As the publick will doubtless be pleased to see the whole progress of this well-earned academical honour, I shall insert the Chancellor of Oxford's letter to the university 1, the diploma, and Johnson's letter of thanks to the vice-chancellor. TO THE REV. DR. HUDDESFORD, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford; to be communicated to the heads of houses, and proposed in convocation. "Grosvenor-street, Feb. 1755. "MR. VICE-CHANCELLOR, AND GENTLEMEN,-Mr. Samuel Johnson, who was formerly of Pembroke College, having very eminently distinguished himself by the publication of a series of essays, excellently calculated to form the manners of the people, and in which the cause of religion and morality is every where maintained by the strongest powers of argument and language; and who shortly intends to publish a Dictionary of the English Tongue, formed on a new plan, and executed with the greatest labour and judgment; I persuade myself that I shall act agreeable to the sentiments of the whole university, in desiring that it may be proposed in convocation to confer on him the degree of master of arts by diploma, to which I readily give my consent; and am, Mr. Vice-chancellor, and gentlemen, your affectionate friend and "ARRAN." servant, Term S Hilari. "DIPLOMA MAGISTRI JOHNSON. 1755 "CANCELLARIUS, Magistri et Scholares Ceiversitatis Oxoniensis omnibus ad quos hoc presens scriptum pervenerit, salutem in Dono sempiternam. "In cujus rei testimonium sigillum Universitatis Oxoniensis præsentibus apponi fecimus. "Datum in domo nostre Convocationis die 200 mensis Feb. Anno Dom. prædicto. "Diploma supra scriptum per Registrarium lectum erat, et ex decreto venerabilis Domús communi Universitatis sigillo munitum." "Londini. 4to Cal. Mart. 1755. "VIRO REVERENDO (GEORGIO] HUDDESFORD, S. T. P. UNIVERSITATIS OXONIENSIS VICECANCELLARIO DIGNISSIMO, 8. P. D. "SAM. JOHNSON". "INGRATUS planè et tibi et mihi videar, nisi quanto me gaudio affecerint, quos nuper mihi honores (te, credo, auctore), decrevit Senatus Academicus, literarum, quo tamen ninisi comitatem, quâ vir eximius mihi vestri hil levius, officio, significem; ingratus etiam, testimonium amoris in manus tradidit, aggrate accedat gratia, hoc ipso magis mihi pla noscam et laudem. Si quid est, undè rei tam cet, quod eo tempore in ordines Academicos denuò cooptatus sim, quo tuam imminuere auctoritatem, famamque Oxonii lædere, omnibus modis conantur homines vafri, nec tamen acuti: quibus ego, prout viro umbratico licuit, semper restiti, semper restiturus. Qui enim, inter has rerum procellas, vel tibi vel Academiæ defuerit, illum virtuti et literis, sibique et posteris, defuturum existi mo. Vale." (London) 20th March, 1755. "DEAR SIR,-After I received my diploma, I wrote you a letter of thanks, with a letter to the Vice-chancellor, and sent anCum eum in finem gradus academici à other to Mr. Wise; but have heard from Brjeribus nostris instituti fuerint, ut viri in- nobody since; and begin to think myself go et doctrini præstantes titulis quoque forgotten. It is true, I sent you a double prater cæteros insignirentur; cumque vir letter, and you may fear an expensive cordartissimus Samuel Johnson è Collegio Pem- respondent; but I would have taken it kindbrochiensi, scriptis suis popularium mores in-ly, if you had returned it treble: and what formantibus dudum literato orbi innotuerit; is a double letter to a petty king, that havquin et lingua patriæ tum ornandæ tum sta- ing fellowship and fines, can sleep without bhende (Lexicon scilicet Anglicanum suma modus in his head 5? estudio, summo à se judicio congestum propediem editurus) etiam nunc utilissimam impendat operam; nos igitur Cancellarius, Magistri, et Scholares antedicti, nè virum de kteris humanioribus optimè meritum diutius inhonoratum prætereamus, in solenni convocatione Doctorum, Magistrorum, Regentium, et non Regentium, decimo die mensis Februari Anno Domini Millesimo Septingentesithe Quinquagesimo quinto habitá, præfatum trum Samnelem Johnson (conspirantibus omnum suffragiis) Magistrum in Artibus renanciarimus et constituimus; cumque, virtute præsentis diplomatis, singulis juribus privilegs et honoribus ad istum gradum quaqua pertinentibus frui et gaudere jussimus. 2 The original is in my possession.-BosWELL. The superscription of this letter was not quite correct in the early editions of this work. It is here given from Dr. Johnson's original letter, now before me.-MALONE. 4 We may conceive what a high gratification it must have been to Johnson to receive his diploma from the hands of the great Dr. King, whose principles were so congenial with his own.BosWELL. [The reader will see in the preceding note, p. 120, why Mr. Boswell calls this gentleman the great Dr. King.