lue. Your book was evidently wanted, and will, I hope, find its way into the school, to which, however, I do not mean to confine it; for no man has so much skill in ancient rites and practices as not to want it. As I suppose myself to owe part of your kindness to my excellent friend, Dr. Patten, he has likewise a just claim to my acknowledge ment, which I hope you, Sir, will transmit. There will soon appear a new edition of my Poetical Biography; if you will accept of a copy to keep me in your mind, be pleased to let me know how it may be conveniently conveyed to you. This present is small, but it is given with good will by, Reverend Sir, "Your most, &c. "December 31, 1782." "SAM. JOHNSON." IN 1783, he was more severely afflicted than ever, as will appear in the course of his correspondence; but still the same ardour for literature, the same constant piety, the same kindness for his friends, and the same vivacity, both in conversation and writing, distinguished him. Having given Dr. Johnson a full account of what I was doing at Auchinleck, and particularly mentioned what I knew would please him, my having brought an old man of eighty-eight from a lonely cottage to a comfortable habitation within my enclosures, where he had good neighbours near him, I received an answer in February, of which I extract what follows: I am delighted with your account of your activity at Auchinleck, and wish the old gentleman, whom you have so kindly removed, may live long to promote your prosperity by his prayers. You have now a new character and new duties; think on them and practise them. 66 Make an impartial estimate of your revenue, and whatever it is, live upon less. Resolve never to be poor. Frugality is not only the basis of quiet, but of beneficence. No man can help others that wants help himself; we must have enough before we have to spare. "I am glad to find that Mrs. Boswell grows well; and hope that, to keep her well, no care nor caution will be omitted. May you long live happily together. "When you come hither, pray bring with you Baxter's Anacreon. I cannot get that edition in London."* On Friday, March 21, having arrived in London the night before, I was glad to find him at Mrs. Thrale's house, in Argyllstreet, appearances of friendship between them being still kept up. I was shewn into his room, and, after the first salutation, he said, "I am glad you are come: I am very [Dr. Johnson should seem not to have sought diligently for Baxter's Anacreon, for there are two editions of that book, and they are frequently found in the Lon con Sale-Catalogues. M.] ill." He looked pale, and was distressed with a difficulty of breathing: but, after the common inquiries, he assumed his usual strong animated style of conversation. Seeing me now for the first time as a Laird, or proprietor of land, he began thus: "Sir. the superiority of a country-gentleman over the people upon his estate is very agreeable: and he who says he does not feel it to be agreeable, lies; for it must be agree able to have casual superiority over those who are by nature equal with us." BosWELL: "Yet, Sir, we see great proprietors of land who prefer living in London." JOHNSON: "Why, Sir, the pleasure of living in London, the intellectual superiority that is enjoyed there, may counterbalance the other. Besides, Sir, a man may prefer the state of the country-gentleman upon the whole, and yet there may never be a moment when he is willing to make the change to quit London for it." He said, "It is better to have five per cent. out of land, than out of money, because it is more secure; but the readiness of transfer and promptness of interest make many people rather choose the funds. Nay, there is another disadvantage belonging to land, compared with money. A man is not so much afraid of being a hard creditor, as of being a hard landlord." BOSWELL: “Because there is a sort of kindly connexion between a landlord and his tenants." JOHNSON: "No, Sir: many landlords with us never see their tenants. It is because, if a landlord drives away his tenants, he may not get others; whereas the demand for money is so great, it may always be lent." He talked with regret and indignation of the factious opposition to Government at this time, and imputed it in a great measure to the Revolution. voice, having come nearer to me, while his "Sir, (said he, in a low old prejudices seemed to be fomenting in his mind,) this Hanoverian family is isolée here. They have no friends. Now the Stuarts had friends, who stuck by them so late as 1745. When the right of the King is not reverenced, there will not be reve rence for those appointed by the King." His observation that the present royal family has no friends, has been too much justi fied by the very ungrateful behaviour of many who were under great obligations to his Majesty; at the same time, there are honourable exceptions: and the very next year after this conversation, and ever since, the King has had as extensive and generous support as ever was given to any monarch, and has had the satisfaction of knowing that he was more and more endeared to his people. He repeated to me his verses on Mr. Levett, with an emotion which gave them full effect; and then he was pleased to say, "You must be as much with me as you can. You Had he in his early life been in Scotland, | corrupt influence, instead of the inherent and seen the worthy, sensible, independent right in the King." JOHNSON: "Sir, the gentlemen, who live rationally and hospita- want of inherent right in the King occasions bly at home, he never could have enter- all this disturbance. What we did at the tained such unfavourable and unjust no- Revolution was necessary: but it broke our tions of his fellow-subjects. And accord- constitution." OGLETHORHE: "My faingly we find, that when he did visit Scot- ther did not think it necessary." land, in the latter period of his life, he was fully sensible of all that it deserved, as I have already pointed out, when speaking of his "Journey to the Western Islands.' Next day, Saturday, March 22, I found him still at Mrs. Thrale's, but he told me that he was to go to his own house in the afternoon. He was better, but I perceived he was an unruly patient; for Sir Lucas Pepys, who visited him, while I was with him, said, "If you were tractable, Sir, I should prescribe for you.” I related to him a remark which a respectable friend had made to me, upon the then state of Government, when those who had been long in opposition had attained to Dower, as it was supposed, against the inclination of the Sovereign. 66 You need not be uneasy (said this gentleman) about the King. He laughs at them all; he plays them one against another." JOHNSON: • Don't think so, Sir. The King is as much ppressed as a man can be. If he plays nem one against another, he wins nothing." I had paid a visit to General Oglethorpe a the morning, and was told by him that Dr. Johnson saw company on Saturday venings, and he would meet me at Johnon's that night. When I mentioned this Johnson, not doubting that it would please im, as he had a great value for Oglethorpe, de fretfulness of his disease unexpectedly ewed itself; his anger suddenly kindled, id he said, with vehemence, " Did not you ll him not to come? Am I to be hunted in ..is manner?" I satisfied him that I could t divine that the visit would not be conenient, and that I certainly could not take upon me of my own accord to forbid the eneral. I found Dr. Johnson in the evening in rs. Williams's room, at tea and coffee with r and Mrs. Desmoulins, who were also th ill; it was a sad scene, and he was not a very good humour. He said of a permance that had lately come out," Sir, if u should search all the madhouses in Engid, you would not find ten men who would ite so, and think it sense." I was glad when General Oglethorpe's rival was announced, and we left the la28. Dr. Johnson attended him in the rlour, and was as courteous as ever. The eneral said, he was busy reading the wrirs of the middle age. Johnson said they ere very curious. OGLETHORPE: "The ouse of Commons has usurped the power the nation's money, and used it tyranni1ly. Government is now carried on by On Sunday, March 23, I breakfasted with Dr. Johnson, who seemed much relieved, having taken opium the night before. He, however, protested against it, as a remedy that should be given with the utmost reluc tance, and only in extreme necessity. I mentioned how commonly it was used in Turkey, and that therefore it could not be so pernicious as he apprehended. He grew warm, and said, "Turks take opium, and Christians take opium; but Russel, in his account of Aleppo, tells us, that it is as disgraceful in Turkey to take too much opium, as it is with us to get drunk. Sir, it is amazing how things are exaggerated. A gentleman was lately telling in a company where I was present, that in France as soon as a man of fashion marries, he takes an opera girl into keeping; and this he mentioned as a general custom. Pray, Sir, (said I,) how many opera girls may there be? He answered, About fourscore.' 'Well then, Sir (said I,) you see there can be no more than fourscore men of fashion who can do this."" Mrs. Desmoulins made tea; and she and I talked before him upon a topic which he had once borne patiently from me when we were by ourselves,—his not complaining of the world, because he was not called to some great office, nor had attained to great wealth. He flew into a violent passion, I confess with some justice, and commanded us to have done. Nobody (said he,) has a right to talk in this manner, to bring before a man his own character, and the events of his life, when he does not choose it should be done. I never have sought the world; the world was not to seek me. It is rather wonderful that so much has beendone for me. All the complaints which are made of the world are unjust. I never knew a man of merit neglected: it was generally by his own fault that he failed of success. A man may hide his head in a hole: he may go into the country, and publish a book now and then, which nobody reads, and then complain he is neglected. There is no reason why any person should exert himsel. for a man who has written a good book: he has not written it for any individual. I may as well make a present to a postman I have, in my "Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides," fully expressed my sentiments upon this subject. The Revolution was necessary, but not a subject for glory; because it for a long time blasted the generous feelings of Loyalty. And now, when by the benignant effect of time the present Royal Family are established in our affections, how unwise is it to revive by celebrations the memory of a shock, which it would surely have been better that our constitution had not required. who brings me a letter. When patronage was limited, an author expected to