Aetat. 47.] Johnson's SHAKSPEARE. 319 length', in which he shewed that he perfectly well knew what a variety of research such an undertaking required; but his indolence prevented him from pursuing it with that diligence which alone can collect those scattered facts that genius, however acute, penetrating, and luminous, cannot discover by its own force. It is remarkable, that at this time his fancied activity was for the moment so vigorous, that he promised his work should be published before Christmas, 17572. Yet nine years elapsed before it saw the light3. His throes in bringing it forth had been severe and remittent; and at last we may almost conclude that the Cæsarian operation was performed by the knife of Churchill, whose upbraiding satire, I dare say, made Johnson's friends urge him to dispatch*. on his being now engaged in a work that suited his genius. His answer was-"I look upon this as I did upon the Dictionary; it is all work, and my inducement to it is not love or desire of fame, but the want of money, which is the only motive to writing that I know of."' They have been reprinted by Mr. Malone, in the Preface to his edition of Shakspeare. Boswell. * At Christmas, 1757, he said that he should publish about March, 1758 (post, Dec. 24, 1757). When March came he said that he should publish before summer (post, March 1, 1758). In what Johnson says of Pope's slow progress in translating the Iliad, he had very likely his own case in view. 'Indolence, interruption, business, and pleasure all take their turns of retardation; and every long work is lengthened by a thousand causes that can, and ten thousand that cannot be recounted. Perhaps no extensive and multifarious performance was ever effected within the term originally fixed in the undertaker's mind. He that runs against time has an antagonist not subject to casualties.' Johnson's Works, viii. 255. In Prior's Goldsmith (i. 238) we have the following extracts from letters written by Dr. Grainger (post, March 21, 1776) to Dr. Percy:-'June 27, 1758. I have several times called on Johnson to pay him part of your subscription [for his edition of Shakespeare]. I say, part, because he never thinks of working if he has a couple of guineas in his pocket; but if you notwithstanding order me, the whole shall be given him at once.' 'July 20, 1758. As to his Shakespeare, movet sed non promovet. I shall feed him occasionally with guineas.' Hawkins (Life, p. 440) says that 'Reynolds and some other of his friends, who were more concerned for his reputation than himself seemed to be, contrived to entangle him by a wager, or some other pecuniary engagement, to perform his task by a certain time.' Just as Johnson was oppressed by the engagement that he had made to edit Shakespeare, so was Cowper by his engagement to edit Milton. 'The consciousness that there is so much to do and nothing done is a burthen I am not able to bear. Milton especially is my grievance, and I might almost as well be haunted by his ghost, as goaded with such continual reproaches for neglecting him.' Southey's Cowper, vii. 163. 'He 320 Johnson refuses a country living. 'He for subscribers bates his hook, And takes your cash; but where's the book? No matter where; wise fear, you know, Forbids the robbing of a foe; But what, to serve our private ends, Forbids the cheating of our friends'?' [A.D. 1757. About this period he was offered a living of considerable value in Lincolnshire, if he were inclined to enter into holy orders. It was a rectory in the gift of Mr. Langton, the father of his much valued friend. But he did not accept of it; partly I believe from a conscientious motive, being persuaded that his temper and habits rendered him unfit for that assiduous and familiar instruction of the vulgar and ignorant which he held to be an essential duty in a clergyman2; and partly because his love of a London life was so strong, that he would have thought himself an exile in any other place, particularly if residing in the country3. Whoever would wish to see his thoughts upon that subject displayed in their full force, may peruse The Adventurer, Number 126*. 1757 ÆTAT. 48.].-IN 1757 it does not appear that he published any thing, except some of those articles in The Literary Magazine, which have been mentioned. That magazine, after Johnson ceased to write in it, gradually declined, though the popular epithet of Antigallicans was added to it; and in July 1758 it expired. He probably prepared a part of From The Ghost, Bk. iii. 1. 801. Boswell makes two slight errors in quoting: 'Your cash' should be 'their cash;' and 'you know' should be we know.' 2 See post, April 17, 1778. 3 Mrs. Thrale writing to him in 1777, says :-'You would rather be sick in London than well in the country.' Piozzi Letters, i. 394. Yet Johnson, when he could afford to travel, spent far more time in the country than is commonly thought. Moreover a great part of each summer from 1766 to 1782 inclusive he spent at Streatham. 4 The motto to this number -'Steriles nec legit arenas, Ut caneret paucis, mersitque hoc pulvere verum.' (Lucan). Johnson has thus translated :- Was e'er to Syrts and Libyan That he would choose this waste, this barren ground, To teach the thin inhabitants around, And leave his truth in wilds and deserts drown'd?' 5 It was added to the January number of 1758, but it was dropped in the following numbers. Aetat. 48.] Irish literature. 321 his Shakspeare this year, and he dictated a speech on the subject of an Address to the Throne, after the expedition to Rochfort, which was delivered by one of his friends, I know not in what publick meeting'. It is printed in The Gentleman's Magazine for October 1785 as his, and bears sufficient marks of authenticity. By the favour of Mr. Joseph Cooper Walker, of the Treasury, Dublin, I have obtained a copy of the following letter from Johnson to the venerable authour of Dissertations on the History of Ireland. SIR, 'To CHARLES O'CONNOR, ESQ.2 'I have lately, by the favour of Mr. Faulkner3, seen your account of Ireland, and cannot forbear to solicit a prosecution of your design. Sir William Temple complains that Ireland is less known than any other country, as to its ancient state. The natives have had little leisure, and little encouragement for enquiry; and strangers, not knowing the language, have had no ability. 