BEING THE SECOND NUMBER OF VOL. LVI. PART 1.

From various Correspondents, and particularly from a Friend at Barnard Cattle, we have been favoured with a rich Store of valuable Original Letters, which shall be given to our Readers as frequently as Opportunity will permit. As a Sample, we begin with Mr. Addifon.-The Diplomatic Correfpondence fhall be refumed in our next. It came to band too late for the prefent month.

T

1. Mr. ADDISON to Lord WHARTON. My Lord, Lond. Aug, 24, 1710. XXX*HIS morning I had the honour of a vifit from Mr. Bertie, who, upon my acquainting him with your Lordship's concern for his brother's election, declared himself very much obliged to your Lordhip; but faid, his brother was fo tired with fitting in the House, that he would not be in it again upon any confideration.

I hear from my Lord Dartmouth's* office, that all the particulars which I had in charge to his Lordship have been already complied with, except that about proroguing the parliament, which I have defired may be dispatched forth with to your Excellency, in cafe it be judged neceffary.

The privy council is to meet this night, in order (as it was faid yefier-, day) to place my Lord Peterborough at the head of the Admiralty +, and to determine of the diffolution: but this inorning I hear, from very good hands, that there is advice of the Prince of Wales being ready to embark with a body of troops at Dunkirk, and that the admiralty is to attend the privy council upon this occafion.

It is faid, the Duke of Queensborough has had intimations of fuch a defigned

invafion above a month ago from several parts of Scotland. This report, I believe, comes from Sir George Byng, and is of fuch a nature, that I should be cautious of mentioning it to any body but your Excellency.

Among the prints which I fend you by this poft, the "Effay upon Credit" is faid to be written by Mr. Harley; and that of "Bickerstaff detected 1," by Mr. Congreve. Dr. Garth (under whose hands I am at prefent) will not excufe me if I do not prefent his most humble

duty to your Lordship. The Doctor this morning fhewed me a copy of vei fes which he has made in praife of the late lord treasurer §.

The Lord lay is lately returned from Scotland; and, it is faid, the Duke of Argyle is expected every day from Flanders. I am, with the greatest refpect, my Lord, your Lord:hip's most obedient and most humble fervant,

(Signed) J. ADDISON.

2. Reports of the Town, tranfmitted to Lord Wharton by Mr. Addison, with the above Letter.

The reports of the town (as to public affairs) are very various: what I have the honour to write to your Lordship is the talk of the confiderable people of the one fide; but, as they are none of them in the fecret, cannot be entirely depended upon.

The Duke of Queenborough, it is. faid, will be fucceeded by the Lord Marr, or, as others are pofitive, by the Duke of Shrew ibury. If the firft happen, he is to be lord high fteward of the houshold; if the fecond, to be lord high chamberlain. The D. of Queenfborough declares he has heard nothing of his removal. I was yefierday above an hour in private at his office with the Lord Marr.

* Then Secretary of State. EpIT.
This pamphlet has been fometimes afcribed to
EDIT. 6 This Epistle to Lord Godolphin'
As one of the three principal fecretaries of thate.

This did not take place. EDIT. Rowe, but more commonly to Yaiden, is printed with Garth's Poems. EDIT The event did not take place. 1 ar

92

Original Letters from Addison to Lord Wharton.

Mr. Boyle is to make way for Mr. St. John.

The D. of Somerfet reprefents himfelf as actuated by perfonal piques in what he has done, and has refolved to adhere to the whiggish principles. It is generally faid he is fallen off from the new minifters, and that he has res commended whigs to all his boroughs. The Duke of Newcastle is very well with Mr. Harley, for whom, they fay, he had formerly a great friend hip and

cfteem.

My Lord Somers is thought to have a great perfonal intereft in her majefty, but not fufficient to fupport his party: fo that he feems to lyc-by in expectation of proper opportunities.

Mr. Hampden refufed to be a commiffioner of the treafury, unlefs the parliament might be continued: it was certainly offered him; and, as they fay, by the Queen herfelf, who' (upon his anfwer relating to the parliament) told him, he had not fent for him for his advife on that particular."

66

Mr. Benfon, a reputed whig, could not withstand the fame temptation,

The tories having threatened to buy up the ftocks if they fhould fall upon the lord treafurer's difmillion, the Duke of Beaufort accordingly laid out about geaol. and was followed by two or three others with fmaller fums; which lifted them up for one day, after which they fell again.

