he observed, that " they teach the morals of a whore, and the manners of a dancingmaster." The character of a "respectable Hottentot," in Lord Chesterfield's letters, has been generally understood to be meant for Johnson, and I have no doubt that it was. But I remember, when the Literary Property of those letters was contested in the Court of Session in Scotland, and Mr. Henry Dundas,† one of the counsel for the proprietors, read this character as an exhibition of Johnson, Sir David Dalrymple, Lord Hailes, one of the Judges, maintained, with some warmth, that it was not intended as a portrait of Johnson, but of a late noble Lord, distinguished for abstruse science. I have heard Johnson himself talk of the character, and say that it was meant for George Lord Lyttelton, in which I could by no means agree; for his Lordship had nothing of that violence which is a conspicuous feature in the composition. Finding that my illustrious friend could bear to have it supposed that it might be meant for him, I said, laughingly, that there was one trait which unquestionably did not belong to him; "he throws his meat any where but down his throat." "Sir, (said he,) Lord Chesterfield never saw me eat in his life." On the 6th of March came out Lord Bo lingbroke's works, published by Mr. David Mallet. The wild and pernicious ravings, under the name of " Philosophy," which were thus ushered into the world, gave great offence to all well-principled men. Johnson, hearing of their tendency, which nobody disputed, was roused with a just indignation, and pronounced this memorable sentence upon the noble author and his edi tor. "Sir, he was a scoundrel, and a coward: a scoundrel, for charging a blunderbuss against religion and morality; a coward, because he had no resolution to fire it off him That collection of letters cannot be vindicated from the serious charge, of encouraging, in some passages, one of the vices most destructive to the good order and comfort of society, which his Lordship represents as mere fashionable gallantry; and, in others, of inculcating the base practice of dissimulation, and recommending, with disproportionate anxiety, a perpetual attention to external elegance of manners. But it must, at the same time, be allowed, that they contain many good precepts of conduct, and much genuine information upon life and manners, very happily expressed; and that there was considerable merit in paying so much attention to the improvement of one who was dependant upon his Lordship's protection: it has, probably, been exceeded in no instance by the most exemplary parent; and though I can by no means approve of confounding the distinction between lawful and illicit offspring, which is, in effect, insulting the civil establishment of our country, to look no higher; I cannot help thinking it laudable to be kindly attentive to those, of whose existence we have, in any way, been the cause. Mr. Stanhope's character has been unjustly represented as diametrically opposite to what Lord Chesterfield wished him to be. He has been called dull, gross, and awkward: but I knew him at Dresden, when he was Envoy to that court; and though he could not boast of the graces, he was, in truth, a sensible, civil, well-behaved man. † Now [1792] one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State. self, but left half a crown to a beggarly Scotchman, to draw the trigger after his death!" Garrick, who, I can attest from my own knowledge, had his mind seasoned with pious reverence, and sincerely disapproved of the infidel writings of several, whom, in the course of his almost universal gay intercourse with men of eminence, he treated with external civility, distinguished himself upon this occasion. Mr. Pelham having died on the very day on which Lord Bolingbroke's works came out, he wrote an elegant Ode on his death, beginning "Let others hail the rising sun, I bow to that whose course is run;" in which is the following stanza: "The same sad morn, to Church and State Johnson this year found an interval of leisure to make an excursion to Oxford, for the purpose of consulting the libraries there. Of this, and of many interesting circumstances concerning him, during a part of his life when he conversed but little with the world, I am enabled to give a particular account, by the liberal communications of the Reverend Mr. Thomas Warton, who obligingly furnished me with several of our common friend's letters, which he illustrated with notes. These I shall insert in their proper places. "TO THE REV. MR. THOMAS WARTON. "SIR, "It is but an ill return for the book with which you were pleased to favour me, to have delayed my thanks for it till now. I am too apt to be negligent; but I can never deliberately shew my disrespect to a man of your character: and I now pay you a very honest acknowledgement, for the advancement of the literature of our native country. You have shewn to all, who shall hereafter attempt the study of our ancient authors, the way to success; by directing them to the perusal of the books which those authors had read. Of this method, Hughes,§ and men much greater than Hughes, seem never to have