vi EDITOR'S POSTSCRI TO HIS PREFACE, The final disposition contemplated by Blackmore of his money (it took a poetical turn) is new to our literary history; and it has not until now been known what John Philips received from Tonson for his poem on Cider. Four unpublished letters from Prior to his patron and friend the witty Earl of Dorset, and three unpublished letters from Swift to Arbuthnot, are to be found in print for the first time in this edition of Johnson; and a highly interesting letter, hitherto unpublished, from Sir William Temple, introducing and describing Swift, will be found in the notes to Swift's Life. Of the friendly liking which the Whig Addison and the Tory Arbuthnot entertained for one another, I have given a new and interesting proof; and, in Parnell's Life, several entries in Swift's Journal to Stella, which his editors have wholly misunderstood, are here satisfactorily explained. To the Life of Tickell I have been enabled to add (through a descendant's kindness) some particulars that cannot fail to interest the many admirers of a true poet; and Mr. Croker's friendship has enabled me to enrich, with extracts from their unpublished correspondence, the Lives of Pope and his two assistants, Fenton and Broome. The letter from Mrs. Montagu to Herbert Croft, to which such marked allusion is made in the Life adopted by Dr. Johnson, was also first printed by me; and three long and hitherto unpublished letters from Akenside are included in the Appendix to that poet's Life. The kindness of a descendant has added some new particulars to the Life of Dyer, and my researches have brought to light some small matters of biographical importance in the life of Gray. The date of Somervile's birth, and the county and year of Ambrose Philips's birth, are first correctly stated. That Young had a pension from the Crown rested solely on the authority of a couplet in Swift, till I had the good fortune to discover the warrant fixing the pension, the period when it was given, and the amount. To the enumeration of Thomson's works, a poem on the death of Congreve, not before known, is here added; and for the first time attention has been directed to a printed poem by Parnell, which Pope properly suffered to expire, but which no biographer will, if he does his duty, omit hereafter to mention. With no desire to make any parade of these discoveries, of which the list might be yet more enlarged, have they thus been referred to, but simply with the hope of establishing a claim to the merit of careful and conscientious diligence, exercised always, I am sure, honestly and reverentially. It is impossible to add to the popularity of Johnson's great work-but one may add to its usefulness, and this I think is here done. I cannot, however, quit a labour of love without a concluding paragraph. Few men now alive are so competent to understand the merits of Johnson's labours, or the difficulties any editor of his best work must seek to surmount, as the author of the Life and Times of Oliver Goldsmith:' to him therefore, having brought this labour of love to an end, I desire to dedicate it, and place together, in remembrance of two and twenty years of uninterrupted friendship and esteem, the names of MR. JOHN FORSTER and Kensington, November 29, 1854. PETER CUNNINGHAM. CONTENTS OF VOL. III. Born in London Both Parents Roman Catholics Educated by Priests Early distinguished as a Poet Lives at Binfield in Berkshire Sees Dryden - Becomes acquainted with Wycherley, Walsh, Sir W. Trumbull, &c. Writes his 'Pastorals' Publishes his Pastorals' in Tonson's Miscellany Publishes An Essay on Criticism' Dennis attacks the Essay' - Publishes The Rape of the Lock' in Lintot's Miscellany His intimacy with Addison Publishes Windsor Forest Commences a Translation of the Iliad' - History of the Subscription tion of the 'Odyssey' - Fenton and Broome Publication of his Letters to Cromwell · Curll Edits Shakespeare Theobald's Attack - The Bathos History of The Dunciad' Writes his 'Moral Epistles' and 'Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot' The Essay on Man' - Bolingbroke and Warburton Quarrels with Lord Hervey and Lady Mary Montagu - His Imitations of Horace · Collects a Second Volume of his Poems Born in Dublin of English Parents Educated at Dublin and Oxford Enters the service of Sir William Temple Becomes acquainted with Stella Is introduced to William III. Is left Sir William Temple's Literary Executor His unpromising appearance as a Poet - Dryden's Criticism on his Odes Publishes The Tale of a Tub' Sides with Born at Haslington, in Cheshire - Educated at Eton and Cambridge Enters into Holy Orders Introduced to Pope Assists Pope in the Assists him in translating the Odyssey' His Born at Blandford in Dorsetshire - Educated at Winchester and Oxford Presented to the Rectory of Pimpern in Dorsetshire - Translates Vida's 'Art of Poetry,' and Virgil's Eneid His Miscellany of Poems Death for the Church Starts for London - His Poverty - Publishes his 'Winter,' 'Summer,' 'Spring,' and other Poems Is made Tutor to the Son of Lord Chancellor Talbot Made Secretary of the Briefs Loses his office at Patronized by the Prince of Wales and Mr. Lyttelton Born at Southampton - Educated among the Independents -- Becomes Tutor to the Son of Sir John Hartopp- Is received into Sir Thomas Abney's A Native of Shropshire - Educated at Cambridge -- Encouraged by the Earl of Dorset Sides with the Whigs- His Friendship with Addison and Steele Produces The Distressed Mother,' a Tragedy The famous Epi- logue to his Tragedy Publishes his Pastorals His Quarrel with Pope - Joins in The Freethinker' - Is patronised by Archbishop Boulter |