Charles Hanbury Williams, who, Mr. Hervey imagined, was the authour of an attack upon him; but that it was afterwards discovered to be the work of a garreteer 1, who wrote "The Fool:" the pamphlet, therefore, against Sir Charles was not printed. In February, 1767, there happened one of the most remarkable incidents of Johnson's life, which gratified his monarchical enthusiasm, and which he loved to relate with all its circumstances, when requested by his friends. This was his being honoured by a private conversation with his majesty in the library at the queen's house. He had frequently visited those splendid rooms, and noble collection of books2, which he used to say was more numerous and curious than he supposed any person could have made in the time which the king had employed. Mr. Barnard, the librarian, took care that he should have every accommodation that could contribute to his ease and convenience, while indulging his literary taste in that place; so that he had here a very agreeable resource at leisure hours. His majesty having been informed of his occasional visits, was pleased to signify a desire that he should be told when Dr. Johnson came next to the library. Accordingly, the next time that Johnson did come, as soon as he was fairly engaged with a book, on which, while he sat by the fire, he seemed quite intent, Mr. Barnard stole round to the apartment where the king was, and, in obedience to his majesty's commands, mentioned that Dr. Johnson was then in the library. His majesty said he was at leisure, and would go to him: upon which Mr. Barnard took one of the candles that stood on the king's table, and lighted his majesty through a suite of rooms, till they came to a private door into the library, of which his majesty had the key. Being entered, Mr. Barnard stepped forward hastily to Dr. Johnson, who was still in a profound study, and whispered him, [Some curiosity would naturally be felt as to who the garreteer was, who wrote a pamphlet, which was attributed to Sir C. H. Williams, the wittiest man of his day and to answer which, the wild and sarcastic genius of Hervey required the assistance of Dr. Johnson. His name was William Horsley, but his acknowledged works are poor productions.-ED.] Dr. Johnson had the honour of contributing his assistance towards the formation of this library; for I have read a long letter from him to Mr. Barnard, giving the most masterly instructions on the subject. I wished much to have gratified my readers with the perusal of this letter, and have reason to think that his majesty would have been graciously pleased to permit its publication; but Mr. Barnard, to whom I applied, declined it "on his own account."-BOSWELL. But see the letter in the Appendix. "Sir, here is the king." Johnson started up, and stood still. His majesty approached him, and at once was courteously easy 3. His majesty began by observing, that he understood he came sometimes to the library; and then mentioning his having heard that the Doctor had been lately at Oxford, asked him if he was not fond of going thither. To which Johnson answered, that he was indeed fond of going to Oxford sometimes, but was likewise glad to come back again. The king then asked him what they were doing at Oxford. Johnson answered, he could not much commend their diligence, but that in some respects they were mended, for they had put their press under better regulations, and were at that time printing Polybius. He was then asked whether there were better libfaries at Oxford or Cambridge. He answered, he believed the Bodleian was larger than any they had at Cambridge; at the same time adding, "I hope, whether we have more books or not than they have at Cambridge, we shall make as good use of them as they do." Being asked whether All-Souls or Christ-Church library was the largest, he answered, “ All-Souls library is the largest we have, except the Bodleian." "Ay," said the king, "that is the publick library." His majesty inquired if he was then writing any thing. He answered, he was not, for he had pretty well told the world what he knew, and must now read to acquire more knowledge. The king as it should seem with a view to urge him to rely on his own stores as an original writer, and to 3 The particulars of this conversation I have been at great pains to collect with the utmost authenticity, from Dr. Johnson's own detail to myself; from Mr. Langton, who was present when he gave an account of it to Dr. Joseph Warton, and several other friends at Sir Joshua Reynold's; from Mr. Barnard; from the copy of a letter written by the late Mr. Strahan, the printer, to Bishop Warburton; and from a minute, the original of which is among the papers of the late Sir James Caldwell, and a copy of which was most obligingly obtained for me from his son, Sir Francis Lumm. To all these gentlemen I beg leave to make my grateful acknowledgments, and particularly to Sir Francis Lumm, who was pleased to take a great deal of trouble, and even had the minute laid before the king by Lord Caermarthen, now Duke of Leeds, then one of his majesty's principal secretaries of state, who announced to Sir Francis the royal pleasure concerning it by a letter, in these words:-"I have the king's commands to assure you, sir, how sensible his majesty is of your attention in communicating the minute of the conversation previous to its publication. As there appears no objection to your complying with Mr. Boswell's wishes on the subject, you are at full liberty to deliver it to that gentleman, to make such use of in his Life of Dr. Johnson, as he may think proper."