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inspection. The favour which I beg is, that if you do not like them, you will say nothing. I am, sir, your most affectionate humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON."

"TO MR. SAMUEL JOHNSON.

"Norfolk-street, 23 April, 1755.

"SIR,-The part of your Dictionary which you have favoured me with the sight of, has given me such an idea of the whole, that I most sincerely congratulate the publick upon the acquisition of a work long wanted, and now executed with an industry, accuracy, and judgement, equal to the importance of the subject. You might, perhaps, have chosen one in which your genius would have appeared to more advantage, but you could not have fixed upon any other in which your labours would have done such substantial service to the present age and to posterity. I am glad that your health has supported the application necessary to the performance of so vast a task; and can undertake to promise you as one (though perhaps the only) reward of it, the approbation and thanks of every well-wisher to the honour of the English language. I am with the greatest regard, sir, your most faithful and most affectionate humble servant,

"THO. BIRCH."

Mr. Charles Burney, who has since distinguished himself so much in the science of musick, and obtained a doctor's degree from the University of Oxford, had been driven from the capital by bad health, and was now residing at Lynne Regis in Norfolk. He had been so much delighted with Johnson's Rambler, and the plan of his Dictionary, that when the great work was announced in the newspapers as nearly finished, he wrote to Dr. Johnson, begging to be informed when and in what manner his Dictionary would be published; entreating, if it should be by subscription, or he should have any books at his own disposal, to be favoured with six copies for himself and friends.

In answer to this application, Dr. Johnson wrote the following letter, of which (to use Dr. Burney's own words) "if it be remembered that it was written to an obscure young man, who at this time had not much distinguished himself even in his own profession, but whose name could never have reached the authour of The Rambler, the politeness and urbanity may be opposed to some of the stories which have been lately circulated of Dr. Johnson's natural rudeness and ferocity."

"TO MR. BURNEY, LYNNE REGIS, NORFOLK. "Gough-square, Fleet-street, 8 April, 1755. "SIR,-If you imagine that by delaying

my answer I intended to show any neglect of the notice with which you have favoured me, you will neither think justly of yourself nor of me. Your civilities were offered with too much elegance not to engage attention; and I have too much pleasure in pleasing men like you, not to feel very sensibly the distinction you have bestowed upon me.

"Few consequences of my endeavours to please or to benefit mankind have delighted me more than your friendship thus voluntarily offered, which now I have it I hope to keep, because I hope to continue to deserve it.

"I have no Dictionaries to dispose of for myself, but shall be glad to have you direct your friends to Mr. Dodsley, because it was by his recommendation that I was employed in the work.

"When you have leisure to think again upon me, let me be favoured with another letter; and another yet, when you have looked into my Dictionary. If you find faults, I shall endeavour to mend them; if you find none, I shall think you blinded by kind partiality: but to have made you partial in his favour, will very much gratify the ambition of, sir, your most obliged and most humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON."

Mr. Andrew Millar, bookseller in the Strand, took the principal charge of conducting the publication of Johnson's Dictionary; and as the patience of the proprietors was repeatedly tried and almost exhausted, by their expecting that the work would be completed, within the time which Johnson had sanguinely supposed, the learned authour was often goaded to despatch, more especially as he had received all the copy money, by different drafts, a considerable time before he had finished his task. When the messenger who carried the last sheet to Millar returned, Johnson asked him, "Well, what did he say?""Sir, (answered the messenger), he said, thank GOD I have done with him."—“ Ï am glad (replied Johnson with a smile) that he thanks GOD for any thing 1." It is remarkable, that those with whom Johnson chiefly contracted for his literary labours were Scotchmen, Mr. Millar and Mr. Strahan. Millar, though himself no great judge of literature, had good sense enough to have for his friends very able men, to give him their opinion and advice in the purchase of

Sir John Hawkins (Life, p. 341), inserts two notes as having passed formerly between Andrew Millar and Johnson, to the above effect. I am assured this was not the case. In the way of incidental remark it was a pleasant play of raillery. To have deliberately written notes in such terms would have been morose.-BOSWELL.

copyright; the consequence of which was his acquiring a very large fortune with great liberality. Johnson said of him, "I respect Millar, sir; he has raised the price of literature." The same praise may be justly given to Panckoucke, the eminent bookseller of Paris. Mr. Strahan's liberality, judgment, and success, are well known.

