James Boswell's Life of Johnson: Manuscript Edition: Volume 3, 1776–1780 9780748628544

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THE YALE EDITIONS OF

The Private Papers of James Boswell

RESEARCH EDITION Catalogue CATALOGUE OF THE PAPERS OF JAMES BOSWELL AT YALE UNIVERSITY, by Marion S. Pottle, Claude Colleer Abbott, and Frederick A. Pottle, 3 Vols., 1993

Correspondence Volume 1

THE CORRESPONDENCE OF JAMES BOSWELL AND JOHN JOHNSTON OF GRANGE, edited by Ralph S. Walker, 1966

Volume 2

THE CORRESPONDENCE AND OTHER PAPERS OF JAMES BOSWELL RELATING TO THE MAKING OF THE LIFE OF JOHNSON, edited by Marshall Waingrow, 1969; 2nd edition, corrected and enlarged, 2001

Volume 3

THE CORRESPONDENCE OF JAMES BOSWELL WITH CERTAIN MEMBERS THE CLUB, edited by Charles N. Fifer, 1976

OF

Volume 4

THE CORRESPONDENCE OF JAMES BOSWELL WITH DAVID GARRICK, EDMUND BURKE, AND EDMOND MALONE, edited by Peter S. Baker, Thomas W. Copeland, George M. Kahrl, Rachel McClellan, and James Osborn, with the assistance of Robert Mankin and Mark Wollaeger, 1986 i

Volume 5

THE GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE OF JAMES BOSWELL, 1766–1769, Vol. 1: 1766–1767, edited by Richard C. Cole, with Peter S. Baker and Rachel McClellan, and with the assistance of James J. Caudle, 1993

Volume 6

THE CORRESPONDENCE OF JAMES BOSWELL AND WILLIAM JOHNSON TEMPLE, 1756–1795, Vol. 1: 1756–1777, edited by Thomas Crawford, 1997

Volume 7

THE GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE OF JAMES BOSWELL, 1766–1769, Vol. 2: 1768–1769, edited by Richard C. Cole, with Peter S. Baker and Rachel McClellan, and with the assistance of James J. Caudle, 1997

Volume 8

THE CORRESPONDENCE OF JAMES BOSWELL WITH JAMES BRUCE AND ANDREW GIBB, OVERSEERS OF THE AUCHINLECK ESTATE, edited by Nellie Pottle Hankins and John Strawhorn, 1998

Volume 9

THE GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE OF JAMES BOSWELL, 1757–1763, edited by David Hankins and James J. Caudle, 2006

Journals Volume 1

JAMES BOSWELL: THE JOURNAL OF HIS GERMAN AND SWISS TRAVELS, 1764, edited by Marlies K. Danziger, 2008

Life of Johnson Volume 1

JAMES BOSWELL’S LIFE OF JOHNSON: AN EDITION OF THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT, IN FOUR VOLUMES, Vol. 1: 1709–1765, edited by Marshall Waingrow, 1994

Volume 2

JAMES BOSWELL’S LIFE OF JOHNSON: AN EDITION OF THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT, IN FOUR VOLUMES, Vol. 2: 1766–1776, edited by Bruce Redford, with Elizabeth Goldring, 1998

Volume 3

JAMES BOSWELL’S LIFE OF JOHNSON: AN EDITION OF THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT, IN FOUR VOLUMES, Vol. 3: 1776–1780, edited by Thomas F. Bonnell

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JAMES BOSWELL’S LIFE OF JOHNSON AN EDITION OF THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT

In Four Volumes Volume 3: 1776–1780

edited by

THOMAS F. BONNELL

EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY PRESS Edinburgh

YALE UNIVERSITY PRESS New Haven and London iii

© Yale University, 2012 Edinburgh University Press, 2012 22 George Square, Edinburgh Yale University Press New Haven and London Set in Goudy by the Yale Boswell Editions, New Haven, printed in Great Britain by Antony Rowe Ltd, Chippenham, Wilts A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library Edinburgh University Press ISBN 978 0 7486 0604 7 Yale University Press ISBN 978–0–300–18292–7 Library of Congress Control Number: 2011939940 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photo-copying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers. The paper meets the requirements of ANSI/NISO Z39. 48–1992 (Permanence of Paper). Published by Yale University Press with the assistance of the Annie Burr Lewis Fund.

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Boswell’s Life of Johnson, Volume 3 General Editor: Gordon Turnbull Associate Editor: James J. Caudle

BOSWELL’S LIFE OF JOHNSON: AN EDITION OF THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT IN FOUR VOLUMES VOLUME 3: 1776–1780

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Editorial Committee JOHN DONATICH, Director, Yale University Press. JOHN LANGBEIN, LL.B., PH.D., Sterling Professor of Law and Legal History, Yale University, Chair pro tem. HUGH MACGILL, Oliver Ellsworth Research Professor, University of Connecticut School of Law. AMY MEYERS, PH.D., Director, Yale Center for British Art. LOREN R. ROTHSCHILD, President, Sycamore Hill Capital Group. PAUL T. RUXIN, LL.B., Attorney, Jones Day. ROBERT H. SMITH, JR., LL.B., Attorney, Robinson & Cole. GORDON TURNBULL, PH.D., General Editor, Yale Boswell Editions. KEITH WRIGHTSON, PH.D., Randolph W. Townsend Jr. Professor of History, Yale University. WILLIAM ZACHS, PH.D. Honorary Fellow, College of Humanities and Social Science, University of Edinburgh.

Advisory Committee IAIN G. BROWN, M.A., PH.D., F.S.A., F.R.S.E., Principal Curator of Manuscripts, National Library of Scotland. LINDA J. COLLEY, M.A., PH.D., F.R.HIST.S., Shelby M. C. Davis 1958 Professor of History, Princeton University. THE EARL OF ELGIN AND KINCARDINE, K.T., Broomhall, Dunfermline, Fife. BERNHARD FABIAN, DR. PHIL., Professor of English Emeritus, University of Münster. RONALD D. IRELAND, Q.C., Sheriff of Grampian Highland and Islands. MAURICE LÉVY, M. L. Richards Professor of English Emeritus, University of Toulouse. ROGER LONSDALE, M.A., D.PHIL., Emeritus Fellow, Balliol College, Oxford University. GIUSEPPE MAZZOTTA, PH.D., Sterling Professor of Italian Language and Literature, Yale University. PIERRE MORÈRE, Professor of English and Scottish Literature, Université Stendhal. RONALD H. PAULSON, PH.D., William D. and Robin Mayer Professor Emeritus in the School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University. NICHOLAS T. PHILLIPSON, M.A., PH.D., F.R.HIST.S., Honorary Fellow, College of Humanities and Social Science, University of Edinburgh. FRED C. ROBINSON, PH.D., D.LITT., Douglas Tracy Smith Professor Emeritus of English, Yale University. H. MAIRI J. ROBINSON, M.A., Member, Scottish Dictionaries Council. RICHARD B. SHER, PH.D., Distinguished Professor of History, New Jersey Institute of Technology. STUART SHERMAN, PH.D., Associate Professor of English, Fordham University.

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Editorial Committee JOHN DONATICH, Director, Yale University Press. JOHN LANGBEIN, LL.B., PH.D., Sterling Professor of Law and Legal History, Yale University, Chair pro tem. HUGH MACGILL, Oliver Ellsworth Research Professor, University of Connecticut School of Law. AMY MEYERS, PH.D., Director, Yale Center for British Art. LOREN R. ROTHSCHILD, President, Sycamore Hill Capital Group. PAUL T. RUXIN, LL.B., Attorney, Jones Day. ROBERT H. SMITH, JR., LL.B., Attorney, Robinson & Cole. GORDON TURNBULL, PH.D., General Editor, Yale Boswell Editions. KEITH WRIGHTSON, PH.D., Randolph W. Townsend Jr. Professor of History, Yale University. WILLIAM ZACHS, PH.D. Honorary Fellow, College of Humanities and Social Science, University of Edinburgh.

Advisory Committee IAIN G. BROWN, M.A., PH.D., F.S.A., F.R.S.E., Principal Curator of Manuscripts, National Library of Scotland. LINDA J. COLLEY, M.A., PH.D., F.R.HIST.S., Shelby M. C. Davis 1958 Professor of History, Princeton University. THE EARL OF ELGIN AND KINCARDINE, K.T., Broomhall, Dunfermline, Fife. BERNHARD FABIAN, DR. PHIL., Professor of English Emeritus, University of Münster. RONALD D. IRELAND, Q.C., Sheriff of Grampian Highland and Islands. MAURICE LÉVY, M. L. Richards Professor of English Emeritus, University of Toulouse. ROGER LONSDALE, M.A., D.PHIL., Emeritus Fellow, Balliol College, Oxford University. GIUSEPPE MAZZOTTA, PH.D., Sterling Professor of Italian Language and Literature, Yale University. PIERRE MORÈRE, Professor of English and Scottish Literature, Université Stendhal. RONALD H. PAULSON, PH.D., William D. and Robin Mayer Professor Emeritus in the School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University. NICHOLAS T. PHILLIPSON, M.A., PH.D., F.R.HIST.S., Honorary Fellow, College of Humanities and Social Science, University of Edinburgh. FRED C. ROBINSON, PH.D., D.LITT., Douglas Tracy Smith Professor Emeritus of English, Yale University. H. MAIRI J. ROBINSON, M.A., Member, Scottish Dictionaries Council. RICHARD B. SHER, PH.D., Distinguished Professor of History, New Jersey Institute of Technology. STUART SHERMAN, PH.D., Associate Professor of English, Fordham University.

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General Editorial Note THE research edition of the Private Papers of James Boswell consists of three coordinated series: Boswell’s journals in all their varieties, his correspondence, and the manuscript of the Life of Johnson. The undertaking is a co-operative one involving many scholars, and publication is proceeding in the order in which the volumes are completed for the press. The ‘reading’ or trade edition of Boswell’s journal began publication in 1950 and was completed in thirteen volumes in 1989. While the annotation of that edition primarily turned inwards towards the text, the annotation of the research edition turns outwards from the text as well so as to relate the documents to the various areas of scholarship which they can illuminate: history (literary, linguistic, legal, medical, political, social, local), biography, bibliography, and genealogy, among others. The comprehensiveness and coherence of the papers that Boswell chose to preserve make them highly useful for such treatment. The correspondence is appearing in three kinds of volumes: single-correspondent volumes; subject volumes of letters related to a topic or theme; and miscellaneouscorrespondence volumes of the remaining letters in chronological sequence. Boswell’s Life of Johnson: An Edition of the Original Manuscript is presented in an arrangement which shows the method and progress of the composition. With this present volume, the third of a projected four, the editing has been continued by Thomas F. Bonnell, employing the transcription system devised for this series by Marshall Waingrow.

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Acknowledgements AT the beginning of my work on this volume I was able to consult a preliminary transcription of the manuscript leaves done by Bruce Redford and Elizabeth Goldring. I wish to thank Bruce Redford for several cordial conversations during my transition into the editorship. My gratitude in this respect extends as well to the late Marshall Waingrow, whose earlier transcription was useful in resolving some complexities in the manuscript. His marginal annotations in a set of the Hill-Powell edition of the Life of Johnson (obtained by the Yale Boswell Editions in 2010), along with handwritten memoranda salted away on note cards for future use, yielded several good leads. In small ways and large, Marshall’s spirit lives on in this project. The editorial office of the Yale Boswell Editions contributed materially to my efforts. At its helm, Gordon Turnbull provided vital assistance at every stage. For his many suggestions and continual generosity I am deeply grateful as Johnson defined the word—‘Having a due sense of benefits; willing to acknowledge and repay benefits’—though the benefits can hardly be repaid. James J. Caudle (whose sleuthing turned up Waingrow’s copy of the Life) settled many queries with great resourcefulness. Several junior Warnock Fellows provided ready assistance along the way: Dan Gustafson, Jacob Sider Jost, and Jerry Weng delivered timely information, while Erin Peterson checked quotations and references and Melina Moe contributed to the index. The index was originally compiled by Nancy E. Johnson. Nadine Honigberg smoothly handled all logistical needs. For ingenuity and patience in typesetting the volume, with a keen eye for every detail of its design, a very special thank you goes to Mark Spicer. Charles H. Long, former Deputy Provost at Yale, deserves a warm tribute of thanks for his sustained support of the Boswell editorial project over many years. On various occasions, in search of other expertise, I called upon Christopher Baron, David Fairer, Antonia Forster, Thomas Kaminski, John Overholt, Terry Seymour, John Shinners, and Umberto Taccheri. While everyone named above has improved the volume, any remaining imperfections must be laid to my own account. My collation of the early editions of the Life was facilitated by a gift from William Zachs and a grant from Saint Mary’s College. I am indebted to Saint Mary’s College also for generous release time. The welcoming hospitality of Michael F. Suarez, SJ, and of James H. Johnson and Lydia Moland, has created a store of memories. My travel expenses were largely defrayed by stipends from Yale’s Warnock Fellowship. The staffs at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library and at Houghton Library were unfailingly supportive, as was Elizabeth Fuller, Librarian of the Rosenbach Museum and Library. The manuscript material not in the Beinecke is published with the kind permission of Houghton Library and the Rosenbach Museum and Library. Long ago, David Fleeman alerted me to a valuable manuscript bound into R. B. Adam’s extra-illustrated copy of the Life, situated among the pages mirrored in the present volume of the Yale research edition. Ever grateful for that gem, for his kindness, and (incidentally) for his relating to me a saying or two of L. F. Powell’s, I dedicate this volume to his memory. xi

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Contents Acknowledgements

xi

Preface

xv

Summary of Editorial Sigla

xix

Abbreviations and short titles

xx

Text

1

Notes

313

Index

403

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Preface AS in the first two volumes of this Yale research edition, the genetic transcription of Boswell’s manuscript for the present portion of the Life of Johnson (covering the years 1776–1780) continues to illuminate previously hidden aspects of the work’s composition and typesetting. Following Boswell from his first drafts through multiple layers of revision and beyond—to last-minute printing-house decisions in both style and content—affords a uniquely intimate perspective on the emergence of the biography from concept to completion, yielding a sharper assessment of the methods and choices embodied in it, and a fuller recognition of the challenges faced in its creation. Among the many highlights of this portion of the manuscript is the formation of the account, originating in the briefest of jotted notes, of what Boswell accurately termed ‘one of the most curious incidents in Dr. Johnson’s Life’—the dinner at Dilly’s where Johnson met and sat beside John Wilkes (MSS 591–607). Another is the lengthy ‘Ashbourne Journal’, in effect an extended multi-week interview with Johnson that caused Boswell, in triumph, to marvel that ‘Johnson seemed to be more uniformly social cheerful and alert than I had almost ever seen him’ (AJ* ‘BD’ (580)), and prompted Sir William Forbes, upon reading it, to tell ‘the Biographer of Johnson’ that ‘there is not a man in the world to whom he discloses his sentiments so freely as yourself’ (AJ* 600). Most of the pages of this journal, intricately revised, were sent directly to the printer as copy for the Life. No document in the entire Boswell collection discloses so richly the transit of his record of Johnson’s talk into the form that would fit it, thematically and psychologically, into the full biographical portrait. Overall, these densely revised manuscripts reveal the full scale of the task Boswell had set himself. His marginal memoranda and queries are but the surviving traces of the daunting logistics involved first in gathering, and then in organizing, the masses of material needed to tell Johnson’s story. An exhausting process, evident from a journal entry showing that he once had ‘sorted till I was stupified’ (22 June 1786), it also must have seemed never-ending: the drafting of a footnote on ‘Mr. Ellis’ could not be finished until he had conducted an interview with him—after the manuscript page in question had already been sent to the printer (MS 564). This particular errand may have been paradigmatic, in Boswell’s mind, of his extraordinary efforts to ensure accuracy, giving rise to his now famous, and not unmerited, boast that he would run half way across London to ascertain a fact (p. 16 n. 5). Not surprisingly, given the scope and complexity of his labours, we find that Boswell in fact sometimes lost track of an intention, or ran short of time to hunt down a source, or failed to secure a document he wanted to include. Not always having access to Johnson’s works, for instance, he was defeated in narrating accurately the story of the publication of the first four volumes of Prefaces, Biographical and Critical, to the Works of the English Poets in 1779, although he later revised some details after looking at a copy of The Lives of the Poets, the 1781 reprint of the Prefaces (MS 620). Similarly, when quoting from Taxation No Tyranny (AJ* 595), he evidently had no copy of the text, and the quotation had to be corrected xv

PREFACE during the printing. By contrast, Boswell never managed to verify a quotation from Swift’s letters (MS 709), yet had enjoined himself from the very first to ‘get the passage exactly transcribed’ (p. 226 n. 2). In these ways, the manuscript reveals how much the processes of revision were not merely documentary, but part of the very fabric of Boswell’s physical existence. A host of such loose ends required attention: searches for books, people, and documents complicated the demands of revising his first-draft narrative and composing additional passages to meet new needs. Inevitably, several intentions were left unfulfilled. In one such lost intention, a jotting (‘Coeval servant from Steele’; MS opp. 700) reveals that Boswell hoped to quote a passage from Steele’s The Englishman to characterize the mastery of ‘ordinary things’ that made Francis Barber so useful to Johnson. He copied down the passage, but the paper on which he did so escaped timely retrieval (p. 217 n. 4). Other lost intentions include some that furthered a broader goal of Boswell’s, promised in a 1785 advertisement, that the Life ‘will be enriched with innumerable Anecdotes of Literature’. He left memoranda, for example, to quote or cite lines from an imitation of Horace by William Duncombe (in relation to the game of applying loci classici to living persons in the newspaper; p. 200 n. 4) and verses from the poem ‘Knotting’ by the Earl of Dorset (to accompany Johnson’s admission that he had attempted to learn how to knit; p. 172 n. 6). The manuscript reveals significant details about another intention, delayed rather than lost altogether, concerning Johnson’s legal brief on the case of the former slave Joseph Knight. Requested by Boswell, and dictated to him by Johnson, the document was at Auchinleck amidst a ‘multiplicity of papers’ when it was needed in London; Boswell planted a footnote to account for its absence from the first edition in 1791, promising to publish the brief for his readers when he ultimately retrieved it. He did so in 1793, after the relevant pages in the second edition had been printed, as docketed on the manuscript: ‘Argument on the Negro Cause in Scotland referred p. 591 Vol. II. and of the Cause an account is given [on>] page 600 of the same volume.’ Having already retained, on p. 591, the footnote explaining his inability to find the brief, Boswell announced its rediscovery in the front matter to the second edition, where he included it in the ‘Additions to Dr. Johnson’s Life recollected, and received after the second edition was printed’ (as well as in a publication for purchasers of the first edition, The Principal Corrections and Additions to the First Edition of Mr. Boswell’s Life of Dr. Johnson). On the brief itself he began drafting his ‘Protest against [Johnson’s] general doctrine with respect to the Slave Trade’, working around the docket, but ran out of space and finished it on ‘Paper S:T’ (untraced; pp. 146 n. 6, 147 n. 3). For Boswell both to produce the document and allow his earlier apologetic footnote to stand undeleted affords a clear illustration of F. A. Pottle’s contention that the second edition, as evident from the ‘chaotic state’ of its text, was sent to press ‘with too little preparation’ (Lit. Car., p. 168). At other moments, Boswell registered his conscientious grappling with questions of tact and tone. In one marginal query he worried that some ‘little remarks’ by Ramsay quoted in dialogue might prove dissonant with ‘Johnson’s praise of his conversation’ (MS 777; p. 281 n. 3). In another memorandum, we discover Boswell in such a state of self-doubt about a paragraph of confessional reflection that he resolved to seek a second opinion, an instance in miniature of xvi

PREFACE the sort of validation he sought in showing his Ashbourne Journal to Forbes: ‘Try some good man with this passage’, he advised himself in the margin, wondering whether to keep the passage after crossing it out in revision (MSS 623–24; p. 159 n. 5). Elsewhere we encounter him feeling ill at ease about a pejorative comment on an anonymous ‘Nobleman’ made by Johnson (p. 29 n. 5); admonishing himself, after deleting a paragraph of malicious critical sport, to ‘Try to speak more softly’ (p. 233 n. 1); and putting himself on guard against a degrading self-representation relative to his visiting Chatsworth, his reception by Lord John Cavendish, and the likelihood of a dinner invitation (pp. 134 n. 9, 150 n. 5). Explicit in marginalia like these, Boswell’s authorial deliberations emerge also from his revisions to the text where the material became unwieldy, perplexing, or sensitive. Describing how Johnson parodied the ‘odd mode’ of Thomas Warton’s poetry, Boswell administered such a tangle of revisions to the anecdote that, unable to fashion it into a smooth narrative, he relegated a block of it to a footnote, offering it as a glimpse into his working ‘Notes’ (pp. 104–05). Strain is also evident in Boswell’s ‘flemish picture’ of Johnson where limning certain features tested his candour or his technical control. Occasionally, trying with an uncertain hand to apply finishing touches, he struggled to shade something unpleasant—as when characterizing Johnson’s vicious outbursts against the American colonists (MS 692)—or to regulate his grammar and syntax—as when grasping for language to explain Johnson’s psychological gloom (MSS 616–17; the passage ultimately had to be recast in the revises by Edmond Malone). Discomfort and indecision are apparent where Boswell verged on disclosing that he had secretly read a portion of Johnson’s diary; an abortive paragraph drafted between changes to the manuscript catchwords show that he initially bypassed the episode, then chose to introduce it, but finally shied away from the revelation (p. 140 n. 5). The page proofs and revises reveal, furthermore, that the printing house itself could become a factor in such deliberations, prompting Boswell to reconsider his text. In the margin of the revises, below a footnote reporting that some lines in Johnson’s letter of 1 May 1780 to Mrs. Thrale had been left out because they were ‘partly too insignificant, and partly too indelicate for the publick eye’, Boswell was warned by the printer to delete the note, ‘for it should not be supposed Dr. Johnson wrote any thing indelicate to a Lady’. He did not delete it, but heeded the criticism, as demonstrated by his revisions to the note (p. 302 n. 7). Comparison between the manuscript and the revises reveals a fine shading of portraiture with respect to Johnson’s expression of disgust over Pope’s friendship with ‘such infamous Lords as Burlington and Cobham and Bolingbroke’. Boswell was tentative about the word ‘infamous’: he drafted it provisionally, opted in revision to keep it, but deleted it in proof after all, as betrayed by the excessive spacing between words on that line in the revises (MS 753; p. 386). But the transcription discloses more than just Boswell’s care and scrupulousness, doubts and vacillations, decisions and revisions. As in the first two volumes of this edition, errors—compositorial and otherwise—have been uncovered which have stood in all editions of the Life to date. The annotations in these volumes suggest corrections with which, when the four-volume transcription series is complete, all future editions of the Life will need to engage. For instance, an iconic image of Johnson in his library can now be corrected, for before heading to the dinner at xvii

PREFACE Dilly’s with Wilkes, Boswell found Johnson at home not ‘buffeting his books’, as has always been printed, but ‘battling with’ or (in revision) ‘bustling among’ them (MS 595). The image conjured by the compositor’s misreading—a plausible one, by virtue of its having made sense to the compositor and then by having escaped alteration in proof—must yield to the successive metaphors actually drafted by Boswell. In another, larger instance, an entire paragraph was overlooked by the printer, and its omission went unnoticed by Boswell and the corrector of the press. It records the provocative idea, put forward by General Paoli, that Sir Joshua Reynolds might better have exercised his genius ‘in Statuary by which it would have been much longer perpetuated’. ‘True Sir’, Johnson agreed, but countered that ‘portrait painting gets him present money’ (MS opp. 589). Small oversights too resulted in losses and errors. One difficulty for the compositor in reading Boswell’s copy—which in places, after several revisions, could become a maze—was figuring out where to place quotation marks, since the manuscript was inconsistent in showing where quotations began and ended. Alertness and intuition served the compositor well in this regard, yet inevitably now and again he made mistakes. In a particularly confusing passage, made more puzzling by an unusual sequence of revisions (AJ 82–83, AJ* 568), the compositor took words out of Johnson’s mouth by ending a quotation prematurely, turning the close of his speech into Boswell’s commentary. This error, though rectified in the second edition, curiously reappeared in the third edition and has persisted in editions of the Life until now. In a few cases where quotation marks were overlooked, allusions that were meant to stand out receded more or less imperceptibly into the text. By this means a biblical allusion lost its emphasis in Johnson’s solemn farewell letter to the capitally condemned clergyman forger, Dr. William Dodd (p. 96 and n. 3), and a richly pointed verse from Milton’s Comus, undetected until now, was robbed of its resonance (MS 607; p. 65 and n. 5). Another quotation, though punctuated as such, has eluded editors of the Life because of its truncation: the complete version, ‘the full flow of London talk’ (MS 664), restored to notice now from underneath Boswell’s deletion, enables us to appreciate the phrase ‘flow of talk’ when Boswell revisits the concept later (MS 742). The illustrations offered here comprise the merest sampling of what this volume contains. The manuscript transcription discloses Boswell’s careful honing of expression—and thus the care and deliberation he brought to the task, once dismissed as mere stenography, of fashioning his complex vision of his subject—at all points of composition. Along the way, it also wins recognition for the compositors’ routinely heroic feats of typesetting which, despite some important lapses, produced surprisingly few misreadings of Boswell’s often tortuous copy. Given that the volumes in the Yale manuscript edition are designed as a research supplement to the four-volume Hill-Powell edition of the Life, the running headers incorporate references to the corresponding pages in that edition. For a detailed explanation of the method Marshall Waingrow devised for transcribing Boswell’s manuscript, the reader should consult the ‘Introduction’ to Volume 1 of this edition. For the sake of proximity, however, the editorial sigla used most frequently are summarized on the following page. THOMAS F. BONNELL xviii

Summary of Editorial Sigla Symbol [

Denotes

Example

Change from an original draft to a later revision.

I found him [battling with>] bustling among his books as upon a former occasion, covered with dust …

Alternative word(s) or phrase(s) interlined in MS, usually at the first draft stage.

Boswell. ‘Perhaps from experience men may be found [happier÷more happy>] happier than we suppose.’ Johnson. ‘No Sir — the more we inquire [the less happiness shall we find.÷we shall find men the less happy.>] we shall find men the less happy.’

A later addition, ranging in scale from a single word to several paragraphs.

‘Only consider Sir ≤our own state≥ — Our Religion is in a Book. We have an order of men ≤whose duty it is≥ to teach it.’

A later deletion, ranging in scale from a single word to several paragraphs.

I begged to have it returned to me, [to be preserved as a testimony, del] which was accordingly done.

/

An optional—grammatically independent—word or phrase, set off as such by JB in the MS by the use of virgules.

‘Florence wine /I think the worst it/ is wine only to the eye; it is wine neither … nor after you have drunk it /it neither pleases the taste nor exhilirates the spirits/.’

>

Denotes a tear in the MS; letters or words within angle brackets are supplied through recourse to the printed proofs.

I thought I could defend him at the po sword.

>]

÷

≤

≥

del

/


] and availed ourselves of a moment to enjoy the conversation of my ingenious [1st ed. ii. 44] countryman Dr. Butter1 then Physician there. He was in great indignation because [the÷Lord Mountstuarts>] Lord Mountstuarts Bill for a Scotch Militia2 had been lost. Dr. Johnson was as [keen÷violent>] violent against it. ‘I am glad’ said he ‘that Parliament has had the spirit to throw it out. You wanted to take advantage of the timidity of our scoundrels’a (meaning ≤I suppose≥ the Ministry). ≤It may be observed that he used the epithet scoundrel very readily, not quite in the sense in which it is commonly understood, but as a strong term of disapprobation as when he said of himself to Mrs. Thrale, ‘very ready to become a scoundrel’b that [is÷was>] was to say very ready to become luxurious and self=indulgent, which his high notions of virtue condemned.≥ [MS 551] [He>] Johnson had with him upon this Jaunt Il Palermino3 d’Inghilterra a romance praised by Cervantes; but did not like it much. He said he read it for the language, by way of preparation for [Italy.>] his Italian expedition. We lay at ≤Loughborough.≥4 On thursday [28 March>] March 28, we pursued our journey. I mentioned that [an acquaintance of ours>] Old Mr. Sheridan complained of [/the/ ingratitude of÷ingratitude from] the ingratitude of ≤Mr.≥ Wedderburne and General Fraser who had been much obliged to him when they were young a b

a1 ≤See page ≥ Anecdotes of Johnson p.

b1

1

On Dr. William Butter, see Life MS ii. 214 n. 5 and Hill-Powell iii. 467–68. On Lord Mountstuart and his bill, see Life MS ii. 187 n. 6. 3 Changed by Selfe in the revises to ‘Palmerino’, this correction was overlooked, and ‘Palermino’ stood in the first edition. The spelling was straightened out in the second edition. The title, italicized in the revises, was also marked with inverted commas. Inconsistencies in the printing house—titles usually being printed in italics, but sometimes with quotation marks, and sometimes both—may have been a factor in JB’s inconsistent treatment of titles in drafting and revision. 4 JB added the town name later, having left a blank space in his first draft. 2

a1 JB added this footnote in revision. Page number ‘17’ was printed in the revises and first edition. In subsequent editions this cross-reference was omitted. b1 Page number ‘176’ was printed in the revises, there keyed to ‘rascal’ in accordance with JB’s enlargement of the quotation, which figured in a complete revision to the end of this sentence: ‘… as when he abruptly answered Mrs. Thrale, who had asked him how he did, “Ready to become a scoundrel, Madam; with a little more spoiling, you will, I think, make me a complete rascal:” — he meant eady [sic] to become a capricious and self-indulgent valetudinarian, a character for which I have heard him express great disgust.’ Curiously, JB corrected the misprint ‘eady’ to ‘easy’, rather than to ‘ready’, which probably is what he had written (in parallel with ‘Ready to become a scoundrel’) when revising the first proofs.

1

H-P iii. 2–3

MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1776

scotchmen entering upon life in England. Johnson. ‘Why Sir a man is very apt to complain of the ingratitude of those who have risen far above him. [A man when he gets into a higher sphere, into other habits of life cannot÷When one gets into a higher sphere, into other habits of life he cannot>] A man when he gets into a higher sphere, into other habits of life cannot keep up all his former connections. — Then Sir [one who knew him formerly upon a level with himself, may think that he>] those who knew him formerly upon a level with themselves, may think that they ought still to be treated as on a level, which cannot be — and an acquaintance in a former situation may bring out things which it would be very disagreable to have mentioned before higher company, though perhaps every body knows of them.’ He [put>] placed this subject in a new light to me, and shewed that a man who has risen in the world must not be [MS 552] condemned too hastily,5 for being distant to former acquaintances, even though he may have been ≤much≥ obliged to them. It is no doubt [to be wished÷desireable>] to be wished that a proper degree of attention [be shewn provided they will be satisfied with it.>] should be shewn by great men to their early friends. But if either from obtuse insensibility to difference of situation, or [petulant÷presumptous frowardness>] presumptious forwardness which will not submit [to it, even formally>] even to an exteriour observance of it, the dignity of high place cannot be preserved if they are admitted into the company of [one raised above the state in which he once was>] those raised above the state in which they once were, encroachment must be repelled and [1st ed. ii. 45] the kinder feelings sacrificed. [To one of the fortunate persons whom I have mentioned namely Mr. Wedderburne now Lord Loughborough I must do the justice to mention that I have been assured by another early acquaintance of his, old Mr. Macklin who assisted him in improving his arguments÷pronunciation, that he found him very grateful.÷to mention that by another early acquaintance of his, old Mr. Macklin who assisted him in improving his arguments÷pronunciation, I have been assured that he found him very grateful.>] To one of the brilliant and fortunate persons whom I have mentioned namely Mr. Wedderburne now Lord Loughborough I must do the justice to relate that I have been assured by another early acquaintance of his, old Mr. Macklin who assisted him in improving his pronunciation, that he had found him very grateful. Macklin I suppose [has>] had not pressed upon his elevation with [as÷so>] as much assurance as the person who complained of him. Dr. Johnson’s remark as to the jealousy entertained of our friends who rise far above us is certainly very just. By [MS 553]6 this was withered the early friendships between Charles Yorke and Aikenside, between Charles Townshend and Whitehead.7 He said it was commonly a weak man who married for love. We [then talked÷talked then>] then talked of marrying women of fortune and I 5

Printed ‘harshly’, probably a compositorial misreading. MS 553 is at the Rosenbach Library in Philadelphia (E Ms 1082/10.8). See David Buchanan, The Treasure of Auchinleck: The Story of the Boswell Papers, 1974, p. 331. 7 Printed in the revises ‘friendship between Charles Townshend and Akenside; and many similar instances might be adduced.’ JB possibly discovered that he had mistaken one Charles Townshend for another in his original passage. Charles Townshend, first 6

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H-P iii. 3–4

mentioned a common remark that a man may be upon the whole richer by marrying a woman [without a shilling÷with a very small portion>] with a very small portion because a woman of fortune will be proportionally expensive, whereas a woman who brings none will be [an excellent economist.÷very moderate.>] very moderate in expences. Johnson. ‘Depend upon it Sir, this is not true. A woman of fortune being used to ≤the handling of≥ money spends it [in moderation>] judiciously. But a woman who gets the [command÷power>] command of money for the first time upon her marriage, has such a [gust÷delight>] gust in spending it that she [throws it away very fast.÷is exceedingly lavish.>] throws it away with great profusion.’ ≤[MS opp. 553] He praised the Ladies of the present age insisting that they were more faithful to their husbands and more virtuous in every respect than in former times, [for÷because>] because their understandings were better cultivated.’8 It was an undoubted proof of his good sense and good disposition that he was never querulous, never [grumbling>] inveighing against the [age÷times>] times, as is so common when superficial minds are [on the fret÷muddy>] on the fret. On the contrary he was willing to speak favourably of his own [times÷age>] age; and indeed maintained its [value÷worth>] superiority in every way except in [a relaxation of reverence for government which>] its reverence for government the relaxation of which he imputed as its grand cause to the shock which our monarchy received at the Revolution though necessary and secondly to the [timid÷yielding>] timid concessions made to faction by successive administrations in the reign of his present Majesty. I am happy to think that he lived to see the Crown at last recover its just influence.≥ [MS 553 resumed] At Leicester we [saw÷read>] read in the Newspapers that Dr. James was dead. I thought that the death of an old school=fellow and one with whom he had lived a good deal in London, would have affected [Dr. Johnson÷my fellow traveller>] my fellow traveller much. But he only said slightly ‘Ah! poor Jamy.’ Afterwards however ≤when we were≥ in the chaise he said with more tenderness ‘Since I set out on this jaunt I have lost an old friend and a young one, Dr. James, and poor Harry’ (meaning Mr. Thrale’s son).

30 21 22 23 Baron Bayning (1728–1810), was a friend of poet and playwright William Whitehead 24 (bap. 1715, d. 1785) at Clare College, Cambridge in the late 1740s. After serving in the British embassy at Madrid from 1751 to 1755, he was called ‘Spanish Charles’ to distinguish him from his more prominent cousin, Charles Townshend (1725–67), who held several major political offices in Britain before his early death. It was the more brilliant of the two whom Akenside addressed in ‘To the Honourable Charles Townshend, in the Country’ (dated 1750, when Townshend was representing Great Yarmouth in Parliament), expressing his ‘loss to come’, when Townshend would be found ‘ascending to another home / Where public praise and envied greatness dwell’. Whatever acquaintance Akenside had with Charles Yorke (1722–70), Lord Chancellor, it was his brother Philip Yorke, second Earl of Hardwicke (1720–90) who may have assisted the poet in becoming a full fellow of the College of Physicians of London, for which he needed to obtain, by royal command, the degree of Doctor of Physic from Cambridge. See Robin Dix, The Literary Career of Mark Akenside, 2006, p. 202, and Dustin Griffin, Literary Patronage in England, 1650–1800, 1996, p. 60. 8 The quotation marks at the end of this sentence show that JB was quoting SJ directly, even though he had neglected to mark the beginning of the quotation (at ‘they were …’). Evidently disregarding rather than fixing the matter, the compositor typeset the remark as indirect discourse. This mistake was not corrected.

3

H-P iii. 4–5

MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1776

[MS 554; 1st ed. ii. 46] We lay at St. Albans. On friday [29 March>] March 29 we breakfasted at Barnet.9 I [confessed÷expressed>] expressed to him a weakness of mind which I could not help, an uneasy apprehension that my Wife and children who were at a great distance from me might ≤perhaps≥ be [ill÷dead>] ill. ‘Sir’ said He, ‘consider how foolish you [should÷would>] should think it in them to be apprehensive that you are ill.’ This sudden turn relieved me for the moment. But I afterwards perceived it to be an ingenious fallacy.1 I [should>] might to be sure [See÷imagine>] be satisfied that they had no reason to be apprehensive [as to>] about me, because I knew that I myself was [well÷alive>] well. But we might have a mutual anxiety without the charge of folly, because each was in some degree uncertain as to the [situation÷condition>] condition of the other. [He said÷told me>] Johnson now said ‘I have not brought my mind to any solid settling about apparitions. John Wesley [put a story of one into my hands, which>] gave me a written narrative of one which he firmly believes happened lately. I’ll shew you it.’ [He afterwards gave me a letter of introduction to Mr. Wesley that I might talk of it. I waited on him at Edinburgh. But the evidence did not satisfy÷convince me. del]2 [MS 555] I enjoyed the luxury of our approach to London, that Metropolis which we both loved so much /for the high & varied intellectual pleasure which it furnishes/.3 I experienced immediate happiness while whirled along with Dr. Samuel Johnson, & I said to him ‘Sir, you observed one day at General Oglethorpe’s that a Man is never happy for the present, but when he is drunk. Will you not add — Or when driving rapidly in a post=chaise?’ Johnson. ‘No Sir You are driving rapidly from something, or to something.’ Talking of melancholy he said ‘Some men, and very thinking men too have not these÷those4 vexing [thoughts, but I believe>] thoughts.5 Sir Joshua Reynolds is the same all the year round. Beauclerk except when ill and in pain is the same. 9 Altered in the course of printing, these two sentences were fused together in the revises: ‘Having been at St. Alban’s on Thursday, March 28, we breakfasted the next morning at Barnet.’ In correcting the revises, JB changed ‘Having been’ to ‘Having lain’. 1 In a footnote to this sentence in the third edition, EM voiced disagreement: ‘Surely it is no fallacy, but a sound and rational argument. He who is perfectly well, and apprehensive concerning the state of another at a distance from him, knows to a certainty that the fears of that person concerning his health are imaginary and delusive; and hence has a rational ground for supposing that his own apprehensions concerning his absent wife or friend, are equally unfounded.’ 2 In the revises there is no trace of this paragraph here because JB moved the material to another location (MS opp. 786), where he chose not to preserve SJ’s quotation. In reference to the ghost that Wesley believed to have appeared, JB averred that SJ ‘did not give credit’ to the report. See post p. 290 ll. 1–13. 3 This unresolved optional phrase was printed in the revises. Although the transcription requires a set of two virgules, reflecting JB’s practice when the optional word or phrase occurred in mid-sentence, JB sometimes used only one if the phrase came at either the beginning or the end of a sentence—as here, after ‘much’. 4 That there was an alternative yet to be resolved here was easy to miss, JB having merely placed an ‘o’ above the first ‘e’ in ‘these’. Printed ‘those’ in the revises. 5 JB’s footnote on ‘vexing thoughts’ (Hill-Powell iii. 5 n. 4) was added in the second edition. In it JB testifies to an early ‘pre-possession’ for the ‘Psalms in Metre’ used in Scottish kirks; in the third edition (and Hill-Powell) this word became ‘prepossession’.

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LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 5–7

But I believe most men have them in the degree in which they are capable of having them. If I were in the country and were distressed [by÷with>] by that malady, I would force myself to take a book, and every time I did it, I [would>] should find it the easier. Melancholy [however>] indeed should be diverted by every [means but drinking>] means — but drinking.’ We stopped at [Mr.÷Messieurs>] Messieurs Dillys Booksellers in the Poultry, from whence he hurried away in a hackney coach to Mr. Thrale’s in the Borough. I called at his house in the evening, having promised to acquaint Mrs. Williams [MS 556] of his safe return; when to my surprise I found him sitting with her at tea, and as I thought not in very good humour; for, it seems when he got to Mr. Thrale’s, he found the Coach was at the door waiting to carry Mrs. and Miss Thrale and Signor Baretti their Italian Master to Bath. This was not shewing the attention which might have been expected to the ‘Guide Philosopher and Friend’, the Imlack who had hastened from the country to console a distressed mother who he understood was very anxious for his return. They had accordingly [gone off.>] without ceremony proceeded on their intended journey. I was glad to understand from him that it was [then del] still resolved that [the Journey to Italy should hold, for he had some doubt as to this, on account of the loss which Mr. and Mrs. Thrale had suffered, and the event proved that he was right.>] his Tour to Italy with Mr. & Mrs. Thrale should take place, of which he had some doubt, on account of the loss which they had suffered, and [1st ed. ii. 47] his doubts afterwards proved to be well=founded. He [said>] observed indeed very justly that [the loss was÷‘the loss is>] the loss was an additional reason for their going abroad; and that if [He were not to be of the party÷it had not been that he was to be of the party>] it had not been fixed that he should be one of the party he would [drive÷force>] force them [out. But>] out; but he would not advise them unless his advice was asked, [because they might÷lest they should>] lest they might suspect that he [spoke for what>] recommended what he wished on his own account.6 [I did not like to perceive÷observe>] [I was somewhat concerned>] I was not pleased that [MS 557] his intimacy with Mr. Thrale’s family though it no doubt contributed much to his comfort and enjoyment was not without [restraint÷some degree of restraint>] some degree of restraint. Not as has been grossly [conjectured>] suggested that it was required of him as a task to talk for the entertainment of them and their company, but that he was not quite at his ease which however might [partly÷chiefly be owing to his own pride÷proud temper which is allways÷ever accompanied with suspicion.>] [chiefly be owing to his own proud temper which is allways accompanied with suspicion.>] [partly be owing to his own dignity of mind which is allways accompanied with suspicion.>] partly be 6 As shown by verb tense rather than quotation marks, the alternatives near the beginning of this sentence (‘was÷is’) set up JB to express SJ’s opinion through indirect discourse (‘that the loss was …’) or quotation (‘that “the loss is …’). The alternative for direct quotation became a false start further on, however, when, after drafting ‘and that if I’, JB turned the ‘I’ into an ‘H’ as part of the clause ‘and that if He were not to be of the party’ (later altered in revision), and used ‘he’ for the rest of the sentence. Nevertheless, quotation marks were printed in the revises, at ‘their loss’ (changed from ‘the loss’) and the close of the sentence.

5

H-P iii. 7

MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1776

owing to his own honest pride, that dignity of mind which is allways jealous of appearing too compliant.7 On sunday [31 March>] March 31 I called on him and shewed him ≤as a curiosity which I had discovered≥ his Translation of Lobo’s ≤Account of≥ Abyssinia which Sir John Pringle had lent me≤, it being then little known as one of his works≥. He said [take no notice of it; or don’t talk of it —>] ‘take no notice of it; or don’t talk of it —’ using some such expression.8 He seemed to think it beneath him, though done at six and twenty. I said to him ‘[Sir your style>] Your style, Sir is much improved since you translated this.’ [He answered with a sort of triumphant smile ‘I hope so.’÷‘I hope so’ said he with a sort of triumphant smile.>] He answered with a sort of triumphant smile, ‘Sir, I hope it is.’9 On Wednesday [3 April>] April 3 in the forenoon I found him busy putting his books in order, and as they were generally very old ones, clouds of dust were flying arround him. He had on a pair of large gloves such as hedgers use. [He÷His present appearance>] His present appearance put me in mind of my Uncle Dr. Boswell’s [MS 558] [description÷character>] description of him ‘A robust Genius born to grapple with whole Libraries.’1 I gave him an account of a conversation which [I had÷had had with Captain Cook>] had passed between me and Captain Cook the day before at dinner at Sir John Pringle’s and he was much pleased with the conscientious accuracy [of that celebrated Circumnavigator.2 I told>] with which that celebrated Circumnavigator set3 me right as to many of the exaggerated 7 How many revisional stages are embodied in this sequence is hard to tell, but JB made several same-draft changes in the course of his final revision. Before settling on the phrase ‘honest pride, that dignity of mind’, he revived ‘proud temper’ on MS opp. 557, only to score it out once more and write ‘honest pride’, to which he added, deleted, and then added again the word ‘that’. Within this jumble of changes, a short line of indeterminate placement and significance was read as a dash by the compositor, and in the revises the phrase was printed ‘honest pride — that dignity of mind’. JB had earlier rehearsed this revision in recording some Johnsoniana communicated by John Taylor. When SJ, ridiculed at Oxford for the state of his shoes, angrily rejected the anonymous gift of a new pair, JB wrote ‘His pride or rather dignity of mind was such that …’. This distinction, Marshall Waingrow suspects, was added by JB, even though he was taking down the story as told by Taylor. See Corr. 2a, pp. 82 and 86. 8 The end of this sentence (‘using some such expression’, along with the dash) was omitted in the revises, perhaps deleted in proof by JB. A remnant of his original draft, the phrase was unnecessary after JB had placed quotation marks around SJ’s sentiment in revision. The punctuation was refined in the second edition: ‘“Take no notice of it,” or “don’t talk of it.”’ 9 Although the alternative that would have made the sentence begin ‘“I hope so” said he’ was not deleted, the compositor could see it had been rendered unnecessary by JB’s revision of SJ’s remark at the end of the sentence. 1 In the Life Materials (M 158) is found this memorandum: ‘Dr. Bos A Robust Genius born to grapple with whole Libraries’. 2 Placing a = next to ‘Circumnavigator’, JB left himself a reminder on MS opp. 558, later deleted, to return to this spot with an additional anecdote: ‘Here take in the ≤wonderful≥ stories told him as from Banks & Solander & his saying I never before knew how much I was respected by them’. The anecdote was not inserted here, however, for by the time JB finished drafting the current paragraph, he had decided that the anecdote, when added, should provide the climax to the paragraph. See n. 4 below. 3 In revision, JB inadvertently left out the second word in the phrase ‘with which’, resulting in a faulty syntax for the extended sentence. The remedy, possibly improvised

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H-P iii. 7–8

accounts given by Dr. Hawkesworth of his voyages. I told him that while I was with the Captain I catched the enthusiasm of [curiosity÷adventure>] curiosity & adventure, and felt a strong inclination to [make÷go with him on>] go with him on his next voyage. Johnson. ‘Why Sir [a man÷one>] a man does feel so, till [he÷one>] he considers how very little [he÷one learns.>] he can learn from such voyages.’ [Boswell.÷I said>] Boswell. ‘But one is carried away with [the thing in general÷a notion — A Voyage round the World!>] the general grand and indistinct notion of A VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD!’ Johnson. ‘Yes, Sir. But [one is to guard against>] a man is to guard himself against taking a thing in general.’ I said I was certain that a great part of what [the Travellers to the South Sea tell us÷we are told by the Travellers to the South Sea>] we are told by the Travellers to the South Sea must be conjecture, because they [had÷?knew>] had not enough of the [1st ed. ii. 48] language ≤of those countries≥ to understand so much as they [tell>] have related. Objects falling under the observation of the senses might be clearly known; but every thing intellectual every thing abstract — Politicks Morals and Religion must be darkly guessed. Dr. Johnson was of the same opinion.4 ≤He upon another occasion when a friend mentioned to him several extraordinary facts as communicated to him by the circumnavigators slyly observed ‘Sir I never before knew how much I was respected by these gentlemen. They told me none of these things.’≥5 ≤He had been in company with Omai the native of one of the South Sea islands who was brought to England and remained some time in it. ‘Sir (said he)6 [Paper Apart Omai]7 He was struck with ≤the elegance of≥ his behaviour and [observed ‘He>] accounted for it thus: ‘Sir He had passed his time ≤while≥ in England [only in the best company÷in the best company only>] only in the best company so that all that he had acquired of our manners was genteel. ≤As a proof of this Sir,≥ Lord Mulgrave and he dined one day at Streatham: they sat with their backs to the light fronting me so that I could not see distinctly, and by the compositor, was printed as follows in the revises: ‘accuracy of the celebrated circumnavigator, who set’. 4 Scoring through the = after ‘Circumnavigator’ (n. 2 above), JB now put the symbol here and on MS opp. 558, seeding the material to come with a single word ‘Indeed’. JB later worked ‘indeed’ into the opening phrase of the anecdote, altering ‘He upon another occasion’ to ‘He indeed upon another occasion’, only to delete it in the same draft. 5 In the Life Materials (M 147) on the verso of the leaf for 1783, JB drafted a preliminary version of this anecdote in which he identified the friend and circumnavigators: ‘A Gentleman (Hutton the Moravian) having told him many strange stories about Otaheité from Banks and Solander he said “I never before knew how much I was favoured by them. They told me none of these stories.”’ 6 The opening of this sentence became a false start when JB, disregarding but not deleting it, began anew on Paper Apart Omai. A preliminary draft of this passage in the Life Materials (M 147) reads as follows: ‘He was struck with Omai’s behaviour and said “He had passed his time in England only in the best company, so that all that he had acquired of our manners was genteel. When Lord Mulgrave & he dined at Streatham they sat with their backs to the light fronting me, so that I did not see quite distinctly and there was so little of the savage to be distinguished that I was affraid to speak to either lest I should mistake one for the other.”’ (The phrase ‘so that I did not see quite distinctly’ was added in the same draft.) 7 Headed ‘Omai’, this Paper Apart was written after the first proof had been printed for the passage it expanded, so JB additionally marked it for ‘P. 48 of print’.

7

H-P iii. 8–10

MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1776

there was so little of the savage to be distinguished in Omai,8 that I was [affraid>] afraid to speak to either, lest I should mistake one for the other.’≥ [MS 558 resumed] We agreed to dine today at the Mitre tavern after the [breaking up>] rising of the House of [MS 559] Lords where a branch of the litigation concerning the Douglas Estate ≤in which I was one of the Counsel≥ was to come on. I brought with me Mr. Murray Solicitor General of Scotland now one of the Judges of the Court of Session by the title of Lord Henderland. I mentioned Mr. Solicitor’s relation Lord Charles Hay with whom I knew Dr. Johnson had been acquainted. Johnson. ‘I wrote something for Lord Charles; and I thought he had nothing to fear from a Court Martial. I suffered a great loss when he died; he was a mighty pleasing man in conversation, and a reading man. The character of a soldier is high. [Those>] They who stand forth the foremost in danger, for the Community, have the respect of Mankind. An officer is much more respected than any other man who has as little money. In a commercial country money will allways purchase respect. But you find an officer, who has properly speaking, no money is every where well received and treated with [much del] attention. A soldier’s character allways stands him in stead.’ [I objected that÷Boswell. ‘I think Sir that>] Boswell. ‘Yet Sir I think that common soldiers are [worse thought of÷thought worse>] worse thought of than other men in the same rank of life, such as labourers.’ Johnson. ‘Why Sir a common [MS 560] soldier is [commonly÷generally÷usually>] usually a very gross man, and any quality which procures respect may be overwhelmed by grossness. A man of learning may be [so ridiculous or so vicious÷so vicious or so ridiculous>] so vicious or so ridiculous that you cannot respect him. A common soldier too ≤generally≥ eats more than he can pay for. But ≤when a≥9 [Papers Apart J 46/ J 47]1 common soldier is civil in his quarters, his red coat procures him a degree of respect. [1st ed. ii. 49] The [military character being very high in>] peculiar respect paid to the military character in France was mentioned. [I said>] Boswell. ‘I should think that where military men are so numerous they would be less valued as not being rare.’ [‘Nay’, said the Dr. ‘wherever>] Johnson. ‘Nay Sir, wherever a particular character ≤or profession≥ is high in the estimation of a

8 The phrase ‘so little of the savage to be distinguished in Omai’ was printed in the revises without the words ‘to be distinguished’. Spotting the error—either having read the revises against his copy, or having simply remembered the phrase so recently drafted (see preceding note)—JB wrote and circled ‘Out’ in the margin, supplied the missing phrase, and placed a caret in the text where it belonged. But he then changed his mind, possibly because the correction would have required an additional line of print for the paragraph, forcing the compositor to rearrange his formes for the next gathering, sig. H. If Paper Apart Omai had caused the formes to be taken apart in proof, one could understand JB’s reluctance to make the printer take them apart again after the revises had been pulled. For his concern to avoid unnecessary overruns, see post p. 157 n. 7. 9 Direction to the compositor, ‘(take in [some>] five leaves)’, meaning the last leaf of J 46 (pp. 187–88) and first four leaves of J 47 (pp. 1–8), all but the last paragraph of which formed part of JB’s journal entry for 3 Apr. 1776. In the transcription, only those changes made to the text when JB revised it for the Life are indicated, not same-draft alterations made when the journals were first composed. In typesetting these pages the compositor was directed three times to take in Sub-Papers Apart, written for the Life. 1 The upper left corner of J 46, p. 187 is marked ‘(P. 560)’, and a direction to the compositor skirts the left margin, ‘N.B. Five leaves to be taken in on p. 560’.

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LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 10–11

people those who are of it will be valued ≤above other men≥. We value an Englishman highly in this country, and yet Englishmen are not rare in it.’ Mr. [Solicitor>] Murray praised the ancient Philosophers for the [candour with which philosophers of different sects disputed so as never to be in bad humour one with another.>] candour and good humour with which those of different sects disputed with each other. [Said the Dr. ‘They>] Johnson. ‘Sir They disputed with good humour, because they were not in earnest as to Religion. Had the Ancients been serious in their beleif, they would not have represented their Gods in the manner we find ≤them represented≥ in the Poets. The people would not have suffered it. They disputed with good humour upon their fanciful Theories because they were not interested in [their truth.>] the truth of them. When a [J 46, p. 188] man has nothing to lose, he may be in good humour with his opponent. Accordingly you see in Lucian the Epicurean who argues only negatively keeps his [temper. The>] temper; the Stoick who has something positive to preserve grows angry. Being angry with one who controverts an opinion which you value is a necessary consequence of the uneasiness which you feel. Every man who attacks my belief diminishes in some degree my confidence in it, & therefore makes me uneasy, and I am angry with him who makes me uneasy. Only those who beleived in Revelation have been very angry at having their faith called in question; because they only had something upon which they could rest as matter of fact.’2 [J 47, p. 6] [I should have mentioned that when the Dr. said one was angry at a man for controverting an opinion which one beleives & values the Solicitor said ‘One rather pities him.’ ‘No, Sir’, said Johnson ‘To be sure>] MURRAY. ‘It seems to me that we are not angry at a man for controverting an opinion which we beleive and value. We rather pity him.’ JOHNSON. ‘No, Sir. To be sure when you wish a man to have that belief which you consider as an advantage, you wish well to him; but your primary consideration is your own quiet. If a Madman were to come into this room with a stick in his hand, no doubt we should pity the state of his mind; but our primary consideration would be to take care of ourselves. We should knock him down first; & pity him afterwards.’ He said too, ‘a man will dispute with great good-humour upon a subject in which he [J 47, p. 7] is not interested. I will dispute very calmly upon the probability of another man’s son being hanged, but, if a man [pushes a dispute with me upon>] zealously enforces the probability that my own son [shall>] will be hanged, I shall certainly not be in good humour with him.’ — I added this illustration ‘If a man endeavours to convince me that my Wife whom I love very much, & in whom I have great confidence is a disagreable woman, and is even unfaithful to me, I shall be very angry; for he is putting me in fear of being unhappy.’3 [J 46, p. 188 resumed] [‘But’, said the Solicitor ‘Truth>] Murray. ‘But Sir Truth will allways bear an [1st ed. ii. 50] examination.’ [‘Yes’, said Dr. Johnson.>] Johnson. ‘Yes Sir 2 Keyed to the symbol # here is a direction to the compositor, ‘Take in p. 6. *’, in reference to p. 6 of J 47. The passage designated by the asterisk, written as an afterthought to the record of an earlier conversation, takes up most of pp. 6–7. JB reintegrates the material into the conversation in which it occurred. 3 In the margin JB directed the compositor now to ‘Return to where you left off’—that is, to return to the final page of J 46.

9

H-P iii. 11–13

MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1776

But it is [uneasy>] painful to be forced to defend it. [Consider — How>] Consider Sir How should you like though conscious of your innocence, to be tried [J 47, p. 1] before a Jury for a capital crime, once a week.’4 [Sub-Paper Apart S]5 We talked of education at [the del] great schools the advantages & disadvantages of which, Johnson displayed in a luminous manner; but his arguments preponderated so much in favour of the benefit which a boy of good parts might receive at one of them that I have reason to believe Mr. Murray was very much influenced by what he heard today in his determination to send his own son to Westminster School.6 [J 47, p. 1 resumed] I introduced [today del] the topick which is often ignorantly urged, that the Universities of England are too rich,7 so that Learning does not flourish ≤in them≥ as it would do, if those who teach had smaller salaries, and depended on their assiduity for a great part of their income. [Dr. Johnson said, The [J 47, p. 2] very reverse was the case in the english Universities; for, said He ‘They are not>] JOHNSON. ‘Sir, The [J 47, p. 2] very reverse of this is the truth. The english Universities are not rich enough. Our fellowships are only sufficient to support a man during his studies to fit him for the World, and accordingly in general they are [kept>] held no longer than till an opportunity offers of getting away. Now & then perhaps there is a fellow who grows old in his college, but this is against his will, unless he be a man very indolent indeed. A hundred a year is reckoned a good fellowship & that is no more than is necessary to keep a man decently as a Scholar. We do not allow our fellows to marry because we consider [that state only as a nursery for the World.>] academical institutions only as preparatory to a settlement in the World. It is by being [a Tutor & having pupils that any thing more than a livelihood is to be had.>] employed as a Tutor that a fellow can obtain any thing more than a livelihood. To be sure a man who has enough without teaching will not probably teach; for [J 47, p. 3] we would all be idle if we could. In the same 4

Direction to the compositor, ‘See Paper S’. Labeled ‘S’, and for additional clarity, ‘For the second of five leaves for p. 560’. This material replaces the following passage, which JB marked for deletion when revising this journal entry for the Life: ‘The Solicitor talked of education at Great Schools. Dr. Johnson said what I have marked in my Journal at Aberdeen. But I must here add a remark which he made at Ashburn, that no man whatever is so grossly unfaithful as the Master of a Great School. He professes to teach all the Boys who come to him equally; yet he does nothing but for a very few who are forward to learn; and he does not inform the relations of the rest that they are unfit for being made Scholars.’ JB began drafting his revision in the margin of the journal leaf, but ran out of room when he reached the word ‘luminous’, at which point he transferred what he had already written onto Sub-Paper Apart S and continued his revision. 6 Following a dash, JB extended this paragraph in the second edition as follows: ‘I have acted in the same manner with regard to my own two sons; having placed the eldest at Eton, and the second at Westminster. I cannot say which is best. But in justice to both those noble seminaries, I with high satisfaction declare, that my boys have derived from them a great deal of good, and no evil: and I trust they shall, like Horace, be grateful to their father for giving them so valuable an education.’ In the third edition, the phrase ‘I trust they shall’ became ‘I trust they will’. 7 In the second edition, keying an asterisk to this word, JB added a footnote: ‘Dr. Adam Smith, who was for some time a Professor in the University of Glasgow, has uttered, in his “Wealth of Nations,” some reflections upon this subject which are certainly not well founded, and seem to be invidious.’ 5

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25

LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 13–15

manner a man who is to get nothing by teaching will let it alone. [There was Gresham College intended] Gresham College was intended as a place of instruction for London; — [as>] As the Professours8 were to read lectures gratis, they contrived to have no scholars; whereas if they had been to be paid but sixpence a lecture ≤by each scholar≥, they would have been emulous to have [a number of ’em.>] had many scholars. Every body will agree that it should be the interest of those who teach to have scholars; and this is the case in our universities. That [they>] [the Universities] they9 are too rich is certainly not true; for they have nothing good enough to keep a man of eminent learning ≤with them≥ for his life. In the foreign Universities, a Professorship is a high thing. It is as much almost as a man can make [of>] by his learning; & therefore we find the most learned men in the Universities abroad. It is not so with us. Our [J 47, p. 4] Universities are impoverished of learning, by the poverty of their [provisions.’ He said this to me during our last jaunt, & added that he wished there were half a dozen Places>] provisions. I wish there were many Places of a thousand a year at Oxford to keep first=rate men of learning from quitting the University.’ — To be sure Literature then would have a ≤still greater≥ dignity & splendour at Oxford and there would be grander living sources of instruction. —1 I [started Maclaurin’s>] mentioned Mr. Maclaurin’s uneasiness on account of [the ridicule thrown>] a degree of ridicule carelessly thrown on his Father in Goldsmith’s [Animated Nature, & I regretted>] History of Animated Nature,2 [Sub-Paper Apart M] in which that celebrated Mathematician is represented as being subject to fits of yawning so violent as to render him incapable of proceeding in his lecture, a story altogether unfounded, but for the publication of which, the law would give no redress.a a

Dr. Goldsmith was dead before Mr. Maclaurin discovered the ludicrous fiction. But Mr. Nourse the proprietor of the Book, upon being applied to by Sir John Pringle, agreed very handsomely to have the leaf on which it was 30 contained cancelled and reprinted without it, at his own expence.

8 Printed in the revises ‘able Professors’. Although the compositor’s misreading (‘able’ for ‘as the’) spoils both sense and syntax in the passage, his mistake went uncorrected. 9 The cause of JB’s going back and forth between the pronoun and noun would appear to be a mark after ‘universities’ at the end of the previous sentence. This mark presumably indicated that an additional passage was to be inserted, following which JB would have wanted to reiterate the noun. In due course, however, he did not insert the passage; instead, he deleted the mark and returned to the pronoun. 1 In the Life Materials (M 153) JB anticipated this topic: ‘As to provisions for learned men in the English Universities being too small See on Jaunt to Ashbourne in 1776 — But which part of the conversation is not recorded till page 3 Vol 2 of that year [J 47] being Wednesday 3 April.’ This memorandum and the journal together reveal that, in rehearsing these views of SJ’s, JB drew upon a recurrent conversation (‘He said this to me during our last jaunt, & added’); that, in conflating utterances from more than one conversation, he found it expedient to address the topic all at once; and that he was concerned to situate (‘which part of the conversation’) the core opinion regarding meagre academic provisions in what he considered the proper place. 2 Direction to the compositor, ‘See Paper M’. In addition to the heading ‘M’, the SubPaper Apart is marked ‘P. 4 of five leaves opposite to p. 560’.

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H-P iii. 15–16

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1776

[J 47, p. 4 resumed]3 I regretted that there was no legal reparation to be had, ≤even≥ when a Man’s deceased Relation was traduced ≤in a publication≥. [The Solicitor>] Mr. Murray maintained there should be reparation, unless the Authour could justify himself by proving the fact. [‘No, Sir’, said Dr. Johnson, ‘It>] Johnson. ‘Sir, It is of so much more consequence that truth should be told, than that Individuals should not be made uneasy [J 47, p. 5] that it is much better that ≤the≥ Law does not restrain writing freely concerning the characters of the dead. Damages will be given to a man who is traduced in his lifetime, because he may be hurt in his worldly interest, or at least hurt in his mind. But the law does not regard that uneasiness which a man feels on having his Ancestor traduced. That is too nice. Let him deny what is said, & let the matter have a fair chance by discussion. But if a man could say nothing against a character but what he can prove, history could not be written; for, a great deal is known of men of which proof cannot be brought. A [Man>] Minister may be notoriously known to take bribes, & yet you may not be able to prove it. [The Solicitor stood to it a little, that>] Mr. Murray suggested, that the Authour should be obliged to shew some sort of evidence though he would not require a strict legal proof [J 47, p. 6] but [the Dr.>] Johnson firmly & resolutely opposed any [legal investigation as dangerous to free discussion of>] restraint as dangerous to a free investigation of the characters of Mankind.a/4 a

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[Sub-Paper Apart]a1 What Dr. Johnson has here said is undoubtedly good sense; yet I am affraid that Law though defined by Lord Coke ‘the perfection of reason’ is not altogether with him; for it is held in the Books that an attack on the reputation even of a dead man may be punished as a libel, because tending to a breach of the peace. There is however ≤I believe≥ no modern decided case 25 to that effect. In the King’s Bench Trinity Term 1790 the question was mooted on occasion of an indictment The King v. Topham [who merely as the÷a 3 Although JB placed a bracket beside this next sentence and marked it ‘N.L.’ to start a new paragraph, the compositor failed to notice it. JB evidently revised the sentence in proof, for its wording in the revises is more characteristic of paragraph openers that announce new topics (rather than continue conversations in progress): ‘This led us to agitate the question, whether legal redress could be obtained, even when a man’s deceased relation was calumniated in a publication.’ The sentence still, however, had not been indented on the next line, prompting JB to draw a box on the revises around the entire text that was to appear as a separate paragraph. Yet, perhaps because he did not write ‘NP’ or ‘NL’ next to it, even this graphic sequestration failed of its effect, and no paragraph break occurred in the first or any subsequent edition. 4 Plymsell must have been told that a footnote keyed to ‘Mankind’ would be sent to the printing house in due course, for above the word he has written ‘Note +’. See n. a1 below. a1 The heading for this Sub-Paper Apart—‘Note for printed page 51 Word Mankind’ —indicates that the first proofs had been printed by the time JB drafted it. On 29 Sept. 1790 JB had in hand the revises of sig. E of the second volume (pp. 25–32), on which he promised to deliver more copy the following day. By Oct. 5 the next three gatherings had been printed, through p. 56 (Corr. 2a, p. lxiv). When JB drafted this note, the legal case he cites was in process, and, as he was informed, an ‘arrest of judgement’ was to be moved. The court did not announce its ruling—‘Rule absolute to arrest the judgment’—until 29 Jan. 1791, in Hilary Term. See ‘The King against E. Topham’, Term Reports in the Court of King’s Bench, 8 vols., 1817, iv. 126–30.

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1776

LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 16–17

[J 47, p. 8; 1st ed. ii. 52] [Thursday 4 April. In the forenoon I called at Mrs. Stuart’s. Lord Cassillis came there. I then called>] On Thursday 4 April having called on Dr. Johnson I said it was a pity that Truth was not so firm as to bid defiance to all attacks, [to be>] so that it might be shot at as much as people chose to attempt, & yet [be>] remain unhurt. [Then said he ‘it>] Johnson. ‘Then Sir it would not be shot at. Nobody attempts to dispute that two & two make four. But with [moral truth passions are mixed.>] [moral truth passions are mixed and men assail it.] tests concerning moral truth human passions are mixed.’ [MS 560 resumed] On friday 5 April being Good Friday [I was detained by a serious theological conversation with Sir John Pringle and so late of÷in getting to St. Clement’s Church that>] [it was so late before I got to St. Clement’s Church detained by a serious theological conversation with Sir John Pringle that>] it was so late before I got to St. Clement’s Church having been detained by a serious theological conversation with Sir John Pringle that I did not go into the pew where Johnson sat. I walked home with him when the [forenoon>]

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 proprietor÷where the defendant as the÷a proprietor>] who as a proprietor of a

Newspaper entitled THE WORLD was found guilty of a libel against [the late Earl Cowper>] Earl Cowper deceased because certain injurious charges 20 against his Lordship were published in that paper. [I understand from one of Mr. Tophams Counsel Mr. Const who is very able to maintain the argument that>] One of the counsel for Mr. Topham my friend Mr. Const who is very able to maintain the argument with learning and ingenuity informs me that it is meant to move [Juries del>] ≤in≥ arrest of judgement so that we shall 25 probably have a solemn [decision>] determination upon a point of universal importance.a2 No man has a higher reverence for the law of England in general than I have but I with all deference cannot help thinking that prosecution by [information and del] indictment if a defendant is never to be allowed to justify must often be very oppressive unless Juries, who I am more 30 and more confirmed in holding to be judges of [the del] law as well as of fact [shall quash them>] interpose.a3

a2 In the second edition, the case now having been settled, but without the desired ‘solemn determination upon a point of universal importance’, JB replaced this sentence with the following: ‘An arrest of Judgement having been moved for, the case was afterwards solemnly argued. My friend Mr. Const, whom I delight in having an opportunity to praise, not only for his abilities, but his manners; a Gentleman whose ancient German blood had been mellowed in England, and who may be truely said to unite the Baron and the Barrister, was one of the Counsel for Mr. Topham. He displayed much learning and ingenuity upon the general question; which, however, was not decided, as the Court granted an arrest chiefly on the informality of the indictment.’ a3 In the second edition JB recaptured the vigour of his original verb (‘quash’) by strengthening ‘interpose’ to ‘resolutely interpose’. Then, beginning with a new sentence (‘Of late an act of Parliament …’), he doubled the length of the footnote (see HillPowell iii. 16–17 n. 1). The phrase ‘may often be well directed’, part of JB’s quotation from his Letter to the People of Scotland (1785, p. 107), was printed ‘may be often well directed’ in Hill, a small error that has gone uncorrected.

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H-P iii. 17–18

MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1776

morning service was over. We talked of the Romish Church.5 [He said that ‘in>] Johnson. ‘In the barbarous ages ≤Sir≥, Priests and people were equally deceived; but afterwards there were gross corruptions introduced by the Clergy, such as indulgences to priests to have concubines and the worship of images [not inculcated, but knowingly permitted÷though not indeed inculcated, knowingly permitted>] not indeed inculcated, but knowingly permitted.’ He strongly censured the licenced stews at Rome. [‘Then Sir’ said I ‘you would allow no fornication÷of no irregular fornication at all.’>] [Boswell. ‘So then Sir you would allow of no irregular intercourse between the sexes at all.’>] Boswell. ‘So then Sir you would allow of no irregular intercourse whatsoever between the sexes.’ Johnson. ‘To be sure ≤I would not≥ Sir. I would punish it much more than is done, and so restrain it. In all countries there has been fornication, as in all countries there has been theft; but there may be [/more or/>] more or less of the one as [/well as/>] well as of the [MS 561] other by the force of law. All men will naturally commit fornication, as all men will naturally steal. And Sir it is [absurd÷vain to argue÷say>] vain6 to argue as has been often done that [stews÷prostitutes>] prostitutes are necessary to prevent the violent effects of appetite from violating the decent order of life, /nay [must÷should>] should be permitted in order to preserve the chastity of our wives and daughters/.7 Depend upon it Sir, severe laws [regularly÷steadily>] steadily enforced would be sufficient, [/against those evils/>] against those evils and would promote marriage.’ ≤[MS opp. 561] I stated to him this Case. Suppose a man has a daughter who he knows has been debauched but her [guilt÷misfortune>] misfortune is concealed from the World, [should he keep÷ought he to keep>] should he keep her in his house? Would he not by doing so be accessary to [imposition,>] imposition? and perhaps a worthy unsuspecting man might come and marry [this strumpet÷woman÷her>] this woman, unless he [tell÷inform him of her worthlessness.>] inform him of the truth.’ Johnson. ‘Sir [you are accessary to no imposition. Your daughter is in your house÷He is accessary to no imposition. His daughter is in his house>] He is accessary to no imposition. His daughter is in his house; and if a man courts her, he takes his chance. If a friend or indeed if any man asks his [advice÷opinion if÷whether>] opinion whether he should marry her, he [should>] ought to advise him against it without telling why; because his real opinion is then required. Or if he has other [1st ed. ii. 53] daughters who know of her wickedness, he ought not to keep her in his house. You are to consider this is the state of life. [We are to judge. del] We are to 5 The first three sentences of this paragraph were significantly revised later, partly, perhaps, because the opening sentence, rather tangled up by revisions, struck JB as awkward in the first proofs. As printed in the revises, the paragraph began more simply: ‘On Friday, April 5, being Good-Friday, after having attended the morning service at St. Clement’s church, I walked home with Johnson. We talked of the Roman Catholick religion.’ 6 In resolving his alternatives JB inserted a caret pointing to ‘vain’ above the line, but neglected to delete ‘absurd’, which led to a compositor’s error. The ‘n’ in ‘vain’, touching the ascender of the ‘b’ in ‘absurd’, was mistaken for a ‘y’, and the compositor printed ‘very absurd’. 7 JB’s optional phrase was printed in the revises.

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25

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LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 18–20

judge of [other peoples÷one anothers>] one anothers characters as well as we can, and a man is not bound in honesty or honour to tell us the faults of his daughter or of himself. A man who has debauched his friend’s daughter is not obliged to tell every body. — “Take care of me. Don’t let me into your houses, without suspicion. I once debauched a friend’s daughter. I may debauch yours.”’≥ [MS 561 resumed] Mr.Thrale [came>] called upon him, and appeared to bear the loss of his son with a manly composure. There was no affectation about him and he talked as usual upon indifferent subjects. He seemed to me to hesitate as to the intended Italian Tour [which I flattered myself He & Mrs. & Miss Thrale & Dr. Johnson were soon to take÷accomplish÷on which I flattered myself He & Mrs. & Miss Thrale & Dr. Johnson were soon to set out>] on which I flattered myself He & Mrs. Thrale & Dr. Johnson were soon to set out; and therefore I pressed it as much as I could. I mentioned that Mr. Beauclerk had said that [Signor del] Baretti whom they were to [take÷carry along>] carry with them, would keep them so long in the little towns of his own country, that they would not have time to see Rome. I mentioned this to put them on their guard. [MS 562] Johnson. ‘Sir we do not thank Mr. Beauclerk for supposing that we are to be directed by [/Mr./ del] Baretti. No Sir [Mr. Thrale is to go by my advice÷I advise Mr. Thrale to go>] Mr. Thrale is to go by my advice to Mr. Jackson8 (the all=knowing) and get from him a plan for seeing the most /that can be seen/9 in the time that we have to travel. We must to be sure see Rome, Naples, Florence and Venice, and as much more as we can’ ≤(speaking with a tone of animation)≥. When I expressed an earnest wish for his grand Remarks on Italy he said ‘I do not [think>] see that I could make a Book upon Italy. [But÷Yet>] Yet I should be glad to get two hundred pounds, or five hundred pounds.’1 This ≤at once≥ shewed that he was not sure but he might compose a valuable Journal≤; — and confirmed the constancy of that strange observation2 which his indolent disposition made him [seriously del] utter: ‘No man but a blockhead ever wrote, except for money.’ Numerous instances to refute this will occur to all who are versed in the history of Literature≥. He [gave÷brought out upon>] gave us one of [those numerous>] the many sketches of character which were treasured in his mind, and which he [would>] was wont to produce quite unexpectedly in a very entertaining manner. — ‘I 8 JB added a footnote here in the second edition: ‘A gentleman, who from his extraordinary stores of knowledge, has been stiled omniscient. Johnson, I think, very properly altered it to allknowing, as it is a verbum solenne, appropriated to the Supreme Being.’ In the third edition, the comma after ‘think’ was removed and placed after ‘properly’, and ‘allknowing’ was corrected to ‘all-knowing’. 9 JB’s optional phrase was printed in the revises. 1 Printed in the revises ‘five hundred pounds by such a work’. The punctuation closing SJ’s quotation, not marked by JB but clearly intended (and here transcribed), was left out of the revises and first edition. In the second edition this mistake was corrected. 2 This first half of JB’s sentence, reworked in a more elevated style during the course of printing, reads as follows in the revises: ‘This shewed both that a journal of his Tour upon the Continent, was not wholly out of his contemplation, and that he uniformly adhered to that strange opinion’.

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H-P iii. 20–21

MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1776

lately ≤(said he)≥ received a letter from the East Indies from [/Mr. / del] a Gentleman whom I formerly knew very well; he had returned from [India÷that country>] that country with a handsome fortune /as it was reckoned before means were found to acquire those immense sums which [MS 563] have been brought [home÷from thence>] from thence of late/,3 he was a scholar and an agreable man, and lived very prettily in London till [he lost his wife÷his wife died>] his wife died. After her death he took to dissipation and gaming, and lost all he had. One evening he lost a thousand pounds to a gentleman whose name I am sorry I have forgotten. Next morning he sent [him>] the gentleman [1st ed. ii. 54] Five hundred pounds with an apology [telling÷assuring him it was all he had in the World.÷he had no more left.>] [telling him that it was all he had in the World.>] that it was all he had in the World. The Gentleman sent the money back to him, [told him÷declared he would not have it, and if>] declaring he would not accept it, and adding that if Mr. ——— had occasion for other five hundred pounds, he would lend it [him÷to him>] to him. He resolved to go out again to the East Indies and make his fortune anew. He got [an÷a considerable>] a considerable appointment, and I thought of going out with him; and had I thought then as I do now, I should have gone; but at that time I had objections to quitting England.’ It was a very remarkable circumstance about Johnson who was reckoned ignorant of the World, that very few men had seen greater variety of characters; and none could observe them better, as was evident from the strong yet nice portraits which he drew of them. I have often thought that if he had made [/out/>] out [what [MS 564] the french call a Catalogue raisonnée÷[MS 563] a description>] what [MS 564] the french call une Catalogue raisonnée4 of all the people [with whom he was÷had been acquainted>] who had passed under his observation it would have [been>] afforded a very rich fund of [information.>] instruction and entertainment. The suddeness with which his accounts of some of them started out in conversation was not less pleasing than [surprising÷it surprised>] surprising. I remember he once observed ≤to me≥ ‘It is wonderful Sir what is to be found in London. The most literary conversation that I have ever enjoyed was at the table of Jack Ellis a money scrivener behind the [Royal Exchange.’ This Mr. Ellis5>] [Royal Exchange, with whom I used generally to 3 While JB clearly demarcated the beginning of this optional phrase, he neglected to complement the first virgule (never deleted) with a second after ‘late’. The phrase, containing JB’s resolution of an alternative, was printed. The gentleman under discussion was Joseph Fowke (d. 1806); see Hill-Powell iii. 471. 4 On JB’s confusion over the spelling and gender of this French term, see Life MS i. 110 n. 6. 5 Here JB broke off, leaving room for about three lines of additional text, and jotted a memorandum in the margin, ‘See this at Sewel’s’. By the time he returned to this leaf in revision, he had earmarked the material on Mr. Ellis for a footnote, but still underestimated the space it would require, for he had not yet drafted it (see next note). The business of John Sewel, or Sewell (?1734–1802)—printer, bookseller, bookbinder, and one of the publishers of The European Magazine, or London Review—was located at No. 32, Cornhill, near Ellis’s former haunt behind the Royal Exchange. JB visited Sewell on 8 June 1790, recording in his journal ‘I was as far as Mr. Sewell’s in Cornhill to get some little information for Johnson’s Life. Hundreds of such pieces of trouble have I been obliged to take in the course of the printing’ (Great Biographer, p. 59). Judging from the tenor of this entry, JB viewed his errand to Sewell’s as being

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LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 21

dine every tuesday.’>] Royal Exchange, with whom I at one period used to dine generally once a week.’6 ≤[MS opp. 564] [Volumes would be required to contain the variety of his acquaintance, none of whom he ever forgot and could describe them all in the liveliest manner. He was at once the companion of the elegant Colonel Forrester of the Guards Authour of the Polite Philosopher, and of the lowest Author or even printer of whose moral character he had no unfavourable opinion÷suspicion.>]7 paradigmatic of the ‘degree of trouble’ necessitated by his standard of ‘scrupulous authenticity’ when, as later recounted in the ‘Advertisement’ to the first edition, he would ‘run half over London’ to settle various inquiries (Hill-Powell i. 6–7). 6 Direction to the compositor, ‘Note * “This Mr. Ellis”’. Next to this instruction Plymsell wrote to himself, ‘Leave room for 4 lines of Note.’ Much more space (thirteen lines) was needed once JB had interviewed Ellis and drawn from two leaves of notes (Life Materials M 155: 6). On one leaf is jotted ‘Maffeus’s Canto / Some Poems in Dodsley’s Collection & various smaller pieces but a very modest man never put his name to any thing.’; and on the other, ‘The Canto added / by Mapheus to Virgils / Twelve Books of Æneas / From the Original Bombastick / Done into English Hudibrastick / With notes beneath / and Latin Text / In every other page annext. / There is a very good mezzotint [MS orig. engraved] portrait of him by Pether from a painting by Fry which Mr. Ellis presented to the Scriveners Company.’ The note appeared as follows in the revises: ‘This Mr. Ellis is, I believe, the last of that profession called scriveners, which is one of the London companies, but of which the business is no longer carried on separately, but is transacted by attornies and others. He is a man of literature and talents. He is the authour of a Hudibrastick version of Mapheus’s Canto, in addition to the Æneid; of some poems in Dodsley’s collection; and various other small pieces; but being a very modest man, has never put his name to any thing. He has shewn me a translation which he has made of Ovid’s Epistles, very prettily done. There is a good engraved portrait of him by Peffer, from a picture by Fry, which hangs in the hall of the scriveners’ company. He is now a very old man. I have visited him this day, (October 4, 1790,) in his ninety-third year, and found his judgement distinct and clear, and his memory, though faded so as to fail him occasionally, yet, as he assured me, and I indeed perceived, able to serve him very well, after a little recollection. It was agreeable to observe, that he was free from the discontent and fretfulness which too often molest old age. He in the summer of this year walked to Rotherhithe, where he dined, and walked home in the evening.’ An additional sentence in the second edition—‘He died on the 31st of December, 1791.’—accounts for the change in verb tense from present to past throughout the note, the deletion of ‘He is now a very old man’, and the alteration of the next sentence to ‘I visited him October 4, 1790, …’. In the third edition the engraver’s name was corrected to ‘Pether’. William Pether (c. 1738–1821) painted portraits and worked in mezzotint, a medium he studied under Thomas Frye (c. 1710–1762), the Irish mezzotint engraver and portrait painter who, active in England, became interested in the manufacture of porcelain. See The Dictionary of Art, ed. Jane Turner, 34 vols., 1996, xxiv. 551. 7 The position of this new material, marked with the symbol x on MS opp. 564, was indicated by a matching symbol above the paragraph it was to precede on MS 564 (‘A curious incident …’). JB had not yet finished it, however, and at the top of MS opp. 564 he listed several names to which he would return, candidates for mention in the parade of SJ’s diverse acquaintance: ‘Lady Craven (Ld. M carteney) ess of Harrington, Mrs. Gardiner the tallow=chandler—’. He deleted this roster later after fulfilling his intention, compressing his elaboration (with footnote) into the centre of the page and along the margins in a smaller hand in order to work around another paragraph that he had subsequently begun to draft—in lines perpendicular to his earlier addition—at the bottom of the page. This other paragraph (beginning ‘At another time …’ and also left incomplete on first draft) was designated by the symbol #, its counterpart on MS 564 being placed slightly above and to the left of the x . That is, JB apparently positioned it to precede the previously drafted addition.

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H-P iii. 21–22

MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1776

[At another time he told me ‘I learnt what I know of law Chiefly from Mr. Balow8 I was hurt at the time to hear this; but whoever quits the creeks of private connections and fairly gets into the great ocean of London will by imperceptible degrees unavoidably experience it. Volumes would be required to contain his numerous and various acquaintance, none of whom he ever forgot and could describe and discriminate them all with precision and vivacity. He was at once the companion of the elegant Colonel Forrester of the Guards who wrote The Polite Philosopher, and of the lowest tradesman of whose moral character he had a favourable opinion.>] At another time9 he told me ‘I learnt what I know of law Chiefly from Mr. Balow1 a very able man. I learnt some too from Chambers; but was not so teachable then. One is not willing to be taught by a young man.’ When I expressed a wish to know more about Mr. Balow, Johnson said ‘Sir I have seen him but once these twenty years. The tide of life has driven us different ways.’ I was hurt at the time to hear this; but whoever quits the creeks of private connections and fairly gets into the great ocean of London will by imperceptible degrees unavoidably experience it.2 [Paper Apart Δ] ‘My knowledge of Physick’ he said ‘I learnt from Dr. James whom I helped in writing the Proposals for his Dictionary and also a little in 8 JB here left a blank space and prompted himself, cryptically, to ‘See Hebrides Almanack’. Since there is no publication with that title, the memorandum could refer to a pocket book, or a volume like the Edinburgh Almanack, taken on his Hebridean travels with SJ, but apart from his own journal and Ogden’s Sermons, no such vade mecum is recorded. More likely, since his present topic was the tutelage received by SJ from sharp-minded friends in various disciplines (law, medicine), JB might have wanted to check on the passage from their Hebridean tour (25 Aug. 1773; Tour, v. 108–09) where—in the manner of almanacs, which commonly listed the professors at English and Scottish universities—SJ and he named members of The Literary Club to the faculty of an imaginary college at St. Andrews. The roster of their ‘very capital university’ did not include Ballow, as JB would have known, but the designation therein of ‘Chambers, the Law of England’ possibly accounts for his desire to contrast Chambers with Ballow, relative to SJ’s knowledge of the law, when, returning to this blank space in the MS, he squeezed in his fresh copy in a smaller hand. 9 Where JB positioned this paragraph, the opening phrase (‘At another time’) continued the thread of the preceding paragraph, in which SJ observes ‘It is wonderful what is to be found in London.’ Laid out in succession was the ‘wonderful’ knowledge SJ absorbed in literature, law, and medicine from Mr. Ellis, Mr. Ballow, and Dr. James. A summary paragraph followed (‘Volumes would be required …’). This sequence, however, was altered in the printing house, the summary paragraph being moved ahead of the paragraph on Mr. Ballow. The missing first proofs would tell whether the compositor was responsible, confused by the ambiguous situation of the paragraphs on MS opp. 564 relative to their corresponding symbols on MS 564 (see p. 17 n. 7), or whether JB himself changed the order. Either way, before the revises were printed JB had had to reorient the paragraph on Mr. Ballow by changing the opening phrase: in place of ‘At another time’, it became ‘On my expressing my wonder at his discovering so much of the knowledge peculiar to different professions’. 1 Printed ‘Ballow’ in the revises. A footnote keyed to his name was added in the second edition: ‘There is an account of him in Sir John Hawkins’s Life of Johnson.’ Isaac Reed had alerted JB to this account (Corr. 2a, p. 384). 2 The symbol Δ here led the compositor to a similarly-marked Paper Apart, headed ‘Back of p. 563’. The usual direction for it to be taken in is absent.

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1776

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 21–23

the Dictionary itself.3 I also learnt some from Dr. Lawrence but was then grown more stubborn.’ [MS opp. 564 resumed] Volumes would be required to contain a list of his numerous and various acquaintance,4 none of whom he ever forgot and could describe and discriminate them all with precision and vivacity. He associated with persons the most widely different in manners abilities rank and accomplishments. He was at once the companion of the elegant Colonel Forrester of the Guards who wrote ‘The Polite Philosopher’,5 and of [Mr. Fergusson the Astronomer6 del] Mr. Allen the Printer,7 of Lord Thurlow and Mrs.8 Sastres the Italian Master, and has dined one day with the beautiful gay and fascinating Lady Craven,a and the next with good Mrs. Gardner9 the tallow chandler on Snow=hill.≥ [MS 564 resumed] A curious incident happened today while Mr. Thrale & I sat with him. /Francis announced that/1 a large packet was brought to him from the Post Office said to have come from Lisbon, and it was charged a

Lord Macartney whose elegant pleasantry is eminent among his other qualities as a very agreable companion, told me that he has met Johnson at dinner at Lady Craven’s; that Johnson seemed jealous of any interference, and so said his Lordship with a smile ‘I kept back.’a1 3 Memorandum in the Life Materials (M 158), ‘James’s Dictry 1743 at Egertons — See Dedication & if you can find his Articles’. JB’s search was fruitless, as reported in a footnote added here in the second edition: ‘I have in vain endeavoured to find out what parts Johnson wrote for Dr. James. Perhaps medical men may.’ Fleeman attributes the following to SJ: the dedication, the life of ‘Alexander’, the opening paragraphs of ‘Actuarius’ and ‘Aegineta’, and the revision of the life of ‘Boerhaave’, except for the addenda (Bibliography of Johnson, i. 66). The bookshop of John and Thomas Egerton was located at Charing Cross (Maxted, p. 73). 4 In the Life Materials (M 155: 4) JB ruminated: ‘I may say time would fail me, at least my volume large as it must be would be multiplied manifold were I to turn aside and expatiate on the characters of those with whom Johnson was acquainted.’ (Cf. Life MS i. 289 n. a4.) The cause of such worry, on graphic display here in MS, was the back and forth challenge of drafting copy, seeking out more information, expatiating on Ellis’s character, reorganizing paragraphs, and correcting proof. 5 JB mentioned Scots-born Col. James Forrester (d. 1764) under the year 1763, but deleted the paragraph in which the reference occurs (Life MS i. 293). A long-serving officer in the 3rd Foot Guards, Forrester in 1762 became Col. of the 97th Foot and was appointed Governor of Belle-Isle. His conduct manual, The Polite Philospher: or, An Essay on That Art which Makes a Man Happy in Himself and Agreeable to Others (Edinburgh, 1734; ‘With Amendments and Additions’, London, 1736), proved highly popular (Army List; Scots Mag., Dec. 1764, p. 687). 6 Although his name was deleted here, James Ferguson was mentioned elsewhere in the Life and also in the Tour (Hill-Powell ii. 99, v. 149). 7 By the time the revises were printed, the example of Edmund Allen had been replaced by another, ‘the aukward and uncouth [1st ed. ii. 55] Robert Levett’. 8 A slip, this being Francesco Sastres; printed ‘Mr.’ in the revises. 9 Printed ‘Mrs. Gardiner’ in the revises. Ann Gardiner figures in a similar list of SJ’s varied acquaintance as enumerated by Francis Barber; see Corr. 2a, p. 128. 1 JB’s optional phrase was printed in the revises. a1 As printed in the revises: ‘Lord Macartney, who with his other distinguished qualities, is remarkable also for an elegant pleasantry, told me, that he met Johnson at Lady Craven’s, and that he seemed jealous of any interference; “So (said his Lordship, smiling,) I kept back.”’ The last three words became italicized in the second edition.

