TO BENNET LANGTON, ESQ. AT LANGTON, NEAR SPILSBY, LINCOLNSHIRE. 66 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;1 but his fate is past, and nothing remains but to try what reflection will suggest to mitigate the terrours 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 with disease, ends his life with more pain, but with less virtue; he leaves no example to his friends, nor bequeathes any honour to his descendants. 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 dies 1 Major-General Alexander Dury, of the first regiment of footguards, 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 mother were sisters. He left an only son, Lieutenant-Colonel Dury, who has a company in the same regiment. 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 untimely end is silent and invisible. Let us endeavour 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 be derived from errour, must be, like its original, fallacious and fugitive. I am, dear, dear sir, 66 Sept. 21, 1758." "Your most humble servant, In 1759, in the month of January, his mother 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 affection 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 much his not having gone to visit his mother for several years previous to her death. But he was constantly engaged in literary labours which confined him to London; and though he had not the comfort of seeing his aged parent, he contributed liberally to her support. "TO MRS. JOHNSON, IN LIChfield. 66 HONOURED MADAM, "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. 1 Hawkins's Life of Johnson, p. 395. "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-Come unto me, all ye that travel 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. 66 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 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-night. 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 you for ever and ever. "Jan. 13, 1759." "I am your dutiful son, "SAM. JOHNSON." "TO MISS PORTER, AT MRS. JOHNSON'S, IN "I THINK myself obliged to you beyond all expression of gratitude for your care of my dear mother. GOD grant it may not be without success. Tell Kitty, that I shall never forget her tenderness for her mistress. Whatever you can do, continue to do. My heart is very full. "I hope you received twelve guineas on Monday. 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, "Jan. 16, 1759." "SAM. JOHNSON." "Over the leaf is a letter to my mother." 66 DEAR HONOURED MOTHER, "YOUR weakness afflicts me beyond what I am willing to communicate to you. I do not think you unfit to face death, but I know not how to bear the Endeavour to do all you thought of losing you. [can] for yourself. Eat as much 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, "Jan. 16, 1759." "SAM. JOHNSON." "TO MRS. JOHNSON, IN LICHFIELD. 66 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, 66 "SAM. JOHNSON." "Jan. 18, 1759." VOL. 1. BB "TO MISS PORTER, AT MRS. JOHNSON'S, IN "DEAR MISS, LICHFIELD. "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, "Jan. 20, 1759." "SAM. JOHNSON." "On the other side." "DEAR HONOURED MOTHER, "NEITHER your condition nor your character make it fit for me to say much. 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 Christ's sake. Amen. Lord Jesus receive your spirit. Amen. "I am, dear, dear mother, "Jan. 20, 1759." "SAM. JOHNSON." 66 TO MISS PORTER, IN LICHFIELD. "You will conceive my sorrow for the loss of y mother, of the best mother. If she were to live again, surely I should behave better to her. But she happy, and what is past is nothing to her; and for |