"He matriculated Dec. 16, 1728: "Saml. Johnson 19 Mich. fil. Lichfield civ. com. Stafford gen. fil."

Mr Napier, Dr Birkbeck Hill, and Mr A. Birrell, M.P., adopt Mr Croker's theory that Johnson had been little over a year at Oxford. On the other side are Boswell, Hawkins, the contemporary memoirs, and myself. The arguments pro and con will be found in my edition, and in my brochure, "Editing à la mode." Boswell farther tells us that he heard from Dr Adams, and from Johnson himself all the incidents of his residence at Oxford. He would naturally have asked: "What was the length of residence?"

9 Jorden resigned his fellowship in March 1728-9. 10 Hurd praises not Blackwall but Budworth, headmaster at Brewood.

11 Her maiden name was Jervis. She was forty-eight at the time of her marriage; Johnson about twentysix.

12 In S. Werburgh's church: "1735 married Saml. Johnson of ye parish of St Mary's Lichfield and Elizabeth Porter of St Philip in Birmingham."

13 The Walmesley Letter just given is only a portion of the correspondence. The rest is in the Garrick Letters.

14 In Clerkenwell, and is still standing. Many years ago it was the appropriate meeting-place of the Urban or Johnson Club, and now belongs to the English Order of St John.

15The Monks of Medmenham Abbey:" of which Wilkes, Sir F. Dashwood, and other loose men were mere members.

16 From enquiries made at the school itself, I find it is not believed there that this was the one for which Johnson applied. The master says the place was filled up before Johnson wrote. There are other difficulties, for which see my Edition.

17 This letter was some years ago sold for £50, mainly on account of the word "impransus," i.e.

18 Nichols states that the folio was the Greek Septuagint.

19 Johnson nearly always placed the date at the end of his letters, which Malone transposed to the beginning.

20 Not Johnson's faithful follower of Bolt Court.

21 The manager of the theatre under whom Garrick went to Ipswich and also appeared at Goodman's Fields.

22 There is this entry in the registry of St Andrews: "Jan. 18. 1697. Richard, son of John Smith and Mary in Fox Court in Gray's Inn Lane." This was Savage, as was proved at the divorce.

23 By Johnson, in his Life of Savage.

24 Colonel Brett was also one of the Patentees of Drury Lane Theatre.

25 The house still stands, marked by a tablet. 26 This note is studiously made as insulting as possible.

27 Boswell mistakes Hawkins, who says plainly that the poem was not to be imputed to disappoint

ment.

28 On Monday, Feb. 6.

29 Viz. £295, 175.

30 Garrick resigned his post to Barry, to gain his good-will for the author.

31 In Wilkes' copy of the "Life," he has written in the margin what he heard was the real version, which is too coarse to be printed. This shows how "Bozzy" shaped and altered what he heard.

3 A mistake-it closed on March 14. 33 King George III., in his interview with Boswell, June 1788.

34 She died in 1754. She was the wife of a weaver. The Benefit produced only £60.

35 On March 14, vide ante.

36 Boswell's portion of these paragraphs was printed in italics, evidently to give them a personal point.

37 Displeased no doubt because he had not mentioned her in his will. Johnson had been her constant guest, and she was his step-daughter.

38 Mr Rudyard Kipling's father, Dr Kipling, has informed me that in his part of the country there was a descendant of Barber's.

39 Boswell was mistaken here. Lord Chesterfield's own words show that Johnson was not referred to, for the person mentioned is described as a personal friend, and a trusted and respected one.

40 In the first edition the two words "sliding,"

"

50 The French journal was "Le Journal Literaire." Johnson's retranslated paper is in "The Rambler,' No. 90, "The History of Abouzaid." Murphy's version is in No. 38 of "The Gray's Inn Journal." 51 The elder Colman's excellent comedy, still occasionally revived.

