"Cervisial coctor's viduate dame, the This and a thousand other such attempts are totally unlike the original, which writers imagined they were turning into ridicule. There is not similarity enough for burlesque, or even for caricature. Mr. Colman, in his "Prose on several Occasions," has "A Letter from Lexiphanes, containing proposals for a Glossary, or Vocabulary of the Vulgar Tongue; intended as a Supplement to a larger Dictionary." It is evidently meant as a sportive sally of ridicule on Johnson, whose style is thus imitated, without being grossly overcharged: "It is easy to foresee that the idle and illiterate will complain that I have increased their labours by endeavouring to diminish them; and that I have explained what is more easy by what is more difficult ignotum per ignotius. I expect, on the other hand, the liberal acknowledgments of the learned. He who is buried in scholastic retirement, secluded from the assemblies of the gay, and remote from the circles of the polite, will at once comprehend the definitions, and be grateful for such a seasonable and necessary elucidation of his mother-tongue." Annexed to this letter is the following short specimen of the work, thrown together in a vague and desultory manner, not even adhering to alphabetical concatenation. that I might introduce quotations from a merous body of writers in our language, s he appeared in the literary world. I point out the following:· WILLIAM ROBERTSON, D.D. "In other parts of the globe, man, in his rudet state, appears as lord of the creation, giving law to reduced to subjection. The Tartar follows he prey on the horse which he has reared, or tends b numerous herds which furnish him both with food and clothing; the Arab has rendered the came! docile, and avails himself of its persevering strengt. the Laplander has formed the reindeer to be subservient to his will; and even the people of Kamschatka have trained their dogs to labour This command over the inferior creatures is one of the noblest prerogatives of man, and among th greatest efforts of his wisdom and power. With this, his dominion is incomplete. He is a motam who has no subjects; a master without servas and must perform every operation by the streng of his own arm."- History of America, val 4to, p. 332. various tribes of animals which he has tamed mi EDWARD GIBBON, ESQ. "Of all our passions and appetites, the love of power is of the most imperious and unsociab nature, since the pride of one man requires submission of the multitude. In the tumult si civil discord the laws of society lose their fr and their place is seldom supplied by those humanity. The ardour of contention, the pride of victory, the despair of success, the memory past injuries, and the fear of future dangers, di contribute to inflame the mind, and to silence tr voice of pity."— Decline and Fall of the Roma Empire, vol. i. chap. 4. 1 On the original publication of Mr. Boswell's on ES the press teemed with parodies, or imitations of his ** reporting Dr. Johnson's conversation: but they are now a deservedly forgotten, except one by Mr. Alexander Cho mers, which is executed with so much liveliness and po santry, and is, in fact, so just a criticism on the lighter port of this work, that the reader will be, I believe, much pleas to find it preserved. See Appendix, "Lesson is Pagr or, How to write the Life of one's Friend."-CROKK 2 The passage which I quote is taken from that gentlecar "Elements of Orthoëpy; containing a distinct View the whole Analogy of the English Language, so far as relat Pronunciation, Accent, and Quantity," London, 178 19 of mere caprice; at such a period it will generally be perceived that needless irregularity is the worst of all deformities, and that nothing is so truly elegant in language as the simplicity of unviolated analogy. Rules will, therefore, be observed, so far as they are known and acknowledged: but at the same time, the desire of improvement having been once excited will not remain inactive; and its efforts, unless assisted by knowledge as much as they are prompted by zeal, will not unfrequently be found pernicious; so that the very persons whose intention it is to perfect the instrument of reason will deprave and disorder it unknowingly. At such a time, then, it becomes peculiarly necessary that the analogy of language should be fully examined and understood; that its rules should be carefully laid down; and that it should be clearly known how much it contains which, being already right, should be defended from change and violation; how much it has that demands amendment; and how much that, for fear of greater inconveniences, must, perhaps, be left unaltered, though irregular." "The effects