I have thus endeavoured to sum up the evidence upon the case as fairly as I can; and the result seems to be, that the world must vibrate in a state of uncertainty as to what was the truth. This digression, I trust, will not be censured, as it relates to a matter exceedingly curious, and very intimately connected with Johnson, both as a man and an authour. He this year wrote the "Preface to the Harleian Miscellany." The selection of the pamphlets of which it was composed was made by Mr. Oldys, a man of eager curiosity, and indefatigable diligence, who first exerted that spirit of inquiry into the literature of the old English writers, by which the works of our great dramatick poet have of late been so signally illustrated. In 1745 he published a pamphlet entitled "Miscellaneous Observations on the Tragedy of Macbeth, with Remarks on Sir T. H.'s (Sir Thomas Hanmer's) edition of Shakspeare." To which he affixed, proposals for a new edition of that poet. 1 As we do not trace any thing else published by him during the course of this year, we may conjecture that he was occupied entirely with that work. But the little encouragement which was given by the publick to his anonymous proposals for the execution of a task which Warburton was known to have undertaken, probably damped his andour. His pamphlet, however, was highly esteemed, and was fortunate enough to obtain the approbation even of the supercilious Warburton himself, who, in the Preface to his Shakspeare, published two years afterwards, thus mentioned it: "As to all those things which have been published under the titles of Essays, Remarks, Observations, &c. on Shakspeare, if you except some Critical Notes on Macbeth, given a specimen of a projected edition, and written, as appears, by a man of parts and genius, the rest are absolutely below a seriCus notice." Of this flattering distinction shown to hire by Warburton, a very grateful remembrance was ever entertained by Johnson, who said, "He praised me at a time when prase was of value to me." in 1746 it is probable that he was still employed upon his Shakspeare, which perhare he laid aside for a time, upon account of the high expectations which were formed of Warburton's edition of that great pres. It is somewhat curious, that his litetary career appears to have been almost to 's life, the original libel would never have bees beard of-EĎ.] [pon the produce of these few and small works be, of course, could not have existed: but bw he was otherwise employed, as Boswell failed to discover, we cannot now hope to ascertain se ante, p. 64, note.—ED.] tally suspended in the years 1745 and 1746, those years which were marked by a civil war in Great Britain, when a rash attempt was made to restore the house of Stuart to the throne. That he had a tenderness for that unfortunate house is well known; and some may fancifully imagine, that a sympathetick anxiety impeded the exertion of his intellectual powers; but I am inclined to think, that he was, during this time, sketching the outlines of his great philological work. None of his letters during those years are extant, so far as I can discover. This is much to be regretted. It might afford some entertainment to see how he then expressed himself to his private friends concerning state affairs. Dr. Adams informs me, that "at this time a favourite object which he had in contemplation was, the Life of Alfred;' in which, from the warmth with which he spoke about it, he would, I believe, had he been master of his own will, have engaged himself, rather than on any other subject." In 1747 it is supposed that the Gentle man's Magazine for May (p. 239) was enriched by him with five short poetical pieces, distinguished by three asterisks 2. The first is a translation, or rather a paraphrase, of a Latin epitaph on Sir Thomas Hanmer. Whether the Latin was his, or not, I have never heard, though I should think it probably was, if it be certain that he wrote the English; as to which my only cause of doubt is, that his slighting character of Hanmer as an editor, in his Observations on Macbeth," is very different from that in the Epitaph. It may be said, that there is the same contrariety between the character in the Observations, and that in his own Preface to Shakspeare; but a considerable time elapsed between the one publication and the other, whereas the Observations and the Epitaph came close together. The others are, "To Misson her giving the Authour a gold and silk net-work Purse of her own weaving;" "Stella in Mourning;" "The Winter's Walk;" "An Ode;" and, "To Lyce, an elderly Lady." I am not positive that all these were his productions; but as "The Winter's Walk" has never been controverted to be his, and all of them have the same mark, it is reasonable to con 2 In the Universal Visiter, to which Johnson contributed, the mark which is affixed to some pieces, unquestionably his, is also found subjoined to others, of which he certainly was not the authour. The mark, therefore, will not ascertain the poems in question to have been written by him. Some of them were probably the productions of Hawkesworth, who, it is believed, was afflicted with the gout. The verses on a purse were inserted afterwards in Mrs. Williams's Miscellanies, and are unquestionably Johnson's.