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H-P iii. 23–25

MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1776

[£7–10÷seven pounds ten shillings>] seven pounds ten shillings. He would not receive it, supposing [it to be÷there was an imposition÷a trick>] there was2 some trick nor did he even look at it. But upon inquiry afterwards he found that it was a real packet for him from that very friend in the East Indies of whom he had been speaking, and the [MS 565] ship which carried it having come to Portugal this packet with others had been put into the post=office at Lisbon. I mentioned a new gaming Club [of which Mr. Beauclerk had told me, where the members÷where I heard the members>] of which Mr. Beauclerk had given me an account, where the members played to a desperate extent. Johnson. ‘Depend upon it, Sir, this is mere talk. Who is ruined by gaming? You will not find six instances in an age. There is a strange rout made about [this÷deep play>] deep play; whereas you have many more people ruined by adventurous trade, and yet we do not hear such an outcry [about>] against it.’ Thrale. ‘There may be few people absolutely ruined by deep play, but very many are ≤much≥ hurt in their circumstances by it.’ Johnson. ‘Yes Sir. And so are there by other kinds of expence.’ I had heard him talk once before in the same manner, and at Oxford he said he wished he had learnt to play at cards. ≤[MS opp. 565] The [1st ed. ii. 56] truth however is that he loved to display his ingenuity in argument and therefore would sometimes in conversation maintain opinions which he was sensible were wrong but in supporting which, his reasoning and wit would be most conspicuous. He would begin thus ‘Why Sir, as to the good or evil of card=playing’ — ‘Now (said Garrick) he is thinking which side he shall take.’ He appeared to have a pleasure in contradiction, especially when any opinion whatever was delivered with an air of confidence; so that there was hardly any topick if not one of the great truths of Religion and Morality that he might not have been incited to argue either for or against it. Lord Elibanka had the highest admiration of his powers. He once observed to me ‘Whatever opinion Johnson maintains, I will not say that he convinces me; but he never fails to show me that he has good reasons for it.’ I have heard Johnson pay his Lordship this high compliment ‘I never was in Lord Elibanks company without learning something.’≥ [MS 565 resumed] We sat together till it was too late for the afternoon service. Thrale said he had come ≤with intention≥ to go to church with us. We went at seven to evening prayers at St. Clements Church, after having drunk3 coffee, an indulgence which I understood Johnson yielded to on this occasion in compliment [MS 566] to Thrale. On Sunday 7 April Easter Day, after having been at St. Paul’s Cathedral I came to Dr. Johnson according to my usual custom. [It seemed to me÷I fancied a

≤George Lord Elibank who died in 177

a1

≥

2 Printed in the revises ‘it to be’, the alternative JB had rejected; possibly a mistaken reading. 3 Written over ‘drank’, but printed ‘drank’, an uncorrected compositorial error. a1 JB added this footnote later, placing a ‘Q’ above ‘George’ to query Lord Elibank’s forename. It was corrected to ‘Patrick’ before the revises were printed. By then the year had also been supplied, but ‘died 1778’ was printed without ‘in’. The omitted preposition was restored in the second edition.

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LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 25

I saw>] It seemed to me that there was allways something peculiarly mild and placid in his manner upon this holy festival, the commemoration of the most joyful event in the History of our World, the resurrection of our Lord and Saviour, who having triumphed over death and the grave proclaimed immortality to Mankind. I repeated to him [the argument÷reasoning>] an argument of a Lady of my acquaintance, who maintained that her husband’s having been guilty of [numberless÷gross>] numberless infidelities, released her from her conjugal obligations because they were reciprocal. Johnson. ‘This is [sad÷miserable>] miserable stuff Sir — To the contract of marriage besides the man and wife there is a third party — Society — and, if it be considered as a vow — GOD. And therefore it cannot be dissolved by their own consent alone. Laws are not made for particular cases, but for mankind in general. A woman may be unhappy with her husband, but she cannot be freed [MS 567] from him without the approbation of the civil [or÷and>] and eclesiastical power. A man may be unhappy because he is not so rich as another; but he is not to seise upon [anothers property÷the property of another>] anothers property at his own hand.’ ≤Boswell. ‘But Sir this Lady does not want [1st ed. ii. 57] that the contract should be dissolved, [but only>] She only argues that she may indulge herself in gallantries with equal freedom as her husband does, provided she takes care not to introduce spurious issue into his family. You know Sir what Suetonius has told us of Faustina.’4 JOHNSON. ‘This Lady of yours Sir I think is very fit for a brothel.’≥5 Mr. Macbean authour of [Ancient Geography who had been librarian to Archibald Duke of Argyll but had been left nothing by that opulent Nobleman came in.>] [Ancient Geography came in. He had been librarian to Archibald 4 Small x’s above ‘Suetonius’ and ‘Faustina’, accompanied by the word ‘See’ in the margin, reminded JB to check on the names. New names—‘Macrobius’ and ‘Julia’— were printed in the revises, along with a footnote citing the relevant text, ‘“Nunquam enim nisi navi plenâ tollo vectorem.” Lib. ii. c. vi.’ Suetonius does not mention Faustina. Stories of adultery are told of Faustina the Younger, wife of Marcus Aurelius, in Augustan History, a work modeled on Suetonius but of dubious authenticity, printed in 1475 and edited under this English title by Isaac Casaubon in 1603. In Gibbon’s portrayal she was ‘as much celebrated for her gallantries as for her beauty’. Marcus, he claims, ‘was the only man in the empire who seemed ignorant or insensible of the irregularities of Faustina’. Depending on whether Marcus was ignorant or insensible, Gibbon’s sly footnote implies either that men are overmatched by women, or that Marcus shared a tactical understanding with Faustina: ‘The world has laughed at the credulity of Marcus; but Madam Dacier assures us (and we may credit a lady), that the husband will always be deceived, if the wife condescends to dissemble.’ See The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, ed. David Womersley, 3 vols., 1994, i. 108–09 and n. 4. 5 The identity of this lady remains highly conjectural. Pottle and Bennett are cited as suggesting that it might have been Jean, Countess of Eglinton (Hill-Powell vi. 446–47). Powell refers to BP xi. 277, the journal notes for 12 May 1776. Here JB and ‘Lady E’ converse in tones both flirtatious and earnest. Talk of kissing and of travelling around the world together alternates with graver moments: ‘She said she cd not bear to be so in a man’s power’ (relative to a matter involving Lord Pembroke); and ‘Talked to her serious of her conduct & of piety’ (Notes 12 May 1776). The Life MS reveals only that JB drew on separate journal entries from 1776 to construct this paragraph, the original portion of it based on his journal for 7 Apr., and the portion added in revision taken from the entry for 5 Apr. (see Ominous Years, pp. 320–21).

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H-P iii. 25–27

MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1776

Duke of Argyll but that opulent Nobleman had left him no provision.>] the ‘Dictionary of Ancient Geography’ came in. He [said he>] mentioned that he had been forty years from Scotland. [‘Ay÷Ah’ said Johnson smiling ‘Boswell what>] ‘Ah Boswell (said Johnson smiling) what would you give to be forty years from Scotland?’ I said I should not like to be so long absent from [the seat of my Ancestors÷my paternal estate>] the seat of my Ancestors. This gentleman [Mrs. Williams and Mr. Levet÷Mr. Levet and Mrs. Williams>] Mrs. Williams and Mr. Levet dined with us. Dr. Johnson made a remark which both [he>] Mr. Macbean & I thought [new which was that the law>] new. It was this that the law against usury is for the protection of creditors as well as of debtors for, if there were no such check people would be apt from the temptation of great interest, to lend to ≤desperate≥ persons by whom they would lose their money. Accordingly there were instances of ladies being ruined by having injudiciously sunk their fortunes [upon÷for>] for high annuities [/which were [MS 568] paid but for a few years/.÷/which sum ceased/.>] which after a few years ceased to be paid, in consequence of the ruined circumstances of the borrower. [MS 568] Mrs. Williams was very peevish, and I wondered at Johnson’s patience ≤with her≥ now as I had often done on [the same account÷similar occasions>] similar occasions. ≤The truth is that his humane consideration of the forlorn and indigent state in which this Lady was left by her father, induced him to treat her with the utmost tenderness, and even to be desireous of procuring her amusement, as sometimes to incommode many of his friends by carrying her with him to their houses where from her manner of eating in consequence of her blindness she could not but offend the delicacy of persons of nice sensations.≥ After coffee, we went to afternoon service in St. Clement’s Church. [As we observed beggars in the street I>] Observing some beggars in the street as we walked along I said to him I supposed there was no civilised country [whatever÷in the world>] in the world, where misery ≤of want≥ in the [low people>] lowest classes of the people was prevented. Johnson. ‘I beleive there is not, but it is better that some should be unhappy than that none should be happy, which would be the case in a general state of equality.’ ≤After the service≥ I went home with him, and we sat quietly by ourselves. He recommended Dr. Cheyne’s Books. I said I thought Cheyne [1st ed. ii. 58] had been reckoned whimsical. ‘So he was’, said he ‘in some things; but there is no end of objections.’6 6 In the revises SJ’s comment concluded with an additional sentence: ‘There are few books to which some objection or other may not be made.’ Yet another sentence rounded off the paragraph in the second edition of the Life: ‘He added, “I would not have you read any thing else of Cheyne, but his book on Health, and his ‘English Malady.’”’ The appearance of this final sentence can be explained by a memorandum in the Life Materials (M 158): ‘Dr. Johnson once mentioned to me Cheyne on Health & his English Malady and said These are all the Books of Cheyne I’d have you read.’ Returning to this memorandum after the first edition had been published, JB wrote ‘Vol. 2 p. 57’ above the anecdote, noting where the paragraph to be augmented began, and later crossed out the passage, marking it ‘D’ for done once he had drafted (on some other sheet, not traced) a version of the quotation for printing.

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40

LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 27–28

Upon the question whether a man7 who [had been guilty of÷fallen into>] has8 been guilty of [vicious irregularity÷immoralities>] vicious actions [would÷should>] would do well to [force÷encourage>] force himself into [penitent sadness>] solitude & sadness. Johnson. ‘No Sir, unless [to prevent÷it prevent>] it prevent him from being vicious again. [Sometimes÷With some people÷In some cases>] With some people gloomy penitence is only madness turned upside down. A man may be gloomy till in order to be relieved from gloom he has recourse again to [vice÷vicious indulgence>] criminal indulgences.’ [MS 569] On Wednesday [10 April>] April 10 I dined with him at Mr. Thrale’s where were Mr. Murphy and some [more÷other>] other company. Before dinner [Dr. Johnson÷He>] Dr. Johnson & I were some time by ourselves. I was sorry to find it was ≤now≥ resolved that the ≤proposed≥ [Journey÷Visit>] Journey to Italy should not take place this year. He said ‘I am dissappointed to be sure; but it is not a great disappointment.’ I wondered to see him bear with a philosophical calmness what would have made [most÷many>] most people peevish and fretful. [He however÷I perceived however that he had cherished the hope of enjoying a classical scene÷the classical scenes so warmly÷much that he could not part with it; for,>] I perceived however that he had so warmly cherished the hope of enjoying the classical scenes that he could not easily part with the idea; for, he said, ‘I shall probably contrive to get to Italy some other way. But I wont mention it to Mr. & Mrs. Thrale, as it might vex them.’ I [was of opinion÷expressed my opinion>] suggested that going to Italy might have done Mr. and Mrs. Thrale good. Johnson. [‘I rather believe not Sir÷‘No Sir>] ‘I rather believe not Sir. — While grief is fresh, every attempt to divert, only irritates. You must wait till grief be [digested>] digested, and then amusement will dissipate the remains of it.’ [During dinner÷At dinner>] At dinner Mr. Murphy entertained us with the history of [Mr. Joseph÷Joe>] Mr. Joseph Simpson a [MS 570] schoolfellow of Dr. Johnson’s, a barrister at law [of eminent÷who had eminent>] of good parts, but who fell into [a way of life÷a life of dissipation>] a dissipated course of life incompatible with that success in his profession which he once had, and would otherwise have deservedly maintained; yet he still preserved a dignity [of÷in his>] in his deportment. He wrote a Tragedy on the story of Leonidas, entitled The Patriot. He read it to a company of Lawyers who found so many faults that he wrote it over again. So then there were two Tragedies on the same subject and with the same title. Dr. Johnson told us, that one of them was still in his [possession; and this>] possession. This very piece was after his death published by some person who had been about him and [in order to get a little hasty profit>] for the sake of a little hasty profit was positively averred to have been written by Johnson himself.9 7

JB himself. See Hill-Powell iii. 474; Ominous Years, p. 323 n. 5. Printed ‘had’, the compositor missing JB’s change in verb tense. 9 A note on Simpson printed earlier in the Life, made redundant by this paragraph, was omitted from the second edition (see Life MS i. 341–42 and n. b3). On some of his ‘tragicomical distresses’, in Mrs. Piozzi’s phrase, see Corr. 2a, pp. 58–59 n. 17. ‘The Patriot’, Isaac Reed told JB, ‘was only indirectly insinuated to be Johnson’s. There is no mention of him in the printed copy. It was only the Advertisem[en]ts’ (Corr. 2a, p. 384). Unaware that Reed was mistaken (the title of the 1785 publication was The Patriot, a 8

23

H-P iii. 28–29

MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1776

≤[MS opp. 570] I said I disliked the custom which some people had of bringing their children into company [after dinner in very moment of festivity del], because it in a manner forced [us÷one>] us to pay foolish compliments to please the÷their1 parents.2 [‘You are right Sir’ said he.>] JOHNSON. ‘You are right Sir. [Not only may one be excused for not caring much about other peoples children but many people have no÷little concern about their own children, men who from being engaged in business, or from their course of life in whatever way, seldom see them.÷their children.÷We may be excused for not caring much about other peoples children for, there are many who have no÷little concern about their own children, people who3 from being engaged in business, or from their course of life in whatever way, seldom see them.÷their children.] We may be excused for not caring much about other peoples children for, there are [1st ed. ii. 59] many people who care very little about their own children.4 It may be observed that men who from being engaged in business, or from their course of life in whatever way, seldom see their children do not care much about them. I myself should not have had much fondness for [a child of my own÷my own child>] a child of my own.’ [‘Nay’ said Mrs. Thrale. — ‘At least’ said he, ‘I never>] Mrs. Thrale. ‘Nay Sir how can you talk so.’ — JOHNSON. ‘At least, I never wished to have a child.’≥ [MS 570 resumed] Mr.Murphy mentioned Dr. Johnson’s having a design to publish an edition of Cowley. Johnson said he did not know but he should, and he [was very angry at>] expressed his disapprobation of Dr. Hurd for having published a mutilated edition under the title of ‘Select Works of Abraham Cowley.’ Mr. Murphy thought it a bad precedent, observing that any authour might be used in the same manner; and [MS 571] that [we÷one loved to see>] it was pleasing to see the [varieties>] variety of an authour’s compositions, at different periods. Tragedy. From a Manuscript of the Late Dr. Samuel Johnson, Corrected by Himself), JB in the second edition changed the phrase ‘positively averred’ to ‘fallaciously advertised, so as to make it be believed’. In The Public Advertiser of 10 Mar. 1785, the book was said to derive ‘From a Manuscript of the late Dr. SAMUEL JOHNSON; with his own Corrections, which he gave to a Friend two Days before his Decease’. Had Reed known who the ‘Friend’ was, he no doubt would have revealed it; the person’s identity was unknown to JB. 1 Printed ‘their’ (so in the revises). 2 For JB’s footnote on this topic, the revision of which indicated his reluctance in print to assign such an opinion to Lord Chief Baron Burgh of Ireland, however much the belief was shared, see post p. 84 ll. 11–16 and n. a1. 3 Above ‘who’, in alignment with ‘people’, the words ‘ignore their’ suggest that JB was trying to work the phrase ‘people ignore their’ or ‘people who ignore their’ into his alternatives. He deleted the words in the same draft, however, leaving ‘people’ to stand with the phrase ‘who from being …’. The length of this sentence, with its exceptionally complex alternatives and the false start just described, prompted JB to simplify the passage in revision. He broke it into two sentences, ending the first one here, where he had struggled with his false start, and anchoring the syntax of the second one with a new opening clause. 4 In the revises Selfe underlined ‘children’ here and queried JB about whether to delete it, as the parallel phrasing in this sentence (‘other people’s children’ / ‘their own children’) was so clearly balanced that the noun did not need to be repeated. JB declined the suggestion, crossing out the proposed deletion mark, and replied, ‘the repetition is the Johnsonian mode.’

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1776

LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 29–31

We talked of Flatman’s Poetry and Mrs. Thrale observed that Pope had partly borrowed from him ‘The dying Christian to his soul’. Johnson repeated Rochester’s [lines÷verses>] verses upon Flatman≤, which I think by much too severe.≥5 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

20

[Paper Apart]

Nor that slow drudge in swift Pindarick strains Flatman who Cowley imitates with pains And rides a jaded muse whipt with loose reins.

[MS 571 resumed] I like to recollect all the passages that I [heard÷have heard him>] heard Johnson repeat. It stamps a value on them. [The Book entitled÷He told us that ‘The Lives of the Poets by Mr. Cibber’ was all done÷entirely written by Mr. Shiels a Scotchman; That the Booksellers gave Theophilus÷The Ciberr who was then in prison÷was in prison yet ten guineas to allow Mr. Cibber to be put upon the title=page as the Authour. and that by this a double lie÷imposition>] He told us that The Book entitled ‘The Lives of the Poets by Mr. Cibber’ was entirely compiled by Mr. Shiels a Scotchman one of his Amanuenses. ‘The Booksellers (said he) gave Theophilus6 Ciberr who was then in prison ten guineas to allow Mr. Cibber to be put upon the title=page as the Authour. by this a double imposition was intended in the first place that it was the work of a Cibber at all, and in the second place that it was the work of old Cibber.’7 Mr. Murphy said that ≤the Memoirs of≥ Gray’s Life set him much higher in his estimation [MS 572] than his Poems did; for you there saw a man 5 Although the verses from Rochester were supplied on a Paper Apart, JB left a blank space here in the main MS to reinforce his direction to the compositor—‘Take them in.’—jotted in the margin and afterwards deleted. 6 In resolving the alternatives ‘Theophilus÷The’ (l. 12), JB vacillated between Cibber’s proper name and a nickname. First he rejected ‘The’, but reinstated it by deleting ‘ophilus’ from the full name. Beneath this deletion, Plymsell later wrote in the seven letters again, and the full name was printed. That the nickname was in public use is shown by its occurrence in The Monthly Review (May 1792) in a discussion of Shiels and Cibber. It appears once in the excerpt from this passage quoted by JB in his second edition (see next note), but other times as well. ‘The. you are an expensive dog!’ exclaimed Colley Cibber, for example, when his son solicited ‘a supply of cash’ from him (p. 75). 7 ‘In the Monthly Review for May, 1792, there is such a correction of the above passage, as I should think myself very culpable not to subjoin.’ So begins the footnote added by JB in the second edition (ii. 392–94), followed by a lengthy excerpt from The Monthly Review (specifying Theophilus Cibber’s contributions to the work), with JB’s concluding comments. Marked with an asterisk, not (as usual) a numbered exponent, the note started beneath the paragraph at the bottom of the page without reference to any specific word or sentence. In the third edition, however, it was numbered and keyed to ‘Mr. Shiels’, but since this placement was ill suited to JB’s phrase regarding ‘the above passage’, the note was silently returned to its original position in HillPowell (iii. 30–31). Within the quoted excerpt, an error in the second edition (‘compliment’, the word used to characterize Shiels’s labour) was corrected in the third edition (‘compilement’). In related changes, JB in his ‘Additional Corrections’ to the second edition replaced an earlier reference to ‘Mr. Shiels the Writer of the Lives of the Poets to which the name of Mr. Cibber is affixed’ with the phrase ‘Mr. Shiels, who we shall afterwards see partly wrote the Lives of the Poets’, and in the third edition cemented this crossreference with a footnote, ‘See Vol. iii under April 10, 1776’ (Life MS i. 138, 424).

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H-P iii. 31–32

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[eternally÷continually÷perpetually>] constantly at work in literature. Johnson acquiesced in this [but thought Aikenside superiour÷said that Aikenside was superiour both to Gray and Mason.8>] [and gave it as his own opinion that Aikenside was a superiour poet both to Gray and Mason.>] but depreciated the Book I thought very unreasonably. For he said ‘I forced myself to read it, only because it was a common topick of conversation. I found it mighty dull; and as to the style, it is fit for the second table.’ Why he thought so I was at a loss to conceive. He gave it as his opinion that Aikenside was a superiour poet both to Gray and Mason.9 [1st ed. ii. 60] Johnson said ‘he thought the Reviews÷Talking of the Reviews Johnson said ‘he thought them very impartial. He did1 not know an instance of partiality.’ [He mentioned his Majesty’s having asked him whether he thought the Monthly or Critical Review the best; and that he answered÷his answer was the Monthly is done with more÷most care, the Critical upon better÷the best principles.÷‘The King’ said he ‘did me the honour to ask me2 whether I thought the Monthly or Critical Review the best; and I answered÷my answer was the Monthly is done with more÷most care, the Critical upon better÷the best principles.’>] He mentioned what had passed upon this subject of the Monthly and Critical Reviews in the Conversation with which his Majesty had honoured him. He expatiated a little more on them this evening. ‘The Monthly Reviewers ≤said he≥ are not Deists; [but christians÷they are christians>] but they are christians with as little christianity as may be, and are for pulling down all establishments. [The÷Whereas The] The Critical Reviewers are for supporting the constitution both in Church and State. The Critical /Reviewers/3 I believe often review without [reading the Books÷reading the Books through>] reading the Books through but lay hold of a [thought÷topick>] topick, and write chiefly from their own minds. The Monthly /Reviewers/4 are duller men, and are glad [to read the Books÷to read the Books through>] to read the Books through.’ He talked of Lord Lyttleton’s [wonderful÷great÷extreme>] extreme anxiety as an Authour [and how he took thirty years to write÷was thirty years about 8 In the margin JB jotted a memorandum, later deleted: ‘See where Johnson’s attack on Mason comes’. It eventually came in on MS opp. 695 (see post pp. 212–13), where SJ vents his disgust over Mason’s lawsuit against the publisher John Murray. 9 The compositor properly ignored the fact that JB, when moving onto MS opp. 572 in revision, did not delete the remant of one of his original alternatives, ‘Aikenside superiour both to Gray and Mason’. This trio of poets came up when Garrick observed that SJ was the ‘only contemporary Author of eminence who had furnished no public testimony to his powers on the stage’. SJ called this ‘a Lie; for neither Akinside, Mason, or Gray, have once recorded his name’. See the account by George Steevens in Corr. 2a, p. 118. William Johnson Temple related that Mason disliked SJ because of his ‘insensibility to the excellence of [Gray’s] poetry’ (Corr. 2a, p. 217). 1 The second of JB’s unresolved alternatives was printed in the revises, and SJ’s words were adjusted to suit direct discourse: ‘Talking of the Reviews, Johnson said, “I think them very impartial: I do … partiality.”’ 2 JB did not bother to write in the rest of his alternatives (‘I’ above ‘he’, ‘my’ above ‘his’) for the version of this sentence that would have turned SJ’s remark into a quotation, but by this point he had written enough to recollect his intention when he revisited the passage. In revision, however, JB crossed out the remark altogether and replaced it with a briefer allusion to the conversation. 3 JB’s optional word was printed in the revises. 4 JB’s optional word was printed in the revises.

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5 his History and how he employed ÷a man to point it [MS 573] for him as if (laughing)÷(laughing) as if>] that he was thirty years in preparing his History and that he employed a man to point it [MS 573] for him as if (laughing) as if6 another man could point his sense better than himself.’7 Mr. Murphy said he understood his History was kept back several years for fear of Smollet. [Johnson.>] JOHNSON. ‘This seems wonderful to Murphy and me, who never felt that anxiety, but sent what we wrote to the press, and let it take its chance.’ Mrs. Thrale. ‘The time has been ≤Sir≥ when you felt it.’ Johnson. ‘Why really Madam I do not recollect [the÷a time>] a time when that was the case.’ ≤[MS opp. 573] Talking of [The Spectator>] ‘The Spectator’ he said ‘It is wonderful that there is such a proportion of bad papers, in the half of the Work which was not written by Addison; for there was all the World to write that half, yet not a half of that half is good. One of the finest pieces in the english language is the paper on novelty, yet [one does>] we do not hear it talked of. It was written by Grove a dissenting teacher.’ He would not I [observed to myself÷perceived>] perceived call him a clergyman, [but÷though>] though he was candid enough to allow very great merit to his composition. Mr. Murphy said he remembered when there were several people alive in London who enjoyed a [respectable÷considerable>] considerable reputation merely [upon÷from>] from having written a paper in the Spectator. He remembered particularly Mr. Ince who used to [come to>] frequent Tom’s Coffee-house. ‘But’ said Johnson ‘you must consider how highly Steele speaks of Mr. Ince.’ He would not allow that the Paper on carrying a boy to travel signed Philip Homebred which was written by the Lord Chancellor Hardwick had merit. [‘it was /quite/ vulgar and÷it had nothing luminous.’>] He said ‘it was8 /quite/9 vulgar and had nothing luminous.’≥

5 The blank space suggests that, before resolving his alternatives, JB planned to check SJ’s ‘Life of Lyttelton’, where in fact two men were identified as having helped to punctuate The History of the Life of King Henry the Second (4 vols., 1767–71; 6 vols., 1769–73). The first ‘master of the secret of punctuation’ was Andrew Reid (d. ?1767), and the second was Robert Sanders (1727–83), who perhaps at that time acted as Lyttelton’s secretary. SJ’s amusement over this story led him to expand a single paragraph, as it stood in proof, into four paragraphs (19–22) of the published life (Lives ed. Lonsdale, iv. 514–15). 6 In a curiously constructed alternative, JB placed ‘(laughing)’ above and in front of ‘as if (laughing) as if’. In revision he inserted a caret to retain it and started to delete the other ‘(laughing)’, but abruptly stopped, as is evident from the beginning of a stroke that passes just through the initial parenthesis. Instead, he deleted ‘(laughing)’ above the line, leaving the rest of the phrase as transcribed. The second ‘as if’, SJ’s repetition of the words after his outburst of laughter, is absent from the revises. Either the compositor ignored the words, or they were deleted in proof. 7 JB’s stage directions (‘laughing’) and terminal quotation marks indicate that he finished the sentence treating SJ’s comment as a direct quotation. Yet he had not structured the sentence for direct discourse at the outset, and during the printing an additional verb had had to be inserted, as shown by the revises: ‘… authour; observing, that “he was thirty years … himself.”’ 8 Why JB did not capitalize ‘it’ when drafting this quotation is unclear. He left it lower case, either in the same draft or in revision, when he began to alter the passage to ‘“it was” s[aid he]’. Stopping himself, he then changed it as transcribed, adding a redundant pair of quotation marks in front of SJ’s words. 9 The optional adverb was printed.

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[MS 573 resumed] He mentioned Dr. Barry’s ‘System of Physick’.1 ‘≤He was≥ A man, (said he) who had acquired a high reputation in Dublin, came over to England and brought his reputation with him, but had not great success. His notion [1st ed. ii. 61] was that pulsation occasions death by attrition, and that therefore the way to preserve life is to retard pulsation. But we know that pulsation is strongest in infants, and that we increase in growth while it operates in its regular course; so it cannot be the cause of destruction.’ Soon after this he said something [complaisant÷kind>] very flattering to Mrs. Thrale which I do not recollect, but it concluded with wishing her long life. ‘Sir’ said I, ‘if Dr. Barry’s system be true, you have now shortened Mrs. Thrale’s [MS 574] life perhaps some minutes by accelerating her pulsation.’ [/She thought this very well.÷was pleased with the remark./ del] On thursday [11 April>] April 11 I dined with him at General Paoli’s, in whose house I [had now÷now had the honour of being a constant guest÷living whenever I was in London, which continued till I had a house of my own there.>] [had now the pleasure of living.>] [was now entertained in the highest manner as a guest.>] [now resided and had ever afterwards the pleasure of being entertained as his constant guest while I was in London till I had a house of my own there.>] now resided and had ever afterwards the pleasure of being entertained with the kindest attention as his constant guest while I was in London till I had a house of my own there. I [told how I had>] mentioned my having that morning introduced to Mr. Garrick, Count Neni a Flemish Nobleman of great rank and fortune to whom Garrick talked of Abel Drugger as a small part, and related with pleasant vanity [how÷that>] that a frenchman who had seen him in one of [his low characters÷the inferiour parts>] his low characters, exclaimed ‘Comment! Je ne le crois pas. Ce ne=st past2 Monsieur [Garrick÷Garrique>] Garrick ce Grand [Homme.’ and that he then added>] [Homme.’ I told them he then added>] Homme.’ Garrick added with an appearance of grave recollection ‘If I were to begin life again, I think I should not play those low characters.’ [Upon which I observed÷To which I answered>] Upon which I observed ‘Sir you would be in the wrong; for your great excellence is your variety of playing, your representing so well [characters so very different.÷such a diversity.>] characters so very different.’3 Johnson. ‘Garrick, Sir was not in earnest in what he said; for, to be sure his peculiar excellence [was÷is>] is his variety; [/and/>] and [MS 575] perhaps there is not any one character which has not been as well acted by somebody else as he could do it.’ /Boswell./ ‘Why then ≤Sir≥ did he talk so?’ [/Johnson./>] Johnson. ‘Why Sir to make you answer as you did.’ /Boswell./ ‘I don’t know Sir, he

1 Printed ‘Dr. Barry’s* System of Physick’ in the third edition, the asterisk indicating a new footnote, ‘*Sir Edward Barry, Baronet.’ The quotation marks were removed from ‘System of Physick’ so that the phrase would not be mistaken for a book title. The correct title was A Treatise on a Consumption of the Lungs (Hill-Powell iii. 476). 2 A faint ‘n’est’ above JB’s word, in Plymsell’s hand, clarifies the French contraction, and ‘past’ was corrected to ‘pas’ in the course of printing. 3 Finding that terminal quotation marks were missing here in the revises, Selfe corrected the error, but his correction was overlooked. The needed punctuation materialized in the second editon.

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seemed to dip deep into his mind for the reflection.’ Johnson. ‘He had not far to dip, Sir. He had said the same thing probably twenty times before.’4 Of a Nobleman [highly distinguished>] raised at a very early period to high office, he said ‘His parts ≤Sir≥ are pretty well for a Lord but would not be distinguished in a man who had nothing else, but his parts.’5 A Journey to Italy was still [at his heart÷in his head>] in his thoughts. He said ‘A man who has not been in Italy is allways conscious of an inferiority — [of not÷from his not>] from his not having seen what it is expected a man should see. The grand object of travelling is to see the shores of the Mediterranean. On these shores were the four great empires of the World — the Assyrian — the Persian — the Grecian — and the Roman. — All our Religion, almost all our law, almost all our arts, almost all that sets us above savages, has come to us from the shores of the Mediterannean.’6 The [MS 576] General [said a thought then came÷had come into his mind, that>] observed, that The Mediterranean would be a noble subject [of÷for>] for a Poem. We talked of translation. I said I could not define it, nor could I [think of÷make>] think of a similitude to illustrate it; but that [I thought÷it appeared to me that>] it appeared to me the translation of Poetry [must÷could>] could be only imitation. Johnson. ‘You may translate books of science exactly. You may also translate History, in so far as it is not embellished with Oratory which is poetical. Poetry indeed cannot be translated; and therefore it is the Poets that preserve languages; for we would not be at the trouble to learn a language [when we can÷if we could>] if we could have all that is written in it, just as well in a Translation. But as we cannot have the beauties of Poetry but in its original language, we learn the language.’ A Gentleman7 maintained that the art of printing had hurt real learning, by disseminating idle writings. Johnson. ‘Sir If it had not been for the art of

4 The attributions pertaining to these final exchanges between JB and SJ—some optional, some not; some resolved, some not—were all typeset by the compositor. The fact that they were optional shows that JB considered presenting the dialogue in a staccato back-and-forth manner. 5 In the margin here JB left himself a note (later deleted), ‘Not just so may be struck out’. The nobleman in question, as identified in Hill-Powell (iii. 36, 477) and confirmed by JB’s journal, was Lord Shelburne. Although JB preserved the ‘meaning’ of SJ’s derogatory comment, he recorded that it had been ‘much more pointedly expressed’ (Journ. 11 Apr. 1776). Perhaps JB let the remark stand, in spite of being troubled by its perceived injustice, because its target was anonymous. As Hill notes, Bentham cited Shelburne’s ‘wretched education’ and observed that his ‘head was not clear. He felt the want of clearness’. More recently, however, it has been asserted that Shelburne, notwithstanding his education (which he deplored, but which was no worse than that of other aristocrats), was a ‘good and ready speaker, a formidable debater, more persistent and better informed than almost all his contemporaries, particularly among the peerage’ (Oxford DNB). So positive an assessment supports JB’s unease over this paragraph, although the last phrase provides something of a warrant for SJ’s invidious comparison. 6 In their spellings of this sea, JB wavered over the double r’s and double n’s, the compositor over the double n (printing ‘Mediterrannean’ and ‘Mediter-[1st ed. ii. 62]ranean’). The double n was eliminated in the second edition. 7 General Paoli (Journ. 11 Apr. 1776).

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printing, we should [have now÷now have had>] now have no learning at all8; for, books would have perished faster than they could have been transcribed.’ [MS 577] This observation seems not just, considering for how many ages books were preserved by writing alone. The same gentleman maintained that a general diffusion of knowledge among a people was a disadvantage; for, it made the vulgar rise above their humble sphere. Johnson. ‘Sir, while knowledge is a distinction, [they÷those>] those who are possessed of it will naturally rise above those who are not. ≤Merely≥ To read and write was a distinction at first. But we see when reading and writing have become general, the common people keep their own stations. [In the same proportion Sir will it be÷hold with respect to÷in the effect of other kinds of knowledge.>] The same proportion Sir will it be÷hold with respect to higher attainments.’9 ‘Goldsmith [(he said)÷(said he)>] (he said) referred every thing to vanity; [his virtues and his vices too÷both his virtues and his vices>] his virtues and his vices too were from that motive. He was not a social man. He never exchanged mind with you.’ We spent the evening at [his friend Mr. Hooles the Translator of Tasso and Ariosto and Authour of several Tragedies a gentleman for whom Dr. Johnson had a long and steady regard.÷Mr. Hooles the Translator of Tasso and Ariosto and Authour of several Tragedies a gentleman for whom Dr. Johnson had much friendship.>]1 Mr. Hooles. Mr. Mickle the [able>] excellent translator of the Lusiad was there. I have preserved little of the conversation [MS 578] [of this evening÷on this occasion which I remember in general with pleasure.>] of this evening. Dr. Johnson said ‘Thomson had a true poetical genius, the power of viewing every thing in a poetical light.2 His fault is such a cloud of words sometimes, that the sense can hardly peep through. Shiels who compiled Cibber’s Lives of the Poets3 was one day ≤sitting≥ with me. I took down Thomson and read aloud a [good÷large>] large portion of him and then asked [if it was not very fine?÷“is not this very fine?”>] “is not this very fine?” Shiels having expressed the highest admiration, “Well, Sir” said I — “I have [missed÷omitted>] omitted every other line.”’ 8 In the revises Selfe queried the verb tense of this phrase, wondering whether ‘had’ might be inserted to make it read ‘should now have had no learning at all’. This was the alternative phrasing rejected by JB, who declined it again by crossing out the query. 9 How the compositor typeset this sentence, with its unresolved remant of JB’s alternatives, is unknown. The results were evidently unsatisfactory, however, for it had been reworded thoroughly by the time the revises were printed: ‘And so, were higher attainments to become general, the effect would be the same.’ 1 The precise combination of phrases comprising the rejected alternatives is unclear. JB deleted the lines altogether perhaps because he mentioned Hoole’s translation of Tasso elsewhere, and included letters in which SJ discussed his Ariosto undertaking and praised his play Cleonice (Hill-Powell i. 383, ii. 289, iv. 70). 2 See Life MS i. 316 and n. 8 on JB’s seemingly arbitrary insertion (under the year 1763) of this same idea, SJ’s perception that Thomson apprehended the world in an irreducibly poetic way. 3 In the second edition, a footnote was added here in cross reference to the previous note, also added in the second edition, regarding Shiels and the authorship of The Lives of the Poets. See ante p. 25 n. 7.

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[1st ed. ii. 63] I related [the÷a dispute between Goldsmith and Dodsley at Tom Davies in÷on the 1762 when Goldsmith asserted>] a dispute between Dr. Goldsmith and Mr. Robert Dodsley one day when we were all dining at Tom Davies’s in 1762.4 Goldsmith asserted that there was no poetry ≤produced≥ in this age, [and del] Dodsley appealed to his own Collection and [said÷admitted>] maintained [that though you could not find a Palace like Dryden’s Ode on St. Cecilia’s day, you had villages of very pretty houses.÷that you could not find a Palace like Dryden’s Ode on St. Cecilia’s day, but that you had villages of very pretty houses.>] that though you could not find a Palace like Dryden’s Ode on St. Cecilia’s day, you had villages composed of very pretty houses and he mentioned particularly ‘The Spleen’. Johnson. ‘I think Dodsley gave up the question. He and Goldsmith said the same thing: [Only÷Yet>] Only he said it in a softer manner than Goldsmith did; for he acknowledged that there was no poetry, nothing that towered above the common mark. [MS 579] You may find wit and humour in verse and [yet it is not poetry÷but that is not poetry>] yet without poetry. “Hudibras” has a profusion of these; yet it is not to be reckoned a Poem. [The Spleen>] “The Spleen” in Dodsley’s Collection on which ≤you say≥ he [particularly>] chiefly [rested÷insisted>] rested is not [a Poem÷Poetry>] Poetry.’ Boswell. ‘Does not Gray’s poetry ≤Sir≥ tower above the common mark?’ Johnson. ‘Yes Sir; but we must attend to the difference between what men in general cannot do if they would, and what every man may do if he would. Sixteen string Jack5 towered above the common mark.’ Boswell. ‘Then Sir what is Poetry?’ Johnson. ‘Why Sir it is much easier to [tell÷say>] say what it is not. We all know what light is; but it is not easy to tell what it is.’ I wished to get [from him a÷his>] from him a definition of Poetry; but [failed.÷he was not in the humour to give it.>] he was not in the humour to give it.6 On friday [12 April>] April 12 I dined with him at Mr. Thomas Davies’s [with Mr. Cradock a Liecestershire Gentleman Authour of ‘Zobeide’ a Tragedy, the Reverend Dr. Harwood who had translated the New Testament in modern Phraseology, and Mrs. Williams.>] where we met Mr. Cradock a Liecestershire

4 JB here left a memorandum—‘See if it be mentioned’, later deleted—to check whether he had previously told this story. He had not. In the following account, based on his journal of 11 Apr. 1776, JB recalled Dodsley as having characterized his Collection of Poems as a village graced with pretty houses, if no edifice as grand as Dryden’s Ode (see Ominous Years, p. 331). As JB’s entry for 25 Dec. 1762 reveals, however, it was Goldsmith who had said ‘To consider them Sir as villages[,] your’s may be as good; but let us compare house with house, you can produce me no edifices equal to the Ode on St. Cecilia’s day, Absalom & Achitophel, or the rape of the lock’ (J 2.1, JB’s London journal of 15 Nov. 1762–4 Aug. 1763). In recounting the dispute, JB placed Goldsmith’s words in Dodsley’s mouth, garbling the two positions in such way as to make SJ’s criticism—that Dodsley ceded the argument by saying ‘the same thing’ as Goldsmith—inevitable. Hill-Powell (iii. 477) mistakes the dating of the 1762 conversation. 5 In the second edition, ‘Sixteen-string Jack’ was keyed for a footnote: ‘A noted highwayman, who after having been several times tried and acquitted, was at last hanged. He was remarkable for foppery in his dress, and particularly for wearing a bunch of sixteen strings at the knees of his breeches.’ 6 This last sentence was omitted from the revises.

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Gentleman Authour of ‘Zobeide’ a Tragedy — and Dr. Harwood7 who has written and published various works.8 ≤I introduced Aristotles doctrine in his Art of Poetry of ‘the καθαρσις τν παθματν9 the purging of the passions’ as the [purpose÷intent>] purpose of Tragedy.1 ‘But how are the passions to be purged by terrour and pity’ said I with an [eager>] assumed air of ignorance to [set him on to talk>] incite him to talk, [for which>] [to effect which>] for which it was often necessary to employ some [address÷contrivance>] address. Johnson. ‘Why Sir you are to consider what is the meaning of≥2 [Paper Apart, J 47, p. 63] purging in the original sense? It is to expell impurities from the human body. ≤The mind is subject to the same imperfection.≥ The passions are the great movers of human action; but they are mixed with such [mental added and del>] impurities, that it is necessary they should be purged or refined by means of terrour & pity. For instance, Ambition is a noble passion; but by seeing upon the stage, that a man who is so excessively ambitious, as to raise himself by injustice is punished we are terrified at the 7 In the Life Materials (M 160: ‘Additions to Johnson’) JB laid the ground for a footnote on Harwood: ‘Vol 2 put a note on Harwood*. He is particularly remarkable for what he calls “A Liberal Translation of the New Testament” in which he has totally destroyed the beautiful simplicity of the original by fantastical refinement. Thus when healing the Ruler’s daughter Mark 5.41 Instead of “Damsel (I say unto thee) arise” — “Young Lady rise.” And Luke 14. v. 16 “A certain man made a great supper and bade many” — “An opulent gentleman prepared a grand and splendid entertainment and the preceding day sent invitations to a great number” — and same Chapter v. 20 “I have married a wife and therefore cannot come” — “I am now celebrating my nuptial solemnities, and it is impossible for me to come.” And John Chap III talking of Nicodemus “the same came to Jesus by night” — “this gentleman privately stole to Jesus in the silence of the night.” ‘But being one of the modern rationalists as they [call÷suppose>] suppose themselves he is guilty of the grossest perversion thus Mark Chap I v. 23 [“And there was in their Synago del] instead of “a man with an unclean spirit” he translates (here the greek) “a person who was at times afflicted with madness” and when Jesus speaks to the spirit÷rebuked him saying “hold thy peace and come out of him” (the greek) he translates “Jesus then authoritatively commanded the raging disease to quit him immediately.”’ In the second edition, however, instead of adding a footnote, JB simply extended the sentence in which Harwood is mentioned. Putting a semi-colon after ‘various works’, he went on, ‘particularly a fantastical translation of the New Testament, in modern phrase, and with a Socinian twist’. 8 After this sentence (ending on ‘Mrs. Williams’ before revision), JB briefly continued the paragraph with ‘I intr[oduced]’ before abruptly stopping, leaving some space open at the bottom of the page. When, later, he shifted ‘I introduced’ to the next line, the new paragraph trailed sideways into the margin of MS 579, not onto the next page, suggesting that he had meanwhile forged ahead with MS 580. Instead of a catchword at the bottom of MS 579, an x led the compositor to the continuation of JB’s copy in the margin. 9 In the revises Selfe queried JB’s accents or lack thereof (with ‘καθáρσις’ and ‘παθηματν’ in mind as the proper word forms). In response JB advised, ‘You may omit the accents.’ The Greek phrase duly appeared without accents in early editions of the Life. The question of Greek diacritics arose again later (see post pp. 69–70 n. 3). 1 A new footnote was keyed to the end of this sentence in the second edition, ‘See an ingenious Essay on this subject by the late Dr. Moor, Greek Professor at Glasgow.’ 2 Having run out of space in the margin of MS 579, JB here directed the compositor to ‘Take in five leaves.’ Headed ‘Five leaves to be taken in on page 579 ΔΔ’, they comprised pp. 63–72 of J 47, JB’s London journal of 3–19 Apr. 1776.

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[effects>] fatal consequences of such a passion. In the same manner a certain degree of resentment is necessary; but if we see that a man carries it too far, we pity the object of it, & are taught to moderate that passion.’ [I am recording this very ill. Dr. Johnson was grandly quent, & Cradock said to me — ‘O! that his words were written in a B’>] My record upon this occasion does great injustice to Johnson’s expression which was so forcible and brilliant that Mr. Cradock whispered me ‘O! that his words were written in a B’ [1st ed. ii. 64] I [said>] observed that the great defect of ≤the Tragedy of≥3 Othello was that it had not a mo [J 47, p. 64] for that no man could resist the circumstances of suspicion which were artfully suggested to Othello’s mind. [The Dr. said>] JOHNSON. ‘In the first place ≤Sir≥ we learn from Othello this very useful Moral not to make an unequal Match. In the second place we learn not to yield too readily to suspicion. The handkerchief is merely a trick, though a very pretty trick; but there are no other circumstances of reasonable suspicion [but that of Cassio talking in his sleep which too was not sufficient.>] except what is related by Iago of Cassios warm expressions concerning Desdemona in his sleep and this4 depended entirely upon the asserti5 No ≤Sir≥ I think Othello has more Moral than almost any Play.’ [He said Sir Alexander Macdonald was narrow not>] Talking of a penurious gentleman6 of our acquaintance Johnson said ‘Sir he is narrow not so much from avarice as from an impotence to [lay out>] spend money. He [could not>] cannot find in his heart to pour out a bottle of wine; but he would not much care [though>] if it should [sower>] sowr. He said he wished to see ≤John≥ Dennis’s Critical Works collected. Tom7 Davies said they would not sell. [The >] Johnson seemed to think otherwise. [Tom said [J 47, p. 65] that Murphy8 lived>] [Davies said [J 47, p. 65] of a certain Wit÷Authour ‘He lives>] [Davies said [J 47, p. 65] of a well=known dramatick Authour ‘He lives upon potted stories; & that he made his way as Hannibal did — by vinegar, having begun with attacking people; he mentioned I think the Players.9 3 After adding this phrase in revision, JB scored it out, then wrote it in again, the second time with a capital ‘T’ in ‘Tragedy’. Although the paper has crumbled near the end of the phrase where it was written a second time, JB appears ultimately to have deleted ‘of’. If so, the wording he wanted was ‘defect of the Tragedy Othello’. 4 Printed ‘that’, the compositor fixing what appeared to be ‘thas’. The ‘i’ looked like an ‘a’ because of the ascender of an ‘h’ in the line below. 5 The edge of the page that has crumbled away would not appear to have had room enough for this text, but it was printed so in the revises. 6 As the deleted name reveals, Croker guessed incorrectly that the ‘penurious gentleman’ mentioned here was Garrick (Hill-Powell iii. 40). When discussing Macdonald on their journey through the Hebrides, SJ encouraged JB ‘to write down a collection of the instances of his narrowness, as they almost exceeded belief’ (Tour, v. 315). For more on Macdonald, see Life MS ii. 128 n. 2. 7 Omitted by mistake. Given that two carets were used to insert ‘John’ before ‘Dennis’ in the previous line, the compositor possibly thought that the superfluous one was meant to delete ‘Tom’. 8 The journal confirms Croker’s inference (Hill-Powell iii. 40) that Arthur Murphy was the ‘well-known dramatick Authour’ of whom Davies spoke. 9 In converting Davies’s comment into direct discourse, JB did not fully adjust his phrasing nor mark where the quotation ended. See post p. 35 n. 5.

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He told1 Dr. Johnson today, that he was present when ≤Mr.≥ Murphy paid him the highest compliment that could be paid to a Layman, asked his pardon, because in telling a story he had to introduce some oaths. I mentioned Lord Bathurst’s having told at his table in 1763 before Dr. Hugh Blair who repeated it to me, that he had seen Pope’s Essay on Man in Lord Bolingbroke’s handwriting.2 Dr. Johnson doubted the fact in its full extent & put this striking question. ‘Did Blair ask Lord Bathurst if he had read it? I dare say Sir he did not read it.’ He is the best Detector of inaccurate stories that I ever knew. He would have made a capital Judge. We drank tea. Harwood was a clumsy fellow. I had fixed a meeting with Dr. Johnson this evening at the Crown & Anchor. He went home with Mrs. Williams. I sta & wrote a letter to my Wife, & then [J 47, p. 66] went to the Crown & Anchor; found Nairne & and in a little ≤while≥ came Sir Joshua Reynolds whom I had visited in the forenoon, & engaged to be with us. He gave me the genuine story of Johnson & Mudge. Mudge was a young lad about sixteen Grandson to the Mudge of whom Johnson has given a high character; he was waiting at Sir Joshua’s before breakfast eager to meet Dr. Johnson & he observed that he thought the Dr. had drawn his own character in in the Rambler. When Dr. Johnson came Sir Joshua who thought this a very pretty observation for a young man, repeated it to Dr. Johnson, who answered — ‘Does Mudge say so? — Then, Mudge lies.’ I observed it could not possibly be a lie. Sir Joshua agreed that was clear; he besides was of opinion that the character was really Johnson’s own. He said Johnson was like his Mackaw, very good humoured at times but all at once without any reason that you can see, would grow angry, and you.3 He said that he was once with him in Devonshire. The Company & Sir Joshua among the [J 47, p. 67] rest had been out a hunting; so, at dinner Dr. Johnson was left out of the conversation. Sir Joshua with a polite desire to bring him into it, said ≤smiling≥ just by way of saying what occurred first ‘Well Sir I have been galloping over fields & jumping hedges & ditches today & that is one thing I can do better than you.’ Johnson angrily answered ‘Sir when I have as mean a mind as you I shall be vain of such things.’ Sir Joshua said ‘It was a humbling thing that Johnson might say such things without people taking notice of them.’ ≤Sir Joshua 1 JB marked this sentence to begin a new paragraph and deleted ‘told’. But he did not replace the word, deciding now to redraft the anecdotes involving Murphy on a Paper Apart and (apparently) not to send the journal leaf containing pp. 65–66 to the printer. Scattered revisions already made on these pages (and on p. 67 to a passage later deleted) show JB touching up his text here and there at a glance, then changing course as he considered the material more fully. 2 Near this sentence (which is flush left in J 47, but here indented to help clarify the train of revisions) JB wrote in the margin, ‘Part of this to come in at his Lives of Poets’. Blair’s letter relating this anecdote was inserted afterwards (post pp. 293–94 and nn. 2–4). 3 Unable to recall what verb Sir Joshua had used, JB left a blank space in his journal. Later, possibly when revising J 47 for the Life, he conjectured ‘(I suppose peck at)’. Before JB deleted the anecdote that follows, he started to ready it for print, putting a smile on Reynolds’s face as he boasted of his feats on horseback, and interpreting his last comment to mean that SJ, in such angry outbursts, might be considered non compos mentis. Cp. Hill-Powell iv. 322, where Reynolds complained of ‘a very bad horse’ when riding with SJ in Devonshire on another day.

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meant that Dr. Johnson must be considered as non compos or wretchedly weak when he thus abuses his friends or companions.≥>] Davies said [Sub-Paper Apart]4 of a well=known dramatick Authour that ‘he lived upon potted stories, and that he made his way as Hannibal did — by vinegar, having begun [with>] by attacking people; he mentioned I think the Players.5 He reminded Dr. Johnson of Mr. Murphy’s having paid him the highest compliment that ever was paid to a layman, by asking his pardon for [swearing>] repeating some oaths in the course of telling a story.6 Johnson and I supt this evening at the Crown and anchor tavern in company with Sir Joshua Reynolds, Mr. Langton, Mr. Nairne now one of the scotch Judges with the title of Lord Dunsinan, and my very worthy friend Sir William Forbes of Pitsligo.7 [J 47 resumed, p. 67] [Sir William Forbes & Langton came, Dr. Johnson arrived at last. There was an admirable dispute whether>] We discussed the question whether drinking improved conversation and benevolence. Sir Joshua maintained it did. [‘No Sir’ said Dr. Johnson>] Johnson. ‘No Sir. Before dinner men meet with great inequality of understanding, & those who are conscious of their inferiority have the modesty not to talk. When they have drank wine, every man [J 47, p. 68] feels himself happy, & loses that modesty & grows impudent & vociferous. But he is not Improved. He is only not sensible of his defects.’8 Sir Joshua said that the Dr. was talking of the effects of excess in wine; but that a moderate glass enlivened the mind, by giving a proper circulation to the blood. ‘I am’ said he ‘in very good spirits when I get up in the morning. By dinner time I am exhausted. Wine puts me in the same state as when I got up; and I am sure that moderate [1st ed. ii. 65] drinking makes people talk better.’ [‘No Sir’ said Johnson>] Johnson. ‘No Sir. Wine gives not light gay ideal hilarity; but tumultous noisy clamorous merriment. I have heard none of those drunken — nay drunken is a coarse word — none of those vinous9 flights.’ Sir Joshua said 4

Direction to the compositor, ‘For p. 2 of leaves opposite to p. 579’. After changing the beginning of this comment into a quotation (‘“He lives …’), JB reverted to indirect phrasing and deleted the quotation marks, but then put the punctuation back in. Yet he neglected to rephrase his copy again or supply the closing quotation marks. The compositor could easily tell where the quotation ended, but left the phrasing as it was (‘that “he lived …’). In the revises, the last part of the quotation was printed ‘people; the players particularly.”’ JB transposed the concluding phrase, which in the first edition accordingly was printed ‘particularly the players”’. 6 JB marked the second Murphy anecdote for a new paragraph on p. 65, but not when he transferred his revisions onto the Sub-Paper Apart. Nonetheless, this sentence was printed as a separate paragraph in the revises. Having run out of room on the recto of this Sub-Paper Apart, which was a narrow leaf, JB here wrote ‘Turn’, alerting the compositor to more copy (marked for a new paragraph) on the verso. 7 Writing the cue words ‘We discussed’, JB here led the compositor back to J 47. 8 SJ elsewhere observed that ‘Wine promoted ease and freedom of conversation’ when imbibed at dinner. William Bowles heard him say this often, and also ‘that he had known many able men drink constantly without impairing their minds’ (Corr. 2a, pp. 192–93). JB did not use this information. 9 At some point JB planned to key a note to this word, but later deleted his characteristic marks for this purpose, one next to ‘vinous’ and the other beside ‘Note’ at the foot of the page. SJ’s use of vinous in this sense—‘Caused or produced by, resulting from, indulgence in wine’—is the earliest recorded in OED. The sole definition in SJ’s Dictionary carried no such charge: ‘Having the qualities of wine; consisting of wine.’ 5

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1776

— ‘Because you have sat by quite sober, & felt an envy of the happiness those who were drinking.’ [‘Perhaps’ said Johnson — ‘a contempt.’>] Johnson. ‘Perhaps — a contempt. And, ≤Sir≥ it is not necessary [J 47, p. 69] to be drunk one’s self to relish the wit of drunkeness. Do we not judge of the drunken wit of ≤the dialogue between≥ Iago & Cassio the most excellent in it’s kind, when we are quite sober. Wit is wit by whatever means it is produced; & if good, will appear so at all [times.’ He admitted that the spirits are raised by drinking by the common participation of pleasure; but that cockfighting or bear=beating will raise the spirits of a company as drinking does; though surely they will not improve conversation. He also admitted that there were some sluggish men who were improved by drinking, as there are fruits which are not good till they are rotten. ‘There are such men’ said he; ‘but they are medlars.’ But he candidly allowed that there might be a very few improved by drinking; but he maintained that he was right as to drinking in general & he observed that there is nothing which is not true of som man.>] times. I admit that the spirits are raised by drinking by the common participation of pleasure; cockfighting or bear=beating will raise the spirits of a company as drinking does; though surely they will not improve conversation. I also admit that there were some sluggish men who are improved by drinking, as there are fruits which are not good till they are rotten. There are such men; but they are medlars. I indeed allow that there have been a very few men of talents who were improved by drinking; but I maintain that I am right as to the effects drinking in general & let it be considered that there is no1 which is not true of som particular man.’ Sir William Forbes said ‘Might not a man ≤warmed with wine≥ be like a bottle of beer [J 47, p. 70] which [is improved>] was improved by being set before the fire?’ ‘Nay’ said Johnson [contemptously>] (laughing), ‘I cannot answer that. That is too much for me.’ [Worthy Sir William luckily did not mind this. Langton acquiesced in Dr. Johnson’s doctrine. Nairne either durst not speak or had nothing to say. del] [I said I knew Wine did me harm; it inflamed me, did not improve my mind, but confused & irritated it; but>] I observed that Wine did some people harm, by inflaming confusing & irritating their minds but that the experience of mankind had declared in favour of moderate drinking. [Johnson said ‘I>] Johnson. ‘Sir I do not say it is wrong, to produce [this del] self=complacency by drinking. I only deny that it improves the mind. [I scorned to take wine when>] When I drank wine I scorned to drink it when I had company. I have [drank>] drunk many a bottle by [myself, in>] myself; In the first place because I had need of it, to raise my spirits; in the second place, because I would have nobody to witness it’s effects upon me.’ [He said almost all his Ramblers were written, just as they [J 47, p. 71] were wanted for the press; that he sent so much of a paper, & wrote the rest as they were printing. He said he waited till the last, as he was then sure he should do it. — I wondered at this. But he has a rich store in his mind & only requires a little external force to make it play like a fountain.>] [He told us almost all his 1 In revision JB deleted the last five letters of ‘nothing’, but neglected to fill the space above his deletion with a new noun. A suitable noun was printed in the revises, along with a modifying phrase: ‘no position, however false in its universality’.

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Ramblers were written, just as they [J 47, p. 71] were wanted for the press; that he sent a certain portion of the copy of an Essay, & wrote the remainder while the former part of it was printing. He said he waited till the last, as he was then sure he should do it.>] [Sub-Paper Apart]2 He told us almost all his Ramblers were written just as they were wanted for the press; that he sent a certain portion of the copy of an Essay, and wrote the remainder while the former part of it was printing. When it was wanted and he had fairly sat down to it, he was sure it would be done. [J 47, p. 71 resumed] He said that for general improvement a man should read just what his immediate inclination prompted; though to be sure if a man has a science to learn, he must regularly & resolutely advance. He [said>] added ‘what we read with inclination makes a much [better>] stronger impression. If we read without [1st ed. ii. 66] inclination half the mind is employed in fixing the attention, so there is but one half to be employed on what we read.’ He [said>] told us he read ≤Fieldings≥ Amelia through, [standing with a Chair in his hand thus (and he stood holding a chair with it’s back turned to his side).>] without stopping, leaning against the back of a chair.a He said ‘if a man begins to read in the middle of a book and feels an inclination to n, let [J 47, p. 72] not quit it, to go to the beginning. may perhaps not feel again the inclination.’ Sir Joshua mentioned ≤Mr.≥ Cumberland’s Odes which were just published. [Dr. Johnson said they would have been thought as good as Odes commonly are, if Cumberland had not put his name to them; but that a name immediately draws censure, unless it be a name that bears down every thing before it. ‘Nay’ said he ‘Cumberland>] Johnson. ‘Why Sir they would have been thought as good as Odes commonly are, if Cumberland had not put his name to them; but a name immediately draws censure, unless it be a name that bears down every thing before it. Nay Cumberland has made his Odes [introduce a Man into the World.>] subsidiary to the fame of another man.3 They might have run well enough by themselves; but he has [loaded them with a name; nay he has>] not only loaded them with a name; but has made them carry double.’ a

[We have here an involuntary testimony to the excellence of this admirable writer to whom we have seen Johnson directly allowed so little merit.>] [SubPaper Apart] We have here an involuntary testimony to the excellence of this 35 admirable writer to whom we have seen that Dr. Johnson directly allowed so little merit.a1 2 Direction to the compositor, ‘For the last page but one of the five leaves for p. 579’. JB’s revision at the top of p. 71 had become so difficult to follow that he recopied it, and revised another sentence, on this Sub-Paper Apart. 3 A footnote keyed to ‘man’ was printed in the revises: ‘Mr. Romney the painter, who has now deservedly established a high reputation.’ a1 On the Sub-Paper Apart, JB’s direction to the compositor was ‘Note on Chair*’. The note was keyed to ‘stopping’ in the revises, however, for by then the phrase ‘leaning against the back of a chair’ had been deleted. JB’s first attempt at the note, in the margin of p. 71 of his journal, was a false start: ‘This will no doubt be remarked’. Then, also in the margin, and upside down at the top of the page, he drafted the copy that later was revised slightly when transferred to the Sub-Paper Apart.

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H-P iii. 44

MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1776

We talked of the Reviews & Dr. Johnson spoke of them as he did at Thrale’s.4 Sir Joshua said, what I have often thought, that he [many a time del] wondered to find so much good writing employed in them ≤when the Authours were to be unknown and so could not have the motive of fame≥. [‘Nay’ said Dr. Johnson, ‘those>] Johnson. ‘Nay Sir those who write in them, write well in order to be payed well.’ [MS 580] [Soon after this÷In a day or two he went to Bath with Mr. and Mrs. and Miss Thrale. I had never seen÷For all my travelling I had never seen that beautiful City.5>] [Soon after this day he went to Bath with Mr. and Mrs. Thrale. I had never seen÷It had strangely happened that notwithstanding all my rambles I had never seen÷Notwithstanding all my rambles I had never seen>] Soon after this day he went to Bath with Mr. and Mrs. Thrale. I had never seen that beautiful City and wished to take the opportunity of visiting it while Johnson was there. Having written to him I received the following answer. To James Boswell Esq:6 [Paper Apart] Dear Sir Why do you talk of neglect? When did I neglect you? If you will come to Bath we shall all be glad to see you; come therfore as soon as you can. But I have a little business for you at London. Bid Francis look in the paper drawer of the Chest of Drawers in my Bed=chamber, for two cases, one for the Attorney General, and one for the Solicitor General. They lye, I think at the top of my papers, otherwise they are some where else, and will give me more trouble. [1st ed. ii. 67] Please to write me immediately if they can be found. Make my compliments to all our Friends round the world and to Mrs. Williams at home. I am Sir your &c. / [Sir / Your &c. del]7 Sam: Johnson Search for the papers as soon as you can that if it is necessary, I may write to you again before you come down.

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[MS 580 resumed] [On my arrival at Bath I had a full proof of his kind attention; for there were÷I found lying for me at the Pelican under one cover 30 the following notes.8 4

A footnote in the revises gave the cross-reference: ‘Page 60 of this volume.’ Memoranda (deleted in revision), ‘Excerpt my Letter of 19 April. Take in his Why do you talk? Excerpt mine 22 April’. On 20 Apr. 1776 JB sent SJ a letter, presumably written the previous day: ‘Dr. Samuel Johnson that I intended coming to Bath’. On 24 Apr. he sent another: ‘Dr. Samuel Johnson that I had searched for the law cases, & had not found them’ (Reg. Let.). These letters, JB later saw, were not needed to introduce SJ’s. The legal dispute, over land deeded to John Taylor, was one of ‘such vicissitudes of settlement and recission that [SJ] would not pretend yet to give any opinion about it’ even on 17 Feb. 1776, more than a year after his initial reply to Taylor on the matter (Letters of Johnson ed. Redford, ii. 179 n. 1, and 296). See also Corr. 2a, p. 150 n. 16. 6 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take it in’. At the top of the letter, which was copied by Veronica Boswell, JB wrote ‘For page opposite to page [530>] [570>] 580’. As this heading reflects, the more elaborate revisions to MS 580 were drafted on MS opp. 580. 7 This redundant flourish (deleted by JB) prepared Veronica to imitate SJ’s signature, an occasional amusement of hers when copying. Cf. Corr. 2a, pp. 251–52 and n. 2. 8 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take them in’, deleted in revision when JB decided to paraphrase one of the notes instead. 5

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I shall groupe>] On the 26 of April I went to Bath and on my arrival at the Pelican Inn found lying for me an obliging invitation from Mr. and Mrs. Thrale by whom I was agreably entertained almost constantly during my stay. They were gone to the rooms. But there was a kind note from Dr. Johnson that he should stay at home for me all the evening. I went to him directly, and before Mr. & Mrs. Thrale came home, we had by ourselves some hours of tea=drinking and talk. I shall groupe together such of his sayings as I preserved during the few days that I was at Bath. Of [an eminent friend of ours who differed widely from him in politicks>] a person9 who differed from him in politicks he said ‘[In publick he is a scoundrel; in private he is a very honest gentleman.>] In private life he is a very honest gentleman but I will not allow him to be so in publick life. People [may>] may be honest [who>] though they are doing wrong. That is between their Maker and them. But we who are suffering by their pernicious conduct are to destroy them. You are sure that acts from interest. We know what his genuine principles were. They who [by their passions blind their notions of right and wrong÷allow their passions to confound distinctions between right and wrong>] allow their passions to confound the distinctions between right and wrong are criminal. They may be convinced; but they [did÷have>] have ≤not≥ come honestly by their conviction.’ It having been mentioned that a [celebrated [MS 581] Female Historian÷Lady whose writings he disliked>] certain [MS 581] female political writer10 whose doctrines he disliked had of late become very fond of dress sat hours ≤together≥ at her toilet, and even [put÷applied rouge to her cheeks, he said ‘She>] put on rouge, Johnson. ‘She is better employed at her toilet than [writing history÷using her pen>] using her pen. It is better [she should be÷to be>] she should be reddening her own cheeks than blackening other peoples characters.’ [He told us that Addison>] He told us that ‘Addison wrote Budgell’s Papers in the Spectator, [at least÷or>] at least mended them so much that he made them almost all his own. and that Draper the partner of Tonson informed÷told÷assured1 [his Wife÷Mrs. Johnson>] his Wife2 that the much admired Epilogue to the Distressed Mother [which came out in Budgell’s name÷of which Budgell assumed the credit>] which came out in Budgell’s name, was [actually>] in reality written by Addison.’ [He said ‘Government of÷by one÷Monarchy is bad in a small society, but not so in a great nation.>] [He said ‘Government of one is bad in a small society, but not so in a great nation.>] ‘The mode of Government by one’ said he ‘is ill 9 Both Mrs. Piozzi and Croker supposed this person was Burke (Hill-Powell iii. 45 n. 3, vi. 446–47). As the revision shows, JB faintly concealed that the person was both eminent and a personal friend (though the eminence could be gleaned from the reference to his ‘publick life’). 10 Mrs. Piozzi and Croker correctly identified Catharine Macaulay (Hill-Powell iii. 46 n. 2). On the like identification of ‘a certain political Lady’, see Life MS ii. 148 n. 2. 1 Printed ‘assured’ in the revises. 2 In resolving his alternatives, JB scored through ‘his Wife’, but then wiped off the deletion stroke (leaving an ink smear) and deleted ‘Mrs. Johnson’ instead. Whether the smear puzzled the compositor or JB changed his mind again later, ‘Mrs. Johnson’ was printed in the revises.

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1776

adapted to a small society, but not to a great nation.3 The characteristick of our own government at present is imbecillity. The Magistrate dare not call the Guards for fear of [1st ed. ii. 68] being hanged. The Guards [would÷will>] will not come, for fear of being given up [/to the blind rage of popular juries/>] to the blind rage of popular juries.’ Of the Father of one of our friends he [said÷observed>] observed ‘He never clarified his notions, by filtrating them through other minds. He had a canal upon his estate, where at one place the bank was too low. [“I dug it deeper” /said he/.’ ÷He dug it deeper.’>] “I dug the canal deeper” said he.’4 He [said he had read “The Grave a Poem” in 1748÷so long ago as 1748>] told me that so long ago as 1748 he had read “The Grave a Poem”5 but did not like it much.’6 I differed from him [MS 582] for though it is not equal throughout, and is seldom elegantly correct, it abounds in solemn thought, and poetical imagery beyond the common reach. The World has differed from him; for the Poem has passed through many editions and is still ≤much≥ read by people of a [gloomy cast of mind which I fear is the most just as it is very general.>] serious cast of mind. [A Lady being mentioned who did good to many÷numbers÷Mrs. Montague being mentioned as one who it was said did good to many÷numbers>] [Mrs. 3 Two errors were made in typesetting this sentence. The phrase ‘said he’, intersected by a descender from the line above, looked like ‘may be’, so the compositor (ignoring ‘is’) typeset ‘by one may be ill adapted’. His misreading escaped correction. The other error stemmed from an imperfect revision of SJ’s antitheses (‘bad in a small society … not so in a great nation’). JB substituted ‘ill adapted to’ for ‘bad in’, and wanted the other phrase to read ‘not to a great nation’. After writing ‘t’ over the ‘s’ in ‘so’, however, he failed to delete ‘in’. The compositor, unable to make sense of ‘not to in a great nation’, typeset the original phrase. In the revises JB remedied the faulty parallelism by changing the phrase to ‘is best for a great nation’. 4 JB marked the beginning of SJ’s quotation, but left the internal quotation (chosen in revision) to be punctuated by the compositor. The result was puzzling: ‘… too low.” — “I dug the canal deeper (said he).”’ Queries in the revises—unresolved by either JB or Selfe—challenged the dash and internal quotation marks, proposed placing the final quotation marks after ‘deeper’, and suggested the deletion of ‘(said he)’. In the first edition (and still), the passage stands as follows: ‘… too low. — I dug the canal deeper,” said he.’ If SJ’s speech in the revises ended without his delivering the final remark, that remark in the first edition was no longer detached, but it is not punctuated like an internal quotation in the usual way, and SJ stops speaking before crediting it to the man in the anecdote (Langton’s father: Hill-Powell iii. 47 n. 1). 5 A footnote keyed to ‘The Grave, a Poem’ was printed in the revises: ‘I am sorry that there are no memoirs of the Reverend Robert Blair, the authour of this poem. He was the representative of the ancient family of Blair, of Blair in Scotland, of which the estate went to an heiress, and afterwards to the son of her husband by another marriage. He was minister of the parish of Athelstaneford, where Mr. John Home was his successor; so that it may be truly called classick ground. His son, who is of the same name, and a man eminent for talents and learning, is now, with universal approbation, Solicitor-General of Scotland.’ The phrase ‘Scotland … the son’ was revised to ‘Ayrshire; but the estate had descended to a female, and afterwards passed to the son’ (JB changed the first two words, EM the others, with ‘gon[e]’ a false start for ‘descended’). In the second edition ‘truly’ became ‘truely’; in the third edition ‘authour’ became ‘author’ (but in this case Hill-Powell retained the first spelling). JB solicited copies of Blair’s letters from the Rev. Thomas Stedman, to whom he expressed a wish ‘to publish some account of that Poet’ if he could ‘obtain sufficient materials’ (Corr. 2a, p. 440). 6 JB’s terminal punctuation shows that by the end of this sentence he considered it a quotation. It was punctuated as such in the revises, starting from ‘so long ago’.

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Montague being mentioned as one who did good to many>] A literary Lady of large fortune7 was mentioned as one who did good to many but by no means ‘by stealth’ and instead of ‘blushing to find it praise’8 acted evidently from vanity. Johnson. ‘I have seen no beings who do [/as/>] as much good from benevolence ≤as she does from whatever motive≥. If there are such under the earth or in the clouds I wish they would come up or come down. [/What Soame Jenyns says upon this subject is not to be minded. He is quite a wit./>] What Soame Jenyns says upon this subject is not to be minded. He is a wit.9 No Sir — to act from pure benevolence is not possible for finite beings. We act sometimes from vanity, sometimes from interest.’10 He [would not allow÷checked my praise of a Lady>] would not allow me to praise a Lady then at Bath.1 ‘She does not gain upon me ≤Sir≥. I think her empty=headed.’ He was indeed a stern critick upon character and manners. Even Mrs. Thrale did not escape his friendly animadversion at times. When he & I were ≤one day≥ endeavouring to ascertain article by article how one of our friends could possibly spend as much money in his family as he told us he did, She [broke in>] interrupted us with a lively extravagant sally on the expence of clothing his children ≤describing it in a very ludicrous and fanciful manner≥. [— He÷The Sage>] Johnson looked a little [MS 583] angry /and said/2 ‘Nay Madam when you [declaim declaim>] are declaiming declaim, and when you are calculating calculate.’ — At another time when she said ≤perhaps affectedly≥ ‘I dont like to fly.’ — Johnson. ‘[You must with your wings.÷With your wings you must fly Madam.>] With your wings [1st ed. ii. 69] you must fly Madam. But have a care there are [clippers>] clippers abroad.’ [How very well was this! And how has experience proved it.>] How very well was this said! And how fully has experience proved the truth of it. — But have they not [clipped /much/ too roughly÷rudely, and gone a great deal /nearer/ than was necessary.3>] clipped rather too rudely, and gone a great deal closer than was necessary. [I expressed a wish÷an inclination to go and live÷It having been suggested that a man should go and live>] A Gentleman expressed a wish to go and live three years at Otaheite or New=Zealand in order to attain4 a full [knowledge 7

The deleted MS reference to Elizabeth Montagu confirms Hill-Powell’s identification. The compositor underscored ‘praise’ and jotted ‘q fame’ in the margin of the MS, questioning JB’s recall of Pope’s verse. The correct word, ‘fame’, was printed in the revises. 9 When JB deleted the virgules around this optional aside regarding Jenyns, he also scored through ‘quite’ and wrote in ‘merely’, only to wipe it away, leaving a cloudy but legible smear. Then, to safeguard his first deletion, he put several diagonal strokes through ‘quite’. On the confusion of JB and EM over the spelling of ‘Jenyns’, see Life MS i. 225 n. 8. Though spelled correctly here, it was printed ‘Jennyns’ in the revises and first edition, but changed to ‘Jenyns’ in the second edition. 10 A different closing sentence was printed in the revises: ‘Human benevolence is mingled with vanity, interest, or some other motive.’ 1 JB named ‘Miss O’ and Langton in his notes (J 48) for this topic and the next, enabling Powell to identify Peggy Owen and the spendthrift friend (Hill-Powell iii. 478, vi. 448–49). 2 JB’s optional phrase was printed in the revises. 3 The apparent virgules around ‘nearer’ in this construction are puzzling; it seems they should have framed ‘a great deal’ instead, in parallel with the other optional element, ‘much’. The basis for this anecdote is found in JB’s notes for 28 Apr. 1776 (J 48): ‘Mrs. Thrale[.] I dont like to fly — You must w[ith] your wings. There are clippers abroad.’ 4 Printed ‘to obtain’, probably a misreading. 8

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of>] acquaintance with people so totally different from all that we have ever [known>] [seen>] known, and be satisfied what pure nature can do for man. Johnson. ‘What could [you÷he>] you5 learn ≤Sir≥? What can savages [teach>] tell but what they themselves have seen? [As to÷Of>] Of the past or the invisible, they can tell nothing. The inhabitants of Otaheite and New Zealand are not in a state of pure nature; for it is plain they broke off from some other people. Had they grown out of the ground, you might have judged of a state of pure nature. [One may make A mythology.>] Fanciful people may talk of a mythology being amongst them but it must be invention. [But they>] They have once had Religion which has been gradually debased. And what account of their Religion can you suppose to be learnt from savages? Only consider Sir ≤our own state≥ — Our Religion is in a Book. We have an order of men ≤whose duty it is≥ to teach it. We have one day in the week set apart for it, and this in general pretty well observed. Yet ask the first ten gross men you meet, and hear [MS 584] what they can tell of their Religion.’ [On Monday April 29÷One day6>] On Monday April 29 He & I made an excursion to Bristol, where I was entertained with seeing him inquire upon the spot into the authenticity of Rowley’s Poetry as I had seen him inquire upon the spot into the authenticity of Ossians Poetry. George Catcot the Peutherer7 who was as zealous for Rowley as Dr. ≤Hugh≥ Blair was for Ossian8 attended us at our Inn and with a triumphant air of lively simplicity called out ‘I’ll make Dr. Johnson a Convert.’ Dr. Johnson at his desire read aloud some of Chattertons fabricated verses, while Catcot stood at the back of his chair moving himself like a pendulum and beating time with his feet, and now and then [looking÷looked>] looked into Dr. Johnson’s face, wondering that he was not yet convinced. We called on Mr. Barret the Surgeon and [looked at>] saw some of the originals as they were called which were executed very artificially; but from [an examination of the circumstances we were÷a careful inspection of the circumstances we were÷a distinct state of particulars we were>] a careful inspection of them and a consideration of the circumstances with which they were attended we were quite satisfied of the Imposture which indeed has been clearly demonstrated from internal evidence9 ≤by several able Criticks≥.a [1st ed. ii. 70] Honest Catcot seemed to pay no attention whatever to any objections, but insisted as an end of [MS 585] all controversy, that we should go with him to the tower of the Church of St. Mary Redcliff and [view with a

≤Mr. Tyrwhitt Mr. Warton, Mr. Malone.≥

5 JB’s choice of ‘you’ was at odds with his rejection of its complement in the previous sentence, ‘I expressed …’ (confirming Hill-Powell’s identification). 6 This vague alternative might suggest uncertainty over the date of their excursion, but JB recorded ‘Coach to Bristol’ in his notes for 29 Apr. 1776 (J 48). 7 A Scottish spelling, anglicized to ‘pewterer’ (so in revises). 8 By the time the revises were printed, JB had politely indemnified himself here: ‘as Dr. Hugh Blair was for Ossian, (I trust my Reverend friend will excuse the comparison,)’. ‘Ossian’ was italicized in the third edition; Hill-Powell stayed with the roman font. 9 Here JB broke off mid-sentence, left enough blank space for two and a half lines of text, and continued the paragraph with his next sentence (‘Honest Catcot …’). If the empty space suggests that he expected to characterize the internal evidence briefly, he later changed his mind and merely cited the three critics.

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H-P iii. 51–52

our own eyes>] view with our own eyes the ancient chest in which the manuscripts were found. To this Dr. Johnson good=naturedly agreed, and though troubled with a shortness of breathing, laboured up a long flight of steps till we came to the Place where the wondrous chest stood. ‘[There>] There’ said Catcot with [an honest bouncing>] a bouncing confident credulity, ‘there is the very chest [itself.’ There was>] itself.’ After this occular demonstration,1 there was no more to be said. [He put me in mind of the÷some of the scotch highlanders telling÷attesting and at the same time giving their reasons>] [He reminded me of some of the scotch highlanders attesting and at the same time giving their reasons>] He brought to my recollection a scotch highlander a man of learning too and who had seen the world attesting and at the same time giving his reasons for the authenticity of Ossian. ‘I have heard all that Poem when I was [young. Yes yes Fingal and Oscar and all of them.’>] [young. Yes yes Fingal and Oscar and every one of them.’>] young.’ — ‘Have you Sir? pray what have you heard?’2 — ‘I have heard Fingal and Oscar and every one of them.’ ≤Johnson said of Chatterton ‘This is the most extraordinary young man that has encountered my knowledge. It is wonderful how the whelp has written such things.’ We were by no means pleased with our Inn at Bristol. ‘Let us see now’ said I ‘how we should describe it.’ Johnson was ready with his joke. ‘Describe it Sir. — Why it was so bad that Boswell wished to be in Scotland.’≥ [After his÷our return to London I was several times with him÷Dr. Johnson at his house and took my bed there two nights.>] [After our return to London I was several times with Dr. Johnson at his house and took my bed there two nights.>] [After his return to London I was several times with him at his house and took my bed there two nights.>] After Dr. Johnson’s return to London I was several times with him at his house where I occasionally slept in the room that had been assigned to me. I dined with him at Dr. Taylor’s at General Oglethorpe’s and at General Paoli’s. To avoid a tedious minuteness I shall [also groupe together what I have preserved of his conversation÷sayings during this period without>] groupe together what I have preserved of his conversation during this period also without specifying each scene where it passed except one which [was>] will be found so remarkable as certainly to deserve a very particular [recital÷relation÷account>] relation. [Unless where the place or the persons contribute essentially to the zest of the conversation it is of no use÷moment>] Where the place or the persons do not contribute to the zest of the conversation it is unnecessary to encumber my page with mentioning them. To know of what vintage [MS 586] our wine is enables us to judge of its value and to drink it with more relish. But to have the produce of each vine of one vineyard in the same year kept separate would [be of no use.÷serve no purpose.>] serve no purpose. To 1 Possibly an allusion to ‘ocular proof’ (Othello III. iii. 360). The adjective was printed ‘ocular’. 2 The compositor, misreading the function of JB’s dashes, erroneously assigned the first question to the Scotch Highlander: ‘“I have heard all that poem when I was young. — Have you, Sir?” “Pray what have you heard?”’ JB corrected the revises so that both questions are uttered by the interlocutor. The Highlander was possibly the Rev. Donald Macqueen, as suggested by Powell on the basis of conversations recorded in the Tour (Hill-Powell vi. 448–49; v. 164, 240, 242).

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1776

know that our Wine [is of ‘the Stock of an Ambassadour lately deceased’>] (to use the advertising phrase) is ‘of the Stock of an Ambassadour lately deceased’ heightens its flavour. But it signifies nothing to know [each bing where it once was deposited÷the bing where each bottle was once deposited>] the bing3 where each bottle was once deposited. [He said ‘Garrick does>] ‘Garrick (he observed) does not [do÷play>] play the part of Archer in the Beaux Stratagem well. The Gentleman should break out through the oan which [it does not as he acts it÷does not in him as he does it>] is not the case as he does it.’ [‘Where there is no education as in savage countries Men÷To Mrs. Oglethorpe he courteously said ‘Where there is no education as in savage countries I am affraid Men>] [1st ed. ii. 71] ‘Where there is no education as in savage countries Men will have the upper hand. Bodily strength no doubt contributes to [this though it÷government is allways by mind.÷it is the mind that allways governs.>] this. But it would be so exclusive of that; for it is mind that allways overn. When it comes to dry understanding Man has the better.’ ‘[The little volumes under the title of Respublicæ÷Those little volumes the Respublicæ /which are very well done/>] The little volumes entitled Respublicæ which are very well done were [a÷the>] the Bookseller’s4 work.’ ‘There is much talk of the misery [of Beasts÷the brute creation which we occasion.>] which we occasion to the brute creation. But they are recompensed by existence. If they were not useful to Man, and therefore protected by him, they would not be near so numerous.’ — This argument is to be found in the able and benignant Hutchinson’s Moral Philosophy. But the Question is [if the Beasts>] whether the animals who endure such sufferings of various kinds for the service and entertainment of [MS 587] Man would accept of existence upon the terms on which they have it. Madame Sevigné who though she [enjoyed much>] had many enjoyments felt with delicate sensibility the prevalence of misery complains of the task of existence having been imposed upon her without her consent.5 ‘That Man is never happy for the present is so true, that all his relief from unhappiness is only forgetting himself for a little while. Life is a progress from want to want, not from enjoyment to enjoyment.’ ‘Though many men are nominally [concerned in÷with÷entrusted with>] entrusted with the administration of Hospitals and other Publick [Concerns>] 3 Printed ‘bin’ (so in revises). In its third sense in OED, ‘bing’ is synonymous with ‘bin’. The example closest in time to the Life, taken from a book on wine (1775), mirrors JB’s usage: ‘To cover the Bottles in the Bings with Saw-Dust’. 4 Printed ‘a Bookseller’s’. JB may have wanted the plural possessive of ‘Booksellers’. Abraham and Bonaventure Elzevier, active in Leiden from 1622 to 1652, produced over these three decades thirty-five ‘Republics’, works describing a country’s geography, government, economy, history, and customs. These books have been called ‘the first inexpensive series’ in modern printing, a distinction reflected in the marketing implied by the separate heading for ‘RESPVBLICAE diversorum Auctorum’ among the Elzevier imprints (David W. Davies, The World of the Elseviers 1580–1712, 1954, pp. 53, 62; Catalogue de l’Officine des Elzevier (1628), 1880, p. 13). 5 In the margin JB wrote ‘Qu[ery]’, and deleted it presumably after verifying his claim. ‘Sevigné’ became ‘Sevigé’ in the second edition, ‘Sevigne’ in the third, and ‘Sévigné’ in Hill-Powell. As Hill put it, ‘Authors and compositors last century troubled themselves little about French words’ (iii. 53 n. 2).

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LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 53–55

Institutions, almost all the good is done by one man by whom the rest are driven owing to confidence in him and indolence in them.’ ‘Lord Chesterfield’s Letters to his son I think make a very pretty Book. Take out the immorality and [it÷they>] it should be put into the hands of every young gentleman. [Ease of behaviour÷A genteel manner comes imperceptibly.>] [A genteel manner & Ease of behaviour come imperceptibly.>] An elegant manner and easiness of behaviour are acquired gradually and imperceptibly. No man can say “I’ll be genteel.” There are ten genteel women for one genteel man, because they are more restrained. A man [quite without restraint] without some degree of restraint is insufferable. But we are all less restrained than women. Were a woman sitting in company to put out her legs before her as most men do, we should be [ready÷tempted>] tempted to kick them in.’ ≤No man was a more attentive and nice observer of behaviour in those in whose company he happened to be, than Johnson, or however strange it may seem to many, had a higher estimation of its refinements. Lord Eliot informs me that one day when Johnson & he were at dinner at a gentleman’s house in London when Lord Chesterfields Letters were mentioned Johnson surprised the company by this sentence. ‘Every man of any education would [1st ed. ii. 72] rather be called a rascal than be accused of deficiency in the graces.’ Mr. Gibbon who was present, turned to a Lady who knew Johnson well and lived much with him and in his sly manner, tapping his box addressed her thus ‘Dont you think Madam (looking towards Johnson) that among all your acquaintance you could find one exception?’ The Lady smiled, and seemed to acquiesce.≥6 [MS 588] ‘ rd Sharpe’s Letters on Ita over again when I was at Bath. There is a great deal of matter in them.’ ‘Mrs. Williams was angry that Thrales family did not send regularly to her every time [when del] they heard from me while I was in the Hebrides. Little people are apt to be jealous. But they should not be jealous; for they should consider that superiour attention [will÷might>] will necessarily be paid to superiour fortune or rank. Two persons may have equal merit, and on that account may have an equal claim to attention; but one of them may have also fortune and rank, and so [has÷have>] has a double claim.’ ≤Talking of his notes on Shakespeare he said ‘I despise those who do not see that I am right in the passage where As is repeated and “Asses of great charge” introduced. That on “To be or not to be” is disputable.’≥7 A Gentleman whom I found sitting with him one morning said [he would rather have the character of a man guilty of a great÷an abominable crime than the character of an Infidel.>] that in his opinion the character of an infidel was more detestable than that of a man notoriously guilty of an attrocious crime. I 6 SJ ‘often praised’ Chesterfield’s letters, William Bowles informed JB, and ‘enlarged upon the necessity of Politeness and the difficulty of acquiring it. “Every man almost would (says he) be polite, but how few are so! which proves that to be polite is not easy.”’ See Corr. 2a, p. 192. 7 A footnote to this paragraph was printed in the revises: ‘It may be observed, that Mr. Malone, in his very valuable edition of Shakspeare, has fully vindicated Dr. Johnson from the idle censures which the first of these notes has given rise to. The interpretation of the other passage, which Dr. Johnson allows to be disputable, he has clearly shewn to be erroneous.’ In the second edition, ‘shewn’ was changed to ‘shown’.

