Aetat. 48.] Johnson's love of London life.

371

that assiduous and familiar instruction of the vulgar and ignorant which he held to be an essential duty in a clergyman'; and partly because his love of a London life was so strong, that he would have thought himself an exile in any other place, particularly if residing in the country'. Whoever would wish to see his thoughts upon that subject displayed in their full force, may peruse The Adventurer, Number 1263.

1757: ÆTAT. 48.]-IN 1757 it does not appear that he published any thing, except some of those articles in The Literary Magazine, which have been mentioned. That magazine, after Johnson ceased to write in it, gradually declined, though the popular epithet of Antigallican' was added to it; and in July 1758 it expired. He probably prepared a part of his Shakspeare this year, and he dictated a speech on the subject of an Address to the Throne, after the expedition to Rochfort, which was delivered by one of his friends, I know not in what publick meeting'. It is printed

1 See post, April 17, 1778.

' Mrs. Thrale writing to him in 1777, says: You would rather be sick in London than well in the country.' Piozzi Letters, i. 394. Yet Johnson, when he could afford to travel, spent far more time in the country than is commonly thought. Moreover a great part of each summer from 1766 to 1782 inclusive he spent at Streatham.

3 The motto to this number

-Steriles nec legit arenas,

Ut caneret paucis, mersitque hoc pulvere verum.'

Johnson has thus translated :

'Canst thou believe the vast eternal mind

Was e'er to Syrts and Libyan sands confin'd?

(Lucan).

That he would choose this waste, this barren ground,

To teach the thin inhabitants around,

And leave his truth in wilds and deserts drown'd?'

It was added to the January number of 1758, but it was dropped in the following numbers.

'According to the note in the Gent. Mag. the speech was delivered 'at a certain respectable talking society.' The chairman of the meeting is addressed as Mr. President. The speech is vigorously written and is, I have no doubt, by Johnson. 'It is fit,' the speaker says, 'that

372

Irish literature.

[A.D. 1757. in The Gentleman's Magazine for October 1785 as his, and bears sufficient marks of authenticity.

By the favour of Mr. Joseph Cooper Walker, of the Treasury, Dublin, I have obtained a copy of the following letter from Johnson to the venerable authour of Dissertations on the History of Ireland.

'SIR,

'To CHARLES O'CONNOR, Esq'.

'I have lately, by the favour of Mr. Faulkner', seen your account of Ireland, and cannot forbear to solicit a prosecution of your design. Sir William Temple complains that Ireland is less known than any other country, as to its ancient state'. The natives have had little leisure, and little encouragement for enquiry; and strangers, not knowing the language, have had no ability.

'I have long wished that the Irish literature were cultivated+. Ireland is known by tradition to have been once the seat of piety and learning; and surely it would be very acceptable to all those

those whom for the future we shall employ and pay may know they are the servants of a people that expect duty for their money. It is said an address expresses some distrust of the king, or may tend to disturb his quiet. An English king, Mr. President, has no great right to quiet when his people are in misery.'

1 See post, May 19, 1777.

See post, March 21, 1772.

I have often observed with wonder, that we should know less of Ireland than any other country in Europe.' Temple's Works, iii. 82.

• The celebrated oratour, Mr. Flood, has shewn himself to be of Dr. Johnson's opinion; having by his will bequeathed his estate, after the death of his wife Lady Frances, to the University of Dublin; 'desiring that immediately after the said estate shall come into their possession, they shall appoint two professors, one for the study of the native Erse or Irish language, and the other for the study of Irish antiquities and Irish history, and for the study of any other European language illustrative of, or auxiliary to, the study of Irish antiquities or Irish history; and that they shall give yearly two liberal premiums for two compositions, one in verse, and the other in prose, in the Irish language.' BOSWELL.

'Dr. T. Campbell records in his Diary of a Visit to England (p. 62),

who

Aetat. 48.]

The affinities of language.

373

who are curious either in the original of nations, or the affinities of languages, to be further informed of the revolution of a people so ancient, and once so illustrious.

'What relation there is between the Welch and Irish language, or between the language of Ireland and that of Biscay, deserves enquiry. Of these provincial and unextended tongues, it seldom happens that more than one are understood by any one man; and, therefore, it seldom happens that a fair comparison can be made. I hope you will continue to cultivate this kind of learning, which has too long lain neglected, and which, if it be suffered to remain in oblivion for another century, may, perhaps, never be retrieved. As I wish well to all useful undertakings, I would not forbear to let you know how much you deserve in my opinion, from all lovers of study, and how much pleasure your work has given to, Sir, 'Your most obliged,

'London, April 9, 1757.'

'And most humble servant,

'SAM. JOHNSON.'

'TO THE REVEREND MR. THOMAS WARTON.

'DEAR SIR,

'Dr. Marsili' of Padua, a learned gentleman, and good Latin poet, has a mind to see Oxford. I have given him a letter to Dr.

