66 ly low. I am very bad indeed, dear gentlemen,' | ever he hoped the time that had been prolonged he said; very bad, very low, very cold, and I to him might be the means of bringing forth fruit think I find my life to fail. In about a quarter of meet for repentance. an hour he dismissed Mr. Sastres and me; but called me back again, and said that next Sunday, if he lived, he designed to take the sacrament, and wished me, my wife, and son to be there. We left Mr. Langton with him. "Saturday, Dec. 4.-Called on him about three he was much the same, did not see him, he had much company that day. Called in the evening with Mr. Sastres about eight; found he was not disposed for company; Mr. Langton with him; did not see him. Monday, Dec. 6.-Sent in the morning to make inquiry after him he was much the same: called in the evening; found Mr. Cruikshanks the surgeon with him he said he had been that day quarrelling with all his physicians: he appeared in tolerable spirits. : "Tuesday, Dec. 7.-Called at dinner-time: saw him eat a very good dinner: he seemed rather better, and in spirits. Wednesday, Dec. 8.-Went with Mrs. Hoole and my son, by appointment; found him very poorly and low, after a very bad night. Mr. Nichols the printer was there. My son read the Litany, the Doctor several times urging him to speak louder. After prayers Mr. Langton came in: much serious discourse: he warned us all to profit by his situation; and, applying to me, who stood next him, exhorted me to lead a better life than he had done. A better life than you, my dear sir!' I repeated. He replied warmly, 'Don't compliment now.' He told Mr. Langton that he had the night before enforced on a powerful argument to a powerful objection against Christianity. "He had often thought it might seem strange that the Jews, who refused belief to the doctrine supported by the miracles of our Saviour, should after his death raise a numerous church; but he said that they expected fully a temporal prince, and with this idea the multitude was actuated when they strewed his way with palm-branches on his entry into Jerusalem; but finding their expectations afterwards disappointed, rejected him, till in process of time, comparing all the circumstances and prophecies of the Old Testament, confirmed in the New, many were converted; that the Apostles themselves once believed him to be a temporal prince. He said that he had always been struck with the resemblance of the Jewish passover and the christian doctrine of redemption. He thanked us all for our attendance, and we left him with Mr. Langton. "Sunday, Dec. 5.-Went to Bolt-court with Mrs. Hoole after eleven; found there Sir John Hawkins, Rev. Mr. Strahan, Mrs. Gardiner, and Mr. Desmoulins, in the dining-room. After some time the Doctor came to us from the chamber, and saluted us all, thanking us all for this visit to him. He said he found himself very bad, but hoped he should go well through the duty which he was about to do. The sacrament was then administered to all present, Frank being of the number. The Doctor repeatedly desired Mr. Strahan to speak louder; seeming very anxious not to lose any part of the service, in which he joined in very great fervour of devotion. The service over, he again thanked us all for attending him on the occasion: he said he had taken some opium to enable him to support the fatigue; he seemed quite spent, and lay in his chair some time in a kind of doze he then got up and retired into his chamber. Mr. Ryland then called on him. I was with them he said to Mr. Ryland, 'I have taken my viaticum: I hope I shall arrive safe at the end of my journey, and be accepted at last.' He spoke very despondingly several times: Mr. Ryland comforted him, observing that we had great hopes given us.' 'Yes,' he replied, we have hopes given us; but they are conditional, and I know not how far I have fulfilled those conditions'.' He afterwards said, However, I think that I have now corrected all bad and vicious habits.' Sir Joshua Reynolds called on him: we left them together. Sir Joshua being gone, he called Mr. Ryland and me again to him he continued talking very seriously, and repeated a prayer or collect with great fervour, when Mr. Ryland took his leave. He ate a tolerable dinner, but retired directly after dinner. My son came to us from his church we were at dinner-Dr. John-him a letter, recommending Dr. Dalloway (an son, Mrs. Gardiner, myself, Mrs. Hoole, my son, and Mr. Desmoulins. He had looked out a sernion of Dr. Clarke's, On the Shortness of Life,' for me to read to him after dinner, but he was too ill to hear it. After six o'clock he called us all into his room, when he dismissed us for that night with a prayer, delivered as he sat in his great chair, in the most fervent and affecting manner, his mind appearing wholly employed with the thoughts of another life. He told Mr. Ryland that he wished not to come to God with opium, but that he hoped he had been properly attentive. He said before us all, that when he recovered the last spring, he had only called it a reprieve, but that he did think it was for a longer time; how 1 See his letter to Mrs. Thrale, vol. i. p. 361.