1765. Such are the specious, but falfe arguments for a propofition which always will find numerous advocates, in a nation where men are every day starting Etat. 56. up from obfcurity to wealth. To refute them is needlefs. The general sense of mankind cries out, with irresistible force, "Un gentilhomme est toujours gentilhomme." Mr. Thrale had married Mifs Hefther Lynch Salufbury, of good Welch extraction, a lady of lively talents, improved by education. That Johnson's introduction into Mr. Thrale's family, which contributed fo much to the happiness of his life, was owing to her defire for his converfation, is the most probable and general fuppofition. But it is not the truth. Mr. Murphy, who was intimate with Mr. Thrale, having spoken very highly of Dr. Johnson, he was requested to make them acquainted. This being mentioned to Johnson, he accepted of an invitation to dinner at Thrale's, and was so much pleased with his reception, both by Mr. and Mrs. Thrale, and they fo much pleased with him, that his invitations to their house were more and more frequent, till at last he became one of the family, and an apartment was appropriated to him, both in their house in Southwark, and in their villa at Streatham. Johnson had a very fincere esteem for Mr. Thrale as a man of excellent principles, a good fcholar, well skilled in trade, of a found understanding, and of manners fuch as prefented the character of a plain independent English 'Squire. As this family will frequently be mentioned in the course of the following pages, and as a falfe notion has prevailed that Mr. Thrale was inferiour, and in fome degree infignificant, compared with Mrs. Thrale, it may be proper to give a true state of the cafe from the authority of Johnson himself, in his own words. "I know no man (said he,) who is more master of his wife and family than Thrale. If he but holds up a finger, he is obeyed. It is a great mistake to suppose that she is above him in literary attainments. She is more flippant; but he has ten times her learning: he is a regular scholar; but her learning is that of a school-boy in one of the lower forms." My readers may naturally wish for some representation of the figures of this couple. Mr. Thrale was tall, well proportioned, and stately. As for Madam, or my Mistress, by which epithets Johnson used to mention Mrs. Thrale, she was short, plump, and brifk. She has herself given us a lively view of the idea which Johnson had of her perfon, on her appearing before him in a dark-coloured gown: "You little creatures should never wear those fort of clothes, however; they are unfuit able 1765. able in every way. What! have not all infects gay colours"?" Mr. Thrale Etat. 56. gave his wife a liberal indulgence, both in the choice of their company, and in the mode of entertaining them. He understood and valued Johnson, without remiffion, from their firft acquaintance to the day of his death. Mrs. Thrale was enchanted with Johnson's conversation for its own fake, and had alfo a very allowable vanity in appearing to be honoured with the attention. of fo celebrated a man. Nothing could be more fortunate for Johnson than this connection. He had at Mr. Thrale's all the comforts and even luxuries of life; his melancholy was diverted, and his irregular habits leffened by association with an agreeable and well-ordered family. He was treated with the utmost respect, and even affection. The vivacity of Mrs. Thrale's literary talk roused him to cheerfulnefs and exertion, even when they were alone. But this was not often the cafe; for he found here a conftant fucceffion of what gave him the highest enjoyment, the fociety of the learned, the witty, and the eminent in every way, who were affembled in numerous companies, called forth his wonderful powers, and gratified him with admiration, to which no man could be infenfible. In the October of this year he at length gave to the world his edition of Shakspeare, which, if it had no other merit but that of producing his Preface, in which the excellencies and defects of that immortal bard are displayed with a masterly hand, the nation would have had no reason to complain. A blind indifcriminate admiration of Shakspeare had exposed the British nation to the ridicule of foreigners. Johnson, by candidly admitting the faults of his poet, had the more credit in bestowing on him deferved and indisputable praise; and doubtless none of all his panegyrifts have done him half fo much honour. Their praise was, like that of a counsel, upon his own fide of the cause: Johnson's was like the grave, well confidered, and impartial opinion of the judge, which falls from his lips with weight, and is received with reverence. What he did as a commentator has no fmall fhare of merit, though his researches were not fo ample, and his investigations fo acute as they might have been, which we now certainly know from the labours of other able and ingenious criticks who have followed him. He has enriched his edition with a concise account of each play, and of its characteristick excellence. Many of his notes have illustrated obfcurities in the text, and placed paffages eminent for beauty in a more confpicuous light; and he has, in general, exhibited fuch a mode of annotation, as may be beneficial to all subsequent editors. Mrs. Piozzi's Anecdotes, p. 279. 