at least five weeks I wrote the following | though it no doubt contributed to his health tetrastick on poor Goldsmith: “ Τον τάφον εισοριας τον Ολιβαροι, κονίην Αφρισι μη σεμνην, Ξείνε, ποδεσσι πάτει. Οισι με μπλε φυσις, μετρων χαρις, έργα παλαίων, Κλαίετε ποιητην, ιστορικόν, φυσικόν. "Please to make my most respectful compliments to all the ladies, and remember me to young George and his sisters. I reckon George begins to show a pair of heels. "Do not be sullen now, but let me find a letter when I come back. I am, dear sir, your affectionate, humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON." This tour to Wales, which was made in company with Mr., Mrs., [and Miss] Thrale, and amusement, did not give an occasion to such a discursive exercise of his mind as our tour to the Hebrides **I. All that I heard him say of it was, that "instead of bleak and barren mountains, there were green and fertile ones; and that one of the castles in Wales would contain all the castles that he had seen in Scotland." Tour to Tuesday, 5th July.-We left Wales. Streatham 11 A. M.-Price of four horses two shillings a mile. -At night at Dunstable-To Lichfield, eighty-three miles-To the Swan 4. Thursday, 7th July.-To the cathedral Wednesday, 6th July.-Barnet 1. 40'.-To Mrs. Porter's-To Mrs. Aston's P. M.-On the road I read Tully's Epistles 1 [Mr. Boswell had here added, "I do not find that he kept any journal or notes of what he saw there."-ED.] 2 [This diary fell into the possession of Barber, who disposed of it to the Rev. Mr. White; but how it escaped Mr. Boswell's researches, who seems to have had access to all Barber's papers, does not appear.-ED.] 3 ["A Diary of a Journey into North Wales, in the Year 1774; by Samuel Johnsou, LL. D. Edited, with illustrative Notes, by R. Duppa, LL. B., Barrister at Law. London, for Jennings in the Poultry, 1816, 12mo." Of this work, Mr. Duppa says, in his Dedication to Mr. Edward Swinburne: "This fragment, as a literary curiosity, I hope will not disappoint you; for although it may not contain any striking and important facts, or luminous passages of fine writing, it cannot be uninteresting to know how the mind of such a man as Johnson received new impressions, or contemplated, for the first time, scenes and occupations unknown to him before." And, in his Preface, he observes, "This Journal of Dr. Johnson exhibits his mind when he was alone, when no one was looking on, and when no one was expected to adopt his thoughts, or to be influenced by them: in this respect, it differs from the conversations and anecdotes already published; it has also another value, highly interesting; it shows how his mind was influenced by the impression of external things, and in what way he recorded those facts, which he laid up for future reflection. "His Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland' was probably composed from a diary not more ample: for of that work he says, I deal more in notions than in facts;' and this is the general character of his mind; though when Boswell expressed a fear, lest his journal should be encumbered with too many minute particulars, he said, 'There is nothing, sir, too little for so little To Mr. Green's 5-Mr. Green's museum a creature as man. It is by studying little things that we attain the great art of having as little misery and as much happiness as possible.' "For its authenticity I will pledge myself: but if there should be any who are desirous to gratify their curiosity, or to satisfy their judgment, the original MS., in the handwriting of Dr. Johnsen, is in the possession of the publisher, where it may at any time be seen. The Editor acknowledges his obligation to Mrs. Piozzi, for her kind assistance in explaining many facts in this diary, which could not otherwise have been understood.” Mr. Duppa, having applied to Mrs. Piozzi for information on some topics of this diary, received several explanatory letters from that lady, some of which, however, came too late for Mr. Duppa's use. He, however, with continued courtesy, has, by communicating these letters to the Editor, enabled him to explain some obscure points, not only of the Welsh tour, but of other portions of Dr. Johnson's history. The notes, extracted from these letters (which are all dated between the 31st July and 17th December, 1816,) will be distinguished-Piozzi MS.