GENIUS OF DR. JOHNSON. our final sentence, then prayers for the dead, be- | pease melancholy reflections, Johnson took her ing visibly fruitless, can be regarded only as the home to his house in Gough-square. In 1755, vain oblations of superstition. But of all super- Garrick gave her a benefit-play, which produced stitions this, perhaps, is one of the least unamia- two hundred pounds. In 1766, she published, ble, and most incident to a good mind. If our by subscription, a quarto volume of Miscella sensations of kindness be intense, those, whom nies, and increased her little stock to three hunwe have revered and loved, death cannot wholly dred pounds. That fund, with Johnson's proseclude from our concern. It is true, for the rea-tection, supported her through the remainder of son just mentioned, such evidences of our sur- her life. During the two years in which the Rambler viving affection may be thought ill-judged; but surely they are generous, and some natural ten- was carried on, the Dictionary proceeded by slow derness is due even to a superstition, which thus degrees. In May 1752, having composed a originates in piety and benevolence." These prayer preparatory to his return from tears and sentences, extracted from the Rev. Mr. Strahan's sorrow to the duties of life, he resumed his grand preface, if they are not a full justification, are, design, and went on with vigour, giving, howat least, a beautiful apology. It will not be im- ever, occasional assistance to his friend Dr. proper to add what Johnson himself has said on Hawkesworth in the Adventurer, which began the subject. Being asked by Mr. Boswell, soon after the Rambler was laid aside. Some what he thought of purgatory as believed by the of the most valuable essays in that collection Roman Catholics? His answer was, "It is a were from the pen of Johnson. The Dictionary very harmless doctrine. They are of opinion, was completed towards the end of 1754; and, that the generality of mankind are neither so ob- Cave being then no more, it was a mortification stinately wicked as to deserve everlasting pu- to the author of that noble addition to our lannishment; nor so good as to merit being admit- guage, that his old friend did not live to see the ted into the society of blessed spirits; and, there- triumph of his labours. In May 1755, that fore, that God is graciously pleased to allow a great work was published. Johnson was demiddle state, where they may be purified by cer- sirous that it should come from one who had obtain degrees of suffering. You see there is no-tained academical honours; and for that purthing unreasonable in this; and if it be once established that there are souls in purgatory, it is as proper to pray for them, as for our brethren of mankind who are yet in this life." This was Dr. Johnson's guess into futurity; and to guess is the utmost that man can do." Shadows, clouds, and darkness, rest upon it." Mrs. Johnson left a daughter, Lucy Porter, by her first husband. She had contracted a friendship with Mrs. Anne Williams, the daughter of Zachary Williams, a physician of eminence in South Wales, who had devoted more than thirty years of a long life to the study of the longitude, and was thought to have made great advances towards that important discovery: His letters to Lord Halifax, and the Lords of the Admiralty, partly corrected and partly written by Dr. Johnson, are still extant in the hands of Mr. Nichols. We there find Dr. Williams, in the eighty-third year of his age, stating, that he had prepared an instrument, which might be called an epitome or miniature of the terraqueous globe, showing, with the assistance of tables constructed by himself, the variations of the In the course of the winter preceding this grand magnetic needle, and ascertaining the longitude for the safety of navigation. It appears that this scheme had been referred to Sir Isaac New- publication, the late Earl of Chesterfield gave ton; but that great philosopher excusing himself two essays in the periodical paper called The on account of his advanced age, all applications World, dated November 28, and December 5, were useless till 1751, when the subject was re- 1754, to prepare the public for so important a work. The original plan, addressed to his ferred, by order of Lord Anson, to Dr. Brady, Lordship in the year 1747, is there mentioned in the celebrated professor of astronomy. His report was unfavourable, though it allows that a terms of the highest praise; and this was underconsiderable progress had been made. Dr. stood, at the time, to be a courtly way of soliWilliams, after all his labour and expense, died citing a dedication of the Dictionary to himself. in a short time after, a melancholy instance of Johnson treated this civility with disdain. He unrewarded merit. His daughter possessed un- said to Garrick and others, "I have sailed a English language, and does he now send out two common talents, and, though blind, had an ala- long and painful voyage round the world of the crity of mind that made her conversation agree-cock-boats to tow me into harbour?" He had able, and even desirable. To relieve and ap- said, in the last number of the Rambler, that "having laboured to maintain the dignity of virtue, I will not now degrade it by the meanness of dedication." Such a man, when he had Life of Johnson, vol. i. p. 328. 