reception, the Laird and his family being absent at Aberdeen. It is called Breacacha, "or the Spotted Field, because in summer it is enamelled with clover and daisies, as young Col told me. We passed by a place whore there is a very large stone, I may call it a rock ; " a vast weight for Ajax."' The tra- dition is, that a giant threw such another stone at his mistress, up to the top of a hill, at a small distance ; and that she, in return, threw this mass down to him. It was all in sport. " Malo me petit lasciva puclla." ' As we advanced, we came to a large extent of plain ground. I had not seen such a place for a long time. Col and I took a gallop upon it by way of race. It was very retreshing to me, after having been so long taking short steps in hilly countries. It was like stretching i a man's legs after being cramped in a short bed. j 'We also passed close by a large extent of ■ sand-hills, near two miles square. Dr. John- son said, " he never had the image before. It v,-as horrible, if barrenness and danger could i be so." I heard him, after we were in the house of Breacacha, repeating to himself, as he walked about the room, " .\nd smother'd in the dusty whirlwind, dies." Probably he had been thinking of the whole of the simile in Cato, of which that is the con- cluding line ; the sandy desert had struck him so strongly. The sand has of late been blown over a good deal of meadow ; and the people of the island say, that their fathers remembered much of the space which is now covered with sand to have been under tillage. CoZ's house is situated on a bay called Breacacha Bay. Wo found here a neat new-built gentleman's house, better than any we had been in since we were at Lord Errol's. Dr. Johnson re- lished it much at first, but soon remarked to mo, that " there was nothing becoming a chiefs about it : it was a mere tradesman's box." He scorned quite at home, and no longer found any dilRculty in usin^ the Highland address; for as soon as we arrived, he said, with a spirited familiarity, " Now, Col, if you could get us a dish of tea." Dr. Johnson and I had each an excellent bedchamber. We had a dispute which of us had the best curtains. His were rather the best, being of linen ; but I insisted that my bed had the best posts, which was un- deniable. " Well," said he, " if you have the ' " When Ajax strives some rock's vast weight to throw. The line too labours, and the words move slow." Pope. i " My Phyllis me with pelted apples plies." Virg. 3 Ecl. — UiiYUKN. — C. ' Col, though a gentleman of landed estate, could hardly best posts, we will have you tied to them and whipped." I mention this sliLdit( pped." I mention this slight circumstance, only to show how ready ho is, even in mere trilios, to get the better of iiis antagonist, by placing him in a ludicrous view. I have known him sometimes use the same art, when hard pressed in serious disputation. Goldsmith, I remember, to retaliate for many a severe defeat; which he has suffered from him, applied to him a lively saying in one of Gibber's comedies, which puts this part of his character in a ."Strong light — " There is no arguing with John- son ; for, if his pistol misses tiro, he knocks you down with the butt end of it." + Wednesday, Oct. 6. — After a sufficiency of sleep, we assembled at breakfast. We were just as if in barracks. Every body was mas- ter. We went and viewed the old castle of Col, which is not far from the present house, near the shore, and founded on a rock. It has never been a large feudal residence, and has nothing about it that requires a particular de- scription. Like other old inconvenient build- ings of the same age, it exemplified Gray's picturesque lines, " Huge^ windows that exclude the light, And passages that lead to nothing.'' It may, however, be worth mentioning, that on the second story we saw a vault v/hich was, and still is, the family prison. There was a woman put into it by the Laird, for theft, within these ten years ; and any offender would be confined there yet ; for, from the necessity of the thing, as the island is remote from any power established by law, the Laird must ex- ercise his jurisdiction to a certain degree. AVe were shown, in a corner of this vault, a hole, into which Col said greater criminals used to be put. It was now filled up with rubbish of different kinds. He said, it was of a great depth. " Ay," said Dr. Johnson, smiling, " all such places that are filled up were of a great depth." He is very quick in showing that he does not give credit to careless or exaggerated accounts of things. After seeing the castle, we looked at a small hut near it. It is called Teigh Franchich, i.e. the Frenchman's house. Col could not tell us the history of it. A poor man with a wife and children now lived in it. We went into it, and Dr. Johnson gave them some charity. There was but one bed |' for all the fiimily, and the hut was very smoky, i. When we came out, he said to me, " FJt hoc | secundum sentcntiam phdosophorum est esse hcutus."^ Bos\VELL. " The philosophers, when they placed happiness in a cottage, supposed cleanliness and no smoke." Johnson. " Sir, they did not think about either." be called a chirf ; and it was assuredly a mark of good sense to suit the character of his house to 'the state and times in which he lived Crokek. " Seenn^t-, p. 2(i8. — C. * llich Choker. « " And this, according to the philoso|ihcrs,is happiness." i66 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. We -walked a little in the Laird's garden, in which endeavours have been used to rear some trees ; but, as soon as they got above the sur- rounding wall, they died. Dr. Johnson re- commended sowing the seeds of hardy trees, instead of planting. Col and I rode out this morning, and viewed a part of the island. In the courf^e of our ride, we saw a turnip-field, which he had hoed with his own hands. He first introduced this kind of husbandry into the A\^estern Islands. We also looked at an appearance of lead, which seemed very promising. It has been long known ; for I found letters to the late laird, from Sir- John Areskine and Sir Alexander Murray, respecting it. After dinner came Mr. ]MLean, of Corneck, brother to Isle-of-Mnck, who is a cadet of the family of Col. He possesses the two ends of Col, which belong to the Duke of Argyll. Corneck had lately taken a lease of them at a very advanced rent, rather than let the Camp- bells get a footing in the island, one of whom had offered nearly as much as he. Dr. John- son well observed, that "landlords err much when they calculate merely what their land may yield. The rent must be in a propor- tionate ratio of what the land may yield, and of the power of the tenant to make it yield. A tenant cannot make by his land, but accord- ing to the corn and cattle which he has. Sup- pose you should give him twice as much land as he has, it does him no good, unless he gets also more stock. It is clear then, that the Highland landlords, who let their substantial tenants leave them, are inflxtuated ; for the poor small tenants cannot give them good rents, from the very nature of things. They have not the means of raising more from their farms." Corneck, Dr. Johnson said, was the most distinct man that he had met with in these isles ; he did not shut his eyes, or put his finger in his ears ; which he seemed to think was a good deal the mode with most of the people whom we have seen of late. Thursday, Oct. 7. — Captain MLean joined us this morning at breakfast. There came on a dreadful storm of wind and rain, which con- tinued all day, and rather increased at night. The wind was directly against our getting to Mull. We were in a "strange state of abstrac- tion from the world : we could neither hear from our friends, nor write to them. Col had brought Daille ' "on the Fathers," Lucas ^ " on Happiness," andMore's^ "Dialogues," from the Rev. Mr. M'Lean's, and Burnet's " History of 1 A French Protostant divine, born 1594, died 1670. His treatise de Usu Patrum was translated into English In 1651. _ Croker. " Dr. Richard Lucas, Prebendary of Westminster, born 164S, died 1715, printed, in 1685, " An Enquiry after Hap- phu'ss" which has been several times reprinted. — Cbokeb, 1846. 3 No doubt Dr. Henry More's " Divine Dialogues." — Crokeu. "i " In metalluin." — Plin. Ep — Condemned to the mines. — C. 5 Edmund Allen, a worthy and reputable printer in Bolt- his own Times " from Captain M'Lean's ; and he had of his own some books of farming, and Gregory's " Geometry." Dr. Johnson read a good deal of Burnet, and of Gregory, and I observed he made some geometrical notes in the end of his pocket-book. I read a little of Young's " Six Weeks' Tour through the South- ern Counties," and Ovid's " Epistles," which I had bought at Inverness, and which helped to solace many a weary hour. We were to have gone with Dr. Johnson this morning to see the mine, but were pre- vented by the storm. While it was raging, he said, " We may be glad we are not damnati ad metallar ■*• Friday, Oct. 8. — Dr. Johnson appeared to- day very weary of our present confined situa- tion. He said, " I want to be on the main land, and go on with existence. This is a waste of life." I shall here insert, without regard to chrono- logy, some of his conversation at different times. " There was a man some time ago, who was well received for two years, among the gentle- men of Northamptonshire, by calling himself my brother. At last hf grew so impudent, as by his influence to get tenants turned out of then- farms. Allen the printer^, who is of that county, came to me, asking, with much appear- ance of doubtfulness, if I had a brother ; and upon being assured I had none alive, he told me of the imposition, and immediately wrote to the country, and the fellow was dismissed. It pleased me to hear that so much was got by using my name. It is not every name that can carry double ; do both for a man's self and his brother (laughing). I should be glad to see the fellow. However, I could have done nothing against him. A man can have no re- dress for his name being used, or ridiculous stories being told of him in the newspapers, except he can show that he has suffered da- mage. Some years ago a foolish piece was published, said to be written ' by S. Johnson.' Some of my friends wanted me to be very angry about this. I said, it would be in vain ; for the answer would be, ' S. Johnson may be Simon Johnson, or Simeon Johnson, or Solomon Johnson;' and even if the full name, Samuel Johnson, had been used, it might be said, ' It is not you ; it is a much cleverer fellow.' ^ " Beauclerk, and I, and Langton, and Lady Sydney Beauclerk, mother to our friend, were one day driving in a coach by Cuper's Gar- dens '', which were then unoccupied. I, in court. He was for many years Johnson's neighbour, land- lord, and friend ianth, p. 160.). He was the son of the Rev. Tliomas Allen, a pious and learned man, who for forty years was rector of Kettering, in Northamptonshire. — Nichols.— Croker. 6 The eccentric author of " Hurlo Thrumbo " was named Samuel Johnson. He was originally a dancing master, but went on the stage, There his acting was as extravagant as iiis pieces. He died in this very year, 1773, and was probably one of the persons whose death is alluded to, post, 17th April", 177S. — Croker. " An inferior place of popular amusement, over the site of JEt. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 367 sport, proposed that Beauclerk, and Langton, and myself should take them ; and we amused ourselves with scheming^ how we should all do our parts. Lady Sydney grew angry, and said, ' an old man should not put such things in young people's heads.' She had no notion of a joke, Sir ; had come late into life, and had a mighty unpliable understanding. ' " (Carte's ' Life of the Duke of Ormond ' is considered as a book of authority ; but it is ill- written. The matter is diffused in too many words ; there is no animation, no compression, no vi'TOur. Two good volumes in duodecimo might be made out of the two - in folio." Talking of our confinement here, I observed, that our discontent and impatience could not be considered as very luireasonable ; for that we were just in the state of which Seneca com- plains so grievously, while in exile in Corsica. *' Yes, " said Dr. Johnson ; and he was not farther from home than we are." The truth is, he was much nearer.^ There was a good deal of rain to-day, and the wind was still contrai'y. Corneck attended uir, while I amused myself in examining a col- 1 -rtion of papers belonging to the family of ( 'oL The first laird was a younger son of the ( hieftain MLean, and got the middle part of (Jol for his patrimony. Dr. Johnson having given a very particular account "•■ of the con- nection between this family and a branch of the family of Camerons, called M'Lonich, I shall only insert the following document (which I found in CoVs cabinet), as a proof of its continuance, even to a late period : — « To the Laird of Col. " Strone, Uth March, 1737. « Dear Sir, — The long-standing tract of firm affectionate friendship 'twixt your worthy predeces- wliicli the southern approach to Waterloo-bridge now passes. — Croker. ' Mary, daughter of Thomas Norris, Esq., of Speke, in Lancashire, married Lord Sydney in 1736. — Croker. = Carte's Life of Ormond is in three vols, folio.— P. Cun- ningham. 3 " Barbara prseruptis inclusa est Corsica saxis Horrida," &c. Epigr. ante, De Consol. Libr. Corsica is about one hundred and fifty miles from Rome. Col is from London upwards of four hundred. — Croker. ■• Johnson's account is as follows : — " Very near the house of Maclean stands the castle of Col, which was the mansion of the Laird till the house was built. On the wall was, not long ago, a stone with an inscription, importing, that ' if any man of the clan of Maclonich shall appear before this castle, though he come at midnight, with a man's head in his hand, he shall there find safety and pro- tection against all but the king." This is an old Highland treaty made upon a very memorable occasion. Maclean, the son of John Gervcs [one of the ancient lairds], who recovered Col, and conquered Barra, had obtained, it is said, from James 11., a grant of the lands of Lochiel, forfeited, I sup- pose, by some oflence against the state. Forfeited estates were not in those days quietly resigned ; Maclean, therefore, went with an armed force to seize his new possessions, and, 1 know not for what reason, took his wife with him. The Camerons rose In defence of their chief, and a battle was fought at the head of Loch Ness, near the place where Fort Augustus now stands, in which Lochiel obtained the victory, and Maclean, with his followers, was defeated and destroyed. The lady fell into the hands of tlie conquerors, and, being found pregnant, was placed in the custody of Maclonich, one ofa tribe or family branched from Cameron, with orders, if she brought a boy, to destroy him, if a girl, to spare her. Maclonich's wife, who was with child likewise, had a girl sors and ours affords us such assurance, as that we may have full relyancc on your favour and un- doubted friendship, in recommending the bearer, Ewen Cameron, our cousin, son to the deceast Dugall IM'Connill of Innermaillic, sometime in Glenpean, to your favour and conduct, who is a man of undoubted honesty and discretion, only that he has the misfortune of being alledged to have been accessory to the killing of one of M'Martin's family about fourteen years ago, upon which al- ledgeance the M'Martins are now so sanguine on revenging, that they are fully resolved for the de- privation of his life ; to the ])rcvcnting of which you are relyed on by us, as the only fit instrument, and a most capable person. Therefore your favour and protection is expected and intreated, during his good behaviour ; and failing of which behaviour, you'll please to use him as a most insignificant per- son deserves. — Sir, he had, upon the alledgeance aforesaid, been transported, at Lochiel's desire, to France, to gratify the MOIartins, and, upon his re- turn home, about five years ago, married. But now he is so much threatened by the JNI'Martins, that he is not secure enough to stay where he is, being Ardmurchan, which occasions this trouble to you. Wishing prosperity and happiness to attend still yourself, worthy lady, and good family, we are, in the most affectionate manner, dear Sir, your most obliged, affectionate, and most humble servants, Dtigall Cameron, of Strone, Dtigoll Cameron, of Barr. Dvffall Cameron, of Inveriskvouilline. Dugall Cameron, of Invinvalie." Ewen Cameron ii-as protected, and his son has now a farm from the Laird of Col, in Mull. The family of Col was very loyal in the time of the great Montrose^, from whom I found two letters in his own handwriting. The first is as follows : — about the same time at which Lady Maclean brought a boy, and Maclonich, with more generosity to his captive than fidelity to his trust, contrived that the children should be changed. Maclean, being thus preserved from death, in time recovered his original patrimony ; and, in gratitude to his friend, made his castle a place of refuge to any of the clan that should think himself in danger ; and, as a proof of reciprocal confidence, Maclean took upon himself and his posterity the care of educating the heir of Maclonich." Journey. — Crokeb. 5 The third Earl and first Marquis, born in 1612, be- headed at Edinburgh the 21st of May, 1650. _ Choker, 1831. Mr. Macaulay censures this note in the following terms, which are worth preserving as a specimen of equal accuracy of statement and courtesy of style. " Mr. Croker tells us the great Marquis of Jlontrose was beheaded in Edinburgh in lC-50. There is not a forward boy at any school in England who docs not know that the Mar- quis was hanged. Tlie account of the execution is one of the finest passages in Lord Clarendon's History. We can scarcely suppose that Mr. Croker had never read that passage ; and yet we can scarcely suppose that any one who had ever pe- rused so noble and pathetic a story can have utterly forgotten all its most striking circumstances." — i;d. liev. To which a critic in Blackwood's Magazine replied : " We really almost suspect that the Reviewer [Mr. Macaulay] himself has not read the passage to which he refers, or he could hardly have accused Mr. Croker of show- ing— by having said that Montrose was ' ifAeaded,' when the Keviewer thinks he should have said ' hanged ' — that he had forgotten the most ' striking passage ' of Clarendon's noble ' account of the execution.' For it is not on the execution itself that Lord Clarendon dwells with the most pathos and effect, but on the previous indignities at and after his trial which Montrose so magnanimously endured. Clarendon, with scrupulous delicacy, avoids all mention of the 368 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. " For wy very loving Friend, the Laird of Coall. " Strethearne, 20th Jan. 1G4G. " Sip., I must heartily thank you for all your willingness and good affection to his Majesty's ser- vice, and particularly the sending alongs of your son, to wlio I will heave ane particular respect, hopeing also that you will still continue ane goode instrument for the advanceing ther of the king's ser- vice, for which, and all your former loyal carriages, be confident you shall find the effects of his ma's favour, as they can be witnessed you by your very faithful friende, The Other is, MONTKOSE." " For the Laird of Col. "Petty, 17th April, 1646. « Sir, — Having occasion to write to your fields, I cannot be forgetful of your willingness and good affection to his Majesty's service. I acknowledge to you, and thank you heartily for it, assuring, that in what lies in my power, you shall find the good. Meanwhile, I shall expect that you will continue your loyal endeavours, in wishing those slack people that are about you, to appear more obedient than they do, and loyal in their prince's service ; where- by I assure you, you shall find me ever your faith- ful friende, " Montrose." ' I fouml some uncouth lines on the death of the present laird's father, entitled " Nature's Elegy upon the Death of Donald Maclean of Col." They are not worth insertion. I shall only give what is called his Epitaph, which Dr. Johnson said " was not so very bad." " Nature's minion. Virtue's wonder, Art's corrective here lyes under." I asked, what " Art's corrective " meant. " Why, Sir," said he, " that the laird was so exquisite, that he set Art right, when she was wrong." I found several letters to the late Col, from my fnther's old companion at Paris, Sir Hec- tor IiI'Lean, one of which was written at the time of settling the colony in Georgia. It dis- suades Col from letting people go there, and assures him there will soon be an opportunity of employing them better at home." Hence it appears that emigration from the Highlands, though not in such numbers at a time as of late, has always been practised. Dr. Johnson observed, that " the lairds, instead of improv- ing their country, diminished their people." There are several districts of sandy desert in Col. There are forty-eight lochs of fresh water ; but many of them are very small — mere pools. About one half of them, however, have trout and eel. There is a great number of horses in the island, mostly of a small size. Being overstocked, they sell some in Tir-yi, and on the main land. Their black cattle, which are chiefly rough-haired, are reckoned remarkably good. The climate being very mild in winter, they never put their beasts in any house. The lakes are never frozen so as to bear a man ; and snow never lies above a few hours. They have a good many sheep, which they eat mostly themselves, and sell but a few. They have goats in several places. There are no foxes ; no serpents, toads, or frogs, nor any venomous creature. They have otters and mice here ; but had no rats till lately that an American vessel brought them. There is a rabbit-warren on the north-east of the island, belonging to the Duke of Argyle. Young Cul intends to get some hares, of which there are none at present. There are no black- cock, muir-fowl, nor partridges ; but there are snipe, Avild-duck, wild-geese, and swans, in winter; wild-pigeons, plover, and great num-" bers of starlings : of which I shot some, and found them pretty good eating. Woodcocks come hither, though there is not a tree upon the island. There are no rivers in Col ; but only some brooks, in which there is a great variety of fish. In the whole island there are but three hills, and none of them considerable, for a Highland country. The people are very industrious. Every man can tan. They get oak and birch bark, and lime, from the main land. Some have pits ; but they commonly use tubs. I saw brogues very well tanned ; and every man can make them. They all make candles of the tallow of their beasts, both moulded and dipped ; and they all make oil of the livers of fish. The little fish called cuddies produce a great deal. They sell some oil out of the island, and they use it much for light in their houses, in little iron lamps, most j of which they have from England; but of late their own blacksmith makes them. He is a good workman ; but he has no employment in shoeing horses, for they all go unshod here, except some of abetter kind belonging to young Col, which were now in Mull. There are two carpenters in Col ; but most of the inhabitants can do something as boat-carpenters. They can all dye. Heath is used for yellow ; and for red, a moss which grows on stones. They make broad-cloth, and tartan, and linen, of peculiar mode of death, and is wholly silent as to any of the circumstances of the execution, leaving the reader's imagi- nation to supply, from the terms of the sentence, the odious details : but the Heviewer, if he had really known or felt the true pathos of the story, would have remembered that the sentence was, that the Marquess should be hanged and beheaded, and that his head should ' be stuck on the Tolbooth of Edinburgh ; ' and it was this very circum- stance of the beheading, which excited in Montrose that burst of eloquence which is the most slrihing beauty of the whole of the ' noble and pathetic story.' ' 1 am prouder,' said he to his persecutors, ' to have my head set upon the place it is appointed to he, than I should be to have my picture hung in the King's bedchamber !" — £d. Mag. Nov. 1831. To this I beg leave to add that I might certainly have said " hanged and beheaded," but if I had on/t/ said, as my critic would have it, " hanged," I should certainly have shown an utter forgetfulness of " the noble and pathetic story." — C'ROKER, 184G. 1 It is observable, that men of the first rank spelt very ill in the last century. In the first of these letters I have pre- served the original spelling — Boswell. •■i No doubt in some projected rising.— Croker. JEt. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 369 their own wool and flax, sufficient for their own use : as also stockings. Their bonnets odine from the main land. Hardware and several small articles are brought annually tioin Greenock, and sold in tlie only shop in the island, which is kept near the house, or rather hut, used for public worship, there liiing no church in the island. The inhabitants of Col have increased considerably witliin these thirty years, as appears from the parish registers. There are but three considerable taeksmen on CoVs part of the island : the rest is let to small tenants, some of whom pay so low a rent as four, three, or even two guineas. The highest is seven pounds, paid by a farmer, whose son goes yearly on foot to Aberdeen for etiucation, and in summer returns, and acts as a schoolmaster in Col. Dr. Johnson said, '* There is something noble in a young man's walking two hundred miles and back again every year for the sake of learning." This day a number of people came to Col, with complaints of each other's trespasses. Corneck, to prevent their being troublesome, told them that the lawyer from Edinburgh was here, and if they did not agree, he would take them to task. They were alarmed at this ; said, they had never been used to go to law, and hoped Col would settle matters himself In the evening Corneck left us. CHAPTER XLIL 1773. Col. — Blenheim. — Tenants and Landlords. — London and Pekin. — Superstitions. — Coarse Manners. — Bustle not necessary to Despatch. — Oats. — Mull. — Addison. — French Ana. — Racine. — Cnrneille. — Mulitre. — Fenelon. — Voltaire. — Bossuet. — Massillon. — Buurdaloue. — A Printing House. — Erse Poetry. — Music. — Reception of Travellers. — Spence. — Miss Maclean. — Account of Mull. — Uh-a. — Second Siyht. — Mcrchcta Mulierum. — Inch- Kenneth. — Sir Allan Maclean. — Sunday Reading. — Dr. C(nnphell. — Drinking. — Verses on Inch Kenneth. Young Col's good Qualities. — Solander. — Burhe. — Johnson's Intrepidity. — Singular Customs. — French Credulity. , Saturday, Oct.9. — As, in our present confinc- j ment, any thing that had even the name of curious was an object of attention, I jiroposed that Col should show me the great stone, I mentioned in a former page, as liaving been I thrown by a giant to the top of a mountain. [ Dr. Johnson, who did not like to be left alone, said he would accom])any us as far as riding was practicable. We ascended a part of the hill on horseback, and Col and I seranil)le(l up the rest. A servant held our horses, and Dr. Johnson placed himself on the ground, with his back against a large fragment of rock. The wind being high, he let down the cocks of his hat, and tied it with his handkerchief under Iiis chin. While we were employed in examin- ing the stone, which did not repay our trouble in getting to it, he amused himself with read- ing " (iataker on Lots and on the Christian Watch," a very learned book, of the last age, which had been found in the garret of Col '« house, and which he said was a treasure hei-e. "When we descried him from above, he had a most eremitical appearance ; and on our return told us, he had been so much engaged by Ga- taker ', that he had never missed us. His avidity for variety of books, while we were in Col, was frequently expressed ; and he often complained that so few were within his reach. Upon which I observed to him, it was strange he should complain of want of books, when he could at any time make such good ones. We next proceeded to the lead mine. In our way we came to a strand of some extent, where we were glad to take a gallop, in which my learned friend joined with great alacrity. Dr. Johnson, mounted on a large bay mare without shoes, and followed by a foal, which had some difficulty in keeping up with him, was a singular spectacle. ! After examining the mine, we returned j through a very uncouth district, full of sand- hills; down which, though apparent precipices, our horses carried us with safety, the sand always gently sliding away from their feet. Vestiges of houses were pointed out to us, | which Col, and two others who had joined us, asserted had been overwhelmed with sand blown over them. But, on going close to one of them. Dr. Johnson showed the absurdity of the notion, by remarking, that " it was evi- dently only a house abandoned, the stones of which had been taken away for other purposes ; for the large stones, which form the lower jiart of the walls, were- still standing higher than the sand. If thei/ were not blown over, it was clear nothing higher than they could be blown over." This was quite convincing to me ; but it made not the least impression on Col and the others, who were not to be argued out of a Highland tradition We did not sit down to dinner till between six and seven. We lived plentifully here, and had a true welcome. In such a season, good firing was of no small importance. The peats were excellent, and burned cheerfully. Those at Dunvegan, which were damp. Dr. Johnson called " a sullen fuel." Here a Scottish phrase was singularly applied to him. One of the company having remarked that he had gone out on a stormy evening, and brought in a ' Thomas Gataker, a voluminous divine and critic, born 1574, died 1654, published, in i616, " On the Nature and Use of Lots, a Treatise Historical and Theological." — Ckoker. 370 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. supply of peats from the stack, old Mr. M'Sweyn said, "that was main honest!'' Blenheim being occasionally mentioned, he told me he had never seen it : he had not gone formerly; and he would not go now, fust as a common spectator, for his money : he would not put it In the power of some man about the Duke of Marlborough ' to say, " Johnson was here ; I knew him, but I took no notice of him. " He said, he should be very glad to see it, if pro- perly invited, which in all probability would never be the case, as it was not worth his while to seek for it. I observed, that he might be easily introduced there by a common friend of ours ", nearly related to the Duke. He answered, with an uncommon attention to de- licacy of feeling, "I doubt whether our friend be on such a footing with the Duke as to carry anybody there ; and I would not give him the uneasiness of seeing that I knew he was not, or even of being himself reminded of it." Sunday, Oct. 10. — There was this day the most terrible storm of wind and rain that I ever remember. It made such an awful im- pression on us all, as to produce, for some time, a kind of dismal quietness in the house. The day was passed without much conversation ; only, upon my observing that there must be something bad in a man's mind who does not like to give leases to his tenants, but wishes to keep them in a perpetual wretched dependence on his will. Dr. Johnson said, " You are right ; it is a man's duty to extend comfort and security among as many people as he can. He should not wish to have his tenants mere ephemera, mere beings of an hour." Boswell. " But, Sir, if they have leases, is there not some danger that they may grow insolent ? I remember you yourself once told me, .an En- glish tenant was so independent, that, if provoked, he would throio his rent at his land- lord." Johnson. " Depend upon it, Sir, it is the landlord's own favilt, if it is thrown at him. A man may always keep his tenants in de- pendence enough, though they have leases. He must be a good tenant indeed, who will not f.xll behind in his rent, if his landlord will let him ; and if he does fall behind, his landlord has him at his mercy. Indeed, the poor man is always much at the mercy of the rich ; no matter whether landlord or tenant. If the tenant lets his landlord have a little rent before- hand, or has lent him money, then the landlord is in his power. There cannot be a greater man than a tenant who has lent money to his landlord ; for he has under subjection the very man to whom he should be subjected." Monday, Oct. 11. — We had some days ago engaged the Campbelltown vessel to carry us to Mull, from the harbour where she lay. The morning was fine, and the wind fair and moderate ; so we hoped at length to get away. Mrs. M'Sweyn, who officiated as our landlady here, had never been on the main land. On hearing this, Dr. Johnson said to me, before her, " That is rather being behind-hand with life. I would at least go and see Glenelg." Boswell. "You yourself, Sir, have never seen, till now, any thing but your native island. " Johnson. " But, Sir, by seeing London, I have seen as much of life as the world can show." Boswell. "You have not seen Pekin." Johnson. " What is Pekin ? Ten thousand Londoners would drive all the people of Pekin : they would drive them like deer." We set out about eleven for the harbour ; but, before we reached it, so violent a storm came on, that we were obliged again to take shelter in the house of Captain M'Lean, where we dined, and passed the night. Tuesday, Oct. 12. — After breakfast, we made a second attempt to get to the harbour ; but another storm soon convinced us that it would be in vain. Captain M'Lean's house being in some confusion, on account of Mrs. M'Lean being expected to lie-in, we resolved to go to Mr. M'Sweyn's, where we arrived very wet, fatigued, and hungry. In this situation, we were somewhat disconcerted by being told that we should have no dinner till late in the evening ; but should have tea In the mean time. Dr. Johnson opposed this arrangement ; but they persisted, and he took the tea very readily. He said to me afterwards, " You must consider. Sir, a dinner here is a matter of great consequence. It is a thing to be first planned, and then executed. I suppose the mutton was brought some mUes off, from some place where they knew there was a sheep killed." Talking of the good people with whom we were, he said, " Life has not got at all forward by a generation in M'Sweyn's family ; for the son is exactly formed upon the father. What the father says, the son says; and what the fiither looks, the son looks." There being little conversation to-night, I must endeavour to recollect what I may have j omitted on former occasions. When I boasted, at Rasay, of my independency of spirit, and that I could not be bribed, he said, " Yes, you may be bribed by flattery." At the Rev. Mr. M'Lean's, Dr. Johnson asked him if the people 1 of Col had any superstitions. He said, " No." The cutting peats at the increase of the moon was mentioned as one; but he would not 1 This, no doubt, alludes to Jacob Bryant, who was at this 5eriod secretary or librarian at Blenheim, and with whom ohnson had had, perhaps, in one of his Oxford visits, some coolness now forgotten : when, however, he, the year after, visited Blenheim with the Thrales, he notes that Mr. lirymit showed him the library with great civility Croker, 184G. 2 Mr. Beauclerk, who had married the Duke's sister, but under circumstances which might well justify Johnson's suspicion that he might not be on the most satisfactory terms with his Grace. — See ante, p. 2G0. n. 2. — Crokbb. ^T. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 371 allow it, saving it was not a superstition, but a whim. Dr. Johnson would not admit the dis- tinction. There were many superstitions, he maintained, not connected with religion ; and this was one of them. On Monday we had a disj)ute at the Captain's, whether sand-hills could be fixed down by art. Dr. Johnson said, " How tlie devil can you do it ? " ' but instantly corrected himself, " How can you do it ? " I never before heard him use a phrase of that nature. He has particularities which it is impossible to explain. He never wears a night-cap, as I have already mentioned ; but he puts a hand- kerchief on his head in the night. The day that we left Talisker, he bade us ride on. He then turned the head of his horse back towards Talisker, stopped for some time ; then wheeled round to the same direction with ours, and then came briskly after us. He sets open a window in the coldest day or night, and stands before it. It may do with his constitution ; but most people, among whom I am one, would say, with the frogs in the fable, " This may be sport to vou ; but it is death to us." It is in vain to try to find a meaning in every one of his par- ticularities, which, I suppose, ai-e mere habits, iiiutracted by chance; of which every man ha-; some that are more or less remarkable. His speaking to himself, or rather repeating, is a common habit with studious men accus- I tomed to deep thinking ; and, in consequence i of their being thus rapt, they will even laugh j by themselves, if the subject which they are { musing on is a merry one. Dr. Johnson is often i uttering pious ejacidations, when he appears I to be talking to hunself ; for sometimes his voice grows stronger, and parts of the Lord's I'layer are heard. I have sat beside him with more than ordinary reverence on such oc- casions." In our tour, I observed that he was dis- ; gusted whenever he met with coarse manners. I He said to me, " I know not how it is, but I cannot bear low life ; and I find others, who have as good a right as I to be fastidious, bear it 1 letter, by having mixed more with different its of men. You would think that I have mixed pretty well too." I le read this day a good deal of my Journal, .vii(ten in a small book with which he had -iiii|)lied me, and was pleased, for he said, " I .\\\A\ thy books were twice as big." He helped ;• to fill up blanks which I had left in first \ riting it, when I was not quite sure of what lie had said, and he corrected any mistakes that I had made. " They call me a scholar," said he, " and yet how very little literature is [there iu my conversation." Boswell. " That, Sir, must be according to your company. ' The question which Johnson asked with such unusual warmth, might have been answered, " by sowing the bent, or couch grass." — Walter Scott. - It is remarkable that Dr. Johnson should have read this account of some of his own peculiar habits, without saying You would not give literature to those who cannot taste it. Stay till we meet Lord Elibank." We had at last a good dinner, or rather supper, and were very well satisfied with our entertainment. Wednesday, Oct. 13. — Col called me up, with intelligence that it was a good day for a passage to Mull ; and just as we rose, a sailor from the vessel arrived for us. We got all ready with despatch. Dr. Johnson was displeased at my bustling and walking quickly up and down. He said, " It does not hasten us a bit. It is getting on horseback in a ship.^ All boys do it ; and you are longer a boy than others." He himself has no alertness, or whatever it may be called ; so he may dislike it, as " Oderunt hilai-em tristes." Before we reached the harbour, the wind grew high again. However, the small boat was waiting, and took us on board. We re- mained for some time in uncertainty what to do ; at last it was determined, that, as a good part of the day was over, and it was dangei-ous to be at sea at night, in such a vessel and such weather, we should not sail till the morning tide, when the wind would probably be more gentle. We resolved not to go ashore again, but lie here in readiness. Dr. Johnson and I had each a bed in the cabin. Col sat at the fire in the forecastle, with the captain, and Jo3eph, and the rest. I eat some dry oatmeal, of which I found a barrel in the cabin. I had not done this since I was a boy. Dr. Johnson owned that he too was fond of it when a boy ; a circumstance which I was highly pleased to hear from him, as it gave me an opportunity of observing that, notwithstanding his joke on the article of oats, he was himself a proof that this kind oi food was not peculiar to the people of Scotland. Thursday, Oct. 14. — When Dr. Johnson awaked this morning, he called " Lanky ! " having, I suppose, been thinking of Langton, but coi-rected himself instantly, and cried, " Bozzy ! " He has a way of contracting the names of his friends. Goldsmith feels himself so important now, as to be displeased at it. I remember one day, when Tom Davies was telling that Dr. Johnson said, " We arc all in labour for a name to Goldys play. Goldsmith cried, "I have often desired him not to call me Goldy." * Between six and seven we hauled our anchor, and set sail with a fair breeze ; and, after a pleasant voyage, we got safely and agreeably into the harbour of Tobermorie, before the wind rose, which it always has done, for some days, about noon. Tobermorie is an excellent harbour. An any thing on the subject, which I hoped he would have done. — Boswell. See ante, p. 166. 3 This is from the Jests of Hierocles. — Croker. ■• SeeonW, p. 264. — C. B B 2 372 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. island lies before it, and it is surrounded by a hilly theatre. The island is too low, otherwise this would be quite a secure port ; ])ut, the island not being a sufficient protection, some storms blow very hard hei-e. Not long ago, fifteen vessels were blown from their moorings. There are sometimes sixty or seventy sail here : to-day there were twelve or fourteen vessels. To see such a fleet was the next thing to seeing a town. The vessels were from dif- ferent places ; Clyde, Campbell-town, New- castle, &c. One was returning to Lancaster from Hamburgh. After having been shut up so long in Col, the sight of such an assemblage of moving habitations, containing such a variety of people, engaged in different pursuits, gave me much gaiety of spirit. When we had landed. Dr. Johnson said, " Boswell is now all alive. He is like Antfeus ; he gets new vigour whenever he touches the ground." I went to the top of a hill fronting the harbour, from whence I had a good view of it. We had Iiere a tolerable inn. Dr. Johnson had owned to me this morning, that he was out of humour. Indeed, he showed it a good deal in the ship ; for when I was expressing my joy on the prospect of our landing in Mull, lie said, he had no joy, when he recollected that it would be five days before he should get to the main land. I was afraid he would now take a sudden resolution to give up seeing Icolmkill. A dish of tea, and some good bread and butter, did him service, and his bad humour went off. I told him, that I was diverted to hear all the people whom we had visited in our tour say, " Honest man ! he's pleased with every thing ; he's always content ! " " Little do they know," said I. He laughed, and said, " You rogue ! " We sent to hire horses to carry us across the island of Mull to the shore opposite to Inch-kenneth, the residence of Sir Allan M'Lean, uncle to young Col, and chief of the M'Leans, to whose house we intended to go the next day. Our friend Col went to visit his aunt, the wife of Dr. Alexander M'Lean, a physician, who lives about a mile from Tober- morie. Dr. Johnson and I sat by ourselves at the inn, and talked a good deal. I told him, that I had found, in Leandro Alberti's " Descrip- tion of Italy," much of what Addison has given us in his " Remarks." ' He said, " The collection of passages from the Classics has been made by another Italian : it is, however, impossible to detect a man as a plagiary in such a case, because all who set about making such a collection must find the same passages ; ' Seepox<, 7th April, 1775. — C. ^ The French use accomoder for dressing up or cooking meats, and Mr. Boswell probably meant, by " accommodating literature," making it more accessible and readier for ordinary use; b.it I cannot with reference to this use of it say, with Master Shallow, that " accommodate is a very com- mendable phrase." — Crokek. 3 I talie leave to enter my strongest protest against this judgment. Bossuet I hold to be one of the first luminaries but, if you find the same applications in another book, then Addison's learning in his ' Remarks ' tumbles down. It is a tedious book ; and, if it were not attached to Addison's previous reputation, one would not think much of it. Had he written nothing else, his name would not have lived. Addison does not seem to have gone deep in Italian literature : he shows nothing of it in his subsequent writings. He shows a great deal of French learning. There is, perhaps, more knowledge circulated in the French language than in any other. There is more original knowledge in English." " But the French," said I, " have the art of accommodating literature." " Johnson. " Yes, Sir ; we have no such book as Moreri's 'Dic- tionary.' " Boswell. "Their 'Ana' are good." Johnson. " A few of them are good ; but we have one book of that kind better than any of them, Selden's ' Table-talk.' As to original literature, the French have a couple of tragic poets who go round the world, Racine and Corneille, and one comic poet, Moliere." Bos- well. "They have Fenelon. " Johnson. "Why, Sir, Telemachus is pretty well." Bos- well. " And Voltaire, Sir." Johnson. " He has not stood his trial yet. And what makes Voltaire chiefly circulate is collection, such as his ' Universal History.' " Boswell. " What do you say to the Bishop of Meaux ? " John- son. " Sir, nobody reads him." ^ He would not allow Massillon and Bourdaloue to go round the world. In general, however, he gave the French much praise for their in- dustry. He asked me whether he had mentioned, in any of the papers of the " Rambler," the de- scription in Virgil of the entrance into Hell, with an application to the press ; " for," said he, " I do not much remember them." I told him, " No." Upon which he repeated it : — " Vestibuliim ante ipsum, primisque in fauclbus Orci, Luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Cuia; ; Pallentesque habitant Morbi, tristisque Senectus, Et Metus, et malesuada Fames, et turpis Egestas, ^ Terribiles visa forma?; Lethamque, Laborque."* " Now," said he, " almost all these apply ex- , actly to an author ; all these are the concomi- tants of a printing-house." I proposed to him to dictate an essay on it, and offered to write; it. He said he would not do it then, but perhaps would write one at some future period j The Sunday evening that we sat by our selves at Aberdeen, I asked him several par of religion and literature. If there are who do not read him! it is full time they should begin — Bosv\ ell. ' 1 .Tust in the gate, and in the jaws of Hell, Revengeful Cares and sullen Sorrows dwell ; And pale Diseases, and repining Age ; Want, Fear, and Famine's unresisted rage ; Here Toils and Death, and Death's hall-brother, Sleep' Forms terrible to view, their sentry keep. — Diiyden. _M _ ^T. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 373 ticulars of his life, from his early years, which he readily told me ; and I wrote them down before him. This day I proceeded in my in- quiries, also writing them in his presence. I have them on detached sheets. I shall collect authentic materials for The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D., and, if I survive him, I shall be one who will most faithfully do honour to his memory. I have now a vast treasure of his conversation, at different times, since the year 1762, when I first obtained his acquaintance ; and, by assiduous inquiry, I can make up lor not knowing him sooner.' A Newcastle ship-master, who happened to be in the house, intruded himself upon us. He was much in liquor, and talked nonsense about his being a man tor Wilkes and Liberty^ and against the ministry. Dr. Johnson was angry, that " a fellow should come into our company, who was fit for no company." He left us soon. Col returned from his aunt, and told us, she insisted that we should come to her house that night. He introduced to us Mr. Campbell, the Duke of Argyle's factor in Tyx--yi. He was a genteel, agreeable man. He was going to Inverary, and promised to put letters into the post-office tor us. I now tbund that Dr. John- son's desire to get on the main land arose from 1 his anxiety to have an opportunity of conveying \ letters to his friends. 1 After dinner, we proceeded to Dr. M'Lean's, I which was about a mile from our inn. He was ; not at home, but we were received by his lady and daughter, who entertained us so well, that Dr. Johnson seemed quite happy. When we had supped, he asked me to give him some ; paper to write letters. I begged he would , write short ones, and not expatiate^ as we ought 'to set off early. He was irritated by this, and , said, " What must be done, must be done : the jthing is past a joke." — "Nay, Sir," said I, j " write as much as you please ; but do not Iblame me, if we are kept six days before we get to the main land. You were very impa- I'ticnt in the morning: but no sooner do you Ijfind yourself in good quarters, than you forget Ijthat you are to move." I got him paper enough, and we parted in good humour. Let ine now recollect whatever particulars I have omitted. In the morning I said to him, before v.-e landed at Tobermorie, " AV^e sliall see Dr. M'Lcan, who has written the History of the jM'Lcans." Johnson. " I have no great patience to stay to hear the history of the M'Leans. I would rather hear the history of |the Thrales." When on Midi, I said, " Well, [Sir, this is the fourth of the Hebrides that ' ' It is no small satisfaction to me to reflect, that Dr. .Inhn- son read tills, and after being apprised of my intentions, rom- nriunicated to me, at snl)seqiient periods, many particulars of his life, which probably could not otherwise Ijave been preserved. — Boswell. This is a conclusive answer to ihose who affected to blame Uoswell's publication on the -core of breach of confidence to Jolinson Choker. - Thig observation is very just. The time for the Hebrides we have been upon." Johnson. " Nay, we cannot boast of the number we have seen. AVe tliought we should see many more. We tlinught of sailing about easily from island j to island ; and so we should, had we come at i a better ^ season ; but we, being wise men, ! thought it would be summer all the year where ' ice were. However, Sir, we have seen enough : to give us a pretty good notion of the system of insular life." I Let nie not forget, that he sometimes amused himself with very slight reading ; from which, j however, his conversation showed that he con- \ trived to extract some benefit. At Captain I ]\l'Lean's he read a good deal in " The Charm- er," a collection of songs. Friday, Oct. 15. — We this morning found that we could not proceed, there being a violent storm of wind and rain, and the rivers being impassable. Wlien I expressed my discontent at our confinement. Dr. Johnson said, "Now that I have had an opportunity of writing to the main land, I am in no such haste." I was amused with his being so easily satisfied; for the truth was, that the gentleman who was to convey our letters, as I was now informed, was not to set out for Inverary for some time ; so that it was probable we should be there as soon as he : however, I did not undeceive my friend, but suifered him to enjoy his fancy. Dr. Johnson asked, in the evening, to see Dr. M'Lean's books. He took down " Willis de AnimaBrutorum,"^ and pored over it a good deal. Miss M'Lean produced some Erse poems by John MLean, who was a famous bard in Mull, and had died only a few yeai-s ago. He could neitiier read nor write. She read and trans- lated two of them ; one, a kind of elegy on Sir John M'Lean's being obliged to fly his country in 1715 ; another, a dialogue between two Roman Catholic young ladies, sisters, whether it was better to be a nun or to marry. I could not perceive much poetical imagery in the translation. Yet all of our company who understood Erse seemed charmed with the original. There may, perhaps, be some choice of expression, and some excellence of arrange- ment, that cannot be shown in translation. After we had exliausted the Erse poems, of which Dr. Johnson said nothing. Miss M'Lean gave us several tunes on a spinnet, which, though made so ktig ago as in 1667, was still very well toned. She sung along with it. Dr. Johnson seemed pleased with the music, though he owns he neither likes it, nor has hardly any perception of it. At Mr. M'Pherson's, in Slate, he told us, that "he knew a drum from a was too late by a month or six weeks, I have heard those who remeniherrd thi ir tour express surprise they were not drowned — Wa.teh Scott. 3 Dr. Thomas Willis, an eminent physician, born 1622, died IfiTI, published many Latin works on Anatoniv and Physio, logy. I do not find that his TreaLise de .\ninia Brutorum has been either translated or rcpruitcd. — Choker. B B 3 374 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. trumpet, and a bagpipe from a guitar, which was about the extent of his knowledge of music." To-night he said, that, " if he had learnt music, he should have been afraid he would have done nothing else but play. It was a method of employing the mind, without the labour of thinking at all, and with some applause from a man's self." We had the music of the bagpipe every day, at Armidale, Dunvegan, and Col. Dr. John- son appeared fond of it, and used often to stand for some time with his ear close to the great drone. The penurious gentleman of our acquaint- ance, formerly alluded to, afforded us a topic of conversation to-night. ' Dr. Johnson said, I ought to write down a collection of the in- stances of his narrowness, as they almost ex- ceeded belief Col told us, that O'Kane, the famous Irish harper, was once at that gentle- man's house. He could not find in his heart to give him any money, but gave him a key lor a harp, which was finely ornamented with gold and silver, and with a precious stone, and was worth eighty or a hundred guineas. He did not know the value of it ; and when he came to know it, he would fain have had it back ; but O'Kane took care that he should not. John- son. " They exaggerate the value ; every body is so desirous that he should be fleeced. I am very [ willing it should be worth eighty or a hundred guineas ; but I do not believe it." Boswell. i " I do not think O'Kane was obliged to give it t back." Johnson. " No, Sir. If a man with his | eyes open, and without any means used to de- ' ceive him, gives me a thing, I am not to let him \ have it again when he grows wiser. I like to see how avarice defeats itself: how, when avoiding to part with money, the miser gives something more valuable." Col said, the gentleman's re- lations were angry at his giving away the harp key, for it had been long in the family. John- son. " Sir, he values a new guinea more than an old friend." Col also told us, that the same person hav- ing come up with a sergeant and twenty men, working on the high road, he entered into dis- course with the sergeant, and then gave him sixpence for the men to drink. The sergeant asked, " Who is this fellow ? " Upon being informed, he said, " If I had known who he was, I should have thrown it in his face." Johnson. " There is much want of sense in all this. He had no business to speak with the sergeant. He might have been in haste, and trotted on. He has not learnt to be a miser : I believe we must take him apprentice." BoswELL. " He would grudge giving half a guinea to be taught." Johnson. " Nay, Sir, you must teach him gratis. You must give him an opportunity to practise your precepts." Let me now go back, and glean Johnsoniana. The Saturday before we sailed from Slate, I sat awhile in the afternoon with Dr. Johnson in his room, in a quiet serious frame. I ob- served, that hardly any man was accurately prepared for dying ; but almost every one left something undone, something in confusion ; that my father, indeed, told me he knew one man (Carlisle of Limekilns), after whose death all his papers were found in exact order ; and nothing was omitted in his will. Johnson. " Sir, I had an uncle ^ who died so ; but such attention requires great leisure, and great firmness of mind. If one was to think con- stantly of death, the business of life would stand still. I am no friend to making religion appear too hard. Many good people have done harm, by giving severe notions of it. In the same way as to learning : I never frighten young people with difficulties ; on the contrary, I tell them that they may very easily get as much as will do very well. I do not indeed tell them that they will be Bentleys.'' The night we rode to CoVs house, I said, " Lord Elibank is probably wondering what is become of us." Johnson. " No, no ; he is not thinking of us." Boswell. " But recollect the warmth with which he wrote. Ai-e we not to believe a man, when he says he has a great desire to see another ? Don't you believe that I was very impatient for your coming to Scot- land ? " Johnson. " Yes, Sir ; I believe you were ; and I was impatient to come to you. ( A young man feels so, but seldom an old man." I however convinced him that Lord Elibank, who has much of the spirit of a young man, might feel so. He asked me if our jaunt had ; answered expectation. I said it had much ex- ; ceeded it. I expected much difficulty with : him, and had not found it. " And," he added, i " wherever we have come, we have been re- i ceived like princes in their progress." \ He said, he would not wish not to be dis- | gusted in the Highlands ; for that would be to ■ lose the power of distinguishing, and a man ; might then lie down in the middle of them. ! He wished only to conceal his disgust. ( At Captain M'Lean's, I mentioned Pojje's , friend, Spence. Johnson. " He was a weak conceited man." ^ Boswell. "Agood schohu", Sir ? " Johnson. " Why, no. Sir." Boswell. | " He was a jiretty scholar." Johnson. " You ' have about reached him." ; Last night at the inn, when the fiictor in' Tyr-yi spoke of his having heard that a roof was put on some part of the buildings at| Icolmkill, I unluckily said, " It will be fortu-. I ' Sir Alexander Macdonaid. — Crorbr. speak of Mr. Speiice"s judgment in criticism with so Iiigli •' 2 Johnson's volunteering to make this allusion would, of i degree of- respect, as to show that this was not his settlei itself, have refuted Miss Seward's malevolent fable of his | opinion of him. Let me add that, in the preface to the Pre having had an uncle hanged. — Choker. ceplor, he recommends Spence's Essay on Pope's Odyssev 3 Mr. Langton thinks this must liave been the hasty ex- and that his admirable Lives of the English Poets are mucl pression of a splenetic moment, as he has heard Dr. Johnson enriched by Spence's Anecdotes of Pope. — Boswell iEx. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. nate if we find a cathedral with a roof on it." I said this from a foolish anxiety to engage Dr. Johnson's curiosity more, lie took me short at once. " What, Sir ? how can you talk so ? If we shall Jind a cathedral roofed ! as if we were going to a teri-a incognita : when every thing that is at Icolmkill is so well known. You are like some New England-men who came to the mouth of the Thames. 'Come,' said they, ' let us go up and see what sort of inhabitants there are here.' They talked, Sir, as if they had been to go up the Susquehannah, or any other American river." Saturday^ Oct. IG. — This day there was a new moon, and the weather changed for the better. Dr. Johnson said of Miss IM'Lean, " She is the most accomplished lady that I have found in the Highlands. She knows French, music, and drawing, sews neatly, makes shell- work, and can milk cows ; in short, she can do every thing. She talks sensibly, and is the first person whom I have found, that can trans- late Erse poetry literally." AVe set out, mounted on little Mull horses. Midi corre- sponded exactly with the idea which I had always had of it ; a hilly country, diversified with heath and grass, and many rivulets. Dr. Johnson was not in very gootl humour. He said, it was a dreary country, much worse than Sky. I differed from him. " O, Sir," said he, " a most dolorous country ! " We had a very hard joui-ney to-day. I had no bridle for my sheltie, but only a halter ; and Joseph rode without a saddle. At one place, a loch having swelled over the road, we were obliged to plunge through pretty deep water. Dr. Johnson observed, how helpless a man would be, were he travelling here alone, and should meet with any accident ; and said, " he longed to get to a country of saddles and bridles." He was more out of humour to-day than lie has been in the course of our tour, being fretted to find that his little liorse could scarcely support his weight ; and having suf- fered a loss, wliich, though small in itself, was of some consequence to him, while travelling the rugged steeps of Mull, where he was at times obliged to walk. The loss that I allude to was that of the large oak-stick, which, as I formerly mentioned, he had brought with him from London. It was of great use to him in our wild peregrinations ; "for, ever since his last illness in 1766, he has had a weakness in his knees, and has not been able to walk easily. It had too the properties of a measure ; for one nail was driven into it at the length of a foot ; another at that of a yard. In return for the services it had done him, he said, this morning, he would make a present of it to some museum ; but he little thought he was so soon to lose it. As he preferred riding with a switch, it was intrusted to a fellow to be de- < M'Quarrie was hospitable to an almost romantic dogree. He lived to an extreme old age. — Waltek Scott. livered to our baggage-man, who followed us at some distance ; but we never saw it more. I could not persuade him out of a suspicion that it had been stolen. " No, no, my friend," said he ; " it is not to be expected that any man in Mull, who has got it, will part with it. Consider, Sir, the value of sucli a piece of tim- ber here ! " As we travelled this forenoon, we met Dr. MLean, who expressed much i-cgret at his having been so unfortunate as to be absent while we were at his house. We were in hopes to get to Sir Allan ]\Iac- lean's at Inchkenneth, to-night ; but the eight miles of which our road was said to consist, were so very long, that we did not reach the opposite coast of Mull till seven at night, though we had set out about eleven in the forenoon ; and when we did arrive there, we found the wind strong against us. Col de- termined that Ave should pass the night at M'Quarrie's, in the island of Ulva, Avhich lies between Mull and Inchkenneth ; and a servant was sent Ibrward to the ferry, to secure the boat for us : but the boat was gone to the Ulva side, and the wind was so high that the people could not hear him call ; and the night so dark that they could not see a signal. We should have been in a very bad situation, had there not fortunately been lying in the little sound of Ulva an Irish vessel, the Bonnetta, of Lon- donderry, Captain MLure, master. He him- self was at M'Quarrie's ; but his men obligingly came with their long-boat, and ferried us over. M'Quarrie's house was mean ; but we were agreeably surprised with the appearance of the master, whom we found to be intelligent, polite, and much a man of the world. ' Though his clan is not numerous, he is a very ancient chief, and has a burial-place at Icolmkill. He told us, his family had jjossessed Ulva for nine hundred years ; but I was distressed to hear that it was soon to be sold for payment of his debts. Captain M'Lure, whom we foimd here, was of Scotch extraction, and properly a Macleod, being descended of some of the J\Iacleods wlio went with Sir Norman of Bornera to the battle of Worcester ; and after tlie defeat of the roy- alists, lied to Ireland, and, to conceal them- selves, took a difierent name. He told me, there was a great number of them about Lon- donderry ; some of good property. I said, they should now resume their real name. The Laird of Macleod should go over, and assem- ble them, and make them all drink the large horn full, and i'rom that time they shoidd be Macleods. The captain Informed us, he had named his ship the Bonnetta, out of gratitude to Providence ; for once when we was sailing to America with a good number of passengers, the ship in which he then sailed was becalmed for five weeks, and during all that time, num- bers of the fish Bonnetta swam close to her, 15 B 4 376 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. and were caught for food ; he resolved, there- fore, that the ship he should next get should be called the Bonnetta. M'Quarrie told us a strong instance of the second sight} He had gone to Edinburgh, and taken a man-servant along with him. An old woman, who was in tlie house, said one day, " M'Quarrie will be at home to-morrow, and ' will bring two gentlemen with him ; " and she ' said, she saw his servant return in red and green. He did come home next day. He had two gentleman with him, and his servant had a new red and green livery, which M'Quarrie had bought for him at Edinburgh, upon a sudden thought, not having the least intention when he left home to put his servant in livery; so that the old woman could not have heard any previous mention of it. This, he assured us, was a true story. M'Quarrie insisted that the Mercheta MuU- eruin^ mentioned in our old charters, did really mean the privilege which a lord of the manor or a baron had, to have the first night of all his vassal's wives. Dr. Johnson said, the belief of such a custom having existed was also held in England, whei-e there is a tenure called Borough-English, by which the eldest child does not inherit, from a doubt of his being the son of the tenant." M'Quarrie told us, that still, on the marriage of each of his tenants, a sheep is due to him ; for which the composition is fixed at five shillings. T suppose, Ulva is the only place where this custom remains.^ Talking of the sale of an estate of an ancient family, which was said to have been purchased much under its value by the confidential lawyer of that family, and it being mentioned that the sale would probably be set aside by a suit in equity. Dr. Johnson said, " I am very willing that this sale should be set aside, but I doubt 1 For some curious letters, relating to the second sfgfil, between George, third Lord Reay, Henry, Earl of Claren- don, Sec, in 1699, see Peptjs's Diary and Correspondence, vol. ii. p. 174. 4th edition. — Wright. 2 Sir William Blackstone says in his " Commentaries," that " he cannot find that ever this custom prevailed in England ; " and, therefore, he is of opinion, that it could not have given rise to Borough-English. There are traditions of the same custom in continental countries, as well as in Great Britain. But there seems, I think, no reason to believe that it ever had a legal or legalised existence anywhere, and it seems to be a vulgar error, arising out of the old (and in the east of Europe still subsisting) s<-»/ system, where the lord has a kind of personal property in the peasantry, as adscripli glebce. This view is strongly corroborated by the very name of the custom Mercheta Mulierum — the market of women, which implies a pecuniary bargain, and by its definition in all our law books, as " a fine or composition from inferior tenants to the lord, for liberty to marry off their daughters." (Bructon, ^c.) In some cases it was pay- able on sending the sons to school (Kennet), on the same principle, that it severed them from the soil ; and it is added in our books, that no freeman was subject to this constraint. The right to the grosser personal tribute may, I think, be considered as a fable Crokeb, 1831—1846. The main part of the plot of Beaumont and Kletcher's Custom of the Country turns on the alleged existence of this right in Italy to its coarsest extent. — Markland. 3 This custom still continues in Ulva. — Walter Scott. ■> 1 see nothing in Johnson's words to justify such a mis- construction. " When I was conducted to my chamber, I found an elegant bed of India cotton spread with fine sheets. The accommodation was flattering. 1 undressed myself, and found my feet on the mire. The bed stood on the bare earth, much whether this suit will be successful ; for the argument for avoiding the sale is founded on vague and indeterminate principles, — as that the price was too low, and that there was a great degree of confidence placed by the seller in the person who became the purchaser. Now, how low should a price be? or what degree of confidence should there be to make a bargain be set aside ? a bargain, which is a wager of skill between man and man. If, indeed, any fraud can be proved, that will do." When Dr. Johnson and I were by ourselves at night, I observed of our host, " aspectum generosuni habet ; " " et generosum aninium" he added. For fear of being overheard in the small Highland houses, I often talked to him in such Latin as I could speak, and with as much of the English accent as I could assume, so as not to be understood, in case our con- versation should be too loud for the space. We had each an elegant bed in the same room ; and here it was that a circumstance occurred, as to which he has been strangely misunderstood. From his description of his chamber, it has erroneously been supposed, that his bed being too short for him, his feet, during the night, were in the mire ; whereas he has only said, that when he undressed, he felt his feet in the mire*: that is, the clay lloor of the room, which he stood upon before he went into bed, was wet, in consequence of the windows being broken, which let in the rain. Sunday, Oct. 17. — Being informed that there was nothing worthy of observation in Ulva, we took boat, and proceeded to Inchkenneth, where we were introduced by our friend Col to Sir Allan M'Lean, the chief of his clan, and to two young ladies, his daughters. Inch- kenneth is a pretty little island, a mile long, and about half a mile broad, all good land.* which a long course of rain had softened into a puddle." Journey Croker. s Inchkenneth is a most beantful little islet, of the most verdant green, while all the neighbouring shore of Greban, as well as the large islands of Colinsay and Ulva, are as black as heath and moss can m.ike them. But Ulva has a good anchorage, and Inchkennetli is surrounded by shoals. It is now uninhabited. The ruins of the huts, in which Dr. Johnson was received by Sir Allan M'Lean, were still to be seen, and some tatters of the paper hangings were to be seen on the walls. Sir George Onesiphorus Paul [a Gloucester- shire Baronet] was at Inchkenneth with the same party of which I was a member. He seemed to me to suspect many of the Highland tales which he heard, but he sliowed most in- credulity on the subject of Johnson's having been entertained in the wretched huts of which we saw the ruins. He took me aside, and conjured me to tell him the truth of the matter. "This Sir Allan," said he," was he a j-t^a/ar iaronrt, or was his title such a traditional one as you find in Ireland ? " I, assured my excellent acquaintance that, " for my own part, I would have paid more respect to a knight of Kerry, or knight of Glynn; yet Sir Allan M'Lean wasaj-e^u/rtriaronci by patent;"' and, having given him this information, I took the liberty of asking him, in return, whether he would not in conscience] prefer the worst cell in the jail at Gloucester (which he had: been very active in overlooking while the building was going; on) to thoseexposed hovels where Johnson had been entertained hv rank and beauty. He looked round the little islet, and allowed Sir Allan had some advantage in exercising ground ;j but in other respects he thought the compulsory tenants oi Gloucester had greatly the advantage. Such was his opinion of a place, concerning which Johnson has recorded thai "it wanted little which palaces could afford." — Waltef Scott. Three branches of the great house of Fitzgerald ir' ii JEt. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 377 As we walked up from the shore, Dr. John- son's heart was cheered by the sight of a road marked with cart-wheels, as on the main land ; a tiling which we had not seen for a long time. It gave us a pleasure similar to that which a traveller feels, when, whilst wandering on what he fears is a desert island, he perceives the print of human feet. ]\lilitary men acquire excellent habits of having all conveniences about them. Sir Allan M'Lean, who had been long in the army, and had now a lease of the island, had formed a commodious habitation, though it consisted but of a few small buildings, only one story high. He had, in his little apartments, more things than I could enumerate in a page or two. Among other agreeable circumstances, it was not the least, to find liere a parcel of the " Caledonian Mercury," published since we left Edinburgh ; wliich I read with that pleasure which every man feels who has been for some time secluded from the animated scenes of the busy world. Dr. Johnson found books here. He bade me buy Bishop Gustrell's " Christian Institutes," ' which was lying in the room. He said, " I do not like to read any thing on a Sunday °, but what is theological ; not that I would scrupu- lously refuse to look at any thing which a friend should show me in a newspaper ; but in general, I would read only what is theo- logical. I read just now some of ' Drum- mond's Travels,' before I perceived what books were here. I then took up ' Derham's Physico- Theology.' " Every particular concerning this island having been so well described by Dr. Johnson, it would be superfluous in me to present the j public with the observations that I made upon it in my Journal. I was quite easy with Sir Allan almost instantaneously. He knew the great intimacy there had been between my father and his predecessor. Sir Hector, and was himself of a very frank disposition. After dinner, Sir Allan said he had got Dr. Campbell about a liundrcd subscribers to his " Britannia Eluci- ihita" (a work since published under the title nf " A Political Survey of Great Britain"), (if whom he believed twenty were dead, the 1 'iiljlication having been so long delayed. John- >o\. " Sir, I imagine the delay of publication is owing to this ; — that, after publication, there will be no more subscribers, and few will send the additional guinea to get their books: in which they will be wrong ; for there will be a great deal of instruction in the work. I think highly of Campbell. In the first place, he has very good parts. In the second place, he has Ireland, are distiiiguislieil tiv the knightly titles alluded to by Sir VValter— The Wliite Kni^:ht, the Knight of Kerry, and the Knight of Glynn. The fi)rmer is extinct, nr merged by a female descent into, I tliink, tlie Earldom of Kingsborough. — Crokeb, 1840. very extensive reading , not, perhaps, what is properly called learning, but history, politics, and, in short, that popular knowledge which makes a man very iisuful. In the third place, he has learned nuicii by what is called the vox viva. He talks with a great many people." Speaking of this gentleman, at Rasay, he told us, that he one day called on him, and they talked of " Tail's Husbandry." Dr. Campbell said something. Dr. Johnson began to dispute it. " Come," said Dr. Campbell, " we d(j not want to get the better of one another ; we want to increase each other's ideas." Dr. Johnson took it in good part, and the conversation then went on coolly and instructively. His candour in relating this anecdote does him much credit, and his con- duct on that occasion proves how easily he could be persuaded to talk from a better motive than for " victory." Dr. Johnson here showed so much of the spirit of a Highlander, that he won Sir Allan's heart : indeed, he has shown it during the whole of our tour. One night, in Col, he strutted about the room with a broad sword and target, and made a formidable appearance ; and, another night, I took the liberty to put a large blue bonnet on his head. His age, his size, and his bushy gray wig, with this covering on it, presented the image of a venerable Senachi: and however unfavourable to the Lowland Scots, he seemed much pleased to assume the appearance of an ancient Cale- donian. We only regretted that he could not be prevailed with to partake of the social glass. One of his arguments against drinking appears to me not convincing. He urged, that, '• in proportion as drinking makes a man different from what he is before he has drunk, it is bad; because it has so far affected his reason." But may it not be answered, that a man may be altered by it for the better; that his spirits may be exhilarated, without his reason being affected ? On the general subject of drinking, however, I do not mean positively to take the other side. I am dubius lion impi-obTis. In the evening, Sir Allan informed us that it was the custom of the house to have prayers every Sunday ; and ]\Iiss IM'Lean read the evening service, in which we all joined. I then read Ogden's second and ninth Sermons on Prayer, which, with their other distinguished excellence, have the merit of being short. Dr. Johnson said, that it was the most agree- able Sunday he had ever passed ; and it made such an impression on his mind, that he after- wards wrote the following ode upon Inchken- neth : — > Dr. T. Gastrell, Bishop of Cluster, I7I4; died i7-J5. Wright. « See anti, p. 199. and p. 285. — C. 378 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. INSULA SANCTI KENNETHI. Parva quidem regio, seel religione priorum , Nota, Caledonias panditur intra aquas; Voce ubi Cennethuspopulos domuisse feroces Dicitur, et vanos dedocuisse deos. Hue ego delatus placido per coerula cursu Scire locum volui quid daret ille iiovi. Ille Leniades humili regnabat in aula, Leniades magnis nobilitatus avis ; Una duas habuit casa cum genitore puellas, Q,uas Amor undarum fingeret esse deas: Non tamen inculti gelidis latuere sub antris, Accola Danubii qualia savus habet ; Mollia non deerant vacuaj solatia vita?, Sive libros poscant otia, sive lyram. Luxerat ilia dies, Icgis gens docta superns Spes hominum ac curas cum procul esse jubet. Ponti inter strepitus sacri non munera cultus Cessarunt ; pietas hie quoque cura fuit : Quid quod sacrifici versavit femina libros, Legitimas faciunt pectora pura preces. Quo vagor ulterius ? quod ubique requiritur hie est; Hie secura quies, hie et honestus amor.' Monday, Oct. ISth. — We agreed to pass the day with Sir Allan, and he engaged to have every thing in order for our voyage to- morrow. Being now soon to be separated from oiir amiable friend young Ccl, his merits were all remembered. At Ulva, he had appeared in a new character, having given us a good pre- scription for a cold. On my mentioning him with warmth, Dr. Johnson said, " Col does every thing for us : we will erect a statue to Col." " Yes," said I, " and we will have him with his various attributes and characters, like Mercury, or any other of the heathen gods. We will have him as a pilot ; we will have him as a fisherman, as a hunter, as a husbandman, as a physician." I this morning took a spade, and dug a little grave in the floor of a ruined chapel", near Sir 1 The sentiments of these lines are very beautiful, but many of the expressions are. awkward : of this Johnson himself was so well aware, that although lie diii not send these verses to Boswpll till Jan. 177.=i, he, even after that long pause, was still so little satislied with them, lh.;t he made a great many amendments and additions, as will .I'lpear from the following copy of these verses, as printed from his Works. The variations are marked in italics, INSULA KENNETHI, INTER HEBRIDAS. Parva quidem regio, sed relligiom -priorum Clara Caledonias panditur inter aquas. Voce ubi Cennethus populos domuisse feroces Dicitur, et vanos dedocuisse deos. Hue ego delatus placido per cEerula cursu, Scire luciis volui quid daret istc novi. lUic Leniades humili regnabat in aula, Leniades, magnis nobilitatus avis. Una duas c<7;// casa cinn genitore puellas, Quas Amor umlar ;m OTdcrrf esse deas. Nee tamen inculti gelidis latuere sub antris, Accola Danubii qualia srevus habet. iNIollia linn (li'sunt vacuro solatia vit^E Sivi' lil)\(is jHKcant otia, sive lyram. Fiilicrai ilia dies, Uiris 7«o docta superna; S|i.s lioininuiii .•■/■ cm ,i, ,i,'i7is procul esse jubet. r' jjcctus amorc boni. non sacri munera cultus liic quoque cura fuit. ra (le Imre soiian/is ', liora vices. Allan M'Lean's house, in which I bui-ied some human bones I found there. Dr. Johnson praised me for what I had done, though he owned he could not have done it. He showed in the chapel at Kasay his horror at dead men's bones. He showed it again at CoVs house. In the charter-room there was a remarkably large shin-bone, which was said to have been a bone of John Garve ^, one of the lairds. Dr. Johnson would not look at it, but started away. At breakfast, I asked, " What is the reason we are angry at a trader's having opulence ? " Johnson. " Why, Sir, the reason is (though I don't undertake to prove that there is a reason) we see no qualities in trade that should entitle a man to superiority. We are not angry at a soldier's getting riches, because we see that he possesses qualities which we have not. If a man returns from a battle, having lost one hand, and with the other full of gold, we feel that he deserves the gold ; but we cannot think that a fellow, by sitting all day at a desk, is entitled to get above us." Boswell. " But, Sir, may we not suppose a merchant to be a man of an enlarged mind, such as Addison in the Spectator describes Sir Andrew Freeport to have been ? " Johnson. " Why, Sir, we may suppose any fictitious character. We may suppose a philosophical day-labourer, who is happy in rellecting that, by his labour, he con- tributes to the fertility of the earth, and to the support of his fellow-creatures ; but we find no such philosophical day-labourer. A merchant may, perhaps, be a man of enlarged mind ; but there is nothing in trade connected with an enlarged mind." I mentioned that I had heard Dr. Solander say he was a Swedish Laplander. Johnson. " Sir, I don't believe he is a Laplander. The Laplanders ai-e not much above four feet high. He is as tall as you ; and he has not the copper Quid, quod sacrifici versavit focmina libros V Sint pro lej^itimis pura tnlidla sacris. Quo vagor ulterius ? quod ubique requiritur hie est, Hlc secura quies, hie et honestus amor. The reader will observe that most of the alterations are improvements. The change of the third line from the end, " Legitimas faciunt," seems not so happy, and requires some explanation. The original draft of these verses in Johnson's autograph is now before me. He had first written Sunt pro Icgilimis pectora pura sacris ; he then wrote Legitimas faciunt pura labcl/a preces ; which more nearly approaches Mr. Boswell's version, and alludes, happily, 1 "think, to the prayers having been read by the young hulv. This, however, as we shall see presently (sub 2d Feb. 1775), was objected to as rather unorthodox, and that line was erased, and the line as it stands in the Works is substituted in Mr. Langton's hand, as is also an i alteration in the 16th line, relit mto J7ibet. As I have reason to believe that Mr. Langton assisted in editing these Latin j pocmata, I conclude that these alterations were his own while superintending the press. — Crokeii. _ ' 2 Mr. Boswell does not tell us that he had visited this chapel the evening before ; but Johnson says to Mrs. Thrale, " Boswell, who is very pious, went into it at night to perform , his devotions, but came back in haite for fear of spectres." — Letters, vol. i. p. 173. — Crokeu. 3 " John Gerves, or John the Giant," of whose romantic re-i; conquest of Col from an invading Macncil, Johnson gives an interesting sketch. —Journey. — Ckoker, 1846. JEt. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 379 colour of a Laplander." ' Boswell. " But what motive could he have to make himself a Lap- lander ? " JoHNSOX. " Why, Sir, he must either mean the word Laphmder in a very extensive sense, or may mean a voluntary degradation of himself. ' For all my being the great man that you see me now, I was originally a barbarian ; ' as if Burke shoidd say, ' 1 came over a wild Irishman ' — which he might say in his present state of exaltation." Having expressed a desire to have an island like Inchkenneth, Dr. Johnson set himself to think what would be necessary for a man in such a situation. " Sir, I should build me a fortification, if I came to live here ; for, if you have it not, what should hinder a parcel of ruffians to land in the night, and carry off every thing you have in the house, which, in a remote country, would be more valuable than cows and sheep ? add to all this the danger of having your throat cut." BoswEix. " I would have a large dog." JoHssox. " So you may. Sir ; but a large dog is of no use but to alarm." He, however, I apprehend, thinks too lightly of the power of that animal. I have heard him say that he is ;itVaid of no dog. " He would take him up by ilie liinder legs, which would render him quite lielpless ; and then knock his head against a stone, and beat out his brains." Topham Beau- clerk told me, that at his house in the country, two large ferocious dogs were fighting. Dr. .Johnson looked steadily at them for a little while ; and then, as one would separate two little boys, who are foolishly hurting each other, he ran up to them, and cuffed their heads till he drove them asunder." But few men have his intrepidity, Herculean strength, or presence of mind. Most thieves or robbers would be afraid to encounter a mastiff. I observed, that when young Col talked of the lands belonging to his family, he always said " mi/ lands." For this he had a plausible pretence; for he told me, there has been a custom in this family, that the Laird resigns the estate to the eldest son when he comes of age, reserving to himself only a certain life- ' Solander (Daniel Charles) was horn in Norland, in Swe- den, in 1736, came to Kngland in 1760, and became F. R.S. in I7(i4. In 1768 he accompanied Banks in his voyage with Cook, and died one of the Librarians of the British Museum in 1782. The Biog. Diet, says, that " he was a short lair man, rather fat, with small eyes, and good-humoured coun- tenance ; " now Boswell was not short. I believe that Nor- land may be popularly included under the general name of Lapland, and there could be, I suppose, no better authority on the point than Solander's own — Croker 2 " When we inquired," says Mrs. Piozzi, " into the truth of this story, he answered, the dogs have been some- what magnified, I believe. They were, as I remember, two gtout young pointers ; but the story has gained but little." — Piozzi. p. 88. The story has gained everything. Two fero- cious mastiffs and two puppy pointers are very different things to handle Cro&er, 1846. rent. He said, it was a voluntary custom ; but I think I found an instance in the charter- room, that there was such an obligation in a contract of marriage. If the custom was volun- tary, it was only curious ; but if founded on obligation, it might be dangerous; for I have been told, that in Otaheite, whenever a child is born (a son, I think), the i'ather loses his right to the estate and honours, and that this un- natural, or rather absurd custom, occasions the murder of many children.-' Young Col told us he could run down a greyhound ; " for," said he, " the dog runs him- self out of breath, by going too quick, and then I get up with him."* I accounted for his advantage over the dog, by remarking that Col had the faculty of reason, and knew how to moderate his pace, which the dog had not sense enough to do. Dr. Johnson said, " He is a noble animal. He is as complete an islander as the mind can figure. lie is a farmer, a sailor, a hunter, a fisher : he will run you down a dog : if any man has a tail ^, it is Col. He is hospitable ; and he has an intrepidity of talk, whether he understands the subject or not. I regret that he is not more intellectual." Dr. Johnson observed, that there was nothing of which he would not undertake to persuade a Frenchman in a foreign country. " I '11 carry a Frenchman to St. Paul's Churchyard, and I '11 tell him, ' by our law you may walk half round the church, but, if you walk round the whole, you will be punished capitally;' and he will believe me at once. Now, no Englishman would readily swallow such a thing : he would go and inquu-e of somebody else." The Frenchman's credulity, I observed, must be owing to his being accustomed to implicit sub- mission; whereas every Englishman reasons upon the laws of his country, and instructs his representatives, who compose the legislature. This day was passed in looking at a small island adjoining Inchkenneth, which afforded nothing worthy of observation; and in such social and gay entertainments as our little society could furnish. 3 It seems, however, that in this inst.ancc the custom was carried out. All that Boswell relates of Col, from his very title to the end, looks like an actual ownership. Johnson says, " Mr. Maclean of Col (the father), having a numerous family, has for some time past resided in Aberdeen, that he may superintend their education, and leaves the young gentleman our friend to govern his dominions with the full power of a Highland Chief," and when poor Col was soon after drowned, Boswell talks (sub 18th Feb. 1775) of the next brother as his successor, though there is no reason to suppose that the father had died in that short interv.il — Croker. ■> This is not spoken of hare -coursing, where the game is taken or lost before the dog gets out of wind ; but in chasing deer with the great Highland greyhound. Col's exploit is feasible enough. — Walter Scott. 5 In allusion to Monboddo's theory, that a perfect man would have a tail. — Choker. 380 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. CHAPTER XLIII. 1773. Voyage to lona. — Death of young Col. — M'Kinnons Cave. — " La Credidite des Increduhs." — Coast of Mull. — Nuns' hlnnd. — Icolmkill. — Quota- tion from Johnson's Tour. — Return to Mull. — Pulteuey. — Pitt. — Walpole. — Wilkes. — English and Jewish History compared. — " Turkish Spy." — Moy. — Lochbuy's War-saddle. — Sheep's- Iieads. — Sail to Oban. — Goldsmith's " Traveller." — Shenstone's Observation on Pope. — Inverary. — Letter from Gar rich. — Hervey's " Meditations." — "-Meditation on a Pudding." — Country Neigh- bours Castle of Inverary. — Duke and Duchess of Argyk. — Influence of Peers. Tucsdinj, Oct. 19. — After breakfast we took leave of the young ladies, and of oui- excellent companion Col, to whom we had been so much obliged. He had now put us under the care of his chief; and was to hasten back to Sky. We parted from him with very strong feelings of kindness and gratitude, and we hoped to have had some future opportunity of proving to him the sincerity of what we felt; but in the following year lie was unfortunately lost in the Sound between Ulva and Mull' ; and this imperfect memorial, joined to the high honour of being tenderly and respectfully mentioned by Dr. Johnson, is tiie only return which the uncertainty of human events has permitted us to make to this deserving young man. Sir Allan, who obligingly undertook to ac- company us to Icolmkill, had a strong good boat, with four stout rowers. We coasted along ]\Iull till we reached Grihon, where is what is called Mackinnon's cave, compared with which that at Ulinish is inconsiderable. It is in a rock of great height, close to the sea. Upon the left of its entrance there is a cascade, almost perpendicular fi-om the top to the bot- tom of the rock. There is a tradition that it was conducted thither artificially, to supply the inhabitants of the cave with water. Dr. John- son gave no credit to this tradition. As, on the one hand, his f\iith in the Christian religion is ilrinly founded upon good grounds ; so, on the other, he is incredulous when there is no suf- ficient reason for belief; being in this respect just the reverse of modern infidels, who, how- ever nice and scrupulous in weighing the evi- ' Just opposite toM'Quarrie's house the boat was swamped by the intoxication of the sailors, who had partaken too largely of M'Quarrie's wonted hospitality — Waltek Scott. Johnson says in his Journey, " Here we had the last embrace of this amiable man, who, while these pages were preparing to attest his virtues, perished in the passage between Ulva and Inchkenneth." The account given in the Journei/ oC voung Donald Maclean made him a popular character. Tho 'Laird of Cot is a character In O'Keefe's " Highland Heel." Johnson writes from I.iilifield, 13th June. 1775: — "There is great liimentatiou lu-rc for poor Col ," and a review of the Journey, Gent. Mafi. l77o, tluisconrludcs : — '• But, whatever Dr. Jolmson .^aw, whatever he dcscrllx-d. will now be per- petuated ; and though tlie buildings of Icolmkill are moul- dering into dust, and the young Laird of Col is insensible of dences of religion, are yet often so ready to believe the most absurd and improbable tales of another nature, that Lord Hailes well ob- served, a good essay might be written Sur la Credidite des Incredules. The height of this cave I cannot tell with any tolerable exactness ; but it seemed to be very lofty, and to be a pretty regular arch. We penetrated, by candle-light, a great way ; by our measurement, no less than four hundred and eighty-five feet. Tradition says, that a piper and twelve men once advanced into this cave, nobody can tell how far^, and never returned. At the distance to which we pro- ceeded the air was quite pure ; for the candle burned freely, without the least appearance of the flame growing globular ; but as we had only one, we thought it dangerous to venture farther, lest, should it have been extinguished, we should have had no means of ascertaining whether we could remain without danger. Dr. Johnson said, this was the greatest natural curiosity he had ever seen. We saw the island of StaflTa, at no very great distance, but could not land upon it, the surge was so high on its rocky coast. Sir Allan, anxious for the honour of Mull, was still talking of its woods, and pointing them out to Dr. Johnson, as appearing at a distance on the skirts of that islantl, as we sailed along. Johnson. " Sir, I saw at Tobermorie what they called a wood, which I unluckily took for heath. If you show me what I shall take for furze, it will be something." In the afternoon we went ashore on the coast of Mull, and partook of a cold repast, which we carried with us. We hoped to have procured some rum or brandy for our boatmen and servants, from a public-house near where we landed ; but unfortunately a funeral a few days before had exhausted all their store. Mr. Campbell, however, one of the Duke of Argyle's ta,cksnien, who lived in the neighbourhood, on receiving a message from Sir Allan, sent us a liberal supply. We continued to coast along Mull, and passed by Nuns' Island, which, it is said, belonged to the nuns of Icolmkill, and from which, we were told, the stone for the buildings there was taken. As we sailed along by moon- light, in a sea somewhat rough, and often be- tween black and gloomy rocks. Dr. Johnson said, " If this be not rovinsr amons the Hebrides, praise, readers yet unborn will feel their piety warmed by the ruins of lona, and their sensibility touched by the untimely fate of the amiable Maclean." — Croker. " There is littie room for supposing that any person ever went farti'.er into M'Kinnon's cave than any man may now go. Johnson's admiration of it seems exaggerated. A great number of the M'Kinnons, escaping from some powerful enemy, hid themselves in this cave till they could get over to the isle of Sky. It concealed themselves and their bir- lings, or boats ; and they show M'Kinnon's harbour, M'Kinnon's dining-tablc, and other localities. M'Klnnon'i ciiudlrslicic was a fine piece of spar, destroyed by gome traveller in the frantic rage for appropriatitm. with which tourists are sometimes animated — Walter Scott. ^T, 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON, 381 nothing is." The repetition of words -n'hich he had so often previously used made a strong impression on my imagination ; and, by a natural course of thinking, led me to consider how our present adventures would appear to me at a future period. I have often experienced, that scenes through which a man has passed improve by lying in the memory ; they grow mellow. Acti labores suntjucundi. This may be owing to comparing them with present listless ease. Even harsh scenes acquire a softness by length of time ' ; and some are like very loud sounds, which do not please, or at least do not please so much, till you are removed to a certain distance. They may be compared to strong coarse pic- tures, which will not bear to be viewed near. Even pleasing scenes improve by time, and seem more exquisite in recollection, than when they were present; if they have not folded to dimness in the memory. Perhaps, there is so much evil in every human enjoyment, when present, — so much dross mixed with it, that it requires to be refined by time ; and yet I do not see why time should not melt away the good and the evil in equal proportions ; — why the shade should decay, and the light remain in preservation. After a tedious sail, which, by our following various turnings of the coast of Mull, was extended to about forty miles, it gave us no small pleasure to perceive a light in the village at Icolmkill, in which almost all the inhabitants of the island live, close to where the ancient building stood. As we approached the shore, the tower of the cathedral, just discernible in the air, was a picturesque object. When we had landed upon the sacred place, which, as long as I can remember, I had thought on with veneration. Dr. Johnson and I cordially embraced. We had long talked of visiting Icolmkill ; and, from the lateness of the season, were at times very doubtful whether we should be able to effect our purpose. To have seen it, even alone, would have given me great satisfac- tion ; but the venerable scene was rendered much more pleasing by the company of my great and pious friend, who was no less affected by it than I was ; and who has described the impressions it should make on the mind, with such strength of thought, and energy of lan- guage, that I shall quote his words, as convey- ing my own sensations much more forcibly than I am capable of doing : — "■ We were now trea(linfhich, being of a yellowish hue, has the epithet of Buy. We had heard much of Lochbuy s being a great roaring braggadocio, a kind of Sir John Falstafi", both in size and manners ; but we found that they had swelled him up to a fic- titious size, and clothed him with Imaginary qualities. CoVs idea of him was equally ex- travagant, though very different : he told us he was quite a Don Quixote; and said, he would give a great deal to see him and Dr. Johnson together. The truth is, that Lochbuy proved to be only a bluff, comely, noisy, old gentleman, proud of his hereditary con- sequence, and a very hearty and hospitable landlord. Lady Lochbuy was sister to Sir Allan M'Lean, but much older. He said to me, " They are quite Antediluvians. '' Being told that Dr. Johnson did not hear well, Lochbuy bawled out to him, " Are you of the Johnstons of Glencro, or of Ardnamurchan ? " Dr. Johnson gave him a significant look, but made no answer ; and I told Lochbuy that he was not Johnsto?«, but Johnson, and that he was an Englishman.^ Lochbuy some years ago tried to prove him- self a weak man, liable to Imposition, or, as See post, sub I5th May. 1776, 8th May, 1781, and 2Ist May, 1783. See also, a? to Wilkes's magisterial services during the riots, sub June 1780. — Croker. 2 A metaphor which might rather have been expected from M'Quanie than the Doctor ; but I believe that it is a common northern expression to signify great capacity of intellect. —Croker. 3 Boswell totally misapprehended I.oclibuu'' s meaning. There are two septs of the powerful cliin of M' Donald, who arc called Mac-Ian, that is, John's-son ; and as Highlanders often translate their names when they go to the Lowlands, — as Grcgor-son for Mac-Gregor, Farquhar-son for Mac- Farquhar, — I.oc/ibuy supposed that Dr. Johnson might be one of the Mac-Ians of Ardnamurchan, or of Glencro. Boswell's explanation was nothing to the purpose. The Johnstons arc a clan distinguished in Scottish border history, and as brave as any Highland clan that ever wore brogues ; but they lay entirely out of Lochbuy's knowledge — nor was he thinking of /ne?« Walter Scott. The Mac-Ians of Ardnamurchan, a distinguished clan, are descended from Ian — John, a younger son of Angus More, King of the Isles. — Chambers, 1846. 384 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. we terra it in Scotland, a facile man, in order to set aside a lease which he had granted ; but failed in the attempt. On my mentioning this, circumstance to Dr. Johnson, he seemed much surprised that such a suit was admitted by the Scottish law, and observed, that " in England no man is allowed to stultify himself." ' Sir Allan, Lochbiiy, and I, had the conversa- tion chiefly to ourselves to-night. Dr. Johnson, being extremely weary, went to bed soon after supper. Friday, Oct. 22. — Before Dr. Johnson came to breakfast. Lady Lochhuy said, " he was a dungeon of wit;" a very common phrase in Scotland to express a profoundness of intellect, though he afterwards told me that he never had heard it.* She proposed that he should have some cold sheep's head for breakfast. Sir Allan seemed displeased at his sister's vulgarity, and wondered how such a thought should come into her head. From a mischievous love of sport, I took the lady's part ; and very gravely said, " I think it is but fair to give him an offer of it. If he does not choose it, he may let it alone." " I think so," said the lady, looking at her brother with an air of victory. Sir Allan, finding the matter desperate, strutted about the room, and took snuff. AVhen Dr. Johnson came in, she called to him, " Do you choose any cold sheep's head. Sir ? " " No, Madam," said he, with a tone of surprise and anger .^ "It is here, sir," said she, supposing he had refused it to save the trouble of bringing it in. They thus went on at cross purposes, till he con- firmed his refusal in a manner not to be mis- understood ; while I sat quietly by and enjoyed my success. After breakfast, we surveyed the old castle, in the pit or dungeon of which Lochhuy had some years before taken upon him to imprison several persons ,- and though he had been fined in a considerable sum by the Court of Justi- ciary, he was so little affected by it, that while we were examining the dungeon, he said to me, with a smile, " Your fiither knows something of this;" (alluding to my father's having sat as one of the judges on his trial.) Sir Allan whispered me, that the laird could not be per- suaded that he had lost his heritable jurisdic- tion.'* ' This maxim, however, has been controverted. See " Btnc/cslonc's Commentaries," vol. ii. p 292. ; and the autho- rities there quoted Boswell. - It is also common in the north of Ireland, iind is some- what more emphatic than the eulogy in a former page, of being a hofisfieadof sense. — Choker. 3 Begging pardon of the Doctor and his conductor, I have often seen and partaken of cold slieep's head at as good breakfast-tables as ever they sat at. This protest is some- thing in the manner of the late Culrossie, who fought a duel for the honour of Aberdeen butter. I have passed over all the Doctor's other reproaches upon Scotland, but the sheep's head I will defend tolis viribus. Dr. Johnson himself must have forgiven my zeal on this occasion ; for if, as he says, dinner be the thing of which a m.tn thinks oftenest during tht day, breakfast must be that of which he thinks^rs^ in the mornitif; Walter Scott. ■• The criminal jurisdictions exercised by the fend-il pro- prietors in Scotland were suppressed after the rebellion by statute 20 Geo. II. — Croker, 1846. 5 Sir Allan M'Lean, like many Highland chiefs, was em- We then set out for the ferry, by which we were to cross to the main land of Argyleshire- Lochhuy and Sir Allan accompanied ua ^Ve were told much of a war-saddle, on which this reputed Don Quixote used to be mounted; but we did not see it, for the young laird had applied it to a less noble purpose, having taken it to Falkirk fair with a drove of Hack cattle. We bade adieu to Lochhuy, and to our very kind conductor ^ Sir Allan M'Lean, on the shore of INIull, and then got into the ferry- boat, the bottom of which was strewed with branches of trees or bushes, upon which we sat. We had a good day and a fine passage, and in the evening landed at Oban, where, we found a tolerable inn. After having been so long confined at different times in islands, from which it was always uncertain when we could get away, it was comfortable to be now on the main land, and to know that, if in health, we might get to any place in Scotland or Eng- land in a certain number of days. Here we discovered, from the conjectures which were formed, that the people of the main land were entirely ignorant of our motions ; for in a Glasgow newspaper we found a paragraph, which, as it contains a just and well-turned compliment to my illustrious friend, I shall here insert : — " We are well assured that Dr. Johnson is con- fined by tempestuous weather to the isle of Sky ; it being unsafe to venture in a small boat upon such a stormy surge as is very common there at this time of the year. Such a philosopher, detained on an almost barren island, resembles a whale left upon the strand. The latter will be welcome to every body, on account of his oil, his bone, &e., and the other will charm his companions, and the rude inhabitants, with his superior knowledge and wisdom, calm resignation, and unbounded benevo- lence." Saturday, Oct. 23. — After a good night's rest, we breakfasted at our leisure. We talked of Goldsmith's Traveller, of which Dr. ■ J(^hnson spoke highly ; and while I was help- ing him on with his great coat, he repeated from it the character of the British nation, i which he did with such energy, that the tear j started into his eye : — ! barrassed in his private affairs, and exposed to unpleasant solicitations from attorneys, called, in Scotland, writers | (which indeed was the chief motive of his retiring to Inch- kenneth). Upon one occasion he made a visit to a friend, ; , then residing at Carron lodge, on the banks of the Carron, where the banks of that river are studded with pretty villas ; Sir Allan, admiring the landscape, asked his friend, whom that handsome seat belonged to. "M , the writer to the signet," was the reply. " Umph ! " said Sir Allan, but not with an accent of assent, " I mean that other house." " Oh .' that belongs to a very honest fellow, Jamie , also a writer to the signet." "Umph!" said the Highland chief of M'Lean, with more emphasis than before, " And yon smaller house ? " That belongs to a Stirling man ; I forget his name, but I am sure he is a writer too; for ." Sir Allan, who had recoiled a quarter of a circle backward at every response, now wheeled the circle entire, and turned his back on tlie landscape, saying, " My good friend, I must own you have a prettv situation here ; but d— n your neighbourliood." — Walter Scott. Mt. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 385 P " Stern o'er each bosom reason liolds her state. With daring aims irregularly great, Pride in their port, defiance in their eye, I see the lords of humankind pass by, Intent on high designs, a thoughtful band. By forms unfashion'd, fresh from nature's hand ; Fierce in their native hardiness of soul, I True to imagined right, a!)ove controul. While oven the peasant boasts these rights to scan, And learns to venerate himself as man."' I We could get but one bridle here, -vvbicli, according to the maxim detur digiiiori, was ap- pi-opriated to Dr. Johnson's sheltie. I and Joseph rode -with halters. We crossed in a I'erry-boat a pretty wide lake, and on the farther side of it, close by the shore, found a ^ hut for our inn. We were much wet. I i changed my clothes in part, and was at palus to get myself well dried. Dr. Johnson reso- i lutely kept on all his clothes, wet as they were, letting them steam before the smoky turf fire. I thought him in the wrong ; but his firmness was, perhaps, a species of heroism. I remember but little of our conversation. T mentioned Shenstone's saying of Pope, that lio liad the art of condensing sense more than any body. Dr. Johnson said, " It is not true, I Sir. There is more sense in a line of Cowley j than in a page (or a sentence, or ten lines — I i am not quite certain of the very phrase) of ! Pope." 2 He maintained that Archibald, Duke of : Argyle, was a narrow man. I wondered at ( this ; and observed, that his building so great [ a house at Inverary was not like a narrow I man. " Sir," said he, " when a narrow man ! has resolved to build a house, he builds it like 1 another man. But Archibald, Duke of Argyle, was narrow in his ordinary expenses, in his ' quotidian expenses." ^ I The distinction is very just. It is in the J ordinary expenses of life that a man's liberality j or narrowness is to be discovered. I never i heard the word quotidian in this sense, and I inLi^ined it to be a word of Dr. Johnson's own ! fabrication ; but I have since found it in I Young's Night Thoughts (Night fii'th), > IMtss Reynolds, in her Recollections, says that Johnson toll her that he had written these lines for Goldsmith ; but this is another instance of the inaccuracy of even the most plausible ^¥itnesses. See ante, p. 174. Johnson was fond of repeating these beautiful lines, and his havinj; done so to Miss Reynolds, no doubt, led to her mistake: he was incapa- ble of any such deceit. — Choker. - " Pope's talent lay remarkably in what one may naturally enough term the condensation of thoughts. 1 think no other English poet ever brought so much sense into the same number of lines with equal smoothness, ease, and poetical beauty. Let him who doubts of this peruse the Essay on Man with attention." _S/icns<07Jc'« Essays on Men end Manners. " He [Griiy] approved an observation of Shen- stone, that ' Pope had the art of condensing a thought.' " — NichoUs' Reminiscences of Gray, p. .37. And Swift, him- isel. a great condenser, says, " In Pope I cannot read a line But with a sigh I wish it mine ; When he can in one couplet fix More sense than 1 can do in six." P. Cunningham. " Death's a destroyer of quotidian prey," and in my friend's Dictionary, supported by the authorities of Charles I. and Dr. Donne.* _ It rained very hard as we journeyed on after dinner. The roar of torrents from the moun- tains, as we passed along in the dusk, and the other circumstances attending our ride this evening, have been mentioned with so much animation by Dr. Johnson, that I shall not attempt to say any thing on the subject.* We got at night to Inverary, where we found an excellent inn. Even here. Dr. John- son would not change his wet clothes. The prospect of good accommodation cheered tis much. We supped well ; and after supper. Dr. Johnson, whom I had not seen taste any fermented liquor during all our travels, called for a gill of whisky. " Come," said he, " let me know what it is that makes a Scotchman happy ! " He drank it all but a drop, which I begged leave to pour into my glass, that I might say we had drunk whisky together. I pro- posed Mrs. Thrale should be our toast. He would not have her drunk in whisky, but rather " some insular lady ; " so we drank one of the ladies whom we had lately left. He owned to-night, that he got as good a room and bed as at an English inn. I had here the pleasure of finding a letter from home, which relieved me from the anxiety I had suffered, in consequence of not having received any account of my family for many weeks. I also found a letter from Mr. Garrick, which was a regale as agreeable as a pine-apple would be in a desert. He had favoured me with his correspondence for many years ; and when Dr. Johnson and I were at Inverness, I had written to him as follows: — BOSWELL TO GARRICK. "Inverness, Sunday, August 29th, 1773. " My BEAR Sir, — Here I am, and Mr. Samuel Johnson actually with mo. We were a niglit at Fores, in coming to which, in the dusk of the even- ing, we passed over the bleak and blasted heath where Macbeth mot the witches. Your old pre- ceptor repeated, with much solemnity, the speech, 3 This information Johnson, no doubt, derived through his early friends, the Misses Cotterel, who were acquaintances of the widow of Duke Archibald's predecessor. See anti p. 79. — Croker. ' ■i Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Milton use it substantivolv, for an .-igue, returning every day. But Phillips's World of Words has it in the general sense ot daily. So has Blount in his Glossographia.— Croker. Phillips stole every thing that is good in the World of Words from the Glossographia.— P. Cunningham. ' As the fine passage referred to is short as well as striking I shall venture to give it : — " The night c.ime on while we h.nd yet a great part of the way to go, though not so dark but that we could discern the cataracts which poured down the hills on one side, and fell into one general channel that ran with great violence on the other. The wind was loud, the rain was heavy, and the whistling of the blast, the fall of the shower, the rusli of the cataracts, and the roar of the torrent, made a nobler chorus of the rough music of nature than it had ever been my chance to hear heiore." — Journey Crokkr. 386 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. ' How far is 't called to Fores ? What are these, So wither'd and so wild in their attire?' &c. This day we visited the ruins of Macbeth's castle at Inverness. I have had great romantic satisfac- tion in seeing Johnson upon the classical scenes of Shakspeare in Scotland ; which I really looked upon as almost as improbable as that ' Birnam Wood should come to Dunsinane.' Indeed, as I have always been accustomed to view him as a per- manent London object, it would not be much more wonderful to me to see St. Paul's church moving along where we now are. As yet we have travelled in post-chaises ; but to-morrow we are to mount on horseback, and ascend into the mountains by Fort Augustus, and so on to the ferry, where we are to cross to Sky. We shall see that island fully, and then visit some more of the Hebrides ; after which we are to land in Argyleshire, proceed by Glasgow to Auchinleck, repose there a competent time, and then return to Edinburgh, from whence the Rambler will depart for old England again, as soon as he finds it convenient. Hitherto we have had a very prosperous expedition. I flatter myself, servetur ad imum, qualis ah incepto processerit. He is in ex- cellent spirits, and I have a rich journal of his con- versation. Look back, Davy ', to Lichfield ; run up through the time that has elapsed since you first knew Mr. Johnson, and enjoy with me his present extraordinary tour. I could not resist the impulse of writing to you from this place. The situation of the old castle corresponds exactly to Skakspeare's description. While we were there to-day, it happened oddly, that a raven perched upon one of the chimney-tops, and croaked. Then I in my turn repeated — ' The raven himself is hoarse, That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan Under my battlements.' " I wish you had been with us. Think what enthusiastic happiness I shall have to see Mr. Samuel Johnson walking among the romantic rocks and woods of my ancestors at Auchinleck ! Write to me at Edinburgh. You owe me his verses on great George and tuneful Cibber, and the bad verses which led him to make his fine ones on Philips the musician. Keep your promise, and let me have them. I offer my very best compliments to Mrs. Garrick, and ever am your warm admirer and friend, James Boswell." His answer was as follows : — GARRICK TO BOSWELL. " Hampton, 14th September, 1773. " Dear Sir, — You stole away from London, and left us all in the lurch ; for we expected you one night at the club, and knew nothing of your departure. Had I paid you what I owed you for the book you bought for me, I should only have grieved for the loss of your company, and slept with 1 I took the liberty of giving this familiar appellation to my celebrated friend, to bring in a more lively manner to his remembrance the period when he was Dr. Johnson's pupil. — Boswell. 2 I have suppressed my friend's name from an apprehension of wounding his sensibility ; but I would not withhold from my readers a passage which shows Mr. Garrick's mode of writing as the manager of a theatre, and contains a pleasing trait of his domestic life. His judgment of dramatic pieces, 60 far, as concerns their exhibition on the stage, must be a quiet conscience ; but, wounded as it is, it must remain so till I see you again, though I am sure our good friend Mr. Johnson will discharge the debt for me, if you will let him. Y'our account of your journey to Fores, the raven, old castle, &c. &c. made me half mad. Are you not rather too late in the year for fine weather, which is the life and soul of seeing places ? I hope your pleasure will con- tinue qualis ah incepto, &c. " Your friend, ^ threatens me much. I only wish that he would put his threats in execu- tion, and, if he prints his play, I will forgive him. I remember he complained to you that his book- seller called for the money for some copies of his [Lusiad], which I subscril)ed for, and that I de- sired him to call again. The truth is, that my wife was not at home, and that for weeks together I have not ten shillings in my pocket. However, had it been otherwise, it was not so great a crime to draw his poetical vengeance upon me. I despise all that he can do, and am glad that I can so easily get rid of him and his ingratitude. I am hardened both to abuse and ingratitude. You, I am sure, will no more recommend your poetasters to my civility and good offices. " Shall I recommend to you a play of Eschylus (the Prometheus), published and translated by poor old Morell, who is a good scholar, and an acquaint- ance of mine ? It will be but haU-a-guinea, and your name shall be put in the list I am making for him. You will be in very good company. Now for tlie epitaphs ! [ This refers to the epitaph on Philips, and the ; verses on George the Second, and Colley Cibber, j as his poet laureat,for which see ante, p. 43.] ] " I have no more paper, or I should have said { more to you. My love to you, and respects to Mr. '■ Johnson. Y'ours, ever, D. Garrick. f " I can't write. I have the gout in my hand." Sunday, Oct. 24. — We passed the forenoon calmly and placidly. I prevailed on Dr. John- son to read aloud Ogden's sixth Sermon on Prayer, which he did with a distinct expres- ' sion, and pleasing solemnity. He praised my ! favourite preacher, his elegant language, and ' remarkable accuteness ; and said, he fought ' infidels with their own weapons. As a specimen of Ogden's manner, I insert , the following passage from the sermon which j Dr. Johnson now read. The preacher, after i arguing against that vain philosophy which | maintains, in conformity with the hard prin- ■ ciple of eternal necessity, or unchangeable! predetermination, that the only effect of prayer! for others, although we are exhorted to pray} for them, is to produce good dispositions in) ourselves towards them, thus expresses him-j self:— I allowed to have considerable weight. But from the effect' which a perusal of the tragedy here condemned had upor! myself, and from the opinions of some eminent critics, I; venture to pronounce that it has much poetical merit; anci its author has distinguished himself by several performance: '. which show that the epithet poetaster was, in the presen' instance, much misapplied. — Boswell. The author wai Mickle; the play, The Siege of Marseilles ; and two of thi eminent critics referred to by Boswell, the two Wartous. Se( ante, p. 248 Cbcker. JEt. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 387 " A plain man may be apt to ask, But if this then, though enjoined in the Holy Scriptures, is to be my real aim and intention, when I am taught to pray for other persons, why is it that I do not plainly so express it ? Why is not the form of the petition brought nearer to the meaning ? Give them, say I to our heavenly Father, what is good. But this, I am to understand, will be as it will be, and is not for me to alter. What is it then that I am doing ? I am desiring to become charitable myself; and why may I not plainly say so? Is there shame in it, or impiety ? The wish is laud- able. ; why should I form designs to hide it ? — Or is it, perhaps, better to be brought about by indirect means, and in this artful manner ? Alas ! who is it that I would impose on ? From whom can it be, in this commerce, that I desire to hide any thing? When, as my Saviour commands me, I have ' entered into my closet, and shut my door,' there are but two parties privy to my devotions, God and my own heart : which of the two am I deceiving?" i He wished to have more books, and, upon 1 inquiring if there were any in the house, was told that a waiter had some, which were brought to him ; but I recollect none of them, except Hervey's Meditations. He thought slightingly of this admired book. He treated it with ridicule, and would not allow even the scene of the dying husband and father to be pathetic. I am not an impartial judge ; for Hervey's Meditations engaged my itfections in my early years. He read a passage :oncerning the moon, ludicrously, and showed :iow easily he could, in the same style, make •eflections on that planet, the very reverse of Hervey's, representing her as treacherous to luankind. He did this with much humour; lut I have not preserved the particulars. He ihen indulged a playful foncy, in making a Meditation on a Pudding, of which I hastily vrote down, in his presence, the following note ; rhieh, though imperfect, may serve to give my ■ii'Ilts some idea of it. " MEDITATION ON A PUDDING. " Let us seriously reflect of what a pudding is .omposcd. It is composed of flour that once waved 1 thc> golden grain, and drank the dews of the unniiig ; of milk pressed from the swelling udder \ t!iL' gentle hand of the beauteous milkmaid, ii .- • beauty and innocence might have recom- 1. II led a worse draught; who, while she stroked lu udder, indulged no ambitious thoughts of wan- 1 iui; in palaces, formed no plans for the destruc- "\] (if her fellow-creatures : milk, which is drawn 1 the cow, that useful animal, that eats the grass field, and supplies us with that which made : . atest part of the food of mankind in the age 1 the poets have agreed to call golden. It is 'dde with an egg, that miracle of nature, which the ' lilizabeth Gunning, celebrated (like her sister, Lady .oventry) for her personal charms, had been previously uchess of Hamilton, and was mother of Douglas, Duke of '.imilton, the competitor for the Douglas property with the te Lord Douglas; she was, of course, prejudiced against 'oswell, who had shown all the bustling importance of his theoretical Burnet has compared to creation. An egg contains water within its beautiful smooth sur- face ; and an unformed mass, by the incubation of the parent, becomes a regular animal, furnished with bones and sinews, and covered with feathers. Let us consider : can there be more wanting to complete the meditation on a pudding? If more is wanting, more may be found It contains salt, which keeps tlie sea from putrefaction : salt, whicii is made the image of intellectual excellence, con- tributes to the formation of a pudding." In a Magazine I found a saying of Dr. Johnson's something to this purpose ; that the happiest part of a man's life is what he passes lying awake in bed in the morning. I read it to him. He said, " I may, perhaps, have said this ; for nobody, at times, talks more laxly than I do." I ventured to suggest to him, that this was dangerous from one of his au- thority. I spoke of living in the country, and upon what footing one should be with neighbours. I observed that some people were afraid of being on too easy a footing with them, from an .apprehension that their time would not be their own. He made the obvious remark, that it depended much on what kind of neigh- bours one has, whether it was desirable to be on an easy footing with them or not. I men- tioned a certain baronet, who told me he never was happy in the country, till he was not on speaking terms with his neighbours, which he contrived in different ways to bring about. " Lord ," said he, " stuck long ; but at last the fellow pounded my pigs, and then I got rid of him." Johnson. "Nay, Sir, my lord got rid of Sir John, and showed how little he valued him, by putting his pigs in the pound." I told Dr. Johnson I was in some difficulty how to act at Inverary. I had reason to think that the Duchess of Argyle disliked me, on account of my zeal in the Douglas cause ' ; but the Duke of Argyle " had always been pleased to treat me with great civility. They were now at the castle, which is a very short walk from our inn ; and the question was whether I should go and pay my respects there. Dr. Johnson, to whom I had stated the case, was clear that I ought ; but, in his usual way, he was very shy of discovering a desh'e to be invited there himself. Though, from a con- viction of the benefit of subordination to society, he has always shown great respect to persons of high rank, when he happened to be in their company, yet his pride of character has ever made him guard against any appear- ance of courting the great. Besides, he was impatient to go to Glasgow, where he expected letters. At the same time he was, I believe, character in the Douglas cause, and it was said, I know not on what authority, that he headed the mob which broke the windows of some of the judges, and of Lord Auchinleck, his father, in particular Walter Scott. 2 John, fifth Duke of Argyll, who died in 1806, setat. 83, the senior officer of the British army. _ Croker. c c 2 388 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. secretly, not unwilling to have attention paid him by so great a chieftain, and so exalted a nobleman. lie insisted that I should not go to the castle this day before dinner, as it would look like seeking an invitation. " But," said I, " if the duke invites us to dine with him to- morrow, shall we accept ? " " Yes, Sir," I think he said, " to be sure." But he added, " He won't ask us. " I mentioned, that I was afraid my company might be disagreeable to the duchess. He treated this objection with a manly disdain : " That, Sir, he must settle Avith his wife." We dined well. I went to the castle just about the time when I sup- posed the ladies would be retired from dinner. I sent in my name ; and, being shown in, found the amiable duke sitting at the head of his table with several gentlemen. I was most politely received, and gave his grace some par- ticulars of the curious journey which I had been making with Dr. Johnson. When we rose from table, the duke said to me, " I hope you and Dr. Johnson will dine with us to- morrow." I thanked his grace ; but told him, my friend was in a great hurry to get back to London. The duke, with a kind complacency, said, " He Avill stay one day ; and I will take care he shall see this place to advantage." I said, I should be sure to let him know his grace's invitation. As I was going away, the duke said, "Mr. Boswell, won't you have some tea ? " I thought it best to get over the meet- ing with the duchess this night ; so respectfully agreed. I was conducted to the drawing-room by the duke, who announced my name ; but the duchess, who was sitting with her daughter, Lady Betty Hamilton ', and some other ladies, took not the least notice of me. I should have been mortified at being thus coldly received by a lady of whom I, with the rest of the world, have always entertained a very high admira- tion, had I not been consoled by the obliging attention of the duke. When I returned to the inn, I informed Dr. Johnson of the Duke of Argyle's invitation, with which he was much pleased, and readily accepted of it. We talked of a violent contest which was then carrying on, with a view to the next general election for Ayrshire ; where one of the candidates, in order to undermine the I old and established interest, had artfully held himself out as a champion for the independency of the county against aristocratic influence, and had persuaded several gentlemen into a resolu- tion to oppose every candidate who was sup- ported by peers. " Foolish fellows ! " said Dr. Johnson, " don"t they see that they are as much dependent upon the peers one way as the other. The peers have but to oppose a candidate, to insure him success. It is said, the only way to make a pig go forward is to pull him back by the tail. These people must be treated like pigs." Afterwards Countess of Derby Choker. On reflection, at the distance of several years, I wonder CHAPTER XLIIL 1773. Inverary Castle. — Bishop Archibald Campbell. Douglas. — Juvenal. — Religious Buildings. — Rosedotv House. — I.ochlomond. — Cameron House. — Smollett's Monument. — Glasgow. — The Foulises,. Sfc. — Loudoun Castle. — Treesbank. — Bun- donald Castle. — Eglintoune Castle. — Auchin- leck BoswcWs Father. — Anecdotes. — Hamilton. — Edinburgh. Monday, Oct. 25. — Mt acquaintance, the Rev. Mr. John M'Aulay, one of the ministers of In- verary, and brother to our good friend at Cal- der, came to us this morning, and accompanied us to the castle, where I presented Dr. Johnson to the Duke of Argyle. We wore shown through the house; and I never shall forget the impression made upon my fancy by some of the ladies' maids tripping about in neat! morning dresses. After seeing for a long time ■ little but rusticity, their lively manner, and gay inviting appearance, pleased me so much,; that I thought for a moment I could have,' been a knight-errant for them.- ■ We then got into a low one-horse chair/ ordered for us by the duke, in which we drove about the j)lace. Dr. Johnson was much strucl; by the grandeur and elegance of this princebj seat. He thought, however, the castle tO(| low, and wished it had been a story higher'! He said, "What I admire here is the tota defiance of expense." I had a particular prid in showing him a great number of fine oli trees, to compensate for the nalcedness whic had made such an impression on him on th eastern coast of Scotland. When we came in, before dinner, we fouri the duke and some gentlemen in the hal Dr. Johnson took much notice of the larg; collection of arms, which are excellently dii. posed there. I told what he had said to S, Alexander M'Donald, of his ancestors m' suffering their arms to rust. " Well," said tl- doctoi', " but let us be glad we live in tim , when arms may rust. We can sit to-day at 1 grace's table, without any risk of being attacke and perhaps sitting down again wounded maimed." The duke placed Dr. Johnson ne himself at table. I was in fine spirits; a:, though sensible that I had the misfortune i not being in favour with the duchess, I v' not in the least disconcerted, and offered 1' grace some of the dish that was before me. ■ must be owned that I was in the right to } quite unconcerned, if I could. I was the Di;! of Argyle's guest ; and I had no reason to sij- . pose that he had adopted the prejudices fl resentments of the Duchess of Hamilton. that my venerable fellow-traveller sliould have read 9 Ijassage without censuring my levity Boswell. Mt. 64. BOS^VELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 889 I knew it was the rule of modern high life not to drink to any body ; but, that I might have the satisftiction for or.ee to look the duchess in the f\ice, with a glass in my hand, I with a respectful air addressed her, " My Lady Duchess, I have the honour to drink your grace's good health." I repeated the words audibly, and with a steady countenance. This was, perhaps, rather too much ; but some allowance must be made for human feelings. The duchess was very attentive to Dr. John- son. I know not how a middle state came to be j mentioned. Her grace wished to hear him on that point. "Madam," said he, "your own relation, Mr. Archibald Campbell, can tell you better about it than I can. He was a bishop of the nonjuring communion, and wrote a book upon the subject." ' He engaged to get it for her grace. He afterwards gave a full history of Mr. Archibald Campbell, which I am sorry I do not recollect particularly. He said, Mr. Campbell had been bred a violent Whig, but afterwards " kept hettei- company, and became a Tory." He said this with a smile, in pleasant allusion, as I thought, to the opposition be- tween his own political principles and those of the duke's clan. He added that Mr. Campbell, after the Revolution -, was thrown into gaol on account of his tenets ; but, on application by letter to the old Lord Townshend, was re- leased: that he always spoke of his lordship with great gratitude, saying, " though a Whig, he had humanity." Dr. Johnson and I passed some time together, in June, 1784, at Pembroke college, Oxford, with the Rev. Dr. Adams, the master ; and I having expressed a regret that my note relative to I\Ir. Archibald Campbell was imperfect, he was then so good as to write with his own hand, on the blank page of my journal, opposite to that which contains what I have now mentioned, the following paragraph ; which, however, is not quite so full as the narrative he gave at Inverary : — " Tlie Honourable Archibald Campbell was, I believe, the nephew ' of the Marquis of Argyle. He began life by engaging in Monmouth's rebellion, and, to escape the law, lived some time in Surinam. When he returned, he became zealous for episco- pacy and monarchy ; and at the revolution adhered not only to the nonjurors, but to those who re- fused to communicate witli the church of England, or to be present at any worship where the usurper • As this book is now become very scarce, I sliall subjoin the title, which is curious : — " The Doctrines of a Middle State between Death and the Resurrection : of Prayers for the Dead : And the Necessity of Purification ; plainly proved from the holy Scriptures, and the Writings of the Fathers of the Primitive Church : And acknowledged by several learned Fathers and great Divines of the Church of England and others since the Reformation. To which is added, an Appendix concerning tlie Descent of the Soul of Christ into Hell, while his Body lay in the Grave. Together with the Judgment of the llevorend Dr. Hickes concerning this Book, so far as relates to a Mid- dle State, particular Judgment, and Prayers for the Dead, as it appeared in the first Edition. And a Manuscript of the Right Reverend Bishop Overall upon the subject of a was mentioned as king. He was, I believe, more than once apprehended in the reign of King William, and once at the accession of George. He was the familiar friend of Hickes and Nelson ; a man of letters, but injudicious; and very curious and inquisitive, but credulous. He lived in 1743, or 44, about seventy- five years old." * The subject of luxury having been intro- duced. Dr. Johnson defended it. " We have now," said he, " a splendid dinner before us ; which of all these dishes is unwholesome?" The duke asserted, that he had observed the grandees of Spain diminished in their size by luxury. Dr. Johnson politely refrained from opposing directly an observation which the duke himself had made ; but said, " Man must be very ditferent from other animals, if he is diminished by good living ; for the size of all other animals is increased by it." I made some remark that seemed to imply a belief in second sight. The duchess said, " I fancy you will be a methodist." This was the only sen- tence her grace deigned to utter to me ; and I take it for granted, she thought it a good hit on my credulity in the Douglas cause. A gentleman in company, after dinner, was desired by the duke to go to another room, for a specimen of curious marble, which his grace wished to show us. He brought a wrong piece, upon which the duke sent him back again. He could not refuse; but, to avoid any appearance of servility, he whistled as he walked out of the room, to show his inde- pendency. On my mentioning this afterwards to Dr. Johnson, he said, it was a nice trait of character. Dr. Johnson talked a great deal, and was so entertaining, that Lady Betty Hamilton, after dinner, went and ])laced her chair close to his, leaned upon the back of it, and listened eagerly. It would have made a fine picture to have drawn the sage and her at this time in their several attitudes. He did not know, all the while, how much lie Avas honoured. I told him afterwards, I never saw him so gentle and com])laisant as this day.* We went to tea. The duke and I walked up and down the drawing-room, conversing. The duchess still continued to show the same marked coldness for me ; for which, though I suffered from it, I made every allowance, con- sidering the very warm part that I had taken for Douglas, in the cause in which she thought Middle State, and never before printed. Also, a Preservative against several of the Errors of the Roman Church, in six small Treatises. By the Honourable Archibald Campbell." Folio, 1721. — BoswF.Li,. - It was not after the Revolulion, but after the accession of the Hanover family, that this transaction occurred. Lord Townshend was not secretary of state till 1714 ; when he was so for a couple of years, and became so again iu Feb. 1720-1. — Crokeu. 3 He was the marquis's grandson, son of his second son. Lord Neil Campbell. He was a bishop of the episcopal church in Scotland, and died in London in 17-I-1.— Choker. •• .See ante, p. 213., and post, suli &th June, 1784. — C ' Because, perhai)S, he had never before seen hira in such high company. — CnoKER. c c 3 390 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. her son deeply interested. Had not her grace discovered some displeasure towards me, I should have suspected her of insensibility or dissimulation. Her grace made Dr. Johnson come and sit by her, and asked him why he made his , journey so late in the year. "Why, Madam," said he, " you know Mr. Boswell must attend the court of session, and it does not rise till the twelfth of August." She said, with some sharp- ness, " I know nothing of Mr. Boswell." Poor Lady Lucy Douglas ', to whom I mentioned this, observed, " She knew too much of Mr. Boswell." I shall make no remark on her grace's speech. I indeed felt it as rather too severe ; but when I recollected that my punish- ment was indicted by so dignified a beauty, I had that kind of consolation which a man would feel who is strangled by a silken cord. Dr. Johnson was all attention to her grace. He used afterwards a droll expression, upon her enjoying the three titles of Hamilton, Brandon, and Argyle. Borrowing an image from the Turkish empire, he called her a duchess with th7-ee tails. He was much pleased with our visit at the castle of Inverary. The Duke of Argyle was exceedingly polite to him, and, upon his com- plaining of tlie shelties which he had hitherto ridden "being too small for him, his grace told him he should be provided with a good horse to carry him next day. Mr. John M'Aulay passed the evening with us at our inn. When Dr. Johnson spoke of people whose principles were good, but whose practice was faulty, Mr. M'Aulay said, he had no notion of people being in earnest in their good professions, whose practice was not suitable to them. The doctor grew warm, and said, " Sir, are you so grossly ignorant of human nature, as not to know that a man may be very sincere in good principles, without having good practice ? " Dr. Johnson was unquestionably in the right ; and whoever examines himself candidly will be satisfied of it, though the inconsistency between principles and practice is greater in some men than in others. I recollect very little of this night's conver- sation. I am sorry that indolence came upon me towards the conclusion of our journey, so that I did not write down what passed with the same assiduity as during the greatest part of it. 1 Lady Lucy Graham, daughter of the second Duke of Montrose, and wife of Mr. Douglas, the successful claimant : Bhe died in 17S0, whence Boswell calls her " poor JLady Lucy."— Croker. 2 Having mentioned, more than once, that my Journal was perused by Dr. Johnson, I think it proper to inform my readers that this is the last paragraph which he read. — Boswell. 3 " An honest guardian, arbitrator just, Be thou ; thy station deem a secret trust. Witli thy good sword maintain thy country's cause ; In every action venerate its laws : The lie suborn'd if falsely urged to swear. Though torture wait thee, torture firmly bear ; Tuesday, Oct. 26. — Mr. M'Aulay break- fasted with us, nothing hurt or dismayed by his last night's correction. Being a man of good sense, he had a just admiration of Dr. Johnson. Either yesterday morning, or this, I com- mimicated to Dr. Johnson, from Mx. M'Aulay's information, the news that Dr. Beattie had got a pension of two hundred pounds a year. He sat up in his bed, clapped his hands, and cried, " O brave we ! " — a peculiar exclamation of his when he rejoices.^ As we sat over our tea, Mr. Home's tragedy of Douglas was mentioned. I put Dr. Johnson in mind, that once, in a coffee-house at Oxford, he called to old Mr. Sheridan, " How came you. Sir, to give Home a gold medal for writing that foolish play ?" and defied Mr. Sheridan to show ten good lines in it. He did not insist they should be together ; but that there were not ten good lines in the whole play. He now per- sisted in this. I endeavoured to defend that pathetic and beautiful tragedy, and repeated the following passage : — -" Sincerity, Thou first of virtues! let no mortal leave ; Thy onward path, although the earth should gape, : And from the gulf of hell destruction cry. To take dissimulation's winding way." Johnson. " That will not do. Sir. Nothing is good but what is consistent with truth or pro- bability, which this is not. Juvenal, indeed, gives us a noble picture of inflexible virtue : — \ " Esto bonus miles, tutor bonus, arbiter idem ' Integer : ambiguEe si quando citabere testis Incertc-eque rei, Phalaris licet imperet, ut sis Falsus, et admoto dictet perjurla tauro, Summum crede nefas animani prseferre pudori, Et propter vitamvivendi perdere causas."^ He repeated the lines with great force and dignity; then added, "And, after this, comes Johnny Home, with his earth gajnng, and his, destruction crying ! — pooh ! " ''• While we were lamenting the number o;:! ruined religious buildings which we had latel); seen, I spoke with peculiar feeling of th( miserable neglect of the chapel belonging t( the palace of Holyrood-house, in which art deposited the remains of many of the kings o Scotland, and of many of our nobility. I sai( it was a disgrace to the country that it was no To forfeit honour, think the highest shame. And life too dearly bought by loss of fame ; Nor, to preserve it, with thy virtue give That for which only man should wish to live." For this and the other translations to which no signatui is afflxed, I am indebted to the friend whose observations ai mentioned in the notes, ante, p. 289., and post, 403. — Bo!; WELL. Probably Dr. Hugh Blair. — Walter Scott. 4 I am sorry that I was unlucky in my quotation. Bu notwithstanding the acuteness of Dr. Johnson's criticisr and the power of his ridicule, the tragedy of Douglas sti continues to be generally and deservedly admired.— Bo- WELL. JEt. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 391 repaired ; and particularly complained that my i'nend Douglas, the representative of a great house, and proprietor of a vast estate, should suffer the sacred spot where his mother lies interred to be unroofed, and exposed to all the inclemencies of the weather. Dr. Johnson, who, I knew not how, had formed an opinion on the Hamilton side, in the Douglas cause, slily an- swered, " Sir, Sir, don't be too severe upon the gentleman ; don't accuse him of want of filial piety ! Lady Jane Douglas was not his mother." He roused my zeal so much that I took the liberty to tell him he knew nothing of the cause ; which I do most seriously believe was the case. We were now " in a country of bridles and saddles," and set out fully equipped. The Duke of Argylc was obliging enough to movmt Dr. Johnson on a stately steed from his grace's stable. jMy friend was highly pleased, and Joseph said, " He now looks like a bishop." We dined at the inn at Tarbat, and at night came to liosedow, the beautiful seat of Sir James Colquhoun, on the banks of Loch- lomond, where I, and any friends whom I have introduced, have ever been received with kind and elegant hospitality. Wednesday, Oct. 27. — When I went into Dr. Johnson's room this morning, I observed to him how wonderfully courteous he had been at Inverary, and said, " You were quite a fine gentleman when with the duchess." He an- swered, In good humour, " Sir, 1 look upon myself as a very polite man : " and he was right, in a proper manly sense of the word. As an unmediate proof of it, let me observe that he would not send back the Duke of Argyle's horse without a letter of thanks, which I copied. JOHNSON TO THE DUKE OF ARGYLE. " Roscdow, 29th Oct. 1773. " My LoaD, — That kindness which disposed your grace to supply me with the horse, which I have now returned, will make you pleased to hear that he has carried me well. " Bv my diligence in the little commission with which I was honoured by the duchess, I will endea- vour to show how highly I value the favours which I have received, and how much I desire to be thought, my lord, your grace's most obedient and most humble servant, Sam. Johnson." The duke was so attentive to his respectable guest, that, on the same day, he wrote him an answer, which was received at Auchinleck : — ' As a remarkable instance of his negligence, I remember some years ago to have found lying- loose in his study, and Without tlie cover which contained the address, a letter to him from Lord Thurlow, to whom he had made an appli- cation, as chancellor, in behalf of a poor literary friend. It was expressed in such terms of respect fi)r Dr. Johnson, that in my zeal for his reputation, I remonstrated warmly with THE DUKE OF ARGYLE TO JOHNSON. "Inverary, 29th Oct. 1773. " Sir, — I am glad to hear your journey from this place was not unpleasant, in regard to your horse. I wish I could have supplied you with good weather, which I am afraid you felt the want of. "The Duchess of Argyle desires her compliments to you, and is much obliged to you for remember- ing her commission. I am, Sir, your most obedient humble servant, Argyle." I am happy to insert every memorial of the honour done to my great friend. Indeed, I was at all times desirous to preserve the letters which he received from eminent persons, of which, as of all other papers, he was very neg- ligent ; and I once proposed to him that they should be committed to my care, as his custos rotulorum. I wish he had complied with my request, as by that means many valuable writings might have been preserved that are now lost.' After breakfast. Dr. Johnson and I were furnished with a boat, and sailed about upon Lochlomond, and landed on some of the islands which are Interspersed. He was much pleased with the scene, which is so well known by the accounts of various travellers that it is un- necessary for me to attempt any description of it. I recollect none of his conversation, except that., when talking of dress, he said, " Sir, were I to have any thing fine, it should be very fine. Were I to wear a ring, it should not be a bauble, but a stone of great value. Were I to wear a laced or embroidered waist- coat, it should be very rich. I had once a very rich laced waistcoat, which I wore the first night of my tragedy." Lady Helen Colquhoun ^ being a very pious woman, the conversation, after dinner, took a religious turn. Her ladyship defended the presbyterian mode of public worship ; upon which Dr. Johnson delivered those excellent arguments for a form of prayer which he has introduced into his " Journey^ I am myself fully convinced that a form of prayer for public worship is in general most decent and edifying. Solennia vei-ba have a kind of pre- scriptive sanctity, and make a deeper impres- sion on the mind than extemporaneous efl'u- slons, in which, as we know not what they are to be, we cannot readily acquiesce. Yet I would allow also of a certain portion of ex- tempore address, as occasion mny require. This is the practice of the French protestant churches. And although the office of forming supplications to the throne of Heaven is, in my mind, too great a trust to be indiscriminately him on his strange inattention, and obtained his permission to take a copy of it ; by which probably it has been preserved, ■as the orignial, 1 have reason to suppose, is lost Boswell. See post, •24th Oct. 1780. — CriOKER. 2 The Hon. Helen Sutherland, eldest daughter of Lord Strathnaver, who died before his fatlier, the fifteenth Earl ol Sutherland. She died in 1791 . — Croker. C C 4 392 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. committed to the discretion of every minister, I do not mean to deny that sincere devotion may be experienced when joining in prayer with those who use no Liturgy. We were favoured with Sir James Colqu- houn's coach to convey us in the evening to Cameron, the seat of Commissary Smollett.' Our satisfaction of finding ourselves again in a comfortable carriage was very gre.it. We had a pleasing conviction of the commodious- ness of civilisation, and heartily laughed at the ravings of those absurd visionaries who have attempted to persuade us of the superior ad- vantages of a state of nature. Mr. Smollett was a man of considerable learning, with abundance of animal spirits ; so that he was a very good companion for Dr. Johnson, who said to me, " We have had more solid talk here than at any place where we have been." I remember Dr. Johnson gave us this even- ing an able and eloquent discourse on the Origin of Evil, and on the consistency of moral evil with the power and goodness of God. He showed us how it arose from our free agency, an extinction of which would be a still greater evil than any we experience. I know not that he said any thing absolutely new, but he said a great deal wonderfully well : and perceiving us to be delighted and satisfied, he concluded his liarangue with an air of benevolent triumph over an objection which has distressed many worthy minds ; " This then is the answer to the question, TioOt]/ to KriKov?""^ Mrs. Smol- lett whispered me, that it was the best sermon she had ever heard. Much do I upbraid my- self for having neglected to preserve it.^ Thnrsdmj, Oct 28. — Mr. Smollett pleased Dr. Johnson, by producing a collection of newspape:-s in the time of the usurpation, from which it appeared that all sorts of crimes Vi^cre very fr'jquent during that horrible anarchy. By the side of the high road to Glasgow, at some -.ilstance from his house, he had erected a pillar to the memory of his ingenious kins- man, Dr. Smollett ; and he consulted Dr. John- son as to an inscription for it. Lord Kames, who, though be had a great store of knowledge, with much ingenuity, and uncommon activity of mind, was no profound scholar, had it seems recommended an English inscription. Dr. Johnson treated this with great contempt, say- ing, " An English inscription would be a dis- grace to Dr. Smollett;"'* and, in answer to what Lord Kames had urged, as to the advan- tage of its being in English, because it would be generally understood, I observed, that all to whom Dr. Smollett's merit could be an object of respect and imitation would under- stand it as well in Latin ; and that surely it Avas not meant for the Highland tb-overs, or other such people, who pass and repass that way. We were then shown a Latin inscription, proposed for this monument. Dr. Johnson sat down with an ardent and liberal earnestness to revise it, and greatly improved it by several additions and variations. I unfortunately did not take a copy of it, as it originally stood ; but I have happily preserved every fragment of what Dr. Johnson wrote : — Quisquis ades, viator, Vel mente folix, vel stiidiis cultus, Immorare paululum meinoriffi TOBItE SMOLLETT, M.D. Viri lis virtutibus Quas in homine et cive Et laudes, et imiteris, Postquam mira * * * Se ***** * Tali tantoque viro, suo patruuli, Hanc columnam, Amoris, eheu ! inane inonumentum, In ipsis Levinia; lipis Quas primis infans vagitibus personuit, Versiculisque jam fere moriturus illustravit, Ponendam curavit We had this morning a singular proof of Dr. Johnson's quick and retentive memory. Hay's translation of " Martial " was lying in a window ; I said, I thought it was pretty well done, and showed him a particular epigram, I think, of ten, but am certain, of eight lines. He read it, and tossed away the book, saying, " No, it is not pretty well." As I persisted in ray opinion, he said, " Why, Sir, the original is thus," and he repeated it, " and this man's . 1 Commissary Smollett was the cousin-german of Dr. Smollett : he died without issue ; and the family est.ite would have descended to the Doctor had he been alive, but his sister succeeded to it. Boswell spells the name Smollet with one /, but I have followed Smollett's own invariable practice. — Crokkr. 2 Whence is evil ? - Croker. 3 This was a subject which had engaged much of Johnson's attention. See his review of Jenyns's Nature and Origin of Evil, and Idler, No. 89 — Markland. *< See ante, p. 313., what 1 have ventured to advance in favour of vernacular inscriptions. How should an English inscription disgrace a writer whose fame is exclusively Englisli? — Croker. 5 The epitapli which has been inscribed on the pillar erected nn the banksof the Leven, in honour of Dr.SmoUctt, is as follows : — The part which was written by Dr. John- son, it appears, has been altered ; whether for the better, the reader will judge. The alterations are distinguished by Italics. " Siste viator ! Si lepores ingeniique venam benign.im, si morum callidissimum pictnreni, unquam es miratus, immorare paululum meraoria; TOBI^ SMOLLETT, M.D. Viri vir- tutibus hisce quas in homine et cive et laudes, et imiteris, baud mediocriter ornati : qui in Uteris variis versatus, post- quam felicitate sibi propria sese posteris commendaverat, morte acerba raptus anno aetatis 51. Eheu ! quam procul a patria ! Prope Liburni portum in Itali.i, jacet sepultus. Tali tantoque viro, patrueli suo, cui in decursu lampada se potius tradidisse decuit, hanc Columnam, amoris, eheu ! inane monumentum, in ipsis Levinije ripis, quas versiculis sub exitu vita: illustratux primis infans vagitibus personuit, ponendam curavit Jacobus Smollktt de Bonhill. Abi et reminiscere, hoc quidem honore, non modo defuncti me- moriae, verum etiam exeraplo, prospectum esse ; aliis enim, si modo dijjni sint, idem erit vii tutis premium ! "—Boswell. JEr. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 393 translation is thus," and then he repeated that also, exactly, though he had never seen it before, and read it over only once, and that, too, without any intention of getting it by heart. Here a post-ehaise, which I had ordered from Glasgow, came for us, and we drove on in high spirits. We stopped at Dumbarton, and though the approach to the castle there is very steep. Dr. Johnson ascended it with alacrity, and surveyed all that was to be seen. During the whole of our Tour he showed un- common spirit, could not bear to be treated like an old or infirm man, and was very un- willing to accept of any assistance, insomuch that at our landing at Icolmkill, when Sir Allan M'Lean and I submitted to be carried on men's shoulders from the boat to the shore, as it could not be brought quite close to land, he sprang into the sea, and waded vigorously out. On our arrival at the Saracen's Head inn, at Glasgow, I was made happy by good accounts from home ; and Dr. Johnson, who had not received a single letter since we left Aberdeen, found here a great many, the perusal of which entertained him much. He enjoyed in ima- gination the comforts which we could not now command, and seemed to be in high glee. I remember, he put a leg upon each side of the grate, and said, with a mock solemnity, by way uf soliloquy, but loud enough for me to hear it, " Here am I, an JE tiglishman, sitting by a coal fire." Friday, Oct. 29. — The professors of the university being informed of our arrival, Dr. Stevenson, Dr. Reid, and Mr. Anderson breakfasted with us. I\Ir. Anderson accom- panied us while Dr. Johnson viewed this beau- tiful city. He had told me, that one day in London, when Dr. Adam Smith ' was boasting of it, he turned to him and said, " Pray, Sir, have you ever seen Brentford ? " This was surely a strong instance of his impatience, and spirit of contradiction. I put him in mind of it to-day, while he expressed his admiration of the elegant buildings, and whispered him, " Don't you feel some remorse ? " We were received in the college by a number of the professors, who showed all due respect > Mr. Boswell has chosen to omit, for reasons which will lie presently obvious, that Johnson and Adam Smith met at Glasgow ; but I have been assured by Professor John Miller that they did so, and that Smith, leaving the jiarty in which he had met Johnson, happened to come to another company where Miller was. Knowing that Smith had been in John- son's society, they were anxious to know what had passed, and the more so .is Dr. Smith's temper seemed miicli ruffled. At first Smith would only .answer, '• He's a brute— he's a brute ; " but on closer examination, it appeared that Jolin- son no sooner saw Smith th.-in he attacked him for some point of his famous letter on the death of Huir.e {anti; p. 272. Smith vindicated the truth of his statement. " What did Johnson say ? " was the universal inquiry. " Why, he said," replied Smith, with the deepest impression of resent- ment, " he said, you lie!" "And what did you reply?" " I said, you are a son of a ! " On such terms did these two great moralists meet and part, and such was the classical dialogue between two great teachers of philosophy. — Wal- ter Scon. to Dr. Johnson ; and tlien we paid a visit to the principal. Dr. Leechmun, [cinte, p. 285.] at his own house, where Dr. Johnson had the satisfiiction of being told that his name had been gratefully celebrated in one of the paro- chial congregations in the Highlands, as the jierson to whose influence it was chieliy owing that tlie New Testament was allowed to be translated into the Erse language. It seems some political members of the Society in Scot- land for propagating Christian Knowledge had opposed this pious undertaking, as tending to preserve the distinction betAveen the High- landers and Lowlanders. Dr. Johnson wrote a long letter u})on the subject to a friend [Mr. Drummond], which being shown to them, made thera ashamed, and afraid of being pub- licly exposed ; so they were forced to a com- [diance. It is now in my possession, and is, perhaps, one of the best productions of his masterly pen. {Ante, p. 181.) Professors Reid and Anderson, and the two Messieurs Foulis, the Elzevirs of Glasgow, dined and drank tea with us at our inn, alter which the professors went away ; and I, having a letter to write, left my fellow-traveller with Mcssiem-s Foulis. Though good and ingenious men, they had that unsettled speculative mode of conversation which is offensive to a man regularly taught at an English school and uni- versity. I found that, instead of listening to the dictates of the sage, they had teased him with (juestions and doubtful disputations. He came in a flutter to me, and desired I might come back again, for he could not bear these men. me for refi was at a loss for a ready repartee. He an- swered, with quick vivacity, " It is of two evils choosing the least." I was delighted with this flash bursting from the cloud which hung upon his mind, closed my letter directly, and joined the company. We supped at Professor Anderson's. The general impression upon my memory is, that we had not much conversation at Glasgow, where the professors, like their brethren at Aberdeen, did not venture to expose them- selves much to the battery of cannon which they knew might play upon them." Dr. John- O ho! Sir," said I, "you are flying to efuge ! " He never, in any situation, This story is certainly erroneous in the important particu- lars of the time, place, and subject of the alleged quarrel ; for Hume did not die for three years after Johnson's only visit to Glasgow ; nnr was Smith then there. Johnson had, previous to his visit to .Scotland, indeed previous to 17C3 (see anti, p. 146., and post, April 20. 1778), had an altercation with Adam Smith at Mr. Strahan's table. This, of which, how- ever, we know neither the subject (unless that was the occa- sion of the allusion to Brentford) nor the degree of warmth, may have been the foundation of Professor Miller's strange misrepresentation. But, even Men, nothing of this very offen- sive kind could have passed, as, if it had, Smith could certainly not h.ive afterwards solicited admission to the Club of which Johnson was the leader, to which he was admitted 1st Dec. 177-5, and where he and Johnson met frequently on civil terms. I, therefore, disbelieve the whole story ; and repeat it only for the sake of the contradiction, and as another specimen of how loosely men, even so respect.ible as Professor Miller, will adulterate anecdotes Croker, 183.'). 2 Boswell himself was callous to the contacts of Dr. John- 394 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. son, who was fully conscious of his own superior powers, afterwards praised Principal Robertson for his caution in this respect. He said to me, " Robertson, Sir, was in the right. Robertson is a man of eminence, and the head of a college' at Edinburgh. He had a character to maintain, and did well not to risk its being lessened." Saturday, Oct. 30. — We set out towards Ayrshire. I sent Joseph on to Loudoun, with a message, that if the earl was at home. Dr. Johnson and I would have the honour to dine with him. Joseph met us on the road, and reported that the earl '•'• jumped for joy" and said, " I shall be very happy to see them." We were received with a most pleasing courtesy by his lordship, and by the countess his mother ', who, in her ninety-fifth year, had all her faculties quite unimpaired. This was a very cheering sight to Dr. Johnson, who had an extraordinary desire for long life. Her lady- ship was sensible and well-informed, and had seen a great deal of the world. Her lord hiid held several high offices, and she was sister to the great Earl of Stair. I cannot here refrain from paying a just tribute to the character of John, Earl of Lou- doun -, who did more service to the county of Ayr in general, as well as to individuals in it, than any man we have ever had. It is painful to think that he met with much ingratitude from persons both in high and low rank : but such was his temper, such his knowledge of " base mankind," ^ that, as if he had expected no other return, his mind was never soured, and he retained his good humour and benevo- lence to the last. The tenderness of his heart was proved in 1745-6, when he had an important command in the Highlands, and behaved with a generous humanity to the un- fortunate. 1 cannot figure a more honest politician; for though his interest in our county was great and generally successful, he not only did not deceive by fallacious promises, but was anxious that people should not deceive them- selves by too sanguine expectations. His kind and dutiful attention to his mother was un- remitted. At his house was true hospitality ; a plain but a plentiful table ; and every guest being left at perfect freedom, felt himself quite easy and happy. While I live, I shall honour the memory of this amiable man. At night, we advanced a few miles farther, to the house of Mr. Campbell of Treesbank, son ; and when telling them, always reminds one of a jockey receiving a kick from the horse which he is showing oft' to a customer, and is grinning with pain while he is trying to cry out, " pretty rogue — no vice — all fun." To him Johnson's rudeness was on\y " pyelfy Fanny's wmj." Dr. Robertson had a sense of good breeding which inclined him rather to forego the benefit of Johnson's conversation than awaken his rudeness. — Walter Scott. '• Lady Margaret Dalrymple, only daughter of John Earl of Stair, married, in 1700, to Hugh, third Earl of Loudoun. She died in 1777, aged one hu7idrc(t. Of this venerable lady, and of the Countess of Eglintoune, whom Johnson visited next day, he thus speaks in his Journey : — " Length of life is distributed impartially to very different modes of life in who was married to one of my wife's sisters, and were entertained very agreeably by a worthy couple. Sunday, Oct. 31. — We reposed here in tran- quillity. Dr. Johnson was pleased to find a numerous and excellent collection of books, which had mostly belonged to the Rev. Mr. John Campbell, brother of our host. I was desirous to have procured for my fellow- traveller, to-day, the company of Sir John Cuninghame, of Caprington, whose castle was but two miles from us. He was a very dis- tinguished scholar, was long abroad, and during part of the time lived much with the learned Cuninghame, the opponent of Bentley as a critic u23on Horace. He wrote Latin with great elegance, and what is very remarkable, read Homer and Ariosto through every year. I wrote to him to request he would come to us ; but unfortunately he was prevented by indisposition. Monday, Nov. 1 . — Though Dr. Johnson was lazy and averse to move, I insisted that he should go with me, and pay a visit to the Countess of Eglintoune, mother of the late and present earl. I assured him he would find himself amply recompensed for the trouble; and he yielded to my solicitations, though with some unwillingness. We were well mounted, and had not many miles to ride. He talked of the attention that is necessary in order to distribute our charity judiciously. " If thoughtlessly done, we may neglect the most deserving objects ; and, as every man has but a certain portion to give, if it is lavished upon those who first present themselves, there may be nothing left for such as have a better claim. A man should first relieve those who are \ nearly connected with him, by whatever tie ; and then, if he has any thing to spare, may ' extend his bounty to a wider circle." As we passed very near the castle of Dun- donald, which was one of the many residences of the kings of Scotland, and in which Robert ; the Second lived and died. Dr. Johnson wished to survey it particularly. It stands on a beautiful rising ground, which is seen at a great distance on several quarters, and from whence there is an extensive prospect of the rich district of Cuninghame, the western sea, the isle of Arran, and a part of the northern coast of Ireland. It has long been unroofed ; and, though of considerable size, we could not. very different climates ; and the mountains have no greater , examples of age and health than the Lowlands, where I was introduced to two ladies of high quality, one of whom (Lady Loudoun), in her ninety-fourth year, presided at her table with the full exercise of all her powers ; and the other (Lady : Eglintoune) had attained her eighty-fourth year, without any diminution of her vivacity, and little reason to accuse- time of depredations on her beauty." — Croker. 2 Fourth Earl, born in 1705, died in 1782. He had hadi' considerable military commands, and was the person who', brought Johnson's friend. Lord Charles Hay, to a court; martial, as we shall see hereafter. — Croker. ' 3 "The unwilling gratitude of base mankind." — Pope. — i BOSWELL. ^T. 64. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 395 by any power of imagination, figure it as having been a suitable habitation for majesty. Dr. Johnson, to irritate my old Scottish en- thusiasm, was very jocular on the homely accommodation of "King Sob" and roared and laughed till the ruins echoed. Lady Eglintoune', though she was now in her eighty-fifth year, and had lived in the retirement of the country for almost half a century, was still a very agreeable woman. She was of the noble house of Kennedy, and had all the elevation which the consciousness of such birth inspu-es. Her figure was majestic, her manners high bred, her reading extensive, and her conversation elegant. She had been the admu-ation of the gay circles of life, and the patroness of poets. Dr. Johnson was de- lighted with his reception here. Her principles in church and state were congenial with his. She knew all his merit, and had heard much of him from her son, Earl Alexander^, who loved to cultivate the acquaintance of men of talents in every department. All who knew his lordship will allow that his understanding and accomplishments were of no ordinary rate. From the gay habits which he had early acquired, he spent too much of his time with men, and in pursuits, far beneath such a mind as his. He afterwards became sensible of it, and turned his thoughts to objects of im- portance; but was cut off in the prime of his life. I cannot speak but with emotions of the most affectionate regret of one, in whose com- pany many of my early days were passed, and to whose kindness I was much indebted. Often must I have occasion to upbraid my- self that soon after our return to the main land, I allowed indolence to prevail over me so much as to shrink from the labour of con- tinuing my journal with the same minuteness as before; sheltering myself in the thought that we had done with the Hebrides ; and not considering that Dr. Johnson's memorabilia were likely to be more valuable when we were restored to a more polished society. Much has thus been irrecoverably lost. In the course of our conversation this day it came out that Lady Eglintoune was married the year before Dr. Johnson was born ; upon which she graciously said to him that she might have been his mother, and that she now adopted him ; and when we were going away, she em- braced him, saying, " My dear son, fiirewell ! " My friend was much pleased with this day's entertainment, and owned that I had done well to force him out. Tucfiday^ Nov. 2. — We were now in a country not only of " saddles and bridles" but • Susanna, daughter of Sir Alex. Kennedy, of Culzeen, third wife of the ninth Earl of Eglintoune. She was a. patroness of the Belles Lctlres. Allan Ramsay's Genlle Shepherd was dedicated to her in a very fulsome style of panegyric. She died in Ayrshire in 1780, aged ninety-one. The eighth Earl of Eglintoune, the father of her Lord, had married, as his second wife, Catherine St. Quintin, the widow of three husbands, and aged above ninety at the date of her last mar- of post-chaises ; and having ordered one from Kilmarnock, we got to Auchinleck before dinner. My father was not quite a year and a half older than Dr. Johnson ; but his conscientious discharge of his laborious duty as a jndge in Scotland, where the law proceedings are almost all in writing, — a severe complaint which ended in his death, — and the loss of my mother ^, a woman of almost unexampled piety and goodness, — had before this time in some degree affected his spirits, and rendered him less disposed to exert his faculties : for he had originally a very strong mind, and cheerful temper. He assured me he never had felt one moment of what is called low spirits, or un- easiness, without a real cause. He had a great many good stories, which he told uncommonly well, and he was remarkable for " humour, incolumi gravitate" as Lord Monboddo used to characterise it. His age, his office, and his character had long given him an acknowledged claim to great attention, in whatever company he was ; and he could ill brook any diminution of it. He was as sanguine a Whig and presby- terian as Dr. Johnson was a Tory and Church- of-England man : and as he had not much leisure to be informed of Dr. Johnson's great merits by reading his works, he had a partial and unfavourable notion of him, founded on his supposed political tenets ; which were so discordant to his own, that instead of speaking of him with that respect to which he was en- titled, he used to call him " a Jacobite felloio" Knowing all this, I should not have ventiu-ed to bring them together, had not my father, out of kindness to me, desired me to invite Dr. Johnson to his house. I was very anxious that all should be well ; and begged of my friend to avoid three topics, as to which they differed very widely; whiggism, presbyterianism, and — Sir John Pringle. He said courteously, " I shall certainly not talk on subjects which I am told are disagreeable to a gentleman under whose roof I am ; especially, I shall not do so to your father" Our first day went ofi" very smoothly. It rained, and we covdd not get out; but my father showed Dr. Johnson his library, which, in curious editions of the Greek and Roman classics, is, I suppose not excelled by any private collection in Great Britain. My father had studied at Leyden, and been very intimate with the Gronovii, and other learned men there. He was a sound scholar, and, in particular, had collated manuscripts and different editions of Anacreon, and others of the Greek lyric poets, with great care ; so that my friend and riage, being, it is presumed, the oldest bride on record. So that the lives of the mother and daughter-in-law extended over 172 years, from 160S to 1780; a circumstance unparalleled, I suppose, since the Deluge.— Croker. - Sec anti, p. 195 C. 3 Eupheniia Erskine, of the family of the Earl of Buchan. — CllOKEU. 396 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. he had much matter for conversation, without j touching on the fatal topics of difference. i Dr. Johnson found here Baxter's "Ana- creon," which he told me he had long inquired , for in vain, and began to suspect there was no | such book. Baxter was the keen antagonist of Barnes. His life is in the " Biographia i Britannica." My father has written many j notes on this book, and Dr. Johnson and I talked of having it reprinted. Wednesday, Nov. 3. — It rained all day, and gave Dr. Johnson an impression of that incom- ' modiousness of climate in the west, of which he has taken notice in his " Journey ; " but, being well accommodated, and furnished with a variety of books, he was not dissatisfied. Some gentlemen of the neighbourhood came to visit my father ; but there was little con- versation. One of them asked Dr. Johnson how he liked the Highlands. The question seemed to irritate him, for he answered, " How, Sir, can you ask me what obliges me to speak unfavourably of a country v/here I have been hospitably entertained? Who can like the Highlands ? I like the inhabitants very well." The gentleman asked no more questions. Let me now make up for the present neglect, by again gleaning from the past. At Lord Monboddo's, after the conversation upon the decrease of learning in England, his lordship mentioned " Hermes," by Mr. Harris of Salis- bury, as the work of a living author, for whom he had a great respect. Dr. Johnson said nothing at the time ; but when we were in our post-chaise, told me, he thought Harris " a coxcomb." This he said of him, not as a man, but as an author ; and I give his opinions of men and books, faithfully, whether they agree with my own or not. I do admit, that there always appeared to me something of affectation in Mr. Harris's manner of writing ; something of a habit of clothing plain thoughts in analytic and categorical formality. But all his writings are imbued with learning ; and all breathe that philanthropy and amiable disposition, which distinguished him as a man. ' At another time, dui'ing our Tour, he drew the character of a rapacious Highland chief - with the strength of Theophrastus or la Bruyere ; concluding with these words : " Sir, he has no more the soul of a chief, than an attorney who has twenty houses in a sti'eet, and considers how much he can make by them." He this day, when we were by ourselves, ob- I This gentleman, though devoted to the study of gram- mar and dialectics, was not so absorbed in it as to be without a sense of pleasantry, or to be offended at his favourite topics being treated lightly. I one day met him in the street, as I ■was hastening to the House of Lords, and told him, I was sorry I could not stop, being rather too late to attend an appeal of the Duke of Hamilton against Douglas. "I thought," said he, " their contest had been over long ago." I answered, " The contest concerning Douglas's filiation was over long ago ; but the contest now is, who shall have the estate." Then assuming the air of" an ancient sage philo- sopher," I proceeded thus : " Were I to predicate concerning hiin, I should say, the contest formerly was, What is he? served, how common it was for people to talk from books ; to retail the sentiments of others, and not their own ; in short, to converse with- out any originality of thinking. He was pleased to say, " You and I do not talk from books." Thursday, Nov. 4. — I was glad to have at length a very fine day, on which I could show Dr. Johnson the place of my family, which he has honoured with so much attention in his " Journey. " He is, however, mistaken in thinking that the Celtic name, Auchinleck, has no relation to the natural appearance of it. I believe every Celtic name of a place will be found very descriptive. Auchinleck does not signify a stony field, as he has said, but a field of fiag-stones ; and this place has a number of rocks, which abound in strata of that kind. The " sullen dignity of the old castle," as he has forcibly expressed it^, delighted him ex- ceedingly. On one side of the rock on which its ruins stand, runs the river Lugar, which is here of considerable breadth, and is bordered by other high rocks, shaded with wood. On the other side runs a brook, skirted in the same manner, but on a smaller scale. I cannot figure a more romantic scene. I felt myself elated here, and expatiated to my illustrious Mentor on the antiquity and honourable alliances of my family, and on the merits of its founder, Thomas Boswell, who was highly favoured by his sovereign, James IV. of Scotland, and fell with him at the battle of Flodden-field ; and in the glow of what, I am sensible, will, in a commercial age, be con- sidered as genealogical enthusiasm, did not omit to mention what I was sure my friend would not think lightly of, my relation to the royal personage, whose liberality, on his acces- sion to the throne, had given him comfort and independence. I have, in a former page, ac- knowledged my pride of ancient blood, in which I was encouraged by Dr. Johnson : my readers, therefore, will not be surprised at my having indulged it on this occasion. Not far from the old castle is a spot of con- secrated earth, on which may be traced the foundations of an ancient chapel, dedicated to St. Vincent, and where in old times " was the place of graves " for the family. It grieves me to think that the remains of sanctity here, which were considerable, were dragged away, and employed in building a part of the house of Auchinleck, of the middle age ; which was the family residence, till my father erected that The contest now is. What has he ? " " Right," replied Mr. Harris, smiling, " you have done with quality, and have got into quantity." — BosWELL. See n7i«, p. 254 C. •■! No doubt Sir Alexander Macdonald. — Croker. 3 " I was less delighted with the elegance of the modern mansion than with the sullen dignity of the old castle : I clambered with Mr. Boswell among the ruins, which afforded striking images of ancient life. Here, in the ages of tumult and rapine, the laird was surprised and killed by the neigh- bouring chief, who, perhaps, might have extinguished the family, had he not, in a few days, been seized and hanged, together with his sons, by Douglas, who came with his forces to the relief of Auchinleck."— Johnson's Journey. — Crokeb. .Et. G4. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 3}}; " elegant modern mansion, " of wliich Dr. Johnson speaks so handsomely. Perhaps this chapel may one day be restored. Dr. Johnson was j^leased when I showed liim some venerable old trees, under tlie shade of which my ancestors had walked. lie exhorted me to plant assiduously, as my fother had done to a great extent. As I wandered with my reverend friend in the groves of Auchinleck, I told him, that, if I survived him, it was my intention to erect a monument to him here, among scenes which, in my mind, were all classical ; for, in my youth, I had appropriated to them many of tiie descrip- tions of the Roman poets. He could not bear to have death presented to him in any shape ; for his constitutional melancholy made the king of terrors more frightful. He turned off the subject, saying, " Sir, I hope to see your grand- children." This forenoon he observed some cattle with- out hoi'ns, of Avhich he has taken notice in his " Jouriiej/,'" and seems undecided whether they be of a particular race. His doubts appear to have had no foundation ; for my respectable neighbour, Mr. Fairlie, who, with all his atten- tion to agriculture, finds time both for the classics and his friends, assures me they are a distinct species, and that, when any of their calves have horns, a mixture of breed can be traced. In confirmation of his opinion, he ])ointed out to me the following passage in Tacitus, " Ne armentis quidem suus honor, ant gloria frontis " (De ]\Ior. Germ. § 5.), which he wondered had escaped Dr. Johnson. On the front of the house of Auchinleck is this inscription : — " Quod petis, hie est : Est Ulubris; animus si te non deficit acquus." ■ It is characteristic of the foimder ; but the animus aqmts is, alas ! not inheritable, nor the subject of devise. He always talked to me as if it were in a man's own power to attain it ; but Dr. Johnson told me that he owned to him, when they were alone, his persuasion that it was in a great measure constitutional, or the effect of causes which do not depend on our- ' The peace you seek is here — where is it not ? — If your own raind be equal to its lot ? Hor. 1 Epist. 11. 30._C. 2 Old Lord Auchinleck was an able lawyer, a gnod scholar, alter the manner of Scotland, and highly valued his own advantages as a man of good estate and ancirnt family ; and, moreover, he was a strict presbvterian and Whig of the old .Scottish cast. This did not prevent his being a terribly proud aristocrat ; and great was the contempt he entertained and expressed for his son James, for the nature of his friend- ships .}nd the char.ncter of the personages of whom he was en- "Sir, — I have received much jjleasure and much instruction from perusing the ' Journey to the Hebrides.' I admire the elegance and variety of description, and the lively picture of men and manners. I always approve of the moral, ofti-n of the political reflections. I love the benevoknce of the author. ' The late Dr. Baillie advised a KiMitlcman whose official duties were of a very constant and engrossinion.— BoswuLL. 408 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1773. " I beg you all to forgive an undesigned and in- voluntary injury, and to consider me as, Sir, your most obliged and most humble servant, " Sam. Johnson." ' It would be improper for me to boast of my own labours ; but I cannot refrain from pub- lishing such praise as I received from such a man as Sir William Forbes, of Pitsligo, after the perusal of the original manuscript of my Journal. SIR W. FORBES TO BOSWELL. '• Edinburgh, March 7. 1777. " My dear Sir, — I ought to have thanked you sooner for your very obliging letter, and for the singular conKdence you are pleased to place in me, when you trust me with such a curious and valu- able deposit as the papers you have sent me.' Be assured I have a due sense of this favour, and shall faithfully and carefully return them to you. You may rely that 1 shall neither copy any part, nor permit the papers to be seen. " They contain a curious picture of society, and form a journal on the most instructive plan that can possibly be thought of; for I am not sure that an ordinary observer would become so well ac- quainted either with Dr. Johnson, or with the manners of the Hebrides, by a personal intercourse, as by a perusal of your Journal. I am very truly, dear Sir, &c., William Forbes." When I consider how many of the persons mentioned in this Tour are now gone to " that undiscovered country, from whose bourne no traveller returns," I feel an impression at once awful and tender. — Requiescant in pace! It may be objected by some persons, as it has been by one of my friends, that he who has the power of thus exhibiting an e.xact transcript of conversations is not a desirable member of society. I repeat the answer which I made to that friend : " Few, very few, need be afraid that their sayings will be recorded. Can it be imagined that I would fake the trouble to gather what grows on every hedge. ' Rasav was highly gratified, and afterwards visited and dined with Dr. Johnson, at his house in London. — BoswELL. Johnson gives Mrs. Thrale the following account of this .".ffair : _ " I have offended ; and what is stranger, have justly offended, the nation of Rasay. If they could come hither, tlicy would he as fierce as the Americans. iJasny has written to IJoswell an account of the injury done him by representing his house as subordinate to that of Dunvegan. Boswell has his letter, and, I believe, copied my answer. I have appe.-ised him, if a degraded chief can possibly be appeased : but it will be thirteen days — days of resentment and discontent — before my recantation can reach him. Many a dirk will imagination, during that Interval, fix in my heart. I realljr question if at this time my life would not be in danger, if distance did not secure it. Boswell will find his way to Streatham before he goes, and will detail this great affair."— Letters, \2th May, 1775. — Croker. 2 In justice both to Sir William Forbes and myself, it is proper to mention, that the papers which were submitted to his perusal contained only an account of our Tour from the time that Dr. Johnson and I set out from Edinburgh, and consequently did not contain the culogium on Sir William Forbes (p. 271.), which lie never saw till this book appeared in print; nor did he even know, when he wrote the above etter, that this Journal was to be publi:>hed Boswell. because I have collected such fruits as the Nonpareil and the Bon Chretien ? " On the other hand, how useful is such a faculty, if well exercised. To it we owe all those interesting apophthegms and memorabilia of the ancients, which Plutarch, Xenophon, and Valerius Maximus have transmitted to us. To it we owe all those instructive and entertaining collections which the French have made under the title of " Ana," affixed to some celebrated name. To it we owe the " Table- Talk " of Selden, the " Conversation " between Ben Jonson and Drummond of Ilawthornden, Spence's "Anecdotes of Pope," and other valuable remains in our own language. How delighted should we have been, if thus intro- duced into the company of Shakspeare and of Dryden, of whom we know scarcely any thing but their admirable writings ! What pleasure would it have given us, to have known their petty habits, their characteristic manners, their modes of composition, and their genuine opi- nion of preceding writers and of their contem- poraries ! All these are now irrecoverably lost. Considering how many of the strongest and most brilliant effusions of exalted "intellect must have perished, how much is it to be regretted that all men of distinguished wisdom and wit have not been attended by friends, of taste enough to relish, and abilities enough to register their conversation : " Vixere fortes ante Agamemnona Multi, sed oinnes iliacrymabiles Urgentur, ignotique longa Nocte, carent quia vate sacro." ' They whose inferior exertions are recorded, as serving to explain or illustrate the sayings of such men, may be proud of being thus asso- ciated, and of their names being transmitte4 to posterity, by being appended to an illustrious character. Before I conclude, I think it proper to say, that I have suppressed * every thing which I thought could really hurt any one now living. ' " Before great Agamemnon reign'd, Reign'd kings as great as he, and brave. Whose huge ambition's now contain'd In the small compass of a grave ; In endless night they sleep, unwept, unknown ; No bard had they to make all time their own." Ilor. Od. iv. 9. Francis Croker. < Having found, on a revision of the first edition of this work, that, notwithstanding my best care, a few observations had escajied me, which arose from the instant impression, the publication of which might perhaps be considered ps ' passing the bounds of a strict decorum, 1 immediately ordered that they should be omitted in the subsequent editions. I was pleased to find that they did not amount in the whole to a page. If any of the same kind are yet left, it is owing to inadvertence alone, no man being more unwilling to give pain to others than I am. A contemptible scribbler, of whoiri i 1 have learned no more than that, alter having disgraced and ' deserted the clerical character, he picks up in London a scanty livelihood by scurrilous lampoons under a feigned name, has impudently and falsely asserted that the passages omitted were dejamatory , and that the omission was not voluntary, but compulsory. The last insinuation I to The Rev. Dr. Alexander Webster, one of the minister i of Edinburgh, a man of distinguished abilities, who had proi mised him information concerning the Highlands and Island; of Scotland. — Boswell. See ante, p. 279 C. i 5 Gavin Hamilton, long a resident in Rome, and a painte; of some reputation in his dity. He died in 1797. Thepicturi which Boswell speaks of was exhibited at the Royal Academii in 1776, and is described in the catalogue as " No. 124. Gavij Hamilton, Rome ; Mary Queen of Scots resigning hei Crown." — P. Cunningham. ; 6 " When Davies printed the Fugitive Pieces without hij knowledge or consent ; ' How,' said I, ' would Pope hav r.aved, had he been served so ? ' ' We should never,' repliej Johnson, 'have heard the last on't, to be sure; but thel Pope was a narrow man. I will, however,' added he, ' stori. and bluster myself a little this time ; ' — so went to Londci in all the wrath he could muster up. At his return, . asked how the affair ended: — 'Why,' said he, 'I was fie:-ce fellow, .ind pretended to be very angry, and Thoni;i was a good-natured fellow, and pretended to" be very sorrj; so there the matter ended. I believe the dog loves me dearl;; Mr. Thrale (turning round to my husband), what shall y(' and I do that is good for Tom Davies ? We will do som '. thing for him, to be sure.'" — Pfoawjt'. — Croker. ^T. 63. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 411 He was now seriously engaged In writing an account of our travels in the Hebrides, in con- sequence of which I had the pleasure of a more frequent correspondence with him. JOHNSON TO EOSWELL. ' "Jan. 29. 1774. "Dear Sir, — I\ry operations have been hindered by a cough ; at least I flatter myself, that if my cough had not come, I should have been further advanced. But I have had no intelligence from Dr. Webster, nor from the excise-office, nor from you. No account of the little borough.' Nothing of the Erse language. I have yet heard nothing of my box. You must make haste and gather me all you can ; and do it quickly, or I will and shall do without it. " Make my compliments to Mrs. Boswell, and tell her I do not love her the less for wishing me away. I gave her trouble enough, and shall be glad, in recompense, to give her any pleasure. " I would send some porter into the Hebrides, if I knew which way it could be got to my kind friends there. Inquire, and let me know. " Make my compliments to all the doctors of Edinburgh, and to all my friends, from one end of Scotland to the other. " Write to me, and send me what intelligence you can ; and if any thing is too bulky for the post, let me have it by the carrier. I do not like trusting winds and waves. — I am, dear Sir, your most, &e. " Sam Johnson." ! JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " London, Feb. 7. 1774. "Dear Sir, — In a day or two after I had written the last discontented letter, I received my box, which was very welcome. But still I must entreat you to hasten Dr. Webster, and continue to pick up what you can that may be useful. "Mr. Oglethorpe was with me tliis morning; you know his errand. He was not imwelcome. " Tell Mrs. Boswell that my good intentions towards her still continue. I should be glad to do any thing that would either benefit or please her. " Chambers is not yet gone ; but so hurried, or so negligent, or so proud, that I rarely see him. I have indeed, for some weeks past, been very ill of a j cold and cough, and have been at Mrs. Thrale's, I that I might be taken care of. I am much better: I novm redeunt in prcelia vires ; but I am yet tender, I and easily disordered. How happy it was that j neither of us were ill in the Hebrides. I '-The question of literary property^ is this day I before the Lords. Murphy drew up the appellants' case, that is, the plea against the perpetual right. I have not seen it, nor heard the decision. I would not have the riglit perpetual. '* I will write to you as any thing occurs, and do • The ancient burgh of Prestick, in Ayrshire. — Boswell. S The question was not decided till Feb. 22. — " In con- sequence of this decision, the English booksellers have now no other security for any literary purchase they may make, but the statute of the 8th of Queen .■\nne, which secures to the author's assigns an exclusive property for fourteen years, to'revert again to the author, and vest in him for fourteen years more." — Jn«aa/ Ref^istcr, 1774. — Choker. 3 See the Catalogue of Mr. Steevens's Library, No. 2G5. : — "Neandri (Mich.) Opus aureum, Gr. ct Lat, 2 torn. 4to. corio turcico, foliis deauratis. Lipsia;, 1577." This was doubtless the book lent by Steevens to Johnson. — Malone. you send me something about my Scottish friends. I have very great kindness for them. Let me know likewise how fees come in, and when we are to see you. — I am, Sir, yours affectionately, " Sam. Johnson." He at this time wrote the following letters to Mr. Steevens, his able associate in editing Shakspeare : — JOHNSON TO GEORGE STEEVENS, Hampstead. " Feb. 7. 1774. " Sir, — If I am asked when I have seen Mr. Steevens, you know what answer I must give ; if I am asked when I shall see him, I wish you could tell me what to say. If you have ' Lesley's His- tory of Scotland,' or any other book about Scotland, except Boetius and Buchanan, it will be a kindness if you send them to, Sir, your humble servant, " Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO STEEVENS. "Feb. 21. 1774. " Sir, — We are thinking to augment our club, and I am desirous of nominating you, if you care to stand the ballot, and can attend on Friday nights at least twice in five weeks : less than this is too little, and rather more will be expected. Be pleased to let me know before Friday. — I am, Sir, your most, &c., Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO STEEVENS. " March .5. 1774. " Sir, — Last night you became a member of the club ; if you call on me on Friday, I will intro- duce you. A gentleman, proposed after you, was rejected. I thank you for Neander ', but wish he were not so fine. I will take care of him. — I am. Sir, your humble servant, Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " March 5. 1774. " Dear Sir, — Dr. Webster's informations were much less exact, and much less determinate, than I expected: they are, indeed, much less positive than, if he can trust his own book ■* which he laid before me, he is able to give. But I believe it will always be found that he who calls much for information will advance his work but slowly. " I am, however, obliged to you, dear Sir, for your endeavours to help me; and hope, that be- tween us something will sometime be done, if not on this, on some occasion. " Chambers is either married, or almost married, to ]\Iiss Wilton ', a girl of sixteen, exquisitely beautiful, whom he has, with his lawyer's tongue, persuaded to take her chance with him in the East. A manuscript account drawn by Dr. Webster of all the parishes in Scotland, ascertaining their length, breadth, num- ber of inhabitants, and distinguishing Protestants and Roman Catholics. This book had been transmitted to government, j and Dr. Johnson saw a copy of it in Dr. Webster's posses- sion — Boswell. 1 5 Daughter of Joseph Wilton, R. A., the sculptor. After j Sir Uobert Chambers's death she returned to England, and died at Brighton, in April, 183!), aged 88. Miss Chambers, j her daughter, married Colonel Macdonald, the son of Flora. — Choker. 412 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1774. " We Iiave added to the club, Charles Fox ', Sir Charles Bunbury, Dr. Fordyce, and Mr. Steevens.' " Return my thanks to Dr. Webster. Tell Dr. Robertson I have not much to reply to his censure of my negligence : and tell Dr. Blair, that since he has written hither ^ what I said to him, we must now consider ourselves as even, forgive one another, and begin again. I care not how soon, for he is a very pleasing man. Pay my compliments to all my friends, and remind Lord Elibank of his promise to give me all his works. " I hope Mrs. Boswell and little Miss are well. — When shall I see them again ? She is a sweet lady ; only she was so glad to see me go, that I have almost a mind to come again, that she may again have the same pleasure. " Inquire if it be practicable to send a small present of a cask of porter to Diinvegan, Rasay, and Col. I would not wish to be thought forget- ful of civilities. — I am. Sir, your humble servant, " Sam, Johnson." On the 5tli of March I wrote to him, re- questinj^ his counsel whether I should this spring come to London. I stated to him on the one hand some pecuniary embarrassments, which, together with my wife's situation at that time, made me hesitate ; and on the other, the pleasure and improvement which my annual visit to the metropolis always afforded me ; and particularly mentioned a peculiar satisfiic- tion which I experienced in celebrating the festival of Easter in St. Paul's cathedral ; that, to my fancy, it appeared like going up to Jeru- salenr at the feast of the Passover ; and that the strong devotion which I felt on that occa- sion diffused its influence on my mind through the rest of the year. JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. Not dated, but written about the 15th of M.-.rch. " DfiAii Sir, — I am asliamed to think that since I received your letter I have passed so many days without answering it. " I think there is no great difficulty in resolving your doubts. The reasons for which you are in- clined to visit London are, I think, not of sufficient strength to answer the objections. That you sliould delight to come once a year to the fountain of in- telligence and pleasure is very natural ; but both information and pleasure must be regulated by propriety. Pleasure, which cannot be obtained but by unseasonable or unsuitable expense, must always end in pain ; and pleasure, which must be enjoyed at the expense of another's pain, can never be such as a worthy mind can fully delight in. " What improvement you might gain by coming to London, you may easily supply, or easily com- pensate, by enjoining yourself some particular study at home, or opening some new avenue to informa- tion. Edinburgh is not yet exhausted ; and I am 1 Mr. Fox, .IS Sir James Mackintosh informed me, was brought in by Mr. Burke, .and this meeting at the club was the only link of acquaintance between Mr. Fox and John- son.— Choker. 2 It is odd that he does not mention Mr. Gibbon, whose .admission seems to have been contemporary with Steevens's. —Choker. s Tliis applies to one of Johnson's rude speeches, the mere sure you will find no pleasure here which can de- serve either that you should anticipate any part of your future fortune, or that you should condemn yourself and your lady to penurious frugality for the rest of the year. '• I need not tell you what regard you owe to I\Irs. Boswell's entreaties ; or how much you ought to study the liappincss of her who studies yours with so much diligence, and of whose kindness you enjoy such good effects. Life cannot subsist in society but by reciprocal concessions. She per- mitted you to ramble last year ; you must permit her now to keep you at home. " Your last reason is so serious, that I am un- willing to, oppose it. Yet you must remember, that your image of worshipping once a year in a certain place, in imitation of the Jews, is but a comparison ; and simile non est idem ; if the annual resort to Jerusalem was a duty to the Jews, it was a duty because it was commanded ; and you have no such command, therefore no such duty. It may be dangerous to receive too readily, and indulge too fondly, opinions, from which, perhaps, no pious mind is wholly disengaged, of local sanctity and local devotion. You know what strange effiicts* they have produced over a great part of the Cliris- tian world. I am now writing, and you, when you read this, are reading under the eye of Om- nipresence. " To what degree fancy is to be admitted into religious offices, it would require much deliberation to determine. I am far from intending totally to exclude it, Fancy is a faculty bestowed by our Creator, and it is reasonable that all his gifts should be used to his glory, that all our faculties should co-operate in his worship ; but they are to co- operate according to the will of him that gave them, according to the order which his wisdom has esta- blished. As ceremonies prudential or convenient are less obligatory than positive ordinances, as bodily worship is only the token to others or our- selves of mental adoration, so fancy is always to act in subordination to reason. We may take fancy for a companion, but must follow reason as our guide. We may allow fancy to suggest certain ideas in certain places ; but reason must always be heard, when she tells us, that those ideas and those places have no natural or necessary relation When we enter a church we habitually recall to mind the duty of adoration, but we must not omit adoration for want of a temple: because we know, and ought to remember, that the Universal Lord is every where present ; and that, therefore, to come to lona, or to Jerusalem, though it may be useful, cannot be necessary, " Thus I have answered your letter, and have not answered it negligently. I love you too well to be careless when you are serious. " I think I shall be very diligent next week about our travels, which I have too long neglected. — I ; am, dear Sir, your most, &c., Saji. Johnson. *' Compliments to Madam and Miss." repetition of which by Dr. Blair, Johnson, with more in- genuity than justice, chose to consider as equivalent to the original offence ; but it turned out that Blair had not told the story Croker. ■* Alluding probably to the shrines, pilgrimages, &-c. of the Roman Catholics, and perhaps to that great military pit-, grimage the Crusades. — Croker. JEt. 65. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 413 JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. "May 10. 1774. " Dear Sir, — The lady who delivers this lias a law-suit, in which she desires to make use of your skill and eloquence, and she seems to think that she shall have something more of l)oth for a recom- mendation from me ; which, though 1 know how little you want any external incitement to your duty, I could not refuse her, because I know that at least it will not hurt her, to tell you that I wish her well. — I am, Sir, your most humble servant, " Sam. Johnson." BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. "Edinburgh, May 12. 1774. " Lord Hailes has begged of me to offer you his best respects, and to transmit to you specimens of 'Annals of Scotland, from the Accession of Mal- colm Kenmore to the death of James V.,' in draw- ing up which his lordship has been engaged for some time. His lordship writes to me thus : — 'If I could procure Dr. Johnson's criticisms, they would be of great use to me in the prosecution of my work, as they would be judicious and true. I have no right to ask that favour of him. If you could, it would higlily oblige me.' " Dr. Blair requests you may be assured that he did not write to London what you said to him, and that neither by word nor letter has he made the least complaint of you ; but, on the contrary, has a high resjKCt for you, and loves you much more since he saw you in Scotland. It would both divert and please you to see his eagerness about this matter." JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " Streatham, June 12. 1774. " Dear Sir, — Yesterday I put the first sheets -of the ' Journey to the Hebrides' to the press. I have endeavoured to do you some justice in the first paragraph. It will be one volume in octavo, not thick. " It will be proper to make some presents in Scotland. You shall tell me to whom I shall give ; and I have stipulated twenty-five for you to give in your own name. Some will take the present better from me, others better from you. In this, you who are to live in the place ought to direct. Consider it. Whatever you can get for my purpose send me ; and make my compliments to your lady and both the young ones. — I am, Sir, your, &c., " Sam. Johnson." BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. " Edinburgh, June 24. 1774. " You do not acknowledge the receipt of the j various packets which I liave sent to you. Neither j can I prevail with you to answer my letters, though you honour me with returns. You have said no- thing to me about poor Goldsmith', notliing about Langton. " I have received for you, from tlie Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge in Scotland, the following Erse books : — ' The New Testament,* ' Baxters Call,' ' The Confession of Faith of the Assembly of Divines at Westminster,' ' The Mo- 1 ther's Catechism,' ' A Gaelic and Englisii Voca- bulary.' "* JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " July 4. 1774. "Dear Sir, — I wish you could have looked over my book before the printer, but it cou'd not easily be. I suspect some mistakes ; but as I deal, l)erhaps, more in notions than in facts, the matter is not great ; and the second edition will be mended, if any such there be. The press will go on slowly for a time, because I am going into Wales to- morrow. " I should be very sorry if I appeared to treat such a character as Lord Hailes otherwise tli:m with high respect. I return the sheets', to wliicii I have done what mischief I could ; and finding it so little, thought not much of sending them, 'llie narrative is clear, lively, and short. " I have done worse to Lord Hailes than by neglecting his slieets : I have run him in del)t. Dr. Home, the president of INIagdalen College in Oxford, wrote to me about three months ago, that he purposed to reprint Walton's Lives, and desired me to contribute to the work : my answer was, that Lord Hailes intended the same publication; and Dr. Home has resigned it to him. His lord- ship must now think seriously about it. " Of poor dear Dr. Goldsmith there is little to be told, more than the papers have made publiu. He died of a fever, I am afraid, more violent by uneasiness of mind. His debts began to be heavy, and all his resources were exhausted. Sir Joshua is of opinion that he owed not less than two thou- sand pounds. Was ever poet so trusted before ? "You may, if you please, put the inscription thus : — '^ ^ Maria Scotorum Reyina nata \5 — , a suis in exilium acta 15 — , ab hospitd neci data 15 — .' You must find the years. " Of your second daughter you certainly gave the account yourself, though you have forgotten it. While Mrs. Boswell is well, never doubt of a hoy. Mrs. Thrale brought, I think, five girls running, but while I was with you she had a boy. " I am obliged to you for all your pamphlets, and of the last I hope to make some use. I made some of the former. — I am, dear Sir, your most affectionate servant, " Saji. Johnson." " My compliments to all the three ladies." JOHNSON TO LANGTON, At Langton. " July 5. 1774. " Dear Sir, — You have reason to reproach me that I have left your last letter so long unanswered, but I had nothing particular to say. Chambers, you find, is gone far, and poor Goldsmith is gone ' Dr. Goldsmith died April 4. this year — Boswell. ' These books Dr. Johnson presented to the Bodleian Library. — Boswell. ' On the cover enclosing them Dr. Johnson wrote, " If my dcliiy has given any reason for supposing that 1 have not a very deep sense of the honour done me by asking my judg- ment, I am very sorry." — Boswell. 414 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1774. much further. He died of a fever, exasperated, as I believe, by the fear of distress. He had raised money and squandered it, by every artifice of ac- quisition and folly of expense. IJut let not his frailties be remembered ; he was a very great man. " 1 have just begun to print my Journey to the Hebrides, and am leaving the press to take another journey into Wales, whither Mr. Thrale is going, to take possession of, at least, five hundred a year, fallen to his lady. All at Streatham, that are alive, are well. " I have never recovered from the last dreadful illness', but flatter myself that I grow gradually better ; much, however, yet remains to mend. Kvpie ixiriaov.^ " If you have the Latin version of ' Busy, curious, thirsty fly,' be so kind as to transcribe and send it; but you need not be in haste, for I shall be I know not where, for at least five weeks. I wrote the fol- lowing tetrastick on poor Goldsmith : — Thv rdcpov elaopdas rbv '0\iSdpoio- kovltjv "Acppoat jttJ) (TffxvTiv, Hf?»'6, TreJSecrtn Trarei. OTcrt fJL^irriXe (pvais, fiirpuiv xap'^, epya TTaKaiwv, KA.ai6Te ■Koir\Tr]v, laropiKbv, (pvatKov? " Please to make my most respectful compli- ments to all the ladies, and remember me to young George and his sisters. I reckon George begins to show a pair of heels. Do not be sullen now, but let me find a letter when I come back. I am, dear Sir, your affectionate, humble servant, " Sam. Johnson." BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. " Edinburgh, Aug. 30. 1774. " You have given me an inscription for a portrait of Mary Queen of Scots, in which you, in a short and striking manner, point out her hard fate. But you will be pleased to keep in mind, that my picture is a representation of a particular scene in her his- tory ; her being forced to resign her crown, while she was imprisoned in the castle of Lochlevin. I must, therefore, beg that you will be kind enough to give me an inscription suited to that particular scene ; or determine which of the two formerly transmitted to you is the best ; and at any rate, favour me with an English translation. It will be doubly kind if you comply v.'ith my request speedily. " Your critical notes on the specimen of Lord Hailes's ' Annals of Scotland ' are excellent. I agreed with you on every one of them. He him- self objected only to the alteration of free to brave, in the passage where he says that Edward 'de- parted with the glory due to the conqueror of a free people.' He says, to call the Scots brave would only add to the glory of their conqueror. You will make allowance for the national zeal of our annalist. I now send a few more leaves of the An- nals, which I hope you will peruse, and return with observations, as you did upon the former oc- casion. Lord Hailes writes to me thus: 'Mr. 1 .\lthough his Letters and his Prayers and Meditations speak of his laie illness as merely "a cold and cough," it would seem by this use of the word " dreadful" that it had, at vome time, taken .i more serious character. We have no trace of any illness since that of 17G6, which could be called dreadful,— CuoKER. 2 The Greek for " Lord have mercy upon us." — Chokeu. ■* As this has never been to my knowledge translated, I have attempted it. Boswell will be pleased to express the grateful sense which Sir David Dalrymple has of Dr. John- son's attention to his little specimen. The further specimen will show that ' Even in an Edicard he can see desert.' " It gives me much pleasure to hear that a re- publication of Isaac Walton's Lives is intended. You have been in a mistake in thinking that Lord Hailes had it in view. I remember one morning, while he sat with you in my house, he said, that there should bo a new edition of Walton's Lives ; and you said that 'they should be benoted a little.' This was all that passed on that subject. You must, therefore, inform Dr. Home, that he may resume his plan. I enclose a note concerning it ; and if Dr. Home will write to me, all the attention that I can give shall be cheerfully bestowed upon what I think a pious work, the preservation and elucidation of Walton, by whose writings I have been most pleasingly edified." BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. " Edinburgh, Sept. 16. 1774. " Wales has probably detained you longer than I supposed. You will have become quite a moun- taineer, by visiting Scotland one year and Wales another. You must next go to Switzerland. Cam- bria will complain, if you do not honour her also with some remarks. And I find concessere cohnnnce, the booksellers expect another book. I am im- patient to see your ' Tour to Scotland and the Hebrides.' IMight you not send me a copy by the post as soon as it is printed off? "... JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " London, Oct. 1. 1774. " Dear Sir, — Yesterday 1 returned from my Welsh journey. I was sorry to leave my book i suspended so long ; but having an opportunity of seeing, with so much convenience, a new part of the island, I could not reject it. I have been in five of the six counties of North Wales ; and have seen St. Asaph and Bangor, the two seats of their bishops ; have been upon Penmanraaur and Snow- don, and passed over into Anglesea. But Wales is so little different from England, that it offers nothing to the speculation of the traveller. " When I came liome, I found several of your papers, with some pages of Lord Hailes's Annals, which I will consider. I am in haste to give you some account of myself, lest you should suspect me of negligence in the pressing business which I find recommended to my care, and which I knew nothing of till now, when all care is vain.'' " In the distribution of my books I purpose to follow your advice, adding such as shall occur to me. I am not pleased with your notes of remembrance added to your names, for I hope I shall not easily • forget them. Here Goldsmith lies. O ye, who deeds of Eld, Or Nature's works, or sacred Song regard ; With reverence tread — for he in all excelled ; Historian and Philosopher and Bard. Croker 1846. "• I had written to him. to request his interposition in be- half of a convict, who I thought was-very unjustly con- demned — Boswell. ^.T. 65. BOS WELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 415 « I have received four Erse books, without any direction, and suspect that they are intended for the Oxford library. If that is the intention, I think it will be proper to add the metrical psalms, and whatever else is printed in Erse, that the pre- sent may be complete. The donor's name should be told. " I wish you could have read the book before it was printed, but our distance does not easily per- mit it. I am sorry Lord Hailes does not intend to publish Walton ; I am afraid it will not be done so well, if it be done at all. I purpose now to drive ihe book forward. Make my compliments to Rlrs. IJoswell, and let me hear often from you. I am, iS.c., Sam. Johnson." This tour to Wales, which was made in com- pany with Mr., Mrs. [and Miss] Thrale, though it no doubt contributed to his health and ' amusement, did not give an occasion to such a • discursive exercise of his mind as our tour to the Hebrides. I do not find that he kept any journal or notes of what he saw there. All that I heard him say of it was, that "instead I'f lileak and barren mountains, there were iii-M?!! and fertile ones; and that one of the 1 astles in Wales would contain all the castles that he had seen in Scotland."' CHAPTER XLVI. 1774. Dr. Johnson's Diary of a Tour into Wales. — Chatsworth. — Dovedale. — Kedleston. — Derby. — Combermere. — Hawkestone. — Chester. — St. Asaph. — Denbigh. — Holywell. — Rh udlan Castle. • — Penmaen-Miuvr. — Bangor. — Caernarvon. — Bodville. — Conway Castle. — Ombcrsley. — Hagley. — The Leasowes. — Blenheim. — Beacons- field. 1 Mr. Boswell was mistaken in supposing that Johnson kept no journal of his Welsh tour: on the contrary, he kept a minute diary of the same kind as that which Mr. Boswell published of his subsequent visit to Paris, and as ample probably .as that on which he founded his '' Journey to the Hebriiles." It was preserved by his servant, Barber, and how it escaped Mr. Boswell's research is not known ; but it was first published in 1816, by Mr. Duppa, and with his permission republishedby me, for the purpose " of filling up" (to use Mr. Duppa's words) " that chasm in the Life of Johnson, which Mr. Boswell was unable to supply." 1 have added a selection of Mr. Duppa's own notes, and some others communicated to him by Mrs. Piozzi, in MS., too late for his use. The whole affords a chapter in Johnson's life, and many incidental notices of manners, if not very important, at least too curious to be omitted. A collation of the original MS., kindly entrusted to Mr. Murray, for Mr. Wright's edition, by' its present proprietor, the Rev. Archdeacon Butler, of' Shrewsbury, has supplied many corrections, and some omissions, in Mr. Duppa's text Croker, 183.5. - Mr. Richard Green was an apothecary, and related to Dr. Johnson. He had a considerable collection of anti- miities, natural curiosities, and ingenious works of art DCI-PA. ^ Dr. Erasmus Darwin : at this time he lived at Lichfield, where he had practised .as a physician from the year 1756. Miss Seward says, that Johnson and Darwin had oiily one or two interviews. Mutual and strong dislike subsisted between DLVRY. — 1774. Tuesday, ^ July 5. —We left Streatham 11 A. M. — Price of four horses two shillings a mile. — Baruet 1 40' p. m. — On the road I read Tully's Epistles — At night at Dunstable. Wednesday, July 6. — To Lichfield, eighty- three miles. To the Swan. Thursday, July 7. — To Mrs. Porter's — To the cathedral — To Mrs. Aston's — To Mr. Green's - — Mr. Green's museum was much admired, and Mr. Newton's china. Friday, July 8. —To Mr. Newton's — To j\Irs. Cobb's — Dr. Darwin's 3 — I went again to Mrs. Aston's. She was sorry to part. Saturday, July 9. — Breakfasted at Mr. Gar- rick's ^ — Visited Miss Vyse^ — Miss Seward^ — AVent to Dr. Taylor's [at Ashbourn] — I read a little on the road in Tully's Epistles and Martial — Mart. 8th, 44., lino pro limo."' Sunday, July 10. — Morning, at church. Company at dinner. Monday, July 11. — At Ham — At Oakover — I was less jsleased with Ham than when I saw it first ; bitt my friends were much de- lighted. Tuesday, Jidy 12. — At Chatsworth. — The water willow ^ — The cascade shot out from many spouts — The fountains — The water tree — The smooth floors in the highest rooms ^ — Atlas fifteen hands inch and half '° — Elver running through the j^ai'k — The porticoes on the sides support two galleries for the first floor — My friends were not struck with the house — It fell below my Ideas of the furniture — The staircase is in the corner of the house — The hall In the corner the grandest room, though only a room of passage — On the ground- floor, only the chapel and breakfast-room, and a small library ; the rest, servants' rooms and ofiices — A bad Inn. Wednesday, July 13. — At Matlock. Thursday, July 14. — At dinner at Oak- over ; too deaf to hear, or much converse — Mrs. Gell — The chapel at Oakover — The them. Dr. Darwin died April 18. 1802, in his sixty-ninth year — Duppa. ■• " Peter Garrick, the elder brother of David. I think he was an attorney, but he seemed to le.id an independent life, I and talked all about fishing. Dr. Johnson advised him to read Walton's Angler, repeating some verses from it." I Piozzi MS. — Ckoker. ^ Daughter of Archdeacon Vyse, wife afterwards of Madan, Bishop o( Peterborough. — CuoKEH. 6 " Dr. Johnson would not suffer me to speak to Miss Seward." — Piozzi MS. So early was the coolness between them Crokeu. 7 In the edition of Martial, which he was reading, the last word of the line " Defluat, et lento splendescat turbida limo," was, no doubt, misprinted lino. — Ckoker. 8 " There was a water-work at Chatsworth with a concealed spring, which, upon touching, spouted out streams from every bough of a willow tree. I remember Lady Keith (Miss Thrale), then ten years old, was the most amused by it of any of the party." — Piozzi MS. — Choker. 9 OUi oak tloors polished by rubbing. Johnson. I suppose, wondered that they should take such pains with the garrets. — Piozzi MS. — Crokeu. lu This was a race-horse, which was very handsome and very gentle, and attracted so much of Dr. Johnson's attention, that he said, " of all the Duke's possessions, I like Atlas best." — Duppa. 416 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1774. wood of the pews grossly painted — I could not read the epitaph — Would learn the old hands. Friday, Juhj 15. — At Ashbourn — Mrs. Dyott and her daughters came in the niornin"- — Mr. Dyott ' dined with us — We visited Mr. Flint. •' Tb TtpSiTov Maipos, rh 5e Zevnpov iT\ev 'Epacr/jibs, Th TpiThi/ e/c Movaiiii' aTeiXfj.a M'ikuWos ex*'-"^ Saturday, July 16. — At Dovedale, with Mr. Langley ^ and Mr. Flint. It is a place that deserves a visit ; but did not answer my ex- pectation. The river is small, the rocks are grand. Reynard's Hall is a cave very high in the rock ; it goes backward several yards, per- haps eight. To the left is a small opening, through which I crept, and found another cavern, perhaps four yards square ; at the back was a breach yet smaller, which I could not easily have entered, and, wanting light, did not inspect. I was in a cave yet higher, called Reynard's Kitchen. There is a rocJc called the Church, in which I saw no resemblance that could justify the name. Dovedale is about two miles long. We walked towards the head of the Dove, which is said to rise about five miles above two caves called the Dog-holes, at the end of Dovedale. In one place, where the rocks approached, I proposed, to build an arch from rock to rock over the stream, with a summer- house upon it. The water murmured pleasantly among the stones. — I thought that the heat and exercise mended my hearing. I bore the fatigue of the walk, which was very laborious, without inconvenience. — There were with us Gilpin * and Parker .^ Having heard of this place before, I had formed some imperfect idea, to which it did not answer. Brown '^ says he was disappointed. I certainly expected a larger river where I found only a clear quick brook. I believe I had imaged a valley enclosed by rocks, and terminated by a broad expanse (jf water. He that has seen Dovedale has no need to visit the Highlands. — In the afternoon we visited old Mrs. Dale.'' July 17. — Sunday morning, at church — Kd0 [rtpo-ic] ^ — Afternoon at Mr. Dyott's. Monday, July 18. —Dined at Mr. Gell's.^ Tuesday, July 19. — We went to Kedleston to see Lord Scardale's new house, which is very costly, but ill contrived — The hall is very 1 TheDyotts are a respectable and wealthy family, still residing near Lichfield. The royalist who shot Lord Brooke when assaulting St. Chad's Cathedral, in Lichfield, on St. Chad's day, is said to have been a Mr. Dyott. — Croker. •■' " More bore away the first crown of the Muses, Erasmus the second, and Micyllus has the third." Micyllus's real name was MoUxer ; see his article in Bayle. His best work was De re Metrica." — Croker. 3 The Rev. Mr. Langley was master of the grammar- school at Ashbourn ; a near neighbour of Dr. Taylor's, but not always on friendly terms with him ; which used to per- plex their common friend Johnson. — Croker. * Mr. Gilpin was an accomplished vouth, at this time an imder-graduate at Oxford. His father was an old silversmith near Lmcoln's Inn Fields — Pioxzi MS.— Croker. * John Parker, of Brownsholme, in Lancashire, Esq Stately, lighted by three skylights ; it has two rows of marble pillars, dug, as I hear, from Langley, in a quarry of Northamptonshire; the pillars are very large and massy, and take up I too much room : they were better away. Ee- 1 hind the hall is a circular saloon, useless, and therefore ill contrived — The corridors that join the wings to the body are mere passages through segments of circles — The state bed- chamber was very richly furnished — The dining parlour was more splendid with gUt plate than any that I have seen — There were many pictures — The grandeur was all below — The bedchambers were small, low, dark, and fitter for a prison than a house of splendour — The kitchen has an opening into the gallery, by which its heat and its fumes are dispersed over the house — There seemed in the whole more cost than judgment. — We went then to the silk mill at Derby, where I remarked a par- ticular manner of propagating motion from a horizontal to a vertical wheel — We were de- sired to leave the men only two shillings — Mr. Thrale's bill at the inn for dinner was eighteen shillings and tenpence. — At night I went to Mr. Langley's, jVi-s. Wood's, Captain Astle, &c. Wednesday, July 20. — We left Ashbourn '» and went to Buxton — Thence to Pool's Hole, ' which is narrow at first, but then rises into a high arch ; but is so obstructed with crags, that it is difficult to walk in it — There are two ways to the end, which is, they suy, six hundred and fifty yards from the mouth — They take passengers up the higher way, and ' bring them back the lower — The higher way ' was so difl[icult and dangerous, that, having ' tried it, I desisted — I found no level part. — : At night we came to Macclesfield, a very large town in Cheshire, little known — It has a silk mill : it has a h.andsome church, which, how- ever, is but a chapel, for the town belongs to some parish of another name [Prestbury], as Stourbridge lately did to Old Swinfbrd — ', Macclesfield has a town-hall, and is, I suppose, • a corporate town. Thm-sday, July 21. — We came to Congle- ton, where there is likewise a silk mill — Then to IMiddlewich, a mean old town, without any > manufacture, but, I think, a corporation — , Thence we proceeded to Namptwich, an old , town : from the inn, I saw scarcely any but I « Mrs. Piozzi " rather thought " that this was Capability Browne, whose opinion on a point of landscape, probably gathered from Gilpin or Parker, Johnson thought worth recording. — Croker. i 7 Mrs. Dale was at this time 93. — Din>PA. "^ Througliout this diary he veils his notices of his health , in the learned languages Dupp.i. In one of his letters,' excusing himself to Mrs. Thrale for narrating somede-: tails of his infirmities, he says, " that Dr. Lawrence used to say that medical treatises should be always in Latin." — Cboker. 9 Mr. Gell, of Hopton Hall, the father of Sir William Cell, well known for his Topography of Troy. -. Di'pp.i. 10 It would seem, that from the 9th 'to the 20th, the head- quarter; of the party were at Ashbourn, whence they had made the several excursions noted. — Croker. i JEt. 65. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 417 black timber houses — I tasted the brine water, which contains much more salt than the sea water — By slow evaporation, they make large crystals of salt; by quick boiling," small granu- lations — It seemed to have no other prepara- tion. At evening we came to Combermere ', so called from a wide lake. Friday, July 22. — We went upon the mere — I pulled a bulrush of about ten feet— I saw no convenient boats upon the mere. Saturday, Jidy 23. — "We visited Lord Kil- raorey's house ^ — It is large and convenient, with many rooms, none of which are magni- ficently spacious — The furniture was not splendid — The bed-curtains were guarded^ — ' Lord Kilmorey* showed the place with too : much exultation — He has no park, and little water. Sunday, July 2A. — We went to a chapel, built by Sir Lynch Cotton for his tenants — It IS consecrated, and therefore, I suppose, en- doAved — It is neat and plain — The communion plate is handsome — It has iron pales and gates of great elegance, brought from Lleweney, " for Robert has laid all open." ^ IMonday, Jidy 25.] — We saw Hawkestone, the seat of Sir Rowland Hill, and were con- ducted by Miss Hill over a large tract of rocks and woods ; a region abounding with I striking scenes and terrific grandeur. We j were always on the brink of a precipice, or at ! the foot of a lofty rock ; but the steeps were ; seldom naked : in many places, oaks of un- , common magnitude shot up from the crannies ' of stone ; and where there were not tall trees, ; there were underwoods and bushes. Round i the rocks is a narrow patch cut upon the stone, ! which is very frequently hewn into steps ; but 1 art has proceeded no further than to make the ! succession of wonders safely accessible. The 1 whole (;ircuit is somewhat laborious ; it is ter- ) minated by a grotto cut in a rock to a great i extent, with many windings, and supported by • pillars, not hewn into regularity, but such as ; imitate the sports of nature, by asperities and protuberances. The place is without any ; dampness, and would afibrd an habitation not uncomfortable. There were from space to -!i;iee seats in the rock. Though it wants w;iier, it excels Dovedale by the extent of its jiiDspects, the awfulness of its shades, the h irrors of its precipices, the verdure of its ' At this time the seat of Sir Lynch SaUisbury Cotton, now of Lord Combermere, his grandson, from which place lie takes his titl<>. It stands on the site of .in old abbey of Benedictine monlss. The lake, or mere, is .about three quarters of a mile long, but of no great width Duppa. 2 Shavington Hall, in Shropshire. — Duppa. ' Probably ffKflr(ferf from wear or accident by being covered with some interior material ; or, perhaps, as' Mr. I/ockhart suggests, trimmed with lace — an old me.ining of the word guarded. — Croker. ■• John Necdham, tenth Viscount Kilmorey Choker. > Robert was the eldest son of Sir Lvnch Salusbury Cotton, and liv°d at Lleweney at this time.' — Duppa. All the seats in England were, a hundred years ago, enclosed with walls, through which there were generally •■ iron pales and gates." Mr. Cotton had, no ckoubt, " laid all open " by hollows, and the loftiness of its rocks: the ideas which it forces upon the mind are the sublime, the dreadful, and the vast. Above is inaccessible altitude, below is horrible pro- fundity ; but it excels the garden of Ham only in extent. Ham has grandeur, tempered with softness ; the walker congratulates his own ai'rival at the place, and is grieved to think that lie must ever leave it. As he looks up to the rocks, his thoughts are elevated; as he turns his eyes on tlie valleys, he is composed and soothed. He that mounts the precipices at Hawkestone wonders how he came thither, and doubts how he shall return. His walk is an adventure, and his departure an escape. He has not the tranquillity, but the horror, of solitude ; a kind of turbulent pleasure, between fright and admiration. Ham is the fit abode of pastoral virtue, and might properly diffuse its shades over nymphs and swains. Hawke- stone can have no fitter inhabitants than giants of mighty bone and bohl emprise ; men of lawless courage and heroic violence. Hawke- stone should be described hj Milton, and Ham by Parnell. — Miss Hill showed the whole suc- cession of wonders with great civility. The house was magnificent, compared with the rank of the owner. <* Tuesday, July 26. — We left Combermere, Avhere we h.ave been treated with great civility — Sir L. is gross, the lady weak and ignorant — The house is spacious, but not magnificent ; built at diflferent times, with different materials ; part is of timber, part of stone or brick, plas- tered and painted to look like timber — It is the best house that ever I saw of that kind — The mere, or lake, is large, with a small island, on which there is a summer-house, shaded with great trees ; some were hollow, and have seats in their trunks. — In the afternoon we came to West-Chester ; (my father went to the fair when I had the small-pox.) We walked round the walls", which are complete, and con- tain one mile three quarters, and one hundred and one yards ; Avithin them are many gardens : they are very high, and two may walk very commodiously side by side — On the inside is a rail — There are towers from space to space, not very frequent, and I think not all com- plete. Wednesday, Jidy 27. — We staid at Chester and saw the cathedral, which is not of the first prostrating the walls ; and the pales and gates, thus become useless, had been transferred to the church Choker. 6 The whole of this passage is so inflated and pompous, that it looks more like a burlesque of Johnson's style than his own travelling notes. — Choker. " It would seem that a quarrel between Johnson and Mrs. Thr.-ile took place at Chester, for she writes to Mr. Duppa " Of those ill-fated walls Dr. Johnson might h.ive learned the extent from any one. He has since put me fairly out of countenance by saying, ' I have known my mistress fifteen years, and never saw her fairly out of humour but on Chester wall : ' it was because he would keep Miss Thrale beyond her hour of going to bed to walk on the wall, where, from the want of light, I apprehended some accident to her — perhaps to him." — Piuxxi MS. —. Croker. E B 41& BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1774. rank — The castle. In one of the rooms the assizes are held, and the refectory of the old abbey, of which part is a grammar-school — The master seemed glad to see me — The cloister is very solemn ; over it are chambers in which the singing men live — In one part of the street was a subterranean arch, very strongly built ; in another, what they called, I believe rightly, a Roman hypocaiist — Chester has many curiosities. Thursday, July 28. — We entered "Wales, dined at Mould, and came to Lleweney.^ Friday, July 29. — We were at Lleweney — In the lawn at Lleweney is a spring of fine water, which rises above the surface into a stone basin, from which it runs to waste, in a continual stream, through a pipe — There are very large trees — The hall at Lleweney is forty feet long, and twenty-eight broad — The dining-parlours thirty-six feet long, and twenty- six broad — It is partly sashed, and partly has casements. Saturday, July 30. — We went to Bach y Graig-, where we found an old house, built 1567, in an uncommon and incommodious form — My mistress chattered about tiring, but I prevailed on her to go to the top — The floors have been stolen : the windows are stopped — The house was less than I seemed to expect — The river Clwyd is a brook with a bridge of one arch, about one third of a mile ^ — The woods have many trees, generally young ; but some which seem to decay — They have been lo])ped — The house never had a garden — The addition of another story would make an useful house, but it cannot be great — Some buildings which Clough, the founder, intended for ware- houses, would make store-chambers and ser- vants' rooms — The ground seems to be good — I wish it well. Sunday, July 3L — We went to church at St. Asaph — The cathedral, though not large, has something of dignity and grandeur — The cross aisle is very short — It has scarcely any monuments — The quire has, I think, thirty- two stalls of antique workmanship — On the backs were Canonicus, Prebend, Cancellarius, Thesaurarius, Prsecentor — The constitution I do not know, but it has all the usual titles and dignities — The service was sung only in the Psalms and Hymns — The bishop [Dr. Shipley] was very civil — We went to his palace, which is but mean — They have a li- brary, and design a room — There lived Lloyd and Dodwell.'* Monday, August I. — We visited Denbigh, 1 Lleweney-hall, as I have already observed, was the resi- dence of Robert Cotton, Esq., Mrs. Thrale'scousin-german. Here Mr. and Mrs. Thrale and Dr. Johnson staid three weeks, making visits and short excursions in the neighbour- hood and surrounding country Choker. ^ This was the mansion-house of the estate which had fallen to Mrs. Thrale, and was the cause of this visit to Wales. Incredible as it may appear, it is certain that this lady imported from Italy a nephew of Piozzi's, and, malting bim assume her maiden name of S«/Hsft?i)-(/, bequeathed to this foreigner (if she did not give it in her lile-time) this ancient and the remains of its castle — The town con- sists of one main street, and some that cross it, which I have not seen — The chief street ascends with a quick rise for a great length : the houses are built some with rough stone, some with brick, and a few are of timber — The castle, with its whole enclosure, has been a prodigious pile ; it is now so ruined that the form of the inhabited part cannot easily be traced — There are, as in all old buildings, said to be extensive vaults, which the ruins of the upper works cover and conceal, but into which boys sometimes find a way — To clear all passages, and trace the whole of what re- mains, would require much labour and expense — We saw a church, which was once the chapel of the castle, but is used by the town : it is dedicated to St. Hilary, and has an income of about . At a small distance is the ruin of a church said to have been begun by the great Earl of Leicester, and left unfinished at his death — One side, and I think the east end, are yet standing — There was a stone in the wall over the doorway, which, it was said, would fall and crush the best scholar in the diocese — One Price would not pass under it. They have taken it down — We then saw the chapel of Lleweney, founded by one of the Salusburies : it is very complete : the monu- mental stones lie in the ground — A chimney has been added to it, but it is otherwise not much injured, and might be easily repaired. — We went to the parish church of Denbigh, which, being near a mile from the town, is only used when the parish officers are chosen — In the chapel, on Sundays, the service is read thrice, the second time only in English, the first and third in Welsh — The bishop came to survey the castle, and visited likewise St. Hilai-y's chapel, which is that which the town uses — The hay-barn, built with brick pillars from space to space, and covered with a roof — A more elegant and lofty hovel — The rivers here are mere torrents, which are sud- ; deuly swelled by the rain to great breadth and ■ great violence, but have very little constant . stream ; such are the Clwyd and the Elwy — ; There are yet no mountains — The ground^ is beautifully embellished with woods, and di- i versified by inequalities — In the parish churcli ; of Denbigh is a bas-relief of Lloyd the anti- ! quary, who was before Camden — He is kneel- j ing at his prayers.^ [ Tuesday, Aug. 2. — We rode to a summer- house of Mr. Cotton, which has a very exten- 1 sive prospect ; it is meanly built, and unskil- 3 Meaning, probably, one third of a mile from the house.! — Croker. ^ Lloyd was r.aised to the see of St. Asaph in 1680. He: was one of the seven bishops. He died Bishop of Worcester,' Aug. 30. I7I7. — Dodwell was a man of extensive learning,; and an intimate friend of Lloyd. — Duppa. 5 Humphry Llwyd was a native of Denbigh, practised there as a physician, and also represented the town in par-' lianient. He died 15G8. — Duppa. I iEx. 65. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 419 fully disposed — We went to Dymerchion church, where the old clerk acknowledged his mistress — It is the parish church of Bach y Graig ; a mean fiibric ; Mr. Salusbury [Mrs. Thrale's flither] was buried in it : Bach y Graig has fourteen seats in it. As we rode by, I looked at the house again — We saw Lhmnerch, a house not mean, with a small park very well watered — There was an avenue of oaks, which, in a foolish compliance with the present mode, has been cut down — A few are yet standing ; the owner's name is Davies — The way lay through pleasant lanes, and overlooked a region beautifully diversified with trees and grass. At Dymei'chion church there is English service only once a month — this is about twenty miles from the English border — The old clerk had great appearance of joy at the sight of his mistress, and foolishly said, that he was now willing to die — He had only a crown given him by my ^distress — At Dymerchion church the texts on the walls are in Welsh. Wednesday, Aug. 3. — We went in the coach to Holywell — Talk with mistress about flattery ^ — Holywell is a market town, neither very small nor mean — The spring called Winifred's Well is very clear, and so copious, that it yields one hundred tuns of water in a minute — It is all at once a very great stream, which, within perhaps thirty yards of its irruption, .turns a mill, and in a course of two miles, eighteen mills more — In descent, it is very quick — It then fiills into the sea — The well is covered by a lofty circular arch, supported by pillars ; and over this arch is an old chapel, now a school — The chancel is separated by a wall — The bath is completely and indecently open i — A woman bathed while we all looked on — In the church, which makes a good appearance, and is surrounded by galleries to receive a numerous congregation, we were present while ia child was christened in Welsh — We went ;down by the stream to see a prospect, in which "■1 had no part — We then saw a brass work, where the lapis calaminaris is gathered, broken, washed from the earth anJ the lead, though how the lead was separated I did not see ; ' t'vn calcined, afterwards ground fine, and then 1 by fire with copper — We saw several iiir fires with melting pots, but the con- struction of the fireplaces I did not learn — I At a copper-work, which receives its pigs of icopper, I think, from Warrington, we saw a j plate of copper put hot between steel rollers, I and spread thin ; I know not whether the upper roller was set to a certain distance, as I suppose, or acted only by its weight — At an iron-work I saw round bars formed by ' " He said that I flattered the people to whose houses we went : I was saucy, and said I was obliged to be civil for two — meaning himself and me. He replied, nobody would thank nie for compliments they did not understand. At t;w.iynynog (Mr. Middleton's), however, he was flattered, v.id was happy of course." — Piozzi MS. — Crokeb. - " No " or " littie " is here probably omitted. — Chokei:. a notched hammer and anvil — There I saw a bar of about half an incli or more square, cut with sheai-s worked by water, and then I beaten hot into a thinner bar — The hammers, all worked, as they were, by water, acting ' upon small bodies, moved very quick, as quick j as by the hand — I then saw wire drawn, and gave a shilling — I liave enlarged my I notions, though, not being aljle to see the I movements, and having not time to peep I closely, I know less than I might — I was less weary, and had better breath, as I walked farther. Thursday, Aug. 4. — Rhudlan Castle is still [ a very noble ruin ; all the walls still remain, I so that a complete platform, and elevations, not very imperlect, may be taken — It encloses a square of about thirty yards — The middle space was always open — The wall is, I believe, about thirty feet high, very thick, flanlced with six round towers, each about eighteen feet, or less, in diameter — Only one tower had a chimney, so that there was" commodity of living — It was only a place of strength — The garrison had, perhaps, tents in the area. — Stapylton's house is pretty ■^ ; there are pleasing shades about it, with a constant spring that supplies a cold bath — We then went to see a cascade — I trudged unwillingly, and was not sorry to find it dry ''■ — The water was, however, turned on, and produced a very striking cataract — They are paid a hundred pounds a year for permission to divert the stream to the mines — The river, for such it may be termed, rises from a single spring, which, like that of Winifred's, is covered with a building — We called then at another house belonging to Mr. Lloyd, which made a hand- some appearance — This country seems full of very splendid houses — Mrs. Thrale lost her purse — She expressed so much uneasiness, that I concluded the simi to be very great ; but when I heard of only seven guineas, I was glad to find that she had so much sensibility of money. — I could not di-ink this day either cofiee or tea after dinner — I know not when I missed before. F7-iday, Aug. 5. — Last night my sleep was remarkably quiet — I know not whether by fiitlgue in walking, or by forbearance of tea. I gave [up] the ipecacuanha — ViJi. emet. had failed; so had tartar emet. I dined at ]\Ii-. Myddleton's, of Gwaynynog — The house was a gentleman's house, below the second rate, perhaps below the third, built of stone roughly cut — The rooms were low, and the passage above stairs gloomy, but the furniture was good — The table was well supplied, except ' Bodryddan (pronounced, writes Mrs. Piozzi, Potrolhan), formerly the residence of the Stapyltons, the parunts of five co-heiresses, of whom Mrs. Cotton, afterwards Lady .Salus- bury Cotton, was one DiippA. 1 " lie teased Mrs. Cotton about her drv cascade till she was ready to ci y . " _ Pioxxi MS. — CROKi.ii. 420 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1774. that the fruit was bad — It was truly the dinner of a country gentleman ' — Two tables were filled with company, not inelegant — After dinner, the talk was of preserving the Welsh language — I offered them a scheme — Poor Evan Evans was mentioned as incorrigibly addicted to strong drink — Worthington was commended ^ — Myddleton is the only man who, in Wales, has talked to me of literature — I wish he were truly zealous — I recom- mended the republication of David ap Ilhees's Welsh Grammar — Two sheets of Hebrides came to me for correction to-day, F, G.^ Saturday, Aug. 6. — Ka9[o|0cr(c] Cf>[n(TrtK:7;]. — I corrected the two sheets — My sleep last night was disturbed — Washing at Chester and here, 5s. Id. — I did not read — I saw to-day more of the outhouses at Lleweney — It is, in the whole, a very spacious house. Sunday, Aug. 7. — I was at church at Bodfori. There was a service used for a sick woman, not canonically, but such as I have heard, I think, formerly at Lichfield, taken out of the visitation. — Kne. utrpuoc. — The church is mean, but has a square tower for the bells, rather too stately for the church. Observations. — Dixit iujustus, Ps. 36., has no relation to the English * — Preserve us, Lord^, has the n.ame of Pobevt Wisedomo, 1618. Barkers Bible — Battologiam ab itera- tione, recte distinguit Erasmus. Mod. Orandi Derail, p. 56. 144> —Southwell's Thoughts of his own death "^ — Baudius on Erasmus.*^ Monday, Aug. 8. — The bishop and much 1 Mrs. Piozzi, in one of her letters to Mr. Duppa on this passage, says, " Dr. Johnson loved a. fine dinner, but would eat perhaps more lieartily of a coarse one— boiled beef or veal pie; fish he seldom passed over, though he said that he only valued the sauce, and that every body eat the lirst as a vehicle for the second. When he poured oyster sauce over plutn pudding, and the melted butter flowing from the toast into his chocolate, one might surely say that he was nothing less than delicate." — Croker. - Johnson's friend, Dr. Worthington, was resident in a Welsh living, which the family afterwards visited, post, 8th Sept Croker. 3 F, G, are the printer's signatures, by which it appears that at this time five sheets iiad already been printed — Dl'PPA. 1 Dr. Johnson meant that the words of the Latin version, " DiJ-it injustus," prefixed to the 3Gth Psalm (one of those appointed for the day), had no relation to the English version in the Liturgy : " My heart showeth me the wickedness of the ungodly." The biblical version, however, has some accordance with the Latin, " The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart ;" and Bishop Lowth renders it " The v'icked man, according to the wickedness oi his heart, saith." It is a very perplexed passage. See Quarterly Review, vol. 50. p. 540. The biblical version of the Psalms was made by the translators of the whole Bible, under James I., from the original Hebrew, and is closer than the version used in the Liturgy, which was made in the reign of Henry VIU. from the Greek Croker. 5 This alludes to " A Prayer by R. W." (evidently Robert Wisedom) which Sir Henry Ellis, of the British Museum, has found among the Hymns which foUcfw the old version of the singing Psalms, at the end of Barker's Bible of 1G39. It begins, " Preserve us. Lord, by thv dear word. From Turk and Pope, defend us. Lord ! Which both would thrust out of his throne Our Lord Jesus Christ, thy deare son." — Croker. e In allusion to our Saviour's censure of vain repetition in prayer (battulogia — 'UlaXX. vi. 7.). Erasmus, in the passage company dined at Lleweney ^ — Talk of Greek, and of the army — The Duke of Marlborough's officers useless '° — Read Phocylidis '\ distin- guished the paragraphs — I looked in Leland : an unpleasant book of mere hints — " Lichfield school ten pounds, and five pounds from the hospital." '^ Wednesday, Aug. 10. — At Lloyd's, of Maes- mynnan ; a good house, and a very large walled garden — I read Windus's Account of his Journey to Mequinez, and of Stewart's Embassy '^ — I had read in the morning Wasse's Greek Trochaics to Bentley : they appeared inelegant, and made with difficulty — The Latin elegy contains only common-place, hastily expressed, so fiir as I have read, for it is long — They seem to be the verses of a scholar, who has no practice of writing — The Greek I did not always fully understand — I am in doubt about the sixth and last paragraphs; perhaps they are not printed right, for evtokov perhaps ■ The .following days [11th, l-2th, and 13th], I read here and there — The Bibliotheca Literaria was so little sup- plied with papers that could interest curiosity, that it could not hope for long continuance '* — W.asse '^, the chief contributor, was an un- polished scholar, who, with much literature, had no art or elegance of diction, at least in English. Sunday, Aug. 14. — At Bodfiiri I heard the second lesson read, and the sermon preached in Welsh. The text was pronounced both in Welsh and English — The sound of the Welsh, cited, defends the words "My God ! My God! " as an ex- pression of justifiable earnestness. — Croker. 7 This alludes to Southwell's stanzas " Upon the Image o Death," in his Miconia, a collection of spiritual poems : — " Before my face the picture hangs. That daily should put me in mind Of those cold names and bitter pangs That shortly I am like to find ; But, yet, alas ! full little I Do think theron that I must die," &c. Robert Southwell was an English Jesuit, who was imprisoned tortured, .ind finally, in Feb. 1598, tried, convicted, and nex day executed, for teaching the Roman Catholic tenets i England. — Croker. 8 This work, whicli Johnson was now reading, was, inos probably, a little book, entitled Baudii Epistolce, as, in hii " Life of Milton," he has made a quotation from it. - Duppa. 9 During our stay at this place, one day at dinner, I meat to please Mr. Johnson particularly with a dish of very youni peas. " Are not they charming ? " said I to him while hi was eating them. "Perhaps," he answered, "they woul' be so — to a pig." — Piozzi MS. — Croker. | 10 Bishop Shipley had been a chaplain with the Duke <| Cumberland, and probably now entertained Dr. Johnson witi some anecdotes collected from his military acquaintance, I which Johnson was led to conclude th.nt the " Duke of Marj borough's officers were useless ; " that is, probably, that tl duke saw and did every thing himself ; a fact which, it , presumed, may be told of all great captains.— Croker. > " The title of the poem is IIo«)fi« ►4ufl£Tixo'» Duppa. : 12 An extract from Leland's Itinerary, published by Ream 1710. — Duppa. 13 " To the present Emperor of Fez and Morocco, for tb Redemption of Captives, in 1721." — Duppa. n The Bibliotheca Literaria only extended to ten numbei — Duppa. ; 15 Joseph Wasse was born in 1G72, and died Dec. 13. 17. • He published an edition of Sallust, and contributed soi. papers to the Philosophical Transactions Croker. I iET. 65. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 421 in a continued discourse, is not unpleasant — BpiSm^oMYn — ica6. a. 0.' — The letter of Chry- sostom, against transubstantiation — Erasmus to the Nuns, full of mystic notions and allegories. Monday, Aug. 15 — Kad. — Imbecillitas genuum non sine aliquantulo doloris inter ainbulandum, quem a prandio magis sensi." [On this day he wrote to Mr. Levett.] JOHNSON TO LEVETT. " Lleweney, in Denbiglishin;, Aug. IG. 1774. ] " Dear Sik, — Mr. Thrale's affairs have kept ; him here a great while, nor do I know exactly ! when we shall come hence. I have sent you a bill upon Mr. Strahan. — I have made nothhig of the ' ipecacuanha, but have taken abundance of pills, and hope that they have done nie good. " Wales, so far as I have yet seen of it, is a very beautiful and rich country, all enclosed and planted. ; Denbigh is not a mean town. Make my compli- ments to all my friends, and tell Frank I hope lie remembers my advice. When his money is out let him liave more. I am, Sir, your humble servant, " Saji. Johnson." Tliursdaij, Aug. 18. — We left Lleweney, .ind went forwards on our journey — \Ve came to Abergeley, a mean town, in which little but • Welsh is spoken, and divine service is seldom i performed in English — Our way then lay to ' the seaside, at the foot of a mountain, called ; Penmaen Rhos — Here the way was so steep, ithat we walked on the lower edge of the hill, to meet the coach, that went upon a road higher on the hill — Our walk was not long, nor unpleasant : the longer I walk, the less I feel its inconvenience — As I grow warm, my breath mends, and I think my limbs grow : pliable. j We then came to Conway ferry, and passed in small boats, with some passengers from the .stage coach, among whom were an Irish gentle- woman, with two maids, and three little children, I of which, the youngest was only a few months lold. Tlie tide did not serve the large ferry- boat, and therefore our coach could not very J€oon follow us — We were, therefore, to stay |at the inn. It is now the day of the race at (Conway, and the town was so full of company, that no money could purchase lodgings. A\^e Will' not very readily supplied with cold dinner. A\'i' would have staid at Conway if we could have found entertainment, for we were afraid ■of passing Penmaen Mawr, over which lay our |Way to Bangor, but by bright daylight, and the ' Hie. probably for tcdSapaa oveu ^apjuaxov, — Crokkr. ^ " .\ wKikness of the knees, not without .^ome pain in walking, which I feel increased after I have dined." — Dltpa. ^ Penmaen Mawr is a huge rooky promontory, rising nearly l.iiO feet perpendicular above the'sea. Along a shelf of this precipice is formed an excellent road, well guarded, toward tlie sea, by a strong wall, supported in many jjarts by arches turned underneath it. Before this wall was built, travellers i sometimes fell down the precipices.— Duppa. I ■• The inner wall was, as 1 have seen, and once nearly ex- I delay of our coach made our departure neces- sarily late. There was, however, no stay on any other terms th.in of sitting up all night. The poor Irish lady was still more distressed — Her children wanted rest — She would have been content with one bed, but, for a time, none could be had — Mrs. Thrale gave her what help she could — At last two gentlemen were persuaded to yield up their room, with two beds, for which she gave half a guinea. Our coach was at last brought, and we set out with some anxiety, but we came to Pen- maen Mawr by daylight ; and found a way, lately made, very easy, and very safe ^ — It was cut smooth, and enclosed between parallel walls ; the outer of which secures the passenger from the precipice, which is deep and dreadful — This Avail is here and there broken by mis- chievous wantonness — Tiie inner wall preserves the road from the loose stones, which the shat- tered steep above it would pour down* — That side of the mountain seems to have a surface of loose stones, which every accident may crumble — The old road was higher, and must have been very formidable — The sea beats at the bottom of the way. At evening the moon shone eminently bright, and our thoughts of danger being now past, the rest of our journey was very pleasant. At an hour somewhat late we came to Bangor, where we found a very mean inn, and had some difficulty to obtain lodging — I lay in a room, where the other bed had two men. Friday, Aug. 19. — "We obtained boats to convey us to Anglesey, and saw Lord Bulkeley's house, and Beaumaris Castle. — I was accosted by Mr. Lloyd, the schoolmaster of Beaumaris, who had seen me at Universily College ; and he, with Mr. Roberts, the register of Bangor, whose boat we borrowed, accompanied us. Lord Bulkeley's house ^ is very mean, but his garden is spacious and shady, with large trees and smaller interspersed — The walks are straight, and cross each other, with no variety of plan ; but they have a pleasing coolness and solemn gloom, and extend to a great length. The castle is a mighty pile ; the outward wall has fifteen round towers, besides square towers at the angles — There is then a void space be- tween the wall and the castle, which has an area enclosed with a wall, which again has towers, larger than those of the outer wall — The towers of the inner castle are, I think, eight — There is likewise a chapel entire, built upon an arch, as I suppose, and beautifully arched with a stone roof, which is yet unbroken — The pcrienced, but an insignificant defence— indeed, none at ail- when after frosts or heavy rains the superimpendcnt masses were disturbed. A rail-road is now in progress along the face of this promontory Choker, 1840. ^ Baron Hill is situated just above the town of Beaumat been sometimes compared to Mount Edgecombe, In Devon- shire. — DuppA. In some respects the prospect is much I finer, the Snowdon range being its background. — Crokeii J 422 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1774. entrance into the chapel is about eight or nine feet high, and was, I suppose, higher, when there was no rubbish in the area — This castle corresponds with all the representations of romancing narratives. — Here is not wanting the private passage, the dark cavity, the deep dungeon, or the lofty tower — We did not dis- cover the well — This is the most complete view that I have yet had of an old castle — It had a moat — The towers — We went to Bangor. Saturday, Aug. 20. — We went by water from Bangor to Caernarvon, where we met Paoli and Sir Thomas Wynne ' — Meeting by chance with one Troughton 2, an intellio-ent and loquacious wanderer, Mr. Thrale invited him to dinner — He attended us to the castle, an edifice of stupendous magnitude and strength ; it has in it all that we observed at Beaumaris, and much greater dimensions : many of the smaller rooms floored with stone are entire ; of the larger rooms, the beams and planks are all left : this is the state of all buildings left to time — We mounted the eagle tower by one hundred and sixty-nine steps, each of ten inches — We did not find the well ; nor did I trace the moat ; but moats there were, I believe, to all castles on the plain, which not only hindered access, but prevented mines — We saw but a very small part of this mighty ruin, and in all these old buildings, the subterraneous works are concealed by the rubbish — To survey this place would take much time : I did not think there had been such buildings ; it surpassed my ideas. Sunday, Aug. 21. — [At Caernarvon]. — We were at church ; the service in the town is always English ; at the parish-church at a small distance, always Welsh — The town has by degrees, I suppose, been brought nearer to the sea-side — We received an invitation to Dr. Worthington — We then went to dinner at Sir Thomas Wynne's — the dinner mean, Sir Thomas civil, his lady nothing ^ — Paoli civil — We supped with Colonel Wynne's lady, who lives in one of the towers of the castle — I have not been very well. Monday, Aug. 22. — We went to visit Bodville "•■, the place where Mrs. Thrale was born, and the churches called Tydweilliog and Llangwinodyl, which she holds by impropria- ' Sir Thomas Wynne, created Lord Newborough, 1778: died 1807. — DuppA. 2 " Lieutenant Troughton I do recollect ; loquacious and intelligent he was. He wore a uniform, and belonged, I think, to a man of viax." — Piozzi MS. He was made a lieutenant in 17r,2, and died in 1786, in that rani; : he was on half-pay and did not belong to any sliip when he met Dr. Johnson, in 1774. It seems then that, even so late as this, half-pay officers wore their uniform in the ordinary course of life. — Crokkr. 3 Lady Catharine Pcrcival, d.iughter of the second Earl of Eemont: this was. it apjiears, tlie lady of whom Mrs. I'iozzi relates, that " For a lady of iiuality, since dead, who received uS at her husband's seat in Wales with less attention than he had long been accustomed to, he liad a rougher denunciation : ' That woman,' cried Johnson, ' is like sour small beer, the beverage of her t.ible, and produce of the wretched country Bho lives in : like that, slie could never have been a good tion — We had an invitation to the house of Mr. Griffiths of Bryn o dol, where we found a small neat new-built house, with square-rooms : the walls -are of unhewn stone, and therefore thick ; for the stones not fitting with exactness, are not strong without great thickness — He had planted a great deal of young wood in walks — Fruit trees do not thrive ; but having grown a few years, reach some barren stratum and wither — We found Mr. Griffiths not at home ; but the provisions were good. Tuesday, Aug. 23. — Mx. Griffiths came home the next day — He married a lady who has a house and estate at [Llanver], over against Anglesea, and near Caernarvon, where she is more disposed, at it seems, to reside, than at Bryn o dol — I read Lloyd's account of Mona, which he proves to be Anglesea — In our way to Bryn o dol, we saw at Llanerk a church built crosswise, very spacious and magnificent for this country — We could not see the parson, and could get no intelligence about it. Wednesday, Aug. 24. — We went to see Bodville — Mrs. Thrale remembered the rooms, and wandered over them, with recollection of her childhood — This species of pleasure is always melancholy — The walk was cut down, and the pond was dry — Nothing was better. We surveyed the churches, which are mean,! and neglected to a degree scarcely imaginable; — They have no pavement, and the earth isl full of holes — The seats are rude benches:! the altars have no rails ■ — One of them has a,' breach in the roof — On the desk, I think, ol! each lay a folio Welsh Bible of the black letter, which the curate cannot easily read — JVIr Thrale purposes to beautify the churches, and if he prospers, will probably restore th( tithes ^ — The two parishes are, Llangwinody and Tydweilliog — The methodists arc her( very prevalent — A better church will impres;' the people with more reverence of pubHi worship — Mrs. Thrale visited a house when she had been used to drink milk, which wa left, with an estate of two hundred pounds ; year, by one Lloyd, to a married woman wb lived with him — We went to Pwlheli, a meai old town, at tlie extremity of the country - Here we bought something to remember th place. thing, and even that bad thing is spoiled.' " And it is pri bably of lier too that another anecdote is told : — " We hr been visiting at a lady's house, whom, as we returned, sorr of the company ridiculed for her ignorance: — ' She is D' ignorant,' said he, ' 1 believe, of any thing she has bed taught, or of any thing she is desirous to know ; and I su) pose if one wanted a little run tea, she might be a prop- person enough to apply to.' " Mrs. Piozzi s.ays, in her M letters, " that Lady Catharine comes off well in the riiar' lie said many severe things of her, which he did not comn to paper." She died in 1782. — Croker. •» Situated among the mountains of Caernarvonshire. Piozzi MS. — Croker. 5 It docs not appear that Mr. Thrale carried his gd intentions into effect, as in 1809 one parish was only fort three pounds, .".:-.d the other forty-five pounds, a year, i Dt'PPA. ! JEt. 65. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 423 Thursday ^ Aug. 25. — We returned to Caernai'von, where we eat with Mrs. AVynne. j Friday, Aug. 26. — AVe visited, with Mrs. \ Wynne ', Llyn Badarn and Llyn Beris, two lakes, joined by a narrow strait — They are formed by the waters which fidl from Snowdon, and the opposite mountains — On the side of Snowdon are the remains of a hirge Ibrt, to which we climbed with great labour — I was breathless and harassed — The lakes have no great breadth, so that the boat is always near one bank or the other — Note. Queenys ^ goats, one hundred and forty -nine, I think. Saturday, Aug. 27 . — We returned to Bangor, where Mr. Thrale was lodged at JNL-. Roberts's, the register. Suiulay, Atig. 28. — We went to worship at the cathedral — The choir is mean ; the service was not well read. Monday, Aug. 29. — We came to Mr. Myddle- ton's, of Gwaynynog, to the tirst place, as my Mistress observed, where we have been wel- come. ^ Note. — On the day when we visited Bodville, we turned to the house of Mr. Griffiths, of Kefnamwycllh, a gentleman of large Ibrtune, remaikable for having made great and sudden improvements in his seat and estate — he has enclosed a large garden with a brick wall — He is considered as a man of great accom- plishments — He was educated in literature at the university, and served some time in the army, then quitted his commission, and re- tired to his lands. He is accounted a good man, and endeavours to bring the peojile to church. In our way from Bangor to Conway, ■ we passed again the new road upon the edge of Penmaen Mawr, which would be very tre- mendous, but that the wall shuts out the idea of danger — In the wall are several breaches, made, as jNIi'. Thrale very reasonably con- jectures, by fragments of rocks which roll • As we woro rowing on the lake, Mrs. Glynn Wynne, wife of Lord Newburgh's brother, who accompanied U3, sang Welsh songs to the harp Piozzi MS. — Croker. - Mr. Thrale was near-sighted, and could not see the goats browsing on Snowdon, and he promised his daughter, who was a child of ten years old, a penny for every goat she would show him, and Dr. Johnson kept the account ; so that it appears her father was in debt to her one hundred and forty-nine pence. Queeny was an epithet, whicli had its ciri.'in in the nursery, by which [in allusion to Queen Esther] Mi>s Thrale (whose name was Esther) was always dis- tiiii;uished by Johnson DuprA. 3 •' It is very likely I did say so. My relations were not quite as forward as I thought they might have been to wel- gian with Mr. Thrale and Lord Sandys of Oraberslcy." Piozzi MS Croker. * However this may have been, he was both happy and amused, during his stay at Gwaynynog, and Mr. Myddelton was flattered by the honur of his visit. To perpetuate the recollection of it, he (to use Mr. BoswcU's words) erected an urn on the banks of the rivulet, in the park, where Johnson delighted to stand and recite verses ; on which is this inscrip- tion : — " This spot was often dignified by the presence of Samuel Johnson, LL.D., whose Moral Writings, exactly conformable to the Precepts of Christianity, gave ardour to Virtue, and confidence to Truth." In 1777, it would appear from a letter by Johnson to Mrs Thrale, that he was in- formed that Mr. Myddelton meditated this honour, which down the mountain, broken perhaps by frost, or worn through by rain. We then viewed Conway — To spare the horses at Penmaen lihos, between Conway and St. Asaph, we sent the coach over the road across the mountain with Mrs. Thrale, who had been tired with a walk some time before ; and I, with Mr. Thrale and Miss, walked along the edge, where the path is very narrow, and much encumbered by little loose stones, which had iallen down, as we thought, upon the way since we passed it before. At Conway we took a short survey of the castle, which afforded us nothing new — It is larger than that of Beaumaris, and less than that of Caernarvon — It is built upon a rock so high and steep, that it is even now very difficidt of access — We found a round pit, which was called the Well ; it is now almost filled, and therefore dry — We found the AVell in- no other castle — There are some remains of leaden pipes at Caernarvon, which, I suppose, only conveyed water from one part of the building to another — Had the garrison had no other supply, the Welsh, who must know where the pipes were laid, could easily have cut them. We came to the house of Mr. Myddelton (on Monday), where we staid to September 6., and wei-e very kindly entertained — How we spent our time, I am not very able to tell'* — We saw the wood, which is diversified and romantic. Sunday, Sept. 4. — We dined with Mr. Myd- delton, the clergyman, at Denbigh, where I saw the harvest men very decently dressed, after the afternoon service, standing to be hired — On other days, they stand at about four in the morning — they are hired from day to day. Tuesday, Sept. 6. — We lay at Wrexham ; a busy, extensive, and well-built town — it has a very large and magnificent church. It has a famous fair.^ Wednesday, Sept. 7. — We came to Chirk Castle. seemed to be but little to his taste: — "Mr. Jlyddelton'i erection of an urn looks like an intention to bury me alive : I would as willingly see my friend, however benevolent and hospitable, quietly inurncd. Let him think, for the present, of some more acceptable memorial." — Dippa. 5 It was probably on the 6th Sept., in the way from Wrex- ham to Chirk, that they passed through Ruabon, where the following occurrence took place: — "A Welch parson of mean abilities, though a good heart, struck with reverence at the sight of Dr. Johnson, whom he had heard of as the greatest man living, could not find any words to answer his inquiries concerning a motto round somebody's arms which | adornt-d a tombstone in Ruabon churchyard. If I remember | right, the words were, I ' Heb Dw, Heb Dym, Dw o' diggon.' • And though of no very difficult construction, the gentlcm.in seemed wholly confounded, and unable to explain them ; till Mr. Johnson, having picked out the meaning by little and little, said to the man, ' Heb is a preposition, I believe. Sir, is it not V ' My countryman, recovering some spirits upon the sudden question, cried out, ' So I humbly presume, Sir,' very comically." — Piozxi's Anecdotes Croker. * The Myddelton motto, meaning. Without God, without I ! God is all-sufficient ! — Piozzi MS. — Croker. 424 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON 1774. Thursday, Sept. 8 — We came to the house of Dr. Worthington ', at Llani-haiadr ^ — Our entertainment was poor, though his house was not bad. The situation is very pleasant, by the side of a small river, of which the bank rises high on the other side, shaded by gradual rows of trees — The gloom, the stream, and the silence, generate thoughtfulness. The town is old, and very mean, but has, I think, a market — In this house, the Welsh translation of the Old Testament was made — The Welsh singing psalms were written by Archdeacon Price — They are not considered as elegant, but as very literal, and accurate — We came to Llanrhaiadr through Oswestry ; a town not very little, nor very mean — the church, which I saw only at a distance, seems to be an edifice much too good for the present state of the place. Friday, Sept. 9. — We visited the waterfall, which is very high, and in rainy weather very copious — There is a reservoir made to supply it — In its fall, it has perforated a rock — There is a room built for entertainment — There was some difficulty in climbing to a near view — Lord Lyttelton ^ came near it, and turned back — When we came back, we took some cold meat, and notwithstanding the Doctor's importunities, went that day to Shrewsbury. Saturday, Sept. 10. — I sent for Gwynn'*, and he showed us the town — the walls are broken, and narrower than those of Chester — The town is large, and has many gentlemen's houses, but the streets are narrow — I saw Taylor's library — We walked in the Quarry ; a very pleasant walk by the river — Our inn was not bad. Sunday, Sept. 11. — We were at St. Chad's, a very large and luminous church — We were on the Castle Hill. Monday, Sept. 12. — We called on Dr. Adams', and travelled towards Worcester, through Wenlock ; a very mean place, though a borough — At noon, we came to Bridgenorth. and walked about the town, of which one part stands on a high rock, and part very low, by the river — There is an old tower, which, being crooked, leans so much, that it is frightful to pass by it — In the afternoon we came through Kinver, a town in Staffordshire, neat and • Dr. Johnson thus notices his death (on the 6th Oct. 177S, aged seventy-live) in a letter to Mrs. Thrale : " My clerical friend Worthington is dead. I have known him long — and to die is dreadful. I believe he was a very good man." — Letters. — Crokrr. 2 Llanrhaiadr means The Village of the Waterfall, and takes its name from a waterfall, the chief feature of the vicinity — Croker. 3 Thomas, the second Lord Dufpa. * Mr. Gwynn, .in architect of considerable celebrity, was a native of Shrewsbury, and was at this time completing a bridge across the Severn, called the English Bridge DuppA. .Sec It was here that Johnson had as much wall-fruit as he wished, and, as he told Mrs. Thrale, for the only time in his life. — Duppa. Perhaps it was the only time he ever was at a fine country house at that season — Croker. ^ This visit was not to Lord Lyttelton, but to his uncle closely built — I believe it has only one street — The road was so steep and miry, that we were forced to stop at Hartlebury, where we had a very neat inn, though it made a very poor appearance. Tuesday, Sept. 13. — We came to Lord San- dys's, at Ombersley, where we were treated with great civility ^ — The house is large — The hall is a very noble room. Thursday, Sept. 15. — We went to Worces- ter, a very splendid city — The cathedral is very noble, with many remarkable monuments — The library is in the chapter-house — On the table lay the Nuremberg Chronicle, I think, of the first edition. We went to the china warehouse — The cathedral has a cloister — — The long aisle is, in my opinion, neither so wide nor so high as that of Lichfield. Friday, Sept. 16. — We went to Hagley, where we were disajipointed of the respect and kindness that we expected.'' Saturday, Sept. 17. — We saw the house and park, which equalled my expectation — The house is one sqiiare mass — The offices are below — The rooms of elegance on the first floor, with two stories of bedchambers, very Avell disposed above it — The bedchambers have low windows, which abates the dignity of the house — The park has one artificial ruin, and wants water ; there is, however, one tem- porary cascade ^ — From the farthest hill there is a very wide prospect. Sunday, Sept. 18. — I went to church — The church is, externally, very mean, and is therefore diligently hidden by a plantation — There are in it several modern monuments of the Lytteltons — There dined with us Lord Dudley, and Sir Edward Lyttelton, of Staf- ford.shire ^, and his lady — They were all per- sons of agreeable conversation — I found time to reflect on my birthday, and offered a prayer, wliich I hope was heard. Monday Sept. 19. — We made haste away from a place where all were offended '° — In the way we visited the Leasowes — It was rain, yet we visited all the waterfalls — Thei-e are, in one place, fourteen falls in a short line — It is the next place to Ham gardens — Poor Shenstone never tasted his pension — It is not [called Billy Lyttelton, afterwards, by successive creations, Lord Westcote, and Lord Lyttelton], the father of the pre- sent Lord, who lived at a house called Little Hagley.— Duppa. This gentleman was a friend of Mr. Thrale. and had some years before invited Johnson (through Mrs. Thrale) to visit him at Hagley. — Croker. s He was enraged at artificial ruins and temporary cas- cades, so that I wonder at his leaving his opinion of them dubious : besides he hated the Lytteltons, and would rejoice at an opportunity of in.sulting them Piozzi MS — Croker. s John, second Viscount Dudley and Ward, who died in 1788, and Sir Edward Lyttelton, who represented Stafford- j shire, in several parliaments, and died in May, 18r2,.aet. 86, j a remarkable specimen of a country gentleman of the old I school. — Croker. 1 1" Mrs. Lyttelton, ci-devant Caroline Bristow, forced me to play at whist against my liking, and her husband took away Johnson's candle tb.it he wanted to read by at the I other end of the room. Those, I trust, were the offences.— Fiozzi MS Ckokek. ^T. 65. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 425 very -Nvell proved that any pension was obtained for him' — I am afraid that he died of misery. — We came to Birmingham, and I sent for Wheeler *, whom I found well. Tuesday, Sept. 20. — We breakfasted with Wheeler, and visited the manufacture of Papier mache — Tlie paper which they use is smooth whited brown ; the varnish is polished with rotten stone — Wheeler gave me a tea-board — We then went to Boulton's, who, with great civility, led us through his shops — I could not distinctly see his enginery — Twelve dozen of buttons for three shillings — Spoons struck at once. Wednesday, Sept. 21. — TMieeler came to us anain — We came easily to Woodstock. ^Thursday, Sept. 22. — We saw Blenheim and Woodstock park — The park contains two thousand five hundred acres ; about four square miles — it has red deer. Mr. Bryant showed me the library with great civility^ — Diirandi Rationale, 1459'' — Lascaris' Gram- mar, of the first edition ^ well printed, but much less than later editions — The first Ba- trachomijomachia ** — The duke sent Mr. Thrale ]i;irtridges and fruit — At night we came to Oxford. Friday, Sept. 22. — ^Q visited Mr. Coul- sfin — The ladies wandered about the univer- 'Satiirday, Sept. 24. — Ka0. — We dine'' with Mr. Coulson^ — Vansittart told me his dis- temper ^ — Afterwards we were at Burke's [at Beaconsfield], where we heard of the dis- solution of the parliament '" — We went home. ' Lord Loughborough aiiplied lo Lord Bute, to procure \ Shenstonp a pension ; but that it was ever asked of the king ; i8 not certain. He was made to believe that the patent was • actually made out, when his death rendered unnecessary any ! further concern of his friends for his future ease and tran- ij quillity. — Anderson. — Wbight. - Dr. Benjamin Wheeler; he was a native of Oxford, and originally on the foundation of Trinity College. He took his degree of A.M. Nov. 14. 1758, and D. D. July 6. 1770; and was a man of extensive learning. Dr. Johnson styles him " Mv learned friend, the man with whom 1 most de- lighted to converse." — Letters — Duppa. 3 Seeon/e, p. 370. — C. •• This is a work written by William Durand, Bishop of Mende, and printed on vellum, in folio, by Fust and Schoefler, in Mentz, 14.59. It is the third book that is known to be printed with a date. An imperfect copy was sold at Dr. Askew's sale, 1775, to Elmsley, the bookseller, for £61 10t._DupPA. 5 This was the first book ever printed in Greek, a copy was bouglit for the King's library, at Askew's sale, for £21 10s. Th» first book ever printed in Knglish was the Histori/es of Troyc, 1471. A copy was sold bv auction in 1812, and brought £10fi0 10s. — Duppa. « 1840. Sold at Askew's sale for £14 14s. — Crokkr. t Of the dinner at I/niW»*rtv College I remember nothing, unlciss it was there that Mr. Vansittart, a flourishing sort of character, showed off his graceful form by fencing with Mr. Seward, who joined us at Oxford. We had a grand dinner at Queen's College, and Dr. Johnson m.ide Miss Thrale and me observe the ceremony of the grace cup ; but 1 have but a faint remembrance of it, and can in nowise tell who invited us, or how we came by our academical honour of hearing our healths drank in form, and I half believe in Latin. — Pioxti MS. I suspect that writing after a lapse of forty years, Mrs. Fiozzi mistook Queen's for Utiivcrsity Ckukkr. CHAPTER XLVH. 1774—1775. Mr. Thrults Political Position. — Johnson's " Patriot." — Death ofyouny Col. — Mr. Perkins. — Hook's Tragedy. — Charlotte Lennox. — Baretti\s " Easy Lessons." — Case of Dr. Memis. — Lord Hailes's " Atnials." — Mary Queen of Scots. — American Politics. — Ossiaii. — Letter to Macplierson. — Personal Courage. — Foote. — Publishes "Journey to the Westtrn Islands." — Mr, Knox. — Mr. Tytler. — Mr. Windham. — Irish and Scotch Impudence compared, — Ossian Controversy. — Visit to 0.vford. Parliament having been dissolved, and his friend Mr. Thrale, who was a steady supporter of government, having again to encounter the storm of a contested election, he wrote a short political pamphlet, entitled " The Patriot," * addressed to the electors of Great Britain ; a title which, to factious men who consider a patriot only as an opposer of the measures of government, will appear strangely misapplied. It was, however, written with energetic viva- city ; and, except those passages in which it endeavours to vindicate the glaring outrage of the House of Commons in the case of the Mid- dlesex election, and to justify the attempt to reduce our fellow-subjects in America to un- conditional submission ", it contained an admir- able display of the properties of a real patriot, in the original and genuine sense; — a sincere, steady, rational, and unbiassed friend to the interests and prosperity of his king and coun- try. It must be acknowledged, hov/ever, that 8 Mr. Coulson was a senior Fellow of University College, in habit and appearance something like Johnson himself, and was considered in his time an Oxford character. Lord Stowell informed me that he was very eccentric. He would on a fine day hang out of the college windows his various pieces of apparel to air, which used to be universally an- swered by the young men hanging out from all the other windows, quilts, carpets, rags, and every kind of trash, and this was called an Ulujninaiion. His notions of the eminence and importance of his academic situation were so peculiar, that, when he afterwards accepted a college living, he ex- pressed to Lord Stowell his doubts whether, after living so long in the great uwrld, lie might not grow weary of the comparative retirement of a country parish. I have already disproved Mrs. Piozzi's imagination that this, or, indeed, any Mr. Coulson was the Gelidus of the Kambler — Croker. 9 See anrf, p. 117. and p. 244. The distemper was no doubt the occasional discomposure of mind referred to by Johnson in his letters to Mrs. Thrale, quoted in p. 244. n. 2. — Crokeb. '» Thev must have spent several days at Beaconsfield, as they there heard of the dissolution which took place on the 30th September. Mrs. IMozzi says, " Dr. Johnson had always a very great personal regard and particular affection for Mr. Burke ; and when at this time the general election broke up the delightful society in which we had spent some time at Beaconsfield, Dr. Johnson shook the hospitable master of the house kindly by the hand, and said," Farewell, my dear Sir, and remember that I wish you all the siuoess which ought to be wished you, which can possibly be wished yon, indeed, by an honest man." — Anecdotes Choker. " These were two points on which it should be kept in, mind that Mr. Boswell, though jjrofcssing himself a high Tory, had probably, through his cultivation of Wilkes's acquaint- ance, fallen into very whiggish feelings, which even his attachment to Dr. Johnson could not repress.— CnoKEU, 426 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1774. both in this and his two former pamphlets, there was, amidst many powerful arguments, not only a considerable portion of sophistry, but a contemptuous ridicule of his opponents, which was very provoking. JOHNSON TO PERKINS.' " October 25. 1774. "Sir, — You may do me a very great favour. Mrs. Williams, a gentlewoman whom you may have seen at Mr. Thrale's, is a petitioner for jMr. Hetherington's charity ; petitions are this day issued at Christ's hospital. " I am a bad manager of business in a crowd ; and if I should send a mean man, he may be put away without his errand. I must, therefore, en- treat that you will go, and ask for a petition for Anna Williams, whose paper of inquiries was de- livered with answers at the counting-house of the hospital on Thursday the 20th. My servant will attend you thither, and bring the petition home when you have it. " The petition which they are to give us, is a form which they deliver to every petitioner, and which the petitioner is afterwards to fill up, and return to them again. This we must have, or we cannot proceed according to their directions. You need, I believe, only ask for a petition ; if they in- quire for whom you ask, you can tell them. " I beg pardon for giving you this trouble ; but it is a matter of great importance. I am, Sir, your most humble servant, S.\m. Johnson." JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " London, Oct. 27. 1774. " Dear Sir, — There has appeared lately in the papers an account of the boat overset between Mull and Ulva, in which many passengers were lost, and among them Maclean of Col. We, you know, were once drowned ^ ; I hope, therefore, that the story is either wantonly or erroneously told. Pray satisfy me by the next post. " I have printed 240 pages. I am able to do nothing much v>'orth doing to dear Lord Hailes's book. I will, however, send back the sheets ; and hope, by degrees, to answer all your reasonable ex- pectations. " Mr. Thrale has happily surmounted a very violent and acrimonious opposition ; but all joys have their abatement : Mrs. Thrale has fallen from her horse, and hurt herself very much. The rest of our friends, I believe, are well. jMy compli- ments to Mrs. Boswell. — I am. Sir, your most affectionate servant, Sam. Johnson." This letter, which shows his tender concern ' Mr. Perkins was for a number of years the worthy super- intendent of Mr. Thrale's great brewery, and after his death became one of the proprietors of it ; and now resides in Mr. Thrale's house in Southwark, which was the scene of so many literary meetings, and in which he continues the liberal hospitality for which it was eminent. Dr. Johnson es- teemed him much. He hung up in the counting-house a fine proof of the admirable mezzotinto of Dr. Johnson, by Doughty ; and when Mrs. Thrale asked him, somewhat flippantly, " Why do you put liim up in the counting- house ? " he answered, " Because, Jladam, I wish to have one wise man there." " Sir," said Johnson, " 1 thank you. for an amiable young gentleman to whom he had been very much obliged in the Hebrides, I have inserted according to its date, though before receiving it I had informed him of the melancholy event that the young Laird of Col was unfortunately drowned. JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " Nov. 26. 1774. " Dear Sir, — Last night I corrected the last page of our ' Journey to the Hebrides.' The printer has detained it all this time, for 1 had, before I went into Wales, written all except two sheets. ' The Patriot' was called for by my political friends on Friday, was written on Saturday, and I have heard little of It. So vague are conjectures at a distance.' As soon as I can, I will take care that copies [of the Jojirnal] be sent to you, for I would wish that they might be given before they are bought : bat I am afraid that Mr. Strahan will send to you and to the booksellers at the same time. Trade is as diligent as courtesy. I have mentioned all that you recommended. Pray make my com- pliments to Mrs. Boswell and the younglings. The club has, I think, not yet met. Tell me, and tell me honestly, what you think and what others say of our travels. Shall we touch the continent 7* — I am, dear Sir, your most humble servant, "Sam, Johnson." In his manuscript diary of this year, there is the following entry : — Nov. 27. Advent Sunday. I considered that this day, being the beginning of the ecclesiastical year, was a proper time for a new course of life. I began to read the Greek Testament regu- larly at one hundred and sixty verses every Sunday. This day I began the Acts. — " In this week I read Virgil's Pastorals. I learned to repeat the Pollio and Gallus. I read carelessly the first Georgia." Such evidences of his unceasing ardour, both for " divine and human lore," when advanced into his sixty-fifth year, and notwithstanding his many disturbances from disease, must make us at once honour his spirit, and lament that it should be so grievously clogged by its matei'ial tegument. It is remarkable that he was very fond of the precision which calculation pro- duces. Thus we find in one of his manuscript diaries, "12 pages in 4to. Gr. Test, and 30 pages in Beza's folio, comprise the whole in 40 days." It is a very handsome compliment, and I believe you speak sincerely." — Boswell. ^ In the newspapers. — Boswell. 3 Alluding to a passage in a letter of mine, where, speak- ing of his Journey to the Hebrides, I say, " But has not The Patriot been an interruption, by the time taken to write it, and the time luxuriously spent in listening to its applauses ? " — Boswell. * We had projected a voyage together up the Baltic, and talked of visiting some of the more northern regions. — Boswell. ^T. 65, BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 427 [JOHNSON TO MR. HOLLYER, Of Coventry.^ " Dec. 6. 1774. Sir, — I take the liberty of writing to you, with whom I have no acquaintance, and whom I have therefore very little right to trouble ; but as it is about a man equally or almost equally related to both of us, 1 hope you will excuse it. " I have lately received a letter from our cousin Thomas Johnson ^, complaining of great distress. His distress, I suppose, is real ; but how can it be prevented ? In 1772, about Christmas, I sent him thirty pounds, because he thought he could do something in a shop : many have lived who began with less. In the summer 177:3 I sent him ten pounds more, as I had promised him. What was the event? In the spring 1774 he wrote me, and that he was in debt for rent, and in want of clothes. That is, he had in about sixteen months con- i sumed forty pounds, and then writes for more, without any mention of either misconduct or mis- fortune. This seems to me very strange, and I shall be obliged to you if you can inform me, or make him inform me, how the money was spent ; and give your advice what can be done for him with prudence and efficacy. " He is, I am afraid, not over sensible of the im- propriety of his management, for he came to visit me in the summer. I was in the country, which, perhaps, was well for us both : I might have used him harshly, and then have repented. " I have sent a bill for five pounds, which you will be so kind to get discounted for him, and see the money properly applied, and give me your ad- vice what can be done. — I am, Sir, your humble servant, Sa^m. Johnson."] —MS. JOHNSON TO MR. HOOLE.* " December 19. 1774. "Dear Sir, — I have returned your playS which you will find underscored with red, where there was a word which I did not like. The red will be washed off with a little water. The plot is so well framed, the intricacy so artful, and the dis- entanglement so easy, the suspense so affecting, and the passionate parts so properly interposed, that I have no doubt of its success. — I am, Sir, your most humble servant, Sam. Johnson." The first effort of his pen in 1775, was " Pro- posals for publishing the Works of Mrs. Char- lotte Lennox," "j" ^ in three volumes quarto. In his diary, January 2., I find tliis entry: — " Wrote Charlotte's Proposals." But, indeed, the internal evidence would have been quite sufficient. Her claim to the favour of the public was thus enforced: — " Most of the pieces, as they appeared singly, ' Tliis letter was communicated by Mr. Hollyer's grand- son, the Rev. F. S. Statham, to Miss Langton, and by her, a few months since, to me — Croker, 1846. - Thomas Johnson seems to have been the son of Andrew, Dr. Johnson's uncle (anti. p. 198.). Mr. Ilollyer was the son of .in aimt, one of the Fords. Thomas died at Coventry, in May, 1779, leaving a daughter, Mrs. Whiting, and a grand- daughter, who are remembered in Dr. Johnson's will Croker. ^ John Hoole, who from this time forward will be found much in Johnson's society, was the son of a watchmaker, born in Dec. 1727. He was a clerk in the India House, but have been read with approbation, perhaps above their merits, but of no great advantage to the writer. She hopes, therefore, tliat she shall not be con- sidered as too indulgent to vanity, or too studious of interest, if from that labour which has hitherto been chiefly gainful to others, she endeavours to obtain at last some profits to herself and her chil- dren. She cannot decently enforce her claim by the praise of her own performances : nor can she suppose, that, by the most artful and laboured ad- dross, any additional notice could be procured to a publication, of which her Majesty has condescended to be the patroness." He this year also wrote the Preface to Baretti's "Easy Lessons in Italian and En- glish."t JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. "Jan. 14. 1775. " Dear Sib, — You never did ask for a book by the post till now, and I did not think on it. You see now it is done. I sent one to the King, and I hear he likes it. I shall send a parcel into Scot- land for presents, and intend to give to many of my friends. In your catalogue you left out Lord Auchinleck. — Let me know, as fast as you read it, how you like it ; and let me know if any mis- take is committed, or any thing important left out. I wish you could have seen the sheets. My com- pliments to Mrs. Boswell, and to Veronica, and to all my friends I am, Sir, your most humble servant, Sam. Johnson." BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. " Edinburgh, Jan. 19. 1775. " Be pleased to accept of my best thanks for your 'Journey to the Hebrides,' which came tome by last night's post. I did really ask the favour twice ; but you have been even with roe by grant- ing it so speedily. Bis dat qui cito dat. Though ill of a bad cold, you kept me up the greatest part of last night : for I did not stop till I had read every word of your book. I looked back to our first talking of a visit to the Hebrides, which was many years ago, when sitting by ourselves in the Mitre tavern in London, I think about witching time o' niyht ; and then exulted in contempLiting our scheme fulfilled, and a monumentum perenne of it erected by your superior abilities. I shall only say, that your book has afforded me a high gratifi- cation. I shall afterwards give you my thoughts on particular passages. In the mean time, I hasten to tell you of your having mistaken two names, which you will correct in Loudon, as I shall do here, that the gentlemen who deserve the valuable compliments which you have paid them may enjoy their honours. In j). 106., for Gordon read Mur- chison ; and in p. 357., for Maclean read Macleod.^ devoted his leisure to literature. He published translations of Tasso's Jerusalem and Ariosto's Orlando. He died in 1803. — Cboxbk. * Cleonice — Boswell. It was produced at Covent Gar- den, in March, 1775, but witliout success ; in consequence of which Hoole returned to the publisher a part of the money he had received for the copyright. — Wright. 