1777. « My wife has made marmalade of oranges for you. I left her and my Ætat. 58. daughters and Alexander all well yesterday. I have taught Veronica to speak

of
you
thus:--Dr. Johnson, not Johnston. I remain, my dear Sir,

" Your most affectionate
“ And obliged humble servant,

“ James Boswell."

To James BOSWELL, Esq. " DEAR SIR,

“ THE story of Mr. Thrale's death, as he had neither been fick nor in any other danger, made so little impression upon me, that I never thought about obviating its effects on any body else. It is supposed to have been produced by the English custom of making April fools, that is, of sending one another on some foolish errand on the first of April,

“ Tell Mrs. Boswell that I shall taste her marmalade cautiously at first, Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes. Beware, says the Italian proverb, of a reconciled enemy. But when I find it does me no harm, I shall then receive it and be thankful for it, as a pledge of firm, and, I hope, of unalterable kindness. She is, after all, a dear, dear lady,

« Please to return Dr. Blair thanks for his sermons. The Scotch write English wonderfully well.

“ Your frequent visits to Auchinleck, and your short stay there are very laudable and very judicious. Your present concord with your father gives me great pleasure ; it was all that you seemed to want.

« My health is very bad, and my nights are very unquiet. What can I do to mend them? I have for this summer nothing better in prospect than a journey into Staffordshire and Derbyshire, perhaps with Oxford and Birmingham in my way.

“ Make my compliments to Miss Veronica ; I must leave it to ber philosophy to comfort you for the loss of little David. You must remember, that to keep three out of four is more than your share. Mrs. Thrale has but four oup of eleven.

“ I am engaged to write little Lives, and little Prefaces, to a little edition of the English Poets. I think I have persuaded the booksellers to insert something of Thomson, and if you could give me some information about

1777:

him, for the life which we have is very scanty, I should be glad. I am,
dear Sir,

6. Your most affectionate humble servant,
" May 3, 1777.

SAM. Johnson."

Ætat. 68.

To those who delight in tracing the progress of works of literature, it will be an entertainment to compare the limited design with the ample execution of that admirable performance, " The Lives of the English Poets,” which is the richest, most beautiful, and indeed most perfect production of his pen. His notion of it at this time appears in the preceding letter. He has a memorandum in this year, “ 29 May, Easter-Eve, I treated with booksellers on a bargain, but the time was not long?.” The bargain was concerning that undertaking, but his tender conscience seems alarmned left it should have intruded too much on his devout preparation for the folemnity of the ensuing day. But, indeed, very little time was necessary for Johnson's concluding a treaty with the Booksellers; as he had, I believe, less attention to profit from his labours than any man to whom literature has been a profession. I shall here insert from a letter to me from my late worthy friend Mr. Edward Dilly, though of a later date, an account of this plan fo happily conceived; since it was the occasion of procuring for us an elegant collection of the best biography and criticism of which our language can boast.

To J AMES BOSWELL, Esq.
« Dear Sir,

Southill, Sept. 26, 1777.
“ YOU will find by this letter, that I am still in the fame calm
retreat, from the noise and bustle of London, as when I wrote to you laft.
I am happy to find you had such an agreeable meeting with your old friend.
Dr. Johnson; I have no doubt your stock is much increased by the interview;
few men, nay I may say, scarcely any man has got that fund of knowledge
and entertainment as Dr. Johnson in conversation. When he opens freely,
every one is attentive to what he says, and cannot fail of improvement as well
as pleasure.

“ The edition of the Poets, now printing, will do honour to the
English press, and a concise account of the life of each authour, by Dr.
Johnson, will be a very valuable addition, and stamp the reputation of this
edition superior to any thing that is gone before. The first cause that gave

1777. rise to this undertaking, I believe, was owing to the little trilling edition of
Ærat. 68. the Poets, printing by the Martins, at Edinburgh, and to be sold by Bell,

in London. Upon examining the volumes which were printed, the type was
found so extremely small, that many persons could not read them ; not
only this inconvenience attended it, but the inaccuracy of the press was
very conspicuous. These reasons, as well as the idea of an invasion of what
we call our Literary Property, induced the London Booksellers to print an
elegant and accurate edition of all the English Poets of reputation, from
Chaucer to the present time.

Accordingly a select number of the most respectable booksellers met
on the occasion, and, on consulting together, agreed, that all the proprietors
of copy-right in the various Poets should be summoned together; and when
their opinions were given, to proceed immediately on the business. Accordingly
a meeting was held, consisting of about forty of the most respectable book-
sellers of London, when it was agreed that an elegant and uniform edition of
• The English Poets' should be immediately printed, with a concise account
of the life of each author, by Dr. Samuel Johnson; and that three persons
should be deputed to wait upon Dr. Johnson, to folicit him to undertake the
Lives, viz. T. Davies, Strahan, and Cadell. The Doctor very politely
undertook it, and seemed exceedingly pleased with the proposal. As to the
terms, it was left entirely to the Doctor to name his own: he mentioned
two hundred guineas : it was immediately agreed to; and a farther com-
pliment, I believe, will be made him. A committee was likewise appointed
to engage the best engravers, viz. Bartolozzi, Sherwin, Hall, &c. Likewise
another committee for giving directions about the paper, printing, &c. so
that the whole will be conducted with spirit, and in the best manner, with
respect to authourship, editorship, engravings, &c. &c. My brother will
give you a list of the Poets we mean to give, many of which are within the
time of the Act of Queen Anne, which Martin and Bell cannot give, as they
have no property in them; the proprietors are almost all the booksellers in
London of consequence. I am, dear Sir,

« Ever yours,

" EDWARD DIlly.”

