great surprise, however, this figure stalked forwards to where he and Mr. Richardson were sitting, and all at once took up the argument, and burst out into an invective against George the Second, as one who, upon all occasions, was unrelenting and barbarous, mentioning many instances, particularly, that when an officer of high rank had been acquitted by a court-martial, George the Second had, with his own hand, struck his name off the list. In short, he displayed such a power of eloquence, that Hogarth looked at him with astonishment, and actually imagined that this idiot had been at the moment inspired. Neither Hogarth nor Johnson were made known to each other at this interview. In 1740 he wrote for the Gentleman's Magazine the 'Preface,' 'The Life of Admiral Blake,' and the first part of those of Sir Francis Drake,' and 'Philip Barretier,' both which he finished the following year. He also wrote an Essay on Epitaphs,' and an 'Epitaph on Phillips, a Musician,' which was afterwards published, with some other pieces of his, in Mrs. Williams's Miscellanies. This Epitaph is so exquisitely beautiful, that I remember even Lord Kames, strangely prejudiced as he was against Dr. Johnson, was compelled to allow it very high praise. It has been ascribed to Mr. Garrick, from its appearing at first with the signature G; but I have heard Mr. Garrick declare that it was written by Dr. Johnson, and give the following account of the manner in which it was composed. Johnson and he were sitting together, when, amongst other things, Garrick repeated an Epitaph upon this Phillips by a Dr. Wilkes, in these words : 'Exalted soul! whose harmony could please Johnson shook his head at these commonplace funereal lines, and said to Garrick, 'I think, Davy, I can make a better.' Then stirring about his tea for a little while, in a state of meditation, he almost extempore produced the following verses: 'Phillips, whose touch harmonious could remove 1 [The Epitaph of Phillips is in the porch of Wolverhampton Church. The prose part of it is curious: 'Near this place lies CHARLES CLAUDIUS PHILLIPS, Whose absolute contempt of riches And inimitable performances upon the violin, made him the admiration of all that knew him. He was born in Wales, made the tour of Europe, and, after the experience of both kinds of fortune, Died in 1732. Mr. Garrick appears not to have recited the verses correctly, the original being as follows. One of the various readings is remarkable, as it is the germ of Johnson's concluding line: 'Exalted soul, thy various sounds could please Could jarring crowds, like old Amphion, move Dr. Wilkes, the author of these lines, was a Fellow of Trinity College, in Oxford, and rector of Pitchford, in Shropshire: he collected materials for a history of that county, and is spoken of by Brown Willis in his History of Mitred Abbies, vol. ii. p. 189. But he |