4to edition. r See Gentleman's Magazine for Nov. and Dec. 1787. finished his Dictionary, "not," as he says himself, "in the soft obscurities of retirement, or under the shelter of academic bowers, but amidst inconvenience and distraction, in sickness and in sorrow, and without the patronage of the Great," was not likely to be caught by the lure thrown out by Lord Chesterfield. He had in vain sought the patronage of that nobleman; and his pride, exasperated by disappointment, drew from him the following letter, dated in the month of February, 1755. "To the Right Hon. the Earl of CHESTERFIELD. "MY LORD, "I have been lately informed, by the proprietors of The World, that two papers, in which my Dictionary is recommended to the public, were written by your Lordship. To be so distinguished, is an honour which, being very little accustomed to favours from the great, I know not well how to receive, or in what terms to acknowledge. It is said, upon good authority, that Johnson once received from Lord Chesterfield the sum of ten pounds. It were to be wished that the secret had never transpired. It was mean to receive it, and meaner to give it. It may be imagined, that for Johnson's ferocity, as it has been called, there was some foundation in his finances; and, as his Dictionary was brought to a conclusion, that money was now to flow in upon him. The reverse was the case. For his subsistence, during the progress of the work, he had received at different times the amount of his contract; and when his receipts were produced to him at a tavern dinner, given by the booksellers, it appeared that he had been paid a hundred pounds and upwards more than his due. The author of a book, called Lexiphanes* written by a Mr. Campbell, a Scotchman, and purser of a man of war, endeavoured to blast his laurels, but in vain. The world applauded, and Johnson never replied. "Abuse," he said, "is often of service: there is nothing so dangerous to an "When, upon some slight encouragement, I author as silence; his name, like a shuttlecock, first visited your Lordship, I was overpowered, must be beat backward and forward, or it falls like the rest of mankind, by the enchantment of to the ground." Lexiphanes professed to be an your address, and could not forbear to wish, imitation of the pleasant manner of Lucian; but that I might boast myself le vainqueur du vain-humour was not the talent of the writer of Lexiqueur de la terre; that I might obtain that regard for which I saw the world contending. But I found my attendance so little encouraged, that neither pride nor modesty would suffer me to continue it. When I had once addressed your Lordship in public, I had exhausted all the art of pleasing, which a retired and uncourtly scho-“Mr. Murphy being engaged in a periodical lar can possess. I had done all that I could; and no man is well pleased to have his all neglected, be it ever so little. "Seven years, my Lord, have now passed since I waited in your outward room, or was repulsed from your door; during which time I have been pushing on my work through difficulties of which it is useless to complain, and have brought it at last to the verge of publication, without one act of assistance, one word of encouragement, or one smile of favour. Such treatment I did not expect, for I never had a patron before. "The Shepherd in Virgil grew acquainted with Love, and found him a native of the rocks. "Is not a patron, my Lord, one who looks with unconcern on a man struggling for life in the water, and, when he has reached ground, encumbers him with help? The notice which you have been pleased to take of my labours, had it been early, had been kind: but it has been delayed till I am indifferent, and cannot enjoy it; till I am solitary, and cannot impart it; till I am known, and do not want it. I hope it is no very cynical asperity not to confess obligations where no benefit has been received; or to be unwilling that the public should consider me as owing that to a patron, which Providence has enabled me to do for myself. "Having carried on my work thus far with so little obligation to any favourer of learning, I shall not be disappointed, though I should conclude it, if less be possible, with less; for I have been long wakened from that dream of hope, in which I once boasted myself with so much exultation, "My Lord, your Lordship's most humble, phanes. As Dryden says, “He had too much horse-play