I came to London in the autumn, and having informed him that I was going to be married in a few months, I wished to have as much of his conversation as I could before engaging in a state of life which would probably keep me more in Scotland, and prevent my seeing him so often as when I was a single man; but I found he was at Brighthelmstone with Mr. and Mrs. Thrale. I was very sorry that I had not his company with me at the Jubilee, in honour of Shakspeare, at Stratford-upon-Avon, the great poet's native town. Johnson's connection both with Shakspeare and Garrick founded a double claim to his presence; and it would have been highly gratifying to Mr. Garrick. Upon this occasion I particularly lamented that he had not that warmth of friendship for his brilliant pupil, which we may suppose would have had a benignant effect on both. When almost every man of eminence in the literary world 2 was happy to partake in this festival of genius, the absence of Johnson could not but be wondered at and regretted. The only trace of him there, was in the whimsical advertisement of a haberdasher, who sold Shaksperian ribbands of various dyes; and, by way of illustrating their appropriation to the bard, introduced a line from the celebrated Prologue at the opening of Drury-lane theatre: "Each change of many-colour'd life he drew."" 2 1 For a detailed account of this festival, and Boswell's eccentric behaviour thereat, the editor may be allowed to refer to his "Life of Garrick," vol. ii. p. 210. 2 With the exception of Foote, who came with a purely professional view of finding something to ridicule, there were no "men of eminence in the literary world" at the jubilee. 3 Boswell gave the following account of his proceedings at the jubilee :—“ Allow me, amongst many others, to describe Shakspeare's jubilee at Stratford-uponAvon. Upon such occasions it is exceedingly difficult for those who are present to convey to people at a distance a just account of what is going on. There are a few whose heads are strong enough to be in the midst of gay company and a variety of entertainments, without having their spirits put into such a fermentation, as to be incapable of settling to write; and they who can in these circumstances be quite calm and masters of themselves, are for the most part of feelings so dull, that we cannot expect from them but a heavy and inanimate picture. For my own part, I am now returned to London, From Brighthelmstone1 Dr. Johnson wrote me the following letter, which they who may think that I ought to have suppressed, must have less ardent feelings than I have always avowed. TO JAMES BOSWELL, Esq. "Dear Sir,-Why do you charge me with unkindness? I have omitted nothing that could do you good, or give you pleasure, Cor. et Ad.-Line 3: On avowed, put the following note:-"In the Preface to my Account of Corsica, published in 1768, I thus express myself:-'He who publishes a book affecting not to be an authour, and professing an indifference for literary fame; may possibly impose upon many people such an idea of his consequence as he wishes may be received. For my part I should be proud to be known as an authour, and I have an ardent ambition for literary fame; for, of all possessions I should imagine literary fame to be the most valuable. A man who has been able to furnish a book, which has been approved by the world, has established himself as a respectable character in distant society, without any danger of having that character lessened by the observation of his weaknesses. To preserve an uniform dignity among those who see us every day, is hardly possible; and to aim at it, must put us under the fetters of perpetual restraint. The authour of an approved book may allow his natural disposition an easy play, and yet indulge the pride of superiour genius, when he considers that by those who know him only as an authour, he never ceases to be respected. Such an authour, when in his hours of gloom and discontent, may have the consolation to think, that his writings are, at that very time, giving pleasure to numbers; and such an authour may cherish the hope of being remembered after death, which has been a great object to the noblest minds in all ages.' done very well on some other occasion, but in my opinion it had better have been omitted at this noble festival; it detracted from its dignity; nor was there any occasion for it. We were all enthusiastic admirers of Shakspeare. . . . I must be forgiven, too, for observing that this exhibition looked so like a trap laid on purpose, that it displeased me, and I was angry to find any notice taken of the venomous insects who have shot their stings in the newspapers, particularly against Mr. Garrick. It had the appearance of a soreness unworthy of our Lord High Steward. If the gnats at any time slightly