The tories' addrefs is faid to be writ tén by Mr. Hoadly; the whigs' by Mr. Atterbury ; Petticum's Letter by Mr. Walpole.

The clergy of the city of London are about prefenting an addrefs to her Ma jefty, which, they fay, is finely penned by Dr. Atterbury; and fome imagine it will immediately precede the diffolution. Collings the meffenger is this evening arrived exprefs from the Duke of Marlborough, with an account of the furrender of Bethune; and it is faid that he brings further intelligence of the Duke's having received advices from Spain, juft before he came away, of a fecond battle, wherein 12,000 men were killed, and King Charles obtained the victory,

3. Mr. ADDISON to Lord WHARTON. My Lord, Lond. Oct. 17, 1710. I received the honour of your Lord

Sir Sinon Harcourt, it is faid, defires 4o be attorney-generalt. Lord Guernfey, or Baron Price, or both, are talked of to fucceed the lord chancellor.fhip's of the 1th, and have fent the The Earl Rivers, after having received his arrears for the Spanish fervice, and equipage-money for his embally, fell ill; and, as fome fancy, will not reco

ver in hafte.

It is pretended by the whiga, the Elector of Hanover has given affurances that he will not accept the offer of general; and that he is very much dif pleafed with the fashionable doctrine of beriditary night.

The Lord Rochefter is by no means pleafed with the new ministry, and lifted up his hands with fome aftonifhment upon hearing in what manner the late lord treafurer was dilimilled. It is faid, the letter for that purpofe was delivered to his Lordfhip by a groom, and that he was directed by it to break his faff without giving himself the trouble of expoftulations &

I heard this morning, from good hands, the Duke of Shrewibury talks of laying down. Sir Theodore Johnfon [fanifen] has furnished the treafury with fome money.

commiflions mentioned in it according to your Lordship's commands, not hearing as yet of any thing that hath passed which fhould hinder your Lordfig from figuing thein. I muft, however, acquaint your fordship with a paffage in one of Dawfon's letters, dated the 3d inttant, which did not come to my hands till last night, having been fent after me Malmesbury by mistake.

I had mentioned to him, as your Lordship had told me you would have it

believed, and as you had yourself written the poft before to fome of your friends in Ireland, that you had fignified to her Majefty your unwillingness to continue in that government when all your friends were difmiffed; or to that purpose: but at the fame time told him, that I believed your Lordship would not be out of it till fome months after. In answer to that letter, he writes to me in the following words:

"You might be affured, that what. ever you write to me was lodged in a fafe hand; but what you defired fhould f. And was fuccefsful. EDIT. Neither commiffion Sept. 29; and given to Sir Simon This is fully confirmed by Swift's The Duke was the lord chamberlain of the ihold. EDIT. **So the original; tut by a flip of the pen, undoubtedly, as

*Tois conjecture was right. EDIT. of them fucceeded. The feals were put in Harcourt, as lord-keeper, OA. 9. EDIT. fourcal Letters to Stella. EDIT.

reverse is well known to have been the frá. Ferr

Original Letters of Addison.-Johnson's Vindication of himself. 93

not be taken notice of came over hi-, ther by twenty letters in the fame poft and the Whitehall letters from both fecretaries' offices, which came hither by the fame pacquet with yours, pofitively mention my lord-lieutenant's refignation of his government to her Majefty on the 22d of the last month; fo that it is here no fecret, and every body looks upon it that his Excellency cannot act any more on his commiffion, but that the government is abfolutely in the hands of the lords juftices till a new governor is appointed."

I will not take any notice of the receipt of this letter till I hear further from your Lordship; having by the laft poft, and all along, written in the character of fecretary to the lord-lieu- . tenant. Your Lordship is doubtlefs the beft judge of this matter, how far the refignation went, and how far it was accepted; or whether it could be accepted effectually but by fuperfeding your Lordship's commiffion. I fhall only take notice, that your Lordship's letters to the fecretary of state, and to the lords juftices in Ireland, the firft relating to the horfes that are wanting there, and the other to the draughting of 250 dragoons for the embarkation; both of them bear date Sept. 23. The Irish gentlemen are pofitive that your Lordship will be fucceeded by the Duke of Ormond, though there goes a whif per among fome of your Lordship's friends, that my Lord Rivers is certainly defigned for that government.

Nobody here knows what to think of the prefent ftate of affairs. Thofe who got the laft parliament diffolved are as much aftonifhed, and they fay troubled, for the glut of tories that will be in the pext, as the wigs themfelves. I am, with great refpect, my Lord, your Lordship's moft obedient and most hum

Mc fervant,

fraid what you fay of his Grace does not portend you any good.

