ENQUIRY INTO THE STORY

observations are short, significant, and just, as his narrative is remarkably smooth, and well disposed. His reflections open to all the recesses of the human heart; and, in a word, a more just or pleasant, a more engaging or a more improving treatise, on all the excellences and defects of human nature, is scarce to be found in our own,

or perhaps, any other language." 1

Johnson's partiality for Savage made him entertain no doubt of his story, however extraordinary and improbable. It never occurred to him to question his being the son of the Countess of Macclesfield, of whose unrelenting barbarity he so loudly complained, and the particulars of which are related in so strong and affecting a manner in Johnson's Life of

him.

55

nexion with whom, Lady Macclesfield is said to have been divorced from her husband by Act of Parliament, had a peculiar anxiety about the child which she bore to him, it is alleged, that his Lordship gave him his own name, and had it duly recorded in the register of St. Andrew's, Holborn. I have carefully inspected that register, but no such entry is to be found. 4

2. It is stated, that "Lady Macclesfield having lived for some time upon very uneasy terms with her husband, thought a public confession of adultery the most obvious and expeditious method of obtaining her liberty;” and Johnson, assuming this to be true, stigmatizes her had, without scruple, proclaimed herself

liberty."

with indignation, as certainly well

Johnson was warranted in publishing his narrative, however offensive it might be to the lady and her relations, because her alleged unnatural and cruel conduct to her son, and shameful avowal of guilt, were stated in a "Life of Savage

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an adultress."

"The wretch who

But I have perused the Journals of both Houses of Parliament at the period of her divorce, and there find it authentically ascertained, that so far from voluntarily submitting to the igno

now lying before me, minious charge of adultery, she made

which came out so early as 1727, and no attempt had been made to confute it, or to punish the author or printer as a libeller; but for the honour of human nature, we should be glad to find the shocking tale not true; and from a respectable gentleman 2 connected with the lady's family, I have received such information and remarks, as joined to my own inquiries, will, I think, render it at least somewhat doubtful, especially when we consider that it must have originated from the person himself who went by the name of Richard Savage.

If the maxim, falsum in uno, falsum in omnibus, were to be received without qualification, the credit of Savage's narrative, as conveyed to us, would be annihilated; for it contains some assertions which, beyond a question, are not

true.

I. In order to induce a belief that the Earl Rivers, on account of a criminal con

1 This character of The Life of Savage was not written by Fielding, as has been supposed, but most probably by Ralph, who, as appears from the minutes of the Partners of The Champion in the possession of Mr. Reed of Staple Inn, succeeded Fielding in his share of the paper, before the date of that eulogium. B

2 The late Francis Cockayne Cust, Esq., one of his Majesty's Counsel. B.

a strenuous defence by her Counsel; the bill having been first moved 15th of

3 1697. В.

From

4 Boswell is wrong, as appears from the following note contributed to the 3rd edit. by James Bindley, First Commissioner in the Stamp Office: "the Earl of Macclesfield's Case,' which, in 1797-8, was presented to the Lords, in order to procure an act of divorce, it appears, that "Anne, Countess of Macclesfield, under the name of Madam SMITH, in Fox-court, near Brook-street, Holborn, was delivered of a male child by Mrs. Wright, a midwife, on Saturday the 16th of January, 1696-7, at six o'clock in the morning, who was baptized on the Monday follow

ing, and registered by the name of RICHARD, the son of John Smith, by Mr. Burbridge, assistant to Dr. Manningham's curate for St. Andrew's, Holborn: that the child was christened on Monday, the 18th of January, in Fox-court; and, from the privacy, was supposed by Mr. Burbridge to be "a by-blow or bastard." It also appears that during her delivery the lady wore a mask; and that Mary Pegler on the next day after the baptism (Tuesday) took a male-child, whose mother was called Madam Smith, from the house of Mrs. Pheasant, in Fox-court, (running from Brookstreet into Gray's-Inn-lane,] who went by the name of Mrs. Lee. Conformable to this statement is the entry in the register of St. Andrew's, Holborn, which is as follows, and which unquestionably records the baptism of Richard Savage, to whom Lord Rivers gave his own Christian name, prefixed to the assumed surname of his mother: "Jany. 1696-7. RICHARD, son of John Smith and Mary, in Fox-court in Gray's Inn-lane, baptized the 18th."

the whole costs, as well as the legacy, must have been paid by them, if he had been the child to whom it was given.

January, 1697-8, in the House of Lords, If he had a title to the legacy, he could and proceeded on, (with various applica- not have found any difficulty in recovering tions for time to bring up witnesses at ait; for had the executors resisted his claim, distance, &c.) at intervals till the 3rd of March, when it passed. It was brought to the Commons, by a message from the Lords, the 5th of March, proceeded on the 7th, 10th, 11th, 14th, and 15th, on which day, after a full examination of witnesses on both sides, and hearing of Counsel, it was reported without amendments, passed, and carried to the Lords. That Lady Macclesfield was convicted of the crime of which she was accused, cannot be denied: but the question now is, whether the person calling himself Richard Savage was her son.

