1756. Collyer," in which a flight attempt is made to ridicule Johnson, was afcribed to Soame Jenyns, "Ha! (faid Johnson) I thought I had given him enough of it."

tat. 47.

His triumph over Jenyns is thus defcribed by my friend Mr. Courtenay in his "Poetical Review of the literary and moral Character of Dr. Johnfon," a performance of fuch merit, that had I not been honoured with a very kind and partial notice in it, I fhould echo the fentiments of men of the first taste loudly in its praise:

"When specious fophifts with prefumption scan
"The fource of evil hidden ftill from man;
"Revive Arabian tales, and vainly hope
"To rival St. John, and his fcholar Pope:
"Though metaphyficks spread the gloom of night,
By reason's star he guides our aching fight;
"The bounds of knowledge marks, and points
the way

"To pathlefs waftes, where wilder'd fages ftray;
"Where, like a farthing link-boy, Jenyns ftands,
"And the dim torch drops from his feeble hands."

This

Some time after Dr. Johnfon's death there appeared in the news-papers and magazines an illiberal and petulant attack upon him, in the form of an Epitaph, under the name of Mr. Soame Jenyns, very unworthy of that gentleman, who had quietly fubmitted to the critical lash 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 defcending 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

This year Mr. William Payne, brother of the 1756. refpectable bookfeller of that name, published Etat. 47. "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 diftreffed 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 compofure and gravity in draughts which infenfibly tran

had a ferious converfation with him on the subject, affures me) a fincere Christian. He could not expect that Johnson's numerous friends would patiently bear to have the memory of their mafter ftigmatized by no mean pen, but that, at least, one would be found to retort. Accordingly, this unjust and farcaftick Epitaph was met in the fame publick field by an answer, in terms by no means foft, and fuch as wanton provocation only could justify :

“EPITAPH,

Prepared for a creature not quite dead yet.

"HERE lies a little ugly naufeous elf,

"Who judging only from its wretched felf,

Feebly attempted, petulant and vain,

"The Origin of Evil,' to explain.

"A mighty Genius at this elf difpleas'd,

"With a strong critick grafp the urchin fqueez'd.

"For thirty years its coward fpleen it kept,

"Till in the duft the mighty Genius flept;
"Then flunk and fretted in expiring fnuff,

« And blink'd at JOHNSON with its last poor puff."

VOL. I.

U

quillifes

1756.

Ætat. 47.

quillifes the mind; and, accordingly, the Dutch are fond of it, as they are of fmoaking, of the fedative influence of which, though he himfelf never fmoaked, he had a high opinion. Befides, there is in draughts fome exercife of the faculties; and, accordingly, Johnfon wishing to dignify the fubject in his Dedication with what is most estimable 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 causes, to obviate confequences, and afcertain 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 disdain to take by his pen, as a man whose profeffion was literature, he this year accepted of a guinea from Mr. Robert Dodfley, for writing the introduction to "The London Chronicle," an evening news-paper; and even in fo flight a performance exhibited peculiar talents. This Chronicle ftill fubfifts, and from what I obferved, when I was abroad, has a more extensive circulation upon the Continent than any of the English news-papers. It was constantly read by Johnson himself; and it is but just to observe, that it has all along been diftinguished for good fenfe, accuracy, moderation, and delicacy.

Another inftance of the fame nature has been communicated to me by the Reverend Dr. Thomas Campbell, who has done himself confiderable

• Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, 3d edit. p. 48.

credit by his own writings. "Sitting with Dr. Johnson one morning alone, he asked me if I had known Dr. Madden, who was authour of the premium-scheme in Ireland. On my answering 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 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 refumed 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 purfuing it with that diligence which alone can collect thofe fcattered facts that genius, however acute, penetrating, and luminous, cannot discover by its own force. It is remarkable, that at this time his fancied activity was for the moment fo vigorous, that he promised his work should be published before Christmas, 1757. Yet nine years elapfed before it faw the light. His throes in bringing it forth had been fevere and remittent; and at laft we may almost conclude that the Cæfarian operation was performed

1756.

tat. 47.

1756. by the knife of Churchill, whofe upbraiding satire, I dare fay, made Johnson's friends urge him to dispatch.

Astat. 47.

Ætat. 48.

"He for fubfcribers bates his hook,

"And takes your cash; but where's the book? "No matter where; wife fear, you know,

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 Lincolnshire, 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 inftruction of the vulgar and ignorant, which he held to be an essential duty in a clergyman; and partly because his love of a London life was fo ftrong, that he would have thought himself an exile in any other place, particularly if residing 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 thofe articles in the Literary Magazine, which have been mentioned. That magazine, after Johnfon ceafed to write in it, gradually declined, though the popular epithet of Antigallican was added to it; and in July 1758 it expired.

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