Oldalképek
PDF
ePub

66

tleman's Magazine" for 1785, paid an elegant and affectionate tribute to his memory. The Elegy on the Death of Dr. Johnson," by Samuel Hobhouse, Efq. 4to, 1785, was distinguished from the mass of elegiac verses on that occafion; and the just, discriminative, and elegant "Poetical Review of the Moral and Literary Character of Dr. Johnson," by John Courtenay, Efq. M. P. 4to, 1788, was perused with avidity by the admirers of wit and learning, and the real friends of virtue and liberty. His conduct and genius were examined and illustrated in the rapid "Biographical Sketch of Dr. Johnson," by Thomas Tyers, Efq. in the "Gentleman's Magazine" for 1784; the sprightly and entertaining " Anecdotes of Dr. Johnson," by Mrs. Piozzi, 8vo, 1785; the candid and judicious say on the Life, Character, and Writings of Dr. Johnson," by Joseph Towers, LL. D. 8vo, 1786; and the instructive and inte

"Ef

refting " Life of Samuel Johnson, LL. D." by James Bofwell, Esq. 2 vols. 4to, 1791, which are fufficiently known to the world.

His Works were collected and published by Sir John Hawkins, with his " Life," in eleven volumes, 1787. In this edition, the Lives of the Poets are placed first, and several pieces are attributed to Johnson without foundation. In the "Life," too much foreign matter is intermixed, and Johnfon himself is scarcely visible in the mafs. A new edition was published in 12 vols. 8vo, 1792, with an "Effay on his Life and Genius," by Arthur Murphy, Efq., the former "Life" being thought too unwieldy for republication. In this edition, the order observed in the former edition is inverted, and the feveral pieces are chronologically arranged, omitting those attributed to him without foundation. Some of his Prayers are printed, and feveral of his Letters added to the 12th volume. Mr. Murphy has

no new facts to embellish his work; but the task which has been left him, of giving a short, yet full, a faithful, yet temperate hiftory of Johnfon, has been ably executed. In the fuccinct review of his writings, Mr. Murphy displays his own learning, judgment, and taste. His Prayers and Meditations were published from his manufcripts, by George Strahan, A. M. Vicar of Islington, in 8vo, 1785. Letters to and from Samuel Johnson, LL. D. were published by Mrs. Piozzi, in 2 vols. 8vo, 1788. The Sermons. 8vo, 1790, left for publication, by Dr. Taylor, were unquestionably Johnson's; and the fact is now ascertained on the authority of Mr. Hayes, the editor. An imperfect collection of his Poems was published by Kearsley, in 12mo, 1785; and inferted, with confiderable additions, in the edition of "The Works of the English Poets," 1790. They are reprinted in the present collection, together with the tragedy of Irene, and several additional pieces collected from Mr. Bofwell's " Life of Johnfon," and other publications.

Yet

The religious, moral, political, and literary character of Johnfon, will be better understood by this account of his life, than by any laboured and critical comments. it may not be fuperfluous here to attempt to collect, into one view, his most prominent excellencies, and diftinguishing particularities.

His figure and manner are more generally known than those of almost any other man. His person was large, robust, and unwieldy from corpulency. His carriage was disfigured by fudden emotions which appeared to a common observer to be involuntary and convulfive. But in the opinion of Sir Joshua Reynolds, they were the consequence of a depraved habit of accompanying his thoughts with certain untoward actions, which seemed as if they were

meant to reprobate fome part of his past conduct. Of his limbs, he is said never to have enjoyed the free and vigorous use. When he walked, it seemed the struggling gait of one in fetters; and when he rode, he appeared to have no command over his horse. His strength, however, was great, and his personal courage no less so. Among other instances, which exemplify his poffeffion of both, it is related, that, being once at the Litchfield theatre, he fat upon a chair placed for him beside the scenes. Having had occafion to quit his feat, he found it occupied, upon his return, by an innkeeper of the town. He civilly demanded that it should be restored to him; but meeting with a rude refusal, he laid hold of the chair, and with it, of the intruder, and flung them both, without further ceremony, into the pit. At another time, having engaged in a scuffle with four men in the street, he refolutely refused to

i

« ElőzőTovább »