-ED.] 4 [When at this place, Mrs. Thrale gives an anecdote of Johnson, to show his minute attention to things which might reasonably have been supposed out of the range of his observation. When I came down to breakfast at the inn, my dress did not please him, and he made me alter it entirely before he would stir a step with us about the town, saying most satirical things concerning the appearance I made in a riding-habit; and adding, "T is very strange that such eyes as yours cannot discern propriety of dress: if I had a sight only half as good, I think I should see to the centre.'"-DUPPA.] 5 [Mr. Richard Green was an apothecary, and related to Dr. Johnson. He had a considerable collection of antiquities, natural curiosities, and was much admired, and Mr. Newton's | The water willow10-The cascade, shot out china 1. Friday, 8th July.-To Mr. Newton's To Mrs. Cobb's 2.-Dr. Darwin's 3-I went again to Mrs. Aston's-She was very sorry to part. from many spouts-The fountains-The water tree-The smooth floors in the highest rooms -Allas, fifteen hands inch and half 12-River running through the parkThe porticoes on the sides support two galleries for the first floor-My friends were not struck with the house-It fell below my Saturday, 9th July.-Breakfasted at Mr. Garrick's 4-Visited Miss Vyse 5-Miss Seward 6-Went to Dr. Taylor's [at Ash-ideas of the furniture-The staircase is in bourn]-I read a little on the road in Tully's Epistles and Martial-Mart. 8th, 44, lino pro limo?. Sunday, 10th July.-Morning at church -Company at dinner. Monday, 11th July.-At Ilam 8-At Oakover I was less pleased with Ilam than when I saw it first, but my friends were much delighted. Tuesday, 12th July.-At Chatsworthingenious works of art. He had all the articles accurately arranged, with their names upon labels, and on the staircase leading to it was a board, with the names of contributors marked in gold letters. A printed catalogue of the collection was to be had at a bookseller's.-DUPPA.] [Mr. Newton was a gentleman, long resident in Lichfield, who had acquired a large fortune in the East Indies.—DUPPA.] 2 [Mrs. Cobb was a widow lady who lived at a place called the Friary, close to Lichfield.— DUPPA.] [Dr. Erasmus Darwin: at this time he lived at Lichfield, where he had practised as a physician from the year 1756, and did not settle at Derby till after his second marriage with Mrs. Pool, in the year 1781. Miss Seward says, that although Dr. Johnson visited Lichfield while Dr. Darwin lived there, they had only one or two interviews, and never afterwards sought each other. Mutual and strong dislike subsisted between them. Dr. Darwin died April 18th, 1802, in the sixty-ninth year of his age.-DUPPA.] 4 ["Peter Garrick, the elder brother of David, strongly resembling him in countenance and voice, See but of more sedate and placid manners." post, 21st March, 1775.-ED. "I think Peter Garrick was an attorney, but he seemed to lead an independent life, and talked all about fishing. Dr. Johnson recommended him to read Walton's Angler, repeating some verses from it."-Piozzi MS.] 5 A daughter of the Rev. Archdeacon Vyse, of the diocese of Lichfield and Coventry.-DUPPA. Afterwards wife of Dr. Spencer Madan, Bishop of Peterborough.-HARWOOD.] 6 ["Dr. Johnson would not suffer me to speak to Miss Seward."-Piozzi MS.-So early was the coolness between them.-ED.] 7 [In the edition of Martial, which he was reading, the last word of the line "Defluat, et lento splendescat turbida limo,” was, no doubt, misprinted lino.-ED.] [See observations on Ilam, post, 24th July, 1774, and 22d September, 1777.—ED.] 9 [Oakover is the seat of a very ancient family of the same name, a few miles from Ilam.-ED.] the corner of the house-The hall in the corner 13, the grandest room, though only a room of passage-On the ground-floor, only the chapel and the breakfast-room, and a small library; the rest, servants' rooms and offices 14-A bad inn. Wednesday, 13th July.—At Matlock. Thursday, 14th July.—At dinner at Oakover; too deaf to hear, or much converseMrs. Gell-The chapel at Oakover 15-The wood of the pews grossly painted-I could not read the epitaph-Would learn the old hands. Dyott 16 and her daughters came in the Friday, 15th July.-At Ashbourn-Mrs. morning-Mrs. Dyott dined with us-We visited Mr. Flint. 