Slike strani
PDF
ePub

I

1773.

which fhould from its nature be perpetual; but the confent of nations is Etat. 64. against it, and indeed reafon and the interests of learning are against it; for were it to be perpetual, no book, however useful, could be univerfally diffused amongst mankind, fhould the proprietor take it into his head to restrain its circulation. No book could have the advantage of being edited with notes, however necessary to its elucidation, fhould the proprietor perversely oppose it. For the general good of the world, therefore, whatever valuable work has once been created by an authour, and iffued out by him, fhould be understood as no longer in his power, but as belonging to the publick; at the fame time the authour is entitled to an adequate reward. This he fhould have by an exclufive right to his work for a confiderable number of years."

He attacked Lord Monboddo's ftrange fpeculation on the primitive state of human nature; obferving, "Sir, it is all conjecture about a thing useless, even were it known to be true. Knowledge of all kinds is good. Conjecture, as to things useful, is good; but conjecture as to what it would be useless to know, fuch as whether men ever went upon all four, is

very idle."

On Monday, May 9, as I was to fet out on my return to Scotland next morning, I was defirous to fee as much of Dr. Johnfon as I could. But I. first called on Goldsmith to take leave of him. The jealousy and envy which, though poffeffed of many most amiable qualities, he frankly avowed, broke out violently at this interview. Upon another occafion, when Goldsmith confeffed himself to be of an envious difpofition, I contended with Johnson that we ought not to be angry with him, he was fo candid in owning it. "Nay, Sir, (faid Johnson,) we must be angry that a man has fuch a superabundance of an odious quality that he cannot keep it within his own breast, but it boils over." In my opinion, however, Goldsmith had not more of it than other people have, but only talked of it freely.

c

He now seemed very angry that Johnson was going to be a traveller; faid, he would be a dead weight for me to carry, and that I should never be able to lug him along through the Highlands and Hebrides." Nor would he patiently allow me to enlarge upon Johnson's wonderful abilities; but exclaimed, "Is he like Burke, who winds into a fubject like a ferpent?" "But, (faid I,) Johnson is the Hercules who ftrangled ferpents in his cradle."

I dined with Dr. Johnfon at General Paoli's. He was obliged, by indifposition, to leave the company early; he appointed me, however, to meet him in the evening at Mr. (now Sir Robert,) Chambers's in the Temple, where he accordingly came, though he continued to be very ill. Chambers, as is common on fuch occafions, prescribed various remedies to him. JOHNSON. (fretted

I

(fretted by pain,) "Pr'ythee don't teaze me. Stay till I am well, and then 1773. you shall tell me how to cure myself." He grew better, and talked with a Etat. 64. noble enthusiasmn of keeping up the reprefentation of refpectable families. His zeal on this fubject was a circumftance in his character exceedingly remarkable, when it is confidered that he himself had no pretenfions to blood. I heard him once say, “I have great merit in being zealous for fubordination and the honours of birth; for I can hardly tell who was my grandfather." He maintained the dignity and propriety of male fucceffion, in oppofition to the opinion of one of our friends, who had that day employed Mr. Chambers to draw his will, devifing his eftate to his three fifters, in preference to a remote heir male. Johnson called them three dowdies, and faid, with as high a spirit as the boldest Baron in the most perfect days of the feudal fyftem, "An ancient estate should always go to males. It is mighty foolish to let a ftranger have it, because he marries your daughter, and takes your name. As for an eftaté newly acquired by trade, you may give it, if you will, to the dog Towzer, and let him keep his own name."

I have known him at times exceedingly diverted at what seemed to others a very small sport. He now laughed immoderately, without any reason that we could perceive, at our friend's making his will; called him the teftator, and added, "I dare fay, he thinks he has done a mighty thing. He won't stay till he gets home to his feat in the country, to produce this wonderful deed: he'll call up the landlord of the first inn on the road; and, after a suitable preface upon mortality and the uncertainty of life, will tell him that he should not delay making his will; and here, Sir, will he fay, is my will, which I have just made, with the affiftance of one of the ableft lawyers in the kingdom; and he will read it to him (laughing all the time). He believes he has made this will; but he did not make it: you, Chambers, made it for him. I truft you have had more confcience than to make him fay, being of found understanding;' ha, ha, ha! I hope he has left me a legacy. I'd have his will turned into› verfe, like a ballad."

In this playful manner did he run on, exulting in his own pleasantry, which certainly was not fuch as might be expected from the authour of "The Rambler," but which is here preferved, that my readers may be acquainted even with the flightest occafional characteristick's of fo eminent a man.

Mr. Chambers did not by any means relish this jocularity upon a matter of which pars magna fuit, and seemed impatient till he got rid of us. Johnson. could not stop his merriment, but continued it all the way till we got without the Temple-gate. He then burst into fuch a fit of laughter, that

he

1773.

he appeared to be almost in a convulfion; and, in order to fupport himself, Etat, 64. laid hold of one of the pofts at the fide of the foot-pavement, and fent forth peals fo loud, that in the filence of the night his voice feemed to refound from Temple-bar to Fleet-ditch.