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1776

differed [from÷with him /because we are surer of the odiousness of one than of the culpability÷errour of the other/.>] from him because we are surer of the odiousness of one than of the errour of the other.8 Johnson. ‘Sir I agree with him; for the Infidel would be guilty of [that>] any crime if he inclined.’ ‘Many things which are false [pass÷are transmitted>] are transmitted from Book to Book and gain credit in the World. One of these is the cry against the evil of Luxury. Now the truth is, that Luxury [is the parent of much good÷produces the greatest good>] produces much good. Take the luxury of building in London. Does it not produce real advantage [in the÷more>] in the conveniency [MS 589] and elegance of accomodation and this from the exertion of industry? People will 9 you with a melancholy face, how many builders are in gaol. It is plain they are in gaol not for building; for rents are not fallen. A man gives half a guinea for a dish of green pease. How much gardening ≤does this occasion;≥ how many [workmen÷labourers>] labourers must the competition to have such things [1st ed. ii. 73] early in÷to1 the market, [keep in employment.÷employ.>] keep in employment. You will hear it said very gravely, “Why was not [this half guinea spent in luxury>] the half guinea thus spent in luxury given to the poor, to how many might it have afforded a good meal.” Alas! has it not gone to the industrious poor whom it is better to support than ≤the≥ idle poor. You are much surer that you are doing good when you [pay>] pay money to those who work, as the recompence of their labour, than when you [give>] give money merely in charity. Suppose the ancient luxury of a÷the2 dish of peacocks brains were to be revived how many carcases would [be left to the poor at a cheap rate.÷that leave cheap to the poor.>] be left to the poor at a cheap rate. ≤And as to the rout that [MS opp. 589] is made about people who are ruined by extravagance, it is no matter to the Nation that some individuals suffer. When so much general productive exertion is the consequence of Luxury the Nation [does÷need>] does not care though there are debtors in gaol nay they would not care though their creditors were there [too÷also>] too.’≥ ≤General Paoli having regretted that the genius of Sir Joshua Reynolds had not been exercised in Statuary by which it would have been much longer perpetuated ‘True Sir’, said Johnson; ‘but portrait painting gets him present money.’3 8 JB did not delete the virgule before ‘because’, but by settling his alternatives within the optional phrase, he signalled his wish to retain it, and it was printed. The phrase ‘odiousness of the one’, as printed in the revises, included the definite article omitted in the MS. 9 A hole mars the upper right corner of the MS where the words ‘all’ and ‘tell’ occurred. 1 Printed ‘in’ (so in revises). 2 Printed ‘a’ (so in revises). 3 Overlooked by the compositor, this paragraph was not printed. JB is unlikely to have deleted it in proof; its value lay both in the provocative idea relative to Reynolds, and in SJ’s response, which complemented his observation (two months earlier) about the difficult and time-intensive labour of sculpting: ‘a fellow will hack half a year at a block of marble to make something in stone that hardly resembles a man’ (Hill-Powell ii. 439; cp. Ominous Years, p. 276). The source of the omitted anecdote was this note (9 May 1776/J 48): ‘Gen Pao. came. [Dinner well. del] We drove in coach. Gen said Sir Josh by Statuary wd — eternitati. Johns said Ay but by portraits present money.’ For a reproduction of this page of notes, see BP vi. 48.

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LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 56–58

General Oglethorpe’s uncommon vivacity of mind and variety of knowledge having4 sometimes made his conversation seem too desultory, Johnson observed ‘Oglethorpe Sir, never compleats what he has to say.’≥5 [MS 589 resumed] When I complained of having dined at a splendid table without hearing one sentence of conversation worthy of being remembered, he said ‘Sir there seldom is any such conversation.’ — ≤BOSWELL.≥ ‘Why then meet at table?’ ≤JOHNSON.≥ ‘Why to [MS 590] eat and drink together and promote kindness; and Sir this is better done when there is no solid conversation, for when there is, people differ in opinion and get into bad humour, or some of the company who are not capable of such conversation are left out and feel themselves uneasy. [/It was/>] It was for this reason Sir Robert Walpole said he allways talked bawdy at his table because in that all could join.’ ≤Being irritated [by a Gentleman who teised him with a variety of questions about his life, He÷by hearing a Gentleman ask Mr. Levet a variety of questions about him when he was sitting by, He>] by hearing a Gentleman ask Mr. Levet a variety of questions concerning him when he was sitting by, He broke out ‘Sir you have but two topicks, yourself and me. I am sick of both.’≥6 ‘A man ≤(said he)≥ should not talk of himself nor much of any particular person. He should take care not to be made a proverb, and therefore should avoid having any one topick that people can say “We shall hear him upon it.” There was a Dr. Oldfield who was allways talking of the Duke of Marlborough. He came in to a Coffeehouse one day and told that his Grace had [spoke÷spoken>] spoken in the House of Lords for half an hour. Said Belcher the Surgeon “Did he indeed speak half an hour?” “Yes.” — “And What did he say of Dr. Oldfield?” — “Nothing.” — “Why then ≤Sir≥ he was very ungrateful for Dr. Oldfield could not have spoken a÷for7 a quarter of an hour without [saying÷mentioning>] saying something of him.”’ [1st ed. ii. 74] ‘Every man is to take existence on the terms on which it is given to him. To [MS 591] some men it is given on condition of not [using÷taking liberties which other men may use with impunity.÷take without harm.>] taking 4 First draft, ‘The uncommon vivacity of General Oglethorpe’s mind having’. In another lapse of attention (see n. 3 above) the compositor missed JB’s deletion of ‘The’ and the caret that resituated the phrase ‘uncommon vivacity of’. The awkward result, overlooked in proof, stood as follows in the revises: ‘The uncommon vivacity of General Oglethorpe’s mind, and variety of knowledge, having’. It has remained uncorrected. 5 The darker ink of the paragraphs on Generals Paoli and Oglethorpe, used also in changes to the paragraph at the top of MS opp. 589, suggests that JB revisited these pages at least twice. In the second edition, a new paragraph was inserted at this point: ‘He on the same account made a similar remark on Patrick Lord Elibank: “Sir, there is nothing conclusive in his talk.”’ The source of this anecdote has not been traced. 6 This anecdote, drafted on MS opp. 590, is based on JB’s notes for 13 May 1776 (J 48) about breakfast with Levet and SJ: ‘I was asking too much about him — You have but two topicks yourself & me & I’m sick of both.’ The fact that he added this anecdote later, while including the adjacent one about Dr. Oldfield in his original draft, suggests ambivalence about recounting SJ’s irritation with him, even anonymously. JB indicated that the addition on MS opp. 590 should start a new paragraph, but not whether this negated his paragraph break on MS 590. The compositor did not indent the next paragraph, but resorted to a dash to separate SJ’s speeches: ‘… both.” — “A man (said he) …’ (so in revises). This dash was omitted in the third edition. 7 Printed ‘for’ (so in revises).

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1776

liberties which other men may take without much harm. One man may [indulge in÷drink>] [indulge in>] drink wine and be nothing the worse for it; On another wine may have effects so inflammatory as to injure him both in body and mind, and perhaps make him commit something for which he [shall deserve÷may deserve÷deserves>] may deserve to be hanged.’8 ‘Lord Hailes’s Annals of Scotland have not that pointed9 form which [people like now-adays÷is the taste of this age>] is the taste of this age. But it is [a÷the>] a Book which will allways sell, [there is÷it has>] it has such a stability of dates ≤such a≥ certainty1 of facts and ≤such a≥ punctuality of citation. I never before read scotch history with [certainty÷authenticity>] certainty.’ [I asked him if I should not read the Bible with a Commentary /and which he would recommend/. ‘Yes Sir Lowth and Patrick on÷for the Old Testament and Hammand on÷for the New.’>] I asked him whether he would advise me to read the Bible with a Commentary and what commentaries he would recommend. JOHNSON. ‘To be sure Sir I would have you read the Bible with a commentary, and I would reccommend Lowth and Patrick on the Old Testament and Hammand on the New.’2/3 [MS 613] During my stay in London this spring I solicited his attention to another Law Case in which I was Counsel. In the course of a contested election for the [Borough÷Burgh of Dunfermline a man of the name of Scotland÷one of the political agents>] Borough of Dunfermline which I attended as one of my friend Colonel now Sir Archibald Campbell’s counsel, a man of the name of Scotland one of the political agents4 attacked very rudely in a Newspaper the Reverend [Mr.÷Jas.>] Mr. James Thomson one of the Ministers of that place on 8 In revision, JB placed the symbol x here and again on MS opp. 591, next to which he wrote ‘NP’ and ‘Pope’ to start a new paragraph. He deleted all this later, abandoning whatever topic concerning Pope he had in mind. 9 Printed ‘painted’ in the second edition, a textual corruption never remedied. 1 A small mark above this word in the MS perhaps prompted JB’s revision here, a repetition of the phrase ‘such a’ before ‘certainty’ and ‘punctuality’. 2 SJ included ‘Some Commentaries on the Bible’ in a list of books he recommended to the Rev. Daniel Astle (Corr. 2a, p. 156). 3 Direction to the compositor, ‘Go to page 613 and take in’. Reorganizing his narrative in revision, JB here brought forward the legal case against the Rev. James Thomson (MSS 613–15), deferring his account of SJ’s dinner with John Wilkes (MSS 591–607), a set piece he wanted to introduce with greater fanfare. The material to which the compositor was now directed consisted of MSS 613–14 and three Papers Apart, two linked to MS 614 and a third beginning with a phrase recopied from the top of MS 615 (see n. 7 below). That this section was designed to showcase SJ’s legal acuity is suggested by a memorandum in the Life Materials (M 147, under 1775): ‘Dictates to me a Defence of the Reverend Mr. Thomson for rebuking a man by name from the pulpit, by his own authority.’ 4 The MS confirms that Campbell’s agent was Robert Scotland (Hill-Powell vi. 448–49). As altered to cloak his identity, this passage stood as follows in the revises: ‘Colonel (now Sir Archibald) Campbell’s counsel, a man, one of his political agents, who was charged with having been unfaithful to his employer, and having deserted to the opposite party for a pecuniary award’. (Given such a long appositive construction, JB now changed the comma after it to a dash.) Likewise, three sentences further on (see p. 49 l. 7), ‘Mr. Scotland’ was printed in the revises ‘The person arraigned’. In the first of these sentences, ‘now’ became ‘afterwards’ in the second edition, and ‘a man’ was omitted. On Robert Scotland, and JB’s own ‘peculiar violence of declamation’ against him in Feb. 1775, see Ominous Years, pp. 60–61 and nn. 8, 9, and 3.

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H-P iii. 58–59, 62, 64

account of a supposed allusion to him in one of his sermons. Upon this the Minister on a subsequent sunday arraigned him by name from the pulpit pretty severely; and he after the [service÷sermon>] sermon was over, rose up and asked the Minister aloud ‘what bribe he had received for telling so many lies.’ [It was a most extraordinary scene. I myself was present at it.>] I was present at this very extraordinary scene. [Mr. Scotland÷The Agent brought>] Mr. Scotland and his father and brother who had also had a share both of the reproof from the pulpit, & in the retaliation brought an Action Against [the Minister÷Mr. Thomson>] Mr. Thomson in the Court [MS 614]5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [MS 615] [shall here insert it÷present them with it. del]7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [MS 591 resumed] [I am now÷I come now to record÷relate what I think one of the most curious incidents in Dr. Johnson’s Life÷a curious incident in Dr. Johnson’s Life÷that curious incident to which I have alluded above which fell under my own observation÷immediate knowledge and for which I trust both He & I will have credit from the truly liberal=minded and benevolent.>] I am now to record a very curious incident in Dr. Johnson’s Life which fell under my own observation of which pars magna fui and which I am persuaded will with the liberal-minded be much to his credit. a

[Paper Apart] As a proof of Dr. Johnson’s extraordinary power of composition, it appears from the original manuscript of this Performance of which he dictated the first eight paragraphs on the 10 of May & remainder on the 13 that there are in the whole only seven corrections or rather variations and those not considerable. Such were at once the vigorous and accurate 25 emanations of his mind. 20

5 MS 614 is missing, and with it JB’s copy for the rest of this paragraph, down to ‘the following argument in confutation of it’; his direction to the compositor for taking in SJ’s rebuttal of the judgment in Scotland v. Thomson; the paragraph with Burke’s comment on SJ’s argument; and most of the next paragraph, which begins ‘Mr. Thomson wished …’ (1st ed. ii. 74–78; Hill-Powell iii. 59–63). On the verso of MS 614 JB probably directed the compositor to return to the point on MS 591 where the leap forward to MS 613 had occurred (see n. 3 above). The Paper Apart recording SJ’s dictation is missing from the Life MS. 6 Although MS 614 is missing, a Paper Apart survives bearing a footnote keyed to the following paragraph (1st ed. ii. 78): ‘When I read this to Mr. Burke, he was highly pleased, and exclaimed, “Well, he does his work in a workman-like manner.”’ The Paper Apart is headed ‘Note for p. 614 “manner”’. 7 Deleted direction to the compositor, ‘Take it in’. JB probably recopied the direction, along with the end of this sentence (choosing the alternative ‘shall here insert it’—so in revises), on the verso of MS 614. There being no cause for MS 615 to accompany MSS 613–14 to their new location beside MS 591, it remained where it belonged in numerical sequence (post pp. 67, 70–71). The Paper Apart introduced here, Lord Thurlow’s opinion on the case, no longer forms part of the Life MS. In the paragraph leading into Thurlow’s opinion, JB changed ‘noble Lord’ to ‘noble person’ in the revises, and in the statement of articles preliminary to the opinion, he struck out ‘defendant’ and ‘for the plaintiffs’, the final words of articles 1 and 2 respectively (1st ed. ii. 78, 79; Hill-Powell iii. 63).

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My desire of being acquainted with [MS 592] [celebrated÷eminent men in every way÷of every sort>] eminent men in every way had made me much about the same time obtain an introduction to Dr. ≤Samuel≥ Johnson and8 John Wilkes Esq. Two men more different could perhaps not be [singled out÷picked out÷found>] singled out from all mankind. They h even attacked [one another÷each other>] one another [keenly÷violently>] keenly in [their writings÷print>] their writings; yet I lived in [very good habits with both, and their arrows were shot over my head and past÷by my sides but never through me.>] habits of friendship with both. I could fully relish the excellence of each [and÷for>] for I ever delighte in that intellectual chymistry which can separate [good /qualities/ from evil÷the fine /qualities/ from the worse>] good qualities from evil in the same person. Sir John Pringle ≤‘my Fathers friend and my own’≥9 between whom Johnson I in vain wished to establish an acquaintance as I respected and [lived÷was1>] lived intimacy with both of them observed to m once very ingeniously ‘It is not in frend as in Mathematicks where [things equal one another are equal among÷between themselv>] two things each equal a third are equal between themselv. [You agree with Johnson and you agree wi me as a middle quality.÷You as a middle quality agree with Johnson and you agree wi me.>] You agree with Johnson as a middle quality and you agree wi me as a middle quality. But Johnson and I sh not agree.’ Sir John was not sufficiently [MS 593] so I desisted ≤knowing indeed that the repulsion was equally strong on the part of Johnson who I know not from what cause unless his being a scotchman, had conceived a very erroneous opinion of Sir John≥. But I [conceived÷took>] conceived an irresistible wish, if possible to bring [Johnson÷Dr. Johnson>] Dr. Johnson and [Wilkes÷Mr. Wilkes>] Mr. Wilkes together. How to [manage÷do>] manage it was a nice and difficult [question÷matter>] matter. [My good÷worthy friends and Booksellers Messieurs Dilly÷Mr. Charles2 Dilly in the Poultry at whose hospitable & well covered table I have seen a greater number of eminent men than at any table where I ever had the good fortune to sit, except that of Sir Joshua Reynolds, had invited me÷gave me an invitation to meet Mr. Wilkes and some more gentlemen at dinner on Wednesday 15 May.>] [My worthy friends Messieurs Dilly in the Poultry at whose table I have seen a greater number of eminent men than at any table 8

Printed ‘and to’. JB deleted ‘to’ in the revises, but his correction was ignored. Printed in the revises ‘“mine own friend and my father’s friend”’; ‘father’s’ was then capitalized. The likelihood that JB was alluding to the opening of Proverbs 27: 10— ‘Thine own friend, and thy father’s friend, forsake not’—is heightened by the otherwise fussy change from ‘my’ to ‘mine’. JB’s impulse to signalize Pringle’s friendship was shared by Strahan, who called him ‘our most valuable and worthy Friend’ (Corr. 2a, p. 11) in a letter used subsequently in the Life (post p. 270), and also many years earlier by Lord Auchinleck, who described him in a letter to JB as ‘the most sincere friend I ever had and the person to whom I owe most obligations’ (18 June 1763, C 215). Pringle often mediated the struggles between JB and his father. 1 Whether this alternative contained another word is unclear. Bits of text lost along the tattered edge of this page have been restored, in angled brackets, from the revises. 2 A hole in the page above ‘Booksellers’ obscures what alternative phrasing JB had in mind. 9

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where I ever had the good fortune to sit, except that of Sir Joshua Reynolds, had invited me to meet Mr. Wilkes and some more gentlemen at dinner on Wednesday May 15.>] [My good friends Messieurs Dilly in the Poultry at whose hospitable and well-covered table I have seen a greater number of literary men than at any other table, except at that of Sir Joshua Reynolds, had invited me to meet Mr. Wilkes and some more gentlemen at dinner on Wednesday May 15.>] My worthy Booksellers and friends Messieurs Dilly in the Poultry at whose hospitable and well-covered table I have seen a greater number of literary men than at any other, except at that of Sir Joshua Reynolds, had invited me to meet Mr. Wilkes and some more gentlemen at dinner on Wednesday May 15. ‘Pray’ said I ‘let us÷let’s3 have Dr. Johnson.’ ‘What with Mr. Wilkes — Not for the World’ said [/Mr./ Dilly>] Mr. Edward Dilly. ‘Dr. Johnson would never forgive me.’ — ‘Come’ said I ‘if you’ll let me [manage the business÷negotiate for you, I shall be answerable that all shall go well.’÷it shall be quite agreable.’>] negotiate for you, I will be answerable [1st ed. ii. 81]4 that all shall go well.’ ≤DILLY.≥ ‘Nay if you will take it upon you I am sure I shall be very happy to [see÷have>] see them together.’ Notwithstanding the high veneration which I entertained for Dr. Johnson I was sensible that he [had in his composition a little of÷was sometimes moved÷actuated a little by the spirit of contradiction, and by means of this÷by working upon÷on that I hoped to gain my point.>] [was sometimes actuated a little by the spirit of contradiction, and by means of that I hoped to gain my point.>] was sometimes a little actuated by the spirit of contradiction, and by means of that I hoped would gain my point. I was [sure÷persuaded>] persuaded that if I had [gone to÷come upon>] come upon him5 with a direct proposal ‘Sir [will you dine with Jack Wilkes÷Mr. Dilly wishes to know if you will dine with Jack Wilkes>] will you dine in company with Jack Wilkes’ [MS 594] he would have [flown in a passion÷been very angry>] flown in a passion and would probably have answered ‘Dine with Jack Wilkes! ≤Sir≥ I’d6 as soon dine with Jack Ketch.’a I therefore [took occasion as we were sitting quietly by ourselves at his house in an evening>] while we were sitting quietly by ourselves at his house in an evening took occasion to carry on my plan [as follows÷thus>] thus ‘Mr. Dilly Sir sends his respectfull compliments to you and would be happy if you would do him the honour to dine with him on Wednesday next along with me as I must soon go to Scotland.’ a

≤This has been circulated as if actlly said by Johnson when the truth is it was only supposed by me.≥

3

Printed ‘let us’ in the revises. On this gathering, sig. M (pp. 81–88), forty changes (mostly to punctuation) show up in the first edition that were not made to this sheet in the bound revises, Houghton MS Hyde 51 (24). It is unlikely that these were all last-minute changes in the printing house. A second revise of this sheet must be missing. 5 In resolving his alternatives JB accidentally scored through ‘him’ along with ‘gone to’. Plymsell put the word back in. 6 Misreading where JB had inserted ‘Sir’, the compositor typeset ‘Wilkes, Sir! I’d’ (so in revises and all subsequent editions). 4

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— Johnson. ‘Sir I am obliged to Mr. Dilly. I will wait upon him.’ — BOSWELL. ‘[That is to say Sir if the company÷Provided Sir his company>] Provided Sir I suppose, if the company which he is to have should be agreable7 to you.’ — Johnson. ‘What do you mean Sir? What do you take me for? Do you think I [am so ignorant÷know so little>] am so ignorant of the World as to suppose that I am to prescribe to a gentleman what company he is to have at his table?’ Boswell. ‘I beg your pardon Sir [/for wishing to prevent you from meeting people whom you might÷would÷do not like/.>] for wishing to prevent you from meeting people whom you might not like. Perhaps he may have some of what he calls his patriotick friends with him.’ Johnson. ‘Well Sir, and what then? What care [I for his patriotick friends>] I for his patriotick friends? Poh!’ — Boswell. ‘I should not be surprised [if ÷to find>] to find Jack Wilkes there.’ Johnson. ‘And if Jack Wilkes should be there? What is that to me Sir? My Dear friend [let us÷let’s>] let us have no m [MS 595] of this. I am sorry to be angry with you; but really it is treating me strangely to talk to me as if I could not meet any [company÷body>] company whatever occasionally.’ Boswell. ‘Pray forgive me Sir. I meant well. [/But/>] But You shall meet whoever comes, for me.’ Thus I [got him fixed>] secured him, and told Dilly that he would find him very well pleased [to be÷as>] to be one of his guests on the day appointed. Upon the much expected Wednesday I called on him about half an hour before dinner as I often did when we were to dine out together to see that he was ready in time and ≤to≥ accompany him. I found him [battling with>] bustling among his books as upon a former occasion,8 covered with dust and making no preparation for going abroad. ‘How is this Sir’ said I. [‘Dont you recollect that you are to dine at Mr. Dilly’s.’÷‘I am come to go with you to dine at Mr. Dilly’s.’>] ‘Dont you recollect that you are to dine at Mr.9 Dilly’s.’ Johnson. ‘Sir I did not [1st ed. ii. 82] think of going to Dillys. It went out of my head. I have ordered dinner at home ≤with Mrs. Williams≥.’ Boswell. ‘But my dear Sir you know you were engaged to Mr. Dilly and I told him so. He will expect you and will be much dissappointed if you [MS 596] dont come.’ Johnson. ‘You must talk to Mrs. Williams ≤about this≥.’ —

7 JB resolved his alternatives poorly, deleting ‘his’ and keeping ‘if the’ (made redundant by ‘Provided’). Whether the compositor addressed this error when typesetting or JB when correcting proof, the construction stood as follows in the revises: ‘Provided, Sir, I suppose, that the company which he is to have is agreeable’. 8 JB added a footnote here to the revises with a cross-reference: ‘[Page>] See page 47 of this Volume’ (ante p. 6 ll. 13–18). The ascender of the ‘b’ in JB’s deleted ‘battling’ overlapped the ‘s’ in ‘bustling’ above it, giving the effect of an ‘f’ and causing the compositor to read ‘buffeting’. This mistake led to the deletion of ‘among’ (evidently in first proof), and ‘buffeting his books’ was the end result. (For a facsimile of this page, see Bruce Redford, Designing the ‘Life of Johnson’: The Lyell Lectures, 2001–2, 2002, Fig. 9, facing p. 81.) JB did not mention the scene in his notes on this part of the episode: ‘Then Dr. Johns. — in study — Did not think of going to Dillys had ordered dinner at home. You must talk wt Mrs. Williams She peevish a little at first [?managed] her. Then Dillys’ (15 May 1776/J 48). 9 In revision JB wrote ‘Messrs’ over ‘Mr.’, then crossed it out and wrote ‘Mr.’ again above the line. He vacillated throughout this passage over whether to characterize the dinner as being hosted by one of the Dillys or both Edward and Charles. (See next two notes.)

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Here was a sad dilemma. I feared that what I was so confident I had secured would yet be frustrated. He [stood in some degree of awe of Mrs. Williams and if>] had accustomed himself to shew Mrs. Williams such a degree of humane attention as sometimes imposed some restraint upon him, and I knew that if she should be obstinate he would not stir. I [ran÷hastened>] hastened down stairs to the blind Lady’s room & told her I was in great uneasiness for Dr. Johnson had engaged to me to dine this day at [Mr. Dillys>] Messrs. Dillys1 but that he ≤had≥ told me he had forgotten his engagement and had ordered dinner at home. — ‘Yes Sir [said she pretty peevishly>] (said she pretty peevishly) Dr. Johnson is to dine at home.’ ‘Madam [said I>] (said I) his respect for you is such that I know he will not leave you unless you absolutely desire it. But as you have [his company so often÷so much of his company>] so much of his company I hope you will be good enough to [forego it÷give it up>] forego it for a day as Mr. Dilly is a very worthy man has [often÷frequently>] frequently had agreable parties at his house for Dr. Johnson and will be vexed if the Doctor neglects him today. And then Madam be pleased to consider my situation. I carried the message, and I assured Mr. Dilly that Dr. Johnson was to come, and [to be [MS 597] sure>] no doubt [MS 597] he2 has made a dinner and invited a company and boasted of the honour he was assured by me he was to have. I shall be quite [affronted>] disgraced if [he does not go.’÷the Doctor is not there.’>] the Doctor is not there.’ — She gradually softened to my intreaties which were certainly as earnest as most intreaties to Ladies upon any occasion, and [/was/ graciously /pleased to bid me/÷empowered me÷commissioned me>] was graciously pleased to empower me to tell Dr. Johnson that [all things considered she thought he should certainly go.>] ‘all things considered she thought he should certainly go.’ I flew back to him still in dust and careless of what should be the event ‘indifferent in his choice [Dilly’s or home’÷to go or stay’>] to go or stay’; [and÷But the moment÷as soon as>] But as soon as I had announced to him Mrs. Williams’s [consent÷lenient3 approbation>] lenient consent, he roared ‘Frank a clean shirt’ and was very [quickly÷soon>] soon drest. When I had him fairly [in the>] seated in a hackney coach with me I exulted as much as a fortune=hunter who has [an÷his heiress in the post=chaise with him.>] got an heiress into a post=chaise with him to set out for Gretna Green.4 1 Printed in the revises ‘Mr. Dilly’s’. Either JB’s revision was overlooked, or the possessive was restored in proof. As often with his possessives and contractions, JB had left out the apostrophe in the first place, so his revision from possessive to plural involved no alteration to ‘Dillys’. 2 Plymsell changed the catchword on MS 596 to ‘they’, but deleted it before revising ‘he’ on MS 597. If this was done with JB at his side, either he or JB immediately noticed that the pronoun had to agree with ‘Mr. Dilly’ earlier in the sentence. 3 Although ‘lenient’ is the word JB intended, in contrast with the ‘obstinate’ refusal he feared might result from his talk with Mrs. Williams (l. 5 above), the writing looks like ‘le vent’, since no ink flowed on JB’s upstroke into the first ‘n’ (similar skips on upstrokes are found elsewhere in the MS). When JB in revision deleted ‘approbation’ above ‘consent’ (the first word on a new line), he left the adjective above ‘Williams’s’ (in the previous line at the right edge of the page). The compositor ignored it—either unable to read it, or concluding that JB meant to delete it along with ‘approbation’, there being no caret to draw it into the phrase ‘lenient consent’. 4 In revision, JB first chose ‘his heiress’, but changed it to ‘got an heiress’ as he lengthened the sentence. A stray phrase on the back of MS 597—‘and thanked him

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When we entered Mr. Dillys [dining÷drawing>] dining room5 he found himself in the midst of [a company÷people>] a company whom he did not know. I kept [MS 598] myself snug and silent, watching how he would [conduct÷behave>] conduct himself. I [observed÷perceived>] observed him whispering to Mr. Dilly ‘Who is that gentleman Sir?’ — ‘Mr. Arthur Lee.’ — — ‘Tut tut tut’6 ≤under his breath≥ /which was one of his habitual mutterings/.7 — Mr. Arthur Lee [was not only a Patriot but an American and afterwards>] could not but be very obnoxious to Johnson, for he was not only a Patriot but an American. He was afterwards Minister from the United States at the Court [1st ed. ii. 83] of Madrid. — ‘And who is the Gentleman in lace?’ — ‘Mr. Wilkes Sir.’ — This information confounded him still more. He had some difficulty to restrain himself, and taking up a book sat down [at a window÷upon a window seat>] upon a window seat and read, or at least kept his eyes upon it intensely for some time till he composed himself. [His situation I dare say was÷He felt himself I dare say>] His situation I dare say was aukward enough. But he no doubt recollected his having rated me for supposing that he could be at all disconcerted by any company, and he therefore [tuned himself up÷resolutely set himself to appear÷behave>] resolutely set himself to behave quite as an easy man of the World who [can adapt÷reconcile>] could adapt himself at once to the disposition & manners of those [whom he may chance to meet.÷whom chance may throw in his way.>] whom he might chance to meet. The cheering sound of Dinner being [MS 599] upon the table÷‘Dinner is [MS 599] upon the table’8 dissolved his reverie, and we all sat down in good humour .9 There were present besides Mr. Wilkes & Mr. Arthur Lee who was an old companion of mine when he studied ≤physick≥ at Edinburgh — Mr. — now Sir John Miller, Dr. Letsom [/the Quaker Physician/ and Mr. Slater a druggist.÷another gentleman.>] [and Mr. Slater the druggist and Mrs. Knowles the Quaker Lady well known for her various talents.>] and Mr. Slater the druggist.1 Mr. Wilkes placed himself next to Dr. Johnson and behaved to him with so [very attentive a politeness÷whole an attention>] [much politeness>] much attention & politeness that he gained upon him insensibly. No man eat more heartily than Johnson [or loved better what÷or was fonder of what÷and with great warmth for all his kindness’—suggests that JB might have considered extending his sentence further to capture another facet of his exultant mood, except that he would have drafted such an insertion on the facing page, which is blank. Later deleted, the phrase eventually wound up on MS 608 (see post p. 66 n. 9). 5 Printed in the revises ‘drawing-room’, the rejected alternative, either from misreading or revision in proof. The hyphen was dropped in the third edition. 6 Printed in the revises ‘JOHNSON. “Tut, tut, tut,”’. SJ’s expression became ‘Too, too, too’ in the second edition. See Life MS i. 340 ll. 25–27. 7 JB’s unresolved optional phrase was printed in the revises. 8 The alternative phrase was printed: ‘“Dinner is upon the table”’ (so in revises). 9 Printed in the revises ‘we all sat down without any symptom of ill humour’. 1 JB’s notes on the guests—‘Wilkes, Dr. Letsom, Miller, Arthur Lee, Druggist Slater — Mrs. Knolles after dinner’ (15 May 1776/J 48)—reveal why he did not name Mrs. Knowles in his original draft. In revision, considering this an oversight, he introduced her into the margin, but deleted this addition when he found (on MS 606) he had described her joining the company after dinner. Yet his effort did not go to waste, for he used the phrase drafted here to replace his previous characterization of her there (post p. 64 ll. 11–12).

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loved what>] or loved better what was nice and tasty. Mr. Wilkes was at great pains in helping him [with>] to some fine veal. ‘Pray give me leave Sir. — It is better here. [A little÷bit of the brown — some fat Sir — a bit÷little of>] A little bit of the brown — some fat Sir — a little of the stuffing — some gravy — Let me have the pleasure of [giving you some butter÷helping you to butter>] giving you some butter. — Allow me to recommend a squeese of [an÷this>] this orange — or the lemon perhaps may have more zest.’ — ‘Sir Sir I am obliged to you Sir — [Sir Sir del]’ cried Johnson bowing and turning his head to him with a look for some time of ‘surly virtue’2 but in a short [time>] while of complacency.3 Foote being mentioned, Johnson [MS 600] said ‘He is not a good Mimick.’4 — One of the company added ‘A merry Andrew a Buffoon.’5 Johnson. ‘Why yes,6 But he has wit too and is not deficient in ideas or in fertility & variety of imagery, and not empty of reading; he has knowledge enough to fill up his part. One species of wit he has in an eminent degree that of escape. You drive him into a corner with both hands; but he’s gone Sir, — when you think you have got him — like an animal that jumps over your head. Then he has a great range [for÷in>] for his wit. He never lets truth stand between him and a jest. And he is sometimes mighty coarse. ≤Garrick is under many restraints [that Foote is not>] from which Foote is free.’ Wilkes. ‘Garricks wit is more like Lord Chesterfield’s.’ Johnson.≥ ‘The first time I was in company with Foote was at Fitzherbert’s. Having no good opin of the fellow I was resolved [against being entertained by him, & went on eating>] not to be pleased and it is very difficult you know to please a man against his will. I went [1st ed. ii. 84] on eating my dinner pretty sullenly affecting not to mind him. But the dog was so very [diverting÷humourous÷comical>] comical that I was obliged to lay down my knife & fork throw myself back upon my chair, and fairly laugh it out. No Sir he was irresistible.a He upon one occasion had an extraordinary proof of a

≤Foote told me that Johnson said of him ‘For loud obstreperous broadfaced mirth I know not his equal.’a1≥ 2

JB added a footnote here in the revises, ‘Johnson’s London a Poem v. 145.’ The merest phrase in JB’s notes—‘Wilkes & he next to each other’ (15 May 1776/ J 48)—was the precursor to the account in this paragraph. 4 Here JB tasked himself to ‘See if in any oyr. [other] place goes out of himself without going into other people be mentioned.’ He later replied, ‘Yes p. 357 print’ (where SJ criticizes Foote’s mimicry in these very words; Hill-Powell ii. 154), and deleted the query. For another marginal self-audit regarding the repetition of anecdotes about Foote, see Life MS ii. 125 n. 1. 5 JB’s notes reveal the identity of this speaker, and how fully he recorded SJ’s remarks in this exchange: ‘[Johnson] Foote not good mimick — Mr. E. Dilly. Like Merry Andrew or Buffoon. [Johnson] Why yes — But has wit too — not defic’t in ideas or fertility variety of imagery & not empty of reading — has knowledge enough to fill up his part. One species of wit he has in an emin degree that of escape. You drive him into a corner wt both hands & think you have him but he’s gone Sir like an animal that jumps over your h[e]ad when you think you’ve got him — He has great range. He never lets truth stand between him & a jest & is sometimes mighty coarse. Garrick under many restraints that he is not’. On trying to corner Foote, see also Tour, v. 391. 6 These first words of SJ’s speech were omitted in the printing, probably an oversight. 3

a1 JB imported this remark from elsewhere. His notes for the anecdote about the small beer were slightly sketchier than those on the exchanges about Foote’s wit: ‘a

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the [power [MS 601] of his talents.÷efficacy [MS 601] of his powers of entertaining.>] efficacy [MS 601] of his powers of entertaining. Amongst the many and various [ways÷modes>] modes which he tried of getting money, he became a partner with a small=beer brewer and [he del] was to have a share of the profits for procuring customers amongst his numerous acquaintance. Fitzherbert was one who took his small=beer; but it was so bad that the servants [could not drink÷resolved not to drink>] resolved not to drink it. They were at some loss how to notify their resolution being affraid of offending their Master who they knew liked Foote much as a companion. At last they [pitched÷fixed>] fixed upon a little black boy who was rather a favourite, [to be their deputy÷that he should deliver their remonstrance>] to be their deputy & deliver their remonstrance; and having invested him with the whole authority of the Kitchen he was to [speak to Fitzherbert>] inform Mr. Fitzherbert in all their names upon a certain day ≤that they would drink Foote’s small=beer no longer≥. On that day Foote happened to dine at Fitzherberts and this boy served at table. He was so delighted with Foote’s stories & merriment [/and grimace/>] and grimace that when he went down stairs he told them ‘this is the finest man I have ever seen — I will not deliver your message — I will drink his small=beer.’ Somebody7 [MS 602] observed ≤that≥ Garrick could not have done this. Wilkes. ‘Garrick would have made the small=beer still smaller. He is now leaving the stage but he will play Scrub all his life.’ — I knew that Johnson would let nobody attack Garrick but himself, as Garrick once said to me, and I had heard him praise his liberality; so to [make way>] bring out his commendation of his celebrated pupil I said loud ‘I have heard Garrick is liberal.’ Johnson. ‘/Yes Sir I know that/8 Garrick has given away more money than any [body and>] [one that I know÷man in England and>] man in England that I know and that not from ostentatious views. Garrick was very poor when he began life; so when he came to have money, he probably was very unskilful in giving away, and saved when he should not. But Garrick began to be liberal as soon as he could; And I am of opinion the reputation of avarice which [he has had÷has been imputed to him>] he has had, has been very lucky for him and prevented his having many enemies. You despise a man for avarice but you dont hate him. Garrick might have been much [better÷more strongly>] [more strongly>] better attacked for livin [MS 603] with more splendour than [is÷was>] is suitable to a Player. If they had had the wit [to have attacked÷to attack >] to have attacked him in that quarter [/they might have galled him more/>] they might have galled him more. But [1st ed. ii. 85] they 7 Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. JB did not recall who this speaker was. Wilkes’s following comment on Garrick in the role of Scrub accompanied his earlier comparison of Garrick’s wit to Lord Chesterfield’s. JB deferred the comment to improve the flow of topics, resituating the conversation on Garrick’s liberality along with the two discussions of Foote. 8 JB’s optional phrase was printed in the revises.

merriment in Foote not easy to resist. First time saw Foote at Fitzherbs eat dinner — At last obliged to lay down knife & fork & lye by in chair & laugh — Fitzerbs servs Foote’s beer black boy deputed — So pleased wt his wit went down to kitch & he’d drink Footes beer’. For another recounting of this anecdote, see Boswell in Extremes, p. 174.

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have kept clamouring about his avarice which has rescued him from much obloquy and much envy.’9 ‘When I was10 a young fellow I wanted to write the Life of Dryden and in order to get materials I applied to the only two persons then alive who [I knew del] had seen him. These were Old Swiney and old Cibber. Swiney’s information was no more than this that [at Will’s coffeehouse he had a chair for himself by the fire in winter which was called his winter chair, which was carried out for him to the Balcony in summer and was then called his summer chair.>] “At Will’s coffeehouse Dryden had a particular chair for himself which was set by the fire in winter and was then called his winter chair, and that it was carried out for him to the Balcony in summer and was then called his summer chair.”1 Cibber could tell no more but that he remembered him a decent old man Arbiter of critical disputes at Will’s. You are to consider that Cibber was [/then/>] then at a great distance from Dryden, had ≤perhaps≥ one leg only in the room and durst not draw in the other.’ Boswell. ‘Yet Cibber was a man of observation.’ Johnson. ‘I think not.’ Boswell. ‘You will allow his Apology to be well done.’ [MS 604] Johnson. ‘Very well done to be sure Sir. That Book is a striking proof of the justice of Pope’s remark Each might his several province well command Would all but stoop to what they understand.’

Boswell. ‘And his Plays are good.’ Johnson. ‘Yes. But that was his trade l’esprit du corps. He had [lived all=ways÷all his life>] been his life2 among Players and Play=writers. I wondered that he had so little to say ≤in conversation≥; for he had kept the best company and learnt all that can be [had÷got>] got by the ear. 25 He abused Pindar to me, and then shewed me [an Ode with this couplet Perchd on the Eagle’s soaring wing The lowly linnet loves to sing.>] [an Ode with an absurd couplet making a linnet soar on an eagles wing.>] an Ode of his own with an absurd couplet making a linnet soar on an eagles 9 On the verso of MS 602, well below where this paragraph ends on MS 603, JB wrote, with no insertion symbol, ‘Wherever Garrick one night sleeps / He drops the doggrel rhime / The snail thus marks the way he creeps / By nauseous filthy slime’. The quatrain, later deleted, was composed by Foote when he heard that Garrick, before leaving the stage, had travelled around the country visiting ‘several of the nobility and gentry, and where he came, he always left some couplets of poetry, fill’d with the most fulsome praises of his host and his family’. JB’s version strays slightly from the original: ‘Wherever Garrick dines or sleeps, / He drops a doggrel rhime; / The snail thus marks the road she creeps, / By slobb’ring sordid slime’ (Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Samuel Foote, Esq; the English Aristophanes, 1778, p. 82). 10 JB later provided some context for SJ’s new topic here: ‘Talking of the great difficulty of obtaining authentick information for biography, Johnson told us “When I was …’ (so in revises). 1 JB wrote and deleted ‘Qu[ery]’ here in the margin. 2 Printed ‘been all his life’ (so in revises); JB’s error in resolving his alternatives was caught either by the compositor or in proof.

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wing.a I told him that when the Ancients made a Simile they [/allways/>] allways made it like something real.’ ≤Mr. Wilkes remarked that among all the bold flights of Shakspeares imagination the boldest was aking Birnam wood march to Dunsinane, the creation of a wood where there ver was shu.3 And he also remarked that the clannish slavery of the highlands of Scotland was the single exception to Miltons remark of ‘the Mountain Nymph Sweet Liberty’ being worshiped in all hilly countries.4 ‘When I was at Inveraray’ said he ‘in the time of my old friend Archibald Duke of Argyll his dependants congratulated me on being such a favourite of his Grace. I said “it is then Gentlemen truly lucky for me; If I5 had [1st ed. ii. 86] displeased the Duke and he had wished it there is not a Campbell among you but would have brought John Wilkes’s head to him in a charger. It would have been only

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Off with his head so much for Aylbury.” 15 I was then member for Aylesbury.’≥ ≤[MS opp. 604]6 Dr. Johnson and Mr. Wilkes [got upon÷talked of>] talked 16 of the contested passage in Horace’s Art of Poetry Difficile est proprié communia 17 a

See Page

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a1

3 There being no room left for copy along the (now tattered) margin of MS 604, JB directed the compositor to ‘Go the back’, where the paragraph continued, filling the verso of the leaf. Altered and extended, the present sentence was printed as follows in the revises: ‘Mr. Wilkes remarked, that “among … Birnam-wood march to Dunsinane; creating of a wood where there never was a shrub; a wood in Scotland!!! ha! ha! ha!”’ JB deleted ‘of’ from ‘creating of a wood’, and slightly moderated Wilkes’s derision by deleting two of the exclamation points after ‘Scotland’. 4 In correcting the revises, JB made a quotation of this remark (‘the clannish … countries’), and adjusted the punctuation around ‘The Mountain Nymph, sweet Liberty’ to make it an internal quotation. A dash appeared here in the first edition to separate Wilkes’s two speeches. 5 MS orig. ‘I said it was truly lucky for me; for I’. The compositor, overlooking a deletion, printed ‘for’ after the semi-colon. In JB’s first draft, Wilkes began to recount what he had said indirectly; after JB recast the phrase, Wilkes was quoting himself. Missing this shift, the compositor did not typeset the remark as an internal quotation, but JB caught the mistake in the revises and punctuated it at ‘it is then, gentlemen’. 6 This paragraph stems from brief notes: ‘Wilkes quoted diffic propria communia dicere to speak of Queen Carol drinking tea[,] tea cups and saucers. Johns. He means to appropriate common things as Homer did — qualities common to all’. Because these notes were out of sequence—following mention of JB’s accompanying SJ home, conversing there, and returning to Dilly’s—the paragraph wound up on MS opp. 604 by means of the symbol Δ. This revision preceded JB’s extension of Wilkes’s comments on Birnam Wood and ‘clannish slavery’ in the Highlands (neither of which appears in JB’s notes), which pushed them onto the verso of p. 604 (n. 3 above). Throughout this section, ‘propriè’ was printed in the revises, at variance with JB’s accents (or lack thereof). a1 Printed in the revises ‘See page 217 of Vol. I.’ Because SJ had recited Cibber’s couplet in this earlier speech (on MS 222, Life MS i. 278 and n. 7), JB revised three other passages where SJ repeated it, so as to vary the anecdote: on MS 344 (Life MS ii. 48 and n. 2); here on MS 604; and on p. 95 of the Ashbourne Journal (post p. 129 ll. 7–13, 19–21).

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H-P iii. 73

dicere. Mr. Wilkes [gave the interpretation ‘it is difficult to speak with propriety of common things.’ If you were to speak of Queen Caroline÷things’ as when a Poet had to speak of a Queen drinking tea — to avoid /the vulgarity/ of cups and saucers.>] [according to my note gave the interpretation ‘it is difficult to speak with propriety of common things.’ If÷things’ as when a Poet had to speak of Queen Caroline÷a Queen drinking tea — to avoid the cups and saucers.>]7 [[Paper Apart H] Mr. Wilkes said that the word communia being a Roman law term meant things communis juris that is to say what had never yet been treated by any body, and that this appeared clearly from what followed tuque Rectius iliacum carmen deducis in actus Quam si proferres ignota indictaque primus

You will easier make a Tragedy out of the Iliad than on any subject not handled before.>] according to my note gave the interpretation thus ‘it is 15 difficult to speak with propriety of common things.’ If÷things’ as when a Poet had to speak of Queen Caroline÷a Queen drinking tea — to avoid the cups and saucers.8 But upon reading my note he tells me that9 [Paper Apart H] he meant to say that the word communia being1 a Roman law term meant things communis juris that is to say what had never yet been treated by any body, and 20 that this appeared clearly from what followed tuque Rectius iliacum carmen deducis in actus Quam si proferres ignota indictaque primus 7 Reconstructing the stages of drafting here is complicated by the ambiguity of JB’s original alternatives in phrasing and syntax, and by the number of revisions to the passage, including intentions abandoned mid-course and ultimately left incomplete. In this first stage of revision, addressing his alternative phrasings, JB scored through ‘you were’ and ‘vulgarity/ of’, at the same time underlining ‘the’ within the virgules, presumably not to italicize it but to retain it for the phrase ‘the cups and saucers’. Before finishing these revisions, however, he deleted the whole passage from ‘gave’ to ‘saucers’, and in the margin next to ‘Mr. Wilkes’ at the beginning of the sentence wrote ‘See Paper H’ (for ‘Horace’). 8 Having first replaced this passage with Paper Apart H (see note above, note below), JB now reinstated it, with further alterations, by writing ‘stet’ twice in the margin. He neglected, however, to finish resolving his alternatives, and his deletion stroke through ‘vulgarity/ of’ was too faint for the compositor to detect. The results in proof must have prompted JB to recast the latter section, with the following outcome in the revises: ‘things.” As, “if a poet had to speak of Queen Caroline drinking tea, he must endeavour to avoid the vulgarity of cups and saucers.”’ JB changed ‘As’ to lower case, and deleted the quotation marks before ‘if’. In the first edition, the quotation marks after ‘things’ also disappeared, making for a unified quotation. 9 Direction to the compositor, ‘See Paper H’, rewritten farther down the margin from its placement in JB’s first revision, in alignment with the new clause leading onto the Paper Apart. The paper is headed ‘H for p opposite to p 604’. 1 In the revises JB added initial quotation marks (‘that “the word communia being …’) but no terminal marks. The compositor understood Wilkes’s speech to end with the verses, and so it stood in the first three editions. Hill-Powell moved the punctuation to bring the final sentence (‘You … before.’) into the speech.

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1776

You will easier make a Tragedy out of the Iliad than on any subject not handled before.a/2 [MS opp. 604 resumed] Johnson. ‘He means that it is difficult to appropriate [1st ed. ii. 87] to particular persons qualities which are common to all mankind as Homer [did÷has done>] has done.’ a

[Paper Apart Note] My ≤very≥ pleasant friend himself as well as others ≤who remember old stories≥ will no doubt startle when I observe that [he>] John Wilkes here shews himself to be of the [Warburtonian School>] WARBURTONIAN SCHOOL. It is nevertheless true, [for in Dr. Hurd the Bishop of Worcesters very elegant notes there is the following>] [for in Dr. Hurd the Bishop of Worcesters very elegant notes there are the following observations>] as appears from Dr. Hurd the Bishop of Worcesters very elegant commentary and notes on the Epistola ad Pisones.a1 [Satellite Paper Apart P] It is necessary to a fair consideration of the question that the whole passage in which the words occur should be kept in view Si quid inexpertum scenæ committis, et audes Personam formare novam; servetur ad imum Qualis ab incepto processerit et sibi constet. Difficile est proprie communia dicere: tuque Rectius Iliacum carmen deducis in actus, Quam si proferres ignota indictaque primus. Publica materies privati juris erit, si Non circa vilem patulumque moraberis orbem, Nec verbum verbo curabis reddere fidus Interpres; nec desilies imitator in artum Unde pedem proferre pudor vetat aut operis lex.

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25

[Paper Apart Note resumed] [The learned observations>] [The Commentary>] The ‘Commentary’ thus illustrates [the passage>] it. ‘But the formation of quite new characters is a work of great difficulty and hazard. For here there is no generally received and fixed archetype to work after, but every one judges of 30 common right, according to the extent and comprehension of his own idea; therefore he advises to labour and refit old characters and subjects, particularly those made known and authorised by the practice of Homer and the Epick Writers.’ The ‘Note’ [upon which>] is 35 ‘Difficile EST PROPRIE COMMUNIA DICERE: Lambin’s Comment is Communia hoc loco appellat Horatius argumenta fabularum à nullo adhuc tractata: et ita, quæ 2 Memorandum to the compositor, ‘Here a long note to come on / [Sei Quid ≤also Monboddo.≥ del]’. The main Paper Apart—headed ‘Note at * on Mr. Wilkes’s conversation’—consisted of five leaves of paper, the first (with the opening paragraph) being pasted to the second. Along the way, the compositor was directed to take in three Satellite Papers Apart: ‘P’ (one leaf), ‘Sanadon’ (one leaf), and ‘Dacier’ (two leaves). a1

Direction to the compositor, ‘Paper P’.

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H-P iii. 75–76

[1st ed. ii. 88] Wilkes. ‘We have no City Poet now;3 that is an office which has gone into disuse. The last was Elkanah Settle. There is something in names which one cannot help feeling. Now Elkanah Settle sounds so queer. Who can expect much from that name. We should have no hesitation to give 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

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35

cuivis exposita sunt et in medio quodammodo posita, quasi vacua et à nemine occupata; And that this is the true meaning of communia is evidently fixed by the words ignota indictaque which are explanatory of it: so that the sense, given it in the commentary, is unquestionably the right one. Yet, notwithstanding the clearness of the case, a late [critic>] critick hath this strange passage: Difficile quidem esse proprie communia dicere, hoc est, materiam vulgarem, notam, et è medio [petiam>] petitam ita immutare atque exornare, ut nova et scriptori propria videatur, ultro concedimus; et maximi procul dubio ponderis ista est observatio. Sed omnibus utrinque collatis et tum difficilis, tum venusti, tam judicii quam ingenii ratione habita, major videtur esse gloria fabulam formare penitus novam, quam veterem, utcunque mutatam, de novo exhibere. (Poet Præl. v. ii. p. 164). Where having first put a wrong construction on the word communia, he imploys it to introduce an impertinent criticism. For where does the [Poet>] poet prefer the glory of refitting old subjects to that of inventing new ones? The contrary is implied in what he urges about the [superior>] superiour difficulty of the latter, from which he dissuades his country=men, only in respect of their abilities and inexperience in these matters; and in order to cultivate in them, which is the main view of the Epistle, a spirit of correctness, by sending them to the old subjects, treated by the Greek writers.’ For my own part (with all deference for Dr. Hurd who thinks the case clear), I consider the passage Difficile est proprie communia dicere to be a crux for the criticks on Horace. The explication which My Lord of Worcester treats with so much contempt, is nevertheless countenanced by authority which I find quoted by the learned Baxter in his edition of Horace. ‘Difficile est proprie communia dicere, h. e. res vulgares disertis verbis enarrare vel humile thema cum dignitate tractare. Difficile est communes res propriis explicare verbis. Vet. Schol.’ a2 I was much disappointed to find that the great critick Dr. Bentley has no note upon this very difficult passage as from his vigorous and illuminated mind, I should have expected to receive more satisfaction than I have yet had. Sanadon thus treats of ita3 [Satellite Paper Apart Sanadon] Proprie communia dicere) c’est á dire qu’il ne’st pas aisé de former á ces personnages d’imagination des characteres particuliers et cependant vraisemblables. Comme l’on a eté le maitre de les former tels qu’on a voulu, les fautes que l’on fait en cela sont moins pardonnables. C’est pourquoi Horace conseille de prendre toujours des 3

Marginal query, ‘Qu?’, later deleted, for JB to verify Wilkes’s claim.

a2 In the second edition, this sentence ended flush with the right margin at the bottom of p. 441. The compositor of the third edition typeset the catchwords beneath it, ‘I was’, without noticing the paragraph break on the next page. The resulting run-on paragraph has never been corrected. a3 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in Paper Sanadon’.

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1776

it for John Dryden in preference to Elkanah Settle from the names only, [without knowing /any thing of/ their different merits.’÷without at all knowing their different merits.’>] without knowing /any thing of/4 their different merits.’ Johnson. ‘I suppose Sir Settle did as well for Aldermen [then÷in his time>] in his time as John Home [could÷might÷would>] could do now. [When÷Where>] Where did Beckford [and÷or>] and Trecothick learn english?’≥ sujets connus tels que sont par exemple ceux que l’on peut tirer des poèmes d’Homere. [Paper Apart Note resumed] And Dacier observes upon ita4 [Satellite Paper Apart Dacier] [Difficile est proprie communia dicere del] ‘Apres avoir marquè les deux qualitès qu’il faut donner aux personnages qu’on invente il conseille aux Poétes tragiques, de n’user pas trop facilement de cette liberté quils ont d’en inventer: car il est tres difficile de reussir dans ces nouveaux caractêres. Il est mal aisé dit Horace de traiter proprement c’est à dire convenablement des sujets communs c’est à dire des sujets inventés et qui n’ont aucun fondement ni dans l’Histoire ni dans la Fable; et il les appelle communs parce qu’ils sont en disposition à tout le monde, et que tout le monde a le droit de les inventer, et quils sont comme on dit au premier occupant.’ See his observations at large on this expression and the following. [Paper Apart Note resumed] After all I cannot help entertaining some doubt whether the Words ‘Difficile est proprie communia dicere’ may not have been thrown in by the Poet to form a separate article in a ‘choice of difficulties’ ≤which a Poet has to encounter who chuses a new subject≥ in which case it must be uncertain which of the various explanations is the true one, & every reader has a right to decide as it may strike his own fancy. And even should [it be considered as it generally is>] the words be understood as they generally are, to be connected ≤both≥ with ≤what≥ goes before, and what comes after the exact sense cannot be absolutely ascertained ≤for instance whether proprie is meant to signify in an appropriated manner,a5 or as it is often used by Cicero with propriety or elegantly≥. In short it is a rare instance of a defect in perspicuity in an admirable writer who with almost every species of excellence, is peculiarly remarkable for that quality. The length of this note perhaps requires an apology. Many of my readers I doubt not will admit that a critical discussion of a passage in a favourite classick is very engaging.a6

4 A vestige of this unresolved optional phrase—‘of’—remained in the revises, where JB struck it out. a4

Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in Paper Dacier’. Printed ‘in an appropriated manner, as Dr. Johnson here understands it’. In the revises JB italicized the whole phrase ‘in an appropriated manner’. a6 Two deleted words here—‘Dr. John’—perhaps were catchwords pointing back to MS opp. 604. On the verso of this final leaf of Paper Apart Note, JB advised the printer how he wanted the note to appear, given the challenge of its length: ‘Note upon Mr. Wilkes’s Conversation. I should like to have a large portion of it on the page on which the word of reference occurs; and certainly to arrange the matter so that it may be contained on two pages.’ a5

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LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 76–77

[MS 604 resumed] Mr. Arthur Lee mentioned some Scotch who had taken possession of a barren part of America, and wondered why they should chuse this. Johnson. ‘Why Sir All barreness is comparative. [They÷The Scotch>] The Scotch would not know it to be barren.’ Boswell. ‘Come come. He is [pleasing>] flattering the english. You have now been in Scotland, Sir [MS 605] and [say÷tell>] say if you did not see meat and drink enough there.’ Johnson. [(smiling) added and del] ‘[Meat and drink enough to give the inhabitants strength÷The Scotch have Meat and drink enough to give them sufficient strength>] Why Meat and drink enough to give the inhabitants strength sufficient5 to run away from home.’ — All these quick and lively sallies were said quite sportively quite in jest & with a smile which shewed that he meant only wit. Upon this topick He & Mr. Wilkes could perfectly assimilate. Here was a Bond of union between them, and I was conscious that as both had visited Caledonia, both were fully satisfied of the [narrow÷strange>] strange narrow ignorance of those who imagine that it is a land of famine. But they amused themselves with persevering in the old jokes. When I [bragged÷claimed>] claimed a superiority in Scotland over England in one respect that no man can be arrested there for a debt merely because another swears it against him; but there must first be the [decree÷judgement>] judgement of a court of law ascertaining its justice, [though indeed a man might be arrested if>] and that summary arrestment of the [1st ed. ii. 89] person can take place only if his Creditor should swear that he [was÷is>] is about to fly /from/ the Country÷out of the Country6 or as it is technically expressed is in meditatione fugæ.’ Wilkes. ‘[That may be /safely/ sworn÷That I should think may be sworn>] That I should think may be safely sworn [MS 606] all the scotch ≤nation≥.’ Johnson. ≤(to Mr. Wilkes) ‘You must ≥ I lately took my friend Boswell to see [civilised÷real civilised life in an english provincial town. I turned him loose at Lichfield /my native City that he might see Civility/.>] genuine civilised life in an english provincial town. I turned him loose at Lichfield /my native City that he might for once see real Civility/.7 For you know he lives among savages at home, and among rakes in London.’ Wilkes. ‘Except when he is with grave sober decent people like you and me.’ Johnson. ‘And we ashamed of him.’ Wilkes. ‘Boswell you have kept a great deal of bad company.’8 5 Printed ‘sufficient strength’ (so in revises), a misreading. Although the adjective, part of the interlined alternatives, is positioned slightly to the left of the noun below it, JB placed his caret after ‘strength’ to draw it in there. 6 The unresolved alternatives produced a mangled reading which persisted into the revises: ‘to fly from of the country’. Selfe proposed either to delete ‘of’ or to add ‘out’ before it. JB opted for the deletion. 7 The optional phrase was printed, with a misreading of JB’s revision. Above ‘see’ JB wrote ‘for once’ (to the left) and ‘real’ (to the right), suggesting the word order as here transcribed, but inserted only one caret after ‘see’. The compositor typeset ‘might see for once real civility’ (so in revises). The full passage in JB’s notes is as follows: ‘Johns I took Bos to see Civilised life in an english provinc town I [undeciphered word>] turned him loose at Litchfield to see civility for you know he lives among savages at home & among rakes in London. Wilkes Except when he is wt sober people like you & me. Johns (laughing) & we ashamed of him. Wilkes Bos you have kept a great deal of bad company’. 8 Wilkes’s concluding comment was omitted in the printing of the revises.

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1776

≤They were quite frank and easy. Johnson told the story of his asking Mrs. Mcaulay to allow her footman to sit down with them to prove the ridiculousness of the argument for the equality of mankind; and he said to me afterwards with a nod of satisfaction ‘You saw Mr. Wilkes acquiesced.’9 [And del] Wilkes talked with all imaginable freedom of the ludicrous title [of>] given to the Attorney General Diabolus Regis, adding ‘I have reason to know [this about that Officer>] something about that Officer for I was prosecuted for a Libel.’ Johnson who many people would have supposed must have been furiously [abusive÷angry>] angry at hearing this talked of so lightly, said not a word. He was now indeed ‘a good=humoured fellow.’≥ After dinner and at tea we had an accession of Mrs. Knowles the [amiable accomplished Quaker>] Quaker Lady well known for her various talents1 and of Mr. Alderman Lee. Amidst some patriotick groans somebody (I think the Alderman) said2 ‘Poor old England is lost.’ Johnson. ‘It is not so much to be lamented that old England is lost as that the Scotch have found it.’a ≤Wilkes. ‘Had Lord Bute governed only Scotland÷Scotland only3 I should not have [written his eulogium.>] taken the trouble to write his eulogy and dedicate MORTIMER to him.’≥

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a ≤This is [I really think÷cannot help thinking>] perhaps as good a thing as ever was said. There is [/as/ much meaning and as extensive a train of 20 consequences as can possibly be condensed into one flash of wit.÷much meaning and an extensive train of consequences condensed into one flash of wit.>] in it as much strong meaning and as extensive a train of consequences as can possibly be condensed into one flash of wit.a1≥

9 JB related this anecdote earlier on MS 266 (Life MS i. 313 and n. 7). Others who told the story included Dr. Robert Sumner, Master of Harrow, the Rev. Daniel Astle, and Catharine Macaulay herself (Johns. Misc. ii. 4; Corr. 2a, p. 453, and p. 454 n. 10). 1 JB recopied this characterization from the margin of MS 599 (ante p. 54 n. 1), where he drafted it before the present passage reminded him that Mrs. Knowles had not been present at dinner. JB found her still at Dilly’s upon his return after seeing SJ home, and the next morning he had a ‘mild relig[ious] convers[ation]’ with her over breakfast. She told him, ‘Thee made for Lond[on] — Lond[on] for thee’ (Notes 16 May 1776/J 48). On Mary Morris Knowles (1733–1807), see Judith Jennings, Gender, Religion, and Radicalism in the Long Eighteenth Century: The ‘Ingenious Quaker’ and Her Connections (2006). 2 MS orig. ‘the Alderman said’. Why JB should have interjected doubt, or deleted the phrase ‘and at tea’ from the previous sentence before the revises were printed, is unclear given what his notes recorded: ‘Alde[r]man Lee at tea. Poor old England lost Johns It is not so much to be lamented [MS orig. I’m not undeciphered words] tht old Eng is lost as that the Scotch have found it’. As printed in the revises, ‘Old’ is capitalized in both phrases. 3 Printed ‘Scotland only’ (so in revises). a1 Apparently having second thoughts later about his hyperbole, JB resorted to paralepsis, or calling attention to something by expressing an unwillingness to call attention to it. In the revises the note was printed: ‘It would not become me to expatiate on this strong and pointed remark, in which a very great deal of meaning is condensed.’ JB plainly viewed the remark in a flattering light, though its ‘train of consequences’ included negative opinions about the Scots making their way in England, all in keeping with the remarks on Scotland that JB felt were being made ‘sportively’ (p. 63 l. 11).

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H-P iii. 78–79

Mr. Wilkes held a candle to shew a fine print of a beautiful female figure which hung in the room and pointed out the elegant contour of the bosom with the [hand÷finger>] finger of [a Master>] an arch Connoisseur. He afterwards waggishly insis [with÷to>] with me that all the time Johnson shewed [MS 607] visible signs of a fervent admiration of the ≤corresponding charms of the≥ fair Quaker.4 This [imperfect Record÷transcript will>] Record though by no means so perfect as I could wish will serve to give a notion of this very curious interview, which was not only pleasing at the time but had the agreable and benignant effect of reconciling any [1st ed. ii. 90] differences and sweetening any acidity which ‘in the various bustle’5 of political const had been produced in the minds of two men who though widely different had so many things in common classical learning, political knowledge6 modern literature — wit & humour & ready repartee, that it would have been [much to be regretted÷a real loss÷no small loss>] much to be regretted if they had been for ever at distance from each other. ≤Mr. Burke gave me much credit for this successful [negociation>] negociation and pleasantly said that there was nothing to equal it in the whole history of the Corps Diplomatique.≥7 4 JB added ‘afterwards’ to this sentence in the same draft, but did not clarify his meaning until the second edition: ‘He afterwards, in a conversation with me, waggishly insisted …’. The candle-lit scene of Wilkes and SJ inspecting the print is not recorded in JB’s notes. 5 The quotation marks around this phrase, missed by the compositor, were not printed in the revises. Lost as a result was JB’s allusion to Milton’s Comus (ll. 375–80):

And Wisdom’s self Oft seeks to sweet retired Solitude, Where with her best nurse Contemplation She plumes her feathers, and lets grow her wings That in the various bustle of resort Were all to-ruffl’d, and sometimes impair’d. 6 This item vanished from the list of traits shared by Wilkes and SJ, as printed in the revises. Perhaps JB thought it might be confusing to refer to the ‘acidity’ of their political differences and then portray them as cultivating ‘political knowledge’ in common. 7 JB may have italicized negociation in revision (as he chose ‘negotiate’ over ‘manage the business’ on MS 593; ante p. 51 ll. 14–15) when preparing to circulate MSS 591– 607 among friends. He folded the leaves together and on the verso of MS 607 docketed them as follows, similarly underscoring negociation: ‘First Conversation / Between / Dr. Johnson / and Mr. Wilkes. / 1776. / It prefaced in the Book with a full Account of the negociation by which I led Johnson to affirm that meeting Mr. Wilkes would be nothing to him (affecting perfect ease of manners) so that when I brought them together he was obliged not to find fa.’ For a discussion of how this ‘display piece’ functioned ‘to epitomize and advertise the riches of the biography’ in advance of its publication, see Redford, Designing the ‘Life of Johnson’, p. 103. Later, JB used the remaining space on the verso of MS 607 to store quotations, starting with these: ‘Semel insanivimus omnes / Johnson [sic] Baptista Mantuanus / Quos Jupiter vult perdere / Incidit in Scyllam &c.’ Here was the basis of a paragraph added in the second edition, on ‘sayings which every body repeats, but nobody knows where to find’ (Principal Corrections and Additions to the First Edition, p. 28; Hill-Powell iv. 181– 82). What JB’s intentions were for the next two quotations is unclear, since they do

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1776

I attended Dr. Johnson home, and had the satisfaction to hear him tell Mrs. Williams how much he had been pleased with Mr. Wilkes’s company and what an agreable day he had [passed÷spent>] passed. I talked a good deal to him of the celebrated Margaret Caroline Rudd [whom I had visited÷with whom I had formed an acquaintance>] with whom 5 I had now formed an acquaintance from the fame of her talents address 6 enchanting power of fascination. To a Lady who disapproved of my visiting 7 her he said on a former occasion8 [MS 608] ‘Nay9 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 [MS 609] m to sudden explosions ry readiness To adopt l 11 [1st ed. ii. 91]1 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . not appear in the Life: ‘Nec cultura placet longior annua / [Horat del] / Defunctumque laboribus / Equali recreat sorte Vicarius / Horat Lib 3 ode 2’ (‘nor with them is tillage binding longer than a year; another then on like conditions takes the place of him whose task is done’: ll. 14–16, trans. C. E. Bennett, Loeb ed.); and ‘Ah te ne frigora ledunt’ [sic for ‘laedant’] (‘Ah, may the frosts not harm you!’: Virgil, Eclogues x. 48, trans. H. R. Fairclough, Loeb ed.). JB’s struggle with the final two words may explain why, beneath the verse, he also wrote ‘Patiens frigoris’ (which translates ‘one who bears cold well at all times’). Next to this, he jotted ‘Broke w Wife’, adding ‘in postchaise’ in the same draft—the significance of which is not known. 8 The lady who disapproved of JB’s visiting Mrs. Rudd has not been identified. Margaret Boswell was forewarned of the event, as is clear from JB’s letter of 23 Apr. 1776 (never sent to her, but shown to Temple): ‘Many a time you heard me rave with a strange force of imagination about the celebrated Mrs. Rudd — Margaret Caroline Rudd, and how I should certainly see her, while I was in London’. In the ensuing account of his first visit, JB’s characterization of Mrs. Rudd explored the metaphors used here in the Life: ‘I said she was reckoned quite a sorceress possessed of enchantment.… I told her I was convinced she could enchant, but I begged she would not enchant me too much, not change me into any other creature but allow me to continue to be a Man with some degree of reason. I was cautious as if I had been opposite to that snake which fascinates with it’s eyes.... The peculiar characteristick of her enchantment seemed to be its delicate imperceptible power’ (Corr. 6, pp. 451– 52). On JB’s care in expressing why he wanted to meet Mrs. Rudd, see Life MS ii. 197 n. 6. See also Ominous Years, pp. 352–55, and a suggestion made to JB that he publish a ‘Narrative’ of Mrs. Rudd (Corr. 2a, p. 390). 9 ‘Nay’ is transcribed from the catchword on MS 607, for MS 608 is untraced. JB’s copy on this missing leaf would have carried his text (including the phrase ‘thanked him with great warmth for all his kindness’; see ante pp. 53–54 n. 4) down to around the phrase ‘his perception and sensibility’, judging from the revises and a fragment of MS 609. Given the survival of this fragment, the idea that MSS 608–12 have never been found must be qualified slightly (Buchanan, The Treasure of Auchinleck, p. 333). 1 Only the upper right-hand corner of MS 609 survives, bearing nine words in whole or in part, along with two digits of the page number. (The bracketed text is supplied from the first edition.) JB apparently discarded MSS 610–12. The material he expunged culminated in reflections on Mrs. Piozzi, as revealed by his copy at the top of MS 613: ‘obliged me to endeavour to obviate unfavourable impressions by her pen [by her pen added in the same draft] which some years ago when she told me that she & I loved Johnson [when she told me that she & I loved Johnson added in the same draft] would not have been made. There was the greater call upon me to do it in her case, who lived so long in intimacy with him and whose manner of writing is so entertaining.’ After deleting this passage, JB moved MS 613 to the point preceding the story of SJ’s dinner with Wilkes (see ante p. 48 n. 3). For details of this reorganization,

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20

LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 82–84

[MS 615 resumed]2 [Paper Apart RR (1)] It was I think after I had left London this year that an Epitaph which Dr. Johnson had written for the monument of Dr. Goldsmith in Westminster Abbey3 gave occasion [for a literary Remonstrance to the great Prince÷Monarch of Literature>] to a Remonstrance to the MONARCH OF LITERATURE for an account of which I am indebted to Sir William Forbes of Pitsligo. That my readers may have the subject more fully and clearly before them, I shall first insert the Epitaph. OLIVARII GOLDSMITH4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [Paper Apart RR (1) resumed] Sir William Forbes writes to me thus5 ‘I enclose the Round Robin. This jeu d’esprit took its rise one day at dinner at our friend Sir Joshua Reynolds’s. All the company present except myself 6 were friends and acquaintance of Dr. Goldsmith. [Paper Apart RR (2)] The Epitaph written for him by Dr. Johnson became the subject of conversation, and various emendations were suggested, which it was agreed should be submitted to the Doctor’s consideration. — But the question was who should have the courage to propose them to him? — At last it was hinted that there could be no way so good as that of a Round Robin, as the sailors call it, which they make use of, when they enter into a conspiracy; so as not to let it be known who puts his name first or last to the paper. This proposition was instantly assented to; and the Bishop of Killaloe7 drew up an Address to Dr. and what became of MS 614, see ante p. 49 nn. 5–7. Cp. Hill-Powell ii. 427 for Mrs. Thrale’s response to JB’s declaration that he was restored by conversation with SJ, ‘by transfusion of mind’: ‘There are many (she replied) who admire and respect Mr. Johnson; but you and I love him.’ JB probably drafted this quotation on the back of MS 496 (which is missing) in revision of MS 497; see Life MS ii. 184 ll. 23–24 nn. 7–8. 2 Direction to the compositor, added in revision: ‘Here the [round>] Round Robin’. Above it JB later wrote ‘R.R.’ in reference to his heading for the Paper Apart, ‘RR for p. 615’. It consists of four leaves numbered ‘(1)’ through ‘(4)’ in the upper left-hand corner; a fifth leaf is missing (see post p. 69 n. 2). In the second edition, in prelude to this passage on the Round Robin, JB added a new paragraph (‘The following letters concerning an Epitaph which he wrote for the monument of Dr. Goldsmith, in Westminster-Abbey, afford …’) and two letters from SJ to Sir Joshua Reynolds (16 May and 22 June 1776), the second accompanied by a footnote. In the first letter, the verb in ‘shew it to the Club’ was changed to ‘show’ in the third edition; Hill-Powell prints ‘shew’ (iii. 81); Redford has ‘show’ (Letters of Johnson ed. Redford, ii. 330). 3 In the second edition, because of the new introduction to this section (see note above), JB shortened this phrase to ‘this Epitaph’. 4 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take it in from Johnson’s Poems & pray keep them unsullied’. 5 Printed ‘thus:—’ in the revises, followed by quotation marks to set off the text of Forbes’s letter. The typographical break in Hill-Powell was dictated by house style, which called for letters to be set as block quotations in a smaller font. For minor changes to the letter of 19 Oct. 1787 and Forbes’s pride in turning to the Round Robin when the Life came out (‘the first thing I lookt for’), see Corr. 2a, pp. 187–88, 323. 6 Though underscored and queried in the revises, the phrase ‘except myself’ was retained by JB. 7 Marginal query, ‘See if then Dean of Derry’, later deleted. JB’s hunch proved correct, and he emended the title to read ‘Dr. Barnard, Dean of Derry, now Bishop of Killaloe’ (so in revises). In a letter of 16 Sept. 1785, Forbes told JB that he had visited Thomas Barnard and procured a copy of the Round Robin. On 15 Oct. 1785, Barnard explained that the anecdote showed ‘how much [SJ] was fear’d by his most Intimate

67

H-P iii. 84–85

MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1776

Johnson on the occasion, replete with wit and humour, but which it was feared the Doctor might think treated the subject with too much levity. Mr. Burke then proposed the Address as it stands in the Paper; — in writing which8 I had the honour to officiate as [Clerk. [Paper Apart RR (3)] ‘Sir Joshua agreed to carry it to Dr. Johnson, who received it with much good humour, and desired Sir Joshua to tell the gentlemen that he would alter the Epitaph in any manner they pleased as to the sense of it; but he would never consent to disgrace the walls of Westminster Abbey with an English inscription. ‘I consider this Round Robin as a species of literary curiosity worth preserving, as it marks in a certain degree Dr. Johnson’s character. The enclosed is a faithful transcript which the Bishop of Killaloe who has the original in his possession was so good as to allow me to make when I was in Dublin. Should you think it worth while to make a Fac Simile of it to be inserted in your Life of Dr. Johnson, for the sake of shewing the subscriptions I dare say the good Bishop will let you have the use of the original [Paper Apart RR (4)] for that purpose.>] Clerk. — What follows is a faithful transcript.9 [Paper Apart RR (3)] ‘Sir Joshua agreed to carry it to Dr. Johnson, who received it with much good humour,a and desired Sir Joshua to tell the gentlemen that he would alter the Epitaph in any manner they pleased as to the sense of it; but he would never consent to disgrace the walls of Westminster Abbey with an English inscription. a

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

≤He however upon seeing Dr. Warton’s name observed to Sir Joshua upon the suggestion that the Epitaph should be in english ‘I wonder that Joe Warton a scholar by profession should be such a fool.’ 25 Mr. Langton who was one of the company at Sir Joshua’s resolutely refused to sign the Round Robin.a1≥ Freinds; who, tho’ they agreed in their gaieté de Coeur to pen a Remonstrance against his Composition, yet no one of the Company had the Courage to present it, or even to appear as a Ring leader in the Transaction’ (Corr. 2a, p. 99). 8 Printed ‘as it stands in the paper in writing, to which’ (so in revises), a mangled compositorial reading that has gone uncorrected. 9 Direction to the compositor, ‘Here take it in’. Before the revises were printed, JB had deleted the final sentence here and appropriated Forbes’s avowal of fidelity to himself in a coda following the letter: ‘My readers are presented with a faithful transcript of a paper, which I doubt not of their being desirous to see.’ Forbes was right (in the deleted passage) to predict that the ‘good Bishop’ would lend the actual document to JB if facsimiles of the ‘subscriptions’ or signatures were wanted. On 20 Dec. 1790, Barnard sent him the ‘True original Round Robin’, writing ‘I confess that I was a Principal in that Mutinous act, being Employ’d to draw it up at the Table; And though I might be a Little Pot Valiant, when I wrote it, I am still of the Same opinion’ (Corr. 2a, p. 290; see also Corr. 4, p. 380). For EM’s effort in 1804 to reconstruct the sequence of these transactions, see Corr. 2a, pp. 464–67. The ‘faithful transcript’ given was a full-page engraving of the Round Robin, ‘with FAC SIMILES of the Signatures’. a1 Printed as a single paragraph, this note concluded with an additional sentence in the revises: ‘The epitaph is engraved upon Dr. Goldsmith’s monument without any alteration.’ In the second edition, JB inserted a sentence after the comment on Warton: ‘He said too, “I should have thought Mund Burke would have had more sense.”’ JB also lengthened the note by citing another time when SJ stipulated that

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20

25

LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 85

‘I consider this Round Robin as a species of literary curiosity worth preserving, as it marks in a certain degree Dr. Johnson’s character.’ [Paper Apart RR (4); 1st ed. ii. 93] Sir William [Forbes has justly observed that this ‘marks in a certain degree Dr. Johnson’s character.’ It proves>] [Forbes has justly observed that this anecdote ‘marks in a certain degree Dr. Johnson’s character.’ It proves>] Forbes’s observation is very just. The anecdote now related proves in the strongest manner the ≤reverence &≥ awe with which [he>] Johnson was regarded by even some of the most eminent men of his time in various departments ≤and even by such of them as lived most with him≥, while it also confirms what I have again and again inculcated, that he was by no means of that ferocious and irascible character which has been ignorantly imagined. This hasty composition [also is one>] is also to be remarked as one of a thousand instances which evince the extraordinary promptitude of Mr. Burke who [whether in great matters or small, the vast and complicated speculations of Politicks, or the comparatively inconsiderable though ingenious topicks of literary investigation is equally ready to bring his talents to bear.>] while he is equal to the greatest things can adorn the least; can embrace the vast and complicated speculations of Politicks, or the ingenious topicks of literary investigation.1 Besides [this>] his latin Epitaph2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [Paper Apart]3 Τòν τáφον ισορáεισ Ωλιβεριοο, κονιην Αφροσι μη σεμνην Ξενε πóδεσσι πáτει Οσι μéμηλε φúσισ, μετρων χαρισ, εργα παλαων Κλαíετε ποιητην, ιστορικòν, φυσικóν. 1 This paragraph on Burke’s genuinely broad talents may have taken the place of another in JB’s contemplation when he planned this section on the Round Robin, one doubting that SJ’s ‘various’ praise of Goldsmith was justified: ‘Round Robin as to Goldsmith’s Epitaph as related in Sir Wm Forbes’s Letter to me. Mention here the praise of Goldsmith being perhaps too various — Poetry being his excellence — And give Johnson’s Greek Epigram on him’ (Life Materials M 147, under 1776). 2 Printed ‘this Latin Epitaph’, the compositor perhaps overooking JB’s revision. The catchword here at the bottom of RR (4), ‘Johnson’, points to a missing leaf RR (5) of this Paper Apart. In the third edition, this paragraph and the Greek verses that follow were replaced by a footnote: ‘Beside this Latin Epitaph, Johnson honoured the memory of his friend Goldsmith with a short one in Greek. See Vol. II. P. 285.’ On p. 285 is SJ’s letter to Langton of 5 July 1774 bearing his ‘tetrastick on poor Goldsmith’ with news of the poet’s death. This and twelve other letters written by SJ to Langton arrived in JB’s hands by 6 Mar. 1793, after the second volume of the second edition had been typeset, so he put them at the end (ii. 613–33). SJ’s tetrastick therefore appeared twice in that edition. See Corr. 2a, p. 241 n. 1 and p. 399; Life MS ii. 10 n. 1. 3 The direction to take in this copy of the Greek epitaph, transcribed by Richard Archdall and sent to JB by Percy on 6 Mar. 1787 (Corr. 2a, p. 160), was probably written on leaf RR (5) (see note above). In the margin of the revises, the printer sought guidance from JB: ‘The Accents are very wrong. Would it not be better to omit them or

only an ‘ancient and permanent language’ was fit for the epitaph of a learned man; by weighing in on the matter himself, opining that both languages should be used; and by elaborating his scepticism about so ‘various’ a tribute to Goldsmith (see n. 1 above), faulting SJ for ‘[a]pplying … equally the epithets of “Poetæ, Historici, Physici”’ to his friend. For the text of this expansion, see Hill-Powell iii. 84–85 n. 2.

69

H-P iii. 85, 89, 97

MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1776

[MS 615 resumed] ≤DR. JOHNSON To MRS. BOSWELL≥4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [MS 615 resumed]5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [MS 615 resumed] [This summer he composed a Prayer which I chuse to select both for its excellence, and as a proof that his mind was animated with laudable hope. del]6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [MS 615 resumed]7 The Reverend Dr. Hugh Blair who had been long admired [as a Preacher÷in the pulpit>] as a Preacher at Edinburgh thought now of diffusing his ≤excellent≥ sermons more extensively and increasing his make them right — If you choose to keep them in I will take Care of them.’ JB was noncommittal in reply: ‘I leave it optional to you to have accents or not. Mr. Thomas Warton used none.’ All accents but one (in εισορáεισ) were removed. Earlier, when quoting Aristotle, JB had advised that the accents be omitted (see ante p. 32 n. 9). Warton published his edition of Theocritus (2 vols., 1770) without accents, in accordance with the policy of the Clarendon Press (see ‘Præfatio’, i. xii), despite a warning that the accents were ‘follow’d by every Scholar at home & abroad, & are of very antient standing’ (Correspondence, ed. Fairer, p. 251). On this general debate, see M. L. Clarke, Greek Studies in England 1700–1830, 1945, pp. 224–27. 4 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take it in’. This Paper Apart no longer forms part of the Life MS. JB corrected the heading as printed in the revises, ‘To Mrs. BOSWELL’, adding at the bottom of the page, ‘The letter should be entitled DR. JOHNSON to MRS. BOSWELL as I am pretty sure it was in the Copy.’ Because there was no text leading into the letter, Plymsell was prompted to ask, ‘Should there not be an Introduction to this Letter? — It certainly begins too abrupt after the Epitaph. It must be short — the other side is at Press.’ To this JB replied, ‘No introduction is necessary.’ 5 Direction to the compositor, ‘After Letter to Mrs. Boswell take in a Paper of Letters &c. to be sent’. Like his copy for the heading of the letter to Mrs. Boswell, JB added this direction to MS 615 in revision, but original to the page—and the basis for the ‘Paper of Letters’—was a series of reminders to himself and directions to the compositor, which could now be deleted: ‘[Excerpt>] Extract my letter of 25 June his of 2 & 6 July mine of 18 July 30 August 21 October 16 Novr. and his of ≤16 Novr. somewhere &≥ 21 Decr.’ This Paper Apart no longer forms a part of the Life MS. This section spanned 1st ed. ii. 94–100 (Hill-Powell iii. 86–97). Two additional letters were inserted (in proper chronological sequence) in the second edition: SJ to Reynolds (3 Aug. 1776) and SJ to Robert Levett (21 Oct. 1776). In a footnote to the second of these, JB thanked Nathaniel Thomas for recovering SJ’s letters to Levett, praised his ‘worth and ingenuity’, and mentioned his remarkable collection of medals. In the third edition, EM identified Thomas as the editor of The St. James’s Chronicle, noting that he died on 1 Mar. 1795. Thomas, born in Cardiff c. 1730, edited The St. James’s Chronicle from its inception in 1761, later becoming one of the proprietors (Maxted, p. 224). 6 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in p. 151 of Prayers & Meditations’, deleted along with the sentence. This passage, altered when JB incorporated it into the ‘Paper of Letters’ after his letter of 18 July, appeared as follows in the revises: ‘As the evidence of what I have mentioned at the beginning of this year, I select from his private register the following passage: / “July 25, 1776. O GOD … Amen.”’ What comes next —‘It appears from a note subjoined, that this was composed when he “purposed to apply vigorously to study, particularly of the Greek and Italian tongues.” / Such a purpose, so expressed, at the age of sixty-seven, is admirable and encouraging’ (1st ed. ii. 96; Hill-Powell iii. 89– 90) —was lifted from the original draft of the opening paragraph for 1776, which JB now revised (see Life MS ii. 177 ll. 2–5). JB’s point was that, although SJ published nothing in 1776, ‘his mind was still ardent, and fraught with generous wishes to attain to still higher degrees of literary excellence’ (Hill-Powell ii. 412). 7 A false start, ‘In 1777’, is here deleted along with ‘1777’ beside it in the margin, which—prematurely, it turned out—signposted JB’s arrival at the next calendar year.

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1776

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LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 97–98

reputation, by publishing a [volume÷collection>] collection of them. He transmitted [them÷the manuscript>] the manuscript to Mr. [William Strahan who>] Strahan the Printer who after keeping [them÷it>] it for some time, wrote [to him that he did not think the publication was adviseable.÷think they would do.>] a letter to him discouraging the publication. Such was [the unpropitious state at one time÷at first of one of the most successful publications of the kind that has ever appeared.>] at first8 the unpropitious state of one of the most successful theological Books that has ever appeared. Mr. Strahan however had [MS 616] sent one of [them to Dr. Johnson begging to have his opinion; and after Mr. Strahan’s÷his discouraging letter had gone off he received from Johnson the following Note.9>] [the sermons to Dr. Johnson for his opinion; and after his discouraging letter to Dr. Blair had been sent off he received from Johnson a Note in which was the following paragraph.1>] the sermons to Dr. Johnson for his opinion; and after his discouraging letter to Dr. Blair had been sent off he received from Johnson on Christmas eve a Note in which was the following paragraph.2 ‘I have read over Dr. Blair’s first Sermon with more than approbation; to say it is good is to say too little.’3

I believe [he>] Mr. Strahan had very soon after [also a>] this time, a conversation with Dr. Johnson concerning them, and then he very candidly wrote again to Dr. Blair enclosing Johnson’s Note and agreeing to purchase the Volume for which he & Mr. [Cadel>] Cadell gave £100. The sale was [such>] so rapid and extensive and the approbation of the Publick so high that to the honour of the generosity of Booksellers be it recorded, the proprietors 25 made [him>] Dr. Blair a present first of one and then another £50 thus voluntarily doubling the stipulated price, and when he [prepared÷published>] prepared another Volume they gave him at once £300, being in all £500 by 20

8 Printed ‘Such at [1st ed. ii. 101] first was’ (so in revises), the insertion point for ‘at first’ having become obscured when a deletion stroke in the line below covered part of JB’s caret. 9 After ‘Note’ JB placed the symbol x , and below it a direction to the compositor, ‘Take it in’, to which he immediately added—for his own benefit, to mull over before revision—‘All or only the first paragraph’. 1 At this stage of revision, JB deleted the symbol x by writing ‘in’ over it. Yet he still planned to provide the text of SJ’s note on a Paper Apart, for he deleted only part of his direction to the compositor, leaving ‘Take it in first paragraph’. 2 Although JB neglected to delete what remained of his previous directions to the compositor (see notes above), the compositor could see that JB had now, along the margin of the page, furnished the text of the paragraph. 3 When JB considered quoting the entire note, he perhaps remembered it as containing more than was the case. What he rejected upon review was a second paragraph requesting Strahan to frank a letter, and a third announcing SJ’s intention to pay him a visit (Letters of Johnson ed. Redford, ii. 367). Using the second paragraph to introduce his point about SJ’s motives for soliciting Strahan’s franking privilege, if that was JB’s thought, would have disrupted this passage; he found a more accommodating place later (see post p. 271 n. 5). Presumably it was after 1 June 1785, when Strahan and JB breakfasted together to record his ‘Johnsoniana’, and before 9 July, when Strahan died, that he gathered up letters he had received from SJ (Corr. 2a, p. 87 n. 1).