TO BENNET LANGTON, ESQ. AT LANGTON.

"6 May, 1755.

"SIR,-It has been long observed, that men do not suspect faults which they do not commit; your own elegance of manners, and punctuality of complaisance, did not suffer you to impute to me that negligence of which I was guilty, and [for] which I have not since atoned. I received both your letters, and received them with pleasure proportioned to the esteem which so short an acquaintance strongly impressed, and which I hope to confirm by nearer knowledge, though I am afraid that gratification will be

for a time withheld.

"I have, indeed, published my book2, of which I beg to know your father's judgement, and yours; and I have now staid long enough to watch its progress in the world. It has, you see, no patrons, and I think has yet had no opponents, except the criticks of the coffee-house, whose outcries are soon dispersed into the air, and are thought on no more; from this, therefore, I am at liberty, and think of taking the opportunity of this interval to make an excursion, and why not then into Lincolnshire? or, to mention a stronger attraction, why not to dear Mr. Langton? I will give the true reason, which I know you will approve: -I have a mother more than eighty years old, who has counted the days to the publication of my book, in hopes of seeing me; and to her if I can disengage myself here, I resolve to go3.

"As I know, dear sir, that to delay my visit for a reason like this, will not deprive me of your esteem, I beg it may not lessen your kindness. I have very seldom received an offer of friendship which I so earnestly desire to cultivate and mature. I shall rejoice to hear from you, till I can see you, and will see you as soon as I can; for when the duty that calls me to Lichfield is discharged, my inclination will carry me to Langton. I shall delight to hear the ocean roar, or see the stars twinkle, in the com

The word "for " has here probably slipped out by error of the transcriber or the press. See the word atone, in Johnson's Dictionary.-ED.] 2 His Dictionary.-BOSWELL.

[It is to be feared that this duty was not performed: see post, January, 1759.-ED.]

[This must refer to some general allusion in Mr. Langton's letters, for the village of Langton is ten or twelve miles from the coast.-ED.]

pany of men to whom nature does not spread her volume to utter her voice in vain. "Do not, dear sir, make the slowness of this letter a precedent for delay, or imagine that I approved the incivility that I have committed; for I have known you enough to love you, and sincerely to wish a further knowledge; and I assure you once more, that to live in a house that contains such a father and such a son, will be accounted a very uncommon degree of pleasure, by, dear sir, your most obliged, and most hum66 SAM. JOHNSON." ble servant.

"DR. JOHNSON TO MR. WARTON.

"(London), 13 May, 1755. "DEAR SIR,-I am grieved that you should think me capable of neglecting your letters; and beg you will never admit any such suspicion again. I purpose to come down next week if you shall be there; or any other week, that shall be more agreeable to you. Therefore let me know. I can stay this visit but a week; but intend to make preparations for longer stay next time; being resolved not to lose sight of the university. How goes Apollonius? Don't let him be forgotten. Some things of this kind must be done, to keep us up. Pay my compliments to Mr. Wise, and all my other friends. I think to come to Kettel-Hall. I am, sir, your most affectionate, &c.

"SAM. JOHNSON."

["DR. JOHNSON TO MR. RICHARDSON®.

"17 May, 1755.

"DEAR SIR,-As you were the first that gave me notice of this paragraph, I send it to you, with a few little notes, which I wish you would read. It is well, when men of learning and penetration busy themselves in these inquiries, but what is their idleness is my business. Help, indeed, now comes too late for me, when a large part of my book has passed the press.

"I shall be glad if these strictures appear to you not unwarrantable; for whom should he, who toils in settling a language, desire to please but him who is adorning it? I hope your new book is printing. Macte nová virtute. I am, dear sir, most respectfully and most affectionately, your humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON."]

66 DR. JOHNSON TO MR. WARTON. "(London), 10 June, 1755. "DEAR SIR,-It is strange how many things will happen to intercept every pleasure, though it (be) only that of two friends meeting together. I have promised myself every day to inform you when you might expect me at Oxford, and have not

A translation of Apollonius Rhodius was now intended by Mr. Warton.-WARTON.