find a Mæcenas, and complained if he did not find one. Why should he complain? This Maecenas has others as good as he, or others who have got the start of him." BOSWELL: "But surely, Sir, you will allow, that there are men of merit at the bar, who never get practice." JOHNSON: "Sir, you are sure that practice is got from an opinion that the person employed deserves it best; so that if a man of merit at the bar does not get practice, it is from error, not from injustice He is not neglected. A horse that is brought to market may not be bought, though he is a very good horse: but that is from ignorance, not from intention." In the evening I came to him again. He was somewhat fretful from his illness. A gentleman asked him whether he had been abroad to-day. "Don't talk so childishly (said he.) You may as well ask if I hanged myselfto-day." I mentioned politics. JOHNSON: "Sir, I'd as soon have a man to break my bones as talk to me of public affairs, internal or external. I have lived to see things all as bad as they can be." Having mentioned his friend, the second Lord Southwell, he said, "Lord Southwell was the highest bred man without insolence, that I ever was in company with; the most qualitied I ever saw. Lord Orrery was not dignified; Lord Chesterfield was, but he was insolent. Lord ********* is a man of coarse manners, but a man of abilities and information. I don't say he is a man I would set at the head of a nation, though perhaps he may be as good as the next prime Minister that comes; but he is a man to be at the head of a Club;-I don't say eur CLUB for there's no such Club." BosWELL; "But, Sir, was he not once a factious man?" JOHNSON: "O yes, Sir; as factious a fellow as could be found; one who was for sinking us all into the mob." BosWELL: "How then, Sir, did he get into favour with the King?" JOHNSON: "Because, Sir, I suppose he promised the King to do whatever the King pleased." There was in this discourse much novelty, ingenuity, and discrimination, such as is seldom to be found. Yet I cannot help thinking that men of merit, who have no success in life, may be forgiven for lamenting, if they are not allowed to complain. They may consider it as hard that their merit should not have its suitable distinction. Though there is no intentional injustice towards them on the part of the world, their merit not having been perceived, they may yet repine against fortune or fate, or by whatever name they choose to call the supposed mythological power of Destiny. It has, however, occured to me as a consolatory thought, that men of merit should consider He said, "Goldsmith's blundering speech thus: How much harder would it be, if to Lord Shelburne, which has been so often the same persons had both all the merit and mentioned, and which he really did make to all the prosperity. Would not this be a mi- him, was only a blunder in emphasis :-'[ serable distribution for the poor dunces? wonder they should call your lordship MaWould men of merit exchange their intel- lagrida, for Malagrida was a very good man ;' lectual superiority, and the enjoyments aris-meant, I wonder they should use Meing from it, for external distinction and the lagrida as a term of reproach." pleasures of wealth? If they would not, let them not envy others, who are poor where they are rich, a compensation which is made to them. Let them look inwards and be satisfied; recollecting with conscious pride what Virgil finely says of Corycius Senex, and which I have, in another place, with truth and sincerity applied to Mr. Burke: "Regum æquabat opes animis." On the subject of the right employment of wealth, Johnson observed, "A man cannot make a bad use of his money, so far as regards society, if he do not hoard it; for if he either spends it or lends it out, society has the benefit. It is in general better to spend money than to give it away; for industry is more promoted by spending money than by giving it away. A man who spends his money is sure he is doing good with it: he is not sure when he gives it away. A man who spends ten thousand a year will do more good than a man who spends two thousand and gives away eight." Letter to the People of Scotland against the attempt to diminish the number of the Lords of Session, 1785. Soon after this time I had an opportunity of seeing, by means of one of his friends, proof that his talents, as well as his obliging service to authors, were ready as ever. He had revised "The Village," an admirable poem, by the Reverend Mr. Crabbe. Its sentiments as to the false notions of rustic happiness and rustic virtue, were quite congenial with his own; and he had taken the trouble not only to suggest slight correc tions and variations, but to furnish some lines, when he thought he could give the writer's meaning better than in the words of the manuscript.