derness; and it has been thought that some choice sentences in the Lives of the Poets were supplied by him. Peyton, when reduced to penury, had frequent aid from the bounty of Johnson; who at last was at the expense of burying him and his wife. While the Dictionary was going forward, Johnson lived part of the time in Holborn, part in Gough Square, Fleet Street; and he had an upper room fitted up like a countinghouse for the purpose, in which he gave to the copyists their several tasks. The words partly taken from other dictionaries, and partly supplied by himself, having been first written down with spaces left between them, he delivered in writing their etymologies, definitions, and various significations. The authorities were copied from the books themselves, in which he had marked the passages with a black-lead pencil, the traces of which could easily be effaced. I have seen several of them, in which that trouble had not been taken; so that they were just as when used by the copyists. It is remarkable, that he was so attentive in the choice of the passages in which words were authorised, that one may read page after page of his Dictionary with improvement and pleasure; and it should not pass unobserved, that he has quoted no author whose writings had a tendency to hurt sound religion and morality. 1 Boswell's account of the manner in which Johnson compiled his Dictionary is confused and erroneous. He began his task (as he himself expressly described to me), by devoting his first care to a diligent perusal of all such English writers as were most correct in their language, and under every sentence which he meant to quote he drew a line, and noted in the margin the first letter of the word under which it was to occur. He then delivered these books to his. clerks, who transcribed each sentence on a separate slip of paper, and arranged the same under the word referred to. By these means he collected the several words and their different significations; and when the whole arrangement was alphabetically formed, he gave the definitions of their meanings, and collected their etymologies from Skinner, Junius, and other writers on the subject. -PERCY. 2 Johnson's copy of Hudibras, 1726, with the passages thus marked on every page, is now in Mr. Upcott's collection. It has Johnson's signature, dated Aug. 1747. -WRIGHT. 3 For the sake of relaxation from his literary labours, and probably also for Mrs. Johnson's health, he this summer visited Tunbridge Wells, then a place of much greater resort than it is at present. Here he met Mr. Cibber, Mr. Garrick, Mr. Samuel Richardson, Mr. Whiston, Mr. Onslow (the Speaker), Mr. Pitt. Mr. Lyttleton, and several other distinguished persons. In a print, representing some of "the remarkable characters" who were at Tunbridge Wells in 1748 (see Richardson's Correspondence), Dr. Johnson stands the first figure. - MALONE. Mrs. Johnson is also repre sented, as are Garrick, Cibber, Speaker Onslow, Mr. Pitt (Lord Chatham), Mr. afterwards Lord Lyttleton, Miss Chudleigh, and several other celebrated persons; and in this assemblage neither Johnson nor his wife exhibit an appearance of inferiority to the rest of the company. CROKER. 4 He was afterwards, for several years, chairman of the Middlesex Justices, and upon occasion of presenting an address to the king, accepted the usual offer of knighthood. He is author of "A History of Music," in five volumes in quarto. By assiduous attendance upon Johnson in his last illness, he obtained the office of one of his executors; in consequence of which, the booksellers of London employed him to publish an edition of Dr. Johnson's Works, and to write his Life.BOSWELL 5 Sir John Hawkins says:-" The club met weekly at the King's Head, a famous beef-stake house, in Ivy Lane, every Tuesday evening. Thither Johnson constantly resorted, and, with a disposition to please and be pleased, would pass those hours in a free and unrestrained interchange of sentiments, which otherwise had been spent at home in painful reflection. The necessary expense of preparing a work of such magnitude for the press, must have been a considerable deduction from the price stipulated to be paid for the copyright. I understand that nothing was allowed by the booksellers on that account; and I remember his telling me, that a large portion of it having, by mistake, been written upon both sides of the paper, so as to be inconvenient for the compositor, it cost him twenty pounds to have it transcribed upon one side only. He is now to be considered as "tugging at his oar," as engaged in a steady continued course of occupation, sufficient to employ all his time for