1738. Etat. 29. "Will no kind patron JOHNSON Own? "The offspring of his happy Muse?" But we have seen that the worthy, modeft, and ingenious Mr. Robert DodЛley had tafte enough to perceive its uncommon merit, and thought it creditable to have. a share in it. The fact is, that, at a future conference, he bargained for the whole property of it, for which he gave Johnfon ten guineas, who told me, "I might, perhaps, have accepted of lefs; but that Paul Whitehead had a little before got ten guineas for a poem; and I would not take less than Paul Whitehead." I may here observe, that Johnson appeared to me to undervalue Paul Whitehead upon every occafion when he was mentioned, and, in my opinion, did not do him justice ;. but when it is confidered that Paul Whitehead was a member of a riotous and profane club, we may account for Johnson's having a prejudice against him. Paul Whitehead was, indeed, unfortunate in being not only flighted by Johnson, but violently attacked by Churchill, who utters the following imprecation: "May I (can worse disgrace on manhood fall?). yet I shall never be perfuaded to think meanly of the authour of fo brilliant Johnson's "London" was published in May, 17382; and it is remarkable, that it came out on the fame morning with Pope's fatire, entitled "1738;" fo that England had at once its Juvenal and Horace as poetical monitors. The Reverend Dr. Douglas, now Bishop of Carlisle, to whom I am indebted for fome obliging communications, was then a student at 2 Sir John Hawkins, p. 86, tells us "The event is antedated, in the poem of London ;' but in every particular, except the difference of a year, what is there faid of the departure of Thales, must be understood of Savage, and looked upon as true hiftory." This conjecture is, I believe, entirely groundless. I have been affured, that Johnfon faid he was not fo much as acquainted with Savage when he wrote his "London." If the departure mentioned in it was the departure of Savage, the event was not antedated but foreseen; for "London" was published in May, 1738, and Savage did not fet out for Wales till July, 1739. However well Johnson could defend the credibility of fecond fight, he did not pretend that he himself was poffeffed of that faculty. Oxford, Oxford, and remembers well the effect which "London" produced. Every body was delighted with it; and there being no name to it, the first buz of the literary circles was "here is an unknown poet, greater even than Pope." And it is recorded in the Gentleman's Magazine of that year, that it "got to the second edition in the course of a week." One of the warmeft patrons of this poem on its first appearance was General OGLETHORPE, whose "strong benevolence of foul" was unabated during the course of a very long life; though it is painful to think, that he had but too much reason to become cold and callous, and difcontented with the world, from the neglect which he experienced of his publick and private worth, by those in whofe power it was to gratify fo gallant a veteran with marks of diftinction. This extraordinary person was as remarkable for his learning and taste, as for his other eminent qualities; and no man was more prompt, active, and generous in encouraging merit. I have heard Johnfon gratefully acknowledge, in his prefence, the kind and effectual fupport which he gave to his "London," though unacquainted with its authour. 1738. Etat. 29. POPE, who then filled the poetical throne without a rival, it may reasonably be presumed, must have been particularly ftruck by the fudden appearance of fuch a poet; and, to his credit, let it be remembered, that his feelings and conduct on the occafion were candid and liberal. He requested Mr. Richardson, son of the painter, to endeavour to find out who this new authour was. Mr. Richardfon, after fome inquiry, having informed him that he had discovered only that his name was Johnson, and that he was fome obfcure man, Pope faid, "He will foon be deterré." We shall presently fee, from a note written by Pope, that he was himself afterwards more fuccefsful in his inquiries than his friend. That in this justly-celebrated poem may be found a few rhymes which the critical precision of English profody at this day would difallow, cannot be denied; but with this fmall imperfection, which in the general blaze of its excellence is not perceived, till the mind has fubfided into cool attention, it is, undoubtedly, one of the nobleft productions in our language, both for fentiment and expreffion. The nation was then in that ferment against the court and the ministry, which fome years after ended in the downfall of Sir Robert Walpole; and as it has been faid, that Tories are Whigs when out of place, and Whigs, Tories when in place; fo, as a whig administration ruled with what force it could, a tory oppofition had all the animation and all the 3 P. 263. 4 * Sir Joshua Reynolds, from the information of the younger Richardfon. K eloquence 1738. Etat. 29. eloquence of resistance to power, aided by the common topicks of patriotism, liberty, and independence! Accordingly, we find in Johnson's "London" the most spirited invectives against tyranny and oppreffion, the warmest predilection for his own country, and the pureft love of virtue; interspersed with traits of his own particular character and fituation, not omitting his prejudices as a "true-born Englishman"," not only against foreign countries, but against Ireland and Scotland. On fome of these topicks I shall quote a few paffages: "The cheated nation's happy fav'rites fee; "Mark whom the great carefs, who frown on me." "Has heaven referv'd, in pity to the poor, "How, when competitors like thefe contend, "This mournful truth is every where confefs'd, "SLOW RISES WORTH, BY POVERTY DEPRESS'D!" We may easily conceive with what feeling a great mind like his, cramped and galled by narrow circumstances, uttered this laft line, which he marked by capitals. The whole of the poem is eminently excellent, and there are in it fuch proofs