p. 200. ployed, no more should pass uncounted, and this has been Prayers written to-day, in consequence of that thought. I read a Greek & Med. chapter, prayed with Francis, which I now do commonly, and explained to him the Lord's Prayer, in which I find connexion not observed, I think, by the expositors. I made punch for myself and my servants, by which, in the night, I thought both my breast and imagination disordered. “ March 18.—I rose late, looked a little into books. Saw Miss Reynolds and Miss Thrale, and Nicolaida1; afterwards Dr. Hunter 2 came for his catalogue. I then dined on tea, &c.; then read over part of Dr. Lawrence's book 'De Temperamentis,' which seems to have been written with a troubled mind. My mind has been for some time much disturbed. The peace of God be with me. 66 66 'I hope to-morrow to finish Lawrence, and to write to Mrs. Aston, and to Lucy. "19.-I rose late. I was visited by Mrs. Thrale, Mr. Cotton, and Mr. Crofts. I took Lawrence's paper in hand, but was chill; having fasted yesterday, I was hungry, and dined freely, then slept a little, and drank tea; then took candles, and wrote to Aston and Lucy, then went on with Lawrence, of which little remains. I prayed with Francis. "Mens sedatior, laus Deo. "To-morrow Shaw 4 comes. I think to finish Lawrence, and write to Langton. "Poor Lawrence has almost lost the sense of hearing; and I have lost the conversation of a learned, intelligent, and communicative companion, and a friend whom long familiarity has much endeared. Lawrence is one of the best men whom I have known. "Nostrum omnium miserere Deus. "20.-Shaw came; I finished reading Lawrence. I dined liberally. Wrote a long letter to Langton, and designed to read, but was hindered by Strahan. The ministry is dissolved. I prayed with Francis, and gave thanks. "To-morrow-To Mrs. Thrale-To write to Hector-To Dr. Taylor. [A learned Greck; a friend of Mr. Langton.-ED.] 2 [The catalogue referred to was probably that of the ancient coins in Dr. Hunter's museum, which was published in the ensuing year, with a classical dedication to the queen, which perhaps Dr. Johnson revised.-ED.] 3 [Probably Mr. Herbert Croft, who had supplied him with a life of Young. See sub 24th Dec. 1783.-ED.] 4 [Probably the editor of the Gaelick Dictionary, who about this period was warmly engaged in the Ossian controversy, and as he took Dr. Johnson's part, probably received some assistance from him.-ED.] Prayers & Med. p. 200. "21.-I went to Mrs. Thrale. Mr. Cox and Paradise met me at the door, and went with me in the coach. Paradise's Loss 1. In the evening wrote to Hector. At night there were eleven visitants. Conversation with Mr. Cox. When I waked I saw the penthouses covered with snow. "22.-I spent the time idly. Mens turbata. In the afternoon it snowed. At night I wrote to Taylor about the pot, and to Hamilton about the Fodera 2. "23.-I came home, and found that Desmoulins had, while I was away, been in bed. Letters from Langton and Boswell. I promised Lennox] six guineas. "24.-Sunday. I rose not early. Visitors, Allen, Davis, Windham, Dr. Horsley. Dinner at Strahan's. Came home and chatted with Williams, and read Romans ix. in Greek. "To-morrow begin again to read the Bible; put rooms in order; copy L[ennox's] letter. At night I read 11 p. and something more, of the Bible, in fifty-five minutes. "26.-Tuesday. I copied Lennox's] letter. Then wrote to Mrs. Thrale. Cox visited me. I sent home Dr. Lawrence's papers, with notes. I gave [Mrs.] D[esmoulins] a guinea, and found her a gown. 27.-Wednesday. At Harley-street. Bad nights--in the evening Dr. Bromfield and his family-Merlin's steelyard given me. "28.-Thursday. I came home. Sold Rymer for Davies ; wrote to Boswell. Visitors, Dr. Percy, Mr. Crofts. I have, in ten days, written to [Mrs.] Aston, Lucy, Hector, Langton, Boswell; perhaps to all by whom my letters are desired. "The weather, which now begins to be warm, gives me great help. I have hardly been at church this year; certainly not since the 15th of January. My cough and difficulty of breath would not permit it. "This is the day on which, in 1752, dear Tetty died. I have now uttered a prayer of repentance and contrition; perhaps Tetty knows that I prayed for her. Perhaps Tetty is now praying for me. Gold help me. Thou, God, art merciful, hear my prayers, and enable me to trust in Thee. [This probably refers to some property in Virginia which Mr. Paradise possessed in right of his wife, and which had been confiscated. See Jefferson's Letters, where he advocates Paradise's claims as being a whig and friend to American independence.-ED.] 2 [A set of Rymer which he was charitably endeavouring to sell for Davis, probably to Mr. Gerard Hamilton; and this was, perhaps, the occasion which made Mr. Hamilton say that he once asked him for 507. for a charitable purpose.-ED.] "We were married almost seventeen years, and have now Prayers been parted thirty. "I then read 11 p. from Ex. 36. to Lev. 7. I prayed with Fr. and used the prayer for Good Friday. "29.- Good Friday. After a night of great disturbance and solicitude, such as I do not remember, I rose, drank tea, but without eating, and went to church. I was very composed, and coming home, read Hammond on one of the Psalms for the day. I then read Leviticus. Scott came in. A kind letter from [Mrs.] Gastrel. I read on, then went to evening prayers, and afterwards drank tea, with buns; then read till I finished Leviticus 24 pages et sup. "To write to [Mrs.] Gastrel to-morrow. "To look again into Hammond. "30.