-J. HOOLE. Thursday, Dec. 9.-Called in the evening; did not see him, as he was engaged. Friday, Dec. 10.-Called about eleven in the morning; saw Mr. La Trobe 3 there: neither of us saw the Doctor, as we understood he wished not to be visited that day. In the evening I sent irregular physician) as an extraordinary person for curing the dropsy. He returned me a verbal answer that he was obliged to me, but that it was too late. My son read prayers with him this day. 66 Saturday, Dec. 11.-Went to Bolt-court about twelve; met there Dr. Burney, Dr. Taylor, Sir John Hawkins, Mr. Sastres, Mr. Paradise. Count Zenobia, and Mr. Langton. Mrs. Hoole called for me there we both went to him: he received us very kindly; told me he had my letter, but it was too late for doctors, regular or irregular. His physicians had been with him The 2 [Probably Mr. Windham; see his Journal. word He in the next sentence means not Mr. Windham, but Dr. Johnson.-ED.] 3 [See ante, p. 438, note.-ED.] that day, but prescribed nothing. Mr. Cruikshanks came the Doctor was rather cheerfu! with him; he said, Come, give me your hand,' and shook him by the hand, adding, 'You shall make no other use of it now;' meaning he should not examine his legs. Mr. Cruikshanks wished to do it, but the Doctor would not let him. Mr. Cruikshanks said he would call in the evening. together into the chamber, and there saw the IX. [SOME account of FRANCIS STUART,—rèferred to in vol. i. p. 75; and ante, pp. 225. 228. 369. $71. "Sunday, Dec. 12.-Was not at Bolt-court in the forenoon; at St. Sepulchre's school in the evening with Mrs. Hoole, where we saw Mrs. Gardiner and Lady Rothes; heard that Dr. John- "In that amusing scrap-book called son was very bad, and had been something deliri- "Grose's Olio," there is an imputation ous. Went to Bolt-court about nine, and found against Dr. Johnson of having obtained an there Mr. Windham and the Rev. Mr. Strahan. advance of money from the publishers of the The Doctor was then very bad in bed, which I Dictionary, by the trick of substituting old think he had only taken to that day he had now sheets instead of new copy, which he had refused to take any more medicine or food. Mr. neglected to prepare. The following extract Cruikshanks came about eleven: he endeavoured from the Gentleman's Magazine contradicts this to persuade him to take some nourishment, but in imputation ; but for that sole purpose the Edivain. Mr. Windham then went again to him, tor would not have thought it necessary to and, by the advice of Mr. Cruikshanks, put it up- quote it, but he is induced to do so because it on this footing-that by persisting to refuse all also affords some curious particulars as to sustenance he might probably defeat his own pur- the practical compilation of the Dictionary, pose to preserve his mind clear, as his weakness and gives some account of Francis Stuart, might bring on paralytic complaints that might whose connexion with Johnson seems to the affect his mental powers. The Doctor, Mr. Wind- | Editor to have been more important than Mr. ham said, heard him patiently; but when he had Boswell supposed. Indeed Mr. Boswell's heard all, he desired to be troubled no more. He account of the little negotiation in which Dr. then took a most affectionate leave of Mr. Wind-Johnson employed him with Stuart's sister is ham, who reported to us the issue of the conversation, for only Mr. Desmoulins was with them in the chamber. I did not see the Doctor that day, being fearful of disturbing him, and never conversed with him again. I came away about half past eleven with Mr. Windham. very confused. In December, 1779, he states that he had, as desired by Johnson, “discovered the sister of Stuart, and given her a guinea for an old pocket-book of her brother's which Dr. Johnson had retained; that the woman wondered at his scrupulous honesty, and received the guinea Monday, Dec. 13.-Went to Bolt-court at as if sent by Providence: " ante, p. 225. But eleven o'clock in the morning; met a young lady this must have been a total mistake on the coming down stairs from the Doctor, whom, up- part of Boswell; for it appears that the sison inquiry, I found to be Miss Morris (a sister to ter had the pocket-book, or letter-case, and Miss Morris', formerly on the stage). Mrs. that it was for obtaining it that Johnson ofDesinoulins told me that she had seen the Doc-fered the guinea. This matter was probably tor; that by her desire he had been told she came explained in some letters not now extent; for to ask his blessing, and that he said, God bless in April, 1780 (ante, p. 228), Johnson eryou!' I then went up into his chamber, and presses "satisfaction at the success of Boswell's found him lying very composed in a kind of doze : transaction with Mrs. Stuart," by which it may he spoke to nobody. Sir John Hawkins, Mr. be inferred