Huddesford', and shall be glad if you will introduce him, and shew him any thing in Oxford.

'I am printing my new edition of Shakspeare.

'I long to see you all, but cannot conveniently come yet. You might write to me now and then, if you were good for any thing.

that at the dinner at Messieurs Dilly's (post, April 5, 1775) he 'ventured to say that the first professors of Oxford, Paris, &c., were Irish. "Sir," says Johnson, “I believe there is something in what you say, and I am content with it, since they are not Scotch."'

1 On Mr. Thrale's attack of apoplexy in 1779, Johnson wrote to Mrs. Thrale:-'I remember Dr. Marsigli, an Italian physician, whose seizure was more violent than Mr. Thrale's, for he fell down helpless, but his case was not considered as of much danger, and he went safe home, and is now a professor at Padua.' Piozzi Letters, ii. 48.

Now, or late, Vice-Chancellor.' WARTON.-BOSWELL. He was Vice-Chancellor when Johnson's degree was conferred (ante, p. 327), but his term of office had now come to an end.

But

374

Subscribers to Johnson's SHAKSPEARE. [a.d. 1757.

But honores mutant mores. Professors forget their friends'. I shall certainly complain to Miss Jones'. I am,

'[London,] June 21, 1757.'

'Your, &c.

'SAM. JOHNSON.'

'Please to make my compliments to Mr. Wise.'

Mr. Burney having enclosed to him an extract from the review of his Dictionary in the Bibliothèque des Savans', and a list of subscribers to his Shakspeare, which Mr. Burney had procured in Norfolk, he wrote the following answer:

'SIR,

'TO MR. BURNEY, IN LYNNe, Norfolk.

'That may shew myself sensible of your favours, and not commit the same fault a second time, I make haste to answer the letter which I received this morning. The truth is, the other likewise was received, and I wrote an answer; but being desirous to transmit you some proposals and receipts, I waited till I could find a convenient conveyance, and day was passed after day, till other things drove it from my thoughts; yet not so, but that I remember with great pleasure your commendation of my Dictionary. Your praise was welcome, not only because I believe it was sincere, but because praise has been very scarce. A man of your candour will be surprised when I tell you, that among all my acquaintance there were only two, who upon the publication of my book did not endeavour to depress me with threats of censure from the publick, or with objections learned from those who had learned them from my own Preface. Your's is the only letter of goodwill that I have

''Mr. Warton was elected Professor of Poetry at Oxford in the preceding year.' WARTON.-Boswell.

Miss Jones lived at Oxford, and was often of our parties. She was a very ingenious poetess, and published a volume of poems; and, on the whole, was a most sensible, agreeable, and amiable woman. She was a sister to the Reverend River Jones, Chanter of Christ Church Cathedral at Oxford, and Johnson used to call her the Chantress. I have heard him often address her in this passage from // Penseroso:

"Thee, Chantress, oft the woods among

I woo," etc.

She died unmarried.'

WArton.

3 Tom. iii. p. 482. BOSWELL.

received;

Aetat. 48.]

The danger of delay.

375

received; though, indeed, I am promised something of that sort from Sweden.

'How my new edition' will be received I know not; the subscription has not been very successful. I shall publish about March.

'If you can direct me how to send proposals, I should wish that they were in such hands.

'I remember, Sir, in some of the first letters with which you favoured me, you mentioned your lady. May I enquire after her? In return for the favours which you have shewn me, it is not much to tell you, that I wish you and her all that can conduce to your happiness. I am, Sir,

'Your most obliged,

'Gough-square, Dec. 24, 1757.'

'And most humble servant,

'SAM. JOHNSON.'

In 1758 we find him, it should seem, in as easy and pleasant a state of existence, as constitutional unhappiness ever permitted him to enjoy.

'TO BENNET LANGTON, ESQ., AT LANGTON, LINCOLNSHIRE'. 'DEAREST SIR,

'I must indeed have slept very fast, not to have been awakened by your letter. None of your suspicions are true; I am not much richer than when you left me; and, what is worse, my omission of an answer to your first letter, will prove that I am not much wiser. But I go on as I formerly did, designing to be some time or other both rich and wise; and yet cultivate neither mind nor fortune. Do you take notice of my example, and learn the danger of delay. When I was as you are now, towering in the confidence of twentyone, little did I suspect that I should be at forty-nine, what I now

am.

'But you do not seem to need my admonition. You are busy in acquiring and in communicating knowledge, and while you are

'Of Shakspeare. BOSWELL.

'This letter is misdated. It was written in Jan. 1759, and not in 1758. Johnson says that he is forty-nine. In Jan. 1758 he was fortyeight. He mentions the performance of Cleone, which was at the end of 1758; and he says that Murphy is to have his Orphan of China acted next month.' It was acted in the spring of 1759.

studying,