Boswell becomes acquainted with Johnson-Derrick-Mr. Thomas Sheridan-Mrs. Sheridan- Mr. Thomas Davies-Mrs. Davies-First Interview-His Dress--Johnson's Chambers in Temple Lane-Dr. Blair-Dr. James Fordyce-Ossian-Christopher Smart-Thomas John- son, the Equestrian-Clifton's Eating House-The Mitre-Colley Cibber's Odes-Gray- Belief in the Appearance of departed Spirits-Churchill-Cock-Lane Ghost-Goldsmith— Graham's "Telemachus, a Mask "-Dr. Oliver Goldsmith--Dr. John Campbell-“ Hermippus Redivivus "-Churchill's Poetry-Bonnell Thornton-" Ode on St. Cecilia's Day"-The Con- noisseur-The World-Miss Williams's Tea Parties-Anecdotes of Goldsmith, . London-Miss Porter's Legacy-Boswell and his Landlord-Suppers at the Mitre—" The King can do no Wrong "-Historical Composition-Bayle-Arbuthnot-The noblest Prospect in Scotland-Jacobitism-Lord Hailes-Keeping a Journal-The King of Prussia's Poetry- Johnson's Library-"Not at Home "--Pity-Style of Hume-Inequality of Mankind— Constitutional Goodness-Miracles-Acquaintance of Young People-Hard Reading-Mel- ancholy-Mrs. Macaulay-Warton's Essay on Pope-Sir James Macdonald-Projected Table-Talk-Influence of the Weather-Swift-Thomson-Burke-Sheridan-Evidences of Christianity-Derrick-Day at Greenwich-The Methodists-Johnson's "Walk "-The Con- vocation-Blacklock-Johnson accompanies Boswell to Harwich-The Journey-" Good Eating "-" Abstinence and Temperance "-Johnson's favourite Dishes-Bishop Berkeley Boswell at Utrecht - Letter from Johnson-The Frisick Language-Johnson's Visit to Lang- ton-Institution of "The Club "-Reynolds--Garrick-Dr. Nugent-Granger's Cane "-Hypochondriac Attack-Days of Abstraction-Odd Habits-Visit to Dr. Percy- Letter to Reynolds-Visit to Cambridge-Self-examination--Letter to, and from, Garrick- Johnson created LL.D. by Dublin University-Letter to Dr. Leland-Prayer on "Engaging Acquaintance with the Thrales-Publication of the Edition of Shakspeare-Kenrick-Letter to Boswell-Boswell returns to England-Voltaire on Pope and Dryden-Goldsmith's "Tra- veller," and "Deserted Village "-Suppers at the Mitre resumed-" Equal Happiness ❞— "Courting great Men"-Convents-Second Sight-Corsica-Rousseau-Subordination- Boswell's Thesis Study of the Law-Rash Vows-Streatham-Oxford-London Improve- ments Dedications-Mrs. Williams's Miscellanies-Mr. William Drummond-Translation of the Bible into the Gaelic-Case of Heely-Dr. Robertson-Cuthbert Shaw-"Tom Hervey " -Johnson's Interview with King George III.-Warburton and Lowth-Lord Lyttelton's History-Dr. Hill-Literary Journals-Visit to Lichfield-Death of Catherine Chambers- State of Johnson's Mind-Visit to Town-malling-Prologue to Goldsmith's "Good-natured Man "-Boswell publishes his "Account of Corsica "-Practice of the Law-Novels and Comedies-The Douglas Cause-Reading MSS.-St. Kilda-Oxford-Guthrie-Hume- Robertson-Future Life of Brutes-Scorpions-Maupertuis-Woodcocks-Swallows-Bell's Travels-Chastity-Choice of a Wife-Baretti's Italy-Liberty-Kenrick-Thomson- Monsey-Swift-Lord Eglingtoune-Letter on the Formation of a Library-Boswell at the Stratford Jubilee-Johnson's Opinion of the "Account of Corsica," Introduction-Johnson's Birth and Parentage-He inherits from his Father "a vile Melancholy"-His account of the Members of his Family-Traditional Stories of his PrecocityTaken to London to be touched by Queen Anne for the Scrofula. To write the life of him who excelled all mankind in writing the lives of others, and who, whether we consider his extraordinary endowments, or his various works, has been equalled by few in any age, is an arduous, and may be reckoned in me a presumptuous, task. Had Dr. Johnson written his own Life, in conformity with the opinion which he has given, that every man's life may be best written by himself,' had he employed in the preservation of his own history, that clearness of narration and elegance of language in which he has embalmed so many eminent persons, the world would probably have had the most perfect example of biography that was ever exhibited. But although he at different times, in a desultory manner, committed to writing many particulars of the progress of his mind and fortunes, he never had persevering diligence enough to form them into a regular composition. Of these memorials a few have been preserved; but the greater part was consigned by him to the flames, a few days before his death. 1 Idler, No. 84. ["Those relations are commonly of most value, in which the writer tells his own story."] VOL. I. 2 25 As I had the honor and happiness of enjoying his friendship for upwards of twenty years; as I had the scheme of writing his life constantly in view; as he was well apprised of this circumstance, and from time to time obligingly satisfied my inquiries, by communicating to me the incidents of his early years; as I acquired a facility in recollecting, and was very assiduous in recording his conversation, of which the extraordinary vigor and vivacity constituted one of the first features of his character; and as I have spared no pains in obtaining materials concerning him, from every quarter where I could discover that they were to be found, and have been favoured with the most liberal communications by his friends; I flatter myself that few biographers have entered upon such a work as this, with more advantages; independent of literary abilities, in which I am not vain enough to compare myself with some great names who have gone before me in this kind of writing. Since my work was announced, several Lives and Memoirs of Dr. Johnson have been published, the most voluminous of which is one compiled for the booksellers of London, by Sir John Hawkins, Knight,' a man whom, during my long intimacy with Dr. Johnson, I never saw in his company, I think, but once, and I am sure not above twice. Johnson might have esteemed him for his decent religious demeanour, and his knowledge of books and literary history; but from the rigid formality of his manners, it is evident that they never could have lived together with companionable ease and familiarity; nor had Sir John Hawkins that nice perception which was necessary to mark the finer and less obvious parts of Johnson's charHis being appointed one of his executors gave him an opportunity of taking possession of such fragments of a diary and other acter. 1 The greatest part of this book was written while Sir John Hawkins was alive; and I avow, that one object of my strictures was to make him feel some compunction for his illiberal treatment of Dr. Johnson. Since his decease, I have suppressed several of my remarks upon his work. But though I would not "war with the dead" offensively, I think it necessary to be strenuous in defence of my illustrious friend, which I cannot be, without strong animadversions upon a writer who has greatly injured him. Let me add, that though I doubt I should not have been very prompt to gratify Sir John Hawkins with any compliment in his lifetime, I do now frankly acknowledge, that, in my opinion, his volume, however inadequate and improper as a life of Dr. Johnson, and however discredited by unpardonable inaccuracies in other respects, contains a collection of curious anecdotes and observations, which few men but its author could have brought together.-BoswELL. [Sir John Hawkins published his Life of Johnson in 1787, and died in 1789.] |