of the return of spring have been frequently remarked, as well in relation to the human mind as to the animal and vegetable world. The reviving power of this season has been traced from the fields to the herds that inhabit them, and from the lower classes of beings up to man. Gladness and joy are described as prevailing through universal nature, animating the low of the cattle, the carol of the birds, and the pipe of the shepherd." The Reverend Dr. Knox, master of Tunbridge school, appears to have the imitari aveo of Johnson's style perpetually in his mind; and to his assiduous, though not servile, study of it, we may partly ascribe the extensive popularity of his writings.2 leave to offer my particular acknowledgments to the author of a work of uncommon merit and great utility. I know no book which contains, in the same compass, more learning, polite literature, sound sense, accuracy of arrangement, and perspicuity of expression. Boswell. That collection was presented to Dr. Johnson, I believe, by its authors; and I heard him speak very well of it.BOSWELL. 2 It were to be wished that he had imitated that great man in every respect, and had not followed the example of Dr. Adam Smith, in ungraciously attacking his venerable Alma Mater, Oxford. It must, however, be observed, that he is much less to blame than Smith: he only objects to certain particulars; Smith, to the whole institution; though indebted for much of his learning to an exhibition which he enjoyed for many years at Baliol College. Neither of them, however, will do any hurt to the noblest university in the world. While I animadvert on what appears to me exceptionable in some of the works of Dr. Knox, I cannot refuse due praise to others of his productions; particularly his sermons, and to the spirit with which he maintains, against presumptuous heretics, the consolatory doctrines peculiar to the Christian Revelation. This he has done in a manner equally strenuous and conciliating. Neither ought I to omit mentioning a remarkable instance of his candour. Notwithstanding the wide difference of our opinions upon the important subject of university education, in a letter to me concerning this work he thus expresses himself: "I thank you for the very great enter. In his "Essays, Moral and Literary," No. 3., we find the following passage: "The polish of external grace may indeed be When deferred till the approach of manhood. solidity is obtained by pursuing the modes prescribed by our forefathers, then may the file be used. The firm substance will bear attrition, and the lustre then acquired will be durable." There is, however, one in No. 11. which is blown up into such tumidity as to be truly ludicrous. The writer means to tell us, that members of Parliament who have run in debt by extravagance will sell their votes to avoid an arrest3, which he thus expresses: "They who build houses and collect costly pictures and furniture with the money of an honest artisan or mechanic will be very glad of emancipation from the hands of a bailiff by a sale of their senatorial suffrage." But I think the most perfect imitation of Johnson is a professed one, entitled “A Criticism on Gray's Elegy in a Country Churchyard," said to be written by Mr. Young, professor of Greek, at Glasgow, and of which let him have the credit, unless a better title can be shown. It has not only the particularities of Johnson's style, but that very species of literary discussion and illustration for which he was eminent. Having already quoted so much from others, I shall refer the curious to this performance, with an assurance of much entertainment.+ Yet, whatever merit there may be in any imitations of Johnson's style, every good judge must see that they are obviously different from the original; for all of them are either deficient in its force, or overloaded with its peculiarities; and the powerful sentiment to which it is suited is not to be found. Johnson's affection for his departed relations seemed to grow warmer as he approached nearer to the time when he might hope to see tainment your Life of Johnson gives me. It is a most valuable work. Yours is a new species of biography. Happy for Johnson that he had so able a recorder of his wit and wisdom." BoSWELL. 3 Dr. Knox, in his " Moral and Literary" abstraction, may be excused for not knowing the political regulations of his country. No senator can be in the hands of a bailiff. —BOSWELL. Their houses and goods might be seized under an execution. It was said, and I believe truly, that Sheridan once (or more than once) gave a dinner under those circumstances, and that the bailiffs waited at table.-CROKER, 1847. 