52 As Dr B. Hill points out, this book appeared ten years before.

53 Not his step-daughter, but the famous actress. 4 The wife was a woman of the town.

55 Sheridan had been Wedderburne's tutor.

56 His theatre was wrecked in a political riot, owing to some obnoxious lines in a piece called "Mahomet."

57 Murphy never withdrew his statement. He may have accompanied Dr Johnson into the shop, and then have retired: or he may have fancied he was present. 58 Wilkes is referred to.

59 He also could ride a hundred yards, "standing on his head on the saddle."

60 The present "Mitre," out of Fleet Street, is not Johnson's, having been rebuilt.

61 Butcher Row, which was close to Fleet Street, was levelled in 1813.

62 William Whitehead, who succeeded Cibber, as Laureate.

63 Boswell, it will be noted, always conceals the fact that he had been a Roman Catholic.

64 Mrs Gwyn lived to impart her recollections of "Goldy" to Mr Croker.

65 Set to music by Dr Burney, for Ranelegh. 66 The well-known "blind magistrate," and brother of the novelist.

67 Mr Eccles of Clonroe, County Wicklow. related the story to Mr Croker.

68 James Macpherson.

He

69 Of the same family as Dr Temple, the present Archbishop of Canterbury.

70 The "Club," Turk's Head, was in Gerrard Street, Soho.

71 Authoress of a "History of England," much used in schools.

72 Sheridan probably, as he is named in the next paragraph, or Burke.

73 The original speech, according to Boswell's note, was, "setting up a candle at Westminster to give light at Westminster." Boswell confessed that he thus shaped, altered, or substituted, to produce a better effect.

74 The "some time afterwards" was ten years later, so Hawkins was right as to the admission being opposed and adjourned.

75 Mrs Thrale wrote in the margin of her copy, "He did say so, and Mr Thrale stood astonished. 76 Now Messrs Puttick and Simpson's Auction Rooms.

77 Mr Croker obtained these letters for his edition. 78 Later, Malone obtained the letter.

79 A pamphlet in Johnson's handwriting, "Considerations on Corn," was found among Hamilton's papers.

80 One Halsey, who became father-in-law to Lord Cobham. Thrale's father, Ralph, married Halsey's sister.

81 Voltaire's attack was the article "L'art Dramatique," in the Philosophical Dictionary.

82 Among these "apprehensive" persons, as Dr B. Hill shows, was Reynolds. Boswell having stated that the painter had been thus assisted, the sheet had to be cancelled.

83 His mother had died when he was abroad. 84 Her work brought Mrs Williams some £150. 85 The Queen's House, which was of the pattern of Marlborough House, stood where Buckingham Palace is now.

86 Mr Croker obtained and published it.

87 To secure the copyright, Boswell printed the "Conversations" in advance, also "Johnson's Letter to Lord Chesterfield," at 10s. 6d. each.

88 As Dr B. Hill shows, Johnson had a second interview with the King in 1780.

89 By Hugh Kelly. It was what was known as 'Sentimental Comedy," and was preferred to Goldsmith's piece.

90 By Dr Hoadly.

91 Boswell was now writing profusely for the Corsicans, essays, &c., collecting money, sending them cannon, and wearing the Corsican dress.

92 He went to ask a medical degree for Goldsmith. 23 This note, not in Boswell's two editions, must have been of the half dozen at most which he wrote in the margin when preparing his new edition.

These, with other non-producible rhymes, were written by Swift.

95 It began September 6, 1769. Boswell exhibited himself in fantastic style.

96 To Miss Peggie Montgomerie of Lanislaw, his cousin.

97 Because the first volume of his "History" was full of Scotticisms-so was Boswell's work.

98 Garrick's verse was different. "Content and sweet cheerfulness," it ran, "would smile with the simple," &c.

99 Phielby, Boswell spells it. Mr Forster gives an extract from the tailor's ledger, in which is the item: "bloom-coloured breeches.

100

Though Boswell was the host, the "one of the company "whom Johnson presently insulted was Boswell himself. The lines so admired are:

"Lo! thy dread empire, Chaos, is restored!
Light dies before thy unrevealed word;
Thy hand, great Anarch, lets the curtain fall,
And universal darkness buries all !"