5 See ante, p. 83. n. 4._ C. * These and several other errors which Boswell pointed out, Johnson neglected to correct, and they are, therefore, repeated in all editions of his work. Having obtained a copy 428 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1775. " But I am now to apply to you for immediate aid in my profession, which you liave never refused to grant when I requested it. I enclose you a pe- tition for Dr. Memis, a physician at Aberdeen, in which Sir John Dalrymple has exerted his talents, and which I am to answer as counsel for the mana- gers of the royal infirmary in that city. Mr. Jopp, the provost, who delivered to you your freedom, is one of my clients, and, as a citizen of Aberdeen, you will support him. " The fact is shortly this. In a translation of the charter of the infirmary from Latin into En- glisli, made under the authority of tlie managers, the same phrase in the original is in one place rendered physician, but when applied to Dr. Memis is rendered doctor of medicine. Dr. Memis com- plained of this before the translation was printed, but was not indulged with having it altered ; and he has brought an action for damages, on account of a supposed injury, as if the designation given to him was an inferior one, tending to make it be .supposed he is not a physician, and consequently to hurt his practice. My father has dismissed the action as groundless, and now he has appealed to the whole court."' JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " J.ui. 21. 1775. " Dear Sir, — I long to hear how you like the book ; it is, I think, much liked here. But Mac- pherson is very furious ; can you give me any more intelligence about him, or his Fingal ? Do what you can, and do it quickly. Is Lord Hailes on our side ? Pray let me know what I owed you when I left you, that I may send it to you. " I am going to write about the Americans.' If you have picked up any hints among your lawyers, who are great masters of the law of nations, or if your own mind suggests any tiling, let me know. But mum, it is a secret. — I will send your parcel of books as soon as I can ; but I cannot do as I wish. However, you find every thing mentioned in the book, which you recommended. " Langton is here; we are all that ever we were. He is a worthy fellow, without malice, though not without resentment.* Poor Beauclerk is so ill that his life is thought to be in danger. Lady Di nurses of Boswell's list of errat.i, 1 subjoin it in the Appendix — Crokeu, 1846. ' In the court of session of .Scotland an .iction is first tried by one of the judges, who is called the Lord Ordinary ; and if either jiarty is dissatisfied, he may appeal to the whole court, consisting of fifteen, the Lord President and fourteen other judges, who have botli in and out of court the title of Lords from the name of tlieir estates ; as. Lord Auchinleck, Lord Monboddo, &c Boswei.l. - The pampUlet of" Taxatioii no Tyranny." — CnoKF.n. 3 This refers to the coolness alluded to, ante, p. 2parentibus, says our law, eadem est ratio. No man lias a claim to credit upon his own word, when better evidence, if he had it, may be easily produced. But so far as we can find, the Erse language was never written till very lately for the purposes of religion. A nation that ^ The learned and worthy Dr. Lawrence, whom Dr. John- son respected and loved, as his physician and friend. — Bos- well. ^ My friend has, in this letter, relied upon my testimony, with a confidence, of w hich the ground has escaped my reco'l- lection. — Boswell. This, and a subsequent phrase in this letter, must have left poor Boswell sorely perplexed be- tween his desire to stand well with his countrymen, and his inability to deny Johnson's assertion. His evasion is awkw.ird enough, for there are several passages in his own Journal of the Tour which justify Johnson's appeal to him ; for in- stance, Boswell's observation, anti, 20th October, p. 382., on " the confident carelessness of the statements with which he and Dr. Johnson were so constantly deceived and pro- voked." — Cboker. 430 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1775. cannot write, or a language that was never written, has no manuscripts. " But whatever he has he never offered to show. If old manuscripts should now be mentioned, I should, unless there were more evidence that can be easily had, suppose them another proof of Scotch conspiracy in national falsehood. . Do not censure the expression ; you know it to be true. " Dr. Memis's question is so narrow as to allow no speculation ; and I have no facts before me but those which his advocate has produced against you. I consulted this morning the President of the Lon- don College of Physicians, who says, that with us, doctor of physic (we do not say doctor of medicine) is the highest title that a practiser of physic can have ; that doctor implies not only physician, but teacher of physic ; that every doctor is legally a physician; but no man, not a doctor, can practise physic but by licence particularly granted. The doctorate is a licence of itself. It seems to us a very slender cause of prosecution. " I am now engaged, but in a little time I hope to do all you would have. iWy compliments to Madam and Veronica. I am. Sir, your most humble servant, Sam. Johnson." "Wliat words were used by Mr. IMacplierson in his letter to the venerable sage, I have never heard ; but they are generally said to have been of a nature very diiferent from the lan- guage of literary contest. Dr. Johnson's answer appeared in the newspapers of the day, and has since been frequently republished ; but not with perfect accuracy. I give it as dictated to me by himself, written down in his presence, and authenticated by a note in his own handwriting, " This^ I think, is a true copy:'' ' JOHNSON TO MACPHERSON. " Mb. James Macphebson, — I received your foolish and impudent letter. Any violence offered me I shall do my best to repel ; and what I cannot do for myself, the law shall do for me. I hope I never shall be deterred from detecting what I think a cheat, by the menaces of a ruffian. " What would you have me retract? I thought your book an imposture ; 1 think it an imposture still. For this opinion I have given my reasons to the public, which I here dare you to refute. Your rage I defy. Your abilities, since your Homer, are not so formidable ; and what I hear of your morals inclines me to pay regard, not to what you sliall say, but to what you shall prove. You may print this if you will. Sam. Johnson." ' I have deposited it In the British Museum. — Bos- well. A carel'ul search has been made in the Museum for this letter, but without success ; .ind of all the MSS. which Boswell says he had dcposil'-cl there, only the copy of the letter to Lord Chesterfield has been found, and that was not deposited by him, but after his death, "pursuant to the in- tentions of the late James Boswell, Esq." — P. Cunningham. 2 "Fear was, indeed," says Mrs. Piozzi,"a sensation to which Mr. Johnson was an utter stranger, excepting when some sudden apprehensions seizi'd him that he was going to die ; and even then, he kept all his wits aliout him, to ex- press the most humble .md pathetic petitions to the Al- mighty: and when the first paralytic stroke took his speech ■ .Tohnson, In his Diction.ary, h:is this sense of deprecate ri: mrrcy." lie, however, adds that " it is not • /u i'diijIu Mr. Macpherson little knew the character of Dr. Johnson, if he supposed that he could be easily intimidated : for no man was ever more remarkable for personal courage. He had, indeed, an awful dread of death, or rather, " of something after death : " and what rational man, who seriously thinks of quitting all that he has ever known, and going into a new and unknown state of being, can be without that dread ? But his fear was from reflection ; his courage natural. His fear, in that one instance, was the result of philosophical and religious consideration. He feared death, but he feared nothing else, not even what might occasion death." Many instances of his resolution may be mentioned. One day, at Mr. Beauclerk's house in the country, when two large dogs were fighting (ante, p. 379.), he went up to them, and beat them till they separated ; and at another time, when told tif the danger there was that a gun might burst if charged with many balls, he put in six or seven, and fired it off against a wall. Mr. Langton told me, that when they were swimming together near Oxford, ho cautioned Dr. Johnson against a pool, which i was reckoned particularly dangerous; upon which Johnson directly swam into it. He told me himself that one night he was attacked in the street by four men, to whom he would not yield, but kept them all at bay, till the watch came up, and carried both him and them to the round-house. In the playhouse at Lich- field, as Mr. Garrick informed me, Johnson having for a moment quitted a chair which was placed for him between the side scenes, a gentleman took possession of it, and, when Johnson on his return civilly demanded his seat, rudely refused to give it up ; upon which Johnson laid hold of it, and tossed him and the chair into the pit.' Foote, who. so sucess- fully revived the old comedy, by exhibiting living characters, had resolved to imitate John- son on the stage, expecting great profits from his ridicule of so celebrated a man. Johnson being informed of his intention, and being at dinner at Mr. Thomas Davies's, the bookseller, from whom I had the story, he asked ]\Ir. Davies, " what was the common price of an oak stick?" and being answered sixpence, " Why then, Sir," said he, " give me leave to send your servant to purchase me a shilling one. I'll have a double quantity ; for I am from him, he instantly set about composing a prayer in Latin, at once to deprecate* God's mercy, to satisfy himself that his mental powers remained unimpaired, and to keep them in exercise, that they might not perish by permitted stagnation. When one day he had at my house taken tinc- ture of antimony instead of emetic wine, for a vomit, he was himself the person to direct what to do for him, and managed with as much coolness and deliberation as if he had been prescribing for an indifl'erent person." — Crokek. 3 If Mrs. Piozzi had reporteii any statement so obviously exaggerated as this, Boswell would have been very indig- nant.— Cuokeii. proper;" and, strange enough, the example he gives does not support his i;;terpretation.— Crokek. ^Et. 66. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 431 told Foote means to take me off, as he calls it, and I am determined the fellow shall not do it with impunity." Davies took care to acquaint Foote of this, which effectually checked the wantonness of the mimic. Mr. Macpherson's menaces made Johnson provide himself with the same implement of defence ; and had he been attacked, I have no doubt that, old as he was, he would have made his corporal prowess be felt as much as his intellectual. His " Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland " * is a most valuable performance. It abounds in extensive philosophical views of society, and in ingenious sentiment and lively description. A considerable part of it, indeed, consists of speculations, wliich, many year? before he saw the wild regions wliich we visited together, probably had employed his attention, though the actual sight of those scenes un- doubtedly quickened and augmented them. Mr. Orme", the very able historian, agreed with me in this opinion, which he thus strongly expressed : " There are in that book thoughts, which, by long revolution in the great mind of Johnson, have been formed and polished like pi-'l)bles rolled in the ocean ! " That he was to some degree of excess a true horn Englishman, so as to have entertained an undue prejudice against both the country and the people of Scotland, must be allowed. But it was a prejudice of the head, and not of the heart." He had no ill-will to the Scotch ; for, if he had been conscious of that, he never would have thrown himself into the bosom of their country, and trusted to the protection of its remote inhabitants with a fearless confi- dence. His remark upon the nakedness of the country, from its being denuded of trees, was piade after having travelled two hundred miles along the eastern coast, w^here certainly trees are not to be found near the road ; and he said it was " a map of the road " which he gave. His disbelief of the authenticity of the poems ascribed to Ossian, a Highland bard, was con- firmed in the course of his journey, by a very strict examination of the evidence offered for it ; and although their authenticity was made too much a national point by the Scotch, there were many respectable persons in that country, who did not concur in this : so that his judg- ment upon the question ought not to be decried. 1 Robert Orme, Esq., the historian of Hindostan, was born at Anjengo, in the Tr.-ivancore country, in 1728, and died al Ealing, 1801. —Wright. - This is a distinction which I am not sure that I under- stand. Did Mr. Boswell think that he improved the case by representing Johnson's dislike of Scotland as the result not cif feeling but of reason f In truth, in the printed Journal of his Tour, there is nothing that a fair and liberal Scotchman can or does complain of; but his conversation is full of the harshest and often moit unjust sarcasms against the Scotch, nationally and individually. Much of this, as reported in these volumes, may be accounted for by hi» desire to tease Boswell, who, indeed, often provoked him ; and if he had had an Irish Boswell, we should have heard some still sharper sarcasms on thelrish; but, after all such .lUowances, 1 must repeat my suspicion that there was some personal cause for this unreasonable and, as it appears, unaccountable antipathy. — CROitEa. even by those who differ from him. As to my- self, I can only say, upon a subject now become very uninteresting, that when the fragments of Highland poetry first came out, I was much pleased with their wild peculiarity, and was one of those who subscribed to enable their editor, ]\Ii-. IMacpherson, then a young man, to make a search in tlie Highlands and Hebrides for a long poem in the Erse language, which was reported to be preserved somewhere in those regions. But when there came forth an Epic poem in six books, with all the common circumstancfes of former compositions of that nature ; and when, upon an attentive ex- amination of it, there was found a perpetual ! i-ecurrence of the same images which appear in the fragments ; and when no ancient manu- script, to authenticate the work, was deposited in any public library, though that was insisted on as a reasonable proof; who could forbear to doubt ? Johnson's grateful acknowledgments of kind- ness received in the course of this tour com- pletely refute the brutal reflections which have been thrown out against him, as if he had made an ungrateful return ; and his delicacy in sparing in his book those who we find, from his letters to Mrs. Thrale, were just objects of censure ^, is much to be admired. His candour and amiable disposition is conspicuous from his conduct, when informed by Mr. Macleod, of Rasay, that he had committed a mistake, which gave that gentleman some uneasiness. He wrote him a courteous and kind letter, and inserted in the newspapers an advertisement, correcting the mistake.' The observations of my friend Mr. Dempster^ in a letter written to me soon after he had read Dr. Johnson's book, are so just and liberal that they cannot be too often re- peated (ante, p. 399.) : — " There is nothing in the book, from beginning to end, that a Scotchman need to take amiss," &c. Mr. Knox'', another native of Scotland, who has since made the same tour, and published an account of it, is equally liberal. " I have read," says he, " his book again and again, travelled with liim from Berwick to Glenelg, through counties with which I am well acquainted; sailed with him from Glenelg to llasay, Sky, Rum, 3 I find no one to whom this applies, but Sir Archibald Macdonald, whom Mr. Boswell himself, in his first edition, did not spare. — Cboker. ■1 We have seen his kind acknowledgment of Macleod's hospitality, and the loss of poor Col is recorded in his Journal in aflTectionate and pathetic terms Crokeu. ^ Boswell was so vehemently attacked by his countrymen, as if he were particcps criminis with Dr. Johnson, that he thought it expedient to produce and reproduce these tesli- monia in3i{;norum Scolorum in his own defence Croker. '' I observed with much regret, while the first edition was passing through the press (August, 1790), that this ingenious gentleman is dead. — Boswell. Mr. John Knox was, for many years, a bookseller of some eminence in the Strand. l?(sides the Tour to the Hebrides, he published a " View of the British Empire," and several works having for their ob- ject the improvement of the Scottish Fisheries. He died .it D.ilkcitli. — Wright. 432 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1775. Coll, Mull, and Tcolmkill, but have not been able to correct him in any matter of consequence. I have often admired the accuracy, tlie precision, and the justness of u-hat he advances, respecting both the country and the people. — The Doctor lias every where delivered his sentiments with freedom, and in many instances with a seeming regard for the benefit of the inhabitants, and the ornament of the country. His remarks on the want of trees I and hedges for shade, as well as for shelter to the cattle, are well founded, and merit the thanks, not the illiberal censure, of the natives. He also felt for the distresses of the Highlanders, and explodes with great propriety the bad management of the grounds, and the neglect of timber in the He- brides." Having quoted Johnson's just compliments on the Rasay family, he says, — " On the other hand, I found this family equally lavish in their encomiums upon the Doctor's con- versation, and his subsequent civilities to a young gentleman of that country, who, upon waiting upon him at London, was well received, and experienced all the attent«)n and regard that a warm friend could bestow. Mr. Macleod having also been in London, waited upon the Doctor, who provided a magnificent and expensive entertainment in honour of his old Hebridean acquaintance." And, talking of the military road by Fort Augustus, he says, — " By this road, though one of the most rugged in Great Britain, the celebrated Dr. Johnson passed from Inverness to the Hebride Isles. His observa- tions on the country and people are extremely cor- rect, judicious, and instructive." — p. 103. Mr. Tytler, the acute and able vindicator of Mary Queen of Scots, in one of his letters to Mr. James Elphiustone, published in that gentleman's " Forty Years' Correspondence," I says, — " I read Dr. Johnson's 'Tour' with very great pleasure. Some few errors he has fallen into, but of no great importance, and those are lost in the num- berless beauties of his work. If I had leisure, I could perhaps point out the most exceptionable places ; but at present I am in the country, and have not his book at band. It is plain he meant to speak well of Scotland ; and he has in my ap- prehension done us great honour in the most capital article, the character of the inhabitants." His private letters to IVIrs. Thrale, written during the course of his journey, which there- fore may be supposed to convey his genuine feelings at the time, abound in such benignant sentiment towards the people who showed him civilities, that no man whose temper is not very harsh and sour can retain a doubt of the good- ness of his heart. It is painful to recollect with what rancour he was assailed by numbers of shallow irritable I The Right Hon. WillLim Windham, of Felbrigg, born 1750, died 1810. He cultivated Johnson's acquaintance for North Britons, on account of his supposed injurious treatment of their country and countrymen, in his "Journey." Had there been any just ground for such a charge, would the virtuous and candid Dempster have given his opinion of the book, in the terms which I have quoted ? Would the patriotic Knox have spoken of it as he has done ? Would Mr. Tytler, surely " a Scot, if ever Scot there were," have expressed himself thus ? And let me add, that, citizen of the world as I liold myself to be, I have that degree of predilection for my natale solurn, nay, 1 have that just sense of the merit of an ancient nation, which has been ever renowned for its valour, which in former times maintained its independence against a powerful neighbour, and in modern times has been equally distinguished for its ingenuity and industry in civilised life, that I should have felt a generous indignation at any injustice done to it. Johnson treated Scotland no worse than he did even his best friends, whose charac- ters he used to give as they appeared to him, both in light and shade. Some people, who had not exercised their minds sufficiently, condemned him for censuring his friends. But Sir Joshua Reynolds, whose philosophical penetration and justness of thinking were not less known to those who lived with him, than his genius in his art admired by the world, explained his conduct thus : — " He was fond of discrimination, which he could not show without pointing out the bad as well as the good in every character ; and as his friends were those whose characters he knew best, they afforded him the best opportunity for showing the acuteness of his judgment." He expressed to his friend Mr. Windham, of Norfolk ', his wonder at the extreme jealousy of the Scotch, and their resentment at having their country described by him as it really was; when to say that it was a country as good as England would have been a gross falsehood. " None of us," said he, "would be offended if' a foreigner who has travelled here should say that vines and olives don't grow in England.", And as to his prejudice against the Scotch, which I always ascribed to that nationality which he observed in them, he said to the samel gentleman, " When I find a Scotchman, to! whom an Englishman is as a Scotchman, that Scotchman shall be as an Englishman to me." His intimacy with many gentlemen of Scot-!i land, and his employing so many natives of that' country as his amanuenses, proves that his pre- judice was not virulent ; and I have deposited in the British Museum, amongst other pieces of his writing, the following note in answer tc one from me, asking if he would meet me af the last few years of his life with great assiduity, a« will b( seen in the sequel of this work. — Croker. I JEr. 66. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 433 ! dinner at the Mitre, though a frioiid of mine, a Scotchman, was to be there : — " Mr. Joliiison does not see why Mr. Boswell should suppose a Scotchman less acceptable than any other man. lie will be at the Mitre." My much-valued friend Dr. Barnard, now Bishop of Killaloe, having once expressed to him an apprehension, tliat if he should visit Ireland he might treat the people of that country more unfavourably than he had done the Scotch, he answered, with strong pointed double-edged wit, " Sir, you have no reason to be afraid of me. The Irish are not in a con- spiracy to cheat the world by false repre- sentations of the merits of their countrymen. No, Sir : the Irish are a fair people ; — they never speak well of one another." ' Johnson told me of an instance of Scottish nationality, which made a very unfavourable impression upon his mind. A Scotchman of some consideration in London solicited him to recommend by the weight of his learned au- thority, to be master of an English school, a pei-son of whom he who recommended him confessed he knew no more but that he was his countryman. Johnson was shocked at this unconscientious conduct. All the miserable cavillings against his " Journey," in newspapers, magazines, and other fugitive publications, I can speak from certain knowledge, only furnished him with sport. At last there came out a scurrilous volume", larger than Johnson's own, filled with malignant abuse, under a name, real or fictitious, of some low man in an obscure cor- ner of Scotland, though supposed to be the work of another Scotchman, who has found moans to make himself well known both in Scotland and England. The effect which it luul upon Johnson was, to produce this pleasant nliservation to Mr. Seward, to whom he lent tlie book : " This fellow must be a blockhead. They don't know how to go about their abuse. Who will read a five shilling book against me ? X(i, Sir, if they had wit, they should have kept i . Iting me with pamphlets." BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. " Etlinburgli, Teh. 18. 177.".. " You would have been very well pleased if you had dined with me to-day. I had for my guests, ' Murpliy relates that Johnson one day asked him, " Mare 'I I you observed the difference between your own country II f impudence and Scotch impudence ? " The answer being in the negative ; " Then I will tell you," said Jolnison : " the ' impudence of an Irishman is the impudence or a fly that buzres about you, and you put it away, but it returns again, .ind still flutters and teases. The impudence of a Scotchman '■ I is the impudence of a leech, that fixes and sucks your blood." — 1831. This simile, Mr. Markland observes, is not nri[;inal. Osborne, speakin;; of the Scotch who accompanied .lames I. into Enghind, says, '■ thev hung on him liki- horse-leeches, till they could get no more." .Toluison ml^ht have been thinking of an older authority. " In Egypt," siiys I'utter, Macquliarrie, young Maclean of Col, the successor of our friend, a very amiable man, tliough not marked with such active qualities as his brother ; Mr. Maclean of Torloisk in Mull ', a gentknian of Sir Allan's family; and two of the clan Grant; so that the Highland and Hebridean genius reigned. We had a great deal of conversation about you, and drank your health in a bumper. Tlie toast was not proposed by me, which is a circumstance to be remarked, for I am now so connected with you, that any thing that I can say or do to your I honour has not the value of an additional comi)li- ment. It is only giving you a guinea out of that treasure of admiration which already belongs to you, and which is no hidden treasure ; for I sup- pose my admiration of you is co-existent with the knowledge of my character. " I find that the Highlanders and Hebrideans in general are much fonder of your ' Journey,' than the low-countiy or hither Scots. One of the Grants said to-day, that he was sure you were a man of a good heart, and a candid man, and seemed to hope he should be able to convince you of the antiquity of a good proportion of the poems of Ossian. After all that has passed, I think the matter is capable of being proved to a certain degree. I am told that IMacphorson got one old Erse MS. from Clan- ranald, for the restitution of which he executed a formal obligation; and it is affirmed, that the Gaelic (call it Erse or call it Irish) has been written in the Highlands and Hebrides for many centuries. It is reasonable to suppose, that such of the inha- bitants as acquired any learning possessed the art of writing as well as their Irish neighbours and Celtic cousins ; and the question is, can sufficient evidence be shown of this ? " Those who are skilled in ancient writings can determine the age of MSS., or at least can ascertain the century in which they were written; and if men of veracity, who are so skilled, shall tell us that MSS. in the possession of families in the Highlands and isles are the works of a remote age, I think we should be convinced by their testimony. " There is now come to this city, Ranald Mac- donald from the Isle of Egg, who has several MSS. of Erse poetry, which he wishes to publish by sub- scription. I have engaged to take three copies of the book, the price of which is to be six shillings, as I would subscribe for all the Er5:e that can be printed, be it old or new, that the language may be preserved. This man says, that some of his manu- scripts are ancient ; and, to be sure, one of them which was shown to me does appear to have the duskiness of antiquity The inquiry is not yet quite hopeless, and I should think that the exact truth may be discovered, if proper means be u.sed. I am, &c., " James Boswell." " the flt/ was the hieroglyphic of an impudent man, because that insect, being beaten away, always still returns again." Grcc. Anlig. ii. 307. — Croker. - This was, no doubt, the book styled " Remarks on Dr. Samuel Ju/nison's Journey to the Hebrides, iS:c., hi/ l/n- Hcv. Donald M'Nicol." It had, by way of motto, a citation from Uay's Proverbs : " Old men and travellers lie by authority." It was not printed till 1779. The second Scotchman, whom Mr. Boswell supposes to have helped in this work, Sir James Mackintosh very reasou-ibly surmises to have been Macpherson Croker. 3 Maclean of Torloisk was grandfather to the jiresent Marchioness of Northampton Walter Scott. F F. 434 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1775. JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. ■' Feb. 25. 1775. " Dear Sir, — I am sorry that I could get no books for my friends in Scotland. Mr. Strahan has at last promised to send two dozen to you. If they come, put the names of my friends into them ; you may cut them out ', and paste them with a little starch in the book. " Fbu then are going wild about Ossian. Why do you think any part can be proved ? The dusky manuscript of Egg is probably not fifty years old : if it be an hundred, it proves nothing. The tale of Clanranald is no proof. Has Clanranald told it? Can he prove it ? There are, I believe, no Erse manuscripts. None of the old families had a single letter in Erse that we heard of. You say it is likely that they could write. The learned, if any learned there were, could; but knowing by that learning some written language, in that lan- guage they wrote, as letters had never been applied to their own. If there are manuscripts, let them be shown, with some proof that they are not forged for the occasion. You say many can remember parts of Ossian. I believe all those parts are ver- sions of the English ; at least there is no proof of their antiquity. " Macpherson is said to have made some trans- lations himself ; and having taught a boy to write it, ordered him to say that he had learnt it of his grandmother. The boy, when he grew up, told the story. This Mrs. Williams heard at Mr. Strahan's table. Don't be credulous ; you know how little a Highlander can be trusted. Macpherson is, so far as I know, very quiet. Is not that proof enough ? Every thing is against him. No visible manuscript : no inscription in the language : no correspondence among friends : no transaction of business, of which a single scrap remains in the ancient families. Macpherson's pretence is that the character was Saxon. If he had not talked un- skilfully of majiuscripts, he might have fought with oral tradition much longer. As to Mr. Grant's information, I suppose he knows much less of the matter than ourselves. " In the mean time, the bookseller says that the sale ^ is sufficiently quick. They printed four thousand. Correct your copy wherever it is wrong, and bring it up. Your friends will all be glad to see you. I think of going myself into the country about May.' I am sorry that I have not managed to send the book sooner. I have left four for you, and do not restrict you absolutely to follow my directions in the distribution. You must use your own discretion. " Make my compliments to Mrs. Boswell : I suppose she is now beginning to forgive me. I am, dear Sir, your humble servant, "Sam. Johnson." » From a list in his handwriting. — Boswell. » Of his Jowniey. — Boswell. Hannah More says (Life, 1. 39.) that Cadell told her that he had sold 4000 the first week. This would have been enormous, and seems a mis- take for the number^rtn Published March 7. 1775, by T. Cadell in the Strand.— —Wright. 2 I am very suspicious of anecdotes at second hand, and cannot believe that this coarse ami foolish phrase was seriously uttered by Johnson. Something like it may have appear why, either by himself or those who re- vised it. They appear printed in a few proof leaves of it in my possession, marked with corrections in his own handwriting. I shall distinguish them by italics. In the paragraph where he says, the Ameri- cans were incited to resistance by European intelligence from " men whom they thought their friends, but who were friends only to themselves," there followed — " and made by their selfishne countri/." the enemies of their And the next paragraph ran thus : " On the original contrivers of mischief, rather than on those whom tlieij have deluded, let an insulted nation pour out its vengeance." The paragraph which came next was in these words : " Unhappy is that country in which men can hope for advancement by favouriiig its enemies. The tran- quillity of stable govtrnynent is not alicays easily pre- served against the machinations of single innovators ; but what can be the hope of quiet, when factions hostile to the legislature can be openly formed and openly avowed? " After the paragraph which now concludes the pamphlet, there follows this, in which he certainly means the great Earl of Chatham, and glances at a certain popular Lord Chan- cellor. ^ " If, by the fortune of war, they drive us utterly away, what they tvill do next can only be conjectured. If a new monarchy is erected, they will want a king. He who first takes into his hand the sceptre of America should have a name of good omeyi. Williasi has been known both a conqueror and deliverer ; and perhaps England, however contemned, might yet supply them with another William. Whigs, indeed, are not willing to be governed ; and it is possible that King William may be strongly inclined to guide their measures : but Whigs have been cheated like other mortals, and suffered their leader to become their tyrant, under the name of their protector. What more they tvill receive from England, no man can tell. In their rudiments of empire they may want a Chan^ cellar." Then came this paragraph : " Their numbers are, at present, not quite sufficient for the greatness which, in some form of government or other, is to rival the ancient monarchies ; but by Br. Franklin's rule of progression, they will, in a century and a quarter, be more than equal to the inhabitants of Europe. When the Whigs of America are thus been one of those hasty conversational sarca8ms to which he himself confesses he was too prone, and which cannot be regarded as deliberate opinions Croker, 1835. 5 Lord Camden. -Crokhr. 436 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1775. multiplied, let the princes of the earth tremble in their palaces. If they should continue to double and to double, their own hemisphere would not contain them. But let not our boldest oppiigners of authority look forward with delight to this futurity of Whiggism." How it ended I know not, as it is cut off" abruptly at the foot of the hist of these proof pages. His pamphlets in support of the measures of administration were published on his own ac- count, and he afterwards collected them into a volume, with the title of " Political Tracts, by the Author of the Rambler," with this motto : " Fallitiir egregio quisquis suli principe credit Servitium ; nuiiquam libertas gratior extat Quam sub rege pio." — Claudianus.^ These pamphlets drew upon him numerous attacks. Against the common weapons of literary warfare he was hardened ; but there were two instances of animadversion which I communicated to him, and from what I could judge, both from liis silence and his looks, ap- peared to me to impress him much. " One was, " A Letter to Dr. Samuel John- son, occasioned by his late political Publica- tions." It appeared previous to his " Taxation no Tyranny," and was written by Dr. Joseph Towers. ^ In that performance, Dr. Johnson was treated with the respect due to so eminent a man, while his conduct as a political writer was boldly and pointedly arraigned, as incon- sistent with the character of one, who, if he did employ his pen upon politics, " it might reasonably be expected should distinguish himself, not by party violence and rancour, but by moderation and by wisdom." It concluded thus : — " I would, however, wish you to remember, should you again address the public under the character of a political writer, that luxuriance of imagination or energy of language will ill compen- sate for the want of candour, of justice, and of truth. And I shall only add, that should I here- after be disposed to read, as I heretofore have done, the most excellent of all your performances, ' Tiie Rambler,' the pleasure which I have been accus- tomed to find in it will be much diminished by the reflection that the writer of so moral, so elegant, ' " He errs who deems obedience to a prince Slav'ry — a liappier Ireedom never reigns Than witli a pious Monavch."— Stil. iii. 113. — C. 2 Mr. Boswell, by a very natural prejudice, construes Johnson's iilnicc and looks into something like a concur- rence in his own sentiments; but it does not appear that Johnson ever abated one jot of the firmness and decision of his opinion on tlieso qiipstions. See his conversation jiaisim, and his letter to John Wesley, post, Feb. 6. I77G. — Choker. 3 Dr. Joseph Towers, a miscellaneous writer, and a preacher among the Unitarians, was born in 1737, and died 1799. — Wright. 1 Boswell is here very inconsistent ; for, abhorring Dr. Towers's IVhigsish deniocrntical notions and propensities, how can he .allow .any weislit to his opinions in a case which called these propensities into full eflect ; and above and so valuable a work, was capable of prostituting his talents in such productions as ' The False Alarm,' the ' Thoughts on the Transactions re- specting Falkland's Islands,' and ' Tlie Patriot.'" I am willing to do justice to the merit of Dr. Towers, of whom 1 will say, that although I abhor '*^ his Whiggish democratical notions and propensities (for I will not call them prin- ciples), I esteem as an ingenious, knowing, and very convivial man. The other instance was a paragraph of a letter to me, from my old and most intimate friend the Rev. Mr. Temple, who wrote the character of Gray, which has had the honour to be adopted both by Mr. Mason and Dr. Johnson in their accounts of that poet. The words were, " How can your great, I will not say your pious, but your »?ioraZ friend, support the barbarous mea- sures of administration, which they have not the fiice to ask even their infidel pensioner Hume to defend ? " However confident of the rectitude of his own mind, Johnson may have felt sincere un- easiness that his conduct should be erroneously imputed to unworthy motives by good men ; and that the influence of his valuable writings should on that account be in any degree ob- structed or lessened. He complained to a right honourable friend' of distinguished talents and very elegant man- ners, with whom he maintained along intimacy, and whose generosity towards him will after- wards appear, that his pension having been given to him as a literary character, he had been a])plied to by administration to write po- litical pamphlets ; and he was even so much irritated, that he declared his resolution to resign his pension. His friend showed him the impropriety of such a measure, and he after- wards expressed his gratitude, and said he had received good advice. To that friend he once, signified a wish to have his pension secured tc him for his life ; but he neither asked nor re- ceived from government any reward whatso- ever for his political labours. On Friday, March 24., I met him at thd Literary Club, where were Mr. Beauclerk Air. Langton, Mr. Colman, Dr. Percy, Mr Vesey, Sir Charles Bunbury, Dr. George For all, how could he suppose that Dr. Johnson, with his know feelings and opinions, could be influenced by a person pre] satisfied with Lord North, and some compUaint of that kin , he may have made to Mr. Hamilton — but that he ever, j, I Boswell seems to insinuate, confessed that his politic!^ pamphlets did not convey his own real opinions, I eii tirely discredit, not only from a coiisidcr.atinn of Johnsonj I own'characterandprincii)les, but from the evidetice of all hi other friends — persons who knew l attributed to Ossian, but tliat was not speaking ill of I .v,(;h, in the sense which Mr. Boswell evidently gives to tMH phrase Ckoker. 3 This doubt has been much agitated on both sides, I think without good reason. See Addison's " Freeholder," May 4th, 1714; '■ An Apology for the Tale of a Tub ;" Dr. Hawkes- worth's " Preface to Swift's Worlds," and Swift's " Letter to Tooke the Printer," and Tooke's " Answer " in that col- lection ; Sheridan's " Life of Swilt ; " Mr. Courtuiiay's note on p. 3. of his " Political Review of the Literary and iMoral Character of Dr. Johnson ;" and Mr. Cooksey's " Kssay on the Life and Character of John, Lord Somers, Barun of Evesham." Dr. Johnson liere speaks only to the internal evidence. I take leave to differ from him, having a very high estimation of the powers of Dr. Swift. His " Sentiments of a Church-of-England-man ;" his " Sermon on tlie Trinity," j Mr. Thomas Sheridan. Johnson. " Sheridan I is a wonderful admirer of the tragedy of Douglas, and presented its author with a gold \ medal. Some years ago, at a coffee-house in j Oxford, I called to him, ' Mr. Sheridan, Mr. Slieridan, iiow came you to give a gold medal \ to Home, for writing that foolish play?' This, you see, was wanton and insolent ; but I meant to be wanton and insolent. A medal has no value but as a stamp of merit. And was Sheridan to assume to himself the right of giving that stamp ? If Sheridan was magni- ficent enough to bestow a gold medal as an honorary reward of dramatic excellence, he should have requested one of the Universities j to choose the person on whom it should be I conferred. Sheridan had no right to give a j stamp of merit : it was counterfeiting Apollo's coin." ■*■ On JNIonday, March 27., I breakfasted with j him at ]\lr. Strahan's. He told us, that he was j engaged to go that evening to Mrs. Abington's I benefit. " She was visiting some ladies whom I was visiting, and begged that I would come I to her benefit. I told her I could not hear : but slie insisted so much on my coining, that it j would have been brutal to have refused her." j This was a speech quite characteristical. He loved to bring forward his having been in the 1 gay circles of life ; and he was, perhaps, a little vain of the solicitations of this elegant and fashionable actress. He told us the play was to be " The Hypocrite," altered from Gibber's "Nonjuror," so as to satirise the Methodists. " I do not think," said he, " the character of the Hypocrite justly applicable to the Method- ists, but it is very applicable to the Nonjurors. I once said to Dr. Madan [Madden], a clergy- man of Ireland, v/ho was a great Whig, that perhaps a Nonjuror would have been less criminal in taking the oaths imposed by the ruling power, than refusing them; because re- fusing them necessarily laid him under almost an irresistible temptation to be more criminal ; for a man must live, and if he ]irecludes himself from the support furnished by the establishment will probably be reduced to very wicked shifts to maintain himself."^ Loswell. "I should think, Sir, that a man who took the oaths con- and other serious pieces, prove his learning as well as his acuteness in logic and metaphysics ; .ind his various compo- sitions of a different cast exhibit not only wit, humour, and ridicule, but a knowledge " of nature, and art, and life;" a combination, tliprefore. of those powers, when (as the " Apology" says) the author was young, his invention at the height, and his reading fresh in his head," might surely produce " The Tale of a Tub." — Boswell. See ante, p. 1.5.). n. 1. and 277. n. 2. a refutation of Johnson's strange paradoxes about Swift and the Tale of a Tub. — Choker. •1 Tlie medal was presented in 1757, and Mr. Whvte, the friend of Sheridan, (ante, p. IGG. n. 1.) gives its history tlius : " When Sheridan undertook to play Douglas in Dublin, h(! had liberally written to Home, promising him the profits of the tliird night. It happened, however, tliat these profits fell very short, and Sheridan was rather porplexid what to do. At first, he thought of offering the author a piece of plate, but, on the suggestion of Mr. Whytc. the idea of a medal was adopted ;" and it had, said \\ hyte. "the additional value of being conveyed to Mr. Home by the hands of Lonl Macartney and Lord But-."_ Crokf.r. 5 This was not merely a cursory remark ; fur in his Life B-F .3 438 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1775. trary to his principles was a determined wicked man, because he was sure he was committing perjury : whereas a Nonjuror might be insen- sibly led to do what was wrong without being so directly conscious of it." Johnson. " Why, Sir, a man who goes to bed to his patron's wife is pretty sure that he is committing wicked- ness." BoswELL. "Did the nonjuring clergy- men do so. Sir?" Johnson. "I am afraid many of them did." ^ I was startled at this argument, and could by no means think it convincing. Had not his own father complied with the requisition of government ^ (as to which he once observed to me, when I pressed him upon it, " That, Sir, he was to settle with himself,") he would pro- bably have thought anore unfavourably of a Jacobite who took the oaths : had he not resembled My father as he swore .' Mr. Strahan talked of launching into the great ocean of London, in order to have a chance for rising into eminence ; and observing that many men were kept back from trying their fortunes there, because they were born to a competency, said, " Small certainties are the bane of men of talents ; " which Johnson confirmed. Mr. Strahan put Johnson in mind of a remark Avhich he had made to him : " There are few ways in which a man can be more innocently employed than in getting money." " Tiie more one thinks of this," said Strahan, " the juster it will appear." Mr. Strahan had taken a poor boy from the country as an apprentice, upon Johnson's re- commendation. Johnson having inquired after him, said, " Mr. Strahan, let me have live gui- neas on account, and I'll give this boy one. Nay, if a man recommends a boy, and does nothing for him, it is sad work. Call him down." I followed him into the court-yard s, behind Mr. Strahan's house ; and there I had a proof of what I heard him profess, that he talked alike to all. " Some people tell you that they let themselves down to the capacity of their hearers. I never do that. I speak uniformly, in as intelligible a manner as I can." '^ " Well, my boy, how do you go on ? " " Pretty well. Sir ; but they are afraid I ar' n't strong enougli for some parts of the business." Johnson. " Why, I shall be sorry for it ; for, when you consider with how little mental power and corporeal labour a printer can get a guinea a week, it is a very desirable occupa- tion for you. Do you hear — take all the pains you can; and if this does not do, we must think of some other way of life for you. There 's a guinea." Here was one of the many, many instances of his active benevolence. At the same time, the slow and sonorous solemnity with which, while he bent himself down, he addressed a little thick short-legged boy, contrasted with the boy's awkwardness and awe, could not but excite some ludicrous emotions. I met him at Drury Lane playliouse in the evening. Sir Joshua Keynolds, at Mrs. Abing- ton's request, had promised to bring a body of wits to her benefit ; and having secured forty places in the front boxes, had done me the honour to put me in the group. Johnson sat on the seat directly behind me ; and as he could neither see nor hear at such a distance from the stage, he was wrapped up in grave abstraction, and seemed quite a cloud, amidst all the sunshine of glitter and gaiety. I won- dered at his patience in sitting out a play of five acts, and a farce of tAvo. He said very little; but after the prologue to "Bon Ton" had been spoken, which he could hear pretty well from the more slow and distinct utterance, he talked on prologue-writing, and observed, "Dryden has written prologues superior to any that David Garrick has written; but David Garrick has written more good pro- , logues than Dryden has done. It is wonder- ful that he has Iseen able to write such variety of them." At jVIr. Beauclerk's, where I supped, was Mr. Garrick, whom I made happy with John- son's praise of his prologues ; and I suppose in gratitude to him, he took up one of his favourite of Fenton, he observes, " With many other wise and virtuous men, who, at that time of discord and debate (about the beginning of this century), consulted conscience, well or ill formed, more than interest, he doubted the legality of the government ; and refusing to qualify himself for public em- ' ployment, by taking the oaths required, left the University without a degree." This conduct Johnson calls " perverse- ness of integrity." The question concerning the morality of taking oaths, of whatever kind, imposed by the prevailing power at the time, rather than to be excluded from all con- sequence, or even any considerable usefulness in society, has been agitated with all the acuteness of casuistry. It is related, that he whodevised theoath of abjuration profligately boasted, that he had framed a test which should "damm one half of the nation, and starve the other." Upon minds not exalted ; to inflexible rectitude, or minds in which zeal for a pany is predominant to excess, taking that oath .igainst conviction ! may have been palliated under the plea of necessity, or i ventured upon in heat, as upon the whole producing more j good than evil. At a county election in Scotland, many years ago, when there was a warm contest between the | friends of the Hanoverian succession, and those against it, the oath of abjuration having been demanded, the freeholders : upon one side rose to go away. Upon which a very sanguine gentleman, one of their number, ran to the door to stop them, calling out with much earnestness, " Stay, stay, my : friends, and let us swear the rogues out of it ! " — Boswell. ■ What evidence is there of this being the prevailing sin of ; the nonjuring clergy beyond Gibber's comedy, which, slight I evidence as it would be at best, is next to none at all on i this occasion —for Gibber's play was a mere adaptation of ' MoWere'i Tartvffcf—CwoK^Yi. 2 Dr. Harwood sent me the following extract from the , book containing the proceedings of the corporation of Lich- ' field : " 19th July, 1711!. Agreed that Mr. Michael Johnson be, ' and he is hereby elected a magistrate and brother of their : incorporation ; a day is given him to Thursday next to ' take the oath of fidelitv and allegiance, and the oath of a I magistrate. Signed, &c"." — " S.'ith of July, 1712. Mr. John- j son took the oath of allegiance, and that he believed there ) was no transubstantiation in the sacrament of the Lord's li Supper, before, &c." — Cboker. \ 3 In New Street, near Gough Square, in Fleet Street, i whither, iu Febniarv, 1770. the king's printing house was ' removed froio wliat is still called Printing House Square, j Blackfriars. and near which this volume is now printing, by ' Mr. Spottiswodde. Mr. ,Stralian"s very respectable grandson; and successor Ckokeu. ^T. 66. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 439 topics, the nationality of tbe Scotch, Avhich he ' maintained in a pleasant manner, with the aid of a little poetical fiction. " Come, come, don't i denv it : they arc really national. Why, now, j the Adams ' are as liberal-minded men as any ! in the world : but, I don't know how it is, all j their workmen are Scotch. You are, to be sure, wonderfully free from that nationality ; ] but so it happens, that you employ the only Scotch shoeblack in London." He imitated the manner of his old master with ludicrous exaggeration ; repeating, with pauses \ and half-whistlings interjected, I » Os homini sublime dedit, — caelumque tuerl | Jussit, — et erectos ad sidera — tollere vultus,"- ; looking doicmcards all the time, and, while j pronouncing the four last words, absolutely touching the ground with a kind of contorted gesticulation.^ Garrick, however, Avhen he pleased, could imitate Johnson very exactly; for that great actor, with his distinguished powers of expres- sion which were so universally admired, pos- sessed also an admirable talent of mimicry. He was always jealous "'■ that Johnson spoke lightly of him. I recollect his exhibiting him to me one day, as if saying, " Davy has some convivial pleasantry about him, but 'tis a futile fellow;" which he uttered perfectly with the tone and air of Johnson. I cannot too frequently recpiest of my readers, while they peruse my account of Johnson's conversation, to endeavour to keep in mind his deliberate and strong utterance. His mode of speaking was indeed very impres- 1 The architects of the Adelphi. — Croker. - " Man looks aloft, and with erected eyes Beholds his own liereditary skies." Vryden. Ov. Met. i. 13. This exhibition of Johnson's dovnward look .ind gesticu- lations while reciting os sublime and tollere vu/lus, resembles (one which Lord Byron describes : — "Mr. Grattan's nian- Iners in private life were odd, but natural. Curran used to |take him oflT, bowing to the very ground, and ' thnnbiti^^ God ^hat he had no peculiarity of gesture or appcarnnce' in a way lirresistibly ridiculous." — Moore's Byron, i. '105 Crokkk. 3 Mr. Whyte has related an anecdote ol Johnson's violence taf scsticulation, which, without so much other evidence, one pould have hardly believed. " The house on the right at the ! )Ottom of Beaufort Buildings was occupied by Mr. Chamber- laine, Mrs. Sheridan's eldest brother (an eminent surgeon), by whom Johnson was often invited in a snug way with tlie I'amily party. ."Vt one of those social meetings Jolnison as iisual sat next the lady of the house ; tlie dessert still con- '■ inning, and the ladies in no haste to withdraw, Mrs. Ohamberlaine had moved a little b.ick from the tible, and Ivas cirelessly dangling her foot backwards and forw.ards as he sat, enjoying 'the feast of reason and the flow of soul.' [lohnson, the while, in a moment of abstraction, was con- •ulsively working ihis h.and up and down, which the laily .)bserving, she roguishly edged her foot within his reach, .and. IIS might p.irtly have been expected, Johnson clenched hold i)f it, and drew off her shoe ; she started, and hastily ex- claimed, ' O, tie! Mr. Johnson!" The company at lirst knew not what to make of it: but one of them, perceiving he joke, tittered. Johnson, not improbably .iware of the (rick, apologised. ' Nay, Madam, recollect yourself; I know lot that I have justly incurred your rebuke ; the emotion -vas involuntary, and the action not intentionally rude.'" 'Vlnjte's Miscel. Nova, p. ."JO. See ante, p. 1C6. n. 1 Croker. ■• Very natural, even in a less sensitive creature than Gar- ick; but on this occasion at least Garrick had the good ense to turn the edge of Johnson's sarcasms by .an easy aii'tv. — Croker. _' My noble friend Lord Pembroke said once to mo at .Vihon, with a happy pleasantry and some truth, '-that Dr. sive ^ ; and I wish it could be preserved as music is written, according to the very in- genious method of Mr. Steele % who has shown how the recitation of Mr. Garrick, and other eminent speakers, might be transmitted to pos- terity in score.'' Next day [March 28.] I dined with Johnson at Mr. Thrale's. He attacked Gray, calling him " a dull fellow." Boswell. " 1 under- stand he was reserved, and might ajipear dull in company; but surely he was not dull in poetry." Johnson. " Sir, he was dtdl in com- pany, dull in his closet, dull every where. He was dull in a new way, and that made many people think him great. He was a mechanical poet." He then repeated some ludicrous lines, which have escaped my memory, and said, " Is not that GREAT, like hi's Odes ?" Mrs. Thrale, maintained that his Odes Avere melodious; upon which he exclaimed, •' Weave the warp, and weave the woof;" — I added, in a solemn tone, " The whiding-sheet of Edward's race." There is a good line. — "Ay," said he, " and the next line is a good one (pronouncing it con- temptuously), ' Give ample verge and room enough.' — ' No, Sir, there are but two good stanzas in Gray's jjoetry, which are in his 'Elegy in a Country Churchyard. ' He then repeated the stanza, " For who to dumb forgetfuhiess a prey," &c. mistaking one Avord ; for instead oi precincts he Johnson's sayings would not appear so extraordinary, were it not for his bow-wow way." The sayings themselves are generally of sterling merit ; but, doubtless, his manner was an addition to their effect ; and therefore should be attended to as much as may be. It is necessary, however, to guard those who were not acquainted with him against overcharged imitations or caricatures of his manner, which are frequently attempted, and many of which are second-hand copies from the late Mr. Henderson, the actor, who, though a good mimic of some persons, did not represent Johnson correctly. — Boswell. Boswell had originally told this bow-wow anec- dote in the Tour; {anti, p. 269.) and it is worth observ- ing, as an instance of Horace Walpole's aristocratic morgue, that he thought this remark of Lord Pembroke's ' the best thing ' in that extraordinary volume. The v/ho!e passage is w orth quoting — " Have you got Boswell's most absurd enormous book? The best thing in it is a bon-niot of Lord Pembroke. The more one learns of Johnson, the more pre- posterous assemblage he appears of strong sense, of the lowest bigotry and prejudices, of pride, brutality, frctfuhiess, and vanity ; and Boswell is the ape of most of his faults, with- out a grain of his sense. It is the story of a mountcb.ink and his zany," Letter to Conway, Oct. 6, 178.i — Ckokf.r, ^ See " Prosodia Kationalis ; or, an Essay towards establish- ing the Melody and Measure of Sneecli, to be expressed and perpetuated by peculiar Symbols. London, 177'J." — BoSWELt. ? I use the phrme in score, as Dr. Johnson has explained it in his Dictionary. •' A song in Score, the words with the musical notes of a song annexed." But I understand that in scientific propriety it means all the parts of a musical com- position noted down in the characters by which it is exhibited to the eye of the skilful. — Boswell. It was declamation that Steele ])retended to reduce to notation l)y new characters. This he called the melody of speech, not the harmony, which the term in score Implies, — Burney. Tlie true meaning of the term score is, that when music, in ditlerent pans for dif- ferent voices or instruments, is written on the s.ame page, the bars, instead of being drawn only across each stave, are. to lead the eyes of the several performers, scored from the top to the bottom of the pages. — Cbokek. 8 " Ample room and verge enovgli.'' — P. C. F F 4 440 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1775. said confines. He added, " The other stanza I forget." A young lady ' who had married a man much her inferior in rank being mentioned, a question arose how a woman's relations should behave to her in such a situation ; and, while I recapitulate the debate, and recollect what has since happened, I cannot but be struck in a manner that delicacy "^ forbids me to express. While I contended that she ought to be treated with an inflexible steadiness of dis- pleasure, Mrs. Thrale was all for mildness and forgiveness, and, according to the vulgar phrase, " making the best of a bad bargain." John- son. "Madam, we must distinguish. "Were I a man of rank, I would not let a daughter starve who had made a mean marriage: but having voluntarily degraded herself from the station which she was originally entitled to hold, I would support her only in that which she herself had chosen; and would not put her on a level with my other daughters. You are to considei-. Madam, that it is our duty to maintain the subordination of civilised so- ciety ; and when there is a gross and shameful deviation from rank, it should be punished so as to deter others from the same perversion." After frequently considering this subject, I am more and more confirmed in what I then meant to express, and which was sanctioned by the authority and illustrated by the wis- dom of Johnson ; and I think it of the utmost consequence to the happiness of society, to which subordination is absolutely necessary. It is weak and contemptible, and unworthy, in a parent to relax in such a case. It is sacrificing general advantage to private feelings. And let it be considered that the claim of a daughter who has acted thus, to be restored to her former situation, is either fantastical or imjust. If there be no value in the distinction of rank, what does she suffer by being kept in the situation to which she has descended ? If there be a value in that distinction, it ought to be steadily maintained. If indulgence be shown to such conduct, and the offenders know that in a longer or shorter time they shall be received as well as if they had not contaminated their blood by a base alliance, the great check upon that inordinate caprice which generally occasions low marriages will be removed, and the fair and comfortable order of improved life will be miserably disturbed. Lord Chesterfield's Letters being mentioned, Johnson said, " It was not to be wondered at that they had so great a sale, considering that 1 No doubt Lady Susan Fox, eldest daugliter of the first E.irl of Uchester. born in 1743, who, in 1773, married Mr. William O'Brien, an actor. She died in 1827 — Croker. 2 Mr. Biiswcll's delicacy to Mrs. Piozzi is quite exemplary ! but after all, there is nothing which he has insinuated or sa'id too bad for sucli a lamentable weakness as she was guilty of in her marringe with Mr. Piozzi, and for the, I believe, insane folly of some of her subsequent conduct Cboker. s " To flutter famous through the mouths of men." Virg. Georg. iii. 9 C. they were the letters of a statesman, a wit, one who had been so much in the mouths of man- kind, one long accustomed virum volitare per oray ^ On Friday, 31st March, I supped with him and some friends* at a tavern. One of the company * attempted, with too much forward- ness, to rally him on his late appearance at the theatre ; but had reason to repent of his teme- rity. " Why, Sir, did you go to Mrs. Abing- ton's benefit? Did you see?" Johnson. "No, Sir." " Did you hear ?" Johnson. " No, Sir." "Why then, Sir, did you go?" Johnson. "Be- cause, Sir, she is a favourite of the public; and when the public cares a thousandth part for you that it does for her, I will go to your benefit too." Next morning I won a small bet from Lady Diana Beauclerk, by asking him as to one of his particularities, which her Ladyship laid I durst not do. It seems he had been frequently observed at the club to put into his pocket the Seville oranges, after he had squeezed the juice of them into the drink which he made for him- self Beauclerk and Garrick talked of it to me, and seemed to think that he had a strange un- willingness to be discovered. We could not divine what he did with them ; and this was the bold question to be put. I saw on his table, the spoils of the preceding night, some fresh peels nicely scraped and cut into pieces. "O, Sir," said I, "I now partly see what you do with the squeezed oranges which you put into your pocket at the club." Johnson. " I have a great love for them." Boswell. "Andj pray. Sir, what do you do with them ? I'ou j scrape them it seems, very neatly, and whatj next ? " Johnson. " Let them dry. Sir." Bos- j WELL. "And what next?" Johnson. "Nay,j Sir, you shall know their fate no further."' BoswELL. "Then the world must be left in^ the dark. It must be said (assuming a mock, solemnity) he scraped them, and let them dry, but what he did with them next he never; could be prevailed upon to tell." Johnson,! "Nay, Sir, you should say it more empha- tically: — he could not be prevailed upon, ever; by his dearest friends, to tell." "^ He had this morning received his diploma as Doctor of Laws from the University of Oxford He did not vaunt of his new dignity, but I un- derstood he was highly pleased with it. I shal here insert the progress and completion of tha high academical honour, in the same manne; as I have traced his obtaining that of Maste:; of Arts. < The Club. — Croker. 5 Mr. Boswell himself. — Croker. 6 The following extract of one of his letters to Miss Boothb probably explains the use to which he put these orange peeli — " Give me leave, who have thought much on medicine, t propose to you an easy and, 1 think, very probable remedy fc indigestion, &c. Take an ounce of dried orange peel, fine), powdered, divide it into scruples, and take one scruple at ■ time in any manner: the best way is, perhaps, to drink it i a glass of hot red port, or to eat it first, and drink the wii after it," &c. — Lett. Dec. 31. 1755. — Croker. ^T. 66. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 441 "TO THE REV. DR. FOTHERGILL, Vice- Chancellor of the Universily of Oxford, to he communicated to the heads of houses, and proposed in convocation. " Downing Street, March 3. 1773. " Mr. Vice- Chancellor and Gentlemen, — The honour of the degree of M. A. by diploma, formerly conferred upon Mr. Samuel Johnson, in consequence of his having eminently distinguished himself by the publication of a series of essays, ex- cellently calculated to form the manners of the people, and in which the cause of religion and morality has been maintained and recommended by the strongest powers of argument and elegance of language, reflected an equal degree of lustre upon the University itself. " The many learned labours which have since that time employed the attention and displayed tlie abilities of that great man, so much to the advance- ment of literature and the benefit of the community, render him worthy of more distinguished honours in the republic of letters ; and I persuade myself that I shall act agreeably to the sentiments of the whole University, in desiring that it may be pro- posed in convocation to confer on him the degree of Doctor in Civil Law by diploma, to which I readily give my consent ; and am, Mr. Vice- Chancellor and Gentlemen, your affectionate friend and servant, " North." ' "DIPLOMA. " Cancellariiis, 7naf/istri, et scholares Universitatis Oxonicnsis omnibus ad qtios presentes Uterca per- venerint, saliitem in Domino sempiternam. " Sciatis, drum illustrem, Samuelem Johnson, in omni humaniorum Uterarum genere eruditum, om- niumque scientiarum comprehensione felicissimum, scriptis sjiis, ad populariiim mores formandos summd verborum elegantia ac senlentiarum gravitate compo- sitis, ita olim inclaruisse, ut dignus viderelur cui ab academid sua eximia qumdam laudis pramia defcren- tur, quique venerabilem Magistrorum ordinem summd cum dignitate co-optaretur : " Ciim vera eiindem clarissimum virum tot posted tantique lahores, in putrid prasertim lingua ornandd et stabiliendd feliciter impensi, ita insigniverint, ut in Uterarum republicd princeps jam et primaries jure kabeatur ; nos, cancellarias, magistri, et scholares Universitatis Oxonietisif; quo talis viri merita pari honoris remuneratione exaquentur, et perpetuum su The foUovring extract, from one of Horace Walpole's letters, will explain the proceedings and personages of this farce : — " You must know, that near Bath is erected a new Parnassus, composed of three laurels, a myrtle tree, a weep- ing willow, and a view of the Avon, whiijh has been now christened Helicon. Ten years ago there lived a Madam [Riggs], an old rough humourist, who passed for a wit ; her daughter, who passed for nothing, married to a Captain [Miller], full of good-natured olliciousness. These good lolks were friends of Miss Rich [daughter of Sir Robert Mr. Mason I have ever entertained a warm admiration. His "Elfrida" is exquisite, both in poetical description and moral sentiment; and his " Caractacus" is a noble drama. Kor can I omit paying my tribute of praise to some of his smaller poems, which I have read with I pleasure, and which no criticism shall persuade i me not to like. If I wondered at Johnson's not tasting the works of Mason and Gray, still more have I wondered at their not tasting of his works : that they should be insensible to his energy of diction, to his splendour of images, and compi-ehension of thought. Tastes may differ as to the violin, the flute, the hautboy ; in short all the lesser instruments ; but who can be insensible to the powerful impressions of the majestic organ ? His " Taxation no Tyranny" being mention- ed, he said, " I think I have not been attacked enough ibr it. Attack is the re-action ; I never think I have hit hard, unless it re- bounds." BoswELL. "I don't know, Sir, what you would be at. Five or six shots of small arms in every newspaper, and repeated cannonading in pamphlets, might, I think, satisfy you. But, Sir, you'll never make out this match, of which we have talked, with a certain political lady ^, since you are so severe against her principles." Johnson. " Nay, Sir, I have the better chance for that. She is like the Amazons of old; she must be courted by the sword. But I have not been severe upon her." Boswell. " Yes, Sir, you have made her ridiculous." Johnson. " That was already done, Sir. To endeavour to make her ridiculous, is like blacking the chimney." I put him in mind that the landlord at Ellon in Scotland said, that he heard he was the greatest man in England, next to Lord Mansfield. " Ay, Sir," said he, " the exception defined the idea. A Scotchman could go no farther : ' The force of Nature could no farther go.' " Lady Miller's collection of verses by fashion- able people, which were put into her Vase at Bath-Easton villa''', near Bath, in competition for honorary prizes, being mentioned, he held them very cheap ; " Bouts-rimes^'' said he, " is Rich, and sister to the second Lady Lyttelton], who carried me to dine with them at Bath-Easton, now Pmdus. Tlu-y caught a little of what was then called taste, built, i.iul planted, and begot children, till the whole caravan were forced to go abroad to retrieve. Alas ! Mrs. Miller is re- turned a beauty, a genius, a Sappho, a tenth muse, as ro- mantic as Mademoiselle Scuderi, and as sophisticated as Mrs. V[esey]. The captain's fingers arc loaded with cameos, his tongue runs over with viriii ; and that both may contribute to the improvement of their own country, they have introduced bouts rimes as a new discovery. They hold a Parnassus-fair every Thursday, give out rhymes and themes, and all the flux of quality at Bath contend for the prizes. A Roman vase, dressed w'ith pink ribands and myrtles, receives the poetry, which is drawn out every festival: six judges of these Olympic games retire and select the brightest composition, which the respective successful acknowledge, kneel to Mrs. Calliope [Sliller], kiss her fair hand, and are crowned by it with myrtle, with— I don't know what. You may think this a fiction, or exaggeration. Be dumb, unbelievers ! The collection is printed, published, — yes, on my faith ! there are bouts-rimes on a buttered ^T. 66. BOSWELL'>S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 443 a mere conceit, and an old conceit nmv ; I wonder how people were persuaded to write in that manner for this lady." I named a ijentle- man' of his acquaintance who wrote i'or the Vase. JoHNSOx. " He was a blockhead lor his pains. " Boswell. '• The Duchess of Northumberland wrote." " Johnson. " Sir, the Duchess of Northumberland may do what she pleases : nobody will say any thing to a lady of her high rank. But I should be apt to throw ******'<; verses in his face." I talked of the cheerfulness of Fleet Street, owing to the constant quick succession of people which we perceive passing through it. Johnson. " Why, Sir, Fleet Street has a very animated appearance ; but I think the full tide of human existence is at Charing Cross." He made the common remark on the unhap- piness which men who have led a busy life experience, when they retire in expectation of enjoying themselves at ease, and that they generally languish for want of their habitual occupation, and wish to return to it. He mentioned as strong an instance of this as can well be imagined. "An eminent tallowchandler in London, who had acquired a considerable fortune, gave up the trade in favour of his foreman, and went to live at a country-house near town. He soon grew weary, and paid frequent visits to his old shop, where he I desired they might let him know their melting- days, and he would come and assist them ; which he accordingly did. Here, Sir, was a man to whom the most disgusting circum- stances in the business to which he had been used was a relief from idleness." CHAPTER XLIX. Public Speaking. — Statutes against Briber!/. — Gib- ber's Comedies. — Gentility and Morality. — Charles II. — George I. — Trading Judges. — Christopher Smart. — Twiss's Travels. — Addison s Italy. — " LiUibnrlero." — Gibbon. — Patriotism. — Mrs. Pritchard. — Happiness. — General Ogle- thorpe. — Middle -rate Poets. — Patronage'. — Lord Bute. — Good Friday. — London. — Com- merce. — Value nf Knowledge. — Literary Fame. — Infidelity. — " Nil admirari." — Advantages of Beading. On Wednesday, 5th April, I dined with him at muflin, by her Grace tlie Ducliess of Xgithuinbr^rlaml ; re- ceipts to 'make them by Corvdnn the venerable, alias ' ; j others very pretty by Lord PTalmerston] ; some by Lord i C[armartlien] ; many by Mrs. [Miller] herself, that have no : fault but wanting metre; .ind immortality promised to her without end or measure. Jn short, since folly, which never ripens to madness but in this hot climate, ran distracted, there never was any thing so entertainin;;, or so dull —for you cannot read so long as I have been telling."— yVorks, I vol.v.p. 185. Lady Miller died in 1781, iEt. 11. —Croker. ' Probably the Kev. Kichanl Graves, who was for some years tutor m the house of Johnson's friend, Mr. Fitzherbert, and who contributed to the Bath-Eastoii Vase. He was Ifector of Claverton, near Bath, where he died in 1804. — Chokir. Messieurs Dilly's, with j\Ir. Jolin Scott of Amwell, the Quaker ', Mr. Langton, iMr. iMiller (now Sir John), and Dr. Thonuis Campbell'*, an Irish clergyman, whom I took the liberty of inviting to ilr. Dilly's table, having seen him at Mr. Thrale's, and been told that he had come to England chiefly witli a view to see Dr. Johnson, for whom he entertained the highest veneration. He has since published "A Philosophical Survey of the South of Ireland," a very entertaining book, which has, however, one fault — that it assumes the fictitious character of an Englishman. We talked of public speaking. Johnson. " We must not estimate a man's powers by his being able or not able to deliver his seuliments in public. Isaac Hawkins Browne, one of the first wits of this country, got into parliament, and never opened his mouth. For my own part, I think it is more disgraceful never to try to speak, than to try it and fail ; as it is more disgraceful not to fight, than to fight and be beaten." This argument appeared to me falla- cious ; for if a man has not spoken, it may be said that he would have done very well if he had tried; whereas, if he has tried and fiiiled, there is nothing to be said for him. " AVhy, then," I asked, " is it thought disgraceful for a man not to fight, and not disgraceful not to speak in public ? " Johnson. " Because there may be other reasons for a man's not speak- ing in public than want of resolution : he may have nothing to say (laughing). Whereas, Sir, you know courage is reckoned the greatest of all virtues ; because, unless a man has that virtue, he has no security for preserving any other." He observed, that "the statutes against bribery were intended to prevent upstarts with money from getting into parliament : " adding, that " if he were a gentleman of landed pro- perty, he would turn out all his tenants who did not vote for the candidate whom he sup- ported." Langton. " Would not that. Sir, be checking the freedom of election ? " John- son. " Sir, the law docs not mean that the privilege of voting should be independent of old family interest, of the permanent property of the country." On Thursday, 6th April, I dined with him at Mr. Thomas Davies's, with Mr. Hickey ^, the painter, and my old acquaintance Mr. Moody, the player. Dr. Johnson, as usual, spoke contemptuously of Colley Gibber. " It is wonderful that a - Lady Elizabeth Seymour married, in 1740, Sir Huph Smithson, created, in I7C6, Duke of Northumberland. She died on her sixtieth birth-day, Dec. 5. 1776 Choker. 3 John Scott, born 1730, died 1783, author of a poem called • Amwel/,' a volume of Elegies, and some smaller pieces. He published also.ttvo politiral tracts in answer to Dr. Johnson's " Patriot" and " False Alarm." — P. Cunningham. •• See next page, n. 7. — C. 5 Thomas Hickej', a portrait painter, living at this time in Tavistock Row, Covent Garden. He afterwards removed to Bath, and is now best remembered by a characteristic por- trait of his friend Tom Davies, engraved with Hickey's name to it P. ClNNINGHAM. 444 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1775. man, who for forty years had lived with the cfreat and the witty, should have actjuircd so ill the talents of (conversation : and he had but half to furnish ; for one half of what he said was oaths." He, however, allowed considerable merit to some of his comedies, and said there Avas no reason to believe that the " Careless Husband " was not written by himself. Davies said, he was the first dramatic writer who in- troduced genteel ladies upon the stage. John- son refuted his observation by instancing several such characters in comedies before his time. Davies (trying to defend himself from a charge of ignorance). " I mean genteel moral charac- ters." "I think," said Hickey, "gentility and morality ai-e inseparable." Boswell. " By no means, Sir. The genteelest characters are often the most immoral. Does not Lord Chester- field give precepts for imiting wickedness and the graces? A man, indeed, is not genteel when he gets drunk ; but most vices may be committed very genteelly : a man may debauch his friend's wife genteelly : he may cheat at cards genteelly." Hickey. " I do not think that is genteel." Boswell. " Sir, it may not be like a gentleman, but it may be genteel." Johnson. "You are meaning two different things. One means exterior grace ; the other honour. It is certain that a man may be very immoral with exterior grace. Lovelace, in ' Clarissa,' is a very genteel and a very wicked character. Tom Hervey ', who died t'other day, though a vicious man, was one of the genteelest men that ever lived." Tom Davies instanced Charles the Second. Johnson (taking fire at an attack upon that Prince, for whom he had an extraordinary partiality). " Charles the Second was licentious in his practice; but he always had a reverence for what was good. Charles the Second knew his people, and rewarded merit. The church was at no time better filled than in his reign. He was the best king we have had from his time till the reign of our present Majesty, except James the Second, who was a very good king", but unhappily believed that it was necessary ' See ante, p. 183. n. 4. — C. 2 All this seems so contrary to historical truth and com- mon sense, that I cannot account for it. We are not now likely to discover how Johnson should have continued to 1775 so ardent a Jacobite. — Croker. 3 " He was always," says Mrs. Pioxzi, "vehement against King William. A gentlem.an who dined at a nobleman's table in his company and that of Mr. Thrale, to whom I was obliged for the anecdote, was willing to enter the lists in defence of King William's character, and, having opposed and contradicted Johnson two or three times petulantly enough, the master of tlie house began to feel uneasy, anil expect disagreeable consequences : to avoid which he said, loud enougli for the Doctor to hear, " Our friend here has no meaning now in all this, except just to relate at club to- morrow how he teased Johnson at dinner to-day — this is all to do himself honour." " No, upon my word," replied the other, " I see no Aonour in it, whatever you mar do." "Well, Sir," returned Dr. .Johnson sternly. " if you do not see the honour, I am sure Ifiel the {tisgrace.'' — Anecdotes. — Choker. " George the Second.— The story of the will is told by Horace Walpole, in his amusing "(but often inaceHrate) Reminiscences: — "At the first council held by the new sovereign, Dr. Wake, Archbishop of Canterburv. produced the will of the late king, and delivered it lo the successor, expecting it would be opened and read in council. On the for the salvation of his subjects that they should be Roman Catholics. He had the merit of en- deavouring to do v.'hat he thought was for the salvation of the souls of his subjects, till he lost a great empire. We, who thought that we should not be saved if we were Roman Catho- lics, had the merit of maintaining our religion, at the expense of submitting ourselves to the government of King William, (for it could not be done otherwise) — to the government of one of the most worthless scoundrels that ever existed.^ No, Charles the Second was not such a man as * (naming another king). He did not destroy his father's will. He took money, indeed, from France : but he did not betray those over whom he ruled : he did not let the French tleet pass ours. George the First knew nothing, and desired to know nothing; did nothing, and desired to do no- thing ; and the only good thing that is told of him is, that he wished to restore the crown to its hereditary successor." He roared with prodigious violence against George the Second. When he ceased, Moody interjected, in an Irish tone, and with a comic look, " Ah ! poor George the Second." I mentioned that Dr. Thomas Campbell had come from Ireland to London, principally to see Dr. Johnson. He seemed angry at this observation. Davies. " Why, you know, Sir, there came a man from Spain to sec Livy ^ ; and Corelli came to England to see PurccU 6, ' and when he heard he was dead, went directly : back again to Italy." Johnson. " I should ' not have wished to be dead to disappoint Campbell, had he been so foolish as you repre- . sent him ; but I should have Avished to have been a hundred miles off." This was appa- rently perverse; and I do believe it was not his real way of thinking : he could not but like a man who came so far to see him. He laughed with some complacency, when I told "him Campbell's odd expression to me concerning him : " That having seen such a man, was a thing to talk of a century hence," — as if he could live so lonjr.'' contrary, bis Majesty put it into his pocket and st.ilkedout; of the room, witliout uttering a word on the subject. As thej king never mentioned the will more, whispers, only by de- grees, informed tlie jjublic that the will was biu-nt, at least! that its injunctions were never fulfilled." — Crokek. \ 5 Plin. Epist. Lib. ii. Ep. 3. — Boswell. \ 5 Mr. Davies was here mistaken. Corelli never was in, England. — BuRNEY. j 7 Mrs. Thrale gives, in her lively style, a sketch of this, gentleman : " We have a flashy friend here [at Bath] already,! who is much your adorer. 1 wonder how you will like kim t>\ An Irishman"he is; very handsome, very hot-headed, loud: and lively, and sure to be a favourite with you, he tells us.i, for " be can live with a man of ever so odd a temper." My, master laughs, but likes him, and it diverts me to think whati you will do when be professes that he would clean shoes foij you ; that he would shed his blood for you ; with twenty; more extravagant flights; and you say /flatter ! Upon myii honour. Sir, and indeed now, as Dr. Campbell's phrase is, \ am buta twitter to \nm." — Letters, May Ifi. 1776 Croker I It is of no importance — but I cannot reconcile Mrs. Thrale'il; talking, in May 177G, of Dr. Campbell as wholly unknowr- to Johnson, «i"th Boswell's statement that they had dined together at her own .ind at Mr. Dilly's table the precedinj, year Croker, 184G. ^T. 66. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 445 We got into an argument whether the judges svho went to India might with propriety engage in trade. Johnson warmly maintained that they might ; " For wliy," he urged, " should not judges got riches, as well as those who deserve them less ? " I said, they should have sufficient salaries, and have nothing to take ofl" their attention from the affairs of the public. Johnson. " Xo judge, Sir, can give his whole attention to his office ; and it is very proper that he should employ what time he has. to himself to his own ailvantage, in the most pro- fitable manner." " Then, Sir," said Davies, who enlivened the dispute by making it some- what dramatic, " he may become an insurer ; and when he is going to the bench, he may be stopped, — ' Your Lordship cannot go yet ; here is a bunch of invoices ; several ships are about to sail. ' " Johnson. " Sir, you may as well say a judge should not have a house ; for they may come and tell him, 'Your Lordship's house is on fire ; ' and so, instead of minding the business of his court, he is to be occupied in getting the engines with the greatest speed. There is no end of this. Every judge who has land trades to a certain extent in corn or in cattle, and in the land itself; undoubtedly his steward acts for him, and so do clerks for a great merchant. ' A judge may be a farmer, but he is not to feed his own pigs. A judge may play a little at cards for his amusement ; but he is not to play at marbles, or chuck far- things in the Piazza. No, Sir, there is no pro- fession to which a man gives a very great pro- portion of his time. It is wonderful, when a calculation is made, how little the mind is ac- tually employed in the discharge of any profes- sion. No man would be a judge, upon the condition of being totally a judge. The best employed lawyer has his mind at work but for a small proportion of his time ; a great deal of his occupation is merely mechanical. I once wrote for a magazine : I made a calculation, that if I should write but a page a day, at the same rate, I should, in ten years, write nine volumes in folio, of an ordinary size and print." BoswELL. " Such as ' Carte's History ? ' " Johnson. " Yes, Sir ; when a man writes from his own mind, he writes very rapidly." The greatest part of a writer's time is spent in 1 \et see an/e, p. 299., how he censured a judpp because he wore a round hat in the country, and farmed liis own demesne. — Crokeu, 184G. ■- Johnson certainly did, who had a mind stored witli knowledge, and teeming with imagery ; but the observation is not applicable to writers in general Boswell. 3 There has probably been some mist.ike as to the terms of this supposed extraordinary contract, the recital of which from hearsay afTorded Johnson so much play for his sportive acuteness. Or if it was worded as he supposed, it is so strange that I should conclude it was a joke. Mr. Gardener, 1 am assured, was a worthy and liberal man — noswFr,L. ^ At the Cluh, — where, as Mr. H.iteliett, from the records of the cluh, informed me, there were prcsi-ut Mr. Charles Fo\ (president), Sir J. Reynolds, Dr.s. Johnson and Percy Me.ssrs. Beauclcrk. Boswell, Chamier. Gibbon, Langtoii] and Steevens. It inav be observcii hov/ very rarclv Boswell records the conversation at th- C/uh. One motive of this silence, probably, was, th.it most of the nicmbors were still reading, in order to write; a man will turn over half a library, to make one book. I argued wannly against the judges trading, and mentioned Hale as an instancTe of a per- fect judge, who devoted himself entirely to his office. Johnson. " Hale, Sir, attended to otiier things besides law ; he left a great estate." Boswell. " That was because what he got accumulated without any exertion and anxiety on his part." AV'hile the dispute went on, Moody once tried to say something on our side. Tom Davies clapped him on the back, to encourage hiuL Beauclerk, to whom I mentioned this circumstance, said, " that he could not con- ceive a more humiliating situation than to be clapped on the back by Tom Davies." ^Ve spoke of Rolt, to whose ' Dictionary of Commerce' Dr. Johnson wrote the preface. Johnson. " Old Gardener, the bookseller, em- ployed Eolt and Smart to write a monthly miscellany, called 'The Universal Visitor.' There was a formal written contract, which Allen the printer saw. Gardener thought as you do of the judge. They were bound to write nothing else ; they were to have, I think, a third of the profits of his sixpenny pam- phlet ; and the contract was for ninety-nine years. I wish I had thought of giving this to Thurlow, in the cause about literary property. What an excellent instance would it have been of the oppression of booksellers towards poor authors!" smiling. ^ Davies, zealous for the honour of the trade, said Gardener was not properly a bookseller. Johnson. " Nay, Sir ; he certainly was a bookseller. He had served his time regularly, was a member of the Sta- tioners' Company, kept a shop in the face of mankind, purchased copyright, and was a bib- liopole, Sir, in every sense. I wrote for some months in ' The Universal Visitor ' for poor Smart, while he was mad, not then knowing the terms on which he was engaged to write, and thinking I ^ras doing him good. I hoped his wits would soon return to him. Mine re- turned to me, and I wrote in ' The Universal Visitor' no longer." Friday, 7th April, I dined with him at a tavern, with a numerous company .''• Johnson. " I h.ave been reading ' Twiss's Travels in living when he published, and might not have approved such a breach of social confidence; and except in one instance (post, April 3. 1778) he confines his report to what Johnson or himself m.iy have said : he is also careful to avoid any thing that could give offence, except, I think, to Mr. Gibbon, whom on one or two occasions he seems to treat with less' reserve than the others. Whether there w.as my reason for this beyond Boswell's dislike of Gibbon's scepticism, I know not. But in fact Boswell and Johnson met very rarely at the Club. Boswell's visits to London were not more than biennial .md for short periods, and even then he was not a regular attendant at the Club, nor indeed was Johnson after Briswell's admission ; .ind it appears by the records whieli Mr. Slilman has been so good as to re-ex.amine at my reqiiist.that they never met there above seven or eight times in their whole lives. The Club had the honour of Johnson's name, but, alter the first feiv years, very little of his com- pany.— Cito;;En, I'-IC. 446 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1775. Spain ', which are just come out. They are as good as the first book of travels that you will take uj). They are as good as those of Keys- ler or Elainville; nay, as Addison's, if you except the learning. They are not so good as Brydone's, but they are better than Pococke's. I have not, indeed, cut the leaves yet ; but I have read in them where the pages are open, and I do not suppose that what is in the pages which are closed is worse than what is in the open pages. It would seem," he added, " that Addison had not acquired much Italian learn- ing, for we do not find it introduced into his writings. The only instance that I recollect is his quoting ' Stava bene ; per star meglio, sto qui: " 2 I mentioned Addison's having borrowed many of his classical remarks from Leandro Albcrti.^ Mr. Beauclerk said, " It was alleged that he had borrowed also from another Italian author." Johnson. " Why, Sir, all who go to look for what the classics have said of Italy must find the same passages*; and I should think it would be one of the first things the Italians would do on the revival of learning, to collect all that the Roman authors have said of their country," Ossian being mentioned ; — Johnson. "Sup- posing the Irish and Erse languages to be the same, which I do not believe ^, yet as there is no reason to suppose that the inhabitants of the Highlands and Hebrides ever wrote their native language, it is not to be credited that a long poem was preserved among them. If we had no evidence of the art of writing being practised in one of the counties of England, we should not believe that a long poem was preserved there, though in the neighbouring counties, were the same language was spoken, the inhabitants could write." Beaxjclekk. " The ballad of ' Lilliburlero ' was once in the mouths of all the people of this country, and is said to have had a great effect in jjringing about the revolution. Yet I question whether any body can repeat it now^; which shows ' Richard Twiss, Esq. also published a Treatise of Chess, and a Tour through Ireland. See post, pp. 456, 457 Croker. 2 Addison, however, does not mention where this cele- brated epitaph, which has eluded a very diligent inquiry, is found Malone. I have found it quoted in old Howell. " The Italian saying may be well applied to poor England: — ' I was well — would be better — took physic — and died.' " — Lett. Jan. 20. 1647. — Croker. 3 This observation is, as Mr. Markland observes to me, to be found in Lord Chesterfield's Letters to his Son :— But If credit is to be given to Addison himself, (and who can doubt his veracity ?) this supposition must l. 133. — C. •• Let me here be allowed to pay my tribute of most sincere gratitude to the memory of that excellent person, my intimacy with whom was the more valuable to me, because my first acquaintance with him was unexpected and unsolicited. Soon after the publication of my '• Account of Corsica," he did me the honour to call on me, and approaching me with a frank courteous air, said, " BIy name. Sir, is Oglethorpe, and I wish to be acquainted with you." I was not a little flattered to be thus addressed bv .in eminent man, ofwliom I had read in Pope, from my early years, " Or, driven by strong benevolence of soul. Will fly like Oglethorpe from pole to pole." I was fortunate enough to be found worthy of his good opinion, insomuch, that I not only was invited to make one in the many respectable companies whom he entertained at his table, but had a cover at his hospitable board every day when I happened to be disengaged ; and in his society I never failed to enjoy learned .ind animated conversation, seasoned with genuine sentiments of virtue and religion.— BoswELL. See anti, p. 35. n. 7. — C. 5 " Dr. Johnson," says Mrs. Piozzi, " did not like .iny one who said they were happy, or who said any one else was so. ' It was all cant,' he would cry ; ' the dog knows he is miserable all the time.' A friend whom he loved exceedingly, told him on some occasion, notwithstanding, that his wife's sister was really happy, and called upon the lady to confirm his assertion, which she did somewhat roundly as we say, and with an accent and manner capable of offending Dr. Johnson, if her position had not been sufficient, without any thing more, to put him in a very ill humour. " If your sister-in-law is really the contented being she professes herself, Sir," said he, " her life gives the lie to every research of humanity ; for she is happy without health, without beauty, without money, and without understanding." This story he told me himself; I and when I expressed something of the horror I felt, " The same stupidity," said he, " which prompted her to extol felicity she never felt, hindered her from feeling what shocks you on repetition. 1 tell you, the woman is ugly, and sickly, and foolish, and poor ; and would it not make a man hang himself to hear such a creature sav it was happy ? " — Anec- dotes Johnson's own habitual disturbance of mind, ren- dered him incredulous that any one else could be composed and h.ippy ; and to it must be attributed such lamentable sallies as this Croker. 6 The General seemed unwilling to enter upon it at this j time ; but upon a subsequent occasion he communicated to me a number of particulars, which I have committed to writing ; but I was not sufficiently diligent in obtaining more from him, not apprehending that his friends were so soon to lose him ; for, notwithstanding his great age, he was very healthy and vigorous, and was at last carried off bv a violent fever, which is often fatal at any period of life. — BoswKLt. 448 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1775. Mr. Scott of Amwell's Elegies were lying in the room. Dr. Johnson observed, " They are I very well ; but such as twenty people might j write." Upon this I took occasion to con- I trovert Horace's maxim, '' — ^^— — mediocribus esse poetis Non Di, non homines, non concessere columnEe:"' for here (I observed) was a very middle-rate poet, who pleased many readers, and therefore poetry of a middle sort was entitled to some esteem; nor could I see why poetry should not, like every thing else, have different grada- tions of excellence, and consequently of value. Johnson repeated the conunon remark, that " as there is no necessity for our having poetry at all, it being merely a luxury, an instrument of pleasure, it can have no value, unless when exquisite in its kind." I declared myself not satisfied. "Why, then, Sir," said he, "Horace and you must settle it." He was not much in the humour of talking. No more of his conversation for some days appears in my journal, except that when a gentleman told him he had bought a suit of lace for his lady, he said, " Well, Sir, you have done a good thing and a wise thing." " I have done a good thing," said the gentleman, " but I do not know that I have done a wise thing." Johnson. " Yes, Sir ; no money is better spent than what is laid out for domestic satisfaction. A man is pleased that his wife is dressed as well as other people ; and a wife is pleased that she is dressed." On Friday, April 14., being Good Friday, I repaired to him in the morning, according to my usual custom on that day, and breakfasted with him. I observed that he fasted so very strictly, that he did not even taste bread, and took no milk with his tea ; I suppose because it is a kind of animal food. He entered upon the state of the nation, and thus discoursed : " Sir, the great misfortune now is, that government has too little power. All that it has to bestow must of necessity be ' It u strange that all the editions should misprint this quotation— which should be, Non homines, non Di, non concessere columnae. "But God, and man, and lettered post denies That Poets ever are of middling size. "— Franris. Hot. Art. Poet. 370. — Choker. 2 From this too just observation there are some eminent exceptions. — BosvfELt,. The admission that there are " eminent exceptions " destroys the force of Johnson's com- plaint. In a constitution of government and society lilieours, influence, interest, and connections must have some weight in the distribution even of church patronage. Johnson's assertion was that they had all the weight, to the juier exclusion of piety and learning. This was, and happily still is, notoriously unjust and untrue, for at the very time this rash observ.-ition was made, the bench was adorned with the names of Warburton. Green, Newton, Lowth, Moss, Shipley, Law, Hinchliffe, two Thomases, and Hurd, with others equally respectable but not quite so eminent, all plebeians, and all promoted for their piety .ind learning. The truth is, tliat in no profession have there been so many instances ol the elevation of men of humble origin, but of personal merit, as in the church Ckokeu. ^ Johnson alludes to Sir Mattliew Hale — " I remember a s.iyingof King Charles II. on Sir .Matthew Hale (who was doubtless an uncorrupt and an upright man), th.it his ser- vants were sure to bo cast on any trial which was heard given to support itself; so that it cannot reward merit. No man, for instance, can now be made a bishop for his learning and piety - ; his only chance for promotion is his being connected with somebody who has parliamentary interest. Our several ministers in this reign have out- bid each other in concessions to the people. Lord Bute, though a very honourable man, — a man who meant well, — a man who had his blood full of prerogative, — was a theoretical statesman, a book-minister, and thought this country could be governed by the influence of the crown alone. Then, Sir, he gave up a great deal. He advised the king to agree that the judges should hold their places for life, in- stead of losing them at the accession of a new king. Lord Bute, I suppose, thought to make the king popular by this concession ; but the people never minded it; and it was a most impolitic measure. There is no reason why a judge should hold his office for life, more than any other person in public trust. A judge may be partial otherwise than to the crown ^ ; we have seen judges partial to the populace. A judge may become corrupt, and yet there may not be legal evidence against him. A judge m;iy become froward from age. A judge may | grow unfit for his office in many ways. It was - desirable that there should be a possibility of ' being delivered from him by a new king. That • Is now gone by an act of parliament ex gratia ■ of the crown. Lord Bute advised the king to ' give up a very large sum of money '^, for which i nobody thanked him. It was of consequence ; ti) the king, but nothing to the public, among whom it was divided. AVhen I say Lord Bute' advised, I mean, that such acts were done when he was minister, and we are to suppose ' that he advised him. Lord Bute showed an undue partiality to Scotchmen. He turned out Dr. Nichols ^ a very eminent man, from being physician to the king, to make room for one of his countrymen, a man very low in his| profession. "J He had **********7 j^^^jt * * * * s to go on errands for him. He hadi before him ; not that he thought the judge was possibly tcj be bribed, but that his integrity might be too scrupulous:- and that the causes of the crown were always suspicious, when the privileges of subjects were concerned." — lii'yden ' Dcd. of Juvenal. — P. Cunningham. \ ■< The money arising from the property of the prizes taker before the declaration of war, which were given to hii' Majesty by the peace of Paris, and amounted to upwards o 700,000/., and from the lands in the ceded islands, whicl were estimated at 200,000/. more. Surely, there was a nobli' munificence in this gilt from a monarch to his people. An( let it be remembered, that during the Earl of Bute's adminis tration, the king was graciously pleased to give up the here' ditary revenues of the crown, and to accept, instead of them of the limited sum of 800,000/. a year ; upon which Bl:ick' stone observes, that " The hereditary revenues, being p" under the same m.-inagement as the other branches of ih ', public patrimony, will produce more, and be better collected, than heretofore; and the public is a gainer of upwards cj 100,000/. per annum, by this disinterested bounty of hi; Majesty.'' — Co7n. book i. c. viii. p. 330 Boswell. 5 Frank Nichols, M. D. He was of Exeter College Died 1778, aet. 80. - ««//.— Croker. ^ Probably Dr. Duncan, appointed physician to the kin in 1700. — Crokeh. " Weddcrburn, afterwards Chief Justice, Lord Chancello Baron Loughborough, and Earl of Kosslyn. — CuoKElt. ' f Home, the author of Douglas Croker. ; ^T. 66. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 449 occasion for people to go on errands for him ; but he should not have had Scotchmen ; and, certainly, he should not have suffered them to have access to liim before the first people in England." I told him, that the admission of one of them before the first people in England, which had "■iven the greatest oifence, was no more than what happens at every minister's levee, where i those who attend are admitted in the order that 1 they have come, which is better than admitting ithem according to their rank : for if that were ito be the rule, a man who has waited all the [morning might have the mortification to see a peer, newly come, go in before him, and keep him waiting still. Johnson. "True, Sir; but [Home] should not have come to the levee, to be in the way of people of consequence. He saw Lord Bute at all times; and could have said what he had to say at any time, as well as :at the levee. There is now no prime minister : i there is only an agent for government in the House of Commons. We are governed by the cabinet ; but there is no one head there since Sir Robert Walpole's time." Boswell. ""What then, Sir, is the use of parliament ? " Johnson. " AMiy, Sir, parliament is a large council to the :klng ; and the advantage of such a coum.'il is, jhaviug a gi'eat number of men of property con- jcerned in the legislature, who, for their own And jinterest, will not consent to bad laws. !you must have observed. Sir, the administration jis feeble and timid, and cannot act with that (authority and resolution which is necessary. iWere I in power, I would turn otit every man iwho dared to oppose me. Government has the 1 distribution of oflices, that it may be enabled |to maintain its authority." 1 " Lord Bute," he added, " took down too |fast, without building up something new." jBoswELL. " Because, Sir, he found a rotten building. The political coach was drawn by a jset of bad horses : it was necessary to change them." Johnson. " But he should have ichanged them one by one." I told him I had been informed by Mr. Orme, ijthat many parts of the East Indies were better Imapped than the Highlands of Scotland. John- IjsoN. " That a country may be mapped, it must me travelled over." "Nay," said I, meaning to laugh with him at one of his prejudices, I" can't you say, it is not loorth mapping?" jj As we walked to St. Clement's church, and ijsaw several shops open upon this most solemn ijfast-day of the Christian world, I remarked, jthat one disadvantage arising from the immen- ^sity of London was, that nobody was heeded by ihis neighbour ; there was no fear of censure for ''not observing Good Friday, as it ought to be pvept, and as it is kept in country towns. He isaid, it was, upon the whole, very well ob- served even in London. He however owned that London was too large ' ; but added, " It is I nonsense to say the head is too big for the body. It would be as much too big, though the body were ever so large ; that is to say, though the country was ever so extensive. It has no similarity to a head connected with a body." Dr. Wetherell, master of the University College, Oxford, accompanied us home from church; and after he was gone, there came two other gentlemen, one of whom uttered the common-place complaints, that by the increase of taxes, labour would be dear, other nations would undersell us, and our commerce would be ruined. Johnson (smiling). " Never fear, Sir ; our commerce is in a very good state ; and suppose we had no commerce at all, we could live very well on the produce of our own coun- try." I cannot omit to mention, that I never knew any man who was less disposed to be querulous than Johnson. Whether the subject was his own situation, or the state of the public, or the state of human nature in general, though he saw the evils, his mind was turned to reso- lution, and never to whining or complaint. We went again to St. Clement's in the after- noon. He had found fault with the preacher in the morning for not choosing a text adapted to the day. The preacher in the afternoon had chosen one extremely proper : " It is finished." After the evening service, he said, " Come, you shall go home with me, and sit just an hour." But he was better than his word ; for after we had drunk tea with Mrs. Williams, he asked me to go up to his study with him, where we sat a long while together in a serene undisturbed frame of mind, sometimes in silence, and sometimes conversing, as we felt ourselves inclined, or more properly speaking, as he was inclined; for during all the course of my long intimacy with him, my respectful attention never abated, and my wish to hear him was such, that I constantly watched every dawning of communication from that great and illuminated mind. He observed, " All knowledge is of itself of some value. There is nothing so minute or in- considerable, that I would not rather know it than not. In the same manner, all power, of Avhatever sort, is of itself desirable. A man would not submit to learn to hem a ruffle of his wife, or his wife's maid : but if a mere wish could attain it, he woidd rather wish to be able to hem a ruffle." ^ He again advised me to keep a journal fully and minutely, but not to mention such trifles as that meat was too much or too little done, or that the weather was fair or rainy. He had till very near his death a contempt for the notion that the weather affects the human frame. Yet how enormously the metropolis has increased in niopulatiori and extent since the year 1775 ! — Croker, 1830. jAiid how vastly it has increased since my former note was (Written ! Quuusque tandem f — Choker, 1846. 2 Johnson said that he had once attempted to learn knitting from Dempster's sister : post, 7th April, 1778 Choker. 450 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1775. I told him that our friend Goldsmith had said to me that he had come too late into the world, for that Pope and other poets had taken lip the places in tlae Temple of Fame ; so that as but a few at any period can possess poetical reputation, a man of genius can now hardly acquire it. Johnson. " That is one of the most sensible things I have ever heard of Goldsmith.' It is difficult to get literary fame, and it is every day growing more difficult. Ah, Sir, that should make a man think of securing happiness in another world, which all who try sincerely for it may attain. In comparison of that, how little are all other things! The belief of immortality is impressed upon all men, and all men act under an impression of it, however they may talk, and though, per- haps, they may be scarcely sensible of it." I said, it appeared to me that some people had not the least notion of immortality ; and I mentioned a distinguished gentleman of our acquaintance. Johnson. " Sir, if it were not for the notion of immortality, he would cut a throat to fill his pockets." When I quoted this to Beaii clerk, Avho knew much more of the gentleman than we did, he said, in his acid manner, " He Avould cut a throat to fill his pockets, if it were not for fear of being hanged." ^ Dr. Johnson proceeded : " Sir, there is a great cry about infidelity : but there are, in reality, very few infidels. I have heard a per- son, originally a Quaker, but now, I am afraid, a Deist, say, that he did not believe there were, in all England, above two hundred infidels.'' He was pleased to say, " If you come to settle here, we will have one day in the week on which Ave will meet by ourselves. That is the happiest conversation where there is no competition, no vanity, but a calm quiet interchange of senti- ments." In his private register this evening is thus marked : — " Boswell sat with me till night ; we had some serious talk." ^ It also appears from the same record, that after I left him he was occupied in religious duties, in " giving Francis, his servant, some directions for preparation to communicate ; in reviewing his life, and resolvincr on better conduct." ' Goldsmith, who read a great deal of light French litera- ture, probably borrowed this from La Bruydre. " Les anciens ont tout dit ; on vient aiijourd'hui trop tard pour dire les choses nouvpUes." — Vigneul-Marvilliana, i. 336. But Johnson's assertion may surely be questioned. Literary fame (whether always deserved or not) was, I believe, never more cheaply earned than in the last half of the 18th century ; and when Johnson complained that it is difflcnlt to get, he should rather have recollected that if it were not difficult it would not have heer\fame. And after all, did not Goldsmith him- self gain a great reputation at an easy rate ?— C. 1831. Let me add, that since this complaint that the fountains of novelty and fame had run dry, we have had, in the poetical line alone, Cowper and Crabbe, Scott and Byron, each creating a great name by a stylo entirely original. — Croker, 184G. 2 AH this seems so extravagantly abusive, that I shall be forgiven for not venturing a surmise as to the name of the " distinguished gentleman," so ill, and it is to be hoped so unjustly, treated by his friends — Croker. "Easter Eve, April 15. 1775. — I rose more early than is common, after a night disturbed by flatulencies, though I had taken so little. I prayed, but my mind was unsettled, and I did not fix upon the book. After the bread and tea, I trifled, and about three ordered coffee and buns for my dinner. I find more faintness and uneasiness in fasting than I did formerly. — While coffee was preparing, Collier came in, a man whom I had not seen for more than twenty years, but whom I consulted about Macky's books. We talked of old friends and past occurrences, and eat and drank together. I then read a little in the Testament, and tried Fiddes's Body of Divinity, but did not settle. I then went to evening prayer, and was tolerably composed."'' The htmiility and piety which he discovers on such occasions is truly edifying. No saint, however, in the course of his religious warfare, was more sensible of the unhappy fixilure of pious resolves than Johnson. He said one'; day, talking to an acquaintance on the subject, 1 " Sir, hell is paved with good intentions." "^ , On Sunday, 16th Ajjril, being Easter-day, after having attended the solemn service at St. Paul's, I dined with Dr. Johnson and IVIi's. Williams. I maintained that Horace was wrong in placing happiness in Nil admirari^ for that I thought admiration one of the most agreeable of all our feelings ; and I regretted that I had lost much of my disposition tc admire, which people generally do as the} advance in life. Johnson. " Sir, as a mar advances in life, he gets what is better thai admiration, — judgment, to estimate things a their true value." I still insisted that admira^ tion was more pleasing than judgment, a love is more pleasing than friendship. Thi feeling of friendship is like that of being com fortably filled with roast beef; love, like bein; enlivened with champagne. Johnson. " Nc Sir; admiration and love are like being in toxicated with champagne ; judgment am friendship like being enlivened. Waller ha; hit upon the same thought with you*^: but [ don't believe you have borrowed from Wallei i I wish you would enable yourself to borroi more." He then took occasion to enlarge on the m' vantages of reading, and combated the idl superficial notion, that knowledge enough ma 3 Prayers and Meditations, p. 128, 1 Ibid. p. 139. — BoswEi.L. ' 5 This is a proverbial sentence. " Hell," says Herbe); " is full of good meanings and wishings." — Jacula Prudeil turn, p. 11. edit. 1651 Malone. Johnson's phrase h, become so proverbial that it may seem rather late to askwb' it means — why " paved?" perhaps as making the road easy facilis descensus Averni, — Croker, 1846. ( s " Amoret's as sweet and good j As the most delicious food ; ; Which but tasted does impart Life and gladness to the heart. ; " Sacharissa's beauty's wine. Which to madness does incline ; Such a liquor as no brain ■ That is mortal can sustain." — BosvrBU. I ^T. 66. BOS^VELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 451 be acquired in conversation. " The foundation," said he, " must be laid by reading. General principles must be h.id from books, which, however, must be brought to the test of real life. In conversation you never get a system. What is said upon a subject is to be gathered from a hundred people. The parts of a truth, which a man gets thus, are at such a distance from each other that he never attains to a full JOHNSON TO LANGTON. " April 17. 1775. "Dear, Sir, — I liave inquired more minutely about tlie medicine for tlie rheumatism, which I am sorry to hear that you still want. The receipt is this : — Take equal quantities of flour of sulphur and flour of raustard-seed, make them an electuary with honey or treacle ; and take a bolus as big as a nut- meg several times a day, as you can bear it ; drink- fmg after it a quarter of a pint of the infusion of the root of lovage. Lovage, in Ray's ' Nomenclature,' is levisticum : jierhaps tlie botanists may know the Latin name. Of this medicine I pretend not to judge. There is ill the appearance of its efficacy, which a single in- itance can afford : the patient was very old, the )ain very violent, and the relief, I think, speedy md lasting. ' " 3Iy opinion of alterative medicine is not high, |)ut quid tentasse nocehit ? if it does harm, or does (10 good, it may be omitted; but that it may do .^ood, you have, I hope, reason to think is desired by, Sir, your most affectionate, humble servant, " Sam. Johnson." CHAPTER L. 1775. pinner at Owen Cambridge's. — Female Portrait } Painters. — ^'Good-humoured Fellows." — Isaac Walton s "Lives." — Flattery. — History. — Early Habits. — " The Beggar s Opera. " — Richard Brinsley Sheridan. — Modern Politics. — . ■(> Roger de Covcrley. — Visit to Bedlam Sun- (iii!/ Consultations. — Gray's Letters. — Alchymy. — JohnMn's Laugh. — Letters to Langtoii, Mrs. iUrah, ^c. — Ramble into the Middle Counties. — Tour to France. ).\ Tuesday, April 18., he and I were engaged > uo witii Sir Joshua Reynolds to dine with Ir. Cambridge, at his beautiful villa on the tanks of the Thames, near Twickenham. Dr. .ohnson's tardiness was such, that Sir Joshua, ho had an appointment at Richmond early in le day, was obliged to go by himself on horse- ack, leaving his coach to Johnson and me. i^ This topic was probably suggested to them by Miss •yiioKls, who practised that .art ; and wc shall see thr-t one ihe last occupations of Johnson's life was to sit for his cture to that lady. — Croker. Johnson was in such good spirits, that every thing seemed to please him as we drove along. Our conversation turned on a variety of subjects. He thought portrait-painting an improper employment for a woman.' " Public practice of any art," he observed, " and staring in men's faces, is very indelicate in a female." I happened to start a question, whether when a man knows that some of his intimate friends are invited to the house of another friend, with whom they are all equally intimate, he may join them without an invitation. John- son. " No, Sir ; he is not to go when he is not invited. They may be invited on purpose to abuse him," smiling. As a curious instance how little a man knows, or wishes to know, his own character in the world, or rather as a convincing proof that Johnson's roughness was only external, and did not proceed from his heart, I insert the following dialogue. Johnson. " It is wonderful, Sir, how rare a quality good humour is in life. We meet with very few good- humoured men." I mentioned four of our friends, none of whom he would allow to be good-humoured. One was ad^*^, another wns muddy, and to others he had objections which have escaped me. Then shaking his head and stretching himself at ease in the coach, and smiling with much complacency, he turned to me and said, " I look vipon myself as a good- humoured fellow." The epithet yeZZow, applied to the great lexicographer, the stately moralist, the masterly critic, as if it had been Sam Johnson, a mere pleasant companion, was highly diverting ; and this light notion of him- self struck me with wonder. I answered, also smiling, " No, no, Sir ; that will not do. You are good-natured, but not good-humoured; you are irascible. You have not patience with folly and absurdity. I believe you would pardon them, if there were time to deprecate your vengeance ; but punishment follows so quick after sentence, that they cannot escape." I had brought with me a great bundle of Scotch magazines and newspapers, in Avhich his " Journey to the Western Islands " v.'as attacked in every mode ; and I read a great part of them to him, knowing they would afford him entertainment. I wish the writers of them had been present ; they would have been sufficiently vexed. One ludicrous imi- tation of his style, by Mr. Maclaurin, now one of the Scotch judges, with the title of Lord Dreghorn, was rlistinguished by him from the rude mass. " This," said he, " is the best. But I could caricature my own style mucli better myself." ^ He defended his remark upon the general insufficiency of education in Scotland ; and confirmed to me the authenti- city of his witty saying on the learning of the 2 The acid was Beauclerk. The muddy, I fear, was the gentle Langton Crokkk. 3 Witness, a?iie, p. 417., the description of Hawkcstone. — Croker. 452 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1775. Scotch — " Their learning is like bread in a besieged town ; every man gets a little, but no man gets a full meal." ' " There is," said he, " in Scotland, a diffusion of learning, a certain portion of it widely and thinly spread. A merchant has as much learning as one of their clergy." He talked of " Isaac Walton's Lives," which was one of his most favourite books. Dr. Donne's life, he said, was the most perfect of them. He observed, that " it was wonderful that Walton, who was in a very low situation of life, should have been fixmiliarly received by so many great men, and that at a time when the ranks of society were kept more separate than they are now." He supposed that Walton had then given up his business as a linendraper and sempster, and was only an author * ; and added, " that he Avas a great panegyrist." Boswell. " No quality will get a man more friends than a disposition to admire the qualities of others. I do not mean flattery, but a sincere admiration." Johnson. " Nay, Sir, flattery pleases very generally. In the first place, the flatterer may think what he says to be true ; but, in the second ])lace, whether he thinks so or not, he certainly thinks those whom he flatters of consequence enough to be flattered." No sooner had we made our bow to Mr. Cambridge, in his llbr.ary, than Johnson ran eagerly to one side of the room, intent on poring over the backs of the books.^ Sir Joshua observed (aside), " He runs to the books as I do to the pictures ; but I have the advantage. I can see much more of the pic- tures than he can of the books." Mr. Cam- bridge, upon this, politely said, " Dr. Johnson, I am going, with your pardon, to accuse myself, "for I have the same custom which I ])erceive you have. But it seems odd that one should have such a desire to look at the backs of books," Johnson, ever ready for contest, instantly started from his reverie, wheeled about and answered, " Sir, the reason is very plain. Knowledge is of two kinds. We know a subject ourselves, or we know where we can find information upon it. When we inquire into any subject, the first thing we have to do is to know what books have treated of it. This leads us to look at catalogues, and the backs of books in libraries." Sir Joshua ob- served to me the extraordinary promptitude with which Johnson flew upon an argument. " Yes," said I, " he has no formal preparation, no flourishing with his sword ; he is through your body in an instant." ^ Johnson was here solaced with an elegant entertainment, a very accomplished family, and much good company ; among whom was Mr. Harris of Salisbury, who paid him many compliments on his " Journey to the Western Islands." The common remark as to the utility of reading history being made; — Johnson. " We must consider how very little history there is;: I mean real authentic history. That certaicj kings reigned, and certain battles were fought we can depend upon as true ; but all the colouring, all the philosophy of history is coH' jecture." Boswell. " Then, Sir, you Ayouk reduce all history to no better than an almanac a mere chronological series of remarkabl events."^ Mr. Gibbon, who must at that tim have been employed upon his history, of whicl; he published the first volume in the foUowin year, was present ; but did not step forth i defence of that species of writing. He pre bably did not like to ii-ust himself with Johr son.6 Johnson observed, that the force of oij early habits was so great, that though reasc; approved, nay, though our senses relished ' different course, almost every man returned i them. I do not believe there is any obsorv; tion upon human nature better founded ilu. this; and in many cases, it is a very painf truth ; for where early habits have been me; and wretched, the joy and elevation resulti; fi'oni better modes of life must be damped 1 the gloomy consciousness of being under : almost inevitable doom to sink back into, situation which we recollect with disgust. ■ surely may be prevented, by constant attenti and unremitting exertion to establish contra habits of superior eflicacy. 1 Mrs. Piozzi tells this story, probably more truly and more forcibly, though with rather less delicacy of expres- sion — " Every man gets a mouthful, but no man a belli/ful." Johnson added, that some officious friend had repeated it to Lord Ikite while the question of his pension was afloat, and that Lord Bute only replied, " He will have tlie pension never- | theless." — Anecdotes. I suspect that Home was the " offi- cious friend." and that hence may have arisen Johnson's evident dislike of the author ni Douglas — Crokeu. 2 Jolnison's conjecture was erroneous. Walton did not retire from business till 1643. But in \cm. Ur. King, Bishop of Chichester, in a letter prefixed to his " Lives," mentions his having been familiarly acquainted with him for forty years ; and in l(i31 he was so intimate with Dr. Donne, that he was one of the friends wlio attended him on his death- bed. — J. Boswell, jmi. And, as Mr. Markland observes to me, Walton's condition in life was not very low ; he was in a respectable line of business, and was well descended, and well allied: his mother was niece to Archbishop Cran- mer, and his wife was the sister of Bishop Ken. But it seems to me that Johnson cunlbmids distinction with separation of ranks. Literature has always been a passport into higher society. Walton was received, as Johnson himself was a century later, not on a footing of personal or polit , equality, but of social and literary intercourse. — CROKEsi 3 The first time he dined with me, he was shown into 1 book room, and instantly pored over the lettering of ej volume within his reach. My collection of books is t miscellaneous, and I feared there might be some among tl:| th.it he would not like. But seeing the number of volu.| very considerable, he said, " You are an honest mat* have formed so great an accumulation of knowledge.* Bl'BNEY. ] •* Mrs. Piozzi describes Johnson's promptitude of tho\f and expression on such occasions by a hajipy classical sion : " His notions rose up like the dragon's teeth sow: Cadmus, all re.idy clothed, and in bright battle." — Croker. 5 Mr. (afterwards Lord) Plunket made a great sens' in the House of Commons (Feb. 'iS. 182n), by saying history if not judiciously read was " no better than ml almanack,"— which Mercierhad already said in liis.Afo«:5 Tableau de Paris — " Malet du Pan's and such-like histfj of the revolution are no better than an old olmanM Boswell, we see, had anticipated both. — Croker. 6 See anti, p. 44.5. n. 4. — C. jlSih 3w:r fitjr l^T.66. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 453 "The Beggar's Opera," and the common question, whether it was pernicious in it effects, having been introduced ; — Johnson. " As to this matter, which has been very much con- tested, I myself am of opinion, tliat more influence has been ascribed to ' The Beggar's Opera ' than it in reality ever had ; for 1 do not believe that any man was ever made a rogue by being present at its representation. At the same time I do not deny that it may have some influence, by making the character of a rogue familiar, and in some degree pleasing." ' Then collecting himself, as it were, to give a heavy stroke : " There is in it such a lahefac- tation " of all principles as may be injurious to morality." "\ATiile he pronounced this response, we sat in a comical sort of restraint, smothering a laugh, which we were afraid might burst out. In his Life of Gay, he has been still more de- cisive as to the inefficiency of " The Beggar's Opera " in corrupting society. But I have ever thought somewhat dirt'erently ; for, indeed, not only are the gaiety and heroism of a high- wayman very captivating to a youthful ima- Igination, but the arguments for adventurous depredation are so plausible, the allusions so lively, and the contrasts with the ordinary and more painful modes of acquiring property are ■so artfully displayed, that it requires a cool jand strong judgment to resist so imposing an 'aggregate : yet, I own, I should be very sorry to have " The Beggar's Opera " suppressed ; (for there is in it so much of real London life, so much brilliant wit, and such a variety of airs, whicli, from early association of ideas, engage, ,soothe, and enliven the mind, that no perform- |ance which the theatre exhibits delights me jmore. ! The late "worthy" Duke of Queensbury 3, jas Thomson, in his " Seasons," justly charac- jterises him, told me, that when Gay showed |him " The Beggar's Opera," his Grace's ob- jservation was, "This is a very odd thing, [Gay ; I am satisfied that it is either a very ■ ood thing, or a very bad thing." It proved ' A very eminent physici.in, whose discernment is as acute ]ind penetrating in judging of the human character as it is in this own profession, remarked once at a club where I was, that fa. lively young man, fond of pleasure, and without money, Jwould hardly resist a solicitation from his mistress to go lUpon the highway, immediately after being present at the jrepresentation of •' The Beggar's Opera." 1 have been told of an ingenious observation by Mr. Gibbon, that " The Beg- gar's Opera may, perhaps, have sometimes increased the Jjumber of highwaymen ; but that it has had a beneficial feffect in refining that class of men, making them less fero- fcious, more polite, in short, more like gentlemen." Upon [which Mr. Courtenay said, that " Gay was the Orpheus of Ihighwaymen." — Boswr.LL. These are probably scraps of /Ae iClub conversation, and the physician was perhaps Dr. For- dyce. — Crokf.r. Mr. Burke, however, thought the literary merit of the Beggar's Opera small, and its social eiTect in- jurious. Bisset's Life, i. 2'19. - M.^rki.and. - This word is not to be found in Johnson's Dictionarv I but " LABEPY, to weaken, to impair," is ; from which he pro- b.ihly coined .u the moment " labc/actalion," without attend- ing to etymological analogies, for such verbs as signify, [•"■''t/tf. become nouns by the addition of cation ; ami sattsfy iproduces satis/ac//on ; but I remember no instance of the declension o. ; 3 The third Duke of Queensbury, and second Duke of Dover ; the patron of Gay and Thomson. He died in 1778, in the 80th year of his age.— Choker. ■* The gravity of the performance of Macheath seems a strange merit — Choker. 5 Richard Brinsley Sheridan's witli Miss Linlev, which took place I3th April, 1773. At the time of the marri.ige she was under an engagement to the Worcester Music Meeting.whicli Sheridan was, with great difficulty, persuaded by the Di- rectors to .allow her to fulfil ; but the sum she received was given to the charity. Ilcr singing at Oxford, at the installation of Lord North, as Chancellor, in 177:), was, as Dr. Hall told me, put on the footing of obliging ' his Lordship and the University ; and when, on that occasion, sever.al degrees were conferred, in the academic form of " honoris causu," Lord North slyly observed, that Sheridan should have a degree " vxoris causa," but he had not. — CnoKEU. 6 A few words are here omitted. See anti, p. 17G. n.G. — Choker. ' In those troublesome times men were contending for funilamental principles, and were always zealous, and some- times disinterested, in proportion to the greatness of the public stake ; but since the Revolution, and the extinction of the claims of the house of Stuart, the principles of our constitution are so generally admitted, that little is left to be contested for, except the hands by which affairs shall be ad- G G 3 the former, beyond the warmest expectations of the author, or his friends. Mr. Cambridge, however, showed us to-day, that there was good reason enough to doubt concerning its success. He was told by Quin, that during the first night of its appearance it was long in a very dubious state; that there was a dispo- sition to damn it, and that it was saved by the song, " Oh ponder well ! be not severe ! " the audience being much affected by the in- nocent looks of Polly, wlien she came to those two lines, which exhibit at once a painful and ridiculous image, " For on the rope that hangs my dear, Depends poor Polly's life." Quin himself had so bad an opinion of it, that he refused the part of Captain Macheath, and gave it to Walker, who acquired great cele- brity by his grave * yet animated performance of it. We talked of a young gentleman's marriage^ with an eminent singer, and his determination that she should no longer sing in public, though his father was very earnest she should, because her talents woidd be liberal! v rewarded, so as to make her a good fortune. It was questioned whether the young gentleman, who had not a shilling in the world, but Avas blest with very uncommon talents, was not foolishly delicate or foolishly proud, and his father truly rational without being mean. Johnson, with all the high spirit of a Boman senator, exclaimed, " He resolved wisely and nobly, to be sure. He is a brave man. Would not a gentleman be disgraced by having his wife singing publicly for hire ? No, Sir, there can be no doubt here." ^ Johnson arraigned the modern politics of this country, as entirely devoid of all principle of whatever kind. " Politics," said he, " are now nothing more than means of rising in the world. With this sole view do men engage in politics, and their whole conduct proceetls upon it.'' How different in that respect is the state 454 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1775. of the nation now from what it was in the time of Charles the First, during the Usurpation, and after the Restoration, in the time of Charles the Second. Hudibras affords a strong proof how much hold political principles had then upon the minds of men. There is in Hudibras a great deal of bullion which will always last. But, to be sure, the brightest strokes of his wit owed their force to the im- pression of the characters, which was upon men's minds at the time ; to their knowing them, at table and in the street; in short, being familiar with them ; .and above all, to his satu'e being directed against those whom a little while before they had hated and feared. The nation in general has ever been loyal, has been at all times attached to the monarch, though a few daring rebels have been wonder- fully powerful for a time. The murder of Charles the First was undoubtedly not com- mitted with the approbation or consent of the people. Had that been the case, parliament would not have ventured to consign the regicides to their deserved punishment.' And we know what exuberance of joy there was when Charles the Second was restored. If Charles the Second had bent all his mind to it, had made it his sole object, he might have been as absolute as Louis the Fourteenth." " A gentleman observed, he would have done no harm if he had. Johnson. " Why, Sir, absolute princes seldom do any harm. But they who are governed by them are governed by chance. There is no security for good government." Cambridge. " There have been many sad victims to absolute government." Johnson. " So, Sir, have there been to popular factions." BoswELL. "The question is, which is worst, one wild beast or many ? " Johnson praised " The Spectator," particu- larly the character of Sir Roger de Coverley. He said, " Sir Roger did not die a violent death, as has been generally fancied. He was not killed ; he died only because others were to die, and because his death afforded an opportunity to Addison for some very fine writing. We have the example of Cervantes making Don Quixote die. I never could see why Sir Roger is represented as -a little cracked. It appears to me that the story of the widow was intended to have something ministered : in such circumstances, politics must become more of a profession in which men will seek personal advancement, than when their private feelings were mixed up with questions of vital public importance. — Crokeb, 1831. I fear that the Reform Bill, and other political events which have occurred since the foregoing note was written, have again Inougbt Jitn. damental principles into question, and that our children, if not ourselves, are likely to see a perilous renewal of tlieold contest between monarchy and democracy. — Crokeii, I84(i, 1 I concur in Johnson's opinion as to the Jact ; but it seems to me, that the prao/' adduced is very inconclusive ; for if the execution of the re^'icides proves one state of the public mind, surely the execution of the king himself might be adduced to prove another. — Choker. 2 Did Dr. Johnson forget the power of the public purse, placed in the hands of the House of Commons, and all the arts, intrigues, and violence whicli Charles and his ministers tried, and tried in vain, to evade or resist that control ? Did he also forget that there were juries in that reign ? a superinduced upon it ; but the superstructure did not come." Somebody found fault with writing verses in a dead language, maintaining that they were merely arrangements of so many words, andi laughed at the Universities of Oxford andi Cambridge, for sending forth collections of, them, not only In Greek and Latin, but even in Syriac, Arabic, and other more unknown, tongues.^ Johnson. " I would have as many i of these as possible ; I would have verses in ' evei-y language that there are the means of acquiring. Nobody imagines that an university Is to have at once two hundred poets : but it , should be able to show two hundred scholars. Pelresc's ''• death was lamented, I think. In forty languages. And I would have had at every coronation, and eveiy death of a king, every Gaudium, and every Luctus, university-verses^ In as many languages as can be acquired. I would have the world be thus told, " Here Is a' school where every thing may be learnt.' " Having set out next day on a visit to the Earl of Pembroke, at Wilton, and to my friend Mr. Temple, at Mamhead, in Devonshire, and not having returned to town till the 2d of May, I did not see Dr. Johnson for a consider-' able time, and during the remaining part of my stay In London kept very imperfect notes- of his conversation, which had I according tc! my usual custom written out at large soor after the time, much might have been pre- served, which Is now irretrievably lost. I car now only record some particular scenes, and f few fragments of his meworahilia. But t( make some amends for my relaxation of dlH- gence In one respect, I can present my reader; with arguments upon two law cases, with whicl: he favoured me. On Saturday, the 6 th of May, we dined h] oui'selves at the Mitre, and he dictated to m( what follows, to obviate the complaint alread_' mentioned [p. 428.], which had been made ii ' the form of an action In the Court of Sessioi by Dr. Memis, of Aberdeen, that In the sami: translation of a charter In which physician were mentioned, he was called doctor of medi i " There are but two reasons for which a physi cian can decline the title oi doctor of medicine— jury might occasionally be packed or intimidated, but ther still vitre Juries ! — CnoKER. 3 " In foreign universities, Wiien a king's born, or weds, or dies, Straight other studies are laid by, i And all apply to poetry ; Some write in Hebrew, some in Greek, And some (more wise) in Arabic, 1" avoid the critic and th' expense Of difficulter wit and sense, And seem more Icarnedish than those That at a greater charge compose." — Butler. P. Cunningham. ^ This learned Frenchman was born in 1580, and die 1G37. His Life, written in Latin by Gassendi, was trans lated into English by Dr. Hand, and "dedicated to Evelyn. -' Wright. JEt. 66. BOS^TELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1 because he supposes himself disgraced by the doc- torship, or supposes the doctorshlp disgraced by himself. To be disgraced by a title which he shares I in common with every illustrious name of his pro- i fussion, with Boerhaave, with Arbuthnot, and with ; Cullen, can surely diminish no man's reputation. It is, I suppose, to the doctorate, from whicli he shrinks, that he owes his right of practising physic, i A doctor of medicine is a physician under the pro- tection of the laws, and by the stamp of authority. ' The physician who is not a doctor usurps a i)ro- i fession, and is authorised only by himself to decide upon hcallli and sickness, and life and death. That , this gentleman is a doctor, his diploma makes evi- 1 dent ; a diploma not obtruded upon him, but ob- tained bv solicitation, and for which fees were paid. I With what countenance any man. can refuse the 1 title which he has either begged or bought, is not easily discovered. " All verbal injury must comprise in it either some false position, or some unnecessary declaration I of defamatory truth. That in calling him doctor, I a false appellation was given him, he himself will I not pretend, who at the same time that he com- f plains of the title would be offended if we supposed ihim to be not a doctor. If the title of doctor be a defamatory truth, it is time to dissolve our colleges ; for why should the public give salaries to men .0 approbation is reproach? It may likewise 1 ve the notice of the public to consider what ii can be given to the professors of physic, who all share with this unhappy gentleman the igno- minious appellation, and of whom the very hoys in the street are not afraid to say, There goes the doctor. " What is implied by the term doctor is well known. It distinguishes him to whom it is granted, as a man who has attained such knowledge of his ! profession as qualifies him to instruct others. A j doctor of law is a man who can form lawyers by i his precepts. A doctor of medicine is a man who I can teach the art of curing diseases. This is an I old axiom which no man has yet thought fit to I deny. Nil dat quod non hubet. Upon this principle to be doctor implies skill, for nemo docet quod non didicit. In England, whoever practises physic, not being a doctor, nmst practise by a licence ; but the doctorate conveys a licence in itself. " By what accident it happened that he and the other physicians were mentioned in different terms, where the terms themselves were equivalent, or where in effect that which was applied to him was the most honourable, perhaps they who wrote the paper cannot now remember. Had they expected a lawsuit to have been the consequence of such petty variation, I hope tiiey would have avoided it.' But, probably, as they meant no ill, they suspected ' In justice to Dr. Memis. though I was against him as an advocate, I must mention, that he objected to the variation very earnestly, before the translation was printed off. — BosnELL. ■■' Old Bedlam was one of the sights of London, like the Abbey and the Touer. (.See Tatlcr, No. 70.) The public were admitted for a small fee to perambulate long galleries into which the cells opened (these Boswell calls the viansiotis), and even to converse with the mani.ics. " To gratify the curiosity of a country friend, 1 accompanied him a few weeks ago to Bedlam. Ic was in the Easter week, when, to my great surprise, \ found a hundred people at least, who, having paid their twopence apiece, were suffered, unat- tended, to run rioting up and down the wards, making sport and diversion of the miserable inhabitants," &c.— TAelKor/d, No. 23. June 7. 1753. See also Plate 8. of Hogarth's Rake's Progress, where two lady visitors seem to have been admitted into the cell of the maniacs. — Croker, 184G. 3 My very honourable friend. General Sir George Howard, who served in the Duke of Cumberland's army, has assured me that the cruelties were not imputable to his Royal High- ness. BoswELL. On the morning of the battle ofCiillo- den, Lord George Murray, the chief of the Pretender's staff, issued an order to give no quarter to the royal forces. The Jacobites affected to say that this was the act of the indi- vidual and not of the Prince or his party ; but it is undeni- able that such a general order was given, and that it became the excuse, though certainly not a justification, of the severi- ties which followed tlie battle on the part of the conquerors. — Croker. G G 4 no danger, and, therefore, consulted only what ap- peared to them propriety or convenience." A few days afterwards, I consulted him upon a cause, Paterson and others against Alexander and others, which had been decided by a cast- ing vote in the Court of Session, determining that the corporation of Slii'ling was corrupt, I and setting aside the election of some of theu: I officers, because it was proved that three of I the leading men who iuiluenced the majority had entered into an unjustifiabie compact, of which, however, the majority were ignorant. He dictated to me after a little consideration, the following sentences upon the subject. " There is a difference between majority and superiority : majority is applied to number, and superiority to power ; and power, like many other things, is to be estimated non mimero sed po7idere. j Now though the greater number is not corrupt, the greater weirjht is corrupt, so that corruption pre- dominates in the borough, taken collectively, though, perhajjs, taken numerically, the greater part may be uncorrupt. That borough, which is so constituted as to act corruptly, is in the eye of reason corrupt, whether it be by the uncontrollable power of a few, or by an accidental pravity of the multitude. The objection, in which is urged the injustice of making the innocent suffer with the guilty, is an objection not only against society, but against the possibility of society. All societies, great and small, subsist upon this condition ; that as the individuals derive advantages from union, they may likewise suffer inconveniences ; that as those who do nothing, and sometimes those who do ill, will have the honours and emoluments of general virtue and general pros- perity, so those likewise who do nothing, or perhaps do well, must be involved in the consequences of predominant corruption." This, in my opinion, was a very nice case ; but the decision was affirmed in the House of Lords. On Monday, May 8., we went together and visited the mansions' of Bedlam." I had been informed that he had once been there before with Mr. Wedderburne (now Lord Lough- borough), Mr. Murphy, and ]\L'. Foote ; and I had heai-d Foote give a very entertaining- account of Johnson's happening to have his attention arrested by a man who was very furious, and who, while beating his straw, j .supposed it was William, Duke of Cumberland whom he was punishing for his cruelties ir Scotland, in 1746.^ There was nothing pecu- 456 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1775. liarly remarkable tliis day ; but the general contemplation of insanity was very affecting. I accompanied him home, and dined and drank tea with him. Talking of an acquaintance of ours', dis- tino-uished for knowing an uncommon variety of "miscellaneous articles both in antiquities and polite literature, he observed, "You know. Sir, he runs about with little weight upon his mind." And talking of another very ingenious gentleman % who, from the warmth of'his temper, was at variance with many of his acquaintance, and wished to avoid them, he said, " Sir, he lives the life of an outlaw." On Friday, May 12., as he had been so good as to assign me a room in his house, where I might sleep occasionally, when I happened to sit'with him to a late hour, I took possession of it this night, found every thing in excellent order, and was attended by honest Francis with a most civil assiduity. I asked Johnson whether I might go to a consultation with another lawyer upon Sunday, as that appeared to me to be "doing work as much in my way, as if an artisan should work on the day appro- priated for religious rest. JonNSON. " Why, Sir, when you are of consequence enough to oppose the practice of consulting upon Sunday, you should do it; but you may go now. It is not criminal, though it is not what one should do, who is anxious for the preservation and increase of piety, to which a peculiar ob- servance of Sunday is a great help. The dis- tinction is clear between what is of moral and what is of ritual obligation." [JOHNSON TO MRS. THRALE. (^Extract.) "\2th May, Ml 5. — I wish I could say or send any thin"' to divert you ; but I have done nothing, and seen^'nothing. I dined one day with Paoli, and yes- terday witli Mrs. Southwell's', and called on Cou- Treve. ■* Mr. Twiss is going to Ireland, and I have "iven him letters to Dr. Leland and Mr. Falkner. * " Boswell has made me promise not to go to Oxford till he leaves London ; I had no great reason for haste, and therefore might as well gratify a friend. I am always proud and pleased to have my company desired. Boswell would have thought my absence a loss, and I know not who else would have considered my presence as a profit. He has entered himself at the Temple, and I joined in his bond. He is to plead before the Lords, and hopes verv nearly to gain the cost of his journey. He lives much with his friend Paoli, who says, a man must see Wales to enjoy England. "The book which is now most read, but which, as far as I have gone, is but dull, is Gray's Letters'', prefixed by Mr. Mason to his poems. I have borrowed mine, and therefore cannot lend it, and I can hardly recommend the purchase."] On Saturday, May 13., I breakfasted with him by invitation, accompanied by Mr. Andrew i Crosbie, a Scotch advocate, whom he had seen at Edinburgh [p. 270.], and the Hon. Colonel (now General) Edward Stopford, brother to Lord Courtown, who was desirous of being intro- duced to him. His tea and rolls and butter, and whole breakfast apparatus, were all in such decorum, and his behaviour was so courteous, that Colonel Stopford was quite surprised, and wondered at his having heard so much said of Johnson's slovenliness and roughness. I have preserved nothing of what passed, except that Crosbie pleased him much by talking learnedly of alchymy, as to which Johnson was not a ! positive unbeliever, but rather delighted in ' considering what progress had actually been made in the transmutation of metals, what near approaches there had been to the making of j gold; and told us that it was affirmed that a person in the Russian dominions had discovered the secret, but died without revealing it, as J imagining it would be prejudicial to society, j He °added, that it was not impossible but it j might in time be generally known. It being asked whether it was reasonable for a man to be angry at another whom a woman | had preferred to him; — Johnson. "I do not see, Sir, that it is reasonable for a man to be > angry at another whom a woman has preferred tolum; but angry he is, no doubt; and he is; loth to be angry at himself." Before setting out for Scotland on the 23d, I was frequently in his company at different places, but during this period have recorded only two remarks; one concerning Garrick: "He has not Latin enough. He finds out the Latin by the meaning, rather than the meaning by the Latin." And another concerning writers of travels, who, he observed, "werei more defective than any other writers." I passed many hours with him on the 17th,i of which I find all my memorial is, "much lauo-hin"-." It should seem he had that dayi been in a humour for jocularity and merriment, and upon such occasions I never knew a mam laugh more heartily. We may suppose that! the'high relish of a state so different from hisi habitiTal gloom produced more than ordinaryi exertions of that distinguishing faculty of man, which has puzzled philosophers so much to explain. Johnson's laugh was as remarkable as any circumstance in his manner. It was kind of good-humoured growl. Tom Davies described it drolly enough : " He laughs like a rhinoceros." » Probably Dr. Percy. — Croker. 2 No doubt Mr. George Steevens.— Crokeb. 3 See i<7ite, p. 246. n. 2. — C. 4 Sec post, 22d March, 1776. — C. 5 George Faulkner, the celebrated printer. Mr. Twiss published his tour in Ireland, which gave more olTence to the Irish than even Johnson's Journey had done to the Scotchi — Croker, 1846. , s Nothing but a strong prejudice could have made Johft son thus spe.ik of those very entertainicg letters. «°" post, 504. — Croker. ^T. 66. BOS WELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 4o7 JOHNSON TO LANGTON. "May 21. 1775. " Dear Sir, — I have an old amanuensis in great distress. I have given what I think I can give, and begged till I cannot tell where to l)eg again. I put into his hands this morning four guineas. If you could collect three guineas more, it would clear him from his present difficulty. I am. Sir, your most humble servant, Sam. Johnson."' [JOHNSON TO MRS. THRALE. (Extracts.) " London, May 22. 1775. — Boswell went away at two this morning. L[angton] I suppose goes this week. B[os\vell] got two and forty guineas in fees while lie was here. He has, by his wife's persuasion and mine, taken down a present for his mother-in-law. * * * " I am not sorry that you read Boswell's journal. Is it not a merry piece ? There is much in it about poor me. "Do not buy C[handler]'s* travels, they are duller than T [wiss] 's. W[raxall]3 is too fond of words, but you may read him. I shall take care that Adair's account of America may be sent you, for I shall have it of my own. " Beattlt, has called once to see me. He lives grand at tiie archbishop's."^ JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " May 27. 1775. " Deak. Sir, — I make no doubt but you are now safely lodged in your own habitation, and have told all your adventures to Mrs. Boswell and Miss Veronica. Pray teach Veronica to love me. Bid lar not mind mamma. '• Mrs. Thrale has taken cold, and been very much disordered, but I hope is grown well. Mr. Langton went yesterday to Lincolnshire, and has invited Nicolaida ^ to follow him. Beauclerk talks of going to bath. I am to set out on Monday; so there is nothing but dispersion " I have returned Lord Hailes's entertaining sheets, but must stay till I come back for more, because it will be inconvenient to send them after me in my vagrant state. " I promised Mrs. Macaulay * that I would try to serve her son at Oxford. I have not forgotten it, nor am unwilling to perform it. If they desire to give him an English education, it should be con- sidered whetlier they cannot send him for a year or two to an English school. If he comes imme- diately from Scotland, he can make no figure in our Universities. The schools in the north, 1 be- lieve, arc cheap ; and when I was a young man, were eminently good. • He had written to Mrs. Thralo the day before: "Peyton and Macbe.in are both surving, and I canuot keep them." — Letters.— Choker. 2 Tr.ivels in Asia Minor — Choker. 3 " Cursory Itemarks made in a Tour through some of the Noithern Parts of Kurope.*' — Croker. < Bcattie was on a visit to his friend, Dr. Porteus, who had apartments in Lambnth Palace, as chaplain to Archbishop Seeker. — Croker, 1846. ' A learned Greek — Boswell. Mr. Langton was an enthusiast about Greek. — Cuokf.r. * Wife of the Rev. Kenneth Macaulay, author of " The History of St. Kilda." — Boswell. See ante, p. 303. — C. " There are two little books published by the Fouli.s, Telemachus and Collins's Poems, each a shilling; I would be glad to have them. " Make my compliments to iMrs. Boswell, though she does not love me. You see what perverse things ladies are, and how little fit to be trusted with feudal estates. When .she mends and loves me, there may be more hope of her daughters. " I will not send compliments to my friends by name, because I would be loth to leave any out in the enumeration. Tell them, as you see them, how well I speak of Scotch politeness, and Scotch hos- pitality, and Scotch beauty, and of every thing Scotch, but Scotch oat-cakes and Scotch prejudices. "Let me know the answer of Iias A convent close to the Observatory, now a kind of lying- in hospital Choker. 6 Probably the Hotel of the Duke du Chatelet, at the corner of the Rue de Crenelle and the Boulevard des In- valides.— Choker. 1 Madame Du Bocage. See;)oi/, p. 405. n. 3 — Croker. 8 Who the abbe was does not appear, but the others were members of the English Benedictine convent at Paris Croker. The then prior of the English Benedictines was named Cowley. — Markland. ae r: Croker. JEt. 66- BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 461 furniture said to have cost 125,000/. — Damask hangings covered with pictures — Porphyry — This liouse struck me — Then we waited on the ladies to Monville's — Captain Irwin with us ' — ' Spain — County towns all beggars — ' At Dijon he could not find the way to Orleans ' — Cross roads of Fran(!e very bad — Five ' soldiers — Woman — Soldiers escaped — The ' colonel would not lose five men for the death ' of one woman — The magistrate cannot seize a 'soldier but by the colonel's permission — Good ' inn at Nismes — Moors of Barbary fond of ' Englishmen — Gibraltar eminently healthy ; it • has beef from Barbary — There is a large garden ' — Soldiers sometimes fall from the rock.' '■'• Frulaij, Oct. 13. — I stayed at home all day, only went to find the prior, who was not at home — I read something in Canus.^ — Nee admiror, nee multuin laudo. " Saturday. Oct. 14. — We went to the house of INI. [D'] Argenson, which was almost wain- scotted with looking-glasses, and covered with gold — The lady's closet wainscotted with large squares of glass over painted paper — They always place mirrors to reflect their rooms. " Then we went to Julien's ^, the treasurer of the clergy — 30,000Z. a year — The house has no very large room, but is set with mirrors, and covered with gold — Books of wood here, and in another library. "At D [' Argenson's] I looked into the books in the lady's closet, and in contempt showed them to Mr. T[hrale] — ' Prince Titi ■^ ; Bibl. ' The rest of this paragraph appears to be a minute of what was told by Captain Irwin Boswell. Ami I have tlierefort marked it as quotation — Croker. '- Mclchior Canus, a celebrated Spanish Dominican, who died at Toledo, in 1560. He wrote a treatise " De Locis Theologicis," in twelve books. — Boswell. He was cele- brated for the beauty of his Latinity: " Melchior Canus parlait I.atin comme Ciceron." — Vigneul-Marvilliana, vol. i. p. IGl Croker. 3 M.de .St. Julien, Receveur-general du Clerge. — Crokeh. ■• The History of Prince Titi was said to be the anto- bioaraphy of Frederick Prince of Wales, but was probably written "by Ralph, his secretary. See Park's Roy. and Nob. .■Viith., vol. i. p. 171. — C, 1831. On this note Mr. Ma- caulay says in his Review, " A more absurd note never was penned. The ' History of Prince Titi,' to which Mr. Cro- ker refers, whether written by Prince Frederick or by Ralph, was certainly never published. If Mr. Croker had taken the trouble to read witli attention the very passage in Park's R. and N. Authors, which he cites as his authority, he would have seen that the MS. was given up to the Government ; " and Mr. Macaulay adds, that there is no history of Prince Titi, but the fairy tale so called in the Magasin dcs Enfans," &c. Now, every item, great and small, of this statement, is a blunder, or worse; some of which, as relating to a curious jioint of literary history, it seems worth while to correct. A book of this title was published in Paris, in 1735, and re-published in 1752, \mder the title of Ilistoire du Prince Titi, A (llc- man's and the London Magazines for February 1736, one of them with this title: " The History of Prince Titi ; a Royal Allegory, in Three Parts. With an Essay on Allegorical Writing, and a Key. By the Honourable Mrs. Stanley, and sold by E. Curl, price '.is." And it is mentioned as pub- lished by Park in his note (v. 354.) on the passage quoted, which, it seems, Mr. Macaulay never read at all. Neither of the translations have I been able to find ; but in the French work, amidst the puerility and nonsense of a very stupid fairy tale, it is clear enough, without any icy, that by Prince Titi, King Ginguet, and Queen Tripasse, are meant Prince Frederick, George II., and Queen Caroline. It Is stated in Barbier, and in a JIS. note in the Museum copy, that the work is by one Themiseul de St. Ilyacinthe, who seems to have been what is called a bookseller's hack. He translated Robinson Crusoe, and may have been employed des Fees, and other books — She was offended, and shut up, as we heard afterwards, her apart- ment. " Then we went to Julien le Roy, the king's watchmaker, a man of character in his business, who showed a small clock made to find the longitude. A decent man. " Afterwards we saw the Palais Marchand ^ and the courts of justice, civil and criminal — Queries on the Sellctte '^ — This building has the old Gothic passages, and a great appearance of antiquity. Three hundred prisoners some- times in the gaol. " Lluch disturbed ; hope no ill will be.'' " In the afternoon I visited Mr. Freron the journalist.^ He spoke Latin very scantily, but seemed to understand me. His house not splendid, but of commodious size. His family, wife, son 9, and daughter, not elevated, but de- cent. I was pleased with my reception. He is to translate my books, which I am to send him with notes. '■'■Sunday^ Oct. 15. — At Choisi, a royal palace on the banks of the Seine, about 7 m. from Paris. The terrace noble along the river. The rooms numerous and grand, but not discrimi- nated from other palaces. The chapel beautiful, but small — China globes — inlaid tables — labyrinth — sinking table '" — toilet tables. " Monday, Oct. 16. — The Palais Eoyal very grand, large and lofty — A very great collec- tion of pictures — three of Raphael — two Holy Family — one small piece of M. Angelo — one to translate or edite Prince Titi in Paris ; but by whomsoever written, the work is extant. The MS. delivered up by Ralph's executor, twenty years later (not to the Government, as Mr. Macaulay states, but) to the Prince's widow, may have been the (perhaps garbled) original from which the French edition was made, or, more probably, a continuation of the work to a later period of that Prince's life. I do not how- ever believe that the work published in 1735 could have been written by Ralph. It is too puerile ; and Ralph could hardly have been so early in the Prince's confidence : but it seems probable that the work was exhibited purposely on the lady's table, in the expectation that her English visitors would think it a literary curiosity, whicli, indeed, it has proved to be ; for Dr. Johnson seems not to have known what it was, and Mr. Macaulay boldly denies its very existence. — Croker, 1816. 5 It was not quite correct to apply the name of Pn/a(.s Marchand to the whole of that vast building called generally the Palais, which from being the old Palace of the kings of France had (like our own Palace of Westminster) become appropriated to the sittings of the parliament and the courts of justice ; and the Concier^crie of that palace (like the Gate- house of ours) became a prison. The Palais Marchand was properly only the stalls (like what are now called bazaars) which were placed along some of the galleries and corridors of the Palais C, 1830. They have been all swept away in Louis Philippe's restoration of the Palais. — Croker, 18-16. 6 The Sf«t'«e was astool on which the criminal sat while he was interrogated by the court, — a remnant of the old " question." This, I suppose, is what Johnson means by " . s His tender afTection for his departed wife, of which there are many evidences in his " Prayers and Meditations," ap- pears very feelingly in this passage Boswell. 1" This observation, which Johnson afterwards repeats, was battles of the great Conde are painted in one of the rooms — The present prince a grand- sire at thirty-nine.^ " The sight of palaces, and other great buildings, leaves no very distinct images, un- less to those who talk of them — As I entered, my wife was in my mind ^ ; she would have been pleased. Having now nobody to please, I am little pleased. " N. B. In France there is no middle rank.'" " So many shops open, that Sunday is little distinguished at Paris — The palaces of Louvre and Thuilleries granted out in lodgings. " In the Palais de Bourbon, gilt globes of metal at the fire-place. " The French beds commended — Much of the marble only paste. " The Colosseum ' ' a mere wooden building, at least much of it. " Wednesday, Oct. 18. — We went to Fon- tainebleau, which we found a large mean town, crowded with peoi^le — The forest thick with woods, very extensive — Manucci {_post, p. 524.] secured us lodgings — The appearance of the country pleasant — no hills, few streams, only one hedge — I remember no chapels nor crosses on the road — Pavement still, and rows of trees. " N.B. Nobody but mean people walk in Paris. " Thursday, Oct. 19. — At court we saw the apartments — The king's bed-chamber and council-chamber extremely splendid — Per- sons of all ranks in the'external rooms through which the family passes — servants and masters — Brunet '* with us the second time. " The introductor came to us — civil to me — Presenting — I had scruples '^ — Not neces- sary — We went and saw the king and queen at dinner — We saw the other ladies at dinner unfounded, in the sense in which he appears to have meant it. France was, in theory, divided (as England is) into the clergy, the nobles, and the commons, and so it might be said that there was no middle rank ; but not only did the theoretical constitution of society thus resemble that of England, but so did its practical details. There were, first, the peers of France, who had seats and voices in the parlia- ment, but they were of little weight as a political body, from the smallnessof theii nuibers, and because the\r parlia7nent had only continued to be wi)at we still call ours, a high court, and had lost its legislative fhnctions ; — next came the 7wblesse— the gentilhommes — answering to our gentry; then the middle classes of society, composed of the inferior gentrj', lawyers, medical men, inferior clergy, literary men, mer- chants, artists, manufacturers, notaries, shopkeepers, in short, all those who in every country constitute the middle classes, and they undoubtedly existed in France in their due proportion to the gentry on one hand, and the working classes on the other. Johnson's remark is the stranger, be- cause it would seem that his acquaintance while in Paris was almost exclusively with persons of this middle class ; but it must be observed, that his intercourse and his consequent sources of information were not extensive. Mrs. Piozzi said to him, talking of the progress of refinement of maimers in England, '' I much wonder whether this refinement has spread all over the continent, or whether it is confined to our own island : when we were in France we could form little judgment, as our time was chiefly passed among the English." — Croker. 11 This building, which stood in the Faubourg St. Honor^, was a kind of Ranelagh, and was destroyed a few years after. — Croker. 1- Perhaps M. J. L. Brunet, a celebrated advocate.— Croker. 13 It was the custom previous to court presentations, that an officer waited on the persons to be introduced, to instruct them in the forms. Johnson's scruples probably arose from JEt. 66. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 46S — Madame Elizabeth, -with the Princess of Guimene — At night we went to a comedy — I neither saw nor heard — Drunken women — Mrs. T. preferred one to the other. " Friday, Oct. 20. — "We saw the queen mount in the forest — Brown habit ; rode aside : one lady rode aside ' — The queen's horse light gray — martingale — She galloped — We then went to the apartments, and admired them — Then wandered through the palace — In the passages, stalls and shops — Painting in fresco by a great master, worn out — We saw the king's horses and dogs — The dogs almost all English — degenerate — 'The horses not much commended — The stables cool ; the kennel filthy. " At night the ladies went to the opera — I refused, but should have been welcome. " The king fed himself with his left hand as we. " Saturday, Oct. 21. — In the night I got round — We came home to Paris — 1 think we did not see the chapel — Tree broken by the wind — The French chairs made all of boards painted.' " N. B. Soldiers at the court of justice ^ — Soldiers not amenable to the magistrates — ])ijon women. "^ '• Fagots in the palace — Everything slovenly, except in the chief rooms — Trees in the roads, some tall, none old, many very young and small. " Women's saddles seem ill made — Queen's liridle woven with silver — Tags to strike the horse. " Sunday, Oct. 22. — To Versailles, a mean ^ town — Carriages of business passing — Mean shops against the wall — Our way lay through Seve, where the China manufacture — Wooden bridge at Seve, in the way to Versailles — The palace of great extent — The front long ; I saw it not perfectly — The Menagerie — Cygnets dark ; their black feet ; on the ground ; tame — Halcyons, or gulls — Stag and hind, young — Aviary, very large ; the net, wire — I'lack stag of China, small — Rhinoceros, the liorn broken and pared away, which, I suppose, will grow; the basis, I think, four inches across; the skin folds like loose cloth doubled over his ; — it is an etiquette generally insisted on to present at i-jn courts those only who had been presented to their . a sovereign at home. Johnson had never been publicly ...(.iL'iitiHi to George III., though he had had that honour in private, and may, therefore, have entertained scruples whether he was entitled to be presented to the King of France; but those scruples were in this case not neces- sary, the rule applying only lo formal presentations at court, and not to admission to see the king dine. — Cbokek. ' This probably means that the queen was attended by only one lady, who also rode aside ; and not that one female attendant rode so, while other ladies rode astride. — Cboker. 2 Meaning, no doubt, that they were not of cedar, ebony, or mahogany, but of some meaner wood, coloured over ; a fashion which had not yet reached Engl.ind Croker. * The marechaussie was posted at the gates of the courts of justice; but the interior discipline was maintained by huissiers, ushers, the servants of the court Croker. * See ante, p. 2G1 . — BoswEix. ' Here is some mistake ; probably from defect of sight. Versailles is a remarkably stately town. — Crokek. 6 This epithet should be applied to this animal with one bunch. — BoswELL. 7 The upper floors of most houses in France are tiled Croker. 8 That magnificent buildlng.which was both a theatre and a ball-room. It was rarely used ; the lighting and other ex- penses for a single night being 100,000 francs. It is celebrated in the History of the Revolution as the scene of the enter- tainment given by the Gardes du Corps on the 1st of October, 1789 ; of which innocent and, indeed, laudable testimony of attachment between them and their unhappy sovereigns, the rebels, by misrepresentations and calum- nies, made so serious an affair — '• When at Versailles," says Mrs. Piozzi, " the people showed us the theatre. As we stood on the stage, looking at some machinery for playhouse purposes — ' Now we are here, what shall we act. Dr. Johnson ? The Englishman at Paris ?• —' No, no,' re- plied he, ' we will trv to act Harry the Fifth.' " — Croker. 5 It is surprising how this should have escaped Johnson's observations. It is, both externally and internally, one of the most reniiirkable objects of Versailles.— Croker. body, and cross his hips ; a vast animal, though young ; as big, perhaps, as four oxen — The young elephant, with his tusks just appearing — The brown bear put out his paws — all very tame — The lion — The tigers I did not well view — The camel, or dromedary, with two bunches called the IIuguin<5, taller than any horse — Two camels with one bunch — Among the birds was a pelican, who being let out, went to a fountain, and swam about to catch fish — his feet well webbed ; he dipped his head, and turned his long bill sideways — he caught two or three fish, but did not eat them. " Trianon is a kind of retreat appendant to Versailles — It has an open portico ; the pave- ment, and, I think, the pillars, of marble — There are many rooms, which I do not dis- tinctly remember — A table of porphyry, about five feet long, and between two and three broad, given to Louis XIV. by the Vene- tian state — In the council-room almost all that was not door or window Avas, I think, looking- glass — Little Trianon is a small palace like a gentleman's house — The u2:>per floor paved with brick'' — Little Vienne — The court is ill paved — The rooms at the top are small, fit to soothe the imagination with privacy — In the front of Versailles arc small basins of water on the terrace, and other basins, I think, below them — There are little courts — The great gallery is wainscotted with mirrors not very large, but joined by frames — I suppose the large plates were not yet made — The play- house was very large ^ — The chapel ^ I do not remember if we saw — We saw one chapel, but I am not certain whether there or at Trianon — The foreign office paved with bricks [tiles] — The dinner half a louis each, and, I think, a louis over — Money given at menagerie, three livres ; at palace, six livres. JOHNSON TO LEVETT. " Paris, Oct. 22. 1775. " Dear Sir, — We are still here, commonly very busy in looking about us. We have been to-day at Versailles. You have seen it, and I shall not describe it. We came yesterday from Fontainbleau, wliere the court is now. We went to see the king and queen at dinner, and the queen was so im- 464 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1776. pressed by Miss S that she sent one of the gentle- men to inquire who she was. I find all true that you have ever told me at Paris. Mr. Thrale is very liberal, and keeps us two coaches, and a very fine table ; but I think our cookery very bad. Mrs. Thrale got into a convent of English nuns, and I talked with her through the grate, and I am very kindly used by the English Benedictine friars. But upon the whole I cannot make much ac- quaintance here : and though the churches, palaces, and some private houses are very magnificent, there is no very great pleasure after having seen many, in seeing more ; at least the pleasure, what- ever it be, must some time have an end, and we are beginning to think when we shall come home. Mr. Thrale calculates that as we left Streatham on the 15th of September, we shall see it again about the 15th of November. " I think I had not been on this side of the sea five days before I found a sensible improvement in my health. 1 ran a race in the rain this day, and beat Baretti. Baretti is a fine fellow, and speaks French, I think, quite as well as English. " Make my compliments to Mrs. Williams ; and give my love to Francis ; and tell my friends that I am not lost. I am, dear Sir, your affectionate humble, &c., Sam. Johnson." '■'■Monday, Oct. 23. — Last night I wrote to Levett. — We went to see the looking- glasses wrought — They come from Nor- mandy in cast plates, perhaps the third of an inch thick — At Paris they are ground upon a marble table, by rubbing one plate upon another with grit between them — The various sands, of which there are said to be five, I could not learn — The handle, by which the upper glass is moved, has the form of a wheel, which maybe moved in all directions — The plates are sent up with their surfaces ground, but not polished, and so continue till they are bespoken, lest time should spoil the siuiace, as we were told — Those that are to be polished are laid on a table covered with several thick cloths, hard strained, that the resistance may be equal : they are then rubbed with a hand rubber, held down hard by a contrivance which I did not well imderstand — The powder which is used last seemed to me to be iron dissolved in aquafortis ; they called it, as Baretti said, marc de Veau forte, which he thought was dregs — They mentioned vitriol and saltpetre — The cannon ball swam in the quicksilver — To silver them, a leaf of beaten tin is laid, and rubbed with quicksilver, to Avhich it unites — Then more quicksilver is poured upon it, which, by its mutual [attraction] rises very high — Then a paper is laid at the nearest end of the plate, over which the glass is slided till it lies upon the plate, having • Miss Thrale. — BoswEi.L. 2 The Hotel de Ville. — Croker. 3 Santerre, the detestable ruffian who afterwards con- ducted Louis XVI. to the sciiffold, and commanded the troops that guarded it during his murder Malone. '> A misreading, 1 think, of Johnson's MS., for Diirandi Sententiarmn {Lihri), I know of no work entitled Durandi Sanctuarium. — Choker, 181(5. driven much of the quicksilver before it — It is then, I think, pressed upon cloth, and then set sloping to drop the superfluous mercury : the slope is daily heightened towards a per- pendicular. " In the way I saw the Greve, the mayor's house % and the Bastlle. We then went to Sans-terre, a brewer^ — He brews with about as much malt as Mr. Thrale, and sells his beer at the same price, though he pays no duty for malt, and little more than half as much for beer — Beer is sold retail at sixpence a bottle — He brews 4,000 barrels a year — there are seventeen brewers in Paris, of whom none is supposed to brew more than he — Reckoning them at 3,000 each, they make 51,000 a year — They make their malt, for malting is here no trade. " The moat of the Bastile is dry. " TuesdcLy, Oct. 24. — We visited the king's library — I saw the Speculum HumaiKB Salva- tionist rudely printed, with ink, sometimes pale, sometimes black ; part supposed to be with wooden types, and part with pages cut in boards. The Bible supposed to be older than that of Mentz, in 1462 ; it has no date : it is supposed to have been printed with wooden types — I am in doubt ; the print is large and foir, in two folios — Another book was shown me, supposed to have been printed with wooden types — I think Durandi Sanctuarium^ in 1458 — This is inferred from the difference of form sometimes seen in the same letter, which might be struck with different puncheons — The regular similitude of most letters proves better that they are metal — I saw nothing but the Speculum, which I had not seen, I think, before. " Thence to the Sorbonne — The library very large, not in lattices like the king's — Marhonc and Durandi, q. collection 14 vol. Scriplores de rebus Gallicis, many folios — Histoire Oenealogique of France, 9 vol. — Gallia CJu-istiana, the first edition, 4to., the last, f., 12 vol. — The prior and librarian dined with us — I waited on them home — their garden pretty, with covered walks, but small ; yet may hold many students — The doctors of | the Sorbonne are all equal — choose those who succeed to vacancies — Profit little. " Wednesday, Oct. 25. — I went with the prior to St. Cloud, to see Dr. Hooke ^ — We walked round the palace, and had some talk — I dined with our whole company at the monas- tery — In the library, Beroald — Cymon — Titus, from Boccace — Oratio Proverhialis to the Virgin, from Petrarch ; Falkland to Sandys — Dryden's Preface to the third vol. of JMis- cellanies.'^ 5 Second son of Hooke, the historian, a doctor of the Sor- bonne Croker. 6 He means, I suppose, that he read tliose different pieces while he remained in the library. — Boswell. He could hardly have rend any thing on such a visit. Probably a cursory glance into Beroald and Boccaccio suggested some recollection of Falkland and Drydcn. — Crokek, 1846. ^T. 66. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 465 " Thursday, Oct. 26. — We saw the cliina at S^ve, cut, glazed, painted — Bellevue ', a pleasing house, not great: fine prospect — Meudon, an old palace — Alexander, in porphyry : hollow between eyes and nose, thin cheeks — Plato and Aristotle — Noble terrace overlooks the town. — St. Cloud — Gallery not very high nor grand, but pleasing — In the rooms, Michael Angelo drawn by himself, Sir Thomas INIore, Des Cartes, Bochart, Naudffius, Mazarine — Gilded wainscot, so common that it is not minded — Gough and Keene — Hooke came to us at the inn — A message from Drumgould." '■''Friday, Oct. 27. — I staid at home — Gough and Keene, and Mrs. S 's-* friend dined with us — This day we began to have a fire — The weather is grown very cold, and, I fear, has a bad effect upon my breath, which has grown much more free and easy in this country. "■Saturday, Oct. 28. — I visited the Grand Chartreux *, built by St. Louis — It is built for forty, but contains only twenty-four, and will not maintain more — The friar that spoke to us had a pretty apartment — Mr. Baretti says foiu' rooms ; I remember but three — His books seemed to be French — His garden was neat ; he gave me grapes — We saw the Place de Victoire, with the statues of the king, and the captive nations. " We saw the palace and gardens of Luxem- bourg, but the gallery was shut — We climbed to the top stairs — I dined with Colebroke ^, who had much company — Foote, Sir George Rodney*^, Motteux, Udson, Taaf — Called on the prior, and found him in bed. " Hotel — a guinea a day — Coach, three guineas a week — Valet de place, three 1. a day — Avantcoureur '', a guinea a week — Ordinary dinner, six 1. a head — Our ordinary [expense] seems to be about five guineas a day — Our extraordinary expenses, as diversions, gratuities, clothes, I cannot reckon — Our tra- 1 At that period inhabited by the king's aunts. — Croker. 2 Colonel Drumgoid, an Irish officer in the French service, a friend of Mr. Burlie's. The same, no doubt, to whom Lord Lyttelton addressed a copy of verses beginning — " Prunigold, whose ancestors from Albion's shore Their conquering standards to Ilibernia bore ; Tho' now thy valour, to thy country lost. Shines in the foremost ranks of Gallia's host," &c. Croker, ISIG. s Mrs. Strickland, the sister of Mr. Charles Townley, who happened to meet the party at Dieppe, and accompanied them to Paris. She introduced them to Madame du Bocage. — Hei/nolds's Recollections Cuoker. * T'herewasin France but one Grande Ckai-trfuse, the mo- nastery near Grenoble, founded by St. Bruno ; to the 13th prior of which St. Louis applied for an ({ff'-set of the order to be established in Paris, where he placed them in his chateau dn. Vauvert, which stood in the Rue d'Enl'er. The good 1 "ople of Paris believed that the chateau of Vauvert, before ■ t. Louis had fixed the Carthusians there, was haunted, and il once the street was called Rue d'F.nfer. — Croker. ' Sir George Colebrooke, a banker in London, who had 1 itely failed and taken refuge in Paris. He had been a friend I I tlie Thrales. Anecd. p. 69. — Croker. ''The celebrated Admiral, afterwards Lord Rodney: he was residing abroad on account of pecuniary embarrassments, and, on the breaking out of the war in 1778, the Marshal Due veiling is ten guineas a day — White stockings, 18l.s_Wig — Hat. " Sunday, Oct. 29. — We saw the boarding school — Tbe Enfans trouves — A room with about eighty-six children in cradles, as sweet as a parlour. — They lose a third ; take in to perhaps more than seven [years old] ; put them to trades ; pin to them the papers sent with them — AVaut nurses — Saw their chapel. AVent to St. Eustatia ^ ; saw an innumerable company of girls catechised, in many bodies, perhaps 100 to a catechist — Boys taught at one time, girls at another — The sermon : the l^reacher wears a cap, which he takes off at the name — his action uniform, not very violent. " Monday, Oct. 30. — We saw the library of St. Germain '° — A very noble collection — Codex Divinorum Officiorum, 1459 — a letter, square like that of the Offices, perhaps the same — The Codex, by Fust and Gernsheym — Mem-sius, 12 v. fol. — Amadis, in French, 3 vol. fol. — Catholicon sine colophone, but of 1460 — Two other editions", one by Augnstin. de Civitate Dei, without name, date, or place, but of Fust's square letter as it seems. " I dined with Col. Drumgould ; had a pleas- ing afternoon. " Some of the books of St. Germain's stand in presses from the wall, like "those at Oxford. " Tuesday, Oct. 31. — I lived at the Benedic- tines ; meagre day ; soup meagre, herrings, eels, both with sauce ; fried fish ; lentils, tasteless in themselves — In the library ; where I found Muffeus's de Historia Indica: Promontorium flectere, to double the Cape — I parted very tenderly from the prior and Friar Wilkes. '■'■ Maitre des Arts, 2 y. — Bacc. Theol. 3 y.- — Licentiate, 2 y. — Doctor Th. 2 y. in all 9 years — For the Doctorate three disputations. Major, 3finor, Sorhonica — Several colleges suppressed, and ti-ansferred to that which was the Jesuits' CollegCi " Wednesday, Nov. 1, — We left Paris — St. Denis, a large town : the church not very de Biron generously offered him a loan of a thousand louis d'ors, to enable him to return to take his part in the service of his country Croker. 7 There is a slight mistake here. Princes, ambassadors, marshals, and a few of the higlier nobility, had co«)va)'s, that is, running footmen. The word avant-coureur is commonly used in a moral sense. Johnson, no doubt, meant an avant-courier who rode post Croker. « Tliat is, 18 /(>;rs. Two pair of white silk stockings were probably purchased. — Malone. 9 St. Eustatius — the parish church of St. Eustache Croker. 1" St. Germain des Pres, the too celebrated abbat/e. Its library was said, after the king's library at Paris and that of the Vatican, to be the richest in manuscripts in Europe Croker. " 1 have looked in vain into De Bure, Meerman, Mait- taire, and other typographical books, for the two editions of the "Catholicon" which Dr. Johnson mentions here, with najnes which I cannot make out. I read " one by J.atiniiis, one by Boedinus.'' I have deposited the original MS. in the British Museum, where the curious may see it. My grateful acknowledgments are due to Mr. Planta for the trouble he was pleased to take in aiding my researches Boswell. It seems that the MS. was not deposited in the British Mu- seum, at least it is not to be found there, nor is it known where it now is. — P. Cunningham. 466 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. laro-e, but the middle aisle is very lofty and awful. On the left are chapels built beyond the line of the wall, which destroyed the symmetry of the sides. The organ is higher above the pavement than I have ever seen. The gates are of brass. On the middle gate is the history of our Lord. The painted windows are historical, and said to be eminently beauti- ful — We were at another church belonging to a convent, of which the portal is a dome : we could not enter further, and it was almost dark. " Thursday, Nov. 2. — We came this day to Chantilly, a seat belonging to the Prince of Conde. This place is eminently beautified by all varieties of waters starting up in tbuntains, falling in cascades, running in streams, and spread in lakes. The water seems to be too near the house. All this water is brought from a source or river three leagues off, by an artificial canal, which for one league is carried under ground — The house is magnificent — The cabinet seems well stocked ; what I re- member was, the jaws of a hippopotamus, and a young hippopotamus preserved, which, how- ever, is so small, that I doubt its reality — It seems too hairy for an abortion, and too small for a mature birth — Nothing was [preserved] in spirits ; all was dry — The dog ; the deer ; the ant-bear with long snout — The toucan, long broad beak — The stables were of very great length — The kennel had no scents — There was a mockery of a village — The menagerie had few animals ^ — Two faussans", or Brazilian weasels, spotted, very wild — There is a forest, and, I think, a park — I walked till I was very weary, and next morning felt my feet battered, and with pains in the toes. ^'■Friday, Nov. 3. — We came to Compeigne, a very large town, with a royal palace built round a pentagonal court — The court is raised upon vaults, and has, I suppose, an entry on one side by a gentle rise — Talk of painting — The church is not very large, but very elegant and splendid — I had at first great difficulty to walk, but motion grew continually easier — At night we came to Noyon, an episcopal city — The cathedral is very beautiful, the pillars alternately Gothic and Corinthian — We entered a very noble parochial church — Noyon is walled, and is said to be three miles round. " Satui'day, Nov. 4. — We rose very early. ' The writing is so bad here, that the names of several of the animals could not be deciphered without much more ac- quaintance with natural history than I possess. Dr. Blag- den, with his usual politeness, most obligingly examined the MS. To that gentleman, and to Dr. Gray, of the British Museum, who also very readily assisted me, I beg leave to express my best thanks. — Boswell. 2 It is thus written by Johnson, from the French pronun- ciation of fossane. It should be observed, that the person who showed this menagerie was mistaken in supposing the fossane and the Brazilian weasel to be the same, the fossane being a different animal, and a native of Madagascar. I find them, however, upon one plate ia Pennant's " Synopsis of Quadrupeds." — Boswell. and came through St. Quintin to Cambray, not long after three — We went to an English nunnery, to give a letter to Father Welch, the confessor, who came to visit us in the evening. " Sunday, Nov. 5. — We saw the cathedral — It is very beautiful, with chapels on each side. The choir splendid. The balustrade in one part brass. The Neff very high and grand. The altar silver as far as it is seen. The vestments very splendid — At the Benedic- tines' church " 3 My worthy and ingenious friend, Mr. Andrew Lumisden, by liis accurate acquaintance with France, enabled me to make out many proper names, which Dr. Johnson had written indistinctly, and sometimes spelt erroneously — Boswell. He was private secretary to the Pretender, and author of a work on the Antiquities of Rome. He had resided twenty years in Rome, and eighteen in Paris, but died at Edinburgh, 26th Dec. 1 801 , a;tat. 81. _ Croker, 1846. * Miss Reynolds, who knew him longer, and saw him more constantly than Mr. Boswell, says, " Dr. Johnson's sight was so very defective, that he could scarcely distinguish the face of his most intimate acquaintance at half a yard." — Recol- lections Croker. Here his Journal ^ ends abruptly. Whether he wrote any more after this time, I know not ; but probably not much, as he arrived in Eng- land about the 12th of November. These short notes of his tour, though they may seem minute taken singly, make together a consider- able mass of information, and exhibit such an ardour of inquiry and acuteness of examina- tion, as, I believe, are found in but few travel- lers, especially at an advanced age. They completely refute the idle notion which has been propagated, that he could not see '* ; and, if he had taken the trouble to revise and digest them, he undoubtedly could have expanded them into a very entertaining narrative. When I met him in London the following year, the account which he gave me of his French tour was, "Su-, I have seen all the visibilities of Paris, and around it : but to have formed an acquaintance with the people there would have requu-ed more time than I could stay. I was just beginning to creep into ac- quaintance by means of Colonel Drumgould, a very high man, Su-, head of L'Ecole Mili- taire, a most complete character, for he had first been a professor of rhetoric, and then be- came a soldier. And, Sir, I was very kindly treated by the English Benedictines, and have a cell appropriated to me in their convent." He observed, "The great in France live very magnificently, but the rest very miserably. There is no happy middle state, as in England. The shops of Paris are mean ; the meat in the markets is such as would be sent to a gaol in England ; and Mr. Thrale justly observed, that the cookery of the French was forced upon i them by necessity ; for they could not eat then* '< meat, unless they added some taste to it. The French are an indelicate people ; they will spit upon any place. At Madame [Du Bocage's], ^T. 66. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 467 literary lady of rank, the footman took the I sugar in his fingers, and threw it into my cofTec. I was going to put it aside ; but hearing it was I made on purpose for me, I e'en tasted Tom's I fingers. The same lady would needs make tea a VAngloise. The spout of the teapot did not pour freely; she bade the footman blow into it.' France is worse thau Scotland in every thing but climate. Nature has done more for the French ; but they have done less for themselves than the Scotch have done." " It happened that Foote was at Paris at the same time with Dr. Johnson, and his description of my friend while there was abundantly ludi- crous. He told me, that the French were quite astonished at his figure and manner, and at his dress, which he obstinately continued exactly as in London ' ; — his brown clothes, black stockings, and plain shirt. He mentioned, that an L'ish gentleman said to Johnson, " Sii-, you have not seen the best French players." John- son. " Players, Sir ! I look on them as no better than creatui-es set upon tables and joint stools, to make faces and produce laughter, like dancing dogs." "But, Sir, you will allow that some players are better than others ? " John- son. " Yes, Su", as some dogs dance better than others." While Johnson was in France, he was gene- rally very resolute in speaking Latin. It was a maxim with him that a man should not let himself down by speaking a language which he speaks imperfectly. Indeed, we must have often observed how inferior, how much like a child a man appears, who speaks a broken tongue. "When Sir Joshua Reynolds, at one of the din- ners of the Royal Academy, presented him to a Frenchman of great distinction, he would not deign to speak French, but talked Latin, though his JExcellency did not imderstand it, owing, perhaps, to Johnson's English pi'onunciation : ' Miss Reynolds's "Recollections" preserve this story as told her by Baretti. who was of the party : — " Going one day I to drink tea with Madame du Bocage, she happened to pro- duce an old china teapot, which Mrs. Strickland, who made the tea, could not make pour : ' Soufflez, sovfflez, madame, dedans' cried Madame du Bocage, ' il se rcclifie imviediate- ment ; essat/cz.Je vous en prie.' The servant then thinking that Mrs. Strickland did not understand what his lady said, took up the teapot to reclijy it, and Mrs. Strickland had quite a struggle to prevent his blowing into the spout. Madame du Bocage all this while had not the least idea of its being .iny impropriety, and wondered at Mrs. Strickland's stupid- ity. She came over to the latter, caught up the teapot, and blew into the spout with all her might : then finding it pour, she held it up in triumph, and repeatedly exclaimed, ' Voilii, voiia, j'ai regagnS I'honneur de ma thiiire.' She had no 'i sugar-tongs, and said something that showed she expected Mrs. Strickland to use her fingers to sweeten the cups. I ' Madame, je n'oserois.' — ' Oh man Dieu ! quel grand quan- ' quan les Anglois font dc peu de chose.' " See other details of this French tour in the Recollections.— Croker. 2 In a letter written a few days after his return from ; France, he says, " The French have a clear air and a fruitful 1 soil ; but their mode of common life is gross and incommo- \ dious, and disgusting. I am come home convinced that no \ improvement of general use is to be found among them." — j Malone. I " Mr. Thrale loved," says Mrs. Piozzi, "prospects, and i was mortified that his frieud could not enjoy the sight of ' those difier^t dispositions of wood and water, hill and valley, I that travelhng through England and France affords a man. j But when he wished to point them out to his companion, yet upon another occasion he was observed to speak French to a Frenchman of high rank, who spoke English ; and being asked the reason, with some expression of surprise, he answered, " because I think my French is as good as his English." Though Johnson understood French perfectly, he could not speak it readily, as I have observed at his first interview with General Paoli, in 1769 ; yet he wrote it, I imagine, pretty well, as appears from some of his lettei's in Mrs. Piozzi's collection, of which I shall transcribe one : A MADAME LA COMTESSE DE . " May 16. 1771.'> " Oui, madame, le moment est arrive, et il faut que je parte. Mais pourquoi faut il partir ? Est ce que je m'ennuye ? Je m'ennuyerai ailleurs. Est ce que je cherche on quelque plaisir, ou quelque soulagement? Je ne cherche rien, je n'espere rien. Alien voir ce que j'ai vii, etre un peu rcjoui, un peu degoute, me ressouvenir que la vie se passe, et qu'elle se passe en vain, me plaindre de moi, m'en- durcir aux dehors ; voici letout de ce qu'on compte pour les delices de I'aniiee. Que Dieu vous donne, madame, tous les agremens de la vie, avec un esprit qui peut en jouir sans s'y livrer trop." Here let me not forget a curious anecdote, as related to me by JNIr. Beauclerk, which I shall endeavour to exhibit as well as I can in that gentleman's lively manner ; and in justice to him it is proper to add, that Dr. Johnson told me I might rely both on the correctness of his memory, and the fidelity of his narrative. " When Madame de Boufilers ^ was first in England," said Beauclerk, " she was desirous to see Johnson. I accordingly went with her to his chambers in the Temple, where she was entertained with his conversation for some time. When our visit was over, she and I left him, and were got into Inner Temple Lane, when ' Never heed such nonsense,' would be the reply : ' a blade of grass is always a blade of grass, whether in one country or another. Let us, if we do talk, talk about something : men and women are my subjects of Inquiry ; let us see how these differ from those we have left behind.' His dislike of the French was well known to both nations, I believe ; but he applauded the number of their books and the graces of their style. ' They h,ive few sentiments,' said he, ' but they express them neatly ; they have little meat too, but they dress it well.' " — Croker. 3 Foote seems to have embellished a little in saying that Johnson did not alter his dress at Paris ; as in his journal is a memorandum about white stockings, wig, and hat. In another place wc are told that " during his travels in France he was furnished with a French-made wig of handsome construction." — Blakeway. — By a note in Johnson's diary {Hawkins's " Life," p. 517.), it appears that he had laid out thirty pounds in clothes for his French journey. — Malone. ^ This is the date in Mrs. Piozzi's book, where it first appeared. lu BoswcU's first edition it was given 16 July, 1771, and in all his later editions, 16 July, 1775. I cannot, under any of these dates, guess to whom the letter could have been addressed. Boswell, by his immediate mention of Madame de Boufflers, seems to suppose it was addressed to her, but 1 cannot reconcile either its date or purport with any circumstances of his acquaintance with that, or indeed any other foreign lady. — Croker. 5 La Comtesse de Boufflers was the mistress of the Prince of Conti, and aspired to be his wife : she was a bel-esprit, and in that character thought it necessary to be an Anglomane, and to visit England ; which she did in 1763 Croker. 468 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 177c all at once I heard a voice like thunder. This was occasioned by Johnson, who, it seems, upon a little rellection, had taken it into his head that he ought to have done the honours of his literary residence to a foreign lady of quality, and, eager to show himself a man of gallantry, was hurrying down the staii-case in violent agitation. He overtook us before we reached the Temple-gate, and, brushing in between me and Madame de Boufflers, seized her hand, and conducted her to her coach.' His dress was a rusty brown morning suit, a pair of old shoes by way of slippers, a little shrivelled wig stick- ing on the top of his head, and the sleeves of his shirt and the knees of his breeches hanging loose. A considerable crowd of people gathered round, and were not a little struck by this singular appearance." He spoke Latin with wonderful fluency and elegance. When Pere Boscovich^ was in Eng- land, Johnson dined in company with him at Sir Joshua Reynolds's, and at Dr. Douglas's, now Bishop of Salisbury. Upon both occasions that celebrated foreigner expressed his astonish- ment at Johnson's Latin conversation.^ When at Paris, Johnson thus characterised "Voltaire to Freron the journalist: "F?> est acerrimi ingenii et paucarum literarum." BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. " Edinburgh, Oct. 24. 1775. " Mr DEAR Sia, — If I had not been informed that you were at Paris, you should have had a letter from me by the earliest opportunity, an- nouncii)g the birth of my son, on the 9th instant ; I have named him Alexander"*, after my father. I now write, as I suppose your fellow-traveller, Mr. Thrale, will return to London this week, to attend his duty in parliament, and that you will not stay behind him. " I send another parcel of Lord Hailes's ' Annals.' I have undertaken to solicit you for a favour to him, which he thus requests in a letter to me : ' I intend ' It was not to high rank alone that Johnson paid these attentions. When Hannah More and her sister visited Johnson for the first time (1774), she says, " When our visit was ended, he called for his hat (as it rained), to attend us down a long winding to our coach. — yfem. i. 49 — Choker, 1846. - See ante, p. '218. Boscovich was a Jesuit, born at Ra- gusa in 1711, who first introduced the Newtonian philosophy into Italy. He visited London in 1760, and was there elected into the Royal Society. He died in 1787. — Croker. 3 "Boscovich hadaready current flow of that flimsy phrase- ology with which a priest may travel through Italy, Spain, and Germany. Johnson scorned what he called colloquial barbarisms. It was his pride to speak his best. He went on, after a little practice, with as much facility as if it was his native tongue. One sentence I remember. Observing that Fontenelle at first opposed the Newtonian philosophy, and embraced it afterwards, his words were : Fontinellus, ni, tailor, n extremd sencctute, Juit transfuga ad castra Newtoniana." — Murphy — This phrase seems rather too pompous for the occasion, and was, I suspect, not quite so unpremedi- tated as Murphy represents. Johnson had probably in his mind a passage in Seneca, quoted in Menagiana (v. ii. p. 46.) : " Sen^que voulant dire qu'il profitait de ce qu'il y avait de bon dans les auteurs dit, ' Solon saepe in aliena castra transire ; non tanquam transfuga, sed tanquam explorator ; " and this is rendered the more probable because in the same volume of the Menagiana, and within a few pages of each other, are found two other Latin quotations, which Johnson has made use of; the one from Thuanus, " Fatni non famce scribere existiraatus Xylandrus." See ante, p. 64. The other from soon to give you The Life of Robert Bruce, which you will be pleased to transmit to Dr. John- son. I wish that you could assist me in a fancy which I have taken, of getting Dr. Johnson to draw a character of Robert Bruce, from the account that I give of that prince. If he finds materials for it in my work, it will be a proof that I have been fortunate in selecting the most striking incidents.' " I suppose by ' The Life of Robert Bruce,' his Lordship means that part of his ' Annals ' which relates the history of that prince, and not a separate work. " Shall we have ' A Journey to Paris ' from you in the winter ? You will, I hope, at any rate, be kind enough to give me some account of your French travels very soon, for I am very impatient. What a different scene have you viewed this autumn, from that which you viewed in autumn 1 773 ! I ever am, my dear Sir, your much obliged and affectionate humble servant, " James Boswell." JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " London, Nov. 16. 1775. " Dear Sir, — I am glad that the young laird is born, and an end, as I hope, put to the only difference that you can ever have with Mrs. Bos- well.^ I know that she does not love me ; but I intend to persist in wishing her well till I get the better of her. " Paris is, indeed, a place very different from the Hebrides, but it is to a hasty traveller not so fertile of novelty, nor affords so many opportunities of remark. I cannot pretend to tell the public any thing of a place better known to many of my readers than to myself We can talk of it when we meet. " I shall go next week to Streatham, from whence I purpose to send a parcel of the' History' every poet. Concerning the character of Bruce, I can only say, that I do not see any great reason for writing it ; but I shall not easily deny what Lord Hailes and you concur in desiring. " I have been remarkably healthy all the journey, and hope you and your family have J. C. Scaliger, " Homo ex alieno ingenio poeta, ex suo tantum versificator : " which is the motto Johnson prefixed to his version of the Messiah : ante, p. 1.3. Mrs. Piozzi how- ever bears a like testimony to the fluency of Johnson's Latinity . '■ When we were at Rouen, he took a great fancy to the Abbe Roffette, with whom he conversed about the destruc- tion of the order of Jesuits, and condemned it loudly, as a blow to the general power of the church, and likely to be followed with many and dangerous innovations, which might at length become fatal to religion itself, and shake even the foundation of Christianity. The gentleman seemed to wonder and delight in his conversation : the talk was all in Latin, which both spoke fluently, and Dr. Johnson pronounced a long eulogium upon Milton with so much ardour, eloquence, and ingenuity, that the abbe rose from his seat and embraced ; him. — Anecdotes. Yet I cannot but wonder how, consider- ' ing the difference between the continental and English pronunciation of Latin, Johnson and those foreiguers came to ' I understand each other so readily. — Croker. "i I had the pleasure of his acquaintance. He was a high- | spirited, clever, and amiable gentleman ; and, like his father, > of a frank and social disposition, and high tory principles; ' but it is said that he did not relish the recollections of our author's devotion to Dr. Johnson : and, like old'Lord Auchin- ' leek, seemed to think it a kind of derogation. He was created , a Baronet in 1821. He lett issue a squ and two daughters, one of whom. Lady Elliot of Stobbs, I had the pleasurei of also knowing. See an^e, p. 301 — Croker. 5 This alludes to my old feudal principle of preferring male, to female succession. — Boswell. JE-r.GG. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 469 known only that trouble and danger which has so happily terminated. Among all the congratu- lations that you may receive, I hope you believe none more warm or sincere than those of, dear Sir, your most affectionate, Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO MISS PORTER.' "Nov. 16. 1775. " DEAtt Madam, — This week I came home from Paris. I have brought you a little box, which I thought pretty ; but I know not whether It is properly a snuff-box, or a box for some other use. I will send it, when I can find an oppor- tunity. I have been through the whole journey remarkably well. My fellow-travellers were the same whom you saw at Lichfield, only we took Barctti with us. Paris is not so fine a place as you would expect. The palaces and churches, however, are very splendid and magnificent ; and what would please you, there are many very fine pictures ; but I do not think their way of life commodious or pleasant. " Let me know how your health has been all this while. I hope the fine summer has given you strength sufKcient to encounter the winter. " Make my compliments to all my friends ; and, if your fingers will let you, write to me, or let your maid write, if it be troublesome to you. I am, dear Madam, your most aflTectionate humble servant, Sam. Johnson." BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. " Edinburgh, Dec. 5. 1775. " Mr BEAR Sir, — Mr. Alexander Maclean, the young laird of Col, being to set out to-morrow for London, I give him this letter to introduce him to your acquaintance. The kindness which you and I experienced from his brother, whose unfortunate death we sincerely lament, will make us always de- sirous to show attention to any branch of the family. Indeed, you have so much of the true Highland cordiality, that I am sure you would have thought me- to blame if I had neglected to recommend to you this Hebridean prince, in whose island we were hospitably entertained. I ever am, with respectful attachment, my dear Sir, your most obliged and most humble servant, James Boswell." JOHNSON TO MISS PORTER. "Dec. 17. 1775. " Dear Madam, — Some weeks ago I wrote to you, to tell you that I was just come home from a ramble, and hoped that I should have heard from you. I am afraid winter has laid hold on your fingers, and hinders you from writing. However, let somebody write, if you cannot, and tell me how you do, and a little of what has happened at Lich- field among our friends. I hope you are all well. " When I was in France, I thouglit myself growing young, but am afraid that cold weather will take part of my new vigour from me. Let us, however, take care of ourselves, and lose no part of our health by negligence. 1 There can be no doubt that many years previous to 1775, he corresponded with this lady, who was his stepdaughter, but none of his earlier letters to her have been preserved Boswell. Since the death of Mr. Boswell, several of John- son's letters to Mrs. Lucy Porter, written before 1775, were " I never knew whetlier you received the Com- mentary on the New Testament, and the Travels, and the glasses. Do, my dear love, write to me ; and do not let us forget each other. This is the season of good wishes, and I wish you all good. I have not lately seen Mr. Porter, nor heard of him. Is he with you ? " Be pleased to make my compliments to Mrs. Adey, and Mrs. Cobb, and all my friends ; and when I can do any good, let me know. I am, dear Madam, yours most affectionately, " Sam. Johnson." Mr. Maclean retm'ned with the most agree- able accounts of the polite attention with which he was received by Dr. Johnson. In the course of the year Dr. Burney in- forms me that "he very frequently met Dr. Johnson at Mr. Thrale's, at Streatham, where they had many long conversations, often sitting up as long as the fire and candles lasted, and much longer than the patience of the servants subsisted." A few of Johnson's sayings, which that gentleman recollects, shall here be in- serted. " I never take a nap after dinner but when I have had a bad night, and then the nap takes me." " The writer of an epitaph should not be considered as saying nothing but what is strictly true. Allowance must be made for some de- gree of exaggerated praise. In lapidary in- j scriptions a man is not upon oath." " There is now less flogging in our great schools than formerly, but then less is learned thei-e ; so that what the boys get at one end they lose at the other." " More is learned in public than in private schools, from emulation ; there is the collision of mind with mind, or the radiation of many minds pointing to one centre. Though few boys make their own exercises, yet if a good exercise is given up, out of a great number of boys, it is made by somebody." " I hate by-roads in education. Education is as well known, and has long been as well known, as ever it can be. Endeavouring to, make children prematurely wise is useless la- bour. Suppose they have more knowledge at five or six years old than other children, what use can be made of it ? It will be lost before it is wanted, and the waste of so much time and labour of the teacher can never be repaid. Too much is expected from precocity, and too little performed. Miss [Aikin] ^ was an instance of early cultivation, but in what did it terminate? In marrying a little presbyterian parson, who keeps an infant boarding school, so that all her employment now is — ' To suckle fools, and chronicle small beer. ' obligingly communicated to me by the Rev. Dr. Vyse, and are printed in the present edition Malone. Several others, as has been already stated (ante, p. 62.), are added to my editions Croker. 2 Miss Letitia Aikin, who married Mr. Barbauld, and pub- lished " Easy Lessons for Children," &c. &c Croker. H H 3 470 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1775. She tells the children, ' This is a cat, and that is a dog, with four legs, and a tail ; see there ! you are much better than a cat or a dog, for you can sjieak.' If I had bestowed such an education on a daughter, and had discovered that she thought of marrying such a fellow, I would have sent her to the Congress.^' " After having talked slightingly of music, he was observed to listen very attentively while Miss Thrale played on the harpsichord ; and with eagerness he called to her, ' Why don't you dash away like Burney ? ' Dr. Burney upon this said to him, ' I believe. Sir, we shall make a musician of you at last.' Johnson with candid complacency replied, ' Sir, I shall be glad to have a new sense given to me.' " " He had come down one morning to the breakfast-room, and been a considerable time by himself before any body appeared. Wlien on a subsequent day he was twitted by Mrs. Thrale for being very late, which he generally was, he defended himself by alluding to the extraordi- nary morning, when he had been too early. ' Madam, I do not like to come down to vacuity.' " " Dr. Burney having remarked that Mr. Garrick was beginning to look old, he said, ' ^Yhy, Sir, you are not to wonder at that ; no man's face has had more wear and tear.' " [JOHNSON TO MRS. MONTAGU.i " Dec. 15. 1775. " Madam, — Having, after my return from a little ramble to France, passed some time in the country, I did not hear, till I was told by Miss Reynolds, that you were in town ; and when I did hear it, I heard likewise that you were ill. To have you detained among us by sickness is to enjoy your presence at too dear a rate. I suffer myself to be flattered with hope that only half the intel- ligence is now true, and that you are now so well as to be able to leave us, and so kind as not to be willing. I am, Madam, your most humble servant, — Montagu MSS. Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO MRS. MONTAGU. " Dec. 17. 1775. " Madam, — All that the esteem and reverence of mankind can give you has been long in your possession, and the little that I can add to the voice of nations will not much exalt ; of that little, how- ever, you are, I hope, very certain. — I wonder, Madam, if you remember Col in the Hebrides? The brother and heir of poor Col has just been to visit me, and I have engaged to dine with him on Thursday. I do not know his lodging, and cannot send him a message, and must therefore suspend the honour which you are pleased to offer to, Madam, your most humble servant, — Montagu MSS. "Sam. Johnson." ' Mrs. Montagu's recent kindness to Miss Williams was not lost on Johnson. His letters to that lady became more elaborately respectful, and his subsequent mention of her took, as we shall see, a high tone of panegyric. It is neces- sary to observe this as a set-oflf against his occasional dispa- ragement of that lady, and as an additional instance of the JOHNSON TO MRS. MONTAGU. "Thursday, Dec. 21. 1775. " Madam, — I know not when any letter has given me so much pleasure or vexation as that which I had yesterday the honour of receiving. That you, Madam, should wish for my company is surely a sufficient reason for being pleased; — that I should delay twice, what I had so little right to expect even once, has so bad an appearance, that I can only hope to have it thought that I am ashamed. — You have kindly allowed me to name a day. Will you be pleased. Madam, to accept of me any day after Tuesday ? Till I am favoured with your answer, or despair of so much condescension, I shall suffer no engagement to fasten itself upon me. I am. Madam, your most obliged and most humble servant, . Sam. Johnson."] — Montagu MSS. Not having heard from him for a longer time than I supposed he would be silent, I Avrote to him Dec. 18., not in good spirits : " Sometimes I have been afraid that the cold which has gone over Europe this year like a sort of pestilence has seized you severely : sometimes my imagination, which is upon occasions prolific of evil, has figured that you may have somehow taken offence at some part of my conduct." JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " Dec. 23. 1775. " Dear Sir., — Never dream of any offence. How should you offend me ? I consider your friendship as a possession, which I intend to hold till you take it from me, and to lament if ever by my fault I should lose it. However, when such suspicions find their way into your mind, always give them vent ; I shall make haste to disperse them ; but hinder their first ingress if you can. Consider such thoughts as morbid. " Such illness as may excuse my omission to Lord Hailes I cannot honestly plead. I have been hindered, I know not how, by a succession of petty obstructions. 1 hope to mend immediately, and to send next post to his lordship. Mr. Thrale would have written to you if I had omitted ; he sends his compliments, and wishes to see you. " You and your lady will now have no more wrangling about feudal inheritance. How does the young Laird of Auchinleck ? I suppose Miss Veronica is grown a reader and discourser. I have just now got a cough, but it has never yet hindered me from sleeping ; I have had quieter nights than are common with me. I cannot but rejoice that Joseph^ has had the wit to find the way back. He is a fine fellow, and one of the best travellers in the world. " Young Col brought me your letter. He is a very pleasing youth. I took him two days ago to the Mitre, and we dined together. I was as civil as I had tlie means of being. I have had a letter from Rasay, acknowledging, with great appearance strong influence of personal feelings on his praise or censure of individuals — Choker. " Joseph Hitter, a Bohemian, who was in my service many years, and attended Dr. Johnson and me in our tour to the Hebrides. After having left me for some time, he had now returned to me Boswell. ^T. 66. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 471 of satisfaction, the insertion in the Edinburgh paper. I am very glad that it was done. " My compliments to Mrs. Boswell, who does not love me ; and of all the rest, I need only send them to those that do ; and I am afraid it will give you very little trouble to distribute them. — I am, my dear, dear Sir, &c., Sam. Johnson." [JOHNSON TO MR. GRANGER.' (About 1775, but undated.) " Sir, — When I returned from the country I found your letter ; and would very gladly have done what you desire, had it been in my power. Mr. Farmer is, I am confident, mistaken in supposing that he gave me any such pamphlet or cut. I should as soon have suspected myself, as Mr. Farmer, of forgetfulness ; but that I do not know, except from your letter, the name of Arthur O'Toole^, nor recollect that I ever heard of it be- fore. I think it impossible that I should have suffered such a total obliteration from my mind of any such thing which was ever there. This at least is certain, that I do not know of any such pamphlet; and equally certain I desire you to think it, that if I had it, you should immediately receive it from. Sir, your most humble servant, " Sam. Johnson."] CHAPTER LH. 1776. Law of Entail. — BoswelVs Melancholy. — John Wesley. — Clarendon Press. — Booksellers' Profits. Bolt Court. — Mrs. ThraWs Birth-day. — En- tails. — Smith's " Wealth of Nations." — Lawyers and Law-suits. — Scotch Militia Bill. — Obliga- tion in settling Estates. — " Joktisoniana." — Value of Truth. — Monastic Orders. — Carthu- sians. — JleligioHS Austerities. — Wine-hibbing. — Fasting Influence of Education. — Arithmetic. Sea Life. In 1776, Johnson wrote, so far as I can dis- cover, nothing for the public : but that his ' Author of the " Biographical History of England." Mr. P. Cunninaliam has found this letter among Granger's, with the date of 15th Dec, 177'2. — Crokek. « The pamphlet alluded to was written by .Tohn Taylor, the water-poet, and enlitled," Honour of the Noble Captain O'Toole, 16'2'2." Some account of O'Toole will be found in Granger, vol. 1. p. 398 — Croker, 1835. 3 It was .nbout this time that Mrs. Thrale, who had just recovered from illness and confinement, went into his room on the morning of her birthday (see ante, p. 171.) and said to him, " Nobody sends me any verses now, because I am five and thirty years old ; and Stella was fed with them till forty-six, I remember." Upon which he burst out suddenly, without the least previous hesitation, and without . having entertained the smallest intention towards it half a I minute before : — " Oft in danger, yet .ilivp. We are come to thirty-five; Long may better years arrive, Better years than thirty-five. Could philosophers contrive Life to stop at thirty-five, Time his hours should never drive O'er the bounds of thirty-five. mind was still .ardent, and fraught with gene- rous wishes to attain to still higher degrees of literary excellence, is proved by his private notes of this year, which I shall insert in their proper place.^ JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. ■' J.in. 10. 177G. " Dear Sir, — I have at last sent you all Lord Hailes's papers. While I was in France, I looked very often into Hcnault; l)ut Lord Hailes, in my opinion, leaves him far and tar behind. Why I did not despatch so short a perusal sooner, when I look back, I am utterly unable to discover ; but Imman moments are stolen away by a thousand petty im- pediments which leave no trace behind them. I have been afflicted, through the whole Christmas, with the general disorder, of wliich the worst effect was a cough, which is now much mitigated, though the country, on which I look from a win- dow at Streatham, is now covered with a deep snow. Mrs. Williams is very ill : every body else is as usual. " Among the papers I found a letter to you, which I think you had not opened ; and a paper* for ' The Chronicle,' which I suppose it not neces- sary now to insert. I return them both. I have, witliin these few days, had the honour of receiving Lord Hailes's first volume, for which I return ray most respectful thanks. " I wish you, my dearest friend, and your haughty lady, (for I know she does not love me,) and the young ladies, and the young laird, all happiness. Teach the young gentleman, in spite of his mamma, to think- and speak well of. Sir, your affectionate humble servant, " Sam. Johnson." At this time was in agitation a matter of great consequence to me and my family, which I should not obtrude upon the world, were it not that the part which Dr. Johnson's friend- ship for me made him take in it was the occa- sion of an exertion of his abilities, which it would be injustice to conceal. That what he wrote upon the subject may be understood, it is necessary to give a state of the question, which I shall do as briefly as I can. In the year 1504, the barony or manor of High to soar, and deep to dive. Nature gives at thirty-five. Ladies, stock .nnd tend your hive. Trifle not at thirty, five": For howo'er wc boast and strive, Life declines from thirty-five : He that ever hopes to thrive Must begin by thirty-five ; And all who wisely wish to wive Must look on Thrale at thirty.five." And now," said he, as I was writing them down, " you may see wliat it is to come for poetry to a dictionary-maker ; you may observe that the rhymes run in alphabetical order exactly." And so they do. Dr. .lohnson did indeed pos- sess ail almost Tuscan power of improvisation. — Fioxxi. He was much pleased with an Italian improvisatore, whom he saw at Streatham, and with whom he talked much in Latin. He told him, if he had not been a witness to his faculty himself, he should nAt have thought it possible. He said, Isaac Hawkins Browne had endeavoured at it in English, but could not get beyond thirty verses. —Hawkins. — Croker. 5 Probably some notice relative to the .-ipology to liasatj. — Crukek. H H 4 472 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1776: Auchinleck (pronounced 4i^ecA ') in Ayrshire, which belonged to a family of the same name with the lands, having fallen to the crown by forfeiture, James the Fourth, King of Scotland, granted it to Thomas Boswell, a branch of an ancient family in the county of Fife, styling him in the charter, " dilecto familiari nostra ; " and assigning as the cause of the grant, "p?-o bono etfideli servitio nobis prcBstito." Thomas Boswell was slain in battle, fighting along with his sovereign, at the fatal field of Flodden, in 1513. From this very honourable founder of our family, the estate was transmitted, in a direct se- ries of heirs-male, to David Boswell, my father's great-gi'and-uncle, who had no sons, but four daughters, who were all respectably married, the eldest to Lord Cathcart. David Boswell, being resolute in the military feudal principle of continuing the male succes- sion, passed by his daughters, and settled the estate on his nephew by his next brother, who approved of the deed, and renounced any pre- tensions which he might possibly have, in pre- ference to his son. But the estate having been burthened with large portions to the daugh- ters, and other debts, it was necessary for the nephew to sell a considerable part of it, and what remained was still much encumbered. The frugality of the nephew preserved, and, in some degree, relieved the estate. His son, my grandfather, an eminent lawyer, not only re-purchased a great part of what had been sold, but acquired other lands ; and my father, who was one of the judges of Scotland, and had added considerably to the estate, now signified his inclination to take the privilege allowed by our law ", to secure it to his family in perpetuity by an entail, which, on account of his marriage articles, could not be done without my consent. In the plan of entailing the estate, I heartily concurred with him, though I was the first to be restrained by it ; but we unhappily differed as to the series of heirs which should be esta- blished, or, in the language of our law, called to the succession. My father had declared a predilection for heirs-general, that is, males and females indiscriminately. He was willing, however, that all males descending from his 1 Now pronounced as written, Auchinleck. See anle, p. 301 . — Choker. 2 Acts of Parliament of Scotland, 1G85, cap. 22. —Bos- well. 3 As, first, the opinion of some distinguished naturalists, that our species is transmitted through males only, the fe- male being all along no more than a nidus, or nurse, as Mother Earth is to plants of every sort ; which notion seems to be confirmed by that text of scripture, " He was yet in the loins of his father when Melchisedeck met him," ( Heb. vii. 10.); andconsequently, that a man's grandson by a daughter, instead of being liis surest descendant, as is vulgarly said, has, in reality, no connection whatever with his blood. And, secondly, independent of this theory (which, if true, should completely exclude heirs-general), that if the preference of a male to a female, without regard to primogeniture (as a son, though much younger, nay, even a grandson by a son, to a daughter), be once admitted, as it universally is, it must be equally reasonable and proper in the most remote degree of descent from an original proprietor of an estate as in the grandfather should be preferred to females; but would not extend that privilege to males deriving their descent from a higher source. I, on the other hand, had a zealous partiality for heirs-male, however remote, which I main- tained by arguments, which appeared to me to have considerable weight.^ And in the par- ticular case of our family, I apprehended that we were under an implied obligation, in honour and good faith, to transmit the estate by the same tenure which he held it, which was as heirs-males, excluding nearer females. I there- fore, as I thought conscientiously, objected to my fixther's scheme. My opposition was very displeasing to my father, who was entitled to great respect and deference ; and I had reason to apprehend disagreeable consequences from my non-com- pliance Avith his wishes. After much per- plexity and uneasiness, I wrote to Dr. John- son, stating the case, with all its difficulties, at full length, and earnestly requesting that he would consider it at leisure, and favour me with his friendly opinion and advice. JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " London, Jan. 15. 1776. " Dear Sir, — I was much impressed by your letter, and if I 6dn form upon your case any reso- lution satisfactory to myself, will very gladly im- part it : but whether I am equal to it, I do not know. It is a case compounded of law and jus- tice, and requires a mind versed in juridical dis- quisitions. Could not you tell your whole mind to Lord Hailes? He is, you know, both a Chris- tian and a lawyer. I suppose he is above parti- ality, and above loquacity ; and, I believe, he will not think the time lost in which he may quiet a disturbed, or settle a wavering mind. Write to me as any thing occurs to you ; and if I find my- self stopped by want of facts necessary to be known, I will make inquiries of you as my doubts arise. " If your former resolutions should be found only fanciful, you decide rightly in judging that your father's fancies may claim the preference ; but whether they are fanciful or rational is the question. I really think Lord Hailes could help us. " Make my compliments to dear Mrs. Boswell ; and tell her, that 1 hope to be wanting in no- thing that I can contribute to bring you all out of your troubles. I am, dear Sir, most affectionately, " Sam. Johnson." nearest : because, however dist.int from the representative at the time, that remote heir-male, upon the failure of those nearer to the original proprietor than he is, becomes in fact the nearest male to him, and is, therefore, preferable as hit representative, to a fem.ile descendant. A little extension of mind will enable us easily to perceive that a son's son, in continuation to whatever length of time, is preferable to a son's daughter, in the succession to an ancient inheritance ; in which regard should be had to the representation of the original proprietor, and not to that of one of his descendants. I am aware of Blackstone's admirable demonstration of the reasonableness of the legal succession, upon the principle of there being the greatest probability that the nearest heir of the person who last dies proprietor of .an estate is of the blood of the first purchaser. But supposing a pedigree to be carefully authenticated through all its branches, instead of mere probability there will be a certainty that the nearest heir-male, at whatever period, has the same right of blood with the first heir-male, namely, the original purchaser's eldest son Boswell. ^T. 67. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 473 JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. | " Feb. 3. 1776. j " Dear Sir, — I am going to write upon a ques- tion which requires more knowledge of local law, j and more acquaintance with the general rules of inheritance, than I can claim ; but I write, because you request it. _ i "Land is, like any other possession, by natural right wholly in the power of its present owner ; and may be sold, given, or bequeathed, absolutely, or conditionally, as judgment shall direct or passion incite. " But natural right would avail little without the protection of law ; and the primary notion of law is restraint in the exercise of natural right. A man is therefore in society not fully master of what he calls his own, but he still retains all the power which law does not take from him. " In the exercise of the right which law either leaves or gives, regard is to be paid to moral obli- gations. " Of the estate wliich we are now considering, your father still retains such possession, with such power over it, that he can sell it, and do with the money what he will, without any legal impediment. But when he extends his power beyond his own life, by settling the order of succession, the law makes your consent necessary. " Let us suppose that he sells the land to risk the money in some specious adventure, and in that adventure loses the whole ; his posterity would be disappointed ; but they could not think themselves j injured or robbed. If he spent it upon vice or pleasure, his successors could only call him vicious i and voluptuous ; they could not say that he was I injurious or unjust. '• He that may do more may do less. He that liy selling or squandering may disinherit a whole f.niuly, may certainly disinherit part by a partial settlement. " Laws are formed by the manners and exigen- , cies of particular times, and it is but accidental that i they last longer than their causes : the limitation j of feudal succession to the male arose from the ' obligation of the tenant to attend his chief in war. " As times and opinions are always changing, I know not whether it be not usurpation to prescril)e rules to posterity, by presuming to judge of what we cannot know ; and I know not whether I fully approve cither your design or your father's, to limit that succession which descended to you unlimited. 1 f we are to leave surtum tectum to posterity, what we have without any merit of our own received from our ancestors, should not choice and free-will l)e kept unviolatcd? Is land to be treated with more reverence than liberty ? If this consideration should restrain your father from disinheriting some t)f the males, does it leave you the power of dis- inheriting all the females? " Can the possessor of a feudal estate make any will ? Can he appoint, out of the inheritance, any portion to his daughters ? There seems to be a very shadowy dilTerence between tiie power of leaving land, and of leaving money to be raised from land ; between leaving an estate to females, and leaving the male heir, in effect, only their steward. " Suppose at one time a law that allowed only males to inherit, and during the continuance of this law, many estates to have descended, passing by the females, to remoter heirs. Suppose afterwards the law repealed, in correspondence with a change of manners, and women made capable of inlierit- ance ; would not then the tenure of estates be changed? Could the women have no benefit from a law made in their favour? Must they be passed by upon moral principles for ever, because they were once excluded by a legal prohibition? Or may that which passed only to males by one law, pass likewise to females by another ? " You mention your resolution to maintain the right of your brothers ' I do not see how any of their rights are invaded. " As your whole difficulty arises from the act of your ancestor, who diverted the succession from the females, you inquire, very properly, what were his motives, and what was his intention : for you cer- tainly are not bound by his act more than he in- tended to bind you, nor hold your land on harder or stricter terms than those on which it was granted. " Intentions must be gathered from acts. When he left the estate to his nephew, by excluding his daughters, was it, or was it not in his power to have perpetuated the succession to the males ? If he could have done it, he seems to have shown, by omitting it, that he did not desire it to be done, and, upon your own principles, you will not easily prove your right to destroy that capacity of succes- sion which your ancestors have left. " If your ancestor had not the power of making a perpetual settlement ; and if, therefore, we cannot judge distinctly of his intentions, yet his act can only be considered as an example ; it makes not an obligation. And, as you observe, he set no example of rigorous adherence to the line of succession. He that overlooked a brother, would not wonder that little regard is shown to remote relations. " As the rules of succession are, in a great part, purely legal, no man can be supposed to bequeath anything, but upon legal terms ; he can grant no power which the law denies; and if he makes no special and definite limitation, he confers all the power which the law allows. " Your ancestor, for some reason, disinherited his daughters; but it no more follows that he in- tended this act as a rule for posterity, than the disinheriting of his brother. If, therefore, you ask by what right your father admits daughters to in- heritance, ask yourself, first, by what right you require them to be excluded? It appears, upon reflection, that your father excludes nobody ; he only admits nearer females to inherit before males more remote ; and the exclusion is purely conse- quential. " Tliese, dear Sir, are my thoughts, immethodical and deliberative; "but, perhaps, you may find in them some glimmering of evidence. I cannot, however, but again reconnnend to you a conference with Lord Hailes, whom you know to be both a lawyer and a Christian. Make my compliments to Mrs. Boswell. though she does not love me. I am. Sir, your affectionate servant, " Saji. Johnson." I had followed his recommendation and con- sulted Lord Hailes, who upon this subject had a firm opinion contraiy to mine. His lordship Which term I applied to all the heirs male. — Boswell. 474 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1776. obligingly took the trouble to write me a letter, in which he discussed, with legal and historical learning, the points in which I saw much diffi- culty, maintaining that " the succession of heirs general was the succession, by the law of Scotland, from the throne to the cottage, as far as we can learn it by record ; " observing that the estate of our family had not been limited to heirs male ; and that though an heu' male had in one instance been chosen in pre- ference to nearer females, that had been an arbitrary act, which had seemed to be best in the embarrassed state of affairs at that time : and the fact was, that upon a fair computation of the value of land and money at the time, applied to the estate and the burthens upon it, there was nothing given the heirs male but the skeleton of an estate. " The plea of con- science," said his lordship, " which you put, is a most respectable one, especially when co?i5czeKce and self are on different .sides. But I think that conscience is not well informed, and that self and she ought on this occasion to be of a side." This letter, which had considerable influence upon my mind, I sent to Dr. Johnson, begging to hear from him again upon this interesting question. JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " Feb. 9. 1776. "Dear Sir, — Having not any acquaintance with the laws or customs of Scotland, I endea- voured to consider your question upon general principles, and found nothing of much validity that I could oppose to this position : ' He who inherits a fief unlimited by his ancestors inherits the power of limiting it according to his own judg- ment or opinion.' If this be true, you may join with your father. " Further consideration produces another con- clusion : ' He who receives a fief unlimited by his ancestors gives his heirs some reason to complain if he does not transmit it unlimited to posterity. For why should he make the state of others worse than liis own, without a reason?' If this be true, though neither you nor your father are .ibout to do what is quite right, but as your father violates (I think) the legal succession least, he seems to be nearer the right than yourself. " It cannot but occur that ' Women have natural and equitable claims as well as men, and these claims are not to be capriciously or lightly super- seded or infringed.' When fiefs implied military service, it is easily discerned why females could not inherit them ; but that reason is now at an end. As manners make laws, manners likewise repeal them. " These are the general conclusions which I have attained. None of them are very favourable to ' I had reminded him of his observation, mentioned anti, p. 473 BoSWELL. 2 The entail framed by my father, with various judicious clauses, was settled by him and me, settling the estate upon the heirs male of his grandfather, which 1 found h=>d been already done by my grandfather, imperfectly, but so ^s to be defeated only by selling the lands. I was freed by Dr. John- your scheme of entail, nor perhaps to any scheme. My observation, that only he who acquires an estate may bequeath it capriciously ', if it contains any conviction, includes this position likewise, that only he who acquires an estate may entak it capri- ciously. But I think it may be safely presumed, that ' He who inherits an estate, inherits all the power legally concomitant ; ' and that ' He who gives or leaves unlimited an estate legally limitable, must be presumed to give that power of limitation, which he omitted to take away, and to commit future contingencies to future prudence.' In these two positions I believe Lord Hailes will advise you to rest ; every other notion of possession seems to me full of difficulties, and embarrassed with scruples. " If these axioms be allowed, you have arrived now at full liberty without the help of particular circumstances, which, however, have in your case great weight. You very rightly observe, that he who passing by his brother gave the inheritance to his nephew, could limit no more than he gave ; and by Lord Hailes's estimate of fourteen years' pur- chase, what he gave was no more than you may easily entail according to your own opinion, if that opinion should finally prevail. " Lord Hailes's suspicion that entails are en- croachments on the dominion of Providence, may be extehded to all hereditary privileges and all per- manent institutions. I do not see why it may not be extended to any provision for the present hour, since all care about futurity proceeds upon a sup- position, that we know at least in some degree what will be future. Of the future we certainly know nothing ; but we may form conjectures from the past ; and the power of forming conjectures includes, in my opinion, the duty of acting in con- formity to that probability, which we discover. Providence gives the power, of which reason teaches the use. I am, dear Sir, your most faith- ful servant, Sam. Johnson. " I hope I shall get some ground now with Mrs. Boswell : make my compliments to her, and to the little people. Don't burn papers; they may be safe enough in your own box ; you will wish to see them hereafter." JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " Feb. 15. 1776. " Dear Sir, — To the letters which I have written about your great question I have nothing to add. If your conscience is satisfied, you have now only your prudence to consult. I long for a letter, that I may know how this troublesome and vexatious question is at last decided. 2 I hope that it will at last end well. Lord Hailes's letter was very friendly, and very seasonable ; but I think his aversion from entails has something in it like superstition. Providence is not counteracted by any means which Providence puts into our power.- The continuance and propagation of families makes a great part of the Jewish law, and is by no means son from scruples of conscientious obligation, and could therefore gratify my father. But my opinion and partiality for male succession, in its full extent, remained unshaken. Yet let me not be thought harsh or unkind to daughters : for my notion is, that they should be treated with great affection and tenderness, and always participate of the prosperity of the family. — Boswell. IEt. 67. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 475 irohibited in the Christian institution, though the iccessity of it continues no longer. Hereditary enures are established in all civilised countries, ind are accompanied in most with hereditary luthority. Sir William Temple considers our constitution as defective, that there is not an un- ilienable estate in land connected with a peerage : md Lord Bacon mentions as a proof that the Turks are barbarians, their want of stirpes, as he •alls them, or hereditary rank. Do not let your nind, when it is freed from the supposed necessity )f a rigovous entail, be entangled with contrary jibjections, and think all entails unlawful, till you lave cogent arguments, which I believe you will lever find. I am afraid of scruples. " I have now sent all Lord Hailes's papers ; part ■[ found hidden in a drawer in which I had laid hem for security, and had forgotten them. Part pf these are written twice ; I have returned both he copies. Part I had read before. Be so kind s to return Lord Hailes my most respectful thanks or his first volume : his accuracy strikes me with :ronder ; his narrative is far superior to that of Renault, as I have formerly mentioned. I am fraid that the trouble which my irregularity and lelay has cost him is greater, far greater, than any .■ood that I can do him will ever recompense ; but if I have any more copy I will try to do better. '' Pray let me know if Mrs. Boswell is friends pith me, and pay my respects to Veronica, and ■^uphemia, and Alexander. I am, Sir, your most umble servant, Sam. Johnson." BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. " Edinburgh, Feb. 20. 1776. •' You have illuminated my mind, and relieved ,it' from imaginary shackles of conscientious obliga- ,ion. Were it necessary, I could immediately join b an entail upon the series of heirs approved by IV father; but it is better not to act too sud- only." JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " Feb. 24. 1776. " Dear Sir, — I am glad that what I could hink or say has at all contributed to quiet your 'houghts. Your resolution not to act, till your pinion is confirmed by more deliberation, is very Just. If you have been scrupulous, do not be rash. j hope that, as you think more, and take oppor- lunities of talking with men intelligent in questions if property, you will be able to free yourself from 'very difficulty. Wlien I wrote last, I sent, I itiiiik, ten packets. Did you receive them all ? '• You must tell Mrs. Boswell that I suspected Li- to have written without your knowledge ', and KTefore did not return any answer, lest a clandes- uie correspondence should have been perniciously iscovered. I will write to her soon. I am, dear j'ir. &c., Sam. Johnson." I Having communicated to Lord Hailes what i)r. Johnson wrote concerning the question fhich perplexed me so much, his lordship /rote to me : " Your scruples have produced jiiore fruit than I ever expected from them ; 1 A letter to him on the interesting subject of the family [ettlemeut, which I had read. — Boswell. an excellent dissertation on general principles of morals and law." I wrote to Dr. Johnson on the 20th of February, complaining of melancholy, and ex- pressing a strong desire to be with him ; in- forming him that the ten packets came all safe; that Lord Hailes was much obliged to him, and said he had almost wholly removed his scruples against entails. JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " March 5. 1776. " Dear Sir, — I have not had your letter half an hour; as you lay so much weight upon my notions, I should think it not just to delay my answer. I am very sorry that your melancholy should return, and should be sorry likewise if it could have no relief but from my company. My counsel you may have when you please to require it: but of my company you cannot in the next month have much, for Mr. Thrale will take me to Italy, he says, on the 1st of April. " Let me warn you very earnestly against scruples. I am glad that you are reconciled to your settlement, and think it a great honour to have shaken Lord Hailes's opinion of entails. Do not, however, hope wholly to reason away your troubles ; do not feed them with attention, and they will die imperceptibly away. Fix your thoughts upon your business, fill your intervals with company, and sunshine will again break in upon your mind. If you will come to me, you must come very quickly ; and even then I know not but we may scour the country together, for I have a mind to see Oxford and Lichfield before I set out on this long journey. To this I can only add that I am, dear Sir, your most affectionate humble servant, Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " March 12. 1776. " Dear Sir, — Very early in April we leave England, and in the beginning of the next week I shall leave London for a short time ; of this I think it necessary to inform you, that you may not be disappointed in any of your enterprises. I had not fully resolved to go into the country before this day. Please to make my compliments to Lord Hailes ; and mention very particularly to Mrs. Boswell my hope that she is reconciled to. Sir, your faithful servant, Sam. Johnson." [JOHNSON TO JOHN WESLEY. " Feb. 6. 1776. " Sir, — When I received your ' Commentary on the Bible,' I durst not at first flatter myself that I was to keep it, having so little claim to so valu- able a present ; and when Mrs. Hall * informed me of your kindness, was hindered from time to time from returning you those thanks which I now entreat you to accept. — I have thanks likewise to return you for the addition of your important suffrage to my argument on the American question. To have gained such a mind as yours may justly Mr. Wesley's sister. - Crokeb. 476 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1776 confirm me in my own opinion. What effect my paper has upon the public, I know not ; but I have no reason to be discouraged. Tlie lecturer was surely in the right, who, though he saw his audience slinking away, refused to quit the chair while Plato staid. — I am, reverend Sir, &c., — Harwood MSS. " Sam. Johnson."] Above thirty years ago, the heirs of Lord Chancellor Clarendon presented the university of Oxford with the continuation of his " His- tory," and such other of his lordship's manu- scripts as had not been published, on condition that the profits arising from their publication should be applied to the establishment of a manege in the university. ' The gift was ac- cepted in full convocation. A person ^ being now recommended to Dr. Johnson, as fit to superintend this proposed riding-school, he exerted himself with that zeal for which he was remarkable upon every similar occasion. But, on inquiry into the matter, he found that the scheme was not likely to be soon carried into execution ; the profits arising from the Claren- don press being, from some mismanagement, very scanty. This having been explained to him by a respectable dignitary of the church, who had good means of knowing it, he wrote a letter upon the subject, which at once ex- hibits his extraordinary precision and acute- ness, and his warm attachment to his alma mater. JOHNSON TO DR. WETHERELL, Master of the University College, Oxford. " March 12. 1776. " Dear, Sir, — Few things are more unpleasant than the transaction of business with men who are above knowing or caring what they have to do ; such as the trustees for Lord Cornbury's institution will, perhaps, appear when you have read Dr. ******'s letter. " The last part of the Doctor's letter is of great importance. The complaint 3 which he makes, I have heard long ago, and did not know but it was re- dressed. It is unhappy that a practice so erroneous has not been altered; for altered it must be, or our press will be useless, with all its privileges. The booksellers, who, like all other men, have strong prejudices in their own favour, ;\re enough inclined to think the practice of printing and selling books by any but themselves, an encroachment on the rights of their fraternity ; and have need of stronger inducements to circulate academical publications than those of another : for, of that mutual co- operation by which the general trade is carried on, the university can bear no part. Of those whom he neither loves nor fears, and from whom he expects no reciprocation of good offices, why should any man promote the interest, but for profit ? I suppose, with all our scholastic ignorance of man- > The Clarendon MSS., and any money which might arise from the sale or publication of them, were given by Catherine, Duchess Dowager of Queensburv, as a beginning of a fmid for supporting a manege, or academy for riding, and other useful exercises, in Oxford, pursuant to, and in con- kind, we are still too knowing to expect that th< booksellers will erect themselves into patrons, am buy and sell under the influence of a disinterestec zeal for the promotion of learning. " To the booksellers, if we look for either honou or profit from our press, not only their commoti profit, but something more, must be allowed ; ans if books, printed at Oxford, are expected to b rated at a high price, that price must be levied oi the public, and paid by the ultimate purchaser, no by the intermediate agents. What price shall h set upon the book is, to the booksellers, whoU indifferent, provided that they gain a proportionat profit by negotiating the sale. Why books printei at Oxford should be particularly dear, I am, how ever, unable to find. We pay no rent ; we inheri many of our instruments and materials ; lodgin; and victuals are cheaper than at London ; anc therefore, workmanship ought, at least, not to b dearer. Our expenses are naturally less than thos of booksellers ; and, in most cases, communities ar content with less profit than individuals. " It is, perhaps, not considered through hor many hands a book often passes, before it come into those of the reader ; or what part of the prof each hand must retain, as a motive for transmittin it to the next. " We will call our primary agent in London, M Cadell, who receives our books from us, gives thei room in his warehouse, and issues them on di mand ; by him they are sold to Mr. Dilly, a whol sale bookseller, who sends them into the country and the last seller is the country bookseller. He are three profits to be paid between the printer ai the reader, or, in the style of commerce, betwei the manufacturer and the consumer ; and if any these profits is too penuriously distributed, thepr cess of commerce is interrupted. ; " We are now come to the practical questic what is to be done ? You will tell me, with reasc' that I have said nothing, till I declare how muc according to my opinion, of the ultimate pri ought to be distributed through the whole succ( sion of sale. " The deduction, I am afraid, will appear ve great ; but let it be considered before it is refuse We must allow, for profit, between thirty a' thirty-five per cent., between six and seven shillin' in the pound; that is, for every book which co the last buyer twenty shillings, we must char Mr. Cadell with something less than fourteen. \ must set the copies at fourteen shillings each, a, superadd what is called the quarterly book, or 1 every hundred books so charged we must deliver hundred and four. " The profits will then stand thus : — 1\ Cadell, who runs no hazard, and gives no crec will be paid for warehouse room and attendance a shilling profit on each book, and his chance the quarterly book : Mr. Dilly, who buys I, book for fifteen shillings, and who will expect 1 quarterly book if he takes five and twenty, v! send it to his country customer at sixteen and s firmation of, the last will of Henry Lord Hyde, bearing t ' the lOth day of August, 1751. — Hall. — Choker. 2 A Mr. Carter. — Choker. 3 I suppose the complaint was, that the trustees of '■ Oxford press did not allow the London booksellers a si!- cient profit upon vending their publications. — BoswEil. ^T. 67. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 477 pence, by which, at the hazard of loss, and the certainty of long credit, he gains the regular profit f often per cent, which is expected in the wholesale trade : the country bookseller, buying at sixteen ! and sixpence, and commonly trusting a considerable ; time, gains but three and sixpence, and if he trusts : a year, not much more than two and sixpence ; otherwise than as he may, perhaps, take as long credit as he gives. " With less profit than this, and more you see he ' cannot have, the country bookseller cannot live ; for ! his receipts are small, and his debts sometimes bad. i " Thus, dear Sir, I have been incited by Dr. i ••♦»»»'s letter to give you a detail of the circula- I tion of books, which, perhaps, every man has not I had opportunity of knowing ; and which those : who know it, do not, perhaps, always distinctly consider. — I am, &c., Saji. Johnson."' i Havinj:; arrived in London late on Friday, the 15tli of JNIarch, I hastened next morning fto wait on Dr. Johnson, at his house; but j found he was removed from Johnson's Court, :No.7., to Bolt Court, No. 8., still keeping to bis [favourite Fleet Street. My reflection at the jtime upon this change, as marked in my jour- I nal, is as follows : " I felt a foolish regret that j he had left a court which bore his name " ; but j it was not foolisli to be affected with some ten- I derness of regard for a place in which I had I seen him a great deal, from whence I had often i issued a better and a happier man than when I went in, and which had often appeared to my ' imagination, while I trode its pavement in the : solemn darkness of the night, to be sacred to ' wisdom and piety." Being informed that he ' was at Mr.Thrale's in the Borough, I hastened thither, and found Mrs. Thrale and him at ; breakfast. I was kindly welcomed. In a mo- i ment he was in a full glow of conversation, and i I ftlt myself elevated as if brought into another ■ state of being. Mrs. Thrale and I looked to I each other while he talked, and our looks ex- j pressed our congenial admiration and afi'ection I for him. I shall ever recollect this scene with I great pleasure. I exclaimed to her, " I am I now intellectually, Hermippus redivivus ^ ; I am j quite restored by him, by transfusion of mind." " There are many," she replied, " who admire and respect Mr. Johnson ; but you and I love him." He seemed very happy in the near prospect of going to Italy with Mr. and Mrs. Thrale. " But," said he, " before leaving England, I am to take a jaunt to Oxford, Birmingham, my native city Lichfield, and my old friend Dr. L Taylor's at Ashbourne, in Derbyshire. I shall j go in a few days, and you, Boswell, shall go j with me." I was ready to accompany him ; I being willing even to leave London to have the j pleasure of his conversation. ; ! ' I am happy, in giving this full and clear statement to the ! public, to vindicate, by the authority of the greatest author I of his age, that respectable body of men, the booksellers of I London, from vulgar reflections, as if their profits were exorbitant, when, in truth. Dr. Johnson has here allowed them more than they usually demand. — Boswell. I mentioned with much regret the extrava- gance of the representative of a great iiamily in Scotland, by which there was danger of its being ruined ; and as Johnson respected it for its antiquity, he joined with me in tiiinking it would be happy if this person should die. Mrs. Thrale seemed shocked at this, as feudal barbarity, and said, " I do not understand this preference of the estate to its owner ; of the land to the man who walks upon that land." Johnson. " Nay, madam, it is not a preference of the land to its owner ; it is the preference of a family to an individual. Here is an esta- blishment in a country, which is of importance for ages, not only to the chief but to his people ; an establishment which extends upwards and downwards ; that this should be destroyed by one idle fellow is a sad thing." He said, " Entails are good, because it is good to preserve in a country serieses of men, to whom the people are accustomed to look up as to their leaders. But I am for leaving a quantity of land in commerce, to excite in- dustry, and keep money in the country ; for if no land were to be bought in the country, there would be no encouragement to acquire wealth, because a family coukl not be founded there ; or if it were acquired, it must be carried away to another country where land may be bought. And although the land in every country will remain the same, and be as fertile where there is no money, as where there is, yet all that portion of the happiness of civil life, which is produced by money circulating in a country, v^ould be lost." Boswell. " Then, Sir, would it be for the advantage of a country that all its lands were sold at once ? " John- son. " So far, Sir, as money produces good, it would be an advantage; for then that country would have as much money (circulating in it as it is worth. But to be sure this would be counterbalanced by disadvantages attending a total change of proprietors." I expressed my opinion that the power of entailing should be limited thus : " That there should be one-third, or perhaps one-half, of the land of a country kept free for commerce ; that the proportion allowed to be entailed should be parcelled out so that no family could entail above a certain quantity. Let a family, according to the abilities of its representatives, be richer or poorer in different generations, or always rich if its representatives be always wise : but let its absolute permanency be mo- derate. In this way we should be certain of there being always a number of established roots ; and as, in the course of nature, there is in every age an extinction of some families, there would be continual openings for men 2 He said, when in Scotland, that he was Johnson of that Ilk. — Boswell. See post, sub April 28. 1778 Choker. 3 The work of Cohausen, a German physician, translated by Dr. Campbell, in which is advanced the possibility of prolonging life by the transpiration of young breath by oid lungs. Seea»i/e, p. 142. — Croker, 184G. 478 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1776. ambitious of perpetuity, to plant a stock in the entail ground."' Johnson. "Why, Sir, man- kind will be better able to regulate the system of entails, when the evil of too much land being locked up by them is felt, than we can do at present, when it is not felt." I mentioned Dr. Adam Smith's book on " The Wealth of Nations," which was just pub- lished, and that Su- John Pringle had observed to me, that Dr. Smith, who had never been in trade, could not be expected to write well on that subject, any more than a lawyer upon physic. Johnson. " He is mistaken, Sir ; a man who has never been engaged in trade him- self may undoubtedly write well upon trade, and there is nothing which requires more to be illustrated by philosophy than trade does. As to mere wealth, that is to say, money, it is clear that one nation or one individual cannot in- crease its store but by making another poorer : but trade procm-es what is moi-e valuable, the reciprocation of the peculiar advantages of dif- ferent countries. A merchant seldom thinks but of his own particular trade. To write a good book upon it, a man must have extensive views. It is not necessary to have practised, to write well upon a subject." I mentioned law as a subject on which no man could write well without practice. Johnson. " Why, Sir, in England, where so much money is to be got by the practice of the law, most of our writers upon it have been in practice ; though Black- stone had not been much in practice when he published his ' Commentaries.' But upon the continent, the great writers on law have not all been in practice : Grotius, indeed, was ; but Puffendorf was not ; Burlamaqui was not." ^ When we had talked of the great consequence which a man acquii-ed by being employed in his profession, I suggested a doubt of the justice of the general opinion, that it is improper in a lawyer to solicit employment ; for why, I urged, should it not be equally allowable to solicit that as the means of consequence, as it is to solicit votes to be elected a member of parliament ? Mr. Strahan had told me that a countryman of his and mine ^, who had risen to eminence in the law, had, when first making his way, soli- cited him to get him employed in city causes. Johnson. " Sir, it is wrong to stir up lawsuits ; but when once it is certain that a lawsuit is to go on, there is nothing wrong in a lawyer's endeavouring that he shall have the benefit. 1 The privilege of perpetuating in a family an estate and arms indefensibly from generation to generation is enjoyed by none of his majesty's subjects except in Scotland, where the legal fiction q{ fine and recovery is unknown. It is a privilege so proud, that I should think it would be proper to have the exercise of it dependent on the royal prerogative. It seems absurd to permit the power of perpetuating their representation to men, who, having had no eminent merit, have truly no name. The king, as the impartial father ol his people, would never refuse to grant the privilege to those who deserved it Boswell. 3 Neither Grotius, Puffendorf, nor Burlamaqui, were wri- ters on what can be strictly called practical law ; and the great writers on practical law, in all countries, have been practical lawyers. — Ckoker. rather than another." Boswell. " You would not solicit employment, Sir, if you were a lawyer ? " Johnson. " No, Sir ; but not be- cause I should think it wrong, but because I should disdain it." This was a good distinction, which will be felt by men of just pride. He proceeded : " However, I would not have a lawyer to be wanting to himself in using fair means. I would have him to inject '^ a little hint now and then, to prevent his being over- i looked." Lord Mountstuart's bill for a Scotch militia, in supporting which his lordship had made an able speech ^ in the House of Commons, was now a pretty general topic of conversation. Johnson. " As Scotland contributes so little land-tax towards the general support of the nation, it ought not to have a militia paid out : of the general fund, unless it should be thought for the general interest that Scotland should be protected from an invasion, which no man can ' think will happen ; for what enemy would in- vade Scotland, where there is nothing to be got? . No, Sir ; now that the Scotch have not the pay < of English soldiers spent among them, as so many troops are sent abroad, they are trying to get money another way, by having a militia j^aid. If they are afraid, and seriously desire to have an armed force to defend them, they : should pay for it. Your scheme is to retain a : part of your land-tax, by making us pay and clothe your militia." Boswell. " You should not talk of ive and you, Sir ; there is now an union." Johnson. " There must be a distinc- : tion of interest, while the proportions of land- tax are so iinequal. If Yorkshire should say, - ' Instead of paying our land-tax, we will keep a greater number of militia,' it would be un- ; reasonable." In this argument my friend was certainly in the wrong. The land-tax is as unequally proportioned between different parts of England, as between England and Scotland; nay, it is considerably unequal in Scotland it- self. But the land-tax is but a small part of. the numerous branches of public revenue, all of -^vhich Scotland pays precisely as England does. A French invasion made in Scotland, would soon penetrate into England. He thus discoursed xipon supposed obligation in settling estates : " Where a man gets the un- limited property of an estate, there is no obliga- tion upon him injustice to leave it to one person rather than to another. There is a motive of 3 Mr. Wedderburn, afterwards Lord Chancellor, Lord Loughborough, and Earl of Rosslyn Crokeb. ^ * Quere, zraferject? a word which Johnson used. Note on Mom. and Jul., iii. 5. — Croker, 184G. 5 Boswell wrote to Mr. Wilkes on this subject, April 20. 1776 : — " I am delighted to find that my honoured friend and Msccnas, ray Lord Mountstuart, made an excellent speech on the Scotch militia bill." — Wilkes's Correspondence, vol. iv. p. 319. Mr. Boswell's Mcecenas, however, subsequently dis- appointed his hopes, and hence, perhaps, some of those querulous observations about " courting the great" and " apathy of patrons" which Mr. Boswell occasionally makes. — Croker. , iiET. 67. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSOX. 479 breference from kindness, and this kindness is ijenerally entertained for the nearest relation. ^[f I oive a particuhir man a sum of money, I im oblio'ed to let that man have the next money ;[ (ret, and cannot in justice let another have it; ijut if I owe money to no man, I may dispose of what I get as I please. There is not a de- bitum justitia: to a man's next heir ; there is mly a dehitum caritatis. It is plain, then, that I have morally a choice according to my liking. [f I have a brother in want, he has a claim Trom affection to my assistance ; but if I have iilso a brother in want, whom I like better, he lias a preferable claim. The right of an heir jit law is only this, that he is to have the suc- cession to an estate, in case no other person is ippointed to it by the owner. His right is uerely preferable to that of the king." • We got into a boat to cross over to Black- I'riars ; and as we moved along the Thames, I ;alked to him of a little volume, which, al- ogether unknown to him, was advertised to be jublished in a few days, under the title of ■' Johnsoniana, or Bon-mots of Dr. Johnson." iToHNSON. " Sir, it is a mighty impudent ihing." ' BoswELi,. " Pray, Sir, could you iiave no redress if you were to prosecute a ()ublisher for bringing out, under your name, ,liat you never said, and ascribing to you dull ■ '''[ nonsense, or making you swear pro- ! V, as many ignorant relaters of your bo7i- do?" Johnson. "No, Sir; there will 1 . ivs be some truth mixed with the falsehood, .1 1 how can it be ascertained how much is and how much is false ? Besides, Sir, damages would a jury give me for having represented as swearing ? " Boswell. link, Sir, you should at least disavow such ' lication, because the world and posterity ,t with much plausible foundation say, _' is a volume which was publicly adver- uud came out in Dr. Johnson's own name, ; H'l, by his silence, was admitted by him to be j Genuine.' " Johnson. " I shall give myself I w trouble about the matter." lis was a contemptible jest-book, full of indecencies, iili very little of Johnson in it. — Cbokek. 1' hough Mr. Langton was a man of strict veracity, I I. from the term worthy friend, which Boswell gpne- I'propriates to Mr. Langton, as well as the number of -ivS, that he was here meant. Boswell seems always to 11 Langton with great regard, and yet the reader will • that he is, throughout the whole work, too ready to I lo disparaging stories of him Croker. 1 another occasion he said, " A story is a specimen of :i manners, and derives its sole value from its truth. Foote has told me something, I dismiss it from my like a passing shadow ; when Reynolds tells me some- :. I consider myself as possessed of an idea the more." — ;/-;(. — A gentleman sitting next to Johnson at a table lyhere Foote was entertaining the company with some pxag- l.erated recitals, whispered his neighbour, " Why, Dr. John- ,on, it is impossible that this impudent fellow should know he truth of half what he has told us." " Nay, sir," replied 'lohnson hastily, " if we venture to come into comp.iny with J'oote, we have no right, I think, to look for truth." — Cra- tocA. — Croker. I * " One reason," says Mrs. PiozzI, " why his memory was to particularly exact, might be derived from his rigid atten. 'ion to veracity ; being always resolved to relate every fact 's it stood, he looked even on the smaller parts of life' with ninute attention, and remembered such passages as escape i'.ursory and common observers. His veracity was, indeed, He was, perhaps, above suflerlug from such spurious publications ; but I could not help thinking, that many men would be much in- jured in their reputation, by having absurd and vicious sayings imputed to them ; and that redress ought in such cases to be given. He said, " The value of every story depends on its being true. A story is a picture either of an individual or of human nature in general : if it be false, it is a picture of nothing. For instance : suppose a man should tell that John- son, before setting out for Italy, as he had to cross the Alps, sat down to make himself wings. This many people would believe ; but it would be a picture of nothing. ******* 2 (naming a worthy friend of ours) used to think a story, a story, till I showed him that truth was essential to it." I observed, that Foote entertained us with stories which were not true ; but that, indeed, it was properly not as riarratives that Foote's stories pleased us, but as collections of ludicrous images. Johnson. " Foote is quite impartial, for he tells lies of every body." ^ The importance of strict and scrupulous veracity cannot be too often inculcated. John- son was known to be so rigidly attentive to it, that even in his common conversation the slightest circumstance was mentioned with exact precision.'* The knowledge of his having such a principle and habit made his friends have a perfect re- liance on the truth of every thing that he told, however It might have been doubted if told by many others. As an instance of this, I may men- tion an odd incident which he related as having happened to him one night in Fleet Street. " A gentlewoman," said he, " begged I would give her my arm to assist her in crossing the street, which I accordingly did ; upon which she offered me a shilling, supposing me to be the watchman. I perceived that she was some- what in liquor." This, if told by most people, would have been thought an invention ; when told by Johnson, it was believed by his friends as much as if they had seen what passed.* from the most trivial to the most solemn occasions, strict even to severity ; he scorned to embellish a story with fictitious circumstances, which (he used to say) took off from its real value. " A story," he said, " should be a specimen of life and manners ; but if the surrounding circ\imstances are false, as it is no more a representation of reality, it is no longer worthy our attention." — Croker. •1 Miss Reynolds says that she wonders why Mr. Boswell should think this anecdote so surprising, for Johnson's dress was so mean (until his pension) that he might have been mistaken for a beggar. Mrs. Piozzi tells of another street adventure. As hewas walking along the Strand, a gentleman stepped out of some neighbouring tavern, with his napkin in his hand and no hat, and stopping him as civilly as he could , " I beg your pardon, sir ; but you are Dr. Johnson, I believe." " Yes, sir." " We have a wager depending on your reply : pray, sir, is it irreparable or irreparable that one should say?" "The last, I think, sir, answered Dr. Johnson, for the adverb [adjective] ought to follow the verb ; but you had better consult my Dictionary than me, for that was the result of more thought than you will now give me time for." " No, no," replied the gentleman, gaily, " the book I have no cer- tainty at all of ; but here is the author, to whom I referred : I have won my twenty guineas quite fairly, and am much obliged to you, sir;" so shaking Dr. Johnson kindly by the hand, he went iiack to finish his dinner or dessert." — Anec- dotes. The Dictionary gives, and rightly, a contrary deci- sion Croker. 480 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1776. We landed at the Temple Stairs, -where we parted. I found him in the evening in Mrs. Williams's room. We talked of religious orders. He said, " It is as unreasonable for a man to go into a Carthusian convent for fear of being immoral, as for a man to cut off his hands for fear he should steal. There is, indeed, great resolution in the immediate act of dismember- ing himself; but when that is once done, he has no longer any merit : for though it is out of his power to steal, yet he may ail his life be a thief in his heart. So when a man has once become a Carthusian, he is obliged to continue so, whether he chooses it or not. Their silence, too, is absurd. We read in the Gospel of the apostles being sent to preach, but not to hold their tongues. AH severity that does not tend to increase good, or prevent evil, is idle. I said to the Lady Abbess of a covent, ' Madam, you are here, not for the love of virtue, but the fear of vice.' She said, ' She should remember this as long as she lived.' " I thought it hard to give her this view of her situation, when she could not help it ; and indeed, I wondered at the whole of what he now said ; because, both in his "Rambler " and " Idler," he treats religious austerities with much solemnity of respect. Finding him still persevering in his absti- nence from wine, I ventured to speak to him of it. Johnson. " Sir, I have no objection to a man's drinking Avine, if he can do it in moderation. I found myself apt to go to excess in it, and therefore, after having been for some time without it, on account of illness, I thought it better not to return to it. Every man is to judge for himself, according to the effects which he experiences. One of the fathers tells us, he found fasting made him so peevish that he did not practise it." Though he often enlarged upon the evil of intoxication, he was by no means harsh and unforgiving to those who indulged in occasional excess in wine. One of his friends ', I well remember, came to sup at a tavern with him and some other gentlemen, and too plainly dis- covered that he had drunk too much at dinner. When one who loved mischief, thinking to produce a severe censure, asked Johnson, a 1 Probably Mr. BosweU himself, who frequently committed these indiscretions. Hannah More, describing a dinner in 1781, at Bishop Shipley's, where there were present Lord and Lady Spencer and Lady Althorp, Johnson, Reynolds, &c., says, " I was heartily disgusted with Mr. Boswell, who came up stairs after dinner, much disordered with wine, and ad- dressed me in a manner which drew from me a sharp rebulie, for which I fancy he will not readily forgive me." (Mem. i. 211). Intemperance was, indeed, too much the fashion in those days. The present century has shown a growing reformation in this point Croker, 1846. 2 This appears to be an ill-chosen illustration. It seems, on the contrary, that there are few powers of mind so une- qually given as those connected with numbers. The few who have them in any extraordinary degree, lilce Jedediah Bux- ton, and like the boys Bidder and Colborne, of our times, seem to have little other intellectual power. See accounts of Buxton in Gent. Mag. vol. xxi. p. 61. and vol. xxiv. p. 251. — Crokbr, 1831 . I reprint this note, as I believe the opinion few days afterwards, " Well, Sir, what did your friend say to you, as an apology for beino- in such a situation ? " Johnson answered " Sir, he said all that a man should say : he said he was sorry for it." I heard him once give a very judicious prac- tical advice upon the subject : " A man who has been drinking wine at all freely shoidd never go into a new company. With those who have partaken of wine with him,- he may be pretty; well in unison ; but he will probably be ' offensive, or appear ridiculous, to other' people. lie allowed very great influence to educa- tion. " I do not deny, Sir, but there is some original difference in minds ; but it is nothin"- in comparison of what is formed by education. We may instance the science of mimhers,> which all minds are equally capable of attain- ing ^ ; yet we find a prodigious difference in the powers of different men, in that respect,: after they are grown up, because their minds have been more or less exercised in it ; and I think the same cause will explain the difference! of excellence in other things, gradations ad- mitting always some difference in the first principles." ; This is a difficult subject; but it is best to! hope that diligence may do a great deal. We, are swe of what it can do, in increasing our; mechanical force and dexterity. I again visited him on Monday. He tool; occasion to enlarge, as he often did, upon the wretchedness of a sea-life. " A ship is worse, than a gaol. There is, in a gaol, better air' better company, better conveniency of every kind; and a ship has the additional disadvan- tage of being in danger. When men come tcj like a sea-life, they are not fit to live on land.' " Then," said I, " it would be cruel in a fathei to breed his son to the sea." Johnson. "It would be cruel in a father who thinks as I do Men go to sea, before they know the unhap- piness of that way of life ; and when they have; come to know it, they cannot escape from it. because it is then too late to choose anothei profession ; as indeed is generally the case wit! men, when they have once engaged in any particular way of life.^ slated is generally true, but also to take the opportunity o! doing justice to Mr. Bidder, concerning whom I was mis- takeivand v.ho is now an eminent civil engineer Croker i 1846. 3 See ante, p. 349., his dislike of a sea life. Mrs. Piozz adds, that "the roughness of the language used on boarc ship, when he had passeda weekon a visit to Captain Knight i disgusted him terribly. He asked an officer what somi place was called, and received for answer, that it was when^ the loplolly-vian kept his loplolly ; a reply he considered, noi unjustly, as disrespectful, gross, and ignorant." — ie«e« ^ The loplolly-boy is the surgeon's assistant, and I can verji well imagine a waggish young officer delighted to puzzle thi; great lexicographer by a word not to bejound in his Diction- ary — a joke which the Doctor, it appears, did not relish: Captain Knight, of the Belleisle, 74, lay for a couple of monthi of 1762 in Plymouth Sound, and may have been visited bv Reynolds and Johnson (ante, p. 127.) ; but it is unlikely thai they passed a week on ship-board. — Croker. ^T. 67. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 481 CHAPTER LIII. 1776. Excursion to Oxford with BosweU. — Ornamental Architecture. — Statuary. — Advice to Hypochon- driacs. — '^Anatomy of Melancholy." — Dr. Wethcrell. — Dr. Adams. — Conversation. — Bishop Home. — Walton's " Lives." — Biography. i — Dartineuf. — Gibbon. — Steele. — " Tristram [ Shandy." — Burke. — Blenheim. — Taverns and I Inns. — Dyei-'s "Fleece." — Grainger^ s "Sugar \ Cane." — Birmingham. — Legitimation. — Mar- riage. — Quakers. — Holidays. — Nelson s " Fes- ' tivals." — Mr. Boutton. — Lichfield and its In- habitants. I On Tuesday, 19th March', which was fixed for j oui' proposed jaunt, we met in the morning at the Somerset Coffee-house in the Strand, where we were taken up by the Oxford coach. He was accompanied by Mr. Gwyn, the architect ; and a gentleman of Merton college, whom he did not know, had the fourth seat. We soon got into conversation ; for it was very remark- able of Johnson, that the presence of a stranger had no restraint upon his talk. I observed that Garrick, who was about to quit the stage, would soon have an easier life. Johnson. " I doubt that, Sir." Boswell. " Why, Sir, he will be Atlas with the burthen off his back." Johnson. " But I know not, Sir, if he will be so steady without his load. However, he should never play any more, but be entirely the gen- tleman, and not partly the player : he should no longer subject himself to be hissed by a mob, or to be insolently treated by performers, whom he wsed to rule with a high hand, and who would gladly retaliate." Boswell. " I think he should play once a year for the benefit of decayed actors, as it has been said he means to do." Johnson. " Alas, Sir ! he will soon be a decayed actor himself." Johnson expressed his disapprobation of or- I namental architecture, such as magnificent ! columns supporting a portico, or expensive I pilasters supporting merely their own capitals, j " because it consumes labour disproportionate j to its utility." For the same reason he satirised statuary. " Painting," said he, " consumes 1 It appears from Hannah More's letters, that Boswell, and probably Johnson, spent the evening of the 18th at Garrick's. It seems to have been the first time of her seeing Boswell " Corsican Boswell, a very agreeable good-natured man : he perfectly adores Johnson," &c. A few evenings before this, Hannah More writes that she had had a little evening party, of Mrs. Boscawen, Mrs. Garrick, and Miss Reynolds ; Johnson, Garrick, and Dean Tucker, and that " Garrick was the life and soul of the company. [ never saw Johnson in such perfect goo t humour. One can never enjoy the com- pany of tliese t.-. unless they are together. After the Dean and Mrs. Boscawen were gone, and the rest stood up to go, Johnson and Garrick began a close encounter, telling old stories, ' e'en from their boyish days' at Lichfield. We all stood round them for half an hour, laughing ; and should not hive thought of sitting down, or of parting, had not an imper- tinent w.itihman been saucily vociferous. Johnson outstaid them all, and sat with me half an hour."— ili'in. i. G'J. Itis pleasing to fnid, from these letters, that thi re w;is more of labour not disproportionate to its effect ; but a fellow will hack half a year at a block of marble to make something in stone that hardly resembles a man. The value of statuary is owing to its difficulty. You would not value the finest head cut upon a carrot." Here he seemed to me to be strangely deficient in taste"; for surely statuary is a noble art of imitation, and preserves a wonderful expression of the varieties of the human frame ; and although it must be allowed that the circum- stances of difficulty enhance the value of a marble head, we should consider, that if it requires a long time in the jjerformance, it has a proportionate value in durability. Gwyn was a fine lively rattling fellow. Dr. Johnson kept him in subjection, but with a kindly authority. The spirit of the artist, however, rose against what he thought a Gothic attack, and he made a brisk defence. " What, Sir, you will allow no value to beauty in archi- tecture or In statuary? Why should we allow it then in writing ? Why do you take the trouble to give us so many fine allusions, and bright images, and elegant phrases ? You miglit convey all your instruction without these ornaments." Johnson smiled with com- placency; but said, "Why, Sir, all these orna- ments are useful, because they obtain an easier reception for truth ; but a building is not at all more convenient for being decorated with superfluous carved work." Gwyn at last was lucky enough to make one reply to Dr. Johnson, which he allowed to be excellent. Johnson censured him for taking down a church which might have stood many years, and building a new one at a dif- ferent place, for no other reason but that there might be a direct road to a new bridge ; and his expression was, " You arc taking a church out of the way, that the people may go in a straight line to the bridge." " No, Sir," said (xwyn, " I am putting the church m the way, that the people may not go out of the u-ay." Johnson (with a hearty loud laugh of appro- bation). " Speak no more. Rest your col- loquial fame upon this." Upon our arrival at Oxford, Dr. Johnson and I went directly to University College, but were disappointed on finding that one of the fellows, his friend ]\Ir. Scott, [p. 2G8.] who accompanied cordiality and social intercourse between Johnson and Gar- rick than Boswcll's narrative would lead us to suppose Croker, 1846. - Dr. Johnson docs not seem to have objected to orna- mental architecture or statuary per se. but to labour dispro ■ purlwjialc to its utility or effect. In this view, his criticisms are just. The late style of building introduced into London, of colonnades and porticos, without any regard to aspect, climate, or utility, is so absurd to reason, so offensive to taste, and so adverse to domestic comfort, that it reconciles us to the short-lived materials of which these edifices are composed. It would have been well if we had, according to Johnsons sober advice, thought it necessary that the " magnifictnce of porlicos," and the "expense of pilasters," should have borne some degree of proportion to their nlility. Vith regard to "statuary," when it does "preserve the varieties of the human frame," it deserves all that Mr. Boswell says for it : but Johnson's objection was that it more freiiuentlv prodiicud abortive failures, "hardly resembling man." — Ckoklh. I I 482 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1776. him from Newcastle to Edinburgh, was gone to the country. We put up at the Angel inn, and passed the evening by ourselves in easy and familiar conversation. Talking of consti- tutional melancholy, he observed, — "A man so afflicted, Sir, must divert distressing thoughts, and not combat with them. " Bosm'ell. " May not he think them down, Sir ? " John- son. " No, Sir. To attempt to thinh them clown is madness. He should have a lamp constantly burning in his bed-chamber during the night, and if wakefuUy disturbed, take a book, and read, and compose himself to rest. To have the management of the mind is a great art, and it may be attained in a consider- able degree by experience and habitual exer- cise." BoswELL. " Should not he provide amusement for himself? Would it not, for instance, be right for hiiu to take a course of chemistry ? " Johnson. " Let him take a course of chemistry, or a coiu-se of rope- dancing, or a course of any thing to which he is inclined at the time. Let him contrive to have as many retreats for his mind as he can, as many things to which it can fly from itself. Burton's ' Anatomy of Melancholy ' is a valuable work. It is, perhaps, overloaded with quotation. But there is a great spirit and great power in what Burton says, when he writes from his own mind." Next morning [Wednesday, March 20.] we visited Dr. Wetherell, master of University College, with whom Dr. Johnson conferred on the most advantageous mode of disposing of the books printed at the Clarendon press, on Avhich subject his letter has been inserted in a former page. I often had occasion to remark, Johnson loved business, loved to have his wisdom actually operate on real life. Dr. Wetherell and I talked of him without reserve in his own presence. Wetherell. " I would have given him a hundred guineas if he would have written a preface to his ' Political Tracts,' by way of a discourse on the British constitu- tion." BoswELL. "Dr. Johnson, though in his writings, and upon all occasions, a great friend to the constitution, both in church and state, has never written expressly in support of either. There is really a claim upon him for both. I am sure he could give a volume of no great bulk upon each, which would com- prise all the substance, and with his spirit would effectually maintain them. He should erect a fort on the confines of each." I could perceive that he was displeased with this dia- logue. He burst out, " Why should I be always writing ? " I hoped he was conscious that the debt was just, and meant to discharge it, ■ though he disliked being dunned. We then went to Pembroke College, and waited on his old friend Dr. Adams, the master of it, v/hom I found to be a most polite, pleasing, commimicative man. Before his ad- vancement to the headship of his college, I had intended to go and visit him at Shrewsbury, where he was rector of St. Chad's, in order to get from him what particulars he could recol- lect of Johnson's academical life. He now obligingly gave me part of that authentic in- formation, which, with what I afterwards ovred to his kindness, will be found incorporated in its proper place in this work. Dr. Adams had distinguished himself by ^n able Answer 1 to David Hume's "Essay on J Miracles." He told me he had once dined in j company with Hume in London : that Hume \ shook hands with him, and said, " You have ; treated me much better than I deserve;" andi that they exchanged visits. I took the liberty to i object to treating an infidel writer with smooth ! civility. Where there is a controversy concern- ing a passage in a classic author, or concerning a question in antic^uities, or any other subject in which human happiness is not deeply in- terested, a man may treat his antagonist with politeness and even respect. But where the; controversy is concerning the truth of religion, it is of such vast importance to him who main- tains it, to obtain tbe victory, that the person of an opponent ought not to be spared. If a man firmly believes that religion is an invalu- able treasure, he will consider a writer whc endeavours to deprive mankind of it as i rohher ; he will look upon him as odious \ though the infidel might think himself in th( right. A robber who reasons as the gang di in the " Beggar's Opera," who call themselve practical philosophers, and may have as umcl sincerity as pernicious speculative philosophers is not the less an object of just indignatior An abandoned profligate may think that it i not wrong to debauch . my wife ; but shall ] therefore, not detest him? And if I catc him in making an attempt, shall I treat hii with politeness ? No, I will kick him dow stairs, or run him through the body ; that i; if I really love my wife, or have a true ratiout notion of honour. An infidel then should nc be treated handsomely by a Christian, merel because he endeavours to rob with ingenuity I do declare, however, that I am exceeding! unwilling to be provoked to anger; and coal I be persuaded that truth wquld not suffi from a cool moderation in its defendeis, should wish to preserve good humour, at leat in every controversy; nor, indeed, do I why a man should lose his temper while 1 does all he can to refute an opponent. I thii ridicule may be fairly used against an infide for instnncc, if he be an ugly fellow, and y absurdly vain of his person, we may contra] his appearance with Cicero's beautiful Inia of Virtue, could she be seen. Johnson coil cided with me, and said, " When a man voluj tarily engages in an important controversy, , is to do all he can to lessen his antagoni because authority from personal respect t This tract appeared in 1752, and i ^T. 6"; BOS^YELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 483 much weight with most people, and often more than reasoning. If my antagonist writes bad language, though that may not be essential to the question, I will attack him for his bad lan- guage." Adams. " You would not jostle a chimney-sweeper." Johnson. " Yes, Sir, if it were necessary to jostle him down.'' Dr. Adams told us, that in some of the col- I leges at Oxford, the fellows had excluded the [ students from social intercourse with them in the common room. Johnson. " They are in the right, Sir : there can be no real conversa- i tion, no fair exertion of mind amongst them, if ; the young men are by : for a man who has a ; character does not choose to stake it in their I presence." Boswell. " But, Sir, may there ) not be very good conversation without a con- f test for superiority ?" Johnson. "No ani- i mated conversation, Sir ; for it cannot be but I one or other will come otf superior. I do not mean that the victor must have the better of the argument, for he may take the weak side ; but his superiority of parts and knowledge will necessarily appear ; and he to whom he thus shows himself superior is lessened in the eyes of the young men. Y'^ou know it was said, ' 3Icillein cum Scaligcro ciTare quam cum Clavio recte sapere.' In the same manner take Bent- ley's and Jason de Nores ' ' Comments iipon Horace, you will admire Bentley more when wrong, than Jason when right." We walked with Dr. Adams into the master's garden, and into the common room. Johnson (after a reverie of meditation). " Ay ! here I used to play at draughts with Phil. Jones and Fludyer.