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certain, and such, therefore, as ought not to be lost. His rule was not (to) change the text; and, therefore, I suppose he has left notes to be subjoined. As the book is posthumous, some account of the editor ought to be given.

"You have now the whole process of the correspondence When the Prior is answered, let some apology be

before

you.

made for me.

"I was forced to divide the Collation, but as it is paged you will easily put every part in its proper place.

"Be pleased to convey my respects to Mrs. and Miss Adams. I am, sir, your most humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON."]

Let us now contemplate Johnson thirty years after the death of his wife, still retaining for her all the tenderness of affection '.

"TO THE REV. MR. BAGSHAW, AT BROMLEY2.

"12th July, 1784. "SIR,-Perhaps you may remember, that in the year 1753 you committed to the ground my dear wife. I now entreat your permission to lay a stone upon her; and have sent the inscription, that, if you find it proper, you may signify your allowance.

"You will do me a great favour by showing the place where she lies, that the stone may protect her remains.

"Mr. Ryland will wait on you for the inscription", and procure it to be engraved. You will easily believe that I shrink from this mournful office. When it is done, if I have strength remaining, I will visit Bromley once again, and pay you part of the respect to which you have a right from, reverend sir, your most humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON."

On the same day he wrote to Mr. Langton:

I cannot but think that in my languid and anxious state, I have some reason to complain that I receive from you neither inquiry nor consolation. You know how much I value your friendship, and with what confidence I expect your kindness, if I wanted any act of tenderness that you could perform; at least if you do not know it, I think your ignorance is your own fault.

1 [If Sir J. Hawkins and Mrs. Piozzi sometimes took an unfavourable impression of Dr. Johnson's conduct, Mr. Boswell occasionally runs into the other extreme. Surely it is no such exemplary proof of " tenderness of affection" that be, for thirty-one years, had neglected one of the first offices not merely of affection, but of common regard, and seems to have been awakened at last to the melancholy recollection only by the near prospect of needing, himself, a similar memorial. Mr. Boswell's injudicious panegyric forces our thoughts into a contrary direction.-ED.]

1 See vol. ii. p. 246.-BOSWELL.

3 Printed in his Works.-BOSWELL.

Yet how long is it that I have lived almost in your neighbourhood without the least notice?—I do not, however, consider this neglect as particularly shown to me; I hear two of your most valuable friends make the same complaint. But why are all thus overlooked? You are not oppressed by sickness, you are not distracted by business; if you are sick, you are sick of leisure: --And allow yourself to be told, that no disease is more to be dreaded or avoided. Rather to do nothing than to do good, is the lowest state of a degraded mind. Boileau says to his pupil,

'Que les vers ne soient pas votre eternel emploi,
'Cultivez vos amis.'-

That voluntary debility which modern language is content to term indolence will, if it is not counteracted by resolution, render in time the strongest faculties lifeless, and turn the flame to the smoke of virtue.-I do not expect or desire to see you, because I am much pleased to find that your mother stays so long with you, and I should think you neither elegant nor grateful, if you did not study her gratification. You will pay my respects to both the ladies, and to all the young people.—I am going northward for a while, to try what help the country can give me ; but if you will write, the letter will come after me.”

Next day he set out on a jaunt to Staffordshire and Derbyshire, flattering himself that he might be in some degree relieved.

During his absence from London he kept up a correspondence with several of his friends, from which I shall select what appears to me proper for publication, without attending nicely to chronological order.

"DR. JOHNSON TO DR. BROCKLESBY.

"Ashbourn, 20th July.

"The kind attention which you have so long shown to my health and happiness makes it as much a debt of gratitude as a call of interest to give you an account of what befalls me, when accident removes1 me from your immediate care. The journey of the first day was performed with very little sense of fatigue; the second day brought me to Lichfield without much lassitude; but I am afraid that I could not have borne such violent agitation for many days together. Tell Dr. Heberden, that in the coach I read Ciceronianus,' which I concluded as I entered

[This, by an error either of the transcript or the press, was printed recovers: Mr. Malone made the correction.-ED.]

Lichfield. My affection and understanding went along with Erasmus, except that once or twice he somewhat unskilfully entangles Cicero's civil or moral with his rhetorical character.I staid five days at Lichfield, but, being unable to walk, had no great pleasure, and yesterday (19th) I came hither, where I am to try what air and attention can perform.-Of any improvement in my health I cannot yet please myself with the perception. *.—The asthma has no abatement. Opiates stop the fit, so as that I can sit and sometimes lie easy, but they do not now procure me the power of motion; and I am afraid that my general strength of body does not increase. The weather indeed is not benign; but how low is he sunk whose strength depends upon the weather! I am now looking into Floyer', who lived with his asthma to almost his ninetieth year. His book, by want of order, is obscure; and his asthma, I think, not of the same kind with mine. Something, however, I may perhaps learn. -My appetite still continues keen enough; and what I consider as a symptom of radical health, I have a voracious delight in raw summer fruit, of which I was less eager a few years ago.- You will be pleased to communicate this account to Dr. Heberden, and if any thing is to be done, let me have your joint opinion. -Now-abite, cura!—let me inquire after the Club 2."

