money I shall send you, for bearing the expense of the affair; and I will take care that you may have it ready at your hand.

'I had lately the favour of a letter from your brother, with some account of poor Collins, for whom I am much concerned. I have a notion, that by very great temperance, or more properly abstinence, he may yet recover.

'There is an old English and Latin book of poems by Barclay, called The Ship of Fools; at the end of which are a number of Eglogues; so he writes it, from Egloga, which are probably the first in our language. If you cannot find the book, I will get Mr. Dodsley to send it you.

'I shall be extremely glad to hear from you again, to know if the affair proceeds. I have mentioned it to none of my friends, for fear of being laughed at for my disappointment.

'You know poor Mr. Dodsley has lost his wife; I believe he is much affected. I hope he will not suffer so much as I yet suffer for the loss of mine.

Οἱ μοι· τί δ' οἵ μοι ; θνητά τοι πεπόνθαμεν.2

I have ever since seemed to myself broken off from mankind; a kind of solitary wanderer in the wild of life, without any direction or fixed point of view: a gloomy gazer on the world to which I have little relation. Yet I would endeavour, by the help of you and your brother, to supply the want of closer union by friendship: and hope to have long the pleasure of being, dear sir, most affectionately yours, SAM. JOHNSON. '[London,] Dec. 21, 1754.'

In 1755 we behold him to great advantage; his degree of Master of Arts conferred upon him, his Dictionary published, his correspondence animated, his benevolence exercised.

TO THE REV. MR. THOMAS WARTON

'DEAR SIR,-I wrote to you some weeks ago, but believe did not direct accurately, and therefore know not whether you

1' Of the degree at Oxford.'

2 [This verse is preserved by Suidas, from the Bellerophon of Euri pides.-CHARLES BURNEY.

'Alas! but wherefore alas !-mortal men are born to sorrow.'-A. B.J

had my letter. I would, likewise, write to your brother, but know not where to find him. I now begin to see land, after having wandered, according to Mr. Warburton's phrase, in this vast sea of words. What reception I shall meet with on the shore I know not; whether the sound 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 shall find upon the coast a Calypso that will court, or a Polypheme that will resist. But if Polypheme comes, have at his eye. I hope, however, the critics will let me be at peace; for though I do not much fear their skill and strength, I am a little afraid of myself, and would not willingly feel so much ill-will in my bosom as literary quarrels are apt to excite.

'Mr. Baretti is about a work for which he is in great want of Crescimbeni, which you may have again when you please. "There is nothing considerable done or doing among us here. We are not, perhaps, as innocent as villagers, but most of us seem to be as idle. I hope, however, you are busy; and should be glad to know what you are doing.—I am, dearest sir, your humble servant, SAM. JOHNSON.

'[London,] Feb. 4, 1755.'

TO THE SAME

'DEAR SIR,-I received your letter this day, with great sense of the favour that has been done me;1 for which I return my most sincere thanks: and entreat you to pay to Mr. Wise such returns as I ought to make for so much kindness so little deserved.

'I sent Mr. Wise the Lexicon, and afterwards wrote to him; but know not whether he had either the book or letter. Be so good as to contrive to inquire.

'But why does my dear Mr. Warton tell me nothing of himself? Where hangs the new volume ?? Can I help? Let not the past labour be lost for want of a little more: but snatch what time you can from the Hall, and the pupils, and

1 'His degree had now past, according to the usual form, the suffrages of the heads of colleges; but was not yet finally granted by the Uni versity. It was carried without a single dissentient voice.'

2 'On Spenser.'

the coffee-house, and the parks, and complete your design.I am, dear sir, etc., SAM. JOHNSON.

"[London,] Feb. 4, 1755.'

TO THE REV. MR, THOMAS WARTON

'DEAR SIR,-I had a letter last week from Mr. Wise, but have yet heard nothing from you, nor know in what state my affair1 stands; of which I beg you to inform me, if you can, to-morrow, by the return of the post.

'Mr. Wise sends me word that he has not had the Finnic Lexicon yet, which I sent some time ago; and if he has it not, you must inquire after it. However, do not let your letter stay for that.

'Your brother, who is a better correspondent than you, and not much better, sends me word that your pupils keep you in college: but do they keep you from writing too? Let them, at least, give you time to write to, dear sir, your most affectionate, etc., SAM. JOHNSON.

"[London], Feb. 13, 1755.'