that Boswell had obtained the letLangton, Mrs. Gardiner, Rev. Mr. Strahan and ter-case from her; but the negotiation was Mrs. Strahan, Doctors Brocklesby and Butter, Mr. not terminated; for four years after, in 1784 Steevens, and Mr. Nichols the printer, came; but (ante, p. 369), Johnson writes to Boswell, “I no one chose to disturb him by speaking to him, desire you to see Mrs. Stewart once again, and and he seemed to take no notice of any person. say that in the letter-case was a letter relating While Mrs. Gardiner and I were there, before the to me, for which I will give her, if she is willing rest came, he took a little warm milk in a cup, to give it to me, another guinea: the letter is of when he said something upon its not being prop- consequence only to me:"-and again, 18th erly given into his hand he breathed very regu- March, 1784, "If you come hither through lar, though short, and appeared to be mostly in a Edinburgh, send for Mrs. Stewart, and give anoti calm sleep or dozing. I left him in this state, er guinea for the letter in the old case, to which and never more saw him alive. In the evening II shall not be satisfied with my clain till she gives supped with Mrs. Hoole and my son at Mr. Braithwaite's, and at night my servant brought me word that my dearest friend died that evening about seven o'clock; and next morning I went to the house, where I met Mr. Seward: we went 1 As there have been several Miss Morris's on the stage, it may be proper to mention that the young lady was sister to Miss Morris, who appeared in Juliet at Covent Garden, Nov. 26, 1768, and died May 1, 1769. She was related to Corbyn Morris, Esq. commissioner of the customs.-J. HoOLE. it me." (Ante, p. 371.) The reader now sees that the retention by Johnson of Stewart's old pocket-book, and the scrupulous honesty of paying a guinea for it, was a misapprehension; and that Johnson really wanted to obtain the pocket-book, which he did get, for the sake of a letter it contained, which he seems not to have gotten; but what letter could this be of consequence to Dr. Johnson, when on the verge of the grave, yet so long neglected by him; for Stewart had been dead many years? Mr. Boswell's original | tion of first; and all words relating to gambling error and his subsequent silence on the sub- and card-playing, such as All Fours, Catch honject is very strange. The Editor is satisfied ours, Cribbage, &c. were, among the typos, either that Mr. Boswell did not obtain the let- said to be Frank Stuart's, corrected by the Doctor, ter, or that it related to some circumstance of for which he received a second payment. At the Johnson's life which he did not choose to di- time this happened, the Dictionary was going on vulge; and what could it have been that he printing very briskly in three departments, letter would not have told ?-ED.] D, G, and L, being at work upon at the same time; and as the Doctor was, in the printing-house phrase, out of town-that is, had received more money than he had produced MS. for-the proprietors restricted him in his payments, and would answer no more demands from him than at vol. xix. p. 1171. "This Steward was Francis Stuart. Gent. Mag. He was the son of a shop-keeper in Edinburgh, and was brought up to the law. For several years he was employed as a writer in some of the principal offices of Edinburgh; and being a man of good natural parts, and given to literature, he frequently assisted in digesting and arranging MSS. for the press; and, among other employments of this sort, he used to boast of assisting or copying some of the juvenile productions of the afterwards celebrated Lord Kaimes when he was very young and a correspondent with the Edinburgh Magazine. When he came to London, he stuck more closely to the press; and in this walk of copying or arranging for the press, he got recommended to Dr. Johnson, who then lived in Gough-square. Frank was a great admirer of the Doctor, and upon all Occasions consulted him; and the Doctor had also a very respectable opinion of his amanuensis Frank Stuart, as he always familiarly called him. But it was not only in collecting authorities that Frank was employed he was the man who did every thing in the writing way for him, and managed all his affairs between the Doctor, his bookseller, and his creditors, who were then often very troublesome, and every species of business the Doctor had to do out of doors; and for this he was much better qualified than the Doctor himself, as he had been more accustomed to common business, and more conversant in the ways of men. the rate of a guinea for every sheet of MS. copy he delivered; which was paid him by Mr. Strahan on delivery; and the Doctor readily agreed to this. The copy was written upon 4to. post, and in two columns each page. The Doctor wrote, in his own hand, the words and their explanation, and generally two or three words in each column, leaving a space between each for the authorities, which were pasted on as they were collected by the different