thought. The reason why the authors, which are read, of the sixteenth century, are so little understood, is, that they are read alone and no help is borrowed from those who lived with them, or before them. Some part of this ignorance I hope to remove by my book, which now draws towards its end; but which I cannot finish to my mind, without visiting the libraries of Oxford, which + Observations on Spenser's Faery Queen, the first edition of which was now published."" "Hughes published an edition of Spenser." I therefore hope to see in a fortnight. I "Your most obedient, &c. **[London] July 16, 1754" Of his conversation while at Oxford at this time, Mr. Warton preserved and communicated to me the following memorial, which, though not written with all the care and attention which that learned and elegant writer bestowed on those compositions which he intended for the public eye, is so happily expressed in an easy style, that I should injure it by any alteration: "When Johnson came to Oxford in 1754, the long vacation was beginning, and most people were leaving the place. This was the first time of his being there, after quitting the University. The next morning after his arrival, he wished to see his old College, Pembroke. I went with him. He was highly pleased to find all the College servants which he had left there still remaining, particularly a very old butler; and expressed great satisfaction at being recognised by them, and conversed with them familiarly. He waited on the master, Dr. Radcliffe, who received him very coldly. Johnson at least expected, that the master would order a copy of his Dictionary, now near publication; but the master did not choose to talk on the subject, never asked Johnson to dine, nor even to visit him, while he stayed at Oxford. After we had left the lodgings, Johnson said to me,' There lives a man, who lives by the revenues of literature, and will not move a finger to support it. If I come to live at Oxford, I shall take up my abode at Trinity.' We then called on the Reverend Mr. Meeke, one of the fellows, and of Johnson's standing. Here was a most cordial greeting on both sides. On leaving him, Johnson said, 'I used to think Meeke had excellent parts, when we were boys together at the college: but, alas! 'Lost in a convent's solitary gloom!' 'I remember, at the classical lecture in the Hall, I could not bear Meeke's superiority, and I tried to sit as far from him as I could, that I might not hear him construe.' "As we were leaving the College, he said, Here I translated Pope's Messiah. Which do you think is the best line in it ?-My own favourite is, Vallis aromaticas fundit Saronica nubes.' I told him, I thought it a very sonorous hexameter. I did not tell him, it was not in the Virgilian style. He much regretted that his first tutor was dead; for whom he seemed to retain the greatest regard. He said, I once had been a whole morning sliding in Christ-Church meadows, and missed his lecture in logic. After dinner, he sent for me to his room. I expected a sharp reing heart. When we were seated, he told buke for my idleness, and went with a beatwine with him, and to tell me, he was not me he had sent for me to drink a glass of angry with me for missing his lecture. This was, in fact, a most severe reprimand. Some more of the boys were then sent for, and we spent a very pleasant afternoon.' Besides Mr. Meeke, there was only one other Fellow whom Johnson received the greatest civiliof Pembroke now resident: from both of ties during this visit, and they pressed him very much to have a room in the College. "In the course of this visit, (1754,) Johnson and I walked three or four times to Ellsfield, a village beautifully situated about three miles from Oxford, to see Mr. Wise, Radclivian librarian, with whom Johnson was much pleased. At this place, Mr. Wise had fitted up a house and gardens in a singular manner, but with great taste. Here valuable collection of books in Northern li was an excellent library; particularly, a terature, with which Johnson was often very busy. One day, Mr. Wise read to us a dispress, entitled, A History and Chronology sertation which he was preparing for the of the fabulous Ages. Some old Divinities of Thrace, related to the Titans, and called the CABIRI, made a very important part of the theory of this piece; and in conversaCABIRI. As we returned to Oxford in the tion afterwards, Mr. Wise talked much of his evening, I outwalked Johnson, and he cried from his mouth with peculiar grace, and was out Sufflamina, a Latin word which came as much as to say, Put on your drag-chain. Before we got home, I again walked too fast for him; and he now cried out, Why you walk as if you were pursued by all the CABIRI in a body. In an evening we frequently took long walks from Oxford into the country, returning to supper. Once, in our way home, we viewed the ruins of the abbeys of Oseney and Rewley, near Oxford. After at least an hour's silence, Johnson said, 'I viewed them with indignation! We had then a long conversation on Gothic buildings; and in talking of the form of old halls, he said, 'In these halls the fire-place was anciently