I shall afterwards have occasion to consider the extensive and varied range which Johnson took, when he was once led upon ground which he trod with a peculiar delight, having long been intimately acquainted with all the circumstances of it that could interest and please.

Dr.

1777

you, that

Dr. JOHNSON 10 Charles O'Conor, Efqt.

Ætat. 68. SIR,

“ HAVING had the pleasure of conversing with Dr. Campbell about

your character and your literary undertaking, I am resolved to gratify myself by renewing a correspondence which began and ended a great while ago, and ended, I am afraid, by my fault; a fault which, if

you

have not
forgotten it, you must now forgive.
“ If I have ever disappointed you, give me leave to tell

you
have likewise disappointed me. I expected great discoveries in Irish antiquity,
and large publications in the Irish language; but the world still remains as it
was, doubtful and ignorant. What the Irish language is in itself, and to
what languages it has affinity, are very interesting questions ; which every
man wishes to see resolved, that has any philological or historical curiosity.
Dr. Leland begins his history too late : the ages which deserve an exact
enquiry are those times (for such there were) when Ireland was the school of
the west, the quiet habitation of sanctity and literature. If you could give a
history, though imperfect, of the Irish nation, from its conversion to
Christianity to the invasion from England, you would amplify knowledge with
new views and new objects. Set about it, therefore, if you can: do what
you can easily do without anxious exactness. Lay the foundation, and leave
the superstructure to posterity. I am, Sir,

“ Your most humble servant, May 19, 1777

ŞAM. JOHNSON.”

Early in this year came out, in two volumes quarto, the posthumous works of the learned Dr. Zachary Pearce, Bishop of Rochester ; being “A Commentary, with Notes, on the four Evangelists and the Acts of the Apostles," with other theological pieces. Johnson had now an opportunity of making a grateful return to that excellent prelate, who, we have seen, was the only

him any assistance in the compilation of his Dictionary. The

person who gave

* Mr. Walker, of the Treasury, Dublin, who obligingly communicated to me this and a
former letter from Dr. Johnson to the same gentleman (for which see Vol. I. page 177) writes to
me as follows :—" Perhaps it would gratify you to have some account of Mr. O'Conor. He is an
amiable, learned, venerable old gentleman, of an independent fortune, who lives at Belanagar, in
the county of Roscommon; he is an admired writer, and Member of the Irish Academy.--The
above Letter is alluded to in the Preface to the 2d edit. of his Dissert. p. 3."
Vol. II.

Bishop

1777. Bishop had left some account of his life and character, written by himself.
Æcat. 68. To this Johnson made fome valuable additions, t and also furnished to the

editor, the Reverend Mr. Derby, a Dedication, t which I shall here insert,
both because it will appear at this time with peculiar propriety; and because
it will tend to propagate and increase that “ fervour of Loyalty,” which in me,
who boast of the name of Toby, is not only a principle but a passion.

“ I PRESUMB to lay before your Majesty the last labours of a learned Bishop, who died in the toils and duties of his calling. He is now beyond the reach of all earthly honours and rewards; and only the hope of inciting others to imitate him, makes it now fit to be remembered, that he enjoyed in his life the favour of your Majesty.

“ The tumultuary life of Princes feldom permits them to survey the wide extent of national interest, without losing sight of private merit, to exhibit qualities which may be imitated by the highest and the humbleft of mankind; and to be at once amiable and great.

“ Such characters, if now and then they appear in history, are contem-
plated with admiration. May it be the ambition of all your subjects to make
haste with their tribute of reverence; and as posterity may learn from your
Majesty how Kings should live, may they learn, likewise, from your people,
how they should be honoured. I am,

« May it please your Majesty,
“ With the most profound respect,
“ Your Majesty's
« Most dutiful and devoted

Subject and servant.”

In the summer he wrote a Prologue* which was spoken before « A Word to the Wise,” a comedy by Mr. Hugh Kelly, which had been brought upon

the stage in 1770; but its design being supposed favourable to the ministry, it fell a sacrifice to popular fury, and, in the playhouse phrase, was damned. By the generosity of Mr. Harris, the proprietor of Covent Garden theatre, it was now exhibited for one night, for the benefit of the authour's widow and children. To conciliate the favour of the audience was the intention of

3

Johnson's