who wishes to gratify his curiosity, is referred to the fourteenth volume of Johnson's works, published by Stockdale. The lives of Boerhaave, Blake, Barratier, Father Paul, and others, were, about that time, printed in the Gentleman's Magazine. The fubfcription of fifty pounds a year for Savage was completed; and in July, 1739, Johnson parted with the companion of his midnighthours, never to see him more. The feparation was, perhaps, an advantage to him, who wanted to make a right use of his time, and even then beheld with felf-reproach the waste occafioned by diffipation. His abftinence from wine and strong liquors began foon after the departure of Savage. What habits he contracted in the course of that acquaintance cannot now be known. The ambition of excelling in conversation, and that pride of victory, which, at times, disgraced a man of Johnson's genius, were, perhaps, native blemishes. A fierce fpirit of independence, even in the midst of poverty, may be feen in Savage; and, if not thence transfused by Johnson into his own manners, it may, at least, be fuppofed to have gained strength from the example before him. During that connection there was, if we believe Sir Sir John Hawkins, a fhort feparation between our author and his wife; but a reconciliation foon took place. Johnson loved her, and fhewed his affection in various modes of gallantry, which Garrick used to render ridiculous by his mimicry. The affectation of foft and fashionable airs did not become an unwieldy figure: his admiration was received by the wife with the flutter of an antiquated coquette; and both, it is well known, furnished matter for the lively genius of Garrick, It is a mortifying reflection, that Johnson, with a store of learning and extraordinary talents, was not able, at the age of thirty, to force his way to the favour of the publick. Slow rifes worth by poverty depress'd. » " He "was ftill," as he says himself, "to provide "for the day that was paffing over him." He faw Cave involved in a state of warfare with the numerous competitors, at that time ftruggling with the Gentleman's Magazine ; and gratitude for fuch fupplies as Johnson received dictated a Latin Ode on the subject of that contention. The first lines, Urbane, nullis feffe laboribus, put one in mind of Cafimir's Ode to Pope Urban : "Urbane, regum maxime, maxime “Urbane vatum.”. The Polish poet was, probably, at that time in the hands of a man who had meditated the history of the Latin poets. Guthrie the historian had from July 1736 composed the parliamentary speeches for the Magazine; but, from the beginning of the seffion which opened on the 19th of November, 1740, Johnfon fucceeded to that department, and continued it from that time to the debate on fpirituous liquors, which happened in the House of Lords in February, 1742-3. The eloquence, the force of argument, and the fplendor of language, difplayed in the feveral speeches, are well known, and univerfally admired. The whole has been collected in two volumes by Mr. Stockdale, and may form a proper fupplement to this edition.. That Johnson was the author of the debates during that period was not generally known; but the fecret transpired several years afterwards, and was avowed by himself on the following occafion. Mr. Wedderburne (now Lord Lord Loughborough), Dr. Johnson, Dr. Francis (the tranflator of Horace), the prefent writer, and others, dined with the late Mr. Foote. An important debate towards the end of Sir Robert Walpole's administration being mentioned, Dr. Francis obferved, "That Mr. Pitt's fpeech, on that occafion, "was the best he had ever read." He added, "That he had employed eight years of his "life in the study of Demofthenes, and fi"nished a tranflation of that celebrated orator, with all the decorations of style "and language within the reach of his capacity; but he had met with nothing "equal to the fpeech above-mentioned." Many of the company remembered the debate; and fome paffages were cited, with the approbation and applause of all present. During the ardour of converfation Johnson remained filent. As foon as the warmth of praise fubfided, he opened with these words: "That speech I wrote in a garret in Exeter"street." The company was ftruck with astonishment. After staring at each other in filent amaze, Dr. Francis afked, "How "that speech could be written by him?" "Sir," faid Johnfon, "I wrote it in Exeter"strect. I never had been in the gallery of "the "the House of Commons but once. Cave had "intereft with the door-keepers. He, and "the perfons employed under him, gained "admittance: they brought away the fub'ject of difcuffion, the names of the speak66 ers, the fide they took, and the order in "which they rofe, together with notes of "the arguments advanced in the courfe of "the debate. The whole was afterwards, "communicated to me, and I. compofed the "fpeeches in the form which they now have "in the Parliamentary debates." To this, discovery Dr. Francis made answer: "Then, "Sir, you have exceeded Demofthenes him"felf; for to fay, that you have exceeded "Francis's Demofthenes, would be faying nothing." The reft of the company beftowed lavish encomiums on Johnfon: one, in particular, praised his impartiality; obferving, that he dealt out reafon and eloquence with an equal hand; to both parties. "That is not quite true," faid Johnfon; "L "faved appearances tolerably well; but L "took care that the WHIG DOGS fhould not "have the best of it." The fale of the Ma gazine was greatly increafed by the Parlia mentary debates, which were continued by 414 John |