some years; and which was the best preventive of that constitutional melancholy which was ever lurking about him, ready to trouble his quiet. But his enlarged and lively mind could not be satisfied without more diversity of employment, and the pleasure of animated relaxation.3 He therefore not only exerted his talents in occasional composition, very different from Lexicography, but formed a club in Ivy Lane, Paternoster Row, with a view to enjoy literary discussion, and amuse his evening hours. The members associated with him in this little society were his beloved friend Dr. Richard Bathurst, Mr Hawkesworth, afterwards well known by his writings, Mr. John Hawkins, an attorney, and a few others of different professions.5 The persons who composed this little society were the Rev. Dr. Salter, father of the late Master of the Charter House; Dr. Hawkesworth; Mr. Ryland, a merchant; Mr. John Payne, then a bookseller; Mr. Samuel Dyer, a learned young man intended for the dissenting ministry; Dr. William M'Ghie, a Scots physician; Dr. Edmund Barker, a young physician; Dr. Richard Bathurst, also a young physician; and myself. At these meetings I had opportunities of ob. serving, not only that in conversation Johnson made it a rule to talk his best, but that on many subjects he was not uniform in his opinions, contending as often for victory as for truth. At one time good, at another evil, was predominant in the moral constitution of the world. Upon one occasion, he would deplore the non-observance of Good Friday, and on another deny that among us of the present age there is any decline of public worship. He would sometimes contradict self-evident propositions, such as, that the luxury of this country has increased with its riches; and that the practice of card-playing is more general than heretofore. At this versatility of temper none, however, took offence: as Alexander and Cæsar were born for conquest, so was Johnson for the office of a symposiarch, to preside in all conversations; and I never yet saw the man who would venture to contest his right. Let it not, however, be imagined, that the members of this our club met together with the temper of gladiators, or that there was wanting among them a disposition to yield to each other in all diversities of opinion: and, indeed, disputation was not, as in many associations of this kind, the purpose of the meeting; nor were their conversations, like those of the Rota club, restrained to particular topics. On the contrary, it may be said, that with the gravest discourses was intermingled “mirth, that after no repenting draws" (Milton); for not only in Johnson's melancholy there were lucid intervals, but he was a great contributor to the mirth of conversation, by the many witty sayings he uttered, and the many excellent stories which his memory had treasured up, and he would on occasion relate; so that those are greatly mistaken who infer, either from the general tendency of his writings, or that appearance of hebetude which marked his countenance when living, and is discernible in the pictures and prints of him, that he could only reason and discuss, dictate and control. In the talent of humour there hardly ever was his equal, except, perhaps, among the old comedians, such as Tarleton, and a few others mentioned by Cibber. By means of this he was enabled to give to any relation that required it, the graces and aids of expression, and to discriminate, with the nicest exactness, the characters of those whom it concerned. In aping this faculty, I have seen Warburton disconcerted, and when he would fain have been In the Gentleman's Magazine for May of this year he wrote a "Life of Roscommon,' with Notes; which he afterwards much improved, (indenting the notes into text,) and inserted amongst his Lives of the English Poets. labour. Some of them, however, he observed, were too gross for imitation. The profits of a single poem, however excellent, appear to have been very small in the last reign, compared with what a publication of the same size has since been known to Mr. Dodsley this year brought out his yield. I have mentioned, upon Johnson's own Preceptor," one of the most valuable books authority, that for his "London" he had only for the improvement of young minds that has ten guineas; and now, after his fame was esappeared in any language; and to this meri- tablished, he got for his "Vanity of Human torious work Johnson furnished "The Pre-Wishes" but five guineas more, as is proved face," containing a general sketch of the book, with a short and perspicuous recommendation of each article ; as also, The Vision of Theodore, the Hermit, found in his Cell," a most beautiful allegory of human life, under the figure of ascending the mountain of Existence. The Bishop of Dromore heard Dr. Johnson say, that he thought this was the best thing he ever wrote.' 