-ED.] The words in Italicks are allusions to passages in Mr. Warton's poem, called "The Progress of Discontent," now lately published.WARTON. "Dear Mr. Warton, let me hear from | pliments to all my friends; and be so kind, you, and tell me something, I care not at every idle hour, as to remember, dear what, so I hear it but from you. Some- sir, yours, &c. "SAM. JOHNSON." thing I will tell you:-I hope to see my Dictionary bound and lettered next week;— vastá mole superbus. And I have a great mind to come to Oxford at Easter; but you will not invite me. Shall I come uninvited, or stay here where nobody perhaps would miss me if I went? A hard choice! But such is the world to, dear sir, yours, &c. "SAM JOHNSON." [The following extract of a let ED. ter from Mr. Warton to his brother will show his first sentiments on this great work. Mem. of Dr. W. p. 230. "19th April, 1755. "The Dictionary is arrived; the preface is noble. There is a grammar prefixed, and the history of the language is pretty full; but you may plainly perceive strokes of laxity and indolence. They are two most unwieldy volumes. I have written him an invitation. I fear his preface will disgust, by the expression of his consciousness of superiority, and of his contempt of patronage. The Rawlinson benefaction won't do for Johnson, which is this-a professorship of 80l. per annum, which is not to take place these forty years; a fellowship to Hertford College, which is too ample for them to receive agreeably to Newton's statutes; and a fellowship to St. John's College. Neither of the last are to take place these forty years."] Dr. Adams told me, that this scheme of a Bibliotheque was a serious one: for upon his visiting him one day, he found his parlour floor covered with parcels of foreign and English literary journals, and he told Dr. Adams he meant to undertake a Review. "How, sir (said Dr. Adams), can you think of doing it alone? All branches of knowledge must be considered in it. Do you know Mathematicks? Do you know Natural History?" Johnson answered, "Why, sir, I must do as well as I can. My chief purpose is to give my countrymen a view of what is doing in literature upon the continent; and I shall have, in a good measure, the choice of my subject, for I shall select such books as I best understand." Dr. Adams suggested, that as Dr. Maty 2 had just then finished his Bibliotheque Britannique, which was a wellexecuted work, giving foreigners an account of British publications, he might, with great advantage, assume him as an assistant. "He (said Johnson), the little black dog! I'd throw him into the Thames." The scheme, however, was dropped. In one of his little memorandum books I find the following hints for his intended Review or Literary Journal: "The annals of Literature, foreign as well as domestick. Imitate Le ClercBayle-Barbeyrac. Infelicity of Journals in England. Works of the learned.' We cannot take in all. Sometimes copy from foreign Journalists. Always tell." "DR. JOHNSON TO DR. BIRCH. “SIR,—I have sent some parts of my Dictionary, such as were at hand, for your 2 "DR. JOHNSON TO MR. WARTON. "(London), 25th March, 1755." "DEAR SIR,-Though not to write, when a man can write so well, is an offence sufficiently heinous, yet I shall pass it by. I am very glad that the Vice-Chancellor was pleased with my note. I shall impatiently expect you at London, that we may [Matthew Maty, M. D. and F. R. S. He consider what to do next. I intend in the was born in Holland in 1718, and educated at winter to open a Bibliotheque, and remem- Leyden, but he came in 1740 to settle in Engber, that you are to subscribe a sheet a land. He became secretary to the Royal Socieyear: let us try, likewise, if we can per- in 1772, principal librarian of the British Muse ty in 1765, on the resignation of Dr. Birch, and suade your brother to subscribe another. My book is now coming in luminis oras. um. Maty being the friend and admirer of What will be its fate I know not, nor think published, would, as Dr. Hall observes, particuLord Chesterfield, whose works he afterwards much, because thinking is to no purpose.larly at this period, have little recommendation to It must stand the censure of the great vul- the good opinion of the lexicographer; but his gar and the small; of those that understand Journal Britannique is mentioned by Mr. Gibit, and that understand it not. But in all bon in a tone very different from Dr. Johnson's. this, I suffer not alone; every writer has" This humble though useful labour, which had the same difficulties, and, perhaps, every writer talks of them more than he thinks. "You will be pleased to make my com [By this, I suppose, is meant the Anglo-Saxon professorship which was founded in 1750, but did not take effect before 1795, exactly forty years from the date of this letter.-HALL.] once been dignified by the genius of Bayle and the learning of Le Clerc, was not disgraced by the taste, the knowledge, and the judgment of Maty. His style is pure and eloquent, and in his virtues or even in his defects he may be reckoned as one of the last disciples of the school of Fontenelle." -Gibbon's Misc. Works. Dr. Maty died in 1776.