- Jones loved beer, and did not get very forward in the church. Fludyer turned out a scoundreP, a whig, and said he was ashamed of having been bred at Oxford. He had a living at Putney ; and got under the eye ;of some retainers to the court at that time, and so became a violent whig ; but he had been a scoundrel all along, to be sure." Boswell. !" Was he a scoundrel. Sir, in any other way ithan that of being a political scoundrel ? Did ilie cheat at drauglits ? " Johnson. " Sir, we inever played for money.''' He then carried me to visit Dr. Bentham, • A learned Cypriot. who, when the Turks took Cyprus in 1570, retired into Italy, where he published several Italian ind Latin works : ainon» the latter was a " Commentary on porarp's Art of Poetry." — CnoKEK. - Fludyer entered within a month of Johnson's entrance. Jones must have been about a year their senior, having become M. A. March. 1734. _ Hall. — Croker. I 3 See pos<, March 27. 1776, n. — C. ■• Dr. Fisher told mo, in the conversation before mentioned, {nnti, p. 45S. n. 5.), that there were present at this dinner^ Dr. Wetherell, Johnson, lioswell, Coulson, Scott, Gwyn, Ur. Chandler the traveller, and Fisher himself, then a youn'' 'ftllott- of the College. He recollects one passage of the con- versation at dinner. Boswell quoted Quern Dcus vult perdere, prius dementat, and asked where it was. A pause. At last Dr. Chandler said, in Horace. Another pause. Then Fisher remarked that ho knew of no metre in Horace to which the is could be reduced : and Johr.son said dictatorially, le young man is right." — See ;)Oii, March 30. 1783. At juiothcr conversation, during, as Di. Fisher thought, this jvisit to Oxford, there happened to be present a Mr. Mor- itimer, a shallow, under-bred man, who had no sense of canon of Christ Church, and divinity pi-ofessor, with whose learned and lively conversation we were much pleased. He gave us an invitation to dinner, which Dr. Johnson told me was a high honour. " Sir, it is a great thing to dine witli the canons of Christ Church." We could not accept his invitation, as we were en- gaged to dine at University College. We had an excellent dinner there, with the masters and fellows, it being St. Cuthbert's day, which , is kept by them as a festival, as he was a saint of Durham, with which this college is much connected."^ We drank tea with Dr. Horrc, late Presi- dent of Magdalen College and Bi-^hop of Nor- wich, of whose abilities in different respects the public has had eminent proofs, and' the esteem annexed to whose character was in- creased by knowing him personally. He had talked of publishing an edition of '\^'alton's Lives, but had h'u\ aside that design, upon Dr. Johnson's telling him, from mistakf". that Lord Hailes intended to do it. I had wished to negotiate between Ford Hailes and him, that one or other should perform so good a work. Johnson. " In order to do it well, it will be necessary to collect all the editions of "^^'alton's Lives. By way of adapting the book to the taste of the present age, they have, in a late edition, left out a vision which he relates Dr. Donne had, but it should be re- stored^; and there should be a critical cata- logue given of the works of the different per- sons whose lives were written by Walton, and therefore their ivorks must be carefully read by the editor." We then went to Trinity College, where he introduced me to Mr. Thomas Warton, with whom we passed a part of the evening. We talked of biography. Johnson. " It is rarelv well executed. They only who live with a man can write his life with any genuine ex- actness and discrimination ; and iey^ people who have lived with a man know what to remark about him. The chaplain of a late bishop f*, Avhom I was to assist in writing some memoirs of his lordship, could tell me scarcely any thing." ■" Johnson's superiority, and talked away a great deal of flippant nonsense : at last he flatly contradicted some assertion which Johnson had pronounced to be as clear as that two and two make four. " 1 deny it," replied the other vehemently, " I utterly deny it." " Sir," said Johnson, " if you deny that, I can only say that plus in una hord ncgnbiC vnns asinus, quam cnitum philosop/ii in centum annis probaverint." I suspect, however, that this scene occurred at one of Johnson's later visits Cuoker, ISIG. 5 The vision which Johnson speaks of was not in the ori- ginal publication of Walton's " Life of Dr. Donne," in IGIO. It is not found in the three earliest editions ; but was first introduced into the fourth, in 176.'). I have not been able to discover what modern republication' is alluded to in which it was omitted. It has very properly been restored by Dr. Zouch — J. Boswell, jun. 6 The Bishop was Zachary Poarce, and the Chaplain, Mr. Derby. See post, sub May, 1777 Croker. ■ It has been mentioned to me bv an accurate English friend, that Dr. Johnson could never have used the plirase almost nothing, as not being Englisli ; and therefore I have jiut another in its place. At the same time, I am not quite con- Ii2 484 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1776. I said, Mr. Robert Dodsley's life should be ■written, as he had been so much connected with the wits of his time, and by his literary merit had raised himself from the station of a footman. Mr. Warton said, he had published a little volume under the title of " The Muse in Livery." Johnson. " I doubt whether Dodsley's brother ' would thank a man who should write his life ; yet Dodsley himself was not unwilling that his original low condition should be recollected. When Lord Lyttel- ton's ' Dialogues of the Dead ' came out, one of which is between Apicius, an ancient epi- cure, and Dartineuf *, a modern epicure, Dods- ley said to me, ' I knew Dartineuf well, for I was once his footman.' " Biography led us to speak of Dr. John Campbell, who had written a considerable part of the ^'- Biographia Britannica." Johnson, though he valued him highly, was of opinion that there was not so much in his great work, " A Political Survey of Great Britain," as the world had been taught to expect ' ; and had said to me that he believed Campbell's disap- pointment on account of the bad success of that work had killed him. He this evening observed of it, " That work was his death." Mr. Warton, not adverting to his meaning, answered, " I believe so, from the great atten- tion he bestowed on it." Johnson. " Nay, Sir, he died of ivcmt of attention, if he died at all by that book." We talked of a work much in vogue at that time, written in a very mellifluous style, but which, under pretext of another subject, con- tained much artful infidelity. I said it was not fair to attack us unexpectedly ; he should have warned iis of our danger, before we entered his garden of flowery eloquence, by advertising, " Spring-guns and men-traps set here." The author had been an Oxonian, and was remembered there for having " turned Papist." I observed, that as he had changed several times — from the church of England vinced it is not good English. For the best writers use this phrase, " little or nothing," i. e. almost so little as to be nothing. — Bosweli.. Mr. Boswell's friend was surely hyper- critical. — Croker, ' James Dodsley, many years a bookseller in Pall Mall. He died 19 Feb. 1797, aged 74, and was buried in the church of St. James', Piccadilly, where there is a tablet erected to his memory P. Cunningham. 2 This gentleman, whose proper name was Charles Darti- quenavc (pronounced and commonly written Darteneuf), is now only recollected as a celebrated epicure ; but he was a man of wit, pleasure, and political importance at the begin- ning of the last century — the associate of Swift, Pope, Addi- son, and Steele — a contributor to the Tatler, and a member of the Klt-Cat Club, of which collection his portrait is one of the best. He was Paymaster of the Board of Works, and Surveyor of the royal gardens ; and died in 1737. It was suspected that he was a natural son of Charles the Second, by a foreign lady ; and his physiognomy as well as his name evidences a foreign origin Croker. 3 Yet surely it is a very useful work, and of wonderful research and labour for one man to have executed Bos- well. 1 As there can be no doubt that Gibbon and his History are the author and the work here alluded to, I once thought that the sceptical tone of the celebrated 15th and 16th ch.apters miglit have prompted this sarcasm, but there is in them no particular allusion to Mahometanism, and I now to the church of Rome — from the church of Rome to infidelity, — I did not despair yet of seeing him a methodist preacher. Johnson (laughing). " It is said that his range has been more extensive, and that he has once been Mahometan. However, now that he has published his infidelity, he will probably per- sist in it." * BoswELL. " I am not quite sure of that. Sir." I mentioned Sir Richard Steele having pub- lished his " Christian Hero," with the avowed purpose of obliging himself to lead a religious life; yet that his conduct was by no means strictly suitable, Johnson. " Steele, I believe, i practised the lighter vices." Mr. Warton, being engaged, could not sup with us at our inn ; we had therefore another evening by ourselves. I asked Johnson . whether a man's being forward to make him- self known to eminent people ^, and seeing as much of life, and getting as much information as he could in every way, was not yet lessening himself by his forwardness. Johnson. " No, Sir ; a man always makes himself greater as he increases his knowledge." , I censured some ludicrous fantastic dialogues between two coach-horses, and other such' stuif, which Baretti had lately published. He joined with me, and said, " Nothing odd will do long. ' Tristram Shandy ' did not Inst.'' I expressed a desii-e to be acquainted witii r lady who had been much talked of, and univer- sally celebrated for extraordinary address ant insinuation.*^ Johnson. " Never believe eX' traordinary characters wliich you hear of people: Depend upon it, Sir, they are exaggerated, You do not see one man shoot a great dea higher than another." I mentioned Mr. Burke Johnson. " Yes, Burke is an extraordinar man. His stream of mind is perpetual." 1 is very pleasing to me to record, that Johnson' high estimation of the talents of this gentleniai was uniform from their early acquaintance Sir Joshua Reynolds informs me, that whe incline to believe, as was suggested by Mr. Macaulay in Edinburgh Review, that it ra.iy have referred to some Ox rumours of earlier infidelity. Gibbon, in his Memoirs, con] fesses that the erratic course of study, which finally led U his conversion to Popery, began at Oxford by a turn towarvj " oriental learning and an inclination to study Arabic." "H tutor," he adds, "discouraged this childish fancy." He con plains, too, of the invidious tvhispers wliich were afterwan circulated in Oxford on the subject of his apostacy ; and .- we may be certain that Johnson did not speak without ) meaning, some whisper of this early inclination to the la;; guage of the Koran may have reached Johnson, and occ| sioned this sarcasm. — Croker, 1835. ] 5 This was one of Boswell's predominant passions : hew<: particularly in early life, fond of running after notorieties i all sorts. — Croker. 6 Margaret Caroline Rudd, a woman who lived with Oi of the brothers Perreau, who were about this time e.'cecut (Jan. 17. 177fi) for a forgery. Her fame " for extraordinal address and insinuation" was probably very unfounded;! arose from this : she betrayed her accomplices ; and thcy.ij return, charged her with being the real author of the forge: and alleged that they were dupes and instruments in 1; hands ; and, to support this allegation, they and their frien.< who were numerous and respectable, exaggerated, to t; highest degree, Mrs. Rudd's supposed powers of address a: fascination. See post, p. 519. n. '2. — Croker. i iET. 67. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 485 I' Mr. Burke was first elected a member of par- i liament, and Sir John Hawkins expressed a \ wonder at his attaining a seat, Johnson said, I " Now we, who know Mr. Burke, know that I he will be one of the first men in the country." ; And once, when Johnson was ill, and unable \ to exert himself as much as usual without i fatigue, Mr. Burke having been mentioned, ! he said, " That fellow calls forth all my powers. ; Were I to see Burke now it would kill me." i So much was he accustomed to consider conversation as a contest, and such was his notion of Burke as an opponent. "~" Next morning, Thursday, 21st March, we set out in a post-chaise to pursue our ramble. i It was a delightful day, and Ave rode through ■ Blenheim park. When I looked at the mag- i nificent bridge built by John Duke of Marl- borough, over a small rivulet, and recollected the epigram made ' upon it — " The lofty arch his higli ambition shows, The stream an emblem of his bounty flows ; " and saw that now, by the genius of Brown, a magnificent body of water was collected, I said, " They have drowned the epigram." I observed to him, while in the midst of the noble scene ai-ound iis, " You and I, Su', have, I think, seen together the extremes of what can be seen in Britain — the wild rough island of Mull, and Blenheim park." AVe dined at an excellent inn at Chapel- house, where he expatiated on the felicity of England in its taverns and inns, and triumphed over the French for not having, in any per- fection, the tavern life. " There is no private house," said he, " in which people can enjoy themselves so well as at a capital tavern. Let there be ever so great plenty of good things, ever so much grandeur, ever so much elegance, ever so much desire that evei-y body should be easy ; in the nature of things it cannot be : there must always be some degree of care and anxiety. The master of the house is anxious to entertain his guests ; the guests are anxious to be agreeable to him; and no man, but a very impudent dog indeed, can as freely com- mand what is in another man's house, as if it were his own. "Whereas, at a tavern, there is > By Dr. Evans. — Croker. 2 Sir John Hiiwkins h.is preserved very few memorabilia of Johnson. Thire is, however, to be found in his bulky tome a. very excellent one upon this subject. " In contradic- tion to those who, havin(ra wife and children, prefer domestic enjoyments to those which a tavern afifords, I have heard him assert, l/iat a tavern chair was the throne of human felicity. ' As soon,' said he, ' as I enter the door of a tavern, I expe- rience an oblivion of care, and a freedom from solicitude ; when I am seated, 1 find the master courteous, .ind the ser- vants obsequious to my call ; anxious to know and ready to supply my wants : wine there exhilarates my siiirits, and prompts me to free conversation and an interchange of dis- course with those whom I most love : I dogmatise and am contradicted, and in thi.s conflict of opinion and sentiments I find delight.' "— Boswf.ll. ^ We happened to lie this night at the inn at Henley, where Shenstone wrote these lines ; which I give as they are found in the corrected edition of his works, i)ublishcd after his death. In Dodsley's collection the stanza ran thus : — a general freedom from anxiety. You are sure you are welcome : and the more noise you make, the more trouble you give, the more good things you call for, the welcomer you are. No servants will attend you with the alacrity which waiters do, who are incited by the prospect of an inmiediate reward in proportion as they please. No, Sir; there is nothing which has yet been contrived by man, by which so much hapj>iness is produced as by a good tavern or inn." ^ He then repeated, with great emotion, Shenstone's lines : " Whoe'er has travell'd life's dull round, Where'er his stages inay have been, May sigh to think he still has found The warmest welcome at an Inn." ' My illustrious friend, I thought, did not sufliciently admire Shenstone. That ingenious and elegant gentleman's opinion of Johnson appears in one of his letters to Mr. Graves, dated Feb. 9. 1760. "I have lately been leading one or two volumes of the Rambler ; who, excepting against some few hardnesses * in his manner, and the want of more examples to enliven, is one of the most nervous, most perspicuous, most concise, most harmonious prose writers I know. A learned diction im- proves by time." In the afternoon, as we were driving rapidly along in the post-chaise, he said to me, " Life has not many things better than this." ^ We stopped at Stratford-upon-Avon, and drank tea and coffee ; and it pleased me to be with him npon the classic ground of Shaks- peare's native place. He spoke slightly of Dyer's " Fleece." " The subject, Sir, cannot be made poetical. How can a man write poetically of serges and drug- gets? Yet you will hear many people talk to you gravely of that excellent poem, ' The Fleece.' " Having talked of Grainger's " Sugar Cane," I mentioned to him Mr. Langton's having told me, that this poem, when read in manuscript at Sir Joshua Reynolds's, had made all the assembled wits burst into a laugh, when, after much blank-verse pomp, the poet began a new paragraph thus : — " Now, Muse, let's sing of rats." " Whoe'er has travell'd life's dull round, Whate'er his various tour has been, May sigh to think how oft he found His warmest welcome at an inn." — Boswell. * " He too often makes use of the abstract for the con- crete."— Shenstone Boswell. 5 The truth is that Johnson's poverty had, till a late period of his life, kept him in ignorance of the luxury of a post- ch.iise, which he then enjoyed like a new taste. " He loved," says Mrs. Piozzi, " the very act of travelling, and I cannot tell how far one might have taken him in a carriage before ho would have wished for refreshment. He was therefore in some respects an admirable companion on the road, as he piqued himself upon feeling no mconveniencc, and on de- spising no accommodations. On the other hand, however, he expected no one else to feel any, and felt excerilingly inflamed with anger if any one complained of the rain, the sun, or the dust. " How," said ho, " do other people bear them V" —Croker. II 3 486 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. And what increased the ridicule was, that one of the company, who slyly overlooked the reader, iDcrceived that the word had been originally 7nice, and had been altered to rats, as more dignified.' This passage does not appear in the printed work, Dr. Grainger, or some of his friends, it should seem, having become sensible that in- troducing even I'ats, in a grave poem, might be liable to banter. He, however, could not bring himself to relinquish the idea; for they are thus, in a still more ludicrous manner, peri- phrastically exhibited in his poem as it now stands : — " Nor with less waste the whisker'd vermin race, A countless clan, despoil the lowland cane." Johnson said, that Dr. Grainger was an agreeable man ; a man who would do any good that was in his power. His translation of TibuUus, he thought, was very well done ; but " The Sugar Cane, a Poem," did not please him * ; for, he exclaimed, " What could he make of a sugar cane? One might as well write the 'Parsley Bed, a Poem;' or 'The Cabbnge Garden, a Poem.' " Boswell. " You must then pickle your cabbage with the sal atticum." Johnson. "You know there is already 'The Hop Garden, a Poem;'^ and I think, one could say a great deal about cab- bage. The poem might begin with the advan- tages of civilised society over the rude state, exemplified by the Scotch, who had no cab- bages tin Oliver Cromwell's soldiers intro- duced them ; and one might thus show how arts are propagated by conquest, as they were by the Roman arms." He seemed to be much diverted with the fertility of his own fancy. I told him, that I heard Dr. Percy was writing the history of the wolf in Great Bri- tain. Johnson. "The wolf. Sir; why the wolf? Why does he not write of the bear, which we had formerly ? Nay, it is said that we had the beaver. Or why does he not Avrite of the gray rat, the Hanover rat, as it is called, because it is said to have come into this coun- try about the time that the family of Hanover came ? I should like to see ' The Historij of the Gray Rat, by Thomas Percy, D.D., Chap- lain in Ordhuiry to His Majesty''" (laiighing immoderately). Boswell. " I am afraid a 1 Such is this little laughable incident, which has been often related. Dr. Percy, the Bishop of Dromore, who was an intimate friend of Dr. Grainger, and has a particular regard for his memory, has cominunicated to me the following ex- planation : — " The passage in question was originally not liable to such a perversion: for the author having occasion in that part of his work to mention the havock made by rats and mice, had introduced the subject in a kind of mock-heroic, and a parody of Homer's Battle of the Frogs and Mice, invoking the muse of the old Grecian bard in an elegant and well-turned man- ner. In that state I had seen it ; but afterwards, unknown to me and other friends, he had been persuaded, contrary to his own licltor jniigr.ient, to alter it, so as to produce the unlucky cfTect above inentionrd." The above was written by the Bishop when he had not the poem itself to recur to: jiid I hnugh the account given was true of it .at one periml, yet, as Dr. Grainger afterwards altcied the iiassage in ((iicstion, the remarks in the text do court chaplain could not decently write of the gray rat." Johnson. " Sir, he need not give it the name of the Hanover rat." Thus could he indulge a luxuriant sportive imagination, when talking of a friend whom he loved and esteemed.''- He mentioned to me the singular history of an ingenious acquaintance. " He had prac- tised physic in various situations with no great emolument. A West India gentleman, ivhora he delighted by his conversation, gave him a bond for a handsome annuity during his life, on the condition of his accompanying him to the West Indies, and living with him there for two years. He accordingly embarked with the gentleman ; but itpon the voyage fell in love with a young woman who happened to be one of the passengers, and married the wench. From tlie imprudence of his disposition he quarrelliMl with the gentleman, and declared he woidd Iiave no connexion with him. So he forfeited the annuity. He settled as a phy- sician in one of the Leeward Islands. A man was sent out to him merely to compound his medicines. This fellow set up as a rival to him in his practice of physic, and got so much the better of him in the opinion of the people of the island, that he carried away all the busi- ness, upon which he returned to England, and soon after died." On Friday, 22d March, having set out early from Henley [in Arden], where we had lain the preceding night, we arrived at Birmingham about nine o'clock, and after breakfast went to call on his old schoolfellow, Mr. Hector. A very stupid maid, who opened the door, told us that "her master was gone out; he was gone to the country ; she could not tell when he would return." In short, she gave us a miserable reception; and Johnson observed, " She would have behaved no better to people who wanted him in the way of his profession." He said to her, " My name is Johnson ; tell him I called. Will you remember the name?" She an- swered with rustic simplicity, in the Warwick- shire pronunciation, "I don't understand you. Sir." " Blockhead," said he, " I'll write." I never heard the word blockhead applied to a woman before, though I do not see why it shoidd not, when there is evident occasion for it.^ He, however, made another attempt to not now applv to the printed poem. The Bishop gives this! character of br. Grainger;--" He was not only a man Oi genius and learning, but had many excellent virtues ; bpini' one of the most generous, friendly, and benevolent men ever knew." Dr. Johnson said to me, "Percy, Sir, was' angry with me for laughing at the Sugar Cane : for he had 8 mind to make a great thing of Grainger's rats." — BoswElt; - Yet Dr. Johnson sent a very friendly review of thi " Sugar Cane" -to the London Chronicle of July 5. 1764.-. Chalmers. 3 This was " T/ie Hop Gnrden, a Georgia in tu'o Books' written by Johnson's friend, Christopher Smart. Thirty year later. Dr. Booker published a poem with the same unpro raising title. — Choker, 1846. i •< This is a godd-naturcd salvo, introduced by Boswell t| but tl ! unto! to Percy Crokeu. Langton, to whom I am unde ^T. 6\ BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 487 make lier understand him, and roared loud in her ear, " Johnson" and then she catched the We next called on Mr. Lloyd, one of the j^eople called quakers. He too was not at home, but Mrs. Lloyd was, and received us courteously, and asked us to dinner. Johnson said to me, "After the uncertainty of all human things at Hector's, this invitation came very well." We v/alked about the town, and lie was pleased to see it increasing. I talked of legitimation by subsequent mar- liage, which obtained in the Roman law, and still obtains in the law of Scotland. Johnson. " I think it a bad thing ', because the chastity of women being of the utmost importance, as all property depends vipon it, they who forfeit it should not have any possibility of being restored to good character ; nor should the children, by an illicit connection, attain the full right of lawful children, by the posterior iconsent of the offending parties." His opinion iupon this subject deserves consideration. Upon ■his principle thei'e may at times be a hardship, land seemingly a sti'ange one, upon individuals ; Ibut the general good of society is better secured. And, after all, it is unreasonable in an individual to repine that he has not the advantage of a state which is made different jfrom his own, by the social institution under jwhich he is born. A woman does not com- plain that her brother who is younger than her gets their common father's estate. Why then .-hould a natural son complain that a younger brother, by the same parents lawfully begotten, gets it? The operation of law is similar in both cases. Besides, an illegitimate son, who has a younger legitimate brother by the same Ifathcr and mothei-, has no stronger claim to the father's estate, than if that legitimate (brother had only the same fatlier, from whom alone the estate descends. Mr. Lloyd joined us in the street ; and in a little while we met friend Hector, as Mr. Lloyd called him. It gave me pleasure to observe the joy which Johnson and he expressed on seeing each other again. My. Lloyd and I left them together, while he obligingly showed me some of the manufactures of this very curious assemblage of artificers. We all met at dinner at Mr. Lloyd's, where we were entertained with great hospitality. Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd had been married the same year with tlieir majesties, and, like them, had been blessed with a numerous family of fine children, their numbers being exactly the same. John- innumerabic obligations in the course of my John.sonian History, has lurnished me with a droll illustration of this question. An honest carpenter, after giving some anecdote, in his presence, of the ill treatment which he had received {from a clergyman's wife, who was a noted termagant, and whom he accused of unjust dealing in some transaction with him, added, " 1 took care to lot her know what I thought of her." And being asked, " What did you say ? " answered, '■ I told her she was a scoundrel." — Boswell. 1 Is it not surprising and disgraceful that in a civilised empire like ours, so important a principle as the state of son said, " Marriage is the best state for man [ in general ; and every man is a worse man, in proportion as he is unfit for the married state." I have always loved the simplicity of man- ners, and the spiritual-mindedness, of the quakers ; and talking with ]\Ir. Lloyd, I ob- served, that the essential part of religion was piety, a devout intercourse with tlie Divinity ; and that many a man was a quaker without knowing it. As Dr. Johnson had said to me in the morn- ing, while Ave walked together, that he liked individuals among the quakers, but not the sect ; when we were at 'Mx. Lloyd's, I kept clear of introducing any questions concerning the peculiarities of their faith. But I having asked to look at Baskerville's edition of "Bar- clay's Apology," Johnson laid hold of it ; and the chapter on baptism happening to open, Johnson remarked, " He says there is neither precept nor practice for baptism in the scrip- tures ; that is false." Here he was the aggres- sor, by no means in a gentle manner ; and the good quakers had the advantage of him ; for he had read negligently, and had not observed that Barclay speaks of infant baptism ; which they calmly made him perceive. Mr. Lloyd, however, was in a great mistake ; for when in- sisting that the rite of baptism by water was to cease, when the spiritual administration of Christ began, he maintained that John the Baptist said, " My baptism shall decrease, but his shall increase." Whereas the words are, " He must increase, but I must decrease." [John iii. 30.] One of them having objected to the " ob- servance of days, and months, and years," Johnson answered, "The church does not super- stitiously observe days, merely as days, but as luemorials of important facts. Christmas might be kept as well upon one day of the year as another ; but there should be a stated day for commemorating the birth of our Saviour, because there is danger (hat what may be done on any day will be neglected." He said to me at another time, " Sir, the holidays observed by our church are of great use in religion." There can be no doubt of this in a limited sense, I mean if the number of such consecrated portions of time be not too extensive. The excellent J\lr. Xelson's " Fes- tivals and Fasts," which has, I imderstand, the greatest sale of any book ever printed in England, except the Bible, is a most valuable I help to devotion : and in addition to it I Avould | recommend two sermons on the same subject marriage, which is the foimdation of our whole civil con. stitution, should be to this hour vague, obscure, and contra- dictory ? One law for Kngland — a different one, or rather none at all, for Ireland — and for Scotland the monstrous doctrine mentioned in the text. It is to be hoped that Mr. Peel, who has done so much towards rationalising our law | on other subjects, will see the necessity of doing something I similar on this most important one. — Crokek, 1831. In 1846 I the same disgraceful anomaly still exists, with the super- i addition of a new form of marriage as a civil contract ' before a registrar Croker, 1846. I II 4 488 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1776. I by Mr. Pott', Archdeacon of St. Alban's, | equally distinguished for piety and elegance. ^ I am sorry to have it to say, that Scotland is ; the only Christian country, catholic or pro- | testant, where the great events of our religion are not solemnly commemorated by its ecclesi- astical establishment, on days set apart for the purpose. Mr. Hector was so good as to accompany me to see the great works of Mr. Boulton, at a place which he has called Soho, about two j miles from Birmingham, which the very in- i genious proprietor showed me himself to the [ best advantage. I wished Johnson had been j with us : for it was a scene which I should have been glad to contemplate by his light. The vastness and the contrivance of some of the machinery would have "matched his mighty mind." I shall never forget Mr. Boulton's expression to me, " I sell here, Sir, what all the world desires to have — Power." He had about seven hundred people at work. I contemplated him as an iron chieftain., and he seemed to be a father to his tribe. One of them came to him, complaining grievously of his landlord for having distrained his goods. " Your landlord is in the right, Smith (said Boulton). But ril tell you what : find you a friend who will lay down one half of your rent, and I'll lay down the other half; and you shall have your goods again." From Air. Hector I now learnt many par- ticulars of Dr. Johnson's early life, which, with others that he gave me at different times since, have contributed to the formation of this work. Dr. Johnson said to me in the morning, " You will see. Sir, at Mr. Hector's, his sister, Mrs. Careless ^, a clergyman's widow. She was the first woman with whom I was in love. It dropped out of my head imperceptibly ; but she and I shall always have a kindness for each other." He laughed at the notion that a man can never be really in love but once, and con- sidered it as a mere romantic fancy. On our return from Mr. Boulton's, Mr. Hector took me to his house, where we found Jolmson sitting placidly at tea, with his first love ; who, though now advanced in years, was a genteel woman, very agreeable and well ■ bred. Johnson lamented to Mr. Hector the state of one of their schoolfellows, Mr. Charles Congreve, a clergyman, which he thus de- scribed : " He obtained, I believe, considerable preferment in Ireland, but now lives in London, ; quite as a valetudinarian, afraid to go into any | house but his own. He takes a short airing in [ his post-chaise every day. He has an elderly woman, Avhom he calls cousin, who lives with 1 The Rpv. Joseph Holden Pott, afterwards Archdeacon of I.ondoii, Vicar of Kensington (which lie resigned in 1843), and Chancellor of Exeter. As this sheet is passing through the press I learn the death of my venerable friend on the 17th Feb. 1847, aet. S8. — Crokeh, 1847. 2 See anle, p, 458. — C. him, and jogs his elbow when his glass has stood too long empty, and encourages him in drinking, in which he is very willing to be encouraged ; not that he gets drunk, for he is a very pious man, but he is always muddy. He confesses to one bottle of port every day, and he probably drinks more. He is quite unsocial ; his conversation is quite monosyl- labical ; and when, at my last visit, I asked him what o'clock it was ? that signal of my departure had so pleasing an effect on him, that he sprung up to look at his watch, like a greyhound bounding at a hare." When John- son took leave of Mr. Hector, he said, '• Don't grow like Congreve ; nor let me grow like him, when you are near me." When he again talked of Mrs. Careless to- night, he seemed to have his affection revived; for he said, " If I had married her, it might have been as happy for me." Boswell. " Pray, Sir, do you not supj^ose that there are fifty women in the world, Avith any one of whom a man may be as happy, as with any one woman in particular ? " Johnson. " Ay, Sir, fifty thousand." Boswell. " Tlien, Sir, you are not of opinion with some who imagine that certain men and certain women are made for each other ; and that they cannot be happy if they miss their counterparts." Johnson. " To be sure not. Sir. I believe marriages would in general be as happy, and often more so, if they were all made by the lord chancellor, upon a due consideration of the characters and cir- cumstances, without the parties having any choice in the matter." ^ I wished to have staid at Birmingham to- 1 night, to have talked more with Mr. Hector ; ; but my friend was impatient to reach his native j city ; so we di'ove on that stage in the dark, j and were long pensive and silent. "When we! came within the focus of the Lichfield lamps, ! i " Now," said he, " we are getting out of a state i of death." We put up at the Three Crowns, I • not one of the great inns, but a good old- fashioned one, which was kept by I\Ir. Wilkins,;< and was the very next house to that in which i: Johnson was born and brought up, and which; ! was still his own property.'' We had a com-f fortable supper, and got into high spirits. Ij felt all my toryism glow in this old capital ol! Staffordshire. I could have offered incense, genio loci; and I indulged in libations of thai' ale, which Boniface, in " The Beaux Stra-- ■ tagem," recommends with such an eloquen'i . jollity. i Next morning he introduced me to Mrs! Lucy Porter, his step-daughter. She was nov' an old maid, with much simplicity of manner,' She had never been in London. Her brothei: 3 Seea7!;e,p. 212. _C. * I went through the house where my illustrious frieni, was horn, with a reverence with which it doubtless will Ion be visited. An engraved view of it, with the adjacent builc ings, is in the " Gentleman's Magazine " for Februar' 1785 Boswell. i i i J f ^T. 67. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 489 a captain in tlio navy, had left her a fortune of ten thousand pounds ; about a third of which she had hxid out in building a stately house, and making a handsome garden, in an elevated situation in Lichfield. Johnson, when here by himself, used to live at her house. She reverenced him, and he had a parental tender- ness for her. We then visited Mr. Peter Garrick, who had I that morning received a letter from his brother David, announcing our coming to Lichfield. He was engaged to dinner, but asked us to tea, and to sleep at his house. Johnson, however, would not quit his old acquaintance Wilkins of the Three Crowns. The family likeness of the Garricks was very striking ; and Johnson thought that David's vivacity was not so pecu- I liar to himself as was supposed. " Sir," said , he, "I don't know but, if Feter had cultivated all the arts of gaiety as much as David has ! done, he might have been as brisk and lively. Depend upon it. Sir, vivacity is much an art, and depends greatly on habit." ' I believe there is a good deal of truth in this, notwith- ■- lauding a ludicrous story told me by a lady aliroad, of a heavy German baron, who had lived much with the young English at Geneva, I and was ambitious to be as lively as they ; Avith ! which view, he, with assiduous exertion, was jumping over the tables and chairs in his lodgings ; and when the people of the house ran in and asked, with surprise, what was the i matter, he answered, " S/i apprens (eirejifr I We dined at our inn, and had with us a ! Mr. Jackson ^, one of Johnson's schoolfellows, i whom he treated with much kindness, though he seemed to be a low man, dull and untaught. He had a coarse gray coat, black waistcoat, greasy leather breeches, and a yellow uncurled wig; and his countenance had the ruddiness I which betokens one who is in no haste to i " leave his can." He drank only ale. He had , tried to be a cutler at Birmingham, but had I not succeeded; and now he lived poorly at ' home, and had some scheme of dressing leather in a better manner than common; to his in- distinct account of which. Dr. Johnson listened with patient attention, that he might assist him with his advice. Here was an instance of genuine humanity and real kindness in this : great man, who has l)een most unjustly repre- sented as altogether harsh and destitute of • It appears that quite a contrary conclusion might be drawn from the premises; for the liveliness of the Garrick family was obviously natural and hereditary, and (except perhaps in degrre) independent of art or habit. The family (whose name was properly (larrique) was of French extrac- tion, and they seem to have preserved the vivacity of their original blood. — Choker. 2 This person's name was Henry. See post. Sept. 1. 1777. The " scheme for dressing leather " renders it probable that he was the son of the Thomas Jackson mentioned ante, p. 6., by Mr. Boswell as a servant, and by Mrs. Piozzi as a workman (more probably a kind of a partner) of old Mr. Johnson's, about the time when the failure of some scheme for dressing leal/ter or parchment accelerated his bankruptcy. — Crokeu. ^ Garrick himself, like the I.ichfieldians, always said, shuprcmc, sAupcr/or.— Bur Niiv. This is still the vulgar pro- tenderness. A thousand such instances might have been recorded in the course of his long life; though that his temper was warm and hasty, and his manner often rough, cannot be denied. I saw here, for the first time, oat ale; and oat-cakes, not hard as in Scotland, but soft like a Yorkshire cake, were served at break- fast. It was pleasant to me to find, that " oats" the '■'■food of }io7-ses" were so much used as the food of the people in Dr. Johnson's own town. He expatiated in praise of Lich- field and its inhabitants, who, he said, were " the most sober, decent people in England, the genteelest in proportion to their wealth, and spoke the purest English." I doubted as to the last article of this eulogy ; for they had several provincial sounds ; as, tho-e, pro- nounced like fea?; instead of like fair; oi.ce ))ronounced icoonse, instead of icunse or wonse. Johnson himself never got entirely free of those provincial accents. Garrick sometimes used to take him off, squeezing a lemon into a punch-bowl, with uncouth gesticulations, look- ing round the company, and calling out, " Who's for poonsh?" ^ Very little business appeared to be going forward in Lichfield. I found, however, two strange manufiictures for so inland a place, sail-cloth and streamers for ships ; and I ob- served them making some saddle-cloths, and dressing sheep-skins ; but upon the whole, the busy hand of industry seemed to be quite slackened. '' Surely, Sir," said I, " you are an idle set of people." " Sii*," said Johnson, *' we are a city of philosophers ; we work with our heads, and make the boobies of Birmingham work for us with their hands." There was at this time a company of players performing at Lichfield. The manager, Mr. Stanton, sent his compliments, and begged leave to wait on Dr. Johnson. Johnson received him very courteously, and he drank a glass of wine with us. He was a plain, decent, well-behaved man, and expressed his gratitude to Dr. John- son for having once got him permission from Dr. Taylor at Ashbourne to play there upon moderate terms. Garrick's name was soon introduced. Johnson. "Garrick's conversa- tion is gay and grotesque. It is a dish of all sorts, but all good things. There is no solid meat in it : there is a want of sentiment in it. nunciation of Ireland, where the pronunciation of the English language by those who have not expatriated is doubtless that which generallv prevailed in England in the time of Queen Elizabeth Malone. " Shupreme " and " simperior " arc obsolete ; yet every one says " shurc " and " shugar" ior " iH>c " and '^ sugar." 1 hardly know what Mr. Malone meant by " no/ expatriated" — 1 suppose, those who had not visited England. No doubt the English settlers carried over, and may have in some cases preserved, the English idiom and .accent of their day. Bishop Kearny, as well as his. friend, Mr. Malone, thought that the most remarkable peculiarity of Irish pronunciation, as in say for sea, lay for tea, was the English mode even down to the reign of Queen Anne, and there are rhymes in Pope, and more frequently in Dryden, that countenance that opinion ; but rhymes cannot be depended upon for minute identity of sound. — Croker, 1830— 1S47. 490 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1776. Not but that he has sentunent sometimes, and sentiment too very powerful and very pleas- ing: but it has not its full proportion in his conversation." When we were by ourselves he told me, " Forty years ago, Sir, I was in love Avith an actress here, Mrs. Emmet, who acted Flora, in ' Hob in the Well.' " What merit this lady had as an actress, or what was her figure, or her manner, I have not been informed ; but, if we may believe Mr. Garrick, his old master's taste in theatrical merit was by no means refined; he was not an elegans formarum spec- tatoi-} Garrick used to tell, that Johnson said of an actor, who played Sir Harry Wildair at Lichfield, " There is a courtly vivacity about the fellow ; " Avhen, in fact, according to Gar- rick's account, " he was the most vulgar ruffian that ever went upon boards." We had pi-omised Mr. Stanton to be at his theatre on Monday. Dr. Johnson jocularly proposed to me to write a prologue for the occasion : " A Prologue, by James Boswell, Esqr., from tlie Hebrides." I was really in- clined to take the hint. Methought, "Pro- logue, spoken before Dr. Samuel Johnson, at Lichfield, 1776," would have sounded as well as " Prologue, spoken before the Duke of York at Oxford," in Charles the Second's time. Much might have been said of what Lichfield had done for Shakspeare, by producing John- son and Garrick. But I found he was averse to it. We went and viewed the museum of Mr. Richard Green, apothecary here, who told me he was proud of being a relation of Dr. John- son's. It was, truly, a wonderful collection, both of antiquities and natural curiosities, and ingenious works of art. He had all the articles accurately arranged, with their names upon labels, printed at his own little press ; and on the stall-case leading to it was a board, with the names of contributors mai-ked in gold let- ters. A printed catalogue of the collection was to be had at a bookseller's. Johnson expressed his admiration of tl>e activity and diligence and good fortune of Mr. Green, in getting together, in his situation, so great a variety of things ; and Mr. Green told me that Johnson once said to him, " Sir, I should as soon have thought of building a man-of-war, as of collecting such a museum." Mr. Green's obllgino; alacrity in showing it was very pleas- ing. His engraved portrait, with which he has fiivoured me, has a motto truly characteristical of his disposition, '■'■Nemo sibi vivat." A physician being mentioned who had lost his practice, because his whimsically changing his religion had made people distrustful of > A nice observer of the female form. Terence, Eun. iii. 5 C . 2 Fothergill, a quaker, and Schomberg, a Jew, had the greatest practice of any two physicians of their time Bur- net. Mr.D'Israeli thinks it possible, that Ralpk Schomberg (the second son of Dr. Meyer Schomberg, the person him, I maintained that this was unreasonable as religion is unconnected with medical skill. Johnson. " Sir, it is not unreasonable ; for when people see a man absurd in what they understand, they may conclude the same of him in what they do not understand. If a physician were to take to eating of horseflesh, nobody would employ him; though one may eat horseflesh, and be a very skilful physician. If a man were educated in an absurd religion, his continuing to profess it would not hurt him, though his changing to it would." ^ We drank tea and coffee at Mr. Peter Gar- rick's, where was Mrs. Aston, one of the maiden sisters of Mrs. Walmesley, wife of Johnson's first friend, and sister also of the lady of whom Johnson used to speak with the warmest admiration, by the name of Molly Aston, who was afterwards married to Captain Brodie of the navy. CHAPTER LIV. 1776. Lichfield. — Peter GarricL — Death of Mr. Thralis only Son. — Shakspeare's Mulberry-tree. — Lord Bute. — Marriage. — Questioning. — Sir Fhtcher Norton. — Ashbourne. — Dr. Taylor. — " Old Men putting themselves to nurse." — " II Palmerino d'' Inghilterra^ — Ingratitude. — Mr. Wedderburne. — " Marrying for Love." — Dr. James. — Melan- choly. — Captain Cook. — Omai. — Character of a Soldier. — Good Humour of ancient Philosophers. — Public Schools. — English Universities. — Libels on the Dead. On Sunday, March 24., we breakfasted with JNIrs. Cobb, a widow lady, who lived at an agreeable sequestered place close by the town, called the Friary, it having been formerly a religious house. She and her niece, JMiss Adey, were great admirers of Dr. Johnson ; and he behaved to them with a kindness and easy pleasantry, such as we see between old and intimate acquaintance. He accompanied Mrs. Cobb to St. Mary's Church, and I went to the cathedral, where I was very much delighted with the music, finding it to be peculiarly solemn, and accordant with the words of the service. We dined at Mr. Peter Garrick's, who was in a very lively humour, and verified Johnson's saying, that if he had cultivated gaiety as much as his brother David, he miglit have equally mentioned by Dr. Barney) was the person alluded to in the text : but Ralph Schomberg was driven from practice and out of society, for some dishonest tampering with the funds of an hospital, with which he was connected. But I do not think that any of these was meant ; but more probably some provincial physician. — Croker. liET. 67. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 491 excelled in it. He was to-day quite a London narrator, telling us a variety of anecdotes with that earnestness and attempt at mimicry which we usually find in the wits of the metropolis. Dr. Johnson Avcnt with me to the cathedral in the afternoon. It was grand and pleasing to contemplate this illustrious writer, now full of tame, Avorshipping in " the solemn temple " of his native city. I returned to tea and coffee at Mr. Peter Garrick's, and then found Dr. Johnson at the Reverend Mr. Seward's, canon residentiary, who inhabited the bishop's palace, in which ]\Ir. AValmesley lived, and which had been the scene of many happy hours in Johnson's early life. Mr. Seward had, with ecclesiastical hospi- tality and politeness, asked me in the morning, merely as a stranger, to dine with him ; and in the afternoon, when I was introduced to him, he asked Dr. Johnson and me to spend the evening, and sup with him. He was a genteel, well-bred, dignified clergyman, had travelled with Lord Charles Fitzroy, uncle of the pre- sent Duke of Grafton, who died when abroad, and he had lived much in the great world. He u-as an ingenious and literary man, had pub- lished an edition of Beaumont and Fletcher, and written verses in Dodsley's collection. His lady was the daughter of j\Ii-. Hunter, John- son's first schoolmaster. And now, for the first time, I had the pleasure of seeing his celebrated daughter, Miss Anna Seward, to whom I have since been indebted for many civilities, as well as some obliging communications concerning Johnson. Mr. Seward mentioned to us the observations which he had made upon the strata of earth in volcanos ; from which it appeared, that they wei-e so very different in depth at different periods, that no calculation whatever could be made as to the time required for their forma- tion. This fully refuted an anti-mosaical re- mark introduced into Captain Brydone's en- tertaining tour ', I hope heedlessly, from a kind of vanity which is too common in those who have not sufficiently studied the most important of all subjects. Dr. Johnson, indeed, had said before, independent of this observation, " Shall all the accumulated evidence of the history of the world — shall the authority of what is un- iuestlonably the most ancient writing, be over- turned by an imcertain remark snch as this ? " On ^Monday, March 2.5., we breakfasted at Mrs. Lucy Porter's. Johnson had sent an ex- press to Dr. Taylor's, acquainting him of our being at Lichfield, and Taylor had returned an answer that his post-chaise should come for us this day. While we sat at breakfiist, Dr. John- son received a letter by the post, which seemed to agitate him very much. When he had read it, he exclaimed, " One of the most dreadful things that has happened in my time." The phrase my time, like the word age, is usually understood to refer to an event of a public or general nature. I imagined something like an assassination of the king — like a gunpowder plot carried into execution — or like another tire of London. When asked, " "What is it, Sir ? " he answered, " Mr. Thrale has lost his only son ! " - This was, no doubt, a very great affliction to J\Ir. and Mrs, Thrale, which their friends would consider accordingly ; but from the manner in which the intelligence of it was communicated by Johnson, it appeared for the moment to be comparatively small. I, how- ever, soon felt a sincere concern, and was curious to observe how Dr. Johnson would be affected. He said, "This is a total extinction to their family, as much as if they were sold into captivity," Upon my mentioning that Mr. Thrale had daughters, who might inherit his wealth : "Daughters !" said Johnson, warmly, " he'll no more value his daughters than — " I was going to speak. " Sir," said he, " don't you know how you yourself think ? Sir, he wishes to propagate his name." In short, I saw male succession strong in his mind, even where there was no name, no family of any long standing. I said, it was lucky he was not present when this misfortune happened. John- son. " It is lucky for me. People in distress never think you feel enough." Boswell. "And, Sir, they will have the hope of seeing you, which will be a relief in the mean time ; and when you get to them, the pain will be so far abated, that they will be capable of being con- soled by you, which, in the first violence of it^ I believe, would not be the case." Johnson. " iSTo, Sir ; violent pain of mind, like violent pain of body, must be severely felt." Boswell. " I own, Sir, I have not so nuich feeling for the distress of othei's, as some people have, or pre- tend to have : but I know this, that I would do all in my power to relieve them." Johnson. " Sir, it is airectation to pretend to feel the distress of others as much as they do themselves. It is equally so, as if one should pretend to feel as much pain while a friend's leg is cutting off, as he does. No, Sir ; you have expressed the rational and just nature of sympathy. I would have gone to the extremity of the earth to have preserved this boy." He was soon quite calm. The letter was from Mr. Thrale's clerk, and concluded, " I need not say how much they v/ish to see you in London." He said, " We shall hasten back from Taylor's." Mrs. Lucy Porter and some other ladies of the place talked a great deal of him when he was out of the room, not only with veneration, but affection. It pleased me to find that he was so much beloved in his native city. ' In Sicily and Malta. Tlie remark was that the strata of 23d March, 1776. There seems to have bepn in the Thrale lava from Mount Etna exhibited a series going baclv beyond family a tendency to disease of the head. Mr. Thrale him- [the Mosaical date of the Creation Crokeu. ' | self died of apoplexy, and several of his children appear ( 2 He died suddenly before his father's door in the Borough, , to have died of hydrocephalus. — Croker, 1847. 492 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1776. ]\L's. Aston, wliom I had seen the preceding nio-ht, and her sister, Mrs. Gastrel, a widow lady, had each a house, a garden, and pleasure- o-round, prettily situated upon Stowhill, a o-entle eminence adjoining to Lichfield. John- son walked away to dinner there, leaving nie by myself without any apology. I wondered at this want of that facility of manners, from which a man has no difficulty in carrying a friend to a house where he is intimate ; I felt it very unpleasant to be thus left in solitude in a country town, where I was an entire stranger, and began to think myself unkindly deserted ; but I was soon relieved, and con- vinced that my friend, instead of being defi- cient in delicacy, had conducted the matter with perfect propriety, for I received the fol- lowing note in his handwriting : — " Mrs. Gastrel, at the lower house on Stowhill, desires Mr. Boswell's company to dinner at two." I accepted of the invitation, and had here another proof how amiable his character was in the opinion of those who knew him best. I was not informed, till afterwards, that Mrs. Gastrel's husband was the clergyman who, while he lived at Stratford-upon-Avon, where he was proprietor of Shakspeare's garden, with Gothic barbarity cut down his mulberry-tree ', and, as Dr. Johnson told me, did it to vex his neighbours. His lady, I have reason to believe, on the same authority, participated in the guilt of what the enthusiasts of our immortal bard deem almost a species of sacrilege. After dinner Dr. Johnson wrote a letter to INIrs. Thrale on the death of her son : — [JOHNSON TO MRS. THRALE, " Lichfield, March 25. 177G. " Dear Madam, — This letter will not, I hope, reach you many days before mc ; in a distress which can be so little relieved, nothing remains for a friend but to come and partake it. " Poor, dear, sweet little boy 1 When I read the letter this day to Mrs. Aston, she said, ' Such a death is the next to translation.' Yet, however I may convince myself of this, the tears are in my eyes ; and yet I could not love him as you loved him, nor reckon upon him for a future comfort as you and his father reckoned upon him. " He is gone, and we are going ! We could not have enjoyed him long, and shall not long be sepa- rated from him. He has probably escaped many such pangs as you are now feeling. " Nothing remains, but that with humble con- fidence we resign ourselves to Almighty Goodness, and fall down, without irreverent murmurs, before the Sovereign Distributor of Good and Evil, with hope that though sorrow endureth for a night, yet joy may come in the morning. " I have known you, Madam, too long to think that you want any arguments for submission to the 1 See iin accurate and animated statement of Mr. Gastrel's barbarity, by Mr. Malone, in a note on " Some Account of the Life of William Shakspeare," prefixed to his admirable edition of that poet's works, vol. 1. p. lib. — Boswell. Supreme Will ; nor can my consolation have any effect, but that of showing that I wish to comfort you. What can be done you must do for yourself. Remember, first, that your child is happy ; and then, that he is safe, not only from the ills of this world, but from those more formidable dangers which extend their mischief to eternity. You have brought into the world a rational being ; have seen him happy during the little life that has been granted to him ; and can have no doubt but that his hajjpiness is now. " When you have obtained by prayer such tran- quillity as nature will admit, force your attention, as you can, upon your accustomed duties and ac- customed entertainments. You can do no more for our dear boy, but you must not therefore think less on those whom your attention may make fitter for the place to which he is gone. I am, dearest, dearest Madam, your most aflfectionate humble servant, Sam. Johnson."] — Letters. I said this loss would be very distressing to Thrale, but she would soon forget it, as she had so many things to think of. Johnson. " No, Sir, Thrale will forget it first. She has many things that she may think of. He has many things that he must think of." This was a very just remark upon the different effects of those light pursuits which occupy a vacant and easy mind, and those serious engagements which arrest attention, and keep us from brooding over grief. He observed of Lord Bute, " It was said of Augustus, that it would have been better for Rome that he had never been born, or had never died. So it would have been better for this nation if Lord Bute had never been mi- nister, or had never resigned." In the evening we went to the Town-hall, which was converted into a temporary theatre, and saw " Theodosius," with " The Stratford Jubilee." I was happy to see Dr. Johnson sitting in a conspicuous part of tlie pit, and receiving affectionate homage from all his acquaintance. We were quite gay and merry. I afterwards mentioned to him that I con- demned myself for being so, when poor Mr. and Mrs. Thrale were in such distress. John- son. "You are wrong, Sir; twenty years hence Mr. and Mrs. Thrale will not suffer much pain from the death of their son. Now, Sir, you are to consider, that distance of j)lace, as well as distance of time, operates upon the human feelings. I would not have you be gay in the presence of the distressed, because it would shock them ; but you may be gay at a distance. Pain for the loss of a friend, or of a relation, whom we love, is occasioned by the want which we feel. In time the vacuity is filled with something else; or sometimes the vacuity closes up of itself." Mr. Seward and Mr. Pearson ^ another 2 This was the gentleman whose lady inherited Miss For- ' tcr's property, and lias contributed so many of her manu- j scripts to my edition. It was to him that Miss Porter;| addressed, in the presence of Dr. Johnson, that two-edged | i JEt.GI BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. I 493 1 clergyman here, supped with us at our inn, :iml after they left us, we sat up late, as we ufcd to do in London. Here I shall record some fragments of my friend's conversation during this jaunt. I >vi^ Marriage, Sir, is much more necessary to a man than to a woman : for he is much less able to supply himself with domestic comforts. You will recollect my saying to some ladies the I other day, that I had often wondered why i young women should marry, as they have so I much more freedom, and so much more atten- [ tion paid to them, while unmarried, than when j married. I indeed did not mention the stro7ig [ reason for their marrying — the mechanical I reason." Boswell. " Why, that is a strong ; one. But does not imagination make it much i more important than it is in reality ? Is it i not, to a certain degree, a delusion in us as well as in women ? " Johnson. " Why yes, 1 Sir ; but it is a delusion that is always begin- 1 ning again." Boswell. " I don't know but : there is upon the whole more misery than hap- piiioss produced by that passion." Johnson. •• I don't think so. Sir." " Xevcr speak of a man in his own presence. Ti is always indelicate, and may be offensive." •• (Questioning is not the mode of conver- -liiMi among gentlemen. It is assuming a Miperiority', and it is particularly wrong to (jiu'stion a man concerning himself. There ]nuy be parts of his former life which he may not wish to be made known to other persons, or even brought to his own recollection." "A man should be careful never to tell tales of himself to his own disadvantage. People may be amused :md laugh at the time ; but they will be remembered, and brought out against him upon some subsequent occasion." " Much may be done if a man puts his whole mind to a particular object. By doing so, Norton ^ has made himself the great lawyer that he is allowed to be." I mentioned an acquaintance of mine, a sec- tary, who was a very religious man, who not only attended regularly on public worship with those of his communion, but made a particular study of the Scriptures, and even wrote a commentary on some parts of them, yet was known to be very licentious in indulging him- self with women ; maintaining that men are to be saved by faith alone, and that the Chris- tian religion had not prescribed any fixed rule for the intercourse between the sexes. John- son. " Sir, there is no trusting to that crazy piety." I observed that it was strange how well I reproof, which Dr. Johnson rppeatod to Mrs. Piozzi. Mr. i Pearson having opposed Miss Porter in some arf;iiuient, she i \yas offended, and exclaimed, " Mr. Pearson, yo ! like Dr. Johnson — you contradict j — Choker. '■ ' This very just observation gives the rationnle of the I etiquette by which the conversation of princes, and of those iwho ape princes, consists of so large a proportion of ques- tions. The badauds of all nations used to wonder at IJona- parte's active curiosity and desire of knowledge from the Scotchmen were known to one another in their own country, though born in very distant counties ; for we do not find that the gentle- men of neighbouring counties in England are mutually known to each other. Johnson, with his usual acuteness, at once saw and explained the reason of this : " Why, Sir, you have Edinburgh, where the gentlemen from all your counties meet, and which is not so large but they are all known. There is no such common place of collection in England, except London, where, from its great size and diffu- sion, many of those who reside in contiguous counties of England may long remain unknown to each other." On Tuesday, March 26., there came for us an equipage properly suited to a wealthy, wcll- beneficed clergyman : Dr. Taylor's large roomy post-chaise, drawn by four stout plump horses, and driven by two steady jolly postilions, which conveyed us to Ashbourne ; where I found_ my friend's schoolfellow living upon an establishment perfectly corresponding with his substantial creditable equipage : his house, garden, pleasure-ground, table, in short every thing good, and no scantiness appearing. Every man should form such a plan of living as he can execute completely. Let him not draw an outline wider than he can fill up. I have seen many skeletons of show and mag- nificence, which excite at once ridicule and pity. Dr. Taylor had a good estate of his own, and good j^referment in the church, being a prebendary of AVestminster, and rector ol' Bosworth. He was a diligent justice of the peace, and presided over the town of Ash- bourne, to the inhabitants of which I was told he was very liberal ; and as a proof of this it was mentioned to me, he had the preceding winter distributed two hundred pounds among such of them as stood in need of his assistance. He had consequently considerable political in- terest in the county of Derby, which he em- ployed to support the Devonshire family ; for, though the schoolfellow and friend of Johnson, he was a Whig. I could not perceive in his character much congeniality of any sort with that of Johnson, who, however, said to me, " Sir, he has a very strong understanding." His size, and figure, and countenance, and manner, were that of a hearty English squire, with the parson superinduced : and I took particular notice of his upper-servant, JNIr. Peters, a decent grave man, in purple clothes and a large while wig, like the butler or major-domo of a bishop.-' Dr. Johnson and Dr. Taylor met with great - Sir Fletcher Norton, afterwards speaker of the House of Commons, and in 1782 created Baron Orantly. — Malone. But I do not see why Norton should be cited ad hoc more than any other eminent lawyer Croker, 1847. 3 I cannot refrain from noticing, as a happy instance of Boswell's pictorial talent, the whole description of Dr. Taylor and his establishment Choker, 1847. 494 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1776. cordiality; and Johnson soon gave him the .same sad account of their schoolfellow, Con- greve, that he had given to Mr. Hector ; adding a remark of such moment to the rational conduct of a man in the decline of life, that it deserves to be imprinted upon every mind : " There is nothing against which an old man should he so much upon his guard as putting himself to muse.'" Innumerable have been the mel.ancholy in- stances of men once distinguished for firmness, resolution, and spirit, who in their latter days have been governed like children, by interested female artifice. Dr. Taylor commended a physician ' who was known to him and Dr. Johnson, and said, " I fight many battles for him, as many people in the country dislike him." Johnson. " But you should consider. Sir, that by every one of your victories he is a loser ; for every man of whom you get the better will be very angry, and resolve not to employ him ; whereas if people get the better of you in argument about him, they '11 think, ' We 'U send for Dr. [Butter] nevertheless.' " This was an observation deep and sure in human natiire. Next day we talked of a book - in which an eminent judge was arraigned before the bar of the public, as having pronounced an unjust decision in a great cause. Dr. Johnson main- tained that this publication would not give any uneasiness to the judge. " For," said he, '" either he acted honestly, or he meant to do injustice. If he acted honestly, his own con- sciousness will protect him ; if he meant to do injustice, he will be glad to see the man who attacks him so much vexed." Next day [Wednesday, March 27.], as Dr. Johnson had acquainted Dr. Taylor of the reason for his returning speedily to London, it was resolved that we should set out after dinner. A few of Dr. Taylor's neighbours were his guests that day. Dr. Johnson talked with approbation of one who had attained to the state of the philoso- phical wis3 man, that is, to have no want of any thing, " Then, Sir," said I, " the savage is a wise man." "Sir," said he, "I do not mean simply being without, — but not having a want." I maintained, against this proposi- tion, that it was better to have fine clothes, for instance, than not to feel the want of them. Johnson. " No, Sir ; fine clothes are good only as they supply the want of other means of procuring respect. Was Charles the Twelfth^ think you, less respected for his coarse blue coat and black stock ? And you find the King of Prussia dresses plain, because the I Dr. Butter, who afterwards came to practise in London, and attended Johnson in his last illness. He died In March 180S, set. 79 Choker. - Andrew Stuart's " Letters to Lord Mansfield on the Douglas cause." — Choker. 3 The want seems, on tliis occasion, to have been common toboth Crokeii. •» Scoutidre! seems to h.-ive been a favourite word of his. " It is so very dillicult," he said to Mrs. Piozzi, "for a sick dignity of his character is sufficient." I here brought myself into a scrape, for I heedlessly said, " Would not you, Sir, be the better for velvet embroidery ? " Johnson. " Sir, you put an end to all argument when you introduce your opponent himself Have you no better manners ? There is i/our ivant." ^ I apologised by saying, I had mentioned him as an instance of one who wanted as little as any man in the world, and yet, perhaps, might receive some additional lustre from dress. Having left Ashbourne in the evening, we stopped to change horses at Derby, and availed ourselves of a moment to enjoy the conversation of my countryman. Dr. Butter, then physician there. He was in great indignation because Lord Mountstuart's bill for a Scotch militia had been lost. Dr. Johnson was as violent against it. " I am glad," said he, " that parlia- ment has had the spirit to throw it out. You wanted to take advantage of the timidity of our scoundrels" (meaning, I suppose, the ministry). It may be observed, that he used the epithet scoundrel, very commonly, not quite in the sense in which it is generally imderstood, but as a strong term of disapprobation ; as when he abruptly answered Mrs. Thrale, who had asked him how he did, " Ready to become a scoundrel, Madam; with a little more spoiling you will, I think, make me a complete rascal;" he meant, easy to become a capricious and self-indulgent valetudinarian ; a character for which I have heard him express great disgust.* Johnson had with him upon this jaunt, "iZ Palmer ino d' Iiighilterra," a romance praised by Cervantes ; but did not like it much. He said, he read it for the language, by way of prepa- ration for his Italian expedition. We lay this night at Loughborough. On Thursday, March 28., we pursued our journey. I mentioned th.at old Mr. Sheridan complained of the ingratitude of Mr.Wedder- burne and General Fraser, who had been much obliged to him when they were young Scotch- men entering upon life in England. Johnson. " Why, Sir, a man is very apt to complain of the ingratitude of those who have risen far above him. A man, when he gets into a higher sphere, into other habits of life, cannot keep up all his former connexions. Then, Sir, those who knew him formerly upon a level with themselves, may think that they ought still to be treated as on a level, which cannot be : and an acquaintance in a former situation may bring out things which it would be very dis- agreeable to have mentioned before higher company, Jhough, perhaps, every body knows man not to be a scoundrel." And Hawkins tells us that he I used to say, that " a man was a scoundrel who was afraid of ; any thing ; " and it may be observed, that in his Dictionary ; he defined knave, a. scoundrel; loon, a scoundrel; lout,3. \ scoundrel ; poltroon, a scoundrel ; sneakup, a scoundrel ; rascal, a scoundrel ; and scoundrel itself he defines a mean .: rascal ; a loir petty villain, and we have seen {ante, p. 298.) ■ that he coined the'word scoundrelism — Croker. . i ^T. 6) BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 49^ of them." He placed this subject in a new light to me, and showed, that a man who has risen in the world must not be condemned too harshly for being distant to I'ormer acquaint- ance, even though he may have been much obliged to them. It is, no doubt, to be wished, that a proper degree of attention should be shown by great men to their eai'ly friends. But if, either from obtuse insensibility to diiference of situation, or presumptuous for- wardness, which will not submit even to an exterior observance of it, the dignity of high place cannot be preserved, when they are admitted into the company of those raised above the state in which they once were, encroachment must be repelled, and the kinder feelings sacrificed. To one of the very for- tunate persons whom I have mentioned, namely, Mr. Wedderburne, now Lord Loughborough, I must do the justice to relate, that I have been assured by another early acquaintance of his, old Mr. Macklin, who assisted in improving his pronunciation, that he found him very grateful. Macklin, I suppose, had not pressed upon his elevation with so much eagerness as the gen- tleman who complained of him. Dr. Johnson's remark as to the jealousy entertained of our friunds who rise far above us is certainly ver}' just. By this was withered the early friend- ship between Charles Townshend and Aken- side ' ; and many similar instances might be adduced. He said, " It is commonly a weak man wlio marries for love." We then talked of marry- ing women of fortune ; and I mentioned a common remark, that a man may be, upon the whole, richer by marrying a woman with a very small portion, because a woman of fortune will be proportionably expensive; whereas a woman who brings none wHl be very moderate in expenses. Johnson. " Depend upon it. Sir, this is not true. A woman of fortune, being used to the handling of money, spends it judiciously ; but a woman who gets the com- mand of money for the first time upon her marriage, has such a gust in spending it, that she throws it away with great profusion." He praised the ladies of the present age, insisting that they were more faithful to their husbands, and more virtuous in every respect, than in former times, because their understand- ings were better cultivated. It was an un- doubted proof of his good sense and good disposition, that he was never querulous, never prone to inveigh against the present times, as I This is no appropriate instance. Charles Townshend — the grand-nephew of the Duke of Newcastle and of Mr. Pel- ham, both prime ministers, and grandson of a peer, who was secretary of state, and leader of the House of Lords —was as much above Akenside in their earliest days as at .iny sub- sequent period ; nor was Akenside in rank inferior to Dr. Hrocklesby, with whom Charles Townshend continued in intimate friendship to the end of his life — Croker. "^ This alludes to the triumph of the King and Mr. Pitt over the Coalition Ministry in 1784. — Crorer, 1847. 3 Dr. James died 23d March, 177G, the same day as young Thrale. We have seen {anti, p. 101.) that so early as HSG Johnson showed no great regard for James, — Croker, 1847. is so common when superficial minds are on the fret. On the contrary, he was Avilling to speak favourably of his own age ; and, indeed, maintained its superiority in every respect, except in its reverence for government; the relaxation of which he imputed, as its grand cause, to the shock which our monarchy received at the llevolution, though necessary ; and, secondly, to the tiniid concessions made to faction by successive administrations in the reign of his present majesty. I am happy to think, that he lived to see the crown at "last recover its just influence. - At Leicester we read in the newspaper that Dr. James was dead. I thought that the death of an old schoolfellow, and one with whom he had lived a good deal in London, would have affected my fellow-traveller much ; but he only said, "Ah! poorJamy!"^ Afterwards, how- ever, when we were in the chaise, he said, with more tenderness, " Since I set out on this jaunt, I have lo>-.t an old friend and a young one ; — Dr. James and poor Harry" (meaning Mr. Thrale's son). Having lain at St. Alban's on Thursday, March 28., we breakfasted the next morning at Barnet. I ex^^ressed to him a weakness of mind which I could not help ; an uneasy ap- prehension that my wife and children, who were at a great distance from me, might, perhaps, be ill. " Sir," said he, " consider how foolish you would think it in the7n to be apprehensive that t/ou are ill." This sudden turn relieved me for the moment ; but I afterwards perceived it to be an ingenious fallacy.* I might, to be sure, be satisfied that they had no reason to be ap- IM-eheusive about me, because I k7iew that I myself was well : but we might have a mutual anxiety, without the charge of folly ; because each was, in some degree, uncertain as to the condition of the other. I enjoyed the luxury of our approach to London, that metropolis which we both loved so inuch, for the high and varied intellectual plea- sure which it furnishes. I experienced imme- diate happiness while whii-led along with such a companion, and said to him, " Sir, you ob- served one day at General Oglethorpe's that a man is never happy for the present, but when he is drunk. Will you not add — or Avhen di'iving rapidly in a post-chaise ? " Johnson. " No, Sir, you are driving rapidly from some- thing, or to something." * Talking of melancholy, he said, " Some men, and very thinking men too, have not those " Surely it is no fallacy, but a sound and rational argu- ment. He who is perfectly well, and apprehensive concern- arely It . Hewl ing the state of another a't a distance' from him, kn a certainty that the fears of that person concerning /its health are imaginary and delusive ; and hence has a rational ground for supposing that his own apprehensions, concerning his absent wife or friend, are equally unfounded. — Malone. 5 Yet it was but a week before that he had said that " life had few things better than driving rapidly in a post-chaise." This is an instance of the justice of Mrs. Piozzi's observa- tion, that " it was unlucky for those who delighted to echo Johnson's sentiments, that he would not endure from tlieni io-dai/ what he himself had said yesterday."— Croker. 496 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 17^6. vexing thoughts.' Sir Joshua Reynolds is the same all the year round. Beauclerk, except when ill and in pain, is the same. But I be- lieve most men have them in the degree in I which they are capable of having them. If I were in the country, and were distressed by that malady, I would force myself to take a book ; and every time I did it I should find it the easier. Melancholy, indeed, should be di- verted by every means but drinking." We stopped at Messieurs Dillys, booksellers in the Poultry ; from whence he hvirried away, in a hackney coach, to Mr. Thrale's in the Borough. I called at his house in the evening, having promised to acquaint Mrs. Williams of his safe return ; when, to my surprise, I found him sitting with her at tea, and, as I thought, not in a very good humour : for, it seems, when he had got to Mr. Thrale's, he found the coach was at the door waiting to carry Mrs. and ]\Iiss Thrale, and Siguor Baretti, their Italian master, to Bath. This was not showing the attention ^ which might have been expected to the "guide, philosopher, and friend ; " the Imlac who had hastened from the country to console a dis- tressed mother, who he understood was very anxious for his return. They had, I found, without ceremony, proceeded on their journey. I was glad to vuiderstand from him that it was still resolved that his tour to Italy with Mr. and Mrs. Thrale should take place, of which he had entertained some doubt, on account of the loss which they had suffered ; and his doubts afterwards appeared to be well founded. He observed, indeed, very justly, that " their loss was an additional reason for their going abroad ; and if it had not been fixed that he should have i been one of the party, he would force them out ; but he would not advise them unless his advice Avas asked, lest they might suspect that he re- commended what he wished on his own ac- count." I was not pleased that his intimacy with Mr. Thrale's family, though it no doubt contributed much to his comfort and enjoy- ment, was not without some degree of restraint: not, as has been grossly suggested, that it was required of him as a task to talk for the en- tertainment of them and their company ; but i that he was not quite at his ease : which, how- ever, might partly be owing to his own honest pride — that dignity of mind which is always jealous of appearing too compliant. > The phrase " vexing thoughts," is, 1 think, very expres- sive. It has been familiar to me from mv childhood ; for it is to be found in the " Psalms in Metre,'" used in the churches (I believe I should say kirks) of Scotland, Psal. xliii. v. 5. " Why art thou then cast down, my soul V What should discourage thee ? And wiiy with verinf; thoughts art thou Disquieted in me ? " Some allowance must no doubt be made for early prepos- session. But at a maturer period of life, after looking at various metrical versions of the Psalms, I am well satisfied that the version used in Scotland is, upon the whole, the beiit ; and that it is vain to think of having a better. It has On Sunday, March 31., I called on him and showed him, as a curiosity which I had dis- covered, his " Translation of Lobe's Account of Abyssinia," which Sir John Pringle had lent me, it being then little known as one of his works. He said, " Take no notice of it," or " Don't talk of it." He seemed to think it be- neath him, though done at six-and-twenty. I said to him, " Your style. Sir, is much im- proved since you translated this." He answered, with a sort of triumphant smile, " Sir, I hope it is." On Wednesday, April 3., in the morning, I found him very busy putting his books in order, and, as they were generally very old ones, clouds of dust were flying around him. He had on a pair of large gloves, such as hedgers use. His present appearance put me in mind of my uncle Dr. Boswell's description of him, " A robust genius, born to grapple with whole libraries." I gave him an account of a conversation which had passed between me and Captain Cook, the day before, at dinner at Sir John Pringle's ' ; and he was much pleased with the conscientious accuracy of that celebrated cir- cumnavigator, who set me right as to many of the exaggerated accounts given by Dr. Hawkes- worth of his voyages. I told him that while I was with the captain I catched the enthusiasm of curiosity and adventure, and felt a strong inclination to go with him on his next voyage. Johnson. " "VVliy, Sir, a man does feel so, till he considers how very little he can learn from such voyages." Boswell. " But one is carried away with the general, grand, and indistinct notion of a voyage round the world." John- son. " Yes, Sir, but a man is to guard himself against taking a thing in general." I said I was certain that a great part of what we are told by the travellers to the South Sea must be ;] conjecture, because they had not enough of the language of those countries to understand so much as they have related. Objects falling : under the observation of the senses might be ' clearly known ; but every thing intellectual, ': every thing abstract, — politics, morals, and | religion, — must be darkly guessed. Dr. Johnson ; was of the same opinion. He upon another I occasion, when a friend mentioned to him se- ! veral extraordinary facts, as communicated to i him by the circumnavigators ''•, slyly observed, j in general a simplicity and unction of sacred poesy ; and in i many parts its transfusion is admirable. — Boswell. | 2 How so V Johnson had not been very quick in coming,!] nor had the Thrales had any notice of his movements.* Their journey must have been settled for some days, and.ij under the melancholy circumstances in which it was ar-[' ranged, it would surely have been strange if L)r. Johnson's sudden appearance had interruptcii it. — Cboker. 3 Sir John Pringle was at tins time President of the Royal Society. — Croker, 1847. Meaning Sir Joseph Bank; ,tii! the friend was Boswell himscir. " h the'facts, have extracted soni'' son ; but I knew Sir Joseph ll.i;,i. , he lived, very well, and I nevt r ii . of his scrupulous veracity. — Crokl w.Ip I ^T.6/ BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 497 " Sir, I never before knew how nui ispected by these gentlemen; th I wns re- told lue none of these things He had been in company Avith Omai, a native of one of the South . Sea Ishiiids, after be had been some time in this country. lie was struck with the elegance of his behaviour, and accounted for it thus : " Sir, he had passed bis time, while in England, only in the best company ; so that all that he had accpiired of our mannci's was genteel. As a proof of this, Sir, Lord IMulgrave and he dined one day at Streatham ; they sat with their backs to the , light fronting me, so that I could not see dis- tinctly ; and there was so little of the savage in Omai, that I was afraid to speak to either, lest I should mistake one for the other." ' ! AVe agreed to dine to-day at the ]\Iitre tavern, after the rising of the House of Lords, where a branch of the litigation concerning the Douglas estate, in which I was one of the counsel, was to come on. I brought with me Mr. Murray, solicitor-general of Scotland, now one of the judges of the court of session, with the title of Lord Henderland. I men- tioned Mr. Solicitor's relation, Lord Charles ll:iv", with whom I knew Dr. Johnson had luiii acquainted. Johnson. " I wrote some- t!iing 3 for Lord Charles, and I thought he had lint lung to fear from a court-martial. I suf- fered a great loss when be died; he was a niighty pleasing man in conversation, and a 'reading man. The character of a soldier is ihigh. They who stand forth the foremost in ; danger, for the community, have the respect of mankind. An officer is much more respected than any other man who has little money. In a cnmmercial country, money will always pur- ihitse respect. But you find, an officer, who has, properly speaking, no money, is every iwhere well received and treated with attention. [The character of a soldier always stands him I in stead." Boswell. " Yet, Sir, I think that common soldiers are worse thought of than lother men in the same rank of life; such las labourers." Johnson. " Why, Sir, a com- timon soldier is usually a very gross man, and any quality which procures respect may be overwhelmed by grossness. A man of learn- ing may be so vicious or so ridiculous that you fcannot respect him. A common soldier, too, fgenerally eats more than he can pay for. But fwhen a common soldier is civil in his quarters. ' This might perhaps have been more justly attrilmled to [the defect of his sight than to any resemblance between iOmai and Lord Mulgrave. — Crokeb. f - Third son of the third Marquis of Tweedale. He dls- .Itinguished himself at the battle of Fontenoy ; where he is Isaidto have been the officer who invited the French guards [to fire. He was afterwards third in command under Lord iLoudon and General Hopson, in an expedition against ICanada; but expressing himself with some violence against the tardiness of his superiors, he was, on the 31st July, 1757, put under arrest and sent to England, to be tried by a court iivirtial, which, however, did not assemble till Feb. 1760; laud Lord Charles died on the 1st of May following, before [the sentence was promulgated. I find in a letter (8th Sept. 1757) of Mr. Calcraft's, a personal friend of Lord his red coat procures him a degree of respect." The peculiar resj)ect })aid to the military character in France was mentioned. Bos- well. " I should think that where military men are so numerous, they would be less valua- ble, as not being rare." Johnson. " Nay, Sir, wherever a particular character or profession is high in the estimation of a people, those who are of it will be valued above other men. We value an Englishman high in this country, and yet Englishmen are not rare in it." Mr. Murray praised tlie ancient philosophers for the candour and good humour with which those of different sects disputed with each other. Johnson. " Sir, they disputed with good humour, because they were not In earnest as to religion. Had the ancients been serious in their belief, we should not have had then- gods exhibited in the manner we find them represented in the poets. The people would not have suffered it. They disputed with good humour upon their fanciful theories, because they were not interested In the truth of them : when a man has nothing to lose, he may be in good humour with his opponent. Accordingly you see, in Lucian, the Epicurean, M'ho argues only negatively, keeps bis temper ; the Stoic, who has something positive to preserve, grows angry.* Being angry with one who contro- verts an opinion which you value, is a neces- sary consequence of the uneasiness which you feel. Every man who attacks my belief, dimi- nishes in some degree my confidence in it, and therefore makes me uneasy ; and I am angry with him who makes me uneasy. Those only who believed in revelation have been angry at having their faith called in question ; because they only bad something iqion which they could rest as matter of fact." Murray. " It seems to me that we are not angry at a man for controverting an oijinion which we believe and value; we rather pity him." Johnson. " W^hy, Sir, to be sure, when you wish a man to have that belief which you think is of in- finite advantage, you wish well to him ; but your primary consideration is your own quiet. If a madman were to come into this room with a stick in bis hand, no doubt we should pity the state of bis mind ; but our prinuiry con- sideration would be to take cai'e of ourselves. We should knock him down first, and pity him afterwards. No, Sir, every man will dis- pute with great good -bvnnour upon a subject Charles, the real state of this case. Lord Charles had gone mad, and was in that state sent home. He had once before been confined for a similar attack, which required a strait waistco.it, but his family were anxious to " disavow the disorder." — Croker, 1846. 3 I have looked over the original minutes of this court- martial, and can find nothing that can be supposed to have been written by Johnson. He meant, perhaps, some de- fence in the press. — Crokeu. ■< This alludes to the pleadings of a Stoic and an Epicurean for and against the existence of the Divinity in Lucian's Jupiler the Tragic, at the close of which the defender of the gods gets very angry, and calls names, while the Epi. curean only laughs at him. — Croker. K K 498 BO SWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 17- in which he is not interested. I will dispute very cahnly upon the probability of another man's son being hanged ; but if a man zea- lously enforces the probability that my own son will be hanged, I shall certainly not be in a very good humour with him." I added this ilhistration : " If a man endeavours to con- vince me that my wife, whom I love very much, and in whom I place great confidence, is a disagreeable woman, and is even unfaithful to me, I shall be very angry, for he is putting me in fear of being unhappy." Murray. " But, Sir, truth will always bear an examination." Johnson. " Yes, Sir, but it is painful to be forced to defend it. Consider, Sir, how should you like, though conscious of your innocence, to be tried before a jury for a capital crime, once a week." We talked of education at great schools ; the advantages and disadvantages of which John- son displayed in a luminous manner ; but his ai-guments preponderated so much in favour of the benefit which a boy of good parts might receive at one of them ', that I have reason to believe Mr. Murray was very much influenced by what he had heard to-day in his determina- tion to send his own son to Westminster school. I have acted in the same manner with regard to my own two sons ; having placed the eldest at Eton, and the second at Westminster. I cannot say which is best. But in justice to both those noble seminaries, I with high satis- faction declare, that my boys have derived from them a great deal of good, and no evil : and I trust they will, like Horace, be grateful to their father for giving them so valuable an education. I introduced the topic, which is often ignorantly urged, that the universities of England are too rich''; so that learning does not flourish in them as it would do, if those who teach had smaller salaries, and depended on their assiduity for a great part of their income. Johnson. " Sir, the very reverse of this is the truth ; the English universities are not rich enough. Our fellowships are only sufficient to support a man during his studies to fit him for the world, and accordingly in general they are held no longer than till an opportunity oflei's of getting away. Now and then, perhaps, there Is a fellow who grows old ' A peculiar advantage of an education in our public schools was stated in one of his parliamentary speeches, by the late Mr. Canning — himself a great authority and ex- ample on such a subject. " Foreigners often ask, ' By what means an uninterrupted succession of men, qualified more or less eminently for the performance of united parliamentary and official duties, is secured ? ' First, 1 answer (with the prejudices, perhaps, of Eton and Oxford), that we owe it to our system of public schools and universities. From these institutions is derived (in the language of the prayer of our collegiate churches) ' a due supply ofmenfitted to serve their country both in church and state.' It is in her public schools and universities that the youth of England are, by a discipline which shallow judgments have sometimes attempted to undervalue, prepared for the duties of public life. There are rare and splendid exceptions, to be sure ; but in my con- science I believe, that England would not be what she is without her system of public education, and that no other in his college; but this Is against his will, unless he be a man very indolent indeed. A hundred a-year is reckoned a good fellowship, and that is no more than is necessary to keep a man decently as a scholar. We do not allow our fellows to mai-ry, because we consider academical institutions as preparatory to a settlement in the world. It Is only by being employed as a tutor, that a fellow can obtain any thing more than a livelihood. To be sure, a man who has enough without teaching will probably not teach ; for we would all be idle if we could. In the same manner, a man who is to get nothing by teaching will not exert him- self. Gresham College was intended as a place of instruction for London ; able professors were to read lectures gratis ; they contrived to have no scholars ; whereas, if they had been allowed to receive but sixpence a lecture from each scholar, they would have been emulous to have had many scholars. Every body will agree that it should be the interest of those who teach to have scholars ; and this is the case in our universities. That they are too rich is certainly not true ; for they have nothing good enough to keep a man of eminent learning with them for his life. In the foreign universities a professorship is a high thing. It is as much- almost as a man can make by his learning : and therefore we find the most learned men abroad are in the universities. It is not so with us. Our universities are impoverished of learning, by the penury of their provisions. I wish there were many places of a thousand a-year at Oxford, to keep first-rate men of learning from quitting the university." Undoubtedly, if this were the case, literature would have a still greater dignity and splendour at Oxford, and there would be grander living sources of Instruction. I mentioned Mr. Maclaurin's uneasiness on account of a degree of ridicule carelessly thrown on his deceased father, in Goldsmith's " History of Animated Nature," in which that celebrated mathematician is represented as being subject to fits of yawning so violent as to render him Incapable of proceeding In his lecture ; a story altogether unfounded, but for the publication of which the law would give no reparation .3 This led us to agitate the ques- tion, whether legal redi-ess could be obtained, country can become what England is without the advantages of such a system." Such was also Mr. Gibbon's opinion. " I shall always be ready to join in the common opinion, that our public schools, which have produced so many eminent characters, are the best adapted to the genius and consti- tution of the English people." — Memoirs. Miscel. Works, vol. i. p. 37. — Croker. 2 Dr. Adam Smith, who was for some time a professor in the university of Glasgow, has uttered, in his " Wealth of Nations," some reflections upon this subject which are cer- tainly not well founded, and seem to be invidious — Bos- well. The great practical fault of our English universities, in this respect, is, that they are too expensive, and too often pervert the minds and injure the fortunes of young men, by the neglect of economy in which they are indulged, if not encouraged Crokeb, 1847. 3 Dr. Goldsmith was dead before Mr. Maclaurin' dis- ; r ^T. 67. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 499 ;ven when a man's deceased relation was ;:iliunuiated in a publication. INIr. Murray naintained there should be reparation, unless he author could justify himself by proving the act. Johnson. " Sir, it is of so much more jonsequence that truth should be told, than hat individuals should not be made uneasy, hat it is much better that the law does not ■estrain writing freely concerning the charac- ers of the dead. Damages will be given to a nan who is calumniated in his lifetime, because le m;iy be hurt in his worldly interest, or at east hurt in his mind : but the law does not egard that uneasiness which a man feels on laving his ancestor calumniated. That is too lice. Let him deny what is said, and let the aatter have a fair chance by discussion. But f a man could say nothing against a character lUt what he can prove, history could not be written ; for a great deal is known of men of jhich. proof cannot be brought. A minister lay be notoriously known to take bribes, and et vou may not be able to prove it." Mr. IV suggested that the author should be 1 to show some sort of evidence, though . . uld not require a strict legal proof; but ohnson firmly and resolutely opposed any istraiut whatever, as adverse to a free inves- gation of the characters of mankind.' ivered the ludicrous error. But Mr. Nourse, the book- filer, who was the proprietor of the worlt, upon being applied by Sir John Pringle, agreed very handsomely to have the if'on which it was contained cancelled, and reprinted with- t ir. at his own expense Boswell. iuit Dr. Johnson has here said is undoubtedly good vet I am afraid that law, though defined by Lord I lie perfection of reason," is not altogether wilh kirn; - held in the books, that an attack on the reputation en of a dead man may be punished as a libel, because tend- 5 to a breach of the peace. There is, however, I believe, modern decided case to that effect. In the King's Bench, •iiiity term, 1790, the question occurred on occasion of an :iii>iit. The King v. Topham, who, as a proprietor of a i|-('r entitled " The World," was found guilty of a ■linst Earl Cowper. deceased, because certain in- charges against his lordship were published in that An arrest of judgment having been moved for, the ^ afterwards solemnly argued. My friend, Mr. Const, 1 delight in having an opportunity to praise, not only i abilities, but his manners — a gentleman whose cuiit German blood has been mellowed in England, and •lo may be truly said to unite the baron and the barrister, iis one of the counsel for Mr. Topham. He displayed fuch learning and ingenuity upon the general question ; lioh, however, was not dec'ided, as the court granted an ;rest chiefly on the informality of the indictment. No man '3 a higher reverence for the law of England than I have ; 1 1, with all deference, 1 cannot help thinking, that prosecu- ■m by indictment, if a defendant is never to be allowed to istify, must often be very oppressive, unless juries, whom iim more and more confirmed in holding to be judges of CHAPTER LV. 1776. Popish Corruptions. — Licensed Sleivs. — Seduction. — "Jack Ellis." — Gaming, — Card-playing. — Conjugal Ohligations. — Law of Usury. — Beggars. — Dr. Cheyne. — Solitude. — Joseph Simpson. — Children. — Cowley. — Flatman's Poems. — Cihber's " Lives." — Gray.' — Akenside. — Mason. — The Beviews. — Lord Lyttelton. — " The Spectator." — Dr. Barry. — Dinner at General Paoli's. — "Abel Dntgger." — Italy. — The Mediterranean. — Poeti- cal Translation. — Art of Printing. — Education of the People. — Thomson. — " Hudibras." — Pur- pose of Tragedy. — " Othello." — John Dennis. — Swearing. — Wine-drinking. — Cumberland's "Odes." On Thursday, 4th April, having called on Dr. Johnson, I said, it was a pity that truth was not so firm as to bid defiance to all attacks, so that it might be shot at as much as people chose to attempt, and yet remain unhurt. John- son. " Then, Sir, it would not be shot at. No- body attempts to dispute that two and two make four : but with contests concerning moral truth, human passions are generally mixed, and therefore it must be ever liable to assault and misrepresentation." On Friday, 5 th April, being Good Friday, after having attended the morning service at St. Clement's church, I walked home with John- son. We talked of the Roman Catholic religion. Johnson. "In the barbarous ages, Sir, priests and people were equally deceived : but after- wards there were gross corruptions introduced by the clergy, such as indulgences to priests to have concubines, and the worship of images : not, indeed, inculcated, but knowingly per- mitted." He strongly censured the licensed law as well as of fact, resolutely interpose. Of late an act of parliament has passed, declaratory of their full right to one as well as the other, in matter of libel ; and the bill having been brought in by a popular gentleman [Mr. Fox], many of his party have in most extravagant terms declaimed on the wonderful acquisition to the liberty of the press. For my own part I ever was clearly of opinion that this right was inherent in the very constitution of a jury, and indeed in sense and reason inseparable from their important function. To establish it, therefore, by statute, is, I think, narrowing its foundation, which is the broad and deep basis of common law. Would it not rather weaken the right of primogeniture, or any other old and universally acknowledged right, should the legislature pass an act in favour of it ? In my " Letter to the People of Scotland, against diminishing the number of the Lords of Session," published in 1785, there is the follow- ing passage, which, as a concise, and, I hope, a fair and rational state of the matter, I presume to quote : " The juries of England are judges of law as well as oifact in many civil and in all criminal trials. That my principles of rt'- sistancc may not be misapprehended any more than my principles o( submission, I protest that I should be the last man in the world to encourage juries to contradict rashly, wantonly, or perversely, the opinion of the judges. On the contrary, I would have them hsten respectfully to the advice they receive from the bench, by which they mav often be well directed in forming their own opinions which, 'and not another's,' is the opinion they are to return upon t/ii-ir oaths. But where, after due attention to all that the judge has said, they are decidedly of a different opinion from him, they have not only a power and a right, but they are bound in conscience, to bring in a verdict accordingly." _ Boswell. K K 2 500 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1776. stews at Rome. Boswell. " So then, Sir, you would allow of no irregular intercourse whatever between the sexes ? " Johnson. " To be sure I would not, Sir. I would punish it much more than it is done, and so restrain it. In all countries there has been fornication, as in all countries there has been theft ; but there may be more or less of the one, as well as of the other, in proportion to the force of law. All men will naturally commit fornication, as all men will naturally steal. And, Sir, it is very absurd to argue, as has been often done, that prostitutes are necessary to pi-event the violent effects of appetite from violating the decent order of life ; nay, should be permitted, in order to preserve the chastity of our wives and daughters. Depend upon it. Sir, severe laws, steadily enforced, would be sufficient against those evils, and would promote mar- riage." I stated to him this case : — " Suppose a man has a daughter, who he knows has been seduced, but" her misfortune is concealed from the world, should he keep her in his house ? Would he not, by doing so, be accessory to imposition ? And, perhaps, a worthy, unsuspecting man, might come and marry this woman, unless the father inform him of the truth." Johnson. " Sir, he is accessory to no imposition. His daughter is in his house ; and if a man courts her, he takes his chance. If a friend, or indeed if any man, asks his opinion whether he should marry her, he ought to advise him against it, without telling why, because his real opinion is then required. Or, if he has other daughters who know of her frailty, he ought not to keep her in his house. You are to consider the state of life is this ; we are to judge of one another's characters as well as we can ; and a man is not bound in honesty or honour to tell us the faults of his daughter or of himself A man who has debauched his friend's daughter is not obliged to say to every body — ' Take care of me ; don't let me into your house without suspicion. I once debauched a friend's daughter. I may debauch yours.' " Mr. Thrale called upon him, and appeared to bear the loss of his son with a manly com- posure. There was no affectation about him ; and he talked, as usual, upon indifferent sub- jects. He seemed to me to hesitate as to the intended Italian tour, on which, I flattered myself, he and Mrs. Thrale and Dr. Johnson were soon to set out ; and, therefore, I pressed I it as much as I could. I mentioned that Mr. j Beauclerk had said, that Baretti, whom they I were to carry with them, would keep them so long in the little towns of his own district, that they would not have time to see Rome. I mentioned this to put them on their guard. Johnson. " Sir, we do not thank Mr. Beau- clerk for supposing that we are to be directed by Baretti. No, Sir ; Mr. Thrale is to go, by my advice, to Mr. Jackson ' (the all-knowing), and get from him a plan for seeing the most that can be seen in the time that we have to travel. We must, to be sure, see Rome, Naples, Florence, and Venice, and as much more as ; we can." (Speaking with a tone of animation.) When I expressed an earnest wish for his remarks on Italy, he said, " I do not see that I could make a book upon Italy ; yet I should , be glad to get two hundi'ed pounds, or five hundred pounds, by such a woi-k." This showed both that a journal of his tour upon the con- tinent was not wholly out of his contemplation, and that he uniformly adhered to that strange opinion which his indolent disposition made him utter ; " No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money." Numerous instances to refute this will occur to all who are veijsed in the history of literature. He gave us one of the many sketches ot character which were treasured in his mind, and which he was wont to produce quite un-i expectedly in a very entertaining manner. " If lately," said he, " i-ecelved a letter from th(| East Indies, from a gentleman " whom I fori merljf knew very well ; he had returned fron,' that country with a handsome fortune, as i was reckoned, before means were found to ac quire those immense sums which have beei! brought from thence of late : he was a scholar and an agreeable man, and lived very prettil; in London, till his wife died. After her deatb; he took to dissipation and gaming, and lost al 1 A gentleman who, from his extraordinary stores of know- ledge, has been styled omniscient. Johnson, I think very pro- perly, altered it to all-knowing, as it is a verbum solenne, appropriated to the Suprem-i Being. — Boswell. Mr. Richard Jackson, a barrister, M.P. for New Romney, and F.R.S., had obtained, from the universality of his information on all topics, the appellation of " omniscient Jackson." He was an intimate friend of Lord Shelburne'8,and became a lord of the treasury in his lordship's administration in 1782. He died May fi. 1787 — Choker. 2 This was Mr. Joseph Fowke.of whom there isquoted in the Gentleman's Magazine for 1817, vii. p. 526., an account very erroneous both in facts and dates. The truth is, he went to India in 1736 as a writer, and served in several subordinate offices till he was appointed, in 1751, fifth member of Council at Madras. He had been, however, for some years a dissatis- fied man, and in 1752 resigned the service and came to Eng- land, where he became acquainted with Johnson, and may have entertained hopes of going out again in some position which would have enabled him to take Johnson (then in very low circumstances) with him ; but of this we have no trace, but what appears in the text. It was not till 1770, when assuredly Johnson could have had no thoughts of accompanying him, that he was permitted to return as free nierchant to Calcutta, where he soon mixed himsej up with the opposition to Mr. Hastings, and he and h ' son Francis were indicted, with the celebrated and unfoi} tunate Nundcomar, for a conspiracy against Mr. Hastings, ar.| found guilty. The letter and packet referred to intheteJi related of course to this affair. Joseph Fowke was afterwar() reappointed to office in India, but finally resigned the Con' pany's service, and returned to England in 1790, when a vo , of the House of Commons, moved by Mr. Burke, forced tl reluctant Court of Directors to grant him a pension. I. died in Bath, in 1800, set. 84. In the account referred tol is made to state that Johnson told him that Lord Chesterfic had offered him lOOZ. if he would dedicate the Dictionary his lordship, but that Johnson contemptuously decline " because he must have gilt a rotten post." Johnson ecu not have told this, for we know that he accepted 10/. fro Lord Chesterfield for the dedication of the prospectt See post, p. 524. I now more fconfidently believe tli the general officer mentioned in p. 42. was General Fowl and that Johnson's zeal about him may have arisen frc his relationship to Joseph Fowke. See ante, p. 105. n. 3. Crokeb, 1846. jet. g: BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 501 he had. One evening he lost a thousand pounds to a gentleman whose name I am sorry I have ! forgotten. Next morning he sent the gentle- j man five hundred pounds, with an apology that j it was all he had in the world. The gentleman sent the money back to him, declaring he 1 would not accept of it ; and adding, that if Mr. [Fowke] had occasion for five hundred pounds more, he would lend it to him. He . resolved to go out again to the East Indies, : and make his fortune anew, lie got a con- ) siderable appointment, and I had some intention i of accompanying him. Had I thought then as j I do now, I should have gone : but at that j time I had objections to quitting England." I It was a very remarkable circumstance about \ Johnson, whom shallow observers have sup- I posed to have been ignorant of the world, that . very few men had seen greater variety of cha- ; racters ; and none could observe them better, 1 as was evident from the strong yet nice por- traits which he often drew. I have frequently thought that, if he had made out what the French call une catalogue raisonnee of all the people who had passed under his observation, it would have afforded a very rich fund of in- struction and entertainment. The suddenness with which his accounts of some of them started out in conversation was not less pleasing than surprising. I remember he once observed to me, " It is wonderful, Sir, what is to be found in London. The most literary conversation that I ever enjoyed was at the table of Jack Ellis, a money-scrivener, behind the Royal Exchange, with whom I at one period used to dine generally once a week." ' Volumes would be required to contain a list of his numerous and various acquaintance, none of whom he ever forgot ; and could describe and discriminate them all with precision and vivacity. He associated with persons the most widely different in manners, abilities, rank, and accomplishments. He was at once the com- panion of the brilliant Colonel Forrester of the ' This Mr. Ellis was, I believe, the last of that profession called scriveners, which is one of the London companies, but i of which the business is no longer carried on separately, but \ is transacted by attorneys and others. lie was a man of r literature and talents. He was the author of a Hndibrastic version of Maphaeus's Canto, in addition to the ^neid ; of some poems in Dodsley's collection, and various other small piiccs ; byt, being a very modest m.in, never put his name t'l any thing. He showed me a translation which he had iiia.l.; of Ovid's Epistles, very prettily done. There is a i good engraved portrait of him by Pether, from a picture by (Fry, which hangs in the hall of the Scriveners' company. I 1 visited him October 4. 1790, in his ninety-third year, and (found his judgment distinct and clear, and his memory, I though faded so as to fail him occasionally, yet, as he assured ; me, and I indeed perceived, able to serve him very well, , after a little recollection. It was agreeable to observe, that • he was free from the discontent and fretfulness which too ■ often molest old age. He, in the summer of that year, walked to Kotherhithe, where he dined, and walked home Jin the evening. He died Dec. 31. 1791 Boswell. 2 Lord Macartney, who, with his other distinguished quali- ■ ties, is remarkable also for an elegant pleasantry, told me that ' lie met .Tohnson at Lady Craven's, and that he seemed jealous of any interference. " So," said his lordship, smiling, "/ keot back." — Boswell. [ ^ This is somewhat 'exaggerated (see ante. p. 79. n. 1). i His polite acquaintance did not extend much beyond the ■ circle of Mr. Thrale, Sir Joshua Reynolds, and the members guards, who wrote " Tiie Polite Philosopher," and of the awkward and uncouth llobert Le- vett ; of Lord Thurlow, and Mr. Sastres, the Italian master ; and has dined one day with the beautiful, gay, and fascinating Lady Craven^ and the next with good Mrs. Gardiner, the tallow-chandler, on Snow-hill.^ On my expressing my wonder at his dis- covering so much of the knowledge peculiar to different professions, he told me, " I learnt what I know of law chiefly from ]\Ir. Ballow *, a very able man. I learnt some too from Chambers; but was not so teachable then. One is not willing to be taught by a young man." When I expressed a wish to know more about Mr. Ballow, Johnson said, " Sir, I have seen him but once these twenty years. The tide of life has driven us different ways." I was sorry at the time to hear this ; but who- ever quits the creeks of private connections, and fairly gets into the great ocean of London,- will, by imperceptible degrees, unvoidably ex- perience such cessations of acquaintance. " My knowledge of physic," he added, " I learnt from Dr. James, whom I helped in writing the proposals for his Dictionary, and also a little in the Dictionary itself^ I also learnt from Dr. Lawrence, but was then grown more stubborn." A curious incident happened to-day, while Mr. Thrale and I sat with him. Francis an- nounced that a large packet was brought to hun from the post-office, said to have come from Lisbon, and It was charged seve?i pounds ten shillings. He would not receive it, supposing it to be some trick, nor did he even look at It. But upon inquiry afterwards he found that it was a real packet for him, from that very friend in the East Indies of whom he had been speaking [Mr. Joseph Fowke] ; and the ship which carried it having come to Portugal, this packet with others had been put into the post- office at Lisbon. I mentioned a new gaming club 6, of which of the club. Of English bishops he seems to have known only Shipley and Porteus, and, except by a few visits in his latter years at the basbleux assemblies of Mrs. Montagu, Mrs. Vesey, and Mrs. Ord, we do not trace him in any thing like fashionable society. This seems strange to us ; for happily, iu our day, a literary man of much less th.in Johnson's eminence would be courted into the highest and most brilliant circles. Lord Wellesley recollected, with regret, the little notice, compared with his posthumous reputation, which the fashionable world seemed to take of Johnson. He was known as a great writer ; but his social and conversational powers were not so generally appreciated Croker. ■* There is an account of him in Sir John Hawkins's Life of Johnson, p. 244. Mr. Thomas Ballow was author of an excellent Treatise of Equity, printed anonvmously in 1742, and lately republished, with very valuable additions, by John Fonblanque, Esq. Mr. Ballow died suddenly in London, July 26. 1782, aged seventy-five, and is mentioned in the Gentleman's Magazine for that year as " a great Greek scholar, and famous for his knowledge of the old philosophy." — Ma- LONE. 5 I have in vain endeavoured to find out what parts Johnson wrote for Dr. James ; perhaps medical men mav BoswixL. 6 Almack's. Lord Lauderdale informed me that Mr. Fox told him. that the deepest play he had ever known was al)out this period, between the year 1772 and the beginning of the American war. Lord Lauderdale instanced 5000/. being staked on a single card at faro, and he talked of 70,000/. lost and won in a night. — Croker. K K 3 502 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1776. Mr. Beauclerk had given me an account, where the members played to a desperate extent. Johnson. " Depend upon it, Su-, this is mere talk. Who is ruined by gaming ? You will not find six instances in an age. There is a strange rout made about deep play ; whereas you have many more people ruined by adven- turous trade, and yet we do not hear such an outcry against it." Thrale. " There may be few absolutely ruined by deep play ; but very many are much hurt in their circumstances by it." Johnson. " Yes, Sir, and so are very many by other kinds of exj^ense." I had heard him talk once before in the same manner; and at Oxford he said, "he wished he had learned to play at cards.' The truth, however, is, that he loved to display his ingenuity in argument ; and therefore would sometimes in conversation maintain opinions which he was sensible were wrong, but in sup- porting which, his reasoning and wit would be most conspicuous. He would begin thus: ' Why Sir, as to the good or evil of card play- ing — " " Now," said Garrick, " he is thinking which side he shall take." He appeared to have a pleasure in contradiction, especially when any opinion whatever was delivered with an air of confidence; so that there was hardly any topic, if not one of the great truths of religion and morality, that he might not have been incited to argue either for or against. Lord Elibank^ had the highest admiration of his powers. He once observed to me, " "WTiatever opinion Johnson maintains, I will not say that he convinces me ; but he never fails to show me that he had good reasons for it." I have heard Johnson pay his lordship this high compliment : " I never was in Lord Elibank's company without learning some- thing." We sat together till it was too late for the afternoon service. Thrale said, he had come with the intention to go to church with us. We went at seven to evening prayers at St. Clement's church, after having drunk coifee ; an indulgence which I understand Johnson yielded to on this occasion, in compliment to Thrale.3 On Sunday, April 7th, Easter-day, after having been at St. Paul's cathedral, I came to Dr. Johnson, according to my usual custom. It seemed to me, that there was always some- thing particularly mild and placid in his ' See ante. p. 405. — C. ■■' Patrick Lord Elibank, who died in 1778. — Boswell. 3 Tliis day ho liimself thus records: —" Thougli for the past week I have had an anxious design of communicating to-day, I performed no particular act of devotion, till on Friday I went to church. I fasted, though less rigorously than at other times. I, by negligence, poured milk into the tea, and, in the afternoon, drank one dish of coffee with Thrale ; yet at night, after a fit of drowsiness, I felt myself very much disordered by emptiness, and called for tea with peevish and impatient eagerness. My distress was very great." — Pr. and Med. p. 145 Croker. ■' Yet with what different colours he paints his own state at this moment ! — " The time is again [come] at which, since the death of my poor dear Tetty, on whom God have mercy, I have annually commemorated the mystery of redemption. manner upon this holy festival, the commemo- ration of the most joyful event in the history of our world, the resurrection of our Lord and Saviour, who, having triumphed over death and the grave, proclaimed immortality to mankind.^ I repeated to him an argument of a lady of my acquaintance, who maintained, that her husband's having been guilty of numberless infidelities, released her from conjugal obliga- tions, because they were reciprocal. Johnson. " This is miserable stuS", Sir. To the contract of m.arriage, besides the man and wife, there is a third party — society ; and if it be con- sidered as a vow — God : and, therefore, it cannot be dissolved by their consent alone. Laws are not made for particular cases, but for men in general. A woman may be un- happy with her husband ; but she cannot be •freed from him without the approbation of the civil and ecclesiastical power. A man may be unhappy, because he is not so rich as another ; but he is not to seize upon another's property with his own hand." Boswell. "But, Sir, this lady does not want that the contract should be dissolved ; she only argues that she may Indulge herself in gallantries with equal freedom as her husband does, provided she takes care not to introduce a spurious issue into his family. You know, sir, Avhat Macro- bius has told of Julla.^ Johnson. " This lady of yours. Sir, I think, is very fit for a brothel." J\L. Macbean, author of the " Dictionary of Ancient Geography," came in. He mentioned that he had been forty years absent from Scotland. " Ah, Boswell ! " said Johnson smiling, " what would you give to be forty years from Scotland ? " I said, " I should not like to be so long absent from the seat of my ancestors." This gentleman, Mrs. Williams, and Mr. Levett dined with us. Dr. Johnson made a remark, which both Mr. Macbean and I thought new. It was this;' that " the law against usury is for the protec- tion of creditors as well as debtors ; for ii there were no such check, people would bei apt, from the temptation of great interest, to lend to desperate persons, by whom they would: lose their money. Accordingly, there are in-i stances of ladies being ruined, by havingj Injudiciously sunk their fortunes for high,' annuities, which, after a few years, ceased to be! and annually purposed to amend my life. My reigning sin to which perhaps many others are appendant, is waste o: time, and {general sluggishness, to which I was always in- clined, and, ill part of my life, have been almost compelled bj 7)iorbid melanchoUj and disturbance of mind. Welancholj has had in me its paroxysms and remissions, but I have Boi improved the intervals, nor suflBciently resisted my natura inclination, or sickly habits." He adds, however: " In thi morning I had at church some radiations of comfort." — Pr. and Med. p. 14-5. The habitual state of mind revealed in this and the preceding note, was no doubt the unsuspecl cause of many of those peevish, unjust, and oflensive obsen vations which Johnson's biographers have too often to record — Croker, 1846. 5 " Nunquam enim nisi navi pleni toUo vectorera."— Lib ii. c. V Boswell. ^T. 67. BOS^YELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 503 paid, in consequence of the ruined cii'cum- stances of the borrower." Mrs. Williams was very peevish ; and I wondered at Johnson's patience with her now, as I had often done on similar occasions. The truth is, that his humane consideration of the forlorn and indigent state in which this lady was left by her father induced him to treat her with the utmost tenderness, and even to be desirous of procuring her amusement, so as sometimes to incommode many of his friends, by carrying her with him to their houses, where, from her manner of eating, in con- sequence of her blindness, she could not but offend the delicacy of persons of nice sensa- tions. After coffee, we went to afternoon service in St. Clement's church. Observing some beggars in the street as we walked along, I said to him. I supposed there was no civilised country in the world where the misery of want 'u the lowest classes of the people was pre- Yoiited. Johnson. " I believe, Sir, there is lint; but it is better that some should be unhappy, than that none should be happy, which would be the case in a general state of eijuality." A^ hen the service was ended, I went home with him, and we sat quietly by ourselves, lie recommended Dr. Cheyne's books. I said, I thought Cheyne had been reckoned whimsi- cal. " So he was," said lie, " in some things ; but there is no end of objections. There are tew books to which some objection or other may not be made." He added, " I would not liave you read any thing else of Cheyne, but liis book on Health, and his ' English Malady.' " Upon the question whether a man who had been guilty of vicious actions would do well tn force himself into solitude and sadness ? JiuixsoN. "No, Sir, unless it prevent him fiDiu being vicious again. With some people, gloomy penitence is only madness turned up- side down. A man may be gloomy, till, in order to be relieved from gloom, he has re- course again to criminal indulgences." On Wednesday, 10th April, I dined with him at Mr. Thrale's, where were Mr. Mur- phy and some other company. Before dinner. Dr. Johnson and I passed some time by our- silves. I was sorry to find it was now re- ived that the proposed journey to Italy 'i)uld not take place this year. He said, " I aiii disappointed, to be sure; but it is not a yixat disappointment." I wondered to see him bear, with a philosophical calmness, what would have made most people peevish and fretful.' I perceived that he had so warndy cherished the hope of enjoying classical scenes, that he could not easily part with the scheme ; for he said, " I shall probably contrive to' get to Italy some other way." But I won't men- tion it to Mr. and Mrs. Thrale, as it might vex them." I suggested that going to Italy might have done Mr. and Mrs. Thrale good. Johnson. " I rather believe not, Sir. While grief is fresh, every attempt to divert only irritates. You must wait till grief be digested, and then amusement will dissipate the remains of k." At dinner, Mr. Murphy entertained us with the history of Mr. Joseph Simpson, a school- fellow of Dr. Johnson's, [p. 117.] a barrister at law, of good parts, but who fell into a dissipated course of life, incompatible with that success < in his profession which he once had, and would otherwise have deservedly maintained ; yet he still preserved a dignity in his deportment. He wrote a tragedy on the story of Leonidas, entitled " The Patriot." He read it to a com- pany of lawyers, who found so many faults that he wrote it over again : so then there were two tragedies on the same subject and with the same title. Dr. Johnson told us, that one of them was still in his possession. This very piece was, after his death, published by some person who had been about him, and for the sake of a little hasty profit, was fidla- ciously advertised so as to make it be believed to have been written by Johnson himself. I said, I disliked the custom which some people had of bringing their children into com- pany, because it in a manner forced us to pay foolish compliments to please their parents. Johnson. " You are right. Sir. We may be excused for not caring much about other people's children, for there are many who care very little about their own children.^ It may be observed, that men who, from being engaged in business, or from their course of life in whatever way, seldom see their children, do not care much about them. I myself should not have had much fondness for a child of my own." Mrs. Thrale. " Nay, Sii-, how can you talk so ? " Johnson. " At least, I never wished to have a child." ■* Mr. Murphy mentioned Dr. Johnson's hav- ing a design to publish an edition of Cowley. Johnson said, he did not know but he should ; and expressed his disapprobation of Dr. Ilurd, ' I'hat he cordially assented to the reasons which operated 'II till' minds of Mr. and Mrs. Thrale to postpone the journey, avpears from his letter to the lady : — •' April 9. 1776. Mr. Tlirale's alteration of purpose is not weakness of resolution ; it is a wise man's compliance with the change of things, and with the new duties which the change produces. Whoever expects me to be angry will be disappointed. 1 do not even grieve at the effect ; I only grieve for the cause." His desire, however, to go abroad was, says Mrs. Piozzi, " very great ; and he had a longing wish to leave some Latin verses at the Grand Cliartrcux (unti, p. 465, n. 4), as Gray had done." — Croker. ^ He probably may have had some idea of accompanying his friend Mr. Saunders Welsh, who went to Italy in the May given a dinner to " company " ou the 10th of April, in less than three weeks from tlie death of their poor bov, and that even IJoswell's indiscretion, or Johnson's inattention, could have led to so painful a topic as "fondness for a child." — Croker, 1847. ■' Yet Miss Hawkins tells us, " that he was kind to children in his own way ; my father seldom observed me with him without recollecting the limi daiiglivg the kid."— Mem. i. 23. — Croker. K K 4 504 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 776. for having published a mutilated edition under the title of " Select Works of Abraham Cow- ley." Mr. Murphy thought it a bad pre- cedent ; observing, that any author might be ased in the same manner, and that it -was pleasing to see the variety of an author's com- positions at diiferent periods. We talked of Flatman's Poems ; and Mrs. Thrale observed, that Pope had partly bor- rowed from him " The Dying Christian to his Soul." Johnson repeated Rochester's verses upon Flatman ', which I think by much too " Nor that slow driidfje in swift Pindaric strains, Flatman, who Cowley imitates with pains, And rides a jaded muse, whipt with loose reins." I like to recollect all the passages that I heard Johnson repeat : it stamps a value on them. He told us that the book entitled " The Lives of the Poets," by Mr. Cibber, was en- tirely compiled by Mr. Shiels ", a Scotchman, one of his amanuenses. " The booksellers," said he, " gave Theophilus Cibber, who was then in prison, ten guineas to allow Mr. Cib- ber to be put vipon the title-page, as the au- thor ; by this, a double imposition w.as in- tended ; in the first place, that it was the work of a Cibber at all ; and, in the second place, that it was the work of old Cibber." Mr. Murphy said, that " The Memoirs of Gray's Life [by Mason] set him much higher in his estimation than his poems did : for you there saw a man constantly at work in litera- ture." Johnson acquiesced in this ; but de- preciated the book, I thought, very unreason- ably. For he said, " I forced myself to read it, only because it was a common topic of con- versation. I found it mighty dull ; and, as to the style, it is fit for the second table." Why 1 Thom.'is Flatman was born about IG35, and died in 1RS8. " He really excelled as an artist : a man must want ears for harmony that can admire his poetry, and even want eyes that can cease to admire his painting. One of his heads is worth a ream of his Pindarics." — Grange); vol. iv. p. 54 Wright. 2 Here occurred a note of Mr. Boswell's on the subject of Gibber's Lives of the Poets, (anti, pp. 57. 171 ., and post, 518.), which, being inconveniently long for this place, I have, witli some additional observations, removed to the Appendix. The conclusion to which I had previously arrived on this subject is confirmed by the following letter from Griffiths, the publisher of the work, which Mr. P. Cunningham has pointed out to me in a recently published "Memoir of the Life of Dr. Edmund Carlwrighi, 1843." " Turnham Green, 16th June. " Dear Sir, — I have sent you a feast! Johnson's 7iew volumes of the 'Lives of the Poets.' You will observe that Savage's life is one of the volumes. I suppose it is the same which he published about thirty years ago, and therefore you will not be obliged to notice it otherwise than in the course of enumeration. In the account of Hammond (ante, p. 57.), my good friend Samuel has stumbled on a material circum- stance in the publication of Gibber's 'Lives of the Poets.' He intimates that Ciblier never saw the work. This is a re- (iection on the bookseller, your humble servant. The book- seller has now in his possession Theophilus Gibber's receipt for twenty guineas (Johnson says ten), in consideration of which he engaged to ' revise, correct, and improve the work, and also to affix his name in the title-page.' Mr. Gibber did accordingly very punctually revise every sheet ; he made nu- merous corrections, and added many improvements — par- ticularly in those lives which came down to his own times, and brought him within the circle of his own and his father's he thought so I was at a loss to conceive. He now gave it as his opinion, that " Akenside was a superior poet both to Gray and Mason." Talking of the Pteviews, Johnson said, " I think them very impartial : I do not know an instance of partiality." He mentioned what had passed upon the subject of the Monthly and Critical Reviews, in the conversation with which his Majesty had honoured him.^ He expatiated a little more on them this evening. '' The Monthly Reviewers," said he, " are not Deists ; but they are Christians with as little Christianity as may be ; and are for pulling down all establishments. The Critical Re- viewers are for supporting the constitution both in church and state. The Critical Re- viewers, I believe, often review without read- ing the books through ; but lay hold of a topic, and write chiefly from their own minds. The Monthly Reviewers are duller men, and are glad to read the books through." He talked of Lord Lyttelton's extreme anxiety as an author; observing, that "he was thirty years in preparing his history, and that he employed a man to point it for him ; as if (laughing) another man could point his sense better than himself." •* Mr. Murphy said, he understood his history was kept back several years for fear of Smollett.^ Johnson. " This seems strange to Murphy and me, who never felt that anxiety, but sent what we wrote ( to the press, and let it take its chance. Mrs. i Thrale. " The time has been. Sir, when you felt it." Johnson. " Why really. Madam, I do not recollect a time when that was the case." Talking of " The Spectator," he said, " It is.t wonderful that there is such a proportion of i bad papers in the half of the work which was I not written by Addison ; for there was all the ■ world to write that half, yet not a half of that i literary acquaintance, especially in the dramatic line. To the best of my recollection, he gave some entire lives, besides i inserting abundance of paragraphs, of notes, anecdotes, and , remarks, in those which were compiled by Shiells and other ! writers. I say other, because many of the best pieces of bio- i graphy in that collection were not written by Shiells, but by I superior hands. In short, the engagement of Gibber, or some i other En Who published, in 1826, "Memoirs of his own Times," of which I'have made occasional use. — Croker. 5 He is more advantiigeously known by a work on the clas-i sics. This poor man had, about 1783, a stroke of the palsy, i which* rendered him a cripple, and, in 1788, he published inj the European Magazii.e, a letter, written to him in 1773 by; Bishop Lowth, to show th,at the bisliop, though no friend to I dissenters, was kind and liberal towards hhn, and contributed,: he says, to the last year of his life, to relieve his wants.— j European Magazine, 17S8, p. 413. — Croker. i 6 See an ingenious essay on this subject by the late DrJ' Moor, Greek professor at Glasgow Boswell. See also aj learned note on this passage of Aristotle, by Mr. Twining, iitj his .admirable translation of the Poetics, in which the varlousf explanations of other critics are considered, and in whichf Dr. Moor's essay is particularly discussed. — J. Boswell, jun.: JEt. 67. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 507 purged by terror and pity ? " said I, with an assumed air of ignorance, to incite him to talk, for which it was often necessary to employ some address. Johnson. " Why, Sir, you are to consider what is the meaning of purgino^ in the original sense. It is to expel impurities from the human body. The mind is subject to the same imperfection. The passions are the great movers of human actions ; but they are mixed with such impurities, that it is necessary they should be purged or refined by means of terror and pity. For instance, ambition is a noble passion ; but by seeing upon the stage, that a man who is so excessively ambitious as to raise himself by injustice is punished, we are terrified at the fatal consequences of such a passion. In the same manner, a certain degree of resentment is necessary ; but if we see that a man carries it too far, we pity the object of it, and are taught to moderate that passion." My record upon this occasion does great in- justice to Johnson's expression, which was so forcible and brilliant, that JNL-. Cradock whis- pered me, " O that his words were written in a book ! " ' I observed, the great defect of the tragedy nt' '• Othello " was, that it had not a moral ; for that no man could resist the circumstances of suspicion which were artfully suggested to I Othello's mind. Johnson. " In the first place. Sir, we learn from Othello this very useful I moral, not to make an unequal match ; in the I second place, we learn not to yield too readily I to suspicion. The handkerchief is merely a trick, though a very pretty trick ; but there are no other circumstances of reasonable sus- picion, except what is related by lago of Cas- sio's warm expressions concerning Desdemona in his sleep ; and that depended entirely upon the assertion of one man. No, Sir, I think Othello has more moral than almost any play." Talking of a penurious gentleman " of our acquaintance, Johnson said, " Sir, he is narrow, not so much from avarice, as from impotence to spend his money. He cannot find in his heart to pour out a bottle of wine ; but he would not much care if it should sour." He said, he wished to see " John Dennis's Critical Works " collected. Davies said, they would not sell. Dr. Johnson seemed to think otherwise. Davies said of a well-known dramatic author^, that " he lived upon potted stories, and that he made his way as Hannibal did, by vinegar; ; having begun by attacking people, particularly the players." He reminded Dr. Johnson of IVIr. Murphy's i Perhaps, as Dr. H;ill observed, an allusion to Job xix. 23. Oil, thai my words verc now written ! Uli, that they were printed in a book ! — Ciioker. 2 I suspect this was said of Garrick in one of those alterna- tions of censure and praise, in which he used to talli of hira, and which Sir Joshua Reynolds recorded in two, not alto- gether imaginary, dialogues, pro and con Cbokeu. ^ Sir Jaines Macliintosh thought Cumberland was meant. I am now satisfied that it was Arthur Murphy. — Croker, 1835. having paid him the highest compliment that ever was paid to a layman, by asking his pardon for repeating some oaths in the course of telling a story.* Johnson and I supped this evening at the Crown and Anchor tavern, in company with Sir Joslma Reynolds, ]\Ir. Langton, Mr. Nalrne, now one of the Scotch judges, with the title of Lord Dunsinan ^, and my very worthy friend. Sir William Forbes, of Pitsligo. We discussed the question, whether drinking improved conversation and benevolence. Sir Joshua maintained, it did. Johnson. " No, Sir : before dinner men meet with great in- equality of understanding ; and those who are conscious of their inferiority have the modesty not to talk. "When they have drunk wine, every man feels himself happy, and loses that modesty, and grows impudent and vociferous : but he is not improved : he is only not sensible of his defects." Sir Joshua said the Doctor was talking of the effects of excess in wine ; but that a moderate glass enlivened the mind, by giving a proper circulation to the blood, " I am," said he, " in very good spirits when I get up in the morning. By dinner-time I am exhausted ; wine puts me in the same state as when I got up : and I am sure that moderate drinking makes people talk better." Johnson. " No, Sir : wine gives not light, gay, ideal hi- larity ; but tumultuous, noisy, clamorous mer- riment. I have heard none of those drunken, — nay, drunken is a coarse word, — none of those vinous flights." Sir Joshua. " Be- cause you have sat by, quite sober, and felt an envy of the happiness of those who were drink- ing." Johnson. " Perhaps, contempt. And, Sir, it is not necessary to be drunk one's self, to relish the wit of drunkenness. Do we not judge of the drunken wit of the dialogue be- tween lago and Cassio, the most excellent in its kind, when we are quite sober ? Wit is wit, by whatever means it is produced ; and, if good, will appear so at all times. I admit that the spirits are raised by drinking, as by the common participation of any pleasure : cock- fighting or bear-baiting will raise the spirits of a company, as drinking does, though surely they will not improve conversation. I also admit, that there are some sluggish men who are improved by drinking ; as there are fruits which are not good till they are rotten. There are such men, but they are medlars. I indeed allow that there have been a very few men of talents who were improved by drinking ; but I maintain that I am right as to the efiects of drinking in general : and let it be considered. ■• Hawkins says thai when a libertine of some note (pro- bably Tom Hervey, p. 183.) was talking before him, and in- terlarding his stories with oaths, Johnson said, " Sir, all this swearing will do nothing for our story ; I beg you will not swear." The narrator went on swearing: Johnson said, •' I must again entreat you not to swear." He swore again ; Johnson quitted the room. — Crokeu. 5 See ariti, p. 280. n. 4. — C. 508 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1776. that there is no position, however false in its universality, which is not true of some parti- cular man." Sir William Forbes said, " Might not a man warmed with wine be like a bottle of beer, which is made brisker by being set before the fire." " Nay," said Johnson, laugh- ing, " I cannot answer that : that is too much for me." I observed, that wine did some people harm, by inflaming, confusing, and irritating their minds; but that the experience of mankind had declared in favour of moderate drinking. Johnson. " Sir, I do not say it ls wrong to produce self-complacency by drinking ; I only deny that it improves the mind. When I drank wine ', I scorned to drink it when in company. I have drunk many a bottle by myself; in the first place, because I had need of it to raise my spirits ; in the second place, because I would have nobody to witness its effects upon me." He told us, " almost all his Ramblers were written just as they were wanted for the press ; that he sent a certain portion of the copy of an essay, and wrote the remainder, while the former part of it was printing. When it was wanted, and he had fairly sat down to it, he was sure it would be done." He said, that, for general improvement, a man should read whatever his immediate in- clination prompts him to ; though, to be sure, if a man has a science to learn, he must regu- larly and resolutely advance. He added, " What we read with inclination makes a much stronger impression. If we read without in- clination, half the mind is employed in fixing the attention ; so there is but one half to be employed on what we read." He told us, he read Fielding's "Amelia" through without stopping.^ He said, " If a man begins to read in the middle of a book, and feels an inclina- tion to go on, let him not quit it, to go to the beginning. He may, perhaps, not feel again the inclination." Sir Joshua mentioned Mr. Cumberland's " Odes," which were just published. Johnson. " ^Vhy, Sir, they would have been thought as good as odes commonly are, if Cumberland had not put his name to them ; but a name imme- 1 The strongest liquors, says Hawkins, and in very large quantities, produced no other effect on him than moderate exhilaration. Once, and but once, he is known to have had his dose ; a circumstance which he himself" discovered, on finding one of his sesquipedalian words hang fire ; he then started up, and gravely observed, — "I think it time we should go to bed." Mrs. Piozzi tells us that his favourite beverage was port, in large draughts, sweetened with srigar or capillaire : but that was in his earlier day. "After a ten years' forbearance of every fluid except tea and sherbet, I drank," said he to Hawkins, "one glass of wine to the health of Sir Joshua Reynolds, on the evening of the day [Dec. 1768J on which he was knighted. I never swallowed another drop, till old Madeira was prescribed to me as a cordial during my present indisposition ; but this liquor did not relish as formerly, and I therefore discontinued it." — Cboker. 2 We have here an involuntary testimony to the excellence of this admirable writer, to whom we have seen that Dr. Johnson directly allowed so little merit — Boswell. John- son appears to have been particularly pleased with the diately draws censure, unless it be a name that bears down every thing before it. Nay, Cum- berland has made his 'Odes' subsidiary to the fame of another man.^ They might have run well enough by themselves; but he has not only loaded them with a name, but has made them carry double." We talked of the reviews, and Dr. Johnson spoke of them as he did at Thrale's. Sir Joshua said, what I have often thought, that he won- dered to find so much good writing employed in them, when the authors were to remain un- known, and so could not have the motive of fame. Johnson. " Nay, Sir, those who write in them, write well in order to be paid well." [JOHNSON TO MISS REYNOLDS. " April 15. 177G. " Dearest Madam, — When you called on Mrs. Thrale, I find by enquiry that she was really i abroad. The same thing happened to Mrs. Mon- t.igu, of which I beg you to inform her, for she went likewise by my opinion. The denial, if it had been feigned, would not have pleased me. Your visits, however, are kindly paid, and very kindly taken. We are going to Bath this morning; but I could not part without telling you the real state of your visit. — I am, dearest Madam, &c., — Reynolds MS. " Sam. Johnson."] Soon after this day, he went to Bath with ]\Ir. and Mrs. Thrale. I had never seen that beautiful city, and wished to take the oppor- ; tunity of visiting it while Johnson was there. ; Having written to him, I received the follow- ! ing answer : — j JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. j "Dear Sir, — Why do you talk of neglect? ' When did I neglect you? If you will come to j Bath, we shall all be glad to see you. Come, therefore, as soon as you can. — But I have a little \ business for you at London. Bid Francis look in ! the paper drawer of the chest of drawers in my bed- ) chamber, for two cases* ; one for the attorney- ' general, and one for the solicitor-general. They , lie, I think, at the top of my papers ; otherwise' they are somewhere else, and will give me more j trouble. character of the heroine of this novel. " His attention to ; veracity," says Mrs. Piozzi," was without equal or example ;" : and when I mentioned Clarissa as a perfect character, " On ! the contrary," said he, "you may observe there is always '< something which she prefers to truth." " Fielding's Amelia '\ was the most pleasing heroine of all the romances," he said; j " but that vile broken nose, never cured, ruined the sale of perhaps the only book, of which, being printed off [ptih- j //iAerf.?] betimes one morning, a new edition was called for before night." — Anecdotes, p. 221 — Malonh. 3 Mr. Homney, the painter, who has now deservedly esta- i blished a high' reputation Boswell. A curious work, might be written on the reputation of painters. Horace Walpole talked at one time of Ramsay as of at least equal fame with Reynolds; and Hayley dedicated his lyre (such as it was) to Romney. What is a picture of Ramsay or Romney now worth ? — Croker. ^ These cases related probably to a law-suit which Dr. Taylor was carrying on, .and in which Dr. Johnson assisted hira with his advice.— Croker. , iEx. 67. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 509 « Please to write to me immediately, if they can be found. Make my compliments to all our frie:;ds round the world, and to Mrs. Williams at home. _ I am, Sir, your, &c. "Sam. Johnson." " Search for the papers as soon as you can, that, if it is necessary, I may write to you again before you come down." CHAPTER LVI. 1776. BosweU's Visit to Bath and Bristol. — Rowley's Poems Chatterton. — Garrick's " Archer. " — Brute Creation. — Chesterfield's " Letters." — Notes on Shakspeare. — Lxtxury. — Oglethorpe. Lord Elihank. — Conversation. — Egotism. — Dr. Oilfield. — Commentators on the Bible. — Thompson's Case. — Dinner at Mr. Dillys. — John Wilkes. — Foote's Mimicry. — Garrick's int. — Biography. — Dryden. — Cibber's Plays. — " Difficile est proprie," S^c. — City Poets. — " Diabolus Regis." — Lord Bute. — Mrs. Knowles. — Mrs. Rudd. On the 26th April, I went to Bath ; and on my arrival at the Pelican inn, found lying for nie an obliging invitation from Mr. and Mrs. Thrale, by whom I was agreeably entertained almost constantly during my stay. They were gone to the rooms : but there was a kind note tiom Dr. Johnson, that he should sit at home all the evening. I went to him directly ; and before Mr. and IVlrs. Thrale returned, we had by ourselves some hours of tea- drinking and talk. I shall group together such of his sayings as I I preserved during the few days that I was at 1 Bath. • Of a person [IMr. Burke] who differed from him in politics, he said, " In private life he is a very honest gentleman ; but I will not allow : him to be so in public life. People may be ( honest, though they are doing wrong : that is, ' between their Maker and them. But wc, who are suffering by their pernicious conduct, are to destroy them. We are sure that [Burke] luts from interest. We know what his genuine principles were.^ They who allow their jjassions to confound the distinctions between right and wrong, are criminal. They may be convinced ; but they have not come honestly by their conviction." ' He means, that, in earlier life, they, at the Club, knew that Burke was not what Johnson would call a Whig.— Mr. Burke ended as he began — " This sun of empire, where he rose, he set ! "— Croker. » The elder Mr. Langton. — Hawk. Mem. It is not eas)- to understand how any filtration could have cured a mind of such an error as this. — Croker. 2 I am sorry that there are no memoirs of the Rev. Robert Blair, the author of this poem. He was the representative of the ancient family of Blair, of Blair, in Ayrshire ; but the estate had descended to a female, and afterwards passed to It having been mentioned, I know not with what truth, that a certain female political writer [Mrs. Macaulay], whose doctrines he disliked, had of late become very fond of dress, sat hours together at her toilet, and even put on rouge : — Johnson. " She is better emjiloyed at her toilet, than using her pen. It is better she should be reddening her own cheeks, than blackening other people's characters." He told us that " Addison wrote Budgell's papers in the Spectator, at least mended them so much that he made them almost his own ; and that Draper, Tonson's partner, assured Mrs. Johnson, that the much admired Epi- logue to ' The Distressed Mother,' which came out in Budgell's name, was in reality written by Addison." " The mode of government by one may be ill adapted to a small society, but is best for a great nation. The characteristic of our own government at present is imbecility. The magistrates dare not call the guards for fear of being hanged. The guards will not come for fear of being given up to the blind rage of popular juries." Of the father" of one of our friends he ob- served, " He never clarified his notions, by filtrating them through other minds. He had a canal upon his estate, where at one place the bank was too low. I dug the canal deeper," said he. He told me that " so long ago as 1748, he had read ' The Grave, a Poem,' ^ but did not like it much." I differed from him ; for though it is not equal throughout, and is seldom elegantly correct, it abounds in solemn thought and poetical imagery beyond the common reach. The world has differed from him ; for the poem has passed through many editions, and is still much read by people of a serious cast of mind. A literary lady of large fortune [j\Irs. Mok- tagu] was mentioned, as one who did good to many, but by no means " by stealth ; " and in- stead of " blushing to find it fame," acted evidently from vanity. Johnson. " I have seen no beings who do as much good from benevolence, as she does, from whatever motive. If there are such under the earth, or in the clouds, I wish they would come up, or come down. What Soame Jenyns says upon this subject is not to be minded ; he is a wit. No, Sir ; to act from pure benevolence is not possible for finite beings. Human benevolence is mingled with vanity, interest, or some other motive.""*^ the son of her husband by another marriage. He was minister of the parish of Athelstaneford, where Mr. John Home was his successor; so that it may truly be called classic ground. His son, who is of the same name, and a man eminent for talents and learning, is now, with universal approbation, solicitor-general of Scotland Bosw ell. And was aftervv:irds Lord President of the Court of Session. A life of Blair is given in the editions of the English Poets by Anderson and Chalmers. He died in 174G, in his forty- seventh year Croker. < The pension which Mrs. Montagu had lately settled on 510 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1776. He would not allow me to praise a lady' then at Bath ; observing, " She does not gain upon me, Sir; I think her empty-headed." He was, indeed, a stern critic upon characters and manners. Even Mrs. Thrale did not escape his friendly animadversion at times. AVhen he and I were one day endeavouring to ascertain, article by article, how one of our friends " could possibly spend as much money in his family as he told us he did, she inter- rupted us by a lively extravagant sally, on the expense of clothing . his children, describing it in a very ludicrous and fanciful manner. Johnson looked a little angry, and said, " Nay, Madam, when you are declaiming, declaim; and when you are calculating, calculate." At another time, when she said, perhaps affect- edly, "I don't like to fly;" — Johnson. " With your wings. Madam, you must fly : but have a care, there are clippers abroad." How very well was this said, and how fully has experience proved the truth of it ! But have they not clipped rather rudely, and gone a great deal closer than was necessary ? ^ A gentleman expressed a wish to go and live three years at Otaheite, or New Zealand, in order to obtain a full acquaintance with people so totally different from all that we have ever known, and be satisfied what pure nature can do for man. Johnson. " What could you learn, Sir ? What can savages tell, but what they themselves have seen ? Of the past or the invisible they can tell nothing. The inhabitants of Otaheite and New Zealand are not in a state of pure nature ; for it is plain they broke off from some other people. Had they grown out of the ground, you might have judged of a state of pure nature. Fanciful people may talk of a mythology being amongst them ; but it must be invention. They have once had religion, which has been gradually debased. And what account of their religion can you suppose to be learnt from savages? Only consider. Sir, our own state : our religion is in a book ; we have an order of men whose duty it is to teach it ; we have one day in the week set apart for it, and this is in general pretty well observed: yet ask the first ten gross men you meet, and hear what they can tell of their religion." On Monday, April 29., he and I made an excursion to Bristol, where I was entertained Miss WiUiams (see ante, p. 458.) would naturally account for this defence of that lady's lieneficence, but it seems also to have induced Johnson to speak of her intellectual powers in a strain of panegyric as excessive as his former depreciation ; but I can scarcely believe that he ever could have spoken of her in such terms as the good-natured Miss Reynolds relates. " Sir," he would say, " that lady exerts more mind in con- versation than any person I ever met with : Sir, she displays such powers of ratiocination — such radiations of intellectual excellence, as are amazing ! " — Croker. • This has been supposed to be Miss Hannah More ; vet it seems hard to conceive in what wayward fancy he coulil call her "empty-headed." — C, 1830. I am glad to find, from Hannah More's Letters, recently published, that my doubt was well founded. She was at this time in London, and could not have been the person meant Crokeh, 1835. 2 Mr. Langton Croker. with seeing him enquire upon the spot into the authenticity of " Rowley's poetry," as I had seen him enquire upon the spot into the authenticity of " Ossian's poetry." George Catcot, the pewterer, who was as zealous for Rowley as Dr. Hugh Blair was for Ossian (I trust my reverend friend will excuse the com- parison), attended us at our inn, and with a triumphant air of lively simplicity, called out, " I '11 make Dr. Johnson a convert." Dr. John- son, at his desire, read aloud some of Chatter- ton's fabricated verses ; while Catcot stood at the back of his chair, moving himself like a pendulum, 'and beating time with his feet, and now and then looking into Dr. Johnson's face, wondering that he was not yet convinced. We called on Llr. Barret, the surgeon, and saw some of the 07-?ginals, as they were called, which were executed very artificially "*■ ; but from a careful inspection of them, and a consideration of the circumstances with which they were attended, we were quite satisfied of the impos- ture, which, indeed, has been clearly demon- strated from internal evidence, by several able critics.^ Honest Catcot seemed to pay no attention whatever to any objections, but insisted, as an end of all controversy, that we should go with him to the tower of the church of St. Mary, Redcliff, and view with our own eyes the ancient chest in which the manuscripts were found.^ To this Dr. Johnson good-naturedly agreed; and, though troubled with a shortness of breathing, laboured up a long flight of steps, till we came to the place where the wondrous chest stood. " There,'" said Catcot, with a bouncing confident credulity, '^'^ there is the very chest itself" After this ocular demon- stration, there was no more to be said. He brought to my recollection a Scotch High- lander, a man of learning too, and who had seen the world, attesting, and at the same time giving his reasons for, the authenticity of Fingal : " I have heard all that poem when I was young." " Have you, Sir ? Pray what have you heard?" "I have heard Ossian, Oscar, and every one of them." "^ Johnson said of Chatterton, " This is the most extraordinary young man that has en- countered my knowledge. It is wonderful how the whelp has written such things." We were by no means pleased with our Inn 3 This alludes to the many sarcastic observations pub- lished against Mrs. Piozzi, on her lamentable marriage, and particularly to Baretti's brutal strictures in the European Magazine for 1788 ; which even Boswell, with all his enmity towards her, could not approve. — Croker Several of these origin „ nals are now in the British Museum, .and in point of penmanship are very sorry fabrications, far inferior to Ireland's Shakespearian forgeries. — P. Cunning- ham. 5 Mr. Tyrwhitt, Mr. Warton, Mr. Malone. — Boswell. 6 This naivete resembles the style of evidence which Johnson so pleasantly ridicules in the Idler, No. 10. " Jack Sneaker is a hearty adherent to the protestant establish- ment ; he has known those who saw the bed into which the Pretender was conveyed in a warming-pan." — Croker. ' Boswell had not told us this in his Journal. — Croker, ^T. 67. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. at Bristol. " Let us see now," said 1, " how we should describe it." Johnson was ready with his raillery. " Describe it, Sir ? Why, it was so bad, that — Boswell wished to be in Scotland ! " After Dr. Johnson returned to London' [May 4th], I was several times with him at Ills house, whei-e I occasionally slept, in the room that had been assigned for mo. I dined with him at Dr. Taylor's [7th], at General Oglethorpe's [Sth], and at General Paoli's [9th] . To avoid a tedious minuteness, I shall n-oup together what I have preserved of his conversation during this period also, without specifying each scene where it passed, except 3ne, which will be found so remarkable as certainly to deserve a very particular relation. Where the place or the persons do not con- tribute to the zest of the conversation, it is unnecessary to encumber my page with men- tioning them. To know of what vintage our |,vine is, enables us to judge of its value, and ;o drink it with more relish : but to have the aroduce of each vine of one vineyard, in the ;ame year, kept separate, would serve no pur- pose. To know that our wine (to use an idvertising phrase) is "of the stock of an imbassador lately deceased," heightens its lavour : but it signifies nothing to know the oin where each bottle was once deposited." " Garrick," he observed, " does not play the lart of Archer in the ' Beaux Stratagem ' ivell. The gentleman should break through :he footman, which is not the case as he loes it."^ " Where there is no education, as in savage ;ountries, men will have the upper hand of .vomen. Bodily strength, no doubt, contributes i:o this ; but it would be so, exclusive of that ; or it is mind that always governs. When it comes to dry understanding, man has the .better." " The little volumes entitled, ' Respuhlicce,' * which are very well done, were a bookseller's work." " There is much talk of the misery which we cause to the brute creation; but they are [•ecompensed by existence. If they were not useful to man, and therefore protected by him, they would not be nearly so numerous." This irgument is to be found in the able and oenignant Hutchinson's " Moral Philosophy." But the question is, whether the animals who • It appears from his Letters, that being called up to advise Or. Taylor in an ecclesiastical suit, {ante,p 508. n. 4.) he eft Bath on Friday night, 3d May, and arrived in London )y seven o'clock on Saturday. — Croker. ' This metaphor by no means reconciles us to the negli- ;ence which it is intended to excuse. Boswell's greatest nerit is in his details. — Croker. 3 Garrick, on the other hand, denied that Johnson was capable of distinguishing the gentleman from the footman. See ante, p. 490. — Croker. ■' Accounts of the principal States of Europe. — Croker. ' " A pretty book " was made up from these letters bv the ate Dr.Trusler, entitled " Principles of Politeness."— Hall. - Croker. 5 " t one day," says Mrs. Piozzi," commended a younglady Tor her beauty and pretty behaviour, " to whom she thought endure such sufferings of various kinds, for the. service and entertainment of man, would accept of existence upon the terms on which they have it. Madame de Sevigne, who, though she had many enjoyments, felt with delicate sensibility the prevalence of misery, complains of the task of existence having been imposed upon her without her consent. " That man is never happy for the present is so true, that all his relief from unhappiness is only forgetting himself for a little while. Life is a progress from want to want, not ft-om enjoyment to enjoyment." " Though many men are nominally intrusted with the administration of hospitals and other public institutions, almost all the good is done by one man, by whom the rest are driven on ; owing to confidence in him and indolence in them." " Lord Chesterfield's Letters to his Son ^, I think, might be made a very pretty book. Take out the immorality, and it should be put into the hands of every young gentleman. An elegant manner and easiness of behaviour are acquired gradually and imperceptibly. No man can say, 'I'll be genteel.' There ai-e ten genteel women for one genteel man, because they are more restrained. A man without some degree of restraint is insufferable ; but we are all less restrained than women. Were a woman sitting in company to put out her legs before her as most men do, we should be tempted to lack them in." No man was a more attentive and nice observer of behaviour in those whose company he happened to be than Johnson, or, however strange it may seem to many, had a higher estimation of its refinements.^ Lord Eliot informs me, that one day when Johnson and he were at dinner in a gentle- man's house in London, upon Lord Chester- field's Letters being mentioned, Johnson sur- prised the company by this sentence : " Every man of any education would rather be called a rascal, than accused of deficiency in the graces." Mv. Gibbon, who was present, turned to a lady who knew Johnson well, and lived much with him, and in his quaint manner, tapping his box, addi-essed her thus : " Don't you think. Madam (looking towards Johnson), that among all your acquaintance, you could find one exception ? " The lady smiled, and seemed to acquiesce." ' no objections could have been made. " I saw her (says Dr. Johnson) take a pair of scissors in her left hand; and, although her father is now become a nobleman, and, as you say, excessively rich, I should, were I a youth of quality ten years hence, hesitate between a girl so neglected and a negro." — Anecdotes. "The child wlio took a pair of scis- sors in her left hand is now a woman of quality, higlily respected, and would cut us, I conclude, most deservedly, if more were said on the subject." — Piozzi MS. I believe that the lady was the eldest daughter of Mr. Lyttelton, after- wards Lord Westcote, married to Sir Richard Hoare. She was born in Jamaica, and thence, perhaps, Johnson's strange allusion to the negro. — Croker. 7 Colman, in his " Random Records" has given a lively sketch of the appearance and manners of Johnson and Oibbon in society : — 5.12 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1776. " I read," said he, " Sharpe's Letters on Itaiy • over again, when I was at Bath. There is u "great deal of matter in them." *' Mrs. Williams was angry that Thrale's family did not send regularly to her every time they heard from me while I was in the He- brides. Little people are apt to be jealous : but they should not be jealous ; for they ought to consider, that superior attention will neces- sarily be paid to superior fortune or rank. Two persons may have equal merit, and on that account may have an equal claim to at- tention; but one of them may have also fortune and rank, and so may have a double claim." Talking of his notes on Shakspeare, he said, " I despise those who do not see that I am riofht in the passage, where as is repeated, and ' asses of great charge ' introduced. That on ' To be, or not to be,' is disputable." ^ A gentleman, whom I found sitting with him one morning, said, that in his opinion the character of an infidel Avas more detestable than that of a man notoriously guilty of an atrocious crime. I ditfered from him, because we are surer of the odlousness of the one, than of the error of the other. Johnson. " Sir, I agree with him ; for the infidel would be guilty of any crime if he were inclined to it." " Many things which are false are trans- mitted from book to book, and gain credit in the world. One of these is the cry against the evil of luxury. Now the truth is, that luxury produces much good. Take the luxury of buildings in London. Does it not produce real advantage in the conveniency and elegance of accommodation, and this all from the exer- tion of industry ? People will tell you, with a melancholy face, how many builders are in gaol. It is plain they are in gaol, not for building; for rents are not fallen. A man gives half-a-guinea for a dish of green peas. How much gardening does this occasion ? how many labourers must the competition to have such things early in the market keep in em- " The learned Gibbon was a curious counterbalance to the learned (may I not say less learned ?) Johnson. Their naan- ners and taste, both in writing and conversation, were as different as their habiliments. On the day 1 first sat down with Johnson, in his rusty brown suit, and his black worsted stockings. Gibbon was placed opposite to me in a suit of flowered velvet, with a bag and sword. Each had his measured phraseology ; and Johnson's famous parallel be- tween Dryden and Pope, might be loosely parodied, in reference to himself and Gibbon : Johnson's style was grand, and Gibbon's elegant : the stateliness of the former was sometimes pedantic, and the latter was occasionally finical. Johnson marched to kettle-drums and trumpets ; Gibbon moved to flutes and hautboys : Johnson hewed passages through the Alps, while Gibbon levelled walks through parks and gardens. Mauled as 1 had been by Johnson, Gibbon poured balm upon my bruises by condescending, once or twice in the course of the evening, to talk with me : the great historian was light .ind playful, suiting his matter to tlie capacity of the boy ; but it was done 7norc stio ; — still his mannerism prevailed ; still he tapped his snulT-box ; still he smirked and smiled, and rounded his periods with the same air of good-breeding, as if he were conversing with men. His mouth, mellifluous a« Plato's, was a round hole nearly In the centre of his visage." Vol. i. p. 121. — Crokek. ployment ? You will hear it said, very gravely, ' Why was not the half-guinea, thus spent in luxury, given to the poor ? To how many might it have afforded a good meal ? ' Alas ! has it not gone to the industrious poor, whom it is better to support than the idle poor ? You are much surer that you are doing good when you pay money to those who work, as the recompense of their labour, than when you give money merely in charity. Sup- : pose tiie ancient luxury of a dish of peacock's brains were to be revived, how many carcases would be left to the poor at a cheap rate ! and as to the rout that is made about people who > are ruined by extravagance, it is no matter to the nation that some individuals sufier. When so much general productive exertion is the consequence of luxury, the nation does not ' cai-e though there are debtors in gaol : nay, they would not care though their creditors were there too." The uncommon vivacity of General Ogle- thorpe's mind, and variety of knowledge, , having sometimes made his conversation seem ' too desultory ; Johnson observed, " Oglethorpe, Sir, never completes what he has to say." ; He on the same account made a similar | remark on Patrick Lord Elibank ; " Sir, there ■ is nothing conclusive in his talk." ' When I complained of having dined at a i splendid table without hearing one sentence of ■ conversation worthy of being remembered, he ' said, " Sir, there seldom is any such conversa- I tion." BoswELi.. "Why then meet at table?" i Johnson. " Why, to eat and drink together, . and to promote kindness ; and. Sir, this is ' better done Avhen there is no solid conversation: ', for when there is, people differ in opinion, and i get into bad humour, or some of the company, who are not capable of such conversation, are , left out, and feel themselves uneasy. It was for this reason Sir Robert Walpole said, he always talked grossly ^ at his table, because in that ; all could join. ' Being u-ritated by hearing a gentleman* ' ask]\Ir. Levett a variety of questions concerning 1 Mr. Samuel Sharpe, a surgeon, who had travelled for his / health, and whose representation of Italian manners was supiiosed to be tinged by the ill humour of a valetudinarian. ■ Baretti took up the defence of his country, and a smart con- troversy ensued, which made some noise at the time.— Croker. 2 It may be observed, that Mr. Malone, in his very valu- able edition of Shakespeare, has fully vindicated Dr. Johnson from the idle censures which the first of these notes has given rise to. The interpretation of the other passage, which . Dr. Johnson allows to be disputable, he has clearly shown to be erroneous.— BoswELL. "The first note is on a passage in ^ Hamlet, act v. scene ii., where Johnson detects an obscure quibble of which, I fear, Shakespeare is guilty. In the other, on thecelebrated soliloquy, Johnson imagines, very absurdly, i that " To be, or not to be" is a question, not whether Hamlet . shall or not put an end to his existence here, but whether there be a future state Croker. 3 See nnti, p. 176. n. 6. — C. Thus Swift in his character of Sir Robert says, " With favour and fortune fastidiously blest. He is loud in his laugh and is coarse in his jest." P. Cunningham. < Probably Mr. Boswell himself, who frequently practised ' this mode of obtaining information. — Croker. ^T. 67. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 51.3 him, when he was sitting by, he broke out, " Sir, you have but two topics, yourself and ! me. 1 am sick of both." " A man," said he, " should not talk of liimsclf, nor inucli of any I particular person. He should take care not to be made a provei-b ; and, therefore, should avoid having any one toi)ic of which people can i say, ' We shall hear him upon it.' There was 1 a Dr. Oldfield ', who was always talking of the Duke of Marlborough. He came into a coffee- house one day, and told that his grace had ; spoken in the House of Lords for half an hour. ' Did he indeed speak for half an hour ? ' (said Belchier, the surgeon). — ' Yes.' — ' And . what did he say of Dr. Oldfield ?' — 'Nothing.' ! — ' Why then, Sir, he was very ungrateful ; i for Dr. Oldfield could not have spoken for a ( quarter of an hour, without saying something of him.' " " Evei*y man is to take existence on the I terms on which it is given to him. To some ! men it is given on condition of not taking ; liberties, which other men may take without ,' much harm. One may drink wine, and be i nothing the worse for it: on another, wine may I have effects so inflammatory as to injure him I both in body and mind, and perhaps make him commit something for which he may deserve to be hanged." " Lord Hailes's ' Annals of Scotland ' have not that painted form which is the taste of this age ; but it is a book which will always sell, it has such a stability of dates, such a certainty of facts, and such a punctuality of citation. I never before read Scotch history with certainty." I asked him whether he would advise me to read the Bible with a commentary, and what commentaries he would recommend. Johnson. ' " To be sure. Sir, I would have you read the Bible with a commejitai-y ; and I would re- I commend Lowth and Patrick on the Old I Testament, and Hammond on the New." I During my stay in London this spring, I I solicited his attention to another law case, in which I was engaged. In the course of a con- tested election for the borough of Dunfermline, which I attended as one of my friend Colonel (afterward Sir Archibald) Campbell's counsel, one of his political agents — who was charged with having been unfaithful to his employer, and having deserted to the opposite party for j a pecuniary reward — attacked very rudely in I the newspapers the Rev. Mr. James Thomson, i one of the ministers of that place, on account [ of a supposed allusion to him in one of his I sermons. Upon this the minister, on a sub- ; sequent Sumlay, arraigned him by name from ': the pulpit with some severity ; and the agent, after the sermon was over, rose up and asked ' This, I suppose, was Joshua Oklfielci, DC, the only contemporarv of the Duke of Marlboroufrh's, of that name and degree, that I know of. — Crokf.b, 1835. '•' A Gallicism, which has, it appears, with so many others, become vernacular in .Scotland. The French call a pulpit " la chaire dc vcrile." — Croker. ^ .\s a proof of Dr. Joluison's extraordinary powers of the minister aloutl, " What bribe he had re- ceived for telling so many lies from the chair of verity ? " " I was present at this very ex- traordinary scene. The person arraigned, and his father and brother, who also had a share both of the reproof from the pulpit and in the retaliation, brought an action against Mr. Thomson, in the Court of Session, for defama- tion and damages, and I was one of the counsel for the reverend defendant. The liberty of the pulpit was our great ground of defence ; but we argued also on the provocation of the previous attack, and on the instant retaliation. The Court of Session, however, — the fifteen judges, who are at the same time the jury, — ^ decided against the minister, contrary to my humble opinion ; and several of them ex- pressed themselves with indignation against him. He was an aged gentleman, formerly a military chaplain, and a man of high spirit and honour. Johnson was satisfied that the judg- ment was wrong, and dictated to me, in con- futation of it, the following Argument. — [See Appendix.] AVhen I read this to Mr. Burke, he was highly pleased, and exclaimed, " Well, he does his work in a workmanlike manner." ^ Mr. Thomson wished to bring the cause by appeal before the House of Lords, but was dissuaded by the advice of the noble person who lately presided so ably in that most ho- nourable house, and who was then attorney -ge- neral. . As my readers will no doubt be glad also to read the opinion of this eminent man upon the same subject, I shall also insert it. — [See Appendix.] I am now to record a very curious incident in Dr. Johnson's life, which fell under my own observation ; of which pars magna fiii, and which I am persuaded will, with the liberal- minded, be much to his credit. My desire of being acquainted with celebrated men of every description had made me, much about the same time, obtain an introduction to Dr. Samuel Johnson and to John Wilkes, Esq. Two men more different could perhaps not be selected out of all mankind. They had even attacked one another with some asperity in their writings ; yet I lived in habits of friend- ship with both. I could fully relish the exceL lence of each ; for I have ever delighted in that intellectual chemistry, which can separate good qualities from evil in the same person. Sir John Pringlc, "mine own friend and my father's friend," between whom and Dr. John- son I in vain wished to establish an acquaint- ance, as I respected and lived in intimacy with both of them, observed to me once, very in- geniously, " It is not in friendship as in ma- composition, it appears from the original manuscript of this excellent dissertation, of which he dictated the first eight paragraphs on the 10th of May, and the remainder on the I3th,that there are in the whole only seven corrections, or rather variations, and those not considerable. Such were at once the vigorous and accurate emanations of his minj. — BOSWELL. I. L 514 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1776. tliematics, where two things, each equal to a third, are equal between themselves. You agree with Johnson as a middle quality, and you agree with me as a middle quality ; but Johnson and I should not agree." Sir John was not sufficiently flexible; so I desisted; knowing, indeed, that the repulsion was equally strong on the part of Johnson ; who, I know not from what cause, unless his being a Scotch- man, had formed a very erroneous opinion of Sir John. But I conceived an irresistible wish, if possible, to bring Dr. Johnson and Mr. Wilkes together. How to manage it, was a nice and difHcult matter.^ My worthy booksellers and friends. Messieurs Dilly in the Poultry ", at whose hospitable and well-covered table I have seen a greater num- ber of literary men than at any other, except that of Sir Joshua -Reynolds, had invited me to meet Mr. Wilkes and some more gentlemen on Wednesday, May 15. " Pray," said I, " let us have Dr. Johnson." " What, with Mr. Wilkes ? not for the world," said Mr. Edward Dilly : " Dr. Johnson would never forgive me." " Come," said I, " if you'll let me negotiate for I you, I will be answerable that all shall go well." I DiLi.Y. " Nay, if you will take it upon you, I am sure I shall be very happy to see them both here." Notwithstanding the high veneration which I entertained for Dr. Johnson, I was sensible that he was sometimes a little actuated by the spirit of contradiction, and by means of that I hoped I should gain my point. I was persuaded that if I had come upon him with a direct pro- posal, " Sir, will you dine in company with Jack Wilkes ? " he would have flown into a passion, and would probably have answered, " Dine with Jack Wilkes, Sir ! I 'd as soon dine with Jack Ketch." ^ I, therefore, while we were sitting quietly by ourselves at his house in an evening, took occasion to open my plan thus : " Mr. Dilly, Sir, sends his respectful compliments to you, and would be happy if you would do him the honour to dine with him on Wednesday next along with me, as I must soon go to Scotland." Johnson. " Sir, I am ob- liged to Mr. Dilly. I will wait upon him — ." BoswELL. " Provided, Sir, I suppose, that the company which he is to have is agreeable to you ? " Johnson. " What do you mean, Sir ? "Wliat do you take me for ? Do you think I am so ignorant of the world as to imagine that I am to prescribe to a gentleman what company he is to have at his table ? " Boswell. " I beg your pardon. Sir, for wishing to prevent you from meeting people whom you might not like. Perhaps he may have some of what he calls his patriotic friends with him." Johnson. " Well, Sir, and what then ? What care / for }s^i patriotic friends ? Poh!" Boswell. "I 1 Johnson's dislike of Wilkes was very vehement. See Miss Reynolds's Recollections. — Croker. 2 No. 22. They were Dissenters, and of course of Whig politics. — Croker. should not be surprised to find Jack Wilkes there." Johnson. " And if Jack Wilkes should be there, what is that to me, Su- ? My dear friend, let us have no more of this. I am sorry to be angry with you ; but really it is treating me strangely to talk to me as if I could not meet any company whatever, occasionally." Boswell. " Pray forgive me. Sir : I meant well. But you shall meet whoever comes, for me." Thus I secured him, and told Dilly that he would find him very well pleased to be one of his guests on the day appointed. Upon the much expected Wednesday, I called on him about half an hour before dinner, as I often did when we were to dine out together, to see that he was ready in time, and to ac- company him. I found him buffeting his books, as upon a former occasion*, covered with dust, and making no preparation for going abroad. " How is this, Sir ? " said I. " Don 't you re- collect that you are to dine at Mr. Dilly's ? " Johnson. " Sir, I did not think of going to Dilly's : it went out of my head. I have or- dered dinner at home with Mrs. Williams." Boswell. " But, my dear Sir, you know you were engaged to Mr. Dilly, and I told him so. He will expect you, and will be much disap- pointed if you don 't come." Johnson. " 1' ou must talk to Mrs. Williams about this." Here was a sad dilemma. I feared that what I was so confident I had secured would yet be frustrated. He had accustomed himself to show Mrs. Williams such a degree of humane attention, as frequently imposed some restraint upon him ; and I knew that if she should be obstinate, he would not stir. I hastened down stairs to the blind lady's room, and told her T was in great uneasiness, for Dr. Johnson had engaged to me to dine this day at Mr. Dilly's ; but that he had told me he had forgotten his engagement, and had ordered dinner at home. " Yes, Sir," said she, pretty peevishly, " Dr. Johnson is to dine at home." "Madam," said I, " his respect for you is such, that I know he will not leave you, unless you absolutely desire it. But as you have so much of his company, I hope you will be good enough to forego it for a day, as Mr. Dilly is a very worthy man, has frequently had agreeable parties at his house for Dr. Johnson, and will be vexed if the Doctor neglects him to-day. And then. Madam, be pleased to consider my situation ; I cai'ried the message, and I assured Mr. Dilly that Dr. Johnson was to come ; and no doubt he has made a dinner, and invited a company, and boasted of the honour he expected to have. I shall be quite disgraced if the Doctor is nut there." She gradually softened to my solicita- tions, which were certainly as earnest as most entreaties to ladies upon any occasion, and was graciously pleased to empower me to. tell Dr. 3 This has been circulated as if actually said by Johnson when the truth is. it was only supposed by me — Boswell. ■> See antf, p. 497. — Boswell. ^T. 67. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 515 Johnson, "That, all things considered, she thought he should certainly go." I flew back i to him, still in dust, and careless of what should be the event, " indifferent in his choice to go or stay ; " but as soon as I had announced to him Mrs.Williaras's consent, he roared, "Frank, a clean shirt ! " and was very soon dressed. When I had him fairly seated in a hackney- j coach with me, I exulted as much as a fortune- hunter who has got an heii-ess into a post-chaise with him to set out for Gretna Green. " "^^Tien we entered Mr. Dilly's drawing-room, he found himself in the midst of a company he did not know. I kept myself snug and silent, watching how he would conduct himself. I observed him whispering to Mr. Dilly, " Who is that gentleman, Sir?" — "Mr. Arthur Lee." Johnson. " Too, too, too " (under his breath), which was one of his habitual mutterings. Mr. Arthur Lee could not but be very obnoxious 'i to Johnson, for he was not only a patriot, but an American. He was afterwards minister j from the United States at the court of Madrid. i "And who is the gentleman in lace ? " — • j " Mr. Wilkes, Sir." This information con- I founded him still more ; he had some difficulty to restrain himself, and, taking up a book, sat down upon a window-seat and read, or at least kept his eye upon it intently for some time, till i he composed himself. His feelings, I dare say, I were awkward enough. But he no doubt re- : collected having rated me for supposing that he could be at all disconcerted by any com- I pany, and he therefore resolutely set himself ! to behave quite as an easy man of the world, [ who could adapt himself at once to the dispo- ! sition and manners of those whom he might ■ chance to meet. ! The cheering sound of " Dinner is upon the j table," dissolved his reverie, and we all sat ; down without any symptom of ill humour. I There were present, beside Mr. Wilkes and i Mr. Arthur Lee, Avho was an old companion i of mine when he studied physic at Edinburgh, 1 Mr. (now Sir John) Miller ', Dr. Lettsom, ; and Mr. Slater, the druggist. Mr. Wilkes j placed himself next to Dr. Johnson, and be- i haved to him with so much attention and ■ politeness, that he gained upon him insensibly. j No man eat more heartily than Johnson, or loved better what was nice and delicate. Mr. Wilkes was very assiduous in helping him to some fine veal. " Pray give me leave. Sir — It is better here — A little of the brown — j Some fat, Sir — A little of the stuffing — Some gravy — Let me have the pleasure of giving you some butter — Allow me to recom- mend a squeeze of this orange ; or the lemon, perhaps, may have more zest." — " Sir ; sir, I am obliged to you. Sir," cried Johnson, bow- Of Bath Easton. See ante, p. 442. n. 4. — Crokf.r. • " How, when competitors like these contend, Can surly virtue hope to fix a friend ? "—London Wright. ing, and turning his head to him with a look for some time of " surly virtue," ^ but, in a short while, of complacency. Foote being mentioned, Johnson said, " He is not a good mimic." One of the company added, " A merry-andrew, a buffoon." John- sox. " But he has wit too, and is not deficient in ideas, or in fertility and variety of imagery, and not empty of reading ; he has knowledge enough to fill up his part. One species of wit he has in an eminent degree, that of escape. You drive him into a corner with both hands ; but he's gone. Sir, when you think you have got him — like an animal that jumps over your head. Then he has a great range for wit; he never lets truth stand between him and a jest, and he is sometimes mighty coarse. Gar- rick is under many restraints from which Foote is free." Wilkes. " Garrick's wit is more like Lord Chesterfield's." Johnson. " The first time I was in company with Foote was at Fitzherbert's. Having no good opinion of the fellow, I was resolved not to be pleased ; and it is very difficult to please a man against his will. I went on eating my dinner pretty sul- lenly, affecting not to mind him. But the dog was so very comical, that I was obliged to lay down my knife and fork, throw myself back upon my chair, and fairly laugh it out. No, Sir, he was irresistible.^ He upon one occasion experienced, in an extraordinary degree, the efficacy of his powers of entertaining. Amongst the many and various modes which he tried of getting money, he became a partner with a small-beer brewer, and he was to have a share of the profits for procuring customers amongst his numerous acquaintance. Fitzhei'bert was one who took his small-beer ; but it was so bad that the servants resolved not to di'ink it. They were at some loss how to notify their resolution, being afraid of offending their mastei', Avho they knew liked Foote much as a companion. At last they fixed upon a little black boy, who was rather a favourite, to be theu* deputy, and deliver their i-emonstrance ; and, having invested him with the whole authority of the kitchen, he was to inform Mr. Fitzher- bert, in all their names, upon a certain day, that they would drink Foote's small-beer no longer. On that day Foote happened to dine at Fitzhei'bert's, and this boy served at table ; he was so delighted with Foote's stories, and merriment, and grimace, that when he went down stairs, he told them, ' This is the finest man I have ever seen. I will not deliver your message. I will drink his small-beer.' " Somebody ol)served that Garrick could not have done this. Wilkes. " Garrick would have made the small-beer still smaller. He is now leaving the stage ; but he will play Sci-2ib 3 Foote told me that Johnson said of him, "For loud, obstreperous, broad-faced mirth, I know not his equal." — XL 2 516 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. re. all his life." I knew that Johnson would let nobody attack Garrick but himself, as Garrick said to me, and I had heard him praise his liberality ; so to bring out his commendation of his celebrated pupil, I said, loudly, " I have heard Garrick is liberal." Johnson. " Yes, Sir, I know that Garrick has given away more money than any man in England that I am acquainted with, and that not from ostentatious views. Garrick was very poor when he began life ; so when lie came to have money, he pro- bably was very unskilful in giving away, and saved when he should not. But Garrick began to be liberal as soon as he could ; and I am of opinion, the reputation of avarice which he has had has been very lucky for him, and pre- vented his having made enemies. You despise a man for avarice, but do not hate him. Gar- rick might have been much better attacked for living with more splendour than is suitable to a player ' ; if they had had the wit to have assaulted him in that quarter, they might have galled him more. But they have kept cla- mouring about his avarice, which has rescued him from much obloquy and envy." Talking of the great difficulty of obtaining authentic information for biography, Johnson told us, " When I was a young fellow, I wanted to write the Life of Dryden 2, and, in order to get materials, I applied to the only two per- sons then alive who had seen him; these were old Swinney 2, and old Gibber. Swinney's information was no more than this, ' That at Will's coffee-house Dryden had a particular chair for himself, which was set by the fire in winter, and was then called his winter chair ; and that it was carried out for him to the balcony in summer, .and was then called his summer chair.' Gibber could tell no more but ' That he remembered him a decent old man, arbiter of critical disputes at Will's.' You are to consider that Gibber was then at a great distance from Dryden, had perhaps one leg only in the room, and durst not draw in the other." *■ BoswELL. " Yet Gibber was a man of observ.ation ? " Johnson. " I think not." BoswEix. " You will .allow his ' Apology ' to be well done." Johnson. " Very well done, to be sure. Sir. That book is a striking proof of the justice of Pope's remark : — ' Each might his several province well command, Would all but stoop to what they undeistand.' " BoswELL. " And his plays are good." John- 1 Tliis observation accredits, I must own, the idea that the character of Frospero, in the Rambler, was meant for Gar- riclt : see ante, p. 08. n. 3. — Choker. 2 This was probably for " Gibber's Lives," as well .is the "Life of Shakespeare," mentioned ante, p. 171. n. 2. — CnoKER. , , , . 3 Owen McSwinnev, who died in 17.')4, and bequeathed his fortune to Mrs. Wotfingtoii, the actress. He had been a manager of Drury Lane theatre, and .afterwards of the Queen's theatre in the Hayinarket. He was also a dramatic writer, having produced a comedy entitled -'The Quacks, or Love's the Physician," 1705, !ind two operas. — Ma lone. ■i Cibher was twentv-nine when Dryden died, eightieth year. The original Round Robin remained in '; possession ; the paper which Sir William Forbes trans- ittcd to Mr. Bosh ell being only a copy Malone. The uravio'.' published by Mr. Boswell was not an ex.ict /«c- /»//i' of the jnkole of this curious paper (which is of the size I l.d foo/srap, and too large to be folded into an ordinary iMnit). but of the«ii!Ba/M/?.s- only ; and, in later editions, • 11 these have, by successive copying, lost some of their ir,'inal accuracy. By the favour of the Earl of Balcarras Johnson became the subject of conversation, and various emendations were suggested, which it was agreed should be submitted to the Doctor's con- sideration. But the question was, who should have the courage to propose them to him? At last it was hinted, that there could be no way so good as that of a Round Robin, as the sailors call it, which they make use of when they enter into a conspiracy, so as not to let it be known who puts his name first or last to the paper. This proposi- tion was instantly assented to ; and Dr. Barnard, Dean of Derry, now Bishop of Killaloe *, drew up an address to Dr. Johnson on the occasion, replete with wit and humour, but which it was feared the Doctor might think treated the subject witli too much levity. Mr. Burke then proposed the address as it stands in the paper in writing, to which I had the honour to officiate as clerk. " Sir Joshua agreed to carry it to Dr. Johnson, who received it with much good humour ', and desired Sir Joshua to tell the gentlemen, that he would alter the Epitaph in any manner they pleased, as to the sense of it, but he would never con- sent to disgrace the Kails of Westminster Abbey with an English iytscription. " I consider this Round Robin as a sp:cies of literary curiosity worth preserving, as it marks, in 1 a certain degree, Dr. Johnson's ciiaracter." My readers are presented with a faithful transcript of a paper, which I doubt not of '■ their beinj? desirous to see. (to whom the paper has descended from his aunt. Lady Anne, the widow of the son of Bishop Barnard) I was en- abled to give a fresh and more accurate facsimile of the sig- natures, which is copied in wood for this edition Croker, 18.31—47. 5 He, however, upon seeing Dr. Warton's name to the sngg:estion, that the epitaph should be in English, observed to Sir Joshua, " I wonder that Joe Warton, a scholar by profession, should be such a fool." He said too, " 1 should have thought Mund Burke would have had more sense." Mr.Langton, who was one of the comp.any at Sir Joshua's, like a sturdy scholar, resolutely refused to sign the Round Robin. The epitaph is engraved upon Dr. Goldsmith's monument without any alteration. At another time, when somebody endeavoured to argue in favour of its being in Einglish, Johnson said, " The language of the country of which a learned man was a native is not the language fit for his epitaph, which should be in ancient and permanent language. Consider, Sir, how you should feel, were you to find at Rotterdam an epitaph upon Erasmus in Dutch!" For my own part, I think it would be best to have epitaphs written both in a learned language and in the language of the country •, so that they might have the advantage of being more universally understood, and .at the same time be secured of classical stability. I cannot, however, but be of opinion, that it is not sufficiently discriminative. Applying to Goldsmith equally the epithets of " Poetic, Historici, Physici," is surely not right ; for as to his claim to the last of those epithets, I have heard Johnson himself say, " Gold- smith, Sir, will give us a very fine book upon the subject ; but if he can distinguish a cow from a horse, that, I believe, may be the extent of his knowledge of natural history." His book is, indeed, an excellent performance, though in some instances he appears to have trusted too much to Buf- fon, who, with all his theoretical ingenuity and extraordinary eloquence, I suspect had little actual information in the science on which he wrote so .admirably. For instance, he tells us th.it the cow sheds her horns every two years ; a most palpable error, which Goldsmith has laithfully trans- ferred into his book. It is wonderful that Buffon, who lived so much in the country, at his noble seat, should h.ave fallen into such a blunder. 1 suppose he has confounded the cow with the deer. —Boswell. See an/e, p. 313. 392, on the sub- ject of English inscriptions to English writers: and the case of Erasmus, cited by Johnson, is not a case in point. Eras- mus had not written in Dutch; nor Goldsmith —who, in fact, was a very poor scholar — in Latin. Johnson's natural good sense ^yas, I think, on this point, overborne by the egotism of his own scholarshi]). — Chokku. Mr. 67. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. )21 C(]a/t/ Sir William Forbes's observation is very- just. The anecdote now related proves, in the strongest manner, the reverence and awe with whicli Johnson was rejfarded, by some of the most eminent men of his time, in various de- partments, and even by such of them as lived most with him ; while it also confirms what I have again and again inculcated, that he was by no means of that ferocious and irascible character which has been ignorantly imagined.^ This liasty composition is als(j to be re- marked as one of the thousand instances 1 See;ws/, sub 3d Oct. 17S2. — Cbokeii. •- Thoro would be ik- noubt that this was Thomas Frank- lin, D. D., I he translator of Sophocles and Lucian, but tliat the Biog. Diet., and indeed the Doctor's own lillc-pages. spell his name FranckXm. See post, sub 1780, adfincm. He died in 17H4, a^t. (53 Crokek. 3 Anthony Chamier, Esq., M.P. for Tamworth, and Under- .Spcretary of State from 1775 till his death, 12th Oct. 1780.— Crokeu. ■• This gentleman was a friend of Sir Josluia's, and at- tended I'.is' funeral. — Cbokeii. which evince the extraordinary promptitude of Mr. Burke; who, while he is equal to the greatest things, can adorn the least ; can, with equal facility, embrace the vast and com- plicated speculations of politics, or the inge- nious topics of literary investigation.*^ JOHNSON TO MRS. BOSWELL. "May 16. 177G. " ]\lAnAM, — You must not tliink me uncivil in omitting to answer the letter with whicli you favoured me some time ago. I imagined it to liave * Most readers, 1 think, would draw a directly contrary conclusion. — CnoKEit. <> Besides this Latin epitaph, Johnson honoured the me- mory of his friend Goldsmith with a short one in Greek — BoswELL. See on/r, p. 414. I know not whyBoswell sup- pressed in his second edition the following conclusion of this note which appeared in his first, " which has been obligingly communicated to me by my learned and ingenious friend Dr. Percy, Bishop of Drom'ore. His lordship received it from a gentleman in Ireland, Mr. Archdall. who had it from John- son himself. Mr. .Archdall was educated under Dr. Sumner at Harrow." — CitoKEU. 522 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1776. been written without Mr. Boswell's knowledge, and therefore supposed the answer to require, what 1 could not find, a private conveyance. " The difference with Lord Auchinleck is now over ; and since young Alexander has appeared, I hope no more difficulties will arise among you ; for I sincerely wish you all happy. Do not teach the young ones to dislike me, as you dislike me your- self; l)ut let me at least have Veronica's kindness, because she is my acquaintance. " You will now have Mr. Boswell home ; it is well that you have him ; he has led a wild life. I have taken him to Lichfield, and he has followed Mr. Thrale to Bath. Pray take care of him, and tame him. The only thing in which I have the honour to agree with you is, in loving him : and while we are so much of a mind in a matter of so much importance, our other quarrels will, I hope, produce no great bitterness. I am. Madam, &c., " Sam. Johnson." BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. " Edinburgh, June 25. 1776. " You have formerly complained that my letters were too long. There is no danger of that com- plaint being made at present ; for I find it difficult for me to write to you at all." [Here an account of having been afflicted with a return of melancholy or bad spirits.] " The boxes of books' which you sent to me are arrived ; but I have not yet examined the contents. I send you Mr. Maclaurin's paper for the negro who claims his freedom in the Court of Session." JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " July 2. 1776. "Dear Sir, — These black fits of which you complain, perhaps hurt your memory as well as your imagination. When did I complain that your letters were too long ? ^ Your last letter, after a very long delay, brought very bad news." [Here a series of reflections upon melancholy, and — what I could not help thinking strangely unreason- able in him who had suffered so much froni it him- self — a good deal of severity and reproof, as if it vi'ere owing to my own fault, or that I was, per- haps, aflfectlng it from a desire of distinction.] " Read Cheyne's ' English Malady ;' but do not let him teach you a foolish notion that melancholy is a proof of acuteness. " To hear that you have not opened your boxes of books is very offensive. The examination and arrangement of so many volumes might have afforded you an amusement very seasonable at pre- sent, and useful for the whole of life. I am, I confess, very angry that you manage yourself so ill. I do not now say any more, than that I am, with great kindness and sincerity, &c., " Sam. Johnson. " It was last year determined by Lord Mansfield 1 Upon a settlement of our .iccount of expenses on a tour to the Hebrides, there w.is a balance due to me. which Dr. Johnson chose to discharge by sending books Boswell. 2 Barelti told me that Johnson complained of my writing very long letters to him when I was upon the continent : which was most certainly true: but it seems my friend did not remember it. — Boswell. in the Court of King's Bench, that a negro cannot be taken out of the kingdom without his own il; consent." [JOHNSON TO FRANCIS FOWKE, ESQ.« " nth July, 1776. " Sir, — I received some weeks ago a collec- tion of papers, which contain the trial of my dear friend, Joseph Fowke, of whom I cannot easily be induced to think otherwise than well, and who seems to have been injured by the prosecution and the sentence. His first desire is, that I should piepare his narrative for the press ; his second, that if I cannot gratify him by publication, I would transmit the papers to you. To a compliance with his first request I have this objection ; that I live in a reciprocation of civilities with Mr. Hastings, and therefore cannot properly diffuse a narrative, intended to bring upon him the censure of the public. Of two adversaries, it would be rash to condemn either upon the evidence of the other ; and a common friend must keep himself suspended, at least till he has heard both. " I am therefore ready to transmit to you the papers, which have been seen only by myself; and beg to be informed how they may be conveyed to you. I see no legal objection to the publication ; and of prudential reasons, Mr. Fowke and you will be allowed to be fitter judges. " If you would have me send them, let me have proper directions : if a messenger is to call for them, give me notice by the post, that they may be ready for delivery. " To do my dear Mr. Fowke any good would give me pleasure ; I hope for some opportunity of performing the duties of friendship to him, without violating them with regard to another, I am. Sir, your most humble servant, Sam. Johnson,"] JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " July 16. 1776. " Dear Sir, — I make haste to write again, lest my last letter should give you too much pain. If you are really oppressed with overpowering and involuntary melancholy, you are to be pitied rather than reproached. " Now, my dear Bozzy, let us have done with quarrels and with censure. Let me know whether I have not sent you a pretty library. There are, perhaps, many books among them which you never need read through ; but there are none which it is not proper for you to know, and sometimes to con- sult. Of these books, of which the use is only occasional, it is often sufficient to know the con- tents, that, when any question arises, you may know where to look for information. " Since I wrote, I have looked over Mr. Mac- laurin's plea, and think it excellent. How is the suit carried on? If by subscription, I commission you to contril)ute, in my name, what is proper. Let nothing be wanting in such a case. Dr. Drum- 3 The brother of Mr. Joseph Fowke, and the editor, I believe, of an edition and translation of " Pktcdrus, with a Discourse on t/ie Doctrine of Language " London, 1774, in which he advocates and practises, in a very strange way, the introduction into English of the inversions of the Latin idiom Choicer, 1847. jEt. 67. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 523 mond', I see, is superseded. His father .would have grieved ; but he lived to obtain the pleasure of his soil's election, and died before that pleasure was abated. " Langton's lady has brought him a girl, and both are well : I dined with him the other day. " It vexes me to tell you, that on the evening of the 29th of May I was seized by the gout, and am not quite well. The pain has not been violent, but the weakness and tenderness were very trouble- some ; and what is said to be very uncommon, it has not alleviated my other disorders. Make use of youth and health while you have them. Make my compliments to Mrs. Boswell. I am, my dear Sir, your most affectionate, Sam. Johnson." BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. " Edinburgh, July 18. 177fi. " My dear Sir, — Your letter of the 2d of this month was rather a harsh medicine ; but I was de- lighted with that spontaneous tenderness, which, a few days afterwards, sent forth such balsam as your next brought me. I found myself for some time so ill that all I could do was to preserve a decent ajipearance, while all within was weakness and dis- tress. Like a reduced garrison that has some spirit left, I himg out flags, and planted all the t'.iice I could muster, upon the walls. I am now imieh better, and I sincerely thank you for your kind attention and friendly counsel. ''Count Manucei^ came here last week from travelling in Ireland. I have shown him what civilities I could on his account, on yours, and on that of Mr. and Mrs. Thrale. He has had a fall from his horse, and been much hurt. I regret tliis unlucky accident, for he seems to be a very amiable man." As the evidence of what I have mentioned at the beginning of this year, I select from his private register the following passage : — "July 25. 1776. — O God, who hast ordained that whatever is to be desired should be sought by labour, and who, by thy blessing, bringest honest labour to good effect, look with mercy upon my studies and endeavours. Grant me, O Lord, to design only what is lawful and right ; and afford me calmness of mind, and steadiness of purpose, that I may so do thy will in this short life, as to obtain happiness in the world to come, for tlie sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." (Pr. and Med., p. 151.) It appears from a note subjoined, that tliis was composed when he " purposed to apply vigorously to study, particularly of the Greek and Italian tongues." • The son of Johnson's old friend, Mr. William Drum- itiond. (See ante, pp.181. 323.) He was a young man of such distinguished merit, that he was nominated to one of the medical professorships in the college of Edin- burgh, without solicitation, while he was at Naples. Having other views, he did not accept of the honour, and soon after- wards died — Boswell. He was killed at Naples by a fall from a horse which Mr. Reckford, of Fonthill, lent him, ,ind the shock of the event killed L.uiy Hamilton, Sir William's first wife." — Bosville. — This is one of a few notes which Mr. Bosville — brother of Boswcll's " Yorkshire CItieJ" (see post, 24th Aug. 1780) — made on the margin of his copy ; they are of little value, but 1 wish to preserve every con- temporary illustration. — Croker. * A Florentine nobleman, mentioned bv Johnson in his Such a purpose, so expressed, at the age of sixty-seven, is admirable and encouraging ; and it must inipress all the thinking part of my readers with a consolatory confidence in habitual devotion, when they see a man of such enlarged intellectual powers as Johnson, thus, in the genuine earnestness of secrecy, imploring the aid of that SuprcmeBeIng, " from whom Cometh down every good and every per- fect gift." JOHNSON TO REYNOLDS. " Aug. 3. 177G. " Sir, — A young man, whose name is Paterson, offers himself this evening to the Academy. He is the son of a man ^ for whom I have long had a kindness, and is now abroad in distress. I shall be glad that you will be pleased to show him any little countenance, or pay him any small distinc- tion. Plow much it is in your power to favour or to forward a young man I do not know ; nor do I know how much this candidate deserves favour by his personal merit, or what hopes his proficiency may now give of future eminence. I recommend him as the son of my friend. Your character and station enable you to give a young man great en- couragement by very easy means. You have heard of a man who asked no other favour of Sir Robert Walpole, than that he would bow to him at his levee — I am. Sir, your most humble servant, " Sam. Johnson." BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. " Edinburgh, Aug. 30. 1776. (After giving him an account of my having ex- amined the chests of books which he had sent to me, and which contained what may be truly called a numerous and miscellaneous stall library, thrown together at random : — ) " Lord Ilailes was against the decree in tlie case of my client, the minister; not that he justified the minister, but because the parishioner both provoked and retorted. I sent his lordship your able argument upon the case for his perusal. His observation upon it in a letter to me was, ' Dr. Johnson's Suasorium is pleasantly ■• and artfully composed. I suspect, however, that he has not convinced himself; for I believe that he is better read in ecclesiastical history, than to imagine that a bishop or a presbyter has a right to begin censure or discipline e cathedral " For the honour of Count 3Ianucci, as well as to observe that exactness of truth which you have taught me, I must correct what I said in a former letter. He did not fall from his horse, which might " Notes of his Tour in France." I had the pleasure of be- coming acquainted with him in London, in the spring of this year — Boswell. See ante, p. 461., and note I. next page.— C. 3 .See anli\ p. 238. n. 2. — C. •' Why his Lordship uses the epithet pleasantly, when speaking of a grave piece of reasoning, I caimot conceive. But difterent men have different notions of pleasantry. I happened to sit by a gentleman one evening at the Opera- house in London, who, at the moment when Medea appeared to be in great agony at the thought of killing her children, turned to me with a smile, and said "/«nny enough." — Boswell. 5 Dr. Johnson afterwards told me. that he was of opinion that a clergyman had this riglit. — Boswell. 524 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1776. have been an imputation on his skill as an officer of cavalry ; his horse fell with him.' " I have, since I saw you, read every word of ' Granger's Biographical History.' It has enter- tained me exceedingly, and I do not think him the Whig that you supposed. Horace Walpole's being his patron is, indeed, no good sign of liis political principles. But he denied to Lord Mountstuart that he was a Whig, and said he liad been accused by both p.irties of partiality. It seems he was like Pope, — ' While Tories call me Whig, and Whigs a Tory.' I wish you would look more into his book ; and as Lord Mountstuart wishes much to find a proper person to continue the work upon Granger's plan, and has desired I would mention it to you, if such a man occurs, please to let me know. His lordship will give him generous encouragement.- JOHNSON TO LEVETT. " Erightheimstone, Oct. 21. 177fi. " Dear Sir, — Having spent about six weeks at this place, we have at length resolved on returning. I expect to see you all in Fleet Street on the 30th of this month. " I did not go into the sea till last Friday ^ ; but think to go most of this week, thougli I know not that it does me any good. My nights are very restless and tiresome, but I am otherwise well. I have written word of my coming to Mrs. Williams. " Remember me kindly to Francis and Betsey.'' — I am, Sir, &c., Sasi. Johnson."* I again wrote to Dr. Jolinson on the 21st of October, informing him, that my father had, in the most liberal manner, paid a large debt for me, and that I had now the liappiness of being upon very good terms with him ; to which he returned the following answer : — JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. "Bolt Court, Nov. IG. 177G. " Dear Sir, — I had great pleasure in hearing that you are at last on good terms with your father. Cultivate his kindness by all honest and manly means. Life is but short : no time can be afforded but for the indulgence of real sorrow, or contests upon questions seriously momentous. Let us not throw away any of our days upon useless resentment, or contend who shall hold out longest in stubborn malignity It is best not to be angry ; and best, in the next place, to be quickly reconciled. May you and your father pass the remainder of your time in reciprocal benevolence t * * * * J),, you ever hear from Mr. Langton? I visit him some- times, but he does not talk. I do not like his ' Signer Manucci was neither a Florentine nobleman nor a count, nor an officer of cavalry, but a private gentleman of Prato in Tuscany, and the title of t^ount and character of Officer were both assumed, and the writer of this heard the said Signor describe his embarrassment, when upon first entering France nni appearing in uniform, he was ques- tioned by some Frencli officers about military matters. — Bosvillc. — Choker, 1847. 2 Lord Mountstuart, afterwards first Marquis of Bute, had also patronised, in a similar manner, Sir John Hill's im- mense " Vegetable System " (twentv-six vols, folio 1) ; but .Sir .Tohn's widow published, in 1788, "An Address to the Public," in which she alleged that Lord Bute had acted very penuriously in that matter.— Ckokeb. scheme of life ; but as I am not permitted to under- stand it, I cannot set any thing right that is wrong. His children are sweet babies. " I hope my irreconcileable enemy, Mrs. Boswell, is well. Desire her not to transmit her malevolence to the young people. Let me have Alexander, and Veronica, and Euphemia, for my friends. " Mrs. Williams, whom you may reckon as one of your wellwishers, is in a feeble and languishing : state, with little hopes of growing better. She : went for some part of the autumn into the country, but is little benefited; and Dr. Lawrence confesses that his art is at an end. Death is, however, at a distance : and what more than that can we say of ourselves? I am sorry for her pain, and more sorry for her decay. Blr. Levett is sound, wind and limb. " I was some weeks this autumn at Erightheim- stone. The place was very dull ; and I was not well : the expedition to the Hebrides was the most pleasant journey that I ever made. Such an effort annually would give the world a little diversification. Every year, however, we cannot wander, and must therefore endeavour to spend our time at home as well as we can. I believe it is best to throw life into a method, that every hour may bring its em- ployment, and every employment have its hour. Xenophon observes, in his 'Treatise of fficonomy,' that if every thing be kept in a certain place, when any thing is worn out or consumed, the vacuity which it leaves will show what is wanting ; so if every part of time has its duty, the hour will call into remembrance its proper engagement. " I have not practised all this prudence myself, but I have suffered much for want of it ; and I would have you, by timely recollection and steady resolution, escape from those evils which have lain heavy upon me. I am, my dearest Boswell, cVc, " Sam. Johnson." On the 16th of November, I informed him that Mr. Strahan had sent me ticelve copies of the " Journey to the Western Islands," hand- somely bound, instead of the hoenty copies Avhich were stipulated, but which, I supposed, were to be only in slieets ; requested to know liow they should be distributed ; and mentioned that I had another son born to me, who was named David, and was a sickly infant. JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. "Dec. 21.1776. " Dear Sir, — I have been for some time ill of I a coll, which, perhaps, I made an excuse to myself i for not writing, when in reality I know not what to say. " The books you must at last distribute as you 3 Johnson was a good swimmer. " One of the bathing- men at Brighton seeing him swim, said, ' Why, Sir, you must have been a stout-hearted gentleman forty years ago.' " — Piozzi. — Choker. •1 His fem.ile servant. — Malone. 5 For this and Dr. Jolmson s other letters to Mr. Levett, I am indebted to my old acquaintance Mr. Nathaniel Thomas, whose worth and ingenuity have been long known to a respectable though not a wide circle, and whose collection of : medals would do credit to persons of greater opulence. — ' Boswell. Mr. Thomas was many years editor of the " St. James's Chronicle." He died March 1. 1795. — M.tLONB. ^T. 67. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. think best, in my name, or your own, as you are inclined, or as you judge most proper. Every body cannot be obliged ; but I wish that nobody may be offended. Do the best you can. " I congrat.tlate you on the increase of your family, and hope that little David is by this time well, and his mamma perfectly recovered. I am much pleased to hear of the re-establishment of , kindness between you and your father. Cultivate 1 his paternal tenderness as much as you can. To . live at variance at all is uncomfortable ; and variance ; with a father is still more uncomfortable. Besides [ that, in the whole dispute, you have the wrong side ; , at least you gave the first provocations, and some of 1 them very offensive. Let it now be all over. As I you have no reason to think that your new mother 1 has shown you any foul play, treat her with respect, ( and with some degree of confidence ; this will se- i cure your father. When once a discordant family I has felt the pleasure of peace, they will not wll- I lingly lose it. If Mrs. Boswell would be but . friends with me, we might now shut the temple of Janus. " What came of Dr. Memis's cause ? Is the I ijucstion about the negro determined? Has Sir j Allan any reasonable hopes ? What is become of j poor IVIacquarry? Let me know the event of all ' these litigations. I wish particularly well to the iK':,rro and Sir Allan. • I\Irs. Williams has been much out of order; ; and though she is something better, is likely, in her j physician's opinion, to endure her malady for life, I though she may, perhaps, die of some other. Mrs. Thrale is big, and fancies that she carries a boy ; if it were very reasonable to wish much about it, I should wish her not to be disappointed. The de- sire of male heirs is not appendant only to feudal tenures. A son is almost necessary to the con- tinuance of Thrale's fortune ; for what can misses do with a brewhouse ? Lands are fitter for daughters than trades. " Baretti went away from Thrale's in some whim- sical fit of disgust, or ill-nature, without taking any leave. It is well if he finds in any other place as good an habitation, and. as many conveniences. He has got five and twenty guineas by translating Sir Joshua's Discourses into Italian, and Mr. Thrale gave him an hundred in the spring ; so that he is yet in no difficulties. " Col man has bought Foote's patent, and is to allow Foote for life sixteen hundred pounds a year, as Reynolds told me, and to allow him to jilay so often on such terms that he may gain four hundred pounds more. What Colman can get by this bar- gain ', but trouble and liazard, I do not see. I am, dear Sir, &c., Sam. Johnson." The Reverend Dr. Hugh Bhxir, who had long been admired as a preacher at Edinburgh, thought now of diffusing liis excellent sermons more extensively, and increasing his reputation, by publishing a collection of them. He trans- it mitted the manuscript to Mr. Slrahan, the ' It turned out, however, a very fortunate bargain : for Foote, though not then fifty-six, died at an inn in Dover, in less than a year, October 21. 1777. — Malone. * A fourth volume was publ'shed on the same liberal terms, and a fifth was published after his death, in ISOl, with printer, who, after keeping it for some time, wrote a letter to him, discouraging the publica- tion. Such, at first, was the unpropitious state of one of the most successful theological books that has ever appeared. JMr. Strahan, however, had sent one of the sermons to Dr. Johnson for his opinion; and after his unfavourable letter to Dr. Blair had been sent off, he re- ceived from Johnson, on Christmas-eve, a note in which was the following paragraph : — " I have read over Dr. Blair's first sermon with more than approbation : to .say it is good, -is to say too little." I believe Mr. Strahan had very soon after this time a conversation with Dr. Johnson concerning them ; and then he very candidly wrote again to Dr. Blair, enclosing Johnson's note, and agreeing to purchase the volume, for which he and Mr. Cadell gave one hundred pounds. The sale was so rapid and extensive, and the approbation of the public so high, that, to their honour be it recorded, the proprietors made Dr. Blair a present first of one sum, and afterwards of another, of fifty pounds, thus voluntarily doubling the stipulated price ; and, when he prepared another volume, they gave him at once three hundred pounds, being in all five hundred pounds, by an agreement to which I am a subscribing witness ; and now for a third octavo volume he has received no less than six hundred pounds.^ [JOHNSON TO MRS. THRALE. " Wednesday, January 15. 1 in the morning, 1777.3 " Omnium rerum vicissitudo ! The night after last Thursday was so bad that I took ipecacuanha the next day. The next night was no better. On Saturday I dined with Sir Joshua. The niglit was such as I was forced to rise and pass some hours in a chair, with great labour of respiration. I found it now time to do something, and went to Dr. Lawrence, and told him I would do what he should order, without reading the prescription. He sent for a chirurgeon, and took about twelve ounces of blood, and in the afternoon I got sleep in a chair. " At night, when I came to lie down, after trial of an hour or two, I found sleep impracticable, and therefore did what the doctor permitted in a case of distress ; I rose, and opening the orifice, let out about ten ounces more. Frank and I were but awkward ; but, with Mr. Levett's help, we stopped the stream, and I lay down again, though to little purpose; the difficulty of iireathing allowed no rest. I slept again in the daytime, in an erect posture. The doctor has ordered me a second bleeding, which I hope will set my breath at liberty. Last night I could lie but a little at a time. " Yet I do not make it a matter of much firm. I was to-day at Mrs. Gardiner's. When I have bled to-morrow, I will not give up Langton nor " A short .•\ocount of his Life, bv the Kcv. Dr. Fiiilayson." A lar^'cr life appeared in 1807, by Dr. Hill. — Ciulmeks. 3 He beg.m this year with a severe indisposition, and the following letter affords a strong proof of his anxiety for society, and the effort he would make, even over disease, to enjoy it. — Choker. 526 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1777. Paradise. But I beg that you will fetch me away on Friday. I do not know but clearer air may do me good ; but whether the air be clear or dark, let me come to you. I am, &c.] In 1777, it appears from his " Prayers and Meditations," that Johnson suffered much from a state of mind "unsettled and perplexed," and from that constitutional gloom, which, to- gether with his extreme humility and anxiety with regard to his religious state, made him contemplate himself through too dark and un- favourable a medium. It may be said of him, that he " saw God in clouds." Certain we may be of his injustice to himself in the following lamentable paragraph, which it is painful to think came from the contrite heart of_ this great man, to whose labours the world is so much indebted : — " When I survey my past life, I discover nothing but a barren waste of time, with some disorders of body, and disturbances of the mind very near to madness, which I hope He that made me will suffer to extenuate many faults, and excuse many deficiencies." (P. 155.) But we find his devotions in this year emi- nently fervent ; and we are comforted by ob- serving intervals of quiet composure, and On Easter-day we find the following em- phatic prayer : — " Almighty and most merciful Father, who seest all our miseries, and knowest all our necessities, look down upon me and pity me. Defend me from the violent incursion of evil thoughts, and enable me to form and keep such resolutions as may con- duce to the discharge of the duties which thy pro- vidence shall appoint me ; and so help me, by thy Holy Spirit, that my heart may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found, and that I may serve thee with pure affection and a cheerful mind. Have mercy upon me, O God, have mercy upon me ! Years and infirmities oppress me ; terror and anxiety beset me. Have mercy upon me, my Creator and my Judge ! [In all dangers protect me] * ; in all perplexities relieve and free me ; and so help me by thy Holy Spirit, that I may now so commemorate the death of thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, as that, when this short and painful life shall have an end, I may, for his sake, bo received to everlasting happiness. Amen."(P. 158.) While he was at church, the agreeable im- pressions upon his mind are thus commemo- rated : — " On Easter-day I was at church early, and there prayed over my prayer, and commended Tetty and my other friends. I was for some time much distressed, but at last obtained, I hope, from the God of Peace, more quiet than I have enjoyed for a long time. I had made no resolution, but as my heart grew lighter, my hopes revived, and my courage increased ; and I wrote with my pencil in my Common Prayer-Book : — These words are in the original MS. — Hall Cuoker. " Vita ordinanda. Biblia legenda. Theologiffl opera danda. Serviendum et Ijetandum." " I then went to the altar, having, I believe, again read my prayer. T then went to the table and communicated, praying for some time after- wards, but the particular matter of my prayer I do not remember. " I dined, by an appointment, with Mrs. Gardiner, and passed the afternoon with such calm gladness of mind as it is very long since I felt before. I came home, and began to read the Bible. I passed the night in such sweet uninter- rupted sleep as I have not known since I slept at Fort Augustus. " On Monday I dined with Seward, on Tuesday with Paradise. The mornings have been devoured by company, and one intrusion has, through the whole week, succeeded to another. " At the beginning of the year I proposed to myself a scheme of life, and a plan of study ; but neither life has been rectified, nor study followed. Days and months pass in a dream ; and I am afraid that my memory grows less tenacious, and my ob- servation less attentive. If I am decaying, it is time to make haste. My nights are restless and tedious, and my days drowsy. The flatulence which torments me has sometimes so obstructed my breath, that the act of respiration became not only voluntary, but laborious in a decumbent posture. By copious bleeding I was relieved, but not cured. " I have this year omitted church on most Sundays, intending to supply the deficience in the week. So that I owe twelve attendances on wor- ship. I will make no more such superstitious sti- pulations, which entangle the mind with unbidden obligations." (P. 156—159). Mr. Steevens, whose generosity is well known, joined Dr. Johnson in kind assistance to a female relation of Dr. Goldsmith, and desired that, on her retuim to L-eland, she would procure authentic particulars of the life of her celebrated relation. Concerning her is the following letter : — JOHNSON TO STEEVENS. " Feb. 25. 1777. •■■Dear Sir, — You will be glad to hear that, from Mrs. Goldsmith, whom we lamented as drowned, I have received a letter full of gratitude to us all, with promise to make the enquiries which we recommended to her. I would have had the honour of conveying this intelligence to Miss Caulfield, but that her letter is not at hand, and I know not the direction. You will tell the good news. — I am, Sir, &c., Sam. Johnson." BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. «' Edinburgh, Feb. 14. 1777. " My dear Sir, — My state of epistolary ac- counts with you at present is extraordinary. The balance, as to number, is on your side. I am indebted to you for two letters : one dated the 1 6th of November, upon which very day I wrote to you, so that our letters were exactly exchanged ; and one dated the 21st of December last. ^T. 67. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 527 " My heart was warmed with gratitude by the truly kind contents of both of them; and it is amazing and vexing tliat I have allowed so much time to elapse without writing to you. But delay is inherent in me, by nature or by bad habit. I i waited till I should have an opportunity of paying I you my compliments on a new year. I have procrastinated till the year is no longer new. " Dr. Mcmis's cause [p. 454.] was determined I against him, with 40/. costs. The lord president, and I twootherof the judges, dissented from the majority upon this ground : that although there may have been no intention to injure him by calling him doctor of medicine instead oi p/iysiciaii ; yet, as he i remonstrated against the designation before the i charter was printed off, and represented that it was I disagreeable, and even hurtful to him, it was ill- natured to refuse to alter it, and let him have the designation to which he was certainly entitled. i\Iy I opinion is, that our court has judged wrong. The defendants were iyi mala fide, to persist in naming him in a way that he disliked. You remember poor Goldsmith, when he grew important, and wished to appear Doctor Major, could not bear your calling him Goldy. [p. 262. 294.] Would it not have been wrong to have named him so in your ' Preface to Shakspeare,' or in any serious permanent writing of any sort ? The difSculty is, whether an action should be allowed on such petty V. TDiigs. De minimis nan curat lex. " The negro cause is not yet decided. A me- morial is preparing on the side of slavery. I shall send you a copy as soon as it is printed. Maclaurin is made happy by your approbation of his memorial for the black. Macquarry was here in the winter, and we passed an evening together. The sale of his estate cannot be prevented. " Sir Allan Maclean's suit against the Duke of Argyle, for recovering the ancient inheritance of his family, is now fairly before all our judges. I spoke for him yesterday, and Maclaurin to-day ; Crosbie spoke to-day against him. Three more counsel are to be heard, and next week the cause will be determined. I send you the informations, or cases, on each side, which I hope you will read. You said to me, when we were under Sir Allan's hospitable roof, ' I will help you with my pen.' You said it with a generous glow ; and though liis Grace of .Vrgyle did afterwards mount you upon an excellent liorse, upon which ' you looked like a lii.hoj),' you must not swerve from your purpose at Inchkcnneth. I wish you may understand the pi lints at issue, amidst our Scotch law principles ami j)hrases." [Here followed a full state of the case, in which I endeavoured to make it as clear as I could to an Englishman who had no knowledge of the formularies and technical language of the law of Scotland.] " I shall inform you how the cause is decided here. But as it may be brought under the review of our judges, and is certainly to be carried by ap- peal to the House of Lords, the assistance of such a mind as yours will be of consequence. Your paper on Viciotis Intromission is a noble proof of what you can do even in Scotch law. " I have not yet distributed all your books. Lord Hailes and Lord Monboddo have each received one, and return you thanks. Monboddo dined with me lately, and, having drunk tea, we were a good while by ourselves ; and as I knew that he had read the ' Journey ' superficially, as he did not talk of it as I wished, I brought it to him, and read aloud several passages ; and then he talked so, that I told him he was to have a copy froui the author. He begged that might be marked on it. * * * * I ever am, my dear Sir, your most faithful and affectionate humble servant, James Boswzll." SIR ALEXANDER DICK TO JOHNSON. " Prestonfield, Feb. 17. 1777. " Sir, — I had yesterday the honour of receiving your book of your ' Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland,' which you were so good as to send me, by the hands of our mutual friend Mr. Boswell of Auchinleck ; for wliich I return you my most hearty thanks; and, after carefully reading it over again, shall deposit it in my little collection of choice books, next our worthy friend's ' Journey to Cor- sica.' As there are many things to admire in both performances, I have often wished that no travels or journey should be published but those undertaken by persons of integrity, and capacity to judge well, and describe faithfully and in good language, the situation, condition, and manners of the countries passed through. Indeed, our country of Scotland, in spite of the union of the crowns, is still in most places so devoid of clothing or cover from hedges and plantations, that it was well you gave your readers a sound monitoire with respect to that cir- cumstance. The truths you have told, and the purity of the language in which they are expressed, as your ' Journey ' is universally read, may, and already appear to, have a very good effect. For a man of my acquaintance, who has the largest nur- sery for trees and hedges in this country, tells me, that of late the demand upon him for these articles is doubled, and sometimes tripled. I have, there- fore, listed Dr. Samuel Johnson in some of my memorandumsof the principal planters and favourers of the enclosurers, under a name which I took the liberty to invent from the Greek, Pappadendrion. Lord Auchinleck and some few more are of the list. I am told that one gentleman in the shire of Aber- deen, viz. Sir Archibald Grant, has planted above fifty millions of trees on a piece of very wild ground at Monimusk : I must enquire if he has fenced them well, before he enters my list ; for that is the soul of enclosing. I began myself to plant a little, our ground being too valuable for much, and that is now fifty years ago ; and the trees, now in my seventy-fourth year, I look up to with reverence, and show them to my eldest son, now in his fif- teenth year ; and they are the full lieight of my country-house here, where I had the pleasure of receiving you, and hope again to have that satis- faction with our mutual friend, Mr. Boswell. I shall always continue, with the truest esteem, dear Doctor, &.C., . T-> .. I ' Alexander Dick. ' 1 For a character of this very amiable man, see anii, p. 278., and the Biographical Dictionary. He died In 1785. — Boswell. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOimSON. 1 1777. JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " Feb. 18. 1777. •' Dear Sir, — It is so long since I heard any thing from you ', that I am not easy about it : write something to me next post. When you sent your last letter, every thing seemed to be mending; I hope nothing has lately grown worse. I suppose young Alexander continues to thrive, and Veronica is now very pretty company. I do not suppose the lady is yet reconciled to me ; yet let her know that I love her very well, and value her very much. " xJr. Blair is printing some sermons. If they are all like the first, which I have read, they are sermones aurei, ac auro magis aurei. It is excellently written both as to doctrine and language. Mr. Watson's book ^ seems to be much esteemed. " Poor Beauclerk still continues very ill. Lang- ton lives on as he used to do. His children are very jiretty, and, I think, his lady loses her Scotch.^ Paoli I never see. " I have been so distressed by difficulty of breath- ing, that I lost, as was computed, six-and-thirty ounces of blood in a few days. I am better, but not well. I wish you would be vigilant and get me Graham's ' Telemachus ' {ante, p. 139.] that was printed at Glasgow, a very little book ; and ' Jo/ni- stuni Poemata [ante, p. 295.], another little book, printed at Middleburgh. " Mrs. Williams sends her compliments, and pro- mises that when you come hither she will accommo- date you as well as ever she can in the old room. She wishes to know whether you sent her book to Sir Alexander Gordon. My dear Boswell, do not neglect to write to me ; for your kindness is one of the pleasures of my life, which I should be sorry to lose. I am, &c., Saji. Johnson." BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. " Edinburgh, Feb. 24. 1777. " Dear Sir, — Your letter dated tiie 18th in- stant, I had the pleasure to receive last post. Al- though my late long neglect, or rather delay, was truly culpable, I am tempted not to regret it, since it has produced me so valuable a proof of your regard. I did, indeed, during that inexcusable silence, some- times divert the reproaches of my own mind, by fancying that I should hear again from you, en- quiring with some anxiety about me, because, for aught you knew, I might have been ill. " You are pleased to show me that my kindness is of some consequence to you. My heart is elated at the thought. Be assured, my dear Sir, that my afTectioii and reverence for you are exalted and steady. I do not believe that a more perfect attachment ever existed in the history of mankind. And it is a noble attachment ; for the attractions are genius, learning, and piety. " Your difficulty of breathing alarms me, and brings into my imagination an event, which, al- though, in the natural course of things, I must ex- pect at some period, I cannot view with composure. " My wife is much honoured by what you say of her. She begs you may accept of her best compli- ments. She is to send you some marmalade of oranges of her own making. I ever am, my dear Sir, &c., James Boswell." [JOHNSON TO MRS. ASTON. " Bolt-Court, March 8. 1777. " Dear Madam, — As we pass on through the journey of life, we meet, and ought to expect, many unpleasing occurrences, but many likewise en- counter us unexpected. I have this morning heard from Lucy of your illness. I heard, indeed, in the next sentence that you are to a great degree re- covered. May your recovery, dearest Madam, be complete and lasting ! The hopes of paying you the annual visit is one of the few solaces with which my imagination gratifies me ; and my wish is, that I may find you happy. '■ My health is much broken ; my nights are very restless, and will not be made more comfort- able by remembering that one of the friends whom I value most is suflTering equally with myself. Be pleased, dearest lady, to let me know how you are; and if writing be troublesome, get dear Mrs. Gas- trell to write for you. 1 hope she is well and able to assist you ; and wish that you may so well re- cover, as to repay her kindness, if she should want you. May you both live long happy together ! I am, dear Madam, &c., Sam. Johnson."] JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " March 14. 1777. " Dear Sir, — I have been much pleased with your late letter, and am glad that my old enemy, Mrs. Boswell, begins to feel some remorse. As to Miss Veronica's Scotch, I think it cannot be helped. An English maid you might easily have; but she would still imitate the greater number, as they would be likewise those whom she must most re- spect. Her dialect will not be gross. Her mamma has not much Scotch, and you have yourself very little. I hope she knows my name, and does not call me Johnston.^ " The immediate cause of my writing is this. One Shaw, who seems a modest and a decent man, has written an Erse Grammar, which a very learned Highlander, Macbean, has, at my request, examined and approved. The book is very little, but Mr. Shaw has been persuaded by his friends to set it at half a guinea, though I advised only a crown, and thought myself liberal. You, whom the author considers as a great encourager of ingenious men, will receive a parcel of his proposals and receipts. I have undertaken to give you notice of them, and to solicit your countenance. You must ask no poor man, because the price is really too high. Yet such a work deserves patronage. "It is proposed to augment our club from twenty to thirty, of which I am glad ; for as we have several in it whom I do not much like to 1 By the then course of the post, my long letter of the 14th had not yot reached him — Boswell. " History of Philip the Second Boswell. 3 Lady Kothes {ante, p. 222.) vas a native of Kngland, but she had"lived long in Scotland, and never, it is said, entirely lost the accent she had acquired there — Croker. < Johnson is the most common English formation of the surname from John ; Johnx^ore the Scotch. My illustrious friend observed that many North Britons pronounced his name in their own way Boswell. The names are radi- cally different : one is patronymic, John's son ; the other local, John's town. Wyntown calls the ancestor of the Annandale family " Schyr Jhon of J/ionstovn."— Ckokev., 1835. JEt. 6S. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 529 consort with ', 1 am for reducing it to a mere mis- cellaneous collection of conspicuous men, without any determinate character. I am, dear Sir, most afl'ectionately yours, Sam. Johnson. " My respects to Madam, to Veronica, to Alex- ander, to Euphemia, to David." [JOHNSON TO MRS. ASTON. " March 15. 1777. " Dkarest M.vdam, — The letter with which I was favoured, by the kindness of Mrs. Gastrell, has contributed very little to quiet my solicitude. I am indeed more frighted than by Mrs. Porter's ! account. Yet, since you have had strength to con- j quer your disorder so as to obtain a partial recovery, ! I think it reasonable to believe, that the favourable I season which is now coming forward may restore I you to your former health. Do not, dear Madam, lose your courage, nor by despondence or inactivity l^'ive way to the disease. Use such exercise as you i:iii hear, and excite cheerful thoughts in your own mind. Do not harass your faculties with laborious attention : nothing is, in my opinion, of more iiiisL-hievous tendency in a state of body like yours, tl\ m deep meditation or perplexing solicitude, (iaioty is a duty, when health requires it. Enter- ; ii:i yourself as you can with small amusements, or iiilit conversation, and let nothing but your devo- tion ever make you serious. But while 1 exhort y.ni. my dearest lady, to merriment, I am very sLi'ious myself. The loss or danger of a friend is not to be considered with indifference; but I ilciive some consolation from the thought, that you do not languish unattended ; that you are not in the hands of strangers or servants, but have a sister at liand to watch your wants and supply them. If, at this distance, I can be of any use, by consulting physicians, or for any other purpose, I hope you \'. ill employ me. •• I have thought on a journey to Staffordshire : and hope, in a few weeks, to climb Stow Hill, and to '' find there the pleasure which I have so often found. j Let me hear again from you. I am, dear Madam, 1 your most humble servant, Sam. Johnson."] '— Pembroke MSS. BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. " Edinburgli, April 4. 1777. ( After informing him of the death of my little -111 David, and that I could not come to London I hi. spring); — "I think it hard that I should be a \\ hole year without seeing you. May I presume tr, petition for a meeting with you in the autumn? "1:01 have, I believe, seen all the cathedrals in i:nj;land, except that of Carlisle. If you are to h • u itii Dr. Taylor, at Aslibourne, it would not be a ;j,reat journey to come thither. We may pass a J lew most agreeable days there by ourselves, and I will accompany you a good part of the way to the southward again. Pray think of this. On account of their difTerinK from him as to relicion and noUtics. — BoswEi.L. Messrs. Burke, Beauclerk, Fox, &c. It was about this time that Mr. Sheridan, Lord Uppcr-Ossory, Or. Marlay (afterwards Bishop of Waterford), and Mr.' Dunning, were admitted ; but they were all of the same cast of Whig politics. The Club, though it has the reputation of •lohnson's n.ime, had, as its records show, tor many of his latter years, very little of his company Choker, 1831, 1847. " You forget that Mr. Shaw's Erse Grammar was put into your hands by myself last year. Lord Eglintoun put it into mine. I am glad that Mr. Macbean apjiroves of it. I have received Mr. Shaw's proposals for its pulilication, which I can perceive are written bi/ the lutmt of a master. * * * Pray get for nie all the editions of ' Walton's Lives.' I liave a notion that the repub- lication of them with notes will fall upon me, be- tween Dr. Home and Lord Hailes." ' Mr. Shaw's proposals for an " Analysis of i the Scotch Celtic Laniriiage " were thus illu- minated by the pen of Johnson : — I " Though the Erse dialect of the Celtic language j has, from the earliest times, been spoken in Britain, j and still subsists in the northern parts and adjacent islands, yet, by the negligence of a ])eople rather j warlike than lettered, it has hitherto been left to [ the caprice and judgment of every speaker, and has floated in the living voice, without the steadiness of analogy, or direction of rules. " An Erse Grammar is an addition to the stores 1 of literature ; and its author hopes for the in- i dulgence always shown to those that attempt to do what was never done before. If his work shall be j found defective, it is at least all his own ; he is not, I like other grammarians, a compiler or transcriber ; what he delivers, he has learned by attentive ob- servation among his countrymen, who, periiaps, will be themselves surprised to see that speech reduced to principles, which they have used only by imitation. " The use of this book will, however, not he confined to tlie mountains and islands ; it will afford a pleasing and important subject of specula- tion to those whose studies lead them to trace the affinity of languages, and the migrations of the ancient races of mankind." BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. "Glasgow, April 24. 1777. " My dear Sir, — Our worthy friend Thrale's death having appeared in the newspapers, and been afterwards contradicted, I have been placed in a state of very uneasy uncertainty, from which I hoped to be relieved by you ; but my hopes have as yet been vain. How could you omit to write to me on such an occasion? I shall wait with anxiety. — I am going to Auch'mlcek to stay a fortnight with my father. It is better not to be there very long at one time. But frequent renewals of atten- tion are agreeable to him. " Pray tell me about this edition of ' English Poets, with a Preface, biogra))hical and critical, to each Author, by Samuel .Johnson, LL. D.' which I see advertised. I am delighted with the prospect of it. Indeed, I am ha])py to feel that I am capable of being so much delighted with literature. But is not the charm of this publication chiefly owing to the magnum numcn in the front of it ? - None of the persons here mentioned executed the work which tliey had in contemplation. Walton's valuable book, however, has been correctly republished in quarto and octavo, with notes and illustrations by the Rev. Mr. Zouch. Malone. It was also printed .nt the Clarendon press, in 530 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1777. " What do you say of Lord Chesterfield's Me- moirs and last letters ? ' " My wife has made marmalade of oranges for you. I left her and my daughters and Alexander all well yesterday. I have tauglit Veronica to speak of you thus ; Dr. Johnson, not Johnston. I remain, &c., James Boswell." JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " May 3. 1777. " Dear Sir, — The story of iMr. Thrale's death, as he had neither been sick nor in any other danger, made So little impression upon me, that I never thought about obviating its effects on any body else. It is supposed to have, been produced by the English custom ^ of making April fools ; that is, of sending one another on some foolish errand on the first of April. " Tell Mrs. Boswell that I shall taste her mar- malade cautiously at first. Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes. Beware, says the Italian proverb, of a reconciled enemy. But when I find it does me no harm, I shall then receive it, and be thankful for it, as a pledge of firm, and, I hope, of unalterable kindness. She is, after all, a dear, dear lady. " Please to return Dr. Blair thanks for liis sermons. The Scotch write English wonderfully well. " Your frequent visits to Auchinleck, and your short stay there, are very laudable and very judi- cious. Your present concord with your father gives me great pleasure ; it was all that you seemed to want. " j\Iy health is very bad, and my nights are very unquiet. What can I do to mend them? I have for this summer nothing better in prospect than a journey into Staffordshire and Derbyshire, perhaps with Oxford and Birmingham in my way. " !Make my compliments to Miss Veronica ; I must leave it to her philosophy to comfort you for the loss of little David. You must remember, that to keep three out of four is more than your share. ]\Irs. Thrale has but four out of eleven. " I am engaged to write little Lives, and little Prefaces, to a little edition of the English Poets. I think I have persuaded the booksellers to insert something of Thomson ; and if you could give me some information about him, for the life which we have is very scanty, I should be glad. I am, dear Sir, &c., * Saji. Johnson." To those "who delight in tracing the progress of works of literature, it will be an entertain- ment to compare the limited design with tlie ample execution of that admirable performance, " The Lives of the English Poets," which is the richest, most beautiful, and, indeed, most perfect production of Johnson's pen. His notion of it at this time appears in the pre- ceding letter. He has a memorandum in this year : — "May 29., Ejister eve, I treated with booksellers on a bargain, but the time was not long," (P/-. and Med. p. 155.) ' Dr. Maty's posthumous edition of the Memoirs and Mis- cellaneous Works of Lord Chesterfield, published by Mr. Justamond early in 1777 — Croker. The bargain was concerning that undertakinf ; but his tender conscience seems alarmed, lest it should have intruded too much on his devout preparation for the solemnity of the ensuino- day. But, indeed, very little time was neces- sary for Johnson's concluding a treaty with the booksellers : as he had, I believe, less attention to profit from his labours, than any man to whom literature has been a profession. I shall here insert, from a letter to me from my late worthy friend ]\Ir. Edward Dilly, though of a later date, an account of this plan, so happily conceived, since it was the occasion of procuring for us an elegant collection of the best biography and criticism of which our lan- guage can boast. EDWARD DILLY TO BOSWELL. " Southill, Sept. 20. 1777. " Dear Sir, — You find by this letter, that I am still in the same calm retreat, from the noise and bustle of London, as when I wrote to you last. I am happy to find you had such an agreeable meeting with your old friend Dr. Johnson : I have no doubt your stock is much increased by the in- terview ; few men, nay, I may say, scarcely any man has got that fund of knowledge and entertain- ment as Dr. Johnson in conversation. When he opens freely, every one is attentive to what he says, and cannot fail of improvement as well as pleasure. " The edition of the poets, nov/ printing, will do honour to the English press ; and a concise ac- count of the life of each author, by Dr. Johnson, will be a very valuable addition, and stamp the reputation of this edition superior to any thing that is gone before. The first cause that gave rise to this undertaking, I believe, was owing to the little trifling edition of the poets, printing by the Mar- tins at Edinburgh, and to be sold by Bell in Lon- don. Upon examining the volumes wliich were printed, the type was found so extremely small, that many persons could not read them : not only this inconvenience attended it, but the inaccuracy of the press was very conspicuous. These reasons, as well as the idea of an invasion of what we call our Literary Property, induced the London book- sellers to print an elegant and accurate edition of ! all the English poets of reputation, from Chaucer [ to the present time. " Accordingly a select number of the most re- spectable booksellers met on the occasion : and, on consulting together, agreed, that all the proprietors of copyright in the various poets should be sum- moned together ; and when their opinions were given, to proceed immediately on the business. Accordingly a meeting was held, consisting of about forty of the most respectable booksellers of Lon- . don, when It was agreed that an elegant and uni- form edition of ' The English Poets' should be ' immediately printed, with a concise accovnit of the ' life of each author, by Dr. Samuel Johnson ; and : that three persons should be deputed to wait 2 Johnson seems not to be aware (hat it is equally a Scottish custom : it also exists on the Continent ; what we call April /ools the French term " poisson d'Avril."— CitOKER. Mr. 68. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 531 upon Dr. Johnson, to solicit him to undertake the ' Lives,' viz. T. Davies, Stralian, and Cadell. The Doctor very politely undertook it, and seemed ex- ceedingly pleased with the proposal. " As to the terms, it was left entirely to the Doc- tor to name his own : he mentioned two hundred guineas ' ; it was immediately agreed to ; and a forther compliment, I believe, will he made him. A committee was likewise appointed to engage the best engravers, viz. Bartolozzi, Sherwin, Hall, &c. Likewise another committee for giving directions about the paper, printing, &c. ; so that the whole will he conducted with spirit, and in the best man- lU'r, with respect to authorship, editorship, engrav- ings, lie. &c. My brother will give you a list of tlie i)oets we mean to give, many of which are within the time of the Act of Queen Anne, which Martin and Bell cannot give, as they have no pro- perty in them : the proprietors are almost all the booksellers in London of consequence. " I am, dear Sir ever yours, "Edward Dii.ly." I shall afterwards have occasion to consider the extensive and varied range which Johnson took, when he was once led upon ground which he trode with a peculiar delight, having long been intimately acquainted with all the cir- cumstances of it that could interest and please. JOHNSON TO O'CONNOR. 2 "May IP. 1777. " Sir, — H.aving had the pleasure of conversing with Dr. Campbell about your character and your literary undertaking, I am resolved to gratify my- self by renewing a correspondence which began and ended a great while ago, and ended, I am ifraid, by my fault ; a fault which, if you have not forgotten it, you must now forgive. " If I have ever disappointed you, give me leave to tell you that you have likewise disappointed me. I expected great discoveries in Irish antiquity, |ind large publications in the Irish language ; but ithe world still remains as it was, doubtful and ig- l.iorant. What the Irish language is in itself, and Ito what languages it has affinity, are very interest- iig questions, which every man wishes to see re- olved that has any philological or historical curi- -^ity. Dr. Leland begins his history too late: the iLjcs which deserve an exact inquiry are those times (III- such there were) ' when Ireland was the school if the West, the quiet habitation of sanctity and itoraturc. If you could give a history, though im- nrfect, of the Irish nation, from its conversion o Christianity to the invasion from England, you iiihl amplify knowledge with new views and new ' .Tohnson's moder.ition in demanding fo small a sum is xtraordinary. Had he asked one thousand, or even fifteen !;undred guineas, the liookseUers, who knew the value of his lame, would doubtless have readily given it. They have rohably got five thousand guineas by this work in the course f twenty-five years. — Malone. It must be recollected that ohnson at first intended very short prefaces — he afterwards xpanded his design. — Croker. 1 2 Seee(ty exclusive interest in some of them, vested in Mr. Carnaii, a bookseller [id St. Paul's Churchyard, who died in 1788]. _ Malone. more of him than is yet known. My own notion is, that Thomson was a much coarser man than his friends are willing to acknowledge. His 'Sea- sons ' are indeed full of elegant and pious senti- ments ; but a rank soil, nay, a dunghill, will pro- duce beautiful flowers. " Your edition ^ of the ' English Poets ' will be very valuable on account of the ' Prefaces and Lives.' But I have seen a specimen of an edition of the Poets at the Apollo press, at Edinburgh, which, for excellence in printing and engraving, highly deserves a liberal encouragement. " Most sincerely do I regret the bad health and bad rest with which you have been afflicted ; and I hope you are better. I cannot believe that the , prologue which you generously gave to IMr. Kelly's widow and children, the other day, is the effusion of one in sickness and in disquietude ; but external circumstances are never sure indications of the state of man. I send you a letter which I wrote to you two years ago at Wilton ; and did not send it at the time, for fear of being reproved as indulg- ing too much tenderness; and one written to you at the toml) of Melancthon, which I kept back, lest I should appear at once too superstitious and too en- thusiastic. I now imagine that perhaps they may please you. " You do not take the least notice of my pro- posal for our meeting at Carlisle.^ Though I have meritoriously refrained from visiting London this year, I ask you if it would not be wrong that I should be two years without having the benefit of your conversation, when, if you come down as far as Derbyshire, we may meet at the expense of a few days' journeying and not many pounds. I wish you to see Carlisle, which made me mention that place. But if you have not a desire to com- plete your tour of the English cathedrals, I will take a larger share of the road between this place and Ashbourne. So tell me where you will fix for our passing a few days by ourselves. Now don't cry 'foolish fellow,' or 'idle dog.' Chain your humour, and let your kindness play. '■ " You will rejoice to hear that Miss jNLacleod ^, of Rasay, is married to Colonel Mure Campbell, an , excellent man, with a pretty good estate of his own, and the prospect of having the Earl of Loudoun's fortune and honours. Is not this a noble lot for our fair Hebridean? How happy am I that she- is to be in Ayrshire ! We sliall have the Laird of Rasay, and old ]\Ialcolm, and I knew not how- many gallant Macleods, and bagpipes, &c. &c. at Auehinleek. Perliaps you may meet them all there. " Without doubt you have read what is called * l)r. Johnson had himself talked of our seeing Carlisle together. Hig/i was a favourite word of his to denote a person of rank. He said to me, •' Sir, I believe we may meet ■It the house of a Roman Catholic lady in Cumberl.ind : a high lady. Sir." I afterwards discovered that he meant Mrs. Strickland [see anti, p. 465.], sister of Charles Town- ley, F.sq., whose very noble collection of statues and pictures- is not more to be admired, than his extraordinary and polite readiness in showing it, which I and several of my friends have agreeably experienced. They who are possessed of valuable stores of gratification to persons of taste should exercise tlieir benevolence in imparting the pleasure. Grate- ful acknowledgments are due to Welbore Ellis .Agar, Esq., lor the liberal access which he is pleased to allow to his exquisite collection of pictures. — Boswell. i Seean^:-, p. 322. n. 2. — C. M M 3 534 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 17*77. ' The Life of David Hume,' written by himself, with the letter from Adam Smith subjoined to it. Is r.ot this an age of daring effrontery ? My friend Mr. Anderson, professor of natural philoso- phy at Glasgow, at whose house you and I supped, anil to whose care Mr. Windham of Norfolk was intrusted at that university, paid me a visit lately ; and after we had talked with indignation and con- tempt of the poisonous productions with which this age is infested, he said there was now an excellent opportunity for Dr. Johnson to step forth. I agreed with him that you might knock Hume's and Smith's heads together, and make vain and ostentatious infidelity exceedingly ridiculous. Would it not he worth your while to crush such noxious weeds in the moral garden ? " You have said nothing to me of Dr. Dodd.' I know not how you think on that subject ; though the newspapers give us a saying of yours in favour of mercy to him. But I own I am very desirous that the royal prerogative of remission of punish- ment should be employed to exhibit an illustrious instance of the regard which God's Vicegerent will ever show to piety and virtue. If for ten righteous men the Almighty would have spared Sodom, shall not a thousand acts of goodness done by Dr. Dodd counterbalance one crime ? Such an instance would do more to encourage goodness, than his execution would do to deter from vice. I am not afraid of any bad consequence to society ; for who will persevere for a long course of years in a dis- tinguished discharge of religious duties, with a view to commit a forgery with impunity ? " Prav make my best compliments acceptable to Mr. and Mrs. Tiirale, by assuring them of my hearty joy that the master, as you call him, is alive. I hope I shall often taste his champagne — soberhj. " I have not heard from Langton for a long time. I suppose he is, as usual, " ' Studious the busy moments to deceive.' " I remain, my dear Sir, your most affectionate, &c., James Boswell." On the 23d of June, I again wrote to Dr. Johnson, enclosing a shipmaster's receipt for a jar of orange marmalade, and a large packet of Lord Hailes's " Annals of Scotland." JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " June 28. 1777. " Deaii Sir, — I have just received your packet from Mr. Thrale's, but have not daylight enough to look much into it. I am glad that I have credit enough with Lord Hailes to be trusted with more copy. I hope to take more care of it than of the last' I return Mrs. Boswell my affectionate thanks for her present, which I value as a token of recon- ciliation. " Poor Dodd was put to death yesterday, in op- position to tlie recommendation of the jury, — the petition of the city of London, — and a subsequent petition signed by three-and-twenty thousand hands. Surely the voice of the public, when it calls so loudly, and calls only for mercy, ought to be heard. " The saying that was given me in the papers I never spoke ; but I wrote many of his petitions, and some of his letters. He applied to me very often. He was, I am afraid, long flattered with hopes of life ; but I had no part in the dreadful delusion ; for as soon as the king had signed his sentence-; I obtamed from Mr. Chamier ^ an ac- count of the disposition of the court towards him, with a declaration that there icas no hope even of a respite. This letter immediately was laid before Dodd ; but he believed those whom he wished to be right, as it is thought, till within three days of his end. He died with pious composure and reso- lution. I have just seen the ordinary that attended him. His address to his fellow-convicts offended the Methodists ; but he had a Moravian with him much of his time. His moral character is very bad ; I hope all is not true that is charged upon him. Of his behaviour in prison an account will be published. " I give you joy of your country-house, and your pretty garden, and hope some time to see you in your felicity. I was much pleased with your two letters that had been kept so long in store ^; 1 The whole story of Dodd is told in detail, post, sub 15th Sept. 1777. — Choker. 2 This is an erroneous expression. The king signs no sentences or death warrants ; but out of respect to the Royal prerogative of mercy, expressed by the old adage, " The King's face gives grace," the cases of criminals convicted in London, where the king is supposed to be resident, were reported to him by the recorder, that his Majesty might liave an option of pardoning. Hence it was seriously doubted whether a recorder's report need, or, indeed, could he made at Windsor. All his Majesty did on these occa- sions was, to express verbally his assent or dissent to or from the execution of the sentence ; and though the King was on such occasions attended by his Ministers and the great legal Privy Councillors, the business was not technically a council business, hut the individual act of the King. On the accession of Queen Victoria, the nature of some cases that it might be necessary to report to her Majesty occasioned the abrogation of a practice which was certainly so far un- reasonable that it made a difference between London and all the rest of the kingdom. I have thought it worth while, in correcting the popular error as to the King's signing death-warrants, to explain a custom always a little obscure, and now obsolete. — Croker, 184fi. 3 Mr. Chamier was then Under-Secretary of State, and a private friend of Jolnison. — Croker. ■1 Since they have been so much honoured by Dr. Johnson, 1 shall here insert them : — BOSWKLL TO JOHNSON. " Sunday, Sept. 30. 17G4. " MV EVER DEAR AND MUCH-RESPECTED Sw, — YoU know my solemn enthusiasm of mind. You love mo for it, and I respect mysellfor it, because in so far I resemble Mr. John- son. You will be .-igreeably surprised, when you learn the ri'a^cm of my writing this letter. I am at Wittemberg, in Saxony. I am in the old church where the reformation was first preached, and where some of the reformers lie interred. 1 cannot resist the serious pleasure of writing to Mr. Johnson from the tomb of Mt-hmcthon. My paper rests upon the grave-stone of tliat great and good man, who was un- doubtedly the worthiest of all the reformers. He wished to reform abuses which had been introduced into the church; but had no private resentment to gratify. So mild was he, that when his aged mother consulted him with anxiety on the perplexing disputes of the times, he advised her ' to keep to the old religion.' At this tomb, then, my ever dear and respected friend ! I vow to thee an eternal attachment. It shall be my study to do what 1 can to render your lile happy : and if you die before me, I shall endeavour to do honour to your iriemory ; and, elevated by the remembrance of you, persist in noble piety. May God, the Father of all beings, ever bless you ! and may you continue to love your most affectionate friend and devoted servant, James ISoswell." BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. " Wilton-house, April 22. 1775. "My dear Sir, — Kverv scene of my life conHrms the truth of what you have told me, ' there is no ccrtani happi- ness in this state of being.' 1 am here, amidst all that you know is at Lord Pembroke's ; and yet I am weary and gloomy. 1 am just setting out for the house of an old friend in Devonshire, and shall not get back to London for a week Mt. 68. boswp:ll's life of johnson. o35 and rejoice at Miss Rasay's advancement, and wish Sir Allan success. *' I hope to meet you somewhere towards the north, but am loath to come quite to Carlisle. Can we not meet at Manchester ? But we will •settle it in some other letters. •' Mr. Seward ', a great favourite at Streatham, has been, I think, enkindled by our travels with a curiosity to see the Highlands. I have given him j letters to you and Beattie. He desires that a lodg- ing may be taken for him at Edinburgh against his arrival. He is just setting out. Langton has ' been exercising the militia.^ Mrs. Williams is, I fear, declining. Dr. Lawrence says he can do no more. She is gone to summer in the country, with as many conveniences about her as she can expect ; but T have no great hope. We must all die ; may we all be prepared ! '• I suppose Miss Boswell reads her book, and young .\lexander takes to his learning. Let me hear about them ; for every thing that belongs to you, belongs in a more remote degree, and not, I liope, very remote, to, dear Sir, yours affectionately, " S.\5i. Johnson"." JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. (Bt/ Mr. Seward.) •'June 24. 1777. '■ Dear Sir, — This gentleman is a great f;ivourite at Streatham, and therefore you will easily believe that he has very valuable qualities. Our narrative has kindled him with a desire of visiting the High- lands, after having already seen a great part of Europe. You must receive him as a friend, and when you have directed him to the curiosities of Edinburgh, give him instructions and recommend- ations for the rest of his journey. " I am, dear Sir, &c., Sam. Johnson." Johnson's benevolence to the unfortunate was, I am confident, as steady and active as that of any of those who have been most eminently distinguished for that virtue. In- numerable proofs of it I have no doubt will be for ever concealed from mortal eyes. AVe may, however, form some judgment of it from the uiany and various instances Avhich have been iliscovered. One, which happened in the course ii;s Boswkll." It ai)pear3 that Johnson, now in his sixty- | eighth year, ■was seriously inclined to realise i the project of our sroing up the Baltic, which [ I had started when we were in the Isle of Sky; ; for he thus writes to ]Mi-s. Thrale : — j "Ashbourne, 13th Sept. 1777 Boswell, Ii believe, is coming. He talks of being here to-day : ] I shall be glad to see him ; but he shrinks from the Baltic expedition, which, I think, is the best scheme in our power : what we shall substitute, I know j not. He wants to see Wales ; but, except the I woods of Buck y Graig [p. 419.], what is there in ' [ Wales that can fill the hunger of ignorance, or ; ' quench the thirst of curiosity ? We may, perhaps, j ' form some scheme or other ; but, in the phrase of i Hockley in the Hole, it is pity he has not better 1 i bottom." Such an ardour of mind, and vigour of enterprise, is adniirable at any age ; but more particularly so at the advanced period at which 1 Johnson was then arrived. I am sorry now j that I did not insist on our executing that scheme. Besides the other objects of curiosity I and observation, to have seen my illustrious ! friend .received, as he probably would have • been, by a prince so eminently distinguished I for his variety of talents and acquisitions as the I late King of Sweden, and by the Empress of t Russia, whose extraordinary abilities, in- 1 formation, and magnanimity, astonish the \ world, would have allin-ded a noble subject for contemplation and record. This reflection ' may possibly be thought too visionary by the ; more sedate and cold-blooded part of my • readers ; yet I own I frequently indulge it I with an earnest, unavailing regret. JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " Aslibourno, Sept. II. 1777. " Dkar Sir, — I write to be left at Carlisle, as you direct me : but you cannot have it. Your letter, dated Sept. Gth, was not at this place till this day, Thursday, Sept. 1 1 th ; and I hope you I will be here before this is at Carlisle.' However, I what you have not going, you may have returning ; : and as I believe I shall not love you less after our i interview, it will then be as true as it is now, that I I set a very high value upon your friendship, and count your kindness as one of the chief felicities of my life. Do not fancy that an intermission of I writing is a decay of kindness. No man is alwavs in a disposition to write ; nor has any man at all j times something to say. I " That distrust which intrudes so often on your mind is a mode of melancholy, which, if it be the business of a wise man to be happy, it is foolish to indulge ; and, if it be a duty to preserve our facul- ties entire for their proper ust;, it is criminal. Suspicion is very often an useless pain. l-'rom that, and all other pains, I wish you free and safe ; for I am, dear Sir, &c., S.v.m. Johnson." [JOHNSON TO MRS. ASTON. " .\shbourne, Sept. 13. 1777. " Dear Madam, — As I left you so much dis- ordered, a fortnight is a long lime to be without any account of your health. 1 am willing to flatter myself that you are better, though you gave me no reason to believe that you intended to use any means for your recovery. Nature often performs wonders, and will, I hope, do for you more than you seem inclined to do for yourself " In this weakness of body, with which it has pleased God to visit you, he has given you great cause of thankfulness, by the total exemption of your mind from all effects of your disorder. Your memory is not less comprehensive or distinct, nor your reason loss vigorous and acute, nor your ima- gination less active and sprightly than in any former time of your life. This is a great blessing, as it respects enjoyment of the present ; and a blessing yet far greater, as it bestows power and opportunity to prepare for the future. " All sickness is a summons. But as you do not want exhortations, I will send you only my good wishes, and exhort you to believe the good wishes very sincere, of, dear Madam, &c., — Panbroke MSS. "Sam. Johnson."] CHAPTER LIX. 1777. Boswell at Ashbourne. — Grief for Relatives mid Friends. — Incomes of Curates. — Johnson s Inter- ference for Dr. Dodd.— Mr. Fitzherbert. — Hamil- ton of Bungour. — Bleeding. — Hume. — Fear of Death. — Duties of a Biographer Stuart Family. — Birth-days. — Warlon's Potms. On Sunday evening, Sept. 14., I arrived at Ashbourne, and drove directly up to Dr. Tay- ' It so hnpponeil. The letter was forwarded to my home at Kiiiiiburgh. — Boswell. 540 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1771 lor s door. Dr. Johnson and he appeared before I had got out of the post-chaise, and welcomed me cordially.' I told them that I had travelled all the pre- ceding night, and gone to bed at Leek, in Staffordshire ; and that when I rose to go to church in the afternoon, I was informed there had been an earthquake, of which, it seems, the shock had been felt in some degree at Ashbourne. Johnson. " Sir, it will be much exaggerated in public talk : for, in the first place, the common people do not accurately adapt their thoughts to the objects; nor, secondly, do they accurately adapt their words to their thoughts : they do not mean to lie ; but, taking no pains to be exact, they give you very false accounts. A great part of their lan- guage is proverbial. If any thing rocks at all, they say it rocks like a cradle ; and in this way they go on." The subject of grief for the loss of relations and friends being introduced, I observed that it was strange to consider how soon it in general wears away. Dr. Taylor mentioned a gentle- man of the neighbourhood as the only instance he had ever known of a person who had en- deavoured to retain grief. He told Dr. Taylor, that after his lady's death, which affected him deeply, he resolved that the grief, which he cherished with a kind of sacred fondness, should be lasting ; but that he found he could not keep it long. Johnson. "All grief for what cannot in the course of nature be helped soon wears away ; in some sooner indeed, in some later ; but it never continues very long, unless where there is madness, such as will make a man have pride so fixed in his mind as to imagine himself a king ; or any other pas- sion in an unreasonable way : for all unneces- sary grief is unwise, and therefore will not be long retained by a sound mind. If, indeed, the cause of our grief is occasioned by our own mis- conduct, if grief is mingled with remorse of conscience, it should be lasting." Boswell. " But, Sir, we do not approve of a man who very soon forgets the loss of a wife or a friend." Johnson. " Sir, we disapprove of him, not be- cause he soon forgets his grief, for the sooner it is forgotten the better ; but because we suppose, that if he forgets his wife or his friend soon, he has not had much affection for them." I was somewhat disappointed in finding that the edition of the " English Poets," for which he was to write prefaces and lives, was not an undertaking directed by him, but that he was to furnish a preface and life to any poet the booksellers pleased. I asked him if he would do this to any dunce's works, if they should ask him. Johnson. " Yes, Sir ; and say he was a dunce." My friend seemed now ! not much to relish talking of this edition. On Monday, Sept. 15., Dr. Johnson ob-i served, that every body commended such parts of his " Journey to the Western Islands " as were in their own way. " For instance," said he, " Mr. Jackson (the all-knowing), [antty \ p. 136.] told me there was more good sense: upon trade in it, than he should hear in the! i House of Commons in a year, except from! Burke. Jones conuuended the part which! I treats of language ; Burke, that which de-^ : scribes the inhabitants of mountainous coun- tries." ^ I After breakfiist, Johnson carried me to see; the garden belonging to the school of Ash-;, bourne, which is very prettily formed upon a bank, rising gradually behind the house. Th« Rev. Mr. Langley, the head-master [ante^ p 416.], accompanied us. While we sat basking in the sun upon a seal here, I introduced a common subject of com- plaint, the very small salaries which manj curates have; and I maintained, that no mai should be invested with the character of v clergyman, unless he has a security for sucl an income as will enable him to appear re j spectable ; that, therefore, a clergyman shoulc not be allowed to have a curate, unless hii gives him a hundred pounds a year; if hi cannot do that, let him perform the duty him self. Johnson. " To be sure. Sir, it is wronj' that any clergyman should be without a reai sonable income ; but as the church revenue; were sadly diminished at the Reformation, th* clergy who have livings cannot afford, in man j instances, to give good salaries to curates- without leaving themselves too little; and, ij no curate were to be permitted unless he ha: a hundred pounds a year, their number woul be very small, which would be a disadvantagf as then there would not be such choice in th nursery for the church, curates being candi dates for the higher ecclesiastical offices, ac, cording to their merit and good behaviour.' He explained the system of the English hiei archy exceedingly well. "It is not thougl fit," said he, " to trust a man with the care (■' a parish till he has given proof, as a curate, thf| he shall deserve such a trust." This is ai excellent theory; and if the practice wer according to it, the church of England wouli be admirable indeed. However, as I hai; heard Dr. Johnson observe as to the univei: sities, bad practice does not infer that the cor^ stitution is bad. We had with us at dinner several of D' Taylor's neighbours, good civil gentlemen, wl; seemed to understand Dr. Johnson very wel, and not to consider him in the light that a ce; 1 Johnson writes to IMrs. Thrale on the 15th: "Last night came Boswell. I am glad that he is come, and seems to be very brisk and lively, and laughs a little at ." No doubt his host, Dr. Taylor — Croker. 2 Johnson evidently thought, either that Ireland is gen : rally mountainous, or that Mr.- Burke came from a part whi was : but he was mistaken — Crokkr, 1847. ' ZEt. 68. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 541 a ill person [(Jeorge Garrick] did, who being ■ truck, or rather stunned, by his voice and iianner, when he was afterwards asked what ic thought ol' him, answered, "He's a tre- iR'iulous comjianion." Joluison toll me, that "Taylor was a very ^iiisible acute man, and had a strong mind : that he had great activity in some respects, md yet such a sort of indolence, that if you -liouid put a pebble xipon his chimney-piece, vou would iind it there, in the same state, a \ i;tr afterwards." And here is a proper place to give an aiH'ount of Johnson's humane and zealous interference in behalf of the Reverend Dr. I William Dodd, formerly prebendary of Brecon, jiand chaplain in ordinary to his majesty ; cele- jfbrated as a very popular preacher', an en- jicourager of charitable institutions, and author Ijof a variety of works, chiefly theological. jIHaving unhappily contracted expensive habits Ijof living, partly occasioned by licentiousness llof manners, he in an evil houi', when pressed by want of money, and dreading an exposure lit" his circumstances, forged a bond, of which \i'' attempted to avail himself to support his credit, flattering himself with hopes that he j'niight be able to repay its amount without fbeing detected. The person whose name he thus rasldy and criminally ])resumed to falsify was the Earl of Chesterfield, to whom he had been tutor, and who he perhaps, in the warmth of his feelings, flattered himself would have generously paid the money in case of an alarm being taken, rather, than suffer him to fall a victim to the dreadful consequences of violat- ing the law against forgery, the most dangerous I crime in a commercial country: but the un- i fortunate divine had the mortification to find that he was mistaken. His noble pupil ap- peared against him, and he was capitally con- victed. Johnson told me that Dr. Dodd was very little acquainted with him, having been but once'^ in his company, many years previous to this period (which was precisely the state of my own acquaintance with Dodd) ; but in his distress he bethought himself of Johnson's persuasive power of writing, if haply it might avail to obtain for him the royal mercy. He did not apply to him directly, but, extra- ordinary as it may seem, through the late > Horace Walpole, who was one of a large fashionable party who attended Prince Edward to the Magdalen asylum, gives the following account of Dodd's exhilntion as "a popular preacher : " — " As soon as we entered the chapel the organ played, and the Magdalens sung a hymn in parts. You cannot imagine how well. The chapel was dressed with orange and myrtle, and there wanted nothing but a little incense to drive away the devil, or to invite him. Prayers then began ; Psalms and a sermon ; the latter by a young clergyman, one Dodd, who contributed to the Popish idea one had imbibed, by ha- ranguing entirely in the French style, and very eloquently and touchingly. He apostrophised the lost sheep, who sobbed and cried from their souls : so did my Lady Hertford and Fanny Pelham ; till, 1 believe, the city dames took them for Jane Shores. The confessor then turned to the audience, and addressed himself to his Royal Highness, whom he called viost illustrious prince, beseeching his protection. In short, Countess of Harrington s, who wrote a letter to Johnson, asking him to employ his pen in favour of Dodd. Mv. Allen, the printer, who was Johnson's landlord and next neighbour in Bolt-court, and for whom he liad much kind- ness, was one of Dodd's friends, of whom, to the credit of humanity be it recorded, that he had many who did not desert him, even after his infringement of the law had reduced him to the state of a man under sentence of death. Mr. Allen told me that he carried Laily Har- rington's letter to Johnson ; that Johnson read it, walking up and down his chamber, and seemed much agitated, after which he said, "I will do what I can;" and certainly he did make extraordinary exertions. He this evening, as he had obligingly pro- mised in one of his letters, put into my hands the whole series of his writings upon this melancholy occasion, and I shall present my readers with the abstract whicii I made from the collection; in doing which I studied to avoid copying* what had appeared in print, and now make part of the edition of " John- son's Works," published by the booksellers of London, but taking care to mark Johnson's variations in some of the pieces there ex- hibited. Dr. Johnson wrote, in the first place. Dr. Dodd's " Speech to the Recorder of London," at tlie Old Bailey, when sentence of death was about to be pronounced upon him. He wrote also " The Convict's Address to his unhappy Brethren," a sermon delivered by Dr. Dodd in the chapel of Newgate. Accord- ing to Johnson's manuscript, it degan thus after the text. What shall I do to be saved ?^ " These were the words with whicli the keeper, to whose custody Paul and Silas were committed by their prosecutors, addressed his prisoners, whien he saw them freed from their bonds by the per- ceptible agency of divine favour, and was, therefore, irresistibly convinced that they were not ofTenders against the laws, hut martyrs to the truth." Dr. Johnson was so good as to mark for me with his own hand, on a copy of this sermon which is now in my possession, such passages as were added by Dr. Dodd. They are not many : whoever will take the trouble to look at the printed copy, and attend to what I mention, will be satisfied of this. it was a very pleasing performance, and I got the viost illus- trious to desire it might be printed.— Waljiole to Mutitagu, 28lli Jan. 17G0. — Choker, 1847. 2 See Dr. Dodd's account of this meeting, posi, April 13. 1778, n. — CtioKER, 1835. 3 Caroline, eldest daughter of the Duke of Grafton and wife of William, the second Earl of Harrington. — Malone. Lady Harrington's interest about Dodd arose probably from his former connexion with the elder branch of the Stanhope family ; but I cannot discover why she should have thought of applying for Johnson's assistance Citoiiiiit. ■* This reserve arose from Boswell's jealousy about copti- rit;lit (see ante, p. 184. n. 4.), but it seems stran;,'e how they, delivered and published as they^ were as Dr. Dodd's, rould have become subject to copyright as Dr. Johnson's. 'I'hey were in Hawkins's edition, but are not in the common collections of Johnson's works Croker. 5 \Vh:it must 1 do to be saved ? — Acts, c. 17. v. 30. — C. 542 BOSWELL'S LITE OF JOHNSON. 1777. There is a short introduction byDr. Dodd, and he also inserted this sentence : " You see with what confusion and dishonour I now stand before you ; no more in the pulpit of instruction, but on this humble seat with your- selves." The notes are entirely Dodd's own, and Johnson's writing ends at the words, " the thief whom he pardoned on the cross." What follows was supplied by Dr. Dodd himself.' The other pieces mentioned by Johnson in the above mentioned collection are two letters ; one to the Lord Chancellor Bathurst (not Lord North, as is erroneously supposed), and one to Lord Mansfield. A petition from Dr. Dodd to the King. A petition from JMrs. Dodd to the Queen. Observations of some length inserted in the newspapers, on occasion of 1 Earl Percy's having presented to his majesty a petition for mercy to Dodd, signed by twenty thousand people, but all in vain. He told me that he had also written a petition for the city of London ; " but (said he, with a significant smile) they mended it." " The last of these articles which Johnson wrote is " Dr. Dodd's last solemn Declaration," which he left with the sheriff at the place of execution. Here also my friend marked the variations on a copy of that piece now in my possession. Dodd inserted, " I never knew or attended to the calls of frugality, or the need- ful minuteness of painful economy ; " and in the next sentence he introduced the words which I distinguished by italics : " my life for some few unhappij years past has been dread- fully erroneous.''' Johnson's expression was hypocritical : but his remark on the margin is, " With this he said he could not charge him- self." Having thus authentically settled ivliat part of the " Occasional Papers," concerning Dr. Dodd's miserable situation came from the pen of Johnson, I shall proceed to present my readers with my record of the unpublished writings relating to that extraordinary and interesting matter. I found a letter to Dr. Johnson from Dr. Dodd, May 23. 1777, in which " The Con- vict's Address " seems clearly to be meant : — 1 Dr. Johnson, in a letter from Lichfield, relates with snnie complacency, that Miss Porter (whom he had not told of his transactions with Dr. Dodd), said, " when I read Dr. Dodd's Sermon to the Prisoners, I said. Dr. Johnson could not make a better." Letters, i. 352. But he was not, I dare sa}-, equally flattered Avith the criticism on it in the Gentle- man's Magazine, v. 47. p. 450 : "As none but a convict could have written this, all convicts ought to read it." — Croker. •-! Having unexpectedly, by the favour of Mr. Stone, of London Field, Hackney, seen the original in Johnson's hand- writing of " The Petition of the City of London to his Ma- jesty, in favour of Dr. Dodd," I now present it to my readers, with such passages as were omitted enclosed in crotchets, and the additions or variations marked in italics : — " That William Dodd, Doctor of Laws, now lying under sentence of death in your jnajesty's gaol of iiewgate for the crime of forgery, has for a great part of his life set a useful and laudable example of diligence in his calling [and, as we have reason to believe, has exercised his ministry with great fidelity and efficacy], which, in many instances, has produced the most happy effect. "That be has been the first institutor [cr] and a very ear- DR. DODD TO DR. JOHNSON. " I am so penetrated, my ever dear Sir, with ai sense of your extreme benevolence towards me, that I cannot find words equal to the sentiments of my heart. '' You are too conversant in the world to needi the slightest hint from me of what infinite utility ; the speech ' o'^ the awful day has been to me. 1 1 experience, every hour, some good effect from it. i 1 am sure that effects still more salutary and im- i jjortant must follow from your kind and intended ' favonr. I will labour — God being my helper — to do justice to it from the pulpit. I am sure, had I your sentiments constantly to deliver from thence, i in all their mighty force and power, not a soul ; could be left unconvinced and unpersuaded. [ " May God Almighty bless and reward, with his choicest comforts, your philanthropic actions, , and enable me at all times to express what I feel of the high and uncommon obligations which I owe to the Jirst man in our times ! " ; On Sunday, June 22., he writes, begging ; Dr. Johnson's assistance in framing a suppli- ' catory letter to his majesty : j " If his majesty could be moved of his royal cle- i mency to spare me and my family the horrors and ; ignominy of a public death, which the public itself 1 is solicitous to wave, and to grant me in some silent i distant corner of tlie globe to pass the remainder of ! my days in penitence and prayer, 1 would bless his '. clemency and be humbled." [ This letter was brought to Dr. Johnson when ' in church. He stooped down and read it *; and ; wrote, when he went home, the following letter | for Dr. Dodd to the king : — " Sia, — May it not offend your majesty, that ' the most miserable of men applies himself to your | clemency, as his last hope and his last refuge ; that ; your mercy is most earnestly and humbly iirplored • by a clergyman, whom your * laws and judges have ; condemned to the horror and ignominy of a public , execution. | " I confess the crime, and own the enormity of : its consequences, and the danger of its example. , Nor have I the confidence to petition for impunity ; ; but humbly hope, that public security may be esta- j blished, without the spectacle of a clergyman drag- i gcd through the streets, to a death of infamy, amidst ; i nest and active promoter of several modes of useful charity, j and [that], therefore [he], may be considered as having been . on many occasions a benefactor to the public. j " [I'hat when they consider his past life, they are willing j to suppose his late crime to have been, not the consequence j of habitual depravity, but the suggestion of some sudden and violent temptation.] ! " [That] your petitioners, therefore, considering his case i as, in some of its circumstances, unprecedented and peculiar, f and encouraged by your majestt/'s known clemency, [they] j most humbly recommend the said William Dodd to [his] | your majesty's most gracious consideration, in hopes that he n will be found not altogether [unfit] unworthy to stand an ] example of royal mercy." — Boswell. | It docs seem tht-t these few alterations were amendments, i —Croker. I 3 His speech at the Old Bailey when found guilty — Bos- well. ■I He afterwards expressed a hope that this deviation from the duties of the place would be forgiven him, — Croker. 5 Mr. Chalmers thought, and 1 agree with him, this phrase indecorous and unconstitutional. — Crokek. Et. 68. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 543 he derision of the profligate and profane ; and that u: tice may be satisfied with irrevocable exile, per- H tual disgrace, and hopeless penury. • ;My life, Sir, has not been useless to mankind. i;ive benefited many. But my offences against 1 are numberless, and I have had little time for ntance. Preserve me. Sir, by your prerogative mercy, from the necessity of appearing unpre- lared at tliat tribunal, before which kings and sub- ects must stand at last together. Perm.it me to lide my guilt in some obscure corner of a foreign ountry, where, if I can ever attain confidence to lope that my prayers will be heard, they shall be [lOured with all the fervour of gratitude, for the life |.nd happiness of your majesty. " I am. Sir, your majesty's, &c." I DR. JOHNSON TO DR. DODD. " Sir, — I most scrisusly enjoin you not to let it le at all known that I have written this letter, and jo return the copy to ilr. Allen in a cover to me. L^hope I need not tell you that I wish it success, put do not indulge hope. Tell nobody." Tt happened luckily that 'Mx. Allen was 'itched on to assist in tliis melancholy office, 'I'V he was a great friend of INIr. Akerman, the ; aid by ^ir. Jenkinson (al'ter- wards Earl of J-riverpool), and that he did not even deign to show the common civility of owning the receipt of it. I could not but wonder at such conduct in the noble lord, whose own character and just elevation in life, I thought, must have impressed him witli all due regard ibr great abilities and attainments. As the story had been much talked of, and ap- 2:)arently from good authority, I coidd not but have animadverted upon it in this work, had it been as was alleged ; but from my earnest love of truth, and having found reason to think that tliere might be a mistake, I presumed to write to his lordship, recjuesting an explanation ; and it is with the sincerest pleasure that I am enabled to ■ assure the world that there is no foundation ibr it, the fact being, that owing to some neglect or accident, Johnson's letter never came to Lord Liverpool's hands. I should have thought it strange indeed, if that noble lord had undervalued my illustrious friend ' ; but instead of this being the case, his lordship, in the very polite answer with which he was pleased immediately to honour me, thus ex- presses himself : " 1 have always respected the memory of Dr. Johnson, and admire his writings ; and I frequently read many parts of them with pleasure and great improvement." AH applications for the royal mercy having failed. Dr. Dodd prepared himself for death ; and, with a warmth of gratitude, wrote to Dr. Johnson as follows : — DR. DODD TO JOHNSON. "June 25. midnight. " Accept, thou f/reat and c/ood heart, my earnest and fervent thanks and prayers for all thy benevo- lent and kind efforts in my behalf — Oh ! Dr. Johnson ! as I sought your knowledge at an early hour in life, would to Heaven I had cultivated the love and acquaintance of so excellent a man! — I pray God most sincerely to bless you with the highest transports — the in-felt satisfaction of hu- mane and benevolent exertions ! — And admitted, as I trust I shall be, to the realms of bliss before you, I shall iiail i/our arrival there with transports, and rejoice to acknowledge that you were my com- forter, my advocate, and my friend ! God be ever with you ! " Dr. Johnson lastly wrote to Dr. Dodd this solemn and sootliing letter : — influence with the king on a matter so wholly foreign to his duties and station, was a kind of verification of the fland'^r, to which Mr. Jenkinson might naturally line bii a nluctant to assent. — Croker. 544 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. jt; JOHNSON TO DODD. "June 20. 1777. " Dear Si.i, — That which is appointed to all men is now coming upon you. Outward circum- stances, the eyes and the thoughts of men, are below the notice of an immortal being about to stand the trial for eternity, before the Supreme Judge of heaven and earth. Be comforted : your crime, morally or religiously considered, has no very deep dye of turpitude. It corrupted no man's principles ; it attacked no man's life. It involved only a temporary and reparable injury. Of this, and of all other sins, you are earnestly to repent ; and may God, who knoweth our frailty, and de- sireth not our death, accept your repentance, for the sake of his son Jesus Clirist, our Lord ! " In requital of those well-intended offices which you are pleased so emphatically to acknow- ledge, let me beg that you make in your devotions one i)etition for ray eternal welfare. I am, dear Sir, your most affectionate servant, " Sam, Johnson." Under the copy of this letter I found written, in Johnson's own hand, "Next day, June 27., he was executed." ' To conclude this interesting episode with a useful application, let us now attend to the reflections of Johnson at the end of the " Oc- casional Papers," concerning the unfortunate Dr. Dodd. " Such were the last thoughts of a man whom wii have seen exulting in popularity and sunk in shame. For his reputation, which no man can give to himself, those who conferred it are to answer. Of his public ministry, the means of judging were sufficiently attainable. He must be allowed to preach well whose sermons strike his audience with forcible conviction. Of ids life, those who thought it consistent with his doctrine did not originally form false notions. He was at first what he en- deavoured to make others ; but the world broke down his resolution, and he in time ceased to exemplify his own instructions. I " Let those who are tempted to his faults tremble I at his punishment ; and those whom he impressed I from the pulpit with religious sentiments endeavour to confirm them, by considering the regret and self-abhorrence with which he reviewed in prison his deviations from rectitude." ^ Johnson gave us this evening, in his happy discriminative manner, a portrait of the late Mr. Fitzherbert ^ of Derbyshire. " There was," said he, " no sparkle, no brilliancy in Fitzher- bert ; but I never knew a man who was so generally acceptable. He made every bodv (juite easy, overpowered nobody by the supe'-; riority of his talents, made no man think worse of himself by being his rival, seemed always to listen, did not oblige you to hear much from; him, and did not oppose what you said. Every body liked him ; but he had no friends, as I understand the word, nobody with whom he exchanged intimate thoughts. People were, willing to think well of every thing about him. A gentleman was making an affecting rant, as , many people do, of great feelings about ' his ! dear son,' who was at school near London;} how anxious he was lest he might be ill, and,! what he would give to see him. ' Can't you,'; said Fitzherbert, ' take a post-chaise and go to! him ? ' This, to be sure, finished the affected j man, but there was not much in it.** However, this was circulated as wit for a whole winter, • and I believe part of a summer too ; a proof ! that he was no very witty man. He was an 1 instance of the truth of the observation, that ai : man will please more upon the whole by ue- - I gative qualities than by positive; by never i offending, than by giving a great deal of de-! light. In the first place, men hate more steadily ; than they love; and if I have said something! to hurt a man once, I shall not get the better'; of this by saying many things to please him." ; Tuesday, September 16., Dr. Johnson having' mentioned to me the extraordinary size and' price of some cattle reared by Dr. Taylor, I; rode out with our host, surveyed his farm, and; was shown one cow which he had sold for a: hundred and twenty guineas, and another for which he had been offered a hundred and thirty. Taylor thus described to me his old schoolfellow and friend, Johnson : — " He is a man of a very clear head, great power of words,) and a very gay imagination ; but there is mv disputing with him. He will not hear you,; and, having a louder voice than you, must roar; you down," •■ In the afternoon I tried to get Dr. Johnsoci > See Miss Reynolds's BecoUectfons. — Choker. 2 Hawkins says, " Johnson was deeply concerned at the failure of the petitions in behalf of Dr. Dodd. But al- though he assisted in the solicitations for pardon, yet, in his private judgment, he thought Dodd unworthy of "it ; having been known to say, that had he been the adviser of the king, he should have told hinn, that, in pardoning Dodd, his justice in consigning the Perreaus to their sentence would have been called in question." — Life. There is no doubt that the king's personal wish was to have saved Dodd's life ; but the recent fate of the Perreaus, and the unhappy man's own previous cha- racter, had some influence in the opposite direction. Indeed it somewhat alleviates the pain with which, even at this dis- tance of time, one reads this lamentable story, to recollect that Dodd's oflence was not the momentary aberration of an otherwise good and pious man ; but that his ulinli- life had been irregular, and some of it scand:ilnii king's ch ii«l I I ' 'rtrmpt at simony. He married indiscreetly, in I .: i kms, a person of inferior station, but ot m) i. , ,iity as to lose her reason at liis dcatli ; and .-.Ik d. i, .u! ui.ul, in 1784. Fuotc, in his play of the Cozt-neii (1771,1, liad nitro- duced her as Mrs. Simony, and the description he puts intc, her mouth of ' her doctor,' as a ' populous preacher,' was bull little exaggerated ; but all these disparaging circumstances, Johnson, and indeed everybody, were willing to forget ir, the presence of so great a calamity. Dodd was in his forty-; ninth year.— Croker, 1847. 3 See ante, pp. 110. 225. See also Mrs. Piozzi's Anecdotes] (p. 122.) for Johnson's striking sketches of Mr. Fitzherberi and his excellent lady — Crokeb. i 1 Dr. Gisborne, physician to his Majesty's household, ha' obligingly communicated to me a fuller account of this stor), than had reached Dr.- Johnson. The affected gentlemai was the late John Gilbert Cooper, Esq., author of a Life o ; Socrates, and of some poems in Dodsley's collection. Mr Fitzherbert found him one morning, apparently, in such;' violent agitation, on account of the indisposition of his son j as to seem beyond the power of comfort. At length, how- ever, he rxi laimed, " I '11 write an elegy." Mr. Fitzherbert;, being satisfied by this of the sincerity of his (.-motions, sUlj; said, " Had not yon better take a post-chaise, and go and sei, him?" It was the shrewdness of the Insinuation which made the ttory be circulated. — Bosvvell. ; .! 'I Mr. 68. BOSAVELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 545 1 to like the Poems of Mr. Hamilton of Ban- i gour ', which I had brought with me: I had been much pleased with them at a very early age : the impression still remained on my mind ; it was confirmed by the opinion of my friend the Hon. Andrew Erskine, himself both a good poet and a good critic, who thought Hamilton as true a poet as ever wrote, and that his not ; having fame was imaccountable. Johnson, upon repeated occasions, while I was at Ashbourne, :• talked slightingly of Hamilton. He said there was no power of thinking in his verses, nothing that strikes one, nothing better than what you generally find in magazines ; and that the highest praise they deserved was, that they were very well for a gentleman to hand about , among his friends. He said the imitation of : Ne sit anciUcB tihi amor, &c. was too solemn : i he read part of it at the beginning. He read : the beautiful pathetic song, " Ah, the poor ; shepherd's mournful fate," and did not seem i to give attention to what I hail been used to I think tender elegant strains, but laughed at ithe rhyme, in Scotch pronunciation, icishes and \hhishes, reading washes — and there he stopped. i He owned that the epitaph on Lord Newhall jwas pretty well done. He read the " Inscrip- jtion in a Summer-house," and a little of the limitations of Horace's Epistles; but said he found nothing to make him desire to read on. When I urged that there were some good poetical passages in the book, "Where," said he, " will you find so large a collection without some?" I thought the description ofAVinter might obtain his approbation : " See Winter, from the frozen north, Drives his iron chariot forth ! His grisly hand in icy chains Fair Tweeda's silver flood constrains,' &c. He asked why an ^^iron chariot?" and said j" icy chains " was an old image. I was struck with the uncertainty of taste, and somewhat sorry that a poet whom I had long read with '(fondness was not approved by Dr. Johnson. I comforted myself with thinking that the beau- ties were too delicate for his robust percep- tions. Garrick^ maintained that he had not a taste for the finest productions of genius : but I was sensible, that when he took the trouble to analyse critically, he generally convinced us that he was right. I In the evening the Rev. Mr. Seward, of Lichfield, wlio was passing through Ashbourne in his way home, drank tea with us. Johnson described him thus : " Sir, his ambition is to be a fine talker; so he goes to Buxton and • See anie, p. 276. We may suspect th.it Boswell's ad- miration of Hamilton was enhanced by something even stronger tli.in mere nationality. Hamilton was a gentleman of .\yrshire, Boswell's own county, and actually Ijore arms at CiiUoden, for the Jacobite cause. His poetry is best 'remembered by Johnson's lucky refusal to read it. — Croker. * An attentive reader can have hardly failed to observe the art with which Boswell, when Johnson happens to have such places, where he may find companies to listen to him. And, Sir, he is a valetudinarian, one of those who are always mending them- selves. I do not know a more disagreeable character than a valetudinarian, who thinks he may do any thing that is for his ease, and indulges himself in the grossest freedoms : Sir, he brings himself to the state of a hog in a sty." Dr. Taylor's nose happening to bleed, he said it was because he had omitted to have himself blooded four days after a quarter of a year's interval. Dr. Johnson, who was a great dabbler in physic, disapproved nmch of pe- riodical bleeding. " For," said he, " you ac- custom yourself to an evacuation whicli nature cannot perform of herself, and therefore she cannot help you, should you from forgetfulness or any other cause omit it ; so you may be suddenly suffocated. You may accustom your- self to other periodical evacuations, because, should you omit them, nature can supply the omission ; but nature cannot open a vein to blood you." 3 "I do not like to take an emetic," said Taylor, "for fear of breaking some small vessels." "Poh!" said Johnson, " if you have so many things that will break, you had better break your neck at once, and there's an end on't. You will break no small vessels" (blowing with high derision). I mentioned to Dr. Johnson, that David Hume's persisting in his infidelity when he was dying shocked me much. Johnson. " Wli^ i should it shock you, Sir ? Hume owned he "] had never read the New Testament with at- tention. Here, then, was a man who had been at no pains to inquire into the truth of religion, and had continually turned his mind the other way. It was not to be expected that the prospect of death would alter his way of think- ing, unless God should send an angel to set him right." IsaidI bad reason to believe that the thought of annihilation gave Hume no pain. Johnson. "It was not s5,' Sir. He H39'a vanity in being thought easy. It is more probable that he should assume an appearance of ease, than that so very improbable a thing should be, as a man not afraid of going (as, in spite of his delusive theory, he cannot be sure but he may go) into an unknown state, and not being uneasy at leaving all he knew. And you are to consider, that upon his own principle of annihilation he had no motive to speak the truth." * The horror of death, which I had always oliserved in Dr. Johnson, appeared strong to-night. I ventured to tell him, that I had been, lor moments in my life, not afraid J thwarted some of his own feelings or prejudices, brings in some auxiliary to depreciate the judgment of his great friend — Choker. 1847. 3 Nature, however, may supply the evacuation by an hemorrhage. — Kearney. ■• Johnson, says Hawkins, would never hear Hume mrn- lioned with any temper. "A man," .«aid ho, " who en- deavoured to persuade his friend, who had the stone, to ' " Apoph. — C'KOKBR. N N shoot himself ! ' X 546 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1777. of death ; therefore I could suppose another i man in that state of mind for a considerable j space of time. He said, " he never had a moment in which death was not terrible to j him." He added, that it had been observed, 1 that scarce any man dies in public but with j apparent resolution ; from that desire of praise | which never quits us. I said, Dr. Dodd i seemed to be willing to die, and full of hopes j of happiness. " Sir," said he, " Dr. Dodd 1 would have given both his hands and both his legs to have lived. The better a man is, the more afraid is he of death, having a clearer view of inlinite purity." He owned, that our being in an unhappy uncertainty as to our salvation was mysterious ; and said, " Ah ! we must wait till we are in another state of being to have many things explained to us." Even the powerful mind of Johnson seemed foiled by futurity. But I thought, that the gloom of uncertainty in solemn religious speculation, being mingled with hope, was yet more conso- latory than the emptiness of infidelity. A man can live in thick an-, but perishes in an exhausted receiver. Dr. Johnson was much pleased with a re- mark which I told him Avas made to me by General Paoli : " That it is impossible not to be afraid of death ; and that those who at the time of dying are not afraid, are not thinking of death, but of applause, or something else, which keeps death out of their sight : so that all men are equally afraid of death when they see it ; only some have a power of turning their sight away from it better than others." On Wednesday, September 17., Dr. Butter, physician at Derby, drank tea with us ; and it was settled that Dr. Johnson and I should go on Friday and dine with him. Johnson said, " I am glad of this." He seemed weary of the uniformity of life at Dr. Taylor's. Talking of biography, I said, in writing a life, a man's peculiarities should be mentioned, because they mark his character. Johnson. " Sir, there is no doubt as to peculiarities : the question is, whether a man's vices should be mentioned ; for instance, whether it should be mentioned that Addison and Parnell drank too freely ' ; for people will probably more easily indulge in drinking from knowing this ; so tliat more ill may be done by the example, than good by telling the whole truth." Here was an instance of his varying from himself in tdk ; for when Lord Hailes and he sat one morning calmly conversing in my house at Edinburgh, I well remember that Dr. Johnson maintained, that, " if a man is to write a Panegyric, he may keep vices out of sight ; but if he professes to write a Life, he must represent it really as it was : " and when I objected to the danger of Horace had no scruple about it Narratur et prisci Catonis, Sa;pe mero caluisse virtus Od. iii. 21. ' Old Gate's virtue, often warmed with wine."— Cuoker. Dr. Taylor was very ready to make this admission, be- telling that Parnell drank to excess, he saiS^" ' that " it would produce an instructive caution to avoid di'inking, when it was seen that even the learning and genius of Parnell could be de- based by it." And in the Hebrides he main- tained [p. 345.] that a man's intimate friend should mention his faults if he writes his life. He had this evening, partly, I suppose, fronr~ the spirit of contradiction to his Whig friend, a violeiYf ■afgunient -with Dr. Taylor, as to the inclinations of the people of England at this time towards the Royal Family of Stuart. He grew so outrageous as to say, " that if England were fairly polled, the present king would be sent away to-night, and his adherents hanged to-morrow." Taylor, who was as violent a Whig as Johnson was a Tory, was roused by this to a pitch of bellowing. He denied loudly what Johnson said ; and maintained that there was an abhorrence against the Stuart family, though he admitted that the people were not much attached to the present king." Johnson. " Sir, the state of the country is this : the peo- ple, knowing it to be agreed on all hands that this king has not the hereditary right to the crown, and thei-e being no hope that he who has it can be restored, have grown cold and in- different upon the subject of loyalty, and have no warm attachment to any king. They would not, therefore, risk any thing to restore the exiled family. They would not give twenty i shillings apiece to bring it about. But if a mere ! vote could do it, there would be twenty to one; j at least there would be a very great majority j of voices for it. For, Sir, you are to consider, j that all those who think a king has a right to ; his crown as a man has to his estate, which is j the just opinion, wovild be for restoring the ! king, who certainly has the hereditary right, ) could he be trusted with it ; in which there ! would be no danger now, when laws and every , thing else are so much advanced ; and every i king will govern by the laws. And you must j also consider. Sir, that there is nothing on the : other side to oppose to this ; for it is not al- ■ leged by any one that the present family has i any inherent right : so that the Whigs could j not have a contest between two rights." Dr. Taylor admitted, that if the question as to hereditary right were to be tried by a poll i of the people of England, to be sure the abstract ; doctrine would be given in favour of the family , of Stuart ; but he said, the conduct of that i family, which occasioned their expulsion, was j so fresh in the minds of the people, that they ! would not vote for a restoration. Dr. Johnson, » I think, was contented with the admission as , to the hereditary right, leaving the original | point in dispute, viz. what the people upon the ; whole would do, taking in right and affection ; i cause the party with which he was connected was not in power. There was then some truth in it, owing to the pertinacity of f,ictio'-s clamour. Had he lived till now, it would have been impossible for iiini to deny that his Majesty the warmest affection of his people — Boswell. iET. 69. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 547 I for he said, people were afraid of a change, even though they think it right. Dr. Taylor said something of the slight foundation of the hereditary right of the house of Stuart. " Sir," said Johnson, " the house of Stuart succeeded to the full right of both the houses of York and Lancaster, whose common source had the undisputed right. A right to a thi'one is like a right to any thing else. Possession is suf- ficient, where no better right can be shown. This was the case with the Royal Family of England, as it is now with the King of France ' : for as to the first beginning of the right we are in the dark." I T/iitrsdai/, Sept. 18. — Last night Dr. John- son had proposed that the crystal lustre, or chandelier, in Dr. Taylor's large room, should be lighted up some time or other. Taylor said it should be lighted up next night. "That will do very well," said I, " for it is Dr. John- son's birthday." "When Ave were in the Isle of Sky, Johnson had desired me not to mention tiis birthday [p. 339.]. He did not seem oleased at this time that I mentioned it, and i\lr. liurke. — Croker. ['his ' mistake. See ante, p. 140. — Croker. ^T. 69. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 551 but easy, nay, sometimes agreeable ; I suppose that this state may be produced, if we knew by what. We can heat the body, we can cool it ; we can give it tension or relaxation ; and surely it is possible to bring it into a state in which rising from bed will not be a p:un. Johnson observed, that " a man should take a sufficient quantity of sleep, which Dr. Mead says is between seven and nine hours." I told him, that Dr. CuUen said to me, that a man should not take more sleep than he can take at once. Johnson. " This rule, Sir, cannot hold in all cases ; for many people have their sleep broken by sickness ; and surely, Cullen would not have a man to get up, after having slept but an hour. Such a regimen would soon end in a long sleep." ' Dr. Taylor re- marked, I think very justly, that " a man who does not feel an inclination to sleep at the ordinary times, instead of being stronger than other people, must not be well ; for a man in health has all the natural inclinations to eat, drink, and sleep, in a strong degree." Johnson advised me to-night not to refine in the education of my children. " Life," said he, " will not bear refinement : you must do as other people do." As we drove back to Ashbourne, Dr. John- son recommended to me, as he had often done, to drink water only : " For," said he, " you are then sure not to get drunk ; whereas, if you drink wine, you are never sure." I said, drink- ing wine was a pleasure which I was unwilling to give up. " Why, Sir," said he, '■ there is no doubt that not to drink wine is a great deduction from life ; luit it may be necessary." He however owned, that in his opinion a free use of wine did not shorten life ; and said, he would not give less for the life of a certain Scotch Lord" (whom he named), celebrated for hard drinking, than for that ni' a sober man. "But stay," said he, with his usual intelligence and accuracy of inquiry — " does it take much wine to make him drunk ? " I answered, " a great deal, either of wine or strong punch." — " Then," said he, " that is the worse." I pre- sume to illustrate my friend's observation thus : " A fortress which soon surrenders has its walls less shattered than when a long and obstinate resistance is made." I ventured to mention a person who was as violent a Scotchman as he was an Englishman ; and literally had the same contempt for an Englishman compared with a Scotchman, that : he had for a Scotchman compared with an I Englishman ; and that he would say of Dr. Johnson, " Damned rascal ! to talk as he does ' of the Scotch." This seemed for a monientL_ I " to give him pause." It, perhaps, presented I his extreme prejudice against the Scotch in a I point of view somewhat new to him by the eiFect of contrast. By the time when we returned to Ashbourne, ' Dr. Taylor was gone to bed. Johnson and I ! sat up a long time by ourselves. lie was much diverted with an article which I showed him in the " Critical Review " of this year, giving an account of a curious publication, entitled " A Spiritual Diary and Soliloquies, ' l)y John Rutty, IM.D." Dr. Rutty was one of i the people called quakers, a physician of some eminence in Dublin, and author of several works. This Diary, which was kept from 17o3 to 1775, the year in which he died, and was now published in two volumes octavo, ex- hibited, in the simplicity of his heart, a minute and honest register of the state of his mind ; whi(;h, though frequently laughable enough, was not more so than the history of many men would be, if recorded with e,?, so ardent a desire did it excite to return to their country. It is in vain to seek in this air for energetic accents capable of producing such astonishing effects, for which strangers are unable to account tiom the music, which is in itself uncouth and wild." Wright. reverence and affection for him were in full glow. I said to him, " My dear Sir, we must meet every year, if you don't quarrel with me." Johnson. " Nay, Sir, you are more likely to quarrel with me, than I with you. My regard for you is greater almost than I have words to express ; but I do not choose to be always re- peating it : Avrite it down in the first leaf of your pocket-book, and never doubt of it again." I talked to him of misery being " the doom of man" in this life, as displayed in his " Vanity of Human Wishes." " Yet hope not life from grief or danger free, Nor think the doom of man revers'd for thee." Yet I observed that things were done upon the supposition of happiness; grand houses were built, fine gardens were made, splendid places of public amusement were contrived, and crowded with company. Johnson. " Alas, Sir, these are only struggles for happiness. When I first entered Ranelagh, it gave an expansion and gay sensation to my mind, such as I never experienced any where else. But, as Xerxes wept when he viewed his immense army, and considered that not one of that great multitude would be alive a hundred years afterwards, so it went to my heart to consider that there was not one in all that brilliant circle that was not afraid to go home and think ; but that the thoughts of each individual there woidd be distressing when alone." This reflection was experimentally just. The feeling of languor 2, which succeeds the animation of gaiety, is itself a very severe pain ; and when the mind is then vacant, a thousand disappointments and vexations rush in and excruciate. Will not many even of my fairest readers allow this to be true ? I suggested, that being in love, and flattered with hopes of success ; or having some favourite scheme in view for the next day, might prevent that wretchedness of which we had bee talk- ing. Johnson. " Why, Sir, it may sonv/times be so as you suppose ; but my conclusion is in general but too true." While Johnson and I stood in calm confer- ence by ourselves in Dr. Taylor's garden, at a pretty late hour in a serene autumn night, looking up to the heavens, I directed the dis- course to the subject of a future state. My friend was in a placid and most benignant frame of mind. " Sir," said he, " I do not imagine that all things will be made clear to us immediately after tleath, but that the ways of Providence will be explained to us very » Pope 1 " Stretch'd on the rack of a too easy chair." But I recollect a couplet quite apposite to my subject in " Virtue, an Ethic Epistle," a beautiful and instructive pi by an anonymous writer, in 175S ; in excess, says, " Till languor, suffering on the rack of bliss. Confess that man was never made for this. O O 562 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1777. gradually." I ventured to ask him whether, although the words of some texts of Scripture seemed strong in support of the dreadful doc- trine of an eternity of punishment, we might not hope that the denunciation was figurative, and would not literally be executed. John- son. " Sir, you are to consider the intention of punishment in a future state. We have no reason to be sure that we shall then be no longer liable to offend against God. We do not know that even the angels are quite in a state of security ; nay, we know that some of them have fallen. It may therefore, perliaps, be necessary, in order to preserve both men and angels in a state of rectitude, that they shoitld have continually before them the pu- nishment of those who have deviated from it ; but we hope that by some other means a fall from rectitude may be prevented. Some of the texts of Scripture upon this subject are, as you observe, indeed strong ; but they may admit of a mitigated interpretation." He talked to me upon this awful and delicate ques- tion in a gentle tone, and as if afraid to be decisive. After supper I accompanied him to his apart- ment, and at my request he dictated to me an argument in favour of the negro who was then claiming his liberty, in an action in the court of session in Scotland. He had always been very zealous against slavery in every form, in which I with all deference thought that he dis- covered " a zeal without knowledge." Upon one occasion, when in company with some very grave men at Oxford, his toast was, " Here's to the next insurrection of the negroes in the West Indies." His violent prejudice against our West Indian and American settlers ap- peared whenever there was an opportunity. Towards the conclusion of his "Taxation no Tyranny," he says, "How is it that we hear the loudest yelps for liberty among the drivers of negroes ? " and in his conversation with Mr. Wilkes he asked, " Where did Beckford and Trecothick learn English?" [^nfe, p. 517.] That Trecothick could both speak and write good English is well known. I myself was favoured with his correspondence concerning the brave Corsicans. And that Beckford could speak it with a spirit of honest resolution even to his majesty, as his " faithful lord mayor of London," is commemorated by the noble monu- ment erected to him in Guildhall.' The argument dictated by Dr. Johnson was as follows : — "It must be agreed that in most ages many countries have had part of their inhabitants in a state of slavery ; yet it may be doubted whether slavery can ever be supposed the natural condition 1 Boswell's zeal for his friend Wilkes must have been very strong and very lasting, to h.ive induced him to speali thus of Lord Mayor Beckford's factious and insulting speech to- the king on the throne in April 1770. Mr. Bosville's manu- script note on this passage says, tliat " the monument re- cords, not the words of Beckford, but what was prepared for hira by John Home Tooke, as agreed on at a dinner at Mr. George Bellas's in Doctors' Commons." This, I think, is also stated in a manuscript note in the Museum copy ; of man. It is impossible not to conceive that men in their original state were equal ; and very diffi- cult to imagine how one would be subjected to another but by violent compulsion. An individual may, indeed, forfeit his liberty by a crime ; but he cannot by that crime forfeit the liberty of his children. What is true of a criminal seems true likewise of a captive. A man may accept life from a conquering enemy on condition of perpetual servitude; but it is very doubtful whether he can; entail that servitude on his descendants ; for no man ' can stipulate without commission for another. The condition which he himself accepts, his son or grandson would have rejected. If we should admit, what perhaps may with more reason be denied, ' that there are certain relations between man and man which may make slavery necessary and just, yet it can never be proved that he who is now suing for his freedom ever stood in any of those' relations. He is certainly subject by no law, but that of violence, to his present master ; who pretends no claim to his obedience, but that he bought him from a merchant of slaves, whose right to sell him never was examined. It is said, that according to the constitutions of Jamaica he was, legally enslaved; tliese constitutions are merely positive ; and apparently injurious to the rights of mankind, because whoever is exposed to sale is' condemned to slavery without appeal, by whatever' fraud or violence he might have been originally brought into the merchant's power. In our own. time princes have been sold, by wretches to whose; care they were intrusted, that they might have an; European education ; but when once they were' brought to a market in the plantations, little would! avail either their dignity or their wrongs. Thej laws of Jamaica afford a negro no redress. His' colour is considered as a sufKcient testimonyi against him. It is to be lamented that moral j right should ever give way to political convenience. : But if temptations of interest are sometimes too strong for human virtue, let us at least retain a virtue where there is no temptation to quit it. In the present case there is apparent right on one side, and no convenience on the other. Inhabitants ol this island can neither gain riches nor power by taking away the liberty of any part of the human' species. The sum of the argument is this: — No man is by nature the property of another. The defendant is, therefore, by nature free. The rightsol^ nature must be some way forfeited before they can' be justly taken away. That the defendant has, byi any act, forfeited the rights of nature, we require to, be proved ; and if no proof of such forfeiture can be given, we doubt not but the justice of the court will declare him free." I record Dr. Johnson's argument fairly upon this particular case ; where, perhaps, he was in the right. But I beg leave to enter my most solemn protest against his general doc- trine with respect to the slave trade. For I; will resolutely say, that his unfavourable no- but Mr. Giflford says " he never uttered one syllable of the speech." _(i?t'n Junson, i. 481.) Perhaps he said some- thing which was afterwards put into its present shape by Home Tooke. As the argument on the slavery question is of more general interest than the other law cases which I have thrown into the Appendix, and is also commented on by Boswell, I retain it in the text. — Choker, 1847. ^T. 69. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 563 tion of it was owing to prejudice, and iraper- ' feet or false information. The wild and dan- ' gerous attempt which has for some time been persisted in to obtain an act of our legislature, to abolish so very important and necessary a [ branch of commercial interest, must have been crushed at once, had not the insignificance of the zealots who vainly took the lead in it made the vast body of planters, merchants, and | others, whose immense properties are involved in that trade, reasonably enough suppose that there could be no danger. The encouragement ; which the attempt has received excites my ' wonder and indignation; and though some men of superior abilities have supported it, ' whether from a love of temporary popularity ' when prosperous, or a love of general mischief , when desperate, my opinion is unshaken. To abolish a status, which in all ages God has sane- ! tioncd, and man has continued, would not only ' be robbery to an innumerable (;lass of our fel- ; low-subjects, but it would be extreme cruelty ' to the African savages, a portion of whom it j saves from massacre, or intolerable bondage in their own country, and introduces into a much happier state of life ; especially now when their passage to the West Indies and their 1 treatment there is humanely regulated. To \ abolish that trade would be to ! " shut the gates of mercy on mankind." ] Whatever may have passed elsewhere con- i cerning it, the House of Lords is wise and independent : " Intaminatis fulget honoribus ; Nee sumit aut ponit secures Arbitrio popularis aura;." ' I have read, conversed, and thought much upon the subject, and would recommend to all wlio are capable of conviction, an excellent tract by my learned and ingenious friend, John ' Ranby, Esq., entitled " Doubts on the Aboli- \ jtion of the Slave Trade." To Mr. Ranby's j i " Doubts," I will apply Lord Chancellor Hard- i wicke's expression in praise of a Scotch law i book, called " Dirleton's Doubts ; " " his doubts, said his lordship, " are better than most people's certamtics." When I said now to Johnson, that I was afraid I kept him too late up; — "No, Sir," said (he, " I don't care though I sit all night with jfou." This was an animated speech from a itnan in his sixty-ninth year.* 1 Had I been as attentive not to I displease him 1 " with native honours shines ; Nor takes up power, nor lays it down, As giddy raliblcs smile or frown." — Hor. Od. iii.'2. — Elphinston. — ViwoMT. 2 Dr. Johnson loved late hours extremely, or, more pro- i)erly, hated early ones. Nothing was more terrifying to him h.-in the idea of retiring to bed, which he never would call loing to rest, or suffer another to call so. *' I lie down," aid he, " that my acquaintance may sleep ; but I lie down to •iuUire oppressive misery, and soon rise again to pass the light in anxiety and pain." By this pathetic manner, which ;io one ever possessed in so eminent a degree, he used to hock me from quitting his company, till I hurt my own as I ought to have been, I know not but this vigil might have been fulfilled ; but I unluckily entered upon the controver.-;y concerning the right of Great Britain to tax America, and attempted to argue in favour of our fellow- subjects on the other side of the Atlantic. I insisted that America might be very well governed, and made to yield sufhcient revenue by the means of influence, as exemplified in Ii-eland, while the people might be pleased with the imagination of their participating of the British constitution, by having a body of representatives, without whose consent money could not be exacted from them. Johnson could not bear my thus opposing his avowed opinion, which he had exerted himself with an extreme degree of heat to enforce ; and the violent agitation into which he was thrown, while answering, or rather reprimanding me, alarmed me so, that I heartily repented of my having unthinkingly introduced the subject. I myself, however, grew warm, and the change was great, from the calm state of philosophical discussion in which we had a little before been pleasingly employed. I talked of the corruption of the British par- liament, in which I alleged that any question, however vmreasonable or unjust, might be car- ried by a venal majority; and I spoke with high admiration of the Roman senate, as if composed of men sincerely desirous to resolve what they should think best for their country. My friend would allow no such character to the Roman senate ; and he maintained that the British parliament was not corrupt, and that there was no occasion to corrupt its members ; asserting, that there was hardly ever any ques- tion of great importance before parliament, any question in which a man might not very well A'ote either upon one side or the other. He said there had been none in his time except that respecting America. We were fatigued by the contest, which was produced by my want of caution ; and he was not then in the humour to slide into easy and cheerful talk. It therefore so happened, that we were after an hour or two very willing to separate and go to bed. On Wednesday, September 24., I went into Dr. Johnson's room before he got up, and finding that the storni of the preceding night was quite laid, I sat down ujjon his bedside, and he talked with as much readiness and good humour as ever. He recommended to me to health not a little by sitting up with him when I was myself far from well : nor was it an easy matter to oblige him even by compliance, for he always mamtained that no one forbore their own gratifications for the sake of pleasing another, i»nd if one did sit up, it was probably to amuse one's self. Some right, however, he certainly had to say so, ;is he made his I company exceedingly entertaining when he had once forced one, by his vehement lamentations and piercing reproofs, not to quit the room, but to sit quietly and make tea for him, I as I often did in London till four o'clock in the morning. At Slreatham I managed better, having always some friend who [ was kincj enough to engage him in talk, and favour my rc- I treat: and he rose in the morning as unwillingly as he went to bed Piozxi. — Choker. CO 2 564 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1777. plant a considerable part of a large moorisli : farm which I had purchased, and he made | several calculations of the expense and profit ; for he delighted in exercising his mind on the science of numbers. He pressed upon me the importance of planting at the first in a very sufficient manner, quoting the saying, " In hello non licet bis errare : " and adding, " this is equally true in planting." I spoke with gratitude of Dr. Taylor's hos- pitality ; and as evidence that it was not on ac- count of his good table alone that Johnson visited him often, I mentioned a little anecdote which had escaped my friend's recollection, and at hearing which repeated, he smiled. One evening, when I was sitting with him, Frank delivered this message : " Sir, Dr. Taylor sends his compliments to you, and begs you will dine with him to-morrow. He has got a hare." My compliments," said Johnson, " and I'll dine with him — hare or rabbit." ' After breakfast I departed, and pursued my journey northwards. JOHNSON TO MRS. THRALE. ( Extracts. ) " Ashbourne, Sept. 25. 1777. " Bos well is gone, and is, I hope, pleased that he has been here ; though to look on any thing with pleasure is not very common. He has been gay and good-humoured in his usual way, but we have not agreed upon any other expedition." " September 29. He says, his wife does not love me quite well yet, though we have made a formal peace. He kept his journal very diligently ; but then what was there to journalise ? I should be glad to see what he says of [Taylor]." — Letters. I took my post-chaise from the Green Man, a very good inn at Ashbourne, the mistress of which, a mighty civil gentle- woman, courtsying very low, presented me with an engraving of the sign of her house ; to which she had subjoined, in her own hand- writing, an address in such singular simplicity of style, that I have preserved it pasted upon one of the boards of my original Journal at this time, and shall liere insert it for the amuse- ment of my readers : — " M. Killingley's duty waits upon Mr. Boswell, is exceedingly obliged to him for this favour ; whenever be comes this way, hopes for a con- tinuance of the same. Would Mr. Boswell name the house to his extensive acquaintance, it would be a singular favour conferred on one who has it not in her power to make any other return but her most grateful thanks, and sincerest prayers for his happiness in time, and in a blessed eter- nity," "Tuesday morning." From this meeting at Ashbourne I derived 1 We smil^ in these luxurious days at a Prebendary's considering a hare as such a tempting delicacy — Croker, 1847. a considerable accession to my Johnsonian store. I communicated my original Journal to Sir William Forbes, in whom I have always placed deserved confidence ; and what he wrote to me concerning it is so much to my credit as the biographer of Johnson, that my readers will, I hope, grant me their indulgence for here inserting it : " It is not once or twice going over it," says Sir William, " that will satisfy me ; for I find in it a high degree of in- j struction as well as entertainment ; and I de- ' rive more benefit from Dr. Johnson's admirable discussions than I should be able to draw from his personal conversation ; for I suppose there i is not a man in the world to whom he dis- closes his sentiments so freely as to yourself." \ I cannot omit a curious circumstance which occurred at Edensor-inn, close by Chatsworth,! to survey the magnificence of which I hadi gone a considerable way out of my road to; Scotland. The inn was then kept by a very; jolly landlord, whose name, I think, was Malton. He happened to mention that " the celebrated i Dr. Johnson had been in his house." I in-' quired who this Dr. Johnson was, that I might hear my host's notion of him. " Sir," said he,; " Johnson, the great writer ; Oddity., as the}|' call him. He's the greatest writer in England he writes for the ministry ; he has a correspond- ence abroad, and lets them know what's goin^ on." My friend, who had a thorough dependence upon the authenticity of my relation withou i any embellishment., as falsehood or fiction is to(j gently called, laughed a good deal at this re, presentation of himself. ' BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. i " Edinburgh, Sept. 29. 1777. i " My DEAR Sir, — By the first post I inforrj you of my safe arrival at my own house, and tha I had the comfort of finding my wife and childre all in good health. 1 " When I look back upon our late interview, ii appears to me to have answered expectation bette' than almost any scheme of happiness tliat 1 evt put in execution. My Journal is stored wit' wisdom and wit ; and my memory is filled with thi recollection of lively and affectionate feeling, which now, I think, yield me more satisfactio than at the time when they were first excited, have experienced this upon other occasions. I sha; be obliged to you if you will explain it to me : fi it seems wonderful that pleasure should be mor vivid at a distance than when near. I wish yo may find yourself in a humour to do me this favoui: but I flatter myself with no strong hope of it ; for ^ have observed, that, unless upon very serioi occasions, your letters to me are not answers i those which I write." •■ (I then expressed much uneasiness that had mentioned to him the name of the gentl; man 2 who had told me the story so much Mr. Beauclerk. See ante, p. 560. — Croker. JEt. 69. BOS WELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 565 his disadvantage, the truth of which he had completely refuted ; for that my having done so might be interpreted as a breach of con- fidence, and otfend one whose society I valued : therefore eixrnestly requesting that no notice might be taken of it to any body, till I should be in London, and have an opportunity to talk it over with the gentleman.) [JOHNSON TO MRS. THRALE.' ( Extracts. ) " Lichfield, Oct. 22. "lam come, at last, to Liclifield, and am really glad that I have got away from a place where there was indeed no evil, but very little good. My visit to Stow-hill has been paid. I have seen there a collection of misery. Mrs. Aston paralytic, Mrs. Walmsley lame, Mrs. Hervey blind, and I think another lady deaf. Even such is life. I hope dear Mrs. Aston is a little better ; it is, however, very little. She was, I believe, glad to see me ; and to have any body gLid to see me is a gre.it pleasure." —Letters. JOHNSON TO MRS. ASTON. " London, Nov. 20. IV77. "Deak. Madam, — Through Birmingham and O.Kford I got without any difficulty or disaster to London, tiiough not in so short a time as I ex- ])ccted, for I did not reach Oxford before the second day. I came home very much incommoded by obstructed respiration ; but by vigorous methods am something better. I have since been at Bright- helmstone, and am now designing to settle. " Different things. Madam, are fit for different people. It is fit for me to settle, and for you to move. I wish I could hear of you at Bath ; but I am afraid that is hardly to be expected from your resolute inactivity. My next hope is that you will endeavour to grow well where you are. I cannot help thinking that I saw a visible amend- ment !)etween the time wlien I left you to go to Ashbourne, and the time when 1 came back. I hope you will go on mending and mending, to which exercise and cheerfulness will very much contribute. Take care, therefore, dearest Madam, to lie busy and cheerful. " I have great confidence in the care and con- versation of dear Mrs. Gastrell. It is very much the interest of all that know her that she should continue well, for she is one of few people that has the pro|)er regard for those that are sick. She was so kind to me that I hope I never shall forget it ; and if it be troublesome to you to write, 1 sliall hope that she will do me another act of kindness by answering this letter, for I beg that I may hear from you by some hand or another. I am, Madam, your, &c., Sa.m. Johnson." — Pemb. MS. ' Jolinson, we see, returned by Liclifield. wliere lie found his female friends in the melancholy condition described in his letter, and took leave of them in the lollowinK note : — " Mr. Johnson sends his compliments to the ladies at Stow- hill, of whom he would have taken a more formal leave, but th.it he was willing to spare a ceremony which he hopes would have been no pleasure to them, and would have been painful to himself." — Choker. JOHNSON TO MRS. PORTER. " London, Nov. 20. 1777. " Dear Love, — You ordered me to write you word when I came home. I have been for some days at Brighthelmstonc, and came back on Tues- day night. " You know tliat when I left you I was not well ; I have taken pliysic very diligently, and am perceptibly better ; so much better that I hope by care and perseverance to recover, and see you again from time to time. " ;\Ir. Nollekens, the statuary, has had my direction to send you a cast of my head. I will pay the carriage wlien we meet. Let me know how you like it ; and what the ladles of your rout say to it. I have heard different opinions. I cannot think where you can put it. " I found every body here well. Miss [Tlirale] has a mind to be womanly, and her womanhood does not sit well u))on her. Please to make my compliniLMits to all the ladies and all tlie gentlemen to whom I owe them, that is, to a great part of the town. I am, dear Madam, your most humble servant, Sam. Johnson."] — Pearson MS. JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " London, Nov. 29. 1777. " Deaii Sir, — You will wonder, or you have wondered, why no letter has come from me. What you wrote at your return had in it such a strain of cowardly caution as gave me no pleasure. I could not well do what you wished ; I had no need to ve\ you with a refusal. I have seen [Mr. Heau- clerk], and as to him have set all right, without any inconvenience, so far as I know, to you. Mrs. Thrale had forgot the story. You may now be at ease. " And at ease I certainly wish you, for the kindness that you showed in coming so long a journey to see me. It was pity to keep you so long in pain, but, upon reviewing the matter, I do not see what I could have done better than I dill. I hope you found at your return my dear enemy and all her little people quite well, and had no reason to repent of your jonrn*,-, I think on it with great gratitude. " 1 was not well when you left me at the doctor's, and I grew worse ; yet I staid on, and at Lichfield was very ill. Travelling, however, did not make me worse ; and when I came to London, I complied with a summons to go to Brighthelmstonc, where I saw Beauclerk, and staid three days. " Our club has recommenced last Friday, but I was not there. Langton has another wench.* Mrs. Thrale is in hopes of a young brewer. They got by their trade last year a very large sum, and their expenses are proportionate. Mrs. Williams's health is very bad. And I have had for some time - .\ daughter born to him Boswell. My amiable friend Miss Jane Langton, to whom Johnson was" godfather, and who still survives, in the enjoyment of good health, good spirits, good looks, and a perfect memory of her illustrious friend. — Choker, 1847. She died in 18.'j4. oo 3 566 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 177'J a very difficult and laborious respiration ; but I am better by purges, abstinence, and other methods. I am yet, however, much behind-hand in my health and rest. " Dr. Blair's sermons are now universally com- mended ; but let him think that I had the honour of first finding and first praising his excellencies. I did not stay to add my voice to that of the public. " My dear friend, let me thank you once more for your visit; you did me great honour, and I hope met with nothing that displeased you. I staid long at Ashbourne, not much pleased, yet awkward at departing. I then went to Lichfield, where I found my friend at Stowhill [Mrs. Aston] very dangerously diseased. Such is life. Let us try to pass it well, whatever it be, for there is surely something beyond it. " Well, now, I hope all is well ; write as soon as you can to, dear Sir, &c., Sam. Johnson," BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. " Edinburgh, Nov. 29. 1777. " My dear Sir, — This day's post has at length relieved me from much uneasiness, by bringing me a letter from you. I was, indeed, doubly uneasy ; on my own account and yours. I was very anxious to be secured against any bad con- sequences from my imprudence in mentioning the gentleman's name who had told me a story to your disadvantage ; and as I could hardly suppose it possible that you would delay so long to make me easy, unless you were ill, I was not a little ap- prehensive about you. You must not be offended when I venture to tell you that you appear to me to have been too rigid upon this occasion. The ' cowardly caution which gave you no pleasure,'' was suggested to me by a friend here, to whom I men- tioned the strange story, and the detection of its falsity, as an instance how one may be deceived by what is apparently very good authority. But as I am still persuaded that as I might have obtained the truth without mentioning the gentleman's name, it was wrong in me to do it, I cannot see that you are just in blaming my caution. But if you wei^ ever so just in your disapprobation, might you not have dealt more tenderly with me? " I went to Auchinleck about the middle of October, and passed some time with my father very comfortably. " I am engaged in a criminal prosecution against a country schoolmaster, for indecent behaviour to his female scholars. There is no statute against such abominable conduct ; but it is punishable at common law. I shall be obliged to you for your assistance in this extraordinary trial. I ever am, &c., James Boswell." About this time I wrote to Johnson, giving him an account of the decision of the Negro cause, by the court of session, which by those who hold eve the mildest and best regulated slavery in abo niination (of which number I do not hesitat to declare that I am none) should be remem bered with high respect, and to the credit c Scotland ; for it went upon a much broade ground than the case of Somerset^ which wa decided in England ' ; being truly the generE question, whether a perpetual obligation c service to one master in any mode should b' sanctified by the law of a free country. 1 negro, then called Joseph Knight, a native o Africa, having been brought to Jamaica in th usual course of the slave trade, and purchase! by a Scotch gentleman in that island, had at tended his master to Scotland, where it wa officiously suggested to him that he would b found entitled to his liberty without any limit ation. He accordingly brought his action, i: the course of which the advocates on both side did themselves great honour. Mr. Maclaurl has had the praise of Johnson, for his argu ment^ in favour of the negro, and ]Mr. Mac conochie^ distinguished himself on the sam side, by his ingenuity and extraordinary re search. Mr. Cullen, on the part of the mastei discovered good information and sound reasor ing ; in which he was well supported by M James Ferguson, remarkable for a manly ur derstanding, and a knowledge both of bool and of the world. But I cannot too highly prais the speech which Mr. Henry Dundas [ant p. 233.] generously contributed to the cause ( the sooty stranger. JVIr. Dundas's Scottis accent, which has been so often in vain obtrude as an objection to his powerful abilities in pa liament, was no disadvantage to him in his ow country. And I do declare, that upon th memorable question he impressed me, and believe all his audience, with such feelings i were produced by some of the most eminei orations of antiquity. This testimony I lib( rally give to the excellence of an old frien with whom it has been my lot to differ vei widely upon many political topics : yet I pe: suade myself without malice. A great majori' of the lords of session decided for the negr But four of their number, the Lord Preside) [Dundas], Lord EUiock [Veitch], Lord Moi boddo [Burnett], and Lord Covington [Loci hart], resolutely maintained the lawfulness a status, which has been acknowledged in J ages and countries, and that when freedo flourished, as in old Greece and Rome. [JOHNSON TO MRS. GASTRELL. " Bolt Court, Dec. 23. 1777 " Dear. Madam. — Your long silence portend no good ; yet I hope the danger is not so near 1 See State Trials, vol. xi. p. 339., and Mr. Hargrave's argument. — Boswell. 2 The motto to it was happily chosen : — " Quamvis ille niger, quamvis tu Candidas esses." 1 cannot avoid mentioning a circumstance no less strange than true, that a brother advocate in considerable practice [Mr. Wright], but of whom it certainly cannot be said, Ini nuas didicit fideliter artes, asked Mr. Maclaurin, with a I: of flippant assurance, "Are these words your own?"— Bi 3 Afterwards a lord of session, by the title of Lord Mi dowbank, and father of another lord of session, of the sai title. — Crokbr. ^T.69. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 567 our anxiety sometimes makes us fear. Winter is indeed to all those that any distemper has enfeebled a very troublesome time ; but care and caution may pass safely through it, and from spring; and summer some relief is always to be hoped. When I came hither I fell to taking care of myself, and by physic and opium had the constriction that obstructed my breath very suddenly removed. ^ly nights still continue very laborious and tedious, but they do not grow worse. " I do not ask you, dear jVIadam, to take care of Mrs. Aston ; I know how little you want any such exhortations ; but I earnestly entreat her to take care of herself. IMany lives are i)rolonged by a diligent attention to little things, and I am far from thinking it unlikely that she may grow better by degrees. However, it is her duty to try, and when we do our duty we have reason to hope. I am, dear Madam, &c., Sam. Johnson."] — Pemb. MS. JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. •' Dec. 27. 1777. ■' Dkak Siu, — This is the time of the year in which all express their good wishes to their friends, and I send mine to you and your family. May your lives be long, happy, and good. I have been much out of order, but, I hope, do not grow worse. " The crime of the schoolmaster whom you are iL^iged to prosecute is very great, and may be is])ected to be too common. In our law it would L a breach of the peace and a misdemeanour; that is, a kind of indefinite crime, not capital, but punishable at the discretion of the court. You cannot want matter : all that needs to be said will easily occur. " Mr. Shaw, the author of the Gaelic Grammar, desires me to make a request for him to Lord Eglintoune, that he may be appointed chaplain to one of the new-raised regiments. " All our friends are as they were ; little has happened to them of cither good or bad. Mrs. Thrale ran a great black iiair-dressing pin into lier eye ; but by great evacuation she kept it from in- flaming, and it is almost well. IVIiss Reynolds has been out of order, but is better. Mrs. Williams is in a very poor state of health. " If I should write on, I should, perhaps, write only complaints, and therefore I will content myself with telling you, that I love to think on you, and to hear from you ; and that I am, dear Sir, yours faithfully, Sam. Johnson." BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. " Edinburgh, Jan. 8. 1778. "Dear Sir, — Your congratulations upon a new year are mixed with complaint; mine must be so too. ]\Iy wife has for some time been ill, having been confined to the house these three months by a severe cold, attended with alarming symptoms." (Here I gave a particular account of tiie distress which tlie person, upon every account most dear to me, sutlered ; and of the dismal state of ap- prehension in which I now was : adding, that I never stood more in need of his consoling phi- losophy.) " Did you ever look at a book written bv Wilson, a Scotchman, under the Latin name of Volusetuts, according to the custom of literary men at a certain period? It is entitled " De Animi TranquiUitatc." ' I earnestly desire tranquillity. Bona res quies ; but I fear I shall never attain it ; for, when unoc- cupied, I grow gloomy, and occupation agitates me to feverishness. I am, dear Sir, &c., "Jajies Boswell." JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " .Ian. 2-1. 1778. " Dear Sir, — To a letter so interesting as your last, it is proper to return some answer, however little I may be disposed to write. Your alarm at your lady's illness was reasonable, and not dispropor- tionate to the appearance of the disorder. I hope your physical friend's conjecture is now verified, and .all fear of a consumption at an end : a little care and exercise will then restore lier, London is a good air for ladies ; and if you i)ring her hither, I will do for her what she did for me — I will retire from my apartments for her accom- modation. Behave kindly to her, and keep her cheerful. " You always seem to call for tenderness. Know, then, that in the first month of the jiresent year I very highly esteem and very cordially love you. I hope to tell you this at the beginning of every year as long as we live ; and wliy should we trouble ourselves to tell or hear it oftener? Tell Veronica, Euphemia, and Alexander, that I wish them, as well as their parents, many happy years. " You have ended the negro's cause nmch to my mind. Lord Auchinleck and dear Lord Hailes were on the side of liberty. Lord Hailes's name reproaches me ; but if he saw my languid neglect of my own affairs, he would rather pity than resent my neglect of his. I hope to mend, ttt et mi/ii vivam et umicis. I am, dear Sir, yours affec- tionately, Sam. Johnson." " My service to my fellow-traveller, .Joseph." Johnson maintained a long and intimafo friendship with Mr. Welch, who succeeded the celebrated Henry Fielding as one of his ma- jesty's justices of the peace for Westminster ; kept a regular office for the police of that great district ; and discharged his important trust, for many years, fiiithiully and ably. Johnson, who had an eager and unceasing curiosity to know hum.anlii'eiii all its variety, told me, that he attended Mr. Welch in his office for a whole winter, to hear the examinations of the culprits; but tliat he found an almost uniform tenor of misfortune, wretchedness, and profligacy. Mr. Welch's health being impaired, he Avas advised to try the effect of a'warm climate ; and John- son, by his interest with Mr. Chamier, procured him leave of absence to go to Italy, and a promise that the pension or salary of two hun- dred pounds a year, which government allowed him, should not be discontinued. Mr. Welch accordingly went abroad, accompanied by his 1 r.T ''*'"" ''*""' ''°''" "' KIgin, died near Lvons, in I'i47. Besides the dialopiip " De Animi Tranquilliiale," he wrote one or two other works of no note — CnoKEU, 1835. o o 4 568 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1777. daughter Anne, a young lady of uncommon talents and literature.' JOHNSON TO SAUNDERS WELCH, At the English Coffee- House, Rome. "Feb. 3. 1778. " Dear Sir, — To have suffered one of my best and dearest friends to pass almost two years in foreign countries without a letter, h.as a very shameful appearance of inattention. But the truth is, that there was no particular time, in which I had anything particular to say ; and general ex- pressions of good will, I hope, our long friendship is grown too solid to want. " Of public affairs you have information from the newspapers wherever you go, for the English keep no secret ; and of other things Mrs. Nol- lekens informs you. My intelligence could, there- fore, be of no use ; and Miss Nancys letters made it unnecessary to write to you for information ; I was likewise for some time out of humour, to find that motion and nearer approaches to the sun did not restore your liealth so fast as I expected. Of your health the accounts have lately been more pleasing ; and I have the gratification of imagining to myself a length of years which I hope you have gnined, and of which tlie enjoyment will be improved by a vast accession of images and observ- ations which your journeys and various residence have enabled you to make and accumulate. You have travelled with this felicity, almost peculiar to yourself, that your companion is not to part from you at your journey's end ; but you are to live on together, to help each other's recollections, and to supply each other's omissions. The world has few greater pleasures than that which two friends enjoy, in tracing back, at some distant time, those transactions and events through which they have passed together. One of the old man's miseries is, that he cannot easily find a companion able to partake with him of the past. You and your fellow traveller have this comfort in store, that your conversation will be not easily exhausted ; one will always be glad to say what the other will always be willing to hear. " That you may enjoy this pleasure long, your health must have your constant attention. I sup- pose you propose to return this year. There is no need of haste : do not come hither before the heigfct of summer, that you may fall gradually into the inconveniences of your native clime. July seems to be the proper month. August and September will prepare you for the winter. After having travelled so far to find health, you must take care not to lose it at home ; and I hope a little care will effectually preserve it. " Miss Nancy has doubtless kept a constant and copious journal. She must not expect to be ' The friendship between Mr. Welch and him was un- broken. Mr. Welch died not many months before him, and bequeathed him five guinens for a ring, which Johnson re- ceived wilh tenderness, as a kind memorial. His regard was constant for his friend Mr. Welch's daughters ; of whom Mary is married to Mr. NoUekens, the statuary, whose merit is too well known to require any praise from Tiie. — Boswell. Mr. and Miss Welch were proljably the "fulk" who were anxious, as Johnson st.ites, ante, p 458.. that he should visit Italy. There is a great deal about both the sisters in Smith' s Lije of Null f kens, dnti Mi:i llawWius's ihiiwirs. — CauKER. welcome when she returns without a great mass ol information. Let her review her journal often, and set down what she finds herself to have omitted that she may trust to memory as little as possible, for memory is soon confused by a quick succession of things ; and she will grow every day less con- fident of the truth of her own narratives, unless she can recur to some written memorials. If sh« has satisfied herself with hints, instead of full representations, let her supply the deficiencies now while her memory is yet fresh, and while hei: father's memory may help her. If she observe; this direction, she will not have travelled in vain ; for she will bring home a book with which she may entertain herself to the end of life. If if were not now too late, I would advise her to noU the impression which the first sight of any thing new and wonderful made upon her mind. Let hei now set her thoughts down as she can recoUee- them ; for, faint as they may already be, they wil grow every day fainter. " Perhaps I do not flatter myself unreasonable, when I imagine that you may wish to know .some thing of me. I can gratify your benevolence wit! no accoimt of health. The hand of time, or o disease, is very heavy upon me. I pass restless an( uneasy nights, liarassed with convulsions of m; breast, and flatulencies at my stomach ; and rest less nights make heavy days. But nothing will b mended by complaints, and therefore I will mak an end. When we meet, we will try to forget ou; cares and our maladies, and contribute, as we can to the cheerfulness of each other. If I had gon with you, I believe I should have been better' but I do not know that it was in my power. I an; dear Sir, your most humble servant, "Sam. Johnson." ! This letter, while it gives admirable advic how to travel to the best advantage, and wi j therefore be of very general use, is anothf eminent proof of Johnson's warm and alFectior ate heart. JOHNSON TO MRS. LUCY PORTER. "Feb. 19.1778.; " Dear INIadam, — I have several little thinj to lucntion which I have hitherto neglected. Yc judged rightly in thinking that the bust ^ woul not please. It is condemned by Mrs. Thrale, Mr Reynolds, and Mrs. Garrick ; so that your disa]^ probation is not singular. " These things have never cost me any thing, : that I do not much know the price. My bust w made for the Exhibition, and shown for honour the artist, who is a man of reputation above any the other sculptors. To be modelled in clay cosi I believe, twenty guineas ; but the casts, when tl - This bust is now in the possession of Mrs. Pearson, of H Uidware, near Lichfield. — Harwood. Mr. Smith tells that Johnson was displeased with the disproportion of the hs copied, says Smith, from an Irish porter. I see no dispi portion, and the bust is assuredly a very fine one: theabser of the wig no doubt took off from the every day rcsemblan and might, therefore, disappoint his female friends. N lekens himself thought it one of his l)est works, and preseni an early cast to the second Earl of Liverpool, who gave it me. — Croker, 1847. Chantrey also thought it Nolleke finest work. — P. Cunningham. ^T. 69. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 569 model is made, are of no great price ; wliL'thcr a guinea, or two guineas, I cannot tell. " When you complained for want of oysters, I ordered you a barrel weekly for a month ; you sent me word sooner that you had enougti, but 1 did not countermand the rest. If you could not eat them, could you not give them away ? When you want any thing, send me word. I am very poorly, and have very restless and oppressive nights, but always hope for better. Pray for me. I am, &c., Sam. Johnson."] — Pearson MSS. BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. "Edinburgh, IVb. 2G. 1778. " Mv DEAR Sir, — Why I have delayed, for near a month, to thank you for your last affectionate letter, I cannot say ; for my mind has been in better health these three weeks than for some years past. I believe I have evaded till I could send you a copy of Lord Hailes's opinion on the negro's cause, which he wishes you to read, and correct any errors that there may be in the language ; for, says he, 'we live in a critical, though not a learned a^^o ; and I seek to screen myself under the shield of Ajax.' I communicated to him your apology for keeping the sheets of his ' Annals' so long. He says, ' I am sorry to see that Dr. Johnson is in a state of languor. Why should a sober Christian, neither an enthusiast nor a fanatic, be very merry or very sad ? ' I envy his lordship's comfortable constitution; but well do I know that languor and dejection will afflict the best, however excellent their principles. I am in possession of Lord Hailes's opinion in his own handwriting, and have had it for some time. My excuse then for pro- crastination must be, that I wanted to have it copied ; and I have now put that off so long, that it will be better to bring it with me than send it, as I shall probably get you to look at it sooner when I solicit you in person. " My wife, who is, I thank God, a good deal better, is much obliged to you for your very polite and courteous offer of your apartment: but if she goes to London, it will be best for lier to have lodgings in the more airy vicinity of Hyde-park. L however, doubt much if I shall be able to pre- vail with her to accompany me to the metropolis ; for she is so different from you and me, that she dislikes travelling; and she is so anxious about her children, that siie thinks she should be unhapjiy if at a distance from them. She therefore wishes rather to go to some country place in Scotland, where she can have them with her. " I purpose being in London about the 20th of next month, as I think it creditable to appear in the house of lords as one of Douglas's counsel, in the great and last competition between Duke Hamilton and him. ' Dr. Percy, the Bishop of Dromore, humorously ob- served, that Levett used to breakfast on the crust of a roll, which Johnson, after tearing out the crum for himself, Mrd/> to his humble friend — Boswell. Perhaps the word Ihrnv is here too strong. Dr. Johnson never treated Levett with contempt; it is clear, indeed, from various circumstances, that he had great kindness for him. I have often seen John- son at breakfast, accompanied, or rather attended, by Levett, who had always the management of the tea-kettle.— Malone. Sir J. Hawkins states, that "Dr. Johnson frequently ob- served that Levett was indebted to him for nothing more " I am sorry poor Mrs. Williams is so ill : though liLT temper is unpleasant, she has always been polite antl obliging to nie. I wish many happy years to good Mr. Levett, who, I suppose, holds his usual plate at your breakfast-table. ' I ever am, dear Sir, your airectiouate servant, •'J.\>«ES lioswELL." BOSW^ELL TO JOHNSON. " ICdinbuigh, Feb. 28. 1778. " Mv nEAR Sir, — You are at present busy amongst the English ])oets, preparing, for the public instruction and entertainment, prefaces bio- graphical and critical. It will not, therefore, be out of season to appeal to you for the decision of a controversy which has arisen between a lady and me concerning a passage in Parnell. That poet tells us that his hermit quitted his cell • to know the world by sight. To find if books or swains report it right ; ( For yet by swains alone the world he knew, Whose feet came wand'ringo'er the nightly dew.)' I maintain, that there is an inconsistency here ; for as the hermit's notions of the world were formed from the reports both of Loo/ts and swnins, he could not justly be said to know by swains alone. Be pleased to judge between us, and let us have your reasons.' "What do you say to 'Taxation no Tyranny,' now, after Lord North's declaration, or confession, or whatever else his conciliatory speech should be called ? I never differed from you in politics but upon two points — the Middlesex election, and the taxation of the Americans by the British houses of representatives. There is a charm in the word parliament, so I avoid it. As I am a steady and a warm tory, I regret that the king does not see it to be better for him to receive constitutional supplies from his American subjects by the voice of their own assemblies, where his royal person is repre- sented, than through the medium of his British subjects. I am persuaded that the ])ower of the crown, which I wish to increase, would be greater when in contact with all its dominions, than if 'the rays of legal boiuity ' * were ' to shine' upon America through that dense and troubled body, a modern British parliament. But enough of this subject ; for your angry voice at Ashbourne upon it still sounds awful ' in my mind's ears.' — I ever am, &c., Jasies Boswell." [JOHNSON TO MRS. MONTAGU. " March 5. 1778. " M.VDAM, — .\nd so you are alarmed, naughty lady ? You might know that I was ill enough when INIr. Tlirale brought you my excuse. Could you think that I missed the honour of being at (your) table for any slight reason ? But you (have) than house-room, his share in a penny loaf at breakfast, and now and then a dinner on a Sunday. Johnson always treated him with marked courtesy. — Crokek. 2 See this subject discussed in a subsequent page, under May .1. 1779. — iMalone. 3 .\lhiding to a line in his " Vanity of Human Wishes:," describing Cardinal Wolsey in a state of elevation: — " Through him the rays of regal boiuity shine." BOSWBLI. 570 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1778. too many to miss any one of us, and I am (proud) to be remembered at last. I am much better. A little cough (still) remains, which will not confine me. To houses (like yours) of great delicacy I am not willing to bring it. " Now, dear Madam, we must talk of business. Poor Davies, the bankrupt bookseller, is soliciting his friends to collect a small sum for the repurchase of part of his household stuff. Several of them gave him five guineas. It would be an honour to him to owe part of his relief to Mrs. Montagu. " Let me thank you, Madam, once more, for your inquiry ; you have, perhaps, among your numerous train not one that values a kind word or a kind look more than, Madam, yours, &c., — Montagu MS. "Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO MRS. MONTAGU. " March G. 1778. " Madam, — I hope Davies, who does not want wit, does not want gratitude, and then he will be almost as thankful for the bill as I am for the letter that enclosed it. " If I do not lose, what I hope always to keep, my reverence for transcendent merit, I shall con- tinue to be with unalterable fidelity, Madam, your &c., Sam, Johnson."] —Montagu MS. BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. " Edinburgh, March 12. 1778. " Mi' BEAR Sir, — The alarm of your late illness distressed me but a few hours , for on the evening of the day that it reached me, I found it contra- dicted in ' The London Chronicle,' which I could depend upon as authentic concerning you, Mr. Strahan being the printer of it. I did not see the paper in wliich ' the approaching extinction of a bright luminary' was announced. Sir William Forbes told me of it; and he says he saw me so uneasy, that he did not give me the report in such strong terms as he read it. He afterwards sent me a letter from Mr. Langton to him, which relieved me much. I am, however, not quite easy, as I have not heard from you ; and now I shall not have that comfort before I see you, for I set out for London to-morrow before the post comes 115^.. I hope to be with you on Wednesday morning :[ and I ever am, with the highest veneration, my dear Sir, your most obliged, faithful, and affectionate humble servant, James Boswell." 1 Daughter of Dr. Swinfen, Johnson's godfather (and early benefactor, see ante, p. 4. n. 1.), and widow of Mr. Desmou- lins, a writing-master — Boswell. 2 S&e post (sub. '.id Nov. 1778), an account of the trials his patience had to suffer from the dissensions of the various inmates of his house. " The dissensions," says Mrs. Piozzi, " of the many odd inhabitants of his house, distressed and mortified him exceedingly. He really was sometimes afraid of going home, because he was so sure to be met at the door CHAPTER LXn. 1778. Inmates of Bolt Court. — Tom Davies. — Counsel at the Bar of the House of Commons. — Thomas a Kempis. — Uses of a Diary. — Strict Adhe- rence to Truth. — Ghosts. — John Wesley. — Alcibiades' Dog. — Emigration. — Parliamentary Eloquence. — Place Hunters. — Irish Latiguuge. — Thicknesse's " Travels." — Honesty. — Temp- tation. — Dr. Kennedy's Tragedy. — Shooting o Highwayman. — Mr. Dunning. — Contentment. — Laxity of Narration. — Mrs. Montagu Harrii of Salisbury. — Definition. — Wine-drinking ; Pleasure. — Goldsmith. — Charles the Fifth. — Best English Sermons. — "Seeing Scotland." — Absenteeism. — Delany's " Observations on Swift.', On Wednesday, March 18., I arrived in Lon- don, and was informed by good Mr. Francis! that his master was better, and was gone ti Mr. Thrale's at Streatham, to wliich place '. wrote to him, begging to know when he woiilc be in town. He was not expected for soni' time ; but next day, having called on Dr. Tay, lor, in Dean's-yard, Westminster, I found hie there, and was told he had come to town for few hours. He met me with his usual kind ness, but instantly returned to the writing t something on which he was employed when came in, and on which he seemed much inten Finding him thus engaged, I made my vis- very short, and had no more of his conversf tion, except his expressing a serious regn, that a friend of ours [Mr. Langton] was livin at too much expense, considering how poor a appearance he made: "If," said he, "a ma has splendour from his expense, if he spent his money in pride or in pleasure, he hi value ; but if he lets others spend it for hirj which is most commonly the case, he has !• advantage friMn -it." On Friday, March 20., I found him at h own house, sitting with Mrs. Williams, and w '■ informed that the room formerly allotted to n, was now appropriated to a charitable purposv Mrs. Desmoulins ', and, I think, her daught€ and a Miss Carmichael, being also lodged in Such was his humanity, and such his generosit' that Mrs. Desmoulins herself told ine he allow: her half a guinea a week. Let it be remei bored, that this was above a twelfth part of 1 pension.^ ' with numberless complaints ; and he used to lament t they made his life miserable from the impossibility he foi of making theirs happy, when every favour he bestowed one was wormwood to the rest. If, however, I ventured blame their ingratitude, and condemn their conduct, would instantly set about softening the one and justify the other; and finished commonly by telling me, that I kr not how to make allowances for situations I never ex rienced." — Anecdotes. — Croker. Mr. 69. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 571 His liberality, indeed, was at all periods of his--Jife very remarkable. Mr. Howard, of Lichfield, at whose father's house Johnson had in his early years been kindly received, told me, that when he was a boy at the Charter- house, his father wrote to him to go and pay a visit to ^Ir. Samuel Johnson, which he accord- ingly did, and found him in an upper room, of poor appearance. Johnson received him with 1 much coui-teousness, and talked a great deal to I him, as to a schoolboy, of the com-se of his 1 education, and other particulars. "When he 1 afterwards came to know and understand the I high character of this great man, he recollected . his condescension with wonder. He added, that when he was going away, j\Ir. Johnson ' presented him with half a guinea; and this, ] said ]Mr. Howard, was at a time when he pro- bably had not another. We retired from Mrs. Williams to another room. Tom Davies soon after joined us. He had now unfortunately foiled in his circum- stances, and was much indebted to Dr. John- son's kindness for obtaining for him many alleviations of his distress. After he went away, Johnson blamed his folly in quitting the stage, by which he and his wife got five hun- dred pounds a year. I said, I believed it v/as owing to Churchill's attack upon him, " He mouths a sentence as curs mouth a bone." Johnson. " I believe so too. Sir. But what a man is he who is to be driven from the stage I by a line ? Another line would have driven I him from his shop ! " I told him that I was engaged as counsel at the bar of the House of Commons to oppose a road-bill in the county of Stirling, and asked I him what mode he would advise me to follow in addressing such an audience. Johnson. " Why, Sir, you must provide yourself with a good "deal of extraneous matter, which you are to produce occasionally, so as to fill up the time ; for you must consider, that they do not listen much. If you begin with the strength of your cause, it may be lost before they begin to listen. When you catch a moment of atten- tion, press the merits of the question upon them." He said, as to one point of the merits, that he thought " it would be a wrong thing to deprive the small landholders of the privilege ■ Ksessing themselves for making and repair- j rlie high roads : it icas destroying a certain ln>n of Uhertij ivithout a good reason, ivhich /'■lis ulivai/s a bad thing." AVhen I mentioned this observation ne.xt day to ]\Ir. Wilkes, he jpleasantly said, " What ! does he talk of lliberty ? Liberty is as ridiculous in his mouth |as religion in mine." Mr. Wilkes's advice as 'to the best mode of speaking at the bar of the House of Commons was not more respectful towards the senate than that of Dr. Johnson. " Be as impudent as you can, as merry as you I can, and say whatever comes uppermost. Jack Lee ' is the best heard there of any counsel ; and he is the most impudent dog, and always abusing us." In my interview with Dr. Johnson this evening, I was quite easy, quite as his com- ]mnion ; upon which I find in my journal the following reflection : " So ready is my mind to suggest matter for dissatisfaction, that I felt a' sort of regret that I was so easy. I missed that awful reverence with which I used to contem- plate Mr. Samuel Johnson, in the comple.K magnitude of his literary, moral, and religious character. I have a wonderful superstitious love of mystery; when, perhaps, the truth is, that it is owing to the cloudy darkness of my own mind. I should be glad that I am more advanced in my progress of being, so that I can view Dr. Johnson with a steadier and clearer eye. My dissatisfaction to-night was foolish. Woidd it not be foolish to regret that we shall have less mystery in a future state ? That ' we now see in a glass darkly,' but shall 'then see face to face?'" This reflection, which I thus freely communicate, will be valued by the thinking pai't of my readers, who may have themselves experienced a similar state of mind. He returned next day to Streatham, to Mr. Thrale's ; where, as Mr. Strahan once complained to me, " he was in a great measure absorbed from the society of his old friends." " I was kept in London by business, and wrote to him on the 27th, that " a sepai'ation from him for a week, when we were so near, was equal to a separation for a year, when we were at four hundred miles distance." I went to Streatham on Monday, March 30. Before he appeared, INIrs. Thrale made a very character- istical remark : " I do not know for certain what will please Dr. Johnson : but I know for certain that it will displease him to praise any thing, even what he likes, extravagantly " At dinner he laughed at querulous declama- tions against the age, on account of luxury, — increase of London, — scarcity of provisions, — and other such topics. " Houses," said he, " will be built till rents f:dl ; and corn is more plentiful now than ever it was." I had before dinner repeated a ridiculous story told me by an old man, who had been a passenger with me in the stage-coach to-day. Mrs. Thrale, having taken occasion to allude to it in talking to me, called it, "The story told you by the old ivOman." " Now, Madam," said I, "give me leave to catch you in the Mr. Lee, afterw.irds Solicitor-General in the Rocking- ham administration. " He was a man of^trong parts, though of coarse manners, and who never hesitated to express in the ?oarsest language whatever he thought."— (f'raxaW'i item. vol. ii. p. 237. — Crokeu. 2 Goldsmith notices this in the Haunch of Venison. " My friend bade me welcome, but struck me quite dumb With tidings that Johnson and Burke would not come: For I knew It (quoth he), both eternally fail. The one with his speeches, and the other with Thrale.^' Ckokeb, 1847. 572 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1778. n I fact : it was not an old woman, but an old ma7i, whom I mentioned as having told me this." I presumed to take an opportunity, in the pre- sence of Johnson, of showing this lively lady how ready she was, unintentionally, to deviate from exact authenticity of narration. Thomas a. Kempis (he observed) must be a good book, as the world has opened its arms to receive it. It is said to have been printed, in one language or other, as many times as there have been months since it first came out. ' I always was struck with this sentence in it : " Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be. ^ He said, "I was angry with Hurd about Cowley, for having published a selection of his works : but, upon' better consideration, I think there is no impropriety in a man's publishing as much as he chooses of any author, if he does not put the rest out of the way. A man, for instance, may print the Odes of Horace alone." He seemed to be in a more indulgent humour than when this subject was discussed between him and Mr. Murphy. When we were at tea and coffee, there came in Lord Trimlestown, in whose fiimlly was an ancient L-ish peerage, but it suffered by taking the generous side in the troubles of the last century.^ He was a man of pleasing conversa- tion, and was accompanied by a young gentle- man, his son. I mentioned that I had in my possession the Life of Sir Robert Sibbald, the celebrated Scottish antiquary, and founder of the royal college of physicians at Edinburgh, in _ the original manuscript in his own handwriting; and that it was, I believed, the most natural and candid account of himself that ever was given by any man. As an instance, he tells that the Duke of Perth, then chancellor of Scotland, pressed him very much to come over to the Roman Catholic faith ; that he resisted all his grace's arguments for a considerable time, till one day he felt himself, as it were, instantaneously convinced, and with tears in his eyes ran into the duke's arms, and em- braced the ancient religion ; that he continued very steady in it for some time, and accom- panied his grace to London one winter, and lived in his household ; that there he found the rigid fasting prescribed by the church very severe upon him ; that this disposed him to re- consider the controversy ; and having then seen that lie was in the wrong, he returned to Protestantism. I talked of some time or other publishing this curious life. Mes. Thbale. " I think you had as well let alone that publication. To discover such weakness exposes a man whem he is gone." Johnson. " Nay, it is an honest pictui-e of human nature. How often are the primary motives of our greatest actions as small as Sibbald's for his re- conversion!" Mrs. Thrale. " But may they not as well be forgotten?" Johnson. " No, Madam ; a man i loves to review his own mind. That is the use; of a diary or journal." Lord Trimlestown.' " True, Sir. As the ladies love to see them-i selves in a glass, so a man likes to see himselfi in his journal." Boswell. "A very pretty: allusion." Johnson. "Yes, indeed." Bos-i well. "And as a lady adjusts her dress before! a mirror, a man adjusts his character by looking at his journal." 1 next year found the very same thought in Atterbury's " Funeral SermoDi; on Lady Cutts;" where, having mentioned heii| Diary, he says, " In this glass she every daj dressed her mind." This is a proof of coin-, cidence, and not of plagiarism ; for I had never read that sermon before. Next morning, while we were at breakfast! Johnson gave a very earnest recommendatioi of what he himself practised with the utmos conscientiousness : I mean a strict attention t( truth even in the most minute particulars! " Accustom your children," said he, " con stantly to this : if a thing happened at on^ window, and they, when relating it, say that i happened at another, do not let it pass, bu instantly check them : you do not know wher deviation from truth will end." Boswell. "I may come to the door : and when once a ' account is at all varied in one circumstance, i; may by degrees be varied so as to be totall. different from what really happened." Ou| lively hostess, Avhose fancy was impatient (; the rein, fidgeted at this, and ventured to sa; " Nay, this is too much. If Dr. Johnson shoul" forbid me to drink tea, I would comply, as should feel the restraint only twice a day; bi little variations in narrative must happen j thcusand times a day, if one is not perpetual), —watching." Johnson. "Well, Madam, ar you ought to be perpetually watching. It more from carelessness about truth, than fro; intentional lying, that there is so much falsi, hood in the world." In his review of Dr. Warton's " Essay on tl' Writings and Genius of Pope," Johnson h: given the following salutary caution upon tl subject : " Nothing but experience could cvin the frequency of false information, or enal any man to conceive that so many groundh reports should be propagated as every man • 1 The first edition was in 1492. Between that period and 1792, according to this account, there were 3,600 editions. But this is very improbable. — Malone. No doubt : but Ma- lone, by a strange blunder of his own greatly magnifies the improbability, by taking the date of Boswell's publication instead of that of the remark — whenever it was Jirst made. Crokrk. » The original passage is : " Si non potes te talera facere, qualem vis, quomodo poteris alium ad tuum habere benei citum ? " De Imit. Christ, lib. i. c. xvi. — J. Boswell, j 3 Since this was written, the attainder has been reverse and Nicholas Barnfewall is now a peer of Ireland with i title. The person mentioned in the text had studied phy and prescribed gratis to the poor. Hence arose the sut qiient conversation. — Malone. ^T. 69. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 573 eminence may hear of himself. Some men relate what they think as what they know; some men of confused memories and habitual inaccuracy ascribe to one man what belongs to another; and some talk on without thouglit or care. A few men are sufficient to broach false- hoods, which are afterwards innocently dilfused by successive relators." ' Had he lived to road : what Sir John Hawkins and jNIrs. Piozzi have I related concerning himself, how much would I he have found his observation illustrated ! - He [ was, indeed, so much impressed with the pre- I valence of falsehood, voluntary or uninten- 1 tional, that I never knew any person who. I upon hearing an extraordinary circumstance ' told, discovered more of the iiicredulus odi. He ; would say, with a significant look and decisive j tone, " It is not so. Do not toll this again." ^ I He inculcated upon all his friends the iniport- i ance of perpetual vigilance against the slightest [ degrees of falsehood ; the eifect of which, as j Sir Joshua Reynolds observed to me, has been, I that all who were of his school are distinguished ' for a love of truth and accuracy, which they \\iiuld not have possessed in the same degree if tlu'v had not been acquainted with Johnson. falking of ghosts, he said, " It is wonderful that five thousand years have now elapsed i^ince the creation of the world, and still it is i undecided whether or not there has ever been ! an- instance of the spirit of any person appear- ing alter death. All argimient_is_a2aiii&t it; but all b elief is f or it." I He~"sard, "JoEn "Wesley's conversation is j good, but he is never at leisure. He is always I obliged to go at a certain hour. This is very j disagreeable to a man who loves to fold his I legs and have out his_ XaJJc, as I do." I l)n Ti-Iday, Xpril 3., I dined with him in London, in a company* where were present several eminent men, whom I shall not name, but distinguish their parts in the conversation by different letters. F. " I have been looking at this famous antique marble dog of Mr. Jennings ^, valued at a thousand guineas, said to be Alcibiades' dog." Johnson. " His tail then must be docked. That was the mark of Alcibiades' dog." E. "A thcjusand guineas! The rejjresentation of no animal whatever is wortii so nmch. At this rate, a dead dog would, indeed, be better than a living lion." Johnson. "Sir, it is not the worth of the thing, but of the skill in forming it, which is so highly estimated. Every thing that enlarges the sphere of human powers, that shows man he can do what he thought he could not do, is valuable. The first man who balanced a straw upon his nose; Johnson, who rode upon three horses at a time ; in short, all such Inen deserve the apjjlause of mankind, not on account of the use of what thoy did, but of the dexterity which they exhibited." Boswell. " Yet a misapplication of time and assiduity is not to be encouraged. Addison, in one of his ' Spectators,' commends the judgment of a I king, who, as a suitable reward to a man that ! by long perseverance had attained to the art of throwing a barley-corn through the eye of a needle, gave him a bushel of barley." John- son. " He must have been a king of Scotland, where barley is scarce." F. -' One of the most remarkable antique figui-es of an animal is the boar at Florence." Johnson. " The first boar that is well made in marble should be preserved as a wonder. When men arrive at a facility of making boars well, then the workmanship is not of such value ; but they should, however, be preserved as examples, and as a greater security for the restoration of the art, should it be lost." E. "We hear prodigious complaints at present of emigration. I am convinced that ' LUerary Magazine, 1756, p. 37. - The following- plausible but over-prudent counsel on this subject is given by an Itiilian writer, quoted bj licdi, " De generationc insectorum," with the cpitliet of " divini poeice." • Scmpre a quel vcr che ha fa Dee i'ucun chiuder le labbra quanto ei puote ; I di menzogna . mt( PerO the senza colpa la vcrgogna.' Tt is strange that Boswell should not have discovered that these lines were from Uantc. The following is Wright's translation : — " That truth which bears the semblance of a lie, Should never p.iss the lips, if possible ; Tho' crime be absent, still disgrace is nigh." Infcnt. xvi. 124. -Crokf.r, 1847. 3 I must again enter my protest against this aspersion. Mrs. Piozzi is sometimes inaccurate in expressions and small details, as must always be the case of a report of conversation made .ifter a lapse of time from memory; and Hawkins was cer- tainly disposed to take unamiable views of m.inkind. and was in some respects unfriendly to Johnson ; but as re- gards their .inecdotes of him, I ,im, after a close inquiry, satisfied of their authenticity and general accuracy. They had not (who ever had ?) tho, at once, vivid and accurate truth of Boswell ; but they were not false. Both Boswell, and his friend and editor, Mr. Malone, were deeply pre- judiced against the rival authors. — Crokek, 1847. * The Club — This seems to be the only instance in which Mr. Boswell has ventured to give in any detail the conversa- tion of that society ; and we see that on this occasion he has not mentioned the names, but has disguised the parties under what look like initials. All these letters, however — even with the names of the company before us — it is not easy to appropri.ite. It appears by the books of the Club, as Mr. Hatchett informed me, that the company on that evening consisted of Dr. Ji>/i?ison, president, Mr. Burke, Mr. Bos. veil. Dr. Giorge Fordi/ce, Mr. Gibbon, Dr. Johnson (again named), Sir Joshua Rej/nolds, Lord Upper Ossory, and Mr. 1{. B. Sheridan. In Mr. Boswell's account, the letter K. no doubt st.ands (or Edmund Burke; F., in allusion to his family name of Fitzpiifric/,, probably means Lord Up- per Ossory ; but the appropriation of the other letters is very difficult. The medical observations, and the allusions to Holland, made by C, suggest that Dr. George Fordyce, a physician who was educated in Holland, was meant, alfhoupii why he should have been designated by C. I cannot guess. U. may mean Richard B. Sheridan, then a young man not yet in parliament. The story of Sir Godfrey Kneller made me doubt whether P. was not Sir Joshua, President of the Koyal Academy, but the initiaU., as well as the style cfobservatiuns made bv him, seem to indicate Sir Joshua. If this be so. then P. would be Gibbon, who, perhaps, from Johnson's coming late, or some accidental cause, mav have acted as president of the night ; and it is to be observed that P. puts the question. These latter conjectures are by no means satisfactory to niv mind. Sir James Mackintosh and Mr. Chalmers were equally dubious. I have shown (ante, p. 44.'j. n. 4.) why Mr. Boswell so seldom repeats the conversation at thi: Club ; but why in this case he did not adopt one uniform mode of designating the interlocutors, seems unaccountable. — Croker. * This sculpture was at this date an object of curiosity in London. See Ann. Beg., April 4. 1778, p. 174., where it is stated to have been sold for a thousand guineas. — Choker. It is now at Duncombe Park, in Yorkshire, the seat of Lord Feversham P. Cun.ningham. 574 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1778.' emigration makes a country more populous." J. "That sounds very much like a paradox." E. " Exportation of men, like exportation of all other commodities, makes more be pro- duced." Johnson. " But there would be more people were there not emigration, provided there Avere food for more." E. " No ; leave a few breeders, and you'll have more people than if there were no emigration." Johnson. " Nay, Sir, it is plain there will be more people, if there are more breeders. Thirty cows in good pasture will produce more calves than ten cows, provided they have good bulls." E. " There are bulls enough in Ireland." ' Johnson (smiling). "So, Sir, I should think from your argument." Boswell. " You said exportation of men, like exportation of other commodities, makes more be produced. But a bounty is given to encourage the exportation of corn, and no bounty is given for the ex- portation of men ; though, indeed, those who go gain by it." K. " But the bounty on the ex- portation of corn is paid at home." E. " That 's the same thing." Johnson. " No, Sir." R. " A man who stays at home gains nothing by his nein^hbour's emigrating." Boswell. " I can understand that emigration may be the cause that more people may be produced in a coun- try ; but the country will not therefore be the more populous ; for the people issue from it. It can only be said that there is a flow of people. It is an encouragement to have children, to know that they can get a living by emigration." R. "Yes, if there were an emigration of children under six years of age. But they don't emigrate till they could earn their livelihood in some way at home." C. " It is remarkable that the most unhealthy coun- tries, where there are the most destructive diseases, such as Egypt and Bengal, are the most populous." Johnson. " Countries which are the most populous have the most destruc- tive diseases. That is the true state of the proposition." C. " Holland is very unhealthy, yet it is exceedingly populous." Johnson. " I know not that Holland is unhealthy. But its populousness is owing to an influx of people from all other countries. Disease cannot be the cause of populousness; for it not only carries ofi" a great proportion of the people ; but those who are left are weakened, and unfit for the purposes of increase." R. " Mr. E., I don't mean to flatter, but when posterity reads one of your speeches in parliament, it will be diflicult to believe that you took so much pains, knowing with cer- tainty that it could produce no efiect, that not one vote would be gained by it." E. " Wav- ing your compliment to me, I shall say, in general, that it is very well worth while for a man to take pains to speak well in parliament. A man, who has vanity, speaks to display his talents ; and if a man speaks well, he gradually establishes a certain reputation and conse- quence in the general opinion, which sooner or later will have its political reward. Be- sides, though not one vote is gained, a good speech has its eflect. Though an act which has been ably opposed passes into a law, yet in its progress it is modelled, it is softened in such a manner, that we see plainly the minister has been told, that the members attached to him are so sensible of its injiistice or absurdity from what they have heard, that it must be altered." Johnson. " And, Sir, there is a gratification of pride. Though we cannot out- vote them, we will out-argue them. They shall not do wrong, without its being shown both to themselves and to the world." E. " The House of Commons is a mixed body. (I except the minority, which I hold to be pure (smiling), but I take the whole house.) It is a mass by no means puj'e ; but neither is it wholly cor- rupt, though there is a large proportion of cor- ruption in it. There are many members who generally go with the minister, who will not go all lengths. There are many honest well- meaning country gentlemen who are in parlia- ment only to keep up the consequence of theii families. Upon most of these a good speech will have influence." Johnson. "We are all more or less governed by interest. But in- terest will not make us do every thing. In a case which admits of doubt, we try to think or the side which is for our interest, and generallj bring ovirselves to act accordinglj'. But th( I subject must admit of diversity of colouring it must receive a colour on that side. In the House of Commons there are members enougl who will not vote what is grossly vmjust oi absurd. No, Sir ; there must always be I'ighl enough, or appearance of right, to keep wi'onc in countenance." Boswele. " There is surelj always a mnjority in parliament who hav( places, or who want to have them, and whc therefore will be generally ready to suppor government, without requiring any pretext.' E. "True, Sir; that majority will alwayj follow ' Quo clamor vocat et turba faventium.'" 2 BoswELi-. Well now, let us take the commoi phrase. Place-hunters. I thought they hai hunted without regard to any thing, just a;: their huntsman, the minister, leads, lookinji only to the prey."'' J. "But taking you; metaphor, you know that in hunting there an' few so desperately keen as to follow withou' 1 All this, as Mr. Bcswell elsewhere says, must be a very imperfect record of the conversation. Mr. Burke, no doubt, meant to allude (perhaps with a double mcajiing) to the superabundant population of Ireland CROKi:ii. 2 Surely the Oppositions have in general had the clamor and the turba on their side. — Croker, 1846. ' Lord Bolingbroke, who, however detestable as a meta- physician, must be allowed to have had admirable talents a a political writer, thus describes the House of Commons ii his " Letter to Sir William Wyndham ;" — " You know th nature of that assembly : they grow, like hounds, fond c the man who shows them game, and by whose halloo the are used to be encouraged." — Boswell. I ^T. 69. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. I ' reserve. Some do not choose to leap ditches ' and hedges and risk their necks, or gallop over steeps, or even to dirty themselves in bogs and mire." Boswell. " I am glad there are some good, quiet, moderate political hunters." E. " I believe in any body of men in England I should have been in the minority; I have always been I in the minority." P. " The House of Commons I resembles a private company. How seldom is I any man convinced by another's argument; passion and pride rise against it." K. " AVhat i would be the conseqiience, if a minister, sure J of a majority in the House of Commons, should I resolve that there should be no speaking at all ; upon his side?" E. "He must soon go out. That has been tried ; but it was found it would ' not do." i E. " The Ii-ish language is not primitive ; it i is Teutonic, a mixtiire of the northern tongues; j it has much English in it." Johnsox. " It j may have been radically Teutonic ; but En- [ glish and High Dutch have no similarity to the , eye, though radically the same. Once, when y I looking into Low Dutch, I found, in a whole ; page, only one word similar to English ; strdeyn, like stream, and it signified tide." ' E. " I remember having seen a Dutch sonnet, in ^s hich I found this word roesnopies. Nobody j would at first think that this could be English ; r j but, when we inquire, we find roes, rose, and I j nopie, knob ; so we have rosebuds'* 1 Johnson. " I have been reading Thick- i nesse's Travels, which I think are entertain- j ing." BoswELL. " What, Sir, a good book ? Johnson. "Yes, Sir, to read once. I do not j say you are to make a study of it, and digest j it ; and I believe it to be a true book in his (intention. All travellers generally mean to I tell truth; though Thicknesse observes, upon I Smollett's account of his alarming a whole itown in France by tiring a blunderbuss, and j frightening a French nobleman till he made jhim tie on his portmanteau, that he would jbe loth to say Smollett had told two lies in I one page; but he had found the only town in France where these things could have happened. Travellei-s must often be mistaken. In every thing, except where mensuration can be applied, they may honestly differ. There has been, of late, a strange turn in travellers to be displeased." E. " From the experience which I have had, — and I have had a great deal, — I have learnt to think better of mankind." Johnson. " From my experience I have found them worse in ' Dr. Johnson seems to have been in error in this point. Stroem signifies just what stream does in English — current, flowing water, and thence tide: .ind the languages have undoubtedly a general similarity. Let us take as examples the explanations given in Mann's Dutch Dictionary, of the very two words to which Johnson alluded, with the English subjoined: commercial dealings, more disposed to cheat, than I had any notion of; but more disposed to do one anotiier good than I had conceived." J. " Less just and more beneficent." John- son. " And, really, it is wonderful, — con- sidering how much attention is necessary for men to take care of themselves, and ward oif innnediate evils which press upon them, — it is wonderful how nmeh they do for others. As it is said of the greatest "liar, that he tells more truth than falsehood ; so it may be said I of the worst man, that he does more good j than evil." Boswell. "Perhaps from ex- perience men may be found happier than we ! suppose." Johnson. " No, Sir ; the more we inquii-e, we shall find men the less happy." P. " As to thinking better or worse of man- kind from experience, some cunning people will not be satisfied unless they have put men to the test, as they think. There is a very good story told of Sir Godfrey Kneller, in his character of a justice of the peace. A gentleman brought his servant before him, upon an accusation of having stolen some money from him ; but it having come out that he had laid it purposely in the servant's way, in order to try his honesty. Sir Godfrey sent the master to prison." - Johnson. " To resist temptation once is not a sufficient proof of honesty. If a servant, indeed, were to resist the continued temptation of silver lying in a window, as some people let it lis, when he is sure his master does not know how much there is of it, he would give a strong proof of honesty. But this is a pi'oof to which you have no right to put a man. You know, humanly speaking, there is a certain degree of temptation which will overcome any virtue. Now, in so far as you approach temptation to a man, you do him an injury ; and, if he is overcome, you share his guilt." P. " And, when once overcome, it is easier for him to be got the better of again." Boswell. " Yes, you are his seducer ; you have debauchetl him. I have known a man resolved to put friendship to the test, by asking a friend to lend him money, merely with that view, when he did not want it." Johnson. " That is very wrong, Sh-. Your friend may be a narrow man, and yet have many good quali- ties ; narrowness may be his only fault. Now you are trying his general character as a friend by one particular singly, in which he happens to be defective, when, in truth, his character is composed of many particulars." And under the word current is quoted a Dutch phrase whicb is almost English : Dat bock word tien croncn That booli worth ten crowns Croker. 2 Pope thus introduces this story : — " Faith, in such case if you should prosecute, I think Sir Godfrey should decide the suit, Who sent the thief who stole the cash away. And punish'd him that put it in his w.iv." hnit. uf Horace, b. ii. op. 2. '— BosWEU. 576 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1778 E. " I understand the hogshead of claret, which this society was favoured with by our friend the dean ', is nearly out ; I think he should be Avritten to, to send another of the same kind. Let the request be made with a happy ambiguity of expression, so that Ave may have the chance of his sending it also as a present. Johnson. " I am willing to offer ray services as secretary on this occasion." P. " As many as are for Dr. Johnson being secretary, hold up your hands. — Carried una- nimously. " BoswELL. " He will be our dictator." Johnson. "No, the company is to dictate to me. I am only to write for wine ; and I am quite disinterested, as I drink none ; I shall not be suspected of having forged the application. I am no more than humble scribe." E. "Then you shall pre- scribe." Boswell. "Very well. The first play of words to-day." J. " No, no ; the hills in Ireland." Johnson. "Were I your dic- tator, you should have no wine. It would be my business cavere ne quid detrimenti Res- publica capei-et, and wine is dangerous. Rome^ was ruined by luxury" (smiling). E. "If you allow no wine as dictator, you shall not have me for your master of horse." On Saturday, April 4., I drank tea Avith Johnson at Dr. Taylor's, where he had dined. F entertained us with an account of a tra- gui / Avritten by a Dr. Kennedy (not the 7 jon physician)^ * * *_ " It is hardly to believed," he added, "what absurd and j -cent images men will introduce into their \N tings, without being sensible of the ab- surdity and indecency. I remember Lord Orrery told me, that there was a pam- phlet written against Sir Robert Walpole, [under a learned but indecent title.] The Duchess of Buckingham asked Lord Orrery who this person was ? He answered, he did not know. She said, she would send to Mr. Pulteney, who, she supposed, could inform her. So then, to prevent her from making herself ridiculous. Lord Orrery sent her grace a note, in which he gave her to understand what was meant." He was very silent this evening, and read in a variety of books ; suddenly throwing down one, and taking up another. He talked of going to Streatham that night. Taylor. " You'll be robbed, if you do ; or you must shoot a highwayman. Now, I would rather be robbed than do that ; I would not shoot a highwayman." Johnson. " But I would rather shoot him in the instant when he 1 Dr. Barnard, Dean of Derry, afterwards Bishop of Kil- laloe and Limerick. — Croker. 2 Here a few lines relating to the indelicate subject of this tragedy are omitted, and a few words of the following anec- dote altered. (See ante, p. 17G. n. 6.) 1 cannot but think it very strange that BoswcU should have printed this absurd and indelicate stuff in the face of Johnson's reprehensive remark. — Cbokeb. 3 The late Duke of Montrose was generally said to have been uneasy on that account ; but I can contradict the report from his grace's own authority. As he used to admit me to very easy conversation with him, 1 took the liberty to intro- is attempting to rob me, than afterwards swea against him at the Old Bailey, to take awa^ his life, after he has robbed me. I am surer *. am right in the one case, than in the other. ] may be mistaken as to the man when I swear I cannot be mistaken if I shoot him in thi act. Besides, we feel less reluctance to tak( away a man's life, when we are heated by thf injury, than to do it at a distance of time h^ an oath, after we have cooled." Boswell " So, Sir, you would rather act from th( motive of private passion, than that of publi( advantage." Johnson. "Nay, Sir, when '. shoot the highwayman, I act from both." Bos WELL. " Very well, very well. There is nc catching him." Johnson. "At the same time, one does not knoAV what to say. Fo; perhaps one may, a year after, hang himsel from uneasiness for having shot a highwayman. Few minds are fit to be trusted Avith so grea a thing." Boswell. "Then, Sir, you avouIc not shoot him?" Johnson. "But I migh be vexed afterwards for that too." Thrale's carriage not having come for him as he expected, I accomjianied him some par of the Avay home to his OAvn house. I toL him, that I had talked of him to Mr. Dunnin; a few days before, and had said, that in hi company we did not so much interchange con versation, as listen to him ; and that Dunnin observed, upon this, " One is always willing t listen to Dr. Johnson ;" to which I answerec " That is a great deal from you. Sir." "Ye; Sir," said Johnson, "a great deal indee( Here is a man Avilling to listen, to Avhoni tt Avorld is listening all the rest of the year j Boswell. " I think. Sir, it is right to te one man of such a handsome thing, Avhicli hi been said of him by another. In tends t increase benevolence." Johnson. " Undoub edly it is right. Sir." On Tuesday, A2:)ril 7., I breakfasted wi( him at his house. He said, "Nobody avi content." I mentioned to him a respectah person * in Scotland Avhom he kncAv ; and asserted, that I really believed he Avas alwa; content. Johnson. " No, Sir, he is not contei Avith the present; he has always some ne scheme, some new plantation, something whi( is future. You know he Avas not content as AvidoAver, for he married again." Bosavei " But he is not restless." Johnson. " Sir, 1 is only locally at rest. A chymist is locally rest; but his mind is hard at Avork. Tl gentleman has done Avith external exertioi It is too late for him to engage in dista duce the subject. His grace told me, that when riding cl night near London, he was attacked by two highwaymen horseback, and that he instantly shot one of them, uj which the other galloped off; that his servant, who was vi well mounted, proposed to pursue him and take him, butt! his grace said. " No, we have had blood enough ; I hopei man may live to repent." His grace, upon my presuminf put the question, assured me that his mind was not all clouded by what he had thus done in self-defence Boswell. ■* Lord Auchinleck, Mr. Boswell's father.— Choker. Mt. 69. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 577 projects." BoswELL. " He seems to amuse limsch' quite well ; to have his attention fixed, md his tranquillity preserved, by very small natters. I have tried this ; but it would not lo with me." Johnson (laughing). " No, sir ; it must be born with a man to be con- ented to take up with little things. Women ;iave a great advantage, that they may take up vith little things without disgracing them- elves ; a man cannot, e.xcept with fiddling, lad I learnt to fiddle, I should have done lothing else." Boswell. " Pray, Sir, did you vir play on any musical instrument?" John- mn. '• No, Sir. I once bought me a flageolet ; lit I never made out a tune." Boswell. A llageolet. Sir ! — so small an instrument ? ' should have liked to hear you play on the iiiloncello. That should have been your m- iiiiiiiL'nt." Johnson. " Sir, I might as well a\ i' played on the violoncello as another ; but shinild have done nothing else. No, Sir ; a Kill would never undertake great things, mid he be amused with small. I once tried nutting. Dempster's sister undertook to teach le ; but I could not learn it." Boswell. , So, Sir ; it will be related in pompous iarrative, ' Once for his amusement he tried netting; nor did this Hercules disdain the listaff.'" JouNsoN. "Knitting of stockings 1 a good amusement. As a freeman of Aber- 3en, I should be a knitter of stockings." He iked me to go down with him and dine at Mr. hrale's, at Streatham, to which I agreed. I had nt him "An Account of Scotland, in 1702," ritten by a man of various inciuiry, an En- !ish chaplain to a regiment stationed there. lOHNSON. " It is sad stuff. Sir, miserably iritten, as books in general then were. There > now an elegance of style universally diffused, jo man now writes so ill as ' Martin's Account li" the Hebrides' is written. A man could pt write so ill, if he should try. Set a jerchant's clerk now to write, and he'll do btter." He talked to me with serious concern of a When I told this to Miss Seward, she smiled, and re- itod with admirable readiness, from " Acis and Galatea," " Bring me a hundred reeds of .imple growth, To make a pipe for my capacious mouth." Boswell. ' Mrs. Thrale. Dr. Johnson is here m.tde to say, that he ^ " weary of chiding her on this suliject." It is, however, iKirkable that in all his letters to her— written certainly 111 equal freedom and affection — there should be no ii-ion of this kind. Without accusing Mr. Boswell of tins what was not true, we may suspect that on these ocea- ns hn did not tell the w/iolc truth ; and that Dr. Johnson's iressions were answers to suggestions of his own ; and to ;l)le us to judge fairly of the answer, the suggestion itself Ilia havebeen stated. This seems the more probable from inisou's saying " Do talk to her of it ; " which would have II ;\ violation of all decency and friendship (considering ■ relative situations of Mrs. Thrale, Dr. Johnson, and Hoswell), if it did not allude to some particular fact of icli Boswell himself had complained. — Croker. Lord Macartney observes \i|)on this passage, " T have ird him tell many things, which, though embellished by ir mode of narrative, had their foundation in truth ; but I n r remember any thing approaching to this. If he had itten it, I should have supposed some wag had put the 'ire of one before the three." I am, however, absolutely certain female friend's " " laxity of narration, and inattention to truth." "1 am as much vexed," said he, "at the ease with which she hears it mentioned to her, as at the thing itself. I told her, ' ^ladam, you are contented to hear every day said to you, what the highest of mankind have died for, rather than bear. You know. Sir, the highest of mankind have died rather than bear to be told they had uttered a falsehood. Do talk to her of it ; I am weary." Boswell. " Was not Dr. John Campbell a very inaccurate man in his narra- tive, Sir ? He once told me, that he drank thirteen bottles of port at a sitting." ^ John- son. " Why, Sir, I do not know that Camp- bell ever lied with pen and ink ; but you could not entirely depend on any thing he told you in conversation, if there was fact mixed with it. However, I loved Campbell ; he was a solid orthodo.x man ; he had a re- verence for religion. Though defective in practice, he was religious in principle ; and he did nothing grossly wrong that I have fieard. * I told him that I had been present the day before, when Mrs. Montagu, the literary lady, sat to Miss Reynolds for her picture; and that she said, " she had bound up JNIr. Gibbon's History without the last two of- ^"'"^ fensive chapters ; for that she thought '" ' a, ' book so far good, as it gave, in an elegL.f'^y manner, the substance of the bad writers medii (svi, which the late Lord Lyttelton advised her to read." Johnson. " Sir, she has not read them ; she shows none of this impetuosity * to me ; she does not know Greek, and, I fancy, knows little Latin. She is willing you should* think she knows them; but she does not say she does." Boswell. " Mr. Harris, who was present, agreed with her." Johnson. " Harris was laughing at her, Sir. Harris is a sound sullen scholar ; he does not like interlopers. Harris, however, is a prig, and a bad prig.^ I looked into his book, and thought he did not understand certain that Dr. Campbell told me it, and I gave particular attention to it, being myself a lover of wine, and therefore curious to hear whatever is remarkable concerning drinking. There can be no doubt that some men can drink, without suffering any injury, such a quantity as to others appears incredible. 'It is but fair to add, that Dr. Campbell told me, he took a very long time to this great potation ; and I have heard Dr. Johnson say, " Sir, if a man drinks very slowly, and lets one glass evaporate before he takes another, I know not how long he may drink." Dr. Campbell mentioned a colonel of militia who sat with him all the time, and drank equally. — Boswell. * Dr. John Campbell died about two years before this con- versation took place ; December ITTS — Malone. ■"' Surely the word "impetuosity" must be a mistake. — Croker. 6 What my friend meant by these words concerning the amiable philosopher of Salisbury, I am at a loss to under- stand. A friend suggests, that Johnson thought his manrio- as a writer affected, while at the same time the matter did not compensate for that fault. In short, that he meant to make a remark quite different from that which a celebrated gentle- man made on a very eminent physician : He is a coxcomb, but a salii/actory coxcomb Boswell. The celebrated gen- tleman here alluded to was the late liiglit Hon. William Gerard Hamilton. — Malone. P P 578 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 17781 his own system." Boswell. " He says plain things in a formal and abstract way, to be sure ; but his method is good ; for to have clear notions upon any subject, we must have recourse to analytic arrangement." Johkson. " Sir, it is what eveiy body does, whether they will or no. But sometimes things may be made darker by definition. I see a coiv. I define her. Animal quadrupes ruminans cor- nutum. But a goat ruminates, and a cow may have no horns. Coio is plainer." Boswell. " I think Dr. Franklin's definition of Man a good one — 'A tool-making animal.'" John- son. " But many a man never made a tool ; and suppose a man without arms, he could not make a tool." Talking of drinking wine, he said, " I did not leave off wine because I could not bear it ; I have drunk three bottles of port with- out being the worse for it. University Col- lege has witnessed this." ' Boswell. " Why, then, Sir, did you leave it off?" Johnson. "Why, Sir, because it is so much better for a man to be sure that he is never to be in- toxicated, never to lose iha power over himself I shall not begin to drink wine again tiU I grow old 2, and want it." Boswbll. " I think. Sir, you once said to me, that not to drink wine was a great deduction from life." Johnson. " It is a diminution of pleasure, to be sure ; but I do not say a diminution of happiness. There is more happiness in being rational." Boswell. " But if we could have pleasure always, should not we be happy? The greatest part of men would compound for pleasure." Johnson. " Sup- posing we could have pleasure always, an intellectual man would not compound for it. The greatest part of men would compound, because the greatest part of men are gross." Boswell. " I allow there may be greater pleasure than from wine. I have had more pleasure from your conversation. I have, indeed ; I assure you I have." Johnson. " When Ave talk of pleasure, we mean sensual pleasure. When a man says he had pleasure with a woman, he does not mean conversation, but something of a different nature. Phi- losophers tell you, that pleasure is contrary to happiness. Gross men prefer animal pleasure. So there are men who have preferred living among savages. Now, what a wretch must he be, wiio is content with such conversation as can be had among savages! You may re- member an officer at Fort Augustus, who had served in America, told us of a woman whom they were obliged to bind, in order to get her back from savage life." Boswell. " She must have been an animal, a beast." Johnson. " Sir, she was a speaking cat." I mentioned to him that I had become very weary in company where I heard not a single ' See post, sub 17 April, 1778. — C. 2 He was now in his seveiitielh year. — Choker. intellectual sentence, except that " a man wh( had been settled ten years in Minorca wa become a much inferior man to what he wa in London, because a man's mind grow narrow in a narrow place." Johnson, "i* man's mind grows narrow in a narrow place whose mind is enlarged only because he ha lived in a large place; but what is got h\ books and thinking is preserved in a narrov! place as well as in a large place. A mai{ cannot know modes of life as well in Minorc;i as in London ; but he may study mathematic; as well in Minorca." Boswell. " I den' know. Sir ; if you had remained ten years ir the Isle of Col, you would not have been th man that you now are." Johnson. "Yes; Sir, if I had been there from fifteen to twenty five ; but not if from twenty-five to thirty i five." BosAVELL. " I own, Sir, the spirit; which I have in London make me do ever thing with more readiness and vigour. I ca^ talk twice as much in London as any whei^ else." Of Goldsmith, he said, " He was not a' agreeable companion, for he talked always f( fame. A man who does so never can 1 pleasing. The man who talks to unburden h; mind is the man to delight you. An emineij friend of ours^ is not so agreeable as tlj variety of his knowledge would otherwi'J make him, because he talks partly from osteii tation " ; Soon after our arrival at Thrale's, I hea)] one of the maids calling eagerly on another '■ go to Dr. Johnson. I wondered what tb could mean. I afterwards learnt, that it w; to give lier a Bible, which he had broug from London as a present to her. '■ He Avas for a considerable time occupied reading " Memoires de Fontenelle," leaniji and swinging upon the low gate into the cou without his hat. I looked into Lord Kaimes's " Sketches the History of Man;" and mentioned to I; Johnson his censure of Charles V., for eel. bj'ating bis funeral obsequies in his lifetin Avhich, I told him, I had been used to thinl! solemn and affecting act." Johnson. " Wl; Sir, a man may dispose his mind to think so ,' that act of Charles; but it is so liable ! ridicule, that if one man out of ten thousa' laughs at it, he'll make the other nine thousa! nine hundred and ninety-nine laugh too." i could not agree with him in this. ' Sir John Pringle had expressed a wish tlj) I Avould ask Dr. Johnson's opinion Avhat wi J the best English sermons for style. I took « opportunity to-day of mentioning several } him. "Atterbury?" Johnson, " Yes, S', one of the best." Boswell. " Tillotson ' Johnson. "Why, not now. I should it advise a preacher at this day to imitate TiU • 3 Mr. Burke Croker. ^T. 69. BOSTVELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 179 t son's style ; though I don't know ; I should be cautious of objecting to what has been ap- 1 plauded by so many suflTriiges. — South is one ' of the best, if you except his peculiarities, and i his violence, and sometimes coarseness of language. — Seed has a very fine style ; but he i is not very theological. — Jortin's sermons are I very elegant. — Sherlock's style, too, is vei-y 1 elegant, though he has not made it his prin- [ cipal study. — And you may add SmaLridge. I All the latter preachers have a good style. j Indeed, nobody now talks much of style : every body composes pretty well. There are no such inharmonious perioils as there were a }, hundred years ago. I should recommend Dr. ^Clarke's sermons, were he orthodox. How- ever, it is very well known jvhere he is not j orthodox, which was upon the doctrine of the ' Trinity, as to which he is a condemned heretic ; so one is aware of it." Boswell. "I like Ogden's Sermons on Prayer very much, both for neatness of style and subtilty of reason- ing." Johnson. " I should like to read all that Ogden has written." Boswell. " What I wish to know is, what sermons afford the best specimen of English })ulpit eloquence." Johnson. " We have no sermons addressed [to the passions, that are good for any thing ; if jyou mean that kind of eloquence." A Clergt- IMAN (whose name I do not recollect). "Were jnot Dodd's sermons addressed to the passions ? " Johnson. " They wore nothing. Sir, be they addressed to what they may." At dinner, 'Mrs. Thrale expressed a wish to go and see Scotland. Johnson. " Seeing Scotland, Madam, is only seeing a worse England. It is seeing the flower gradually fade away to the luaked stalk. Seeing the Hebrides, indeed, is Iseeing quite a diflerent scene." Our poor friend, Mr. Thomas Davies, was soon to have a benefit at Drury Lane Theatre, as some relief to his unfortunate circum- stances.' We were all warmly interested for bis success, and had contributed to it. How- ever, we thought there was no harm in having 3ur joke, when he could not be hurt by it. |[ proposed that he should be brought on to speak a prologue upon the occasion ; and I began to mutter fragments of what it might be ; as, that when now grown old, he was obliged to cry "Poor Tom's a-cold;" — that le owned he had been driven from the stage 3y a Churchill, but that this was no disgrace, ;br a Churchill had beat the French ; — that le had been satirised as " mouthing a sentence IS curs mouth a bone," but he was now glad of I bone to pick. " Nay," said Johnson, " I iTOuld have him to say, — ' Mad Tom is come to see tlie world again.' " ' Davies had become bankrupt in the preceding January, ind his benefit tools place 27th May, 177H, when he, after an nterval of fifteen years, appeared in the char.icter of Fainall, n the Way oj the /KorW.— CaoKER. '•• See, however, ante, p. iJ53., where his decision on this iubject is more favourable to the absentee. — Malone. This ast opinion is the truer view of the subject Croker. He and I returned to town in the, evening. Upon the road, I endeavoured to maintain in argument, that a landed gentleman is not under any obligation to resiilc upon his estate; and that by living in London he does no injury to his country._ Johnson. " ^\niy, Sir, he does no injui-y to his country in general, because the money which he draws from it gets back again in circulation ; but to his particular district, his particular parish, he does an injury. All that he has to give away is not given to those who luive the first claim to it. And though I have said that the money circulates back, it is a long time before that happens. Then, Sir, a man of flimily and estate ought to consider himself as having the charge of a district, over which he is to dSfuse civility and happiness." "^ Next day I found him at home in the morn- ing. He praised Delany's "Observations on Swift ; " said that his book and Lord Orrery's might both be true, thougli one viewed Swift more, and the other less, fovourably ; and that, between both, we might have a complete notion of Swift. Talking of a man's resolving to deny himself the use of wine, from moral and religious con- siderations, he said, " He must not doubt about it. When one dotibts as to pleasure, we know what will be the conclusion. I now no more think of drinking wine than a horse does. The wine upon the table is no more for me, than for the dog who is under the table." CHAPTER LXHL 1778. Horace's Villa. — Countnj Life Great Cities French Literature. — Old Age. — " Unius LacertcB." Potter's jEschylus Pope's Homer. — Sir W. Tem- ple's Style. — ElphiiistoJis Martial. — Hawkins's Tragedy. — Insubordination. — Fame Use of Riches. — Economy. — Soldiers and Sailors. Charles Fox Be Foe Cock- Lane Ghost. Asking Questions. — Hulks. — Foreign Travel. Short Hand.— Dodd's Poems. — Pennant John- son and Percy, — Stratagem. — Correspondence. On Thursday, April 9., I dined with him at Sir Joshua Reynolds's, with the Bisliop of St. Asaph (Dr. Shipley). jMr. Allan Ramsay ^ , Mr. Gibbon, J\lr. Cambridge, and Mr. Langton. Mr. Ramsay had lately returned from ftaly, and entertained us with his observations upon Horace's villa, which he had examined with 3 Allan Itamsay, painter to his Majesty, who died lOth of August, W8-1, in the seventy-first year of his a^e much regretted by his friends -Boswell. He was the son of the Scottish poet : and died at Dover, on his return from hig fourth visit to Italy The Biography places his birth in 1709, and the Gent Mag. m 1713. Mr. Allan Cunningham (as well as Boswell) follows the latter date. — Croker. p p 2 580 BO SWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1778, great care. I relished this much, as it brought fresh into my mind what I had viewed with great pleasure thirteen years before. The bishop, Dr. Johnson, and Mr. Cambridge joined with Mr. Ramsay, in recollecting the various lines in Horace relating to the subject. Horace's journey to Brundusium being men- tioned, Johnson observed, that the brook which he describes is to be seen now, exactly as at that time ; and that he had often wondered how it happened, that small brooks, such as this, kept the same situation for ages, notwithstanding earthquakes, by which even mountains have been changed, and agriculture, which produces such a variation upon the surface of the earth. Cambridge. " A Spanish writer has this thought in a poetical conceit. After observing, that most of the solid structures of Rome are totally perished, while the Tiber remains the same, he adds, — ' Lo que era firme huio, solamente Lo fugitivo perinanece y dura.'" ' Johnson. " Sir, that is taken from Janus Vitalis : — immota labescunt ; Et quae perpetuo sunt agitata manent." The bishop said, it appeared from Horace's writings that he was a cheerful, contented man. Johnson. " We have no reason to believe that, ray Lord. Are we to think Pope was happy, because he says so in his writings ? We siee in his writings what he wished the state of his mind to appear. Dr. Young, who pined for preferment, talks with contempt of it in his writings S and affects to despise every thing that he did not despise." Bishop or St. Asaph. " He was like other chaplains, looking for va- cancies : but that is not peculiar to the clergy. I remember, when I was with the army \ after the battle of Lafeldt, the officers seriously grumbled that no general was killed." Cam- bridge. " We may believe Horace more, when he says, — ' Romae Tibur amem ventosus, Tibure Romam,' * than when he boasts of his consistency : — ' Me eonstare mihi scis, et discedere trlstem, Quandocunque trahunt invisanegotia Romain.' "^ BoswELL. " How hard is it that man can never be at rest ! " Ramsay. "It is not in his nature to be at rest. When he is at rest, he is in the > Things fixpd and firm away have passed ; The fugitive remain and last. — C. 2 The comparative neglect into which Young's works have fallen, may, I think, lie in some degree attributed to his dis- gusting flattery of his patrons, male and female : all his wit, pathos, and force — and they are very great — cannot counteract the effect of such deplorable adulation as he practised.— Croker. 3 Dr. Shipley, as chaplain to the Duke of Cumberland. This battle was fought 20th July, 1747. — Croker. * " Inconstant as the wind, I various rove. At Tibur, Kome — at Rome I Tibur love." Hor. 1 Ep. 8. 12. Francis.— C. worst state that he can be in : for lie has no- thing to agitate him. He is then like the mar in the Irish song ^ : — * There lived a young man in Ballinacrazy, Who wanted a wife for to make him unaisy.* ' Goldsmith being mentioned, Johnson ob- served, that it was long before his merit came to be acknowledged : that he once complainec to him in ludicrous terms of distress, " When- ever 1 write any thing, the public make apoin to know nothing about it : " but that his " Tra veller " "^ brought him into high reputation Langton. " There is not one bad line in tha poem ; not one of Dryden's careless verses." Sir Joshua. " I was glad to hear Charles Fo: say, it was one of the finest poems in the En glish language." Langton. " Why were yoi glad ? You surely had no doubt of this before. Johnson. " No ; the merit of ' The Traveller is so well established, that Mr. Fox's prais cannot augment it, nor his censure diminisl it." Sir Joshua. " But his friends ma suspect they had too great a partiality fc him." Johnson. " Nay, Sir, the partialit of his friends was always against him. ]. was with difficulty we could give him hearing. Goldsmith had no settled notior upon any subject ; so he talked always at rar dom. It seemed to be his intention to blui out whatever was in his mind, and see whi would become of it. He was angry, too, whe catched in an absurdity; but it didnotprevei him from falling into another the next minut I remember Chamier, after talking with hi some time, said, ' Well, I do believe he wro this poem himself; and, let me tell you, that believing a great deal.' Chamier once ask( him, what he meant by slow, the last word the first line of 'The Traveller,' — ' Remote, unfriended, melancholy, slow.' Did he mean tardiness of locomotion ? Goli smith, who would say something without co sideration, answered, 'Yes.' I was sitting b and said, ' No, Sir, you do not mean tardine of locomotion ; you mean that sluggishness mind which comes upon a man in solitud Chamier believed then that I had written t line, as much as if he had seen me write it. Goldsmith, however, was a man, who, whatev he wrote, did it better than any other ni could do. He deserved a place in Westmin?! Abbey ; and every year he lived would L;i ' " More constant to myself, I leave with pain. By hateful business forced, the rural scene." Hor. 1 Ep. 14. IG. Francis. — C. 6 Called " Alley Croker." This lady, a celebrated bea, in her day, was Alicia, the youngest daughter of Coir Croker, of BaHinagard, in the county of Limerick. ''. • lover whose rejection has immortalised her name is known ; but she married Charles Langley, Esq., of List • nock. She died without issue, about the middle of the : century — Croker. 7 First published in 1765. — Malone. " .See nn/e. p. 174., as to tJie lines of this poem wl i Johnson wrote. — Croker. ^T. 69. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 581 deserved it better. He had, indeed, been at no pains to fill his mind with knowledi^e. lie transplanted it from one place to another, and it did not settle in his mind ; so he conld not tell what was in his own books." We talked of living in the country. John- son. "No wise man will go to live in the country, unless he has something to do which can be better done in the country. For in- stance ; if he is to shut himself up for a year to stuciy a science, it is better to look out to the fields than to an opposite wall. ' Then if a man walks out in the country, there is nobody to keep him from walking in again ; but if a man walks out in London, he is not sure when he shall walk in again. A great city is, to be sure, the school for studying life; and ' the proper study of mankind is man,' as Pope observes." Bos well. "Ifancy London is the best place for society ; though I have heard that the very first society of Paris is still beyond any thing that we have here." Johnson. " Sir, I question if in Paris such a company as is sitting round this table could be got together in less "than half a year. They talk in France of the felicity of men and women living toge- ther : the truth is, that there the men are not higher than the women, they know no more than the women do, and they are not held down in their conversation by the presence of women." IIamsay. " Literature is upon the growth, it is in its spring in France : here it is rather passee." Johnson. " I^iterature was in France long before we had it. Paris was the second city for the revival of letters: Italy had it first, to be sure. What have we done for literature, equal to what was done by the Ste- phani and others in France ? Our literature came to us through France. Caxton printed only two books, Chaucer and Gower, that were not translated from the French ; and Chaucer, we know, took much from the Italians. No, Sir, if literature be in its spring in France, it is a second spring ; it is after a winter. We are now before the French in literature : but we had it long after them. In England, any man who wears a sword and a powdered wig is ashamed to be illiterate. I believe it is not so in France. Yet there is, probably, a great deal of learning in France, because they have such a number of religious establishments ; so many men who have nothing else to do but to study. I do not know this ; but I take it upon the common principles of chance. Where there •ii-c many shooters, some will hit." \ 1 Mr. Cumberland was of a contrary opinion. " In the I ensuing year 1 apain paid a visit to my father at Clonfert ; land there, in a little closet, at the back of the palace, as it [was called, unfurnished, and out of use, with no other pros- jpect from its single window but that of a turf-stack, with I which it was almost in cont.ict, I seated myself by choice, and began to plan and compose T/ic H'l-sl Indian. In all my I hours of study, it has been through life my object so to locate I myself as to have little or nothing to distract my attention. and, therefore, brilliant rooms or pleasant prospects I have 'ever avoided. A dead wall, or, as in the present case, an 1 Irish turf-stack, are not attractions that can call off the fancy I from its pursuits ; and whilst in those pursuits it can find We talked of old age. Johnson (now in his seventieth year) said, "It is a man's own fault, it is from want of use, if his mind grows torpid in old age." " The bishop asked if an old man does not lose faster than he gets. John- son. "I think not, my Lord, if he exerts him- self" One of the company rashly observed, that he thought it was happy I'or an old man that insensibility comes upon him. Johnson (with a noble elevation and disdain). "No, Sir, I should never be happy l)y being less rational." Bishop of St. Asaph. " Your wish then, Sir, is yijpcKTKdi' CuncncofiiToc," JoHNSON. " Yes, my Lord." His Lordship mentioned a chari- table establishment in Wales, where people were maintained, and supplied with every thing, upon the condition of their contributing the weekly produce of their laljour ; and, he said, they grew quite torpid for vrant of property. Johnson. " They have no object lor hope. Their condition cannot be better. It is rowing without a port." One of the company asked liim the meaning of the expression in Juvenal, ujiius lacertcB. Johnson. "I think it clear enough ; as much ground as one may have a chance to find a lizard upon." Commentators have differed as to the exact meaning of the expression by which the poet intended to enforce the sentiment contained in the passage where these words occur. It is enough that they mean to denote even a very small possession, provided it be a man's own : — " Est aliquid, quocunque loco, quocunque recessu, Unitis sese dominum fecisse lacerta:."* This season there was a whimsical fashion in the newspapers of applying Shakspeare's words to describe living persons well known in the world ; which was done under the title of " Modern Characters from Shakspeare ;" many of which were admirably adapted. The fancy took so much, that they were afterwards col- lected into a pamphlet. Somebody said to Johnson, across the table, that he had not been in those characters. " Yes," said he, " I have. I should have been sorry to have been left out." He then repeated what had been applied to him : — " You must borrow me Garagantua's mouth."* Miss Reynolds not perceiving at once the mean- ing of this, he was obliged to explain it to her, which had something of an awkward and ludi- crous effect. "Why, Madam, it has a reference interest and occupation. It wants no outward aids to cheer it." — .V<-;n. vol.1, p. 271. 277. — Croker. • Hobbes was of the same opinion with Johnson on this subject ; and, in his answer to D'Avenant's Preface to Oon- dibert. with great spirit explodes the current opinion, that the mind in old age is subject to a necessary and irresis- tible debility, llobbes was then sixty-two years old, and D'Avenant forty-five Malone. ' " And sure — in any corner we can get — 'I'o call one lizard ours, is something yet." GifTord, Juv. Sat. iii. 1. 230. — C, < As You Like II, act iii. sc. 2. — C. p p 3 582 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 177^ to me, as using big words, which reqiiire the mouth of a giant to pronounce them. Gara- gantua is the name of a giant in Rabelais." BoswELL. " But, Sir, there is another amongst them for you : — • He would not flatter Neptune for his trident, Or Jove for his power to thunder.' " ' Johnson. " There is nothing marked in that. No, Sir, Garagantua is the best." Notwith- standing this ease and good-humour, when I, a little while afterwards, repeated his sarcasm on Kenrick [p. 171.], which Avas received with applause, he asked, " Who said that?" and on my suddenly answering, — Garagantua, he looked serious, which was a sufficient indication that he did not wish it to be kept up. When we went to the drawing-room, there was a rich assemblage. Besides the company who had been at dinner, there were Mr. Gar- rick, Mr. Harris of Salisbury, Dr. Percy, Dr. Burney, the Honourable Mrs. Cholmondeley, Miss Hannah More, &c. &c. After wandering aboxit in a kind of pleasing distraction for some time, I got into a corner, with Johnson, Garrick, and Harris. Garrick (to Harris). " Pray, Sir, have you read Potter's ^schylus ? " Harris. " Yes, and I think it pretty." Garrick (to Johnson). " And what think you, Sir, of it ? " Johnson. " I thought what I read of it verbiage : but upon Mr. Har- ris's recommendation, I will read a play. (To Mr. Harris.) Don't pi-escribe two." Mr. Harris suggested one, I do not remember which. John- son. " We must try its effect as an English poem ; that is the way to judge of the merit of a transla- tion. Translations are, in general, for people who cannot read the original." I mentioned the vulgar saying, that Pope's Homer was not a good representation of the original. Johnson. " Sir, it is the greatest work of the kind that has ever been produced" Boswell. "The truth is, it is impossible perfectly to translate poetry. In a different language it may be the same tune, but it has not the same tone. Homer plays it on a bassoon : Pope on a flageolet." Harris. " I think heroic poetry is best in blank verse ; yet it appears that rhyme is essential to English poetry, from our deficiency in metri- cal quantities. In my opinion, the chief ex- cellence of our language is numerous prose." Johnson. " Sir Wiltiam Temple was the first writer who gave cadence to English prose." ^ ' Coriolanits. act. iii. sc. 1. — C. 2 Mr. Boswell, in p. 69., says, that Johnson once told him, " that he had formed his style upon that of Sir William Temple, and upon Chambers's Proposal for his Dictionary. He certainly was mistaken ; or, if he imagined, at first, that he was imitating Temple, he was very unsuccessful ; for no- thing can be more unlike than the simplicity of Temple and the richness of Johnson." Tliis observation of our author, on the first view, seems perfectly just ; but, on a closer ex- amination, it will, I think, appear to have" been founded on a misapprehension. Mr. Boswell understood Johnson too literally. He did not, 1 conceive, mean that he endeavoured to imitate Temple's style in all its parts ; but that he formed his style on him and Chambers (perhaps the paper pub- lished in 1737, relative to his second edition, entitled " Con- Before his time they were careless of arrang( ment, and did not mind whether a sentem ended with an important word or an insio-nif cant word, or with what part of speech it w: concluded." Mr. Langton, who now had joine us, commended Clarendon. Johnson. " He objected to for his parentheses, his involve clauses, and his want of harmony. But he 11 supported by his matter. It is, indeed, owir to a plethory of matter that his style is : faulty : every substance (smiling to Mr. Harri has so many accidents. — To be distinct, we mu talk analytically. If we analyse language, \ must speak of it grammatically ; if we analy argument, we must speak of it logically." Ga rick. " Of all the translations that ever we attempted, I think Elphinston's Martial t most extraordinary. ^ Pie consulted me up' it, who am a little of an epigrammatist mysf you know. I told him freely, 'You don't se( to have that turn.' I asked him if he i^ serious; and finding he was, I advised h against publishing. Why, his translation . more difficult to understand than the origir . I thought him a man of some talents ; but ; seemscrazy in this." Johnson. "Sir, you h:,! done what I had not courage to do. But ; did not ask my advice, and I did not force ; upon him, to make him angry with me." G/- rick. " But as a friend, Sir " Johns . " Why, such a friend as I am with him — r ' Garrick. " But if you see a friend going ) tumble over a precipice ? " Johnson. "Tt is an extravagant case. Sir. You are stu,i friend will thank you for hindering him fii tumbling over a precipice : but, in the ot'r case, I should hurt his vanity, and do himo good. He would not take my advice, s brother-in-law, Strahan, sent him a s - scription of fifty pounds, and said he wc3 send him fifty more if he would not pubfi; " Garrick. "What! eh! is Strahan a gd judge of an epigram ? Is not he rather n obtuse man, eh ? " Johnson. " Why, Sir e may not be a judge of an epigram : but u see he is a judge of what is not an epigra " Boswell. " It 1s easy for you, ]\ir. Gari c, to talk to an author as you talked to Elpli- ston ; you, who have been so long the maniir of a theatre, rejecting the plays of poor autl s. You are an old judge, who have often ])- nounced sentence of death. You are a pract id surgeon, who have often amputated lici; siderations," &c.), taking from each what was most w 1 of imitation. The passage before us, I think, shows tl I learned from Temple to modulate his periods, and, i. < respect only, made him his pattern. In this view of thi i ject there is no difliculty. He might learn from Chan i compactness, strength, and precision (in opposition t 1 laxitv of style which had long prevailed) ; from Sir Tl i Browne (who was certainly one of his archetypes), po " verborutn, vigour and energy of expression ; and from r pie, harmonious arrangement, the due collocation ofM and the other arts and graces of composition here i mer.ated : and yet, after all, his style might bear no st " resemblance to that of any of these writers, though .u profited by each. — Malone. 3 See on/a, p. 65. n. 4. — C. Ml. 69. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. oS3 and though this may have been for the good of your patients, they cannot like you. Those who have undergone a dreadful operation are not very fond of seeing the operator again." Garrick. " Yes, I know enougli of that. There was a reverend gentleman (JNIr. Hawkins), who wrote a tragedy, the si£Ge of something ' , which I refused." H.a.rris. " So, the siege was raised." Johnson. " Ay, he came to me and complained ; and told me, that Garrick said his play was wrong in tiie concoction. ISTow, what is the concoction of a play ! " (Here Garrick stai-ted, and twisted himself, and seemed sorely vexed ; for Johnson told me, he believed the story was true.) Garrick. "I — I — I — said, /?/-,'(/ concoction." ° Johnson (smiling). ■• Well, he left out first. And llich, he said, refused him in false English ; he could show it under his hand." Garrick. " He wrote to me in violent wrath, for having refused his play : ' Sir. this is growing a very serious and terrible atfair. I am resolved to publish my play. I will appeal to the world; and how will your judgment appear ? ' I answered, ' Sir, notwithstanding all the seriousness and all the terrors I have no objection to your jMiblishing your play : and, as you live at a ureat distance (Devonshire, I believe), if you will send it to me, I will convey it to the press.' ^ I never heard more of it, ha ! ha ! ha ! " On Friday, April 10., I found Johnson at home in the morning. We resumed the con- versation of yesterday. He put me in mind of some of it which had escaped my memory, and enabled me to record it more perfectly than I otherwise could have done. He was much pleased with my paying so great attention to his recommendation in 1763, the period when our acquaintance began, that I should keep a journal ; and I could perceive he was secretly pleased to find so much of the fruit of his mind preserved ; and as he had been used to imagine and say, that he always laboured when he said a good thing, — it delighted him, on a review, to find th.at his conversation teemed with point and imagery. I said to him, " You were, yesterday, Sir, in remarkably good humour ; but there was I nothing to offend you, nothing to produce irri- 1 tation or violence. There was no bold offender. There was not one capital conviction. It was I a maiden assize. You had on your white gloves." * He found fault with our friend Langton fcr having been too silent. " Sir," said I, " you will recollect that he very properly took up Sir Joshua for being glad that Charles Fo.x had praised Goldsmith's 'Traveller,' and you joined him." Johnson. " Yes, Sir, I knocked Fox on the he.ad, without ceremony. Keynolds is too much under Fo.x and Eurke at present. He is under the J^ox star and the Irish con- stellafion. He is always under some planet." BoswKLL. " There is no Fox Star." Johnson. " But there is a dog star." Boswell. " They say, indeed, a fox and a dog are the same animal." I reminded him of a gentleman who, IVIi's. Cholmondeley said, was first talkative from affectation, and then silent from the same cause ; that he first thought, " I shall be celebrated as the liveliest man in every company ; " and then, all at once, " O ! it is much more respect- able to be grave and look wise." "He has reversed the Pythagorean discipline, by being first talkative and then silent. He reverses the course of nature too ; he was first the gay butterfly, and then the creeping worm." John- son laughed loud and long at this expansion and illustration of what he himself had told me. AVe dined together with Mr. Scott (now Sir William Scott, his majesty's advocate general), at his chambers in the Temple, nobody else there. The company being [so] small, Johnson was not in such spirits as he had been the pre- ceding day^ and for a considerable time little was said. At last he burst forth : — " Subordina- tion is sadly broken down in this age. No man, now, has the same authority which his father had — except a gaoler. No master has it over his servants : it is diminished in our colleges ; nay, in our grammar-schools." Boswell. "AVhat is the cause of this. Sir?" Johnson. " Why, the coming in of the Scotch," laughing sarcastically. Boswell. "That is to say, things have been turned topsy-turvy. — But your se- rious cause." Johnson. " Why, Sir, there are I It was called •' The Siege of Aleppo." Mr. Hawkins, the author of it, was formerly professor of poetry at Oxford. It is printed in his " Miscellanies," 3 vols. Svo. — Boswell. The .Mr. Hawkins, here so slightingly mentioned, is, never- theless, introduced as one of the great men which Pembroke College produced. See ante, p. 18. — Wright. * Garrick had high .luthority for this expression. Drvden uses it in his preface to " CEdipus." — Malone. And, su'rcly, " concoction " alone was iis good as "first concoction," whicli latter phrase Johnson was willing to admit: hut it appears from the letters in the Garrick Correspondence, vol. ii. p. 6., that C-irrick really wrote "first concoction." — Crokek. * Garrick a little embellishes the reply. He did not offer epigrammalically " to convey the play to the press." but in a long, contentious letter says, th.it he will " forgive Hawkins's publishing an appeal on the rejection of his plays, if he will publish the plays themselves ; " and this was so far from silencing Hawkins, that he rejoined in a still more violent letter. The reader will, perhaps, not be soriy to see a sketch of this evening by another hand, more partial to Garrick. Hannah More writes, " I dined with the Garricks on Thurs- day ; he went with mo in the evening to Sir Joshua's, where 1 was engaged to pass the evening. I was not a little proud of being the means of bringing such a be.au into such a party. We found Gibbon, Johnson, Hermes Harris, Burnev, Cham- bers, Kanis.ny. the Bishop of St. .Asaph. Boswell, Langton, &c., and scarce an expletive man or woman amongst them. Garrick put .Tofinsnn into such good spirits, that I never knew him so entertaining or more instructive. He was as brilliant as himself, and as good-humoured as anv one else " — Morc's Li/c, vol. i. p. 14G. But how infinitely'infcrior are these generalities to the vivacious details of Boswell! — Ckokek, 1835. •* .At an assize, where there has been no capital conviction, the judge receives a pair of white gloves. — Croker. s Hannah More says, on the contrary, of a very small party at her lodgings, " Johnson, full of wisdom and piety, was very communicative. To enjoy Dr. Johnson perfectly, one must have him to oneself, as he seldom cares to speak in mixed parties." — L»//(rri. — Crokeh. 5 It does not appear when or how he became acquainti with Lord Shelburne. See post, sub 30tli March, 17H3. Croker. ^T. 69. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. oHG people, wliatever their fortune is." Boswell. " I have no doubt, Sir, of this. But how is it ? What is waste ? " Johnson. " Why, Sir, break- ing bottles, and a thousand other things. "Waste cannot be accurately told, though we are sen- sible how destructive it is. Economy on the one hand, by which a certain income is made to maintain a man genteelly, and waste on the other, by which, on the same income, another man lives shabbily, cannot be defined. It is a very nice thing ; as one man wears his coat out much sooner than another, we cannot tell how." We talked of war. Johnson. " Every man thinks meanly of himself for not having been a soldier, or not having been .at sea." Boswell. " Lord Mansfield does not." Johnson. " Sir, if Lord [Mansfield were in a company of general officers and admirals who have been in service, he would shrink ; he'd wish to creep under the table." BoswELL " No ; he'd think he could try them all." Johnson. " Yes, if he could j catch them : but they'd try him much sooner. No, Sir; were Socrates and Charles the Twelfth | of Sweden both present in any company, and | i Socrates to say, ' Follow me, and liear a lecture ' in philosophy ;' and Charles, laying his hand i on his sword, to say, * Follow me, and dethrone the Czar,' a man would be ashamed to follow i Socrates. Sir, the impression is universal ; yet | it is strange. As to the sailor, when you look j down from the quarter-deck to the space below, 1 you see the utmost extremity of human misery ; such crowding, such filth, such stench !" Bos- well. " Yet sailors are happy." Johnson. " They are happy as brutes are happy, with a piece of fresh meat — with the grossest sen- I suality. But, Sir, the profession of soldiers and i sailors has the dignity of danger. IMankind reverence those who have got over fear, which is so general a weakness." Scott. " But is not courage mechanical, and to be acquired ? " Johnson. "Why yes, Sir, in a collective sense. Soldiers consider themselves only as part of a great machine." Scott. " We find people fond of being sailors." Johnson. " I cannot account ! for that, any more than I can account for other | strange perversions of imagination." His ah- | horrence of the profession of a sailor was uni- 1 formly violent ; but in conversation he always j exalted the profession of a soldier. And yet { I have, in my large and various collection of his writings, a letter to an eminent friend, in j which he expresses himself thus : — " ]\Iy god- j son called on me lately, lie is weary, and j rationally weary, of a military life. If you can ! place him in some other state, I think you may j increase his happiness, and secure his virtue. A soldier's time is passed in distress and danger, or in idleness and corruption." Such was his cool refiection in his study ; but whenever he was warmed and animated by the presence of company, he, like other philosophers, whose minds are impregnated with poetical fancy, caught the common enthusiasm for splendid renown. lie talked of Mr. Charles Fox, of whose abilities he thought highly, but observed, that he did not talk much at our Club. I have heard ^Ir. Gibbon remark, " that Mr. Fox could not be afraid of Dr. Johnson ; yet he certainly was very shy of saying any thing in Dr. Johnson's pi'esence." Mr. Scott now quoted what was said of Alcibiades by a Greek poet, to which Johnson assented. ' He told us, that he had given Mrs. Montagu a catalogue of all Daniel Defoe's works of ima- gination" ; most, if not all of which, as well as of his other works, he now enumerated, allow- ing a considerable share of merit to a man, who, bred a tradesman, had written so various- ly and so well . Indeed, his " Kobinson Crusoe " is enough of itself to establish his reputation. He expressed great indignation at the im- posture of the Cock-lane ghost, and related, with much satisfiiction, how he had assisted in detecting the cheat, and h.ad published an ac- count of it in the newspapers. Upon this sub- ject I incautiously offended him, by pressing him with too many questions, and he showed his displeasure. I apologised, saying, that " I asked questions in order to be instructed and entertained; I repaired eagerly to the fountain ; but that tJie moment he gave me a hint, the moment he put a lock upon the well, I de- sisted." " But, Sir," said he, " that is forcing one to do a disagreeable thing:" and he conti- nued to rate me. " Nay, Sir," said I, '' when you have put a lock upon the well, so that I can no longer drink, do not make the fountain of your wit play upon me and wet me."^ He sometimes could not bear being teased with questions. I was once present when a gentleman'* asked so many, as, " What did you do. Sir?" " What did you say. Sir?" that he at last grew enraged, and said, " 1 will not be put to the question. Don't you consider. Sir, that these are not the manners of a gentleman? I will not be baited with ivhat and ichy ,• what is this? what is that? why is a cow's tail long? why is a fox's tail bushy?" The gentleman, who was a good deal out of countenance, said, " Why, Sir, you are so good, that I venture to trouble you." Johnson. " Sir, my being so good is no reason why you should be so ill." Talking of the Justitia hulk at AVoolwich, in • Dr. Michael Kearney, Archdeacon of Raphoe, [ante, p. 168. n. 3.J remarks, that " Mr. Boswell's memory must here have deceived him ; and th.it Mr. Scott's observation must have been, that • Mr. Fox, in the instance mentioned, might be con- sidered as the reverse of Pluenx ; ' of whom, as Plutarch relates in the Life of Alcibiades, Eupolis the tragedian said, It is true he can talk, and yet he is no speaicr." — Malone. .Scott pro. bably made the very obvious comparison of Fox to Alcibiades, whom, as an orator, F.upolis had contrasted with the talker Phiax Choker, 1847. ■■i Probably the list which is to be found in Gibber's Lives. — CnoKER. ' Johnson had little rcison to be proud of his share in this foolish dupery (anti, p. l.'iH.), and, therefore, was angry when ISoswell pressed tin; subject on him. — Choker. ■• This was supposed to be Uoswell himself. — Cboker. 586 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1778. which crhnmals were punished, by being con- fined to labour, he said, " I do not see that they are punished by this : they must have worked equally, had they never been guilty of stealing. They now only work ; so, after all, they have gained ; what they stole is clear gain to them ; the confniement is nothing. Every man who works is confined : the smith to his shop, the tailor to his garret." Boswell. " And Lord Mansfield to his court." Johnson. " Yes, Sir. You know the notion of confinement may be extended, as in the song, ' Every island is a prison.' There is in Dodsley's collection a copy of verses to the author of that song." ' Smith's Latin verses on Pococke, the great traveller ", were mentioned. He repeated some of them, and said they were Smith's best verses. He talked with an uncommon animation of travelling into distant countries ; that the mind was enlarged by it, and that an acquisition of dignity of character was derived from it. He expressed a particular enthusiasm with respect to visitijig the wall of China. I catched it for the moment, and said I really believed I should go and see the wall of China had I not children, of whom it was my duty to take care. " Sir," said he, " by doing so, you would do what would be of importance in raising your children to eminence. There would be a lustre reflect- ed upon them from your spirit and cimosity. They would be at all times regarded as the children of a man who had gone to view the wall of China. I am serious, Sir." When we had left Mr. Scott's he said, " Will you go home with me ? " " Sir," said I, " it is late ; but I'll go with you for three minutes." Johnson. " Or four.'" We went to Mrs. Wil- liams's room, where we found Mr. Allen the printer, who was the landlord of his house in Bolt-court, a worthy, obliging man, and his very old acquaintance ; and what was exceed- ingly amusing, though he was of a very dimi- nutive size, he used, even in Johnson's presence, to imitate the stately periods and slow and solemn utterance of the great man. I this evening boasted, that although I did not write what is called stenography, or short-hand, in appropriated characters devised for the pur- pose, I had a method of my own of writing half- words, and leaving out some altogether, so as yet to keep the substance and language of any discourse which I had heard so much in view, 1 I have in vain examined Dodsley's Collection for the verses here referred to. The song begins with the words, " Welcome, welcome, brother debtor." — Malone. The song itself is to be found in Ritson"s and other collections. — Croker. 2 Smith's verses are on Edward Pococke, the great Orien- tal linguist: he travelled, it is true; but Dr. Kichard Po- cocke, late Bisliop of Ossnry, who published Travels through the East, is usually called the great traveller Kearney. Edward Pococke was Canon of Christchurch and Hebrew Professor in Oxford. The two Pocockes flourished just a century apart ; the one, Edward, being born in 1604 ; Richard, in 1704.— Ha«. — Croker. 3 This is odd reasoning. Most readers would have come to the more obvious conclusion, that Boswell had failed in his that I could give it very completely soon after I had taken it down. He defied me, as he had once defied an actual short-hand writer ; and he made the experiment by reading slowly and distinctly a part of Robertson's " History of America," while I endeavoured to write it in my way of taking notes. It was found that I had it very imperfectly ; the conclusion from ^ which was, that its excellence was principally \ owing to a studied arrangement of words, : which could not be varied or abridged without ! an essential injury.^ On Sunday, April 12., Ifoimd him at home before dinner; Dr. Dodd's poem, entitled ' " Thoughts in Prison," was lying upon his table. This appearing to me an extraordinary effort by a man who was in Newgate for a capital crime, I was desirous to hear Johnson's opinion j of it : to my surprise, he told me he had not , read a line of it. I took up the book and read i a passage to him. Johnson. " Pretty well, if \ you are previously disposed to like them." I read another passage, with which he was better j pleased. He then took the book into his own , hands, and having looked at the prayer at the end of it, he said, " What evidence is there that . this was composed the night before he suffered ? I do not believe it." He then read aloud where he i^rays for the king, &c., and observed, " Sir, ; do you think that a man, the night before he ij is to be hanged, cares for the succession of a j royal family ? Though, he may have composed a this prayer then. A man who has been canting I all his life, may cant to the last. And yet a man who has been refused a pardon after so [ much petitioning, would hardly be praying j thus fervently for the king." ''■ j He, and I, and Mrs. Williams went to dine ' with the Eeverend Dr. Percy. Talking of i Goldsmith, Johnson said, he was very envious, I defended him, by observing, that he owned it frankly upon all occasions. Johnson. " Sir, you are enforcing the charge. He had so much ; envy, that he could not conceal it. He was so ' full of it, that he overflowed He talked of it, to be sure, often enough. Now, Sir, what a ; man avows, he is not ashamed to think ; though ; many a man thinks what he is ashamed to avow. We are all envious naturally ; but by checking envy, we get the better of it. So we ai-e all thieves naturally ; a child always tries to get at what it wants the nearest way : by experiment at short-hand. This passage may account for some verbal errors and obscurities in this work : when copy- , ing his notes, after a considerable lapse of time, Mr. Boswell probably misunderstood his own abbreviations. — Croker. ^ It does not seem consistent that Johnson should have i thus spoken of one, in the sincerity of whose repentance he j had so much confidence as to desire to have the benefit of his ■, prayers {ante, p. 544). The observation, too, on the prayers " for the king " seems inconsiderate ; because, ;/Dodtl was a • sincere penitent, he would be anxious to reconcile himself ■ with all mankind, and, as the king miglit have saved his life yet would not, Dodd's prayer for hira was probably neither form nor flattery (for what could tlie^t avail him at that hour ?), but the proof of contrition, and of the absence of all ■ personal resentment Croker. ^T. 69. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 587 wood instruction and good habits this is cured, till a man has not even an inclination to seize what is another's ; has no struggle with himself about it." And here I shall record a scene of too much heat between Dr. Johnson and Dr. Percy, which I should have suppressed, were it not that it gave occasion to display the truly tender and benevolent heart of Johnson, who, as soon as he Ibund a friend was at all hurt by any thing which he had " said in his wrath," was not only prompt and desirous to be reconciled, but ex- erted himself to make ample reparation. Books of travels having been mentioned, Johnson praised Pennant very highly, as he did at Dunvegan, in the Isle of Skye. Dr. Percy, knowing himself to be the heir male of the ancientPercies', and having the warmest and most dutiful attachment to the noble house of Northumberland, could not sit quietly and hear a man praised, who had spoken disrespectfully ot" Alnwick Castle and the duke's pleasure- if rounds, especially as he thought meanly of his travels. He therefore opposed Johnson ea- ;_;i rly. JoiiNSON. " Pennant, in what he has said of Alnwick", has done what he intended ; he has made you vei-y angry." Percy. " He has said the garden is trim, which is represent- ing it like a citizen's parterre, when the truth is, there is a very large extent of fine turf and gravel walks." Johnson. " According to your own account, Sir, Pennant is right. It zs trim. Here is grass cut close, and gravel rolled smooth. Is not that trim ? The extent is no- thing against that ; a mile may be as trim as a square yard. Your extent puts me in mind of the citizen's enlarged dinner, two pieces of rnast beef and two puddings.^ There is no variety, no mind exerted in laying out the ground, no trees." Percv. " He pretends to give the natural history of Northumberland, and yet takes no notice of the immense number of trees planted there of late." Johnson. " That, Sir, has nothing to do with the imtural history ; that is civil history. A man who gives the natural history of the oak, is not to tell hi)w many oaks have been planted in this ' See this accurately stated, and the descent of his family t'rnm the Knrls of Northumberland clearly deduced, in the Ki'v. Dr. Nash's excellent " History of Worcestershire," vol. ii. p. 318. The doctor has subjoined a note, in which hi- says, " The editor hath seen, and carefully examined the proofs of all the particulars above mentioned, now in the possession of the Rev. Thomas Percy." The same proofs I , have also myself carefully examined, and have seen more , additional proofs which have occurred since the doctor's ( book was published ; and both as a lawyer accustomed to the ; consideration of evidence, and as a genealogist versed in the i study of pedigrees, I am fully satisfied. I cannot help ob- ■ servmg, as a circumstance of no small moment, that in tracing the Bishop of Dromore's genealogy, essential aid was given by the late Elizabeth Duchess of Northumberland, heiress of that illustrious house [p.443. n.2] ; a lady not only of I high dignity of spirit, such as became her noble blood, but of I excellent understanding and lively talents. With a fair pride t I can boast of the honour of her grace's correspondence, [ specimens of which adorn my archives Boswell. ^ " At Alnwick no remains of chivalry are perceptible, no ■ respectable train of attendants ; the furniture and gardens inconsistent, and nothing, except the numbers ofunindus- trious poor at the castle gate, excited any one idea of its place or that. A man who gives the na- tural history of the cow, is not to tell how many cows are milked at Islington. The ani- mal is the same whether milked in the Park or at Islington." Percy. " Pennant does not describe well ; a carrier who goes along the side of Lochlomond would describe it better." Johnson. " I think he describes very well." Percy. "I travelled after him." Johnson. " And / travelled after him." Percy. " But, my good friend, you are short-sighted, and do not see so well as I do." I wonder at Dr. Percy's venturing thus. Dr. Johnson said no- thing at the time; but inflammable particles were collecting for a cloud to burst. In a little while Dr. Percy said something more in dis- paragement of Pennant. Johnson (pointedly). " This is the resentment of a narrow mind, because he did not find every thing in North- umberland." Percy (feeling the stroke). " Sir, you may be as rude as yoti please." Johnson. " Hold, Sir ! Don't talk of rudeness : remem- ber, Sir, you told me," puffing hard with passion struggling for a vent, " I was short-sighted. We have done with civility. We are to be as rude as we please." Percy. " Upon my ho- nour. Sir, I did not mean to be uncivil." Johnson. " I cannot say so. Sir ; for I did mean to be uncivil, thinking you had been un- civil." Dr. Pei-cy rose, ran up to him, and taking him by the hand, assured him afi'ection- ately that his meaning had been misunderstood; upon which a reconciliation instantly took place. Johnson. " My dear Sir, I am willing you shall hang Pennant." Percy (resuming the lormer subject). " Pennant complains that the helmet is not hung out to invite to the hall of hospitality. Now I never heard that it was a custom to hang out a helmet.^ Johnson. " Hang him up, hang him up." Boswelx, (hu- mouring the joke). " Hang out his skull in- stead ot a helmet, and you may drink ale out of it in your hall of Odin, as he is your enemy ; that will be truly ancient. There will be ' Northern Antiquities.' " ' Johnson. " He's a ivhig, Sir ; a sad dog" smiling at his own vio- lent expressions, merely for political diflference former circumstances." — Pennant's Tour in Scotland Wright. ^ It is observable that the same illustration of the same subject is to be found in the Heroic Epistle to Sir William Chambers : — " For what is nature ? — ring her changes round. Her three flat notes are water, plants, and ground ; Prolong the peal, yet, spite of all your clatter. The tedious chime is still ground, plants, and water. So when some John his dull invention racks To rival Boodle's dinners or Almack's, Three uncouth legs of mutton shock our eyes. Three roasted geese, three butter'd apple pies." Boswell. The Heroic Epistle had appeared in 1773; so that Johnson, no doubt, borrowed the idea from that spirited and pungent satire. — Croker. ^ It certainly was a custom, as appears from the follow- ing passage in " Perce-forest," vol. iii. p. 108. : — "Fasoient mettre au plus hault de leur hostel un heaulme, en signe que tous les gentils hommes et gentilles femmes entrassent har- diment en leur hostel comme en leur propre." — Kearney. » The title of a book translated by Dr. Percy. — Boswell. 588 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. of opinion : " but he 's the best traveller I ever read; he observes more things than any one else does." I could not help thinking that this was too high praise of a writer who traversed a wide extent of country in such haste, that he could put together only curt frittered fragments of his own, and afterwards procured supplemental intelligence from parochial ministers, and others not the best qualified or most partial narrators, whose ungenerous prejudice against the house of Stuart glares in misrepresentation ; a writer, who at best treats merely of superficial objects, and shows no philosophical investigation of character and manners, such as Johnson has exhibited in his masterly " Journey " over part of the same ground ; and who, it should seem from a desire of ingratiating himself with the Scotch, has flattered the people of North Bri- tain so inordinately and with so little dis- crimination, that the judicious and candid amongst them must be disgusted, while they value more the plain, just, yet kindly report of Johnson. Having impartially censured Mr. Pennant, as a traveller in Scotland, let me allow him, from authorities much better than mine, his deserved praise as an able zoologist; and let me also,, from my own understanding and feel- ings, acknowledge the merit of his " London," which, though said to be not quite accurate in some particulars, is one of the most pleasing topographical performances that ever appeared in any language. Mr. Pennant, like his coun- trymen in general, has the true spirit of a gentleman. As a proof of it, I shall quote from his " London " the passage in which he :s of my illustrious friend. " I must by no means omit Bolt Court, the long residence of Dr. Samuel Johnson, a man of the strongest natural abilities, great learning, a most retentive memory, of the deepest and most unaffected piety and morality, mingled with those numerous f weaknesses and prejudices, wliich his friends have kindly taken care to draw from their dread abode.' I brought on myself his transient anger, by observ- ing that in his tour in Scotland, he once had long and woful experience of oats being the food of men in Scotland, as they were of horses in England. It i was a national reflection unworthy of him, and I shot my bolt. In turn he gave me a tender hug.^ Con amove he also said of me, ' The dog is a Whig.' ^ j I admired the virtues of Lord Russell, and pitied his fall. I should have been a Whig at the Revo- lution. There have been periods since in which I i should have been, what I now am, a moderate ! Tory, a supporter, as far as my little influence ex- | tends, of a well -poised balance between the crown and the people ; but should the scale preponderate against the saliis populi, that moment may it be said, ' The dog's a Whig ! ' " 1 This is the common cant against faithful biography. Does the worthy gentleman mean that 1, who was taught discrimination of character liy Jolinson, should have omitted his frailties, and, in short, have bidaubed him, as the worthy gentleman has bedaubed Scotland ? — Boswell. We had a calm after the storm, staid tli evening and supj^ed, and were i)leasant an gay. But Dr. Percy told me he was ver uneasy at what had passed, for there was gentleman there who was acquainted with th Northumberland family, to whom he hoped t have appeared more respectable, by showin. how intimate he was with Dr. Johnson, an who might now, on the contrary, go away wit an opinion to his disadvantage. He begged would mention this to Dr. Johnson, which afterwards did. His observation upon it wa " This comes of stratagem ; had he told m that he wished to appear to advantage befoi that gentleman, he should have been at the to of the house all the time." He spoke of D: Percy in the handsomest manner. " Thei Sir," said I, " may I be allowed to suggest ' mode by which yon may effectually counterac any unfavourable report of what passed ? will write a letter to you upon the subject (; the unlucky contest of that day, and you wi' be kind enough to put in writing, as an answd to that letter, what you have now said, and ; Lord Percy is to dine with us at Gener Paoli's soon, I will take an opportunity to rea. the correspondence in his lordship's presence!* This friendly scheme was accordingly carric into execution without Dr. Percy's knowledge Johnson's letter placed Dr. Percy's unque' tionable merit in the fairest point of -viey, and I contrived that Lord Percy should he; the correspondence, by introducing it at Genr' ral Paoli's as an instance of Dr. Johnson; kind disposition towards one in whom his lore; ship was interested. Thus every unfavourab ' impression was obviated that could possib have been made on those by whom he wish(i most to be regarded. I breakfixsted the dt after with him, and informed him of my schem and its happy completion, for which he thank( me in the warmest terms, and was highly di lighted with Dr. Johnson's letter in his prais of which I gave him a copy. He said, "' would rather have this than degrees from c' the universities in Europe. It will be for m and my children, and grandchildren." D. Johnson having afterwards asked me if I h:' given him a copy of it, and being told I ha' was offended, and insisted that I should get back, which I did. As, however, he did n desire me to destroy either the original or tl copy, or forbid me to let it be seen, I thir myself at liberty to apply to it his gener declaration to me concerning his own lettei " That he did not choose they should be pu\ lished in his life-time ; but had no objection their appearing after his death." I shall ther fore insert this kindly correspondence, havir faithfully narrated the circumstances accoi panying it. - See Dr. Johnsons's "Journey to the Western Island p. 206. ; see his Dictionary, article Oats ; and my " Voy. to the Hebrides," first edition Pennant. 3 See Mr. Boswell's Journal [ara/e, p. 314.]. — Pennani ^T. 69. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 589 BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. " Mv REAR Sir, — I beg leave to address you in behalf of our friend Dr. Percy, who was much hurt by what you said to him that day we dined at his house (Sunday, April I'i. ); when, in tlie course of the dispute as lo Pennant's merit as a traveller, you told Percy that ' he had the resentment of a narrow mind against Pennant, because he did not find every thing in Northumberland.' Percy is sensible that you did not mean to injure him; but he is vexed to think that your behaviour to him on that occasion may be interpreted as a proof that he is despised by you, winch I know is not the case. F have told him, that the charge of being narrow- minded was only as to the particular point in ques- tion ; and tliat lie had the merit of being a martyr to his noble family. " Earl Percy is to dine with General Paoli next Friday ; and I should be sincerely glad to have it in my power to satisfy his lordship how well you think of Dr. Percy, who, I find, apprehends that your good opinion of him may be of very essential consequence; and who assures me that he has the highest respect and the warmest affection for you. " I have only to add, that my suggesting this oc- casion for the exercise of your candour and gene- rosity is altogether unknown to Dr. Percy, and proceeds from my good-will towards him, and my persuasion that you will be happy to do him an essential kindness. I am, more and more, my dear Sir, your most faithful and affectionate humble servant, James Boswell." JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " April 23. 1778. " Sir, — The debate between Dr. Percy and me IS one of those foolish controversies which begin upon a question of which neither party cares how it is decided, and which is, nevertheless, continued to acrimony, by the vanity with which every man resists confutation. Dr. Percy's warmth proceeded from a cause which, perhaps, does him more honour than he could have derived from juster criticism. His abhorrence of Pennant proceeded from his opinion that Pennant had wantonly and indecently censured his patron. His anger made him resolve, that, for having been once wrong, he never should be right. Pennant has much in his notions that I do not like ; but still I think him a very intelli- gent traveller. If Percy is really offended, I am sorry ; for he is a man whom I never knew to of- fend any one. He is a man very willing to learn, and very able to teach ; a man, out of whose com- pany I never go without having learned something. It is sure that he vexes me sometimes, but I am afraid it is by making me feel my own ignorance. So much extension of mind, and so much minute accuracy of inquiry, if you survey your whole cir- cle of acquaintance, you will find so scarce, if you find it at all, that you will value Percy by com- • Though the Bishop of Dromore kindly answered the letters which I wrote to him, relative to Ur. Johnson's early history ; yet, injustice to him, I think It proper to .idd, that the account of the foregoing conversation, and the subse- quent transaction, as well as of some other conversations in which he is mentioned, has been given to the public without previous communication with his lordship. — Boswell. Boswell manages with more art th.in candour to give his reserve towards Percy the turn of a compliment: he knew very well that the Bishop would have naturally and justly parison. Lord Hailes is somewhat like him : but Lord Hailes does not, perhaps, go heytmd him in research ; and I do not know that he equals him in elegance. Percy's attention to poetry has given grace and splendour to his .studies of antiquity. A mere antiquarian is a rugged being. " Upon the whole, you see that what I might say in sport or petulance to him, is very consis- tent with full conviction of his merit. I am, dear Sir, your most, &c., Sam. Johnson." BOSWELL TO Dll. PERCY. " South Audley Street, April 2h. Dear Sir, — I wrote to Dr. Johnson on the sub- ject of the Pennantian controversy ; and have re- ceived from him an answer which will delight you. I read it yesterday to Dr. Uobertson, at the Ex- hibition ; and at dinner to I^ord Percy, General Oglethorpe, &c., who dined with us at General Paoli's ; who was also a witness to the high testi- mony to your honour. " General Paoli desires the favour of your com- pany next Tuesday to dinner, to meet Dr. Johnson. If I can, I will call on you to-day. I am, with sincere regard, your most obedient humble servant, " James Boswell." ' CHAPTER LXrV. 1778. " Chapter concerning Snakes." — Styles in Painting and Writing. — George Steevens. — Luxury. — Different Governments. — Maccaronic Verses. — Cookery Bonks. — Inequality of the Sexes. — De- grees of Happiness. — Soume Jenyns's " Internal Evidence. " — Courage Friendship. — Free Wdl. — MandeviUe. — " Private Vices, public Bene- fits." — Hannah More. — Mason's Prosecution of Mr. Murray the Bookseller. — Fear of Death. — Annihilation. — Future State of Existence. — Jf'esky's Ghost Story. — Jane Harry. — Change of Religion. — Mrs. Knoides. On Monday, April 13., I dined with Johnson at Mr. Langton's, wliere were Dr. Porteii?, then Bishop of Chester, afterwards of London, and Dr. Stinton. - He was at first in a very silent mood. Before dinner he said nothing but " Pretty baby," to one of the children. Langton said very well to me afterwards, that he coukl repeat Dr. Johnson's conversation before dinner, as Johnson had said that he could repeat a complete chapter of "The Natural History of Iceland," from the Danish objected to the revival and promulgation of this disagrecihle affair, and therefore Bosweii never consulted him. Several nnecdotos, related by Mr. Cradock, show that the amicable relations which had si\bsistcd between Johnson and Percy were more seriously changed than Boswell is willing to confess. —Crorfoci'j Memoirs, p. 241. — Ckoker. - Dr. Stinton had been Dr. Porteus's fellow cSaplain to Archbishop Seeker, and was his colleague in the publication of their patron's works. — Croklh. 590 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1778. of Horrehow, the whole of which was exactly thus : — " Chap. LXXII. — Concerning Snakes. " There are no snakes to be met with throughout the whole island." At dinner we talked of another mode in the newspapers of giving modern characters in sentences from the classics, and of the passage — " Parcus deorum cultor et infrequens, Insanientis dum sapientis Consultus erro, nunc retrorsum Vela dare, atque iterare cursus Cogor relictos," ' being well applied to Soame Jenyns; who, after having wandered in the \vilds of infidelity, had returned to the Christian faith. ]\Ir. Langton asked Johnson as to the propriety of sapienticE consultus. Johnson. " Though con- sultus was primarily an adjective, like amicus it came to be used as a substantive. So we have juris consultus, a consult in law." We talked of the styles of difierent painters, and how certainly a connoisseur could distin- guish them. I asked if there was as clear a diiference of styles in language as in painting, or even as in handwriting, so that the compo- sition of every individual may be distinguished? Johnson. " Yes. Those who have a style of eminent excellence, such as Dryden and Mil- ton, can always be distinguished." I had no doubt of this ; but what I wanted to know was, whether there was really a peculiar style to every man whatever, as there is certainly a peculiar handwriting, a peculiar countenance, not widely different in many, yet always enough to be distinctive : — facies non omnibus una, Nee diversa tamen."^ The bishop thought not ; and said, he supposed that many pieces in Dodsley's collection of poems, though all very pretty, had nothing appropriated in their style, and in that par- ticular could not be at all distinguished. Johnson. "Why, Sir, I think every man whatever has a peculiar style, which may be discovered by nice examination and comparison ' " A fugitive from heaven and prayer, I niock'd at all religious fear, Deep scienc'd in the mazy lore Of mad philosophy ; but now Hoist sail, and back my voyage plow To that blest harbour which I left before." Horace, Od. i. 39. —Francis. — C. ^ Not the same countenance in all, Yet not unlike. — Ovid, Met. ii. 13 C. 3 Miss Reynolds and Sir J. Hawkins doubted whether John- son had ever been in Dodd's company ; but Johnson told Bosweli(a«<(;, p. 641.) that " he had once been." Ihavenow before me a letter, dated in 1750, from Dr. Dodd to his friend the Rev. Mr. Parkhurst, the lexicographer, mentioning this meeting ; and his account, .it that day, of the man with whom he was afterward to have so painful a correspondence, is interesting and curious : — " I spent yesterday afternoon with Johnson, the celebrated author of The Raynbler, who is of all others the oddest and most peculiar fellow I ever saw. He is six feet high, has a with others: but a man must write a great deal to make his style obviously discernible. As logicians say, this appropriation of style is infinite in potestate, limited ??i actu." JNIr. Topham Beauclerk came in the evening, and he and Dr. Johnson and I staid to supper. It was mentioned that Dr. Dodd^ had once wished to be a member of the Literary Club. Johnson. " I should be soi'ry if any of our Club were hanged. I will not say but some of them deserve it." Beauclerk (supposing this to be aimed at persons'* for whom he had at that time a Avonderful fancy, Avhich, however, did not last long) was irritated, and eagerly said, " You, Sir, have a friend^ (naming him) who deserves to be hanged ; for he speaks behind their backs against those with whom he lives on the best terms, and attacks them in the newspapers. He certainly ought to be kicked." Johnson. " Sir, we all do this in some degree : ' Veniam petimusque damusque vicissim.' To be sure it may be done so much, that a man may deserve to be kicked." Beauclerk. " He is very malignant." Johnson. " No, Sir, he is not malignant. He is mischievous, if you will. He would do no man an essential injury; he may, indeed, love to make sport of jjeople by vexing their vanity. I, however, once knew an old gentleman who was absolutely malignant. He really wished evil to others, and rejoiced at it." Boswell. " The gentle- man, Mr. Beauclerk, against whom you are so violent, is, I know, a man of good principles." Beauclerk. " Then he does not wear them out in practice." Dr. Johnson, who, as I have observed before, delighted in discrimination of character, and having a masterly knowledge of human nature, was willing to take men as they are, imperfect, and with a mixture of good and bad qualities, I suppose thought he had said enough in de- fence of his friend, of whose merits, notwith- standing his exceptionable points, he had a just value : and added no more on the subject. On Tuesday, April 14., I dined with him at General Oglethorpe's, with General Paoli and Mr. Langton. General Oglethorpe declaimed against luxury. Johnson. " Depend upon it, Sir, every state of society is as luxurious as it violent convulsion in his head, and his eyes are distorted. He speaks roughly and loud, listens to no man's opinions, thoroughly pertinacious of his own. Good sense flows from liim in all he utters, and he seems possessed of a prodigious fund of knowledge, which he is not at all reserved in com- municating; but in a manner so obstinate, ungenteel, and boorish, as renders it disagreeable and dissatisfactory. In short, it is impossible for words to describe him. He seems often inattentive to what passes in company, and then looks like a person possessed by some superior spirit. I have been reflecting on him ever since I saw him. He is a man of most universal and surprising genius, but in himself particular beyond expression." — Croker. ' ■< Mr. Fox, Lord Spencer, Mr. Burke, and some other Whigs, the violence of whose opposition at this time seemed to Johnson little short of abetting rebellion, for which they " deserved to be hanged." — Choker. ^ No doubt George Steevens (now Johnson's colleague in editing Shakespeare), to whom such practices were imputed, and particularly as against Garrick and Murphy. — Miss Hawk. Mem. i. 39 Croker. iET. 69. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 591 can be. Men always take the best they can wet." Oglethorpe. " But the best depends much upon ourselves ; and if we can be as well satisfied with phiin things, we are in the •wrong to accustom our pahites to what is high seasoned and expensive. What says Addison in his ' Cato,' speaking of the Numidian ? ' Coarse are his meals, the fortune of the chase ; Amid the running stream he slakes his thirst, Toils all the day, and at the approach of night. On the first friendly bank he throws him down, Or rests his head upon a rock till morn ; And if the following day he chance to find A new repast, or an untasted spring, his stars, and thinks it luxury.' Let US have that kind of luxuiy, Sir, if you will." Johnson. " But hold, Sir ; to be merely satisfied is not enough. It is in refinement and elegance that the civilised man differs from the sav.age. A great part of our industry, and all our ingenuity, is exercised in procuring pleasure; and, Sir, a hungry man has not the same pleasure in eating a plain dinnei-, that a hungry man has in eating a luxurious dinner. Yoii see I put the case fiiirly. A hungry man may have as much, nay, more pleasure in eating a plain dinner, than a man grown fastidious has in eating a luxurious dinner. But I suppose the man who decides between the two dinners to be equally a jhungry man." Talking of the different governments, — Johnson. " The more contracted power is, the more easily it is destroyed. A country governed by a despot is an inverted cone. Government there cannot be so firm as when it rests upon a broad basis gradually con- tracted, as the government of Great Britain, which is founded on the parliament, then is in the privy council, then in the king." Bos- well. "Power, when contracted into the person of a despot, may be easily destroyed, as the prince may be cvtt off". So Caligula wished that the people of Eome had but one neck, that he might cut them off" at a blow." Ogle- thorpe. " It was of the senate he wished that.' The senate by its usurpation controlled both the emperor and the people. And don't you think that we see too much of that in our own parliament ? " Dr. Johnson endeavoured to trace the ety- jmology of IMaccaronic verses, which he thought were of Italian invention, fi-om Maccaroni; but on being informed that this would infer that they were the most common and easy Verses, maccaroni being the most ordinary and simple food, he was at a loss ; for he said, " He Boswell was right, and Oglethorpe wrong ; the excla- (mation in Suetonius is, " Utinam populus Romanus unam ccrvicem haberet." Calig. xxx. — Croker. - Dr. Johnson was right in supposing that this kind of poetry derived its name from maccheroTie . " Ars ista poetica says Merlin Coccaie, whose true name was Thpophilo Fo- lengo) nuncupatur ars macaronica, a macaronihns derivata ; ;jui macaroncs sunt quoddam pulmentum, farina, caseo, rather should have supposed it to import in its primitive signification, a composition of several things - ; for Maccaronic verses are verses made out of a mixture of different languages, that is, of one language witli the termination of another." I suppose we scarcely know of a language in any country, where there is any learning, in which that motley ludicrous species of composition may not be found. It is par- ticularly droll in Low Dutch. The " Polemo- Jiiiddinia" of Drummond of Ilawthornden, in which there is a jumble of many languages moulded, as if it were all in Latin, is well known. Mr. Langton made us laugh Iieartily at one in the Grecian mould, by Joshua Barnes, in which are to be found such comical Anglo- hellenisms as kXv^^okjlv ifai'xOtv. they were banged with clubs. On Wednesday, April 15., I dined with Dr. Johnson at Mr. Dilly's, and was high in spirits, for I had been a good part of the morning with ]\Ir. Orme, the able and eloquent historian of Ilindostan, who expressed a great admira- tion of Johnson. " I do not care," said he, " on what subject Johnson talks ; but I love better to hear him talk than any body. He either gives you new thoughts, or a new colour- ing. It is a shame to the nation that he has not been more liberally rewarded. Had I been George the Third, and thought as he did about America, I would have given Johnson three hundred a year for his ' Taxation no Tyranny,' alone." I repeated this, and John- son was much pleased with such praise from such a man as Orme. At Mr. Dilly's to-day were Mrs. Knowles, the ingenious quaker lady. Miss Seward, the poetess of Lichfiekl, the Reverend Dr. ]\Iayo, and the Rev. Mr. Beresford, tutor to the Duke of Bedford. Before dinner Dr. Johnson seized upon ]\Ir. Charles Sheridan's * " Account of the late Revolution In Sweden," and seemed to read It ravenously, as If he devoured It, which was to all appearance his method of studying. " He knows how to read better than any one," says Mrs. Knowles ; " he gets at the substance of a book directly ; he tears out the heart of it." He kept It wrapt up In the tablecloth In his lap during the time of dinner, from an avidity to have one entertainment in readiness, when he should have finished another ; resem- bling (If I may use so coarse a simile) a dog who holds a bone In his paws in reserve, while he eats something else which has been thrown to him. The subject of cookery having been very naturally Introduced at a table where Johnson, who boasted of the niceness of his palate, butyro compaginatum, grossum, rude, et rusticanun. Ideo macaronica nil nisi grossedinem, ruditatem, ct vocabulazzos debet in se continere.' Warton's Hist, of Enf'. Poet. ii. 357. Folengo's assumed name was taken up in consequence of hig having been instructed in his youth by Virago Coccaio. He died in 1.5-14. — Malone. ■> The elder brother of Mr. Richard Brinsley Sheridan. He died in 180G. — Malone. 592 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1778. owned that " he always found a good dinner," he said, " I could write a better book of cook- ery than has ever yet been written ; it should be a book upon philosophical principles. Phar- macy is now made much more simple. Cook- ery may be made so too. A prescription which is now compounded of five ingredients, had formerly fifty in it. So in cookery, if the nature of the ingredients be well known, much fewer will do. Then, as you cannot make bad meat good, I would tell what is the best butcher's meat, the best beef, the best pieces ; how to choose young fowls ; the proper seasons of different vegetables ; and then how to roast and boil and compound. Dixly. " Mrs. Glasse's ' Cookery,' which is the best, was written by Dr. Hill. Half the ^racZe' know this." John- son. " Well, Sir, this shows how much better the subject of cookery may be treated by a philosopher. I doubt if the book be written by Dr. Hill ; for, in LIrs. Glasse's ' Cookery,' which I have looked into, saltpetre and sal- prunella are spoken of as different substances, whereas sal-prunella is only saltpetre burnt on charcoal ; and Hill could not be ignorant of this. However, as the greatest part of such a book is made by transcription, this mistake may have been carelessly adopted. But you shall see what a book of cookery I shall make : I shall agree with Mr. Dilly for the copyright." INIiss Seward. " That would be Hercules with the distaff indeed." Johnson. " No, Madam. Women can spin very well ; but they cannot make a good book of cookery." Johnson. " O ! Mr. Dilly — you must know that an English Benedictine monk " at Paris has translated ' The Duke of Berwick's Me- moirs,' from the original French, and has sent them to me to sell. I offered them to Strahan, who sent them back with this answer; — ' That the first book he had published was the Duke of Berwick's Life, by which he had lost : and he hated the name.' Now I honestly tell you that Strahan has refused them ; but I also j honestly tell you that he did it upon no prin- ciple, for he never looked into them." Diixr " Are they well translated. Sir ? " Johnson. | " Why, Sir, very well ; in a style very current j and clear. I have written to the Benedictine j to give me an answer upon two points. What i evidence is there that the letters are authentic ? i (for if they are not authentic, they are no- thing.) And how long will it be before the original French is published ? For if the ; French edition is not to appear for a consider- able time, the translation will be almost as valuable as an original book. They will make two volumes in octavo ; and I have undertaken to correct every sheet as it comes from the I As physicians are called the faculty, and counsellors at law the profession, the booksellers of London are denomi- nated the trade. Johnson disapproved of these denomina- tions.— BOSWELL. - The Abbe Hook. They were published, in 1779, by Cadeii. — Mackintosh. Tlie " Memuires du Marechal de Berwick" (written in the third person) had beeji published by the Abbe de Margon, in 1737 : those mentioned in the press." Mr. Dilly desired to see them, and said he would send for them. He asked Dr. Johnson if he would write a preface to them. Johnson. " No, Sir. The Benedictines were very kind to me, and I'll do what I undertook to do ; but I will not mingle my name with them. I am to gain nothing by them. I'll turn them loose upon the world, and let them take their chance." Dk. Mayo. " Pray, Sir, are Ganganelli's letters authentic ? " Johnson. " No, Sir. Voltaire put the same question to the editor of them that I did to Macpherson — Where are the originals ? " ^ Mrs. Knowles affected to complain that men had much more liberty allowed them than women. Johnson. " Why, Madam, women have all the liberty they should wish to have. We have all the labour and the danger, and the women all the advantage. We go to sea, we build houses, we do every thing, in short, to pay our court to the women." Mrs. Knowles. " The Doctor reasons very wittily, but not very convincingly. Now, take the instance of building : the mason's wife, if she is ever seen in liquor, is ruined: the mason may get himself di-unk as often as he pleases, with little loss of character ; nay, may let his wife and childi-en starve." Johnson. " Madam, you must consider, if the mason does get hmi- self drunk, and let his wife and children starve, the parish will oblige him to find security for their maintenance. We have different modes of restraining evil. Stocks for the men, a ducking-stool for women, and a pound for beasts. If we require more perfection from women than from ourselves, it is doing them honour. And women have not the same temptations that we have; they may always live in virtuous company; men must mix in the world indiscriminately. If a woman has no inclination to do what is wrong, being secured from it is no restraint to her. I am at liberty to walk into the Thames ; but if I were to try it, my friends would restrain me in Bed- lam, and I should be obliged to them." Mrs. Knowles. " Still, Doctor, I cannot help think- ing it a hardship that more indulgence is allowed to men than to women. It gives a superiority to men, to which I do not see how they are entitled." Johnson. " It is plain, Madam, one or other must have the supe- riority. As Shakspeare says, ' If two men ride on a horse, one must ride behind.'" Dilly. " I suppose, Sii-, Mrs. Knowles would have them ride in panniers, one on each side." Johnson. " Then, Sir, the horse would throw them both." Mrs. Knowles. " Well, I hope that in another world the sexes will be equal." BoswELL. "That is being too ambitious, text are written in the first person, as by Berwick himself, but were revised bv the Abbe Hook, and published in Paris by Berwick's grandson, the Due de Fitzjames, 1778-80. — Croker, 1831-47. 3 These pretended letters of Pope Clement XIV., Ganga- nelli, were written and published by the Marquis Caracioli. first in French, m 1775, and afterwards in Italian, in 1777.— Croker, 1847. JEt. 69. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 593 I'Madam. We ral^ht as well desire to be equal 'with the angels. We shall all, I hope, be ! happy in a future state, but we must not {expect to be all happy in the same degree. It |i8 enough, it" we be happy according to our [several capacities. A worthy carman will get ;to heaven as well as Sir Isaac Newton. Yet, I though equally good, they will not have the ' same degrees of happiness." Johnson. " Pro- ibably not." i Upon this subject I had once before sounded [lira by mentioning the late Reverend Mr. Brown if Utrecht's image ; that a great and small glass, hough equally full, did not hold an e{[ual cjuan- ity ; which he threw out to refute David ilume's saying, that a little miss, going to lance at a ball, in a fine new dress, was as lappy as a great orator, alter having made an jiloqiient and applauded speech. After some bought, Johnson said, " I come over to the :)arson." As an instance of coincidence of hinking, Mr. Dilly told me, that Dr. King, a late dissenting minister in London, said to bim, jipon the happiness in a future state of good juen of diiferent capacities, " A pail does not lold so mucli as a tub; but, if it be equally ill. it has no reason to complain. Every saint :i Iii'aven will have as much happiness as he an hold." Mr. Dilly thought this a clear, [hough a familiar, illustration of the phrase, r One star differeth from another in bright- 'less." (lCor.xv.41.) j Dr. Mayo having asked Johnson's opinion of I )oame Jenyns's "View of the Internal Evi- nce of the Christian Religion;" — Johnson. I thhik it a pretty book ; not very theological, uli'ed; and there seems to be an affectation of a-i' and carelessness, as if it were not suitable ' his character to be very serious about the I latter." Boswell. " He may have intended I iliis to introduce his book the better among ienteel people, who might be unwilling to read Ml grave a treatise. There is a general levity I the age. We have physicians now with bag- i-s; may we not have airy divines, at least iiujwhat less solemn in their apjjearance than II V used to be?" Johnson. "Jenyns might 11 lu as you say." Boswell. ''^You should like i- book, Mrs. Knowles, as it maintains, as you '■i.iiil.s do, that courage is not a Christian iriue." ]\Irs. Knowles. " Yes, indeed, I like Im there; but I cannot agree with him that l.'udship is not a Christian virtue." John- i\. "Why, Madam, strictly speaking, he is right. All friendship is preferring the interest j of a friend to the neglect, or, perhaps, against the interest, of others ; so that an old Greek said, ' He that has friends has no friend.^ Now, Christianity recommends universal bene- volence ; to consider all men as our bi-ethren ; which is contrary to the virtue of friendship, as described by the ancient philosophers. Surely, Madam, your sect must approve of this ; for you call all men friends." IMrs. Knowles. "We are conunanded to do good to all men, ' but especially to them who are of the household of faith.'" Johnson. "Well, Madam ; the household of faith is wide enough." IVIrs. Knowles. " But, Doctor, our Saviour had twelve apostles, yet there was o?ie whom he loved. John was called ' the dis- ciple whom Jesus loved.' " Johnson (with eyes sparkling benignantly). "Very well in- deed, Madam. You have said very well." Boswell. " A fine apjilication. Pray, Sir, had you ever thought of it?" Johnson. " I had not. Sir." From this pleasing subject, he, I know not how or why, made a sudden transition to one upon which he was a violent aggressor ; for he said, "»I am willing to love all mankind, except an American;'''' and his inflammable corruption bursting into horrid fire, he " breathed out threatenings and slaughter;" calling them "rascals, robbers, pirates," and exclaiming, he 'd " burn and destroy them." Miss Seward, looking to him with mild but steady astonish- ment, said, " Sir, this is an instance that we are always most violent against those whom we have injured." He was irritated still more by this delicate and keen reproach; and roared out another tremendous volley, which one might fancy could be heard aci'oss the Atlantic. During this tempest I sat in great uneasiness, lamenting his heat of temper, till, by degrees, I diverted his attention to other topics. Dr. Mayo (to Dr. Johnson). "Pray, Sir, have you read Edwards, of New England, on Grace ? " ^ Johnson. " No, Sir." Boswell. " It puzzled me so much as to the freedom of the human will, by stating, with wonderful acute ingenuity, our being actuated by a series of motives which we cannot resist, that the only relief I had was to forget it." Mavo. "But he makes the proper distinction between moral and physical necessity." Boswell. " Alas ! Sir, they come both to the same thing. You may be bound as hard by chains when covered riip sentiment is Aristotle's: olBiis o/Aoj Z aroXXo) ifiXoi ! J s nil friend who has many friends (End. Kth. vii. 12.), h Diogenes Laertius condensed into u { Z'f) ci).oi. cuiti; -,:ind Johnson (ante, p. 04.) into oV fiXo'i, ou ifiXo;. I iulit whether the o'i attributed to Johnson is not an error of inscription occasioned by his liaving added, as Casaubon I Uil ready done, the iolasuhscriptum to the u in the common \ts of Diogenes. — Cboker. I - Dr. Mayo, no doubt, meant " A Cnroful and Strict En- I \tiry into the Modern pnvailini; Notion that Frredum cf I ["ill is essential to Moral Agency " by tlie l!ev. Jonathan 1 awards. President of the College of New Jersey. lirst edition of this work, and whose loss the literary and political world now lamen*) observes, in his autobiography: " Kobert Hall's society and conversation had a great influence on my mind. He led me to the perusal of Jonathan Ed- wards's work on Free Will, which Dr. Priestley had pointed out before. I am sorry that 1 never yet read the other works of that extraordinary man, who, in a metaphysical age or country, would certainly have been deemed as much the boast of America as his great countryman Franklin. — Mein. of Mackintosh, vol. i. p. 14. — C, 1835. Bosw<>ll, it must be recollected, in spite of his toryism, took the American side; but this plirase "inflammable corruption bursting out in horrid fire," is extravagant, if not unintelligible. — Chokeb, 1S47. QQ 594 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1778. 1 by leather, as when the iron appears. The ari^ument for the moral necessity of human actions is always, I observe, fortified by sup- posing universal prescience to be one of the attributes of the Deity." Johnson. " You are surer that you are free, than you are of pre- science; you are surer that you can lift up your finger or not as you please, than you are of any conclusion from a deduction of reason- ing. But let us consider a little the objection from prescience. It is certain I am either to go home to-night or not : that does not pre- vent my freedom." Boswell. " That it is certain you are either to go home or not, does not pi'cvent your freedom : because the liberty of choice between the two is compatible with that certainty. But if one of these events be certain noiv^ you have no future power of voli- tion. If it be certain you are to go home to- night, you must go home." Johnson. " If I am well acquainted with a man, I can judge with great probability how he will act in any case, without his being restrained by my judg- ing. God may have this probability increased to certainty.' Boswell. " ^Vhen it is increased to certainty, freedom ceases, because that can- not be certainly foreknown which is not certain at the time ; but if it be certain at the time, it is a contradiction in terras to maintain that there can be afterwards any contingency de- pendent upon the exercise of will or any thing else." Johnson. "All theory is against the freedom of the will ; all experience for it." I did not push the subject any farther. I was glad to find him so mild in discussing a ques- tion of the most abstract nature, involved with theological tenets which he generally would not suffer to be in any degree opposed.^ He, as usual, defended luxury : " You can- not spend money in luxury without doing good to the poor. Nay, you do more good to them by spending it in luxury ; you make them exert industry, whereas by giving it you keep them idle. I own, indeed, there may be more virtue in giving it immediately in charity, than in spending it in luxury; though there may be pride in that too." Miss Seward asked, if this was not Mandeville's doctrine of "private vices, public benefits." Johnson. " The fallacy of that book is, that Mandeville defines neither vices nor benefits. He reckons among vices every thing that gives pleasure. He takes the narrowest system of morality, monastic morality, which holds pleasure itself to be a vice, such as eating salt with our fish. ' This seems a very loose report. Dr. Johnson never could have talked of " God's ha.v\ng probability increased to certainty." To the Eternal and Infinite Creator there can be neither probability nor futurity — all is certainty and present. The action which is future to mortals is only a point of eternity in the eye of the Almighty, and it and all the motives that led to it are and were from all eternity pre- sent to Him. Our bounded intellects cannot comprehend the prescience of the Deity ; but if that attribute be conceded, there seems no difficulty in reconciling it with our own free agency ; for God has already seen what man will choose to do. — Croker. 2 If any of my readers are disturbed bv this thorny ques- because it makes it eat better ; and he reckons wealth as a public benefit, which is by no means always true. Pleasure of itself is not a vice. Having a garden, which we all know to be perfectly innocent, is a great pleasure. At the same time, in this state of being there are many pleasures vices, which, however, are so immediately agreeable that we can hardly abstain from them. The happiness of heaven will be, that pleasure and virtue will be per- ! fectly consistent. Mandeville puts the case of a man who gets drunk at an alehouse; and says it is a public benefit, because so much money is got by it to the public. But it must ' be considered, that all the good gained by this, through the gradation of alehouse-keeper, brewer, maltster, and farmer, is overbalanced by the evil caused to the man and his family ; by his getting drunk. This is the way to try what is vicious, by ascertaining whether more , evil than good is produced by it upon the whole, which is the case in all vice. It may happen that good is produced by vice, but not ■ as vice ; for instance, a robber may take money from its owner, and give it to one who will make a better use of it. Here is good pro- , duced ; but not by the robbery as robbery, but j as translation of property. I read Mandeville i forty or, I believe, fifty years ago.^ He did not ; puzzle me ; he opened my views into real life i very much. No, it is clear that the happiness of society depends on virtue. In Sparta, theft : was allowed by general consent ; theft, there- 1 fore, was there not a crime ; but then there ] was no security ; and what a life must they I have had, when there was no security ! With- j out truth there must be a dissolution of society. 1 As it is, there is so little truth, that we are \ almost afraid to trust to our ears : but how \ should we be, if falsehood were multipled ten '• times ! Society is held together by communi- cation and information ; and I remember this ' remai'k of Sir Thomas Brown's, 'Do the devils \ lie ? No ; for then hell could not subsist.' " ' Talking of Miss [Hannah More], a literary lady, he said, " I was obliged to speak to Miss ; Reynolds, to let her know that I desired she . would not flatter me so much." Somebody now observed, " She flatters Garrick." Johnson. ' " She is in the right to flatter Garrick. She is • in the right for two reasons ; first, because she | has the world with her, who have been praising Garrick these thirty years ; and, secondly, be- | cause she is rewarded for it by Garrick.* Why j should she flatter me ? I can do nothing for j tion, I beg leave to recommend to them Letter G9. of Men- j tcsqnieu's Lettrcs Persannes, and the late Mr. John Palmer j of Islington's Answer to Dr. Priestley's mechanical argu-:j ments for what he absurdly calls " philosophical necessity." j — Boswell. I think any reader who turns to the G9th Fer-I, sian Letter for any thing satisfactory or even plausible in this matter will be disappointed — Croker, 1847. j 3 See Piozzi's Anecdotes, p. 136. ■> Johnson probably meant either that Garrick repaid her in her own coin, or helped her in bringing out her play ; or,i finally, by introducing her into general society. It is not to be wondered at that an inexperienced young lady, suddenly' transported from obscure provincial life into the elegance JEt. 69. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 59^ her. Let her carry her praise to a better uiai'ket." Then, turning to Mrs. Knowles, ■' You, Madam, have been flattering me all the jveuiiig; I wish you would give Boswell a little now. If you knew his merit as well as I lo, you wovild say a great deal : he is the best ravelling companion in the world." Somebody mentioned the Reverend IVIr. Mason's prosecution of ilr. IMurray, the book- (icller ', for having inserted in a collection of i' Gray's Poems " only fifty lines, of which Sir. Mason hail still the exclusive property, inder the statute of Queen Anne ; and that >L-. ]Mason had persevered, notwithstanding lis being requested to name his own terms of ompensation.- Johnson signified his displea- ure at Mr. Mason's conduct very strongly; -ut added, by way of showing that he was not jurpriscd at it, " Mason's a "Whig." Mrs. Lnowles (not hearing distinctly). " What ! a irig, Sir ? " Johnson. " Worse, Madam ; a JV' hig ! But he is both ! " \ I expressed a horror at the thought of death. jIhs. Kkowles. " Nay, thou shouldst not have I horror for what is the gate of life." Johnson i^tanding upon the hearth, rolling about, with ' serious, solemn, and somewhat gloomy air). ^|No rational man can die without uneasy I ^prehension." Mrs. Knowles. " The Scrip- I ires tell us, 'The righteous shall have hope in 3 death.' " Johnson. " Yes, Madam, that is, i shall not have despair. But, consider, his )pe of salvation must be founded on the terms j ji which it is promised that the mediation of nir Saviour shall be applied to us, — namely, jj pedience ; and where obedience has failed, I jen, as suppletory to it, repentance. But { hat man can sa^ that his obedience has been t ..ch as he would approve of in another, or I i-en in himself, upon close examination, or 1 jat his repentance has not been such as to iquire being repented of? No man can be .'I'e that his obedience and repentance will !)tain salvation." Mrs. Knowles. " But divine timation of acceptance may be made to the ul."' Johnson. "Madam, it may; but I ould not think the better of a man who iiuld tell me on his death-bed, he was sure salvation. A man cannot be sure himself at he has divine intimation of acceptance : i K Ii less can he make others sure that he has i' Boswell. "Then, Sir, we must be con- 1 ited to acknowledge that death is a terrible i iiu." Johnson. "Yes, Sir. I have made ! ajiproaches to a state which can look on it ; not terrible." Mrs. Knowles (seeming to : I splendour of the best literary circles of London, should i'e at first indulged in some extravagant admiration both < Johnson and Garrlck ; but it appears from her letters, H her admiration was at least sincere, and that for John- t she entertained and expressed it before she ever saw him, it when she could not expect him to hear of it again '.1KER, 1835. Mr. Murray was a spirited and intelligent DooKseller, the 1 ler of my worthy friend the publisher of my former editions < this work, 1831, and grandfather of the publislier of the isent, 1847. — Croker. enjoy a pleasing serenity in the persuasion of benignant divine light). "Does not St. Paul say, ' I have fought the good fight of faith, I have finished my course ; henceforth is laid up for me a crown of life ? ' " Johnson. " Yes, Madam ; but here was a man inspired, a man who had been converted by supernatural inter- position." Boswell. " In prospect death is dreadful ; but in fact we find that people die easy." Johnson. " Why, Sir, most people have not thought much of the matter, so cannot say much, and it is supposed they die easy. Pew believe it certain they are then to die; and those who do set themselves to behave with resolution ', as a man does who is going to be hanged; — he is not the less unv/illing to be hanged." jVIiss Seward. " There is one mode of the fear of death, which is certainly absurd ; and that is the dread of annihilation, which is only a pleasing sleep without a dream." Johnson. " It is neither pleasing nor sleep ; it is nothing. Now, mere existence is so much better than nothing, that one would rather exist even in pain, than not exist." Boswell. " If annihilation be nothing, then existing in pain is not a comparative state, but is a posi- tive evil, which I cannot think we should choose. I must be allowed to diiFer here, and it would lessen the hope of a future state founded on the argument, that the Supreme Being, who is good as he is great, will here- after compensate for our present sufferings in this life. For if existence, such as we have it here, be comparatively a good, we have no reason to complain, though no more of it should be given to us. But if our only state of existence were in this world, then we might with some reason complain that we are so dis- satisfied with our enjoyments compai'ed with our desires." Johnson. " The lady confounds annihilation, which is nothing, with the appre- hension of it, which is dreadful. It is in the apprehension of it that the horror of annihila- tion consists." Of John Wesley he said, " He can talk well on any subject." Boswell. " Pray, Su-, what has he made of his story of a ghost?" John- son. " Why, Sir, he believes it ; but not on suf- ficient authority. He did not take time enough to examine the girl. It was at Newcastle where the ghost was said to have appeared to a young woman several times, mentioning some- thing about the right to an old house ; advising application to be made to an attorney, which was done ; and at the same time, saying the attorney would do nothing, which proved to be 2 See " A Letter to W. Mason, A.M., from J. Murray, Bookseller in London," second edition, p. 20. — Boswell. 3 See ante, p. 546., where Paoli assumes that they are thinking of something else, — a very unsatisfactory explana- tion. The spirit may be so subdued and so familiarised with horror, as to deprive death of its terrors. Of the thousands who suffered on the revolutionary scaffolds of Paris, two only are reported to have shown any strong fear of death — Ma- dame du Barri and General Custine, and I suspect the death of the latter was reported to have been cowardly only because it was devout. — Croker, 1847. QQ 2 596 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1778. the fact. ' This,' says John, ' is a proof that a ghost knows our thoughts.' Now" (laughing), " it is not necessary to know our thoughts, to teli that an attorney will sometimes do nothing. Charles Wesley, who is a more stationary man, does not believe the story. I am sorry that John did not take more pains to inquire into the evidence for it." Miss Sewakd (with an incredulous smile). "What, Sir! aboutaghost!" Johnson (with solemn vehemence). " Yes, Madam ; this is a question which, after five thousand years, is yet undecided' ; a question, whether in theology or philosophy, one of the most important that can come before the human understanding." Mrs. Knowles mentioned, as a proselyte to Quakerism, Miss [Jane Harry] ', a young lady, well known to Dr. Johnson, for whom he had shown much affection ; while she ever had, and still retained, a great respect for him. Mrs. Knowles at the same time took an opportunity of letting him know " that the amiable young creature was soi-ry at finding that he was of- fended at her leaving the Church of England, and embracing a simpler faith;" and, in the gentlest and most persuasive manner, solicited his kind indulgence for what was sincerely a matter of conscience. Johnson (frowning very angrily) . " Madam, she is an odious wench. She could not have any proper conviction that it was her duty to change her religion, which is the most important of all subjects, and should be studied with all care, and with all the helps Ave can get. She knew no more of the church which she left, and that which she embraced, than she did of the difference between the 1 This is an argument just the other way ; n negative cannot be proved, but five thousand years have passed with- out one well authenticated afTirmative,— except of course the special miracles recorded in scripture. — CrOker, 1847. 2 She was the illegitimate daughter,, by a mulatto woman, of what Miss Seward calls (Lett. i. 97.) a planler in the East Indies, but, in truth, of a West Indian, who sent her over to England for her education. At the friend's house where she resided, Mrs. Knowles was a fre- quent visiter; and by degrees she converted this inexpe- rienced, and probably not very wise, young creature to Quakerism. Miss Seward, with more than her usual inac- curacy, has made a romantic history of this girl, and, amongst other fables, states that she sacrificed a fortune of 100,000^. by her conscientious conversion. Mr. Markland has been so kind as to put into my hands evidence from a highly respect- able member of the father's family, which proves that .lane Harry's fortune was but lOOOZ. ; and so little was her father displeased at her conversion, that he afterwards gave her lOOn/. more. So vanishes another of Miss Seward's ro- mances Choker. 3 Mrs. Knowles, not satisfied with the fame of her needle- work, the " sutile pictures''' mentioned by Johnson, in which she has indeed displayed much dexterity, nay, with the fame of reasoning better than women generally do, as I have fairly shown her to have done, communicated tome a dialogue of considerable length, which, after many years had elapsed, she wrote down as having passed between Dr. Johnson and her at this interview. As I had not the least recollection of it, and did not find the smallest trace of it in my "record" taken at the time, I could not. in consistency with my firm regara to authenticity, insert it in my work. It has. however been published in "The Gentleman s Magazine' for June 1791. [vol. Ixi. p. 500.] It chiefly relates to the principles of the sect called .Quakers ; and no doubt the lady appears to have greatly the advantage of Dr. Johnson in argument, as well as expression. From what I have now stated, and from the internal evidence of the paper itself, any one who may have the curiosity to peruse it will judge whether it was wrong in me to reject it, however willing to gratify Mrs. Knowles. — Bos WELL. Copernican and Ptolemaic systems." Mrs. Knowles. " She had the New Testament be- fore her." Johnson. " Madam, she could not understand the New Testament, the most difficult book in the world, for which the study of a life is required." Mrs. Knowles. " It is clear as to essentials." Johnson. " But not as to controversial points. The heathens were easily converted, because they had nothing to give up ; but we ought not, without very strong conviction indeed, to desert the religion in which we have been educated. That is the religion given you, the religion in which it niny be said Providence has placed you. If you live , conscientiously in that religion, you may be safe. But error is dangerous indeed, if' you err when you choose a religion for yourself." Mrs. Knowles. "Must we, then, go by implicit ; faith ? " Johnson. " Why, Madam, the great- ' est part of our knowledge is implicit faith ; and as to religion, have we heard all that a dis- ciple of Confucius, all that a Mahometan, can. say for himself?" He then rose again into passion, and attacked the young proselyte the severest terms of reproach, so that both the ladies seemed to be much shocked. We remained together till it was pretty late. Notwithstanding occasional explosions of vio-i lence, we were all delighted upon tlie wholei with Johnson. I compared him at this timcj to a warm West Indian climate, Avhere you; have a bright sun, quick vegetation, luxuriant" foliage, luscious fruits ; but where the same- heat sometimes produces thunder, lightning, and earthquakes in a terrible degree.^ Mrs. Knowles, to her own account of this conversatioi' was desirous of adding Miss Seward's testimony; anc Miss Seward, who had become exceedingly hostile to John son's memory, and a great admirer of Mrs. Knowles, wa' not unwilling to gratify her. She accordingly communi cated to Mrs. Knowles her notes of the conversation ( Lett, v i. 97.), which, it may be fairly presumed, were not too partia to Johnson. But they, nevertheless, did not satisfy the qua ker lady, who, as Miss Seward complains (^Lett. ii. 179.), wa "curiously dissatisfied with them, because they did not con, tain all that passed, and as exhibiting her in a poor ec/ipsec light;" and it is amusing to observe, that — except on thia words " odious wench" at the outset, in which all threif accounts agree, and the words " / never desire to meet foolf anywhere," with which the ladies agree that the conversa' tion ended — there is little accordance between them. Ilai they been content to say that the violence of Johnson was, disagreeable contrast to the quiet reasoning of Mrs. Knowles they would probably have said no more than the truth ; bu when they affect to give the precise dialogue in the wr. words of the speakers, and yet do not agree in almost any on'i expression or sentiment, — when neither preserve a word Ci what Mr. Boswell reports, — and when both (hut pariicui larly Mrs. Knowles) attribute to Johnson the poorest anj feeblest trash— we may be forgiven for rejecting both Ej fabulous — and the rather because Mr. Boswell's note we! written on the instant ("his custom .always of the aftei; noons ") ; while those of the ladies were made up mariyyem^ after the event. It may, however, be suspected that Boswc ' was himself a little ashamed of Johnson's violence, for h| eviaentiv siurs over tne matter part or tne conversation. Br in the Doctor's behaif it snou.d be reco/lectea. that he hat taken a great .and affectionate interest in this young creatur | who had, as he feared, not only endangered her spiritui welfare, but off'ended her friends, and forfeited her fortunei and that he was forced into the discussion by the very perso by whose unauthorised and underhand interference so mm mischief (as he considered it) had been done. — Long u this note is, I must add, that it appears in another pai of Miss Seward's correspondence (vol. ii. p. 383.) that whi! a young Quaker lady married a member of the church 1 Ex. 69. BOSAVELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 597 CHAPTER LXV. 1778. Hood Friday. — Bad Housewifery. — Books of I Travels. — Fleet Street. — Meeting with Air. i Oliver Edwards. — Lawyers. — Tom Ti/ers. — 1 Choice of a Profession. — Dignity of Literature. — Lord Camden. — George Psalmanazar. — Daines Barrington. — Puyiishmetit of the Pillory. — Insolence of Wealth. — Extravagance. — " De- mosthenes Taylor." — Pamphlets. — Goldsmith's Comedies. — '• The Beggars Opera." — Johnson's " Historia Studiorum." — Gentleman's Magazine. — Avarice. — Bon Mots. — Burke's Classical Pun. — Egotism. TRir, 17., being Good Priday, I waited on iilmson, as usual. I observed at breakfast, lat although it was a part of his abstemious iseipline, on this most solemn fast, to take no lilk in his tea, yet when Mrs. Desmoulins in- Ivortently poured it in, he did not reject it. talked of the strange indecision of mind, and abecility of the common occurrences of life, hich we may observe in some people. John- i\. " Why, Sir, I am in the habit of getting 'hers to do things for me." Eoswell. " What, ir ! have you that weakness ? " Johnson. Yes, Sir. But I always think afterwards I lould have done better for myself. " I told him that at a gentleman's house' where lere was thought to be such extravagance or id management that he was living much be- )iiil liis income, his lady had objected to the ittiiig of a pickled mango, and that I had ken an opportunity to ask the price of it, and lund it was only two shillings ; so here was a bry poor saving. Johnson. " Sir, that is the undering economy of a narrow understand- LT- It is stopping one hole in a sieve." I expressed some inclination to publish an ■count of my travels upon the continent of urope, for which I had a variety of materials illri'ted. Johnson. " I do not say, Sir, you :iy not publish your travels ; but I give you y o])inion, that you would lessen yourself by AVhat can you tell of countries so well luwn as those upon the continent of Europe, liicli you have visited?" Boswell. " But I n -ive an entertaining narrative, with many I iiK'uts, anecdotes, jeux d''e. the close i the point of the epigram turns being reserved the line: " Unde rubor vestris et noo sua purpura l3miphis ? QucB rosa mirantes tam nova mutat aquas ? Numen, convivae, prsesens agnoscite numen, Nympha pudica Deum vidit, et erubuit."— Malow. Thus paraphrased by Aaron Hill : " When Christ at Cana's feast, by power divine. Inspired cold water with the warmth of wine ; See, cried thev, while in redd'ning tide it gush'd, The bashful stream has seen its Lord —and blush'd. But I do not agree in Mr. Malone's preference of tl quatrain to the epigrammatic force of the single line. —Cm KER, 1847. 6 The line (ascribed to Giraldus Cambrensis) was on tl death of Henry II., and the accession of Richard. la " edition it has not the final est. — Croker. ^T. 69. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 599 Edwards. "You are a philosopher, Dr. [ Johnson. I have tried too in my time to be a ■ philosopher ; but, I don't know how, cheerf ul- '■ ness was always breakinjf in." ]Mr. Burke, ; Sir Joshua Eeynolds, Mv. Courtenay, j\Ir. Ma- j lone, and, indeed, all the eminent men to whom f I have mentioned this, have thovight it an ex- '' quisite trait of character. The truth is, that philosophy, like religion, is too generally sup- • posed to be hard and severe, at least so grave j as to exclude all gaiety.' ■ Edwards. " I have been twice married, i doctor. You, I suppose, have never known I what it was to have a wife." Johnson. " Sir, I I have known what it was to have a wife, and , (in a solemn, tender, i'altering tone) I have known what it was to lose a icife. It had al- most broke my heart." ' Edwards. " How do you live, Sir ? For my [,part, I must have my regular meals, and a glass of good wine. I iind 1 require it." John- I SON. " I now drink no wine. Sir. Early in life I I drank wine ; for many years I drank none. ' I then for some years drank a great deal." Edwards. " Some hogsheads, I wai-rant you." Johnson. " I then had a severe illness, and left it elf, and I have never begun it again.- I never felt any diflerence upon myself Irom eat- ing one thing rather than another, nor from one kindof weather rather than another. There are ! people, I believe, who feel a difference ; but I I am not one of them. And as to regular meals, i I have fasted from the Sunday's dinner to the i Tuesday's dinner without any inconvenience. I I believe it is best to eat just as one is hungry : [ but a man who is in business, or a man who 1 has a family, must have stated meals. I am a ! straggler. I may leave this town and go to I Grand Cairo, without being missed here, or '. observed there." Edwards. " Don't you eat supper, Sir ? " Johnson. " No, Sir." Ed- . WARDS. " For my part, now, I consider supper : as a turnpike through which one must pass in j order to go to bed." ^ I Johnson. " You are a lawyer, Mr. Edwards. I Lawyers know life practically. A bookish man , should always have them to converse with. I They have what he wants." Edwards. " I am grown old : I am sixty-five." Johnson. , " I shall be sixty-eight next birth-day. Come, i Sir, drink water, and put in for a hundred." Mr. Edwards mentioned a gentleman ■* who had left his whole fortune to Pembroke College. Johnson. " 'WTiether to leave one's whole for- tune to a college be right, must depend upon I circumstances. I would leave the interest of the fortune I bequeathed to a college to my I relations or my I'riends, lor their lives. It is I the same thing to a college, which is a perma- nent society, whether it gets the money now or twenty years hence ; and I would wish to make my relations or friends feel the benefit of it." This interview confirmed my opinion of Johnson's most humane and benevolent heart. His cordial and placid behaviour to an old lellow collegian, a man so dilFerent from him- self; and his telling him that he would go down to his farm and visit him, showed a kind- ness of disposition very rare at an advanced age. He observed, "how wonderful it was that they had both been in London forty years, without having ever once met, and both walk- ei-s in the street too !" Mr. Edwards, when i going away, again recurred to his conscious- ness of senility, and, looking full in Johnson's face, said to him, " You'll find in Dr. Young, ' O my coevals ; remnants of yourselves.' " Johnson did not relish this at all ; but shook his head with impatience. Edwards walked off seemingly highly pleased with the honour of having been thus noticed by Dr. Johnson, When he was gone, I said to Johnson, I thought him but a weak man. Johnson. " Why yes, Sir. Here is a man who has passed through life without experience : yet I would rather have him with me than a more sensible man who will not talk readily. This man is always willing to say what he has to say." Yet Dr. Johnson had himself by no means that willing- ness which he praised so much, and I think so justly : for who has not felt the painful etfect of the dreary void, when there is a total silence in a company, for any length of time ; or, which is as bad, or perhaps worse, when the conversation is with difliculty kept up by a perpetual efifort ? Johnson once observed to me, " Tom Tyers described me the best : ' Sir,' said he, ' you are like a ghost : you never speak till you are spoken to.' " The gentleman whom he thus familiarly men- tioned, was Mr. Thomas Tyers ^ son of Mr. Jo- nathan Tyers, the founder of that excellent place of public amusement, Vauxhall Gardens, which must ever be an estate to its proprietor, as it is peculiarly adapted to the taste of the English nation ; there being a mixture of cu- rious show, — gay exhibition, — music, vocal and I • " How charmins is divine philosophy ! I Not harsh .ind cral)beil, as dull lools suppose, |{ But musical as is Apollo's lute, \ And a perpetual feast of nectar'd sweets." Comus. — Croker. i 2 It seems that he abstained from wine at his coming to I London, or perhaps still e.irliiT, _ from his first great illness (in 1730, — and continued to do so " for many years." He had resumed it prior to 1752, when bi: visited Oxford, and probablydrank" a great deal." "Uiiiv.rNityColle<;e witnessed three boUles," (April 7. 1778.) In 1763 he would sometimes drink a bottle of port (June 25.), but about ITGt, after another severe hypochondriacal attack, he again left ofl"wine,and per- sisted in that practice till about 1781 (See March 20. 1781), from whicli time, 1 presume, he drank it occasionally and medicinally. — Chokek, 18'17. 3 1 am not .ibsolutely sure but tliis was my own suggestion, though it is truly in the character of Edwards.— Boshell. ■> This must have been the Kev. James Phipps, who had been a scholar of Pembroke, and who. in 177o, left his estates to the college to purchase livings for a particular foundation, and for other purposes. — Hail Croker 5 He is pleasantly, but too contemptuously, described in "The Idler" No. 48., under llie name of Tom Kcstless ; a QQ 4 600 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1775 instrumental, not too refined for the general ear ; for all which only a shilling is paid ' ; and, though last, not least, good eating and drinking for those who choose to purchase that regale. IMr. Thomas Tyers was bred to the law ; but having a handsome fortune, vivacity of temper, and eccentricity of mind, he could not confine himself to the regularity of prac- tice. He therefore ran about the world with a pleasant carelessness, amusing every body by his desultory conversation. He abounded in anecdote, but was not sufficiently attentive to accuracy. I therefore cannot venture to avail myself much of a biographical sketch of John- son which he published, being one among the various persons ambitious of appending their names to that of my illustrious friend. That sketch is, however, an entertaining little collec- tion of fragments. Those which he published of Pojjc and Addison are of higher merit ; but his fame must rest chiefly upon his " Political Conferences," in which be introduces several eminent persons delivering their sentiments in the way of dialogue, and discovers a consider- able share of learning, various knowledge, and discernment of character. This much may I be allowed to say of a man who was exceed- ingly obliging to me, and Avho lived with Dr. Johnson in as easy a manner as almost any of his very numerous acquaintance. Mr. Edwards had said to me aside, that Dr. Johnson should have been of a profession. I repeated the remark to Johnson, that I might have his own thoughts on the subject. John- son. " Sir, it icould have been better that I had been of a profession.^ I ought to have been a lawyer." Boswell. " I do not think, Sir, it would have been better, for we should not have had the English Dictionary." Johnson. " But you would have had reports." Boswell. " Ay ; but there would not have been another who could have written the Dictionary. There have been many very good judges. Suppose you had been lord chancellor ; you would have delivered opinions with more extent of mind, and in a more ornamented manner, than per- 1 In summer, 1792, additional and more expensive deco- rations having»been introduced, the price of admission was raised to two sliillings. I cannot approve of this. The com- pany may be more select, but a number of the honest com- monalty are, 1 fear, excluded from sharing in elegant and innocent entertainments. An attempt to abolish the one- shilling gallery at the playhouse has been very properly counteracted Boswell. The admission was subsequently raised to four shillings, without improving either the class of company, or the profits of the proprietors — C. 1830, 1831. It has been long closed, and is only occasionally used for letting oflfa balloon or some such exhibition, — Croker, 1847. i " That accurate judge of human life. Dr. Johnson, has often been heard by me to observe, that it was the greatest misfortune which could befall a man to have been bred to no profession, and pathetically to regret that this misfortvnie was his o-wn."— Mare's Practical Piety, p. 313. — Markiand. 3 This Lord Lichfield died in 1772, but was succeeded by his uncle, and the title was not extinct till 1776 Croker, 1847. ■• I am not entirely without suspicion that Johnson may have felt a little momentary envy ; for no man loved the good things of this life better than he did ; and he could not but be cimscious that he deserved a much larger share of them than he ever had. I attempted in a newspaper to comment haps any chancellor ever did, or ever will do. But, I believe, causes have been as judiciously decided as you could have done." Johnson. " Yes, Sir. Property has been as well settled." Johnson, however, had a noble ambition floating in his mind, and had, undoubtedly, often speculated on the possibility of his super- eminent powers being rewarded in this great and liberal country by the highest honours of the state. Sir William Scott informs me, that i upon the death of the late Lord Lichfield, who was chancellor of the University of Oxford, he said to Johnson, " What a pity it is, Sir, that you did not follow the profession of the law ! , You might have been lord chancellor of Great Britain, and attained to the dignity of the peer- age ; and now that the title of Lichfield, your native city, is extinct, you might have had it."^i Johnson, upon this, seemed much agitated;! and, in an angry tone, exclaimed, " Why will you vex me by suggesting this, when it is too' late?" But he did not repine at the prosperity of others. The late Dr. Thomas Leland told Mr.! Courtenay, that when Mr. Edmund Burke showed Johnson his fine house and lands near Beaconsfield, Johnson coolly said, " Non equi-'i dem invideo ; miror mugis." "* [ Yet no man had a higher notion of the dig-i nity of literature than Johnson, or was raorc;, determined in maintaining the respect whicl i he justly considered as due to it. Of this, be- sides the general tenor of his conduct in society some characteristical instances may be nieU' tioned. He told Sir Joshua Reynolds, that once wher he dined in a numerous company of booksel lors, where the room, being small, the head o the table, at which he sat, was almost close t( the fire, he persevered in suflTering a great dea of inconvenience from the heat, rather thai quit his place, and let one of them sit abovi him. Goldsmith, in his diverting simplicity, com, plained one day, in a mixed company, of Lor(' Camden. "I met him," said he, "at Lon on the above passage in the manner of Warburton, whomu!, be allowed to have shown uncommon ingenuity, in giving t any author's text whatever meaning he chose it should carr;, As this imitation may amuse my readers, I shall here intrc duce it: " No saving of Dr. Johnson's has been more misundci stood than his applying to Mr. Burke, when he first sa him at his fine pl.ice at Be.aconsfield, Non equidem inviiho miror rnagis. These two celebrated men had been frieiK for many years before Mr. Burke entered on his parli. mentary career. They were both writers, both menibe of The Literary Club ; when, therefore. Dr. Johnson sa Mr. Burke in a situation so much more splendid than that ' which he himself had attained, he did not mean to expre that hethouj-ht it a disproportionate prosperity; hutwhi, he, as a philosopher, a.sserted 11, Sir, Garrick ; talked very properly. Lord Camden ivas a I little lau'tjer to be associating so familiarly with a player." Sir Joshua Reynolds observed, with great truth, that Johnson considered Garrick to be as it were his property. He would allow no i man either to blame or to ])raise Garrick in his presence, without contradicting him. - Having fallen into a very serious frame of mind, in which mutual expressions of kindness passed between us, such as would be thought \ too vain in me to repeat, I talked with regret j of the sad inevitable certainty that one of' us , must survive the other. Johnson. " Yes, Sir, ; that is an affecting consideration. I remember ' Swift, in one of his letters to Pope, says, ' I I intend to come over, that we may meet' once I more; and when we must part, it is what liap- i pens to all human beings.' " Losweli,. " The ; hope that we shall see our departed friends again must support the mind." Johnson. f "Why, yes, Sir."^ Bosweli.. "There is a j strange unwillingness to part with life, inde- [ pendent of serious fears as to futurity. A re- verend friend of ours [Dr. Percy] tells me, that he feels an uneasiness at the thoughts of leaving his house, his study, his books." Johnson. "This is foolish in [Percy]. A man need not be uneasy on these grounds : for, as he will retain his consciousness^ he may > Seenn/t, p. 2'22. n.5._C. ' Sir Joshuii Heynolds wrote, or, perhaps, I slioulil rather say compiled, two Dialogues, in illustration of this position, in the first of which Johnson attacks Garrick in opposition to Sir Joshua, and in the other defends him against Cihbon. They are so tame an imitation that .Mr. Chalmers This was Marshall's Minutes of Agriculture. The author lived to publish many more important and less oHeu. sive works on this subject. — Chalmers. ' In the Injunctions of Queen lilizabeth [following those of hdward VI.] lor the observance of Sunday, there was one exception — viz. for labour in time of harvest, after divine service: but which was not provided for in the act 29 Car. 2. c. 7. — • Markland. 8 William Duncombe. Esq. He married the sister of John Hughes, the poet ; was the author of two tragedies, and other ingenious productions; and died '26th Feb. 1769, aged 7" JIalone. 602 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1778. come to me ; I did not seek much after him. Indeed, I never sought much after any body." BoswELL. " Lord Orrery, I suppose." John- son. " No, Sir ; I never went to him but when he sent for me." Boswell. " Kichard- son ? " Johnson. " Yes, Sir : but I sought after George Psalmanazar the most. I used to go and sit with him at an alehouse in the city." ' I am happy to mention another instance which I discovered of his seeking after a man of merit. Soon after the Honourable Daines Barrington had published his excellent " Ob- servations on the Statutes," ^ Johnson waited on that worthy and" learned gentleman ; and, having told him his name, courteously said, " I have read your book. Sir, with great plea- sure, and wish to be better known to you." Thus began an acquaintance, which was con- tinued with mutual regard as long as Johnson lived. Talking of a recent seditious delinquent ^, he said, " They should set him in the pillory, that he may be punished in a way that would disgrace him." I observed, that the pillory does not always disgrace. And I mentioned an instance of a gentleman '*', who I thought was not dishonoured by it. Johnson. " Ay, but he was. Sir. He could not mouth and strut about as he used to do, after having been there. People are not willing to ask a man to their tables, who has stood in the pillory." The gentleman who had dined with us at Dr. Percy's came in. Johnson attacked the Americans with intemperate vehemence of abuse. I said something in their favour ; and added, that I was always sorry when he talked on that subject. This, it seems, exas- perated him; though he said nothing at the time. The cloud was charged with sulphu- reous vapour, which was afterwards to burst in thunder. We talked of a gentleman [Mr. Langton], who was running out his fortune in London ; and I said, " We must get him out of it. All his friends must quarrel with him, and that will soon drive him away." Johnson. " Nay, Sir, we'll send you to him. If your company does not drive a man out of his house, nothing will." This was a horrible 1 " This extraordinary person," says Mrs. Piozzi, " lived and died at a house in Old Street, where Dr. Johnson was witness to his talents and virtues, and to his final preference of the Church of England, after having studied, disgraced, and adorned so many modes of worship. The name he went by was not supposed by his friend to be that of his family, but all inquiries were vain: his reasons for concealing his original were penitentiary ; he deserved no other name than that of the impostor, he said. His pious and patient endur- ance of a tedious illness, ending in an exemplary death n7G3), confirmed the strong impression iiis merit had made upon the mind of Dr. Johnson." — Croker. The Memoir of Psalmanazar, written by himself, and published in 1764, though now a neglected piece of biography, will well repay the reader, as it affords much curious information. [See also Smollett's account of him in Humphrey Clinker.'] — Mark- 2 Quarto, 17G6. The worthy author died March 13. 1800, aged about 74. — Malone. 3 Mr. Home Tooke, who had been in July 1777 (Gent, Map.) convicted of a seditious libel. The sentence — pro- nounced 23d November,— was ayear's imprisonment, and 200/. shock, for which there was no visible cause. I afterwards asked him, why he had said so harsh a thing. Johnson. " Because, Sir, you made me angry about the Americans." BoswELL. " But why did you not take your revenge directly ? " Johnson (smiling). " Be- cause, Sir, I had nothing ready. A man can- not strike till he has his weapons." This was a candid and pleasant confession. He showed me to-night his drawing-room, very genteelly fitted up, and said, " Mrs. Thrale sneered, when I talked of my havinfr asked you and your lady to live at my house. I was obliged to tell her, that you would be in as respectable a situation in my house as in hers. Sir, the insolence of wealth Avill creep out." BoswELL. " She has a little both of the insolence of wealth and the conceit of parts." Johnson. " The insolence of wealth is a wretched thing ; but the conceit of parts has some foundation. To be sure, it should not be. But who is without it ? " Bosweli. " Yourself, Sir." Johnson. " Why, I play no tricks : I lay no traps." Boswell. " No, Sir. You are six feet high, and you only do not stoop." We talked of the numbers of people that sometimes have composed the household of great families. I mentioned that there were a hundred in the family of the present Earl of Eglingtoune's father. Dr. Johnson seeming to doubt it, I began to enumerate ; " Let us see, my lord and my lady, two." Johnson. " Nay, Sir, if you are to count by twos, you may be long enough." Boswell. " Well, but now I add two sons and seven daughters, and a servant for each ; that will make twenty ; so we have the fifth part already." Johnson. " Very true. You get at twenty pretty readily ; but you will not so easily get further on. We grow to five feet pretty readily ; but it is not so easy to grow to seven." [" Yesterday (18th of April) I rose late, having not slept ill. Having promised a dedication, I thought it necessary to write % but for some time neither wrote nor read. Langton came in and talked. After dinner I wrote. At tea Boswell came in. He stayed till near twelve." — Pr. and Med., p. 163.] . fine. It seems strange that Johnson should, in April, 1778, have spoken conjecturalbj and prospectively of a sentence passed six months before ; but this, perhaps, may be ac- counted for by Tooke's having obtained a writ of error, which suspended the execution of the sentence. — Croker. 4 Probably Dr. Shebbeare. It was Shebbeare's exposure on the pillory which suggested the witty allusion of the Heroic Epistle, " Does envy doubt ? Witness, ye chosen train, Who breathe the sweets of his Saturnian reign; Witness, ye Hills, ye Johnsons, Scots, Shebbeares, Hark to my call, for so?ne of you have ears ! " But his ears were not endangered ; indeed he was so favour- ably treated, being allowed to stand on, and not in, the pillory, and to have certain other indulgences, that the sheriff was afterwards prosecuted for partiality towards him. — Croker. 5 He means, that if it had not been in performance of a promise, he would not have done any worldly business on Easter eve. What tlie dedication was does not appear.— ' Croker. JRt. 69. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 603 On Sunday, 19tli April, being _Easter-d:iy, after the solemnities of the festival in St. Paul's church, I visited him, but could not stay to dinner. I expressed a wish to have the argu- ments for Christianity always in readiness, that my religious faith might be as firm and clear as any proposition whatever ; so that I need not be under the least uneasiness when it should be attacked. Johxson. " Sir, you cannot answer all objections. You have de- monstration for a first cause : you see he must be good as well as powerful, because there is nothing to make him otherwise, and goodness of itself is preferable. Yet you have against this, what is very certain, the unhappiness of human life. This, however, gives us reason to hope for a future state of compensation, that there may bo a perfect system. But of that we were not sure, till we had a positive reve- lation." I told him, that his " Rasselas " had often made me unhappy; for it represented the misery of human life so well, and so con- vincingly to a thinking mind, that if at any time the impression wore off, and I felt myself easy, I began to suspect some delusion. [" In reviewing my time from Easter, 1777, I found a very melancholy and shameful blank. So little has been done, that days and months are without any trace. My health has, indeed, been very much interrupted. My nights have been commonly, not only restless, but painful and fa- tiguing. My respiration was once so difficult, that an asthma was suspected. I could not walk, but with great difficulty, from Stowhill to Greenhill. Some relaxation of my breast has been procured, I think, by opium, which, though it never gives me sleep, frees my breast from spasms. I have written a little of the' Lives of the Poets. I think with all my usual vigour. I have made sermons, perhaps as readily as formerly. ' My memory is less faith- ful in retaining names, and, I am afraid, in retain- ing occurrences. Of this vacillation and vagrancy of mind, I impute a great part to a fortuitous and unsettled life, and therefore purpose to spend my time with more method." — Pr. and Med., p. 167.] On Monday, 20th April, I found him at home in the morning. We talked of a gentle- man [Mr. Langton] who we appivhcnded was gradually involving his circimistances by bad management. Johnson. " Wasting a fortune is evaporation by a thousand imperceptible means. If it were a stream, they'd stop it. You nmst speak to him. It is really miserable. Were he a gamester, it could be said he had hopes of winning. Were he a bankrupt in trade, he might have grown rich ; but he has neither spirit to spend, nor resolution to 1 The sermons were probably those which were /(// for publication by L)r. Taylor, — some written, perhaps, at Ash- Dourne in the preceding summer Hall. See anle, p. 555. and n. 3. —Choker. ' Samuel Musgrave, M.D., editor of the Euripides, and author of "Dissertations on the Grecian Mythology," &c., published in 1782, after his death, by the learned Mr. Tyr- whitt. — Malone. ^ " The Project," a poem (published anonjmously in spare. lie docs not spend fast enough to have pleasure from it. lie has the crime of prodi- gality, and the wretchedness of parsimony. If a man is killed in a duel, he is killed as many a one has been killed ; but it is a sad thing for a man to lie down and die ; to bleed to death, because he has not fortitude enough to sear the wound, or even to stitch it up." I cannot but pause a moment to admire the fecundity of fancy, and choice of language, which in this instance, and, indeed, on almost all occasions, he displayed. It was well observed by Dr. Percy (afterwards Bishop of Dromore), " The conversation of Johnson is strong and clear, and may be compared to an antique statue, where every vein and muscle is distinct and bold. Ordinary conversation resembles an inferior cast." " On Saturday, 25th April, I dined with him at Sir Joshua Reynolds's, with the learned Dr. Musgrave*; Counsellor Leland of Ireland, son to the historian ; Mrs. Cholmondeley, [p. 349.] and some more ladies. " The Project," ^ a new poem, was read to the company by Dr. Musgrave. Johnson. " Sir, it has no power. Were it not for the well-known names with which it is filled, it would be nothing : the names cai-ry the poet, not the poet the names." Musgrave. " A temporary poem always en- tertains us." Johnson. " So does an account of the criminals hanged yesterday entertain us." He proceeded ; — " Demosthenes Taylor, as he was called (that is, the editor of Demos- thenes), was the most silent man, the merest statue of a man, that I have ever seen. I once dined in company with him, and all he said during the whole time was no more than Richard. How a man should say only Richard, it is not easy to imagine. But it was thus : Dr. Douglas was talking of Dr. Zachary Grey, and ascribing to him something that was written by Dr. Richard Grey. So, to correct him, Taylor said, ' Richard.' " Mrs. Cholmondeley, in a high flow of spirits, exhibited some lively sallies of hyperbolical com- pliment to Johnson, with whom she had been long acquainted, and was very easy. He was quick in catching the manner of the moment, and answered her somewhat in the style of the hero of a romance, " Madam, you crown me with unfading laurels." I happened, I know not how, to say that a pamphlet meant a prose piece. Johnson. " No, Sir. A few sheets of poetry unbound are a pamphlet "*•, as much as a few sheets of prose." MusGKAVE. " A pamphlet may be understood to mean a poetical piece in AVest- 1778), by Richard TickcU, author of "Anticipation." — Crokeu. •1 Dr. Johnson is here perfectly correct, .ind is supported by the usage of preceding writers. So in Musarum Delicice, a collection of poems, 8vo., KjSG (the writer is speaking of Suckling's play entitled Aglaura, printed in folio) : " This great voluminous pamp///!'/ may be said To be like one, that hath more liair than head." — Malone. 604 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1778. minster-hall, that is, in formal language ; but in common language it is understood to mean prose." Johnson. (And here was one of the many instances of his knowing clearly and telling exactly how a thing is.) " A pamphlet is understood in common language to mean prose, only from this, that there is so much more prose written than poetry ; as when we say a booh, prose is understood for the same reason, though a book may as well be in poetry as in prose. We understand what is most general, and we name what is less frequent." We talked of a lady's verses on Ireland.' Miss Reynolds. " Have you seen them, Sir?" Johnson, " No, Madam ; I have seen a translation from Horace, by one of her daughters. She showed it me."_ Miss Rey- nolds. " And how was it. Sir ? " John- son. " Whv, very well, for a young miss's verses ; that is to say, compared with excel- lence, nothing ; but very well, for the person who wrote them. I am vexed at being shown verses in that manner." INIiss Reynolds. " But if they should be good, why not give them hearty praise ? " Johnson. " Why, Madam, because I have not then got the better of my bad humour from having been shown them. You must consider. Madam, before- hand, they may be bad as well as good. No- body has a right to put another under such a difficulty, that he must either hurt the person by telling the truth, or hurt himself by telling what is not true." Boswell. " A man often shows his writings to people of emi- nence, to obtain from them, either from their good-nature, or from their not being able to tell the truth firmly, a commendation, of which he may afterwards avail himself." Johnson. " Very true. Sir. Therefore, the man who is asked by an author, what he thinks of his Avork, is put to the torture, and is not obliged to speak the truth ; so that what he says is not considered as his opinion ; yet he has said it, and cannot retract it ; and this author, when mankind are hunting him with a canister at his tail, can say, ' I would not have published, had not Johnson, or Reynolds, or Musgrave, or some other good judge, commended the work.' Yet I consider it as a very difficult question in conscience, whether one should advise a man not to publish a work, if profit be his object ; for a man may say, ' Had it not been for you, I should have had the money.' Now you cannot be sure ; for you have only your own opinion, and the public may think very diffi^rently." Sir Joshua Reynolds. " You must upon such an occasion have two judgments ; one as to the real value of the work, the other as to what may please the general taste at the time." Johnson. " But you can be sure of neither ; and therefore I should scruple much to give a suppressive 1 They are mentioned in Watts's, but without a name, which I cannot supply ; — 9«frf Lady Knight ? — Croker, 1847. vote. Both Goldsmith's comedies were once refused ; his fiirst by Garrick, his second by Colinan, who was prevailed on at last by- much solicitation, nay, a kind of force, to bring it on. His 'Vicar of Wakefield' I myself did not think would have had much success. It was written and sold to a bookseller before his ' Traveller,' but published after ; so little expectation had the bookseller from it. Had it been sold after ' The Traveller,' he might have had twice as much money for it, though sixty guineas was no mean price. The book- seller had the advantage of Goldsmith's repu- tation from ' The Traveller ' in the sale, though Goldsmith had it not in selling the copy." Sir Joshua Reynolds. " The Beggar's Opera affords a proof how strangely people will differ in opinion about a literary performance. Burke thinks it has no merit. Johnson. " It was refused by one of the houses ; but I should have thought it would succeed, not from any great excellence in the writing, but fi-om the novelty, and the general spirit and gaiety of the piece, which keeps the audience always attentive, and dismisses them in good humour." We went to the drawing-room, where was a considerable increase of company. Several of us got round Dr. Johnson, and complained that he would not give us an exact catalogue of his works, that there might be a complete edition. He smiled, and evaded our entreaties. That he intended to do it, I have no doubt, because I have heard him say so ; and I have in my possession an imperfect list, fairly written out, which he entitles Historia Studiorum. I once got from one of his friends a list, which there was pretty good reason to suppose was accurate ; for it was written down in his pre- sence by this friend, who enumerated each article aloud, and had some of them mentioned to him by Mr. Levett, in concert with whom it was made out ; and Johnson, who heard all this, did not contradict It. But when I showed a copy of this list to him, and mentioned the evidence for its exactness, he laughed, and said, " I was willing to let them go on as they pleased, and never interfered." Upon which I read it to him, article by article, and got him positively to own or refuse ; and then, having obtained certainty so far, I got some other ar- ticles confirmed by him directly, and, after- wards, from time to time, made additions under his sanction. His friend, Edward Cave, having been men- tioned, he told us, "Cave used to sell ten thousand of ' The Gentleman's Magazine ; ' yet such was then his minute attention and anxiety that the sale should not suffer the smallest decrease, that he would name a parti- cular person who he heard had talked of leaving off the ]\Iagazine, and would say, ' Let us have something good next month.' " - 2 This seems to confirm the conjecture made, ante, p. 49. n. 1., that Johnson acted for a time as the editor of the Magazine — Ckoker. .Ex. 69. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. GOo It was observed, tliat avarice was inherent in some dispositions. Johnson. " No man was born a miser, because no man was born to possession. Every man is born cvpidus — desirous of getting; but not avarus — desirous of keeping." Boswell. " I have heard oUl Mr. Sheridan maintain, with much ingenuity, that a complete miser is a happy man : a miser who gives himself wholly to the one passion of saving." Johnson. " That is flying in the face of all the world, who have called an ava- ricious man a miser, because he is miserable.' No, Sir ; a man who both spends and saves money is the happiest man, because he has both enjoyments." The conversation having turned on hon-mots, he quoted, from one of the Ana, an exquisite instance of flattery in a maid of honour in France, who being asked by the queen what o'clock it was, answered, " What your majesty pleases." ^ He admitted that ]\Ir. Burke's classical pun [p. 273.] upon Mr. "Wilkes's being carried on the shoulders of the mob. numerlsque fcrtur Lege solutls," was admirable ; and though he was strangely unwilling to allow to that extraordinary man the talent of wit ^ he also laughed with appro- bation at another of his playful conceits ; which was, that " Horace has in one line given a de- scription of a good desu-able manor : — ' Est modus in rebus, sunt certi Aemque fines ;' that is to say, a modus as to the tithes and certain ^/ies.""* He observed, " a man cannot with propriety speak of himself, except he relates simple facts : as, ' I was at Richmond : ' or what de- pends on mensuration ; as, ' I am six feet high.' He is sure he has been at Richmond ; he is sure he is six feet high ; but he cannot be sure he is wise, or that he has any other excellence. Then, all censure of a man's self is oblique praise. It is in order to show how much he can spare. It has all the invidiousness of self- E raise, and all the reproach of falsehood." loswELL. " Sometimes it may proceed from ' This is a sophism — people call liini miserable, because he seems so to them; but he himself maybe, and no doubt generally is, happy in his avarice. " Populus me sibilat ; at mihi plaudo Ips& domi, simul ac nummos contemplor in area." " I'm hissed in public : but, in secret blest, I count my money and enjoy my chest." Hor. 1. Sat. 1. 10. — Francis Choker, 1847. 2 The anecdote is told in " Menagiana," vol. iii. p. 104., but not of a " maid of honour," nor as an instance of " ei- niiisilir flattay. " M. d'Uzfes ctait chevalier d'honneur de la reine. Cette princesse lui dennanda un jour quelle heure il etait;il rcpondit, ' Madame, I'heure qu'il plaira i votre m.-ijeste.' " Menage tells it as a pleasantry of M. d'Uze? ; but M. de la Monnoye s.iys, that this duke was remarkable for ndiveUs and blunders, and was a kind of butt, to whom the wits of the court used to attribute all manner of absurdi- ties.— Croker. ' See this question fully invpslig.ited in the notes upon the " Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides," ante, p. 273. n. 1. et si-q. And here, as a lawyer mindful of the maxim Sinim cuique tribuito, I cannot forbear to mention, that tlie ad- a man's strong consciousness of his faults being observed. He knows that others would throw him down, and therefore he had better lie down softly of his own accord." CHAPTER LXVI. 1778. Buying Buckles. — " The first Whiff." — Jrme. — Tasso. — Homer. — Adam Smith. — Pope. — Voltaire. — Henry^s History. — Modem Writers. — Greicr. — Rome. — Old Age. — Dr. Robert- son. — Addison. — Chinese Langiuige. — Interest of Money Imagination. — Existence. — Virtue and Vice. — The Bat. — Lord Marchmont. — " 7'ranspire.^' — House of Peers. — Pope's " Uni- versal Prayer." — Hirorcts. — Parson Ford's Ghost. — Lord Clivc. On Tuesday, Ajiril 28., he was engaged to dine at General Paoli's, where, as I have al- ready observed, I was still entertained in ele- gant hospitality, and with all the ease and comfort of a home. I called on him, and accompanied him in a hackney-coach. We stopped first at the bottom of Hedge Lane, into which he went to leave a letter, " with good news for a poor man in distress," as he told me.-'' I did not question him particularly as to this. He himself often resembled Lady Bollngbroke's lively description of Pope : that " he was un politique aux chouj: et mix raves.''' He would say, "I dine to-day in Grosvenor- square ; " this miglit be with a duke ; or, per- haps, " I dine to-day at the other end of the town : " or, " A gentleman of great eminence called on me yesterday." He loved thus to keep things floating in conjecture : Omne ig- notum pro magnifico est. I believe I ventured to dissipate the cloud, to unveil the mystery, more freely and frequently than any of his friends. We stopped again at Wirgman's, the well-known toy- shop in St. James's Street, at ditional note, beginning with " I find since the former edition," is not mine, but was obligingly furnished by Mr. Malonc, who was so kind as to superintend the press while I was in Scotland, and the first part of the second edition was printing. He would not allow me to ascribe it to its proper author ; but, as it is exquisitely acute and elegant, I take this opportunity, without his knowledge, to do him justice IIOSWEI.L. • This, as both Mr. Bindley and Dr. Kearney have observed to me, is the motto to " An Inquiry into Customary Estates and Tenants' Rights, &c. ; with some Considerations for re- straining excessive Fines," by Everara Fleetwood, Esq. 8vo. 1731. But it is, probably, a mere coincidence. Mr. Burke, perhaps, never saw that pamphlet Malone. 5 Mr. 1'. Cunningham has. I think, enabled us to clear up Boswell's mystery, by finding in the Garrick correspond- ence (ii. 305.), May, 177h, that Johnson's poor friend, Mauritius I.owe, the painter, lived at No. 3. Hedge Lane, in a state of extreme distress ; and I have little doubt that the good news was that a picture o his was (as I find in the cata- logue of that year) admitted to the Exhibition of the Royal Academy, then rn the point of opening. Johnson's good offices were similarlv exerted on Lowe's behalf at the Exhi- bition of 1783. See 'post, sub 12ch April. — Cbokeb, 1847. 606 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1778. the corner of St. James's Place, to which he had been directed, but not clearly, for he searched about some time, and could not find it at first ; and said, " To direct one only to a corner shop is toying with one." I supposed he meant this as a play upon the word toy : it was the first time that I knew him stoop to such sport. After he had been some time in the shop, he sent for me to come out of the coach, and help him to choose a pair of silver buckles, as those he had were too small. Pro- bably this alteration in dress had been sug- gested by Mrs. Thrale, by associating with whom, his external appearance was much im- proved. He got better clothes ; and the dark colour, from which he never deviated, was enlivened by metal buttons. His wigs, too, were much better ; and, during their travels in France, he was furnished with a Paris-made wig, of handsome construction.' This choosing of silver buckles was a nego- tiation : " Sir," said he, " I will not have the ridiculous large ones now in fashion ; and I will give no more than a guinea for a pair." Such'were the pj'inciples of the business ; and, after some examination, he was fitted. As we drove along, I found him in a talking humour, of which I availed myself. Boswell. " I was this morning in Ridley's shop, Su' ; and was told, that the collection called ' Johnsoniana [p. 479.] had sold very much." Johnson. " Yet the ' Journey to the Hebrides ' has not had a great sale." ^ Boswell. "That is strange." Johnson. " Yes, Sir ; for in that book I have told the world a great deal that they did not know before." BoswELL. " I drank chocolate. Sir, this morn- ing with Mr. Eld ; and, to my no small surprise, found him to be a Staffot'dshire Whig, a being which I did not believe had existed." John- son. " Sir, there are rascals in all countries ." BoswELii. " Eld said, a Tory was a creature generated between a nonjuring parson and one's grandmother." Johnson. " And I have always said, the first Whig was the Devil." Boswell. " He certainly was. Sir. The Devil was impatient of suboi'dination ; he was the first who resisted power : — ' Better to reign in hell, than serve in heaven.' " At General Paoli's were Sir Joshua Rey- 1 In general his wigs were very shabby, and their fore parts were burned away by the near approach of the candle, which his short-siRhtedness rendered necessary in reading. At Streathani, Mr. Thrale's butler always kept a better wig in his own hands, with which he met Johnson at the parlour- door, when the bell had called him down to dinner ; and this ludicrous ceremony was performed every day. — Croker. 2 Here he either was mistaken, or had a different notion of an extensive sale from what is generally entertained : for the fact is, that four thousand copies of that excellent work were sold very quickly. A new edition has been printed since his death, besides that in the collection of his works — Boswell. Another edition has been printed since Mr. Boswell wrote the above, besides repeated editions in the general collection of his works during the last twenty years Malone, 1804. Hannah More says, that " Cadell the publisher told her, that he had sold 4000 the first week." — Life, vol. i. p. 39. This enormous sale at first, made Johnson think perhaps the sub- sequent sale scanty — Ckoker, 1835. nolds, Mr. Langton, Marchese Gherardi of Lombardy, and Mr. John Spottiswoode the younger, of Spottiswoode ^, the solicitor. At this time fears of an invasion were circulated; to obviate which Mr. Spottiswoode observed, that IVIr. Eraser, the engineer, who had lately come from Dunkirk, said, that the French had the same fears of us. Johnson. " It is thus that mutual cowardice keeps us in peace. Were one half of mankind brave, and one half cow- ards, the brave would be always beating the cowards. Were all brave, they would lead a very uneasy life ; all would be continually fight- ing : but being all cowards, we go on very well." We talked of drinking wine. Johnson. " I require wine only when I am alone. I have then often wished for it, and often taken it." Spottiswoode. "What, by way of a companion, Sir?" Johnson. "To get rid of myself, to send myself away. Wine gives great pleasure ; and every pleasure is of itself a good. It is a good, unless counterbalanced by evil. A man may have a strong reason not to drink wine ; and that may be greater than the pleasure. Wine makes a man better pleased with him- self. I do not say that it makes him more pleasing to others. Sometimes it does. But the danger is, that while a man grows better pleased with himself, he may be growing less pleasing to others. * Wine gives a man nothing. It neither gives him knowledge nor wit ; it only animates a man, and enables him to bring out what a dread of the company has repressed. It only pvits in motion what has been locked up in frost. But this may be good, or it may be bad." Spottiswoode. " So, Sir, wine is a key which opens a box ; but this box may be either full or empty ? " Johnson. " Nay, Sir, conversation is the key : wine is a picklock, which forces open the box, and in- jures it. A man should cultivate his mind so as to have that confidence and readiness with- out wine, which wine gives." Boswell. " The great difficulty of resisting wine is from bene- volence. For instance, a good worthy man asks you to taste his wine, which he has had twenty years in his cellar." Johnson. " Sir, all this notion about benevolence arises from a man's imagining himself to be of more import- ance to others than he really is. They don't care a farthing whether he drinks wine or not." 3 In the phraseology of Scotland, I should have said, " Mr. John Spottiswoode, the younger, of that ilk." Johnson knew that sense of the word very well, and has thus explained it in his " Dictionary " — voce. Ilk. " It also signifies t/ie same; as. Mackintosh of that ilk, denotes a gentleman whose sur- name and the title of his estate are the same." — Boswell. Johnson derives it from the Saxon ; but is it not rather an abbreviation of the Latin — illic, that place ? Mr. Spottis- woode married the daughter of Mr. William Strahan, and was the father of the present Spottiswoode of that ilk, and of the printer of this work. Ante, p. 438. n. 3 — Croker, 1847. ■» It is observed in " Waller's Life," in the " Biographia Britannica," that he drank only water ; and that while he sat in a company who were drinking wine, " he had the dexterity to accommodate his discourse to the pitch of theirs as it sunk." If excess in drinking be meant, the remark is acutely just. But surely a moderate use of wine gives a gaiety of spirits which water-drinkers know not. — Boswell. ^T. 69. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 607 Sib Joshxja Reynolds. " Yes, they do for the time." Johnson. " For the time ! If they care this minute, they forget it the next. And as for the good worthy man, how do you know f he is good "and worthy ? Xo good and worthy man will insist upon another man's drinking wine. As to the wine twenty years in the cellar, — of ten men, three say this, merely because they must say something ; three are telling a lie, when they say they have had the wine twenty yeai's ; three would rather save the wine ; one, perhaps, cares. I allow it is something to please one's company ; and people are always pleased with those who partake pleasure with them. But after a man has brought himself to relinquish the gi'cat personal pleasure which arises from drinking wine, any 1 other consideration is a trille. To please others by drinking wine, is something only, if there be nothing against it. I should, however, be sorry to otFeud worthy men : — ' Curst be the verse, how well soe'er it flow, That tends to make one worthy man my foe.' " BoswEUL. " Curst be the spriitg, the ivater." Johnson. "But let us consider what a sad thing it would be, if we were obliged to di-ink or lio any thing else that may happen to be agreeable to the company where we are." Langton. "By the same rule, you must join witli a gang of cut-purses." Johnson. " Yes, ; Sir ; but yet we must do justice to wine : we I must allow it the power it possesses. To make a man pleased with himself, let me tell you, is doing a very gi-eat thing ; — ' Si patriae volumus, si nobis vivere cari.' " ' I was at this time myself a water-drinker, I upon trial, by Johnson's recommendation. I Johnson. "Boswell is a bolder combatant than Sir Joshua : he argues for wine without the help of wine ; but Sir Joshua with it." Sib ! Joshua Reynolds. " But to please one's com- I pany is a strong motive." Johnson (who, i from drinking only water, supposed every body j who drank wine to be elevated). "I won't argue any more with you, Sir. You are too I far gone." Sir Joshua. " I should have ! thought so indeed, Sir, had i made such a speech I as you have now done." Johnson (drawing ' himself in, and, I really thought, blushing). ■ Xay, don't be angry. I did not mean to offend yoLi." SiK Joshua. " At first the taste of wine : was disagreeable to me ; but I brought myself ! to drink it, that I might be like other people. j The pleasure of drinking wine is so connected I with pleasing your company, that altogether I there is something of social goodness in it." ; Johnson. " Sir, this is only saying the same ; thing over again." Sir Joshua. " No, this is new." Johnson. " You put it in new words. ' If we would live within our proper sphere, Dear to ourselves, and to our country dear." — Francis. but it is an old thought. This is one of the disadvantages of wine, it makes a man mistake words for thoughts." Boswell. " I think it is a new thought ; at least, it is in a new attitude." Johnson. " Nay, Sir, it is only in a new coat ; or an old coat with a new facing." Then, laugh- ing heartily : " It is the old dog in the new doublet. An extraordinary instance, how- ever, may occur, where a man's patron will do. nothing lor him, unless he will drink : there may be a good reason for drinking." I mentioned a nobleman, who I believed was really uneasy if his company would not drink hard. Johnson. " That is from having had people about him whom he has been accustomed to command." Boswell. " Supposing I should be tite-d-tete with hiin at table?" Johnson. " Sir, there is no more reason for your drink- ing with Jam, than his being sober with you." Boswell. " Why, that is true ; for it would do him less hurt to be sober, than it would do me to get drunk." Johnson. " Yes, Sir ; and from what I have heard of him, one would not wish to sacrifice himself to such a man. If he must always have somebody to drink with him, he should buy a slave, and then he would be sure to have it. They who submit to di-ink as another pleases, make themselves his slaves." Boswell. "But, Sir, you will surely make allowance for the duty of hospitality. A gen- tleman who loves drinking, comes to visit me." Johnson. " Sir, a man knows whom he visits ; he comes to the table of a sober man." Bos- well. " But, Sir, you and I should not have been so well received in the Highlands and Hebrides, if I had not drunk with our worthy friends. Had I drunk water only as you did, they would not have been so cordial. John- son. " Sir William Temple mentions, that in his travels thi-ough the Netherlands he had two or three gentlemen with him ; and when a bumper was necessary, he put it on them. AVere I to travel again through the islands, I would have Sir Joshua with me to take the bumpers." Boswell, " But, Sir, let me put a case. Suppose Sir Joshua should take a jaunt into Scotland ; he does me the honour to pay me a visit at my house in the country ; I am overjoyed at seeing him; we are quite by our- selves : shall I unsociably and churlishly let him sit drinking by himself? No, no, my dear Sir Joshua, you shall not be treated so ; I icill take a bottle with you." The celebrated Mrs. Rudd- being men- tioned : Johnson. " Fifteen years ago, I should have gone to see her." Spottiswoode. " Be- cause she was fifteen years younger ? " John- son. " No, Sir ; but now they have a trick of putting every thing into the newspapers." He begged of General Paoli to repeat one of the introductory stanzas of the first book of 518. n. 2. — C. 608 BOSVVETX'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 177^ Tasso's " Jerusalem," which he did ; and then Johnson found f'aultwith the simile of sweeten- ino- the edges of a cup for a child ', being transferred from Lucretius into an epic poem. The General said he did not imagine Homer's poetry was so ancient as is supposed, because he ascribes to a Greek colony circumstances of refinement not found in Greece itself at a later period, when Thucydides Avrote.^ Johnson. " I recollect but one passage quoted by Thu- cydides from Homer, which is not to be found in our copies of Homer's works ; I am for the antiquity of Homer, and think that a Grecian colony, by being nearer Persia, might be more refined than the mother country." On "Wednesday, April 29., I dined with him at Mr. Allan Ramsay's, where were Lord Binning, Dr. Robertson the historian. Sir Joshua Reynolds, and the Honourable Mrs. Boscawen ^ widow of the Admiral, and mother of the present Viscount Falmouth ; of whom, if it be not presumptuous in me to praise her, I would say, that her manners are the most agreeable, and her conversation the best, of any lady with whom I ever had the happiness to be acquainted. Before Johnson came, we talked a good deal of him. Ramsay said, he had always found him a very polite man, and that he treated him with great respect, which he did very sincerely. I said, I worshipped him. Robertson. " But some of you spoil him : you should not worship him ; you should worship no man." Boswell. " I cannot help worshipping him, he is so much superior to other men." Robertson. " In criticism, and in wit and conversation, he is, no doubt, very excellent ; but in other respects he is not above other men : he will believe any thing, and will strenuously defend the most minute circum- stance connected with the church of England." Boswell. " Believe me, Doctor, you are much mistaken as to this ; for when you talk with him calmly in private, he is very liberal in his way of thinking." Robertson. " He and I have been always very gracious : the first time I met him was one evening at Strahan's, when he had just had an unlucky altercation with Adam Smith*, to whom he had been so rough, that Strahan, after Smith was gone, had re- monstrated with him, and told him that I was coming soon, and that he was uneasy to think that he might behave m the same manner to me. ' No, no. Sir (said Johnson), I warrant you, Robertson and I shall do very well.' Accordingly he was gentle and good-humoured ' The passages are in the Jerusalem, cmUo i. St. 3., and in Lucretius, i. 93.')., and again, iv. 12 Choker. 2 The quotations in the third book of Thucydides are not me, remarkable that the most judicious of the Greek his- torians should have quoted this hymn, not only without expressing any doubt of its authenticity, but as historical proof, — more especially as in the first book of his History there is great evidence of a real spirit of inquiry, and of some- thing like the philosophical criticism of modern times." — Crokek, 1847. and courteous with me, the whole evening and he has been so upon every occasion tha we have met since. I have often said (laugh ing), that I have been in a great measur indebted to Smith for my good reception. Boswell. " His power of reasoning is ver strong, and he has a peculiar art of drawin characters, which is as rare as good portrai painting." Sir Joshua Reynolds. "He i undoubtedly admirable in this; but, in orde to mark the characters which he draws, h overcharges them, and gives people more tha they really have, whether of good or bad.' No sooner did he, of whom we had been thu talking so easily, arrive, than we were all t quiet as a school upon the entrance of the head master ; and we very soon sat down to a tabl covered with such a variety of good things, j contributed not a little to dispose him to h pleased. Ramsay. " I am old enough ^ to have bee a contemporary of Pope. His poetry wi highly admired in his life-time, more a gre: deal than after his death." Johnson. "Si it has not been less admired since his deatl no authors ever had so much fame in their ow life-time as Pope and Voltaire ; and Pope poetry has been as much admired since h death as during his life : it has only not bet as much talked of ; but that is owing toi: being now more distant, and people havh othei- writings to talk of Virgil is less talks' of than Pope, and Homer is less talked of thi Virgil ; but they are not less admired. "VI must read what the wurld reads at the m ment. It has been maintained that this supc' fetation, this teeming of the press in mode; times, is prejudicial to good literature, bi cause it obliges us to read so much of what of inferior value, in order to be in the fashio so that better works are neglected for want time, because a man will have more gratific tion of his vanity in conversation, from havii read modern books, than from having re, the best woi-ks of antiquity. But it must considered, that we have now more knowled generally diffused : all our ladies read no which is a great extension. Modern writ( are the moons of literature; they shine wii reflected light, with light borrowed from t, ancients. Greece appears to me to be t fountain of knowledge ; Rome of eleganc: Ramsay. "I suppose Homer's 'Biad' to ;: a collection of pieces which had been writt before his time. I should like to see a trai ■ 3 Frances, daughter of William Evelyn Glanville, E ,, married, in 1742, to Admiral Boscawen. She died in 1!'