66 In January, 1749, he published "THE VANITY OF HUMAN WISHES, being the Tenth Satire of Juvenal imitated."* He, I believe, composed it the preceding year. Mrs. Johnson, for the sake of country air, had lodgings at Hampstead, to which he resorted occasionally, and there the greatest part, if not the whole, of this Imitation was written. The fervid rapidity with which it was produced, is scarcely credible. I have heard him say, that he composed seventy lines of it in one day, without putting one of them upon paper till they were finished. I remember when I once regretted to him that he had not given us more of Juvenal's Satires, he said he probably should give more, for he had them all in his head: by which I understood, that he had the originals and correspondent allusions floating in his mind, which he could, when he pleased, embody and render permanent without much by an authentic document in my possession.+ It will be observed, that he reserves to himself the right of printing one edition of this satire, which was his practice upon occasion of the sale of all his writings; it being his fixed intention to publish at some period, for his own profit, a complete collection of his works. His "Vanity of Human Wishes" has less of common life, but more of a philosophic dignity, than his "London." More readers, therefore, will be delighted with the pointed spirit of "London," than with the profound reflection of "The Vanity of Human Wishes."5 Garrick, for instance, observed, in his spright ly manner, with more vivacity than regard to just discrimination, as is usual with wits, "When Johnson lived much with the Herveys, and saw a good deal of what was passing in life, he wrote his 'London,' which is lively and easy when he became more retired he gave us his 'Vanity of Human Wishes,' which is as hard as Greek: had he gone on to imitate another satire, it would have been as hard as Hebrew.'"6 But "The Vanity of Human Wishes " is, in the opinion of the best judges, as high an effort of ethic poetry as any language can show. The instances of variety of disappointment are chosen so judiciously, and painted so thought a man of pleasantry, not a little out of countenance." (Life, p. 257.) Mr. Murphy, a better judge than Sir J. Hawkins, tells us, to the same effect, that "Johnson was surprised to be told, but it was certainly true, that with all his great powers of mind, wit and humour were his most shining talents; and Mrs. Piozzi says, that "his vein of humour was rich and apparently inexhaustible-to such a degree, that Mr. Murphy used to say he was incomparable at buffoonery." This should be borne in mind in reading Johnson's conversations, because much of that peculiarity called humour cannot be adequately conveyed in words, and many things may appear trite, dull, or offensively rude in mere narration, which were enlivened or softened by the air and style of the delivery.CROKER. The Bishop told Mr. Tyers, that Johnson composed it, in one night, after finishing an evening at Holborn.-CROKER. Sir John Hawkins, with solemn inaccuracy, represents this poem as a consequence of the indifferent reception of his tragedy. But the fact is, that the poem was published on the 9th of January, and the tragedy was not acted till the 6th of the February following. BosWELL. This was Johnson's general habit of composing: his defect of sight rendered writing and written corrections somewhat troublesome, and he therefore often exercised his memory where others would have employed pen and paper.— CROKER. 4 Nov. 25. 1748, I received of Mr. Dodsley fifteen guineas. for which I assign to him the right of copy of an Imitation of the Tenth Satire of Juvenal, written by me, reserving to myself the right of printing one edition. SAM. JOHNSON."-BOSWELL. Jan. 9. 1821. Read Johnson's "Vanity of Human Wishes," all the examples and mode of giving them sub lime, as well as the latter part, with the exception of an occasional couplet. I do not so much admire the opening. The first line, "Let observation," &c. is certainly heavy and useless. But 'tis a grand poem-and so true! true as the Tenth of Juvenal himself. The lapse of ages changes all things-time-language-the earth-the bounds of the sea -the stars of the sky, and every thing "about, around, and underneath" man, except man himself. The infinite variety of lives conduct but to death, and the infinity of wishes lead but to disappointment. - Byron, vol. v. p. 66. — WRIGHT. 