And now, Sir, believe me, when I affure you I never did, nor ever will, on any pretence whatfoever, take more than the flated and cuftomary fees of my office. I might keep the contrary practice concealed from the world, were I capable of it, but I could not from myfelf; and I hope I fhall always fear the reproaches of my own heart more than thofe of all mankind. In the mean time, if I can ferve a gentleman of me rit, and fuch a character as you bear in the world, the fatisfaction I meet with on fuch an occafion is always a fuffici ent, and the only, reward to, Sir, your most obedient, humble fervant,

MR. URBAN,

J. ADDISON.

Bath, Feb. 14.

A of a paflage in a work of the late.

S a very dangerous mifconstruction

Dr. Johnfon appears to have been made. by fome perfons; and though the Dr. kindly condefcended to correct the error, through the fame channel that the remark was first intended to be conveyed to him; yet as the mifconftruction ailing from a book may long furvive the explanation contained in a newspaper, I beg leave, through your lafting Repofitory, in juftice to the character of a moft worthy man, to perpetuate the Dr's Vindication of himself, as well as to communicate to the world the steps which led to it. Yours, &c. A. B. Bath, May 4, 1782.

1. SIR,

Conscious of the motive from which I write, and trusting that it will readily and clearly appear; I fhall leave it to plead my excufe for the trouble I may hereby give you. Without farther preface, therefore, I take the liberty to inform you, that, in the Morning Chronicle of Dec. 12 laft, a perfon, in the character of a master of an academy, recommended the "Beauties of your Writings," a book published last year, to all perfons who have the care of youth, as well calculated to convey at once both pleasure and inftruction, particularly to young minds. However, he pointed out one paffage in it, under the article DEATH, which, he faid, is fuppofed by fome readers to recommend fuicide; but, knowing your principles too well to join in this opinion, he

* We are aware that this letter has been elsewhere printed, but without acknowledgements (which we are not alhamed of making) to Curll, who originally produced it to pulThe honour it reflects on Addison's integrity is a fullicient apology for re

lic notice.

Printing it. EDIT.

94

Original Correfpondence with Dr. Johnfon, on Suicide.

hoped you would favour the public, through the channel of the fame paper, with an explanation, which will effectually remove fo erroneous an idea. The paffage is as follows: "To die, is the fate of man; but to die with lingering anguifh is generally his folly."

I confefs, I have joined in the wish of the letter-writer, but have not had the pleafure of feeing it gratified. Poffibly the letter has not come to your knowledge, and therefore I take this method of acquainting you with it; or probably the paffage, when taken with the context, lofes its exceptionable appear ance. I own, I do not recollect my having met with it in any of your works, though I cannot but fuppofe it is to be found there, and on that account you may have thought it unneceffary to give it any farther explanation. Whatever may be the caufe of your not having taken any notice of the letter, I cannot be fatisfied whilst any thing, which has the fanction of your name, even appears, uncontroverted, to recommend fuicide; whilft the acknowledged friend of Religion and Vir tue is fuppofed, uncontradicted, to have published any fentiment inconfiftent with the Chriflian Religion. I fhall fill hope, therefore, that you will not think your time mis-fpent by publicly removing this, poflibly, "ftone of fumbling," this, as it appears, "rock of offence," efpecially as your filence may tend to confirm the opinion of thofe who understand the paffage in this very unfavourable fenfe: and if you fhail think this deferving of your private notice, you will thereby confer an honour, as well as an obligation, or, Sir, your obedient humble fervant, &c. To Dr. Johnion, &c.

2. SIR, May 15, 1782. Being now in the country in a state of recovery, as I hope, from a very oppreffive diforder, I cannot neglect the acknowledgement of your Chriftian latter. The book, called " The Beauties of J-n," is the production of I know not whom; I never faw it but by cafual inspection, and confidered myilf as utterly difengaged from its confequences. Of the paffage you mention I remember fome notice in fome paper; but, knowing that it must be mineprefented, I thought of it no more, nor do I now know where to nd it in my own books. I am accufcomed to think little of new papers;

but an opinion fo weighty and serious as yours has determined me to do, what I fhould, without your feafonable admonition, have omitted; and I will direct my thought to be fhewn in its true ftate. If I could find the paffage, I would direct you to it. I fuppofe the tenor is this: "Acute difeafes are the immediate and inevitable ftrokes of Heaven; but of them the pain is fhort, and the conclu fion fpeedy: chronical disorders, by which we are fufpended in tedious torture between life and death, are commonly the effect of our own misconduct and intemperance. To die," &c. This, Sir, you fee is all true, and all blamelefs. I hope, fome time in the next weck, to have all rectified. My health has been lately much thaken; if you favour this with any anfwer, it will be

a comfort to me to know that I have

your prayers. I am, Sir, your most humble fervant, SAM. JOHNSON, at Bath.

