He saw that he " never saw the human face divine." better with one eye than the other. (1) Latterly, perhaps, he meant to save his eyes, and did not read so much as he otherwise would. 304. Tour to Italy.-Dr. Brocklesby.— Lord Thurlow. Johnson, in 1783, meditated a tour into Italy or Portugal, for the sake of the climate. But Dr. Brocklesby his friend and physician, conjured him, by every argument in his power, not to go abroad in the state of his health; but, if he was resolved on the first, and wished for something additional to his income, desired he would permit him to accommodate him out of his fortune with one hundred pounds a year, during his travels. The reply to this generosity was to this effect: "That he would not be obliged to any person's liberality, but to his king's." The continuance of this desire to go abroad occasioned the application for an increase of pension, that is so honourable to those who applied for it, and to the lord chancellor, who gave him leave to draw on his banker for any sum. At last he said, "If I am worse, I cannot go; if I am better, I need not go; but if I continue neither better nor worse, I am as well where I am.” 305. Johnson's Death. Johnson was all his life preparing himself for death: but particularly in the last stage of his asthma and (1) [" Mr. Tyers informs us" (says a writer in the Gent. Mag. v. liv. p. 998., probably Mr. Steevens), "that Dr. Johnson saw better with one eye than the other, but forbears to account for this unequal ability in his organs of sight. I beg therefore at once to supply his deficiency, and confirm his valuable anecdote, by assuring him his late friend had, for many years, lost one of his eyes, and consequently could only see with its companion. He himself did not recollect the exact period when he became acquainted with this visual defect, which, as it happened through no external violence, might, for some time, have escaped even his own observation."] VOL. IX. dropsy. "Take care of soul your life as I have done don't let your business or dissipation make you neglect your sabbath" were now his constant inculcations. Private and public prayer, when his visitors were his audience, were his constant exercises. He died by a quiet and silent expiration," to use his own words on Milton, and his funeral was splendidly and numerously attended. The friends of the Doctor were happy on his easy departure, for they apprehended he might have died hard. At the end of this sketch, it may be hinted, that Johnson told me for he saw I always had my eye and my ear upon him-that, at some time or other, I might be called upon to assist a posthumous account of him. PART IV. ANECDOTES OF DR. JOHNSON, 306. Johnson's Last Illness. Saturday, Nov. 20. 1784. THIS evening, about eight o'clock, I paid a visit to my dear friend Dr. Johnson, whom I found very ill and in great dejection of spirits. We had a most affecting conversation on the subject of religion, in which he exhorted me, with the greatest warmth of kindness, to attend closely to every religious duty, and particularly enforced the obligation (1) [See antè, Vol. VIII. p. 407.} He of private prayer and receiving the sacrament. desired me to stay that night and join in prayer with him; adding, that he always went to prayer every night with his man Francis. He conjured me to read and meditate upon the Bible, and not to throw it aside for a play or a novel. He said he had himself lived in great negligence of religion and worship for forty years; that he had neglected to read his Bible, and had often reflected what he could hereafter say when he should be asked why he had not read it. He begged me repeatedly to let his present situation have due effect upon me; and advised me, when I got home, to note down in writing what had passed between us, adding, that what a man writes in that manner dwells upon his mind. He said many things that I cannot now recollect, but all delivered with the utmost fervour of religious zeal and personal affection. Between nine and ten o'clock his servant Francis came up strairs: he then said we would all go to prayers, and, desiring me to kneel down by his bed-side, he repeated several prayers with great devotion. I then took my leave. He then pressed me to think of all he had said, and to commit it to writing. I assured him I would. He seized my hand with much warmth, and repeated, “Promise me you will do it: on which we parted, and I engaged to see him the next day. Sunday, Nov. 21. About noon I again visited him; found him rather better and easier, his spirits more raised, and his conversation more disposed to general subjects. When I came in, he asked if I had done what he desired (meaning the noting down what passed the night before); and upon my saying that I had, he pressed my hand and said earnestly, "Thank you." Our discourse then grew more cheerful. with apparent pleasure, that he heard the Empress of Russia had ordered "The Rambler" to be translated into the Russian language, and that a copy would be sent He told me, him. (1) Before we parted, he put into my hands s little book, by Fleetwood, on the Sacrament, which he told me he had been the means of introducing to the University of Oxford by recommending it to a young student there. Monday, Nov. 22. Visited the Doctor: found him seemingly better of his complaints, but extremely low and dejected. I sat by him till he fell a asleep, and soon after left him, as he seemned little disposed to talk; and, on my going away, he said, emphatically, "I am very poorly indeed!" Tuesday, Nov. 23. Called about eleven : the Doctor not up: Mr. Gardiner (2) in the dining-room: the Doctor soon came to us, and seemed more cheerful than the day before. He spoke of his design to invite a Mrs. Hall (3) to be with him, and to offer her Mrs. Williams's room. Called again about three: found him quite oppressed with company that morning, therefore left him directly. Wednesday, Nov. 24. Called about seven in the evening: found him very ill and very low indeed. He said a thought had struck him that his rapid decline of health and strength might be partly owing to the town air, and spoke of getting a lodging at Islington. with him till past nine, and then took my leave. I sat Thursday, Nov. 25. - About three in the afternoon was told that he had desired that day to see no company. In the evening, about eight, called with Mr. Nicol (4), and, to our great surprise, we found him then setting out for Islington, to the Rev. Mr. Strahan's. He could scarce speak. We went with him down the court to the coach. He was accompanied by his servant Frank and (1) [See antè, p. 123.] (2) No doubt an error of the press for Mrs. Gardiner.-C. (3) Sister of the Rev. John Wesley. p. 68. - - C. (4) Mr. George Nicol, of Pal Mall. See antè, Vol. VIII -J. Hool Mr. Lowe the painter. him, but he declined it. Friday, Nov. 26. I offered myself to go with · Called at his house about eleven: heard he was much better, and had a better night than he had known a great while, and was expected home that day. Called again in the afternoon not so well as he was, nor expected home that night. Saturday, Nov. 27. Called again about noon: heard he was much worse: went immediately to Islington, where I found him extremely bad, and scarce able to speak, with the asthma. Sir John Hawkins, the Rev. Mr. Strahan, and Mrs. Strahan, were with him. Observing that we said little, he desired that we would not constrain ourselves, though he was not able to talk with us. Soon after he said he had something to say to Sir John Hawkins, on which we immediately went down into the parlour. Sir John soon followed us, and said he had been speaking about his will. Sir John started the idea of proposing to him to make it on the spot; that Sir John should dictate it, and that I should write it. He went up to propose it, and soon came down with the Doctor's acceptance. The will was then begun; but before we proceeded far, it being necessary, on account of some alteration, to begin again, Sir John asked the Doctor whether he would choose to make any introductory declaration respecting his faith. The Doctor said he would. Sir John further asked if he would make any declaration of his being of the church of England: to which the Doctor said " "No!" but, taking a pen, he wrote on a paper the following words, which he delivered to Sir John, desiring him to keep it: "I commit to the infinite mercies of Almighty God iny soul, polluted with many sins; but purified, I trust, with repentance and the death of Jesus Christ." While he was at Mr. Strahan's, Dr. Brocklesby came in, and Dr. Johnson put the question to him, whether he thought he could live six weeks? to which Dr. Brock |