CHAPTER XX. 1765-1767. Boswell's Thesis Study of the Law. - Rash Streatham. Oxford. · London ImDedications. Mrs. Williams's Vows. provements. Miscellanies. Mr. Willium Drummond. lation of the Bible into the Gaelic. Heeley. Dr. Robertson. Cuthbert Shaw. "Tom Hervey."-Johnson's Interview with George III. Visit to Lichfield. Death of Catherine Chambers. Lexiphanes. Mrs. Aston. AFTER I had been some time in Scotland, I mentioned to him in a letter that "On my first return to my native country, after some years of absence, I was told of a vast number of my acquaintance who were all gone to the land of forgetfulness, and I found myself like a man stalking over a field of battle, who every moment perceives some one lying dead." I complained of irresolution, and mentioned my having made a vow as a security for good conduct. I wrote to him again without being able to move his indolence: nor did I hear from him till he had received a copy of my inaugural Exercise, or Thesis in Civil Law, which I published at my admission as an Advocate, as is the custom in Scotland. He then wrote to me as follows: DEAR SIR,— The reception of your Thesis put me in mind of my debt to you. Why did you I will punish you for it, by telling you that your Latin wants correction. In the beginning, Spei altere, not to urge that it should be prima, is not grammatical; altere should be alteri. In the next line you seem to use genus absolutely, for what we call family, that is, for illustrious extraction, I doubt without authority. Homines nullius originis, for nullis orti majoribus, or nullo loco nati, is, as I am afraid, barbarous. — Ruddiman is dead.3 "I have now vexed you enough, and will try to please you. Your resolution to obey your father I sincerely approve; but do not accustom yourself to enchain your volatility by vows; they will sometime leave a thorn in your mind, which you will, perhaps, never be able to extract or eject. Take this warning; it is of great importance. 1 The passage omitted alluded to a private transaction.BOSWELL. 2 This censure of my Latin relates to the dedication, which was as follows:-" Viro nobilissimo, ornatissimo, Joanni, Vicecomiti Mountstuart, atavis edito regibus, excelsæ familiæ de Bute spei altera; labente seculo, quum homines nullius originis genus æquare opibus aggrediuntur, sanguinis antiqui et illustris semper memori, natalium splendorem virtutibus augenti: ad publica populi comitia jam legato; in optimatium vero Magna Britanniæ senatu, jure hæreditario, olim consessuro: vim insitam variâ doctrinâ promovente, nec tamen se venditante, prædito: priscå fide, animo liberrimo, et morum elegantiâ insigni: in Italiæ visitandæ itinere socio suo honoratissimo: hasce jurisprudentiæ primitias, devinctissimæ amicitiæ et observantiæ, monumentum, D. D. C. Q. Jacobus Boswell." BOSWELL. "You ought to think it no small inducement to diligence and perseverance, that they will please your father. We all live upon the hope of pleasing somebody, and the pleasure of pleasing ought to be greatest, and at last always will be greatest, when our endeavours are exerted in consequence of our duty. "Life is not long, and too much of it must not pass in idle deliberation how it shall be spent: deliberation which those who begin it by prudence, and continue it with subtilty, must, after long expense of thought, conclude by chance. To prefer requires faculties which it has not pleased our one future mode of life to another, upon just reasons, Creator to give us. "If, therefore, the profession you have chosen has some unexpected inconveniences, console yourself by reflecting that no profession is without them; and that all the importunities and perplexities of business are softness and luxury, compared with the incessant cravings of vacancy, and the unsatisfactory expedients of idleness. Hæc sunt quæ nostrâ potui te voce monere; "As to your History of Corsica, you have no materials which others have not, or may not have. nation. You have, somehow or other, warmed your imagiI wish there were some cure, like the lover's leap, for all heads of which some single idea has obtained an unreasonable and irregular possession. Mind your own affairs, and leave the Corsicans to theirs. I am, dear Sir, your most humble servant, SAM. JOHNSON." 3 He says Ruddiman (a great grammarian) is dead — as in former days it was said that Priscian's head was broken. Ruddiman, who was born in 1674, had died in 1757.CROKER. 4 This alludes to the first sentence of the Prooemium of my Thesis. "Jurisprudentiæ studio nullum uberius, nullum generosius: in legibus enim agitandis, populorum mores, variasque fortunæ vices ex quibus leges oriuntur, contemplari simul solemus."