gether. I entertained lately a young gen- | stant_ and zealous was his friendship for tleman from Corrichatachin. "I received your letters only this morning. I am, dear sir, yours, &c. "SAM. JOHNSON." In answer to my next letter, I received one from him, dissuading me from hastening to him as I had proposed. What is proper for publication is the following paragraph, equally just and tender: "One expense, however, I would not have you to spare: let nothing be omitted that can preserve Mrs. Boswell, though it should be necessary to transplant her for a time into a softer climate. She is the prop and stay of your life. How much must your children suffer by losing her!" My wife was now so much convinced of his sincere friendship for me, and regard for her, that without any suggestion on my part, she wrote him a very polite and grateful letter. "DR. JOHNSON TO MRS. BOSWELL. "London, 7th September, 1782. "DEAR LADY,-I have not often received so much pleasure as from your invitation to Auchinleck. The journey thither and back is, indeed, too great for the latter part of the year; but if my health were fully recovered, I would suffer no little heat and cold, nor a wet or a rough road, to keep me from you. I am, indeed, not without hope of seeing Auchinleck again; but to make it a pleasant place I must see its lady well, and brisk, and airy. For my sake, therefore, among many greater reasons, take care, dear madam, of your health, spare no expense, and want no attendance that can procure ease or preserve it. Be very careful to keep your mind quiet; and do not think it too much to give an account of your recovery to, madam, yours, &c. p. 109. "SAM. JOHNSON." [In the autumn of this year he acPiozzi, companied Mrs. Thrale to Brighthelmstone, where, having got a little French print of some people skating, with these lines written under "Sur un mince chrystal l'hyver conduit leurs pas: she begged translations from every body. With sport above and death below: Mr. Lowe. "SIR,-I congratulate you on the MS. good that has befallen you. I always told you that it would come. I would not, however, have you flatter yourself too soon with punctuality. You must not expect the other half year at Christmas. You may use the money as your needs require; but save what you can. "You must undoubtedly write a letter of thanks to your benefactor in your own name. I have put something on the other side. I am, sir, your most humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON.". "TO LORD SOUTHWELL. MS. ed on the by Mr. Paget. Of the joy which it brought your lordship cannot judge because you cannot imagine my distress. It was long since I had known a morning without solicitude for noon, or lain down at night without foreseeing with terror the distresses of the morning. My debts were small but many; my creditors were poor, and therefore troublesome. Of this misery your lordship's bounty has given me an intermission. May your lordship live long to do much good, and to do for many what you have done for, my lord, your lordship's, &c. "M. LowE."] TO JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ. "London, 7th December, 1782. "DEAR SIR,-Having passed almost this whole year in a succession of disorders, I went in October to Brighthelmstone, whither I came in a state of so much weakness that I rested four times in walking between the inn and the lodging. By physick and abstinence I grew better, and am now reasonably easy, though at a great distance from health. I am afraid, however, that health begins, after seventy, and long before, to have a meaning different from that which it had at thirty. But it is culpable to murmur at the established order of the creation, as it is vain to oppose it. He that lives must grow old; and he that would rather grow old than die has God to thank for the infirmities of old age. "At your long silence I am rather angry. You do not, since now you are the head of your house, think it worth your while to try whether you or your friend can live longer without writing; nor suspect, after so many years of friendship, that when I do not write to you I forget you. Put all such useless 1 [Communicated by J. H. Markland, Esq.- jealousies out of your head, and disdain to Thus lightly touch and quickly go."] [The following letters 1 prove ED.] 41 how con regulate your own practice by the practice of another, or by any other principle than the desire of doing right. "Your economy, I suppose, begins now to be settled; your expenses are adjusted to your revenue, and all your people in their proper places. Resolve not to be poor. Whatever you have, spend less. Poverty is a great enemy to human happiness: it certainly destroys liberty; and it makes some virtues impracticable, and others extremely difficult. "Let me know the history of your life since your accession to your estate;-how many houses, how many cows, how much land in your own hand, and what bargains you make with your tenants. * "Of my Lives of the Poets' they have printed a new edition in octavo, I hear, of three thousand. Did I give a set to