verted, and fometimes their patrons and profelytes became their most inveterate perfecutors: their hardships were increased by civil commotions, and all their expectations were clouded by the death of the Emperor, whose fucceffor was a bigot in the religion of the country. They then put themselves under the protection of a prince, who had emancipated himself from the power of Abyffinia, and thought, that as he had afforded them fuccour, they should be fafe in his dominions; but they were foon convinced of their error, by receiving orders to prepare to ferve, or in other words become flaves to the Turks: a meffage,' fays Lobo, which filled us with surprise; it having never been known that one of these lords had ⚫ ever abandoned any whom he had taken under his ' protection; and it is, on the contrary, one of the highest points of honour amongst them, to risque 'their lives and their fortunes in the defence of their dependents who have implored their protection: but neither law nor juftice were of any advantage to us, and the customs of the country were doomed 'to be broken when they would have contributed to our fecurity.'

с

From M. Le Grand's information it appears, that the conduct of thefe miffionaries in Abyffinia had been fuch as tended rather to exafperate than conciliate : they confidered themselves, not only figuratively, as the generals of Chrift's church militant, and propagated their faith by measures that rendered them and their doctrine odious. The peace of the country and their refidence in it were become incompatible: they were accordingly delivered into the hands of the Turks; and experienced, from a little troop fent to convoy them, greater humanity than the Abyffins had

1

fhewn them at Suaquem, an island in the Red Sea terms of ransom were propofed to them, which, though exorbitant, they were forced to accept ; and, after furmounting many obftacles and perils, that part of the miffion with which Lobo was engaged, returned to Goa.

The revenge, which it was reported in Abyffinia, the court of Portugal meditated, rendered a people naturally inhuman, ferocious: the remaining miffionaries experienced ftill harder fate than Lobo and his companions; many were put to death, and the whole fraternity fo compleatly extirpated, that, after many efforts, all attempts to make a catholic people of the Abyffins were abandoned, as chimerical and impracticable.

The differtations at the end of this work, and which Johnson feems to estimate highly, contain variety of information and controverfial learning, particularly refpecting the difference between the church that fent the miffion, and that which received it, and point out very clearly the inutility of endeavours founded on the principles of the Jefuits.

Having completed this tranflation, which I conjecture he was paid for by some bookfeller of Birmingham, who published it in an octavo volume, Johnson, in February 1733-4, left that place, and returned to Lichfield, from whence, in the month of Auguft following, he iffued a propofal, foliciting a fubfcription to an edition of Politian's Poems*, with this title, • Angeli Politiani Poemata Latina, quibus notas, cum

The propofal notifies, that fubfcriptions would be taken in by N. [Nathanael] Johnfon, who had fucceeded to his father's bufinefs.

• Hiftoria

The

• Hiftoria Latina Poefeos a Petrarchæ ævo ad Politiani tempora deducta, et Vita Politiani fufius quam ⚫ antehac enarrata, addidit Sam. Johnfon.' book was to be contained and printed in thirty octavo fheets, and delivered at the price of five fhillings; but not meeting with fufficient encouragement, Johnfon dropped the defign.

From the above particulars it evidently appears, that he had entertained a refolution to depend for a livelihood upon what he should be able, either in the way of original compofition, or tranflation, or in editing the works of celebrated authors, to procure by his ftudies, and, in fhort, to become an author by profeffion; an occupation, which, though it may, in fome views of it, be deemed mercenary, as adapting itfelf to particular occafions and conjunctures, nay, to the interefts, paffions and prejudices, and even humours of mankind, has yet fome illuftrious examples, at least in our times, to justify it. It is true, that many perfons diftinguish between thofe writings which are the effect of a natural impulfe of genius, and those other that owe their existence to interested motives, and, being the offspring of another parent, may, in fome fenfe, be faid to be illegitimate; but, Johnson knew of no fuch diftinction, and would never acquiefce in it when made by others: on the contrary, I have, more than once, heard him affert, that he knew of no genuine motive for writing, other than neceffity.

In the profecution of this his defign, he, in the year, 1734, made a tender of affiftance to Cave, the editor, printer, and publifher of the Gentleman's Magazine; a man of whom I fhall hereafter have

frequent

frequent occafion to fpeak. The letter of Johnfon to Cave, on this occafion, is yet extant, and is here given as a literary curiofity:

• SIR,

Nov. 25, 1734.

As you appear no lefs fenfible than your readers, of the defect of your poetical article, you will not be displeased, if, in order to the improvement of it, I ⚫ communicate to you the fentiments of a perfon, who will undertake, on reasonable terms, fometimes to fill a column.

Hisopinion is, that the public would not give you a bad reception, if, befide the current wit of the month, which a critical examination would generally reduce to a narrow compafs, you admitted, not only poems, infcriptions, &c. never printed before, which he will fometimes fupply you with, but likewife short literary differtations in Latin or English, critical remarks on authors ancient or modern, forgotten poems that deferve revival, or loofe pieces, like Floyer's, worth preferving. By this method, your Literary Article, for fo it might be C called, will, he thinks, be better recommended to the public, than by low jefts, aukward buffoonery, or the dull fcurrilities of either party.

If fuch a correfpondece will be agreeable to you, be pleafed to inform me, in two pofts, what the con'ditions are on which you shall expect it. Your late

offer gives me no reason to diftruft your generofity. 'If you engage in any literary projects befides this

* A prize of fifty pounds for the best poem on Life, Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell.'

paper,

paper, I have other defigns to impart, if I could be fecure from having others reap the advantage of what I should hint.

Your letter, by being directed to S. Smith, to be left at the Caftle in Birmingham, Warwickshire, ' will reach

Your humble fervant."

To this letter Cave returned an anfwer, dated 2d December following, wherein he accepted the fervices of Johnson, and retained him as a correfpondent and a contributor to his Magazine.

This correspondence exhibits a view of the Gentleman's Magazine in its rudiments, and may excite a curiofity in the patrons thereof, to trace back to its origin the publication of a mifcellany, the fame whereof has extended itself to the most remote parts of the literary world. Hiftories of the learned men of modern times, and fhort abridgments of their works, as alfo fuch pieces as for their brevity required fome vehicle to convey them to pofterity, it has been the practice of foreign countries, in their memoirs, and of universities and academies, in their acts and tranfactions, to give. The hiftorical and memorable diurnal events of the paffing times, have also been recorded in publications variously denominated, particularly, in a work, entitled the Political State of Great-Britain, beginning with the year 1711, and compiled by the well known Abel Boyer. In this are contained debates and fpeeches in parliament; and also, abstracts of political pamphlets; but of a

This letter, and Cave's anfwer to it, may ferve to refute an affertion in an anonymous account of Johnson's life, that he was introduced to the acquaintance of Cave by Savage.

work