- BOSWELL. Hæc sunt quæ nostra liceat te voce monere ; These are the counsels that my voice may give ; 6 The passage omitted explained the transaction to which the preceding letter had alluded. - BOSWELL. 'Et juxta Ascanius, magnæ spes altera Romæ.'1 "You think altera ungrammatical, and tell me it should have been alteri. You must recollect, that in old times alter was declined regularly; and when the ancient fragments preserved in the Juris Civilis Fontes were written, it was certainly declined in the way that I use it. This, I should think, may protect a lawyer who writes altera in a dissertation upon part of his own science. But as I could hardly venture to quote fragments of old law to so classical a man as Mr. Johnson, I have not made an accurate search into these remains, to find examples of what I am able to produce in poetical composition. We find in Plaut. Rudens, act iii. scene 4. 1 It is very strange that Johnson, who in his letter quotes the Eneid, should not have recollected this obvious and decisive authority for spes altera, nor yet the remarkable use of these words, attributed to Cicero, by Servius and Donatus: the expressions of the latter are conclusive in Mr. Boswell's favour: At cum Cicero quosdam versus (Virgilii) audisset, in fine ait: Magnæ spes altera Romæ.'- Quasi ipse linguæ Latina spes prima fuisset, et Maro futurus esset secunda." Donat. vit. Vir. § 41. — CROKER. 2 See antè, p. 123. C. 3 Mrs. Piozzi says, "In the year 1766, Mr. Johnson's health grew so bad, that he could not stir out of his room, in the court he inhabited, for many weeks together I think months. Mr. Thrale's attentions and my own now became so acceptable to him, that he often lamented to us the horrible condition of his mind, which he said was nearly dis "You doubt my having authority for using genus absolutely, for what we call family, that is, for illustrious extraction. Now I take genus in Latin to have much the same signification with birth in English; both in their primary meaning expressing simply descent, but both made to stand Kar' oxny for noble descent. Genus is thus used in Hor. lib. ii. Sat. v. 1. 8. Et genus et virtus, nisi cum re, vilior algâ est.' And in lib. i. Epist. vi. 1. 37. Nascetur pulchrâ Trojanus origine Cæsar: ' and in Æneid x. 1. 618. 'Ille tamen nostrâ deducit origine nomen. and as nullus is used for obscure, is it not in the genius of the Latin language to write nullius originis, for obscure extraction? "I have defended myself as well as I could. 66 Might I venture to differ from you with regard to the utility of vows? I am sensible that it would be very dangerous to make vows rashly, and without a due consideration. But I cannot help thinking that they may often be of great advantage to one of a variable judgment and irregular inclinations. I always remember a passage in one of your letters to our Italian friend Baretti; where, talking of the monastic life, you say you do not wonder that serious men should put themselves under the protection of a religious order, when they have found how unable they are to take care of themselves. For my own part, without affecting to be a Socrates, I am sure I have a more than ordinary struggle to maintain with the Evil Principle; and all the methods I can devise are little enough to keep me tolerably steady in the paths of rectitude. "I am ever, with the highest veneration, your affectionate humble servant, "JAMES BOSWELL. It appears from Johnson's diary, that he was this year at Mr. Thrale's 3, from before Mid tracted; and though he charged us to make him odd solemn promises of secrecy on so strange a subject, yet when we waited on him one morning, and heard him, in the most pathetic terms, beg the prayers of Dr. Delap [Rector of Lewes], who had left him as we came in, I felt excessively affected with grief, and well remember that my husband involuntarily lifted up one hand to shut his mouth, from provocation at hearing a man so wildly proclaim what he could at last persuade no one to believe, and what, if true, would have been so very unfit to reveal Mr. Thrale went away soon after, leaving me with him, and bidding me prevail on him to quit his close habitation in the court and come with us to Streatham, where I undertook the care of his health, and had the honour and happiness of contributing to its restoration." -CROKER. He published nothing this year in his own name; but the noble Dedication* to the King, of Gwyn's "Lordon and Westminster Improved," was written by him; and he furnished the Preface,† and several of the pieces, which compose a volume of