1765 His Shakspeare was virulently attacked by Mr. William Kenrick, who obtained the degree of LL.D. from a Scotch University, and wrote for the tat. 56. bookfellers in a great variety of branches. Though he certainly was not without confiderable merit, he wrote with fo little regard to principle and decorum, and in so hasty a manner, that his reputation was neither extensive nor lafting.. I remember one evening, when fome of. his works were mentioned, Dr. Goldfmith faid, he had never heard of them; upon which Dr. Johnfonobferved, "Sir, he is one of the many who have made themselves publick, without making themselves known.” A. young student of Oxford, of the name of Barclay, wrote an anfwer to Kenrick's review of Johnfon's Shakspeare.. Johnson was at first angry that Kenrick's attack fhould have the credit of an answer. But afterwards, confidering the young man's good intention, he kindly noticed him, and probably would have done more, had not the young man died. In his Preface to Shakspeare, Johnson treated Voltaire very contemptuously, observing, upon fome of his remarks, "These are the petty criticisms of petty wits." Voltaire, in revenge,. made an attack upon Johnson, in one of his numerous literary fallies, which I remember to have read; but there being no general index to his voluminous works, have fearched for it in vain, and. therefore cannot quote it. Voltaire was an antagonist with whom I thought Johnson should not difdain to contend. I pressed him to answer.. He faid, he perhaps might: but he never did. Mr. Burney having occafion to write to Johnson for fome receipts for fubfcriptions to his Shakspeare, which Johnson had omitted to deliver, when the money was paid, he availed himself of that opportunity of thanking Johnson for the great pleasure which he had received from the perufal of his Preface to Shakspeare; which although it excited much clamour against him at first, is now justly ranked among the most excellent of his writings. To this letter, Johnson returned the following answer:: « SIR, To CHARLES BURNEY, Efq. in Poland-street.. "I AM forry that your kindnefs to me has brought upon you fo much trouble,, though you have taken care to abate that forrow, by the pleasure which I receive from your approbation. I defend my criticism in the fame manner with you. We must confefs the faults of our favourite, to gain credit [M m] to 1765. Etat. 56. to our praise of his excellencies. He that claims, either. in himself or for "Be pleased to make my compliments to your family. I am, Sir, "Oct. 16, 1765. "And most humble fervant, SAM. JOHNSON." Trinity College, Dublin, at this time furprized Johnson with a spontaneous compliment of the highest academical honours, by creating him Doctor of Laws. The diploma, which is in my poffeffion, is as follows: "OMNIBUS ad quos præfentes litere pervenerint, falutem. Nos Præpofitus et Socii feniores Collegii facrofan&tæ et individuæ Trinitatis Regina Elizabetha juxta Dublin, teftamur, Samueli Johnson, Armigero, ob egregiam fcriptorum elegantiam et utilitatem, gratiam conceffam fuiffe pro gradu Doctoratus in utroque Jure, altavo die Julii, Anno Domini millefimo feptingentefimo fexagefimo-quinto. In cujus rei teftimonium fingularum manus et figillum quo in bifce utimur appofuimus; vicefima Tertio die Julii, Anno Domini millefimo feptingentefimo fexagefimo-quinto... FRAN. ANDREWS. R. MURRAY, Præps. GUL. CLEMENT. THO. LELAND. ROBTUS. LAW. This unfolicited mark of diftinction, conferred on fo great a literary character, did much honour to the judgement and liberal fpirit of that learned body. Johnson acknowledged the favour in a letter to Dr. Leland, one of their number; but I have not been able to obtain a copy of it. Both in 1764 and 1765 it fhould feem that he was fo bufily employed with his edition of Shakspeare, as to have had little leifure for any other ` literary exertion, or, indeed, even for private correfpondence. He did not favour me with a fingle letter for more than two years, for which it will appear that he afterwards apologised. He was, however, at all times ready to give affiftance to his friends, and others, in revifing their works, and in writing for them, or greatly improving their Dedications. In that courtly fpecies of compofition no man excelled Dr. Johnfon. Though the loftinefs of his mind prevented him from ever dedicating in his own perfon, he wrote a very great number of Dedications for 1766. for others. Some of thefe, the perfons who were favoured with them are unwilling should be mentioned, from a too anxious apprehenfion, as I think, Ætat. 57. that they might be fufpected of having received larger affistance; and fome, after all the diligence I have beftowed, have escaped my inquiries. He told me, a great many years ago, " he believed he had dedicated to all the Royal Family round;" and it was indifferent to him what was the fubject of the work dedicated, provided it were innocent. He once dedicated fome Mufick for the German Flute to Edward Duke of York. In writing Dedications for others, he confidered himself as by no means fpeaking his own fentiments. Notwithstanding his long filence, I never omitted to write to him when I had any thing worthy of communicating. I generally kept copies of my letters to him, that I might have a full view of our correfpondence, and never be at a lofs to understand any reference in his letters. He kept the greater part of mine very carefully; and a fhort time before his death was attentive enough to feal them up in bundles, and order them to be delivered to me, which was accordingly done. Amongst them I found one, of which I had not made a copy, and which I own I read with pleasure at the distance of almost twenty years. It is dated November, 1765, at the palace of Pascal Paoli, in Corte, the capital of Corfica, and is full of generous enthufiafm. After giving a sketch of what I had seen and heard in that island, it proceeded thus: "I dare to call this a spirited tour. I dare to challenge your approbation," This letter produced the following anfwer, which I found on my arrival at Paris. A Mr. Mr. BoSWELL, chez Mr. WATERS, Banquier, à Paris. "DEAR SIR, We will delay till your me fuch a sparing and "APOLOGIES are feldom of any ufe. arrival the reasons, good or bad, which have made ungrateful correspondent. Be affured, for the prefent, that nothing has leffened either the esteem or love with which I dismissed you at Harwich, Both have been increased by all that I have been told of you by yourself or others; and when you return, you will return to an unaltered, and, I hope, unalterable friend. "All that you have to fear from me is the vexation of difappointing me. No man loves to fruftrate expectations which have been formed in his favour; and the pleasure which I promise myself from your journals and remarks is fo N n 2 |