THE NORFOLK PROPHECY author; who, though he had forborne to subscribe his name to the pamphlet, the vigilance of those in pursuit of him had discovered;" and we are informed, that he lay concealed in Lambeth-marsh till the scent after him grew cold. This, however, is altogether without foundation; for Mr. Steele, one of the Secretaries of the Treasury, who amidst a variety of important business, politely obliged me with his attention to my inquiry, informed me, that "He directed every possible search to be made in the records of the Treasury and Secretary of State's Office, but could find no trace whatever of any warrant having been issued to apprehend the author of this pamphlet." 66 "Marmor Norfolciense" became exceedingly scarce, so that I, for many years endeavoured in vain to procure a copy of it. At last I was indebted to the malice of one of Johnson's numerous petty adversaries, who in 1775, published a new edition of it, with Notes and a Dedication to SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL.D. by TRIBUNUS;" in which some puny scribbler invidiously attempted to found upon it a charge of inconsistency against its author, because he had accepted of a pension from his present Majesty, and had written in support of the measures of government. As a mortification to such impotent malice, of which there are so many instances towards men of eminence, I am happy to relate that this telum imbelle did not reach its exalted object till about a year after it thus appeared, when I mentioned it to him, supposing that he knew of the republication. To my surprise, he had not yet heard of it. He requested me to go directly and get it for him, which I did. He looked at it and laughed, and seemed to he much diverted with the feeble efforts of his unknown adversary, who, I hope, is alive to read this account. "Now," said be, "here is somebody who thinks he has vexed me sadly; yet, if it had not been for you, you rogue, I should probably never have 1 seen it." As Mr. Pope's note concerning Johnson, alluded to in a former page, refers both to his "London," and his "Marmor 45 Norfolciense," I have deferred inserting it till now. I am indebted for it to Dr. Percy, the Bishop of Dromore, who permitted me to copy it from the original in his possession. It was presented to his Lordship by Sir Joshua Reynolds, to whom it was given by the son of Mr. Richardson the painter, the person to whom it is addressed. I have transcribed it with minute exactness, that the peculiar mode of writing, and imperfect spelling of that celebrated poet, may be exhibited to the curious in literature. It justifies Swift's epithet of "paper-sparing Pope," for it is written on a slip no larger than a common message-card, and was sent to Mr. Richardson, along with the imitation of Juvenal. "This is imitated by one Johnson who put in for a Publick-school in Shropshire, but was disappointed. He has an infirmity of the convulsive kind, that attacks him sometimes, so as to make Him a sad Spectacle. Mr. P. from the Merit of This Work which was all the knowledge he had of Him endeavour'd to serve Him without his own application; & wrote to my Ld. gore, but he did not succeed. Mr. Johnson published afterwds. another Poem in Latin with Notes the whole very Humerous call'd the Norfolk Prophecy. "P." Johnson had been told of this note; and Sir Joshua Reynolds informed him of the compliment which it contained, but, from delicacy, avoided shewing him the paper itself. When Sir Joshua observed to Johnson that he seemed very desirous to see Pope's note, he answered, "Who would not be proud to have such about him?" a man as Pope so solicitous in inquiring The infirmity to which Mr. Pope alludes, appeared to me also, as I have elsewhere 1 "Get all your verses printed fair, Could give him more delight." -Swift's Advice to Grub-street Writers. The manuscript of Pope's translations of the Iliad and Odyssey, which are preserved in the British Museum, is mostly written on the backs of letters. 2 See note on p. 40. B. 3 Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, 3d edit.. p. 8. В. observed, to be of the convulsive kind, and of the nature of that distemper called St. Vitus's dance; and in this opinion I am confirmed by the description which Sydenham gives of that disease. "This disorder is a kind of convulsion. manifests itself by halting or unsteadiness of one of the legs, which the patient draws after him like an idiot. If the hand of the same side be applied to the breast, or any other part of the body, he cannot keep it a moment in the same posture, but it will be drawn into a different one by a convulsion, notwithstanding all his efforts to the contrary." Sir Joshua Reynolds, however, was of a different opinion, and favoured me with the following paper. execution of Dr. Cameron, for having It been