This most ludicrous exhibition of the aweful, melancholy, and venerable Johnfon, happened well to counteract the feelings of fadnefs which I used to experience when parting with him for a confiderable time. I accompanied him to his door, where he gave me his bleffing.

He records of himself this year, "Between Eafter and Whitfuntide, having always confidered that time as propitious to ftudy, I attempted to learn the Low Dutch language "." It is to be obferved, that he here admits an opinion of the human mind being influenced by feafons, which he ridicules in his writings. His progrefs, he says, "was interrupted by a fever, which, by the imprudent use of a small print, left an inflammation in his useful eye." We cannot but admire his fpirit when we know, that amidst a complication of bodily and mental diftrefs, he was ftill animated with the defire of intellectual improvement. Various notes of his ftudies appear on different days, in his manuscript diary of this year; fuch as, "Inchoavi lectionem Pentateuchi-Finivi lectionem Conf. Fab. Burdonum.-Legi primum a&tum Troadum.-Legi Differtationem Clerici poftremam de Pent.-2 of Clark's Sermons.-L. Appolonii pugnam Betriciam.-L. centum verfus Homeri." Let this ferve as a fpecimen of what acceffions of literature he was perpetually infufing into his mind, while he charged himself with idleness.

This year died Mrs. Salusbury, (mother of Mrs. Thrale,) a lady whom he appears to have esteemed much, and whose memory he honoured with an Epitaph.

In a letter from Edinburgh, dated the 29th of May, I preffed him to perfevere in his refolution to make this year the projected vifit to the Hebrides, of which he and I had talked for many years, and which I was confident would afford us much entertainment.

"DEAR SIR,

To JAMES BOSWELL, Efq.

"WHEN your letter came to me, I was fo darkened by an inflammation in my eye, that I could not for fome time read it. I can now write 4 Mrs. Piozzi's Anecdotes of Johnson, p. 131. without

3 Prayers and Meditations, p. 129.

1773.

without trouble, and can read large prints. My eye is gradually growing ftronger; and I hope will be able to take fome delight in the furvey of a tat. 64. Caledonian loch.

"Chambers is going a Judge, with fix thoufand a year, to Bengal. He and I fhall come down together as far as Newcastle, and thence I fhall eafily get to Edinburgh. Let me know the exact time when your Courts intermit. I must conform a little to Chambers's occafions, and he must conform a little to mine. The time which you shall fix, must be the common point to which we will come as near as we can. Except this eye, I am very well.

"Beattie is fo careffed, and invited, and treated, and liked, and flattered, by the great, that I can fee nothing of him. I am in great hope that he will be well provided for, and then we will live upon him at the Marischal College, without pity or modesty.

dudgeon to legacy?

left the town without taking leave of me, and is gone in deep
Is not this very childish? Where is now my

"I hope your dear lady and her dear baby are both well. I fhall fee them too when I come; and I have that opinion of your choice, as to suspect that when I have seen Mrs. Bofwell, I fhall be lefs willing to go away. I am, dear Sir,

[blocks in formation]

I again wrote to him, informing him that the Court of Seffion rofe on the twelfth of Auguft, hoping to fee him before that time, and expreffing, perhaps in too extravagant terms, my admiration of him, and my expectation of pleasure from our intended tour.

"DEAR SIR,

TO JAMES BOSWELL, Esq.

"I SHALL fet out from London on Friday the fixth of this month, and purpose not to loiter much by the way. Which day I fhall be at Edinburgh, I cannot exactly tell. I fuppofe I must drive to an inn, and send a porter to find you.

[blocks in formation]

1773.

Etat. 64.

"I am afraid Beattie will not be at his College foon enough for us, and I shall be forry to mifs him; but there is no staying for the concurrence of all conveniences. We will do as well as we can. I am, Sir,

[blocks in formation]

"NOT being at Mr. Thrale's when your letter came, I had written the inclosed paper and sealed it; bringing it hither for a frank, I found yours. If any thing could repress my ardour, it would be fuch a letter as yours. To difappoint a friend is unpleafing: and he that forms expectations like yours, must be difappointed. Think only when you fee me, that you fee a man who loves you, and is proud and glad that you love him. I am, Sir, "Your most affectionate

[blocks in formation]

"I CAME hither laft night, and hope, but do not abfolutely promise, to be in Edinburgh on Saturday. Beattie will not come fo foon. I am, Sir, "Your moft humble fervant,

"My compliments to your lady."

"SAM. JOHNSON.

To the fame.

"MR. JOHNSON fends his compliments to Mr. Bofwell, being just arrived at Boyd's."

"Saturday night."

His ftay in Scotland was from the 18th of Auguft, on which day he arrived, till the 22d of November, when he fet out on his return to London; and I believe ninety-four days were never paffed by any man in a more vigorous exertion.

He came by the way of Berwick upon Tweed to Edinburgh, where he remained a few days, and then went by St. Andrew's, Aberdeen, Inverness, and Fort Auguftus, to the Hebrides, to vifit which was the principal object he had

« PrejšnjaNaprej »