in his raillery." It was in the summer of 1754, that the present writer became acquainted with Dr. Johnson. The cause of his first visit is related by Mrs. Piozzi nearly in the following manner: paper, the Gray's-Inn Journal, was at a friend's "What do you This work was not published until the year 1767, when Dr. Johnson's Dictionary was fully established in reputation. C. called for an interval of repose and indolence. But indolence was the time of danger; it was then that his spirits, not employed abroad, turned with inward hostility against himself. His reflections on his own life and conduct were always severe and, wishing to be immaculate, he destroyed his own peace by unnecessary scruples. He tells us, that when he surveyed his past life, he discovered nothing but a barren waste of time, with some disorders of body, and disturbances of mind, very near to madness. His life, he says, from his earliest youth, was wasted in a morning bed; and his reigning sin was a general sluggishness, to which he was always inclined, and in part of his life, almost compelled, by morbid melancholy, and weariness of mind. This was his constitutional ma To learn whate'er the Sage, with virtue fraught, Yet warn'd by me, ye pigmy Wits, beware, My task perform'd, and all my labours o'er, lady; derived, perhaps, from his father, who KNOW YOURSELF. (AFTER REVISING AND ENLARGING THE ENGLISH WHEN Scaliger, whole years of labour past, Yes, you had cause, great Genius, to repent; "You lost good days that might be better spent ;" You well might grudge the hours of ling'ring pain, And view your learned labours with disdain. To you were given the large expanded mind, The flame of geuius, and the taste refined "Twas yours on eagle wings aloft to soar, Whate'er I plan, I feel my powers confined I boast no knowledge glean'd with toil and strife, I view my self, while Reason's feeble light A dreary void, where fears with grief combined What then remains? Must I in slow decline XV Such is the picture for which Dr. Johnson sat to himself. He gives the prominent features of his character; his lassitude, his morbid me lancholy, his love of fame, his dejection, his tavern parties, and his wandering reveries, Vacua mala somnia mentis, about which so much has been written; all are painted in miniature, but And amidst rolling worlds the Great First Cause ex-in vivid colours, by his own hand. His idea of plore; To fix the eras of recorded time, And live in every age and every clime, Record the Chiefs, who propt their Country's cause; *See Scaliger's Epigram on this subject, communiented without doubt by Dr. Johnson, Gent. Mag. 1748, p. 8. writing more dictionaries was not merely said in verse. Mr. Hamilton who was at that time an eminent printer, and well acquainted with Dr. Johnson, remembers that he engaged in a Commercial Dictionary, and, as appears by the receipts in his possession, was paid his price for several sheets; but he soon relinquished the undertaking. It is probable that he found himself In the margin of this letter there is a memorandum in these words: "March 16, 1756, Sent six guineas. Witness, Wm. Richardson." For the honour of an admired writer it is to be regretted, that we do not find a more liberal entry. To his friend in distress he sent eight shillings more than was wanted. Had an incident of this kind occurred in one of his Romances, Richardson would have known how to grace his hero; but in fictitious scenes, generosity costs the writer nothing. About this time Johnson contributed several papers to a periodical Miscellany, called "The VISITOR," from motives which are highly honourable to him, a compassionate regard for the late Mr. Christopher Smart. The Criticism on Pope's Epitaphs appeared in that work. In a short time after he became a reviewer in the Literary Magazine, under the auspices of the late Mr. Newberry, a man of a projecting head, good taste, and great industry. This employment engrossed but little of Johnson's time He resigned himself to indolence, took no exercise, rose about two, and then received the visits of his friends. Authors long since forgotten, waited on him as their oracle, and he gave responses in the chair of criticism. He listened to the complaints, the schemes, and the hopes and fears, of a crowd of inferior writers, "who." he said, in the words of Roger Ascham, "lived, men knew not how, and died obscure, men marked not when." He believed that he could give a better history of Grub-street than any man living. His house was filled with a succession of visitors till four or five in the evening. During the whole time he presided at his tea-table. Tea was his favourite beverage; and, when the late Jonas Hanway pronounced his anathema against the use of tea, Johnson rose in defence of his habitual practice, declaring himself" in that article a hardened sinner, who had for years diluted his meals