1784.

Ætat.

75.

« How different does this story appear, when accompanied with all these circumstances which really belong to it, but which Mrs. Thrale either did not know, or has suppressed.

“She says “, “ One gentleman, however, who dined at a nobleman's house in bis company, and that of Mr. Thrale, to whom I was obliged for the anecdote, was willing to enter the lifts in defence of King William's character; and baving opposed and contradicted Johnson two or three times, petulantly enough, the master of the boufe began to feel uneasy, and expect disagreeable consequences; to avoid which, he said, loud enough for the Doétor to bear-Our friend bere has no meaning now in all this, except just to relate at club to-morrow how be teized Johnson at dinner to-day; this is all to do bimself honour.--No, upon my word, (replied the other,) I see no honour in it, whatever you may do.-Well, Sir, (returned Mr. Johnson, sternly,) if you do not see the honour, I am sure I feel the disgrace.

“ This is all sophisticated. Mr. Thrale was not in the company, though he might have related the story to Mrs. Thrale. A friend, from whom I had the story, was present; and it was not at the house of a nobleman. On the observation being made by the master of the house on a gentleman's contradicting Johnson, that he had talked for the honour, &c. the gentleman mut. tered, in a low voice, I see no honour in it;' and Dr. Johnson said nothing : so all the rest (though bien trouvée) is mere garnish.”

I have had occasion several times, in the course of this work, to point out the inccorrectness of Mrs. Thrale, as to particulars which consisted with my own knowledge. But indeed she has, in flippant terms enough, expressed her disapprobation of that anxious desire of authenticity which prompts a person who is to record conversations, to write them down at the moment 5.

Unquestionably, if they are to be recorded at all, the
sooner it is done the better. This lady herself fays', “To recollett,

,
however, and to repeat the sayings of Dr. Johnson, is almost all that can be
done by the writers of his Life; as his life, at least since my acquaintance with him,
confifted in little else than talking, when he was not employed in some serious piece
of work.”

She boasts of her having kept a common-place book; and,
we find the noted, at one time or other, in a very lively manner, specimens
of the conversation of Dr. Johnson, and of thofe who talked with him; but
had she done it recently, they probably would have been less erroneous ;

a

1

4 - Anecdotes,” p. 202,

s Ibid. p. 44•

6 Ibid. p. 23•

and

1784.

and we should have been relieved from those disagreeable doubts of their
authenticity, with which we must now peruse them.

She says of him?, “ He was the most charitable of mortals, without being what
we call an active friend. Adinirable at giving counsel; no man saw his way so
clearly; but he would not ftir a finger for the asistance of those to whom he was
willing enough to give advice.” And again on the same

page,

If you wanted a night favour, you must apply to people of other dispositions ; for not a step would Johnson move to obtain a man a vete in a society, to repay e compliment which might be useful or pleasing, to write a letter of request, &c. or to obtain a hundred pounds a year more for a friend who perhaps had already two or three. No force could urge him to diligence, no importunity could conquer his resolution to stand still."

It is amazing that one who had such opportunities of knowing Dr. Johnson, should appear so little acquainted with his real character. I am forry this lady does not advert, that she herself contradicts the affertion of his being obstinately defective in the petite morale, in the little endearing charities of social life in conferring smaller favours; for The says “, “ Dr. Johnson was liberal enough in granting literary asistance to others, I think; and innumerable are the Prefaces, Sermons, Lestures, and Dedications which he used to make for people who begged of bim.” I am certain that a more ačtive friend has rarely been found in any age. This work, which I fondly hope will rescue his memory from obloquy, contains a thousand instances of his benevolent exertions in almost every way that can be conceived; and particularly in employing his pen with a generous readiness for those to whom its aid could be useful. Indeed his obliging activity in doing little offices of kindness, both by letters and personal application, was one of the most remarkable features in his character ; and for the truth of this I can appeal to a number of his respectable friends : Sir Joshua Reynolds, Mr. Langton, Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Burke, Mr. Windham, Mr. Malone, the Bishop of Dromore, Sir William Scott, Sir Robert Chambers.--And can Mrs. Thrale forget the advertisements which he wrote for her husband at the time of his election contest; the epitaphs on him and her mother; the playful and even trifling verses, for the amusement of her and her daughters; his corresponding with her children, and entering into their minute concerns, which shews him in the most amiable light?

1784 She relates', that Mr. Ch-lm-ley unexpectedly rode up to Mr. Thrale's Ætat. 75. carriage, in which Mr. Thrale and fe, and Dr. Johnson were travelling;

that he paid them all his proper compliments, but observing that Dr. Johnson, who was reading, did not see him, “ tapt him gently on the shoulder. "'Tis Mr. Chmm-ley;' says my husband. "Well, Sir—and what if it is Mr. Ch-Im-ley;' says the other, sternly, just lifting his eyes a moment from his book, and returning to it again, with renewed avidity.” This surely conveys a notion of Johnson, as if he had been grossly rude to Mr. Cholmondeley. a gentleman whom he always loved and esteemed. If, therefore, there was an absolute necesity for mentioning the story at all, it might have been thought that her tenderness for Dr. Johnson's character would have disposed her to state any thing that could soften it. Why then is there a total filence as to what Mr. Cholmondeley told her?