—MALONE. clude that they are all written by the same hand1. Yet to the Ode, in which we find a passage very characteristick of him, being a learned description of the gout, Unhappy, whom to beds of pain Arthritick tyranny consigns,' there is the following note, "The authour being ill of the gout:" but Johnson was not attacked with that distemper till a very late period of his life. May not this, however, be a poetical fiction? Why may not a poet suppose himself to have the gout, as well as suppose himself to be in love, of which we have innumerable instances, and which has been admirably ridiculed by Johnson in his "Life of Cowley?" I have also some difficulty to believe that he could produce such a group of conceits as appear in the verses to Lyce, in which he claims for this ancient personage as good a right to be assimilated to heaven, as nymphs whom other poets have flattered; he therefore ironically ascribes to her the attributes of the sky, in such stanzas as this: "Her teeth the night with darkness dies, She's starr'd with pimples o'er; Her tongue like nimble lightning plies, And can with thunder roar. But as, at a very advanced age, he could condescend to trifle in namby-pamby rhymes, to please Mrs. Thrale and her daughter, he may have, in his earlier years, composed such a piece as this. It is remarkable, that in this first edition of "The Winter's Walk," the concluding line is much more Johnsonian than it was afterwards printed; for in subsequent editions, after praying Stella "to snatch him to her arms," he says, "And shield me from the ills of life." Whereas in the first edition it is "And hide me from the sight of life." A horrour at life in general is more consonant with Johnson's habitual gloomy cast of thought2. I have heard him repeat with great energy the following verses, which appeared in the Gentleman's Magazine for April this year; but I have no authority to say they were his own. Indeed, one of the best criticks of our age suggests to me, that "the word indifferently being used in the sense of without concern, and being also very unpoetical, renders it improbable that they should have been his composition." "On Lord LOVAT's Execution. In the Gentleman's Magazine for December this year, he inserted an "Ode on Winter" (p. 588), which is, I think, an admirable specimen of his genius for lyrick poetry. 2 [Johnson's habitual horrour was not of life, but of death.-ED.] 3 These verses are somewhat too severe on the extraordinary person who is the chief figure in His them; for he was undoubtedly brave. pleasantry during his solemn trial (in which, by the way, I have heard Mr. David Hume observe, that we have one of the very few speeches of Mr. Murray, now Earl of Mansfield, authentically giv en) was very remarkable. When asked if he had any questions to put to Sir Everard Fawkener. who was one of the strongest witnesses against 1 [There is no evidence whatever that any of him, he answered, "I only wish him joy of his these were Johnson's, and every reason to sup- young wife." And after sentence of death, in the pose that they are Hawkesworth's. The ode horrible terms in such cases of treason, was prowhich Boswell doubts about, on internal evidence, nounced upon him, and he was retiring from the is the ode to Spring, which, with those on Sum- bar, he said, Fare you well, my lords; we shall mer, Autumn, and Winter, have been of late not all meet again in one place." He behaved published as Johnson's, and are, no doubt, all by with perfect composure at his execution, and callthe same hand. We see that Spring bears inter-ed out," Dulce et decorum est pro patrić mo nal marks of being Hawkesworth's. Winter ri."