101 The passage is in Act II. sc. 3.
"How reverend is the face of this tall pile,
Whose ancient pillars rear their marble heads,
To bear aloft its arch'd and ponderous roof,
By its own weight made steadfast and immovable
Looking tranquillity! It strikes an awe
And terror on my aching sight."

102 Home is referred to in the last sentence. The other "Scotchman" is Lord Kaimes.

103 A modern antique, said to be written by Sir J. Bruce of Kinross, or by Lady Warden, according to Chalmers.

194 He had pushed away a woman in the street, and was set on by three "bullies," one of whom he stabbed.

105 Not the modern bicycle, but the "hobby-horse," the feet being kept on the ground.

106 A quack doctor, who had baths at Chelsea.

107 Boswell himself, we may suspect.

108 He was married on Nov. 25, at Lanislaw. On the same day his father married Miss Boswell of Balmuto. There is however some doubt about this. See Post.

109 Macklin, Mr John Taylor says: or it may be Sheridan.

110 Dr Kippis heard Johnson speak before the Society with great vigour and animation.

111 The second of him painted by this artist. 112 Langton was married to the Countess Dowager of Rothes, widow of General Lloyd.

113 The vessel was finally named "The Endeavour." 114" Cullen the mimic," as he is called in the

"Boswelliana."

115 Lady Emily Harvey, according to Mrs Piozzi. 116 Later, Lord Macdonald, who was so assailed in "The Tour."

117 Mr Dundas.

118 A fiction of Defoe's, written to help off the sale of the book.

119 Louis XIV. The correct phrase was "Je fais cent mécontents," &c.

120 In Oxford Street. After being burnt and partially rebuilt, it is now Messrs Gilbey's Wine Stores.

121 Most likely Elphinstone.

123 More correctly 185,000 Assyrians. Isaiah xxxvii. 123 Boswell's son gives the passage, which is from the Phænissæ.

124

"If to no charms thou wilt thy heart resign,

But such as merit, such as equal thine," &c. 125 The house was still standing, not far from Kenton and Hendon, when Mr Forster wrote his Life of Goldsmith.

126 Later, Earl of Haddington.

127 In 1768 six students had been expelled from St Edmund's Hall, for holding prayer-meetings and for preaching.

128 Boswell himself, as Dr Campbell states in his "Diary." Mrs Piozzi writes in the margin that Johnson said: "The man compels me to treat him

So.

دو

129 In No. 150.

130 Dr Vansittart.

131 In the first edition he had "the moralist" and "the historian." He later substituted stars, which stand for Beattie and Robertson.

132 His brother David, member of a firm of merchants, at Valencia.

138 Mrs Piozzi writes in the margin. "Poor Mrs Thrale was obliged to say so to keep well with Johnson."

134 The Dowager Lady Fife.

135 Possibly "Bland" or "Beresford."

136 An abusive letter in the "London Packet." The lady was Miss Horneck.

137 Referring to the parting of Lord and Lady W. Russell. "He great in this last act, she greater." 138 According to Dr Chalmers, Dr Percy and Dr Calder were intended here.

149 Langton.

But

150 Should be May 9, and the next entry May 10. 151 Most editors suppose Langton, who is presumed to have been offended at a rebuke (see 149), that was two months before, and Johnson had dined with Langton in the interval. Mr Cioker supposes that Boswell has "mixed up" or wrongly dated these passages.

162 August 14. He was about eight days on the road, having started on the 6th.

153 Where he praises Boswell for his " gaiety of conversation," 'civility of manners," and general

acuteness.

154 Some notes Johnson made during this Tour were later published by Mr Dieppa.

155 The original was sold in 1875 for £50. It varied in some trifling particulars from Boswell's version: "note" for "letter," "insult" for "violence." Dr B. Hill gives a fragment of it.

156 Robert Adam, the accomplished architect, decorator, furniture designer, iron-work designer, &c. The work alluded to was the Adelphi, where were employed 300 workmen.

157 It originally stood as "Davy is futile," and no