seem to insinuate that I had promised more than I am ready to perform. If I have raised your expectations by anything that may have escaped my memory, I am sorry; and if you remind me of it, shall thank you for the favour. If I made fewer alterations than usual in the debates, it was only because there appeared, and still appears to be, less need of alteration. The verses to Lady Firebrace* 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 recollect that you desired any alterations to be made. "An answer to another query I am very willing to write, and had consulted with 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 determine their degrees of merit is not peculiar to me. You may, if you please, still have what I can say; but I shall engage with little spirit in an affair, which I shall hardly end to my own satisfaction, and certainly 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 desire you to propose the question to which you wish for an answer. "I am, Sir, your humble servant, "TO MR CAVE. [No date.] "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 performance than its own intrinsic merit, the public will be soon satisfied with it. And I think the Examen should be pushed forward with the utmost 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. They afterwards appeared in the "Gentleman's Magazine," with this title "Verses to Lady Firebrace, at Bury Assizes." + Du Halde's "Description of China" was then publishing by Mr Cave in weekly numbers whence Johnson was to select pieces for the embellishment of the Magazine.-N The premium of forty pounds proposed for the best poem on the Divine Attributes is here alluded to.-N "I was so far from imagining they stood still,* that I conceived them to have a good deal beforehand, and therefore was less anxious in providing them more. But if ever they stand still on my account, it must doubtless be charged to me; and whatever else shall be reasonable, I shall not oppose; but beg a suspense of judgment till morning, when I must entreat you to send me a dozen proposals, and you shall then have copy to spare. I am, Sir, yours, impransus, "SAM. JOHNSON." 17 "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 anxious for its success, I was long ago convinced 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 the following article in Dr Birch's manuscripts in the British Museum: "ELISÆ CARTERÆ S. P. D. THOMAS BIRCH. “Versionem tuam Examinis Crousaziani jam perlegi. Summam styli et elegantiam, et in re difficillima proprietatem, admiratus. ""Dabam Novemb. 27°, 1738."+ Indeed Mrs Carter has lately acknowledged to Mr 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 confession 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 insensible to the necessities of an humble labourer in literature, as appears from the very next letter:"TO MR CAVE. You may remember I have formerly talked with you about a Military Dictionary. The eldest Mr Macbean, who was with Mr Chambers, has very good materials for such a work, which I have seen, and will do it at 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 second impression. If you think on it I will wait on you with him. In the "Gentleman's Magazine" of this year Johnson gave a life of Father Paul;[*] and he wrote the preface to the volume,[+] which, though prefixed to it when bound, is always published with the appendix, and is, therefore, the last composition belonging to it. The ability The ability and nice adaptation with which he could draw up a prefatory address, was one of his peculiar excellences. It appears, too, that he paid a friendly attention to Mrs Elizabeth Carter; for, in a letter from Mr Cave to Dr Birch, November 28th, 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 when published." This advice was not followed; probably from an apprehension that the work was not sufficiently popular for an extensive sale. How well Johnson himself could have executed a translation of this philosophical poet we may judge from the following specimen which he has given in the "Rambler" (Motto to No 7):— "O qui perpetuâ mundum ratione gubernas, Terrarum cœlique sator! Disjice terrenæ nebulas et pondera molis, 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! we spring, to thee we tend, Path, motive, guide, original, and end!" In 1739, besides 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;" [+] "An Address to the Reader;" [+] "An Epigram both in Greek and Latin to Eliza ;" [*] and also English verses to her; [*] 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 decease. 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 Salisbury (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 Mr Brooke, author of 'Gustavus Vasa,'" [*] being an ironical attack upon them for their suppression of that tragedy; and "Marmor Norfolciense; or, an Essay on an Ancient Prophetical Inscription, in Monkish Rhyme, lately discovered near Lynne, in Norfolk by Probus Britannicus." [*] In this performance he, in a feigned inscription, supposed to have been found in Norfolk, the county of Sir Robert Walpole, then the obnoxious prime minister of this county, inveighs 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 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 vigilance 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 Secretaries of the Treasury, who, amidst a variety of important business, politely obliged me with his attention to my inquiry, 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 whatever of any warrant having been issued to apprehend the author of this pamphlet." "Marmor Norfolciense" became exceedingly scarce, so that I, 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, who in 1775 published a new edition of it, "with Notes and a Dedication to Samuel Johnson, LL.D., by Tribunus;" in which some puny scribbler invidiously attempted to found upon it a charge of inconsistency against its author, because he had accepted of a pension from his present Majesty, and had written in support of the measures 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 republication. 