"Viro Reverendo THOME FOTHERGILL, S. T. P. Universitatis Oxoniensis Vice-Cancellario. S. P. D.

"SAM. JOHNSON.

"Multis non est opus, ut testimonium quo, te præside, Oxonienses nomen meum posteris commendârunt, quali animo acceperim compertum faciam. Nemo sibi placens non lætatur; nemo sibi non placet, qui vobis, literarum arbitris, placere potuit. Hoc tamen habet incommodi tantum beneficium, quod mihi nunquam posthûc sine vestræ famæ detrimento vel labi liceat vel cessare; semperque sit timendum ne quod mihi tam eximiæ laudi est, vobis aliquando fiat opprobrio. Vale. 7. Id. Apr. 1775."

He revised some sheets of Lord Hailes's "Annals of Scotland," and wrote a few notes on the margin with red ink, which he bade me tell his lordship did not sink into the paper, and might be wiped off with a wet sponge, so that it did not spoil his manuscript. I observed to him that there were very few of his friends so accurate as that I could venture to put down in writing what they told me as his sayings. JOHNSON. "Why should you write down my sayings? BOSWELL. "I write them when they are good," JOHNSON.“ Nay, you may as well write down the sayings of any one else that are good." But where, I might with great propriety have added, can I find such?

I visited him by appointment in the evening, and we drank tea with Mrs. Williams. He told me that he had been in the company of a gentleman whose extraordinary travels had been much the subject of conversation. But I found he had not listened to him with that full confidence, without which there is little satisfaction in the society of travellers. I was curious to hear what opinion so able a judge as Johnson had formed of his abilities, and I asked if he was not a man of sense. JOHNSON. 66 Why, Sir, he is not a distinct relater; and I should say, he is neither abounding nor deficient in sense. I did not perceive any superiority of understanding." BOSWELL. "But will you

1 Bruce, the Abyssinian traveller, with whom he had dined that day at Mr. Gerard Hamilton's.-Croker.

not allow him a nobleness of resolution, in penetrating into distant regions? JOHNSON. "That, Sir, is not to the present purpose; we are talking of sense. A fighting cock

has a nobleness of resolution."

Next day, Sunday, 2nd April, I dined with him at Mr. Hoole's. We talked of Pope. JOHNSON. "He wrote his 'Dunciad' for fame. That was his primary motive. Had it not been for that, the dunces might have railed against him till they were weary, without his troubling himself about them. He delighted to vex them, no doubt; but he had more delight in seeing how well he could vex them.”

The "Odes to Obscurity and Oblivion," in ridicule of "cool Mason and warm Gray," being mentioned, Johnson said, "They are Colman's best things." Upon its being observed that it was believed these Odes were made by Colman and Lloyd jointly ;-JOHNSON. "Nay, Sir, how can two people make an Ode? Perhaps one made one of them, and one the other." I observed that two people had made a play, and quoted the anecdote of Beaumont and Fletcher, who were brought under suspicion of treason, because while concerting the plan of a tragedy when sitting together at a tavern, one of them was overheard saying to the other, "I'll kill the king." JOHNSON. "The first of these Odes is the best: but they are both good. They exposed a very bad kind of writing."1 BOSWELL. "Surely, Sir, Mr. Mason's Elfrida' is a fine poem: at least you will allow there are some good passages in it." JOHNSON. "There are now and then some good imitations of Milton's bad manner.

I often wondered at his low estimation of the writings of Gray and Mason. Of Gray's poetry I have, in a former part of this work, expressed my high opinion; and for that of Mr. Mason I have ever entertained a warm admiration. His "Elfrida" is exquisite, both in poetical description and

'Gray's Odes are still on every table and in every mouth, and there are not, I believe, a dozen libraries in England which could produce these "best things," written by two professed wits in ridicule of them.— Croker.

2 Mrs. Piozzi says, that Johnson used to turn Caractacus into ridicule, but called Elfrida "exquisitely pretty." I believe but the first half of this report.-Croker.

moral sentiment; and his ". Caractacus" is a noble drama. Nor can I omit paying my tribute of praise to some of his smaller poems, which I have read with pleasure, and which no criticism shall persuade 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 his works: that they should be insensible to his energy of diction, to his splendour of images, and comprehension 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 mentioned, he said, "I think I have not been attacked enough for it. Attack is the re-action; I never think I have hit hard, unless it rebounds." 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.

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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:

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The force of Nature could no farther go."

Lady Miller's collection of verses by fashionable people, which were put into her Vase at Bath-Easton villa,1 near

1 The following 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 weeping willow, and a view of the Avon, which has now been christoned Helicon. Ten years ago there lived a Madam [Riggs], an old rough humourist, who passed for a wit; her daughter,

66

Bath, in competition for honorary prizes, being mentioned, he held them very cheap; Bouts-rimés," said he, "is a mere conceit, and an old conceit now; I wonder how people were persuaded to write in that manner for this lady.” I named a gentleman' of his acquaintance who wrote for the Vase. JOHNSON. "He was a blockhead for his pains." BOSWELL. "The Duchess of Northumberland wrote."2 JOHNSON. Sir, the Duchess of Northumberland may do what she pleases: nobody will say anything to a lady of her high rank. But I should be apt to throw ******'s verses in his face."

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who passed for nothing, married to a Captain [Miller], full of goodnatured officiousness. These good folks were friends of Miss Rich [daughter of Sir Robert Rich, and sister to the second Lady Lyttelton], who carried me to dine with them at Bath-Easton, now Pindus. They caught a little of what was then called taste, built, and planted, and begot children, till the whole caravan were forced to go abroad to retrieve. Alas! Mrs. Miller is returned a beauty, a genius, a Sappho, a tenth muse, as romantic as Mademoiselle Scuderi, and as sophisticated as Mrs. V[esey]. The captain's fingers are loaded with cameos, his tongue runs over with virtù; and that both may contribute to the improvement of their own country, they have introduced bouts rimés 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, dressedwith 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 [Miller], 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 boutsrimés on a buttered muffin, by her Grace the Duchess of Northumberland; receipts to make them by Corydon the venerable, alias—; others very pretty by Lord P[almerston]; some by Lord C[armarthen]; many by Mrs. [Miller] herself, that have no fault but wanting metre; and immortality promised to her without end or measure. In short, since folly, which never ripens to madness but in this climate, ran distracted, there never was any thing so entertaining, or so duil-for you cannot read so long as I have been telling." Works, vol. v., p. 185. Lady Miller died in 1781, æt. 41.-Croker.

1 Probably the Rev. Richard Graves, who was for some years tutor in the house of Johnson's friend, Mr. Fitzherbert, and who contributed to the Bath-Easton Vase. He was Rector of Claverton, near Bath, where he died in 1804.-Croker.

2

Lady Elizabeth Seymour married, in 1740, Sir Hugh Smithson, created, in 1766, Duke of Northumberland. She died on her sixtieth birthday, Dec. 5, 1776.-Croker.

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 unhappiness 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 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 circumstances in the business to which he had been used was a relief from idleness."

On Wednesday, 5th April, I dined with him at Messieurs Dilly's with Mr. John Scott of Amwell, the Quaker,' Mr. Langton, Mr. Miller (now Sir John) and Dr. Thomas Campbell, an Irish clergyman, whom I took the liberty of inviting to Mr. Dilly's table, having seen him at Mr. Thrale's and been told that he had come to England chiefly with 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 sentiments 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

1 John Scott, born 1730, died 1783, author of a poem called Amwell, a volume of Elegies, and some smaller pieces. He published also, two political tracts in answer to Dr. Johnson's Patriot and False Alarm.— P. Cunningham.