4 It seems to me to be one of the most insipid and unmeaning volumes ever published. I cannot make out whether it was meant for jest or earnest; but it fails either way, for it has neither pleasantry nor sense. Johnson saw this work, and thus writes of it:-"Of the imitation of my style, in a criticism on Gray's Churchyard, I forgot to make mention. The author is, I believe, utterly unknown, for Mr. Steevens cannot hunt him out. I know little of it, for though it was sent me, I never cut the leaves open. I had a letter with it, representing it to me as my own work; in such an account to the public there may be humour, but to myself it was neither serious nor comical. I suspect the writer to be wrongheaded. As to the noise which it makes, I never heard it, and am inclined to believe that few attacks either of ridicule or invective make much noise but by the help of those that they provoke."- Letters, July 5. 1783.- CROKER. them again. It probably appeared to him that he should upbraid himself with unkind inattention, were he to leave the world without having paid a tribute of respect to their memory. DR. JOHNSON TO MR. GREEN, Apothecary, at Lichfield.1 "December 2, 1784. “DEAR SIR, — I have enclosed the epitaph for my father, mother, and brother, to be all engraven on the large size, and laid in the middle aisle in St. Michael's church, which I request the clergyman and churchwardens to permit. "The first care must be to find the exact place of interment, that the stone may protect the bodies. Then let the stone be deep, massy, and hard; and do not let the difference of ten pounds, or more, defeat our purpose. "I have enclosed ten pounds, and Mrs. Porter will pay you ten more, which I gave her for the same purpose. What more is wanted shall be sent; and I beg that all possible haste may be made, for I wish to have it done while I am yet alive. Let me know, dear Sir, that you receive this. I am, &c., SAM. JOHNSON." JOHNSON TO LUCY PORTER. "DEAR MADAM, I am very ill, and desire your prayers. I have sent Mr. Green the epitaph, and a power to call on you for ten pounds. "I laid this summer a stone over Tetty, in the chapel of Bromley in Kent. The inscription is in Latin [p. 78.], of which this is the English. (Here a translation.) That this is done, I thought it fit that you should know. What care will be taken of us, who can tell? May God pardon and bless us, for Jesus Christ's sake. I am, &c., "SAM. JOHNSON." CHAPTER LXXXII. 1784. Last Illness, and Death. His Will, Funeral, and Burial. My readers are now, at last, to behold SAMU JOHNSON preparing himself for that doom, from which the most exalted powers afford no ex him an object of terror: so that, though by no Death had always been to emption to man. means happy, he still clung to life with m eagerness at which many have wondered. At any time when he was ill, he was very much pleased to be told that he looked better. A ingenious member of the Eumelian Club' informs me, that upon one occasion, when ke said to him that he saw health returning to his cheek, Johnson seized him by the hand and exclaimed, "Sir, you are one of the kindest friends I ever had." His own statement of his views of futurity will appear truly rational; and may, perhaps impress the unthinking with seriousness. "You know," says he to Mrs. Thrale, *I never thought confidence with respect to futurity any part of the character of a brave, a wise, or a good man. Bravery has no place where it eat avail nothing; wisdom impresses strongly the e sciousness of those faults, of which it is, perhaps itself an aggravation; and goodness, always viding to be better, and imputing every deficiente to criminal negligence, and every fault to voluntary corruption, never dares to suppose the condition of forgiveness fulfilled, nor what is wanting in the crime supplied by penitence. "This is the state of the best; but what nat be the condition of him whose heart will not suffe him to rank himself among the best, or among good? Such must be his dread of the approaching trial, as will leave him little attention to the opinion of those whom he is leaving for ever; and the ser nity that is not felt, it can be no virtue to feign.” His great fear of death3, and the strange dark 3 This lady survived Dr. Johnson just thirteen months She died at Lichfield, in her seventy-first year, January. 1786, and bequeathed the principal part of her fortune to the Rev. Mr. Pearson, of Lichfield. — MALONE. A club in London, founded by the learned and ingenions physician, Dr. Ash, in honour of whose name it was called Eumelian, from the Greek Eums: though it was warmly contended, and even put to a vote, that it should have the more obvious appellation of Frazincan, from the LatinBOSWELL. 