-BosWELL. continue his labours, then said, "I do not think you borrow much from any body." Johnson said, he thought he had already done his part as a writer. "I should have thought so too," said the king, "if you had not written so well." Johnson observed to me, upon this, that "No man could have paid a handsomer compliment 1; and it was fit for a king to pay. It was decisive." When asked by another friend, at Sir Joshua Reynolds's, whether he made any reply to this high compliment, he answered "No, sir. When the king had said it, it was to be so. It was not for me to bandy civilities with my sovereign." Perhaps no man who had spent his whole life in courts could have shown a more nice and dignified sense of true politeness than Johnson did in this instance. His majesty having observed to him that he supposed he must have read a great deal, Johnson answered, that he thought more than he read; that he had read a great deal in the early part of his life, but having fallen into ill health, he had not been able to read much, compared with others: for instance, he said he had not read much, compared with Dr. Warburton. Upon which the king said, that he heard Dr. Warburton was a man of such general knowledge, that you could scarce talk with him on any subject on which he was not qualified to speak; and that his learning resembled Garrick's acting, in its universality. His majesty then talked of [Johnson himself imitated it to Paoli (see post, 10th October, 1769); and it is indeed become one of the common-places of compliment. -ED.] 2 The Rev. Mr. Strahan clearly recollects having been told by Johnson, that the king observed that Pope made Warburton a bishop. "True, sir (said Johnson), but Warburton did more for Pope; he made him a Christian;" alluding, no doubt, to his ingenious comments on the Essay on Man." [Mr. Strahan's recollection probably failed him. His majesty and Dr. Johnson were both too well informed to have bandied such idle talk. Warburton had published the Divine Legation, and was chaplain to the prince of Wales before he knew Pope; his acquaintance with that poet, but of four years' continuance, was ended by Pope's death in 1744. It was ten years after, that he became a king's chaplain, and, in 1755, he had a prebend in the cathedral of Durham. In 1757, he was made dean of Bristol: and, 1760, sixteen years after Pope's death, he became bishop of Gloucester. If it be alleged, that Mr. Strahan's report refers to the supposition, that his commentary on Pope's "Essay on Man" tended to create that character which finally raised him to the bench; it may be observed, that he published, before and after that commentary, a multitude of works on polemical and religious subjects, much more important and remarkable than the Commentary on the "Essay the controversy between Warburton and Lowth, which he seemed to have read, and asked Johnson what he thought of it. Johnson answered, "Warburton has most general, most scholastick learning; Lowth is the more correct scholar. I do not know which of them calls names best." The king was pleased to say he was of the same opinion; adding, "You do not think then, Dr. Johnson, that there was much argument in the case." Johnson said, he did not think there was. "Why truly (said the king), when once it comes to calling names, argument is pretty well at an end." His majesty then asked him what he thought of Lord Lyttelton's history, which was then just published. Johnson said, he thought his style pretty good, but that he had blamed Henry the Second rather too much." Why (said the king), they seldom do these things by halves." "No, sir (answered Johnson), not to kings." But fearing to be misunderstood, he proceeded to explain himself; and immediately subjoined, "That for those who spoke worse of kings than they deserved, he could find no excuse; but that he could more easily conceive how some might speak better of them than they deserved, without any ill intention; for, as kings had much in their power to give, those who were favoured by them would frequently, from gratitude, exaggerate their praises: and as this proceeded from a good motive, it was certainly excusable, as far as errour could be excusable." The king then asked him what he thought of Dr. Hill. Johnson answered that he was an ingenious man, but had no veracity; and immediately mentioned, as an instance of it, an assertion of that writer, that he had seen objects magnified to a much greater degree by using three or four microscopes at a time than by using one. "Now (added Johnson) every one acquainted with microscopes knows, that the more of them he looks through, the less the object will appear." Why (replied the king) this on Man." The truth is, Warburton was made a bishop by his numerous works, and his high literary character, to which this commentary contributed a very inconsiderable part.