always in the middle of the room, till the Whigs removed it on one side.' About this time there had been an execution of two or three criminals at Oxford, on a Monday. Soon "He came to Oxford within a fortnight, and stay-afterwards, one day at dinner, I was saying ed about five weeks. He lodged at a house called Kettel-hall, near Trinity College. But during this visit at Oxford, he collected nothing in the libraries for his Dictionary." that Mr. Swinton, the chaplain of the jail, and also a frequent preacher before the University, a learned man, but often thought we shall all be glad to hear from you, when- "Nov. 21, 1754." less and absent, preached the condemnation sermon on repentance, before the convicts, on the preceding day, Sunday; and that in the close he told his audience, that he should give them the remainder of what he had to say on the subject, the next Lord's The degree of Master of Arts, which, it Day. Upon which, one of our company, a Doctor of Divinity, and a plain matter-of-for him at an early period of his life, was now has been observed, could not be obtained fact man, by way of offering an apology for Mr. Swinton, gravely remarked, that he had probably preached the same sermon before the University: Yes, Sir, (says Johnson,) but the University were not to be hanged the next morning.' "I forgot to observe before, that when he left Mr. Meeke (as I have told above), he added, 'About the same time of life, Meeke was left behind at Oxford to feed on a Fellowship, and I went to London to get my liv. ing: now, Sir, see the difference of our literary characters!'" The following letter was written by Dr. Johnson to Mr. Chambers, of Lincoln College, afterwards Sir Robert Chambers, one of the judges in India :" "TO MR. CHAMBERS, OF LINCOLN COLLEGE. "DEAR SIR, "THE commission which I delayed to trouble you with at your departure, I am now obliged to send you; and beg that you will be so kind as to carry it to Mr. Warton, of Trinity, to whom I should have written immediately, but that I know not if he be yet come back to Oxford. "In the Catalogue of MSS. of Gr. Brit. see vol. i. pag. 18. MSS. Bodl. MARTYRIUM XV martyrum sub Juliano, auctore Theophylacto. "It is desired that Mr. Warton will inquire, and send word, what will be the cost of transcribing this manuscript. "Vol. ii. p. 32. Num. 1022. 58. COLL. Nov.-Commentaria in Acta Apostol.-Comment. in Septem Epistolas Catholicas. "He is desired to tell what is the age of each of these manuscripts: and what it will cost to have a transcript of the two first pages of each. If Mr. Warton be not in Oxford, you may try if you can get it done by any body else; or stay till he comes, according to your own convenience. It is for an Italian literato. "The answer is to be directed to his Excellency Mr Zon, Venetian Resident, SohoSquare. 66 I hope, dear Sir, that you do not regret the change of London for Oxford. Mr. Baretti is well, and Miss Williams ;+ and * Communicated by the Reverend Mr. Thomas Warton, who had the original. "I presume she was a relation of Mr. Zachariah Williams, who died in his eighty-third year, July 12, 1755. When Dr. Johnson was with me at Oxford, in 1755, he gave to the Bodleian Library a thin quarto of considered as an honour of considerable im portance, in order to grace the title-page of his Dictionary; and his character in the literary world being by this time deservedly high, his friends thought that, if proper exertions were made, the University of Oxford would pay him the compliment. "TO THE REV. MR. THOMAS WARTON. " DEAR SIR, "I AM extremely obliged to you and to Mr. Wise, for the uncommon care which you have taken of my interest: if you can accomplish your kind design, I shall certainly take me a little habitation among you. "The books which I promised to Mr. Wise,§ I have not been able to procure; but I shall send him a Finnick Dictionary, the only copy, perhaps, in England, which was presented me by a learned Swede: but I keep it back, that it may make a set of my own books of the new edition, with which I shall accompany it, more welcome. You will assure him of my gratitude. "Poor dear Collins-Would a letter give him any pleasure ?" I have a mind to write. twenty-one pages, a work in Italian, with an English translation on the opposite page. The English title page is this: An Account of an Attempt to ascertain the Longitude at Sea, by an exact Variation of the Magnetical Needle, &c. By Zachariah Williams, London, printed for Dodsley, 1755.' The English translation, from the strongest internal marks, is unquestionably the work of Johnson. In a blank leaf, Johnson has written the age, and time of death, of the author, Z. Williams, as I have said above. On another blank leaf, is pasted a paragraph from a newspaper, of the death and character of Williams, which is plainly written by Johnson. He was very anxious about placing this book in the Bodleian: and, for fear of any omission or mistake, he entered, in the great Catalogue, the title-page of it with his own hand." [In this statement there is a slight mistake. The English account, which was written by Johnson, was the original: the