-ED.] inspection. The favour which I beg is, that if you do not like them, you will say nothing. I am, sir, your most affectionate humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON." "TO MR. SAMUEL JOHNSON. "Norfolk-street, 23 April, 1755. "SIR,-The part of your Dictionary which you have favoured me with the sight of, has given me such an idea of the whole, that I most sincerely congratulate the publick upon the acquisition of a work long wanted, and now executed with an industry, accuracy, and judgement, equal to the importance of the subject. You might, perhaps, have chosen one in which your genius would have appeared to more advantage, but you could not have fixed upon any other in which your labours would have done such substantial service to the present age and to posterity. I am glad that your health has supported the application necessary to the performance of so vast a task; and can undertake to promise you as one (though perhaps the only) reward of it, the approbation and thanks of every well-wisher to the honour of the English language. I am with the greatest regard, sir, your most faithful and most affectionate humble servant, "THO. BIRCH." Mr. Charles Burney, who has since distinguished himself so much in the science of musick, and obtained a doctor's degree from the University of Oxford, had been driven from the capital by bad health, and was now residing at Lynne Regis in Norfolk. He had been so much delighted with Johnson's Rambler, and the plan of his Dictionary, that when the great work was announced in the newspapers as nearly finished, he wrote to Dr. Johnson, begging to be informed when and in what manner his Dictionary would be published; entreating, if it should be by subscription, or he should have any books at his own disposal, to be favoured with six copies for himself and friends. In answer to this application, Dr. Johnson wrote the following letter, of which (to use Dr. Burney's own words) "if it be remembered that it was written to an obscure young man, who at this time had not much distinguished himself even in his own profession, but whose name could never have reached the authour of The Ramblet, the politeness and urbanity may be opposed to some of the stories which have been lately circulated of Dr. Johnson's natural rudeness and ferocity." *TO MR. BURNEY, LYNNE REGIS, NORFOLK. *Gough-square, Fleet-street, 8 April, 1755. "SIR,-If you imagine that by delaying my answer I intended to show any neglect of the notice with which you have favoured me, you will neither think justly of yourself nor of me. Your civilities were offered with too much elegance not to engage attention; and I have too much pleasure in pleasing men like you, not to feel very sensibly the distinction you have bestowed upon me. "Few consequences of my endeavours to please or to benefit mankind have delighted me more than your friendship thus voluntarily offered, which now I have it I hope to keep, because I hope to continue to deserve it. "I have no Dictionaries to dispose of for myself, but shall be glad to have you direct your friends to Mr. Dodsley, because it was by his recommendation that I was employed in the work. "When you have leisure to think again upon me, let me be favoured with another letter; and another yet, when you have looked into my Dictionary. If you find faults, I shall endeavour to mend them; if you find none, I shall think you blinded by kind partiality: but to have made you partial in his favour, will very much gratify the ambition of, sir, your most obliged and most humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON." Mr. Andrew Millar, bookseller in the Strand, took the principal charge of conducting the publication of Johnson's Dictionary; and as the patience of the proprietors was repeatedly tried and almost exhausted, by their expecting that the work would be completed, within the time which Johnson had sanguinely supposed, the learned authour was often goaded to despatch, more especially as he had received all the copy money, by different drafts, a considerable time before he had finished his task. When the messenger who carried the last sheet to Millar returned, Johnson asked him, "Well, what did he say?" Sir, (answered the messenger), he said, thank GOD I have done with him."-“ Í am glad (replied Johnson with a smile) that he thanks GOD for any thing 1." It is remarkable, that those with whom Johnson chiefly contracted for his literary labours were Scotchmen, Mr. Millar and Mr. Strahan. Millar, though himself no great judge of literature, had good sense enough to have for his friends very able men, to give him their opinion and advice in the purchase of 'Sir John Hawkins (Life, p. 341), inserts two notes as having passed formerly between Andrew Millar and Johnson, to the above effect. I am assured this was not the case. In the way of incidental remark it was a pleasant play of raillery. To have deliberately written notes in such terms would have been morose.