Miscellanies by Mrs. Anna Williams, the blind lady who had an asylum in his house. Of these, there are 3 his " Epitaph on Philips, "Translation of a Latin Epitaph on Sir Thomas Hanmer;"† "Friendship, an Ode;" and, "The Ant,' a paraphrase from the Proverbs, of which I have a copy in his own handwriting; and, from internal evidence, I ascribe to him, "To Miss —, on her giving the Author a gold and silk network Purse of her own weaving;"† and "The happy Life." -Most of the pieces in this volume have evidently received additions from his superior pen, particularly "Verses to Mr. Richardson, on his Sir Charles Grandison;" "The Excursion;" "Reflections on a Grave digging in Westminster Abbey." There is in this collection a poem, "On the death of Stephen Grey, the Electrician;"* which, on reading it, appeared to me to be undoubtedly Johnson's. I asked Mrs. Williams whether it was not his. Sir," said she, with some warmth, "I wrote that poem before I had the honour of Dr. Johnson's acquaintance." I, however, was so much impressed with my first notion, that I mentioned it to Johnson, repeating, at the same time, what Mrs. Williams had said. His answer was, "It is true, Sir, that she wrote it before she was acquainted with me; but she has not told you that I wrote it all over again, except two lines." "The Fountains," a beautiful little Fairy tale in prose, written with exquisite simplicity, is one of Johnson's productions; and I cannot withhold from Mrs. Thrale the praise of being the 66 1 In this work Mr. Gwyn proposed the principle, and in many instances the details, of the most important improvements which have been made in the metropolis in our day. A bridge near Somerset House a great street from the Haymarket to the New Road -the improvement of the interior of St. James's Park quays along the Thames — new approaches to London Bridge - the removal of Smithfield market, and several other suggestions on which we pride ourselves as original designs of our own times, are all to be found in Mr. Gwyn's able and curious work. It is singular, that he denounced a row of houses then building in Pimlico, as intolerable nuisances to Buckingham Palace, and of these very houses the public voice now calls for the destruction. Gwyn had, what Lord Chatham called," the prophetic eye of taste."- CROKER. 2 The following account of this publication was given by Lady Knight (see antè, p. 24. and 74.). "As to her poems, she many years attempted to publish them, the half-crowns she had got towards the publication, she confessed to me, went for necessaries, and that the greatest pain she ever felt was from the appearance of defrauding her subscribers: " but what can I do the Doctor [Johnson] always puts me off with Well, we'll think about it; and Goldsmith says, Leave it to me.'" However, two of her friends, under her directions, made a new subscription at a crown, the whole price of the work, and in a very little time raised sixty pounds. Mrs. Carter author of that admirable poem, Warnings. "The Three He wrote this year a letter, not intended for publication, which has, perhaps, as strong marks of his sentiment and style, as any of his compositions. The original is in my possession. It is addressed to the late Mr. William Drummond, bookseller in Edinburgh, a gentleman of good family, but small estate, who took arms for the house of Stuart in 1745; and during his concealment in London till the act of general pardon came out, obtained the acquaintance of Dr. Johnson, who justly esteemed him as a very worthy man. It seems some of the members of the Society in Scotland for propagating Christian knowledge had opposed the scheme of translating the Holy Scriptures into the Erse or Gaelic language, from political considerations of the disadvantage of keeping up the distinction between the Highlanders and the other inhabitants of North Britain. Dr. Johnson being informed of this, I suppose by Mr. Drummond, wrote with a generous indignation as follows: JOHNSON TO WILLIAM DRUMMOND. "Johnson's Court, Fleet Street, Aug. 13. 