This year Mr. William Payne, brother of the refpectable bookfeller of that name, published " An Introduction to the Game of Draughts," to which Johnson contributed a Dedication to the Earl of Rochford,* and a Preface,* both of which are admirably adapted to the treatise to which they are prefixed. Johnson, I believe, did not play at draughts after leaving College, by which he fuffered, for it would have afforded him an innocent foothing relief from the melancholy which distressed him fo often. I have heard him regret that he had not learnt to play at cards; and the game of draughts we know is peculiarly calculated to fix the attention without ftraining it. There is a composure and gravity in draughts which infenfibly tranquillifes the mind; and, accordingly, the Dutch are fond of it, as they are of fmoaking, of the fedative Some time after Dr. Johnson's death there apppeared in the newspapers and magazines an illiberal and petulant attack upon him, in the form of an Epitaph, under the name of Mr. Soame Jennings, very unworthy of that gentleman, who had quietly fubmitted to the critical lafh while Johnson lived. It affumed, as characteristicks of him, all the vulgar circumftances of abuse which had circulated amongst the ignorant. It was an unbecoming indulgence of puny refentment, at a time when he himself was at a very advanced age, and had a near prospect of descending to the grave. I was truly forry for it; for he was then become an avowed, and (as my Lord Bishop of London, who had a ferious converfation with him on the fubject, affures me) a fincere Chriftian. He could not expect that Johnson's numerous friends would patiently bear to have the memory of their master ftigmatized by no mean pen, but that at least one would be found to retort, Accordingly, this unjust and sarcastick Epitaph was met in the fame publick field by an answer, in terms by no means foft, and such as wanton provocation only could justify : cr « ЕРІТАРН, "HERE lies a little ugly naufeous elf, Feebly attempted, petulant and vain, "The Origin of Evil,' to explain. "With a strong critick grafp the urchin squeez'd. Till in the duft the mighty Genius flept; yet. " Then stunk and fretted in expiring fnuff, influence 1756. influence of which, though he himself never smoaked, he had a high opinion. Besides, there is in draughts fome exercise of the faculties; and, accordingly, Etat. 47. Johnson wishing to dignify the fubject in his Dedication with what is most eftimable in it, obferves, "Triflers may find or make any thing a trifle; but fince it is the great characteristick of a wife man to fee events in their caufes, to obviate confequences, and ascertain contingencies, your Lordship will think nothing a trifle by which the mind is inured to caution, forefight, and circumfpection." As one of the little occafional advantages which he did not difdain to take by his pen, as a man whofe profeffion was literature, he this year accepted of a guinea from Mr. Robert Dodfley, for writing the introduction to "The London Chronicle," an evening newspaper; and even in fo flight a performance exhibited peculiar talents. This Chronicle still fubfifts, and from what I obferved, when I was abroad, has a more extenfive circulation upon the Continent than any of the English newspapers. It was conftantly read by Johnson himself; and it is but just to obferve, that it has all along been diftinguished for good fenfe, accuracy, moderation, and delicacy. Another instance of the fame nature has been communicated to me by the Reverend Dr. Thomas Campbell, who has done himself confiderable credit by his own writings. Sitting with Dr. Johnfon one morning alone, he asked me if I had known Dr. Madden, who was authour of the premium-scheme in Ireland. On my anfwering in the affirmative, and alfo that I had for fome years lived in his neighbourhood, &c. he begged of me that when I -returned to Ireland, I would endeavour to procure for him a poem of Dr. Madden's, called Boulter's Monument.' The reafon (faid he) why I wish for it, is this: when Dr. Madden came to London, he fubmitted that work to my caftigation; and I remember I blotted a great many lines, and might have blotted many more, without making the poem the worse. However, the Doctor was very thankful, and very generous, for he gave me ten guineas, which was to me at that time a great fum." He this year resumed his fcheme of giving an edition of Shakspeare with notes. He iffued Propofals of confiderable length, in which he fhewed that he perfectly well knew what a variety of research such an undertaking required; but his indolence prevented him from pursuing it with that diligence which alone can collect thofe fcattered facts that genius, however acute, penetrating, and luminous, cannot difcover by its own force. It is remarkable, that at Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, 3d edit. p. 48. 