THE

LIFE

OF

SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL. D.

THE

LIFE

OF

SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL. D.

COMPREHENDING

AN ACCOUNT OF HIS STUDIES,

AND NUMEROUS WORKS,

IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER;

A SERIES OF HIS EPISTOLARY CORRESPONDENCE

AND CONVERSATIONS WITH MANY EMINENT PERSONS;

AND

Various Original Pieces of his Composition,

NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED:

THE WHOLE EXHIBITING A VIEW OF LITERATURE AND LITERARY
MEN IN GREAT BRITAIN, FOR NEAR HALF A CENTURY
DURING WHICH HE FLOURISHED.

BY JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ.

Quo fit ut omnis

Votiva pateat veluti descripta tabella
Vita senis-

Horat.

A NEW EDITION.

COPIOUS NOTES AND BIOGRAPHICAL ILLUSTRATIONS,

BY MALONE.

IN FIVE VOLUMES.

VOL. III.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR J. RICHARDSON AND CO.; G. OFFOR; J. SHARPE AND
SON; ROBINSONS AND CO.; G. WALKER; J. EVANS AND SONS;
R. DOBSON; J. JONES; AND J. JOHNSON: ALSO, J. CARFRAE, AND
J. SUTHERLAND, EDINBURGH; AND R. GRIFFIN AND CO. GLASGOW.

1821.

7

15 Sept. 189.

oring Beques'.

Printed by T. Davison, Lombard-street.

THE

LIFE

OF

SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL. D

On the 5th of March I wrote to him, requesting his counsel whether I should this spring come to London. I stated to him on he one hand some pecuniary embarrassments, which, together with my wife's situation at that time, made me hesitate; and, on the other, the pleasure and improvement which my annual visit to the metropolis always afforded me; and particularly mentioned a peculiar satisfaction which I experienced in celebrating the festival of Easter in St. Paul's cathedral; that to my fancy it appeared like going up to Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover; and that the strong devotion which I felt on that occasion diffused its influence on my mind through the rest of the year.

66 TO JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ

[Not dated, but written about the 15th of March.]

"DEAR SIR,

"I AM ashamed to think that since I received your letter I have passed so many days without answering it.

VOL. III.

B