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1776–77

an Agreement to which I am a subscribing witness≤, and now for a third octavo volume he has received no less than £600≥.4 In 17775 it appears from his ‘Prayers and Meditations’ that [he>] Johnson suffered much [privately÷in private del] from a state of mind ‘unsettled and perplexed’ and from that melancholy desponding view of himself which his 5 extreme humility and anxiety with regard [MS 617] to [his religious state÷state 6 of his soul, which I cannot but think that his constitutional gloom made him 7 view through too dark and unfavourable a medium>] his religious state, which 8 I always thought that his constitutional gloom made him view through too dark 9 and unfavourable a medium.6 ≤It may be said of him that he ‘saw GOD in 10 11 This course of deliberations was started by William Creech, the Edinburgh 12 publisher of Blair’s sermons, when he invited Strahan to take a share in them. In a letter of 6 Dec. 1776, Strahan acknowledged having received from Creech ‘a specimen of Dr. Blair’s Sermons. My Opinion of them I have very firmly given in the inclosed Letter to Dr. R[obertson] which when you have read, I beg you would seal and send him, without saying a Word of your having seen the Contents. A day or two after you may call on him, when he will probably mention it to you; but in the mean time I must request you to take no notice of this to Dr. Blair.… — I own I never, in my whole Life, was so much disappointed in any literary Performance, nor do I ever remember to have read a poorer Sermon than this is, so far as the specimen goes’. On 30 Jan. 1777 he confided, ‘Blair’s Sermons I have since shewn to some good Judges, among the rest, to Dr. Johnson, who approves of them much. — Dr. Robertson retains his first Opinion of them. — The first Sermon is the worst; so I hope they will still do well.’ Yet he remained sceptical, warning on 22 Feb. 1777 that they would be ‘great losers’. Their sale proved otherwise, and by 18 Nov. 1777 he was alerting Creech that he had ‘written to Dr. Blair, telling him we had agreed, on account of the unexpected Success of his Sermons, to present him with £50, which he might either take of you, or draw upon Mr. Cadell or me for’. By 29 May 1777 the second edition had sold out in London, leading to an urgent request that Creech ‘forward the 3d. Edit. as fast as possible’. Subsequent letters reveal Strahan’s vexation over shipping delays, and when a second volume was in preparation (for publication in 1780), his indignation on hearing that another London bookseller ‘had offered him £400 for his next Volume. — I wish you could learn from the Dr. who this respectable Bookseller is; for I think it a most unfair Proceeding in any Man to interfere between an Author and his Bookseller in so clandestine a Manner’ (Scottish Record Office MS RH4/26A, reel 3). It was JB himself who, ‘at Mr. Charles Dilly’s desire’, offered Blair £300 for the second volume, but Blair preferred to deal with Strahan, who ‘had behaved so handsomely to him’ (Journ. 20 Oct. 1778; Richard B. Sher, The Enlightenment & the Book: Scottish Authors & Their Publishers in Eighteenth-Century Britain, Ireland, & America, 2006, pp. 245–46). Only after JB’s original draft of this paragraph, as the revision shows, did he learn of a third volume (published in 1790; a fourth followed in 1794). 5 JB also posted the year in the margin beside this paragraph, where in the revises it was marked to be printed. On the verso of MS 615 (the facing page) JB left a memorandum: ‘End the Volume handsomely with R. B. Sheridan’s compliment.’ Rather than saving it for the end, however, JB incorporated Sheridan’s ‘handsome compliment to Johnson on his Dictionary’ into Paper Apart LL a few pages later (see post p. 81 ll. 4–15 and n. 8). His perplexity regarding its placement resulted from his having forgotten, or having rejected, an earlier memorandum to include it under the year 1755: ‘Here praises of Dictry. by Harris &c.’ (Life MS i. 215 n. 8). 6 Struggling to express this complicated thought, JB left his sentence grammatically incomplete in his original draft, and even in revision failed to notice the problem. The second subordinate clause (‘which I cannot but think …’; revised to ‘which I always thought …’) modifies ‘religious state’, and is couched within a larger subordinate clause (‘which his extreme humility and anxiety …’), modifying ‘view of himself’, that JB failed to complete. Evidently corrected in proof, the pertinent section was printed as follows in the revises: ‘suffered much … from that melancholy desponding view of 4

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H-P iii. 98–100

clouds.’≥7 Certain we [may be÷are>] may be of his injustice to himself in the following lamentable paragraph which it is painful to think came from the [/broken and contrite/>] contrite heart of this great man to whose labours the World is so much indebted. ‘When I survey my past life, I discover nothing but a barren waste of time with some disorders of body and disturbances of the 5 6 mind very near to madness, which I hope He that made me will suffer to 7 extenuate many faults and excuse many deficiencies.’a But we find his devotions in this year [remarkably÷eminently>] eminently fervent, and we are comforted 8 by observing intervals of quiet, [calmness>] composure, and gladness. 9 10 [MS opp. 617] [He had 11 concerning which there is the following Letter 12 13 14

To GEORGE STEEVENS Esq.8>]

[With Mr. Steevens whose generosity is well known Dr. Johnson9 joined in kind assistance to a female relation of Dr. Goldsmith and desired that on her 15 return to Ireland she would procure authentick particulars of the life of her celebrated relation. Concerning her there is the following Letter To GEORGE STEEVENS Esq.>] a

≤Prayers and Meditations p. 155.a1≥

himself, which his extreme humility and anxiety with regard to his religious state, together with his constitutional gloom, made him view through too dark and unfavourable a medium.’ This revision introduced a tautology, for what SJ now viewed through the dark medium was a ‘view of himself’. Prompted perhaps by Selfe’s ‘q[uery]’ in the margin, EM altered the passage as follows: ‘suffered much … from that melancholy desponding view of himself, which, from his extreme humility and anxiety with regard to his religious state, together with his constitutional gloom, he contemplated through too dark and unfavourable a medium.’ Rejecting this attempt, EM now tried another approach: ‘suffered much … from that constitutional gloom, which, together with his extreme humility and anxiety with regard to his religious state, made him view himself through too dark and unfavourable a medium.’ On further reflection, he changed ‘view’ to ‘contemplate’. By recasting the sentence, EM remedied the more encompassing redundancy in JB’s original draft, melancholy despondency and constitutional gloom having there been described as separate factors in SJ’s psyche. 7 In the Life Materials (M 153: ‘Materials in my Journals for Dr. Johnson’s Life’) is found the seed of this passage: ‘It may be said / He “saw GOD in clouds” / But examine awe & severity of divinity from the evils we see’. 8 JB planted this passage on MS opp. 617 in his original draft. Leaving room for about two lines of copy between ‘He had’ and ‘concerning’, he jotted a memorandum, ‘ask Mr. Steevens’. Subsequent additions and revisions to this incomplete passage were written above, within, and below these phrases. 9 MS orig. ‘He had joined Mrs. Steevens whose generosity is well known in’, a false start in revision that incorporated the phrase drafted earlier, ‘He had’ (see note above). Recasting his syntax, JB also corrected his slip of the pen and deleted the ‘s’ from ‘Mrs.’ a1 The excerpt from SJ’s meditation on Easter Sunday (30 Mar. 1777), like others from this work, became a block quotation in Hill-Powell. The second edition introduced a comma after ‘mind’, which was not in the text JB used, Prayers and Meditations (2nd ed.).

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H-P iii. 99–100, 102–03

MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1777

On Easter day we find the following emphatick Pray.1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [MS opp. 617 resumed] While he was at Church the agreable impressions upon his mind are thus commemorated ‘I was for some time2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . With Mr. Steevens whose generosity is well known Dr. Johnson joined3 in kind assistance to a female relation of Dr. Goldsmith and desired that on her return to Ireland she would procure authentick particulars of the life of her celebrated relation. Concerning her there is the following Letter To GEORGE STEEVENS Esq.4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [He wrote for the Reverend Mr. Shaw Proposals for printing by Subscription ‘An Analysis of the Scotch Celtick Language’ as appears from internal evidence.5 del] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [Paper Apart]6 From Sir Alexander Dick to Dr. Samuel Johnson

5 6 7 8 9

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Prestonfield / 17 February 1777. Sir. I had yesterday the honour of receiving your Book of your Journey to the 15 Western Islands of Scotland which you was so good as send me by the hands of 1 Printed ‘prayer’, the word JB obviously meant. Direction to the compositor, ‘Take it in from p. 157 of Prayers & Medits’. As Hill-Powell noted, the phrase ‘In all perplexities’ departs from SJ’s MS, which reads ‘In all dangers protect me, in all perplexities’. This mistake was introduced by the compositor of the Life, for the correct reading is found in Prayers and Meditations. 2 Direction to the compositor, ‘take in from p. 158 down to lætandum on p. 159’. The next two words, ‘much distressed’, were printed ‘distressed’ in the second and third editions; Hill-Powell restored the missing word. 3 The compositor evidently misread JB’s revisions to this phrase (see p. 73 nn. 8–9), overlooking the word ‘With’ above the deleted phrase ‘He had joined’. Thinking that the sentence began with ‘Mr. Steevens’, he remedied the seemingly faulty syntax as follows: ‘Mr. Steevens, whose generosity is well known, joined Dr. Johnson’ (so in revises and all printed editions). 4 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in Letter of 25 Febry’. This Paper Apart no longer forms part of the Life MS. 5 Memorandum, ‘ask him’. JB deleted this paragraph and his direction to the compositor, ‘Take them in’, once he had planned the Papers Apart that lay ahead, as reflected in a new series of memoranda: ‘Excerpt my Letter of 14 Febry His of ≤18≥ Feb Give Sir A. Dick’s to him 17 Feb. Mine 24 feb. His March 11 & then mention that he wrote Shaw’s Proposals. x Mine of 4 April 24 April His 3 May.’ Except for the letter of Sir Alexander Dick, these Papers Apart no longer form part of the Life MS. The arrangement of items was slightly altered in the revises. Once JB found the actual date of SJ’s first letter (as the later insertion of ‘18’ shows), he placed it to follow, not precede, the letter from Sir Alexander Dick; and Shaw’s Proposals fell between JB’s letters of 4 and 24 Apr., introduced as follows in the revises: ‘Mr. Shaw’s Proposals† for “An Analysis of the Scotch Celtic Language,” were thus illuminated by the pen of Johnson:’. The dagger indicated a work not explicitly acknowledged by SJ. In JB’s letter of 14 Feb. to SJ, EM changed two phrases in the revises: ‘Would it not have been somewhat wicked’ became ‘Would it not have been wrong’, and ‘The difficulty is, if action’ became ‘The difficulty is, whether an action’. 6 This Paper Apart, marked ‘Copy’, is in JB’s hand.

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our mutual friend Mr. Boswell of Auchinleck; for [1st ed. ii. 105] which I return you my most hearty thanks; and after carefully reading it over again shall deposit it in my little collection of choice Books next our worthy friend’s Journey to Corsica. — As there are many things to admire in both performances I have often wished that no Travels or Journeys should be published but those undertaken by persons of integrity and capacity to judge well and describe faithfully and in good language the situation condition and manners of the countries past through. Indeed our country of Scotland in spite of the union of the crowns, is still in most places so devoid of cloathing or cover from hedges and plantations, that it was well you gave your readers a sound Monitoire with respect to that circumstance. The truths you have told and the purity of the language in which they are expressed, as your Journey is universally read, may and already appear to have a very good effect. For a Man of my acquaintance who has the largest Nursery for trees and hedges in this country tells me that of late the demand upon him for these articles is doubled & sometimes tripled. I have therefore listed Doctor Samuel Johnson in some of my Memorandums of the principal planters and favourers of Enclosures under a name which I took the liberty to invent from the Greek — the Papadrendrn.7 Lord Auchinleck and some few more are of the list. I am told that one Gentleman in the shire of Aberdeen viz. Sir Archibald Grant has planted above [50>] fifty millions of trees on a piece of very wild ground at Monimusk. I must inquire if he has fenced them well, before he enters my list; for, that is the soul of enclosing. I began myself to plant a little our ground being too valuable for much, and that is now 50 years ago; & the trees now in my 74 year I look up to with reverence, and shew them to my eldest son now in his 15th year that they are full the heighth of my country=house here, where I had the pleasure of receiving you, and hope again to have that satisfaction with our mutual friend Mr. Boswell. I shall always continue with the truest esteem Dear Doctor your much obliged and obedient humble servant Alexander Dick8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [Paper Apart (P 78)]9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 When Selfe found ‘Papadrendrion’ printed in the revises (with io in place of ), he checked JB’s Paper Apart, where he put a ‘q[uery]’ above the first ‘r’. In the margin of the revises he wrote ‘q δενδρος a tree’ to show that the word contained only one rho. Accepting the correction, JB deleted the ‘r’, and the first edition read ‘Papadendrion’. 8 A footnote keyed to Dick’s name was printed in the revises: ‘For a character of this very amiable man, see “Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides,” 3d edit. p. 36.’ In the next letter (SJ to JB, 18 Feb. 1777), the second edition introduced two corruptions: ‘he is used to do’ became ‘he used to do’; ‘very sorry to lose’ became ‘sorry to lose’. HillPowell fixed the first error (iii. 104); the second persists in editions of the Life. 9 This Paper Apart is a printed copy of the proposals for An Analysis of the Scotch Celtic Language, by William Shaw. The recto, bearing the title of the work, publication data, price and subscription information, was not typeset. At the top, JB wrote ‘For p. 617’ next to the symbol x (see n. 5 above). On the verso, the two paragraphs written by SJ were followed by two sentences that JB deleted, one telling that ‘a few Copies’ more would be printed than the number subscribed, and another stating that a list of subscribers would be included. In his letter to JB of 11 Mar., SJ decried the subscription price of half a guinea; a crown, he wrote, would have been ‘liberal’ (Hill-Powell iii. 106).

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1777

[MS 617 resumed] To those who delight in tracing the progress of Works of Literature it will be an entertainment [of some value del] to compare the [small÷original intention>] limited design [MS 618] with the ample [performance÷execution>] execution of his admirable Work The Lives of the English Poets, which [in the estimation of many is held÷reckoned to be the richest and most beautiful production of his pen>] [is reckoned to be the richest and most beautiful production of his pen>] is the richest most beautiful and indeed most perfect production of his pen. His [own del] notion of it at this time appears in the preceeding letter. He has marked on ‘29 May1 Easter Eve’ this year, ‘I treated with booksellers on a bargain but the time was not long.’2 The bargain was concerning that undertaking, and his [prim delicacy>] tender conscience seems alarmed lest it should have intruded too much on his [solemn>] devout preparation for the [aweful del] solemnity of the ensuing day. [But indeed very little time was necessary. I shall insert an Account of this Plan so happily conceived since it was the occasion of procuring for us a Collection of the best Biography and Criticism of which our language can boast.>] [But indeed very little time was necessary. I shall insert from a letter to me from my late worthy friend Mr. Edward Dilly an Account of this Plan so happily conceived since it was the occasion of procuring for us an elegant Collection of the best Biography and Criticism of which our language can boast.>] But indeed very little time was necessary for Johnson’s concluding a treaty with the Booksellers as he had I believe less attention to profit from his labours than any man to whom Literature has been a profession. I shall here insert from a letter to me from my late worthy friend Mr. Edward Dilly though of a later date an Account of this Plan so happily conceived since it was the occasion of procuring for us an elegant Collection of the best Biography and Criticism of which our language can boast.3 Shaw took the advice of friends who ‘said it was easier to get 200 half guineas than 400 Crowns’. Events proved otherwise, and although the book was promised in Nov. 1777, by 9 Jan. 1778 JB was urging Shaw to defer publication ‘till next year, when he may have more subscribers’. The Analysis was published in 1778. See Reg. Let.; Fleeman, Bibliography of Johnson, ii. 1290–91. 1 Footnote in Hill (iii. 109), ‘It was March 29.’ Powell’s substitution—‘March: “May” is not in the MS.’ (Hill-Powell iii. 109)—refers to the MS of SJ’s diary. JB mistakenly wrote ‘May’, perhaps, because the series of memoranda he had just written (for items to be taken in before this paragraph; see ante p. 74 n. 5) ended with SJ’s letter of 3 May. 2 Footnote in the revises keyed to this quotation, ‘Prayers and Meditations, p. 155.’ 3 The inclusion of this letter was slated in the Life Materials (M 147, under 1777): ‘Mr. E. Dilly’s Account of his undertaking the Lives of the Poets.’ Direction to the compositor, ‘Take it in’; JB added ‘from Mr. Dilly’s letter’ at the first stage of revision. After preparing his Paper Apart—marking Dilly’s letter ‘For p. 618’, deleting a sentence about SJ’s bargain with the booksellers, and signalling that the letter (being ‘of a later date’) was out of chronological sequence—JB changed his direction yet again to read ‘Take in Mr. Dilly’s Letter what is unscored’. Another direction added in revision, ‘Then take in his letter to Mr. E. Dilly concerning Dr. Watts’, was deleted later when JB decided that this letter of 7 July 1777 would be out of sequence here (see post p. 83 l. 16 and n. 4). Dilly had enclosed a copy of it, along with ‘a specimen of the heads for an edition of the English Poets’, in a letter JB received on 9 Aug.; JB’s reply on 16 Aug. elicited Dilly’s missive from Southill dated 26 Sept. (Reg. Let.).

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[Paper Apart]

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H-P iii. 110–11

To JAMES BOSWELL Esq.

Dear Sir Southill Sept 26 1777 You will find by this Letter, that I am still in the same calm retreat, from the noise and Bustle of London as when I wrote you last, I am happy to find you had such an agreeable meeting with your Old friend Dr Johnson. I have no doubt your Stock is much increased by the Interview, few Men, nay I may say, scarcely any Man has got that fund of knowledge and entertainment as Dr Johnson in Conversation, when he opens freely, every one is attentive to what he says, and cannot fail of improvement as well as pleasure. The Edition of the Poets now Printing, will do honour to the English Press, and a concise account of the Life of each Author, by Dr Johnson, will be a very valuable addition and stamp the reputation of this Edition superior to any thing that is gone before, the first cause that gave [1st ed. ii. 112] rise to this undertaking I believe was owing to the little trifling Edition of the Poets Printing by the Martin’s at [Edin>] Edinburgh, and to be sold by Bell in London,4 upon examining the Volumes which were Printed, the Type was found so extremely small, that many grown5 Persons could not read them, not only this inconvenience attended it, but the inaccurateness of the Press was very [conspicuous, for these>] conspicuous. These reasons as well as the Idea of an Invasion of what we call our Literary Property, induced the London Booksellers to Print an elegant and accurate Edition of all the English Poets of reputation from Chaucer to the present Time. Accordingly a select Number of the most reputable Booksellers met on the occasion, and on consulting together, agreed, that all the Proprietors of Copyright in the various Poets, should be summoned together; and when their opinions were given to proceed immediately on the business, accordingly a meeting was held Consisting of about 40 of the most respectable Booksellers of London, when it was agreed that an elegant and uniform Edition of The English Poets should be immediately Printed with the Concise account of the Life of each Author, by Dr Samuel Johnson, and that three Persons should be deputed to wait upon Dr Johnson, to solicit him to undertake the Lives, (viz. T. Davies Strahan & Cadell,) the Doctor very politely undertook it, and seemd6 exceedingly pleased with the Proposal, as to the Terms, it was left entirely to the Doctor to Name his own. he mentioned — Two Hundred Guineas, it was immediately agreed to, and a farther Compliment I believe will be made him, [undeciphered words make mention of 4 John Bell, The Poets of Great Britain Complete from Chaucer to Churchill (109 vols. 1776–82). The imprint of the series read ‘EDINBURG: / At the Apollo Press, by the Martins’. 5 The deletion of this word in the revises generalized Dilly’s criticism to encompass readers of all ages. Thomas Tyrwhitt, angry that Bell reprinted his text of The Canterbury Tales (5 vols., 1775–78), denigrated the ‘very young persons’ who he said were ‘the principal customers of the Apollo-press’, lured into their purchases by ‘a picture at the beginning of each volume’ (Gent. Mag. liii. 461–62, 1783). On poetry collections of the nature undertaken by Bell, Dilly and other publishers, see Thomas F. Bonnell, The Most Disreputable Trade: Publishing the Classics of English Poetry 1765–1810 (2008). 6 Printed ‘seemed’. Many of the other peculiarities exhibited by Dilly’s MS were also normalized in the course of printing.

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1777

the agreement, undeciphered words del] — another Committee was likewise appointed to engage the best Engravers. viz. Bartolozzi Sherwin Hall &c, likewise another Committee for giving directions about the Paper Printing &c, so yt7 the whole will be conducted with Spirit, and in the best Manner with respect to Authorship, Editorship Engravings &c &c. My brother will 5 give you a list of the Poets we intend to give — many of which are within the 6 Time of the Act of Queen Ann, which Martin & Bell cannot give, as they 7 have no Property in them — the Proprietors are almost all the Booksellers in 8 London of consequence. / I am Dear Sir / ever yours 9 Edwd Dilly 10 [MS 618 resumed] [We shall afterwards have occasion to contemplate>] I shall afterwards have occasion to consider the extensive and varied range which Johnson took when he was once led upon ground which he [took÷had a peculiar pleasure to tread, and with all the circumstances of which that could interest and please he had long been acquainted.>] trod with a peculiar delight, having long been intimately acquainted with all the circumstances of it that could interest and please. [1st ed. ii. 113] [Paper Apart]

To CHARLES O’CONNOR ESQ8

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Letter from Dr. Sam. Johnson to Charles O’Conor Esq.a/9

a

Mr. Walker of the Treasury, Dublin who obligingly communicated to me 20 this and a former letter from Dr. Johnson to the same Gentleman writes to me as follows:a1 ‘Perhaps it would gratify you to have some account of Mr. O Conor. — He is an amiable, learned, venerable old Gentleman of an independent fortune, who lives at Belanagar in the County of Roscommon; he is an admired Writer & Member of the Irish Academy. — The above Letter is 25 alluded to in the preface to the 2d Ed. of his Dissert. p. 3:a2 — [Dr. Campbell, mentioned in the beginning of the foregoing Letter, is an Irish Divine & Author of ‘a Philosophical Survey of the South of Ireland.’a3 del] 7

Printed ‘that’, the expansion of Dilly’s abbreviation. Direction to the compositor, ‘Take it in’. In revision, JB added ‘but not the letter to me accompanying it’, namely Joseph Cooper Walker’s letter of 18 July 1785 (Corr. 2a, pp. 91–92). Instead of using a separate sheet of paper, Walker copied SJ’s letter on the same sheet as his own, and then appended the information on O’Connor that became a footnote. JB wrote ‘For P. 618’ above Walker’s heading for the copy. 9 Without deleting the heading on MS 618, JB used Walker’s heading to place the symbol for his footnote (see note above), directing the compositor to ‘See note on the 8

a1 JB drafted this prefatory sentence above Walker’s comments. In the revises, a cross reference was printed after ‘gentleman’—‘for which see page 177’—into which Selfe inserted ‘Vol. I.’ In the third edition, ‘Mr. Walker’ became ‘Mr. Joseph Cooper Walker’. a2 By deleting the next sentence, JB ended his note here. In the second edition he added this: ‘Mr. O’Connor has since died at the age of eighty-two. See a well-drawn character of him in the Gentleman’s Magazine for August 1791.’ In the first of these sentences, ‘has since’ was changed to ‘afterwards’ in the third edition. a3 A Philosophical Survey of the South of Ireland, in a Series of Letters to John Watkinson, M.D. (London, 1777; Dublin 1778). On Campbell, see Hill-Powell ii. 338–39 and n. 2, 518–19.

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Sir, Having had the pleasure of conversing with Dr. Campbel about your Character & your literary Undertaking, I am resolved to gratify myself by renewing a correspondence which began & ended a great while ago, & ended, I am afraid, by my fault, a fault which, if you have not forgotten it, you must now forgive. If I have ever disappointed you, give me leave to tell you that you have likewise disappointed me. I expected great discoveries in Irish Antiquity, & large Publications in the Irish language. But the world still remains as it was, doubtful & ignorant. What the Irish Language is in itself, & to what languages it has affinity are very interesting Questions, which every man wishes to see resolved that has any philological or historical curiosity. Dr. Leland begins his history too late; the Ages which deserve an exact inquiry, are those times (for such times there were),1 when Ireland was the School of the West, the quiet habitation of Sanctity & literature. If you could give a history, though imperfect[,] of the Irish Nation from its conversion to Christianity, to the invasion from England, you would amplify knowledge with new views & new objects. Set about it therefore if you can, do what you can easily do, without anxious exactness. Lay the foundation, & leave the superstructure to posterity. I am, Sir, / Your most humble Servant May 19. 1777 — Sam. Johnson [Paper Apart LLv]2 Early in this year came out in two volumes Quarto the posthumous Works of the learned Dr. Zachary Pearce Bishop of Rochester, being ‘A Commentary with Notes on the four Evangelists and the Acts of the Apostles’ with other theological pieces. Johnson had now an opportunity of next page’ (verso of the leaf). The heading was printed ‘Dr. JOHNSON to CHARLES O’CONOR, Esq.’ (so in revises); ‘O’CONNOR’ became the spelling in the third edition. 1 The word ‘times’, omitted from this parenthesis in the revises and all editions of the Life, is printed in Letters of Johnson ed. Redford, iii. 23–24. Having carried the letter to O’Connor, Dr. Thomas Campbell, mentioned in SJ’s first sentence, must have kept a copy, for he quoted several sentences (‘Dr. Leland … posterity’) in his Strictures on the Ecclesiastical and Literary History of Ireland, 1789, pp. 1–2, and in his Table of Contents listed ‘Plan of the Work, recommended by Dr. Johnson’. According to Campbell, the parenthetical phrase was ‘if such times there were’, a reading made likely by his stated purpose in the work ‘to ascertain the fact, beyond the cavil of scepticism, that there was a time (of which Dr. Johnson doubted) when IRELAND WAS THE SCHOOL OF THE WEST’ (p. 4). For the argument that SJ would not have written ‘if’, because he must have been ‘sure of the survival of literature in Ireland in the dark ages’, see Letters of Johnson ed. Chapman, ii. 173 n. 4. Powell incorrectly surmised that Walker sent JB the original letter, which has not been traced (Hill-Powell iii. 489; see ante p. 78 n. 8). 2 Memoranda at the bottom of MS 618, ‘Excerpt My letter of [24>] 9 June 23 June — His 28 June followed by 24 June’. These were replaced in revision by a direction to the compositor, ‘*Here a Parcel of Letters’, which in turn was replaced by a final instruction, ‘*Go to leaf LL’. JB marked the first leaf of this Paper Apart ‘LL for p. 618*’ and the following leaves ‘LL2’ through ‘LL6’. Later, he decided to mention SJ’s writings connected with Zachary Pearce and Hugh Kelly, and the praises of Harris and Sheridan for his Dictionary (see ante p. 72 n. 5; Life MS i. 215 n. 8). Returning to the first leaf, he told the compositor to ‘Go first to the back of this’, and on LLv posted ‘LL’ again, reiterated ‘For p. 618’, and advised ‘This side comes first’. As this section grew, JB pasted two additional sheets of paper to this leaf and covered every side with copy. After typesetting all this, the compositor proceeded to LLr, then LL2, and so on.

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making a grateful return to that excellent Prelate who we have seen was the only person who gave him any assistance [at all del] in the compilation of his Dictionary. The [1st ed. ii. 114] Bishop had left some account of his life and character written by himself. To this Johnson made [some del] valuable additions and also furnished a Dedication to ≤the Work≥.3 [Satellite Paper Apart]

To the King

‘SIR ‘I presume to lay before your Majesty the last labours of a learned Bishop who died in the toils and duties of his calling. He is now beyond the reach of all earthly honours and rewards; and only the hope of inciting others to imitate him makes it now fit to be remembered that he enjoyed in his life the favour of your Majesty. ‘The tumultuary life of Princes seldom permits them to survey the wide extent of national interest, without losing sight of private merit; to exhibit qualities which may be imitated by the highest and the humblest of mankind, and to be at once amiable and great. ‘Such characters, if now and then they appear in history are contemplated with admiration. May it be the ambition of all your subjects to make haste with their tribute of reverence; and as posterity may learn from your Majesty how Kings should live, may they learn likewise from your people, how they should be honoured. I am / May it please your Majesty / With the most profound respect / Your Majestys / most dutiful and devoted / subject and servant

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[Paper Apart LLv resumed] In the summer he contributed a Prologue to4 ‘A Word to the Wise’ a Comedy by Mr. Hugh Kelly which had been brought upon 25 the Stage in 1770 but its design being supposed favourable to the Ministry, it fell a sacrifice to popular fury, and in the Playhouse phrase was damned. By the generosity of Mr. Harris the Proprietor of Covent Garden Theatre it was now exhibited for one night for the benefit of the Authour’s Widow and [Children; and to>] Children. To conciliate the favour of the audience was the intention 30 of [1st ed. ii. 115] Johnson’s Prologue which as it is not long I shall here insert as a proof that his poetical talents were in no degree impaired.5 3 Another hand added ‘the Work’ to JB’s blank space. Much changed, the end of the sentence read as follows in the revises: ‘some valuable additions,* and also furnished to the editor, the Reverend Mr. Derby, a Dedication,* which I shall here insert, both because it will appear at this time with peculiar propriety, and because it will tend to propagate and increase that fervour of Loyalty, which in me, who boast of the name of TORY, is not only a principle but a passion.’ JB changed the asterisks to daggers (indicating works not acknowledged by SJ), and placed quotation marks around ‘fervour of Loyalty’, highlighting the phrase from (as Hill-Powell suggests) his Tour to the Hebrides. 4 Printed in the revises ‘wrote a Prologue* which was spoken before’. JB mentioned the prologue in a letter of 9 June 1777 to SJ (Hill-Powell iii. 118), but left if off a list of SJ’s writings sent to Isaac Reed in 1790; Reed added it (Corr. 2a, pp. 247–48). 5 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take it in from Hawkins p. 518 et seq.’ On the textual crux involving the phrase ‘renew’d hostilities’, see the Rev. John Hussey’s letter of Aug. 1787 (Corr. 2a, p. 183 and n. 15); and Poems 1974, pp. 209–10.

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H-P iii. 115–16

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A circumstance which could not fail to be very pleasing to Johnson occurred this year. The Tragedy of ‘Sir Thomas Overbury’ written by his early companion in London Richard Savage was brought out with alterations at Drury=Lane Theatre.6 The Prologue to it was written by Mr. Richard Brinsley7 Sheridan in which after describing very pathetically the wretchedness of ‘Ill=fated Savage at whose birth was giv’n No parent but the Muse, no friend but Heav’n’

[1st ed. ii. 116] he concluded with a handsome compliment to Johnson on his Dictionary, that wonderful Work which cannot be too often or too highly 10 praised that Work of which Mr. Harris in his ‘Philological Inquiries’ justly 11 observesa/8 [.] The concluding lines of this Prologue are9 these: 12 13 14

‘So pleads the taleb that gives to future times The son’s misfortunes and the parent’s crimes There shall his fame (if own’d tonight) survive Fix’d by THE HAND THAT BIDS OUR LANGUAGE LIVE.’1

15

Mr. Sheridan here [at once did honour÷did honour at once>] at once did honour to his taste and to his liberality of sentiment by shewing that he was not prejudiced from the unlucky difference which had taken place between his Father and Dr. Johnson. I have already mentioned that Johnson was very 20 desireous of reconciliation with old Mr. Sheridan. It will therefore not seem at all surprising that he was zealous in acknowledging the brilliant merit of his son. While it had as yet been displayed only in the Drama Johnson proposed him as a member of THE LITERARY CLUB observing that ‘He who has written the two best comedies of his age is surely a considerable man’ and he [was 25 accordingly elected>] had accordingly the honour to be elected.2 a b

a1 Page ‘Life of Richard Savage by Dr. Johnson.’b1

6 Footnote added by EM in the sixth edition: ‘It was not at Drury-lane, but at Covent Garden theatre, that it was acted.’ 7 Printed in the revises ‘Brindsley’; corrected to ‘Brinsley’ in the third edition. 8 Here, to accommodate the quotation from James Harris, JB directed the compositor to ‘Leave blank two lines’. Supplied in time for the printing of the revises, the comment read ‘Such is its merit, that our language does not possess a more copious, learned, and valuable work.’ 9 MS orig. ‘were’. Although JB deleted the ‘w’ and wrote ‘a’ over the first ‘e’, ‘were’ was printed. 1 The capital letters in the concluding line of Sheridan’s prologue were JB’s emphasis. 2 In the revises, SJ’s comment ended a sentence, and the paragraph concluded as follows: ‘And he had, accordingly, the honour to be elected; for an honour it undoubtedly must be allowed to be, when it is considered of whom that society a1 b1

In the revises this reference was printed ‘Part First, Chap. 4.’ The quotation marks indicated that JB was reproducing Sheridan’s footnote.

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[Paper Apart LLr] To Dr. SAMUEL JOHNSON3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [Mr. BOSWELL to Dr. JOHNSON.

1777

.

≤Edinburgh 15 July 1777≥ ‘The fate of Dr. Dodd made a [dismall>] dismal impression upon my mind.’4 del] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [Mr. BOSWELL to Dr. JOHNSON Edinburgh / 23 June 1777 Enclosing>] On the 23d of June I again wrote to Dr. Johnson enclosing a Shipmaster’s receipt for a Jar of Marmalade of Oranges and eleven sheets of Lord Hailes’s ‘Annals of Scotland.’ To JAMES BOSWELL Esq:5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . To James Boswell Esq.6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [MS 619]7 His benevolence [to÷towards>] to the unfortunate was I am confident as steady and active as that [of any man who ever existed.÷of those consists, and that a single black ball excludes a candidate.’ For one of the two leaves pasted to Paper Apart LL, JB used a scrap of paper on which EM had responded to queries. EM’s advice—‘Most assuredly the paragraph relati to the Club shd be omitted’—seems to pertain to SJ’s letter to JB of 11 Mar. 1777 (Hill-Powell iii. 105– 06). JB heeded EM’s direction in part, deleting all but the first sentence (‘It is proposed … character.’). The asterisks indicating JB’s deletion were positioned to show that the rest of that paragraph had been passed over, not the following paragraph. This typographical distinction is retained in Letters of Johnson ed. Redford, iii. 12. 3 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in all that is unscored of my letter 9 June’. This Paper Apart no longer forms part of the Life MS. The date of the letter erroneously was given as ‘July 9’ in the second and third editions; Hill-Powell restored the correct date. The footnotes keyed to ‘Mr. Shiels’ and ‘Carlisle’ were added by JB in the second edition (Hill-Powell iii. 117 n. 1, 118 n. 3); those on ‘George Lewis Scott’ and ‘“English Poets”’ were added by EM in the third edition (Hill-Powell iii. 117 nn. 3, 8). 4 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in all that is unscored.’ JB got ahead of himself here. He had not provided for his letter of 15 July in either set of memoranda on MS 618 (see ante p. 79 n. 2) or MS 619 (see post p. 84 n. 6). It ultimately was taken in between letters of 7 July and 22 July. 5 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in Letter June 28’. Later, after preparing the letter—which contains SJ’s compliment, ‘I was much pleased with your two letters that had been kept so long in store’—JB added further instructions: ‘In the Letter of June 28 p. 3 put a mark at store and [in note false start] insert a note thus “Since they have passed the examination of Johnson I shall here insert them” (Take them in)’. The long-stored letters were dated 30 Sept. 1764 and 22 Apr. 1775. None of these Papers Apart remain with the Life MS. In the revises JB altered the phrase ‘passed the examination of Johnson’ to ‘been so much honoured by Dr. Johnson’. In his letter of 30 Sept., he changed the phrase ‘much affectionate’ in his valediction to ‘most affectionate’. See Hill-Powell iii. 122–23 n. 2. 6 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in Letter 24 June referred to in the preceeding ≤as received≥ though of an earlier date’. This Paper Apart no longer forms part of the Life MS. William Seward delivered SJ’s letter of introduction to JB on 10 July (Reg. Let.); JB gave him a generous welcome, as reported to SJ in his letter of 15 July. 7 JB’s next direction to the compositor on Paper Apart LLr, a later addition, was to ‘Take in Dr. Johnson to Mr. Edward Dilly’. Later still he deleted it, and wrote ‘Go to

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LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 124–26

eminent persons who have been most distinguished for it.>] of any of those eminent persons who have been most distinguished for it. Innumerable instances of it I have no doubt will be forever concealed from mortal [inquiry÷research>] research. We may however judge from the many and very 5 various specimens which have happened to be discovered. One in the course 6 of this summer ≤he wrote to Mr. Langton. Another≥ is remarkable from the 7 name and connection of its object & has been [kindly>] obligingly 8 communicated to me by the Reverend Dr. Vyse8 Rector of Lambeth son of the 9 respectable Clergyman at Lichfield [whose house I have mentioned as one of 10 those in which Johnson had in his youth the happiness of being received.>] 11 who was cotemporary with Johnson and in whose father’s family Johnson had 12 the happiness of being kindly received in his early years.9 13 14 [MS 619v]

. . .

. .

. . .

. .

. . .

. .

. . .

. .

15

To BENNET LANGTON Esq.1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . To The Reverend Dr. VYSE at LAMBETH2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rev. Dr. VYSE to [Mr. del] BOSWELL3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dr. Johnson To Mr. Edward Dilly4 . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . .

.

. . . .

.

. . . .

.

. . . .

.

page 619’, where the present paragraph on SJ’s benevolence introduced the charitable concern for Isaac de Groot expressed in the next three letters (Hill-Powell iii. 124– 25). 8 Many changes were later made to the central part of this paragraph, as evident in the revises: ‘those who have been most eminently distinguished for that virtue. Innumerable proofs of it I have no doubt will be for ever concealed from mortal eyes. We may, however, form some judgement of it, from the many and very various instances which have been discovered. One which happened in the course of this summer is remarkable from the name and connection of the person who was the object of it. The circumstance to which I allude is ascertained by two letters, one to Mr. Langton, and another to the Reverend Dr. Vyse’. 9 Direction to the compositor and memorandum, ‘Take in Letter to Dr. Vyse & perhaps Dr. Vyse’s to me’. JB amended this—after inserting ‘he wrote to Mr. Langton’ into the paragraph—to read ‘Take in Letter to Mr. Langton also Letter to Dr. Vyse & perhaps Dr. Vyse’s to me’, only to replace it all later with the direction, ‘See the back of this le’. On the verso of MS 619, JB furnished letter headings with separate directions to the compositor. 1 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in Letter June 29’. This Paper Apart no longer forms part of the Life MS. 2 This Paper Apart no longer forms part of the Life MS. The date of SJ’s letter, 19 July 1777, though erroneously given as ‘July 9’ in the second and third editions, is correct in Hill-Powell. 3 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take it in’. Vyse’s letter of 9 June 1787 is untraced. See Corr. 2a, p. 168. The year, mistakenly printed ‘1777’ in the second edition, was corrected in the third. 4 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take it in / Then return to leaf LL’. SJ’s letter of 7 July 1777, first printed in Gent. Mag. in 1787, is untraced. Why JB thought it was addressed to Dilly is unclear; its recipient seems to have been William Sharp (c. 1730– 1810), a surgeon in the Old Jewry who ‘had the honour of possessing Dr. Watt’s correspondence with his great friends’ (Letters of Johnson ed. Redford, iii. 38 n. 1; Lives ed. Lonsdale, iv. 378). For JB’s repositioning of this letter, see n. 7 above.

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MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1777

[Paper Apart LLr resumed] To Dr. Samuel Johnson5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [Paper Apart LL2]6 To JAMES BOSWELL Esq.7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [I have dined lately with poor dear Langton. * * * * * But he is a very good man.>] I have dined lately with poor dear . I do not think he goes on well. His table is rather coarse, and he has his children too much about him.a But he is a very good man.8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dr. JOHNSON to Mrs. BOSWELL9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5 6 7 8 9

a

≤[Satellite Paper Apart] This very just remark I hope will be constantly held in remembrance by [all del] parents, who are in general too apt to indulge their own fond feelings for their children at the expence of their friends. The common custom of introducing them after dinner is highly injudicious. The late Lord Chief Baron Burgh of Ireland who was both a fond husband and a fond father would never permit it. He was very happy that they should appear at any other time; but would not suffer them to poison the moments of festivity by attracting the attention of the company, and in a manner compelling them from politeness to say what they do not think. For this information I am indebted to Mr. Malone who was his Lordship’s invaluable friend.a1≥ 5 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in all that is unscored of Letter 15 July.’ This Paper Apart no longer forms part of the Life MS. 6 Beginning here the letters stem from JB’s memoranda on MS 619: ‘Take in & excerpt His of 22 July & of same date to my Wife prefacing ≤or noting≥ it with her having sent him some Marmalade of Orange — Mine of 28 July 29 July His of ≤4≥ August — ≤Both≥ Mine of 12 August His of 30 August. Mine of [11>] [9 del] Septr. His of 1 Septr. Mine of 9 Septr. His of 11 Septr.’ JB omitted the letter of 29 July; see post p. 85 n. 3. 7 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in Letter July 22. But insert the paragraph at the bottom of page 3. Thus / [I have dined lately with poor dear Langton. ***** But he is a very good man.’ JB’s bracket, marked ‘NP’, indicated a new paragraph. This Paper Apart no longer forms part of the Life MS. 8 The asterisks in JB’s copy (see note above) suggest that he originally intended to elide the substance of this paragraph. He changed his mind, it appears, on condition of deleting Langton’s name and adding a footnote. Drafted on a separate leaf, the note is headed ‘Note on Dr. Johnson’s Letter where he says of poor dear “he has his children too much about him”’. 9 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take it in’. This Paper Apart no longer forms part of the Life MS. JB decided that SJ’s letter of 22 July on Mrs. Boswell’s gift was selfexplanatory, for he jettisoned his notion of ‘prefacing or noting it with her having sent him some Marmalade of Orange’ (see n. 6 above). a1 The sentence mentioning Lord Chief Baron Burgh of Ireland was omitted in the revises, along with the one acknowledging EM’s friendship with him. As for the sentence in between, JB had adopted in propria persona the attitude attributed to his Lordship: ‘I should be as happy as others that they should appear …’. In correcting the revises, however, he generalized the sentiment: ‘It is agreable enough that they should appear at any other time; but they should not be suffered to poison …’. See the revision expressing JB’s dislike of ‘the custom which some people had of bringing their children into company’ (ante p. 24 ll. 1–4).

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1777

LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 129–31

Mr. BOSWELL to Dr. JOHNSON Edinburgh 28 July 1777. . . . . . . .

[My Dear Sir. del]1 . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . * * * * 5 [Mentioning that my wife÷Mrs. Boswell had been affected with complaints 6 which threatened a Consumption, but was now better.>] Mentioning that 7 something had occurred which I was affraid might prevent me from meeting 8 him; and [that del]2 my wife had been affected with complaints which threatened a Consumption, but was now better.3 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 To JAMES BOSWELL Esq.4 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mr. BOSWELL to Dr. JOHNSON5 12 13 14

≤Informing him≥ That [Mrs. Boswell÷my wife>] my wife had continued to be better so that my alarming apprehensions were relieved — and that I hoped to disengage myself [Paper Apart LL3] from the other embarrassment which had 15 occurred, and therefore requesting to know particularly [how his time was to be distributed during his Jaunt.>] when he intended to be at Ashbourne.

. . . . . .

To JAMES BOSWELL Esq:6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . To JAMES BOSWELL Esq:7 . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . .

.

. . . . . .

.

1 In the midst of some instructions—‘Take in the first page. Then say’—JB decided to summarize rather than quote from the letter. Deleting ‘My Dear Sir’ and what he had just written, he proceeded, ‘Mentioning that my wife …’. In revision he changed his mind, directing the compositor to ‘Take in the first page. Then * * * *’. This Paper Apart no longer forms part of the Life MS. 2 Printed in the revises, either retained by the compositor or reinserted in proof for a clearer parallelism. 3 Square brackets were printed around this sentence in the revises, to distinguish it from the text of the letter. JB worried that a visit from Godfrey Bosville, his ‘Yorkshire Chief’, might disrupt his plans to meet SJ, though he resolved ‘I will come to him in all events’. Writing to SJ again on 29 July, JB apologized, ‘lest my last night’s letter should make him think me unsettled as to our interview’ (Reg. Let.). The letter of 29 July, originally slated for inclusion (see p. 84 n. 6), was left out of the Life. 4 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in Letter of August 4’. This Paper Apart no longer forms part of the Life MS. 5 JB gave no direction for his letter of 12 Aug. to be taken in, for he summarized it in the following sentence, which, as a paraphrase rather than a quotation, was printed within square brackets. 6 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in Letter August 30’. This Paper Apart no longer forms part of the Life MS. 7 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in Letter Sept. 1’. While seeing the fourth edition through the press, EM asked Sir William Forbes (a co-executor of JB’s literary papers) to search for the letter and check SJ’s quotation from Sir Philip Sidney, which had been printed ‘To virtue, fortune, wine, and woman’s breast’. It struck him as ‘strange that wine should have any influence in determining whether they [SJ and JB] should undertake another expedition together’ (to the Baltic; see p. 86 n. 9). The

85

H-P iii. 132, 134

MANUSCRIPT EDITION

[1st ed. ii. 130]

[Mr. del] Boswell to Dr. Johnson

1777

Edinburgh / 9 Septr. 1777. Informing him that I was to set out next day in order to meet him at Ashbourne.8 ‘I have a present for you9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a It appears that Johnson now in his sixty eigth year was seriously inclined to realise the project of our going up the Baltick, which I had started when we were in the Isle of Sky; for he thus writes to Mrs. Thrale ‘[Letters del]a1

Ashbourne Sept 13 1777 ‘Boswell I believe is coming. He talks [Paper Apart LL4] of being here today. I shall be glad to see him. But he shrinks from the Baltick expedition which I think is the best scheme in our power. What we shall substitute I know not. He wants to see Wales; but except the woods of Bachycraigh what is there in Wales? What that can filla2 the hunger of ignorance, or quench the thirst of curiosity? We may perhaps form some scheme or other; but in the phrase of Hockley in the Hole, it is pity he has not a better bottom.’ Such an ardour of mind and vigour of enterprise is admirable at any age; but more particularly so at the advanced period at which Johnson was [now>] then arrived. I [regret>] am sorry now that I did not insist on our making out that scheme. Besides the various objects of curiosity and observation, to have seen [Dr. Johnson>] my illustrious friend received as he probably would have been ≤by a Prince so eminently distinguished for his Variety of talents and acquisitions as the King of Sweden, and≥ by the Empress [Paper Apart LL5] of Russia whose extraordinary [abilities acquisitions and magnanimity>] abilities information and magnanimity astonish the World, would have afforded a noble subject for contemplation and word in Sidney was ‘time’, and must have been so in SJ’s letter, reasoned EM, but his hand being ‘very small and difficult to read’, the words ‘might easily be confounded, especially by our friend, who unfortunately set more value upon wine, than time’ (3 Mar. 1804, Corr. 2a, p. 465). The word ‘wine’ produced a reading ‘to which Dr. Johnson would by no means have subscribed’, explained EM in a footnote on the verse, which included the text of Sidney’s sonnet (Hill-Powell iii. 131–32 n. 2). SJ’s letter, untraced, no longer forms part of the Life MS. For an explanation of how the word time in SJ’s hand could be ‘virtually identical’ with wine, see Letters of Johnson ed. Chapman, ii. 199 n. 1. If the words were in fact ‘confounded’, it was the compositor’s misreading, overlooked by JB and the corrector in reading proof. 8 JB’s opening paraphrase, followed by a dash, was printed within square brackets. 9 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in all the ≤rest of≥ Letter and on Baltick= put the following note’. This note fulfills an intention registered in the Life Materials (M 147, under 1777): ‘His really thinking of our going up the Baltick as proposed in the Isle of Sky. See Letters to Mrs. Thrale p. 367.’ a1 Printed in the revises ‘Lelsey [sic] Vol. page .’ Corrected by JB to ‘Letters Vol. I page 366’. a2 Printed ‘what is there in Wales, that can fill’ (so in revises), a misreading of JB’s transcription, which was accurate throughout the paragraph, apart from his punctuation and introduction of italics.

86

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10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

25

1777

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

20

25

LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 134–36

To JAMES BOSWELL Esq.1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . On Sunday evening September 14 I arrived at Ashbourne, & drove directly up to Dr. Taylor’s door. Dr. Johnson [appeared before I had got out of my chaise & welcomed me cordially as did Dr. Taylor when I entered his house.>] and he appeared before I had got out of the chaise & welcomed me cordially. I told them that I had travelled all the preceeding night, and gone to bed in the morning at Leek in Staffordshire and that when I rose to go to church in the afternoon, I was informed there had been an Earth=quake [Paper Apart LL6] of which it seems the shock had been felt in some degree at Ashbourne. JOHNSON. ‘Sir, it will be much exaggerated in popular talk; for in the first place the common people do not accurately adapt their thoughts to the objects nor secondly do they accurately adapt their words to their thoughts; they do not mean to lye; but taking no pains to be exact, they give you very false accounts. A great part of their language is proverbial. If any thing rocks at all, they say it rocks like a cradle; and in this way they go on.’ [We talked of grief for the loss of relations and friends, and I>] The subject of grief for the loss of relations and friends being introduced and2 I observed that it was strange to consider how soon it in general wears away. Dr. Taylor mentioned a gentleman of the neighbourhood3 as the only instance he had ever known of a person who endeavoured to retain grief. He told Dr. Taylor that after his Lady’s death which affected him deeply he resolved that the grief which he cherished with a kind of sacred fondness should be lasting; but that he found he could not keep it long. [MS 619 resumed]4 [Ashbourne Journal, p. 23]5 ≤JOHNSON.≥ ‘All grief for what cannot nor could not be helped, soon record. [Visionary as this reflection may possibly be, I own that my mind feels an unavailing regret. added and del]a3 1 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in Letter Sept. 11’. This letter no longer forms part of the Life MS. 2 In revision JB neglected to delete ‘and’, a mistake corrected before the revises were printed. 3 Littleton Poyntz Meynell, named in the Ashbourne Journal (14 Sept. 1777). His wife was Judith (Alleyne) Meynell, whom he married in 1720. Starting below (l. 25), pages from this journal (J 52) comprised JB’s copy-text for the Life. 4 Beneath the deleted memoranda near the bottom of MS 619 (see ante p. 84 n. 6), JB planted ‘JOHNSON’ as a catchword and directed the compositor, in letters twice the size of his usual handwriting, to ‘Then go to Journal at Ashbourne.’ 5 By allowing Sir William Forbes to read the Ashbourne Journal in 1779, JB tested himself in his role as ‘the Biographer of Johnson’ (see post p. 150 ll. 9–18). Because the journal served as a draft of material for the biography, JB’s alterations to it in preparing it for the Life are transcribed as revisions. A volume in itself, titled ‘Ashbourne Journal 1777’, it originally contained 120 numbered pages with text: JB used both sides of the leaves for pp. 1–45, the recto only for pp. 46–105 (written in Edinburgh from notes, with two leaves numbered ‘100’), and both sides for pp. 106–119. In one form or another, a3 A version of this deleted sentence was printed in the revises: ‘This reflection may possibly be thought too visionary by the more sedate and cold blooded part of my readers; yet I own, I frequently indulge it, with an earnest, unavailing regret.’ Selfe marked ‘cold blooded’ for the insertion of a hyphen.

87

H-P iii. 136–37

MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1777

wears away, in some sooner indeed in some later; but it never continues very long, unless where there is madness, such as will make a man have pride so fixed in his [1st ed. ii. 133] mind as to imagine himself a King, or any other passion in an unreasonable way; for6 all unnecessary grief is unwise, and therefore will not be long retained by a sound mind. If indeed the cause of our grief is occasioned by our own misconduct, if grief is mingled with remorse of conscience it should be lasting.’ [‘But’ said I,>] Boswell. ‘But Sir, we do not approve of a Man who very soon forgets the loss of a Wife or a Friend.’ [‘Sir’ said he>] Johnson. ‘Sir we disapprove of him, not because he soon forgets his grief, for the sooner it is forgotten the better; but because we suppose that if he forgets his Wife or his friend [AJ 24] [too del] soon, he has not had much affection for them.’ [I had some supper brought to me, about nine; & Dr. Taylor sat by me politely the first night. As when I last was with Dr. Johnson, I was by his approbation a Water-drinker only. I felt a sort of timidity when I was to drink a glass of wine. However, I took it; & he made no remark. We sat awhile after Dr. Taylor went to bed, but not late. del] I was somewhat dissappointed in finding that the edition of the English Poets for which he was to write Prefaces and Lives, was not an Undertaking directed by him; but ≤that≥ he was to furnish a Preface & Life to any Poet the Booksellers pleased[, just as I will furnish a paper upon any Cause del]. I asked him [afterwards, del] if he would do this to any dunce’s Works if they pleased. [‘Yes’, said he,>] Johnson. ‘Yes, Sir, and say he was a Dunce.’ He did not seem ≤now≥ much [AJ 25] to relish talking7 of this edition. [Monday 15 September. Owing to ‘dilatory notation’ as Dr. Johnson well says in his Hebridian Journey, I find that a good deal of his conversation will not be preserved in this my Journal. He & Dr. Taylor had an argument at breakfast, whether it would be better for Rasay to send his cattel to this country himself, or sell them to the drovers. and I thought Dr. Johnson made the mutual advantage to buyer and seller who live at a distance to have a middle man, very clear, as indeed he has done in his Journey. (This conversation was I now recollect on tuesday). Dr. Johnson told me that every body commended parts of his book in their own way. Mr. Jackson (the allknowing) told him>] On Monday September 15 Dr. Johnson observed that every body commended pp. 23–119 made their way into the Life. Of these ninety-eight pages, fifty-nine were sent to the printing house with revisions, while the other thirty-nine (pp. 27–28, 50–54, 59, 76–81, 83–92, 94–95, 103, and 108–119) were withheld, the more substantial deletions to these pages calling for JB to re-draft the portions he wanted to salvage onto Papers Apart. Most of these separately drafted pages were interleaved with the original pages of J 52 (hereafter AJ) as printer’s copy; JB neither identified them as Papers Apart in his usual way, nor directed the compositor to take them in. Citations for the original pages refer to JB’s page numbers (e.g., ‘AJ 24’), those for the separate pages (‘AJ*’) to their foliation when catalogued as Papers Apart in the Beinecke (e.g., ‘AJ* 533’). 6 JB deleted a word after ‘for’ on a part of the leaf that has crumbled away. Only parts of a letter and his deletion strokes are visible. 7 JB’s changes to this phrase in the revises are difficult to follow. At first he apparently altered it to read ‘He did not seem much to talk’, then ‘My friend seemed not much to relish talk’, and finally ‘My friend seemed now not much to talk’. If this was his intention, it was misread by the compositor, who typeset ‘My friend seemed now not much to relish talking’, as the phrase was printed in the first edition.

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25

30

1777

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

20

25

30

35

LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 137–38

such parts of his ‘Journey to the Western Islands’ as were in their own way. ‘For instance’ said he ‘Mr. Jackson (the allknowing) told me there was more good sense upon trade in it than what he would hear in the house of Commons in a year, exc Burke. Jones mended th [AJ 26] which treats of language. Burke that which [treats of>] describes the inhabitants of mountainous countries.’8 [[AJ 30] I have omitted to mention that on Monday the 15th Dr. Johnson took me to see the garden belonging to the Schoolmaster’s House. It is formed upon a Bank rising behind the house, like what we found at our Inn at Inverness. Mr. Langley a Clergyman the Head Master accompanied us. He lives just on the opposite side of the street to Dr. Taylor’s. But they are not on good terms. We talked in this garden of the disadvantage of Curates having such poor salaries that they must appear mean. I [AJ 31] said no man>] [AJ* 533] After breakfast Johnson carried me to see the garden belonging to the School of Ashbourne which is very prettily formed upon a bank rising gradually behind the house. The Reverend Mr. Langley the Head Master accompanied us. While we sat basking in the sun upon a seat here, I introduced a common subject of complaint the very small salaries which many curates have, and I maintained that [AJ 31] no man should be invested with the character of a Clergyman unless he has a security for such an income as will enable him to [maintain its dignity>] appear respectable. That therefore [no Clergyman should be allowed to have a Curate, who does not give him £100 a year>] a Clergyman should not be allowed to have a Curate, unless he gives him a hundred pounds a year. If he cannot do that, let him perform the duty himself.9 [Dr. Johnson said that to be sure it was wrong>] Johnson. ‘To be sure Sir it is wrong that any Clergyman should be without a reasonable income. But as the Church Revenues [had been>] were so diminished at the Reformation, The Clergy who have livings cannot afford in many instances, to give good salaries to Curates, without leaving themselves too little; & if no Curate were to be permitted [without £100 a year>] unless he has1 a hundred pounds a year, their number would be [1st ed. ii. 134] very small, which would be a disadvantage, as then there would not be such choice in the Nursery for the Church, [AJ 32] Curates being candidates for the higher [offices of the Church>] ecclesiastical offices according to their merit & good behaviour.’ He explained the system of the English Hierarchy exceedingly well. ‘It is not thought fit ≤said he≥ to trust a man with the care of a Parish till he has given proof as a Curate, that he shall deserve such a trust.’ This is an excellent Theory; & if the practice were according to it, the Church of England would be

8 Here JB jumped ahead to his entry for 16 Sept., where he described other activities from 15 Sept. that he had ‘omitted to mention’. 9 In the revises, the end of JB’s comment was punctuated as a quotation, but not its beginning. JB added quotation marks after ‘I maintained’ and turned his remarks into a single sentence, altering ‘respectable. That’ to ‘respectable; that’ (evidently having already in proof made the like adjustment to ‘year. If’). 1 Printed ‘had’ in the revises, probably a misreading.

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H-P iii. 138–40

MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1777

admirable indeed. However, as I have heard Dr. Johnson observe as to the Universities, — bad practice, does not infer that the Constitution is bad.2 [[AJ 26] We had some of Dr. Taylor’s neighbours, good civil gentlemen at dinner. Dr. Johnson told me ‘he was a very sensible acute man’. But there was nothing of literature about him; nothing of Westminster Abbey, though he is a Prebendary there. At night Dr. Johnson let me carry with me to my room, Dr. Dodd’s letters to him, & several pieces which he had written for him. It seems Lady Harrington had interested herself for him, & had applied to a Lady of Quality who solicited Dr. Johnson’s aid, & he wrote his speech to the Judge, the Convict’s Address except the beginning & end, A letter to the King, and all the Contents of ‘Occasional Papers’ except his Account of himself and the Declaration which ws it. He said he also wrote a n f the C ‘but they mended it’ (laughing).>]3 [AJ* 534]4 We had with us at dinner several of Dr. Taylor’s neighbours good civil gentlemen, who seemed to understand Dr. Johnson very well, and not to consider him in the light that one5 did who being struck or rather stunned by his voice & manner, and when he was afterwards asked what he thought of him answered ‘He’s a tremendous companion.’ Johnson told me that ‘Taylor was a very sensible acute man, and had a strong mind; that he had great activity in some respects and yet such a sort of indolence that if you should put a pebble upon his chimney piece, you would find it there in the same state a year afterwards.’6 And now is the proper place to give an account of Johnson’s humane and zealous interference in behalf of the Reverend Dr. William Dodd formerly Prebendary [AJ* 535] of Brecon and Chaplain in ordinary to his Majesty, celebrated as a very popular preacher, an encourager of charitable institutions and authour of a variety of Works chiefly theological. Having unhappily contracted expensive habits of living partly occasioned by licentiousness of manners he in an evil hour when pressed by want of money and dreading an exposure of his circumstances, forged a bond7 of which he attempted to avail himself to support his credit, flattering himself with hopes that he might be 2 Here JB placed a triple cross to lead the compositor to the corresponding symbol on AJ* 534. 3 Before deleting this passage in order to expand his material, JB inserted ‘so far as I could judge’ after the verb in the phrase ‘there was nothing of literature’, and deleted the phrase ‘applied to a Lady of Quality’. As JB had learned (see p. 91 ll. 17–18, 23–24), Lady Harrington did not use an intermediary, but wrote directly to SJ, who replied in a letter of 25 June 1777 (Letters of Johnson ed. Redford, iii. 31–32). 4 At the top of this leaf, above a triple cross (see n. 2 above), JB wrote ‘For Monday Septr. 15’. In the sequence AJ* 534–40, JB used one side of the paper and placed catchwords at the bottom of each page. 5 Printed in the revises ‘a certain person’. It was Garrick’s younger brother, George Garrick (1723–79). See Hill-Powell iii. 139 n. 1. 6 Here, coming to the next sentence in AJ 26 (‘At night Dr. Johnson let me carry …’; see above, l. 6), JB began a new paragraph, ‘In the evening’. Then, realizing that the topic of Dr. Dodd needed an introduction, he deleted the false start and drafted two paragraphs before resuming this thought (‘He this evening …’: post p. 91 l. 27). 7 JB placed a caret after ‘bond’ and inserted ‘for’ above ‘forged’, leaving space to complete the phrase ‘a bond for …’. But he did not return to the passage, and the compositor ignored the extraneous word.

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LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 140–41

able to repay its contents without being detected. The person whose name he thus rashly and criminally presumed to falsify was the Earl of Chesterfield to whom he had been tutor, and who he perhaps in the warmth of his feelings trusted would rather ≤generously≥ pay the money in case of an alarm being taken, than suffer him to fall a victim to the [AJ* 536] dreadful consequences of violating the [necessary law against forgery to guard against which is so important in a commercial country>] law against forgery the most dangerous crime in a commercial country; but the unfortunate Divine [found>] had the miserable mortification to find that he was mistaken. His noble pupil ≤though a young man≥ appeared against him ≤with the unrelenting rigour of the elder Brutus≥ and he was capitally convicted.8 [1st ed. ii. 135] Johnson told me that Dr. Dodd was very little acquainted with him having been but once in his company many years previous to this period ≤which was precisely the state of my own acquaintance with Dodd≥; but in his distress he bethought himself of Johnson’s persuasive power of writing, if haply it might avail to obtain for him the Royal Mercy. He did not apply to him directly, but ≤(extraordinary as it may seem)≥ through the late Countess of Harrington, who wrote a letter to Johnson asking him to employ his pen in favour of Dodd. Mr. Allen the Printer who was Johnson’s Landlord & next neighbour in Bolt Court and for whom he had much kindness [AJ* 537] was one of Dodd’s friends of whom to the credit of humanity be it recorded that he had many who did not desert him even after his infringement of the law had reduced him to the state of a man under sentence of death. Mr. Allen told me that he brought Lady Harrington’s letter to Johnson, that Johnson read it walking up and down his chamber, and seemed much agitated, after which he said ‘I will do what I can’ and certainly he did make extraordinary exertions. He this evening as he had obligingly promised in one of his letters, put into my hands the whole series of his writings upon this melancholy occasion,9 and I shall present my readers with the Abstract which I made from the Collection, in doing which I studied to avoid copying what had appeared in publick, and now make part [AJ* 538]10 of the Edition of ‘Johnson’s Works’ published by the Booksellers of London, but taking care to mark Johnson’s variations in some of the pieces there exhibited. Dr. Johnson wrote in the first place Dr. Dodd’s Speech to the Recorder, of London, at the Old Bailey when sentence of death was pronounced upon him.1 8 Several printing errors marred the end of this paragraph. Instead of ‘miserable mortification’, the compositor typeset ‘misfortune’ (so in revises), which JB corrected to ‘mortification’. And neither phrase added in revision to the final sentence was printed. The caret for ‘though a young man’ was obscured by another word, but that alone would not account for the oversight. 9 On 22 July SJ promised, ‘What passed between me and poor Dr. Dodd you shall know more fully when we meet’, and on 1 Sept. reported, ‘I have brought the papers about poor Dodd, to show you, but you will soon have dispatched them’ (Hill-Powell iii. 127, 132). 10 In addition to using catchwords, JB reinforced the sequence of AJ* 538–40 by numbering the leaves 1 through 3, perhaps to mark their special status as the first part of his ‘Abstract’ of SJ’s writings on behalf of Dodd. The second part begins on p. 93. 1 In the Life Materials (M 158) JB remarked, ‘In An Account of Dr. Dodd it is said that a sentiment in his Speech at his trial is like one in Irene a Tragedy which is quoted. No wonder as they were both written by Dr. Johnson.’

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H-P iii. 141–43

MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1777

He wrote also ‘The Convicts Address to his unhappy Bretheren’ a Sermon delivered by Dr. Dodd in the Chapel of Newgate. According to Johnson’s Manuscript, it began thus after the text ‘What shall I do to be saved?’ — ‘These were the words with which the keeper to whose custody Paul and Silas were committed by their prosecutors, addressed [AJ* 539] his prisoners, when he saw them freed from their bonds by the perceptible agency of divine favour, and was therefore irresistibly convinced that they were not offenders against the laws, but martyrs to the truth.’ Dr. Johnson was so good as to mark for me with his own hand on a copy of this Sermon which is now in my possession such passages as were added by Dr. Dodd.2 They are not many. Whoever will take the trouble to [compare>] look at the printed copy and attend to what I mention will be satisfied of this. [1st ed. ii. 136] There is a short introduction by Dr. Dodd; and he introduced this sentence ‘You see with what confusion and dishonour I now stand before you; — no more in the pulpit of instruction, but on this humble seat with yourselves.’ The [first Note is>] Notes are entirely Dodd’s own and Johnson’s writing ends at the words [‘thief pardoned on the cross’>] ‘the thief whome he pardoned on the cross’. What follows was supplied by Dr. Dodd himself. The other pieces written by Johnson in the abovementioned [AJ* 540] collection are two Letters one to the Lord Chancellor Bathurst (not Lord North as is erroneously supposed) and one to Lord Mansfield — A Petition from Dr. Dodd to the King, — [and del] a Petition from Mrs. Dodd to the Queen — Observations of some length inserted in the Newspapers on occasion of Earl Percy’s having presented to His Majesty a Petition for Mercy to Dodd, signed by twenty thousand people, — but all in vain. [Johnson told me that he also wrote a Petition for the City of London to the same Effect ‘but’ said he (with a significant emphasis) ‘they mended it.’ del]3 The last of these pieces which Johnson wrote is ‘Dr. Dodd’s last solemn Declaration’ which he left with the Sheriff, at the place of execution. My friend marked also the variations on a copy of that now in my possession. Dodd inserted ‘I never knew or attended to the calls of frugality or the needful minuteness of painful œconomy’ and in the next sentence he introduced the words which I distinguish by Italicks. ‘My life for some few unhappy4 2

Kept by Forbes at Fettercairn House after JB’s death (Fleeman, Copies of Books, p. 40). In modified form this deleted sentence was retained, printed as follows in the revises: ‘He told me that he had also written a petition from the city of London; but (said he, with a significant smile) they mended it.’ JB reinserted quotation marks around SJ’s quip. The original MS of SJ’s The Petition of the City of London to His Majesty in favour of Dr. Dodd, now in the British Library, was lent to JB by John Hurford Stone in Feb. 1791 (Corr. 2a, p. 297), after the present passage had been printed. Wanting to show how it had been ‘mended’, JB presented it in a footnote (marking omissions, additions, and changes) near the end of the Life (1st ed. ii. 512; see MS 966 in vol. 4, forthcoming in this edition). He moved the note to its proper location here in the second edition (ii. 523–24). 4 The next page of AJ* is missing. It carried JB’s text toward the bottom of p. 136, the final page of the S gathering. After the first proof had been printed, JB added nineteen lines of text (‘I found a letter to Dr. Johnson from Dr. Dodd, May 23, 1777, in which the “Convict’s Address” seems clearly to be meant:’ — so in revises, followed by three paragraphs of quotation). This pushed what had been the first line of sig. T (see next note) half-way down p. 137. In the paragraph above this expansion, 3

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LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 144–45

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [Abstract p. 1]5 This letter was brought to Dr. Johnson when in Church. He stooped down & read it, & wrote when he went home the following letter to The King. ‘Sir 5 ‘May it not offend your Majesty that the most miserable of men applies 6 himself to your clemency as his last hope and his last refuge; that your mercy is 7 most earnestly & humbly implored by a Clergyman whom your laws and Judges 8 have condemned to the horrour & ignominy of a publick execution. ‘I confess the crime, and own the enormity of its consequences and the 9 10 danger of its example. Nor have I the confidence to petition for impunity; but 11 humbly hope that publick security may be established, without the spectacle 12 of a clergyman dragged through the streets, to a death of infamy amidst the 13 derision of the profligate & profane, and that justice may be satisfied with 14 irrevocable exile, perpetual disgrace & hopeless penury. 15 ‘My life, Sir, has not been useless to Mankind. I have benefited many. But

my offences against God6 are numberless and I have had little time for repentance. Preserve me, Sir, by [Abstract p. 2] your prerogative of mercy, from the necessity of appearing unprepared at that tribunal before which Kings & Subjects must stand at last together. Permit me to hide my guilt in 20 some [1st ed. ii. 138] obscure corner of a foreign country, where if I can ever attain confidence to hope that my prayers will be heard, they shall be poured with all the fervour of gratitude for the life & happiness of your Majesty. I am Sir / Your Majesty’s &c. Subjoined to it was written as follows. 25

‘To Dr. Dodd ‘Sir

‘I most7 seriously enjoin you not to let it be at all known that I have written this letter and to return the copy to Mr. Allen in a cover to me. I hope I need not tell you that I wish it success. But do not indulge hope. — Tell 30 nobody.’ JB, having traced SJ’s published contributions to the story of ‘Dr. Dodd’s miserable situation’, proceeded to ‘my record of the unpublished writings’ related to the affair. He changed ‘the’ to ‘his’ in the revises, but then crossed it out and wrote ‘stet’; the unpublished material was not SJ’s alone. 5 Six pages of JB’s ‘Abstract’, made in 1777 from the documents SJ brought to Ashbourne, were used as printer’s copy for the Life. The ink and spacing of JB’s hand (on both sides of three leaves) match what is found in this part of the Ashbourne Journal. The opening phrase, ‘This letter’, refers to Dodd’s request of 22 June ‘begging Dr. Johnson’s assistance in framing a supplicatory letter to his Majesty’. Why this portion of the abstract is missing is not known. The page numbers given are not JB’s. On the first page, the compositor wrote ‘Vol. II T 137’ in alignment with ‘Sir’, marking it as the first word on p. 137 (the first of sig. T) in proof. 6 JB wrote the letters ‘od’ about twice the normal size, already indicating to a future compositor that they should be typeset in small capital letters (as was done). 7 The word was ‘must’, according to Edmund Allen’s copy of the letter (Letters of Johnson ed. Redford, iii. 30; Hill-Powell iii. 145 n. a).

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H-P iii. 145–46

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1777

[Mr. Allen here mentioned was Mr. Allen the Printer, whom Dr. Johnson employed to carry messages between him & Dr. Dodd; and it happened luckily that Mr. Allen [Abstract p. 3] was pitched on for this, for he>] [Abstract p. 3] It happened luckily that Mr. Allen was pitched on to assist in this melancholy office, for he was a great friend of Mr. [Akerman’s>] Akerman the keeper of 5 Newgate. Dr. Johnson never went to see Dr. Dodd. He said to me It8 would 6 have done [him>] him more harm than good to Dodd, who once expressed a 7 desire to see him, but not earnestly. 8 Dr. Johnson on the 20 of June wrote the following letter ‘To the Right 9 10 Honourable Charles Jenkinson.’ 11 12 ‘Since the conviction & condemnation of Dr. Dodd, I have had by 13 the intervention of a friend, some intercourse with him, and I am sure I shall 14

‘Sir.

lose nothing in your opinion by tenderness & commiseration. Whatever be the crime, it is not easy to have any knowledge of the Delinquent without a wish that his life may be spared, at least when no life has been taken away by him. I will therefore take the liberty of suggesting some reasons for which I wish this unhappy Being to escape the utmost rigour of his sentence. [Abstract p. 4] ‘He is, so far as I can recollect, the first Clergyman of our church, who has suffered publick execution for immorality; and I know not whether it would not be more for the interest of Religion, to bury such an Offender in the obscurity of perpetual exile, than to expose him in a cart & on the gallows, to all who for any reason are enemies to the Clergy. [1st ed. ii. 139] ‘The Supreme Power has in all ages paid some attention to the voice of the people; and that voice does not least deserve to be heard, when it calls out for mercy. There is now a very general desire that Dodd’s life should be spared. More is not wished, and perhaps this is not too much to be granted. ‘If you, Sir, have any opportunity of enforcing these reasons, you may perhaps think them worthy of consideration. But whatever you determine I most respectfully intreat that you will be pleased to pardon for this intrusion / Sir your most obedient /and most humble servant Sam: Johnson.9 8 The capital ‘I’ suggests that JB started to quote SJ, but then opted to paraphrase. He added quotation marks to this comment in the second edition—without, however, recasting it in the first person. 9 Direction to the compositor, ‘See Paper _____’, with ‘J’ added later for Charles Jenkinson (1729–1808). Puzzled by the fact that SJ’s letter had received no reply, JB wrote to Jenkinson on 1 Nov. 1790 seeking an explanation, and quoting a paragraph drafted for the Life concerning the matter—presumably the text of Paper Apart J: ‘Of this letter I am sorry to say no notice whatever was taken, not even the common civility of acknowledging the receipt of it. We may wonder the more at this, that the noble Lord’s own great advancement, it might have been thought, would have impressed him with just sentiments of the respect which is due to superiour abilities and attainments. I had prepared something pointed upon this topick, but my high esteem of Lord Hawkesbury’s general character restrains me’. Jenkinson replied on 2 Nov. that he never saw SJ’s letter; it had miscarried (Corr. 2a, pp. 265–67). This response led JB to draft Paper Apart H (Jenkinson had become the first Baron Hawkesbury in Aug. 1786); he thoroughly recast the sentences in paper ‘J’, and then apparently discarded it.

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[Satellite Paper Apart H] It has been confidently circulated with invidious remarks, that [no notice÷regard whatever was taken of÷paid to this letter>] to this letter no attention whatever was paid by Mr. Jenkinson now Lord Hawkesbury and that he did not even deign to [acknowledge the receipt>] shew the common civility of owning the receipt of it. I could not but wonder at such conduct in the noble Lord whose own character and just elevation in life I thought must have impressed him with [a due respect for superiour>] all due regard for great abilities and attainments. As the story had been much talked of ≤and apparrently from good authority,≥ I could not but [animadvert>] have animadverted upon it in this Work had it been as was alledged; but from my earnest love of truth and having found reason to think that there might be a mistake,1 I presumed to write to his Lordship requesting an explanation and it is with the sincerest pleasure that I am enabled to assure the World that there is no foundation for it, the fact being that owing to some neglect [in÷amidst the confused agitation of the unfortunate Divine the letter>] or accident Johnson’s letter never came to Lord Hawkesbury’s hands. I should have thought it strange indeed if that noble Lord had undervalued my illustrious friend; but instead of this being the case his Lordship in a very polite answer with which he was pleased immediately to honour me, thus expresses himself ‘I have always respected the memory of Dr. Johnson, and admire his writings; and I frequently read many parts of them with pleasure and great improvement.’ [I consider this injurious fiction as a fortunate circumstance because it has been the occasion of producing and transmitting to posterity a Testimonium which will be acknowledged to add something to the reputation even of Johnson. del] [Abstract p. 5] All applications for the Royal Mercy having failed, Dr. Dodd prepared himself for death; and I have now before me in his own hand=writing his last letter to Dr. Johnson.2

[1st ed. ii. 140] ‘June 25 Midnight. ‘Accept thou great and good Heart my earnest and fervent thanks and prayers for all thy benevolent & kind efforts in my behalf. — Oh Doctr. Johnson as I sought your knowledge at an early hour in Life, would to Heaven I had cultivated the love and acquaintance of so excellent a Man! — I pray God most sincerely to bless you with the highest transports — the infelt 35 satisfaction of humane and benevolent Exertions! — and admitted as I trust I shall be to the realms of bliss before you, I shall hail your arrival there with transport, and rejoice to acknowledge that you was my Comforter, my Advocate, and my Friend! God be ever with you!’ 30

40

[Abstract p. 6] Dr. Johnson lastly wrote to Dr. Dodd, this solemn and soothing letter. 1 The reason was a conversation in which JB, as he informed Jenkinson, ‘had the pleasure of being assured that your Lordship did by no means undervalue my illustrious friend’ (Corr. 2a, p. 266; see preceding note). 2 Later corrected, the end of this sentence in the revises was printed ‘death; and, with a warmth of gratitude, wrote to Dr. Johnson as follows:’.

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‘Dear Sir. ‘That which is “appointed to all Men”3 is now coming upon you. Outward circumstances, the eyes and the thoughts of men are below the notice of an immortal Being about to stand the Trial for Eternity, before the Supreme Judge of Heaven and Earth. Be comforted. Your crime morally or religiously considered, has no very deep dye of turpitude. It corrupted no man’s principles; it attacked no man’s life. It involved only a temporary and reparable injury. Of this & of all other sins you are earnestly to repent; and may God who knoweth our frailty & desireth not our death, accept your repentance for the sake of his son Jesus Christ our Lord. ‘In requital of those well-intended offices which you are pleased so emphatically to acknowledge, let me beg that you make in your devotions one Petition for my Eternal Welfare. I am Dear Sir / Your affectionate servt. Sam Johnson. June 26 1777. To the Revd. Dr. DODD4

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Under the Copy of this Dr. Johnson writes in his own hand ‘Next day June 17 27 he was executed.’5 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

[[AJ 28] He gave us this evening a very good account of Fitzherbert the Member of Parliament, who made away with himself. He said ‘there was no sparkle no brilliancy about him; but he never knew a man so generally 20 acceptable. He made every body quite easy, overpowered nobody, by superiority of talents,>] [AJ*]6 [AJ 29] made no man think ≤the≥ worse7 of himself by being his rival, seemed ≤always≥ to listen did not oblige you to hear much from him, & did not oppose what you said.’ [(— What a groupe of just features! —) del] ‘Every body liked him. But he had no friend ≤as I understand 25 the word≥ nobody with whom he exchanged intimate thoughts. People were willing to think well of every thing about him. A Gentleman was making an 3 JB marked the end of this quotation but not its beginning; the compositor disregarded it. Lost as a result was a biblical allusion—‘And as it is appointed unto men once to die’ (Hebrews 9: 27). Below, in the words ‘desireth not our death’, SJ alluded to part of the Absolution (Letters of Johnson ed. Chapman, ii. 179 n. 1). 4 ‘To the Reverend Dr. DODD.’ was printed above ‘Dear Sir’ (so in revises), not, as JB copied it, at the foot of the letter. The date was printed flush with the left margin, in line with SJ’s name. 5 A lacuna occurs here in the MS. A missing Paper Apart must have conveyed what comes next in the Life: a new paragraph (‘To conclude this interesting episode …’), with reflections on ‘the unfortunate Dr. Dodd’ quoted from SJ’s ‘Occasional Papers’. A blank line follows this section in the revises to emphasize the resumption of JB’s Ashbourne narrative. 6 As AJ 28 did not go to the printer, JB evidently revised these sentences on a leaf of AJ* now lost. They appeared as follows in the revises: ‘Johnson gave us this evening one of his discriminative portraits of the late Mr. Fitzherbert, of Derbyshire. “There was (said he) no sparkle, no brilliancy in Fitzherbert; but I never knew a man who was so generally acceptable. He made every body quite easy, overpowered nobody by the superiority of his talents,’. EM corrected the phrase ‘one of his discriminative portraits’ to ‘in his happy discriminative manner, a portrait.’ 7 Printed ‘think worse’. JB’s insertion, which blurred into ‘1777’ at the top of the page, was missed.

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affected rout8 as many people do, [about>] of great feelings about “his dear son” who was at School near London; how anxious he was lest he might be ill & what he would give to see him. Said Fitzherbert “Can’t you take a post=chaise & go see him?” This to be sure finished the affected man; but there was not much in it.9 However this was circulated as wit for a whole Winter & I believe part of a summer too; a proof that he was no very witty man. He was an instance of the truth of the observation that a man will please more upon the whole by negative qualities [AJ 30] than by positive, by never offending than by giving a great deal of delight. In the first place men hate much more steadily than they love, and if I have said something to hurt a man once I shall not get the better of this by saying many things to please him.’1 [[AJ 32] This day I rode out with Dr. Taylor, & saw his large Cattel, his horses, his sheep and his Fowls of the game kind. He had just sold to Chaplin the Breeder a Cow for one hundred & twenty ≤Pounds≥.2 I saw her, & [AJ 33] also one for which he had been offered a hundred & thirty. It was a delightful day, & I had pleasure in viewing the rich vale about Ashbourne where ground lets in pasture or I should rather say in grass, for they both mow & pasture it — at fifty shillings an acre. Dr. Taylor said Dr. Johnson was>] [AJ*]3 [AJ 33] a man of a very clear head great power of words & ≤a≥ very gay imagination; but there [was no disputing with him. He would not hear you, & having a louder voice roared you down.>] is no disputing with him. He will not hear you, & having a louder voice than most men, he roars you down.’4 In the afternoon I tried to get Dr. Johnson to like [Hamiltons Poems>] the Poems of Mr. Hamilton of Bangour which I had brought with me; [for del] I had been much pleased with them, at a very early age; the impression still 8 Printed ‘rant’, a misreading (so too in Boswell in Extremes, p. 152); uncorrected. See OED, Rout, sb. 8.b: ‘Fuss, clamour, noise. Formerly common in the phrase to make a rout about (something).’ 9 In the second edition, JB footnoted this sentence with ‘a fuller account of this story than had reached Dr. Johnson’ (Hill-Powell iii. 149 n. 2). The affected man was John Gilbert Cooper, as JB related from his source for this account, Dr. Thomas Gisborne (bap. 1725, d. 1806). Gisborne was from Derbyshire and maintained a home there, like Fitzherbert, but lived in London as a physician to St. George’s Hospital, a fellow of the College of Physicians, and a physician to the royal household (Oxford DNB). 1 Here JB skipped over the material in his entry for 16 Sept. that covered omissions from his record of 15 Sept. (see ante p. 89 n. 8). ‘This day I rode’ introduced the events proper to 16 Sept. 2 Added to a space left blank in the journal; later changed to ‘guineas’ (see next note). The breeder was Charles Chaplin (1730–95) of Tathwell, near Louth in Lincolnshire. 3 The Paper Apart on which JB redrafted these sentences is missing. In the revises they read as follows: ‘Tuesday, September 16, Dr. Johnson having mentioned to me the extraordinary size and price of some cattle reared by Dr. Taylor, I rode out with our host, surveyed his farm, and was shown one cow which he had sold for a hundred and twenty guineas, and another for which he had been offered a hundred and thirty. Taylor thus described to me his old schoolfellow and [1st ed. ii. 142] friend, Johnson: “He is’. From here the compositor proceeded to AJ 33, cued by JB’s asterisk next to ‘a man’. 4 Printed ‘louder voice than you, must roar you down’ (so in revises). Evidently the compositor misread JB’s revisions. Ink from the other side of the leaf spotted the page; and in the alteration of ‘roared’ to ‘roars’, the ‘s’ that covered the ‘e’—if seen as a deletion next to the diagonal stroke through the ‘d’—might have made the word look like ‘roar’. Whether the mistakes stand as originally typeset, or as fixed by JB in proof, cannot be known in the absence of that proofsheet.

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H-P iii. 150–51

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1777

remained & [the Hon. Andrew Erskine had frequently>] my friend the Honourable Andrew Erskine himself both a good poet and a good critick had frequently said that Hamilton [is>] was as true5 a Poet as ever wrote, & that his not having fame [is>] was unaccountable. [Dr. del] Johnson [this day del] [AJ 34] and6 upon repeated occasions, while I was at Ashbourne, gave it against Hamilton. He said there was no power of thinking in his verses, nothing that strikes one, nothing better than what you generally find in Magazines, ≤and≥ that ≤the highest praise they deserved was that≥ they were very well for a gentleman to hand about among his friends. He said the imitation of Ne sit ancillæ tibi amor ≤&c.≥ was too solemn. He read part of it at the beginning. He read ≤the beautiful pathetick song≥ ‘Ah the poor Shepherd’s mournful fate’ ≤and≥ did not seem at all to mind what I had been used to think tender elegant strains but laughed at the rhime, ≤in Scotch pronunciation≥ wishes and blushes reading wushes, & there he stopped. He [said Lord Newhall’s Epitaph was well enough.>] owned that the ‘epitaph on Lord Newhall’ was pretty well done. He read the ‘Inscription in a Summerhouse’, & a little of the imitations of Horace’s Epistles, but said he found nothing to make him desire to read on. [He said [AJ 35] when I pleaded there were some good poetical passages in the Book — ‘Where would one>] [AJ 35] When I urged that there were some good poetical passages in the Book — ‘Where (said he) will one7 find so large a Collection without some.’ I tried the picture of Winter.8 ≤‘See Winter from the frozen North Drives his iron chariot forth His grisly hand in icy chains Fair Tweda’s silver flood constrains’ &c.≥

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25

He asked Why an iron chariot? and said ‘icy chains’ was an old image. I was struck with the uncertainty of taste, & somewhat sorry that a poet whom I had long read with fondness was not approved by Dr. Johnson. I comforted myself with thinking that the beauties were too delicate for [the Dr.’s>] his robust perceptions; Garrick maintained that he had not ≤a≥ taste for the finest 30 productions of genius. But [then del] I was sensible that when he took the trouble to annalyse critically he convinced ≤every≥ one he was right. [1st ed. ii. 143] In the evening the Rev: Mr. [Seyward>] Seward [Canon del] of Lichfield who was passing through ≤Ashbourne≥ in his way home, drank tea with us. [Dr. Johnson said his ambition was to be a fine talker, so he went 35 to Buxton & such places, where he might find companies to listen to him. He 5 Printed ‘remained on my mind: it was confirmed by the opinion of my friend the Honourable Andrew Erskine, himself both a good poet and a good critick, who thought Hamilton as true’ (so in revises). 6 Omitted in print, JB clearly having intended to delete this word also. 7 Scoring through the words ‘would one’ in revision, JB wrote ‘will’ but did not replace ‘one’. In its stead, ‘you’ appeared in the revises. The dash leading from JB’s dependent clause into this quotation was typeset as a period (so in revises); the resulting sentence fragment was never corrected. 8 Printed in the revises ‘I thought the description of Winter might obtain his approbation:’.