clerks or amanuenses employed and in this mode the MS. was so regular, that the sheets of MS. which made a sheet of print could be very exactly ascertained. Every guinea parcel came after this agreement regularly tied up, and was put upon a shelf in the corrector's room till wanted. The MS. being then in great forwardness, the Doctor supplied copy faster than the printers called for it; and in one of the heaps of copy it happened that, upon giving it out to the compositors, some sheets of the old MS. that had been printed off were found among the new MS. paid for. It is more probable that this happened by the Doctor's keeping the old copy, which was always returned him with the proof, in a disorderly manner. another mode of accounting for this was at that time very current in the printing-house. The Doctor, besides his old and constant assistant, Stuart, had several others, some of them not of the best characters; and one of this class had been lately discharged, whom the Doctor had been very kind to, notwithstanding all his loose and idle tricks; and it was generally supposed that he had fallen upon this expedient of picking up the old MS. to raise a few guineas, finding the money so readily paid on the MS. as he delivered it. But every body was inclined to acquit the Doctor, as he had been well known to have rather too little thoughts about money matters. And what served to complete the Doctor's acquittal was, Stuart immediately on the discovery supplying the quantum of right copy (for it was ready); which set every thing to rights, and that in the course of an hour or two, as the writer of this note can truly assert, as he was employed in the business. "That he was a porter-drinking man, as Captain Grose says, may be admitted; for he usually spent his evenings at the Bible, in Shirelane, a house of call for bookbinders and printers, where Frank was in good esteem among some creditable neighbours that frequented the back-room; for, except his fuddling, he was a very worthy character. But his drinking and conviviality, he used to say, he left behind him at Edinburgh, where he had connected himself with some jovial wits and great card-players, which made his journey to London very prudent and necessary, as nothing but such a measure could break off the connexion, or bring them to good hours and moderation. In one of those night rambles, Stuart and his companions met with the mob-procession when they were conducting Captain Porteous to be hanged; and Stuart and his companions were next day exaniined about it before the town-council, when (as Stuart used to say) we were found to be too drunk to have had any hand in the business.' But he gave a most accurate and particular account of that memorable transaction in the Edinburgh Magazine of that time, which he was rather fond of relating. "In another walk, besides collecting authorities, be was remarkably useful to Dr. Johnson; that was, in the explanation of low cant phrases, which the Doctor used to get Frank to give his explana- | known." But "How such an erroneous and injurious account of an accident so fairly and justly to be accounted for, and the Doctor's character cleared from all imputation of art or guilt, came to Captain Grose's ears, is hard to be accounted for: but it appears to have been picked up among the common gossip of the press-room, or other remote parts of the printing-house, where the right state of the fact could not be minutely related nor accurately X. LESSON IN BIOGRAPHY; OR, HOW TO WRITE THE LIFE OF ONE'S FRIEND. An Extract from the LIFE OF DR. Pozz, in ten volumes folio, written by JAMES Bozz, Esq. who FLOURISHED with him near fifty years. [By A. CHALMERS, Esq. Referred to ante, p. 456. Among the numerous parodies and jeux d'esprit which Mr. Boswell's work produced, the following pleasantry from the pen of Mr. Alexander Chalmers, which appeared in the periodical publications of the day, is worth preserving; for it is not merely a good pleasantry, but a fair criticism of some of the lighter parts of the work.-ED.] "We dined at the chop-house. Dr. Pozz was this day very instructive. We talked of books. I mentioned the History of Tommy Trip. I said it was a great work. Pozz. Yes, sir, it is a great work; but, sir, it is a great work relatively; it was a great work to you when you was a little boy: but now, sir, you are a great man, and Tommy Trip is a little boy.' I felt somewhat hurt at this comparison, and I believe he perceived it; for, as he was squeezing a lemon, he said, 'Never be affronted at a comparison. I have been compared to many things, but I never was affronted. No, sir, if they would call me a dog, and you a canister tied to my tail, I would not be affronted." "Cheered by this kind mention of me, though in such a situation, I asked him what he thought of a friend of ours, who was always making comparisons. Pozz. Sir, that fellow has a simile for every thing but himself. I knew him when he kept a shop: he then made money, sir, and now he makes comparisons. Sir, he would say that you and I were two figs stuck together; two figs in adhesion, sir; and then he would laugh.' Bozz. But have not some great writers determined that comparisons are now and then odious?' Pozz. 