translation 1, that he has my wishes for his success; and if here or at Oxford I can be of any use, that I shall think it more than honour to promote his undertaking.

"I am sorry that I delayed so long to write.-I am, sir, your most humble ser"SAM. JOHNSON."

"The papists have, indeed, denied to the laity the use of the Bible; but this prohibition, in few places now very rigorously enforced, is defended by arguments, which have for their foundation the care of souls. To obscure, upon motives merely political, the light of revelation, is a practice reserv-vant, ed for the reformed; and, surely, the blackest midnight of popery is meridian sunshine The opponents of this pious scheme beto such a reformation. I am not very will- ing made ashamed of their conduct, the being that any language should be totally ex-nevolent undertaking was allowed to go tinguished. The similitude and deriva- on. tion of languages afford the most indubitable proof of the traduction of nations, and the genealogy of mankind. They add often physical certainty to historical evidence; and often supply the only evidence of ancient migrations, and of the revolutions of ages which left no written monuments behind them.

"Every man's opinions, at least his desires, are a little influenced by his favourite studies. My zeal for languages may seem, perhaps, rather over-heated, even to those by whom I desire to be well esteemed. To those who have nothing in their thoughts but trade or policy, present power, or present money, I should not think it necessary to defend my opinions; but with men of letters I would not unwillingly compound, by wishing the continuance of every language, however narrow in its extent, or however incommodious for common purposes, till it is reposited in some version of a known book, that it may be always hereafter examined and compared with other languages, and then permitting its disuse. For this purpose, the translation of the Bible is most to be desired. It is not certain that the same method will not preserve the Highland language, for the purposes of learning, and abolish it from daily use. When the highlanders read the Bible, they will naturally wish to have its obscurities cleared, and to know the history, collateral or appendant. Knowledge always desires increase; it is like fire, which must be kindled by some external agent, but which will afterwards propagate itself. When they once desire to learn they will naturally have recourse to the nearest language by which that desire can be gratified; and one will tell another that if he would attain knowledge, he must learn English. "This speculation may, perhaps, be thought more subtle than the grossness of real life will easily admit. Let it, however, be remembered, that the efficacy of ignorance has long been tried, and has not produced the consequence expected. Let knowledge, therefore, take its turn; and let the patrons of privation stand awhile aside, and admit the operation of positive principles.

"You will be pleased, sir, to assure the worthy man who is employed in the new

The following letters, though not written till the year after, being chiefly upon the same subject, are here inserted:"

TO MR. WILLIAM DRUMMOND. "Johnson's-court, Fleet-street, 21st April, 1767. "DEAR SIR,That my letter should have had such effects as you mention gives me great pleasure. I hope you do not flatter me by imputing to me more good than I have really done. Those whom my arguments have persuaded to change their opinion, show such modesty and candour as deserve great praise.

"I hope the worthy translator goes diligently forward. He has a higher reward in prospect than any honours which this world can bestow. I wish I could be useful to him.

"The publication of my letter, if it could be of use in a cause to which all other causes are nothing, I should not prohibit. But first, I would have you to consider whether the publication will really do any good; next whether by printing and distributing a very small number, you may not attain all that you propose; and, what perhaps I should have said first, whether the letter, which I do not now perfectly remember, be fit to be printed.

"If you can consult Dr. Robertson, to whom I am a little known, I shall be satisfied about the propriety of whatever he shall direct.

If he thinks that it should be

The Rev. Mr. John Campbell, minister of the parish of Kippen, near Stirling, who has lately favoured me with a long, intelligent, and very obliging letter upon this work, makes the following remark: "Dr. Johnson has alluded to the worthy man employed in the translation of the New Testament. Might not this have afforded you an opportunity of paying a proper tribute Stuart, late minister of Killin, distinguished by of respect to the memory of the Rev. Mr. James his eminent piety, learning and taste? The amiable simplicity of his life, his warm benevolence, his indefatigable and successful exertions for civilizing and improving the parish of which he was minister for upwards of fifty years, entitle him to the gratitude of his country, and the veneration of all good men. It certainly would be a pity, if such a character should be permitted to sink into oblivion."-BOSWELL.

