Ox Tuesday, 19th March', which was fixed for our proposed jaunt, we met in the morning at the Somerset Coffee-house in the Strand, where we were taken up by the Oxford coach. He was accompanied by Mr. Gwyn, the architect; and a gentleman of Merton college, whom he did not know, had the fourth seat. We soon got into conversation; for it was very remarkable of Johnson, that the presence of a stranger had no restraint upon his talk. I observed that Garrick, who was about to quit the stage, would soon have an easier life. JOHNSON. "I doubt that, Sir." BOSWELL. "Why, Sir, he will be Atlas with the burthen off his back." JOHNSON. "But I know not, Sir, if he will be so steady without his load. However, he should never play any more, but be entirely the gentleman, and not partly the player: he should no longer subject himself to be hissed by a mob, or to be insolently treated by performers, whom he used to rule with a high hand, and who would gladly retaliate." BOSWELL. "I think he should play once a year for the benefit of decayed actors, as it has been said he means to do." JOHNSON. "Alas, Sir! he will soon be a decayed actor himself." Johnson expressed his disapprobation of ornamental architecture, such as magnificent columns supporting a portico, or expensive pilasters supporting merely their own capitals, because it consumes labour disproportionate to its utility." For the same reason he satirised statuary. Painting," said he, "consumes 66 It appears from Hannah More's letters, that Boswell, and probably Johnson, spent the evening of the 18th at Garrick's. It seems to have been the first time of her seeing Boswell. Corsican Boswell, a very agreeable good-natured man: he perfectly adores Johnson," &c. A few evenings before th, Hannah More writes that she had had a little evening party, of Mrs. Boscawen, Mrs. Garrick, and Miss Reynolds; Johnson, Garrick, and Dean Tucker, and that "Garrick was the life and soul of the company. I never saw Johnson in ach perfect good humour. One can never enjoy the company of these two unless they are together. After the Dean and Mrs. Boscawen were gone, and the rest stood up to go, Johnson and Garrick began a close encounter, telling old Hones, 'e'en from their boyish days' at Lichfield. We all ed round them for half an hour, laughing; and should not bave thought of sitting down, or of parting, had not an impertineat watchman been saucily vociferous. Johnson outstaid them all, and sat with me half an hour."- Mem. i. 69. It is pleasing to find, from these letters, that there was more of labour not disproportionate to its effect; but a fellow will hack half a year at a block of marble to make something in stone that hardly resembles a man. The value of statuary is owing to its difficulty. You would not value the finest head cut upon a carrot." Here he seemed to me to be strangely deficient in taste; for surely statuary is a noble art of imitation, and preserves a wonderful expression of the varieties of the human frame; and although it must be allowed that the circumstances of difficulty enhance the value of a marble head, we should consider, that if it requires a long time in the performance, it has a proportionate value in durability. Gwyn was a fine lively rattling fellow. Dr. Johnson kept him in subjection, but with a kindly authority. The spirit of the artist, however, rose against what he thought a Gothic attack, and he made a brisk defence. "What, Sir, you will allow no value to beauty in architecture or in statuary? Why should we allow it then in writing? Why do you take the trouble to give us so many fine allusions, and bright images, and elegant phrases? You might convey all your instruction without these ornaments." Johnson smiled with complacency; but said, "Why, Sir, all these ornaments are useful, because they obtain an easier reception for truth; but a building is not at all more convenient for being decorated with superfluous carved work." Gwyn at last was lucky enough to make one reply to Dr. Johnson, which he allowed to be excellent. Johnson censured him for taking down a church which might have stood many years, and building a new one at a different place, for no other reason but that there might be a direct road to a new bridge; and his expression was, "You are taking a church out of the way, that the people may go in a straight line to the bridge. No, Sir," said Gwyn, "I am putting the church in the way, that the people may not go out of the way." JOHNSON (with a hearty loud laugh of approbation). Speak no more. Rest your colloquial fame upon this." 66 66 Upon our arrival at Oxford, Dr. Johnson and I went directly to University College, but were disappointed on finding that one of the fellows, his friend Mr. Scott, [p. 268.] who accompanied cordiality and social intercourse between Johnson and Garrick than Boswell's narrative would lead us to suppose. — CROKER, 1846. 