some very unfavourable circum- "Those motions or tricks of Dr. Johnson are improperly called convulsions. He could sit motionless, when he was told so to do, as well as any other man. My opinion is, that it proceeded from a habit which he had indulged himself in, of accompanying his thoughts with certain untoward actions, and those actions always appeared to me as if they were meant to reprobate some part of his past conduct. Whenever he was not engaged in conversation, such thoughts were sure to rush into his mind; and, for this reason, any company, any employment whatever, he preferred to being alone. The great business of his life, he said, was to escape from himself; this disposition he considered as the disease of his mind, which nothing cured but company. "One instance of his absence and particularity, as it is characteristic of the man, may be worth relating. When he and I took a journey together into the West, we visited the late Mr. Banks, of Dorsetshire; the conversation turning upon pictures, which Johnson could not well see, he retired to a corner of the room, stretching out his right leg as far as he could reach before him, then bringing up his left leg, and, stretching his right still further on. The old gentleman observing him, went up to him, and in a very courteous manner assured him, though it was not a new house, the flooring was perfectly safe. The Doctor started from his reverie, like a person waked out of his sleep, but spoke not a word." While we are on this subject, my readers may not be displeased with another anecdote, communicated to me by the same friend, from the relation of Mr. Hogarth. Johnson used to be a pretty frequent visitor at the house of Mr. Richardson, author of "Clarissa,” and other novels of extensive reputation. Mr. Hogarth came one day to see Richardson, soon after the 1 Impartial posterity may, perhaps, be as little inclined as Dr. Johnson was, to justify the uncommon rigour exercised in the case of Dr. Archibald Cameron. He was an amiable and truly honest man; and his offence was owing to a generous, though mistaken principle of duty. Being obliged, after 1746, to give up his profession as a physician, and to go into foreign parts, he was honoured with the rank of Colonel, both in the French and Spanish service. He was a son of the ancient and respectable family of Cameron of Lochiel; and his brother, who was the Chief of that brave clan, distinguished himself by moderation and humanity, while the Highland army marched victorious through Scotland. It is remarkable of this Chief, that though he had earnestly remonstrated against the attempt as hopeless, he was of too heroic a spirit not to venture his life and fortune in the cause, when personally asked by him whom he thought his Prince. B. See the Introduction to Redgauntlet. Cameron was executed June 7, 1753. WORK FOR THE “GENTLEMAN'S MACAZIN. were made known to each other at this interview. some and In 1740 he wrote for the "Gentleman's "Exalted soul! whose harmony could please Johnson shook his head at these common-place funereal lines, and said to Garrick, "I think, Davy, I can make a better." Then stirring about his tea for a little while, in a state of meditation, he almost extempore produced the following verses : "Phillips, whose touch harmonious could remove 47 At the same time that Mr. Garrick favoured me with this anecdote, he repeated a very pointed epigram by Johnson on George the Second and Colley Cibber, which has never yet appeared, and of which I know not the exact date. Dr. Johnson afterwards gave it to me himself: "Augustus still survives in Maro's strain, In 1741 he wrote for the "Gentleman's Magazine" the Preface,† "Conclusion of his lives of Drake and Barretier," * 66 "Debate on دو Dr. A free translation of the Jests of Hierocles with an Introduction; "† and, I think, the following pieces : on the Proposal of Parliament to Cromwell, to assume the Title of King, abridged, modified, and digested; "+ "Translation of Abbé Guyon's Dissertation on the Amazons; " + "Translation of Fontenelle's Panegyrick Morin."† Two notes upon this appear to me undoubtedly his. He this year, and the two following, wrote the Parliamentary Debates. He told me himself, that he was the sole composer of them for those three years only. He was not, however, precisely exact in his statement, which he mentioned from hasty recollection; for it is sufficiently evident, that his composition of them began November 19, 1740, and ended February 23, 1742-3. It appears from some of Cave's letters to Dr. Birch that Cave had better assistance for that branch of his Magazine, than has been generally supposed; and that he was indefatigable in getting it made as perfect as he could. of fortune, Died in 1732." Mr. Garrick appears not to have recited the verses correctly, the original being as follows. One of the various readings is remarkable, as it is the germ of Sleep, undisturb'd, within this peaceful shrine, Johnson's concluding line: angels wake thee with a note like thine!" 