-BOSWELL. copyright; the consequence of which was | pany of men to whom nature doe his acquiring a very large fortune with great liberality. Johnson said of him, "I respect Millar, sir; he has raised the price of literature." The same praise may be justly given to Panckoucke, the eminent bookseller of Paris. Mr. Strahan's liberality, judgment, and success, are well known. "SIR,-It has been long observed, that men do not suspect faults which they do not commit; your own elegance of manners, and punctuality of complaisance, did not suffer you to impute to me that negligence of which I was guilty, and [for] which I have not since atoned. I received both your letters, and received them with pleasure proportioned to the esteem which so short an acquaintance strongly impressed, and which I hope to confirm by nearer knowledge, though I am afraid that gratification will be for a time withheld. "I have, indeed, published my book2, of which I beg to know your father's judgement, and yours; and I have now staid long enough to watch its progress in the world. It has, you see, no patrons, and I think has yet had no opponents, except the criticks of the coffee-house, whose outcries are soon dispersed into the air, and are thought on no more; from this, therefore, I am at liberty, and think of taking the opportunity of this interval to make an excursion, and why not then into Lincolnshire? or, to mention a stronger attraction, why not to dear Mr. Langton? I will give the true reason, which I know you will approve: -I have a mother more than eighty years old, who has counted the days to the publication of my book, in hopes of seeing me; and to her if I can disengage myself here, I resolve to go3. "As I know, dear sir, that to delay my visit for a reason like this, will not deprive me of your esteem, I beg it may not lessen your kindness. I have very seldom received an offer of friendship which I so earnestly desire to cultivate and mature. I shall rejoice to hear from you, till I can see you, and will see you as soon as I can; for when the duty that calls me to Lichfield is discharged, my inclination will carry me to Langton. I shall delight to hear the ocean roar4, or see the stars twinkle, in the com The word "for" has here probably slipped out by error of the transcriber or the press. See the word atone, in Johnson's Dictionary.-ED.] 2 His Dictionary.-BOSWELL. 3 [It is to be feared that this duty was not performed: see post, January, 1759.-ED.] 4 [This must refer to some general allusion in Mr. Langton's letters, for the village of Langton is ten or twelve miles from the coast.-ED.] spread her volume to utter her voice in "Do not, dear sir, make the slown this letter a precedent for delay, or im that I approved the incivility that I committed; for I have known you e to love you, and sincerely to wish a f knowledge; and I assure you once that to live in a house that contains s father and such a son, will be accou very uncommon degree of pleasure dear sir, your most obliged, and most ble servant. "SAM. JOHNSO "DR. JOHNSON TO MR. WARTO "(London), 13 May "DEAR SIR,-I am grieved tha should think me capable of neglecting letters; and beg you will never adın such suspicion again. I purpose to down next week if you shall be the any other week, that shall be more able to you. Therefore let me kno can stay this visit but a week; but to make preparations for longer stay time; being resolved not to lose sight university. How goes Apollonius 5? let him be forgotten. Some things o kind must be done, to keep us up. P compliments to Mr. Wise, and all my friends. I think to come to Kettel-H am, sir, your most affectionate, &c. "SAM. JOHNSO ["DR. JOHNSON TO MR. RICHARDS 17 May, "DEAR SIR,-As you were the firs gave me notice of this paragraph, I s to you, with a few little notes, wh wish you would read. It is well, men of learning and penetration busy selves in these inquiries, but what is idleness is my business. Help, indee comes too late for me, when a large || my book has passed the press. "I shall be glad if these strictures to you not unwarrantable; for whom he, who toils in settling a language, to please but him who is adorning it? your new book is printing. Mact virtute. I am, dear sir, most respe and most affectionately, your huml vant, "SAM. JOHNSO 66 DR. JOHNSON TO MR. WART "(London), 10 June "DEAR SIR,It is strange how things will happen to intercept ever sure, though it (be) only that of two meeting together. I have promise might expect me at Oxford, and ha self every day to inform you whe A translation of Apollonius Rhodius v intended by Mr. Warton.-WARTON. 6 [Communicated by Dr. Harwood.