2 Dr. Johnson does not seem to have objected to ornamental architecture or statuary per se, but to labour disproportionate to its utility or effect. In this view, his criticisms are just. The late style of building introduced into London, of colonnades and porticos, without any regard to aspect, climate, or utility, is so absurd to reason, so offensive to taste, and so adverse to domestic comfort, that it reconciles us to the short-lived materials of which these edifices are composed. It would have been well if we had, according to Johnson's sober advice, thought it necessary that the "magnificence of porticos," and the "erpense of pilasters," should have borne some degree of proportion to their utility. With regard to "statuary," when it does preserve the varieties of the human frame," it deserves all that Mr. Boswell says for it: but Johnson's objection was that it more frequently produced abortive failures, “hardly resembling man.” — CROKER. 66 him from Newcastle to Edinburgh, was gone to the country. We put up at the Angel inn, and passed the evening by ourselves in easy and familiar conversation. Talking of constitutional melancholy, he observed, "A man so afflicted, Sir, must divert distressing thoughts, and not combat with them." BOSWELL. "May not he think them down, Sir?" JOHNSON. No, Sir. To attempt to think them down is madness. He should have a lamp constantly burning in his bed-chamber during the night, and if wakefully disturbed, take a book, and read, and compose himself to rest. To have the management of the mind is a great art, and it may be attained in a considerable degree by experience and habitual exercise." BOSWELL. "Should not he provide amusement for himself? Would it not, for instance, be right for him to take a course of chemistry?" JOHNSON. 'Let him take a course of chemistry, or a course of ropedancing, or a course of any thing to which he is inclined at the time. Let him contrive to have as many retreats for his mind as he can, as many things to which it can fly from itself. Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy' is a valuable work. It is, perhaps, overloaded with quotation. But there is a great spirit and great power in what Burton says, when he writes from his own mind." 66 Next morning [Wednesday, March 20.] we visited Dr. Wetherell, master of University College, with whom Dr. Johnson conferred on the most advantageous mode of disposing of the books printed at the Clarendon press, on which subject his letter has been inserted in a former page. I often had occasion to remark, Johnson loved business, loved to have his wisdom actually operate on real life. Dr. Wetherell and I talked of him without reserve in his own presence. WETHERELL. "I would have given him a hundred guineas if he would have written a preface to his ' Political Tracts,' by way of a discourse on the British constitution." BOSWELL. "Dr. Johnson, though in his writings, and upon all occasions, a great friend to the constitution, both in church and state, has never written expressly in support of either. There is really a claim upon him for both. I am sure he could give a volume of no great bulk upon each, which would comprise all the substance, and with his spirit would effectually maintain them. He should erect a fort on the confines of each." I could perceive that he was displeased with this dialogue. He burst out, "Why should I be always writing? I hoped he was conscious that the debt was just, and meant to discharge it, though he disliked being dunned. We then went to Pembroke College, and waited on his old friend Dr. Adams, the master of it, whom I found to be a most polite, pleasing, communicative man. Before his advancement to the headship of his college, I had intended to go and visit him at Shrewsbury, where he was rector of St. Chad's, in order to get from him what particulars he could recollect of Johnson's academical life. He now obligingly gave me part of that authentic information, which, with what I afterwards owed to his kindness, will be found incorporated in its proper place in this work. ว่า Dr. Adams had distinguished himself by an able Answer 1 to David Hume's "Essay on Miracles." He told me he had once dined in company with Hume in London: that Hume shook hands with him, and said, "You have treated me much better than I deserve;" and that they exchanged visits. I took the liberty to object to treating an infidel writer with smooth civility. Where there is a controversy concerning a passage in a classic author, or concerning a question in antiquities, or any other subject in which human happiness is not deeply interested, a man may treat his antagonist with politeness and even respect. But where the controversy is concerning the truth of religion, it is of such vast importance to him who maintains it, to obtain the victory, that the person of an opponent ought not to be spared. Ifs man firmly believes that religion is an invalu able treasure, he will consider a writer who endeavours to deprive mankind of it as a robber; he will look upon him as odios though the