-Saturday. Visitors, Paradise, and I think Horsley. Read 11 pages of the Bible. I was faint; dined on herrings and potatoes. At prayers, I think, in the evening. I wrote to [Mrs.] Gastrel, and received a kind letter from Hector. At night Lowe. Pr[ayed] with Francis. "31.-Easter-Day. Read 15 pages of the Bible. Cætera alibi." On the foregoing curious passage—“ Mar. 3 20. The ministry is dissolved. I prayed with Francis, and gave thanks"-it has been the subject of discussion whether there are two distinct particulars mentioned here? Or that we are to understand the giving of thanks to be in consequence of the dissolution of the ministry? In support of the last of these conjectures may be urged his mean opinion of that ministry, which has frequently appeared in the course of this work; and it is strongly confirmed by what he said on the subject to Mr. Seward:-" I am glad the ministry is removed. Such a bunch of imbecility never disgraced a country. If they sent a [Lord Stowell.-ED.] 2 [Mrs. Gastrell, of Lichfield.-ED.] 3 [Mr. Boswell had erroneously dated this extract Jan., and had so placed it. Mr. Boswell does not appear to have seen the whole diary.-ED.] 4 On the preceding day the ministry had been changed.-MALONE. & Med. p. 200. messenger into the city to take up a printer, the messenger was taken up instead of the printer, and committed by the sitting alderman. If they sent one army to the relief of another, the first army was defeated and taken before the second arrived. I will not say that what they did was always wrong; but it was always done at a wrong time." I wrote to him at different dates; regretted that I could not come to London this spring, but hoped we should meet somewhere in the summer; mentioned the state of my affairs, and suggested hopes of some preferment; informed him, that as "The Beauties of Johnson" had been published in London, some obscure scribbler had published at Edinburgh what he called "The Deformities of Johnson." "TO JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ. 66 London, 28th March, 1782. “DEAR SIR,—The pleasure which we used to receive from each other on Good-Friday and Easter-day, we must be this year content to miss. Let us, however, pray for each other, and I hope to see one another yet from time to time with mutual delight. My disorder has been a cold, which impeded the organs of respiration, and kept me many weeks in a state of great uneasiness; but by repeated phlebotomy it is now relieved: and next to the recovery of Mrs. Boswell, I flatter myself, that you will rejoice at mine. "What we shall do in the summer, it is yet too early to consider. You want to know what you shall do now; I do not think this time of bustle and confusion1 like to produce any advantage to you. Every man has those to reward and gratify who have contributed to his advancement. To come hither with such expectations at the expense of borrowed money, which I find you know not where to borrow, can hardly be considered prudent. I am sorry to find, what your solicitations seem to imply, that you have already gone the whole length of your credit. This is to set the quiet of your whole life at hazard. If you anticipate your inheritance, you can at last inherit nothing; all that you receive must pay for the past. You must get a place, or pine in penury, with the empty name of a "The Beauties of Johnson are said to have got money to the collector; if the Deformities have the same success, I shall be still a more extensive benefactor. "Make my compliments to Mrs. Boswell, who is I hope reconciled to me; and to the young people whom I never have offended. "You never told me the success of your plea against the solicitors. I am, dear sir, your most affectionate, "SAM. JOHNSON." kind [" TO MRS. GASTRELL AND MRS. ASTON. "London, Bolt-court, Fleet-street, 30th March, 1782. “Dearest ladIES,―The tenderness expressed in your letter makes me think it necessary to tell you that they who are pleased to wish me well, need not be any longer particularly solicitous about me. I prevailed on my physician to bleed me very copiously, almost against his inclination. However, he kept his finger on the pulse of the other hand, and, finding that I bore it well, let the vein run on. From that time I have mended, and hope I am now well. I went yesterday to church without inconvenience, and hope to go to morrow. "Here are great changes in the great world; but I cannot tell you more than you will find in the papers. The men have got in whom I have endeavoured to keep out; but I hope they will do better than their predecessors: it will not be easy to do worse. Spring seems now to approach, and I feel its benefit, which I hope will extend to dear Mrs. Aston. "When Dr. Falconer saw me, I was at home only by accident, for I lived much with Mrs. Thrale, and had all the care from her that she could take or could be taken. But I have never been ill enough to want attendance; my disorder has been rather tedious than violent; rather irksome than painful. He needed not have made such a tragical representation. Pemb. |