-F been able to fix a time. This time, however, is, I think, at last come; and I promise myself to repose in Kettell-hall, one of the first nights of the next week. I am afraid my stay with you cannot be long; but what is the inference? We must endeavour to make it cheerful. I wish your brother could meet us, that we might go and drink tea with Mr. Wise in a body. I hope he will be at Oxford, or at his nest of British and Saxon antiquities'. I shall expect to see Spenser finished, and many other things begun. Dodsley is gone to visit the Dutch. The Dictionary sells well. The rest of the world goes on as it did. Dear sir, your most affectionate, &c. "SAM. JOHNSON." DR. JOHNSON TO MR. WARTON. "(London), 24 June, 1755. "DEAR SIR,-To talk of coming to you and not yet to come, has an air of trifling which I would not willingly have among you; and which, I believe, you will not willingly impute to me, when I have told you, that since my promise, two of our partners 2 are dead, and that I was solicited to suspend my excursion till we could recover from our confusion. "I have not laid aside my purpose; for every day makes me more impatient of staying from you. But death, you know, hears not supplications, nor pays any regard to the convenience of mortals. I hope now to see you next week; but next week is but another name for to-morrow, which has been noted for promising and deceiving. I am, &c. "SAM. JOHNSON," DR. JOHNSON TO MR. WARTON. "(London), 7 Aug. 1755. "DEAR SIR,-I told you that among the manuscripts are some things of Sir Thomas More. I beg you to pass an hour in looking on them, and procure a transcript of the ten or twenty first lines of each, to be compared with what I have; that I may know whether they are yet published. The manuscripts are these: "Catalogue of Bodl. MS. pag. 122. F. 3. Sir Thomas More. "1. Fall of angels. 2. Creation and fall of mankind. 3. Determination of the Trinity for the rescue of mankind. 4. Five lectures of our Saviour's passion. 5. Of the institution of the Sacrament, three lectures. 6 How to receive the blessed body of our Lord sacramentally. 7. Neomenia, the new woon. 8. De tristitia, tædio, pavore, et oratione Christi ante captionem ejus. At Ellsfield, a village three miles from OxLoi-WARTON. Booksellers concerned in his Dictionary. WARTON. [Mr. Paul Knapton died on the 12th, and Mr. Thomas Longman on the 18th Juze, 1755.—ED.] "Catalogue, pag. 154. Life of Sir Thomas More. Qu. Whether Roper's? Page 363. De resignatione Magni Sigilli in manus regis per D. Thomam Morum. Pag. 364. Mori Defensio Moriæ. "If you procure the young gentleman in the library to write out what you think fit to be written, I will send to Mr. Prince the bookseller to pay him what you shall think proper. "Be pleased to make my compliments to Mr. Wise, and all my friends. I am, sir, your affectionate, &c. "SAM. JOHNSON." The Dictionary, with a Grammar and History of the English Language, being now at length published, in two volumes folio, the world contemplated with wonder so stupendous a work achieved by one man, while other countries had thought such undertakings fit only for whole academies. Vast as his powers were, I cannot but think that his imagination deceived him, when he supposed that by constant application he might have performed the task in three years. Let the Preface be attentively perused, in which is given, in a clear, strong, and glowing style, a comprehensive, yet particular view of what he had done; and it will be evident, that the time he employed upon it was comparatively short. I am unwilling to swell my book with long quotations from what is in every body's hands, and I believe there are few prose compositions in the English language that are read with more delight, or are more impressed upon the memory, than that preliminary discourse. One of its excellencies has always struck me with peculiar admiration; I mean the perspicuity with which he has expressed abstract scientifick notions. As an instance of this, I shall quote the following sentence: "When the radical idea branches out into parallel ramifications, how can a consecutive series be formed of senses in their own nature collateral 3?" We have here an example of what has been often said, and I believe with justice, that there is for every thought a certain nice adaption of words which none other could equal, and which, when a man has been so fortunate as to hit, he has attained, in that particular case, the perfection of language. The extensive reading which was absolutely necessary for the accumulation of authorities, and which alone may account 3 [Mr. Boswell's apprehension was much clearer than, or his ideas of perspicuity very different from those of the editor, who is not ashamed to confess that he does not understand this perspicuous passage. There seems, moreover, to be something like a contradiction in the terms: how can parallels be said to branch out?-ED.] |