'No, sir, not odious in themselves, not odious as comparisons; the fellows who make them are odious. The whigs make comparisons.' "We supped that evening at his house. I showed him some lines I had made upon a pair of breeches. Pozz. Sir, the lines are good; but where could you find such a subject in your country? Bozz. Therefore it is a proof of invention, which is a characteristic of poetry.' Pozz. Yes, sir, but an invention which few of your countrymen can enjoy.' I reflected afterwards on the depth of this remark: it affords a proof of that acuteness which he displayed in every branch of literature. I asked him if he approved of green spectacles? Pozz. As to green spectacles, sir, the question seems to be this: if I wore green spectacles, it would be because they assisted vision, or because I liked them. Now, sir, if a man tells me he does not like green spectacles, and that they hurt his eyes, I would not compel him to wear them. No, sir, I would dissuade him.' A few months after, I consulted him again on this subject, and he honoured me with a letter, in which he gives the same opinion. It will be "It would have been unpardonable to have omitted a letter like this, in which we see so much of his great and illuminated mind. On niy return to town, we met again at the chop-house. We had much conversation to-day: his wit flashed like lightning; indeed, there is not one hour of my present life in which I do not profit by some of his valuable communications. "We talked of wind. I said I knew many persons much distressed with that complaint. Pozz. Yes, sir, when confined, when pent up.' I said I did not know that, but I questioned if the Romans ever knew it. Pozz. Yes, sir, the Romans knew it.' Bozz. Livy does not mention it.' Pozz. No, sir, Livy wrote History. Live was not writing the Life of a Friend.' "On medical subjects his knowledge was inmense. He told me of a friend of ours who bad just been attacked by a most dreadful complaint: he had entirely lost the use of his limbs, so that he could neither stand nor walk, unless supported; his speech was quite gone; his eyes were mach swollen, and every vein distended, yet his face was rather pale, and his extremities cold; his pulse beat 160 in a minute. I said, with tenderness, that I would go and see him; and, said I, Sir, I will take Dr. Bolus with me.' Pozz. No, sa, don't go.' I was startled, for I knew his compassionate heart, and earnestly asked why? Pozz 'Sir, you don't know his disorder.' Bozz. Pray what is it? Pozz. Sir, the man is-dead drunk!' This explanation threw me into a violent fit of laughter, in which he joined me, rolling about as he used to do when he enjoyed a joke; but he afterwards checked me. Pozz Sir, you ought not to laugh at what I said. Sir, he who laughs at what another man says, will soon learn to laugh at that other man. Sir, you should laugh only at your own jokes; you should laugh seldom.' "We talked of a friend of ours who was a very violent politician. I said I did not like his company. Pozz. No, sir, he is not healthy; he is sore, sir; his mind is ulcerated; he has a political whitlow; sir, you cannot touch him without giving him pain. Sir, I would not talk politicks with that man; I would talk of cabbage and pease: sir, I would ask him how he got his corn in, and whether his wife was with child; but I would not talk politicks.' Bozz. But perhaps, sir, he would talk of nothing else. Pozz. Then, sir, it is plain what he would do.' On my very earnestly inquiring what that was, Dr. Pozz an- | ton's Chronology; but as they gave employment swered, Sir, he would let it alone.' to useful artisans, he did not dislike the large buckles then coming into use. "I mentioned a tradesman who had lately set up his coach. Pozz. He is right, sir; a man who would go on swimmingly cannot get too soon off his legs. That man keeps his coach. Now, sir, a coach is better than a chaise, sir-it is better than a chariot.' Bozz. Why, sir?' Pozz. Sir, it will hold more.' I begged he would repeat this, that I might remember it, and he complied with great good humour. 