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said [AJ 36] was a Valetudinarian, one of those who are allways mending themselves. He said he did not know a more disagreable character than a Valetudinarian who thinks he may do any thing that is for his ease, may belch or f—t,9 or desire you to leave the room, and indulges himself in every way. ‘Sir, he brings>] Johnson described him thus ‘Sir his ambition is to be a fine talker, so he goes to Buxton & such places, where he may find companies to listen to him. [AJ 36] And Sir he is a Valetudinarian, one of those who are allways mending themselves. I do not know a more disagreable character than a Valetudinarian who thinks he may do any thing that is for his ease, and indulges himself in every way. Sir, he brings himself to the state of a Hog in a Stye.’1 Dr. Taylor’s Nose fell a bleeding tonight. He said it was because he had ommitted [four days to have himself blooded>] to have himself blooded four days after a quarter of a year’s interval. Dr. Johnson who [is a great Physician>] was a great dabler in Physick dissapproved much of periodical bleeding. ‘For’, said he, ‘you accustom yourself to an evacuation which Nature cannot perform of herself, and therefore she cannot help you, should you from forgetfulness or any other cause ommit it [&>] so that2 you may be suddenly suffocated. You may [AJ 37]3 accustom yourself to [periodical or periodical vomitings, because sho you ommit them, Nature can pu you, Nature can vomit you. But>] other periodical evacuations because sho you ommit them, Nature can supply the omission; But cannot open a vein to blood y4 [And I would advise you som time before the next period of ing to purge or vomit. del]’ ‘I do not like to [vomit>] take an emetick’ said Taylor ‘for fear of breaking some vessels.’ ‘Po [Dr. del] Johnson ‘if you have so manings that will break you had better break your neck ≤at once≥ & there’s an end on’t. You will break no small vessels.’ (Blowing with a sort of derision.) I [told>] mentioned to Dr. Johnson that David Hume’s persisting in his infidelity when he was dying shocked me much. [‘Why should it’ said he.>] JOHNSON. ‘Why should it shock you, Sir? Hume owned he had never read the New testament with attention.5 Here then was a man who had been at no pains to inquire into the truth of Religion and had continually turned his 9

Whether JB’s word was ‘f—t’ or ‘fart’ is difficult to tell beneath a heavy deletion. Memorandum in the Life Materials (M 157: ‘Johnsonian Additions’), ‘Valetudinarian self=indulgence mighty offensive’. SJ’s characterization of Seward elicited a retort from the Rev. Richard George Robinson in 1794 (Gent. Mag. lxiv. 875–76; see Corr. 2a, p. 80 n. 1). 2 In revision, JB began to write ‘& there[fore]’, then deleted ‘there’ and his original ampersand. His final intention, ‘so that’, was probably typeset, but the spacing of the line in the revises suggests that JB deleted ‘that’ in proof. 3 Several words or parts of words have vanished along the tattered edge of this page. 4 The verb ‘to blood’ was queried in the revises; JB let it stand. To illustrate this usage, which was less common than ‘to bleed’, the OED quotes SJ to Hester Thrale, 14 June 1780: ‘yesterday I fasted and was blooded, and to day took physick and dined’ (Letters of Johnson ed. Redford, iii. 275). 5 ‘This comes in afterwards’, JB wrote on MS 263 in reference to SJ’s opinion on Hume’s unfamiliarity with the New Testament. It came in also on MS 309 (see Life MS i. 311 ll. 8–9 and ii. 6 ll. 14–16). 1

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mind [AJ 38] er way. It was not to be expec that the prospect of death ld alter his way of thinking, uns [God>] GOD should send an Angel to him right.’ I said [he told me>] Hume assured me was quite easy at the thought Annihilation. [‘He lied’ said Dr. Johnson.>] JOHNSON. ‘He lied, Sir.6 He had a vanity in being thought . It is more probable that he lied, than that so very improbable a thing should be, as a man not afraid of death, of going into an unknown state, and not being uneasy at leaving all that he knew.7 And you are to consider that upon his own principle of Annihilation he had no motive not to lie.’ The horrour for Death which I have allways observed in Dr. Johnson appeared strong tonight. I [said>] ventured to tell him that ≤I≥ had been for moments [in>] of my life not afraid of death, therefore I could suppose another man [AJ 39] in that state of mind for a [1st ed. ii. 144] considerable space of time. He said he never had a moment in which death was not terrible to [him; that>] him. He added that it had been observed that almost no man8 dies in publick but dies with apparent resolution from that desire of praise which never quits [a man>] us. [But how is the dread of death to be supported in solitude? He said ‘I have sometimes thought that I would wish to die quite alone, & have the whole matter transacted between Go & myself; sometimes that I wo have a friend with me; for we all think death less terrible when we have company with us.’9 del] I said Dr. Dodd seemed to be willing to die, & full of hopes of happiness. ‘Sir’, said he, ‘Dr. Dodd would have given both his hands & both his legs to have lived.’ [He said the better a man was, the more afraid he was of death, having a clearer view of infinite purity; & there [AJ 40] were no means by which a man can be sure that he is in a state of acceptance with God. Here I thought his notions too gloomy.>] ‘The better a man is’, said he, ‘the more1 afraid is he of death, having a clearer view of infinite purity.’ [AJ 40] He owned that our being in [this unhappy state was mysterious>] an unhappy uncertainty as to our salvation was mysterious, & said ‘Ah! we must wait till we are in another state of being, to have many things explained to us.’ [It humbling to find that 6 Printed in the revises ‘I said, I had reason to believe that the thought of annihilation gave Hume no pain. JOHNSON. “It was not so, Sir.’ These and other changes removing the notion that Hume had ‘lied’ (see note below) were the most significant of many to this sheet in proof (sig. T, pp. 137–44). In the revises, JB put Selfe on his guard: ‘Pray be very careful as there are several nice corrections’. For other ‘nice corrections’ to these pages, see endnotes and ante p. 98 nn. 5 and 8. 7 Printed in the revises ‘It is more probable that he should assume an appearance of ease, than that so very improbable a thing should be, as a man not afraid of going (as he may go, in spite of his delusive theory,) into an unknown state, and not being uneasy at leaving all he knew.’ EM rearranged and elaborated the parenthesis as follows: ‘(as, in spite of his delusive theory, he cannot be sure but he may go)’. 8 Changed in the third edition to ‘scarce any man’. The formulations ‘almost no’ and ‘almost nothing’ had begun to worry JB in the second edition; see endnote for post p. 203 l. 31, and also Life MS ii. 195–96 n. 9. 9 Possibly deleted, as Geoffrey Scott suggested (BP vi. 190, 207), because SJ had expressed a similar thought on 19 Oct. 1769 (Hill-Powell ii. 93, iii. 498). It was added in revision to MS 344 (Life MS ii. 48 ll. 23–26). 1 Printed in the revises ‘The better a man is, the more’. JB had deleted ‘said he’ and removed the awkward quotation marks separating two speeches of SJ’s which, owing to his revision, abutted one another.

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even>] Even powerful mind of Dr. Johnson [was>] emed foiled by Futurity. [I felt my own mind much firmer than formerly, so that I was not depressed tonight; and even>] but2 I thought that even the gloom of uncertainty in solemn religious Speculation, being mingled with hope, was much more consolatory, than the emptiness of infidelity. A man can live in thick air, but perishes in an exhausted receiver.3 Dr. Johnson was much pleased with a remark which [AJ 41] I told him [of Paoli>] was made to me by General Paoli; ‘That it [was>] is impossible not to be afraid of death; and that those who at the time of dying are not afraid, are not thinking of death, but of applause or something else which keeps death out of their sight; so that all men are equally afraid of death, when they see it. Only some have a power turning their sight away fr it better than others.’ [Wednesday 17 September>] On Wednesday September 17 [Mr. Alsop a Gentleman of fortune here rode with me to see Dovedale a romantick scene some miles from Ashbourne. I shall not attempt any description of it, as there are several printed, one very good one I think, in Whately’s Essay on Modern Gardening. del] Dr. Butter Physician at Derby [who is married to my Cousin Sr John Douglas’s daughter del] drank tea with us, & it was settled tha [AJ 42] Dr. Johnson and I should go on friday and dine with him. [The Dr. (Johnson)>] Johnson said ‘I’m glad of this.’ — He seemed weary of the [uniform dullness>] uniformity of life at Dr. Taylor’s. [I have already said that I am not to observe exact chronology as to the particular ays on which Dr. Johnson said what record in this Journal. del] ≤Talking of Biography≥4 I said in writing a life a Man’s peculiarities should be mentioned, because they mark his character. [He said there was no doubt as to peculiarities. The question was>] Johnson. ‘Sir there is no doubt as to peculiarities; the question is if a Man’s vices should be mentioned, for instance if it should be mentioned that Addison and Parnel were drunkards, for [that del] people [would>] will probably more easily indulge in drinking from knowing this; so that more i [might>] may be done by the example an good by telling the whole truth.’ [But when Lord Hailes & he & I sat>] Here was an instance of his varying from himself in talk, for when Lord Hailes & he sat one forenoon [AJ 43] calmly conversing in my house ≤at Edinburgh≥ I well remember that Dr. Johnson maintained that if a man is to write a Panegyrick, he may keep vices out of sight, but if he professes to write a Life, he must give it as it really was; and when I objected the danger of telling that Parnel was a drunkard, he said that it would produce an instructive caution to avoid drinking, when it was seen that even the learning & genius of Parnel could be debased by it; and [1st ed. ii. 145] in the Hebrides he maintained (as appears from my Journal5) that a man’s intimate friend should mention his faults if he writes his life. He had ≤this evening, partly I suppose from the spirit of contradiction to his Whig friend≥ a violent argument with Dr. Taylor as to the inclinations of 2

Capitalized in print to begin a sentence. ‘An airtight glass container connected to an air pump’ (OED, Receiver, sb. 4.d). 4 A new paragraph began with this phrase in the revises. 5 ‘Journal’ was printed in quotation marks in the revises, with a footnote: ‘Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, 3d edit. P. 240.’ 3

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the people of England at this time towards the Royal Family of Stuart. He [said>] [grew so wild as to say that>] grew so outrageous as to say that if England were [AJ 44] fairly polled, the present King would be turned out tonight, and his adherents hanged tomorrow. Taylor who [is>] was as violent a Whig as Johnson [is>] was a Tory was roused by this to a pitch of bellowing. He denied loudly what [Dr. del] Johnson said, and maintained that there was an abhorrence against the Stuart Family, though he admitted ≤that≥ the people were not [pleased with>] much attached to this King.6 [Dr. Johnson said that the state of the Country was>] Johnson. ‘Sir the state of the Country is this. The people knowing it to be agreed on all hands that this King has not the hereditary right to the crown, & there being no hope that he who has it can be restored, have grown cold and indifferent upon the subject of loyalty, & have7 no warm attachment to any King. They would not therefore risk any thing to restore the exiled [AJ 45] family. They would not give twenty shillings a piece to bring it about. But if a mere vote could do it, [they’d be>] there would be twenty to one, at least there would be a very great Majority of [votes>] voices for it. For ≤Sir≥ you are to consider that all those who think a King has a right to his Crown, as a Man has to his estate, (which is the just opinion), would be for restoring the King who certainly has the hereditary right, could he be trusted with it, in which there would be no danger now, when laws and every thing else are so much advanced and every King will govern by the laws. And you must ≤also≥ consider ≤Sir≥ that there is nothing on the opposite side to oppose to this for it is not alledged by any one that [this family>] the present family has any ≤inherent≥ right so that the Whigs could not have a contest between two rights.’ Dr. Taylor admitted that if the [AJ 46] question as to hereditary right were to be tried by a poll of the people of England, to be sure the abstract doctrine would be given in favour of the family of Stuart; but he said the conduct of that family which occasioned their expulsion, was so fresh in the minds of the people, that they would not vote for a restoration. Dr. Johnson I think [1st ed. ii. 146] was contented with the admission as to the hereditary right, leaving the original point in dispute viz. what the People upon the whole would do, taking in right and affection; for, he said people were afraid of a change, even when they thought it right. Dr. Taylor said something of the slight foundation of the hereditary right of the House of Stuart. [Dr. Johnson said>] ‘Sir’ said Johnson ‘the House of Stuart [had del] succeeded to the full right of both [AJ 47] the Houses of York & Lancaster whose common source had the undisputed right. [That a right to a Throne was like>] A right to a Throne is like a right to any thing else. Possession is sufficient where no better right can be shewn. This was the case with the Royal Family of England, as it is now with the King of France. For, as to the first beginning of the right we [were>] 6 Printed ‘the present King’ in the revises, with a footnote: ‘Dr. Taylor was very ready to make an admission, because the party with which he was connected was not in power. There was then some truth in it, owing to the pertinacity of factious clamour. Had he lived till now, it would have been impossible for him to deny that his Majesty possesses the warmest affection of his people.’ JB corrected ‘an admission’ to ‘this admission’. 7 Printed ‘to have’ in Hill-Powell without warrant from Hill or earlier editions.

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H-P iii. 157

are in the dark.’ [He said we shall never have a stable government in England, till all the branches of the Royal Family nearer to the House of Stuart than the family in possession, be extinguished. I was roused by this debate tonight. My venerable mysterious notions of the sacredness of Monarchy and my gallant affectionate feelings of Loyalty returned with much warmth while I listened to Dr. Samuel Johnson’s old Oxford Eloquence. If I recollect [AJ 48] right, I had almost drank some strong Jacobite toast; for, while the Doctor harangued, I drank larger draughts of port & water than usual. del] [AJ 48] [Thursday 18 September.>] Thursday September 18. Last night Dr. Johnson had proposed that the Chrystal Lustre or Chandelier in Dr. Taylor’s large room should be lighted up some time or other; [or at least he talked in such a way, that the Doctor said>] Taylor said it should be lighted up next night. ‘That will do very well’ said I; ‘for it is Dr. Johnson’s birthday.’ When we were in the Isle of Sky the8 [Doctor>] Johnson [I know not from what fancy added and del] had desired me not to mention his birthday. He did not seem pleased at this time that I did it, & said he would not have the Lustre lighted next night.9 This morning at breakfast I was dissappointed of my hope that during [this>] our present interview Dr. Johnson should not say a single harsh thing to me or of me. But I was dissappointed by my own fault as [AJ 49] I was pretty sure that mentioning his birthday would offend him, & yet did it. The subject was introduced at breakfast, I do not remember how. He addressed himself to Dr. Taylor, and said of me. ‘I had a mind to have forbid him to mention it; but was in hopes he would have forgot it; and I thought he would do better from not knowing what was wrong, than if he had been told to avoid it.’ This was representing me [as a being of little judgement or conduct.>] in no creditable view. When he found that I was somewhat disconcerted, [he retracted, or at least del] expressed himself in terms that shewed he had been in jest.1 Some Ladies who had been present yesterday when I mentioned his birthday, came to dinner today, and plagued him [unknowingly>] unintentionally, by wishing him joy. I know not why he [dislikes>] disliked having his birthday mentioned, unless it [[AJ 50] be that it reminds him that he is approaching nearer to death, which he dreads so much. … [AJ 52] … I told Dr. Johnson that my friend Dempster who used formerly to be gloomy from low spirits was now allways uniformly placid and willing to die. Dr. Johnson said that this was only a disordered imagination taking a different turn. … [AJ 54] … At night Dr. Johnson and I talked of a collection being made of all the English Poets who had published their volumes. He said that>] [AJ 49v]2 were that it reminded him of his approaching nearer to death, of which he had a constant dread. 8

Omitted in print, as JB obviously intended to cross it out. Printed in the revises ‘that I mentioned it, and said (somewhat sternly) “he would not have the lustre lighted the next night.”’ In the second edition, ‘day’ was printed in place of ‘night’. 1 JB deleted this paragraph, probably before the proofs were printed, since the revises show no corresponding signs of disruption to the imposition of pages on this sheet. 2 JB began to revise AJ 50, but then, seeing how much he would delete on this and the next few pages, decided not to send pp. 50–54 to the printer. At the bottom of AJ 49 he wrote ‘turn’, and on its verso drafted revisions of the few sentences he chose to salvage. For the material he bypassed, see Boswell in Extremes, pp. 158–59. It included 9

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I mentioned to him a friend of mine3 who was formerly gloomy from low spirits and much distressed by the fear of death, but was now uniformly placid and contemplated his dissolution without any perturbation. ‘Sir’ said Johnson, ‘this is only a disordered imagination taking a different turn.’ We talked of a collection being made of all the English poets who had published a Volume. Johnson told me that [AJ 55] a Mr. Coxeter whom he knew had gone the greatest length towards this, having collected [about 500 volumes, I think, of unknown poets>] I think about five hundred volumes of poets whose works were little known; but that upon his death Tom Osborne bought them, and they were dispersed, which he thought a pity, as it was curious to see any series [compleat>] complete; & in every volume of poems something good might be found. He [said Tom Warton>] observed that a gentleman of eminence in literature4 had got into a bad style of poetry of late. ‘He puts ≤said he≥ a very common thing in a strange dress till he does not know it himself; and thinks other people do not [1st ed. ii. 147] know it.’ Bos≤well≥. ‘That is owing to his being so much versant in old English Poetry.’ Johns≤on≥. ‘What is that to the purpose ≤Sir≥? If I say a Man is drunk, and you tell me it is owing to his taking much drink the matter is not mended. No, Sir, [Tom>] has taken to [a strange>] an odd mode. For example he’d write thus

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Hermit hoar in solemn cell Wearing out Life’s evening gray. [AJ 56] [Gray evening>] Gray evening is common enough. But [Evening gray>] Evening gray he’d think fine. Stay; — we’ll make out the Stanza Hermit hoar in solemn cell Wearing out Life’s evening gray, Smite thy bosom Sage, and tell What is bliss? and which the way?’5

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Bos. ‘But why smite his [breast>] bosom Sir?’ Johns. ‘Why to shew he was in earnest’ (smiling). ≤He at an after period added the following stanza6 30 Taylor’s talk of the letter he received ‘when Dr. Johnson’s Wife died … express[ing] grief in the strongest manner he had ever read’ (see Life MS i. 172 and n. 9), and SJ’s account of ‘the most literary table that he ever knew’, namely ‘Jack Ellis’s where he used to dine every Monday’ (see ante pp. 16–17 and nn. 5–6). 3 George Dempster, as revealed on AJ 52 above, and noted in Hill-Powell (iii. 499). 4 Mrs. Piozzi and Hill-Powell (iii. 158 n. 3, 159 n. 1, 499) identified Warton correctly. 5 JB recorded in his Life Materials ‘A strange variation on Dr. Johnson’s verses by Counsellor Godschal formed unintentionally. / Hermit sage in lonely cell / Wasting Lifes dull hour away / Strike thy pensive breast & tell / What is bliss & which the way’ (M 155: 23). A counsellor on the Home Circuit (like JB), William Man (or Mann) Godschall (c. 1759–98) matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford in 1776 at the age of seventeen, took his BA in 1779, and was admitted to the Inner Temple as barrister in 1784 (Joseph Foster, Alumni Oxonienses 1715–1886, 4 vols., 1891–92, ii. 533). 6 With a cue phrase and a direction—‘“Thus I spoke” (take it in)’—JB led the compositor into a thicket of additions and revisions on the verso of AJ 55, the layers of which are hard to reconstruct. Squeezed in here and there, facing three directions,

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H-P iii. 159–60

Thus I spoke; and speaking sigh’d. — Scarce repress’d the starting tear — When the [hoary>] smiling Sage replied — — Come my lad and drink some beer.a 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

[1st ed. ii. 148] I cannot help thinking the first stanza very good solemn poetry as also the three first lines of the second. Its last line is an excellent burlesque surprise on gloomy sentimental inquirers. And perhaps the advice is as good as can be given to a low=spirited dissatisfied Being. ‘Don’t trouble your head with sickly thinking. Take a cup, and be merry.’≥ a

As many of my readers will be gratified by reading the precise progress of this little composition, I shall insert it from my Notes. ‘When Dr. Johnson & I were sitting tête á tete at the Mitre tavern 9 May 1778 He said “‘Where is bliss?’ would be better.”a1 He then added a ludicrous stanza. But would not repeat it [to be taken down>] lest I should take it down. It was somewhat as follows. The last line I am sure I remember. While I thus

cried Seer The hoary replied Come my lad and drink some beer. ‘In spring 1779,a2 when in [still del] better humour he made the second Stanza as [follows. He was then very well pleased that I should preserve it.>] in the text.a3 There was only one variation afterwards made at my suggestion which was changing hoary in the third line to smiling both to avoid a sameness with the epithet in the first line and to describe the hermit when in his 25 pleasantry. He was then very well pleased that I should preserve it.’ 20

scrambled and rearranged, seven passages of text were linked together by six different symbols. At the top of the page, JB clarified where to begin: ‘N.B. The first reference on this page is from the bottom to the top of it.’ Drafted as part of the main narrative, a portion of this text ultimately wound up in a footnote, where JB, putting it in quotation marks, called it his ‘Notes’. For a facsimile of these pages and analysis of the layers of revision on them, see BP xiii. 30–31 and n. 1. a1 The purpose of a short blank space here is ambiguous. It might suggest that the next sentence was to start a new paragraph, or that—judging by a symbol to the left of ‘What is bliss?’ (ante p. 104 l. 28)—JB considered inserting SJ’s comment on ‘Where is bliss?’ ahead of his own doubt relative to ‘smite’. a2 A false start between ‘spring’ and ‘1779’, mostly illegible, involved ‘May’ and other letters or numerals. On 29 Mar. 1779 the topic of ‘Hermit hoar’ came up (Laird of Auchinleck, p. 60). JB recorded the lines he was unsure of remembering: ‘Thus I spoke & speaking / sighed / Scarce repress d / the starting tear / When the horary [sic] / sage replied’. Folded twice (so not wide enough for whole verses), the paper on which he wrote was the back of his journal leaf for 26 Mar. 1779 (later taken in on MS 770; see post p. 276 and n. 2). a3 Here JB referred readers to the passage he kept in his main narrative; see n. 6 above. That passage (‘Thus I spoke … be merry.’), with two sentences introducing it (‘In spring … preserve it.’—ultimately relegated to the footnote), was a later addition to this page.

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Friday 19 September. After breakfast Dr. Johnson and I set out in Dr. Taylor’s comfortable Chaise and four, to go to Derby. The day was [fine. We>] fine and we resolved to go by Keddlestone the Seat of Lord Scarsdale, that I might see his Lordship’s fine House. I was struck with the magnificence of the Building; and the extensive Park with the finest verdure covered with Deer and Cattel & Sheep delighted me. The number of old oaks of an immense size filled me with a sort of respectable admiration. For one of them sixty pounds was offered. The [excellent gravel smooth roads>] excellent smooth gravel roads the large piece of water formed by [My Lord>] his Lordship from some small brooks, with a handsome [AJ 57] Barge upon it, the venerable Gothick Church now the Family Chapel, just by the House, in short the grand groupe of objects agitated and distended my mind in a most agreable manner. ‘One should think’ said I ‘that the Proprietor of all this must be happy.’ ‘Nay Sir’ said [Dr. del] Johnson ‘[He is secured only against one>] all this excludes but one evil — Poverty.’a Our names7 were sent up and a well drest elderly Housekeeper a most distinct Articulator shewed us the House which I need not describe as it is published in ‘Adams’s Works in Architecture.’ Dr. Johnson thought better of it today than when he saw it before; for the other night he attacked it violently saying that8 [it would do excellently for a Town Hall. The large room with the pillars would do for the Judges to sit in at the Assizes, the circular room for a Jury Chamber, and the rooms above for prisoners.>] ‘it would do excellently for a Town Hall. The large room with the pillars’ said he ‘would do for the Judges to sit in at the Assizes, the circular room for a Jury Chamber, and the rooms above for prisoners.’ Still he thought the large room ill=lighted & of no use [AJ 58] but for dancing in and the bed=chambers but indifferent rooms ≤& that the immense sum which it cost was injudiciously laid out≥. Dr. Taylor had put him in mind of his [appearing>] appearing pleased with the House. ‘But’, said he, ‘that was when Lord Scarsdale was [present.’ He maintained that politeness obliges us to appear pleased with a man’s works when he is present. ‘But’, said he, ‘A man will not be so ill-bred>] present. Politeness obliges us to appear a

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≤[My wife said ‘Wealth÷It excludes only one evil ’tis true. But how many good things does it let in?’>] [When I read this to my wife she observed ‘Wealth excludes only one evil ’tis true. But how many good things does it let in?’>] When I mentioned Dr. Johnson’s remark to a lady of admirable good sense and quickness of understanding, she observed, ‘It is true, all this excludes only one 35 evil; but how much good does it let in?’a1≥ 7

Though unmarked in the copy, a new paragraph began here in the revises. This word, made unnecessary when JB added quotation marks to what follows, was deleted before the revises were printed. 8

a1 Drafted as main text; later marked for a note. The last revision, presumably dictated by JB, is in Plymsell’s hand (Cat. i. 23). Having cloaked his wife’s identity in the first edition, JB expanded the note as follows in the second: ‘To this observation much praise has been justly given. Let me then now do myself the honour to mention that the lady who made it was the late Margaret Montgomerie, my very valuable wife, and the very affectionate mother of my children, who, if they inherit her good qualities, will have no reason to complain of their lot. Dos magna parentum virtus.’

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pleased with a man’s works when he is present. No man will be so ill-bred as to question you. You may therefore pay compliments without saying what is not true. I should [1st ed. ii. 149] say to Lord Scarsdale9 of his large room “My Lord this is the most costly room that I ever saw;” which is true.’ [A del] Dr. Manningham Physician in London who was visiting at Lord Scarsdale’s, accompanied us through a good part of the House;1 and [in a little My Lord himself who was acquainted with Dr. Johnson appeared and was civil, and ordered chocolade, which I was glad the Dr. accepted, as it was consolatory to the stomach, after a drive, though we had it regularly at Dr. Taylor’s at breakfast, before tea and bread and butter.>] soon afterwards My Lord himself to whom Dr. Johnson was known appeared.2 [AJ 60]3 [I>] We saw a good many fine pictures, which I think are described in some of ‘Young’s Tours.’4 There is a printed catalogue of them which the Housekeeper put into my hand. I should like to view them at leisure. I was much struck with Daniel interpreting Nebuchadnezar’s dream by Rembrandt. [I saw>] We were shown a pretty large Library. In [my Lord’s>] his Lordship’s dressing room lay Johnson’s small Dictionary. The Doctor with some eagerness shewed me it saying ‘Look’ye. Quæ terra nostri non plena laboris.’5 He observed also Goldsmith’s ‘Animated Nature’ & said ‘Here’s our Friend! The poor Doctor would have been happy to hear of this.’ We drove briskly to Derby. Dr. Johnson frequently expressed his love of driving fast in a Post=Chaise. He [AJ 61] said to me, ‘If I had no duties, and no reference to futurity I would spend my life in driving briskly in a post-chaise with a pretty woman, [one del] who could understand one, and would add something to the conversation.’6 I observed that we were this day to stop just 9 Writing ‘Out’ in the margin of AJ 58, Selfe bracketed the text from ‘was present’ (after ‘Lord Scarsdale’ near the top of the page) down to ‘say to Lord Scarsdale’ (in the middle). The compositor had looked up from the page and resumed typesetting from the wrong occurrence of ‘Lord Scarsdale’. The copy missing in proof was printed in the revises. 1 The phrase ‘a good part of the House’ was printed without ‘a’, which was camouflaged by JB’s revision to the line beneath it. Instead of restoring it, JB changed the phrase to ‘many of the rooms’ in the revises. 2 By the time the revises were printed, JB had extended this sentence and added two more: ‘… appeared, and did the honours of the house. We talked of Mr. Langton. Johnson, with a warm vehemence of affectionate regard, exclaimed, “The earth does not bear a worthier man than Bennet Langton.”’ See post p. 131 ll. 17–18 and n. 4. 3 Having deleted the rest of AJ 58, AJ 59, and a few lines of AJ 60 (cf. Boswell in Extremes, pp. 161–62), JB led the compositor forward by writing the catchword ‘We’ where his copy ended on AJ 58. Withheld from the printer, AJ 59 evidently lay facedown atop a pile of other such overturned leaves (pp. 27–28, 50–54), and on its verso JB reminded himself, ‘Passages in these leaves still to be taken in’. 4 The rooms, artwork, and grounds of Keddlestone are described by Arthur Young in The Farmer’s Tour through the East of England, 4 vols., 1771, i. 193–204. The painting that impressed JB hung in the library; in Young’s words, it was ‘Extremely fine; the grouping and colours excellent; Rembrandt is to be traced strongly in several of the heads, but that of Daniel has an air rather comic and vulgar’ (p. 197). 5 Query in another hand in the margin of AJ 60, ‘Quæ regio in terris?’ The question was whether SJ had quoted the full verse, ‘Quæ regio in terris nostri non plena laboris’ (Æneid i. 460). The query elicited no response. 6 Altered in proof, this paragraph began as follows in the revises: ‘In our way, Johnson wrongly expressed his love of driving fast in a post-chaise. “If I had no duties, and no reference to futurity, I would spend my life in driving briskly in a post-chaise

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where the highland army did ≤in 1745≥. [He said ‘It>] Johnson. ‘Sir7 It was a noble attempt!’ — [I said it was a pity not to have an authentick history of it.>] Boswell. ‘I wish we could have an authentick history of it.’ Johns. ‘If you were not an idle dog you might do it, by collecting from every body what they can tell, & putting down your authorities.’ Bos. ‘But I could not have the advantage of it in my life=time.’ Johns. ‘You might have the satisfaction of its fame by printing it in Holland; and as to profit, consider how long it was before Writing came to be considered in a pecuniary view. Baretti says he is the first man that ever received Copy-money in Italy.’ I said [AJ 62] that I would endeavour to do what Dr. Johnson suggested; and I thought that I might write so as to venture to publish my ‘History of the Civil War in Great Britain in 1745 & 1746’ without being obliged to go to a foreign press.a [Dr. Butter accompanied Dr. Johnson and me to see the Manufactory of China at Derby.>] [1st ed. ii. 150] When we arrived at Derby Dr. Butter accompanied Dr. Johnson and me to see the Manufactory of China there. I admired the ingenuity and delicate art with which [one man in particular>] a man fashioned clay into a cup a saucer or a teapot, while a boy turned round a wheel to give the mass rotundity [while the man’s hand moulded it del]. I thought this as excellent in its species of power, as making good verses in its species. Yet I had no respect for this Potter. Neither indeed has a man of any extent of thinking, for a mere Verse=maker, in whose numbers however perfect, there is no Poetry, no [AJ 63] mind. The China was beautiful. But Dr. Johnson justly observed it was too dear; for that he could have vessels of silver of the same size as cheap as what were here made of porcelain. [I had a pleasure in walking about8>] I felt a pleasure in walking about Derby, such as I allways have in walking about any town to which I am not accustomed. There is an immediate sensation of Novelty; and one speculates on the way in which Life is passed in it, which although there is a sameness every where upon the whole, is yet minutely diversified. The minute diversities in every thing are wonderful. Talking of shaving, the other night at Dr. Taylor’s, Dr. Johnson said, ‘[I think that of a thousand two>] Sir, of a thousand shavers two do not shave so much alike as not to be distinguished.’ I thought this not possible, till he specified so many of the [diversities>] varieties in shaving — holding [AJ 64] the rasor more or less perpendicular — drawing a

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≤I am now happy to understand that Mr. John Home who was himself 35 gallantly in the field for the reigning family in that interesting warfare, isa1 preparing an Account of it for the press.a2≥ with a pretty woman; but she should be one who could understand me, and would add something to the conversation.”’ JB corrected the comical misreading ‘wrongly’ to ‘strongly’, and the opening of SJ’s speech to ‘“If (said he) I’. 7 Omitted in print (so in revises); probably missed by the compositor. 8 As if ready to delete these two sentences, JB scored through this phrase, but then reinstated it (with ‘stet’), changing his verb and marking it to begin a new paragraph. a1 Printed in the revises ‘warfare, but is generous enough to do justice to the other side, is’. a2 JB keyed this note initially to his hypothetical title.

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long or short strokes — beginning at the upper part of the face or the under — at the right ≤side,≥ or the left side. — Indeed when one considers what variety of sounds can be uttered by the wind-pipe, in the compass of a very small aperture, we may be convinced how many degrees of perpendicularity there may be in the application of a rasor. [We had a good dinner at Dr. Butter’s — no company there but ourselves. — He & Dr. Johnson had>] We dined with Dr. Butter whose lady is daughter of my cousin Sir John Douglas whose grandson is now presumptive heir of the noble family of Queensberry.9 Johnson and he had a good deal of medical conversation. [Dr. del] Johnson said he had somewhere or other given an account of Dr. Nichols’s [Book Anima Medica>] Discourse ‘De Anima Medica.’ He said that whatever a man’s distemper was, Dr. Nichols would not attend him as a Physician, if his mind was not at ease; for he beleived that no medecines would have any influence. He once attended [AJ 65] a man in trade upon whom he found none of the medecines he prescribed had any [effect. He>] effect; he asked the man’s Wife privately if his affairs were not in a bad way. She said no. He continued his attendance some time, still without success. At length the man’s Wife told him she had discovered that her husband’s affairs were in a bad way. When Goldsmith was dying, Dr. Turton said to him ‘your pulse is in greater disorder than it [1st ed. ii. 151] should be from the degree of fever which you have. Is your mind at ease?’ Goldsmith answered it was not. After dinner Mrs. Butter went with me to see the silk mill which Sir Thomas Lombe had10 a patent for, having brought away the contrivance from Italy. I have no notion of Mechanicks. But the simplicity of this Machine and its multiplied operations struck me1 [AJ 66] with an agreable surprise. I had learnt from Dr. Johnson during this interview not to think with a dejected indifference of the works of art and the pleasures of Life, because [it>] life is uncertain and short; but to consider such indifference as a failure of reason, a morbidness of [mind. For>] mind; for, Happiness should be cultivated as much as we can; and the means of it may be steadily and closely considered as of importance, when we view them with reference to multitudes2 in successive ages. Though it is proper to value small parts As 9 Helen Erskine, half-sister to JB’s mother, was the mother of Sir John Douglas. His daughter, Catherine Douglas, married Butter in Nov. 1767. Charles Douglas (1777– 1837) became Marquess of Queensberry in 1810. 10 Misprinted ‘Sir Thomas Lambe had’ (so in revises). Changed in the second edition to ‘Mr. John Lombe had had’, with a footnote on the first ‘had’: ‘See Hutton’s History of Derby, a book which is deservedly esteemed for its information, accuracy, and good narrative. Indeed the age in which we live is eminently distinguished by topographical excellence.’ The misprint, Hutton’s book, and the idea that it was John (a half-brother of Thomas) who had been to Italy were brought to JB’s notice by an anonymous correspondent (Corr. 2a, p. 456). Both versions of the text mix fact with error: John conducted the espionage in Italy, but was employed to do so by Sir Thomas, who obtained the patent in 1718 (Oxford DNB). 1 JB reinstated this passage (‘After dinner … struck me’, which he had deleted at first) by writing ‘Stet’ three times in the margin and marking it for a new paragraph. 2 Printed in the revises ‘as much as we can; and the objects which are instrumental to it should be steadily considered as of importance, with a reference not only to ourselves, but to multitudes’.

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‘Sands make the mountain moments make the year’a yet we must contemplate collectively to have a just estimation of objects. One moment’s being uneasy or not, seems of no consequence; yet this may be thought of the next, & of the next, and so on, till there is a large portion of misery. In the same way we3 must think of happiness of learning of friendship. [AJ 67] We cannot tell the precise moment when friendship is formed. As in filling a vessel drop by drop, there is at last a drop which makes it run over; so in a series of kindnesses, there is at last one which makes the heart run over. [It will not do to divide the objects>] We must not divide objects of our attention into minute parts and think separately of each part. It is by contemplating a large Mass of human existence that a Man while he sets a just value on his own life, does not think of his death as annihilating all that is great & pleasing in the World, as if actually contained in his mind according to Berkeley’s [revery>] reverie. If his imagination be not sickly & feeble, it ‘wings its distant way’4 far beyond himself, and views the World in unceasing activity of every sort. It must be acknowledged however that Pope’s plaintive reflexion that all things would be as gay as ever, on the day of [AJ 68] his death, is natural & common. We are apt to transfer to all arround us our own gloom, without considering that at any given point of time there is perhaps as much youth & gayety in the World as at another. Before I came into life in which I have had so many [scenes of merriment>] pleasant scenes have not thousands & ten=thousands of deaths & [1st ed. ii. 152] funerals happened, and have not families been in grief for their nearest relations. But have those dismal circumstances at all affected me? Why then should the gloomy scenes which I experience, or ≤which I≥ know affect others? [Let me guard against imagining that there is an end of felicity upon earth when I grow old, or am unhappy.>] Let us guard against imagining that there is an end of felicity upon earth when we grow old, or are unhappy. Dr. Johnson told us at tea, that when some of Dr. Dodd’s ≤pious≥ friends were trying to console him by saying that he was going to leave ‘a wretched World’ ≤he had honesty enough not to join in the cant≥, ‘No ≤no≥’ said he, ‘it has been a very agreable World to me.’ [Dr. Johnson said [AJ 69] he respected Dodd for thus speaking the truth; for, to be sure he had for several years had a life of great a

Young.a1

3

Printed ‘one’ (so in revises), most likely a compositorial misreading. JB alludes to The Progress of Poesy, as surmised by Hill-Powell (iii. 165 n. 2), but quotes himself. In ‘A Sketch of the Character of the Celebrated Mr. Gray, Author of the Elegy in a Country Church-yard’ (1772), JB altered the poet’s own words unwittingly, stating that Gray’s poetry had ‘Wig’d [sic] its distant way / Above the tenor of a vulgar fate’ (Lond. Mag. xli. 140). The ‘Character’ in this anonymous article was written by Temple in a letter to JB, who took the liberty to publish it, after his own prelude of three paragraphs (Lit. Car., p. 222; Corr. 6, pp. 363 and 365 nn. 7–9). 4

a1 This citation followed the verse on the journal page. In revision, JB put parentheses around the verse and wrote ‘One line’ in the margin, specifying that it be printed on a separate line, and apparently told the compositor—in whose hand, it seems, ‘Note * Young’ was written at the bottom of AJ 66—to move the citation.

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voluptousness.>] Johnson added [AJ 69] ‘I respect Dodd for thus speaking the truth; for, to be sure he had for several years had a life of great voluptousness.’ He [said Dodd’s>] told us that Dodd’s City Friends stood by him so, that a thousand pounds were ready to be given to the Jailor if he would let him escape; and he said he knew a friend of Dodd’s, who walked about Newgate for some time, on the [afternoon>] evening before the day of ≤his≥ execution, with five hundred pounds in his pocket, ready to be paid to any of the turnkeys who could get him out.5 But, it was too late; for he was then watched with much circumspection. He said Dodd’s friends had an image of him made in wax, which was to have been left in his place, and he beleived it was carried into the prison. ≤[[AJ 27] He said he was offended with Dodd’s giving out that he had written the Convict’s Address himself. It was leaving the World with a lie in his mouth. He indeed composed a beginning & an ending to it, & might perhaps have written it all over. ‘Yet’ said I ‘when Mr. Suard asked you if you thought Dodd had done it himself as there was more force in it, than in his compositions, you answered “Why should he not? To know that one is to be hanged in a forthnight concentrates the mind wonderfully.”’ ‘Sir’, said he, ‘as Dodd got it from me to pass it as his own, there was [AJ 28] an implied promise that I should not own it. To own it therefore was telling a lie with the addition of breach of trust, which was worse than simply telling a lie to make it be beleived that it was Dodd’s. Besides I did not directly tell a lie. I left the matter uncertain. Perhaps I thought Suard would not beleive it the less to be mine, for what I said. But I would not put it in his power to say I had owned it.’>] [AJ opp. 69]6 Johnson disapproved of Dr. Dodd’s leaving the World, persuaded that ‘The Convicts Address to his unhappy bretheren’ was his own writing. ‘But Sir’ said I ‘you contributed to the deception for when Mr. Seward expressed a doubt to you that it was not Dodd’s own because it had a great deal more force of mind in it than any thing known to be his.”7 you answered “Why should you think so Sir? Depend upon it, Sir when a man knows he is to be hanged in a forthnight it concentrates his mind wonderfully.”’ Johnson. ‘Sir, as Dodd got it from me to pass it as his own while that could do him any good, there was an implied promise that I should not own it. To own it therefore would have been8 [AJ* 549]9 telling a lie with the addition of breach of promise which was worse than simply 5 The identity of this friend is unknown. As William Bowles, in materials he sent to JB on 9 Nov. 1787, remembered SJ telling the story, ‘immense offers … were made to the turnkeys the evening before the execution’—the basis, perhaps, for JB’s revision of ‘afternoon’ to ‘evening’ (Corr. 2a, p. 195). 6 The text added here, drawn from AJ 27–28, was one of the ‘Passages … to be taken in’ from the leaves not sent to the printer (see ante p. 107 n. 3). 7 These isolated quotation marks show that JB was treating part of Seward’s doubt as a direct quotation, yet he did not mark where it started (either at ‘because’ or ‘it had’). No quotation marks were printed in the revises. A comma replaced the full stop. 8 Having run out of room on AJ opp. 69, JB placed the symbol # here and directed the compositor to ‘See Paper’. 9 Marked with the symbol #, this text occupies the verso of a printed form, headed ‘General Dispensary, for Relief of the Poor, Aldersgate-Street’ (C 2380). Dated 27 Oct. 1790 and sent to Selfe at Baldwin’s printing-house, it returned thanks for his referral of a patient.

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telling a lie to make it be believed it was Dodd’s. Besides, Sir I did not directly tell a lie. I left the matter uncertain. Perhaps I thought that Seward would not believe it the less to be mine for what I said; but I would not put it in his power to say I had owned it.’≥ [[AJ 69] This afternoon was wet; and I had some oppression upon my spirits; but Dr. Johnson’s conversation had an immediate cordial effect. Mrs. Butter was much taken [AJ 70] with Dr. Johnson’s conversation and said he was a most agreable man. I told him this, and he was pleased with it. Even a small particle of praise relishes, as a single little sweetmeat. del] [AJ 70] As we drove back to Ashbourne,1 Dr. Johnson advised me ≤as he had often done≥ to take to drinking water ≤only≥; ‘for then’ said he, ‘you are sure not to get drunk; whereas you are never sure, if you drink wine’;2 [and he said General Paoli spoke to him with much concern of my drinking; that it would make me go mad, for madness was in my Family. del] I said drinking ≤wine≥ [moderately del] was a pleasure which I was unwilling to give up. ‘To be sure ≤Sir≥’ said he, ‘not to drink wine3 is a great deduction from life; but, it may be necessary.’ [I in my own mind schemed to enjoy the satisfaction of drinking wine. del] [Dr. Johnson said that it did not shorten life; & that he would not give less for this Lord Eglintoune’s life than>] He however owned that in his opinion a free use of wine did not shorten life; & said he would not give less for the life of a certain scotch Lord (whom he named)4 celebrated for harddrinking than [AJ 71] for that of a sober man. [This was some encouragement to me. Yet what is life if Reason be disturbed? The Dr. however did not seem to be quite clear in his notion of drinking not being pernicious to the health or rather duration of the body. For he asked if it took much to f My Lord Eglintoune drunk.>] ‘But stay’ said he with his usual intelligence, and accuracy of inquiry ‘does it take much to make him drunk?’ I said ‘A great deal.’5 ‘Then’, said he, ‘that is the worse.’6

1 Originally run on; marked for a new paragraph in revision. JB moved this paragraph and the next before the revises were printed. What comes here (on 1st ed. ii. 152) is the paragraph beginning ‘He praised Blair’s sermons’ (post p. 113 l. 16). The two deferred paragraphs appeared in the following train in their new position (on 1st ed. ii. 154): ‘Johnson advised …’ (post p. 115 l. 4) / ‘As we drove back to Ashbourne …’ / ‘I ventured …’ / ‘By the time we returned to Ashbourne …’. JB thus closed his account of the trip to Derby with paragraphs successively relating their journey back to Taylor’s home, what they said along the way, and what they did upon arrival. 2 Printed in the revises ‘Dr. Johnson recommended to me, as he had often done, to drink water only: “For (said he) you are then sure not to get drunk; whereas if you drink wine you are never sure.”’ 3 Printed in the revises ‘“Why, Sir, (said he,) there is no doubt that not to drink wine’. 4 Archibald Montgomerie, 11th Earl of Eglinton (1726–96), as shown by the journal here and in the next paragraph, JB’s journal being the source of the identification in Hill-Powell (iii. 170 n. 2). 5 Printed in the revises ‘much wine to make him drunk?” I answered, a great deal either of wine or strong punch.’ JB now added quotation marks to his answer. 6 In the revises, the paragraph continues: ‘I presume to illustrate my friend’s observation thus: “A fortress which soon surrenders has its walls less shattered, than when a long and obstinate resistance is made.”’

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I ventured to [tell him that Lord Eglintoune was>] mention a person who was as violent a Scotsman as he was an Englishman; & literally had the same contempt for an Englishman compared with a Scotsman that he had for a Scotsman compared with an Englishman; and that he would say of Dr. Johnson ‘Damned Rascal to talk [so>] as he does of the Scotch.’ This seemed for a little to ‘give him pause.’ It perhaps presented his extreme prejudice against the Scotch, in a point of view [to him somewhat new>] somewhat new to him by the effect of Contrast. [He said today at Dr. Butter’s that Dr. Blair at Edinburgh was a very great man, [AJ 72] which I thought too high an epithet for him, and which I imagine was heedlessly uttered; for, I have heard Dr. Johnson talk of him in a strain by no means consistent with greatness. But he had been talking now of his Sermons which were not published, when he talked in a different strain of Blair. He said Strahan had no opinion of the sermons till he got an opinion from Him much in their praise.7 But he said they would not be reprinted after seven years, at least not after Blair’s death.>] He praised Blair’s sermons; ‘yet’ said he (willing to8 let us see he was aware that fashionable fame is not always the most lasting, and to do justice to less showy divines) ‘perhaps they may not be reprinted after seven years, at least not after Blair’s death.’ [Dr. Butter shewed Dr. Johnson Dr. Goldsmith’s name in the list of the Medical Society at Edinburgh, which the Dr. was glad to see, as so much authenticity concerning him; & I undertook to inquire of the Secretary of the Society, & any body at Edinburgh who knew him, if any thing more could be had for his life. del] [Dr Johnson said Goldsmith was a plant that flowered late. There appeared nothing remarkable about him when he was young; though when he had got high in fame, Burke began to recollect something of his being distinguished at College. Dr. Johnson [AJ 73] said Goldsmith gave the same variation of accounts at different periods of Burke.>] [He said ‘Goldsmith was a plant that flowered late. There appeared nothing remarkable about him when he was young; though when he had got high in fame, Burke began to recollect something of his being distinguished at College. [AJ 73] Goldsmith’ he added ‘gave the same variation of accounts at different periods of Burke.’>] [1st ed. ii. 153] He said ‘Goldsmith was a plant that flowered late. There appeared nothing remarkable about him when he was young; though when he had got high in fame, Burke began to recollect something of his being distinguished at College. [AJ 73] Goldsmith in the same manner recollected more of Burke’s early years as Burke9 grew a greater Man.’ [Dr. Johnson’s clearness of understanding and expression is wonderful in the smallest instances. del] I [told him tonight>] mentioned that Lord Monboddo ≤told me he≥ awaked every morning at four; & then for his health got up & walked through his room naked, with the window open, which he called taking an air bath, after which he

7

See ante pp. 71–72 and n. 4. This revision, begun along the inner margin of AJ 72, continues from this point on the verso of the leaf, with JB directing the compositor to ‘Go to the back’. 9 In the revises, the three occurrences of Burke’s name are printed ‘one of his friends’, ‘that friend’s’, and ‘he’. Croker guessed correctly that it was Burke (iv. 16 n. 1). 8

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went to bed again, & slept two hours more. [‘I suppose Sir’, said Dr. Johnson>] Johnson who was always ready to beat down any thing that seemed to be exhibited with disproportionate importance, thus observed ‘I suppose Sir, he1 awakes at four, and cannot sleep, till he chills himself, and makes the warmth of the bed a grateful sensation.’ I talked [one morning del] of the difficulty of rising in the morning. Dr. Johnson [said>] told me that the learned [Miss>] Mrs. Carter ≤at the period≥ when she was eager in study, did not awake as early as she wished, & she therefore had a contrivance that at a certain hour her Chamber=light should burn a string to which a heavy weight was suspended, and which then fell with a strong sudden noise, which roused her from sleep, & then she had no difficulty in getting up. But, I said that was my difficulty, & I wished there could be some medecine invented which would [AJ 74] make one rise without pain, which I never did, unless after lying in bed a very long time. Perhaps there may be something in the stores of Nature which can do this. I have thought of a pully to raise me gradually; but that would give me pain as it would counteract my internal inclination. I would have something that can dissipate the Vis inertiæ, & give elasticity to the body. As I imagine that the ≤human≥ body may be put by the operation of other substances, into any state in which it has ever been, and as I have experienced a state in which rising from bed was not disagreable, but easy, nay, sometimes agreable, I suppose that this state may be produced if we knew by what. We can heat the body, we can cool it, we can give it tension or relaxation; and surely we may bring it into a state in which rising from bed will not be a pain. Dr. Johnson said a man should take a sufficient quantity of sleep, which Dr. Mead says is between seven and nine hours. I told him that Dr. Cullen said to me that a man [AJ 75] should not take more sleep than he can take at once. [The Dr. said this rule could not hold in many cases; for many people have their sleep broken by sickness; and he would not have a man to get up, after having slept but an hour. Such a Regimen would soon end in a long sleep.>] (Johnson). ‘This rule Sir cannot hold in all cases; for many people have their sleep broken by sickness; and surely Cullen would not have a man to get up, after having slept but an hour. Such a Regimen would soon end in a [1st ed. ii 154] long sleep.’a/2 Dr. Taylor I thought said very justly one day, that a man a

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≤[AJ 75v]a1 This Regimen was however practised by [the venerable del] 35 Bishop Ken of whom [Mr. del] Hawkins ≤(not Sir John)≥ in his Life of that 1

Printed in the revises ‘I suppose, Sir, there is no more in it than this, he’. Direction to the compositor, ‘See back of this leaf’. From the verso of AJ 75, the text of JB’s footnote extended onto an additional leaf. 2

a1 This footnote was seeded by the Life Materials (M 157: ‘Johnsonian Additions’): ‘As to taking one sleep quote Hawkins’s (In his designation) Life of Bishop Kenn’. JB drafted the first sentence and two words of the passage to be quoted from William Hawkins, A Short Account of the Life of the Right Reverend Father in God, Thomas Ken, D.D., sometime Ld. Bp. of Bath and Wells, 1713, pp. 4–5. Veronica finished the task, staying faithful to the capitalized nouns, but rendering ‘Improvement’ as a plural. JB afterwards changed most of the nouns to lower case, marked ‘God’ for small capital letters, and adjusted a few spellings.

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who does not feel an inclination to sleep at the ordinary time, instead of being stronger than other people must not be well; for a man in health has all the natural inclinations to eat, drink, and sleep, in a strong degree. [He>] Johnson advised me tonight not to [refine>] refine in the education of my Children. [Life would not bear refinement. I must do as other people do.>] ‘Life’ said he ‘will not bear refinement. You must do as other people do.’ By the time [we got>] when we returned to Ashbourne, Dr. Taylor was gone to bed. [I had my supper comfortably, Dr. Johnson sitting by me.>] Johnson and I sat up a long time by ourselves. [I diverted him with an account of the Diary [AJ 76]3 of Dr. Rutty a late Quaker Physician which I found reviewed in the Critical Review. It seemed to be as full and candid a register of his life as my Journal is of mine. Dr. Johnson & I laughed heartily at his regretting instances of ‘eating swinishly’, and being ‘dogged in his temper’. The Dr. thought obnubilation from wind which Rutty mentions, a good word; and he said the Description of different Egotists given by the Reviewers was very well. It indeed appeared to me admirable. Obnubilation was such a word as Dr. Johnson himself would have formed.>] [AJ* 552;4 1st ed. ii. 155] He was much diverted with an article which I shewed him in the Critical Review of this year, giving an account of a curious publication entitled ‘A Spiritual Diary and Soliloquies by John Rutty M.D.’ Dr. Rutty was one of the people called Quakers a Physician of some eminence in Dublin and Authour of several works. This Diary which was kept from 1753 to 1775 the year in which he died and was now published in two volumes octavo exhibited in the simplicity of his heart a minute and honest register of the state

venerable Prelate, page 4, tells us ‘And that neither his [Study>] study might be the [Aggressor>] aggressor on his [Hours>] hours of [Instruction>] instruction; or what he judged his Duty, prevent his Improvements, or both, his Closet [Addresses>] addresses to his [God>] GOD; he strictly accustomed himself to but one [Sleep>] sleep, which often obliged him to rise at One, or Two of the Clock 30 in the Morning, & sometimes sooner; [And>] and grew so habitual, that it continued with him almost till his last [Illness>] illness. And so lively and [chearful>] cheerfula2 was his [Temper>] temper, that he would be very facetious and [AJ* 551] entertaining to his [Friends>] friends in the [Evening>] evening, even when it was perceived that with [Difficulty>] difficulty he kept his [Eyes>] 35 eyes open; and then seem’d to go to [Rest>] rest with no other [Purpose>] purpose than the refreshing and enabling him with more [Vigor>] Vigour and [Chearfulness>] cheerfulness to sing his Morning Hymn, as he then [us’d>] used to do to his Lute before he put on his Cloaths.’≥ 25

3 At the bottom of AJ 75, the marking ‘X P76’ anticipated JB’s decision to withhold AJ 76–81 (cf. Boswell in Extremes, pp. 167–69) from the printer. With one exception (see post p. 117 n. 9), he revised these pages not in situ, but as he transferred passages to leaves of AJ*. 4 This Paper Apart, marked for a new paragraph, bears the direction: ‘To be taken in at the foot of p. 75 after the words “by ourselves”’. a2 Typesetting ‘chearful’ here but ‘cheerfulness’ below (l. 37), the compositor left an inconsistency not rectified till the third editon, in which the ‘ea’ spelling was preferred.

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of his mind which though frequently laughable enough was not more so than the history of many men would be if recorded with equal fairness. The following specimens were extracted by the Reviewers5 [Satellite Paper Apart S] ‘Tenth month 1753 ‘23 Indulgence in bed an hour too long. ‘Twelfth month 17 An hypochondriack obnubilation from wind and indigestion. ‘Ninth month 28 An over=dose of Whisky ‘29 A dull cross cholerick day ‘First month 1757 22 a little swinish at dinner and repast. ‘31 dogged on provocation ‘Second month 5 Very dogged or snappish ‘14 snappish on fasting. ‘26 Cursed snappishness to those under me, on a bodily indisposition. ‘Third month 11 On a provocation exercised a dumb resentment for two days instead of scolding ‘22 scolded too vehemently ‘23 Dogged again ‘Fourth month 29 Mechanically and sinfully dogged [The Diary is continued from 1753 to 1775 the year in which he died. del] ≤[Johnson thought the observations of the Critical Reviewers upon this occasion so just and so well expressed, that I shall here introduce them, more especially as they are pretty much connected with the present work.>] Johnson laughed heartily at this good Quietists self=condemning Minutes; particularly at his mentioning with such a serious regret occasional instances of swinishness in eating and doggedness of temper. It did not occur to him that many passages in his own Diary might be as much a sport to ‘wicked wits.’6 He thought the observations of the Critical Reviewers upon the importance of a man to himself so ingenious and so well expressed, that I shall here introduce them.7 [A Spiritual Diary and Soliloquies by John Rutty M.D. del] [The Critical Reviewers after observing that ‘There are few writers who have gained any reputation by recording their own actions’ — say>] After observing that ‘There are few writers who have gained any reputation by recording their own actions’ — they say ‘We may reduce the egotists to four classes. In the [first>] first we have Julius Cæsar: he relates his own transactions; but he relates them with peculiar grace and dignity, and his narrative is supported by the greatness of his [1st ed. ii. 156] character and atchievements. In the [second>] second class, we have Marcus Antoninus: this writer has given us a series of reflections on his own life, but his sentiments are so noble, his morality so sublime that his meditations are 5 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in Paper S’, followed by another on the Paper Apart, ‘Print all in separate paragraphs as marked thus [’. Indented according to the crotchets beside them, all but two of the extracts required only a single line of print. 6 Perhaps deleted in proof, this sentence was omitted in the revises. JB may allude to Pope’s verse, ‘Blockheads with reason wicked wits abhor’ (The Dunciad iii. 175). 7 Here JB wrote ‘Turn’, directing the compositor to the verso of the leaf.

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universally admired. In the [third>] third class we have some others of tolerable credit who have given importance to their own private history by an intermixture of literary anecdotes, and the occurrences of their own times: the celebrated Huetius has published an entertaining volume upon this plan “De rebus ad eum pertinentibus”. In the [fourth>] fourth class we have the journalists temporal and spiritual, Elias Ashmole, William Lilly, George Whitefield, John Westley, and a thousand other old women and fanaticks writers8 of memoirs and meditations.’ [The Authour of ‘The Spiritual Diary’ is a Writer of this class. His two volumes are filled with a detail of circumstances of importance to himself but of no consequence to the World. del]≥ [[AJ 76] I told him of Dr. Blair’s finding fault with his style in his lectures and turning Addison’s first step out of business into vice or folly into what he thinks Johnsonian thus — ‘the perturbation of vice, or the vacuity of folly.’ The Dr. said these were not the words he would have used; & that [his Imitators>] the Imitators of his Style9 had [AJ 77] not hit it. He said Miss Aikin had done best; for she had imitated sentiments as well as style. The others had applied their imitations of his style to thoughts not at all suited to it.>] [AJ* 555] I mentioned to him that Dr. Hugh Blair in his lectures on Rhetorick and Belles Lettres which I heard him deliver at Edinburgh had animadverted on the Johnsonian style as too pompous and attempted to imitate it by giving a sentence of Addison’s in the ‘Spectator’ in the manner of the Rambler thus.1

Johnson. ‘Sir these are not the words I should have used. No Sir, the imitators of my style have not hit it. Miss Aiken has done it the best; for she has imitated the 25 sentiment as well as the diction.’ I intend before this Work [AJ* 556] is concluded to exhibit specimens of [the del] imitation of my friends style in various modes, some caricaturing or 8 Printed ‘fanatick writers’, an error caused partly by the lack of a comma between the words. Hill-Powell noted that the first word should have been ‘fanatics’ (iii. 172 n. a), but left the text intact. JB gave the correct reading, properly punctuated, when quoting Rutty and The Critical Review in The Hypochondriack, No. LXVI, ‘On Diaries’ (Mar. 1783). 9 After one change to AJ 76, JB shifted his revisions to the next leaf of AJ*. 1 Here, leaving a blank space himself, JB directed the compositor to ‘Leave a space for six lines.’ The text, when delivered, indeed required six lines, printed as follows in the revises, with changes to the introductory phrase: ‘of Addison in “The Spectator,” No. 411, in the manner of Johnson. When treating of the utility of the pleasures of imagination in preserving us from vice, it is observed of those “who know not how to be idle and innocent,” that their very first step out of business is into vice or folly; which Dr. Blair supposed would have been expressed in “The Rambler,” thus: “Their very first step out of the regions of business is into the perturbation of vice, or the vacuity of folly.”’ In the second edition, quotation marks were added to the phrase ‘their very first step … folly’. A note was keyed to ‘the vacuity of folly’ in the revises: ‘When Dr. Blair published his “Lectures,” he was invidiously attacked for having omitted his censure on Johnson’s style, and, on the contrary, praising it highly. But before that time Johnson’s “Lives of the Poets” had appeared, in which his style was considerably easier than when he wrote “The Rambler.” It would, therefore, have been uncandid in Blair, even supposing his criticism to have been just, to have preserved it.’ In 1785 Blair had clarified the matter in a detailed letter to JB that he did not want published. He wrote that, upon publication of SJ’s Lives of the Poets, ‘it was Universally acknowledged that his Style was much improved, and cleared from its former defects’ (Corr. 2a, pp. 60–61).

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mimicking it, and some formed upon it whether intentionally or with a degree of similarity to it of which perhaps the Writers were not conscious.2 In Baretti’s Review which he published in Italy under the title of ‘Frusta Letteraria’ it is observed that Dr. Robertson the Historian had formed his style upon that of ‘Il celebre Samuele Johnson’. My friend himself was of that opinion for he once said to me in a pleasant humour ‘Sir if Robertson’s [1st ed. ii. 157] style be faulty, he owes it to me — that is having too many words, and those, — too big ones.’3 [[AJ 77] I read to Dr. Johnson Lord Monboddo’s letter to me on his Journey and on the Second Sight. He said it was finely written, or finely said, if I recollect right. And he said that the Criticism on the style was just, if instances of what was found fault with by Monboddo, viz. superfluous words, and words too high for the subjects could be pointed out. But this the Dr. did not beleive. ‘Now’, said he, ‘in the passage which Lord Monboddo admires. “We were now treading that illustrious region” the word illustrious adds nothing to the fact told. But it wakens the mind. — illustrious for what? And then [AJ 78] the sentence goes on to tell.’>] [AJ* 556 resumed] I read to him a letter which Lord Monboddo had written to me containing some critical remarks upon the style of his ‘Journey to [AJ* 557] the Western Islands of Scotland’. His Lordship praised that very fine passage upon landing at Icolmkill;a but his own style being exceedingly dry and hard he disapproved of the richness of Johnson’s language, and of his frequency of metaphorical expression. Johnson. ‘Why Sir this Criticism would be just if in my style, superfluous words or words too big for the thoughts could be pointed out; but this I do not believe can be done. For instance in the passage which Lord Monboddo admires “We were now treading that illustrious region” the word illustrious it is true contributes nothing to the mere narration; for the fact might be told without it; but it is not therefore superfluous; for it [AJ* 561]4 wakes the mind to peculiar attention where something of more than usual importance is to be presented. “Illustrious” — for What? And then the sentence proceeds to expand the circumstances connected with Iona. And Sir as to metaphorical expression, that is a great excellence in style when it is used a

‘We were now treading &c.’a1

2 In the left margin JB listed some specimens to exhibit: ‘Mem Lexiphanes two Jephsons Miss Aikin Erskine Knox Steevens Nares — Knox — Life of Sir John Davies’. See post under MS 1016 in vol. 4, forthcoming in this edition; Hill-Powell iv. 385–92. 3 For this paragraph there is no counterpart in AJ. Its insertion ahead of the next passage shows that SJ both defended his prose style against charges of verbosity and inflated diction, and occasionally conceded the point. 4 The foliation of AJ* goes from 557 to 561 because Sub-Paper Apart BG (see next note) comprises fols. 558–60. a1 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take it in from Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides p. 346 and also take in as an addition my note — but not as a note. — You understand me.’ See Hill-Powell iii. 173 n. 3. In the second edition, SJ’s phrase ‘That man is little to be envied’ begins ‘The man’, an error corrected in Hill-Powell. Also in the second edition, JB added ‘Sir Joseph Banks’ and ‘told me’ to the opposite ends of his phrase ‘The present respectable President of the Royal Society’.

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with propriety, for it gives you two ideas for one, conveys the meaning more clearly and luminously and generally with a perception of delight.’ [Sub-Paper Apart BG]5 He told me that he had been asked to undertake the new edition of the Biographia Britannica, but had declined it which he afterwards said to me he regretted. In this regret many will join because it would have procured us more of Johnsons most delightful species of writing, and although my [reverend del] friend Dr. Kippis has hitherto discharged the task judiciously distinctly and with [1st ed. ii. 158] more impartiality than might have been expected from a Separatist, it were to have been wished that the superintendence of6 this Literary Temple of fame had been assigned to ‘a friend to the constitution in Church and State’. We should not then have had it too much crowded with obscure dissenting teachers, doubtless men of merit and worth but not quite to be numbered amongst ‘the most eminent persons who have flourished in Great Britain and Ireland’.7 [[AJ 78] Saturday 20 September. Either this morning or one before, Dr. Johnson & I had a serious conversation on Melancholy and Madness. He said Gaubius’s saying to me that a man was not mad, when he was conscious of an excessive disorder in his imagination was not just; for that a man often had consciousness of his situation when mad; nay almost in every case had it. Said he ‘A man indulges his imagination while it is pleasing, till at length it overpowers his reason. This I have experienced frequently, in a certain degree.’ He said ‘a Madman loves to be with people whom he fears; not as a dog fears the lash, but of whom he stands in awe.’ This I almost ever experience, for I really feel myself happier in the company of those of whom I stand in awe [AJ 79] than in any other company, except when I have a temporary elevation of mind, & delight in being with my inferiors, or a temporary gay easy pleasurable frame, and wish to be with a friend upon an equal footing, or a Mistress. To be with those of whom I stand in awe composes the uneasy tumult of my spirits, and gives me the pleasure of contemplating something at least comparatively great. I have often & often experienced this, though I cannot clearly explain or account for it. I was glad to hear it philosophically mentioned by Dr. Johnson. 5 Headed ‘BG’ for Biographia, this Paper Apart was rooted in the Life Materials (M 158: ‘Johnsoniana’): ‘Offered new Edition of Biographia / wished he had accepted of it. We should not then have had so many obscure dissenting divines / very useful pastors I doubt not but uninteresting to the World.’ It comprises two leaves, on the latter of which (on the verso) is jotted ‘Jekyl & Boswell / 18 Novr. 1790’. No journal survives from 3 Oct. 1790 to 31 Jan. 1791(Great Biographer, p. 110) to explain this cryptic reference, possibly to Joseph Jekyll (1754–1837), biographer of Ignatius Sancho (see Corr. 2a, p. 322 n. 3). 6 In this short phrase, added in the same draft, the middle word, written ‘superintende’, was typeset ‘superintendance’. Unchanged in the early editions, it was corrected to ‘superintendence’ in Hill (iii. 174), but the misspelling returned in Hill-Powell. 7 In a long footnote to this paragraph in the second edition (Hill-Powell iii. 174–75 n. 3), JB apologized for carelessly repeating an unjust censure of Andrew Kippis. In Aug. 1792 he sent Kippis a draft of the note, asking him ‘to fill up’ two blank spaces respectively with names of dissenting and established clergy newly added to the second edition of Biographia Britannica. While the first edition was finished in six volumes (1747–66), the same number advanced the second only to ‘Foster’ before it folded (1778–95). As vol. 5 did not appear till 1793, Kippis could only identify entries through vol. 4 (1789, ‘Cole’ to ‘Davis’). Kippis’s cover letter survives, but not the ‘Paper’ he submitted to JB, which, as shown by the printed note, modified and completed JB’s draft (Corr. 2a, pp. 375–76).

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He said ‘Madmen are all sensual in the lower stages of the distemper. But when they are very ill, pleasure is too weak for them; and they seek pain.’ Often in my dismal fits of Hypochondria have I wished to have some acute disease. When I had a sprained ancle my mind was a good deal relieved from misery. He said that ‘employment and hardships prevented Madness. That he supposed not one in the Army in America nay in the last War [AJ 80] had gone mad.’ I told him I was not now afraid of him; but I had an awe of him, which made me happier in his company. I felt this at the time. I have felt this awe keep away indolence, folly, nay Melancholy from me. I was kept in the attitude of ‘Os homini sublime &c.’8 and I should find no difficulty to go into a battel under his command, while I heard him talk.>] [AJ* 561 resumed] On saturday September 20 after breakfast when Taylor was gone out to his farm, Dr. Johnson and I had a serious conversation by ourselves on melancholy and madness which he was I always thought [too del] erroneously inclined to confound together. Melancholy [AJ* 562] like ‘Great Wit’ may be ‘near allied to madness’; but there is in my opinion a distinct separation between them. When he talked of Madness he was to be understood as speaking of those who were in any great degree disturbed, or as it is commonly expressed troubled in mind. Some of the ancient Philosophers held that all deviations from right reason were madness, and whoever wishes to see the opinions both of ancients and moderns upon this subject collected and illustrated with a variety of curious facts may read Dr. Arnold’s very entertaining Work.9 Johnson said ‘A madman loves to be with people whom he fears; not as a dog fears the lash; but of whom he stands in awe.’ I was struck with the justice of this observation. To be with those of whom [AJ* 564] a person whose mind is wavering and dejected, stands in awe, represses and composes an uneasy tumult of spirits, and consoles him with the contemplation of something steady and at least comparatively great.10 He added ‘Madmen are all sensual in the lower stages of the distemper. They are eager for gratifications to sooth their minds and divert their attention from the misery which they suffer. But when they grow very ill, pleasure is too weak for them, and they seek for pain.’a/1 Employment Sir and [1st ed. ii. 159]

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a We read in the Gospels that those unfortunate persons who were possessed with evil spirits (which after all I think is the most probable cause of madness, as was first suggested to me by my respectable friend Sir John Pringle) had recourse 35 8

Ovid, Metamorphoses i. 85. JB tried to recall the title, first drafting ‘Book In[sanity]’, then ‘Essay on Ma[dness]’, and finally just ‘Work’. Before the revises were printed, he supplied this footnote: ‘“Observations on Insanity,” by Thomas Arnold, M.D. London, 1782.’ 10 Pausing to send freshly-drafted pages to the printer, JB on the verso of AJ* 562 (catalogued as fol. 563) wrote the following message: ‘Wednesday Morning. Be going on with this, & I shall before two bring more & a sheet for correction. Return Hawkins & take care of Tour to the Hebrides sent herewith’ (see ante p. 80 n. 5, p. 118 n. a1). 1 The compositor ignored the terminal quotation marks placed here before JB decided to segue into SJ’s next speech. JB drafted the opening of his note on ‘pain’ (‘We read in the Gospels that’) at this time, but then moved on with AJ* 566. He came back to the note later, writing in a smaller hand and—directing the compositor to ‘Turn’— finishing on the verso of AJ* 564 (i.e., fol. 565). 9

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hardships prevent melancholy. I suppose in all our army in America there was not one man who went mad.’2 [[AJ 80] I had a serious conversation with him as to my coming to settle in London. — He said that if my Father lived ten years longer, it would not be worth while for me to try the english bar; but, I might try it, if I should be master of the Family Estate, in a few years. He said that although I should fail, I could not reproach myself with folly, for having given up a small certainty for a chance of something great. He however was of opinion that I have such a mind that I must have my Father’s employment, or one as busy, to preserve me from Melancholy. I must therefore be pretty sure of occupation in London, [AJ 81] before I venture to settle there. He has old feudal enthusiasm; for, he said that were he in my Father’s place, he would be against my going to live in London in a settled way, as Auchinleck would be deserted; for, I would soon find it more desireable to have a country house in a better climate. But he owned that this approbation of living at a Family Seat was a prejudice. He shewed me that it was no duty as is commonly urged. For, that Work=people get employment equally whether a great family resides at home or not; and if the rents of an estate are carried to London, they return again in the circulation of commerce; all the produce of land is sold equally well, whether the great family resides or not. He however observed that a great Family might improve a neighbourhood in civility and elegance, and in that way their residence might be an advantage. But if a Great Family was disorderly and vicious, its residence was a great [AJ 82] evil to the neighbourhood.>] [AJ* 566] We entered seriously upon a question of much importance to me which Johnson was pleased to consider with friendly attention. I had long complained to him that I felt myself discontented in Scotland as too narrow a sphere and that I wished to make my chief residence in London the great scene of ambition instruction and amusement, a scene which was to me comparatively speaking a Heaven upon earth. JOHNSON. ‘Why Sir I never knew any one who had such a gust of London as you have; and I cannot blame you for your wish to live there. Yet Sir were I in your Father’s place I should not consent to your settling there; for [nay del] I have the old feudal notions, and I should be afraid that Auchinleck would be deserted [AJ* 567] as you would soon find it more to pain, tearing themselves and jumping sometimes into the fire, sometimes

35 into the water. Mr. [AJ* 565] Seward has furnished me with a remarkable

anecdote in confirmation of Dr. Johnson’s observation. A tradesman who had acquired a large fortune in London retired from business and went to live at Worcester. His mind, being without its usual occupation and having nothing else to supply its place, preyed upon itself so that existence was a torment to 40 him. At last he was seised with the stone, and a friend who found him in one of its severest fits having expressed his concern ‘No no ≤Sir≥’ said he ‘don’t pity me. What I now feel is ease compared with that torture of mind from which it relieves me.’ 2 In the margin of this page JB left two memoranda: ‘Insert hare or rabbit — and the passage of being a flemish painter.’ He carried out these intentions in subsequent Papers Apart: see post p. 136 ll. 22–26, and p. 149 ll. 24–28.

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desireable to have a country seat in a better climate. I own however that to consider it as a duty to reside on a Family Estate is a prejudice; for we must consider that work-people get employment equally and the produce of land is sold equally whether a great family resides at home or not, and if the rents of an estate be carried to London, they return again in the circulation of commerce; nay Sir we must perhaps allow that carrying the rents to a distance is a good, because it contributes to that circulation. We must however allow that a wellregulated great family may improve a neighbourhood in civility and elegance and give an example of good order virtue and piety and so its residence at home may be of much advantage. But if a great Family be disorderly and vicious its residence at home is very pernicious [AJ 82] to a neighbourhood.3 [He said there was not now the same temptation>] There is not now the same inducement to live in the country as formerly; [The>] the pleasures of social life [were>] are much better enjoyed in town, and there [was>] is not now in the country that power and influence in Proprietors of land, which they had in old times, and made the country so agreable to them. The Laird of Auchinleck now [said he del] is not near so great a Man as the Laird of Auchinleck a hundred years ago.’ I told him that one of my Ancestors never went from home, but he was attended by thirty men on horseback.’4 [His>] Johnson’s shrewdness & spirit of inquiry [are>] were exerted upon every occasion. ‘Pray’ said he ‘how did [he>] your Ancestor support his thirty men and thirty horses, when he went at a distance [1st ed. ii. 160] from home in an age when there was hardly any money in [circulation?’ I could not tell. He said he suggested the same difficulty to who mentioned Douglas’s going to the Holy Land with followers. ‘Douglas could [AJ 83] no doubt’, said he, ‘maintain a very numerous body of followers5 while living upon his own lands, the produce of which supplied them with food; But he could not carry it to the Holy Land, and as there was no commerce by which he could have money, how did he maintain them in foreign countries?’>] circulation? I suggested the same difficulty to a friend who mentioned Douglas’s going to the Holy Land with a numerous train of followers. Douglas could [AJ* 568] no doubt maintain followers enough while living upon his own lands the produce of which 3 Returning to an original leaf, JB at first kept its wording, ‘a great [AJ 82] evil to the neighbourhood’, and made ‘evil’ his catchword at the bottom of AJ* 567. He changed it to ‘to’ upon revising the phrase. As the only leaf of AJ 76–92 to be sent to the printer, AJ 82 evidently was left among the pages of AJ* when the Ashbourne Journal was reassembled for publication in 1932, and was reported missing (BP xiii. 43). Its absence from that edition was noted without explanation in Boswell in Extremes (p. 169 n. 9). 4 JB put in terminal quotation marks, but not the initial marks; as a result, none were printed. James Boswell, the fourth Laird of Auchinleck (d. 1618), having become embroiled in a feud, had found it necessary ‘to maintain a private army of horsemen on his estate’ (Earlier Years, pp. 7–8). 5 At an intermediate stage, having filled in the two blank spaces on AJ 82 with ‘a friend’ and ‘a numerous train of’, JB revised the phrase here to ‘followers enough’. He also wrote ‘Johnson’ above ‘Douglas could’, to designate SJ’s next speech. But he then made SJ’s speech continuous, and chose not to send AJ 83 to the printer. While two deleted clues identifying the speaker remained on AJ 82 (‘he suggested’ and ‘Johnson’), the third clue on AJ 83 (‘said he’) would not have been seen by the compositor. See next note.

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supplied them with food; but he could not carry that food to the Holy land, and as there was no commerce by which he could be supplied with money, how did he maintain them in foreign countries?’6 [[AJ 83] It was an ease to my mind to be convinced that I might indulge my love of London, without a violation or neglect of any duty. Yet I wished to maintain, as much as I could, the ancient feudal residence at Auchinleck. … [AJ 84] … Perhaps being in London the greatest part of the Year, and coming to Auchinleck with a decent Church of England Chaplain, and maintaining during two, three, or four months residence there an hospitable decorum, might make my situation there what I wish. At any rate I hope to enjoy many days of comfortable satisfaction there; as [AJ 85] its romantick scenes revive in my mind the pleasing gay hopes of my youth while I was first reading the Classicks, and fancied Nymphs and Genii in the Woods; and some particular scenes fill me with solemn thoughts of my Grandfather like Enoch ‘walking with God’7 — of death as a passage to a better World, — of the calm piety of my dear Mother. — These kinds of happiness, and agreable lofty notions of my Ancestors, I enjoy at Auchinleck in my own breast; …. — I look forward to days when according to probability, I shall have the full sway over the ancient Place and extensive domains, and live according to my own inclination, [AJ 86] and have sometimes my brother David with me; sometimes my friend Temple sometimes worthy Grange, and perhaps visits from distinguished men in England. … I said I was afraid that if I were settled in London I should not have the same high relish of it, as I have, when I visit it for a few months at intervals. He said ‘You find no man wishes to leave it.’ He said I should bring my Wife to London, as soon as I could, that She & I might have agreable topicks of conversation, when by ourselves.8>] [AJ* 568 resumed] I suggested a doubt that if I were to reside in London the exquisite zest with which I relished it in occasional visits might go off, and I might grow tired of it. JOHNSON. ‘Why Sir you find no man at all intellectual who is willing to leave London. No Sir when a Man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can [AJ* 569] afford.’ To obviate his apprehension that by settling in London, I might desert the seat of my Ancestors, I assured him that I had old feudal principles to a degree of enthusiasm ≤and≥ that I felt all the dulcedo of the natale solum; ≤I reminded him≥ that the Laird of Auchinleck could ride ten miles in front of his house 6 Quotation marks printed in the revises after ‘circulation?’ erroneously converted SJ’s continuing speech into a narration of JB’s. Compounding the confusion was another set of quotation marks for the final sentence (‘Douglas could … countries?’), with no speaker tag. Was JB talking (arguing the ‘same difficulty’ to a friend) or SJ (offering reasons that JB might have used in arguing it)? The second edition set matters straight, representing SJ as the speaker throughout, but the third edition muddled things again with quotation marks after ‘circulation?’ This time, however, there were no additional quotation marks, which ever since has made the rest of the paragraph appear to be JB’s commentary. 7 Genesis 5: 24. As elsewhere in AJ, ‘God’ is written in large letters, as if for typesetting in capital letters. 8 In revising this section on his possible move to London (see Boswell in Extremes, pp. 170–71), JB separated these closing remarks, placing one before and the other after a paragraph on his attachments to Auchinleck.

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upon his own territories upon which he had [about a thousand>] upwards of five hundred9 people attached to him; that the Family Seat was rich in [natural beauties, romantick scenes of rock wood and water>] natural romantick beauties, of rock wood and water, and that in my [early del] ‘morn of life’, I had appropriated the finest [scenes>] descriptions in the ancient classicks to certain scenes there, which were thus associated in my mind. That when all this was considered I should certainly pass a part of the year at [AJ* 570] home and enjoy it the more from variety and from bringing with me a share of the intellectual stores of the Metropolis. He listened to all this and kindly ‘hoped it might be as I now supposed’. He said ‘A Country Gentleman should bring his lady to ≤visit≥ London as soon as he can, that they may have agreable topicks for conversation when they are by themselves.’ [[AJ 86] He said he was told by a very sensible Lawyer, that there were a great many chances against any young man being successful at [AJ 87] the bar, the candidates were so numerous, and those who get large practice so few; and he said it was by no means a just saying that any man who has good parts and application will rise at the bar. He said indeed, that if such a man could but appear in a few causes, he would be known, and get forward. I liked to think that trying my chance at the english bar, was not as I had often imagined, a most arduous task, for which a prodigious preparation was required; but that I might carry my habits of studying causes and arguing for my employer into Westminster Hall, and do very well, the variation as to what was to be done there not being wide of what I do in the Court of Session, though the profit be much greater indeed. It was also agreable to consider that though I should not get much practice in England, I should, if I lived on £600 a year which Dr. Johnson said I might very well do, be doing my family no injury. But I resolved [AJ 88] not to be rash in determining; for, as Dr. Johnson had mentioned that it would be necessary for my happiness to have my Father’s employment, or one as busy, I might be uneasy in London, for want of occupation which the American savage asked if money would purchase.1 ≤[AJ opp. 88] Dr. Johnson said the remark was too refined for a Savage to make. I forget who told me it. ‘But’ added he ‘Money will purchase occupation. It will purchase all the conveniencies of life. It will purchase variety of company. It will purchase all sorts of entertainment.’ When this was said by him I do not recollect; and as it was not taken down recently it has not his rich flavour of language. To write down his sayings at a distant period after hearing them, is pickling or preserving long-kept and faded fruits or other vegetables, Unless indeed when they are so well remembered, as to be equally certain & distinct in the mind as in a Register.≥>] [AJ* 570 resumed] As I meditated trying my fortune in Westminster Hall our conversation turned upon the profession of the law in England. JOHNSON. ‘You 9 In the revises JB changed this to ‘six hundred’, justifying the higher number by asserting in the margin, ‘I have counted them carefully by five to a family.’ 1 Putting an X after ‘purchase’ on AJ 88, JB drafted an addition on the facing page evidently at some point between composing the journal and preparing it for the Life. In ultimately revising the added passage, he moved the metaphor about pickling and preserving to another spot (see ll. 37–38 below, and post p. 128 ll. 13–17).

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must not indulge too sanguine hopes should you be called to our bar. I was told by a very sensible lawyer that there are a great many chances against any man’s success in the profession of the law, the candidates are so numerous and those who get large practice so few. He said it was by no means true that a man of good parts and application [AJ* 571] is sure of having business and rising at the bar, though he indeed allowed that if such a man could but appear in a few causes, his merit would be known and he would get forward; but that the great risk [1st ed. ii. 161] was that a man might pass half a lifetime in the courts and never have an opportunity of shewing his abilities.2 We talked of occupation being absolutely necessary to preserve the mind from wearying and growing fretful, especially in those who have a tendency to melancholy and I mentioned to him a saying which somebody had told of an American Savage who when an European was expatiating on all the advantages of [wealth>] money, put this question ‘Will it purchase occupation?’ JOHNSON. ‘Depend upon it Sir this saying [AJ* 572] is too refined for a savage. And Sir money will purchase occupation; it will purchase all the conveniencies of life; it will purchase variety of company; it will purchase all sorts of entertainment.’ [[AJ 88] I read some extracts from Forster’s Voyage to the South Seas in the Critical Review, and was pleased with them. But I found Dr. Johnson did not like Forster’s Book. Said he ‘there is a great affectation of fine writing in it.’ ‘But’ said I ‘he carries you along with him.’ ‘No Sir’ said Dr. Johnson. ‘He does not carry me along with him. He leaves me behind him. — Or rather he sets me before him; for, he makes me turn over many leaves at a time.’ — This was sheer wit. I was dazled with the flash.>] [AJ* 572 resumed] I talked to him of Forsters ‘Voyage to the South Seas;’ which pleased me, but I found he did not like it. ‘Sir’, said he, ‘there is a great affectation of fine writing in it.’ BOSWELL. ‘But he carries you along with him.’ JOHNSON. ‘No Sir; he does not carry me along with him. He leaves me behind him. — Or rather he sets me before him; for he makes me turn over many leaves at a time.’3 [[AJ 91] Sunday 21 September. The Church at Ashbourne is one of the largest and best that I have seen in a town of the same size. Dr. Johnson and I went to Church forenoon and afternoon. Dr. Taylor sat at home in the afternoon. I was in an excellent pious frame. I thought it a very great happiness to me that I was supported by the general concurrence and munificence of Mankind in my fondness for solemn publick worship. I had no fretfulness, no despondency, no gloom about me, this day; and while I sat in an english church, and saw Dr. Samuel Johnson in the seat with me, and had my imagination filled with all the circumstances of learning, genius, Worth, and literary distinction which that 2 JB added a footnote here (‘Now, at the distance of twelve years since this conversation passed, …’) in the second edition; in the third edition, the time elapsed rose to ‘fifteen years’ (Hill-Powell iii. 179 n. 1). Assuming that JB drafted the note late in 1792 and altered it in 1795 before his death, both figures point back to 1780 (not 1777), yet his journal for that year offers nothing to account for it. 3 Direction to the compositor (in revision), ‘Go to the back’. When JB reached AJ 91, he returned to this spot and on the verso of AJ* 572 (fol. 573) added the paragraph beginning ‘On Sunday September 21’. Meanwhile, his revision had already progressed from AJ* 572 onto AJ* 574.

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Name conveys, and considered that he was my intimate friend, [AJ 92] I was as serenely and steadily happy as I suppose man can be.>] ≤[AJ* 573] On Sunday September 214 We went to the Church of Ashbourne which is one of the largest and most luminous that I have seen in any town of the same size. I felt great satisfaction in considering that I was supported in my fondness of solemn publick worship by the general concurrence and munificence of mankind.≥ [[AJ 88] This afternoon there came to stay a while with Dr. Taylor, Mr. Fieldhouse a farmer in Staffordshire, a brisk obliging little man, quite upon [AJ 89] springs, and pretty well read in the english poets. It seems he keeps some of Dr. Taylor’s horses of blood which a Clergyman cannot so well have in his own name, and is in many respects an useful humble friend. The Dr. has had his only son educating for some years. Dr. Taylor himself was born to a pretty good estate. He was intended for the law, but took to the church, trusting for preferment to the Devonshire interest, by which he was made a prebendary of Westminster; and whether by the same interest or not, I cannot tell, he has the living of Bosworth in Leicestershire so that he has £1000 a year in the church. He does very little duty; but resides almost constantly at his house at the end of the town of Ashbourne, that he may keep up a political interest in the place, to be of consequence to the Devonshire family, in hopes of higher preferment; & he has the town much under his influence by entertaining the principal people [AJ 90] at his table, and giving charity among the poor. He is also a very knowing & diligent Justice of Peace. He is a jolly man, something like my Uncle General Cochrane, but not so fat. Dr. Johnson said to me ‘I love him; but, I do not love him more. His talk is of Bullocks. As the Apocrypha says he is not fit to stand before Princes. His talk is of Bullocks.’ We had here a good plain plentiful table. I eat heartily, & drank as much Cyder and strong beer and port as made me comfortably vigorous. The Dr. has been twice married; but he has lived many years separate from his present Wife who was as Dr. Johnson told me, a very bad woman.5>] [AJ* 572 resumed] Johnson and Taylor were so different from each other that I wondered at their preserving such an intimacy. Their having been at school & college together might in some degree account for this; but Sir Joshua Reynolds has furnished me with a stronger reason; for Johnson mentioned to him, that he had been told by Taylor he was to be his heir. I shall not take upon me to inquire into this; but certain it is that [AJ* 574] Johnson paid great attention to Taylor. [But he now observed>] He now however said to me ‘Sir, I love him, but I do not love him more.6 As it is said in the Apocrypha “He is not fit to stand before princes; his talk is of bullocks.”7 I do not suppose he is very fond of my company. 4

Misprinted ‘September 12’; noted by Hill, but not corrected until Hill-Powell. JB bypassed the next section, in which he observed that ‘None of the Dr.’s maids were handsome’ and recorded that he felt ‘no incitements to amorous desires’ (see Boswell in Extremes, p. 173). 6 Printed in the revises ‘more; my regard for him does not increase.’ 7 A shorter quotation—‘his talk is of bullocks’—turned up in the revises, with this note: ‘Ecclesiasticus, chap. xxxviii. v. 25. The whole chapter may be read as an admirable illustration of the superiority of cultivated minds over the gross and illiterate.’ As JB had learned, the part about standing before princes was a conflation 5

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His habits are by no means sufficiently clerical. This he knows that I see; and no man likes to live under the eye of perpetual disapprobation.’8 I have no doubt that Johnson composed a good many sermons for [him>] Taylor. At this time I found [one day del] upon Johnson’s table a part of one which he had [1st ed. ii. 162] newly begun to write; and Concio pro Tayloro appears in one of his diaries. When to these circumstances we add the internal evidence from the power of thinking and style in the collection which the Reverend Mr. Hayes has published with the title of ‘Sermons left for publication by the Reverend John Taylor LLD’ our conviction will be complete. I however do not mean to maintain that Dr. Taylor [AJ* 575] though he could not write like Johnson (as indeed who could?) did not sometimes compose sermons as good as those which we generally have from very [creditable>] respectable divines. He shewed me one with notes on the margin in Johnson’s handwriting and I was present when he read another to Johnson that he might have his opinion of it and Johnson said it was ‘very well’. These we may be sure were not Johnson’s; for, he was above little arts, or tricks of deception. Johnson was by no means of the opinion that every man of a learned profession should consider it as incumbent upon him, or as necessary to his credit, to appear as an Authour. When I in the ardour of ambition for literary fame regretted to him one day that an eminent Judge had nothing of it, and therefore would leave no perpetual monument of himself to posterity ‘Alas Sir’, said Johnson [AJ* 576] ‘what a mass of confusion should we have if every Bishop and every Judge every lawyer physician and divine were to write books.’ [[AJ 92] I had talked to Dr. Johnson, with regret of my Father’s coldness to me. He said Life should not be dragged on without kindness between a Father & a son …. When I told him that my Father had no inclination to have my brother David come home, & see him, after ten years absence, but said ‘Let him mind his business’; Dr. Johnson well observed ‘Getting9 money is not all a man’s business. To cultivate kindness is a valuable part of the business of life.’ I am not sure if I have given his very words. But I am sure I have given their import.>] [AJ* 576 resumed] I mentioned to [him>] Johnson a respectable person of a very strong mind who had little of that tenderness which is common to human nature as an instance of which when I suggested to him that he should invite his (possibly from Proverbs 22: 29), for the apocryphal verse reads ‘How can he get wisdom that holdeth the plough, and that glorieth in the goad, that driveth oxen, and is occupied in their labours, and whose talk is of bullocks?’ 8 These sentences reflect JB’s later note opposite AJ 90: ‘Dr. Johnson told me in Autumn 1779 that he had produced one reformation in Dr. Taylor’s living, by making him give over having a large company with him at dinner on Sundays. He said Taylor was not now very fond of having him much at his house. “He knows my opinion of his way of living; and no man loves to be continually under the eye of disapprobation.” [blank space] If Taylor were not a Clergyman he would be truly creditable. I was at his house here in spring 1776 with Dr. Johnson.’ In Dec. 1779, putting an asterisk after the last words on AJ 89, ‘principal people’, he listed and described Taylor’s company on AJ opp. 89 and the remaining space on AJ opp. 90. See Boswell in Extremes, p. 172, n. 4; Hill-Powell iii. 504–06; Ominous Years, pp. 299–301. 9 Written over ‘Making’, whether originally or when JB revised his journal for the Life is unclear. On the difference between getting and making money, see post p. 141 ll. 16–18. See also JB’s revisions on p. 130 ll. 3–4.