• [Communicated by Dr. Harwood.-ED.]

been able to fix a time. This time, howev- "Catalogue, pag. 154. Life of Sir er, is, I think, at last come; and I promise Thomas More. Qu. Whether Roper's? myself to repose in Kettell-hall, one of the Page 363. De resignatione Magni Sigilfirst nights of the next week. I am afraid li in manus regis per D. Thomam Morum. my stay with you cannot be long; but what | Pag. 364. Mori Defensio Moria. is the inference? We must endeavour to make it cheerful. I wish your brother could meet us, that we might go and drink tea with Mr. Wise in a body. I hope he will be at Oxford, or at his nest of British and Saxon antiquities'. I shall expect to see Spenser finished, and many other things begun. Dodsley is gone to visit the Dutch. The Dictionary sells well. The rest of the world goes on as it did. Dear sir, your most affectionate, &c. "SAM. JOHNSON."

"If you procure the young gentleman in the library to write out what you think fit to be written, I will send to Mr. Prince the bookseller to pay him what you shall think proper.

"DR. JOHNSON TO MR. WARTON.

"(London), 24 June, 1755. "DEAR SIR,-To talk of coming to you and not yet to come, has an air of trifling which I would not willingly have among you; and which, I believe, you will not willingly impute to me, when I have told you, that since my promise, two of our partners 2 are dead, and that I was solicited to suspend my excursion till we could recover from our confusion.

"I have not laid aside my purpose; for every day makes me more impatient of staying from you. But death, you know, hears not supplications, nor pays any regard to the convenience of mortals. I hope now to see you next week; but next week is but another name for to-morrow, which has been noted for promising and deceiving. I am, &c.. "SAM. JOHNSON."

"DR. JOHNSON TO MR. WARTON.

"(London), 7 Aug. 1755.

"DEAR SIR,-I told you that among the manuscripts are some things of Sir Thomas More. I beg you to pass an hour in looking on them, and procure a transcript of the ten or twenty first lines of each, to be compared with what I have; that I may know whether they are yet published. The manuscripts are these: "Catalogue of Bodl. MS. pag. 122. F. 3. Sir Thomas More.

"1. Fall of angels. 2. Creation and fall of mankind. 3. Determination of the Trinity for the rescue of mankind. 4. Five lectures of our Saviour's passion. 5. Of the institution of the Sacrament, three lectures. 6. How to receive the blessed body of our Lord sacramentally. 7. Neomenia, the new moon. 8. De tristitia, tædio, pavore, et oratione Christi ante captionem ejus.

At Ellsfield, a village three miles from Oxford.-WARTON.

* Booksellers concerned in his Dictionary. WARTON. [Mr. Paul Knapton died on the 12th, and Mr. Thomas Longman on the 18th June, 1755.-ED.]

"Be pleased to make my compliments to Mr. Wise, and all my friends. I am, sir, your affectionate, &c. "SAM. JOHNSON."

The Dictionary, with a Grammar and History of the English Language, being now at length published, in two volumes folio, the world contemplated with wonder so stupendous a work achieved by one man, while other countries had thought such undertakings fit only for whole academies. Vast as his powers were, I cannot but think that his imagination deceived him, when he supposed that by constant application he might have performed the task in three years. Let the Preface be attentively perused, in which is given, in a clear, strong, and glowing style, a comprehensive, yet particular view of what he had done; and it will be evident, that the time he employed upon it was comparative ly short. I am unwilling to swell my book with long quotations from what is in every body's hands, and I believe there are few prose compositions in the English language that are read with more delight, or are more impressed upon the memory, than that preliminary discourse. One of its excellencies has always struck me with peculiar admiration; I mean the perspicuity with which he has expressed abstract scientifick notions. As an instance of this, I shall quote the following sentence: "When the radical idea branches out into parallel ramifications, how can a consecutive series be formed of senses in their own nature collateral 3?" We have here an example of what has been often said, and I believe with justice, that there is for every thought a certain nice adaption of words which none other could equal, and which, when a man has been so fortunate as to hit, he has attained, in that particular case, the perfection of language.