-Ed.] 3 [Here, as the bishop of Ferns remarks, Dr. Johnson was culpably unjust to Hill, and showed that he did not understand the subject. Hill does not talk of magnifying objects by two or more miscroscopes, but by applying two object glasses to one miscroscope; and the advantage of diminished spherical errors by this contrivance is well known. Hill's account of the experiment (Veg. System, Lond. 1770, p. 44) is, as the bishop further observes, obscurely and inaccurately expressed in one or two particulars; but there can be no doubt that he is substantially right, and that Dr. Johnson's statement was altogether unfounded.— ED.] 66 is not only telling an untruth, but telling | conversation and gracious behaviour. He it clumsily; for, if that be the case, every said to Mr. Barnard, Sir, they may talk one who can look through a microscope of the king as they will; but he is the finest will be able to detect him." gentleman I have ever seen2." And he afterwards observed to Mr. Langton, "Sir, his manners are those of as fine a gentleman as we may suppose Louis XIV. or Charles II." "I now (said Johnson to his friends, when relating what had passed) began to consider that I was depreciating this man in the estimation of his sovereign, and thought it was time for me to say something that might be more favourable." He added, therefore, that Dr. Hill was, not withstanding, a very curious observer; and if he would have been contented to tell the world no more than he knew, he might have been a very considerable man, and needed not to have recourse to such mean expedients to raise his reputation. At Sir Joshua Reynolds's, where a circle of Johnson's friends was collected round him to hear his account of this memorable conversation, Dr. Joseph Warton, in his frank and lively manner, was very active in pressing him to mention the particulars. "Come now, sir, this is an interesting matter; do favour us with it." Johnson, with great good humour, complied. He told them, "I found his majesty wished I should talk, and I made it my business to talk. I find it does a man good to be talked to by his sovereign. In the first place, a man cannot be in a passion 3 "Here some question interrupted him, which is to be regretted, as he certainly would have pointed out and illustrated many circumstances of advantage, from being in a situation where the powers of the mind are at once excited to vigorous The king then talked of literary journals, mentioned particularly the Journal des Savans, and asked Johnson if it was well done. Johnson said, it was formerly very well done, and gave some account of the persons who began it, and carried it on for some years; enlarging, at the same time, on the nature and use of such works. The king asked him if it was well done now. Johnson answered, he had no reason to think that it was. The king then asked him if there were any other literary journals pub-exertion, and tempered by reverential awe. lished in this kingdom, except the Monthly and Critical Reviews; and on being answered there was no other, his majesty asked which of them was the best: Johnson answered, that the Monthly Review was done with most care, the Critical upon the best principles; adding that the authours of the Monthly Review were enemies to the church. This the king said he was sorry to hear. During all the time in which Dr. Johnson was employed in relating to the circle at Sir Joshua Reynolds's the particulars of what passed between the king. and him, Dr. Goldsmith remained unmoved upon a sofa at some distance, affecting not to join in the least in the eager curiosity of the company. He assigned as a reason for his gloom and seeming inattention, that he apprehended Johnson had relinquished his The conversation next turned on the purpose of furnishing him with a prologue Philosophical Transactions, when John- to his play, with the hopes of which he had son observed that they had now a better been flattered; but it was strongly suspectmethod of arranging their materials than ed that he was fretting with chagrin and formerly. "Ay (said the king), they are envy at the singular honour Dr. Johnson obliged to Dr. Johnson for that;" for his had lately enjoyed. At length, the frankmajesty had heard and remembered the cir-ness and simplicity of his natural character cumstance, which Johnson himself had forgot. His majesty expressed a desire to have the literary biography of this country ably executed, and proposed to Dr. Johnson to undertake it1. Johnson signified his readiness to comply with his majesty's wishes. During the whole of this interview, Johnson talked to his majesty with profound respect, but still in his firm manly manner, with a sonorous voice, and never in that subdued tone which is commonly used at the levee and in the drawing-room. After the king withdrew, Johnson showed himself highly pleased with his majesty's prevailed. He sprung from the sofa, advanced to Johnson, and in a kind of flutter, from imagining himself in the situation which he had just been hearing described, exclaimed, Well, you acquitted yourself in this