Lord Hailes? If I did not, I will do it out of these. What did you make of all your copy? Mrs. Thrale and the three misses are now, for the winter, in Argyll-street. Sir Joshua Reynolds has been out of order, but is well again; and I am, dear sir, your affectionate humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON." "TO DR. SAMUEL JOHNSON. "Edinburgh, 20th Dec. 1782. “Dear sir,—I was made happy by your kind letter, which gave us the agreeable hopes of seeing you in Scotland again. "I am much flattered by the concern you are pleased to take in my recovery. I am better, and hope to have it in my power to convince you by my attention, of how much consequence I esteem your health to the world and to myself. I remain, sir, with grateful respect, your obliged and obedient servant, "MARGARET Boswell.” humble and sincere thankfulness, remember the comforts and conveniences which I have enjoyed at this place; and that I may resign them with holy submission, equally trusting in thy protection when thou givest and when thou takest away. Have mercy upon me, O Lord! have mercy upon me! "To thy fatherly protection, O Lord, I commend this family. Bless, guide, and defend them, that they may so pass through this world, as finally to enjoy in thy presence everlasting happiness, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.' One cannot read this prayer without some emotions not very favourable to the lady whose conduct occasioned it 1. The next day, October 7, he made the following memorandum: "7th October. "I was called early. I packed up my bundles, and used the foregoing prayer, with my morning devotions somewhat, I think, enlarged. Being earlier than the family, I read St. Paul's farewell in the Acts, and then read fortuitously in the Gospels, which was my parting use of the library." And in one of his memorandum-books 1 find, "Sunday, went to church at Strea ham. Templo valedixi cum osculo." He met Mr. Philip Metcalfe often at Sir Joshua Reynolds's and other places, and was a good deal with him at Brighthelmstone this autumn, being pleased at once with his excellent table and animated conversation. Mr. Metcalfe showed him great respect, and sent him a note that he might have the use of his carriage whenever he pleased. Johnson (3d October, 1782) returned this polite answer: "Mr. Johnson is very much obliged by the kind offer of the carriage, but he has no desire of using Mr. Metcalfe's carriage, except when he can have the pleasure of Mr. Metcalfe's company." Mr. Metcalfe could not but be highly pleased that his company was thus valued by Johnson, and he frequently attended him in airings. They also went together to Chichester, and they visited Petworth, and Cowdry, the venerable seat of the Lords Montacute 2. "Sir," said Johnson, “I should like tations. The death of Mr. Thrale had made a very material alteration with respect to Johnson's reception in that family. The manly authority of the husband no longer curbed the lively exuberance of the lady; and as her vanity had been fully gratified, by having the Colossus of Literature attach- [Mr. Boswell's dislike of Mrs. Thrale has led ed to her for many years, she gradually be-him here into a series of blunders and misrepresencame less assiduous to please him. WhethDr. Johnson meant nothing of what Mr. er her attachment to him was already divid-Boswell attributes to him-he`makes a parting ed by another object, I am unable to ascer-church, and pronounces a prayer on quitting “a use of the library-makes a valediction to the tain; but it is plain that Johnson's penetra-place where he had enjoyed so much comfort," tion was alive to her neglect or forced at-not because Mrs. Thrale made him less welcome tention; for on the 6th of October this year we find him making a parting use of the library" at Streatham, and pronouncing a prayer which he composed on leaving Mr. Thrale's family. "Almighty God, Father of all mercy, help me by thy grace, that I may, with there, but because she, and he with her, were leaving Streatham. We shall see by and by, that when Mr. Boswell came to town, six months after this, he found his friend domiciliated in Mrs. Thrale's new residence in Argyll-street.ED.] 2 This venerable mansion has since [Sept. to stay here four-and-twenty hours. see here how our ancestors lived." 66 We by 4. They were three contemporaries of great eminence." "TO SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS. Brighthelmstone, 14th Nov. 1782. DEAR SIR,-I heard yesterday of your late disorder, and should think ill of myself if I had heard of it without alarm. I heard likewise of your recovery, which I sincerely wish to be complete and permanent. Your country has been in danger of losing one of its brightest ornaments, and I of losing one of my oldest and kindest friends; but I hope you will still live long, for the honour of the The Reverend Mr. Wilson 5 having dedicated to him his " Archæological Dictionary," that mark of respect was thus acknowledged: That his curiosity was still unabated appears from two letters to Mr. John Nichols, of the 10th and 20th of October this year. In one he says, "I have looked into your Anecdotes,' and you will hardly thank a lover of literary history for telling you that he has been much informed and gratified. I wish you would add your own discoveries and intelligence to those of Dr. Rawlinson 1, and undertake the Supplement to Wood. Think of it." In the other, "I wish, sir, you could obtain some fuller information of Jortin2, Markland 3, and Thirl-nation; and that more enjoyment of your elegance, your intelligence,and your benevo1793] been totally destroyed by fire.