10 ["There was a water-work at Chatsworth with a concealed spring, which, upon touching, spouted out streams from every bough of a willowtree. I remember Lady Keith (Miss Thrale), then ten years old, was the most amused by it of any of the party."-Piozzi MS.] ["Old oak floors polished by rubbing. Johnson, I suppose, wondered that they should take such pains with the garrets.”—Piozzi MS.] 12 [This was a race-horse, which was very handsome and very gentle, and attracted so much of Dr. Johnson's attention, that he said," of all the duke's possessions, I like Atlas best."-DurPA.] 13 [Quere, whether these words are not an erroneous repetition of the same words in the preceding line.-ED.] 14 [This was the second time Johnson had visited Chatsworth. See ante, 26th November, 1772; and his letter to Mrs. Thrale. The friend, mentioned in that extract, was, it appears, from Mrs. Piozzi's MS., Dr. Percy, and the allusion was sarcastic. Mrs. Piozzi writes, Bishop Percy's lady lived much with us at Brighthelmstone, and used (foolishly enough perhaps) to show us her husband's letters: in one of these he said, I am enjoying the fall of a murmuring stream, but to you who reside close to the roaring ocean, such scenery would be insipid.' At this Dr. Johnson laughed as a ridiculous affectation, and never forgot it."-Piozzi MS.-ED.] 15 [There is no chapel at Oakover, but a small parish-church close to the house, which, however, has no pulpit, and thence perhaps Dr. Johnson calls it a chapel.-ED.] 16 [The Dyotts were a respectable and wealthy Staffordshire family. The person who shot Lord Brook, when assaulting St. Chad's cathedral in Lichfield, on St. Chad's day, in 1643, is said to have been a Mr. Dyott.—ED.] where I found only a clear quick brook. I believe I had imaged a valley enclosed by rocks, and terminated by a broad expanse of water. He that has seen Dovedale has no need to visit the Highlands 7. In the afternoon we visited old Mrs. Dale 8. Monday, 18th July.-Dined at Mr. Gell's 10. « Το πρωτόν Μωρος, το δε δεύτερον είλον Έρασμος, Το τρίτον εκ Μέσων στεμμα Μικυλλος έχει 1.3 Saturday, 16th July.-At Dovedale, with Mr. Langley 2 and Mr. Flint. It is a place that deserves a visit; but did not answer my expectation. The river is small, the rocks are grand. Reynard's Hall is a Sunday, 17th July.-Sunday morning, at cave very high in the rock; it goes back-church-Ka9-Afternoon, at Mr. Dyott's. ward several yards, perhaps eight. To the left is a small opening, through which I crept, and found another cavern, perhaps four yards square; at the back was a breach yet smaller, which I could not easily have entered, and, wanting light, did not inspect. I was in a cave yet higher, called Reynard's Kitchen. There is a rock called the Church, in which I saw no resemblance that could justify the name 3. Dovedale is about two miles long. We walked towards the head of the Dove, which is said to rise about five miles above two caves called the Dogholes, at the foot of Dovedale. In one place, where the rocks approached, I proposed to build an arch from rock to rock over the stream, with a summer-house upon it. The water murmured pleasantly among the stones. I thought that the heat and exercise mended my hearing. I bore the fatigue of the walk, which was very laborious, without inconvenience. There were with us Gilpin 4 and Parker 5. Having heard of this place before, I had formed some imperfect idea, to which it did not answer. Brown 6 says he was disappointed. I certainly expected a large river ["More bore away the first crown of the Muses, Erasmus the second, and Micyllus has the third."-ED.] [Jacobus Micyllus, whose real name was Melchor, died 1558, aged 55. In the MS. Johnson has introduced gev by the side of ixer, as if he were doubtful whether that tense ought not to have been adopted.-DUPPA. It does not appear whether these verses are Johnson's. Micyllus's real name was Moltzer; see his article in Bayle. His best work was " De Re Metricá," -ED.] 2 [The Rev. Mr. Langley was master of the grammar school at Ashbourn ;-a near neighbour of Dr. Taylor's, but not always on friendly terms with him, which used sometimes to perplex their mutual friend Johnson.-ED.] Tuesday, 19th July.