conversation better than I should have done; for I should have bowed and stammered through the whole of it." 66 [It is a singularity that, however obvious, has not been before Ed. [This perhaps may have given Dr. Johnson 3 [Johnson was, in his calmer moments, sensithe first idea of the most popular and entertain-ble of the too great vehemence of his coning of all his works, "The Lives of the Poets." versation; and yet, see post, 19th May, 1784.ED.] ED.] Hawk. p. 470. observed, that Johnson should have been in the presence of Queen Anne and of George the Fourth 1. He once told Sir John Hawkins, [that, in a visit to Mrs. Percy, who had the care of one of the young princes, at the queen's house, the Prince of Wales, being then a child, came into the room, and began to play about; when Johnson, with his usual curiosity, took an opportunity of asking him what books he was reading, and, in particular, inquired as to his knowledge of the scriptures; the prince, in his answers, gave him great satisfaction, and, as to the last, said, that part of his daily exercises was to read Ostervald2.] Christians, we should part with prayer; "Almighty and most merciful Father, whose loving kindness is over all thy works, behold, visit, and relieve this thy servant, who is grieved with sickness. Grant that the sense of her weakness may add strength to her faith, and seriousness to her repentance. And grant that by the help of thy holy spirit, after the pains and labours of this short life, we may all obtain everlasting happiness, through Jesus Christ our Lord, for whose sake hear our prayers5. Amen. Our Father, &c. I received no letter from Johnson this year: nor have I discovered any of the correspondence 3 he had, except the two letters to Mr. Drummond, which have been in- "I then kissed her. She told me, that to serted, for the sake of connexion with that | part was the greatest pain that she had ever to the same gentleman in 1766. His diary felt, and that she hoped we should meet affords no light as to his employment at again in a better place. I expressed, with this time. He passed [more than 4] three swelled eyes, and great emotion of tendermonths at Lichfield; and I cannot omit ness, the same hopes. We kissed, and partan affecting and solemn scene there, as re-ed, I humbly hope to meet again, and to lated by himself: part no more 6." Sunday, Oct. 18, 1767. Yesterday, Oct. 17, at about ten in the morning, I took my leave for ever of my dear old friend, Catherine Chambers, who came to live with my mother about 1724, and has been but little parted from us since. She buried my father, my brother, and my mother. She is now fifty-eight years old. "I desired all to withdraw, then told her that we were to part for ever; that as 1 [George the First he probably never saw, but George the Second he must frequently have seen, and he had the honour of conversing, as above stated, with George the Third and George the Fourth, and thus saw four of the five last sove reigns, whose reigns already include above a century and a quarter.—ED.] By those who have been taught to look upon Johnson as a man of a harsh and stern character, let this tender and affectionate scene be candidly read; and let them then judge whether more warmth of heart and grateful kindness is often found in human nature. TO MRS. THRALE. Letters, vol. i. p.s. "Lichfield, 20 July, 1767. "Though I have been away so much longer than I purposed or expected, I have found nothing that withdraws my affections from the friends whom I left behind, or which makes me less desirous of reposing at that place which your kindness and Mr. Thrale's al [No doubt the popular Catechism and " A-lows me to call my home. bridgement of Sacred History" of J. F. Ostervald, an eminent Swiss divine. He died in 1747, in the 84th year of his age.-ED.]. It is proper here to mention, that when I speak of his correspondence, I consider it independent of the voluminous collection of letters which, in the course of many years, he wrote to Mrs. Thrale, which forms a separate part of his works: and as a proof of the high estimation set on any thing which came from his pen, was sold by that lady for the sum of five hundred pounds.-BOSWELL. [See the preface for some observations on these letters.-ED.] In his letter to Mr. Drummond, dated Oct. 24, 1767, he mentions that he had arrived in London, after an absence of nearly six months in the country. Probably part of that time was spent at Oxford.-MALONE. [He dates a letter to Mrs. Thrale, from Lichfield, as early as the 20th July, and states that he had already been there longer than he intended. Letters.-ED.] "Miss Lucy is more kind and civil than I expected, and has raised my esteem by many excellencies very noble and resplendent, though a little discoloured by hoary virginity. Every thing else recalls to my remembrance years in which I proposed what, I am afraid, I have not done, and promised myself pleasure which I have not found." We have the following notice in his devotional record: "August 2, 1767. I have been disturbed and unsettled for a long time, and have been 5 [The greater part of this prayer is, as the Bishop of Ferns observes, in the visitation of the sick in our liturgy.