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son who had been settled ten years in foreign parts,1 to come home and pay him a visit, ‘No’ said he, ‘let him mind his business.’ Johnson. ‘I do not agree with him Sir in this. Getting money is not all a man’s business. To cultivate kindness is a valuable part of the business of life.’ [[AJ 92] This evening Dr. Johnson gave us some admirable paintings of characters. I regret that I did not take them all down instantly. But I am very clear & firm in my recollection of some of them. He said Lord Orrery afterwards Earl [AJ 93] of Corke>] [AJ* 576 resumed] In the evening Johnson being in very good spirits entertained us with several characteristical portraits. I regret that [some>] any of them escaped my retention and diligence. I found from experience that to collect my friends conversation so as to [AJ* 577] exhibit it with any degree of its original flavour, it was necessary to write it down without delay. To record his sayings after some distance of time was like [preserving or pickling÷pickling or preserving>] preserving or pickling long=kept and faded fruits or other vegetables which when in that state have little or nothing of their taste when fresh.2 I shall present my readers with a series of what I gathered this evening from the Johnsonian garden. [1st ed. ii. 163] ‘My friend the late Earl3 [AJ 93] of Corke had a great desire to [keep up>] maintain the literary character of his family; [that del] he was a genteel man, but did not keep up the dignity of his [rank & was>] rank; he was so generally civil, that nobody thanked him for it.’ — [I meditated taking warning from this portrait. del] [He said ‘Did>] ‘Did we not hear so much said of Jack Wilkes, we should think more highly of his conversation. Jack has great variety of conversation, ≤Jack≥ is a Scholar, and ≤Jack≥ has the manners of a Gentleman. But after hearing his name sounded from pole to pole as the Phœnix of convivial [happiness, one is>] felicity, we are dissappointed in his company. He has allways been [at>] at me. But I would do Jack a kindness rather than not. The Contest is now over.’ [He said Foote was very entertaining; but that he had the air of a buffoon paid for entertaining the company. He indeed deserved his hire.>] Garricks gayety of conversation has delicacy & elegance,4 Foote makes you laugh more; but Foote has the air of a buffoon paid for entertaining the company. He indeed deserves his hire.5 [[AJ 95] We had from him this night also some traits of Richardson the Authour of Clarissa &c. of whom he gave a very high finished picture the 1 The journal reveals (see ante p. 127 ll. 24–30), as Hill inferred (iii. 182 n. 2), that JB’s father and brother David were the subjects of this discussion. 2 For JB’s original draft of this metaphor, see ante p. 124 ll. 36–39. 3 The last words on this leaf —‘of Corke’—ushered the compositor to the top of AJ 93. 4 Written sideways in the margin of the page, the clause about Garrick began a new paragraph (printed within quotation marks) in the revises. 5 Two of SJ’s anecdotes regarding Foote come next on AJ 93, but since he had also told them over dinner at Dilly’s (see ante pp. 55–56 and n. a1), JB deleted the rest of the page, and did not send AJ 94–95 to the printer. Beneath ‘his hire’, he wrote ‘Colley’ as a catchword for his next leaf of AJ*.

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evening he supt at Mr. Nairne’s at Edinburgh, which all the company admired highly. He said that when he was praising to Richardson his account of a House of bad fame Richardson said it was all done from fancy; for he never had been in one in his life. He said Richardson was very vain, could not bear to be got the better of in an argument, and used to give large vails to Onslow the Speaker’s servants, that they might shew him great respect, which they did.6 He spoke of Colley Cibber, and mentioned his consulting him upon one of his birthday Odes, a good while before it was wanted in which Ode was this Couplet Perch’d on the soaring eagle’s wing

10 The lowly linnet loves to sing. 11 12 Colley had heard of the Wren perching on the Eagle’s wing, & had mistaken it 13 for the linnet. To this & other passages the Dr. objected; and Colley lost 14 patience, & did not read his Ode through. The Dr. thinks this happened in

1753. Colley made alterations afterwards. But I must look at the Birth=day Ode 15 of that year. When [AJ 96] they had done with Criticism, Dr. Johnson and

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Cibber walked over to Richardson’s; and said the Dr. ‘I wondered when Richardson was displeased that I did not treat Cibber with more respect. Now to talk of respect for a Player!’ — Said I ‘There you are allways heretical.’>] [AJ* 578] ‘Colley Cibber once consulted me as to one of his birth=day Odes a long time before it was wanted. I objected very freely to several passages. Cibber lost patience and would not read his Ode to an end.7 When we had done with criticism, we walked over to Richardson’s the Authour of Clarissa, and I wondered to find Richardson displeased that I “did not treat Cibber with more respect.” Now Sir, to talk of respect for a player’ (smiling disdainfully). BOSWELL. ‘There, Sir, [AJ 96] you are allways heretical. You [will not>] never will allow merit to a Player.’ — Johns. ‘Merit Sir! What merit? Do you respect a rope=dancer or a Ballad=singer?’ Bos. ‘No Sir. But we respect a great Player as a Man who can conceive [noble>] [elevated>] lofty sentiments, and can express them gracefully.’ Johns. ‘What Sir a fellow who claps a hump on his back and a lump on his leg & cries “I am Richard the Third”? Nay Sir. A Ballad=singer is higher, for he does two things; he [both repeats and sings>] repeats and he sings, there is both recitation & music ≤in his performance≥. The Player only recites.’ Bos. ‘My Dear Sir! You may turn any thing into ridicule. I allow that a Player of farce is not entitled to respect. He does a little thing. But He who can represent exalted characters, and touch the noblest passions, has very respectable powers; and Mankind have agreed in admiring great talents for the Stage. We must consider too that a great Player does what very few are capable to do. His art is a very rare faculty. Who can repeat [Shakespeare’s del] [AJ 97] Hamlet’s Soliloquy To be or not to be as Garrick does it?’ Johns. ‘Any body may. Jemmy there [(Mr. Fieldhouse’s son a boy about eight year old)>] (a boy about eight

6 For the ‘very high finished picture’ of Richardson that SJ gave in Edinburgh, see Tour, v. 395–96. 7 On SJ’s repeated tellings of this anecdote, see Life MS i. 278 n. 7; ante pp. 57–58 and n. a1.

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years old who was in the room)8 will do it as well in a week [(or some short space, I think a week) del].’ Bos. ‘No, no, Sir. And as a proof of the rarity of great acting and of the value which Mankind set upon it, Garrick has [made>] got a hundred thousand pounds.’ Johns. ‘Is [making>] getting a hundred thousand pounds a proof of excellence? [Paris Taylor made it. A scoundrel>] That has been got by A scoundrel of a Commissary.’9— [1st ed. ii. 164] This was most fallacious reasoning. I was sure for once, that I had the best side of the argument. I boldly maintained the just distinction between Tragedians, and mere comick players, between those who rouse our [noblest feelings>] terrour and pity, and those who make us laugh. ‘If’ said I ‘Betterton & Foote were to walk into this room, you would respect Betterton much more than Foote.’ [‘Sir’ said he>] JOHNSON. ‘Sir if Betterton1 were to walk into this room with Foote Foote would soon drive him out of [it.’ This was wit again, with which I could not but be pleased. — He went on: ‘Foote>] it. Foote Sir, quatenus Foote, has powers [superior>] superiour to them all.’ [[AJ 98] He made my mind easy as to any temporary doubts of my having taken this jaunt. He said ‘If the expence of it be an encroachment on your fortune, there is nothing to be said. But if you had the money to spare, you are to consider if you could have procured as much pleasure with it in any other way.’ Monday 22 September. Dr. Johnson proposed to carry me to see Islam Garden a beautiful romantick scene in the neighbourhood, belonging to a Family of the name of Port. It was a rainy day, with intervals of fair sunshine. The moisture off the air had relaxed my nerves, and I was in a hypochondriack state. At breakfast I unguardedly said to Dr. Johnson>] [AJ* ‘J’ (579)]2 On Monday September 22 when at breakfast I unguardedly said to Dr. Johnson3 [AJ 98] ‘I wish I saw you & Mrs. Macaulay together.’ He grew very angry; and after a pause while a cloud gathered on his brow, he burst out ‘No, Sir. You would not see us quarrel, to make you sport. — Dont you see that it is very uncivil to pit two people against one another?’ — Then, taking himself, and wishing to be more gentle, he added ‘I do not say you should be hanged or drowned for this; but it is very uncivil.’ Dr. Taylor thought him in the wrong, & spoke to him privately of it. But I afterwards acknowledged to him 8 Walter John Fieldhouse (b. 1732) and his only son James Walter (b. 1767) were introduced on AJ 88 (ante p. 126 ll. 8–13), a page not sent to the printer. JB made them anonymous in print, the son here a vague ‘Jemmy’ and the father below (p. 133 l. 35) a ‘gentleman-farmer’. See Hill-Powell iii. 508–09. 9 Printed ‘a scoundrel commissary’ (so in revises). As the journal reveals, he was Robert Paris Taylor (c. 1736–92), a chronically dishonest army commissary and paymaster (see Hill-Powell iii. 507–08). 1 Mistakenly printed ‘If Betterton’. The compositor thought JB had deleted ‘Sir’ with two light pen strokes, but these were underscorings of ‘Johnson’ for small capital letters. 2 Above the heading ‘J’ on this leaf, JB entreated the compositor to ‘Be sure not to lose the little remark on the top of the original page where this day is registered’—namely, the first sentence on AJ 98, revised as follows: ‘He made my mind easy as to any temporary doubts of my doing well in having taken this jaunt.’ JB deleted the direction later, however, after deleting the revised sentence, the saying of SJ’s that follows, and the catchword on AJ 97 (‘He’) leading onto the page. The passage became part of his coda to the Ashbourne jaunt (post p. 141 ll. 6–10). 3 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in what is unscored on p. 98 of the original Journal and go on to the [false start bott] foot of p. 102’. (AJ* ‘J’ resumes on p. 135.)

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LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 185–86

that I was to blame. For that I candidly owned I [AJ 99] meant to express a desire to see a contest between Mrs. Macaulay & him; but then I knew how the Contest would end; so that I was to see him triumph. [He said ‘You>] Johnson. ‘Sir You cannot be sure how a contest will end; and no man has a right to engage two people in a dispute by which their passions may be inflamed & they may part with bitter resentment against each other. I would sooner keep company with a man from whom I must guard my pockets, than with a man who contrives to bring me into a dispute with somebody, that he may hear [it.’ This he said was Langton’s great fault — endeavouring to introduce a subject on which two 4 people in the company differ.>] it. This is the great fault of (naming one of our friends) — endeavouring to introduce a subject on which he knows two people in the company differ.’ [‘But’ said I>] Boswell. ‘But he told me ≤Sir≥ he does it for instruction.’ [‘Sir’ said Dr. Johnson, ‘whatever the motive be,>] Johnson. ‘Whatever the motive be Sir, the man who does so [is very pernicious.>] does very wrong. He has no more right to instruct himself at such a risk, than he has to make two people fight a duel, that he may learn how to defend himself.’ [He however said to Lord Scarsdale what I have heard him say frequently ‘I do not know a worthier man than Langton.’ del] [He found fault with Langton’s poor way of entertaining in London, & said that when a man is invited to a dinner, he is dissappointed [AJ 100-a]5 if he does not get something good. He said he advised Mrs. Thrale who has no Card=parties at her house, to give sweetmeats and such good things in the afternoon as are not commonly given; & she would find company enough come to her; for that every body loves to have good things to the taste put in their way, without trouble or preparation.>] He found great fault with a gentleman of our acquaintance for keeping a bad table. ‘Sir’ said he ‘when a man is invited to a dinner, he is dissappointed [AJ 100-a] if he does not get something good. I advised Mrs. Thrale who has no Card=parties at her house, to give sweetmeats and such good things in an evening as are not commonly given; & she would find company enough come to her; for every body loves to have things which please the palate put in their way, without trouble or preparation.’ His attention to the minutiæ of life and manners [is>] was wonderful. [He gave me a good character upon the whole of the old>] [1st ed. ii. 165] He thus characterised the old Duke of Devonshire [the del] Grandfather of [this Duke>] the present Duke.6 [He said he was not a man of superiour abilities, but 4 Croker guessed (correctly, as JB’s journal reveals) that Langton was the person talked about here and in the next paragraph (Hill-Powell iii. 186 n. 1). To hide Langton’s identity and yet preserve the present paragraph’s last sentence, JB moved it to the page describing their tour of Lord Scarsdale’s home, where—rhetorically heightened—it emerged in the revises (see ante p. 107 n. 2). 5 JB numbered two pages ‘100’, here designated 100-a and 100-b. 6 JB struggled with this sentence and the next. In the revises for this gathering (sig. Y, pp. 161–68), he explained his delay to Selfe: ‘This taken for another night for Basil Kennet & whether the old Duke was Grandfather or great Grandfather of the present.’ Afterwards, he replaced that message with another: ‘Pray be very careful to observe the corrections.’ His correction read ‘the Duke of Devonshire, grandfather of the present representative of that [family>] very respectable family’. Five dukes, all named William Cavendish, had held the title since its creation in 1694, the fifth (1748–1811) having held it from 1764. His grandfather was the third duke (1698–1755).

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H-P iii. 186–87

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1777

a man strictly faithful to his word.>] ‘He was not a man of superiour abilities, though Basil Kennet would persuade us so in his funeral sermon,7 but he was a man strictly faithful to his word. [‘If’ said he, ‘He>] If for instance he had promised a Man an acorn, and none had grown that year in his woods, he would not have contented himself with that [excuse. He>] excuse; he would have sent to Denmark for it; So unconditional was he in keeping his promise; so high as to the point of honour.’8 [I read Burke’s letter to the Sherrifs of Bristol on American affairs, while I was at Ashbourn. Dr. Johnson>] Mr. Burke’s letter to the Sherrifs of Bristol on American affairs being mentioned Johnson censured the composition much, and he ridiculed [Burke’s>] the definition of a free government viz. ‘what they who are governed think free.’9 ‘I will let the King of France govern me on those conditions’ said he; ‘for it is to be governed just as I please’; & when Dr. Taylor talked of a girl [AJ 100-b] being sent to a parish work=house and ≤asked≥ how much she could be obliged to work. ‘Why’ said [Dr. del] Johnson ‘as much as is reasonable; and what is that? as much as she thinks reasonable.’ [I had no satisfaction in seeing Islam, though a very fine amphitheatre surrounded with hills covered with wood, and walks neatly formed along the side of a rocky steep on the quarter next the house with recesses under projections of rock overshadowed with trees; in one of which recesses we were told Congreve wrote his old Batchelor. I suppose Islam is well described somewhere. Dr. Johnson described it distinctly and vividly. He has the faculty of observing objects much better than I have, though as he said my eyes are better than his. I said the difference between us in this was, as between a man who has a bad instrument but plays well on it, and a man who has a good instrument on which he cannot play. I was this forenoon quite dull, & fretted to find myself so. Yet Dr. Johnson’s conversation was fully felt by me. We viewed>] [AJ opp. 100-b] Dr. Johnson obligingly proposed to carry me to see Islam a romantick Scene now belonging to a family of the name of Port but formerly the seat of the Congreves.1 I suppose it is well described in some of the ‘Tours’. Johnson described it distinctly and vividly, at which I could not but express to him my wonder because though my eyes as he observed were better than his, I could not by any means equal him in representing visible objects. I said the difference between us in this respect was as that between a man who has a bad instrument but plays well on it, and a man who has a good instrument on which he can play very imperfectly. 7 In print this phrase was shortened to ‘though Basil Kennet would persuade us he was’ (so in revises). JB’s uncertainties about it (see p. 131 n. 6) were now such that he deleted it. It was the first duke (1641–1707) who had been eulogized by White Kennett (1660–1728), historian and ultimately Bishop of Peterborough, who gained a reputation for sycophancy based partly on this funeral sermon, delivered shortly after he was made a royal chaplain at Windsor in June 1707. Basil Kennett (1674–1715), his brother, was then Anglican chaplain at Leghorn (Livorno), Italy, the first to serve the British trading factory there (Oxford DNB). 8 An additional sentence was printed in the revises: ‘This was a liberal testimony from the Tory Johnson to the virtue of a great Whig nobleman.’ 9 In the revises JB substituted the exact definition—‘for any practical purpose it is what the people think so’—and footnoted his source, ‘Edit. 2. p. 53.’ 1 A version of this sentence opened JB’s entry for 22 Sept. (see ante p. 130 ll. 20–22).

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LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 187–88

I recollect [AJ 100-b resumed] a very fine amphitheatre surrounded with hills covered with wood, and walks neatly formed along the side of a rocky steep on the quarter next the house with recesses under projections of rock overshadowed with trees; in one of which recesses we were told Congreve wrote his old Batchelor. We viewed the reputed natural [curiosities>] curiosity of Islam two rivers bursting near each=other from the rock, not from immediate springs, but after having run for many miles under ground. [Dr. Johnson did not beleive this, upon the attestation>] Plott in his ‘History of Staffordshire’2 gives an account of this curiosity; but Johnson would not beleive it though we had the attestation of the Gardener who said he had put in corks, where the river Manifold [AJ 101] sinks into the ground, and had catched them in a net placed before one of the places where the water [1st ed. ii. 166] bursts out.3 Talking of Dr. Johnson’s unwillingness to beleive extraordinary things, I ventured to say ‘Sir you come near Humes argument against Miracles, that it is more probable Men should lye or be mistaken than that they should happen.’ — [‘Hume’, said he>] Johnson. ‘Why Sir, Hume, taking the proposition simply is right. But the Christian Revelation is not proved by the Miracles alone, but as connected with prophecies, & with the doctrines in confirmation of which [they>] the miracles were wrought.’ [He observed during this interview, that the differences among Christians are really of no consequence. For instance if a Protestant objects to a Papist ‘You worship images.’ The Papist can answer ‘I do not insist on your doing it. You may be a very good Papist without it. I do it only as a help to my devotion.’ — Said I ‘the great point is the revelation of Immortality.’ ‘Yes Sir’, said He.>] He repeated his observation, that the differences among Christians are really of no consequence. ‘For instance (said he) if a protestant objects to a papist “You worship images.” The papist can answer “I do not insist on your doing it; You may be a very good Papist without it. I do it only as a help to my devotion.”’ I said the great article of Christianity is the revelation of Immortality. Johnson admitted it was. [I have marked in a little book appropriated to Anecdotes of Dr. Johnson several things which passed during this interview, and today in particular.4 But my Journal of every portion of time which I have had the happiness [AJ 102] to be with him contains valuable materials for his Life. del] [AJ 102] [Tonight Fieldhouse ventured to dispute with him>] In the evening a gentleman=farmer5 who was on a visit at Dr. Taylor’s to dispute6 with Johnson 2 In correcting the revises, JB added a footnote to this reference, ‘P. 89.’ The Natural History of Staffordshire, by Robert Plot (1640–96), was published in 1686. 3 Here in the revises JB added a sentence—‘Indeed such subterraneous courses of water are found in various parts of our globe.’—with a footnote: ‘See [Plott in the passage referred false start] Plotts “History of Staffordshire” ≤p. 88≥, and the authorities referred to by him.’ 4 ‘Dr. Johnson told me in going to Islam from Ashburn 22 Septr. 1777 …’: so begins Boswell’s Note Book 1776–1777 (p. 1), leading into three anecdotes regarding SJ’s Dictionary. JB recorded several more during his stay in Ashbourne (roughly a third of the material in Note Book), and corrected others that he had taken down in 1776. 5 Walter John Fieldhouse, as shown by the journal here and above (see p. 126 ll. 8–12, and p. 130 n. 8). 6 In revision JB accidentally scored through ‘ventured’, which left his verb phrase incomplete, a problem fixed by the printing of ‘attempted to dispute’ (so in revises).

133

H-P iii. 188–89

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1777

in favour of Mungo Campbell ≤who shot Alexander Earl of Eglintoune, when his7 having fallen when retreating from his Lordship who he believed was about to siese his gun as he had threatened to do≥. He said he should have done just as Campbell did. [Dr. Johnson said Whoever would do as Campbell did deserved to be hanged; not that he could as a Juryman have found him legally guilty of murder; but he was glad they found means to hang him. Fieldhouse said a poor man had as much honour as a rich man; and Campbell had that to defend. The Dr. said a poor man had no honour. Fieldhouse said Lord Eglintoune was a damned fool to run on upon Campbell after being warned that Campbell would shoot him.>] Johnson. ‘Whoever would do as Campbell did deserves to be hanged; not that I could as a Juryman have found him legally guilty of murder; but I am glad they found means to hang him.’8 The gentleman said ‘a poor man has as much honour as a rich man; and Campbell had that to defend.’ Johnson exclaimed ‘a poor man has no honour.’ The gentleman=farmer not dismayed proceeded ‘Lord Eglintoune was a damned fool to run on upon Campbell after being warned that Campbell would shoot him if he did.’ [Dr. Johnson cannot bear any thing like swearing. He angrily answered>] Johnson who could not bear any thing like swearing angrily replied ‘He was not a damned fool. He only thought too well of Campbell. He did not beleive he would be such a damned scoundrel, as to do so damned a thing.’ His emphasis on damned accompanied with frowning looks reproved [Fieldhouse’s>] his oponents want of decorum in His presence. [I had meditated going to Chatsworth [AJ 103] this day, as it was the last publick day during the Duke of Devonshire’s stay in the country this season; and as I had been at the Hague in company with Lord John I supposed I should be asked to dine with the Duke, and so see the splendid hospitality of a great English Nobleman. But I considered that perhaps I should not be asked, and then I would be dissappointed. I wavered thus when Dr. Johnson & I were alone. ‘However’ said I ‘Nothing venture nothing have.’ ‘Very true’ said the Doctor. ‘But I have allways been more afraid of failing than hopeful of success.’ Indeed no man ever paid less court to the great than He has done. I determined not to go on purpose to Chatsworth; but to take it in my way to Doncaster where I was to fall into the east road from London to Scotland, and get into a Fly.>] [Talking of the danger of being mortified in one’s approaches to the acquaintance of the great, I said ‘Nothing venture nothing have.’ ‘Very true’ said the Doctor. ‘But I have allways been more afraid of failing than hopeful of success.’ Indeed no man ever paid less court to the great than He has done.>]9 7 At this point JB moved his expansive revision into the margin. In doing so he abandoned the phrasing he had just begun, but neglected to delete ‘when’. The muddled syntax had been corrected by the time the revises were printed; ‘upon his’ replaced ‘when his’. 8 Printed in the revises ‘to convict him’. Campbell had hanged himself in prison after being found guilty of murder at trial (Hill-Powell iii. 188–89 n. 5). 9 This revision shows that JB at first thought he would send AJ 103 to the printer. In the margin, however, he chided himself: ‘Sink this. It is adopting the low notions of ordinary authours. Remember you are a Gentleman.’ (See post p. 150 n. 5.) An incomplete direction to the compositor at the foot of AJ 102, ‘Take’, suggests that he may have considered proceeding to paper ‘BD’ (see next note), but he deleted this and wrote ‘Return to Leaf marked J’, where he preserved the topic of ‘approaches to the acquaintance of the great’.

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LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 189–90

[AJ* ‘J’ resumed] Talking of the danger of being mortified by rejection when making approaches to the acquaintance of the great, I observed ‘I am however generally for trying. “Nothing venture, nothing have.”’ Johnson. ‘Very true Sir; but I have always been more afraid of failing than hopeful of [1st ed. ii. 167] success.’ And indeed though he had all just respect for rank no man ever less courted the favour of the great.1 [[AJ 103] I shall mark such little fragments of Dr. Johnson’s conversation as I can recollect. Taylor was praising his bull=dog as perfectly well shaped; as he praises every thing of his own exceedingly. ‘He is not well shaped’, said Dr. Johnson; ‘for there is not [AJ 104] the quick>] [AJ* ‘BD’ (580)] During this interview at Ashbourne Johnson seemed to be more uniformly social cheerful and alert than I had almost ever seen him. He was prompt on great occasions and on small. Taylor who praised every thing of his own to excess in short ‘whose geese were all swans’ as the proverb says, expatiated on the excellence of his bull=dog which he told us was perfectly well shaped. Johnson after examining the animal attentively, thus repressed the vain glory of our host. ‘No Sir, he is not well shaped; for there is not2 [AJ 104] the quick transition from the thickness of the fore=part to the [tenuity the thin>] tenuity — the thin part behind which3 a bull=dog ought to have.’ This tenuity [is>] was the only hard word [as the phrase is, del] that I heard him use during this interview, and ≤it will be observed,≥ he instantly put another expression in it’s place. Taylor said a small bull dog was as good as a large one.4 [‘No Sir’, said Dr. Johnson>] JOHNSON. ‘No Sir; for, in proportion to his size he has strength; and your argument would prove that a good bull=dog may be as small as a mouse.’ [(I think) del] It is amazing how he enters upon every thing that occurs in conversation with perspicuity & keeness. [My Father & most>] Most men whom I know, would no more think of discussing a question about a bull=dog, than of attacking a Bull.5 [MS 235] I cannot allow any fragment whatever that floats in my memory concerning the great subject of this work to be lost. Though a small particular may appear trifling to some, it will be relished by others, while every little spark 1 JB started a new paragraph, ‘During this’, but since he was nearing the bottom of paper ‘J’, he deleted it and rewrote ‘During’ in the corner as a catchword for AJ* ‘BD’ (bull-dog). 2 Here, along with catchwords (‘the quick’), JB provided a direction to the compositor, ‘Go to p. 104 of the Original ≤Ashbourne≥ Journal and go on to the foot of p. 107 and then return hither.’ 3 Successive attempts to punctuate this phrase intelligibly became ever more involved. JB originally left a short space after tenuity; in revision he inserted a dash. Another dash and a comma appeared in print: ‘tenuity — the thin part — behind, which’ (so in revises). Still another dash turned up in the second edition: ‘tenuity — the thin part — behind, — which’. Hill-Powell removed the third dash. 4 The underscorings for ‘JOHNSON’, inserted above the line, appeared to delete ‘one’, as happened with ‘Sir’ on AJ 97 (see ante p. 130 n. 1). Although ink covers the word thoroughly, it was printed. 5 Direction to the compositor, ‘=Take what is within Scores on p. 235’. The scores form a box enclosing the paragraph, alongside which JB converted an earlier memorandum—‘To come in somewhere else’—into further instructions: ‘To come in at = on p. 104 of Ashbourne Journal and then take in “I mentioned an old” &c.’ This paragraph had also ‘come in’ at 1st ed. i. 230 (see Life MS i. pp. 294–95 n. 3), making it redundant here. In the second edition, JB deleted its earlier occurrence and kept it here.

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H-P iii. 190–91

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1777

adds something to the general blaze; and to please the true candid ≤warm≥ admirers of Johnson and in any degree increase the splendour of his reputation, I bid defiance to the shafts of ridicule or even of malignity. [Enough÷showers>] Showers of them have been discharged at my ‘Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides’ yet it still sails unhurt along the stream of time as an attendant upon Johnson ‘Pursues the triumph and partakes the gale.’6 [AJ opp. 47]7 One morning after breakfast when the sun shone bright we walked out together and ‘pored’ for some time with÷in8 placid indolence upon an artificial ≤water≥ fall which Dr. Taylor had made by building a strong dike of stone across the river behind his garden. It was now somewhat obstructed by branches of trees and other stuff which had come down the river and settled close to it. Johnson partly from [an inclination>] a desire to see it play more freely, & partly from that inclination to [activity÷exertion>] activity which will animate at times ≤even≥ the most [inert÷sluggish>] inert & sluggish ≤mortal≥, took a long pole which was lying on the bank and pushed [away÷down>] down [I know not how many>] several parcels of this [stuff÷wreck>] wreck with [wonderful>] painful assiduity while I stood ≤quietly≥ by, wondering to behold the Sage thus [eagerly>] curiously employed.9 He worked till he was quite out of breath, and having found a large dead cat so heavy that he could not move it after several efforts ‘Come’ said he throwing down the pole ‘[you>] you shall take it now’, which I accordingly did and being a fresh man, soon made the Cat tumble over the cascade. This may be laughed at as too trifling to record; but it is a small characteristick [circumstance which I could by no means omit, & which I know many of my readers will like to see.>] trait in the flemish picture which I [propose to del] give of my friend; and in which therefore I mark the most minute circumstances.10 6 By changing ‘pursues’ to ‘Pursues’ in the same draft, JB turned his allusion into a quotation without punctuating it as such. The compositor used quotation marks, and printed the verse on a separate line. The other phrase from Pope’s Essay on Man iv. 383–86—‘along the stream of time’—was printed within quotation marks in its other location (see preceding note), but not here. 7 This paragraph stemmed from the following notes: ‘At Ashbourne 1777 pushing branches down Cascade till quite fatigued. A Cat then too heavy — Here! take you it and gave me the pole, with which I pushed & he sat & was amused’ (Life Materials M 157: ‘Johnsonian Fragments to be inserted in their places’). JB was uncertain where to place this anecdote when he drafted it on AJ opp. 47; in the margin of AJ 47 he jotted, ‘N.B. The opposite page is not to come in till afterwards.’ Later he crossed it out with a giant X, perhaps having copied it onto another sheet. Judging by the displacement to the start of the next gathering (sig. Z on p. 169, as marked in the MS), this nineteen-line paragraph was added after the first proofs had been printed. Inserted here, it reinforced JB’s rationale for including ‘small particulars’ that some readers might relish and others deem trifling. He had been searching for the right place to stress the value of such details for his ‘flemish picture’, as his deferral of a similar passage on MSS 446–47 suggests also (see Life MS ii. 139–40 and n. 5). 8 Printed ‘with’ (so in revises). 9 Printed in the revises ‘employed, and smiling with an humorous satisfaction each time when he carried his point.’ The word ‘humourous’ began 1st. ed. ii. 168. 10 An additional sentence was printed in the revises: ‘And let it be remembered, that “Æsop at play” is one of the instructive apologues of antiquity.’ This sentence may explain a symbol on AJ opp. 47, which suggests that the paragraph trailed onto another sheet of paper before JB recopied it (see n. 7 above).

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LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 191–92

[AJ 104 resumed] [Dr. Johnson said that my Father must have something of the Family disease of mind to have a failure of memory at seventy. For that a man’s head>] I mentioned an old gentleman of our acquaintance1 whose memory was beginning to fail. Johnson. ‘There must be a diseased mind where there is a failure of memory at seventy. A man’s head ≤Sir≥ must be morbid if he fails so soon.’ [The Dr. being himself sixty eight may>] My friend being now himself sixty eight might think thus. But I imagine that Threescore & ten the Psalmist’s [AJ 105] period of sound human life in later ages may have a failure, though there be no disease in the constitution. Talking of Rochester’s Poems he said he had given them to Mr. Steevens, to castrate2 for the edition of the Poets to which he was to write prefaces. Dr. Taylor [said if>] (the only time when I ever heard him say any thing witty3) observed that if Rochester had been castrated himself his exceptionable poems would not have been written. I asked if Burnet had not given a good life of Rochester? [Said Dr. Johnson>] Johnson. ‘We have a good death. There is not much Life.’ [Dr. Johnson said Prior was to be printed entire.>] [He told us Prior was to be printed entire.>] [I asked whether Prior was to be printed entire? Johnson said he was.>] I asked whether Prior’s Poems were to be printed entire? Johnson said they were. I mentioned Lord Hailes’s censure of him in his Preface to [‘Sacred Poems’ where>] a Collection of Sacred Poems by various hands published by him at Edinburgh a great many years ago, where he mentions ‘those impure tales which will be the eternal opprobrium of their ingenious Authour.’ ‘Sir’ said he ‘Lord Hailes has forgot. There is nothing in Prior that will excite to lewdness. If Lord Hailes thinks there is, he must be more combustible than other people.’ I [mentioned ‘Paulo>] I instanced the tale of ‘Paulo Purganti & his Wife’. [‘Sir’ said he>] Johnson. ‘Sir there is nothing there, but that his wife wanted to be kissed, when poor Paulo was [AJ 106] out of pocket. No, Sir, Prior is a Lady’s Book. No Lady is ashamed to have it standing in her Library.’4 [I do however think that some of Prior’s tales are rather too wanton for modest women, according to the established opinion. But I have my own private notions as to modesty, of which I would only value the appearance; for unless a Woman has amorous heat, she is a dull companion; and to have amorous heat in elegant perfection, the fancy should be warmed with lively ideas. del] 1

Lord Auchinleck, as the journal reveals and Powell noted (Hill-Powell iii. 191 n. 1). A bracketed footnote, added by EM, was keyed to this word in the third edition: ‘This was unnecessary, for it had been done in the early part of the century, by Jacob Tonson.’ Hill-Powell did not include this footnote, perhaps because EM was wrong. Six of the poems in The Works of John Earl of Rochester (1714), published by Tonson, were considered too bawdy for reprinting in The Works of the English Poets (1779). 3 A footnote keyed to ‘witty’ was printed in the revises: ‘I am told, that the Honourable Horace Walpole has a collection of Bon Mots by persons who never said but one.’ In the second edition, Walpole was identified as ‘Horace Earl of Orford’; he had become the fourth earl in Dec. 1791. 4 An unused anecdote in the Life Materials (M 155: 22) exhibits a harsher Johnsonian verdict on Prior: ‘For Johnson was exquisitely delicate in his expression and of all men was the most careful to avoid any gross image. So nice was he that he found fault with this passage in Prior / The flowers less blooming than her face / The scent less fragrant than her breath. / “Sir” said he “any mention of the breath you will find is always indelicate. No Sir” said he (referring to the general opinion of Prior’s low occupation in his early years) “the tapster every now & then recurred in Prior.”’ 2

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H-P iii. 192–93

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1777

[Talking of Hypochondria>] The Hypochondriack disorder being mentioned, Dr. Johnson did not think it so common as I supposed. ‘Dr. Taylor’, said he, ‘is the same one day as another. Burke, Reynolds are the same. [Beauclerc>] Beauclerk except when in pain is the same. I am not so, myself; but this I do not mention commonly.’ [Yet I remember his telling at Dunvegan that he inherited a vile melancholy from his Father.5 del] [1st ed. ii. 169] I complained of a wretched changefullness — ≤so≥ that I could not preserve for any long continuance the same views of any thing. It was most comfortable to me to experience in Dr. Johnson’s company a relief from this uneasiness. His steady vigorous mind held firm before me those objects which [AJ 107] my own feeble and tremulous imagination presented for most part in such a wavering state, that my reason could not judge well of them. [Time may perhaps strengthen my mind as much more in proportion, as it has done already. del] Dr. Johnson advised me today, to have as many books about me as I could; that I might read upon any subject upon which I had a desire for instruction at the time. ‘What you read then’ said he, ‘you will remember. But if you have not a book immediately ready, and the subject moulds in your mind, it is a chance if you again have a desire to study it.’ [‘You talk to me’, said I ‘as if I had keen desires for reading; but unluckily that is not the case.’ He said ‘if a Man has not such desires, he>] [‘You talk to me Sir’, said I ‘as if I had keen desires for reading; but unluckily that is not the case.’ He said ‘if a Man has not such desires, he>] He added ‘if a Man never has an eager desire for instruction, he should prescribe a task to himself. But it is better when a man reads from immediate [desire>] inclination.’ He repeated a good many lines of Horace’s Odes in the chaise today. I remember particularly the Ode Eheu fugaces.6 He said the dispute as to the [excellency>] comparative excellence of Homer or Virgil7 [[AJ 108] was inaccurate. We must consider if Homer was not the greatest Poet, though Virgil may have produced the finest Poem. Virgil was indebted to Homer for the whole invention of the structure of an Epick Poem, and for many of his beauties.>] [AJ* ‘BD’ resumed] Virgila was inaccurate. ‘We a

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≤I am informed by Mr. Langton that a great many years ago he was present when this question was agitated between Dr. Johnson and Mr. Burke, and to use Johnson’s phrase they ‘talked their best’ Johnson for Homer, Burke for Virgil. It may well be supposed to have been one of the ablest and most brilliant literarya1 35 contests that ever was exhibited. How much must we regret that it has not been preserved.≥ 5

See Tour, v. 215. Missed by the compositor, this sentence was marked ‘Out’ by Selfe. It was restored by the time the revises were printed, with quotation marks around the italicized words. 7 Direction to the compositor, ‘Go BD’. JB had just started to revise AJ 108 when, deciding not to send that page to the printer, he transferred his revision to paper ‘BD’. No further pages of the original Ashbourne Journal went to the printer. 6

a1 This word was omitted in print, probably overlooked. Page ‘BD’ was full when JB added this note in revision; he drafted it along three edges of the page as he rotated it counterclockwise. The copy here at the top of the page was especially cramped.

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H-P iii. 193–95

must consider’ said he, ‘whether Homer was not the greatest poet though Virgil may have produced the finest poem. Virgil was indebted to Homer for the whole invention of the structure of an Epick Poem, and for many of his beauties.’ [AJ* 581] He told me that Bacon was a [new8 del] favourite Authour with him; but he had never read his Works till he was compiling the English Dictionary in which [I would see>] he said I might see Bacon very often quoted. Mr. Seward recollects [his having mentioned to him that he had once>] his having said that a Dictionary of the English language might be compiled from Bacons Writings alone & that he had once an intention of giving an edition of Bacon, at least of his english works, and writing the life of that great man. Had he executed this intention there can be no doubt that he would have done it in a most masterly manner. Mallet’s Life of Bacon has no inconsiderable merit as an acute and elegant dissertation relative to its subject. But Mallets mind was not comprehensive enough to embrace the vast extent of Lord Verulam’s genius and research. Dr. Warburton therefore [1st ed. ii. 170] observed with [true del] witty justness that Mallet in his life of Bacon had forgotten that he was a philosopher; and [then del] if he should [AJ* 582] write the life of the Duke of Marlborough which he had undertaken to do, he would probably forget that he was a general. Wishing to be satisfied what degree of truth there was in a story which a friend of Johnson’s and mine9 had told me to his disadvantage, I [told>] mentioned it to him in direct terms; and it was to this effect that a gentleman who had lived in great intimacy with him, shewn him much kindness and even relieved him from a spunging=house, having afterwards fallen into bad circumstances, was one day when Johnson was at dinner with him seised for debt, and carried to prison; that Johnson sat still undisturbed, and went on eating and drinking; upon which the gentlemans sister who was present, could not suppress her indignation. ‘What Sir’ said she, ‘are you thus unfeeling, and never offering to go near my brother in his distress, you who have been so much obliged to him.’ And that Johnson answered ‘Madam I owe him no obligation; What he did for me he would have done for a dog.’ Johnson assured me that the story was absolutely false; but like a man conscious of being in the right & [AJ* 583] desireous of completely vindicating himself from such a charge, he did not arrogantly rest on a mere denial, and on his general character, but proceeded thus ‘Sir I was very intimate with that gentleman, and was once relieved by him from an arrest; but I never was present when he was arrested, never knew that he was arrested, and I believe ≤he≥1 never was in difficulties after the time when he relieved me. I loved him much [but÷though>] yet in talking of his general character I may have said (though I 8 The phrase ‘a new’ was first ‘now a’, copied straight from the Note Book (p. 20): ‘He said Lord Bacon was now a favourite Authour with him. But he had never read him till he was writing the Dictionary / and I would see him very often quoted there.’ 9 Beauclerk, cited in the source for this passage, JB’s Note Book (pp. 16–17). The story involved the Hon. and Rev. Henry Hervey (1701–48), also called Henry Aston, and an unidentified sister-in-law. Hervey’s wife, Catherine Aston (bap. 1705), had seven sisters, at least five of whom were unmarried at any given time during the Herveys’ wedded years, 1730–48. See Johns. Glean. v. 245–55; Hill-Powell i. 106 n. 1, and 532. 1 At first JB left out the pronoun when recasting his notes to conceal Hervey’s identity: ‘But that [SJ] never was present when Harvey was arrested, never knew that he was arrested and Harvey never was in difficulties after releiving Him’ (Note Book, p. 16).

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do not remember that I ever did so) that as his generosity proceeded from no principle but was a part of his profusion he would do for a dog what he [had done>] would do for a friend; but [I am sure del] I never applied this remark to any particular instance, and certainly not to his kindness to me. If a profuse man who does not value his money and gives a large sum to a whore, gives half as much or an equally large sum to relieve a friend it cannot be esteemed as virtue. This was all that I could say of that gentleman, and if said at all [I am sure÷dare say was said>] [I dare say was said>] must have been said after his death. Sir I would have gone to the world’s end to relieve him. This remark about the dog [is such>] made by me was such2 a sally as might escape one when painting a man highly.’ [[AJ 108] I sat up late in my room tonight, making copies of such pieces written by Dr. Johnson for poor Dr. Dodd as were not printed, and of what I chose of Dodd’s letters to him. It was very good in him to give me this liberty. Perhaps it was not quite right in me to take the liberty of copying out of a little paper-book in his open desk a prayer composed by him on his last birthday & some short notes of a Journal. But my veneration & love of him are such that I could not resist. ‘Condemn me Sages if I did amiss.’3

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

Tuesday 23 September. During this interview, Dr. Johnson and I talked frequently with wonderful pleasure of mere [AJ 109] trifles which happened 20 during our Hebridian Journey. It has left a most agreable impression upon his mind, so that the most minute circumstances of it please. I am pleased too in the same way, but not in so high a degree as he is. … [AJ 98] He made my mind easy as to any temporary doubts of my having taken this jaunt. He said ‘If the expence of it be an encroachment on your fortune, there is nothing to be said. 25 But if you had the money to spare, you are to consider if you could have procured as much pleasure with it in any other way.’>]4 [[AJ* 584] Having gone into Johnson’s room to look for him and not finding him there I sat down to wait till he should come. In the course of this stay at Ashbourne he communicated to me a variety of the particulars of his Life which 30 have been inserted in this work in the proper places. I now perceived a volume of his Diary lying on the table. del]5 2 In revision JB failed to delete ‘is’. Misreading it as ‘if’, the compositor evidently typeset the following: ‘The remark about the dog, if made by me, was such’ (so in revises). 3 An allusion to 1 Henry VI (IV. i. 27). 4 JB passed over this anecdote on AJ 98 earlier (see ante p. 130 ll. 16–19) in order to situate it closer to the end of his ‘jaunt’. His next catchword, ‘During’ (for post p. 141 l. 11), shows his original reluctance to divulge what AJ 108 reveals: the liberty he took with SJ’s diary. In an intermediate revision, however, he deleted ‘During’, directed the compositor to ‘Turn’, and on the overleaf began drafting the paragraph transcribed next. 5 Revisited by a reluctance to broach this topic, JB deleted his draft mid-paragraph and restored the catchword ‘During’ to the front of the page. Later, without changing the catchword, he directed the compositor to transpose the next two paragraphs, writing ‘Tr’ three times in the margin, bracketing what had been the first of the paragraphs, and numbering them ‘2’ and ‘1’ respectively. Plymsell, to make sure he would not forget to circle back, wrote ‘Take in Par. 2.’ at the end of paragraph ‘1’. The paper JB used for AJ* varies in size at this point, in contrast with the uniformity of the previous leaves.

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[AJ* 585] [He was>] On tuesday September 23 Johnson was remarkably cordial with me. It being necessary for me to return to Scotland soon, I had fixed on the next day for my setting out, and I felt a tender concern at the thought of parting [1st ed. ii. 171] with him. He had at this time frankly communicated to me many particulars which are inserted in this Work in their proper places; and once when I happened to mention that the expence [AJ* 586] of my jaunt would come to much more than I had computed it to be, he said ‘Why Sir if the expence were to be an inconvenience you would have reason to regret it. But if you have had the money to spend I know not that you could have purchased as much pleasure with it in any other way.’ [AJ* 585 (transposed)] During this interview ≤at Ashbourne≥ Johnson and I frequently talked with wonderful pleasure of mere trifles which had occurred [while we were together in the Hebrides>] [while we were together during our Tour to the Hebrides>] in our Tour to the Hebrides which had left a most agreable ≤and lasting≥ impression upon his mind. [AJ* 586 resumed] He found fault with me for using the phrase to make money. ‘Dont you see’ said he ‘the impropriety of it? To make money is to coin it. You should say get money.’6 ≤The phrase however is I think pretty current. But Johnson was at all times jealous of infractions upon the genuine english language, and prompt to repress colloquial barbarisms, such as pledging myself for undertaking, line for department or branch as the civil line — the banking line. He was particularly indignant against the almost universal use of the word idea in the sense of notion or opinion when it is clear that idea can only signify something of which an image can be formed in the mind. We may have an idea or image of a mountain a tree,7 [Sub-Paper Apart I] a building; but we cannot surely have an idea or image of an argument or proposition. Yet we hear the Sages of the Law ‘delivering their ideas upon [the matter at issue, del] the question under consideration’; and the first speakers in Parliament ‘entirely coinciding in the idea which has been ably stated by an honourable member’; — or ‘reprobating an idea unconstitutional and fraught with the most dangerous consequences to [this free country>] a great and free country.’ Johnson called this ‘modern cant’.≥8 [AJ* 586 resumed] I [observed>] perceived that he pronounced the word heard as if spelt with a double e, heerd instead of sounding it herd as is most usually done. He said his reason was that if it were pronounced herd there would be [AJ* 589] a single exception from the english pronunciation of ear and he thought it better not to have that exception. He praised Granger’s ‘Ode on Solitude’ in Dodsley’s Collection, and repeated with great expression the [first Stanza>] exordium.9 6 Direction to the compositor, ‘See the back’, where JB’s addition, marked ‘No NP’, continued the same paragraph. 7 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in paper I’ (for ‘Idea’). SJ’s strictures on the use of ‘idea’ guided JB: see pp. 204 l. 11, 240 ll. 3–4, and the endnotes for 23 l. 20, 176 l. 9. 8 Information on this topic was supplied by Langton: ‘Dr. Johnson could not bear any modern cant phrases. … He declared his entire disapprobation of the phrase that line to signify any class or description of persons such as the military line. …’ (Corr. 2a, p. 279). 9 Direction to the compositor, ‘take it in’, to which was added, ‘See the back’. So much ink had bled through the paper, however, that JB copied the verses on a separate leaf.

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[Satellite Paper Apart]

[1st ed. ii. 172]

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O Solitude romantick maid Whether by nodding towers you tread Or haunt the desart’s trackless gloom Or hover o’er the yawning tomb Or climb the Andes’ clifted side, Or by the Nile’s coy source abide Or starting from your half-year’s sleep From Hecla view the thawing deep Or at the purple dawn of day Tadmor’s marble wastes survey;

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 [AJ* 589 resumed] observing ‘This Sir is very noble.’ 12 [[AJ 109] In the evening Mr. Feildhouse & two others played a good many 13 tunes on the fiddle. Dr. Johnson [AJ 110] desired to have ‘Let ambition fire thy 14

mind’1 played over again. Yet he owned to me that Musick made very little impression on him. On me it has an effect so keen as to distress my nerves, & make me melancholy & ready to weep, and to run any risk such as rushing into the thickest part of a battel. I told Dr. Johnson that it affected me in an extreme degree. He said I should never hear it, if it made me such a fool. There is much of the effect owing to association of ideas. For scotch reels make me melancholy, though they be brisk. But I have heard them at the time of life when I was very low-spirited, & used to think of highlanders going abroad as soldiers & never returning. The airs in the Beggars Opera make me gay; I suppose from an association of them with busy warm spirited London ideas. This evening I felt, while the Musick agitated my frame, a generous attachment to Dr. Johnson as my friend and Preceptour mixed with a tender concern to think that he was an old man. I could have defended him at the point of my sword. I loved & revered him strongly. [AJ 111] I cannot mark my feelings as I could wish to do.>] [AJ* 589 resumed] In the evening our gentleman farmer and two others [played a good many tunes on violins.>] entertained themselves & the company with a great number of tunes on violins. Johnson desired to have ‘Let Ambition fire thy mind’ played over again, and appeared to give a patient attention to it, though he owned to me that he was very insensible to the power of Musick. I told him that it affected me to such a degree as often to agitate my nerves painfully, producing in my mind alternate sensations of pathetick dejection so that I was ready to shed tears; and of daring resolution so that I [could rush>] was inclined to rush into the thickest part of a battel. ‘Sir’ [AJ* 592] said he ‘I should never hear it if it made me such a fool.’ Much2 of the effect of musick I am satisfied is owing to association of ideas. The air which instantly and irresistibly excites in the Swiss when in a foreign land the maladis du pays has I am told no intrinsick power of sound. And I know from my own experience that scotch reels though brisk, make me melancholy because I used to hear them in my early years, at [a÷the>] a time when Mr. Pitt called for soldiers ‘from the 1 Juno’s song from the masque The Judgement of Paris by John Weldon (1676/7– 1736), libretto by William Congreve. It remained popular throughout the century. 2 This word began a new paragraph in print (so in revises).

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mountains of the north’ and numbers of brave highlanders were going abroad never to return [but ‘before these walls to be slain’3 del]. Whereas the airs in the Beggar’s Opera many of which are very soft never fail to render me gay, because they are associated with the warm sensations and high spirits of London. This evening while some of the tunes ≤of ordinary composit4≥ were played with no great skill, my frame vibrated and I was conscious of a generous attachment to Dr. Johnson as my Preceptor and friend [and>] mixed with an affectionate regret that he was an old man whom [one would>] I should probably lose in a short time. I thought I could defend him at the po [AJ* 593]5 sword. My reverence and affection for him were in full glow. I said to him ‘My Dear Sir! we must meet every year, if you dont quarrel with me.’ JOHNSON. ‘Nay Sir, you are more likely to quarrel with me than I with you. My regard for you is greater almost than I have words to express; but I do not chuse to be always repeating it. [1st ed. ii. 173] Write it down in the first leaf of your pocket-book, and never doubt of it again.’ I talked to him of misery being ‘the doom of Man’ in this life, as displayed in his ‘Vanity of Human Wishes’. Yet I observed that things were done upon the supposition of happiness; Grand houses were built, fine gardens were made [brilliant publick amusements were constructed>] splendid places of publick amusement were contrived and crowded with company. Johnson ‘Alas Sir, these are all only struggles for happiness. When I first entered Ranelagh, it gave an expansion and gay sensation to my mind such as I never experienced any where else. But as Xerxes wept when he viewed his immense army and considered that not one of that great multitude would be alive a hundred years afterwards, so it went to my heart to consider that there was not one in all that brilliant circle, that was not afraid to go home and think, but that the thoughts of each individual there would be distressing when alone.’ — This reflection was experimentally just. The languor÷feeling6 which succeeds the animation of 3 ‘Old Chiron’, a popular drinking song by Michael Wise (c. 1647–87), composer and organist at Salisbury, begins with the centaur telling his pupil Achilles what Fate has in store for him: ‘you my boy, must go, the Gods will have it so, to the siege of Troy, thence never to return to Greece again, but before those walls to be slain’. 4 Printed ‘composition’ (so in revises). 5 AJ* 593 was comprised of seven leaves of different sizes, pasted together end to end with wafers and measuring nearly five feet from top to bottom. (It has come apart in three places along JB’s folds.) The material thus drafted as a unit stemmed from the Note Book (pp. 22–23), though JB put the last part first, the conversation that elicited SJ’s expression of regard for him. JB was uncertain of the word ‘quarrel’, and he shortened SJ’s reply: ‘He told me in the afternoon when I said “We must meet every year if you do not quarrel (or some such word) with me.[”] Sir said he I am much obliged to you[.] I never with you. You are more likely to with me. My regard …’. 6 Printed ‘feeling of languor’ (so in revises). A mark beside ‘languor’, possibly half of a caret pointing to ‘feeling’, lends plausibility to this phrase, though the words look like alternatives in the absence of a preposition. A footnote on ‘languor’ appeared in the revises: ‘Pope mentions, / “Stretch’d on the rack of a too easy chair,” / But I recollect a couplet quite apposite to my subject in an Ethick Epistle by an anonymous writer, who, treating of pleasure in excess, says, / “Till languor, suffering on the rack of bliss, / “Confess that man was never made for this.”’ JB corrected ‘in an Ethick Epistle’ to ‘in “Virtue, an Ethick Epistle,” a beautiful and instructive Poem’; also, after ‘writer’, he inserted ‘in 1758’. Advertised in Dec. 1758, Virtue, an Ethic Epistle bears a 1759 imprint.

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gayety is of itself a very severe pain; and when the mind is then vacant, a thousand disappointments and vexations rush in and excruciate. Will not many even of my fairest readers allow this to be true?7 I suggested that being much8 in love and flattered with hopes of success, or having some favourite scheme in view for the next day might prevent that wretchedness of which we had been talking. JOHNSON. ‘Why Sir it may no doubt sometimes be so as you suppose; but my conclusion is in general but too true.’ While Johnson & I stood in calm conference by ourselves in Dr. Taylor’s garden at a pretty late hour in a serene autumn night, looking up to the heavens, I directed the discourse to the subject of a future state [which has ever occupied my thoughts del]. My friend was in a placid and most benignant frame. ‘Sir’ said he ‘I do not imagine that all things will be made clear to us immediately after death, but that the ways of Providence will be explained to us very gradually.’ I ventured to ask him whether although the words of some texts of scripture seemed strong in support of the dreadful doctrine of an eternity of punishment we might not hope that the denunciation was figurative and would not literally be executed. [1st ed. ii. 174] JOHNSON. ‘Sir you are to consider the intention of punishment in a future state. We have no reason to be sure that we shall then be no longer liable to offend against GOD. We do not know that even the angels are quite in a state of security; nay we know that some of them have fallen. It may therefore perhaps be necessary in order to preserve both men and angels in a state of rectitude that they should have continually before them the punishment of those who have deviated from it; but we may hope that by some other means a fall from rectitude may be prevented. Some of the texts of scripture upon this subject are as you observe indeed strong; but they may admit of a mitigated interpretation.’ He talked to me upon this aweful and delicate question in a gentle tone and as if afraid to be decisive. [[AJ 111] I went with him to his room at night, and he dictated to me at my request a Pleading in favour of the Negro who was claiming his liberty in Scotland. I was very desireous that he would dictate his letter to Lord Chesterfield, which he recollects, but which is not in writing. He would not do it tonight; nor would he when asked either once or twice by me during this interview; but he gave me hopes that he would send me it. I said I was afraid I kept him too late up. ‘No’ said he; ‘I don’t care though I sit up all night with you.’ This was spirited in one of 68.>] [AJ* 595]9 [We retired to his apartment>]1 After supper I accompanied him to his apartment and at my request he dictated to me an argument in favour of 7 The next sentence began a new paragraph in print, possibly the result of a short blank space in the MS. JB’s address to his ‘fairest readers’ originated in a sense of mutual anguish: ‘I myself have never been more miserable than after Ranelagh, when unoccupied & alone in my lodgings, and I suppose almost all the beautiful Ladies whom I have admired there have suffered then as I did’ (Note Book, p. 22). 8 Omitted in print, this word may have been overlooked: JB added it (in the same draft) just where the paper was folded when sent to the printer. 9 AJ* 595–602 are uniform in size, with regular catchwords. 1 Before JB made this revision, he had already delivered AJ* 594 to the printer, with the catchwords ‘We retired’—written, deleted, and written again—at the bottom. JB referred to this anomaly when sending his next batch of pages to the printer (see post p. 152 n. 4).

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the Negro who was then claiming his liberty in an action in the Court of Session in Scotland.a [Johnson>] He had allways been very zealous against Slavery in every form, in which I with all deference thought that he discovered ‘a zeal without knowledge’. Upon one occasion at a meeting of grave Dons at Oxford his toast was ‘Here’s to the next insurrection of the Negroes in the West Indies.’ His violent prejudice against ≤our≥ West Indian and American settlers appeared whenever there was an opportunity. In his ‘Taxation no Tyranny’b/2 he says ‘the loudest yelps for liberty have been from the drivers of negroes’, and in [his del]3 conversation with Mr. Wilkesc he asked ‘Where did Beckford and Trecothick learn English?’ That Trecothick [AJ* 596] could both speak and write english is well=known, and4 that Beckford could speak it with a spirit of honest resolution even to his Majesty as his ‘faithful Lord Mayor of London’ is commemorated by the noble monument erected to him in Guildhall.5 a

15

This being laid up somewhere amidst my multiplicity of papers at Auchinleck has escaped my search for this Work. But when I have found it, I shall take care that my readers shall have it.a1 b b1 Page c c1 Vol. 2 of this Work page 2 MS orig. ‘False Ala[rm]’. JB’s note did not appear in the revises; a change to this phrase—‘Towards the conclusion of his “Taxation no Tyranny”’—had obviated its purpose. By this stage the textual quotation had also been corrected: ‘how is it that we hear the loudest yelps for liberty among the drivers of negroes?’ 3 Either through misreading or restoration, the deleted pronoun was printed in the revises. 4 Printed as follows in the revises: ‘good English is well known. I myself was favoured with his correspondence concerning the brave Corsicans. And’. JB wrote to Trecothick on 19 June 1769, but on what topic is not known, for he had not yet begun to summarize the contents of letters sent and received. The dates on which he received correspondence from Trecothick are lost to a three-year gap in Reg. Let. prior to June 1769. Like Beckford (see next note), Barlow Trecothick (?1718–75) had lived for a time in Jamaica, but not until he was a young adult, so it was unlikely to have affected his command of English much. 5 JB held to this claim in his second edition, even though Isaac Reed in Nov. 1792 urged him to correct it: ‘Mr. Boswell’s Eulogium on Beckford’s Speech to the King is unfounded. Not a word of it was spoken. It was written by Mr. Horne Tooke and authenticated (if we may say so) by a trick’ (Corr. 2a, p. 384). Powell argues that Beckford undoubtedly delivered the speech (Hill-Powell iii. 511–12). William Beckford (1709–70) was one of the best scholars ever to attend Westminster School, in the opinion of headmaster Robert Freind, and his later studies pointed the way to a promising medical career. In 1735, however, he went to Jamaica to help manage his family’s immense sugar plantations. Born there, and having lived there till he was fourteen, he was criticized for speaking English with an ‘ugly Jamaican accent’. His fault in addressing the king, some thought, lay in not having submitted the speech to the king beforehand, a breach of custom; others celebrated the speech as ‘an honourable and dignified assertion of the privileges of the City and the rights of the people’ (Oxford DNB). a1 Incongruously, this footnote appeared again in the second edition, even as JB carried out his promise in the front matter (see p. 146 n. 6). Absent from the third edition, the note was omitted in Hill-Powell. b1 Not printed in the revises; see n. 2 above. c1 Printed in the revises ‘See page 88 of this volume.’ (See ante p. 62 l. 6.) The first and third footnotes to this paragraph were added in the same draft.

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≤[Paper Apart]6 ‘It must be agreed that in most ages many countries have had part of their inhabitants in a state of slavery yet it may be doubted whether slavery can ever be supposed the natural condition of Man. It is impossible not to conceive that Men in their original state were equal & very difficult to imagine how one man cd be7 subjected to anoyr but by violent compulsion. An individual may indeed forfeit his liberty by a crime, but he cannot by that crime forfeit the liberty of his children. What is true of a Criminal seems true likewise of a captive. A man may accept life from a conquering enemy on condition of perpetual servitude. But it is very doubtful whether he can entail that servitude on his descendants for no man can stipulate without commission, for another. The condition which he himself accepts his son or Grandson perhaps would have rejected. If we should admit what perhaps may with more reason be denied, that there are certain relations between man & man which may make slavery necessary & just, yet it can never be proved that he who is now suing for his freedom ever stood in any of those relations. He is certainly subjected8 by no law but that of violence to his present Master who pretends no claim to his obedience but that he bought him from a Merchant of slaves whose right to sell him never was examined. It is said that according to the constitutions of Jamaica he was legally enslaved. These constitutions are merely positive & apparrently injurious to the rights of Mankind because whoever is exposed to sale is condemned to slavery without appeal by whatever fraud or violence he might have been originally brought into the Merchants power. In our own time Princes have been sold by wretches to whose care they were entrusted that they might have an european education. But, when once they were brought to a market in the plantations little would avail either their dignity or their wrongs. The laws of Jamaica afford a Negro no redress. His colour is considered as a sufficient testimony against him. It is to be lamented that moral right shd ever give way to political convenience. But if temptations of interest are sometimes too strong for human virtue let us at least retain a virtue when9 there is no temptation to quit it. In the present case there is apparrent right on one side & 6 ‘Dictated to me by Dr. Samuel Johnson at Ashbourne in Derbyshire ≤Septr. 1777 [MS orig. ‘1778’]’≥. This item consists of two leaves written on three sides (Life Materials M 146: 5). After taking down SJ’s dictation, JB altered some phrases and abbreviations. (He converted ‘ye’ to normal spelling, for example, but not ‘anoyr’; his changes and false starts are recorded in the endnotes.) The second edition of the Life had been printed before he found the pages, as his docket on the verso of the second leaf reveals: ‘Argument on the Negro Cause in Scotland referred p. 591 Vol. II. and of the Cause an account is given [on>] page 600 of the same volume.’ Subsequently, working around the docket, JB drafted his ‘Protest’, and put the whole passage into the front matter to vol. 1 (pp. *ix [sic for *xiv]–*xviii) among other ‘Additions to Dr. Johnson’s Life recollected, and received after the second edition was printed’, with this explanation: ‘Having found Dr. Johnson’s argument on the cause of Joseph Knight, the Negro, who claimed and obtained his freedom in Scotland, referred to Vol. II. p. 591, and of which Cause an account is given in the same Volume, p. 600, I shall now communicate it.’ In the third edition, when the passage was moved to its intended place in the narrative (here), it was prefaced by this clause: ‘The argument dictated by Dr. Johnson, was as follows:’. 7 Printed ‘one would be’. 8 Printed ‘subject’. 9 Printed ‘where’, probably a misreading.

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no convenience on the other. Inhabitants of this Island can neither gain riches nor power by taking away the liberty of any part of the human species. The sum of the Argument is thus1 No man is by nature the property of another. The [Plaintiff>] Defendant is therefore by nature free. The rights of nature must be some way forfeited before they can be justly taken away. That The Defendant has by any act forfeited the rights of nature we require to be proved; & if no proof of such forfeiture can be given we doubt not but the justice of the Court will declare him free.’ I [give>] record Dr. Johnson’s Argument fairly upon this particular case, where perhaps he was in the right. But I beg leave to enter my most solemn Protest against his general doctrine with respect to the Slave Trade. For I will resolutely say that his unfavourable notion of it was owing to prejudice and imperfect or false information. The wild and dangerous attempt which has for some time been persisted in to obtain an Act of our Legislature to abolish that very important and necessary branch2 of Commercial interest must have been crushed at once had not the insignificance of the person who3≥ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [AJ* 596 resumed] When I said now to Johnson, that I was afraid I kept him too late up. ‘No Sir’ said he, ‘I don’t care though I sit up all night with you.’ This was an animated speech from a man in his sixty ninth year. [[AJ 111] I got I know not how upon the American controversy. But I would gladly have been off it again as soon as possible. For he was quite violent, & I dreaded offending him, by even the gentlest doubts in favour of our fellow subjects on the other side of the Atlantick. I suggested that by allowing them a Parliament like Ireland, we might govern them as we govern the Irish, by having that Parliament [AJ 112] entirely under our influence by money, by posts and pensions, so that the Decipimur specie recti would take place. They would be pleased with the imagination of partaking of the British Constitution by having their Representatives; call them a Parliament, or call them an Assembly, as a protection to their property against the power of the Crown. I spoke of the corruption of the British Parliament. The Dr. said that there hardly ever was any question of great importance before Parliament, any question in which a man might not very well vote either upon the one side or the other. There had been no question of great importance, in his time, except that concerning America. I spoke with high admiration of the Roman Senate which I figured to be composed of men sincerely desireous to resolve what they should 1

Printed ‘this’, a misreading. Printed ‘so very important and necessary a branch’. 3 Printed ‘the zealots who’. Having reached the bottom of the page, JB directed the compositor to ‘Go to Paper S:T’. This Paper Apart has not been traced. As Pottle observed, JB’s ‘Protest’ against SJ’s argument was ‘a re-phrasing of the notes and text of No Abolition of Slavery’, a poem he published in Apr. 1791, the month in which the Abolition Bill, brought by William Wilberforce, was debated in the House of Commons (Lit. Car., pp. 146–47). The bill was defeated by 163 votes to 88, anxieties about the issue having been heightened by the revolutionary turmoil in France and the recent slave uprising in San Domingo, or Haiti (Oxford DNB). In conceding that SJ was right to argue for Joseph Knight’s freedom, JB reflected the fact that he himself, despite his acceptance of plantation slavery, had sided with Knight, and served as one of his legal counsel (see Boswell in Extremes, p. 183 n. 7; Later Years, pp. 165–66). 2

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think best for their country. A Senate of Sir George Savilles. He burst out upon this, & said ‘Sir George Saville is a little dirty scoundrel like the rest of his party’ (the Whigs no doubt). I endeavoured for a little to support Sir George as a character [AJ 113] of singular integrity & publick spirit.4 We sat till three in the morning, when the Dr. began to be weary & proposed we should go to bed, to which I readily agreed, as I found myself jaded.>] [AJ* 596 resumed] Had I been as attentive not to displease him as I ought to have been, I know not but this vigil might have been fulfilled; but I very improperly entered [1st ed. ii. 175] upon the controversy concerning the right of Great Britain to tax America, and attempted to argue in favour of our fellow=subjects on the other side of the Atlantick. I insisted that5 America might be very well governed and made to yield [AJ* 597] a sufficient revenue by the means of influence as exemplified in Ireland while the people might be pleased with the imagination of their participating of the British Constitution, by having a body of Representatives without whose consent money could not be exacted from them.’ Johnson could not bear my thus opposing his avowed opinion which he had exerted himself with an extreme degree of heat to enforce, and the violent agitation into which he was thrown while answering or rather reprimanding me alarmed me so that I heartily repented of my having unthinkingly introduced the subject. I myself however grew warm, and the change was great from the calm state of philosophical discussion in which we had a little before been pleasingly employed. I talked of the corruption of the British Parliament in which I alledged [AJ* 598] that any question however unreasonable or unjust might be carried by a venal majority, and I spoke with high admiration of the Roman Senate as if composed of men sincerely desireous to resolve what they should think best for their country. My friend would allow no such character to the Roman Senate; and he maintained that the British Parliament was not corrupt and that there was no occasion to corrupt its members, asserting that there was hardly ever any question of great importance before parliament, any question in which a man might not very well vote either upon one side or the other. He said there had been none in his time except that respecting America. We were fatigued by the contest which was produced by my want of caution; and he was not then in the humour to slide into easy and cheerful talk. It therefore so happened that we were after an hour or two very willing [AJ* 599] to separate and go to bed. [[AJ 113] Wednesday 24 September. I sat some time this morning on Dr. Johnson’s bedside & heard him talk well of the advantages of planting a part of 4 Among other stances taken by Sir George Savile (1726–84), he favoured seating Wilkes after the Middlesex election of 1768, easing the requirement that all clergy subscribe to the Thirty-nine Articles, and abolishing press gangs. He thought the American colonists were justified in resisting British policy, and authored the Roman Catholic Relief Act of 1778 (DNB, Oxford DNB). In 1780 his house was ‘gutted’ in the Gordon Riots, as noted by SJ in a letter to Hester Thrale (quoted by JB: see HillPowell iii. 428), Savile’s only mention in the published Life. 5 MS orig. (1) ‘declared my sent[iments]’; (2) ‘wondered at the’. In its final form, JB’s phrase was suited to lead into a quotation. His quotation marks at the end of the sentence, however, were not complemented by initial marks at ‘America’. As a result, the compositor failed to punctuate it as a quotation.

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Dalblair. He is able in calculation. But he suggested the prudence of doing it well. ‘For’ said he ‘as it is said “In bello non licet bis errare.” So also in planting.’6>] [AJ* 599 resumed] On Wednesday September 24 I went into Dr. Johnson’s room before he got up, and finding that the storm of the preceeding night was quite laid, I sat down upon his bed=side, and he talked with as much readiness and good humour as ever. He recommended to me to plant a considerable part of a large moorish farm which I had purchased and he made several calculations of the expence and profit for he delighted in exercising his mind on the science of numbers. He [justly del] pressed upon me the importance of planting at the first in a very sufficient manner, quoting the saying In bello non licet bis errare and adding ‘this is equally true in planting’. [[AJ 113] I bid adieu to Dr. Johnson, without any extraordinary emotion. I was not quite well from having sat up late. Dr. Taylor and I parted with plain english kindness. I assimilated my manner to his. He invited me to meet Dr. Johnson at his house another season, when I could stay longer. Taylor is a particular character. Though allways busy, he has a deal of negligence. His letters lye in open disorder; & Dr. Johnson said if you were to lay a pebble on his chimney piece, you would find it there next year. I took post=chaise from the Green Man Inn. The Landlady put into my hand in the form of a neat billet a curious complimentative7 solicitation which I shall paste on the board at the end of this volume.>] [AJ* 599 resumed; 1st ed. ii. 176] I spoke with gratitude of Dr. Taylors hospitality, and as evidence that it was not on account of his good table alone that Johnson visited him often, I mentioned a little anecdote [AJ* 600] which had escaped my friend’s recollection, and at hearing which ≤repeated≥ he smiled. One evening when I was sitting with him, Frank delivered this message, ‘Sir Dr. Taylor has his compliments to you and begs you will dine with him tomorrow. He has got a hair.’8 ‘My compliments’, said Johnson, ‘and I’ll dine with him hare or rabbit.’9 After breakfast I departed and pursued my journey northwards.1 6 Having written much of the Ashbourne Journal in Edinburgh from notes (see ante p. 87 n. 5), JB left for Auchinleck on 17 Oct., where he finished the task, drafting pp. 109–19 between 21 and 26 Oct. The entry for 24 Sept. had already been completed when, in a tiny hand, he added these new opening sentences. See Boswell in Extremes, pp. 182–86, 189. 7 JB revised this word to ‘complimentary’, an isolated change to a page he did not send to the printer. SJ’s hypothetical remark about the pebble wound up near the beginning of the Ashbourne narrative (ante p. 90 ll. 20–22). 8 Printed ‘hare’ (so in revises), in correction of JB’s inadvertent homophone. 9 For JB’s memorandum to ‘Insert hare or rabbit’, see ante p. 121 n. 2. To accentuate the final phrase of this sentence further, the comma printed after ‘him’ was changed to a dash in the third edition. Hare, in addition to being less common than rabbit, was suited to a ‘good table’ because of its larger size, which allowed for a more succulent form of roasting; to roast a rabbit ‘hare-fashion’, one larded it with bacon to enhance its flavour, or trick the palate (as when larding a fowl to roast it ‘pheasant-fashion’). See Hannah Glasse, The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy, 1774, pp. 7–8, 12–13; other preparations passim. 1 In the revises, the paragraph continues: ‘I took my post-chaise from the Green Man, a very good inn at Ashbourne, the mistress of which, a mighty civil gentlewoman, curtseying [courtseying second edition and after] very low, presented me with an engraving of the sign of her house; to which she had subjoined, in her own hand-writing, an address in such singular simplicity of style, that I have preserved it

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≤[Green Man ‘Billet’] M: Killingleys Duty waits upon Mr: Boswell. is exceedingly Oblig’d to him for this favour, when ever he comes this wey hopes for a Continuance of the same. Wou’d Mr: Boswell name the House to his extensive acquaintance it wou’d be a singelor favour, Confer’d upon one who has it not in her power to Make any other return, but her most greatful thanks, & sinecarest Prayers, for his Happyness in Time, & in a Blessed Eternity.2 Tuesday Morn.≥ [AJ* 600 resumed] From this meeting at Ashbourne I derived a considerable accession to my Johnsonian store. I communicated my original Journal to Sir William Forbes in whom I have always placed deserved confidence; and what he wrote to me concerning it is so [much÷particular>] much to my credit as the Biographer of Johnson, that my readers will I hope grant me their indulgence for here inserting it. ‘It is not once nor3 twice going over it (says Sir William) that will satisfy me; for I find in it a high degree of instruction as well [AJ* 601] as entertainment; and I derive more benefit from Dr. Johnson’s admirable discussions than I should be able to draw from his personal conversation; for, I suppose there is not a man in the world to whom he discloses his sentiments so freely as to yourself.’4 [[AJ 115]5 At the Inn I found a very jolly Landlord Mr. Malton I think. I chose to dine in the room where he sat, & made him drink glass for glass with pasted upon one of the boards of my original Journal at this time, and shall here insert it for the amusement of my readers.’ One of the more singular and amusing aspects of this note was its idiosyncratic spellings, yet these were normalized in print (so in revises; see endnotes). The sign engraved at the top depicts the Green Man in a roundel flanked by flourishes, above which a banner reads ‘KILLINGLEY’, and another below reads ‘GREEN MAN / ASHBURN.’ For a photographic reproduction, see Boswell in Extremes, after p. 194, or BP vi. 226. As no instructions were given on AJ* 600 for taking it in, it is not known whether JB sent the original to the compositor (pasted inside the back board of the journal), or recopied it (perhaps correcting the spellings himself). 2 As the entire message was printed in italics, Mrs. Killingley’s closing emphases on the here and hereafter were lost. In the third edition, JB’s name was distinguished in roman type (twice), a change perhaps corroborating Powell’s sense that the note was a solace to JB’s wounded pride (Hill-Powell iii. 513). On AJ 113, after mentioning the ‘neat billet’ (ante p. 149 ll. 19–21), JB had reflected, ‘It pleased me a little. I have had little food for my vanity as a celebrated man upon this Jaunt.’ His Account of Corsica had gone unmentioned, and when the Duke and Duchess of Argyll stopped in Ashbourne to change horses (as recounted on AJ 109; omitted in the revision process), the Duchess, while courteous to SJ, took ‘hardly any notice’ of JB. See Boswell in Extremes, pp. 182, 184. 3 MS orig. ‘or’, and so printed in the revises, JB’s faint ‘n’ having been overlooked. 4 JB sent his journal to Forbes on 20 Dec. 1779 (see L 541), and Forbes wrote back on 21 Dec. (C 1269), having ‘already perused more than half of it’. The self-disclosure that JB elicited from SJ had impressed Forbes before, when, upon reading the Hebridean journal, he doubted whether ‘an ordinary observer would become so well acquainted’ with SJ ‘by a personal intercourse, as by a perusal of your Journal’. JB quoted this earlier letter (7 Mar. 1777; C 1268) in its entirety in the Tour (v. 413–14). 5 JB made two changes to AJ 115 before continuing his draft of AJ*. About his detour to Chatsworth, recounted on AJ 114, he wrote, ‘I paid [AJ 115] my respects to Lord John, who was awkwardly civil; but did not offer to introduce me to the Duke, at which I own I was somewhat dissappointed, as I could have wished to have seen the splendour of his living’ (see Boswell in Extremes, pp. 184–85). Above this passage, which he deleted, he admonished himself, ‘Mention simply viewing Chatsworth, & do not degrade yourself by mentioning Lord John. People take advantage of such things.’

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me. When my pint of port was done, he insisted to have his, and I agreed, which pleased him; & we were very social. He mentioned Dr. Johnson having been in his house. I affected not to know him that I might hear the Host’s notion of him. ‘Why Sir’ said he ‘Johnson the great Writer. ≤Oddity as they call him.≥6 He’s the greatest Writer in England. He writes for the Ministry. He has a correspondence abroad, & lets them know what’s going on.’ So Dr. Johnson has been great in the eyes both of the Landlord at Ellon [AJ 116] in Aberdeenshire and what is called Edensor Inn in Derbyshire.>] [AJ* 601 resumed] I cannot omit a curious circumstance which occurred at Edensor Inn [just÷close>] close by Chatsworth to survey the magnificence of which I had gone a considerable way out of my road to Scotland. The Inn was then kept by a very jolly [1st ed. ii. 177] landlord, whose name I think was Malton. He happened to mention that the celebrated Dr. Johnson had been in his house. I inquired who this Dr. Johnson was, that I might hear mine host’s notion of him. ‘Sir’ said he ‘Johnson the great Writer; Oddity, as they call him. He’s the greatest Writer in England. He writes for the Ministry. He has a correspondence abroad, and lets them know what’s going on.’ My friend who had a thorough [AJ* 602] dependance upon the authenticity of my relation without any embellishment as falshood or fiction is too gently called, laughed a good deal at this representation of himself.7 MR. BOSWELL to DR. JOHNSON

Edinburgh / 29 September 1777 [My Dear Sir. del]8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [AJ* 602 resumed] (I then expressed to him much uneasiness that I had 25 mentioned to him the [gentleman’s name>] name of the gentleman who had told me the story9 so much to his disadvantage ≤the truth of which he had completely refuted≥; for that my [heedless doing so>] having done so might be When the fourth duke of Devonshire died in 1764, his younger brother Lord John Cavendish (1732–96) became guardian of the family interests, and remained the most prominent Cavendish on the national stage after 1769, when the fifth duke came of age (Oxford DNB; see ante p. 131 n. 6). 6 This added sentence is the other revision made on AJ 115 (see preceding note). 7 In what follows, JB guided himself and the compositor by memoranda on MS 619 below the direction ‘Then go to Journal at Ashbourne’ (see ante p. 87 n. 4): ‘Excerpt mine of 29 Septr. His of 25 Novr. Mine of 29 Novr. His of 27 Decr.’ 8 The salutation was printed, with the first two paragraphs of the letter, pursuant to JB’s direction to the compositor, ‘Take in what is unscored of [it>] the leaf sent’. This Paper Apart no longer forms part of the Life MS. In the letter, JB reflects on his ‘interview’ with SJ at Ashbourne, which had ‘answered expectation better than almost any scheme of happiness that I ever put in execution. My Journal is stored with wisdom and wit; and my memory is filled with the recollection of lively and affectionate feelings’. The significance of JB’s stay at Ashbourne and his revisions to the journal for the Life are discussed in John B. Radner, ‘Pilgrimage and Autonomy: The Visit to Ashbourne’, in Boswell: Citizen of the World, Man of Letters, ed. Irma S. Lustig, 1995, pp. 203–27. 9 If JB meant to provide a cross reference, as one of his usual footnote symbols (=) next to this word suggests, the intention slipped his mind. For Beauclerk’s story, see ante p. 139 ll. 19–30 and n. 9.

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interpreted [by the gentleman added and del] as a breach of [that del] confidence and [it might del] offend one whose society I valued: — therefore earnestly requesting that no notice might be taken of it to any body, till I should be in London, & have an opportunity to talk it over with the gentleman.)1 To James Boswell Esq.2 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 [Paper Apart]3 7 * * * * * ‘I am engaged in a criminal prosecution against a country schoolmaster for 8 indecent behaviour to his female scholars. There is no statute against such 9 abominable conduct; but it is punishable at common law. I will be obliged to you for your assistance in this extraordinary trial.’ / I ever am My Dear Sir / 10 Your faithful humble servant 11 James Boswell.4 12 [Paper Apart]5 About this time I wrote to Johnson giving him an Account of the decision of the Negro Cause by the Court of Session which by those who hold ≤even the mildest and best regulated≥ slavery in abomination (of which ≤number≥ I do not hesitate to declare that I am none) should be [held in high estimation and honour>] remembered with high respect and to the credit of Scotland; for it went upon a much broader ground than the case of Somerset which was decided in England,6 being truly the general question whether a perpetual obligation of service to one master in any mode should be sanctioned by the law of [this>] a free country. [Joseph Knight an African>] A negro then 1 After the closing parenthesis, JB began a valediction—‘I ever am / My D[ear]’— but deleted it. He put parentheses around his summary to differentiate it from the two quoted paragraphs above it, and directed the compositor to ‘not indent but ( )’. Indented nonetheless, it was printed within square brackets. 2 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in Dr. Johnson’s Letter Nov. 25’. This letter no longer forms part of the Life MS. On the verso of this final leaf of AJ*, to keep these pages distinct from others to be organized, JB wrote ‘Ashbourne / 1777.’ 3 The first part of JB’s reply to SJ on 29 Nov. no longer forms part of the Life MS. The asterisks here indicate a textual omission (probably JB’s ‘Wishing to hear oftener from him’) before the final paragraph, which, as his summary clarifies, focused on ‘Begging his aid upon the question whether a Schoolmaster’s—not ravishing—but using lesser degrees of lewdness to his female scholars amounts to legal criminality’ (Reg. Let.). As reported in The Caledonian Mercury (3 Dec. 1777), the schoolmaster at Stewarton, John Bell, was accused of ‘seducing and debauching the minds of young girls to lewd, indecent, and vicious practices and behaviour’. JB was approached both to defend and to prosecute Bell (Boswell in Extremes, pp. 196–97 and n. 5). 4 On the verso of this Paper Apart, delivered to the printer with AJ* 595–602 and other related Papers Apart, JB clarified where this bundle of copy belonged: ‘This comes in immediately after the copy last sent, of which the Catch words are “When we retired.” But I have altered the phrase to “Afterwards I accompanied him.”’ See ante p. 144 l. 36 and n. 1. 5 Direction to the compositor, ‘This Parcel of Letters and the following Introduction must come in exactly [undeciphered word] To Dr. Samuel Johnson [undeciphered word]’— that is, after JB’s letter of 29 Nov. 1777. 6 An unfinished footnote keyed to ‘England’ was printed in the revises: ‘177 . See Reports and Mr. Hargrave’s argument’. In an unidentified hand, the note (minus the incomplete year, now deleted), was corrected to read: ‘See State Trials. Vol. 11. [XI. first edition] p. 339 and Mr. Hargrave’s argument’.

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called Joseph Knight a native of Africa who had been brought to Jamaica in the usual course of the Slave trade and purchased by a scotch gentleman in that [Island>] island had attended his master to Scotland, where it was [1st ed. ii. 180] officiously suggested to him that he would be found entitled to his liberty without any limitation. He accordingly brought his action in the course of which the Advocates on both sides did themselves great honour. Mr. MacLaurin has had the praise of Johnsona for his Argument in favour of the Negro and Mr. MacConochie distinguished himself on the same side by an extraordinary research and ingenuity. Mr. Cullen on the part of the Master discovered good information and sound reasoning in which he was well supported by Mr. James Fergusson a man remarkable for a manly understanding and a knowledge both of books and of the world. But I cannot too highly praise the speech which Mr. Henry Dundas generously contributed to the cause of the sooty stranger. Mr. Dundas’s scottish accent which has been so often in vain obtruded as an objection to his powerful abilities in Parliament was no disadvantage to him in his own country. And I do declare that upon this memorable question he impressed me and I believe all his audience with [the feelings produced by one of the most>] such feelings as were produced by the most7 eminent Orations of antiquity. This testimony I liberally give to the excellence of an old friend with whom it has been my lot to differ very widely upon many political topicks; but I persuade myself without malice. A great majority of the Lords of Session decided for the Negro. But four of their number the Lord President Lord Ellioch Lord Monboddo and Lord Covington resolutely maintained the lawfulness of a Status which has been acknowledged in all ages and countries and that when freedom flourished as in old Greece and Rome.8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a

See page of this volume. The motto to it was happily chosen ‘Nimium ne crede colori.’a1 7 Printed ‘some of the most’ (so in revises), in correction of an imperfect revision. In changing this phrase, JB deleted ‘one’, but wrote nothing above it, which suggests that he meant also to delete ‘of’. Instead, the word ‘some’ was furnished in the printing. 8 In JB’s original draft, the heading for his letter of 8 Jan. 1778 came next, initiating the ‘Parcel of Letters’ anticipated at the top of this Paper Apart (see n. 5 above). Later, recalling one more letter from 1777 to be inserted (see ante p. 151 n. 7), he directed the compositor to ‘Take in his of 27 Decr.’ To this he added ‘Then “In 1778” what is on 620’. SJ’s letter of 27 Dec. no longer forms part of the Life MS. a1 Marked ‘Out’ by Selfe, this note evidently was omitted in first proof. In the revises, keyed to ‘argument’, its text was expanded: ‘The motto to it was happily chosen: / “— Nimium ne crede colori.” / I cannot avoid mentioning a circumstance no less strange than true, that a brother Advocate in considerable practice, but of whom it certainly cannot be said, Ingenuas didecit fideliter artes, asked Mr. Maclaurin, with a face of flippant assurance, “Are these words your own?”’ Selfe corrected didecit to didicit. As Maclaurin informed JB in July 1791 (Corr. 2a, pp. 332–33), the motto to his printed argument was actually the preceding line from Virgil’s Eclogues, ‘Quamvis ille niger, quamvis tu candidus esse’ (ii. 16), a verse he thought ‘more delicate but equally forcible’. JB substituted this verse in the second edition. Sir Walter Scott’s candidate for the ‘brother Advocate’, Alexander Wight, is doubted by Powell (Hill-Powell iii. 212–13 n. 2, vi. 450–51).

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[MS 620]9 [In 1778 he gave the World a luminous proof that the vigour of his mind in all its faculties whether memory judgement or imagination was÷his abilities in every way were not in the least abated; for this year came out the four first volumes in Duodecimo of his Prefaces Biographical and Critical to the most eminent English Poets which were completed the year after in four volumes more to serve as conductors to an edition of those Poets in Volumes making together with two volumes of Index, in all volumes.>] [In 1778 Johnson gave the World a luminous proof that the vigour of his mind in all its faculties whether memory judgement or imagination was not in the least abated; for this year came out the first four volumes of his Prefaces Biographical and Critical to the Collection of the most eminent English Poets published by the Booksellers of London. The remaining volumes came out two years afterwards /in the year 1780/.>] In 1778 Johnson gave the World a luminous proof that the vigour of his mind in all its faculties whether memory judgement or imagination was not in the least abated; for this year came out the first four volumes of his Prefaces Biographical and Critical to the Collection of the most eminent English Poets1 published by the Booksellers of London. The remaining volumes came out /in the year 1780/.2 [The Poets were chosen÷selected by the several Booksellers who had the honorary copy right which the trade of London still preserve by mutual compact.>] The Poets were selected by the several Booksellers who had the honorary copy right which is still preserved among them by mutual compact notwithstanding the decision of the House of Lords against the perpetuity of Literary property.3 We have his own authority in the Advertisement prefixed to the Work, that by his recommendation the Poems of [Watts Blackmore and Yalden were added. The Prefaces which were in truth Lives executed in a 9 SJ’s Prefaces, Biographical and Critical, to the Works of the English Poets, published in instalments (vols. i–iv in 1779, vols. v–x in 1781), were reprinted in 1781 in four volumes under a new title, The Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets. JB struggled with every detail in the following paragraph, having neither work to hand when drafting and first revising it. In a second revision, having by then examined a copy of the Lives, he was able to state more accurately which poets SJ had recommended for the collection, though still was unable to rectify errors concerning the Prefaces. JB had sorted out the facts by the time he arrived at the year 1781 in his narrative, but the present sheet had been printed by then. Correction had to await the second edition of the Life: with ‘1778’ changed to ‘1779’, the paragraph was moved to its proper place (see Hill-Powell iii. 370–71). No new introductory paragraph was provided for the year 1778. 1 Mistakenly printed ‘Prefaces, biographical and critical, to the most eminent of the English Poets,*’ (so in revises, the asterisk signifying a work acknowledged by SJ). While the compositor evidently did not spot the word ‘Collection’ in JB’s jumbled revision, his misreading of the other elements is understandable. 2 Though unresolved, this optional phrase had become integral to the sentence in the course of revision, and it was printed. In the second edition, when JB corrected the year at the start of the paragraph to ‘1779’ (see n. 9 above), he neglected to change ‘1780’ to ‘1781’. Knowing that the Lives had been published in 1781 did not help JB in his second revision of this paragraph. Several sentences on, trying to establish when the Lives had been published relative to SJ’s completion of the Prefaces, JB first wrote ‘afterwards’, altered this to ‘next year’, and finally just deleted the time frame. 3 On JB’s roles as legal counsel and pamphleteer in the copyright dispute that culminated in Donaldson v. Becket, decided in the House of Lords on 22 Feb. 1774, see Ominous Years, p. 129 n. 3, and Later Years, pp. 87–88.

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masterly manner, were afterwards published in four volumes Octavo with that title.>] [Blackmore Watts Pomfret and Yalden were added. The Prefaces which were in truth Lives executed in a masterly manner were next year published in four volumes Octavo with that title. >] Blackmore Watts Pomfret and Yalden were added.4 ≤Of this Work I shall speak more particularly hereafter.≥ [Paper Apart resumed]5

To Dr. SAMUEL JOHNSON.

