The Life of Samuel Johnson

by James Boswell

  ‘Say now ye fluttering, poor assuming elves,

  Stark full of pride, of folly, of – yourselves;

  Say where’s the wretch of all your impious crew

  Who dares confront his character to view?

  Behold Eugenio, view him o’er and o’er,

  Then sink into yourselves, and be no more.’

  Mr. Reed informs me that the Authour of Eugenio,380 a Wine Merchant at Wrexham in Denbighshire, soon after its publication, viz. 17th May, 1737, cut his own throat; and that it appears by Swift’s Works that the poem had been shewn to him, and received some of his corrections. Johnson had read Eugenio on his first coming to town, for we see it mentioned in one of his letters to Mr. Cave, which has been inserted in this work {p. 72}.

  b I formerly thought that I had perhaps mistaken the word, and imagined it to be Corps, from its similarity of sound to the real one. For an accurate and shrewd unknown gentleman, to whom I am indebted for some remarks on my work, observes on this passage – ‘Q. if not on the word Fort? A vociferous French preacher said of Bourdaloue, “Il preche fort bien, et moi bien fort.”383 - Menagiana. See also Anecdotes Litteraires, Article Bourdaloue.’ But my ingenious and obliging correspondent, Mr. Abercrombie of Philadelphia, has pointed out to me the following passage in Menagiana; which renders the preceding conjecture unnecessary, and confirms my original statement:

  Mad de Bourdonne, Chanoinesse de Remiremont, venoit d entendre un discours plein de feu et d’esprit, mais fort peu solide, et tres-irregulier. Une de ses amies, qui y prenoit interet pour l’orateur, lui dit en sortant, “Eh bien, Mad, que vous semble-t-il de ce que vous venez d’entendre? – Qu’il y a d’esprit?” – “Il y a tant, repondit Mad de Bourdonne, que je n’y ai pas vu de corps.”384 – Menagiana, tome ii. p. 64. Amsterd. 1713.

  a Dr. Mayo’s calm temper and steady perseverance rendered him an admirable subject for the exercise of Dr. Johnson’s powerful abilities. He never flinched; but, after reiterated blows, remained seemingly unmoved as at the first. The scintillations of Johnson’s genius flashed every time he was struck, without his receiving any injury. Hence he obtained the epithet of The Literary Anvil.

  a Pr. and Med. p. 40.

  a The Reverend Thomas Bagshaw, M.A., who died on November 20, 1787, in the seventy-seventh year of his age, Chaplain of Bromley College, in Kent, and Rector of Southfleet. He had resigned the cure of Bromley Parish some time before his death. For this, and another letter from Dr. Johnson in 1784, to the same truely respectable man, I am indebted to Dr. John Loveday, of the Commons, a son of the late learned and pious John Loveday, Esq., of Caversham in Berkshire, who obligingly transcribed them for me from the originals in his possession. This worthy gentleman, having retired from business, now lives in Warwickshire. The world has been lately obliged to him as the Editor of the late Rev. Dr. Townson’s excellent work, modestly entitled, A Discourse on the Evangelical History, from the Interment to the Ascension of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; to which is prefixed, a truly interesting and pleasing account of the authour, by the Reverend Mr. Ralph Churton.

  a Pr. and Med. p. 129.

  b Mrs. Piozzi’s Anecdotes of Johnson, p. 131.

  a [The authour was not a small gainer by this extraordinary Journey; for Dr. Johnson thus writes to Mrs. Thrale, Nov. 3, 1773: – ‘Boswell will praise my resolution and perseverance, and I shall in return celebrate his good humour and perpetual cheerfulness. He has better faculties than I had imagined; more justness of discernment, and more fecundity of images. It is very convenient to travel with him; for there is no house where he is not received with kindness and respect.’ Let. 90, to Mrs. Thrale.]

  b Yet surely it is a very useful work, and of wonderful research and labour for one man to have executed.