1 The epitaph of Phillips is in the porch of Wolverhampton Church. The prose part of it is curious:"Near this place lies CHARLES CLAUDIUS PHILLIPS, Whose absolute contempt of riches and inimitable performances upon the violin, made him the admiration of all that knew him. He was born in Wales, made the tour of Europe, and, after the experience of both kinds "Exalted soul, thy various sounds could please From a note contributed to the 3rd edition by the Rev. J. B. Blakeway, of Shrewsbury. Consort would now be spelled concert. Thus, 21st July, 1735, “I trouble you with the enclosed, because you said you could easily correct what is here given for Lord Chesterfield's speech. I beg you will do so as soon as you can for me, because the month is far advanced." having been the author of fictions, which had passed for realities. He nevertheless agreed with me in thinking, that the Debates which he had framed were to be valued as orations upon questions of public importance. They have accordingly been collected in volumes, properly arranged, and recommended to the notice of parliamentary speakers by a preface, written by no inferior hand. I must, however, observe, that although there is in those Debates a And 15th July, 1737, "As you remember the Debates so far as to perceive the speeches already printed are not exact, I beg the favour that you will peruse the enclosed, and, in the best manner your memory will serve, correct the mistaken passages, or add any thing that is omitted.wonderful store of political information, I should be very glad to have something of the Duke of Newcastle's speech, which would be particularly of service. "A gentleman has Lord Bathurst's speech to add something to." And July 3, 1744, "You will see what stupid, low abominable stuff is put 1 upon your noble and learned friend's 2 character, such as I should quite reject, and endeavour to do something better towards doing justice to the character. But as I cannot expect to attain my desire in that respect, it would be a great satisfaction, as well as an honour to our work, to have the favour of the genuine speech. It is a method that several have been pleased to take, as I could shew, but I think myself under a restraint. I shall say so far, that I have had some by a third hand, which I understood well enough to come from the first; others by penny-post, and others by the speakers themselves, who have been pleased to visit St. John's Gate, and shew particular marks of their being pleased. "3 There is no reason, I believe, to doubt the veracity of Cave. It is, however, remarkable, that none of these letters are in the years during which Johnson alone furnished the Debates, and one of them is in the very year after he ceased from that labour. Johnson told me, that as soon as he found that the speeches were thought genuine, he determined that he would write no more of them; "For he would not be accessory to the propagation of falsehood." And such was the tenderness of his conscience, that a short time before his death, he expressed his regret for his and very powerful eloquence, I cannot agree that they exhibit the manner of each particular speaker, as Sir John Hawkins seems to think. But, indeed, what opinion can we have of his judgment, and taste in public speaking, who presumes to give, as the characteristics of two celebrated orators, "The deep-mouthed rancour of Pulteney, and the yelping pertinacity of Pitt.” 5 This year I find that his tragedy of IRENE had been for some time ready for the stage, and that his necessities made him desirous of getting as much as he could for it, without delay; for there is the following letter from Mr. Cave to Dr. Birch, in the same volume of manuscripts in the British Museum, from which I copied those above quoted. They were most obligingly pointed out to me by Sir William Musgrave, one of the Curators of that noble repository. 4 I am assured that the editor is Mr. George Chalmers, whose commercial works are wellknown and esteemed. B. 5 Hawkins's Life of Johnson, p. 100. B. The authorship of these debates was not known outside Cave's office, and according to Murphy (Essay on the Life and Genius of Dr. Johnson) was first avowed by Johnson himself at a dinner given by Foote. The company were praising a speech delivered by Pitt towards the close of Walpole's administration as equal to anything in the orations of Demosthenes. "That speech," said Johnson, "I wrote in a garret in Exeter Street," and then proceeded to explain how it was done. One of the company praised his impartiality, observing that he dealt out reason and eloquence with an equal hand to both parties. "That