5 Mrs. Carter, in one of her letters to Mrs. Mont says, "I see by the papers that Dr. Johnson is deat extent of learning, and exquisite purity of moral writing, de has left no superior, and I fear very few equals. His and his piety were founded on the steadiest of Christian principles and faith. His faults, I firmly believe, arose from the irritations of a most suffering state of nervous o tution, which scarcely ever allowed him a moment's cast To this passage the editor of Mrs. Carter's Letters > joins the following note: "Mrs. Carter told the editor, that in one of the last o versations which she had with this eminent moralist, de told him that she had never known him say any thing o trary to the principles of the Christian religion. He her hand with great emotion, exclaiming, You know this, and bear witness to it when I am gone! Letters, vol. ii. p. 234.-CHALMERS, "You wonder," she says in the place," that an undoubted believer and a man of piety should be afraid of death;' but it is such characters who have ent manner in which Sir John Hawkins' imparts the uneasiness which he expressed on account of offences with which he charged himself, may give occasion to injurious suspicions, as if there had been something of more than ordinary criminality weighing upon his conscience. On that account, therefore, as well as from the regard to truth which he inculcated 2, I am to mention (with all possible respect and delicacy, however), that his conduct, after he came to London, and had associated with Savage and others, was not so strictly virtuous, in one respect, as when he was a younger man. It was well known that his amorous inclinations were uncommonly strong and impetuous. He owned to many of his friends, that he used to take women of the town to taverns, and hear them relate their history. In short, it must not be concealed, that like many other good and pious men, among whom we may place the apostle Paul upon his own authority, Johnson was not free from propensities which were ever "warring against the law of his mind," and that in his combats with them, he was sometimes overcome. Here let the profane and licentious pause; let them not thoughtlessly say that Johnson was an hypocrite, or that his principles were not firm, because his practice was not uniformly conformable to what he professed. Let the question be considered independent of moral and religious associations; and no man will deny that thousands, in many instances, act against conviction. Is a prodigal, for example, an hypocrite, when he owns he is Satisfied that his extravagance will bring him to ruin and misery? We are sure he believes it; but immediate inclination, strengthened by inlulgence, prevails over that belief in influencing his conduct. Why then shall credit be refused to the sincerity of those who acknowedge their persuasion of moral and religious duty, yet sometimes fail of living as it requires? I heard Dr. Johnson once observe, "There is something noble in publishing truth, though it condemns one's self."3 And one who said in is presence, "he had no notion of people being n earnest in their good professions, whose practice was not suitable to them," was thus eprimanded by him:- "Sir, are you so rossly ignorant of human nature as not to know that a man may be very sincere in good principles, without having good practice ?" [p. 390.] But let no man encourage or soothe himself in "presumptuous sin," from knowing that Johnson was sometimes hurried into indulgences which he thought criminal. I have exhibited this circumstance as a shade in so great a character, both from my sacred love of truth, and to show that he was not so weakly scrupulous as he has been represented by those who imagine that the sins, of which a deep sense was upon his mind, were merely such little venial trifles as pouring milk into his tea on Good-Friday. His understanding will be defended by my statement, if his consistency of conduct be in some degree impaired. But what wise man would, for momentary gratifications, deliberately subject himself to suffer such uneasiness as we find was experienced by Johnson in reviewing his conduct as compared with his notion of the ethics of the Gospel? Let the following passages be kept in remembrance: [1762.] "O God, giver and preserver of all life, vidence I am sustained, look down upon me with by whose power I was created, and by whose protenderness and mercy; grant that I may not have been created to be finally destroyed; that I may not be preserved to add wickedness to wickedness." (Pr. and Med., p. 47.) [1766.] "O Lord, let me not sink into total depravity; look down upon me, and rescue me at last from the captivity of sin." (p. 68.) [1769.] "Almighty and most merciful Father, who hath continued my life from year to year, grant that by longer life I may becoine less desirous of sinful pleasures, and more careful of eternal happiness." (p. 84.) increase my guilt; but as my age advances, let me [1773.] "Let not my years be multiplied to become more pure in my thoughts, more regular in my desires, and more obedient to thy laws." (p. 120.) 