1756. this time his fancied activity was for the moment fo vigorous, that he Etat. 47. promifed his work fhould be published before Christmas, 1757. Yet nine years elapsed before it faw the light. His throes in bringing it forth had been severe and remittent, and at last we may almost conclude that the Cæfarian operation was performed by the knife of Churchill, whofe upbraiding fatire, I dare fay, made Johnson's friends urge him to dispatch. £757. "He for fubfcribers bates his hook, "And takes your cafh; but where's the book?. "Forbids the robbing of a foe; "But what, to serve our private ends, "Forbids the cheating of our friends?" About this period he was offered a living of confiderable value in Lincolnfhire, if he were inclined to enter into holy orders. It was a rectory in the gift of Mr. Langton, the father of his much valued friend. But he did not accept of it; partly I believe from a confcientious motive, being perfuaded that his temper and habits rendered him unfit for that affiduous and familiar instruction of the vulgar and ignorant, which he held to be an effential duty in a clergyman; and partly because his love of a London life was fo strong, that he would have thought himself an exile in any other place, particularly if refiding in the country. Whoever would wish to fee his thoughts upon that fubject displayed in their full force, may peruse the Adventurer, No. 126. In 1757 it does not appear that he published any thing, except fome 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 Shakfpeare 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 in the Gentleman's Magazine for October 1785 as his, and bears fufficient marks of authenticity. By the favour of Mr. Walker, of the Treasury, Dublin, I have obtained a copy of the following letter from Johnson to the venerable authour of "Differtations on the Hiftory of Ireland." To To CHARLES O'CONOR, Efq. 1757. Etat. 48. "SIR, "I HAVE lately, by the favour of Mr. Faulkner, feen your account of Ireland, and cannot forbear to folicit a profecution of your defign. Sir William Temple complains that Ireland is lefs 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 feat of piety and learning; and furely it would be very acceptable to all those who are curious either in the original of nations, or the affinities of Languages, to be further informed of the revolutions of a people fo ancient, and once fo illustrious. "What relation there is between the Welch and Irish languages, or between the language of Ireland and that of Biscay, deferves enquiry. Of these provincial and unextended tongues, it seldom happens that more than one are understood by any one man; and, therefore, it feldom happens that a fair comparison can be made. I hope you will continue to cultivate this kind of learning, which has lain too long 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, "DR. MARSELI of Padua, a learned gentleman, and good Latin poet, has a mind to fee Oxford. I have given him a letter to Dr. Huddesford'; and fhall be glad if you will introduce him, and fhew him any thing in Oxford. 1757. Etat. 48. "I am printing my new edition of Shakspeare. You might But honores "I long to see you all, but cannot convéniently come yet. write to me now and then, if you were good for any thing. Profeffors forget their friends. I fhall certainly complain to mutant mores. Mifs Jones 3. I am " [London,] June 21, 1754. "Your, &c. SAM. JOHNSON. "Please to make my compliments to Mr. Wife." Mr. Burney having enclosed to him an extract from the review of his Dictionary in the Bibliotheque des Savans, and a list of subscribers to his Shakspeare, which Mr. Burney had procured in Norfolk, he wrote the following anfwer: "SIR, To Mr. BURNEY, in Lynne, Norfolk. "THAT I may fhow myself fenfible of your favours, and not commit the fame fault a fecond time, I make hafte to answer the letter which I received this morning. The truth is, the other likewife was received, and I wrote an answer; but being defirous to tranfmit you fome proposals and receipts, I waited till I could find a convenient conveyance, and day was paffed after day, till other things drove it from my thoughts, yet not fo, but that I remember with great pleasure your commendation of my Dictionary. Your praise was welcome, not only because I believe it was fincere, but because praise has been very scarce. A man of your candour will be furprised when I tell you, that among all my acquaintance there were only two, who upon the publication of my book did not endeavour to deprefs me with threats of cenfure from the publick, or with objections learned from those who had learned them from my own Preface. Yours is the only letter of good-will that I 2. Mr. Warton was elected Profeffor of Poetry at Oxford in the preceding year." 3 Mifs 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 moft fenfible, agreeable, and amiable woman. She was fifter of the Reverend River Jones, Chanter of Chrift Church cathedral at Oxford, and Johnson used to call her the Chantrefs. I have heard him often address her in this paffage from IL PENSEROSO:' • Thee, Chantrefs, oft the woods among |