'I have long wished that the Irish literature were cultivated". Ireland is known by tradition to have been once the seat of piety and learning; and surely it would be very acceptable to all those who are According to the note in the Gent. Mag. the speech was delivered 'at a certain respectable talking society.' The chairman of the meeting is addressed as Mr. President. The speech is vigorously written and is, I have no doubt, by Johnson. It is fit,' the speaker says, 'that those whom for the future we shall employ and pay may know they are the servants of a people that expect duty for their money. It is said an address expresses some distrust of the king, or may tend to disturb his quiet. An English king, Mr. President, has no great right to quiet when his people are in misery,' 2 See post, May, 19, 1777. I have often observed with 5 The celebrated oratour, Mr. VOL. I. Y Flood, has shewn himself to be of Dr. Johnson's opinion; having by his will bequeathed his estate, after the death of his wife Lady Frances, to the University of Dublin; 'desiring that immediately after the said estate shall come into their possession, they shall appoint two professors, one for the study of the native Erse or Irish language, and the other for the study of Irish antiquities and Irish history, and for the study of any other European language illustrative of, or auxiliary to, the study of Irish antiquities or Irish history; and that they shall give yearly two liberal premiums for two compositions, one in verse, and the other in prose, in the Irish language.' BOSWELL. Dr. T. Campbell records in his Diary of a Visit to England (p. 62), that at the dinner at Messieurs Dilly's (post, April 5, 1775) he 'ven curious 322 The affinities of language. [A.D. 1757. curious either in the original of nations, or the affinities of languages, to be further informed of the revolution of a people so ancient, and once so illustrious. 'What relation there is between the Welch and Irish language, or between the language of Ireland and that of Biscay, deserves enquiry. Of these provincial and unextended tongues, it seldom happens that more than one are understood by any one man; and, therefore, it seldom happens that a fair comparison can be made. I hope you will continue to cultivate this kind of learning, which has too long lain neglected, and which, if it be suffered to remain in oblivion for another century, may, perhaps, never be retrieved. As I wish well to all useful undertakings, I would not forbear to let you know how much you deserve in my opinion, from all lovers of study, and how much pleasure your work has given to, Sir, 'Your most obliged, 'And most humble servant, 'SAM. JOHNSON.' 'London, April 9, 1757.' 'TO THE REVEREND MR. THOMAS WARTON. 'DEAR SIR, 'Dr. Marsili of Padua, a learned gentleman, and good Latin poet, has a mind to see Oxford. I have given him a letter to Dr. Huddesford, and shall be glad if you will introduce him, and shew him any thing in Oxford. 'I am printing my new edition of Shakspeare. 'I long to see you all, but cannot conveniently come yet. You might write to me now and then, if you were good for any thing. But honores Professors forget their friends3. I shall certainly com mutant mores. plain to Miss Jones*. I am, "[London,] June 21, 1757. 'Your, &c. 'SAM. JOHNSON.' 'Please to make my compliments to Mr. Wise.' tured to say that the first professors of Oxford, Paris, &c., were Irish. "Sir," says Johnson, "I believe there is something in what you say, and I am content with it, since they are not Scotch."' 'On Mr. Thrale's attack of apoplexy in 1779, Johnson wrote to Mrs. Thrale:- I remember Dr. Marsigli, an Italian physician, whose seizure was more violent than Mr. Thrale's, for he fell down helpless, but his case was not considered as of much danger, and he went safe home, and is now a professor at Padua.' Piozzi Letters, ii. 48. 2 'Now, or late, Vice-Chancellor.' WARTON. BOSWELL. He was Mr. Burney Aetat. 48.] Subscribers to Johnson's Shakspeare. 323 Mr. Burney having enclosed to him an extract from the review of his Dictionary in the Bibliothèque des Savans', and a list of subscribers. to his Shakspeare, which Mr. Burney had procured in Norfolk, he wrote the following answer: 'SIR, 'To MR. BURNEY, IN LYNNE, NORFOLK. "That I may shew myself sensible of your favours, and not commit the same fault a second time, I make haste to answer the letter which I received this morning. The truth is, the other likewise was received, and I wrote an answer; but being desirous to transmit you some proposals and receipts, I waited till I could find a convenient conveyance, and day was passed after day, till other things drove it from my thoughts; yet not so, but that I remember with great pleasure your commendation of my Dictionary. Your praise was welcome, not only because I believe it was sincere, but because praise has been very scarce. A man of your candour will be surprised when I tell you, that among all my acquaintance there were only two, who upon the publication of my • book did not endeavour to depress me with threats of censure from the publick, or with objections learned from those who had learned them from my own Preface. Your's is the only letter of goodwill that I have received; though, indeed, I am promised something of that sort from Sweden. 'How my new edition2 will be received I know not; the subscription has not been very successful. I shall publish about March. 'If you can direct me how to send proposals, I should wish that they were in such hands. 'I remember, Sir, in some of the first letters with which you favoured me, you mentioned your lady. May I enquire after her? In return for the favours which you have shewn me, it is not much |