infidel might think himself in the right. A robber who reasons as the gang in the "Beggar's Opera," who call themselves practical philosophers, and may have as much sincerity as pernicious speculative philosophers, is not the less an object of just indignation An abandoned profligate may think that it is not wrong to debauch my wife; but shall I therefore, not detest him? And if I cate him in making an attempt, shall I treat hi with politeness? No, I will kick him dow stairs, or run him through the body; that is if I really love my wife, or have a true ration notion of honour. An infidel then should not be treated handsomely by a Christian, merely because he endeavours to rob with ingenuity. I do declare, however, that I am exceeding unwilling to be provoked to anger; and cou I be persuaded that truth would not suffer from a cool moderation in its defenders, I should wish to preserve good humour, at least, in every controversy; nor, indeed, do I see why a man should lose his temper while he does all he can to refute an opponent. I think ridicule may be fairly used against an infidel; for instance, if he be an ugly fellow, and yet absurdly vain of his person, we may contrast his appearance with Cicero's beautiful image of Virtue, could she be seen. Johnson coircided with me, and said, “ When a man voluntarily engages in an important controversy, is to do all he can to lessen his antagonist, because authority from personal respect has be 1 This tract appeared in 1752, and was republished in 1734. -WRIGHT. much weight with most people, and often more than reasoning. If my antagonist writes bad language, though that may not be essential to the question, I will attack him for his bad language. ADAMS. "You would not jostle a chimney-sweeper." JOHNSON. "Yes, Sir, if it were necessary to jostle him down." Dr. Adams told us, that in some of the colleges at Oxford, the fellows had excluded the students from social intercourse with them in the common room. JOHNSON. "They are in the right, Sir: there can be no real conversation, no fair exertion of mind amongst them, if the young men are by for a man who has a character does not choose to stake it in their presence." BOSWELL. "But, Sir, may there not be very good conversation without a contest for superiority?" JOHNSON. "No animated conversation, Sir; for it cannot be but one or other will come off superior. I do not mean that the victor must have the better of the argument, for he may take the weak side; but his superiority of parts and knowledge will necessarily appear; and he to whom he thus shows himself superior is lessened in the eyes of the young men. You know it was said, Mallem cum Scaligero errare quam cum Clavio recte sapere. In the same manner take Bentley's and Jason de Nores' Comments upon Horace, you will admire Bentley more when wrong, than Jason when right." We walked with Dr. Adams into the master's garden, and into the common room. JOHNSON (after a reverie of meditation). "Ay! here I used to play at draughts with Phil. Jones and Fludyer. Jones loved beer, and did not get very forward in the church. Fludyer turned out a scoundrel 3, a whig, and said he was ashamed of having been bred at Oxford. He had a living at Putney; and got under the eye of some retainers to the court at that time, and 30 became a violent whig; but he had been a Scoundrel all along, to be sure." BOSWELL. "Was he a scoundrel, Sir, in any other way than that of being a political scoundrel? Did he cheat at draughts?" JOHNSON. "Sir, we never played for money.' 99 He then carried me to visit Dr. Bentham, A learned Cypriot, who, when the Turks took Cyprus in 1570, retired into Italy, where he published several Italian and Latin works: among the latter was a "Commentary on Horace's Art of Poetry. CROKER. Fiudyer entered within a month of Johnson's entrance. Jones must have been about a year their senior, having become M.A. March, 1734. Hall. - CROKER. See post, March 27. 1776, n. — C. Dr. Fisher told me, in the conversation before mentioned, (ante. p. 458. n. 5.), that there were present at this dinner, Dr. Wetherell, Johnson, Boswell, Coulson, Scott, Gwyn, Dr. Chandler the traveller, and Fisher himself, then a young fellow of the College. He recollects one passage of the conTersation at dinner. Boswell quoted Quem Deus vult perdere, prius dementat, and asked where it was. A pause. At last Dr. Chandler said, in Horace. Another pause. Then Fisher remarked that he knew of no metre in Horace to which the words could be reduced: and Johnson said dictatorially, The young man is right."- See post, March 30. 1783. At another conversation, during, as Dr. Fisher thought, this visit to Oxford, there happened to be present a Mr. MorLiner, a shallow, under-bred man, who had no sense of We canon of Christ Church, and divinity professor, with whose learned and lively conversation we were much pleased. He gave us an invitation to dinner, which Dr. Johnson told me was a high honour. "Sir, it is a great thing to dine with the canons of Christ Church." could not accept his invitation, as we were engaged to dine at University College. We had an excellent dinner there, with the masters and fellows, it being St. Cuthbert's day, which is kept by them as a festival, as he was a saint of Durham, with which this college is much connected.