6 From Mr. Langton.-BOSWELL. I doubt the accuracy of Mr. Langton's report. Garrick's criticism (if it deserves the name) and his facts are both unfounded. "The Vanity of Human Wishes" is in a graver and higher tone than the "London," but not harder to be understood. On the contrary, some classical allusions, inconsistent with modern manners, obscure passages of the London: while all the illustrations, sentiments, and expressions of the other are, though wonderfully noble and dignit. d, yet perfectly intelligible, and almost familiar. Moreover, we have seen, that when Johnson wrote "London" he was not living the gay and fashionable life which Mr. Garrick is represented as mentioning. Alas! he was starving in obscure lodgings on eight-pence, or perhaps even four-pence a day (see ante, p. 27. n. 6.): and there is, in "London," nothing to show any intimacy with the great or fashionable world. As to the Herveys, it must again be stated, contrary to Mr. Boswell's (as well as Mr. Garrick's) supposition “that he was intimate with that family previous to the publication of "London, that the sneer in that poem at " Clodio's jest," stood, in the first edition, "Hy's jest," and was no doubt aimed at Lord Hervey, who was a favourite theme of satire with the opposition writers of the day. - CROKER. strongly, that, the moment they are read, they bring conviction to every thinking mind. That of the scholar' must have depressed the too sanguine expectations of many an ambitious student.2 That of the warrior, Charles of Sweden, is, I think, as highly finished a picture as can possibly be conceived. Were all the other excellencies of this poem annihilated, it must ever have our grateful reverence from its noble conclusion; in which we are consoled with the assurance that happiness may be attained, if we "apply our hearts' to piety: "Where then shall hope and fear their objects find? vain. Still raise for good the supplicating voice, 1 When Dr. Johnson, one day, read his own satire, in which the life of a scholar is painted, with the various obstructions thrown in his way to fortune and to fame, he burst into a passion of tears: Mr. Thrale's family and Mr. Scott only were present, who, in a jocose way, clapped him on the back, and said, "What's all this, my dear sir? Why you, and I, and Hercules, you know, were all troubled with melancholy." He was a very large man, and made out the triumvirate with Johnson and Hercules comically enough! Piozzi. This was in allusion to the madness of Hercules on Mount Oeta. George Lewis Scott, F. R.S., an amiable and learned man, formerly sub-preceptor to George the Third, and afterwards a Commissioner of Excise, whom it seems Johnson did not now reckon as "one of the lowest of all human beings." See antè, p. 5. n. 3. - CROKER, 2 In this poem one of the instances mentioned of unfortunate learned men is Lydiat: "Hear Lydiat's life, and Galileo's end." The history of Lydiat being little known, the following account of him may be acceptable to many of my readers. It appeared as a note in the Supplement to the Gentleman's Magazine for 1748, in which some passages extracted from Johnson's poem were inserted, and it should have been added in the subsequent editions: "A very learned divine and mathematician, Fellow of New College, Oxon, and Rector of Okerton, near Banbury. He wrote, among many others, a Latin treatise 'De natura cæli, &c., in which he attacked the sentiments of Scaliger and Aristotle, not bearing to hear it urged, that some things are true in philosophy, and false in divinity. He made above 600 Sermons on the harmony of the Evangelists. Being unsuccessful in publishing his works, he lay in the prison of Bocardo, at Oxford, and in the King's Bench, till Bishop Usher, Dr. Laud, Sir William Boswell, and Dr. Pink, released him by paying his debts. He petitioned King Charles I. to be sent into Ethiopia, &c. to procure MSS. Having spoken in favour of monarchy and bishops, he was plundered by the parliament forces, and twice carried away prisoner from his rectory; and afterwards had not a shirt to shift Garrick being now vested with theatrical power by being manager of Drury Lane theatre, he kindly and generously made use of it to bring out Johnson's tragedy, which had been long kept back for want of encouragement. But in this benevolent purpose he met with no small difficulty from the temper of Johnson, which could not brook that a drama which he had formed with much study, and had been obliged to keep more than the nine years of Horace, should be revised and altered at the pleasure of an actor. Yet Garrick knew well, that without some alterations it would not be fit for the stage. A violent dispute having ensued between them, Garrick applied to the Reverend Dr. Taylor to interpose. Johnson was at first very obstinate. "Sir," said he, "the fellow wants me to make Mahomet run mad, that he may have an opportunity of tossing his hands and kicking his heels." He was, however, at last, with difficulty, prevailed on to comply with Garrick's wishes, so as to allow of some changes; but still there were not enough. 