1766. "SIR, I did not expect to hear that it could be, in an assembly convened for the propagation of Christian knowledge, a question whether any nation uninstructed in religion should receive instruction ; or whether that instruction should be imparted to them by a translation of the holy books into their own language. If obedience to the will of God be necessary to happiness, and knowledge of his will be necessary to obedience, I know not how he that withholds this knowledge, or delays it, can be said to love his neighbour as himself. tarily continues ignorance is guilty of all the crimes which ignorance produces; as to him that should extinguish the tapers of a light-house, might justly be imputed the calamities of shipwrecks. Christianity is the highest perfection of humanity; and as no man is good but as he wishes the good of others, no man can be good in the highest degree, who wishes not to others the largest measures of the greatest good. To omit for a year, or for He that volun was applied to by Mrs. Williams's desire, and she, with the utmost activity and kindness, procured a long list of names. At length the work was published, in which is a fine written but gloomy [fairy] tale of Dr. Johnson. The money (1507.) Mrs. Williams had various uses for, and a part of it was funded."- MALONE. 3 See antè, p. 54., where it is shown that the " Verses on the Purse" are by Hawkesworth. It is strange that Boswell should there state his belief that both the Latin epitaph on Hanmer and its translation were Johnson's, when it appears on the face of Mrs. Williams's volume, that it (I presume the Latin) was "written by Dr. Friend," who was celebrated for this species of composition.- CROKER, 1831-1846. 4 These lines record a memorable fact which I have not seen elsewhere noticed. Miss Williams, it seems, in her earlier life, had been an assistant to Gray in his electrical experiments, and mention is made of the electric flame: "The flame which first, weak pupil of thy lore, To which is appended a note, saying, "The publisher of this Miscellany, as she was assisting Mr. Gray in his experiments, was the first that observed and notified the emission of the electric spark from the human body. Misc. p. 42.-CROKER, 1846. a day, the most efficacious method of advancing Christianity, in compliance with any purposes that terminate on this side of the grave, is a crime of which I know not that the world has yet had an example, except in the practice of the planters of America, -a race of mortals whom, I suppose, no other man wishes to resemble. "The Papists have, indeed, denied to the laity the use of the Bible; but this prohibition, in few places now very rigorously enforced, is defended by arguments, which have for their foundation the care of souls. To obscure, upon motives merely political, the light of revelation, is a practice reserved for the reformed; and, surely, the blackest midnight of popery is meridian sunshine to such a reformation. I am not very willing that any language should be totally extinguished. The similitude and derivation of languages afford the most indubitable proof of the traduction of nations, and the genealogy of mankind. They add often physical certainty to historical evidence; and often supply the only evidence of ancient migrations, and of the revolutions of ages which left no written monuments behind them. · Every man's opinions, at least his desires, are a little influenced by his favourite studies. My zeal for languages may seem, perhaps, rather over-heated, even to those by whom I desire to be well esteemed. To those who have nothing in their thoughts but trade or policy, present power, or present money, I should not think it necessary to defeud my opinions; but with men of letters I would not unwillingly compound, by wishing the continuance of every language, however narrow in its extent, or however incommodious for common purposes, till it is reposited in some version of a known book, that it may be always hereafter examined and compared with other languages, and then permitting its disuse. For this purpose, the translation of the Bible is most to be desired. It is not certain that the same method will not preserve the Highland language, for the purposes of learning, and abolish it from daily use. When the Highlanders read the Bible, they will naturally wish to have its obscurities cleared, and to know the history, collateral or appendant. Knowledge always desires increase it is like fire, which must first be kindled by some external agent, but which will afterwards propagate itself. When they once desire to learn, they will naturally have recourse to the nearest language by which that desire can be gratified; and one will tell another, that if he would attain knowledge, he must learn English. : "This speculation may, perhaps, be thought more subtle than the grossness of real life will easily admit. Let it, however, be remembered, that the efficacy of ignorance has long been tried, and has not produced the consequence expected. Let know ledge, therefore, take its turn; and let the patrons of privation stand awhile aside, and admit the operation of positive principles. "You will be pleased, Sir, to assure the worthy man who is employed in the new translation', that he has my wishes for his success; and if here or at Oxford I can be of any use, that I shall think it more than honour to promote his undertaking. "I am sorry that I delayed so long to write. I am, Sir, your most humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON." The opponents of this pious scheme being made ashamed of their conduct, the benevolent undertaking was allowed to go on. till the year after, being chiefly upon the same The following letters, though not written subject, are here inserted. JOHNSON TO DRUMMOND. "Johnson's Court, Fleet Street, April 21. 