the foot pavement, and sent forth peals so loud, that in the silence of the night his voice seemed to resound from Templebar to Fleet-ditch. This most ludicrous exhibition of the aweful, melancholy, and venerable Johnson, happened well to counteract the feelings of sadness which I used to experience when parting with him for a considerable time. I accompanied him to his door, where he gave me his blessing. 'To JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ. 'DEAR SIR,-I shall set out from London on Friday the sixth of this month, and purpose not to loiter much by the way. Which day I shall be at Edinburgh, I cannot exactly tell. I suppose I must drive to an inn, and send a porter to find you. 'I am afraid Beattie will not be at his College soon enough for us, and I shall be sorry to miss him; but there is no staying for the concurrence of all conveniences. We will do as well as we can. I am, Sir, your most humble servant, 'August 3, 1773.' 'SAM. JOHNSON.' TO JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ. 'Newcastle, Aug. 11, 1773. 'DEAR SIR, I came hither last night, and hope, but do not absolutely promise, to be in Edinburgh on Saturday. Beattie will not come so soon. I am, Sir, your most humble servant, 'My compliments to your lady.' 'SAM. JOHNSON.' TO THE SAME. 'Mr. Johnson sends his compliments to Mr. Boswell, being just arrived at Boyd's.-Saturday night.' His stay in Scotland was from the 18th of August, on which day he arrived, till the 22nd of November, when he set out on his return to London; and I believe ninety-four 1774] MISCELLANEOUS AND FUGITIVE PIECES 227 days were never passed by any man in a more vigorous exertion.1 His humane forgiving disposition was put to a pretty strong test on his return to London, by a liberty which Mr. Thomas Davies had taken with him in his absence, which was, to publish two volumes, entitled, Miscellaneous and fugitive Pieces, which he advertised in the news-papers, 'By the Authour of the Rambler.' In this collection, several of Dr. Johnson's acknowledged writings, several of his anonymous performances, and some which he had written for others, were inserted; but there were also some in which he had no concern whatever. He was at first very angry, as he had good reason to be. But, upon consideration of his poor friend's narrow circumstances, and that he had only a little profit in view, and meant no harm, he soon relented, and continued his kindness to him as formerly. In the course of his self-examination with retrospect to this year, he seems to have been much dejected; for he says, January 1, 1774, 'This year has passed with so little improvement, that I doubt whether I have not rather impaired than increased my learning'; and yet we have seen how he read, and we know how he talked during that period. He was now seriously engaged in writing an account of our travels in the Hebrides, in consequence of which I had the pleasure of a more frequent correspondence with him. 'TO BENNET LANGTON, ESQ., AT LANGTON, NEAR 'DEAR SIR,-You have reason to reproach me that I have left your last letter so long unanswered, but I had nothing particular to say. Chambers, you find, is gone far, and 1 In his Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, published the year after Johnson died, Boswell gives a detailed account of Johnson's conversation and adventures with him throughout the journey of 1773. Partly owing to their uninterrupted association, partly to the strangeness and variation of background and circumstances, and partly to Boswell's larger leisure during the tour for the elaboration of his account, the journal is even more racy, picturesque, and interesting than any equal part of the Life. No reader who enjoys the Life should fail to read the Tour-unabridged !—ED. poor Goldsmith is gone much further. He died of a fever, exasperated, as I believe, by the fear of distress. He had raised money and squandered it, by every artifice of acquisition, and folly of expence. But let not his frailties be remembered; he was a very great man. 'I have just begun to print my Journey to the Hebrides, and am leaving the press to take another journey into Wales, whither Mr. Thrale is going, to take possession of, at least, five hundred a year, fallen to his lady. All at Streatham, that are alive, are well. 'I have never recovered from the last dreadful illness, but flatter myself that I grow gradually better; much, however, yet remains to mend. Κύριε ἐλέησον. 