—We went to Kedleston 11 to see Lord Scardale's new house, which is very costly, but ill contrivedThe hall is very stately, lighted by three skylights; it has two rows of marble pillars, dug, as I hear from Langley, in a quarry of Northamptonshire; the pillars are very large and massy, and take up too much room; they were better away. Behind the hall is a circular saloon, useless, and therefore ill contrived-The corridors that join the wings to the body are mere passages through segments of circles-The state bedchamber was very richly furnished-The dining parlour was more splendid with gilt plate than any that I have seen-There were many pictures-The grandeur was all below-The bedchambers were small, low, dark, and fitter for a prison than a house of splendour-The kitchen has an opening into the gallery, by which its heat and its fumes are dispersed over the house-There seemed in the whole more cost than judgment. We went then to the silk mill at Derby, where I remarked a particular manner of propagating motion from a horizontal to a vertical wheel-We were desired to leave the men only two shillings-Mr. Thrale's bill at the inn for dinner was eighteen shillings and tenpence. At night I went to Mr. Langley's, Mrs. Wood's, Captain Astle's, &c. Capability Browne, whose opinion on a point of landscape, probably gathered from Gilpin or Parker, Johnson thought worth recording.-ED.] 7 "Dovedale and the Highlands are surely as dissimilar as any places can be."-Piozzi MS.] [Mrs. Dale was at this time ninety-three years of age.-DUPPA.] 9 [Kago-Throughout this Diary, when Johnson is obliged to turn his thoughts to the state 3 [This rock is supposed rudely to resemble a of his health, he always puts his private memotower; hence, it has been called the Church.-randa in the learned languages-as if to throw a DUPPA. It rather, according to the Editor's slight veil over those ills which he would willingrecollection, resembles a gothic spire or steeple.-ly have hid from himself.-DUPPA.] ED.] 4 ["Mr. Gilpin was an accomplished youth, at this time an under-graduate at Oxford. His father was an old silversmith near Lincoln's-innfields."-Piozzi MS.] 10 [Mr. Gell, of Hopton Hall, a short distance from Carsington, in Derbyshire, the father of Sir William Gell, well known for his topography of Troy, and other literary works, who was born 1775. July 12, 1775, Mr. Gell is now re[John Parker, of Brownsholme, in Lanca-joicing, at fifty-seven, for the birth of an heir-male.” shire, Esq.-DUPPA.] -Dr. Johnson to Mrs. Thrale.-DUPPA.] 3 6 66 [Mrs. Piozzi" rather thought" that this was [See post, 15th Sept. 1777.-ED.] Wednesday, 20th July.-We left Ashbourn and went to Buxton-Thence to Pool's Hole, which is narrow at first, but then rises into a high arch; but is so obstructed with crags, that it is difficult to walk in it-There are two ways to the end, which is, they say, six hundred and fifty yards from the mouth-They take passengers up the higher way, and bring them back the lower-The higher way was so difficult and dangerous, that, having tried it, I desisted-I found no level part. At night we came to Macclesfield, a very large town in Cheshire, little known-It has a silk mill: it has a handsome church, which, however, is but a chapel, for the town belongs to some parish of another name 2, as Stourbridge lately did to Old Swinford-Macclesfield has a town-hall, and is, I suppose, a corporate town. [Thursday, 21st July.]-We came to Congleton, where there is likewise a silk mill-Then to Middlewich, a mean old town, without any manufacture, but, I think, a corporation-Thence we proceeded to Namptwich, an old town: from the inn, I saw scarcely any but black timber houses -I tasted the brine water, which contains much more salt than the sea water-By slow evaporation, they make large crystals of salt; by quick boiling, small granulations -It seemed to have no other preparation. At evening we came to Combermere, 3 so called from a wide lake. Friday, 22d July.-We went up the mere-I pulled a bulrush of about ten feet 4 I saw no convenient boats upon the mere. Saturday, 23d July.-We visited Lord Kilmorey's house-It is large and convenient, with many rooms, none of which are magnificently spacious 5The furniture [It would seem, that from the 9th to the 20th, the head-quarters of the party were at Ashbourn, whence they had made the several excursions noted.-ED.] 2 [The parish of Prestbury.-DUPPA.] 