1767. "DEAR SIR, — That my letter should have had such effects as you mention, gives me great pleasure. I hope you do not flatter me by imputing to me more good than I have really done. whom my arguments have persuaded to change their opinion, show such modesty and candour as deserve great praise. Those "I hope the worthy translator goes diligently forward. He has a higher reward in prospect than any honours which this world can bestow. I wish I could be useful to him. "The publication of my letter, if it could be of use in a cause to which all other causes are nothing, I should not prohibit. But first, I would have you to consider whether the publication will really do any good; next, whether by printing and distributing a very small number, you may not attain all that you propose; and, what perhaps I should have said first, whether the letter, which I do not now perfectly remember, be fit to be printed. If you can consult Dr. Robertson, to whom I am a little known, I shall be satisfied about the propriety of whatever he shall direct. If he thinks that it should be printed, I entreat him to revise it; there may, perhaps, be some negligent lines written, and whatever is amiss, he knows very well how to rectify. Be pleased to let me know, from time to time, how this excellent design goes forward. "Make my compliments to young Mr. Drummond, whom I hope you will live to see such as you desire him. I have not lately seen Mr. Elphinston, but believe him to be prosperous. I shall be glad to hear the same of you, for I am, Sir, your affectionate humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON." 1 The Rev. Mr. John Campbell, minister of the parish of Kippen, near Stirling, who has lately favoured me with a long, intelligent, and very obliging letter upon this work, makes the following remark: Dr. Johnson has alluded to the worthy man employed in the translation of the New Testament. Might not this have afforded you an opportunity of paying a proper tribute of respect to the memory of the Rev. Mr. James Stuart, late minister of Killin, distinguished by his eminent piety, learning, and taste? The amiable simplicity of his life, his warm benevolence, his indefatigable and successful exertions for civilising and improving the parish of which he was minister for upwards of fifty years, เ entitle him to the gratitude of his country, and the veneration of all good men. It certainly would be a pity, if such a character should be permitted to sink into oblivion."BOSWELL. 2 This paragraph shows Johnson's real estimation of the character and abilities of the celebrated Scottish Historian, however lightly, in a moment of caprice, he may have spoken of his works. BOSWELL. He seems never to have spoken otherwise than slightingly of Dr. Robertson's works, however he may have respected both his general character and his judgment on this particular subject. See post, April 19. 1772, April 30. 1773, &c. - CROKER. JOHNSON TO DRUMMOND. "Johnson's Court, Fleet Street, Oct. 24. 1767. "SIR, I returned this week from the country, after an absence of near six months, and found your letter with many others, which I should have answered sooner, if I had sooner seen them. "Dr. Robertson's opinion was surely right. Men should not be told of the faults which they have mended. I am glad the old language is taught, and honour the translator, as a man whom God has distinguished by the high office of propagating his word. "I must take the liberty of engaging you in an office of charity. Mrs. Heely, the wife of Mr. Heely, who had lately some office in your theatre, is my near relation, and now in great distress. They wrote me word of their situation some time ago, to which I returned them an answer which raised hopes of more than it is proper for me to give them. Their representation of their affairs I have discovered to be such as cannot be trusted; and at this distance, though their case requires haste, I know not how to act. She, or her daughters, may be heard of at Canongate head. I must beg, Sir, that