with the infusion of that fascinating plant; whose tea-kettle had no time tocool: who with tea solaced the midnight hour, and with tea welcomed the morning." The proposal for a new edition of Shakspeare, which had formerly miscarried, was resumed in the year 1756. The booksellers readily agreed to his terms; and subscription-tickets were is sued out. For undertaking this work, money, he confessed was the inciting motive. His friends exerted themselves to promote his interest; and, in the mean time, he engaged in a new periodical production called "The Idler." The first number appeared on Saturday, April 15, 1758; and the last, April 5, 1760. The profits of this work, and the subscriptions for the new edition of Shakspeare, were the means by which he supported himself for four or five years. In 1759 was published "Rasselas, Prince of Abys sinia." His translation of Lobo's voyage to Abyssinia seems to have pointed out that country for the scene of action; and Rassila Christos, the General of Sultan Segued, mentioned in that work, most probably suggested the name of the prince. The author wanted to set out on a journey to Litchfield, in order to pay the last offices of filial piety to his mother, who, at the age of ninety, was then near her dissolution; but money was necessary. Mr. Johnston, a bookseller, who has long since left off business, gave one hundred pounds for the copy. With this supply Johnson set out for Litchfield; but did not arrive in time to close the eyes of a parent whom he loved. He attended the funeral, which, as appears among his memorandums, was on the 23d of January, 1759. Johnson now found it necessary to retrench his expenses. He gave up his house in Goughsquare. Mrs. Williams went into lodgings. He retired to Gray's-Inn, and soon removed to chambers in the Inner-Temple-lane, where he lived in poverty, total idleness, and the pride of literature. Magni stat nominis umbra. Mr. Fitzherbert (the father of Lord St. Helens, the present minister at Madrid,) a man distinguished through life for his benevolence and other amiable qualities, used to say, that he paid a morning visit to Johnson, intending from his chambers to send a letter into the City; but, to his great surprise, he found an author by profession without pen, ink, or paper. The late Dr. Douglas, bishop of Salisbury, was also among those who endeavoured, by constant attention, to soothe the cares of a mind which he knew to be afflicted with gloomy apprehensions. At one of the parties made at his house, Boscovich, the Jesuit, who had then lately introduced the Newtonian philosophy at Rome, and, after publishing an elegant Latin poem on the subject, was made a Fellow of the Royal Society, was one of the company invited to meet Dr. Johnson. The conversation at first was mostly in French. Johnson, though thoroughly versed in that language, and a professed admirer of Boileau and La Bruyere, did not understand its pronunciation, nor could he speak it himself with propriety. For the rest of the evening the talk was in Latin. Boscovich had a ready current flow of that flimsy phraseology with which a priest may travel through Italy, Spain, and Germany. Johnson scorned what he called colloquial barbarisms. It was his pride to speak his best. He went on, after a little practice, with as much facility as if it was his native tongue. One sentence his writer well remembers. Observing that Fontenelle at first op GENIUS OF DR. JOHNSON. posed the Newtonian philosophy, and embraced it afterwards, his words were: Fontenellus, ni fallor in extrem senectute, fuit transfuga ad castra Newtoniana. We have now travelled through that part of Dr. Johnson's life which was a perpetual struggle with difficulties. Halcyon days are now to open upon him. In the month of May 1762, his Majesty, to reward literary merit, signified his pleasure to grant to Johnson a pension of three hundred pounds a year. The Earl of Bute was minister. Lord Loughborough, who, perhaps, was originally a mover in the business, had authority to mention it. He was well acquainted with Johnson; but, having heard much of his independent spirit, and of the downfall of Osborne the bookseller, he did not know but his benevolence might be rewarded with a folio on his head. He desired the author of these memoirs to undertake the task. This writer thought the opportunity of doing so much good the most happy incident in his life. He went, without delay, to the chambers in the Inner Temple-lane, which, in fact, were the abode of wretchedness. By slow and studied approaches the message was disclosed. Johnson made a long pause: he asked if it was seriously intended? He fell into a profound meditation, and his own definition of a pensioner occurred to him. He was told, "That he, at least, did not come within the definition." He desired to meet next day and dine at the Mitre Tavern. At that meeting