It has been said, that when Earl Rivers was dying, and anxious to provide for all his natural children, he was informed by Lady Macclesfield that her son by him was dead. Whether, then, shall we believe that this was a malignant lie, invented by a mother to prevent her own child from receiving the bounty of his father, which was accordingly the consequence, if the person whose life Johnson wrote was her son; or shall we not rather believe that the person who then assumed the name of Richard Savage was an impostor, being in reality the son of the shoemaker, under whose wife's care Lady Macclesfield's child was placed; that after the death of the real Richard Savage, he attempted to personate him; and that the fraud being known to Lady Macclesfield, he was therefore repulsed by her with just

The talents of Savage, and the mingled fire, rudeness, pride, meanness, and ferocity of his character,1 concur in making it credible that he was fit to plan and carry on an ambitious and daring scheme of imposture, similar instances of which have not been wanting in higher spheres, in the history of different countries, and have had a considerable degree of success.

Yet, on the other hand, to the companion of Johnson, (who, through whatever medium he was conveyed into this world, be it ever so doubtful "To whom related, or by whom begot," was, unquestionably, a man of no common endowments,) we must allow the weight of general repute as to his Status or parentage, though illicit; and supposing him to be an impostor, it seems strange that Lord Tyrconnel, the nephew of Lady Macclesfield, should patronise him, and admit him as a guest in his family. Lastly,

even

1 Johnson's companion appears to have persuaded that lofty-minded man, that he resembled him in having a noble pride; for Johnson, after painting in strong colours the quarrel between Lord Tyrconnel and Savage, asserts that "The spirit of Mr. Savage, indeed, never suffered him to solicit a reconciliation he returned reproach for reproach, and insult for insult." But the respectable gentleman to whom I have alluded, has in his possession a letter from Savage, after Lord Tyrconnel had discarded him, addressed to the Reverend Mr. Gilbert, his Lordship's Chaplain, in which he requests him in the humblest manner, to represent his case to the Viscount. B.

2 Trusting to Savage's information, Johnson represents this unhappy man's being received as a companion by Lord Tyrconnel, and pensioned by his Lordship, as posterior to Savage's conviction and pardon. But I am assured, that Savage had received the voluntary bounty of Lord Tyrconnel, and had been dismissed, by him long before the murder was committed, and that his Lordship was very instrumental in procuring Savage's pardon, by his intercession with the Queen, through Lady Hertford. If, therefore, he had been desirous of preventing the publication by Savage, he would have left him to his fate. Indeed I must observe, that although Johnson mentions that Lord Tyrconnel's patronage of Savage was "upon his promise to lay aside his design of exposing the cruelty of his mother," the great biographer has JOHNSON AND WARBURTON

57

curiosity, and indefatigable diligence, who first exerted that spirit of inquiry into the literature of the old English writers, by which the works of our great dramatic poet have of late been so signally illus

- it must ever appear very suspicious, that
three different accounts of the Life of
Richard Savage, one published in "The
Plain Dealer," in 1724, another in 1727,
and another by the powerful pen of John-
son, in 1744, and all of them while Ladytrated.

= Macclesfield was alive, should, notwith- In 1745 he published a pamphlet en

standing the severe attacks upon her, have been suffered to pass without any public and effectual contradiction.

I have thus endeavoured to sum up the evidence upon the case, as fairly as I can; and the result seems to be, that the world must vibrate in a state of uncertainty as to what was the truth.

This digression, I trust, will not be censured, as it relates to a matter exceedingly curious, and very intimately connected with Johnson, both as a man and an author.1

Savage. B.

1 Miss Mason, after having forfeited the title of Lady Macclesfield by divorce, was married to

Colonel Brett, and, it is said, was well known in all the polite circles. Colley Cibber, I am informed, had so high an opinion of her taste and judgement as to genteel life and manners, that he submitted every scene of his Careless Husband to Mrs. Brett's revisal and correction. Colonel

Brett was reported to be too free in his gallantry with his Lady's maid. Mrs. Brett came into a room one day in her own house, and found the Colonel and her maid both fast asleep in two chairs. She tied a white handkerchief round her husband's

neck, which was a sufficient proof that she had discovered his intrigue; but she never at any time took notice of it to him. This incident, as I am told, gave occasion to the well-wrought scene of Sir Charles and Lady Easy and Edging.

B.