66 [No date.] Forgive, O merciful Lord, whatever I have done contrary to thy laws. Give me such a sense of my wickedness as may produce true contrition and effectual repentance: so that when I shall be called into another state, I may be received among the sinners to whom sorrow and reformation have obtained pardon, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen." (p. 130.) Such was the distress of mind, such the penitence of Johnson, in his hours of privacy, and (ante, p. 50.) quite enough, and perhaps more than he was justified in saying on this topic. The reader will recollect that it has been shown (ante, p. 35. n. 5, and p. 49. n. 3) that the duration, and probably the intensity, of Dr. Johnson's intimacy with Savage have been greatly exaggerated, and so, no doubt, have been the supposed consequences of that intimacy. CROKER. - 3 Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides (ante, p. 335.). On the same subject, in his letter to Mrs. Thrale, dated November 29. 1783, he makes the following just observation:" Life, to be worthy of a rational being, must be always in progression; we must always purpose to do more or better than in time past. The mind is enlarged and elevated by mere purposes, though they end as they began, by airy contemplation. We compare and judge, though we do not practise." BOSWELL. His in his devout approaches to his Maker. sincerity, therefore, must appear to every candid mind unquestionable.' It is of essential consequence to keep in view that there was in this excellent man's conduct no false principle of commutation, no deliberate indulgence in sin, in consideration of a counterbalance of duty. His offending and his repenting were distinct and separate2: and when we consider his almost unexampled attention to truth, his inflexible integrity, his constant piety, who will dare to "cast a stone at him?" Besides, let it never be forgotten that he cannot be charged with any offence indicating badness of heart, any thing dishonest, base, or malignant; but that, on the contrary, he was charitable in an extraordinary degree: so that even in one of his own rigid judgments of himself (Easter-eve, 1781), while he says, "I have corrected no external habits;" he is obliged to own, "I hope that since my last communion I have advanced, by pious reflections, in my submission to God, and my benevolence to man." (p. 192.) I am conscious that this is the most difficult and dangerous part of my biographical work, and I cannot but be very anxious concerning it. I trust that I have got through it, preserving at once my regard to truth, to my Boswell, with a disingenuousness which I am at a loss to account for, selects all these passages (suppressing the dates) and gives them, by his introductory observations, such a peculiar colouring, as to make it appear that Johnson accused himself of sensual licentiousness; whereas I will take upon myself to assert that the entire prayers from which Boswell has garbled these extracts, as well as the general context of the whole volume, if read fairly and candidly, do not afford the slightest colour for the special charge which Boswell makes. Why has Boswell suppressed other passages of corresponding dates which explain the comparatively innocent nature of the errors with which Johnson reproached himself? In 1759, he confesses idleness and neglect of worship;" in 1760, amidst a long and minute list of self-accusations there is not a hint at criminal indulgences -nor in 1761-nor again in 1762: and during the whole period from which Boswell's extracts are made, it appears from Johnson's specific explanations of them, that his most serious, if not his only offences, were "misspent time," "want of diligence," "time lost in idleness or misspent in unprofitable employments," and the like; and that the only sensual indulgence is lying late in bed, and occasionally too much "addiction to meat and wine.” My chief deficiency," he says (1774)," has been, that my life is immethodical." 