pierce his skin, let him drop a little of the oil of good humour pleasantly upon the place, and give himself no further trouble. This is my receipt, founded upon experience.. Each change of many-colour'd life he drew.' I daresay Mr. Samuel Johnson never imagined that this fine verse of his would appear on a bill to promote the sale of ribbands. Since I have mentioned this illustrious author, I cannot but regret that he did not honour Shakspeare's jubilee with his presence, which would ... have added a dignity to our meeting." Speaking of the masquerade, he compared its disadvantages with the freedom allowed abroad. "The reserve and taciturnity which is observable amongst us, makes us appear awkward and embarrassed in feigned characters. Many of our Stratford masks seemed angry when one accosted them. Towards the end of the jubilee many of us were not in very good humour, as many inconveniences occurred. I laughed away spleen by a droll simile. Taking the whole of this jubilee, said I, is like eating an artichoke entire. We have some fine mouthfuls, but also swallow the leaves and hair, which are confoundedly difficult of digestion. After all, however, I am highly satisfied with my artichoke." -(London Magazine, September, 1769.) Then follows an account of the armed Corsican chief at the masquerade at Shakspeare's Jubilee." Nothing written by Boswell was colourless, his characteristics were present in the most ordinary statement. The house where Johnson lodged with the Thrales was in West-street, and was standing so lately as the year 1865, when it was demolished. unless it be that I have forborne to tell you my opinion of your account of Corsica. I believe my opinion, if you think well of my judgement, might have given you pleasure; but when it is considered how much vanity is excited by praise, I am not sure that it would have done you good. Your History is like other histories, but your Journal is in a very high degree curious and delightful. There is between the history and the journal that difference which there will always be found between notions borrowed from without, and notions generated within. Your history was copied from books; your journal rose out of your own experience and observation. You express images which operated strongly upon yourself, and you have impressed them with great force upon your readers. I know not whether I could name any narrative by which curiosity is better excited, or better gratified. “I am glad that you are going to be married; and as I wish you well in things of less importance, wish you well with proportionate ardour in this crisis of your life. What I can contribute to your happiness, I should be very unwilling to with-hold; for I have always loved and valued you, and shall love you and value you still more, as you become more regular and useful: effects which a happy marriage will hardly fail to produce. "I do not find that I am likely to come back very soon from this place. I shall, perhaps, stay a fortnight longer; and a fortnight is a long time to a lover absent from his mistress. Would a fortnight ever have an end? "I am, dear sir, "Your most affectionate humble servant, After his return to town, we met frequently, and I continued the practice of making notes of his conversation, though not with so much assiduity as I wish I had done. At this time, indeed, I had a sufficient excuse for not being able to appropriate so much time to my journal; for General Paoli, after Corsica had been overpowered by the monarchy of France, was now no longer at the head of his brave countrymen, but having with difficulty escaped from his native island, had sought an asylum in Great-Britain; and it was my duty, as well as my pleasure, to attend much upon him. Such particulars of Johnson's conversation at this period as I have committed to writing, I shall here introduce, without any strict attention to methodical arrangement. Sometimes short notes of dif ferent days shall be blended together, and sometimes a day may seem important enough to be separately distinguished. He said, he would not have Sunday kept with rigid severity and gloom, but with a gravity and simplicity of behaviour. I told him that David Hume had made a short collection of Scotticisms. "I wonder, (said Johnson), that he should find them." He would not admit the importance of the question concerning the legality of general warrants. "Such a power (he observed,) must be vested in every government, to answer particular cases of necessity; and there can be no just complaint but when it is abused, for which those who administer government must be answerable. It is a matter of such indifference, a matter about which the people care so very little, that were a man to be sent over Britain to offer them an exemption from it at a halfpenny