is not quite true," was the answer. saved appearances tolerably well; but I took care "I that the Whig dogs not have the best of it." According to Hawkins, the sale of The Gentleman's Magazine increased from 10,000 to 15,000 copies a month while Johnson wrote the 1 I suppose in another compilation of the same kind. B. 2 Doubtless, Lord Hardwicke. В. 3 Birch's MSS, in the British Museum, 4302. B. Debates. JOHNSON AND THE BOOKSELLER "I HAVE put Mr. Johnson's play into Mr. Gray's1 hands, in order to sell it to him, if he is inclined to buy it; but I doubt whether he will or not. He would dispose of the copy, and whatever advantage may be made by acting it. Would your society, or any gentleman, or body of men that you know, take such a bargain? He and I are very unfit to deal with theatrical persons. Fleetwood was to have acted it last season, but Johnson's diffidence or prevented it." 3 I have already mentioned that “Irene " was not brought into publick notice till Garrick was manager of Drury-lane theatre. In 1742 he wrote for the "Gentleman's Magazine" the Preface, * the "Parliamentary Debates,"* "Essay on the Account of the Conduct of the Duchess of Marlborough,"* then the popular topic of conversation. This Essay is a short but masterly performance. We find him in No. 13 of his "Rambler," censuring a profligate sentiment in that "Account; " and again insisting upon it strenuously in conversation. + "An Account of the Life of Peter Burman,"* I believe chiefly taken from a foreign publication; as, indeed, he could not himself know much about Burman; "Additions to his Life of Barretier; "* "The Life of Sydenham,"* afterwards prefixed to Dr. Swan's edition of his works; "Proposals for printing Bibliotheca Harleiana, or a Catalogue of the Library of the Earl of Oxford."* His account of that celebrated collection of books, in which he displays the import✔ance to literature, of what the French call a catalogue raisonné, when the subjects of it are extensive and various, and it is executed with ability, cannot fail to impress all his readers with admiration | of his philological attainments. It was afterwards prefixed to the first volume of the Catalogue, in which the Latin 1 A bookseller of London. B. Not the Royal Society; but the Society for the encouragement of learning, of which Dr. Birch was a leading member. Their object was to assist authors in printing expensive works. It existed from about 1735 to 1746, when, having incurred a considerable debt, it was dissolved. B. 3 There is no erasure here, but a mere blank; to fill up which may be an exercise for ingenious conjecture. В. 4 Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, 3d edit. p. 167. B. 49 accounts of books were written by him. He was employed in this business by Mr. Thomas Osborne the bookseller, 5 r.5 who purchased the library for 13,000/., a sum which Mr. Oldys says, in one of his manuscripts, was not more than the binding of the books had cost; yet, as Dr. Johnson assured me, the slowness of the sale was such, that there was not much gained by it. It has been confidently related, with many embellishments, that Johnson one day knocked Osborne down in his shop, with a folio, and put his foot upon his neck. The simple truth I had from Johnson himself. Sir, he was impertinent to me, and I beat him. But it was not in his shop: it was in my own chamber." A very diligent observer may trace him where we should not easily suppose him to be found. I have no doubt that he wrote the little abridgment entitled "Foreign History," in the Magazine for December. To prove it, I shall quote the Introduction. "As this is that season of the year in which Nature may be said to command a suspension of hostilities, and which seems intended, by putting a short stop to violence and slaughter, to afford time for malice to relent, and animosity to subside; we can scarce expect any other account than of plans, negotiations, and treaties, of proposals for peace, and preparations for war." As also this passage: "Let those who despise the capacity of the Swiss, tell us by what wonderful policy, or by what happy conciliation of interests, it is brought to pass, that in a body made up of different communities and different religions, there should be no civil commotions, though the people are so warlike, that, to nominate and raise an army is the same.” I am obliged to Mr. Astle 6 for his ready permission to copy the two following letters of which the originals are in his possession. Their contents shew that they 5 See The Dunciad (ii. 167), and Lives of the Poets (Pope). 6 Thomas Astle was for many years Keeper of the Records in the Tower, one of the Keepers of the Paper Office, and a Trustee of the British Museum. Horace Walpole (Letters, vi. 299) calls him, "A wight who lives like moths on old parch " ments." E |