4 Dr. Adams was present the first night of the representation of IRENE, and gave me the following account:-"Before the curtain drew up, there were catcalls whistling, which alarmed Johnson's friends. The Prologue, which was written by himself in a manly strain, soothed the audience, and the play went off tolerably, him in three months, without he borrowed it, and died very poor in 1646."-BOSWELL. In 1609 Lydiat accompanied Usher into Ireland, and obtained (probably by his interest) the office of chapel-reader in Trinity College, Dublin, at a salary of 31. 68. 8d. per quarter he was resident there about two years: and in March, 1612, it appears that he had from the College, "51. to furnish him for his journey to England." The remembrance of Lydiat was traditionally preserved in Dublin College; and I recollect to have heard, about 1796, that, in some ancient buildings, just then removed, Lydiat had residedevidence, either that he had left a high reputation behind him, or, more probably, that Johnson's mention of him had revived the memory of his sojourn in that university. — CROKER. 3 In this poem, a line in which the danger attending on female beauty is mentioned, has very generally, I believe, been misunderstood: "Yet Vane could tell what ills from beauty spring, And Sedley curs'd the form that pleas'd a king." The lady mentioned in the first of these verses, was not the celebrated Lady Vane, whose Memoirs were given to the public by Dr. Smollett, but Ann Vane, who was mistress to Frederick, Prince of Wales, and died in 1736, not long before Johnson settled in London. Some account of this lady was published, under the title of "The Secret History of Vanella," 8vo. 1732. See also, "Vanella in the Straw," 4to. 1732. BOSWELL. See post, Aug. 17. 1773, some observations on these lines. - CROKER. 4 Mahomet was in fact played by Mr. Barry, and Demetrius by Mr. Garrick but probably at this time the parts were not yet cast. BosWELL. Garrick originally intended to have played Mahomet, but yielded it to Barry to propitiate him in the author's favour. It was first acted on Monday the 6th of February, under the title of Mahomet and Irene. CROKER. 5 The expression used by Dr. Adams was "soothed." I should rather think the audience was awed by the extraordinary spirit and dignity of the following lines: son not only had not the faculty of producing till it came to the conclusion, when Mrs. Pritchard, the heroine of the piece, was to be strangled upon the stage, and was to speak two lines with the bowstring round her neck. The audience cried out 'Murder! murder!'! She several times attempted to speak; but in vain. At last she was obliged to go off the stage alive." This passage was afterwards struck out, and she was carried off to be put to death behind the scenes, as the play now has it. The Epilogue, as Johnson informed me, was written When asked how he felt upon the ill success by Sir William Yonge. I know not how his of his tragedy, he replied, "Like the Monuplay came to be thus graced by the pen of a ment;" meaning that he continued firm and person then so eminent in the political world.3 unmoved as that column. And let it be reNotwithstanding all the support of such per-membered, as an admonition to the genus irriformers as Garrick, Barry, Mrs. Cibber, Mrs. Pritchard, and every advantage of dress and decoration, the tragedy of Irene did not please the public. Mr. Garrick's zeal carried it through for nine nights, so that the author had his three nights' profit; and from a receipt signed by him, now in the hands of Mr. James Dodsley, it appears that his friend, Mr. Robert Dodsley, gave him one hundred pounds for the copy, with his usual reservation of the right of one edition.5 IRENE, considered as a poem, is entitled to the praise of superior excellence. Analysed into parts, it will furnish a rich store of noble sentiments, fine imagery, and beautiful language; but it is deficient in pathos, in that delicate power of touching the human feelings, which is the principal end of the drama. Indeed, Garrick has complained to me, that John "Be this at least his praise, be this his pride, 1 This shows how ready modern audiences are to condemn in a new play what they