3 [At this time the seat of Sir Linch Salusbury Cotton, now of Lord Combermere, his grandson, from which place he takes his title. It stands on the site of an old abbey of Benedictine monks, which was founded 1133; and, about the year 1540, at the dissolution of the monasteries, was granted, with a great part of the estates of the abbey, to George Cotton, Esq., an ancestor of Lord Combermere. The library, which is forty feet by twenty-seven, is supposed to have been the refectory. The lake, or mere, is about three quarters of a mile long, but of no great width; it is skirted with woods, and from some situations it has the appearance of a river. It is situated in Cheshire, twenty-two miles from Shrewsbury.DUPPA.] Sunday, 24th July.-We went to a chapel, built by Sir Lynch Cotton for his tenants-It is consecrated, and therefore, I suppose, endowed-It is neat and plainThe communion plate is handsome-It has iron pales and gates of great elegance, brought from Lleweney, "for Robert has laid all ope 9." [Monday, 25th July 10.]-We saw Hawkestone, the seat of Sir Rowland Hill," and were conducted by Miss Hill over a large tract of rocks and woods; a region abounding with striking scenes and terrific grandeur. We were always on the brink of a precipice, or at the foot of a lofty rock; but the steeps were seldom naked: in many places, oaks of uncommon magnitude shot up from the crannies of stone; and where there were no trees, there were underwoods and bushes. Round the rocks is a narrow path cut upon the stone, which is very frequently hewn into steps; but art has proceeded no further than to make the succes sion of wonders safely accessible. The whole circuit is somewhat laborious; it is terminated by a grotto cut in the rock to a great extent, with many windings, and supported by pillars, not hewn into regularity, but such as imitate the sports of nature, by asperities and protuberances. The place is without any dampness, and would afford an Shrewsbury, and, like Wrottesley Hall, in the adjoining county, is said to have as many windows, doors, and chimneys, as correspond in number to the days, weeks, and months in a year.-DUBPA.] 6 [Probably guarded from wear or accident by being covered with some inferior material.ED.] [Thomas Needham, eighth Viscount Kilmorey.-ED.] [At Burleydam, close to Combermere, built by Sir Lynch Salusbury Cotton, Mrs. Thrale's uncle.-DUPPA.] " [This remark has reference to family conversation. Robert was the eldest son of Sir Lynch Salusbury Cotton, and lived at Lleweney at this time.-DUPPA. All the seats in England were, a hundred years ago, enclosed with walls, through which there were generally "iron pales and gates." Mr. Cotton had, no doubt, "laid all open" by prostrating the walls; and the pales and gates had thus become useless. The same process has taken place at almost every seat in England.-ED.] 10 [This date is evidently here wanted; a day is otherwise unaccounted for; and it is not likely that Johnson would have gone sight-seeing on a Sun [Great Cat's-tail, or Reed-mace. The Ty-day.-ED.] pha latifolia of Linnæus.-DUPPA.] [Now belonging to Sir John Hill, bart., [This house, which is called Shavington father of Lord Hill. It is twelve miles from Hall, is in Shropshire, twenty-one miles from. Shrewsbury.-DUPPA.] · one yards; within them are many gardens: they are very high, and two may walk very commodiously side by side-On the inside is a rail-There are towers from space to space, not very frequent, and I think not all complete. habitation not uncomfortable. There were | mile three quarters, and one hundred and from space to space seats cut out in the rock. Though it wants water, it excels Dovedale by the extent of its prospects, the awfulness of its shades, the horrors of its precipices, the verdure of its hollows, and the loftiness of its rocks: the ideas which it forces upon the mind are the sublime, the dreadful, and the vast. Above is inaccessible altitude, below is horrible profundity; but it excels the garden of Ilam only in extent. Ilam has grandeur, tempered with softness; the walker congratulates his own arrival at the place, and is grieved to think he must ever leave it. As he looks up to the rocks, his thoughts are elevated; as he turns his eyes on the valleys, he is composed and soothed. He that mounts the precipices at Hawkestone wonders how he came thither, and doubts how he shall return-His walk is an adventure, and his departure an escape-He has not the tranquillity, but the horrors, of solitude; a kind of turbulent pleasure, between fright and admiration. Ilam is the fit abode of pastoral virtue, and might prop erly diffuse its shades over nymphs and swains. Hawkestone can have no fitter inhabitants than giants of mighty bone and bold emprise ; men of lawless courage and heroic violence. Hawkestone should be described by Milton, and Ilam by Parnel 2. Miss Hill showed the whole succession of wonders with great civility-The house was magnificent, compared with the rank of the owner. Tuesday, 26th July.