To the Rev. Mr.

3. SIR, Bath, May 18, 1782. I am to acknowledge and thank you for your favour of the 15th; and I am happy to find, that you think the bufinets on which I wrote to you not unde ferving your attention. The fentiment, as you have prefaced and explained it, as I doubted not would be the cafe, is quite unexceptionable.

I am glad to find that you are better than you have been, and on the reco very. Indeed, I should be wanting in gratitude, as well as benevolence and charity, if you had not, in return for the grear pleature I have received from your writings, my best wishes and prayers; and particularly, as my laft and beft, that, when the period of the prefent ftate of your existence fhall approach, you may have a fhort and easy. pallage from this life to that in which good men "reft from their labours, and their works follow them.” 1 am, Sir, with great efleem, your obliged and obedient humble fervant, &c.

To Dr. Johnton, &c.

4. The following appeared in the Moin

ing Chronicle of May 29, 1782.

A correfpondent having mentioned, in the Morning Chronicle of Dec. 2, the last claufe of the following paragraph, as feeming to favour fuicide; we are requefied to print the whole pats fage, that its true meaning may appear, which is not to recommend fuicide, but exercife.

"Exercife

"Exercise cannot fecure us from that diffolution to which we are decreed; but, while the foul and body continue united, it can make the affociation pleafing, and give probable hopes that they fhall be disjoined by an eafy feparation. It was a principle among the ancients, that acute difeafes are from heaven, and chronical from ourselves; the dart of death indeed falls from heaven, but we poifon it by our own mifconduct to die is the fate of man; but to die with lingering anguish is generally his folly." Vide RAMBLER, vol. II. No 85.

truth which can bind a man to fociety,
I never have feen the above work of
Mr. Jackfon, called, as the Reviewer
fays, Thirty Letters; nor have ever
heard it mentioned.
Nor have any
letters, or other writings, of Mr. Jack-
fon, been ever read, feen, or heard of,,
by me.

1. The error of the first charge may, perhaps, be more particularly known to you, Mr. Urban, because you have admitted many friendly letters about my trifling performance into your Mifcellany; and, it is likely, know from what hands they come. But I must add, and that upon the whole faith and veracity of a man who hath a much more precious character than that of author to maintain, that I never have used, nor shall use, any fuch infamous arts. If any friend has fent any thing in this way to the periodical prints, it is utterly without my knowledge. But, indeed, the numerous attacks upon thefe

Perhaps fome of your correfpondents can inform when that book was publifhed; and, if quite recently, Í folemnly affure you that my "Letters" were defigned, as appears from my common-place books, in 1779 (two years. before any other work imputed to me was published), and were, in 1780 and 1781, mentioned as a defign to two or three friends: were begun in 1782, and finished in November, 2783. Of the laft date proof can be produced, if one or two refpectable friends have kept my letters, or can charge their memory with the time. At any rate, a letter from one of our first literary characters, dated Dec 28 1781+ [eighty-ONE], and in answer to one in which I acquainted him with the title, plan, and chief fubjects meant to be treated, is left with Mr. Nichols, your printer, for the infpection of any perfon: in which he fays, "I fhall be very glad to fee any future publication of yours, and efpecially the Letters of Literature which you propofe," &c.

Letters are of fuch a nature, that no man can fincerely imagine my friends, or me, to have any concern in them. By puffing, I here mean, Mr. Urban, any intercourfe with any periodical prints, either in praise or blame of one's writings. In respect of defence, this may furely be allowed; yet, were it not for an occasion of this fingular kind, I fhould ever entrust that to the reader with refpectful filence.

II. With regard to plagiarifm, heavy is the charge, nay, utterly deftructive, were it not wholly without foundation. For, Mr. Urban, upon the folemn ad juration above used, and by every tie of

As the Reviewer feems as much dif pofed to praife as to blame, and is not deftitute of candour, though quite mifinformed in many particulars he admits, for want of reflecting that the moft infignificant writer may have many enemies, it is hoped he will with plea fure retract these two great mistakes.

The Author of Letters of Literature.