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. "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." *The Inscription and the Translation of it are preserved in the "London Magazine" for the year 1739, p. 244. As Mr Pope's note concerning Johnson, alluded to in a former page, refers both to his "London," and his "Marmor Norfolciense," I have deferred inserting it till now. I am indebted for it to Dr Percy, the Bishop of Dromore, who permitted me to copy it from the original in his possession. It was presented to his Lordship by Sir Joshua Reynolds, to whom it was given by the 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 exhibited 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 Shropshire, but was disappointed. He has an infirmity of the convulsive kind, that attacks him sometimes so as to make Him a sad Spectacle. 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 Ld. gore, but he did not succeed. Mr Johnson published afterwds. another Poem in Latin with Notes the whole very humerous call'd the Norfolk Prophecy. P." Johnson had been told of this note: and Sir Joshua Reynolds informed him of the compliment which it contained, but, from delicacy, avoided showing him the paper itself. When 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?" It The infirmity to which Mr Pope alludes, appeared to me also, as I have elsewhere + observed, 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 description which Sydenham gives of that disease: "This disorder is a kind of convulsion. 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 different one by a convulsion, notwithstanding all his efforts to the contrary." Sir Joshua Reynolds, however, was of a different opinion, and favoured me with the following paper : "Those notions or tricks of Dr Johnson are improperly called convulsions. He could sit motionless when he was told so to do, as well as any other man. My opinion is, that it proceeded from a habit which he had indulged himself in of accompanying 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 his mind; and, for this reason, any company, any 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 the disease of his mind, which nothing cured but company. "One instance of his absence of mind 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 Banks, of Dorsetshire; the conversation turning upon pictures, 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 bringing up his left leg, and stretching his right still further on. 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 from his reverie, like a person waked out of his sleep, but spoke not a word." The While we are on this subject, my readers may 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 visitor at the house of Mr Richardson, author of "Clarissa," and other novels of extensive reputation. 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 partisan 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 execution 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 * Impartial posterity, may, perhaps, be as little inclined as Dr Johnson was, to justify the uncommon rigour exercised in the case of Dr Archibald Cameron. He was an amiable and truly honest man; and his offence was owing to a generous though mistaken principle of duty. Being obliged, after 1746, to give up his profession as a physician, and to go into foreign parts, he was honoured with 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 Chief of that brave clan, distinguished himself by moderation and humanity, while the Highland army marched victorious through Scotland. It is remarkable of this Chief, that though he had earnestly remonstrated against the attempt as hopeless, he was of too heroic a spirit not to venture his life and fortune in the cause, when personally asked by him whom he thought his Prince. great surprise, however, this figure stalked forwards, to where he and Mr Richardson 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 off the list. 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. Neither Hogarth nor Johnson were made known to each other at this interview. In In 1740 he wrote for the "Gentleman's Magazine" the "Preface," [+] the "Life of Admiral Blake,"[*]and the first parts of those of "Sir Francis Drake," [*] and "Philip Barretier," [*] both which he finished the following year. He also wrote an "Essay on Epitaphs," [*] and an "Epitaph on Phillips, a Musician," [+] which was afterwards published with some other pieces of his, in Mrs Williams's Miscellanies. This Epitaph is so exquisitely beautiful, that I reas he was against Dr Johnson, was compelled member even Lord Kaimes, strangely prejudiced 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 Phillips, by a Dr Wilkes, in these words: "Exalted soul! whose harmony could please The love-sick virgin, and the gouty ease; 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 commonplace funereal 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 produced the following verses : "Phillips, whose touch