'Dr. Pozz,' said I, you ought to keep a coach. Pozz. Yes, sir, I ought. Bozz. But you do not, and that bas often surprised me.' Pozz. Surprised you! There, sir, is another prejudice of absurdity. Sir, you ought to be surprised at nothing. A man that has lived half your days ought to be above all surprise. Sir, it is a rule with me never to be surprised. It is mere ignorance, you cannot guess why I do not keep a coach, and you are surprised. Now, sir, if you did know, you would not be surprised.' I said, tenderly, I hope, my dear sir, you will let me know before I leave town.' Pozz. Yes, sir, you shall know now. You shall not go to Mr. Wilkins, and to Mr. Jenkins, and to Mr. Stubbs, and say, why does not Pozz keep a coach? I will tell you myself—Sir, I can't afford it.' "Next day we dined at the Mitre. I mentioned spirits. Pozz. Sir, there is as much evidence for the existence of spirits as against it. You may not believe it, but you cannot deny it.' I told him that my great grandmother once saw a spirit. He asked me to relate it, which I did very minutely, while he listened with profound attention. When I mentioned that the spirit once appeared in the shape of a shoulder of mutton, and another time in that of a tea-pot, he interrupted me :-Pozz. There, sir, is the point; the evidence is good, but the scheme is defective in consistency. We cannot deny that the spirit appeared in these shapes; but then we cannot reconcile them. What has a tea-pot to do with a shoulder of mutton? Neither is it a terrific object. There is nothing contemporaneous. Sir, these are objects which are not seen at the same time, nor in the same place.' Bozz. I think, sir, that old women in general are used to see ghosts.' Pozz. Yes, sir, and their conversation is full of the subject: I would have an old woman to record such conversations; their loquacity tends to minuteness.' A "We talked of drinking. I asked him wheth- "We talked of a person who had a very bad er, in the course of his long and valuable life, he character. Pozz. Sir, he is a scoundrel.' Bozz. had not known some men who drank more than I hate a scoundrel.' Pozz. There you are they could bear? Pozz. Yes, sir; and then, wrong don't hate scoundrels. Scoundrels, sir, sir, nobody could bear them. A man who is are useful. There are many things we cannot do drunk, sir, is a very foolish fellow.' Bozz. But, without scoundrels. I would not choose to keep sir, as the poet says, "he is devoid of all care. company with scoundrels, but something may be Pozz. Yes, sir, he cares for nobody; he has got from them.' Bozz. Are not scoundrels gennone of the cares of life: he cannot be a mer-erally fools?' Pozz. No, sir, they are not. chant, sir, for he cannot write his name; he cannot be a politician, sir, for he cannot talk; he cannot be an artist, sir, for he cannot see; and yet, sir, there is science in drinking.' Bozz. I suppose you mean that a man ought to know what he drinks.' Pozz No, sir, to know what one drinks is nothing; but the science consists of three parts. Now, sir, were I to drink wine, I should wish to know them all; I should wish to know when I had too little, when I had enough, and when I had too much. There is our friend ******* (mentioning a gentleman of our acquaintance); he knows when he has too little, and when he has too much, but he knows not when he has enough. Now, sir, that is the science of drinking, to know when one has enough.' scoundrel must be a clever fellow; he must know many things of which a fool is ignorant. Any man may be a fool. I think a good book might be made out of scoundrels. I would have a Biographia Flagitiosa, the Lives of Eminent Scoundrels, from the earliest accounts to the present day.' I mentioned hanging: I thought it a very awkward situation. Pozz. No, sir, hanging is not an awkward situation it is proper, sir, that a man whose actions tend towards flagitious obliquity should appear perpendicular at last.' I told him that I had lately been in company with some gentlemen, every one of whom could recollect some friend or other who had been hanged. Pozz. Yes, sir, that is the easiest way. We know those who have been hanged; we can recollect that: but we cannot number those who deserve it; it would not be decorous, sir, in a mixed company. No, sir, that is one of the few things which we are compelled to think.'"' "We talked this day on a variety of topics, but I find very few memorandums in my journal. On small beer, he said it was flatulent liquor. He disapproved of those who deny the utility of absolute power, and seemed to be offended with a Our regard for literary property' prevents friend of ours who would always have his eggs our making a larger extract from the above poached. Sign-posts, he observed, had degener-important work. We have, however, we hope, ated within his memory; and he particularly found fault with the moral of the Beggar's Opera. I endeavoured to defend a work which had afforded me so much pleasure, but could not master that strength of mind with which he argued; and it was with great satisfaction that he communicated to me afterwards a method of curing corns by applying a piece of oiled silk. In the early House, (vol. i. p. 239) to prevent his rivals making use of history of the world, he preferred Sir Isaac New-them.-ED.] given such passages as will tend to impress our readers with a high idea of this vast undertaking.-Note by the author. 1 [This alludes to the jealousy about copyright, which Mr. Boswell carried so far that he actually printed sepa rately, and entered at Stationers' Hall, Johnson's Letter to Lord Chesterfield (vol. i. p. 112), and the Account of Johnson's Conversation with George III. at Buckingham |
