ther you had my letter. I would likewife write to your brother, but know not where to find him. I now begin to fee land, after having wandered, according to Mr. Warburton's phrafe, in this vaft fea of words. What reception I fhall meet with upon the fhore, I know not; whether the found 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 fhall find, upon the coaft, a Calypfe that will court, or a Polypheme that will refift. But if Polypheme comes to me, have at his eyes. I hope, however, the criticks will let me be at peace: for though I do not much fear their skill or ftrength, I am a little afraid of myfelf; and would not willingly feel fo much ill-will in my bofom as literary quarrels are apt to excite, I am in great want of Crefcimbeni, which you may have again when you please. There is nothing confiderable done or doing among us here we are not perhaps as innocent as villagers, but most of us as idle. I hope, however, you are bufy; and fhould be glad to know what you are doing. I am, dear SIR, your's, &c. SAM. JOHNSON. SIR, LETTER XVIII. To DR. BIRCH. June 9, 1756. HAVING obtained from Mr. Garrick a benefit for a gentlewoman of learning, diftreffed by blind * Mrs. Williams;' fee p. 505. nefs, ness, almost the only cafualty that could have diftreffed her; I beg leave to trouble you, among my other friends, with fome of her tickets. Your benevolence is well known, and was, I believe, never exerted on a more laudable occafion. BEING, as you will find by the proposal, engaged in a work which requires the concurrence of my friends * to make it of much benefit to me, I have taken the liberty of recommending fix receipts to your care, and do not doubt of your endeavour to difpofe of them. I have likewise a further favour to beg. I know you have been long a curious collector of books. If, therefore, you have any of the contemporaries or ancestors of Shakespeare, it will be of great ufe to lend me them for a fhort time; my stock of thofe authors is yet but curta fupellex. I am, SIR, Your obliged humble fervant, SAM. JOHNSON. * The edition of Shakespeare, LET. SIR, LETTER XX*. To MR. BARETT Í. YOU reproach me very often with parfimony of writing but you may discover by the extent of my paper, that I defign to recompenfe rarity by length. A fhort letter to a diftant friend is, in my opinion, an infult like that of a flight bow or curfory falutation;-a proof of unwillingness to do much, even where there is a neceffity of doing fomething. Yet it must be remembered, that he who continues the fame courfe of life in the fame place, will have little to tell. One week and one year are very like another. The filent changes made by time are not always perceived; and if they are not perceived, cannot be recounted. I have risen and lain down, talked and mufed, while you have roved over a confiderable part of Europe: yet I have not envied my Baretti any of his pleafures, though perhaps I have envied others his company; and I am glad to have other nations made acquainted with the character of the English, by a traveller who has fo nicely inspected our manners, and fo fuccefsfully ftudied our literature. I received your kind letter from Falmouth, in which you gave me notice of your departure for Lifbon; and another from Lisbon, in which you told me, that you were to leave Portugal in a few days. To either of these how could any answer be returned? I have had a third from Turin, complaining that I have not anfwered the former. Your Firft printed in "The European Magazine for June 1787." English English ftile ftill continues in its purity and vigour. With vigour your genius will fupply it; but its purity must be continued by close attention. To ufe two languages familiarly, and without contaminating one by the other, is very difficult; and to ufe more than two, is hardly to be hoped. The praifes which fome have received for their multiplicity of languages, may be fufficient to excite induftry, but can hardly generate confidence. I know not whether I can heartily rejoice at the kind reception which you have found, or at the popularity to which you are exalted. I am willing that your merit fhould be diftinguifhed, but cannot wish that your affections may be gained; I would have you happy whereever you are, yet I would have you wish to return to England. If ever you vifit us again, you will find the kindness of your friends undiminished. To tell you how many enquiries are made after you would be tedious, or if not tedious, would be vain; because you may be told in a very few words, that all who knew you, with you well; and all that you embraced at your departure, will carefs you at your return: therefore do not let Italian academicians nor Italian ladies drive us from your thoughts. You may find among us what you will leave behind, foft fmiles and eafy fonnets. Yet I fhall not wonder if all our invitations fhould be rejected: for there is a pleafure in being confiderable at home, which is not eafily refifted. By conducting Mr. Southwell to Venice, you fulfilled, I know, the original contract: yet I would wish you not wholly to lofe him from your notice, but to re commend him to fuch acquaintance as may beft fecure him from fuffering by his own follies, and to take fuch general care both of his fafety and his intereft as may come within your power. His relations will thank you for any fuch gratuitous attention: at least they will not blame you for any evil that may happen, whether they thank you or not for any good. You know that we have a new king and a new parliament. Of the new parliament Fitzherbert is a member. We were fo weary of our old king, that we are much pleased with his fucceffor; of whom we are fo much inclined to hope great things, that most of us begin already to believe them. The young man is hitherto blameless; but it would be unreasonable to expect much from the immaturity of juvenile years, and the ignorance of princely education. He has been long in the hands of the Scots, and has already favoured them more than the English will contentedly endure. But perhaps he fcarcely knows whom he has diftinguished, or whom he has difgufted. The artists have instituted a yearly exhibition of pictures and ftatues, in imitation, as I am told, of foreign academies. This year was the fecond exhibition. They please themselves much with the multitude of spectators, and imagine that the English school will rife in reputation. Reynolds is without a rival, and continues to add thousands to thousands, which he deferves, among other excellencies, by retaining his kindness for Baretti. This exhibition has filled the heads of the artifts and lovers of art. Surely life, if it be not long, is tedious, fince we are forced to call in the affiftance of fo many trifles |