harmonious could remove In 1741 he wrote for the "Gentleman's Magazine" the "Preface," [+] "Conclusion of his Lives of Drake and Barretier," [*] "A free Translation of the Jests of Hierocles, with an Introduction;" and, I think, the following pieces :-" Debate on the Proposal of Parliament to Cromwell, to assume the Title of King, abridged, modified, and digested; " [+] "Translation of Abbé Guyon's Dissertation on the Amazons; " [+] "Translation of Fontenelle's Panegyric on Dr Morin." [+] 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 composer of them for those three years only. He was not, however, precisely exact in his statement, which he mentioned from hasty recollection; for it is sufficiently evident that his composition of them began November 19, 1740, and ended February 23, 1742-43. It appears from some of Cave's letters to Dr Birch, that Cave had better assistance for that branch of his Magazine than has been generally supposed; and that he was indefatigable in getting it made as perfect as he could. Thus, 21st July, 1735, "I trouble you with the enclosed, because you said you could easily correct what is here given for Lord Chesterfield's speech. I 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 enclosed, and, in the best manner your memory perceive the speeches already printed are not exact, I beg the favour that you will peruse the will serve, correct the mistaken passages, or any thing that is omitted. I should be very glad to have something of the Duke of Newcastle's speech, which would be particularly of service. "A gentleman has Lord Bathurst'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 + character, such as I should quite reject, and endeavour to do something better towards doing justice 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, which 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." + There is no reason, I believe, to doubt the veracity of Cave. It is, however, remarkable that none of these letters are in the years during which Johnson alone furnished the debates, and one of them is in 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 * I suppose in another compilation of the same kind. † Doubtless Lord Hardwicke. Birch's MSS. in the Brit. Mus., 4302. 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 collected in volumes, properly arranged, and recommended to the notice of parliamentary speakers by a preface written by no inferior hand.* I must, however, observe, that although there is in those debates a wonderful store of political information and very powerful eloquence, I cannot agree that they exhibit the manner of each particular speaker, as Sir John Hawkins seems to think. But, indeed, what opinion can we have of his judgment, and taste in public speaking, who presumes to give as the characteristics of two celebrated orators, "the deep-mouthed rancour of Pulteney, and the yelping pertinacity of Pitt."+ This year I find that his tragedy of "Irene" had been for some time ready for the stage, and that his necessities made him desirous of getting 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 in the British Museum, from which I copied those above quoted. They were most obligingly pointed out to me by Sir William Musgrave, one of the Curators of that noble repository. "I have put Mr Johnson's play into Mr Gray's 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 in it last season, but Johnson's diffidence or Il 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 Magazine" the "Preface," [+] the " Parliamentary Debates," [*]"Essays 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," censuring a profligate sentiment in that "Account ;" and again insisting upon it strenuously in conversation. T "An Account of the Life of Peter Burman," [*]| I am assured that the editor is Mr George Chalmers, whose commercial works are well known and esteemed. + Sir G. Hawkins's "Life of Johnson," p. 100. A London bookseller of the time. 8. Not the Royal Society; but the Society for the Encourage. ment 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. There is no erasure here, but a mere blank to fill up which may be an exercise for ingenious conjecture. "Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides," 3rd ed. p. 167. I believe chiefly taken from a foreign publication; as, indeed, he could not himself know much about Burman; "Additions to his Life of Barretier;" [*]"The Life of Sydenham," [*] afterwards prefixed to Dr Swan's edition of his works; "Proposals for printing the Bibliotheca Harleiana, or a Catalogue of the Library of the Earl of Oxford." [*] His account of that celebrated collection of books, in which he displays the importance to literature of what the French call a catalogue raisonné, when the subjects of it are extensive and various, and it is executed with ability, cannot fail to impress all his readers with admiration 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 employed in this business by Mr Thomas Osborne the bookseller, who purchased the library for 13,000l., a sum which Mr Oldys says, in one of his manuscripts, was not more than the binding of the books had cost; yet, as Dr Johnson assured me, the slowness of the sale was such, that there was not much gained by it. It has been confidently related, with many embellishments, 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 impertinent to me and I beat him. But it was not in his shop; it was in my own chamber." 18 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 army 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. |