Edinburgh / 8 January 1778. Dear Sir. Your congratulations upon a new year are mixed with complaint. Mine must be so too. My Wife has for some time been very ill, having been confined to the house these three months by a severe cold attended with alarming symptoms. [Here I gave a particular account of the distress which the person upon every account most dear to me, suffered, and of the dismal state of [1st ed. ii. 182] apprehension in which I now was adding that6 I never stood more in need of his consoling philosophy.] Did you ever look at a Book written by Wilson a Scotsman under the latin name of Volusenus according to the custom of literary men at a certain period. It is entitled De Animi Tranquillitate. I earnestly desire tranquillity. Bona res quies; but I fear I shall never attain it, for when unoccupied I grow gloomy and occupation agitates me to feverishness. * * * * I ever am / My Dear Sir / your most affectionate / humble servant James Boswell.

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. . . . . .

.

4 The revises show that JB’s revision to the list of poets was overlooked (and that ‘Work’ was later altered to ‘collection’): ‘We have his own authority in the advertisement prefixed to the collection, that by his recommendation Watts, Blackmore, and Yalden, were added.’ In correcting the revises, JB transposed ‘Watts, Blackmore’, and then inserted ‘Pomfret and’. Also, having looked again at the Lives to find he was mistaken, he keyed the word ‘authority’ for a footnote—‘Life of Watts.’— and deleted ‘in the advertisement prefixed to the collection’. Someone else then reinserted the phrase ‘to the collection’ (to follow ‘added’) in a very small hand. For clarity, JB now recopied the last half of the sentence in the margin: ‘the Poems of Blackmore, Watts, Pomfret and Yalden were added to the collection’. 5 Direction to the compositor (added in revision), ‘Then X’—that is, return to the Paper Apart here for the ‘Parcel of Letters’ (see ante p. 152 n. 5) first plotted at the bottom of MS 620: ‘Excerpt & take in my letter of 8 Janry his of 24 Janry. Mine of 26 & 28 feb (and his note afterwards as to Parnel)’. JB cut off the portion of MS 620 bearing these memoranda, presumably to aid himself in preparing this Paper Apart. 6 MS orig. ‘was.]’, with the second of the square brackets distinguishing paraphrase from quotation within the letter. In extending his summary, JB wrote ‘adding’ over the period and bracket. Printed ‘was. Adding, that’ (so in revises); changed in the third edition to ‘was: adding that’. 7 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in his of Jan. 24’. This Paper Apart no longer forms part of the Life MS. In the second edition (and Hill-Powell iii. 216–19), what followed this letter was another written by SJ (to Saunders Welch on 3 Feb.), situated

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1778

[1st ed. ii. 183] To Dr. SAMUEL JOHNSON8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [Satellite Paper Apart *Addition]9 I am sorry poor Mrs. Williams is so ill. Though her temper is unpleasant, she has always been polite and obliging to me. I wish many happy years to [1st ed. ii. 184] good Mr. Levett, who I suppose holds his usual place at your breakfast table.a I ever am / My Dear Sir / your affectionate / humble servant James Boswell.

5 6 7 8 9

[Paper Apart resumed] To Dr. SAMUEL JOHNSON1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . To Dr. SAMUEL JOHNSON2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [[MS 620] [On tuesday 17 March I arrived in London, and upon hastening 10 to his house was informed by good Mr. Francis that he>] [On tuesday March 17 11 I arrived in London, and upon hastening to his house was informed by good 12 13 a

Dr. Percy the Bishop of Dromore humourously observed that Levett used 14 to breakfast on the crust of a roll which Johnson after tearing out the crumb for himself threw to his humble friend.a1 15 between JB’s framing paragraphs. In the first edition, this material was printed at ii. 269–71, the letter having come to light too late for placement here (see Papers Apart for MS 767, post pp. 264–66). 8 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in mine of 26 febry’. This Paper Apart no longer forms part of the Life MS. 9 Headed ‘*Addition to Letter 26 febry’. A row of asterisks above this paragraph in the revises indicates an omission, the nature of which is unknown, for this letter is not documented in Reg. Let. 1 Printed in the revises ‘To the same.’ Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in mine of 28 febry.’ This Paper Apart no longer forms part of the Life MS. As noted in Reg. Let., the lady who disputed JB’s interpretation of a quatrain in Parnell’s ‘The Hermit’ was his wife. SJ did not render an opinion until finally pressed for it in person on 3 May 1779 (see MS 786, post p. 289 and n. 8). JB added a note to this letter in the second edition—not third (Hill-Powell iii. 393 n. 1)—quoting EM’s opposing arguments, followed by a brief rejoinder. After EM returned the proof sheet of this page, with corrections, to Auchinleck in Mar. 1793, JB wrote, ‘I submit great Commentator! to your revision of my retort, which please to correct if it require correction though I think it is very well.’ He added that, if printing could be delayed ‘till I get to Town which must be at farthest on the 4th of April we may discuss the matter or rather the manner over good Oporto’ (Corr. 2a, p. 400). In the third edition, leaving a cross reference here, EM moved the footnote to the passage at 3 May 1779, and rebutted JB’s rejoinder at length. Hill-Powell reprinted the note (iii. 393 n. 1) without EM’s rebuttal. 2 Printed in the revises ‘To the same.’ Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in mine of 12 March.’ This letter, unforeseen in the memoranda at the bottom of MS 620, no longer forms part of the Life MS. In the second edition, a rule was printed beneath this letter at the end of the second volume to set apart material received too late for insertion in proper chronological order. With an apology to this effect, JB subjoined thirteen letters from SJ to Langton (ii. 613–33), and one from SJ to the Earl of Bute (ii. 634). See ante p. 69 n. 2, and Life MS i. 209 n. 6. a1 To this note, in the third edition, EM added a brief paragraph in brackets: ‘Perhaps the word threw is here too strong. Dr. Johnson never treated Levett with contempt; it is clear indeed from various circumstances that he had great kindness for him.’

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H-P iii. 222

Mr. Francis that he>] [Paper Apart resumed] On my arrival in London March 17 I hastened to Johnson’s and was told by good Mr. Francis that he3 [MS 621] was [at Mr. Thrale’s>] better & was gone to Mr. Thrale’s at Streatham to which ≤place≥ I wrote to him begging to know when he would be in town. He was not expected for some time; but next day having called on the Reverend Dr. Taylor at Westminster I found him there and was told he had come to town for a few hours. He met me with his [1st ed. ii. 186] usual kindness, but instantly returned to [writing something÷the writing of something>] the writing of something on which he was employed when I came in, and on which he seemed much intent. [I got no more conversation from him but a serious>] Finding him thus engaged I made my visit very short, and had no more of his conversation except his expressing a serious regret that a friend of ours4 was living at too much expence, [considering how poor an appearance he made.÷though he made a poor appearance.>] considering how poor an appearance he made. ‘If’ said he ‘A man has splendour from÷by5 his expence, if he spends his money in pride or in pleasure, he has value. But if he lets others spend it for him, which is most commonly the case, he has no advantage from÷by6 it.’ On friday [20 March>] March 20 I [again unexpectedly del] found him at his own house sitting with Mrs. Williams, and was informed that the room formerly allotted to me was now appropriated to a charitable purpose, Mrs. Desmoulins7 and I think her daughter and a Miss Carmichael being all lodged in it. Such was his humanity & such his generosity that [as she herself told me either [MS 622] this year8 or at an after period he also allowed her half a guinea a week, above>] [MS 622] Mrs. Desmoulins herself told me he allowed her half a guinea a week. Let it be remembered that this was above a twelfth part of his pension. ≤[MS opp. 622] His liberality indeed was at all periods of his life very remarkable. Mr. Howard of Lichfield at whose father’s house Johnson had in his early years been kindl received told me that when he was a boy at the Charterhouse, his father wrote to him to go and pay a visit to Mr. Samuel 3 Four catchwords followed—‘was at Mr. Thrale’s’—leading onto MS 621 (as yet unrevised). JB prefaced this snippet of text (based on the scissored-off portion of MS 620; see ante p. 155 n. 5) with a direction to the compositor: ‘After the last letter to unite with the Copy you have, print as follows’. Given its position, penned sideways within a narrow compass on the verso of an oddly pasted-together Paper Apart, it possibly did not catch the compositor’s eye, for the passage as printed was more like JB’s original draft in syntax and phrasing: ‘On Wednesday, March 18, I arrived in London, and was informed by good Mr. Francis that Dr. Johnson was better, and was gone to Mr. Thrale’s …’ (so in revises). JB altered ‘Dr. Johnson’ to ‘his Master’ in the revises. The date of JB’s arrival in London, the journal reveals, was correct as originally drafted, and he crossed paths with SJ the ‘next day’, on Wednesday, 18 Mar. 4 Langton (Journ. 18 Mar. 1778). 5 Printed ‘from’ (so in revises). 6 Printed ‘from’ (so in revises). 7 On the revises, keyed to ‘Mrs. Desmoulins’, JB drafted a new note: ‘Daughter of Dr. Swinfen Johnson’s Godfather, and widow of Mr. [MS orig. Mrs.] Desmoulins a WritingMaster.’ Wanting to disturb the standing type as little as possible, JB advised the compositor, ‘I think you may find room for the note, without overrunning by taking shop up into the line above.’ This was easily done, as the compositor, to avoid a club line at the bottom of the page (1st ed. ii. 186), had generously spaced the penultimate line in the first place to push ‘shop’ onto the final line. See post p. 158 l. 17. 8 On 7 Apr. 1778 (Journal).

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1778

Johnson, which he accordingly did, and found him in an upper room of poor appearance. Johnson received him with much courteousness and talked a great deal to him as to a school=boy of the course of his education and other particulars. When he afterwards came to know and understand the high character of this great man he recollected his condescension with wonder. He added that when he was going away, Mr. Johnson presented him with half a guinea and this was at a time when he probably had not another.’ 9≥ [MS 622 resumed] [We retired to his room and Mr. Thomas Davies came soon after.>] We retired from Mrs. Williams to another room. Tom Davies soon after joined us. He had now unfortunately failed in his circumstances; and was much indebted to Dr. Johnson’s kindness for obtaining for him many alleviations of his distress. After he went away Johnson blamed his folly in quitting the stage by which he and his Wife got £500 a year. I said I believed it was owing to Churchill’s attack upon him.

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

‘He mouths a sentence as curs mouthe a bone.’

15 16 [Johnson.>] JOHNSON. ‘I believe so too, Sir. But what a man is he who is to be 17 driven from the stage by a line? Another line would drive him from his shop.’ 18 [1st ed. ii. 187] I told him that I was engaged as Counsel at the bar of the 19

House of Commons to oppose a road bill in the County of Stirling1 and asked him [how I should do. ‘Why Sir’ said he>] what mode he would advise me to 20 follow in addressing such an audience. JOHNSON.2 ‘Why Sir you must provide yourself with a good deal of extraneous matter, which you are to [throw out and fill up>] produce occasionally so as to fill up the time; for, you must consider that they do not listen much. If you begin with the strength of your cause, it may be lost before they [begin to listen.÷have heard it.>] begin to listen. When you 25 catch a moment of attention press the merits [MS 623] of the question upon them.’ He said as to one point of the merits, that he thought [it a bad thing>] it would be wrong3 to deprive the small landholders of the privilege of assessing 9 Although JB placed quotation marks at the end of this sentence, the beginning of the quotation was lost amidst some false starts (see endnotes), and the compositor left them out. JB evidently altered the text in proof to highlight what Mr. Howard spoke, but in the revises there still were no inverted commas: ‘and this, said Mr. Howard, was at a time …’. On the source of this anecdote, see Corr. 2a, p. 20 n. 1. 1 Wanting to ‘be up in London for Douglas’s Cause’ (Reg. Let.), JB had written on 26 Feb. to SJ, ‘I think it creditable to appear in the House of Lords as one of Douglas’s Counsel, in the great and last competition between Duke Hamilton and him’ (HillPowell iii. 219). Active as a partisan volunteer in the initial controversy (Earlier Years, pp. 313–17; Life MS ii. 96 nn. a and 8), JB was retained by Douglas in 1769 and 1776 in his protracted battle against the Duke of Hamilton (Hill-Powell iii. 514–15). His employment may have ended before the case was appealed to the House of Lords, yet his connection with the ‘Cause’, and his ambition to practise at the English bar, made it prudent for him to attend. While paying his respects to Douglas’s solicitor, John Spottiswoode (d. 1805), he was given ten guineas and a brief to serve as counsel in litigation over the road-bill mentioned here. He spoke at the bar of the House of Commons—the first time he did so—on 24 Mar. (Boswell in Extremes, pp. 222, 227). 2 This revision, drafted on MS opp. 622, caused JB to work around it when adding the paragraph about Mr. Howard’s anecdote. 3 Misprinted ‘a wrong thing’ (so in revises), the result of an imperfect revision. The original phrase in MS straddled a line: ‘it a bad / thing’. JB placed a caret after ‘it’ and

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H-P iii. 224–25

themselves for making and repairing the high roads. It was destroying so much liberty without a good reason which was allways a bad thing. When I mentioned this observation next day to Mr. Wilkes, he pleasantly said ‘What! does He talk of liberty? Liberty is as ridiculous in his mouth as Religion in mine.’ Mr. Wilkes’s advice as to the best mode of speaking at the bar of the House of Commons was not more reverential towards the Senate, than ≤that of≥ Dr. Johnson’s. ‘Be as impudent as you can, as merry as you can, and say whatever comes uppermost. Jack Lee is the best heard there of any Counsel, and he is the most impudent dog, and allways abusing [them÷us>] us.’ In my interview with Dr. Johnson [at this time>] this evening I was quite easy, quite as his Companion; upon which I find in my Journal the following reflection: ‘So ready is my mind to suggest matter for disatisfaction [MS 624] /that/4 I [had÷felt>] felt a sort of regret that I was so easy. I missed that aweful reverence with which I used to contemplate Mr. Samuel Johnson! in the complex magnitude of his literary, moral and religious character. I have a wonderful superstitious love of Mystery, when perhaps the truth is that it is owing to the cloudy darkness of my own mind. I should be glad that I am more advanced in my progress of being, so that I can view Dr. Johnson with a steadier & clearer eye. My disatisfaction tonight was foolish. Would it not be foolish to regret that we shall have less mystery in a future state? That we “now see in a glass darkly” but shall “then see face to face”?’ This reflection which I thus freely communicate will be valued by the thinking part of my readers, who may have themselves experienced similar states of mind.5 He returned ≤next day≥ to Streatham ≤to Mr. Thrale’s≥ where as Mr. Strahan once [complained÷observed>] complained to me he was in a great measure absorbed from the society of his old friends. I was kept in London by business & wrote to him on the 27 that a separation from him for a week when we were [1st ed. ii. 188] so near was equal to a separation for a [year÷twelvemonth>] year when we were at four hundred [MS 625] miles [distance; but that Mr. Thrale having called on me & given me a kind invitation, I intended to be a day with him÷run down to him in the beginning of the week after. I accordingly went on Monday 30 March when before he>] distance. I went to Streatham on Monday March 30. Before he appeared Mrs. Thrale made [to me del] a very characteristical remark ‘I do not know for certain what will please Dr. Johnson. But I know for certain that it will displease him to praise any thing even what he likes, extravagantly.’ wrote in ‘would be wrong’, but in deleting ‘a bad’, he left most of the participle showing, and then neglected to score out ‘thing’ on the next line. Faced with a phrase that looked like ‘thought it would be wrong a thing’, the compositor evidently rearranged the words to make sense. The error went uncorrected. 4 JB’s unresolved optional word was printed in the revises. 5 JB wrote ‘Qu’ next to this paragraph, unsure whether communicating his reflection so freely would be wise. In revision he deleted the paragraph, crossing it out and putting six d’s down the margin. After this, wavering, he wrote ‘Qu’ again and posed an experiment: ‘Try some good man with this passage’. Later, deciding after all to trust his more thoughtful readers, he replaced each d with a ‘stet’ to reinstate the text. For the journal passage he quotes, see Boswell in Extremes, p. 225. The day before, in a state of rapture over SJ’s ‘Life of Cowley’, he had written, ‘I really worshipped him, not idolatrously, but with profound reverence, in the ancient Jewish sense of the word’ (p. 223).

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1778

At dinner he laughed at querulous declamations against the age on account of luxury — [inordinate number of new buildings÷increase of London>] increase of London — scarcity of provision. ‘Houses’ [/said he/>] said he ‘will be built till rents fall, and corn is more plentiful now than ever it was.’ ≤I had before dinner mentioned a ridiculous story6 told me by [a man>] an old man who had been a passenger with me in the Stage=coach today. Mrs. Thrale [having occasion to allude to it called>] taking occasion now to allude to it in talking to me called it ‘the story told you by the old woman.’ ‘Now Madam’ said I ‘give me leave to catch you in the fact. It was not an old woman but an old man whom I mentioned as having told me this.’ [I took an opportunity in presence of Johnson to presume of shewing>] I presumed to take an opportunity in presence of Johnson of shewing this lively lady how ready she was unintentionally to deviate from [the>] exact authenticity of narration.≥ ‘Thomas a Kempis’ he [said>] observed ‘must be a good Book as the World has opened its arms to receive it. It is said to have been printed in one language or other as many times as there have been months since it [first came out÷was first published>] first came out. I allways was struck with this sentence in it “Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be.”’ 7 He said [he had been angry>] ‘I was angry with [MS 626] Hurd about Cowley for having published a Selection of his Works. [But still there is nothing to hinder a man to give what he chuses of an Authour if>] But upon better consideration I think there is no impropriety in a mans publishing as much as he chuses of any Authour if he does not put the rest out of the way. A man for instance may print the Odes of Horace alone.’ He seemed to be in a more indulgent humour than when this subject was discussed between him and Mr. Murphy.a When we were at [Coffee & tea>] tea & coffee there came in Lord Tremblestown [an irish Peer created after St. Germains creation by the exiled Royal Family a man of pleasing conversation accompanied by a young gentleman his son.>] in whose family was an ancient irish peerage which was forfeited in the troubles of the last century.8 He was a man of pleasing conversation and was accompanied by a young gentleman his son. a

See page

a1

6 Neither the story nor Mrs. Thrale’s allusion to it afterwards is recorded in JB’s journal. This paragraph, added in revision on MS opp. 625, was marked for insertion following the paragraph that ends with Mrs. Thrale’s remark on SJ’s aversion to extravagant praise. JB later moved the insertion symbol on MS 625 down one paragraph. 7 Next to SJ’s quotation, JB wrote ‘See it’ (later deleted). The same impulse resulted in a footnote here in the third edition: ‘The original passage is: Si non potes te talem facere, qualem vis, quomodo poteris alium ad tuum habere beneplacitum? De Imit. Christ. Lib. i. Cap. xvi.’ This note—signed ‘J.B.O.’—was added by JB Jr. 8 In the revises JB corrected the name here and below (p. 161 l. 22) to ‘Trimblestown’ (in the third edition it became ‘Trimlestown’). JB kept reworking the last clause of this sentence. In the same draft that produced his revision as transcribed, he first tried ‘which they forefeited in the last century’. In the revises he altered it to ‘but I understood it had a1 The page number, still absent in the revises, showed up in the first edition: ‘See p. 59 of this Volume.’ See ante p. 24 ll. 20–27.

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H-P iii. 227–28

I mentioned that I had in my possession the Life of Sir Robert Sibbald the ≤celebrated≥ Scottish Antiquary and Founder of the Royal College of Physicians at Edinburgh, in the original manuscript written by himself, and [1st ed. ii. 189] that it was I believed the most natural and candid account of himself that ever was given by any man. As an instance — he tells that the Duke of Perth then Chancellor of Scotland pressed him very much to come over to the Roman Catholick Faith÷Religion9; that he resisted all his ≤Grace’s≥ arguments for a considerable time, till one day he felt himself as it were instantaneously convinced, and with tears in his eyes ran into the Duke’s arms and [MS 627] embraced the ancient [faith÷ligion>] ligion; that he continued very steady in it for some time, and accompanied his Grace to London one winter & lived in his household; that there he found the rigid fasting prescribed by the Church very severe upon him; that this disposed him to reconsider the contraversy, and having then seen that he was in the wrong he returned to Protestantism. I talked of some time or other publishing this curious Life. Mrs. Thrale. ‘I think you had as well let alone that publication. To discover such weakness exposes a man when he is gone.’ Johnson. ‘It is an honest picture of human nature. How often are the primary motives of our greatest actions as small as Sibbald’s for his reconversion.’ Mrs. Thrale. [‘But may we not forget them?’÷‘But may they not be forgotten?’>] ‘But may they not as well be forgotten?’ Johnson. ‘No Madam. A man loves to review his own mind. That is the use of a Diary or Journal.’ Lord Trembletown. ‘As the Ladies like to see÷It is like the Ladies love to see themselves in a glass, so a man likes to see himself in his Journal.’1 Boswell. ‘A very pretty allusion.’ Johnson. ‘Yes indeed.’ Boswell. ‘And as a Lady adjusts her dress [by÷before>] before a [glass>] mirror, a man adjusts his character by looking at his Journal.’ — I next year found the very same thought in Atterbury’s Sermon on Lady Cutts ‘In this glass she every day dressed her mind.’ This is a proof of coincidence & not of plagiarism; for I had never looked at that sermon before.2 suffered in the troubles of the last century’. Then, deleting ‘of the last century’, he drafted it anew: ‘but it suffered by taking the generous side in the troubles of that’—where he stopped mid-phrase, scored through ‘that’, and finished with ‘the last century’ (writing it in again, after putting ‘stet’ over the printed phrase). EM added a footnote here in the third edition: ‘Since this was written the attainder has been reversed; and Nicholas Barnewall is now a peer of Ireland with this title. The person mentioned in the text had studied physick, and prescribed gratis to the poor. Hence arose the subsequent conversation.’ Treating the poor without charge was a much-admired virtue of Robert Barnewall, styled 12th Baron Trimleston (c. 1704–79), but the ‘subsequent conversation’ has nothing to do with charity. The discussion of Sir Robert Sibbald and his religious conversions is thematically related, rather, to the misfortunes of the Barnewalls as a prominent Roman Catholic family. Lord Trimleston had two surviving sons, Thomas and Mathias; both conformed to the Anglican church (Oxford DNB). 9 Printed ‘Faith’ (so in revises). 1 In the second of the unresolved alternatives in this sentence, modeled on the phrasing in JB’s journal (‘’Tis like the ladies who love to see’; 30 Mar. 1778), the missing word was furnished in print: ‘It is like the ladies, who love to see …’ (so in revises). The syntactical balance of the first alternative (‘As … , so …’) having been lost, JB made this correction: ‘True Sir. As the ladies love to see …’. 2 Several such reading experiences led JB later to muse on the distinctions among plagiarism, imitation, and coincidence in The Hypochondriack, No. XXII, ‘On Similarity Among Authors’ (July 1779).

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Next morning [(tuesday 31 March) del] while we were at breakfast, he gave a very earnest recommendation of what he himself practised [MS 628] with the utmost conscientiousness [namely÷I mean>] I mean a strict attention to truth even in the most minute particulars. [‘Accustom your children constantly to it÷this’ said he. ‘If>] ‘Accustom your children’ said he ‘constantly to this. If a thing happened at one window and they when [telling÷relating>] relating it say that it happened at another, do not let [them>] it pass but instantly check them. You know not where deviation from truth will end.’ Boswell. ‘It may come to the door. — And when once an account is at all varied in one circumstance it may by degrees be varied so as to be totally different from [the truth÷what really happened>] what really happened.’ Our lively Hostess whose fancy was impatient of the rein fidgeted at this and ventured to say ‘Nay this is too much. If Mr.3 Johnson should forbid me [tea÷to drink tea>] to drink tea I would comply as I should feel the restraint only twice a day; but little variations in [telling what is÷narrative>] narrative must happen a thousand times a day if one is not [1st ed. ii. 190] perpetually watching.’ Johnson. ‘Well Madam, and [one÷you>] you ought to be perpetually watching. It is more from carelessness about truth than from intentional lying that there is so [much÷great a proportion of>] much falshood in the World.’ ≤[MS opp. 628] In his Review of Dr. Wartons Essay on the Writings and genius of Pope Johnson has given the following salutary caution upon this subject: ‘Nothing but experience could evince the frequency of false information, or enable any man to conceive that so many groundless reports should be propagated, as every man of eminence may hear of himself. Some men relate what they think, as what they know; some men of confused memories and habitual inaccuracy ascribe to one man what belongs to another; and some talk on without thought or care. A few men are sufficient to broach falshoods, which are afterwards innocently diffused by successive relators.’a Had he lived4 to read what Sir John Hawkins and Mrs. Piozzi have related concerning himself how much would he have found his observation illustrated. He was indeed so much impressed with the prevalence of falshood voluntary or unintentional, that I never knew any person who upon hearing an extraordinary circumstance told, discovered more of the incredulus odi. He would say with a significant look and decisive tone ‘It is not so — Do not tell this again.’5 He inculcated upon all his friends the importance of perpetual vigilance against the slightest degrees of falshood the effect of which as Sir Joshua Reynolds a

Literary Magazine, 1756 p. 37.a1

3 Underlining this abbreviation, Selfe placed a ‘q’ in the margin of the revises. Had JB noticed it, he would have corrected the text or scored through the ‘q’, neither of which happened. The journal reads ‘Doctor’. 4 A new paragraph begins with this phrase in Hill-Powell, the foregoing passage having been printed as a block quotation. 5 JB’s footnote to this speech (Hill-Powell iii. 229 n. 4), added in the second edition, stemmed from the Life Materials (M 163), where he wrote: ‘In Redi De generatione insectorum is quoted lines from one whom he calls divini Poetæ. They apply well to Dr. Johnson’s incredulity “Don’t repeat this” &c. / Sempre à quel ver ch’ha faccia di a1

Originally JB keyed this footnote to the title of Warton’s work.

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observe to me has been that all we6 who were of his school [have an exact authenticity of relat, which we should not if we had not known Johnson.>] are distinguished for a love of truth and accurac which they would not have been in the same degree if they had not been known to Johnson.≥ [MS 628 resumed] Talking of Ghosts he said ‘It is wonderful that five thousand years have now elapsed since the Creation of [our>] the World and still it is undecided whether or not there has ever been an instance of the spirit of any person having appeared after death. All argument is against it; but all [MS 629]7 belief is for it.’8 He said ‘John Wesley’s conversation is good. But he is never at leisure. He is allways [going÷obliged to go in an hour>] obliged to go at a certain hour. This is very disagreable to a man who loves to fold his legs and have out his talk as I do.’ On friday 3 April I dined with him in London in a company where were present several eminent men whom I shall not name but distinguish their parts in the Conversation by different letters. Lord [O___>] F.9 ‘I have been looking at this famous antique marble dog of Mr. Jennings valued at a thousand guineas, said to be [a statue÷that of Alcibiades’s dog>] Alcibiades’s dog.’ [1st ed. ii. 191] Johnson. ‘His tail then must be docked. That was the mark of Alcibiades’s dog.’ [B___>] E. ‘A thousand guineas! The [representation÷image>] representation of no animal whatever is worth so much. At this rate a dead dog would ≤indeed≥ be better than a living Lion.’ Johnson. ‘Sir it is not the worth of the thing but of the skill in forming it which is [estimated at so great a sum÷price.÷so highly estimated.] so highly estimated. Every thing that enlarges the sphere of human powers, that shews Man he can do what he thought he could not do, is [valuable÷to be valued>] valuable. The first man who ballanced a straw upon his nose — Johnson1 who menzogna / Dee l’uom chiudere le labbra quanto ei puote / Però che senza colpa fa vergogna.’ JB, uncertain about the second verse, placed a mark above ‘ei’ and wrote ‘Q ci’ in the margin. A note in Hill-Powell rescued the verse: ‘De l’uom chiuder le labbra fin ch’el pote, (Soc. Dantesca Ital.)’. See Cat. i. 96 for M 163 (1). 6 In revising the latter part of this sentence, JB switched ‘we’ to ‘they’, but not here. The inconsistency was caught, and the pronoun here was simply omitted (so in revises), leaving ‘all who’. 7 MS 628 is the last of the pages at Houghton Library, shelfmark fMS Eng 1386. The Beinecke holdings resume with MS 629. 8 Memorandum, ‘See if this be not last year at Barnet’. JB and SJ had discussed ghosts and John Wesley at Barnet on 29 Mar. 1776. On review, JB omitted his account of that discussion here, but did so at the printing house or in proof, for it is not deleted in MS. The first part of that paragraph, on SJ’s uncertainty over the reality of ghosts, was made redundant by the passage concluded at the top of MS 629, and the second part, on JB’s meeting with Wesley in Edinburgh, was elaborated on MS opp. 786. See ante p. 4 ll. 13–18 and n. 2; post p. 290 ll. 1–13. 9 The initials designating the speakers throughout the following conversation, JB later decided, were too transparent, so he changed them in revision. As an aid, he jotted the alternative initials on a scrap of paper catalogued as a ‘Key to the Speakers at The Club’ (M 137). He underscored every initial twice, both in the MS and on this scrap: ‘F ≤Fitzpatrick≥ Lord Ossory / E (Edmund) Burke / P Painter Sir Joshua / I (Infidel) Gibbon / R ≤(RB)≥ Sheridan / C (Chemist) Dr. Fordyce’. 1 Altered to ‘Johnston’ in the revises, at odds with the previous mention of the horserider (see Hill-Powell i. 399). One of the ‘Corrections and Additions’ listed in the first edition (‘for Johnston read Johnson’), this change did not occur until the third edition.

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rode upon three÷two2 horses at a time — in short all such men deserved the applause of mankind, not on account [MS 630] of the use of what they did, but of the [skill÷dexterity>] dexterity which they exhibited.’ Boswell. ‘Yet a misapplication of time and assiduity is not to be encouraged. Addison in one of his Spectators [commends÷praises>] commends the judgement of a King who [to reward÷as a suitable reward to a Man who>] as a suitable reward to a Man that by long perseverance had attained to the art of throwing a barley corn through the eye of a needle gave him a bushel of barley.’ Johnson. ‘He has been a King of Scotland where barley is scarce.’ [O___>] F. ‘One of the most remarkable antique figures of an animal is the Boar at Florence.’ [B___ ‘There are many Bores now.’ del] Johnson. ‘The first Boar that is well made in marble should be preserved as a Wonder. When men [come to make Boars well commonly>] arrive at a facility in making Boars well, then the workmanship is not of such value but they should [be preserved however>] however be preserved as examples, and as a greater security for the restoration of the art should it be lost.’ [B___>] E. ‘We hear prodigious complaints at present of emigration. I am convinced that emigration makes a country more populous.’ [G___>] [N.>] I.3 ‘That sounds very like a paradox.’ [B___>] E. ‘Exportation of men, like exportation of all other commodities makes more be produced.’ Johnson. ‘But there would be more people were there not emigration, provided [these÷those people have÷had food.>] these÷those4 were food for more.’ [B___>] E. ‘No. leave a few [MS 631] breeders, and you’ll have more people than if there were no emigration.’ Johnson. ‘Nay Sir it is plain there will be more people if there are more breeders. Thirty cows in good pasture will produce more calves than ten cows — [provided÷supposing÷if>] provided they have good Bulls.’ [B___>] E. ‘There are Bulls enough in Ireland.’ Johnson (smiling). ‘So I should think Sir from your argument.’ Boswell. ‘You said Exportation of men like exportation of other commodities makes more be produced. [/But/ a bounty is given to encourage the exportation of corn and no Bounty is given for the exportation of men;÷A bounty is given to encourage the exportation of corn. But no Bounty is given for the exportation of men;>] But a bounty is given to encourage the exportation of corn and no Bounty is given for the exportation of men; though indeed those who go, gain by it.’ [S___>] R. ‘But the bounty on exportation of corn is paid at home.’ [B___>] E. ‘That’s the same thing.’ Johnson. ‘No Sir.’ [S___>] R. ‘A man who stays at home gains nothing by his neighbour’s emigrating.’ [1st ed. ii. 192] Boswell. ‘I can understand that [emigration may be the cause that÷on account of emigration÷by emigration>] emigration may be the cause that more people may be produced in a country; but the country will not therefore be finally the more populous. For the people issue from it. It can only be said that There is a flow of people. It is an encouragement to have children to know that they can get a living by emigration.’ [S___>] R. ‘Yes if there were an 2

Printed ‘three’ (so in revises). Printed ‘J’, which in JB’s handwriting was virtually indistinguishable from an ‘I’. What sobriquet for Gibbon the letter ‘N’ might have stood for is unclear. 4 Printed ‘there’ (so in revises), for neither unresolved alternative was suited to the rest of JB’s revision. 3

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H-P iii. 232–34

emigration of children under six [MS 632] years [old÷of age>] of age. But they don’t emigrate till they could [do for themselves some>] earn their livelihood in some way at home.’ [F___>] C. ‘It is remarkable that the most [unhealthy÷unhealthful>] unhealthy countries, where there are the most destructive diseases, [as in÷such as>] such as Egypt and Bengal are the most populous.’ Johnson. ‘Countries which are the most populous, have the most [terrible÷destructive>] destructive diseases. That is [the proposition.÷the true state of it.>] the true state of the proposition.’ [F___>] C. ‘Holland is very unhealthy÷unhealthful,5 yet it is exceedingly populous.’ Johnson. ‘I know not [if Holland be÷that Holland is unhealthy÷unhealthful>] that Holland is unhealthy. but6 its populousness is owing to an influx of people from all other countries. Disease cannot be the cause of populousness, for it not only carries off a great proportion of the people, but those who are left are weakened, and unfit for the purposes of increase.’ [S___>] R. ‘[Mr. B___>] Mr. E I dont mean to flatter. But when posterity reads one of your speeches ≤in Parliament≥ it will be difficult to believe that you took so much pains, knowing [for certain>] with certainty that it could produce no effect, that not one vote would be gained by it.’ [B___>] E. ‘Waving your compliment to me I shall say in general that it is very well worth while for a man to [speak.>] take pains to speak well in parliament. A man who has vanity speaks to display his talents; and if a man speaks well, he gradually [forms to himself a consequence>] establishes a certain reputation and consequence [MS 633] in the general opinion, which sooner or later will have its political reward. Besides, though not one vote is gained, a good speech has [/an/>] its effect. Though an Act which has been ably opposed passes ≤into a law, yet in its progress,≥ it is modelled, it is softened in such a manner, that we see plainly the Minister has been told that ≤the≥ members ≤attached to him≥ are so sensible of its injustice or absurdity from what they have heard, that it must be altered.’ Johnson. ‘And Sir there is a gratification of pride. Though we cannot outvote them we’ll out=argue them. They shall not do wrong without its being shewn both to themselves and to the World.’ [B___>] E. ‘The House of Commons is a mixed Body. [(I except the minority which I hold to be pure /But I take just the Majority÷House/.)>] (I except the minority which I hold to be pure [smiling]7 But I take the whole House.) It is a mass by no means pure, but neither is it wholly corrupt, though there is a large proportion of [corruption÷what is corrupt>] corruption in it. There are many members who generally go with the Minister who will not go all lengths. There are many [Members, del] honest well=meaning Country Gentlemen who are in parliament only to keep up the [1st ed. ii. 193] consequence of their families. Upon all of these a good speech will have influence.’ Johnson. ‘We are all more or less governed by interest. But interest will not make us do [every thing÷any thing whatever>] every thing. In a case 5

Printed ‘unhealthy’ (so in revises). JB continued the sentence in the same draft, writing ‘b’ over ‘B’, yet did not delete the period. The compositor typeset ‘B’ (it being hard to tell, at a glance, which covered which), along with the period. 7 JB’s brackets, printed as such in the revises; ‘smiling’ was not italicized (nor was ‘minority’), and ‘But’ became lower case. 6

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which admits of doubt, we try to think [MS 634] on the side which is for our interest, and [come to act so.>] generally bring ourselves to act accordingly. But the subject must admit of diversity of colouring. It must receive a colour on that side. In the House of Commons there are Members ≤enough≥ who will not vote what is grossly unjust or absurd. No Sir, there must allways be right enough or appearance of right to keep wrong in countenance.’ Boswell. ‘There is surely ≤always≥ a majority ≤in Parliament≥ who have places or who want to have them ≤and who therefore will be generally ready to support government without requiring any pretext≥.’ [B___>] E. ‘ petentium.’8 Boswell. ‘Well now, let us take the common phrase Place-hunters. I thought they had hunted without regard to any thing in the way, just as the÷their9 Huntsman the Minister leads, looking only to the prey.’1 [G___>] [N.>] I.2 ‘But taking your metaphor, you know that in hunting there are few so desperately keen as to follow without reserve. Some do not chuse to leap ditches and hedges and risk their necks, or to gallop over steeps, or even to dirty themselves in bogs and mire.’ Boswell. ‘Well I am glad there are some good quiet moderate hunters.’ [B___>] E. ‘I believe in any body of men in England I should have been in the minority. I have allways been in the Minority.’ [R___>] P. ‘The House of Commons resembles a private company. How seldom is any [MS 635] man convinced by another’s argument. Passion and pride rise against it.’ [S___>] R. ‘What would be the consequence if a Minister sure of a majority in the House of Commons should resolve that there should be no speaking at all upon his side.’ [B___>] E. ‘He must soon go out. That has been tried, but it was found it would not do.’ [B___>] E. ‘The Irish language is not [primitif÷primitive>] primitive. It is teutonick, a mixture of the northern tongues. It has much english in it.’ Johnson. ‘It may [be÷have been>] have been radically teutonick. But english and high=dutch have no similarity to the eye, though radically the same. [I once looked into low=dutch. In a whole page I found only>] Once when looking into low=dutch I [1st ed. ii. 194] found in a whole page only one word similar to english; stroem like stream, and it signified tide.’ [B___>] E. ‘I remember having seen a dutch Sonnet in which I found this word Roesnopies. 8 JB left no directions for the compositor here. (As recorded in his journal, Burke’s speech was similarly incomplete.) Although the blank space in MS was only wide enough to have accommodated the quotation from Horace (Odes III. xxiv. 46), a few more words turned up in the revises: ‘True, Sir; that majority will always follow / “Quo clamor vocat et turba faventium.”’ JB’s erroneous ‘petentium’, it has been noted, would translate as ‘those soliciting favours’, not ‘those applauding’ (Boswell in Extremes, p. 236 n. 8). 9 Printed ‘their’ (so in revises). 1 A footnote to this sentence was printed in the revises: ‘Lord Bolingbroke, who, however detestable as a metaphysician, must be allowed to have had admirable talents as a political writer, thus describes the House of Commons, in his “Letter to Sir William Windham:” — “You know the nature of that assembly; they grow, like hounds, fond of the man who shews them game, and by whose halloo they are used to be encouraged.”’ The spelling of ‘Windham’ was altered to ‘Wyndham’ in the second edition. 2 Just as above (p. 164 l. 18), the ‘I’ (again printed ‘J’) was JB’s second revision. The intermediate initial, wholly blotted out, presumably was ‘N’ (as before). By the time JB reached Gibbon’s third speech (post p. 167 l. 19), one revision sufficed.

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H-P iii. 235–37

Nobody would at first think that this [was÷could be>] could be english. But when we inquire we find roes rose and nopie knob, so we have rosebuds.’3 Johnson. ‘I have been reading Thickness’s Travels which I think entertaining.’ Boswell. ‘What! Sir a good Book?’ Johnson. ‘Yes Sir to read once. I do not say you are to make a study of it and digest it. And I believe it to be a true Book in his intention/.4 All travellers ≤generally≥ mean to tell truth; though Thikness observes upon [MS 636] Smollets [account÷relation>] account of his alarming a whole town in France by firing a blunderbuss, and frightening a french nobleman till he tied on his portmanteau that he would be loth to say Smollett had told two lies in one page; but he had found the only town in France where these things could have happened.5 — Travellers must often be mistaken. In every thing except where mensuration can be applied they [will÷may>] may honestly differ. There has been of late a strange turn in travellers to be displeased.’ [B___>] E. ‘From the experience which I have had — and I have had a great deal — I have [thought>] learnt to think better of mankind.’ Johnson. ‘From my experience I have found them worse in commercial dealings more disposed to cheat than I had any notion of, but more disposed to do one another good than I [thought>] had conceived.’ [G___>] I.6 ‘Less just and more beneficent.’ Johnson. ‘And really it is wonderful considering how much attention is necessary for men to take care of themselves and ward off immediate evils which press upon them, it is wonderful how much they do for others. ≤As it is said of the greatest liar that he tells more truth than falshood, so it may be said of the worst man, that he does more good than [ill÷evil>] evil.≥’ Boswell. ‘Perhaps from experience men may be found [happier÷more happy>] happier than we suppose.’ Johnson. ‘No Sir — the more we inquire [the less happiness shall we find.÷we shall find men the less happy.>] we shall find men the less happy.’ [MS 637] [R___>] P. ‘As to thinking better or worse of mankind from experience, some cunning people will not be satisfied unless they have put men to the test as they think. There is a very good story told of Sir Godfrey Kneller in his character of a Justice of the Peace. A Gentleman brought his servant before him upon an accusation of having stolen some money from him. But [it having come out÷he having mentioned>] it having come out that he had laid it purposely in the servant’s way in order to try his honesty, Sir Godfrey sent the Master to prison.’7 Johnson. ‘To resist temptation once is not 3 JB spelled these Dutch words as he had in his journal, not as corrected in Boswell in Extremes (rozeknopjes, roos, knopje; p. 237). The next two topics recorded in the journal—Burke on Scottish politics, and Burke on the taxation of houses—were left out of the Life. 4 This lone virgule possibly suggests that JB began to mark ‘in his intention’ as an optional phrase. Rather faint, the virgule was overlooked by JB in revision and ignored by the compositor. 5 Next to the phrase ‘two lies in one page’, JB wrote ‘See’. Possibly overlooked, the memorandum remained undeleted. The incidents happened in different towns (HillPowell iii. 236 n.1). 6 Misprinted ‘J.’ See ante p. 164 n. 3, and p. 166 n. 2. 7 Adding a footnote here in the second edition, JB quoted Pope’s reference to Sir Godfrey’s action in The Second Epistle of the Second Book of Horace Imitated, ll. 23–26 (see Hill-Powell iii. 237 n. 2).

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a sufficient proof of honesty. If a servant indeed were to resist the continued temptation of silver lying in a window as some people let it lye, [and were÷when he is>] [1st ed. ii. 195] when he is sure his Master does not know how much there is of it he would give a strong proof of honesty. But this is a proof to which you have no right to put a Man. You know, humanly speaking, there is a certain degree of temptation which will overcome any virtue. Now in so far as you [approach÷bring>] approach temptation to a man, you do him an injury and if he is overcome, you share his guilt.’ [R___>] P. ‘And when once overcome it is easier for him to be got the better of again.’ Boswell. ‘Yes — You are his seducer. You have debauched [MS 638] him. — I have known a man8 resolve to put friendship to the test, by asking a friend to lend him money, merely with that view, when he did not want it.’ Johnson. ‘That is very [wrong÷foolish÷unjust Sir. Your÷Sir when your>] wrong Sir. Your friend may [have avarice÷be a narrow man>] be a narrow man and yet have many good qualities. [He may have that÷That may be his>] That may be his only fault. Now You are trying his general character as a friend [by÷upon only one>] by one particular singly, in which he happens to be [defective÷faulty÷wrong>] defective, when in truth his character is [composed÷made up>] composed of many particulars.’ [B___>] E. ‘I understand the Hogshead of Claret which this company was favoured with by our friend the Dean is [near done>] nearly out. I think he should be written to to send another of the same kind. Let the [expression be a happy ambiguity>] request be made with a happy ambiguity of expression so that we may have the chance of his sending it also as a present.’ Johnson. ‘I am willing to offer my services as Secretary ≤on this occasion≥.’ [R___>] P. ‘As many as are for Dr. Johnson being Secretary hold up your hands. — Carried unanimously.’ Boswell. ‘[He will÷He’ll be Dictator÷our Dictator.>] He will be our Dictator.’ Johnson. ‘No. the Company is to dictate to me. I am only to write for wine, and I am quite disinterested as I drink none. I shall not be suspected of having forged the application. I am [but÷no more than>] no more than humble scribe.’ [B___>] E. ‘Then you shall prescribe.’ Boswell. ‘Very well. The first [conceit÷play of words>] play of words today.’ [G___>] I.9 ‘No. The Bore and the Bull.’1 [MS 639] Johnson. ‘Were I your Dictator you should have no wine. It would be my business cavere ne quid detrimenti Respublica capiat÷caperet,a/2 and a

[To take care that the Republick shall suffer no injury. del]a1

8 ‘Very likely Boswell himself’ (Hill iii. 237 n. 3); ‘Clearly Boswell himself’ (HillPowell iii. 237 n. 3). Powell, though more certain than Hill, cited the same evidence: JB once tested SJ’s friendship by not writing to him (see MS 786, post p. 290 ll. 14–15). But no corroboration is found in the journal, where JB merely quotes himself as having said ‘’Tis like man who’d try if friends would lend money’ (3 Apr. 1778). 9 Misprinted ‘J’ once again. See p. 167 n. 6. 1 Of these conceits, accurately recalled by Gibbon, JB had deleted the first in revision (Boar/Bore; see ante p. 164 ll. 10–11). He must have caught the mistake in proof, for Gibbon’s interjection, as printed in the revises, had become ‘No, no; the bulls in Ireland.’ 2 Printed ‘caperet’ (so in revises); it was ‘capiat’ in JB’s journal. Varying verbs and verb forms turn up in quotations of Cicero’s speech against Cataline (Pro Milone xxvi. 70). a1 Whether an oversight or not, JB placed no ‘Stet’ by this deleted translation, nor by his deleted footnote symbol, when he reinstated the paragraph (see p. 169 n. 3), and it was not printed.

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H-P iii. 238

wine is dangerous. Rome was ruined by Luxury’ (smiling). ≤[B>] E. ‘If you allowed no wine as our Dictator you should not have me for your Master of horse.’≥3 On Saturday [4 April>] April 4 I drank tea with him at the Rev≤erend≥ 5 Dr. Taylor’s where he had dined. He entertained us with an Account of [a 6 Tragedy written by a Dr. Kennedy, (not the Lisbon Physician) the catastrophe 7 of which was that a King who was jealous of his Prime Minister castrated 8 himself.÷founded upon the King who was jealous of his Prime Minister and4 castrated himself. This Tragedy was actually shewn about in manuscript to 9 10 several People and amongst others to Mr. Fitzherbert who repeated to him two 11 lines of the Prologue 12 13 14

Our hero’s fate we have but gently touch’d The fair might blame us if it were less couch’d.>]

a Tragedy written by a Dr. Kennedy,5 (not the Lisbon Physician6). ‘The 15 catastrophe of it was that a King who was jealous of his Prime Minister castrated Sallust provided this gloss on the speech: ‘as is often done in a dangerous emergency, the senate voted “that the consuls should take heed that the commonwealth suffer no harm” [ne quid res publica detrimenti caperet]. The power which according to Roman usage is thus conferred upon a magistrate by the senate is supreme, allowing him to raise an army, wage war, exert any kind of compulsion upon allies and citizens, and exercise unlimited command and jurisdiction at home and in the field; otherwise the consul has none of these privileges except by the order of the people’ (Bellum Catilinae xxix, trans. J. C. Rolfe, Loeb ed.). Robert Devereux, third earl of Essex (1591–1646), invoked this precedent in 1643 to claim the power of ‘a temporary Dictator’, stipulating ‘the bounds of his Commision to bee only this, ne quid detrimenti capiat Respublica cavere’ (J. S. A. Adamson, ‘The Baronial Context of the English Civil War’, Transactions of the Royal Historical Society 40, 1990, p. 108). In playful contexts as well the speech resonated. Abraham Froth, writing on clubs in The Spectator (No. 43), boasted that the members of his club were ‘all Grave, Serious, Designing Men, in our Way: We think it our Duty … to take care the Constitution receives no Harm,—Ne quid detrimenti Res capiat publica—To Censure Doctrines, or Facts, Persons, or Things, which we don’t like; To settle the Nation at home, and to carry on the War abroad, where and in what manner we see fit’. The first matter to concern their club being ‘the Act for Importing French Wines’, they declared their allegiance to ‘good Solid Edifying Port’ over ‘plaguy French Claret’ (The Spectator, ed. Donald F. Bond, 5 vols., 1965, i. 181–82). Luxury, Sallust and The Spectator (though with different texts from each) converged in The Hypochondriack, No. VIII, ‘On Luxury’, written 18 May 1778 (Boswell in Extremes, p. 349). On the ‘Hogshead of Claret’, see also JB’s journal for 28 Mar. 1781. 3 JB added this sentence in his first revision of the paragraph. Later, he deleted the entire paragraph; later still, he reinstated it by writing ‘Stet’ six times down the margin. 4 JB’s alternative phrasing requires a missing conjunction here, ‘and’. 5 Probably the rector of Bradley, near Ashbourne, the Rev. John Kennedy (1698– 1782), A.M.—not D.D., as implied by JB’s ‘Dr.’ (Clergy of the Church of England Database; Notes and Queries, Dec. 1865, p. 545). On a reading of ‘old Kennedy’s Play’, Mrs. Piozzi identified it by the title ‘Antiochus’ (Thraliana i. 129). His Complete System of Astronomical Chronology (1762) contained a dedication to George III written by SJ, a work known to JB and mentioned in the Life (Corr. 2a, p. 247; Hill-Powell i. 366, 547; Fleeman, Bibliography of Johnson ii. 1034). 6 Dr. Gilbert Kennedy (d. 1780), a Scot with degrees from Rheims and Oxford, was physician to the British Factory at Lisbon for many years. He later practised in London, where JB consulted him and took daily doses of his Lisbon Diet Drink. Advertised to cure scurvy, leprosy, and gonorrhea, the nostrum is said to have contained sarsaparilla, sassafras, liquorice, guaiacum wood, and mezereon (Earlier Years, pp. 427–28, 560, 563).

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himself.7 This Tragedy was actually shewn about in manuscript to several People and amongst others to Mr. Fitzherbert who repeated to me two lines of the Prologue [1st ed. ii. 196] Our hero’s fate we have but gently touch’d The fair might blame us if it were less couch’d.’ ‘Sir ≤(said Johnson,)≥ it is strange8 what absurd and indecent images men will introduce into their writings without being sensible of the absurdity and indecency. I remember Lord Orrery told me that there was a pamphlet written against Sir Robert Walpole the whole of which was an allegory on [Penis>] the phallick obscenity.9 The Dutchess of Buckingham asked Lord Orrery who this was? He [said÷answered>] answered he did not know. She said [then she’d÷she would>] she would send to Mr. Pulteney who she supposed could inform her. So then to prevent her from making herself [MS 640] ridiculous, Lord Orrery sent her Grace a note in which he gave her to understand what was meant.’ He was very silent tonight, & read in a variety of Books suddenly throwing [down÷away>] down one, and taking up another. He talked of going to Streatham that night. Taylor. ‘You’ll be robbed if you do. Or you must shoot a highwayman. Now I would rather be robbed than do that. I would not shoot a highwayman.’ Johnson. ‘But I would [Sir. I would del] rather shoot him in the instant when he is attempting to rob me, than afterwards swear against him at the Old Bailley to take away his life after he has robbed me. I am surer I am right in the one case than in the other. I may be mistaken as to the Man when I swear. I cannot be mistaken if I shoot him in the act. Besides [it is better÷one feels less reluctance to take away a man’s life when one is heated by the injury, than at a distance of time by an oath, when one has cooled.’>] we feel less reluctance to take away a man’s life when we are heated by the injury, than to do it at a distance of time by an oath, after we have cooled.’ Boswell. ‘So Sir you would [rather act from private passion than from publick advantage÷act rather from the motive of private passion than of publick advantage>] rather act from the motive of private passion than that of publick advantage.’ Johnson. ‘Nay Sir when I shoot the Highwayman I act from both.’ Boswell. ‘Very well very well. — There is no catching him.’ Johnson. ‘At 7 In a footnote to this sentence in the second edition, JB wrote that the ‘story of Combabus’ was the reverse of this. In the third edition, EM added that the story had originally been told by Lucian, and ‘may be found in Bayle’s Dictionary’. See Hill-Powell iii. 238–39 n. 2. 8 In the original draft, SJ’s speech started a new paragraph; ‘(said Johnson,)’ was added in Plymsell’s hand, with his usual punctuation, a comma within the closing parenthesis. This clarification was awkward, given that JB in revision began quoting SJ several lines above. Adjustments evidently were made in proof, for in the revises, the phrase here (printed as a continuation of SJ’s speech—flush left, without quotation marks) had been changed to ‘It is hardly to be believed’, and the beginning of the speech read ‘“The catastrophe of it (said he) was …’ (see p. 169 ll. 14–15). 9 JB vacillated over this phrase. After thoroughly crossing out ‘Penis’ and writing ‘the phallick obscenity’ above it, he then scored through his revision, only to recopy it on the facing page. Evidently in proof he marked it for small capital letters, for in the revises it was printed ‘the PHALLICK OBSCENITY’.

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the same time one does not know what to say. For perhaps [MS 641] one may a year after hang himself from uneasiness for having shot a man. Few [1st ed. ii. 197] minds are fit to be trusted with so great a thing.’1 Boswell. ‘Then Sir you would not shoot him.’ Johnson. ‘But [one may÷might>] we might be vexed afterwards for that too.’ Thrale’s [Coach>] Carriage not having come for him as he expected, [he resolved to go home to Bolt Court in a hackney Coach in which del] I accompanied him [as far as Northumberland Street.>] some part of the way home to his own house. I told him that I had talked of him [with>] to Mr. Dunning a few days before and had observed that [/being/ in his company was not so much an interchange of conversation as listening to him;÷in his company there was not so much an interchange of conversation but rather listening to him;>] in his company we do not so much interchange conversation as listen to him; that Dunning observed upon this ‘One is allways willing to listen to Dr. Johnson.’ to which I answered ‘That is a great deal from you Sir.’ [Johnson. ‘Yes Sir>] ‘Yes Sir (said Johnson,)2 A great deal indeed. Here is [a÷that>] a Man willing to listen to whom the World is listening all the rest of the year.’ Boswell. ‘I think [Sir it is right÷it is right Sir>] Sir it is right to tell one man of such a handsome thing which has been said of him by another. It [increases÷tends to increase>] tends to increase benevolence.’ Johnson. ‘Undoubtedly it is right Sir.’ On tuesday [7 April>] April 7 I breakfasted with him at his House [(Mrs. Desmoulins making the tea) del]. He said Nobody was content.3 I mentioned to him a respectable [MS 642] Person in Scotland4 whom he knew and I asserted that I really believed he was allways content. Johnson. ‘No Sir He is not content with the present, he has allways some new scheme, some new plantation, something which is future. You know he was not content as a Widower for he married again.’ Boswell. ‘But he is not restless.’ Johnson. ‘Sir he is ≤only≥ locally at rest. A Chymist is locally at rest. But his mind is hard at work. This Gentleman has done with external exertions. It is too late for him to engage in distant projects.’ Boswell. ‘He seems to me to amuse himself quite well, to have his attention fixed, and his tranquillity preserved by very small 1 Here JB placed an asterisk and began a footnote (‘The Duke of Montrose’) on MS opp. 641; where he finished the note is unknown. It was keyed to ‘man’ at the end of the previous sentence in the revises: ‘The late Duke of Montrose was generally said to have been uneasy on that account; but I can contradict the report from his Grace’s own authority. As he admitted me to very easy conversation with him, I took the liberty to introduce the subject. His Grace told me, that when riding one night near London, he was attacked by two highwaymen on horseback, and that he instantly shot one of them, upon which the other galloped off; that his servant, who was very well mounted, proposed to pursue him and take him, but that his Grace said, “No, we have had blood enough: I hope the man may live to repent.” His Grace, upon my presuming to put the question, assured me, that his mind was not all clouded by what he had thus done in selfdefence.’ In correcting the revises, JB altered ‘admitted’ to ‘used to admit’. In the second edition, ‘not all clouded’ was corrected to ‘not at all clouded’. 2 Written by Plymsell. Whether he added this to rectify an imperfect revision, or did so after deleting ‘Johnson’ at JB’s dictation, cannot be deduced from the MS. 3 Printed as a quotation in the revises. In the MS, ‘He’ is written over ‘I’, for the journal shows that JB had started the topic: ‘Read from Temp Nobody content.’ For an excerpt of Temple’s letter of 2 Apr. 1778 (C 2783), see Boswell in Extremes, p. 245 n. 3. 4 Lord Auchinleck; ‘Yes my Fayr.’ (Journ. 7 Apr. 1778).

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matters. I have tried this. But it would not do with me.’ Johnson (laughing). ‘No Sir. It must be born with [a man÷one>] a man to be content÷contented5 to take up with little things. Women have a great advantage that they [can÷may>] may take up with little things without disgracing themselves. A man cannot, except with fidling. Had I learnt to fiddle, I should have done nothing else.’ Boswell. ‘Pray Sir Did you ever play on any musical instrument?’ Johnson. ‘No Sir. I once [got÷bought>] bought me a flagelet. But I never made out a tune.’ Boswell. ‘A Flagelet Sir! — so small an instrument.’a [MS 643] I should have liked to [see÷hear>] hear you [1st ed. ii. 198] play on the Violincello. That should have been your instrument.’ Johnson. ‘Sir I might as well have played on the Violincello as another. But I should have done nothing else. No Sir A man would never undertake Great things, could he be amused with small. I once tried knotting. Dempster’s sister undertook to teach me. But I could not learn it.’6 Boswell. ‘So it will be said “Once for his amusement he tried knotting. Nor did this Hercules disdain the Distaff. [(He & Mrs. Desmoulins both laughing heartily) del] Once for his amusement he tried knotting.”’ 7 Johnson. ‘Knitting of stockings is a good amusement. As a freeman of Aberdeen I should be a knitter.’8

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

a When [MS 643] I told this to Miss Seward she smiled and repeated with admirable readiness from Acis and Galatea 20

Bring me a hundred reeds of ample growth To make a pipe for my capacious mouth.a1 5

Printed ‘contented’ (so in revises). Memorandum, later deleted: ‘See whether Dorset’s verses shd best be here or in 1784 going to Oxford’. See MS 939 in vol. 4, forthcoming in this edition, where SJ, riding to Oxford in the company of a knitter, again recalled that he tried to learn knotting from Dempster’s sister (Hill-Powell iv. 284). The poem on JB’s mind, ultimately quoted in neither passage, was ‘Knotting’, by Charles Sackville, 6th Earl of Dorset (1643–1706), in which the skill of ‘Young Chloris innocent and gay’ is thus described: 6

Each slender finger play’d its part, With such activity and art, As would inflame a youthful heart, And warm the most decay’d. 7 This facetious refrain, as in the journal (see Boswell in Extremes, pp. 245–46), was elicited by the burst of laughter from SJ and Mrs. Desmoulins. It became unclear why JB should have repeated it, however, once he had deleted both parenthetical asides from this paragraph, thus erasing the presence of Mrs. Desmoulins. In the revises, to justify the orotund repetition, he changed ‘So it will be said’ at the beginning of his speech to ‘So Sir it will be related in pompous narrative’. Lingering dissatisfaction with the speech led JB to omit the final sentence in the second edition. 8 Printed ‘knitter of stockings’ (so in revises). Because SJ’s speech ended so near the right edge of the text block, and because the paragraph indentations in the first edition were relatively shallow, the compositor for the second edition failed to begin a new paragraph with the next sentence, ‘He asked me …’. This mistake has gone uncorrected in subsequent editions. a1 JB drafted this sentence, within parentheses, as part of the main text, but marked it for a footnote in revision. An x next to ‘Acis and Galatea’ suggests that the work was

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H-P iii. 242–44

He asked me to go down with him and dine at Mr. Thrale’s at Streatham, to which I agreed [and we drove down in a Hackney coach. It was a fine day and the drive was very pleasant del]. I had lent him An Account of Scotland in 1702 9 written by an english Chaplain to a Regiment stationed there. Johnson. ‘It is sad stuff Sir — miserably written, as Books in general then were. There [MS 644] is now an elegance of style universally diffused. No man now writes so ill as this man does, nor1 so ill as Martins Account of the Hebrides is written. A man could not write so ill, if he’d try. Set a Merchants Clerk now to write and he’ll do better.’ He talked to me with [great÷serious>] serious concern of a certain [Lady’s>] female friend’s ‘laxity of narration and inattention to truth.’2 ‘I am as much vexed (said he) at the ease with which she hears it mentioned to her as at the thing itself. I told her, “Madam you are contented to hear every day said to you what the highest of mankind have died for rather than bear.” — You know Sir the highest of Mankind have died rather than bear to be told they lied. ≤Do talk to her of it. I am weary.≥’ Boswell. ‘Was not Dr. John Campbell a very inaccurate man in his narrative ≤Sir≥. He once told me that he drank thirteen bottles of port at a sitting.’3 Johnson. ‘Why Sir I do not know that Campbell ever lied with pen and ink. But you could not ≤entirely≥ depend on any thing he told you in conversation if there was fact mixed with it. [/But/>] However I loved Campbell. He was a solid Orthodox man. [He never went past a church without pulling off his hat, though he had got a bad habit of staying from church. del] He had a reverence for religion. Though defective in practice [MS

9 Printed ‘a man of various enquiry’, indicating that the name continued to elude JB. The author was the Rev. Thomas Morer (c. 1652–1715), for whom see Hill-Powell iii. 517. He published his work anonymously in 1702—the cause of JB’s blank space— but the second edition in 1715 carried his name. 1 The phrase ‘so ill as this man does, nor’ was omitted in the printing. Having typeset the words ‘so ill’—or seeing that they were to be typeset—the compositor jumped ahead to the following line, where the next occurrence of ‘so ill’ (more prominent, as it began the line) caught his eyes when they returned to the page. 2 ‘We talked of Mrs. Thrale’s laxity of narrative, inattention to truth’ (Journ. 7 Apr. 1778). 3 For the footnote added to this sentence in the second edition, see Hill-Powell iii. 243–44 n. 4. It opens with Lord Macartney’s incredulity at Campbell’s claim, quoted from his marginalia on this passage in a copy of the first edition (see Corr. 2a, p. 254 n. 10), followed by JB’s avowal that he was ‘absolutely certain’ Campbell had not only told him this story, but provided circumstantial details that made the claim plausible. On a different occasion, JB himself had counted thirteen bottles of port consumed over dinner at Dr. Campbell’s, a feat in which the company presumably shared (Notes 25 Apr. 1773/J 29).

to be verified. Seward’s quotation from Handel was doubly apt: taken from the accompagnata delivered by Polyphemus upon his arrival in the masque, the words prepare him for his aria, which was scored with an obbligato flauto. On the significance of this musical choice, and the portrayal of the Cyclops based on Ovid’s Metamorphoses rather than Homer, see Jon Solomon, ‘Polyphemus’s Whistle in Handel’s Acis and Galatea’, Music & Letters 64, 1983, pp. 37–43. The phrase ‘capacious mouth’ was printed in small capital letters in the revises.

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645] he was religious in [speculation>] principle; and he did nothing [gross that>] grossly wrong that I have heard.’4 I told him that [the day before I had been present when Mrs. Montagu the learned Lady sat to Miss Reynolds for her picture, and that she said÷the day before I had heard Mrs. Montagu the learned Lady say>] I had been present the day before when Mrs. Montagu the literary Lady sat to Miss Reynolds for her picture, and that she said She had bound up Mr. Gibbons History without the [two last offensive chapters÷chapters offensive for their sneering infidelity>] last two offensive chapters; for that she thought the Book so far good as it gave in an elegant manner the substance of the bad writers medii ævi which the late Lord Lyttelton [would have her read>] advised her [1st ed. ii. 199] to read. Johnson. ‘Sir, She has not read them. She shews none of this impetuosity to me. She does not know Greek and I fancy knows little latin. She is willing you should think she knows them; but she does not say so.’ — Boswell. ‘Mr. Harris who was [present÷there>] present agreed with her.’ Johnson. ‘Harris was laughing at her ≤Sir≥. Harris is a [solid÷sound>] sound sullen scholar. He does not like interlopers. Harris however is a prig and a bad prig.5 I looked into his Book and thought he did not understand his own system.’ Boswell. ‘He says plain things in [an abstract>] a formal and abstract way to be sure. But ≤his method is good; for≥ to have clear notions ≤upon any subject≥ we must have recourse to [his method>] analytick arrangement.’ Johnson. ‘Sir it is what every body does whether they will or no. But sometimes things may be made darker by definition. I see a Cow. I define her Animal quadrupes ruminans [MS 646] cornutum.6 But a goat ruminates, and a Cow may have no horns. Cow is plainer.’ Boswell. ‘I think Dr. Franklin’s definition of Man a good one — A tool-making animal.’ Johnson. ‘But many a man never made a tool, and suppose a man without arms, he could not make a tool.’ 4 Such remarks on Campbell first appeared on MS 231 (Life MS i. 289 and nn. 1–2). They occurred again on MS 376, where JB deleted the detail about Campbell’s ‘pulling off his Hat’ near churches, but retained SJ’s statement about his good religious principles; this passage, challenged in the margin of the revises for being repetitious, was defended by JB on the grounds that he had used a ‘different phrase’ (Life MS ii. 88 and n. 7). In their third occurrence here, JB again deleted the (similarly-phrased) remark about the hat. 5 Although ink covers ‘prig and a bad prig’ in the revises, there is no ‘d’ in the margin to confirm that the phrase was temporarily deleted. Placing a symbol after the phrase, JB drafted this caveat at the foot of the page: ‘What my friend ≤meant≥ by these words concerning the amiable philosopher of Salisbury, I am at a loss to understand.’ (The word ‘meant’ was supplied in Plymsell’s hand.) In the third edition, JB extended the note: ‘A friend suggests, that Johnson thought his manner as a writer affected, while at the same time the matter did not compensate for that fault. In short, that he meant to make a remark quite different from that which a celebrated gentleman made on a very eminent physician: He is a coxcomb, but a satisfactory coxcomb.’ In square brackets EM added this sentence: ‘The celebrated gentleman here alluded to, was the Right Honourable William Gerard Hamilton’. The physician was Dr. Richard Warren, who attended both SJ and JB in their final illnesses. Hamilton’s remark is in JB’s journal (9 Mar. 1788; see English Experiment, p. 196). 6 MS orig. ‘Animal ruminans cornutum’. Only these three words appeared in the journal, with a space between the first two (7 Apr. 1778), suggesting that there was a fourth term which JB did not recall. Since the space remained blank, his first thought in drafting the Life was to make do with just three words, but then, above the line in the same draft, he added quadrupes.

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H-P iii. 245–46

Talking of drinking wine He said ‘I did not leave off wine because I could not bear it. I have drunk three bottles of port without being the worse for it. University College has witnessed this.’ Boswell. ‘Why then did you leave it off?’ Johnson. ‘Why Sir Because it is so much better for a man to be sure that he is never to be intoxicated, never to lose the power [over÷of>] over himself. I shall not begin to drink wine again till I grow old and want it.’ Boswell. ‘I think Sir you once said to me that not to drink wine was a diminution of happiness.’7 Johnson. ‘It is a diminution of pleasure to be sure; but I do not say a diminution of happiness. There is more happiness in being rational.’ Boswell. ‘But if we could have pleasure allways, should not we be happy? The greatest part of men would compound for pleasure.’ Johnson. ‘Supposing we could have pleasure allways, an intellectual man would not compound for it. The greatest part of men would compound because [they÷the greatest part of men>] the greatest part of men are gross.’ [MS 647] Boswell. ‘I allow there may be greater pleasure than from wine. I have had more pleasure from your conversation. I have indeed. I assure you I have.’ Johnson. ‘When we talk of pleasure, we mean sensual pleasure. When a man says he had pleasure with a woman he does not mean conversation but [that he tailed her.8>] something of a very different nature. Philosophers tell you that pleasure is [contrary>] contrary to happiness. Gross men prefer animal pleasure. So [1st ed. ii. 200] there are men who have preferred living among savages. Now what a wretch must he be who is content with such conversation as can be had among savages! You may remember an officer at Fort Augustus who had [been÷served>] served in America, told us of a woman whom they were [forced÷obliged>] obliged to bind in order to get her back from savage life.’9 Boswell. ‘She must have been an animal, a beast.’ Johnson. ‘Sir she was a speaking cat.’ I mentioned to him that I had [wearied÷tired sadly>] become very weary in a company1 where I heard not a single intellectual sentence except that a man who had been settled ten years in Minorca was become [/a/ much inferiour /man/>] a much inferiour man to what he was in London, because a man’s mind grows narrow in a narrow place. Johnson. ‘A man’s mind grows narrow in a narrow place whose mind is enlarged only because he has lived in a large place. But what is got by Books and thinking is preserved [MS 648] in a narrow place as well as in a large place. A man cannot know modes of life as well in Minorca as in London, but he may study Mathematicks as well in Minorca.’ Boswell. ‘[But÷I dont know>] I dont know Sir if you had remained ten years in the [island>] isle of Col, you would [have been a worse man.÷the worse for it.>] not have been the man that you now are.’ Johnson. ‘Yes, Sir, If I had been there 7 Printed ‘a great deduction from life’ and keyed for a footnote, ‘See p. 154 of this Volume’ (so in revises). The footnote was omitted in the second and third editions, but restored in Hill-Powell (in cross-reference to iii. 169; see ante p. 112 l. 16). 8 JB’s journal for 7 Apr. 1778, as published in Boswell in Extremes (p. 248), is cited as providing the earliest use of this verb in this sense (OED, Tail, v1. 10: ‘To copulate with’). See MS 793 (post p. 296 l. 13) for a corresponding usage of tail as a noun. 9 SJ alludes to a conversation over breakfast at Fort Augustus on 31 Aug. 1773 with Captains Lewis Ourry (fl. 1747–75, d. 1779) and Isaac Augustus D’Aripé (fl. 1755–75). See Tour, v. 135, 513. 1 At Lord Eglinton’s, ‘all yesterday afternoon’ (Journ. 7 Apr. 1778).

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from fifteen to forty five; but not from twenty five to forty five.’2 Boswell. ‘[The spirits which I have÷a man has>] I own Sir The spirits which I have in London make [me÷him>] me do every thing with more [vigour and readiness÷readiness and vigour>] readiness and vigour. [I÷He>] I can talk twice as well in London.’ Of Goldsmith he said ‘He was not an agreable companion, for he talked allways for fame. A man who does [that is never pleasing÷so never can be pleasing>] so never can be pleasing. The man who talks to unburthen his mind is the man to delight you. An eminent friend of ours3 is not so agreable as the variety of his ideas would otherwise make him because he talks ≤partly≥ from ostentation.’ Soon after our arrival at Thrale’s I heard one of the maids calling eagerly on another to go to Dr. Johnson. I wondered what this could mean. I afterwards learnt that it was to give her a Bible which he had brought from London as a present to her. He was for a considerable time occupied in reading Memoires de Fontenelle leaning and swinging upon the low gate into the Court, without his hat. I looked into Lord Kames’s Sketches [MS 649] of the History of Man, and mentioned to Dr. Johnson his censure of Charles V for celebrating his funeral obsequies in his life=time, which I told him I had been used to think a solemn and affecting Act. Johnson. ‘Why Sir A man may dispose his mind to think [it so;>] so of that Act of Charles; but it is so liable to [1st ed. ii. 201] ridicule that if one man out of ten thousand laughs at it he’ll make the other nine hundred and ninety nine4 laugh too.’ — I could not agree with him in this. Sir John Pringle had expressed a wish that I would ask Dr. [Johnson÷Johnson’s opinion>] Johnson’s opinion what were the best english [Sermons>] preachers for style.5 ≤I took an opportunity today of mentioning several to him.≥ ‘Atterbury?’ — Johnson. ‘Yes one of the best.’ Boswell. ‘Tillotson?’ — Johnson. ‘Why not now. I should not advise [one now>] a preacher at this day to imitate Tillotson’s style; — though I don’t know — I should be cautious of objecting to what has been applauded by so many suffrages. South is one of the best if you except his peculiarities ≤and≥ his violence and [coarseness of language 2 Printed in the revises ‘from fifteen to twenty-five; but not if from twenty-five to thirty-five’. Part of this revision was true to what SJ had said, as quoted in JB’s journal: ‘from 15 to 25, yes. But not from 45 to 55’ (7 Apr. 1778). 3 Burke (Journ.), as Mrs. Piozzi supposed and Hill-Powell confirmed (iii. 247 n. 3). 4 Printed in the revises ‘nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine’. JB had magnified the first number as recorded in his journal (‘one man of 1000’), but then copied the second number (‘999’) without increasing it accordingly. 5 In the Life Materials (M 155: 7) this question was accompanied by two others: ‘What are best English sermons? ≤for expression≥ Was Atterbury guilty? ≤Would he undertake Linneus?≥’ On 21 Apr. 1778, JB wrote to Pringle ‘enclosing Dr. Johnson’s recommendations of English Sermons’—the fruits of this conversation on 7 Apr. (Reg. Let.; C 2323). The other questions were tangential: Atterbury was first in the roll-call of preachers on 7 Apr.; and Pringle was elected to the Académie Royale des Sciences ‘in the room of Linnaeus’ (who died in Jan. 1778), an honour he told JB about in a letter of 2 Mar. 1778 (C 2322). In A System of Vegetables (1782–83), Erasmus Darwin’s translation of Linnaeus, SJ was thanked ‘for his advice in the formation of the botanic language’. In the name of the Lichfield Botanical Society, Darwin, along with Sir Brooke Boothby and the Rev. William Jackson, also published Linnaeus’s The Family of Plants, with their Natural Character in 1787 (Fleeman, Bibliography of Johnson ii. 1560–62).

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sometimes.÷sometimes coarseness of language.>] sometimes coarseness of language. Seed has a very fine style; but he is not very theological. Jortin’s sermons are very elegant. Sherlock’s style too is very elegant, though he has not made it his principal study.6 And you may add Smallridge. [(I happened at the time to hold÷held in my hand a folio edition of them bound in red turkey and gilt.) del] All the later7 preachers have a good style. Indeed nobody now talks much of style. Every body [writes÷composes>] composes pretty well. There are no such unharmonious periods as there were a hundred years ago. I should recommend Dr. [MS 650] Clarke’s Sermons were he orthodox. However it is very well known where he was not orthodox, which was upon the doctrine [of÷as to>] of the Trinity, as to which he is a condemned heretick, so one is aware of it.’ Boswell. ‘I like Ogden’s sermons on prayer very much both for neatness of style and subtlety of reasoning.’ Johnson. ‘I should like to read all that Ogden has written.’ Boswell. [‘I mean÷wish to know what÷‘What I mean÷wish is to know what>] ‘What I wish to know is what sermons [give us>] afford the best [view>] specimen of english pulpit eloquence?’ Johnson. ‘We have no sermons addressed to the passions that are good for any thing, if you mean that kind of eloquence.’ A Clergyman (whose name I do not recollect).8 ‘Were not Dodd’s sermons addressed to the passions?’ Johnson. ‘They were nothing Sir [be what they will.>] be they addressed to what they may.’ At dinner Mrs. Thrale expressed a wish [to go to÷to go and see>] to go and see Scotland. Johnson. ‘Seeing Scotland Madam is only seeing a worse England. It is seeing [a÷the>] the flower gradually fade away to [a÷the>] the naked stalk. Seeing the Hebrides indeed is seeing quite a different Scene.’ Our poor friend Mr. Thomas Davies was soon to have a Benefit at Drury=Lane Theatre as some relief to his [misfortunes÷unfortunate circumstances>] unfortunate circumstances. We were all warmly interested for his success. [Nevertheless÷However>] However we thought there was no harm in having our joke, when he could not be hurt by it. I proposed that he should [MS 651] be brought on to speak a Prologue upon the occasion and I began to mutter fragments of what it might be as that when [1st ed. ii. 202] now grown old — He was obliged to cry Poor Tom’s a=cold. That he owned he had been driven from the stage by a Churchill. — But that this was no disgrace; for a Churchill had beat the french. — That he had been satyrised as mouthing a sentence as curs mouth a bone. But he was now glad of a bone to

6 Sherlock’s sermons were on the reading list SJ had recommended to the Rev. Daniel Astle (Corr. 2a, p. 156). 7 Printed ‘latter’ (so in revises). ‘When the thing of which the comparison is made is mentioned, we use later; as, this fruit is later than the rest; but latter when no comparison is expressed, but the reference is merely to time; as, those are latter fruits’ (SJ, Dictionary; cp. Life MS i. 361 and n. 1). 8 ‘Rev. Mr. ’, presumably the same ‘Rev. Mr. B’ who, in a speech left out of the Life, said that Ogden had ‘published more sermons’ in addition to the ones admired by JB (Journal). Mrs. Piozzi, however, identified him as ‘Mr. Embry’ (Hill-Powell iii. 518). The Rev. Edward Embry (1745–1817), a frequent visitor to Streatham, was a schoolmaster who became a curate and ultimately rector of St. Paul’s, Covent Garden (Boswell in Extremes, p. 250 n. 5).

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pick. ‘Nay’, said Johnson ‘I would have him to [come out with÷say>] say Mad Tom is come to see the World again.’9 He & I returned to town in the evening. Upon the road I endeavoured to maintain [an÷in>] in argument that a landed Gentleman is not under any obligation to reside upon his estate, and that by living in London he does no [harm÷injury>] injury to his country. Johnson. ‘[Not to his country in general, because the money which he draws from it gets back again in circulation; but to his particular district, his particular parish.>] Why Sir he does no injury to his country in general, because the money which he draws from it gets back again in circulation; but to his particular district, his particular parish, he does an injury. All that he has to give away is not given to those who have the first claim to it. And though I have said the÷that1 money circulates back, it is a [long÷considerable>] long time before that happens. Then Sir a man of family and estate ought to consider [that he has÷himself as having>] himself as having the charge of a district over which [MS 652] he is to diffuse civility and happiness.’2 [On Wednesday 8 April÷Next day>] Next day I found him at home ≤in the forenoon≥. He praised Delaneys Observations on Swift; said that his Book and Lord Orrery’s might both be true though one viewed Swift more and the other less favourably, and that [by reading>] between both we might have a [complete÷full>] complete notion of [the Life of del] Swift. Talking of a man’s resolving to deny himself the use of wine from moral and religious [considerations÷motives>] considerations, he said ‘He must not doubt about it. When one doubts as to pleasure we know what will be the conclusion. I now no more think of drinking wine than a horse does. The wine upon the table is no more for me than for the dog that is under the table.’ On Thursday [9 April>] April 9, I dined with him at Sir Joshua Reynolds’s with the Bishop of St. Asaph ≤(Dr. Shipley)≥ Mr. Allan Ramsay Mr. Gibbon Mr. Cambridge Mr. Langton. Mr. Ramsay had lately returned from Italy and entertained us [very much del] with his observations on÷upon3 Horace’s Villa which he had examined with great care. I relished this [very del] much as it brought fresh into my mind what I had viewed with great pleasure thirteen years before. The Bishop, Dr. Johnson [MS 653] and Mr. Cambridge joined 9 SJ’s speech is not recorded in the journal. The verse comes from the opening lines of ‘Tom a Bedlam’, by William Basse (c. 1583–?1653):

Forth from the dark and dismal Cell, Or from the deep abiss of Hell, Mad Tom is come to view the World again, To see if he can Cure his destemper’d Brain (The Poetical Works of William Basse, ed. R. Warwick Bond, 1893, p. 135). 1 Printed ‘that the’ (so in revises). 2 EM added a footnote to this paragraph in the third edition: ‘See, however, Vol. II. pp. 194, 195, where his decision on this subject, is more favourable to the Absentee.’ See ante p. 122 ll. 1–11. 3 Printed ‘upon’ (so in revises).

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with Mr. Ramsay in recollecting the various lines in Horace [upon÷applicable to>] relating to it÷the subject.4 ≤[MS opp. 653]5 Horace’s Journey to Brundusium being mentioned, Johnson observed that the brook [which he describes÷of which he speaks>] which he describes is to be seen now exactly as in Horace’s time, [1st ed. ii. 5 6 203] and that he had often wondered how it happened that small brooks such 7 as this kept the same situation for ages notwithstanding earthquakes by which 8 even mountains have been changed, and Agriculture which produces such a variation upon the surface of the earth. Cambridge. ‘A spanish Writer has the 9 10 same thought6 11 Johnson. ‘Sir That is taken from Janus Vitalis 12 13 14

immota labescunt Et quæ perpetuó sunt agitata manent.≥

[MS 653 resumed] The Bishop7 said it appeared from Horace’s writings that he 15 was a cheerful contented man. Johnson. ‘We have no reason to believe that, My Lord. Are we to think Pope was happy, because he [writes so.÷that he was.>] says so in his writings. We see in his writings what he wished the state of his mind to [be>] appear. Dr. Young who pined for preferment talks with contempt of it in his writings, and affects to despise every thing that he did not 20 despise.’ ≤[My Lord Bishop of St. Asaph or One of the Company >] BISHOP of ST. ASAPH. ‘Like other chaplains looking for vacancies. But that is not [particular÷peculiar>] peculiar to the Clergy. I remember when I was with the Army — after the battle of Lafeldt the officers seriously grumbled that no General [Officer del] was killed.’≥8 Cambridge. ‘We may believe Horace more

4

Printed ‘the subject’ (so in revises). Several other topics having been discussed in the meantime, JB transferred this later exchange to MS opp. 653 to extend the conversation on Horace. 6 The needed quotation not appearing in his journal, JB here wrote ‘Send for it’ and left a space in the MS that remained blank. In reply to his query (untraced), Richard Owen Cambridge in Nov. 1790 ‘scribble[d] as quick as he [could] to give Mr. Boswell something like an answer’. Although he did not recall the conversation, he was certain that in 1778 he knew ‘That an Earthquake, which can throw up a hill or mountain, can evidently stop the course of a brook, and even a great river’. He therefore supposed he had quoted the verses ‘only to shew a Spanish Quibble’ (Corr. 2a, pp. 270–71). With an adjustment to the preliminary sentence, the information Cambridge supplied was printed nearly verbatim in the revises: ‘A Spanish writer has this thought in a poetical conceit. After observing that most of the solid structures of Rome are totally perished, while the Tiber remains the same, he adds, / “Lo que era Firme huió i solamente / “Lo Fugitivo permanæce i dura.”’ JB placed a comma after huió and replaced the æ in permanæce with an e. In the second edition, era became èra, the i after huió was omitted, and the i before dura became y. The verses come at the end of a sonnet by Quevedo y Villegas in El Parnaso Español (1659): ‘O Roma, en tu grandeza, en tu hermosura / Huiò lo que firme y solamente / Lo fugitivo permanece, y dura’ (Hill-Powell iii. 518). 7 A new paragraph begins with these words in the revises, but not in the MS. 8 Recorded in JB’s next journal entry, after SJ ‘refreshed’ his memory of the day’s conversation (see post p. 185 n. 8). Above the phrase ‘St. Asaph had told’ JB had interlineated ‘to illustrate Dr. Young like oyr Chaplains looking for vacancies’ (Journ. 10 Apr. 1778), which guided his insertion of the speech here. 5

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when he says — Romæ Tibur amem ventosus Tibure Romam.’9 Boswell. ‘How hard is it that Man can never be at rest.’ Ramsay. ‘It is not [intended he should be÷in his nature to be>] in his nature to be at rest. When he is at rest he is in the worst state that he can be in, for he has nothing to agitate him. He is then like the Man in the Irish [Song÷Ballad>] Song There was an old fellow at Ballanacrazy1 Who wanted a Wife for to make him uneasy.’2 Goldsmith being mentioned, Johnson observed how long it was before his merit came to be acknowledged. That he once complained to him in ludicrous terms of distress ‘Whenever I write any thing, the Publick make a point to know nothing about it.’ But that his Traveller3 brought him into [great fame÷high reputation>] high reputation. Langton. ‘There is not one bad line in that Poem [1st ed. ii. 204] not [MS 654] one of Dryden’s careless verses.’ Sir Joshua. ‘I was glad to hear [Charles÷Mr.>] Charles Fox say it was one of the finest Poems in the english language.’ Langton. ‘Why was you glad? You surely had no doubt of this before.’ Johnson. ‘No. the [value÷fame>] merit of the Traveller is so well established, that Mr. Fox’s praise cannot augment it, nor his censure diminish it.’ Sir Joshua. ‘But his friends may [think>] suspect they had a ≤too great≥ partiality for him.’ Johnson. ‘Nay Sir, the partiality of his friends was all against him. It was with difficulty we could give him a hearing. Goldsmith had no settled notions [of any thing÷upon any subject>] upon any subject; so he talked ≤always≥ at random. It seemed to be his [intention÷purpose>] intention to blurt out whatever was in his mind, and see what [should become on’t÷of it>] would come of it. He was angry too when catched in an absurdity; but it did not prevent him from falling into another the next minute. I remember Chamier after talking with him for some time, said “Well I do believe he wrote this Poem himself, and let me tell you that is believing a great deal.” Chamier once asked him what he meant by slow the last word in the first line of the Traveller

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Remote, unfriended, [solitary>] melancholy slow, Did he mean [bodily del] tardiness of locomotion? Goldsmith who would say 30 something [and had not thought>] without consideration answered “Yes.” I was sitting by, and said “No Sir [MS 655] ≤you do not mean tardiness of 9 The verse occupied a separate line in print. In the third edition, Cambridge’s speech continued: ‘… Romam;” / than when he boasts of his consistency: / “Me constare mihi scis, et decedere tristem, / “Quandocunque trahunt invisa negotia Romam.”’ Cambridge himself supplied the addition. His revision of the lead-in phrase—‘when, confessing his Infirmity, he says’—was ignored. See Corr. 2a, p. 428. 1 Unsure of this first verse, JB in his journal had written only ‘There was’. His guess here, inaccurate, was corrected in the second edition: ‘There liv’d a young man in Ballinocrazy’. The town came to be spelled ‘Ballinacrazy’ in the third edition. 2 Printed ‘unaisy’ (so in revises). 3 A footnote placed here in the third edition—‘First published in 1765.’—was omitted by Hill-Powell. EM probably thought a clarification was in order because JB had discussed SJ’s contributions to the poem under the year 1766.

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locomotion4≥. You mean ≤Sir≥ that5 sluggishness of mind which comes upon a man in solitude.” — Chamier believed /then/6 I had written the line as much as if he had seen me write [it, though I had never seen it till it was in print.7>] it. Goldsmith was a man who whatever he wrote did it better than any other man could do. He deserved a place in Westminster Abbey, and every year he lived would have deserved it [more÷better>] better. He had indeed been at no pains to fill his mind with knowledge. He transplanted it from one place to another, and it did not settle in his mind; so he could not tell what was in his own Books.’ We talked of living in the Country. Johnson. ‘No wise man will go to live in the country, unless he has something to do which can be better done in the country. For instance if he is to shut himself up for a year to study a science, it is better to look out to fields than to [an÷the>] an opposite wall. Then, if a man walks out in the country there is nobody to keep him from walking in again. But if a man walks out in London, he is not sure [when he walks>] when he shall walk in again. A great City is to be sure the School for studying Life and “The proper study of mankind is Man” as Pope observes.’ Boswell. [1st ed. ii. 205] ‘I fancy London [MS 656] is the best place in the World for Society; though I have heard that the very [first÷highest>] first society of Paris is still beyond any thing that we have here.’ Johnson. ‘Sir I question if [at÷in>] in Paris such a company as is sitting round this table could be got together in less than half a year. They talk in France of the felicity of men & women living together. The truth is that there the men are not higher than the Women, they know no more than women do and they are not held down in their conversation by the presence of Women.’ Ramsay. ‘Literature is upon the [grow>] growth, it is in its spring in France. Here it is [passed÷past>] rather passée.’ Johnson. ‘Literature was in France long before we had it. Paris was the second City for the revival of letters. Italy [was the÷had it>] had it first to be sure. What have we done for literature like what was done by the Stephani [/and others in France÷other frenchmen/>] and others in France? Our literature [we had÷came to us>] came to us through France. Caxton printed only two books Chaucer and Gower that were not translations from the french; and Chaucer we know took much from the Italians. No Sir, if Literature be in its spring in France [it is÷tis>] it is a second spring [it is÷tis>] it is after a winter. We are now before the french in literature; but we had it long after them. In England [a÷any>] any man who wears a sword and a powdered wig is ashamed [MS 657] to be illiterate. I believe it is not so in France. /Yet/8 there is probably a great deal of learning in 4 Printed ‘locomation’, as JB appeared to have written it. In the revises Selfe replaced the ‘a’ with an ‘o’, but also underlined the word, along with ‘locomotion’ two lines above it, and put an x in the margin in line with each word (the proofreader’s mark for an obvious error) to call the compositor’s attention to the discrepancy. 5 Printed ‘you mean, that’ (so in revises). The compositor probably did not see the small, faint ‘Sir’ above the line, and mistook JB’s caret for a comma. 6 Printed ‘then that’ (so in revises). 7 JB seems to have wondered about this claim even as he copied SJ’s speech from his journal. In the margin he prompted himself to reconsider it later, but his memorandum is illegible beneath his deletion of the clause in revision. The passage in which he enumerated the verses SJ had composed for Goldsmith was itself a revision, added to MS 307 (see Life MS ii. 4–5) under the year 1766. 8 The optional word was printed (so in revises).