. This excellent and highly-gifted lady makes a consider;) figure in the correspondence of Mrs. Montagu, Mrs. Car , and Hannah More. — Croker. •> This, probably, was the scene, the exaggeration or r • representation of which may have given_ rise to IVofe: r Miller's scandalous anecdote. See ante, p. 393. n. )- Choker. 5 Mr. Ramsay was at least 31 (ante, p. 5i0. n. 3 ) t Pope's death. — Crokek. JEt. 69. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 609 lation of it in poetical prose, like the book of Ruth or Job." Robertson. "Would you, Dr. Johnson, who are a master of the English language, but try your hand upon apart of it?" Johnson. " Sir, you would not read it with- out the pleasure of verse."' We talked of antiquarian researches. John- son. "All that is really knoicn of the ancient >rate of Britain is contained in a few pages. A\'e can know no more than what the old Avritcrs have told us ; yet what large books have we upon it, the whole of which, excepting such parts as are taken from those old writers, is all a dream, such as Whitaker's ' ]\Ian- chester.' I have heard Henry's ' History of Britain' well spoken of; I am told it is carried on in separate divisions, as the civil, the mili- tary, the religious history. I wish much to have one branch well done, and that is the liistory of manners, of common life." Robert- son. " Henry should have applied his atten- tion to that alone, which is enough for any man ; and he might have found a great deal scattered in various books, had he read solely v.ith that view. Henry erred in not selling hU first volume at a moderate price to the l"»>ksellers, that they might have puslied him (111 till he had got reputation. I sold my 'His- ti ii-y of Scotland at a moderate price, as a work by which the booksellers might either gain or not ; and Cadell has told me, that Millar and he have got six thousand pounds by it. I afterwards received a much higher price for my writings. An author should sell his first work for what the booksellers will give, till it shall appear whether he is an author of merit, or, which is the same thing as to purchase- money, an author who pleases the public." Dr. Robertson expatiated on the character of a certain nobleman [Lord Clive] ; that he was one of the strongest-minded men that ever lived ; that he would sit in company quite sluggish, while there was nothing to call Ibrth his intellectual vigour ; but the moment that any important subject was started, for in- stance, how this country is to be defended against a French invasion, he would rouse himself, and show his extraordinary talents, with the most powerful ability and animation. Johnson. "Yet this man cut his own throat. The true strong and sound mind is the mind that can embrace erpially great things and small. Now, I am told the King of Prussia will say to a servant, ' Bring me a bottle of such a wine, which came in such a year ; it 1 This experiment, which Madame Dacier m.ide in vain, has since been tried in our own language, by the editor of " Ossian ;" and we must either think very meanly of his abilities, or allow that Dr. Johnson was in the rigli't. And Mr. Cowper, a m.in of real cenius, has miserably failed in his blank verse translation.— Boswell. It is the fashion to call Cowper's a miserable failure, and by the side of Pope's sweetness and brilliancy it undoubtedly seems deficient in both euphony and splendour. Like an engraving, or sepia sketch of a fine picture, the outline is exact, but the charm of the colouring is absent. It is, however, the nearest por- trait we have of Homer, and the more one reads it, the better It seems.— Croker, 1835. lies in such a corner of the cellars.' I would have a man great in great things, and elegant I in little things." He said to me afterwards, when we were by ourselves, " Robertson was in a mighty romantic humour ; he talked of one whom he did not know ; but I dotvned him witli the King of Prussia." " Yes, Sir," said I, " you threw a bottle at his head." An ingenious gentleman was mentioned, con- cerning whom both Robertson and Ramsay agreed that he had a constant firmness of mind ; for, after a laborious day, and amidst a multi- plicity of cares and anxieties, he would sit down with his sisters, and be quite cheerful and good-humoured. Such a disposition, it was observed, was the happy gitt of nature. Johnson. " I do not think so : a man has from nature a certain portion of mind ; the use he makes of it depends upon his own free will. That a man has always the same firmness of mind, I do not say : because every man feels his mind less firm at one time than another ; but I think, a man's being in a good or bad humour depends upon his will."- L however, could not help thinking that a man's humour is often uncontrollable by his will. Johnson harangued against drinking wine. " A man," said he, " may choose whether he will have abstemiousness and knowledge, or claret and ignorance." Dr. Robertson (who is very companionable) was beginning to dissent as to the proscription of claret. Johnson (with a placid smile). "Nay, Sir, you shall not differ with me ; as I have said that the man is most perfect who takes in the most things, I am for knowledge and claret." Robertson (holding a glass of generous claret in his hand). " Sir, I can only drink your health." Johnson. " Sir, I should be sorry if you should be ever in such a state as to be able to do nothing more." Robertson. " Dr. Johnson, allow me to say, that in one respect I have the advantage of you : when you were in Scotland you would not come to hear any of our preachers; where- as, when I am here, I attend your public wor- ship without scruple, and, indeed, with great satisfaction." Johnson. " Why, Sir, that is not so extraordinary : the King of Siam sent ambassadors to Louis the Fourteenth, but Louis the Fourteenth sent none to the King of Siam." 3 Here my friend for once discovered a want of knowledge or forgetfulness ; for Louis the Fourteentli did send an embassy to the King of Siam ••, and the Abbe Choisi, who was em- •' I know not that there is on record a more striking in- stance of the contrary of this proposition than Johnson himself — much of whose " bad humour " was undoubtedly constitutional Croker, 1S47. 3 Mrs. Piozzi confidently mentions this as h.-iving passed in Scotland. — Anecdotes, p. 62. — Boswell. Johnson him- self told her the story, but whether it had happened in London or in Edinburgh, he probably did not state ; nor does it in the least degree signify Croker, 1847. ■> The Abbe de Choisi was sent by Louis XIV. on an em- bassy to the King of Siam in IG83, with a view, it has been said, to convert the king of the country to Christianity. — Malone. The Chevalier de Chaumont was the ambassador : R R 610 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1778. ployed in it, published an account of it in two volumes. Next day, Thursday, April 30.', I found him at home by himself. Johnson. " Well, Sir, Kamsay gave us a splendid dinner. I love Ramsay. You -will not find a man in whose conversation there is more instruction, more information, and more elegance, than in Ram- say's. BoswELL. " "What I admire in Ramsay, is his continuing to be so young." Johnson. " Why, yes, Sir, it is to be admired. I value myself upon this, that there is nothing of the old man in my conversation. I am now sixty- eight, and I have no more of it than at twenty- eight." BoswELL. " But, Sii', would not you wish to know old age ? He who is never an old man, does not know the whole of human life; for old age is one of the divisions of it." Johnson. " Nay, Sir, what talk is this ? " BoswELL. " I mean, Sir, the Sphinx's description of it : — morning, noon, and night. I would know night, as well as morning and noon." Johnson. " What, Sir, would you know what it is to feel the evils of old age ? Would you have the gout ? Would you have decrepitude ? " Seeing him heated, I would not argue any farther ; but I was confident that I was in the right. I would, in due time, be a Nestoi", an elder of the people ; and there should be some difference between the conversation of twenty-eight and sixty-eight." A grave picture should not be gay. There is a serene, solemn, placid old age. Johnson. " Mrs. Thrale's mother said of me what flattered me much. A clergyman was complaining of want of society in the country where he lived ; and said, ' They talk of runts (that is, young cows).^ 'Sir (said Mrs. Salusbury), MJr. Johnson would learn to talk of runts ; ' meaning that I was a man who would make the most of my situation, whatever I was." He added, " I think myself a very polite man." On Saturday, May 2., I dined with him at Sir Joshua Reynolds's, where there was a very large company, and a great deal of conversa- tion ; but, owing to some circumstance which I cannot now recollect, I have no record of any the Abbe de Choisi was, as Boswell correctly states, only " employed in it," and it was in return of this mission that the King of Siam sent his embassy to Louis. _ Croker. ' Dr. Johnson's own account of his dinner engagements this week shows a more extensive dining out than Boswell mentions, or perhaps was fully aware of. "April 30. 1778. Since I was fetched away from Streatham, the Journal [of engagements] stands thus: 'Saturday [2d of May], Sir Joshua; Sunday, Mr. Hoole ; Monday, Lord Lu- can ; Tuesday, Gen.VaaW; Wednesday, ^It. 'Ramsay; Thurs- day, Old Bailey ; Friday, Club ; Saturday, Sir Joshua ; Sunday, Lady Lucan. Monday, pray let it be Streatham, and very early ; do, now, let it be very early ; for I may be carried away — just like Ganymede of Troy. Do, now, let me know whether you will send for me— early — on Monday. But take some care, or your letter will not come till Tuesday." — Letters. The dinner at the Old Bailey is one given during the Sessions to the judges, counsel, and a few guests. The venerable Mr. Clarke, Chamberlain of London, who died in 1831, in his ninety-third year, told me that he remembered having taken Johnson to this dinner, he being then sheriff. The judges were Blackstone and Eyre. Blr. Justice Black- stone conversed with Johnson on the subject of their absent friend. Sir Robert Chambers Croker. - Johnson clearly meant (what the author has often else- part of it, except that there were several people there by no means of the Johnsonian school ; so that less attention was paid to him than usual, which put him out of humour : and upon some imaginary offence "^ from me, he attacked me with such rudeness, that I was vexed and angry, because it gave those persons an oppor- I tunity of enlarging upon his supposed ferocity, and ill treatment of his best friends. I was so much hurt, and had luy pride so much roused, that I kept away from him for a week ; and, perhaps, might have kept away much longer, nay, gone to Scotland without seeing him again, i had not we fortunately met and been recon- ciled. To such unhappy chances are human friendships liable. On Friday, May 8., I dined with him at Mr. Langton's. I was reserved and silent, which I suppose he pei'ceived, and might recollect the cause. After dinner, when Mr. Langton was called out of the room, and we were by our- selves, he drew his chair near to mine, and said, in a tone of conciliating courtesy, " WeU, how have you done ? " Boswell. " Sir, you have made me very uneasy by your behaviour to me when we were last at Sir Joshua Rey- nolds's. You know, my dear Sir, no man has a greater respect and affection for you, or would sooner go to the end of the world to serve you. Now, to treat me so — ." He insisted that I had interrupted, which I assured him was not the case ; and proceeded — " But why treat me so before people who neither love you nor me ? " Johnson. " Well, I am sorry for it. I'll make it up to you twenty different ways, as you please." Boswell. " I said to- day to Sir Joshua, when he observed that you tossed me sometimes, I don't care how often or how high he tosses me, when only friends are present, for then I faU upon soft ground ; but I do not like falling on stones, which is the case when enemies are present. I think this a pretty good image. Sir." Johnson. " Sir it is one of the happiest I have ever heard." ^ The truth is, there was no venom in thc» wounds which he inflicted at any time, unlesi' they were irritated by some malignant infiisior where mentioned), that he had none of the listlessness of ol( age ; that he had the same activity and energy of mind, a formerly : not that a man of sixty-eight might dance in a pub lie assembly with as much propriety as he could at twenty eight. His conversation being the product of much variou knowledge, great acuteness, and extraordinary wit, wa equally well suited to every period of life; and as in hisyouti it probably did not exhibit any unbecoming levity, so certain! in his later years it was totally free from the garrulity an querulousness of old age. — Malone. 3 Such is the signification of this word in Scotland, and, i should seem, in Wales. (See Skinner in !i.) But the heifer of Scotland and Wales, when brought to England, bein- always smaller than those of this country, the word runt hs acquired a secondary sense, and generally signifies a heiff; diminutive in size, small beyond the ordinary growth of th; animal ; and in this sense alone the word is acknowledged b Dr. Johnson in his Dictionary. — Malone. ■* Lord Wellesley had heard ;that this quarrel was aboi the " place in the Dunciad" — see ante, p. 203. ; but that w; several years earlier ; this affair was something more seriou — Croker. '> The simplicity with which Boswell repeats this fiatter without seeing that it was only a peace-offering, and a clumi one too, is very characteristic and amusing. — Croker. ^T. 69. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 611 by other hands. We were instantly as cordial again as ever, and joined in hearty laugh at some ludicrous but innocent pecviliarities of one of our friends. Boswell. " Do you think, Sir, it is always culpable to laugh .at a man to his face?" Johnson. "Why, Sir, that depends upon the m.an and the thing. If it is a sliglit man, and a slight thing, you may ; for you take nothing valuable from him." He said, " I read yesterday Dr. Blair's sermon on devotion, from the text, ' Cornelius, a devout man.' His doctrine is the best limited, the best expressed : there is the most warmth Avithout fanaticism, the most rational transport. There is one part of it which I dis.approve, and I'd have him correct it ; which is, that ' he who does not feel joy in religi(m is far from the kingdom of heaven ! ' There are many good men whose fear of God predo- minates over their love. It may discourage. It was rashly said.' A noble sermon it is indeed. I wish Blair would come over to the church of England." When Mr. Langton returned to us, the " flow of talk went on." An eminent author" being mentioned : Jounson. " He is not a pleasant man. His conversation is neither in- structive nor brilliant. He does not talk as if impelled by any fulness of knowledge or viva- city of imagination. His conversation is like that of any other sensible man. He talks with no wish either to inform or to hear, but only be- cause he thinks it does not become [Dr. Robert- son] to sit in a company and say nothing." INIr. Langton having repeated the anecdote of Addison^ having distinguished between his jpowers in conversation and in writing, by •saying, " I have only ninepence in my pocket ; !but I can draw for a thousand pounds ; " — 'Johnson. "He had not that retort ready. Sir ; he had prepared it beforehand." Lang- iroN (turning to me). " A fine surmise. Set ■1 thief to catch a thief." ! Johnson called the East Indians barbarians. ;BoswELL. "You will except the Chinese, pir?" Johnson. "No, Sir." Boswell. ;' Have they not arts ? " Johnson. " They '■^v'^ pottery." Bosvtell. " What do you say 1 he passage referred ^o is, " Of what nature must that iiu's religion be, who professes to worship God and to I liuve in Christ, and yet raises his thoughts towards God :.i| his Saviour without any warmth of gratitude or love ? 'his is not the man whom you would choose for your bosom iciid, or whose heart you would expect to answer with re- iprocal warmth to yours ; such a person must as yel be far om the kingdom of heaven." — Blair's Sermons, vol. i. p. 261. )r. Johnson's remark is certainly just ; and itmay be, more- r.cr, observed that, from Blair's expressions, and liis re- ^rence to human friendships and affections, he might be nderstood to mean, that unless we feel the same kind of arinth and afTection towards God that we do towards ic objects of human love, we are far from the kingdom of caven — a doctrine which would countenance fanaticism, id which every sober-minded Christian feels to be a mere lay on words ; for the love of God and the love of one's wife r friend are certainly not the satne passion Crokek. - No doubt Dr. Robertson. — Crokeii. 3 Which Johnson repeated, with a slight variation, in his ije of Addison Crokeb. ' " Journey into Siberia, made by order of the King of ranee ; published in 1768." —Croker. li to the written characters of their language ? " Johnson. " Sir, they have not an alphabet. They have not been able to form what all other nations have formed." Boswell. "There is more learning in their language than in any other, from the inmiensc number of their characters." Johnson. "It is only more difiicult from its rudeness 5 as there is more labour in hewing down a tree with a stone than with an axe." He said, " I have been reading Lord Karnes's ' Sketches of the History of Man.' In treat- ing of severity of punishment, he mentions that of Madame Laponchin, in Russia, but he does not give it fairly ; for I have looked at Chappe D'Auteroche *, from whom he has taken it. He stops where it is said that the spectators thought her innocent, and leaves out what follows, — that she nevertheless was guilty. Now this is being as culpable as one can conceive, to misrepresent fact in a book ; and for what motive ? * It is like one of those lies which people tell, one cannot see why. The woman's life was spared ; and no punish- ment was too great for the favourite of an empress, who had conspired to dethrone her mistress." Boswell. "He was only giving a picture of the lady in her sufferings." John- son. " Nay, don't endeavour to palliate this. Guilt is a principal feature in the picture. Kames is puzzled with a question that puzzled me when I was a very young man. Why is it that the interest of money is lower, when money is plentiful ; for five pounds has the same proportion of value to a hundred pounds when money is plentiful, as when it is scarce ? A lady explained it to me. It is (said she) because when money is plentiful there are so many more who have money to lend, that they bid down one another. Many have then a hun- dred pounds; and one says — Take mine rather than another's, and you shall have it at four per cent.''' Boswell. " Does Lord Kames decide the question?" Johnson. "I think he leaves it as he found it." ^ Boswell. " This must have been an extraordinary lady who instructed you. Sir. May I ask who she was ?" Johnson. " Molly Aston ", Sir, the sister of 5 The passage is to be found in b. i. sk. 5. The suppres. sion was very blameable, but not quite to the degree that Johnson represents it, for Lord Kames did not profess to discuss the guilt or innocence of the party, but instanced the punishment as one of unjustifiable barbarity, even if she were guiltv. — Croker. 6 Here I think the censure is quite unjust : Lord Kames gives in the clearest terms the same explanation : " Many borrowers and few lenders produce high interest ; many lenders and few borrowers produce a low interest." b. i. s. 3. — Croker. 7 Johnson had an extraordinary admiration of this lady, notwithstanding she was a violent whig. In answer to her high-flown speeches for liberty, he addressed to her the following epigram, of which I presume to offer a trans- lation. " Liber ut esse velim, suasisti pulchra Maria, Ut maneara liber — pulchra Maria, vale !" Adieu, Maria ! since vou'd have me free : For, who beholds thy' charms, a slave must be. A correspondent of The Gentleman's Magazine, who subscribes himself Sciolus, to whom I am indebted for R R 2 612 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1778. those ladies with whom you dined at Lichfield. I shall be at home to-morrow." Boswell. " Then let us dine by ourselves at the Mitre, to keep up the old custom — ' custom of the manor,' custom of the Mitre." Johnson. " Sir, so it shall be." On Saturday, May 9.', we fulfilled our purpose of dining by ourselves at the Mitre, according to the old custom. There was, on these occasions, a little circumstance of kind attention to Mrs. Williams, which must not be omitted. Before coming out, and leaving her to dine alone, he gave her her choice of a chicken, a sweetbread, or any other little nice thing, which was carefully sent to her from the tavern ready drest. Our conversation to-day, I know not how, turned, I think, for the only time at any length, during our long acquaintance, upon the sensual intercourse between the sexes, the delight of which he ascribed chiefly to imagination. "Were it not for imagination. Sir," said he, " a man would be as happy in the arms of a chambermaid as of a duchess. But such is the adventitious charm of fancy, that we find men who have violated the best principles of society, and ruined their fixme and their fortune, that they might possess a woman of rank." It would not be proper to record the particulars of such a conversation in moments of un- reserved frankness, when nobody was present on whom it could have any hurtful effect. That subject, when philosophically treated, may surely employ the mind in a curious discussion, and as innocently as anatomy ; pro- vided that those who do treat it keep clear of inflammatory incentives. "From grave to gay, from lively to severe," — we were soon engaged in very different speculation ; humbly and reverently consider- ing and wondering at the universal mystery of all things, as our imperfect faculties can now judge of them. " There are," said he, " in- numerable questions to which the inquisitive mind can in this state receive no answer: Why do you and I exist ? Why was this world created ? Since it was to be created, why was it not created sooner ?" On Sunday, May 10., I supped with him at several excellent remarks, observes, " The turn of Dr. John- son's lines to Miss Aston, whose whig principles he had been combating, appears to me to be taken from an ingenious epigram in the ' Menagiana' vol. iii. p. 376. edit. 1716, on a young lady who appeared at a masquerade, habiUee en Jesuite, during the fierce contentions of the followers of the Molinos and Jansenius concerning free-will : " On s'etonne ici que Caliste Ait pris I'habit de Moliniste. Puisque cette jeune beaute Ote a chacun sa liberte N'est-ce pas une Janseniste ? " — BoswELl,. See ante, p. 40., where I have ventured to anticipate Bos- well by a more literal translation of the epigram. " Molly," said Dr. Johnson to Mrs. Thrale, " was a beauty and a scholar, and a wit and a whig; and she talked all in praise of liberty : and so I made that epigram upon her. She was the loveliest creature 1 ever saw I " " His wife," he added, " was a little jealous of this attach- ment, and happening one day, when walking in the country, Mr. Hoole's, with Sir Joshua Reynolds. I have neglected the memorial of this evening, so as to remember no more of it than two particulars : one, that he strenuously opposed an argument by Sir Joshua, that virtue was preferable to vice, considering this life only; and that a man would be virtuous were it only to preserve his character : and that he expressed much wonder at the curious forma- tion of the bat, a mouse with wings ; saying, that it was almost as strange a thing in physi- ology, as if the fabulous dragon could be seen. On Tuesday, May 12., I waited on the Earl of Marchmont, to know if his lordship would favour Dr. Johnson with information concern- ing Pope, whose Life he was about to write. Johnson had not flattered himself with the hopes of receiving any civility from this \ nobleman; for he said to me, when I men- \ tioned Lord IMarchmont as one who could tell , him a great deal about Pope, — " Sir, he will i tell me nothing." I had the honour of being ; known to his lordship, and applied to him of i myself, without being commissioned by John- I son. His lordship behaved in the most polite . and obliging manner, promised to tell all he ; recollected about Pope, and was so very ■ courteous as to say, " Tell Dr. Johnson I have a great respect for him, and am ready to show it in any way I can. I am to be in the city , to-morrow, and will call at his house as I '. return." Ilis lordship however asked, " Will > he write the ' Lives of the Poets' impai'tially ? i; He was the first that brought Whig and Tory ' into a dictionary. And what do you think of! the definition of Excise ?' Do you know the ; history of his aversion to the word transpire?" Then taking down the folio Dictionary, he) showed it with this censure on its secondary! sense. ' To escape from secrecy to notice ; a i sense lately innovated from France, without; necessity.'^ "The truth was. Lord Boling-, broke, who left the Jacobites, first used it;; therefore It was to be condemned. He should; have shown what word would do for it, if it I was unnecessary." I afterwards put the ques- tion to Johnson : " Why, SIi"," said he, "§■«! abroad." Boswell. " That, Sir, is using twci words." Johnson. " Sir, there is no end tCs '■ \ to meet a fortune-telling gipsy, Mrs. Johnson made thi, wench look at his hand, but soon repented her curiosity ; forj says the gipsy, "your heart is divided. Sir, between a Bett;' and a Molly : Betty loves you best, but you take most deligh in Molly's company : when I turned about to laugh, I sa\ my wife was crying. Pretty charmer ! she had no reason ! Anecdotes Crokek. 1 Johnson was under an engagement to dine with Si Joshua on Ihisday, but was no doubt induced to break it off t please Boswell after their quarrel, which perhaps had prevente Boswell being invited to Sir Joshua's Choker, 1847. 2 The figurative use of transpire seems indicated in th. World of IVurds, a dictionary published by Philips, Milton i nephew, 100 years before. Johnson's awkward substitute !• "get abroad" does not seem to express exactly the sairj meaning : a secret may get abroad by design, by accideri by breach of confidence ; but it is said to transpire when !, becomes known by small indirect circumstances — by syniK toms — by whispers. Transpire has now got into vulgar ai ' improper use, for happening or occurring. — Croker. ii Mt. 69. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 613 this. You may as well insist to have a -word for old age." Boswell. " Well, Sir, senectus." Johnson. " Nay, Sir, to insist always that there should he one word to express a thing in English, because there is one in another language ', is to change the language." I availed myself of this opportunity to hear from his lordship many particulai-s both of Pope and Lord Bolingbroke, which I have in writing. I proposed to Lord INIarchmont, that he should revise Johnson's Life of Pope: "So," said his lordship, "you would put me in a dangerous situation. You know he knocked down Osborne, the bookseller." " Elated with the success of my spontaneous exertion to procure material and respectable aid to Johnson for his very favourite work, " the Lives of the Poets," I hastened down to IVIr. Thrale's, at Streatham, where he now was, that I might insure his being at home next day ; and after dinner, when I thought he would i-eceive the good news in the best humour, I announced it eagerly : " I have been at work for you to-day. Sir. I have been with Lord Marchmont. He bade me tell you he has a great respect for you, and will call on you to-morrow at one o'clock, and communicate all he knows about Pope." Here I paused, in full expectation that he would be pleased with this intelligence, would praise my active merit, and would be alert to embrace such an otfer from a nobleman. But whether I had shown an over exultation, which provoked his spleen; cir whether he was seized with a suspicion that T had obtruded him on Lord Marchmont, and humbled him too much, or whether there was any thing more than an unlucky fit of ill humour, I know not ; but to my surprise the result was, — Johnson. " I shall not be in town to-morrow. I don't care to know about Pope." Mrs. Thrale (surprised, as I was, and a little angry). "I suppose, Sir, Mr. Boswell thought, that as you are to write Pope's Life, YOU would wish to know about him." Johnson. "Wish! why yes. If it rained knowledge, I'd linld out my hand ; but I would not give myself the trouble to go in quest of it." There was no arguing with him at the moment. Some time afterwards he said, "Lord Marchmont will call on me, and then I shall call on Lord March- mont." Mrs. Thrale was uneasy at this unac- countable^ caprice; and told me, that if I did not take care to bring about a meeting between Lord Marchmont and him, it would never take place, which would be a great pity. 1 sent a card to his lordship, to be left at Johnson's ' This is not just. Lord Marchmont and Boswell argued for having one word for one idea, >ind when the idea is a siir Die one, common to all mankind, like old age, the language — and 1 know no other than the English — which has no single expression for it, is, so far, imperfect Croker, 1847. 2 See ante, p. 46. — C. ^ Not quite so unacountable as Mr. Boswell seems to think. His intervention in this affair, unsolicited and unauthorised, exhibits the bustling vanity of his own character, and John- house, acquainting him, that Dr. Johnson could not be in town next d.ay, but would do himself the honour of waiting on him at another time. I give this account fairly, as a specimen of that unhappy temper with which this great and good man had occasionally to struggle, from something morbid in his constitution. Let the most censorious of my readers suppose himself to have a violent fit of the toothache, or to have received a severe stroke on the shin-bone, and when in such a state to be asked a ques- tion ; and if he has any candour, he will not be surjwised at the answers which Johnson sometimes gave in moments of irritation, which, let me assure them, is exquisitely painful. But it must not be erroneously supposed that he was, in the smallest degree, careless con- cerning any work which he undertook, or that he was generally thus peevish. It will be seen that in the following year he had a very agree- able interview with Lord Marchmont at his lordship's house ; and this very afternoon he soon forgot any fretfulness, and fell into con- versation as usual. I mentioned a reflection having been thrown out against four peers for having presumed to rise in opposition to the opinion of the twelve judges, in a cause in the House of Lords *, as "if that were indecent. Johnson. " Sir, there is no ground for censure. The peers are judges themselves : and supposing them really to be of a different opinion, they might from duty be in opposition to the judges who were there only to be consulted." In this observation I fully concurred with him ; for, unquestionably, all the peers are vested with the highest judicial powers ; and when they are confident that they understand a cause, are not obliged, nay, ought not to acquiesce in the opinion of the ordinary law judges, or even in that of those who from their studies and experience are called the law lords. I consider the peers in general as I do a jury, who ought to listen with respectful attention to the sages of the law ; but if, after hearing them, they have a firm opinion of their own, are bound, as honest men, to decide accordingly. Nor is it so difficult for them to understand even law questions as is generally thought, provided they will bestow sufficient attention uf)on them. This observation was made by my honoured relation the late Lord Cathcart, who had spent his life in camps and courts ; yet assured me, that he could form a clear opinion upon most of the causes that came before the House of Lords, " as they were so well enucleated in the Cases." son was unwilling to be dragged before Lord Marchmont by so headlong a master of the ceremonies — Choker. •< The occasion was Mr. Home's writ of error. See ante, p. G02.n. 3. The four peers were the Duke of Richmond, and the Earls of Effingham, Abingdon, and Harcourt.— C, 1835. There has been a more recent and important case, that of the Queen \. O'Connell, Sec, Sept. 1844, in which the lay peers, as they are called, declined (I think wrongly) to vote, even though the judges were divided. — Cbokeb, 1847. BR 3 614 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1778. ]\Irs. Thrale told us, that a curlpus clergy- man of our acquaintance had discovered a licentious stanza, which Pope had originally in his " Universal Prayer," before the stanza, — " What conscience dictates to be done, Or warns us not to do," &c. It was this : — " Can sins of moment claim the rod Of everlasting fires ? And that offend great Nature's God Which Nature's self inspires ? " and that Dr. Johnson observed, it had been borrowed from Guarini." There are, indeed, in Pastor Fido, many such liimsy_ superficial reasonings as that in the last two lines of this stanza. BoswELL. " In that stanza of Pope's, ' rod of fires'" is certainly a bad metaphoi-." Mks. Thrale. " And ' sins of moment ' is a faulty expression ; for its true import is momentous, which cannot be intended." Johnson. " It must have been written ' of moments' Of mo- ment, is momentous; of moments, momentary. I warrant you, however. Pope wrote this stanza, and some friend struck it out. Boileau wrote some such thing, and Arnaud struck it out, saying, ' Vous gagnerez deux ou trois^ impies, et perdrez je ne sqais cnmbien d'honnetes gens.' These fellows want to say a daring thing, and don't know how to go about it. Mere poets know no more of fundamental principles than ." Here he was interrupted somehow. Mrs. Thrale mentioned Dryden. Johnson. " He puzzled himself about predestination. How foolish was it in Pope to give all his friendship to lords, who thought they honoured hun by being with him ; and to choose such lords as Burlington, and Cobham, and Boling- broke! Bathurst was negative, a pleasing man ; and I have heard no ill of Marchmont. And then always saying, ' I do not value you for being a lord ;' which was a sure proof that he did. I never say I do not value Boswell more for being born to an estate, because I do not care." i Boswell. " Nor for being a Scotchman ? " " Nay, Sir, I do value you more for being a Scotchman. You are a Scotchman without°the faults of Scotchmen. You would not have been so valuable as you are had you not been a Scotchman." Talking of divorces, I asked if Othello's doctrine was not plausible : — " He that is robb'd, not wanting what is stolen, Let him not know 't, and he's not robb'd at all." Dr. Johnson and Mrs. Thrale joined against this. Johnson. " Ask any man if he'd wish not to know of such an injury." Boswell. " Would you tell your friend to make him un- happy ? " Johnson. " Perhaps, Sir, I should not ; but that would be from prudence on my own account. A man would tell his father." Boswell. " Yes ; because he would not have spurious children to get any shai'e of the family inheritance." Mrs. Thrale. " Or he would tell his brother." Boswell. " Cer- tainly his elder brother." Johnson. " You would tell your friend of a woman's infamy, to prevent his marrying a prostitute : there is i the same reason to tell him of his wife's infi- delity when he is married, to prevent the con- sequences of imposition. It is a breach of confidence not to tell a friend." Boswell. , " Would you tell Mr. ? " (naming a gentleman " who assuredly was not in the least danger of such a miserable disgrace, though married to a fine woman.) Johnson. " No, ' Sir ; because it would do no good : he is so sluggish, he'd never go to parliament and get ^ through a divorce." He said of one of our friends, " He [Mr. i Langton] is ruining himself without pleasure. , A man who loses at play, or who runs out his '■ fortune at court, makes his estate less, in hopes ' of making it bigger (I am sure of this word, which was often used by him) : but it is a sad i thing to pass through the quagmire of parsi- : mony to the gulf of ruin. To pass over the ' flowery path of extravagance is very well." Amongst the numerous prints pasted on the walls of the dining-room at Streatham was Hogarth's " Modern Midnight Conversation." i I asked him what he knew of Parson Ford, i who made a conspicuous figure in the riotous ' group.^ Johnson. " Sir, he was my acquaint- 1 ance and relation, my mother's nephew. He had j purchased a living in the country, but not simo- i niacally. I never saw him but in the country. I; have been told he was a man of great parts; very pi-ofligate, but I never heard he was impious." Boswell. " Was there not a story of his ghost having appeared ? " Johnson. " Sir, it was believed. A waiter at the Ilummums, in which, house Ford died, had been absent for some time, and retm-ned, not knowing that Ford was . dead. Going down to the cellar, according to; the story, he met him; going down again, he met him a second time. When he came up,i he asked some of the people of the house what. Ford could be doing there. They told him; Ford was dead. The waiter took a fever, in which he lay for some time. When he re-J covered, he said he had a message to deliver to some women from Ford ; but he was not to tell;, what, or to whom. He walked out; he was j followed ; but somewhere about St. Paul's they lost him. He came back, and said he hac; delivered the message, and the women ex- claimed, ' Then we are all undone ! ' Dr 1 I, on the contrary, believe that Boswell's station in life had a greater influence with Johnson than he supposed — Choker, 1847. 2 I fear it will be but too evident at whose expense Mr. Boswell chose to make so offensive an hypothesis Crokeb. => The acquiescence of Johnson, on this occasion, seems tc authenticate the fact, that Ford was Hogarth's riotous parson See ante, p. 9. n. 6.— Choker. Cornelius Ford was eldes son of Johnson's eldest uncle, Joseph Ford. He had an uncli also named Cornelius.— J. M. ^T. 69. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 615 Pellet, wlio was not a credulous man, inquired into the truth of this story, and he said the evidence was IiTCsistible. My wife went to tiae Ilummums ; (it is a place where people get themselves cupped).' I believe she went with intention to heai- about this story of Ford. At first they were unwilling to tell her ; but, after they had talked to her, she came away satisfied that it was true. To be sure, the man had a fever ; and this vision may have been the beginning of it. But if the message to the women, and their behaviour upon it, were true as related, there was something supernatural. That rests upon his Avord - ; and there it re- mains." After IMi's. Thrale was gone to bed, John- son and I sat up late. We resumed Sir Joshua Reynolds's argument on the preceding Sunday, that a man would be virtuous, though he had no other motive than to preserve his character. Johnson. " Sii", it is not true ; for, as to this world, vice does not hurt a man's character." BoswEi.L. " Yes, Sir, debauching a friend's wife will." Johnson. " No, Sir. Who thinks the worse of [Beauclerk, p. 260.] for it ? " BoswELL. " Lord [Bolingbroke] was not his friend."' Johnson. " That is only a circum- stance. Sir ; a slight distinction. He could ! f get into the house but by Lord [Boling- ke.] A man is chosen knight of the shire : the less for having debauched ladies." lloswELL. "What, Sir, if he debauched the I ilies of gentlemen in the county, will not ihei-e be a general resentment against him ? " Johnson. " No, Sir. He will lose those par- ticular gentlemen ; but the rest will not trou- ble their heads about it" (warmly). Boswell. " Well, Sir, I cannot think so." Johnson. " Na}-, Sir, there is no talking with a man who will dispute what every body knowi (angrily). Don't you know this ? " Bosweli.. " No, Sir ; and I wish to think better of your country than you represent it. I knew in Scotland a gentleman obliged to leave it for debauching a lady ; and in one of our counties an earl's brother lost his election because he had de- bauched the lady of another earl in tliat county, and destroyed the peace of a noble family." Still he would not yield. He proceeded : " Will you not allow, Sir, that vice does not hurt a man's character so as to obstruct his prosperity in life, when you know that [Lord Clive, p. 609.] was loaded with wealth and honours ? a man who liad acquired his fortune by such crimes, that his consciousness of them ii.ipelled him to cut his own throat." Bos- well. " You will recollect. Sir, that Dr. Ro- bertson said he cut his throat because he was weary of still life ; little things not being suf- Baths are called Hunimums in the E.ist, and thence these Ihotels in Covent Garden wliere there were hot water and jeapour baths, were called by that name. — Croker, 1847. I 2 Why should it? The women might have heen examined. And who -weretlic!/ who satisfied Mrs. Johnson ; and of w/iat ficient to move his great mind." Johnson (very angry). " Nay, Sir, what stuff is this ! You had no more this opinion after Robertson said it than before. 1 know notliing more oflensive than repeating what one knows to be foolish things, by way of continuing a dispute, to see what a man will answer, — to make him your butt ! " (angrier still.) Boswell. " My dear Sir, I had no such intention as you seem to suspect ; I had not indeed. INIight not this nobleman have felt every thing ' weary, stale. Hat, and unprofitable,' as Hamlet says?" Johnson. " Nay, if you are to bring in gabble, I'll talk no more. I will not, upon my ho- nour." My readers will decide upon this dispute. CHAPTER LXVIL 1778—1779. Lord Karnes. — Sir George Filliers's Ghost. — Innate Virtue. — Native Modesty. — Foreign Travel. — Lord Charlemont. — Countrij Life. — Manners of the Great. — Home's " Letter to Dunning." — Dr. Mead. — liasselas and Can- dide. — Francis's Horace. — Modern Books of Travels. — Lord Chatham. — Vows. — Education. — Milton's " Tractate." — Locke. — Visit to Warley Camp. — Dr. Burncy. — Sir Joshua Rey- nolds's " Discourses." — Publication of the "Lives of the Poets." — Death of Garrick. — Corre- spondence. Next morning [13th May,] I stated to Mrs. Thrale at brealcfast, before he came down, the dispute of last night as to the influence of cha- racter upon success in life. She said he was certainly wrong ; and told me that a baronet lost an election in Wales because he had de- bauched the sister of a gentleman in the county, whom he made one of his daughters invite as her companion at his seat in the counti'v, when his lady and his other children were in London. But she would not encounter Johnson upon the subject. I staid all this day with him at Streatham. He talked a great deal in very good humour. Looking at iMessrs. Dilly's splendid edition of Lord Chesterfield's miscellaneous works, he laughed, and said, " Here are now two speeches ascribed to him, botli of which were written by me : and the best of it is, they have found out that one is like Demosthenes, and the other like Cicero." [p. 45. u. 2.] was she satisfied ? And be it observed, Ford died in 1731, and Mrs. Johnson did not come to London for more than seven years later, — so I hat whatever she heard could not be very fresh in the recollection of the parties. It seems altogether a foolish story Cboker, 18-17. R B 4 616 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1778. He censured Lord Karnes's " Sketches of the History of Man," for misrepresenting Clarendon's account of the appearance of Sir George Villiers's ghost, as if Clarendon were weakly credulous; when the truth is, that Clarendon only says, that the story was upon a better foundation of credit than usually such discourses are founded upon ; nay, speaks thus of the person Avho was reported to have seen the vision, " the poor man, if he had been at all waking;" which Lord Karnes has omitted.' He added, " In this book it is maintained that virtue is natural to man, and that if we would but consult our own hearts we should be virtuous. Now, after consulting our own hearts all we can, and with all the helps we have, we find how few of us are virtuous. This is say- ing a thing which all mankind know not to be true." EoswELL. " Is not modesty natural ?" Johnson. " I cannot say. Sir, as we find no people quite in a state of nature ; but, I think, the more they are taught, the more modest tliey are. The French are a gross, Ill-bred, untaught people ; a lady there will spit on the floor and rub it with her foot. What I gained by being In France was, learning to be better satisfied with my own country. Time may be employed to more advantage from nineteen to twenty-four, almost In any way than In travel- ling. When you set travelling against mere negation, against doing nothing. It Is better to be sure ; but how much more would a young man Improve were he to study during those years ! Indeed, if a young man Is wild, and must run after women and bad company. It Is better this should be done abroad, as, on his return, he can break off such connections, and begin at home a new man, with a character to form, and acquaintance to make. Hov/ little does travelling supply to the conversation of any man who has travelled ! how little to Beau- clerk ! " BoswELL. " What say you to Lord [Charlemont] ! " Johnson. " I never but once heard him talk of what he had seen, and that was of a large serpent in one of the pyra- mids of Egy]Dt." BoswELL. "AVell, I happened to hear him tell the same thing, which made me mention him." ^ I talked of a country life. Johnson. "Were I to live In the country, I would not devote myself to the acquisition of popularity ; I would live in a much better way, much more happily ; I would have my time at my own command." BoswELL. " But, Sir, is it not a sad thing to be at a distance from all our literary friends ? " Johnson. " Sir, you will by-and-by have I This suppression is particularly blameable, because the question was as to the extent of Clarendon's credulity ; and Lord Karnes gives his own summary of the story with marks of quotation, as if he were copying Clarendon exactly. — Crokek. ^ James, first earl. His lordship was, to the last, in the habit of telling this story rather too often Croker. ^ In Mr. Home Tooke's enlargement of that " Letter," which he has since published with the title of " EtrEao-TS^oEi/ra, or, T/ie Diversions of Purley," he mentions this compliment, enough of this conversation, which now delights you so much." As he was a zealous friend of subordination, he was at all times watchful to repress the vulgar cant against the manners of the gi-eat. " High people, Sir," said he, " are the best : take a hundred ladles of quality, you'll find them better wives, better mothers, more will- ing to sacrifice their own pleasure to their children, than a hundred other women. Tradeswomen (I mean the wives of tradesmen) in the city, who are worth from ten to fifteen thousand pounds, are the worst creatures upon the earth, grossly Ignorant, and thinking viclousness fashionable. Farmers, I think, are often worthless fellows. Few lords will cheat ; and. If they do, they'll be ashamed of It : farmers cheat, and are not ashamed of it : they have all the sensual vices too of the nobility, with cheating Into the bargain. There Is as much fornication and adultery amongst farmers as amongst noblemen." Boswbix. "The notion of the world. Sir, however, is, that the morals of women of quality are worse than those In lower stations." Johnson. " Yes, Sir ; the licentiousness of one woman of quality makes more noise than that of a number of women in lower stations : then, Sir, you are to consider the malignity of women In the city against women of quality, which will make them believe any thing of them, such as that they call their coachmen to bed. No, Sir ; so far as I have observed, the higher in rank, the richer ladles are, they are the better Instructed, and the more virtuous." This year the Reverend 'Mr. Home published his " Letter to Mr. Dunning on the English Particle." Johnson read It ; and though not treated In It with sufiicient respect, he had candour enough to say to ]\Ir. Seward, " Were I to make a new edition of my Dictionary, I would adopt severaP of Mr. Home's etymo- logies. I hope they did not put the dog in the pillory for his libel ; he has too much literature for that."* On Saturday, May 16., I dined with him at Mr. Beauclerk's Avith IMr. Langton, Mr. Steevens, Dr. Higgins, and some others. I regret very feelingly every instance of my re- missness In recording his memorabilia; I am afraid It Is the condition of humanity (as Mr. Windham, of Norfolk, once observed to me, after having made an admirable sjjeech in the ; House of Commons, which was highly ap- plauded, but which he afterwards perceived \ might have been better), " that we are more as if Dr. Johnson, instead of several of his etymologies, had said all. His recollection having tlms magnified it, shows how ambitious he was of the approbation of so great a in.-in. — BoswELL. The occasion of Home's , letter was his dis- , putingtheconstructionputbythe judges of the Court of King's Bench on some words in his indictment. — Choker, 1847. ■1 This is another instance of Johnson's contradictory opinions — «n/e, p. 602. — for which I can more easily account, than for his continued ignorance of Home Tooke's sentence. — Croker. ^T, 69. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 617 uneasy from thinking of our wants, than happy in thinking of our acquisitions." ' This is an unreasonable mode of disturbing our tran- quillity, and should be corrected : let me then comtbrt myself with the large treasure of Jolm- son's conversation which I have preserved for my own enjoyment and that of the world ; and let me exhibit what I have upon each occasion, whether more or less, whether a bulse, or only a few sparks of a diamond. He said, " Dr. Mead lived more in the broad sunshine of life than almost any man."*^ The disaster of General Burgoyne's army ^ was then the common topic of conversation. It was asked why piling their arms was insisted upon as a matter of such consequence, when it seemed to be a circumstance so inconsider- able in itself Johnson. " Why, Sir, a French author says, '■ II y a heaucnup de puerilites dans la guerre.'' All distinctions are tritles, because great things can seldom occur, and those dis- tinctions are settled by custom. A savage would as willingly have his meat sent to him in the kitchen, as eat it at the table here : as men become civilised, various modes of denot- ing honourable preference are invented." lie this day made the observations upon the similarity between "Rasselas" and "Candide;" which I have inserted in its proper place [p. 115.], when considering his admirable philosophical romance. He said, " Candide," he thought, had more power in it than any thing that Voltaire had written. He said, " The lyrical part of Horace never can be perfectly translated ; so much of the excellence is in the numbers and expression. Francis has done it the best. I'll take his, .' five out of six, against them all." I On Sunday, May 17., I presented to him I ]\Ir. Fullarton, of Fnllarton, who has since distinguished himself so much in India '^, to ' whom he naturally talked of travels, as IMr. : Brydone accompanied him in his tour to Sicily ! and j\Ialta. He said, " The information which we have from modern travellers is much more i authentic than what we had from ancient ! travellers ; ancient travellers guessed, modern travellers measure. The Swiss admit that there is but one error in Stanyan.^ If Brydone were more attentive to his Bible, he would be a good traveller." [p. 491.] He said, " Lord Chatham was a Dictator ; ' Mr. Windham's MS. Journal, wliich 1 have seen, exhibits instances of a morbid, self-tormenting liypachondriacism. of which those who knew him only in society couki have nc idea Croker, 1S47. Its publication (18G5) has confirmed Mr. Croker's opinion. — J. M. - Dr. Richard Mead was born in 1673, and died in 1754. His collection of books, pictures, and coins (which sold for upwards of 16,000/ ), was, during his life, most liberally open to public curiosity. He was much visited by the literati and foreigners, and did certainly live in the " sunshine ol life."— Croker. ^ Its surrender at Saratoga, October, 1777. -Croker. •• In 1787, Mr. Fullarton published a" View of thoKnglisli Interests in India."— Wright. ^ Temple Stanyan, Esq., at one time minister to the Porte, author of an '■^Account of Sirilzcrland," 171-1, and of a better known "History of Greece." He died 17Si. — Cbokeh, 1835. 5 The slip of paper on which he made the correction is he possessed the power of putting the state in motion : now there is no power, all order is relaxed.'' Boswei.l. " Is there no hope of a change to the better ?" Jounson. " Why, yes. Sir, when we are weary of this relaxation. So the city of London will appoint its mayors again by seniority." Boswell. "But is not that taking a mere chance for having a good or a bad mayor?" Johnson. "Yes, Sir; but the evil of competition is greater than that of the worst mayor that can come ; besides, there is no more reason to suppose that the choice of a rabble will be right, than that chance will be right." On Tuesday, INIay 19., I was to set out for Scotland in the evening. He was engaged to dine with me at INIr.Dilly's. I waited upon him to remind him of his appointment and attend him thither ; he gave me some salutary counsel, and recommended vigorous resolution against any deviation from moral duty. Bos- AVELL. "But you would not have me to bind myself by a .solemn obligation?" Johnson (much agitated). " What ! a vow ! — O, no. Sir ; a vow is a horrible thing ! it is a snare fjr sin. The man who cannot go to heaven with- out a vow, may go " Here, standing erect in the middle of his library, and rolling grand, his pause was truly a curious compound of the solemn and the ludicrous ; he half- whistled in his usual way when pleasant, and he paused as if checked by i-eligious awe. Methought he would have added, to hell, but v/as restrained. I humoured the dilemma. " What, Sir ! " said I, " In ccelum jusseris ibit ? ' " alluding to his imitation of it, — " And bid him go to hell, to hell lie goes." I had mentioned to him a slight fault in his noble " Imitation of the Tenth Satire of Juvenal," a too near recurrence of the verb spread in his description of the young en- thusiast at college : — " Through all his veins the fever of renown Spreads from the strong contagion of the gown ; O'er Bodley's dome his future labours spread. And Bacon's mansion trembles o'er his head." He had desired me to change spreads to bums ; but for perfect authenticity, I now had it done with his own hand." ^ I thought this alteration not only cured the fault, but was deposited by me in the noble library to which it relates, and to which I have presented other pieces of his handwriting BOSWELL. The passage in the first, and in some other editions, stands as follows : — "When first the college rolls receive his name, The young enthusiast quits his ease for fame: Resistless burns the fever of renown. Caught from the strong contagion of the gown ; O'er Bodley's dome his future labours spread. And Bacon's mansion trembles o'er his head." Johnson, no doubt, in amending the second awkward couplet, inadvertently inserted spreads instead of burns. The true reading ought to be introduced in any new edition of the poem, which it has not been in any that I have ever seen. Even the Oxford edition (1825) notices the error and the correction, but, strange to say, does not amend the text. — Cuokeh. 618 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1778. more poetical, as it might carry an allusion to the shu't by whicli Hercules was inflamed. We had a quiet, comfortable meeting at Mr. DiUy's ; nobody there but ourselves. JVIr. Dilly mentioned somebody having wished that Milton's "Tractate on Education" should be printed along with his Poems in the edition of the English Poets then going on. Johnson. " It would be breaking in upon the plan ; but would be of no great consequence. So far as it would be any thing, it would be wrong. Education in England has been in danger of being hurt by two of its greatest men, Milton and Locke. Milton's plan is impracticable, and I suppose has never been tried. Locke's, I fancy, has been tried often enough, but is vei-y imperfect ; it gives too much to one side, and too little to the other; it gives too little to literature. — I shall do what I can for Dr. Watts ; but my materials are very scanty. His poems are by no means his best works ; I cannot praise his poetry itself highly, but I can praise its design." i\Iy illustrious friend and I parted with assurances of aifectionate regard. I wrote to him on the 25th of May, from Thorpe, in Yorkshire, one of the seats of Mr. Bosville, [p.523.]and'gavehimanaccountofray having passed a day at Lincoln, unexpectedly, and therefore without having any letters of introduction ; ' but that I had been honoured with civilities from the Reverend ]VL. Simpson, an acquaintance of his, and Captain Broadley, of the Lincolnshire militia; but more par- ticularly from the Eeverend Dr. Gordon, the chancellor, who first received me with great politeness as a stranger, and, when I in- formed him who I was, entertained me at his house with the most flattering attention. I also expressed the pleasure with which I had found that our worthy friend, Langton, was highly esteemed in his own county town. BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. " Edinburgh, June 18. 1778. " My DEAR Sir, — * * * Since my return to Scotland, I have been again at Lanark, and have had more conversation with Thomson's sister. It is strange that Murdoch, who was his intimate friend, should have mistaken his mother's maiden name, which he says was Hume, whereas Hume was the name of his grandmother by the mother's side. His mother's name was Beatrix Trotter ', a daughter of Mr. Trotter of Fogo, a small pro- prietor of land. Thomson had one brother, whom he had with him in England as his amanuensis ; but he was seized with a consumption, and having returned to Scotland, to try what his native air would do for him, died young. He had three sisters : one married to Mr. Bell, minister of the parish of Strathaven ; one to Mr. Craig, father of the ingenious architect, who gave the plan of the New Town of Edinburgh ; and one to Mr. Thom- ' Dr. Johnson was by no means attentive to minute accu- racy in his " Lives of the Poets ; " for, notwithstanding my having detected this mistake, he continued it Boswell. son, master of the grammar-school at Lanark. He was of a humane and benevolent disposition ; not only sent valuable presents to his sisters, but a yearly allowance in money, and was always wishing to have it in his power to do them more good. Lord Lyttelton's observation, that ' he loathed much to write,' was very true. His letters to his sister, Mrs. Thomson, were not frequent; and in one of them he says, ' All my friends who know me, know how backward I am to write letters; and nerer impute the negligence of my hand to the coldness of my heart.' I send you a copy of the last letter which she had from him ; she never heard that he had any intention of going into holy orders. From this late interview with his sister, I think much more favourably of him, as I hope you will. I am eager to see more of your Prefaces to the Poets : I solace myself with the few proof-sheets which I have. " I send another parcel of Lord Hailes's 'Annals,' which you will please to return to me as soon as you conveniently can. He says, ' he wishes you would cut a little deeper ;' but he may be proud that' there is so little occasion to use the critical knife. I ever am, my dear Sir, &c., "James Boswell." Mr. Langton has been pleased, at my request, to tavour me with some particulars of Dr. Johnson's visit to Warley Camp, where this gentlema-n was at the time stationed as a captain in the Lincolnshire militia. I shall give them in his own words in a letter to me. " It was in the summer of the year 1778, that he complied with my invitation to come down to the camp at Warley, and he staid with me about a week ; the scene appeared, notwithstanding a great degree of ill health that he seemed to labour under, to interest and amuse him, as agreeing with the disposition that I believe you know he constantly manifested towards inquiring into subjects of the military kind. He sate, with a patient degree of attention, to observe the proceedings of a regimental court-martial, that happened to be called in the time of his stay with us ; and one night, as late as at eleven o'clock, he accompanied the major of the regiment in going what are styled the rounds,wheTe he might observe the forms of visiting the guards, for the seeing that they and their sentries are ready in their duty on their several posts. He took occa- sion to converse at times on military topics, once in particular, that I see the mention of, in your ' Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides,' which lies open before me, (p. 303.), as to gunpowder; which he spoke of to the same effect, in part, that you relate. " On one occasion, when the regiment were going through their exercise, he went quite close to the men at one of the extremities of it, and watched all their practices attentively ; and, when he came away, his remark was, ' The men indeed do load their muskets and fire with wonderful celerity.' He was likewise particular in requiring to know what was the weight of the musket balls in use, and within what distance they might be expected to take effect when fired off. " In walking among the tents, and observing the difference between those of the officers and private men, he said, that the superiority of accommodation of the better conditions of life, to that of the inferior JET.Q9. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 619 I ones, was never exhibited to him in so distinct a ' view. The civilities paid to him in the camp were, from the gentlemen of the Lincolnshire regiment, one of the officers of which accommodated him with a tent in which he slept ; and from General Hall, who very courteously invited him to dine with him, where he appeared to be very well pleased with his entertainment and the civilities he received on the part of the General ' ; the attention likewise of the General's aide-de-camp, Captain Smith, seemed to be very welcome to him, as appeared by t their engaging in a great deal of discourse together. The gentlemen of the East- York regiment likewise, ; on being informed of his coming, solicited his com- ipany at dinner; but by that time he had fixed his I departure, so that he could not comply with the I invitation." ! j JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. !; " London, July 3. 1778. j " Sir, — I have received two letters from you, of (which the second complains of the neglect shown to I the first. You must not tie your friends to such 1 punctual correspondence. You have all possible j assurances of my aflection and esteem; and there ouglit to be no need of reiterated professions. When it may happen that I can give you either counsel or comfort, I hope it will never happen to me that I should neglect you ; but you must not think me criminal or cold, if I say nothing when I have nothing to say. " You are now happy enough. Mrs. Boswell is recovered ; and I congratulate you upon the pro- bability of her long life. If general approbation will add any thing to your enjoyment, I can tell you that I have heard you mentioned as a man whom ,every bodi/ likes. I think life has little more to give. " [Langton] has gone to his regiment. He has laid down his coach, and talks of making more con- tractions of his expense ; how he will succeed, I know not. It is difficult to reform a household gradually ; it may be done better by a system to- tally new. I am afraid he has always something to hide. When we pressed him to go to [Lang- jton], he objected the necessity of attending his navigation*; yet he could talk of going to Aber- deen ^, a place not much nearer his navigation. I believe he cannot bear the thought of living at [Langton] in a state of diminution, and of appear- , ing among the gentlemen of the neighbourhood shorn of his beams. This is natural, but it is cow- ardly. What I told him of the increasing expense of a growing family, seems to have struck him. He certainly had gone on with very confused views, and we have, I think, shown him that he is wrong ; .though, with the common deficience of advisers, I we have not shown him how to do right. ! " I wish you would a little correct or restrain lyour imagination, and imagine that happiness, such ;as life admits, may be had at other places as well as London, Without affecting Stoicism, it may be said, that it is our business to exempt ourselves as [much as we can from the power of external things. ' When I one day at court expressed to General Hall my sense of the honour he had done my friend, he politely answered, " Sir, I did j«ysf// honour."— Boswell. 2 The Wey canal, from Guildford to Weybridge, in which he had a considerable share, which his family still possess. — Croker. There is but one solid basis of happiness ; and that is, the reasonable hope of a happy futurity. This may be had everywhere. " I do not blame your preference to London to other places, for it is really to be preferred, if the choice is free ; but few have the choice of their place, or their manner of life; and mere pleasure ought not to be the prime motive of action. " IMrs. Thrale, poor thing, has a daughter. Mr. Thrale dislikes the times, like the rest of us. Mrs. Williams is sick ; Mrs. Desmoulins is poor. I have miserable nights. Nobody is well but INIr. Levett. I am, dear Sir, your most, &c., " Sam. Johnson." In the course of this year there was a dif- ference between him and his friend Mr. Strahan ; the particulars of which it is un- necessary to relate. Their reconciliation was communicated to me in a letter from Mr. Strahan in the following words : — " The notes I showed you that past between him and me were dated in March last. The mat- ter lay dormant till 27th July, when he wrote to me as follows : — JOHNSON TO STRAHAN. " Sir, — It would be very foolish for us to con- tinue strangers any longer. You can never by persistency make wrong right. If I resented too acrimoniously, I resented only to yourself No- body ever saw or heard what I wrote. You saw that my anger was over ; for in a day or two I came to your house. I have given you a longer time ; and I hope you have made so good use of it, as to be no longer on evil terms with. Sir, yours, &c., Sam. Johnson. " On this I called upon him : and he has since dined with me." After this time, the same friendship as for- merly continued between Dr. Johnson and ]Mr. Strahan. My friend mentioned to me a little circumstance of his attention, which, though we may smile at it, must be allowed to have its foundations in a nice and true know- ledge of human life. " When I write to Scot- land," said he, " I employ Strahan to frank my letters, that he may have the consequence of appearing a parliament-man among his coun- trymen." JOHNSON TO MRS. THRALE. (Extracts.) " Oct. 15. 1778. — As to Dr. Collier's* epitaph, NoUekens has had it so long, that I have for- gotten how long. You never had it. There is a print of Mrs. Montague, and I shall think myself very ill rewarded for my love and admiration, if ' she does not give me one ; she will give it nobody in whom it will excite more respectful sentiments. But I never could get any thing from her but by 3 His lady and family, it appears, were in Scotland at this period. — Croker. •1 Dr. Collier of the Commons, an early friend of Mrs. Thrale's, who died 23d Way, 1777. — Croker. 620 boswelt;s life of johnson. pushing a face ; and so, if you please, you may tell her. " When I called the other day at Burney's, I found only the young ones at home ; at last came the doctor and madam, from a dinner in the country, to tell how they had been robbed as they returned. The doctor saved his purse, but gave them three guineas and some silver, of which they returned him three-and-sixpence, unasked, to pay the turn- pike. " I have sat twice to Sir Joshua, and he seems to like his own performance. He has projected another, in which I am to be busy ; but we can think on it at leisure." ' " Mrs. Williams is come home better, and the habitation is all concord and harmony ; only Mr. Levett harbours discontent. With Dr. Lawrence's consent, I have for the two last nights taken musk ; the first night was a worse night than com- mon, the second, a better ; but not so much better as that I dare ascribe any virtue to the medicine. I took a scruple each time." " Oct. 31. 1778 Sir Joshua has finished my picture, and it seems to please every body ; but I shall wait to see how it pleases you. To-day Mrs. Williams and Mrs. Desmoulins had a scold, and Williams was going away : but I bid her not turn tail, and she came back, and rather got the upper hand." AVe surely cannot but admire the benevolent exertions of this great and good man, espe- cially when we consider how grievously he was afflicted with bad health, and how uncomfort- able his home was made by the perpetual jarring of those whom he charitably accom- modated under his roof. He has sometimes suffered me to talk jocularly of his group of females, and call them his Seraglio. He thus mentions them, together with honest Levett, in one of his letters to Mrs. Thrale : "Williams hates every body ; Levett hates Desmoulins, and does not love Williams ; Desmoulins hates them both ; Poll ^ loves none of them." ' I suppose the first is tlie Thrale picture — now Sir Robert Peel's ; the second was probably either that in which he is reading, or the other in which he holds a pen— neither of them at all comparable to the former — perhaps Sir Joshua's very finest head. — Choker, 1847. ■^ Miss Carmichael -Boswell. I have not learned how this lady was connected with Dr. Johnson. It would seem from Madam D'Arblay's account that she was invited to enliven the gloom of Bolt Court, but did not in that respect answer Johnson's expectations. It was no doubt his domestic experience which prompted his complimentary exclamation to Hannah More and her four sisters," What ! five women live happily together ! ! — More's Life, v. i. p. G7. Hawkins draws, as is his wont, a very gloomy picture of this society. — " His inmates were enemies to his peace, and occasioned him greatdisquiet: the jealousy that subsisted among them rendered his dwelling irksome to him, and he seldom approached it, after an evening's conversation abroad, but with the dread of finding it a scene of discord, and of having his ears filled with the complanits of Mrs. Williams, of Frank's neglect of his duty, and inattention to the interests of his master, and of Frank against Mrs. Williams, for the authority she assumed over him, and exercised with an unwarrantable severity. Even those intruders who had taken shelter under his roof, and who, in his absence from home, brought thither their children, found cause to murmur ; " their provision of food was scanty, or their dinners ill dressed ; " all which he chose to endure, rather than put an end to their clamours by ridding his home of such thankless and troublesome guests. Nay, so insensible was he of the ingratitude of those whom he suffered thus to hang upon him, and among whom he may be said to have JOHNSON TO CAPTAIN LANGTON', Warley Camp, " Oct. 31. 1778. " Dear Sir, — When I recollect how long ago I was received with so much kindness at Warley Common, I am ashamed that I have not made some inquiries after my friends. " Pray how many sheep-stealers did you convict ? and how did you punish them ? When are you to be cantoned in better habitations? The air grows cold, and the ground damp. Longer stay in the camp cannot be without much danger to the health of the common men, if even the officers can escape. " You see that Dr. Percy is now dean of Carlisle ; above five hundred a year, with a power of presenting himself to some good living. He is provided for. The session of the Club is to com- mence with that of the parliament. Mr. Banks* desires to be admitted ; he will be a very honour- able accession. "Did the king please you?' The Coxhcath men, I think, have some reason to complain.* Reynolds says your camp is better than theirs. I hope you find yourself able to encounter this weather. Take care of your own health ; and, as you can, of your men. Be pleased to make my compliments to all the gentleinen whose notice I have had, and whose kindness I have experienced. I am, dear Sir, &c., Sam. Johnson." I wrote to him on the 18th of August, the 18th of September, and the 6th of November; informing him of my having had another son born, whom I had called James '' ; that 1 had passed some time at Auchinleck; that the Countess of Loudoun, now in her ninety-ninth year, was as fresh as when he saw her, and re- remembered him with respect ; and that his mother by adoption, the Countess of Eglin- toune, had said to me, " Tell Mr. Johnson, I love him exceedingly;" that I had again suf- ferred much from bad spu'its ; and that as it divided an income which was little more than sufficient for his own support, that he would submit to reproach and per- sonal affront from some of them ; even Levett would some- times insult him, and Mrs. Williams, in her paroxysms of rage, has been known to drive him from her presence." And Johnson himself writes to Mrs. Thrale, Oct. 16. 1779: " Mrs. Williams is not yet returned ; but discord and dis- content reign in my humble habitation as in the palaces of monarchs. Mr. Levett and Mrs. Desmoulins have vowed eternal hate. Levett is the more insidious, and wants me to turn her out."— Croker, 1831—47. 3 Dr. Johnson here addresses his worthy friend, Bennet Langton, Esq., by his title as Captain of Lincolnshire Militia, in which he has since been most deservedly raised to the rank of Major Boswell. ■• Afterwards the right honourable Sir Joseph Banks, K.B.,' so long president of the Royal Society. — Croker. 5 His Majesty and the Queen visited Warley Camp on the 20th October. — Croker. 6 Of the king's not visiting that camp as well as Warley ; which, however, he did, on the 3d November Croker. ' This was the gentleman who contributed a few notes to this work. He was of Brazennose College, and a Vinerian Fellow, and died in February 1822, at his chambers, in the Temple. — HnW. I knew him, and tried once to persuade him to edit this work, but he died soon after, having just completed a new edition of Malone's Shakespeare. He was very convivial ; and in other respects like his father — though altogether on a smaller scale. There is an account of him in the Edin. Ann. Reg. for 1822, written by our common friend, Mr. Markland. — Croker, 1831—47. ^T. 69. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 621 was very long since I heard from him, I was not a little uneasy. The continuance of his regard for his friend, Dr. Burney, appears from the following letters : — JOHNSON TO DR. WHEELER', Oxford. "London, Nov. 2. 1778. ' Dear Sib, — Dr. Burney, who brings this paper, is engaged in a History of Music ; and having been told by Dr. Markham of some 1\ISS. relating to his subject, which are in the library of your college, is desirous to examine them. He is my friend; and therefore I take the liberty of entreating your favour and assistance in his inquiry ; and can assure you, with great confidence, that if you knew him, he would not want any in- tervenient solicitation to obtain the kindness of t one who loves learning and virtue as you love them. " I have been flattering myself all the summer with the hope of paying my annual visit to my friends ; but something has obstructed me: I still je not to be long without seeing you. I should be glad of a little literary talk ; and glad to show you, by the frequency of my visits, how eagerly I love it, when you talk it. I am, dear Sir, &c., " Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO DR. EDWARDS', Oxford. " London, Nov. 2. 1778. ' Sir, — The bearer. Dr. Burney, has had some account of a Welsh manuscript in the Bodleian library, from which lie hopes to gain some ma- terials for his History of Music ; but, being ignorant of the language, is at a loss where to find assistance. I make no doubt but you, Sir, can help him through his difficulties, and therefore take the liberty of recommending him to your favour, I am sure you will find him a man worthy of every civility that can be shown, and every benefit that can be conferred. • But we must not let Welsh drive us from Greek. What comes of Xenophon?' If you do not like the trouble of publishing the book, do not let your commentaries be lost ; contrive that they may be published somewhere. I am, Sir, &c., " Sam. Johnson." These letters procured Dr. Burney great kindness and friendly offices from both of these gentleman, not only on that occasion, but in future visits to the university. The same year Dr. Johnson not only wrote to Joseph Warton in favour of Dr. Burney's youngest son, who was to be placed in the college of Winchester, but accompanied him when he went thither. ■ ' Benjamin Wheeler was entered at Trinity College, Kovember 12. 1751. In 1776 he was appointed Kegius Pro- fessor of Divinity and Canon of Christ-Church Hall. — Crokes. » Edward Edwards entered at Jesus College, 1743, a^t. 17 ; M.A. 1749: B.D. 1756: and D.D. 1760. — //a//. — Chokeu. JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " Nov. 21. 1778. " Dear Sir, — It is indeed a long time since I wrote, and I think you have some reason to com- plain ; however, you must not let small things disturb you, when you have such a fine addition to your happiness as a new boy, and I hope your lady's health restored by bringing him. It seems very probable that a little care will now restore her, if any remains of her complaints are left. " You seem, if I understand your letter, to be gaining ground at Auchinleck; an incident that would give me great delight. " When any fit of anxiety, or gloominess, or perversion of mind lays hold upon you, make it a rule not to publish it by complaints, but exert your whole care to hide it ; by endeavouring to hide it, you will drive it away. Be always busy. " The Club is to meet with the parliament ; we talk of electing Banks, the traveller ; he will be a reputable member. Langton has been encamped with his company of militia on Warley Common ; I spent five days amongst them ; he signalised himself as a diligent officer, and has very high respect in the regiment. He presided when I was there at a court-martial ; he is now quartered in Hertfordshire ; his lady and little ones are in Scotland. Paoli came to the camp, and com- mended the soldiers. "Of myself I have no great matters to say : my health is not restored ; my nights are restless and tedious. The best night that I have had these twenty years was at Fort Augustus. " I hope soon to send you a few Lives to read. I am, dear Sir, your most affijctionate, " Sam. Johnson." About this time the Reverend IVIr. John Hussey, who had been some time in trade, and was then a clergyman of the church of Eng- land, being about to undertake a journey to Aleppo, and other parts of the East, which he accomplished, Dr. Johnson (who had long been in habits of intimacy with him) honoured him with the following letter : — JOHNSON TO HUSSEY. " Dec. 29. 1778. " Dear Sir, — I have sent you the ' Grammar,' and have left you two books more, by which I hope to be remembered : write my name in them ; we may, perhaps, see each other no more : you part with my good wishes, nor do I despair of seeing you return. Let no opportunities of vice corrupt you; let no bad example seduce you ; let the blindness of IMahometans confirm you in Cl'.ristianity. God bless you. I am, dear Sir, your afl'ectionate hum- ble servant, Sam Johnson." Johnson this year expressed great satisfac- tion at the publication of the first volume of " Discourses to the Royal Academy," by Sir ^ Dr. Kdwards was preparing an edition of Xcnophon's Memorabilia, which, however, he did not live to complete. — Croker. It was published in 178o, with a preface by Dr. Owen — Wright. 622 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1779. Joshua Reynolds, whom lie always considered as one of his literary school. Much praise in- deed is due to those excellent Discourses, Avhich are so universally admired, and for which the author received from the Empress of Russia a gold snuflF-box, adorned with her profile in has relief, set in diamonds; and containing, what is infinitely more valuable, a slip of paper, on which are written, with her imperial ma- jesty's own hand, the following words : — " Pour le Chevalier Repiolds, en iemoignage du contentevient quefai ressentie d la lecture de ses excelleiis Discours sur la Peinture. " This year, Johnson gave the world a lumi- nous proof that the vigour of his mind in all its faculties, whether memory, judgment, or ima- gination, was not in the least abated ; for this year came out the first four volumes of his "Prefaces, biographical and critical, to the most eminent of the English Poets *," published by the booksellei's of London. The remaining volumes came out in the year 1780. The poets were selected by the several booksellers who had the honorary copyright, which is stUl pre- served among them by mutual compact, not- withstanding the decision of the House of Lords against the perpetuity of literary pro- l^erty. We have his own authority', that by his recommendation the poems of Blackmore, Watts, Pomfret, and Yalden, were added to the collection. Of this work I shall speak more particularly hereafter. [JOHNSON TO MRS. ASTON. " Bolt Court, Fleet Street, Jan. 2. 1779. " Dear Madam, — Now the new year is come, of which I wish you and dear Mrs. Gastrell many and many returns, it is fit that I give you some account of the year past. In the beginning of it I had a diflBculty of breathing, and other illness, from which, however, I by degrees recovered, and from which I am now tolerably free. In the spring and summer I flattered myself that I should come to Lichfield, and forebore to write till I could tell of my intentions with some certainty, and one thing or other making the journey always improper, as I did not come, I omitted to write, till at last I grew afraid of hearing ill news. But the other day Mr. Prujean * called and left word, that you, dear Ma- dam, are grown better ; and I know not when I heard any thing that pleased me so much. I shall now long more and more to see Lichfield, and par- take the happiness of your recovery. " Now you begin to mend, you have great en- couragement to take care of yourself. Do not omit any thing that can conduce to your health, and when I come, I shall hope to enjoy with you, and dearest Mrs. Gastrell, many pleasing hours. Do not be angry at my long omission to write, but let me hear how you both do, for you will write to nobody, to whom your welfare will give more plea- 1 Life of Watts. — Boswell. 2 He married the youngest of the Misses Aston Croker. 3 On Mr. Garrick's monument in Lichfield Cathedral, he is said to have died, " aged 64 years." But it is a mistall, I should not like to live there ; 1 should be obliged to be so much upon viy good behaviotir.'''' In London, a man may live in splendid society at one time, and in frugal re- tirement at another, without animadversion. There, and there alone, a man's own house is truly his castle, in which he can be in perfect safety from intrusion whenever he pleases. I never shall forget how well this was expressed to me one day by Mr. Meynell : " The chief advantage of London," said lie, " is, that a man is always so near his burrow." He said of one of his old acquaintances ', " He is very fit for a travelling governor. He knows French very well. He is a man of good principles ; and there would be no danger that a young gentleman should catch his manner ; for it is so very bad, that it must be avoided. In that respect he would be lilce the drunken Helot." A gentleman has informed me, that Johnson said of the same person, " Sir, he has the most inverted undei-standing of any man whom I have ever known." On Friday, April 2., being Good Friday, I visited him in the morning as usual ; and find- ing that we insensibly fell into a train of ridicule tipon the foibles of one of our friends, a very worthy man, I, by way of a check, quoted some good admonition from " The Go- vernment of the Tongue," that very pious book. It happened also remarkably enough, that the subject of the sermon preached to ns to-day by Dr. Burrowes, the rector of St. Clement Danes, was the certainty that at the last day we must give an account of the deeds done in the body ; " and amongst various acts of cul- pability he mentioned evil-speaking. As we were moving slowly along in the crowd from church, Johnson jogged my elbow, and said, "Did you attend to the sermon ?" " Yes, Sir," said I ; "it was very applicable to us." He, however, stood upon the defensive. " AVhy, Sir, the sense of ridicule is given us, and may be lawfully used." The author of ' The Govern- ment of the Tongue' would have us treat all men alike." In the interval between morning and even- ing service, he endeavoured to employ himself earnestly in devotional exercise ; and, as he 1 Probably Mr.Elphinstone, the schoolmaster at Kensing- ton, and translator of Martial, pp. 65. n. 1. & 237. — Croker. - This would be exceedingly dangerous as a general position; but it surely is not sound even as to ridicule Crokek, 1847. 3 Mauritius Lowe, the painter. See antd, p. Gfl5. n. 5, and post, 9th Sept., 1780, and 12th April, 1783. — Croker. 4 Dr. Johnson's annual review of his conduct appears to have been this year more detailed and severe than usual, and as it contains some particulars of his life at this period, I re- tain it in the text Croker. ^ Tliese letters (which Dr. Strahan seems not to have understood, p. 192.) probably mean @r^7oi '^iXci, 'departed friends."— C, 1831. has mentioned in his " Prayers and INIedita- tions," gave me " Les Pensees de Paschal," that I I might not interrupt him. I pi-eserve the j book with reverence. His presenting it to me ! is marked iqaon it with his own hand, and I i have found In it a truly divine unction. "We ■ went to church again in the afternoon. On Saturday, April 3., I visited him at night, and found him sitting in Mrs. Williams's room, with her, and one who he afterwards told me was a natural son ^ of the second Lord Southwell. The table had a singular appear- ance, being covered with a heterogeneous assemblage of oysters and porter for his com- pany, and tea for himself. I mentioned my having heard an eminent physician, who was himself a Christian, argue in favour of univer- sal toleration, and maintain, that no man could be hurt by another man's differing from him in opinion. Johnson. " Su-, you are to a cer- tain degree hurt by knowing that even one man ' does not believe." ; f^ [" April 2. — Good Friday. — I am now to re- , iview ■* the last year, and find little but dismal va- ( jcuity, neither business nor pleasure ; much in- 'i tended, and little done. My health is much broken ; ''my nights afford me little rest. I have tried opium, i jbut its help is counterbalanced with great disturb- •ance ; it prevents the spasms, but it hinders sleep. .;0 God, have mercy on me ! J " Last week I published (the first part of) the •Lives of the Poets, written, I hope, in such a man- ij ;ner as may tend to the promotion of piety. " In this last year I have made little acquisition; 1 have scarcely read any thing. I maintain Mrs. Desraoidins and her daughter. Other good of myself I know not where to find, except a little charity. But I am now in my seventieth yearj what can bo done ought not to be delayed. " April 3. 1779, 11 p.m. — Easter-eve Thisis the time of my annual review, and annual resolu- tion. The review is comfortless ; little done. ■ Part of the Life of Dryden and the Life of Milton i have been written ; but my mind has neither been ! improved nor enlarged. I have read little, almost j nothing. And I am not conscious that I have ', gained any good, or quitted any evil habits. " April 4. 1779, Easter-day. — I rose about half an hour after nine, transcribed the prayer written; last night ; and by neglecting to count time sat too long at breakfast, so that I came to church at the' first lesson. I attended the Litany pretty well; but in the pew could not hear the communion ser- vice, and missed the prayer for the church militant. Before I went to the altar, I prayed the occasional prayer. At the altar I commended my © *^ a"*^ again prayed the prayer; I then prayed the col- Mr. Macaulay objected — in a style of equal courtesy anc scholarship — to my conjecture of &v/iroi in the sense oi morlui. dead. I may be allowed to say tliat I knew as well as he that its general sense was morlalis, mortal, and had si; translated it, anie, p.91.n.l, but I found the other sense in ai almost identical passage of Euripides, Tixvut Ovr,rm, " deoi children." — Supplices, v. 275. This sad blunder Mr. Ma caulay, in republishing his Essay, endeavoured to repair b; alleging that this passage was "notoriously corrupt:" t, which 1 rejoin, that though two or three modern editors hav; attempted amendments, the old reading was that of John j son's own edition, and indeed of every edition that haij ever been published up to his time, as it still is of i ^T. 70. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 627 llects, and again my own prayer by memory. I left out a clause. I then received, I hope with ear- nestness ; and wliile others received, sat down; but thinking that posture, though usual, improper, I rose and stood. I prayed again, in the pew, but iwith what prayer I have forgotten. When I used the occasional prayer at the altar, I added a general purpose, — To avoid idleness. I gave two shillings to the plate. " Before I went I used, T think, my prayer, and •vlcnvoured to calm my mind. After my return I 1 it again, and the collect for the day. Lord mercy upon me! I have for some niglits ■;iiied Francis to prayers, and last night discoursed ivith him on the sacrament." Pr. and Med., p. m— 175.] ■ On Easter-day, after solemn service at St. Paul's, I dined with him. Mr. Allen, the printer, was also his guest. lie Avas uncom- uonly silent ; and I have not written down my thing, e.xcept a single curious fact, which, :iaving the sanction of his inflexible veracity, uay be received as a striking instance of human nsensibility and inconsideration. As he was lassiiig by a fishmonger who was skinning an el alive, he heard him "curse it, because it rould not lie still." ! )ii Wednesday, April 7., I dined with him 1 Sir Joshua Reynolds's. I have not marked '■■■' company was there. Johnson harangued I the qualities of different liquors ; and ' Avith great contempt of claret, as so :. that "a man would be drowned by it • It made him drunk." He Avas persuaded irink one glass of it, that he might judge, I UL from recollection, Avhich might be dim, but I om immediate sensation. He shook his head, u'l said, "Poor stuff! No, Sir, claret is the I nor for boys; port for men; but he Avho -piles to be a hero (smiling) must drink randy. In the first place, the flavour of randy is most grateful to the palate ; and then randy Avill do soonest for a man what di-inking ''in do for him. There are, indeed, fcAV Avho are ,)le to drink brandy. That is a poAver rather to -> Avishod for than attained. And yet," pro- I'-'d he, " as in all pleasure hope is a con- '1 rable part, I know not but fruition comes " ' quick by brandy. Florence wine I think ir Avorst; it is wine only to the eye; it is inu neither Avhile you are drinking it, nor ter you have drunk it ; it neither pleases the ■ste, nor exhilarates the spirits." I reminded .m hoAv heartily he and I used to drink Avine idem editions, even those of Oxford. 1811, .ind Glasgow, ^1 ; and those that question the reading are not themselves' ireed .is to what should be substituted. l}ut what can Mr. iicaulay say to another passage in the Hercules Furcns, I'lere there is no doubt of either text or meaning: — El' Tt; (fOoyycv iiirxxouirira,i &v^Tuv n-««' "Aihrj. v. 491 . If one should hear a voice of the dead in Hades. her instances might be cited, but I am not disputing the leral meaning; it is enough for the justification ofmv cou- ture to have shown parallel passages in the Greek trage- .n, with whom Johnson was most familiar, and which I ve little doubt were in his recollection.— Choker, 1817. together, Avhen Ave Averc first acquainted ; and how I used to have a head-ache after sitting up Avitli him. He did not like to have this recalled ; or, perhaps, thinking that I boasted improperly, resolved to have a Avitty stroke at me : " Nay, Sir, it Avas not the wine that made your head ache, but the sense that I put into it." BosAVELL. " What, Sir ! avIU sense make the headache?" Johnson. " Yes, Sir (Avith a smile), Avhen It is not used to it." No man Avho has a true relish of pleasantry could be offended at this; especially if Johnson in a long intimacy had given him repeated proofs of his regard and good estimation. I used to say that as he had given me a thousand pounds in praise, he had a good right now and then to take a guinea from me. On Thursday, April 8., I dined Avith him at Mr. Allan Ramsay's, Avith Lord Graham ' and some other company. We talked of Shaks- peare's witches. Johnson. " They are beings of his oAvn creation'''; they are a compound of malignity and meanness, without any abili- ties ; and are quite different from the Italian magician. King James says in his ' JDsa- monology,' ' Magicians command the devils ; Avitches are their servants.' The Italian magi- cians are elegant beings." Ramsay. " Opera witches, not Drury Lane witches." Johnson observed, that abilities might be employed in a narrow sphere, as in getting money, which he said he believed no man could do Avithout vigorous parts, though concentrated to a point. Ramsay. " Yes, like a strong horse in a mill ; he pulls better." Lord Graham, Avhile he praised the beauty of Lochlomond, on the banks of Avhich is his family seat, complained of the climate, and said he could not bear it. Johnson. "Nay, my lord, don't talk so : you may bear it Avell enough. Your ancestors have borne it more years than I can tell." This Avas a handsome compliment to the antiquity of the house of Montrose. His Lordship told me afterAvards that he had only afiected to complain of the climate, lest, if he had spoken as favourably of his country as he really thought. Dr. Johnson might have attacked It. Johnson Avas very cour- teous to Lady Margaret Macdonald. " Madam," said he, " Avhen I was in the Isle of Skye [a7ite, p. 354.] I lieard of the people running to take the stones off the road, lest Lady Margaret's horse should stumble." ' The third Duke of Montrose, born in 1755. He succeeded to the dukedom in 1790, and died Dec. 30. 1836. — Croker. 2 I think there must have been some mistake in Boswell's note. Shakespeare adopted the vulgar idea of witches that prevailed in his day, and so Johnson himself states the matter, in his own notes on Macbeth. It is worth re- marking that Buchanan gives the Weird Sisters, who ap- peared to Macbeth, an air of dignity that would have suited a Greek tragedy. " Macbethus quSdam nocte visus est sibi tres feminas forma augustiore quam humana vidisse, qua- rum una Angusia thanum — altera Moravia — tenia. Regent eum salutasset." " Macbeth, one night, fancied he saw three women of a form more august than human, one of whom hailed him, Thane of Angus, the second of Moray, and the third King I " — Hist. Scot. 1. 7. —Croker, 1847. S S 2 628 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1779. Lord Graham commended Dr. Drummond at^ Naples [ante, p. 523. n. 1] as a man of extraor-y dinary talents ; and added, that he had a greaft love of liberty. Johnson. " He is yoimg, my, lord (looking to his lordship with an arch smile) ; all boys love liberty, till experience convinces them they are not so fit to govern themselves as they imagined.' We are all \ agreed as to our own liberty ; we would have as much of it as we can get ; but we are not agreed as to the liberty of others : for in pro- portion as we take, others must lose. I believe we hardly wish that the mob should have liberty to govern us. When that was the case sometime ago, no man was at liberty not to have candles in his windows." Ramsay. " The result is, that order is better than confusion." Johnson. " The result is, that order cannot be had but by subordination," On Friday, April 16., I had been present at the trial of the unfortunate Mr. Hackman, who, in a fit of frantic jealous love, had shot Miss Ray, the favourite of a nobleman.^ John-; son, in whose company I dined to-day with^. some other friends, was much interested by my account of what passed, and particularly with his prayer for the mercy of Heaven, He said, in a solemn fervid tone, " I hope he shall find mercy." This day ^ a violent altercation arose be- tween Johnson and Beauclerk, which having made much noise at the time, I think it proper, in order to prevent any future misrepresent- ation, to give a minute account of it. In talking of Hackman, Johnson argued, as Judge Blackstone had done, that his being furnished with two pistols was a proof that he meant to shoot two persons. ]\Ir. Beauclerk said, " No ; for that every wise man Avho in- tended to shoot himself took two pistols, that he might be sure of doing it at once. Lord 's cook shot himself with one pistol, and lived ten days in great agony. Mr. "*, who loved buttered muffins, but durst not eat them because they disagreed with his stomach, re- solved to shoot himself; and then he eat three' buttered muffins for breakfiist, before shooting himself, knowing that he should not be troubled with indigestion ; he had two charged pistols ; one was found lying charged upon the table by him, after he had shot himself with the other." — " Well," said Johnson, with an air of triumph, " you see here one pistol was suffi- cient." Beauclerk replied smartly, " Because it happened to kill him." And either then or a very little afterwards, being piqued at John- ' son's triumphant remark, added, " This is what I you don't know, and I do." There was then 1 His lordship was twenty-four. Lord Graham soon after allied himself with Mr. Pitt, and was a steady Tory to his death. — Croker. 2 John, sixth Earl of Sandwich, at this time first Lord of the Admiralty Croker. 3 At the Club Croker. ■* It was thought that Mr. Darner (whose suicide is recorded in the Gentleman's Magazine for 1776, p. 383.) was here a cessation of the dispute ; and some minutes intervened, during which, dinner and the glass went on cheerfully; when Johnson suddenly and abruptly exclaimed, " Mr. Beauclerk, how came you to talk so petulantly to me, as ' This is what you don't know, but what I know ? ' One thing 7 know which you don't seem to know, that you ai-e very uncivil." Beauclerk. " Because you began by being uncivil (which you always are)." The words in parentheses were, I believe, not heard by Dr. Johnson. Here again there was a cessation of arms. Johnson told me, that the reason why he waited at first some time without taking any notice of what Mr. Beauclerk said, was because he was thinking whether he should resent it. But when he considered that there were present a young lord and an eminent traveller, two men of the world, with whom he had never dined before, he was apprehensive that they might think they had a right to take such liberties with him as Beauclerk did, and therefore re- solved he would not let it pass ; adding, " that he would not appear a coward." A little while 1tft?r this, the conversation turned on the vio- lence of Hackman's temper. Johnson then said, " It was his business to command his temper, as my friend, Mr. Beauclerk, should have done some time ago." Beauclerk. "I should learn of you. Sir." Johnson. " Sir, you have given me opportunities enough ir, ^ of| learning, wiien I have been in your company, j No man loves to be treated with contempt." .j Beauclerk (with a polite inclination towards! Johnson). "Sir, you have known me twenty years, and however I may have ti-eated others, < you may be sure I could never treat you with,' contempt." Johnson. "Sir, you liave said; more than was necessary." Thus it ended;' and Beauclerk's coach not having come for him till very late. Dr. Johnson and another gentleman sat with him a long time after the rest of the company were gone ; and he and I dined at Beauclerk's on the Saturday se'nnight following. After this tempest had subsided, I recoUec the following particulars of his conversation : " I am always for getting a boy forward ii; his learning ; ibr that is a sure good. I woul( let him at first read any English book whiclj happens to engage his attention ; because yo; j have done a great deal, when you have broiigh him to have entertainment from a book. He'. get better books afterwards." " Mallet, I believe, never wrote a single HD| of his projected life of the Duke of Marlj borough. He groped for materials, and thougll of it, till he had exhausted his mind. Thus ' meant; but I have since ascertained that it was John old friend, Mr. Fitzherbert, who terminated his own liil January 2. 1772 (see ante, p. ihb. n. 4.). This correctionj so far important, that perhaps Mr. Beauclerli's levity j mentioning an event which was probably very painful II Johnson, may have disposed him to the subsequent, <' ^ such case, excusable asperity. — Croker, 1835. JEi:. 70. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 629 iiiiietinies hapj)ens that men entangle them- elvos in their own schemes." ■' J'o be contradicted in order to force you <> talk is mighty unpleasing. You shine, ia- ked ; but it is by being ground." Of a gentleman who made some figure mong the literati of his time [Mr. Fitzher- )ert], he said, " What eminence he had was ly a felicity of manner : he had no more earning than what he could not help." On Saturday, April 24., I dined with him at dr. Beauclerk's, with Sir Joshua Reynolds, ilr. Jones (afterwards Sir William), IMr. ^angton, Mr. Steevens, Mr. Paradise, and Dr. liggins. I mentioned that Mr. Wilkes had ttacked Garrick to me, as a man who had no ;-iend. Johnson. " I believe he is right, iir. Ot (piXoi, ov (piXog — He had friends, but o friend.' Garrick was so diffused, he had man to whom he wished to unbosom him- ■U'. He ibund people always ready to applaud :u. and that always for the same thing: so I ^' .-uw life with great uniformity." I took j pon me, for once, to fight with Goliah's ! o:ipons, and play the sophist. — " Garrick id not need a friend, as he got from every )iiy all he wanted. What is a friend ? One ho supports you, and comforts you, while :hers do not. Friendship, you know, Sir, is le cordial drop, ' to make the nauseous laiight of life go down : ' but if the draught nut nauseous, if it be all sweet, there is no a,-ion for that drop." Johnson. "Many eu would not be content to live so. I hope should not. They would wish to have an timate friend, with whom they might com- ire minds, and cherish private virtues." One the company mentioned Lord Chesterfield, a man who had no friend. Johnson. :There were more materials to make friend- .ip in Garrick, had he not been so diffused." osM'ELL. " Garrick was pure gold, but beat It to thin leaf. Lord Chesterfield was i^el." 2 Johnson. " Garrick was a very )od man, the cheerfullest man of his age ; a ■cent liver in a profession which is supposed give indulgence to licentiousness ; and a to who gave away freely money acquired by knself. He began the world with a great mger for money ; the son of a half-pay I'll-, bred in a family whose study was to iko four-pence do as much as others made ar-pence-halfpenny do. But when he had t money, he was very liberal." I presumed ^K? ante, p. G4. and 593. n. 1. — C. I! ojwoll did not here mean (as it has boon sometimes 'inidLrstood) to call Lord Chesterfield's talents and ac- rcments tinsel; the allusion was to the pretence — the >sel profession — of /jvVndj/i/p, with which Johnson re- Dached Lord Chesterfield, and which Boswell, to please '• doctor, thus repeats Croker, 1835. Most readers will agree with Boswell, that this eulo- I m is not very happily expressed ; yet Mrs. Garrick had \ nscrilied on the cenotaph erected to Garrick's memory 1 Lichfield Cathedral — no doubt out of respect to Johnson, ; I as giving an opportunity of recording the Jriendship I ween them Crokek, 1847. Horace Walpole and George Selwyn have been both sug- L. to animadvert on his eulogy on Garrick, in his " Lives of the Poets." " You say, Sir, his death eclipsed the gaiety of nations." John- son. " I could not have said more or less. It is the truth; eclipsed, not extinguished; and his death did eclipse ; it was like a storm." BoswELi^ " But why nations ? Did his gaiety extend further than his own nation ? " John- son. " Why, Sir, some exaggeration must be allowed. Besides, nations may be said, if we allow the Scotch to be a nation, and to have gaiety — which they have not. You are an exception, though. Come, gentlemen, let us candidly admit that there is one Scotchman who is cheerful." Beauclerk. " But he is a very unnatural Scotchman." I, however, con- tinued to think the compliment to Garrick hy- perbolically untrue. His acting had ceased some time before his death ; at any rate, he had acted in Ireland but a short time, at an early period of his life, and never in Scotland. I objected, also, to what appears an anti-climax of praise, when contrasted with the preceding panegyric — " and diminished the public stock of harm- less pleasure ! " " Is not harmless pleasure very tame ? " Johnson. " Nay, Sir, harm- less pleasure is the highest praise. Pleasure is a word of dubious import ; pleasui'e is in general dangerous, and pernicious to virtue ; to be able, therefore, to furnish pleasure that is harmless, pleasure pure and unalloyed, is as gi-eat a power as man can possess." This was, perhaps, as ingenious a defence as could be made ; still, however, I was not satisfied.^ A celebrated wit* being mentioned, he said, " One may say of him, as was said of a French wit, H ria dc V esprit que contre Dieu. I have been several times in company with him, but never perceived any strong power of wit. He produces a general effect by various means; he has a cheerful countenance and a gay voice. Besides, his trade is wit. It would be as wild in him to come into company without merri- ment, as for a highwayman to take the road without his pistols." Talking of the effects of drinking, he said, " Drinking may be practised with great pru- dence ; a man who exposes himself when he is intoxicated has not the art of getting drunk ; a sober man who happens occasionally to get drunk, readily enough goes into a new com- pany, which a man who has been drinking should never do. Such a man will undertake any thing ; he is without skill in inebriation. gested to me as here meant ; but 1 find no trace of Selwyn in Johnson's circle, and I d. with you and dear Mrs. Gastrell. •• I am not well : my nights are very trouble- ome, and my breath is short; but I know not that * i^ows much worse. I wish to see you. Mrs. (:irvey has just sent to. me to dine with her, and I ivf promised to wait on her to-morrow. " IMr. Green comes home loaded with curiosi- ii's^, and will be able to give his friends new en- i;i tainment. When I come, it will be great en- iind of a man was Mr. Pope in his conversation?" His ordsliip answered, " Ttiat if the conversation did not take ;onu'thing of a lively or epigrammatic turn, he fell asleep, or, icrhaps, preti'nded to be so." — Cboker. ' " I do not," says Mr.Malone, "see any difficulty in this lassage, and wonder that Dr. Johnson should liave acknow- edged it to be inaccurate. The Hermit, it should be ob- served, had no actual experience of the world whatsoever : dl his knowledge concerning it had been obtained in two .vays ; from books, and from the relations of those country -wains who had seen a little of it. The plain meaning, there- ore, is, ' To clear his doubts concerning Providence, and to ibtain some knowledge of the world by actual experience ; o see whether the accounts furnished by books, or by the iral communications of swains, were just representations of t ; ' [1 say swains,] for his oral or viva voce information had leen obtained from that part of mankind alone, ic. The vnrd alone here does not relate to the whole of the preced- )iy line, as has been supposed, but, by a common licence, to tertainment to me if I can find you and IMrs. Gastrell well, and willing to receive me. I am, dearest Madam, &c., Sam. Johnson."] — Pemb. MSS. [JOHNSON TO MRS. PORTER. " May 4. 1779. " Dear Madaji, — Mr. Green has informed me that you are much better ; I hope I need not tell you tliat I am glad of it. I cannot boast of being much better; my old nocturnal complaint still pur- sues me, and my respiration is difficult, though much easier than when I left you the summer be- fore last. Mr. and Mrs. Thrale are well ; Miss has been a little indisposed, but slie is got well again. They have, since the loss of their boy, bad two daughters; but they seem likely to want a son. " I hope you had some books which I sent you. I was sorry for poor P.Irs. Adey's death, and am afraid you will be sometimes solitary ; but endea- vour, whether alone or in company, to keep your- self cheerful. My friends likewise die very fast ; but such is the state of man. I am, dear Love, your, &c., Sam. Johnson."] — Pemb. MSS. He had, before I left London, resumed the conversation concerning the appearance of a ghost at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, which Mr. John Wesley believed, but to which Johnson did not give credit. I was, however, desirous to examine the question closely, and at the same time wished to be made acquainted with Mr. John Wesley ; for though I differed from him in some points, I admired liis various talents, and loved his pious zeal. At my re- quest, therefore. Dr. Johnson gave me a letter of introduction to him. JOHNSON TO JOHN WESLEY. " May 5. 1779. " Sin, — Mr. Boswell, a gentleman who has been long known to me, is desirous of being known to you, and has asked this recommendation, which I give him with great willingness, because I think it very much to be wished that worthy and religious men should be acquainted with each other. 1 am, Sir, &c., Sam. Johnson." ISIr. Wesley being in the course of his minis- try at Edinburgh, I presented this letter to the words, of all man/and, which are understood, and of which it is restrictive." Mr. Malone, it must be owned, has shown much critical ingenuity in his explanation of this pas- sage. His interpretation, however, seems to me much too recondite. The 7ncaning of the passage may be certain enough ; but surely the expression is confused, and one part of it contradictory to the other Boswell. It is odd enough that these critics did not think it worth their while to consult the original for the exact words on which they were exercising their ingenuity. Parncll's words are not, " if books and swains," but, " if books oa swains," which mig)it mean, not that books and swains agreed, but that they differed, and that the Hermit's doubt was excited by the difference between his instructors. There is, no doubt, aclumsy ambiguity in the expression, but the moaning obviously is that, of men, he ^wevi swains on///. — Crokeb. - Mr. Green, it will be recollected, had a museum at Lich- field. — Croker. s s 4 G32 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1779. him, and was very politely received. I begged | to liave it returned to me, which was accord- | ingly done. His state of the evidence as to the ghost did not satisfy me.' [JOHNSON TO MRS. THRALE. (Extracts.) I.iclifield, May 29. 1779. — "I have now been liere a week, and will try to give you my journal, or such parts of it as are fit, in my mind, for com- munication. " On Friday, We set out about twelve, and lay at Daventry. " On Saturday, We dined with Rann at Co- ventry. He intercepted us at the town's end. I saw Tom Johnson, who had Iiardly life to know that I was with him. I hear he is since dead. In the evening I came to Lucy, and walked to Stow- hill. IMrs. Aston was gone, or going to bed. I did not see her. " Sunday. — After dinner I went to Stowhill, and was very kindly received. At night I saw my old friend Brodhurst — you know him — the play- fellow of my infancy, and gave him a guinea. " Monday. — Dr. Taylor came, and we went with Mrs. Cobb to Greenhill Bower. I had not seen it, perhaps, for fifty years. It is much dege- nerated. Every thing grows old. "Tuesday. — I dined, I think, with Lucy both Monday and Tuesday. " Wednesday, Thursday. — I had a ft-w visits, from Peter Garrick among the rest, and dined at Stowhill. My breath very short. " Friday I dined at Stowhill. "Saturday. — Mrs. Aston took me out in her chaise, and was very kind. I dined with Mrs. Cobb, and came to Lucy, with whom I found, as I had done the first day, Lady Smith and Miss Vyse." Ashbourne, June 14. 1779. — "Your account of Mr. Thrale's illness* is very terrible; but when I remember that he seems to have it peculiar to his constitution — tliat whatever distemper he has, he always has his head affected — I am less fiiglited. The seizure was, I think, not apoplcctical, but hysterical, and therefore not dangerous to life. I would have you, however, consult such physicians as you think you can best trust. Bromfield seems to have done well, and, by his practice, seems not to suspect an apoplexy. Tliat is a solid and fun- damental comfort, I remember Dr. Marsigli, an Italian physician, whose seizure was more violent than Mr. Thrale's, for he fell down helpless; but his case was not considered as of much danger, and he went safe home, and is now a professor at Padua. His fit was considered as only hysterical." Ashbourtie, June 17. 1779. — *' It is certain that your first letter did not alarm me in proportion to the danger, for itidced it did not describe the ' Dr. Johnson made this year liis annual excursion into the midland counties, of which he, as usual, gave Mrs. Thrale an account in several letters; but his visit was shortened by the alarming illness of Mr. Thrale Choker. 2 A serious apoplectic attack, which was the precursor of another of the same nature, which terminated his existence in the course of the ensuing year — CitoKER, 3 To assist in keeping the patient's mind easy, he con- siderately wrote him the next letter.— Ckokeu, 1847. danger as it was. I am glad that you have He- berden : and hope his restoratives and his pre- servatives will both be effectual. In the pre- servatives, dear Mr. Thrale must concur ; yet what can he reform ? or what can he add to his re- gularity and temperance ? He can only sleep less. We will do, however, all we can. I go to Lich- field to-morrow, with intent to hasten to Streatliam. " Both Mrs. Aston and Dr. Taylor have had strokes of the palsy. The l:;dy was sixty-eight, and at that age has gained ground upon it ; the doctor is, you know, not young, and he is quite well, only suspicious of every sensation in the pec- cant arm. I hope my dear master's case is yet slighter, and that, as his age is less, his recovery will be more perfect. Let him keep his thoughts diverted, and his mind easy."* — Letters. JOHNSON TO THRALE. " Lichfield, June 23. 1770. " Dear Sir, — To show you how well I think of your health, I have sent you an hundred pounds to keep for me. It will come within one day of quarter-day, and that day you must give me. I came by it in a very uncommon manner^, and would not confound it with the rest. " My wicked mistress talks as if she thought it possible for me to be indifterer.t or negligent about your health or hers. If 1 could have done any good, I had not delayed an hour to come to you, and I will come very soon to try if my advice can be of any use, or my company of any entertain- ment.* " What can be done, you must do for yourself. Do not let any uneasy thought settle in your mind. Cheerfulness and exercise are your great remedies. Nothing is for the present worth your anxiety. Vivere Irrti is one of the great rules of health. I believe it will be good to ride often, but never to weariness ; for weariness is itself a temjjo- rary resolution of the nerves, and is therefore to be avoided. Labour is exercise continued to fatigue ; exercise is labour used only while it produces pleasure. " Above all, keep your mind quiet. Do not think with earnestness even of your health, but think on such things as may please witliout too much agitation ; among which, I hope, is, dear Sir, your, lVC, Sam. Johnson." — Letters. JOHNSON TO MISS REYNOLDS. " London, June 27. 1770. "Dear INIadam, — I have sent what I can for your German friend. At this time it is very diffi- cult to get any money, and I cannot give iTiuch." I am. Madam, your most affectionate and most hum- ble servant, Sam. Johnson." — Reyn. MSS.] let?- 1 I by Iiisljl 1 Was it from the Minister for his recent pamphlet? — Cbokeb, 1847. 5 He came to town soon after this letter, as appears next letter — Cboker. •* It is due to the memory of Dr. Johnson's rrtexhaustiblel charity to insert this otherwise insignificant note. When hoi says that he cannot give tnuc/i, let it be recollected, that his ' only fixed income was his pension of 300/. a year, and that he, had four or five eleemosynary inmates in his house.— L ^T. 70. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 633 CHAPTER LXIX. 1779. Experiments on the Constancy of Friends Colonel James Sliiart. — Choice of Guardians. — Adven- turers to the East Indies. — Poor of London. — Pope's "Essay on Man." — Lord Bolingbrohe. Johnsons Residences in London. — Cr.njutjal Infi- delity. — Roman Catholics. — Helps to the Study of Greek. — Middlesex Election. — House of Commons. — Right of Expxdsion George Whit- field. — Philip Astley. — Keeping Company tuilh Infidels. — Irish Union. — Vulgar Prosperity. — " The Ambassador says well." — Corresponderice. I DID not write to Johnson, as usual, upon my return to my family ; but tried how he would be affected by my silence. JNIr. Dilly sent me a copy of a note which he received from him on the 13th of July, in these words ; — JOHNSON TO DILLY. "Sir, — Since IMr. Bosw^ll's departure, I Iiave never heard from him. Please to send word wliat you know of him, and whether you have sent my books to his lady. I am, iS:c., " Sam. Johnson." My readers will not doubt that his solicitude about me was very flattering. JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. "July 13.1779. "Dear Sir, — What can possibly have hap- pened, that keeps lis two such strangers to each Other? I expected to iiave heard from you when you came home ; I expected afterwards. I went into the country and returned ; and yet there is no letter from Mr. Boswell. No ill, I hope, has hap- pened ; and if ill should happen, why should it be concealed from him who loves you? Is it a fit of humour, that has disposed you to try who can hold out longest without writing ? If it be, you have the victory. But I am afraid of something bad ; set me free from my suspicions. " INIy thoughts are at present employed in guess- ing the reason of your silence : you must not expect that I should tell you any thing, if I had any thing to tell. Write, pray write to me, and let me know what is or what has been the cause of this long in- terruption. I am, dear Sir, your most affectionate humble servant, Sam. Johnson." BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. "Edinburgh, July 17. 1779. " My dear Sir, — What may be justly denomi- nated a supine indolence of mind has been my state of existence since I last returned to Scotland. In a livelier state I had often suHered severely from long intervals of silence on your part ; and I had even been chid by you for expressing my uneasi- ness. I was willing to take advantage of my in- sensibility, and while I could bear the experiment, to try whether your affection for me would, after an unusual silence on my part, make you write first. This afternoon I have had a verv hiirh satis- faction by receiving your kind letter of inquiry, for which I most gratefully thank you. I am doubt- ful if it was right to make the experiment ; though 1 have gained by it. 1 was beginning to grow tender, and to upbraid iryself, especially after having dreamt two nights ago that I was with you. I, and my wife, and my four thildren, are all well. I would not delay one post to answer your letter ; but as it is late, I have not time to do more. You shall soon hear from me, upon many and various particulars ; and 1 shall never again put you to any test. I am, with veneration, my dear Sir, your, &c., James Boswell." On the 22d of July, I wrote to him again ; and gave him an accoimt of my last interview with my worthy friend, Mr. Edward Dilly, at his brother's house at Southill in Bedfordshire, where he died soon after I parted from him, leaving me a very kind remembrance of his regard. I informed him that Lord Hailes, who had promised to furnish him with some anecdotes for his " Lives of tlie Poets," had sent me three instances of Prior's borrowing from Gomlauld, in Itecueil des Poetes, tome 3. Epigram " To John I owed great obligation," j). '25. "To the Duke of Noailles," p. 32. " Sauntering Jack and idle Joan," p. 35. My letter was a pretty long one, and con- tained a variety of particulars ; but he, it should seem, had not attended to it ; for his next to me was as follows : — JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " Streatham, Sept. 9. 1779. " My dear Sir, — Are you playing the same trick again, and trying who can keep silence long- est ? Remember that all tricks are either knavish or childish ; and that it is as foolish to make expe- riments upon the constancy of a friend, as upon the chastity of a wife. " What can be the cause of this second fit of si lence, 1 cannot conjecture ; but after one trick, 1 will not be clieated by another, nor will harass my thoughts with conjectures about the motives of a man who, probably, acts only by caprice. I there- fore suppose you are well, and that Mrs. Boswell is well too, and that the fine summer has restored Lord Auchiideck. I am much better than you left me ; I think I am better than wlien I was in Scotland. " I forgot whether I informed you that poor Thrale has been in great danger. jNIrs. Thrale like- wise has miscarried, and been much indisposed. Every body else is well. Langton is in camp. I intend to put Lord Hailes's description of Dryden' into another edition, and, as I know his accuracy, wish he would consider the dates, which I could not always settle to my own mind. " Mr. Thrale goes to Brighthelmstone, about Michaelmas, to be jolly and ride a-hunting. I shall go to town, or perhaps to Oxford. Exercise and ' Which I communicated to him from his Lordship, but it has not yet been published. I have a copy of it. — BoswEi.i,. The few notices concerning Dryden, wliich Lord Hailes had collucted, Mr. Boswell afterwards gave me. — Malone. 634 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1779. gaiety, or rather carelessness, will, I hope, dissipate all remains of his malady ; and I likewise hope, by the change of place', to find some opportunities of growing yet better myself. I am, dear Sir, your, &c., Sam. Johnson." [" September, 1779. " On the 17th, Mr. Chamiertook me away with him from Streatham. I left the servants a guinea for my health, and was content enough to escape into a house wliere my birth-day, not being known, could not be mentioned. I sat up till midnight was past, and the day of a new year — a very awful day — began. I prayed to God, who had safely brought me to the beginning of another year, but could not perfectly recollect the prayer, and sup- plied it. Such desertions of memory I have always had. When I arose on the 18th, I think I prayed again, then walked with my friend into his grounds. When I came back, after some time passed in the library, finding myself oppressed by sleepiness, I retired to my chamber, where by lying down, and a short imperfect slumber, I was refreshed, and prayed as the night before. I then dined and trifled in the parlour and library, and was freed from a scruple about Horace. At last I went to bed, having first composed a prayer. 19th, Sunday. — I went to church and attended the service. I found at church a time to use my prayer, ' O Lord, have mercy, §-c.' " ^ — Prayers and Med., p. 222.] My readers will not be displeased at being told every slight circumstance of the manner in which Dr. Johnson contrived to amuse his solitary hours. He sometimes employed him- self in chemistry, sometimes in watering and I pruning a vine, sometimes in small experi- j ments, at which those who may smile should j recollect that there are moments which admit I of being soothed only by trifles.-^ On the 20th of September I defended my- ; self against his suspicion of me, which I did not deserve ; and added, " Pray let us write fre- quently. A whim strikes me, that we should send off a sheet once a week, like a stage- coach, whether it be full or not ; nay, though it should be empty. The very sight of your handwriting would comfort me; and were a sheet to be thus sent regularly, we should much oftener convey something, were it only a few kind words. > It appears by the extract from his Prayers and Medita- tions, that he went for a few days with his friend Antony Chamier, {anti,b2\. n.?,.) to liis villa, near Epsom: glad " to escape to a house ichere his birthday (18th Sept.) coidd not be mention,:!/ . — Ckoker, 1847. 2 I do not find any prayer in the printed collection beginning with these precise words. — Choker, 1847. 3 In one of his m;muscript Diaries, there is the following entry, which marks his curious minute attention : — "July 26. 176S.— I shaved my nail by accident in wlietting the knife, about an eightli of an incli from the bottom, and about a fourth from the top. Tliis I measure tliat I may know the growth of nails ; the whole is about five oijrliths of an inch." Another of the same kind appears August 7. 177!); " Partem hrachii dcxtri carpo proximam ct cnteiii pectoris circa maiiiillam dexiram rasi, lit notum fieret quanta icmporis pili renovarrntur." And, " August l.'>. 178,3 ; — I cut from tlio vmc forty-one leaves, which weighed five ounces and a half, and eight scruples : I lay them upon my bookcase, to see what weight they will lose by drying." — Boswell. " Dr. Johnson was always exceed- ing fond of chemistry ; and we made up a sort of laboratory My friend. Colonel James Stuart*, second son of the Earl of Bute, who had distinguished himself as a good officer of the Bedfordshire militia, had taken a public-spirited resolution to serve his counti'y in its difficulties, by rais- ing a regular regiment, and taking the com- mand of it himself. This, in the heir of the immense property of Wortley, was highly ho- nourable. Having been in Scotland recruit- ing, he obligingly asked me to accompany him to Leeds, then the head- quarters of his corps ; from thence to London for a short time, and afterwards to other places to which the regi- ment might be ordered. Such an offer, at a time of the year when I had full leisure, was very pleasing ; especially as I was to accom- pany a man of sterling good sense, information, discernment, and conviviality, and was to have a second crop, in one year, of London and Johnson. Of this I informed my illustrious friend in characteristical warm terms in a let- ter dated the 30tli of September, from Leeds. On Monday, October 4., I called at his house before he was up. He sent for me to his bed- side, and expressed his satisfaction at this inci- dental meeting, with as mixch vivacity as if he had been in the gaiety of youth. He called briskly, " Frank, go and get coffee, and let us breakfast in splendom-." During this visit to London, I had several interviews with him, which it is unnecessary to distinguish particularly. I consulted him as to the appointment of guardians to my children in case of my death. " Sir," said he, " do not appoint a number of guardians. When there are many, they trust one to another, and the business is neglected. I would advise you to choose only one : let him be a man of respect- able character, who, for his own credit, will do what is right ; let him be a rich man, so that he may be under no temptation to take advan- tage ; and let him be a man of business, who is used to conduct affairs with ability and ex- pertness, to whom, therefore, the execution of the trust will not be burthensome. " [JOHNSON TO MRS. THRALE. " Oct. 8. 1779. — On Sunday the gout left my ankles, and I went very commodiously to church. at Streatham one summer, ,ind diverted ourselves with draw- ing essences and colouring liquors. But the danger in which Mr. Thrale found his friend one day, when I had driven to London, and he had got the children and servants assembled round him to see some experiments performed, put -in end to all our entertainment ; as Mr. Thrale was persuaded that his short sight would have occasioned his destruction in a moment by bringing him close to a fierce and violent flame. Indeed, it was a perpetual miracle that he did not set himself on fire reading abed, as was his constant custom, when quite unable even to keep clear of mischief with our best help ; and accordingly the foretops of all his wigs were liurned by the candle down to the very network. Future experiments in chemistry, however, were too dangerous, and Mr. Thrale insisted that we should do no more towards finding the phi- losopher's stone.' " — Piozzi. — Croker. " Colonel Stuart assumed successively the names of Wort- ley and Mackenzie, but was best known as Mr. Stuart Wortley. He was the father of the first Lord Wharncliffe, and died m 1814. We cannot but smile at Boswcll's hyperbolical applause of his friend's heroism Croker. ^T. 70. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON'. 635 On Monday night I felt my feet uneasy. On Tuesday I was quite lame : that night I took an opiate, having first taken physic and fasted. To- wards morning on Wednesday the pain remitted. Bozzy came to me, and much talk we had. I fasted another day; and on Wednesday night could walk tolerably. On Thursday, finding myself mending, I ventured on my dinner, which I think has a little interrupted my convalescence. To-day I have again taken physic, and eaten only some stewed apples. I hope to starve it away. It is now no worse than it was at Brighthelmstone."] — Letters. On Sunday, October 10., we dined together at jNIr. Stralian's. The conversation having turned on the prevailing practice of going to the East Indies in quest of wealth ; — John- sox. " A man had better have ten thousand pounds at the end of ten years passed in Eng- land, than twenty thousand pounds at the end of ten years passed in India, because you must compute what you give for money ; and the man who has lived ten years in India has given up ten years of social comfort, and all those advantages which arise from living in England, riic ingenious Mr. Brown, distinguished by the name of Capahility Broivn\ told me, that he ^vas once at the seat of Lord Clive, Avho had returned from India with great wealth ; and that he showed him at the door of his bed- eliamber a large chest, which he said he had once had full of gold ; upon which Brown ob- served, ' I am glad you can bear it so near vour bed-chamber.' " ~ We talked of the state of the poor in Lon- don. Johnson. " Saunders Welch, the justice, who was once high-constable of Holborn. and had the best opportunities of knowing the state of the poor, told me, that I underrated the number, when I computed that twenty a Aveek, that is, above a thousand a year, died of hun- ger ; not absolutely of immediate hunger, but of the wasting and other diseases which are the consequences of hunger. This happens only in so large a place as London, where people are not known. What we are told about the great sums got by begging is not true : the trade is overstocked. And, you may depend upon it, there are many who cannot get work. A particular kind of manuiivcture fails : those who have been used to work at it can, for some time, work at nothing else. You meet a man lieuging ; you charge him with idleness : he says, ' I am willing to labour. Will you give lue work?' — 'I cannot.' — 'Why, then, you have no right to charge me with idleness.' " • Lancelot Brown, Esq., the celebrated landscape gardener, who acquired his roguomen from his habit of saying that the place he came to advise upon had " capabilities." — Cboker, 1847. - Secante, pp. 609— GlS-.the circumstances that gave point to Brown's remark. — Choker. 3 The Rev. Dr. Law, Bishop of Carlisle, in the preface to his valuable edition of Archbishop King's •' Essay on the Origin of Evil," mentions that the principles maintained in it had been adopted by Pope in his " Essay on Man ;".and adds, " The fact, notwithstanding such denial{Bishop\Varburton's), might have been strictly verified by an unexceptionable testi- We left Mr. Strahan'.s at seven, as John- son had said he intended to go to evening prayers. As we walked alone, he complained of a little gout in his toe, and said, "I sha'n't go to prayers to-night : I shall go to-morrow : whenever I miss church on a Sunday, I resolve to go another day. But I do not alwaji^-^lft.. it." This was a fair exhibition of that vibra- tion between pious resolutions and indolence, which many of us have too often experienced. I went home with him, and we had a long quiet conversation. I read him a letter from Dr. Hugh Blair concerning Pope (in writing whose life he was now employed), which I shall insert as a lite- rary curiosity. -^ DR. BLAIR TO BOSWELL. "Broughton Park, Sept 21. 1779. " Dear Sir, — In the year 1765, being at Lon- don, I was carried by Dr. John Blair, Prebendary of Westminster, to dine at old Lord Bathurst's, where we found the late Mr. Mallet, Sir James Porter, who had been ambassador at Constantino- ple, tlie late Dr. Macaulay, and two or three more. The conversation turning on Mr. Pope, Lord Bathurst told us, that the ' Essay on IMan' was originally composed by Lord Bolingbroke in prose, and that Mr. Pope did no more than put it into verse : that he had read Lord Bolingbroke's manuscript in his own handwriting ; and re- membered well, that he was at a loss whether most to admire tlie elegance of Lord Bolingbroke's prose, or the beauty of Mr. Pope's verse. When Lord Bathurst told this, Mr. Mallet bade me attend, and remember this remarkable piece of in- formation ; as, by the course of nature, I might survive his lordship, and be a witness of his haWng said so. The conversation was indeed too remark- able to be forgotten. A few days after, meeting with you, who were then also at London, you will remember that I mentioned to you what had passed on this subject, as I was much struck with this anecdote. But what ascertains my recollec- tion of it, beyond doubt, is, that being accustomed to keep a journal of what passed when I was at London, which I wrote out every evening, I find the particulars of the above information, just as I have now given them, distinctly marked ; and am thence enabled to fix this conversation to have passed on Friday, the 22d of April, 176.S. " I remember also distinctly (though I have not for this the authority of my journal), that, the con- versation going on concerning I\Ir. Pope, I took notice of u report which had been sometimes pro- pagated that he did not understand Greek. Lord Bathurst said to me that he knew that to be false ; for that part of the Iliad was translated by Mr. mony, viz. that of the late Lord Bathurst, who saw tlio very <:.ime system of the to ^iXriiiv (laken from the Archbishop) in Lord Bolingbroke's own hand, lying before Mr. Pope, while he was composing his Essay." This is respectable evidence : but that of Dr. Blair is more direct frcmi the fountain-head, as well as more full. Let me add to it that of Dr. Joseph Warton ; " The late Lord Bathurst repeatedly assured nie that he had read the whole scheme of the ' Essay on Man,' in the handwriting of Bolingbroke, and drawn up in a scries of propositions, which Pope was to versify and illustrate." Essat/on the Genitts and Writinns of Pipe, vol. ii. p. 62 UOSWCLI,. 636 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1779. Pope in his house in the country ; and that in the morning when they assembled at breakfast, Mr. I Pope used frequently to repeat, with great rapture, i the Greek lines which he had been translating, ! and then to give them his version of them, and to ! compare them together. ' If these circumstances can be of any use to Dr. Johnson, you have my full liberty to give them to him. I beg you will, at the same time, j present to him my most respectful comijliments, j with best wishes for his success and fame in all his j literary undertakings. I am, with great respect, I my dearest Sir your most affectionate and obliged j humble servant, HughBlaiu" Johnson. " Depend upon it, Sir, this is too strongly stated. Pope may have had from Bolingbroke the philosophic stamina of his Es- say ; and admitting this to be true, Lord Bathurst did not intentionally felsify.^ But the thing is not true in the latitude that Blair seems to imagine ; we are sure that the poetical ima- gery, which makes a great part of the poem, was Pope's own. It is^ amazing. Sir, what de- ^''ritttions there are from precise truth, in the \account which is given of almost every thing. Ttold Mrs. Thrale, ' You have so little anxiety about truth, that you never tax your memory with the exact thing.' Now what is the use of "the memory to truth, if one is careless of ex- actness ? Lord Hailes's 'Annals of Scotland' are very exact ; but they contain mere dry particulars. They are to be considered as a Dictionary. You know such things are there, and may be looked at when you please. Ro- bertson paints ; but the misfortune is, you are sure he does not know the people whom be n— ^ints ; so you cannot suppose a likeness. V Characters should never be given by an histo- rian, unless he knew the people whom he de- scribes, or copies from those who knew them." BoswELL. " Why, Sir, do people i)lay this trick which I observe now, when I look at your grate, putting the shovel against it to make the fire burn ? " Johnson. " They play the trick, but it does not make the fire burn." There is a better (setting the poker perpendicularly up at right angles with the grate). In days of superstition they thought, as it made a cross witii the bars, it would drive away the witch." BoswELL. " By associating with you. Sir, I am always getting an accession of wisdom. But perhaps a man, after knowing his own character — the limited strength of his own mind — should not be desirous of having: too ' Perliaps what Lord Bathurst saw was a series of Metaphy- sical MSS., mentioned by Bolingbroke in his postscript to Pope's letter to Swift, 15th Sept. 1734 ; but these were at that date still incomplete, and the first part of the " Essay on Man " had been published early in 1733, and the last part in January, 1734. — Cbokeb, 1847. 2 It certainly does make the fire burn : by repelling the air, it throws a blast on the fire, and so performs the part in some degree of a blower or bellows — Kearney. Dr. Kearney's observation applies only to the shovel, and even so, very iin- perfectly ; but by those who have faith in the experiment, the poker is supposed to be equally efficacious. After all, it is possible that there may be some magnetic or electrical in- fluence which, in the progress of science, may be explained ; much wisdom, considering, quid valeant humeri, how little he can carry." Johnson. " Sir, be as wise as you can ; let a man be aliis lattis, sapiens sibi : ' Though pleased to see the dolphins play, I mind my compass and my way.'' You may be wise in your study in the morn- ing, and gay in company at a tavern in the evening. Every man is to take care of his own wisdom and his own virtue, without minding too much what others think." He said, " Dodsley first mentioned to me the scheme of an English Dictionary ; but I had long thought of it." Boswell. "You ditl not know what you were undertaking." Johnson. " Yes, Sir, I knew very well what I was undertaking, and very well how to do it, and have done it very well." Boswell. " An excellent climax ! and it has availed you. In your preface you say, ' What would it avail me in this gloom of solitude ? ' You have been agreeably mistaken." In his life of Milton, he observes, " I cannot but remark a kind of respect, perhaps uncon- sciously, paid to this great man by his biogra- phers : every house in which he resided is his- torically mentioned, as if it were an injury to neglect naming any place that he honoured by his presence." I had, before I read this ob- servation, been desirous of showing that re- spect to Johnson, by various inquiries. Find- ing him this evening in a very good humour, I prevailed on him to give me an exact list of his places of residence, since he entered the metropolis as an author, which I subjoin in a note."^ I mentioned to him a dispute between a friend of mine and his lady, concerning conju- gal infidelity, which my friend had maintained was by no means so bad in the husband as in the wife. Johnson. " Your friend was in the right, Sir. Between a man and his Maker it is a different question : but between a man and his wife, a husband's infidelity is nothing. They are connected by children, by fortune, by serious considerations of community. Wise married women don't trouble themselves about infidelity in their husbands." Boswell. " To be sure there is a great difference between the offence of infidelity in a man and that of his wife." Johnson. " The difference is bound- less. The man imposes no bastards upon his wife." ^ and what has been thought a vulgar trick, may be proved to be a philosophical expedient. — Choker. 3 " TheS|.leen," a poem [by Matthew Green] Boswell. < Which the reader has already seen transferred to p. 30. — Choker. * See also (7n/e, p. 192. This however seems too narrow' an illustration of a " boundless diffi-rence." The introduction of a bastard into a family, though a great injustice and a great crime, is only one consequence (and that an occasional and accidental one) of a greater crime and a more afflicting injustice. The precaution of Julia, alluded to an/e, p. 192., did not render her innocent. In a moral and in a religious view, the guilt is no doubt equal in man or woman ; but have not both Dr. Johnson and Mr. Boswell overlooked, on this occa- jilt. to. BOS^yELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 637 Here it may be questioned, whether John- son was entirely in the right. I suppose it will not be controverted, that the difference in the degree of criminality is very great, on ac- count of consequences : but still it may be maintained, that, independent of moral obliga- tion, infidelity is by no means a light ollence in a husband ; because it must hurt a delicate attachment, in which a mutual constancy is im- plied, with such refined sentiments as Massin* ger has exhibited in his play of " The Picture." Johnson probably at another time would have admitted this opinion. And let it be kept in remembrance, that he was very careful not to give any encouragement to irregular conduct. A gentleman, not adverting to the distinction made by him upon this subject, supposed a case of singular perverseness in a wife, and heedlessly said, " That then he thought a hus- band might do as he pleased with a safe con- science." Johnson. " Nay, Sir, this is wild indeed (smiling) ; you must consider that forni- cation is a crime in a single man, and you can- n(U have more liberty by being married." He this evening expressed himself strongly airainst the Roman Catholics, observing, "In every thing in which they differ from us, they are wrong." He was even against the invoca- tion of saints; in short, he was in t he humour ofjipp.osjt-ion. ~ Havingregretted to him that I had learnt little Greek, as is too generally the case in Scotland ; that I had for a long time hardly applied at all to the study of that noble lan- miage, and that I was-desirous of being told by ! him what method to follow ; he recommended i as easy helps, Sylvanus's " First Book of the Iliad ; " Dawson's " Lexicon to the Gi-eek New Testament;" and"Hesiod," with "Pasorie's Lexicon" at the end of it. JOHNSON TO MRS. THRALE. "London, Oct. 11.1779. " I do not see why you should trouhle yourself with physicians while Mr. Thrale grows better. I Company and bustle will, I hope, complete liis cure. Let him gallop over the Downs in the morning, call his friends about him to dinner, and tVisk in the rooms at niglit, and outrun time and outface misfortune. Notwithstanding all autliori- ties against bleeding, ]Mr. Thrale bled himself well tun days ago. ■' You will lead a jolly life, and perhaps think sion, a social view of this subject, and which is, perhaps, the true reason of the greater indulgence which is generally iilbrded to the infidelity of the man — I mean the ellect on ;Ii.' personal character of the different sexes. The crime does Hot seem to alter or debase the qualities of the man, in any ^^s(.ntial degree; but when the superior purity and delicacy o( ihe woman is 07ice contaminated, it is destroyed — facilis (lesccnsvs Averni — she generally falls into utter degradation ; and thence, probably, it is that society makes a distinction conformable to its own interests — it connives at the offence of men, because men are not much deteriorated as members of general socielij by the offence, and it is severe against the offence of women, because women, as members of society, are utterly ruined by it. This view of the subject will be illustrated by a converse proposition — for instance : The world thinks'not the worse, nay rather the better, of a ivoman little of me ; but I have been invited twice to INIrs. Vesey's conversation, but have not gone. The gout that was in my ankles, when Queeny criti- cised my gait, passed into my toe, but I have hunted it, and starved it, and it makes no figure. It lias drawn some attention, for Lord and Lady Lucan sent to inquire after me. This is all the news that I have to tell you. Yesterday I dined with Mr. Strahan, and Boswell was there. We sha_lJL.be botlito.4norrow at Mr. Ramsay's." . ... On Tuesday, October 12., I dined with him at Mr. Ramsay's, with Lord Newhaven ', and some other company, none of whom I recollect, but a beautiful Miss Graham", a relation [niecej of his Lordship's, who asked Dr. John- son to hob or nob with her. He was flattered by such pleasing attention, and politely told her, he never drank wine ; but if she would drink a glass of water, he was much at her ser- vice. She accepted. "Oho, Sir!" said Lord Newhaven, '*yeu are caught." Johnson. "Nay, I do not see Jioio lam caught; but if I am caught, I don't want to get free again. If I am caught, I liope to be kept." Then, when the two glasses of water were brought, smiling placidly to the young lady, he said, " Madam, let us reciprocate." Lord Newhaven and Johnson carried on an argument for some time concerning the J\lid- dlesex election. Johnson said, " Parliament may be considered as bound by law, as a man is bound where there is nobody to tie the knot. As it is clear that the House of Commons may expel, and expel again and again, why not al- low of the power to incapacitate for that par- liament, rather than have a perpetual contest kept up between parliament and the people ?" Lord Newhaven took the opposite side ; but respectfully said, " I speak with great defer- ence to you. Dr. Johnson ; I speak to be in- structed." This had its full effect on my friend. He bowed his head almost as low as the table to a comjjlimenting nobleman, and called out, " My lord, my lord, I do not desire all this ceremony ; let us tell our minds to one another quietly." After the debate was over, he said, " I have got lights on the subject to-day, which I had not before." This was a great deal from him, especially as he had written a pamphlet upon it. He observed, " The House of Commons was originally not a privilege of the people, but a check, for the crown, on the House of Lords. for wanting courage ; but such a defect in a. man is wholly unpardonable, because, as Johnson wisely and wittily said, " he who has not the virtue of courage has no security lor any other virtue." Society, therefore, requires chastity from tromcn as it does courage from men. See Montesquieu, Esprit lies Loix, b. vii. ch. 8., where he proceeds on the prin- ciple, that chastity is, in thefernale character, the foundation and guardian of every other virtue, and the very basis of society. — Ckoker. 1 W'llliam Wayne, Esq. was created a Baronet in HCJ ; a privy counsellor in Ireland in 17G6 ; and in 1770 advanced to the Irish peerage by the title of Baron Newhaven. He took a busy part in the intrigues, jobs, and squ.ibbles which con- stituted the Irish politics of his day. — Cuokeu. - Now tlie lady of Sir Henry Dashwuod, Hart Boswia.L. To w horn she was married in July 1780. — Ckokeu. 638 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1779. I remember, Henry VIII. wanted then\ to do something ; they hesitated in the morning, but did it in the afternoon. He told them, ' It is well you did ; or half your heads should have been upon Temple Bar. ' ' But the House of Commons is now no longer under the power of the crown, and therefore must be bribed." He added, "I have no delight in talking of public afiairs." Of his fellow collegian ^, the celebrated Mr. George Whitefield, he said, "Whitelield never drew as much attention as a mountebank does : he did not draw attention by doing better than others, but by doing what was strange. Were Astley^ to preach a sermon standing upon his head on a horse's back, he would collect a mul- titude to hear him ; but no wise man would say he had made a better sermon for that. I never treated Whitefield's ministiy with con- tempt ; I believe he did good. He had de- voted himself to the lower classes of mankind, and among them he was of use. But when familiarity and noise claim the praise due to knowledge, art, and elegance, we must beat down such pretensions.'"^ What I have preserved of his conversation during the remainder of my stay in London at this time is only what follows: — I told him that when I objected to keeping company with a notorious infidel, a celebrated friend ^ of ours said to me, " I do not think that men who live laxly in the world, as you and I do, can with propriety assume such an authority : Dr. John- son may, who is uniformly exemplary in his conduct. But it is not very consistent to shun an infidel to-day, and get drunk to-morrow." Johnson. " Nay, Sir, this is sad reasoning. Because a man cannot be right in all things, is he to be right in nothing ? Because a man sometimes gets drunk, is he therefore to steal ? This doctrine would very soon bring a man to the gallows." After all, however, it is a difficult question how far sincere Christians should associate with the avowed enemies of religion ; for, in the first place, almost every man's mind may be more or less " corrupted by evil communications ; " secondly, the world may very naturally sup- pose that they are not really in earnest in religion, who can easily bear its opponents ; and thirdly, if the profane find themselves ■ Johnson's memory was here guilty of an anachronism. heads were, as Mr. P. Cunningham informs me, first placed on Temple Bar In William III.'s time. The anecdote told by Collins in his Peerage, tit. Marichesier, on the doubtful authority of family papers, says only, that Henry threatened to take off" the head of the Speaker, Sir Edward Montagu, if the money bill, then objected to (1523), did not pass.— Croker, 1847. - George Whitfield, or Whitefield, did not enter at Pem- broke College before November 1732, more than twelve months after Johnson's name was off the books, and nearly three years after he had ceased to be resident at Oxford ; so that, strictly speaking, they were not fellow collegians, though they were both of the same college. —Hall. — Cro- ker. 3 Philip Astley, a celebrated horse-rider, who first ex- hibited equestrian pantomimes, in which his son (who sur- vived his father but a short time) rode with great grace and agility. Astley had at once theatres in Paris, London, and quite well received by the pious, one of the checks upon an open declaration of their in- fidelity, and one of the probable chances of obliging them seriously to reflect, which their being shunned would do, is removed. He, I know not why, showed upon all occa- sions an aversion to go to Ireland, where I proposed to him that v/e should make a tour. Johnson. " It is the last place that I should wish to travel." Boswell. " Should you not like to see Dublin, Sir?" Johnson. "No, Sir ; Dublin is only a worse capital." Bos- well. " Is not the Giant's Causeway worth seeing ? " Johnson. " Worth seeing ? yes ; but not worth going to see." Yet he had a kindness for the Irish nation ; and thus generously expressed himself to a gentleman from that country, on the subject of an union which artful politicians have often / had in view : " Do not make an union with us, \ Sir. We should luiite with you only to rob you. We should have robbed the Scotch, if they had had any thing of which we could have robbed them." Of an acquaintance of ours, whose manners and every thing about him, though expensive, were coarse, he said, " Sir, you see in him vulgar prosperity." A foreign minister of no vei-y high talents, who had been in his company for a consider- able time quite overlooked, happened luckily to mention that he had read some of his " Rambler " in Italian, and admired it much. This pleased him greatly ; he observed that the title had been translated II Genio errante, though I have been told it was rendered more ludicrously II Vagahondo ; and finding that this minister gave such a proof of his taste, he was all attention to him, and on the first remark which he made, however simple, exclaimed, " The ambassador says well ; his Excellency observes ; " and then he expanded and enriched the little that had been said in so strong a manner, that it appeared something of consequence. This was exceedingly enter- taining to the company who were present, and many a time afterwards it furnished a pleasant topic of merriment. " The ambassador says well" became a laughable term of applause when no mighty matter had been expressed. Dublin, and migrated with his actors, biped and quadruped, from one to the other. Both father and son were remarkably handsome, the elder of large proportions, but perfect sym- metry. — Croker. The remains of both father and son are deposited in the cemetery of fere la Chaise, near Paris. — Wright. ■1 " On Tuesday I dined with Ramsay, and on Thursday (14th) with Paoli. Bozzt/ says he never saw me so well." — Letters, Oct. 16. 1779. — Croker. 5 The " celebrated friend " was no doubt Mr. Burke, and his advice, so far from being " sad reasoning," seems very sensi- ble and just. Before you take upon j'ourself to be a censor morum, you should, at least, reform your own flagrant irregularities. And we know, when Boswell consulted John- son about refusing to do la%v business of a Sunday, he ad- vised him to comply with the practice of the world, till he should become so considerable as to be authorised to set an example Croker, 1835. ^T. 70. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 639 [JOHNSON TO MISS REYNOLDS. " Oct. 19. 1779. " Dearest Madam, — You are extremely kind in taking so much trouble. My foot is almost well ; and one of my first visits will certainly be to Dover Street.' You will do me a great favour if you will buy for me the prints of I\Ir. Burke, Mr. Dyer, and Dr. Goldsmith, as you know good impressions. If any of your own pictures are engraved, buy them for me. I am fitting up a little room with prints. I am your, &c., — Retj7i. MSS. " i?AM. Johnson."] I left London on Monday, October 18., and accompanied Colonel Stuai't to Chester, where his reghnent was to lie for some time. BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. " Clicster, Oct. 20. 1779. "i\Iv DEAR Sir, — It was not till one o'clock on Monday morning that Colonel Stuart and I left London ; for we chose to bid a cordial adieu to Lord Mountstuart, who was to set out on that day on his embassy to Turin. We drove on excellently, and reached Lichfield in good time enough that night. The colonel had heard so preferable a character of the George, that he would not put up at the Three Crowns, so that I did not see our host, Wilkins. We found at the George as good accommodation as we could wish to have, and I fully enjoyed the comfortable thought that / was in Lichfield again. Next morning it rained very hard ; and as I had much to do in a little time, I ordered a post-chaise, and between eight and nine sallied forth to make a round of visits. I first went to Mr. Green, hoping to have had him to accom- pany me to all my other friends ; but he was engaged to attend the Bishop of Sodor and Man, who was then lying at Lichfield very ill of the gout. Having taken a hasty glance at the addi- tions to Green's museum, from which it was not easy to break away, I next went to the Friary, where I at first occasioned some tumult in the ladies, who were not prepared to receive company so early ; but my name, which has by wonderful felicity come to be closely associated with yours, soon made all easy; and Mrs. Cobb'' and Miss Adey re-assumed their seats at the breakfast-table, which they had quitted with some precipitation. They received me with the kindness of an old ac- quaintance ; and, after we had joined in a cordial chorus to 7jour praise, Mrs. Col)b gave me the high satisfaction of hearing that you said, Boswell is a man who I believe never left a house without leaving a wish for his return.' And she afterwards added, that she bid you tell me, that if ever I came to Lichfield, she hoped I would take a bed at the Friary. From thence I drove to Peter Garrick's, where I also found a very flattering welcome. He appeared to me to enjoy his usual cheerfulness ; and he very kindly asked me to come when I could, and pass a week with him. From Mr. Garrick's I went to the Palace to wait on ]\Ir. Seward. I 1 Where Miss Reynolds lived Croker. 2 Mrs. Cobb was the daughter of Mr. Hammond, an apothecary and the widow of a mercer, who liad retired from business, and resided at the Friary. Miss Adey was her niece, daughter of the town-clerk of Lichfield: she married William Sneyd, Esq., of Belmont House, near Cheadle, and was first entertained by his lady and daughter, he himself being in bed with a cold, according to Ins valetudinary custom. But he desired to see me ; and I found him dressed in his black gown, with a white flannel Hight-gown above it ; so that he looked like a Dominican friar. He was good- humoured and polite ; and under his roof too my reception was very pleasing. I then proceeded to Stowhill, and first paid my respects to Mrs. Gastrell, whose conversation I was not willing to quit. But my sand-glass was now beginning to run low, as I coidd not trespass too long on the Colonel's kind- ness, who obligingly waited for me; so I hastened to Mrs. Aston's, whom I found much better than I feared I should ; and there I met [Mr. Prujean, p. 237.] a brother-in-law of these ladies, who talked much of you, and very well too, as it appeared to me. It then only remained to visit Mrs. Lucy Porter, which I did, I really believe, with sincere satisfac- tion on both sides. I am sure I was glad to see her again ; and as I take her to be very honest, I trust she was glad to see me again, for she ex- pressed herself so that I could not doubt of her being in earnest. What a great keystone of kind- ness, my dear Sir, were you that morning ! for we were all held together by our common attachment to you. I cannot say that I ever passed two hours with more self-complacency than I did those two at Lichfield. Let me not entertain any suspicion that this is idle vanity. Will not you confirm me in my persuasion, that he who finds himself so regarded has just reason to I)e happy ? " We got to Chester about midnight on Tuesday ; and here again I am in a state of much enjoyment. Colonel Stuart and his officers treat me with all the civility I could wish ; and I play my part admir- ably. Lcetiis aliis, sapiens sibi, the classical sentence which you, I imagine, invented the other day, is exemplified in my present existence. The Bishop ^ to whom I had the honour to be known several years ago, shows me much attention ; and I am edified by his conversation. I must not omit to tell you, that his Lordship admires, very highly, your pre- faces to the Poets. I am daily obtaining an extension of agreeable acquaintance, so that I am kept in animated variety ; and the study of the place itself, by the assistance of books and of the Bishop, is sufficient occupation. Chester pleases my fancy more than any town I ever saw. But I will not enter upon it at all in this letter. " How long I shall stay here I cannot yet say. I told a very pleasing young lady*, niece to one of the prebendaries at whose house I saw her, ' I have come to Chester, Madam, I cannot tell how ; and far less can I tell how I am to get away from it.' Do not think me too juvenile. I beg it of you, my dear Sir, to favour me with a letter while I am here, and add to the happiness of a happy friend, who is ever, with affectionate veneration, most sincerely yours, James Boswell. " If you do not write directly, so as to catch me here, I shall be disappointed. Two lines from you will keep my lamp burning bright." died 1829, aet. 87. — Harwood. (See ante, p. 5. and6. — where this note might have been better placed.) — Crokek. 3 Doctor Porteus, afterwards Bishop of London ; in which see he died, May 14. 1808, in his seventy-eighth year.— Choker. ■> Miss Letitia Earnston. — Boswell. 640 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1779. [JOHNSON TO MRS. ASTON. " Bolt Court, Oct. 25. 1779. " Dearest Madam, — Mrs. Gastrell is so kind as to write to me, and yet I always write to you ; but I consider what is written to either as written to botli. Public affairs do not seem to promise much amendment, and the nation is now full of distress. What will be the event of things none can tell. We may still hope for better times. " My health, which I began to recover when I was in the country, continues still in a good state : it costs me, indeed, some physic, and something of abstinence, but it pays the cost. I wish, dear Madam, I could hear a little of your improve- ments. " Here is no news. The talk of the invasion seems to be over. But a very turbulent session of parliament is expected ; though turbulence is not likely to do any good. Those are happiest who are out of the noise and tumult. There will be no great violence of faction at Stowhill ; and that it may be free from that and all other incon- venience and disturbance is the sincere wish of all your friends. I am, dear Madam, your, &c., — Pemb. MSS. " Sam. Johnson."] JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. "London, Oct. 27. 1779. " Dear Sir, — Why should you importune me so earnestly to write ? Of what importance can it be to hear of distant friends, to a man who finds himself welcome wherever he goes, and makes new friends faster than he can want them ? Tf to the delight of such universal kindness of reception any thing can be added by knowing tliat you retain my good-will, you may indulge yourself in the full enjoyment of that small addition. " I am glad that you made the round of Lich- field with so much success. The oftener you are seen, the more you will be liked. It was pleasing to me to read that Mrs. Aston was so well, and that Lucy Porter was so glad to see you. " In the place where you now are, there is much to be observed ; and you will easily procure your- self skilful directors. But what will you do to keep away the black dog ' that worries you at home? If you would, in compliance with your fither's advice, inquire into the old tenures and old charters of Scotland, you would certainly open to yourself many striking scenes of the manners of "the middle ages. The feudal system, in a country half-barbarous, is naturally productive of great anomalies in civil life. The knowledge of past times is naturally growing less in all cases not of public record ; and the past time of Scotland is so unlike the present, that it is already diflncult for a Scotchman to image the economy of his grand- father. Do not be tardy nor negligent ; but gather up eagerly what can yet be found.* " We have, I think, once talked of another project, a history of the late insurrection in Scot- land, with all its incidents. Many falsehoods are passing into uncontradicted history. Voltaire, who ' This ... ind. It is frequently used in the correspondence between Johnson and Mrs.Thrale Choker. 2 I have a valuable collection made by my father, which, with some additions and illustrations of my own, 1 intend to loved a striking story, has told what he could not find to be true. " You may make collections for either of these projects, or for both, as opportunities occur, and digest your materials at leisure. The great direc- tion which Burton has left to men disordered like you is this, Be not solitary, be not idle : which I would thus modify : — If you are idle, be not solitary ; if you are solitary, be not idle. " There is ^ letter for you from your humble servant, Sam. Johnson." [JOHNSON TO MRS. ASTON. " Bolt Court, Nov. 5. 1779. " Dearest Madam, — Having had the pleasure of hearing from Mr. Boswell that he found you better than he expected, I will not forbear to tell you how much I was delighted with the news. May your health increase and increase till you are as well as you can wish yourself, or I can wish you ! " My friends tell me that my health improves too. It is certain that I use both physic and abstinence ; and my endeavours have been blessed with more success than at my age I could reason- ably hope. I please myself with the thoughts of visiting you next year in so robust a state, that I shall not be afraid of the hill between Mrs. Gas- trell's house and yours, nor think it necessary to rest myself between Stowhill and Lucy Porter's. " Of public affairs I can give you no very com- fortable account. The invasion has vanished for the present, as I expected. I never believed that any invasion was intended. " But whatever we have escaped, we have done nothing, nor are likely to do better another year. We, however, who have no part of the nation's welfare intrusted to our management, have nothing to do but to serve God, and leave the world sub- missively in his hands. " All trade is dead, and pleasure is scarce alive. Nothing almost is purchased but such things as the buyer cannot do without ; so that a general sluggishness and general discontent are spread over the town. All the trades of luxury and elegance are nearly at a stand. What the parliament, when it meets, will do, and indeed what it ought to do, is very difficult to say. " Pray set Mrs. Gastrell, who is a dear good lady, to write to me from time to time ; for I have great delight in hearing from you, especially when I hear any good news of your health. I am, dear Madam, your most humble servant, — Pemb. MSS. " Sam. Johnson."] BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. " Carlisle, Nov. 7. 1779. " Mv dear Sir, — That I should importune you to write to me at Chester is not wonderful, when you consider what an avidity I have for delight ; and that the amor of pleasure, like the amor nummi, increases in proportion with the quantity which we possess of it. Your letter, so publish. I have some hereditary claim to be an antiquary ; not only from my father, but as being descended, by the mother's side, from the able and learned Sir John Skene, whose merit bids defiance to all the attempts which have , been made to lessen his fame. — Boswell. 1 X.r. 71. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 641 uU of polite kindness and masterly counsel, came ike a large treasure upon me, while already glit- ering with riches. I was quite enchanted at Chester, so that I could with difficulty (]uit it. But the enchantment was the reverse of that of ;jirce ; for so far was there from being any thing ensual in it, that I was all mind. I do not mean ill reason only; for my fancy was kept finely in )lay. And why not? If you please, I will send ou a copy or an abridgment of my Chester ournal, which is truly a log-book of felicity. Tlie Bishop [Porteus] treated me with a kind- less which was very flattering. I told him that 'OU regretted you had seen so little of Chester, lis Lordship bade me tell you, that he should be ;lad to show you more of it. I am proud to find he friendship with which you honour me is known n so m:iny places. I arrived here late last night. Our friend the 3ean [Percy] has been gone from hence some nonths ; but I am told at my inn, that he is very ■. Devoted at one moment to pleasure, and at another t' lature, sometimes absorbed in play, and sometimes in >. lie was, altogether, one of the most accomplished, and, 1 in good humour, and surrounded by those who suited : !i'y, one of the most agreeable men that could possibly • " Life, vol. i. p.31(. Mr. Hardy has also preserved il of Bcauclerk's letters, from one of wliich I extract passages that touch on Johnson and his society. " Adelphi, 20th Nov. 1773. ililsmith the other day put a paragraph into the news- ^ 111 praise of Lord M;iyor Townshend. The same night iijieued to sit next to Lord Shclburne, at Drury-Iane ; i;ioned the circumstance of the par.agraph to liim, and 1 to Goldsmith that he hoped he had mentioned no- about Malagrida in it. ' Do you know,' answered mith, 'that I never could conceive the reason why they >u Malagrida, for Malagrida was a very good sort of You see plainly what he meant to say, but that } turn of expression is peculiar to himself. Mr. Wal- >:iys that this storv is a picture of Goldsmith's whole ■ ''■■ [post, 23 March, 1783.] " Johnson has been confined for some weeks in the Isle of ky ; we hear that he was obliged to swim over to the main [JOHNSON TO MRS. THRALE. {Extract.) " London, April 6. 1780. " I have not quite neglected my Lives. Addison is a long one, but it is done. Prior is not short, and that is done too. I am upon Rowe, which cannot fill much paper. Seward (Mr. William) called on me one day and read Spence.* I dined yesterday at JNIr. Jodrell's in a great deal of com- pany. On Sunday I dine with Dr. Lawrence, and at night go to J\Irs. Vesey. I have had a little cold, or two, or three ; but I did not much mind them, for they were not very bad." — Letters. JOHNSON TO MRS. PORTER. " London, April 8. 1780. " Dear Madaji, — I am indeed but a sluggish correspondent, and know not whether I shall much mend : however, I will try. I am glad that your oysters proved good, for I would have every thing good that belongs to you ; and would have your health good, that you may enjoy the rest. My health is better than it has been for some years past ; and, if I see Lichfield again, I hope to walk about it. " Your brother's request I have not forgotten. I have bought as many volumes as contain about an hundred and fifty sermons, which I will put in a box, and get Mr. Mathias to send him. I shall add a letter. " We have been lately much alarmed at Mr. Thrale's. He has had a stroke, like that of an apoplexy ; but he has at last got so well as to be at Bath, out of the way of trouble and business, and is likely to be in a short time quite well. I hope all the Llclifield ladies are quite well, and that every thing is prosperous among them. " A few weeks ago I sent you a little stuff gown, such as is all the fashion at this time. Yours is the same with JNIrs. Thrale's, and Miss bought it for us. These stuffs are very cheap, and are thought very pretty. land, taking hold of a cow's tail. Be that as it may. Lady Di has promised to make a drawing of it. " Our poor club is in a miserable state of decay ; unless you come and relieve it, it will certainly expire. Would you imagine that Sir Joshua Reynolds is extremely anxious to be a member at Almack's ? [p. 501.] You see what noble ambi- tion will make a man attempt. That den is not yet opened. There is nothing new .it present in the literary world. Mr. Jones 1 [Sir William], of our club, is going to publish .nn account, in Latin, of the Eastern poetry, with extracts trans- lated verbatim in verse. I fancy it will be a very pretty book. Goldsmith has written a prologue for Mrs. Yates, which she spoke this evening before the Opera. It is very good. I hope you have fixed your time for returning to England. We cannot do without you. If you do not come here, I will bring all the Club over to Ireland, to live with you, and th.it will drive you here in your own defence. Johnson shall spoil your books. Goldsmith pull your flowers, and Boswell tal/c to you : stay, then, if you can. Adieu, my dear lord, &c. T. Beauclerk." Lady Di's pencil was much celebrated, and Homce Wal- pole built a room for the reception of some of her drawings, which he cilled the Beauclerk closet: but I have iievtr seen any of her ladyship's works which seemed to me to merit, as works of art, such high reput.ition. — Croker. 1 His library was sold by public auction in April and May, 1781 . lor .5,011/. — Ma lone. - By a lire in Northumberland House, wnere he h.id an apartment, in which I have passed many an agreeable hour. — BoSWELL. 3 See avile, p. C4I. n. .">., and the Appendix. — C. •< Spence's very amusing Anecdotes, which had been lent Johnson in manuscript: they were not printed in cxtenso till 1820.— Croker. T T 2 644 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1780. " Pray give my compliments to Mr. Pearson, and to every body, if any such body there be, that cares about me. " I am now engaged about the rest of the Lives, which I am afraid will take some time, though I purpose to use despatch ; but something or other always hinders. I have a great number to do, but many of them will be short. " 1 have lately had colds ; the first was pretty bad, with a very troublesome and frequent cough; but by bleeding and physic it was sent away. I have a cold now, but not bad enough for bleeding. " For some time past, and indeed ever since I left Lichfield last year, I have abated much of my diet, and am, I think, the better for abstinence. I can breathe and move with less difficulty ; and I am as well as people of my age commonly are. I hope we shall see one another again some time this year. I am, dear love, your humble servant, — Pearson MSS. " Sam. Johnson."] Mrs. Thrale being now at Bath with her husband, the correspondence between Johnson and her was carried on briskly. [JOHNSON TO MRS. THRALE. (^Extracts.') " April 11. 1780.' " On Sunday I dined with poor Lawrence, who is deafer than ever. When he was told that Dr. Moisy visited Mr. Thrale, he inquired for what, and said that there was nothing to be done which Nature would not do for herself. On Sunday evening I was at Mr. Vesey's, and there was inquiry about my master ; but I told them all good. There was Dr. Barnard of Eton, and we made a noise all the evening ; and there was Pepys ^ and Wraxall ^ till I drove him away. * * * You are at all places of liigh resort, and bring home hearts by dozens ; while I am seeking for something to say of men about whom I know notliing but their verses, and sometimes very little of them. Now I have begun, however, I do not despali- of making an end. Mr. Nichols holds that Addison is the most tahuig of all that I have done. I doubt they will not be done before you come away. " Now you think yourself the Rrst writer in the world for a letter about nothing. Can you write such a letter as this ? so miscellaneous, with such noble disdain of regularity, like Shakspeare's j works ? such graceful negligence of transition, like the ancient enthusiasts? The pure voice of nature and of friendship. Now of whom shall I proceed to speak ? Of whom but Mrs. Montagu ? Having mentioned Shakspeare and Nature, does not the name of Montagu force itself upon me ? * Such were the transitions of the ancients, which now seem abrupt, because the intermediate idea is lost to modern understandings." " April 15 I thought to have finished Rowe's Life to-day, but have had five or six visiters who hindered me; and I have not been quite well. Next week I hope to despatch four of five of them." " April 18. — You make verses, and they are read in public, and I know nothing about them. This very crime, I think, broke the link of amity between Richardson and Miss M[uIso]^ after a tenderness and confidence of many years." " April 25. — ■ How do you think I live ? On Thursday [20th] I dined with Hamilton ^ and; went thence to Mrs. Ord.' On Friday, with much company, at Mrs. Reynolds's. On Saturday at Dr. Bell's. On Sunday at Dr. Burney's, with your two sweets from Kensington, who are both well : at night came Mrs. Ord, Mr. Harris, and; Mr. Greville, &c. On Monday with Reynolds;! at night with Lady Lucan ; to-day with Mr.' Langton ; to-morrow with the Bishop of St..; Asaph ; on Thursday with Mr. Bowles ; Friday) ; Saturday at the Academy'; Sunday witl'.j, Mr. Ramsay. I told Lady Lucan how long it was' since she sent to me ; but she said I must considen how the world rolls about her.^ I not only scouiij the town from day to day, but many visiters com to me in the morning, so that my work makes mi great progress, but I will try to quicken it." — Letters. I shall present my readers with one of he original letters to him at this time, which wil amuse them probably more than those well written but studied epistles which she has in serted in her collection"^, because it exhibits thi easy vivacity of their literary intercourse. ]) is also of value as a key to Johnson's answe:' Avhich she has printed by itself, and of which shall subjoin extracts. 1 Dated in Mrs. Thrale's volume, by mistake, 1779. — 2 Afterwards Sir William Weller Pepys, Baronet, father of Lord Chancellor Cottenham ; a Master in Chancery ; a great friend of Mrs. Thrale's, and, what is more to his honour, of Hannah More. There never was much cordiality between him aiui Johnson, but their differences became wider from I'epys's resentment of Johnson's alleged depreciation of Lord Lyttelton. That, I think, was only a pretext : Johnson was a little jealous of Pepys's favour at Streatham, and Pepys, who was much admired by a circle of his own, would not submit to Johnson's dictatorship. — Croker, 1847. 3 Nathaniel Wraxall, who published some volumes of travels and history, and latterly Memoirs of his own Life, flippant, and often inaccurate, but amusing ; and when duly sifted, not without value as a gossiping contribution to the history of his times. Kor a passage in this work, in which, reflecting on Count Woronzow, he was (somewhat over- harshly, 1 think) convicted of a libel, and imprisoned in Newgate. He was born in 1751, and created a Baronet in 1813. — Choker. . , . , ou , •• Compare tliis witli two former phrases, m which Shake- speare and Mrs. Montagu are mentioned (ante, p. 204, 205., and wonder at the inconsistencies to which the greatest genius and the highest spirit may be reduced ! Perhaps Johnson's original disposition to depreciate Mrs. Montagu may have arisen from his having lieard that she thouglit Rasselas an opiate (Carter's Letters, iii. 108.). His lat praise was no doubt produced by her charity to Mi Williams. This, though it may explain, dees not excu the inconsistencies. — Croker, 1831-47. 5 Hester Miilso. afterwards Mrs. Chapone, one of Richar son's female coterie. When about three and twenty, she 1. been one of the few contributors to the Rambler (aw/e', p. C:} She was born in 1727, married Mr. Chapone in 1760, i"j died in 1801. She was much connected with Mrs. Cart | Mrs. Montagu, and all the Slues.— C\xoK%w, 1835. I 6 Probably the Right Hon. W. G. Hamilton. —Croker. ;, 7 This lady (celebrated, like Mrs. Montagu and Mrs.Ves.j for her blue stocking coteries) was Miss Anne Dillinghai, the only dau?hter of an eminent surgeon. She was eaJ, married to Mr. Ord, of Northumberland, who left her a v<({ large property. She died in May, 1808, at the age .of eigh ji, two Croker. 8 The annual dinner on opening the Exhibition — Crok i 9 About this time Johnson had a second interview Wf the King, not noticed either by Boswell or Mrs. Thr.'! Hannah More says, that one evening at Mrs. Ord's, " Jol, son told me he had been with the King that morning, \V enjohied him to add Spenser to his Lives of the Poets. Mem. i. 175. — Choker, 1847. i 10 This sneer is quite unjust — Mrs. Thrale's letters*, certainly not studied ; nor is the specimen produced at i different in style from tlie others. — Croker. , jEt.71. BOSAVELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 645 MRS. TIIRALK TO JOHNSON. " Bath, Friday, April 28. " I had a very kind letter from you yesterday, dear Sir, ivlth a most circumstantial date.' You tijok trouble with my circulating letter, Mr. I'.vans writes me word, and I thank you sincerely tor so doing; one might do mischief else, not being on the spot. '• Yesterday's evening was passed at Mrs, Mon- tagu's. There was Mr. Melmoth.^ I do not like him though, nor he me. It was expected we should have pleased each other ; he is, however, just Tory enough to hate the Bishop of Peter- borough '■' for Whiggism, and Whig enough to abhor you for Toryism. " JMrs. iMontagu flattered him finely ; so he had a good afternoon on't. This evening we spent at a concert. Poor Queeny's sore eyes have just released her ; she had along confinement, and could neither read nor write, so my master treated her, very good-naturedly, with the visits of a young woman in this town, a tailor's daughter, who professes music, and teaches so as to give six lessons a day to ladies, at five and threepence a lesson. Miss Burney * says she is a great performer ; and I respect the wench for getting her living so prettily. She is very modest and pretty-mannered, and not seventeen years old. " You live in a fine wliirl indeed. If I did not write regularly, you would half forget me, and that would be very wrong, for 1 filt my regard for you ill my /are last night, when the criticisms were going on. '■ This morning it was all eonnoisseurship. We u-LMit to see some pictures painted by a gentleman- aitist, Mr. Taylor, of this place. My master makes one every where, and has got a good dawd- ling companion to ride with him now * * * lie looks well enough, but I have no notion of health for a man whose mouth cannot be sewed up, Burney and I and Queeny tease him every meal he eats, and Mrs. Montagu is fjuite serious with him ; but what can one do ? He will eat, I think ; and if he does eat, I know he will not live. It makes me very unhappy, but I must bear it. Let me always have your friendship. I am, most sincerely, dear Sir, your faithful servant, " II. L. T." JOHNSON TO MRS. THRALE. ( Extructn. ) " London, May I. 1780. "Dearest Madam, — Mr. Thraie never will live abstinently, till he can persuade himself to live 1 This alludes to Johnson's frequent advice to her and Miss Thraie to date their letters ; a laudable habit, which, however, he himself did not always practise. Cuokeh. - William Melmoth, the author of Fitzosbornc's Letters, and the translator of the Letters of Pliny and Cicero, and some of the minor works of the latter. He died in ITUO, a;tat. 8'.!.— Choker. 3 Dr. John Hinchliffe. — Boswell. ■> Fanny, afterwards Madain D'Arblav Croker, 1S47. 5 I have taken the liberty to leave out a lew lines. BOSWELL. 6 Line of a song in the Spectator, Xo. -170 Crokek. 7 Mary, daughter, and, at length, co-heiress of Mr. Ilip- pesley Coxe, of Somersetshire, and wife of James Bnller, Esq., of Downes, near Exeter, of whom Mrs. D'Arblay writes, " Mrs. But er is tall and elegant in her person, genteel ncourajre, as vou can, the musical by rule * ' girl. '' Nothing is more common than mutual dislike, where mutual approbation is particularly expectetl. There is often on l)oth sides a vigilance not over- benevolent ; and as attention is strongly excited, so that nothing drops unheeded, any dilference in taste or opinion, and some difference where there is no restraint will commonly appear, immediately generates dislike. " Never let criticisms operate on your face or your mind ; it is very rarely that an author is imrt by his critics. The blaze of reputation cannot be blown out, but it often dies in the socket. A very few names may be considered as perpetual lamps that shine unconsumed. From the author of ' Fitzosbornc's Letteis' I cannot think myself in much danger. I met him only once about thirty years ago, and in some small dispute reduced him to whistle. Having not seen him since, that is the last impression. Poor Moore, the fabulist, was one of the company. " Mrs. Montagu's long stay, against her own in- clination, is very convenient. You woulil, by your own confession, want a comp^inion ; and she is par pluribus. Conversing with her you mny Jind variety in one.^ [" At IMrs, Ord's I met one Mrs, [Bidler]', a travelled lady, of great spirit, and some conscious- ness of her own abilities. We had a contest of gallantry an hour long, so much to the diversion of the company, that, at Ramsay's, last night, in a crowded room, they would have pitted us again. There were Smelt » and the Bishop of St. Asaph, who comes to every place ; and Lord Monboddo, and Sir Joshua, and ladies out of tale. " The Exhibition, — how will you do, either to see or not to see ! The exhibition is eminently splendid. Tliere is contour, and keeping, and grace, and expression, and all the varieties of artificial excellence. The apartments were truly very noble. The pictures, for the sake of a skylight, are at the top of the house ; there we dined, and I sat over against the Archbishop of York." " May 7. 1780. — I dined on Wednesday with Mr. Fitzmaurice®; who almost made me promise to pass ])art of the summer at Llewenny. To- morrow I dine with Mrs. Southwell [p. 246.] ; and on Thursday with Lord Lucan. To-night I go to IMiss Monkton's." Then I scramble, when you do not quite shut me up : but I am miserably under petticoat government, and yet am not very weary, nor much ashamed." " May 8. 1780. — I dine on Thursday at Lord Lucan's, and on Saturday at Lady Craven's ; and I dined yesterday with Mrs, Southwell. As to my !ind ugly in her face, and abrupt and singular in her manners. She is very clever, sprightly, witty, and much in vogue — a Greek scholar and a celebrated traveller — having had tiie maternal heroism to accompanv her son on the Grand Tour." — Mem. of Burney, vol. ii. p. 291. — Choker, 1835-47. » Leonard Smelt, Esq., sub-governor to the sons of George III. lie was much in the blue stocki7ii; circle of the day ; he died in ISOO, at an advanced age. — Ckokeh. ^ The Hon. Thomas Fitzmaurice, only brother to Lord Shelburn, through whom, perhaps, may have come Johnson's acquaintance with his Lordship, {ante. p. 584. n. b.) though I incline to believe that it was of an earlier date. Mr. Fitzmaurice had bought the Llewenny estate from Mrs. Thrale's uncle — Croker, 1847. 'o The Hon. Mary Monkton, daughter of the first Viscount Galway, born April 1746; married in 178G to Edmund, seventh T T 3 646 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1780. looks at the Academy, I was not told of th^m ; and as I remember, I was very well, and am well enough now." " aiay 9. 1 780. — My Lives creep on. I have done Addison, Prior, llowe, Granville, Sheffield, Collins, Pitt, and almost Fenton. I design to take Congreve next into my hand. I hope to have done before you can come home ; and then whither shall I go ? — Did I tell you that Scott and Jones' both offer themselves to represent the Uni- I versity in the place of Sir Roger Newdigate ? They are struggling hard for what others think neither of them will obtain.] — Letters. On the 2d of May I wrote to him, and re- quested that we might have another meeting somewhere in the north of England in the autumn of this year. From IMi-. Langton I received soon after this time a letter, of which I extract a passage, relative both to Mr. Beauclerk and Dr. John- son. LANGTON TO BOSWELL '• The melancholy information you have received concerning Mr. Beauclerk's death is true. Had his talents been directed in any sufficient degree as they ought, I have always been strongly of opinion that they were calculated to make an illustrious figure; and that opinion, as it had been in part formed upon Dr. Johnson's judgment, receives more and more confirmation by hearing what, since his death, Dr. Johnson has said concerning them. A few evenings ago he was at Mr. Vesey's, where Lord Althorpe =, who was one of a numerous company there, addressed Dr. Johnson on the subject of I\Ir. Beauclerk's death, saying, ' Our Club has had a great loss since we met last.' He replied, ' A loss that perhaps the whole nation could not repair ! ' The doctor then went on to speak of his endow- Earl of Cork and Orrery. Lodge's Irish Peerage dates her birth 1737, but this is a mistake for an elder sister of the same name. Now in her eighty-ninth year. Lady Corke still entertains and enjoys society with extraordinary health, spirits, and vivacity, and Boswell's description of her Ji fit/ - four years ago, as " the lively Miss Monkton, who used "aUvays to have the finest bit of blue at her parties" {post, May 8. 1780), is characteristic to this day. — Croker. 1835. In July, 183f), in allusion to the mistake in the Irish peerage, she wrote me the following lively note : — " New Burlington Street, July 22. [1836.] " I would rather I was a Awnd;rrf — because you and many other agreeable people would come to me as a wonder. The fact is, I am only verging on ninety. I wish the business of the nation may not prevent your giving me the pleasure of vour company to dinner on Vt ednesday, the 3d, at a quarter before eight. It is in vain, I suppose, to expect you at my tea-drinking on Friday, the .'Jth, or in the evening of the 3d, in the event of your not being able to dine with me on that day." M. CoKK AND Orrery." I have suppressed a word or two of compliment, which — with the forgetting that I was both out of otiice and parlia- ment, and had therefore no share in " the business of the nation" — are the only marks of anility in this note written on the verge of 91 ;— for I found by the register of St. James's parish ttiat she had understated her age by one year. She died on the Snth of May, 1S40. — Choker, 1847. 1 Lord Stowell and Sir William Jones. On this occasion Sir W. Dolben was chosen, but Lord Stowell was elected for the University of Oxford in 1801, and represented it till his promotion to the peerage in 1821. — Croker. - John George, second Earl Spencer, who has been so kind as to answer some of my inquiries relative to the society, of ments, and particularly extolled the wonderful ease with which he uttered what was highly excellent. He said, ' that no man ever was so free, when he was going to say a good tiling, from a look that expressed that it was coming ; or, when he had said it, from a look that expressed that it had come.' At Mr. Thrale's, some days before, when we were talking on the same subject, he said, referring to the same idea of his wonderful facility, 'that Beauclerk's talents were those which he had felt himself more disposed to envy, than those of any whom he had known.' " On the evening I have spoken of above, at I\Ir. Vesey's, you would have been much gratified, as it exhibited an instance of the high importance in which Dr. Johnson's character is held, I think even beyond any I ever before was witness to. The company consisted chiefly of ladies; among whom were the Duchess Dowager of Portland ^, the Duchess of Beaufort, whom, I suppose, from her rank, I must name before her mother, Mrs. Bos- cawen*, and her eldest sister, Mrs. Lewson, who was likewise there ; Lady Lucan *, Lady Clermont ^, and others of note both for their station and under- standings. Among other gentlemen were Lord Althorpe, whom I have before named. Lord Mac- artney, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Lord Lucan, Mr. Wraxall, whose book you have probably seen, the ' Tour to the Northern Parts of Europe,' a very agreeable, ingenious man. Dr. Warren, Mr. Pepys, the master in chancery, whom, I believe, you know, and Dr. Barnard, the provost of Eton.' As soon as Dr. Johnson was come in, and had taken the chair, the company began to collect round him till they became not less than four, if not five deep ; those behind standing, and listening over the heads of those that were sitting near him. The conversation for some time was chiefly between Dr. Johnson and the provost of Eton^ while the others contril)uted occasionally their remarks. Without attempting to detail the particulars of the which he and Lord Stowell are now almost the only sur- vivors Ckoker. He died November 10. 1834 — the pos- sessor of one of the choicest private libraries in the world.— — Croker, 1835. 3 Lady Margaret Cavendish Harley, only child of the second Earl of Oxford and Mortimer ; married in 1734 to the second Duke of Portland. She was the heiress of three great families : herself of the Harleys ; her mother (the Lady Harriet of Prior) was the heiress of John Holies, Duke of Newcastle ; and her mother again, the heiress of Henry Cavendish, Duke of Newcastle. " The Duchess of Portland inherited," says the Peerage, " the spirit of her ancestors in her patronage of literature and the arts." Her birth was congratulated by Swift, and her childhood celebrated by Prior in the well-known nursery li.ies beginning " My noble, lovely, little Peggy." And she it was to whom Young addressed the ridiculous flattery of calling the Moon ''the Portland of the skies." This excellent lady died in 1785. —Croker. ^ Mrs. Boscawen and her daughters, Mrs. Levcson (pro- nounced Lewson) Gower and tlie Duchess of Beaufort, are celebrated in Miss Hannah Jlore's poem entitled Sensibility. All Levc 5 Margaret Smith : married in 17G0 the first Lord Lucan. — A lady of laste and talents. —Croker. Dr. Johnson had, for the last year, felt some alleviation of a troublesome disease which hail lonj; affected him ; this relief he thus gratefully and devoutly acknowledged: — j David* waited upon Dr. Johnson, with the j following letter of introduction, which I had I taken care should be lying ready on his arrival in London. I BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. j " Edinburgh, April 2U. 1780. 1 " My dear Sir, — This will be delivered to you j by my brother David on his return from Spain. : You will be glad to see the man who vowed to ' ' stand by the old castle of Auchinleck with heart, purse, and sword ; ' that romantic family solemnity devised by me, of which you and I talked with complacency upon the spot. I trust that twelve years of absence have not lessened his feudal at- tachment, and that you will find him worthy of being introduced to your acquaintance. I have the honour to be, with affectionate veneration, my dear Sir, your most faithful humble servant, " James Boswell." Johnson received him very politely, and has thus mentioned him in a letter to Mrs. Thrale*: — " I have had with me a -brother of Boswell's, a Spanish merchant, whom the war has driven from his residence at Valencia. He is gone to see his friends, and will find Scotland but a sorry place after twelve years' residence in a happier climate. He is a very agreeable man, and speaks no Scotch."^ JOHNSON TO MRS. THRALE. {Extract.) " Aug. 14. 1780. " I hope you have no design of stealing away to Italy before the election, nor of leaving me behind you ; though I am not only seventy but seventy-one. Could not you let me lose a year in round num- bers ? t^weetly, sweetly, sings Dr. Swift, — ' Some dire misfortune to portend. No enemy can match a friend.' But what if I am seventy-two 9 I remember Sul- pitius' says of Saint Martin — (now that's above yoiir reading) — Est animus victor annor^im, et senec- tuti cedere nescijis. Match me that among your own folks. If you try to plague me,. I shall tell you that, according to Galen, life begins to decline horn thirty-Jive."^^ " Sunday, June 18 In the morning of this day last year, I perceived the remission of those convulsions in my breast which had distressed me for more than twenty years. I re- turned thanks at church for the mercy granted me, which has now continued a year." Pr. and Med. p. 180 Crokeb. " " The soul triumphs over years, and disdains to yield to age." Sulpitius Severus, a "French ecclesiastical writer, born A. d. 3-50. His history of his contemporary and friend, St. Martin of Tours, is a sad record of superstition and im- posture, " written in a style not unworthy the .'iugustan age. So natural," Gibbon adds, " is the alliance between good taste and good sense, that I am always astonished by this contrast." Hist. v. 38 Croker, 1847. 8 Mrs. Piozzi at her last birth-day must have been forty, so that Johnson must have alluded to the sprightly verses in which he had celebrated Mrs. Thrale at thii-ty-five (see ante, p. 170. n. 3 and p. 471. n. 3.); but since those notes were written, I have found evidence under her own hand that my suspicion was just, and that she was born in 1740, new style. — Croker. .Ex. 71. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 651 JOHNSON TO BEATTIE, At Aberdeen. " Bolt Court, Fleet Street, Auj. 21 . 1780. « Sir, — More years' than I have any delight to reckon have past since you and I saw one another: of this, however, there is no reason for making any reprehensory complaint : — Sic fata ftrunt. But methinks there might pass some small interchange of regard between us. If you say that I ought to have written, I now write : and I write to tell you, that I have much kindness for you and Mrs. Beattie ; and that I wish your health better, and your life long. Try change of air, and come a few degrees southwards. A softer climate may do you both good. Winter is coming in ; and London will be warmer, and gayer, and busier, and more fertile of amusement than Aberdeen, " My health is better; but that will be little in the balance when I tell you that IMrs. Montagu has been very ill, and is, I doubt, now but weakly. I\Ir. Thrale has been very dangerously disordered ; but is much better, and 1 hope will totally recover, lie has withdrawn himself from business the whole summer. Sir Joshua and his sister are well; and 'Six-. Davies has got great success as an author-, generated by the corruption of a bookseller.^ More ncMs I have not to tell you, and therefore you must be contented with hearing, what I know not whether you much wish to hear *, that I am. Sir, c pathetic powers of Otway is too round. I once asked hi whether he did not think Otway frequently tender ; when answered, " Sir, he is all tenderness." — Burney. ^T.71. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 661 " ' Snatches of reading, ' said he, ' will not make a Beiitley or a Clarke. They are, how- lever, in a certain degree advantageous. I Iwouhl put a child into a library (where no un- ifit books are), and let him read at his choice. ■ A chiUl should not be discouraged from read- ing any thing that he takes a liking to, from a inotion that it is above his reach. If that be [the case, the child will soon find it out and de- sist ; if not, he of course gains the instruction; which is so much the more likely to come, fiom the inclination with which he takes up the study.' "Though he used to censure carelessness with great vehemence, he owned, that he once, to avoid the trouble of locking up five guineas, hid them, he forgot where, so that he could not find them. " A gentleman who introduced his brother to Dr. Johnson was earnest to recommend him to the doctor's notice, which he did by saying, ' \\'lien we have sat together some time, you'll find my brother grow very entertaining.' ' Sir,' said Johnson, ' I can wait.' " When the rumour was strong that we I should have a war, because the French would 'assist the Americans, he rebuked a friend with some asperity for supposing it, saying, ' No, Sir, national faith is not yet sunk so low.' " In the latter part of his life, in order to 1 satisfy himself whether his mental faculties iwere impaired, he resolved that he would try to learn a new language, and fixed upon the Low Dutch for that purpose, and this he con- ' tinned till he had read about one half of , ' Thomas a Kempis ; ' and, finding that there appeared no abatement of his power of acqui- sition, he then desisted, as thinking the ex- periment had been duly tried. Mr. Burke ijustly observed, that this was not the most i vigorous trial, Low Dutcli being alanguajre so (near to our own : had it been one ot the [languages entirely different, he might have [been very soon satisfied. ; " Air. Langton and he having gone to see a freemason's funeral procession when they were I at Rochester, and some solenui music being 1 played on French horns, he said, 'Tliis is the 1 first time that I have ever been affected by i musical sounds ; ' adding, ' that the impression jmade upon him was of a melancholy kind.' j Mr. Langton saying, that this effect was a fine ione, — Johnson. ' Yes, if it softens the mind ' Tlie French horn, however, is so far rrom b^ing melan- choly /) ; has remarked, that 'Time toiled after him in \:uii.' In: 1 should apprehend that this is entirely to mistake tlic eli.iraclcr. ' Time toils ^.ftux every great vmn,!^?, well as after Slia!;-pearo. The workings of an ordinary mind keep pare, iiidt'.'d, wilii; time ; they move no faster ; they have their be^iiniiti!:, tlnir middle, cmd their end ; but superior natures can reduce l/iese into a point. They do not, indeed, suppress them ; but tbeyi suspeiid, or they lock them up in the breast" The learnedi society, under whose sanction such gabble is ushered into the world, would do well to offer a premium to anyone who wilhi discover its meaning Boswell. The autlior of this essayj was Mr. Thomas Robertson, afterwards D.D. and author oli a " Lije of Mary Queen of Scots." — Choker, 1817. j 3 Vauxhall. _- Croker. J2t. 71. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 663 /to think of you, and then you will cease to Sexist.' " " Goldsmith, upon being visited by Johnson one d;iy in the Temple, said to him with a little jealousy of the appearance of his accommoda- tion, ' I shall soon be in better chambers than these.' Johnson at the same time checked him and paid him a handsome compliment, implying that a man of his talents should be above at- tention to such distinctions, — ' Nay, Sir, never mind that : Nil te quasiveris extra.'' ' " At the time when his pension was granted to him, he said, with a noble literary ambition, ' Had this happened twenty years ago, I should have gone to Constantinople to learn Arabic, as Pococke did.' " As an instance of the niceness of his taste, though he praised West's translation of Pin- dar, he pointed out the following passages as faulty, by expressing a circumstance so minute as to detract from the general dignity which should prevail : — ' Down then from thy glittering nail, Take, O Muse; thy Dorian lyre.' " When Mr. Yesey - was proposed as a mem- ber of the Literary Club, Mr. Eurke began by saying that he was a man of gentle manners. ' Sir,' said Johnson, ' you need say no more. When you have said a man of gentle manners, you have said enough.' " The late Mr. Fitzherbert told Mi-. Lang- ton that Johnson said to him, ' Sir, a man has no more right to say an uncivil thing, than to act one ; no more right to say a rude thing to another than to knock him down.' " ' My dear friend, Dr. Bathurst,' said he, with a warmth of approbation, ' declared he was glad that his father, wlio was a West India planter, had left his affairs in total ruin, be- cause, having no estate, he was not under the temptation of having slaves.' " Richardson had little conversation, except about his own works, of which Sir Joshua Reynolds said he was always willing to talk, and glad to have them introduced.^ Johnson, when he carried Mr. Langton to see him, pro- fessed that he could bring him out into con- versation, and used this allusive expression, ' Sir, I can make him ?-ear.' But he failed ; for in that interview Richardson said little else 1 Kcc te qua^sivcris extra. Nor seek beyond yourself Pcrsius, Sat. 1.7.— C. - The Riplit Hon. Agmondesham Vesey was elected a member of tlie Literary Club in 1773, and died August llth, 178G. — Malone. Yet he afterwards found that gentle man- ners alone were 7iot " e?iottgfi ; " for when Mrs. Piozzi once asked him concerning the conversational powers of Mr. Vesey, with whom she was unacquainted, " He talked to me," said Johnson, " one day at the Club concerning Cati- line's conspiracy ; so I withdrew my attention, and thought about Tom Thumb." — Choker. 3 A literary lady has favoured mo with a characteristic anecdote of Riclia'rdsnn. One day at his country house at Northend, where a large company was assembled at dinner, a gentleman, who was just returned from I'aris, willing to please Mr. Richardson, mentioned to him a very flattering circumstance, that he had seen his Clarissa lying on the king's brother's table. Richardson, observing that part of than that there lay in the room a translation of his Clarissa into German. " Once when somebody produced a news- paper in which there was a letter of stupid abuse of Sir Joshua Reynolds, of which John- son himself came in for a share, ' Pray,' said he, ' let us have it read aloud from beginning to end ; which being done, he, with a ludicrous earnestness, and not directing his look to any particular person, called out, 'Arc we alive after all this satire ? ' " He had a strong prejudice against the political character of Seeker, one instance of which appeared at Oxford, where he expressed great dissatisfaction at his varying the old- established toast, ' Church and king.' ' The Archbishop of Canterbury,' said he, with an affected, smooth, smiling grimace, drinks " Con- stitution in church and state." Being asked what difference there was between the two toasts, he said, ' 'Why, Sir, you may be sure he meant something.' Yet when the life of that prelate, prefixed to his sermons by Dr. Porteus and Dr. Stinton, his chaplains, first came out, he read it with the utmost avidity, and said, ' It is a life well written, and that well deserves to be recorded.' " Of a certain noble lord \ he said, ' Respect him you could not ; for he had no mind of his own. Love him you could not ; for that which you could do with him every one else could.' " Of Dr. Goldsmith he said, ' No man was more foolish when he had not a pen in his hand, or more wise when he had.' " He told, in his lively manner, the following literary anecdote : — ' Green and Guthrie, an Irishman and a Scotchman, undertook a trans- lation of Duhalde's History of China. Green said of Guthrie, that he knew no English, and Guthrie of Green, that he knew no French ; and these two undertook to translate Duhalde's History of China. In this translation there was found, ' the twenty-sixth day of the new moon.' Now, as the whole age of the moon is but twenty- eight days, the moon, instead of being new, was nearly as old as it could be. The blunder arose from their mistaking the Avord neuvieme, ninth, for vouvelle^ or nciive, new.' " Talking of Dr. Blagden's^ copiousness and precision of communication. Dr. Johnson said, ' Blagden, Sir, is a delightful fellow.' the company were engaged in talking to each other, affected then not to attend to it ; but, by and by, when there was a general silence, and he thought that the flattery might be fully heard, he addressed himself to the gentleman : " I think, Sir, you were saying somewhat about " — pausing in a high flutter of expectation. The gentleman, provoked at his inordinate vanity, resolved not to indulge it, .and with an exquisitely sly air of indifference, answered, "A mere trifle, Sir, not worth repeating." The mortification of Richardson was visible, and he did not speak ten words more the whole day. Doctor Johnson was present, and appeared to enjov it much — UoswELL. * Probably Lord Cork. See ante, p. 5-'>5. 0-59 Choker. 5 Afterwards Sir Charles Blagden. Hannah More's account of him was, '' Doctor Blagden is Secretary to the Royal Society, so modest, so sensible, and so know"ing, that he ex- emplifies Pope's line, ' Willing to teach, and yet nut proud to know.' " — L(fc, vol. ii. p. 'JS. — Cboker, 1835. u u 4 664 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1780. " On occasion of Dr. Johnson's publiihinjr his pamphlet of ' The False Alarm,' there came out a very angry answer (by many supposed to be by INIr. Wilkes). Dr. Johnson determined on not answering it ; but, in conversation with ]\Ir. Langton, mentioned a particular or two, which, if he had replied to it, he might perhaps have inserted. In the answerer s pamphlet, it had been said with solemnity, 'Do you con- sider, Sir, that a house of commons is to the people as a creature is to its Creator ? ' ' To this question,' said Dr. Johnson, ' I could have replied, that, in the first place, the idea of a Creator must be such as that he has a power to unmake or annihilate his creature. Then it cannot be conceived that a creature can make laws for its Creator.' ' " ' Depend upon it,' said he, ' that if a man talks of his mistbrtunes, there is something in them that is not disagreeable to him; for where there is nothing but pure misery, there never is any recourse to the mention of it.' " ' A man must be a poor beast, that should read no more in quantity than he could utter aloud.' " ' Imlac, in Rasselas,' I spelt with a c at the end, because it is less like English, which should always have th"e Saxon k added to the c' " " ' Many a man is mad in certain instances, and goes through life without having it per- ceived. For example, a madness has seized a person, of supposing himself obliged literally to pray continually ^ : had the madness turned the opposite way, and the person thought it a crime ever to pray, it might not improbably have continued unobserved.' ^ He apprehended that the delineation of characters in the end of tlie first book of ihe ' Retreat of the Ten Thousand ' was the first instance of the kind that was known. " ' Supposing,' said he, ' a wife to be of a studious or argumentative turn, it would be very troublesome : for instance. If a woman should continually dwell upon the subject of the Arian heresy.' " ' No man speaks concerning another, even suppose it to be in his praise, if he thinks he does not hear him, exactly as he would if he thought he was within hearing. * " 'The applause of a single human being is of great consequence.' This he said to me 1 His profound adoration of the Great First Cause was such as to set him above that " phih)sophy and vain deceit " with which men of narrow conceptions luive been infected. 1 have heard him strongly maintain that " wiiat is viglit is not so from any natural fitness, but because God wills it to be right ; " and it is certainly so, because he has predisposed the relations of things so, as that which he wills must be right. — BoswELL. 2 I hope the authority of the great master of our language will. stop that curtailing innovation by which we see critic, public, &c. frequently written instead n{ critich, public/:. Sec. _I!oswELL. Why should we not retrench an obvious super- fluity? In the preceding age ;)mW/c and ovVc were written puhiique and critique. I find that Johnson himself, in a memorandum among Mr. Anderdon's papers, dated in 1784, writes " cubic feet." — Croker. 3 Johnson had, no doubt, his poor friend Smart in his re- collection : see ante, p. 135. — Ckokeu. with great earnestness of manner, very near the time of his decease, on occasion of havinn- desired me to read a letter addressed to him from some person In the north of England ; which when I had done, and he asked me what the contents were, as I thought being particu- lar upon It might fatigue him. It being of great length, I only told him in general that it was highly in his praise ; and then he expressed himself as above. " He mentioned with an air of satisfiictlon what BarettI had told him ; that, meeting in the course of his studying English with an ex- cellent paper in ' The Spectator,' one of four^ that were written by the respectable dissent- ing minister, Mr. Grove of Taunton, and ob- serving the genius and energy of mind that It exhibits, it greatly quickened his curiosity to visit our country ; as he thought, if such were the lighter periodical essays of our authors, their productions on more weighty occasions must be wonderful indeed ! " He observed once, at Sir Joshua Rey- nolds's, that a beggar in the street will more readily ask alms from a man^ though there should be no marks of wealth in his appear- ance, than from even a well-dressed woman^ ; which he accounted for from the great degree of carefulness as to money, that is to be found in women ; saying farther upon it, that the opportunities in general that they possess of Improving their condition are much fewer than men have ; and adding, as he looked round the company, which consisted of men only, ' There is not one of us who docs not think he might be richer, if he would use his endeavour.' " He thus characterised an ingenious writer of his acquaintance : ' Sir, he is an enthusiast by rule.' " ' He may hold up that shield against all his enemies^' was an observation on Homer, In reference to his description of the shield of Achilles, made by Mrs. Fitzherbert [p. 20.], wife to his friend Mr. Fitzherbert of Derby- shire, and respected by Dr. Johnson as a very fine one.'' He had in general a very high opinion of that lady's understanding. " An observation of Bathurst's may be men- tioned, which Johnson repeated, appearing to acknowledge it to be well founded ; namely. It was somewhat remarkable how seldom, on oc- * This observation confirms my suggestion, ante, p. 2S2. n. 5, and p. 304. n. 1, that we have suffered by Boswell's having written his Journal of the Tour to the Hebrides under Johnson's inspection. — CnoKER. 1847. 5 No. .SSS. fiOl. 620. f,35. See anti. inth April, 177(5, John- son's praise of that on Novelty, which is No. CJG. ; but I find in the Biographical Preface to the Spectator, this praise attributed ( I know not why) to No. 588. — Crokfr, 1847. 6 Sterne is of a direct contrary opinion. See his " Senti- mental Journey;" article, The Mystery Boswei.l. " Meaning, I suppose, that Homer's description of the shield of Achilles was so masterly that it alone was sufficient to prove him a great poet, and to turn all the shafts of criti. rism. But the reader cannot have failed to observe that many of the anecdotes in Mr. Langton's Collecianea. are very obscurely expressed, and that different topics seem sometimes jumbled into one paragaph Croker. jEt. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 665 casion of coming into the company of any new- person, ono felt any wish oi- inclination to see This year the Reverend Dr. Franklin having published a translation of " Lucian," inscribed to him the Demonax thus : — " To Dr. Samuel Johnson, the Demonax of the present age, tliis piece is inscribed by a sincure ad- mirer of his respectable talents. The Thansi.ator." Though upon a particular comparison of Demonax and Johnson, there does not seem to be a great deal of similarity between them ', this dedication is a just compliment from the general character given by Lucian of the an- cient sage, " apicr-oj' oJi' (]((■(£ iyio (<>i\o(T6piov yivofih'uf, the best philosopher whom I have ever seen or known." CHAFTER LXXL 1781. Tf(e " Lives of the Poets" completed. — Observations vpon, and various Readings in, the Life of Cowley. — Waller. — Milton. — Dryden. — Pope. — Broome. — Addison. — Parnell. — Dlackmore. — Philips. — Conf/rere. — Tichell. — Aheiisidc. — Lord Lyttehon. — Fouvg. — Sicifl. In 1781, Johnson at last completed his "Lives (if the Poets," of which he gives this account : '• Some time in March I finished the ' Lives of the Poets,' which I wrote in my usual way, dilatorily and hastily, unwilling to work, and working with vigour and haste." " In a me- morandum previous to this, he says of them : " "Written, I hope, m such a manner as may tend to the promotion of piety." — {Pr. and Med, pp. 174. 190.) This is the work which, of all Dr. Johnson's writings, will perhaps be read most generally. ' There were many points in which Johnson did not re- semble Demonax, who was higli-born and rich, very mild in his manners, gentle in argument and even in liis repri- mands, and lived to a great age in uninterrupted health ; hut in some other particulars Lucian 's character seems appli- cable to Johnson ; and indeed his tract resembles (in little) Boswell's own work, being a collection of observations on several topics, moral, critical, and religious, ni.ade by a pliil- sopher of strong sense, ready wit, and fearless veracity ;' and the character which Lucian .iscribes to the conversation of Demonax appe.irs to me not unlike (making due allowance for the difference of ancient and modern habits and topics) the style of that of Dr. Johnson Choker. - This facility of writing, and this dilatoriness ever to write. Dr. Johnson always retained, from the days that he lay a-bed and dictated his first publication to Mr. Hector, to the moment he made me copy out those variations in Pope's Homer which are printed in the IJiies of llie I'uets. ' .And now,' said he, when I had finished it for him, ' I fear not Mr. Nichols [the printer] of a pin.' — I'iozxi. The first livraison and witli most pleasure. Philology and bio- graphy were his favourite ])ursuits, and those who lived most in intimacy with liim, heard him upon all occasions, when there was a pro- per opportunity, take deliglit in expatiating upon the various merits of'the English poets : upon the niceties of their characters, and the events of their progress through the world which they contributed to illinninate. His mind was so full of that kind of information, and it was so well arranged in his memory, that In performing wliat he had undertaken In this way, he had little more to do than to put his thoughts upon paper; exhibiting first each poet's life, and then subjoining a critical exa- mination of his genius and works. But when he began to write, the subject swelled in such a manner, that instead of prefaces to each poet, of no more than a few pages, as he had origi- nally intended ^ he produced an ample, rich, and most entertaining view of them in every respect. In this he resembled Quintllian, wha tells us, that in the composition of his "Insti- tutions of Oratory," " Latius se tamen uperi- ente viateria, plus cpic'im imponehatur oneris spojitc suscepi." The booksellers, justly sensi- ble of the great additional value of the copy- right, presented him with another hundred pounds, over and above two hundi-ed, for which Ills agreement was to furnish such prefaces as he thought fit.'^ This was, however, but a small recompence for such a collection of biography, and such principles and Illustrations of criticism, as, if digested and arranged In one system, by some modern Aristotle or Longinus, might form a code upon that subject, such as no other nation can show. As he was so good as to make me a present of the greatest part of the original, and indeed only, manuscript of this admirable work, I have an opportunity of observing with Avonder the correctness with which he rapidly struck off such glowing composition. He may be assimilated to the lady in Waller, who could impress with "love at first sight:" " Some other nymphs with colom-s faint, And pencil slow, may Cupid paint, And a weak heart in time destroy : She has a stamp, and ))rints the boy." was published in 1779. This edition of tlie Poets was in sixty volumes, small octavo Crokeh. ^ His design is thus announced in his advertisement :" The , booksellers having determined to publish a body of English I poetry, 1 was persuaded to promise them a preface to the works of each author : an undertaking, as it was then pre- sented to my mind, not very tedious or difficult. My purpose was only to have allotted to every poet an advertisement, like that which we find in the ' French Miscellanies,' containing a few dates, and a general character ; but I have been led be- yond my intention. 1 hope by the honest desire of giving useful pleasure. — Boswkli. ■1 The bargain was for two hundred guineas, and the book- sellers spontaneously added a M;')d hundred: on this occasion Dr. Johnson observed to me, " Sir, I always said the book- sellers were a generous set of men. Nor, in the present in- stance, h.ive I reason to complain. The fact is, not that they have paid me too little, but that I have written too much." The " Lives " were soon published in a separate edition ; when, for a very few corrections, he was presented with another hundred guineas.— Nichols. Anti, p. .531. n. 1 C. 666 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1781. That he, howevei-, had a good deal of trou- ble, and some anxiety, in carrying on the work, we see from a series of letters to Mr. Nichols, the printer, whose variety of literary inquiry and obliging disposition rendered him useful to Johnson. Thus : — " In the Life of Waller, IMr. Nichols will find a reference to the PailiameiUary History, from which a long quotation is to be inserted. If Mr. Nichols cannot easily find the book, Mr. Johnson will send it from Streatham. " Clarendon is here returned. " By some accident I laid your note upon Duke up so safely, that I cannot find it. Your informations liave been of great use to me. T must beg it again, with another list of our authors, for I have laid that with the other. I have sent Stepney's Epitaph. Let mc have the revises as soon as can be. December, 1778. " I have sent Philips, with his Epitaphs, to he inserted. The fragment of a preface is hardly worth the impression, but that we may seem to do something. It may be added to the Life of Philips. Tlie Latin page is to be added to the Life of Smith. I shall be at home to revise the two sheets of Milton. March I. 1779. " Please to get me the last edition ot Hughes's Letters; and try to get Dennis upon Blackmore and upon Cato, and any thing of the same writer against Pope. Our materials are defective. " As Waller profe ,sed to have imitated Fairfax, do you think a few pages of Fairfax would enrich our edition ? Few readers have seen it, and it may please them. But it is not necessary. "' An account of the Lives and Works of some of the most eminent English Poets, by,' &c. ' The English Poets, biographically and critically con- sidered, by Sam. Johnson.' Let Mr. Nichols take his choice, or make another to his mind. May, 1781. " You somehow forgot the advertisement for the new edition. It was not enclosed. Of Gay's Letters I see not that any use can be made, for they give no information of any thing. That he was a member of a philosophical society is some- thing ; but surely ho could be but a corresponding member. However, not having his life here, I know not how to put it in, and it is of little im- portance."' ]Mr. Steevens appears, from the papers in my possession, to have supplied him with some anecdotes and quotations ; and I observe the lair hand ^ of Mrs. Thrale as one of his copyists of select passages. But he was principally in- debted to my steady friend, Mr. Isaac Reed, of Staple-inn, whose extensive and accurate knowledge of English literary history I do not I express with exaggeration, when I say it is I wonderful : indeed, his labours have proved it I to the world ; and all who have the pleasure of ! his acquaintance can bear testimony to the ' frankness of his communications in private society. It is not my intention to dwell upon each of Johnson's " Lives of the Poets," or attempt an analysis of their merits, which, were I able to do it, would take up too much room in this work ; yet I shall make a few observations upon some of them, and insert a few various readings. The Life of Cowley he himself considered as the best of the whole, on account of the dis- sertation which it contains on the Metaphysi- cal Poets.^ Dryden, whose critical abilities were equal to his poetical, had mentioned them in his excellent Dedication of his Juvenal, but had barely mentioned them. Johnson has ex- hibited them at large, with such happy illus- tration from their writings, and in so luminous a manner, that indeed he may be allowed the full merit of novelty, and to have discovered to us, as it were, a new planet in the poetical hemisphere. It is remarked by Johnson, in considering the works of a poet ^ that " amendments are seldom made without some token of a rent ;" but I do not find that this is applicable to prose.^ We shall see, that though his amend- ments in this work are for the better, tliere is nothing of the pannus assiitus; the texture is uniform ; and indeed, what had been tliere at first, is very seldom unfit to have remained. Various Readings " in the Life of Cowley. " All [future votaries of] that may hereafter pant for solitude. " To conceive and execute the [agitation or perception] pains and the pleasures of other mind.s. " The wide effulgence of [the blazing] a summer noon." In the Life of Waller, Johnson gives a dis- tinct and animated narrative of public affairs in that variegated period, with strong yet nice touches of character ; and having a ftiir oppor- tunity to display his political principles, does it with an unqualified manly confidence, and satisfies his readers how nobly he might have executed a Tory History of his country. So easy is his style in these Lives, that I do not recollect more than three uncommon or learned words: one, when giving an account of the approach of Waller's mortal disease, he says, "he found his legs grow tumid;'" by ' See several more in " The Gentleman's Magazine," 1/85. The editor of that miscellany, in which Johnson wrote for several years, seems justly to think that every fragment of so great a man is worthy of being preserved Boswell. The originals are now in the British Museum P.Cunningham. - A fair hand, in more than one sense — her writing is an almost perfect specimen of caligraphy, as beautiful, I think, as I ever saw ; and this power remained unimpaired to the last years of her long life. — Crokuu. 3 Hawkins says, that he also gave it the preference, as con- taining a nicer investigation and discrimination of the characteristics of wit, than is elsewhere to be foimd. — — CnOKER. •1 Life of Sheffield. — Boswell. 5 See, however, p. 657. of this volume, where the same re- mark is made, and Johnson is there .speaking of jirose. In his Life of Dryden, his observations on the opera of " King Arthur" furnish a. Striking instance of the truth of this remark . Mai.one. 6 The original reading is enclosed in brackets, and the pre- sent one is printed in italics — Boswell. J£t. 72. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 667 using the expression his legs sivelled, he would have avoided this ; and there would have been no impropriety in its being followed by the in- teresting question to his physician, " What that swelling meant ? " Another, when he mentions that Pope had emitted proposals ; when jinl)- lished or issued would have been more readily understood ; and a third, when he calls Orrery and Dr. Delaney writers both undoubtedly veracious; when true, honest, ov faithful, might have been used. Yet, it nmst be owned, that none of these are hard or too big words ; that custom would make them seem as easy as any others ; and that a language is richer and capa- ble of more beauty of expression, by having a greater variety of synonyraes. His dissertation iipon the unfitness of poetry for the awful subjects of our holy religion, though I do not entirely agree with him, has all the merit of originality, with uncommon force and reasoning. Various Headings in the Life of Waller. " Consented to [the insertion of their names] thetr men nomination. " [After] paying a fine often thousand pounds. " Congratulating Charles the Second on his [coronation] recovered right. " He that has tiattery ready for all whom the vicissitudes of the world happen to exalt, must be [confessed to degrade his powers] scorned as a pros- tituted mind. " The characters by which Waller intended to distinguish his writings are [elegance] sprightliness and dignity. " Blossoms to be valued only as they [fetch] foretell fruits. " Images such as the superficies of nature [easily] readihj supplies. '• [His] Some applications [are sometimes] may he thought too remote and unconsequential. " His images are [sometimes confused] not always distinct." Against his Life of Miltox, the hounds of whiggism have opened in full cry.' But of Milton's great excellence as a poet, where shall we find such a blazon as by the hand of Johnson? I shall 'delect only the following passage concerning " Paradise Lost : " — " Fancy can hardly forbear to conjecture with what temper Milton surveyed the silent progress of I " Mr. Nichols," says Murphy, " whose attachment to his iUiistrious friend was unwearied, showed him, in 1780, a book called Remarks en Johnson's Life of Milton, in which the affair of I.auder was renewed with virulence, and a poetical scale in the Liter.iry Magazine, 1758 (when Johnson had ce.ised to write in that collection), was urged as an additional proof of deliberate malice. He read the libellous passage with attention, and instantly wrote on the margin : ' In the busi- ness of Lauder I was deceived, partly hy thinking the man too frantic to be fraudulent. Of the poetical scale, quoted from the Magazine, I am not the author. I fancy it was put in after 1 had quitted that work ; for I not only did not write it, but I do not remember it.' " But see ante, p. 73. n. 2. — Croker. - See " An Essay on the Life, Character, and Writings of Dr. Samuel Johnson," London, 1787; which is very well written, making a proper allowance for the democratical bigotry of its author ; whom 1 cannot however but admire for his liberality in speaking thus of my illustrious friend: his work, and marked his reputation stealing its way in a kind of subterraneous current, through fear and silence. J cannot l)ut conceive him calm and confident, little disappointed, not at all dejected, relying on his own merit with steady consciousness, and waiting, without impatience, the vicissitudes of opinion, and the impartiality of a future genera- tion." Indeed even Dr. Towers, who may be con- sidered as one of the warmest zealots o^ The Revolution Socicti/ itself, allows, that " Johnson has spoken in the highest terms of the abilities of that great poet, and has bestowed on his principal poetical compositions the most ho- nourable encomiums." - That a man, who venerated the church and monarchy as Johnson did, should speak with a just abhorrence of Milton as a politician, or rather as a daring foe to good polity, was surely to be expected ; and to those who cen- sure him, I would recommend his commentary on Milton's celebrated complaint of his situ- ation, when by the lenity of Charles the Second, " a lenity of which," as Johnson well observes, " the world has had perhaps no other example, he, who had written in justification of the murder of his sovereign, was safe under ! an Act of Oblivion." " No sooner is he safe than he finds himself in danger, fallen on evil days and evil tongues, ivith darkness and with dangers compassed round. This darkness, had his eyes been better employed, had undoubt- edly deserved compassion ; but to add the mention of danger was ungrateful and unjust. He was fallen, indeed, on evil days ; the time was come in which regicides could no longer boast their wickedness. But of evil tongues for Milton to complain, recpiired impudence at least equal to his other powers ; I\lilton, whose warmest advocates must allow, that he never spared any asperity of reproach, or bru- tality of insolence," I have, indeed, often wondered how Milton, " an acrimonious and surly republican," ^ — " a man who in his domestic relations was so severe and arbitrary," and whose head was filled with the hardest and most dismal tenets of Calvinism, should have been such a poet ; should not only have written with sublimity, but with beauty, and even gaiety ; should have exquisitely painted the sweetest sensa- " He possessed extraordinary powers of understanding, which were much cultivated by study, and still more by meditation and reflection. His memory was remarkbly re- tentive, his imagination uncommonly vigorous, and his judg- ment keen and penetrating. He had a strong sense of the importance of religion ; his piety was sincere, and sometimes ardent ; and his zeal for the interests of virtue was often manifested in his conversation and in his writings. The same energy which was displayed in his literary productions was exhibited also in his conversation, which was various, striking, and instructive ; and perhaps no man ever equ.dled him for nervous and pointed repartees. His Dictionary, his Moral Essays, and his productions in polite literature, will convey useful instruction, and elegant entertainment, as long as the language in which they are written shall be understood."— Boswell. 3 Johnson's Life of Milton. — Bo.swell. 668 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1781. tions of which our nature is capable ; imaged the delicate raptures of connubial love ; na}-, seemed to be animated with all the spirit of revelry. It is a proof that in the human mind the departments of judgment and imagination, perception and temper, may sometimes be divided by strong partitions ; and that tlie light and shade in the same character may be kept so distinct as never to be blended.' In the Life of Milton, Johnson took occasion to maintain his own and the general opinion of the excellence of rhyme over blank verse, in English poetry ; and quotes this apposite illustration of it by " an ingenious critic," that it seems to he verse nnlij to the eye?- The gen- tleman whom he thus characterises is (as he told Mr. Seward) Mr. Lock, of Norbury Park, in Surrey, whose knowledge and taste in the fine arts is universally celebrated ; with whose elegance of manners the writer of the present work has felt himself much impressed, and to whose virtues a common friend, who has known him long and is not much addicted to flattery, gives the highest testimony. Various Headings in the Life of Milton. " I cannot find any meaning but this which [his most bigoted advocates] even kindness and reverence can give. " [Perhaps no] scarcely any man e\ er wrote so much, and praised so fnv;. " .'\ certain [rescue] preservative from oblivion. " Let me not be censured for this digression, as [contracted] pedantic or i)aradoxica]. " Socrates rather was of opinion, that what we had to learn was how to [obtain and communicate happiness] do good and avoid evil. " Its elegance [who can exhibit ?] is less attain- able. " I could, with pleasure, expatiate upon the masterly e.xecution of the Life of Dryden, which we have seen^ was one of Johnson's literary projects at an early period, and which it is remarkable, that after desisting from it, from a supposed scantiness of materials, he should, at an advanced age, have exhibited so amply. His defence of that great poet against the illiberal attacks upon him, as if his embracing the Roman Catholic communion had been a time-serving measure, is a piece of reasoning at once able and candid. Indeed, Dryden himself, in his " Hind and Panther," hath given such a picture of his mind, that they who know the anxiety for repose as to the awful subject of our state beyond the grave, ' Mr. Malone thinks it is rather a proof that he felt nothing of those cheerful sensations which he has described: that on these topics it is the poet, and not the tnan, that writes — BoSWELL. 2 One of the most natural instances of the effect of blank verso occurred to the late Earl of Hopeton. His lordship observed one of his sheplierds poring in the fields upon Milton's " Paradise Lost ; "and having asked liim what hook it was, the man answered, " .\n't please your lordship, this is though they may think his opinion ill-founded, must think charitably of his sentiment : — " But, gracious God, how well dost thou provide For erring judgments an unerring guide ! Thy throne is darkness in the abyss of light, A blaze of glory that forbids the sight. O ! teach me to believe thee thus conceal'd ; And search no farther than thyself reveal'd; But Her alone for my director take. Whom thou hast promised never to forsake. IVIy thoughtless youth was wing'd with vain desires ; INIy manhood long misled by wand'rlng fires, Follow'd false lights ; and when their glimpse was gone, My pride struck out new sparkles of her own. Such was I, such by nature still I am ; Be thine the glory, and be mine the shame. Good life be now my task ; my doubts are done ; What more could shock my faith than Three in One?" In drawing Dryden's character, Johnson has given, though I suppose unintentionally, some touches of his own. Thus : " The power that piredominated in his intellectual operations was rather strong reason than quick sensi- bility. Upon all occasions that were presented, he studied rather than felt ; and produced sentiments not such as nature enforces, but meditation supplies. With the simple and elemental passions, as they spring separate in the mind, he seems not much acquainted. He is, therefore, with all his variety of excellence, not often pathetic, and had so little sensibility of the power of effusions purely natural, that he did not esteem them in others." It may indeed be observed, that in all the numerous writings of Johnson, whether in prose or verse, and even in his tragedy, of which the subject is the distress of an unfortunate princess, there is not a single passage that ever drew a tear. "* Various Readings in the Life of Dkyden. ''The reason of this general perusal, Addison has attennpted to [find in] derive from the delight which the mind feels in the investigation of secrets. " His best actions are but [convenient] inability of wickedness. " When once he had engaged himself in dispu- tation, [matter] thoughts flowed in on either side. '• The abyss of an un-ideal [emptiness] vacancy. " These, like [many other harlots], the harlots of other men, had his love, though not his approbation. " He [sometimes displays] descends to display his knowledge with pedantic ostentation. " French words which [were then used in] had then crept into conversation." a very odd sort of an author : he would fain rhyme, but can- not get at it." — BoswELL. 3 See ante, p. 51 G Boswell. 4 It seems to me. that there are many pathetic passages in Johnson's works, both prose and verse. — Kkarney. The deep and pathetic morality of the I'antly of Human ll'iskes, acted tears from those wliose eyes wander dry — Walter Scott. JEt. 72. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 669 The Life of Pope ' was written by Johnson con amore, both from the early possession which that writer hail taken of his mind, and from the pleasure which he must have felt, in for ever silencing all attempts to lessen his poetical fame, by demonstrating his excellence, and pronouncing the following triumphant eulogium : " After all this, it is surely superfluous to auswer the question that has once been asked, Whether Pope was a poet ? otherwise tlian by asking in return, if Pope be not a poet, where is poetry to be found? To circumscribe poetry by a definition, will only show the narrowness of the definer ; though a definition which shall exclude Pope will not easily be made. Let us look round upon the present time, and back upon the past ; let us in- quire to whom the voice of mankind has decreed the wreath of poetry ; let their productions be examined, and their claims stated, and the pre- tensions of Pope will be no more disputed." I remember once to have heard Johnson say, " Sir, a thousand years may elapse before tliere shall appear another man with a power of versification equal to that of Pope." That l)o\ver must undoubtedly be allowed its due share in enhancing the value of his captivating composition. Johnson, who had done liberal justice to AVarburton in his edition of Shakspeare, which ' Mr. D'lsraeli has, in the third volumeof his " Literary Curiosities," favoured the public with an original nsemo- randum of Dr. Johnson's, of hints for the " Life of Pope," written down as they were suggested to his mind in the course of his researches Chalmers. - Of .lohnson's conduct towards Warburton, avoryhonour- i'.ble notice is taken by the editor of Tracts by Warburton, iind a IVarburtonian, not admitted into the Collection of I heir respective IVorks. After an able and "fond, though no: uiidistinguishing," consideration of Warburton's character, " In two immortal works, Johnson has stood forth in the foremost rank of his admirers. By the testimony of such a man, impertinence must be abashed, and malignity itself must be softened. Of literary merit, Johnson, as we all know, was a sagacious but a most severe judge. Such was his discern- ment, tliat he pierced into the most secret springs of human actions ; and such was liis integrity, that he always weighed tlie moral characters of his fellow-creatures in the ' balance of the sanctuary.' He was too courageous to propitiate a rival, and too proud to truckle to a superior. Warburton he knew, as I know him, and as every man of sense and virtue would wish to be known, — I mean, both from his own writings, and from the writings of those who dissented from his principles or who envied his reputation. But, as to favours, he had never received or asked any from the Bishop of Gloticester ; and, if my memory fails me not, he had seen him only once, when they met almost without design, con- versed without much effort, and parted without .iny lasting impression of hatred or affection. Yet, with all the ardour of sympathetic genius, Johnson had done that spontaneously and ably, which, by some writers, had been before attempted injudiciously, and which, by others, from whom more suc- eessful attempts might have been expected, has not hitherto been done at all. He spoke well of Warburton, without insulting those whom Warburton despised. He suppressed not the imperfections of this extraordinary man, wliile lie tiulcavoured to do justice to his numerous and transcendental excellencies. He defended him when living, amidst the clamours of his enemies ; and praised him when dead, amidst the silence of his friends." Having availed myself of the eulogy of this editor [Dr. Parr] on my departed friend, for which I warmly thank liim, let me not suffer the lustre of his reputation, honestly ac- quired by profound learning and vigorous eloquence, to be tarnished by a charge of illiberality. He has been accused of invidiously dragging again into light certain writings of a person [Bishop Hurd] respectable by his talents, his learn- ing, his station, and his age, which were published a great was published during the life of that powerful writer, with still greater liberality took an opportunity, in the life of Pope, of paying the tribute due to him when he was no longer in "■ high place," but nundjcred with the dead.^ It seems strange, that two such men as Johnson anfl Warburton, who lived in the same age and country, should not only not have been in any degree of intimacy, but been almost personally unacquainted. But such instances, though we must wonder at them, are not rare. If I am rightly informed, after a careful inquiry, they never met but once, which was at the house of Mrs. French, in London, well known (or her elegant assemblies and bringing eminent characters together. The interview proved to be mutually agree- able. ^ I am well informed, that Warburto'n said of Johnson, " I admire him, but I cannot bear his style : " and that Johnson being told of this, said, " That is exactly my case as to him." The manner in which he expressed his admir- ation of the fertility of Warburton's genius and of the variety of his materials, was, " The table is always full, Sir. He brings things from the north, and the south, and from every quarter. In his ' Divine Legation,' you are always entertained. He carries you round and round, without carrying you forward to the point, but then you have no wish to be many years ago, and have since, it is said, been silently given up by their author. But when it is considered that these writings were not sins of youth, but deliberate works of one well advanced in life, overflowing at once with flattery to a great man of great interest in the church, and with unjust and acrimonious abuse of two men of eminent merit ; and that, though it would have been unreasonable to expect an humiliating recantation, no apology whatever has been made in the cool of the evening, for the oppressive fervour of the heat of the day; no slight relenting indication has appeared in any note, or any corner of later publications ; is it not fair to understand him as superciliously persevering ? When he allows the shafts to remain in the wounds, and will not stretch forth a lenient hand, is it wrong, is it not generous, to become an indignant avenger? — Boswf.ll. Warburton himself did not feel, as Mr. Boswell was disposed to think he did, kindly or gratefully towards Johnson: for in one of his letters to a friend, he says, — " The remarks he (Dr. Johnson) makes in every page on my commentaries, are full of insolent and malignant reflec- is, 1 think myself obliged to him in thus setting before the public so many of my notes, with his remarks upon them : for though 1 have no great opinion of the trifling part of the public, which pretends to judge of this part of literature, in which boys and girls decide, yet I think nobody can be mis- taken in this comparison : though 1 think their thoughts have never yet extended thus far as to reflect, that to discover the corruption in an author's text, and by a happy sagacity to restore it to sense, is no easy task : but when the discovery is made, then to cavil at the conjecture, to propose an equiva- lent, and defend nonsense, by producing out of the thick darkness it occasions a weak and faint glimmering of sense (which has bee)i the business of this editor througliout) is the easiest, as well as the dullest, of ,ill literary efforts." Warburton's Letters, published by Bp. Ilurd, 8vo. 367 Croker. 3 Johnson being asked " whether he had ever been in cora- p.any with Dr. Warburton ? " answered,-' I never saw him till one evening, about a week ago, at the Bishop of St. [Asaph's]: at first he looked surlily at me ; but after we had been jostled into conversation, he took me to a window, asked me some questions, and before we parted was so well pleased with me, that he patted me." " You always. Sir, preserved a respect for him ? " " Yes, and justiv : w hen as vet I was in no favour with the world, he spoke well of me, aiid I hope I never for- got the obligation."— Hatrliiiis's Apoph. — Choker. 670 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1781. carried forward." He said to the Reverend Mr. Strahan, " Warburton is perhaps the last man who has written with a mind full of read- ing and reflection." It is remarkable that in the Life of Broome, Johnson takes notice of Dr. Warburton's using a mode of expression which he himself used, and that not seldom, to the great offence of those who did not know him. Having occasion to mention a note, stating the different parts which were executed by the associated trans- lators of " The Odyssey," he says, " Dr. War- burton told me, in his warm language, that he thought the relation given in the note a lie." The language is ivar7n indeed ; and, I must own, cannot be justified in consistency with a decent regard to the established forms of speech. Johnson had accustomed himself to use the word lie, to express a mistake or an error in relation ; in short, when the thing was not so as told, though the relator did not mea7i to de- ceive. When he thought there was intentional falsehood in the relater, his expression was, " He lies, and he hiows he lies." Speaking of Po])e's not having been known to excel in conversation, Johnson observes, that " traditional memory retains no sallies of raillery, or sentences of observation ; nothing either pointed or solid, wise or merry; and that one apophthegm only is recorded." In this respect. Tope differed widely from John- son, whose conversation was, perhaps, more admirable than even his writings, however excellent. IVIr. Wilkes has, however, favoured me with one repartee of Pope, of which John- son was not informed.' Johnson, after justly censuring him for havino- " nursed in his mind a foolish disesteem of kings," tells us, " yet a little regard shown him by the Prince of Wales melted his obduracy ; and he had not much to say when he was asked by his royal highness, how he could love a prince ivhile he disliked kings ? " The answer which Pope made was, " The young lion is harmless, and even playful ; but when his claws are full grown, he becomes cruel, dreadful, and mischievous."^ But although we have no collection of Pope's sayings, it is not therefore to be concluded, that he was not agreeable in social intercourse ; for Johnson has "been heard to say, that the happiest conversation is that of which nothing 1 He howevpr ought to have been ; for it is to be found in RufThead's " Life of Pope," p. 535., though in more decent and appropriate terms than Wilkes or Boswell attributed to him. " The young lion may be caressed with safety before his nails are grown." — Cuoker, 1835. 2 [James, 13th Lord Somerville, who died in 1765.] Let me here express my grateful remembrance of Lord Somer- ville's kindness to me, at a very early period. He was the first person of high rank that took particular notice of me in the way most flattering to a young man. fondly ambitious of being distinguished for his literary t.ilrnts ; and by the honour of his encouragement mad.' m- luiu:, well nf myself, and aspire to deserve it better. licliil '. >: ii uf com- municating his varied knowledge oi , I ;. i;, -liort re- marks and anecdotes, with a quiet pi. ,i; i ;.:;\ :;v , tliat was exceedingly engaging. Never shall I forget tlie hours which I enjoyed with him at his apartments In the royal palace of is distinctly remembered, but a general effect of pleasing impression." The late Lord Somerville ^, who saw much both of great and brilliant life, told me, that he had dined in company with Pope, and that after dinner the little man, as he called him, drank his bottle of Burgundy, and was exceedingly gay and en- tertaining. I cannot withhold from my great friend a censure of at least culpable inattention to a nobleman, who, it has been shown, behaved to him with uncommon politeness. He says, " except Lord Bathurst, none of Pope's noble friends were such as that a good man would wish to have his intimacy with them known to posterity." This will not apply to Lord iMansfield, who was not ennobled in Pope's lifetime ; but Johnson should have recollected, that Lord Marchmont was one of those noble friends.' He includes his lordship, along with Lord Bolingbroke, in a charge of neglect of the papers which Pope left by his will ; when, in truth, as I myself pointed out to him, before he wrote that poet's life, the papers were " committed to the sole care and judgment of Lord Bolingbroke, unless he (Lord Boling- broke) shall not survive me ; " so that Lord Marchmont has no concern whatever with them. After the first edition of the Lives, Mr. Malone, whose love of justice is equal to his accuracy, made, in my hearing, the same remark to Johnson : yet he omitted to correct the erroneous statement.'' These particulars I mention, in the belief that there was only forgetfulness in my friend ; but I owe this much to the Earl of Marchmont's reputation, who, were there no other memorials, will be immortalised by that line of Pope, in the verses on his Grotto : " And the bright flame was shot through March- mont's soul." Various Readijigs in the Life of Pope. "[Somewhat free] sufficiently hold in his cri- ticism. " All the gay [niceties] varieties of diction. " Strikes the imagination with far [more] greater force. " It is [probably] certainly the noblest version of poetry which the world has ever seen. Holyrood House, and at his seat near Edinburgh, which he himself had formed with an elegant taste. — Boswell. 3 He said, on a subsequent occasion, that another of Pope's noble friends, " Lord Peterborough, was a favourite of his." See post, 27th June, 1784. And he had said, not long before, {ante, p. 614.) that " Bathurst was a pleasing man," and that " he had heard no ill of IVIarchmont."— Croker. •* This neglect, however, assuredly did not arise from any ill-will towards Lord Marchmont, but from inattention ; just as he neglected to correct his statement concerning the family of Thomson, the poet, after it had been shown to be erro- neous. — Malonf. Johnson seems to have habitually dis- regarded such corrections ; but as to the Lives of the Poets, the truth is, that he began the work as a thing that might be done in a few weeks, and was surprised and fatigued at the length to which he found it expand : .ind it is not wonderful that at so advanced an age he was not very anxious to pur- chase minute accuracy by the labour of revision. — Croker. ^T. 72. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 671 " Every sheet enabled him to write the next with [less trouble] more facility. " No man sympathises with [vanity depressed] the sorrows of vanity. " It had been [criminal] less easily excused. " M'hen he [threatened to lay down] talked of laying down his pen. " Society [is so named emphatically in opposition to] politically regtdnted, is a state contradistinguished from a state of nature. " A fictitious life of an [absurd] infatuated scholar. " A foolish [contempt, disregard,] disesteem of kings. " His hopes and fears, his joys and sorrows [were like those of other mortals] acted strongly upon his mind. " Eager to pursue knowledge and attentive to [accumulate] retain it. " A mind [excursive] active, ambitious, and ad- venturous. " In its [noblest] widest searches still longing to go forward. " He wrote in such a manner as might expose him to few [neglects] hazards. " Tlie [reasonableness] justice of my determina- tion. " A [favourite] delicious employment of tht' poets. " More terrific and more powerful [beings] phantoms perform on the stormy ocean. " The inventor of [those] this petty [beings] 7iation. " The [mind] heart naturally loves truth." In the Life of Addison we find an unpleas- ing account of his having lent Steele a hun- dred pounds, and " reclaimed his loan by an execution." In the new edition of the Sio- graphia Bi-itannica, the authenticity of this anecdote is denied. But IVIr. Malone has obliged me with the following note concerning it: — "March 15th, 1781. — Many persons having doubts concerning this fact, I applied to Dr. John- son, to learn on what authority he asserted it. He told me, he had it from Savage, who lived in intimacy with Steele, and who mentioned, that Steele told him the story with tears in his eyes. Ben Victor, Dr. Johnson said, likewise informed him of this remarkable transaction, from the rela- tion of Mr. Wilks the comedian, who was also an intimate of Steele's.' Some, in defence of Addison, have said, that ' the act was done with the good- 1 The late Mr. Burke informed me, in 1702, that Lady Dorothea Primrose, who diednZ a great age, I think in 1768, and had been well acquainted with Steele, told him the same story. — Malone. Lady Dorothea, the sixth and youngest daughter of the first Earl of Hoseberry, could not have been, at lier death, in 1768, more than sixty-five, and was probably some years less, and must have been little more than a child when Addison died ; so that her evidence as a contemporarv is not worth much. If the story be at all true (which I doubt), the most probable explanation is that which was given by Mr. Thomas Sheridan (see post, 15th April, 1781), namely, that it was a friendly execution put in to screen Steele's goods from hostile creditors. A not unfrequent practice, nor quite unjustifiable, when the debt is real.— <.'ROKEU. - 1 have since observed, that Johnson has .''urther enforced natured view of rousing Steele, and correc»iii£j that profusion wliich always made him necessitous.' 'If that were the case,' said Johnson, ' and tliat he only wanted to alarm Steele, he would afterwards have returned the money to liis friund, which it is not pretended he did.' ' This too,' he added, 'might be retorted by an advocate for Steele, who might allege, that he did not repay the loan intentionul/y, merely to see whether Addison would be mean and ungenerous enough to make use of legal process to recover it. But of such speculations there is no end ; we cannot dive into the hearts of men ; but their actions are open to observation.' " I then mentioned to him tliat some people thought that Mr. Addison's character was so pure, that the fact, though true, ought to have been sup- pressed. He saw no reason for this. 'If nothing but the bright side of characters should be shown, we should sit down in despondency, and think it utterly impossible to imitate them in any thing. The sacred writers,' he observed, 'related the vicious as well as the virtuous actions of men ; which had this moral effect, that it kept mankind from despair, into which otherwise they would naturally fall, were tliey not supported by the recollection that others had offended like them- selves, and by penitence and amendment of life had been restored to the favour of Heaven.' ^ " E. M." The last paragraph of this note is of great importance ; and I request that my readers may consider it with particular attention. It will be afterwards referred to in this work. Various Readings in the Life of Addison. " [But he was our first example.] He was, how- ever, one of our earliest examples of correctness. " And [overlook] despise their masters. " His instructions were such as the [state] cha- racter of his [own time] readers made [necessary] proper. " His purpose was to [diffuse] infuse literary curiosity by gentle and unsuspected conveyance [among] into the gay, the idle, and the wealthy. " Framed rather for those that [wish] are learn- ing to write. " Domestic [manners] sce7ies." In his Life of Parnell, I wonder that John- son omitted to insert an epitaph which he had long before composed for that amiable man, without ever writing it down, but which he was so good as, at my request, to dictate to me, by which means it has been preserved. the propriety of exhibiting tlie faults of virtuous and eminent men in their true colours, in the last paragraph of the 16-lth Number of his Rambler : — " It is particularly the duty of those who consign illus- trious names to posterity, to take care lest their readers be misled by ambiguous examples. That writer may be justly condemned as an enemy to goodness, who suffers fondness or interest to confound right with wrong, or to shelter the faults which even the wisest and the best have committed, from that ignominy which guilt ought always to suffer, and with which it should be more deeply stigmatised, when dig- nified by its neighbourhood to uncommon worth ; since we shall be in danger of beholding it without abhorrence, unless its turpitude be laid open, and the eye secured from the de- ception of surrounding splendour." — Malone. 672 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1781. " Hie requiescit Thomas Paunell, S. T. P. " Qui sacerdos pariter et poeta, Utrasqiie partes ita iraplevit, Ut ncque sacerdoti suavitas poetse, Nee poctae sacerdotis sanctitas, deesset." Various Readings in the Life q/* Pa knell. " About three years [after] afterwards. " [Did not much want] was in no great need of improvement. " But his prosperity did not last long [was clouded with that which took away all his powers of enjoying either profit or pleasure, the death of his wife, wliom he is said to liave lamented with such sorrow, as hastened his end.'] His end, what- ever was the cause, was now approaching. " In the Hermit, the [composition] iiarrative, as it is less airy, is less pleasing." In the Life of Blackmore, we find that writer's reputation generously cleared by Johnson from the cloud of prejudice which the malignity of contemporary wits had raised around it. In the spirited exertion of justice, lie has been imitated by Sir Joshua Keynolds, in his praise of the architecture of Vanbrugh. We trace Johnson's own character in his observations on Blackmore's " magnanimity as an avithor." " The incessant attacks of his enemies, whether serious or men-y, are never discovered to have disturbed his quief,"or to have lessened his confidence in himself." Johnson, I recollect, once told me, laughing heartily, that he understood it has been said of him, " He appears not to feel ; but when he is alone, depend upon it, he suffers sadly." I am as certain as I can be of any man's real senti- ments, that he enjoijed the perpetual shower of little hostile arrows, as evidences of his fame. Various Readings in the Life 0/ Blackmoue. " To [set] engage poetry [on the side] in the cause of virtue. " He likewise [established] enforced the truth of Revelation. " [Kindness] benevolence was ashamed to favour. " His practice, which was once [very extensive] invidiously great. " There is scarcely any distemper of dreadful name [of] which he has not [shown] taught his reader how [it is to be opposed] to oppose. " Of this [contemptuous] indecent arrogance. " [He wrote] hut produced likewise a work of a different kind. " At least [written] compiled \v\th integrity. ' I should have thought that Johnson, who had felt the severe afiliction from which Parnell never recovered, would have preserved tins passage. He omitted it, doubtless, be- cause he afterwards learned, that however he might have lamented his wife, his end was hastened by other means JlALONE. Malone had not turned to the Life, where he would have found the substance of this passage transferred to another paragraph. The common story combines both these causes ; for it is said that the loss of his wife led poor Parnell into such intemperance as shortened his life — Croker, 1835. - Let not my readers smile to think ol Johnson's being a candidate for female favour ; Mr. Peter Garrick assured me that he was told by a lady, that, in her opinion, Johnson was " Faults which many tongues [were desirous] would have made haste to publish. " But though he [had not] couldnot boast of much critical knowledge. " He [used] waited for no felicities of fancy. " Or iiad ever elated his [mind] views to that ideal ])erfection which every [mind] genius born to excel is condemned always to pursue and never to overtake. " The [first great]/MK(fame«taZ principle of wisdom and of virtue." Various Readings in the Life of Philips. " His dreaded [rival] antagonist Pope. " They [have not often much] are not loaded with thought. " In liis translation from Pindar, he [will not be denied to have reached] found the art of reaching all the obscurity of the Theban bard." Various Readings in the Life of CoyiG rev e. " Congreve's conversation must surely have been at least eijually jileasing with his writings. " It apparently [requires] presupposes a similar knowledge of many characters. " Reciprocation of [similes] conceits. " The dialogue is [(juick and various] sparhling. " Love for Love ; a comedy [more drawn from life] nn's niiiul ; but tlui' Af'also had a love for speculatmns of thjt nature may be gathered from his writings throughout. — J. BOSWELL, j I'.l. - Garrick had been dead two years and three months Croker, 1847. CHAPTER LXXni. 1781. Dinner at Mrs. Garrick's. — Miss Hannah More Miidffe's " Sermons." — A Printer's Devil. — Quotation. — Letter-writing. — Bet Flint. — Oratory, — Beanclerk's Library. — English Ser- mons Blue- Stocking Clubs. — Miss Monckton. 1 — Talking for Victory. — A Cut Bono Man. — "Heroic Epistle." — Lord Carlisle's Poems. — Dr. Barnard. — " Of Tory and Whig." — Visit to Welwyn. — Dr. Young Trusting to Impres- sions. — Original Sin. — Ancient Egyptians. — Wealth. — Memory and Becollection. — Marrying a pretty Woman. — Thrale's Brewery. — Mr. Bewley. — Johnson's Hearth-broom. — Dr. Patten. — Visit to Ashbourne and Lichfield. On Friday, April 20., I spent with him one of the happiest days that I remember to have en- joyed in the whole course of my life. Mrs. Garrick, whose grief for the loss of her husband was, I believe, as sincere as wounded affection and admiration could produce, had this day, for the first time since his death, a select party of his friends to dine with her.^ The company was, Miss Hannah Slore, who lived with her, and whom she called her chaplain ;' Mrs. Bos- cawen, Mrs. Elizabeth Carter, Sir Joshua 686 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1781. Reynolds, Dr. Burney, Dr. Johnson, and my- self. We found ourselves very elegantly en- tertained at her house in the Adelphi, where I have passed many a pleasing hour with him " who gladdened life." She looked well, talked of her husband with complacency, and while she cast her eyes on his portrait, which hung over the chimney-piece, said, that " death was now the most agreeable object to her." The very semblance of David Garrick was cheer- ing. Mr. Beauclerk, with hajipy propriety, inscribed under that fine portrait of him, which by Lady Diana's kindness is now the property of my friend Mr. Langton, the following pas- sage from his beloved Shakspeare : " A merrier man, Within the limit of becoming mirth, I never spent an hour's talk withal. His eye begets occasion for his wit ; For every object that thi; one doth catch The other turns to a mirth-moving jest ; Which his fair tongue (Conceit's expositor) Delivers in such apt and gracious wordsj That aged ears play truant at his tales, And younger hearings are quite ravished; So sweet and voluble is his discourse."' We were all in fine spirits ; and I whispered to Mrs. Boscawen, " I believe this is as much as can be made of life."^ In addition to a splen- did entertainment, we were regaled with Lich- field ale, which had a peculiar appropriate value. Sir Joshua, and Dr. Burney, and I drank cordially of it to Dr. Johnson's health ; and though he would not join us, he as cor- dially answered, " Gentlemen, I wish you all as well as you do me." The general effect of this day dwells upon my mind in fond remembrance ; but I do not find much conversation recorded. What I have preserved shall be faithfully given. One of the company mentioned Mr. Thomas IloUis, the strenuous Whig, who used to send over Europe presents of democratical books, with their boards stamped with daggers and caps of liberty. ]Mrs. Carter said, " He was a bad man : he used to talk uncharitably." Johnson. " Poh ! poh ! Madam ; who is the worse for being talked of very uncharitably ? Besides, he was a dull poor creature as ever lived : and I believe he would not have done harm to a man whom he knew to be of very opposite principles to his own. I remember 1 Rosaline's character of Biron. Love's Labour's Lost, act 2. sc. 1. — Crokkr. 2 Boswell was right ; four other such women or such men, it would have been difficult to collect. Hannah More gives two anecdotes only of this day, neither men- tioned by Boswell. '• Johnson was in full song, and I quar- relled with him sa if the hero had been fed on ruses, but suspect that he eats potatoes and drinks whis- key." Mr. Wilkes observed, how tenacious we are of forms in this country; and gave as an instance, the vote of the House of Commons for remitting money to pay the army in Ame- rica in Portugal pieces, when, in reahty, the remittance is made not in Portuoral money, but in our specie. Johnson. " Is there not a law. Sir, against exporting the current coin of the realm?" Wilkes. "Yes, Sir; but might not the House of Commons, in case of real evident necessity, order our own current coin to be sent into our own colonies ? " Here Johnson, with that quickness of recollection which distinguished him so eminently, gave the ]\Iiddlesex patriot an admirable retort upon his own ground. " Sure, Sir, you don't think a resolution of the House of Commons equal to the laiv of the land. Wilkes (at once perceiv- ing the application). " God forbid. Sir." — To hear what had been treated with such violence in " The False Alarm" now turned into pleasant repartee, was extremely agreeable. Johnson went on: — "Locke observes well, that a prohibition to export the current coin is impolitic ; for when the balance of trade happens to be against a state, the current coin must be exported." Mv. Beauclerk's great library was this season sold in London by auction. Mr. Wilkes said, he wondered to find in it such a numerous col- lection of sermons : seeming to think it strange that a gentleman of Mr. Beauclerk's character in the gay world should have chosen to have many compositions of that kind. Johnson. " Why, Sir, you are to consider, that sermons make a considerable branch of English lite- rature ; so that a library must be very imper- fect if it has not a numerous collection of sermons ^ : and in all collections, Sir, the desire that his showed that he had lived on beef." Plut. Xyl. v. ii. j p. 34fi. — Crokeu. " I 6 Mr. Wilkes probably did not know that there is in an : English sermon the most comprehensive and lively account i of that entertaining faculty for which he himself was so much | admired. It is in Dr. Barrow's first volume, and fourteenth 1 sermon, " Against foolish Talking and Jesting." My old ' acquaintance, the late Corbyn Morris, in his ingenious " Essay on Wit, Humour, and Ridicule," calls it " a profuse ' description of wit ; " but I do not see how it could be ciir- [ tailed, without leaving out some good circumstance of dis- I crimination. As it is not generally known, and may perhaps dispose some to read sermons, from which they may receive real advantage, while looking only for entertainment, I shall here subjoin it. " But first (says the learned preacher) it may be demanded, what the thing we speak of is ? Or what this facetiousness (or wH, as he calls it before) doth import ? To which ques- tions 1 might reply, as Dcmocritus did to him that asked the definition of a man, ' 'Tis that which we all see and know.' Any one better apprehends what it is by acquaintance than 1 can inform him by description. It is, indeed, a thing so versatile and multiform, appearing in so many shapes, so many postures, so many garbs, so variously apprehended by several eyes and judgments, that it seemeth no less hard to settle a clear and certain notion thereof, than to make a por- trait of Proteus, or to define the figure of the tleeting air. Siinu-tmies it lieth in pat allusion to a known story, or in se;is niable application of a trivial saying, or m forping an aptiosite tale ; sometimes it playcth in words and phrases,.} taking advani.ige from the ambiguity of their sense, or the affinity of their sound : sometimes it is w rapt in u dress of humorous expression: sometimes it lurketh imdvr p-v odd i JEt. 72. BOS WELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON (589 of augmenting them gi-ows stronger in propor- tion to the advance in acquisition ; as motion is accelerated by the continuance of the impetus. Besides, Sir," looking at Mr. AVilkes, with a ])l;ici(l but significant smile, " a man may collect sermons with intention of making himself better by them. I hope Mr. Beauclerk intended that some time or other that should be the case with him." Mr. Wilkes said to me, loud enough for Dr. Johnson to hear, " Dr. Johnson should make me a present of his ' Lives of the Poets,' as I am a poor patriot, wlio cannot afford to buy them." Johnson seemed to take no notice of" this hint ; but in a little while he called to Mr. Dilly, " Pray, Sir, be so good as to send a set of my Lives to JNlr. Wilkes, with my compli- ments." This was accordingly done ; and Mr. Wilkes paid Dr. Johnson a visit, was cour- teously received, and sat with him a long time. The company gradually dropped away. Mr. Dilly himself was called down stairs upon business ; I left the room for some time ; when I returned, I was struck with observing Dr. Samuel Johnson and John Wilkes, Esq. lite- rally iele-d'iete ; for they were reclined upon 'their chairs, with their heads leaning almost close to each other, and talking earnestly, in a kind of confidential whisper, of the personal I quarrel between George the Second and the KiuLj of Prussia. Such a scene of perfectly •as\- sociality between two such opponents in ho war of political controversy, as that which I I now beheld, would have been an excellent iubject for a picture. It presented to my r aind the happy days which are foretold in the ■ripture, when the lion shall lie down with the After this day there was another pretty long ntirval, during which Dr. Johnson and I did ii)t meet. When I mentioned it to him with j -egret, he was pleased to say, " Then, Sir, let us live double." 1 About this time it was much the fashion for \ 1 ral ladies to have evening assemblies, where li' fair sex might participate in conversation villi literary and ingenious men, animated by irilitude: sometimes it is lodged in a sly question, in a niirt answer, in a quirkish reason, in a shrewd intimation, I ninningly diverting or cleverly retorting an objection: Mill times it is couched in a bold scheme of speech, in a tart I .:iy, in a histy hyperbole, in a startling metaphor, in a Iiausible reconciling of contradictions, or in acute nonsense: )metiraes a scenical representation of persons or things, a junterfeit speech, a mimical look or gesture, passeth for ; : sometimes an affected simplicity, sometimes a presump- lous bluntness giveth it being : sometimes it riseth only from lucky hitting upon what is strange : sometimes from a rafty wresting obvious matter to the purpose. Often it ansisteth in one knows not what, and springeth up one can . ardly tell how. Its ways are unaccountable and inexplicable ; ' ■ injj answerable to the numberless rovings of fancy and Muiings of language. It is, in short, a manner of speaking lit i]f the simple and plain way (such as reason tcicheth and I ivetli things by), which, by a pretty surprising uncouth- • s^ in conceit or expression, doth affect and amuse the iiiiy, stirring in it some wonder, and breeding some delight Hiito. It raiseth admiration, as signifyinga nimble sagacity apprehension, a special felicity of invention, a vivacity of lirit, and reach of wit more than vulgar ; it seeming to argue rare quickness of parts, that one can fetch in remote inceits applicable ; a notable skill, that he can dexterously a desire to please. These societies were deno- minated Bluestocking Clubs; the origin of which title being little known, it may be worth while to relate it. One of the most eminent members of those societies, when they first commenced, was Mr. Stillingfleet-, whose dress was remarkably grave, and in j)articular it was observed that he wore blue stockings. Such was the excellence of his conversation, that his absence was felt as so great a loss, that it used to be said, " We can do nothing without the blue stockings; and thus by degrees the title was established. Miss Hannah Slore has admirably described a Blue-stocking Club in her " Bas Bleu" a poem in which many of the persons who were most conspicuous there are mentioned. Johnson was prevailed with to come some- times into these circles, and did not think himself too grave even for the lively Miss Monckton^ (now Countess of Cork), who used to have the finest bit of blue at the house of her mother. Lady Galway. Iler vivacity enchanted the sage, and they used to talk together with all imaginable ease. A singular instance hap- pened one evening, when she insisted that some of Sterne's writings were very pathetic. John- son bluntly denied it. " I am sure," said she, " they have affected me." " Why," said John- son, smiling and rolling himself about, " that is because, dearest, you're a dunce." When she some time afterwards mentioned this to him, he said, with equal truth and politeness, " Ma- dam, if I had thought so, I certainly should not have said it." Another evening Johnson's kind indulgence towards me had a pretty difficult trial. I had dined at the Duke of Montrose's with a very agreeable party ; and his grace, according to his usual custom, had circulated the bottle very freely. Lord Graham and I went together to Miss Monckton's, where I certainly was in extraordinary spirits, and above all fear or awe. In the midst of a great number of persons of the fii'st rank, amongst whom I recollect, with confusion, a noble lady of the most stately de- corum, I placed myself next to Johnson, and accommodate them to the purpose before him : together with a lively briskness of humour, not apt to damp those sportful flashes of imagination. (Whence in Aristotle such persons are termed estiJeJ/o;, dexterous men, and lureoTui, men of facile or versatile manners, who c.in easily turn themselves to all things, or turn all things to themselves.) It also pro- cureth delight, by gratifying curiosity witli its rareness, ns semblance of difficulty : (as monsters, not for their beautj'. but their rarity ; as juggling tricks, not for their use, but theirabstruseness.are beheld with pleasure :) by diverting the mind from its road of serious thoughts ; by instilling gaiety and airiness of spirit ; by provoking to such dispositions of spirit in way of emulation or complaisance ; and by seasoning matters, otherwise distasteful or insipid, with an unusual and thence grateful tang." — Boswell. • When I mentioned this to the Bishop of Killaloe (Dr. Barnard), " With the goat," said his lordship. Such, however, was the eng.iging politeness and pleasantry o( Mr. Wilkes, and such the social good humour of tlie bishop, that when they dined together at Mr. Dilly's, where I also was, tbey were mutually agreeable Boswull. " Mr. Benj.imin Stillingfleet, author of tracts rel.iting to natural history, &c. — Boswell. 3 See ante, p. 645. n. 10.— C. Y T 690 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1781. thinking myself now fully liis match, talked to |f him in a loud and boistei-ous manner, desirous to let the company know how I could contend with Ajax. I particularly remember pressing him upon the value of the pleasures of the ima- gination, and, as an illustration of my argu- ment, asking him, "What, Sir, supposing I were to fancy that the (naming the most charming duchess in his majesty's dominions) were in love with- me, should I not be very happy ? " INIy friend with much address evaded my interrogatories, and kept me as cpiiet as possible ; but it may easily be conceived how he must have felt. "' However, when a few days afterwards I waited upon him and made an apology, he behaved with the most friendly gentleness. While I remained in London this year. Johnson and I dined together at several places. I recollect a placid day at Dr. Butter's ^ who had now removed from Derby to Lower Gros- venor Street, London ; but of his conversation on that and other occasions during this period I neglected to keep any regular record, and shall "therefore insert here some miscellaneous articles which I find in my Johnsonian notes. His disorderly habits, when " making pro- vision for the day that was passing over him," appear from the following anecdote, communi-~' cated to me by Mr. John Nichols : " Li the year 1763 a young bookseller, who was an ap- prentice to Mr. "VVhiston, waited on him with a subscription to his ' Shakspeare ;' and observ- ing that the doctor made no entry in any book of the subscribei-'s name, ventured diffidently to ask whether he would please to have the gentleman's address, that it might be properly inserted in the printed list of subscribers. ' I shall jirint no list of subscribers,' said Johnson, with great abruptness ; but almost immediately re- collecting himself, added, very complacently, ' Sir, I have two very cogent reasons for not printing any list of subscribers : one, that I have lost all the names ; the other, that I have spent all the money." Johnson could not brook appearing to be worsted in argument, even when he had taken the wrong side, to show the force and dexterity of his talents. When, therefore, he perceived that his opponent gained ground, he had re- course to some sudden mode of robust sophistry. 1 Next daj' I endeavoured to give what had happened the most iugeiiious turn I could by the following verses : TO THE HONOURABLE MISS MONCKTON. Not that with th' excellent Montrose 1 had the happiness to dine ; Not that I late from table rose. From Graham's wit, from generous wine. It was not these alone which led On sacred manners to encroach ; And made me feel what most I dread, Johnson's just frown, and self-reproach. But when I enter'd, not abash'd. From your bright eyes were shot such rays. At onceintoxication flash'd, And all my frame was in a blaze ! Once when I was pressing upon him with vi- sible advantage, he stopped me thus : " My dear Boswell, let's have no more of this; you'll make nothing of it. I'd rather have you whistle a Scotch tune." ■~ Care, however, must be taken to distinguish between Johnson when he " talked for victory," and Johnson when he had no desire but to inform and illustrate. " One of Johnson's principal talents," says an eminent friend of his, " was shown in maintaining the wrong side of an argument, and in a splendid perversion of the truth. If you could contrive to have his fair opinion on a subject, and without any bias from personal prejudice, or from a wish to he victorious in ai'gument, it was wisdom itself, not only convincing, but overpowering." He had, however, all his life habituated him- self to consider conversation as a trial of intel- lectual vigour and skill : and to this, I think, we may venture to ascribe that unexampled richness and brilliancy which appeared in his own. As a proof at once of his eagerness for colloquial distinction, and his high notion of this emhient friend^, he once addressed him thus : " — — , we now have been several hours together, and you have said but one thing for which I envied you."_ "He "disliked much all speciilative desponding considerations, which tended to discourage men from diligence and exertion. He was in thisj like Dr. Sha-\v, the great traveller, who, Daines Barrington told me, used to say, "1 hate a cut bono man." Upon being asked by" a friend what he should think of a man who ■ was apt to say non est tanti ; " That he's a stupid i fellow, Sir," answered Johnson. " What would i these taiiti men be doing the while ? " When I, in a low-spirited fit, was talking to him with indifference of the pursuits which generally engage us in a course of action, and inquiring a reason for taking so much trouble ; " Sir," said he, in an animated tone, " it is driving on i the system of life." He told me that he was glad that I had, by ; General Oglethorpe's means, become acquaintefl'Bs with Dr. Shebbeare. Indeed that gentleman,- '■!! whatever objections were made to him, had Hi knowledge and abilities much above the class », of ordinary writers, and deserves to be remem- bei'ed as a respectable name in literature, i But not a brilliant blaze, I own ; Of the dull smoke I'm yet ashamed ; I was a drearv ruin grown. And not enlighten'd, though inflamed. Victim at once to wine .and love, I hope, Maria, you'll forgive ; While I involve the powers above. That henceforth I may wiser live. The lady was generously forgiving, returned me an obligingitai, answer, and I thus obtained an act of oblivion, and took care." never to offend again. — Bosvpeli. 2 See ante, p. 549. — C. 3 The Right Hon. William Gerrard Hamilton — Malone.^ It seems an odd way of expressing a high notion of a gentle-ij man's conversation, to say that " in several hours he had saidHj^ but one good thing." — Croker. ^ ^T. 72. BOS^VELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 691 ■were it only for bis admirable " Letters on the English Nation," under the name of " Battista Angeloni, a Jesuit." ! Johnson and Shebbeare ' were frequently ' named together, as having in former reigns had no predilection for the family of Hanover. The author- of the celebrated " Heroic Epistle to Sir "William Chambers Epi introduced them in one line [p. 604. n. 4.], in a list of those " who tasted the sweets of his present majesty's reign." Such was Johnson's candid relish of the merit of that satire, that he allowed Dr. Goldsmith, as he told mc, to read it to him from beginning to end, and did not refuse his praise to its execution.^ [ Goldsmith could sometimes take adventurous I liberties with him, and escape unpunished. ; i Beauclerk told me, that when Goldsmith talked 1 of a project for having a third theatre in London solely for the exhibition of new plays, in order to deliver authors from the supposed tyranny of managers, Johnson treated it slight- \ ingly ; upon which Goldsmith said, " Ay, ay, j this may be nothing to you, who can now shelter yourself behind the corner of a pension ;" and Johnson bore this with good humour. l Johnson praised the Earl of Carlisle's poems'*, which his lordship had published with his j name, as not disdaining to be a candidate for j literary fame. My friend was of opinion that j when a man of rank appeared in that character, he deserved to have his merit handsomely al- ; lowed.^ In this I think he was more liberal than Mr. AVilliam Whitehead, in his " Elegy to Lord Villiers," in which, under the pretext of '" superior toils, demanding all their care," he i Mi- covers a jealousy of the great paying their i lurt to the Muses : — I ' to the chosen few | Who dare excel, thy fost'ring aid afford ; ' Tlieir arts, their magic powers, with honours due ' Exalt; — but be thyself what they record." j Johnson had called twice on the Bishop of i illaloe before his lordship set out for Ireland, iving missed him the first time. He said, " It , Guld have hung heavy on my heart if I had it seen him. No man ever paid more atten- I'.i to another than he has done to me ; and have neglected him, not AvilfuUy, but from being otherwise occupied. Always, Sir, set a high value on spontaneous kindness. He whose inclination prompts him to cultivate your friendship of his own accord, will love you more than one whom you have been at pains to attach to you." This gave me very great pleasure, for there had been once a pretty smart altercation be- tween Dr. Barnard and him, upon a question, whether a man could improve himself after the age of forty-five ; when Johnson in a hasty humour expressed himself in a manner not quite civil. Dr. Barnard made it the subject of a copy of pleasant verses, in which he sup- posed himself to learn different perfections from diff'erent men. They concluded with de- licate irony '^ : " Johnson shall teach mc how to place In fairest light each borrow'd grace : From him I '11 learn to write, Copy his clear familiar style, And, by the roughness of his file, Grow, like himself, polite.'" I know not whether Johnson ever saw the poem, but I had occasion to find that, as Dr. Barnard and he knew each other better, their mutual regard increased. Johnson told me that he was once much pleased to find that a carpenter, who lived near him, v/as very ready to show him some things in his business which he wished to see ; " It'was paying," said he, " respect to litera- ture." I asked him if he was not dissatisfied with having so small a share of wealth, and none of those distinctions in the state which are the objects of ambition. He had only a pension of three hundred a year. Why was he not in such circumstances as to keep "his coach ? Why had he not some considerable office ? Johnson. " Sir, I have never complained of the world ; nor do I think that I have reason to complain. It is rather to be wondered at that I have so much. My pension is more out of the usual course of things than any instance that I have known. Here, Sir, was a man avowedly no friend to govei-nment at the time, who got a pension without asking for it. I never courted the great ; they sent for me ; but I think they 1 I recollect a ludicrous paragraph in the newspapers, that ! • king had pensioned \)Oth a H_:>. — Croker. ' Men of rank and fortune, however, shoulti be pretty well = See and, p. 292. This passage proves the justice of that ! observation as to Johnson's opinion on this important point. — Crokeh. 2 This unfortunate person, whose full name was Thomas Fysche Palmer, afterwards went to Dundee, in .Scotland, I where be officiated as minister to a congregation of the sect ' who call themselves Unitarians, from a notion that they I distinctively worship one God, because they denij the mys- , terious doctrine of the Trinity. They do not advert that i the great body of the Christian church in maintaining that mystery maintain also the uttiti/ of the Godhead : " the Trinity in Unity — three persons and one God." The 'h great alacrity, furnished me this evening with what follows. [See Ap- pendix.] I am ashamed to mention, that the court, by a plurality of voices, without having a single additional circumstance before them, reversed their own judgment, made a serious matter of this dull and foolisli joke, and adjudged Mr. Robertson to pay to the society five pounds (sterling money) and costs of suit. The deci- sion will seem strange to English lawyers. On Tuesday, June 5., Johnson was to re- turn to London. He was very pleasant at breakfast: I mentioned a friend of mine having resolved never to marry a pretty woman. Johnson. " Sir, It is a very foolish resolution to resolve not to marry a pretty woman. Beauty is of itself very estimable. No, Sir, I would prefer a pretty woman, un- less there are objections to her. A pretty woman may be foolish ; a pretty woman may be wicked ; a j^i'ctty woman may not like mo. But there is no such danger in marrying a pretty woman as is apprehended ; she will not be persecuted if she does not invite persecu- tion. A pretty woman, If she has a mind to be wicked, can find a readier way than another ; and that is all." I accompanied him In Mr. Dilly's chaise to ShefTord, where, talking of Lord Bute's never going to Scotland, he said, " As an Englishman, I should wish all the Scotch gentlemen should be educated in England ; Scotland would be- come a province ; they would spend all their rents in England." ^ This is a subject of much consequence, and much delicacy. The ad- vantage of an English education Is unques- tionably very great to Scotch gentlemen of talents and ambition ; and regular visits to Scotland, and perhaps other means, might be cannot but suspect, both from Johnson's good former opinions, ante, pp. 312. 578., as well as context, thiit to what he said have added, " but (f a Scotchn opinion." — CwaKZV., 18-17. an Enplishma. , I should be uj sense and fiom the " he must a different .- I iET. 72. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 697 effectually used to prevent them from being totally estranged from their native eouiitry, anv more than a Cumberland or Northumber- land gentleman, wlio has been educated in the south of Enghiiid. I own, indeed, that it is no small misfortune for Scotch gentlemen, who have neither talents nor ambition, to be edu- cated in England, where they may be jjcrliaps distinguished only by a nickname, lavish their fortune in giving expensive entertainments to those who laugh at them, and saunter about as mere idle, insignificant hangers-on even upon the foolish great; when, if they had been judiciously brought up at home, they might have been comfortable and creditable members of society. At Shefford I had another affectionate part- ing from my revered friend, who was taken up l)y the Bedford coach and carried to the me- tropolis. I went with jNlessieurs Dilly to see some friends at Bedford ; dined with the officers of tlie militia of the county, and next day proceeded on my journey. JOHNSON TO LANGTON. "Bolt Court, June IG. 1781. "Dear Sir, — How welcome your account of yourself and your invitation to your new liouse was to me, I need not tell you, who consider our friendship not only as formed by choice, but as matured by time. We have been now long enough acquainted to have many images in common, and therefore to have a source of conversation wliich neither the learning nor the wit of a new companion can supply. " ]\Iy ' Lives' are now published; and if you will tell me whither I shall send them, that they may come to you, I will take care that you shall not be without them. " You will perhaps be glad to hear that ]\Irs. Thrale is disencumbered of her brewhouse ; and that it seemed to the purchaser so far frotn an evil, that he was content to give for it an hundred and tliirty-five thousand pounds. Is the nation ruined? " Pleiise to make my respectful compliments to I.ady Rothes, and keep me in the memory of all the little dear family, particularly Mrs. Jane. 1 am, Sir, your, &e., Sam. Johnson." Johnson's charity to the poor was uniform and e.Ktensive, both from inclination and prin- ciple. He not only bestowed liberally out of his own purse, but what is more difficult as well as rare, would beg from others, when he Iiad proper objects in view. This he did 1 Probably the Beautus of Johnson, published about this time : see aiiti, p. 67. — Croker. - Miss Reynolds, it seems, wished to dispose of her collec- tion, and thought that Mrs. Thrale might purchase and pay for it by an annuity Croker. ' I print this hyperbolical eulogy from the original in the lit'i/nolds Papers, but Mr. Malone, who first produced it, gives it with variations so great in the expressions, and so small in the meaning, that I preserve it as a curious instance of falsification, without, as far as I can see, any object. judi<;iously as well as humanely. Mr. Philip Metcalfe tells me, that when lie has aaked him ibr some money for persons in distress, and Mr. Metcalle has offered what Johnson thought too much, he insisted on taking less, saying, " No, no, Sir ; we must not paiiiper them." I am indebted to Mr. Mah)ne, one of Sir Joshua lleynold«'s executoi-s, ibr the ibllowing note, which was found among his papers after his death, and which, we may presume, his un- affected modesty prevented him from commu- nicating to me with the other letters from Dr. Johnson with which he was pleased to furnish me. However slight in itself, as it does honour to that illustrious painter and most amiable man, I am happy to introduce it. JOHNSON TO REYNOLDS. "June 23. 