* We drank tea with Dr. Horne, late President of Magdalen College and Bishop of Norwich, of whose abilities in different respects the public has had eminent proofs, and the esteem annexed to whose character was increased by knowing him personally. He had talked of publishing an edition of Walton's Lives, but had laid aside that design, upon Dr. Johnson's telling him, from mistake, that Lord Hailes intended to do it. I had wished to negotiate between Lord Hailes and him, that one or other should perform so good a work. JOHNSON. "In order to do it well, it will be necessary to collect all the editions of Walton's Lives. By way of adapting the book to the taste of the present age, they have, in a late edition, left out a vision which he relates Dr. Donne had, but it should be restored; and there should be a critical catalogue given of the works of the different persons whose lives were written by Walton, and therefore their works must be carefully read by the editor." We then went to Trinity College, where he introduced me to Mr. Thomas Warton, with whom we passed a part of the evening. We talked of biography. JOHNSON. "It is rarely well executed. They only who live with a man can write his life with any genuine exactness and discrimination; and few people who have lived with a man know what to remark about him. The chaplain of a late bishop 6, whom I was to assist in writing some memoirs of his lordship, could tell me scarcely any thing."7 Johnson's superiority, and talked away a great deal of flippant nonsense: at last he flatly contradicted some assertion which Johnson had pronounced to be as clear as that two and two make four. I deny it," replied the other vehemently, "I utterly deny it." "Sir," said Johnson, "if you deny that, I can only say that plus in unâ horá negabit unus asinus, quam centum philosophi in centum annis probaverint." I suspect, however, that this scene occurred at one of Johnson's later visits. CROKER, 1846. 5 The vision which Johnson speaks of was not in the original publication of Walton's "Life of Dr. Donne," in 1640. It is not found in the three earliest editions; but was first introduced into the fourth, in 1765. I have not been able to discover what modern republication is alluded to in which it was omitted. It has very properly been restored by Dr. Zouch.-J. BoswELL, jun. 6 The Bishop was Zachary Pearce, and the Chaplain, Mr. Derby. See post, sub May, 1777. — CROKER. 7 It has been mentioned to me by an accurate English friend, that Dr. Johnson could never have used the phrase almost nothing, as not being English; and therefore I have put another in its place. At the same time, I am not quite con I said, Mr. Robert Dodsley's life should be written, as he had been so much connected with the wits of his time, and by his literary merit had raised himself from the station of a footman. Mr. Warton said, he had published a little volume under the title of "The Muse in Livery." JOHNSON. "I doubt whether Dodsley's brother would thank a man who should write his life; yet Dodsley himself was not unwilling that his original low condition should be recollected. When Lord Lyttelton's Dialogues of the Dead' came out, one of which is between Apicius, an ancient epicure, and Dartineuf, a modern epicure, Dodsley said to me, 'I knew Dartineuf well, for I was once his footman.' Biography led us to speak of Dr. John Campbell, who had written a considerable part of the "Biographia Britannica." Johnson, though he valued him highly, was of opinion that there was not so much in his great work, "A Political Survey of Great Britain," as the world had been taught to expect'; and had said to me that he believed Campbell's disappointment on account of the bad success of that work had killed him. He this evening observed of it, "That work was his death." Mr. Warton, not adverting to his meaning, answered, "I believe so, from the great attention he bestowed on it." JOHNSON. "Nay, Sir, he died of want of attention, if he died at all by that book." We talked of a work much in vogue at that time, written in a very mellifluous style, but which, under pretext of another subject, contained much artful infidelity. I said it was not fair to attack us unexpectedly; he should have warned us of our danger, before we entered his garden of flowery eloquence, by advertising, Spring-guns and men-traps set here." The author had been an Oxonian, and was remembered there for having "turned Papist." I observed, that as he had changed several times-from the church of England to the church of Rome - from the church of Rome to infidelity,-I did not despair yet of seeing him a methodist