have frequently endured very quietly in an old one. Rowe has made Moneses, in Tamerlane, die by the bowstring, without offence. MALONE. Davies tells us, in his "Life of Garrick," vol. i. p. 128., that the strangling Irene, contrary to Horace's rule, coram populs, was suggested by Garrick. - CROKER. * Dr. Anderson says in his Life, that "Mr. Boswell | ascribes this epilogue to Sir W. Yonge on no good foundation:" yet Mr. Boswell, who in his first edition had simply stated the fact, added in the second, "as Johnson informed me." Mr. Murphy too asserts (Life, p. 154.), that the epilogue was always supposed to be Johnson's, and that Mr. Boswell's account is a new discovery, and by no means probable;" and he adds, that "it were to be wished that the epilogue could be transferred to any other writer, it being the Worst jen d'esprit which ever fell from Johnson's pen.' "Mr. John Taylor also informed me that Murphy subsequently repeated to him that Johnson was the author of the epilogue. The first fourteen lines certainly deserve Murphy's censure, and could hardly have been written by the pen of Johnson; but the last ten lines are much better, and it may be susperted that these Johnson added to or altered from the I original copy. - CROKER. The Right Honourable Sir William Yonge, Secretary at War, in Sir Robert Walpole's administration, and a distinguished parliamentary Speaker. He was the father of Sir George Yonge, who was Secretary at War under Mr. Pitt. Jason must, before this, have had some communication with sir W. Yonge, who told him that great should be pro tabile of dramatic writers, that this great man, instead of previously complaining of the bad taste of the town, submitted to its decision without a murmur. He had, indeed, upon all occasions, a great deference for the general opinion: "A man," said he, "who writes a book, thinks himself wiser or wittier than the rest of mankind; he supposes that he can instruct or amuse them, and the public to whom he appeals must, after all, be the judges of his preten sions." On occasion of this play being brought upon the stage, Johnson had a fancy that, as a dramatic author, his dress should be more gay than what he ordinarily wore he therefore appeared behind the scenes, and even in one of the side boxes, in a scarlet waistcoat, with rich gold lace, and a gold-laced hat. He humorously observed to Mr. Langton, "that nounced so as to rhyme with seat, while Lord Chesterfield thought it should rhyme to state. (See antè, p. 57. n. 1, and post, 27th March, 1772) CROKER. 41 know not what Sir John Hawkins means by the cold reception of Irene. I was at the first representation, and most of the subsequent. It was much applauded the first night, particularly the speech on to-morrow. It ran nine nights at least. It did not, indeed, become a stock-play; but there was not the least opposition during the representation, except the first night, in the last act, where Irene was to be strangled on the stage, which John [Buli] could not bear, though a dramatic poet may stab or slay by hundreds. The bowstring was not a Christian nor an ancient Greek or Roman death. But this offence was removed after the first night, and Irene went off the stage to be strangled. Many stories were circulated at the time, of the author's being observed at the representation to be dissatisfied with some of the speeches and conduct of the play, himself; and, like La Fontaine, expressing his disapprobation aloud. BURNEY. That the reception was cold is generally admitted, but by Garrick's zeal it was played oftener than stated by Boswell or even Burney, who, however, says guardedly, nights at least." It seems to have been acted from Monday, 6th February, to Monday, 20th February, inclusive. - Gent. Mag., 1749, p. 76. Account of English Stage, vol. iv. p. 266. -CROKER. "nine Mr. Murphy supposed that the amount of the three benefit nights was not very considerable, as the profit, that stimulating motive, never invited the author to another dramatic attempt. But it appears, by a MS. note, in Mr. Isaac Reed's copy of Murphy's Life, that the receipts of the third, sixth, and ninth nights, after deducting sixty guineas a night for the expenses of the house, amounted to 1951. 17s.: Johnson cleared, therefore, with the copyright, very nearly 3002. -a large sum to him at that time. CROKER. 6 Aaron Hill (vol. ii. p. 355.), in a letter to Mr. Mallet, gives the following account of" Irene: "-"I was at the anomalous Mr. Johnson's benefit, and found the play his proper representative; strong sense, ungraced by sweetness or decorum." BOSWELL. 