Life of Johnson Volume IV Part 46

[182] _Works, vii. 420._

[183] Benjamin Victor published in 1722, a _Letter to Steele_, and in 1776, _Letters, Dramatic Pieces, and Poems_ Brit. Mus. Catalogue.

[184] Mr. _Wilks_. See _ante_, i. 167, note 1.

[185] See _post_, p. 91 and Macaulay's _Essay on Addison_ (ed. 1974, iv.

207).

[186] 'A better and more Christian man scarcely ever breathed than Joseph Addison. If he had not that little weakness for wine--why we could scarcely have found a fault with him, and could not have liked him as we do.' Thackery's _English Humourists_, ed. 1858, p. 94.

[187] See _ante_, i. 30, and iii. 155.

[188] See _post_, under Dec. 2, 1784.

[189] Parnell 'drank to excess.' _Ante_, iii. 155.

[190] I should have thought that Johnson, who had felt the severe affliction from which Parnell never recovered, would have preserved this pa.s.sage. BOSWELL.

[191] Mrs. Thrale wrote to Johnson in May, 1780:-'Blackmore will be rescued from the old wits who worried him much to your disliking; so, a little for love of his Christianity, a little for love of his physic, a little for love of his courage--and a little for love of contradiction, you will save him from his malevolent critics, and perhaps do him the honour to devour him yourself.' _Piozzi Letters_, ii. 122. See _ante_, ii. 107.

[192] 'This is a tribute which a painter owes to an architect who composed like a painter; and was defrauded of the due reward of his merit by the wits of his time, who did not understand the principles of composition in poetry better than he did; and who knew little, or nothing, of what he understood perfectly, the general ruling principles of architecture and painting.' Reynolds's _Thirteenth Discourse_.

[193] Johnson had not wished to write _Lyttelton's Life_. He wrote to Lord Westcote, Lyttelton's brother, 'My desire is to avoid offence, and be totally out of danger. I take the liberty of proposing to your lords.h.i.+p, that the historical account should be written under your direction by any friend you may be willing to employ, and I will only take upon myself to examine the poetry.'--Croker's _Boswell_, p.650.

[194] It was not _Molly Aston_ (_ante_ i. 83) but Miss Hill Boothby (_ib_.) of whom Mrs. Thrale wrote. She says (_Anec_. p.160):--'Such was the purity of her mind, Johnson said, and such the graces of her manner, that Lord Lyttelton and he used to strive for her preference with an emulation that occasioned hourly disgust, and ended in lasting animosity.' There is surely much exaggeration in this account.

[195] Let not my readers smile to think of Johnson's being a candidate for female favour; Mr. Peter Garrick a.s.sured me, that he was told by a lady, that in her opinion Johnson was 'a very _seducing man_.'

Disadvantages of person and manner may be forgotten, where intellectual pleasure is communicated to a susceptible mind; and that Johnson was capable of feeling the most delicate and disinterested attachment, appears from the following letter, which is published by Mrs. Thrale [_Piozzi Letters_, ii. 391], with some others to the same person, of which the excellence is not so apparent:--

'TO MISS BOOTHBY. January, 1755.

DEAREST MADAM,

Though I am afraid your illness leaves you little leisure for the reception of airy civilities, yet I cannot forbear to pay you my congratulations on the new year; and to declare my wishes that your years to come may be many and happy. In this wish, indeed, I include myself, who have none but you on whom my heart reposes; yet surely I wish your good, even though your situation were such as should permit you to communicate no gratifications to, dearest, dearest Madam, Your, &c. SAM JOHNSON.' (BOSWELL.)

[196] Horace, _Odes_, iv. 3.2, quoted also _ante_, i.352, note.

[197] The pa.s.sage which Boswell quotes in part is as follows:--'When they were first published they were kindly commended by the _Critical Reviewers_; [i.e. the writers in the _Critical Review_. In some of the later editions of Boswell these words have been printed, _critical reviewers_; so as to include all the reviewers who criticised the work]; and poor Lyttelton, with humble grat.i.tude, returned, in a note which I have read, acknowledgements which can never be proper, since they must be paid either for flattery or for justice.' _Works_, viii.491. Boswell forgets that what may be proper in one is improper in another.

Lyttelton, when he wrote this note, had long been a man of high position. He had 'stood in the first rank of opposition,' he had been Chancellor of the Exchequer, and when he lost his post, he had been 'recompensed with a peerage.' See _ante_, ii. 126.

[198] See _post_, June 12 and 15, 1784.

[199] He adopted it from indolence. Writing on Aug. 1, 1780, after mentioning the failure of his application to Lord Westcote, he continues:--'There is an ingenious scheme to save a day's work, or part of a day, utterly defeated. Then what avails it to be wise? The plain and the artful man must both do their own work.--But I think I have got a life of Dr. Young.' _Piozzi Letters_, ii. 173.