The extensive reading which was absolutely necessary for the accumulation of authorities, and which alone may account

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ward the wind] 1; as to which inconsiderable specks it is enough to observe, that his Preface announces that he was aware there might be many such in so immense a work; nor was he at all disconcerted when an instance was pointed out to him. A lady once asked him how he came to define Pas

for Johnson's retentive mind being enriched with a very large and various store of knowledge and imagery, must have occupied several years. The Preface furnishes an eminent instance of a double talent, of which Johnson was fully conscious. Sir Joshua Reynolds heard him say, "There are two things which I am confident I can|tern the knee of a horse: instead of making do very well: one is an introduction to any an elaborate defence, as she expected, he at literary work, stating what it is to contain, once answered, "Ignorance, madam, pure and how it should be executed in the most ignorance." His definition of Networkperfect manner: the other is a conclusion, [any thing reticulated or decussated at equal showing from various causes why the ex-distances, with interstices between the inecution has not been equal to what the au- tersections]-has been often quoted with thour promised to himself and to the pub- sportive malignity, as obscuring a thing in lick." itself very plain. But to these frivolous censures no other answer is necessary than that with which we are furnished by his own Preface. "To explain, requires the use of terms less abstruse than that which is to be explained, and such terms cannot always be found. For as nothing can be proved but by supposing something intuitively known, and evident without proof, so nothing can be defined but by the use of words too plain to admit of definition. Sometimes easier words are changed into harder; as burial, into sepulture or interment; dry, into desiccative; dryness into siccity or aridity; fit, into paroxysm; for the easiest word, whatever it be, can never be translated into one more easy."

His introducing his own opinions, and even prejudices, under general definitions of words, while at the same time the original meaning of the words is not explained, and a few more, cannot be fully defended, and must be placed to the account of capricious and humorous indulgence. Such are

How should puny scribblers be abashed and disappointed, when they find him displaying a perfect theory of lexicographical excellence, yet at the same time candidly and modestly allowing that he "had not satisfied his own expectations." Here was a fair occasion for the exercise of Johnson's modesty, when he was called upon to compare his own arduous performance, not with those of other individuals (in which case his inflexible regard to truth would have been violated had he affected diffidence), but with speculative perfection; as he, who can outstrip all his competitors in the race, may yet be sensible of his deficiency when he runs against time. Well might he say, that "the English Dictionary was written with little assistance of the learned;" for he told me, that the only aid which he received was a paper containing twenty etymologies, sent to him by a person then unknown, who he was afterwards informed was Dr. Pearce, Bishop of Rochester. The etymologies, though they exhibit learning and judgement, are not, I think, entitled to the first praise amongst the various parts of this immense work. The definitions have always appeared to me such astonishing proofs of acuteness of intellect aud precision of language, as indicate a genius of the highest rank. This it is which marks the superiour excellence of Johnson's Dictionary over others equally or even more voluminous, and must have made it a work of much greater mental labour than mere Lexicons, or Word-Books, as the Dutch call OATS [a grain which in England is genthem. They, who will make the experi-erally given to horses, but in Scotland supment of trying how they can define a few ports the people]. words of whatever nature, will soon be EXCISE [a hateful tax levied upon comsatisfied of the unquestionable justice of this modities, and adjudged not by the common observation, which I can assure my read-judges of property, but by WRETCHES hired ers is founded upon much study, and up- by those to whom excise is paid 2]. on communication with more minds than my own.

A few of his definitions must be admitted to be erroneous. Thus Windward and Leeward, though directly of opposite meaning, are defined identically the same way-[to

TORY [a cant term, derived, I suppose, from an Irish word signifying a savage. One who adheres to the ancient constitu tion of the state and the apostolic hierarchy of the church of England: opposed to a Whig].

WHIG [the name of a faction].

PENSION [an allowance made to any one without an equivalent. In England it is generally understood to mean pay given to a state hireling for treason to his country].

PENSIONER [a slave of state hired by a stipend to obey his master].

He owns in his Preface the deficiency of the technical part of his work; and he said he should be much obliged to me for definitions of musical terms for his next edition, which he did not live to superintend.-BURNEY.