"31st July.

"Not recollecting that Dr. Heberden might be at Windsor, I thought your letter long in coming. But, you know, nocitura petuntur; the letter which I so much desired tells me that I have lost one of my best and tenderest friends3. My comfort is, that he appeared to live like a man that had always before his eyes the fragility of our present existence, and was therefore, I hope, not unprepared to meet his Judge.-Your attention, dear sir, and that of Dr. Heberden, to my health, is extremely kind. I am loth to think that I grow worse; and cannot fairly prove even to my own partiality that I grow much better."

"5th August.

I return you thanks, dear sir, for your unwearied attention both medicinal and friendly, and hope to prove the effect of your care by living to acknowledge it."

"12th August.

Pray be so kind as to have me in your thoughts, and mention my case to others as you have opportunity. I seem to myself neither to gain nor lose strength. I have lately tried milk, but have yet found no advantage, and am afraid of it merely as

[Sir John Floyer, M. D. See ante, vol. i. p.
2 At the Essex Head, Essex-street.— -BosWELL.
3 Mr. Allen, the printer.-BoswELL.

60.-ED.]

Pemb.
MSS.

write them for me; he was so good as to comply, and I shall extract that part of his letter to me of June 11, as a proof how well he could exhibit a cautious yet encouraging view of it:

"I remember, and entreat you to remember, that virtus est vitium fugere; the first approach to riches is security from poverty. The condition upon which you have my consent to settle in London is, that your expense never exceeds your annual income. Fixing this basis of security, you cannot be hurt, and you may be very much advanced. The loss of your Scottish business, which is all that you can lose, is not to be reckoned as any equivalent to the hopes and possibilities that open here upon you. If you succeed, the question of prudence is at an end; every body will think that done right which ends happily; and though your expectations, of which I would not advise you to talk too much, should not be totally answered, you can hardly fail to get friends who will do for you all that your present situation allows you to hope; and if, after a few years, you should return to Scotland, you will return with a mind supplied by various conversation, and many opportunities of inquiry, with much knowledge, and materials for reflection and instruction."

["DR. JOHNSON TO DR. ADAMS.

"London, 11th June (July), 1784. "DEAR SIR,—I am going into Staffordshire and Derbyshire in quest of some relief, of which my need is not less than when I was treated at your house with so much tenderness.

"I have now received the Collations for Xenophon, which I have sent you with the letters that relate to them. I cannot at present take any part in the work, but I would rather pay for a Collation of Oppian than see it neglected; for the Frenchmen act with great liberality. Let us not fall below them.

"I know not in what state Dr. Edwards left his book'. Some of his emendations seemed to me to (be) irrefragably

1 1 [See ante, vol. iv. p. 234.-ED.]

certain, and such, therefore, as ought not to be lost. His rule was not (to) change the text; and, therefore, I suppose he has left notes to be subjoined. As the book is posthumous, some account of the editor ought to be given.

"You have now the whole process of the correspondence before you. When the Prior is answered, let some apology be made for me.

"I was forced to divide the Collation, but as it is paged you will easily put every part in its proper place.

"Be pleased to convey my respects to Mrs. and Miss Adams. I am, sir, your most humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON."]

Let us now contemplate Johnson thirty years after the death of his wife, still retaining for her all the tenderness of affection'.

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“TO THE REV. MR. BAGSHAW, AT BROMLEY 2.

"12th July, 1784. SIR,-Perhaps you may remember, that in the year 1753 you committed to the ground my dear wife. I now entreat your permission to lay a stone upon her; and have sent the inscription, that, if you find it proper, you may signify your allowance.

"You will do me a great favour by showing the place where she lies, that the stone may protect her remains.

"Mr. Ryland will wait on you for the inscription3, and procure it to be engraved. You will easily believe that I shrink from this mournful office. When it is done, if I have strength remaining, I will visit Bromley once again, and pay you part of the respect to which you have a right from, reverend sir, your most humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON."

On the same day he wrote to Mr. Langton:

"I cannot but think that in my languid and anxious state, I have some reason to complain that I receive from you neither inquiry nor consolation. You know how much I value your friendship, and with what confidence I expect your kindness, if I wanted any act of tenderness that you could perform; at least if you do not know it, I think your ignorance is your own fault.

[If Sir J. Hawkins and Mrs. Piozzi sometimes took an unfavourable impression of Dr. Johnson's conduct, Mr. Boswell occasionally runs into the other extreme. Surely it is no such exemplary proof of " tenderness of affection" that he, for thirty-one years, had neglected one of the first offices not merely of affection, but of common regard, and seems to have been awakened at last to the melancholy recollection only by the near prospect of needing, himself, a similar memorial. Mr. Boswell's injudicious panegyric forces our thoughts into a contrary direction.-ED.]

2 See vol. ii. p. 246.-BoswELL.

3 Printed in his Works.-BosWELL.

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