1781. " Dear Sir, — It was not before yesterday that I received your splendid benefaction. To a hand so liberal in distributing, I hope nobody will en>'y the power of acquiring. I am, dear Sir, your, &c., " Sam. Johnson." The following letters were written at this time by Johnson to Miss Reynolds; the latter, on receiving from her a copy of her "Essay on Taste," privately printed, but never pub- lished. [JOHNSON TO MISS REYNOLDS. "25th June, I78U " Dear Madam, — You may give the book' to Mrs. Horneck [p. 140.], and I will give you an- other for yourself. " I am afraid there is no hope of Mrs. Thrale's custom for your pictures ; but, if you please, I will mention it. She cannot make a pension out of her jointure.' " I will bring the papers myself I am, INIadara, your most humble servant, Sam. Johnson." — Reynolds MSS.} JOHNSON TO MISS REYNOLDS.* "Bolt Court, July 21.1781. " Dearest Madam, — There is in these [papers ?] such force of comprehension, such nicety of obser- vation, as Locke or Pascal might be proud of. This I say with an intention to have you think I speak my opinion. They cannot, however, be printed in their present state. Many of your notions seem not very clear in your own mind ; many are not sufficiently developed and expanded for the common reader : the expression almost every wheie JOHXSON TO MI.SS ItKYNOLDS. " Bolt Court, June 28. 1781. " Dearf-ST Maoam, — There is in thfsu [panes or reinarks] such depth of venelralion, sucli uicetv of observation, as Locke or Pascal might be proud of. This / riesirc you to believe is my real opinion. However, it cannot be publis/ied in its present state. Many of your notions seem not to be very clear in your own mind ; many are not sufficiently developed and expanded for the common reader : it wants every where to be made smoother and plainer. You may, by revisal and correction, make it a very elegant and a very curious work. I am. my dearest dear, your, &c., .Sam. Johnson." — Malone. 698 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1781. • wants to be made clearer and smoother. You may, by revisal and improvement, make it a very elegant work. I am, my dearest dear, your most humble servant, Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO ASTLE.' "July 17. 1781. " Sir, — I am ashamed that you have been forced to call so often for your books, but it has been by no fault on either side. They have never been out of my hands, nor have I ever been at home without seeing you ; for to see a man so skilful in the antiquities of my country is an opportunity of improvement not willingly to be missed. " Your notes on Alfred appear to me very judi- cious and accurate, but they are too few. Many things familiar to you are unknown to me, and to most others ; and you must not think too favour- ably of your readers : by supposing them knowing, you will leave them ignorant. Measure of land, and value of money, it is of great importance to state with care. Had the Saxons any gold coin ? " I have much curiosity after the manners and transactions of tlie middle ages, but have wanted either diligence or opportunity, or both. You, Sir, have great opportunities, and I wish you both diligence and success. I am, Sir, &c., " Sam. Johnson." The following curious anecdote I insert in Dr. Burney's own words : " Dr. Burney related to Dr. Johnson the par- tiality which his writings had excited in a friend of Dr. Burney's, the late Mr. Bewley', well known in Norfolk by the name of the Philosopher of Mas- shigham ; who, from the Ramblers and plan of his Dictionary, and long before the author's fame was established by the Dictionary itself, or any other work, had conceived such a reverence for him, that he earnestly begged Dr. Burney to give him the cover of the first letter he had received from him, as a relic of so estimable a writer. This was in 1755. In 1760, when Dr. Burney visited Dr. Johnson :it the Temple, in London, where he had then chambers, he happened to arrive there before j he was up ; and being shown into the room where he was to breakfast, finding himself alone, he examined the contents of the apartment, to try whether he could, undiscovered, steal any thing to send to his friend Bewley, as another relic of the rdmirable Dr. Johnson. But finding nothing better to his purpose, he cut some bristles off his hearth-broom, and enclosed them in .•: letter to his country enthusiast, who received them with due reverence. The Doctor was so sensible oi" the honour done to him by a man of genius and science, to whom he was an utter stranger, that he 1 [Ante, p. 40. n. 8. — C] The will of King Alfred, alluded to in this letter, from the original Saxon, in the library of Mr. Astle, has been printed at the expense of the University of Oxford. — BoswELL. - Mr. William Bewley was a Monthly Reviewer, and died in the house of Dr. Burney, in 1783. If this anecdote were seriously true, Mr. Bewlev might have been better called an idiot than an enthusiast. That he should have really received the bristles with reverence — that Burney should not have mentioned the fact to Johnson for twenty-five years, and that Johnson should have considered it as an honour, would be very strange. Nor does the story acquire much confirmation said to Dr. Burney, • Sir, there is no man possessed of the smallest portion of modesty, but must be flattered with the admiration of such a man. I 'H give him a set of my Lives, if he will do me the honour to accept of them.' In this he kept his word; and Dr. Burney had not only the pleasure of gratifying his friend with a present more worthy of his acceptance than the segment from the hearth-broom, but soon after introducing liim to Dr. Johnson himself in Bolt Court, with whom he had the satisfaction of conversing a considerable time, not a fortnight before his death ; which happened in St. Martin's Street, during his visit to Dr. Burney, in the house [No. 36.] where the great Sir Isaac Newton had lived and died before." In one of his little memorandum-books is the following minute : "August 9., 3 P.M., astat. 72, in the summer- house at Streatham. After innumerable resolu- tions formed and neglected, I have retired liither, to plan a life of greater diligence, in hope that I may yet be useful, and be daily better prepared to appear before my Creator and my Judge, from whose infinite mercy I humbly call for assistance and support. My purpose is, — To pass eight hours every day in some serious employment. Having prayed, I purpose to employ the next six weeks upon the Italian language for my settled study." How venerably pious does he appear in these moments of solitude ! and how spirited are his resolutions for the improvement of his mind, even in elegant literature, at a very advanced period of life, and when afflicted with many complaints ! In autumn he went to Oxford, Birmingham, Lichfield, and Ashbourne, for which very good reasons might be given in the conjectural yet positive manner of writers, who are proud to account for every event which they rehite.^ He himself, however, says, " The motives of my journey I hardly know : I omitted it last year, and am not willing to miss it again." {Pr. and Med., p. 198.) But some good con- siderations arise, amongst which is the kindly recollection of ]\li-. Hector, surgeon, of Bir- mingham. " Hector is likewise an old friend, the only companion of my childhood that passed through the school with me. We have always loved one another ; perhaps we may be made better by some serioiis conversation ; of which, however, I have no distinct hope." He says, too, " At Lichfield, my native place, I hope to show a good example by frequent attendance on public worship." from Madame D'Arblay's addition, that it happened in Bolt Court, where Johnson did not live till seventeen years after the assigned date. I conclude the affair must have been a mere pleasantry Croker, 1831^7. 3 This observation, just enough in general, is ill-placed here ; for this had been, as we have seen, an almost annual excursion, and, besides the additional motives for the journey mentioned in the text, it appears that Mrs. Thmle's kindness had forced him to undertal^e this little tour for the benefit of his health and spirits. Did Boswell wish to conceal Mr». Thrale's attention ?— CnoKER. JEt. 74. BOSAVELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. G99 [JOHNSON TO DR. PATTEN. "Sept. 24. 1781. " De.\r Sir, — It is so long since we passed any time together, that you may be allowed to have forgotten f ome part of my character ; and I know not upon what other supposition I can pass with- out censure or complaint the ceremony of your address. Let me not trifle time in words, to which while we speak or write them we assign little meaning. Whenever you favour me with a letter, treat me as one that is glad of your kindness and proud of your esteem. " The papers which have been sent for my perusal I am ready to inspect, if you judge my inspection necessary or useful : but indeed, I do not ; for what advantage can arise from it ? A dictionary consists of independent parts, and therefore one page is not much a specimen of the rest. It does not occur to me that I can give any assistance to the author, and for my own interest I resign it into your hands, and do not suppose that I shall ever see my name with regret where you shall think it proper to be put. • " I think it, however, my duty to inform ;i writer who intends me so great an honour, that in my opinion he would have consulted his interest by dedicating his work to some powerful and popular neighbour, who can give him more than a name. What will the world do but look on and laugh when one scholar dedicates to another? " If I had been consulted about this Lexicon of Antiquities while it was yet only a design, I should have recommended rather a division of Hebrew, Greek, and Roman particulars into three volumes, tlian a combination in one. The Hebrew part, at kast, I would have wished to separate, as it might 1)L' a very popular book, of which the use might be t-xtcnded from men of learning down to the English ii uler, and which might become a concomitant to the I'amily Bible. " When works of a multifarious and extensive kind are undertaken in the country, the necessary books are not always known. I reinember a very learned and ingenious clergyman ', of whom, when lie had published notes upon the Psalms, I in- quired what was his opinion of Hammond's Com- mentary, and was answered, that he had never heard of it. As this gentleman has the opportu- nity of consulting you, it needs not to be supposed that he has not heard of all the proper books ; but unless he is near some library, I know not how he could peruse them ; and if he is conscious that his f-iijicl/ex is nimis angusta, it would be prudent to delay his publication till his deficiencies may be supplied. " It seems not very candid to hint any suspicions of imperfection in a work which I have not seen, yet what I have said ought to be excused, since I cannot but wish well to a learned man, who has 1 .Sco ante, p. fi"!)., an allusion to Mr. Madge's notes on the Psalms, whence Mr. Chalmers very justly concludes that he is the person meant. — Croker. 2 Dr. Thomas I' itten had been a Fellow of Corpus Christi College, A. M. 17;ifl, 1). D. 1754. He was afterwards Rector of Childry, Berks, where he died in 1790. The letter in the text relates to Mr. Wilson's Archcsological Dictionary, \\\\'\v.h was ultimately dedicated to Johnson. Seepos^31 Dec. 1782. — Croker. Jones, of Nayland, describes Patten as one of Bishop Home's "excellent friends" in early life— "a man of the purest manners and unquestionable erudition." — Mabkland. I elected me for the honour of a dedication, and to ! whom I am indebted for a correspondence so valuable as yours. And I l)eg that I may not lose any part of his kindness, which 1 consider with respectful gratitude. Of you, dear Sir, I entreat tliat you will never again forget for so long a time your most humble servant, Sam. Johnson."* — Gent. Mar;. JOHNSON TO MRS. THRALE. (Extracts.) « Oxford, October 17. 1781. _ On Monday evening arrived at the Angel inn at Oxford, 3Ir. Johnson and Mr, Barber, without any sinister accident. " I am here ; but why am T here ? on my way to Lichfield, where I believe Mrs. Aston will be glad to see me. We have known each other long, and, by consequence, are both old; and she is paralytic ; and if I do not see her soon, I may see her no more in this world. To make a visit on such considerations is to go on a melancholy errand. IJut such is the course of life. "■■Lichfield, October 20. 1781. — I wrote from Oxford, where I staid two days. On Thursday I went to Birmingham, and was told by Hector that I should not be well so soon as I expected ; but that well I should be. Mrs. Careless took me under her care, and told me when I had tea enoityh. On Friday I came hither, and have escaped the ])ost-chaises' all the way. Every body here is as kind as I expected ; I think Lucy is kinder than ever." "Ashbourne, November 10. 1781. — Yesterday I came to Ashbourne, and last night I had very little rest. Dr. Taylor lives on milk, and grows every day better, and is not wholly witliout hope. " Lichfield, December 3. 1 781. — I am now come back to Lichfield, where I do not intend to stay long enough to receive another Iptter. I have little to do here but to take leave of Mrs. Aston. I hope not the last leave. But Christians may with more confidence than Sophonisba ' Avremo tosto lungo lungo spazio Per stare assieme, et sara forse eterno. ' ^ — Letters. Trissino." JOHNSON TO ALLEN 5, Bolt Court. "Ashbourne, November 26. 1781. " De.\r Sib, — I am weary enough of the coun- try to think of Bolt Court, and purpose to leave Ashbourne, where I now am, in a day or two, and to make my way through Lichfield, Birmingham, and Oxford, with what expedition I decently can, and then we will have a row and a dinner, and now and then a dish of tea together. 3 He means escaped the expense of post-chaises by happen- ing to find places in stage-coaches. — Croker. ■* We soon shall find, in mutual converse blest, A long, perhaps eternal, space of rest. — C. 5 Communicated to me by Mr. P. Cunningham : who found .ilso in a pocket-book of Allen's, memoranda of Johnson's departure and return. " October 15. 1781, Dr. Johnson set out a/iont^A.M. to Oxford, Lichfield, and Ashbourne." " De- cniihrr 11. 1781, Dr. Johnson returned from Derbyshire." — Croker. roo BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. '82. I doubt not but you have been so kind as to send the oysters to Lichfield, and I now beg that you will let Mrs. Desmoulins have a guinea on my account. Mv health has been but indiflFerent, much of the time I have been out, and my journey has not supplied much entertainment. '• I shall be at Lichfield, I suppose, long enough to receive a letter, and I desire Mrs. Desmoulins to write immediately what she knows. I wish to be told about Frank's wife and child.' I am, dear Sir, your most humble servant, — MS. " Sam. Johnson."] My correspondence with liim during the rest of this year was, I know not why, very scanty, and all on my side. I wrote him one letter to introduce Mr. Sinclair (now Sir John), the member for Caithness S to his acquaintance; and informed him in another that my wife had again been affected with alarming symptoms of illness. CHAPTER LXXIV. 1782. Death of Robert Levett. — Verses to his Memory. — Chatterton. — Dr. Lawrence. — Death of Friend- ship. — " Beauties " and " Deformities " of .John- son. Misery of being in Debt. — Si.v Rules for Travellers. — Death of Lord Auchinhck. — " Kindness and Fondness." — Life. — Old Age. Evils of Poverty Prayer on leaving Strea- tham. — Visit to Cowdrey. — Nichols's "Anec- dotes." — Wilson's '■'■ Archccological Dictionary." — Dr. Patten. In 1782 his complaints increased, and the his- tory of his life this year is little more than a mournful recital of the variations of his illness, in the midst of which, however, it will appear from his letters, that the powers of his mind were in no degree impaired. JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " Jan. 5. 1782. " Dear Sir, — I sit down to answer your letter on the same day in which I received it, and am pleased tliat my first letter of the year is to you. No man ought to be at ease while he knows him- self in the wrong ; and I have not satisfied myself with ray long silence. The letter relating to Mr. Sinclair, however, was, I believe, never brought. " My health has been tottering this last year ; and I can give no very laudable account of my time. I am always hoping to do better than I have ever hitherto done. My journey to Ash- bourne and Staffordshire was not pleasant ; for 1 Barber was with him on this journpy : the whole letter exhibits minulia: of Johnson's cliarity and good nature towards his humble friends Crokek. 2 The Right Hon. Sir John Sinclair of Ulbster, Bart. ; a voluminous writer on agriculture and statistics. — Crokek. what enjoyment has a sick man visiting the sick ? Shall we ever have another frolic like our journey to the Hebrides? " I hope that dear Mrs. Boswell will surmount her complaints : in losing her you will lose your anchor, and be tossed, without stability, by the i waves of life.^ I wish both you and her very many years, and very happy. " For some months past I have been so with- drawn from the world, tliat I can send you nothing particular. All your friends, however, are well, and will be glad of your return to London, I am, dear Sir, &c., Sam. Johnson." At a time when he was less able than he had once been to sustain a shock, he was suddenly deprived of Mr. Levett ; which event he thus communicated to Dr. Lawi-ence. JOHNSON TO LAWRENCE. " Jan. 17. 1782. " Sir, — Our old friend, Mr. Levett, who was last night eminently cheerful, died this morning. The man who lay in the same room, hearing an uncommon noise, got up and tried to make him speak, but without effect. He then called Mr. Holder, the apothecary, who, though when he came he thought him dead, opened a vein, but could draw no blood. So has ended the long life of a very useful and very blameless man. 1 am. Sir, your most humble servant, Sam. Johnson." In one of his memorandum-books in my possession is the following entry : " January 20., Sunday, Robert Levett was buried in the churchyard of Bridewell, between one and two in the afternoon. He died on Thursday, 17., about seven in the morning, by an instantaneous death. He was an old and faithful friend : have known him from about 1746, Commendavi, May God have mercy on him ! May he have mercy on me ! " Such was Johnson's affectionate regard for Levett ^ , that he honoured his memory withi the following pathetic verses : " Condemn'd to Hope's delusive mine, As on we toil from day to day, By sudden blast or slow decline Our social comforts drop away. " Well try'd through many a varying year, See Levett to the grave descend ; Officious, innocent, sincere. Of every i'riendless name the friend. " Yet still he fills affection's eye. Obscurely wise and coarsely kind ; Nor, letter'd arrogance, deny Thy praise to merit unrefined. " When fainting Nature call'd for aid, And hovering death prepared the blow, His vigorous remedy display 'd The power of art without the show. 3 The truth of this has been proved by sad experience.. Boswell. Mrs. Boswell died June 4. 1789 — Malune. See an account of him, ante, p. 78. n. 7 C. iEx. 73. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 701 •' In misery's darkest caverns known. His ready help was ever nigh, Where hopeless anguish pour'd his groan, And lonely want retired to die.' " No summons mock'd by chill delay. No petty gains disdain' d by pride : The modest wants of every day The toil of every day supply'd. " His virtues walk'd their narrow round, Nor made a pause, nor left a void ; And sure the eternal Master found His single talent * well employ'd. " The busy day, the peaceful night', Unfelt, uncounted, glided by ; His frame was firm, his powers were bright, Though now his eightieth year was nigh. " Then, with no throbs of fiery pain. No cold gradations of decay. Death broke at once the vital chain, And freed his soul the nearest way." [JOHNSON TO MR. BEATNIFFE, Recorder of Hull. " Bolt Court, Fleet Street, February 14. 1782. Sir, — Robert Levett, with whom I have been connected by a friendship of many years, died lately at my house. His death was sudden, and no will has yet been found ; I therefore gave notice of his death in the papers, that an heir, if he has any, may appear. He has left very little ; but of that little his brother is doubtless heir, and your tViend may be perhaps his brother. I have had another application from one who calls himself his brother ; and I suppose it is fit that the claimant should give some proofs of his relation. I would gladly know, from the gentleman that thinks him- self R. Levett's brother, "In what year, and in what parish, R. Levett was born ? " Where or how was he educated ? " What was his early course of life ? " What were the marks of his person ; his stature ; the colour of his eyes ? " Was he marked by the small-pox ? " Had he any impediment in his speech ? " What relations had he, and hov/ many are now living ? I Johnson repeated this line to me thus : " And labour steals an hour to die." But he afterwards altered it to the present reading.— Bos- well. - Allusion to the parable, Matthew xxv. l.'i Choker. 3 Johnson, who used to disparage Gray so much, found some of his happy expressions lingering in his memory. Mr. Markland pointed out to me that " T/te busy day — the peaceful night " are in Gray's Ode on Vicissitudes, and " The thoughtless day, the easy night," in his Verses on Eton Col- lege. — Crokeu, 1847. •< The results of Johnson's inquiries were, that Levett was born at West Ella, about five miles from Hull ; was sup- posed to be about 7S years old, was the eldest of a family of ten children, and left two bi^otbeis and a sister living Croker, 1847. 5 This nole was in answer to one which accompanied one of the earliest pamphlets on the subject of Chatterton's forgery, entitled " Cursory Observations on the Poems attributed to Thomas Kowley," &c. Mr. Thomas Warton's very able " Inquiry " appeared about three months after- wards; and Mr. Tyrwhitt's admirable " Vindication of his Appendix," in the summer of the same year, left the believers " His answer to these questions will show whe- ther he knew him ; and he may then proceed to show that he is his brother, " He may be sure, that nothing shall be hastily wasted or removed. I have not looked into his boxes, but transferred that business to a gentleman in the neiglibourhood, of character above suspi- cio"-* Sam. Johnso.n."] — Harwood MSS. JOHNSON TO MRS. STRAHAN. "Feb. 4. 1782. "Dear Madam, — Mrs. Williams showed me your kind letter. This little habitation is now but a melancholy place, clouded with the gloom of dis- ease and deatli. Of the four inmates, one has been suddenly snatched away ; two are oppressed by very afflictive and dangerous illness; and I tried yesterday to gain some relief by a third bleeding from a disorder which lias for some time distressed me, and I think myself to-day much better. '• I am glad, dear Madam, to hear tliat you are so far recovered as to go to Bath. Let me once more entreat you to stay till yourhealtli is not oidy obtained, but confirmed. Your fortune is such as that no moderate expense deserves your care ; and you have a liusband who, I believe, does not re- gard it. Stay, therefore, till you are quite well. I am, for my part, very much deserted ; but com- plaint is useless. I hope God will bless you, and I desire you to form the same wish for nie. I am, dear Madam, &c., Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO MALONE. " Feb. 27. 1782. " Sir, — I have for many weeks been so much out of order, that I have gone out only in a coach to Mrs. Thrale's, where I can use all the freedom that sickness requires. Do not, therefore, take it amiss, that I am not with you and Dr. Farmer. I hope hereafter to see you often. I am, Sir, &c., " Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO MALONE. " March 2. 17S2. " Dear Sir, — I hope I grow better, and shall soon be able to enjoy the kindness of my friends. I think this wild adherence to Chatterton ^ more unaccountable than the obstinate defence of Ossian. In Ossian there is a national pride, which may be in this daring imposture nothing' but " the resolution to say again what had been said before." Daring, however, as this fiction was, and wild as was the adherence to Chatterton, both were greatly exceeded in 179.5 and the following year, by a still more audacious imposture, and the pertinacity of one of its adherents, who has immortalised his name by pub- lishing a bulky volume, of which the direct and manifest object was, to prove the authenticity of certain papers attri- buted to Shakspcare, after the fabricator of the spurious trash had publicly acknowledged the imposture Malo.ne. Mr. Malone alludes to the lorgery, by Mr. William Henry Ireland, ot the Shakespearian papers which were exhibited, with a ridiculous mixture of pomp and mystery, at his father's house in Norfolk Street. It seems scarcely con- ceivable how such palpable impositions could have deceived the most ignorant ; and yet there were numerous dupes in the critical and literary circles of the day. Mr. W. H. Ireland afterwards published a full and minute confessioti of the whole progress of his forgery; but, with a curious obstinacy, he, in this work, vehemently accuses of blindness, ignorance, and bad faith, all those who detected what he con- fesses to have been an imposture, and is equally lavish in praise of the discernment and judgment of those whom he proves to have been dupes Choker. He died in 1834.— Wright. (02 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1782 forgiven, though it cannot be applauded. In Chatterton there is nothing but the resolution to say again what has once been said. I am, Sir, &c., " Sam. Johnson." These sliort letters show the regard which Dr. Johnson entertained for Mr. Malone, who the more he is known is the more highly valned. It is much to be regretted that Johnson was prevented from sharing the elegant hospitality of that gentleman's table, at which he would in every respect have been fully gratified. Mr. Malone, who has so ably succeeded him as an editor of Shakspeare, has, in his Preface, done great and just honour to Johnson's memory. JOHNSON TO MRS. PORTER. " London, March 2. 1782. " Pear Madam, — I went away from Lichfield ill, and have had a troublesome time with my breath. For some weeks I have been disordered by a cold, of which I could not get the violence abated till I had been let blood three times. I have not, however, been so bad but that I could have written, and am sorry that I neglected it. " My dwelling is but melancholy. Both Wil- liams, and Desmoullns, and myself, are very sickly ; Frank is not well ; and poor Levett died in his bed the other day by a sudden stroke. I suppose not one minute passed between health and death. So uncertain are human things. " Such is the appearance of the world about me ; I hope your scenes are more cheerful. But what- ever befalls us, though it is wise to be serious, it is useless and foolish, and perhaps sinful, to be gloomy. Let us, therefore, keep ourselves as easy as we can ; though the loss of friends will be felt, and poor Levett had been a faithful adherent for thirty years. " Forgive me, my dear love, the omission of writing ; I hope to mertd that and my other faults. Let me have your prayers. Make my compli- ments to Mrs. Cobb, and Miss Adey, and Mr. Pearson, and the whole company of my friends. I am, &c., Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO MRS. PORTER. " Bolt Court, March 19. 1782. " Dear Madam, — My last was but a dull letter, and I know not that this will be mucli more cheerful : I am, however, willing to write, because you are desirous to hear from me. My disorder has now begun its ninth week, for it is not yet 1 Dr. Lawrence had long been his friend and confidant. A conversation Mrs. Thrale saw them hold together in Essex Street, one day in the year 1781 or 1782, was a singular and melancholy one. Dr. Johnson was exceedingly ill, and she accompanied him thither for advice. The physician was, however, in some respects, more to be pitied than the patient : •Tohnson was panting under an asthma and dropsy ; but Law- rence had been brought home that very morning struck with the palsy, from which he had, two hours before they came, strove to awaken himself by blisters: they were both deaf, and scarce able to speak besides ; one from difficulty of breathing, the other from paralytic debility. To give and receive medical counsel, thorefore, they fairly sat down on each side a table in tlie doctor's gloomy apartment, adorned with skeletons, preserved monsters, and agreed to write Lathi billets to each other. [Mr. Malone, in his MS. notes, says that this description is ideal, as Dr. Lawrence had no skeletons or monsters in his room.] " Such a scene, &c." ex- claims Mrs. Thrale, "did I never see." " You," said Johnson, over. I was last Thursday blooded for the fourth time, and have since found myself much relieved, but I am very tender and easily hurt ; so that since we parted I have had but little comfort. But I hope that the spring will recover me, and that in the summer I shall see Lichfield again, for I will not delay my visit another year to the end of autumn. " I have, by advertising, found poor Mr. Levett's brothers, in Yorkshire, who will take the little he has left ; it is but little, yet it will be welcome, for I believe they are of very low condition. " To be sick, and to see nothing but sickness and death, is but a gloomy state : but I hope better times, even in this world, will come ; and whatever this world may witlihold or give, we shall be happy in a better state. Pray for me, my dear Lucy. Make my compliments to Mrs. Cobb, and Miss Adey, and my old friend, Hetty Bailey, and to all the Lichfield ladies. I am, &c., " Sam. Johnson." On the day on which this letter was written, he thus feelingly mentions his respected friend and physician, Dr. Lawrence : — " Poor Lawrence has almost lost the sense of hearing : and I have lost the conversation of a learned, intelligent, and communicative companion, and a friend whom long familiarity has much endeared. Lawrence is one of the best men whom I liave known. — Nostrum omnium, miserere Deus." (Pr. and Med. p. 203.)' It was Dr. Johnson's custom, when he wrote to Dr. Lawrence concerning his own health, to use the Latin language. I have been favoured by Miss Lawrence with one of these letters as a specimen : " T. LAWRENCIO, MEDICO S. " Maiis Calcndis, 1782.2 " Novum frigus, nova tussis, nova spirandi dif- ficultas, novam sanguinis missionem suadent, quam tamen te inconsulto nolim fieri. Ad te venire vix possum, nee est cur ad me venias. Licere vel non licere uno verbo dicendum est ; catera mihi et Iloldero^ reliqueris. Si per te licet, imperatur nuncio Holderum ad me deduccre. Postquam tu discesseris quo me vertam ? " * Soon after the above letter, Dr. Lawrence left London, but not before the palsy had made so great a progress as to render him un- able to write for himself. The following are are " timide and gelidej" finding that his friend had prescribed palliative not drastic remedies. " It is not me," replies poor Lawrence, in an interrupted voice ; " 'tis nature that is gelide and iimide." In fact he lived but few months after, and retained his faculties a still shorter time. He was a man of strict piety and profound learning, but little skilled in the knowledge of life or manners, and died without ever having enjoyed the reputation he so justly deserved. — Anecdotes — Choker. 2 Boswell here departs a little from the order of date. — CUOKER. 3 Mr. Holder, in the Strand, Dr. Johnson's apothecary. — Boswell. •f " Mav, 1782. Fresh cold, renewed cough, and an in- creased difficulty of breathing ; all suggest a further letting of blood, which, however, I do not choose to have done with- out your advice. I cannot well come to you, nor is there any occasion for your coming to me. You may say, in one word, yes or no, and leave the rest to Holder and me. If you con- ^T. 73. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. '03 extracts from letters addressed by Jobnsoxi to Miss Lawrence : JOHNSON TO MISS LAWRENCE. " Bolt Court, Fleet Street, Feb. 4. 17S3. '• You will easily believe with what gladness I read that you had heard once again that voice to which we have all so often delighted to attend. ^I.;y you often hear it. If we had his mind, and tiingue, we could spare the rest. ■ 1 am not vigorous, but much better than when .1- Dr. Lawrence held my pulse the last time. I'.L so kind as to let me know, from one little interval to another, the state of his body. I am jlcised that he remembers me, and hope that it ..r can be possible for me to forget him. July !, 1782. ■ I am much delighted even with the small a l\auces which dear Dr. Lawrence makes towards itcovery. If we could have again but his mind, ^nul his tongue in his mind, and his right hand, \\o should not much lament the rest. I should iiiit despair of helping the swelled hand by elec- tricity, if it were frequently and diligently supplied. •' Let me know from time to time whatever linp|icas ; and I hope I need not tell you how ■ 1 h I am interested in every change. Aug. 26. • Tliough the account with which you favoured in your last letter could not give me the iMire that I wished, yet I was glad to receive lor my affection to my dear friend makes me i rous of knowing his state, whatever it be. I J, therefore, that you continue to let mo know, ;i time to time, all that you observe. •• I\Iany fits of severe illness have, for about three months past, forced my kind physician often upon my mind. I am now better ; and hope gratitude, .IS \vA\ as distress, can be a motive to remem- .TOHNSON TO CAPTAIN LANGTON ', In Rochester. " Bolt Court, March 20. 1782. " Dear Sir, — It is now long since we saw one another: and, whatever has been the reason, neither No;i have written to me, nor I to you. To let li undship die away by negligence and silence, is certainly not wise. It is voluntarily to throw 1 away one of the greatest comforts of this weary I pilgrimage, of which when it is, as it must be, t:i1 l>iLasing in the silence of solitude to think that tiicre is one at least, however distant, of whose bciievolence there is little doubt, and whom there is f yet hope of seeing again. k' " Of my life, from the time we parted, the i history is mournful. The spring of last year de sent, the messenger will bring Holder to me. When you shall be gone, whiiher shuU I turn myself? " — Crokeu. 1 Mr. Langton being at this time on duty at Rochester, he is addressed by his military title. — Boswell. This is, I think, a mistake: Mr. Langton had now fixed his residence at Rochester. — Croker, 1847. " Johnson has here expressed a sentiment similar to that contained in one of Shenstcne's stanzas, to whicli, in his life of that poet, he has given high praise : l)rived me of Thrale, a man whose "eye for fifteen years liad scarcely been turned upon me but with respect or tenderness ; for such another friend, the general course of human things will not suffer man to hope. I passed the summer at Streatham, but there was no Thrale ; and having idled away the summer with a weakly body and neglected mind, I made a journey to Staffordshire on the edge of winter. The season was dreary, I was sickly, and found the friends sickly whom I went to see. After a sorrowful sojourn, I returned to a habita- tion possessed for the present by two sick women, where ray dear old friend, Mr. Levett, to whom, as he used to tell me, I owe your acquaintance, died a few weeks ago, suddenly, in his bed ; there passed not, I believe, a minute between health and death. At night, at iMrs. Thrale's, as I was musing in my chamber, I thought with uncommon earnestness, that, however I might alter my mode of life, or whithersoever I might remove, 1 would endeavour to retain Levett about me : in the morning my servant brought me word that Levett was called to another state, a state for which, I think, he was not unprepared, for he was very useful to the poor. How much soever I valued him, I now wish that I had valued him more.* " I have myself been ill more than eight weeks of a disorder, from which, at the expense of about fifty ounces of blood, I hope I am now recovering. '• You, dear Sir, have, 1 hope, a more cheerful scene ; you see George fond of his book, and the pretty Misses airy and lively, with my own little Jenny ', equal to the best ; and in whatever can contribute to your quiet or pleasure, you have Lady Rothes ready to concur. May whatever you enjoy of good be increased, and whatever you suffer of evil be diminished, I am, dear Sir, &c., " Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO HECTOR,^ " London, March 21. 1782. "Dear Sir, — I hope I do not very grossly flatter myself to imagine that you and dear Tirs. Careless (p. 4S8.) willbe glad to hear some account of me. I performed the journey to London with very little inconvenience, and came safe to my habitation, where I found nothing but ill health, and, of consequence, very little cheerfulness. I then went to visit a little way into the country, where I got a complaint by a cold which has hung eight weeks upon me, and from which I am, at the expense of fifty ounces of blood, not yet free. I am afraid I must once more owe my recovery to warm weather, which seems to make no advances to- wards us. " Such is my health, which will, I hope, soon grow better. In other respects I have no reason to complain. I know not that I have written any thing more generally commended than the Lives of the Poets; and have found tlie world willing enough to caress me, if my health had invited me to be " I prized every hour that went by. Beyond all that had pleased me before ; But now they are gone, and 1 sigli. And I grieve that I prized them no more." J. Boswell, jun. 3 See anti. p. .565. n. 2. — C. ' A part of this letter having been torn off, I have, from the evident meaning, supplied a few words and half word: at tlie ends and beginning of lines — Boswell. V04 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 17S2. in much company ; I'ut this season I have been almost wholly employed in nursing myself. '• When sumniLT comes I hope to see you again, and will not jiut off my visit to the end of the year. I have lived so long in London, that I did not remember the difference of seasons. " Your health, when I saw you, was much im- proved. You will be prudent enough not to put it in danger. I hope, when we meet again, we shall congratulate each other upon fair prospects of longer life ; though what are the pleasures of the longest life, when placed in comparison with a happy death ? I am, &c., Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO HECTOR. ( Without a dah; hul supposed to be about tliis time.) " Dear Sik, — That you and dear Mrs. Careless sliould have care or curiosity about my health gives me that pleasure which every man feels from finding himself not forgotten. In age we feel again that love of our native place and our early friends, which, in the bustle or amusements of middle life, were overborne and suspended. You and I should now naturally cling to one another ; we have outlived most of those who could pretend to rival us in each other's kindness. In our walk through life we have dropped our companions, and are now to pick up such as chance may offer us, or to travel on alone. You, indeed, have a sister, with whom you can divide the day ; I have no natural friend left: but Providence has been pleased to preserve me from neglect; I have not wanted such alleviations of life as friendship could supply. My health has been, from my twentieth year, such as has seldom afforded me a single day of ease; but it is at least not worse ; and I some- times make myself believe that it is better. My disorders are, however, still sufficiently oppressive. " I think of seeing Staffordshire again this autumn, and intend to find my way through Bir- mingham, where I hope to see you and dear Mrs. Careless well. I am, Sir, &c., " Sam. Johnson." "March 18.' — Having been from the middle of January distressed by a cold, which made my respiration very laborious, and from which I was but little relieved by being blooded three times ; having tried to ease the oppression of my breast by frequent opiates, which kept me waking in the night and drowsy the next day, and subjected me to the tyranny of vain imaginations; having to all this added frequent cathartics, sometimes with mer- cury, I at last persuaded Dr. Lawrence, on Thurs- day, March 14., to let me bleed more copiously, ^ixteen ounces were taken away, and from that 1 For the latter half of this month of March he kept the following Jiary, of which Boswell has given only one para- graph. — Croker. 2 Sir William Waller, the Parliamentary General in the Grand Rebellion, wrote " Divine Meditaiions on several Vccnstons, u'ith a daily Directory, 1680." — CiiOKEU. 1847. 3 A learned Greek ; a friend of Mr. Langtnn. — Croker. ■1 The catalogue referred to v/as probably that of the ancient coins in Dr. Hunter's museum, which was published in the ensuing year, witli a classical dedication to the queen, which perhaps Dr. Johnson revised — Croker. 5 This means, I suppose, Galen's work, De Temperamentis et incquali temperie. Lib. iii. Thoma hinacro, Anglo in- time my breath has been free, and my breast easy. | On that day I took little food, and no flesh. On ( Thursday night I slept with great tranquillity. ! On the next night I took diacodium [syrup of pop- | pies], and had a most restless night. Of the next i day I remember nothing, but that I rose in the I afternoon, and saw Mrs. Lennox and Seward. j " Sunday, 17 I lay late, and had only palfrey j to dinner. I read part of Waller's Directory 2, a pious, rational book : but in any except a very re- I: gular life difficult to practise. | " It occurred to me, that though my time might i pass unemployed, no more should pass uncounted, j and this has been written to-day, in consequence of that thought. I read a Greek chapter, prayed with I P'rancis, which I now do commonly, and explained | to him the Lord's Prayer, in which I find connexion, | not observed, I think, by the expositors. I made j, punch for myself and my servants, by which, in j the night, I thought both my breast and imagination j disordered. j; Monday, 18. — I rose late, looked a little into j books. Saw Miss Reynolds and Miss Thrale, and I' Nicolaida^; afterwards Dr. Hunter* came for ;, his catalogue. I then dined on tea, &c. ; then read over part of Dr. Lawrence's book " De Tempera- mentis,' which seems to have been written with a troubled mind. " My mind has been for some time much dis- tmbed. The peace of God be with me, — - - -« Tuesday, 19 I rose late. I was visited by Mrs. Thrale, Mr. Cotton, and Mr. Crofts. « I took Lawrence's paper in hand, but was chill ; having fasted yesterday, I was hungry, and dined freely, then slept a little, and drank tea ; then took \ candles, and wrote to Aston and Lucy; then went \ on with Lawrence, of which little remains. I ; prayed with Francis. " Mens sedatior, laus Deo. "To-morrow Shaw' comes. I think to finish Lawrence, and write to Langton. " Poor Lawrence has almost lost the sense of hearing: and I have lost the conversation of a learned, intelligent, and communicative companion, and a friend whom long familiarity has much endeared. Lawrence is one of the best men whom , I have known. " Nostrum omnium miserere Deus. " Wednesday, 20. — Shaw came ; I finished read- ing Lawrence. I dined liberally. Wrote a long letter to Langton, and designed to read, but was hindered by Strahan. The ministry is dissolved. I prayed with Francis, and gave thanks. "To-morrow — To Mrs. Thrale — To write to Hector — To Dr. Taylor. " Thursday, 21 I went to Mrs. Thrale. Mr. Cox* and Paradise met me at the door, and went with me in the coach. Paradise's loss.' In tcrprcle, 15'21. A curious book, which Dr. Lawrence had probably lent him, perhaps with a view to the "paper " sub- sequently mentioned — Croker, 1847. 6 Probably Mr. Herbert Croft, who had supplied him with a life of Young. — Choker. 7 Probably the editor of the Gaelic Dictionary, who, about this period, was warmly engaged in the Ossian controversy, and as he took Dr. Jolmson's part, probably received some assistance from him. Ami, p. 528. ; post, p. 74-5. 8 Mr. Cox was, I believe, a solicitor in Southampton Buildings. — Croker. y This probablv refers to some property in Virginia which Mr. Paradise possessed iu right of his wife, and which had J'/r. 73. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. ro5 the evening wrote to Hector. At night there were eleven visitants. Conversation with Mr. Cox. iWTien I waked I saw the penthouses covered with (snow. j " Friday, 22. — I spent the time idly. Mens tturbata. In the afternoon it snowed. At night fl wrote to Taylor about the pot, and to Hamilton about the Foedcra.' " Saturday, 23. — I came home and found that Dcsiuoullns liad, while I was a H-ay, been in bed. [.utters from Langton and Boswell. 1 promised 1, — ' six guineas. •• Sunday, 24. — I rose not early. Visitors, Allen, Dar-s, Windham, Dr. Horsley.^ Dinner at Strahan's. Came home and chatted with Wil- liams, and read Romans ix. in Greek. " To-morrow begin again to read the Bible ; put rooms in order ; cojiy L 's letter. At night I read 1 1 p. and something more, of the Bible, in jfifty-five minutes " Tuesday, 26. —I copied L 's letter. Then \vrote to Mrs. Thrale. Cox visited me. I sent home Dr. Lawrence's papers, with notes. I gave [Mrs. Desmoulins] a guinea, and found her a ijown. " Wednesday, 27. — At Harley-street.* Bad lights — In the evening Dr. Brorafield and his "amily — Merlin's steelyard given me. '• Tliursday, 28. — I came home. Sold Rymer u- Davies ; wrote to Boswell. Visitors, Dr. Percy, Mr. Crofts. I have, in ten days, written to [Mrs.] \ ton, Lucy, Hector, Langton, Boswell; perhaps ' ill by whom my letters are desired. ■■ The weather, whicli now begins to be warm, .;ives me great help. I have hardly been at church his year ; certainly not since the 15th of January. .My cough and difficulty of breath would not per- )Lrmit it. " This is the day on which, in 1752, dear Tetty lied. I have now uttered a prayer of repentance md contrition ; perhaps Tetty knows that I prayed 'or her. Perhaps Tetty is now praying for me. Ciod help me. Thou, God, art merciful ; hear my iravers, and enable me to trust in Thee. " We were married almost seventeen year.s, and lave now been parted thirty. " I then read 11 p. from Ex. 36. to Lev. 7. I jiaved with Francis, and used the prayer for Good I'-riday. "29. — Good Friday. After a night of great listurbance and solicitude, such as I do not re- neniber, I rose, drank tea, but without eating, uid went to church. I was very composed, and ;oming home, read Hammond on one of the Psalms or the day. I then read Leviticus. Scott [Lord iStowellJ came in. .i kind letter from [i\Irs.] Gas- rill. I read on, then went to evening prayers, iiul afterwards drank tea, with buns : then read ill I finished Leviticus, 24 pages et supra. . onfiscated. See Jefferson's Letters, wherp he advorates : i.iise's claims as being a whig and friend to American • nlipendenoe. — Cboker. ' A set of Rymer which he was charitably endeavouring to (11 for Davies, prob.nblv to Mr. Gerard Hamilton ; and this v.is, perhaps, the occasion which made Mr. Hamilton say (as » stated in Malone's MS. notes communicated to me by Mr. Markland) that Johnson once asked him for .iO/. for a ■liarit.-\ble purpose. Sir Joshua told Malone that he never i.-ked him for more than a guinea for one object. —Ohokek. - Lennox or Lowe ? I believe Lowe — Choker, 1847. 3 In 1788 Bishop of St. David's. — Crokek. " 30. — Saturday. Visitors, Paradise, and I think Horsley. Read 1 1 jiages of the Bible. I was faint ; dined on herrings and potatoes. At prayers, I think, in the evening. I wrote to [Mrs.] Gastrell, and received a kind letter from Hector. At night Lowe. Pr[ayed] with Francis. "31. — Easter-Day. Read 15 pages of the Bible. Cajtera alibi. "] — Pr. and Med. On the foregoing curious passage — "■March 20.^ The ministry is dissolved. I prayed ivith Francis, and gare thanks " — it has been the subject of discussion whether there are two distinct particulars mentioned here ? Or that we are to understand the giving of thanks to be in consequence of the dissolution of the ministry? In support of the last of these conjectures may be urged his mean opi- nion of that ministry, which has frequently appeared in the course of this work ; and it is strongly confirmed by what he said on the sub- ject to Mr. Seward : — " I am glad the ministry is removed.^ Such a bunch of imbecility never disgraced a country.'^ If they sent a mes- senger into the city to take up a printer, the messenger was taken up instead of the printer, and committed by the sitting alder- man. If they sent one army to tlie relief of another, the first army was defeated and taken before the second arrived. I will not say that what they did was ahvays wrong ; but it was always done at a wrong time." I wrote to him at ditiferent dates ; regretted that I could not come to London this spring, but hoped we should meet somewhere in the summer ; mentioned the state of my afiairs, and suggested hopes of some preferment ; in- formed him, that as " The Beauties of Johnson" had been published in London, some obscure scribbler had published at Edinburgh what he called " The Deformities of Johnson." JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. "London, March 28. 1782. "Dear, Sir, — The pleasure which we u.sed to receive from each other on Good- Friday and Easter- day, we must be this year content to miss. Let us, however, pray for each other, and I hope to see one another yet from time to time with mutual delight. My disorder has been a cold, which im- peded the organs of respiration, and kept me many weeks in a state of great uneasiness ; but by repeated phlebotomy it is now relieved : and next to the recovery of Mrs. Boswell, I flatter myself, that you will rejoice at mine. "What we shall do in the summer, it is vet too * Probably Mr. Uamsay"s. Ante, p. 630. — Croker. 5 Hoswell g.ive only this passage from the Diary, and mis- dated it 'UMli January, and introduced it by these w ords : '■/« oju- ofjo/mson's registers qf litis year tliere occurs thefolloiv ■ itig curious passage." — Ckoreh. " On the preceding day the ministry had been changed Malone. Lord North's" administration was superseded by that of Lord Rockingham, on the 19/A Marc/i. — Croker. 7 Johnson's personal pique against Lord North makes him unjust to the ministry, by reproaching t/iem with the mischiefs created by the factions which opposed them. — Seepust, p. 712._CnoKER, 1847. z z 706 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1782. early to consider. You want to know what you shall do now ; I do not think this time of bustle and confusion like to produce any advantage to you. Every man has those to reward and gratify who have contributed to his advancement. To come hither with such expectations at the expense of borrowed money, which I find you know not where to borrow, can hardly be considered prudent. I am sorry to find, what your solicitations seem to imply, that you have already gone the whole length of your credit. This is to set the quiet of your whole life at hazard. If you anticipate your inheritance, you can at last inherit nothing ; all that you receive must pay for the past. You must get a I place, or pine in penury, with the empty name of a I great estate. Poverty, my dear friend, is so great an evil, and pregnant with so much temptation, and so much misery, that I cannot but earnestly enjoin you to avoid it. Live on what you have ; live if you can on less ; do not borrow either for vanity or pleasure ; the vanity will end in shame, and the pleasure in regret : stay therefore at home, till you have saved money for your journey hither. " ' The Beauties of Johnson 'are said to have got money to the collector; if the ' Deformities' have the same success, I shall be still a more extensive benefactor. " Make my compliments to Mrs. Boswell, who is I hope reconciled to me ; and to the young people, whom I never have offended. You never told me the success of your plea against the solicitors. I am, dear Sir, Sec, Saji. Johnson." [JOHNSON TO MRS. GASTRELL AND MRS. ASTON. " Bolt Court, JIarch 30. 17S2. " Deakest Ladies, — The tenderness e.xpressed in your liind letter makes me think it necessary to tell you that they who are pleased to wish me well, need not be any longer particularly solicitous about me. I prevailed on my physician to bleed me very copiously, almost against his inclination. How- ever, he kept his finger on the pulse of the other hand, and, finding that 1 bore it w611, let the vein run on. From that time I have mended, and hope I am now well. I went yesterday to church without inconvenience, and hope to go to-morrow. " Here are great changes in the great world ; but I cannot tell you more than you will find in the papers. The men have got in whom I have endeavoured to keep out ; but I hope they will do better than their predecessors ; it will not be easy to do worse " Spring seems now to approach, and I feel its benefit, which I hope will extend to dear Mrs. Aston. " When Dr. Falconer saw me, I was at home only by accident, for I lived much with Mrs. Thrale, and had all the care from her that she 1 I can hardly think that tliis coukl bo the same work mentioned antt, p. 697. ; nor am I able to expl.iin the allu- sion to Biirnabi/, which, I suspect, may have been a mis- transcription for Bunbunj — Choker. 2 Hannah Blore was at this dinner, and sat next to .Tohn- son. She urged him to take a liltle wine ; he replied, " I can't drink a little, child: therefore I never touch it. Ab- stinence is as easy to me as temperance would be difficult. Ante, p. 678. — Croker, 1847. 3 This is the first time that this name occurs. — Gabriel Piozzi was a Brescian, who came to England a few years before as a professional singer, and was introduced by could take or could be taken. But 1 have never been ill enough to want attendance ; my disorder has been rather tedious than violent; rather irk- some than painful. He needed not have made such a tragical representation. " I am now well enough to flatter myself with some hope of pleasure from the summer. How happy would it be if we could see one another, and be all tolerably well ! Let us pray for one another. I am, &c., Sam. Johnson." — Pembroke MSS. JOHNSON TO MISS REYNOLDS. " .-ipril 8. 1782. "Dearest Madam, — Your work' is full of very penetrating meditation, and very forcible sentiments. I read it with a full perception of the sublime, with wonder and terror; but I cannot think of any profit from it ; it seems not born to be popular ' " Your system of the mental fabric is exceedingly obscure, and, without more attention than will ht willingly bestowed, is unintelligible. The plans' of Butnaby will be more safely understood, and are often charming. I was delighted with the dif- ferent bounty of different ages. " I would make it produce soinething if I could | but I have indeed no hope. If a bookseller woulc buy it at all, as it must be published without ; name, he would give nothing for it worth you; acceptance. I am. &c., Sam. Johnson." — Reynolds MSS. ' JOHNSON TO MRS. THRALE. (Extracts.') " 26th April, [1782.] — I have been very mucl out of order since you sent me .away ; but wh; should I tell you, who do not care, nor desire t know. I dined with Mr. Paradise on Monda\ with the Bishop of St. Asaph [Shipley] yesterdaj with the Bishop of Chester [Poiteus] I dine to day ^, and with the Academy on Saturday, with Mi Hoole on Monday, and with Mr. Garrick on Thurs day, the 2d of May, and then — what care you?- w/iat then ? " Do not let Mr. Piozzi' nor any body else pt me quite out of your head ; and do not think thr any one will love you like your, &c." " 30tli April, 1782. — I have had a fresh col( and been very poorly. But I was yesterday i I\Ir. Hoole's, where were Miss Reynolds and man others. I am going to the club. " Since Mrs. Garrick's invitation I have a lettt from Miss Moore ■*, to engage me for the eveniiu I have an appointment to Miss Monkton, an another with Lady Sheffield^ at Mrs. Way's.* ! " Two days ago Mr. Cumberland had his thir j night ', which, after all expenses, put into his ow j pocket five pounds. He has lost his plume. Burney at Streatham, whore he gave lessons to the your ladies, and sometimes sang for the company. It seems lli: he had now made considerable .advances 'in Ulrs. Thrale good graces, and in about two years slie married him. 1 died in March. 1809, at her family seat in Wales. — Crokei ■• Hannah More. — Croker. 5 The first wife of the iirst Lord Sheffield. — Croker. 6 Wife of Daniel Way, Esq. of the Exchequer Office, > whom there is so copious an account in Nichols's continuji tion of Bowyer's Anecdotes Croker. 7 The play of the Walloons, acted about this time ; but tfc third night was the 2d of May. — Cuokek. ^T. 73. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 707 I «« Mrs. S[heridan] • refused to sing, at the I Duchess of Devonshire's request, a song to the I Prince of Wales. They pay for tlie [theatre] ^ 1 neither principal nor interest; and poor Garrick's ; funeral expenses are yet unpaid, tliougli the under- i taker is broken. Could you have a better pur- Ivuyor for a little scandal? But I wish I was at tStreatham."] — Letters. Notwithstanding his afllicted state of body and mind this year, the following correspond- ence aflbrds a proof not only of his benevolence and conscientious readiness to relieve a good juian from error, but by his clothing one of the jsentiments in his " Kambler," in different lan- fguage, not inferior to that of the original, Isliows his extraordinary command of clear and (forcible expression. i A clergyman at Bath wrote to him, that in l'' The Morning Chronicle," a passage in " The [vviuties of Johnson," ai'ticle Death, had been ! i L'd out as supposed by some readers to iiincnd suicide, the words being, " To die 'ii' fate of man ; but to die with lingering !-h is generally his folly;" and respect- suggesting to him, that such an erroneous j lutiou of any sentence in the writings of an I jicknowledged friend of religion and virtue I I hould not pass uncontradicted. Johnson thus 1 uswered this clergyman's letter : — JOHNSON TO THE REV. MR. , At Bath. " May 15. 1782. >iK, — Being now in the country in a state of LTV, as I hope, from a very oppressive dis- , I cannot neglect the acknowledgment of Christian letter. The book called ' The itics of Johnson' is the production of I know liom ; I never saw it but by casual inspec- and considered myself as utterly disengaged its consequences. Of the passage you men- I remember some notice in some paper ; but ing that it must be misrepresented, I thought no more, nor do I know where to find it in j un books. I am accustomed to think little ! jHspapers ; but an opinion so weiglity and ' IS as yours has determined me to do, what I I i without your seasonable admonition have cil : and I will direct my thought to be II in its true state.* If I could find the passage, ;ild direct you to it. I suppose the tenor is — ' Acute diseases are the immediate and in- le strokes of Heaven ; but of them the pain It, and the conclusion speedy ; chronical dis- -. by which we arc suspended in tedious I c between life and death, are commonly the Sri-nn/c, April 10. 1775. — C. Diury-lane Theatre, sold by Garrick to Slieridaa — NVIiat follows appeared in " The Morning Chronicle " of y ■i'J. 1782: — '. correspondent having mentioned in ' The Morning itle' ot December 12. the last clause of the following ) iph, as seeming to favour suicide ; we are requested to tl:e whole passage, that its true meaning may appear, I. ii is not to recommend suicide, but exercise. Kxerciso cannot secure us from that dissolution to which effect of our own misconduct and intemperance. To die, &c.' — This, Sir, you see, is all true and all blameless. I hope some time in the next week to liave all rectified. My health has been lately much shaken ; if you favour me with any answer, it will be a comfort to me to know that I liave your prayers. 1 am, ike, Sam. Johnson." This letter, as might be expected, had its full effect, and the clergyman acknowledged it in grateful and pious terms. * The following letters require no extracts from mine to introduce them : — JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " London, Juno 3. 1782. "Dear Sir, — The earnestness and tenderness of your letter is such, that I cannot think myself showing it more respect than it claims, by sitting down to answer it the day on which I received it. " This year has afflicted me with a very irksome and severe disorder. My respiration has been much impeded, and much blood has been taken away. I am now harassed by a catarr^ious cough, from which my purpose is to seek relief by change of air; and I am, therefore, preparing to go to Oxford. " Whether I did right in dissuading you from coming to London this spring, I will not deter- mine. You have not lost much by missing my com- pany ; I have scarcely been well for a single week. I might have received comfort from your kindness; but you would have seen me afflicted, and, perhaps, found me peevish. Whatever might have been your pleasure or mine, I know not how I could have honestly advised you to come hither with borrowed money. Do not accustom yourself to consider debt only as an inconvenience ; you will find it a calamity. Poverty takes away so many means of doing good, and produces so much in- ability to resist evil, both natural and moral, that it is by all virtuous means to be avoided. Consider a man whose fi)rtune is very narrow ; whatever be his rank by birth, or whatever his reputation by intellectual excellence, what can he do? or what evil can he prevent ? That he cannot help the needy is evident ; he has nothing to spare. But, perhaps, his advice or admonition may be useful. His poverty will destroy his influence ; many more can find that he is poor, than that he is wise ; and few will reverence the understanding tliat is of so little advantage to its owner. I say nothing of the personal wretcliedness of a debtor, which, however, has passed into a proverb. Of riches it is not necessary to write the praise. Let it, however, be remembered, that he wlio has money to spare, has it always in his power to benefit others ; and of such power a good man must always be desirous. we are decreed ; but while tlie soul and bodv continue united, it can mal;e the association pleasing, and give pro- bable hopes that they shall be disjoined by an easy separa- tion. It was a principle among the ancients, that acute diseases are from Heaven, and chronical from ourselves ; the dart of death, indeed, falls from Heaven ; but we poison it by our own misconduct : to die is the fate of man ; but to die with lingering anguish is generally his folly." —Boswell. The passage is in No. 8.5. of the HambUr. — Croker, 18-17. ■> The correspondence may be seen at length in *' The Gentleman's Magazine," Feb. 17SG. — Boswell. z z 2 ros BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1782. " I am pleased with your account of Easter.' We shall meet, I hope, in autumn, both well and both cheerful ; and part each the better for the other's company. Make my compliments to Mrs. Boswell, and to the young charmers. I am, &c., " Sam. Johnson." [JOHNSON TO MRS. THRALE. (Extracts.) " Sunday, JuneS.^ 1782. — I have this day taken a passage to Oxford for Monday — not to frisk, as you express it with very unfeeling irony, but to catch at tlie hopes of better health. The change of place may do something. To leave the liouse where so much has been suffered affords some plea- sure." " Oxford, June 11 Yesterday I came to Ox- ford, without fatigue or inconvenience. Here is Miss More^ at Dr. Adams's, with whom I shall dine to-morrow. " Oxford, June 12. 1782. — I find no particular salubrity in this air ; my respiration is very labori- ous ; my appetite is good, and my sleep commonly long and quiet : but a very little motion disables me. " I dine to-day with Dr. Adams, and to-morrow with Dr. Wetherel."* Yesterday Dr. Edwards = invited some men from Exeter college, whom I liked very well. These variations of company help the mind, though they cannot do much for the body. But the body receives some help from a cheerful mind." " Oxford, June 17. 1782. — Oxford has done, I think, what for the present it can do, and I am going slyly to take a place in the coach for Wed- nesday, and you or my sweet Queeney will fetth me on Thursday, and see what you can make of me. " To-day I am going to dine with Dr. Wheeler, and to-morrow Dr. Edwards has invited Miss Adams and Miss More. He has really done all that he could do for my relief or entertamment, and really drives me away by doing too much. "J — Letters. JOHNSON TO MR. PERKINS.^ " July 28. 1782. " Dear Sir, — I am much pleased that you are going a very long journey, which may by proper conduct restore your health and prolong your life. " Observe these rules: — 1. Turn all care out of your head as soon as you mount the chaise. 2. Do not think about frugality ; your health is worth more than it can cost. 3. Do not continue any ' Which I celebrated in the Church of England chapel at Edinburgh, founded by Lord Chief Baron Smith, of respect- able and pious memory Boswell. 2 Mrs. Piozzi had misdated and misplaced this and the following letter Crokek. 3 Hannah More writes : — " Oxford, June 13th, 1782. — " Who do you think is my principal cicerone at Oxford ? Only Dr. Johnson! and we do so gallant it about. You cannot imagine with what delight he showed me every part of his own college (Pemlwoke), nor how rejoiced Henderson [p.763. n. 4.] looked to make one in the party. Dr. Adams, the Master of Pembroke, had contrived a very pretty piece of gallantry. We spent the day and evening at his house. After dinner John- son begged to conduct me to see the college ; he would let no one show it me but himself; ' This was my room ; this Shen- stone's.' Then, after pointing out all the rooms of the poets who had been of his college, ' in short,' said he, ' we were day's journey to fatigue. 4. Take now and then a day's rest. 5. Get a smart sea-sickness, if you can. 6. Cast away all anxiety, and keep your mind easy. This last direction is the principal ; with an unquiet mind, neither exercise, nor diet, nor physic, can he of much use. " I wish you, dear Sir, a prosperous journey, and a happy recovery. I am, dear Sir, your most affectionate humble servant, Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " Aug. 24. 1782. " Dear Sir, — Being uncertain whether ] shoidd have any call this autumn into the country I did not immediately answer your kind letter. ] have no call ; but if you desire to meet me at Ash bourne, I believe I can come thither ; if you hai rather come to London, I can stay at Streatham take your choice. " This year has been very heavy. From th middle of January to the middle of June, I wa battered by one disorder after another ! I ar now very much recovered, and hope still to b better. AVhat happiness it is that Mrs. Bos we has escaped. " My hives are reprinting, and I have forgotte the author of Gray's character ' : write immediatel; and it may be perhaps yet inserted. Of London c Ashbourne you have your free choice; at any pla( I shall be glad to see you. I am, &c., " Sam. Johnson." , On the SOtli August, I informed him th: mj honoured father had died that morning a complaint under which he had long hibourc having suddenly come to a crisis, while I wi upon a visit at the seat of Sir Charles Presto fi"om whence I had hastened the day befor' upon receiving a letter by express. JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " London, Sept. 7. 1782 " Dear Sir, — I have struggled through tl year with so much infirmity of body, and su strong impressions of the fragility of life, tl death, whenever it appears, fills me with mela choly ; and I cannot hear without emotion oft removal of any one, whom I have known, ii another state. " Your father's death had every circumstar. j that could enable you to bear it ; it was at a raati j age, and it was expected ; and as his general 1 | had been pious, his thoughts had doubtless ■ j many years past been turned upon eternity. Tl | you did not find him sensible must doubtless gri< i nest of singing birds.' ' Here we walked, there we pla pie juvenile days he passed there. When he came into the ci at cricket.' He ran over with the history of mon room we spied a fine large print of Johnson, framed, ■ hung up that very morning, with this motto, ' .And is Johnson ours, himself a host ?' Under which stared yn the face, ' From MissMore's Sensibility.' This little incit amused us ; but, alas! Johnson looks very ill, indeed, sp: less and wan. However, he made an effort to be clieerfu Croker, 1835. 4 Master of University College, father of Sir Cha? Wetherel, Attorney General in 1826 — Croker. 5 See ante, p. 621. n. 2. — C. •> Mr. Thrale's successor in the brewery — Croker, IS ■ The Rev. Mr. Temple, Vicar of St. Gluvias, Corm • — Boswell, Ante, p. 149. n. 1 . — C. JEt. 73. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. ro9 you ; Ills tlispositioii towards you was iiiuloubtcdl y that of a kind, though not of a fond father. Kind- ness, at loast actual, is in our powur, but foiuhicss ; is not; and if by negligence or im))rudence you jhad cxtinguislied his fondness, he could not at will rekindle it. Nothing then remained between you ; but mutual forgiveness of each other's faults, and mutual desire of each other's happiness. I shall Kmij; to know his final disposition of his fortune. " Vou, dear Sir, have now a new station, and have therefore new car^s, and new employments. jLife, as Cowley seems to say, ought to resemble a i well-ordered poem; of which one rule generally iiifived is, that the exordium should be simple. Dill should promise little. Begin your new course ,1)1' life with the least show and the least expense 'possible: you may at pleasure increase both, but lyou cannot easily diminish them. Uo not think your Ic-tate your own, while any man can call upon you l'>r money which you cannot pay : therefore, begin with timorous parsimony. Let it be your first care not to be in any man's debt. ■■ When the thoughts are extended to a future Mitt., the ])rescnt life seems hardly worthy of all I those principles of conduct and maxims of prudence which one generation of men has transmitted to uiother; but upon a closer view, when it is per- ceived how much evil is produced and how much good is impeded by embarrassment and distress, and how little room the expedients of poverty leave fjr the exercise of virtue, it grows manifest that Ithe boundless importance of the next life enforces some attention to the interests of this. " Be kind to the old servants, and secure the kindness of the agents and factors. Do not disgust 'them by asperity, or unwelcome gaity, or apparent suspicion. From them you must learn the real fsfate of your affairs, the characters of your tenants, land the value of your lands. " ^lake my compliments to INIrs. Boswell. I think her expectations from air and exercise are the 1). t that she can form. I hope she will live long jiiil iiappily. '• I forget whether I told you that Rasay has ; been here. We dined cheerfully together. I en- jtertained lately a young gentleman from Corricha- Itachin. I received your letters only this morning. I am, &c., Sam. Johnson." 1 11 answer to my next letter I received one fidui liim, dissuading me from hastening to liim as I had proposed. What is proper for iMililication is the following paragraph, equally just and tender : — •• One expense, however, I would not have you to spare : let nothing be omitted that can preserve -^Iis. Boswell, though it should be necessary to t r,i:isplant her for a time into a softer climate. She i tlie jirop and stay of your life. How much must your children suffer by losing her !" ^ly wife was now so much convinced of his siiuere friendship for me, and regard for her, tlKit without any suggestion on my part, she wrote him a very polite and grateful letter. JOHNSON TO MRS. BOSWELL. "Lomloii. .Sc|it. 7. 1782. " Dear Lady, — I have not often received so much pleasure as from your invitation to .\uchin- leck. The journey thither and back is, indeed, too great for tlie latter part of the year ; but if my health were fully recovered, I would suffer no little heat and colli, nor a wet or a rough road, to keep me from you. I am, indeed, not without hope of seeing Auchinleck again; but to make it a pleasant place I must see its lady well, and brisk, and airy. For my sake, therefore, among many greater rea- sons, take care, dear Madam, of your health ; spare no expense, and want no attendance, that can pro- cure ease or preserve it. Be very careful to keep your inind quiet ; and do not think it too much to give an account of your recovery to, ;\Iadam, yours, &c., Sam. Joh.nson." [JOHNSON TO LOWE.' " Oct. 22 17K2. "Sir, — I congratulate you on tiie good that has l)efallen you. I always told you that it would come. 1 would not, however, have you flatter yourself too soon with punctuality. You must not expect the other half year at Christmas. You n;ay use the money as your needs require ; but save what you can. " You must undoubtedly write a letter ofthanks to your benefactor in your own name. I have put something on the other side. I am. Sir, your most humble servant, Sam. Johnson." — MSS. LOWE TO LORD SOUTHWELL. " Mv Lord, — The allowance which you are pleased to make me, I received on the by Mr. I'uget. Of the joy which it brought your lordship cannot judge, because you cannot imagine my distress. It was long since I had known a morning without solicitude for noon, or lain down at night without foreseeing with terror the dis- tresses of the morning. My debts were small, but many ; my creditors were poor, and therefore troublesome. Of this misery your lordship's bounty has given me an intermission. May your lordship live long to do much good, and to do for many what you have done for, my Lord, your lordship's &c., M. Lowe."] —MSS JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " London, Dec. 7. 1782. " Dear Sir, — Having passed almost this whole year in a succession of disorders, I went in October to Brigiithelmstone, whither I came in a state of so much weakness, that I rested four times in walk- ing between the inn and the lodging. By physic and abstinence I grew better, aiul am now reason- ably casv, though at a great distance from health. I am afraid, however, that health begins, after seventy, and long before, to have a meaning differ- ent from that which it had at thirty. But it is culpable to murmur at the established order of the creation, as it is vain to oppose it. He that lives must grow old ; and he that would rather grow old than die has God to thank for the infirmities of old age. " At your long silence I am rather angry. Y''ou 1 These two letters coinmuiiicated liy Mr. Markl.md relate to the reneiv.al of Lowe's annuity from Lord Southwell, and show his constant zeal for his humble friend. — Choker. z z 3 710 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1782, do not, since now you are the head of your house, think it worth your while to try whether you or your friend can live longer without writing ; nor suspect, after so many years of friendship, that when I do not write to you I forget you. Put all such useless jealousies out of your head, and disdain to regulate your own practice by the practice of another, or by any other principle than the desire of doing right. " Your economy, I suppose, begins now to be settled ; your expenses are adjusted to your revenue, and all your people in their proper places. Resolve not to be poor. Whatever you have, spend less. Poverty is a great enemy to human happiness : it certainly destroys liberty ; and it makes some virtues impracticable, and others extremely dif- ficult. " Let me know the history of your life since your accession to your estate ; — how many houses, how many cows, how much land in your own hand, and what bargains you make with your tenants. "Of my ' Lives of the Poets' they have printed anew edition in octavo, I hear, of three thousand. Did I give a set to Lord Hailes ? If 1 did not, I will do it out of these. What did you make of all your copy ? " Mrs. Thrale and the three misses are now, for the winter, in Argyll Street. Sir Joshua Reynolds has been out of order, but is well again ; and I am, dear Sir, your, &c., Sam. Johnson." MRS. BOSWELL TO JOHNSON. " Edinburgh, Dec. 20. 1782. " Dear Sir, — I was made happy by your kind letter, which gave us the agreeable hopes of seeing you in Scotland again. " I am much flattered by the concern you are pleased to take in my recovery. I am better, and hope to have it in my power to convince you by my attention, of how much consequence I esteem your health to the world and to myself. I remain, Sir, with grateful respect, your obliged and obedient servant, Margaret Boswei.l." The death of Mr. Thrale had made a very material alteration with respect to Johnson's reception in that family. The manly authority of the husband no longer curbed the lively exuberance of the lady ; and as her vanity bad been fully gratified, by having the Colossus of Literature attached to her for many years, she gradually became less assiduous to please him. Whether her attachment to him was- already divided by another object, I am unable to ascertain ; but it is plain that Johnson's 1 Johnson, though dissatisfied with Mrs. Thrale, meant no reproach on this occasion — he makes a. parting use of the library — makci a raledielion to the clinrch, and pronounces a prayer on quitting '■ a place where he had enjoyed so much comfort," not because Mrs. Thrale made him less wel- come there, but because she, and he with her, were leaving it. When Boswell came to town six months later, lie found his friend domiciled in Mrs. Thrale's residence in Argyll Street. — Croker. 2 He seems to have taken leave of the kitchen as well as of the church at Streathara in Latin. " Oct. G. Die Dominica, 1782. " Pransus sum Streathamise agnlnum crus eoctum cum herbis (spinach) comminutis, farcimen farinaceum cum uvis penetration was alive to her neglect or forced attention ; for on the 6th of October this yeai Ave find him making a " parting use of the li- brary" at Streatham, and pronouncing a prayer which he composed on leaving Mr. Thrale's family. " Almighty God, Father of all mercy, help me by thy grace, that I inay, with humble and sincere thankfulness, remember the comforts and con- veniences which I have enjoyed at this place; and that I may resign them with holy submission, equally trusting in thy protection when thou givest and when tliou takest away. Have mercy upon me, O Lord ! have mercy upon me ! To thy fatherly protection, O Lord, I commend this family. Bless, guide, and defend them, that they may so pass through this world, as finally to enjoy in thy, presence everlasting happiness, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen." (Pr. and Med., p. 214.) One cannot read this prayer without some emotions not very favourable to the lady whose conduct occasioned it. ' The next day, he made the following memo- - randum r " October 7. — I was called early. I packed uj:. my bundles, and used the foregoing prayer, witl my morning devotions somewhat, I think, enlarged. Being earlier than the family, I read St. Paul's farewell in the .Acts, and then read fortuitously in the Gospels, — which was my parting use of the. library." And in one of his memorandum books ] find, " Sunday, went to church at Streatham Templo valedixi cum oscido.'' ^ He met Mr. Philip Metcalfe ' often at Si: Joshua Keynolds's and other places, and was: a good deal with him at Brighthelmstone tbi: autumn, being pleased at once with his excel lent table and animated conversation. IVIr Metcalfe showed him great respect, and sen him a note that he might have the use of hi: carriage whenever he pleased. Johnson (3c October, 1782,) returned this polite answer , " Mr. Johnson is very much obliged by tb kind offer of the carriage, but he has no desin of using Mr. Metcalfe's carriage, except whei: he can have the pleasure of Mr. Metcalfe';^ company." Mr. Metcalfe could not but bi highly pleased that his company was thus' valued by Johnson, and he frequently attendee : him In airings. They also went together t( Chichester, and they visited Petworlh, ant passis, lumbos bovillos, et puUum gallinjB Turcica ; et pos' carnes missas. ficus, uvas, non adraodura maturas, ita voliii anni intemperies, cum malis Persicis, lis tamen duris. N'l la;tus accubui, cibum modicd sumpsi, ne intemperantia a. extremum peccaretur. Si recte memini, in mentem venerun epulae in excquiis Hadoni celebratw. Streathamiam quaiid revisam ? " — Rose MSS. The phrase " ne intemperantia c extremum peccaretur" is remarkable, and proves that thi: which at first sight looks like burlesque, was written in sobr sadness Croker. 3 Mr. Metcalfe, who signed the Round Rubin, ante, p. SSI He was a friend of Sir Joshua Reynolds, and a number c three parliaments. He took a leading part in the relief o!' here how our ancestors lived." That his curiosity was still luiabated ap- pears from two letters to Mr. John Nichols, of the 10th and 20th of October this year. In I have, in my " Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides," fully expressed my sentiments upo.n this subject. The Revolution was necessary, but not a subject for glory; because it for a long time bL-isted the generous feelings of loyalty. A-nA now, when by the benignant effect of time the present royal family are established in our o,^'c/ions, how unwise is it to revive by celebrations the memory of a shock, which it would surely have been better that our constitution had not required 1 _ Bosw ell. 5 Yes ; but it m,iy be doubted whether there were fourscore persons whom the society of Paris would admit to be strictly and par excellence men of fashion. The fact, however, though expressed with colloquial hititiide, was but too nearly true.— Ceokeh. ^T. 74. BOST\^LL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 715 justice, and commanded us to have done. "Nobody," said he, "has a right to talk in this manner, to bring before a man his own character, and the events of his life, when he does not choose it should be done. I never have sought the world ; the world was not to seek me. It is rather wonderful that so much has been done ibr me. All the complaints which are made of the world are unjust. I never knew a man of merit neglected ; it was generally by his own fault that he failed of success. A man may hide his head in a hole ; he may go into the country, and publish a book now and then, which nobody reads, and then complain he is neglected. There is no reason why any person should e.xert himself for a man who has written a good book : he has not written it for any individual. I may as well make a present to the postman who brings me a letter. When patfonage was limited, an author expected to find a Maecenas, and com- plained if he did not find one. Why should he complain ? This Maecenas has others as good as he, or others who have got the start of him." J>oswELL. "But, surely, Sir, you will allow that there are men of merit at the bar, who never get practice." Johnson. " Sir, you are sure that practice is got from an opinion that the person employed deserves it best ; so that if a man of merit at the bar does not get practice, it is from error, not from injustice. He is not neglected. A horse that is brou<5ht to mai-ket may not be bought, though he is a very good horse ; but that is from ignorance, not from inattention." There was in this discourse much novelty, ingenuity, and discrimination, such as is seldom to be found. Yet I cannot help thinking that men of merit, wdio have no success in life, jiiay be forgiven for lamenting, if they are not allowed to cunipluin. They may consider it as Jiurd that their merit should not have its suit- able distinction. Though there is no inten- (ional injustice towards them on the part of ilie world, their merit not having been per- ceived, they may yet repine against foTfune or J'fde, or by whatever name they choose to call ilie supposed mythological power of destiny. It has, however, occurred to me, as a con- sdlatory thought, that men of merit should consider thus : — IIow much harder would it be, if the same persons had both all the merit and all the prosperity ? Would not this be a miserable distribution for the poor dunces ? AV^ould men of merit exchange their intellec- 1ual superiority, and the enjoyments arising ti'om it, for external distinction and the pleasures of wealth ? If they would not, let ' " I-etter to the People of Scotland against the Attempt to diminish the Number of Lords of Session, 1785." — Boswell. I do not see the peculiar resemblance between these mcnvf merit— Mr. Burke and the old Corycian. — Cuoker, 1847. - This surely is too bro.idly stated : society is injured when money is spent, as in the case of Egalite, Duke of Orleans, in proBiRacy or corruption, or in exciting political sedition them not envy others, who are poor where they are rich, a compensation which is made to them. Let them look inwards and be satisfied ; recollecting with conscious pride what Virgil finely says of the Curycius Senex, and wliicli I have, in another place ', with truth and sin- cerity applied to Mr. Burke : " Regum aequabat opus animls." '■ On the subject of the right employment of wealth, Johnson observed, — " A man cannot make a bad use of his money, so far as regards society, if he does not hoai-d it"; for if he either spends it or lends it out, society has the benefit. It is in general better to spend money j than to give it away ; for industry is more I promoted by spending money than by giving it ' away. A man who spends his money is sure he is doing good with it : he is not so sure when he gives it away. A man who spends 1 ten thousand a year will do more good than a man who spends two thousand and gives away I eiglit." In the evening I came to him again. He was somewhat fretful from his illness. A gentleman asked him whether he had been abroad to-day. "Don't talk so childishly," said he. " You may as well ask if I hanged myself to-day." I mentioned politics. John- son. " Sir, I'd as soon have a man to break my bones as talk to me of public aflhii-s, in- ternal or external. I have lived to see things all as bad as they can be." Having mentioned his friend the second Lord Southwell, he said, " Lord Southwell was the highest-bred man without insolence, that I ever was in company with ; the most qnalHied I ever saw. Lord Orrery was not dignified ; Lord Chesterfield was, but he was insolent. Lord *****'^'***^ is a man of coarse manners, but a man of abilities and informa- tion. I don't say he is a man I would set at the head of a nation, though perhaps he may be as good as the next prime minister that comes ; but he is a man to be at the head of a club, — I don't say our club, — for there's no j such club." BoswKLL. " But, Sir, was he not j a factious man ?" Johnson. "O yes. Sir, as I factious a fellow as could be found ; one who was for sinking us all into the mob." Bosweu:,. " IIow then. Sir, did he get into favour with the king?" Johnson. "Because, Sir, I sup- pose he promised the king to do whatever the king pleased." He said, " Goldsmith's blundering speech to Lord Shelburne, which has been so often men- tioned, and which he really did make to him, was only a blunder in emphasis : — 'I wonder 3 Shelburne, the .second Earl, afterwards first Marquis of Lansdowne. He \v,is now the head of the short-lived ministry of 1782, of which Mr. Pitt was Chancellor of the Exchequer, .ind which was ousted by the coalition in 1783, soon after this conversation. See and, p. 584. u. 5, and post, p. 721. n. 2. — Crokeii. 716 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1788. they shoiild call your lordship Malagrida, for Malao-rida was a very good man ; ' — meant, I wonder they should use Malagrida as a term of reproach." Soon after this time I had an opportunity of seeinsj, by means of one of his friends, a proof that his talents, as well as his obliging service to authors, were ready as ever. He had revised "The Village," an admirable poem, by the Reverend Mr. Crabbe.' Its sentiments as to the false notions of rustic happiness and rustic virtue were quite congenial with his own ; and he had taken the trouble not only to suggest slight corrections and variations, but to furnish some lines when he thought he could give the writer's meaning better than in the words of the manuscript.? JOHNSON TO REYNOLDS. "March 4. 1783. " Sir, — I have sent you back Mr. Crabbe's poem, which I read with great delight. It is ori- ginal, vigorous, and elegant. " The alterations which I have made I do not require him to adopt, for my lines are, perhaps, not often better than his own ; but he may take mine and his own together, and perhaps between them produce something better than either. He is not to think his copy wantonly defaced. A wet sponge will wash all the red lines away, and leave the page clear. " His dedication will be least liked. It were better to contract it into a short sprightly address. I do not doubt Mr. Crabbe's success. I am. Sir, &c., Saji. Johnson." — Reynolds MSS. On Sunday, March 30., I found him at home in the evening, and had the pleasure to meet with Dr. Brocklesby, whose reading, and knowledge of life, and good spirits, supply him witli a never-failing source of conversation. He mentioned a respectable gentleman, who became extremely penurious near the close of his life. Johnson said there must have been a degree of madness about him. " Not at all, Sir," said Dr. Brocklesby, " his judgment was entire " Unluckily, however, he mentioned that although he had a fortune of twenty-seven thousand pounds, he denied himself many comforts, from an apprehension that he could not afford them. " Nay, Sir," cried Johnson, " when the judgment is so disturbed that a man cannot count, that is pretty well." I shall here insert a few of Johnson's say- • ings, without the formality of dates, as they i have no reference to any particular time or \ place. " The more a man extends and varies his acquaintance, the better." This, however, was meant with a just restriction ; for he on another occasion said to me, " Sir, a man may be so much of every thing, that he is nothing of \ any thing." "Raising the wages of day-labourers is wrong ; for it does not make them live better, but only makes them idler, and idleness is a \ very bad tiling for human nature." \ _ "It is a very good custom to keep a journal for a man's own use ; he may write upon a card a day all that is necessary to be written, after he has had experience of life. At first there is a great deal to be written, because, there is a great deal of novelty : but wlien once a man has settled his opinions, there is seldom much to be set down." " There is nothing wonderful in the JournaP which we see Swift kept in London, for it contains slight topics, and it might soon be written." I praised the accuracy of an account-book of a lady whom I mentioned. Johnson. " Keeping accounts. Sir, is of no use when a man is spending his own money, and has nobody to whom he is to account. You won't eat less beef to-day, because you have written down what it cost yesterday." I mentioned another lady who thought as he did, so that her husband could not get her to keep an ac- count of the expense of the fiimily, as she thought it enough that she never exceeded the 1 This amiable gentleman is still alive, resident in his rec- tory of Trowbridge, in Wiltshire. His subsequent publica- tions have placed him high in the roll of British poets — though his having taken a view of life too minute, too humiliating, too painful, and too just, may have deprived his works of so extensive, or, at least, so brilliant, a popularity as some of his contemporaries have attained ; hut I venture to believe, that there is no poet of his times who will stand higher in the opinion of posterity. He generally deals with " the short and simple annals of the poor," but he exhibits them with such a deep knowledge of human nature — with such general ease and simplicity, and such accurate force of expression, whether gay or pathetical, as, in my humble judgment, no poet, except Shakespeare, has excelled. — C, 1831. Mr. Crabbe died Feb. 8. 1832. — Croker, 183.5. " I shall give an instance, marking the original by Roman, and Johnson's substitution in Italic ch; In fairer scenes, where peaceful pleasures spring, Tityrus, the pride of Mantuan swains might sing ; But charm'd by him, or smitten with his views, Shall modern poets court the Mantuan muse ? From truth and nature shall we widely stray. Where fancy leads, or Virgil led the way ?" ' 071 Mincio's bnnlcs, in m..... o , ]f T it yrus found the gulden age bounteous reign. Must sleepy bards the flattering dream prolong. Mechanic echoes of the Mantuan soiig ? From truth and nature shall we widely stray. Where Virgil, not where fancy, leads the way? " Here we find Johnson's poetical and critical powers undi- minished. I must however observe, that the aids he gave to this poem, as to " The Traveller " and " Deserted Village" of Goldsmith, were so small as by no means to impair the distinguished merit of the autlior. — Boswell. 3 In his Life of Swift, he thus speaks of this Journal : " In the midst of his power and his politics, he kept a journal of his visits, his walks, his interviews with ministers, and quarrels with his servant, and transmitted it to Mrs. John- son and Mrs. Dingley, to whom he knew that whatever befell him was interesting, and no account could be too minute. Whetlier these diurnal trifles were properly exposed to eyes which had never received any pleasure from the dean, may be reasonably doubted : they have, however, some odd at- tractions: the reader finding frequent mention of names which he has been used to consider as important, goes on in hope of information ; and, as there is nothing to fatigue attention, if he is disappointed, he can hardly complain.'- It may he added, that the reader not only hopes to find, but does find, in this very entertaining Journal, much curious in- formation, respecting persons and things, whicli he will in vain seek for in other books of the same period. — Malo.ne. ^T.74. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 717 gum allowed her. Johnson. " Sir, it is fit she should keep an account, because her husband wishes it ; but I do not see its use." I maintained that keeping an account has this advantage, that it satisfies a man that his money has not been lost or stolen, which he might sometimes be apt to imagine, were there no written state of his expense ; and, besides, a calculation of economy, so as not to exceed one's income, cannot be made without a view of the different articles in figures, that one may see how to retrench in some par- ticidars less necessary than others. This he did not attempt to answer. Talking of an acquaintance of ours ', whose narratives, which abounded in curious and in- teresting topics, were uidiappily found to be very fabulous ; I mentioned Lord Mansfield's having said to me, " Suppose we believe one AaZ/'of what he tells." JonNSON. "Ay; but we don't know tvhich half to believe. By his lying we lose not only our reverence for him, but all comfort in his conversation." Boswell. "May we not take it as arausing fiction?" JouNSOX. " Sir, the misfortune is, that you will insensibly believe as much of it as you incline to believe." It is remarkable, that notwithstanding their congeniality in politics, he never was ac- (piainted with a late eminent noble judge ", whom I have heard speak of him as a writer with great respect. Johnson, I know not upon what degree of investigation, entertained IK) exalted opinion of his lordship's intellectual character. Talking of him to me one day, he said, " It is wonderful, Sir, with how little real superiority of mind men can make an eminent figure in public life." He expressed himself to the same purpose concerning another law- lord ^, who, it seems, once took a fixncy to associate with the wits of London ; but with so little success, that Foote said, " What can he mean by coming among us ? He is not only dull himself, but the cause of dulness in others." Trying him by the test of his col- loquial powers, Johnson had found him very defective. He once said to Sir Joshua Rey- nolds, " This man now has been ten years about town, and has made nothing of it;" meaning as a conqjanion.* He said to me, "I never heard any thing from him in company that ' This, Mr. Chalmers thought, was George Steevens Crokeb, 1847. i Lord Mansfiehl. See anii, p. 232. n. 1. — Croker. 3 No doubt Lord Loughborough. — Croker. •< Knowing as well as I do what precision and elegance of oratory his lordship can display, 1 cannot but suspect that his unravour.-\ble appearance in a social circle, which drew such animadversions upon him, must be owing to a cold affectation of consequence, from beinp reserved .ind stifi". If it be so and he might be an agreeable man if he would, we cannot be sorry that he misses his aim. — Boswell. * He fears the burthen of a heavier gem. Jatifna/, i.29. — C. * They are to be found, under the title of " The Hypo- chondriack," in the London Magazine from 1775 to 178-1 — Crokf.r. : was at all striking ; and depen Johnson's attention to precision and clear- ; remarkable. He i ness in expression was very which he furnished, and Sir Wil4 disapproved of a parenthesis ; and I believe, in I all his voluminous writings, not half a dozen ' The particular passage which excited this strong emotion was. as I have heard from my father, the third stanza, " 'Tis night," &c. — J. BoswELL, jun. The fourth.— Makkland. 2 A kind of novel founded on the story of Mr. Hackman and Miss Ray : see p. 628. — Croker. 3 I do not recollect any work of Sir William Chambers that can be said to exhibit " sublimity of genius."— Croker. 4 The Hon. Horace Walpole, now Earl of Orford, thus bPars testimony to this gentleman's merit as a writer ; " Mr. Ohambers's ' Treatise on Civil Architecture ' is the most sensible book, and the most exempt from prejudices, that ever was written on that science." — Preface to Anecdotes of Painting in England. The introductory lines are these : "It is difficult to avoid praising too little or too much. The boundless panegyrics which have been lavished upon the Chinese learning, policy, and arts, show with what power novelty attracts regard, and how naturally esteem swells into admiration. I .am far from desiring to be numbered among the exaggerators of Chinese excellence. I consider them as liam adopted. * . . He said to Sir William Scott, " The age is[ _Qf them Avill be found. He never used the; great, or wise, only in comparison with the nations that sur- round them ; and h.ave no intention to place them in com- petition either with the ancients or with the moderns of this part of the world ; yet they must be allowed to claim our notice as a distinct and very singular race of men ; as the inhabitants of a region divided by its situation from all civilised countries, who have formed their own m.inners, and invented their own arts, without the assistance of example." — UOSWELL. 5 WhaX. could Johnson mean by saying that the criminal was supported by the lingering 'torture of this cruel ex- hibition ? Boswell, we know, was fond of these dreadful spectacles ; and is not this another instance in which liis personal propensities may be suspected of discolouring Jolmson's opinions ? — Ckoker. The last execution at Ty- burn was on the 7th November, 1783, and the lirst before Newgate on the 9th of the following December. — P. Cun- ningham. -ffiT.73. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 721 I phrases the former and (he latter, having ob- I served, that they often occasioned obscurity ; j he therefore contrived to construct his sen- j tences so as not to have occasion for them, and i wouUl even rather repeat the same words, in order to avoid them. Nothing is more com- mon than to mistake surnames, when we hear them carelessly uttered for the first time. To ]n-event this, he used not only to pronounce them slowly and distinctly, but to take the Mniible of spelling them; a practice which I iiuve often followed, and which I wish were general. I Such was the heat and irritability of his blood, that not only did he pare his nails to j the quick, but scraped the joints of his fingers \ with a penknife, till they seemed quite red } and raw. ' j The heterogeneous composition of human nature was remarkably exemplified in Johnson. His liberality in giving his money to persons in distress ^vas extraordinary. Yet there lurked about him a propensity to paltry saving. One day I owned to him, that " I was occa- sionally troubled with a fit of iiarrowncss." " Why, Sir," said he, " so am I. But I do not tell it." He has now and then borrowed a shilling of me ; and when I asked him for it : again, seemed to be rather out of humour. I A droll little circumstance once occurred ; as j if he meant to reprimand my minute exactness as a creditor, he thus addressed me; — "Bos- ( well, lend me sixpence — not to be repaid^ I This great man's attention to small things j was very remarkable. As an instance of it, I he one day said to me, " Sir, when you get silver in change for a guinea, look carefully at it : you may find some curious piece of [coin." j^^Though a stern true-horn Englishman, and I fully prejudiced against all other nations, he I had discernment enough to see, and candour tiiough to censure, the cold reserve too com- iiinu among Englishmen towards strangers: •■ Sir," said he, " two men of any other nation who are shown into a room together, at a house ;-\vlu're they are both visitors, will immediately ' find some conversation. But two Englishmen will probably go each to a diiferent window, and remain in obstinate silence. Sir, we as yet do not enough understand the common rights of humanity." Johnson was at a certain period of his life a good deal with the Earl of Shelburne, now Mnrquis of Lansdowu-, as he doubtless could not but have a due value for that nobleman's activity of mind, and uncommon acquisitions 1 1 know not why heat and irritability of blood Ehould make a man pare his nails too close Croker. - I cannot discover when this intercourse could liave hap- : I 11 il ; nor can 1 even guess. In ITGS, when Johnson -lilted in politics trit/i Hamillon," (ante, p. IGH.) Lord H ■urn was but 20; nor can I discover that his I.nrdship li 1 ! iiiy connexion with Hamilton. See ante, pp. .Wf). n. 3, .ir4. n.'ft, and p. 715. n. 3. — Ckoker. ^ Johnson being asked his opinion of this Essay, answered. of important knowledge, however much he might disapprove of other parts of his lord- ship's character, which were widely different from his own. Maurice ISIorgann, Esq., author of the very inn;enious "Essay on the Character of Falstaff^ being a particular friend of his lordship, had once an opportunity of entertaining Johnson a day or two at Wycombe, when its lord was absent, and by him I have been favoured with two anecdotes. One is not a little to the credit of Johnson's candour. Mr. Morgann and he had a dispute pretty late at night, in which Johnson would not give up, though he had the wrong side ; and, in short, both kept the field. Next morning, when they met in the breakfasting- room. Dr. Johnson accosted Mr. Morgann thus : " Sir, I have been thinking on our dispute last night ; — You ivcrc in the right." The other was as follows : Jotnson, for sport perhaps, or from the spirit of contradiction, eagerly maintained that Derrick had merit as a writer. Mr. JNIorgann argued with him directly, in vain. At length he had recourse to this device. "Pray, Sir," said he, "whether do you reckon Derrick or Smart* the best poet ? " Johnson at once felt himself roused ; and answered, " Sir, there is no settling the point of precedency between a louse and a flea." Once, when checking my boasting too frequently of myself in company, he said to me, " Boswell, you often vaunt so much as to provoke ridicule. You put me in mind of a man who was standing in the kitchen of an inn with his back to the fire, and thus accosted the person next him. ' Do you know. Sir, who I am?' 'No, Sir,' said the other, 'I have not that advantage.' ' Sir,' said he, ' I am the great Twalmley, who invented the New Flood- gate Iron.'" ^ The Bishop of Killaloe, on my repeating the story to him, defended Twalmley, by observing that he was entitled to the epithet of great ,- for Virgil in his group of worthies in the Elysian fields — Hie manus ob patriampiignando vuhicra jiassi, Sic. [" Here patriots live, who, for tlicir country's good, In fighting fields were prodigal of blood. "] Dryden. mentions Invcntasaut qui vitam excoluere per artcs. [" And searching wits, of mere mechanic parts, Who grace their age with new invented arts."] Ibid. He was pleased to say to me one morning " Why, .Sir, we shall have the man come forth again ; and as he has proved Falstaflf to be no coward, he may prove lago to be a very good character." — Croker. ■• It has been asserted (European Mag., Sept. 179fi, p. 160.) that the above comparison was made between Derrick and Boynr. and (ifit be at all true) this is more likelv.— Croker. ■' What the i:rcat Twalmley was so proud of having In- ventid was neither more nor less than a kind of box-iron for smoothing linen. — Boswell. 3 A 722 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1782. when we were left alone in his study, " Bos- well, I think I am easier with you than with almost any body." He would not allow 'Mr. David Hume any credit for his political principles, though similar to his own ; saying of him, " Sir, he was a Tory by chance." His acute observation of human life made him remark, " Sir, there is nothing by which a man exasperates most people more than by displaying a superior ability of brilliancy in conversation. They seem pleased at the time; but their envy makes them curse him at their hearts." * My readers will probably be surprised to hear that the great Dr. Johnson could amuse himself with so slight and playful a species of composition as a charade. 1 have recovered one which he made on Dr. Barnard, now Lord Bishop of Killaloe ; who has been pleased for many years to treat me with so much intimacy and social ease, that I may presume to call him not only my right reverend, but my very dear friend. I therefore with peculiar pleasure give to the world a just and elegant compli- ment thus paid to his lordship by Johnson. CHARADE. I " My Jirsf shuts out thieves from your house or your room, My second expresses a Syrian perfume. I My whole is a man in whose converse is shared^ The strength of a Bar and the sweetness of^ Nard."2 I Johnson asked Richard Owen CambridgeJ Esq. if he had read the Spanish translation o| Sallust, said to be written by a prince of Spain with the assistance of his tutor, who is pro- fessedly the author of a treatise annexed, on the Phoenician language. Mr. Cambridge commended the work, par- ticularly as he thought the translator under- stood Ills author better than is commonly the case with translators ; but said he was disap- pointed in the purpose for which he borrowed the book ; to see whether a Spaniard could be better furnished with inscriptions from monu- ments, coins, or other antiquities, which he might more probably find on a coast so imme- diately opposite to Carthage, than the an- tiquaries of any other countries. Johnson. "I am very sorry you were not gratified in yom" expectations." Camijridge. " The lan- guage would have been of little use, as there is no history existing in that tongue to balance the partial accounts which the Roman writers have left us." Johnson. " No, Sir. They * This may be doubted. Johnson himself was, as we have seen, sometimes envious of the brilliancy of his friends ; but, in general, surely persons of a brilliant conversation (if it be not sarcastic) are popular. — Croker. 2 As Mr. Boswell does not expressly state his authority for attributing this charade to Dr. Johnson, I take the liberty of doubting it. Johnson was by no means fond of Dr. Barnard, nor was he likely to have flattered any one in this coarse way ; and the verses themselves are totally unlike his style have not been partial, they have told their own story without shame or regard to equi- table treatment of their injured enemy ; they i had no compunction, no feeling for a Cartha- ginian. Why, Sir, they would never have borne Virgil's description of Eneas's treatment of Dido, if she had not been a Carthaginian." , I gratefully acknowledge this and other ; commimications from Mr. Cambridge, whom, < if a beautiful villa on the banks of the Thames ' a few miles distant from London, a numerous and excellent library, which he accurately knows and reads, a choice collection of pictures, which he understands and relishes, an easyi fortune, an amiable family, an extensive circle i of friends and acquaintance, distinguished by^ rank, fashion, and genius, a literary fame,! various, elegant, and still increasing, colloquial! talents rarely to be found, and, with all these' means of happiness, enjoying, when well ad-^ vanced in years, health and vigour of body,' serenity and animation of mind, do not entitle to be addressed /wftnmte senex ! I know not tc whom, in any age, that exjjression could witb jiroprlety have been used. Long may he live to hear and to feel it ! ^ Johnson's love of little children, which h(i discovered upon all occasions, calling then " pretty dears," and giving them sweetmeats' was an undoubted proof of the real humanity, and gentleness of his disposition. His uncommon kindness to his servants, am serious concern, not only for their comfort ii: this world, but their happiness in the next was another unquestionable evidence of wha all, who were intimately acquainted with hin' )4_knew to be true. Nor would it be just, under this head, t omit the fondness which he showed for anima which he had taken under his protection, never shall forget the indulgence with whic he treated Hudge, his cat; for whom 1 himself used to go out and buy oysters, le the servants, having that trouble, should take dislike to the poor creature. I am, unluckil I one of those who have an antipathy to a cs i so that I am uneasy when in the room wi' ' one ; and I own I frequently sufiered a got deal from the presence of this same Hodge, recollect him one day scrambling up E. Johnson's breast, apparently with much sati faction, while my friend, smiling and ha whistling, rubbed down his back, and pull' him by the tail ; and when I observed he w I a fine cat, saying, " Why, yes. Sir, but I ha : had cats whom I liked better than this;" a: then, as if perceiving Hodge to be out of cou I and rhythm. If he did condescend to this trifling, it mi I think, have been a kind of reparation for his rude behavi to Dr. Barnard before detailed, anii, p. G96. — Cbok; 1847. 3 Mr. Cambridge enjoyed all the blessings here enumerf! for many years after this passage was written. He diec' his seat, near Twickenham, Sept. 17. 1802, in his eighty-si vear. — Malone. His villa was the large house next ab Richmond Bridge, on the Middlesex side. — Croker, l&j Ii iET. 73. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 723 tenance, adding, " But he is a very fine cat, a very fine cat indeed." This reminds me of the ludicrous account ■which he gave ^Ir. Langton of the despicable state of a young gentleman of good family. " Sir, when I heard of him last, he was run- ning about town shooting cats." And then, in a sort of kindly reverie, he bethought himself of his own favourite cat, and said, " But Hodge shan't be shot ; no, no, Hodge shall not be shot." He thought IMr. Beauclerk made a shrewd and judicious remark to ]\Ir. Langton, who, after having been for the first time in com- pany with a well-known wit about town, was warmly admiring and praising him, — " See him again," said Beauclerk. His respect for the hierarchy, and par- ticularly the dignitaries of the church, has ; been more than once exhibited in the coiu*se i of this work. JMr. Seward saw him presented I to the Archbishop of York', and described his i bow to an Archbishop as such a studied ela- 1 boration of homage, such an extension of limb, such a flexion of body, as have seldom or ever I been equalled. jj I cannot help mentioning with much regret, I'that by my own negligence I lost an oppor- tunity of having the history of my family from iits founder, Thomas Boswell, in 1504, re- i corded and illustrated by Johnson's pen. Such iwas his goodness to me, that when I presumed ito solicit him for so great a favour, he was I pleased to say, " Let me have all the materials iyou can collect, and I will do it both in ! Latin and English; then let it be printed, and j copies of it be deposited in various places for isecurity and preservation." I can now only |do the best I can to make up for this loss, (keeping my great master steadily in view. i Family histories, like the imagines viajorum of the ancients, excite to virtue ; and I wish that they who really have blood, would be more careful to trace and ascertain its course. Some have affected to laugh at the history of the house of Yvery"; it would be well if many others would transmit their pedigrees to |iiisterity, with the same accuracy and gene- -irms zeal with which the noble lord who iriimpiled that work has honoured and perpe- ituated lii'j uncoMtryr- - - I On Thursday, April 10., I introduced to him, ' '* liis house in Bolt Court, the Honourable Reverend William Stuart ^, son of the . ,1 of Bute; a gentleman truly worthy of 1 The only two Arclibisliops of York liurin;; Si'ward's Acquaintance with Johnson were Drummond and Markham. I think the profound bow must have been to Druminond, who died in 1776. — Choker, 1847. ^ [A strange, and I think, in a great measure, fabulous lenealogy of the Perceval family], written by John, Karl of Kgraont, and printed (but not published) in 1742 Malone. ^ At that time vicar of Luton, in Bedfordshire, where he ived for some years, and fully merited the character given l)f him in the text; he was afterwards Lord Archbishop of [Vrmagh, and Primate of Ireland — Malone. And died May, [822, in a very strange way, having, through the blunder of a servant, had poison, by mistake for medicine, administered ! o him by the hand of liis lady Choker. •< A work containing many curious biographical memo- randa, reprinted, with notes, by Mr. Nichols, in 1818 — Wright. * " The Turkish Spy " was pretended to have been written originally in Arabic; from Arabic translated into Italian, ax\A thence into English. The author of the work, which was originally written in Italian, was I. P. Marana, a Gi^noese, who died at I'aris in 1G93. Dunton says, that " Mr. UiUlam Bradshaw received from Dr. Midgeley forty shillings a sheet for writing part of the ' Turkish Spy ; ' but I do not find that he any where mentions Sault as engaged in that work." — Malone. Aubrey's Letters, i. 223., say the first volume was by the Italian, the rest by Bradshawe. — P. Cinning- being known to Johnson ; being, with all the advantages of high birth, learning, travel, and elegant manners, an exemplary parish priest in every respect. After some compliments on both sides, the tour which Johnson and I had made to the Hebrides was mentioned. Johnson. "I got an acquisition of more ideas by it than by any thing that I remember. I saw qiiite a different system of life." Boswkll. "You would not like to make the same journey again?" Johnson. " Why no, Sir ; not the same : it is a tale told. Gravina, an Italian critic, observes, that every man desires to see that of which he has read ; but no man desires to read an account of what he has seen : so much does description fall short of re- ality. Description only excites curiosity ; seeing satisfies it. Other people may go and see the Hebrides." Boswell. "I should wish to go and see some country totally dif- ferent from what I have been used to ; such as Turkey, where religion and every thing else are different." Johnson. " Yes, Sir : there | are two objects of curiosity, — the Christian world and the INLahometan world. All the rest may be considered as barbarous." Bos- well. "Pray, Sir, is the 'Turkish Spy' a genuine book ? " Johnson. "No, Sir: Mrs. Manley, in her life, says, that her father wrote the first two volumes : and in another book, ' Dunton's Life and Errors,' ''■ we find that the rest was written by one Sault, at two guineas a sheet, under the direction of Dr. Mdge- ley."s Boswell. " This has been a very factious reign, owing to the too great indulgence of government." Johnson. " / think so. Sir. What at first was lenity, grew timidity. Yet this is reasoning a posteriori, and may not be just. Supposing a few had at first been punished, I believe faction would have been crushed ; but it might have been said, that it was a sanguinary reign. A man cannot tell a priori what will be best for government to do. This reign has been very unfortunate. We have had an unsuccessful war ; but that does not prove that we have been ill governed. One side or other must prevail in war, as one or other must win at play. When we beat Louis, we were not better governed ; nor were the French better governed when Louis beat us." On Saturday, April 12., I visited him, in company with Mr. AVindham, of Norfolk. 724 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1783. whom, though a Whig, he highly valued. One of the best things he ever said was to this gen- tleman ; who, before he set out for Ireland as secretary to Lord Northington, when lord lieutenant, expressed to the sage some modest and virtuous doubts, whether he could bring himself to practise those arts which it is sup- posed a person in that situation has occasion to employ. " Don't be afraid. Sir," said John- son, with a pleasant smile ; " you will soon malce a very pretty rascal." ' He talked to-day a good deal of the wonder- ful extent and variety of London, and ob- served, that men of curious inquiry might see in it such modes of life as very few could even imagine. He in particular recommended to us to explo7-e Wapping, which we resolved to do.^ Mr. Lowe, the painter, who was with him, was very much distressed that a large picture which he had painted was refused to be received into the Exhibition of the Royal Academy. Mrs. Thrale knew Johnson's cha- racter so superficially, as to represent him as unwilling to do small acts of benevolence ; and mentions, in particular, that he would hardly take the trouble to write a letter in favour of his friends. The truth, however, is, that he was remarkable, in an extraordinary degree, for what she denies to him; and, above all, for this very sort of kindness, writing letters for those to whom his solicitations might be of service. He now gave Mr. Lowe the following, of which I was diligent enough, with his per- mission, to take copies at the next coffee-house, while Mr. Windham was so good as to stay by me. JOHNSON TO REYNOLDS. "April 12. 1783. "Sir, — Mr. Lowe considers himself as cutoff from all credit and all liope by the rejection of his picture from the Exhibition. Upon this work he has exhausted all his powers, and suspended all his expectations : and, certainly, to be refused an op- portunity of taking the opinion of the public, is in itself a very great hardship. It is to be condemned without a trial. " If you could procure the revocation of this incapacitating edict, you would deliver an unhappy man from great affliction. The council has some- times reversed its own determination ; and I hope that, by your interposition, this luckless picture maybe got admitted. lam, &c., Sam. Johnson." • This was in June, 1783, and I find in Mr. Windham's private diary (which it seems this conversation induced him to keep) the' following memoranda of Dr. Johnson's advice : — " I have no great timidity in my own disposition, and am no encourager of it in others. Never be afraid to think your- self fit for any thing for which your friends think you fit. You will become an able negotiator — a very pretty rascal. No one in Ireland wears even the mask of incorruption ; no one professes to do for sixpence what he can get a shilling for doing. Set sail, and see where the winds and the waves will carry you. Every day will improve another. Dies diem docet, by observing at night where you failed in the day, and by resolving to fail so no more." Mr. Windham's Diary proves what I believe the world never suspected, that he was hypochondriacal to an extra- ordinary degree : in fact, at times, crazy, and at all times liable to strange turns of mind. His hypochondriacal sensa- tion he used to call the Feet, and it was the cause of his JOHNSON TO BARRY. " April 12.1783. " Sir, — Mr. Lowe's exclusion from the Exhibi- tion gives him more trouble than you and the other gentlemen of the council could Imagine or intend. He considers disgrace and ruin as the inevitable consequence of your determination. " He says, that some pictures have been received after rejection ; and if there be any such precedent, I earnestly entreat that you will use your interest in his favour. Of his work I can say nothing; I pretend not to judge of painting, and this picture I never saw ; but I conceive it extremely hard to shut out any man from the possibility of success ; and therefore I repeat my request that you will ' propose the re-conslderation of Mr. Lowe's case; and If there be any among the council with whom my name can liave any weight, be pleased to com- municate to them the desire of, Sir, your, &c., | " S.\M. Johnson." Such intercession was too powerful to be; resisted ; and Mr. Lowe's performance was ! admitted at Somerset Place. The subject, as I recollect, was the Deluge, at that point ofi time when the water was verging to the top of! the last uncovered mountain. Near to the spot was seen the last of the antediluvian race, exclusive of those who were saved in the ark' of Noah. This was one of those giants, then the inhabitants of the earth, who had still, strength to swim, and with one of his hands held aloft his child. Upon the small remaining:; dry spot ap])eared a famished lion, ready to sprinj J at the child and devour it. Mr. Lowe toldmt that Johnson said to him, " Sir, your pictun is noble and probable." " A compliment^ indeed," said Mr. Lowe, " from a man wh( cannot lie, and cannot be mistaken."^ About this time he wrote to Mrs. Luc- Porter mentioning his bad health, and that h intended a visit to Lichfield. " It is," say he, " with no great expectation of amendmer that I make every year a journey into tb country ; but it is j^leasant to visit those whos kindness has been often experienced." On April 18. (being Good Friday), I foun him at breakfast, in his usual manner upc that day, drinking tea without milk, and eatir, a cross bun to prevent faintness ; we went 1 j St. Clement's church, as formerly. When v' ; came home from church, he placed himself C' j one of the stone seats at his garden door, ar | , I resignation of the office of Secretary in Ireland, where j seems to have been but a month or two. I suppose, howev. that as Mr. Windham advanced in years, this disori abated. I, who knew him only in later life, never pi ceived any thing of it. — Croker, 1847. ] 2 We accordingly carried our scheme into execution, October, 179'2; but whether from that uniformity which li in modern times, in a great degree, spread through evi' part of the metropolis, or from our want of sufficient tx ' tion, we were disappointed — Boswell. 3 Northcote says the execution of this picture was e crable. Life of Reynolds, ii. 139. Lowe had received a prl. medal from the Academy in 1771, "through favour," Northcote says. He certainly never after showed any talt and had, I believe, more than once recourse to Johnsc interference to obtain admission for his works to the Ex, bition. See an/6=, p. G05. Lowe died in 1793.— Cuokeb ; Mt. 74. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. r25 > Seennrt.p. 440. —C. p The Bishop of Ferns observes, that Mr. Boswell here mistakes forty-lour squarf i/ards for forty-four yards square, and thus makes Johnson talk nonsense : the meaning is, that 100/. will give 176 running yards of park wall, which would inclose a garden, — not of forty-four square yards, I took the other, and thus in the open air, and \ in a placid frame of mind, he talked away very | easily. Johnson. " Were I a country gen- tleman, I should not be very hospitable ; I should not have crowds in my house." Bos- well. " Sir Alexander Dick tells me that he { remembers having a thousand people in a year to dine at his house ; that is, reckoning each person as one, each time that he dined there. JouNSON. " That, Sir, is about three a day." Boswell. " How your statement lessens the idea!" Johnson. "That, Sir, is the good of counting. It brings every thing to a certainty, which before floated in the mind indefinitely." Boswell. "But Omne ig-nottim pro mag^nijico est: one is sorry to have this diminished." \ Johnson. " Sir, you should not allow your- self to be delighted with error." Boswell. " Three a day seem but few." Johnson. " Nay, Sir, he who entertains three a day does very liberally. And if there is a large family, the poor entertain those three, for they eat what the poor would get ; there must be superfluous meat ; it must be given to the poor, or thrown out." Boswell. " I observe in London, that the poor go about and gather bones, which I understand are manufactured." Johnson. " Yes, Sir ; they boil them, and extract a grease from them for greasing wheels and other purposes. Of the best pieces they make a mock ivory, which is used for hafts to knives, and various other things ; the coarser pieces they burn and pound, and sell the ashes." Boswell. "For what purpose, Sir? " Johnson. " Why, Sir, for making a furnace for the chemists for melting Iron. A paste made of burnt bones will stand a stronger heat than any thing else. Consider, Sir, If you are to melt iron, you cannot line your pot with brass, because it is softer than iron, and would melt sooner ; nor with iron, for though malle- able iron is harder than cast-iron, yet it would not do ; but a paste of burnt bones will not melt." Boswell. " Do you know. Sir, I have discovered a manufiicture to a great extent, of what you only piddle at — scraping and drying the peel of oranges? ' At a place in Newgate Street there Is a prodigious quantity jirepared, which they sell to the distillers." .Johnson. " Sir, I believe they make a higher thing out of them than a spirit; they make what is called orange-butter, the oil of the orange inspissated, which they mix perhaps with common ])o- raatum, and make it fragrant. The oil does not fly off in the drying." Boswell. " 1 wish to have a good walled garden." Johnson. "I don't think It would be worth the expense to you. A\'e compute, in England, a park wall at a thousand pounds a mile ; now a garden wall must cost at least as which would be but a small closet ; but n( forty-four yards square — or about two-fifths of an acre, and so in proportion — Choker. 3 lie published several works on elocution .and pronunci- ation, and died August 1. 1S07, in the seventy-sixth year of his age — Ckokeii. 3 \ 3 much. You intend your trees should grow higher than a deer will leap. Now let us see; for a hundred pounds you could only have forty-four scjuare yards -, which is v«ry little ; lor two huiulred i)Ounds you may have elghty- Ibur scpiare yards, which is very well. But when will you get the value of two hundred pounds of walls, in fruit, in your climate? No, Sir; such contention with nature is not worth while. I would plant an orchard, and have plenty of such fruit as ripen well In your country. i\Iy friend, Dr. :\Iadden, of Ireland, said, that ' In an orchard there should be enough to eat, enough to lay up, enough to be i stolen, and enough to rot upon the ground.' | Cherries are an early fruit ; you may have : them ; and you may have the early apjiles and ' pears." Boswell. " We cannot have non- pareils." Johnson. " Sir, you can no more have nonpareils than you can have grapes." Boswell. " We have them, Sir ; but they are very bad." Johnson. " Nay, Sir, never try to have a thing merely to show that you cannot have it. From ground that would let for forty shillings you may have a large orchard ; and you see it costs you only forty shillings. Nay, you may graze the ground when the trees are grown up; you cannot, while they are young." Boswell. " Is not a good garden a very common thing In England, Sir ? " Johnson. " Not so common. Sir, as you imagine. In Lincolnshire there is hardly an orchard ; in Staffordshire, very little fruit." Boswell. " Has Langton no orchard ?" Johnson. "No, Sir." Boswell. " How so, Sir?" Johnson. " Why, Sir, from the ge- neral negligence of the country. He has it not, because nobody else has it." Boswell. "A hothouse is a certain thing ; I may have that." Johnson. " A hothouse is pretty certain ; but you must first build it, then you must keep fires in it, and you must have a gardener to take care of it." Boswell. " But If I have a gardener at any rate ? " Johnson. " Why, yes." Boswell. " I'd have it near my house ; there is no need to have it In the orchard." Johnson. " Yes, I'd have it near my house. I would ])lant a great many cur- rants ; the fruit is good, and they make a pretty sweetmeat." I record this minute detail, which some may think trifling, in order to show clearly how this great man, whose mind could grasp such large and extensive subjects, as he has shown in his literary labours, was yet well in- formed in the common affairs of life, and loved to illustrate them. I\Ir. Walker, the celebrated master of elocu- tion ^ came in, and then we went up stairs into the study. I asked him if he had taught 726 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1783. many clergymen. Johnson. " I hope not." Walker. " I have taught only one, and he is the best reader I ever heard ; not by my teaching, but by his own natural talents." Johnson. " Were he the best reader in the world, I would not have it told that he was taught. " Here was one of his peculiar prejudices. Could it be any disadvantage to the clergyman to have it known that he was taught an easy and graceful delivery ? BoswELL. " Will you not allow, Sir, that a man may be taught to read well ? " Johnson. "Why, Sir, so far as to read better than he might do without being taught, yes. For- merly it was supposed that there was no dif- ference in reading, but that one read as well as another." Boswell. " It is wonderful to see old Sheridan as enthusiastic about oratory as ever." ' Walker. " His enthusiasm as to what oratory will do, may be too great : but he reads well." Johnson. " He reads well, but he reads low; and you know it is much easier to read low than to read high ; for when you read high, you are much more limited, your loudest note can be but one, and so the variety is less in propoi-tion to the loudness. Now some people have occasion to speak to an ex- tensive audience, and must speak loud to be heard." Walker. "The art is to read strong, though low." Talking of the origin of language: — John- son. " It must have come by inspiration. A thousand, nay a million of children could not invent a language. While the organs are pliable, there is not understanding enough to form a language ; by the time that there is un- derstanding enough, the organs are become stiff. We know that after a certain age we cannot learn to pronounce a new language. No fo- reigner, who comes to England when advanced in life, ever pronounces English tolerably well ; at least such instances are very rare. When I maintain that language must have come by in- spiration, I do not mean that inspiration is re- quired for rhetoric, and all the beauties of language ; for when once man has language, we can conceive that he may gradually form modifi- cations of it. I mean only that inspiration seems to me to be necessary to give man the faculty of speech ; to inform him that he may have speech ; which I think he could no more find out without inspiration, than cows or hogs would think of such a faculty." Walker. " Do you think. Sir, that there are any perfisct synonymes in any language?" Johnson. " Originally there were not ; but by using words negligently, or in poetry, one word comes to be confounded with another." He talked of Dr. Dodd. " A friend of mine," 1 " Mr. Sheridan, the father, is quite an enthusiast in recommending to theyoutli of tlie nation the study of oratory. According to him it is the one tiling needful, the salvation of the nation, as everything laudahle and great depends upon it." — Knox's IVint. Even, ii. 271. — Crokeh, 1847. 2 I have been told that the lady was Dr. Dodd's relict ; but if this were so, Ur. Johnson could not have been aware of it, said he, " came to me and told me that a lady ^ wished to have Dr. Dodd's picture in a brace- let, and asked me for a motto. I said, I could think of no better than Currat Lex. I was very willing to have him pardoned, that is, to have the sentence changed to transporta- tion ; but, when he was once hanged, I did not wish he should be made a saint." ]\Irs. Burney, wife of his friend, Dr. Burney, ! came in, and he seemed to be entertained with \ her conversation. ; Garrick's funeral was talked of as extrava- gantly expensive. Johnson, from his dislike to exaggeration, would not allow that it was dis- , tinguished by an extraordinai'y pomp. " Were there not six horses to each coach ? " said Sirs. Burney. Johnson. " INIadam, there were no more six horses than six phcenixes."^ : Mrs. Burney wondered that some very beautiful new buildings should be erected in Moorfields, in so shocking a situation as ' between Bedlam and St. Luke's Hospital ; and said she could not live there. Johnson. " Nay, Madam, you see nothing there to hurt ! you. You no more think of madness by having windows that look to Bedlam, than you think of death by liaving windows that look ' to a churchyard." Mrs. Burnet. " We may look to a churchyard, Sir ; for it is right that , we should be kept in mind of death." Johnson. ' " Nay, Madam, if you go to that, it is right that we should be kept in mind of madness, ; Avhich is occasioned by too much indulgence of; imagination. I think a very moral use may he : made of these new buildings ; I would have ' those who have heated imaginations live there, i and take warning." Mrs. Burney. " But, Sir, many of the poor people that are mad, have become so from disease, or from distress- ing events. It is, therefore, not their fault, but their misfortune ; and, therefore, to think of them is a melancholy consideration." Time passed on in conversation till it was too late for the service of the church at threes o'clock. I took a walk, and left him alone for' some time ; then returned, and we had coffee and conversation again by ourselves. I stated the character of a noble friend of' mine as a curious case for his opinion*: — " He is the most inexplicable man to me that I ever knew. Can you explain him. Sir ? He is, I really believe, noble-minded, generous, and princely. But his most intimate friends may be separated from him for years, without his ever asking a question concerning them, lie will meet them with a formality, a cold- ness, a stately indifference ; but when they' come close to him, and fliirly engage him in; conversation, they find him as easy, pleasant. for however he might disapprove of her wearing his picture he would hardly have afflicted her with such an answer. - See ante, p. 544. n. 2. — Chokek. 1835. 3 There certainly were, and Johnson himself went in one of the coaches and six. — Croker. •* Probably Lord Mountstuart, afterwards first Jlarquis 0'\ Bute. — Croker. ^T. 74. BOSWELLS LIFE OF JOHNSON. and kind as they could wish. One then sup- poses that what is so agreeable will soon be renewed ; but stay away from him for half a yeai', and he will neither call on you, nor send to inquire about you." Johnson. " Why, Sir, I cannot ascertain his character exactly, as I do not know him ; but I should not like to have such a man for my friend. He may love study, and wish not to be interrupted by his friends : Amici fares tcmporis. He may be a frivolous man, and bo so much occupied with petty pursuits that he may not want friends. Or he may have a notion that there is dignity in appearing indifferent, while he in fact may not be more indifferent at his heart than another." We went to evening prayers at St. Clement's, at seven, and then parted.' JOHNSON TO JOSEPH FOWKE.^ "April 19. 1783. " Dear Sir, — To show you that neither lengtli of time, nor distance of place, withdraws you from my memory, I have sent you a little present^ whicli will be transmitted by Sir Robert Chambers. " To your former letters I made no answer, be- cause I had none to make. Of the death of the unfortunate man (meaning Nundcomar) I believe Europe thinks as you think ; but it was past pre- vention ; and it was not fit for me to move a ques- tion in public which I was not qualified to dis- cuss, as the inquiry could then do no good ; and I might have been silenced by a hardy denial of facts, which, if denied, I could not prove. • The reader will recollect, that in the year 1775, when Dr. Johnson visited France, he was kindly entertained by the English Benidictine monks at Paris (see n«/e',p.464.) One of that body, the Rev. James Compton, in the course of some conversation with him at that time, asked him, if .iny of them should become converts to the protestant faith, and should visit England, whether they might hope for a friendly recep- tion from him : to which he warmly replied, " that he should receive such a convert most cordially." In consequence of this conversation, Mr. Compton, a few years afterwards, hav- ing some doubts concerning the religion in which he had been bred, was induced, by reading the llOth Number of" The Rambler" (on Repentance), to consider the subject more deeply ; .ind the result of his inquiries was, a determination to become a protestant. With tliis view, in the summer of 1782, he returned to his native country, from whence he had been absent from his sixth to his thirty-fifth year ; and on his arrival in London, very scantily provided with the means of subsistence, he immediately repaired to Bolt Court, to visit Dr. Johnson ; and having informed him of his desire to be admitted into the Church of EngUiiid, for this purpose solicited his aid to procure for him an introduction to the Bishop of London, Dr. Lowth. At the time of his first visit, Johnson was so much indisposed, that he could allow him only a short conversation of a few minutes; hut he desired hinri to call again in the course of the following week. When Mr. Compton visited him a second time, he was perfectly recovered from his indisposition ; received him with the utmost cordiality ; and not only undertook the management of the business in which his friendly interposition had been requested, but with great kindness exerted himself in this gentleman's favour, with a view to his future subsistence, and immediately supplied him with the means of present support. Finding that the proposed introduction to the Bishop of London had from some accidental causes been deferred, lest Mr. Compton, who then lodged at Highgate, should suppose himself neglected, he wrote him the following note : — " October 6. 1782. " Sir. — I have directed Dr. Vyse's letter to be sent to vou, that you inay know the situation of your business. Delays are incident to all affairs ; but there appears nothing in your case of either superciliousness or neglect. Dr. Vyse seems to wish you well. Iam,&c., Sa.m. Johnson." " Since we parted, I have suffered much sickness of body and perturbation of mind. My mind, if I do not flatter myself, is unimpaired, except that sometimes my memory is less ready ; but my body, though by nature very strong, has given way to repeated shocks. " Genua labant, vasios quntit teger anhelUus artus.* This line might have been written on purpose for me. You will see, however, that I have not totally forsaken literature. I can apply better to books than I could in some more vigorous parts of my life — at least than I did; and I have one more reason for reading — that time has, by taking away my companions, left me less opportunity of con- versation. I have led an inactive and careless life; it is time at last to be diligent : there is yet pro- vision to be made for eternity. " Let me know, dear Sir, what you are doing. Are you accumulating gold, or picking up dia- monds ? Or are you now sated with Indian wealth, and content with what you have ? Have you vigour for bustle, or tranquillity for inaction? AVhatevcr you do, I do not suspect you of pillaging or oppressing ; and shall rejoice to see you return with a body unbroken, and a mind uncorrupted. " You and I had hardly any common friends, and therefore I have few anecdotes to relate to you. i\Ir. Levett,who brought us into acquaintance, died suddenly at my house last year, in his seventy- eighth year, or about that age. Mrs. Williams, the blind lady, is still with me, but much broken by a very wearisome and obstinate disease. She is, however, not likely to die; and it would delight me if you would send her some pelti/ token of your remembrance. You may send me one too. " Whether we shall ever meet again in this Mr. Compton having, by Johnson's advice, quitted High- gate, and settled in London, had now more frequent oppor- tunities of visiting his friend, and profiting by his conversation and advice. Still, however, his means of subsistence being very scanty. Dr. Johnson kindly promised to afford him a decent maintenance, until by his own exertions he should be able to obtain a livelihood ; which benevolent offer he .ic- cepted, and lived entirely at Johnson's expense till the end of January, 1783; in which month, having previously been introduced to Bishop Lowth, he was received into our com- munion in St. James's parish church. In the following April, the place of under-master of St. Paul's school having become vacant, his friendly protector did him a more essen- tial service, by writing the following letter in his favour, to the Mercers' Company, in whom the appointment of the under-master lay : — " Bolt Court, Fleet Street, April 19. 1783. " Gentlemen, — At the request of the Reverend Mr. J.imes Compton, who now solicits your votes to be elected under- master of St. Paul's school, I testify with great sincerity, that he is, in my opinion, a man of abilities sufficient, arid more than sufficient, for the duties of the office for which he is a candidate. I am, &c., Sam. Joh.nson. Though this testimony in Mr. Compton's favour w.is not attended with immediate success, yet Johnson's kindness was not without effect; for his letter' procured Mr. Compton so many well-wishers in the respectable company of mercers, that he was honoured, Ijy the favour of several of its mi'm- hers, with more applications to teach Latin and French than he could find time to attend to. In 1796, the Rev. Mr. Gil- bert, one of his majesty's French chaplains, having acce|itod a living in Guernsey, nominated Mr. Compton as his substi- tute at the French chapel of St. James's ; which appointment, in April, 1811, lie relinquished for a better in the French ch.ipol at Bethnal Green. By the favour of Dr. Porteus, the late excellent Ui.shop of London, he was also appointed, in ISOJ, chaplain of the Dutch chapel at St. James's ; a station which he still holds Malone. - See ante, p. 500. n. 2. C. 3 \ collection of the Doctor's Works. — Nichols. •* " For e.ach vast limb moves stiffand slow from age. And thick short pantings shake the lab'ringsage." ;Eneidv. -132. Piu.—.C. 3 A 4 728 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 17S3. world, who can tell ? Let us, however, wish well to each other : prayers can pass the Line and the Tropics. I am, dear Sir, yours sincerely, " Sam. Johnson." CHAPTER LXXVL 1783. Population of London Natural Affection. — Self- defence. — Diiellinci. — Corpidency. — Government of India. — Reviewers. — Horace. — Sickness. — Liberty of Teaching. — " Alias." — Virgil. — Cant. — Hospitality. — Miss Burney. — Barry's Pictures. Baxter's Works. — Devotion. — Johnson attacked with a Stroke of the Palsy. — Recovery. — Visit to Langton at Rochester. On Sunday, April 20., being Easter-day, after attending solemn service at St. Paul's, I came to Dr. Johnson, and found Mr. Lowe, the painter, sitting with him. Mr. Lowe men- tioned the great number of new buildings of late in London, yet that Dr. Johnson had observed, that the number of inhabitants was not increased. ^ Johnson. " Why, Sir, the bills of mortality prove that no more people die now than formerly ; so it is ])lain no more live. The register of births proves nothing, for not one-tenth of the people of London are born there." Boswell. " I believe, Sir, a great many of the children born in Lon- don, die early." Johnson. " Why, yes. Sir." BoswELL. " But those who do live are as stout and strong people as any. Dr. Price says, they must be naturally strong to get through." Johnson. "That is system. Sir. A great traveller observes, that it is said there are no weak or deformed people among the Indians ; but he, with much sagacity, assio^ns the reason of this, which is, that the hardship of their life as hunters and fishers does not allow weak or diseased children to grow up. Now, had I been an Indian, I must have died early ; my eyes would not have served me to get food. I, indeed, now could fish, give me English tackle ; but had I been an Indian, I must have starved, or they would have knocked me on the head, when they saw I could do nothing." Boswell. "Perhaps, they would have taken care of you ; we are told they are fond of oratory, — you would have talked to them." Johnson. " Nay, Sir, I ' The city was hardly capable of increase ; but, in fact, the population of the cityh;\s, rapidly diminished by the migration of the citizens to the suburbs, and the conversion of so many dwelling houses into counting and warehouses: the popula- tion of the city, in 1801, was about 130,000, and, in 1841, only 82,000. — Oroker, 1847. - This remarkable duel was fought on Monday the 21st of April, 1783, between Mr. Cunningham, of the Scots Greys, wounded, and Mr. Kiddell, of the Life Guards, killed. See Gent. Mag. 1783, p.362.- Crokf.r. 3 I think it necessary to caution my readers against con- cluding that, in this or any other conversation of Dr. Johnson, should not have lived long enough to be fit to talk ; I should have been dead before I was ten years old. Depend upon it. Sir, a savage, when he is hungry, will not carry about with him a looby of nine years old, who cannot help himself. They have no affection. Sir." Bos- well. " I believe natural affection, of which we hear so much, is very small." Johnson, " Sir, natural affection is nothing : but affec- tion from principle and established duty is sometimes wonderfully strong." Lowe. "A hen, Sir, will feed her chickens in preference to herself" Johnson. " But we don't know that the hen is hungry ; let the hen lie fairly hungry, and I '11 warrant she '11 peck the corn herself. A cock, I believe, will feed hens in- stead of himself: but we don't know that the cock is hungry." Boswell. " And that. Sir, is not from affection, but gallantry. But some of the Indians have affection." Johnson. " Sir, that they help some of their children is plain ; for some of them live, which they could not do without being helped." I dined with him ; the company were Mrs. Williams, Mrs. Desmoulins, and INIr. Lowe. He seemed not to be well, talked little, grew drowsy soon after dinner, and retired ; upon which I went away. Having next day gone to Mr. Burke's seat in the country, from whence I was recalled by an express, that a near relation of mine had killed his antagonist in a duel, and was him- self dangerously wounded ", I saw little of Dr. Johnson till Monday, April 28., when I spent a considerable part of the day Avith him, and introduced the subject which then chiefly occu- ; pied my mind. Johnson. " I do not see. Sir, that fighting is absolutely forbidden in Scripture ; I see revenge forbidden, but not self-defence." Boswell. " The quakers say it is. ' Unto him that smiteth thee on one cheek, offer him also the other.' " Johnson. " But stay. Sir ; the text is meant only to have the effect of moderating passion ; it is plain that we are not to take it in a literal sense. We see this from the context, where there are other recommend- ations ; which, I warrant you, the (piaker will not take literally ; as, for instance, ' From him that would borrow of thee turn thou not away.' Let a man whose credit is bad come to a qua- ker, and say, 'Well, Sir, lend me a hundred pounds ; ' he '11 find him as unwilling as any other man. No, Sir ; a man may shoot the man who invades his character, as he may shoot him who attempts to break into his house. ^ they have his serious and deliberate opinion on the sub. ject of duelling. In my Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides; ante, 387., it appe.irs that he made this frank confession " Nobody, at times, talks more laxly than I do ;" and Ibid p. 342. : " He fairly owned he could not explain the ra tionality of duelling." We may therefore infer that he coulc not think that justifiable, wliich seems so inconsistent witi , the spirit of the Gospel. At the same time, it must be con fessed, that, from the prevalent notions of honour, a gentle man who receives a challenge is reduced to a dreadfu alternative. A remarkable instance of this is furnished by i clause in the will of the late Colonel Thomas, of the Guardi I 1 ^T. 74. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 729 So, in 1745, my friend, Tom Gumming, the quaker [p. 343.], said he would not fight, but he would drive an ammunition cart : and we know that the quakcrs have sent flannel waist- coats to our soldiers, to enable them to fight better." Bosweix. " Wlien a man is the aggressor, and by ill usage Ibi-ces on a duel in which he is killed, have we not little ground to hope that he is gone to a state of happiness ? " Johnson. "Sir, we are not to judge deter- minately of the state in M-hich a man leaves this life. lie may in a moment have repented effectually, and it is possible may have been accepted of God. There is in ' Camden's lie- mains ' an epitaph upon a very wicked man, who was killed by a fall from his horse, in which he is supposed to say, ' Between the stirrup and tl)e ground, I mercy ask'd, I mercy found.' " ' BoswELL. " Is not the expression in the burial- service — ' in the sure and certain hope of a blessed resurrection ' - — too strong to be used indiscriminately, and, indeed, sometimes when those over whose bodies it is said have been notoriously profane ? " Johnson. "It is sure and certain hope, Sir, not belief. " I did not insist further ; but cannot help thinking that less positive words would be more proper. - Talking of a man who was grown very fat, 80 as to be incommoded with corpulency, he said, " He eats too much. Sir." Boswell. " I don't know. Sir; you will see one man fat, who eats moderately, and another lean, who eats a great deal." Johnson. " Nay, Sir, whatever maybe the quantity that a man eals, it is plain that if he is too fat, he has eaten f more than ho should have done. One man may have a digestion that consumes food bet- ter than common ; but it is certain that solidity is increased by putting something to it." Bos- well. " But may not solids swell and be distended ? " Johnson. " Yes, Sir, they may swell and be distended ; but that is not fat." We talked of the accusation against a gen- tleman * for supposed delinquencies in India. written the night before he fell in a duel, September 3. 1783 : " In tiie first place. I commit my soul to Almighty God, in hopes of his mercy and pardon for the irreliHious step 1 now (in compliance with the unwarrantable customs of this wicked world) put myself under the necessity of taking." — Boswell. Colonel Thomas was shot in a duel by Colonel Cosmo Gordon. See Ucnt. Mag. 1783, p. 801. — Wkight. 1 In repeating this epitaph, Johnson improved it. The original runs thus : — " Betwixt the stirrup and the ground, Mercy I ask'd, mercy I found." — Malone. * Mr. Boswell, quoting from memory, has interpolated the word " blessed." The words of the Liturgy are, " in sure and certain hope of l/ie resurrection," &c. &c. L'Estrange, in his " Alliance of Divine OBices," p. 302., observes, " These vords import the faith of the cnngrcgntiun then present in the article of the resurrection. The plural, ' our vile bodies,' excludes the restraint to a singular number." The reformed liturgies have uniformly employed the same cautious lan- guage. In one of the prayers used in the burial service, in the first book of Edward VI., the following passage occurs : " We give thee hearty thanks for this tliy servant, whom Johnson. "What foundation there is for accu- sation I know not, but they will not get at j him. Where bad actions are committed at so j great a distance, a delinquent can obscure the , evidence till the scent becomes cold ; there is I a cloud between, wliich cannot be penetrated ; therefore all distant power is bad. I am clear that the best plan for the government of India is a despotic governor ; lor if he be a good ■ man, it is evidently the best government ; and i supposing him to be a bad man, it is better to j have one plunderer than many. A governor whose power is checked lets others plunder, that he himself may be allowed to jjlunder ; but if despotic, he sees that tlie more he lets others plunder, the less there will be for him- self, so he restrains them ; and though he himself plunders, the country is a gainer, com- pared with being plundered by numbers." I mentioned the very liberal payment which had been received for reviewing ; and as evi- dence of this, that it had been proved in a trial, that Dr. Shebbeare had received six guineas a sheet for that kind of literary labour. Johnson. " Sir, he might get six guineas for a j^articular sheet, but not cominunihiis shcet- ibus." Boswell. "Pray, Sir, by a sheet of review, is it meant that it shall be all of the writer's own composition ? or are extracts, made from the book reviewed, deducted ? " Johnson. " No, Sir ; it is a sheet, no matter of what." Boswell. " I think that is not reason- able." Johnson. " Yes, Sir, it is. A man will more easily write a sheet all his own, than read an octavo volume to get extracts." To one of Johnson's wonderful fertility of mind, I believe writing was really easier than reading and extracting ; but with ordinary men the case is very different. A great deal, indeed, will de- pend upon the care and judgment with which extracts are made. I can suppose tlie opera- tion to be tedious and difficult ; but in many instances we must observe crude morsels cut out of books as if at random ; and when a large extract is made from one place, it surely may be done with very little trouble. One, how- ^ Upon this objection, the Rev. Mr. Ralph Churton, fellow of Brazennose College, Oxford, has favoured me with the following satisfactory ooservation : — '• The passage in the burial service does not mean the resurrection of the person interred, but the general resur- rection ; it is in sure and certain hope of the resurrection ; not/iis resurrection. Where the deceased is really spoken ot, the expression is very different, — 'as our hope is this our brother doth' [rest in Christ] ; a mode of speech consistent with every thing but absolute certainty that the person de- parted doth nvt rest in Christ, which no one can be assured of without immcdi.ite revelation from Heaven. In the first of these places also, • eternal life ' does not necessarily mean eternity of bliss, but merely the eternity of the state, whether in happiness or in misery, to ensue upon the resurrection ; which is probably tlie sense of 'the life everlasting," in the Apostles' Creed. See Wheatly and Bennet on the Common Prayer." — Boswell. •• No doubt Mr. Warren Hastings, to whose case two reports of a select committee of the House of Commons, drawn up by Mr. Burke, began about this time to excite public attention CnoKEit, 1817. '30 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1783.; ever, I must acknowledge, might be led, from the practice of reviewers, to suppose that they take a pleasure in original writing ; for we often find, that instead of giving an accurate account of what has been done by the author whose work they are reviewing, which is surely the proper business of a literary journal, they produce some plausible and ingenious conceits of then- own, upon the topics which have been discussed. Upon being told that old Mr. Sheridan, in- dignant at the neglect of his oratorical plans, had threatened to go to America : Johnson. " I hope he will go to America." Boswell. " The Americans don't want oratory." John- son. " But we can want Sheridan." On Monday, April 28., I found him at home in the morning, and Mr. Seward with him. Horace having been mentioned : Boswell. " There is a great deal of thinking in his works. One finds there almost every thing but re- ligion." Seward. " He speaks of his return- ing to it, in his Ode Parous Deo7-um cultor et infrequens. Johnson. " Sir, he was not in earnest ; this was merely poetical." Boswell. " There are, I am afraid, many people who have no religion at all." Seward. " And sensible people, too." Johnson. " Why, Sir, not sensible in that respect. There must be either a natural or a moral stupidity, if one lives In a total neglect of so very import- ant a concern." Seward. "I wonder that there should be people without religion." Johnson. " Sir, you need not wonder at this, when you consider how large a proportion of almost every man's life is passed without think- ing of it. I myself was for some years totally 1 regardless of religion. It had dropped out of I my mind. It was at an early part of my life. Sickness brought it back, and I hope I have i never lost it since." Boswell. "My dear Sir, what a man must you have been without j religion ! Why you must have gone on drink- ing, and swearing, and — " Johnson (with a smile). " I drank enough, and swore enough, to be sure." Seward. ""One should think that sickness and the view of death would make more men religious." Johnson. " Sir, they do not know how to go about it : they have not the first notion. A man who has never had religion before, no more grows religious when lie is sick, than a man who has never learnt figures can count when he has need of calculation." I mentioned a worthy friend ' of ours, whom we valued much, but observed that he was too ready to introduce religious discourse vipon all 1 Mr. Langton. y}» In Mr. Barry's printed analysis or description of these pictures, he speaks of Johnson's character in the highest terms Boswell. They are still to be seen, in the great room of the Society of Arts in the Adelphi — Cboker. * Before Boswell left town he was negotiating another dinner with Dr. Johnson and Mr. Wilkes at the house of the latter ; but Johnson was pre-engaged. BOSWELL TO WILKES. " Wednesday, May 21. 1783. " Mr. Boswell's compliments to Mr. Wilkes. He rejoices to find he is so much better as to be abroad. He finds that it would not he unpleasant to Dr. Johnson to dine at Mr. Wilkes's. The thing would be so curiously benignant, it were a pity it should not take place. Nobody but Mr. Bos- well should be asked to meet the doctor. Mr. Boswell goes for Scotland on Friday the 30th. If, then, a card were sent to the doctor on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, without delay, it is to be hoped he would be fixed ; and notice will be sent to Mr. Boswell." BOSWELL TO MR. AND MISS WILKES. " Mr. Boswell present? his best compliments to Mr. and Miss Wilkes ; encloses Dr. Johnson's answer; and regrets, much that so agreeable a meeting must be deferred till next year, as Mr. Boswell is to set out for Scotland in a few days. hopes Mr. Wilkes will write to him there." Enclosed. " May 24. 1783. " Or. Johnson returns thanks to Mr. and Miss Wilkes for their kind invitation ; but he is engaged for Tuesday to Sir, Joshua Reynolds and for Wednesday to Mr. Paradise." — Croker. Mt. 74, BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. '33 straight. There is never one idea by the side of another ; 'tis all entangled : and then he di-ives it so awkwardly upon conversation ! " I stated to him an anxious thought, by which a sincere Christian might be disturbed, even when conscious of having lived a good lil'e, so far as is consistent with human infirmity ; he might fear that he should afterwards fall away, and be guilty of such crimes as would render all his former religion vain. Could there be, upon this awful subject, such a thing as ba- lancing of accounts ? Suppose a man who has led a good life for seven years commits an act of wickedness, and instantly dies ; will his former good life have any etfect in his favour ? Johnson. " Sir, if a man has led a good life for seven years, and then is hurried by passion to do what is wrong, and is suddenly cai'ricd nlF, depend upon it he will have the reward of his seven years' good life : God will not take a I'litch of him. Upon this principle Richard Baxter believes that a suicide may be saved. ' If,' says he, ' it should be objected that what 1 maintain may encourage suicide, I answer, I am not to tell a lie to prevent it.'" Boswell. '■ But does not the text say, ' As the tree falls, so it must lie?'" Johnson. "Yes, Sir; as tlie tree falls: but," — after a little pause — • that is meant as to the general state of the tree, not what is the effect of a sudden blast." In short, he interpreted the expression as leferring to condition, not to position. The I lunmon notion, therefore, seems to be erro- neous ; and Shenstone's witty remark on divines trying to give the tree a jerk upon a death- lieJ, to make it lie favourably, is not well founded.' I asked him what works of Richard Baxter's I should read. He said, " Read any of them ; they are all good." He said, " Get as much force of mind as you can. Live within your income. Always have smaething saved at the end of the year. Let your imports be more than your exports, and you'll never go far wrong." I assured him, that in the extensive and various range of his acquaintance there never liad been any one who had a more sincere r(>spect and affection for him than I had. He said, " I believe it, Su'. Were I in distress, I here is no man to whom I should sooner come tlian to you. I should like to come and have a cottage in your park, toddle about, live 1 " When a tree is fallinpt, I have seen the labourers, by a trivial jerk with a rope, throw it upon the spot where they would wish it to lie. Divines, understanding this text too literally, pretend, by a little interposition in the article of death, to regulate a person's everlasting happiness." Shen- stone's Works, vol. ii. p. 297. I wonder Johnson did not re- mark that in the authorised version (agreeing with the Sep- I tuagint, the Vul^'ate, .ind the Genevese and Douay versions) I the text is, "Jf the clouds be, full of rain, they emptu themselves I upori the earth; and >f the tree falls toward the south, or toward I the north, there it shall be; and that the whole context, the authorised heading of the chapter, and the best commentators. Granger, Poole, Patrick, Henry, and -Scott, — all concur that ' the object of the exhortation is charity, and that it has no reference whatsoever to the spiritual state of man, at or after I mostly on milk, and be taken care of by Mrs. ' Boswell. She and I are good friends now ; i are we not?" j Talking of devotion, he said, "Though it be true that ' God dwelleth not in temples made with hands,' yet in this state of being our minds are more piously affected in places ap- propriated to divine worship, than in others. Some people have a particular room in their houses whei-e they say their prayers ; of which I do not disapprove, as it may animate their devotion." He embraced me, and gave me his blessing, as usual, when I was leaving him for any length of time. I walked from this door to- day with a fearful apprehension of what might happen before I returned. JOHNSON TO THE RIGHT HON. W. WINDHAM. "London, May 31. 178.3. " Sir,— The bringer of this lutter Is the father of Miss Phihps-, a singer, wlio comes to fry lier voice on the stage at Dublin. Mr. Philips is one of my old friends ; and as I am of opinion that neither he nor his daughter will do any thing that can disgrace their benefactors, I take the liberty of entreating you to countenance and protect them sa far as may be suitable to your station ^ and charac- ter, and shall consider myself as obliged by any favourable notice which they shall have the honour of receiving from you. I am, Sir, &c., " Sam. Johnson." The following is another instance of his active benevolence : — JOHNSON TO REYNOLDS. "June 2. 1783. " De.\)i Sir, — I liave sent you some of niy god- son's performances, of which I do not pretend to form any opinion. When I took the liberty of mentioning him to you, I did not know what I have since been told, that Mr. Moser had admitted him among the students of the Academy. What more can be done for him, I earnestly entreat you to con- sider ; for I am very desirous that he should derive some advantage from my connection with him. If you are inclined to see him, I will bring him to wait on you at any time that you shall be pleased to ajjpoint. I am. Sir, &c., " Sam. Johnson." death. Our earlier Bibles, which are followed by the-Homily on Prayer, give, " Where the tree falls • « • there it lyeth ; ^' and the Bishops' Bible adds a note, " In what state a man dyeth, in that he shall be judged." But this interpretation, though so frequently adopted, is, as 1 have said, rejected by the best comment-itors. and indeed seems, if not .ibsolutcly unintelligible, at least inconsistent with the whole scope of the chapter. — Choker, IK31-47. 2 Now the celebrated Mrs. Crouch. — Boswell. She died in October. 1805, let. 45. — Crokeh. 3 Mr. \V indham was at this time in Dublin, secretary to the Karl of Northington, then lord lieutenant of Ireland BoswKLL. He held this office a very short time, finding, or, as I believe, fancying, that it was too much lor his uervou< system. See ante, p 724. n. 1 Choker, 1847. Ii 734 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1783. [JOHNSON TO MRS. THRALE. ( Extract. ) " London, June 13. 1783.1 " Seward called on me yesterday. He is going — only for a few weeks — first, to Paris, and tlien to Flanders, to contemplate the pictures of Claude Loraine ; and he asked me if that was not as good a way as any of spending time — that time which returns no more ; of which, however, a great part seems to be very foolishly spent, even by the wisest and the best. Poor Lawrence- and his youngest son died almost on the same day.] — Letters. My anxious appreliensions at parting with him this year proved to be but too well founded; for not long afterwards he had a dreadful sJ;roke of the palsy, of which there are vei-y full and accurate accounts in letters written by himself, to show with what com- posure of mind and resignation to the Divine will his steady piety enabled him to behave. JOHNSON TO ALLEN. will suggest these things (and they are all that I can call to mind) to Dr. Heberden. I am, &c., " Sam. Johnson." Two days after he wrote thus to Thrale : — Mrs. "June 17.1783. " It has pleased God this morning to deprive me of the powers of speech ; and as I do not know but that it may be his further good pleasure to deprive me soon of my senses, I request you will, on theL[-§'^e™s now to^attend it receipt of this note, come to me, and act for me as " " '' ' the exigences of my case may require. I am, &c., " Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO TAYLOR. " June 17. 1783. "Dear Sir, — It has pleased God, by a para- lytic stroke in the night, to deprive me of speech. I am very desirous of Dr. Heberden's assistance, as I think my case is not past remedy. Let me see you as soon as it is possible. Bring Dr. Heberden with you, if you can ; but come yourself at all events. I am glad you are so well when I am so dreadfully attacked. " I think that by a speedy application of stimu- lants much may be done. I question if a vomit, vigorous and rough, would not rouse the organs of speech to action. As it is too early to send, I will try to recollect what I can that can be suspected to have brought on this dreadful distress. " I have been accustomed to bleed frequently for an asthmatic complaint; but have foreborne for some time by Dr. Pepys's persuasion, who per- ceived my legs beginning to swell. I sometimes alleviate a painful, or, more properly, an oppres- sive constriction of my chest, by opiates ; and have lately taken opium frequently ; but the last, or twof last times, in smaller quantities. My largest dose*^ is three grains, and last night I took but two. You 1 I cannot account for the date of this letter, mentioning the deaths of Dr. Lawrence, who died only that day at Can- terbury, and of Mr. Lawrence, who died two days later. Mrs. Thrale's answer is liable to the same difficulty. — Croker, 1847. 2 0r. Lawrence, descended, as Sir Egerton Brydges in- formed me, from Milton's friend, was born in 1771, died in 1783, on the 13th of June. His son, the Reverend J. Law- JOHNSON TO MRS. THRALE. {Extract.) " On Monday, the 16th, I sat for my picture [to Miss Reynolds], and walked a considerable way with little inconvenience. In the afternoon and evening I felt myself light and easy, and began to plan schemes of life. Thus I went to bed, and in a short time waked and sat up, as has been long my custom, when I felt a confusion and indistinctness in my head, which lasted, I suppose, about half a minute. I was alarmed, and prayed God, that however he might afflict my body, he would spare my under- standing. This prayer, that I might try the in- Tegrity of my faculties, I made in Latin verse. The lines were not very good, but I knew them not to be very good : I made them easily, and concluded myself to be unimpaired in ray faculties. " Soon after I perceived that I had suffered a paralytic stroke, and that my speech was taken from me. I had no pain, and so little dejection in this dreadful state, that I wondered at my own apathy, and considered that perhaps death itself, when it should come, would excite less horror than In order to rouse the vocal organs, I took two drams. Wine has been celebrated for the produc- \ tion of eloquence, I put myself into violent mo- i tlon, and I think repeated it ; but all was vain. I • then went to bed ; and, strange as it may seem, I ; think slept. When I saw light, it was time to ; contrive what I should do. Though God stopped ; my speech, he left me my hand : I enjoyed a mercy i which was not granted to my dear friend Law- ' rence, who now perhaps overlooks me as I am ; writing, and rejoices that I have what he wanted. , My first note was necessarily to my servant, who came in talking, and could not immediately com- prehend why he should read what I put into his hands. i " I then wrote a card to Mr. Allen, that I might ■ have a discreet friend at hand, to act as occasion should require. In penning this note I had some difficulty : my hand, I knew not how or why, ; made wrong letters. I then wrote to Dr. Taylor \ to come to me, and bring Dr. Heberden; and I sent to Dr. Brocklesby, who is my neighbour." My physicians are very friendly, and give me great hopes ; but you may imagine my situation. I have so far recovered my vocal powers, as to repeat the Lord's Prayer with no imperfect articulation. -My memory, I hope, yet remains as it was ; but such an attack produces solicitude for the safety of ^ t every faculty." ' — Letters. rence, died on the 15th. Johnson had addressed a Latin ode to Dr. Lawrence {Works, i. 180.) on the illness of one of; his sons, some years before. Another of his sons was Sir Soulden Lawrence, one of the judges of the King's Bench. 3 He lived in Norfolk Street, in the Strand. — Crokeb, ; 1847. ^T. 74. BOSAVELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. JOHNSON TO DAVIES "June IS. 1783. « Dear Sir, — I have had, indeed, a very heavy blow ; but God, who yet spares my life, I humbly hope will spare my understanding and restore my I speech. As I am not at all helpless, I want no ! particular assistance, but am strongly afiected by 1 Mrs. Davies's tenderness ; and when I think she can do me good, shall be very glad to call upon her. I had ordered friends to be shut out; but one or two have found the way in ; and if you come you shall be admitted ; for I know not whom I can see that will bring more amusement on bis tongue, or more kindness in bis heart. I am, &c., " Sam. Johnson." It gives me ereat pleasure to preserve such a memorial of Jolinson's regard for INIr. Davies, to whom I was indebted for my introduction to him.' He indeed loved Davies cordially, of which I shall give the following little evidence : — One day when he had treated him with too much asperity, Tom, who was not without pride and spirit, went off in a passion ; but he had hardly reached home, when Frank, who had been sent after him, delivered this note : " Come, come, dear Davies, I am always sorry when we quari-el ; sojid me word that we are iriends." [JOHNSON TO MRS. THRALE. (Extracts.) "June 20. 1783. — I think to send you for some time a regular diary. You will fcK-give the gross images that disease must necessarily present. Dr. Lawrence said that medical treatises should be always in Latin. I have had my head covered with one formidable diffusion of cantharides. " I never had any distortion of the countenance but what Dr. Brocklesby called a little prolapsus, which went away the second day. " I was this day directed to eat flesh, and I dined very copiously upon roasted lamb and boiled pease. I then went to sleep in a chair ; and when I waked, I found Dr. Brocklesby sitting by me, and fell to talking with him in such a manner as made me I glad, and I hope made me thankful. The doctor fell to repeating Juvenal's ninth satire; but I let him see that the province was mine. " I am to take wine to-night, and hope it will do me good." ^' June 21. — I had a comfortable and placid night. My physicians this morning thought my amendment not inconsiderable, and my friends who visited me said my look was sprightly and cheer- ful. My disease, whatever it was, seems collected into this one dreadful attack. " To-day I received a letter of consolation from an unknown hand, kindly and piously, but not enthusiastically written." "June 23. — My friends tell me that my powers of utterance improve daily, and Dr. Heberden declares he hopes to lind me well to-morrow. Palsies are more common than I thought. I have been visited by four friends, who have had each a stroke, and one of them two." , " June 28. — Your letter is just such as I desire, j and as from you I hope always to deserve. " The black dog ' I hope always to resist, and I in time to drive, though 1 am deprived of almost ! all those that used to help me. The neighbour- I hood is impoverished. I had once Richardson and I Lawrence in my reach. Mrs. Allen is dead. Mv j home has lost Levett ; a man who took interest in 1 every tiling, and therefore ready at conversation. I Mrs. Williams is so weak that she can be a com- panion no longer. When I rise, my breakfast is solitary ; the black dog waits to share it. From breakfast to dinner he continues barking, except that Dr. IJrocklesby for a little keeps him at a dis- tance. Dinner with a SICK woman yc may • Poor Derrick, however, though he did not himself intro- duce me to Dr. Johnson, as he promised, had the merit of introducing me to Davies, the immediate introducer. — BOSWELL. j ture to suppose not much better than solitary. I After dinner, what remains but to count the clock, I and hope for that sleep which I can scarce expect? I Night comes at last, and some hours of restlessness and confusion bring me again to a day of solitude. j Wliat shall exclude the black dog from an habita- tion like this? If I were a little richer, I would perhaps take some cheerful female into the house. "Last night fresh files [cantharides'] were put to my head, and hindered me from sleeping. To-day I fancy myself incommoded with heat. " I have, however, watered the garden both yes- terday and to-day, just as I watered the laurels in tiie island" [at Streuthani]. " Juli/ 3. — Dr. Brocklesby yesterday dismissed the cantharides, and I can now find a soft place upon my pillow. Last night was cool, and I rested well ; and this morning I have been a friend at a poetical difficulty. Here is now a glimpse of daylight again ; but bow near is the evening none can tell, and I will not prognosticate. We all know that from none of us it can be far distant : may none of us know this in vain ! " I went, as I took care to boast, on Tuesday [1st July] to the Club, and hear that I was thought to have performed as well as usual. " I dined on fish, with the wing of a small turkey- chick, and left roast beef, goose, and venison-pie untouched. I live much on pease, and never iiad them so good for so long a time in any year that I can remember." — Letters. JOHNSON TO LOWE." " Friday, Jutie 20. 1783. "Sin, — You know, I suppose, that a sudden illness makes it impracticable to me to wait ou Mr. Barry, and the time is short. If it be your opinion that the end can be obtained by writing, 1 am very willing to write, and, perhaps, it may do as well : it is, at least, all that can be expected at present from. Sir, your most humble servant, "Sam. Johnson." " If you would have me write, come to me : I order your admission."] _ Fr'celmg MSS. 2 See ante, p. MO. n. 1. — C. 3 Amidst all this distress and danger, we see by this and some subsequent letters communicated by Mr. MarVland, his indel'atigablu charity and kindness to his humble I'rieuda. 736 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 176 JOHNSON TO MRS. PORTER. " London, June 25. 1783. " Dear Madam, — Since the papers have given an account of my illness, it is proper that I should give my friends some account of it myself. " Very early in the morning of the 16th' of this month I perceived my speech taken from me. When it was light I sat down and wrote such directions as appeared proper. Dr. Heberden and Dr. Brocklesby were called. Blisters were ap- plied, and medicines given. Before night I began to speak with some freedom, which has been in- creasing ever since, so that I have now very little impediment in my utterance. Dr. Heberden took his leave this morning. " Since I received this stroke I have in other re- spects been better than I was before, and hope yet to have a comfortable summer. Let me have your prayers. " If writing is not troublesome, let me know whether you are pretty well, and how you have passed the winter and spring. " IMake my compliments to all my friends. I am, dear Madam, your most humble servant, — Pearson MSS. " Sam. Johnson."] JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. "London, July 3. 1783. " Dear Sir, — Your anxiety about my health is very friendly and very agreeable with your general kindness. I have indeed had a very frightful blow. On the 17th of last month, about three in the morning, as near as I can guess, I perceived myself almost totally deprived of speech. I had no pain. My organs were so obstructed that I could say no, but could scarcely say 7/es. I wrote the necessary directions, for it pleased God to spare my hand, and sent for Dr. Heberden and Dr. Brocklesby. Between the time in which j I discovered my own disorder, and that in which 1 j sent for the doctors, I had, I believe, in spite of my | surprise and solicitude, a little sleep, and nature began to renew its operations. They came and gave the directions which the disease required, and from that time I have been continually improving in articulation. I can now speak , but the nerves are weak, and T cannot continue discourse long ; but strength, I hope, will return. The physicians consider me as cured. I was last Sunday at church. On Tuesday I took an airing to Hamp- stead, and dined with the Club, where Lord Pal- merston was proposed, and, against my opinion, was rejected.' I designed to go next week witli Mr. Langton to Rochester, where I purpose to stay about ten days, and then try some other air. I have many kind invitations. Your brother has very frequently inquired after me. Most of my friends have, indeed, been very attentive. Thank dear Lord Hailes for his present. " I hope you found at your return everything gay and prosperous, and your lady, in particular, ' Mistake for I7th. — Croker. 2 His lordship was soon after chosen, and is now a mem- ber of the Club. — BoswELL. 3 She soon returned, and attended him in his last illness. — Croker, 1847. * During his illness Mr. Murphy visited him, and found him reading Dr. Watson's Chemistry : articulating with difficulty, he said, " From this boolc he who knows nothing quite recovered and confirmed. Pay her my re- spects. I am, dear Sir, &c., Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO MRS. PORTER. " London, July 5. 1783. " Dear Matam, — The account which you give of your health is but melancholy. May it please God to restore you. My disease affected my speech, and still continues, in some degree, to ob- struct my utterance ; my voice is distinct enough ' for a while, but the organs being still weak are quickly weary ; but in other respects I am, I think, rather better than I have lately been, and can let you know my state without the help of any , other hand. In the opinion of my friends, and in my own, I am gradually mending. The physicians consider me as cured, and I had leave four days ago to wash the cantliarides from my head. Last ' Tuesday I dined at the Club. " I am going next week into Kent, and purpose to change the air frequently this summer : whether : I shall wander so far as Staffordshire I cannot tell. I should be glad to come. Return my thanks to IMrs. Cobb, and Mr. Pearson, and all that have ' shown attention to me. Let us, my dear, pray for ' one another, and consider our sufferings as notices mercifully given us to prepare ourselves for another , state. " I live now but in a melancholy way. My old ; friend Mr. Levett is dead, who lived with me in the ' house, and was useful and companionable ; Mrs. : Desmoulins is gone away ' ; and Mrs. Williams is so much decayed, that she can add little to another's ; gratifications. The world passes away, and we are, passing with it; but there is, doubtless, another | world, which will endure for ever. Let us all fit^ ourselves for it. 1 am, &c., Sam. Johnson." ; Sucli was the general vigour of his consti- tution, that he recovered from this alarming' and severe attack with wonderful quickness*: so that in July he was able to make a visit to Mr. Langton at Rochester, where he passed about a fortnight, and made little excursions as easily as at any time of his life. JOHNSON TO MRS. THRALE. (Extracts.) " London, July 23. 1783. " I have been thirteen days at Rochester, anc am now just returned. I came back by water in ; common boat, twenty miles for a shilling; anc when I landed at Billingsgate I carried my budge myself to Cornhill before J could get a coach, anc was not much incommoded." " August 13. — Of this world, in which you re present me as delighting to live, I can say little Since I came home I have only been to church once to Burney's, once to Paradise's, and once t may learn a great deal, and he who knows will be pleased t find his knowledge recalled to his mind in a manner highl pleasing." Life, p. 121. Murphy adds, that in the mont of August he set out for Liclitield on a visit to Miss Luc Porter ; and in his way back paid his respects to Dr. Adam' at Oxford. But it seems certain that he did not in this ir terval go to Lichfield, and there is barely time for a shoi excursion to Oxford. — Croker. ^T. 74. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 737 Reynolds's. With Biirney I saw Dr. Rose, his new relation, with whom I have been many years acquainted. If I discovered no reliques of dis- ease, I am glad ; but Fanny's trade is fiction.' " I have since partaken of an epidemical dis- order ; but common evils produce no dejection. " Paradise's company, I fancy, disappointed him; I remember nobody. With Reynolds was the Archbisiiop of Tuam, a man coarse of voice and inelegant of language.' "I am now broken with disease, without the alleviation of familiar friendship or domestic society ; I have no middle state between clamour and silence, between general conversation and self- tormenting solitude. l^evett is dead, and poor Williams is making haste to die: 1 know not if she will ever come out of her chamber. " I am now quite alone ; but let me turn my thoughts another way." " Auffust '20. — This has been a day of great emo- tion ; the office of the communion for the sick has been performed in poor Mrs. Williams's chamber. At home I see almost all my companions dead or dying. \t Oxford I have just lost Wheeler, the man with whom I most delighted to converse. The sense of jmy own diseases, and the sight of the world sink- [ing round me, oppress me perhaps too much. I hope ■that all these admonitions will not be vain, and that I shall learn to die as dear Williams is dying, who was very cheerful before and after this awful solem- nity, and seems to resign herself with calmness and :hope upon eternal mercy. j " I read your last kind letter with great delight; [but when I came to love and honour, what sprung an my mind ? — How loved, how honoured once, Kvails thee not, i " I sat to Mrs. Reynolds yesterday for my pic- ture, perhaps the tenth time ; and I sat for three I lours with the patience of mortal horn to hear." " August 26. — Things stand with me much as hey have done for some time. Mrs. Williams .ancles now and then that she grows better, but her vital powers apjjcar to be slowly burning out. jS^obody thinks, however, that she will very soon be jjuite wasted ; and as she suffers me to be of very little use to her, I have determined to pass some }ime with Mr. Bowles, near Salisbury, and have iaken a place for Thursday. !" Some benefit may be perhaps received from hange of air, some from change of company, and ome from mere change of place. It is not easy to |;row well in a chamber where one has long been lick, and where every thing seen, and every person peaking, revives and impresses images of pain. LluMigh it be true that no man can run away from imself, yet lie may escape from many causes of --vless uneasiness. That the boast of a fallen angel that had learned to v.'^ External locality has great effects, at least j lum all embodied beings. I hope this little | )iirney will afford me at last some suspense of lelancholy."] - Letters. 1 Miss Fanny Barney, tfie novelist, had, it seems, given hat Johnson feared was too favourable an account of him, - Choker. . - lion. Jos. Deane Bourke, afterwards Earl of Mayo.— [koker. [s Par. Lost, b. i. 1.254. CHAPTER LXXVIL 1783. Visit to Heale. — Death of Mrs. JnUiams. — Con- versation. — French Literature. — Dr. Friestley. — Candour. — Mrs. Siddons. — Mrs. Porter. — Kitti/ Clive. — Mrs. Pritchard. — John Philip Kemhle. — George Anne Bellamy Lord Carlisle's Trugedy. — Unconstitutional Influence of the Scotch Peers — Old Horses. — Mickle's " Lusiad." — Ossian. — lintes for the Essex Head Club. In Auj^ust he went as far as the neighbourhood of Salisbury, to Ileale, the seat of AViliiam Bowles, Esq., a gentleman wliom I have heard liim praise for exemplary religious order in his family. In his diary I find a short but honour- able mention of this visit : — " August 28., I came to Heale without fatigue. 30th. I am entertained quite to my mind." JOHNSON TO BROCKLESBY. " Heale, near Salisbury, Aug. 29. 1783. '•Dear Siit, — Without ajipearing to want a just sense of your kind attention, I cannot omit to give an account of the day which seemed to appear in some sort perilous. I rose at five, and went out at six ; and having reached Salisbury about nine, went forward a few miles in my friend's chariot. I was no more wearied with the journey, though it was a high-hung, rough coach, than I should have been forty years ago. We shall now see what air will do. The country is all a plain ; and the house in which I am, so far as I can judge from my win- dow, for I write before I have left my chamber, is sufficiently pleasant. " Be so kind as to continue your attention to Mrs. Williams. It is great consolation to the well, and still greater to the sick, that they find them- selves not neglected ; and I know that you will be desirous of giving comfort, even where you have no great hope of giving help. " Since I wrote the former part of the letter, I find that by the course of the post I cannot send it before the .^Ist. I am, &c., Sam. Joh.nson." While he was here, he had a letter from Dr. Brocklesby, acquainting him of the death of ^Irs. AVilliams, which affected him a good deal. Though for several years her temper had not been complacent, slic had valuable qualities, and her departure left a blank in his house. Upon this occasion he, according to his ha- bitual coui-se of piety, composed a prayer.* I shall here insert a few particulars concern- ing him, with which I have been favoured by one of his friends. " He had once conceived the design of writing the Eife of Oliver Cromwell, saying that he < Prayers and Meditations, p. 22(1.— B. In his letter to Miss Susannah Thrale, Sept. 9., he thus writes : — " Pray show m.-imma this passage of a letter frcm Dr. Brocklesby : — ' Mrs. Williams, from mere inanition, has at length paid the great debt to nature, about three o'clock this 738 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1783 thought it must be highly curious to trace his ex- traordinary rise to the supreme power from so obscure a beginning. He at length laid aside his scheme, on discovering that all that can be told of him is already in print ; and that it is impracticable to procure any authentic information in addition to what the world is already in possession of." ' " He had likewise projected, but at what part of his life is not known, a work to show how small a quantity of real fiction there is in the world ; and that the same images, with very little varia- tion, have served all the authors who have ever written." "His thoughts in the latter part of his life were frequently employed on his deceased friends. He often muttered these or such like sentences : ' Poor man ! and then he died.' " " Speaking of a certain literary friend, ' He is a very pompous puzzling fellow,' said he : ' he lent me a letter once that somebody had written to him, no matter what it was about ; but he wanted to have the letter back, and expressed a mighty value for it : he hoped it was to be met with again ; he would not lose it for a thousand pounds. I laid my hand upon it soon afterwards, and gave it him. I believe I said I was very glad to have met with it. Oh, then he did not know that it signified any thing. So you see, when the letter was lost it was worth a thousand pounds, and when it was found it was not worth a farthing.' " " The style and character of his conversation is pretty generally known : it was certainly con- ducted in conformity with a precept of Lord Bacon, but it is not clear, I apprehend, that this confor- mity was either perceived or intended by Johnson. The precept alluded to is as follows : ' In all kinds of speech, either pleasant, grave, severe, or ordi- nary, it is convenient to speak leisurely, and rather drawlingly than hastily : because hasty speech con- founds the memory, and oftentimes, besides the morning (Sept. 6.). She died without a struggle, retaining her faculties entire to the very last ; and, as she expressed it, having set her house in order, was prepared to leave it at the last summons of nature." In his letter to Mrs. Thrale, Sept. 22., he adds : — " Poor Williams has, I hope, seen the end of her afflic- tions. She acted with prudence, and she bore with fortitude. She has left me. 'Thou thy weary task hast done. Home art gone, and ta'en thy wages.' Had she had good-humour and prompt elocution, her uni- versal curiosity and comprehensive knowledge would have made her the delight of all that knew her. She left her little to your charity-school." — Malone. 1 Mr. Malone observes, " This, however, was entirely a mistake, as appears from the Memoirs published by Mr. Noble. Had Johnson been furnished with the materials which the industry of that gentleman has procured, and with others which it is believed are yet preserved in manuscript, he would, without doubt, have produced a most valuable and curious history of Cromwell's life."— Boswell. I may add, that, had Johnson given us a Life of Cromwell, we should not have been disgusted in numberless instances with — " My Lord Protector" and "My Lady Protectkess ;" and certainly the brutal ruffian who presided in the bloody assembly that murdered their sovereign would have been characterised by very different epithets than those which are applied to him in this work, where we find him described as " the BOLD and determined Bradshaw." — Malone. 2 Hints for Civil Conversation Bacon's Works, 4to. vol. i. p. 571. — Malone. 3 I do not wonder at Johnson's displeasure when the name of Dr. Priestley was mentioned ; for I know no writer who has been suffered to publish more pernicious doctrines. I shall Instance only three. First, Materialistn ; by which unseemliness, drives a man either to stammering, . nonplus, or harping on that which should follow whereas a slow speech confirmeth the memor\ addeth a conceit of wisdom to the hearers, beside a seemliness of speech and countenance.'^ Di Johnson's method of conversation was certainl calculated to excite attention, and to amuse an instruct (as it happened), without wearying or toi; fusing his company. He was always most pe'i fectly clear and perspicuous ; and his language wc so accurate, and his sentences so neatly constructe( that his convers.ation might have been all printc without any correction. At the .same time, it w; easy and natural ; the accuracy of it had no appea ance of labour, constraint, or stiffness: he seemt more correct than others by the force of habit, an the customary exercises of his powerful mind." " He spoke often in praise of French literatuv ' The French are excellent in this,' he would sa ' they have a book on every subject.' From wh he had seen of them he denied them the praise superior politeness, and mentioned, with very visit disgust, the custom they have of spitting on t floors of their apartments. ' This,' said the doct( 'is as gross a thing as can well be done; and o' wonders how any man, or set of men, can persisti so offensive a practice for a whole day togetht; one should expect tliat the first effort towards ci • lisation would remove it even among savages.'": " Baxter's ' Reasons of the Christian lleligic he thought contained the best collection of i' evidences of the divinity of the Christian systenn: " Chymistry was always an interesting purs, with Dr. Johnson. Whilst he was in Wiltshire.ii attended some experiments that were made bji physician at Salisbury on the new kinds of air. ;i the course of the experiments frequent ment'i being made of Dr. Priestley, Dr. Johnson knit ii brows, and in a stern manner inquired, ' Why i we hear so much of Dr. Priestley ? ' ' He was \ ;, mhid is denied to human nature ; which, if believed, ) * deprive us of every elevated principle. Secondly, Necesn; or the doctrine that every action, whether good or ba s included in an unchangeable and unavoidable systen a notion utterly subversive of moral government. Thi /, that we have no reason to think that thefuture world (wl i, as he is pleased to inform us, will be adapted to our mi'j/ improved nature) will be materially different from /,; which, if believed, would sink wretched mortals into desr, as they could no longer hope for the " rest that remai.li for the people of God," or for that happiness whicli i'.'- vealed to us as something beyond our present concept 3, but would feel themselves doomed to a continuation oiie uneasy state under which they now groan. I say nothi of the petulant intemperance with which he dares to insul'ic venerable establishments of his country. As a specim of his writings, I shall quote the following passage, v li appears to me equally absurd and impious, and which r nt j have been retorted upon him by the men who were p e- cuted for burning his house. " I cannot," says he, ' a necessarian\mc;?Lnmsnecessitarian\,haXe any man , be so | I consider him as being, in all respects, just what Go as | made him to be; and also as doing, with respect to mc, no ig but what he was expressly designed and appointed to do lOd being the only cause, and men "nothing more than the ». »■ \ ments in his hands to execute all his pleasure ." — Ilh a- i tions of Philosophical Necessity, p. 111. The Revcren Jr. Parr, in a late tract, appears to suppose that Dr. Jo/mst >ol I only endured, but almost solicited, an intervietir Priestley. In justice to Dr. Johnson, I declare my that he never did. My illustrious friend was partic j resolute in not giving countenance to men whose writiilt considered as pernicious to society. I was present at Ci when Dr. Price, even before he had rendered himsff generally obnoxious by his zeal for the French revolOTi-' came into a company where Johnson was, who instant W the room. Much more would he have reprobate Of- • wiirn. ■ firm ief jarticfrlj' writii^Wi JEt. 75. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. '39 properly answered, ' Sir. because we are indebted to him for tliesc important discoveries.' On this Dr. Johnson appeared well content; and repra. On parting he grasped her hand and said, " The blister I have tried for my breath has betrayed some very bad tol(ens. but I will not terrify myself by talking of them. A/i, prifz Diett pour mot." This was the only time he ever addressed her in Mench, and she thought he did so that some other persons who were in the room might not hear this injunction — L(fe ()f Burnei/, i. 363. — CnoKER, 1847. ' Old London Bridge, once covered on both hands with •hops and houses over them. — Croker, 1847. appoint friends, and if they are not very good- natured, to disoblige them, is one of the evils of sickness. If you will please to let me know which of the afternoons in this week I shall be favoured with another visit by you and Mrs. Perkins, and the young people, I will take all the measures that I can to be pretty well at that time. I am, &c., " Sam. Johnson." His attention to the Essex Head Club ap- pears from the following letter to Mr. Alder- man Clark, a gentleman lor whom he deservedly entertained a great regard. ■• JOHNSON TO CLARK. " Jan 27. 1784. " Dear Sir, — You will receive a requisition, according to the rules of the clul), to be at the house as president of the night. This turn comer, once a month, and the member is obliged to attend, or send another in his place. You were inrolled in the club by my invitation, and I ought to intro- duce you ; but as I am hindered by sickness, J\Ir. Iloole will very properly supply my i)lace as intro- ductor, or yours as president. I hope in milder weather to be a very constant attendant. I am. Sir, &c., Sam. Johnson. " You ought to be informed that the forfeits began with the year, and that every night of non- attendance incurs the mulct of threepence, that is, ninepence a- week." On the 8th of January I wrote to him, anxiously inqubing as to his health, and en- closing my " Letter to the People of Scotland on the Present State of the Nation." "I trust," said I, " that you will be liberal enough to make allowance for my differing from you on two points, [the Middlesex election and the American war,] when my general principles of government are according to your own heart, and when, at a crisis of doubtful event, I stand forth with honest zeal as an ancient and faith- ful Briton. My reason for introducing those two points was, that as my opinions with regard to them had been declared at the periods when they were least favourable, I might have the credit of a man who is not a worshipper of ministerial power." [BOSWELL TO REYNOLDS. " Edinburgh, Gth February, 1784. " INIv PEAR Sir, — I long exceedingly to hear from you. Sir William Forbes brought me good accounts of you, and Mr. Temple sent me very pleasing intelligence concerning the fair Palmeria*. But a line or two from yourself is the next thing to seeing you. " My anxiety about Dr. Johnson is truly great. 3 These books are much more numerous than Johnson supposed M ALONE. Mr. Malone adds a list of 29 of them. — Crokbr, 1847. •• Jly venerable friend Mr. Clark, who had contributed some information to my first edition, died at Chcrtsey, Jan. 16. 1831, a-t. 93. — Chokcr ^ No doubt Miss Palmer, afterwards Lady Tliomond, Sir Joshua's niece. — Crokek. 748 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1784. r' I had a letter from him within these six weeks, written with his usual acuteness and vigour of mind. But he complained sadly of the state of his health ; and I have been informed since that he is worse. I intend to be in London next month, chietiy to attend upon him with respectful affec- tion. But, in the mean time, it will be a great favour done me, if you, who know liim so well, will be kind enough to let me know particularly how he is. " I hope Mr. Dilly conveyed to you my Letter on the State of the Nation, from the Attthor. I know your political principles, and indeed your settled system of thinking upon civil society and subordination, to be according to my own heart ; and therefore I doubt not you will approve of my honest zeal. But what monstrous effects of party do we now see ! I am really vexed at the conduct of some of our friends.' " Amidst the conflict our friend of Port Eliot is with much propriety created a peer. But why, O why did he not obtain the title of Baron Maho- gany? (p. 680.) Genealogists and heralds would have had curious work of it to explain and illus- trate that title. I ever am, with sincere regard, my dear Sir, your affectionate humble servant, — Reynolds MS S. "James Boswell."] JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. "Feb. 11. 1784. " Dear Sir, — I hear of many inquiries which your kindness has disposed you to make after me. I have long intended you a long letter, which per- haps the imagination of its length hindered me from beginning. I will, therefore, content myself with a shorter. " Having promoted the institution of a new club in the neighbourhood, at the house of an old ser- vant of Thrale's, I went thither to meet the com- pany, and was seized with a spasmodic asthma, so violent, that with difficulty I got to my own house, in which I have been confined eight or nine weeks, and from which I know not when I shall be able to go even to church. The asthma, however, is not the worst. A dropsy gains ground upon me : my legs and thighs are very much swollen with water, which I should be content if I could keep -there ; but I am afraid that it will soon be higher. My nights are very sleepless and very tedious, and yet I am extremely afraid of dying. " My physicians try to make me hope that much of my malady is the effect of cold, and that some degree at least of recovery is to be expected from vernal breezes and summer suns. If my life is prolonged to autumn, I should be glad to try a warmer climate ; though how to travel with a diseased body, without a companion to conduct me, and with very little money, I do not well see. Ramsay has recovered his limbs in Italy ; and ' Messrs. Fox and Burke. — Croker. - See post, p. 753., Mr. Boswell's statement of this ex- traordinary relief: Hawkins's is still more circumstantial and curious. — ii/>?. 563. — Croker, 1847. 3 " Letter to the People of Scotland on the present State of the Nation." 1 sent it to Mr. Pitt, with a letter, in which I thus expressed myself : — " My principles may appear to you too monarchical ; but 1 know and am persuaded they are not inconsistent with the true principles of liberty. Be this as it may, you, Sir, are now the prime minister, called by the Fielding was sent to Lisbon, where, indeed, he died ; but he was, I believe, past hope wlien he went. Think for me what I can do. "I received'y our 'pamphlet, and when I write again may perhaps tell you some opinion about it ; i but you will forgive a man struggling with disease his neglect of disputes, politics, and pamphlets. Let me have your prayers. My compliments to your lady and young ones. Ask your physicians J about my case: and desire Sir Alexander Dick to write me his opinion. I am, dear Sir, &c., ! " Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO MRS. PORTER. " Feb. 23. 1784. ' " Mv DEAREST LovE, — I have been extremely ill of an asthma and dropsy, but received by the mercy of God sudden and unexpected relief last Thursday S by the discharge of twenty pints of ! water. Whether I shall continue free, or shall fill again, cannot be told. Pray for me. Death, my dear, is very dreadful ; let us think nothing worth ' our care but how to prepare for it : what we know amiss in ourselves let us make haste to amend, and put our trust in the mercy of God and the inter- ' cession of our Saviour. I am, &c., " Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " London, Feb. 27. 1784. ; " Dear Sir, — I have just advanced so far to- ' wards recovery as to read a pamphlet ; and you may reasonably suppose that the first pamphlet; which 1 read was yours. I am very much of your: opinion, and, like you, feel great indignation at the! indecency with which the king is every day treated. ■ Your paper contains very considerable knowledge; of history and of the constitution, very properly produced and applied. It will certainly raise your; character ^ though perhaps it may not make youal minister of state. i I desire you to see Mrs. Stewart once again, and tell her, that in the letter-case was a letter relating to me, for which I will give her, if she is willing to give it me, another guinea.* The letter is of con- sequence only to me. I am, dear Sir, &c., . " Sam. Johnson." In consequence of Johnson's request that I should ask our physicians about his case, and; desire Sir Alexander Dick to send his opinion, I transmitted him a letter from that verj' amiable baronet, then in his eighty-first year, with his faculties as entire as ever, and men- tioned his expressions to me in the note accom- panying it, — "With my most affectionatt wishes for Dr. Johnson's recovery, in which his friends, his counti-y, and all mankind have sc deep a stake;" and at the same time a fuL sovereign to maintain the rights of the crown, as well asthosi of tlie people, against a violent faction. As such, you an entitled to the warmest supportof every good subject in ever department." He answered, " I am extremely obliged to yoi for the sentiments you do me the honour to express, and havi observed with great pleasure the zealous and able suppor given to the cause of the public in the work you were so goot to transmit to me." — Boswell. ■< See anti, p. G41 , and the Appendix — Croker. ^T. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 19 opinion upon his case by Dr. Gillespie, who, like Dr. CuUen, had the advantage of having passed through the gradations of surgery ancl pharmacy, and by study and practice had at- tained to such skill, that my father settled on him two hundred pounds a year for five years, and fifty pounds a year during his life, as an hpiiorarium to secure his particular attendance. The opinion was conveyed in a letter to me, beginning, " I am sincerely sorry for the bad state of health your very learned and illus- trious friend, Dr. Johnson, labours under at present." JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " London, March 2. 1784. " Dear. Sir, — Presently after I had sent away my last letter, I received your kind medical packet. I am very much obliged both to you and to your physicians for your kind attention to my disease. Dr. Gillespie has sent me an excellent consilium medicum, all solid practical experimental know- ledge. I am at present, in the opinion of my physicians (Dr. Heberden and Dr. Brocklesby), as well as my own, going on very hopefully. I have just begun to take vinegar of squills. The powder hurt my stomach so much that it could not be continued. " Return Sir Alexander Dick my sincere thanks for his kind letter; and bring with you the rhu- barb ' which he so tenderly otters me. I hope dear Mrs. Boswell is now quite well, and that no evil, either real or imaginary, now disturbs you. I am, &c., Sam. Johnson." I also applied to three of the eminent phy- sicians who had chairs in our celebrated school of medicine at Edinburgh, Doctors Cullen, Hope, and Monro, to each of whom I sent the following letter : — _ " March 7. 1784. "Dear Sir, — Dr. Johnson has been very ill for some time ; and in a letter of anxious apprehen- sion he writes to me, ' Ask your physicians about my case.' " This, you see, is not authority for a regular consultation : but I have no doubt of your readi- ness to give your advice to a man so eminent, and who in his Life of Garth, has paid your profession ' a just and elegant compliment: 'I believe every ! man has found in physicians great liberality and I dignity of sentiment, very prompt effusions of be- I nefieence, and willingness to exert a lucrative art where there is no hope of lucre.' I " Dr. Johnson is aged seventy-four. Last sum- i mer he had a stroke of the palsy, from which he | recovered almost entirely. He had, before that, been troubled with a catarrhous cough. This winter he was seized with a spasmodic asthma, by which he has been confined to his house for about three months. Dr. Brocklesby writes to me, that upon the least admission of cold, there is such a constric- tion u))on his breast, that he cannot lie down in his bed, but is obliged to sit up all night, and gets rest, and sometimes sleep, only by means of lau- ' From his garden at Preston6eld, where he cultivated that plant with such success, that he was presented with a I danum and syrup of poppies ; and that there are I cedematous tumours in his legs and thighs. Dr. Brocklesby trusts a good deal to the return of mild I weather. Dr. Johnson says that a dropsy gains i ground upon him ; and he' seems to think that a I warmer climate would do him good. I understand he is now rather better, and is using vinegar of I squills. I am, &c., James Boswell." All of them paid the most polite attention to my letter and its venerable object. Dr. Cul- len's words concerning him were, " It would give me the greatest pleasure to be of any ser- vice to a man whom the public properly esteem, and whom I esteem and respect as much as I do Dr. Johnson." Dr. Hope's, "Few people have a better claim on nie than your friend, as hardly a day passes that I do not ask his opinion about this or that word." Dr. INIonros, "I most sincerely join you in sympathising with that very worthy and ingenious character, from whom his country has derived much instruc- tion and entertainment." Dr. Hope corresponded with his friend Dr. Brocklesby. Doctors Cullen and I\Ionro wrote their opinions and prescriptions to me, which I afterwards carried witli me to London, and, so far as they were encouraging, communicated to Johnson. The liberality on one hand, and grateful sense of it on the other, I have great satisfaction in recording. [JOHNSON TO MRS. PORTER. "Boll-court, lOth March, 1784. '• I\Iy dearest Love, — I will not suppose that it is for want of kindness that you did not answer my last letter ; and I therefore write again to tell you that I have, by God's great mercy, still con- tinued to grow better. My asthma is seldom troublesome, and my dropsy has ran itself almost away, in a maimer which my physician says is very uncommon. " I have been confined from the 14th of Decem- ber, and shall not soon venture abroad ; but I have this day dressed myself as I was before my sickness. " If it be inconvenient to you to write, desire 1 Mr. Pearson to let me know how you do, and how | you have passed this long winter. I am now not I without hopes that we shall once more see one ' another. | » Make my compliments to Mrs. Cobb and Miss Adey, and to all my friends, particularly to Mr. Pearson. I am, my dear, your mr)st humble ser- vant, Sa.m. Johnson." — Pearson MSS. JOHNSON TO MRS. GASTRELL AND MISS ASTON. " Bolt-court, lllh M.irch, 1784. " Dear Ladies, — The kind and speedy answer with which you favoured me to my last letter en- courages me to hope that you will be glad to hear again that my recovery advances. My disorders are an asthma and dropsy. The asthma gives me gold medal by the .Society of London for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, aiid Commerce.— Boswell. 750 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1784. no great trouble when I am not in motion, and the water of the dropsy has passed away in so happy a manner, by the goodness of God, as Dr. Heberden declai-es himself not to have known more than four times in all his practice. I have been confined to the house from December the 14th, and shall not venture out till the weather is settled ; but I have this day dressed myself as before I became ill. Join with me in returning thanks, and pray for me that the time now granted me may not l)e ill spent. " Let me now, dear ladies, have some account of you. Tell me how you have endured this long and sharp winter, and give me hopes that we may all meet again with kindness and cheerfulness. I am, dear ladies, your most humble servant, — Pemb. MSS. Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " London, March 18. 1784. " Dear Sir, — I am too much pleased with the attention which you and your dear lady ' show to my welfare, not to be diligent in letting you knov/ the progress which I make towards health. The dropsy, by God's blessing, has now run almost totally away by natural evacuation : and the asthma, if not irritated by cold, gives me little trouble. While I am writing this I have not any sensation of debility or disease. But I do not yet venture out, having been confined to the house from the 13th of December, now a quarter of a year. " When it will be fit for me to travel as far as Awchinleck I am not able to guess ; but such a letter as Mrs. Boswell's might draw any man not wholly motionless a great way. Pray tell the dear lady how much her civility and kindness have touched and gratified me. " Our parliamentary tumults have now begun to subside, and the king's authority is in some measure re-established. ]\Ir. Pitt will have great power ^ ; but you must remember that what he has to give must, at least for some time, be given to those who gave, and those who preserve his power. A new minister can sacrifice little to esteem or friendship : he must, till he is settled, think only of extending his interest. " If you come hither through Edinburgh, send for Mrs. Stewart [p. 641.], and give from me another guinea for the letter in the old case, to which I shall not be satisfied with my claim till she gives it me. Please to bring with you Baxter's Anacreon; and if you procure heads of Hector Boece, the historian, and Arthur Johnston*, the poet, I will put them in my room ; or any other of the fathers of Scottish literature. " I wish you an easy and happy journey, and hope I need not tell you that you will be welcome to, dear Sir, your, Sec, Sam. Johnson." [JOHNSON TO MRS. THRALE.^ '' London, 20th March, 1784. Madam, — Your last letter had something of 1 Who had written him a very kind letter. — Croker. 2 Mr. Boswell does not give us /lia letter, to which this is an answer ; but it is clear that he expressed some too san- guine hopes of preferment from Sir. Pitt, whose favour, as we have just seen, he liad endeavoured to propitiate. — Ckoker. tenderness. The accounts which you have had of my danger and distress were I suppose not aggra- vated. I have been confined ten weeks with an asthma and dropsy. But I am now better. God has in his mercy granted me a reprieve ; for how much time his mercy must determine. " Write to me no more about di/ing with a grace. When you feel what I have felt in approachin"- eternity — in fear of soon hearing the sentence of which there is no revocation — you will know the folly : my wish is that you may know it sooner. The distance between the grave and the remotest part of human longevity is but a very little ; and of that little no path is certain. You know all this, and I thought that I knew it too; but I know it now with a new conviction. May that new con- viction not be vain ! " I am now cheerful. I hope this approach to recovery is a token of the Divine mercy. My friends continue their kindness. I give a dinner to-morrow. I am. Madam, your, &c., — Letters. " Saji. Johnson."] I wrote to him, March 28., from York, in- forming him that I had a high gratification in the triumph of monarchical principles over aristocratical influence, in that great county, in an address to the king ; that I was thus far on my way to him, but that news of the dis- solution of parliament having arrived, I was to hasten back to my own county, where I had carried an address to his majesty by a great majority, and had some intention of being a candidate to represent the county in parliament. JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. " London, March 30. 17S4. " Dear Sir, — You could do nothing so proper as to hasten back when you found the parliament dissolved. With the influence which your address must have gained you, it may reasonably be ex- pected that your presence will be of importance, and your activity of effect. " Your solicitude for me gives me tliat pleasure which every man feels from the kindness of such a friend ; and it is with delight I relieve it by telling that Dr. Brocklesby's account is true, and that I am, by the blessing of God, wonderfully relieved. " You are entering upon a transaction which re- quires much prudence. You must endeavour to oppose without exasperating ; to practise temporary hostility, without producing enemies for life. This is, perhaps, hard to be done ; yet it has been done by many, and seems most likely to be effected by opposing merely upon general principles, without descending to personal or particular censures or objections. One thing I must enjoin you, which is seldom observed in tiie conduct of elections; I must entreat you to be scrupulous in the use of strong liquors. One night's drunkenness may defeat the labours of forty days well employed. Be firm, 1 See ante, pp. 15G. 294. — Croker. 5 1 think it necessary to Johnson's personal history to continue extracts of his correspondence with Mrs. Thrale to its conclusion. — Croker. Mr. 75. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 751 but not clamorous ; be active, but not malicious ; and you may form such an interest, as may not only exalt yourself, but dignify your family. 1 " We are, as you may suppose, all busy here. Mr. i Fox resolutely stands for Westminster, and his ! friends say will carry the election. ' However that be, he will certainly have a seat. I\Ir. Hoole has ; just told me, that the city leans towards the king. " Let me hear, from time to time, how you are employed, and what progress you make. Make dear Mrs. Boswell, and all the young Boswells, 1 the sincere compliments of, Sir, your affectionate I humble servant, &c., S \ji. Johnson." I To Mr. Langton he wrote with that cor- i diiility which was suitable to tlie long friend- i ship which bad subsisted between him and that gentleman. JOHNSON TO LANGTOX. (Extracts.) " March 27. Since you left me I have continued, in my own opinion, and in Ur. Brockleshy's, to grow better, with respect to all my formidable and danger- ous distempers; though, to a body battered and shaken as mine has lately been, it is to be feared that weak attacks may be sometimes mischievous. 1 have, indeed, by standing carelessly at an open window, got a very troublesome cough, which it has been necessary to appease by opium, in larger quan- tities than I like to take, and I have not found it give way so readily as I expected : its ob- stinacy, however, seems at last disposed to sub- mit to the remedy, and I know not whether I should then have a right to complain of any morbid sensation. My asthma is, I am afraid, constitu- tional and incurable; but it is only occasional, and, unless it be excited by labour or by cold, gives me no molestation, nor does it lay very close siege to life; for Sir John Floyer, whom tlie physical race consider as author of one of the best books upon it, panted on to ninety, as was supposed. And why were we content with supjjosinga fact so interesting of a man so conspicuous? Because he corrupted, at perhaps seventy or eighty, the register, that he might pass for younger than he was. He was not much less than eighty, when to a man of rank, who modestly asked his age, he answered, ' Go look ; ' though he was in general a man of civility and ele- gance. The ladies, I find, are at your house all well, except Miss Langton, who will probably soon recover her health by light suppers. Let her eat at dinner as she will, but not take a full stomach to bed. Pay my sincere respects to dear Miss Langton in Lincolnshire ; let her know that I 1 Mr. Fox was returned for Westminster, after a sharp election and a tedious scrutiny. — Croker. 2 To which Johnson returned this answer : — " Dr. Johnson .-xcknowledgcs with great respect the honour of Lord Portmore's notice. He is better than he was ; and will, as his Lordship directs, write to Mr. Langton." — Boswell. 3 The eminent painter, representative of the ancient family of Homfrey (now Humphry) in the west of England; who, as appears from their arms which they have invariably used, have been (as I have seen .nuthenticate'd by the best authority) one of those among the knights and esqiiires of honour, who arc represented by Holinshed as having issued from the mean not to break our league of friendship, and that I have a set of Lives for her, when I have the means of sending it." " j-ipril 8. I am still disturbed by my cough i but what thanks have I not to pay. when my cough is the most painful sensation that I feel ? anil from that I expect hardly to be released, while winter continues to gripe us with so much pertinacity. 'Ilie year has now advanced eighteen daysbiyond the equinox, and still there is very little remission of the cold. When warm weather comes, which surely must come at last, I hope it will help both me and your young lady. The man so busy about addresses is neither more nor less than our own Boswell, who had come as far as York towards London, but turned back on the dissolution, and is said now to stand for some place. Whether to wish him suc- cess his best friends hesitate. Let me have your prayers for the completion of my recovery. I am now better than 1 ever exi)ectcd to have been. May God add to his mercies the grace that may enable me to use them according to his will. My compliments to all." " April 1.". I had this evening a note from Lord Portmore* desiring that 1 would give you an ac- count of my health. You might have had it with less circumduction. J am, by God's blessing, I believe, free from all morbid sensations, except a cough, which is only troublesome. But I am still weak, and can have no great hope of strength till the weather shall be softer. The summer, if it he kindly, will, I hope, enable me to support the winter. God, who has so wonderfully restored me, can preserve me in all seasons. Let me inquire in my turn after the state of your family, great and little. I hope Lady Rothes and Miss Langton are both well. That is a good basis of content. Then how goes George on with his studies ? How does Miss Mary ? And how does my own Jennv ? I think I owe Jenny a letter, which I will take care to pay. Li the mean time tell her that I acknow- ledge the debt. Be pleased to make my compli- ments to the ladies. If JNIrs. Langton comes to London, she will favour me with a visit, for I am not well enough to go out." JOHNSON TO OZl.VS HUMPHRY.' " April 5. 1784. " Sill, — I\Ir. Hoole has told me with what be- nevolence you listened to a request which I was almost afraid to make, of leave to a young painter* to attend you from time to time in your painting- room, to see your operations, and receive your in- structions. The young man has perhaps good parts, but has been without a regular education. Tower of London on coursers apparelled for the justcs, ac- companied by ladies of honour, leading every one a knight, with a chain of gold, passing through the streets of London into Smithficld, on Sundav, at three o'clock in the afternoon, being tlu- first Sunday after Michaelmas, in the fourteenth year of King Richard the Second. This family once enjoyed large possessions, but, like others, have lost them in the pro- gress of ages. Their blood, however, remains to them well ascertained ; and they may hope, in the revolution of events, to recover that rank in s(>ciety for which, in modern times, fortune seems to be an indispensable requisite Boswell. Mr. Humphry died in 1810, set. 6S. His eminence as a paii.ter was a good-n.itured error of Boswell's. — CitoKEB. ■' Son of Mr. .Samuel I'attrson, antir,i>. 2^><. n. 2. — Crokeh. V52 BO SWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1784. He is my godson, and therefore I interest myself in his progress and success, and shall think myself much favoured if I receive from you a permission to send him. " My health is, by God's blessing, much restored, but I am not yet allowed by my physicians to go abroad ; nor, indeed, do I think myself yet able to endure the weather. I am, Sir, &c., Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO HUMPHRY. " April 10. 1784. " Sir, — The bearer is my godson, whom I take the liberty of recommending to your kindness ; which I hope he will deserve by his respect to your excellence, and his gratitude for your favours. i am, Sir, &c., Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO HUMPHRY, "May 31. 1784. " Sir, — I am very much obliged by your civilities to my godson, iiut must beg of you to add to them thefavour of permitting him to see you paint, that he may know how a picture is begun, advanced, and completed. If he may attend you in a few of your operations, I hope he will sliow that the benefit has been properly conferred, both by his proficiency and his gratitude. At least I shall consider you as enlarging your kindness to. Sir, &c., " Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO TAYLOR, Ashbourne. " London, Easter Blonday, April 12. 1784. " Deah Sir, — What can be the reason that I hear nothing from you ? I hope nothing disables you from writing. What I have seen, and what I have felt, gives me reason to fear every thing. Do not omit giving me the comfort of knowing, that after all my losses, I have yet a friend left. " I want every comfort. I\Iy life is very solitary and very cheerless. Though it has pleased God wonderfully to deliver me from the dropsy, I am yet very weak, and have not passed the door since the 13th of December. I hope for some help from warm weather, which will surely come in time. " I could not have the consent of the physicians to go to church yesterday ; I therefore received the holy sacrament at home, in the room where I com- municated with dear Mrs. Williams, a little before her death. O my friend, the approach of death is very dreadful ! I am afraid to think on that which I know I cannot avoid. It is vain to look round and round for that help which cannot be had. Yet we hope and hope, and fancy that he who has lived to-day may live to-morrow. But let us learn to derive our hope only from God. " In the mean time, let us be kind to one another. I have no friend now living but you' and Mr. Hector, that was the friend of my youth. Do not neglect, dear Sir, yours affectionately, " Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO MRS. THRALE. (^Extract.) " London, \5lh April, 1784. — Yesterday I had the pleasure of giving another dinner to the remain- der of the old club. We used to meet weekly about the year 1750, and we were as cheerful as in former times : only 1 could not make quite so much noise ; for since the paralytic affliction, my voice is sometimes weak. " Wetcair[p. 710.] and Crutchley*, without know- ing each other, are both members of Parliament for Horsham. Mr.Cator [p 767.] is chosen for Ipswich. " But a sick man's thoughts soon turn back upon himself. I am still very weak, though my appe- tite is keen, and my digestion potent ; and I gratify myself more at table than ever I did at my own cost before. 1 have now an inclination to luxury, which even your table did not excite ; for till now my talk was more about the dishes than my thoughts. I remember you commended me for seeming pleased with my dinners when you had reduced your table. I am able to tell you with great veracity that I never knew when the reduction l)egan, nor should have known that it was made had not you told me. I now think and consult to-day what I shall eat to-morrow. This disease will likewise, I hope, be cured. For there are other things — how different J which ought to predominate in the mind of such a man as I : but in this world the body will have its part ; and my hope is, that it shall have no more — my hope, but not my confidence ; I have only the timidity of a Christian to determine, not the wisdom of a Stoic to secure me." " April 19. — I received this morning your mag- nificent fish, and in the afternoon your apology for not sending it. I have invited the Hooles and Miss Burney to dine upon it to-morrow. " The club which has been lately instituted is at Sam's ; and there was I when I was last out of the house. But the people whom I mentioned in my letter are the remnant of a little club that used to meet in Ivy-lane about three and thirty years ago, out of which we have lost Hawkesworth and Dyer — the rest are yet on this side the grave." "London, •2\st April, 1784. — I make haste to send you intelligence, which, if I do not flatter my- self, you will not receive without some degree of pleasure. After a confinement of one hundred and twenty-nine days, more than the third part of a year, and no inconsiderable part of human life, I this day returned thanks to God in St. Clement's church for my recovery; a recovery, in my seventy- fifth year, from a distemper which few in the vigour of youth are known to surmount ; a reco- very, of which neither myself, my friends, nor my physicians, had any hope ; for though they flattered me with some continuance of life, they never sup- posed that I could cease to be dropsical. The dropsy, however, is quite vanished ; and the asthma so much mitigated, that I walked to-day with a more easy respiration than I have known, I think, for perhaps two years past. I hope the mercy that lightens my days will assist me to use them well. " The Hooles, Miss Burney, and Mrs. Hall (Wesley's sister) feasted yesterday with me very 1 Taylor died February 19. 1788, and Hector, 2d Sept. 1794, aet. 85. — Malone. 2 Jeremiah Crulchley, Esq., had been one of the intimates at Streatham, and was one of Mr. Thrale's executors. He continued in the House of Commons till 1802. — CnoKKU. 18-17. JEt.75. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. •53 I cheerfully on your noble salmon. I\Ir. Allen could inot come, and I sent him a piece, and a great tail I is still left. j " Dr. l?rocklesby forbids the club [5'a;n's] at pre- Isent, not caring to venture the chilhiess of the even- • ing; but 1 purpose to show myself on Saturday at Ithe Academy's feast.' I cannot publish my return to jthe world more effectually; for, as the Frenchman isiiys, tout h monde sy trnuvera. I *' For this occasion I ordered some clothes ; and [was told by the tailor, that when he brought me a sick dress, he never expected to make nie any thiiig 'of any other kind. My recovery is indeed won- 1 derful." \ " London, 26th April, 1 784. — On Saturday I showed myself again to the living world at the Exhibition : much and splendid was the comjiany, but, like the Doge of Genoa at Paris, I admired nothing but myself. I went up all the stairs to the pictures without stopping to rest or to breathe, ' In all the madness of superfluous health.' The Prince of Wales had promised to be there; but when we had waited an hour and a half, sent us word that he could not come. Mrs. Davenant* called to pay me a guinea, but I gave tti-o for you. Whatever reasons you have for frugality, it is not worth while to save a guinea a year by withdrawing it from a public charity. I' ■ Mr. Howard called on me a few days ago, and flgave me the new edition, much enlarged, of his iJAccount of Prisons. He has been to survey the (prisons on the continent ; and in Spain he tried to [penetrate the dungeons of tiie Inquisition, but his curiosity was very imperfectly gratified. At piadrid, they shut him quite out; at Valladolid, •they showed him some public rooms." I JOHNSON TO MRS. PORTER. " London, April 26. 1784. " My DEAR, — I write to you now, to tell you Ithat I am so far recovered that on the 21st I went [to church to return thanks, after a confinempnt of Lore than four long months. " My recovery is such as neither myself nor the iipnysicians at all expected, and is such as that very few examples have been known of the like. Join with me, my dear love, in returning thanks to God. Dr. Vyse has been with (me) this evening ; he tells me that you likewise have been much dis- ordered, but that you are now better. I hope that we shall some time have a cheerful interview. In the mean tivne let us pray for one another. I am. Madam, your humble servant, Sam. Johnso:*." [DR. JOHNSON TO MISS REYNOLDS. " Bolt-cimrt, 30th April, 1784. " Dkau INIadam, — Mr. Allen has looked over the papers', and thinks that one hundred copies will come to five pounds. " Fifty will cost 4l. 10s., and five and twenty will • The Exhibition dinner of the Royal .\c.idemy, then given in the upper roomis in Somerset House Choker. ■' A cousin of Mrs. 'I'hrale's, Hester Lynch Salusbury Cotton, married to Mr. Davenant, who afterwards assumed the name of Corbet, and was created a baronet. — Choker. 3 Pcrhapi Miss Keynolds's "' Essay on Taste." See anti. pp. 697— 70G. Alalone was misled by the inaccurate copy of cost 4/. .5». It seems therefore scarcely worth while to print fewer than a hundred. " Suppose you printed two hundred and fifty at 61. 10s., and, without my name, tried the sale, which may be secretly done. You would then see the opinion of the public without hazard, if nobody knows but I. If any body else is in the secret, you shall not have my consent to venture. I am, dear j Madam, your most afllctionate and mojt humble I servant, " Sa.m. Johnson."] ! — l{e!/n. MSS. I What follows is a beautiful specimen of his I gentleness and complacency to a young lady, 1 his godciiild, one of the daugliters of his friend I Mr. Langton, then, I think, in her seventh j year. lie took the trouble to write it in a I large round hand, nearly resembling printed characters, that siie might have the satisfaction of reading it herself The original lies before me, but sliall be f^tithfully restored to her ; and I dare say will be preserved by her as a jewel, as long as she lives. ■* JOHNSON TO MISS JANE LANGTON, In Rochester, Kent. " May 10. 1784. " Mv DEAREST Miss Jennv, — I am sorry that your pretty letter has been so long without being answered ; but, when I am not pretty well, I do not always write plain enough for young ladies. I am glad, my dear, to .see tliat you write so well, and hope that you mind your pen, your book, and your needle, for they are all necessary. Your books will give you knowledge, and make you respected; and your needle will find you useful employment when you do not care to read. When you are a little older, I hope you will be very diligent in learning arithmetic ; and, above all, that through your whole life you will carefully say your prayers and read your Bible. I am, my dear, Ac, " Sam. Johnson." On AVednesday, May 5., I arrived in Lon- don, and next morning had the plea.-^ure to find Dr. Johnson greatly recovered. I but just saw him ; for a coach was waiting to carry him to Islington, to the houi;e of his friend the Reverend Mr. Strahan, Avhere he went some- times for the benefit of good air, wliich, not- withstanding his having formerly laughed at the general opinion upon the subject, he now acknowledged was conducive to health. One morning afterwards, when I found him j alone, he communicated to me, with solemn earnestness, the very remarkable circumstance whicli had happened in the course of his illness, 1 when he was mucli distressed by the dropsy, i He had shut himself up, and employed a day in particular exercises of religion, fasting, humiliation, and prayer. On a sudden he ob- the letter in p. 697. into thinking it had been then printed. Northcote (ii. 115.), adopts this error. — Crokur. I < It is so. I have seen it very lately, framed and glazed, in the possession of the respectable and amiable lady to whom it was addressed. It is written in a large hand, very fair and legible ; Miss Langtnn was then seven years old. See ami, p. 565. n. 2 — Cboker, 1847. 3c 754 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1784, tained extraordinary relief, for wliich he looked up to Heaven with grateful devotion. He made no direct inference from this fact ; but from his manner of telling it, I could perceive that it appeared to him as something more than an incident in the common course of events. For my own part, I have no difficulty to avow tbat cast of thinking, which, by many modern pretenders to wisdom, is called super- stitious. But here I think even men of dry rationality may believe, that there was an inter- mediate ' interposition of Divine Providence, and that the " fervent prayer of this righteous man " availed. - On Sunday, May 9., I found Colonel Val- iancy ^ , the celebrated antiquary and engineer of Ireland, with him. On Monday, the 10th, I dined with him at Mr. Paradise's, where was a large company ; Mr. Bryant, Mr. Joddrel ^ , Mr. Hawkins Browne, &c. On Thursday, the 13th, I dined with him at Mr. Joddrel's, with another large company ; the Bishop of Exeter [^Dr, Ross], Lord Monboddo, Mr. Murphy, &c. I was sorry to observe Lord Monboddo avoid any communication with Dr. Johnson. I flattered myself that I had made them very good friends ; but unhappily his lordship had resumed and cherished a violent prejudice against my illustrious friend, to whom I must do the justice to say, there was on his part not the least anger, but a good-humoured sportive- ness. Nay, though he knew of his lordship's indisposition towards him, he was even kindly ;f- as appeared from his inquiring of me afterf him, by an abbreviation of his name, " Well,j "how Joes Monrnj f " On Saturday, May 15., I dined with him at Dr. Brocklesby's, where were Colonel Valiancy, Mr. Murphy, and that ever-cheerful companion, Mr. Devaynes, apothecary to his majesty.^ Of these days, and others on which I saw him, / I have no memorials, except the general recol- lection of his being able and animated in con-i versation, and appearing to relish society as much as the youngest man. I find only these three small particulars : When a person was men- "tioued, who said, " I have lived fifty-one years in this world without having had ten minutes of uneasiness;" he exclaimed, "The man who says so lies : he attempts to impose on human ' So in all the editions, though the meaning of the term intermediate does not seem quite clear. Perhaps Mr. Bos- well may have meant immediate — Croker. 2 Upon this subject there is a very fair and judicious re- mark in the Life of Dr. Abernethy, in the first edition of the Bioi^ravhia Britatinwa, which I should have been glad to see in his Life, which has been written for the second edition of that valuable work. "To deny the exercise of a particular providence in the Deity's government of the world is cer- tainly impious, yet nothing serves the cause of the scorner more than incautious forward zeal in determining the par- ticular instances of it." In confirmation of ray sentiments, I am also happy to quote that sensible and elegant writer, Mr. Melinoth, in Letter VIII. of his collection, published under the name of Fitzosborne, " We may safely assert, that the belief ofajjir icular Providence is founded upon such probable reasons as may well justify our assent. It would scarce, therefore, be wise to renounce an opinion which affords so firm a support to the soul in those seasons wherein she stands in most need of assistance, merely because it is credulity." The Bishop of Exeter in vair observed, that men were very different. His lordship's manner was not impressive ; and 1 learnt afterwards, that Johnson did not find out that the person who talked to him was a pre- late ; if he had, I doubt not that he would have treated him with more respect; for, once talkinn of George Psalmanazar,whom he reverenced ioi his piety, he said, " I should as soon think o; contradicting a bishop." One of the company * provoked him greatly by doing what he coulc least of all bear, which was, quoting somethinc of his own writing, against what he then main- tained. " What, Sir," cried the gentleman " do you say to — ' The busy day, the peaceful night, Unfelt, uncounted, glided by ? "" Johnson, finding himself thus presented a; giving an instance of a man who had llvec without uneasiness, was much ofiended, foi he looked upon such a quotation as unfair : hi: anger burst out in an unjustifiable retort insinuating that the gentleman's remark wa: a sally of ebrlety : " Sir, there is one passioi I would advise you to command ; when yoi have drunk out that glass, don't drink another.' Here was exemplified what Goldsmith said o him, with the aid of a very witty image froii one of Gibber's comedies : " There is no arguin; with Johnson : for if his pistol misses fire, h knocks you down with the butt end of it." Another was this : when a gentleman ^ c eminence in the literary world was violentl censured for attacking people by anonymou paragraphs in newspapers, he, from tb spirit of contradiction, as I thought, took u his defence, and said, "Come, come, this i not so terrible a crime ; he means only to ve them a little. I do not say that I should d it ; but there is a great difference between hh and me : what is fit for Hephagstion is not f for Alexander," Another, when I told hh tliat a young and handsome countess had sai to me, " I should think that to be praised b Dr. Johnson would make one a fool all one life;" and that I answered, "Madam, Isha make him a fool to-day, by repeating this i him;" he said, "I am too old to be made fool : but if you say I am made a fool, I sha not possible, in questions of this kind, to solve every difficul which attends them." — BoswELL. 3 Afterwards General Valiancy ; an ingenious man, b somewhat of a visionary on Irish antiquiiies. He died 1812, set. 92. — Croker. ■< Richard Paul Joddrel, Esq., formerly M.P. for Seafor died Jan. 2G. 1831, aged 86. He was the last survivor • Johnson's tissex Street club Croker. s Indeed his friends seem to have, as it were, celebrat ; his recovery by a round of dinners, for he wrote on the 13 to Mrs. Thrale :— " Now I am broken loose, my friends see willing enough to see me. On Monday I dined with Par disc; Tuesday. Hoole ; Wednesday, Dr. Taylor; to-d with Joddrel ; Friday, Mrs. Garrick ; Saturday, Dr. Broc lesbv ; next Motiriai/, Dilly." — Croker. 6 Most probably Mr. Boswell himself, who has more th; once applied the same quotation on similar occasioDB. Croker. ■ Verses tm the death of Mr. Levett. — Boswell. 8 George Steevens — Croker. r1 ^T, 75. BOSTTELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 755 Qot deny it. I am much pleased with a com- pliment, especially from a pretty -woman." On the evening of Saturday, May 15., he jivas in fine spirits at our Essex Head Club. He told us, " I dined yesterday at i\Irs. Gar- ick's with ^Iis. Carter ', JNIiss Hannah More, xud Fanny Burney. Three such women are lot to be found : I know not where 1 could ind a fourth, except Mrs. Lennox, wiio is uiperior to them all." Boswell. " What ! lad you them all to yourself. Sir I'" Johnson. ' I had them all, as much as they were had ; jut it might have been better had there been nore company there." Boswell. " I\Iight not Mrs. Montagu have been a fourth ? " Johnson. ' Sir, Mrs. Montagu does not make a trade if her wit : but ^Ii's. ^lontagu is a very ex- raordinary woman : she has a constant stream 'f conversation, and it is always impregnated ; t has always meaning." Boswell. "Mr. hn-ke has a constant stream of conversation." I'oHNSON. " Yes, Sir ; if a man were to go by hance at the same time with Burke under a hed to shun a shower, he would say, 'this i an extraordinary man.' If Burke should o into a stable to see his horse dressed, the stler would say, 'we have had an e.xtraordi- ary man here.' " Boswell. " Foote was a lan who never failed in conversation. If he .ad gone into a stable — ' Johnson. "Sir, ^ he had gone into a stable, the ostler would ave said, 'here has been a comical fellow;' ut he would not have respected him." Bos- ■ELL. "And, Sir, the ostler would have nswered him, — would have given him as ood as he brought, as the common saying is." \ onNsoN. "Yes, Sir; and Foote would "have t nswered the ostler. TVTien Burke does not escend to be merry, his conversation is very ipcrior indeed. There is no proportion be- \ .veen the pov/ers which he shows in serious ilk and in jocularity. When he lets himself . own to tliat he is in the kennel." I have in lother place [p. 273.] opposed, and I hope ith success, Dr. Johnson's very singular and •roneous notion as to Mr. Burke's pleasantry. h: W^indham now said low to me, that he \ iffered from our great friend in this observa- 1 on ; for that jMr. Burke was often very happy his merriment. It would not have been i ht for either of us to have contradicted i ohnson at this time, in a society all of whom id not know and value IMr. Burke as much [ e did. It misiht have occasioned some This learnod and excellent lady, so often mentioned in volume, died at her house in Clargcs Street, Feb. 19. lOC, in her eighty-ninth year Malone. The letters of three ladies, posthumously published, have confirmed, id, iiidpcd, incre.-ised the reputation of Mrs. Carter and annah More, while they have wholly extinguished that of adame U'Arblay ; but this indeed had been waning ever nee her two lirst novels, which, clever as they were, owed , isrepresentation, that had been somehow made, ^ lithor's being ten vears younger than she really was. Ante, I 732. n. 3. — Chokf.i!, 1'8-)7. |- I have since heard tliat the report was not well founded thing more roudi, and at any rate would pro- bably have checked the How of Johnson's good himiour. He called to us witii a sudden air of exultation, as the thought started into his mind, " O ! Gentlemen, I must tell you a very great thing. The Empro. ground for so offensive a supposition against either: but p; ticularly as against Mr. Burke — a married man, of excmpla piety, and, as Boswell admits, and all the world knows, i markable for the most " orderly and amiable domestic habit: A7)te, p. 626. We shall see by and by (post, Dec. 2. 1784 still more culpable instance of Boswell's indelicacy and md cretion in dealing with such matters. — Croker, 1831—47. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 757 iimiending Christian charity. And when I jucstioned liim what occasion I had given I'or juch an animadversion, all that he could say imounted to this, — that I sometimes con- ;radicted people in conversation. Now what larmdoes it do to any man to be contradicted?" B0SWEI.L. " I suppose he meant the manner 3l" doing it ; roughly and harshly." Johnson. And who is the worse lor that ?" Bos well. It hurt^ people of weaker nerves." John- JON. " I know no such weak-nerved people." Mr. Burke, to whom I related this conlereiiov I said, " It is well if, when a man comes to die, ie has nothing heavier upon his conscience han having been a little rough in conversa- ion." Johnson, at the time when the paper was presented to him, though at first pleased with he attention of his friend, whom he thanked n an eax-nest manner, soon exclaimed in a loud md angry tone, " What is your drift. Sir ? " Sir Joshua Reynolds pleasantly observed, that t was a scene for a comedy, to see a penitent jet into a violent passion and belabour his onfessor.' I have preserved no more of his conversa- ion at the times when I saw him during the est of this month, till Sunday, the 30th of May, when I met him in the evening at Mr. /loole's, where tliere was a large company )Oth of ladies and gentlemen. Sir James Johnston happened to say that he paid no |-egard to the arguments of counsel at the bar bf the House of Commons, because they were paid for speaking. Johnson. " Nay, Sir, argument is argument. You cainiot help iiaying regard to their arguments if they are ,;ood. If it were testimony, you might dis- regard it, if you knew that it were purchased, iriiere is a beautiful image in Bacon - upon i;his subject. Testimony is like an arrow shot [Yom a long-bow ; the force of it depends on :he strength of the hand that draws it. Ar- gument is like an arrow from a cross-bow, > .After all, I cannot but be of opinion, that as Mr. Langton .vas seriously requested by Ur. Johnson to menlion what ippeared to him erroneous in the character of liis friend, he was bound as an honest man to intimate what he really thought, which he certainly did in the most delicate manner ; so that [Johnson himself, when in a quiet frame of mind, was pleaseil iivith it. The texts suggested are now before mo, and I shall 'lUDto a few of them. " Blessed are the meek, for they sliall .iili.-rit the earth." — Malt. v. 5. " I therefore, the prisoner )l thi' Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation '.vhirrwith ye are called, wiili all lowliness and meekness, Iwith long-suflering forbearing one another in love." — Eplies '-. 1, 2. '■ And above all the«e things, put on charity, which is he bond of perfectness."— Col. iii. 14. " Charity suifereth ong, and is kind ; charity envieth not ; charity vaunteth not , tself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, is E' lot e.isily provoked."— 1 Cor. xiii. 4, h. —U swell. '•f Dr. Johnson's memory deceived him. The jiassage re- erred to is not Bacon's, but I'oyle's, and may be found, with ight variation, in Johnson's Dictionary, under the word 'Crossbow So happily selected are the greater part of the examples in that incomparable work, that if the most striking passages found in it were collected by one of our modern bookmakers, under the title of •' The BiMuties of Johnson's Dictionary," they would form a very pleasing and popular volume. — Malone. ' Dr. Moore, in his Life qf Smnllelt, professes to relate this circumstance (atwhich he was present) with more " nre- cision " than Boswcll ; but it is satisfactory to tiiid that his which has cciual force though shot by a child." 3 He had dined that day at !Mr. Iloole's, and !Miss Helen Maria Williams being expected in the evening, Mr. Hoole put into his hands her beautiful " Ude on the reace."* Johnson read it over, and when this elegant and ac- complished young lady^ was presented to him, he took her by the hand in the most courteous manner, and repeated the finest stanza of her poem. Tliis was the most delicate and j)leas- ing coiuplinient he could pay. Her respectable friend, Dr. Kippis, from whom I had this anecdote, was standing by, and was not a little gratified. Miss AVilliams told me, that the only other time she was fortunate enough to be in Dr. Johnson's company, he asked her to sit down by him, whicli she did ; and upon her incpiir- ing how he was, he answered, '• I am very ill indeed, ]\Iadam. I am very ill even when you are near me ; what sliouUl I be were you at a distance ? " ["JOHNSON TO MISS REYNOLDS. " May 28. 1784. " Madam, — You do me wrong by imputing my omission to any captious punctiliousness. I have not yet seen Sir Joshua, and, when I do see him, I know not how to serve you. "When I spoke upon your aHairs" to him, at Christmas, 1 received no encouragement to speak again. " But we shall never do business by letters. We must see one another. "1 have retuniedyour papers, [pp. G97.706.] and am glad tliat you laid aside the thought of printing tliem. 1 am, Madam, your most humble servant, — liet/n. MSS. " Sa.m. Johnson.'] JOHNSON TO DR. II.VMILTON.' " Bolt Court, June 4. 1783. " Revekexd Sik, — Be pleased to excuse this application from a stranger in favour of one who has very little ability to speak for herself. The statement proves the accuracy of Boswell's narration, as well as the superiority of his style of reporting Croker. •< The peace made by tliat very .ible statesman the Karl of .Shelburne, now Marquis of I.ansdoM ne. which may fairly be considered .is the foundation of all the prosperity of Great Britain since that time. — Boswell. * In the first edition of my work, the epithet amiable wa,s given. I was sorry to be obliged to strike ic out; but I could not in justice suHer it to remain, after this young lady had not only written in favour of the savage anarchy with which France h.is been visited, but had (as 1 have been informed by good authority) walked, without horror, over the ground a't the Thuilleries when it was strewetl with the naked bodies of the faithful Swiss Guards, who were barbarouslv massacred for having bravely defended, against a crew of rutlians. the monarch whom they had taken an oath to defend. Krom Dr. Johnson she could now expect not endearment, but repulsion.— Boswell. Miss Williams, like many other early enthn.^iasts of the French revolution, had latterly altered her opinion very considerably. She died in lg'28, set. (» Ckok&r. 6 No doubt, pecuniary affairs, similar to those mentioned ante, p. G'23. n. 1. 1 preserve all these notes as proofs of Johnson's active benevolence towards his friends, and the reliance they had on his kindness. — Crokeh. ' This and the following notes, addressed to the Rev. Dr. . Hamilton, Vicar of St. Martin's in the Fields, are published from the originals, in the possession of his son ; who observes, that " they are of no further interest, than as showing the 3c 3 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 178- unhappy woman who waits on you with this, has been known to me many years. She is the daughter of a clergyman of Leicestershire, who by an unhappy marriage is reduced to solicit a refuge in the workhouse of your parish, to which she has a claim by her husband's settlement. Her case admits of little deliberation ; she is turned out of her lodging into the street. What my condition allows me to do for her I have already done, and having no friend, she can have re- course only to the parish. I am, reverend Sir, &c., — MSS. "Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO DR. HAMILTON. "Bolt Court, Feb. 11. 1784. " Sir, — My physicians endeavour to make me believe that I shall sometime be better qualified to receive visits from men of elegance and civility like yours. " Mrs. Pelle shall wait upon you, and you will judge what will be proper for you to do. I once more return you my thanks, and am, Sir, &c., — MSS. " Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO DR. HAMILTON. June 2. 1784. " Sir, — You do every thing that is liberal and kind. Mrs. Pelle is a bad manager for herself, but I will employ a more skilful agent, one Mrs. Gardiner, who will wait on you and employ Pelle's money to the best advantage. Mrs. Gardiner will wait on you. " I return you, Sir, sincere thanks for your attention to me. I am ill, but hope to come back better', and to be made better still by your con- versation. I am, Sir, &c., Sam. Johnson."] — MSS. He had now a great desire to go to Oxford, his first jaunt after his illness. We talked of it for some days, and I had promised to accompany him. He was impatient and fretful to-night, because I did not at once agree to go with him on Thursday. When I considered how ill he had been, and what allowance should be made for the influence of sickness upon his temper, I resolved to indulge him, though with some inconvenience to myself, as I wished to attend the musical meeting in honour of Handel, in Westminster Abbey, on the follow- ing Saturday. In the midst of his own diseases and pains, he was ever compassionate to the distresses of others, and actively earnest in procuring them aid, as appears from a note to Sir Joshua Reynolds, of June, in these words : — goodness of Johnson's heart, and the spirit with which he entered into the cause and interests of an individual in dis- tress, when he was almost on the bed of sickness and death himself." — Wright. 1 Dr. Johnson left town on the following morning, with Boswell, for Oxford Wright. 2 The following note from Miss Reynolds shows that he was not a solicitor for the poor of his own acquaintance only. It seems to have been given to some poor woman as an intro- duction to Dr. Johnson : — " Dover Street, July 9. " My good Sib, — I could not forbear to communicate to the poor woman the hope you had given me of using your JOHNSON TO REYNOLDS. " I am ashamed to ask for some relief for apoi man, to whom I hope I have given what I can I expected to spare. The man importunes me, an the blow goes round. I am going to try anotlic air on Thursday."^ On Thursday, June 3., the Oxford pos coach took us up in the morning at Bolt Courl The other two passengers Avere Mrs.Beresfori! and her daughter, two very agreeable ladie from America ; they were going to Worces tershire, where they then resided. Frank hai been sent by his master the day before to tak places for us ; and I found from the way-bil that Dr. Johnson had made our names be pu down. Mrs. Beresford, who had read ii whispered me, " Is this the great Dr. John son ? " I told her it was ; so she was the; prepared to listen. As she soon happened t mention, in a voice so low that Johnson dii not hear it, that her husband had been a mem ber of the American Congress, I cautioned he to beware of introducing that subject, as sh must know how very violent Johnson wa against the people of that country. He talke^ a great deal ; but I am sorry I have preserve little of the conversation. ^liss Beresford ws; | so much charmed, that she said to me asidt! ' " How he does talk! Every sentence is a;! essay." She amused herself in the coach wit;j knotting. He would scarcely allow this specie! of employment any merit. "Next to mer; idleness," said he, " I think knotting is to b | reckoned in the scale of insignificance ; thong ; I once attempted to learn knotting : Demp ster's sister (looking to me) endeavoured t teach me it, but I made no progress." I was surprised at his talking without n serve in the public post coach of the state ( his affairs: "I have," said he, "about tl world, I think, above a thousand pounds, whic I intend shall afibrd Frank an annuity c seventy pounds a year." Indeed, his openne;| with people at a first interview was remarkabl He said once to Mr. Langton, " I think I ai| like Squire Richard ^ in ' The Journey 1; London,' J'?k neve7' strange in a strange place He was truly social. He strongly censure' what is much too common in England amor.: persons of condition, — maintaining an absolui; silence when imknown to each other ; as, f(^ instance, Vv'hen occasionally brought togeth(' in a room before the master or mistress of tl interest with your friends to raise her a little sum to ena! her to see her native country again ; nor could 1 refuse ; ) write a line to procure her the pleasure of the confirmatii of that hope. ' i " I am, and always have been, very troublesome to yor | but you are, and always have been, very good to your oblip humble servant, Frances Reynolds." 3 The remark is made by Miss Jenny, and not by I) brother. From its smartness it would have been ill suit to one who was originally described in the dramatis person as " a mere whelp." — Markland. J5t. 75. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 759 house has appeared. "Sir, that is being so uncivilised as not to understand the conunon rights of humanity." At the inn where we stopped he was ex- ceedingly dissatisfied with some roast mutton which we had for dinner. The Ladies, I saw, wondered to see the great philosopher, whose wisdom and wit they had been admiring all the way, get into ill-humour from such a cause. He scolded the waiter, saying, " It is as bad as bad ciui be : it is ill-fed, ill-killed, ill-kept, and ill-drest." He bore the journey very well, and seemed to feel himself elevated as he approached Oxford, that magnificent and venerable seat of learning, orthodoxy, and Toryism. Frank came in the heavy coach, in readiness to attend him; and we were received with the most polite hospitality at the house of his old friend Dr. Adams, Master of Pembroke Col- lege, who had given us a kind invitation. Be- fore we were set down, I communicated to Johnson my having engaged to return to London directly for the reason I have men- tioned, but that I would hasten back to him again. He was pleased that I h.ad made this journey merely to keep him company. He was easy and placid with Dr. Adams, Mrs. and Miss Adams, and Mrs. Kennicott, widow of the learned Hebra2an, who was here on a visit. He soon despatched the inquiries that were made about his illness and recovery by a short and distinct nai-rative, and then assum- ing a gay air, repeated from Swift, — " Nor think on our approachiiif: ills, .And talk of spectacles and pills." Dr. Newton, the Bishop of Bristol, having been mentioned, Johnson, recollecting the manner in which he had been censured by that prelate ', thus retaliated : — "Tom knew he should be dead before what he has said of • Dr. Newton, in liis .iccount of his own Life, after ani- madvortinf; upon Mr. Gibbon's History, says, — "Dr. Johnson's 'Lives of the Poet's' afforded more amusement ; but candour was much hurt and offended at the malevolence th.-it predominates in every jiart. Some pas- s.ngcs, it must be allowed, are judicious and well written, but make not sutficient compensation for so much spleen and ill>humour. Never was any biographer more S|)aringof his praise, or more abundant in his censures. He seemingly delights more in exposing blemishes, than in recommending beauties ; slightly passes over excellences, enlarges upon im- perfections, and, not content with his own severe reflections, revives old scandal, and produces large quotations from the forgotten works of former critics. His reputation was so high in the republic of letters, that it wanted not to be raised upon the ruins of others. But these essays, instead of raising a higher idea than was before entertained of his understanding, have certainly given the world a worse opinion of his temper. The bishop was therefore the more surprised and concerned for his townsman, for he respecii-d him not only for his genius and leamin/;, but valued him much for the more amiable part of his character — his hu- 7nanity and charily, his morality and religion." The liist sentence we may consider as the general .nnd per- manent opinion of Bishop Newton ; the remarks which precede it must, by all who have re:id Johnson's admirable work, be imputed to the di'^gust and peevishness of old age. 1 wisli they had not appeared, and that Dr. Johnson had not been provoked by them to express himself not in respectful terms of a prelate whose labours were certainly of consider- able advantage both to literature and religion. — Boswell. me would appear. He durst not have printed it while he wa.f dive." Dr. Adams. "I believe his 'Dissertations on the Prophecies' is his great work." Johnson. '■ ^\ hy. Sir, it is Toins great work ; but how far it is great, or how much of it is Tom's, are other questions. I fancy a considerable part of it was bor- rowed." Dr. Adams, "lie was a very suc- cessful man." Johnson. " I don't think so, Sir. He did not get very high. He was late in getting what he did get ; and he did not get it by the best means. I believe he was a gross flatterer." I fulfilled my intention by going to London, and returned to Oxford on Wednesday the 9th of June, when I was happy to find myself again in the same agreeable circle at Pembroke College, with the comfortable prospect of making some stay. Johnson welcomed my return with more than ordinary glee. He talked with great regard of the Honour- able Archibald Campbell, whose character he had given at the Duke of Argyll's table when we were at Inverary, and at this time wrote out for me, in his own hand, a fuller account of that learned and venerable writer, which I have published in its proper place, [p. 389.] Johnson made a remark this evening which struck me a good deal. " I never," said he, " knew a nonjuror who could reason." " Surely he did not mean to deny that faculty to many of their writers — to Hickes, Brett, and other eminent divines of that persuasion ; and did not recollect that the seven bishops, so justly celebrated for their magnanimous resistance of arbitrary power, were yet nonjurors-' to the new government. The nonjuring clergy of Scotland, indeed, who, excepting a few, have lately, by a sudden stroke, cut off all ties of allegiance to the house of Stuart, and resolved to pray for our present lawful sovereign by name, may be thought to have confirmed this - The Rev. Mr. Agutier has favoured me with a note of a dialogue between Mr. John Henderson (post, p. 7C3.) and Dr. Johnson on this topic, as related by Mr. Henderson, audit is evidently so authentic that 1 shall here insert it : — HtNOER- soN. " What do you think. Sir, of William Law ? " John- son. " William Law, Sir, wrote the best piece of parenetic divinity ; but William Law was no reasoner." Henderson. " Jeremy Collier, Sir ? " Johnson. " Jeremy Collier fought without a rival, and therefore could not claim the victory." Mr. Henderson mentioned Ken and Kettlewell ; but some objections were made ; at List he said, " But, Sir, what do you think of Lesley ? " Johnson. " Charles Lesley I had forgotten. Lesley was a reasoner, and a reasouer who was not to be reasoned against." Boswell. Charles was the son of Dr. John Leslie, Bishop of Clogher in Ireland. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin. Though zealous against poperj' and King James's popish measures, he could not reconcile his conscience to the oaths to William and Mary, and so became a nonjuror, of which partv he was one of the chief literary and theological supports and ornaments. After many years of exile, he returned to his native country, and died in 172'i, at his own house at Glaslough, in the county of Monaghan, where his descendants have continued to reside. The present possessor, Mr. Charles Powell Leslie, his great grandson, has represented that county in several parliaments Croker, 1S3I. ^ Mr. Boswell is mistaken : two of the seven bishops, vii. Lloyd, of St. Asaph's, and Trelawney, of Bristol, transferred after the Revolution to Exeter and Winchester, were not nonjurors Croker. 3 c 4 760 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1784. remark ; as it may be said, that the divine in- defeasible hereditary right which they pro- fessed to believe, if ever true, must be equally true still. Many of my readers will be sur- prised when 1 mention that Johnson assured rae he had never in his life been in a nonjuring meeting-house. Next morning at breakfost, he pointed out a passage in Savage's "Wanderer," saying, " These are fine verses." " If," said he, "I had written with hostility of Warburton in my Shakspeare, I should have quoted this couplet : — • Here Learning, blinded first, and then beguiled, Looks dark as Ignorance, as Frenzy wild.' You see they'd have fitted him to a 7"," (smiling.) Dr. Adams. " But you did not write against Warburton." Johnson. "No, Sir, I treated him with great respect, both in my preface and in my notes." ' Mrs. Kennicott spoke of her brother, the Reverend Mr. Charaberlayne, who had given up great prospects in the Church of England" on his convei-sion to the Roman Catholic faith. Johnson, who warmly admired every man who acted from a conscientious regard to principle, erroneous or not, exclaimed fervently, " God bless him." Mrs. Kennicott, in confirmation of Dr. John- son's opinion that the present was not worse than former ages, mentioned that her brother assured her there was now less infidelity on the continent than there had been ^ ; Voltaire and Rousseau were less read. I asserted, from good authority, that Hume's infidelity was certainly less read. Johnson. " All infidel writers drop into oblivion when per- sonal connexions and the floridness of novelty are gone ; though now and then a foolish fellow, who thinks he can be witty upon them, may bring thein again into notice. There will sometimes start up a college joker, who does not consider that what is a joke in a coUejre will not do in the world. To See ante, p. 54. C. 2 Mr. Hallam informs me that there is here an innccuracj*. Mr. George Chamberlayne was a clerk in the Treasury, and never was in the Church of England. He became a Romish priest, and died in London within the last twenty years. The catastrophe of his elder brother, Edward Chamberlayne (see anle, p. 686. n. 4) makes me suspect something of mental abe rration in this case, a< there certainly has been in numerous siir.ilar conversions. — Choker, 1835—47. 3 The Ilevolution would seem to negative this opinion, but I inclhie to believe that it was true. Infidelity may have been on the decrease, when the political hurricane arose and swept all into the chaos of anarchy and atheism. — Croker, 1831-47. * I have inserted the stanza as Johnson repeated it from memory ; but I have since found the poem itself, in " The F.iimdlin:,' Hospital for Wit," printed at London, 1749. It is as follows : — Emoham, occasioned by a religious dispule at Sath. ' On^reason, faith, and mystery high, Two wits harangue the t.i -y believes he knows not v — swears 'tis all a f.ible. such defenders of religion I would apply a stanza of a poem which I remember to have seen in some old collection : — ' Henceforth be quiet and agree, Each kiss his empty brother ; Religion scorns a foe like thee, But dreads a friend like t'other.' The point is well, though the expression is not correct : oiie^ and not thee, should be op- posed to V other.'* On the Roman Catholic religion he said, " If you join the papists externally, they will not interrogate you strictly as to your belief in their tenets. No reasoning papist believes every article of their faith. There is one side on which agood man might be persuaded to embrace it. A good man of a timorous disposition, in great doubt of his acceptance with God, and pretty credulous, may be glad to be of a church where there are so many helps to get to heaven.^ I would be a papist if I could. I have fear enough ; but an obstinate rationality prevents me. I shall never be a papist, un- less on the near approach of death, of which I have a very great terror. I wonder that women are not all papists." Bosweli.. " They are not more afraid of death than men are." '• Johnson. "Because they are less wicked." Dr. Adams. " They are more pious." John- son. " No, hang 'em, they are not more pious. A wicked fellow is the most pious when he takes to it. He'll beat you all at piety." He argued in defence of some of the peculiar tenets of the church of Rome. As to the giving the bread only to the laity, he said, ' " They may think, that in what is merely ritual ^, deviations from the primitive mode : may be admitted on the ground of conve- nience ; and I think they are as well war- ranted to make this alteration, as we are to substitute sprinkling in the room of the ancient baptism.'' As to the invocation of saints, he said, " Though I do not think it Peace, coxcombs, peace ! and both agree \ N , kiss thy empty brother ; Religion laughs at foes like thee. And dreads a friend like t'other." — Boswell. The disputants alluded to in this epigram are supposed to have been Beau yushani Benlley, the son of the doctor and the friend of Walpole, who. however, was a man of consider- able, though desultory, abilities Croker. 5 This facility however, it may in their last moments delude the timorous and credulous, is, as Jeremy Taylor ob- serves, proportionably injurious if previously calculated upon. When addressing a convert to the Romish church, he says, " If I h.id a mind to live an evil life, and yet hope for heaven at last, I would be of your religion above any in the world." — Works, vol. xi. p. 190 Croker.- 6 Bishop Elrington very justly observed that the s.icra- ment is not merely ritual. Had it been an institution of the church of Rome, they might have modified it ; but it was a' solemn and specific ordinance of our Siiviour himself, which' no church could justifiably alter. — Ckoker. 1 I do not recollect any scriptural authority that primitivt baptism should necessarily be by immersion. From thf Acts, ii. 41.,it may be inferred that 3000 persons werebaptizco in Jerusalem in 'one d.iy, and the jailor of Philippi anc his family were baptized Imstily at night, and, as it woulii seem, within the purlieus of the prison (Acts, xvi. 33.) , jEt. 75. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. rei I authoriseJ, it appears to me, that ' the com- i munion of saints' in the Creed means the communion with the saints in heaven, as connected with -the holy catholic church.'"' He admitted the inlhience of evil spirits upon our minds, and said, " Nobody who believes the New Testament can deny it." I brought a volume of Dr. Hurd the Bishop of Worcester's Sermons, and read to the company some passages from one of them, upon this text, " Besist the Devil, and he will flee from you." James, iv. 7. I was happy to produce so judicious and elegant a siii)- porter- of a doctrine which, I know not why, should, in this world of imperfect knowledge, and therefore of wonder and mystery in'^a thousand instances, be contested by some with an unthinking assurance and flippancy. After dinner, when one of us talked of there being a great enmity between Whig and Tory : — Johnson. " A\'hy, not so much, I think, miless when they come into competition with each other. There is none when they are only common acciuaintance, none when they are of ditferent se.xes. A Tory will marry into a Whig family, and a Whig into a Tory family, without any reluctance. But, indeed, in a matter of much more concern than political tenets, and that is religion, men and women do not concern themselves much about ditierence of opinion ; and ladies set no value on the moral character of men who pay their addresses to them: the greatest profligate will be as well received as the man of the greatest virtue, and this by a very good woman, by a woman who says her prayers three times a day." Our ladies endeavoured to defend their sex from this charge ; but he roared them down ! " No, no, a lady will take Jonathan AVild as readily as St. Austin, if he has threepence more ; and, what is worse, her parents will give her to him. Women have a perpetual envy of our vices : they are less vicious than we, not from choice, but because These baptisms could hardly have been by immersion Crokeh. ' Waller, in his " Divine Poesie," canto first, has the same thought finely expressed : — " The church triumphant and the church liclow In songs of prai^e their present union show : Their joys are full, our expertatiou long ; In life w'e differ, but we join In song : Angels and we, assisted by this art. May sing together, though we dwell apart." _ Cos WELL. 2 The sermon thus opens : — " That there arc .nngels and spirits gor.d ami bad ; that nt the head of these last there is one more considerable and malignant than the rest, who in the form or \uidcr the name of a srrpcn^ was deeply concerned in the fall of man. and whoso head, as the prophetic language is, the Son of Jlan was one day to bruise ; that this evil spirit, though th.-it pro- phecy be in part completed, has not yet received his death's wound, but is still permitted, for ends unsearchable to us, and in ways which we cannot particularly explain, to have a certain degree of power in this world hos'tile to its virtue and happiness, and 'sometimes exerted with too much success ; all this is so clear from .Scrijiture, that no believer, unless he be first of all spoiled by philnsophy and vuin dccrit, can possi- blv cntert.iin a ilouht of it." Staving treated o( inissfssioiis. his lordship savs, — "As I have no authoiiiy tii artirni that there arc now any we restrict them ; they are the slaves of order and fashion; their virtue is of more con- setpience to us than our own, so far aa con- cerns this world." Miss Adams mentioned a gentleman of licen- tious character, and said, " Suppose I had a mind to marry that gentleman, would my parents consent ?" Joiinso.n. "Yis, they'd consent, and you'd go. You'd go, though they did not consent." JMiss Auams. "I'erhaps their opposing might make me go." Johnson. "Oil, very well; you'd take one whom you think a bad man, to have the pleasure of vexing your parents. You put me in mind of Dr. Barrowby-", the physician, who \vas very fond of swine's flesh. One day, when he was eating it, he said, ' I wish 1 was a Jew.' — ' Why so ? ' said somebody ; ' the Jews are not allowed to eat your favourite meat.' — 'Be- cause,' said he, 1 should then have the gust of eating it, with the pleasure of sinning.'" — Johnson then proceetled in his declamation. Lliss Adams soon afterwards made an ob- servation that I do not recollect, which pleased him much : he said with a good-humoured smile, " That there should be so much ex- cellence united with so much depravity, is strange." Indeed this lady's good qualities, merit, and accomplishments, and her constant attention to Dr. Johnson, were not lost upon him. She happened to tell hiui that a little cofl'ee-pot, in which she had made him coU'ee, was the only thing she could call her own. He turned to her with a comj)Iacent gallantry: — "Don't say so, my dear : I hope you don't reckon my heart as nothing." "* I asked him if it was true, as reported, that he had said lately, " I am for the King against Fo.x ; but I am for Fox against Pitt."* John- son. " Yes, Sir ; the King is my master ; but I do not know Titt ; and Fox is my friend." "Fox," added he, " is a most extraordinary man : here is a man (describing him in strong such, so neither may I presume to s.iy with confidence that there are not anv." ''• l!ut then, with regard to the inlluence of evil spirits at this day upon the soCLS of men. I shall take le.ive to b ■ a ^rca'. dr il more peremptory. (Then, having stated tlie varh.iis iri. Is, he adds), All this. I say, is so inani. fest to cvirv oni wlm r ,1(1-; the .Scriptures, that, if we respect their authority, thr (|m. -tiou concerning the reality of t» c denioiiiac iiitkicnce upon the minds of men is clearly deter- mined." I,' ibyshire, brother to the learned and inge- ii; MIS Thomas Astle, Esq., was from his early yrars known to Dr. Johnson, who obligingly advised him as to his studies, and recom- mended to him the following books, of which a list which he has been pleased to communi- cate lies before me, in Johnson's own hand- writing : — " Universal History (ancient) — Rollin's Ancient History — Puffendorf's Introduction to History — > This interesting convers.ition is given at length, in Se- ward'g " Anecdotes of distinguished Persons," vol. iv. p. 489. — Markland. Vertot's History of Knights of Malta — Vertots Revolution of Portugal — Vertot's Revolution of Sweden — Carte's Ilistary of England — Present State of Kngland — Geographical Grammar — Pri- deaux's Connexion — Nelson's Feasts and Fasts — Duty of Man — Gentleman's Religion — Clarendon's History — W'atts's Improvement of the !\Iind — Watts's Logic — Nature Displayed — Lowth's English Grammar— Blackwall on the Classics- Sherlock's Sermons — Ihirnet's Life of Hide — Dupin's History of the Church — Shuckford's Con- nexions — Law's Serious Call — Walton's Complete ' Angler — Sandys's Travels — Sprat's History of the Royal Society — England's Gazetteer — Goldsmith's Roman History — Some Commentaries on the Bible." It having been mentioned to Dr. Johnson that a gentleman who had a son whom he imagined to have an extreme degree of timidity, resolved to send him to a public school, that he might acquire confidence : " Sir," said John- son, " this is a preposterous expetlient for removing his infirmity ; such a disposition should be cultivated in the shade. Placing him at a public school is forcing an owl upon day." Speaking of a gentleman whose house was much frequented by low company : " Rags, Sir," said he, " will always make their appear- -ou perceive that 07ie link cannot clank ?" Mrs. Thrale has published, as Johnson's, a iind of parody or counterpart of a fine poetical lassage in one of Mr. Burke's speeches on cVmerican taxation. It is vigorously but some- vhat coarsely executed ; and, I am inclined to iuppose, is not quite correctly exhibited. I hope did not use the words " vile agents " for the A.mericans in the House of Parliament; and if le did so, in an extempore effusion, I wish the ady had not committed it to writing. i\Ir. Burke uniformly showed Johnson the rreatest respect; and — when Mr. Townshend, low Lord Sydney, at a period when he Avas ■onspicuous in opposition, threw out some •eflection in parliament upon the grant of a -tension to a man of such political principles as Johnson — Mr. Burke, though then of the same larty with Mr. Townshend, stood warmly forth n defence of his friend, to whom, he justly ob- ! ' Lord Chatham may have meant to say, in his strong lyperbolical style, that his desire to do that gre-it duty would rA\e operated a miracle on him ; so that Johnson's remark eems liypercriticai Cbokeb. - I rather believe that it was in consequence of his persist- ng in clearing the gallery of the House of Commons, in spite served, the pension was granted solely on account of his eminent literary merit. 1 am well assured, that Mr. Townshend's attack upon Johnson was the occasion of his " hitching in a rhjrme;" for that in the original copy of Gold- smith's character of Mr. Burke, in his " Reta- liation," another person's name stood in the couplet where ^Ir. Townshend is now intro- duced : " Tliough frauglit with all learning yet straining his throat, To persuade Tommy Townshend to lend him .i vote." ' It may be worth remarking, among the minutice of my collection, that Johnson was once drawn to serve in the militia, the trained bands of the city of London, and that Mr. Rackstrow, of the museum in Fleet Street, was his colonel. It may be believed he did not serve in person ; but the idea, with all its cir- cumstances, is certainly laughable. He upon that occasion provided himself with a musket, and with a sword and belt, which I have seen hanging in his closet. He was very constant to those whom he once employed, if they gave him no reason to be displeased. When somebody talked of being imposed on in the purchase of tea and sugar, and such articles : " That will not be the case," said he, " if you go to a stately shop, as I always do. In such a shop it is not worth their while to take a petty advantage." An author of most an.xious and restless vanity^ being mentioned; — "Sir," said he, " there is not a young sapling upon Parnassus more severely blown about by every wind of criticism than that poor fellow." The dilference, he observed, between a weU- bred and an ill-bred man is this : " One im- mediately attracts your liking, the other your aversion. You love the one till you find rea- son to hate him ; you hate the other till you find reason to love him." The wife of one of his acquaintance had fraudulently made a purse for herself out of her husband's fortune. Feeling a proper com- punction in her last moments, she confessed how much she had secreted; but before she could tell where it was placed, she was seized with a convulsive fit and expired. Her hus- band said, he was more hurt by her want of confidence in him, tlian by the loss of his money. " I told him," said Johnson, " that he should console himself; for perhaps the money might be found, and he was sure that his wife was gone" * A foppish physician once reminded Johnson of his having been in company with him on a of the earnest rcmonstmnces of Burkcand Fox, one evening when (;arrick was present. — Mackintosh. — Crokeh. 3 Probably Mr. I'erceval Stockdale. See ante, p. 213 — Croker. •< I-ady Knight tells this story in the European Mag. 1709, but does not call the l.idy the wife of one of his acquaintance. — Croker. 3 D 770 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 178-1. former occasion : " I do not remember it, Sir." The physician still insisted; adding that he that day wore so fine a coat that it must have attracted his notice. " Sir," said Johnson, "had you been dipped in Pactolus, I should not have noticed you." He seemed to take a pleasure in speaking in his own style; for when he had carelessly missed it, he would repeat the thought trans- lated into it. Talking of the comedy of " The Kehearsal," he said, ""it has not wit enough to keep it sweet." This was easy ; — he therefore caught himself, and pronounced a more round sentence : " It has not vitality enough to pre- serve it from putrefaction." He censured a writer of entertaining travels for assuming a feigned character, saying (in his sense of the word), " He carries out one lie ; we know not how many he brings back." ' At another time, talking of the same person, he observed, " Sir, your assent to a man whom you have never known to falsify is a debt ; but after you have known a man to falsify, your assent to him then is a favour." Though he had no taste for painting, he admired much the manner in which Sir Joshua Reynolds treated of his art, in his " Discourses to the Royal Academy." He observed one day of a passage in them, " I think I might as well have said this myself;" and once when Mr. Langton was sitting by him, he read one of them very eagerly, and expressed himself thus : " Very well, Master Reynolds ; very well, in- deed. But it will not be understood." When I observed to him that Painting was so far inferior to Poetry, that the story or even emblem which it communicates must be pre- viously known, and mentioned as a natural and laughable instance of this, that a little miss, on seeing a picture of Justice with the scales, had exclaimed to me, " See, there 's a woman selling sweetmeats;" he said, "Painting, Sii-, can illustrate, but cannot inform." No man was more ready to make an ai L .jfhen he had censm-ed unjustly than Johnson When a proof-sheet of one of his works was brought to him, he found favilt with the mode in which a part of it was arranged, refused to read it, and in a passion, desired that the com- positor ^ might be sent to him. The compositor was Mr. Manning, a decent sensible man, who had composed ahout one half of his "Dic- tionary," when in Mr. Strahan's printing- house ; and a great part of his " Lives of the Poets," when in that of ISIr. Nichols ; and who > I suppose the Reverend Martin Sherlock, an Irish clergy- man, who published, in 1781, his own travels under the title of " Letters of an English Traveller, translated from the French ; " which Johnson calls a lie. — Cboker, 1847. ^ Compositor in the printing-house means, the person who adjusts the types in the order in which they are to stand for printing ; and arranges what is called the form, from which an impression is taken. — Boswell. 3 The circumstance therefore alluded to in Mr. Courtenay's " Poetical Character " of him is strictly true. My informer was Mrs. Desmoulins, who lived many years in Dr. Johnson's house. — BoswELL. (in his seventy-seventh year) when in Mr. I3aldwin's printing-house, composed a part of the first edition of this work concerning him. By producing the manuscript, he at once satis- fied Dr. Johnson that he was not to blame. Upon which Johnson candidly and earnestly said to him, " Mr. Compositor, I ask your pardon ; Mr. Compositor, I ask your pardon, again and again." His generous humanity to the miserable was almost beyond example. The following in- "stance is well attested : coming home late one night, he found a poor woman lying in the street, so much exhausted that she could not walk ; he took her upon his back and carried her to his house, where he discovered that she was one of those wretched females who had fallen into the lowest state of vice, poverty, and disease. Instead of Harshly upbraiding her, he had her taken care of with all tender- ness for a long time, at a considerable expense.' till she was restored to health, and endeavoured to put her into a virtuous way of living.' He thought Llr. Caleb Whitefoord singularlj' happy in hitting on the signature of Papyriu; Cursor to his ingenious and' diverting Crosi Readings of the newspapers'*; it being a rea! name of an ancient Roman, and clearly expres sive of the thing done in this lively conceit. ■ He once in his life was known to have utterec! what is called a hull: Sir Joshua Reynolds when they were riding together in Devonshire complained that he had a very bad horse, fo ' that even when going down hill he move' slowly step by step. "Ay," said Johnsor' " and when he goes up hill he stands still." • He had a great aversion to gesticulating i company. He called once to a gentleman who offended him in that point, " Don't attitv dinise." And when another gentleman thougl he was giving additional force to what h uttered by expressive movements of his hand Johnson fairly seized them, and held thei down. An author of considerable eminence ^ havir' engrossed a good share of the conversation i the company of Johnson, and having sa' nothing but what was trifling and insignifican Johnson, when he was gone, observed to u " It is wonderful what a difference there som' times is between a man's powers of writing ai of talking. writes with great spirit, h is a poor talker: had he held his tongue, t might have supposed him to have been r strained by modesty ; but he has spoken : ■* He followed his Cross Headings by a still more wi paper on the Errors of Ike Press. These two laugha essays are preserved in the " Foundling Hospital for Wi — Croker. 5 This was Sir Richard Musgravc, an Irish Baronet, autl of a History of the Rebellion of 1798, whom I knew ii mately, and who had, it must be confessed, a great eagerri of manner. One d.iy, when Sir Richard was urging 1 with singular warmth to write the lives of the prose writi and getting up to enforce his suit. Johnson coldly repli "Sit down. Sir." — Pioijj. p. 225. — Choker. 6 Probably Dr. Robertson. Ante. p. 611. n. 2. — Choks rJ- IEt. 75. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. |reat deal to-day, and you have bcai-d what uff it was." I A gentleman having said that a conge d'elire as not, perhaps, the force of a coniinand, but lay be considered only as a strong recom- lendatioii : — "Sir," replied Johnson, who iverheard him, " it is such a rcconmiendation, [5 if I should throw you out of a two-pair-of- airs window, and recommend to you to fall )ft."i Mr. Steevens, who passed nmny a social hour (ith him during their long acquaintance, which pmmenced when tliey both lived in the Tern- lie, has preserved a good number of piirticulars |)ncerning him, most of which are to be found ji the department of Apophthegms-, &c. in the f)llection of " Johnson's Works." But he |is been pleased to favour me with the fol- jwing, which are original : — " One eveninjT, previous to the trial of Baretti, consultation of his friends was held at the house ' Mr. Cox, the solicitor, in Southampton Buildings, hancery Lane. Among others present were IVIr. urkeand Dr. Johnson, who differed in sentiments incerning the tendency of some part of the defence e prisoner was to make. \\'hun the meeting was 'cr, ]Mr. Steevens observed that the question be- 'een him and his friend had been agitated with ther too much warmth. ' It may be so, Sifp^ plied tlie doctor, 'for Burke and- 1 should have ;en of one opinion if we had had no audience. '^^ " Dr. Johnson once assumed a character in which i'rhaps even Mr. Boswell never saw him. His l.riosity having been excited by the praises be- pwed on the celebrated Torre's fireworks at [arybone Gardens, he desired Mr. Steevens to company him thither. The evening had proved pwery, and soon after the few people present t;re assembled, public notice was given that the inductors of the wheels, suns, stars, &c. were so joroughly watersoaked that it was impossible any rt of the exhibition should be made. ' This is a are excuse,' says the doctor, ' to save their crackers :: a more profitable company. Let us both hold i our sticks and threaten to break those coloured nps that surround the orchestra, and we shall •on have our wishes gratified. The core of the eworks cannot be injured ; let the different pieces ' touched in their respective centres, and they will I their offices as well as ever.' Some young men, 10 overheard him, immediately began the violence had recommended, and an attempt was speedily iideto fire some of the wheels wliich appeared to Ive received the smallest damage; but to little ] rposc were they lighted, for most of tliem com- ptely failed. The author of ' Tlie Rambler,' Iwever, may be considered on this occasion as the ' This has been printed in other public.itions " frtll to lAe /i)und." But Johnson himself gave me the true expression, (ich he had used as above ; meaning that the rpcommcnda-. \n left as little choice in the one case as the other. — SWBtl. J- This is Hawkins's collection of Anecdotes. Several of liim I have already given in their proper places, and regret lit I have not room for all. — Ckokeb, 1817. ' What an extraordinary assertion, that in a matter in ringleader of a successful riot, though not as a skilful pyrotechnist. " It has been supposed that Dr. Johnson, so far as fashion was concerned, M-as careless of his ap- pearance in public. But this is not altogether true, as tlie following slight instance may show : — Gold- smith's last comedy was to lie represented during some court-mourning*, and Mr. Steevens ap- pointed to call on Dr. Joiinson, and carry him to the tavern where he was to dine with other of the poet's friends. The doctor was ready dressed, but in coloured clothes; yet being told that he would find every one else in black, received the intel- ligence with a profusion of thanks, hastened to change his attire, all the while repeating his grati- tude for the information that had saved him from an appearance so improper in the front row of a front box. ' I would not,' added he, ' for ten pounds have seemed so retrograde to any general observ- ance.' " He would sometimes found his dislikes on very slender circumstances. Happening one day to men- tion Mr. Flexman, a dissenting minister, with some compliment to his exact memory in chronological matters ; the doctor replied, ' Let me hear no more of him. Sir. That is the fellow who made the index to my Ramblers, and set down the name of Milton thus: — Milton, Mr. John.' " Mr. Steevens adds to this testimony : __j— , " It is unfortunate, however, for Johnson, that j his particularities and frailties can be more distinctly I traced than his good and amiable exertions. Could I the many bounties he studiously concealed, the I many acts of humanity he performed in private, be I displayed with equal circumstantiality, his defects / would be so far lost in the blaze of his virtues, that / the latter only would be regarded." Though, from my very high admiration of Johnson, I have wondered that he was not courted by all the great and all the eminent persons of his time, it ought fairly to be con- sidered, that no man of humble birth, who lived entirely by literature, in short, no author by profession, ever rose in this country into that personal notice which he did. In the course of this work a numerous variety of names has been mentioned, to which many might be added. I cannot omit Lord and Lady Lucan, at whose house he often enjoyed all that an elegant table and the best company can contribute to happiness : he found hospitality united with extraordinary accomplishments, and einbellishe which is now given from a copy in his hand, in the Reyi 1» i Papers Croker. 