7 Or, if the anecdote be true, perhaps more modestly, that he felt no more than the Monument could feel; but it may be presumed, from the number of nights it ran and the sum it produced, that Johnson was far from thinking that his tragedy had failed; and in truth it had not. - CROKER. when in that dress he could not treat people with the same ease as when in his usual plain clothes." Dress, indeed, we must allow, has more effect, even upon strong minds, than one should suppose, without having had the experience of it. His necessary attendance while his play was in rehearsal, and during its performance, brought him acquainted with many of the performers of both sexes, which produced a more favourable opinion of their profession, than he had harshly expressed in his Life of Savage. With some of them he kept up an acquaintance as long as he and they lived, and was ever ready to show them acts of kindness. He, for a considerable time, used to frequent the Green-Room, and seemed to take delight in dissipating his gloom, by mixing in the sprightly chit-chat of the motley circle then to be found there. Mr. David Hume related to me from Mr. Garrick, that Johnson at last denied himself this amusement, from considerations of rigid virtue; saying, “I'll come no more behind your scenes, David; for the silk stockings and white bosoms of your actresses excite my amorous propensities." [JOHNSON TO MISS PORTER.' "Goff Square, July 12. 1749. “DEAR MISS, — I am extremely obliged to you for your letter, which I would have answered last post, but that illness prevented me. I have been often out of order of late, and have very much neglected my affairs. You have acted very prudently with regard to Levett's affair, which will, I think, not at all embarrass me, for you may promise him, that the mortgage shall be taken up at Michaelmas, or, at least, some time between that and Christmas; and if he requires to have it done sooner, I will endeavour it. I make no doubt, by that time, of either doing it myself, or persuading some of my friends to do it for me. "Please to acquaint him with it, and let me know if he be satisfied. When he once called on me, his name was mistaken, and therefore I did not see him; but, finding the mistake, wrote to him the same day, but never heard more of him, though I entreated him to let me know where to wait on him. You frighted me, you little gipsy, with your black wafer, for I had forgot you were in mourning, and was afraid your letter had brought me ill news of my mother, whose death is one of the few calamities on which I think with terror. I long to know how she does, and how you all do. Your poor mamma is come home, but very weak; yet I hope she will grow better, else she shall go into the country. She is now up stairs, The IN 1750 Johnson came forth in the character for which he was eminently qualified, a majestic teacher of moral and religious wisdom. The vehicle which he chose was that of a periodical paper, which he knew had been, upon former occasions, employed with great success. Tatler, Spectator, and Guardian, were the last of the kind published in England, which had stood the test of a long trial; and such an interval had now elapsed since their publication, as made him justly think that, to many of his readers, this form of instruction would, in some degree, have the advantage of novelty. A few days before the first of his Essays came out, there started another competitor for fame in the same form, under the title of "The Tatler Revived," which, I believe, was "born but to die." Johnson was, I think, not very happy in the choice of his title, "The Rambler; which certainly is not suited to a series of grave and moral discourses; which the Italians have literally, but ludicrously, translated by Il Vagabondo; and which has been lately assumed as the denomination of a vehicle of licentious tales, "The Rambler's Magazine." He gave Sir Joshua Reynolds the following account of its getting this name: "What must be done, sir, will be done. When I was to begin publishing that paper, I was at a loss how to name it. I sat down at night upon my bedside, and resolved that I would not go to sleep till I had fixed its title. The Rambler seemed the best that occurred, and I took it.”4 - Robert Dodsley's with the late Mr. Moore, and several of his friends, considering what should be the name of the periodical paper which Moore had undertaken. Garrick proposed the Salad, which, by a curious coincidence, was afterwards applied to himself by Goldsmith: "Our Garrick's a salad, for in him we see At last, the company having separated, without any thing of which they approved having been offered, Dodsley himself thought of The World. - BosWELL |