  a In this he shewed a very acute penetration. My wife paid him the most assiduous and respectful attention, while he was our guest; so that I wonder how he discovered her wishing for his departure. The truth is, that his irregular hours and uncouth habits, such as turning the candles with their heads downwards, when they did not burn bright enough, and letting the wax drop upon the carpet, could not but be disagreeable to a lady. Besides, she had not that high admiration of him which was felt by most of those who knew him; and what was very natural to a female mind, she thought he had too much influence over her husband. She once in a little warmth, made, with more point than justice, this remark upon that subject: ‘I have seen many a bear led by a man: but I never before saw a man led by a bear.’

  b Sir Alexander Gordon, one of the Professors at Aberdeen.

  c This was a box containing a number of curious things which he had picked up in Scotland, particularly some horn spoons.

  a The Rev. Dr. Alexander Webster, one of the ministers of Edinburgh, a man of distinguished abilities, who had promised him information concerning the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.

  a Pr. and Med. p. 129.

  b The ancient Burgh of Prestwick, in Ayrshire.

  a A manuscript account drawn up by Dr. Webster of all the parishes in Scotland, ascertaining their length, breadth, number of inhabitants, and distinguishing Protestants and Roman Catholicks. This book had been transmitted to government, and Dr. Johnson saw a copy of it in Dr. Webster’s possession.

  a Iona.

  a Dr. Goldsmith died April 4, this year.

  a These books Dr. Johnson presented to the Bodleian Library.

  b On the cover enclosing them, Dr. Johnson wrote, ‘If my delay has given any reason for supposing that I have not a very deep sense of the honour done me by asking my judgement, I am very sorry.’

  a I HAD WRITTEN TO HIM, TO REQUEST HIS INTERPOSITION IN BEHALF OF A CONVICT,416 WHO I THOUGHT WAS VERY UNJUSTLY CONDEMNED.

  a Mr. Perkins was for a number of years the worthy superintendant of Mr. Thrale’s great brewery, and after his death became one of the proprietors of it; and now resides in Mr. Thrale’s house in Southwark, which was the scene of so many literary meetings, and in which he continues the liberal hospitality for which it was eminent. Dr. Johnson esteemed him much. He hung up in the counting-house a fine proof of the admirable mezzotinto of Dr. Johnson, by Doughty; and when Mrs. Thrale asked him somewhat flippantly, ‘Why do you put him up in the counting-house?’ he answered, ‘Because, Madam, I wish to have one wise man there.’ ‘Sir,’ (said Johnson,) ‘I thank you. It is a very handsome compliment, and I believe you speak sincerely.’

  b In the news-papers.

  a Alluding to a passage in a letter of mine, where speaking of his Journey to the Hebrides, I say, ‘But has not The Patriot been an interruption, by the time taken to write it, and the time luxuriously spent in listening to its applauses?’

  b We had projected a voyage together up the Baltick, and talked of visiting some of the more northern regions.

  c Cleonice.

  a In the Court of Session of Scotland an action is first tried by one of the Judges, who is called the Lord Ordinary; and if either party is dissatisfied, he may appeal to the whole Court, consisting of fifteen, the Lord President and fourteen other Judges, who have both in and out of Court the title of Lords, from the name of their estates; as, Lord Auchinleck, Lord Monboddo, &c.

  a It should be recollected, that this fanciful description of his friend was given by Johnson after he himself had become a water-drinker.

  b See them in Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, 3rd edit. p. 337 {17 Oct.}.

  c He now sent me a Latin inscription for my historical picture of Mary Queen of Scots, and afterwards favoured me with an English translation. Mr. Alderman Boydell, that eminent Patron of the Arts, has subjoined them to the engraving from my picture.

  ‘Maria Scotorum Regina

  Hominum seditiosorum

  Contumeliis lassata,

  Minis territa, clamoribus victa,

  Libello, per quern

  Regno cedit,

  Lacrimans trepidansque

  Nomen apponit/

  ‘Mary Queen of Scots,


  Harassed, terrified, and overpowered

  By the insults, menaces,

  And clamours

  Of her rebellious subjects,

  Sets her hand,

  With tears and confusion,

  To a resignation of the kingdom.’

  a The learned and worthy Dr. Lawrence, whom Dr. Johnson respected and loved as his physician and friend.

  b My friend has, in this letter, relied upon my testimony, with a confidence, of which the ground has escaped my recollection.