Italian was a translation, done by Baretti. See p. 272. M.] "In procuring him the degree of Master of Arts by diploma at Oxford." "Lately fellow of Trinity College, and at this time Radclivian librarian, at Oxford. He was a man of very considerable learning, and eminently skilled in Roman and Anglo-Saxon antiquities. He died in 1767." "Collins (the poet) was at this time at Oxford, on a visit to Mr. Warton; but labouring under the most deplorable languor of body and dejection of mind." In a letter to Dr. Joseph Warton, written some months before, (March 8, 1754,) Dr. Johnson thus speaks of Collins: But how little can we venture to exult in any intellectual powers or literary attainments, when we consider the condition of poor Collins. I knew him a few years ago, full of hopes, and full of projects, versed in many languages, high in fancy, and strong in retention. This busy and forcible mind is now under the government of those, who lately could not have been able to comprehend the least and most narrow of his designs. What do you hear of him? are there hopes of his reco "I am glad of your hinderance in your Spenserian design, yet I would not have it delayed. Three hours a day stolen from sleep and amusement will produce it. Let a Servitour + transcribe the quotations, and interleave them with references, to save time. This will shorten the work, and lessen the fatigue. "Can I do any thing to promoting the diploma? I would not be wanting to co-operate with your kindness: of which, whatever be the effect, I shall be, dear Sir, "Your most obliged, &c. "[London,] Nov. 28, 1754." "DEAR SIR, "SAM. JOHNSON." 66 TO THE SAME. "I AM extremely sensible of the favour done me, both by Mr. Wise and yourself. The book cannot, I think, be printed in less than six weeks, nor probably so soon; and I will keep back the title-page, for such an insertion as you seem to promise me. Be pleased to let me know what money I shall send you, for bearing the expense of the affair; and I will take care that you may have it ready at your hand. "I had lately the favour of a letter from your brother, with some account of poor Collins, for whom I am much concerned. I have a notion, that by very great temperance, or more properly abstinence, he may yet recover. "There is an old English and Latin book of poems by Barclay, called "The Ship of Fools' at the end of which are a number of Eglogues; so he writes it, from Egloga, which are probably the first in our language. If you cannot find the book, I will get Mr. Dodsley to send it to you. "I shall be extremely glad to hear from very? or is he to pass the remainder of his life in misery and degradation? perhaps, with complete consciousness of his calamity." In a subsequent letter to the same gentleman, (Dec. 24, 1754,) he thus feelingly alludes to their unfortunate friend: "Poor dear Collins! Let me know whether you think it would give him pleasure if I should write to him. I have often been near his state, and therefore have it in great commiseration." Again, April 9, 1756: "What becomes of poor dear Collins? I wrote him a letter which he never answered. I suppose writing is very troublesome to him. That man is no common loss. The moralists all talk of the uncertainty of fortune, and the transitoriness of beauty: but it is yet more dreadful to consider that the powers of the mind are equally liable to change, that understanding may make its appearance and depart, that it may blaze and expire." See Biographical Memoirs of the late Reverend Dr. Joseph Warton, by the Reverend John Wool, A. M. 4to. 806. Mr. Collins, who was the son of a hatter at Chiches ter, was born December 25, 1720, and was released from the dismal state here so pathetically described, in 1756. M.] "Of publishing a volume of observations on the best of Spenser's works. It was hindered by my taking pupils in this College." "Young students of the lowest rank at Oxford are so called." "His Dictionary." you again, to know if the affair proceeds.§ I have mentioned it to none of my friends, for fear of being laughed at for my disappointment. "You know poor Mr. Dodsley has lost his wife; I believe he is much affected. I hope he will not suffer so much as I yet suffer for the loss of mine. Οι μοι· τί δ' οἵ μοι ; θνητά τοι πεπόνθαμεν. I have ever since seemed to myself broken off from mankind; a kind of solitary wanderer in the wild of life, without any direction, or fixed point of view: a gloomy gazer on the world to which I have little relation. Yet I would endeavour, by the help of you and your brother, to supply the want o have long the pleasure of being, dear Sir, closer union, by friendship: and hope to Most affectionately yours, "[London,] Dec. 21, 1754." "SAM. JOHNSON." "I WROTE to you some weeks ago, but believe did not direct accurately, and therefore know not whether you had my letter. I would, likewise, write to your brother, but know not where to find him. I now begin to see land, after having wandered, according to Mr. Warburton's phrase, in this vast sea of words. What reception I shall meet with on the shore, I know not; whether the sound of bells, and acclamations of the people, which