-BOSWELL. [He was a profligate villain, and Summer, Mr. Chalmers (in the preface to and deserved death for his moral, at least, as the Adventurer and in the Biog. Dict.) asserts much as for his political offences. There is in the to be his also; and (which seems quite conclusive) Gentleman's Magazine for April an account of the the index to the Gent. Mag. for 1748 attributes behaviour of Lord Lovat at his execution, the latSummer to Mr. Greville, a name known to ter part of which, censuring pleasantry in articulo have been assumed by Hawkesworth. The verses mortis, bears strong internal evidence, both in on the " Purse," and to "Stella in Mourning," matter and manner, of having been written by are certainly by the same hand as the four odes, and Johnson. The interest which he took in this the whole must therefore be assigned to Hawkes-transaction may have fixed in his memory the worth, and should be removed from their place lines on Lord Lovat, which certainly do not rein Johnson's works.-ED.] semble his own style.-ED.] This year his old pupil and friend, David Garrick, having become joint patentee and manager of Drury-lane theatre, Johnson honoured his opening of it with a Prologue*, which for just and manly dramatick criticism on the whole range of the English stage, as well as for poetical excellence, is unrivalled. Like the celebrated Epilogue to the "Distressed Mother," it was, during the season, often called for by the audience. The most striking and brilliant passages of it have been so often repeated, and so well recollected by all the lovers of the drama and of poetry, that it would be superfluous to point them out. But the year 1747 is distinguished as the epoch when Johnson's arduous and important work, his "DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE," was announced to the world by the publication of its Plan or PRO SPECTUS. Johnson, single and unaided, for the execution of a work, which in other countries has not been effected but by the co-operating exertions of many, were Mr. Robert Dodsley, Mr. Charles Hitch, Mr. Andrew Millar, the two Messieurs Longman, and the two Messieurs Knapton. The price stipulated was fifteen hundred and seventy-five pounds. The "Plan" was addressed to Philip Dormer, Earl of Chesterfield, then one of his majesty's principal secretaries of state; a nobleman who was very ambitious of literary distinction, and who, upon being informed of the design, had expressed himself in terms very favourable to its success. There is, perhaps, in every thing of any consequence, a secret history which it would be amusing to know, could we have it authentically communicated. Johnson told me 2, "Sir, the way in which the plan of my Dictionary came to be inscrib ed to Lord Chesterfield was this: I had neglected to write it by the time appointed. Dodsley suggested a desire to have it addressed to Lord Chesterfield. I laid hold of this as a pretext for delay, that it might be better done, and let Dodsley have his desire. I said to my friend, Dr. Bathurst, Now, if any good comes of my addressing to Lord Chesterfield, it will be ascribed to deep policy, when in fact, it was only a casual excuse for laziness 3." How long this immense undertaking had been the object of his contemplation, I do not know. I once asked him by what means he had attained to that astonishing knowledge of our language, by which he was enabled to realize a design of such extent and accumulated difficulty. He told me, that "it was not the effect of particular study; but that it had grown up in his mind insensibly." I have been informed, by Mr. James Dodsley, that several years before this period, when Johnson was one day sitting in his brother Robert's shop, he heard his brother suggest to him, that a Dictiona-" ry of the English Language would be a work that would be well received by the publick; that Johnson seemed, at first, to catch at the proposition; but, after a pause, said, in his abrupt decisive manner, "I believe I shall not undertake it." That he, however, had bestowed much thought upon the subject before he published his Plan," is evident from the enlarged, clear, and accurate views which it exhibits; and we find h mentioning in that tract, that many of the writers whose testimonies were to be produced as authorities were selected by Pope; which proves that he had been furmahed, probably by Mr. Robert Dodsley, with whatever hints that eminent poet had contributed towards a great literary project, that had been the subject of important consaferation in a former reign. The booksellers who contracted with My friend, Mr. Courtnay, whose eulogy on Johnson's Latin poetry has been inserted in this work, is no less happy in praising his English petry. But bars. he sings! the strain even Pope admires; And with the Roman shares congenial praise ;- and Ehampeare's sun relumes the clouded stage." BOSWELL. It is worthy of observation, that the Plan" has not only the substantial merit of comprehension, perspicuity, and precision, but that the language of it is unexceptionably excellent; it being altogether free from that inflation of style, and those uncommon, but apt and energetick words, which, in some of his writings, have been censured, with more petulance than justice; and never was there a more dignified strain of compliment than that in which he courts the attention of one, who, he had been persuaded to believe, would be a respectable patron. "With regard to questions of purity or propriety (says he), I was once in doubt whether I should not attribute to myself too much in attempting to decide them, and whether my province was to extend beyond 2 September 22, 1777, going from Ashbourne to Islam.