1738. eloquence of resistance to power, aided by the common topicks of patriotism, Etat. 29. liberty, and independence! Accordingly, we find in Johnson's "London" the most spirited invectives against tyranny and oppreffion, the warmest pre'dilection for his own country, and the pureft love of virtue; interspersed with traits of his own particular character and situation, not omitting his prejudices as a " true-born Englishmans," not only against foreign countries, but againft Ireland and Scotland. On fome of these topicks I shall quote a few passages: "The cheated nation's happy fav'rites see; " Mark whom the great caress, who frown on me." "Has heaven referv'd, in pity to the poor, " 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 last line, which he marked by capitals. The whole of the poem is eminently excellent, and there are in it such proofs of a knowledge of the world, and of a mature acquaintance with life, as cannot be contemplated without wonder, when we confider that he was then only in his twenty-ninth year, and had yet been fo little in the " busy 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 minister, who thought that the happiness and profperity of a commercial country like ours, would be best 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 1 But 1738. accordingly maintained, with credit, during a very long period. Johnson himself afterwards honestly acknowledged the merit of Walpole, whom he called "a Ætat. 29. fixed star;" while he characterised his opponent, Pitt, as "a meteor." Johnfon's juvenile poem was naturally impregnated with the fire of oppofition, and upon every account was universally admired. Though thus elevated into fame, and confcious of uncommon powers, he had not that bustling confidence, or, I may rather say, that animated ambition, which one might have fuppofed would have urged him to endeavour at rising in life. But such 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 station. 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 resume 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 Master 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 such 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," 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, " MR. SAMUEL JOHNSON (authour of London, a fatire, and some other poetical pieces) is a native of this county, and much respected by some worthy gentlemen in his neighbourhood, who are trustees of a charity school now vacant; the certain salary is fixty pounds a year, of which they are defirous to make him master; 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 master 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 school 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 Johnson's neighbourhood," I conclude that Pope must have, by mistake, written Shropshire instead of Staffordshire. 1738. Etat. 29. University of Dublin to fend a diploma to me, constituting this poor man Master of Arts in their University. 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 say 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 necefsary; choofing rather to die upon the road, than be starved to death in translating for booksellers; which has been his only subsistence for some time past. " I fear there is more difficulty in this affair, than those good-natured gentlemen apprehend; especially 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 distress, will incline you to ferve the poor man, without my adding any more to the trouble I have already given you, than • afsuring you that I am, with great truth, Sir,. " Trentham, Aug. 1, 1739.* " Your faithful humble servant; "GOWER." It was, perhaps no small disappointment to Johnson that this respectable application had not the defired effect; yet how much reason has there been, both for himself and his country, to rejoice that it did not fucceed, as he might probably have wasted in obscurity 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 person 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 these studies; but whatever is a profession, and maintains numbers, must be within the reach of common abilities, and some degree of industry." Dr. Adams was much pleased with Johnson's design 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 profession a rich store of various knowledge, an uncommon acuteness, and a command of language, in which few could have equalled, and none have furpassed i furpassed him. He who could difplay eloquence and wit in defence of the 1738. Ætar. 29. ! He was, therefore, under the neceffity of perfevering in that course, into which he had been forced; and we find, that his proposal from Greenwich to Mr. Cave, for a tranflation of Father Paul Sarpi's History, was accepted?.. Some sheets of this translation were printed off, but the design was dropt; I have in my possession, by the favour of Mr. John Nichols, a paper in 7 In the Weekly Miscellany, October 21, 1738, there appeared the following advertisfement : "Just published, Proposals for printing the History of the Council of Trent, tranflated from the Italian of Father Paul Sarpi; with the Authour's Life, and Notes theological, historical, and eritical, from the French edition of Dr. Le Courayer. To which are added, Observations on the Hiftory, and Notes and Illustrations from various Authours, both printed and manufcript. By S. Johnfon. I. The work will confift of two hundred sheets, and be two volumes in quarto, printed on good paper and letter. 2. The price will be 18s. each volume, to be paid, half a guinea at the time of subscribing, half a guinea at the delivery of the first volume, and the rest at the delivery of the second volume in sheets. 3. Two-pence to be abated for every sheet lefs than two hundred. It may be had on a large paper, in three volumes, at the price of three guineas; one to be paid at the time of subscribing, another at the delivery of the first, and the reft at the delivery of the other volumes. The work is now in the press, and will be diligently profecuted. Subscriptions are taken in by Mr. Dodsley in Pall-Mall, Mr. Rivington in St. Paul's Church-yard, by E. Cave at St. John's Gate, and the Translator, at No. 6. in Castle-ftreet, by Cavendishfquare." 1738. Johnson received for this work 491. 7s. in fums of one, two, three, and someStar. 20. times four guineas at a time, most frequently two. And it is curious to observe the minute and scrupulous accuracy with which Johnson has pasted upon it a flip of paper, which he has entitled "Small Account," and which contains one article, "Sept. 9th, Mr. Cave laid down 2s. 6d." There is fubjoined to this account, a lift of fome subscribers to the work, partly in Johnson's hand-writing, partly in that of another perfon; and there follows a leaf or two on which are written a number of characters which have the appearance of a short hand, which, perhaps, Johnson was then trying to learn. " SIR, To Mr. CAVE. Wednesday. " I DID not care to detain your servant while I wrote an anfwer to your letter, in which you seem to infinuate that I had promised more than I am ready to perform. If I have raised your expectations by any thing that may have escaped my memory, I am forry; and if you remind me of it, shall thank you for the favour. If I made fewer alterations than usual in the Debates, it was only because there appeared, and still appears to be, less need of alteration. The verses to Lady Firebrace may be had when you please, for you know that fuch a fubject neither deserves much thought, nor requires it. "The Chinese Stories may be had folded down when you please to fend, in which I do not recollect that you defired any alterations to be made. 8 " An answer to another query I am very willing to write, and had confulted with you about it last night if there had been time, for I think it the most proper way of inviting such a correspondence as may be an advantage to the paper, not a load upon it. "As to the Prize Verses, a backwardness to determine their degrees of merit is not peculiar to me. You may, if you please, still have what I can say; but I shall engage with little fpirit in an affair, which I shall hardly end to my own fatisfaction, and certainly not to the fatisfaction of the parties concerned'. "As to Father Paul, I have not yet been just to my proposal, but have met with impediments, which, I hope, are now at an end; and if you find • They afterwards appeared in the Gentleman's Magazine with this title, "Verses to Lady Firebrace, at Bury Affizes." • Du Halde's Description of China was then publishing by Mr. Cave in weekly numbers, whence Johnfon was to select pieces for the embellishment of the Magazine. N. • The premium of forty pounds proposed for the best poem on the Divine Attributes is here alluded to. N. the |