-MALONE. lence is still reserved for, dear sir, your most "SAM. JOHNSON." [There is a popular superstition that this inherit-affectionate, &c. ance is accursed, for having been part of the plunder of the church at the Dissolution; and some lamentable accidents have given countenance to the vulgar prejudice. When the Editor visited the ruins of Cowdray twenty years ago, he was reminded (in addition to older stories) that the curse of fire and water had recently fallen on Cowdray; its noble owner, Viscount Montague, the last male of his ancient race, having been drowned in the Rhine at Schaffhausen, within a "REVEREND SIR,-That I have long few days of the destruction of Cowdray: and the omitted to return you thanks for the honour good folks of the neighbourhood did not scruple to prophesy that it would turn out a fatal inheritance. conferred upon me by your dedication, I entreat you with great earnestness not to At that period the present possessor, Mr. Poyntz, who had married Lord Montague's sister and heir- consider as more faulty than it is. A very ess, had two sons, who seemed destined to inherit importunate and oppressive disorder has for Cowdray; but, on the 7th July, 1815, these young and obstructed me in the duties of life. some time debarred me from the pleasures gentlemen boating off Bognor with their father on a very fine day, the boat was unaccountably up- The esteem and kindness of wise and good set, and the two youths perished; and thus was men is one of the last pleasures which I can once more fulfilled the forebodings of supersti- be content to lose; and gratitude to those tion. See some curious observations on the sub- from whom this pleasure is received is a ject of the fatality attending the inheritance of duty of which I hope never to be reproachconfiscated church property in Sir Henry Spel-ed with the final neglect. I therefore now man's Treatise on the " History and Fall of Sacrilege."-ED.] 2 66 TO THE REVEREND MR. WILSON. "CLITHEROE, LANCASHIRE. "31st December, 1782. return you thanks for the notice which I have received from you, and which I consider as giving to my name not only more bulk, but more weight; not only as extending its superficies, but as increasing its value. fame.-See ante, p. 258. He died in 1776, æt. 83.-ED.] [Dr. Richard Rawlinson, an eminent antiquary, and a great benefactor to the University of Oxford. He founded the Anglo-Saxon professorship there, and bequeathed to it all his collection of MSS., medals, antiquities, and curiosities, and amongst them large collections for a supplement to Wood's Athene Oxonienses, to which Dr. [Styan Thirlby; a critic of at least as much Johnson refers. He died in 1754, æt. 65.-ED.] reputation as he deserves. He studied successive[Dr. John Jortin, a voluminous and respect- ly divinity, medicine, and law. He seems to able writer on general subjects, as well as an em- have been of a temper at once perverse and indoinent divine. He died in August, 1770, Arch-lent, and to have dimmed and disgraced his talents deacon of London and Vicar of Kensington; where his piety and charity, greater even than his great learning and talents, are still remembered. His laconic epitaph in Kensington churchyard, dictated by himself, contains a new turn of that thought which must be common to all epitaphs, "Johannes Jortin mortalis esse desiit, A. S. 1770, æt. 72." John Jortin ceased to be mortal, &c.-ED.] by habits of intoxication. He complains, in a strain of self-satisfaction, that "when a man (meaning himself) thus towers by intellectual exaltation above his contemporaries, he is represented as drunken, or lazy, or capricious." He died in 1753, æt. 61.—ED.] 5 [A just and concise character of Mr. Wilson is given by Dr. Whitaker in the dedication of a plate, in the History of Whalley. "Viro Reve3 [Jeremiah Markland was an eminent critic, rendo Thomæ Wilson STB ecclesiæ de Clitheroe, particularly in Greek literature; but the shyness ministro—sodali jucundissimo―0207æ insigni of his disposition and the almost ascetic seclusion-felici juvenum institutori." Mr. Wilson died of his long life limited at once his utility and his in 1813, aged sixty-seven.-J. H. MARKLAND.] Your book was evidently wanted, and will, I hope, find its way into the school; to which, however, I do not mean to confine it; for no man has so much skill in ancient rites and practices as not to want it. As I suppose myself to owe part of your kindness to my excellent friend, Dr. Patten 1, he has [A letter from Dr. Patten', and Dr. Johnson's answer, have appeared in the Gentleman's Magazine: the latter is subjoined.