-BOSWELL. 3 [The reader will see, in the very next page, that this account of the affair was, to say the best of it, inaccurate; but if it were correct, would it not invalidate Johnson's subsequent complaint of Lord Chesterfield's inattention and ingratitude? for, even if his lordship had neglected what was dedicated to him only by laziness and accident, he could not justly be charged with ingratitude; a dedicator who means no compliment, has no reason to complain if he be not rewarded: but more of this hereafter.-ED.] and the arguments are properly and estly expressed. However, some e sions may be cavilled at, but they a I'll mention one: the barren the proposition of the question, and the display of the suffrages on each side; but I have been since determined, by your lordship's opinion, to interpose my own judge-fles. ment, and shall therefore endeavour to The laurel is not barren, in any sense S support what appears to me most conso-ever; it bears fruits or flowers. nant to grammar and reason. Ausonius sunt nuga, and I have great expect thought that modesty forbade him to plead from the performance 3." inability for a task to which Cæsar had judged him equal: That he was fully aware of the a nature of the undertaking he ad ledges; and shows himself perfectly ble of it in the conclusion of his " but he had a noble consciousness own abilities, which enabled him to with undaunted spirit. 'Cur me posse negem, posse quod ille putat?' to pay The opinion conceived of it by another noble authour appears from the following extract from the Earl of Orrery's note to Dr. Birch: "Caledon, Dec. 30, 1747. "I have just now seen the specimen of Mr. Johnson's Dictionary, addressed to Lord Chesterfield. I am much pleased with the plan, and I think the specimen is one of the best that I have ever read. Most specimens disgust rather than prejudice us in favour of the work to follow; but the language of Mr. Johnson's is good, [This also must be inaccurate, for the plan contains numerous allusions and references to Lord Chesterfield's opinions; and there is the evidence both of Lord Chesterfield and Johnson, that Dodsley was the person who communicated with And the remark his lordship on the subject. about the bloom of the plan seems almost unintelligible. The bloom of a work, as regards the public, cannot be impaired by its being communicated to two or three private friends.-ED.] and there is a Welsh gentleman w The publick has had, from Si Hawkins, a long detail of what ha done in this country by prior Lex phers; and no doubt Johnson was avail himself of them, so far as they but the learned, yet judicious rese etymology, the various, yet accur play of definition, and the rich colle authorities, were reserved for the su mind of our great philologist. For chanical part he employed, as he t six amanuenses; and let it be reme by the natives of North Britain, to he is supposed to have been so host five of them were of that country 5. were two Messieurs Macbean; Mr [Nuga, indeed! for, though the la course, goes through the process of fruct it is, not only in the allegorical but in the Its flow sense of the word, barren. neither hue nor odour, nor is its fruit ED.] 3 Birch MSS. Brit. Mus. 4303.-Bos 4 Sir John Hawkins's list of former Dictionaries is, however, by no means MALONE. [See ante, note, p. 53.