LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN VOL. VI. FRONTISPIECE GEORGE, PRINCE OF WALES, 1762-1830. "The first gentleman in Europe.' Cf. Darwin's etc. By Sir Joshua Reynolds (1779). (National Gal lery.) SIR WILLIAM CHAMBERS, 1728-1796, . i. By Sir Joshua Reynolds. (National Portrait ii. Drawn by George Dance, R.A. Architect of Somerset House. 'In yonder pile, by royal bounty plac'd The graphic Muse proclaims the theme of Taste!' FRANCES KEMBLE, SISTER OF MRS. SIDDONS, 1759 MKS. SIDDONS, 1755-1831, Cut in paper by the Right Honourable Lady Templetown. P. W. Tomkins, direxit. 'Yet, yet, endure; nor murmur, oh my soul!' MRS. SIDDONS, 1755-1831, 77-78 After Th. Beach, by William Dickinson. WILLIAM PITT, 1708-1778, Drawn by Henry Edridge, A.R.A. 95 n. PAGE DR. THOMAS NEWTON, DEAN OF ST. PAUL'S, 120 . By Sir Joshua Reynolds (1773). HORACE WALPOLE, 1717-1797, 148 Drawn by George Dance, R.A. (National Portrait Drawn in 1793 by George Dance, R. A. (National GEORGE JAMES CHOLMONDELEY, 1752-1830, Nephew of Peg Woffington; son-in-law of Sir 155 174-81 178 THE LIFE OF SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL.D. 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 to 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. '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 VOL. VI. 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.'1 On Friday, March 21, having arrived in London the night before, I was glad to find him at Mrs. Thrale's house, in Argyll Street, appearances of friendship between them being still kept up. I was shown into his room, and after the first salutation, he said, 'I am glad you are come: I am very 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 agreeable to have a 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 1 [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 London Sale Catalogues.-M.] 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 connection 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. 'Sir (said he, in a low voice, having come nearer to me, while his 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 reverence for those appointed by the King.' His observation that the present royal family has no friends, has been too much justified 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 |