1741.

He was not, however, precifely exact in his statement, which he mentioned from hafty recollection; for it is fufficiently evident, that his compofition of Etat. 32 them began November 19, 1740, and ended February 23, 1742-3.

It appears from fome of Cave's letters to Dr. Birch, that Cave had better affistance 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, 21ft July, 1735, "I trouble you with the inclofed, because you faid you could easily correct what is herein given for Lord C-ld's. fpeech. I beg you will do fo as foon as you can for me, because the month is far advanced."

And, 15th July, 1737. "As you remember the Debates fo 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 ferve, correct the mistaken paffages, or add any thing that is omitted. I fhould be very glad to have fomething of the Duke of N-le's fpeech, which would bet particularly of fervice.

"A gentleman has Lord Bathurst's fpeech to add fomething to."

8

And, July 3, 1744, "You will fee what ftupid, low, abominable stuff is put upon your noble and learned friend's character, fuch as I fhould quite reject, and endeavour to do fomething better towards doing juftice to the character. But as I cannot expect to attain my defires in that respect, it would be a great fatisfaction to me, as well as an honour to our work, to have the favour of the genuine fpeech. It is a method that feveral have been pleased to take, as I could fhew, but I think myself under a restraint. I shall fay fo far, that I have had fome by a third hand, which I understood well enough to come from the firft; others by penny-poft, and others by the speakers themselves, who have been pleased to visit St. John's Gate, and shew 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 foon as he found that the speeches were thought genuine, he determined that he would write nomore of them, for "he would not be acceffary to the propagation of falfhood." And fuch was the tenderness of his confcience, that a fhort time before his

7 I fuppofe in another compilation of the fame kind.. Birch's MSS. in the British Mufeum, 4302..

Doubtlefs, Lord Hardwick

death

1741.

Etat. 32.

death he expreffed a regret for his having been the authour of fictions, which had paffed 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 publick importance. They have accordingly been collected in volumes, properly arranged, and recommended to the notice of parliamentary speakers by a Preface, written by no inferiour 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 fpeaker, as Sir John Hawkins feems to think. But, indeed, what opinion can we have of his judgement, and tafte in publick fpeaking, who prefumes to give, as the characteristicks 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 fome time ready for the stage, and that his neceffities made him defirous 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 fame volume of manufcripts in the British Museum from whence I copied those above quoted. They were most obligingly pointed out to me by Sir William Mufgrave, one of the Curators of that noble repository. "Sept. 9, 1741.

"I HAVE put Mr. Johnson's play into Mr. Gray's' hands, in order to fell 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 fociety, or any gentleman or body of men that you know, take fuch a bargain? He and I are very unfit to deal with theatrical perfons. Fleetwood was to have acted it last season, but Johnson's diffiprevented it."

dence or

I have already mentioned that " Irene" was not brought into publick notice till Garrick was manager of Drury-lane theatre.

■ I am well affured, that the editor is Mr. George Chalmers, whofe commercial works are well known and esteemned.

2 Hawkins's Life of Johnson, p. 100.

A bookfeller of London.

4 It is ftrange, that a printer who knew so much as Cave, fhould conceive fo ludicrous a fancy as that the Royal Society would purchase a Play.

5 There is no erasure here, but a mere blank; to fill up which may be an exercise for ingenious conjecture.

1742.

Ætat. 33.

In 1742 he wrote for the Gentleman's Magazine the " Preface," the "Parliamentary Debates,*"" Effay on the Account of the Conduct of the Duchefs of Marlborough,*" then the popular topick of converfation. This Effay is a fhort but masterly performance. We find him, in No. 13 of his Rambler, cenfuring a profligate fentiment in that "Account;" and again infifting upon it ftrenuously in converfation 8. "An Account of the Life of Peter Burman,*" I believe chiefly taken from a foreign publication; as, indeed, he could not himself know much about Burman; "Additions to his Life of Baretier;*" "The Life of Sydenham,*" afterwards prefixed to Dr. Swan's edition of his works; " Propofals for printing 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 raisonnée, when the subjects of it are extenfive 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 Ofborne the bookseller, who purchased the library for 13,000l. a fum, which Mr. Oldys fays, in one of his manuscripts, was not more than the binding of the books had coft; yet, as Dr. Johnson affured me, the flowness of the fale was fuch, 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 fimple truth I had from Johnson himself. "Sir, he was impertinent to me, and I beat him. But it was not in his fhop: it was in my own chamber."