-ED.] Apr. 10, 1796 ert] Shiels, who, we shall hereafter | see, partly wrote the Lives of the Poets to which the name of Cibber a afixed; Mr. Stewart, son of Mr. George Stewart, bookseller at Edinburgh; and a Mr. Maitland. The sixth of these humble assistants was Mr. Peyton, who, I believe, taught French, and published some elementary tracts. To all these painful labourers Johnson showed a never-ceasing kindness, so far as they stood in need of it. The elder Mr. Macbean had afterwards the honour of being Librarian to Archibald, Duke of Argyle, for many years, but was left without a shiling. Johnson wrote for him a Preface to A System of Ancient Geography:" and, by the favour of Lord Thurlow, got him a initted a poor brother of the Charter-house. For Shiels, who died of a consumption, he had much tenderness; and it has been thought that some choice sentences in Shiels' Lives of the Poets were supplied by him. Peyton, when reduced to penury, had frequent aid from the bounty of Johnson, who at last was at the expense of burying him and his wife. While the Dictionary was going forward, Johnson lived part of the time in Holborn, part in Gough-square, Fleetstreet; and he had an upper room fitted up like a counting-house for the purpose, in which he gave to the copyists their several tasks. The words partly taken from other dictionaries, and partly supplied by himset, having been first written down with spaces left between them, he delivered in writing their etymologies, definitions, and various significations. The authorities were copied from the books themselves, in which he had marked the passages with a black-lead pencil, the traces of which could easily be effaced. I have seen several of them, in which that trouble had not been taken; so that they were just as when used by the copyists. It is remarkable that he was so attentive in the choice of the passages in which words were authorised, that one may read page after page of his Dictionary with improvement and pleasure; and it should not pass unobserved, that he has quoted no authour whose writings had a tendency to hurt sound religion and morality. The necessary expense of preparing a work of such magnitude for the press must have been a considerable deduction from the price stipulated to be paid for the copyright. I understand that nothing was allowed by the booksellers on that account; and I remember his telling me, that a large portion of it having, by mistake, been written upon both sides of the paper, so as to be inconvenient for the compositor, it cost him twenty pounds to have it transcribed upon one side only. Hawk p. 219. Hawk. p. 257. He is now to be considered as 66 tugging at his oar," as engaged in a steady continued course of occupation, sufficient to employ all his time for some years; and which was the best preventive of that constitutional melancholy which was ever lurking about him, ready to trouble his quiet. But his enlarged and lively mind could not be satisfied without more diversity of employment, and the pleasure of animated relaxation. He therefore not only exerted his talents in occasional composition very different from Lexicography, but formed a club [that met every Tuesday evening at the King's Head, a famous beef-steak house] in Ivy-lane, Paternoster-row, with a view to enjoy literary discussion, and amuse his evening hours. [Thither he constantly resorted, and, with a disposition to please and be pleased, would pass those hours in a free and unrestrained interchange of sentiments, which otherwise had been spent at home in painful reflection. The persons who composed this little society were nine in number: they were, the "I take this opportunity to testify, that the Reverend Dr. Salter, father of the late book called Cibber's Lives of the Poets' master of the Charter-house; Dr. Hawkesnot written, nor, I believe, ever seen by ei-worth; Mr. Ryland, a merchant, a relation ther of the Cibbers, but was the work of Robert of his 2; Mr. John Payne, then a bookselShe's, a native of Scotland, a man of a very ler, but now or very lately chief accountcute uralerstanding, though with little scholastic ant of the bank; Mr. Samuel Dyer, a learnelacation, who, not long after the publication of ed young man intended for the dissenting he work, died in London of a consumption. His ministry; Dr. William M'Ghie, a Scots Fas virtuous and his end was pious. The physician; Dr. Edmund Barker, a young eças Cibber, then a prisoner for debt, imparted, physician; Dr. Richard Bathurst, also a as I was told, his name for ten guineas. The young physician; and Sir J. Hawkins 3. mascript of Shiels is now in my possession." Johnson, we see, says the whole work was Shels', to the exclusion of himself as well as Cibber See more on this subject post, 10th April, 1776-ED.] [It seems strange that Mr. Boswell should have stated that Shiels only partly wrote what are called "Cibber's Lives of the Poets," and matinated that Johnson contributed some choice sien es to these "Lives;" for Johnson himef, the Life of Hammond, tells the story in a way which seems inconsistent with Mr. Boswell's 2 [His brother-in-law.—ED.] 3 [Sir J. Hawkins gives an account of the members of this club, too diffuse to be quoted here, but which is worthy the attention of any |