great merit in being zealous for the honours of birth, for I can hardly tell who was my grandfather." He married, at a somewhat advanced age, one Sarah Ford, by whom he had two sons; but the period of his settling at Lichfield is doubtful, though it certainly was some time prior to the close of the seventeenth century, as I find his name anno 1687, in a list of subscribers to a fund for recasting the bells of the Cathedral, towards which he contributed 10s. In 1709 he was sheriff of the city; and in the same year was born his celebrated son, whose baptism is thus recorded in the Register of St. Michael's Church:

"Sept. 17. 1709, Samuel, son of Michael Johnson, Gent., baptized.'

One of his godfathers was Dr. Swinfen, a physician of the city. Three years after, the baptism of his brother is thus entered in the same Register:

"Oct. 14. 1712, Nathaniel, son of Mr. Michael Johnson, baptized."

The circumstances of Michael Johnson appear to have been for many years extremely narrow; but by untiring industry, he at length acquired some little property, which he lost by speculating in the manufacture of parchment, and became a bankrupt in 1731, while his son Samuel was at Oxford. The generous assistance which on this occasion he received from various quarters, seems to prove that his character was held in great esteem. Dr. Johnson told Sir John Hawkins that, amongst others, Mr. Innys, bookseller of St. Paul's Church-yard, was a material friend; "and this," said he, "I consider as an obligation on me to be grateful to his descendants," to whom he accordingly bequeathed 2007. Soon after his insolvency took place, Michael died, and the sum of 20l. was all that his son received from the produce of his effects.

It is a fact but little known, and which escaped the industrious inquiry of Boswell, that during the two years which he passed at home, before proceeding to Oxford, Dr. Johnson was engaged in learning his father's business. The Short Account of Lichfield," 1819, says that "books of his binding are still extant in that city." It was at this period, I presume, that in a fit of pride he once

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refused obedience to his father, who desired him to attend the book-stall at Uttoxeter market; in contrition for which, towards the close of his life, (as he told the Rev. H. White,) he repaired to the spot, and stood for a considerable time bareheaded in the rain, by way of expiatory penance.

The house at the corner of Sadler Street, Lichfield, in which Michael Johnson resided, and in which Samuel was born, is still standing. Views of it occur in the Gentleman's Magazine, February, 1785; in the "Short Account of Lichfield," above mentioned; and in various other works. It was built by Michael Johnson on land belonging to the Corporation, in whose records there appears this entry, under date 13th July, 1708:-" Agreed that Mr. Michael Johnson, bookseller, have a lease of his encroachment of his house in Sadler Street and Women's Cheaping, for forty years, at 2s. 6d. Boswell has preper annum. served the particulars of a proceeding, in which the bailiffs and citizens, to their great honour, on the expiration of a second lease in 1767, resolved that it should be renewed to Dr. Johnson for a further term of ninety years, at the old rent, and without payment of any fine. After her husband's decease, Johnson's mother continued the business, though of course on a more contracted scale. Among the names of subscribers to the "Harleian Miscellany," there occurs that of "Sarah Johnson, bookseller in Lichfield."(')

702. "Looking at the Backs of Books."

When Johnson, in April 1775, visited Richard Owen Cambridge, Esq.(2) at his villa, near Twickenham, no

(1) [Gent. Mag. Oct. 1829.]

(2) [Richard Owen Cambridge, Esq. author of the "Scribleriad," a mock heroic poem, and of several essays in "The World." Boswell has thus sketched his character:- If a beautiful villa on the banks of the Thames, a numerous and excellent library, which he accurately knows and reads, a choice' collection of pictures, which he understands and relishes, an easy fortune, an amiable family, an extensive circle of friends and acquaintance distinguished by rank, fashion, and genius, a literary fame, various, elegant, and still increasing, colloquial talents rarely to be found, and, with all these means of happiness, enjoying, when well advanced in years, health and vigour of body, serenity and animation of mind, do not entitle to be addressed fortunate Senex! I know not to whom, in any age, that expression could with propriety have been used. Long may he live to hear and to feel it!" Mr. Cambridge died, September 17. 1802, in his eighty-sixth year.]

sooner had he made his bow to his host in his library, than he ran eagerly to one side of the room, intent on poring over the backs of the books. Mr. Cambridge politely said, "Dr. Johnson, I am going, with your pardon, to accuse myself, for I have the same custom that I perceive you have. But it seems odd that we should have such a desire to look at the backs of books." "Sir," replied Johnson, “the reason is very plain. Knowledge is of two kinds. We know a subject ourselves, or we know where we can find information upon it. When we inquire into any subject, the first thing we have to do is to know what books have treated of it. This leads us to look at catalogues, and the backs of books in libraries."

703. Singular Misquotation.

There is a curious error in Dr. Johnson's Dictionary which has not hitherto been noticed. It occurs in Definition 13. of the verb "To sit," and pervades every edition that we have yet seen, even Mr. Todd's. "Asses are ye that sit in judgment. Judges, v. 10." The verse is"Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way." Were not Dr. Johnson's reverence for the Scriptures too well known to allow us to imagine that he would wilfully pervert them; we might suppose that he, who gave the definition of Excise and Renegado, had intended, by anticipation, to express his opinion of the censure of his critics.