of human nature, was willing to take men as they are, imperfect, and with a mixture of good and bad qualities, I suppose thought he had said enough in defence of his friend, of whose merits, notwithstanding his exceptionable points, he had a just value and added no more on the subject. APPENDIX. I. VARIOUS LETTERS, CHIEFLY FROM JOHNSON TO DIFFERENT PERSONS, From March 4th, 1773, to April, 1778; published by Mr. Croker in the first and subsequent editions of his Boswell's "Life of Johnson." "SIR, JOHNSON TO W. S. JOHNSON, LL.D.,' Stratford, Connecticut. "Johnson's Court, March 4, 1773 "Of all those whom the various accidents of life have brought within my notice, there is scarce any man whose acquaintance I have more desired to cultivate than yours. I cannot indeed charge you with neglecting me, yet our mutual inclination could never gratify itself with opportunities. The current of the day always bore us away from one another, and now the Atlantic is between us. "Whether you carried away an impression of me as pleasing as 1 The late William Samuel Johnson of Connecticut. This gentleman spent several years in England about the middle of the last century. He received the degree of Doctor of Civil Law from the University of Oxford; and this circumstance, together with the accidental similarity of name, recommended him to the acquaintance of Dr. Samuel Johnson. Several letters passed between them, after the American Dr. Johnson had returned to his native country; of which, however, it is feared that this is the only one remaining.-Gent. Mag.-Croker. that which you left me of yourself, I know not; if you did, you have not forgotten me, and will be glad that I do not forget you. Merely to be remembered is indeed a barren pleasure, but it is one of the pleasures which is more sensibly felt as human nature is more exalted. "To make you wish that I should have you in my mind, I would be glad to tell you something which you do not know; but all public affairs are printed; and as you and I have no common friend, I can tell you no private history. "The government, I think, grow stronger; but I am afraid the next general election will be a time of uncommon turbulence, violence, and outrage. "Of literature no great product has appeared, or is expected; the attention of the people has for some years been otherwise employed. "I was told a day or two ago of a design which must excite some curiosity. Two ships are in preparation, which are under the command of Captain Constantine Phipps, to explore the northern ocean; not to seek the north-east or the north-west passage, but to sail directly north, as near the pole as they can go. They hope to find an open ocean, but I suspect it is one mass of perpetual congelation. I do not much wish well to discoveries, for I am always afraid they will end in conquest and robbery. "I have been out of order this winter, but am grown better. Can I never hope to see you again, or must I be always content to tell you that in another hemisphere I am, Sir, your most humble servant? "SAM. JOHNSON." -Gent. Mag. JOHNSON TO GOLDSMITH. “April 23, 1773 "SIR, "I beg that you will excuse my absence to the Club; I am going this evening to Oxford. "I have another favour to beg. It is that I may be considered as proposing Mr. Boswell for a candidate of our society, and that he may be considered as regularly nominated. I am, Sir, your most humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON." "MADAM, JOHNSON TO MRS. MONTAGU. "Jan. 11, 1774. "Having committed one fault by inadvertency, I will not commit another by sullenness. When I had the honour of your card, I could not comply with your invitation, and must now suffer the shame of confessing that the necessity of an answer did not come into my mind. "This omission, Madam, you may easily excuse, as the consciousness of your own character must secure you from suspecting that the favour of your notice can never miss a suitable return, but from ignorance or thoughtlessness; and to be ignorant of your eminence is not easy, but to him who lives out of the reach of the public voice. —I am, Madam, your most obedient and most humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON." -Montagu MSS. JOHNSON TO MR. HOLLYER, Of Coventry. "Dec. 6, 1774. "SIR, "I take the liberty of writing to you, with whom I have no acquaintance, and whom I have therefore very little right to trouble; but as it is about a man equally or almost equally related to both of us, I hope you will excuse it. "I have lately received a letter from our cousin Thomas Johnson, complaining of great distress. His distress, I suppose, is real; but how can it be prevented? In 1772, about Christmas, I sent him thirty pounds, because he thought he could do something in a shop : many have lived who began with less. In the summer 1773 I sent him ten pounds more, as I had promised him. What was the event? In the spring 1774 he wrote me, and that he was in debt for rent, and in want of clothes. That is, he had in about sixteen months consumed forty pounds, and then writes for more, without any mention of either misconduct or misfortune. This seems to me very strange, and I shall be obliged to you if you can inform me, or make him inform me, how the money was spent; and give your advice what can be done for him with prudence and efficacy. "He is, I am afraid, not over sensible of the impropriety of his management, for he came to visit me in the summer. I was in the country, which, perhaps, was well for us both: I might have used him harshly, and then have repented. "I have sent a bill for five pounds, which you will be so kind to get discounted for him, and see the money properly applied, and give me your advice what can be done.-I am, Sir, your humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON." -MS. JOHNSON TO MRS. LUCY PORTER. "DEAR MADAM, "London, Sept. 9, 1775 "I have sent your books by the carrier, and in Sandys's Travels you will find your glasses. I have written this post to the ladies at Stowehill, and you may, the day after you have this, or at any other time, send Mrs. Gastrell's books. Be pleased to make my compliments to all my good friends. I hope the poor dear head is recovered, and you will now be able to write, which, however, you need not do, for I am going back to Brighthelmstone, and when I come back will take care to tell you. In the meantime take great care of your health, and drink as much as you can. I am, dearest love, your most humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON." -Pearson MSS. JOHNSON TO MRS. MONTAGU. "Dec. 15, 1775. "MADAM, "Having, after my return from a little ramble to France, passed some time in the country, I did not hear, till I was told by Miss Reynolds, that you were in town: and when I did hear it, I heard likewise that you were ill. To have you detained among us by sickness is to enjoy your presence at too dear a rate. I suffer myself to be flattered with hope that only half the intelligence is now true, and that you are now so well as to be able to leave us, and so kind as not to be willing. I am, Madam, your most humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON." -Montagu MSS. |