'If you have the Latin version of Busy, curious, thirsty fly, be so kind as to transcribe and send it; but you need not be in haste, for I shall be I know not where, for at least five weeks. I wrote the following tetastrick on poor Goldsmith: Τὸν τάφον εἰσοράας τὸν Ὀλιβάροιο. κονίην Οίσι μέμηλε φύσις, μέτρων χάρις, ἔργα παλαιῶν, 'Please to make my most respectful compliments to all the ladies, and remember me to young George and his sisters. I reckon George begins to shew a pair of heels. 'Do not be sullen now, but let me find a letter when I come back. I am, dear Sir, your affectionate, humble servant, 'SAM. JOHNSON.' 'July 5, 1774.' In his manuscript diary of this year, there is the following entry: 'Nov. 27. Advent Sunday. I considered that this day, being the beginning of the ecclesiastical year, was a proper time for a new course of life. I began to read the Greek Testament regularly at 160 verses every Sunday. This day I began the Acts. 'In this week I read Virgil's Pastorals. I learned to repeat the Pollio and Gallus. I read carelessly the first Georgick.' 1775] BOSWELL TO JOHNSON 229 Such evidences of his unceasing ardour, both for 'divine and human lore,' when advanced into his sixty-fifth year, and notwithstanding his many disturbances from disease, must make us at once honour his spirit, and lament that it should be so grievously clogged by its material tegument. 1775: ÆTAT. 66.]— 'MR. BOSWELL TO DR. JOHNSON. 'Edinburgh, Feb. 2, 1775. As to Macpherson,1 I am anxious to have from yourself a full and pointed account of what has passed between you and him. It is confidently told here, that before your book came out he sent to you, to let you know that he understood you meant to deny the authenticity of Ossian's poems; that the originals were in his possession; that you might have inspection of them, and might take the evidence of people skilled in the Erse language; and that he hoped, after this fair offer, you would not be so uncandid as to assert that he had refused reasonable proof. That you paid no regard to his message, but published your strong attack upon him; and then he wrote a letter to you, in such terms as he thought suited to one who had not acted as a man of veracity.' What words were used by Mr. Macpherson in his letter to the venerable Sage, I have never heard; but they are generally said to have been of a nature very different from the language of literary contest. Dr. Johnson's answer appeared in the news-papers of the day, and has since been frequently re-published; but not with perfect accuracy. I give it as dictated to me by himself, written down in his presence, and authenticated by a note in his own handwriting, 'This, I think, is a true copy.' 'MR. JAMES MACPHERSON,-I received your foolish and impudent letter. Any violence offered me I shall do my best to repel; and what I cannot do for myself, the law shall do 1 See above, p. 96. for me. I hope I shall never be deterre what I think a cheat, by the menaces of a 'What would you have me retract? I th an imposture; I think it an imposture still ion I have given my reasons to the publi dare you to refute. Your rage I defy. Yo your Homer, are not so formidable; and your morals, inclines me to pay regard not t say, but to what you shall prove. You n Mr. Macpherson little knew the character if he supposed that he could be easily inti man was ever more remarkable for person had, indeed, an aweful dread of death, or r thing after death;' and what rational man thinks of quitting all that he has ever kn into a new and unknown state of being, can dread? But his fear was from reflection; his His fear, in that one instance, was the result and religious consideration. He feared death nothing else, not even what might occasion instances of his resolution may be mentioned Mr. Beauclerk's house in the country, when were fighting, he went up to them, and beat separated; and at another time, when told there was that a gun might burst if charged w he put in six or seven, and fired it off agains Langton told me, that when they were swim near Oxford, he cautioned Dr. Johnson against was reckoned particularly dangerous; upon directly swam into it. He told me himself tha was attacked in the street by four men, to w not yield, but kept them all at bay, till the w and carried both him and them to the round-h playhouse at Lichfield, as Mr. Garrick inform son having for a moment quitted a chair whi |