you will enquire after them, and let me know what is to be done. I am willing to go to ten pounds, and will transmit you such a sum, if upon examination you find it likely to be of use. If they are in immediate want, advance them what you think proper. What I could do I would do for the woman, having no great reason to pay much regard to Heely himself.1 "I believe you may receive some intelligence from Mrs. Baker of the theatre, whose letter I received at the same time with yours; and to whom, if you see her, you will make my excuse for the seeming neglect of answering her. "Whatever you advance within ten pounds shall be immediately returned to you, or paid as you shall order. I trust wholly to your judgment. I am, Sir, &c., SAM. JOHNSON." Mr. Cuthbert Shaw 2, alike distinguished by his genius, misfortunes, and misconduct, published this year a poem, called "The Race, by Mercurius Spur, Esq.," in which he whimsically made the living poets of England contend for pre-eminence of fame by running: "Prove by their heels the prowess of the head." In this poem there was the following portrait of Johnson. 1 This is the person concerning whom Sir John Hawkins has thrown out very unwarrantable reflections both against Dr. Johnson and Mr. Francis Barber.- BOSWELL. Hawkins wished to persuade the world that Dr. Johnson acted unjustifiably in the disposal of his property, in preferring Barber to this man, whom Sir John and his daughter, in her Memoirs, with a most surprising disregard of truth, call Johnson's relation, but who, in fact, had only married his relation. She was dead, and Heeley had married another woman, at the time when Hawkins affected to think that he had claims to be Dr. Johnson's heir. We see that so early as seventeen years before his death Johnson expressed a marked disregard for Heely himself. See post, sub Oct. 20. and Dec. 1784, the probable motive of Hawkins's misstatement.-CROKER. * See an account of him in the European Magazine, January 1786. - BOSWELL. Cuthbert Shaw was born in 1738 or 1739, and died, overloaded with complicated distress, in Titchfield Street, Oxford Market, Sept. 1. 1771.-WRIGHT. His rigid morals stamp'd upon his face; having unhappily disagreed, and being about The Hon. Thomas Hervey and his lady to separate, Johnson interfered as their friend, and wrote him a letter of expostulation, which I have not been able to find; but the substance of it is ascertained by a letter to Johnson in answer to it, which Mr. Hervey printed. The occasion of this correspondence between Dr. Johnson and Mr. Hervey was thus related to me by Mr. Beauclerk. "Tom Hervey had a great liking for Johnson, and in his will had left him a legacy of fifty pounds. One day he said to me, Johnson may want this money now, more than afterwards. I have a mind to give it him directly. Will you be so good as to carry a fifty pound note from me to him?' This I positively refused to do, as he might, perhaps, have knocked me down for insulting him, and have afterwards put the note in his pocket. But I said, if Hervey would write him a letter, and enclose a fifty pound note, I should take care to deliver it. He accordingly did write him a letter, mentioning that he was letter he added, P.S. I am going to part with only paying a legacy a little sooner. To his my wife.' Johnson then wrote to him, saying nothing of the note, but remonstrating with him against parting with his wife." When I mentioned to Johnson this story, in as delicate terms as I could, he told me that the fifty pound note was given to him by Mr. 3 The Hon. Thomas Hervey, whose "Letter to Sir Thomas Hanmer" in 1742, was much read at that time. He was the second son of John, first Earl of Bristol, and one of the brothers of Johnson's early friend, Henry Hervey. He [was born in 1698,] married, in 1744, Anne, daughter of Francis Coughlan, Esq., and died Jan. 20. 1775.- MALONE. 4 This is not inconsistent with Mr. Beauclerk's account. It may have been in consideration of this pamphlet that Hervey left Johnson the fifty pounds in his will, and on second thoughts he may have determined to send it to him. It were, however, to be wished, that the story had stood on its original ground. The acceptance of an anticipated legacy from a friend would have had nothing objectionable in it; but can so much be said for the employment of one's pen for hire, in the disgusting_squabbles of so mischievous and profligate a madman as Mr. Thomas Hervey?"He was well known,' says the gentle biographer of the Peerage (Sir Egerton Brydges), "for his genius and eccentricities." The Letter to Sir Thomas Hanmer, above mentioned, was the first |