-ED.] DR. JOHNSON'S ANSWER. "24th September, 1781. 'DEAR SIR,—It is so long since we passed any time together, that you may be allowed to have forgotten some part of my character; and I know not upon what other supposition I can pass without censure or complaint the ceremony of your address. Let me not trifle time in words, to which while we speak or write them we assign little meaning. Whenever you favour me with a letter, treat me as one that is glad of your kindness and proud of your esteem. "The papers which have been sent for my perusal I am ready to inspect, if you judge my inspection necessary or useful: but, indeed, I do A not; for what advantage can arise from it? dictionary consists of independent parts, and therefore one page is not much a specimen of the rest. It does not occur to me that I can give any assistance to the authour, and for my own interest I resign it into your hands, and do not suppose that I shall ever see my name with regret where you shall think it proper to be put. "I think it, however, my duty to inform a writer who intends me so great an honour, that in my opinion he would have consulted his interest by dedicating his work to some powerful and popular neighbour, who can give him more than a name. What will the world do but look on and laugh when one scholar dedicates to another? "If I had been consulted about this Lexicon of Antiquities while it was yet only a design, I should have recommended rather a division of Hebrew, Greek, and Roman particulars into three likewise a just claim to my acknowledg- "In 1783 he was more severely afflicted than ever, as will appear in the course of his correspondence; but still the same ardour for literature, the same constant piety, the same kindness for his friends, and the same vivacity, both in conversation and writing, distinguished him. [In the early part of the year, however, his health had improved considerably, as appears from the following letter: "10th Feb. 1783. "DEAR SIR,-It was not insensibility of your kindness, I hope, that made me negligent of answering your letter, for which I now return you thanks, and which I consider as a fresh proof of your regard. "I am better, much better, and am now in hope of being gradually well, and of being able [to] show some gratitude for the kindness of my friends. I do not despair of seeing Oxford in the summer, and, in the mean time, hope now and then to see you here. I am, dear sir, your most obliged "SAM. JOHNSON."] Having given Dr. Johnson a full account of what I was doing at Auchinleck, and particularly mentioned what I knew would please him,-my having brought an old man of eighty-eight from a lonely cottage to a comfortable habitation within my inclosures, where he had good neighbours near to him, I received an answer in Feb volumes, than a combination in one. The Hebrew part, at least, I would have wished to sepa-ruary, of which I extract what follows: rate, as it might be a very popular book, of which the use might be extended from men of learning down to the English reader, and which might become a concomitant of the Family Bible. "I am delighted with your account of your activity at Auchinleck, and wish the "When works of a multifarious and extensive kind are undertaken in the country, the necessary books are not always known. I remember a very learned and ingenious clergyman, of whom, when he had published notes upon the Psalms, I inquired what was his opinion of Hammond's Commentary, and was answered, that he had never heard of it. As this gentleman has the opportunity of consulting you, it needs not be supposed that he has not heard of all the proper 1 [Dr. Thomas Patten had been a Fellow of Corpus Christi College, A. M. 1736, D. D. 1754. He was afterwards Rector of Childry, Berks, where he died 28th Feb ruary, 1790.-ED.] 2 (See ante, p. 284, an allusion to Mr. Mudge's notes on the Psalms, whence Mr. Chalmers very justly concludes that he is the person meant.-ED.] books; but unless he is near some library, I know not now he could peruse them; and if he is conscious that his supellex is nimis angusta, it would be prudent to delay his publication till his deficiences may be supplied. It seems not very candid to hint any suspicions of imperfection in a work which I have not seen, yet what I have said ought to be excused, since I cannot but wish well to a learned man, who has elected me for the honour of a dedication, and to whom I am indebted for a correspondence so valuable as yours. And I beg that I may not lose any part of his kindness, which I consider with respectful gratitude. Of you, dear sir, I entreat that you will never again forget for so long a time your most humble servant, "SAMUEL JOHNSON." old gentleman, whom you have so kindly | It is because, if a landord drives away his removed, may live long to promote your tenants, he may not get others; whereas prosperity by his prayers. You have now a the demand for money is so great, it may new character and