preacher. JOHNSON (laughing). “It is said that his range has been more extensive, and that he has once been Mahometan. However, now that he has published his infidelity, he will probably per sist in it."4 BoSWELL. "I am not quite sure of that, Sir." I mentioned Sir Richard Steele having pub lished his "Christian Hero," with the avowed purpose of obliging himself to lead a religious life; yet that his conduct was by no meras strictly suitable. JOHNSON. "Steele, I believe, practised the lighter vices." Mr. Warton, being engaged, could not sup with us at our inn; we had therefore another evening by ourselves. I asked Johnson whether a man's being forward to make binself known to eminent people 5, and seeing as much of life, and getting as much informatica as he could in every way, was not yet lesser g himself by his forwardness. JOHNSON. “N. Sir; a man always makes himself greater as i increases his knowledge." I censured some ludicrous fantastic dialoge between two coach-horses, and other s.. stuff, which Baretti had lately published. I! joined with me, and said, "Nothing odd w do long. Tristram Shandy' did not last I expressed a desire to be acquainted with a lady who had been much talked of, and univer sally celebrated for extraordinary address at : insinuation." JOHNSON. "Never believe entraordinary characters which you hear of peʊ, " Depend upon it, Sir, they are exaggeratis You do not see one man shoot a great de higher than another." I mentioned Mr. Bur... · JOHNSON. "Yes, Burke is an extraordis.. man. His stream of mind is perpetual." is very pleasing to me to record, that John T high estimation of the talents of this gentle was uniform from their early acquainter Sir Joshua Reynolds informs me, that vinced it is not good English. For the best writers use this phrase, "little or nothing," 1. e. almost so little as to be nothing.BOSWELL. Mr. Boswell's friend was surely hypercritical. CROKER. 1 James Dodsley, many years a bookseller in Pall Mall. He died 19 Feb. 1797, aged 74, and was buried in the church of St. James', Piccadilly, where there is a tablet erected to his memory.-P. CUNNINGHAM. 2 This gentleman, whose proper name was Charles Dartíquenave (pronounced and commonly written Darteneuf), is now only recollected as a celebrated epicure; but he was a man of wit, pleasure, and political importance at the begin ning of the last century—the associate of Swift, Pope, Addison, and Steele a contributor to the Tatler, and a member of the Kit-Cat Club, of which collection his portrait is one of the best. He was Paymaster of the Board of Works, and Surveyor of the royal gardens; and died in 1737. It was suspected that he was a natural son of Charles the Second, by a foreign lady; and his physiognomy as well as his name evidences a foreign origin. CROKER. 3 Yet surely it is a very useful work, and of wonderful research and labour for one man to have executed. - Bos. WELL. 4 As there can be no doubt that Gibbon and his History are the author and the work here alluded to, I once thought that the sceptical tone of the celebrated 15th and 16th chapters night have prompted this sarcasm, but there is in them no particular allusion to Mahometanism, and I now incline to believe, as was suggested by Mr. Macw Care Edinburgh Review, that it may have referred to was rumours of earlier infidelity. Gibbon, in his Mom a fesses that the erratic course of study, which fa his conversion to Popery, began at Oxford by a tim "oriental learning and an inclination to study Aratur tutor," he adds, "discouraged this childish finney.” plains, too, of the invidious thispers which were aff. circulated in Oxford on the subject of his apostare we may be certain that Johnson did not speak ess meaning, some whisper of this early the mars 2 guage of the Koran may have reached Jobs, sioned this sarcasm. - Croker, 1835, 5 This was one of Boswell's predominant paas na particularly in early life, fond of running after were all sorts.- CROKER, 6 Margaret Caroline Rudd, a woman who Bed of the brothers Perreau, who were about this I'ma p (Jan. 17. 1776) for a forgery. Her fame for ex address and insinuation" was probably very mata m arose from this: she betrayed her accountles return, charged her with being the real authent and alleged that they were dupes and to stram amp hands; and, to support this allegation, the and the who were numerous and respectable, exaz highest degree, Mrs. Rudd's fupposed power of a fascination. See post, p 515, n. 2. — CROKER.... Mr. Burke was first elected a member of parliament, and Sir John Hawkins expressed a wonder at his attaining a seat, Johnson said, Now we, who know Mr. Burke, know that he will be one of the first men in the country." And once, when Johnson was ill, and unable to exert himself as much as usual without fatigue, Mr. Burke having been mentioned, he said, "That fellow calls forth all my powers. Were I to see Burke now it would kill me.' So much was he accustomed to consider conversation as a