'My reigning sin," he says, 1776. is waste of time and sluggishness." In the Anderdon MSS. there is a note dated in 1784, recording a resolution "to endeavour to conquer scruples; and in the Rose MSS. of a much earlier date, the following "PRAYER AGAINST SCRUples. "O Lord, who wouldst that all men should be saved, and who knowest that without thy grace we can do nothing acceptable to thee, have mercy upon me. Enable me to break the chain of my sins, to reject sensuality in thought, and to overcome and suppress vain scruples; and to use such diligence in lawful employment as may enable me to support myself and do good to others. O Lord, forgive me the time lost in idleness; pardon the sins which I have committed, and grant that I may redeem the time misspent, and be reconciled to thee by true repentance, that I may live and die in peace, and be received to everlasting happiness. Take not from me, O Lord, thy Holy Spirit, but let me have support and comfort, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. "Transc. June 26. 1768. Of this prayer there is no date, nor can I conjecture when it was composed." - Johnson. This prayer, written long before Boswell became acquainted with Johnson, seems to me a complete answer to the inferences extorted by Boswell from the garbled extracts friend, and to the interests of virtue and religion. Nor can I apprehend that more harm can ensue from the knowledge of the irregularities of Johnson, guarded as I have stated it, than from knowing that Addison mi Parnell were intemperate in the use of wine, which he himself, in his Lives of those cels brated writers and pious men, has not forborn to record.3 It is not my intention to give a very minut detail of the particulars of Johnson's remaining days, of whom it was now evident that the crisis was fast approaching, when he must “ like men, and fall like one of the princes." Te it will be instructive, as well as gratifying t the curiosity of my readers, to record a fe circumstances, on the authenticity of which they may perfectly rely, as I have been at the utmost pains to obtain an accurate account d his last illness, from the best authority. Dr. Heberden, Dr. Brocklesby, Dr. Warren, and Dr. Butter, physicians, generously tended him, without accepting any fees, is Mr. Cruikshank, surgeon; and all that could be done from professional skill and ability wa tried, to prolong a life so truly valuable. He himself, indeed, having, on account of his very bad constitution, been perpetually applying hi self to medical inquiries, united his own effore of the later prayers. Can we suppose, that while the reproaching himself with indolence and scruples, be wa habitually guilty of sensual depravity? - CROKER. 2 Dr. Johnson related, with very earnest approbation, story of a gentleman, who, in an impulse of passion, re came the virtue of a young woman. When she said to him, "I am afraid we have done wrong!" he answered, “Ye have done wrong; - for I would not debauch her mind.” – BOSWELL. 3 This is a poor and disingenuous defence for a ver grievous error. It is one thing to repeat-as Dr. Jote did, historically, what all the world knew, and few wen clined to blame seriously that Parnell and Addison lors a cheerful glass "Narratur et prisci Catonis Sæpe mero caluisse virtus." But it is quite another thing to insinuate oneself into a ma confidence, to follow him for twenty years like his shad to note his words and actions like a spy, to ransack hist secret papers, and scrutinize and garble even his cotious confessions, and then, with all the sinister auth T which such a show of friendship must confer, to accuse him low and filthy guilt, supposed to have been commited quarter of a century before the informer and his calum friend had ever met, and which, consequently, Boswell only have had from hearsay or from guess, and which personal testimony and all the documentary evidence to disprove. Boswell must have been actuated by some seran motive, or labouring under a morbid delusion, when he th regarded these wanton, and, I conscientiously believe, cal nious, slanders on his illustrious friend, as conducive to the interest of virtue and religion," and, above all," of frità” | entreat any reader who may at all question the valsity of my charges against Boswell, and my defence of Dr. Jo on this point, to refer to the volume of Prayer Meditations itself, which I pledge myself will effect refute all Boswell's extraordinary imputations — CRIKEL 4 The particulars which Mr. Boswell's absence, and the jealousy between him and some of Johnson's other fremde prevented his being able to give, I have supplied in the Ap pendix. CROKER. 5 Mr. Green (p. 490.) related that when some of Johnsm) friends desired that Dr. Warren should be called in, bri they might call in whom they pleased; and when Warme was called, at his going away Johnson said, "You have in at the eleventh hour, but you shall be paid the same with your fellow-labourers. Francis, put into Dr. Warm coach a copy of the English Poets." — CROKER. |