3 A shocking sight indeed .' — but Mr. Boswell was v\ of enjoying those shocking sights.which yet, he said, " clc -i his mind." — Croker. | J fjEr. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 773 ] [Newgate. I said to him, I was sure that human 'life wiis not machinery, that is to say, a chain of fatality phmned and directed by the Supreme Being, as it had in it so much wickedness and jiuiisery, so many instances of both, as that by ijwhich my mind was now clouded. Were it finachinery, it would be better than it is in these respects, though less noble, as not being a system of moriU government, lie agreed witli me now, as he always did, upon the great ques- tion of tJie liberty of the human will, which has been in all ages perplexed with so much sophistry: "But, Sir, as to tlie doctrine of i necessity, no man believes it. If a man should give me arguments tiiat I do not see, though 1 could not answer them, should I believe tliat il do not see ?" It will be observed, that John- json at all times made the just distinction (between doctrines contrary to reason, and [doctrines above reason. I Talking of the religious discipline proper for unhappy convicts, he said, " Sir, one of our regular clergy will probably not impress their minds sufficiently : they should be attended by a methodist preacher ', or a popish priest." Let me however observe, in justice to the Ke- verend Mr. Vilette, who has been ordinary of Newgate for no less than eighteen years, in the course of which he has attended many [hundreds of wretched criminals, that his ear- nest and humane exhortations have been very etfectual. His extraordinary diligence is highly praiseworthy, and merits a distinguished re- ward." On Thursday, June 24., I dined with him at Mr. Dilly's, where -were the Kev. Mr. (now Dr.) Knox, master of Tunbridge School, ilr. Smith, vicar of Southill, Dr. Beattle, oNIr. Tink- erton, author of various literary performances ^ , und the Rev. Dr. ]\Iayo. At my desire old Mr. Sheridan was invited, as I was earnest to lliave Johnson and him brought together again by chance, that a reconciliation might be effected. Mr. Sheridan happened to come early, and having learnt that Dr. Johnson was to be there, went away ; so I found, with sin- cere regret, that my friendly intentions were liopeless.* I recollect nothing that passed this day, except Joimson's quickness, wlio, when Dr. Beattie observed, as something remarkable which had happened to him, that he had chanced to see both No. 1. and No. 1000. of the hackney-coaches, the first and the last — 1 A friend of mine happened to be passing hy aficldcon- ^regalion in the environs of London, when .i methodist preacher quoted this passage with triumph. — Bomwkll. ■i I trust that the City of London, now liappily In unison with the court, will have the justice and generosity to obtain preferment for this reverend gentleman, now a worthy old servant of that magnificent corporation. — Boswell. This wish was not gratified. Mr. V'ilette died in .\pril, ITW, [having been nearly thirty years chaplain of Newgate. — CUOKER. The well-known John Pinkerton, who died in lS2fi, and whose Correspondence has since licen published — Croker. Perhaps Boswull's intentions were friendly, though I rioubt whether he did not wish to be witness of a contest ; oe certainly appears to have contributed, at least by his in- iiscretioDsj to keep up the animosity. — Cuoker. "Why, Sir," said Johnson, " there is an equal chance for one's seeing tiiose two numbers as any other two." He was clearly right ; yet the seeing of the two extremes, each of which is in some degree more conspicuous than the rest, could not but strike one in a stronger manner tlian tlie sight of any other two imm- bers. — Though 1 have neglectetl to preserve liis conversation, it was pcrha[)S at this inter- view that Dr. Knox formed tlie ntjtion of it which he has exhibited in his " Winter Even- ings." On Friday, June 25., I dined with him at General Paoli's, where, he says in one of his letters to I\Irs. Thrale, " I love to dine." There was a variety of dishes much to his taste, of all which he seemed to me to eat so much, tiiat 1 was afraid he might be hurt by it ; and I whispered to the General my fear, and begged he might not press him. " Alas ! " said the General, " sec how very ill he looks ; he can live but a very short time. 'Would you refuse any slight gratifications to a man under sen- tence of death ? There is a humane custom in Italy, by which persons in that melancholy situation are indulged with having whatever they like best to eat and drink, even witlt ex- pensive delicacies." I showed him some verses on Lichfield by Miss Seward, which I had that day received from her, and had the pleasure to hear him approve of them. He confirmed to me the truth of a high compliment which I had been told he had paid to that lady, when she men- tioned to him " The Columbiade," an epic poem by Madame du Boccage : — "^ladani, there is not any thing equal to your descrip- tion of the sea round tlie North Pole, in your Ode on the Deatli of Ca])tain Cook." [I have tlms quoted a compliment paid by Dr. Johnson to one of this lady's poetical pieces, and I have withheld his opinion of her- self, thinkino; that she might not like it. I am afraid tiiat it has reached her by some other means, and thus we may account for the va- rious attacks made by her on her venerable townsman since his decease ; some avowed, and with iier own name — others, I believe, in various forms and under several signatures. What are we to think of the scraps of letters between her and !Mr. Hayley, iinpotently at- tempting to undermine the noble pedestal on which public opinion has placed Dr.Johnson?*] j 5 This passage is an extract from Mr. Boswell's contro- ' versy with Miss Seward Genltcvum's Magazine, 1793. I p. 1911., and the following specimens of these ttrange .scraps : will amuse the reader, .md more than justify Mr. Uoswell's censure of Miss Seward. j " Miss Sewaud to Mr. IIaylev. " IT"?. I " You have seen Dr. Johnson's ' Lives of the Poets : ' they I have excited your generous indignation : a heart like Mr. I llayley's would shrink b.ick astonished to perceive a mind so I enriched with the power of genius, capable of such cool I maliKnity. Yet the 6"i-n//t-»nan'i .Vn/faii'nc praised these un- worthy efforts to blight the lauri'U of undoubted fame. O j that the venom may fall where it ought ! — that the breath of public contempt niay blow it from the beauteous wjcaths," I 3 D .3 774 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 17 L [JOHNSON TO MRS. THRALE. (Extract.) "London, June 2f). 1784. " A message came to me yesterday to tell me that Macbean is dead, after three days of illness. He was one of those who, as Swift says, stood as a screen between me and death. He has, I hope, made a good exchange. He was very pious ; he was very innocent; he did no ill ; and of doing good a continual tenour of distress allowed him few opportunities ; he was very highly esteemed in the [Charter] house." — Letters. On Sunday, June 27., I found him rather better. I mentioned to him a young man who was going to Jamaica with his wife and chil- dren, in expectation of being provided for by two of her brothers settled in that island, one a clergyman and the other a physician. John- son. " It is a wild scheme. Sir, unless he has a positive and deliberate invitation. There was a poor girl, who used to come about me, who had a cousin in Barbadoes, that, in a letter to her, expressed a wish she shoidd come out to that island, and expatiated on the comforts and happiness of her situation. The poor girl went out : her cousin was much surprised, and asked her how she could think of coming. ' Because,' said she, ' you invited me.' — ' Not I,' answered the cousin. The letter was then produced. ' I see it Is true,' said she, ' that I did invite you : but I did not think you would come.' ■ They lodged her in an out-house, where she passed her time miserably ; and as soon as she had an opportunity she returned to England. Always tell this when you hear of people going abroad to relations upon a notion of being well received. In the case which you mention, it is probable the clergy- man spends all he gets, and the physician does not know how much he is to get." We this day dined at Sir Joshua Reynolds's, with General Paoll, Lord Eliot (formerly Mr. Eliot, of Port Eliot), Dr. Beattle, and some other company. Talking of Lord Chester- field : — Johnson. '• His manner was ex- &c. &c. " I turn from this comet in literature (Dr. Johnson) to its Sun, — Mr. Huyley ! " " Mr. Hayley to Miss Seward. ^ " 5th August. " I have read the ' Lives of the Poets ' with as much indig- nation as you can give me credit for — with a strange mix- ture of detestation and delight. As his language, to give the devil his due, is frequently sublime and enriched with certain diabolical graces of his own, I continue to listen to him, whenever he speaks, with an equal mixture of admiration and abhorrence." Hayley seems to have been puzzled between his real ad- miration of Johnson and his wish to appear to share the indignation of hi=^ fair cnrrpspondent, who evidently did not like the expression of •• dclii^ht" and " ariniirn/ion" with which Hayley had ciualilicil liis censure. She therefore art- fullvenough seeks to laili-t him more thoroughly in her cause by fnsinuatiiig tliat .lohiismi, who was then at Lichfield, and whom, after Churchill, she calls "/».'?««kc Pomposo" had spoken coldlv of Ilaylcy's poetry, while she"/,Tp< an indig- nant silcncci" This partly succeeds, and Hayley's reply is a little more satisfactory to the ireful lady. quisitely elegant, and he had more knowle e than I expected." Boswell. " Did you fi | Sir, his conversation to be of a superior styl- " Johnson. " Sir, in the conversation whie I had with him I had the best right to supen - ity, for It was upon philology and literjitm" Lord Eliot, who had travelled at the same t; e with Mr. Stanhope, Lord Chesterfield's nati 1 son, justly observed, that It was strange tt a man who showed he had so much affect a for his son as Lord Chesterfield did, by wrltio- so many long and anxious letters to hi, almost all of them when he was secretary if state, which certainly was a proof of gi ,t goodness of disposition, should endeavoui'o make his son a rascal. His Lordship told s that Foote had intended to bring on the staj a father who had thus tutored his son, and to si t the son an honest man to every one else, but pi ■• tising his father's maxims upon him, and chea1 or him. Johnson. " I am much pleased with is design ; but I think there was no occaslor o make the son honest at all. No ; he should e a consummate rogue : the contrast betw n honesty and knavery would be the stron r. It should be contrived so that the fair should be the only sufferer by the son's vill:/, and thus there would be poetical justice." He put Lord Eliot In mind of Dr. Wa t Harte." " I know," said he, " Harte was yx lordship's tutor, and he was also tutor to e Peterborough family. Pray, my lord, do u recollect any particulars that he told yov )f Lord Peterborough? He is a favourit€)f mine ^, and Is not enough known; his Ci- racter has been only ventilated in party p i- phlets." Lord Eliot said, if Dr. Johi n would be so good as to ask him any questi s, he would tell what he could recollect. ;- cordlngly some things were mentioned. "B ," said his lordship, " the best account of I 'd Peterborough that I have happened to r 5t with is in ' Captain Carleton's Memoirs.' Ct 3- ton was descended of an ancestor '^ who id distinguished himself at the siege of Dey. He was an officer ; and, what was rare at it time, had some knowledge of englneerl ." Johnson said, he had never heard of the b k. " October 25. Your account of Pomposo delights that noble leviathan who lashes the troubled waters ) sublime but mischievous storm of turbulence and mud i But she was still dissatisfied : — " I am dubious," she ) " about the epithet nob/e ; " and then she proceeds \ i long see-saw galimathias of praise and dispraise c : charity and genius on the one hand, and of his acrii i envv, malignity, bigotry, and superstition, on the other >lr. Hayley attempted to ridicule Johnson in the cha I n( Rumble in one of his dull rhyming comedies, anc ' Dialogue of the Dead, which was dead-born — Croke > .lohnson said that he had once seen Mr. Stanhope, i Chesterfield's son, at Dodsley's shop, and was so much i i with his awkward manner and appearance, that he con ' help asking Mr. Dodsley who he was — Hawk. Apopi 1 — Crokek. 2 Seenn/i, p. 217. n. 2. — C. 3 See ante, p. 670. n. 3 ; his observation on Pope's i friends. — Croker. •< This is an anachronism. Carleton himself was in : James's sea-fights long prior to the siege of Derry. Hi ! amusing Memoirs were republished in 1808, in ai volume.— Croker, 1835. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 775 Lord Eliot had it at Port Eliot ; but, after a good deal cf inquiry, procured a copy in London, and sent it to Johnson, who told Sir Joshua Reynolds that he was going to bed when it came, but was so much pleased with it, that he sat up till he had read it through, and found in it such an air of truth, that he could not doubt of its authenticity ; ai "Nay, Sir, that is a paltry notion. Endea! vour to be as perfect as you can in ever' respect." ' "* I accompanied him in Sir Joshua Reynolds'; coach to the entry of Bolt Court. He aske; me whether I would not go with him to h \ house ; I declined it, from an apprehenslol that my spirits would sink. We bade adiej to each other affectionately in the carriagi; When he had got down upon the foot pavemen' he called out, " Fare you well ! " and, withoi looking back, spi-ang away vi^ith a kind i' pathetic briskness, If I may use that expresslo; which seemed to Indicate a struggle to conce; uneasiness, and Impressed me with a forebodir of_our long, long separation. I remained one day more in town, to liav the chance of talking over my negotiatic! with the Lord Chancellor; but themultiplicil of his lordship's im])ortant engagements d not allow of it ; so j left the management r the business in the hands of Sir Joshua Re; nolds. ' Soon after this time Dr. Johnson had tl mortification of being informed by Mrs.Thral that "what she supposed he never bellevet! was true : namely, that she was actually goii to marry Signor Piozzi, an Italian musi master. • It should be recollected that the amiable and accom- plished man who made this generous offt-r to the Torff champion was a keen Whig; and it is stated in the ,B(0- stvipliical Dictionary, that he pressed Johnson in his last illness to remove to his house for the more immediate con- venience of medical advice. Dr. Broclilesby died in 1797, set. 76. He was a very intimate friend of the celebrated Charles Townshend, as well as of Mr. Burke, to whom he had bequeathed 1000/. in his will ; but recollectini: that he might outlive his friend, or tliat the legacy might fall when Mr. Burke did not want it, he requested him to accept from his living hand, " ul pi gnus atniciticp." Doctor Broi lesby's name was the subject of one of Mr. Burke's play puns. There was, cotemporary with him, in London, a I quack who called himself Z)oc/o>- Hock. One day Mr. Bu called Brocklesby Doctor Rock, and on his taking so offence at this disreputable appellation, Burke undertook prove algehraicnili/ that Rock w.is his proper name, th •' Brock _ 6 = Rock," or " Brock less b, makes Rock," Q.E . — Croker. 1 m^f )v i../i,:/ hv J,>hn Miii-iMi,. ^T. 75. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 777 ["MRS. PIOZZI' TO JOHNSON. " Bath, June 30. 1784. " My dear Sir, — The enclosed is a circular letter, which I have sent to all the guardians ; but our friendship demands somewhat more: it re- quires that I should beg your pardon for conceal- ing from you a connexion which you must have heard of by many, but I suppose never believed. Indeed, my dear Sir, it was concealed only to save us both needless pain. I could not have borne to reject that counsel it would have killed me to take, and I only tell it you now because all is irrevocably settled, and out of your power to prevent. I will say, however, that the dread of your disapprobation lias given me some anxious moments, and though, perhaps, I am become by many privations the most independent woman in the world, I feel as if acting without a parent's consent till you write kindly to your faithful servant, H. L. P."] — Letters. He endeavoured to prevent it, but in vain. [•'JOHNSON TO MRS. PIOZZI. " London, July 8. 1781. " Dear Madam, — \Vhat you liave done, how- ever I may lament it, I have no pretence to resent, as it has not been injurious to me; I therefore breathe out one sigh more of tenderness, perhaps useless, but at least sincere. " I wish that God may grant you every blessing, that you may be happy in this world for its short continuance, and eternally happy in a better state ; and whatever I can contribute to your happiness I am very ready to repay, for that kindness which soothed twenty years of a life radically wretched. " Do not think slightly of the advice which I now presume to offer. Prevail upon I\I. Piozzi to settle in England : you may live here with more dignity than in Italy, and with more security : your rank will be higher, and your fortune more under your own eye. I desire not to detail all my reasons, but every argument of prudence and in- terest is for England, and only some phantoms of imagination seduce you to Italy. " I am afraid, however, that my counsel is vain ; yet I have eased my heart by giving it. " When Queen Mary took the resolution of sheltering herself in England, the Archbishop of St. Andrew's, attempting to dissuade her, attended on her journey ; and when they came to the irre- meable stream that separated the two kingdoms, walked by her side into the water, in the middle of which he seized her bridle, and with earnestness proportioned to her danger and his own affection ])ressed her to return. Tlie queen went forward. If the parallel reaches thus far, may it go no farther. The tears stand in my eyes. "I am going into Derbyshire, and hope to be followed by your good wishes, for I am, with great ! aff'ection, your, &c., Sam. Johnson. " Any letters that come for me hither will be sent me."] — Letters. If she would publish the whole of the cor- respondence that passed between Dr. Johnson and her on the subject, we should have a full view of his real sentiments. As it is, our judgment must be biassed by that charac- teristic specimen which Sir John Hawkins has given us.- [" About the middle of 1784, he was, to appear- ance, so well, that both himself and his Iriends hoped that he had some years to live. He had recovered from the paralytic stroke of the last year to such a degree, that, saving a little difficulty in his articulation, he had no remains of it ; he had also undergone a slight fit of the gout, and con. quered an oppression on his lungs, so as to be able, as himself told me, to run up the whole staircase of the Royal Academy, on the day of the annual dinner there. In short, to such a degree of health w.is he restored, that he forgot all his complaints: he re- sumed sitting to Opie for his picture, which had been begun the year before, but, I believe, was never finished, and accepted an invitation to the houseof a friend at Ashbourne in Derbyshire, pro- posing to stay there till towards tlie end of the summer, and, in his return, to visit Mrs. Porter, his daughter-in-law, and others of his friends, at Lichfield. " A few weeks before his setting out, he was made uneasy by a report that the widow of his friend IMr. llirale was about to dispose of herself in marriage to a foreigner, a singer by profession, and with him to quit the kingdom. Upon this occasion, he took the alarm, and to prevent a degradation of herself, and, what as executor of her husband was more his concern, tlie desertion of her children, wrote to her, she then being at Bath, a letter, of which the following spurious copy was inserted in the Gentleman's Magazine for Decem- ber, 1784:— " Madam, — If you are already ignominiously married, you are lost beyond all redemption ; — if you are not, permit me one hour's conversation, to convince you that such a marriage must not take place. If, after a whole hours reasoning, you should not be convinced, you will still be at liberty to act as you think proper. I have been ex- tremely ill, and am still ill ; but if you grant me the audience I ask, I will instantly take a post- chaise and attend you at Bath. Pray do not refuse this favour to a man who hath so many years loved and honoured you." " That this letter is spurious, as to the language, I have Johnson's own authority for saying; but, in respect of the sentiments, he avowed it, in a decla- ration to me, that not a sentence of it was his, but yet that it was an aduvihration of one that he wrote upon the occasion. It may therefore be suspected, 1 In the lady s own publication of the correspondence, this not how to account for this but by supposinc tliat Mrs letter IS given as from Mrs. Piozzi. and is signed with the Piozzi. to avoid Johnson's importunities, wished him to un- initial of her new name ; Dr. Johnson's answer is also 1 derstand as done that wliich was only seltled to tie done addressed to Mrs. Piozzi, and both the letters allude to the matter as past — hers as "seltled." his as "done ;" yet it appears by the periodical publications of the day, that the marriage did not take place until the S.Sth July, and Madame D'.^rblay dates it "at the end of July." I know- find it most acrimoniously discussed in liaretti's Stric- turis in the European Magazine for 1788. — Choker. - Boswell had given but the last sentence of the following extract. 1 give the whole passage Croker. 778 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1784. that some one who had heard him repeat the con- tents of the letter had given it to the public in the form in which it appeared. " What answer was returned to his friendly monition I know not, but it seems that it was suc- ceeded by a letter ' of greater length, written, as it afterwards appeared, too late to do any good, in which he expressed an opinion, that the person to whom it was addressed had forfeited her fame, The answer to this I have seen : it is written from Bath, and contains an indignant vindication as well of her conduct as her fame, an inhibition of Johnson from following her to Bath, and a farewell, con- cluding — ' Till you have changed your opinion of [Piozzi] let us converse no more.' " From the style of the letter, a conclusion was to be drawn that baffled all the powers of reasoning and persuasion : " One argument she summ'd up all in. The thing was done and past recalling; "* which being the case, he contented himself with reflecting on what he had done to prevent that which he thought one of the greatest evils that could befall the progeny of his friend, the alienation of the affections of their mother. He looked upon the desertion of children by their parents, and the withdrawing from them that protection, that mental nutriment, which, in their youth, they are capable of receiving, the exposing them to the snares and temptations of the world, and the solicitations and deceits of the artful and designing, as most unnatural ; and in a letter on the subject to me, written from Ashbourne, thus delivered his senti- ments :] " ' Poor Thrale ! I thought that either her virtue or her vice,' (meaning, as I understood, by the former, the love of her children, and by the latter, her pride,) 'would have restrained her from such a marriage. She is now become a subject for her enemies to exult over, and for her friends, if she has any left, to forget or pity.' " It must be admitted that Johnson derived a considerable portion of happiness from the comforts and elegancies which he enjoyed in ]Mr. Thrale's family ; but Mrs. Thrale assures us he was indebted for these to her husband alone, who certainly respected him sincerely. Her words are, " Veneration for his virtue, re- verence/or his talents, delight in his conversa- tion, and habitual endurance of a yoke my husband first put upon me, and of which he contentedly bore his share for sixteen or seven- teen years, -nade me go on so long with Mr. Johnson ; but the perpetual confinement 1 will own to have been terrifying zm the first years of 1 It appears as if Hawkins (who had not had the advantage of seeing the correspondence published by Mrs. Piozzi) had made some confusion about these letters. It is clear that the first of the series must have been, not John- son's remonstrance, but her announcement, dated Bath, June 30., which we have just seen. To that Johnson may have replied by tlie letter, the contents of whicii are adutn- brated in the Gentleman's Magazme. To this slie proba- bly rejoined by the letter which Hawkins says that he saw, to which Johnson's of the 8th of July, given above, may have been the reply. Hawkins thinks that there were t/iree letters from Dr. Johnson, whereas it seems probable that there were but ttvo, of which one only is preserved Croker. our friendship, and irksome in the last ; nor could I pretend to support it without help, when my coadjutor was no more." Alas ! how dif- ferent is this from the declarations which I have heard Mrs. Thrale make in his lifetime, without a single murmur against any pecu- liarities, or against any one circumstance which ilattended their intimacy ! As a sincere friend of the great man whose life I am writing, I think it necessary to guard my readers against the mistaken notion of Dr. Johnson's character, which this Lady's " Anec- dotes" of him suggest ; fory^ from the very nature and form of her book, " it lends decep- tion lighter wings to fly." "Let it be remembered," says an eminent critic^ " that she has comprised in a small volume all that she could recollect of Dr. Johnson in twenty years, during which period, doubtless, some severe things were said by him : and they who read the book in two hours naturally enough suppose that his whole conversation was of this complexion. But the fact is, I have been often in his company, and never once heard him say a severe thing to any one ; and many others can attest the same. When he did say a severe thing, it was generally extorted by ignorance pretending to knowledge, or by extreme vanity or affectation. "Two instances of inaccuracy," adds he, "are peculiarly worthy of notice. • " It is said, ' that nattiral roughness of his manner so often mentioned would, notwithstanding the regu- larity of his notions, hurst through them all from time to time ; and he once bade a very celebrated lady [^Hannah More], who praised him with too much zeal perhaps, or perhaps too strong an emphasis (which always offended him), consider what her flattery was worth before she choked him with it.' " Now let the genuine anecdote be contrasted with this. — The person thus represented as being harshly treated, though a very celebrated lady, was then just come to London from an obscure situation in the country. At Sir Joshua Reynolds's one evening, she met Dr. Johnson. She very soon began to pay her court to him in the most fulsome strain. 'Spare me, I beseech you, dear Madam,' was his reply. She still laid it on. ' Pray, Madam,' let us have no more of this.' he rejoined. Not paying any a'ttention to these warnings, she con- tinued still her eulogy. At length, provoked by this indelicate and vain obtrusion of compliments, he exclaimed, ' Dearest Lady, consider with yourself what your flattery is worth, before you bestow it so freely.' " How different does this story appear, when accompanied with all those circumstances which 2 Pope and Swift's Miscellanies, " Phyllis, or the Progress of Love."— BoswELL. This " critic" is no doubt Mr. Malone, whose MS. notes on Mrs. Piozzi's " Anecdotes " contain the gerjns of these criticisms. Several of his similar animadversions have been already noticed, with my reasons for differing essentially from both Boswell and Malone in their estimate of Mrs. Piozzi's work. Mr. Malone's notes were communicated to me by Mr. Markland, who purchased the volume at the sale of the library of the late James Boswell, junior, in 1825.— Crokek. ^T. 75. BOSAVELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 779 really belong to it, but which IMrs. Thrale either did not know, or has suppressed ! " She says, in another place, ' One gentleman, how- ever, who dined at a nobletnari's house in his company, and that of Mr. Thrale, to whom I was obliged fur the anecdote, was willing to enter the lists in defence of King JFilliam's character ; ojirf having opposed and contradicted Johnson two or three times, petulatitlg enough, the master of the house began to feel U7ieast/, and expect disagreeable consequences ; to avoid which he said, loud enough for the doctor to hear, ' Our friend has no meaning now in all this, except just to relate at club to-morrow how he teased Johnson at dinner to-day ; this is alt to do himself honour.' — ' No, upon my word,' replied the other, ' / see no honour in it, tvhatever you may do.' — ' JFell, Sir,' returned Mr. Johnson sternly, ' if you. do not see the honour, I am sure J feel the disgrace.' " This is all sophisticated. Mr. Thrale was not in the company, though he might have related the story to Mrs. Thrale. A friend, from whom I had the story, was present ; and it was 7iot at the house of a nobleman. On the observation being made by the master of the house on a gentleman's contra- dicting Johnson, that he had talked for the honour, &c., the gentleman muttered in a low voice, ' I see no honour in it ;' and Dr. Johnson said nothing : so all the rest (though bien trouve) is mere garnish." I have had occasion several times, in the course of this work, to point out the incorrect- ness of Llrs. Thrale as to particulars which consisted with my own knowledge. But in- deed she has, in flippant terms enough, ex- pressed her disapprobation of that anxious desire of authenticity which prompts a person who is to record conversations to write them down at the moment. Unquestionably, if they are to be recorded at all, the sooner it is done the better. This lady herself says, " To recollect, however, and to repeat the sayings of Dr. Johnson, is almost all that can be done by the writers of his life ; as his life, at least since my acquaintance with him, consisted in little else than talking, when he was not employed in some serious piece of work." She boasts of her having kept a common- place book ; and we find she noted, at one time or other, in a very lively manner, speci- mens of the conversation of i)r. Johnson, and of those who talked with him ; but had slie done it recently, they probably would have been less erroneous, and we should have been relieved from those disagreeable doubts of their authenticity with which we must now pursue them. She says of him, — « Mrs. Piozzi may have been right or wrong as to the degree in which Dr. Johnson's indolence operated on those occasions ; but at least she was sincere, for she did not con- ceal from .lohnson himself that she thought him negligent in doing small favours : and Mr. BoswcU's own work affords several instances in which Johnson exhibits and avows the contmdictions in his character which are here imputed to Mrs. Piozzi as total misrepresentations. The truth seems to be that to all the little idle matters about which Mrs. Piozzi teased him, probably too ofteii, he was very indifferent ; and she describes him as she found him. — Crokeu. " He was the most charitable of mortals, without being what we call an active friend. Admirable at giving counsel, no man saw his way so clearly: but he would not stir a finger for the assistance of those to whom he was willing enough to give advice. And again, on the same page, 'If you wanted a slight favour, you must apply to people of other dispositions; for not a step would Johnson move to obtain a man a vote in a society, to repay a com- pliment which might be useful or pleasing, to write a letter of request, &c., or to obtain a hundred pounds a year more for a friend who perhaps had already two or three. No force could urge him 'to " diligence, no importunity could conquer his reso- lution to stand stilL" It is amazing that one who had such oppor- tunities of knowing Dr. Jolinson should appear so little acquainted with his real character. I am sorry this lady does not advert, that she herself contradicts the assertion of his being obstinately defective in the pctitcs morales, in the little endearing charities of social life in conferring smaller favours ; for she says, " Dr. Johnson was liberal enough in granting literary assistance to others, I think ; and innume- rable are the prefaces, sermons, lectures, and dedi- cations which he used to make for people who begged of him." I am certain that a more active friend has rarely been found in any age. This work, which I fondly hope will rescue his memory from obloquy, contains a thousand instances of his benevolent exertions in almost every way that can be conceived; and particularly in employ- ing his pen with a generous readiness for those to whom its aid could be useful. Indeed his obliging activity in doing little offices of kind- ness^ both by letters and personal application, was one of the most remarkable features in his character; and for tiie truth of this I can appeal to a number of his respectable friends : Sir Joshua Reynolds, ]Mr. Langton, Mr. Ha- milton, Mr. Burke, Mr. Windham, Mr. Malone, the Bishop of Dromore, Sir William Scott, Sir Robert Chambers. And can Mrs. Thrale forget the advertisements which he wrote for her husband at the time of his election contest; the epitaphs on him and her mother ; the playful and even trilling verses for the amuse- ment of her and her daughters, liis correspond- inof with her children, and entering into their minute concerns, which shows him in the most amiable light ? ' She relates — " That I\Ir. Cholniondeley * uncx|)ectedly rode up to I\Ir. Thrale's carriage, in which Mr. Thrale, 2 George James Cholmondeley, Esq., grandson of George, third Earl of Cholmondeley, and one of the commissioners of excise; a gentleman respected for his abilities and elegance of manners. — Uoswell. He was the son of tlie Mrs. Chol- mondeley [p. 349. n. 3.] so often mentioned. When I spoke to him a few years before his death upon this point. I found him very sore at bemg made the topic of such a debate, and very unwilling to -emember any thing about either Iheoffence or the apology, .le died in Feb. 1831,a:lat. 79. — Croker, 780 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1784. and she, and Dr. Johnson were travelling ; that he paid them all his proper compliments ; but observ- ing that Dr. Johnson, who was reading, did not see him, ' tapped him gently on the shoulder.' ' 'Tis Mr. Cholmondeley,' says my husband. ' Well, Sir — and what if it is Mr. Cholmondeley?' says the other, sternly, just lifting his eyes a moment from his book, and returning to it again with renewed avidity." This surely conveys a notion of Johnson, as if he had been grossly rude to Mi-. Chol- mondeley, a gentleman whom he always loved and esteemed. If, therefore, there was an absolute necessity for mentioning the story at all, it might have been tliought that her tenderness for Dr. Johnson's character would have disposed her to state any thing that could soften it. Why then is there a total silence as to what Mr. Cholmondeley told her ? — that Johnson, who had known him from his earliest years, having been made sensible of what had doubtless a strange appearance, took occasion, when he afterwards met him, to make a very courteous and kind apology. There is another little circumstance which I cannot but remark. Her book was published in 1785 ; she had then in her possession a letter from Dr. John- son, dated in 1777, which begins thus: "Chol- mondeley's story shocks me, if it be true, which I can hardly think, for I am utterly unconscious of it : I am very sorry, and very much ashamed." Why then publish the anec- dote ? Or, if she did, why not add the cir- cumstances, with which she was well ac- quainted ? In his social intercourse she thus describes him : — " Ever musing till he was called out to converse, and conversing till the fatigue of his friends, or the promptitude of his own temper to take offence, consigned him back again to silent meditation." Yet in the same book she tells us, — " He was, however, seldom inclined to be silent when any moral or literary question was started ; and it was on such occasions that, like the sage in ' Rasselas,' he spoke, and attention watched his lips ; he reasoned, and conviction closed his periods." His conversation, indeed, was so far from e-ver fatigid7ig his friends, that they regretted when it was interrupted or ceased, and could exclaim in Milton's lansruaire. ' Baretti's evidence is worth notliing against Mrs. Plozzi. — CnOKER. 2 Upon mentioning this to my frienil Mr. Wilkes, he, with his usual readiness, pleasantly matched it with the following sentimental anecdote. He was invited by a young man of fashion at Paris to sup with him and a lady, who had been for some time his mistress, but with whom he was going to part. He said to Mr. Wilkes that he really felt very much for her, she was in such distress, and that he meant to make her a present of two hundred louis-d'ors. Mr. Wilkes ob- served the behaviour of mademoiselle, who sighed, indeed, very piteously, and assumed every pathetic air of grief, but ate no less than three French pigeons, which are as large as Engli»h partridges, besides other things. Mr. Wilkes whispered the gentleman, " We often say in England, ex- " With thee conversing, I forget all time." I certainly, then, do not claim too much in behalf of my illustrious friend in saying, that however smart and entertaining Mrs. Thrale's "Anecdotes" are, they must not be held as good evidence against him ; for wherever an instance of harshness and severity is told, I beg leave to doubt its perfect authenticity ; for though there may have been some foundation for it, yet, like that of his reproof to the "very celebrated lady," it may be so exhibited in the narration as to be very unlike the real fact. The evident tendency of the following anec- dote is to represent Dr. Johnson as extremely deficient in affection, tenderness, or even com- mon civility. " When I one day lamented the loss of a first cousin killed in America, — Prithee, my dear (said he), have done with canting ; how would the world be the worse for it, I may ask, if all your relations were at once spitted like larks, and roasted for Presto's supper? — Presto was the dog that lay under the table while we talked." I suspect this too of exaggeration and dis- tortion. I allow that he made her an angry speech; but let the circumstances fairly appear, as told by Mr. Baretti ', who was present : — " Mrs. Thrale, while supping very heartily upon larks, laid down her knife and fork, and abruptly exclaimed, ' O, my dear Johnson ! do you know what has happened ? The last letters from abroad have brought us an account that our poor cousin's head was taken off by a cannon-ball.' Johnson, who was shocked both at the fact and her light unfeeling manner of mentioning it, replied, ' Madam, it would give j/ou very little concern if all your relations were spitted like those larks, and dressed for Presto's supper.' " ^ It is with concern that I find myself obliged to animadvert on the inaccuracies of Mrs. Piozzi's " Anecdotes," and perhaps I may be thought to have dwelt too long u2;)on her little collection. But as from Johnson's long re- sidence under Mr. Thrale's roof, and his intimacy with her, the account which she has given of him may have made an unfiivourable and unjust impression, my duty, as a faithful Ijiogiapher, has obliged me reluctantly to per- form this unpleasing task.^ cessive sorrow is exceeding dry, but I never heard excessive sorrow is exceeding hungry. Perhaps one hundred will do." The gentleman took the liint Boswell. 3 Instcid of answering seriatim (as I had done in my first edition) Boswell's objections to Mrs. Piozzi's anecdotes, I ' will here finally state my opinion that, although after her : deplorable marriage, she had lost much of her reverence , and all her affection for her guide, philosopher, and friend, and was therefore disposed to give a harsh unfavourable colour to his character, and though her reports are ram- bling, flippant, and often inaccurate in expressions and details, they are never, I believe, intentionally nor sub- stantially untrue, nor at all liable to the sweeping imputa- tions that Boswell and Malone make against them. — Cro- ■ KER, 1847. ^T. 75. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 781 CHAPTER LXXXI. 1784. Projected Tour to Italy. — Reynolds. — Thurlotr. — Eev. Mr. Bagshaw. — Excursion to Staffordshire and Derbyshire. — Correspondence. — Air Bal- loons. — Last ilsit to Lichfield. ^- Uttoxtter The Learned Pig. — Last Visit to Oxford. — Return to London. — Ancient Universal History. — Imitations of Johnson's Style. HA\aNG left the piom negotiation, as I called it, in the best hands, I shall iiere insert what relates to it. Johnson wrote to Sir Joshua Reynolds on July 6. as follows : — '' I am going, I hope, in a ftw clays, to try the air of Derbyshire, but hope to see you before I go. Let me, however, mention to you what I have much at heart. If the Chancellor should continue his attention to IMr. Boswell's request, and confer with you on the means of relieving my languid state, I am very desirous to avoid the appearance of asking money upon false pretences. I desire you to represent to his lordship, what, as soon as it is suggested, he will perceive to be reasonable, — that, if I grow much worse, I shall be afraid to leave my physicians, to suffer the inconveniences of travel, and pine in the solitude of a foreign coun- try ; — that, if I grow much better, of which indeed there is now little appearance, I shall not wish to leave my friends and my domestic comforts, for I do not travel for pleasure or curiosity ; yet if I should recover, curiosity would revive. In my present state I am desirous to make a struggle for a little longer life, and hope to obtain some help from a softer climate. Do for me what you can." He wrote to me July 26. : — " I wish your affairs could have permitted a longer and continued exertion of your zeal and kindness. They that have your kindness may want your ardour. In the meantime 1 am very feeble and very dejected." By a letter from Sir Joshua Reynolds I was informed that the Lord Chancellor had called on him, and acquainted him that the appli- cation had not been successful ; but that his lordship, after speaking highly in praise of Johnson, as a man who was an honour to liis country, desired Sir Joshua to let him know, that on granting a mortgage ' of his pension, he should draw on his lordship to the amount of five or six hundred pounds, and that his I " This offer has in the first view of it the appearance rather of a commercial than a gratuitous transarlion ; luit Sir Joshua clearly understood .it the m.ikine it that Lord Thurlow designedly put it in that form, lie was fearful that Johnson's high spirit would induce him to reject it as a donation, but thought th.it in the way of loan il might be accepted." — Hawkins's Life, p. 571 — Crokeh. 3 Sir Joshua Keynolds, on account of the excellence both of the sentiment and expression of this letter, took a copy of it, which he showed to some of his friends : one of whom [Lady Lucan, il is said. — C], who .ndmircti it, being allowed to peruse it leisurely at home, a copy was made, and found its way into the newspapers and mag.izines. It was transcribed with some maccuracies. I print it from lordship explained the meaning of the mort- gage to be, that he wished the business to be conducted in such a manner, that Dr. Johnson should appear to be under the least possible obligation. Sir Joshua mentioned that he had by the same post communicated iill this to Dr. Johnson. How Johnson was affected upon the occasion will appear from what he wrote to Sir Joshua Reynolds : — " Ashbourne, Sept. 9. " IMany words I hope are not necessary between you and me, to convince you what gratitude is excited in my heart by the Chancellor's liberality, and your kind offices. I have enclos^-d a letter to the Chancellor, which, when you liave read it, you will be pleased to seal with a head, or any other general seal, and convey it to him : had I sent it directly to him, I should have seemed to overlook the favour of your intervention." TO THE LORD HIGH CHANCELLOR.' " September, 17S4. " My Lord, — After a long and not inattentive observation of mankind, the generosity of your lordship's offer raises in me not less wonder than gratitude. Bounty, so liberally bestowed, I should gladly receive, if my condition made it necessary ; for, to such a mind, who would not be proud to own his obligations ? But it has pleased God to restore me to so great a measure of health, that if I should now appropriate so much of a fortune destined to do good, I could not escape from my- self the charge of advancing a false claim. My journey to the Continent, though I once though*' it necessary, was never much encouraged by my physicians ; and I was very desirous that your lordship should be told of it by Sir Joshua Rey- nolds as an event very uncertain ; for if I grew much better, I should not be willing, if much worse, not able, to migrate. Your lordship was first solicited without my knowledge ; but, when I was told that you were pleased to honour me with your patronage, I did not expect to hear of a refusal ; yet, as I have had no long time to brood hope, and have not rioted in imaginary opulence, this cold reception has been scarce a disappointment ; and, from your lordship's kindness, I have received a benefit, which only men like you are able to bestow. I shall now live miVii carior, with a higher opinion of my own merit. I am, my Lord, &c., Sam. Johnson." Upon this unexpected failure I abstain from presuming to make any remarks, or to offer any conjectures.^ the original draft in Johnson's own handwriting. —Bos- well. 3 This affair soon became a topic of conversation, and it was st.ited that the cause of the failure was t/tc refusal of Ihe King himself ; but from the following letter it appears that the matter was never mentioned to his Majesty ; that, as time pressed, 1-ord Thurlow proposed the before-mentioned ar- rangement as from himself — running the risk of obtaining the King's subsequent approbation when he should have an opportunity of mentioning it to his Majesty. This affords some, and yet not a satisfactory, explanation of the device suggested by Lord Thurlow of Johnson's giving him a rnttrteagc on his pension. But it still seems very strange that Boswell, who evidently was much pained .it llie idea that the 782 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1784. Having, after repeated reasonings, brought Dr. Johnson to agree to my removing to London, and even to furnish me with argu- ments in favour of what he had opposed; I wrote to him, requesting he would write them for me. He was so good as to comply, and I shall extract that part of his letter to me, as a proof how well he could exhibit a cautious yet encouraging view of it. JOHNSON TO BOSWELL. "June 11. 1784. " I remember, and entreat you to remember, that virtus est vitium fiigcre, the first approach to riches is security from poverty. The condition upon which you have my consent to settle in I-on- don is, that your expense never exceeds your annual income. Fixing this basis of security, you cannot be hurt, and you may be very much advanced. The loss of your Scottish business, which is all that you can lose, is not to be reckoned as any equivalent to the hopes and possibilities that open here upon you. If you succeed, the question of prudence is at an end ; every body will think that done right which ends happily ; and though your expectations, of wliich I would not advise you to talk too much, should not be totally answered, you can hardly fail to get friends who will do for you all that your present situation allows you to hope ; and if, after a few years, you should return to Scotland, you will return with a mind supplied by various conversation, and many opportunities of inquiry, with much knowledge, and materials for reflection and instruction." [JOHNSON TO DR. ADAMS. " London, 11 th June (July), 1784. " Dear Sir, — I am going into Staffordshire and Derbyshire in quest of some relief, of which my need is not less than when I was treated at your house with so much tenderness. " I have now received the collations for Xeno- phon, which I have sent you with the letters that relate to them. I cannot at present take any part in the work, but t would rather pay for a collation of Oppian than see it neglected ; for the French. King had been the obstacle, should have been kept in ig- norance of the real state of the case, as by the following letter, which I found in the Reynolds papers, it appears lie was. " Lord Thurlow to Sir J. Reynolds. " Thursday, Nov. 18. 1784. " Dear Sir, — My choice, if that had been left me, would certainly have been that the matter should not have been talked of at all. The only object I regarded was my own pleasure, in contributing to the iicalth and comfort of a man whom 1 venerate sincerely and highly for every part, without exception, of his exalted character. This you know 1 pro- posed to do, as it might be without any expense— in all events at a rate infinitely below the satisfaction 1 proposed to myself. It would have suited the purpose better if nobody had heard of it, except Dr. Johnson, you, and J. Busirell. Bui the chief objection to the rumour is, that his Majesty is supposed to have refused it. Had that been so, 1 should not have com- municated the circumstance. It was impossible for me to take the King's pleasure on the suggestion I presumed to move. I am an untoward solicitor. The time seemed to press, and 1 chose rather to take on myself the risk of his Majesty's concurrence than delay a journey which might conduce to Dr. Johnson's liealth and Comfort. " But these are all trifles, and scarce deserve even this cursory explanation. The only question of any worth is whether Dr. Johnson has any wish to go abroad, or other occasion for my assistance. Indeed he should give me credit men act with great liberality. Let us not fall below them. " I know not in what state Dr. Edwards left his book. ' Some of his emendations seemed to me to (be) irrefragably certain, and such, therefore, as ought not to be lost. His rule was not (to) change the text ; and, therefore, I suppose he has left notes to be subjoined. As the book is posthumous, some account of the editor ought to be given. " You have nt)w the whole process of the corre- spondence before you. When the prior is answered, let some apology be made for me.* " I was forced to divide the collation, but as it is paged, you will easily put every part in its proper place. " Be pleased to convey my respects to Mrs. and Miss Adams. I am, Sir, your most humble servant, " Sam. Johnson."] Let us now contemplate Johnson thirty years after the death of his wife, still retaining for her all the tenderness of affection. JOHNSON TO THE REV. MR. BAGSHAW, At Promley. " July 12. 1784. " Sir, — Perhaps you may remember, that in the year 1753 you committed to the ground my dear wife. I now entreat your permission to lay a stone upon her ; and have sent the inscription, that, if you find it proper, you may signify your allowance. " You will do me a great favour by showing the place where she lies, that the stone may protect her remains. " Mr. Ryland^ will wait on you for the inscription [p. 77. n. 4], and procure it to be engraved. You will easily believe that I shrink from this mournful office. When it is done, if I have strength remain- ing, I will visit Bromley once again, and pay you part of the respect to which you have a right from, reverend Sir, your most humble servant, Sam. Johnson." On the same day he wrote to IVIr. Lang- ton : — " I cannot but think that in my languid and for perfect simplicity, when I treat this as merely a pleasure afforded me, and accept it accordingly : any reluctance, if he examines himself thoroughly, will certainly be found to rest, in some part or other, upon a doubt of the disposition with which I offer it. I am, &c., " Thurlow." That this letter was kept from Boswell's knowledge is certain, by his obvious vexation at thinking that the refusal had come from the King — that it was designedly kept from him is rendered probable by the following curious circum- stance. On the face of the original letter his name has been obliterated with so much care that but for the different colour of the ink and some other small circumstances, it would not have been discoverable ; it is artfully done, and the sentence appears to run, " except Dr. Johnson, you, and I" — "Boswell" being erased. This looks like an un- candid trick, to defraud Boswell of his merit in this matter: but by whom the obliteration was made I cannot guess.— CllOKEK. ' His Xenophon. See ante, p. 621.— C. - 1 sujipose the prior of the Benedictines in Paris {ante, p. 4C0. n. 2.), who seem to have made, at Johnson's request, a collation of Xenophon with some copy of their own, and to have proposed a collation of Oppian, but for what precise purpose does not appear. — Croker, 1847. 3 Mr. Kyland was one of his oldest friends, and had proba- blv been an acquaintance of his wife's. (See ante, pp.68. 78'.). Mr. Ryland died July 24. 1798, stet. 81. — Croker. -^T. 75. liOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 783 anxious state, I have some reason to complain that I receive from you neither inquiry nor consolation. You know how much I value your fricndshi)), and with what confidence I expect your kindness, if I wanted any act of tenderness that you could per- form ; at least, if you do not know it, I thijik your Ignorance is your own fault. Yet how Ic that I hnve lived almost in your neighbourhood without the least notice? — I do not, however, consider this neglect as particularly shown to me ; I hear two of your most valuable friends make the same complaint. But why are all thus overlooked ? You are not oppressed by sickness, you arc not dis- tracted by business; if you are sick, you are sick of leisure: — and allow yourself to be told, that no disease is more to be dreaded or avoided. Rather to do nothing than to do good, is the lowest state of a degraded mind. Boileau says to his pupil, ( • Que les vers ne soient pas votre eterncl emploi, I Cultivez vos amis.' That voluntary debility which modern language is content to term indolence will, if it is not coun- teracted by resolution, render in time the strongest faculties lifeless, and turn the flame to the smoke of virtue. — I do not expect or desire to see you, be- cause I am much pleased to lind that your mother stays so long with you, and I should think you neither elegant nor grateful if you did not study her gratification. You will pay my respects to both the ladies, and to all the young people. — I am going northward for a while, to try what help the country can give me ; but if you write, the letter will come after me." Ne.\.t day lie set out on a jaunt to Stafford- shire and Derbyshire, flattering himself that he might be in some degree relieved. During his absence from London he kept up a correspondence with several of his friends, from which I shall select what appears to me proper for publication, without attending nicely to chronological order. To De. Brockxesby he writes, — " Ashbourne, July 20. " The kind attention which you have so long shown to my health and happiness makes it as much a debt of gratitude as a call of interest to give you an account of what befalls me, when acci- dent removes me from your immediate care. The journey of the first day was performed with very little sense of fatigue : the second day brought mc to Lichfield without much lassitude ; but I am afraid that I could not have borne such violent agitation for many days together. Tell Dr. Heberden, that in the coach I read ' Ciceronianus,' which I concluded as I entered Lichfield. My affection and understanding went along with Erasmus, except that once or twice he somewhat unskilfully entangles Cicero's civil or moral with his rhetorical character. — I staid five days at Lich- field, but, being unable to walk, had no great plea- sure ; and yesterday (19th) I came hither, where I am to try what air and attention can perform. — Of any improvement in my health 1 cannot yet > Sir John Floyer, M.D. Sep anti. p. 7. — Crokf.r. » Sam't, M the Essex Head, Essex Street.— 15os>vf.i please myself with the perception. •••••• The asthma has no abatement. Opiates stop the fit, so as that I can sit and sometimes lie easy, but they do not now ])rocure me the power of motion ; and I am afraid that my general strength of body does not increase. Tiie weather indeed is not benign : hut how low is he sunk whose strength depends upon the weather! I am now looking into Floyer', who lived with his asthma to almost his ninetieth year. His book, by want of order, is obscure ; and his asthma, I tiiink, not of the same kind with mine. Something, however, I may per- haps karn. — My appetite still continues keen enough ; and what I consider as a symptom of radical health, I have a voracious delight in raw summer fruit, of which I was less eager a few years ago. — You will be pleased to communicate this account to Dr. Heberden, and if any thing is to be done, let me have your joint opinion. — Now — abite, cum ! — let me inquire after the club." ' "July 31st. — Not recollecting that Dr. Heber- den miglit be at Windsor, I thought your letter long in coming. But you know nocitura petunlur, the letter which I so much desired tells me that I have lost one of my best and tenderest friends.' My comfort is, that he appeared to live like a man that had always before his eyes the fragility of our present existence, and was therefore, I hope, not unprepared to meet his Judge. — Your attention, dear Sir, and that of Dr. Heberden, to my health, is extremely kind. I am loth to think that I grow worse ; and cannot fairly prove even to my own partiality that I grow much better." " Aug. 5. — I return you thanks, dear Sir, for your unwearied attention both medicinal and friendly, and hope to prove the effect of your care by living to acknowledge it." " Aug. 12. — Pray be so kind as to have me in your thoughts, and mention my case to others as you have opportunity. I seem to myself neither to gain nor lose strength. I have lately tried milk, but have yet founil no advantage, and am afraid of it merely as a liquid. ]\Iy appetite is still good, which I know is dear Dr. Heberden's criterion of the vis vitce. — As we cannot now see each other, do not omit to write, for you cannot think with what warmth of expectation I reckon the hours of a post day." "Aug. 14. — I have hitherto sent you only melancholy letters : you will be glad to hear some better account. Yesterday the asthma remitted, perceptibly remitted, and I moved with more ease than I have enjoyed for many weeks. May God continue his mercy ! This account I would not delay, because I am not a lover of complaints or tomplainers; and yet I have, since we parted, uttered nothing till now but terror and sorrow. Write to me, dear Sir." " Aug. IC. — Better, I hope, and better. I\Iy respiration gets more and more ease and liberty. I went to church yesterday, after a very liberal dinner, without any inconvenience; it is indeed no long walk, but I never walked it without difficulty, since I came, before. •••••• 'J^e intention was only to overpower the seeming vis inertia: of the pectoral and pulmonary muscles. — I am Mr. Allen, the printer. — Bo3Wf..L. (84 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1784. favoured with a degree of ease that very much delights me, and do not despair of another race up the stairs of the Academy. — If I were, however, of a humour to see, or to show, the state of my body, on the dark side, I might say, ♦ Quid te exempta juvat spinis de pluribus una ? ' The nights are still sleepless, and the water rises, though it does not rise very fast. Let us, however, rejoice in all the good that we have. The remis- sion of one disease will enable nature to combat the rest. — The squills I have not neglected ; for I have taken more than a hundred drops a day, and one day took two hundred and fifty, which, accord- ing to the popular equivalent of a drop to a grain, is more than half an ounce. I thank you, dear Sir, for your attention in ordering the medicines ; your attention to me has never failed. If the virtue of medicines could be enforced by the bene- volence of the prescriber, how soon should I be well !" "August 19 The relaxation of the asthma still continues, yet I do not trust it wholly to itself, but soothe it now and then with an opiate. I not only perform the act of respiration with less labour, but I can walk with fewer intervals of rest, and with greater freedom of motion. I never thought well of Dr. James's compounded medi- cines ; his ingredients appear to me sometimes in- efficacious and trifling, and sometimes heterogeneous and destructive of each other. This prescription exhibits a composition of about three hundred and thirty grains, in which there are four grains of emetic tartar, and six drops [of] thebaic tincture. He that writes thus surely writes for show. The basis of his medicine is the gum ammoniacum, which dear Dr. Lawrence used to give, but of which I never saw any effect. We will, if you please, let this medicine alone. The squills have every suffrage, and in the squills we will rest for the present." « Aug. 21 The kindness which you show by having me in your thoughts upon all occasions will, I hope, always fill my heart with gratitude. Be pleased to return my thanks to Sir George Baker', for the consideration which he has bestowed upon me. Is this the balloon that has been so long ex- pected, this balloon = to which I subscribed, but without payment? It is pity that philosophers have been disappointed, and shame that they have been cheated ; but I know not well how to prevent either. Of this experiment I have read nothing : where was it exhibited? and who was the man that ran away with so much money? Continue, dear Sir, to write often, and more at a time ; for none of your prescriptions operate to their proper uses more certainly than your letters operate as cordials." " August 26. — I suffered you to escape last post without a letter, but you are not to expect such indulgence very often ; for I write not so much because I have any thing to say, as because I hope for an answer ; and the vacancy of my life here makes a letter of great value. I have here little company and little amusement; and, thus abandoned to the contemplation of my own miseries. I am something gloomy and depressed : this too I resist as I can, and find opium, I think, useful ; but I seldom take more than one grain. Is not this strange weather ? Winter absorbed the spring, and now autumn is come before we have had sum- mer. But let not our kindness for each other imitate the inconstancy of the seasons." " Sept. 2 Mr. Windham has been here to see me ; he came, I think, forty miles out of his way, and staid about a day and a half; perhaps I make the time shorter than it was. Such conversation I shall not have again till I come back to the regions of literature ; and there Windham is inter stellas ' Luna minores. " He then mentions the effects of certain , medicines, as taken, and adds, — " Nature is recovering its original powers, and the functions returning to their proper state. God continue his mercies, and grant me to use them I rightly ! " " Sept. 9. — Do you know the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire? And have you ever seen Chatsworth ? I was at Chatsworth on Monday : I had seen it before, but never when its owners were at home ; I was very kindly received, and honestly pressed to stay ; but I told them that a sick man is not a fit inmate of a great house. But I hope to ' go again some time." " Sept. H. — I think nothing grows worse, but , all rather better, except sleep, and that of late has J been at its old pranks. Last evening, I felt what I had not known for a long time, an inclination to walk for amusement ; I took a short walk, and came back again neither breathless nor fatigued. : This has been a gloomy, frigid, ungenial summer; but of late it seems to mend ; I hear the heat some- times mentioned, but I do not feel it : » Prasterea minimus gelido jam in corpore sanguis Febre calet sola.' * I hope, however, with good help, to find means of supporting a winter at home, and to hear and tell at the Club what is doing, and what ought to be doing, in the world. I have no company here, and shall naturally come home hungry for conversation. To wish you, dear Sir, more leisure, would not be kind ; but what leisure you have, you must bestow upon me." " Sept. 16 I have now let you alone for a long time, having indeed little to say. You charge me somewhat unjustly with luxury. At Chats- worth, you should remember that I have eaten but once ; .nnd the doctor, with whom I live, follows a milk diet. I grow no fatter, though my stomach, if it be not disturbed by physic, never fails me. I now grow weary of solitude, and think of removing next week to Lichfield, a place of more society, but otherwise of less convenience. When I am settled, I shall write again. Of the hot weather that you 1 The eminent physician, who was created a Baronet in 1776, and died June 1809, astat. 88. _ Croker. 2 Does Dr. Johnson here allude to the unsuccessful at- tempt made, in 1784, by De Moret, who was determined to anticipate Lunardi in his first experiment in England ? " Moret attempted to inflate his balloon with rarefied air, but by some accident in the process it sunk upon the fire ; and the populace, who regarded the whole as an imposture, rushing in, completely destroyed the machine." — Tiraii'leij'i Limdiniana, vol. ii. p. 162. no<(?.— Markland. 3 It is remariiable that so good a Latin scholar as Jnluison should have been so inattentive to the metre, as by mistake to have written stcUas instead of (gnes. — BosvviiLL. ■• " Add that a fever only warms his veins. And thaws the little blood which yet remains." Juv.Sat.\.2n. afford — C. JEt. 75. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 785 mentioned, we liave [not] had in Derbysliire very much ; and for myself I seldom feel heat, and I suppose that my frigidity is the ett'ect of my dis- temper — a supposition which naturally leads me to hope that a hotter climate may be useful. But I hope to stand another English winter." " Liehtield, Sept. 29. — On one day I had three f letters about the air-balloon': yours was far the [best, and has enabled me to impart to my friends I in the country an idea of this species of amusement. i In amusement, mere amusement, I am afraid it must end, for I do not find that its course can be directed so as that it should serve any purposes of commu- nication ; and it can give no new intelligence of the state of the air at different heights, till they have ascended above the height of mountains, which they seem never likely to do, I came hither on the i!7th. How long I shall stay, I have not determined. j\Iy dropsy is gone, and my asthma is much remitted, but I have felt myself a little declining these two days, or at least to-day ; but such vicissitudes must be expected. One day may be worse than another ; but this last montli is far better than the former : if the next should be as much better than this, I shall run about the town on my own legs." "Oct. C. — The fate of the balloon I do not much lament : to make new balloons is to repeat the jest again. We now know a method of mounting into theair, and, I think, are not likely to know more. jTlie vehicles can serve no use till we can guide ithem ; and they can gratify no curiosity till we Imount with them to greater heights than we can iireaeh without ; till we rise above the tops of the ijhighest mountains, which we have yet not 'done. We know the state of the air in all its 1 1, i^ions, to the top of Teneriffe, and therefore learn noihing from those who navigate a balloon below t'.if clouds. The first experiment, however, was 1 111, and deserved applause and reward : but since i lias been performed, and its event is known, I liul rather now find a medicine that can case an •■ Oct. 25. — You write to me with a zeal that j;aiuinates and a tenderness that melts me. I am not afraid either of a journey to London, or a resi- dence in it. I came down with little fatigue, and am now not weaker. In the smoky atmosphere I is delivered from the dropsy, which I consider as the original and radical disease. The town is my element^: there are my friends, there are my books, to which I have not yet bid farewell, and there are my amusements. Sir Joshua told me long ago, that my vocation was to public life ; and I hope still to keep my station, till God shall bid me Go Lunardi had ascended from the Artillery Grniitid mi the I I 111 this month ; and as it was the first ascent in a balloon !i had been witnessed in England, it was not surprising > iry general interest was excited by the spcctaclo, .ind 1 sf) many allusions should be made to it by Johnson and I his correspondents. The late Lord Tenterdcn, whilst a (student at Oxford, abtained a prize in this year, lor his tLatin verses entitled Globus Aerustnticus Mahkland. 2 His love of I-ondon continually appears. In a letter from him to Mrs. Smart, wile of his friend the poet, which is published in a well-written life of him, prefixed to an edition of bis poems, in 17U1, there is the following sentence:" To one that has passed so many years in the pleasures and opu- llence of London, there are few places that can give much delight." Once upon reading that line in the curious epitaph quoted in " The Spectator,"— JOHNSON TO MR. HOOLE. " Anhbourne, Aug. 7. " Since I was here, I have two little letters from you, and have not liad the gratitude to write. But every man is most free with his best friends, be- cause he does not suppose that they can suspect him of intentional incivility. One reason for my omission is, that being in a place to whicli you are wholly a stranger, I liave no topics of correspond- ence. If you iiad any knowledge of Aslibourne, I could tell you of two Ashbourne men, who, being last week condemned at Derby to be hanged for robbery, went and hanged themselves in their cell. But this, however it may supply us with talk, is nothing to you. Your kindness, I know, would make you glad to liear some good of me, but I have not much good to tell : if I grow not worse, it is all that I can say. I hope Mrs. IIoolc re- ceives more help from her migration. I\Iake her my compliments, and write again to, dear Sir, your affectionate servant." "Aug. 13 I thank you for your affectionate letter. I hope we shall both be the better for each otiier's friendship, and I hope we shall not very quickly be parted. Tell I\Ir. Nichols that I shall be glad of his correspondence when his business allows him a little remission ; though to wish him less business, that I may have more pleasure, would be too selfish. To pay for seats at the balloon is not very necessary, because in less than a minute they who gaze at a mile's distance will see all that can be seen. About the wings, I am of your mind : they cannot at all assist it, nor I think regu- late its motion. I am now grown somewhat easier in my body, but my mind is sometimes depressed. About the Club I am in no great pain. The for- feitures go on, and the house, I hear, is improved for our future meetings. I hope we shall meet often and sit long." " Sept. 4. — Your letter was indeed long in coming, but it was very welcome. Our acquaint- ance has now subsisted long, and our recollection of each other involves a great space, and many little occurrences which melt the thoughts to tenderness. Write to me, therefore, as frequently as ycni cm. I hear from Dr. Brocklesby and INIr. Rylaiid that the Club is not crowded. I hope we shall enliven it when winter brings us together." JOHNSON TO DR.^BURNEY. " AuKUSt 2. " Tlie weather, you know, has not been balmy. I am now reduced to think, and am at least con- tent to talk, of the weather. Pride must have a ftill.' I have lost dear Mr. Allen ; and wherever " Born in New England, did in London die," — he liuighcd, .md caid, " I do not wonder at this. It would have been strange if, born in London, he had died in New England." — Uoswell. 3 There was no information for which Dr. Johnson was less grateful than for that which concerned the weather. It w.is in allusion to his impjitience with those who u ere re- duced to keep conversation alive by observations on the weather, that he applied the old proverb to himself. If any one of his intimate acquaintance told him it w.is hot or cold, wet or dry, windy or calm, he would stop them by saying, " Poh ! poh ! you are telling us that of which nemo but men in a mine or a dungeon can be ignor.mt. Let us bear with patience, or enjoy in quiet, elementary changes, whether for the better or the worse, as they are never secrets."— lil'hNny. 3e 786 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1784. I turn, the dead or the dying meet my notice, and force my attention upon misery and mortality. Mrs. Burney's escape from so much danger, and her ease after so much pain, throws, however, some radiance of hope upon the gloomy prospect. May her recovery be perfect, and her continuance long ! I struggle hard for life. I take physic and take air: my friend's chariot is always ready. We have run this morning twenty-four miles, and could run forty-eight more. But who can run the race with death ? " " Sept. 4." — [Concerning a private transaction, in which his opinion was asked, and after giving it, he makes the following reflections, which are appli- cable on other occasions.] "Nothing deserves more compassion than wrong conduct with good meaning; than loss or obloquy suffered by one who, as he is conscious only of good intentions, wonders why he loses that kindness which he wishes to preserve; and not knowing his own fault — if, as may sometimes happen, nobody will tell him — goes on to offend b.y his endeavours to please. I am delighted by finding that our opinions are the same. You will do me a real kindness by continuing to write. A post-day has now been long a day of recreation," " Nov. 1. — Our correspondence paused for want of topics. I had said what I had to say on the matter proposed to my consideration, and nothing remained but to tell you that I waked or slept, that I was more or less sick. I drew my thoughts in upon myself, and supposed yours employed upon your book. That your book has been delayed I am glad, since you have gained an opportunity of being more exact. Of the caution necessary in adjusting narratives there is no end. Some tell what they do not know, that they may not seem ignorant, and others from mere indifference about truth. All truth is not, indeed, of equal impor- tance : but if little violations are allowed, every violation will in time be thought little ; and a writer should keep himself vigilantly on his guard against the first temptations to negligence or supineness. I had ceased to write, because re- specting you I had no more to say, and respecting myself could say little good. I cannot boast of advancement ; and in case of convalescence it may be said, with few exceptions, Non progredi est re(/rcdi. I hope I may be excepted. My great difficulty was with my sweet Fanny', who, by her artifice of inserting her letter in yours, had given me a precept of frugality which I was not at liberty to neglect ; and I know not who were in town under whose cover I could send my letter. I rejoice to hear that you are so well, and have a delight particularly sympathetic in the recovery of Mrs. Burney." JOHNSON TO LANGTON. " August 25. "The kindness of your last letter, and my omission to answer it, begin to give you, even in ray opinion, a right to recriminate, and to charge me with forgetfulness for the absent. I will therefore He says "pride must have a fall," in .illusion to his own former assertions, that the weather had no effect on hiimau health. See Idler, No. 11., and ante, p. HI. and 146.— Croker. 1 The celebrated Miss Fanny Burney. — Boswell. delay no longer to give an account of myself, and wish I could relate what would please either my- self or my friend. On July 13. I left London, partly in hope of help from new air and change of place, and partly excited by the sick man's impa- tience of the present. I got to Lichfield in a stage vehicle, with very little fatigue, in two days, and had the consolation' to find that since my last visit my three old acquaintances are all dead. — July 20. I went to Ashbourne, where I have been till now. ] The house in which we live is repairing. I live in too much solitude, and am often deeply dejected. I wish we were nearer, and rejoice in your removal to London. A friend at once cheerful and serious is a great acquisition. Let us not neglect one another for the little time which Providence allows us to hope. Of my health I cannot tell you, what my wishes persuaded me to expect, that it is much , improved by the season or by remedies. I am sleepless ; my legs grow weary with a very few steps, and the water breaks its boundaries in some ; degree. The asthma, however, has remitted : my breath is still much obstructed, but is more free than it was. Nights of watchfulness produce torpid days, i I read very little, though I am alone ; for I am ' tempted to supply in the day what I lost in bed. This is my history ; like all other histories, a nar- rative of misery. Yet I am so much better than i in the beginning of the year, that I ought to be '■ ashamed of complaining. I now sit and write with ; very little sensibility of pain or weakness ; but ; when I rise, I shall find my legs betraying rae. Of the money which yqu mentioned I have no im- ; mediate need : keep it, however, for me, unless ; some exigence requires it. Your papers I will show you certainly when you would see them; but I am a little angry at you for not keeping minutes of your own acceptum et expensum, and think a little time might be spared from Aristo- phanes for the res familiares. Forgive me, for 1 mean well. I hope, dear Sir, that you and Lady Rothes and all the young people, too many to enumerate, are well and happy. God bless you all." JOHNSON TO WINDHAM. August. " The tenderness with which you have been pleased to treat me through my long illness, neither health nor sickness can, I hope, make me forget ; and you are not to suppose that after we parted you were no longer in my mind. But what can a sick man say, but that ho is sick? His thoughts are necessarily concentred in himself: he neither receives nor can give delight ; his inquiries are after alleviations of pain, and his efforts are to catch some momentary comfort. Though I am now in the neighbourhood of the Peak, you must expect no account of its wonders, of its hills, its waters, its caverns, or its mines ; but I will tell you, dear Sir, what I hope you will not hear with less satisfaction, that, for about a week past, my asthma has been less afflictive." " Lichfield, Oct. 2.^ — I believe you had been 2 Mr. Malone thought that consolation was not the proper word, or that some epithet like sad or tnotirnful was wanted l)efore it : but I rather think that Johnson used the expression in sad irony. — Crokek, 1847. 3 Between these two letters Mr. Windham had visited hiin at Ashbourn. — Choker, 1847. JEt. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 787 long enough acquainted with the phcenomena of sickness not to be surprised that a sick man wishes to be where he is not, and where it appears to every body but himself that he mifjht easily be, without having tiie resolution to remove. 1 thought Ashbourne a solitary place, but did not come hither till last Monday. I have here more company, but my health has for this last week not advanced ; and in the languor of disease how little can be done ! ^Vhithe^ or when 1 shall make my next remove, I cannot tell ; but I entreat you, dear Sir, to let me know from time to time where you may be found, for your residence is a very powerful attractive to. Sir, your most humble servant." JOHNSON TO PERKINS. " Lichfield, Oct 4. " I cannot but flatter myself that your kindness for me will make you glad to know where I am, and in what state. I have been struggling very hard with my diseases. My breath has been very much obstructed, and the water has attempted to encroach upon me again. I passed the first part of the summer at Oxford, afterwards I went to Lichfield, thence to Ashbourne in Derbyshire, and a week ago I returned to Lichfield. Jly breath is now much easier, and the water is in a great mea- sure run away, so that I hope to see you again before winter. Please make my compliments to Mrs. Perkins, and to Mr. and Mrs. Barclay. I JOHNSON TO G. W. HAMILTON. " Lichfield, Oct. 20. " Considering what reason ' you gave me in the spring to conclude that you took part in whatever good or evil might befall me, I ought not to have omitted so long the account which 1 am now about to give you. My diseases are an asthma and a dropsy, and what is less curable, seventy-five. Of the dropsy, in the beginning of the summer, or in the spring, I recovered to a degree which struck [with wonder both me and my physicians: the I asthma now is likewise for a time very much re- ilieved. I went to O.xford, where the asthma was ivery tyrannical, and the dropsy began again to [threaten me ; but seasonable physic stopped the j inundation : I then returned to London, and in (July took a resolution to visit Staffordshire and Derbyshire, where I am yet struggling with my (liscase. The dropsy made another attack, and was i"'t easily ejected, but at last gave way. The Ilia suddenly remitted in bed on the 1 3th of iust, and though now very oppressive, is, I . luk, still something gentler than it was before iliL remission. My limbs are miserably debilitated, and my nigiits are sleepless and tedious. When 1 read this, dear Sir, you are not sorry that I te no sooner. I will not prolong my com- ints. I hope still to see you in a happier hour, ;ulk over what we have often talked, and per- ! s to find new topics of merriment, or new itements to curiositv. I am, &c." • Xo doubt Mr. Hamilton's generous oflbr, ante, p. 742., hough Johnson mentions as of the spring, what really laiipened in November Croker. JOHNSON TO PARADLSK. " Lichfield, Oct. 27. " Tliough in all my summer's excursion I have given you no account of myself, I hope you think better of me than to imagine it possible for me to forget you, whose kindness to me has been too great and too constant not to have made its impres- sion on a harder breast than mine. Silence is not very culpable, when nothing pleasing is suppressed. It would have alleviated none of your complaints to have read my vici.ssitudcs of evil. I have strug- gled hard with very formidable and obstinate mala- dies ; aud though I cannot talk of health, think all praise due to my Creator and Preserver for the continuance of my life. The dropsy has made two attacks, and has given way to medicine ; the asthma is very oppressive, but that has likewise once re- mitted. I am very weak and very sleepless ; but it is time to conclude the tale of misery. I hope, dear Sir, that you grow better, for you have like- wise your share of human evil, and that your lady and the young charmers are well." JOHNSON TO GEORGE NICOL.» " Ashbourne, August 19. " Since we parted, I have been much oppressed by my asthma, but it has lately been less laborious. When I sit I am almost at ease ; and I can walk, though yet very little, with less difhculty for this week past than before. I hope I shall again enjoy my friends, and that you and I shall have a little more literary conversation. Where I now am, every thing is very liberally provided for me but conversation. IMy friend is sick himself, and the reciprocation of complaints and groans affords not much of either pleasure or instruction. What we have not at home this town does not supply ; and I shall be glad of a little imported intelligence, and hope that you will bestow, now and then, a little time on the relief and entertainment of, Sir, yours, &c." JOHNSON TO CRUIKSHANK. " .-ishbourne, Sept. 4. " Do not suppose that I forget you : I hope I shall never be accused of forgetting my benefactors. I had, till lately, nothing to write but complaints upon complaints of miseries upon miseries ; but within this fortnight I have received great relief. Have your lectures any vacation ? If you are released from the necessity of daily study, you may find time for a letter to me. — [In this letter he states the ])articulars of his case.] — In return for this account of my health, let me have a good ac- count of yours, and of your pro.sperity in all your undertakings." JOHNSON TO T. DA VIES. " August 1-J. " The tenderness with which you always treat me makes me culpable in my own eyes for having omitted to write in so long a separation. I had, indeed, nothing to say that you could wish to hear. All has been hitherto misery accumulated upon Bookseller to his Majesty. — Boswell. 3e 2 rss BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1784. misery, disease corroborating disease, till yesterday my asthma was perceptibly and imexpectedly mi- tigated. I am much comforted with this short relief, and am willing to flatter myself that it may continue and improve. I have at present such a degree of ease as not only may admit the comforts but the duties of life. Make my compliments to Mrs. Davies. — Poor dear Allen ! — he was a good man." JOHNSON TO REYNOLDS. " Ashbourne, July 12. " The tenderness with which I am treated by my friends makes it reasonable to suppose that they are desirous to know the state of my health, and a desire so benevolent ought to be gratified. — 1 came to Lichfield in two days without any painful fatigue, and on Monday came hither, where I purpose to stay and try what air and regularity will effect. I cannot yet persuade myself that I have made much progress in recovery. My sleep is little, my breath is very much encumbered, and my legs are very weak. The water has increased a little, but has again run off. The most distressing symptom is want of sleep." "Aug. 19. — Having had since our separation little to say that could please you or myself by saying, I have not been lavish of useless letters ; but I flatter myself that you will partake of the plea- sure with which 1 can now tell you that, about a week ago, I felt suddenly a sensible remission of my asthma, and consequently a greater lightness of ■ action and motion Of this grateful alleviation I know not the cause, nor dare depend upon its continuance; but while it lasts 1 endeavour to enjoy it, and am desirous of communicating, while it lasts, my pleasure to my friends. — Hitherto, dear Sir, I had written before the post, which stays in this town but a little while, brought me your letter. Mr. Davies seems to have represented my I little tendency to recover in terms too splendid. I am still restless, still weak, still watery, but the asthma is less oppressive. — Poor Ramsay !' On which side soever I turn, mortality presents its formidable frown. I left three old friends at Lich- field when I was last there, and now found them all dead. I no sooner lost sight of dear Allan, than I am told that I shall see him no more. That we must all die, we always knew ; I wish I had sooner remembered it. Do not think me intrusive or importunate, if I now call, dear Sir, on you to remember it." " Sept. 2. — I am glad that a little favour from the court has intercepted your furious purposes.* T could not in any case have approved such public violence of resentment, and should have considered any who encouraged it as rather seeking sport for themselves than honour for you. Resentment gratifies him who intended an injury, and pains him unjustly who did not intend it. But all this is now superfluous. — I still continue, by God's 1 Ramsay, who died August 10. 1784. a;t. 71.— Boswell. Ante, p. 579. n. 3. — C. 2 This no doubt refers to the intention of Sir Joshua to resign the chair of the Academy : a purpose which, though at this time abandoned, he executed in Feb. 1790; but he resumed the chair again within a month. — Croker. ■3 See ante, p. 772. ct seq. There is much obscurity in this matter. It appears that Sir Joshua understood Lord Thurlow in his verbal communication (n»e." [JOHNSON TO HAWKINS. " Lichfield, 7th November, 178-4. " I am relapsing into the dropsy very fast, and shall make such haste to town that it will be useless to write to me ; but when I come, let me have the benefit of your advice, and the consolation of your company."] -Life. This various mass of correspondence, which I have thus bi-ought together, is valuable, both as an addition to the store which the public already has of Johnson's writings, and as exhi- biting a genuine and noble specimen of" vigour and vivacity of mind, which neither age nor sickness could impair or diminish. It may be observed, that his writing in every way, whether for the jmblic or privately to his friends, was by fits and starts ; for we see frequently that many letters are written on the same day. When he had once over- come his aversion to begin, lie was, I suppose, desirous to go on, in order to relieve his mind from the uneasy reflection of delaying what he ought to do. While in the country, notwithstanding the accumulation of illness which he endured, his mind did not lose its powers. lie translated an ode of Horace [lib. iv. ode vii.], which is printed in his works, and composed several prayers. I shall insert one of them, which is so wise and energetic, so philosophiciil and so pious, that I doubt not of its afi'ording consola- tion to many a sincere Christian, when in a state of mind to which I believe the best are sometimes liable. " Against inquisitive and perplexing Thoughts. " O Lord, my maker and protector, who hast the literary and topographicil history of his country, died in 1820, at the advanced age of eighty-two. " His long life," as his friend .ind biographer, Mr. Alexander Chalmers, has truly observed. " w.-is spent in the promotion of useful know- ledge." The Life of Bowyer, to which Johnson refers, was republished in 1812-15, with large additiims, in nine vols. 8vo., under the title of •' Literary Anecdotes of the Eigh- teenth Century. " It is a storehouse of facts and dates, and every man interested in literary biography must own the vast obligations which are due to its indefatigable compiler. — Markland. The last six volumes are of comparatively little value for want of an index. — Croker. 1847. 3 E 3 790 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1784. graciously sent me into this world to work out my salvation, enable me to drive from me all such unquiet and perplexing thoughts as may mislead or hinder me in the practice of those duties which thou hast required. When I behold the works of thy hands, and consider the course of thy pro- vidence, give me grace always to remember that thy thoughts are not my thoughts, nor thy ways my ways. And while it shall please thee to con- tinue me in this world, where much is to be done and little to be known, teach me, by thy Holy Spirit, to withdraw my mind from unprofitable and dangerous inquiries, from difficulties vainly curious, and doubts impossible to be solved. Let me rejoice in the light which thou hast imparted ; let me serve thee with active zeal and humble con- fidence, and wait with patient expectation for the time in which the soul which thou receivest shall be satisfied with knowledge. Grant this, O Lord, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen." And here I am enabled fully to refute a very unjust reflection, by Sir John Hawkins, both against Dr. Johnson and his faithful ser- vant Mr. Francis Barber ; as if both of them had been guilty of culpable neglect towards a person of the name of Heely, whom Sir John chooses to call a relation of Dr. Johnson's. The fact is, that Mr. Heely was not his rela- tion : he had indeed been married to one of his cousins, but she had died without having children, and he had married another woman ; so that even the slight connection which there once had been by alliance was dissolved. Dr. Johnson, who had shown very great liberality to this man while his first wile was alive, as has appeared in a former part of this work [p. 183.], was humane and charitable enough to continue his bounty to him occasionally ; but surely there was no strong call of duty upon him or upon his legatee to do more. The fol- lowing letter, obligingly communicated to me by Mr. Andrew Strahan, will confirm what I have stated : — JOHNSON TO HEELY, No. 5. in Pt/e- Street, Westminster. " Ashbourne, Aug. 12. 1784. " Sir, — As necessity obliges you to call so soon again upon me, you should at least have told the smallest sum that will supply your present want : you cannot suppose that I have much to spafe. Two guineas is as much as you ought to be behind with your creditor. If you wait on Mr. Strahan, in New-Street, Fetter-Lane, or, in his absence, on Mr. Andrew Strahan, show this, by which they are entreated to advance you two guineas, and to keep this as a voucher. I am, Sir, your humble servant, " Sam. Johnson." 1 This surely is over-stated. There are many proofs that Johnson was slovenly in such matters, but no one ever thought it an imputation of so grave a nature as Boswell here represents it. — Croker. 2 The following circumstance, mutually to the honour of Johnson and the corporation of his native city, has been communicated to me by the Rev. Dr. Vyse from the town clerk : — Indeed it is very necessary to keep in mind that Sir John Hawkins has unaccountably viewed Johnson's character and conduct in almost every particular with an unhappy pre- judice. I shall add one instance only to those which I have thought it incumbent on me to point out. Talking of Mr. Garrick's having: signified his willingness to let Johnson have the loan of any of his books to assist him in his edition of Shakspeare, Sir John says \ (p. 444.), " Mr. Garrick knew not what risk he ran by this ofier. Johnson had so strange a forgetfulness of obligations of this sort, that few who lent him books ever saw them again." This surely conveys a most unfavourable in- sinuation, and has been so understood.' Sir John mentions the single case of a curious edition of Polltian, which he tells us appeared ' to belong to Pembroke College, which pro- bably has been considered by Johnson as his own for upwards of fifty years. Would it not ' be fairer to consider this as an inadvertence, and draw no general inference ? The truth Is, that Johnson was so attentive, that in one of his manuscripts in my possession he has marked in two columns books borrowed and books lent. In Sir John Hawkins's compilation there ', are, however, some passages concerning John- son which have unquestionable merit. One of them I shall transcribe, in justice to a writer whom I have had too much occasion to cen- sure, and to show my fairness as the biographer of my illustrious friend : " There was wanting in his conduct and behaviour that dignity which results from a regular and orderly course ■ of action, and by an irresistible power com- mands esteem. He could not be said to be a staid man, nor so to have adjusted in his mind the balance of reason and passion, as to give occasion to say, what may be observed, of some men, that all they do Is just, fit, and right." Yet a judicious friend well suggests, " It might, however, have been added, that such men are ] often merely just, and rigidly correct, while their hearts are cold and unfeeling : and that Johnson's virtues were of a much higher tone than those of the staid orderly man here de- scribed." We now behold Johnson for the last time in his native city, for which he ever retained a warm affection, and which by a sudden apos- trophe, under the word Lich^ he introduces with reverence into his immortal work, " The English Dictionary : " — " Salve magna pa- rens T"^ While here, he felt a revival of all the tenderness of filial affection, an instance of which appeared in his ordering the grave-; " Mr. Simpson has now before him a record of the respect and veneration which the corporation of Lichfield, in the year 1707, had for the merits and learning of Dr. Johnson. His father built the corner house in the market-place, the two fronts of wliich, towards Marltet and Broad-market Street, stood upon waste land of the corporation, under a forty years' lease, which was then expired. On the 15th of August, 17C7, at a common-hall of the bailiffs and citizens, it ^T. 76. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. (91 stones and inscription over Elizabeth Blancy (see p. 5.) to be substantially and carefully renewed. ' To Mr. Henry White ', a young clergyman, i with whom he now formed an intimacy, so as to talk to him with great freedom, he men- tioned that he could not in general accuse himself of having been an undutiful son. I " Once, indeed," said he, " I was disobedient : i I refused to attend my father to Uttoxetcr I market. Pride was the source of that refusal, I and the remembrance of it was painful. A i few years ago I desired to atone for this fault. I I went to Uttoxeter in very bad weather, and [ stood for a considerable time bare-headed in 1 the rain, on the spot where my father's stall used to stand. In contrition I stood, and I hope the penance was expiatory." ^ " I told him," says j\liss Seward, " in one of my latest visits to him, of a wonderful learned pig which I had seen at Nottingham; and which did all that we have observed exhibited by dogs and horses. The subject amused him. ' Then,' said he, ' the pigs are a race unjustly calumniated. Pig has, it seems, not been wanting to man, but man to j)ig. AVe do not allow time for his education ; we kill him at a year old.' Mr. Henry White, who was present, observed that if this instance had I happened in or before Pope's time, he would not have been justified in instancing the swine I as the lowest degree of grovelling instinct. [ Dr. Johnson seemed pleased with the obscrva- j tion, while the person Avho made it proceeded j to remark, that great torture must have been I employed, ere the indocility of the animal ! could have been subdued. — ' Certainly,' said j the Doctor ; ' but,' turning to me, ' how old is i your pig ? ' I told him, three years old. I ' Then,' said he, ' the pig has no cause to com- plain ; he would have been killed the first year if he had not been educated^ and protracted existence is a good recompence for very consi- derable degrees of torture.' " As Johnson had now very faint hopes of recovery, and as Mrs. Thrale was no longer devoted to him, it might have been supposed was ordered (and that without my solicitation), that a lease should be granted to Samuel Johnson, Doctor of Laws, of the encroachments at his house, for the term of ninety-nine years, at the old rent, which was five shillings: of which, as townclerk, Mr. Simpson had the honour and pleasure of informing him, and that he was desired to accept it without paying any fine on the occasion ; wliich lease was afterwards granted, and the doctor died possessed of this property." — BoswELL. I disbelieve that Johnson's father built the house, and I am satisfied the lease was only of the encroachment, made by a shop window jutting out into the street.— 1 Sacrist and one of the vicars of Lichfield Cathedral, 1831. — Makklanu. ^ 2 This story is told in more detail in \\ arner s Tour through the yorthern Counties of England:' ISO'J. — Cboker. 5 Mr. Burke suggested to me, as applicable to Johnson, what Cicero, in his "Cato Major," says of .\ppius: " Intentum enira animum, tanquam arcum, habebat, nee languescens succumbebat senectuti ; " [His mind was strung like a bow, nor did he yield to the languor of old age] ; repeating at the same time, the following nuble words in the same passage : " Ita enim senectus honcsta est. si seipsa defendit, si jus •uum retinet, si nemini cmancipata est, si iisciuo ad extrc- that he would naturally have chosen to remain in the comfortable house of his beloved wife's daughter, and end his life where he began it. liut there was in him an animated and lofty spirit ^ ; and however complicated diseases might depress ordinary mortals, all who saw him beheld and acknowledged the invictuin ajiii/mni Catonis.* Such was his intellectual ardour even at this time, that he said to one friend, " Sir, I look upon every day to be lost in which I do not make a new acquaintance ; " and to another, when talking of his illness, " I will be conquered ; I will not capitulate." And such was his love of London, so high a relish had he of its magnificent extent and variety of intellectual entertainment, that he languished when absent from it, his mind having become quite luxurious from the long habit of enjoying the metropolis ; and, there- fore, although at Lichfield, surrounded with friends who loved and revered him, and for whom he had a very sincere affection, he still found that such conversation as London affords could be found nowhere else. These feelings, joined probably to some flattering hopes of aid from the eminent physicians and surgeons in London, who kindly and generously attended him without accepting fees, made him resolve to return to the capital. From Lichfield he came to Birmingham, where he passed a few days with his worthy old schoolfellow, Mr. Hector, who thus writes to me • " He was very solicitous with me to recollect some of our most early transactions, and transmit them to liim, for I perceived nothing gave him greater pleasure than calling to mind those days of our innocence. I complied with his request, and he only received them a few days before his death. I have transcribed for your inspection exactly the minutes I wrote to him." This paper having been found in his repo- sitories after his death. Sir John Hawkins has inserted it entire, and I have made occasional use of it and other communications from ^Ir. Hector ^ in the course of this work. I have mum vitiE spiritum vindicet jus suum ;" [Old age is honour- able if it defends itself; if it maintains its rights; if it does not surrender itself; if to the last breath of life it vindicates its rights.] — BoswEl.L. '> [The stubborn mind of Cato.] Atroccm ar.imum Catonis are Horace's words, and it may be doubtid whether atroz is used by any other original writer in the same sense. Stubborn is perhaps the most correct translation of this epithet.— Malone. ,. , s It is a most agreeable circumstance attendmg the publi- cation of this work, that Mr. Hector has survived his illus- trious schoolfellow so many years ; that he still reUins his health and spirits ; and has gratified mo with the following acknowledgment : " I thank you, most sincerely thank you, for the great .ind long-continued entertainment your Life of Dr. Johnson has afforded me, and others of my particular friends." Mr. Hector, besides setting mc right as to the verses on a Sprig of .Myrtle (see ante, p. 'Jl. n. I.), has favoured me with two English odes, written by Dr. Johnson at an early period of his life, which will appear in my edition of his poems. — BoswELL. This early and worthy friend of Johnson died at Birmingham, 2d of September, 1794.— Mm.onb. 3 r 4 792 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1784. both visited and corresponded with him since Dr. Johnson's death, and by my inquiries con- cerning a great variety of particulars, have obtained additional information. I followed the same mode with the Reverend Dr. Taylor, in whose presence I wrote down a good deal of what he could tell; and he, at my request, signed his name, to give it authenticity. It is very rave to find any person who is able to give a distinct account of the life even of one whom he has known intimately, without ques- tions being put to them. My friend Dr. Kippis has told me, that on this account it is a practice with him to di-aw out a biographical catechism. Johnson then proceeded to Oxford, where he was again kindly received by Dr. Adams ', who was pleased to give me the following account in one of his letters (Feb. 17th, 1785): — " His last visit was, I believe, to my house, which lie left, after a stay of four or five days. We had much serious talk together, for which I ought to be the better as long as I live. You will re- member some discourse which we had in the sum- mer upon the subject of prayer, and the difficulty of this sort of composition. He reminded me of this, and of my having wished him to try his hand, and to give us a specimen of his style and manner ■ This amiable and excellent man survived Dr. Jolinson about four years, having died in January, 1789, at Gloucester, aged 82. A very just character of Dr. Adams may be found in the Gent. Mag. for 1789, vol. lix. p. 214. — Malone. 5 It appears, however, that in tlie interval between these two visits to Oxford, and indeed within a few days of the last, Johnson had made some preparatory notes towards this purpose. In Mr. Anderdon's MSS. I found the following notes : — " Preces. " Against the incursion of evil thoughts. " Repentance and pardon Laud. " In disease. " — On the loss of friends — by death ; by his own fault or friend's. " On the unexpected notice of the death of others. ' Prayer generally recommendatory ; " To understand their prayers ; " Under dread of death ; " Prayer commonly considered as a stated and temporary duty — performed and forgotten — without any effect on the following day. " Prayer — a vow Tat/lor. " Scepticism caused by " 1. Indifference about opinions. " 2. Supposition that things disputed are disputable. " 3. Demand of unsuit.ible evidence. " 4. False judgment of evidence. " a. Complaint of the obscurity of Scripture. " 6. Contempt of fathers and o'f authority. " 7. Absurd method of learning objections first. " 8. Study not for truth, but vanity. " 9. Sensuality and a vicious life. " 10. False honour, false shame. " 11. Omission of pr.iyer and religious exercises. Oct.3\. 1784." The first part of these notes seems to be a classification of prayers ; the two latter, hints for the discourse on prayer which he intended to prefix. The chief value of this sketch is as an additional proof that the prayers published by Dr. Strahan was not the methodised system of prayers which Dr. Adams and Johnson had talked of, and for which, it seems, he had made the foregoing preparatory scheme. — Ckokeu. 3 There are some errors in the foregoing statement relative that he approved. He added that he was now in a right frame of mind ; and as he could not possibly employ his time better, he would in earnest set about it. But I find upon inquiry that no papers of this sort were left behind him, except a few short ejaculatory forms suitable to his present situation."* Dr. Adams had not then received accurate information on this subject : for it has since appeared that various prayers had been com- posed by him at ditferent periods, which, inter- ! mingled with pious resolutions and some short notes of his life, were entitled by him " Prayers and Meditations," and have, in pursuance of his earnest requisition, in the hopes of doin" good, been published, with a judicious well- written preface, by the Reverend Mr. Strahan, to whom he delivered them. This admirable collection, to which 1 have frequently referred ' in the course of this work, evinces, beyond all his compositions for the public, and all the , eulogies of his friends and admirers, the sincere virtue and piety of Johnson. It proves with unquestionable authenticity, that, amidst all his constitutional infirmities, his earnestness to conform his practice to the precepts of Chris- tianity was unceasing, and that he habitually . endeavoured to refer every transaction of his life to the will of the Supreme Being.^ to the Prayers avd Meditations, which, —considering tlie ; effect of that publication on Dr. Johnson's character, and ; Boswell's zealous claims to accuracy in all such matters— are rather strange. Indeed, it seems as if Boswell had read ; either loo hastily, or not at all, the preface to Dr. Strahan's book. In the first place, the collect-ion was not made, as Mr. , Boswell seems to suppose, by Dr. Johnson himself; nor did he give it the designation of " Prayers and Meditations; " i nor do the original papers hear any appearance of being in- tended for the press— quite the contrary ! Dr. Strahan's pre- | face is not so clear on this point as it ought to have been ; but ; even from it we learn that whatever Johnson's m/fre/zoMi may ' have been, as to revising and collecting for publication his own ; prayers, or (as the extract just quoted rather proves) compos- ina a system of prayer ; he in fact did nothing of the kind ; but at itiost placed (inter nioriendum) a confused mass of papers iu Dr. Strahan's hands ; and from the inspection of the papers themselves it is quite evident that Dr. Strahan thought proper to weave into one work materials that were never intended to come together, and were not and never could have been in-, tended for publication. This consideration is important, be- cause (as has been before observed, but cannot be too often ' rejteated) the prayers are mixed up with notices .and memo- randa of Dr. Johnson's conduct and thoughts (called by Dr. Strahan, " Meditations "), which — affecting and edifying as they may be when read as the secret effusions of a good man's ; conscience — would have a very different character if they could be supposed to be left behind him ostentatiously pre- pared /or publication. Mr. Courtenay in his " lievicxo vj Dr. Johnson's character," plainly expressed his disbelief of Dr. Strahan's statement, and the following letter from Dr. Adams to the Gentleman's Magazine sufficiently indicates his opinion of the publication. "Oxford, 22d Oct. 1785. " Mr. Urban, — In your last month's review of books, you have asserted, that the publication of Dr. Johnson's 'Prayers and Meditations' appears to have been at the instance of Dr. Adams, Master of Pembroke College, Oxford. This, 1 think, is more than you are warranted by the editor's preface to' say ; and is so far from being true, that Dr. Adams never saw a line of these compositions before they appeared in print, v\or ever heard from Dr. Johnson, or the editor, that. any such existed. Had he been consulted about the publica- tion, he would certainly have given his voice against it: and he therefore hopes that you will clear him, in as public a manner as you can, from being any way accessory to it. " Wm. Adams." — (Courtenay. Dr. Strahan's conduct in this whole affair seems to me to have been disingenuous and even culpable in the highest degree Croker. JEt. 76. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 793 lie arrived in London on the 16th of No- voinber, and next day sent to Dr. Burney the lollowing note, which I insert as the hist token of liis remembrance of that ingenions and amiable man, and as another of tlie many proofs of the tenderness and benignity of his lieart : — " !VIr. Johnson, who came liome last night, sends Ills respects to dear Dr. Hiirney and all the dear Uurneys, little and great." JOHNSON TO HECTOR, In Birmingham, " London, Nov. 17. 1784. "Dear Sir, — I did not reach Oxford until I Friday morning, and then I sent Francis to see the balloon fly, but could not go myself. I staid at Oxford till Tuesday, and then came in the common vehicle easily to London. I am as I was, and having seen Dr. Brocklesby, am to ply the squills: but, whatever be tlieir efficacy, this world must soon pass away. I,et us think seriously on our duty. I send my kindest respects to dear Mrs. Careless : let me have the prayers oF both. We have all lived long, and must soon part. God have mercy on us, for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. I am, &.c., Sam. Johnson." His correspondence witli me, after his letter on the subject of my settling in London, shall now, so far as is proper, be produced in one series. July 26. he wrote to me from Ash- bourne : — " On the 14th, I came to Lichfield, and found every body glad enough to see me. On the 20tii I came hither, and found a house half-built, of very uncomfortable appearance ; but my own room has not been altered. That a man worn with diseases, in his seventy.second or third year, should con- demn part of his remaining life to pass among ruins and rubbish, and that no inccnisiderable part, appears to me very strange. I know that your kindness makes you impatient to know the state of my health, in which I cannot boast of much im- provement. I came through the journey without much inconvenience, but when 1 attem])t self- motion I find my legs weak, and my breath very short : this day 1 have been much disordered. I have no company ; the doctor [Taylor] is busy in his fields, and goes to bed at nine, and his whole system is so different from mine, that we seem formed for different elements ; 1 have, therefore, I all my amusement to seek within myself" Having written to him in bad spirits a letter filled with dejection and fretfulness ', and at the same time expressing anxious apprehensions concerning him, on account of a dream which had disturbed me ; his answer was chietly in terms of reproach, for a supposed charge of " affecting discontent, and indulging the vanity of complaint." It, however, proceeded: — " Write to me often, and write like a man. I consider your fidelity and tenderness as n great part of the comforts which are yet left me, and sincerely wisii we could be nearer to cuch other. I * * * !My dear friend, life is very short j and very uncertain ; let us spend it as well as we can. IMy worthy neighbour, Allen, is dead. Love , me as well as you can. Pay my respects to dear Mrs. Boswell. Nothing ailed nie at that time ; let your superstition at last have an end." j Feeling very soon tliat the manner in which he had written might hurt me, he, two days afterwards (July '28.), wrote to me again, giving me an account of his suH'erings ; after which he thus proceeds : — " Before this letter you will have had one which I hope yoa will not take amiss; for it contains only truth, and that truth kindly intended. Spar- tam quiim iiactiis es oriut ; make the most and best of your lot, and compare yourself not with the few that are above you, but with the multitudes which are below you. Cio steadily forwards with lawful business or honest diversions. ' Be,' as Temple says of the Dutchmen, 'well when you are not ill, and pleased when you are not angry.' This may seem but an ill return for your tenderness ; but I mean it well, for I love you with great ardour and sincerity. Pay my respects to dear Mrs. Boswell, and teach the young ones to love me." I unfortunately was so much indisposed during a considerable part of the year, that it was not, or at least I thought it was not, in my power to write to my illustrious friend as for- merly, or without expressing such complaints as oilended him. Having conjured him not to do me the injustice of charging me with affec- tation, I was with much regret long silent. His last letter to me then came, and affected me very tenderly : — JOHNSON TO boswp:ll. "Lichfield, Nov. 5. 1784. "Dear Sir, — I have this summer sometimes amended, and sometimes relapsed, but, upon the whole, have lost ground very much. My legs are extremely weak, and my breath very short, and the water is now increasing upon me. In this un- comfortable state your letters used to relieve; what is the reason that I have them no longer ? Are you sick, or are you sullen ? Whatever be the reason, if it be less than necessity, drive it away ; and of the short life that we have, make the best use for yourself and for your friends. • • • I am sometimes afraid that your omission to write has some real cause, and shall be glad to know that you arc not sick, and that nothing ill has befallen dear Mrs. Boswell, or any of your family. I am, &c., Sam. Johnson." ' Dr. Johnson .ind others of Mr. Boswell's friends used to dl.iJbelieve .ind therefore ridicule hit mental inquietudes — that " Jciiiniy Boswell" shou\d be afflicted with mclancholi/, wns what none of his acquaint.ince could iningine ; and as ho seemed sometimes to make a parade c( tlmso miseries, they thought he was aping Dr. Johnson, who was admitted to be great inequalities of spirits, which will account for many of the peculiarities of his character, and should induce us to pity what his contemporaries laughed at — Ckokek. 794 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1784. Yet it was not a little painful to me to find that in a paragraph of this letter, which I have omitted, he still persevered in arraigning me as before, which was strange in him who had so much experience of what I suffered. I, how- ever, wrote to him two as kind letters as I could ; the last of which came too late to be read by him, for his illness increased more rapidly upon him than I had apprehended ; but I had the consolation of being informed that he spoke of me on his death-bed with affection, and I look forward with humble hope of re- newing our friendship in a better world. I now relieve the readers of this work from any farther personal notice of its author ; who, if he should be thought to have obtruded him- self too much upon their attention, requests them to consider the peculiar plan of his bio- graphical undertaldng. Soon after Johnson's return to the metro- polis, both the asthma and dropsy became more violent and distressful. He had for some time kept a journal in Latin of the state of his illness, and the remedies which he used, under the title of JEgri Ephemeris, which he began on the 6th of July, but continued it no longer than the 8th of November ; finding, I suppose, that it was a mournful and unavail- ing register. It is in my possession ; and is written with great care and accuracy. Still his love of literature ' did not fail. A very few days before his death he transmitted to his friend, Mr. John Nichols, a list of the authors of the Universal History, mentioning their several shares in that work. ^ It has, ac- cording to his direction, been deposited in the British Museum, and is printed in the Gentle- man's Magazine for December, 1784. As the letter accompanying this list (which fully supports the above observation) was written but a week before Dr. Johnson's death, the reader may not be displeased to find it here preserved : — JOHNSON TO NICHOLS. " December 6. 1784. " The late learned Mr. Swinton, liaving one day remarked that one man, meaning, I suppose, no 1 It is truly wonderful to consider the extent and constancy of Johnson's literary ardour, notwithstanding the melancholy which clouded and embittered his existence. Besides the numerous and various works which he executed, he had, at different times, formed schemes of a great many more,of which the following catalogue [see Appendix] was given by him to Mr. Langton, and by that gentleman presented to his Majesty. — BoswELL. This catalogue, as Mr. Boswell calls it, is, by Dr. Johnson himself, intitled " Designs," and is written in a few pages of a small duodecimo note-book bound in rough calf. It seems, from the hand, that it was written early in life : from the marginal dates it appears that some portions were added in 1752 and 1753. In the first page of this little volume, his late Majesty King George III. wrote with his own hand : — " Original Manuscripts of Dr. Samuel John- son, presented by his friend, Langton, Esq. April \Gt\\, 1785. G.7f."— Crokeh. 2 History of the Romans : by Mr. Bower Boswell. — Bishop Warburton, in a letter to Jortin, in 1749, speaks with great contempt of this work as " miserable trash," and " the infamous rhapsody called the Universal History." Nich. Anec. vol. ii. p. 173. But Mr. Gibbon's more favourable opinion of this work will, as Mr. Markland observes, claim man but himself, could assign all the parts of the Ancient Universal History to their proper authors, at the request of Sir Robert Chambers, or of myself, gave the account which I now transmit to you in his own hand ; being willing that of so great a work the history should be known, and that each writer should receive his due proportion of praise from posterity. " I recommend to you to preserve this scrap of literary intelligence in Mr. Swinton's own hand, or to deposit it in the Museum, that the veracity of . this account may never be doubted. I am, Sir, ! your most humble servant, Sam. Johnson." Mr. [Swinton.] The History of the The History of the Carthaginians. Numidians. Mauritanians. Gffitulians. Garamanthes. Cyrenaica. Marmarica. Regio Syrtica. Turks, Tartars, and Moguls. Melano Gastulians. Indians. Nigritae. Chinese. Dissertation on the Peopling of Americi. Independency of the Arabs, s The Cosmogony, and a small part of the History immediately following ; by Mr. Sale. To the birth of Abraham ; chiefly by Mr. Shel- vock. \ History of the Jews, Gauls, and Spaniards; by Mr. Psalmanazar. Xenoplion's Retreat ; by the same. History of the Persians and the Constantinopo- litan Empire ; by Dr. Campbell. History of the Romans; by Mr. Bower. During his sleepless nights he amused him- ; self by translating into Latin verse, from the . Gi'eek, many of the epigrams in the "Antho- ' logia." These translations, with some other i poems by him in Latin, he gave to his friend > Mr. Langton, who, having added a few notes, ; sold them to the booksellers for a small sum to be given to some of Johnson's relations, which was accordingly done ; and they are printed in the collection of his works. A very erroneous notion had circulated as' to Johnson's deficiency in the knowledge of the Greek language, partly owing to the modesty ' with which, from knowing how much there was . as much attention as the " decrees " of Warburton, x\\o has not improperly been termed by the former " the dictator and ' tyrant of the world of literature." Gibbon speaks of the " excellence of the first part of the Universal History as generally admitted." The History of the Macedonians, he also observes, " is executed with much erudition, taste, and judgment. TViis history would be invaluable were all its parts of the same merit." — Miscel. Worts, v. 41 1.428. Seme curious facts relating to this work, and especially those parts of it committed to himself, will be found in Psalmanazar's Memoirs, p. 291. — Choker. i 3 On the subject of Dr. Johnson's skill in Greek, I have great pleasure in quoting an anecdote told by my late friend, < Mr. Gilford, in his Life of Ford : — " IVIy friend the late Lord Grosvenor had a house at Salt^ Hilli where I usually spent a part of the summer, and thu» became acquainted with that great and good man, Jacob Bryant. Here the conversation turned one morning on a Greek criticism by Dr. Johnson in some volume lying on the table, which I ventured (for I was then young) to deem in- correct, and pointed it out to him. I could not help thinking that he was something of my opmion. but he was cautious and reserved. ' But, Sir,' said I, willing to overcome his ' ^T. 76. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 795 j to be learnt, he used to mention his own com- [ parative acquisitions. When j\Ir. Cumberland ' I talked to 1/im of the Greek fragments which I are so well illustrated in " The Observer," and ; of the Greek dramatists in general, he candidly , acknowledged his insufficiency in that parti- cular branch of Greek literature. Yet it may I be said, that though not a great, he was a good j Greek scholar. Dr. Charles Burney, the I younger, who is universally acknowledged by I the best judges to be one of the few men of ; this age who are very eminent for their skill I in that noble language, has assured me, that Johnson could give a Greek word for almost j every English one; and that, although not j sufficiently conversant in the niceties of the j language, he, upon some occasions, discovered, j even in these, a considerable degree of critical \ acumen. Mr. Dalzel, professor of Greek at Edinburgh, whose skill is unquestionable, men- tioned to me, in very liberal terms, the impres- sion which was made upon him by Johnson, in a conversation which they had in London con- cerning that language. As Johnson, therefore, was undoubtedly one of the first Latin scholars in modern times, let us not deny to his fame some additional splendour from Greek." I shall now fulfil my promise of exhibiting specimens of various sorts of imitation of Johnson's style. In the "Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy, 1787," there is an " Essay on the Style of Dr. Samuel Johnson," by the Reverend Robert Burrowes, whose respect for the great i object of his criticism^ is thus evinced in the I concluding paragraph : "I have singled him out from the whole body of English writers, because his universally-acknowledged beauties would be most apt to induce imitation : and I have treated rather on his faults, than his perfections, because an essay might comprise all the observations I could make upon his faults, while volumes would not be sufficient for a treatise on his perfections." scruples, ' Dr. Johnson himself admitted that he was not a good Greek scholar.' * Sir,' he replied, with a serious and im- Sressive air, ' it is not easy for us to say what such a man as ohason would call a good Greek scholar.' I hope that I profited by that lesson — certainly I never forgot it."— Gi/- forcTs iyi>rksofFord,vo].\. p.lxii. — Crokek. ' Mr. Cumberland assures me that he was always treated with great courtesy by Dr. Johnson, who, in his " Letters to Mrs. Thrale," vol. ii. p. G8., thus speaks of that learned, ingenious, and accomplished gentleman : " The want of com- pany is an inconvenience, but Mr. Cumberland is a million." — BOSWELL. » Johnson professed not to be deeply skilled in Greek, but was not much pleased if his profession was believed. Mrs. Piozzi tells us that when the King of Denmark was in Eng- land [in 1768], one of his noblemen was brought by Mr. Colman to see Dr. Johnson at Mr. Thrale's country-house ; and having heard, he said, that he was not famous for Greek literature, attacked him on the weak side ; politely adding, that he chose that conversation on purpose to favour himself. Dr. Johnson, however, displayed so copious a knowledge of authors, books, and every branch of Ic.irning in that lan- guage, that the gentleman appeared astonished. When he was gone, Johnson s.iid, " Now for all this triumph I may thank Thrale's Xenophon here, as, I think, excepting that one, I have not looked in a Greek book theso ten years : but see what haste my dear friends were all in." continued he, " to tell this poor mnocent foreigner that 1 knew nothing of Mr. Burrowes has analysed the composition of Johnson, and pointed out its peculiarities with much acuteness ; and I would re- commend a careful perusal of his Es.'Jiay to those who being captivated by the union of perspicuity and splendour which the writings of Johnson contain, without having a suffi- cient portion of his vigour of mind, may be in danger of becoming bad copyists of his manner. I, however, cannot but observe, and I observe it to his credit, that this learned gentleman has himself caught no mean degree of the expansion and harmony which, in- dependent of all other circumstances, chai-ac- terise the sentences of Johnson. Thus, in the preface to the volume in which the Essay appears, we find, — " If it be said, that in societies of this sort too much attention is frequently bestowed on subjects barren and speculative, it may be ansv/ered, that no one science is so little connected with the rest as not to afford many principles whose use may extend considerably beyond the science to which they primarily belong, and that no proposition is so purely theoretical as to be totally incapable of being applied to practical purposes. There is no apparent connection between duration and the cycloidal arch, the properties of which duly attended 'to have furnished us with our be-st regulated methods of measuring time : and he who had made himself master of the nature and affections of the logarithmic curve is not aware that he has advanced confiiderably towards ascer- taining the proportionable density of the air at its various distances from the surface of the earth." The ludicrous imitators of Johnson's style are innumerable. Their general method is to accumulate hard words, without considering, that, although he was fond of introducing them occasionally, there is not a single sentence in all his writings where they are crowded together, as in the first verse of the following imaginary Ode by him to IVIrs. Thrale*, which appeared in the newspapers : — Greek ! Oh no ! he knows nothing of Greek ! " with a loud burst of laughter. It has been said that Dr. Johnson never exerted such steady application as he did for the last ten years of his life in the study of Greek ; but frequent passages in his diarr and letters contradict this statement Croker. 3 We must smile at a little inaccuracy of metaphor in the preface to the Tr.ansactions, which is written by Mr. Bur- rowes. The critic 0} the style of Johnson having, with a just zeal for literature, observed, that the whole nation are called on to exert themselves, afterwards says, " They are called on by every tyevihicYx can have laudable influence on the heart of man."— Bosweli Sec ante, p. 69. n. 1 — Ckoker. * Johnson's wishing to unite him>elf with this rich widow was much talked of, but I believe without foundation. 'V\w report, however, g.ive occasion to a poem, not without cha- racteristical merit, entitled " Ode to Mrs. Thrale, by Samuel Johnson, LL.D., on their sunposed approaching Nuptl.ils : " printed for Mr. Fauldcr In Bond Street. 1 shall quote as a specimen the first three stanzas : — " If e'er my engers touch'd the lyre. In s<-itire fierce, in pleasure g.ty. Shall not my Thralia's smiles inspire ? Shall Sam refuse the sportive lay ? " Mv dearest lady! view your slave, ^I'hold him as your very Scrub ; Eager to write as .luthor grave, Or govern well — the brewing-tub. 796 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1784. '• Cervisial coctor's viduate dame, Opins't thou this gigantic frame, Procumhing at thy shrine, Shall, catenated by thy charms, A captive in thy ambient arms, Perennially be thine ?" This and a thousand other such attempts are totally unlike the original, which the writers imagined they were turning into ridicule. There is not similarity enough for burlesque, or even for caricature. Mr. Colman, in his " Prose on several Oc- casions," has "A Letter from Lexiphanes, containing proposals for a Glossary, or Voca- bulary of the Vulgar Tongue ; intended as a Supplement to a larger Dictionary." It is evidently meant as a sportive sally of ridicule on Johnson, whose style is thus imitated, with- out being grossly overcharged : — " It IS easy to foresee that the idle and illiterate will complain that I have increased their labours by endeavouring to diminish them ; and that I have explained what is more easy by what is more difficult — ignotum per ignotius. I expect, on the other hand, the liberal acknowledgments of the learned. He who is buried in scholastic retire- ment, secluded from the assemblies of the gay, and remote from the circles of the polite, will at once comprehend the definitions, and be grateful for such a seasonable and necessary elucidation of his mother-tongue." Annexed to this letter is the following short specimen of the work, thrown together in a vague and desultory manner, not even adher- ing to alphabetical concatenation. " HiGGLEDY PIGGLEDY, — Conglomeration and confusion. " Hodge-podge, — A culinary mixture of hete- rogeneous ingredients ; applied metaphorically to all discordant combinations. "Tit for Tat, — Adequate retaliation. " Shilly shally, — Hesitation and irresolution. " Fee ! FA ! fum ! — Gigantic intonations. " Rigmarole, — Disccurse, incoherent and rhap- sodical. " Crincum-crancum, — Lines of irregularity and involution. " Ding-dong, — Tintinnabulary chimes, used metaphorically to signify despatch and vehemence."' The serious imitators of Johnson's style, whether intentionally or by the imperceptible effect of its strength and animation, are, as I have had already occasion to observe, so many, " To rich felicity thus raised, My bosom glows with amorous fire, Porter no longer shall be praised ; 'Tis 1 myself am Thrale's Enlii e." — 'Boswell. Mrs. Carter, in one of her letters to Mrs. Montagu, says, " I once saw him (Dr. Johnson) very indigne when somebody jested about Mrs. Thrale's marrying himself. The choice would, no doubt, have been singular, but much less ex- ceptionable than that which she has made." — Letters, vol. iii. p. 221. Mr. Alexander Chalmers, who knew all the parties, says that the report was certainly unfounded. — CroKEr. that I might introduce quotations from a nu- merous body of writers in our language, since he appeared in the literary world. I shall point out the following : — WILLIAM ROBERTSON, D.D. " In other parts of the globe, man, in his rudest state, appears as lord of the creation, giving law to various tribes of animals which he has tamed and reduced to subjection. The Tartar follows his i prey on the horse which he lias reared, or tends his numerous herds which furnish him both with food and clothing ; the Arab has rendered the camel docile, and avails himself of its persevering strength; the Laplander has formed the reindeer to be sub- servient to his will ; and even the people of Kamschatka have trained their dogs to labour. This command over the inferior creatures is one of the noblest prerogatives of man, and among the greatest efforts of his wisdom and power. Without this, his dominion is incomplete. He is a monarch , who has no subjects; a master without servants; and must perform every operation by the strength of his own arm." — History of America, vol. i. 4to, p. 332. EDWARD GIBBON, ESQ. " Of all our passions and appetites, the love of power is of the most imperious and unsociable nature, since the pride of one man requires the submission of the multitude. In the tumult of civil discord the laws of society lose their force, and their place is seldom supplied by those of humanity. The ardour of contention, the pride of victory, the despair of success, the memory of past injuries, and the fear of future dangers, all contribute to inflame the mind, and to silence the voice of pity." — Decline and Fall of the Romaa Empire, vol. i. chap. 4. MISS BURNEY. " My family, mistaking ambition for honour, and rank for dignity, have long planned a splendid connection for me, to which, though my invariable repugnance has stopped any advances, their wishes and their views immovably adhere. I am but too certain they will now listen to no other. I dread, therefore, to make a trial where I despair of success ; I know not how to risk a prayer with those who may silence me by a command." — Cecilia, book vii. chap. 1. REVEREND MR. NARES.= " In an enlightened and improving age, much perhaps is not to be apprehended from the inroads ! On the original publication of Mr. Boswell's own work, the press teemed with parodies, or imitations of his style of reporting Dr. Johnson's conversation : but they are now all deservedly forgotten, except one by Mr. Alexander Chal- mers, which is executed with so much liveliness and plea- santry, and is, in fact, so just a criticism on the lighter portions of this work, that the reader will be, I believe, much pleased to find it preserved. See Appendix, " Lesson in Biography; or. How to write the Life of one's Friend." — Cuoker. - The passage which 1 quote is taken from that gentleman's "Elements of Orthoepy; containing a distinct View of the whole Analogy of the English Language, so far as relates to Pronunciation, Accent, and Quantity;" London, 1784. I beg JEt. 76. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. •97 of mere caprice ; at such a period it will generally be perceived that needless irregularity is the worst of all deformities, and that nothing is so truly elegant in language as the simplicity of unviolated analogy. Rules will, therefore, be observed, so far as they are known and acknowledged : but at the same time, the desire of improvement having been once excited will not remain inactive ; and its eflforts, unless assisted by knowledge as much as Aey are prompted by zeal, will not unfrequently be found pernicious ; so that the very persons whose intention it is to perfect the instrument of reason will deprave and disorder it unknowingly. At such a time, then, it becomes peculiarly ne- cessary that the analogy of language should be fully examined and understood ; that its rules should be carefully laid down ; and that it should be clearly known how much it contains which, being already right, shoidd be defended from change and violation ; how much it has that demands amendment ; and how luuch that, for fear of greater inconveniences, must, perhaps, be left unaltered, though irregular." A distingiuslied author in "The Mirror ','' a periodical paper published at Edinburgh, has imitated Johnson very closely. Thus, in No.16.: — " The elTects of the return of spring have been frequently remarked, as well in relation to the human mind as to the animal and vegetable world. The reviving power of this season has been traced from the fields to the herds that inhabit them, and from the lower classes of beings up to man. Gladness and joy are described as prevailing through universal nature, animating the low of the cattle, the carol of the birds, and the pipe of the shepherd." The Reverend Dr. Knox, master of Tun- brid^e school, appears to have the imitari avco of Johnson's style perpetually in his mind ; and to his assiduous, though not servile, study of it, we may partly ascribe the extensive popularity of his writings.'^ leave to offer my particul.ir acknowlcdgmonts to the author of a work of uncommon merit and great utility. I know no book which contains, in the same compass, more learning, polite literature, sound sense, accuracy of arrangement, and perspicuity of expression. — Boswell. ' That collection was presented to Dr. Johnson, 1 believe, by its authors; and I heard him speak very well of it.— BOSWELL. 2 It were to be wished that he had imitated that great man in every respect, and had not followed the example of Dr. Adam Smith, in ungraciously attacking his venerable ////«« Mater, Oxford. It must, however, be observed, that he is much less to blame than Smith : he only objects to certain particulars ; Smith, to the whole institution ; though indebted lor much of his learning to nn exhibition which he enjoyed for many years at Baliol College. Neither of them, however, will do any hurt to the noblest university in the world. While I animadvert on what appears to me exceptionable in some of the works of Dr. Knox, I cannot refuse due praise toothers of his productions ; p.irticularly his sermons, and to the siiirit with wliich he maintains, against presumptuous heretics, the consolatory doctrines peculiar to the Christian Revelation, lliis he has done in a manner equally strenuous and conciliating. Neither ought I to omit mentioning a re- markable instance of his candour. Notwithstanding the wide ditference of our opinions upon the important subject of uni- versity education, in a letter to me concerning this work he thus expresses himself: " I thank you for the very great enter- In his " Essays, Moral and Literary," No. 3., we find the following passage : — " The polish of external grace may indeed be deferred till the approach of manhood. When solidity is obtained by pursuing the modes pre- scribed by our forefathers, then may the file be used. The firm substance will bear attrition, and the lustre then acquired will be durable." There is, however, one in No. 1 1 . which is blown up into such tumidity as to be truly ludicrous. The writer means to tell us, that members of Parliament who have run in debt by extravagance will sell their votes to avoid an arrest^, which he thus expresses : — " They who build houses and collect costly pictures and furniture with the money of an honest artisan or mechanic will be very gl.id of emancipation from the hands of a bailiff by a sale of their senatorial suffrage." But I think the most perfect imitation of Johnson is a professed one, entitled "A Cri- ticism on Gray's Elegy in a Country Church- yard," said to be Avrittcn by ]\ir. Young, professor of Greek, at Glasgow, and of which let him have the credit, unless a better title can be shown. It has not only the particulari- ties of Jolmson's style, but that very species of literary discussion and illustration for which he was eminent. Having already quoted so much from others, I shall refer the curious to this performance, with an assurance of much entertainment.* Yet, whatever merit there may be in any imitations of Jolmson's style, every good judge must see that they are obviously difl'ercnt from the original ; for all of them are either deficient in its force, or overloaded with its jjcculiarities ; and the powerful sentiment to which it is suited is not to be found. Johnson's affection lor his departed relations seemed to grow warmer as he approached nearer to the time when he might hope to see t.-iinment your Life of Johnson ^ives me. It Is a most valu- able work. Yours is a new species of biography. Happy for Johnson that he had so able a recorder of his wit and wis- dom." — Bos WELL. 3 Dr. Knox, in his " Moral and Literary " abstraction, may be excused for not knowing the political regul.-iticms of his country. No senator can be in the hands of a bailiff. — BoswELi. Their houses and goods might be seixcd under an execution. It was said, and I believe truly, that Sheridan once (or more than once) gave a dinner under those cir- cumstances, and that the bailiffs waited at t.-ibic Crokeh, 1817. ■• It seems to me to be one of the most insipid and unmean- ing volumes ever published. I r.innot make out whether it was meant for jest or earnest ; but it fails either way, for it I has neither pleasantry nor sense. Johnson saw this work, ^ and tliiis writes of it : — " Of the imitation of my style, in a ; criticism on Gray's Churchyard, I forgot to make mention. ' The .nuthor is, I'believe, utterly unknown, for Mr Steevens , cannot hunt him out. I know little of it, for though it w.ig sent me, I never cut the leaves open. 1 had a letter with it, representing it to me ns my own work ; in such an account to J the public there m.iy be hiimour, but to myself it was neither ' serious nor comical. I suspect the writer to be wrong- be.ided. As to the noise which it makes, I never he.ird it, : and am inclined to believe that few att.-icks either of lidiculo . or invective make much noise but by the help of those that they provoke." — I,t7/-o 1737, vitam brevem pia morte finivit.— Croker, 1831-4V. CHAPTER LXXXn. 1784. Last Illness, and Death. — His Will, Funeral, am Burial. My readers are now, at last, to behold Samuei Johnson preparing himself for that doom, fron i which the most exalted powers afford no ex- emption to man. Death had always been tcj him an object of terror : so that, though by nc means happy, he still clung to life with an eagerness at which many have wondered. All any time when he was ill, he was very much pleased to be told that he looked better. AnI ingenious member of the Eumelian Cluh*m-\ forms me, that upon one occasion, when hef said to him that he saw health returning to his' cheek, Johnson seized him by the hand and exclaimed, " Sir, you are one of the kindest friends I ever had." His own statement of his views of futurity will appear truly rational ; and may, perhaps, impress the unthinking with seriousness. " You know," says he to Mrs. Thrale, never thought confidence with respect to futurity any part of the character of a brave, a wise, or a good man. Bravery has no place where it can avail nothing ; wisdom impresses strongly the con- sciousness of those faults, of which it is, perhaps, itself an aggravation ; and goodness, always wish-i ing to be better, and imputing every deficience to criminal negligence, and every fault to voluntary! corruption, never dares to suppose the condition of forgiveness fulfilled, nor what is wanting in the crime supplied by penitence. " This is the state of the best ; but what must \ be the condition of him whose heart will not suffer i him to rank himself among the best, or among the; good? Such must be his dread of the approaching trial, as will leave him little attention to the opinion of those whom he is leaving for ever ; and the sere- nity that is not felt, it can be no virtue to feign." / His great fear of death 5, and the strange dark i 3 This lady survived Dr. Johnson just thirteen months. ; She died at Lichfield, in her seventy-first year, January 13. ! 1786, and bequeathed the principal part of her fortune to the ■ Rev. Mr. Pearson, of Lichfield — Malone. ■• A club in London, founded by the learned and ingenious physician, Dr. Ash, in honour of whose name it was called Eumelian, from the Greek EuyctsX/aj : though it was warmly contended, and even put to a vote, that it should have the more obvious appellation of Fraxincan, from the Latin. — BOSWELL. 5 Mrs. Carter, in one of her letters to Mrs. Montagu, says, " I see by the papers that Dr. Johnson is dead. In extent of learning, and exquisite purity of moral writing, he has left no superior, and I fear very few equals. His virtues and his piety were founded on the steadiest of Christian principles and faith. His faults, I firmly believe, arose from the irritations of a most suffering state of nervous consti- tution, which scarcely ever allowed him a moment's ease." To this passage the editor of Mrs. Carter's Letters sub- joins the following note : " Mrs. Carter told the editor, that in one of the last con- versations which she had with this eminent moralist, she told him that she had never known him say any thing con- trary to the principles of the Christian religion. He seized her hand with great emotion, exclaiming, ' You know this, and bear witness to it when I am gone ! ' " — Letters, vol. iii. p. i!34 Chalmers. "You wonder," she says in another place, " ' that an undoubted believer and a man of piety should be afraid of death;' but it is such characters who have ever Mr. 76. BOS^YELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 799 manner in which Sir John Hawkins • imparts the uneasiness which he expressed on account of offences with which he charged himself, may give occasion to injurious suspicions, as it" there had been something of more than ordinary cri- minality weighing upon his conscience. On ! that account, therefore, as well as from the re- [gard to truth which he inculcated ^ I am to [mention (with all possible respect and delicacy, however), that his conduct, after he came to London, and had associated with Savage and others, was not so strictly virtuous, in one re- spect, as when he was a younger man. It was ; well known that his amorous inclinations were uncommonly strong and impetuous. He owned ito many of his friends, that he used to take I I women of the town to taverns, and hear them 1 Prelate their history. In short, it must not be j (concealed, that like many other good and pious : tmen, among whom we may place the apostle ' j Paul upon his own authority, Johnson was not f free from propensities which were ever " war- \ iring against the law of his mind," — and that jjin his combats with them, he was sometimes liovercome. \ Here let the profane and licentious pause ; jlet them not thoughtlessly say that Johnson jwas an hypocrite, or that his principles were not firm, because his pi-actice was npt uniformlv conformable to what he professed. | Let the question be considered independent of moral and religious associations ; and no man will deny that thousands, in many in- j stances, act against conviction. Is a prodigal, j |for example, an hypocrite, when he owns he is I' satisfied that his extravagance will bring him to ruin and misery ? We are sure he believes it ; j but immediate inclination, strengthened by in- dulgence, prevails over that belief in influenc- ' ing his conduct. Why then shall credit be refused to the sincerity of those who acknow- I ledge their persuasion of moral and religious j duty, yet sometimes fail of living as it requires? { I heard Dr. Johnson once observe, " There is j something noble in publishing truth, though it ' condemns one's self." ^ And one who said in ■ his presence, "he had no notion of people being in earnest in their good professions, whose practice was not suitable to them," was thus reprimanded by him : — " Sir, are you so grossly ignorant of human nature as not to know that a man_may_be very sincere in (the deepest sense of their imperfections and devi.itions from |tlie rule of duty, of which the very best must be conscious ; and sucli a temper of mind as is struck with awe and humility at the prospect of the last solemn sentence appears much better suited to the wretched deficiencies of the best human performances than the thoughtless security that rushes un- disturbed into eternity." — Miss Carter's Liff, vol. ii. p. 166. — Crokbr. ' I must say, that I can sec nothing more slrangc or dark in HawkinsiS expressions than in some of Johnson's own ; and nothin/half so bad as the (I was about to say m.ilignant) observations which Boswell proceeds to make Ckokf.r. - See what he said to Mr. Malone, ante, p. 671 — Uoswell. But surely Mr. Boswell might have been forgiven if he had not revived these stories, which, whether true or false originally, were near fifty years old. He had already said good principles, without haying good prac- tice?" [p. 390.] But let no man encourage or soothe himself in "presumptuous sin," from knowing that Johnson was sometimes hurried into indul- gences which he thought criminal. I have exhibited this circumstance as a shade in so great a character, both from my sacred love of truth, and to show that he was not so weakly scrupulous as he has been represented by those who imagine that the sins, of which a deep sense was upon his mind, were merely such little venial trifles as pouring milk into his tea on Good-Friday. His understanding will be defended by my statement, if his consistency of conduct be in some degree impaired. But what wise man would, for momentary gratifica- tions, deliberately subject himself to suffer such uneasiness as we find was experienced bv Johnson in reviewing his conduct as comparell with his notion of the ethics of the Gospel ? Let the following passages be kept in remem- brance : — [1762.] " O God, giver and preserver of all life, by whose power I was created, and by wliose pro- vidence I am sustained, look down upon me with tenderness and mercy ; grant that I may not have been created to be finally destroyed ; that I may not be preserved to add wickedness to wickedness." {Pr.and Med., p. 47.) [17G6.] " O Lord, let me not sink into total depravity ; look down upon me, and rescue me at last from the captivity of sin." (p, 68.) [1769.] "Almighty and most merciful Father, who hath continued my life from year to year, grant that by longer life I may become less de- sirous of sinful pleasures, and more careful of eternal happiness." (p. 84.) [1773.] "Let not my years be multiplied to increase my guilt ; but as my age advances, let me become more pure in my tliouglits, more regular in mv desires, and more obedient to thy laws." (p. 120.) \_No date."] " Forgive, O merciful Lord, what- ever I have done contrary to thy laws. Give me such a sense of my wickedness as may produce true contrition and effectual repentance : so that when I sliall be called into another state, I may be received among the sinners to whom Borrow and reformation have obtained paroon, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen." (p. 1:30.) Such was the distress of mind, such the peni- tence of Johnson, in his hours of privacy, and j] {ante. p. .V).) (^uite enough, and porhaps more than he wa» justified in saymg on this topic. The reader will recollect that it has been shown {anti, p. 3.^. n. \ and p. 49. n. 3) that the duration, and probably ifie intensity, of Dr. Johnson'* intimacy with Savagi- have been greatly exaggerated, and so, no doubt, have been the supposed consequences of that intimacy — Croker. ' Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides (anW, p. 335.). On the same subject, in his letter to Mrs. Thrale, dated Novem- ber 29. 178.1, he m.-ikes the following just observation : " Life, to be worthy of a rational being, must be always In pro- gressinn ; we must always purpose to do more or better than in time past. The mind is enlarged .-ind elevated by mere pur|ioso«. though they end as they bcgJin, by alrj- contem- plation We compare .iiul judge, though we do not practise." — UoswUL. 800 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 17P4. iu his devout approaches to his Maker. His sincerity, therefore, must appear to every can- did mind unquestionable. ' It is of essential consequence to keep in view that there was in this excellent man's conduct no false principle of commutation, no (leliherute indulgence in sin, in consideration of a counterbalance of duty. His offending and his repenting were distinct and sepai-ate^: and when we consider his almost unexampled at- tention to truth, his inflexible integrity, his constant piety, who will dare to "cast a stone a* him?" Besides, let it never be forgotten that he cannot be charged with any offence in- dicating badness of heart, any thing dishonest, base, or malignant ; but that, on the contrary, he was charitable in an extraordinary degree : so that even in one of his own rigid judgments of himself (Easter-eve, 1781), while he says, "I have corrected no external habits ;" he is obliged to own, " I hope that since my last communion I have advanced, by pious reflec- tions, in my submission to God, and my bene- volence to man." (p. 192.) I am conscious that this is the most difficult and dangerous part of my biograjihical work, and I cannot but be very anxious concerning it. I trust that I have got through it, preserv- ing at once my regard to truth, — to my ' Boswell, with a disingenuousness which I am at a loss to account for, selects all these passages (suppressing the dates) and gives them, by his introductory observations, such a peculiar colouring, as to make it appear that Johnson accused himself of sensual licentiousness ; whereas I will take upon myself to assert that the entire prayers from which Boswell has garbled these extracts, as well as tlie general context of the whole volume, if read fairly and can- didly, do not afford the slightest colour for the special charge which Boswell makes. Why has Boswell suppressed other passages of corresponding dates which explain the com- p.iratively innocent nature of the errors with which Johnson reproached himself? In 1759, he confesses " idleness and neglect of worship;" in 17G0, amidst a long and minute list of self-accusations there is not a hint at criminal indulgences — nor in 17G1 — nor again in 1702: and during the whole period from whichBoswell's extracts are made, it appears from Johnson's specific explanations of them, that hhtnost serious, if not his only offences, were ''misspent tii/ic," " want of diligence," " time lost in idleness or misspent in unprofitable employments," and the like ; and that the only sensual in- dulgence is lying late in bed, and occasionally too mucli addiction to' meat and wine." " My chief deficiency," he says (177*1), " has been, that my life is immethodical." " My reigning sin," he says, 1776, " is traste of time and sluggish- 7icss." In the Anderdon MSS. there is a note dated in 1784, recording a resolution "to endeavour to conquer scruples; " and in thu Hose MSS of a much earlier date, the following— "I'nAYER AGAINST SCRUPLES. " O Lord, who wouldst that all men should lie saved, and who knowe^st that without thy grace we can do nothing ac- ceptable to thee, have mercy upon me. Enable me to break the chain of my sins, to reject sensuality in thought, and to overcome and suppress vain scruples ; and to use such dili- gence in lawful employment as may enable me to support myself and do good to"others. O Lord, forgive me the time lost in idleness ; pardon the sins which I have committed, and grant that 1 may redeem the time misspent, and be re- conciled to thee by true repentance, that I may live and die in peace, and be received to everlasting happiness. Take not from me, O Lord, thy Holy Spirit, but let me have sup- I)ort and comfort, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. " Transc. June 20. 1708. Of this prayer there is no date, nor can I conjecture when it was composed." — Johnson. This prayer, written long before Boswell became ac- quainted with Johnson, seems to me a complete answer to the inferences extorted by Boswell from the garbled extracts friend, — and to the interests of virtue and religion. Nor can I apprehend that more harm can ensue from the knowledge of the irregularities of Johnson, guarded as I have stated it, than from knowing that Addison and Parnell were intemperate in the use of wine ; which he himself, in his Lives of those cele- brated writers and pious men, has not forborne to record.^ It is not my intention to give a very minute detail of the particulars of Johnson's remainintr days ■*, of whom it was now evident that the crisis was fast approaching, when he must "die like men, and fall like one of the princes'' Yet it will be instructive, as well as gratifying to the curiosity of my readers, to record a itw circumstances, on the authenticity of which they may perfectly rely, as I have been at the utmost pains to obtain an accurate account of his last illness, from the best authority. Dr. Heberden,Dr. Brocklesby, Dr. Warren^, and Dr. Butter, physicians, generously at- tended him, without accepting any fees, as did Mr. Cruikshank, surgeon ; and all that could be done from professional skill and ability was tried, to prolong a life so truly valuable. He himself, indeed, having, on account of his very bad constitution, been perpetually applying him- self to medical inquiries, united his own efforts of the later prayers. Can we suppose, that while thus . reproaching himself with indolence and scruples, he was habitually guilty of sensual depravity ? — Crokek. 2 Dr. Johnson related, with very earnest approbation, a' story of a gentleman, who, in an impulse of passion, over- came the virtue of a young woman. When she said to him, " I am afraid we have done wrong ! " he answered, " Yes, we have done wrong ; — for I would not debauch her mind." — Boswell. \ 3 This is a poor and disingenuous defence for a very grievous error. It is one thing to repeat — as Dr. Johnson did, historically, what all the world knew, and few were in- clined to blame seriously — that Parnell and Addison loved a cheerful glass — " Narratur et prisci Catonis Saepe mero caluisse virtus." But it is quite another thing to insinuate oneself into a man's, confidence, to follow him for twenty years like his shadow, to note his words and actions like a spy, to ransack his most secret papers, and scrutinize and garble even his conscien- tious confessions, and then, with all the sinister authority which such a show of friendship must confer, to accuse him o'l low and filthy guilt, supposed to have been committed a quarter of a century before the informer and his calumniated friend had ever met, and which, consequently, Boswell could only have had from hearsay or from guess, and which all personal testimony and all the documentary evidence seem to disprove. Boswell must have been actuated by some secret motive, or labouring under a morbid delusion, when he thus regarded these wanton, and, I conscientiously believe, calum- nious, slanders on his illustrious friend, as conducive to " the interest o{ virtue and religion," and, above all, " oC truth." I entreat any reader who may at all question the validity ol my charges against Boswell, and my defence of Dr. Johnson on this point, to refer to the volume of Prayers una' Meditations itself, which I pledge myself will effectuallj refute all Boswell's extraordinary imputations. — Croker. ■i The particulars which Mr. Boswell's absence, and the jealousy between him and some of Johnson's other friends'. prevented his being able to give, I have supplied in the Ai)- pendix. — Croker. 5 Mr. Green (p. 490.) related that when some of Johnson"! friends de.sired that Dr. Warren should be callea in, he saic they might call in whom they pleased ; and when Warrei was called, at his going away Johnson said, " You have comi in at the eleventh hour, but you shall be paid the same will your fellow-labourers. Francis, put into Dr. Warr;n'.' coach a copy of the English Poets." — Crqilbr. ^T. 76. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 801 with those of the gentlemen who attended him ; and imagining that the dropsical collection of water which oppressed him might lie drawn off by making incisions in his body, lie, with his usual resolute defiance of pain, cut deep, when he thought that his surgeon had done it too I tenderly. ' i About eight or ten days before his death, [when Dr. firockiesby paid liim liis morning visit, he seemed very low and desponding, and said, " I have been as a dying man all night." He then emphatically broke out in the words of Shakspeare — " Canst thou not minister to a mind diseased ; Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow ; Raze out the written troubles of the brain; And with some sweet oblivious antidote, Cleanse the stufTd bosom of that perilous stuff, Which weighs upon the heart?" To which Dr. Brocklesby readily answered from the same great poet, — Therein the patient Must minister to himself." Johnson e.xpressed himself mucli satisfied with the application. On another day after this, wlien talking on the subject of prayer. Dr. Brocklesby i-epeated from Juvenal, — " Orandum est, ut sit mens sana in corpore sano," and so on to the end of the tenth satire ; but in running it quickly over, he happened, in the line, " Qui spatium vita; extremum inter munera ponat,"' to pronounce SM^rewMTn for extremum; at which Johnson's critical ear instantly took offence, and discoursing vehemently on the unmetrical effect of such a lapse, he showed himself as full as ever of the spirit of the grammarian. Having no other relations ^, it had been for some time Johnson's intention to make a liberal provision for his faitliful servant, ISIr. Francis Barber, whom he looked upon as particularly under his protection, and whom he had ail along treated truly as an humble friend. This bold experiment Sir John Hawkins has related in such a manner as to suggest a charge against Johnson of intentionally hastening his end ; a charge so very incon- sistent with'his character in every respect, that it is mjurious even to refute it, as Sir John has thought it necessary to do. It is evident, that what Johnson did in hopes of relief indi- cated an extraordinary eagerness to retard his dissolution. BOSWELL. Mr. Boswell has omitted to notice the line, for the sake of which Dr. Brocklesby probably introduced the quotation, " Fortem posce animum et mortis lerrorc carentem ! " The whole passage is thus paraphrased by Dryden : — " [Be thy prayers] confined To health of body and content of mind ; A soul that can .securely death defy. And count it Nature's privilege to die ; Sereue and manly, hardened to sustain The load of life, and exercised in pain ! " Juvenal, Sat. ViG- — Croker, 1847- ' The author in a former page has shown the injustice of Sir John Hawkins's charge against Johnson, with respect to a person of the name of Heely, whom he has inaccurately Having asked Dr. Brocklesby what would be a proper annuity to a favourite servant, and being answered that it must depend on tlie circumstances of the master ; and that in the case of a nobleman fifty pounds a year was considered as an adefjuate reward for many years' faithful service ; — " Then," said John- son, " shall I be iiobilisshnus, for I mean to leave Frank seventy pounds a year, and I desire you to tell him so." It is strange, however, to think, that Johnson was not free from that j general weakness of being averse to execute a will, so that he delayed it from time to time; and had it not been for Sir John Hawkins's repeatedly urging it, I think it is probable that his kind resolution would not Inive been fulfilled. After making one, which, as Sir John Hawkins informs us, extended no further than the promised annuity, Johnson's final disposition of his property was established by a Will and Codicil, of which copies are sub- joined. " In the name of God. Amen. 7, Samtul John- son, being in full possession of my faculties, but fear- inff this night may put an end to my life, do ordain this my last will ajid testament. I bequeath to God a soul polluted by many sim, but I hope purified by Jesus Christ. Heave seren hundred and fifty ixmnds in the hands of Bennct Lanyton, Esq. ; three hundred pounds in the hands of Mr. Barclay and Mr. Perkins, breuers; one hundred and fifty pounds in the hands of Dr. Percy, bishop of Dromore ; one thousand pounds, three per cent, annuities in the public funds ; and one hundred pounds 7iow lying by me in ready money : all these before-mentioned sums and property I leave, I say, to Sir Joshua Reynolds, Sir John Hawkins, and Dr. William Scott, of Doctors' Com- mons, in trust, for the following uses : — That is to say, to pay to the representatives of the late William Innys, bookseller, in St. Paul's Churchyard, the sum of two hundred pounds; to Mrs. White, my female servant, one hundred pounds stock in the three per cent, annuities aforesaid. The rest of the aforesaid sums of money and property, together with my books, plate, and household furniture, I leave to the before- mentioned Sir Joshua Reynolds, Sir John Hawkins, and Dr. Wdliam Scott, also in trust, to be applied, after paying my debts, to the use of Francis Barber, represented as a relation of Johnson's. (See p. 789.) That Johnson was anxious to discover whether any of his relations were living, is evinced by the following letter, written not long before he made his will : — "JOHNSON TO THK RF.V. DK. VYSE, " In I.ambclh. " Bolt CtSrt, Nov. 29. 1784. " Sir,— I am desirous lo know whether Charles Scrimshaw, of Wooiiscase (I think), in your father's neighbourhood. l)c now living ; what is his condition, and where he mav be found. If you can conveniently make any inquiry about him, and can do' it without delay, it will be an act of great kindness to me, he being very nearly related to me. I beg [y""] to pardon this trouble. 1 .im, &C., S.\M. Joh.sson.'" In conformity to the wish expressed in the preceding letter, an inquiry was made; but no descendants ol^Charles Scrim- shaw or uf his sisters were discovered to be living. l)r. Vysc informs me, that Dr. Johnson told him, " he was dis- .Tppointed in the inquiries he had made after his relations." There is therefore no ground whatsoever for supposing thit he was unmindful of them, or neglected them.— Malone. 3f 802 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1784. my man-servant, a negro, in such manner as they shall judge most fit and available to his benefit. And I appoint the aforesaid Sir Joshua Reynolds, Sir John Hawkins, and Dr. William Scott, sole executors of this my last will and testament, hereby revoking all former wills and testaments vihatever. In v)itness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name, and affix my seal, this eighth day of December, 1784. " Sam. Johnson, (L. S.) " Signed, sealed, published, declared, and de- livered, by the said testator, as his last will and testament, in the presence of us, the ivord two being first inserted in the opposite page. " George Strahan. "John Desmoulins." " By way of codicil to my last ivill and testament, I, Samuel Johnson, give, devise, and bequeath, my mes- suane or tenement situate at Lichfield, in the county of Stafford, with the appurtenances, in the tenure and occupation of Mrs. Bond, of Lichfield, aforesaid, or of Mr. Hinchman, her under-tenant, to my executors, in trust, to sell and dispose of the same; and the money arising from such sale I give and bequeath as foUoivs, viz. to Thomas and Benjamin, the sons of Fisher Johnson, late of Leicester, and Whit- ing, daughter of Thomas Johnson, late of Coventry, and the grand-daughter of the said Thomas Johnson, one full, and equal fourth part each ; but in case there shall be more grand-daughters than one of the said Thomas Johnson living at the time of my decease, I give and bequeath the part or share of that one to and equally between such grand-daughters. I give and 1 bequeath to the Rev. Mr. Rogers, of Berkley, near j Froom, in the county of Somerset, the sum of ojie I hundred pounds, requesting him to apply the same to- wards the maintenance of Elizabeth Heme, a lunatic.^ i / also give and bequeath to my god-children, the son and daughter of Mauritius Lowe, painter, each of \ them one hundred pounds of my stock in the three per j ce7it. consolidated annuities, to be applied and dis- , posed of by and at the discretion of my executors, in \ the education or settlement in the world of them my j said legatees. Also I give and bequeath to Sir John Haivkins, one of my executors, the Annales Ecclesiastici of Baronius, and HoUm.heds and Stowe's Chronicles, ' and also an octavo Common Prayer-Book. To \ Bennet La7ipto7i, Esq. , / give and bequeath jny Poly- glot Bible. To Sir Joshua Reynolds, my great French Dictionary, by Martiniere ; and my oicn copy of my folio English Dictionary, of the last revision. To Dr. William Scott, one of iny executors, the Dici>n- naire de Commerce, and Lectius's edition of the Greek Poets. To Mr. Windham, Poetce Grczci Heroici per Henricum Stephanum. To the Rev. Mr. Strahan, vicar of Islington, in Middlesex, Mill's Greek Testament, Beza's Greek Testament, by Stephens, all 7ny Latin Bibles, and my Greek Bible, by Wechlius. T9 Dr. Heberden, Dr. Brocklesby, Dr. Butter, and Mr. Cruikshank, the surgeon who attended me, Mr. Holder, my apothecary, Gerard Hamilton. Esq., Mrs. Gardiner, of Snow-hill, Mrs. Frances Reynolds, Mr. Hoole, and the Reverend Mr. Hoolo, his son, each a book at their election, to keep as a token of remembra7ice. I also give and bequeath to Mr. John Des7noidins, two hu7idred pounds consoli- dated three per cent. an7iuities ; and to Mr. Sastres, the Italian master, the sum of five pounds, to be laid out i7i books of piety for his own use. A7id whereas the said Bennet Langton hath agreed, in consideration of tlie sum of seven hundred and fifty pounds, men- tioned ill. my will to be in his hands_ to grant and ] secure an annuity of seventy pounds payable during the life of me and my servant, Francis Barber, and the life of the survivor nf tts, to Mr. George Stubbs, in trust for us : my mind and will is, that in case of my decease before the said agreement shall be perfected, the said sum of seven hiaidred a7id fifty pou7uls, and. the bond for securing the said sum, shall go to the said Francis Bai-ber ; and I hereby give a7id bequeath to , him the same, in lieu of the bequest in his favour con- ', tained in my said will. And. I hereby empower my executors to deduct and retain all expenses that shall , or may be incurred in the execution of my said will, or of this codicil thereto, out of such estate and effects as I shall die possessed of. All the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate and effects I give and bequeath to 7ny said executors, in trust for the said Fra7icis Barber *, his executors a7id administrators. ■ Witness my hand and seal, this ninth day of December, 1784, " Sam. Johnson, (L. S. ) " Signed, sealed, published, declared, and delivered, by the said Samuel Johnson, as and for a codi- '. cil to his last will and testament, in the prese7ice of us, who, in his presence, and at his request, \ and also in the prese7ice of each other, have ; hereto sidiscribed our 7ia7nes as ivitnesses. "John Copley. i "William Gibson. , " Henry Cole. " Upon these testamentary deeds it is proper to make a few observations. His express de- claration with his dying breath as a Christian, as it had been often practised in such solemn writings, was of real consequence from this great man, for the conviction of a mind equally acute and strong might well overbalance the ' doubts of others who were his contemporaries. The expression polluted may, to some, convey an impression of more than ordinary contami- nation ; but that is not warranted by its genuine meaning, as appears from " The ' Rambler," No. 42.^ The same word is used in the will of Dr. Sanderson, Bishop of Lincoln, who was piety itself. His legacy of two hun- dred pounds to the representatives of Mr. Innys, bookseller, in St. Paul's Churchyard, proceeded from a very worthy motive. lie told Sir John Hawkins that his lather having, > She was his first cousin. — Croker, 1847. 9 Francis Barber, Dr. Johnson's principal legatee, died in the infirmary at Stafford, after undergoing a painful operation, February 13. 18()i:— Malone. In the Gentleman s Magazine for 1793, p. 619., there are some anecdotes of Bar- ber, in which it is said that lie was then forty-eight years old. Mr. Chalmers thinks that he was about fifty-six when he died ; but as he entered .Johnson's service in 1752, and could scarcely have been then under ten or twelve years of age, Jt i8 probable that he was somewhat older. — Croker. 2 The quotations from the Scriptures in Johnson's Dic- tionary sufficiently justify the use of this word ; but it does not occur in No. 42. of the liambler. In the Journey to the Hebrides he uses the word familiarly, and talks of " polluting the breakfast table with slices of cheese." Mr. Boswell iiiav perhaps have meant the Idler, No. 82., when Johnson adiUd to Sir Joshua Reynolds's paper the words, " and pollulc his canvass with deformity." — Croker. IMt. 76. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 803 become a bankrupt, Mr. Innys had assisted ihim with money or credit to continue his Ij business. " This," said he, " I consider as an i obligation on me to be grateful to his descend- ants." The amount of his property proved ito be considerably more than he had supposed it to be. Sir John Hawkins estimates the .bequest of Fi'ancis Barber at a sum little short lof fifteen hundred pounds, including an an- I unity of seventy pounds to be paid to him jby ]Mi'. Langton, in consideration of seven (hundred and fifty pounds which Johnson had (lent to that gentleman. Sir John seems not a jlittle angry at this bequest, and mutters " a Jcaveat against ostentatious bounty and favour jto negroes." But surely, when a man has "money entirely of his own acquisition, espe- jcially when he has no near relations, he may, without blame, dispose of it as he pleases, and with great propriety to a faithful servant. Mr. Barber, by the recommendation of his master, f retired to Lichfield, where he might pass the I rest of his days in comfort. It has been objected that Johnson omitted many of his best friends, when leaving books to several as ) tokens of his last remembrance. The names of Dr. Adams, Dr. Taylor, Dr. Burney, J\lr. Hector, Mr. IMurphy, the author of this work, and others who were intimate with him, are not to be found in his will. This may be accounted for by considering, that as he was very near his dissolution at the time, he pro- jbably mentioned such as happened to occur to Ifhim ; and that he may have recollected that he hud formerly shown others such proofs of his ii'iiaid, that it was not necessary to crowd his V. ill with their names. Mrs. Lucy Porter was uiiuh displeased that nothing was left to her ; Ilia besides what I have now stated, she should h-Avc considered that she had left nothing to rinliiison by her will, which was made during III- lifetime, as appeared at her decease. His In many of them he had written little notes : sometimes 1 memorials of his departed wife ; as, " This was dear \ 'shook:" sometimes occasional remarks of different Mr. Lysons, of Clifford's Inn, has favoured me with ,() following: " In ' Holy Rules and Helps to Devotion, i\an Duppa, Lord Bishop of Winton, ' Prcces quidam lir diligenter tractasse ; spero non inauditus.' In ' The iiisian infallible Axiomata, by John Heydon, Gent.,' • d to which are some verses addressed to the author, a Ambr. Waters, A.M. Coll. Ex. Oxen., 'These 1 verses were written to Hobbes by Bathurst, upon his :i>o on Human Nature, and have no relation to the . — An odd fraud.' " — Boswell. If, as has been stated, I 1 about ."iOOO volumes, they did not produce one shilling lime. Mr. Windham bought W.arkl.ind's Statins, and Ml the first p.ige, " Fuit e libris clarissimi Samuclis 11." It now, by the favour of Mr. Jesse, who bought Mr. Windham's sale, belongs to me. — Croker. I iicre can be little doubt that these two quarto volumes ii the same kind as, if they were not actually /ranscn/irj , ious little diaries, some of which fell into the hands of ■-irahan and others ; the strong expression that he would "gone mad" haA they been purloined, confirms my ; tliat Dr. Johnson never could have intended that these 1. s should have been published. I am confident that they >srn; given to Dr. .Strahan inadvertently, — if indeed they Wire given .it .ill, for which we have no evidence but Dr. Strahan's very obscure, contradictory, and improbable statement : and I cannot but suspect that it was by acci- dent only they escaped destruction on the 1st of December. See anti, p. 792. — Croker. enumerating several persons in one group, and leaving them " each a book at their election," might possibly have given occasion to a curious question as to the order of choice, had they not luckily fixed on difli-rent books. Jlis library, though by no means haMtl^ome in its appear- ance, was sold by j\Ir. Christie for two hundred and forty-seven pounds nine shillings ; many people being desirous to have a book which had belonged to Johnson.' The consideration of numerous papers of which he was possessed seems to have struck Johnson's mind with a sudden anxiety ; and as they were in great confusion, it is much to be lamented that he had not intrusted some faithful and discreet person with the care and seTectum of them ; instead of which he, in a precipitate manner, burnt large masses of them, with little regard, as I apjjrehend, to discrimination. Not that I suppose we have thus been deprived of any compositions which he had ever intended for the public eye ; but from what escaped the flames 1 judge that many curious circumstances, relating both to himself and other literary characters, have perished. Two very valuable articles, I am sure, we have lost, which were two quarto volumes -, containing a full, fair, and most particular account of his own life, from his earliest re- collection. I owned to him, that having ac- cidentally seen them, I had read a great deal in them ; and apologising for the liberty I had taken, asked him if I could help it. He pla- cidly answered, " Why, Sir, 1 do not think you could have helped it." I said that I had, for once in my life, felt half an inclination to commit theft. It had come into my mind to carry off those two volumes, and never see him more. Upon my inquiring how this would have affected him, "Sir," said he, "I believe I should have gone mad." ^ 3 One of these volumes, .Sir John Hawkins informs us, he put into his pocket ; for which the excuse he states is, that he meant to preserve it from falling into the hands of a per- son whom he describes so as to m.ike it sufficiently clear who is meant [Mr. George Steevcns] : " having strong reasons," said he, "to suspect that this man might find .ind m.ike an ill use of the book." Why Sir John should suppose that the gentleman .lUuded to would act in this manner, he has not thought fit to explain. But what he did was not approved of by Johnson ; who, upon being acquainted of it -.vitnout del.iy by a friend, expressed grc.it indignation, and warmly insistetl on the book being delivered up ; and, afterwards, in the sup- position of his missing it, without knowing by whom it had been t.iken, he s.iid, " Sir, I should have goneout of the world distrusting h.ilf mankind." Sir John next d.iy wrote a letter to Johnson, assigning reasons for his conduct ; upon which Johnson observed to Mr. Langton, " Bishop S.inderson could not have dictated a better letter. _ I could almost say. Melius est sic penituissc quam non crdsse." The agitation into which Johnson was thrown by this incident prol)ably made him hastily burn those precious records, which must ever be regretted Boswell. I cannot tell what Hawkins's apology to Johnson may have been, but the excuses which he alleges in his book arc contemptible, and prove the animus fiirandi ; but it is nut cert.iin that the volume which Hawkins took was one of these two quartos ; and it is cert.iin that a de- struction of papers tooit placeaday or two before that event. Johnson had re.illy some reason tor " distrusting mankind," when, of two dear friends, he found one half inclined to comraitatheft,vd another actuallv committing it. Bishop SandersDD was referred to because he was an cminciit 3f 2 804 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1784. During his last illness Johnson experienced the steady and kind attachment of his nume- rous friends. Mr. Hoole has drawn up a narrative i of what passed in the visits which he paid him during that time, from the 10th of November to the 13th of December, the day of his death, inclusive, and has favoured me with a perusal of it, with permission to make extracts, which I have done. Nobody was more attentive to him than Mr. Langton ^ to whom he tenderly said, Te teneam moriens deficiente manu. And I think it highly to the honour of Mr. Windham, that his important occupations as an active states- man did not prevent him from paying assiduous respect to the dying sage whom he revered. Mr. Langton informs me, that " one day he found Mr. Burke and four or five more friends sitting with Johnson. Mr. Burke said to him, ' I am afraid. Sir, sucli a number of us may be oppressive to you.' — 'No, Sir,' said Johnson, ' it is not so ; and I must be in a wretched state indeed when your company would not be a delight to me.' Mr. Burke, in a tremulous voice, expressive of being very tenderly af- fected, replied, ' My dear Sir, you have always been too good to me.' Immediately afterwards he went away. This was the last circum- stance in the acquaintance of these two emi- nent men." The following particulars of his conversa- tion within a few days of his death I give on the authority of Mr. John Nichols : — " He said that tlie Parliamentary Debates were the only part of his writings which then gave him any compunction : but that at the time he wrote them he had no conception he was imposing upon the world, though tliey were frequently written from very slender materials, and often from none at all, — the mere coinage of his own imagination. He never wrote any part of his works with equal velocity. Three columns of the magazine in an hour was no uncommon effort, wliicli was faster than most persons could have transcribed that quantity. " Of his friend Cave he always spoke with great affection. ' Yet,' said he, ' Cave (who never looked out of his window but with a view to the Gentle- man's Magazine) was a penurious paymaster ; he would contract for lines by the hundred, and ex- pect the long hundred ; but he was a good man, and always delighted to have his friends at his table.' " When talking of a regular edition of his own works, he said that he had power (from the book- sellers) to print such an edition, if his health ad- mitted it ; but had no power to assign over any casuist, and treated of cases of conscience. There can be no doubt that Barber detected and reported, as was his duty, Hawkins's attempt to purloin the volume; and hence, I sup- pose, arose Hawkins's malevolence against both Johnson and Barber, and his endeavour to set up Heeley as a rival to the latter. Ante, p. 183. n. l.,aiid p. 789 Croker. ' This Journal has been since printed at length in the European Magazine for September. 1799. As it is too long to be inserted here, 1 have placed it in the Appendix. It will be read with interest Croker. 2 Mr. Langton survived Johnson several years. He died at Southampton, December 18. 1801, aged sixty-five Malone. Hannah More writes, March 8. 1784. * I am sure you will honour Mr. Langton when I tell you that he is come to town on purpose to stay with Dr. Johnson during his edition, unless he could add notes, and so alter them as to make them new works ; which his state of health forbade him to think of. ' I may possibly live,' said he, 'or rather breathe, three days, or perhaps three weeks ; but find myself daily and gradually weaker.' " He said at another time, three or four days only before his death, speaking of the little fear he had of undergoing a chirurgical operation, « I would give one of these legs for a year more of life, I mean of comfortable life, not such as that which I now suffer ; ' — and lamented much his inability to read during his hours of restlessness. < I used formerly,' he added, 'when sleepless in bed, to read like a Turk.' " Whilst confined by his last illness, it was his regular practice to have the church service read to him by some attentive and friendly divine. The Rev. Mr. Hoole performed this kind office in my ; presence for the last time, when, by his own desire, no more than the Litany was read ; in which his responses were in the deep and sonorous voice ; which Mr. Boswell has occasionally noticed, and with the most profound devotion that can be ima- gined. His hearing not being quite perfect, he more than once interrupted Mr. Hoole with, ' Louder, my dear Sir, louder, I entreat you, or you pray in vain ! ' — and, when the service was ended, he, with great earnestness, turned round to an excellent lady who was present, saying, ' I thank you, IMadam, very heartily, for your kindness in joining me in this solemn exercise. Live we!!, I ' conjure you ; and you will not feel the compunction at the last which I now feel.'* So truly humble were the thoughts which this great and good man entertained of his own approaches to religious perfection. " He was earnestly invited to publish a volume of Devotional Exercises; but this (though he listened to the proposal with much complacency, and a large sum of money was offered for it) he declined, i from motives of the sincerest modesty. " He seriously entertained the thought of trans- lating Tlmanus. He often talked to me on the subject ; and once, in particular, when I was ratlier wishing that he would favour the world, and gratify his sovereign, by a Life of Spenser (which he said! that he would readily have done had he been able to obtain any new materials for the purpose), he added, ' I have been thinking again. Sir, of IViu- anus ; it would not be the laborious task wliich you have supposed it. I should have no trouble but that of dictation, which would be performed as speedily as an amanuensis coidd write.' " On the same undoubted authority I give e few articles which should have been insLTtet in chronological order, but which, now that illness. He has t.iken a little lodging in Fleet Street, in ordei to be near to devote himself to him." — Choker, 1847. 3 There is a slight error in Mr. Nichols's account, as ap ' pears by the following communication to me from the Kev Mr. Hoole himself, now (1831 ) rector of Poplar : — " My mother was with us when I read prayers to Dr. John ■ son, on Wednesday, December 8. ; but not for the last timci '; as it is stated by Mr. Nichols, for I attended him again oi' 1 Friday, the 10th. I must here mention an incident whic!~ ' shows how ready Johnson was to make amends for any littl incivility. When 1 called upon him, the morning alter li had pressed me rather roughly to read louder, he said, ' 1 wa peevish yesterday ; you must forgive me : when you are ns ol' and as sick as I am, perhaps you may be peevish too.' 1 liav : heard him make many apologies of this kind." — Croker. JEt, 76. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 805 i they are before me, I should be sorry to omit : — " Among tlic early associates of Johnson, at St. John's Gate, was Samuel IJoyse, well known liy his ingenious productions ; and not less noted for his imprudence. It was not unusual for 15oyse to be a customer to the pawnbroker. On one of these occasions, Dr. Johnson collected a sun> of money to redeem his friend's clothes, which in two days after were pawned again. ' The sum,' said Johnson, ' was collected by sixpences, at a time when to me sixpence was a serious consideration.' " Speaking one day of a person ' for wliom he had a real friendship, but in whom vanity was somewhat too predominant, lie observed, that ' Kelly was so fond of displaying on his sideboard the plate whicli he possessed, that he added to it his spurs. For my jiart,' said he, ' I never was master of a pair of spurs, but once ; and they are now at the bottom of the ocean. By the carelessness of 15os- well's servant, they were dropped from the end of the boat, on our return from the Isle of Sky.' " The late Reverend Mr. Samuel Badcock ^ havinir been introduced to Dr. Johnson by Mr. Nichols, some years before his death, thus expressed himself in a letter to that gentle- man : — " How much I am obliged to you for the favour you did me in introducing me to Dr. John.scm ! Tantum vidi Virgilium. IJut to have seen him, and to have received a testimony of respect from him, was enough. I recollect all the conversation, and shall never forgot one of his expressions. Speak- ing of Dr. Priestley (whose writings, I saw, he estimated at a low rate), he said, ' You have proved him as deficient \y\ probity as he is in learning.' I called him an '■ Imlex Scholar;' but he was not willing to allow him a claim even to that merit. He said, 'that he borrowed from those who had been borrowers themselves, and did not know that ■ Hugh Kelly, the dramatic author, who died in Gough >versy with Dr. Priestley, whose friend and admirer he had viimsly been. His assistance to Dr. Wliite, in a celebrated . iipton'Lecturc, was also the subject of a smart controversy ''>een that divine and Dr. Parr. He had been bred a dis- iitcr, but conformed to the established church, and was ' riliincd in 1787. He died soon after in May, 178**, aet. 41.— CUOKER. :• The son of Mr. La Trobe has published (in the Cliristi.-m Observer for January, 1828), " in order," as he says, " tliat the tradition may not be lost," what he calls a corroboration of some remarks, which appeared in that work for the October and November preceding, on the last days of Dr. Johnson. Mr. La Trolie's statement tends, as far as it is entitled to credit, to coiitirm the opinion already, it is hoped, universally entertained, that Johnson'sde.ith was truly christian. But Mr. La Trobe had little to tell, and of that little unfortunately the prominent facts are indisputably erroneous. Mr. La Trobe states, that " Dr. Johnson had during his last illness sent every day to know when his father, who was then o.ut of town, would come back. The moment he arrived he went to the doctor's house, but found him speechless, though sen- sible. Blr. La Trobe addressed to him some religions ex. hortation, which Johnson showed by pressing his h.md, and other signs, that he understood, and was thankful for. Ik- expired the next morning, and Mr. La Trobe always re- greUed not having been able to attend Dr. Johnson sooner, the mistakes lie adopted had been answered by others.' 1 often think of our short, but precious visit, to this great man. I shall consider it as a kind of an ara in my life." It is to the mutual credit of Johnson and divines of dilforent communions, that although he was a steady Church of England man, there was, nevertheless, much agreeable in- tercourse between him and tiieni. Let me particularly name the late ^Ir. LaTrobe^ and JNIr. Ilutton, of the ^Moravian profession. His intimacy with tiie English Benedictines at Paris has been mentioned ; and as an addi- tional proof of the charity in wiiich he lived with good men of the Koinish church, I am happy in this opportiniity of recording his friendship with the Kev. Thomas Ilussey, D.D."*, his Catholic IMajesty's chaplain of embassy at the court of London, that very res[)ectable man, eminent not only for his powerful eloquence as a preacher, but for his various abilities and acquisitions. Nay, though Johnson loved a Presbyterian the least of all, this did not prevent his having a long and uninterrupted social connection with the Kev. Dr. James Foidyce, who, since his death, hath gratefully celebrated him in a warm strain of devotional composition. Amidst the melancholy clouds which hung over the dying Johnson, his characteristical manner showed itself on different occasions. AVhen Dr. Warren, in his usual style, hopod that he was better, his answer was, "No, SirH you cannot conceive with what acceleration I 1 advance towards death." A nnm whom he had never seen before was^ employed one night to sit up with him. Being asked next morning how he liked his attendant, his answer was, ''Not at all. Sir: the fellow*< according to his wish." The reader will see that the infer- ence suggested by this 5tatenunt is, that Dr. Johnson wished for the spiritual .■l^-l^t:Hl( c i.t Mr. L;i Trobe, in addition (or U might even be inl. 1 1. ,1. m i, , t-ticf) to ih.it of his near and dear friends. Mr. 111.- .ii.i Dr. .Stralian, clergymen of the establishcil cliun h : an. I it may be seen that the anony- mous (and why anonymous ?) writer of a letter iiublished among Hannah More's, v. i. p. 379., repeats the tale of .Mr. La Trobe's conversation having had a benclicial elhct on Dr. Johnson's mind. Now the facts of the c;ise essentiallv contradict Mr. La Trobe's iccount, and any inferences which might be deducible from it. Dr. Johnson, as will be seen in the Diaries of Sir J. Hawkins and Mr. Windham, was not speechless the day before his death, nor did he die next jiiurmng (which seems menlioneil as the reason why Mr. La 'I'lobe's visit was not repe.ited), hut in the evening. .\nd, which is quite conclusive, it appears from Mr. iloule's Diary, that Mr. La Trobe's visit to Dr. Johnson's residence (and his son .admits there was but our) took pl.ice about eleven o'clock in the forenoon of the lOth, three days before Dr. .Tohnion's death; that Mr. La Trohe did not even tee himi anil that it was in the course of that very day th.-it Mr. Hoole re.id pr.iyers to him and a small conprecation of friends. .And I must add, th.it some further particulars stated, trilh the same view, in the anonymous letter — wliich the editor of Hannah More's ought not to ha»e admitted without better authenlicaii(m— are certainly and manifestly/a/.vi'. So little cm anecdot>'S at second hand be trusted Ckokeb, 1831-<7. But see Iter. P. La Trobe's reply to this at end of the Vol. ' No doubt the gentleman who is so conspicuous In Mr. Cumberland's Memoirs. He was subsequently first majter of the Hom.an Catholic college at Mavnooth, and titular Hishop of Waterford in Ireland, in which latter capacity he published, in 1797. a pastoral charge, which excited a good deal of observation. — Cbokek. 3r3 80G BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1784. an idiot ; he is as awkward as a turnspit when first put into the wheel, and as sleepy as a dormouse." He repeated with great spirit a poem, con- sisting of several stanzas, in four lines, in alternate rhyme, which he said he had com- posed some years before, on occasion of a rich, extravagant young gentleman's ' coming of age : saying he had never repeated it but once since he composed it, and had given but one copy of it. That copy was given to Mrs. Thrale, now Piozzi, who has published it in a book which she entitles " British Synonimy," but which is truly a collection, of entertaining remarks and stories, no matter whether ac- curate or not. Being a piece of exquisite satire, conveyed in a strain of pointed vivacity and humour, and in a manner of which no other instance is to be found in Johnson's writings, I shall here insert it. " Long-expected one-and-twenty, Ling'rinp; year, at length is flown ; Pride and pleasure, pomp and plenty. Great [Sir John], are now your own. " Loosen'd from the minor's tetlier, Free to mortgage or to sell, Wild as wind, and light as feather, Bid the sons of thrift farewell. " Call tlio Betseys, Kates, and Jennies, All the names that banish care; Lavish of your grandsire's guineas. Show the spirit of an heir. " All that prey on vice and folly J(w to see their quarry fly ; There the gamester, light and jolly, There the lender, grave and sly. " Wealth, my lad, was made to wander, Let it wander as it will ; Call the jockey, call the pander, Bid them come and take their fill. " When the bonny blade carouses. Pockets full, and spirits high — What are acres ? what are houses ? Only dirt, or wet or dry. " Should the guardiaii friend or mother Tell the woes of wilful waste: Scorn their counsels, scorn their pother, You can hang or drown at last." As he opened a note which his servant brought to him, he said, " An odd thoitght strikes me: — we shall receive no letters in e grave." ^ j sti t._tji ' Sir .Tohn Lnde — the posfhiimous son of (he fourth baronet by Mr. Thnile's sister. He entered eagerly into all the follies of the day ; was a remarkable whip ; and married a woman of the town. — Choker. See Johnson's letter to Mrs. Thrale, .Auiiist 8th, 1780. " You have heard in the papers how [Lade] is come to age. I have enclosed a short song of congratidation, which you must not show to any body. It is odd that it should come into any body's head. I hope you will read it with candour; it is, I believe, one of the author's first; essays in that way of writing, and a beginner is always to be treated with tenderness." — Malone. He requested three things of Sir Joshua Reynolds: — To forgive him thirty pounds which he had borrowed of him ; — to read the Bible; — and never to use his pencil on a Sunday. Sir Joshua readily acquiesced.^ Indeed he showed the greatest anxiety for the religious improvement of his friends, to whom he discoursed of its infinite consequence. He begged of Mr. Hoole to think of what he had said, and to commit it to writing; and, upon being afterwards assured that this was done, pressed his hands, and in an earnest tone thanked him. Dr. Brocklesby having attended him with the utmost assiduity and kindness as his physician and friend, he was peculiarly de- sirous that this gentleman should not enter- tain any loose speculative notions, but be con- firmed in the truths of Christianity, and insisted on his writing dovirn in his presence, as nearly as he could collect it, the import of what passed on the subject ; and Dr. Brock- lesby having complied with the request, he made him sign the paper, and urged him to keep it in his own custody as long as he lived. Johnson, with that native fortitude which, amidst all his bodily distress and mental sufferings, never forsook him, asked Dr. Brocklesby, as a man in whom he had con- fidence, to tell him plainly whether he could recover. " Give me," said he, " a direct answer." The doctor, having first asked him if he could bear the whole truth, which way soever it might lead, and being answered that he could, declared that, in his opinion, he could not recover without a miracle. " Then," said Johnson, " I will take no more physic, not even my opiates ; for I have prayed that I may render up my soul to God unclouded." In this resolution he persevered, and, at the same time, used only the weakest kinds of susten- ance. Being pressed by Mr. Windham to take somewhat more generous nourishment, lest too low a diet should have the very effect which he dreaded, by debilitating his mind, he said, " I will take any thing but inebriating sus- tenance." The Reverend Mr. Strahan, who was the son of his friend, and had been always one of his great favourites, had, during his last illness, the satisfaction of contributing to soothe and comfort him. That gentleman's house at Is- lington, of which he is vicar, aiforded Johnson, occasionally and easily, an agreeable change of place and fresh air; and he attended also upon him in town in the discharge of the sacred offices of his profession. - Jladame de Maintenon somewhere said,/i'« iitortsn'ecriv- nit pas; and higher thoughts of the same class had struck Jeremy Taylor : — " What servants shall we have to wait on us in the grave ? What friends to visit us ? What officious [ipople to cleanse away the moist and unwholesome cloud relli-cted on our faces from the sides of the weeping vaults, which are the longest weepers at our funeral I " — Ho/y Dyhig, chap. i. s. 2 Cuokek. 3 Hannah More says that on this last article Sir Joshua hesitated a little, but at last complied. — Choker, 18-17. I iEx. 76. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 807 Mr. Strahan has n;iven me the agreeable assurance, that after being in much agitation, Johnson became quite composed, and continued so till his death. Dr. Brocklesby, who will not be suspected of fanaticism, obliged me with the following accounts : — " For some time before his death, all his fears '.vere calmed and absorbed by the prevalence of his faith, and his trust in the merits and propitiaiioii of Jesus Christ. ■• lie talked often to me about the necessity of fiitli in the sacrifice of Jesus, as necessary beyond all good works whatever for the salvation of mankind. " He pressed me to study Dr. Clarke and to read liis sermons. I asked him why lie pressed Dr. Clarke, an Arian.' 'Because,' said he, ' he is fullest on the propitiatory sacrifice.' " Of his last moments, my brother, Thomas DaA-id, has furnished me with the following particulars : — '• The Doctor, from the time that he was certain liis death was near, appeared to be perfectly re- sii;ned, was seldom or never fretftil or out of tem- per, and often said to his faithful servant, who gave me this account, ' Attend, Francis, to the salvation of your soul, which is the object of greatest impor- tance : ' he also explained to him passages in the Scripture, and seemed to have pleasure in talking upon religious subjects. '• On Monday, the 1 Sth of December, the day on which he died, a INIiss Morris ^, daughter to a particular friend of his, called, and said to Francis, tiiat she begged to be permitted to see the Doctor, that she might earnestly request him to give her his blessing. Francis went into the room, followed by the young lady, and delivered the message. The Doctor turned himself in the bed, and said, ' God bios : you, my dear I ' These were the last words he spoke. His difficulty of breathing increased till ahout seven o'clock in the evening, when Mr. Bar- ber and Mrs. Desmoulins, who were sitting in the room, observing that the noise he had made in breathing had ceased, went to the bed, and found he was dead."' j\.bout two days after his death, the follow- ing very agreeable account was communicated to Jlr. Malone, in a letter by the Honourable John Byng, to whom I am much obliged for granting me permission to introduce it in my work : — 1 The oliange of his sentiments with regard to Dr. Clarke i: thus mentioned to me in a letter from the late Dr. Adams, master of Pembroke College, Oxford. — " The Doctor's pre- juiticos were the strongest, and certainly in another sense the weakest, that ever possessed a sensible man. You know • his extreme zeal for orthodoxy. But did you ever hear what he told me himself— that he had made it a rule not to admit Dr. Clarke's name in his Dictionary ? This, however, wore o;!'. At some distance of time he advised with me what books hi> should read in defence of the Christian religion. I re- commended ' Clarke's Evidences of Natural and Revealed IMi.Kion,'as the best of the kind ; and I find in what is called his' Prayers and Meditations,' that he was frequently em- ployed in the latter part of his time in reading Clarke's Sermons." — Bosv^ELL. But as early as 1763, he recom- mended Dr. Clarke, ante, p. 135. — Choker. '^ She was the sister of a lady of the same name who ap- peared on the stage at Covent Garden as Juliet, in 176H, and died next year. She was a relation of Mr. Corbyn Morris, commissioner of the customs Croker. ^ The following letter, now in ray possession, written with "Dear Sir, — Since I saw you, I have had a long conversation with Cawston *, who sat up with Dr. Johnson, from nine o'clock on Sunday evening, till ten o'clock on IMonday morning. And, from what I can gather from him, it sliould seem that Dr. Johnson was perfectly composed, steady in hope, and resigned to death. At the interval of each hour, they assisted him to sit up in his bed, and move his legs, which were in much pain ; when he regularly addressed himself to fervent prayer ; and though, sometimes, his voice failed him, his sense never did, during that time. The only sus- tenance he received was cider and water. He said his mind was prepared, and the time to his dissolu- tion seemed long. At six in the morning, he in- quired the hour, and, on being informed, said, that all went on regularly, and he felt that he had but a few hours to live. " At ten o'clock in the mornmg, he parted from Cawston, saying, 'You should notdetain Mr. Wind- ham's servant : — I thank you ; bear my remem- brance to your master.' Cawston .says, that no man could appear more collected, more devout, or less terrified at the thoughts of the approaching minute. " This account, which is so much more agreeable than, and somewhat different from, yours, lias given us the satisfaction of thinking that that great man died as he lived, full of resignation, strengthened in faith, and joyful in hope." A few days before his death, he had asked Sir John Hawkins, as one of his executors, where he should be buried ; and on being answered, "Doubtless, in Westminster Abbey," seemed to feel a satisfaction, very natural to a poet ; and indeed in my opinion very natural to every man of any imagination, who has no family sepulchre in which he can be laid with his fathers. Accordingly, upon Monday, De- cember 20., his remains [enclosed in a leaden coffin] were deposited in that noble and re- nowned edifice -[in the soulh transept, near the foot of Shakspeare's monument, and close to the coffin of his friend Garrick] ; and over his grave was placed a large blue flag-stone, with this inscription : — "Samuel Johnson, LL. D. Obiit XIII. die Decembris, Anno Domini M. IICC. LXXXIV. jEtatis suae lxxv." an agitated hand, from the very chamber of death, by the amiable Mr. Langton, .nnd obviously interrupted by his feel- .._. .-„ .._,_.. . y of so long a friendship. Langton's family believe it was intended for Mr. Boswell. My dear Sir, — .\fter many conflicting hopes and fears re- specting the event of this heavy return of illness which has assailed our honoured friend. Dr. Johnson, since his arrival from Lichfield, about four davs ago the appe.irances grew more and more awful, and this afternoon at eight o'clock, when I arrived at his house to see how he should be going on, I was acquainted at the door, that about three quarters of an hour before, he breathed his last. I am now writing in the room where his venerable remains exhibit a spectacle, the interesting solemnity of which, difficult as it would be in any sort to find terms to express, so to you, my dear Sir, whose own sensations will paint it so strongly, it would be of all men the most superfluous to attempt to Croker. •• Servant to the Right Hon. William Windham. — Boswell. 3f 4 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1784. His funeral was attended by a respectable number of his friends, particularly such of the members of The Literary Club as were in town ; and was also honoured with the pre- sence of several of the Reverend Chapter of Westminster. Mr. Burke, Sir Joseph Banks, Mr. Windham, Mr. Langton, Sir Charles Bun- bury, and Mr. Colman bore his pall. His schoolfellow, Dr. Taylor, performed the mourn- ful office of reading the burial service.' I trust I shall not be accused of affectation, when I declare, that I find myself unable to express all that I felt upon the loss of such a " guide, philosopher, and friend." ^ I shall, therefore, not say one word of my own, but adopt those of an eminent friend ^ , which he uttered with an abrupt felicity, supei'ior to all studied compositions : ■ — "He has made achasm, which not only nothing can fill up, but which nothing has a tendency to fill up. Johnson is dead. Let us go to the next best : there is nobody ; no man can be said to put you in _mind.jDf Johnson." As Johnson had abundant homage paid to him during his life'*', so no writer in this nation ever had such an accumulation of literary ho- nours after his death. A sermon upon that event was preached in St. Mary's Church, Oxford, before the University, by the Rev. Mr. Agutter, of Magdalen College.^ The 1 " It must be told, that a dissatisfaction was expressed in the public papers that he was not buried with all possible funeral rites and honours. In all processions and solemnities something will be forgotten or omitted. Here no disrespect was intended. The executors did not think themselves justified in doing more than they did ; for only a little cathe- dral service, accompanied with lights and music, would have raised the price of interment. In this matter fees ran high ; they could not be excused ; and the expenses were to be paid from the property of the deceased. His funeral expenses amounted- to more than two hundred pounds. Future monumental charges may be defrayed by the generosity of subscription." — Gentleman's Magazine, 178.'j, p. 911., pro- bably bi/ Mr. Tyers. There was some hope that the fees would have been re- funded, and Steevens made a suggestion to that eflect in the Gent. Mag., but they were not ; and it is to be added, that all Dr. .Johnson's friends, but especially Malone and Steevens, were indignant at the mean and selKsh spirit which the dean and chapter exhibited on this occasion ; but they were es- pecially so against Dr. Taylor, not only for not having pre- vailed on his colleagues to show more respect to his old friend, but for the unfeeling manner in which he himself perlormed the burial service. — Croker. 2 On the subject of Johnson I may adopt the words of Sir John Harrington concerning his- venerable tutor and dio- cesan, Dr. John Still, Bishop of Bath and Wells : "who hath given me some helps, more hopes, all encouragements in my best studies : to whom I never came but I grew more re- ligious ; from whom I never went, but I parted better instructed. Of him, therefore, my acquaintance, my friend, mv instructor, if I speak much, it were not to be marvelled ; if I speak frankly, it is not to be blamed ; and though I speak partially, it were to be pardoned." — Niigtc Antiques, vol. i. p. 13G. There is one circumstance in Sir John's character of Bishop Still, which is peculiarly applicable to Johnson : *' He became so famous a disputer, that the learnedest were even afraid to dispute with him; and he, finding his own strength, could not stick to warn them in their arguments to take heed to their answers, like a perfect fencer that will tell aforehand in which button he will give the venew, or like a cunning chess-player that will appoint aforehand with which pawn and in what place he will give the mate." Ibid — Boswei.l. 3 The late Uight Hon. William Gerrard Hamilton, who had been intimately acquainted with Dr. Johnson near thirty years. He died in London, July 16. 1796, in his sixty-eighth year Malone. Lives, the Memoirs, the Essays, both in prose and verse, which have been published con- cerning him, would make many volumes. The numerous attacks too upon him I consider as part of his consequence, upon the principle which he himself so Avell knew and asserted. Many who trembled at his presence were for- ward in assault, when they no longer appre- hended danger. AVhen one of his little pragmatical foes was invidiously snarling at his fame at Sir Joshua Reynolds's table, the Reverend Dr. Parr exclaimed, with his usual bold animation, " Ay, now that the old lion is dead, every ass thinks he may kick at him." A monument for him, in Westminster Abbey, was resolved upon soon after his death, and was supported by a most respectable contri- bution ; but the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's having come to a resolution of admitting monuments there upon a liberal and magnifi- cent plan, that cathedral was afterwards fixed on, as a place in which a cenotaph should be erected to his memory : and in the cathedral of his native city of Lichfield a smaller one is to be erected. '^ To compose his epitaph, could not but excite the warmest competition of genius. If laudari e laudato viro be praise which is highly estimable, I should not forgive myself were I to omit the following sepulchral verses on the author of The English Dic- tionary, Avritten by the Right Honourable Henry Flood " : — •1 Beside the Dedications to him by Dr. Goldsmith, the Rev. Dr. Franklin, and the Rev. Mr. Wilson, which I have mentioned according to their dates, there was one by a lady, of a versification of " Aningait and Ajut,"and one by the ingenious Mr. Walker, of liis " Rhetorical Grammar." I have introduced into this work several compliments paid to him in the writings of his contemporaries ; but the number of them is so great, that we may fairly say that there was almost a general tribute. Let me not be forgetful of the honour done to him by Colonel Myddleton, of Gwaynynog, near Denbigh ; who, on the banks of a rivulet in his park, where Johnson delighted to stand and repeat verses, erected an urn with the inscription given ante, p. 423. n. 4. — Boswfll. Here followed an account of the various portraits of Dr. Johnson, which will be found at the end of the chapter. — Croker. 5 It is not yet published. In a letter to me, Mr. Agutter says, " My sermon before the University was more engaged with Dr. Johnson's moral than his intellectual character. It particularly examined his fear of death, and suggested several reasons for the apprehensions of the good, and the indiflerence of the infidel, in their last hours ; this was illustrated bv contrasting the death of Dr. Johnson and Mr. Hume : the text was. Job, xxi. 22—26."— Boswell. s This monument has been since erected. It con&ists of a medallion, with a tablet beneath, on which is this inscrip- tion : — The friends of Samuel Joh.nson, LL. D. A native of Lichfield, Erected this Monument, As a tribute of respect To the Memory of a man of extensive learning, A distinguished moral writer, and a sincere Christian. He died Dec. 13. 1784, aged 75. — Malone. 7 To prevent any misconception on this subject, Mr. Malone, by whom these lines were obligingly communicated, requests me to add the following remark : — " In justice to the late Mr. Flood, now himself wanting, and highly meriting, an epitaph from his country, to which his transcendent talents did the highest honour, as well as the most important service, it should be observed, that these lines were by no means intended as a regular monumental inscription for Dr. Johnson. Had he undertaken to write an appropriate and discriminative epitaph for that excellent and iE-r. 76. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 809 " No need of Latin or of Greek to grace Our Johnson's memory, or inscribe liis grave; His native language claims this mournful space. To pay the immortality he gave." ' The Rev. Dr. Parr, on being requested to undertake Johnson's epitaph, thus expressed himself in a letter to "William Seward, Esq. : " I leave this miglity task to some hardier and some abler writer. 'I'he variety and splendour of Johnson's attainments, the jjcculiarities of his cha- racter, his private virtues, and his literary publi- cations, fill me with confusion and dismay, when I reflect upon the confined and difficult species of composition, in which alone they can be expressed with propriety, upon this monument." But I understand that this great scholar, and warm admirer of Johnson, has yielded to re- jicated solicitations, and executed the vei-y ililKcult undertaking. extraordinary man, those who knew Mr. Flooii's vigour of luiiul will have no doubt that he would have produced one worthy of his illustrious subject. But the fact was merely this : In December, 1789, after a large subscription had been made for Dr. Johnson's monument, to which Mr. Flood liberally contributed, Mr. Maloiie happened to call on him at his liouse in Berners Street, and the conversation turning uii the proposed monument, Mr. Malone maintained that the cpitaiih, by whomsoever it should be written, oufjht to be in Latin. Mr. Flood thought differently. The ne.Kt morning, in a postscript to a note on another subject, he mentioned that he continued of the same opinion as on the preceding day, and subjoined the lines above given." — Bosw ell. i Dr. Johnson's monument, consisting of a colossal figure leaning against a column (but not very strongly resembling him), has since the death of Mr. Boswell been placed in St. I'aiii's Cathedral, having been first opened to public view, February 23. 1796. The epitaph was written by the Rev. Ur. Parr, and is as follows : — i^- SCRI SAMVELI • lOHXSON GRAMM.\TICO ■ ET ■ CRITICO 'TORVM • AXGLICORVM • LITTERATE • PKRITO POETAE • LVMINIBVS • SENTENTIARVM KT • PONDERIBVS • VERBORVM • ADMIRABILI MAGISTRO ■ VIRTVTIS ■ GRAVISSIMO HOMINI • OPTIMO • ET • SINGVLARIS • EXEMPLI. QVI VIXIT • ANX • Lxxv • MENS il. DIEB • xml. DECESSIT • IDIB • DECEMBR • ANN • CHRIST • cl.i ■ loco ■ Lxxxnil • SEPVLT • IN • AED ■ SANCT • PETR • WESTMONASTERIE NS • xiil ■ KAL • lANVAR • ANN • CHRIST ■ cI.t ■ l;)cc • Lxxxv. AMICI • ET • SODALES • EITTERARII PECVNIA • CONLATA H • M • FACIVND • CVRAVER. On a scroll in his hand are the following words : — ENMAKAPE22in0NfiNANTA3I02EIHAM0IBH. On one side of the monument : — Faciebat Johannes Bacon, Scvlptor Ann. Christ. M.D.CC. LXXXV. The subscription for this monument, which cost eleven huiulred guineas, was begun by the Literary Club, and com- pleted by the aid of Johnson's other friends and admirers. — Malone. It is to be regretted that the committee for erecting this monument did not adhere to the principles of the Hound Juj/iin. on the subject of Goldsmith's epitaph, (nn/e, |). .521.), and insist on having the epitaph to Johnson written in the l.mguage to which he had been so great and so very peculiar a benefactor. The committee of subscribers, called curators, were Lord Stowell, Mr. Burke, Mr. Windham, Sir Joseph li inKs, Mr. Metcalf, Mr. Boswell, and Mr. Malone ; of whom, Mr. Metcalf, Mr. Burke, 'and Sir Joseph had nigned the Aouni/ llobin ; but it may be presumed that Dr. Johnson's pre- CONCLUSIOX. The character of Samcel Johnson hiuj, I trust, been so developed in the course of this work, that they wlio have Iionoured it with a perusal may be considered as well ac(iiiainted with him. As, however, it may be ex])ected that I should collect into one view the capital and distinguishing features of this extraordi- nary man, I shall endeavour to actpiit myself of that part of my biographical undertaking ", however difficult it may be to do tliat which many of my readers will do better ibr them- selves. Ilis figure was large and well formed, and his countenance ofthe cast of an ancient statue ;_ yet liis appearance was rendered strange and somewhat uncouth, by convulsive cramps, by the scars of that distemper which it was once ference of a Latin epitaph, so positivel;/ pronounced on that occasion, operated on their minds as an expression of what his wishes would h.ive been as to his own. It seems, how- ever, to me, the height of bad taste and absurdity to exhibit Dr. Johnson in St. Paul's cathedral in the masquer.ide of a half-naked Rom.an, with such .pedantic, and, to the passing public, unintelligible inscriptions as the above : of which the following is a close translation : — Alpha ^ Omet/a. To Samuel Johnson, A grammarian and critic Of great skill in English literature ; A poet admirable for the light of his sentences .^nd the weight oi his words ; A most effective teacher of virtue ; An excellent man, and of singular example. Who lived 7o years, 2 months, 14 days. He died in the ides of December, in the year of Christ, MUCCLXXXIV. Was buried in the church of St. Peter's.W'estminster, The 13th of the kalends of January, in the year of Christ MDCCLXXXIV. His literary friends and companions, By a collection of money. Caused this monument to be made. The reader will not of course attribute to the original all the awkwardness of tliis nearly literal version ; but he will not fail to observe the tedious and confused mode of marking the numerals, the unnecessary repetition of them, and the introduction of 7wncs and ides, all of which are, even on the principles of the Lapidarian scholars themselves, clumsy, and on the principles of common sense, contemptible. Thirty-four letters and numerals (nearly a tenth part of the whole inscripti(m) are, for instance, expended iii letting posterity know that Dr. John.«on was buried in about a week alter his death. The Greek words, so pedantically jumbled together on the scroll, are an alteration by Dr. Parr of the concluding line of Dionysius, the geographer, with which Johnson had closed the Rambler. See nn/i.]t.~\. It seems, that in deference to some apprehensions that the Dean .and Chapter of St. Paul's migjit think the Autm U fjucxifon icvralio; ur, ccfjuii^yi — from the blessed [/jorfs] may Ih- receive his mciUcU reward — somewhat heathenish, Dr. Parr was per.-uaded to convert the line into 'E» fiMxin'.ffiri rout atrufios t<»i afici^ii — mat/ he receive amongst the b/essed the merited re- uard of his labours. The reader who is curious about the pompous inanities of literature will lind at the end of the • onrth volume of Dr. Parr's works, ed. IS28. a long corre- spondence between Parr. Sir Joshua Reynohls. Malone, and other friends of Dr. Johnson, on the subject of this epihaph. He will be amuseil at the burlesque impottance which Parr attaches to epita|)h-writing, the tenacity' with which he en- deavoured to describe Dr. Johnson, with reference to his poetical character, as poeta probabilis, and his candid avowal, that in the composition he was thinking more of his own character than Dr. Johnson's. — Crokek. ■■! As I do not see .inv reason to give a different character of mv illustrious friend now from what I formerlv gave, tho greatest part of the sketch of him in my "Journal of a I'our to the Hebrides " is here adopted. — Bosw ell. 810 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 17S4. imagined the royal touch could cure, and by a slovenly mode of dress. He had the use only of one eye ; yet so much does mind govern, and even supply the deficiency of organs, that his visual perceptions, as f\ir as they extended, were uncommonly quick and accurate. So morbid was his temperament, that he never knew the natural joy of a free and vigorous use of his limbs : when he walked, it was like the struggling gait of one in fetters ; when he rode, he had no command or direction of his horse, but was carried as if in a balloon. That with his constitution and habits of life he should have lived seventy-five years, is a proof that an inherent vivida vis is a powerful pre- servative of the human frame. Man is, in general, mad-e up of contradictory qualities ; and these will ever show themselves in strange succession, where a consistency in appearance at least, if not reality, has not been attained by long habits of philosophical dis- cipline. In proportion to the native vigour of the mind, the contradictory qualities will be the more prominent, and more difl[icult to be adjusted ; and, therefore, we are not to won- der that Johnson exhibited an eminent exam- ple of this remark which I have made upon _human nature. At different times he seemed a different man in some respects ; not, how- ever, in any great or essential article, upon which he had fully employed his mind, and settled certain principles of duty, but only in his manners, and in the display of argument and fancy in his talk. He was prone to super- stition, but not to credulity. Though his ima- gination might incline him to a belief of the marvellous and the mystei-ious, his vigorous reason examined the evidence with jealousy. He was a sincere and zealous Christian, of high Church of England and monarchical principles, which he would not tamely suffer to be ques- tioned ; and had, perhaps, at an early period, narrowed his mind somewhat too much, both as to religion and politics. His being im- pressed with the danger of extreme latitude in either, though he was of a very independent spirit, occasioned Lis appearing somewhat un- favourable to the prevalence of that noble freedom of sentiment which is the best pos- session of man. Nor can it be denied that he had many prejudices ; which, however, fre- quently suggested many of his pointed sayings, that rather show a playfulness of' fancy than any settled malignity. He Avas steady and inflexible in maintaining the obligations of re- ligion and morality, both from a regard for the order of society and from a veneration for the Great Source of all order ; correct, nay stern, in his taste ; hard to please, and easily offended ; impetuous and irritable in his temper, but of a most humane and benevolent heart ' , which ' In the " Olla Podrida," a collection of essays published at Oxford, there is an admirable paper npon the character of Johnson, written by the Kev. Dr. llornc, the late excellent Bishop of Norwich. The following passage is eminently showed Itself not only In a most liberal charity, as far as his circumstances would allow, but in a thousand instances of active benevolence. He was afflicted with a bodily disease, which made him often restless and fretful, and with a constitutional melancholy, the clouds of which darkened the brightness of his fancy, and gave a gloomy cast to his whole course of thinking ; we, therefore, ought not to wonder a,t his sallies of impatience and passion at any time, espe- cially when provoked by obtrusive Ignorance or presuming petulance ; and allowance must be made for his uttering hasty and satirical sallies even against his best friends. And, surely, when it Is considered, that " amidst sickness and sorrow " he exerted his faculties in so many works for the benefit of man- kind, and particularly that he achieved the great and admirable Dictionary of our language, we must be astonished at his resolution. The solemn text, " Of him to whom much Is given much will be required," seems to have been ever present to his mind, in a rigorous sense, and to have made him dissatisfied M'lth his labours and acts of goodness, however compara- tively great; so that the unavoidable conscious- ness of his superiority was, in that respect, a cause of disquiet. He suffered so much from this, and from the gloom which perpetually haunted him, and made solitude frightful, that it may be said of him, " If in this life only he had hope, he was of all men most miserable." He loved praise when it was brought to him ; but was too proud to seek for it. He was some- what susceptible of flattery. As he was general and unconfined In his studies, he cannot be considered as master of any one particular science ; bvit he had accumulated a vast and various collection of learning and knowledge, Avhich was so arranged in Jbis mind as to be ever in readiness to be brought forth. But his superiority over other learned men consisted chiefly in what may be called the art of think- ing, the art of using his mind ; a certain (Con- tinual power of seizing the useful substance of all that he knew, and exhibiting It in a clear and forcible manner ; so that knowledge, which we often see to be no better than lumber in men of dull understanding, was In him true, evident, and actual wisdom. His moral pre- cepts are practical, for they are drawn from an Intimate acquaintance with human nature. His maxims carry conviction ; for they are founded on the basis of common sense, and a very attentive and minute survey of real life. His mind was so full of imagery that he might have been perpetually a poet; yet It Is remark- able, that however rich his prose is In this respect, his poetical pieces In general have not much of that splendour, but are rather distin- guished by strong sentiment and acute obser- happy : — " To reject wisdom, because the person of him wiio communicates it is uncouth, and his manners are in- elegant ; what is it, but to throw, away a pine-apple, and assign for a reason the roughness of its coat ? " — Boswell. ^T. 76. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 811 vation, conveyed in hannonious and energetic verse, particularly in heroic couplets. Though usually grave, and even awful in his deport- ment, he possessed uncommon and peculiar powers of wit and humour; he fre(picntly indulged himself in colloquial pleasantry ; and the heartiest merriment was often enjoyed in his company ; with this great advantage, that, as it Avas entirely free from any poisonous tincture of vice or impiety, it was salutary to those who shared in it. He had accustomed himself to such acciu'acy in his common con- vei'sation ' , that he at all times expressed his thoughts with g]-eat force, and an elegant choice of language, the effect of which was aided by his having a loud voice, and a slow deliberate utterance. In him were vinited a most logical head with a most fertile imagination, which gave him an extraordinary advantage in argu- ing : for he could reason close or wide, as he saw best for the moment. Exulting in his intellectual strength and dexterity, he could, 1 Though a perfect resemblance of Johnson is not to be f )und in any age, parts of his character are .idmirably ex- pressed by Clarendon, in drawing that of Lord Falkland, whom the noble .ind masterly historian describes at his seat near Oxford : " Such an immenseness of wit, such a solidity of judgment, so infinite a fancy, bound in by a most logical ratiocination. His acquaintance was cultivated by the most polite and accurate men : so that his house was an university in less volume, whither they came, not so much for repose as study, and to examine and refine those grosser propositions which laziness and consent made current in conversation." Bayle's account of Menage may also be quoted as exceedingly applicable to the great subject of this work : — " His illustrious friends erected a very glorious monu- ment to him in the collection entitled 'Menagiana.' Those who judge of things right will confess that this collection is very proper to show the extent of genius and learning which was the character of Menage. And I may be bold tn say, that Vie excellent works he published will nut distinguish him from other learned men so advantageously as this. To pub- lish books of great learning, to make Greek and Latin verses exceedingly well turned, is not a common talent, i own ; neither is it extremely rare. It is incomparably more diffi- cult to find men who can furnish discourse about an infinite number of things, and who can diversify them a hundred ways. How many authors are there who are admired for the'ir works, on account of the vast learning that is displayed in them, who are not able to sustain a conversation. Those who know Menage only by his books might think he re- sembled those learned irien ; butif you show the ' Menagiana,' you distinguish hira from them, and make him known by a talent which is given to very fev/ learned men. There it appears that he was a man who spoke olThand a thousand good things. His memory extended to what was ancient and modern ; to the court and to the city ; to the dead and to the living languages ; to things serious and things jocose ; in a word, to a thousand sorts of subjects. That which ap- peared a trifle to some readers of the ' Menagiana,' who did not consider circumstances, caused admiration in other readers, who minded the difference between what a man speaks without preparation and that which he prepares for the press. ."Vnd, therefore, we cannot sufficiently commend the care which his illustrious friends took to erect a monu- ment so capable of giving him immortal glory. They were not obliged to rectify what they had heard him say ; for, in so doing, they had not been faithful historians of his conversa- tion." — BoswELL. 2 As no inconsiderable circumstance of his fame, we must reckon the extraordinary zeal of the artists to extend and perpetuate his image. I can enumerate a bust by Mr. Nol- lekens, and the many casts which were made from it; (p. S68. n. 2.), several pictures by Sir Joshua KeynoUls, from one of which, in the possession of the Duke of Dorset, Mr. Humphrey executed a beautiful miniature in enamel ; one by Mrs. Frances Hcynolds, Sir Joshua's sister ; one by Mi. Zolfanij ; and one when he pleased, be the greatest sophist that ever contended in the list of declamation ; and, ii-om a spirit of contradiction, and a delight in showing his powers, lie would olten maintain the wrong siile with etpuil warmth and inge- nuity ; so that, when there wiuj an audience, his real opinions could seldom be gathered from his talk ; though when he was in company with a single friend, he would discuss a subject with genuine fairness ; but he was too con- scientious to make error permanent and per- nicious, by deliberately writing it ; and, in all his numerous works, he earnestly inculcated what appeared to him to be the truth; his piety being constant, and the ruling principle of all his conduct. Such was Samuel Johnson*; a man whose talents, acquirements, and virtues, were so ex- traordinary, that the more his character is considered, the more he will be regarded by the present age, and by posterity, with admi- ration and reverence. by Sir. Opie ; .and the following engravings of his portr.ait : — 1. By Cooke, from Sir Joshua, for the proprietors' edition of his folio Dictionary 2. One from ditto, by ditto, for their quarto edition. -1 3. One from Opie, by Heath, for Harrison's edition of his Dictionary 4. One from Nol- lekens' bust of him, by Bartolozzi, for Fielding's quarto edi- tion of his Dictionarv. — .5. One small, from Sir Joshua, by Trotter, for his " Beauties." — 6. One small, from Sir Joshua, by Trotter, for his " Lives of the Poets." — 7. One small from Sir Joshua, by H.all, for " The Rambler." — 8. One small from an original drawing, in the possession of Mr. John Simco, etched by Trotter, for another edition of his "Lives of the Poets." — 0. One sm.iU, no painter's name, etched by Taylor, for his " Johnsoniana." — 10. One folio, whole length, with his o.ik stick, as described in Boswell's "Tour," drawn and etched by Trotter. — 11. One large Jlezzotinto, from Sir Joshua, by Doughty. — 12. One large Roin.in head, from Sir Joshua, by M.irchi 13. Oneoctavo, holding a book to his eye, from Sir Joshua, by Hall, for his works. 14. One small, from a drawing from the life, and engraved by Trotter, for his life published by Kearsley. — IT). One large, from Opie, by Mr. Townley (brother of Mr. Townley of the Commons), an ingenious artist, who resided some time at Berlin, and h.as the honour of being engraver to His Majesty the King of Prussia. This is one of the finest mezzotintos that ever was executed ; and what renders it of extraordinary value, the plate was destroyed after four or five impressions only were taken off. One of them is in the possession of Sir William Scott. Mr. Townley has lately been prevailed with to execute and publish another of the same, that it may be more generally circulated amongst the admirers of Dr. Johnson. — 16. One large, from Sir Joshu.a's first picture of him, by Heath, for this work, in quarto. — 17. One octavo, by Baker, for the octavo edition — 18. And one for " Lava- ter's Essays on Physiognomy," in which Johnson's counte. nance is analysed upon the principles of th.at fanciful writer. There are also several seals with his head cut on them, par- ticularly a very fine one by that eminent artist, Kdward Burch, Rsq., R.A., In the possession of the younger Dr. Charles Burney. Let me add, as a proof of the popularity of his character, that there are copper pieces struck at Birmingham, with his he.id impressed on them, which p.iss current .as half- pence there, and in the neighbouring parts of the country.— BOSWELL. I had in my first edition, with the assistance of Mr. John Murr.ay, enlarged Mr. Boswell's cat-alogue of pictures and engravings, but the latter have become too many for enumeration. I am, therefore, obliged to abide by Mr. Boswell's list, which comprises the best and most remark- able : .adding only, that Dr. Harwood allowe, but with no regularity or constancy. The progress of examination was this. When we learned Propria quw Maribus, we were examined in the Accidence ; particularly we formed Verbs, that is, went through the same person in all the Moods and Tenses. This was very difficult to me ; and 1 was once very anxious about the next day, when this exercise was to be performed, in which I had failed till I was discouraged. My mothet- encouraged me, and I proceeded better. When I told her of my good escape, '■ We often," said she, dear mother ! "come off best, when we are most afraid." She told me, tliat, once when she asked me about forming verbs, I said, " I did not form them in an ugly shape." " You could not," said she, " speak plain ; and I was proud that I had a boy who was forming verbs." These little memorials soothe my mind. Of the parts of Cor- derius or ^Esop, which we learned to repeat, I have not the least recollection, except of a passage in one of the Morals, where it is said of some man, that, when he hated another, he made him rich ; this I repeated emphatically in my mother's hearing, who could never conceive that riches could bring any evil. She remarked it, as I expected. I had the curiosity, two or three years ago, to look over Garretson's Exercises, Willymot's Particles, and Walker's Exercises ; and found very few sentences that I should have ' I was sick : one woman fondled me, the other was dis- gusted Orig. ' His wife, whom he called by this familiar contraction of Elizabeth. — Croker. ^ When Dr. Johnson, at an advanced age, (for the Account musthave been written subsequent to 17G8) recorded all these minute circumstances, he contemplated, we are told, writing the history of his own life, and probably intended to develope, from his own infant recollections, the growth and powers of the faculty of memory, which he possessed in so remarkable a degree. From the little details of his domestic history he perhaps meant also to trace the progressive change in the habits of the middle classes of society. —Croker. ri9 In the I * G. Hector, [junior], never had been taught his Catecliism. — Orig. 5 A7iti; p. 8. n. 1 — Jlarwood. — C. 6 Dr. Harwood informed me that the Town-clerk wa.* Mr. Richard Wakefield, one of Dr. Johnson's godfathers, who left him five pounds by his will. He died in 1733. — Croker. 7 All these trifles — since Dr. Johnson thought them worth recording — appear worth quoting. His voracious love of a leg oj mutton adhered to him through life ; and the prophecy of his mother, that it never would be forgotten, is realised in a way the good woman could not have anticipated. — recollected if I had found them in any other books. Tkat which is read without pleasure is not often recollcttej nor infixed by conversation, and therefore in a great measure drops from the memory. Thus it happen* that thote who are taken early from school, commonly lose all that tlwy had learned. [ When we learned As in Prcetenti, we p;;raed Propria qutr \ Maribus by Hoole's Terminations ; and when we learneil . Syntaiis, we parsed As in Priescnti ; and afterwards duo; ' Gaius by the same book ; sometimes, as I rememtxr, pro- I ceeding in order of the rules, and sometimes, particularly hi As in Prtesenti, taking words as they occurred in the Index. The whole week before we broke up, and the part of the week in which we broke up, were spent wholly, 1 know not why, in examination ; and were therefore easy to both us and the master. The two nights before the vacation were tree from exercise. This was the course of the school, which I remember with pleasure ; for 1 was indulged and caressed by my master, and, I think, really excelled the rest. I was with Hawkins but two years, and perhaps four months. The time, till 1 UnA computed it. appeared much longer by the multitude of novelties which it supplied, and of incidents, then in my thoughts important, it produced. Perhaps it is not possible that any other period can make the same impression on the memory. Spring of 1719, our class, consisting of eleven, the number was always fixed in my memory, but one of the names I have forgotten, was removed to the upper school, and put under Holbrook*, a peevish and ill-tempered man. We were removed sooner than had been the custom ; for the head-master, intent upon his boarders, left the town-boys long in the lower school. Our removal was caused by a re- proof from the Town-clerk 6 ; and Hawkins complained that he had lost half his profit. At this removal 1 cried. The rest were indifferent. My exercise in Garretson was some- where alraut the Gerunds' Our places in iEsop and Helvicus I have totally forgotten. At Whitsuntide Mrs. Longworth brought me a " Hermes Garretsoni," of which I do not remember that I ever could make much use. It was afterwards lost, or stolen at school. My exercise was then in the end of the Syntax. Hermes furnished me with the word inlieiturus, which I did not understand, but used it. This task was very troublesome to me; I made all the twenty- five exercises, others made but sixteen. 1 never showed all mine; five lay long after in a drawer in the shop. I made an exercise in a little time, and showed it my mother ; but the task being long upon me, she said, " Though you could make an exercise in so short a time, I thought you would find it difficult to make them all as soon as you should." This Whitsuntide, I and my brother were sent to pass some time at Birmingham ; 1 believe, a fortnight. Why such boys were sent to trouble other houses, I cannot tell. My mother had some opinion that much improvement was to be had by changing the mode of life. My uncle Harrison was a widower; and his house was kept by Sally Ford, a young woman of such sweetness of temper, that I used to s.iy she had no fault. We lived most at uncle Ford's, being much caressed by my aunt, a good-natured, coarse woman, easy of converse, but willing to find something to censure in the absent. My uncle Harrison did not much like us, nor did we like him. He was a very mean and vulgar man, drunk every night, but drunk with little drink, very peevish, very proiiii, very ostentatious, but, luckily, not rich. At my aunt Ford's I ate so much of a boiled leg of mutton ", that she used to talk of it. My mother, who had lived in a narrow sphere, ' and was then affected by little things, told me seriously that it would liardly ever be forgotten. Her mind, I think, was afterwards mucli enlarged, or greater evils wore out the care of less. I stayed after the vacation was over some days ; and re- member, when I wrote home, that I desired the horses to come on 'I'hursday of the first school week ; and then, and not till then, they should be welcome to go. 1 was much pleased with a rattle to my whip, and wrote of it to my mother. i When my father came to fetch us home, he told the ostler, ' that he had twelve miles home, and two boys under his care. 814 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. [Appendix. ~]' This offended me. He bad then a watch ', which he re- turned when he was to pay for it. In making, I think, the first exercise under Holbrook, I perceived the power of continuity of attention, of application not suffered to wander or to pause. I was writing at the kitchen windows, as 1 thought, alone, and turning my head saw Sally dancing. I went on without notice, and had finished almost without perceiving that .-iny time had elapsed. Tliis close attention I have seldom in my whole life obtained. In the upper-school, I first began to point my exercise, which we made noon's business. Of the method I have not so distinct a remembrance as of the foregoing system. On Thursday morning we had a lesson, as on other mornings. On Thursday afternoon, and on Saturday morning, we com- monly made examples to the Syntax. We' were soon r.-xised from ^?i;sop to Phsedrus, and then said our repetition on Friday afternoon to Hunter. I remember the fable of the wolf and lamb, lo my draught — that I may drink. At what tmie we began Plia^arus, 1 know not. It was the only book which we learned to the end. In the latter part thirty lines were expected for a lesson. What reconciles masters to long lessons is the pleasure of tasking. Helvicus was very difficult ; the dialogue Veslitus, Haw- kins directed us to omit, as being one of the hardest in the book. As I remember, there was another upon food, and another upon fruits, which we began, and were ordered not to pursue. In tlie dialogue of Fruits, we perceived that Hol- brook did not know the meaning of Vvce Crispa;. That lesson gave us great trouble. 1 observed that we learned Helvicus a long time with very little progress. We learned it in the afternoon on Monday and Wednesday. Gladiolus Scriptorius— A little lapse, we quitted it. I got an English Erasmus. In Pliaedrus we tried to use the interpretation, but never attempted the notes. Nor do I remember that the inter- pretation helped us. In PhaDdrus we were sent up twice to the upper master to be punished. The second time We complained that we could not get the passage. Being told that we should ask, we in- formed him that we had asked, and that the assistant would not tell us. No. II. OMISSIONS FROM MR. BOSWELL'S TEXT AND NOTES, AND HIS APPENDIX. § \. LAW CASES. i. Argument in behalf of Hustie, the Schoolmaster, prosecuted for undue Severity/, [.Seep. 241.] The charge is, that he has used immoderate and cruel cor- rection. Correction in itself is not cruel ; children, being not reasonable, can be governed only bv fear. To impress this fear is, therefore, one of the first "duties of those who have the care of children. It is the duty of a parent ; and has never been thought inconsistent with parental tenderness. It is the duty of a master, who is in his liighest exaltation when he is loco parentis. Yet, as good tilings become evil by excess, correction, by being immoderate, mav become cruel. But when is correction immoderate? When it is more frequent or more severe than is required ad viuncndvm et doccndum, for reformation and instruction. No severity is cruel which obstinacy makes necessary ; for tlie greatest cruelty would be, to desist, and leave tlie scholar too careless for instruction, and too much hardened for reproof. Locke, in his treatise of education, mentions a mother, with applause, who whipped an infant eight times before she subdued it ; for had she stopped at the seventh act of correction, her daughter, says he, would have been ruined. The degrees of obstinacy in young minds are very different : as different must be the degrees of persevering severity. A stubborn scholar must be corrected till he is subdued. 'The discipline of a school is military. There must be either unbounded licence or absolute authority. The master, who punishes, not only consults the future happiness of him who is the immediate subject of correction, but he propagates obedience through the whole school, and establishes regularity by ex- emplary justice. The victorious obstinacy of a single hoy would make his future endeavours of reformation or instruc- tion totally ineffectual. Obstinacy, therefore, must never be victorious'. Yet it is well known, that there sometimes occurs a sullen and hardy resolution, that laughs at all com- mon punishment, and bids defiance to all common degrees of pain. Correction must be proportionate to occasions. The flexible will be reformed by gentle discipline, and the refrac- tory must be subdued by harsher methods. The degrees of scholastic as well as of military punishment, no stated rules can ascertain. It must be enforced till it overpowers tempta- tion ; till stubbornness becomes flexible, and perverseiiess regular. Custom and reason have, indeed, set some bounds to scholastic penalties. The schoolmaster inflicts no capital punishments : nor enforces his edicts by either death or niu- tilation._ The civil law has wisely determined, that a master who strikes at a scholar's eye shall be considered as criminal. But punishments, however severe, that produce no lasting evil, may be just and reasonable, because they may be neces- sary. Such have been the punishments used by the respon- dent. No scholar has gone from him either blind or lame, or with any of his limbs or powers injured or impaired. They were irregular, and he punished them : they were obstinate, and he enforced his punishment. But however provoked, he never exceeded the limits of moderation, for he inflicted nothing beyond present pain ; and how much of 1 The convenience of a watch, now so general, Dr. John- son himself, as Sir J. Hawkins reports, (anii, p. 192. n. 6.), did not possess till 1768.— CiioKiiii. that was required, no man is so little able to determine as those who have determined against him — the parents of the offenders. It has been said, that he used unprecedented and improper instruments of correction. Of this accusation the meaning is not very easy to be found. No instrument of correction is more proper than another, but as it is better adapted to produce present pain without lasting mischief. Whatever were his instruments, no lasting mischief has ensued ; and therefore, however unusual, in hands so cau- tious they were proper. It has been objected, that the respondent admits the charge of cruelty by producing no evidence to confute it. Let it be considered, that his scholars are either dispersed at large in the world, or continue to inhabit the place in which Ihey were bred. Those who are disjiersed cannot be found ; those who remain are the sons of his prosecutors, and are not likely to support a man to whom their fathers are enemies. If it be supposed that the enmity of their lathers proves the justness of the charge, it must be considered how often experience shows us, that men who are angry on one ground will accuse on another ; with how little kindness, in a town of low trade, a man who lives by learning is regarded ; and how implicitly, where the inhabitants are not very rich, a rich man is hearkened to and followed. In a place like Campbell-town, it is easy for one of the principal inliabitants to make a party. It is easy for that party to heat themselves with imaginary grievances'. It is easy for them to oppress a man poorer than themselves, and natural to assert the dignity of riches, by persisting in oppression. The argument which attempts to prove the impropriety of restoring him to the school, by alleging that he has lost the confidence of the people, is not the subject of juridical consideration ; for he is to suffer, if he must suffer, not for their judgment. But for his own actions. It may be convenient for them to have another master ; but it is a con- venience of their own making. It would be likewise con- venient for him to find another school ; but this convenience he cannot obtain. The question is not what is now con- venient, but what is generally right. If the people of Camp- bell. town be distressed by the restoration of the respondent, they are distressed only by their own fault ; by turbulent passions and unreasonable desires ; by tyranny, which law has defeated, and by malice, which virtue has surmounted. 2. Argument in favour of the Scottish Law Doctrine of " Vicious Intromission." [See p. 244.] This, we are told, is a law which has its force only from tho long practice of the court ; and may, therefore, be suspended or modified .as the court shall think proper. Concerning the power of the court to make or to suspend a law, we have no intention to inquire. It is sufficient for our purpose that every just law is dictated by reason, and that the practice of every legal court is regulated by equity. It is the quality of reason to be invariable and constant ; aiid of equity, to give to one man what, in the same case, is given to another. The advantage which humanity derives from law is this; that the law gives every man a rule of action, and prescribes a mode of conduct which shall entitle him lo the support Hiid protection of society. That the law may be a rule of action, it is necessary that it be known ; it is neces- sary that it be permanent and stable. The law is the measure of civil right; but if the measure be changeable, the extent of the thing measured never can be settled. Apff.xdix.] BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 815 To permit a law to be modified at discretion, is to leave the community without law. It is to withdraw the direction of that public wisdom, by which the deficiencies of private understanding are to be supplied. It is to suffer the rash and ignorant to act at discretion, and then to depend for the legality of that action on the sentence of the judge. He that is thus governed lives not by law, but by opinion : not by a certain rule, to which hecan'apply his intention before he acts, but by an uncertain and varial)le opinion, which he can never know but alter he has committed the act on which that opinion shall be passed. He lives by a law (if a law it be), which he can never know before he has offended it. To this case may be justly applied that important principle, misera est scrvila ubijiis est aut incognilum autvagum. If intromission be not criminal till it exceeds a certain point, and that point be unsettled, and consequently different in different minds, the right of intromission, and the right of the creditor arising from it, are all jura vaga. and, by con- sequence, are jura incognita ; and the result can be no other than a misera servitus, an uncertainty concerning the event of action, a servile dependence on private opinion. It may be urged, and with great plausibility, that there may be' intromission without fraud ; which, however true, will by no means justify an occasional and arbitrary relax- ation of the law. The end of law is protection as well as vengeance. Indeed, vengeance is never used but to strengthen protection. That society only is well governed, where life is freed from danger, and from suspicion ; where possession is so sheltered by salutary prohibitions, that vio- lation is prevented more frequently than punished. Such a prohibition was this, while it operated with its original force. The creditor of the deceased was not only without loss, but without fear. He was not to seek a remedy for an injury suffered ; for iiyury was warded off. As the law has been sometimes administered, it lays us open to wounds, because it is imagined to have the ))Owor of healing. To punish fraud when it is detected is the proper art of vindictive justice ; but to prevent frauds, and make punishment unnecessary, is the great employment of legis- lative wisdom. To permit intromission, and to punish fraud, is to make law no better than a pitfall. To tread upon the brink is safe ; but to come a step further is destruc- tion. But, surely it is better to enclose tlie gulf, and hinder all access, than, by encouraging us to advance a little, to en- tice us afterwards a little further, and let us perceive our folly only by our destruction. As law supplies the weak with adventitious strength, it likewise enlightens the ignorant with intrinsic understand- ing. Law teaches us to know when we commit injury and when we suffer it. It fixes certain marks upon actions, by which we are admonished to do or to forbear them. Qui sibi bene temperat inlicitis, says one of the lathers, nunquam cadet in illicita. He who never intromits at all, will never intromit with fraudulent intentions. The relaxation of the law against vicious intromission has been very favourably represented by a great master of juris'- prudence i, whose words have been exhibited witli unneces- sary pomp, and seem to be considered as irresistibly decisive. The great moment of his authority makes it necessary to ex- amine his position. " Some ages ago," says he, " before the ferocity of the inhabitants of this part of the island was sub- dued, the utmost severity of the civil law was necessary, to restrain individuals from plundering each other. Thus, the man who intermeddled irregularly with the moveables of a person deceased was subjected to all the debts of the deceased without limitation. This makes a branch of the law of Scot- land, known by the name of vicious intromission ; and so rigidly was this regulation applied in our courts of law, that the most trifling moveable abstracted mala fide, subjected the intermeddler to the foregoing consequences, which proved in many instances a most rigorous punishment. But this severity was necessary, in order to subdue the undisciplined nature of our people. It is extremely remarkable that in proportion to our improvement in manners, this regulation has been gradually softened and applied by our sovereign court with a sparing hand." I find myself under a necessity of observing, that this learned and judicious writer has not accurately distinguished the deficiencies and demands of the different conditions of human life, which, from a degree of savageness and indepen- dence, in which all laws are vain, passes or may pass, by in- numerable gradations, to a state of reciprocal benignity in which laws shall be no longer necessary. Men are first wild and unsocial, living each man to himself, taking from the weak and losing to the strong. In their first coalitions of society, much of this original savageness is retained. Of general happiness, the product of general confidence, there is yet no thought. Men continue to prosecute their own ad- vantages by the nearest way ; and tlie utmost severity of the civil law is necessary to restrain individnals from plundering each other. The restraints th^-u necessary are restraints from plunder, from acts of public violence, and undisguised oppression. The ferociti;.of our ancestors, as of all other nations, produced not fraud but rapine. They had not yet lord Kamos, in his Historical Law Tracts. learned to cheat, and attempted only to rob. As mannera grow niore polished, with the knowledge of.^good, men at- tain likewise dexterity in evil. Upen rapine becomes less frequent, and violence gives way to cunning. Those who before invaded pastures and stormed houses, now begin to enrich themselves by unequal contracts and fraudulent intro- missions. It is not against the violence of ferocity, but tho circumventions of deceit, that this law was framed ; and I am afraid the increase of commerce, and the incessant strug- gle for riches which commerce excites, give us no prospect of an end speedily to be expected of artifice and fraud. It therefore seems to be no very conclusive reainiiing, which connects those two propositions: — "the nation is become lest ferocious, and therefore the laws against fraud and rotx'n shall be relaxed." Whatever reason may have influenced the judges to a re- laxation of the law, it was not that the nation was grown less fierce ; and, 1 am afraid, it cannot be atUrmcd, thai it is grown less fraudulent. Since this law has been represented as rigorously and un- reasonably penal, it seems not improper to consider what are the conditions and qualities that make the justice or jiro- priety of a penal law. To make a penal law reasonable and just, two conditions are necessary, and two proper. It is necessary that the law should be adequate to its end ; that, if it be observed, it shall prevent the evil against which it is directed. It is, se- condly, necessary that the end of the law be of such impor. tance as to deserve the security of a penal sanction. The other conditions of a penal law, which, though not absolutely necessary, are to a very high degree fit, are, that to the moral violation of the law there are many temptations, and that of the physical observance there is great facility. All these conditions apparently concur to justify the law which we are now considering. Its end is the security of property, and property very often of great value. The inethod"by which it effects the security is efiicacious, because it admits, in its original rigour, no gradations of injury ; but keeps guilt and innocence apart, by a distinct and definite limitation. He that intromits is criminal ; he that intro- mits not is innocent. Of the two secondary considerations, it cannot be denied that both are in our favour. The temp- tation to intromit is frequent and strong ; so strong and so frequent, as to require the utmost activity of justice, and vigilance of caution, to withstand its prevalence ; and the method by which a man may entitle himself to legal intro- mission is so open and so facile, that to neglect it is a proof of fraudulent intention ; for why should a man omit to do (but for reasons which he will not confess) that which hecan do so easily, and that which be knows to be required by the law ? If temptation were rare, a penal law might be deemed unnecessary. If the duty enjoined by the law were of dUfi- cult performance, omission, though it could not be justified, might be pitied. But in the present case neither equity nor compassion operate against it. A useful, a necessary law is broken, not only without a reasonable motive, but with all the inducements to obedience that can be derived from safety and facility. , I therefore return to my original position, that a law, to have its effects, must be permanent and stable. It may be said, ill the language of the schools. Lex non rccipit majus ct minus, — we may have a law, or we may have no law, but I we cannot have half a law. We must either have a rule of j action, or be permitted to act by discretion and by chance. Deviations from the law must be uniformly punished, or no man can be certain when he shall be safe. That from the rigour of the original institution this court has sometimes departed, cannot be denied. But, as it is evident that such deviations, as they make law uncertain, make life unsafe, I hope, that of departing from it there will now be an end ; that the wisdum of our ancestors will be treated with due reverence ; and that consistent and steady decisions will furnish the people with a rule of action, and leave fraud and fraudulent intromissions no future hope of impunity or escape. 3. Anjiiment in defence of Lay Patronage. [See p. 2G0.] Against the right of patrons is commonly opposed, by the inferior judicatures, the plea of conscience. Their con- science tells them th.nt the people ought to choose their pastor ; their conscience tells them that they ought not to impose upon a congregation a minister ungrateful and un- acceptable to his auditors. Conscience is nothing more than a conviction felt by ourselves of something to be done, or something to be avoided ; and in questions of simple uiiper- plexed morality, conscience is very often a guide that ni.iy be trusted. But before conscience can determine, the state of the question is supposed to be completely known. In questions of law, or of fact, conscience is very often con- founded with opinion. Xo man's conscience can toll him the rights of another man ; they must be known by rational in- vestigation or historical inquiry. Opinion, which he that holds it may call his conscience, may teach some men that religion would be promoted, and quiet preserved, by gr.int- r 816 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. [Appendix. in" to the people iiniversallv the choice of their ministers. But it is a conscience very ill informed that violates the rights of one man for the convenience of another. Religion cannot be i)romoted by injustice ; and it was never yet found that a popular election was very quietly transacted. That justice would be violated by transferring to the people the right of patronage, is apparent to all who know whence that right had its origin.il. The right of patronage was not at first a privilege torn by power from unresisting poverty. It is not an authority at first usurped in times of ignorance, .ind established only by succession and by pre- cedents. It is not a grant capriciously made from a higher tyrant to a lower. It is a right dearly purchased by the first possessors, and justly inherited by those that succeeded them. When Christianity was established in this island, a regular mode of nnblic worship was prescribed. Public worship requires a public place ; and the proprietors of lands, as they were converted, built churches for their families and their vassals. For the maintenance of ministers, they settled a certain portion of their lands, and a district, through which each minister was required to extend his care, was, by that circumscription, constituted a parish. This is a position so generally received in England, that the extent of a manor and of a parish are regularly received for each other. The churches which the proprietors of lands had thus built and thus endowed, they justly thought themselves entitled to provide with ministers ; and when the episcopal government prevails, the bishop has no power to reject a man nominated by the patron, but for some crime that might exclude him from the priesthood. For the endowment of the church being the gilt of the landlord, he was consequently at liberty to give it, according to his choice, to any man capable of performing the holy offices. The people did not choose him, because the people did not pay him. , . , . We hear it sometimes urged, that this original right is passed out of memory, and is obliterated and obscured by many translations of property and changes of government : that scarce any church is now in the hands of the heirs of the builders ; and that the present persons have entered subse- quently upon the pretended rights by a thousand accidental and unknown causes. Much of this, perhaps, is true. But how is the right of patronage extinguished ? If the right followed the lands, it is possessed by the same equity by which the lands are possessed. It is, in effect, part of the manor, and protected by the same laws with every other privilege. Let us suppose an estate forfeited by treason, and granted by the crown to a new family. With the lands were forfeited all the rights appendant to those lands : by the same power that grants the lands, the rights also are granted. The right lost to the patron falls not to the people, but is either retained by the crown, or, what to the people is the same thing, is by the crown given away. Let it change hands ever so often, it is possessed by him that receives it with the same right as it was conveyed. It may, indeed, like all our possessions, be forcibly seized or fraudulently obtained. But no injury is still done to the people ; for what they never hart, they have never lost. Caius may usurp the right of Titius, but neither Caius nor Titius injure the people ; and no man's conscience, however tender or however active, can prompt him to restore what may be proved to have been never taken away. Supposing, what I think cannot be proved, that a popular election of ministers were to be desired, our desires are not the measure of equity. It were to be desired that power should be onlv in the hands of the merciful, and riches in the possession of the generous ; hut the law must leave both riches and power where it finds them ; and must often leave riches with the covetous, and power with the cruel. Convenience may be a rule in little things, where no 01 her rule has been established. But as the great end of government is to give every man his own, no inconvenience is greater than that of making right uncertain. Nor is any man more an enemy to public peace, than he who fills weak heads with imaginary claims, and breaks the series of civil subordination, by inciting the lower classes of mankind to encroach upon the higher. H.iving thus shown th.at the right of patronage, being originally purchased, may be legally transferred, and that it is now in the hands of lawful possessors, at least as certainly as any other right, we have left to the advocates of the people no other plea but that of convenience. Let us, there- fore, now consider what the people would really gain by a general abolition of the right of patronage. What is most to be desired by such a change is, that the country should be supplied with better ministers. But why should we suppose that the parish will make a wiser choice than the patron ? If we suppose mankind actuated by Interest, the patron is more likely to choose with caution, because he will suffer more by choosing wrong. By the deficiencies of his minister, or by his vices, he is equally offended with the rest of the congregation ; but he will have this reason more to lament them, that they will be imputed to his absurdity or corrup- tion. The qualifications of a minister are well known to be learning and piety. Of his learning the patron is probably the only judge in the parish ; and of his piety not less a judge than others ; and is more likely to inquire minutely and diligently before he gives a presentation, than one of the parochial rabble, who can give nothing but a vote. It may be urged, that though the parish might not choose better ministers, they would at least choose ministers whom they like better, and who would therefore officiate with greater efficacy. That ignorance and perverseness should always obtain what they like was never considered as the end of government ; of which it is the great and standing benefit, that the wise see for the simple, and the regular act for the capricious. But that this argument supposes the people capable of judging, and resolute to act according to their best judgments, though this be sufficiently absurd, it is not all its absurdity. It supposes not only wisdom, but unani- mity, in those, who upon no other occasions are unanimous or wise. If by some strange concurrence all the voices of a parish should unite in the choice of any single man, though j I could not charge the patron with injustice for presenting a minister, I should censure him as unkind and injudicious. But it is evident, that as in all other popular elections there will he a contrariety of judgment and acrimony of passion, a parish upon every vacancy would break into factions, and the contest for the choice of a minister would set neighbours at variance, and bring discord into families. The minister would be taught all the arts of a candidate, would flatter some, .ind bribe others ; and the electors, as in all other cases, would call for holidays and ale, and break the heads of each other during the jollity of the canvass. The time must, however, come at last, when one of the factions must pre- vail, and one of the ministers get possession of the church. On what terms does he enter upon his ministry but those of enmity with half his parish ? By what prudence or what diligence can he hope to conciliate the affections of that party by whose defeat he has obtained his living ? Every man who voted against him will enter the church witli hang- ing head and downcast eyes, afraid to encounter that neigh- bour, by whose vote and influence he has been overpowered. He will hate his neighbour lor opposing him, and his minister for having prospered by his opposition ; and as he will never see him but with pain, he will never see him but with hatred. Of a minister presented by the patron, the parish has seldom any thing worse to say than that they do not know him. Of a minister chosen by a popular contest, all those who do not favour him have nursed up in their bosoms principles of hatred and reasons of rejection. Anger is ex- cited principally by pride. The pride of a common man is very little exasperated by the supposed usurpation of an acknowledged superior. He bears only his little share of a general evil, and suffers in common with the whole parish ; but when the contest is between equals, the defeat has many aggravations ; and he that is defeated by his next neighbour is seldom satisfied without some revenge ; and it is hard to say what bitterness of malignity would prevail in a parish where these elections should happen to be frequent, and the enmity of opposition should be rekindled before it had cooled. 4. Argument in favour of Mr. James Thompson, Minister of Dunfermline. [See p. 513.] " Of the censure pronounced from the pulpit, our deter- f mination must be formed, as in other cases, by a considera- tion of the act itself, and the particular circumstances with which it is invested. " The right of censure and rebuke seems necessarily ap- pendant to the pastoral office. He to whom the care of a congregation is intrusted, is considered as the shepherd of a flock, as the teacher of a school, as the father of a family. As a shepherd tending not his own sheep but those of his master, he is answerable for those that stray, and that lose themselves by straying. But no man can be answerable for losses which he has not power to prevent, or for vagrancy which he has not authority to restrain. " As a teacher giving instruction for wages, and liable to reproach, if those whom he undertakes to inform make no proficiency, he must have the power of enforcing attendance, of awakening negligence, and repressing contradiction. " As a father, he possesses the paternal authority of admo- nition, rebuke, and punishment. He cannot, without reducing his office to an empty name, be hindered from the exercise of anv practice necessary to stimulate the idle, to reform the viciou*, to check the petulant, and correct the stubborn. " If we inquire into the practice of the primitive church, we sliall, I believe, find the ministers of the word exercising the whole authority of this complicated character. We shall find them not only encouraging the good by exhortation, but terrifying the wicked by reproof and denunciation. In the earliest ages of the church, while religion was yet pure from secular advantages, the punishment of sinners was public censure and open penance ; penalties inflicted merely by ecclesiastical authority, at a time while the church had yet no help from the civil power, while the hand of the magis- trate lifted only the rod of persecution, and when gove'iiors were ready to aff'ord a refuge to all those who fled from clerical authority. " That the church, tlierefore, had once a power of iiul.hc censure, is evident, because that power was Irequenlly ( xcr- cised. That it borrowed not its power from the civil aut.io- Appendix.] BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. en rity, is likewise certain, because civil authority was at that time Its enemy. •' The hour carne, at length, when, after three hundred yiais of struggle and distress, Truth took possession of ini- pi rial power, and the civil laws lent their aid to the eccle- Mastical constitutions. The magistrate from tliat time co- ,i|uratcd with the priest, and clerical sentences were made t ilitacious by secular force. But the state, when it came to the assistance of the church, had no intention to diminish its uulKirity. Those rebukes and those censures which were lawful before, were lawful still. But they had hitherto operated only upon voluntary submission. The refractory and contemptuous were at first in no danger of temporal severities, except what they might suffer from the reproaches of conscience, or the detestation of their fellow Christians. When religion obtained the support of law, if admonitions and censures had no effect, they were seconded by the ma- gistrates with coercion and punishment. " It therefore appears, from ecclesiastical history, that the right of inflicting shame by public censure has been always considered as inherent in the church ; and that this right was not conferred by the civil power ; for it was exercised when the civil power operated against it. By the civil power it was never taken away ; for the Christian magistrate inter- posed his oflfice, not to rescue sinners from censure, but to supply more powerful means of reformation ; to add pain where shame was insufficient ; and, when men were pro- claimed unworthy of the society of the faithful, to restrain them by imprisonment from spreading abroad the contagion of wickedness. " It is not improbable, that from this acknowledged power of public censure grew, in time, the practice of auricular con- fe. it is often used by Cicero, with propriety or elegantly. In short, it is a rare instance of a defect in perspicuity in an admirable writer, who, with almost every species of excellence, Is peculiarly remarkable for that quality. The length of this note, per- haps, requires an apology. Many of my readers, I doubt not, will admit that a critical discussion of a passage in a favourite classic is very cng.if;ing. — Boswell. This passage was the subject of an ingenious discussion between the young Marquis de Sevigne and M. Dacier, which will be found together with Sanadon's and Dumaruiii' opinions, in a recent edition of Madame de Sevigne's letters. — Croker. 3. Note on the Words " Balance of Misery." [See p. 764.] The Reverend Mr. Itilph Churton, Fellow of Brazen-Nose College, Oxford, has favoured me with the following remarks on my work, which, he is pleased to say, " I have hitherto extolled, and cordially approve : " — " The chief part of what I have to observe is contained In the following transcript from a letter to a friend, which, with his concurrence, I copied for this purpose ; and, what- ever may be the merit or justness of the remarks, you may be sure that being written to a most mtimate friend, without any intention that they ever should go further, they are the genuine and undisguised sentiments of the writer : — " ' Jan. 6. 1792. " ' Last week I was reading the second volume of ' Bos- well's Johnson,' with increasing esteem for the worthy author, and increasmg veneration of the wonderful and ex- cellent man who is the subject of it. The writer throws in, now and then, very properly, some serious religious reflec- tions ; but there is one remark, in my mind an obvious and just one, which I think he has not made, that Johnson's ' morbid melancholy,' and constitutional infirmities, were intended by Providence, like St. Paul's thorn in the flesh, to check intellectual conceit and arrogance ; which the con- sciousness of his extraordinary talents, awake as he was to the voice of praise, might otherwise have generated in a very culpable degree. Another observation strikes me, that in consequence of the same natural indisposition, and habitual sickliness (for he says he scarcely passed one day without pain afier his twentieth year), he considered and represented human life as a scene of much greater misery than is gene- rally experienced. There may be persons bowed down with affliction all their days; and there are those, no doubt, whose iniquities rob them of rest ; but neither calamities nor crimes, I hope and believe, ( abound, as to justify the dark picture ( imagination designed, and his strong pencil delineated. This I am sure, the colouring is far too gloomy for what I have experienced, though, as far as 1 can remember, I have had more sickness (I do not say more severe, but only more in quantity) than falls to the lot of most people. But then daily debility and occasional sickness were far overbalanced by intervenient days, and, perhaps, weeks void of pain, and overflowing with comfort. So that, in short, to return to the subject, human life, as far as I can perceive from experience or observation, is not that state of constant wretchedness which Johnson always insisted it was : which misrepresent- .ition, for such it surely is, his biographer has not corrected, I suppose, because, unhappily, he h<-is himself a large portion of melancholy in his constitution, and fancied the portrait a faithful copy of life.' " The learned writer then proceedi thus in his letter to me: — " ' I have conversed with some sensible men on this sub- ject, who all seem to entertain the same sentiments respecting life with those which are expressed or implied in the fore- going paragraph. It might be added, that as the represent- ation here spoken of appears not consistent with fact and experience, so neither does it seem to be countenanced by Scripture. There is, perhaps, no part of the sacred volume which at first sight promises so much to lend its sanction to these dark and desponding notions as the book of Eccloiastcs. which so often, and so emphatically, proclaims the vanity i.i things sublunary. But the design of this whole book (as it has been justly observed) is not to put us out of conceit with life, but to cure our vain expectations of a complete iunl perfect happiness in this world: to convince us, that there is no such thing to be found in mere external enjoyments ; — and to teach us to seek for happiness in the pr.ictice of virtue, in the knowledge and l.>ve of God, .and in the hopes of a better lite. For this is the application of all : Let ut hear, &c. xii. 13. Not only his duty, but his happiness too : For God, Sec. V. 14. — See Sherlock on Providence.' " The New Testament tells us, indeed, and most truly, that ' sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof: ' and, there- fore, wisely forbids us to increase our burden by forebodings 3g 2 820 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. [Appendix. of sorrows: but I think it nowhere says, that even our ordi- nary afflictions are not consistent with a very considerable degree of positive comfort and satisfaction. And, accord- ingly, one whose sufferings as well as merits were conspicuous assures us, that in proportion ' as the sufferings of Christ abounded in them, so their consolation also abounded by Christ.' 2 Cor. i. S. It is needless to cite, as indeed it would be endless even to refer to, the multitude of passages in both Testaments holding out, in the strongest language, promises of blessings, even in this world, to the faithful servants of God. I will only refer to St. Luke, xviii. 29, 30, and 1 Tim. iv. 8. " Upon the whole, setting aside instances of great and lasting bodily pain, of minds peculiarly oppressed by melan- choly, and of severe temporal calamities, from which extra- ordinary cases we surely should not form our estimate of the general tenor and complexion of life ; excluding these from the account, I am convinced that as well the gracious consti- tution of things which Providence has ordained, as the declarations of Scripture and the actual experience of indi- viduals, authorise the sincere Christian to hope that his humble and constant endeavours to perform his duty, che- quered as the best life is with many failings, will be crowned with a greater degree of present peace, serenity, and comfort, than he could reasonably permit himself to expect, if he measured his views and judged of life from the opinion of Dr. Johnson, often and energetically expressed in the me- moirs of him, without any animadversion or censure by his ingenious biographer. If he himself, upon reviewing the subject, shall see the matter in this light, he will in an octavo edition, which is eagerly expected, make such additional remarks or corrections as he shall judge fit ; lest the im- pressions which these discouraging passages may leave on the reader's mind should in a degree hinder what otherwise the whole spirit and energy of the work tends, and, I hope, successfully, to promote, — pure morality and true religion." Though I have, in some degree, obviated any reflections against my illustrious friend's dark views of life, when consi- dering, in the course of this work, his '• Rambler " and his " Rasselas," I am obliged to Mr. Churton for complying with my request of his permission to insert his remarks, being conscious of the weight of what he judiciously suggests as to the melancholy in my own constitution. His more pleasing views of life, I hope, are just. Valeant quantum vatere pos- sunt. Mr. Churton concludes his letter to me in these words : — " Once, and only once, I had the satisfaction of seeing your illustrious friend ; and as I feel a particular regard for all whom he distinguished with his esteem and friendship, so I derive much pleasure from reflecting that I once beheld, though but transiently, near our college gate, one whose works will for ever delight and improve the world, who was a sincere and zealous son of the church of England, an honour to his country, and an ornament to human nature." His letter was accompanied With a present from himself of his " Sermons at the Bampton Lecture," and from his friend, Dr. Townson, the venerable rector of Malpas, in Cheshire, of his " Discourses on the Gospels," together with the fol- lowing extract of a letter from that excellent person, who is now gone to receive the reward of his labours : " Mr. Bos- well is not only very entertaining in his works, but they are so replete with moral and religious sentiments, without an instance, as far as I know, of a contrary tendency, that I cannot help having a great esteem for him ; and if you think such a trifle as a copy of the Discourses, ex dono authoris, would be acceptable to him, I should be happy to give him this small testimony of my regard." Such spontaneous tes- timonies of approbation from such men, without any personal acquaintance with me, are truly valuable and encouraging — BosvvELL. 4. Catalogue or List of Designs. [Supplement to note, p. 794. n. 1.] Philosophy, History, and Literature in General. History of Criticism, as it relates to judging of authors, from Aristotle to the present age. An account of the rise I and improvements of that art : of the different opinions of I authors, ancient and modern. ' Translation of the History of Herodian. New edition of Fairfax's Translation of Tasso, with notes, glossary, &c. Chaucer, a new edition of him, from manuscripts and old editions, with various readings, conjectures, remarks on his language, and the changes it had undergone from the earliest times to his age, and from his to the present ; with notes explanatory of customs, &c. and references to Boccace, and other authors, from whom he has borrowed, with an account of the liberties he has taken in telling the stories ; his life, and an exact etymological glossary. Aristotle's Rhetoric, a translation of it into English. A Collection of Letters, translated from the modern writers, with some account of the several authors. Oldham's Poems, with notes, historical and critical. Roscommon's Poems, with notes. Lives of the Philosophers, written with a polite air, in such a manner as may divert as well as instruct. History of the Heathen Mythology, with an explication of the fables, both allegorical and historical ; with references to , the poets. History of the State of Venice, in a compendious manner. Aristotle's Ethics, au English translation ol them, with notes. Geographical Dictionary from the French. [Vtrecht.'\ MS. Hierocles upon Pythagoras, translated into English, per- haps with notes. This is done by Norris. [Nov. yth, 1752.] MS. A book of Letters, upon all kinds of subjects. Claudian, a new edition of his works, catn 7iotis variorum, in the manner of Burman. J Tully's Tusculan questions, a translation of them. ' J Tully's De Natura Deorum, a transl.ition of those books. ' 1 Benzo's New History ot the New World, to be translated. ' 1 Machiavel's History of Florence, to be translated. History of the Revival of Learning in Europe, containing an account of whatever contributed to the restoration of lite- 1 rature : such as controversies, printing, the destruction of ; the Greek empire, the encouragement of great men, with the lives of the most eminent patrons, and most eminent early ' professors of all kinds of learnhig in different countries. A Body of Chronology, in verse, with historical notes. ' [Nov. 9th, 1752.] MS. A Table of the Spectators, Tatlers, and Guardians, dis- tinguished by figures into six degrees of value, with notes , giving the reasons of preference or degradation. | A Collection of Letters from English authors, with a pre- face, giving some account of the writers; with reasons for ^ selection, and criticism upon styles ; remarks on each letter, ' if needful. A Collection of Proverbs from various languages. Jan. 6th, -53. A Dictionarv to the Common Prayer, in imitation of Cal- met's Dictionary of the Bible. March, [17]52. A Collection of Stories and Examples, like those of Vale- rius Maximus. Jan. 10th, [17]53. From JEMaxi, a volume of select Stories, perhaps from others. Jan. 28lh, [17]53. Collection of Travels, Voyages, Adventures, and Descrip- tions of Countries. Dictionary of Ancient History and Mythology. ^ Treatise on the Study of Polite Literature, containing the , history of learning, directions for editions, commentaries, &c. ; Maxims, Characters, and Sentiments, after the manner of Bruyere, collected out of ancient authors, particularly the , Greek, with Apophthegms. , Classical Miscellanies, Select Translations from ancient 1 Greek and Latin authors. Lives of Illustrious Persons, as well of the active as the ! learned, in imitation of Plutarch. i Judgment of the learned upon English Authors. Poetical Dictionary of the English Tongue. , Considerations upon the present State of London. , Collection of Epigrams, with notes and observations. j Observations on the English Language, relating to words, i phrases, and modes of speech. Minutiae Literariae, Miscellaneous Reflections, Criticisms, ; Emendations, Notes. , History of the Constitution. i Comparison of Philosophical and Christian Morality, by '. sentences collected from the moralists and fathers. \ Plutarch's Lives, in English, with notes. Poetry and Works of Imagination. Hymn to Ignorance. ' The Palace of Sloth : — a vision. Coluthus, to be translated. Prejudice, — a poetical essay. The Palace of Nonsense, — a vision. Johnson's extraordinary facility of composition, when he shook off his constitutional indolence, and resolutely sat ^ down to write, is admirably described by Mr. Courtenay, in ' his "Poetical Review," which I have several times quoted:— " While through life's maze he sent a piercing view, His mind expansive to the object grew. With various stores of erudition fraught. The lively image, the deep searching thought, Slept in repose ; — but when the moment press'd, The bright ideas stood at once confess'd ; Instant his genius sped its vigorous rays. And o'er the letter'd world diffused a blaze. As womb'd with fire the cloud electric flies, And calmly o'er the horizon seems to rise: ; Touch'd by the pointed steel, the lightning flows, ; And all th' expanse with rich effulgence glows." i We shall in vain endeavour to know with exact precision^ APl'iiNDIX.] BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 821 every production of Johnson's pen. He owned to me that he had written about forty sermons ; but as I understood that he had given or sold them to different persons, who were to preach them as their own, he did not consider himself at liberty to acknowledge them. Would those who were thus aided by him, who are still alive, and the friends of those who are dead, fairly inform the world, it would be obligingly gratifying a reasonable curiosity, to which there should, I think, now be no objection. Two volumes of them, pub- lished since his death, are sutBciently ascertained. See p. ftbb. I have before me in his handwriting a fragment of twenty quarto leaves, of a translation into English of Sallust, De lidlo Catilinario. When it was done I have no notion : but it seems to have no very superior merit to mark it as his. Besides the publications heretofore mentioned, lam satisfied, from internal evidence, to admit also as genuine the fol- lowing, which, notwithstanding all my chronological care, escaped me in the course of this work: — "Considerations on the Case of Dr. Trapp's Sermons," t published in 1739, in the " Gentleman's Magazine." It is a very ingenious defence of the right of abridging an author's work, without being held as infringing his property. This is one of the nicest questions in the Law of Literature ; and I cannot help thinking, that the indulgence of abridging is often exceedingly injurious to authors and booksellers, and should in very few cases be permitted At any rate, to pre- vent difficult and uncertain discussion, and give an absolute security to authors in the property of their labours, no abridgment whatever should be permitted till after the ex- piration of such a number of years as the legislature may be pleased to fix. But, tliough it has been confidently ascribed to him, 1 cannot allow that he wrote a dedication to both houses of parliament of a book entitled " The Evangelical History Harmonised." He was no croaker, no declaimer against tlie times. He would not have written '• That we are fallen ui)on an age in which corruption is not barely universal, is uni- versally confessed." Nor, " Rapine preys on the public without opposition, and perjury betrays it without inquiry." Nor would he, to excite a speedy reformation, have conjured up such phantoms of terror as these : — "A few years longer, and perhaps all endeavours will be in vain. We may be swallowed by an earthquake ; we may be delivered to our enemies." This is not Johnsonian. There are, indeed, in this dedication several sentences constructed upon the model of those of Johnson. But the imitation of the form, without the spirit of his style, has been so general, that this of itself is not sufficient evidence. Even our newspaper writers aspire to it. In an account of the funeral of Edwin, the comedian, in " The Diary " of Nov. 9.1790, that son of drollery is thus described: — "A man who had so often cheered the sullenness of vacancy, and suspended the approaches of sorrow." And in " The Dublin Evening Post," August IG. 1791, there is the follow- ing paragraph : — "It is a singular circumstance, that in a city like this, containing 200,000 people, there are three months in the year during which no place of public amuse- ment is open. Long vacation is here a vacation from pleasure, as well as business ; nor is there any mode of pass- ing the listless evenings of declining summer, but in the riots of a tavern, or the stupidity of a coffee-house." I have not thought it necessary to specify every copy of verses written by Johnson, it being my intention to publish an authentic edition of all his poetry, with notes. BOSWELL. 5. A Chronological Catalogue of the Prose Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.^ N. B. — To those which he himself acknowledged is added acknowl. To those which may be fully believed to be his from internal evidence is added intern, evid. 1735. Abridgment and translation of Lobo's Vcyage to Abyssinia, acknowl. 1738. Part" of a translation of Father Paul Sarpi's History of the Council of Trent, acknowl. \ N. B. — As this work, after some sheets were printed, j suddenly stopped, I know not whether any part of it is now j to be found. |l FOR THE gentleman's MAG.VZINE. ' I do not here include his poetical works ; for, excepting his Latin translation "f Pope's Messiah, his London, and his Vanity of Human Wishes, imitated from Juvenal, his Prologue on the opening of Drury-Lane Theatre by Mr. Garrick, and his Irene, a Tragedy, they are very numerous and in general short ; and I have promised a complete edition of them, in which I shall, with the utmost care, ascertain their authenticity, and illustrate them with notes and various A complete vindication of the Licenser of the Stage from the malicious and tcandalous aspersions of Mr. Brooke, author of OuBtavus Va»a, acknowl. Mariiiur y'ur/vlcictue : or an Essay on an ancient l>rn|>ht'iical inscription in monkish thyme, lately di-covertd near I.vniie In Norfolk, by Pnouus Britannicus, acknowl.. FOR THE gentleman's MAGAZINE. Life of Boerhaave, acknowl. Address to the Header, intern, evid. Appeal to the Public in behalf of the Editor, intern. evid. Considerations on the case of Dr. Trapp's Sermons ; a plausible attempt to prove that an author's work may be abridged without injuring his property, acknowl. 