THE LIFE OF SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL.D. COMPREHENDING AN ACCOUNT OF HIS STUDIES, IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER; A SERIES OF HIS EPISTOLARY CORRESPONDENCE AND CONVERSATIONS WITH MANY EMINENT PERSONS; AND Various Original Pieces of his Composition, NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED: THE WHOLE EXHIBITING A VIEW OF LITERATURE AND LITERARY BY JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ. PRINTED FOR J. RICHARDSON AND CO.; G. OFFOR; J. SHARPE AND 1821. THE LIFE OF SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL.D: ON the 5th of March I wrote to him, requesting his counsel whether I should this spring come to London. I stated to him on the one hand some pecuniary embarrassments, which, together with my wife's situation at that time, made me hesitate; and, on the other, the pleasure and improvement which my annual visit to the metropolis always afforded me ; and particularly mentioned a peculiar satisfaction which I experienced in celebrating the festival of Easter in St. Paul's cathedral; that to my fancy it appeared like going up to Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover; and that the strong devotion which I felt on that occasion diffused its influence on my mind through the rest of the year. 66 TO JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ "DEAR SIR, [Not dated, but written about the 15th of March.] "I AM ashamed to think that since I received your letter I have passed so many days without answering it. VOL. III. B |