-ED.] [Catherine Chambers died in a few days aftre this interview, and was buried in St. Chads, Lichfield, on the 7th Nov. 1767.-HARWOOD.] without resolution to apply to study or to business, being hindered by sudden snatches. "I have for some days forborne wine and suppers. Abstinence is not easily practised in another's house; but I think it fit to try. "I was extremely perturbed in the night, but have had this day more ease than I expected. D[eo] gr[atia]. Perhaps this may be such a sudden relief as I once had by a good night's rest in Fetter-lane. "From that time, by abstinence, I have had more ease. I have read five books of Homer, and hope to end the sixth to-night. I have given Mrs. a guinea. "By abstinence from wine and suppers, I obtained sudden and great relief, and had freedom of mind restored to me; which I have wanted for all this year, without being able to find my means of obtaining it." He, however, furnished Mr. Adams with a dedication* to the king of that ingenious gentleman's "Treatise on the Globes," conceived and expressed in such a manner as could not fail to be very grateful to a monarch, distinguished for his love of the sciences. This year was published a ridicule of his style, under the title of "Lexiphanes." Sir John Hawkins ascribes it to Dr. Kenrick; but its authour was one Campbell, a Scotch purser in the navy. The ridicule consisted in applying Johnson's "words of large meaning," to insignificant matters, as if one should put the armour of Goliath upon a dwarf. The contrast might be laughable; but the dignity of the armour must remain the same in all considerate minds. This malicious drollery, therefore, it may easily be supposed, could do no harm to its illustrious object. "TO BENNET LANGTON, ESQ. "At Mr. Rothwell's, perfumer, in New Bond-street, London. "Lichfield, 10th October, 1767. "DEAR SIR, -That you have been all summer in London is one more reason for which I regret my long stay in the country. I hope that you will not leave the town before my return. We have here only the chance of vacancies in the passing carriages, and I have bespoken one that may, if it happens, bring me to town on the fourteenth 2 of this month; but this is not certain. "It will be a favour if you communicate this to Mrs. Williams; I long to see all my friends. I am, dear sir, your most humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON." ["TO MRS. ASTON3. "17th November, 1767. Parker MSS. "MADAM,-If you impute it to disrespect or inattention, that I took no leave when I left Lichfield, you will do me great injustice. I know you too well not to value your friendship. "When I came to Oxford l'inquired after the product of our walnut-tree, but it had, like other trees this year, but very few nuts, and for those few I came too late. The tree, as I told you, madam, we cannot find to be more than thirty years old, and upon measuring it, I found it, at about one foot from the ground, seven feet in circumference, and at the height of about seven feet, the circumference is five feet and a half; it would have been, I believe, still bigger but that it has been lopped. The nuts are small, such as they call single nuts; whether this nut is of quicker growth than better I have not yet inquired; such as they are I hope to send them next year. "You know, dear madam, the liberty I took of hinting, that I did not think your present mode of life very pregnant with happiness. Reflection has not yet changed my opinion. Solitude excludes pleasure, and does not always secure peace. Some communication of sentiments is commonly necessary to give vent to the imagination, and discharge the mind of its own flatulencies. Some lady surely might be found in whose conversation you might delight, and in whose fidelity you might repose. The world, says Locke, has people of all sorts. You will forgive me this obtrusion of my opinion; I am sure I wish you well. Poor Kitty has done what we have all to do, and Lucy has the world to begin anew; I hope she will find some way to more content than I left her possessing. "Be pleased to make my compliments to Mrs. Hinckley and Miss Turton. I am, madam, your most obliged and most humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON."] It appears from his notes of the state of his mind, that he suffered great perturbation and distraction in 1768. "Town-malling4, in Kent, 18th Sept. 1768, at night. "I have now begun the sixtieth year of my life. How the last year has past, I am 3 [Elizabeth, one of the younger daughters of Some Sir Thomas Aston: see ante, p. 29, n. letters of Johnson to Mrs. Aston, which have been communicated since that note was printed, are written with a uniform spirit of tender[It may have been malicious, but it certain-ness and respect, aud, though of little other ly is not droll. It is so over-charged, as to have neither resemblance nor pleasantry.-ED.] 2 [We have just seen that he was detained till the 18th.-ED.] value, afford an additional proof of the inaccuracy of Miss Seward, who represents Dr. Johnson as stating to her a very unfavourable character of Mrs. Aston.-ED.] [It appears that he visited, with the Thrales, |