2 William Oldys (1696-1761) drank as hard as he worked, and he worked very hard. Besides editing the Harleian Miscellany, he wrote a Life of Raleigh (to which Gibbon, when meditating the subject, found himself able to add nothing of importance), a Compendious Review of all Unpublished and Valuable Books in all Sciences, translated Camden's Britannia, and did an in

on

titled, “Miscellanous Observations
the Tragedy of Macbeth, with Remarks
on Sir T. H.'s (Sir Thomas Hanmer's)
Edition of Shakespeare." * 3 To which he
affixed, proposals for a new edition of
that poet.

As we do not trace any thing else published by him during the course of this year, we may conjecture that he was occupied entirely with that work. But the little encouragement which was given by the public to his anonymous proposals for the execution of a task which Warburton was known to have undertaken, probably damped his ardour. His pamphlet, however, was highly esteemed, and was fortunate enough to obtain the approbation even of the supercilious Warburton himself, who, in the Preface to his Shakespeare published two years afterwards, thus mentioned it: "As to all those things which have been published under the titles of Essays, Remarks, Observations, &c., on Shakespeare, if you except some Critical Notes on Macbeth, given as a specimen of a projected edition, and written, as appears, by a man of parts and genius, the rest are absolutely below

a serious notice."

Of this flattering distinction shewn to him by Warburton, a very grateful remembrance was ever entertained by Johnson, who said, "He praised me at a time when praise was of value to me."

In 1746 it is probable that he was still employed upon his Shakespeare, which perhaps he laid aside for a time, upon account of the high expectations which were formed of Warburton's edition of that great poet. It is somewhat curious, that

finity of hack-work for the booksellers. He is described as an honest and good-tempered man, but very fond of low company.

was

3 Sir Thomas Hanmer (1676-1746) Speaker of the House of Commons in Queen Anne's last Parliament. His Shakespeare was published in 1744, in six volumes quarto.

his literary career appears to have been almost totally suspended in the years 1745 and 1746, those years which were marked by a civil war in Great Britain, when a rash attempt was made to restore the House of Stuart to the throne. That he had a tenderness for that unfortunate House, is well known; and some may fancifully imagine, that a sympathetic anxiety impeded the exertion of his intellectual powers: but I am inclined to

think, that he was, during this time, there is the following note, "The author sketching the outlines of his great philo-being ill of the gout:" but Johnson was

logical work.

None of his letters during those years are extant, so far as I can discover. This is much to be regretted. It might afford some entertainment to see how he then expressed himself to his private friends concerning State affairs. Dr Adams informs me, that "At this time a favourite object which he had in contemplation was 'The Life of Alfred'; in which, from the warmth with which he spoke about it, he would, I believe, had he been master of his own will, have engaged himself, rather than on any other subject."

In 1747 it is supposed that the "Gentleman's Magazine " for May was enriched by him with five short poetical pieces, distinguished by three asterisks. The first is a translation, or rather a paraphrase, of a Latin Epitaph on Sir Thomas Hanmer. Whether the Latin was his, or not, I have never heard, though I should think it probably was, if it be certain that he wrote the English ; as to which my only of doubt is, that his slighting

cause

character of Hanmer as an editor, in his

"Observations on Macbeth," is very dif

ferent from that in the Epitaph. It may be

said, that there is the same contrariety

between the character in the Observations, and that in his own Preface to Shake

speare; but a considerable time elapsed between the one publication and the other, whereas the Observations and the Epitaph came close together. The others are, "To Miss, on her giving the Author a gold and silk net-work Purse of her own weaving"; "Stella in Mourning"; "The Winter's Walk"; "An Ode"; and, To Lyce, an elderly Lady." I am not positive that all these were his

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| not attacked with that distemper till a
very late period of his life. May not this,
however, be a poetical fiction? Why
may not a poet suppose himself to have
the gout as well as suppose himself to be
in love, of which we have innumerable
instances, and which has been admirably
ridiculed by Johnson in his "Life of
Cowley"? I have also some difficulty to
believe that he could produce such a group
of conceits as appear in the verses to Lyce,
in which he claims for this ancient per-
sonage as good a right to be assimilated
to heaven, as nymphs whom other poets
have flattered; he therefore ironically as-
cribes to her the attributes of the sky, in
such stanzas as this :

"Her teeth the night with darkness dies,
She's starr'd with pimples o'er ;
Her tongue like nimble lightning plies,
And can with thunder roar."

But as at a very advanced age he could
condescend to trifle in namby-pamby
to please Mrs. Thrale, and her
may have, in his earlier

rhymes,
daughter
daughter, he

years, composed such a piece as this.

It is remarkable, that in this first edition of "The Winter's Walk," the

concluding line is much more Johnsonian

than it was afterwards printed; for in

subsequent editions after, praying Stella to "snatch him to her arms," he says,

"And shield me from the ills of life."

Whereas in the first edition it is

"And hide me from the sight of life."

1 Malone thought some of them might be Hawkesworth's. Croker was certain that none of them were Johnson's, and later editors seem to agree with him,

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