a piece, very few would purchase it." This was a specimen of that laxity of talking, which I have heard him fairly acknowledge; for, surely, while the power of granting general warrants was supposed to be legal, and the apprehension of them hung over our heads, we did not possess that security of freedom, congenial to our happy constitution, and which, by the intrepid exertions of Mr. Wilkes, has been happily established. He said, "The duration of Parliament, whether for seven years or for the life of the King, appears to me so immaterial, that I would not give half a crown to turn the scale the one way or the other. The habeas corpus is the single advantage which our government has over that of other countries." On the 30th of September we dined together at the Mitre. attempted to argue for the superiour happiness of the savage life, upon the usual fanciful topicks. JOHNSON. "Sir, there can be nothing more false. The savages have no bodily advantages beyond those of civilised men. They have not better health; and as to care or mental uneasiness, they are not above it, but below to, like bears. No, Sir; you are not to talk such paradox: let me have no more of't. It cannot entertain, far less can it instruct. Lord Monboddo, one of your Scotch Judges, talked a great deal of such nonsense. I suffered him; but I will not suffer you."-Boswell. "But, Sir, does not Rousseau talk such nonsense?" JOHNson. True, Sir; but Rousseau knows he is talking nonsense, and laughs at the world for staring at him." BOSWELL. "How so, Sir?" JOHNSON. "Why, Sir, a man who talks nonsense so well, must know that he is talking nonsense. But I am afraid, (chuckling and laughing,) Monboddo does not know that he is talking 66 nonsense."a BOSWELL. "Is it wrong then, Sir, to affect singularity, in order to make people stare?" JOHNSON. "Yes, if you do it by propagating errour: and, indeed, it is wrong in any way. There is in human nature a general inclination to make people stare; and, every wise man has himself to cure of it, and does cure himself. If you wish to make people stare by doing better than others, why, make them stare till they stare their eyes out. But consider how easy it is to make people stare, by being absurd. I may do it by going into a drawing-room without my shoes. You remember the gentleman in The Spectator,' who had a commission of lunacy taken out against him for his extreme singularity, such as never wearing a wig, but a night-cap. Now, Sir, abstractedly, the nightcap was best; but, relatively, the advantage was overbalanced by his making the boys run after him." Talking of a London life, he said, "The happiness of London is not to be conceived but by those who have been in it. I will venture to say, there is more learning and science within the circumference of ten miles from where we now sit, than in all the rest of the kingdom." BoswELL. "The only disadvantage is the great distance at which people live from one another." JOHNSON. "Yes, Sir; but that is occasioned by the largeness of it, which is the cause of all the other advantages." BOSWELL. "Sometimes I have been in the humour of wishing to retire to a desart." JOHNSON. "Sir, you have desart enough in Scotland." Although I had promised myself a great deal of instructive conversation with him on the conduct of the married state, of which I had then a near prospect,1 he did not say much upon that topick. Mr. Seward heard him once say, that "a man has a very bad chance for happiness in that state, unless he marries a woman of a His Lordship having frequently spoken in an abusive manner of Dr. Johnson, in my company, I on one occasion during the life-time of my illustrious friend could not refrain from retaliation, and repeated to him this saying. Cor. et Ad.—After the note read as follows :-"He has since published I don't know how many pages in one of his curious books, attempting, in much anger, but with pitiful effect, to persuade mankind that my illustrious friend was not the great and good man which they esteemed and ever will esteem him to be." 1 After a whole series of flirtations, and many rebuffs, the volatile Boswell had set off on a tour through Ireland with his cousin Miss Peggie Montgomerie. In an amusing sketch of his life, given in the European Magazine for 1791, and beyond question written by himself, he touches on this portion of his career. He was overwhelmed with civilities by Lord Charlemont, Dr. Leland, Mr. Flood, and George Faulkener, and others "Lord Townshend was then Lord Lieutenant, and the congeniality of their disposition united in the most pleasant manner." Boswell had a relation who was married to "Robert Sibthorpe, Esq., a gentleman of great consequence in the county of Down," and who treated the party. A new flame was kindled. "This jaunt was the occa |