1 2 « Address to the Reader in May. 1740. FOR THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE. Preface, intern, evid. lyife of .Admiral Drake, acknowl. Life of Admiral Blake, acknowl. Life of Philip liarreticr, acknowl. Essay on Epitaphs, acknuul. 1741. FOR THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE. Preface, intern, evid. A free translation of the Jests of Hierocles, with an introduction, intern, evid. Debate on the Humble Petition and Advice of the Rump Parliament to Cromwell, in 16.57, to assume the title of King ; abridged, methodised, and di- gested, intern, evid. Translation of Abbe Guyon's Dissertation on the Amazons, intern, evid. Translation of Fontenelle's Panegyric on Dr. Morin, intern, evid. 1742. FOR THE gentleman's MAGAZINE. Preface, intern, evid. Essay on the Account of the Conduct of the Duchess of Marlborough, acknowl. An Account of the Life of Peter Burman, acknowl. The Life of Sydenham, afterwards prefixed to Dr. Swan's editio'n of his works, acknowl. Proposals for printing Bibliotheca Harleiana, or a Catalogue of the Library of the Earl of Oxford, afterwards prefixed to the first volume of that cata- logue, in which the Latin accounts of the books were written by him, acknowl. Abridgment, entitled Foreign History, intern, evid. Essay on the Description of China, from the French of Du Halde, intern, evid. 1743. Dedication to Dr. Mead of Dr. James's Medicinal Dictionary, intern, evid. FOR the GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE. Preface, intern, evid. Parliamentary Debates under the name of Debates in the Senate of Lilliput, from Nov. 19. 1740, to Feb. 23. 1742-3, inclusive, acknowl. Considerations on the Dispute between Crousaz and Warburton on Pope's Essay on Man, intern, evid. A Letter, announcing that the Life of Mr. Savage was speedily to be published by a person who was favoured with his confidence, intern, evid. ,'Vdvcrtisement for Osborne concerning the Harlcian Catalogue, ijitcm. evid. , 1744. Life of Richard S.avape, acknowl. Preface to the Harleian Miscellany, acknowl. FOR the gentleman's MAGtZINE. Preface, intern, evid. 174.5. Misccllaiuous Observations on the tragedy of Mac- l)ith. with remarks on Sir T. H.'s (Sir Tl.om.is Uaiiincr's) Edition of Shakspeare, and proposals for a new Edition of that Poet, acknowl. 1747. Pl.m for a Dictionary of the English Langi'age. ad- ilressed to Philip Dormer, Earl of Chesterfield, acknowl. readings Boswf.ll. The meaning of this sentence, and particularly of the word excepting, is not very clear. Per- haps Mr. Boswell wrote, "they are not very numeious," which would be less obscure. — Croker. ■i These and several other articles, which arc marked with an asterisk, were suggested to Mr. Malone by Mr. Chalmers as probably written by Dr. Johnson; they have been there- fore added to this general list.— Choker. 3 G 3 822 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. [Appendix. FOB THE gentleman's MAGAZINE. » Lauder's Proposals for printing the Adamus Exul of Grotius. [Abridgment of Foreign History, Gent. Mae. 1794, p. 1001.] FOR THE gentleman's MAGAZINE. Life of Roscommon, achnowl. Foreign History, November, intern, evid. FOR MR. DODSLEY'S PRECEPTOR. Preface, achnowl. Vision of Theodore the Hermit, achnowl. FOR THE gentleman's MAGAZINE. » Letter on Fire Works. The Rambler, the first paper of which was published 20th of March this year, and the last 17th of March, 1752, theday on which Mrs. Johnson d\eA^ , achnowl. Letter in the General Advertiser to excite the atten- tion of the public to the performance of Comus, which was next day to be acted at Drury Lane play- house, for the benefit of Milton's grand-daughter, achnowl. Preface and Postscript to Lauder's Pamphlet, entitled " An Essay on Milton's Use and Imitation of the Moderns in his ' Paradise Lost,' " achnowl. FOR THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE. Address to the Public concerning Miss Williams's Miscellanies. Life of Cheynel, in the Miscellany called " The Stu- dent," achnowl. Letter for Lauder, addressed to the Rev. Dr. John Douglas, acknowledging his fraud concerning Milton in terms of suitable contrition, achnowl. Dedication to the Earl of Middlesex of Mrs. Charlotte Lennox's " Female Quixote," intern, evid. FOR THE gentleman's MAGAZINE. * Preface. * Criticism on Moore's Gil Bias. Dedication to John, Earl of Orrery, of Shakspeare illustrated, by Mrs. Charlotte Lennox, achnowl. During this and the following year he wrote and gave to his much loved friend. Dr. Bathurst, the papers in the Adventurer, signed T., achnowl. FOR THE gentleman's MAGAZINE. * Preface. * Notice of Mr. Edward Cave's death, inserted in the last page of the index. Life of Edward Cave, in the Gentleman's Magazine, achnowl. FOR the gentleman's MAGAZINE. * Preface. A Dictionary, with a Grammar and History, of the English Language, achnowl. An Account of an Attempt to ascertain the Longitude at Sea, by an exact Theory of the Variations of the Magnetical Needle, with a Table of the Variations at the most remarkable cities in Europe, from the year 1660 to 1780, achnowl. This he wrote for Mr. Zachariah Williams, an ingenious ancient Welsh gentleman, father of Mrs. Anna Williams, whom he for many years kindly lodged in his house. It was published with a translation into Italian by Signor Baretti. In a copy of it, which he presented to the Bodleian Library at Oxford, is pasted a character of the late Mr. Zachariah Williams, plainly written by Johnson, intern, evid. An Abridgment of his Dictionary, achnowl. Several Essays in the Universal Visitor, which there is some difficulty in ascertaining. All that are marked with two asterisks have been ascribed to him, al- though I am confident, from internal evidence, that we should except from these" The Life of Chaucer," " Reflections on the State of Portugal," and " An Essay on Architecture." And from the same evi- dence I am confident that he wrote " Further Thoughts on Agriculture " and " A Dissertation on ;the State of Literature and Authors." The Dis- sertation on the Epitaphs of Pope, he afterwards ac- knowledged, and added to his " Idler." > This is a mistake. The last number of the Rambler ap- peared on the 14lh of March, three days before Mrs. Johnson died Malone. In the Literary Magazine, or Universal Review,,; which began in January, 1756, His Original Essays are, The Preliminary Address, intern, evid. An Introduction to the Pohtical State of Great BrU I tain, intern, evid. Remarks on the Militia Bill, intern, evid. Observations on his Britannic Majesty's Treaties with the Empress of Russia and the Landgrave of Hesse: Cassel, intern, evid. Observations on the Present State of Affairs, intern. ' evid. Memoirs of Frederick III., King of Prussia, intern, evid. In the same Magazine his Reviews are of the follow, i ing books: — " Birch's History of the Royal So-< ciety ; " " Browne's Christian Morals ; " " Warton's ' Essay on the Writings and Genius of Pope," vol. i. " Hampton's Translation of Polybius ; " " Sir Isaai Newton's Arguments in proof of a Deity; " " Bor- lase's History of the Isles of Scilly ; " "Home's, Experiments on Bleaching;" "Browne's History • of Jamaica ; " " Hales on Distilling Sea- Waters, Ventillators in Ships, and curing an ill taste in [ Milk ; " " Lucas's Essay on Waters ;" " Keith's Catalogue of the Scottish Bishops ; " " Philoso- phical Transactions," vol. xlix. ; " IVIiscellanies by Elizabeth Harrison ; " " Evans's Map and Account of the Middle Colonies in America ; " " The Cadet, a Military Treatise ; " " The Conduct of the Mi- nistry relating to the present War, impartially ex-!- amined," intern, evid. " Mrs. Lennox's Translation of Sully's Memoirs ; " " Letter on the Case of Admiral Byng ; " " Appeal to the People concerning Admiral Byng ; " " Han- way's Eight Days' Journey " and " Essay on Tea ;" " Some further particulars in Relation to the Case of Admiral Byng, by a Gentleman of Oxford," achnowl. Mr. Jonas Hanway having written an angry Answer to the Review of his Essay on Tea, Johnson, in the same collection, made a reply to it, achnowl. This is the only instance, it is believed, when he conde- to take notice of any th' igainst him ; and here seems to have been to make sport. Dedication to the Earl of Rochford of, and Preface to, Mr. Payne's introduction to the Game of Draughts, achnowl. Introduction to the London Chronicle, an Evening Paper, which still subsists with deserved credit, achnowl. ■ " Observations on the Foregoing Letter," i. e. A Let- ter on the American Colonies. Speech on the subject of an Address to the Throne after the Expedition to Roehefort ; delivered by one of his friends in some public meeting : it is printed in the Gentleman's Slagazine for October, 1785, intern, evid. The first two paragraphs of the Preface to Sir Wil- liam Chambers's Designs of Chinese Buildings, tec, achnowl. The Idler, which began April 5. in this year, and was continued till April 5. 1700, achnowl. An Essay on the Bravery of the English Common Soldiers was added to it, when published in volumes, ach>wtt'l. Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia, a Tale, achnoivl. Advertisement for the Proprietors of the Idler against certain persons who pirated those papers as they came out singly in a newspaper called the Universal Chronicle, or Weekly Gazette, intern, evid. For Mrs. Charlotte Lennox's English Version of Brumoy, " A Dissertation on the Greek Conirdy," and the General Conclusion of the Book, mtr'nt. evid. Introduction to the World Displayed, a Collection of Voyages and Travels, achnowl. Three Letters in the Gazetteer, concerning the best , plan for Blackfriars Bridge, achnowl. Address of the Painters to George III. on his Acces- sion to the Throne, intern, evid. Dedication of Baretti's Italian and English Dictionary to the Marquis of Abreu, then Envoy Extraordinary from Spain at the Court of Great Britain, intern, evid. Review in the Gentleman's Magazine of Mr. Tytler's acute and able Vindication of Mary Queen of Scots, achnowl. Introduction to the Proceedings of the Committee for Clothing the French Prisoners, achnoirl. Preface to Bolt's Dictionary of Trade and Commerce, achnowl. Appendix.] BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 823 11 li Corrections and Improvements for Mr. Gwyn the Ar- chitect's pamphlet, entitled " Thoughts on the Co- ronation of George III.," acknowl. 1762. Dedication to the King of the Rev. Dr. Kennedy's Complete System of Astronomical Chronology un- folding the Scriptures, 4to edition, acktwirl. Preface to the Catalogue of the Artists' Exhibition, intern, evid. 1763. Character of Collins in the Poetical Calendar, pub- lished by Fawkes and Woty, acknowl. Dedication to the Earl of Shaftesbury of the edition of Roger Ascham's English Works, published by the Reverend Mr. Bennett, ucknowl. The Life of Ascham, also prefixed to that edition, acknowl. Review of Telomachus, a Masque, by the Reverend , George Graham, of Eton College, 'in the Critical Review, acknowl. Dedication to the Queen of Mr. Hoole's Translation of Tasso, acknowl. Account of the Detection of the Imposture of the Cock Lane Ghost, published in the Newspapers and Gen- tleman's Magazine, acknowl. 1764. Part of a Review of Granger's " Sugar Cane," a Poem, in the London Chronicle, acknowl Review of Goldsmith's " Traveller," a Poem, in the Critical Review, acknowl. 1765. The Plays of William Shakspeare, in eight volumes, 8vo, with Notes, acknowl. 17eS. The Fountains, a Fairy Tale, in Mrs. Williams's Mis- cellanies, acknowl. 1767. Dedication to the King of Mr. Adams's Treatise on the Globes, acknowl. 1769. Character of the Reverend Mr. Zachariah Mudge, in the London Chronicle, acknowl. 1770. The False Alarm, acknowl. 1771. Thoughts on the late Transactions respecting Falk- land's Islands, acknowl. 1772. Defence of a Schoolmaster; dictated to me for the House of Lords, acknowl. Argument in support of the Law of Vicious Intromis- sion ; dictated to me for the Court of Session in Scotland, acknowl. 1773. Preface to Macbean's " Dictionary of Ancient Geo- graphy," acknowl. Argument in favour of the Rights of Lay Patrons ; dictated to me for the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, acknowl. 1774. The Patriot, acknoirl. 1775. A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland, ac- knowl. Proposals for publishing the Works of Mrs. Char- lotte Lennox, in 3 volumes, 4to, acknowl. Preface to Baretti's Easy Lessons in Italian and English, intern, evid. Taxation no Tyranny: an Answer to the Resolutions and Address of the American Congress, acknowl. Argument on the case of Dr. Memis ; dictated to me for the Court of Sessions in Scotl.wd. acknowl. Argument to prove that the Corporation of Stirling was corrupt ; dictated to me for the House of Lords, acknowl. 177G. Argument in support of the Right of immediate and personal Reprehension from the Pulpit ; dictated to me, acknowl. Proposals for publishing an Analysis for the Scotch Celtic Language, by the Rev. William Shaw, acknowl. 1777. Dedication to the King of the Posthumous Works of Dr. Pearce, Bishop of Rochester, acknowl. Additions to the Life and Character of that Prelate, prefixed to those works, acknowl. Various Papers and Letters in favour of the Reverend Dr. Dodd, acknowl. 1780. Advertisement lor his Friend, Mr. Thrale, to the Worthy Electors of the Borough of Southwark, acknowl. First Paragraph of Mr. Thomas Davies's Life of Garrick, acknowl. 1781. Prefaces, biographical and critical to the Works of the most eminent English poets ; afterwards pui). lished with the title of the Lives of the English Poets, acknowl. Argunwnt on the Importance of the Registration of Deeds : dictated to me for an Election Committee of the House of Commons, acknowl. On the distinction between Tory and Whig ; dictated to me, acknowl. On Vic-irious Punishments, and the great Propitlatlnn for the Sms of the World by Jesus Christ ; dic- tated to me, acknowl. Argument in favour of Joseph Knight, an African Negro, who claimed his Liberty in the Court of Session in Scotland, and obtained it ; dictdted to me, acknowl. Defence of Mr. Robertson, Printer of the Caledonian Mercury, against the Society of Procurator! in Edinburgh, for having inserted in his paper a ludi- crous paragraph against them ; demonstrating that It was not an injurious Libel ; dictated to me, acknowl. 1782. The greatest [part], if not the whole, of a Reply, by the Reverend Mr. Shaw, to a person at Edinburgh, of the name of Clarke, refuting his arguments for the authenticity of the Poems published by Mr. James Macphcrson as Translations from Ossian, intern, evid. 1784. List of the Authors of the Universal History, de- posited in the British .Museum, and printed in the Gentleman's Magazine for December, this year, acknowl. VABIOUS YEARS. Letters to Mrs. Thrale, acknowl. Prayers and Meditations, which he delivered to the Rev. Mr. Strahan, enjoining him to publish them •, acknowl. Sermons, left for publication by John Taylor, LL.D., Prebendary of Westminster, and given to the World by the Reverend Samuel Hayes, A. M., intern, evid. Such was the number and variety of the orose works of this extraordinary man, which I have been able to discover, and am at liberty to jnention- ; but we ought to keep in mind, that there must undoubtedly have been many more which are yet concealed ; and we may add to the account, the numerous letters which he wrote, of which a considerable part are yet unpublished. It is hoped that those persons, in whose possession they are, will favour the world with them. BOSWELL. 6. The following Letters and Prayer were accident- ally omitted from their proper Places. [JOHNSON TO MR. TOMKESON. " Ist Oct 1783. " Sir,— I have known Mr. Lowe very familiarly a great while. I consider him as a man of very clear and vigorous understanding, and conceive his principles to be sucTi that whatever you trans.nct with him you have nothing to expect from him unbecoming a gentleman. I am. Sir, your humble servant, Sam. Johnson." JOHNSON TO MR. NICHOLS. "April 12. 1784. " Siu, .— I have sent you inclosed a very curious proposal from Mr. Hawkins, the son of Sir John Hawkins, who, I believe, will take care that whatever his son promises shall be performed. If you are inclined to publish this compila- tion, the editor will agree for an edition on the following terms, which I think liberal enough. That you shall print the book at your own charge. That the sale shall be wholly for your benefit till your expenses are repaid ; except that at the time of publication you shall put into the hands of the editor, without price, . . . copies for his friends, 'rhat, when you h.ive been repaid, the profits arising from the sale of the remaining copies shall be divided equally between you and the editor. That the edition shall not comprise fewer than five hundred. Sam. Johnson." UNPUBLISHED PRAYER. From the Pearson MSS. " E.ister day, l.-Jth April, HSO. Almighty and most merciful Father, look down with pity upon my sins. I am a sinner, good Lord ; but let not my sins burthen me for ever. Give me thy grace to break the chain of evil custom. Enable me to shake off idleness and sloth : to will and to do what thou hast commiuided, grant me chaste in thoughts, words and .-ictions ; to love and • See ante, p. 792., my reasons for disbelieving that there were any such injunctions Choker. 2 This is a strange phrase. What work could it have been that Mr. Boswell was not at liberty to mcntimi ? That there Was some peculiar meaning herecan hardly liedoubted. \x.per- hapsmny allude to some publications of a Jacobite tendency, written in Johnson's earlier days, and which may have been acknowledged in confidence to Boswell ; but this is a mere conjecture. Mr. Markland thinks that Boswell's letter, p. 214., explains this, — but Idonotseeit. Many of the articles inserted in the foi egoing list on internal ffit»,o d1,.„i» R7-"i nnopc Hilt 1 B la I have more cancels. left no room for any thing else. We had a numerous club on Tuesday : Fox in the chair, quoting Homer and t lelding, &c. to the astonishment of Jo. Warton ; who, with Langtoii and Seward, ate a plain bit with me, in my new house, last Saturday. Sir Joshua has put up Dr. Lawrence, who will be black-balled as sure as he exists.i " We dined on Wednesday .it Sir Joshua's ; thirteen ttulh- out Miss P. Himself, Blagden, Batt, [Lawrence,] Erskine, Langton, Dr. Warton, Metcalf, Dr. Lawrence, his brotlier, a clergyman, Sir Charles Bunbury, myself." " Feb. 10. Yours of the 5th reached me yesterday. I instantly went to the Don, who purchased for you at the office of Hazard and Co. a half, stamped by government and warranted undrawn, of No. 43,1.52. in the Kiighsh State Lottery. I have marked on the back of it, ' Kdmond, Hen- rietta, and Catherine Malone,' and if Fortune \vill not favour those three united, I shall blame her. 1 his hall shall lie in my bureau with my one whole one, till you de- sire it to be placed elsewhere. The cost, with registration, is 8/. 12s. 6rf. A hair is always proportionally dearer than a whole. I bought my ticket at Nicholson s the d.iy before and paid 16/. is. for it. I did not lotjk at the """iber. but sealed it up. In the evening a hand-biU was circulated by Nicholson, that a ticket the day before soM at his oHice for 16/. 8s. was drawn a prize of .WOO/. The number was mentioned in the hand-bill I had resolved not oir"lf-past five Bu ke had made great interest for his drum major, and, would jou telle" it ?%ad not Courtenay and I been there he would have been chosen. I am strangely ill, and doubt if even j ou could dispel the demoniac influence. 1 have now before me p. 488. in print : and 923 pages of the copy only '^ exhausted and there remains 80, besides the death; «« to ".hich I si all be concise, though solemn. Pray how shall I wind up > Shall I give the character from my Tour, somewhat en- '*^FfJ"25. I have not seen Sir Joshua I think for a fortnight. T have been worse than you can possibly fmagine or I hope ever shall be able to imagine ; wind no man can do without experiencing the malady. It has been for some time painful to me to be in company. I, bow- ever am a little better, and to meet Sir Joshua to-day at dinner at Mr. Dance's, and shall tell hira that he is to have good Irish claret. I am in a distressing perplexity h( to decide as to the cronertv of my book. You must know, that I am ccrlajnl;/ Fnfoffi tha^a certain person who delights in m'schief has been depreciating it, so that I fear the sale of it may be very dubious Tivo quartos and two guineas sound in "" alarm- ing manner. I believe, in my present frame, I should accept evin of 500/.; for I suspect that were I "^ow to talk o Robinson, I should find him not disposed to give 1000/ Did he absolutely offer it, or did he only express himself so as tLtyTc^ncluied he would gWe U V_ The pressing circum- stance is, ■ " '' "^ account C- . venture to join "" -° '" '^ ^"'^^ f"r that sum, as tnen i s, that I must lay down 1000 .by the Is of May, on of the purchase of land, which my old fam. y en- r, nrPPd me to make. You, I doubt not, have f 1 1 ith me in a bond for that sum, as I olume about 575 pages. But 1 shall have more cancels That nervous mortal W. G. H.= is not satisfied with my report of some particulars which I wrote down from his own mouth, and is so much agitated, th.it Courtenay has iier- suaded me to allow a new edition of them by H. himself to be made at H.'s expense. Besides, it has occurred to me, that when I mention 'a literary fraud,' by Bolt the his- torian, in going to Dublin, and publishing Akonside's Pleasures of the Imagination, with his own name (p. 121.), I may not be able to authenticate it, as Johnson is dead, and he may have relations who may take it up as an offence, per- haps a libel. Courtenay suggests, that you may perh.ips get intelligence whether it was true. The Bishop of Dromore can probably tell, as he knows a great deal about Kolt. In case of doubt, should I not cancel the le.if, and either omit the curious anecdote or give it as a story which Johnson laughingly told as having circulated ? " " March 8. I have before me your volunteer letter of February 24th, and one of 5th current, which, if you havedated it right, has come with wonderful expedition, iou may be perfectly sure that I have not the smallest fault to find with your disinclination to come again under any pecuniary en- gagements for others, after having sufi'ered so much Dilly proposes that he and Baldwin should each advance 200/. on the credit of my book ; and if they do so, 1 shall manage well enough, for I now find that 1 can have GOO/, in Scotland on the credit of my rents ; and thus I shall get the 1000/. paid m "S'ou would observe some stupid lines on Mr. Burke in the 'Oracle' b,/ Mr.noswrll! I instantly wrote to Mr. Burke, expressi'ii;; my indij;nation at such impertinence, and had next monnn- a mo>t obliging answer. Sir \\ illiain Scott told me I could have no legal redress. So I went civilh/ to Bell, and he promised to mention handsomely that James Boswell, Esq. was not the author of the lines. Ihe note however, on the subject was a second impertinence. But I can do nothing. 1 wish Fox, in his bill upon libels, would make a heavy penalty the consequence of forging any person's name to any composition, which, in reality, such a trick amounts to. , ^ ^ r " In the nisht between the last of February and first of this month, 1 had a sudden relief from the inexplicable dis- order, which occasionally clouds my mind and makes me miserable, and it is amazing how well 1 have been since. Your friendly admonition as to excess in wine has been often too applicable ; but upon this late occasion I erred on the other side. However, as 1 am now free from my restriction to Courtenay, 1 shall be much upon my gu.ird ; for. to tell the truth, I did go too deep the day before yesterday ; having dined with Michael Angelo Taylor, and then supped at the London Tavern with the stewards of the Humane Society, and continued till I know not what hour m the morning. John Nichols was joyous to a pitch of bacchanalian vivacity. I am to dine with him next Monday ; an excellent city party. Alderman Curtis, Deputy Birch, &c &c. I rated hmi gently on his saying so little of your Shakspeare.3 He is ready to receive more ample notice. You may depend on your having whatever reviews that mention you sent directly. Have l told you that Murphy has written * An Essay on the Life and Writings of Dr. Johnson,' to be prefixed to the new edition of his works ? He wrote it in a month, and has received 200/ for it. I am quite resolved now to keep the property of my Magnum Opus ; and 1 flatter myself I shall not repent it. •' My title, as we settled it, is ' The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL D , comprehending an account of his studies and various works, in chronologictl order, his conversations with many eminent persons, a series of his letters to celebr.ited men and several original pieces of his composition : the whole exhibiting a view of literature and literary men m Great Britain, for near half a century, during which he flourished.' It will be very kind if you will ^"gKeft what )^t occurs. I hoped to have published to-day; but it will be about a month vet before Haunch." "March 12. Being the depository of your chance in the lottery, I am under the disagreeable necessity of communi- catiuK the bad news that it has been drawn a blank. 1 am very sorry, both on your account and that of your sisters, and my own ; for had your share of good fortune been .IIGG/ 13s. Ad. I should have hoped for a loan to accommodate me. As it is, 1 shall, as 1 wrote to you, be enabled to weather my difficulties for some time : but I am still in great 1 Dr. Lawrence was black-balled, and did not become a nervousness increases our regret at qot being able to pene- trate the secret of his political tr.ins.iclions with Johnson. It was clearly something that he did not like to reTeal.— Crokkr. . _ 3 Viz. in the Gentleman's Magazine. — Cboker. 830 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. [Appendix. anxiety about the sale of my book. I find so many people shake their heads at the two quartos and two guineas. Courtcnay is clear that I should sound Robinson, and accept of a thousand guineas, if he will give that sura. Meantime, the title-page must be made as good as may be. It appears to me that mentioning his studies, works, conversations, and letters is not sufficient ; and I would suggest comprehending an account, in chronological order, of his studies, works, friendships, acquaintance, and other particulars ; his con- versations with eminent men ; a series of his letters to various persons ; also several original pieces of his compo- sition never before published. The whole, &c. You will, probably, be able to assist me in expressing my idea, and arranging the parts. In the advertisement I intend to men- tion the letter to Lord Chesterfield, and perhaps the inter- view with the King, and the names of the correspondents in alphabetical order. How should chronological order stand in the order of the members of my title ? I had at first ' celebrated correspondents, ' which I don't" like. How would it do to say ' his conversations and epistolary corre- spondence with eminent (or celebrated) persons ? ' Shall it be ' different works,' and ' various particulars ? ' In short, it is difficult to decide. " Courtenay was with me this morning. What a mystery is his going on at all ! Yet he looks well, talks well, dresses well, keeps his mare — in short, is in all respects like a par- liament man. Do you know that my bad spirits are re- turned upon me to a certain degree ; and such is the sickly fondness for change of place, and imagination of relief, that I sometimes think you are happier by being in Dublin, than one is in this great metropolis, where hardly any man cares for another. I am persuaded I should relish your Irish dinners very much. I have at last got chambers in the Temple, in the very staircase where Johnson lived ; and when my Magnum Opus is fairly launched, there shall I make a trial." No. V. ORIGINAL ANECDOTES OF DR. JOHNSON, COMMUNICATED TO MR. CROKER. § 1. MISS REYNOLDS'S RECOLLECTIONS. [Communicated, in 1829, to me by Mr. Palmer, grand-nephew of Sir Joshua Reynolds. — Crokek.] " Clarissa Harlowe." The first time I was in company with Dr. Johnson, which was at Miss Cotterel's, (p. 79.) I well remember the flattering notice he took of a lady pre- sent, on her saying that she was inclined to estimate the morality of every person according as they liked or disliked " Clarissa Harlowe." He was a great admirer of Richard- son's works in general, but of " Clarissa" he always spoke with the highest enthusiastic praise. He used to say, that it was the first book in the world for the knowledge it displays of the human heart. Richardson. Yet of the author I never heard him speak with any degree of cordiality, but rather as if impressed with some cause of resentment against him ; and this has been imputed to something of jealousy, not to say envy, on account of Richardson's having engrossed the attentions and affec- tionate assiduities of several very ingenious literary ladies, whom he used to call his adopted daughters, and for whom Dr. Johnson had conceived a paternal affection (particularly for two of them. Miss Carter and Miss Mulso, now Mrs. Chapone), previous to their acquaintance with Richardson ; and it was said, that he thought himself neglected by them on his account. Female Friendship. Dr. Johnson set a higher value upon female friendship than, perhaps, most men ; which may reasonably be supposed was not a little enhanced by his acquaintance with those ladies, if it was not originally de- rived from them. To their society, doubtless, Richardson owed that delicacy of sentiment, that feminine excellence, as I may say, that so peculiarly distinguishes his writings from those of his own sex in general, how high soever they may soar above the other in the more dignified paths of literature, in scientific investigations, and abstruse inquiries. What is Lovef Dr. Johnson used to repeat, with very apparent delight, some lines of a poem written by Miss Mulso : - " Say, Stella, what is Love, whose cruel power Robs virtue of content, and youth of joy ? What nymph or goddess, in what fatal hour. Produced to light the mischief-making boy ? " Some say, by Idleness and Pleasure bred. The smiling babe on beds of roses lay ; There with soft honey'd dews by Fancy fed. His infant beauties open'd on the day." i An Inn. Dr. Johnson had an uncommonly retentive memory for every thing that appeared to him worthy of ob- servation. Whatever he met with in reading, particularly poetry, I believe he seldom required a revisal to be able to repeat verbatim. If not literally so, his deviations were generally improvements. This was the case, in some re- ' Johnson paid the first of those stanzas the great and un- deserved compliment of quoting it in his Dictionary, under the word " Quatrain." — Crokeu. spects, in Shenstone's poem of " The Inn," which I learned from hearing Dr. Johnson repeat it ; and I was surprised, on seeing it lately among the author's works for the first time, to find it so different. One stanza he seems to have extemporised himself: — " And once again I shape my way Through rain, through shine, through thick and thin, Secure to meet, at close of day, A kind reception at an inn." (p. 485.) Quick Reading. — He always read amazingly quick, glancing his eye from the top to the bottom of the page in an instant. If he made any pause, it was a compliment to the work ; and, after seesawing over it a few minutes, generally repeated the passage, especially if it was poetry. Pope's " Fssay on Man." — One day, on taking up Pope's " Essay on Man," a particular passage seemed more than ordinarily to engage his attention ; so much so, indeed, that, contrary to his usual custom, after he had left the book and the seat in which he was sitting, he returned to revise it, turning over the pages with anxiety to find it, and then repeated — " Passions, though selfish, if their means be fair. List under Reason, and deserve her care: Those that, imparted, court a nobler aim. Exalt their kind, and take some virtue's name." His task, probably, was the whole paragraph, but these lines only were audible. Favourite Verses — He seemed much to delight in recit- ing verses, particularly from Pope. Among the many I have had the pleasure of hearing him recite, the conclusion of the " Dunciad," and his " Epistle to Jervas," seemed to claim his highest admiration : two lines of it — " Led by some rule that guides, but not constrains. And finish'd more through happiness than pains," he used to remark, was a union that constituted the ultimate degree of excellence in the fine arts. Two lines from Pope's " Universal Prayer " I have heard him quote, in very serious conversation, as his theological creed : — Some lines also he used to repeat in his best manner, written in memory of Bishop Boulter (p. 107.), which I be- lieve are not much known : — " Some write their wrongs in marble : he, more just, Stoop'd down serene and wrote them in the dust: Trod under foot, the sport of every wind, Swept from the earth, and blotted from his mind. There, secret in the grave, he bade them lie. And griev'd they could not 'scape the Almighty's eye." A lady [Miss Reynolds], who had learnt them from Dr. Johnson, thought she had made a mistake, or had forgot some words, as she could not make out a reference to " there" and mentioned it to hira. " No," said he, " she had not," and, after see-sawing a few minutes, said something that indicated Appkndix.] BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOIIxVSON. b31 surprise that he should not have made the same remark ''^Sora'e time after he told the lady that these lines were in- serted in the last edition of his Dictionary, under the word " GowIwrtA- — Of Goldsmith's " Traveller" he used to speak in terras of the highest commendation. A lady [Miss Reynolds herself], I remember, who had the pleasure of hear- ine Dr. Johnson read it from the beginning to the end on its first coming out, to testify her admiration of it, exclaimed, " I never more shall think Dr. Goldsmith ugly." In having thought so, however, she was by no means sin- eular • an instance of which I am rather inclined to mention, 'because it involves a remarkable one of Dr. Johnson's ready 'wit: for this lady, one evening being in a large party, was called upon after supper for her toast, and seeming em- barrassed, she was desired to give the ugliest man she knew ; and she immediately named Dr. Goldsmith, on which a lady fMrs. Cholmondeley) on the other side of the table rose up and reached across to shake hands with her, expressing some desire of being better acquainted with her, it being the first time they had met ; on which Dr. Johnson said, " Thus the ancients, on the commencement of their friendships, used to sacrifice a beast betwixt them." Sir Joshua, I have often thought, never gave a more strik- ing proof of his excellence in portrait-painting, than in eiving dignity to Dr. Goldsmith's countenance, and yet pre- serving a strong likeness. But he drew after his mind, or rather his genius, if I may be allowed to make that distinc- tion ; assimilating the one with his conversation, the other with his works. j . . . u- u i Dr. Goldsmith's cast of countenance, and indeed his whole figure from head to foot, impressed every one at first sight with an idea of his being a low mechanic ; particularly, 1 be- lieve, a journeyman tailor. A little concurring instance of this I well remember. One day at Sir Joshua Reynolds s, in company with some gentlemen and ladies, he was relating with great indignation an insult he had just received Irom some gentleman he had accidentally met (I think at a cofTee-house). "The fellow," he said, " took me for a tai- lor ! " on which all the party either laughed aloud or showed they suppressed a laugh. Dr. Johnson seemed to have much more kindness for Gold- smith than Goldsmith had for him. He always appeared to be overawed by Johnson, particularly when in company with people of any consequence, always as if impressed with some fear of disgrace ; and, indeed, well he might I have been witness to many mortifications he has suffered mDr. Johnson's company : one day in particular, at Sir Joshua s table a gentleman to whom he was talking his best stopped him, in the midst of his discourse, with " Hush ! hush ! Dr. Johnson is going to say something." „ „ t,,. At another time, a gentleman who was sitting between JJr. Johnson and Dr. Goldsmith, and with whom he had been disputing, remarked to another, loud enough for Goldsmith to hear him, " That he had a fine time of it, between Ursa maiorand. Ursa minor .'" " Talking one's best. — Mr. Baretti used to remark, w;itli a smile, that Dr. Johnson always talked his best to the ladies. But, indeed, that was his general practice to all who would furnish him with a subject worthy of his discussion; for, what was very singular in him, he would rarely, if ever, begin any subject himself, but would sit silent (p. 287.) till some- thing was particularly addressed to him, and if that happened to lead to any scientific or moral inquiry, his benevolence, I believe more immediately incited him to expatiate on it for the edification of the ignorant than for any other motive '"^Orfg.^al S,«.-Oneday, on a lady's telling hin, that she had read Parnell's " Hermit " with dissatisfaction, for she could not help thinking that thieves and murderers, who were such immediate ministers from Heaven of good toman, did not deserve such punishments as our lawsintlict Ur. Johnson spoke such an eloquent oration, so deeply philoso- phical as indeed afforded a most striking mstance ot the truth of Baretti's observation, but of which, to my great regret I can give no corroborating proof, my memory lur- nishing me with nothing more than barely the general ten- dency of his arguments, which was to prove, that though it might be said that wicked men, as well as the good, were ministers of God, because in the moral sphere the good we enjoy and the evil we suffer are administered to us by man, yet as Infinite Goodness could not inspire or influence man to act wickedly, but, on the contrary, it was his divine pro- perty to produce good out of evil, and as man was endowed with free will to act, or to refrain from acting wickedly, with knowledge of good and evil, with conscience to admonish and to direct him to choose the one and to reject the olhi'r, he was, therefore, as criminal in the sight of God ami of man, and as deserving punishment for his evil deeds, as if no good had resulted from them. And yet, though, to the best of my remembrance, this was the substance of Dr. Johnson's discourse In answer to the lady's observation, I am rather appreheniive that, in some respects, it may be thought inconsistent with his general assertions, that man was by nature much more inclined to evil than to good. But it would ill become me to expa- tiate on such a subject. Yet, what can be said to reconcile his opinion of the natur.d tendency of the human heart to evil with hit own zealous virtuous propensions ? Nothing, perhaps, at least by me, but that this opinion, I believe, was founded upon religious principles relating to original sin ; and I well re- member that, when disputing with a person on this subject, who thought that nature, reason, and virtue were the con- stituent principles of humanity, he would say, " Nay, nay, if man is by nature prompted to act virtuously, all the ilivine precepts of the Gospel, all its denunciations, all the laws enacted bvman to restrain man from evil, had been needless." Sympalhy. — It is certain that he would scarcely allow any one to feel much for the distresses of others ; or what- ever he thought they might feel, he was very apt to impute to causes that did no honour to human nature. Indeed, I thought him rather too fond of Rochefoucault maxims. Evil Propensions. — The very strict watch he appar- ently kept over his mind seems to correspond with his thorough conviction of nature's evil propensions ; but it might be as likely in consequence of his dread of those pecu- liar ones, whatever they were, which attended, or rather constituted, his mental malady, which, 1 have observed, might probably have incited him so often to pray; and I im- pute it to the same cause, that he so frequently, with great earnestness, desired his intimate acquaintance to pray for him. apparently on very slight occasions of corporeal dis- order. Dr. Dodd. — That Dr. Johnson should have desired one prayer from Dr. Dodd, who was himself such an atrocious offender, has been very much condemned ; but we ought to consider that Dr. Johnson miyht, perhaps, have had sutlicient reason to believe Dodd to be a sincere penitent, which. indeed, was the case : and, besides, his mind was so softened with pity and compassion for him, so impressed with the awful idea of his situation, the last evening of his life, that he probably did not think of his former transgressions, or thought, perhaps, that he ought not to remember them, when the offender was so soon to appear before the Supreme Judge of heaven and earth. Dr. Johnson told me that Dodd, on reading his letter, {ante, p. 544.) gave it into the hands ofhis wife, with a strong injunction never to part with it ; that he had slept during the night, and when he awoke in the morning, he did not immediately recollect that he was to suffer, and when he did, he expressed the utmost horror and agony of mind — out- rageously vehement in his speech and in his looks — till he yyent into the chapel, and on his coming out of it his face expressed the most angelic peace and composure. He also told me that Dodd probably entertained some hopes of life even to the last moment, having been flattered by some of his medical friends that there was a chance of suspending its total extinction till hewascut down, by placing the knot of the rope in a particular manner behind his ear. That then he was to be carried to a convenient place, where they would use their utmost endeavour to recover him . All this was done. The hangman observed their injunctions infixing the rope, and as the cart drew off, said in Dodd's ear, you must not move an inch ! But he struggled — Being carried to the place appointed, his friends endeavoured to restore him by bathing his breast with warm water, which Dr. John- son said was not so likely to have that effect as cold water : and on this occasion he repeated [with a slight variation] the story already told [anti, p. 550,], that a man wandered round the prison some days before his execution, with bank notes in his pocket to the amount of a thousand pounds, to bribe the jailor to let him escape. . ,.. Morbid Melancholy.— \t was a gloomy axiom of his, that the pains and miseries of human life outweighed its happiness and good : but on a lady's asking hiin, whether he would not permit the ease and quiet of common life to be put into the scale of happiness and good, he seemed embar- rassed (very unusual with him), and answering in the affirm- ative, rose from his seat, as if to avoid the inference and reply', which his answer authorized tJie lady to make. But much may be said in Dr. Johnson's justification, sup- posing this notion should not meet with universal npproba- 1 We see in this case, as in that of Miss ^ulso, that John- son's personal partialities induced him to quote in hs Dic- tionary authors who had no business fhere ; nnless inde d. these lines which seem above Madden's usual rate, be John- son's o^! See ante, p. 107.. the motive of his gratitude to ''? ™;T7a stXng instanceof the easy fabrication of w...t are called anccdolesUnd of how little even the best authori- ties can be relied on in such matters. The real anecdote was of Doctor Major and Doctor Minor (see anti. p- 2W) I bv no me.ins so happy as the fabrication ; and the title of ' Ursa Major was apphed to Johnson by old Lord Auchlti ccli (ante p. 398.). From these two facts the pleasant fallacy quoted by Miss Reynolds was no doubt compounded — Okoker. 832 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. [Appendix. tion, he having, it is probable, imbibed it in the early part of his life when under the pressure of adverse fortune, and in every period of it under the still heavier pressure and more adverse influence of Nature herself; for I have often heard him lament that he inherited from his father a morbid dis- position both of body and of mind — an oppressive melancholy, which robbed him of the common enjoyments of life. '• Indeed, he seemed to struggle almost incessantly with some mental evil, and often, by the expression of his countenance and the motion of his lips, appeared to be offering up some ejaculation to Heaven to remove it. But in Lent, or near the approach of any great festival, he would generally retire from the company to a corner of the room, but most com- monly behind a window-curtain, to pray, and with such energy, and in so loud a whisper, that every word was heard distinctly, particularly the Lord's Prayer and tlie Apostles' Creed, with which he constantly concluded his devotions. SoniKtimes some words would emphatically escape him in his usual tone of voice. At these holy seasons he secluded himself more from so- ciety than at other times, — at least from general and mixed society ; and on a gentleman's sending him an invitation to dinner on Easter eve, he was highly offended, and expressed himself so in his answer. Probably his studious attention to the secret workings of his peculiar mental infirmity, together with his experience of divine assistance co-operating with his reasoning facul- ties to repel its force, may have proved in the highest degree conducive to the exaltation of his piety, and tlie pre- eminence of his wisdom. And I think it equally probable, that all his natural defects were conducive to that end ; for being so peculiarly debarred from the enjoyment of those amusements which the eye and the ear afford, doubtless he sought more assiduously for those gratifications which scien- tific pursuits or philosophic meditation bestow. Painting and Music. — These defects sufficiently ac- count for his insensibility of the charms of music and of painting, being utterly incapable of receiving any delight from the one or the other, particularly from painting, his sight being more deficient than his hearing. Of the superficies of the fine arts, or visible objects of taste, he could have had but an imperfect idea ; but as to the invisible principles of a natural good taste, doubtless he was possessed of these in the most eminent degree, and I should have thought it a strange inconsistency indeed in his cha- racter, had he really wanted a taste for music ; but as a proof that he did not, I think I had need only mention, that he was remarkably fond of Dr. Burney's " History of Music," 2 and that he said it showed that the author understood the philosophy of music better than any man that ever wrote on that subject. It is certain tliat, when in the company of connoisseurs, whose conversation has turned chiefly upon the merits of the attractive charms of painting, perhaps of pictures that were immediately under their inspection. Dr. Johnson, I have thought, used to appear as if conscious of his unbecoming situation, or rather, I might say, suspicious that it was an unbecoming situation. But it was observable, that he rather avoided the dis- covery of it; for when asked his opinion of the likeness of any portrait of a friend, he has generally evaded the ques- tion, and if obliged to examine it, he has held the picture most ridiculously, quite close to his eye, just as he held his book. But he was so unwilling to expose that defect, that he was much displeased with Sir Joshua, I remember, for drawing him with his book held in that manner, which, I believe, was the cause of that picture being left unfinished.^ Religion and Morality. — Good-breeding. — On every occasion that had the least tendency to depreciate religion or morality, he totally disregarded all forms or rules of good- breeding, as utterly unworthy of the slightest consideration. But it must be confessed, that he sometimes suffered this noble principle to transgress its due bounds, and to extend even to those who were an^ywise connected with the person who had offended him. Wilkes. — 3 ohmon's dislike of Mr. Wilkes was so great that it extended even to his connections. He happened to dine one day at Sir Joshua Reynolds's with a large and distinguished company, amongst which were Mr. Wilkes's brother, Israel, and his lady. In the course of conversation, Mr. Israel Wilkes was about to make some remark, when Johnson suddenly stopped him with, " I hope, sir, what you are going to say may be better worth hearing than what you have already said." This rudeness shocked and spread a gloom over the whole party, particularly as Mr. Israel Wilkes was a gentleman of a very amiable character and of refined taste, and, what Dr. Johnson little suspected, a very loyal ' This last paragraph was originally written, ''terrifying vielancholy, which he was sometimes apprehensive bordered on insanity." This Miss Reynolds softened into the remark as it stands above; but he himself did not scruple to call it something like madness, (ante, p. 33G.) — Croker. 2 Miss Reynolds will hardly convince any one that Dr. Johnson was fond of music hy proving that he was fond of his friend Dr. Burney's " History of Music." "The truth is, subject. Johnson afterwards owned to Miss Reynolds that he was very sorry that he had "snubbed Wilkes, as his wife was present." Miss Reynolds replied that he should be sorry for many reasons. " No," said Johnson, who was very reluctant to apologize for offences of this nature ; " no, I only regret it because his wife was by." Miss Reynolds be- lieved that he had no kind ofmotive for this incivility to Mr. I. Wilkes but disgust at his brother's political principles. Republicans. — His treatment of Israel Wilkes was mild in comparison of what a gentleman (Mr. Elliott) met with from him one day at Sir Joshua Reynolds's, a barrister at law and a man of fashion, who, on discoursing with Dr. (then Mr.) Johnson on the laws and government of different nations (I remember particularly those of Venice), and happening to speak of them in terms of high approbation : " Yes, Sir," says Johnson, "all republican rascals think as you do." How the conversation ended I have forgot, it was so many years ago ; but that he made no apology to the gentleman I am very sure, nor to any person present, for such an outrage against society. Influence 0/ Age. — Of later years he grew much more companionable, and I have heard him say, that he knew himself to be so. " In my younger days," he would say, " it is true I was much inclined to treat mankind with asperity and contempt ; but I found it answered no good end. I thought it wiser and better to take the world as it goes. Besides, as I have advanced in life I have had more reason to be satisfied with it. Mankind have treated me with more kindness, and of course I have more kindness for them." Poverty. — \r\ the latter part of his life, indeed, his cir- cumstances were very different from what they were in the be- ginning. Before he had the pension, he literally dressed like a beggar-"; and from what I have been told, he as literally lived as such ; at least as to common conveniences in his apartments, wanting even a chair to sit on, particularly in his study, where a gentleman who frequently visited him whilst writing his " Idlers " constantly found him at his desk, sitting on one with three legs ; and on rising from it, he remarknl that Dr. Johnson never forgot its defect, but would eidii r hold it in his hand or place it with great composure against some support, taking no notice of its imperfection to his \ isi- tor. Whether the visitor sat on a chair, or on a pile of folios, or how he sat, I never remember to have been told. Pride or Politeness.— It was remarkable in Dr. John- son, that no external circumstances ever prompted him to make any jpology, or to seem even sensible of their existence. Whether this was the effect of philosophic pride, or of some partial notion of his respecting high breeding, is doubtful. Strange as ft may appear, he scrupled not to boast, that " no man knew the rules of true politeness better than himself; ' and, stranger still, " that no man more attentively practised them." Ceremony to Ladies. — He particularly piqued himself upon his nice observance of ceremonious punctilios towards ladies. A remarkable instance of this was his never suffering any lady to walk from his house to her carriage, through Bolt Court, unattended by himself to hand her into it (at least I have reason to suppose it to be his general custom, imm his constant performance of it to those with whom he was the most intimately acquainted), p. 4G8. ; and if any obsta( Ir prevented it from driving off, there he would stand by the door of it, and gather a mob around him ; indeed, they would begin to gather the moment he appeared handing the lady down the steps into Fleet-street. But to describe his .i|i- pearance — his important air — that indeed cannot be de- scribed; and his morning habiliments would excite the ut- most astonishment in my reader, that a man in his senses could think of stepping outside his door in them, or even to be seen at home. Sometimes he exhibited himself at the distance of eight or ten doors from Bolt Court, to get at the carriage, to the no small diversion of the populace. And lam certain that to those who love laughing, a description of his dress from head to foot would be highly acceptable, and in general I believe be thought the most curious part of my book : but I forbear, out of respect to his memory, to give more than this slight intimation of it; for, having written a minute description of his figure, from his wig to his slippers, a thought occurred that it might probably excite some pc r- son to delineate it, and I might have the mortification to see it hung up at a printshop as the greatest curiosity ever e.\- hibited. Johnson's Dress His best dress was, in his early times, so very mean, that one afternoon as he was following some ladies up stairs, on a visit to a lady of fashion [Miss Cotterel, p. 79.,] the servant, not knowing him, suddenly seized him by the shoulder, and exclaimed, " Where are you going ? " striving at the same time to drag him back ; but Sir Joshua i he held both painting and music in great contempt, becaiisc probably his organs afforded him no adequate perception of either. — Croker. 3 This, however, or a similar picture, was finished and en- graved as the frontispiece of Murphy's edition of Dr. John- son's works Croker. ■< Miss Hawkins, in her memoirs, tells us that his appear- ance was much improved after the pension. — Croker. Appendix.] BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 8it3 (then Mr.) Reynolds, who was a few steps behind, prevented her from doing or saying more, and Mr. Johnson growled all the way up stairs, as well he might. He seemed much chagrined and discomposed. Unluckily, whilst in this humour, a lady of high rank ' happening to call upon Miss Cotterel, he was most violently offended with her for not in- troducing him to her ladyship, and still more so for her seem- ing to show more attention to her than to him. .After sitting some time silent, meditating how to down Miss Cotterel, he addressed himself to Mr. Reynolds, who sat next him, and, after a few introductory words, with a loud voice said, " I wonder which of us two could get most money at his trade in one week, were we to work hard at it from morning till night." I don't remember the answer ; but 1 know that the lady, rising soon after, went away without knowing what trade they were of. She might probably suspect Mr. John- son to be a poor author by his dress ; and because the trade of neither a blacksmith, a porter, or a chairman, which she probably would have taken him for in the street, was not quite so suitable to the place she saw him in. This incident he used to mention with great glee — how he had doivned Miss Cotterel, though at the same time he professed a great friendship and esteem for that lady. Dr. Barnard. — ^' Forty -Jive." — It is certain, for such kind of mortifications, he never expressed any concern ; hut on other occasions he has shown an amiable sorrow - for the offence he has given, particularly if it seemed to involve the slightest disrespect to the church or to its ministers. I shall never forget with what regret he spoke of the rude reply he made to Dr. Barnard, on his saying that men never improved after the age of forty-five. " That's not true, Sir," said Johnson. " You, who perhaps are forty-eight, may still improve if you will try : I wish you would set about it ; and I am afraid," he added, " there is great room for it ; " and this was said in rather a large party of ladies and gentlemen at dinner. Soon afte'' th" ladies withdrew from the table, Dr. Johnson followed theni, and sitting down by the lady of the house, he said, •' I am very sorry for having spoken so rudely to the dean." " You very well may. Sir," " Yes," he said, "it was highly improper to speak in that style to a minister of the Gospel, and 1 am the more hurt on reflecting with what mild dignity he received it." When the Dean came up into the drawing-room. Dr. Johnson immediately rose from his seat, and made him sit on the sofa by him, and with such a beseeching look for pardon and with s'uch fond gestures — literally smoothing down his arms and his knees — tokens of penitence, which were so graciously received by the Dean as to make Dr. Johnson very happy, and not a little added to the esteem and lespect he had previously entertained for his character. The next morning the Dean called on Sir Joshua Reynolds with the following verses : — " I lately thought no man alive Could e'er improve past forty-five, And ventured to assert it. The observation was not new. But seem'd to me so just and true That none could controvert it. " ' No, Sir,' says Johnson, ' 'tis not so ; 'Tis your mistake, and I can show An instance if you doubt it. You, who perhaps are forty-eight. May still improve, — 't is not too late :— I wish you'd set about it.' " Encouraged thus to mend my faults, I turn'd his counsel in my thoughts Which way I could apply it ; Genius I knew was past my reach, For who can learn what none can teach ? And wit — I could not buy it. " Then come, my friends, and try your skill ; You may improve me if you will, (My books are at a distance) ; With you I'll live and learn, and then Instead of books 1 shall read men ; So lend me your assistance. " Dear knight of Plympton', teach me how To suffer, with unclouded brow And smile serene as thine. The jest uncouth and truth severe ; Like thee to turn my deafest ear. And calmly drink my wine. ' Lady Fitzroy. — Miss Reynolds.— See nn^e, p. 79, where this story is told of the Duchess of Argyll and another lady of high rank : that other lady was no doubt the person erro- neously designated by Miss Reynolds as Lad;/ Fitzroy. She probably was Elizabeth Crosby, wife of Lord Augustus Fitzroy, and grandmother of the present Duke of Grafton. — Choker. 2 " He repented just as certanily, however, if he had been led to praise any person or thing by accident more than he ' Thou say'st not only skill is gain'd, But gennis, too, may be attain'd, By studious invitation ; Thy temper mild, thy genius fine, I'll study till I make them mine By constant meditation. ■ Thy .-irt of ple.ising teach me, Garrick, Thou who reverest odes Pindaric < A second time read o'er ; Oh : could we read thee backwards too. Past thirty years thou shouldst review. And charm us thirty more. ' If I have thoughts and can't express 'em, Gibbon shall leach me how to dress 'em In terms select and terse ; Jones teach me modesty and Greek ; Smith, how to think ; Burke, how to speak ; And Beauclcrk to converse. ' Let Johnson teach me how to place In fairest light each borrow'd grace ; From him I'll learn to write: Copy his free and easy style. And from the roughness of his file Grow, like himself, polite." It is with much regret that I reflect on m;' stupid negli- gence to write down some of his discourses, his observations, precepts, &c. The following few short sentences only did I ever take any account of in writing; and these, (which I lately found in an old memorandum pocket-book, of .incient date,) were made soon after the commencement of my ac- qu.iintance with him. A few others, indeed, relating to the character of the French {anti, p. 4(i7. &c.), were taken vita voce, the day after his arrival from Fr.-ince, November 14. 1775, intending them for the subject of a letter to a friend in the country. Lauf^hter. — .\ gentlermm said, " I think when a person laughs alone, he supposes himself for the moment with com- pany." Johnson. "Yes, if. it be true that laughter is a comparison of self-superiority, you must suppose some per- son with you." 5 Scepticism. — Talking on the subject of scepticism, he said, " The eyes of the mind are like the eyes of the bodv ; they can see only at such a distance : but because we cannot see beyond this point, is there nothing beyond it ? " Want of Memory — Talking of the want of memory, he said, " No, Sir, it is not true ; in general every person has an equal capacity for reminiscence, and for one thing as well as another, otherwise it would be like a person com- plaining that he could hold silver in his hand, but could not hold copper." Genius — " No, Sir," he once said, " people are not born with a particular genius for particular employments or stu- dies, for it would be like saying that a man could see a great way east, but could not west. It is good sense applied with diligence to what was .at first a mere accident, and which, by great application, grew to be called, by the generality of man- kind, a particular genius." Imagination. — Some person advanced, th.it a lively imagiuation disqualified the mind from fixing steadily upon objects which required serious and minute investigation. Johnson. " U is true. Sir, a vivacious quick imagination does sometimes give a confused idea of things, and which do not fix deep, though, at the same time, he lias a capacity to fix them in his memory, if he would endeavour at it. It being like a man that, when he is running does not make ob- servations on what he meets with, .and consequently is not impressed by them ; but he has, nevertheless, the power of stopping and informing himself" Conscience and S/iame — A gentleman was mentioning it .IS a remark of an acquaintance of his, " that he never knew butone person that was completely wicked." John.son. " Sir, I don't know wh.atyou mean by a person completely wicked." Gentlkman. •' Why, .any one that has entirely got rid of all shame." Johnson. " How is he, then, completely wicked ? He must get rid. too, of all conscience." Gkntlb'man. " ! think conscience .and sh.ame the same thing." Johnson. "I am surprised to hear you sil — 7S(i.], and has preserved the following minutes III' Ihcir c.invn siitions, under the title cf" Jobnsoniana." .l'^:i ■• The principle of all amusement is to Beguile lit I ! ! the intcrv.al between active thoughts and // /; / I lie source of every thing, either in or out of naiuic, that c.ia serve the purpose of poetry, is to be found in Ilonur ; — every species of distress, every modification of heroic cliaractcr, battles, storms, ghosts, incantations, &c." Tyaushitiun from the Greek. — " Much credit is due to the first translators of Greek authors. Grx-vius and Bcnedictus give tlic jialmto Sir Thomas More, amongall the translators of Lucian." Udi/ssey.—" Dr. Johnson said, he h.id never read through the Odyssey completely in the original." Johnson's first Declamation " Anecdote of his first dc- clamation at College, that having neglected to write it till the morning of his being to repe;it it, and having only one copy, he got part of it by heart, while he was walking into tha'Hall, and the rest he "repeated as well as he could extem- pore." The Ramet. — " Anecdote of his tutor, who told them that the Kamei, the followers of Ramus, were so called from Ramus, a bow." •• Johnson's Idleness " Description of himself as very idle and neglectful of his studies." Latin. — " His opinion, that I could not name above five of my college acquaintance who read Latin with ease sutlicient to make it pleasurable. The difficulties of the language over- power the desire of reading the author." " That he read Latin with as much ease when he went to collc!,T as at present." " That a year or two elapsed between " his quitting school di d going to college. Thumas Hearne. — " His opinion of that fact of Thomas Hearne, that he had never been in London.'' Ovid's Fasti. IVotton. Wood. — " Kecommended the reading the Fasti of Ovid, — also Wotton, and Wood on Homer." Ovid and 7 iV/;//. — " Commended Ovid's description of the death of Hercules — doubted whether Virgil would not have loaded the description with too many Bne words ; that Virgil would sometimes dare verba." Styles. — " Opinion that there were three ways in which writing might be unnatural ; by being bombastic and above nature — (Reeled and beside it, fringing events « itii ornaments which lu-iture did not afford— or weak and below nature. That neither of the first would please long. That the third might indeed please a good while, or at lejist many ; because imbecility, and consequently a love of Imbecility, might be found in m.any." A Good h'ork. — " Baretti had told him of some lUlian author, who said that a good work must be that with which the vulgar were pleased, and of which the leari.cd could tell bre.id depended on the sensiitin". his works might crr.-itc. 'I"his observation would be found applicable to many other cases. — Choker. ' Robert Barclay, Ksq. ol Bury Hill, nc.ir Dorking, from whom Jlr. MarkUnd derived these memoraiul.i in l!vll,died in 1843, at an advanced age. — Crokkh. t Sic in the MS. before me, as well as in that to which Mr. i Wright had .access: no doubt an error of Mr. Windham's own pen for bough ; but the blunder of the tutor corroborates what is said ante (p. 13.) of Mr. Jorden's scanty literature. — ClloKKll. ,3 II 3 838 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. [AprEXDix. I why it pleased — that it must lie able to employ the learned, and detain the idle. Chevy Chase pleased the vulgar, but did not satistV the learned ; it did not fill a mind capable of thinking strongly. The merit of Shakspeare was such as the ignorant could take in, and the learned add nothing to." " Stat tnagni nominis," Sfc " Stat magni nomitus umbra he would construe as, umbra quts est magni nominis, hoc est, celebrata." College Tutor " 'Vi^-\ia,ft,iwi vurai, xai a-XE/ova I'lSui;, (the offer of the .Syren to Ulysses) any man who can promise that to another will preserve his respect." — Applied to a college tutor. Howe's Lucan " Opinion of Rowe's translation of Lucan, that it would have been improved, if Rowe had had a couple of years to render it less paraphrastical." Tenses " Suspicion that the old grammarians have given us from analogy more modification of tenses than were ever used. Remembers but one instance of the second future, viz. £i;ji), in Josephus. and three of the optative, if I recollect, of the preterite middle — one of them in Hesiod," I'irgil.—" The first female warrior is the Camilla of Virgil." '* Vast change of the Latin language from the time of Lucretius to Virgil ; — greater than known in any other, even the French. The story of Dido is ui Ovid's Fasti, also of Mezentius. Virgil's invention, therefore, is less than sup- posed ' Take from his what is in Homer, what do you leave lilm ?' " [ante, p. 559.] University.—" Great advantage ofa university, that a person lives in a place where his reputation depends on his learning." Nervous Feel "Argument about that feel which persons on great heights suppose themselves to have of a wish to throw themselves down." Detitescenee.^ — " The idea of delitescence is one of those that please the mind in a hilly country." Torpescence. — "Much of the faculties ofthe mind lost in it." IVarton. — " Qui slupet, in Statius, applied to Joseph War- ton's admiration of fine passages. His taste is amazement." Latin. — ■' The pretensions ofthe English to the reputation of writing Latin is founded not so much on the specimens in that way which they have produced, as on the quantity of talent diffused through the country." Erasmvs " Erasmus appears to be totally ignorant of science and natural knowledge. But one Italiiin writer is mentioned in Erasmus ; whence Jalmson conjectured that he did not understand Italian." Turn-pike Roads — " Opinion about the effect of turnpike roads. Every place communicating with each other. Before, there were cheap places and dear places. Now_ all refuges are destroyed for elegant or genteel poverty. Want of such a last hope to support men in their struggle through life, how- ever seldom it might be resorted to. Disuni^ni of families by furnishing a market to each man's abilities, and destroying the dependence of one man on another." September \st. — " Left Ashbourne at half-past one, having gone with Dr. Johnson, in the morning, to prayers. Re- gretted, upon reflection, tliat I had not staid another day ; which I should have done if I had not waited to be asked, or had not contrived that my intention was not known." § 8. MISCELLANEOUS. Bonne v. Pope. — The late j\lr. Crauford, of Hyde Park Corner, being engaged to dinner, where Dr. Johnson was to be, resolved to pay his court to him ; and, having heard that he preferred Donne's Satires to Pope's version of tlieui, said, " Do you know, Dr. Johnson, that I like Dr. Donne's original Satires better than Pope's." Johnson said, " Well, Sir, 1 can't help that." Music. King David Miss Johnson, one of .Sir Joshua's nieces (afterwards Mrs.Deane), was dining one day at her uncle's with Dr. Johnson and a large party : the conversation happening to turn on music, Johnson spoke very contemp- tuously of that art, and added, "that no man of talent, or whose mind was capable of better things, ever would or could devote his time and attention to so idle and frivolous a pursuit." The young lady, who was very fond of music, whispered her next neighbour, " I wonder what Dr. Johnson thinks of King David." Johnson overheard her, and, with great good humour and complacency, said, " Madam, I thank you ; 1 stand rebuked before j'ou, and promise that, on one subject at least, you shall never hear me talk nonsense again." Pleasure of Hunting The honours ofthe University of Cambridge were once performed to Dr. Johnson, by Dr. Watson, alterwards Bishop of Llandaff, and then Professor of Chemistry, &c.2 After having spent the morning in seeing all that was worthy of notice, the sage dined at his conductor's table, which was surrounded by various persons, all anxious to see so remarkable a character, but the moment was not favourable; he had been wearied by his previous exertions, and would not talk. After the party had dispersed, he said, '• I was tired, and would not take the trouble, or I could have set them right upon several subjects. Sir ; for instance, the gentleman who said he could not imagine how any pleasure could be derived from hunting, — the reason is, because man feels his own vacuity less in action than when at rest." Johnson in a Stage CoacA.— Mr. Williams, the rector of Wellesbourne, in Warwickshire, mentioned having once, when a young man, performed a stage-coach journey with Dr. Joluison, who took his place in the vehicle, provided witli a little book, which his companion soon discovered to be Lucian : he occasionally threw it aside, if struck by any remark made by his fellow-travellers, and poured forth his knowledge and eloquence in a full stream, to the delight and astonishment of his auditors. Accidentally, the first subject which attracted him was the digestive faculties of dogs, from whence he branched off as to the powers of digestion in various species of animals, discovering such stores of in- formation, that this particular point might have been sup- posed to have formed his especial study, and so it was with every other subject started. The strength of his memory was not less astonishing than his eloquence ; he quoted from various authors, either in the support of his own argument or to confute those of his companions, as readily, and ap- parently as accurately, as if the works had been in his hands. The coach halted, as usual, for dinner, which seemed to be a deeply interesting business to Johnson, who vehemently attacked a dish of stewed carp, using his fingers only in feeding himself.^ " Pilgrim's Progress." — Bishop Percy was at one time on a very intimate footing with Dr. Johnson, and the Doctor one day took Percy's little daughter'' upon his knee, and asked her what she thought of " Pilgrim's Progress ? " The child answered that she had not read it. " No !" replied the Doctor ; " then I would not give one farthing for you ; " and he set her down and took no further notice of her. No. VI. ACCOUNTS OF DR. JOHNSON'S LAST DAYS. \ 1. BY MR. WINDHAM. The following interesting Account of Mr. Windham's Conversations with Dr. Johnson a few Days before his Death, is extracted from the Journal before mentioned Croker. Tuesday. December 7. 17S1. — Ten minutes past 2, p. M. — After waiting some short time in the adjoinmg room, I was admitted to Dr. Johnson in his bedchamber, where, after placing me in the chair next him (ho sitting in his usual place, on the east side ofthe room, and I on his right hand), he put into my hands two small volumes (an edition of the ' This word is not in his Dictionary. It means here no doubt seclusion — hiding one's self. — Croker. 2 Dr. Watson was a fellow of Trinity. See ante, p. IG"., a very different account of one evening at Trinity : but both may be true of different evenings. The visit to Cam- bridge occurred in Feb. 17(;5. — Choker. New Testament), saying, " Extremum hoc munus morientis habeto." He then proceeded to observe that I was entering upon a life which would lead me deeply into all the business of the world: that he did not condemn civil employment, but that it was a state of great danger, and that he had therefore one piece of advice earnestly to impress upon me, that I would set apart every seventh day for the care of my soul, 'i'hat one day, the seventh, should be employed in repenting what was amiss in the six preceding, and fortifying my virtue lor the six to come. That such a portion of time was surely little enough for the meditation of eternity. 3 Mr. Boswell, ante, p. 758., mentions another instance, in which Dr. Johnson surprised his accidental companions in a stage-coach with the force of his conversation and the good- ness of his appetite. — Croker. < Afterwards Mrs. Isted, of Ecton, Northamptonshire. — Croker. ArPEXDix.] BOSAVELUS LIFE OF JOHNSON. 839 He then told me that he had a request to make to me ; namely, that I would allow his servant Frank to look up to me as his friend, adviser, and protector, in all dilliculties which his own weakness and imprudence, or the force or ft-aud of others, might bring him into. He said that he had left him what he considered an ample provision, viz. seventy pounds per annum ; but that even that sum might not place him above the want of a protector, and to me, therefore, he recommended him as to one who had will, and power, and activity to protect him. Having obtained my assent to this, he proposed that Frank should be called in ; and desiring me to take him by the hand in token of the promise, repeated before him the recommendation hehad just made of him, and the promise I had given to attend to it. I then took occasion to say how much I felt — what I had long foreseen that I should feel — regret at having spent so little of my life in his company. I stated this as an instance where resolutions are deferred till the occasions are past. For some time past I had determined that such an occasion of self-reproach should not subsist, and had built upon the hope of passing in his society the chief part of my time, at the moment when it was to be apprehended we were about to lose him for ever. I had no difficulty in speaking to him thus of my appre- hensions. I could not help, on the other hand, entertaining liopes,but with these I did not like to trouble him, lest he should conceive that I thought it necessary to flatter him : he an- swered hastily, that he was sure I would not ; and proceeded to make a compliment to the manliness of my mind, which, j whether deserved or not, ought to be remembered, — that it [ may be deserved. I I then stated, that among other neglects was the omission of introducing of all topics the most important, the conse- quence of which particularly filled my mind at that moment, and in which 1 had often been desirous to know his opinions ; | the subjects I meant were, I said, natural and revealed reli- , gion. The wish thus generally stated, was in part gratified on the instant. For revealed religion, he said, there was j such historical evidence, as, upon any subject not religious, would have left no doubt. Had the facts recorded in the j New Testament been mere civil occurrences, no one would j have called in question the testimony by which they are es- tablished ; but the importance annexed to them, amounting to nothing less than the salvation of mankind, raised a cloud in our minds, and created doubts unknown upon any other subject. Of proofs to be derived from history, one of the most cogent, he seemed to think, was the opinion so well au- thenticated, and so long entertained, of a deliverer that was to appear about that time. Among the typical representa- tions, the sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb, in which no bone was to be broken, had early struck his mind. For the imme- diate life and mir.-icles of Christ, such attestation as that of the apostles, who all, except St. John, confirmed their testi- mony with their blood — such belief as these witnesses pro- cured from a people best furnished with the means of judging, and least disposed to judge favourably — such an extension afterwards of that belief over all the nations of the earth, though originating from a nation of all others most despised, would leave no doubt that the things witnessed were true, and were of a nature more than human. With respect to evidence, Dr. Johnson observed, that we had not such evi- dence that Caesar died in the Capitol, as that Christ died in the manner related. December \\ Went with Sir Joshua, whom I took up by the way, to see Dr. Johnson. .Strahan and Langton there. No hopes ; though a great discharge had taken place from the legs. December 12. — jVt about half past seven P. M. went to Dr. Johnson's, where I stayed, chiefly in the outer room, till past eleven. Strahan there during the whole time ; during part Mr. Hoole ; and latterly Mr. Cruikslianks and the apothecary. I only went in twice, for a few minutes each time : the first time 1 hinted only what they had before been urging ; namely, that he would be prevailed upon to ti\ke some sustenance, and desisted upon his exclaiming, " 'Tis all very childish ; let us hear no more of it." The second time I came in, in consequence of a consultation with Mr. Cruik- shanksand the apothecary, and addressed him formally, after premising that 1 considered what 1 was going to say as matter of duty ; I said that 1 hoped he would not suspect me of the 1 It appears in this journal that Mr. Windham laboured occasionally under a nervous and indeed morbid hesitation to do even the commnnest things, .md used to lose hours and days in deliberating whether he should do this or that trifling thing. This was hypochondriasis ; and he used to call it the feel which, he said, came o^er him on these occasions. (See a»ti-, p. 617.) — Crokeii, 1847. " See ante, p. 166. That more importance may not be given to this transaction than it deserves, it must be recol- lected, that Johnson fancied that his attendants were treating him with a timid leniencv, merely to spare him pain, — a notion which irritated, at once, his love of life, his animal courage, and his high moral principle. We l)ave .al- ready seen (ante, p. 494.) that when in health he had said, " Whoever is afraid of any thing is a scoundrel ; " and now, in the same feeling, and the same words, he censures the we.ikness of importuning him to take nourishment for tho purpose of prolonging his life for a few hours or day«. I then statnl w li:it the reason was. It was to secure that which I « L^ p 1 - ; . ;. 1 ho w.is most anxious about ; namely, that )u 1 : i • < rve his faculties entire to the last moment. 1. ; ' 1 lite stated my meaning, he interrupted me by saMiiu. ihii 11, had refused no sustenance but inebriating sustenaiKi' ; and proceeded to give instances where, in com- pliance with the wishes of his physician, ho had tikcn even a small quantity of wine. I readily assented to anv objec- tions he might have to tiourishment of th.tt kind, and observ- ing thiitmilk was the only nourishment I intendenii'tii, to suspect that this man might find and mak'' .!•: il! ■■. ; the book, I put it, and a less of the same Kill 1 i i i . i !..t ; at thesametime tellingthose around me. ;ii. 1 1.: ., .Mr. Langtonand Mr. Strahan, that I had got botli, \v ;,:i i.;; ; . .>uns for thus securing them, .\fter the ceremony was over, John- son took me aside, and told me that I had a book of his in my pocket ; I answered that I had two, and that to prevent their falling into the hands of a person who hiid attempted to force his way into the house, I had done .is 1 conceived a I riendly act, but not without telling his friends of it, and also mj; reasons. He then asked me what ground I had for my suspicion of the m.in I mentioned : I told him his great importunity to get admittance; and farther, that immediately after a vis;t which he made me, in the year 1775, I missed a paper of public na- ture, and of great importance ; and that a day or two alter, and before it could be put to its intended use, 1 saw it in the newsp.apers.3 At the mention of this circumst.ance, Johnson paused ; but recovering himself, said, " You should not have laid hands on the hook ; lor h.ad I missed it, and not known you h.id it, I slwndd have roared for my book, as Othello did for his handkerchief, and i)robably luave run mad." I gave him time, till the next day, to compose himself, and then wrote him a letter, apologising, .ind assigning at large the reasons for mv conduct ; -and received a verb.il answer by Mr. Langton, w'hich were 1 to repe.>t it, would render me suspected cf inexcusable vanity [p. 80a.]. It concluded with thesewords, " If I was not satisfied with this I must be a savage." 7l/i. I again visited him. Before my departure Dr. Brocklesby came in, and, taking him t)y the wrist, Johnson .actuated me at the time Hawkins — Miss Hawkins's Memoirs, vol-i. p. 'iCA., tells this story in the same way, sup- jilies Sleevens's name, and insists on the same justiflcation, which would be quite inconclusive, even if the fact on which the suspicion against Steevens was grounded were true : for the purloined paper was (mly a copy of an adilress from the Middlesex magistrates to the king (which was, from its very nature, destined for publication). And after all, there was no other proof that Steevens had taken that paper, than that it appeared in the St. James's Chronicle the d.iy alter Steevens h.ad m.nde a visit at Sir Johns. Hawkins's act was unjustifiable, and the defence frivolous. It is observable, that there waid at the time of making it, a temporary one. On our entering the room, he said, " God bless you both." I arrived just time enough to direct the execution, and also the attesta. tion of it. After he had published it, he desired Mr. Strahan to say the Lord's Prayer, which he did, all of us joining. Johnson, after it, uttered, extempore, a few pious ejacula- tioiu. ^th. I saw him in the evening, and found him dictating to Mr. Strahan a codicil to the will he had made the evening be- fore. I assisted them in it, and received from the testator a direction, to insert a devise to his executors of the house at Lichfield, to be sold for the benefit of certain of his relations, a bequest of sundry pecuniary and specific legacies, a provi- sion for the annuity of 101. for Francis, and, after all, a de- vise of all the rest, residue, and remainder of his estate and eilects, to his executors, in trust for the said Francis Barber, his executors and administrators ; and having dictated accord- ingly, Johnson executed and published it as a codicil to his will. He was now so weak as to be unable to kneel, and lamented that he must pray sitting ; but, with an effort, he placed himself on his knees, while Mr. Strahan repeated the Lord's Prayer. During the whole of the evening he was much com- posed and resigned. Being become very weak and helpless, it was thought necessary that a man should watch with him all night ; and one was found in the neighbourhood, who, for half a crown a night, undertook to sit up with and assist him. When the man had left the room, he, m the presence and hearing of Mr. Strahan and Mr. Langton, asked me where I meant to bury him. I answered, doubtless, in Westminster Abbey: " If," said he, "my executors think it proper to mark the spot of my interment by a stone, let it be so placed as to protect my body from injury." I assured him it should be done. Before my departure, he desired Mr. Langton to put into ray hands money to the amount of upwards of 100/. with a direction to keep it till called for. \Qth. This day at noon I saw him again. He said to me, that the male nurse to whose care I had committed him was unfit for the office. " He is," said he, "an idiot, as awkward as a turnspit just put into the wheel, and as sleepy as a dor- mouse." Mr. Cruikshank came into the room, and looking on his scarified leg saw no sign of a mortification. Will. At noon, I found him dozing, and would not disturb hira. \Wi. Saw him again; found him very weak, and, as he said, unable to pray. Wh. At noon I called at the house, but went not into his room, being told that he was dozing. I was further informed by the servants that his appetite was totally gone, and that he could take no sustenance. At eight in the evening of the same day, word was brought me by Mr. Sastres, to whom, in his last moments, he uttered these words, " Jam mori- turus," that at a quarter past seven, he had, without a groan, or the least sign of pain or uneasiness, yielded his last breath. At eleven, the same evening, Mr. Langton came to me, and, in an agony of mind, gave me to understand that our friend had wounded himself in several parts of the body. I was shocked at the news ; but, upon being told tliat he had not touched any vital part, was easily able to account for an action, which would else have given us the deepest concern. The fact was, that, conceiving himself to be full of water, he had done that, which he had so often solicited his medical assistants to do, — made two or three incisions in his lower limbs, vainly hoping for some relief from the flux that might follow. Early the next morning, Frank came to me ; and, being desirous of knowing all the particulars of this transaction, I interrogated him very strictly concerning it, and received from him answers to the following effect : — That, at eight in the morning of the preceding day, upon going into the bedchamber, his master, being in bed, ordered him to open a cabinet, and give him a drawer in it ; that he did so, and that cut of it his master took a case of lancets, and choosing one of them, would have conveyed it into the bed, which Frank ami a young man that sat u|) with him see- ing, they seized his hand, and entreated him not to do a rash action : he said he would not ; but drawing his hand under the bed-clothes, they saw his arm move. Upon this they turned down the clothes, and saw a great effusion of blood, which soon stopped ; that soon after, he got at a pair of scissors that lay in a ilrauer by him, and plunged them deep in the calf of each leg, that immediately they sent for Mr. Cruikshank and the apothecary, and they, or one of them, dressed the wounds ; that he then fell nito that dozingwhich carried him off; that it was conjectured he lost eight or ten ounces of blood ; and that this effusion brought on the dozing, though his pulse continued firm till three o'clock. Tliat this act was not done to hasten his end, but to dis- charge the water that he conceived to be in him, I have not tlie least doubt.2 A dropsy was his disease ; he looked upon himself as a bloated carcase ; and, to attain the power of easy respiration, would have undergone any degree of tem- porary pain. He dreaded neither punctures nor incisions, I and, indeed, defied the trochar and the lancet ; he had often I reproached his physicians and surgeon with cowardice ; and when Mr. Cruikshank scarified his leg, he cried out, " Deeper, deeper ; I will abide the consequence: you are afraid of your reputation, but that is nothing to me." To those about him he said, " You all pretend to love me, but you do not love me so well as I myself do." I have been thus minute in regarding the particulars of his last moments, because I wished to attract attention to the conduct of this great man, under the most trying circum- stances human nature is subject to. Many persons have ap- peared possessed of more serenity of mind in this awful scene ; some have remained unmoved at the dissolution of the vital union ; and it may be deemed a discouragemeiit from the severe practice of religion, that Dr. Johnson, whose whole life was a preparation for his death, and a conflict with natural infirmity, was disturbed with terror at the prospect of the grave. 3 Let not this relax the circumspection of any one. It is true, that natural firmness of spirit, or the confi- dence of hope, may buoy up the mind to the last ; but, how- ever heroic an undaunted death may appear, it is not what we shoidd pray for. As Johnson lived the life of the righ- teous, his end was that of a Christian ; he strictly fulfilled the injunction of the apostle, to work out his salvation with fear and trembling ; and though his doubts and scruples were certainly very distressing to himself, they give his friends a pious hope, that he who added to almost all the virtues of Christianity that religious humility which its great teacher inculcated, will, in the fulness of "time, receive the reward promised to a patient continuance in well-doing. 1 There seems something strange in this afiuur of the will. Why did Johnson, after employing Sir J. Hawkins, a pro- fessional and in every other respect a proper person to draw up his will, throw it aside, and dictate another to a young clergyman ? Had Sir J. Hawkins attempted to thwart the testator's intentions, whicli he tells us he disapproved of? or was this change the result of the scene of the 5th about the secreted books ? In any case, it may have tended to produce that unfavourable temper towards Dr. Johnson which tinges the whole, and certainly discolours some passages of Sir J. Hawkins's book — Crokeu. 2 The clumsy solemnity with which Hawkins thinks it necessary to defend Dr. Johnson Irom tiie suspicion of en- deavouring to shorten his life by an act manifestly, avowedly. §3. BY J. HOOLE, ESQ.i {Extractedfrom the European Magaxinefor September, 1799.) Saturday. Nov. 20. 178J. — This evening, about eight o'clock, I paid a visit to my dear friend Dr. Johnson, v.'hom I found very ill and in great dejection of spirits. We had a most affecting conversation on the subject of religion, in which he exhorted me, with the greatest warmth of kind- ness, to attend closely to every religious duty, and particu- larly enforced the obligation of private prayer and receiv- ing the sacrament. He desired me to stay that night and join in prayer with him; adding, that he always went to prayer every night with his man Francis. He conjured me to read and meditate upon the Bible, and not to throw it aside for a play or a novel. He said he had himself lived in great negligence of religion and worship for I'orty years ; that he had neglected to read his Bible, and had olten reflected what he could hereafter say when he should be and even passionately meant to prolong it, was certainly supererogative ; but does not, I think, justify Mr. Boswells suspicion (ante, p. 801. n. 1.), that there was some malevo- lence at the bottom of the defence. — Croker. 3 Hawkins seems to confound two different periods. At the first appearance of danger. Dr. Johnson exhibited great, and perhaps gloomy anxiety, which, however, under the gradual effect of religious contemplations and devotional exercises, gave way to more comfortable hopes suggested by a lively faith in the propitiatory merits of his Redeemer. In this tranquillised disposition the last days of his life seem to have been passed, and in this Christian confidence it is be- lieved that he died. — Croker. ■< See ante, p.804. — C. APrENDIX.] BOSWELL'S Ln-E OF JOHNSON. 843 asked why he had not read it. He begged me repeatedly to let his present situation have due effect upon nie ; and ad- vised me, when I got home, to note down in writing what had passed between us, adding, that what a man writes in that manner dwells upon his mind. He said many things that I cannot now recollect, but all delivered with the uiniost fervour of religious zeal and personal affection. Between nine and ten o'clock his servant Francis came up stairs: he then said we would all go to prayers, and, desiring me to kneel down by his bed-side, he repeated several prayers with great devotion. I then took my leave. He then pressed me to think of all he had said, and to commit it to writing. I assured him I would. He seized my hand with much warmth, and repeated, "Promise me you will do it:" on which we parted, and I engaged to see liim the next day. Sunday. Xov. 21 — About noon I again visited him ; found him rather better and easier, his spirits more raised, and his conversation more disposed to general subjects. When I came in, he asked if I had done what he desired (meaning the noting down what passed the night before) ; and upon my saj-ing that I had, he pressed my hand and said earnestly, "Thank you." Our discourse then grew more cheerful, lie told me, with apparent pleasure, that he heard the Empress of Russia had ordered " The Rambler" to be translated into the Russian language, and that a copy would he sent him. [p. 7!)').] Before we parted, he put into my hands a little book, by Fleetwood, on the Sacrament, which he told me he had been the means of introducing to the University of Oxford by recommending it to a young student there. Monday, Xov. 22. — Visited the Doctor : found him seem- ingly better of his complaints, but extremely low and de- jected. I sat by him till he fell asleep, and soon after left him, as he seemed little disposed to talk ; and, on my going away, he said, emphatically, " I am very poorly indeed ! " Tuesday, Nov. 23. — Called about eleven : the Doctor not up : Mrs. Gardiner in the dining-room ; the Doctor soon came to us, and seemed more cheerful than the day before. He spoke of his design to invite a Mrs. Hall [Wesley's sister] to be with him, and to offer her Mrs. Williams's room. Called again about three : found him quite oppressed with company that morning, therefore left him directly. IVerlnesday, Ntiv. 24 Called about seven in the evening : found him very ill and very low indeed. He said a thought had struck him that his rapid decline of health and strength might be partly owing to the town air, and spoke of getting a lodging at Islington. I sat with him till past nine, and then took my leave. Thursday, Nov. 25. — About three in the afternoon was told that he had desired that day to see no company. In the evening, about eight, called with Mr. Xicol ', and, to our great surprise, we found him then setting out for Islington, lo the Rev. Mr. Strahan's. He could scarce speak. We went with him down the court to the coach. He was ac- . companied by his servant Frank and Mr. Lowe the painter. I offered myself to go with him, but he declined it. Friday, Nov. 26. — Called at his house about eleven : heard he was much better, and had a better night than he had known a great while, and was expected home that day. Called again in the afternoon — not so well as he was, nor expected home that night. Saturday, Nov. 27. — Called again about noon : heard he was much worse: went immediately to Islington, where I found him extremely bad, and scarce able to speak, with the asthma. Sir John Hawkins, the Rev. Mr. Strahan, and Mrs Strahan, were with him. Observing that we said little, he desired that we would not constrain ourselves, though he was not able to talk with us Soon after he said he h-id something to say to Sir John Hawkins, on which we imme- diately went down into the parlour. Sir John soon followed us, and said he had been speaking about his will. Sir John started the idea of proposing to him to make it on the spot ; that Sir John should dictate it, and that I should write it. He went up to propose it, and soon came down with the Doctor's acceptance. Tlie will was then begun ; but before we proceeded far, it being necessary, on account of some alteration, to begin again, Sir John asked the Doctor whe- ther he would choose to make any introductory declaration respecting his faith. The Doctor said he would. Sir John further asked if he would make any declaration of his being of the church of England : to which the Doctor said " No ! " but, taking a pen, he wrote on a paper the following words, which he delivered to Sir John, desiring him to keep it: — " I commit to the infinite mercies of Almighty God my soul, polluted with many sins ; hut purified, I trust, with repent- ance and the death of Jesus Christ." While he was at Mr. Strahan's, Dr. Brocklesby came in, and Dr. Johnson put the question to him, whether he thought he could live six weeks ? to which Dr. Brocklesby returned a very doubtful answer, and soon left us. After dinner the will was fmished, and about six we came to town in Sir John Hawkins's 1 Mr. George Nicol, of Pall Mall. — J. Hoole. 2 This alludes to an application made for an increase to his pension, to enable him to go to Italy J. Hoole. 3 Sic ; probably an error of the press for C r, mean- ing the Lord Chancellor : see anti; p. 7S8. — Choker. carriage ; Sir John, Dr. Johnson, Mr. Ryland (who came In after dinner), and myself. The Doctor appeared much better in the way home, and talked pretty cheerfully. Sunday, Nov. 28. _ Went to Dr. Johnson's .ibout two o clock: met Mrs. Hoole coming from thence, as he w.-ui asleep: took her back with me: found Sir John Hawkins with him. Ihe Doctor's conversation tolerably cheerful. Sir John reminded him that he had expressed a desire to leave some small memorials to his friends, particularly a Polyglot Bible to Mr. Langton ; and asked if they should add the codicil then. The Doctor replied, " he had forty things to add, but could not do it at that time." Sir John then took his leavi;. Mr. Sastres came next into the dining- room where I was with Mrs. Hoole. Dr. Johnson hearing that Mrs. Hoole was in the next room, desired to see her. He received her with great affection, took her by the hand, and said nearly these words : — " I feel great tenderness lor you : think ol (he situation in which you see me, profit by it. !Uid God Almighty keep you for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen." He then asked if we would both stay and dine with' him. Mrs. Hoole said she could not ; but I agreed to stay. Upon my saying to the Doctor that Dr. Heberden would be with him that morning, his answer was, " God has calle.l me, and Dr. Heberden comes too late." Soon after this Dr. Heberden came. \\ hile he was there, we heard them, from the other room, in earnest discourse, and found that they were talking over theafliiir- of the K — g and C n.' We over- heard Dr. Heberden say, " All you did was extremely proper.' After Dr. Heberden was pone, Mr. Sastres and 1 returned into the chamber. Dr. Johnson complained that sleep this day had powerful dominion over him, that he waked with great ditficulty, and that probably he should go off in one of these paroxysms. Afterwards he said that he hoped his sleep was the effect of ojnum taken some days be- fore, which might not be worked off. We dined together — the Doctor, Mr. Sastres, Mrs. Davis, and myself. He ate a pretty good dinner with seeming :ippetite, but appearing rather impatient ; and being asked Muuecessaryand frivolous questions, he said he often thought of Macbeth, — " Question enrages him." He retired immediately after dinner, and we soon went, at his desire (Mr. Sastres and myself), and sat with him till tea. He said little, but dozed at times. At six he ordered tea for us, and we went out to drink it with Mrs. Davis ; but the Doctor drank none. The Rev. Dr. Taylor, ot Ashbourne, came soon after ; and Dr. Johnson desired our attendance at prayers, which were read by Dr. Taylor. Mr. Ryland came and sat some time with him : he thought him much better. Mr. Sastres and I continued with him the remainder of the evening, when he exhorted Mr. Sastres in nearly these words -i : " There is no one who has shown me more attention than you have done, and it is now right you should claim some attention from me. You are a voung man, and are to struggle through life : you are in a prolcssion that I dare say you will exercise with great fidelity and innocence ; but let mc exhort you always to think of my situation, which must one day be yours : always remember that life is short, and that eternity never ends ! I say nothing of your religion ; for if you conscientiously keep to it, I have little doubt but you may be saved : if you read the contro- versy, I think we have the right on our side ; but if vou do not read it, be not persuaded, from any worldly consider- ation, to alter the religion in which you were educated: change not, but from conviction of reason." He then most strongly enforced the motives of virtue and piety from the consideration of a future state of reward and punishment, and concluded with '•Remember all this, and God bless you! W'rite down what I have said — I think you are the third person I have bid do this." * At ten o'clock he dismissed us, thanking us for a visit which he said could not have been very pleasant to us. stay ; " but, as we were going away, he said, '• I will get Mr. Hoole to come next Wednesday and read the Litany to me, and do you and Mrs. Hoole come with him." He appeared very ill. Returning from the city I called again to inquire, and heard that Dr. Butter was with him. In the evening, about eight, called again, and just saw him ; but did not stay, as Mr. Langton was with him on business. I met Sir Jo>hua Reynolds going away. Tuesday, Nov. 30. — Called twice this morning, but did not see him : he was much the same. In the evening, between six and seven, went to his house: found there Mr. Langton, iMr. Sastres, and Mr. Rvland: the Doctor being asleep in the chamber, we went all to tea and coffee ; when the Doctor came in to us rather cheerful, and entering said. " Dear gentlemen, how do you do ? " He drank coffee, .and. in the course of the conversation, s.aid that he recollected a jioem of his, made some years ago on a young gentleman coming of age. [p. UU6.] He repeated the whole with great spirit : ■• Mr. Sastres was a Roman Catholic. Johnson, we have seen, left him in his will £b to buy books of piety Choker, 844 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. [Appendix. it consisted of about fifteen or sixteen stanzas of four lines, ' in alternate rhyme. lie said he had only repeated it once , since he composed it, and that he never gave but one copy. I He said several excellent things that evening, and among the | rest, that " scruples made many men miserable, but few men [ good." He spoke of the affectation that men had to accuse themselves of petty faults or weaknesses, in order to exalt themselves into notice for any extraordinary talents which they might possess ; and instanced Waller, which he said he would record if he lived to revise his life. Waller was | accustomed to say that his memory was so bad he would j sometimes forget to repeat his grace at table, or the Lord's , Prayer, perhaps that people raiglit wonder at what he did else of great moment ; for the Doctor observed, that no man takes upon himself small blemishes without supposing that great abilities are attributed to hira ; and that, in short, this affectation of candour or modesty was but another kind of indirect self-praise, and had its foundation in vanity. Frank bringing him a note, as he opened it he said an odd thought struck him, that " one should receive no letters in the grave." ' His talk was in general very serious and devout, though occasionally cheerful : he said,' " You are all serious men, and I will tell you something, .\bout two years since I feared that I had neglected God, and that tlien I had not a mind to give him ; on which I set abmit to read Thomas a Kempis in Low Dutch, whicli I accomplished, and thence I judged that my mind was not impaired. Low Dutch having no athnity with any of the languages which I knew." With respect to his recovery, he seemed to think it hopeless. There was to be a consultation of physicians next day : he wished to have his legs scarified to let out the water ; but this his medical friends opposed, .tud he submitted to their opinion, though he said he was not satisfied. At half past eight he dismissed us all but Mr. Langton. I first asked him if "my son should attend him next day, to read the Litany, as he had desired ; but he declined it on account of the expected consultation. We went away, leaving Mr. Langton and Mr. Desmoulins, a young man who was employed in copying his Latin epigrams. Wednesday, Dec. I. — At his house in the evening; drank tea and coffee : with Mr. Sastres, Mr. Desmoulins, and Mr. Hall '- : went into the Doctor's chamber after tea, when he gave me an epitaph to copy, written by him for his father, mother, and brother. He continued much the same. Thnrsdat/, Drc. 2. — Called in the morning, and left the epitajih : with him in the evening about seven ; found Mr. Langton and Jlr. Desmoulins ; did not see the Doctor ; he was in Ids cnamber, and afterwards engaged with Dr. Scott. Friday, Dec. 3. — Called; but he wished not to see any body. Consultations of physicians to be held that day : called again in the evening ; found Mr. Langton with him; Mr. Sastres and I went together into his cliamber ; he was extremely low. " I am very bad indeed, dear gentlemen," he said ; " very b 'd, very low, very cold, and I think I find ray life to fail.'"' In about a quarter of an hour he dismissed Mr. Sastres and nie ; but called me back again, and said that next Sunday, if he lived, he designed to take the sacrament, and wished 'me, my wife, and son to be there. We lelt Mr. Langton with him. Saturday, Dec. i Called on him about three: he was much the same; did not see him, he had much company that (lay. Called in the evening with Mr. Sastres about eiglit ; found he was not disposed lor company ; Mr. Langton with him ; did not see him. Sunday. Dec. 5. — AVent to Bolt Court with Mrs. Hoole after eleven ; found there Sir John Hawkins, Rev. Mr. Strahan, Mrs. Gardiner, and Mr. Desmoulins, in thedining- room. After some time the Doctor came to us from the chamber, and saluted us all, thanking us all for this visit to him. He said he found himself very bad, but hoped he should go well through the duty which he v.-as about to do. The sacrament was then administered to all present, Frank being of tlie number. The Doctor repeatedly desired Mr. Strahan to speak louder ; seeming very anxious not to loso any part of the service, in which he joined in very great fervour of devotion. The service over, he again thanked us all for attending him on the occasion ; he sa'.d he had taken some opium to enable him to support tlie fatigue : he seemed quite spent, and lay in his chair some time in a kind of doze : he then got up and retired into his chamber. Mr. liylaud then called on liim. I was with tliem ; he said to Mr. Kyland, " I have taken my viaticum : I hoi>e I shall arrive safe at the «nd of my journey, and lie accepted at last." He spoke very despondingly several times: iMr. Ryland comforted him, observing that " we had great hopes given us." " Yes," he replied, " we have hojies given us ; but they are conditional, and I know not how far 1 have fulfilled those conditions." He afterwards said, " However, I think that I have now corrected all bad and vicious habits." Sir Joshua Reynolds called on him: we left them together. Sir Joshua' being 1 This note was from Mr. Davies the bookseller, and nentioned a I'reseur of some pork ; uiioii which the Doctor aid, in a manner that ^eemed as if he thought it ill-timed, ' Too much of tiiis," or some such expres»i.>n. — J.Hoole. gone, he called Mr. Ryland and me again to him : he con- tinued talking very seriously, and repeated a prayer or collect with great fervour, when Mr. Ryland took his leave. My son came to us from his church : we were at dinner, — Dr. Johnson, Mrs. Gardiner, myself, Mrs. Hoole, mv son, and Mr. Desmoulins. He ate a tolerable dinner, but retired directly after dinner. He had looked out a sermon of Dr. Clarke's, " On the Shortness of Life," for me to read to him after dinner, but he was too ill to hear it. .Uter six o'clock he called us all info his room, when he dismissed us for that niglit with a prayer, delivered as he sat in his great chair in the most fervent and aff'ecting manner, his mind appearing wholly employed with the thoughts of another life. He told Mr. Ryland that he wished not to come to God with opium, hut that he hoped he had been properly at- tentive. He said before us all, that when he recovered the last spring, he had only called it a reprieve, but that he did think it was for a longer time ; however he hoped the time that had been prolonged to him might be the means of bring- ing forth fruit meet lor repentance. Mo7iday, Dec. 6 Sent in the morning to make inquiry after him ; he was much the same ; called in the evening'; found -Mr. Cruikshanks the .'urgeon with him ; he said he had been that day quarrelling with all his physicians ; he appeared in tolerable spirits, Tuesday, Dec. 7 Called at dinner time ; saw him eat a very good dinuT : he seemed rather better, and in spirits. Wednesday, Dec. 8 — Went with Mrs. Hoole and my son, by appointment ; found him very poorly and low, after a very bad night. Mr. Nichols the printer was there. Mv son read the I,itany, the Doctor several times urging hi'm to speak louder. After prayers Wr. Langton came in ; much serious discourse : he warned us all to profit by his situation ; and, applying to me, who stood next him, exhorted me to lead abetter life than he had done. " A better life than vou, my dear Sir ! " I repeated. He replied warmlv, " D'on't compliment now." He told Mr. Langton that He had tlie night before enforced on 3 a powerful argument to a powerful objection against Christianity. He had olten thought it might seem strange that the Jews, who refused belief to the doctrine supported by the miracles of our Saviour, should after his death raise a numerous church ; but he said that they expected fully a temporal prince, and with this idea the multitude was actuated when they strewed his way with palm-branches on his entry into Jerusalem ; but finding their expectations afterwards disap- pointed, rejected him, till in process of time, comparing all the circumstances and prophecies of the Old Testament, confirmed in the New, many were converted ; that the Apostles themselves once believed him to be a temporal prince. He said that he had always been struck with the resemblance of the Jewish jiassover and the Christian doctrine of redemption. He thanked us all for our attend- ance, and we left him with Mr. Langton. Thursday, Dec. 9. — Called in the evening; did not see him, as he was engaged. Friday, Dec. 10. — Called about eleven in the morning; saw Mr. La Trobe there ' : neither of us saw the Doctor, as we understood he wished not to be visited that dav. In the evening I sent him a letter, recommending Dr.'Dalloway (an irregular physician) as an extraordinary person for curing the dropsy. He returned me a verbal answer that he was obliged to me, but that it was too late. My son read prayers with him this day. Saturday, Dec. II — 'Went to Bolt Court about twelve; met there Fir. Burney, Dr. Taylor, Sir John Hawkins, Mr. .Sastres, Mr. Paradise, Count Zenobia, and Mr. Langton. Mrs. Iluole called lor me there: we both went to him; he received us very kindly ; told mo he had my letter, but " it was too late for doctors, regular or irregular." His physicians had been with him that day, but prescribed nothing. Mr. Criukshanks came ; the Doctor was ratiier cheerful with him ; he said, " Come, give me your hand," and shook him by the hand, adding, " You shall make no other use of it now;" meaning he should not exam.ine his leL'S. Mr. Cruikshanks wished to do it. but the Doctor would not let him. Mr. Cruikshanks said he would call in the evening. Sunday, Dec. 12. — Was not at Bolt Court in the fore- noon ; at St. Sepulchre's school in the evening with Mrs. Hoole, where we saw Mrs. Gardiner and Lady Rothes ; heard that Dr. Johnson was very bad, and had been some- thing delirious. Went to Bolt Court about nine, and found there Mr. Windham and the Rev. Mr. Strahan. The Doctor was then very bad in bed, w hich 1 think he h.ad only taken to that day : he had now refused to take anv more medicine or food. Mr. Cruikshanks came about eleven: he en- deavoured to persuade hira to take some nourishment, but in vain. Mr. Windham then went again to him, and, by the advice of Mr. Cruikshanks, put it upon this footing — that by persisting to refuse all sustenance he might probably 2 Probably an error of the press for Mrs. Hall. — Choker. 3 No doubt Mr. Windham ; see ante, his Journal, 'itk Dec. p. 83S. — Choker. ■» See ante, p. SCJ. n. .3. AlTENDIX.] BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 84d defeat his own purpose to preserve his mind clear, as his weakness might bring on paralvtic complaints that might aflect his mental powers. The Doctor, Mr. Windham said, heard liim patiently ; but when he had heard all, he desire.! to be troubled no more. He then took a most affectionate leave of Mr. Windham, who reported to us the issue of the conversation, for only Mr. Dusmoulins was with them in the chamber. I did not see the Doctor that dav, being fearful of disturbing him, and never conversed w'itli him again. I came away about half past eleven with Mr. Windham. Monday, Dec. 13. — Went to Bolt Court at eleven o'clock in the morning; met a young lady coming down stairs from the Doctor, whom, upon inquirv, I found to be Miss Morris (a sister to Miss Morris, formerly on the stage). Mrs. Desmoulins told me that she had seen the Doctor ; that by her desire he had been told she came to ask his blessing, and that he said, '• God bless you ! " I then went up into his chamber, and found him lying very composed in a kind of doze : he spr)ke to nobody. .Sir John Hawklni Mr. Langton, Mrs Gardiner. Kev. sfr. Strahan and Mr'.' Strahan Doctors Brocklesby an.l Butter, Mr. Steeiens, and Mr. Nichols the printer, came ; but n.) one chose to disturb him by speaking to him, and he seemed to tako no notice of any person. While Mrs. Gardiner ami I were there before the rest came, h- took a little warm tnilk in a cup! when h.. said something upon its not being properly kIvAi into his hand : he breathed very regular, though .hort; and appcarci to bo mostly in a calm sleep or dormg. I lelt hi n in thii state, and never more saw him alive. In the evening I supped with Mr«. lloole and my ton at Mr Braithwaite s, and at nigh', my servant brought me word that my dearest friend died that evening about seven o'clock • .nnd next morning I went to the house, where I met Mr. Seward ; we went together into the chamber, and there saw the most awful sight of Dr. Johnson laid out in his bed, without life I JOH.S HOOLE. No. ^'n. LESSON IN BIOGRAPHY; OR,. HOW TO WRITE THE LIFE OF ONE'S FRIEND. All Extract from the Life of Dr. Pozz, in ten volumes folio, written by James Bozz, Esq., who flourishetl with him near fifty years. BY ALEX.-\NDER CHALMERS, ESQ. Among the numerous parodies and jeux d'esprit which Jfr. Boswcll's work produced, this plcasantrv from the pen of mv old friend Mr. Alexander Chalmers, which appeared in the periodical publications of the day, is worth preservin" • for it is not merely a good pleasantry, but a fair criticism of some of the lighter parts of the work. — Choker. ° ' We dined at the chop-house. Dr. Fozz was this dav very instructive. We talked of books. I mentioned the Ilislorij of Tiinvny Trip. I said it was a great work. Pozz. " Yes, .Sir, it is a great work ; but. Sir, it is a great work rela- tively ; it was a great work to you when yon was a little boy : but now. Sir, you are a great man, and Tommy Trip is a little boy." I felt somewhat hurt at this comparison, and I believe he perceived it ; for, as he was squeezing a lemon, he said, " Never be affronted at a comparison. I have been compared to many things, but I never was affronted. No, Sir, if they would call me a dog, and you a canister tied to my tail, I would not be affronted." Cheered by this kind mention of me, though in such a situation, I asked him what he thought of a friend of ours, who was always making comparisons. Pozz. " Sir, that fel- low has a simile for every thing but himself. I knew him when he kept a shop : he then made money. Sir, and now he makes comparisons. Sir, he would say that you and I were two figs stuck together ; two figs in adhesion. Sir ; and then he would laugh." Bozz. " But have not some great writers determined that comparisons are now and then odious?" Pozz. " No, Sir, not odious in themselves, not odious as com- parisons ; the fellows who make them are odious. The Whigs make comparisons." We supped that evening at his house. I showed him some lines I had made upon a pair of breeches. Pozz. " Sir, the lines are good ; but where could you find such a subject in your country?" Bozz. "Therefore it is a proof of inven- tion, which is a characteristic of poetry." Pozz. " Yes, Sir, but an invention which few of your countrymen can enjoy." I reflected afterwards on the depth of this remark : it affords a proof of that acutencss which he displayed in every branch of literature, tasked him if he approved of green spectacles? Pozz. " As to green spectacles, Sir, the question seems to be this : if I wore green spectacles, it would be because they assisted vision, or because 1 liked them. Now, Sir, if a man tells me he does not like green spectacles, and that they hurt his eyes, I would not compel him to wear them. No, Sir, I would dissuade him." A few months after, I consulted him again on this subject, and he honoured me with a letter, in which he gives the same opinion. It will be found in its proper place, Vol. VI. p. 27S9. I have thought much on this subject, and must confess that in such matters a man ought to be a free moral agent. Next day I left town, and was absent for six weeks, three days, and seven hours, as 1 find by a memorandum in my journal. In this time I had only one letter from him, which is as follows : — " To James Bozz, Esq. "Dear Sir,— My bowels have been very bad. Pray buy me some Turkey rhubarb, and bring with you a copy of your ' Tour.' ^ . , „. '• Write tome soon, and write to me often. I am, dear Sir, yours, affectionately, Sam. Pozz." It would have been unpardonable to have omitted a letter like this, in which we see so much of his great and illumi- nated mind. On my return to town, we met ag.-un at the chop-house. We had much conversation to-day : his wit flashed like lightning : indeed, there is not one hour of my present life in which I do not profit by some of his v.ilu.iblc communications. We talked of wind. I said 1 knew many persons much distressed with that complaint. Pozz. " Yes Sir, when con- fined, when pent up." 1 said I did not know that, but I questioned if the Romans ever knew it. Pozz. " Yes, Sir, the Romans knew it." Bozz. " Livy does not mention it." Pozz. •' No, Sir, Livy wrote Historv. Livy was not writing the Life of a Friend." On medical subjects his knowledge was immense. He told me of a friend of ours who had just been attacked by a most dreadful complaint : he h.ad entirely lost the use of his limbs, so that he could neither stand nor walk, unless sup- ported; his speech was quite gone; his eyes were much swollen, and every vein distended, yet his face was r.ither pale, and his extremities cold ; his pulse beat ICO in a minute. 1 said, with tenderness, that I would go and see him ; and, said 1, " Sir, I will take Dr. Bolus with me." Pozz. " No, Sir, don't go." I was startled, for I knew his compassionate heart, and earnestly asked why ? Pozz. " Sir, you don't know his disorder." Bozz. " Pray what is it ?" Pozz. " Sir, the man is — dead drunk!" This explanation threw me into a violent fit of laughter, in which he joined me, rolling about as he used to do when he enjoyed a joke ; but he afterwards checked me. Pozz. " Sir, you ought not to laugh at what I said. Sir, he who laughs at what another man says, will soon learn to laugh at that other man. Sir, you should laugh only at your own jokes ; you should laugb seldom." We talked of a friend of ours who wns a very violent poli- tician. I said I did not like his company. Pozz. " No, .Sir, he is not healthy ; he is sore,'Sir ; his mind is ulcerated ; he has a political whitlow ; Sir, vou cannot touch him without giving him pain. Sir, I would not talk politics with that man ; I would talk of cabbage and peas ; Sir, I would ask him how he got his corn in, and whether his wife was with child ; but I would not talk politics." Bozz. " But perhaps. Sir, he would talk of nothing else." Pozz, " "Then, Sir. it is plain wh,it he would do." On my very earnestly inquiring what that was. Dr. Pozz .-vnswercd, " Sir, ho would let it alone." I mentioned a tr.idesm,in who had I.atley set ; p his coach. Pozz. " He is right. Sir ; a man who would go on swim- mingly cannot get too soon off his legs. Th.at man keeps his coach. Now, Sir, a coach is better than a chaise. Sir — it is better than a chariot." Bozz. "Why, Sir?" Poii. " Sir, it will hold more." I begged he would repeat this, that I might remember it, and he complied with great good humour. "Dr. Pozz," said I. "you ought to keep a coach." Pozz. "Yes, Sir, I ought.' Bozz. " Hut you do not, and that has often surprised me." Pozz. " Surprised you I There, Sir, is another prejudice of absurdity. Sir, ynu ought to be surprised at nothing. A miin that has lived half your days ought to be above all surprise. Sir, it Is a rule with me never to be surprised. It is mere ignorance; you cannot guesi 8-J6 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. [Appendix, why I do not keep a coach,. iiid you are surprised. Now, Sir, if you did know you would not be surprised." I said, tenderly," I hope, my dear Sir, you will let me know before I leave town." Pozz. " Yes, Sir, you shall know now. You shall not go to Mr. Wilkins, and to Mr. Jenkins, and to Mr. Stubbs, and say, why does not Pozz keep a coach ? I will tell you my- self — Sir, 1 can't afford it." We talked of drinking. I asked him whether, in the course of his long and valuable life, he had not known some men who drank more than they could bear ? Pozz. "Yes, Sir ; and then, Sir, nobody could bear them. A man who is drunk. Sir, is a very foolish fellow." Bozz. " But. Sir, as the poet says, ' he is devoid of all care.' " Pozz. " Yes, Sir, he cares for nobody; he has none of the cares of life : he cannot be a merchant. Sir, for he cannot write his name ; he cannot be a politician. Sir, for he cannot talk ; he cannot be an artist. Sir, for he cannot see ; and yet, Sir, there is science in drinking." Bozz. " I suppose you mean that a man ought to know what he drinks." Pozz. "No, Sir, to know what one drinks is nothing ; but the science consists of three parts. New, Sir, were I to drink wine, I should wish to know them all ; I should wish to know when I had too lit- tle, when I had enough, and when 1 had too much. There is our friend ******* (mentioning a gentleman of our acquaintance) ; he knows when he has too little, and when he has too much, but he knows not when he has enough. Now, Sir, that is the science of drinking, to know when one has enough." We talked this day on a variety of topics, but I find very few memorandums in my journal. On small beer, he said it was flatulent liquor, lie disapproved of those who deny the utility of .absolute power, and seemed to be offended with a friend of ours who would .always have his eggs poached. Sign-posts, he observed, had degenerated within his memory ; and he particularly found fault with the moral of the " Beg- gar's Opera." I endeavoured to defend a work which had afforded me so much pleasure, but could not master th.at strength of mind with whicli he argued ; and it was with gre.1t satisfaction that he communic.ited to me afterwards a method of curing corns by applying a piece of oiled silk. In the early history of the world he preferred Sir Isaac Newton's Chronology : but as they gave employment to useful artisans, he did not dislike the Large buckles then coming into use. Next day we dined at the Mitre. I mentioned spirits. Pozz. "Sir, there is as much evidence for the existence of spirits as against it." You may not believe it, but you cannot deny it. I told him th,it my great grandmother once s.aw a spirit.' He asked me to relate it, which 1 did very minutely, while he listened ^.ith profound attention. When I mentioned that the spirit once appeared in the shape of a shoulder of mutton, and another time in that of a tea-pot, he interrupted me:— Pozz. "There, Sir, is the point; the evidence is good, but the scheme is defective in consis- tency. We cannot deny that the spirit .appeared in these shapes ; but then we cannot reconcile them. What has a tea-pot to do with a shoulder of mutton? Neither is it a terrific object. There is nothing contemporaneous. Sir, these are objects which are not seen at the same time nor in the same place." Bozz. " I think. Sir, that old women in general .are used to see ghosts." Pozz. " Yes, Sir, and their conversation is full of the subject : I would have .an old woman to record such conversations ; their loquacity tends to minuteness." We talked of a person who hiid a very bad character. Pozz. "Sir, he is a scoundrel." Bozz. " I hate a scoundrel." Pozz. "There you are wrong: don't hate scoundrels. Scoundrels, Sir, are useful. There are many things we can- not do without scoundrels. I would not choose to keep company with scoundrels, but something may be got from them." Bozz. "Are not scoundrels generally fools ?" Pozz. " No, Sir, they are not. A scoundrel must be a clever f:'l- low ; he must know m.iny things of which a fool is ignorant. Any man may be a fool. I think a good book might be m;ide out of scoundrels. I would have a Siographia Flagitiosa, the Lives of Kminent Scoundrels, from the earliest accounts to the present day." 1 mentioned hanging: I thought it a very awkward situation. Pozz. " No, Sir, hanging is not an awkward situation ; it is proper. Sir, that a man whose actions tend towards flagitious obliquity should appear perpendicular at last." I told him that 1 had lately been in company with some gentlemen, every one of whom could recollect some friend or other who had been hanged. Pozz. " Yes, Sir, that is the easiest way. We know those who have been hanged ; we can recollect that : but we cannot number those who deserve it ; it would not be decorous. Sir, in a mixed company. No, Sir, that is one of the few things which we are compelled to think." Our regard for literary property '■ prevents oar tnaking a larger extract from the above important work. We have, however, we hope, given such passages as will tend to impress our readers with a high idea of this vast undertaking. — Note by Mr. Chalmers. No. VIII. ON MR. LATROBE'S INTERCOURSE WITH DR. JOHNSON, IN REFERENCE TO NOTE 3 OF MR. CROKER, ON Page 805. " If memories are sometimes treacherous, diaries are often defective, and commentaries anything but infallible. The late Rev. C. J. La Trobe, writing nearly half a century after Dr. Johnson's death, forgets that his father's return from Yorkshire took pUace nearly four d.ays previous to that event, and speaks, therefore, of only one visit paid by him to his dying friend. Mr. Hoole, who appears not to have been with the Doctor at the time of his decease, omits to mention in his diary, that Mr. LaTrobe not only called at the Doctor's resi- dence, but that he actually saw him, a very few hours before he expired, on the evening of the 13th of December. The fact of such a visit having been p.aid, is proved by a letter of my grandf;»ther's to an official correspondent in Germany, dated the 1 4th of December, which I have myself seen, and in 1 This alludes to the je.ilousy about copyright, which ]Mr. Boswell carried so far tliat he actually printed sep.arately, and entered at Stationers' Hall, Johnson's Letter to Lord which the circumstance is briefly but distinctly recorded. Nor can there be any doubt, that this visit was intermediate between that of Miss Morris,— to whom Dr. Johnson is said to have addressed the last audible words, — and the hour of 7 P.M., when he is stated to have ceased to breathe. (See p. 807.) As my grandfather's residence in Fetter Lane was hardly five minutes' w.alk from the Doctor's in Bolt Court, it is more than probable, that the call of the former on the inth of December, mentioned by Mr. Hoole, and that on the I3th, referred to by himself, were not the only ones, during an in- terval of four days. At all events, it is sufficiently plain, that Mr. Croker's conclusion, founded on my father's mistake, and Mr. Hoole's omission, is hasty and incorrect."— Rev. P. LaTrobe. 18.W. Chesterfield .and the .account of Johnson's Conversation with George 111. at Buckingham House, to prevent his rivals making use of them — Crokeb. lli(lJEX.1 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 847 INDEX. Aberbrotliick, 2S6. Abercrombie, Mr., of Philadelphia, 247. 259. Aberdeen, 290. Johnson's account of, 541. .^— , liuttcr, duel fought for the honour of. 334. , William, Earl of, 305. . , George, Earl of, note on Thucydiucs .^nd Homer, G08. Aberdonians, 294. Abernethy, Rev. John. 285. Doctor, 754. Abingdon, Earl of, bon-mot of, C51. , Mrs., the actress, 437, 438. 440. 447. Abjuration, oath of, 437. Abridgments of works, 286. Absenteeism, 5.53. 579. Absolute princes, 454. Abstain and refrain, distinction between, 1,50. Abstemiousness, Johnson's, 28. I.5'J. 174. 187. 239. 270. 33G. 354. 362. 448. 480. 502. 597. 078. Absurdities; use of delineating, (159. Abuse, 763. personal, 194. 304. — , Johnson's disregard of, ()24. 'i63. Abyssinia, Lobo's voyage to, 21. 285. 496. Academy, Delia Crusca send Johnson their vocibulary, 98. Accent, Scotch, overcome by perseverance, 232. Accounts, keeping, 716. Achilles, shield of, 664. Acis and Galatea, -577. Acquaintances, 98. 716. 791. — -, Johnson's numerous, 501. 733. list of, 79. 81. Acting, 742. tragic, 275. Action, in public speaking, 249. Active sports in young people, not idleness, 9. Activity of body, Johnson's, 451. of mind, 610. Actor, qualities of a great, 522. Actors, 51. 62. 205. 257. 274. 467. 556. 742. , Johnson's prejudice against, 51. 62. 656, 6-57. 742. Adair's account of America, 457. Adams, Rev. Dr. William, Master of Pembroke College, Oxford, 12, 13. 17. 38. 54. 57. 60. 86, 87. 93. 1G5. 388. 424. 482. 736. 763. 792. , his account of the first representation of" Irene," 60. , his answer to Hume's Essay on Miracles, 482. , Johnson's Letter to, 782. , Miss, afterwards Mrs. Hyett, 761. , George, dedication of Treatise on the Globes, 187. Addison, Joseph, 8. 55. 63. 71, 72. 145. 1.53. 170. 2.55. 263. 277. 290. 372. 446. 484. 504. 509. .546. 573. 591. 662. 679. 800. , his " Notanda," 6.3. " Remarks on Italy," 372. 446. style, 71. conduct towards Steele, 671. 684. Johnson's opinion of, 71 . 14.5. 61 1. Johnson's Life of, 671 . Address of the Painters to George the Third, 119. Adev, Mrs., 193. 197. 623. 631 . Miss, 6. 197. 490. C39. Admiration, 450. " Adventurer," Hawkesworth's, 64. 75. 77. 81, 82. 107. , the papers marked T, written by Johnson, 64. 81. " Adventures of a Guinea," by whom written, 359. " Adversaria," specimen of Johnson's, 64. Adversaries, not to be treated with respect, 272. Advertisements, Johnson's, in the Gent. Mag. 25. 48. in the Universal Chronicle, 116. in the Edinburgh papers, 407. Adultery, 192. JEgri Ephemeris, Johnson's, 794. j5:neid, story of the, 731. .a:schylus. Potter's translation of, .582. Affectation, 402, 662. in writing, 346 , of familiarity with the great, 674. Affection, natural, 209. 630. 728. , Johnson's, for Miss Boothby, 20. 672. Agar, Welbore Ellis, Esq., 533. Age, old, 559. 581. 610. 613. 661. 718, 7.^5. 832. " Agis," Home's Tragedy of, .332. " Aglaura," Suckling's play of, 603. Agutter, Kev. W., 759. sermon on Johnson's death, 808. Aikin, Miss (Barbauld) 469. 5,52. imitates Johnson, 552. Air-bath, Lord Monboddo's, 550. Akenside, Dr. Mark, 121. 234. 495. .504. Akerman, Mr., keeper of Newgate, anecdotes of, 648. Albert! Leandro, description of Italj-, 372. 446. Alchymy, 4-56. Alcibiades, 585. his dog, 573. Aldrich, Rev. Mr., 138. Alfred, Johnson's wish to write his Life, 54, his will, 698. " Alias," Johnson's exemplification of the word, 730. Allen, Rev. Thomas, 366. Allen, Kdniund, the printer, 108, 113. 160. 366. 5-11 58G. 601. 684. 783. 789. Johnson's letters to, 699. 734. Ralph. Esq., 289. " All for Love," Dryden's preface to, 691. Almack's. .501.643. Alnwick Castle, 587. Althorpe, Lord and Lady. See Spencer. " Amelia." Fielding's, 508. Ambition, 507. America .ind the Americans, 428, 429. 435. 562. 863 S93. 602 6.51.680,681.719.758. Amusements. R.37. Country, 370. A man known by hU, 76& Amyat, Dr., 127. Amvot. .Mr. Thomas, 839. " Ana," the I'rciich, 372. 605. Anacreon, Raxter's, 396. 712. , dove of, translated bv Johnson and Fawkes, 548. Anaitis, temple of, 337, 338. Analogy between body and mind, 12. " Anatomv of Melancholy," Burton's, 12. 217. 482. Ancestry, 229. " Ancient Ballads," Dr. Percy's, 137 Ancient times, not better than modern, 730. Anderdon MSS., 57. 792. 799. Anderson, Professor, at Glasgow, 393. .531. , Dr. Robert, his Lile of Johnson, 8. 27.35.61.72. 13-5. 188. 231. 277. 3.57. 42.5. , Mr., his " Sketches of the Native Irish," 231. Andrews, Dr. Francis, Provost of Dublin College, 168. Androcles, 243. Anecdotes, Johnson's love of, 275. , Piozzi's general accuracy of, 780. , at second h.ind, little to be relied on, 803. " Anfractuosities " of the human mind, 6.55. Angel, Mr. John, his '• Stenographv," 254. , fallen, 737. Angus More, 3"^3. Anne, Queen, .54. 1.54. 187. 411. 489. , wits of her reign, 203. 610. Annihilation, 545, 595. " Animus a;quus," not inheritable, 397. Anonymous writings, 025. " Annus mirabilis," Tasker's, 714. Anson, Lord, 624. Johnson's epigram on, 624. " Anthologia," 794. Antics, 165. Antiquarian researches, 609. Apelles, the Venus of, 6S8. Apocrypha, 555. " Apology," Gibber's, 136. 206. 516. " Apology for the Quakers," Barclay's, 487. Apology, Johnson ready to make one, 770. 833. ApoUoiiius Rhodius, 95. Apophthegms, or anecdotes of Johnson, Hawkins's, 771. Apostolic ordination, 2(9. " Apotheosis of Milton," not written by Johnson, 40. Apparitions, 116. 138. 175. 228. 234. 231'. '241. 684, 685. Appetite, riders out in quest of, 229. Appius, Cicero's character of, applied to Johnson, 791. Applause, 664. April fool's day, .530. Arabs, fidelitv of, 304. Arbuthnot, fir., 69. 145. 277. 455. The son of, 13. , Robert, 272. William, 272. " Arcadia," Sydney's. .5.38. Archa!ological Dictionary, 711. Arches, strength of semicircular and elliptirr.l, 119. Architecture, ornamental, 481. Areskin, Sir John, 366. Ardnamurch.nn, 383. ArguinL'. Johnson's, 1.50. 208. 496. 502. 690. 7.57. 768. Argument, Johnson's, on schoolmasters, 241. 814. , on vicious intromission, 244. 814. , in defence of \ay patronage, 259. 81.5. , against Dr. Mcmis's complaint, 454. , in favour of the corporation of Stirling, 455. ^— , on entails. 473. , on the liberty of the pulpit, 513. 816. , on the registration of deeds, 678. , in favour of a negro claiming his liberty, 662. , against a prosecution for a libel. 696. 817. , and testimony distinguished. 757. Argyle, Archibald, fourth Duke of, 385. 457. 516. 527. 848 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. [Index. Argyle, John, fifth duke of, 313. 397—390. Johnson's visit to, 388. letter to, and his answer, 391. , Elizabeth Gunning, duchess of, 387. . , Jane Warburton, dowager duchess of, 79. 385. Ariosto, 129. 427. 6.56. Aristotle, saying of, 506. 658. his " Poetics," .506. Arithmetic, Johnson's resort to, to calm his mind, 394 Armidale, 312. .359. Armorial bearings, 239. Arms, piling of, why insisted upon, 617. Armstrong, Dr. John, 118. .533. Army, officers of the, 403. 497. Arnauld, Anthony, 614. Arnold, Dr. Thomas, his " Obseriations on Insanity," 553. Arran, Lord, 92. " Art of Living in LondDn," ?8. " Art's corrective," 368. Articles, subscription to the xxxix., 210. 229. 284. Artificial ruins, 424. Ascham, Roger, Johnson's Life of, 158. " Ascanius," 324, 325. 331. 353. 401. Ash, Dr. John, 798. Ashbourne, 245. 458. 554. 564. Ashburfon, Lord. See Dunning. Askew, Dr. 425. Assize, maiden one, 583. Association of ideas. 594. Astle, Thomas, Esq., 40. Letter to, 098. His notes on Alfred's will, 698. Rev. Mr. Johnson's advice to, 76"/. Aston, Sir Thomas, 20. 188. , Mrs. Elizabeth, 20. 188. 214. 490. 492. .538. . .Johnson's letters to, 188. 198. 528, 529.539. 50-5. 622, 023. 631.640.706. 749. , Miss Mary, afterwards IMrs.Rrodie, 20. 490. 492. 611, 612. 672, 673. Johnson's epigram to, 40. 611. , Margaret, 28. Astley, Philip, the equestrian, 638. Atheism, 278. " Athol porridge," 680. " Atlas," the race-horse, 415. Atonement, the great article of Christianity, 292. 557. 595. 694.800.841. Attacks, useful to authors, 358. 403. 442. 624. 837. Atterbury, Bishop, Sermons and style, 572. .578. Attorney-general, ludicrous title given to, 517. Attorneys, 219. 384. 768. Auchinleck estate, 396. 472. 554. Lord, Boswell's father, 208. 301. 387. 395. ,397. 518. 554. 5.56. 573. Designates Johnson Ursa Major, 398. Auchnasheal, 309. Augustus, 220. 257. Author, rarely hurt by his critics, 645. See Attacks. , " The Young," a poem by Johnson, 11. Authors, 82. 194. 257. 282. 358. 442. 445. 500. 555. 572. 004. 008, 609. 024, 02-5. 093. 769. See Attacks. , modern, the moons of literature, 608. , possessing the work of one for that of anotlier, con- demned, 82. , Virgil's description of the entrance into hell, applied to, 372. Avarice, 374, 507. 516. 60.5. Bach y Graig, 418. Bacon, Francis, Lord Verulam, 69. 343. History of VH., 338. His Precept for Conversation, 738. , Mallet's " Life " of, 559. Badcock. Rev. Samuel, 804. Badenoch, Lord of, 300. Bad habits, 718. Management, 003. Bagpipes, 374. Bagshaw, Rev. Thomas, Johnson's letters to, 264. 782, BaiUie, Dr., recommendation of card-playing, 405. Baker, Sir Richard, his Chronicles quoted, 267. , Sir George, 784. ,Mrs., 183. Balance of Misery, 764. 819. Balcarras, Earl of, 404. 520. Ball without powder, 6-56. Ballantine, Mr. George, 122. Balloons, 784. Ballow, Mr. Thomas, 501. Balmuto, Lord, 518. Baltic, Johnson's proposed voyage to, 539. Bankes, Mr., of Dorsetshire, 42. 166. Banks, Sir Joseph, 226, 227, 228. 287. 379. 381. 496. 62 Johnson's motto for his goat, 226. Baptism, 487. 760. Barbauld, Mr., 470. Mrs. See Aikin. Barber, Francis, Johnson's negro servant, 75, 76, 7 102. 117, 118. 183. 194. 21-5. 227. 415. 020. 790. 801, 80 , Johnson's letters to, 194. 215. 739. Barclay, his '• Ship of Fooles," 91. , Mr., his defence of Johnson's Shakspeare, 171. 3 , Robert, of Ury, his " Apology for the Quakers," Henry Barclay, Robert, one of Mr. Thrale's successors, 092. Anec- dotes of Johnson, 837. Baretti, Sipnor Giuseppe, 8.5. 91. 99. 112. 122. 125. 128, 129. 174. 192. 195. 206. 214. 247. 302. 427. 457. 404. 484. 600. 510. 512. 525. 552. 604. 780. , Johnson's lettersto, 122. 135. 128. His trial for murder, 207. 771. His "Travels," 214. The first who received copy money in Italy, 548. His strictures on Mrs. Piozzi's, 510. his "'Frustra Literaria," 552. Bark, Peruvian, 762. Barker, Dr. Edmund, 58. 107. 399. Barnard, Rev. Dr., Bishop of Killaloe, 27. 433. 520, 521. 570. 691. 722. Altercation with Johnson and, 691. Pleasant verses thereon, 76. 722. 833. , Dr., provost of Eton, 644. 646. .Francis, Esq., afterwards Sir Francis, King's librarian, 76. 184. ' , Johnson's letter to, on the formation of the King's library, 196. Barnes, Joshua, 396. 591. 600. Barnston, Miss L., 639. Barnwall, Nicholas, Lord Trimlcstown, .572. Baron Hill, the seat of Lord Bulkeley, 421. Baretier, Johnson's Life of, 43. 40. 128. Barret, Mr., the Surgeon, 510. Barrett, Dr., of Dublin, 2,59. Barrington, Hon. Daine.s, 690. 746. His " Essay on the Emi- gration of Birds," 260. His " Observations on the Sta- tutes." 002. Barri, Madame du, 41. Barristers, 232. Barrow, Isaac, 09. Sermon against foolish talking, 688. Barrowby, Dr., anecdote of, 761. Barry, Sir Edward, his notion of pulsation, 505. , Spranger. the actor, 00, 61. , James, the painter, 724. 732. 735. 746. Barter, Mr., 234. " Bas Bleu," Hannah More's poem of, 689. Bashfulness, 767. " Bastard," the, Savage's poem of, 50. Bat, formation of the, 612. Bateman, Edmund, of Perab. Coil. His lectures, 18. Bate, the Rev. Henry, 763. Bath, Johnson's visit to, .508. Bath, William Pulteney, Earl of, 35. 382. Baths, medicated, 208. Cold, 835. Batheaston vase, Horace Walpole's account of, 442. Bathurst, Allen, First Earl, 614. 635, 636. 670. , Captain, 1. , Dr. Ricliard, 56. 58. 75. 77. 79. 81, 82, 83. 129. 166. 24.3. 251. 663, 664. a " good hater," 78. " Batrachomyomachia," first edition of, 425. " Baudii Epistolas," quoted, 420. Baxter, Richard, quoted, 262. 292. 219. 733. , " Reasons of the Christian Religion," commended, 738. - — , William, his " Anacreon," 396. 712. 740. 750. " Bayes," character of, 235, 236. Bayle, 93. His Dictionary, 145. 363. 416. '• Bear," the epithet applied to Johnson, 195. 446. 831. Bears, 446. Beatniffe, Richard, Esq., Johnson's letter to, 701. Beaton, Cardinal, his murder, 283. Beattie, Dr. James, 65. 224, 22.5, 226. 228. 244, 245.264. 260. 268. 272. 293. 296. 358. 390. 519. 555. 687. 773. . , his letter toBoswell, 228. Johnson's letter to, 651. , his " Essay on Truth," 245. his " Hermit," 720. Beaiiclerk,Topham, Esq., 25.80. 121. 125. 126. 128.147. IC;. 166, 107. 183. 2,55. 260. 288. 298. 370. 379. 428. 430. 434. 43(;. 445. 4.50, 451. 496. 500.529. 590. 615, 616. 630. 642. 646. 0.^7. 662. 679. 688. 718. Altercation with Johnson, 628. His death, 642. His character, 642, 643. 646. His letter to Lord Charleraont, 643. , Lady Diana, 260 428. 643. 686. , Lord Sydney, 804. Lady Sydney, 366. Beaufort, Duchess of,646. Beaumaris Castle, 421. Beaumont, Sir (Jeorge, 601. Beaumont and Fletcher, 18. 442. " Beauties of Johnson," 67. 706, 707. Beauty, 234. 696. Beckenham, 767. Becket, Thomas, the bookseller, 429. Beckford, Alderman, 517. 562. Bedford, John, fourth Duke of, 769. Bedlam, 4.5.5. 726. Bee, the, by Goldsmith, 140. Beech, Thomas, his " Eugenio," 259. Beggars, 127. 210. 635. 664. " Beggar's Opera," 364. 453. .561. 604. 685. Behaviour, Johnson a nice observer of, 511, Behmen, Jacob, 218. Belchier, Mr., the surgeon, 513. Beighton, Mr., 167. Bell, Dr. 644. , John, of Antermony, " Travels in Russia," 192. , John, Esq., of Hertfordshire, 225. 246. , Mr. John, bis " British Poets," 530. Index. 1 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 849 Bellamy, Mrs. Anne, the actress, 113. Letter to ,T., 712. " Bellerophon" of Kuripides quoted, 91. BelliSvre, H. da Plessis, 279. Belsham, Mr., his " Kssay on Dramatic Poetry" quoted, 132. Benedictine monlis, 727. Benevolence, Johnson's, .'iS.'i, ."iSfi. 834. Human, 509. , an excuse for drinking, GOG. Bennet, Mr., the publislier, 158. Bensley, Mr., the actor, 189. Benson, Auditor, his monument to Milton, 72. Bentham, Dr., canon of Cliristcluircli, 483. Bentley, Dr. Richard, 194. 321. 34.3. 3.W. 374. 4S3. 731. His , v.Tses, 661. , Richard, Junior, 760. Berenger, Richard, E.sq., 5S4. 634. Beresford, Rev. Mr., 591 . Mrs. and Miss, 7.i8. Berkeley, Dr. George, Bishop of Cloyue, 100.221. His Theory, 540. 662. Berwick, Duke of, his " Memoirs," 592. Bethune, Rev. Mr., 334. 341. Betterton, Mr., the actor, 556. Bettesworth, Rev. Edmund, 158. Beverage, Johnson's favourite, 508. Bevil, Rev. Mr., his defence of Hammond, 675 Bewley, Mr., his veneration for Johnson, 69>*. Bexley, Lord, concerning Dr. Vansittart, 1!7. Bible, early translations of, 197. Johnson'.» plan of reading the, 17. should be read with a commentary, 513. , Johnson's death-bed recommendation to read, 842. " IJibliotlieca Harleiana," Johnson's account of, 40. " BibliothecA Literaria," 420. " Bibliotheque," Johnson's scheme for opening a, 93. Bickerstatr, Mr. Isaac, 142. 203. Bicknell, Mr., 106. Bidder, William, tlie calculating boy, 4S0. Bigamy, 337. " Big man," a jocular Irish phrase, applied to J. 17o. 409. Bindley, James, Esq., 48. 52. 605. 71«. 730. Binning, Charles, LorO, 241. 608. Biographer, duties of a, 640. Of Johnson's, 235 " Biographia Britanniea," b?2. 671. Biography, 235. 289. 346. 483. 516. 546. -588. 671. , literary, recommended to J. bv George 11 L, 186. Birch, Rev. l)r. Thomas, 39. 45. 4H.57. 121. 351. J's. Greek epigram to,40. Letters fro'm Johnson, to, 48. 72. 94.101. His letter to Johnson, 94. Letter to Lord Royston, 121. Birds, migration of, 260, 261. Birkenhead, Sir John, 282. Birmingham, 486. 505. Biron, Marshal Due de, 405. Birth-day, J. dislikes being noticed, 339. 547. 634. 739. verses to Mrs. Thrale, 471. Births, extraordinary, 812. Bisset's life of Burke, 4.53. " Bishop," a beverage so called, 81. Bishops, requisites in, 289. 44X. Great decorum required from, 678. 683. 762. In the House of Lords, 236. • , the Seven, 759. Blackburn, Mr. Francis, 229. " Black Dog," 640. Blacket, Sir Thomas W., 312. Blacklriars Bridge, 119. Blackguards and red guards, 234. 262. Black-letter books, 217. Blacklock, Dr. Thomas, the Wind poet, Ill.l.-)9. 277,278. 402. Letter on a passage in Johnson's " Journey," 824. Black men, cause of their being so, 130. Blackmore, Sir Rich. 13.5, 211. 398 J's. Life of, 622. 672. Blackstone, Commentaries, 332. 376. 384. 610. 084. Blackwall, Mr. Anthonv, 18. 20. Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, 47. 307. Blagden. Dr., afterwards Sir Charles, 465. 663. Blainville, M., his " Travels," 446. Blair, Lord President, 509. , Rev. Dr. Hugh, 55. 122. 134. 276. 285. 289. 390. 402, 403. 412, 413. 429. 509, 510. 525. .5.30. , his sermons, -525. 528. 550. .566. 611 6S6. Lectures, 552. Imitation of J's. style, 5.52. Letter concerning a conversa- tion with J. 403. Letter on Pope's " Essay on Man," 635. ■ , Rev. Robert, and his poem of " The Grave," 5lS. Blake, Admiral, Johnson's Life of, 43. RIakewav, 43. 128. 169. 407. lilanchetti. Marquis and iMarchioness of, 461 Bland, Mr., 247. Blaney, Elizabeth, 5. 790. Blank verse, J. dislikes, 146. 218. 660. Inferior to rhyme, 668. Klasphemv, literary property in, 279. Bleeding, Johnson's objection to periodical, 545. Blenheim, 370. 425. 485. Blessing, Johnson's, to Barclay, 837. to Miss Morns, 846. to Windham, 841. Blind, whether they distinguish colours by the touch, 242. " Blockhead," Johnson's application of the word, 237. 48.3. Blount's Glossographia, 385. Rloxam, Rev. Matthew, .598. Buie-stocking Clubs, origin of, 689. Blundering criticism. See Macaalay, T. B. Boar's Head Club, 348. Boasting, Boswell's habit of, 721. Bocage, M.adame du, 460. 465. 467. Her " Columbiadc," 773. Boece, Hector, the historian. 750. Boerhaave, 4.55. Johnson's Life of, 40. Boetius, " De Consol.ationi! Philosophia-," 40. 219. Boileau, 2 .33. 120. 222. 614. Bolingbroke, Henry St. John, lirst Viscount, 88. 1 10. 158. 013, 614, 615, 67(1. Johnson's character of, «». 1 10. , his share in Pope's " Ess.iy on Man," 635, 036. , Lady, her description of Pope, 605. , Frederick, second Viscount, 260. Bolt-court, 30. .VS8. Bonaventura, the " seraphic doctor," 172. Bones, uses applied lo,7'25. , Johnson's horror at the sight of, 319. 378. Biin-niots, 005. Bonner, Bishop, 18. Book collecting, 756. Booker's " Hop Garden," 4S6. Books, 2.55. 452. 731. 756. 767. ; how to read, 766. ; practice of talkinst from, 396. Booksellers, J's. character and vindication of, 94. 100. Hook-trade. 476. Boothby, Miss Hill, 20. 82. 251. 440. J's. admiration of, C72, 673. Correspondence between her and J., 440. 072, 673. Boquet, Mr., 78. Borougli-English, 376. Boroughs and corporations, 4.55. IJoscawen, Admiral, 608. Hon. Mrs., 608. 646. 685, 680. lioscovitch, P6re, 218. 468. Bossuet, bishop of Meaux, 372. Bosville, Godfrey, Esq., 618. 652. Mrs., 236. Boswell, James, Esq., the author of this work, afflicted with hypochondria, 15. 280. 475. 793. writes the " Hypochondriac," 15. 717. , his nationality, 16. made notes .it dinner, 837. , Mr. Courtenay's verses on, 70. 409. contributed to tlie taste for biographical details, 84. , introduction to Johnson, 133, 134. , story told bv Johnson of his early years, 148. , " Account of Corsica," 189. 199. elected a member of the Literary Club, 2.57. 2.59 , Journal of his Tour to the Hebrides, 267. , dress at the jubilee, 198. , propensity to see executions, 200. 648. 720. 772. , his ancestry, 271. 390. 472. , his character drawn bv himself, 279. , Johnson's character o'f him, 280. 4.59. 619. , his account of the escape of the Pretender, 3'26. , announces the " Life of J." during his lifetime 373. , Lord Stowell's char.jcter of him, 280. , Johnson's character of his " Tour to the Hebrides," 458. , attempt to imiinte the style of Warburton, 600. , a quarrel with Johnson, iiin. , " Letter to tlie People of Scotland," 747, 748. , expectations from Mr. Pitt, 750. controversy with Miss Seward, 773. — , Johnson's !■ 220. 24.5,246. ii>i. JN. 428,429.433, r i : 475. 508. .522. .v i. .567.589.619.0-1 . 1 700. 705. 707, 7(W. TU".). stol 102.172.179. 193.199.212.224. .i. 411, 412,413, 414. 426, 427, 'J. 468.470, 471.472, 473,474, 1, 535, 536, .537, 538, 539. 565. .:i. 040, 641,642.651.6.54. 677. r49, 750. 782. 793. his letters to Johnson, 179. 193. 223, 224. 226. 245. 410. 413, 414, 427, 428, 429. 433. 468, 469. 47.5. 522, .523. 526. 528, 529. 533, 534. 536, .537, 538. 564. 566, 567. 569, 570. 589. 018. 622. 630. 633. 039, 640. 650. 652. , letter to Garrick, 385. . Garrick's letter to, 380. , letter lo Rasay, 407. , letter to Sir Joshua Reynolds, 747. , letter to Lord Thurlow on Johnson's pension, 77. Lord Thurlow's answer, 775. , letter to Wilkes, 732. , letters to Malone about this work, 8'28. , Mrs., the author's wife, 75. 224. 409, 410 475. 521. 537. .548. 624. 654. 733. , her letter to Johnson, 710. , Johnson's letters to, 521. 537. 640. 709. , Mrs., the author's mother, 395. , Thomas, the founder of the author's family, 396. 472. , T. David, the author's brother, 244. 555. 650. 652. , Sir A., the author's eldest son. 212. 240. 270. 468.5.5.5. , David, the author's second son. 525. 629. , James, the aiuiior's third son, 17. 20. .52. 57. 66. 79. 189. 203. 211. '220, 221. 2 ,;i. '240. 4'29. 452. 460. 483. 506. 629. 034. , Elizabeth, the author's step-mother, 518. , Veronica, the author's daughter, 271. 537. , Dr. the author's uncle, 278. 402. 4L»0. 533. " Bottom," 687. Bouehier, Governor, 683. BontHer, Pfere, his " First Truths." Ifin. Boufllers, Madame de, 216. 407, -iC-i. lionheurs, Dominique, 205. Boulter, Dr. Hugh, his " Monument," a p<<.n, 107. &30. ISoulton, Matthew, Esq., 425. 488. 3i 8o0 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 1 [_ Index. | Bouquet, Mr., 78. P.nurbon, Due de, 4G2. Bourdaloue, P6re, 259. .372. Bourdonne, Madame de, 2.59. Bourke, Archbishop, afterwards Earl of Mayo, 737. Bouts-rimes, 442. Bower, Mr., 794. Bowles, William, Esq., 737. Bow-wow way, Johnson's, 269. 439. Bowyer, William, the printer, 789. Boxing, Johnson's skill in, 342. Bovd, Hon. Charles, 205. 207. Boyd's inn, 270. Boydell, Mr. Alderman, 428. Boyle, the family of, 345 , Hon. Robert, 105. Boys at school, l-')3. Boyse, Samuel, the poet, 721. 804. " Bozzy," Boswell so called by Johnson, 371. 635. 638. C77. Bradshaigh, Lady, C3. Bradshaw, John, the regicide, 738. , William, 723. " Braganza," Jephson's tragedy of, 205. Braidwood, Mr., his academy for the deaf and dumb, 403. Bramhall, Archbishop, on Liberty and Necessity, 210. Bramins, G58. 083. Bramston, 17. Brandy, 027. 680. Bravery, 606. 798. * " Brave we ! " an exclamation of Johnson's, 390. Breakfast well appointed, 456. in splendour, 634. Brent, Miss, 143. Brentford, 393. 719. Brett, Colonel, 53. , Mrs. and Miss, 53. Brewse, Major, 303. Bribery at elections, 443. Brigden, Martha, Richardson's daughter, 125. Brighthelmstone, 145. 524. Bristol, inns at, 511. Briston, Caroline, afterwards Mrs. Lytelton, 424. Britain, ancient state of little known, 609. " British Essayists." 67. " British Poets," Bell's edition of, 530. " British Princes," quoted, 211. " British Synonimy," Mrs. Piozzi's, 806. Broadley, Captain, 618. Brocklesby, Dr. Richard, 49.5. 716. 736. 776. 788. 801. , his kindness and liberality to J., 735. 740. 776. 788. , Johnson's letters to, 737. 783. Brodhurst, Mr., Johnson's play-fellow, 632. Brodie, Alexander, Esq., 79. 334. ^j Mrs. See Aston. Brook, Lord, 416. , Mr. of Townmaling. 188. Brooke, Mr., author of" Gustavus Vasa," 40. , Mrs., author of " Emily Montague," 145. Brooks, Mrs., the actress, 315. or rivulets, .580. Broome, William, the poet, 647. Johnson's Life of, 670. Brother and sister, relation of, 112. Brown, Tom, Johnson's instructor in English, 7. , dedicates his Spelling-book " to the Universe," 7. , Rev. Robert, 175. 593. " Capability," 416. 635. Browne, Dr. John, and his " Estimate," 220. — — , Sir Thomas, Johnson's Life of, 18. 69, 70. 103. 109. His style imitated by Johnson, 70. 103. 582. Fond of Anglo-Saxon diction, 70. His saying of devils, 594. , Isaac Hawkins, Esq., 314 443. 471. His poem " De Animi Immortalitate," 314. His son, 754. Bruce, Robert, 468. , James, the Abyssinian traveller, 303. 441. ■ , Sir John, 205. , families, 303. Brumoy's Greek Theatres, .83. 117. Brundusium, Horace's journey to, 580. Brunet,M., 462. Brutes, 191. 261. 511. Bryant, Jacob, Esq., 370. 794. Brydges, Sir Egerton, 183. Brydone, Patrick, his " Tour through Sicily," 446. 617. His anti-mosaical remark, 491. 617. Buchan, Earl, 275. Anecdote of, 238. Buchan's BuUer, 295, 296. Buchanan, George, 1.56. 207. 282. 719. " Buck," nearly synonymous with " dandy," 324. Buckingham, Duke of, 203. His " Rehearsal," 770. , Marquis of, 169. 222. Buckles, shoe, 269. — — , Johnson's, 600. Budgell, Eustace, 65. 255. 281. 509. Budworth, Rev. Mr., 20. 24. Buffon, Count de, 342. 520. Bulkeley, Lord, 49.i. Bulls by Jonnson, 770. Bull-dogs, .5,58. BullerofBuclian,295, 206. , Mrs. 645. Bunburv, Sir Charles, 436. , Mrs. 140. 649. Bunyan's " Pilgrim's Progress,"' 258. Buonaparte, Napoleon, 264. 344. 349. 461. 493. Burbridge.Mr., 52. Burgess-ticket, Johnson's, at Aberdeen, 292. Burgoyne, General, surrender at Saratoga, 617. Burial Service, 729. Burke, Right Hon. Edmund. Anecdotes of, and remarks upon, 22. 37. 71. 116. 136. 140, 141. 1.54. 158. 161. 163. 173. 177. 207. 220. 229. 232. 240. 2.5.3. 259. 263. 265. 268. 273, 274. 288, 289. 298. 336. 3-57. 412. 425. 446. 4.53. 465. 485. 509. 513. 520. 521. .529. 540. 550 571. 573. 578. 583. 590. 600. 604, 605. 625, 626. 630. G39. 647. 661, 662. 671. 673. 680, 081. 715. 732. 740. 748. 756, 757. 764. 771. 803. , Observation on Johnson's ladies, 71. Counsel to "live pleasant," 116. "Vindication of Civil Society," 15S. " Essay on the Sublime and Beautiful," 205. "Letter to the Sheriffs of Bristol," 557. Johnson's exclamation at Beaconsfield, 600. Classical pun on Wilkes, 605. Lively conceit on a line of Horace, 605. Conversation described by Johnson, 660. 713. 755. Playful sally on Dean Marlay, 678. Oratory characterised by Wilkes, 688. Uniform respect for Johnson, 769. Pun on Dr. Brocklesby's name, 776. Pious proemium to his will, 842. , Mrs., 164. , Richard, Edmund's son, 731. 788. Burlamaqui, 478. Burlington, Lord, 614. Burman, Peter, Johnson's Life of, 46. Burnaby, Mr. Edward, 167. Burnet, Bishop, his " Own Times," 250. 363. 446. , James, 227. 299. See Monboddo. Burnev, Dr. Charles, 7. 16. 61. 65. 71. 85. 91. 94. 97. 109. 135. '143. 146. 150. 164, 165. 192. 238. 266. 287. 439. 444. 452. 469. 489. 490. 582. 620, 621. 625. 644. 661. 686. 698. 736. 79% Account of " Irene," 61. Comparison of Addison and J., 71. " History of Music," 621. His " Travels," 720. , Johnson's letters to, 94. 109. 172. 739. 785. , Dr. Charles, the younger, 794. , Mrs., 170. . , Miss Frances, afterwards Madame D'Arblay, 645. 64&. 698. 732. 736. 747. 755. Imitation of Johnson's style, 796. Burns (the Poet), 15. 139. Burrowes, Rev. Dr., 626. His Essay on the style of J. 69. Burton, his " Anatomy of Melancholy," 12. 217. 482. Di- rection against melancholv, 640. " Burton's Books," list of, 747. Busby, Mr., 68. Bust of Johnson, Nallekens', 565. 568. Butcher, the trade of, 348. Bute, John, third Earl of, 126, 127. 131. 448,449.452. 492.517.641. , Johnson's letter to, respecting his pension, 127, 128. Butler, Archdeacon, 409. 415. , Bishop, his " Analogy," 278. , Samuel, 259. 281. 340. 763. Butler's Hudibras, 454. Butter, Aberdeen, duel fought for the honour of, 384. , Dr. William, 494. -546. 549. 690. Buxton, Jedediali, the extraordinary calculator, 480. Byng, Admiral, Johnson's epitaph and defence of, 105. Byron, Lord, 15. 27. 59. 217. 279. 439. 450. , definition of hypochondriacisni, 15. , Moore's Life of, quoted, 439. 504. , Commodore, 399. Cabbages, 486. Cadell, Mr., the bookseller, 213. 434, 435. 476. Cadogan, Dr. William, on the gout, 334, 335. Cain, Lord Byron's, 279. " Calamities of Authors," D'Israeli's, 32. Calcraft, Mr., 497. Calculators, ordinary intellect of, 480. Calder, Dr. John, 249. " Caliban of Literature," epithet applied to Johnson, 219. Caligula, his exclamation, .591. " Called," phenomenon of hearing oneself, 685. Callimachus, merits of, 655. Calumny, or ridicule, Johnson's indifference to, Cambridse, Richard Owen, Esq., 451, 452. 579. 722. , Universitv, 185. Johnson's visit to, 167. Camden, Charles Pratt, first Earl, 435. 600. Camden's " Remains," -598. 729. Cameron, Dr. Archibald, his execution, 42. Camerons, family of the, 367. Campbell, Hon. Archibald, 188. 213. 250. His " Doctrines of a Middle State," 389. 759. Some account of, 389. , Lord Neil, 389. , Colonel Sir Archibald, 513. , Kev. Dr. Thomas, 107. 377. 443. 444. 447. and Vife " Philosophical Survey of Ireland," 531. 425. 437. Index. 1 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 851 Campbell, Dr. John, 122. ]A'i. 182. 191. 213. 250.435. 577 His •• Political Survey," 377. 4S4. 71(4. . , Rev. Jolin, minister of Kippen, 182. , Muiigo, who shot Lord Eglintoun, 195. 558. — , General, 353. , Mr., a purser, 188. , Ulr., factor to the Duke of Argj-le, 38. J73. 380. 383. , Colonel Mure, 533. "Cindide," of Voltaire, 115, UG. G17. Candour, Johnson's, 721. 739. Canning, Ri^ht Hon. George, on Public Education, 498. " Canons of Criticism," Edwards's, 80. Cant, the mind to be cleared of, 731. Canus, Melchior, a Spanish Dominican, 461. Capel, Edward, Preface to his Shakspeare, 650. Caracioli, Marquis, author of Ganganetti's Letters, -592. Caractacus, 442. Card-playing, 200. 405, ,501, .502. Cardan, his mode of composing his mind, 553. Cardross, Lord, afterwards Earl of Buchan, 238. Careless, Mrs., Johnson's first love, 488. 703. "Careless Husband," Gibber's, 444. Carelessness, C61. Carhampton, Lord, 253. Carleton, Captain, his " Memoirs," 774. Carlisle, Frederick, fifth earl of, .505. 691. , Johnson's opinion of his " Father's Revenge," 743. , Mr., of Limekilns, 374. Carmarthen, Lord, 443. Carmichael, Miss, 570. Caroline, Queen, 461. Carr, Sir William, 295. Carre, Rev. Mr., his " Sermons," 271, 272. Carruthers' Highland Note Book, 308. Carstares' " State Papers," 342. Carte, Thomas, his " Life of the Duke of Ormond," 367. Carter, Dr. Nicholas, 34. , Mr., 434. , Mrs. Elizabeth, 16. 34. 39, 40. 43. 48. 50. 52. 63. 65. 153. 181. .WO. 685. 731. 755. contributes to the "Rambler," 63. Johnson's letter to, 101. Her character of Johnson, 798. Carteret, John, Lord, afterwards Earl Granville. 215. 362. Carthage, 722. Carthusians, order of, 4S0. Cartwright, Dr, Edmund, memoirs of, 504. Cascades, 424. Casimir, Ode to Pope Urban, 31 . Cast of Johnson, Nollekens',565. 568. Castiglione, " U Corteggiano," on good breeding, 3o9. Casts of men, 683. Cat, Johnson's, 722. Catcot, George, the pewterer of Bristol, 510. Cathcart, Charles, ninth Earl, 472. 613. Catherine Street, Tavern, 343. . " Catholicon," 465. Cato, learnt Greek at an advanced age, 680. , Addiion's, 591. Soliloquy, 836. Cator, Mr. John, 752. 767. Caulfield, Miss, 526. Cave, Mr. Edward, character and anecdotes of, 23. 28. 32. 54. 39.43,44,45.47,48,49. 65,66. 84. 101. 121. 239. 241.604. 804. Johnson's letters to, 23. 29, 33, 34. 38, 39. 46, 47. Latin verses addressed to, 31 . Letter to Richardson re- specting the " Rambler," 65. " Life" by Johnson, 84. , Joseph, brother of Edward, 101, 102, 103. Cawdor Castle, 301,302. , Lord, 302 Cawston, Mr. Windham's servant, 807. Cecil, Colonel, 54. 241 " Cecilia," Miss Burney's, 732. Certainties, small, the bane of men of talents, 438. Chalmers, George, Esq., 45. , Alexander, Esq.. .54. 63. 65, 66, 67, 68. 71. 82. 121. 184, 18.5. 208. 212.222. 249. 253. , his Lesson in Biography, 797. 838. Cham of Literature, 118. Chamberlain, Mrs. 439. Chamberlayne, Rev. Mr., 760. , Edward, Esq., 686. Chambers, proposals for his Dictionary, 69. 582. Johnson's style founded partly upon that of, 69. , Sir Robert, 90. 181. 189. 193.265,266. 268. 298.411.413. 610. 676, 677. Johnson's character of, 676. Letter to, 90. , L.Hdy and Miss, 411. , Sir William, his " Chinese Architecture," 720. " Ori- ental Gardening," 325. '• Heroick Epistle" to, quoted, 325. 587. , Catherine, Johnson's maid-servant, 113. 115. 187. , Mr. Robert, 205. 270. 276. 283. 289. 300. 305. 342. 383. Charaier, Anthony, Esq., 163. 298. 445. 521. 534. 567. 580.634. " Champion," a periodicid paper, 51. Chancellors, how chosen, 232. " Chances," the, a comedy, 257. Chandler, Dr. Samuel. 45. Chandler, Dr. Richard, 483. His " Travels," 457. Chautrey, 568. Chapel, Dr., 259. Chapone, Hester, Johnson's letter to, 743. See Mulso. Character, influence of, C15. Characters, first Instance of dcline.ition of, 604. , how historians should draw, 636. , showing only the bright side of, C7I . , extraordinary, gf-nerally exaggerated, 484. -s — , Johnson's delight in drawing, 834. Charade, Johnson's, on Br. Barn.-ird, 722. Charing Cross, 443. Charity, Christian, 7.''7. Judicious distribution of, 394. , Johnsons, rJ7. is:;. :j;m. .^70. 032. 097.770. 834. 836. Ch.irlinn..iu, l'.;irl of, •.'•.;, '.".i'-. iM.i. GsO. Hardy's Life of, 88. Ch.irles the First. 7'-'. '.'50 oM. .1.>I. , the Second, 151. 444. 44S. 4.54. 434. C67. , Edward, Prince. Sfc Pretender. , the Filth, celebrates his own obsequies, 578. , the Twelfth, of Sweden, 40. 585. Charlotte, Queen, 184. Charlton, Dr.. 741. Charms, belief in, 317. Chastity, 192. 334. First female virtue, 636. fh.ntplet, 460. Ch ithun, William, Earl of, 37. 58. 181. 244. 254.435. 617.769. (■li;itsvvorth, 415. 564. 784. thatterton, Thomas, his poems, 510. 701. c:iiaucer, 385. Chemistry, Johnson's fondness for, 40, 634. 057. 733. Chester, 417. Chesterfield, Philip Dormer Stanhope, fourth Earl of, 9. 45. 56, .57. 61. 68. 84.85, 86, 87, 88. 93. 148, 149. 152. 158. 184. 217. 223. 249. 2S2. '^97. 305. 345. 362. 430. 440. 446. 511. .530. ,5.11. ,558. 615. 0'.!9. 641, 6-12. 680. 696. 715. 774. Al- leged neglect of Ji.hnson, 245. His papers in " The World," 85. Johnsons celebrated letter to, 85. His " Letters to his Son," character of, 87. 440. 444. 446. 511. Chevalier, the, 309, 310. 318. 326. Clievey Chase, 838. Cheyne, Dr. George, his "English Malady," 14. 522. His " Treatise on Health," 503. His rule of conduct, 313. Cheynel, Francis, Johnson's Life of, 278. Chiesley of Dairy, 342. Children, tre.itment and education of, 6. 8. 15. 154. 208. 295. 330. 409. 503. 537. 028. 061. Johnson's fondness for, 722. , old men's, 6. China, wall of, .580. Chinese langu.ige, 611. "Choice of Difficulties," 311. Choisi, Abbe de, GOO. Cholmondeley, G. J.. Esq., 779. , Hon. and Rev. George, 349. Mrs., 349. 603. 6-50. 740. Christian, Rev. Mr., 191. " Christian Hero," Steele's, 484. Christian charity, 757. religion, evidences of, 135. 137. 147. 152. 155. 840. faith, liable to be disturbed, 733. Christianity, the highest perfection of humanity, 181. , the atonement, the great article of, 292. .557. 694. 841 . Christians, the differences among, 557. Christ's satisfaction, 292.841. Chudleigh, Miss, 58. Church, the satisfaction of meeting at, 683. of England, ecclesiastical discipline of, 755. architecture, 481. , patronage, 259. property, confisc.ited, 711. Churcliill, Charles, the poet, 35. 133. 165. 171. 571. Illss.atire on Johnson, 107. 133. Johnson's opinion of, 142. Churton, Uev. Ralph, 264. 729. 764. 819. Gibber, Colley, 43. 53. .56, 57, 58. 84. 136. 190. 206. 251. 365. 405. 386. 438. 443. 504. 506. 510. .555, 656.584. 741. , his Apology. 200. 516. , Theophilus, his "Lives of the Poets," 67. 504. 533. , Mrs., 304. Cicero, 461. His defence of lawyers, 189. , his ch.iracter of Appius applied to Johnson, 791. " Citizen of the World," Goldsmith's, 140. Clanrannald, Captain, b.iU.id in honour of him, 364. Clans, order of the .Scottish, 410. Clapp, Mrs., 215 Clare, Robert Nugent, Lord, 222. 601 . Clarendon, Lord, '202, 376. 616. His History, 97. 367. His style,92.5 M.muscripts. 476. Claret, characterised by Johnson, 609. 627. 680. " Clarissa Harlowe," 73. 508. 663. 830. " Index" to, 73. , preface to, written by Dr. Warburton. 83. Clark, Alderman Richard, 610. Johnson's letter to, 747. — — , Mr., his pamphlet on Ossian, 745. Clarke Dr. Samuel, 135. 210. His works recommended, 135. 807. His " Sermons," 579. 806. 841. , Godfrey, 229. Claxton, Mr., 260. Clcnard, Nicholas, his Greek Grammar, 660. " Cleone," Dodsley's tragedy of, 113. 600. " Cleonice," Hoole'^ pl.iy of, 427. Clcphaiie, M. M., .Marchioness of Northampton, 3C4. Clergv , 228. 237, 238. 302. 540. 598. 083. , their preaching not sufficiently plain, 156. 218. 3 I 2 Clergy, not sufficient!}- acquainted with their parishioners, 219. English, 350. , Scottish, 228 293. S-W. , Irish, 220. , jollity of, offensive, fi79. , dress of, should be in character, 679. Clergvman, Addison's portrait of, 679. , Johnson's model of, 679. his letter to a young, 051. Clerk, Sir Philip Jennings, 080. Gierke, Lady, of Pennycuick, 329. Clermont, Lady. G46. Cleveland, Duchess of, 151. Climate, 244. Clive, Robert, first Lord, 009. 615. 63.5. Mrs., 123. 304. 050. 741. Clothes, fine, 494. Club, Ivy-lane, formed by Johnson, 58. 107. r4.-j. i52. .Literary, founded by Reynolds. 103.177,178. 257.203. 298. 436. 445. 528, 559. 532. 537. 573. 590. 646. 663. 681. 771. , Boar's Head, 348. , Queen's Arms', 682. , Old Street, 720. 752. , Essex Head, 746. , Eumelian, 798. , Johnson's definition of a, 746. "ClubableMan,"74G. Coachraakers' Hall, 684. Coarse raillerv, Johnson's powers of, 662. Cobb, Mrs., 5'. 193. 197. 224. 415. 490. 632. Account of, 639. Cobham, Lord, 169. 614. Cock-lane ghost, 138. 585. Cocker's Arithmetic, 308. Cohausen, 477. Coin, exportation of, 688. Coke, Lord, 232. £^. Donald Macl'ean.'the young Laird of, 294. 299. 350 352, 353. 362. 305. 367. 371, 372. 373. 378, 379, 380. 426. 409. 471. , Montrose's letters to the Laird of, 368. Colborne, the calculating boy, 480 Colchester, 1.59. Colds, 191.360. Cole, Mr., of Norton Street, 331. Colebrooke, Sir George, 465. Coliseum, Johnson's mind compared to the, 211. College Tutor, 838. Collier, Jeremy, 759. , Dr. of the Commons, 619. . Captain Sir George, 101. Collins, William, the poet. 40. 82. 90, 91. 102. 130. 4.57. C^man!' George,' Esq., sen., 65. 123.247, 248. 251. 298. 436. 511.521.525.604.6.57.060. , his " Odes to Obscurity and Oblivion, 442. , his imitation of Johnson's style, 796. , George, Esq., jun., his " Random Records " quoted, 51 1. Colq'uhoun, Sir James and Lady Helen, 391. Colson, Rev. John, Mr. Walmesley's letter to, 27. 68. ColviUe, Lady, Dowager, 399. 401, 402. Combermere. 417. Commandment, the ninth, modes of reading, 51 . Commentaries on the Bible, 513. Commerce, 449. Commerce and Literature to be united, 837. Common Prayer Book, 762. Commons, House of, 688. Communion of Saints, 761. Community of goods, doctrine of, 262. Company, 767. Cause of Johnson's fondness for, 42. Comparisons, 176. 721. Compassion, Johnson's, 758. 834. Complaints, 664. 715. Compliments, 202. 458. .548. 610. 619. Composition, 6.52. 6.57, 6.58, Happy moments for, 275. , Johnson's advice respecting, 285. , his extraordinary powers of, 16.50. 59. 63. 115. 177. 285. '299. 445. 508. 513. 804. " Compositor," The, 770. . Compton, Rev. James, a Benedictine his conversion, 727. Cond.amine's account of the savage girl, 299. Cond^, Prince of, 462. 466. Condescension, 655. Conduct, gradations in, 679. Confession, 210. 489. " Confessions," Rousseau's, 175, 176. Confinement, 586. " Conge d'elire," 771. , .„■,.,,. ^ Congreve, W. the poet, 204. 207. 5.57. Johnson s Life of, Rev'charies, Johnson's schoolfellow, 8. 204. 488. 494. Conjugal infidelity, 192. 636. " Connoisseur," The, 143. Constable, Lord High, of Scotland, 296. Conscience and shame contrasted, 883. Const, Francis, Esq., 499. Constitution, the British, 482. Constructive treason, 0S3. Contentment, 570. Contradiction, 029. , Johnson's spirit of, 495. 502. 514. 546. 681. Conversation, 111.451. 483.493. 512. 578. 606. 003. 670. 68L 713.719.7-57. , the happiest kind of, 4.50. , and talk, distinction between. 719. , Lord Bacon's precept for, 738. , questioning, not the proper mode of, 493. 585. , Johnson's great powers of, 591. 603. 629. 690. 692. 764. Conversions, 210. 572. .596. Convicts, .580. 767. Convocation of the clergv, 1.58. Convulsions, Johnson afflicted with, 24. 41. 209. Convents, 123. 175. 283. 480. Conwav, Ladv, 233. , Waljiole's letters to, 184. 363. 439. , Castle, 421 . 423. Cook, Captain James, 490. His " "Voyages, 700. Cooke, Thomas, the tr^inslator of " Hesiod," 274. , his speech on presenting Foote to a club, 274. , anecdote respecting him, Johnson, and Garrick, 243. Cookery, 273. , Johnson's opinion of French, 100 Affected in, 501. Books of, should be on philosophical principles, 592. , Glass's, written by Dr. Hill, 592. Cooper, John Gilbert, author of tlie " L'fe of Socrates," disparaging mention of, 219. .544. 055. , Sir Grey, 222. Coote, Sir Eyre, 303, 304. Copy-monev, in Italy, first paid to Baretti, 548. Copyright. 149. 280. Corbetc, Mr. Andrew, 12. Corelli, the singer, 444. Coriat, Tom, 238. " Coriat, Junior," Paterson's. 238. Cork and Orrery, Hamilton, sixth Earl of, 219. .555. , Edmund, seventh Karl of, 045. 059. , Mary Monkton, Countess of, 045. 089. , new letter to the editor, 646. ' Corn Laws, 220. Cornev, Bolton, editor of Goldsmith, 174. Cornellle, Pierre, 372. 059. Cornish fishermen, < 80. Corporations and boroughs, 455. Corpulency, 72'.i. " Corricliafachin," Mr. McKinnon of, 314, 315. 353. Corsica, 175. 179.189. 193. 191, 199. 202. 367. " Corteggiaiio" of Castiglione, on good breeding, 359. Corycius Senex, 715. Cottages in Skie described, 352. Cottercl, Admiral, 79. Miss, 79. 12.5. 129. 385. Cotton, Sir Lynch Salusbury, 417. Sir Robert Salusbury, 417. 0.58. , Mr. and Mrs., afterwards Sir Robert and Lady, 417, 418. 419. 658. , Robert, Esq., 418. Coulson, Rev Mr , of University College, 27. 425. 457. " Council" of Trent, 29. 38. " Counseller Van," a rock on the Wye, 117. Counting, the good of, 725. Country gentlemen, 243. 298, 299. 315. 6.56. 712. life, 387. 553. 579. 581. 598. 016. 776. Courage, 443. 585. 609. 637. , Johnson's, 379. Court, attendants on a, described, HI. of Session in Scotland, 405. 428. Courtenay, John, Esq., 768. S28. 830. , his " Poetical Review " quoted, 14. 70. 106. 116. 409.4-53. , his description of Sir Joshua's table, 519. Courting the acquaintance of the great, 37. 175. Courtown, Lord, 456. Courts of Germany, manners best learnt at, 359. martial, 658. Coverley, Sir Roger de, 4.54. Cow, Boswell's skill in imitating a, 402. Cowardice, 606. Cowdray, popular superstition respecting, 711. Cowlev, Benedictine prior, 400. , the poet, 69. 81. 210. 381. 385 .503. 572. Life of, 666. Cowper, William, 1.5. 72. 450. 605. ; his Homer, 009. , Earl, libel on, 499. Cox, 771. Coxcombs, 219. Coxeter, Thomas, 171. 547. Crabhe, Rev. George, 450. His " Village," 740. Cradock, Jos., anecdotes of Johnson, 208. 479. 506. 508. 589. Craggs, secretary, 222. The two, 48. Craig, Mr., the architect, 285. 618. Cranburne, Lady, 647. Cranfields, 170. Cranmer, Archbishop, 4,52. Cranston, Mr. David, 405. Grantor, the philosopher, exclamation of, 90 Crashaw, Richard, his " Epigrammata Sacra," 59S. Craster, Mr., 79. Index." BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 8-)3 Crauford, Mr., Johnson's p.nswer to, 837. Craven, L.iily. M\. eiS. (117. " Creation," Uliicknioro's, 211. Credulity, 379. '6'M. Glo. J.jhnson's, 60S Creeds, 302. Cricliton, Kobert, Lord .Sanquhar. 297. " Critical Kevipw," 139. lfi,5. 1S6. 504. .50S. 5r,l. Criticism, 3.58. 624, 625. 645. , a curious one of Johnson's, 190. , examples of true, 205. Croft, Hev. Herbert, 6.50. " Life of Yonug," 673. " Love and Madness," 720. , his style described by Burke, 673. , singular advice to a pupil, 766. Croker, Kev. Temple Henry, translator of " Ariosto," 129. , Alley, 580. Colonel, of Ballingard, 580. Crompton, Mr., 24. Cromwell, 44. Johnson designs to write his life, 737. , Noble's " Memoirs " of, 738. Crosbie, Mr. Andrew, 270. 277. 4.56. .527. " Cross readings,'' Caleb VVhitoloord's diverting, 770. Crouch, Mrs., 733. Crousaz's " Examen " of Pope's " E.'^say on Man," 39. 47. Crown, its power, 236. Influence of, in Parliament, 216. '• Crudities," Corlat's, 23S. Cruikshanks, Mr., the surgeon, 195. 731. Letters to, 739. 787. Crusoe, Robinson, 461. Crutchley, Jeremiah, E.mes, 229. 2.53. 412. 445, 446. 50L 529. 580. 583. 585. 590. 623. 748. 751. 756. 761. , his conversation, 713. , Lady Susan. 440. France, Johnson's visit to, 459. Journal of Tour, 460. 466. , no middle rank in, 462. 466. , state of literature in, 581 Francis, Rev. Dr. Philip, 4.5. His Horace, 26. 448. 617. Francklin, Rev. Dr. Thomas, 12 ^ 273. .521. .578. 66.5., dedi- cates his translation of Demonax to Johnson, 665. Fraser, Mr., the engineer, 606. , Simon, Lord Lovat, 314 , General, 495. , Mr., of Strichen, 298. Frasers, the clan of, 309. Fraternal intercourse, 112. Frederick, Prince of Wales, 60. 325. 461. the Great, of Prussia, 148. 149. 192. n., Johnson's Life of, 103. Free-will, 203. 237. 301 . .594. 77.3. French, Johnson's notions of their manners and customs, 298. 467. 616. 6.59. 738. Academy, send Johnson their Dictionarv, 98. language, 467. Literature, 342. 372. 738. Novels, 218. writers, superficial, and why, 154. , credulity of the, 379 Freron, Mr., Johnson's visit to. 461 . 4GS. Frewen, Dr. Accepted, Archbishop of 'i'ork, 259. Friend, Sir John. 241. Friends, Johnson's, a list of them, 79. Friends and friendship, 48. Gii. 98. 112. 114. 173.206.233. 240. 292. 297. 450. 513. ,593. 629. 6.il. 738. 751. 756. " Friendship," an Ode, by Johnson, 48. , female, 830. Frisick language, 162. Frith of Forth, 280. Fruit, Johnson never h.id enough of but once, and why, 124. " Frustra Litteraria," Baretti's, 552. Fullarton. Colonel John, 617. Funeral, Johnson's, 807. Fust and ShoelTer, 425. Future state, 233.561. I knowledge of friends, 233. 546. .592, .593. 756. 793, Gabbling, 615. 656. Gaelic language, 231. Dictionarv, 745. Gaiety. 529. I Gait, Johnson's, 677. Galatians, Durham on the, 398. Galen, 650. Gaming, 238. 501. " Ganganelli's Letters " not authentic, .592. " Garagantu.i," Johnson compared to, 581. Garden, 79. 696. 72.5. Gardener, Mr., the bookseller, 445. Gardening, 145. 201. Gardenston, Lord, 288. Gardiner, Mrs., 78. 501. 525, 526. 743. Garrick, David, anecdotes of, 8. 19 2.5, 26, 27. 43. 51. .54, 55. .58,59,60. 61, C2. 65 68.76. 79, 80, 81. 88.99. 101. 113. 12!. 134, 135. 137. 164, IG5. 167. 173. 185. 190. 198. 201. 2(3. 207. 225. 243. 2.54. 2.57. 2.59. 304. 347. 358. 385. 400. 415. 438, 439. 447. 481. 489. .505. .507. 511. 515. .545. 5.5.5, .556.582, .583, .584. 590. 594. 601. 622, 623. 629. 655. 657. 659. 662. G86, 637. 726. 732.741.. , Johnson's envy of, 51 . 134. , his " Ode " on the death of Mr. Pelham, 88. , his epigram on Johnson's Dic:lionary, 99. .Johnson's opinion of, 135. 201. 205. 243.2.57.275.304. 347. 400. 438. 4.';6. 470. 481. 4s9. 505. 511. 51.5, 516. 555, 556. 584. .594. 601. 629. 655. 657. 741. , J.'s letters to, and answer, 167. 225 B.'s letter to, and answer,385. His Shakspeare.jubilee. 198. His liberalitv, 584. 629. His death, 622, 623. His funeral, 7'.iG. J.'seulogiumon, 629. Inscripticni under his portrait, 686. and bust, 836. Talent of mimicrv, 439. J .'s opinion of his prologues, 438. , Mr George. .541. , Mr. Peter, 27. 31. 415. 434. 489, 490. 632. C39. . Mrs., 629. CS5.731. Garrique, proper name of the Garrick family, 489. Gastrel, Rev. Mr., cuts Shakspeare's mulbem-tree, 492. , Mrs.ard letters to, 492. 529. 565, 566.' 622, 623. 631. 639. 700. 749. Gastrell, Bishop, his Christian Institutes, 377. Gataker, Rev. Thomas, " On Lots," 369. Gaiibius, Professor, opinion on hypochondria and madness, 14. Gav, John, 72 304. 453. 606. " Beggar's Opera," 364. 453. 604. The " Orpheus of Highwaymen," 453. " Gelidus," character of, 27. 68. 425. Cell, Mr., father of Sir William, 416. General warrants, legality of, 199. Generositv, 403. Genius, 293. 024. 833. Genlis, Madame, 247. Gentility, 444. 511. Gentleman, Mr. Francis, 131. "Gentleman." the appellation of, 4. " Gentleman's Magazine," 11. 13. 23. 25. 31. 43. 45. 48. .50. 596. 604.61I.G.58. 666. " Gentle Shepherd," Allan Ramsay's, 2.52. 395. George the First, .5,3. 161. 187. Johnson's character of, 414. the Second, 105. 187. '236. 461. 089. J's invective against, 42. 104. 111. 444. J.'s epigram on, 43.405. Not an Augustus to learning or genius, 05. His destruction of his father's will, 444. Compliment to Mrs. Thornton, 185. the Third, 119. 123. 126. 184. 187. 195, 196 199. 202. 32.^ 448. 403. 495. J.'s character of, 123. 213. 448. Grants J. a pension, 126. J.'s interview with, 184. Happy exi>res- sion of, 09. His conduct during the riots in 1780, 04*. His alleged refusal of an addition to J.'s pension disproved, 781.788. , his librarv is judiciously given to the Brit. Museum, 29. the Fourth, 151. 623. 184. 187. 272. 297. 325. 329. " Georgics," The, 731. Gerard, Dr., 292. 305. German courts, 3.59. Gerves, John, 378. Gesticulation, 24. 770. 834. Gestures, 42. 209. 429. " Get Money," 560. Gherardi, Marchese, 6^6. Ghosts, 116. 138. 228. 234. 239. 241. 275. 378. 573. 585. 596. 614.616.631.685. Giannone, 055. Giants' Causeway, 638. •' Giants of Literature," 69. Giardini, 254. Gibbon, Edward, Esq., 15. 71. 93. 112. ISO. 197. 202. 229. 272. 412. 44.5, 440. 4.52, 4.53. 484. 498. 511. 621. 573. 577. 579. 629. Sketch of his appearance and manners by Colman, jun., 511. His character of Dr. Maty, 93. His panegyric on public schools, 4US. Imitation of Johnson's style, 706. Gibbon, Mrs. 15. , Charles, his work worth reading, 175. , Hev. Dr., 09.=i. 75G. Gibraltar, 461 . Giffard, the managnr, 5!. , a clergyman, verses by, 301. Gifford, William, Esq., .562. 794. Gilbert " On Evidence," 400. Gillespie, Dr., 74>.). Gilmour, Mr , 33.5. Gilpin, Mr., 41(1. Ginquet, King, 4GI. Gin-shops, 25 1. Glanville, William Evelvn, Esq., C08. Glasgow, 3!)3. 719. Glasse's " Cookery," written by Dr. Hill, 592. Glaucus, 2'20. Glensheal, 309. Glnoniiness. folly and sinfulness of, 702 Glover's " Leonidas," 301 Gloves, 583. Glow-worm. 192. 256. Gluttony, l.")9. Glynn, Knight of, 377. Goat, motto for Banks's, 226. Gobelins, 4G0. Goldsmith, Dr. Oliver, 72. 13.5. 1.53. 161. 189. 222. 240.258. 264. 349. 385. 4-50. .506. 671. 657. 831. , Boswell and Hawkins's diameter of, 140, 141, 142. 241. .anecdotes of. 140. 141. 142, 143. 144. 150. 176. 186. 195. 203. 248. 251. 253. 262, 263, 264. 294. 498. 527. 549. , Johnson's opinion of, and of his writings, 139. 174. 235. 241. 244. 247. •2-50. 256, 2.57, 258. 263, 264. 308. 3.58, a-.9. 371. 384. 450. 506. 520. 550. 578. 580. 586. 600. 624, 625. 661. 663. 691.716. 768.831. , his portrait by Reynolds, 831. beats Evans, the bookseller, 248, 249. , Johnson's letter to, 255. . his bon-mots on Johnson, 195. 256. 263, 264 , hisde.ith, 413,414. , Johnson's tetrastic on, 414. 521. Translated, 414. , Johnson's Latin epitaph on, 519. , Garrick's and W'alpole's description of him, 110. , his " Vicar of Wakefield," 141. His " Traveller," 174. 256. 384. 580. 604. His " Deserted Village," 174. 258. , his comedies refused by (Jarrick and Colman, 604. , Dr. Warton's opinion of, 173. , J.'s prologue to his " Good-natured Man," 67. 189, 190. , his " Life of Parnell," 235. , his "She Stoops to Conquer," 248. Dedicated to J., 250. , his " Animated Nature," 240. 449. 548. , Prior's Life of, quoted, 74. 111. 171. 177. 203. 247. , Doctor Minor, 294. , Dr. Isaac, 141. , Kev. Mr., 241. , Mrs., 526. Good-breeding, 290. , in what it consists, 203. , the best book upon, 3-59. Gooddeere, Captain, 274. , Sir John Dinelv, 275. Good Friday, 449. 597. 7'24. Good-humour, 33.5. 451. " Good Man," 739. " Good-natured Man," Goldsmith's, 67. 189, 190. Goodness, infinite, 761. Natural, 335. .■136. Gordon, Professor Thomas, 290, '291. 293. , Mr., the translator of Tacitus, 45. , Hon. Alex., afterwards Lord Uockville, 1.59.401,402. , Sir Alexander, 291. 294. , Lord George, 647, 648. 683. , Rev. Dr., 618. Gough, Mr.. 465. Gout, 334. 634. 740. Government, 236. 591. 731. influence, 216. 448, 449. 509. 680. of India, 729. " Government of the Tongue," 620. Governments, different kinds of, -591. Gower. Earl, letter for J., 37. J.'s aversion to, 37. 98. , Mrs. Leveson, 646. " Grace," Edwards on, .593. . . .t meals, 303. Latin one of Johnson's, 284. Grafton, Duke of, .505. Graham, author of" Telemachus, a Ma.sqne," 139. 294. 528. , Lord, third Duke of Montrose, 627. , Ladv L;icy, 390. , Miss, afterwards Lady Dashwood, 637. , Colonel, 231. Grainger, Dr. James, 191. 206. 471. His " Sugar Cane," 485. 834. His'- Ode on Solitude," 561. 834. Letter to Percy, 171. Grammar-school, Johnson's scheme for the classes of a, 26. Grand Chartreux. 46.5. Grandison, Sir Charles, 83. 181 Grang", Lady, her extraordinary confinement, 311. Granger. Rev. James, his " Biographical History," 352. 524. Johnson's letter to, 471. Grant, Sir Archibald, 527. , Kev. Mr., 302. Grantham, Lord, 148. Grants, the. .109. <5ranville, John Carteret. Earl of. 6Aa 680. Gratitude, 343. Grattan, Right Hon. Henry, 439. 769. •• Grave," Hlair's. .509. Graves, Rev. Richard, 24. 443. 4S5. , Mr. Miipgaii, 24. Gravina, 723. Gray, Sir James, 238. , Thomas, and his poetry, 15 I3G. 137. 149. 174. 234. 365. 385. 439. 442. 504. .500. .595. OSs. 675. Hi« dulness. 504. His " Odes," 442. 6.58. His " Letters," 456. " Memoirs," 504. His life by M.ison, a dull book, Opinion of Boswell's " Corsica," 189. — — , Stephen, ver.ses on the death of, 181. , John, bookseller, 46. " Gray's Inn Journal," 120. " Great," how pronounced, 61. 233. Groat, m.nnners of the, 616. men, oi Greatrakes, Greece, the fountain of knowledge, 608. Greek language. Johnson's advice on stuilying, 637. , compared by Johnson to lace, C61. , Johnson's alleged deficii-ncy in, 794, 79.5. Grammar, Clenardus's. 660. Translations, 837. Green, Bishop of Lincoln. 8. 448. , Matthew, his " Spleen," quoted, 636. , Mr. Richard, of Lichfield, his museum, 214. 415. 490. 631.639. His cast of Shakspeare, 4:>8. Johnson'* letter to, 797. His anecdotes of Johnson. 83G. Green's " Diary of a Lover of Literature," 446. Greene, Edward Burnaby, 167. Green-room, Johnson's reasons for not frequenting, 62. " Green Sleeves," the song of, 353. Greenwich Hospital, 1-56, 157. Gregory, Dr., 79. 278. Grenville, Right Hun George, 222. Act, 4l!(). Gresham College. 498. Greshams, the. 170. Gresvvold, Henry, his cli,aracter of Johnson, 24. Greville, Mr., 644. His book. 704. , a name assumed by Hawkesworth, 55. Grey, Dr. Richard, 6U3. Dr. Zachary, 603. Grief, 206. .540. 693. Grierson, Mr., king's printer in Ireland, 160. 215. . Mrs., the learned, some account of, 215. Griffiths, Mr., letter re-pecting Cibber's Lives, 504. , Mr., of Keihamwycllh, 4'23. Grimm, 115 (frimslon. Viscount, his " Love in a Hollow Tree,"' 680. Oroot, Isaac de, a descend.int ofGrotius. J.'s kindness to, 535. Groses " Olio," jwle on Uutrles Hiuari, 827. Grotius, 1.55. 478. .5.15. , on the Chri-tian rebgion. recommended by J., 135. , de Satisfactione Christ!, 'i92. Grotto, Popes. 6.57. 670. Grottos, 6.57, 658. Grove, Henry, his " Spectator," on Novelty, 505. 664. " Grub-street," Johiisun's description of, 98. Gualtier, Philip, 718. Guardians, Johnson's advice on the appointment of, 634. Guarini quoted, 614. Guilleragues, 22. •• Gulliver's Travels," 437. Gully, 79. Gunisbury Park, Johnson in, 834. Gunning,'Eli2abeth, Duchess of .Argylc, 387. Gunpowder, 3(13. 618. " Gustavus Vasa." Brooke's, 40. Guihrie, Will.. .52. 191. 663. " Apotheosis of Milton," 40. Gwynn, Mr., the architect, 181. 424. 4h1. 483. , his proposals for the improvement of the metropolis, John.son's dedication, 181. , Mrs. (Miss Horneck), 140. Habeas Corpus, 200. Habits, early, 4-52. Hackman, Rev. Mr., his trial for shooting Miss Rav, 628. Haddington. E.irl of. '241. .538. Haddock, Kinnon, 299. Hagley,424. Hague, 8. llailes. David, Dalrymple. Lord. 87. 148. 1.53. 245.275. 278, 279. 300. 351. 380. 401. 428, 429 472. 474. 483. .569. .589. 730. 736.740. -Accouiit of, 148. His letter to Boiwell on the " Journey to the Hebrides," 405. His " AnnaU of ScoU land," 4i:i, 414.441. 459. 468. 471. 513. 618. 6'24.636. Halo, Lord Chief Justice, '232. 445. Anecdotes of, 448. 767. llaliord. Sir H.,211. Half-pay ollicers, 422. 858 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. [Index. Halifax, Lord, 1G8. Halket, Eliz., (Lady Wardlaw), author of " Hardyknute," 205. Hall, Rev. Dr., 13. 16. 18. 89. 93. 165. 213. 258 448. 453. 476. 507. 511. .560. 597.658. , Mrs., 475. 684, 68.5. 752. , Bishop, 175. 233. , General, 619. Hallam, Mr., 249. Hallows. Mrs., 357. Halsey, Edmund, Esq. 169. Hamilton, of Bangour, his poems, 276. Mn. Right Hon. William Gerard, 3V. 168, 169. 223.349. 436. 441. 577. 644. 690. 743. 807. J.'s compliments to his conver- sation, 169. His anecdote respecting J.'s pension, 436. J.'s letters to, 743. 787. His kindness to J., 742. , the Rev. Dr., Johnson's letters to, 7.'^7- , Gavin, the painter, 410. , Mr., the printer, 254. , Mr., of Sundrum, 275. , Lady Bettv, 388, 389. , Duke and'Duchess of, 387. 390. 396. 569. , Miss, 731. " Hamlet," 248. 512. 678. Hammond, James, 69. His " Love Elegies," 357. .504. G.59. Mr. Bevil's defence of, 675. Dr., " on the New Testament," 513. Handmaid to the " Arts," 658. Hanging criminals, on the new way of, 720. Hanmer, Sir Thomas, his ShaUspeare, 54. 181.183. 201. Epitaph on, 64. Hanover succession, 27G. 358. 389. 546. 712. Hanway, Jonas, his " Essay on Tea," 105. His " Travels" characterised by Johnson, 217. Happiness, 142. 1.50. 1.53. 175. 236. 289. 323.365. 447. 511. 549. 561. 578. 593, 594. 695. equalised by Providence, 90. , the only solid basis of, 619. Harcourt, Lord Chancellor, 18. Hardinge, Sir Henry, (now Lord,) 241 Hardwicke, Lord Chancellor, 505. 563. , second Lord, 85. Hardv, Mr., his •' Life of Lord Charlemont," 8S. 643. " Hardyknute," ballad of, 205. Harington, Dr. Henry, his " Nugas Antiqua:,'' 717. " Harieian Miscellany," 53. Harlow, the painter, 741. Harmless pleasure, 629. Harrington, Countess of, 541. Harriot, Mrs., 213. " Harriot Stuart," a novel, 83. Harris, James, Esq., 254. 3D6. 452. 532. 577. .582. 644. , his character of Ji)hnson"s Dictionary, 532. , his " Hermes," 396. , the bookseller, 249. Harrison, Mr., Johnson's uncle, 813. , Mrs., her " Miscellanies," 105. Harry, Miss Jane, the proselyte to Quakerism, .596. Hart, Rev. John, his Hymns, 165. Harte, Dr. Walter, his " Gustavus Adolphus," 217. 680. J.'s character of, 217. His excessive vanity, 680. Hartly, Dr., 65. Harwood, Dr., 4. 12. 25. 62. 78. 80. 125. 127. 163. 187. 198. 438. 605, 506. His " History of Lichfield," 25. 79. , Dr. Edward, .506. Hastie, the schoolmaster, prosecuted, 227.231.241.245. , Johnson's argument on behalf of, 241. 245, Hastings, Warren, Esq., Boswell's character of, 675. 729. , letter to Boswell, 675. J.'s letters to, 676, 677. Wished to bring the Persian language into Europe, 676. , Marquis of, 322. Hatchett, Charles, Esq., secretary of the " Club," 445, 446. Hatred, .544. " Hatyin foam foam eri," an Erse song, 316. Translated by Lady Northampton, 364. Hawkestone, 417. Hawkesworth, Dr., 54, 55. 58.75.79.81.181. 235. 361.834. A pupil of J.'s, 25. imitates his stvie, 81. 250. Anecdotes of J., -235. His "Collection of Voyages," 260.496. His objections against a particular providence, 361. Hawkins, Mr., Johnson's instructor in Latin, 7. , Rev. William, his " Siege of Aleppo," 583. , Sir John, his " Life of Johnson" quoted, contradicted, or explained, passiWJ. , Sir John, Boswell habitually unjust to, 1. Johnson's letters to, 745, 789. , journal of Johnson's last days, 800. 840. , his attempt to purloin Johnsons MSS., 803. 841. , his miscellaneous anecdotes of Johnson, 771. , Miss, 232. 597. 746. Her description of Mrs. Williams, 71. Of Bennet Langton, 79. Of Garrick's person and mode of living of, .584. Hawthornden, 322. 404. Hay, Lord Charles, 394. 497. 661. , Lord, 297. , John, 306. 308. 310. , Sir George, 118. John of Kellour, 297. Hay's " Martial," 392. Hayes, Rev. Mr., 565. Hayley, William, Esq., 773. 837. Hayman, Mr., the painter, 86. Health, 227. , Johnson's rules for travellers in quest of, 708. Healths, drinking of, 637. " Heard," Johnson's mode of pronouncing, 560. Heaven, happiness of, 233. .593, 594. Hearne, Thomas, 837. He-bear and she-bear, 691. Heberden, Dr., 632. 734. Letter to, 788. Hebrides, Johnson's wish to visit, 153. 157. 191. '224. 228. 245. 256. 266. , Boswell's account of the journey to, from 267. to 409. .Johnson's "Account of his Journey," 413,414.427. 431. 527. 540. 606. Errata in, 825. Hector, Mr. Edmund, Johnson's schoolfellow, 5. 3, 9. 11. 21. 23. 47. 486. 488. 665. 791. George, 813. . Johnson's letters to, 703, 704. 792. Heely, Mr. and Mrs., 183. 790. Heirs, 472. &-c. 525. " Hell paved with good intentions," 450. " Heloise," Rousseau's, 175. Henault's History of France, 459. Henderland, Lord. See Blurray. Hender.son, John, the actor, 741 . Imitation of J., 439. , John, student of Pembroke College, 7.59. 763. Henry, Dr., 79. His " History of Great Britain," 609. 11 , Lyttelton's History of, 185. VH., 300. VIII., 420. 638. , Shakspeare's, 741. Harlowe's picture of, 741. , Mr., 102. Herbert, George, his " Jacula Prudentum" quoted, 450. Hercules, 60. Hereditary occupations, 302. Dispositions, 335. Right, .546. Heritable jurisdictions, 322. " Hermes," Harris's, 396. " Hermippus Kedivivus," Campbell's, 142. 477. Hermit, Life of, 283. " Hermit," Parnell's, 569. 631. Beattie's, 720. . Heme, Elizabeth, a lunatic cousin of Johnson, 802. " Heroic Epistle to Sir William Chambers," 325. 602. 691. 768. Hertford, first Marquis of, 88. Hervey, Lord, 29. 59. , Hon. Thomas, 29. 183. 201. 444. 507. 651. , Hon. Henry, 28., and Miss Eliza, 6ril. , Rev. James, his " Meditations," 387. Hssiod, 283. 637. Hesketh, Lady, 505. Hickes, Rev. Dr., 389. 759. Hickman, Geo., Johnson's letter to, 20. Miss, 23. Hicky, Mr., the painter, 443, 444. Hierarchy, Johnson's reverence for, 540. 678. Hierocles, 44. 371. Higgins, Dr., 616. 629. " High Life below Stairs," Garrick's farce of, 656 Highland chief, 312. 314. 343. Highlanders. 231.403. Highwaymen, the question of shooting them discu.ijsed, 576. Hill, Dr. Sir John, Johnson's character of, 185. 212. 284. .592. , Aaron, his account of " Irene," 61. Paraphrase of the epigram on the miracle at Cana, 598. , Sir Rowland, 417. Hinchcliffe, Dr. John, 645. " Historia Studiorum," Johnson's, 604. Historian, requisites for an, 145. Historians, 338.636. History, 145. 202. 452. Little really authentic, 202. 452. " Ail old almanack," 452 Not supported by contempo- rary evidence, a romance, 404. of manners, the most valuable, 289. of the Council of Trent, J.'s projected translation of, 29. " Historye of Troye," first book printed in English, 42.5. Hitch, Mr., 101, 102. Hoadly, Dr. Benjamin's " Suspicious Husband," 190. Hoare, Lady, 511. Hobbes, Thomas, on the state of the mind in old age, 581. Hodge, Johnson's cat, 7'22. Hogarth, 9. 45.5. 614. His first interview with J., 42. 614. J.'s lines on the death of, 43. 225. His character of J., 42, Hogg's " Jacobite Relics," 310. " Hogshead of Sense," Johnson said to be, 383. Holdbrook, Mr., Johnson's early instructor, 8. Holderness, Lord, 331 Holidays, 487. 601. Holland, the jurisprudence of, 159. , Mr., the actor, 656. Hollis, Thomas, Esq., 9, 686. Hollyer, Mr., Johnson's letter to, 427. Holy orders, 107. Holyrood House, 276. 390. Holywell, 419. Home. Lord, 43. 134. , Mr. John, 165. 332. 399. 441. 448. 452. 509. 518. 548. , his tragedy of " Douglas," 390. 437. 518. Jndkx. BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 859 Homer, 41. 220. 288, 299. 296. 317. 559. 682. 608. 664. 137. , antiquity of, 608. Quoted by Thucydides, 60>*. , J.'s veneration for, 220. 608. J.'s seal, a head of, 220. — , Johnson's early translations from, 10. , Pope's translation of, 5K2. Dacier's, Macpherson's, and Cowper's translations of, 608. and Virgil, comparative excellence of, 559. 608. " Homocaudatus, " 459. Honesty, 574. Noble instance of, 298. Hook, Abbe, his translation of " Berwick's Memoirs," 592. Hooke, Dr., 464, 465. , Nath., wrote theDuchess of Marlborough's Apology ,321 . Hooker, 69. Hoole, John, Esq., 76. 130. 427. 610. 649. Educated in Grub-street, 720. .T.'s dedication of his " Tasso." 1.30. Letter to Hastings in behalf of, 677. His " Cleonice," 427. J.'s. letters to, 427. 785. Diary of J.'s last illness, .S44. , Rev. Mr., 804. Mrs., 76. Hooper, Bishop, 210. Hope, 125. , Dr.. 405. 749. , Sir William, 284. Hopeton, John, Earl of, 668. Hopson, General, 497. Horace, 56. 61. 69, 70. 176. 224. 257.280.317.323.397.408. 448. 450. 458. 482. 516. 559. 580. 604, 605. 617. 624. 691. 730. , Johnson's translation from, 10. , Francis's translation of, the best, 617. , Dr. Douglas's collection of editions of, 756. Horace's villa, 580. Home, Bishop, 413, 414. 483. .529. 810. Letter to Adam Smith about Hume, 272. His character of J., 810. Rev. John. See Tooke. Honieck, the Misses, 138. 14('. 249. 649. Horrebow's history of Iceland, 589, Horses, old, what should be done with, 744. Horsley, Dr. Samuel, 155. 746. , William, 184. Hospitality, 235. 253. 607. 660. 731. Decline of, 660. Hospitals, administration of, 511. Hottentot, respectable, Johnson so called, 87, 88. Houghton Collection, Johnson regrets the sale of, 775. House of Commons, 261. 574, .'v75. 714. , influence of peers in, 281. , power of expulsion by, 637. , originally a check for the Crown, on the Lords, 637. — ^, best mode of speaking at the bar of, 571. , its power over the national purse, 714. , Lord Bolingbroke's description of, 574. , coarse invectives used in, 763. House of Peers, 281.296. Housebreakers, 695. Houses and residences, Johnson's, 30. 635. How, Mr. Richard, 718. Howard, John, Esq., the philanthropist, 19. 114. .571. , Hon. Edward, 211. , Sir George, 455. Howell's " Letters," 446. Huddersford, Dr., 92. 108. " Hudibras," 58. 340. 454. 506. Huet, Bishop of Avranches, 22, 23. 552. Hiiggins, W., the translator of Ariosto, 129. Dispute with Warton, 656. Hughes, John, the poet, 88. 601.666. Hulks, punishment of the, ,585. Human life, 218. 773. Miseries and happiness of, 447. will, liberty of, 773. Humanity, Johnson's, 770. Hume, David, 62, 88. 1-50, 151. 174. 199.211.272.331.358.393. 436.482. 534. 545. 557. 593. 629. Echo of Voltaire, 191. Secretary of Embassy at Paris, 88. Political principles, 722. Scepticism, 272. 534. 545. 760. His " Lite," 534. Humour, good and bad, 335. 451 . 609. 696. , Johnson's talent for, 58. " Humours of Ballamagairy," 251. Humphry, Ozias, Esq., Johnson's letters to, 751, 752. Hunter, Mr., Johnson's schoolmaster, 7. 89. 227. 836. , Mrs., 193. Miss, 718. Hunter, Dr., 704.731. Hunting, Johnsbn a fox-hunter, 3-51. Pleasure of, 8.38. Hurd, Bishop, 20. 448. 516. 572. 669. " Works of Cowley," .503. Johnson's character of, 720. Sermon on evil spirits, 761. " Hurlo Thrurabo," Sam. Johnson, author of, .366. Husbands, 637. , John, 13. Hussey, Dr. Thomas, titular Bishop of Waterford, 805. Rev. John, letter to, 621. Hutchnison, William, a drover, honesty of, 298. , .Inhn, his " Moral Philosophy," 511. , Mrs., 15. Hutton, William, his " History of Derby," 549. , Mr., the Moravian, 805. Hyde, Henry, Lord, 476. Hyett, Mrs., (Miss Adams), 761. Hypocaust, a Roman one, 418. Hypochondria, the " English Malady," 14. 28. 617. MO. Byron's definition of, 15. SulTered by Mr. Windham, 617. 840. and madness, distinction between, 14. , improper treatment of, 28. " Hypochondri.ic," Boswell's, 15. 717. Hypocrite, no man one in his pleasures, 768. , play of the, 437. Iceland, ch.ipter of the " Natural History " of, 689. Icolmkill. 381,382. Idleness, no. 147. LIS. 'iOS. 657. 716. " Idler." Johnson's, 1. 110. 114. 116. 510. Ignorance, singular instance of, .302. , guilt of continumg in voluntary, 181. among men of eminence, instances of, 205. Ham, Johnson's visit to, 415. 557. Ilchester, Earl, 440. Ilk, sense of the word, 606. Imagination, 612. 833. Imlac, why so spelled, 664. Immortality, 450. 6.57. Impartiality, 479. Impressions, folly of trusting to, 694. should lie described while fresh on the mind, 109. Impudence, difl'ercnce between Scotch and Irish, 433. Ince, Richard, a writer in the " Spectator," 505. Inch Keith, 281. Inchkenneth, 372. 376. 379. 428. 429. Ode on, 378. " Incidit in Scyllam,"&c., whence taken, 718. Incivility, 663. Income, living within, 733. Incredulity, Johnson's, 573. Indecency and indelicicy. See Macaulay, T. B. Index rerum to " Clarissa," 73. India, government of, 729. — — , Johnson's thought of going there, 501. , practice of going to, in quest of wealth, 635. Indians, why not weak or deformed, 728. Indigestion, Johnson's remedy for, 440. Indolence, Johnson's, 157. 165. Inequality, political, 2-52. Infidel writers, 3.58. 482. 484. 760. Infidelity, 174. 176. 202. 332. 450. 482. 512. 545. 760. , conjugal, ,502. 614. 636. Infidels, keeping company with, 638. Influence of the Crown, 216. 731. Ingratitude, 495. , French s.iying about, 335. Inheritance, consequences of anticipating, 706, Inmates and pensioners, Johnson's, 670. 620. Innes, Rev. Mr., 122. Innovation, rage for, 720. Inns, Shenstone's lines on, 485. 830. Innys, Mr. William, 801. Inoculation, 762. Inquisition, 158. Insanity, 5. 14, 15. 106. 135, 336. ,5.53. 664. , hereditary, important observations on, 5. Inscriptions, Latin or English, 313. 392. 520. Insects, 260. Inspired, whether our copies of the Scriptures are to be considered, absolutely and literally, as, 176. Insults, 239, 240. Intentions, 175. Good. 785. Interest, 574. Of money, 611. Intoxication, 480. Intromission, vicious, 244. 247. 278. 814. Intuition and sagacity, distinction between, 775. Invasion, ridiculous fears of, 606. Invectives, 763. Inverary, 385. Inverness, .304. " Inverted understanding," 626. Invitations, 451. Invocation of saints, 263. 637. 761. Inward light, 219. Ireland, 217. 2i0. 263. 277. injured by the union with England, 638. , hospitality to strangers in, 660. , its ancicht st.ate little known, 108. , Johnson wishes its literature cultirated, 108. , necessity of poor laws in, 220. .William Henry, his Shakspeare forgeries, .510.701. " Irene," Johnson's tragedy of, •/7. 29, 30, 31. 46. 60, 61. 76. Irish, the, " a fair people," 433. Mix bettor with the Engliih than the Scotch do, 2.59. J.'s compassion for the dis- tresses of, 217. 263. J.'s kindness for, »,.-W. Cnion, 638. Gentlemen, good scholars among them, 220. Accent, 232. Impudence, 433. L.-inguage, 531. .575. And Welch lan- guages, affinity between, 108. And Erse languages com- pared, 231. 440. Papists, 217. 263. Family pride, 355. Irrfepar.able, or irrepairable ? 479. Irvine, Mr., 295. 34'J. 860 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. r Index. Italy, Johnson's projected tour to, 342. 40G. 500. 503. 505. 772.775. 781. Ivy-lane Club, 58. 107. 745. 752. Jackson, Henrv, Johnson's schoolfellow, 489. 538. , Richaid. "Esq.. M. I'., the " Omniscient," 600 540. , Thomas, the servant, fi. 489. , Mr., of Canterbury 32. Jacobites, 147. 438. Jacobitisra, Johnson's ingenious defence of, 147. James I., 243. 420. His '■ Dasmonology, " 627. II., 278. 3'J5. 444. IV. of Scolland. Boswell's hitended hi.story of, 293. ,Dr., 19.43.235.501. 783. His " Medicinal Dictionary." 48. His ch.iracter, 48. His death, 495. Janes, Mr., 312. 317. Japix, Gisbert, his " Rymelerie," 163. " Jealous Wife," a comedy, T-S. Jealousy, 512. Jenkinson, Charles (Lord Liverpool), letter to, 543. Jennens, Charles, of Gopsal, 248. Jennings, Mr. .573. Jenyns, Soame. 68. lOG. 509. 593. His " Origin of Evil," lOG. 392. His epitanh on Johnson, and Boswell's retaliation, 106. Application of a passage in Horace to, 590. His " Evidence of the Christi^ui Religion," 593. Jephson, Robert, Esq., SC. 205. Jersey, William, third Earl, 3. Jervis, Mr., of Birmingham, 21. , Klizaheth. (Mrs. Johnson), 24. 78. "Jesuits, de.-.truction of the order of, 468. Jodrell, Richard Paul, Esq., 643. 754. Johnson, Michael, father of Samuel, 4, 5. 19. 214 438. 812. , Mrs., his mother, 5. 7. 19.23. 114. 812. Her death, il3. , Nathaniel, brother of Samuel, 4. 23. , Mrs., wife of Samuel, 25, 26. 28, 29. 50 .58. 65. 74, 75, 76, 77. 81.80. 165. .502.612. 615. , Andrew, Samuel's uncle, 4. 198. 239. 342. 427. Thomas, Samuel's cousin, 427. Johnson, Samuel. Leading events of his lije. 1709. his birth, 4. inherits a vile melancholy, 4. 832. his account of his family,'812. traditional stories of his precocity, 6. afflicted with scrofula, 7. 1712. touched by Queen Anne for the evil, 7. 1716. at school in Lichfield, 7. Boyish days, 8. 1726. removed to the school of Stourbridge, 10. 1727. leaves Stourbridge. J.'s two years at home. 12. 837. 1728. enters at Remb. Coll., 12. College life, 13. 837- translates Pope's " Messiah," 13. the " morbid melancholy " increases, 14. his reading, 16. Specimens of exercises, 17. 1731. quits college, 18. 1732. becomes usher of Bosworth school, 20. 1733. at Birmingham, and translates Lobo, 21. 1734. returns to Lichfield, 22. proposes to print Politian's poems, 22. offers to write for the " Gent. Mag.," 23. 1736. marries Mrs. Porter, and opens a school at Edial, 25. 1737. goes to London with Garrick, 27. retires to lodgings at Grt^nwich, 29. designs to translate Father Paul, 29. returns to Lichfield and finishes " Irene," 29. removes to London with liis wife, 30. 1738. becomes a writer in the "Gent. Mag.," 31. writes the debates in parliament, 32. publishes " London," sells it for ten guineas, 33. fails to obtain the degree of A. M., 37. 1739. publishes "Marmor Norfolciense," 40. 1740. writes Lives of Blake, Drake, and Barretier, 43. 1741. translates the " Jests of Hierocles," Guyon's " Disser- tation on the Amazons," and Fontenelle's "Panegyric on Dr. Morin," 44. 1742. writes " Essay on the Account of the Conduct of the Duchess of Marlborough," Lives of Burman and of Sydenham, and proposals for " Bibliotheca Har- leiana," 46. 1743. writes " Considerations on the Dispute between Crou- saz and Warburton," iSrc, and dedication to Dr. Meiid, of James's "Medicinal Dictionary," 47. 1744. publishes the " Life of Savage," and writes " Preface to the Harl. Miscell.," 49. .53. 1745. publishes "Miscellaneous Observations on Macbeth, with Remarks on Hanmer's Shakspeare," 53. no details of his life for the years 1745-6, 54. 1747. publishes the prospectus of his Dictionary, .56. forms the King's Head Club, Ivy Lane, 68. 1748. visits Tunbridge Wells, 58. writes" Life of Roscommon," " Preface to Dodsley's Preceptor," and '' Vision of Theodore the Hermit," 59. Johnson, Samuel, — continued. 1749. gets fifteen guineas for the " Vanity of Human Wishes," 59. his " Irene" acted nX Drury Lane, 60. 1750. bigins to publish " The Rambler ; " his prayer on ccmi- mencing the undertaking, 62. Writes a prologue for the benefit of Milton's grand-daughter, 72. 1751. writes "Life of Cheynel," Letter for Lauder, and dedication to Lenox's " Female Quixote," 72. 1752. works at the Dictionary and R.imbler, 74. death of his wife, and grief for her, 75. writes her funeral sermon and epitaph, 77. circle of his friends at this time, 79. 1753. writes papers T in " Adventurer," 75.81. 1754. writes " Life of Cave," 84. Visits Oxford, 88. obtains the degree of A. M. from Ox;ord, 90. 1755. publishes his Dictionary, 91. projects a " Bibliotheque," 93. his depressed state of mind, 98. the Academy dcUa Crusca and the French Academy present him with their " Dictionaries," 98. his scheme of life for Sunday, 99. 1756. )>ublishes an abriftgment of Dictionary, 103. writes in " The Universal Visitor," 103. edits the " Literary Magazine," 103. composes sermons for clergymen, 107. proposes an edition of Shakspeare, 107. offered a living, hut declines taking orders, 107. 1757. dictates a speech at a public meeting on the expedition to Rochfort, 107. 1758. commences the " Idler," 110. he breaks up housekeeping, and removes to chambers in the Temple, 110. 1759. death of his mother, 113 writes his " Rasselas," to pay for her funeral, 115. makes an excursion to Oxford, 117. writes a '' Dissertation on the Greek Comedy," the Introduction to " The World Displayed," and" Three Letters concerning Blackfriars' Bridge," 119. 1760. writes "Address of the Painters to George III.," the dedication to Baretti's Italian Dictionary, .ind a re- view of Tytler's " Vindication of Mary Queen of Scots," 119. forms resolutions for his conduct and studies, 119. 1761. writes preface to " Bolt's Dictionary," 121. 1762. writes dedication of " Kennedy's Astronomical Chro- nology," and prefa(;e to the Catalogue of the Artists' exhibition, 124. E obtains a pension of 300/. a-year, 126. accompanies Sir Joshua Reynolds into Devon, 127. 1763. writes character of Collins, " Life of Ascham," dedi- cation to Hoole's"Tasso,"and Detection of the Im- posture of the Cock-lane Ghost, 130—8. Boswell becomes acquainted with him, 131. 1764. the "Literary Club" founded, 163. afflicted with severe hypochondria, 165. writes review of Grainger's " Sug.ir Cane," and of Gold- smith's "Traveller," 164. visits Dr. Percy, W,. 1765. visits Cambridge,- 167. created LL.D. by Dublin Universltv, 168. is introduced to the Tlirales, 169. 17"l. publishes his Shakspeare, 107 1760. writes the dedication of Gwynn's " London and West- minster Improved," and "The Fountains," a fairy tale, 181. 1767. his interview with the King, 184. writes dedication to the King of " Adams' Treatise on the Globe," 187. 1768. writes prologue to Goldsmith's play, 187. visits Oxford, 189. 1769. appointed professor in ancient literature to the Royal Academy, 197. visits Oxford, Lichfield, and Brighton, 197. appears at the Old Bailey as a witness, 207. 1770. publishes " The FaUe Alarm," 213. 1771. publishes " Thoughts on the late Transactions respect- ing Falkland's Islands," 221. design of bringing him into parliament, 222. prepares a 4th edition of the Dictionary, 230. 1772. writes law arguments for Boswell, 241. sketches of his state of mind, 243. 1773. publishes new edition of Dictionary, 246. writes preface to " Macbean's Dictionary of Ancient Geography," 246. attempts to learn the Low Dutch languages, 265. journey with Boswell to the Hebrides, 207. presented with the freedom of Aberdeen, 292. 1774. writing his " Journey to the Hebrides," 411. visits North Wales with the Thrales, 415. visits Mr. Burke at Beaconsfield, 425. writes " The Patriot," 425. 1775. publishes his " Journey to the Hebrides," 426. publishes " Taxation no Tyranny," 434. receives degree of D.C.L. from Oxford, 446. visits France with the Thrales, 4-59 1T76. writes proposals for an Analysis of the Celtic Language, 476. ssoN, Samuel, — cuntinued. visits Oxl'onl aiui Lichliold, 4^*1., and I'.atli, r,im. . engages to write " Tlie I.ivps ol tho I>.)i't«," .J.iO. writes dedication of the works of Hishop I'earce, oil . visits Oxford and Derbyshire, KM. exerts himself in behalf of Dr. Dodd, o41. . his visit to Warley Camp. 618. squabbles of his inmates, 020. ,.,„,. , .. . publishes the first four volumes of " Ihe Lives of tht Poets," C22. „ ! employed on " The Lives of the Poets, C42. . completes his " Lives ot the Poets,;' fiG.'J. death of Mr. Thrale, GHl . J. one ot his executors, 082. loses his friend Mr. Strahan, 687. plans a life of greater diligence, 09S. purposes to study Italian literature, 0<18. visits Oxford, Birmingham, and Licliheld, 698. !. loses his old friend Uobert Levett, 700. declining state of his health, 702. visits Oxford, 708. takes leave of Streatham, 710. !. has a stroke of the palsy, 73-1. visits Lichfield and Oxlord, 730. founds the Essex Head Club, 740. troubled with spasmodic asthma, 740. I. visits Oxford, 7.i8. his friends project a tour to Italy, 7/2. lio.jib. visits Lichfield, Birmingham, .uid O.xford, 7W. expiatory visit to ltto\etor, 7!)i. details of his last illness and De.\th, 793_bU7. 839-84( Will, 801. FtJNERAL in Westminster Abbey, 8k, . Monument in St. Paul's, 808. Epitaphs by Mr. Flood an.l Dr. Parr, 809. Chronological Catalo ,1 = T,, m; \\ouks,821. 100. 113.792. List of various . -. . List of various intin i Recollections ol luiii iy li > Miscellaneous Anecdotes nt. 1(\ the Rev. Mr. Parker, by Ui Barclay, by Mr. Green, 830. ■I 820 >.Uli. 830. Wiekins, 83n. Bj ose, i.y .Mr. Kobcrl , and character. Leading points of his habits, manner Johnson, his peculiarities of person and '5,»""er ^ 8 9. K.. 23,24.26.41,42. 87. 105, JOG. 170. 195. 208, 269. 282. 3(1. 409. 420. 511. ..very imperfect sight, 400. 511. 83.'}. inability to discriminate features, aou. b3o. ! defective hearing, 835. , gesticulations, 42. 209. 439. 077. . \ peculiar march, 077. Loud lone of voice, 83.j. . ', remarkable laugh, 4.'J7. _ , heat and irritability of blood, /21. , dress, 269. 606. 832. , ,«■ « n 10 general traits of character and -xiodn of lyvmg. S, 9. 12. 18 24 ''5 36. 41. 48. 51. .58. 63. 79. f5. 695. , the " Ramblers " written hastlv, 03. 5i K. Ji^O lines of " TheVanitv of Human Wishes," in a day. 177. " Rassclas." in a week, 115. " False .\larm " in twenty-eight hour), 213. A sermon after dinner, 235. Fortv-eight pages of the " Life of Savage" at a sitting, 285. Six sheets of tran»- lation from the French in a day, i8j. " The Patriot" in one day, 420. , at sixtv-seven purposes to apply vigorously to the Greek and Italian languages, 523. , .^tyle chara.teri.sed, 09. 70. 71. 582. 666. , various imitations of, 795. . W. S.. of Connecticut, Johnson's letter to, 248. . Commodore, 241. , of the lay monastery, 398. , Charles, author of " Adventures of .1 Guinea," 353. , Samuel, author of " Hnrlo "Jhrumbo," 366. , the equestrian, 136. 573. , Thomas, 427., and Samuel, 632. 802. . Miss (Mrs. Whiting), 801. , 5Irs. (widow of a clergvman). U"9. •' Jolnisnniuna." the collection fo called. 479. 606. Joluistiine, Arthur, his poems, 156. 254. 750. , Sir James, 7-57. Jones, Sir William, 37. 218. 259. 298. 629. 640. 676. , Philip, 483. , Miss, 108. Jonson, Ben, 72. 404. Jorden, Kev. Mr,12. 13. 18.89 837. . Jortin, Dr., his sermons, .579. His epitaph, dl. '• Joseph .Andrews," Fielding's, 238. _^ „., ,,„ ,^„ .,- Journal, Johnson adviies keeping one, 148. 2d1. 449. 508. , 16. des Savans. 180. Journey. See Hebrides. Judgls%rivate life of, 402. Trading, 445. Why they should not hold their places for life, 448. , an opinion of the Twelve, 013. Judgment, 4.50. Julian, Emperor, 74. Julien, M., 293. Junius, .58. 177. 222. 025. 705. Juries. 499. Jnstamond, J. O., 530. Juvenal. 33, 34. 59. 390. .581. 017. . llolyday s notes on, praised, 841. Kaime=. Henry Home, Lord, 43 '^4. 159. 191 205 244. 358_ 39' His " Elements of Criticism," 134.5,8. His Sketches of .Man," .578.611.616. Kearney, Bishop. 108. 489. Ur Michael, notes and observations, 51, 52, 140. 160. 1.18. 204. 251. 58.5. 605. 630. 678. Kearsley. Mr., the bookseller, 67. 677. Kedle-tmi, 416. 548. Keene, Mr., 405. Keith, Mr., of the Excise, 304, 305. Lady, 488. Kellv, Hugh. 190. .532. 804. _• Tl.„m;vs siMh Earl of. 399. .551. Kcnll.' .1 ' ' !■' .:p. .'00. 741,742. Kendal, Diuhe-s '.'I. 151. Kennedy, Sir Alexander, 39o. . , ,., , .. .m Dr .dedication of his "Astronomical Chronology, 124. 'Dr., his Tragedy, 576. ^....., Kennicot. Dr. llenjamin, 219. 270. Mr. OsO. , ., . Kenrick, Dr. William, attacks on J., 1,1. 18s. 1 J4. *>B. 08^. Kent, Duke of. 1-7. Keppel. .Ulmiral. 101.058. Kerr, Mr. James, 270. Kerry, Knight of, 377. Kettel, Hall. 88. Kildare, E.irl of, 300. Kilm.arnock, Lord, 297. . Kilmorey, John, tenth Viscount, 41, . 862 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. [IirPEr. Kimchi, Rabbi, 3. Kindersley, Mr., 740. Kindness, 55.'j. 709. King, Dr. William, 92, 93. 117. 331. 452. , Dr., on tlie happiness of a future state, 593. ^ Archbishop, his " Essay on Evil," 635. , Lord, his " Life of Locke," 155 King, Johnson's interview with the, 185. Kings, their situation, 144. 151. 185.343. 670. Kingsborough, Earldom, 377. " Kingsburgh," (Alex. Macdonald), 324,325. 333. 352. 355. King's-Head Club, 5S. Kippis, Dr., 117. 223. 292. 552, 553. 792. J.'s opinion of, 83G. Knapton, Miss, 56. 96. Kneller, Sir Godfrey, 575. Knight, Lady, 24. 74. 76. 181. Anecdotes of Johnson, 76. And of Mrs. Williams, 74. 181. , Captain Sir Joseph, 480, 481. , Joseph, the negro, 5C6. Knights Templars, College of, 340. Knitting, 577. Johnson attempts to learn, 449. 758. Knolies, 27. Knowledge, 142. 182. 252. 449. 484. 506. 608. Knowles, Mary, 517, 518. 591, 592, 593. 595. Dialogue with Johnson, 596. Knox, John, the reformer, 26. 283, 284. , Rev. Vicesimus, imitates Johnson's style, 70. 773. 797. , Mr. John, opinion of Johnson's " Journey," 431. Konigsmark, Count, 190. Kristrom, Mr., 231. Labefactation of all principles, 453. La Bletrie, 74. La Bruyere, 450. Lactantius, 538. Lade, Sir John, Johnson's verses on, 805. Ladies, Johnson's politeness to, 832. Lafontaine. 61. Lambesc, Prince, 4G2. Landed property, 473. Landlords, 209. 333. 343. 366. 370. 443. 579. 712. Langley, Rev. Mr., 416. , Charles, Esq., husband of" Alley Croker," 530. Langton, Rennet, Esq., 8. 29. 59. 79, 80. 85. 108, 109. 112. 121. 128. 163. 177, 178. 188. 194. 197. 203. 222. 2t;0. 263. 265, 266. 292. 298. 337. 378. 413. 428. 430. 4J5. 451. 4.57. 479. 486. 509, 510. 523, 524. 528. 537. .548. 556. 670. .579. 583,589. 597. 602, 603. 614. 618. 646. 662. 680. 086. 703. 736. 740. 756. 803. , Johnson's letters to, 95. 108. 112 121. 177, 178. 188. 222. 225, 226. 413. 451. 457. 535. 620. 697. 703. 740. 751. 779. 786. Character of, 834. , collection of Johnson's sayings, 6.55. , letter to Boswell, 646. , Miss, Johnson's letter to, 227. . — -, Miss Jane, 427. 565. Johnson's letter to, 753. , Mr., Senior, 260. 509. Mrs., 363 , Peregrine, Esq., his economy, 178. , Bishop, 80. parish, 107. Language, 731. Origin of, 726. , ancient, not to be modernised, 768. , on writing verses in a dead, 454. Languages, 156. 182. 202. 231. 467. 506. , the pedigree of nations, 340. , poets the preservers of, 506. , Irish and Gaelic the same, 231. Chinese, Gil. Lansdown, Marquis of, 505. Lapidary inscriptions, inaccurate, 622. Lapouchin, Madame, 611. Lascaris' Grammar, first book printed in Greek, 425. Late hours, Johnson's fondness for, 563. Latimer, 210. Latin inscriptions, 313. 392. language, Johnson's proficiency in, 468. 837. La Trobe, Kev. Mr., 805. 846. Laud, Archbishop, his diary, 2-50. Lauder, William, his forgery, 35. 72, 73. G07. Lauderdale, Earl of, 297. 501. " Laughers," useful monitors, 718. Laughter, 833. Johnson's peculiar, 457. Laurel, the, 57. Law, 478. 5.54. Law reports, 252. Of entail, 473. , Johnson's intention of studying, 1C8. , his opinions on, 175. 179. 189. 250. 271. 278. 291. 454. 478. 501. 513. 527. 554. 613. 678. 688. Law, Edmund, Bishop of Carlisle, (i35. 641. , William, 15. 218. 448. 759. 762. , his " Serious Call," 15. Commended, 217. Lawrence, Dr. Thomas, 79. 113. 41G. 429. 501. 525. 642, 643, 644. 650. 702. 704. 734. J.'s letters to, 429. 642. 700. 702. J.'s letters to his daughter, 703. His death, 734. , Sir Thomas, 113. 338 Laws, 473. 502. Lawyers, 175. 257. 271. 599. 678. 766. I , not to be censured for multiplying words, 678. , on their soliciting practice, 478. , Sunday consultations of, 456. Lawyers, Cicero's defence of, 189. Laxity of talk confessed, 387. Lay patronage, argument in defence of, 260. 816. Laziness, 343. 502. Lea, Kev. Samuel, 9, 10. Learned women, 201. Learning, 242. 282. 289. 396. 452. more general than formerly, 731. Leasowes, 424. Lectures, on the practice of teaching by, 174. 684. I>ee, Alderman, 517- , Arthur, Esq., 515. 517. , John, Esq., the barrister, 571. , Mrs., .52. Leechman, Dr. William, 393. On " Prayer," 285. 2SS. Leclerc, 93. Le Despenser, Lord, 35. Leeds, Francis, Duke of, lines on, 658. Legitimation by subsequent marriage, 487. Legrand, 21. Leibnitz, 231. 363. Leicester, Dudley, Earl of, 418. Leinster, Duke of, 198. Leisure for intellectual improvement, 252. Leith, 280. Leland, Rev. Dr. Thomas, IGS. 263. 531. 600. , Johnson's letter to, 168. , Counsellor, 603. Leland's " Itinerary," 420. Leman, Sir William, 53. Lending money, means of influence, 235. Lenox, Mrs. Charlotte, 79. 83. 99. 117. 124. 427. 657. 755. " Leonidas," Glover's, 301. Le Roy, Mr., 460. Leslie, Charles, 759. , John, 284. Letham, Prior, plane tree there, 286. Letter-writing, 687. Letters, the sanctity of private, 193. , " none received in the grave," 806. Lettsom, Dr., 515. Levellers, 152. Lever, Sir Ashton, 775. Levett, Mr., 19. 49. 62. Johnson's letter to, 48. , Robert, 76. 78. 125. 149. 173. 250. 501. 569. 604. 620. 624. 684.700.735. , Johnson's letters to, 421. 459. 463. 524. , death, and verses on, 700. Lewis, David, and his lines on Pope, 765. , Mr. F., 71. , Dean and Mrs., 125. Lewson, (Leveson), Mrs., 640. " Lexiphanes," Campbell's, 188. Libels, 366. 479. 499. 527. from the pulpit, 513. On the deao, 499. Liberality, Johnson's, 571. Liberty, 194. 261. 628. Political, 194. Of conscience, 261. Of conscience and liberty of teaching, distinction be- tween, 730. Of the press, 194. 499. Of the pulpit, 513. •523. And necessity, 677. Libraries, size of several great, 284. Library, Johnson's, 149. 803. Licensers of the stage, 40. Lichfield, its inhabitants, 489. , Johnson's visits to, 30. 125. 187. 191. 214. 245. 283. 415. 458. 488, 489. 790. ■ , veneration of the corporation of, for Johnson, 790. , Lord, Chancellor of Oxford, 600. Liddell, Sir Henry, 235. Lies, 120. 149. 765. Life, rules for the conduct of, 709. , Johnson's extreme attachment to, 804. , Dryden's philosophical lines on, 764. , human, 773. , reflections on, 124. 127. 179. 214. 511. 524. 537, 538. 709. 764. , on living it over again, 764. " Lilliburlero," ballad of, its political effects, 446. Lilliput Parliament, 321. Lindsay, Lady, 404. Linen, advantages of wearing, 337. Linley, Miss, 453, Linlithgow, 297. Lintot, the bookseller, 28. 149. Liquors, Johnson's scale of, 627. 680. " Literary Anecdotes," Nichols's, 789. Literary fame, 199. 2-57. 450. frauds, 72. 82. 107. 122. 701. labours, Johnson's, 794. man, life of, 686. journals, 18G. property, 149. 264. 279. 286. 411. 693. ." Literary Magazine," J.'s contributions to, 103. 10". 109. Literature, French and English compared, 372. , small quantity of, in the world, .598. , dignity of, 600. Liturgy of our church commended, 7C2. I-iverpool, second Earl, 5G^. •' Lives of the Adminils," 112. " Lives of the English Ports," Johnson's, 187. S30. SJO. 603 . 012. G18. G22. 624. G26. 629, 630. 633. C12, 643. 646. 651. 665. 675. 677. 703. 759. 773. , critique on, and account of, 665. 675. , the most popular of his works, 1S6. , Gibber's, 504. 506. 8H. , of Dryden and Shakspeare, by Johnson, 516. I,leweney, 418. Lloyd, Dr., Bishop of St. Asaph, 79. 418. 759. , Jlr., the Quaker, of Birmingham, 487. , Humphry, the antiquarv, 418. , Miss Olivia, the Quakeress, 23. I,obo's "Account of Abvssinia," 21, 22. 285. 496. l.dial attachment, 209. Locality, 737. liolibuv, the Laird and Lady of, 383, 3S4. Loch Lomond, 391. 627. Lock, William, Esq., 668. Locke. John, 155. 293. 656. , his verses, 293. , plan of education imperfect, 618. Lockhart, Sir George, 342. Lockman, Mr., 656. Lodgings, list of Johnson's various, i.T London, 30, 58. Loftt, Capel, Esq., 750. Loggan's drawing of company at Tunbridge Wells, 26. 58. Lombe, Mr. John, his silk-mill, 549. " London," Johnson's poem of. 23. 33. 36, 37. 59. London, 27, 28. 443. 449. .501. 553. 565. 578. 581. .'i97. 619. 625. 635. 712. 724. 728. 791. , field of genius and exertion, 27. Fountain of intelli- gence and pleasure, 412. Preeminence over every other place, 625. No place cures vanity so well as, 217. , " Art of Living" in, 2S. , Johnson's love of, 107. 1 13. 200. 217. 221. 370. 554. .n!i Qi>.oi, 620. One of his suggettions adopted, 484. ,liev. Kenneth, his accountof St. Kllda. 191.229.301.4.57. , Mrs. Catharine, 78. 152. 167. 2".2. 442. 4.57. 509. 517. 556. M'Aulay, Rev. John, 3-8. 390. Macbean, Alexander, 39. 57. 246. 502. 6M. 684. 774. JIacbeth, 54. 205. 206. 300. 305. 627. " Maccaroni," 324. Maccaronic verses, etymology of, 591. Macclesfield, George,' Earl of, 88. , .^nne M.iton, Countess of, the reputed mother of Savage, 50, .51 . .53. ^lacconochie, Mr., afterwards Lord Meadowbauk, 566. Maccruslick, Sandie Macleod. 318. 322. Macdouald, Sir James, 1-53. 231. 312, 313. 321. 331. 3.52. 3W. 081. , inscription on his monument, and letters to his mother, 824. , Sir Alexander, afterwards Lord, 231. 236. 311, 312, 313, 316. 321. 326. 3.54. 3.59, 360. 374. 396. , Latin verses, addressed by hira to Dr. Johnson in the Isle of Skie, 824. , Ladv Margaret, 326. 353, 354. 627. , Miss' Flora, some account of, 322. 324, 32.5, 326, 331. 353. 409. , .A.lexander, of " Kingsburgh," 324. 333. 345. 352,353. , Major-gener.il, 3.55. , Colonel John, 324. 411. , Mr. Donald, 312. 327. , .^ir Archibald, 232. 431. , Mrs., .-i-.^.-). , Colonel, son of Flora, 411. Macdonalds, the, 383. 410. Macfarlane, Mr., the antiquary, 314. McFarquhar, 3S3. Macghie, Dr. William, .58. 107. 147. 399. Macguniis, Johnson's guide, 382. McGregor, Clan, 304. 383. Mac Ian, 383. Mackenzie. Sir George, 3.'}5. , Henry, Esq., 122. His novels, 3.59. , John, 327. 328. , clan of, 309. Mackinnon, Mr., of Corrichatachin and his lady, 314, 315. 329. 3.53. 355. Mackinnon's Cave. 380. Mackintosh, Sir James, 200. 230. 2,53. 412. 433. 446. 505. .507. 519. 593. 768, 769. , J., watchmaker, 308. Macklin, Charles, the actor, 131. 495. Macky, 450. Maclaurin, Colin, 498. His epitaph, 279. , John, afterwards Lord Dreghorn, 1.59. 278, 279. 401. 451. 566. Maclean, Alex., Laird of Col, 299. 379. Alex., his son, 469. , Donald. See Col , Sir Allan. 376. 384. 457. 527. 536. , Rev. Hector, 363. , Dr. Alexander.his description of Johnson, 372, 373 :J83. , Captain Laughlan, 362, 363. 366. , Miss, 375. , of Torloisk, 433. , Laird of Lochbuv, 383. , Mr., of Corneck, 306. 369. , Mr., nephew to Laird of the Isle of Muck, .341. Macleod, General John, Laird of, 299. 312. 317. 321. 333. 33C. 341. , Johnson's letter to, 3.56. , his " Memoirs " of his own life, 321. , Lady, 3:M, .•«.5. XV.K .•'.40, 311. 356. , some accimnt of, .3.(1. , Miss, of Uasav, 322. .535. , Sir Roderick,',334, 335.346. , Rev. Neal, 382, .■<83. , Malcolm, 316. 324. 327. 329 331. , Alexander, or Sandie. 317, 318. 322. 331. 334. , Mr., of Ulinish, 344, 345. , Professor, 293, 294. 3.50. , CapUin, a Dutch oftici r, 310. , Colonel, of Taliskcr, 317, 318. 336. 350. 352. , Doctor. 317. 324. 327, 328, 329. 431. 333. Macleod, Mr. Donald, 3-13. 354 358. , Mrs., daughter of Flora Macdonald, 324. Macleod's dining-tables, 345. maidens, 345. Maclonish, 367. Maclure, Captain, 375. Macneil, of Barra, 342. Macnicol, Dr. Donald, 5. 433. Macpiierson, James, 134. 2'J4. 346, 347. 309. 428, 420, 433, 434. Johnson's letter to, 430. , Dr. John, his '• Scottish Antiquities," 301. ; Latin Ode from Barra. 35G. , Rev. Martin. 315. 355, 356. , William, of Cambridge, 300, 301, 302. 310. 314. 31S. 341. Macquarrie, of Ulva. 375. 380. 383. 527. 536. 538. McQueen, Lachlan, 308. Macqueen, Rev. Donald, 312. 316. 318. 324. 337, 308. 340, 341. 350. 352, 353. 450 , the innkeeper, 307, 308. Macra, Mr. John, 340. Macraes, clan of, 309, 310. 340. Macsweyne, Mr. and Mrs., 364. 370. " Mac Swine's gun," 364. Macswinney, Owen, 516. Madden, Dr. Samuel, 86. 107. 303. 437. His "Boulter's Monument," 107. Madness, 5. 135. 336. 553. 064. , Johnson's mental disorder so c.illed by himself, 14. 336. 832 Magicians, 627. Magistrates, interference between parents and children, 262. " Mahogany," a liquor so called, 680. Mahomet, 60. Maiden assize, 583. Maitland, Mr., .57. " Malagrida," 643. 716. Malet de Pan, 452. Mallet. David, 71. 88. 110. 139. 219 232. 257. 321. 5-59. 628. 636. Alias " Malloch," 730. , his tragedy. of " lihira." 139. " Life of Bacon," 5.';9. , his poem on repairing the University of Aberdeen, 730. Mrs., 88. Malmesbury.Earl of, 2.54. Malone, ICdmond, 8, 9. 15, 16, 20. 27. 47. 49. 08. 75. 81, 82. 86. 121. 169. 240. 249. 272. 489. 492. 512. .536. 605. 631. 653. 670, 671. 778. 821. Johnson's letter to, 701. Malthe, Chevalier de, 298. Man, 447. Not a machine, 301 . , a cooking anim.al, 273. A tonl-making animal, 578. , picture of, by Shakspeare and Milton, 678. , difference between a well and ill-bred, 769. of fashion, 714. " Man of Feeling," " Man of the World." See Mackenzie. Mandeville, doctrine of " private vices public benelits," 594. , Sir John. " Travels in China," commended, 841. Manlev, Mrs., 723. Manners, 511. G63. Of the great, 616. Change of, 232. Manning, Rev. Owen, 177. , Mr., the compo-itor, 770. Manningham, Dr.. 52. 548. Mansfield, Lord, 37. P7. 232. 241. 244. 254. 272. 294. 402. 437. 442. 494. 522. .555. 5«5. 648. 670. 717. Mant, Dr., 153. Mantuanus, Johannes Bantista, 718. Blanucci, Count, 460. 523. INlanufactures, Johnson's knowledge of, 348. Mapletoft, Dr. John, 210. War, Earl of, 342. Blarana, J. P., author (if the " Turkish Spy," 723. Marchetti, an Italian physician, 841 . Marchraont, Hugh, fourth Earl of, 233. 612, 613. 630. 642. 670. , Johnson's niterview with, 630. IMarcus, Flamlnius, 7ii. Marechal, Lord, 331. Maria (Aston), epigram on, 40. 611. Louisa, 344. Markham, Dr., 274. 723. Markland, Jeremiah, 711. , J. H. Esq. .notes communicated by, .596. 6.53.709. 711. 717. 719,720. 729. 755. 758. 762. 765. 767. 784.789. 823. 841, 842. Marlay, Bishop of Waterford, .529. 678. Marlborough, John, Duke of, 35. 2GU 321. 370. 420. 485. 513. 628. , Sarah, Duchess of, 46. 321. 680. , her '■ Apology" written by Hooka, 321. Marmor Norfolciense, 40. Marriage, 117.129. 192.201.209. 212.210. 2.34. 337. 341. 440. 487, 488. 493. 495. 037. 761. Boswell's song on, 212. , legitimation by sui)sequent, 487. Disgraceful state of the law respecting, 487. with inferiors, 440. With a public singer, 453. service, 212. bill, royal, 220. ties, 502. 529. late, 219. Mercenarv, 192. Second, 201. Marshall's " Minutes of Agriculture," 601. Marsigli, Dr., 126. 632. Martial, Johnson's fondness for, 16. 35. , translation of, Elphinston's, 65. .582 Hay's, 392. Martin's " Account of the Hebrides," 153. 267. 283. 577. " Iteliqtiia: Divi AndretE,'" 283. Martinelli, V. 252, 2.53. 302. " hloria d'lnghillerra," 252. Martyrdom, 261, 262. Mary Magdalene, 6.56. Queen of Scots, 119. 276. 410. 428. , inscription for a print of, 410. 413, 414. 428. Mason, William, 2. 149.234.325.504. His "Elfrida"and "Ca- ractacus," 442. His prosecution of Mr. Murray, the book- seller, .595. His share in the " Heroic Epistle," 601. 768. Masquerades, 246. Mass, 210. Massillon, 292. .372. Wassinger, I. is play of " The Picture," 637. .Masters, INIarv, 78. 743. Mathias, Mr.," 214. Matrimoninl infidelities, 502. '■ Thought ! " a song, by Boswell, 212. Mattaire, Johnson's opinion of, 6,55. His account of the " Stephani ;" " Senilia;" " Book of the Dialects," 655. Maty, Dr. Matthew, 4.5. 93. 530. Gibbon's opinion of his " IJibliotheque Britanniquc," 93. Maupertuis, 192. Mawbey, Sir Joseph, 107. Maxwell, Dr. William, his aaiccdotes of Johnson, 215. Mayer, Dr., 200. Mayne, William, Esq., 637. Mayo, Rev. Dr., 260,261, 262. .591. Mayors, selection of, 617. Mead, Dr, 48. 551.617. , dedication to, of " James's Medicinal Dictionary," 48. Meadowbank, Lord, 566. Bleals, stated, 699. Medal given to Home by Sheridan, 437. Medicated baths, 208. Meditation on a pudding, 387. Mediterranean, the, .505. MeeUe, Rev. Mr., 89, 90. Melancholy, 7. 15. 28. 91. 152. 188. 336. 482.496. 522. 526. -553. 640. 643.661.737. 831. , Johns(m's remedy against, 152. 482. 496. 553. 621. .Johnson projects a history of his. 189. Melancthon, Boswell's letter from tlie tomb of, .533, .534. Melcombe, George l!ubb Dodington, Lord, 65. 68. 673. Melmoth, William, Esq., 645. His " Letters " quoted, 754. Member of Parliament, dutv on election committee, 678. Memis, Dr., 428. 430. 454. 525. 527. Memory, 6. 221. 266. 285. 392. 550. 636. 658. 605. 833. " Menagiana," 2.59. 468. 605. 612. 718. Mental diseases, how to be treated, 152. 4S2. Menzies, Mr., of Culdares, 402. iilerchants, 139. 170. 378. Enlarged views of our great, 655. Mercheta Mulierum, 376. Slercier's Tableau de Paris, 4-52. Merit, intrinsic, 151. Men of, not neglected, 71S. Metaphvsical tailor, 720. -Metaphysics, 16. Metcalfe, Philip, Esq., .521. 710. 752. Method, advantages of, 524. Methodism, 216. Methodists, 216. 218, 21P, 401 . 437. When so called, 156. , Rev. Joseph Mllner's defence of, 156. Meynell, Hugh, Esq., 20. His saying of London, 620. Mickle, William Julius, 241. 248. 346. 386, 387. 506. , his '■ Lusiad," .506. 744. MicroSLopes, 186. Micvllus, Jacobus. 416. Middle state, doctrine of a, 77. 3S9. rank, in France, want of, 462. 466. Middlesex election, 213. 637. Middleton, Lady Diana, 295. Midgeley, Dr. Samuel, 723. " Midnight Conversation," Hogarth's, 614. Migration of birds, 260. Military character, respect paid to, 203. 497. Miller, Andrew, the bookseller, anecdotes of, ,56.94. 630. , Lady, her vase at Bath-Easton, 442. , Sir John, 413. 515. , Professor John, 393. , Captain .and Mrs., 442. , Philip, his " Gardener's Dictionary," 288. Milman, Mr., 445. Milner, Rev. Joseph, his defence of the Methodists, 156. , Dr. Isaac, 1.56. Milton, 2. 58. 69. 72. 258, 2.59. 269. 385. 420. 468. 618. 6'.'6. 636. 660. 667. 675. 678. 765. 771. , his " Tractate on Education," 618. , his picture of man, 678. , Lauder's forgery against, 72. , " The Apotheosis of," not written by Johnson. 40. , his granddaughter, Johnson's prologue for, ?2. , Johnson's Life of, 667. , Johnson abhors his politics, but just to his poetical Milton, Johnson's saying respecting, 765. '• , Mr. John," thus indexed by Flexman, 771. , Lord, 227. Mimicry, 230. Mind, 511. 5S1. 609. Management of the, 482. , Cardan's mode of composing his, 553. , influence of the weather on the, 111. Minto, Lord, 233. Miracles, Ib'i. 557. " Mirror," the, 7'J7. Jliseries of human life, 447. Misers, 300. 374. 605. Misery, balance of, 764. 819. Misfortunes, 664. Missionaries, 401. Mistresses, 128. JNIitchell duns Johnson for 2/., 77. Mitford's edition of Grav, 149. Mitre tavern meetings, 130. 142. 144. 146. 174, 175. 200. 207. 231.2.'59. 4.54. 547. " Modern Characters from Shakspeare,'' 581. Modesty, 616. JMoira, Earl of, 322. Moliere, 15. 120. 372.438. Moltzer, or Micyllus, Jacobus, 416. Monarchy, .509. Monasteries, 123. 175. 283. Monboddo, James Burnet, Lord, and his writings, 200. 227. 242. 264. 277. 286, 287, 288. 290. 299. 379. 396. 402. 459. 527. 550. 552. 566. 645. 695. 7.54. Johnson's visit to, 288. , his remarks on Johnson's style, 552. Money, 283. 584. A stimulus to exertion, 171. Advantages of, 299. Borrowers, 706, 707. Getting, 438. 627. lending, the sures way of acquiring influence, 235. 300. :\Ionks, 4G0. Monkton, Hon. Mary, Countess of Cork, 645. 647. , Bostt'eU's verses to, 690, Her letter to the editor, 646. Monnoye, M. de la, G05. Monro, Dr., 749. Montagu, Lady Mary Wortley, Pope's lines on, 201. , Mrs., anecdotes and mention of, 74. 90. 118. 164. 194. 204, 205, 206. 220. 347, 348. 410. 458. 470. .501. 509. 577. 619. 625. 644. 647. 651. 675. 678. 739, 740. 75.5. 834. 837. , Johnson's letters to, 118. 410. 470. 569, 570. 739. , Johnson's admiration of, 118. 754. , " Letters," 118. " Essay on Shakspeare," 204. 347. , resents J.'s " Life of Lord Lyttelton," 205. 675. 678. , Mr. F.'smotion to repeal observanceof 30th of Jan., 229. Montesquieu, 334. His " Lettres Persannes," 594. Montgomery, Colonel, 313. , Chief Baron, 272. Monthly Review, 186. 504. 508. Montrose, 286, 287. , second Duke of, shoots a highwayman, 576. , James, third Duke of, 627. G89. , first Marquis of, 367. Monuments, 258. Inaccuracy of inscriptions, 622. Moody, Mr., the actor, 443, 444. Moor, Dr., 506. Moore, Thomas, 132. 166. 251. His " Life of Lord Byron " quoted, 439. 504. His " Irish Melodies," 252. Morality, 444. 616. Morbid melancholy, 7. 91 336. 821. See Melancholy. More, Sir Thomas, 416. , Miss Hannah, 1.59. 434. 468. 480, 481. 510. .582. .594. 620. 646. 685, 686, 687. 706. 7U8. 731. 755. 765. 803. 8C6. , her flattery of Johnson, .594. , Dr. Henry, the Platonist. 233. 366. . ., Rorie, or "Roderick, 334. 340. Morell, Dr. Thomas, 386. Moreri's Dictionary, 372. Morgann, Maurice, his " Essay on Falstaff," 721. Morris, Corbyn, his "Essay on Wit," 688. , Miss, 807. 846. Mortimer, Mr., 483. Mosaic account of the Creation, 124. Moss, Dr., 448. 678. Motto on Johnson's watch, 193. For Banks's goat, 226. Mounsey, Dr., extraordinary character and will, 194. Mount Edgecumbe, 296. Mountstuart, Lord, afterwards Marquis of Bute, 179, 180. 478. 494. 524. 639. 695. 726. 732. "Mourning Bride," Congreve's, 203, 204. Muck, Isle of, 341. Mudge, Rev. Zachariah, 127, 128. Johnson's character of, 679., and of his " Sermons," 686. , Dr. John, 127. Johnson's letter to, 739. , Thomas, the eminent watchmaker, 128. andDutton, 192. Muidarth, or Muidart, 364. Mulgrave, Constantine Phipps, Lord, 497. Mull, Isle of, 373. 375. 383. MuUer, Mr., the engineer, 119. Mulso, Hester, afterwards Mrs. Chapone, 63. 644. 743. Munros, the, 309. Murchison, Mr., 311. Murder, prescription of, 270. 291. Murdoch. Dr., 533. Murillo, 50. Murison, Professor, 284. Murphy, Arthur, E«q., 9. 31. 35. 45. 59. 61. 68. 71. 79. 88. 100. 104. 109, 110. 113.114. 120.126. 168. 170. 191. 203. 21 M. 219. 314. 433. 436. 447. 468. .503. .507. W2. 590. 736. 746. , his "Poetical Epiitle" quoted, 120 , un.icknowledged use of Boileau, 120. , acquaintance with Johnson, 120. Murray, Lord George, Chief of the Pretender's »taff, 410. 455. , the Regent, 300. — -, William, Attorney-General, 97. His opinion rcipccting Johnson's definition of the word "excise," 97. See .>lans- field. Lord. , Mr., afterwards Lord Henderland. 279. 498. , Mr. John, the bookseller, the grandfather of the pub- lisher of this work, 415. .504. 595. Prosecution of, br Mason, 695. His letter to Mason, 595. , Mr. John, jun., his account of the varioui portrait! of Dr. Johnson, 808. " Muses' welcome to King James," 282. Musgrave, Sir Richard, 770. , Dr. Samuel, 603. Music, 265. .561. 577. , the only sensual pleasure without vice, 661. , in heaven, 43. 234. , Johnson's insensibility to, 123. 373. 470. 832. -, Johnson's wish to learn, 266. Musk, used medicinally by Johnson, 620. Jlycyllus. See Moltzer. Myddleton, Mr., erects an urn to Johnson, 423. Mylne, Robert, the architect, 119. Mystery, 571. 605. Mythology, 659. Nairne, William, Lord Dunsinane, 275. 280. 283. 402. 507. , Colonel, 285, 286. Nash, Dr., his " History of Worcestershire," 587. 763. , " Beau," 35. 48. 760. National Debt, Johnson's notion respecting it, 219. faith, 661. Native place, love of, renewed in old age. 704. " Natural History," Goldsmith's, 240. 258. 520. Necessity, doctrine of, 773. Negro, Johnson's argument in favour of our claiming his liberty. .527. 562. 566. Nelson, Robert, his " Festivals and Fasts," 487. Neni, Count, 505. Nervous aflPection, Johnson's, 41. " Network," Johnson's definition of, 97. Newberry, Mr., bookseller, 74. 79. 102. 143. Newborough, Lord, 423. Newcastle, Duchess of, 83. Duke of, 99. 495. Newhaven, William Mayne, Lord, 637. Newmarsh, Captain, 307. Newspapers, 236. 663. New Testament, 393. 596. Newton, Sir Isaac, 155. 363. 661. 698. 731. , Johnson'^ praise of, 218. 274. , Lord King's "Life" of, 155. , Dr. Thomas, Bishop of Bristol, 8. 72. 448. , his character of Johnson, and Johnson's of him, 759. , Mr., of Lichfield, visit to, 415. Nichols, Dr. Frank, 448. " De Anima MedicA." 549. . Mr. John, 23. 665. 667. 674. 789. , Johnson's notes and letters to, 666. 789. 794. 823. , his anecdotes, 789. Johnson's character of them, 711. A storehouse of facts and dates. 789. Nicol. Mr. George, 745. Johnson's letter to, 787. , Joannes, 292. Nicolai (Berlin bookseller), 229. Night-caps, 357. 371. " Night Thoughts," Young's, 207 3.57. 673. Nisbet, of Dirleton, 335. Tlis " Doubts," 563. •' No, Sir," how used by Johnson, 768. Nobility, 139. 152. 219. 296. 616. 691. , usurpation of the, 744. " Noble authors," Park's edition of, 117. Noble, the llev. Mark, 3.52. Nollekens, his bust of Johnson, 565. Mrs., .568. " Nominis umbra" explained. 838. " Nonjuror," Gibber's play of the, 437. Nonjurors, 437. 7.59. Nores, Jason de, his comments on Horace, 483. Norris, Thomas, 367. North, Dudley, Esq. See Long. . Frederick, Lord, 222, 223. 227. 229. 357. 406. 436. 441. 453. .505 .5.58, 705. , his letter to Oxford for Johnson's degree, 441. Northampton, L.idy, transl.ition of Erse song, 364. Northcote, the painter, 73. 128. 203. Northumberland, Duke and Duchess of, 220. 443. 587. North Pole, Johnson's conjectures respecting, 344. Norton, Sir Fletcher, 205. 493. 3k 866 BO SWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. [Index. " Nose of the Mind," sagacity the, 775. " Notanda," Addison's, 63. " Nourjahad," Mrs. Sheridan's, 121. Nourse, Mr., the bookseller, 498. Novels, 218. Novelty, the paper on, in the " Spectator," and truth seldom combined, 1.50. 625. Nowell, Rev. Dr., 229. 762. , his sermon before the Commons, 229. " Nugce Antiques " Harington's, 717. Nugent, Robert, Earl, 222. , Dr., 163, 164. 2.59. " Nulluin numen abcst," &c., 717. Numbers, science of, 480. Nundcomar, 500. Nuremberg Chronicle, 424. Nii| yaj t^x^Tea, 192. Oath of abjuration, boast of its framer, 437. , impolicy and inefficacy of such tests, 4.37. Oaths, 252. 400. .507. Morality of taking, 437. " Oats," Johnson's definition of, 97. 399. 489. 588. 713. Obedience, 595. O'Brien, Lady Susan, 440. Observance of days and months, 487. " Observer," Cumberland's, 675. Occupation, 554. Occupations, hereditary, 302. O'Connell, the Queen versus, 613. O'Connor, Charles, Esq., account of, and Johnson's letters to, 108. .531. Ode, Latin, " Ad Ornaiissimam Fucllam," /IlI. , to Friendship, by Johnson, 48. , Latin, " Ad Urbanum" 31. , translation of, bv Mr. Jackson, of Canterbury, 32. , Latin, upon the'lsle of Skie, 313. Latin, to Mrs. Thrale, 314. , in Theatro, 222. , Latin, on Inchkenneth, 378. -, Dr. McPherson's Latin, 356. on St. Cecilia's Day, 143. on the peace. Miss H. M. Williams's, 757. Odes, Gray's, 442. Odyssey, 647. 670. 731.837. Ofellus, on the '• Art of Living in London," 28. Offely, Mr., a pupil of Johnson, 25. Officers, military, their ignorance, 403. ■ , respect paid to, 497. 585. Ogden, Dr. Samuel, 302.694. His Sermons on Prayer, 272. 275. 285. 292. 377. 386. 579. 694. Ogilvie, Dr. John, his " Day of Judgment," 143. 144. Oglethorpe, General, 35. 42. 239, 24U, 241. 447. 512. 590. 714. '• O'Hara, you are welcome," 355. 0; (P'iXdi, ou iflko;, 64. 593. 629. O'Kane, the Irish harper, 374. O'Keefc's, " Highland Reel," 380. Old age, 5.59. 581. 610. 013. 661. 718. 755. , one word to express, 613. Old Bailey dinners, 610. Oldfield, Dr., story of, 513. Oldham's imitation of Juvenal, 33. " Old Man's Wish," a song, 660. Old Men, folly of putting themselves to nurse, 494. Oldmixon, John, 97. Old Street Club, 720. 752. Oldys, William, 46. His part in Harleian Miscel., 53. Oliver, Dame, Johnson's schoolmistress, 7. Omai, 497. O'Moore, Colonel, anecdote of Goldsmith, 141. Onslow, Speaker, 58. Opera girls, 714. Opie, John, his picture of Johnson, 777. Opium, Johnson's use of, 714. Opposition, the, C87. Orange peels, use of by Johnson, 440. Orator, Johnson's qualifications as an, 223. 348. Oratory, 249. 443. 688. 726. 732. Orchards, 220. 725. Ord, Mrs. (Anne Dillingham), 501. 644, 645. 649 Orde, Lord Chief Baron, 272. 277. Orford, Horace, Earl of, 559. 768. See Walpolr. , Robert, Earl of, his pictures, 775. Organ, 442. " Oriental Gardening," Sir W. Chambers's, 32-5. Origin of evil, 392. Original sin, 694. Orlando Furioso, 91. Orine, Mr., opinion of the "Journey," 406. 431. Of J., .591. Orm'ond, Duke of, 309. 367. Orrery, Earls of, 345. , John, fifth Earl of, 57. 78, 79. 98. 117. 345. 579. 602. , his letter on the specimen of the Dictionary, 57. Ortons " Life of Doddridge," 357. Osborne, Mr. Francis, his works, 243. , Thomas, the bookseller, 41. 46. 48. 613. Osbornes, the, 170. 243. X>ssian's poems, their merits and authenticity discussed, 134. 219. 277. 317. 321. .334. 341. 346, 347. 399. 428, 429. 431. 433, 434. 437. 446. 510. 701. 718. 745. Otaheite, inhabitants of, 510. " Othello," morality of the tragedy of, 507. O'Toole, Arthur, 471. Otwav, Thomas, 72. His pathetic powers, 660. , Master, 248 Oughton, Sir Adolphus, 277. 303. 401. Ouran-outang, 277. Overbury, Sir Thomas, 201. " Overbury, Sir Thomas," a tragedy, bv Savage, 532. Overell, Bishop, on a future state, 389. ' Ovid, 240. 258. 280. Fasti praised, 837, 838. Oxford, Earl of, his library, 46. , University, advantages of, 191. , Johnson's' attachment to, 759. , expulsion of students from, 241. Pagan mythology, 659. Pains of human life, 447. Painters, reputation of, 508. Styles of difTerent, 590. Painting, 481. 490. 770. Johnson's insensibility to, 123. 832. Palaces, 462. Paley, Dr., on submission to government, 332. , his defence of revelation, 332. Palmer, Rev. John, his " Answer" to Priestley, 594. , Rev. Thomas Fysche, 695. , Miss, 24. " Piilmcrmo iVInghilterra" 9. 494. Palmerston, Henry Temple, second Viscount, 443. 736. Palsy, Johnson's attack of, 734, 735. Pamphlet, 603. Pamphlets, Johnson's, 126. 213. 221. 425. 435. Panckoucke, 92. Panegyric, 546. Pantheon, in Oxford Street, 236. Panting, Dr. Matthew, 17. Paoli, General, 32. 18-5. 189. 199. 202, 203. 234. 242, 243. 253. 265. 422. 505. 546. 605. 621. 630. 638. 687. Papier mache, 425. Papists, 209. 7G0. Paradise, John, Esq., 14. 441. 629. 649. 704. 732. 746. 787. Parental authority, 625. Parenthesis, Johnson's objection to, 720. Paris, state of society in, 581. . — -, Johnson's visit to, 4-59. Parish clerk, his necessary qualifications, 695. . Park, 117.354.461. Parker, Chief Baron, 8. , Rev. Mr., anecdotes of Johnson, 836. Possessor of his tea-pot. 105. , Mr. Sackville. the Oxford bookseller, 766. , John, Esq., of Brownsholme, 416. Parkhurst, Rev. Mr., curious letter from Dr. Dodd to, 590. Parliament, 281. 449. 563. .574. 591. 087. 688. 731. , the use of, 449. Duration of, 200. , speakers in, 732. , duty of a member of, 678. — — , corruption of, 216. 563. , attempt to get Johnson into, 222. 223. Parliaments, triennial, advocated by Johnson, 197. Parliamentary debates, Johnson's, 32. 3S. 44, 45. 804. influence, 281. Parnell, Dr., 417. 671. 800. Johnson's life of, 671. John- son's epitaph on, 672. , a disputed passage In his "Hermit," 569. 631. , his habit of drinking, 546. Parodies of Dr. Johnson, 795, 796. Parr, Rev. Dr. Samuel, 121. 669. 738. 808. , Johnson's opinion of his conversation, 6-59. , recommended by J. to Norwich grammar school, 6-59. His description of Mrs. Sheridan, 121. , his epitaph on Johnson, 808, 809. Parson, the life of a, .598. Party, necessity of adhering to, 274. Pascal, Pensees de, 626. Passion Week, dining out in, 683. 833. Passions, the purging of the, 506. " P.istern," Johnson's definition of, 97, 128. Patence, Mr., 208. Paternity. 584. Pater Noster, 353. Paterson, Mr. Samuel, 238., and his son, 523. 751. " Paterson and others against Alexander," 455 Patrick, Bishop. 210. 513. "Patriot," a political pamphlet by Johnson, 126. 425,426.503. Patriotism, " the last retuge of a scoundrel," 440. Patriots, self-styled, 683. " Patron," the, 87. Patronage, 282. 715. , lay, Johnson's argument for, 259. 815. Patten, Rev. Dr. Thomas, 699. 711. Paul, Sir George Oncsiphorus, 376. , Father, 32. 39. 103. Index.] BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 867 lay," : Paul, Mr. Lewis, Johnson's letters to, 43, 44. 100, 101,102, 103. Payne, W., preface to his work on " Draughts," lOG. , Mr. John, 58. 63. 78, 79. 746. Pearce, Bishop, 97. 483. 531. Johnson's dedication of his posthumous works, 531. Curious anecdote of, 531. Sup- plied Johnson with etymologies, 97. Pearson, Rev. Mr., 492. 623. 73G. , Mrs., of Lichfield, 62. 163. 492. 568. , Rev. Dr., 135. Pecuniary embarrassment, evil of, 70D. •^—, motive to writing, 41. 106. Peel, Right Honourable Robert, 487. Peers, House of, 296. Judicial powers of the, 613. , inlluence of, in the House of Commons, 281. Peers of Scotland, interference iu elections, 744. Pegler, Mary, 52. Peiresc, lamented in forty languages, 454. Pelh.ira, Right Hon. Henry, Garrick's ode on, 8S. Pelisson, 22. Pelle, Mrs., Johnson's charity to, 757. Pellet, Dr., 615. Pembroke, Lord, 306. 439. Johnson's "bow-' Penance in church, 334. Johnson's filial, 791 Penitence, gloomy, madness turned upside down, 503. Penmaen Mawr, 421. Penn, Governor Richard, 651. Pennant, Mr., 314. 339. 446. 536. His tour in Scotland, 303. 587.588. His merit as a zoologist ; his " London ;" his character of Johnson, 588. Pennington, Colonel, 304. , Rev. Mr.'s Life of Mrs. Carter, 34. Pension, Johnson's definition of, 97. Johcson's own, 126, 127. 147.227.436.663.691. , application for an increase of, 772. 781. Pensioners, Johnson's, 569, 570. 620. Pepys, William Waller, Esq., 255. 644. 646, 647, 649. 681. , Sir Lucas, 222. 's diary, 376. Perceval, Lady Catherine, 422. Percy, Dr., afterwards Bishop, 9, 10. 17. 24. 26. 41. 58, .59. 164. 166. 171. 194, 195. 222. 249. 298. 351. 445. 456. 486. 547. 586. .589. 601. 603. 620. 641. 643. 652. 686. , Boswell's letter to, 589. Squabble with J., .587. Heir male of the ancient Percies, 5S7. J.'s character ot, 589. , Mrs.. 166. 187. Reliques, 346. 446. Perelle's landscapes, 123. " Peregrinity," 305. Perfection, to be aimed at, 776. Perkins, Mr., and letters to, 426. 680, 681. 692. 708. 747. 786. Perreaus, execution of the, 484. .544. Perseus and Andromeda, 320. Peruvian bark, 762. Peter the Great, 349. Peterborough, Earl of, 670. 774. Peters, Mr., 493. Petitions, facility of getting them up, 205 Petrarch, 12.32. Petty, Sir William, 655. Peyton, Mr., Johnson's Pheasant, Mrs., 52. Philips, the musician, John , Ambrose, 55. 288. His " Cyder,'"' a poem, 288. , Lady, 74. , Miss, afterwards Mrs. Crouch, 733. , Sir John, 359. Philosophers, ancient, good humour in disputation, 497. Philosophical necessity, .594. " Philosophical Survey of Ireland," Campbells, 443. 531. Transactions," 186. Philosoph}', 494. 599. Phipps, Rev. J., leaves his fortune to Pemb. Coll., 599. , Capt., his " Voyage to the North Pole," 344. Physic, irregular practitioners in, 630. , Johnson's knowledge of, 501. Physician, Johnson's reply to a foppish, 769. , anecdote of one, 486. 491 . , argument in the case of Dr. Memis, 4-54. Physicians, 491. 749. Duties of, towards patients, 765. " Physico-Theology," Derham's, 377. Piazzas, 300. Picture, superstitious reluctance to sit for, 655. , Johnson's motto for Dr. Dodd's, 726. " Picture," Massinger's play of the, 637. Pig, the learned, 791. " Pilgrim's Progress " commended, 838. Pillory, punishment of the, 602. Pindar, West's translation of, 663. , Peter, 409. Pinkerton, 773. Piozzi, or Thrale, Mrs., 6,7. 13.16. 24.42,43.69.63.65.68.73. 76. 78. 89. 129. 139. 141. 145, 146. 160. 163,164. 170. 180. 198, 199, 200. 203, 204. 213. 225. 230. 235.242. 250. 252. 254. 260. 272. 342, 343. 347, 348. 351. 361. 379. 41.5,416. 419. 422. 425. 430. 440, 441. 447. 452. 462, 463. 468. 479. 481. 485. 489. 494, 495. 503. 50>J. 510. 570. 573. 650. 653. C6:i. 777, 778, 779, 780. 799. , Johnson's acquaintance with, 109. , 57, 58. 230, 231 . 243. 457 I's epitaph on, 43. Piozzi, receives 500/. for her collection of J.'t Ictterf, 187. , Johnson's letters to, 198. 214. 224, '225. 245,240.248.456, 4.57, 4.18. 492. 518. 525. 56-1. 565. .573. CIO. 619. 623. 625. (32. 634. 637, 638. 642, 643. 644, C45, 646, 647. 649, 650. 682. 699. 706. 708. 734, 735, 736, 737. 740. 742. 746. 750. 752. 774. 777. , her letters to Johnion, 645. 777. •^—, bequeaths her patrimonial estate to a foreigner, to the exclusion of her own children, 418. — , Baretti's strictures on her marriage with FioizI, 510. , sub.'itantial accuracy of her anecdotei of Johoion, 573. , Johnson's verses on her birth-day, 471. , her miserable misalliance, 776, 777, 77«. , Boswell's proneness to disparage her, 573. 577. 778, 779, 780. 799. , her beautiful h.-indwriting, 666. , Signer, 776, 777. Pitcairne, his Latin poetrv, 282. Pitt, William, Earl of Chatham, 37. 45. .58. 92. 244. 254. 383. 769. , William, the son, 495. 748. 7-50. , Boswell's expectation from, 750. Pitt and Kox, 761. Pitts, Hev. John, 718. •Pity, 149. Place-hunters, 574. Plagiary, Sir pretful, intended for Cumberland, '248. " Plain Dealer," 47. 53. Planting, 564. In Scotland, era of, 405. Spur given to, by Johnson's " Journey," 527. Plato, 511. Plaxton, 4. PLiyers, 51. 62. 137. 205. 257. 275. 277. 304. 467. iiO. 556. .584. Pleasure, 412. 578. .594. 629. Pleasures, no man a hypocrite in his, 769. " Pleasures of the Imagination," Akcnside's, 121. 234. Plotfs " History of Staffordshire,'" 557. Plunkett, Lord, 452. Plymouth and " Dock," dispute between, 128. Pocock, Mr. Lewis, 43. .57. Pococke, Dr. Richard, 586. , Rev. Edward, the orientalist, 586. 663. 719. Poetical scale, 667. Poetry, Reflections on, 44S. Definition of, -506. Pathetic, Johnson's fondness for, 720. Johnson's early, 10. and lexicography compared, 278. 824. Poets, 258. 291. See Lives. , the preservers of languages, 500. , few of our great, have left issue, 72. " Polite Philosopher," .501. Politeness, 290. 548. , Johnson's, 94. 18.5. 270. 290. 305. 391. 451. 610. 695. Politiaii's poems, Johnson's projected edition of, 22. " Political Survey of Great Biitaiu," Campbell's, 377. 4<5. Politics, modern, 448. 453. " Polluted," use of the word, 802. Polvgamy, 337. Pomfret, the poet, 135. " Pomposo," Johnson so called, 774. " Ponsonby, you may sit down," 355. Poor, a decent provision for, the test of civilisation, 220. , methods of employing, 655. in France, 460. Of London, 635. Pope, Alexander, 13. 29. 35, 36, 37. 40, 41. 46, 47. 56. 69. 72. 76. 102. 145. 1.53. 164. 172, 173. 176. 18.5. 201. '203. 220. 233. 235. 240. 249. 251. 267. 289, 290. 365. 385. 410. 462. 484. 489. 511.605.613,614.630. , praise of Johnson's " London," 36. recommends Johnson to Earl Gower, 37. — , note concerning Johnson, 41. , peculiar mode of writing, and imperfect spelling, 41. , his " Messiah" translated, 13. , Johnson's observation against a monument to aim in St. Paul's, 76. 2.53. Johnson's dissertation on the epitaphs of, 103. his " Dunciad " written primarily for f;i 442. 03.5. Johnson's character of his " Homer," 582. j his " Essay on Man," 635, 636. , Dr. Blair's letter concerning his " Essay on M.in,' , his knowledge of Greek, 635. his " Grotto," 6.57. Johnson's Life of, 669. Character of his poetry, 608. , his limited conversational powers, 670. , his " Universal Pr.iyer," 614. , Lewis's verses to, 7tJ5. , repiv to Prince of Wales, 670. , Dr.^Valter, his " Old Man's Wish," COO. Popery. 76. 209, 210. Popular elections, Johnson's opinion of, 617. Population, 209. 271.574. Port, Mr. Bernard, 557. Porter. Mrs., J.'s wife, 4. 6. 21. *24. 26. See Johnson, Mrs. m; MisVLcy. 4. a 23. 26. 62. 76. 113. 117. 118. 122. 127. 130. 144. IKJ. 169. 173. 187. 193. 197. 214. 224. 462. 4W. 491, 492..565. 568. 639. 641.736. Porter, Miss Lucy, Johnson's letters to, 62. 113,114, 115. 118. 3 K 2 8«8 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. [Index. 122. 13(1. 144, 14.'). 163. 173. 193. 197. 2U. 459.469. 56.5. 568. 622, 623. C31. 643. 6R3. 702. 736. 742. 744. 748, 749. 753. 798. Porter, Captain, her brother, 130. , Mrs., the actress, 125. 741. , Sir James, 635. Porteus, Bishop, 1.59. 501. 555. 589. 639. 641. 653. 679. 683. Portland, Duchess Dowager of, 646. Portrait, Mr. Beauclerk's inscription for Johnson's, 718. Portrait-painting, an improper employment for a woman, 451 . Portraits, 338. of Dr. Johnson, 133. 224. List of the various, 808. Portree, 323. Possibilities, 277. Post-chaise travelling, 485. 495. 548. Posterity, 473. Pott, Archdeacon, his sermons, 488. Potter, Rev. Dr., his translation of iEschylus, 582. Poverty, 18, 19. 99. 110. 1.50. 706, 707. 709, 710. 712. 7S2. Power, despotic, -591. Of the Crown, 236. Powerscourt, Lord, his wager, 351. Praise, 190. 571. 588. 661. 681. 754. , indiscriminate, 629. Exaggerated, 681. and flattery, difference between, 419. Prayer. 275. 285. 29G. 302, 303. 733. 762. , the Book of Common, 762. , a form of, Johnson's arguments for, 391. 762. , Johnson's, on the death of his wife, 75. , unpublished, 1759, 823. Pravers, Johnson's classification of, 792. " Prayers and Meditations," J.'s., 17. 2.5.62.75.81. 83.99,100. 110. 114. 118. 120. 165. 167, 1 68. 187, 188. 213. 225. 242, 243. 251. i63. 265, 266. 410. 426. 450. 502. 523. 526. .597. 602. 626. 650. 654. 665. 682. 698. 702. 704. 710. 789. 792. 799, 800. 803. , not intended by him for publication, 792. 803. Preachers, women, 157. Preaching above the capacity of the congregation, 719. " Preceptor," Dodsley's, 59. Precocity in children, 469. Predestination, 210. Prejudice, 713. Johnson's, 456. Against Scotland and Scotchmen, 54. 269. 302. 431,432. 713. Premium scheme in Dublin University, 107. Prendergast, Sir Thomas, presentiment of his death, 241. Presbyterians, 209. 397, 398. 805. Prescience of the Deity, 594. Prescription of murder in Scotland, 270. 291. Presentiment of death, 241. Press, superfetation of, prejudicial to literature, 608. Pretender, the, 42. 54. 92. 147.32.5. 331. 351.401.455.466.510. Boswell's account of the escape of, 326 — 331. , history of, proposed to Sir W. Scott, 401. Price, Archdeacon, 424. , Dr. Richard, 738. Priestley, Dr. Joseph, 593, 594. 738. 804. J.'s opinion of, 218. Primrose, Dorothea, Lady, 331. Prince of Wales, his situation, 718 , afterwards George IV., 187. " Prince Titi," history of, 461. Principle, 151. Principles, fundamental, 446. " Principles of Politeness," Truster's, 511. Pringle, Sir John, 234. 294. 331 . 395. 397. 497.499. 513. 553. 578. Printers' devil, 686. Printing, 236. 425. 506. Printing-house, Virgil's description of the entrance into hell applied to, 372. Prior, Matthew, 201. 282. 559. 633. 646. , Johnson's extraordinary defence of, 559. , James, his" Life of Burke," 136. 253. , Life of Goldsmith, 140, 141. 203. 247. 249. 258. adopts the editor's rejection of indelicate expressions, 176. Prisons on the Continent, 753. Pritchard, Mrs., the actress, 61. 123. 206. 304. 447. Private conversation, 730. Prize-fighting, 342. Procrastination, 63. Procurators of Edinburgh, prosecution by, 696. " Progress of Discontent," Warton's, 93. " Project," The, a poem by Tickell, 603. Prologues, ,55. 189. 438. 532. Pronunciation, 232, 233. 290. 489. -560. Property, 262. Laws of, 472. 475. Propitiatory sacrifice, 292. 695. Prospect, fine, 399. Prosperity, 615. Prospero, 68. Prostitution, 500. Providence, a particular, 754. Prujean, Mr., 20. 622. Prussia, King of, 609. 689. His writings, 149. Anecdote of, 149. 151. Psalmanazer, George, 213. 602. 720. 754. 794. Psalms, biblical version of, 420. Public amusements, 236. Schools, 498. Speaking, 249. 443. Worship, 142. Institutions, administration of, 511. '• Public Virtue," Dodsley's, 660. Pudding, meditation on a, 387. Puffendorf, 231 . 478. Pulpit, liberty of the, 513. 523. Pulsation, theory of, 505. Pulteney, William, Earl of Bath, 45. 3 Punctuation, 504. Punishment, eternity of, 562. 694. 764. Punishments, 469. 586. .592. 611. 694. Puns, 249. 259. 605. 768,769. Purcell, 444. Purgatory, 77. 210. 2.34. Purposes, good, the benefit of, 799. Pym, John, 18. Quakers, 157. 487. 728. 730. Female preachers, 1.57. Quarrels, 556. " Quarterly Review," Byng's trial treated in, 105. of Horace Walpole's Memoirs, 768. Queen's Arms Club, not patriots, 682. Queensbury. Duke of, 4.53. Duchess of, 476. Queeny (Miss Thrale), 423. Questioning, not tiie mode of conversation, 493. 585. Quin, the actor, 453. 533. 584. " Quos Deus vult pcrdere " Sec, whence taken, 718. Quotation, 687. " Quotidian expenses," 385. Rabutin, Bussy, 279. Raoine, .55. 372. Rackstrow, Colonel of the trained bands, 769. Radcliffe, Dr., 89. , small success of his travelling fellowships, 762. Rajapouts, 683. Raleigh, Sir Walter, 72. 228. Ralph, Mr. James, 51. 673. , secretary to Frederick Prince of Wales, 461. " Rambler," the, 62, 63. 65. 67. Reasons for that name, 62. Prayer on commencing, 62. Cave's letter, 65. , remarks on, 67. 71. 83. 508. 707. 727. , translations of the mottos to, 71. , translation into Italian, 638. , said to be translated into Russian, 755. A mistake, 755. " Bamci," the, 837. Ramsay, Allan, 252. 394,395. " Gentle Shepherd," 2.52. 395. , Allan, junior, 508. 579, 580. 608. 610. 627. 630. 787. , Colonel, 83. Ranijy, John, " Doubts on Slave Trade Abolition," .563. " Random Records," (Colman's), 511. Ranelagh, 236.561. Rank, its importance in society, 151. 176. 238. 265. 440. Rann, Mr., 632. Raphael, 50. Rasay, Isle of, 316, 317, 318, 319, 320. 407, 408. 457. , John Macleod, Laird of, 317. 324. 327. 406. 408. 459. 536. , his letter to Boswell, on Johnson's " Journey," 406. , Johnson's and Boswell's letters to, 407. , Lady. 317. Miss Flora, 322. 533. " Rascal," Johnson's use of the word, 494. " Rasselas," 22. 114, 11.5, 116. 118. 148. 603. 617. 692. Written in one week, 115. Translated into four languages, 247. Ratcliffe, Dr., Master of Pembroke, neglect of Johnson, 89. " Eals, Muse let us sing of," 485. 834. Rattakin mountain, 310. Rawlinson, Dr. Richard, the antiquarian, 711. Ray, Miss, 628. Ray's Proverbs, 205. Reading, 452. -508. 559. .591. 664. 726. 731. 766. Advantages of, 4.50. Snatches of, 661. The small quantity of. in the world, 731. The manner and effect of, 12. 147. 6.i9. 628. Best mode of, 508. And writing, 242. 506. Quick, 830. Reay, George, third Lord, 376. Rebellions, sometimes justifiable, 401. Red ink, kind of, used by Johnson, 649. 716. Reed, Mr. Isaac, 61. 259. 666. Reeves, Sir Thomas, 90. Refinement in education, 551. Reformers, 262. " Refrain" and "Abstain," distinction between, 159. Registration of deeds, Johnson's note on, 678. " Ilehears.il," the Duke of Buckingham's, 235. 770. Reid, Dr., of Glasgow, 393. Rein-deer, introduction of, into England, 235. Relations, 297. Relationship, 238. 297. Relics, 699. Religion, 15. 100. 135. 137. 165. 167. 172. 175. 199. 207. 209, 210. 212, 213. 218. 229. 237. 250. 285. 374. 377. 493. 596. 611. 683. 693. 730. , revealed, evidence for, 840. , Roman Catholic, 760. Religious discourse, 730. Houses, 319. Orders, 480. Dis- cipline, 694. Impressiont, 694. " Remembrance" and " Recollection," distinguished, C95. Renegado, definition of, 98. Rents, 209. 333. 366. Repentance, 69.'). 729. 800. Resentment, 507. 788. Residences, a list of Johnson's, 30. 636. Resolutions, difficulty of keeping, 213. Of amendment, 450. Index.] BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. KfS'i Kespect not to be paid to an adversary. 272. " liespublictp," the little volumes entitled, 511. Resurrection, 122. 684. 729. "Resurrection," The. a poem, 122. Retired tradesmen, 443. Retirement from the world, 233. Retort, Johnson's dexterity in, 719. Reviewers, meanness of returning thanks to, 673. Reviews, 729. Monthly and Critical, 504. 608. Revolution of 1688, 253. 332. "14. Reynolds, Sir Joshua, 41, 42. 50. 63. 73. 79. 96. 113. I2.-?. 125, 126, 127. 128. 141. 161. 163, 164. 171. 177. 186. 203. 205. 212. 226. 253. 257. 269. 273. 296. 298. 305. 338. 3G3. 428. 432. 445. 452. 479, 480 496. .')02. 507, -WS. 519. 521. 523. 573. 583. 597. 600, 601. 603. 607, 60S. 610. 612. 620. 622. 624. 629. 642. 656. 678. 683. 685. 733. 743. 746, 747. 756, 757. 768. 787, 788. 806. , Johnson's " dulce decus," 79. His prices for portraits, 113. His visit to Devonshire with Johnson, 127. Johnson's letters to, 166. 224. 226. 519. 523. 697. 7H. 716. 724. 731. 733. 746. 787. , Boswell's letter to, 747. , style and economy of his table, 519. , two dialogues by, in imitation of Johnson's. 601. , his " Discourses to the Roval Academy," 621. 770. , Miss. 42. 113. 129. 161. 166. 385. 4M. 465. 467. 480. 509. 519. 567. 577. 594. 642. 644. 649. 691. 697. -—7, her character, by J., 129. Her letter to J., 519. -U-, Johnson's letters to, 129. 161. 224. 226. 505. 519. 623. G32. 639. 649. 697. 706. 741. 744. 7.53. 757. , her " Essay on Taste," 697. Her poem, 649. 834. , her "Recollections " of Dr. Johnson, bbO. 691. 830. Rhetorical gesture, Johnson's ridicule of, 111. Rheumatism, Johnson's recipe for, 451. Rhubarb, 749. Rhudlan Castle, 419. Rhyme, its excellence over blank verse, 146. 6G8. Rich, Miss, 442. Richardson, Samuel, 36. 42. 63. 65. 73. 79. 83. 95. 100. 113. 12.5. 129. 140, 141. 181. 190. 218. 238. 402. 556. 602. 644. 6.55. 663. 830. , Johnson's resource in pecuniary distress, 100. writes a paper m the " Rambler," 63. Johnson's cha- racter of, 63. 73. 2.i8. 402. Letters to, 73. 83. 95. 100. compared with Fielding, 190. , limited conversational powers, 6G3. , Martha, (Mrs. Brigden), 125. _,.- , Jonathan the elder and the younger, 36. , Mr., an attorney, 68. Riches, 150. 230. 235. 299. 714. 782. InQueuce of, 299. Riddoch, Mr., 291. 293, 294. Ridicule, the great use of, 026. 6-59. Ridley, Bishop, 210. Riggs, Mrs., 442. Right, natural, 473. Ring, Johnson's wedding, 76. 163. Riot, Johnson leads one, 771. Riots of 1780, 647. 651. Johnson's account of, 647. Ritson's songs, 3-52. Ritter, Joseph, 209. 280. 470. Rivers, Earl of, 50. 52. Rizzio, David, 276. Roberts, Miss, 111. , J., printer, 50. Robertson, Dr. James, 276. , Dr. William, the historian, 103. 182. 191. 194. 2.-i0 244. 2hg. 267. 273. 275, 276. 302. 394. 399. 401. 402. 412. 552. 608, 609. 611. 636. 680. 770. Note to Boswell, 273. , his style imitated from Johnson, 552. 796. , his History of Scotland, 191. 609. , Mr., 299. Robin Hood Society, 684. Robinson, Mr., sen., 79. Crusoe, 585. , Archbishop, 220. Sir Thomas, 148. 220. Rochester, Lord, 280. His poems. 280. 325. 559. Rockingham, Lady, 83. Marquis of, 177. Rockville, Alexander Gordon, Lord, 159, 160. 401, 402. Rod, punishment of the, 8. 295. Rodney, Admiral Lord, 465. Rotfette, Abbe, 468. Rogers, Captain Francis, 127. , Rev. Mr., 801. Rokeby, Mathew, second Lord. 118. 148. 220. Roll, Richard, "Dictionary of Trade and Commerce," 121. Roman Catholics, Johnson's charitable opinion of, 76. 209, 210. 229. 637. Catholic religion, 2S6. 499. 760. Romances, 659. Johnson's love of, 9. Reasons for reading, 6.59. Romans, character of the ancient. 104. Rome, the fountain of elegance, 608. Romney, the painter, 508. Rorie, or Roderick More. 334. Roscommon, Johnson's Lile of, 59. Rose, Dr., 79. 737. Repartee on Johnson's pension, 713. Rose, Mrs., her anecdotes of Johnson, 836. , Sir George, 83. Roslin Castle, 404. Ross, Bishop of. 754. Thane of, 657. Rosses, the, 309. Rosslyn, Earl, Professor, 292. See LouRhborough . Rothes, Lady, Langton's wife. 222. 225. 2Z7. :i41. 528. 897. , Ladies, 222. , family, 284. Round-robin on Goldsmith's epitaph, 520. .'421. Rous, Francis, Speaker, 18. Rousseau. 1.50. 175, 176. 760. Johnson's opinion of, 175. Hit " Profession de Foi," and " Confetsloni," 176. Rowe, (the poet), 72. Mrs., 105. Rowley, Thomas, 510. Royal Academy instituted, 197. family, 358. r>4<5. Royston. Lord, 121. Rudd, Margaret Caroline. 4S4. 518. 607. Ruddiman, Thomas, 66. 179. 251. 2S7. 335. 623. Rudeness, J.'s occasional, 393. 6'28. 658. 663. 670. 6S5. 691. Ruffliead's Life of Pope, 235. Ruins, artificial, 424. " Rumble," Hayley's char.acter of Johnson, 774. Runic inscription, 47. Runts, 610. Russell, Lord, 249. .588. . Dr., his " Aleppo," 714. Russia, Catherine Empress of, 622. Orders a translation of the " Rambler," 755. A mistake, 7.55. Rutty, Dr. John, extracts from his " Spiritual Diary," 551. Ryland, Mr., 58. 78, 79. 785. 842. 844. S.abbath, the, Johnson's opinions concerning, 99. 199. 250. 28.5. 377. 456. 601. Sacheverel, Dr., 6. " History of the Isle of Man," 382. .Sanaiiicnt, 301. Impropriety of sitting at, 627. S;ij,acity and intuition, difference betvieen, 77.5. S.iilor's life, J.'s aversion, 117. 308. 349. 480. 685. , English, 403. .58.5. St. Alban's, Duke, 80. Andrew's, city of, 283. Its library, 281. Ruins of its cathedral, ,540. 'its university, 540. Asaph, Bishop of. See Shipley. Bruno, 465. ^ Columba, 3S1, 3S2. —^ Helens, AUeyne Fitzherbert, Lord, 20. Hvcinthe. 461. Ju'lien, M.de. 461. Kikia, 191. 228. 301.342. 360. Louis, 465. Quintin, Catherine, Countess of Eglintoune, 395. Rule's Chapel, 283. Vitus's dance, described by Sydenham, 42. 269. Saints, worship of, 210. Salamanca, University of, 155. Sale, Mr., his share in the Universal History, 794. Salisbury, Bishop of. See Douglas. Cathedral. 741. Sallust, 420. Spanish translation of, 722. Salter, Rev Dr., .58. 68. Salusbury, Mrs., 251. 266. 457, 458. 610. , Miss, afterwards Mrs. Tlirale, 170. Sanderson, Bi-^hop, 69. 210. 803. 842. , Professor, 242. " Sandford, your mother's son is welcome," 3.55. Sandhills, 371. Sandwich, John, sixth Earl of, 6'28. Sandys, Mr., 45. 362. Lord, 423, 424. Sanquhar, Lord, 297. Santerre, the Parisian brewer, 464. Saratoga, surrender of the British army at, 617 S.irdinia, 202. Sarpedon, Lord Errol like, 296 Sarpi, Father Paul, his " History of the Coimcil of Trent," •29.38,39. His Life by Johnson. 40. Sc-c P.iul. Sastres, Mr., the It-ilian master, .501. 802. Saunderson, Nicholas, 242. Savage, Rich^ird, 35. 49, .50. 52, .53. 84. 7'.'H. , Johnson's Life of, 47. 49, 50, 51. 28.). .inquiry- .as to his birth. 51. His tragedy of "Sir Thomas Overburv," 532. His " Wanderer " quoted, 760. Savage girl, 299. Life, 200. 25j. Savages, '200. '234, 25.5. 261. 289. 290 510, 511. 728. 766. Savings, trifling, 597. Sawbridge, Catherine, afterwards Mrs Macaulay, 78. Scaliger, 468. Scalpa, island of, 316 Scarsdale, Lord, and Keddlestone, 416. Scepticism, 278. Kleven causes of, 792. Schomberg, Dr. Ralph, the Jew physician, 490. Schoolmasters, 8. '25. Q'2ii, Til. 2.'17. '241. Right to punish, 231. Schools, public, 291. 409. 498. 566. Science, books of, 308. Scolding, a specimen of Johnson's, 662. Score, in music, meaning of, 439. Scorpions, Inc^uiry concerning, 191. ^ 870 BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. [Index. Scotch, Johnson's feelings towards, 145. 191. 201.217. 232. 244. 2.59. 276. 285. 2;H. 349. 383. 432. 434. 4-51. 478. 579. 629. 650. 65S 687. 696. 713. 719. accent overcome by perseverance, 232. clergy, 3.50. Highlander, 403. Impudence, 433. , conjectures as to the origin of Johnson's antipathy to, 54. 431. 713. 827. , learning of the, 452. , cause of their success in London, 719. Lairds, Johnson's notion of the dignity of, 139. , jealousy of the, 432. , nationality of the, 2.=)9. 432, 433. 439. 493. 720. Scotland, episcopal church of, 623. , peers of, their interference in elections, 744. Scots, Mary, Queen of, 119. 276. Scott, Sir Walter, notes on " Tour in the Hebrides," by, 227, 231. 264. 270. 272. 275. 279, 280, 281, 282, 283, 284, 285, 286. 296. 299. 301, 302, 303. 307. 309. 313, 314, 316, 317, 318, 319. 324. 326. 340, 341, 342. 345, 346, 347. 351. 359. 362. 364. 371. 409, 410. adopts editor's rejection of indelicate expressions, 176. , a history of the Pretender suggested to him, 401 . , George Lewis, sub-preceptor to George III., 60. , John, of Amwell, 443. His " Elegies," 448. , Dr., afterwards Sir William and Lord Stowell, 37. 90. 117. 157. 210. 223. 268. 270, 271. 277. 280. 319. 425. 458. 483. 5S3. 585. 600. 646. 648. 684. , his character of Boswell, 280. His account of Mr. Coulson, 425. Scoundrel, a favourite word of Johnson's, 494. • and blockhead, applied to women, 480. Scoundrelism, "a good ism" 298. Scrimshaw, a relation of Johnson's, 311. Scripture phrases, 249. Scriptures, inspiration of our copies questioned, 176. Pro- posal for an Erse translation of, 181, 182. Scrofula, Johnson afflicted with, 7. frequently attended by morbid melancholy, 7. Scruples, prayer against, 799. Unnecessary, 283. Scuderi, Mademoiselle, 442. Seaforth, Lord, 309. Sea life, Johnson's aversion to, 64. 349. 480. Seal, Johnson's, 220. Seasons, influence of, 265. Seeker, Archbishop, 3. 219. Johnson's prejudice against, 663. Porteus's Life of, 663. Second sight, 35. 175. 228. 315. 317. 341. 376. 400. 405. 437. Sedley, Sir C, and daughter. Countess of Dorchester, 278. Seduction, 615. Seed, Kev. Jeremiah, his " Sermons," 579. Self-importance, 552. Praise, 005. Selden's " Table Talk " quoted, 372. 710. Sellette, queries on tlie, 461. Selwyn, George, 629. " Semel insanivimus omnes" S'C, whence taken, 718. Seneca, 336. 367. 468. " Senectus," use of the word, 613. Sensibility, Johnson's, 720. Sensual intercourse, -578. 612. " Sentimental Journey," Sterne's, 664. " Serious Call," Law's, 15. 218. Sermons, the best English, for style, 578. , collections of, 688. , Johnson's, 107. 285. 555. 603. , Johnson's advice on the composition of, 652. " Serotinus," 68. Servants, male and female, 251. Services. 180. Settle, Elkanah, the city poet, 517. Seve China, 549. Severity, 480. Sevigne, Madame de, 22. 186. 511. Seward, Rev. Mr., 19. 491. 54.5. , Anna, 4, 5, 6, 7. 20. 23, 24. 76. 188. 239. 374. 415. 491. 577. .591. 593. 596. 774. Ode on death of Cook, 773. , William, 200, 201. 424, 425. 535, 536. 639. 643. 734. , anecdotes of distinguished persons, 767. Sexes, inequality of the, 592. , sensual intercourse between, 612. Sforza, Ludovico, 359. Shakspeare, 54, 5.5. 72. 83. 86. HI, 112. 125. 137. 144. 168. 171, 172, 173. 177. 204, 205, 206, 207. 297. 303. 309. 353. 385. 512. 627. 662. 830. 838. , orthography of his name, 303. , J,'s edition of, 54. 107. 110. 125. 164. 171, 172. 246. , his witches, 627. , Johnson's opinion of his learning, 653, 600. , Johnson's lines on, 662. , compared with Congreve, 203. 207. , his picture of man, 678. ."Modern Characters" from, 581. Sliame and conscience contrasted, 8.33. Sharp, Archbishop, his murder and monument, 284. , Samuel, 74. 121. His " Letters on Italy," 512. , Dr. John, 05. 167. Account of Johnson's visit to Cam- bridge, 167. , Mr. William, jun., Johnson's letter to, 536. Sharpe, Rev. Dr. Gregory, 220. Shaving, varieties in, 549. Shaw, Cuthbert, his poem of " The Race," 183. , Willi.im, works on the Erse Language, 528, 529. 567. His pamphlet on Ossian, 745. , Professor, 28.5, 286. Shawe, Colonel Meyrick, on the Irish and Erse, 231. Shebbeare, Dr., 68. 195. 602. 690. 729. His letters under tlie name of " Battista Angeloni," 691. Sheep's head, 384. Sheffield, Lord, 229. Shelburne, Earl of, (Lord Lansdowne,) 232. 500. .505. 584. 645. 715. 721. Goldsmith's blundering speech to, 716. Shelvock, Mr., 794. Shenstone, William, 350. 385. 424, 425. 485. His essays, 733. Favourite stanza of, 703. Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 121. 131,132. 160. 217. 447.453. 521. 529. 532. 573. , prologue to "Sir Thomas Overbury ;" compliment to J. on his Dictionary ; proposed by J. for the club ; meditated answer to J. 's "Taxation no Tyranny," .532. , Thomas, 51. 62. 121. 126, 127. 131, 132. 134. 154. 106. 204. 207. 219. 233. 247- 264. 437- 447. 494. 532. 025. 720. 730. , Johnson's description of his conversation, 154. irreconcileable difference between Johnson and, 131. Johnson's character of, 713. 732. his " Lectures on Oratory," 732. his medal to the author of " Douglas," 390. 437. jj, , Mrs. (Frances Chamberlaine), some account of, anlfof her novels, " Sydney Biddulph" and " Nourjahad," 121. 132. Mrs. K. B., (Miss Linley), 453. 707. , Charles, his " Revolution in Sweden," 591. Sherlock's Sermons, 579. , tlie Rev. Martin, his travels, 770. " She Stoops to Conquer," Goldsmith's, 247, 248. 250, 251. 2.53. 2-57. Shields, Mr. Robert, 57. 504. 506. .533. " Ship of Fools," 91. Shipley, Bishop, 418. 420. 44S. 480. 501. 519. .579. 044. G45. 647. 679. 683. 743. , Dean, 141. Shoe-buckles, 269. Shopkeepers of London, 289, 290. Shore, Jane, 279. Short-hand, 253. 586. 713. Siam, the King of, 609. Sibbald, Sir Robert, 572. Sick, uuty of telling truth to the, 765. chamber, 737. Siddons, Mrs., her visit to Johnson, 741. Sidney, Sir Philip, 21.5. Arcadia quoted, 538. , Algernon, 249. Siege of Aleppo, 583. Sight, Johnson's defective, 100. 835i Silence, Johnson's occasional, 287. Simpson, Joseph, 117. 168. 503. , Thomas, the engineer, 119. , Rev. Mr., 79. 018. Sin, original, 292. 694. Sinclair, Sir John, 700. , Mr., stabbed by Savage, 35. Singularity, 200. Sins, 237. " Sisters," The, a comedy, 657. " Sixteen-string Jack," 506. Skeggs, Mr., plays on a broomstick, 143. Skene, Sir John, 640. Skie, Isle of, 312. , Johnson's ode on, 313. Slain's Castle, 295. Slater, Mr., the druggist, 515. Slave-trade, Johnson's abhorrence of, 502. 063. Sleep, 650. Smalbroke, Dr., his " Sermons," 38. Small debts, 117. Svnalridge, Dr., his sermons, 579. Smart, Christopher, 15. 0.5. Iu3. 135. 143. 604. Mrs., 785. Smelt, Leonard, Esq., 645. Smith, Rev. Edward, his verses on Pococke, 586. , Dr. Adam, 16. 146. 269. 272. 393. 498. 534. 608. , his " Wealth of Nations," 478. His meetings with Johnson, 393. 608. 661, 652. His letter about Hume, 272. Garrick's opinion of, 662. , Lady, 632. , Captain, 619. , Mr., .568. Smithson, Sir Hugh, 220. Smoking, 106. 282. Smollett, Dr., 118. 1.53. 212. 392. 504. Letter to Wilkes, 118. Epitaph corrected, 392. , Commissary, 392. Sociability, Johnson's, 758. Society, 594. Our duties to, 175. 283. civilised, customs of, 1.50, 151, 152. 175. Socrates, 585. Learned to dance, 680. " Solamen miseris focios" &c.. author of, unknown, 718. Solauder, Dr., 226, 227, 228. 378, 379. 496. Index.] BOS^VELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. 87 i Countess, 480. 1.239. 241.685. 'GOG. Sol.Urrs, 111.307.497. .iS.i. ■ Soldier's letter," 47. 111. Solittuie, 188.735. , reasons against, 735. Sol, ,,1,468. Somerset, Duchess of, 154. Duke of, 220. Soinrville, James, thirteenth Lord, 670. Souinambulism, Dr. Blackloi-ke's, 277. Soj.hron, in tlie " Kambler," 68. S I lionne, 464. Sorrow, 20C. 284. Souls, notion of the middle state of, 77. Sounds, 243. South, Dr., his sermons. 210. 579. Soutliwark, people of, 654. Southwell, Robert, stanzas " Upon the Image of Death, 420. , Thomas, second Lord, 78. 123. 243. 246. 653. 715. . , Lady, Johnson's letter to, 653. . , Thomas George, third Lord and first Viscount, 6.53. Thomas Arthur, second Viscount, 123. 246. , Edmund, younger brother of second Lord, 653.- , Kdmund, third son of the first Lord, 246. , the Hon. Misses Frances and Lucy, 246. 645. , Robert, 420. S|T.i!es, 344. S|i nn, no country less known than, 124. 139. 1.55. Si):uiish plays, 659. Speaking, public, 443. Johnson's qualifications for, 22:{. of one^s self, 605. " Spectator," the, 65. 249. 454. 504. 573. 662. G64. 679. 684. " Speculum Humana; Salvationis," 464. Spells, 317. Spelnian, Sir Henry, on the fatality attending the inherit- ance of confiscated church property, 711. Spence, Rev. Joseph, 374. 675. His "Anecdotes," 143. G43. 657. 675. Spencer, John George, Earl, 590. 646. , Edmund, 88. 90. 92. Spirits, appearance of, 116. 138. 228. 25 , evil, 277. " Spleen," the, 506. Sporus, 29. Spottiswoode, Mr. John, 43S. " Of that ilk,' Sprat, his style characterised by Johnson, OS. Spurs, Johnson's, 317. 804. Kelly's, 801. Squires, the Rev. Mr., 65. Stage, the, 304. Stage coaches, 758. 838. Stair, the Earl of, 394. Stanhope, Mr., Lord Chesterfield's son, 8S. 217. 680. 774. Earl, 48. Stanley, Hans. 229. , Honourable Mrs., 461. Stanton, Mr., the player, 489, 490. Stanyan, Temple, his account of Switzerland, 617. Statham, the Rev. Mr., 18. 427. Statuary, 481. Staunton, Sir George, letter to, and account of, 124. Steele, Sir Richard, 53. 439. 484. 684. His " Christian Hero," 484. Addison's conduct towards, 671. , Mr. Joshua, his " Prosodia Racionalis'' 439. Steevens George, Esq., 141. 192.211.213,214.246.248.411, 412. 445. 456. 526. 559. 590. 616. 629. 666.717. 754. 771. 803. , Johnson's letter to, 411. 526. Stella, Swift's, 471. Stellas inter luna minores, 784. Stephani, account of the, 655. Sterne, 238. 2.53. 664. 689. His " Tristram Shandy," 484. Stews, licensed, 500. Stick, Johnson's, joke on the loss of, 375. Stillingfleet, Benjamin, Esq., 689. Stinton, Dr., 589. 663. Stirling, corporation of, J.'s argument in favour of, 4.55. Stockdale, the bookseller. 111. , Rev. Perceval, 213. 228. 769. His " Remonstrance," 213. Stonehenge, 741. Stopford, General, the Hon. Edward, 456. Stories, truth essential to, 479. Stourbridge School, Johnson's connexion with, 10. Stowell, Lord. See Scott, Dr. Strahan, Rev. Dr. George, 75. 147. 168. 185. 289. 651. (.53. 792. 806. Johnson's letters to, 129, 130. 146. 161. 168. 651. , publishes Johnson's " Prayers and Meditations," 75. 792. Observations on his doing so, 792. 803. William, Esq., 79. 83. 222. 254. 293. 393. 437, 438, .524, ,525. 582. 619. 687. 719. recommending J. to be brought into Parliament, 222. , difference between Johnson and, 619. G25. , Johnson's letters to, 687. 701. , Mrs., 66. __, William, Esq., junior, 687. Stratagem, 588. Strathnaver, Lord, 391. Streatham, 201. 615. Johnson's valediction to, 710. Strichen, Lord, 298. Strickland, Mrs., 465. 4G7. 533. Stuart family, 119. 147. 2.52. 332. .M6. , air., ot' Duncnrn. kills Sir W. Boswell in n duel, 240. , Hon. Willi.un, Archbishop of Armagh, 723. , Hon. Colonel James, (34. 639. ti4l. , Andrew, •• Letters to Lord MansHcld, 255. 494. , Francis and Mrs.. sMer, fA. .57. Ml. G43. 748. 750. 827. , Rev. James, translator of the Scriinures intoEr»e, 182. , H.irriot, Life of, by Mrs. Lenox, k:j , Lady M.w , daughter of Lord Bute, 300. Study, plan of, 139. 147. l.V>, 150, 157. 102. 108. 177. 206. 69L 610. 628. 637. 6.57. COO. 707. , Cumberl.md's mode of, 581. Stylo, 68, 69, 70, 71. 243. 582. .590. COO. 073. 811. , Burrowes's Essiiy on Johnson's, 09. , .Addison's and Johnson's compared, 71. , Johnson's character of Addison's, 71. , v.irious kinds of, 243. 837. , metaphorical expression, a great excellence In, 552. , of writers and painters, how far distinguishable, 590. Subordination, 583. 028. Necessary to human bapplucM, 138. 151, 152. 170. 2.52. 2&>. , impaired in England, by the increase of money, 584. , in society, duty of maintaining, 440. Subscription to the Thirty-nine Articles, 210. 229. 294. Succession, 472, 473. Suckling, Sir John, his " Aglaura," a play, 003. Suetonius, 591 . " Sugar Cane," a poem, 485, 486. 834. Suicide, 255. 281 . 707. 733. Sullv, 99. Sunday. See Sabb.nth. Sunderland, Lord, Johnson inquires for a life of, 48. Superfetation of the press, prejudicial to literature, 008. Superiors, deference to, 297. Superstitions, 106. 228. Supper, a turnpike to bed, 599. Suspicion, 539. Sutherland, Duke of, 224. Swallows, 192. Swan, Dr., 40. Swearing in conversation, 235. 507. Swene's stone. 301. Swift, 15. 28. 37. -57. 71, 72. 132. 154. 204. 259. 345. 347. 460. 484. 512. Johnson's prejudice against, '277. , his " T,ile of a Tub," 154. 243. 277. 4.37. His " Conduct of the Allies," 195. His " Gulliver's Travels," 437. His " Journal," 716. , Lord Gower's application to, 37. , Johnson's opinion of, 132. 1.54. 195. 220. 243. 277. 437. , Lord Hailes's opinion of, 148. , Johnson's Life of, 674. , his verses on his own death, quoted by Johnson on his death-bed, 841. Swimming, Johnson's skill at, .524. 836. Swinfen, Dr., 4. 7. 12. 14. 570. 6.54. Mrs., 101. Swinton, Rev. Mr., authorship of the Univers.il History, 89. Sydenham, Dr., 293. Description of St. Vitus's dance, 42. 269. Johnson's Life of, 0. 40. Sydney, Lady, 366. Sympathy, 491. With others in distress, 200. " Systeme tie la Nature," 278. Table, sinking, invented by Ix)uis XV., 461. " Table Talk," Selden's, 372. 719. Tacitus, style of, "242. 42S. Tait, Rev. Mr.,305. Talbot, Mrs. Catherine, 63. " Tale of a Tub." See Swift. Talisker, (Col. Macleod), 317, 318. 336. 350. 352, 3.53. " Talk " and" Conversation," J.'s distinction between, 719. Talkers, exuberant public, ridiculed, '260. Tallow-chandler, story of one, 443. Tanning, Johnson's knowledge of, 348. Tarleton, 58. Tasker, Rev. William, a crazy poet, 624. 714. Tasso, his Jerusalem, 427. 608. , Johnson's dcdicition of Hoole's translation of, 130. Taste, 243. Refinement of, 770. Tavern, the chair of a, 485. Taverns, 485. 078. " Taxation no Tyranny," 43-0. 442. 5C9. 591 . Suppressed passages in, 435. Taylor, Jeremy, 09. 175. 760. 762. 806. 1 Rev. Dr. John, 12. 13. is. iO. 51. 56. 00.77.79. 214,21.".. 235. 285. 417. 471. 491. 493. .508. 511. 518. 539, 540, .'>4I. 544. 546, 547. 651. 555. .558. 504. 003. 032. 734. 752. 807. 809. , hi< sermons, 5.5,5. Johnson's letters to, 77. 734. 7.52. , Chevalier, 630. John, Esq., 23. 01. , " Demosthenes," a silent man, 603. Tea, J.'s defence of .nnd fondness for, 105. 260. 563. 581. Te vcnienie die, &c., 105. Te.a-pot, Johnson s, 105. 'j'edious gentleman, Johnson's remark to a, 243. " Telem.ichus," Gr.iham's, 139. 294. 528. " Telcmaclius," (Fcnelon's), 372. 457. Temple, Sir William. His style, 09. 582. , Rev. Mr., 149. 175. 200. 430. Character of Gray, 708. Temptation, 575. Tenants, 306. 370. 443. Terence, 490. GOO. Testimony, 757. Thales, 35. Thatching, 355. Theft allowed in Sparta, .594. Theobald, Lewis, 110.345. Theocritus, his character as a writer, 655. " Theophilus Insulanus," 341. Thicknesse, Philip, Esq., his " Travels," .575. Things, attention to small, 721. Thirlby, Dr. Styan, 711. Thomas, Mr. Nathaniel, 524. , Colonel, 728. , the two bishops of that name, 448. Thompson, W., author of " The Man in the Monn," 409. Thomson, J., 1.54. 194. 453. 506. .530. 533. 538. 018. 670. , Rev. James, his case, 513. 810. Thornton, Mrs., George Il.'s compliment to, 185. , Bonnell, Esq., 05. 68. 89. , his burlesque " Ode on St. Cecilia's Day," 143. , Henry, Esq., 654. Thoughts, perplexing, Johnson's prayer against, 789. " Thoughts in Prison," Dodd's, 586. " Thoughts, &c. on the Falkland Islands." See Falkland Islands. Thrale, Henry, Esq., 60.70. 104, 165. 169, 170. 197. 203. 222, 223, 224. 305. 359. 424, 425. 447. 465. 491. 496. 500, 501, 502, 503. 629, 530. 537. 632. 0.54. 677. 681. 087. , Johnson's introduction into the family of, 169, 170. G54. , his design of bringing Johnson into Parliament, 223. ,, Johnson's letters to, 632. , address to Southwark electors, by Johnson, 6.53. , his reported death, 529. , his deaUi, 682. 703. 710. , sale of his brewery, 682.697. , Mrs. See Piozzi. Johnson's opinion of, 834. , Letters to, anecdotes by, passim. , Johnson's Latin Ode to, 314. , verses on her thirtv-fifth birthday, 471. , Henry, jun., death "of, 491. 495 , Mr. John and Margaret, his wife, 169. , Miss, (Lady Keith), 41.5. 417. 423. 425. Threshing, 355. Thuanus, 468. Johnson's proposed translation of, 804. Thucydides, 608. Thurlow, Lord, 37. 717. , Boswell's letter to, on J.'s proposed tour to Italy, 772. , Johnson's letter to, 781. His to Johnson, 054. To Reynolds, 782. To Boswell, 775. , opinion on the liberty of the pulpit, 513. 817. Thynne, Mr., his murder, 191. Tillotson, Archbishop, 09. Style of his sermons, 578. Time and space, 662. Timidity, 767. Tindal, Dr., forgery of his will, 2.55. Titi, history of Prince, 461. Toasts, 663. Tobemorie, 371. Todd's edition of Johnson's dictionary, 90, 07. Tolcher, Alderman, of Plymouth, 129. Toleration, 261, 262. Universal, 020. 658. " Tom Jones," Fielding's, 238. Torakeson, Mr., Johnson's letter to, 823. Tonson, 72. 79. Tooke, Rev John Home, .562. 602. 613. 616. , his " Letter to Mr. Dunning on the English Particle," and " Diversions of Purley," 016. Topham, the King versus, for a libel, 499. Toplady, Rev. Mr., 260. 263. Tories, 252. 3.58. 600. 012. 687. 722 Torloisk, Maclean of, 433. Torre, M., 506. Tory, Johnson's definition of, 97. and Whig, Johnson's description of, 701. Torture in Holland, 159. Towers, Dr., his " Letter" to J., 430. " Essay on J.," 667. Town-life, 5.53. 581. Townley, Charles, Esq., 465. 533. Town-mailing, 188. Townshend, Right Hon. Charles, 252. 495. , Lord, 389. Townson, Rev. Dr., 264. Trade, 207. 238. 343. 378. 478. The rage of, 343. Trades, Johnson's knowledge of, 348. 355. Tradesmen, opulence of, 378. , retired, 216. Unhappiness of, 443. Tradeswomen, 616. Tradition, 286. Tragedy, 506. A strange one, 576. Tragic acting, Johnson's contempt of, 275. 5.56. Translation, 181.500. 682. " Transpire," definition of the word, 012. Transubstantiation, 286. 292. Trapaud, Mr., 307. Travel, Lord Essex's advice on, 148. " Traveller," Goldsmith's, 141. 105. 174. 2.58. 384. 580. 604. Travelling, 139. 148. 1.58. 214. 217. 485. 495, 496. .505. 510. .548. 575. 586. 597. 616, 617. Use of and rules for, 708. , writers of, 456. 575. 597. Treason, constructive, 683. Trecothick, Mr. Alderman, 517. 562. Trees, paucity of, in Scotland, 285. 287. Trial by duel, 271. Trianon, 463. Triennial parliaments advocated by Johnson, 197. Trifles, 106. 034. Duty of attending to, 100. 148. 617. Trimlestown, Lord, 572. Trinity, 263. 292. Tripasse, Queen, 461. " Tristram Shandy," 484. Troughton, Lieut., the wanderer, 422. " Troye, Historyes of," 425. Trusler, Rev. Dr. John, his " Principles of Politeness," 511. Truth, 252. The bond of society, .594. , great importance of a regard to, 149. 151. 479. 498, 499. 572. 636. 705. 786. 799. , difference between physical and moral, 656. essential to stories, 479. Tuam, Archbishop of, afterwards Earl of Mayo, 737. TuH's Husbandry, 377. Tunbridge Wells, Johnson at, 26. 58. " Turkish Spy," 383. The authors of, 723. Turks, 475. Turnpike roads, effect of, 838. Turton, Dr. and Mrs., 23. Miss, 224. Twalmley, the inventor of the ironing-box, 721. Tweedale, Marquis of, 497. Twining, Rev. T., translation of Aristotle's "Poetics," 506. Twiss, Richard, " Travels in Spain," 445, 446. 456, 457. Tyers, Mr. Thomas, 59. 79. 86. 105. 211. 287. 345. 436. , account of, .599. Description of Johnson, 287. Tyrawley, Lord, 249. Tyrconnel, Lord, 53. Tyrwhitt, Thomas, Esq., his " Vindication," 701. TyUer, WiUiam, Esq., 119. 358.399. 402. 432. , his character of Johnson's " Journey," 432. , Alexander Fraser, Lord Woodhouselee, 399. 404. Ulinish, 344, 345. Ulva, 376. .538. Ulysses, 176. 839. Union, Scotch, 276. with Ireland, Johnson's prophecy as to the effects, 638. " Unius lacertiE," meaning of the expression of Juvenal, 581. " Universal History," list of the authors of, 767. , Warburton's and Gibbon's character of, 794. " Universal Visitor," Johnson's essays in, 103. 445. University, advantages of a, 838. Universities, English, not sufficiently rich, 498. Upcot, Mr., 15. 58. 167. 267. Upper-Ossory, Lord, 529. 573. Urban, Sylvanus, 32. 34. 48. Johnson's Latin ode to, 31. , letter to, proposing " Life of Savage," 50. Urie, Captain, 307. Urns, Johnson's dislike to, 423. 835. " Ursa Major," 423. 808. 839. Johnson so designated by Lord Auchinleck, 398. Usher, Archbishop, 60. Luminary of Irish church, 221. Usury laws, 502. * Uttoxeter, Johnson's expiatory visit to, 791. Vachell, William, Esq., 521. " Vaizabonclo,f Italian translation of " The Rambler," 638. Valetudinarian, 494. .545. Valiere, Mademoiselle de la, 278, 279. Vails to servants, 201. Vanbrugh's " Provoked Husband," 190. Vandyke, 3,38. Vane, Anne, 60. 278. Van Helmont, 233. Vanity, 804. , Goldsmith's extraordinary, 203. " Vanity of Human Wishes," 59. 177. 278. , Byron's opinion of, 59. Vansittart, Dr. Robert, 117. 243, 244. 425. , Mr., 425. , Mr. Henry, 117. Vasa, Gustavus, 40. Vauxhall Gardens, ,599, 600. Veal, Mrs., ghost story of, invented by Defoe, 234. Venus of Apelles, 088. Of Medici, 835. Verses, alleged pleasure in writing, 731. on Ireland, by a lady, 004. favourite, 830. 837. Vertot, M., 258. Vesey, Right Hon. Agmondesham, 298. 436. 663. , Mrs., 164. 442. .501. 025. 637. " Vicar of Wakefield," 141. 624. Johnson sells it, 604. Vice, 594. 612. 615. NDKX.J boswp:ll's life of johnson. 873 " ^'iclous Intromission," argument on, 244. 247. 278. 814. Victoria, Queen, former pr.ictice with regard to sentences of deatin abrogated on tier accession, 534. " Vidit et erebuit," &c., by whom written, S98. Vigneul-Marvilliana, 401. Viletti, Rev. Mr., 773. " Village," a poem, 716. Villieri, Sir George, ghost story respecting, G16. Vincent, Dr., 09. " Vindication of Natural Society," Burke's, l.')7, l-i8. Virgil, 15. 219. 245. 279. 381. 428'. 5.59. COS. 837-8. , Johnson's juvenile translations from, 10. . compamtive excellence of Homer, 559. 838. , superior to Theocritus, 655. .^— , his description of the entrance mto hell applied to a printing-house, 372. Virtue, 148. 594 612. 615, 616. , happiness dependent upon, .594. " Vision of Theodore the Hermit," considered by Johnson his best writing, 59. Vivacity, 489. Voltaire, 14'.i. 171, 172. 174. 176. 204. 297. 372. 401. 461. G0«. , his " Candida" resembles " Kasselas," 11.5. (.17. \ good narrator, 218. His attack on Jolmson, 171. llis dis- tinction of Pope and Dryden, 173. Voting, light of, 443. Vows, 179, ISO G17. Vyse, Rev. Dr., 113. 415. 469. .535. 790. 801. , his letter to Boswell, 53.5. , Johnson's letters to, 535. 654. 801. , Miss, 632. Wake, Archbishop of Canterbury, 444. Waldegrave, the ladies, portrait of, 1 13. Wages of labourers, 3.55. 716. Wales, Johnson's tour to, 415. , the Prince of, his situation, 718. , Frederick Prince of, CO. 65. 185. , George (afterwards George IV.), 187. Walker, the actor, the original Macheath, 453. , Mr. Joseph Cooper, 108. 531. , John, the master of elocution, 725. , Rev. Robert, 400. Wail, Dr., the physician, 762. Waller, Edmund, the poet, 291. 450. 606. 665. , his " Divine Poesie," 761. , Johnson's Life of, 666. , Sir William, his "Divine Meditations," 704. " Walloons," Cumberland's, 706. Walmeslev, Mrs., 490. Walmsley, Gilbert, Ksq., 19. 24. 27, 28. .54. 61. 147. 399. , his cliaraiter by Johnson, 19. 27. 147. 399. , his letter recommending Johnson and Garrick, 27. Walpole, Horace, sen., 45. , Horace, afterwards Earl of Orford,90. 113. 184. 189, 190. 202. 204. 233. 243. 2.53. 325. 345. 352. 362, 363. 439. 442. 444. 508. 524. 629. 691. 720. 768. , his share in the " Heroic Epistle," 325. 768. , his description of Bath-Easton, 442. , his account of Dodd's preaching, 541. , his " Reminiscences " quoted, 53. 444. 553. , his character of Johnson, 768. , Sir Robert, 36. 40, 41. 61. 104. 202. 233. '244. 302. 383. 447. 512. .523. 553. 681. , Johnson's opposition to his government, 41. Walshe, Lieutenant-Colonel, 198. Walton, Isaac, his " Life of Bishop Sanderson," quoted, 842. His " Angler," 415. His " Lives," 413, 414. 4.52. 4><3. 529. War, 254. 585. 661.728. AVarburton, Dr., 2. 47. 54. 58. 83. 86. 110. 158. 185. 219. 289. 293. 303. 448. 5,59. 600. 609. 794. , his " Doctrine of Grace," 293. , Johnson's high opinion of, 86. , made a bishop by Pope, 185. Denied, 18.5. 289. , opinion of Johnson's " Observations on Macbeth," 54. , writes the preface to " Clarissa," 83. ,J.'scharacterof,669, 670. 760. J.'sconduct towards, 669. , his contest with Lowth, 303. Ward, the noted quack doctor. 630. Wardlaw, Sir H. and Lady (Elizabeth Halkct), 20.5. Warley Camp, Johnson at, 618. Warner, R., his " Tour through the Northern Counties," 791. Warrants, general, 199. Death, 534. Warren, Dr., 800. , Mr., the first bookseller at Birmingham, 21. 43. Warton, Joseph, mention of and letters to, 32. 75. 81, 82, 83. 91. 102. 125. 153. 172, 173. 186. 215. 235. 387. .520, .521 . 635. 647. , Thomas, mention of and letters to, 13. 15. 19. SO. 62. 65. 83.88,89,90,91,92,93.95,96. 102. 108. 110, HI, 112. 197, 198. 214. 230. 387. 483. 547. 572, 573. 591. 647. 6.56. , his account of Johnson's conversations at Oxford, 83. , his opinions on Johnson's Dictionary, 93. , Johnson's parodies on his bad style of poetry, .547. Wasse, his Greek Trochaics to Benlley, 420. Waste, 585. Watch, Johnson's, 192. Ilis father's, 814. Watson, Biihop, hit " Chemlcil Esjayt," 692. 736. Would equalise bishoprics, and why, 692. . Mr., 31.5. , Dr., the historian of Philip 11.. 2«2. W.V 286. 52R. Watts. Dr., 105. 13.5. .".36 618. 622. John»on'« Life of. 536. W.-iy, Oauiel, Esq., 70'".. Mrs., 740. Weallh, 2.54. 478. 584. 605. Mtfht employment of, 715. Weather, influence on the mmd. 111. 146. 1-54.78.5. Webster, Itev. Dr. Alexander, -.'79. 4(iO. 402. 411. Wed.lcrburne, Alrx:uKl.T. .V.r Loughborough. WciUIIUL' im-. .li,lniM.t,'..76. Welch, S.iuiuirr-, I - i.. i:iM, 503. .567, 5C«. 635. 719. , Misses .\1 iT\M,Mi. N(.llckcn5)and .-Inne. S68. Welleslcy, M.H.iui*. -.Xl. .5(11.610. Welsh langua^-e, 421 . ; and parson, 423. Wentworth. Mr., Johnson's schoolmaster, 9, 10. Wesley, Rev. John, mention of and letters to, 274. 436. 475. 573. 595. 631 684. His ghost story, 595. 631 . , Charles, .596. West, his translation of" Pindar," 663. , James, Esq., M.P., 222. Westcote, Lonl, afterw.irds third Lord Lyttellon, 424. 6.S0. Western Islands. iVc Hebrides. Westmoreland, Earl of, 117. Weston. Sir William, 31. 79. Wcthercll, Kev. Dr., 449. 476. 483. 489. Wharton, Lord, 446. Wheeler. Rev. Dr. Benj.imin, 42.5. 621. 6.52. 737. " Whig," Johnson's definition of a, 97. 606, . a StafTordshire, (106. The Devil, the flrst, 600. and Tory, 692. 761. " Whiggism.'" Johnson's definition of, 148. 216. 382. 483. 606. Whigs, 45. 2-52. 352. 358. 435. 588. 624. 732. alter the fireplace, 89. Whiston. 127. Whitaker, Rev. James, his " History of Manchester," 609. Whitbread, Samuel, M.P., epigram quoted by, 344. Whitby's " Commentary," 3.59. White Knight, 377. Wnite, Rev. Dr. Joseph, 247. . Rev. Henry, 791. , Mr., factor in the Calder estate, 303. , Mrs., Johnson's servant, 801. Whitefield, Rev. George, 18. 202. 274. 638. Whitefoord, Caleb, 770. Whitehead, Paul, 35. .56. 86. 137. 301. , William, 3. 35. 56. 137. Whiting, Mrs., 427. Whitgilt, I. Walton's eulogy on, 682. " Whole Duty of Man," the author of, 259. Whyte, Mr. S., 131. Anecdotes of Johnson, 166. 437. 439. Wickedness, 337. Wickens, Mr., anecdotes of Johnson by, 835. Wife, Johnson's advice on the choice of a, 192. 341. Wight, Mr., the lawyer, 279. W ightman. General, 309. Wigs, 316. 606. 837. Wilcox, Mr., the bookseller, 28. Wilkes, John, Esq., 35.98. 117 134. 175. 200. 20.5. 213. 273. 32.5. 383. 42.5. 444. 478. 513. 516, 517. 555. 562. 571. 605. 648. 664. 670, 687, 688, 689. 732. , his conduct during the riots in 1780, 6-18. , his,;Vu d'espril on Johnson's Dictionary. 98. . Johnson's opinion of, 134. 383. 5.55. , meetings between him and Johnson, 513. 515. 687. . Smollett's letter to, respecting Barber, 118. , Israel, Esq., 832. Wilkinson, the Misses, 74. Wilks. the actor, 671. Will, Johnson's, 801. Burke's, 842. Will-making, 265. Willes, Chief Justice, 8. 688. William the Third, Johnson's cnamcter of. 352. 444. the Fourth, Prince William Henry. 187. Willi.-»ms. Mr. Zachariah. 99. ,, „. , Mrs. Anna, 43. 74. 82. 101. 110. 118. 14.1. I.5«. 166. 181. 194. 198. 208. 4,58. 470. 503. 509, 510. 514. 524. 535. .\37, -538. 569. 620. 737, 738, 739, 740. _ _ , her letter to Mrs. Montagu, 459. Her death, (37. .3f>. , Miss Helen Maria, 757. , Sir Charles Hanbury, 98. 184. 357. Willis, Dr. Thomas, 373. Wilmot, Chief Justice, 8. Wilson Rev. T., his " Archaeological Dictionary, Pl JO 1 mam. MAY 1 < l<^< JUNl t vm i UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY FORM NO. DD6, 60m, 3/80 BERKELEY, CA 94720 ®s GENERAL LIBRARY U.C. BERKELEY ■lillKllllll