—That Johnson, who had known him from his earliest years, having been made sensible of what had doubtless a strange appearance, took occasion, when he afterwards met him, to make a very courteous and kind apology. There is another little circumstance which I cannot but remark. Her book was published in 1785, she had then in her poñellion a letter from Dr. Johnson, dated in 1777', which begins thus : “ Cholmondeley's story shocks me, if it be true, which I can hardly think, for I am utterly unconscious of it: I am very forry, and very much ashamed.” Why then publish the anecdote? Or if she did, why not add the circumstances, with which she was well acquainted ?

In his social intercourse she thus describes him”: “ Ever. musing till he was called out to converse, and conversing till the fatigue of his friends, or the promptitude of bis own temper to take offence, consigned him back again to filent meditation.” Yet in the same book} she tells us, “ He was, however, seldom inclined to be silent, when any moral or literary question was started; and it was on such occasions that, like the Sage in · Raselas,' he spoke, and

be attention watched his lips; he reasoned, and conviction closed his periods." His conversation, indeed, was so far from ever fatiguing his friends, that they regretted when it was interrupted or ceased, and could exclaim in Milton's language,

3

I certainly, then, do not claim too much in behalf of my illustrious friend 1784. in saying, that however smart and entertaining Mrs. Thrale’s “ Anecdotes” Ætat. 75. are, they must not be held as good evidence against him; for wherever an instance of harshness and severity is told, I beg leave to doubt its perfect authenticity; for though there may have been some foundation for it, yet, like that of his reproof to the “ very celebrated lady,” it may be so exhibited in the narration as to be very unlike the real fact.

The evident tendency of the following anecdote + is to represent Dr. Johnson very deficient in affection, tenderness, or even common civility. “ When I one day lamented the loss of a first cousin killed in American

Pr’ythee, my dear, (faid be,) have done with canting; how would the world be the worse for it, I may ask, if all your relations were at once spitted like larks, and roasted for Presto's fupper ?'—Presto was the dog that lay under the table while we talked.” I suspect this too of exaggeration and distortion. I allow that he made her an angry speech; but let the circumstances fairly appear as told by Mr. Baretti who was present:

“ Mrs. Thrale, while supping very heartily upon larks, laid down her knife and fork, and abruptly exclaimed, “O, my dear Mr. Johnson, do you know what has happened? The last letters from abroad have brought us an account that our poor cousin's head was taken off by a cannon-ball.? Johnson, who was shocked both at the fact, and her light unfeeling manner of mentioning it, replied, “Madam, it would give you very little concern if all your relations were spitted like those larks, and drest for Presto's suppers.”

It is with concern that I find myself obliged to animadvert on the inaccuracies of Mrs. Piozzi's “ Anecdotes,” and perhaps I may be thought to have dwelt too long upon her little collection.

collection. But as from Johnson's long residence under Mr. Thrale's roof, and his intimacy with her, the account which she has given of him may have made an unfavourable and unjust impression, my

1784. dury, as a faithful biographer, has obliged me reluctantly to perform this Ætat. 75. unpleasing task.

Having left the pious negociation, as I called it, in the best hands, I shall here insert what relates to it. Johnson wrote to Sir Joshua Reynolds on July 6, as follows: “I am going, I hope, in a few days, to try the air of Derbyshire, but hope to see you before I go. Let me, however, mention to you what I have much at heart. If the Chancellor should continue his attention to Mr. Boswell's request, and confer with you on the means of relieving my languid state, I am very desirous to avoid the appearance of asking money upon false pretences. I desire you to represent to his Lordship, what, as soon as it is suggested, he will perceive to be reasonable. That, if I grow much worse, I shall be afraid to leave my physicians, to suffer the inconveniences of travel, and pine in the solitude of a foreign country.That, if I grow much better, of which indeed there is now little appearance, I shall not wish to leave my friends and my domestick comforts; for I do”, not travel for pleasure or curiosity; yet if I should recover, curiosity would revive. In my present state, I am desirous to make a struggle for a little longer life, and hope to obtain some help from a softer climate. Do for me what you can." He wrote to me July 26: “ I wish your affairs could have permitted a longer and continued exertion of your zeal and kindness. They that have your kindness may want your ardour.' In the mean time I am very feeble, and very dejected."

By a letter from Sir Joshua Reynokls I was informed, that the Lord Chancellor had called on him, and acquainted him that the application had not been successful; but that his Lordship, after speaking highly in praise of Johnson, as a man who was ’an honour to his country, desired Sir Joshua to let him know, that on granting a mortgage of his pension, he should draw on his Lordship to the amount of five or fix hundred pounds; and that his Lordship explained the meaning of the mortgage to be, that he wished the business to be conducted in such a manner, as that Dr. Johnson should appear to be under the least possible obligation. Sir Joshua mentioned, that he had by the same post communicated all this to Dr. Johnson.

How Johnson was affected upon the occasion will appear from what he wrote to Sir Joshua Reynolds:

Ashbourne, Sept. 9. “ Many words I hope are not necessary between you and me, to convince you what gratitude is excited in my heart by the Chancellor's liberality, and your kind offices.

« I have