he gave up all his scruples. On the following day Lord Loughborough conducted him to the Earl of Bute. The conversation that passed was in the evening related to this He expressed his writer by Dr. Johnson. sense of his Majesty's bounty, and thought himself the more highly honoured, as the favour was not bestowed on him for having dipped his pen in faction. "No, Sir," said Lord Bute, "it is not offered to you for having dipped your pen in faction, nor with a design that you ever should." Sir John Hawkins will have it, that after this interview, Johnson was often pressed to wait on Lord Bute: but with a sullen spirit refused to comply. However that be, Johnson was never heard to utter a disrespectful word of that nobleman. The writer of this essay remembers a circumstance which may throw some light on this subject. The late Dr. Rose, of Chiswick, whom Johnson loved and respected, contended for the pre-eminence of the Scotch writers; and Ferguson's book on Civil Society, then on the eve of publication, he said, would "Alas! what give the laurel to North Britain. can he do upon that subject ?" said Johnson: "Aristotle, Polybius, Grotius, Puffendorf, and Burlemaqui, have reaped in that field before him." "He will treat it," said Dr. Rose, "in a new mannner." "A new manner! Buckinger had no hands, and he wrote his name with his toes at Charing-cross, for half-a-crowna-piece; that was a new manner of writing!" Dr. Rose replied, "If that will not, satisfy you, I will name a writer, whom you must allow to be the best in the kingdom." "Who is that?" "The Earl of Bute, when he wrote an order for your pension." "There, Sir," said Johnson, you have me in the toil: to Lord Bute I must allow whatever praise you may claim for him." Ingratitude was no part of Johnson's character. (c) Being now in the possession of a regular income, Johnson left his chambers in the Temple, and once more became master of a house in Johnson's-court, Fleet-street. Dr. Levet, his friend and physician in ordinary, paid his daily visits with assiduity; made tea all the morning, talked what he had to say, and did not expect an answer. Mrs. Williams had her apartment Chemistry in the house, and entertained her benefactor with more enlarged conversation. was part of Johnson's amusement. For this love of experimental philosophy, Sir John Hawkins thinks an apology necessary. He tells us, with great gravity, that curiosity was the only object in view; not an intention to grow suddenly rich by the philosopher's stone, or the transmutation of metals. To enlarge his circle, Johnson once more had recourse to a literary club. This was at the Turk's Head, The members in Gerard-street, Soho, on every Tuesday evening through the year. were, besides himself, the Right Hon. Edmund Burke, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Dr. Nugent, Dr. Goldsmith, the late Mr. Topham Beauclerk, Mr. Langton, Mr. Chamier, Sir John Hawkins, and some others. Johnson's affection for Sir Joshua was founded on a long acquaintance, and a thorough knowledge of the virtues and amiable qualities of that excellent artist. He delighted in the conversation of Mr. Burke. He met him for the first time at Mr. Garrick's, several years ago. On the next day he said, "I suppose, Murphy, you are proud of your countryman. CUM TALIS SIT UTINAM NOSTER ESSET ?" From that time his constant observation was, "That a man of sense could not meet Mr. Burke by accident, under a gateway to avoid a shower, without being convinced that he was the first man in England." Johnson felt not only kindness, but zeal and ardour for his friends. He did every thing in his power to advance the reputation of Dr. Goldsmith. He loved him, though he knew his failings, and particularly the leaven of envy, which corroded the mind of that elegant writer, and made him impatient, without disguise, of the praises bestowed on any person whatever. Of this infirmity, which marked Goldsmith's character, Johnson gave a remarkable instance. It happened that he went with Sir Joshua Reynolds and Goldsmith to see the Fantoccini, which were exhibited some years ago in or near the Haymarket. They admired the curious mechanism by which the puppets were made to walk the stage, draw a chair to the table, sit down, write a letter, and perform a variety of other actions, with such dexterity, that "though Nature's journeymen made the men, they imitated humanity" to the astonishment of the spectator. The entertainment being over, the three friends retired to a tavern. Johnson and Sir Joshua talked with pleasure of what they had seen; and says Johnson, in a tone of admiration, "How the little fellow brandished his spontoon !" "There is nothing in it," replied Goldsmith, starting up with impatience; "give me a spontoon; I can do it as well myself." Enjoying his amusements at his weekly club, and happy in a state of independence, Johnson |