A very diligent obferver may trace him where we fhould not eafily fuppofe him to be found. I have no doubt that he wrote the little abridgement entitled "Foreign Hiftory," in the Magazine for December. To prove it, I fhall quote the introduction. "As this is that feason of the year in which Nature may be faid to command a suspension of hoftilities, and which seems intended, by putting a short stop to violence and flaughter, to afford time for malice to relent, and animofity to fubfide; we can fcarce expect any other accounts than of plans, negociations and treaties, of propofals for peace, and preparations for war." As alfo this paffage: As also this paffage: "Let those who defpife the capacity of the Swifs, tell us by what wonderful policy, or by what happy

Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, 3d edit. p. 167.

M

conciliation

1742.

Etat. 33.

conciliation of interests, it is brought to pafs, that in a body made up of different communities and different religions, there fhould be no civil commotions, though the people are so warlike, that to nominate and raise an army is the fame."

I am obliged to Mr. Aftle for his ready permiffion to copy the two following letters, of which the originals are in his poffeffion. Their contents fhew that they were written about this time, and that Johnfon was now engaged in preparing an historical account of the British Parliament.

"SIR,

To Mr. CAVE.

[No date.]

"I BELIEVE I am going to write a long letter, and have therefore taken a whole fheet of paper. The first thing to be written about is our hiftorical defign.

"You mentioned the propofal of printing in numbers, as an alteration in the scheme, but I believe you miftook, fome way or other, my meaning; I had no other view than that you might rather print too many of five fheets, than of five and thirty.

"With regard to what I fhall fay on the manner of proceeding, I would have it understood as wholly indifferent to me, and my opinion only, not my refolution. Emptoris fit eligere.

"I think the infertion of the exact dates of the most important events in the margin, or of fo many events as may enable the reader to regulate the order of facts with fufficient exactnefs, 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 narration. I think the work ought to partake of the fpirit of history, which is contrary to minute exactness, and of the regularity of a journal, which is inconfiftent with fpirit. For this reafon, I neither admit numbers or dates, nor reject them.

"I am of your opinion with regard to placing most of the refolutions, &c. in the margin, and think we fhall give the most complete account of parliamentary proceedings that can be contrived. The naked papers, without an historical treatise interwoven, require fome other book to make them understood. I will date the fucceeding facts with fome exactness, but I think in the margin. You told me on Saturday that I had received money on this work, and found fet down 137. 2s. 6d. reckoning the half guinea of last Saturday. As you hinted to me that you had many calls for money, I would not prefs you too hard, and therefore fhall defire only, as I fend it in, two guineas

4

1742.

guineas for a sheet of copy, the rest you may pay me when it may be more convenient; and even by this fheet-payment I fhall, for fome time, be very Etat. 33. expenfive.

"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 lye by in your hands till it is done. With the debates, shall I not 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. and know whether his defence be at Briftol; and would have his collection of poems, on account of the preface-The Plain Dealer,all the magazines 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,

"Your's, &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 Infcription. I hope you don't think I kept it it to extort a price. I could think of nothing, till to day. If you could spare me another guinea for the history, I fhould take it very kindly, to night; but if you do not, I fhall not think it an injury.I am almost well again."

"SIR,

To Mr. CAVE.

"YOU did not tell me your determination about the Soldier's Letter‡, which I am confident was never printed. I think it will not do by itself, or in any other place, so well as the Mag. Extraordinary. If you will have it at all, I believe you do not think I fet it high, and I will be glad if what you give, you will give quickly.

"You need not be in care about fomething to print, for I have got the State Trials, and fhall extract Layer, Atterbury, and Macclesfield from them, and fhall bring them to you in a fortnight; after which I will try to get the South Sea Report."

[No date, nor fignature.]