Ariosto talks of in his last Canto, or a general murmur of dislike, I know not: whether I shall find upon the coast a Calypso that will court, or a Polypheme that will resist. But if Polypheme comes, have at his eye. I hope, however, the critics will let me be at peace; for though I do not much fear their skill and strength, I am a little afraid of myself, and would not willingly feel so much ill-will in my bosom as literary quarrels are apt to ex cite. "DEAR SIR, "TO THE SAME., "I RECEIVED your letter this day, with great sense of the favour that has been done me for which I return my most sincere thanks; and entreat you to pay to Mr. Wise such returns as I ought to make for so much kindness so little deserved. "I sent Mr. Wise the Lexicon, and afterwards wrote to him; but know not whether he had either the book or letter. Be so good as to contrive to inquire. "But why does my dear Mr. Warton tell me nothing of himself? Where hangs the new volunie? Can I help? Let not the past labour be lost, for want of a little more: but snatch what time you can from the Hall, and the pupils, and the coffee-house, and the parks, and complete your design. I am, dear Sir, &c. "[London,] Feb. 4, 1755." "SAM. JOHNSON." "DEAR SIR, "TO THE SAME. “I HAD a letter last week from Mr. Wise, but have yet heard nothing from you, nor know in what state my affair stands; of which I beg you to inform me, if you can, to-morrow, by the return of the post. "Mr. Wise sends me word, that he has not had the Finnick Lexicon yet, which I sent some time ago; and if he has it not, you must inquire after it. However, do not let your letter stay for that. "Your brother, who is a better correspondent than you, and not much better, sends me word, that your pupils keep you in College: but do they keep you from writing too? Let them, at least, give you time to write to, dear Sir, "Your most affectionate, &c, "[London,] Feb. 13, 1755.” "DEAR SIR, "TO THE SAME." "DR. KINGS was with me a few minutes. before your letter; this, however, is the first instance in which your kind intentions to me have ever been frustrated.|| I have now the full effect of your care and benevolence; and am far from thinking it a slight honour, or a small advantage; since it will put the enjoyment of your conversation more frequently in the power of, dear Sir, "Your most obliged and affectionate, "SAM. JOHNSON." "His degree had now past, according to the usual form, the suffrages of the heads of Colleges; but was not yet finally granted by the University. It was carried without a single dissentient voice." "On Spenser." "Of the degree." As the Public will doubtless be pleased to see the whole progress of this well-earned academical honour, I shall insert the Chancellor of Oxford's letter to the University,tt the diploma, and Johnson's letter of thanks to the Vice-Chancellor. "To the Reverend Dr. HUDDESFORD, ViceChancellor of the University of Oxford; to be communicated to the Heads of Houses, and proposed in Convocation. "MR. VICE-Chancellor, and Gentlemen, "MR. SAMUEL JOHNSON, who was formerly of Pembroke College, having very eminently distinguished himself by the publication of a series of essays, excellently calculated to form the manners of the people, and in which the cause of religion and morality is every where maintained by the strongest powers of argument and language; tionary of the English Tongue formed on a and who shortly intends to publish a Diclabour and judgement; I persuade myself new plan, and executed with the greatest that I shall act agreeable to the sentiments of the whole University, in desiring that it him the degree of Master of Arts by diploma, may be proposed in convocation to confer on to which I readily give my consent; and am, "Mr. Vice-Chancellor, and Gentlemen, "Your affectionate friend and servant, "ARRAN." "Grosvenor-street, Feb. 4, 1755." Term. Soti Hilarii "DIPLOMA MAGISTRI JOHNSON, 1755. "CANCELLARIUS, Magistri, et Scholares Universitatis Oxoniensis omnibus ad quos hoc præsens scriptum pervenerit, salutem in Domino sempiternam. "Cum eum in finem gradus academici a majoribus nostris instituti fuerint, ut viri ingenio et doctrina præstantes titulis quoque præter cæteros insignirentur; cumque vir doctissimus Samuel Johnson e Collegio Pembrochiensi, scriptis suis popularium mores informantibus dudum literato orbi innotuerit; quin et linguæ patriæ tum ornandæ tum stabilienda (Lexicon scilicet Anglicanum summo studio, summo a se judicio congestum propediem editurus) etiam nunc utilissimam impendat operam; Nos igitur Cancellarius, Magistri, et Scholares antedicti, ne virum de literis humanioribus optime meritum diutius inhonoratum prætereamus, in solenni Convocatione Doctorum, Magistrorum, Regentium, et non Regentium, decimo die Mensis Februarii Anno Domini Millesimo Septingentesimo Quin "Principal of Saint Mary Hall at Oxford. He quagesimo quinto habita, præfatum virum brought with him the diploma from Oxford." "I suppose Johnson means that my kind intention of being the first to give him the good news of the degree being granted was frustrated, because Dr. King brought it before my intelligence arrived." |