  a I have deposited it in the British Museum.

  a See Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, 3rd edit. p. 520 {p. 431, conclusion}.

  a Page 103.

  a I observed with much regret, while the first edition of this work was passing through the press (Aug. 1790), that this ingenious gentleman was dead.

  a From a list in his hand-writing.

  a Of his Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland.

  a Johnson’s Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland, ed. 1775, p. 256.

  b This doubt has been much agitated on both sides, I think without good reason. See Addison’s Freeholder, May 4, 1714; –An Apology for the Tale of a Tub; – Dr. Hawkesworth’s Preface to Swift’s Works, and Swift’s Letter to Tooke the Printer, and Tooke’s Answer, in that collection; – Sheridan’s Life of Swift; – Mr. Courtenay’s note on p. 3 of his Poetical Review of the Literary and Moral Character of Dr. Johnson; and Mr. Cooksey’s Essay onthe Life and Character of John Lord Somers, Baron of Evesham.

  Dr. Johnson here speaks only to the internal evidence. I take leave to differ from him, having a very high estimation of the powers of Dr. Swift. His Sentiments of a Church-of England-man, his Sermon on the Trinity, and other serious pieces, prove his learning as well as his acuteness in logick and metaphysicks; and his various compositions of a different cast exhibit not only wit, humour, and ridicule; but a knowledge ‘of nature, and art, and life:’ a combination therefore of those powers, when (as the Apology says,) ‘the authour was young, his invention at the heighth, and his reading fresh in his head,’ might surely produce The Tale of a Tub.

  a This was not merely a cursory remark; for in his Life of Fenton he observes, ‘With many other wise and virtuous men, who at that time of discord and debate (about the beginning of this century) consulted conscience {whether} well or ill informed, more than interest, he doubted the legality of the government; and refusing to qualify himself for publick employment, by taking the oaths required, left the University without a degree.’ This conduct Johnson calls ‘perverseness of integrity.’

  The question concerning the morality of taking oaths, of whatever kind, imposed by the prevailing power at the time, rather than to be excluded from all consequence, or even any considerable usefulness in society, has been agitated with all the acuteness of casuistry. It is related, that he who devised the oath of abjuration,437 profligately boasted that he had framed a test which should ‘damn one half of the nation, and starve the other.’ Upon minds not exalted to inflexible rectitude, or minds in which zeal for a party is predominant to excess, taking that oath against conviction may have been palliated under the plea of necessity, or ventured upon in heat, as upon the whole producing more good than evil.

  At a county election in Scotland, many years ago, when there was a warm contest between the friends of the Hanoverian succession, and those against it, the oath of abjuration having been demanded, the freeholders upon one side rose to go away. Upon which a very sanguine gentleman, one of their number, ran to the door to stop them, calling out with much earnestness, ‘Stay, stay, my friends, and let us swear the rogues out of it!’

  a My noble friend Lord Pembroke said once to me at Wilton, with a happy pleasantry and some truth, that ‘Dr. Johnson’s sayings would not appear so extraordinary, were it not for his bow-wow way.’ The sayings themselves are generally of sterling merit; but, doubtless, his manner was an addition to their effect; and therefore should be attended to as much as may be. It is necessary, however, to guard those who were not acquainted with him, against overcharged imitations or caricatures of his manner, which are frequently attempted, and many of which are second-hand copies from the late Mr. Henderson the actor, who, though a good mimick of some persons, did not represent Johnson correctly.

  b See ‘Prosodia Rationalis; or, an Essay towards establishing the Melody and Measure of Speech, to be expressed and perpetuated by peculiar Symbols.’ London, 1779.

  c I use the phrase in score, as Dr. Johnson has explained it in his Dictionary: – ‘ A song in Score, the words with the musical notes of a song annexed.’ But I understand that in scientifick propriety it means all the parts of a musical composition noted down in the characters by which it is exhibited to the eye of the skilful.

  a Extracted from the Convocation Register, Oxford.

  b The original is in my possession. He shewed me the Diploma, and allowed me to read it, but would not consent to my taking a copy of it, fearing perhaps that I should blaze it abroad in his life-time. His objection to this appears from his 99th letter to Mrs. Thrale, whom in that letter he thus scolds for the grossness of her flattery of him: – ‘The other Oxford news is, that they have sent me a degree of Doctor of Laws, with such praises in the Diploma as perhaps ought to make me ashamed: they are very like your praises. I wonder whether I shall ever shew it to you.’