TO THE SAME

'DEAR SIR,-Dr. King was with me a few minutes before your letter; this, however, is the first instance in which your kind intentions to me have ever been frustrated. I have now the full effect of your care and benevolence; and am far from thinking it a slight honour, or a small advantage; since it will put the enjoyment of your conversation more frequently in the power of, dear sir, your most obliged and affectionate, 'SAM. JOHNSON.

'P.S.-I have enclosed a letter to the Vice-Chancellor, which you will read; and if you like it, seal and give him. "[London,] Feb. 1755.'

1 'Of the degree.'

.༔ 'Principal of Saint Mary Hall at Oxford. He brought with him the diploma from Oxford.'

8 I suppose Johnson means that my kind intention of being the first to give him the good news of the degree being granted was frustrated, because Dr. King brought it before my intelligence arrived.'

4 'Dr. Huddesford, President of Trinity College'

As the public will doubtless be pleased to see the whole progress of this well-earned academical honour, I shall insert the Chancellor of Oxford's letter to the University, the diploma, and Johnson's letter of thanks to the Vice-Chancellor.

1

TO THE REVEREND DR. HUDDESFORD, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford; to be communicated to the Heads of Houses, and proposed in Con. vocation.

'MR. VICE-CHANCELLOR AND GENTLEMEN,-Mr. Samuel Johnson, who was formerly of Pembroke College, having very eminently distinguished himself by the publication of a series of essays, excellently calculated to form the manners of the people, and in which the cause of religion and morality is everywhere maintained by the strongest powers of argument and language; and who shortly intends to publish a Dictionary of the English tongue formed on a new plan, and executed with the greatest labour and judgment; I persuade myself that I shall act agreeable to the sentiments of the whole University in desiring that it may be proposed in convocation to confer on him the degree of Master of Arts by diploma, to which I readily give my consent; and am, Mr. Vice-Chancellor and Gentlemen, your affectionate friend and servant,

'Grosvenor Street, Feb. 4, 1755.'

'ARRAN.

Term. Seti

Hilarii.

1755.

'DIPLOMA MAGISTRI JOHNSON

'CANCELLARIUS, Magistri, et Scholares Universitatis Oxoniensis omnibus ad quos hoc præsens scriptum pervenerit, salutem in Domino sempiternam.

'Cum eum in finem gradus academici a majoribus nostris instituti fuerint, ut viri ingenio et doctrina præstantes titulis quoque præter cæteros insignirentur; cumque vir doctissimus

1 Extracted from the Convocation Register, Oxford.

Samuel Johnson e Collegio Pembrochiensi, scriptis suis popularium mores informantibus dudum literato orbi innotuerit; quin et linguæ patriæ tum ornandæ tum stabiliendæ (Lexicon scilicet Anglicanum summo studio, summo a se judicio congestum propediem editurus) etiam nunc utilissimam impendat operam; Nos igitur Cancellarius, Magistri, et Scholares antedicti, ne virum de literis humanioribus optime meritum diutius inhonoratum prætereamus, in solenni Convocatione Doctorum, Magistrorum, Regentium, et non Regentium, decimo die Mensis Februarii Anno Domini Millesimo Septingentesimo Quinquagesimo quinto habita, præfatum virum Samuelem Johnson (conspirantibus omnium suffragiis) Magistrum in Artibus renunciavimus et constituimus; eumque, virtute præsentis diplomatis, singulis juribus, privilegiis et honoribus ad istum gradum quaqua pertinentibus frui et guadere jussimus.

'In cujus rei testimonium sigillum Universitatis Oxoniensis præsentibus apponi fecimus.

'Datum in Domo nostræ Convocationis die 20° Mensis Feb.

Anno Dom. prædicto.

'Diploma supra scriptum per Registrarium lectum erat, et ex decreto venerabilis Domus communi Universitatis sagillo munitum.'1

'Londini, 4to. Cal. Mart. 1755.

VIRO REVERENDO... HUDDESFORD, S.T.P. UNIVERSITATIS OXONIENSIS VICE-CANCELLARIO DIGNISSIMO, S. P.D.

'SAM. JOHNSON.

'INGRATUS plane et tibi et mihi videar, nisi quanto me gaudio affecerint, quos nuper mihi honores (te, credo, auctore), decrevit Senatus Academicus, literarum, quo tamen nihil levius, officio significem: ingratus etiam, nisi comitatem, qua vir eximius 3 mihi vestri testimonium amoris in manus tradidit

1 The original is in my possession.

[The superscription of this letter was not quite correct in the former editions. It is here given from Dr. Johnson's original letter, now before me.-M.]

We may conceive what a high gratification it must have been to Johnson to receive his diploma from the hands of the great Dr. King, whose principles were so congenial with his own.