"I remember, at the classical lecture in the Hall, I could not bear Meeke's superiority, and I tried to sit as far from him as I could, that I might not hear him construe.'

"As we were leaving the college, he said, 'Here I translated Pope's Messiah. Which do you think is the best line in it ? — My own favourite is,

'Vallis aromaticas fundit Saronica nubes.'

I

He

I told him, I thought it a very sonorous hexameter. did not tell him, it was not in the Virgilian style. much regretted that his first tutor was dead; for whom he seemed to retain the greatest regard. He said, 'I once had been a whole morning sliding in Christ-Church meadows, and missed his lecture in logic. After dinner he sent for me to his room. I expected a sharp rebuke for my idleness, and went with a beating heart. (1) When we were seated, he told me he had sent for me to drink a glass of wine with him, and to tell me, he was not angry with me for missing his lecture. This was, in fact, a most severe reprimand. Some more of the boys were then sent for, and we spent a very pleasant afternoon.' Besides Mr. Meeke, there was only one other fellow of Pembroke now resident: from both of whom Johnson received the greatest civilities during this visit, and they pressed him very much to have a room in the college.

66 In the course of this visit Johnson and I walked three or four times to Ellsfield, a village beautifully situ

(1) This was Johnson's earliest account of this little event, and probably the most accurate; many years after this he told the story to Boswell and Mrs. Piozzi, and made a parade of his having waited on his tutor, not with a "beating heart," but with "nonchalance and even insolence." It would seem as if Johnson had been induced, by the too obsequious deference of his later admirers, to assign to his character in youth a little more of sturdy dignity than, when his recollection was fresher and his ear unspoiled by flattery, he assumed to Mr. Warton. (See antè, Vol. I. p. 59.) — C.

ated about three miles from Oxford, to see Mr. [Francis] Wise, Radclivian librarian, with whom Johnson was much pleased. At this place, Mr. Wise had fitted up a house and gardens, in a singular manner, but with great taste. Here was an excellent library, particularly a valuable collection of books in Northern literature, with which Johnson was often very busy. One day Mr. Wise read to us a dissertation which he was preparing for the press, intitled "A History and Chronology of the fabulous Ages." (1) Some old divinities of Thrace, related to the Titans, and called the Cabiri, made a very important part of the theory of this piece; and in conversation afterwards, Mr. Wise talked much of his Cabiri. As we returned to Oxford in the evening, I outwalked Johnson, and he cried out Sufflamina, a Latin word which came from his mouth with peculiar grace, and was as much as to say, Put on your drag chain. Before we got home, I again walked too fast for him; and he now cried out, Why, you walk as if you were pursued by all the Cabiri in a body.' In an evening we frequently took long walks from Oxford into the country, returning to supper. Once, in our way home, we viewed the ruins of the abbeys of Oseney and Rewley, near Oxford. After at least half an hour's silence, Johnson said, 'I viewed them with indignation! We had then a long conversation on Gothic buildings; and in talking of the form of old halls, he said, 'In these halls, the fire place was anciently always in the middle of the room, till the Whigs removed it on one side.' (2) About this time

(1) [This work was not published till 1764. The author died in 1767: five years before his death, the following anticipation of it appeared in the London papers: "Dec. 9. 1762, died the Rev. Solomon Wise, greatly regretted by the studious part of the university of Oxford. His death was occasioned by a violent cold, contracted by too close attendance in the Bodleian and Radcliffe libraries."]

(2) What can this mean? What had the Whigs to do with removing the smoky hearths from the centre of the great halls to

there had been an execution of two or three criminals at Oxford on a Monday. Soon afterwards, one day at dinner, I was saying that Mr. Swinton (1), the chaplain of the gaol, and also a frequent preacher before the university, a learned man, but often thoughtless and absent, preached the condemnation-sermon on repentance, before the convicts, on the preceding day, Sunday; and that in the close he told his audience, that he should give them the remainder of what he had to say on the subject, the next Lord's Day. Upon which, one of our company, a doctor of divinity, and a plain matter-of-fact man, by way of offering an apology for Mr, Swinton, gravely remarked, that he had probably preached the same sermon before the university: Yes, Sir (says Johnson), but the university were not to be hanged the next morning.'