  It is remarkable that he never, so far as I know, assumed his title of Doctor, but called himself Mr. Johnson, as appears from many of his cards or notes to myself; and I have seen many from him to other persons, in which he uniformly takes that designation. I once observed on his table a letter directed to him with the addition of Esquire, and objected to it as being a designation inferiour to that of Doctor; but he checked me, and seemed pleased with it, because, as I conjectured, he liked to be sometimes taken out of the class of literary men, and to be merely genteel, – un gentilhomme comme un autre.447

  a ‘The original is in the hands of Dr. Fothergill, then Vice-Chancellor, who made this transcript.’ T. Warton.

  a Johnson certainly did, who had a mind stored with knowledge, and teeming with imagery: but the observation is not applicable to writers in general.

  a There has probably been some mistake as to the terms of this supposed extraordinary contract, the recital of which from hearsay afforded Johnson so much play for his sportive acuteness. Or if it was worded as he supposed, it is so strange that I should conclude it was a joke. Mr. Gardner, I am assured, was a worthy and a liberal man.

  a There has probably been some mistake as to the terms of this supposed extraordinary contract, the recital of which from hearsay afforded Johnson so much play for his sportive acuteness. Or if it was worded as he supposed, it is so strange that I should conclude it was a joke. Mr. Gardner, I am assured, was a worthy and a liberal man.

  a ‘I was well; I would be better; and here I am.’

  [Addison does not mention where this epitaph, which has eluded a very diligent inquiry, is found.]

  a See ante, p. 208.

  a Let me here be allowed to pay my tribute of most sincere gratitude to the memory of that excellent person, my intimacy with whom was the more valuable to me, because my first acquaintance with him was unexpected and unsolicited. Soon after the publication of my Account of Corsica, he did me the honour to call on me, and, approaching me with a frank courteous air, said, ‘My name, Sir, is Oglethorpe, and I wish to be acquainted with you.’ I was not a little flattered to be thus addressed by an eminent man, of whom I had read in Pope, from my early years,

  ‘Or, driven by strong benevolence of soul, Will fly, like Oglethorpe, from pole to pole.’465

  I was fortunate enough to be found worthy of his good opinion, insomuch, that I not only was invited to make one in the many respectable companies whom he entertained at his table, but had a cover at his hospitable board every day when I happened to be disengaged; and in his society I never failed to enjoy learned and animated conversation, seasoned with genuine
sentiments of virtue and religion.

  b The General seemed unwilling to enter upon it at this time; but upon a subsequent occasion he communicated to me a number of particulars, which I have committed to writing; but I was not sufficiently diligent in obtaining more from him, not apprehending that his friends were so soon to lose him; for, notwithstanding his great age, he was very healthy and vigorous, and was at last carried off by a violent fever, which is often fatal at any period of life.

  a From this too just observation there are some eminent exceptions.

  a The money arising from the property of the prizes taken before the declaration of war, which were given to his Majesty by the peace of Paris, and amounted to upwards of £700,000, and from the lands in the ceded islands, which were estimated at £200,000 more. Surely there was a noble munificence in this gift from a Monarch to his people. And let it be remembered, that during the Earl of Bute’s administration, the King was graciously pleased to give up the hereditary revenues of the Crown, and to accept, instead of them, of the limited sum of £800,000 a year; upon which Blackstone observes, that ‘The hereditary revenues, being put under the same management as the other branches of the publick patrimony, will produce more, and be better collected than heretofore; and the publick is a gainer of upwards of £100,000 per annum by this disinterested bounty of his Majesty.’ Book I. Chap. viii. p. 330.

  a Pr. and Med. p. 138.

  a [This is a proverbial sentence. ‘Hell,’ says Herbert, ‘is full of good meanings and wishings.’ Jacula Prudentum, p. 11, edit. 1651.]

  b

  ‘Amoret’s as sweet and good,