+ I shall give an instance, marking the original br | nobody to whom he is to account. You won't eat less beef to-day, because you have written down what it cost yesterday." ̧ I mentioned another lady who thought as he did, so that her husband could not get her to keep an account of the expense of the family, as she thought it enough that she never exceeded the sum allowed her. JOHNSON: "Sir, it is fit she should keep an account, On Sunday, March 30, I found him at home in the evening, and had the pleasure to meet with Dr. Brocklesby, whose reading, and knowledge of life, and good spirits, supply him with a never-failing source of conversation. He mentioned a respectable gentleman, who became extremely penurious near the close of his life. Johnson said there must have been a degree of madness about him. "Not at all, Sir, (said Dr. Brock-because her husband wishes it; but I do not lesby) his judgment was entire." Unluckily, however, he mentioned that, although he had a fortune of twenty-seven thousand pounds, he denied himself many comforts, from an apprehension that he could not afford them. "Nay, Sir, (cried Johnson) when the judgment is so disturbed that a man cannot count, that is pretty well." I shall here insert a few of Johnson's sayings, without the formality of dates, as they have no reference to any particular time or place. "The more a man extends and varies his acquaintance the better." This, however, was meant with a just restriction; for he, on another occasion, said to me, "Sir, a man may be so much of every thing, that he is nothing of any thing." "Raising the wages of day-labourers is wrong; for it does not make them live better, but only makes them idler, and idleness is a very bad thing for human nature." "It is a very good custom to keep a journal for a man's own use; he may write upon a card a day all that is necessary to be written, after he has had experience of life. At first there is a great deal to be written, because there is a great deal of novelty; but when once a man has settled his opinions, there is seldom much to be set down." "There is nothing wonderful in the Jour. nal which we see Swift kept in London, for it contains slight topics, and it might soon be written." I praised the accuracy of an 23OHNSON: of a lady whom "Keening counts, Sir, is of no use when a man is spending his own money, and has iminished. I must, however, observe, that the aids he gave to this poem, as to "The Traveller" and "Deserted Village of Goldsmith, were so small as by no means to impair the distinguishing merit of the author. [In his Life of Swift, he thus speaks of this Journal: In the midst of his power and his politics, he kept a Cournal of his visits, his walks, his interviews with ministers, and quarrels with his servant, and transmitted it to Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Dingley, to whom he knew that whatever befel him was interesting, and no account could be too minute. Whether these diurnal trifles were properly exposed to eyes which had never received any pleasure from the Dean, may be reasonably doubted: they have, however, some odd attractions: the reader finding frequent mention of names which he has been used to consider as important, goes on in hope of information; and as there is nothing to fatigue attention, if he is disappointed, he can hardly complain." 1t may be added, that the reader not only hopes to find, but does find, in this very entertaining Journal, much curious information respecting persons and things, which he will in vain seek for in other books of the same period. M.] see its use." I maintained that keeping an account had this advantage, that it satisfies a man that his money has not been lost or stolen which he might sometimes be apt to imagine, were there no written state of his expense; and besides, a calculation of economy so as not to exceed one's income, cannot be made without a view of the different articles in figures, that one may see how to retrench in some particulars less necessary than others. This he did not attempt to answer. Talking of an acquaintance of ours, whose narratives, which abounded in curious and interesting topics, were unhappily found to be very fabulous; I mentioned Lord Mansfield's having said to me," Suppose we believe one half of what he tells." JOHNSON: "Ay; but we don't know which half to believe. By his lying we lose not only our reverence for him, but all comfort in his conversation." BosWELL: "May we not take it as amusing fiction?" JOHNSON: "Sir, the misfortune is, that you will insensibly believe as much of it as you incline to believe." It is remarkable, that, notwithstanding their congeniality in politics, he never was acquainted with a late eminent noble judge, whom I have heard speak of him as a writer, with great respect. Johnson, I know not upon what degree of investigation, entertain ed no exalted opinion of his Lords with how lectual character. Tall day, he saideriority of mind men can make dir eminent figure in public life." He expressed himself to the same purpose concerring another law-lord, who, it seems, once took a fancy to associate with the wits of London; but with so little success, that Foote said, "What can he mean by coming among us? He is not only dull himself, but the cause of dullness in others." Trying him by the test of his colloquial powers, Johnson had found He once said to Sir him very defective. Joshua Reynolds, "This man now has been ten years about town, and has made nothing of it; meaning as a companion. + He said to me, "I never heard any thing from him in company that was at all striking; and depend upon it, Sir, it is when you come Knowing as well as I do what precision and elegance of oratory his Lordship can display, I cannot but suspect that his unfavourable appearance in a social circle, which drew such animadversions upon him, must be owing to a cold affectation of consequence, from being reserved and stiff. If it be so, and he might be an agreeable man if he would, we cannot be sorry that he misses his aim, |