of a knowledge of the world, and of a mature acquaintance with life, as cannot be contemplated without wonder, when we consider that he was then only in his twenty-ninth year, and had yet been fo little in the bufy haunts of men." Yet, while we admire the poetical excellence of this poem, candour obliges us to allow, that the flame of patriotism and zeal for popular resistance with which it is fraught, had no just cause. There was, in truth, no "oppreffion;" the "nation" was not "cheated." Sir Robert Walpole was a wife and a benevolent minifter, who thought that the happiness and profperity of a commercial country like ours, would be beft promoted by peace, which he 5 It is, however, remarkable, that he uses the epithet, which, undoubtedly, fince the union. between England and Scotland, ought to denominate the natives of both parts of our island: Was early taught a BRITON's rights to prize." 3 accordingly accordingly maintained, with credit, during a very long period. Johnson himfelf afterwards honeftly acknowledged the merit of Walpole, whom he called "a fixed ftar;" while he characterised his opponent, Pitt, as "a meteor." But Johnson's juvenile poem was naturally impregnated with the fire of oppofition, and upon every account was univerfally admired. Though thus elevated into fame, and conscious of uncommon powers, he had not that bustling confidence, or, I may rather fay, that animated ambition, which one might have fuppofed would have urged him to endeavour at rifing in life. But fuch was his inflexible dignity of character, that he could not stoop to court the great; without which, hardly any man has made his way to high ftation. He could not expect to produce many fuch works as his " LONDON," and he felt the hardship of writing for bread; he was, therefore, willing to refume the office of a schoolmaster, so as to have a fure, though moderate income for his life; and an offer being made to him of a school in Staffordshire', provided he could obtain the degree of Mafter of Arts, Dr. Adams was applied to, by a common friend, to know whether that could be granted him as a favour from the University of Oxford. But though he had made fuch a figure in the literary world, it was then thought too great a favour to be asked. Pope, without any knowledge of him but from his "London," London," recommended him to Earl Gower, who endeavoured to procure for him a degree from Dublin, by the following letter to a friend of Dean Swift: " SIR, 1738. Atat. 29. "MR. SAMUEL JOHNSON (authour of London, a fatire, and fome other poetical pieces) is a native of this county, and much refpected by fome worthy gentlemen in his neighbourhood, who are trustees of a charity school now vacant; the certain falary is fixty pounds a year, of which they are defirous to make him mafter; but, unfortunately, he is not capable of receiving their bounty, which would make him happy for life, by not being a Master of Arts; which, by the ftatutes of this school, the mafter of it must be. "Now these gentlemen do me the honour, to think that I have interest enough in you, to prevail upon you to write to Dean Swift, to perfuade the In a billet written by Mr. Pope in the following year, this fchool is faid to have been in Shropshire; but as it appears from a letter from Earl Gower, that the trustees of it were "fome worthy gentlemen in Johnfon's neighbourhood," I conclude that Pope must have, by mistake, written Shropshire inftead of Staffordshire. 1738. Etat. 29. University of Dublin to fend a diploma to me, conftituting this poor man Master of Arts in their Univerfity. They highly extol the man's learning and probity; and will not be perfuaded, that the University will make any difficulty of conferring fuch a favour upon a stranger, if he is recommended by the Dean. They fay he is not afraid of the strictest examination, though he is of fo long a journey; and will venture it, if the Dean thinks it neceffary; choofing rather to die upon the road, than be ftarved to death in tranflating for bookfellers; which has been his only fubfiftence for fome time past. "I fear there is more difficulty in this affair, than thofe good-natured gentlemen apprehend; efpecially as their election cannot be delayed longer than the 11th of next month. If you fee this matter in the same light that it appears to me, I hope you will burn this, and pardon me for giving you fo much trouble about an impracticable thing; but, if you think there is a probability of obtaining the favour asked, I am fure your humanity, and propensity to relieve merit in diftrefs, will incline you to ferve the poor man, without my adding any more to the trouble I have already given you, than affuring you that I am, with great truth, Sir, "Your faithful humble fervant, "GoWER." "Trentham,. Aug. 1, 1739." It was, perhaps no fmall disappointment to Johnson that this refpectable application had not the desired effect; yet how much reafon has there been, both for himself and his country, to rejoice that it did not fucceed, as he might probably have wafted in obfcurity those hours in which he afterwards produced his incomparable works. About this time he made one other effort to emancipate himself from the drudgery of authourship. He applied to Dr. Adams, to confult Dr. Smalbroke of the Commons, whether a perfon might be permitted to practice as an advocate there, without a doctor's degree in Civil Law. "I am (faid he) a total stranger to thefe ftudies; but whatever is a profeffion, and maintains numbers, must be within the reach of common abilities, and fome degree of industry." Dr. Adams was much pleafed with Johnson's defign to employ his talents in that manner, being confident he would have attained to great eminence. And, indeed, I cannot conceive a man better qualified to make a diftinguished figure as a lawyer; for, he would have brought to his profeffion a rich ftore of various knowledge, an uncommon acutenefs, and a command of language, in which few could have equalled, and none have furpaffed |