"I forgot to observe before, that when he left Mr. Meeke, (as I have told above,) he added, 'About the same time of life, Meeke was left behind at Oxford to feed on a fellowship, and I went to London to get my living: now, Sir, see the difference of our literary characters!" (2)

a more commodious chimney at the side? — C. - [Does it not mean, that, after the Revolution, stoves were so placed, that they warmed only those who got good places near them? FONNEREAU. It is probably a mere jest against modern improvements.]

(1) [The Rev. John Swinton, B. D. of Ch. Ch., one of the chief writers of the Universal History, died in 1777, aged 79.]

(2) Curis acuens mortalia corda. Poverty was the stimulus which made Johnson exert a genius naturally, it may be supposed, more vigorous than Meeke's, and he was now beginning to enjoy the fame, of which so many painful years of distress and penury had laid the foundation. Meeke had lived an easy life of decent competence; and on the whole, perhaps, as little envied Johnson, as Johnson him: the goodness and justice of Providence equalise, to a degree not always visible at first sight, the happiness of mankind-nec vixit malè qui natus moriensque fefellit. Meeke died about September, 1743.-C.

The following letter was written by Dr. Johnson to Mr. Chambers, of Lincoln College, afterwards Sir Robert Chambers, one of the judges in India (1):

LETTER 27. TO MR. CHAMBERS.

"[London,] Nov. 21. 1754. "DEAR SIR, The commission which I delayed to trouble you with at your departure, I am now obliged to send you; and beg that you will be so kind as to carry it to Mr. Warton, of Trinity, to whom I should have written immediately, but that I know not if he be yet come back to Oxford.

"In the catalogue of MSS. of Gr. Brit., see vol. i. page 18. MSS. Bodl. MARTYRIUM XV. martyrum sub Juliano, auctore Theophylacto.

"It is desired that Mr. Warton will inquire, and send word, what will be the cost of transcribing this manuscript.

"Vol. ii. p. 32. Num. 1022. 58. COLL. Nov. Commentaria in Acta Apostol. Comment. in Septem Epistolas Catholicas.

"He is desired to tell what is the age of each of these manuscripts; and what it will cost to have a transcript of the two first pages of each.

"If Mr. Warton be not in Oxford, you may try if you can get it done by any body else; or stay till he comes, according to your own convenience. It is for an Italian literato.

(1) Sir Robert Chambers was born in 1737, at Newcastle-onTyne, and educated at the same school with Lord Stowell and his brother the Earl of Eldon, and afterwards (like them) a member of University College. It was by visiting Chambers, when a fellow of University, that Johnson became acquainted with Lord Stowell; and when Chambers went to India, Lord Stowell, as he expressed it to me, "seemed to succeed to his place in Johnson's friendship."- C.

"The answer is to be directed to his Excellency Mr. Zon, Venetian Resident, Soho Square.

"I hope, dear Sir, that you do not regret the change of London for Oxford. Mr. Baretti is well, and Miss Williams; and we shall all be glad to hear from you, whenever you shall be so kind as to write to, Sir, your most humble servant,

"SAM. JOHNSON."

The degree of Master of Arts, which, it has been observed, could not be obtained for him at an early period of his life, was now considered as an honour of considerable importance, in order to grace the title-page of his Dictionary; and his character in the literary world being by this time deservedly high, his friends thought that, if proper exertions were made, the University of Oxford would pay him the compliment.

LETTER 28. TO THE REV. T. WARTON.

66

[London,] Nov. 28. 1754. "DEAR SIR, I am extremely obliged to you and to Mr. Wise, for the uncommon care which you have taken of my interest: if you can accomplish your kind design, I shall certainly take me a little habitation among you.

"The books which I promised to Mr. Wise, I have not been able to procure: but I shall send him a Finnick Dictionary, the only copy, perhaps, in England, which was presented me by a learned Swede: but I keep it back, that it may make a set of my own books (1) of the new edition, with which I shall accompany it, more welcome. You will assure him of my gratitude.

(1) The Rambler. — C.