1

The honourable Thomas Hervey and | by Mr. Hervey in consideration of his havhis lady having unhappily disagreed, and ing written for him a pamphlet against Sir being about to separate, Johnson interfered as their friend, and wrote him a letter of and then goes on to complain, that Sir Thomas was cutting timber on the estate which had beexpostulation, which I have not been able to find; but the substance of it is ascertain- longed to "our wife," so he calls her, and of ed by a letter to Johnson in answer to it, he did sell any more timber, he would give him, which the reversion was his, and begging that, if which Mr. Hervey printed. The occasion Hervey, the refusal of it. All this is garnished, of this correspondence between Dr. John- and set off by extravagant flights of fine writing, son and Mr. Hervey was thus related to me the most cutting sarcasms, the most indecent deby Mr. Beauclerk. “Tom Hervey had a tails, and the most serious expressions of the great liking for Johnson, and in his will writer's conviction, that his conduct was natural had left him a legacy of fifty pounds. One and delicate, and such as every body must apday he said to me, Johnson may want this prove; and that, finally, in Heaven, Lady Hanmoney now, more than afterwards. I have mer, in the distribution of wives (suam cuique,) a mind to give it him directly. Will you would be considered as his. Twenty years did be so good as to carry a fifty pound note not cool his brain. Just at the close of the reign from me to him? This I positively refused he addressed a letter to King George the Second, to do, as he might, perhaps, have knocked complaining of the king's ministers for not paying me down for insulting him, and have after- him 20007. which they owed him, and which wards put the note in his pocket. But I sum was composed of 2001. per annum for 10 said, if Hervey would write him a letter, years, which the said ministers should have adand enclose a fifty pound note, I should take ded to the salary of an office which Mr. Hervey care to deliver it. He accordingly did write held. In this letter he pretty clearly explains the him a letter, mentioning that he was only state of his intellect. He talks of the hideous paying a legacy a little sooner. To his let- subject of his mental excruciation," and laments that " a troubled and resentful mind in ter he added, P. S. I am going to part with my wife.' Johnson then wrote to him, tion of human misery." He complains that a distempered body, is almost the consummasaying nothing of the note, but remonstrating with him against parting with his wife."

When I mentioned to Johnson this story," in as delicate terms as I could, he told me that the fifty pound note was given to him

The Honourable Thomas Hervey, whose letter to Sir Thomas Hanmer, in 1742, was much read at that time. He was the second son of John, the first earl of Bristol, and one of the brothers of Johnson's early friend, Henry Hervey. He [was born 1698] married in 1744, Anne, daughter of Francis Coughlan, Esq. and died Jan. 20, 1775.-MALONE.

"his doctor mistook his case, by calling that a nervous disorder which was really inflammatory, and, in consequence of that fatal error, Hervey 'passed eleven years without any more account of time, or other notice of things, than a person asleep, under the influence of some horrid dream." He talks of his father as a "monster of iniquity," of "his weak and passionate mother," of "his base and cruel brother," and so on. It is this letter which Horace Walpole thus characterizes: "Have you seen Tom Hervey's letter to the king? full of absurdity and madness, but with here and there gleams of genius and happy expressions that are wonderfully fine."-Letter to Conway, Dec. 1766. 2 [This is not inconsistent with Mr. Beauclerk's His quarrel with his second wife, in 1767, referaccount. It may have been in consideration of red to in the text, he, according to his custom, this pamphlet that Hervey left Johnson the fifty blazoned to the public by the following advertisepounds in his will, and on second thoughts he ment: "Whereas Mrs. Hervey has been three may have determined to send it to him. It were times from home last year, and at least as however to be wished, that the story had stood many the year before, without my leave or on its original ground. The acceptance of an an- privity, and hath encouraged her son to perticipated legacy from a friend would have had sist in the like rebellious practices, I hereby nothing objectionable in it: but can so much be declare that I neither am nor will be accountsaid for the employment of one's pen for hire, able for any future debts of her whatsoever. in the disgusting squabbles of so mischievous and She is now keeping forcible possession of my profligate a madman as Mr. Thomas Hervey? house, to which I never did invite or thought "He was well known," says the gentle biogra- of inviting her in all my life.-THOMAS pher of the Peerage, "for his genius and eccen- HERVEY." He afterwards proceeded further, tricities." The letter to Sir Thomas Hanmer, and commenced a suit against his lady for jactitaabove mentioned, was the first, it is believed, of tion of marriage, which finally ended in his disthe many appeals which Mr. Hervey made to comfiture. Johnson, as we shall see hereafter, the public relative to his private concerns. The characterized his friend, Tom Hervey, as he had subject is astonishing. Lady Hanmer eloped already done (ante, p. 40.) his brother Henry, from her husband with Mr. Hervey, and made, it as very vicious. Alas! it is but too probaseems, a will, in his favour, of certain estates, of ble, that both were disordered in mind, and that which Sir Thomas had a life possession. Her- what was called vice was, in truth, disease, vey's letter avows the adultery, and assigns very and required a madhouse rather than a prison.— strange reasons for the lady's leaving her husband, | ED.]

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