new duties: think on always be lent." them and practise them. Make an impartial estimate of your revenue; and whatever it is, live upon less. Resolve never to be poor. Frugality is not only the basis of quiet, but of beneficence. No man can help others that wants help himself. We must have enough before we have to spare. "I am glad to find that Mrs. Boswell grows well; and hope that, to keep her well, no care nor caution will be omitted. May you long live happily together. When you come hither, pray bring with you Baxter's Anacreon. I cannot get that edition in London 1." He talked with regret and indignation of the factious opposition to government at this time, and imputed it in a great measure to the revolution. Sir," said he, in a low voice, having come nearer to me, while his old prejudices seemed to be fermenting in his mind, "this Hanoverian family is isolée here. They have no friends. Now the Stuarts had friends who stuck by them so late as 1745. When the right of the king is not reverenced, there will not be reverence for those appointed by the king 2." people. He repeated to me his verses on Mr. Levett, with an emotion which gave them full effect; and then he was pleased to say, “You must be as much with me as you can. You have done me good. You cannot think how much better I am since you came in." His observation that the present royal family has no friends has been too much justified by the very ungrateful behaviour of On Friday, March 21, having arrived in many who were under great obligations to London the night before, I was glad to find his majesty: at the same time there are honhim at Mrs. Thrale's house, in Argyll- ourable exceptions; and the very next year street, appearances of friendship between after this conversation, and ever since, the them being still kept up. I was shown in- king has had as extensive as generous to his room; and after the first salutation support as ever was given to any monarch, he said, "I am glad you are come; I am and has had the satisfaction of knowing very ill." He looked pale, and was distress-that he was more and more endeared to his ed with a difficulty of breathing; but after the common inquiries, he assumed his usual strong animated style of conversation. Seeing me now for the first time as a laird, or proprietor of land, he began thus: "Sir, the superiority of a country gentleman over the people upon his estate is very agreeable; and he who says he does not feel it to be agreeable, lies; for it must be agreeable to have a casual superiority over those who are by nature equal with us." BOSWELL. "Yet, sir, we see great proprietors of land who prefer living in London." JOHNSON. "Why, sir, the pleasure of living in London, the intellectual superiority that is enjoyed there, may counterbalance the other. Besides, sir, a man may prefer the state of the country gentleman upon the whole, and yet there may never be a moment when he is willing to make the change, to quit London for it." He said, "It is better to have five per cent. out of land, than out of money, because it is more secure; but the readiness of transfer and promptness of interest make many people rather choose the funds. Nay, there is another disadvantage belonging to land, compared with money: a man is not so much afraid of being a hard creditor, as of being a hard landlord." BOSWELL. "Because there is a sort of kindly connexion between a landlord and his tenants." JOHNSON. "No, sir; many landlords with us never see their tenants. 'Dr. Johnson should seem not to have sought diligently for Baxter's Anacreon; for there are two editions of that book, and they are frequently found in the London sale catalogues. MALONE. He sent a message to acquaint Mrs. I had not seen Thrale that I was arrived. her since her husband's death. She soon appeared, and favoured me with an invitation to stay to dinner, which I accepted. There was no other company but herself and three of her daughters, Dr. Johnson, and I. She too said she was very glad I was 2 [Even Johnson's mind was not superior to early prejudices. When he was young, no doubt there was a great body, perhaps the numerical majority of the nation, who were opposed to, or, at least, not cordial to the Hanover succession; but the events of 1745 showed how small in number and how weak in feeling the jacobites had become. The revolution, no doubt, and a great accession of strength to the democratic branch of the constitution-the more general diffusion of knowledge, and the greater spread of political discussion, led to what Dr. Johnson called faction, to the American revolt, and to all the important consequences which, since his time, have resulted from that event; amongst which is, no doubt, the looking upon the king rather as the first magistrate than as the object of the personal reverence and feudal enthusiasm of former days: but that any jacobite tendency, or any doubt of the right of the reigning family, entered directly into the political difficulties of the period in question, Dr. Johnson could not have dispassionately believ ed.-ED.] |