contest, and such was his notion of Burke as an opponent. Next morning, Thursday, 21st March, we set out in a post-chaise to pursue our ramble. It was a delightful day, and we rode through Blenheim park. When I looked at the magnificent bridge built by John Duke of Marlborough, over a small rivulet, and recollected the epigram made' upon it— "The lofty arch his high ambition shows, I The stream an emblem of his bounty flows;" and saw that now, by the genius of Brown, a magnificent body of water was collected, I said, "They have drowned the epigram." observed to him, while in the midst of the noble scene around "You and I, Sir, have, I think, seen together the extremes of what can be seen in Britain - the wild rough island of Mull, and Blenheim park." us, We dined at an excellent inn at Chapelhouse, where he expatiated on the felicity of England in its taverns and inns, and triumphed over the French for not having, in any perfection, the tavern life. "There is no private house," said be," in which people can enjoy themselves so well as at a capital tavern. Let there be ever so great plenty of good things, ever so much grandeur, ever so much elegance, ever so much desire that every body should be easy; in the nature of things it cannot be : there must always be some degree of care and anxiety. The master of the house is anxious to entertain his guests; the guests are anxious to be agreeable to him; and no man, but a very impudent dog indeed, can as freely command what is in another man's house, as if it were his own. Whereas, at a tavern, there is a general freedom from anxiety. You are Where'er his stages may have been, The warmest welcome at an inn." My illustrious friend, I thought, did not sufficiently admire Shenstone. That ingenious and elegant gentleman's opinion of Johnson appears in one of his letters to Mr. Graves, dated Feb. 9. 1760. "I have lately been reading one or two volumes of the Rambler; who, excepting against some few hardnesses * in his manner, and the want of more examples to enliven, is one of the most nervous, most perspicuous, most concise, most harmonious prose writers I know. A learned diction improves by time." In the afternoon, as we were driving rapidly along in the post-chaise, he said to me, "Life has not many things better than this." 5 We stopped at Stratford-upon-Avon, and drank tea and coffee; and it pleased me to be with him upon the classic ground of Shakspeare's native place. He spoke slightly of Dyer's "Fleece." "The subject, Sir, cannot be made poetical. How can a man write poetically of serges and druggets? Yet you will hear many people talk to you gravely of that excellent poem, The Fleece." Haying talked of Grainger's "Sugar Cane," I mentioned to him Mr. Langton's having told me, that this poem, when read in manuscript at Sir Joshua Reynolds's, had made all the assembled wits burst into a laugh, when, after much blank-verse pomp, the poet began a new paragraph thus: "Now, Muse, let's sing of rats." By Dr. Evans. - CROKER. Sir John Hawkins has preserved very few memorabilia Johnson. There is, however, to be found in his bulky me a very excellent one upon this subject. "In contradicto those who, having a wife and children, prefer domestic ments to those which a tavern affords, I have heard him Art, that a tavern chair was the throne of human felicity. As soon,' said he, as I enter the door of a tavern, I expeTince an oblivion of care, and a freedom from solicitude: hen I am seated, I find the master courteous, and the serTants obsequious to my call; anxious to know and ready to ply my wants: wine there exhilarates my spirits, and Prompts me to free conversation and an interchange of disers with those whom I most love: I dogmatise and am tradicted, and in this conflict of opinion and sentiments I dad delight."- BOSWELL We happened to lie this night at the inn at Henley, where Shenstone wrote these lines; which I give as they are And in the corrected edition of his works, published after death. In Dodsley's collection the stanza ran thus: "Whoe'er has travell'd life's dull round, Whate'er his various tour has been, May sigh to think how oft he found His warmest welcome at an inn."- Boswell. 4 "He too often makes use of the abstract for the concrete." Shenstone. - BOSWELL. 5 The truth is that Johnson's poverty had, till a late period of his life, kept him in ignorance of the luxury of a postchaise, which he then enjoyed like a new taste. "He loved," says Mrs. Piozzi," the very act of travelling, and I cannot tell how far one might have taken him in a carriage before he would have wished for refreshment. He was therefore in some respects an admirable companion on the road, as he piqued himself upon feeling no inconvenience, and on despising no accommodations. On the other hand, however, he expected no one else to feel any, and felt exceedingly indamed with anger if any one complained of the rain, the sun, or the dust. "How," said he, "do other people bear them?" -CROKER. |