-We left Combermere, where we have been treated with great civility-The house is spacious, but not magnificent; built at different times, with different materials; part is of timber, part of stone or brick, plastered and painted to look like timber-It is the best house that I ever saw of that kind-The mere, or lake, is large, with a small island, on which there is a summer-house, shaded with great trees; some were hollow, and have seats in their trunks. In the afternoon we came to West-Chester; (my father went to the fair when I had the small-pox). We walked round the walls 3, which are complete, and contain one 1 [Paradise Lost, book xi. v. 642.-DUPPA.] 2 [The whole of this passage, is so inflated and pompous, that it looks more like a burlesque of Johnson's style than his own travelling notes.ED.] 3 [It would seem that a quarrel between Johnson and Mrs. Thrale took place at Chester, for she writes to Mr. Duppa-"Of those ill-fated walls Dr. Johnson might have learned the extent from any one. He has since put me fairly out of countenance by saying, I have known my mistress fifteen years, and never saw her fairly out of humour but on Chester wall;' it was because he would keep Miss Thrale beyond her hour of Wednesday, 27th July.-We staid at Chester and saw the cathedral, which is not of the first rank-The castle-In one of the rooms the assizes are held, and the refectory of the old abbey, of which part is a grammar school-The master seemed glad to see me The cloister is very solemn; over it are chambers in which the singing men live-In one part of the street was a subterranean arch, very strongly built; in another, what they called, I believe rightly, a Roman hypocaust 4-Chester has many curiosities. Thursday, 28th July.-We entered Wales, dined at Mold 5, and came to Lleweney 6. the want of light, I apprehended some accident to going to bed to walk on the wall, where, from her-perhaps to him."-Piozzi MS.—ED.] 4 supported by thirty-two pillars, two feet ten ["The hypocaust is of a triangular figure, inches and a half high, and about eighteen inches distant from each other. Upon each is a tile eighteen inches square, as if designed for a capital; and over them a perforated tile, two feet square. Such are continued over all the pillars. Above these are two layers; one of coarse mortar, mixed with small red gravel, about three inches thick; and the other of finer materials, between four and five inches thick; these seem to have been the floor of the room above. The pillars stand on a mortar-floor, spread over the rock. On the south side, between the middle pillars, is the vent for the smoke, about six inches square, which is at present open to the height of exactly of the same extent with the hypocaust, sixteen inches. Here is also an antechamber, with an opening in the middle into it. This is sunk nearly two feet below the level of the former, and is of the same rectangular figure; so that both together are an exact square. This was the room allotted for the slaves who attended to heat the place; the other was the receptacle of the fuel designed to heat the room above, the concamerata sudatio, or sweating chamber; where people were seated, either in niches, or on benches, placed one above the other, during the time of the operation. Such was the object of this hypocaust; for there were others of different forms, for the purpose of heating the water destined for the use of the bathers."-DUPPA.] 5 [Mold is a small market town, consisting principally of one long and wide street.-DUPPA.] 6 [Lleweney-hall, as I have already observed, was the residence of Robert Cotton, Esq., Mrs. Thrale's cousin-german. Here Mr. and Mrs. Thrale and Dr. Johnson staid three weeks, making visits and short excursions in the neighbourhood and surrounding country. Pennant |