[200] _Gent. Mag._ vol. lv. p. 10. BOSWELL.

[201] By a letter to Johnson from Croft, published in the later editions of the _Lives_, it seems that Johnson only expunged one pa.s.sage. Croft says:--'Though I could not prevail on you to make any alteration, you insisted on striking out one pa.s.sage, because it said, that, if I did not wish you to live long for your sake, I did for the sake of myself and the world.' _Works_ viii.458.

[202] The Late Mr. Burke. MALONE.

[203] See_post_, June 2, 1781.

[204] Johnson's _Works_, viii 440.

[205] _Ib._ p.436

[206] 'Eheu! fugaces, Postume, Postume, Labuntur anni.' 'How swiftly glide our flying years!' FRANCIS. Horace, _Odes_, ii.14. i.

[207] The late Mr. James Ralph told Lord Macartney, that he pa.s.sed an evening with Dr. Young at Lord Melcombe's (then Mr. Dodington) at Hammersmith. The Doctor happening to go out into the garden, Mr.

Dodington observed to him, on his return, that it was a dreadful night, as in truth it was, there being a violent storm of rain and wind. 'No, Sir, (replied the Doctor) it is a very fine night. The LORD is abroad.' BOSWELL.

[208] See _ante_, ii.96, and iii.251; and Boswell's _Hebrides_, Sept.

30.

[209] 'An ardent judge, who zealous in his trust, With warmth gives sentence, yet is always just.' Pope's _Essay on Criticism_, l.677.

[210] _Works_, viii.459. Though the _Life of Young_ is by Croft, yet the critical remarks are by Johnson.

[211] _Ib._ p.460.

[212] Johnson refers to Chambers's _Dissertation on Oriental Gardening_, which was ridiculed in the _Heroic Epistle_. See _post_, under May 8, 1781, and Boswell's _Hebrides_, Sept. 13.

[213] Boswell refers to the death of Narcissa in the third of the _Night Thoughts_. While he was writing the _Life of Johnson_ Mrs. Boswell was dying of consumption in (to quote Young's words)

The rigid north, Her native bed, on which bleak Boreas blew.'

She died nearly two years before _The Life_ was published.

[214] _Proverbs_, xviii.14.

[215] See Boswell's _Hebrides_, Aug. 16.

[216] See vol. i. page 133. BOSWELL.

[217] 'In his economy Swift practised a peculiar and offensive parsimony, without disguise or apology. The practice of saving being once necessary, became habitual, and grew first ridiculous, and at last detestable. But his avarice, though it might exclude pleasure, was never suffered to encroach upon his virtue. He was frugal by inclination, but liberal by principle; and if the purpose to which he destined his little acc.u.mulations be remembered, with his distribution of occasional charity, it will perhaps appear, that he only liked one mode of expense better than another, and saved merely that he might have something to give.' _Works_, viii.222.

[218] _Ib_. p.225.

[219] Mr. Chalmers here records a curious literary anecdote--that when a new and enlarged edition of the _Lives of the Poets_ was published in 1783, Mr. Nichols, in justice to the purchasers of the preceding editions, printed the additions in a separate pamphlet, and advertised that it might be had _gratis_. Not ten copies were called for. CROKER.

[220] See _ante_, p.9, and Boswell's _Hebrides_, Oct. 15.

[221] _Works_, vii. Preface.

[222] From this disreputable cla.s.s, I except an ingenious though not satisfactory defence of HAMMOND, which I did not see till lately, by the favour of its authour, my amiable friend, the Reverend Mr. Bevill, who published it without his name. It is a juvenile performance, but elegantly written, with cla.s.sical enthusiasm of sentiment, and yet with a becoming modesty, and great respect for Dr. Johnson. BOSWELL.

[223] Before the _Life of Lyttelton_ was published there was, it seems, some coolness between Mrs. Montagu and Johnson. Miss Burney records the following conversation in September 1778. 'Mark now,' said Dr. Johnson, 'if I contradict Mrs. Montagu to-morrow. I am determined, let her say what she will, that I will not contradict her.' MRS. THRALE. 'Why to be sure, Sir, you did put her a little out of countenance last time she came.'...DR. JOHNSON. 'Why, Madam, I won't answer that I shan't contradict her again, if she provokes me as she did then; but a less provocation I will withstand. I believe I am not high in her good graces already; and I begin (added he, laughing heartily) to tremble for my admission into her new house. I doubt I shall never see the inside of it.' Yet when they met a few days later all seemed friendly. 'When Mrs.

Montagu's new house was talked of, Dr. Johnson in a jocose manner, desired to know if he should be invited to see it. "Ay, sure," cried Mrs. Montagu, looking well pleased, "or else I shan't like it."' Mme.