The Commissioners of Excise being offended

Talking to me upon this subject when we | this work, than any now to be found in it. were at Ashbourne in 1777, he mentioned "You know, sir, Lord Gower forsook the old a still stronger instance of the predominance Jacobite interest. When I came to the word of his private feelings in the composition of Renegado, after telling that it meant 'one who deserts to the enemy, a revolter,' I by this severe reflection, consulted Mr. Murray, added Sometimes we say a GowER1. Thus then Attorney-General, to know whether redress it went to the press: but the printer had could be legally obtained. I wished to have promore wit than I, and struck it out." cured for my readers a copy of the opinion which he gave, and which may now be justly considered as history; but the mysterious secrecy of office it seems would not permit it. I am, however, in

Let it, however, be remembered, that this indulgence does not display itself only in

sarcasm towards others, but sometimes in

playful allusion to the notions commonly

entertained of his own laborions task. Thus: "Grub-street, the name of a street in London, much inhabited by writers of small histories, dictionaries, and temporary poems; whence any mean production is called Grubstreet."—" Lexicographer, a writer of dictionaries, a harmless drudge 2."

formed, by very good authority, that its import was, that the passage might be considered as actionable; but that it would be more prudent in the board not to prosecute. Johnson never made the smallest alteration in this passage. We find he still retained his early prejudice against Excise; for in "The Idler, No. 65," there is the following very extraordinary paragraph: "The authenticity of Clarendon's history, though printed with the At the time when he was concluding his sanction of one of the first Universities of the very eloquent Preface, Johnson's mind apworld, had not an unexpected manuscript been pears to have been in such a state of dehappily discovered, would, with the help of fac-pression, that we cannot contemplate withtious credulity, have been brought into question, out wonder the vigorous and splendid by the two lowest of all human beings, a Scribbler thoughts which so highly distinguish that for a party, and a Commissioner of Excise." The performance. "I (says he) may surely be persons to whom he alludes were Mr. John Oldcontented without the praise of perfection, mixon, and George Ducket, Esq.-BOSWELL. [The present Editor is more fortunate than Mr. which if I could obtain in this gloom of soliBoswell, in being able (through the favour of Sir.tude, what would it avail me? I have proF. H. Doyle, now Deputy-Chairman of the Excise Board) to present the reader with a copy of the case submitted to Lord Mansfield and his opinion:

tracted my work till most of those whom I wished to please have sunk into the grave; and success and miscarriage are empty sounds. I therefore dismiss it with frigid tranquillity, having little to fear or hope from censure or from praise." That this

thereof, or any and which of them by information, or how otherwise?

"CASE for the opinion of Mr. Attorney-General. "Mr. Samuel Johnson has lately published a book entitled A dictionary of the English Language, in which the words are deduced from their originals, and illustrated in their different significations by examples from the "I am of opinion that it is a libel. But under best writers. To which are prefixed, a His- all the circumstances, I should think it better to tory of the Language and an English Gram-give him an opportunity of altering his definition; and, in case he do not, to threaten him with an information.

mar.'

“Under this title, EXCISE, are the following words:

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"EXCISE, n. s. (Accijs, Dutch; Excisum, Latin.)-A hateful tax levied upon commodities, and adjudged not by the common judges of property, but wretches hired by those to whom excise is paid.

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The people should pay a ratable tax for their shoes, and an excise for every thing which they should eat.'-HAYWARD.

"Ambitious now to take excise

Of a more fragrant paradise.'-CLEAVELAND.

"Excise..... With hundred rows of teeth, the shark exceeds, And on all trades, like cassawar, she feeds.'-MARVEL. "Can hire large houses, and oppress the poor by farmed excise.' DRYDEN's Juvenal, Sat. 3d.

“The author's definition being observed by the Commissioners of Excise, they desire the favour of your opinion.

"Qu. Whether it will not be considered as a libel, and if so, whether it is not proper to proceed against the author, printers, and publishers

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Whether any such step was taken, Sir Francis Doyle has not been able to discover: probably not; but Johnson, in his own octavo abridgment of the Dictionary, had the good sense to omit the more offensive parts of the definitions of both ExCISE and PENSION. We have already seen (ante, p. 12) the probable motive of the attack on the Excise.-ED.]

[Lord Gower, after a long opposition to the whig ministry (which was looked upon as equivalent to Jacobitism), accepted, in 1742, the office of Privy-Seal, and was the object of much censure both with Whigs and Tories. Sir Charles H. Williams ironically calls him "Hanoverian Gower;" but it is probable that Johnson's aversion to Lord Gower arose out of something more personal; perhaps the disappointment about Appleby school. see ante, p. 51.-ED.]

2

[A writer of dictionaries, who should admit such reflections as those on the Excise, Lord Gower, &c., could hardly hope to pass as a harmless drudge.-ED.]

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