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France, because they have [so many÷such a number of>] such a number of religious establishments so many men who have nothing else to do but to study. I do not know this; but I take it upon the common principle/s/9 of chance. — Where there are many shooters, some will hit.’ We talked of old age. Johnson (now in his seventieth year) said ‘It is a man’s own fault it is from want of use if his mind grows torpid in old age.’ The Bishop asked ‘If an old man does not lose faster than he gets.’1 Johnson. ‘I think not ≤my Lord≥ if he exerts himself.’ One of the company2 rashly [observed÷said>] observed that he thought it /was/3 happy for an old man that insensibility comes upon him. Johnson (with a noble elevation and disdain). ‘No ≤Sir≥. I should never be happy by being less rational.’ [My Lord Bishop>] BISHOP of St. ASAPH. ‘Your wish then Sir is γερασκειν [παραδιδασκομενος>] διδασκομενος.’ [JOHNSON. added and del]4 His Lordship mentioned a charitable establishment in Wales, where people were maintained and supplied with every thing, upon the condition of their contributing the [produce of their weekly labour÷weekly produce of their labour>] weekly produce of their labour, and he said they grew quite torpid for want of [having del] property. Johnson. ‘They [MS 658] have no object for hope. Their condition cannot be better. It is rowing without a port.’ One of the company5 asked him the meaning of the expression in Juvenal unius lacertæ. Johnson. ‘I think it clear enough — as much ground as one may have a chance to [have÷find>] find a lizard upon.’ ≤[1st ed. ii. 206] Commentators have differed as to the exact meaning of the expression by which the Poet intended to enforce the sentiment contained in the passage where these words occur. It is enough that they mean to denote even a very small possession provided it be a man’s own,

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Est aliquid quocunque loco quecunque6 recessu Unius sese dominum fecisse lacertæ.≥ This season there was a whimsical fashion in the Newspapers of applying Shakespeare’s words to describe living people well known in the World, which 30 was done under the title of Modern Characters from Shakspeare, many of which 9

The optional ‘s’ was printed in the revises. In these two sentences JB indicated that he was quoting by capitalizing ‘It’ and ‘If’. The printer added quotation marks to SJ’s speech, but not to the Bishop’s, typesetting ‘if’ in lower case (so in revises). 2 ‘Cambridge said foolishly enough …’ (Journal; Hill-Powell vi. 452–53). 3 The optional word was printed in the revises. 4 This account misrepresents the record of JB’s journal (9 Apr. 1778), wherein the Bishop’s misquotation of Plutarch’s Solon (ch. 31) elicited a gentle correction from SJ: ‘Yes My Lord. I shd like that. Solon’s saying. repeated it putting in παρá saying that makes up the verse.’ In the journal, just as in the Life MS, the Bishop was originally given to utter παραδιδασκομενος before JB deleted παρα from the word. Uncertainty over the Greek—Weis and Pottle have suggested that SJ probably added πολλá to complete the verse γηρáσκω δ’ α%εì πολλà διδασκóμενος (Boswell in Extremes, p. 255, n. 9)—may explain why JB ultimately left this passage incomplete. In the revises, the paragraph ends not with a correction, but simple assent: ‘JOHNSON. “Yes, my Lord.”’ 5 Cambridge again (Journal; Hill-Powell vi. 452–53). 6 A slip of the pen; printed ‘quocunque’ (so in revises). 1

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were admirably adapted. The fancy took so much that they were afterwards collected into a Pamphlet. Somebody said to Johnson accross the table that he had not been in those Characters. ‘Yes’ said he ‘I have. I should have been sorry to be left out.’ He then repeated I must borrow [Garagantula’s>] Garagantua’s mouth.

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[Miss Reynolds÷A Lady>] Miss Reynolds not perceiving at once the meaning of this, he was obliged to explain ≤it to her≥ which had something of an awkward & ludicrous effect. ‘Why Madam, it has a reference to me as using big words, which require the mouth of a Giant to pronounce them. [Garagantula>] 10 Garagantua is the name of a Giant in Rabelais.’ [‘But Sir’ said I>] BOSWELL. ‘But 11 Sir there is another amongst them [MS 659] for÷of7 you.’ 12 13 14

He would not flatter [Jove for his thunder>] Neptune for his trident ≤Or Jove for his power to thunder.≥

Johnson. ‘There is nothing marked in that. No Sir [Garagantula>] Garagantua is the best.’ [This was very goodhumoured. Yet a little while after when I repeated one of his Bon Mots÷his sarcasm on Kenrick which was received with lively applause, & he asked÷upon his asking ‘Who said that’, I suddenly answered Garagantula, he looked not pleased.>] Notwithstanding this ease and good humour, when I a little while afterwards repeated his sarcasm on Kenricka 20 which was received with applause, he asked ‘Who said that?’ & on my suddenly answering Garagantua, he looked not pleased.8 When we went to the Drawing Room, there was a rich assemblage. Besides the company who had been at dinner, ≤There were≥ Mr. Garrick Mr. Harris Dr. Percy Dr. Burney Hon. Mrs. Cholmondeley Miss Hannah More &c. &c.9 After wandering about in a kind of pleasing distraction for some time, I got 25 into a [corner÷party>] corner with Johnson Garrick and Harris. Garrick (to Harris). [1st ed. ii. 207] ‘≤Pray Sir≥ Have you read Potter’s Æschylus?’ Harris. ‘Yes and think it pretty.’ [Garrick>] GARRICK (to Johnson). ‘And [pray Sir what do you think of it?>] what think you Sir of it?’ Johnson. ‘I thought what I read of 30 it Verbiage. But upon Mr. Harris’s recommendation [I’ll÷I will>] I will read a Play. (To Mr. Harris) Don’t prescribe two.’ — Mr. Harris [mentioned>] 15

a

See p.

a1

7

Printed ‘for’ (so in revises). Printed ‘he looked serious, which was a sufficient indication that he did not wish it to be kept up’ (so in revises). 9 In the revises, JB here deleted a sentence he had evidently added in proof: ‘The Lustre was lighted.’ The lighting had influenced the ‘pleasing distraction’ he mentions in the next paragraph, for his journal records that he and Langton ‘sat a little quiet & enjoyed the scene the lustre in light & in genius’. 8

a1 The revises had been printed before JB tracked down his cross reference, which he penned in the margin: ‘271 of Vol. 1’. At the same time he directed Selfe to ‘See always if my reference to any page be exact according to the Sheet for press.’

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suggested one, I [did not>] do not remember which. Johnson. ‘We must try its effect as an english Poem. [MS 660] That is the way to judge of the merit of a translation. Translations are in general for people who cannot read the Original.’ — I repeated the vulgar observation that Pope’s Homer was not a good representation of the Original. Johnson. ‘[It>] Sir, it is the greatest work of the kind that has ever been produced.’ [I said >] Boswell. ‘The truth is, it is impossible perfectly to translate Poetry. In a different language it may be the same tune, but it [has not÷is not sounded with÷in>] has not the same tone. Homer plays it on a bassoon Pope on a flagelet.’ Harris. ‘I think heroick poetry is best in blank verse. Yet it appears that rhime is essential to english poetry from our deficiency in metrical quantities. In my opinion [the chief excellence of our language is÷our language chiefly excells in>] the chief excellence of our language is numerous prose.’ Johnson. ‘Sir William Temple was the first who÷writer who first1 gave cadence to english prose. Before his time [they÷we>] they were careless of arrangement and did not mind whether a sentence ended with an important word or an insignificant word, or with what part of speech ≤it was concluded≥.’ Mr. Langton2 who now had joined us [mentioned>] commended Clarendon. Johnson. ‘He is objected3 for his parentheses, his involved clauses and his want of harmony. But he is supported by his matter. It is indeed owing to a plethory of matter that [his style is so faulty÷there are such faults in his style>] his style is so faulty. [MS 661] [Every substance (smiling to Mr. Harris) has so many accidents.>] Every substance (smiling to Mr. Harris) has so many accidents. — To be distinct we must talk analytically.4 If we annalyse language we must speak of it grammatically. If we annalyse argument we must speak of it logically.’ Garrick. ‘Of all the translations that ever were attempted I think Elphinston’s Martial the most extraordinary. He [asked my opinion of÷consulted me upon>] consulted me upon it, who am a little of an Epigrammatist myself you know. I told him freely you don’t seem to have that turn. I asked him if he was serious? and finding he was I advised him against publishing. Why his translation is [worse>] more difficult to understand than the original. I thought him a man of some talents, but he seems crazy [on>] in this. Johnson. ‘Sir you have done what I had not courage to do. But he did not ask my advice, and I did not force it upon him to make him angry with me.’5 Garrick. ‘But as a Friend Sir.’ Johnson. ‘Why such a friend as I am with him — 1

Printed ‘first writer who’ in the revises. Only tentative in his journal (‘Langton I think mentioned Clarendon.’), JB was about to give Langton a direct speech here, but added ‘Mr.’ in the same draft to make him the subject of a sentence instead. While he did not delete his underscoring, the name was not italicized in the revises. 3 Printed ‘objected to’ (so in revises). 4 In revision JB began to italicize this word in tandem with his underscorings in the previous sentence, but stopped and put deletion strokes through the short line. It wound up italicized in the revises. 5 Elphinston took exception to this passage. Writing to JB (in his system of phonetic spelling), he asserted that SJ, far from disparaging it, had ‘so onnored me, hwen I first intimated my translacion ov Marsial, az warmly to’ say, “I am sorry I waz not yoor first subscriber.” Az for Garrics vaporing on dhe subject, no won hoo knows me wil believ, dhat I evver consulted him on anny subject: or dhat I could prostitute to’ hiz critticism, hwat I nevver wood submit to’ hiz masters.’ In this and some other ‘petty instances’, Elphinston hoped that JB would ‘render’ the second edition more worthy of the 2

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no.’ Garrick. ‘But if you see a friend going to tumble over a precipice?’ Johnson. ‘That is an extravagant case Sir. You are sure [your÷a>] a friend will thank you for hindering him [to tumble>] from tumbling over a precipice. [1st ed. ii. 208] But in the other case I should hurt his vanity and do him no good. He would not take my advice. His brother in law Strahan sent him a subscription of fifty pounds and said [he’d÷he would>] he would send him fifty more if he would not publish.’ Garrick. ‘What! eh! is Strahan a good judge of an Epigram. [I think him as obtuse a man as I have seen eh?÷Is not he rather an obtuse man eh?>] Is not he rather an obtuse man eh?’ Johnson. ‘/≤Why Sir≥ He may not be a judge of [common epigrams>] an epigram [MS 662] But/6 you see he [can judge÷is a judge>] is a judge of what [he does not understand.÷is not an epigram.>] is not an epigram.’ Boswell. ‘It is easy for you Mr. Garrick to talk to an Authour as you talked to Elphinston You who have been so long the Manager of a Theatre rejecting the Plays of poor Authours. You are an old Judge who [has>] have often pronounced sentence of death. — You are a practised surgeon who [has>] have often amputated limbs, and though this may have been for the good of your patients they cannot like you. [People÷Those>] Those who have undergone [dreadful operations÷a dreadful operation>] a dreadful operation are not very fond of seeing the [surgeon÷operator>] operator [again÷afterwards>] again.’ Garrick. ‘Yes I know enough of that. There was a Reverend Gentleman (Mr. Hawkins) who wrote a Tragedy The Siege of something7 which I refused.’ Harris. ‘So the Siege was raised.’ Johnson. ‘Ay he came to me and complained and told me that Garrick said his Play was wrong in the concoction. Now what is the concoction of a Play?’ (Here Garrick started and twisted himself and seemed sorely vexed; for Johnson told me he believed the story was true.) Garrick. ‘I — I — I — said first concoction.’ Johnson (smiling). ‘Well, he left out first. And Rich he said refused him in false english. He could shew it under his hand.’ Garrick. ‘He wrote to me in violent wrath for having refused his Play, “Sir this is growing a very serious and terrible affair. I [am resolved to÷will>] am resolved to publish my Play. I will appeal to the World, and how will your Judgement appear?” [MS 663] I answered “Sir, Notwithstanding all the seriousness, and all the terrours, I have no objection to your publishing your Play; and as you live at a great distance (Devonshire I believe) if you will send me it, I will convey it to the press.” I never heard [any del] more of it ha! ha! ha!’ On Friday [10 April>] April 10 I found him at home in the forenoon. We resumed8 the conversation of yesterday. He put me in mind of some of it which had escaped my memory, and enabled me to [preserve÷record>] record it more ‘candor’ otherwise so conspicuous in the Life (Corr. 2a, pp. 335–36). JB did not oblige him, and let the passage stand. 6 Revisions within the virgules signaled that JB wanted to retain the optional phrase. 7 The journal was equally vague: ‘Tragedy Siege of ’. Isaac Reed supplied the title in the corrections he sent to JB in 1792: ‘It was called The Siege of Aleppo. The Author was Mr. Hawkins formerly professor of Poetry at Oxford and of Pembroke College there. This play was printed in his Miscellanies 3 Vols. 8vo. 1758’ (Corr. 2a, p. 384). These sentences, slightly modified, became a footnote here in the second edition (see Hill-Powell iii. 259 n. 1). 8 ‘To recapitulate or summarize (facts, etc.)’ (OED, Resume, v. 2.a). As JB put it in his journal, ‘Then Dr. Johns. He refreshed me as to yesterday’s conversat’ (10 Apr. 1778).

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perfectly than I otherwise could have done. He was much pleased with my paying so great attention to his recommendation in 1763 [at÷in>] in the beginning of our acquaintance, to keep a Journal, and I could perceive he was secretly pleased to find so much of the fruit of his mind preserved, and that though he used to imagine & say that he allways laboured when he said a good thing, it [1st ed. ii. 209] delighted him on a review to find that his talk teemed with point & imagery. I said to him ‘You were yesterday Sir in remarkable good humour.9 But there was nothing to offend you, nothing to produce irritation or violence. There was no bold offender. There was not one capital conviction. It was a maiden assize. You had on your white gloves.’ He found fault with our friend Langton for [being [MS 664] too silent÷having [MS 664] said nothing>] having been [MS 664] too silent. — ‘Sir’ said I ‘you will recollect that he very properly took up Sir Joshua for being glad that /Mr./1 Fox had praised Goldsmith’s Traveller, and you joined him.’ Johnson. ‘Yes Sir I knocked Fox on the head without [ceremony.’ — He then talked of a friend of ours whom he highly esteemed, but said, ‘He is>]2 ceremony. Reynolds is too much under Fox and Burke at present. [He’s÷He is>] He is under the Fox Star and the Irish Constellation[, at present del]. He is allways under some planet.’ Boswell. ‘There is no Fox Star.’ Johnson. ‘But there is a Dog Star.’ Boswell. ‘They say indeed a Fox and a Dog are the same Animal. Did not you tell me of a Gentleman3 who Mrs. Cholmondeley said was first talkative from affectation and then silent from the same cause; that he first thought I shall be celebrated as the liveliest man in every company, and then all at once O! it is much more respectable to be grave and look wise. He has reversed the Pythagorean discipline, by being first talkative and then silent. — ≤He reverses the course of nature too. He was first the gay butterfly and then the creeping worm.≥’4 — [He÷The Sage>] Johnson laughed loud and long at this expansion and illustration of what he himself had told me. We dined together with [Mr. now Dr. Scott of the Commons at>] [Sir William Scott at>] Mr., now Sir William Scott his Majesty’s Advocate,5 at his 9 This paragraph originally began with a different sentence: ‘We dined with Mr. now Dr. Scott of the Commons at his chambers in the Temple.’ JB reintroduced the dinner with Scott two paragraphs further on. 1 Printed ‘Charles’ (so in revises) in place of the optional ‘Mr.’. 2 Uncertain whether this interruption was necessary to cloak their friend’s identity, JB put a ‘Q’ in the margin. In revision, he identified Reynolds, returning SJ’s speech to the way he had recorded it in his journal (see Boswell in Extremes, p. 261). 3 Langton (Journ. 10 Apr. 1778). 4 The words ‘gay’ and ‘creeping’ were later additions to this sentence. JB evidently altered this lengthy speech in the printing house, after it had been typset, for the printer changed his mark on the MS (near the end of the speech) indicating where sig. Ee began. Two shorter speeches were the result, with paraphrase in between. JB ended his first speech on ‘animal’, revised the next phrase for a new paragraph (‘I reminded him of a gentleman who …’), and concluded with a second speech, ‘He has reversed … worm.’ In the revises, several corrections related to these changes had to be made: quotation marks were added after ‘animal’ and before ‘He has reversed’; and the remarks initially typeset as internal quotations (‘I shall be … company;’ and ‘O! it is … wise.’) were converted to freestanding quotations. 5 Printed ‘Mr. Scott (now Sir William Scott, his Majesty’s advocate)’ (so in revises); JB capitalized the last word; in the third edition, ‘Advocate’ became ‘Advocate

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H-P iii. 262

chambers in the Temple, nobody else there; ≤the Company being small≥6 Johnson was not in such spirits as he had been yesterday [in ‘the full flow of London talk’7 del] and for a considerable time little was said[, as Mr. Scott was remarkably cautious [MS 665] of hazarding÷risking himself in his company>] [, as Mr. Scott was remarkably cautious [MS 665] of hazarding himself in his company8 del]. [MS 665] At last he burst [forth÷forth with>] forth ‘Subordination is sadly broken down in this age. No man now has the same authority which his Father had — except a Gaoler, No Master has it over his servants; it is [diminished÷sunk>] diminished in our colleges, nay in our grammar=schools.’9 Boswell. ‘What is the cause of this ≤Sir≥.’ Johnson. ‘Why the coming in of the Scotch÷Scots’1 (laughing [rather surlily÷sarcastically>] sarcastically). Boswell. ‘That is to say — things have been turned topsy turvey. — But your serious cause.’ Johnson. ‘Why Sir there are many causes, [the chief of which÷the principal>] the chief of which is I think the great increase of money. No man now depends upon the Lord of a manor, when he can send to another country and fetch provisions. The Shoeblack at the [mouth of÷entry to>] entry to my court does not depend on me. I can deprive him but of a penny a day which he hopes somebody else will bring him, and that penny I must carry to another shoeblack, so the Trade suffers nothing. I have explained [1st ed. ii. 210] in my [voyage>] Journey2 to the Hebrides how gold and silver destroy feudal subordination. But besides, there is a general relaxation of reverence. No son now depends upon his Father as [formerly÷in former times>] in former times. Paternity [was formerly÷used to be>] used to be considered as of itself a great [thing÷influence>] thing, which had a right to many claims. That is in general [reduced to very small bounds÷grown very little>] reduced to very small bounds. My hope is that as anarchy produces tyranny this extreme relaxation will produce freni strictio.’ General’. Sir William Scott, Kt. (1745–1836), anxious about the account of this evening that would appear in the Life, helped JB to revise the passage on 10 June 1790. In Aug. 1791 he observed that the Life contained ‘not only the Wit and Wisdom of Johnson, but a little of the Folly of other People mixt with it’, but JB reminded him, ‘I have not published any of your folly, for a very obvious reason; … your share in the Johnsonian Conversations was revised by yourself, upon which occasion I enjoyed one of the pleasantest days I ever passed in my life’ (Corr. 2a, pp. 338–39). JB’s original draft acknowledged Scott’s admission to the Faculty of Advocates at Doctors’ Commons in 1779, but not his appointment as king’s advocate-general in 1788, accompanied by a knighthood. The revision that reflected this change was Scott’s. In 1821 Scott became the first Baron Stowell (Oxford DNB). 6 Added in revision by Scott. 7 SJ’s expression, deleted here and earlier (Life MS ii. 78 ll. 15–17), was recorded by Mrs. Piozzi: ‘There is in this world no real delight (excepting those of sensuality), but exchange of ideas in conversation; and whoever has once experienced the full flow of London talk, when he retires to country friendships and rural sports, must either be contented to turn baby again and play with the rattle, or he will pine away like a great fish in a little pond, and die for want of his usual food’ (Anecdotes, pp. 266–67; Johns. Misc. i. 324). 8 Deleted by Scott, after JB in revision had already resolved his alternatives. 9 Deleted memorandum, ‘See if not in my Tour’. The saying is not in JB’s Tour. 1 Printed ‘Scotch’ (so in revises), the compositor perhaps (like JB in revision) not noticing the alternative ‘s’ above the second ‘c’ in ‘Scotch’. 2 Although the word was indeed ‘voyage’ (‘I am sure of that word’: Journ. 10 Apr. 1778), such fidelity to what SJ had misspoken, JB decided, would only distract readers.

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[MS 666] Talking of fame for which there is so great a desire, I observed how little there is of it in reality compared with the other objects of human attention. ‘Let every man recollect and he will be sensible how small a part of his time is employed in talking or thinking of Shakespeare Voltaire or any of the most celebrated men that have ever lived, or are now supposed to occupy the attention and admiration of the World. Let this be extracted and compressed: into what a narrow space will it go?’ I talked of David Garrick’s fame, and of his assuming the airs of a great man. Johnson. ‘[/Nay/ del] Sir It is wonderful how little Garrick assumes. No Sir, Garrick fortunam reverenter habet. Consider Sir — Celebrated men such as you have mentioned have had their applause at a distance. But Garrick had it dashed in his face, sounded in his [ear>] ears, and went home every night with the [applause÷plaudits>] plaudits of a thousand in his cranium. Then Sir Garrick did not find, but made his way to the tables, the levees, and almost the bed=chambers of the great. Then Sir [he÷Garrick>] Garrick had3 under him a numerous body of people who from fear of his power and hopes of his favour and admiration of his talents, were [very÷constantly÷exceedingly>] constantly submissive to him. And here is a man who has advanced the dignity of his profession. Garrick has made a Player a higher character.’ /Scott. ‘And he is a very [smart>] sprightly writer too.’ Johnson. ‘Yes Sir./4 And all this supported by great wealth of his own acquisition. If all this had happened to me, [MS 667] I should have had a couple of fellows with long poles walking before me, to knock down every body that stood in the way. Consider — if all this had happened to Cibber or Quin they’d have jumped over the moon. — Yet Garrick speaks to us’ (smiling). Boswell. ‘And Garrick is a very good man, a charitable man.’ Johnson. ‘Sir, a liberal man. He has given away more money than any man in England. There may be a little vanity mixed. But he has shewn that money is not his first object.’ Boswell. ‘Yet Foote used to say of him that he walked out with an intention to do a generous action; but turning the corner of a street he met with the ghost of a halfpenny which frightened him.’ Johnson. ‘Why Sir that is very true too. For, I never knew a man of whom it could be said with less certainty today what he will do tomorrow than [of del] Garrick, it depends [1st ed. ii. 211] so much on his humour at the time.’ Scott. ‘I am glad to hear of his liberality. He has been represented as very saving.’ Johnson. ‘With his domestick saving we have nothing to do. I remember drinking tea with him long ago when Peg Woffington made it, and he quarrelled with her for making it too strong. ≤“Why” said he “it is as red as blood.”≥5 He had then begun to feel money in 3 This word, though inadvertently deleted when JB scored through ‘he’ in favour of ‘Garrick’, was printed. 4 The optional sentences were printed. JB started to place his second virgule before ‘Johnson’, but quickly realized that if he dispensed with Scott’s comment in revision, SJ would still be speaking. Scott himself revised ‘smart’ to ‘sprightly’. 5 By the stage of revises, this detail had been folded into a footnote keyed to ‘strong’: ‘When Johnson told this little anecdote to Sir Joshua Reynolds, he mentioned a circumstance which he omitted to-day: — “Why (said Garrick) it is as red as blood.”’ Reynolds included the saying in a dialogue between Gibbon and SJ, the second of his two dialogues on Garrick, drafted in 1790, possibly from notes taken around 1780, but not published until 1816. Because the remark was printed in a footnote, F. W. Hilles

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H-P iii. 265–66

his purse, and did not know when he should have enough [on’t÷of it>] of it.’ [MS 668] [Boswell. ‘He thinks Sir you do not love him as he loves you÷as much as he loves you. He says you will let nobody else abuse him, but you do it yourself÷that you abuse him yourself.’ Johnson. ‘Why that is true.’ del]6 ≤[MS opp. 668] On the subject of wealth, the proper use of it, and the [wonderful del] effects of that art which is called Œconomy he observed ‘It is wonderful to think how men of very large estates not only spend their yearly income but are often actually in want of money. It is clear They have not value for what they spend. Lord Shelburne told me that a man of high rank who looks into his own affairs, may have all that he ought to have all that can be of any use or appear with any advantage for five thousand pounds a year. Therefore a great proportion must go in waste; and indeed this is the case with most people whatever their fortune is.’ Boswell. ‘I have no doubt Sir of this. But how is it? What is waste?’ Johnson. ‘Why Sir breaking bottles and a thousand other things. Waste cannot be accurately told, though we are sensible how destructive it is. Œconomy on the one hand by which a certain income is made to [serve÷maintain>] maintain [a man÷one>] a man genteely and waste on the other by which on the same income another man lives shabbily cannot be defined. It is a very nice thing; as one man wears his coat out much sooner than another, we cannot [explain÷tell>] tell how.’≥7 [MS 668 resumed] We talked of War. Johnson. ‘Every man thinks meanly of himself for not having been a soldier or not having been at sea.’ Boswell. ‘Lord Mansfield does not.’ Johnson. ‘Sir if Lord Mansfield were in a company of General Officers and Admirals who have been in service he would shrink, he’d wish to creep under the table.’ Boswell. ‘No. He’d think he could try them all.’ Johnson. ‘Yes if he could catch them. But They’d try him much sooner. No Sir. Were Socrates and Charles the twelfth÷XII /of Sweden/8 both present in any company and Socrates to say follow me and hear a lecture in Philosophy and÷but9 Charles laying his hand on his sword to say follow me and dethrone the Czar, a man would be ashamed to follow Socrates. Sir the impression is universal. Yet it is strange. As to the [sea>] sailor, when you look down from the quarter=deck to the space below you see the utmost extremity of human misery; such crowding such filth such stench.’ Boswell. ‘Yet sailors are happy.’ Johnson. ‘They [1st ed. ii. 212] are happy as brutes are happy with a piece of thought JB had discovered it ‘after the original page was ready for press’ (The Literary Career of Sir Joshua Reynolds, 1936, p. 147; Portraits, ed. F. W. Hilles, 1952, p. 110; Johns. Misc. ii. 239). As the MS reveals, JB had encountered it earlier. He heard the first dialogue—between Reynolds and SJ—on 9 Sept. 1790 (Journal); the typesetting of Life vol. ii. began later that month. JB added Garrick’s simile to MS 667, but had changed it into a footnote by Dec. 4, when he finished correcting proof for ‘p. 216’, that is, sig. Ee, pp. 209–16 (Corr. 2a, p. lxiv). 6 This exchange repeated part of an earlier footnote (see Life MS i. 270 ll. 35–36 and n. a1), yet its deletion could also have been related to information from Reynolds again (see note above), an anecdote told to similar effect in a Paper Apart for MS 709 (see post p. 226 ll. 18–20). 7 As situated on MS opp. 668, this paragraph mirrored the journal notes it was based on, which JB added in the margin of his entry (see Boswell in Extremes, p. 263 n. 8). 8 Printed ‘Charles the Twelfth of Sweden’ (so in revises). 9 Printed ‘and’ (so in revises).

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fresh meat, — with the grossest sensuality. But [MS 669] Sir the profession of soldiers and sailors has the dignity of danger. Mankind reverence those who have got over fear which is so general a weakness.’ Scott. ‘But is not courage mechanical and to be acquired?’ Johnson. ‘Why yes Sir in a collective sense. Soldiers consider themselves only as parts of [a whole.>] a great machine.’1 Scott. ‘We find people fond of being sailors.’ Johnson. ‘I cannot account for that any more than I can account for other strange perversions of imagination.’ ≤[MS opp. 669] His abhorrence of the profession of a Sailor was uniformly violent; but in conversation he allways exalted the profession of a Soldier. And yet I have in my large and various collection of his Writings, a letter to an eminent freind2 in which he expresses himself thus ‘My Godson called on me lately. He is weary, and rationally weary of a military life. If you can place him in some other state, I think you may increase his happiness and secure his virtue. A soldier’s time is passed in distress and danger, or in idleness and corruption.’ Such was his cool reflection in his study; but whenever he was warmed and animated by the presence of company, he like other philosophers whose minds are impregnated with poetical fancy, caught the common enthusiasm for splendid renown.3≥ [MS 669 resumed] He talked of Mr. Charles Fox of whose abilities he thought highly, but observed that he did not talk at our Club. I have heard Mr. Gibbon remark that Mr. Fox could not be affraid of Dr. Johnson yet he certainly was very shy of saying any thing in [Dr. Johnson’s÷his>] Dr. Johnson’s presence; Mr. Scott now quoted [the saying of Alcibiades παλαιν4>] what was said of Alcibiades — by a Greek Poet to which Johnson assented.5 He told us that he had given Mrs. Montagu a Catalogue of all Daniel Defoe’s works of imagination most if not all of which as well as [most of his other÷the other>] of his other works he now enumerated allowing a considerable 1

Revision made in Scott’s hand. The letter, dated 9 Sept. 1783, was to Dr. John Mudge, whose son, SJ’s godson, was Major-Gen. William Mudge (Letters of Johnson ed. Redford, iv. 196–97). In 1804, hoping that Forbes might find the letter, EM asked him ‘to whom it was addressed’. He thought it ‘odd’ that the letter had not been ‘inserted entire, according to the general plan observed in the work’, but surmised that the rest of it was unsuitable for publication, which is what Mudge had cautioned JB about in 1787 when sending him the letter (Corr. 2a, pp. 199, 465). In it SJ described his painful sarcocele and inquired how dangerous its surgical removal might prove. 3 The compositor ignored a vertical line before ‘Such’ (l. 15), possibly a virgule suggesting that JB initially considered this observation to be optional. 4 ‘Scott quoted the saying of Alcibiades λαλειν or λεγειν I think’ (Journ. 10 Apr. 1778). Misspelling the first word here in the Life MS, JB left the rest of the line blank and in the margin wrote ‘Get it.’ Plutarch quoted a phrase containing both words— Λαλεν 'ριστος, (δυνατẃτατος λéγειν (‘A prince of talkers, but in speaking most incapable’: Alcibiades xiii. 2, trans. B. Perrin, Loeb ed.)—from the comic poet Eupolis, who was characterizing Alcibiades’ opponent, Phaeax. 5 Scott made this revision, possibly thinking he had misquoted the Greek (see note above), or had quoted it to emphasize that Fox was the opposite, a fine public speaker but a poor conversationalist. Puzzlingly, he reversed the text (from something said by Alcibiades to something said of him), and added a circumstance not in JB’s journal: SJ’s assent. He wrote ‘by’ over a ‘J’ (perhaps a false start for ‘Johnson assented’), and ‘Johnson’ over what looks to have been ‘he’. This is the last of Scott’s revisions to this section of the MS (see ante p. 186 n. 5). 2

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H-P iii. 267–69

share of merit to a man who bred a silversmith6 had written so variously and so well. Indeed his Robinson Crusoe is enough of itself to establish his reputation.7 He expressed great indignation at the imposture of the Cock=lane Ghost and [told us÷related>] related with much satisfaction how he had assisted in detecting [MS 670] the cheat, and had published an account of it in the Newspapers. Upon this subject I incautiously offended him by pressing him with too many questions,8 and he shewed his displeasure. I apologised saying that I asked questions in order to be instructed and [entertained. But that>] entertained; I repaired eagerly to the fountain but that the moment he gave me a hint the moment he put a lock upon the well I desisted. ‘But Sir’ said he ‘that is forcing one to do a disagreable thing’ — and he continued to rate me. ‘Nay Sir’ said I ‘when you have [1st ed. ii. 213] put a lock upon the well so that I can no longer drink, do not make the fountain of your wit to play upon me & wet me.’ ≤[MS opp. 670] He sometimes could not bear being [teised with questions÷questioned>] teised with questions. I was once present when a gentleman asked so many as ‘What did you do Sir? What did you say Sir?’ that he at last grew enraged and said ‘I will not be put to the question. Don’t you [consider÷know>] consider Sir that these are not the manners of a Gentleman? I will not be baited with What and Why. What is this? What is that? Why is a Cow’s tail long, why is a Fox’s tail bushy?’ The Gentleman who was a good deal out of countenance said ‘Why Sir you are so good? 9 ≤that I venture to trouble you≥.’ Johnson. ‘Sir my being so good is no reason why you should be so ill.’≥ [MS 670 resumed] Talking of the Justitia Hulk at Woolwich in which Criminals were punished by being confined to labour, he said ‘I do not see that they are punished by this. They must have worked equally had they never been guilty of stealing. /They now only work/ so they have gained what they stole.÷so after all what they stole is clear gain to them. The confinement is nothing.1 Every man who works is confined; the Smith to his shop, the Taylor to his [garret÷board>] garret.’ Boswell. ‘And Lord Mansfield to his Court.’ Johnson. ‘Yes Sir. You know the notion of confinement may be extended as in the Song Every island is a prison. There [MS 671] is [a copy of verses in Dodsley’s Collection>] in Dodsley’s Collection a copy of verses to the Authour of that Song.’ 6 Changed to ‘tradesman’ in the second edition, owing to a correction from Reed: ‘Danl. de Foe never was a Silversmith. He had been at one time a Hosier’ (Corr. 2a, p. 384). 7 Memorandum in the Life Materials (M 158): ‘His Catalogue of Defoe’s Works’. 8 ‘On this or some oyr topick I troubled him wt too many questions …’ (Journ. 10 Apr. 1778). Identifying himself in the Life as the offender, JB at first related only part of SJ’s rebuke as documented in the journal. The rest of the rebuke, which JB added in revision as though spoken on another occasion to an unnamed ‘gentleman’ (l. 16), is divulged in the following paragraph. 9 The compositor ignored this inadvertent question mark, left intact when JB extended the sentence in revision. 1 Aided by the logic of this statement, and some ingenious punctuation, the compositor managed to use every unresolved optional and alternative element in the previous sentence, however awkward the result: ‘They now only work; so, after all, they have gained; what they stole is clear gain to them; the confinement is nothing’ (so in revises).

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Smiths verses on Pocoke2 were mentioned. He repeated some [of them÷from them>] from them3 and said they were Smith’s best verses. ≤[MS opp. 671] He talked with [a noble÷an uncommon>] an uncommon animation of travelling into distant countries, [how>] that the mind was enlarged by it and, [how>] that an acquisition of dignity of character was derived from it. He expressed a particular enthusiasm with respect to [visiting÷viewing÷surveying>] visiting the Wall of China as perhaps one of the most magnificent instances of human industry.4 I catched it for the moment, & said I really believed I should go & see the Wall of China had I not children of whom it was my duty to take care. ‘Sir’ said he ‘by doing so you would do what would be of importance in raising your children to eminence. There would be a lustre reflected upon them from your spirit and curiosity. They would be at all times regarded as the children of a Man who had gone to view the Wall of China. I am serious Sir.’≥ [MS 671 resumed] When we had left Mr. Scott’s he said ‘Will you go home with me?’ ‘Sir’ said I ‘it is late; but I’ll go with you three minutes.’ Johnson. ‘Or four.’ [(So minutely social could he be.) del] We went to Mrs. Williams’s room, where we found Mr. Allen the Printer who was the Landlord of his House in Bolt Court a worthy obliging man and his very old acquaintance; and what was exceedingly [1st ed. ii. 214] amusing though he was of a very diminutive size he used even in Johnson’s presence to imitate the stately periods & slow & solemn utterance of the Great Man. I this evening boasted that although I did not write what is called stenography or short=hand in appropriated characters devised for the purpose, I had a [method÷mode>] method of my own of writing half words and leaving out some altogether so as yet to keep the [meaning of what I heard>] substance & language of any discourse which I heard so much in view, that I could give it very completely soon after taking it down. He defied me, as he had once defied an actual short=hand writer, and he made [a trial÷the experiment>] the experiment by [MS 672] reading slowly & distinctly, a part of Robertson’s History of America while I endeavoured to write it in my way of taking notes. It was found that I had it very imperfectly, the conclusion from which was that its excellence was [chiefly÷principally÷greatly>] principally owing to a studied arrangement of words which could not be varied or abridged without [an essential injury.÷essentially injuring it.>] an essential injury. 2 Printed ‘Pokoke the great traveller’ in the revises. The latter part of his name was underscored and queried: ‘q cocke or coke’. A later deletion of the second option left ‘Pococke’ as the preferred spelling. SJ referred to Edward Pococke (1604–91) in his ‘Life of Smith’ as ‘the great Orientalist … who died in 1691’, and had remarked, upon the granting of his pension in 1762, ‘Had this happened twenty years ago, I should have gone to Constantinople to learn Arabick, as Pococke did’ (Lives ed. Lonsdale, ii. 173; HillPowell iv. 27–28). SJ thus admired the traveller in the linguist. Powell infers, however, that JB erroneously had in mind Dr. Richard Pococke (1704–65), known for his travels (Hill-Powell iii. 269 n. 3), an inference strengthened perhaps by JB’s memoranda (see next note) and by the next paragraph, added in revision, on visiting China. 3 Printed ‘of them’ (so in revises), either by mistake or by revision in proof. After ‘from them’ JB wrote ‘(try to find them)’, and in the margin added ‘See’. These memoranda, evidently fruitless, remain undeleted. 4 The phrase following ‘Wall of China’ (a later addition, with ‘perhaps’ added in the same draft) was omitted in the revises. The compositor possibly overlooked it, for JB left no caret to mark its insertion.

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On sunday [12 April>] April 12 I found him at home [before dinner÷in the forenoon>] before dinner. Dr. Dodd’s ≤Poem entitled≥ ‘Thoughts in Prison’ were5 lying upon [his table÷one of the tables in his study>] his table. [I allways thought this a wonderful performance÷Poem to be written>] This appeared to me an extraordinary effort by a man who was in Newgate for a capital crime. I was desireous to hear Johnson’s opinion of it. [To my surprise he told me÷I wondered to hear>] To my surprise he told me he had not read a line of [them>] it. I took up the Book & read a passage to him. [Johnson.÷He said>] Johnson. ‘Pretty well if [youre÷you are>] you are previously disposed to like them.’ I [then del] read another passage with which he was better pleased.6 He then took the Book into his own [hand>] hands, and having looked at the Prayer at the end of it he said ‘What evidence is there that this was composed the night before he suffered. I [dont÷do not>] do not believe it.’ He then read aloud where he prays for the King &c., and [then went [MS 673] on>] [MS 673] observed ‘Sir do you think that a Man the night before he is to be hanged, cares for the succession of a Royal Family? [Yet>] Though he [may>] may have composed [it÷this prayer>] this prayer then. [A man÷One÷He>] A man who has been canting all his life may cant to the last. ≤And≥ Yet a Man who has been refused [pardon÷a pardon>] a pardon after so much petitioning, would hardly be praying [so for>] thus fervently for the King.’ He and I /and Mrs. Williams/7 went to dine÷dined8 with the Reverend Dr. Percy. Talking of Goldsmith — Johnson said he was very envious. I defended him by observing that he owned it [freely÷frankly>] frankly upon all occasions. Johnson. ‘≤Sir≥ You are [confirming÷enforcing>] enforcing the charge. He had so much envy that he could not conceal it. He was so full of it that he overflowed. He talked of it to be sure often [and del] enough. Now Sir what a man [talks of÷avows÷owns>] avows he is not ashamed to think. Many a man thinks what he is ashamed to [speak out÷own÷avow÷talk>] avow. We are all envious naturally, but by checking envy, we get the better of it. [So÷As>] So we are all [1st ed. ii. 215] thieves naturally. A child allways tries to get at what it wants the nearest way. By good instruction and good habits this is cured, till a man has not even [an÷the>] an inclination to seise what is another’s, has no struggle with himself about it.’ ≤[MS 673v] And here I shall record a scene of [too much heat÷altercation>] too much heat between Dr. Johnson and Dr. Percy which I should have suppressed, were it not that [its sequel shewed the truely>] it gave occasion to shew÷occasion to a display9 the truely tender and benevolent heart of Johnson, who as soon as he found a friend was at all hurt by any thing which he had ‘said in his [wrath÷anger>] wrath’ was not only prompt and desireous 5 Printed ‘was’ (so in revises), in correction of the agreement error introduced when JB, without adjusting his verb, inserted ‘Poem entitled’ in front of ‘Thoughts in Prison’. 6 Memorandum regarding Dodd’s poem, later deleted: ‘See if you can recollect the lines.’ He could not. Having hoped to recollect them at the time, JB had left spaces in his journal (12 Apr. 1778) to identify the two passages later, but they remained blank. 7 The unresolved optional phrase was printed in the revises. 8 Printed ‘went to dine’ (so in revises). 9 JB’s flawed revision here seemingly created a set of alternatives. As resolved in print, the phrase read ‘it gave occasion to display’ (so in revises).

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[for reconciliation>] to be reconciled but exerted himself to make [ample÷the fullest>] ample reparation.≥1 [MS 674] Books of Travels having been mentioned Johnson praised Pennant very highly as he did at Dunvegan in the Isle of Sky.a Dr. Percy still holding himself as the heir male of the ancient Percies2 and having the warmest and most dutiful attachment to the noble House of Northumberland could not sit quietly and hear a [man÷writer praised÷commended>] man praised who had [spoken disrespectfully of÷attacked>] spoken disrespectfully of Alnwick Castle and the Dukes [Improvements÷pleasure grounds>] pleasure grounds, especially as he thought [poorly>] meanly of his Travels. He therefore opposed Johnson [keenly>] warmly. Johnson. ‘Pennant in what he has said of Alnwick has done what he intended; he has made you very angry.’ Percy. ‘He [says÷has said>] has said the Garden is trim which is representing it like a citizen’s parterre, [whereas÷when the truth is>] when the truth is there is a very large extent of fine turf & gravel walks.’ Johnson. ‘According to your own account Sir, Pennant is right. It is trim. Here is grass [mowed÷cut>] cut close and gravel rolled smooth. Is not that trim? The extent is nothing against that. A Mile may be as trim as a [square yard÷yard square>] square yard. Your extent [puts me in mind of÷is like÷is>] puts me in mind of the Citizen’s3 enlarged dinner — two pieces of roast beef and two puddings. [There÷Here>] There is no variety, no mind exerted in laying out the ground — no trees.’ Percy. ‘He pretends to give the natural history of Northumberland and yet takes no notice of the immense number of trees planted there of late.’ Johnson. ‘[Sir That÷That Sir>] That Sir has nothing to do with the natural history. [MS 675] That is civil history. A man who gives the natural history of the oak is not to tell how many oaks have been planted in this place or that. A man who gives the natural history of the Cow is not to tell how many cows are milked at Islington. The animal is the same whether milked in the park or at Islington.’ Percy. ‘Pennant does not describe well. A Carrier [going>] who goes along the side of Lochlomond would describe it better.’ Johnson. ‘I think he describes very well.’ Percy. ‘I travelled after him Sir.’4 Johnson. ‘And I travelled [1st ed. ii. 216] after him.’ a

Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides.a1

1 The following passage, as EM wrote to Sir William Forbes in 1798, gave ‘great offence’ to Percy. In a ‘long conversation’ after the first edition was published, Percy had ‘pointed out what he considered as most offensive, and what alterations he wished made’. JB agreed ‘that they all shd be adopted: and accordingly they were all made in the 8vo. edition’ (Corr. 2a, p. 462). For those changes in the second edition, see notes below and endnotes (also Corr. 2a, pp. 462–63 n. 2). 2 In the second edition JB added a lengthy footnote to support this claim, and rephrased the first part of the sentence, replacing ‘still holding himself as’ with ‘knowing himself to be’. For the text of the footnote, and Powell’s scrutiny of the ‘very slender evidence’ that Percy was descended from the Earls of Northumberland, see Hill-Powell iii. 271–72 n. 5 and 520–21. 3 Misprinted as a plural possessive; corrected in the second edition. 4 ‘Sir’ was added in the same draft, squeezed in between the period after ‘him’ and the edge of the page. Omitted in the revises, it probably was overlooked by the compositor. a1

Printed in the revises ‘“Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides,” edit. 3, p. 221.’

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LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 273–74

Percy. ‘But my good friend you are short=sighted and do not see so well as I do.’ — I wondered at Dr. Percy’s venturing thus. Dr. Johnson said nothing at the time. But inflammable particles were collecting for a cloud to burst. — In a little while Dr. Percy said something more [against÷in disparagement of>] in disparagement of Pennant. Johnson [(tartly÷contemptously)>] (pointedly). ‘This is the resentment of a narrow mind because he did not find every thing in Northumberland.’ Percy (feeling the [stroke÷blow>] stroke). ‘Sir you may be as rude as you please.’ Johnson. ‘Hold Sir. Don’t talk of rudeness. Remember ≤Sir≥ you told me ([blowing>] puffing hard with passion strugling for a vent) I was short-sighted. We are÷have5 done with civility. We are to be as rude as we please.’ Percy. ‘Upon my honour Sir, I did not mean to be uncivil.’ Johnson. ‘I [will÷can>] can not say so Sir; for I did mean to be uncivil [/thinking you had been uncivil/>] thinking you had been uncivil.’ — Dr. Percy rose ran up to him and [MS 676] taking him by the hand assured him affectionately that his meaning had been misunderstood upon which a reconciliation instantly [ensued÷took place>] took place. Johnson. ‘My Dear Sir I am willing you shall hang Pennant.’ Percy (resuming [his argument÷attack on the reviler of his Patron’s greatness>] the former subject). ‘Pennant complains that the helmet is not hung out to invite to the hall of hospitality.6 Now I never heard [of its being÷that it was>] that it was a custom to hang out a helmet.’ — Johnson. ‘Hang him up, hang him up.’ Boswell (humouring the joke). ‘Hang [up÷out>] out his scull instead of a helmet. And you may [all del] drink ale out of it ≤in your hall of Odin≥ as he is your ennemy. That will be truly ancient. [There>] There will be “Northern Antiquities”.’7 Johnson. ‘He’s a Whig Sir — [a scoundrel a hateful÷sad dog>] a sad dog (smiling at his own violent expressions merely for political difference of opinion). But he’s the best traveller I ever read. He observes more things than any one else does.’ I could not help thinking [this very exaggerated÷extravagant praise>] that this was too high praise of a [Gentleman del] Writer who [hurried over>] traversed over8 a wide extent of country [so very expeditiously÷in such haste>] in such such haste that he could put together only curt9 frittered fragments of his own, and [had more detailed intelligence sent after him by>] afterwards procured supplemental intelligence from parochial ministers and others not the best [qualified÷informed>] qualified or most impartial narrators, who1 at best treats merely of superficial objects [MS 677] and shews no philosophical investigation of character & manners such as Johnson has [shewn>] exhibited in his masterly ‘Journey’ over part of the same ground; and [who either from a desire of currying favour with the scotch or from the motive of procuring a 5

Printed ‘have’ (so in revises). Deleted memorandum, ‘See Pennant’. JB added a footnote here in the second edition: ‘The title of a book translated by Dr. Percy.’ 8 When JB deleted ‘hurried’ in revision, placing ‘traversed’ above it, he neglected to delete ‘over’ at the beginning of the next line. The mistake was caught later, and the superfluous word was omitted in the revises. 9 A query of this word in the revises was crossed out by JB. 1 Printed ‘narrators, whose ungenerous prejudice against the house of Stuart glares in misrepresentation; a writer, who’ (so in revises). 6 7

195

H-P iii. 274–76

MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1778

more extensive sale of÷to his Writings÷Publications÷who from a desire of currying favour with the scotch and perhaps from the motive of procuring a more extensive sale of÷to his Writings÷Publications>] who it should seem from a desire of ingratiating himself with the scotch has flattered the people of North Britain so inordinately and with so little discrimination that the judicious and candid amongst them must be disgusted, while they value more the plain just yet kindly report of Johnson.2 [1st ed. ii. 217]3 We had a calm [/evening/ del] after the storm[,] staid the evening & supt & were [easy & pleasant÷pleasant and gay>] pleasant and gay. But Dr. Percy told me he was very uneasy at what had passed; for there was a Gentleman there who had recently been admitted into the confidence of the Northumberland family,4 to whom [he>] Dr. Percy hoped to appear more respectable by shewing him how intimate he was with the great Dr. Johnson; and now the gentleman would go away with an impression much to his disadvantage as if Johnson treated him with [disregard÷contempt÷in a very disagreable manner, and by repeating it might>] disregard, which might do him an essential injury.5 He [desired÷begged>] begged I would mention this to Dr. Johnson which I [afterward>] afterwards did.6 His [MS 678] observation upon it was ‘This comes of Stratagem. Had he told me, that [it was of consequence to him to appear well that day÷he wanted to appear to advantage before that gentleman>] he wished to appear to advantage before that gentleman, he should have been at the top of the house all the time.’7 [He then expressed himself concerning÷spoke of>] He spoke of Dr. Percy in the handsomest terms. ‘Then Sir’ said I ‘may I be allowed to suggest [a way in which÷how>] a mode by 2 Here in the second edition JB introduced a new paragraph with three footnotes (Hill-Powell iii. 274–75 and nn. 2–4). In it he lauded Pennant as a zoologist, and praised Pennant’s Of London (1790; in later editions titled Some Account of London) as ‘one of the most pleasing topographical performances that ever appeared in any language’. From this work JB quoted Pennant’s description (in reference to Bolt-Court) of SJ. 3 On this, the first page of sig. Ff in the revises, JB left two messages for the compositor. In the right margin he wrote, ‘G.g. must wait a day or two. But be going on. There will be no over running.’ In the left margin he advised, ‘N.B. You do not put a semicolon often enough. Pray attend to this. But it is my duty to point so I have no right to find fault.’ Punctuation was on JB’s mind because he had just added three semicolons to p. 216 of the revises. 4 Not the Rev. Norton Nicholls, as identified in Hill-Powell, but the Rev. Robert Boucher Nichols (d. 1814), then a chaplain in the British army, and later Dean of Middleham (Boswell in Extremes, pp. 272–73 n. 5). 5 Much revised, the latter part of this sentence read as follows in the second edition: ‘for there was a gentleman there who was acquainted with the Northumberland family, to whom he hoped to have appeared more respectable, by shewing how intimate he was with Dr. Johnson, and who might now, on the contrary, go away with an opinion to his disadvantage’. 6 On 20 Apr. 1778 (Journal). The ensuing events—the dinner at Paoli’s and a meeting the following morning between JB and Percy—occurred on 24 and 25 Apr. (Journal). 7 A virgule followed by a false start here—‘/No Sir I love Percy, and have’—shows that JB contemplated an optional extension of SJ’s speech, putting words to his notation that SJ ‘then spoke well of Dr. P that I might repeat it to Ld. P [Lord Percy]’ (Journ. 20 Apr. 1778). As if the speech had been extended, JB placed terminal quotation marks at the end of the next sentence, but this mistake, if typeset in the first place, was corrected before the revises were printed.

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LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 276

which you may effectually [counteract÷do away>] counteract any unfavourable report of [your opinion of him>] what passed. I [shall>] will write a letter to you upon the subject of the unlucky contest of that day and you will be kind enough to put in writing as an answer to [my÷that>] that letter what you have now said, and in short all that you can say to [his>] [our friend Dr. Percy’s>] Dr. Percy’s advantage, and as Lord Percy is to dine with us at General Paoli’s [soon÷one day>] soon, I will take an opportunity to read the correspondence in his Lordships [presence÷hearing>] presence.’8 This friendly [concept>] scheme was accordingly [fulfilled>] carried into execution without [Dr. Percy’s knowledge.÷being communicated to Dr. Percy.>] Dr. Percy’s knowledge. Johnson’s letter was studiously framed to [ingratiate Dr. Percy still more with the great House of which he was earnest to preserve the regard>] place Dr. Percy’s unquestionable merit in the fairest point of view, and I contrived that Lord Percy should hear the correspondence, by introducing it at General Paoli’s as an instance of Dr. Johnson’s kind disposition towards one in whom his Lordship was interested.9 [MS 679] Thus [our friend Percy was÷was our friend Percy set÷raised higher>] our friend Percy was raised higher in the estimation of those by whom he most wished÷wished most1 to be esteemed.2 I breakfasted the day after with [Dr. Percy>] him and informed him of my scheme and its happy completion, for which he thanked me in the [warmest÷strongest>] warmest terms, and was highly delighted with Dr. Johnson’s Letter in his praise of which I gave him a copy. He said ‘I would rather have this than degrees from all the Universities in Europe. It will be for me, and my children and grandchildren.’ Dr. Johnson having afterwards asked me if I had given him a copy of it, & being told I had was [angry, said he had written it to help Dr. Percy, but he would not have it shewn about÷him to shew it about, and insisted>] offended, and insisted that I should get [back the Copy÷it back] it back which I did. As however he did not desire me to destroy [either the Original÷the Letter or the Copy, nor forbid÷or did not forbid me to let it be seen÷shew it>] either the Original or the Copy, or forbid me to let it be seen, I think myself at liberty to apply to it his general declaration to me concerning his other letters — that he [did not chuse they should be÷would not suffer them to be>] did not chuse they should be published in his lifetime but had no objection to their appearing after his death. I shall therefore [1st ed. ii. 218] insert this kindly Correspondence having faithfully narrated the [concomitant÷relative del] circumstances accompanying it.3 8 Because JB’s closing punctuation was difficult to detect, the end of his quotation went unmarked in early editions of the Life, even in Hill. It was finally punctuated in Hill-Powell. 9 In revision JB deleted three-quarters of the text on MS 678 (‘“Then Sir” said I … interested.’), but later changed his mind. It is unclear whether he revised the passage before deleting it, or did so after reinstating it by writing ‘Stet’ three times in the left margin. 1 Printed ‘wished most’ (so in revises). 2 Printed ‘regarded’ (so in revises). This sentence was changed as follows in the second edition: ‘Thus every unfavourable impression was obviated that could possibly have been made on those by whom he wished most to be regarded.’ 3 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take it in’, to which was added, ‘viz. three letters’, as planned in the Life Materials (M 157: ‘Johnsonian Additions’): ‘Correspondence concerning Dr. Percy in 1778.’

197

H-P iii. 277–78

MANUSCRIPT EDITION

[Paper Apart]4

To Dr. Samuel Johnson

1778

My Dear Sir. I beg leave to address you in behalf of our freind Dr. Percy, who was much hurt by what you said to him, that day we dined at his house,a when in the course of the dispute as to Pennant’s merit as a Traveller, you told Percy that ‘he had the resentment of a narrow mind against Pennant, because he did not find every thing in Northumberland.’ Percy is sensible that you did not mean to injure him. But he is vexed to think that your behaviour to him upon that occasion may be interpreted as a proof that he is despised by you, which I know is not the case. I have told him that the charge of being narrow=minded was only as to the particular point in question; and that he had the merit of being a Martyr to his noble Family. Earl Percy is to dine with General Paoli next friday; and I should be sincerely glad to have it in my power to satisfy his Lordship how well you think of Dr. Percy, who I find apprehends that your good opinion of him may be of very essential consequence; and who assures me that he has the highest respect and the warmest affection for you. I have only to add that my suggesting this occasion for the exercise of your candour and generosity is alltogether unknown to Dr. Percy, and proceeds from my good=will towards him and my persuasion that you will be happy to do him an essential kindness. I am more & more / My Dear Sir / Your most faithful / and affectionate humble servt. James Boswell [Paper Apart]5

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To James Boswell Esq:

Sir.

25

The debate between Dr. Percy and me is one of those foolish controversies which begin upon a question of which neither party cares how it is decided, and which is nevertheless continued to acrimony, by the vanity with which every man resists confutation. Dr. Percy’s warmth proceeded from a cause which perhaps does him more honour than he could [1st ed. ii. 219] have derived 30 from juster criticism, His abhorrence of Pennant proceeded from his opinion, that Pennant had wantonly and indecently censured his Patron, His anger made him resolve that for having been once wrong, he never should be right. Pennant has much in his notions that I do not like; but still I think him a very intelligent traveller. If Percy is really offended, I am sorry, for he is a man whom 35 a

Sunday

April 1778.a1

4

This Paper Apart, labeled ‘Copy’, is in JB’s hand. After transcribing this Paper Apart and labeling it ‘Copy’, JB attested to its accuracy: ‘The foregoing is an exact Copy of the Letter I received from Dr. Johnson. James Boswell’. His same-draft corrections are recorded in the endnotes. As usual, the compositor altered punctuation and capitalization as he saw fit. 5

a1

Printed ‘Sunday, April 12, 1778’ (so in revises).

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H-P iii. 278–79

I never knew to offend any one. He is a man very willing to learn, and very able to teach; A man out of whose company I never go without having learned something. It is sure that he vexes me sometimes, but I am afraid it is by making me feel my own ignorance. So much extension of mind, and so much minute accuracy of enquiry, if you survey your whole circle of acquaintance, you will find so scarce, if you find it at all, that you will value Percy by comparison. Lord Hailes is somewhat like him, But Lord Hailes does not perhaps go beyond him in research and I do not know, that he equals him in elegance. Percy’s attention to Poetry, has given grace and splendour to his studies of Antiquity. A mere Antiquarian is a rugged Being. Upon the whole, you see that what I might say in sport or petulance to him, is very consistent with full conviction of his merit. / I am / Dear Sir / Your most &c. Sam: Johnson. Apr. 23 — 78. [Paper Apart]6

To The Reverend Dr. Percy Northumberland=House

Dear Sir. I wrote to Dr. Johnson on the subject of the Pennantian Controversy; and have received from him an Answer which will delight you. I read it yesterday 20 to Dr. Robertson at the Exhibition; and at dinner to Lord Percy General Oglethorpe &c. who dined with us at General Paoli’s who was also a Witness to the high testimony to your honour. General Paoli desires the favour of your company next tuesday to dinner, to meet Dr. Johnson. If I can, I will call on you today. / I am with sincere regard 25 / Your most obedt. humble servt. James Boswell.7 Southaudley Street / 25 April. [MS 679 resumed] On Monday [13 April>] April 138 I dined with him at [MS 680] Mr. Langton’s, where were Dr. Porteus then Bishop of Chester, now .9 /He [1st ed. ii. 220] 30 of London and Dr. Stinton 6 JB’s original letter to Percy (L 1062). The compositor typeset the address as its heading. 7 JB added a footnote here in the second edition: ‘Though the Bishop of Dromore kindly answered the letters which I wrote to him, relative to Dr. Johnson’s early history; yet, in justice to him, I think it proper to add, that the account of the foregoing conversation and the subsequent transaction, as well as of some other conversations in which he is mentioned, has been given to the public without previous communication with his Lordship.’ (Hill-Powell omits ‘of’ from the phrase ‘as well as of some other’.) A half-truth, JB’s denial of ‘previous communication’ with Percy regarding the conversation of 12 Apr. 1778 was accurate as far as the first edition of the Life was concerned, but Percy had a direct hand in revising the account for the second edition. See ante p. 194 n. 1; also Life MS ii. 199 n. 3. 8 JB placed this revision at the top of MS 680: ‘On Monday April 13’. 9 JB left a blank space here instead of writing ‘& their Ladies’, the phrase that completes this sentence in his journal (13 Apr. 1778). If he intended to note other dinner guests, he abandoned that design. A period followed ‘Dr. Stinton’ in the revises.

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1778

was at first in a very silent frame./1 Before dinner, he said nothing but ‘Pretty Baby’ to one of the children. Langton said very well to me afterwards, that he could repeat Johnson’s conversation before dinner, as Johnson once had2 said that he could repeat whole Chapter of Serpents which was exactly thus ‘Of Serpents.’3 At dinner we talked of another mode in the Newspapers of giving Modern Characters in sentences from the latin classicks and of Parcus Deorum cultor, et infrequens, Insanientis dum sapientiæ Consultus erro, nunc retrorsùm Vela dare, atque iterare cursus Cogor relictos.4

5 6 7 8 9

10 11 12 13 being well applied to Soame Jenyns who after having wandered into the wilds 14

of infidelity had returned to the christian faith. Mr. Langton asked him as to the propriety of [construction of÷in del] Sapientiæ consultus. Johnson. ‘Though consultus [be÷was>] was primarily an adjective [it like amicus÷like amicus it>] like amicus it came to be used as a substantive. So [we have÷there is>] we have Juris-consultus a Consult in law.’ We talked of the styles of different painters and how certainly a Connoisseur could distinguish them. I asked if there was as clear a difference [in the÷of>] of styles in language as in painting or even in hand=writing, so that [MS 681] the composition of every [man÷individual>] individual may be distinguished. Johnson. ‘Yes. Those who have a distinguished style such as 1

The optional phrase was printed in the revises. Printed ‘Johnson had’ (so in revises), possibly by mistake. The word ‘once’ touches the last letter in ‘Johnson’, and at a glance could have been overlooked. 3 As in JB’s journal, the spaces before ‘whole’ and after ‘Of Serpents’ remained blank in the Life MS. On the basis of information supplied by Langton in a letter dated 30 Nov. 1790 (Corr. 2a, p. 267), the passage was printed as follows in the revises: ‘a complete chapter of “The Natural History of Iceland,” from the Danish of Horrebow, the whole of which was exactly thus: / “CHAP. LXXII. Concerning snakes. / “There are no snakes to be met with throughout the whole island.”’ 4 Alongside these verses JB wrote ‘See it well imitated by Duncombe’. Phrased more like a footnote than a memorandum, the sentence remained undeleted; its purpose evidently went unfulfilled. William Duncombe (1690–1769) rendered the opening lines from Horace’s Odes, I. xxxiv, as follows: 2

Misled before by Wisdom vain, I rarely visited the Fane, Devious from Truth!—But now, by Force, Must shift my Sails, and steer another Course: (The Works of Horace, in English Verse, by Mr. Duncombe, Sen. J. Duncombe, M.A. and Other Hands, 2nd ed., 4 vols., 1767, i. 130). Hill-Powell quotes the version of Philip Francis (iii. 279–80 n. 4). A series called ‘Modern Characters by Horace’, initiated by a correspondent styled ‘Etonensis’, appeared in The Morning Post, and Daily Advertiser from 13 Mar. to 22 Apr. 1778. The application of ‘Parcus deorum’ to Jenyns in conversation on 13 Apr. was improvised, for that verse did not crop up in The Morning Post until 22 Apr., when it was assigned to ‘Mr. W--lkes’. For JB’s earlier memorandum regarding ‘Parcus deorum’, see Life MS i. 280 n. 3.

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MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1778

was at first in a very silent frame./1 Before dinner, he said nothing but ‘Pretty Baby’ to one of the children. Langton said very well to me afterwards, that he could repeat Johnson’s conversation before dinner, as Johnson once had2 said that he could repeat whole Chapter of Serpents which was exactly thus ‘Of Serpents.’3 At dinner we talked of another mode in the Newspapers of giving Modern Characters in sentences from the latin classicks and of Parcus Deorum cultor, et infrequens, Insanientis dum sapientiæ Consultus erro, nunc retrorsùm Vela dare, atque iterare cursus Cogor relictos.4

5 6 7 8 9

10 11 12 13 being well applied to Soame Jenyns who after having wandered into the wilds 14

of infidelity had returned to the christian faith. Mr. Langton asked him as to the propriety of [construction of÷in del] Sapientiæ consultus. Johnson. ‘Though consultus [be÷was>] was primarily an adjective [it like amicus÷like amicus it>] like amicus it came to be used as a substantive. So [we have÷there is>] we have Juris-consultus a Consult in law.’ We talked of the styles of different painters and how certainly a Connoisseur could distinguish them. I asked if there was as clear a difference [in the÷of>] of styles in language as in painting or even in hand=writing, so that [MS 681] the composition of every [man÷individual>] individual may be distinguished. Johnson. ‘Yes. Those who have a distinguished style such as 1

The optional phrase was printed in the revises. Printed ‘Johnson had’ (so in revises), possibly by mistake. The word ‘once’ touches the last letter in ‘Johnson’, and at a glance could have been overlooked. 3 As in JB’s journal, the spaces before ‘whole’ and after ‘Of Serpents’ remained blank in the Life MS. On the basis of information supplied by Langton in a letter dated 30 Nov. 1790 (Corr. 2a, p. 267), the passage was printed as follows in the revises: ‘a complete chapter of “The Natural History of Iceland,” from the Danish of Horrebow, the whole of which was exactly thus: / “CHAP. LXXII. Concerning snakes. / “There are no snakes to be met with throughout the whole island.”’ 4 Alongside these verses JB wrote ‘See it well imitated by Duncombe’. Phrased more like a footnote than a memorandum, the sentence remained undeleted; its purpose evidently went unfulfilled. William Duncombe (1690–1769) rendered the opening lines from Horace’s Odes, I. xxxiv, as follows: 2

Misled before by Wisdom vain, I rarely visited the Fane, Devious from Truth!—But now, by Force, Must shift my Sails, and steer another Course: (The Works of Horace, in English Verse, by Mr. Duncombe, Sen. J. Duncombe, M.A. and Other Hands, 2nd ed., 4 vols., 1767, i. 130). Hill-Powell quotes the version of Philip Francis (iii. 279–80 n. 4). A series called ‘Modern Characters by Horace’, initiated by a correspondent styled ‘Etonensis’, appeared in The Morning Post, and Daily Advertiser from 13 Mar. to 22 Apr. 1778. The application of ‘Parcus deorum’ to Jenyns in conversation on 13 Apr. was improvised, for that verse did not crop up in The Morning Post until 22 Apr., when it was assigned to ‘Mr. W--lkes’. For JB’s earlier memorandum regarding ‘Parcus deorum’, see Life MS i. 280 n. 3.

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LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 280–81

Dryden and Milton can allways be distinguished.’ — I had no doubt of this but what I wanted to know was [if>] whether there was really a peculiar style to every man whatever as there is certainly a peculiar hand=writing a peculiar countenance, not widely different in many yet allways enough to be distinctive 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

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——— Facies non omnibus una Nec diversa tamen. The Bishop thought not, and said he supposed that many pieces in Dodsley’s Collection of Poems, though all very pretty had nothing appropriated in their style and in that ≤particular≥ could not be at all distinguished. Johnson. ‘Why ≤Sir≥ I think every man whatever has a peculiar style which may be [1st ed. ii. 221] discovered by nice examination and comparrison with others. But a man must write a great deal to make his style [easily÷obviously>] obviously discernible.5 As Logicians say, this [peculiarity÷appropriation>] appropriation of style is infinite in potestate [limited>] limited in actu.’ Mr. Topham Beauclerk came in the afternoon and he & Dr. Johnson & I staid to supper. It was mentioned that Dr. Dodd [wanted>] had once wished to be a member of [our÷the>] THE6 LITERARY CLUB. Johnson. ‘I should be sorry if any of our club were hanged. I will not say but some of them deserve it.a Beauclerk (supposing this to be aimed at persons for whom he had at that time a wonderful fancy, which [MS 681 Parcel 22]7 however did not last long)8 [grew irritated÷angry and keenly said>] was irritated and eagerly said ‘You Sir have a friend (naming him)9 who deserves to be hanged; for he speaks [against the people he lives best with behind their backs>] behind their backs against those with whom he lives on the best terms, and attacks them in newspapers. [He>] He certainly ought to be kicked.’ Johnson. ‘Sir We all do this in some a

≤See note, p. ____.a1≥

5 Printed ‘discernable’, an outmoded spelling; changed in the third edition to ‘discernible’, the spelling in SJ’s Dictionary. 6 Printed ‘The’, it being hard to see the double underscoring JB added when resolving his alternatives. Although unmarked in the revises, the mistake was corrected, and ‘THE’ was printed in the first edition. 7 Having sent Parcel 21 (MSS 634–81) to the printer, JB misremembered the page number of its last leaf. He numbered the current leaf ‘681’, and registered the start of ‘Parcel 22’ in the upper left-hand corner. 8 Distracted by this elaborate parenthesis, JB forgot that he had underscored ‘Beauclerk’ to mark a speech. Now slipping into narrative mode, he inadvertently turned ‘Beauclerk’ into the subject of a sentence. His mistake went unnoticed, and the name was typeset in small capital letters, followed by a period. The period was changed to a semicolon in the third edition, but the grammatical anomaly was never addressed. 9 George Steevens (Journal). The distinction SJ draws below—describing Steevens as ‘mischievous’ rather than ‘malignant’—is recorded in JB’s journal for 28 Mar. 1781 (Laird of Auchinleck, p. 298). a1 Added to the margin in the hand of Plymsell. Printed ‘See Note, page 108’ in the revises, prompting JB to query, ‘Should it not be added of this Volume’. These three additional words appeared in the first edition. On p. 108, in a letter dated 11 Mar. 1777, SJ told JB that there were several members of the club whom he did ‘not much like to consort with’ (Hill-Powell iii. 106).

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1778

degree Veniam petimus damusque vicissim. To be sure it may be done so much that a man may deserve to be kicked.’ Beauclerk. ‘He is [a malignant /fellow/.÷very malignant.>] very malignant.’ Johnson. ‘No Sir He is not malignant. He is mischievous if you will. He would do no man an essential injury. He may indeed love to make sport of people by vexing their vanity. [/No Sir/>] No Sir I once knew an old Gentleman who was absolutely malignant.1 He really wished evil to others and rejoiced at it.’ Boswell. ‘The Gentleman Mr. Beauclerk against whom you are so violent [is I know a man of good principles÷has good principles>] is I know a man of good principles.’ Beauclerk. ‘Then he does not wear them out in practice.’ Dr. Johnson2 who as I have observed before delighted in discrimination of character, and having a masterly knowledge of human nature was willing to take men as they are imperfect and with [a mixture of÷mingled>] a mixture of good & bad qualities, ≤I suppose≥ thought he had said enough in defence of his friend, [of÷for>] of whose merits notwithstanding his exceptionable points he had a just value ≤and added no more on the subject≥. [MS 682] On tuesday [14 April>] April 14 I dined with him at General Oglethorpe’s with General Paoli and Mr. Langton. General Oglethorpe declaimed against Luxury. Johnson. ‘Depend upon it Sir Every state of Society is as luxurious as it can be. Men allways take the best they can get.’ Oglethorpe. ‘But the best depends much upon ourselves; and if we can be as well satisfied with plain things we are in the wrong to accustom our palates to [which3>] what is highseasoned and expensive. What says Addison in his Cato speaking of ≤the Numidian [1st ed. ii. 222] Fresh is his food the product of the chace Amid some running stream he slakes his thirst Toils all the day and at th’ approach of night Upon some verdant bank he throws him down Or rests his head upon a rock till morn. And if the following day he chance to find A new repast or an untasted spring,≥ Blesses his stars and thinks it luxury.4 1 Littleton Poyntz Meynell. Given the portrayal of Steevens as ‘mischievous’ (see p. 201 n. 9), JB avoided ambiguity here by altering the terms of SJ’s condemnation (‘Old Meynel was most malevolent really wished mischief to others’: Journ. 13 Apr. 1778). 2 In revision JB put a crotchet to the left of ‘Dr. Johnson’ and started to write ‘NP’ for a new paragraph, but deleted these marks before he finished forming the ‘P’. Either the compositor missed the deletion, or JB changed his mind again later, for a new paragraph began here in the revises. 3 The phrase should have been ‘to that which’; JB’s revision fixed the problem. 4 The journal captured only this fragmentary quotation: ‘ as new or an untasted spring / Blesses his stars & thinks it luxury’ (14 Apr. 1778). JB left blank spaces on either side of the words ‘as new’, and space above for another verse. In the Life MS, copying just the final verse, he left enough room above it to accommodate four of the seven verses filled in later (the rest being added to MS opp. 682). As corrected perhaps in proof, the first four verses read as follows in the revises: ‘Coarse are his meals, the fortune of the chace, / Amid the running stream he slakes his thirst, / Toils all the day, and at the approach of night / On the first friendly bank he throws him down’. JB had written the eight verses correctly on a scrap of paper that he later stitched to a letter

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H-P iii. 282–84

[That kind of luxury>] Let us have that kind of luxury Sir if you will.’ Johnson. ‘But hold Sir. To be merely satisfied is not enough. It is in refinement and elegance that the civilised man differs from the savage. A great part of our industry and all our ingenuity is exercised in procuring pleasure and Sir a hungry man has not the same pleasure in eating a plain dinner that a hungry man has in eating a [fine>] luxurious dinner.5 /You see I put the case fairly. A hungry man may have as much nay more pleasure in eating a plain dinner, than a man grown fastidious has in eating a [fine>] luxurious dinner. But I suppose the man [MS 683] who decides between the two ≤dinners≥ to be equally a hungry man.’ Talking of different Governments. Johnson. ‘The more contracted that power is, [the easier is it destroyed÷tis the easier destroyed>] the more easily it is destroyed. A country governed by a despot is an inverted cone. Government there cannot be so firm as when it [is÷rests>] rests upon a broad basis gradually contracted as the Government of Great Britain which is [rested>] founded on the Parliament, then is in the Privy Council — then in the King.’ Boswell. ‘Power when contracted into the person of a Despot may be easily destroyed as the Prince may be cut off. So Caligula wished that the People of Rome had but one neck, that he might cut them off at a blow.’ Oglethorpe. ‘It was of the Senate he wished that. The Senate by its usurpation controuled both the Emperour and the People. And don’t you think that we see too much of that in our own Parliament?’ Dr. Johnson endeavoured to trace the etymology of Maccaronick Verses which were of Italian invention from Maccaroni; but on being informed that this would infer that they were the most common and easy verses, Maccaroni being the most [common>] ordinary and simple [dish÷food>] food, he was at a loss; for he said he rather should have supposed [MS 684] it to [import÷denote>] import in its primitive signification, a composition of several things; for Maccaronick verses are verses [composed>] made out of a mixture of different languages that is of one language with the termination of ≤an≥other.’6 I suppose there is almost no language in any country where there is any learning in which that Motley ludicrous species7 of [1st ed. ii. 223] composition may not be found. [It is÷I thought it>] It is particularly droll in low=dutch. The Polemomiddinia of Drummond of Hawthornden in which there is a jumble of from Langton (C 1694); when excerpting this letter for the Life, he drafted a footnote on the verso of the scrap (see post p. 268 n. a1). 5 Before revising ‘fine’ in this sentence, JB wrote and deleted ‘luxurious’ above ‘plain’, as if he had been about to reverse his adjectives. The undeleted virgule that follows, ignored by the compositor, suggests that JB originally considered the rest of the paragraph optional. These signs of uncertainty stemmed from his going beyond the journal record: ‘But Dr. Johnson maintained that a hungry man had not so much pleasure in eating a plain dinner as a hungry man had in eating a fine dinner’ (14 Apr. 1778). In attempting to elaborate this thought (or having SJ ‘put the case fairly’), JB altered its meaning, for his explanation, which supposes the two men to be ‘equally’ hungry, credits the plain dinner with giving more pleasure. 6 Forced by JB’s punctuation here to establish where SJ’s quotation began, the compositor placed the initial marks at ‘He rather …’ (so in revises). No one corrected the phrasing to ‘I rather …’. 7 Printed ‘specious’, a misreading corrected in the second edition.

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many [tongues÷languages>] languages moulded, as if it were, all8 in latin is well known. Mr. Langton made us laugh heartily at one in the Grecian mould by Joshua Barnes in which are to be found such comical Anglo-Ellenisms as [Clubboisin ebanchthen>] κλυββοιςιν εβανχθεν. They were banged with Clubs.9 [I have a very imperfect record of this day. del] On Wednesday [15 April>] April 15 I dined with [him>] Dr. Johnson at Mr. Dilly’s, & [met him>] was in high spirits, for I had been a good part of the morning [with÷on a visit to>] with Mr. Orme the able and eloquent Historian of Hindostan who expressed a high admiration of Johnson. ‘I do not care ≤(said he)≥ on what subject [he>] Johnson talks but I love better to hear him talk than any body. He either gives you new [ideas÷thoughts>] thoughts or new colouring. It is a shame to the Nation that he has not been more liberally rewarded. Had [MS 685] I been George [the Third÷III>] the Third and thought as he did about America, I would have given Johnson three hundred a year for his Taxation no Tyranny alone.’ [He was much pleased with the praise of÷such praise from>] I repeated this, and Johnson was much pleased with such praise from such a man as Orme. [We had at Mr. Dilly’s>] At Mr. Dilly’s today were Mrs. Knowles ≤the ingenious Quaker Lady≥1 Miss Seyward ≤the Poetess of Lichfield≥ the Rev. Dr. Mayo, and the Rev. Mr. Beresford Tutor to the Duke of Bedford. Before dinner [he>] Dr. Johnson seised upon Mr. Charles Sheridan’s Account of the late Revolution in Sweden and seemed to read it ravenously as if he devoured it, which was to all appearance his method of studying. ‘He [knows>] knew2 how to 8 MS orig. ‘were all’, without adequate space for punctuation. The added comma makes no sense, unless JB was trying for this rephrasing: ‘moulded, as it were, all in latin’. Typset, the comma was retained in the second and third editions of the Life, but was omitted in Hill-Powell. 9 Selfe queried the Anglo-Ellenism in the revises, wondering whether a syllable representing ‘bang’ should not also include the letter gamma. JB stood by his original spelling, writing the second word out again beneath the query. The purpose of an asterisk placed before (and deleted along with) the next sentence is unknown. 1 In the revises JB added a footnote on ‘Quaker Lady’: ‘Dr. Johnson describing [written over in] her needle=work in one of his letters to Mrs. Thrale Vol. I. p. 326 uses the learned word sutile; which [written over the start of Mrs.] Mrs. Thrale has mistaken [MS orig. mistakes], and made the phrase injurious by writing “futile pictures.”’ Mindful of the compositor’s labour, JB made this change conditional on its being readily accommodated: ‘If the note can be printed without deranging the presswork, well—if not, leave it out.’ The compositor made room for it by shifting two lines of text to the preceding page (ii. 222) and one line to the following page (ii. 224), adjusting his catchword on p. 222, but not on p. 223 (‘bad’; an error in the first edition). Although Mrs. Piozzi later stood by her reading (‘It was no Mistake—as Pictures they are futile’, she insisted in her 1816 copy of the Life), the Rev. Michael Lort, knowing of ‘two portraits of the king and queen made by Mrs. Knowles at Buckingham House’, suspected a misreading, and on a wager examined SJ’s letter of 16 May 1776 himself. As he told Percy in 1788, he discovered ‘a long s, Johnson’s usual mode of writing that letter’, although crossed with a dash by someone else, ‘perhaps by the printer or the corrector of the press’ (Hill-Powell iii. 522; John Bowyer Nichols, Illustrations of the Literary History of the Eighteenth Century, 8 vols., 1817–58, vii. 494). The ‘cross-bar is suspicious’, concurs Chapman, and Redford also reads ‘sutile’ (Letters of Johnson ed. Chapman, ii. 131 n. 5; ed. Redford, ii. 332). On the needle paintings of Mrs. Knowles, see Jennings, Gender, Religion, and Radicalism, pp. 35–38 and 75–77. 2 Printed ‘knows’ in the revises, someone evidently having noticed, in reading proof, that Mrs. Knowles was speaking. JB had revised the verb tense as though he were continuing to generalize in his own voice.

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H-P iii. 284–85

read better than any one’ said Mrs. Knowles; ‘he gets at the substance of a book directly, he tears out the heart of it.’ He kept it wrapt up in the table cloth in his lap during the time of dinner from an avidity to have [it÷one entertainment>] one entertainment in readiness when he should [be done with another entertainment>] have finished another, resembling (if I may use so coarse a simile) a dog who holds a bone in his [paw>] paws ≤in reserve≥ while he eats something else [/which has been thrown to him/>] which has been thrown to him. The subject of Cookery having been very naturally introduced at a table where Johnson who boasted of the niceness of his palate owned that ‘he allways found3 [a good dinner÷good dishes>] a good dinner’, he said ‘I could write a better Book of Cookery than [ever [MS 686] has÷[MS 685] has ever÷[MS 686] has yet been written; a Book>] has ever [MS 686] yet been written. It should be a Book upon philosophical principles. Pharmacy is now made much more simple. Cookery may be made so too. A prescription which is now compounded of five ingredients had formerly fifty in it. So in Cookery, if the nature of the [1st ed. ii. 224] ingredients be well known much fewer will do. [/Then/ as÷As>] Then as you cannot make bad meat good I would tell what is the best butcher meat the best beef the best pieces — how to chuse young fowls — the proper season of different vegetables — and then how to roast, and boil, and compound.’ Dilly. ‘Mrs. Glasse’s Cookery which is the best, was written by Dr. Hill. Half the Trade4 [know÷knew>] know this.’ Johnson. ‘Well Sir. This shews how much better the subject of Cookery may be treated by a Philosopher. But5 I doubt [of this report as to Hill÷if the Book be Hill’s>] if the Book be written by Hill; for, in Mrs. Glasse’s Cookery which I have looked into, Salt-Petre and Sal Prunella are spoken of as different substances [whereas÷when>] whereas ≤Sal Prunella≥ is only ≤Salt petre≥6 burnt on charcoal, and Hill could not be ignorant of this. However, as the greatest part of such a Book is [transcription÷made by transcription÷adopted>] made by 3 Wondering about this verb, Selfe underlined it and in the margin of the revises wrote ‘q loved’. Eliciting no response, his query—rather inconspicuous on a page dominated by JB’s new footnote and advice to the compositor (see n. 1 above)— possibly was overlooked. On the Dillys’ exceptionally ‘hospitable & well covered table’, see ante p. 50 l. 30 and following. 4 JB added a footnote here in the second edition: ‘As Physicians are called the Faculty, and Counsellors at Law the Profession; the Booksellers of London are denominated the Trade. Johnson disapproved of these denominations.’ As cited in OED (Trade, sb. 6. a), JB’s footnote is possibly the earliest printed occurrence of ‘the trade’ in this sense, referring to publishers and booksellers. See also Life MS i. 191 n. 3. 5 Squeezed in near the edge of the leaf and partly obscured by JB’s revision to the line below, ‘But’ was overlooked in the printing. 6 The vagueness of JB’s journal record of what SJ had said (‘when one is only Sal P burnt on charcoal’: 15 Apr. 1778) accounts for the two blanks originally left here in the Life MS. Salt-petre is potassium nitrate, or nitre, and sal-prunella is ‘Fused nitre cast into cakes or balls’ (OED, with the present sentence from the Life used in illustration). As described in Encyclopædia Britannica, 3 vols., 1768–71, ‘Nitre fixed by Charcoal’ is made by melting salt-petre to the fluidity of water in a crucible, then throwing in a quantity of charcoal dust; ‘the nitre and the charcoal will immediately deflagrate with violence’; when this ‘commotion’ has abated, more charcoal dust is thrown in, and the process is repeated until ‘no deflagration ensues’, at which point the matter in the crucible ‘will have lost much of its fluidity’ (ii. 121).

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transcription this mistake may have been carelessly [transcribed>] adopted. But you shall see what a Book of Cookery I shall make. I shall agree with Mr. Dilly for the Copy Right.’ [MS 687] Miss Seward. ‘That would be Hercules with the distaff indeed.’ Johnson. ‘No Madam. Women can spin very well; but they cannot make a good Book of Cookery.’ Johnson. ‘O! Mr. Dilly — You must know that an english Benedictin Monk at Paris has translated the Duke of Berwick’s [Memoirs÷Letters>] Memoirs from the original french and has sent them to me to sell.7 I offered them to Strahan, who sent them back with [a message÷this answer>] this answer that the first book he had published was the Duke of Berwick’s Life by which he had lost and he hated the name. Now I honestly tell you that Strahan has refused them; but I also honestly tell you that he did it upon no principle for he never looked into them.’ Dilly. ‘Are they well translated Sir?’ Johnson. ‘Why Sir, very well, in a style very current and very clear — I have written to the Benedictin to give me an answer upon two points — What evidence is there that the Letters are authentick? For if they are not authentick they are nothing — And how long will it be before the [/original/>] original french is published? For if the french ≤edition≥ is not to appear for a considerable time, [we shall [MS 688] have÷the translation [MS 688] will be almost as valuable as>] the translation [MS 688] will be almost as valuable as an original book. They will make two volumes in Octavo, and I have undertaken to correct every sheet as it comes from the press.’ — Mr. Dilly desired to see them, & [was to send÷said he would send>] said he would send for them. [I whispered him to ask÷He asked>] He asked Dr. Johnson if he would write a Preface to them? [Johnson. ‘No Sir.>] ‘No Sir. (said he)8 The Benedictines were very kind to me, and I’ll do what I undertook to do; but [I’ll÷I will>] I will not mingle my name with them — I am to gain nothing by them. I’ll turn them loose upon the World, and let them take their chance.’ Dr. Mayo. ‘Pray Sir are Ganganelli’s Letters authentick?’ Johnson. ‘No, Sir. Voltaire put the same question to the editor of them that I did to MacPherson. Where [is your Manuscript÷are the Originals>] are the Originals?’ [1st ed. ii. 225] 9 Mrs. Knowles [complained÷affected to complain>] affected to complain that men had [so del] much more liberty [than women.÷allowed them.>] allowed them than women. Johnson. ‘Why Madam, women have all the liberty they should wish to have. We have all the labour and the danger, and the women all the advantage. We go to sea, we build houses we do every thing in short, to [pay÷make>] pay our court to the women.’ Mrs. Knowles. ‘The 7 Memorandum, later deleted: ‘See’. The memoirs of James Fitzjames, Duke of Berwick upon Tweed (1670–1734), covering his life to the age of 45, were published by his grandson in 1777. The final decades of his life were added in 1778 by Abbé Luke Joseph Hooke (1714–96), whose English translation was published (by Thomas Cadell, not Dilly) in 1779 with a title reflecting these stages of composition: Memoirs of the Marshal Duke of Berwick. Written by himself. With a summary continuation from the year 1716, to his death in 1734. SJ had visited Hooke in Paris on his trip to France in 1775 (Hill-Powell ii. 397). 8 Although SJ’s name was deleted and ‘(said he)’ was added in what appears to be Plymsell’s hand, JB’s original formulation reappeared in the revises: ‘JOHNSON. “No, Sir.’ 9 In the margin of this page, the first of sig. Gg in the revises, JB expressed a sense of urgency: ‘I expected to have seen also the revise of H.h. at least. I request a little more dispatch.’

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H-P iii. 287–88

Doctor reasons very wittily,1 but not convincingly. Now Sir, you talk of building; the Mason’s wife if she is ever seen in liquor is ruined. The Mason may get himself drunk [MS 689] as often as he pleases, [without being much the worse considered÷looked upon for it nay,÷and let his wife and children starve>] with little loss of character nay, may let his wife and children starve.’ Johnson. ‘Madam in the first place if the Mason does get himself drunk and let his wife and children starve, the parish will oblige him to find security for their maintenance. We have different modes of restraining evil. Stocks for the men a ducking-stool for women, and a pound for beasts. If we require more perfection from women than from ourselves, it is doing them honour. And women have not the same temptations that we have. They may allways live in [good÷virtuous company÷the company of the good>] virtuous company; Men must mix in the World indiscriminately. If a woman has no inclination to do [ill there is no restraint in her being hindered from doing ill.÷it is no restraint to her to be hindered from doing what is wrong.>] what is wrong[,] being secured from it is no restraint to her. I [have÷am at>] am at liberty to walk into the Thames; but if I were to try it, my friends would restrain me in Bedlam, and I should be obliged to them [for so doing÷for restraining me del].’ Mrs. Knowles. ‘Still Sir I cannot help thinking it a hardship that more indulgence is given to men than to women. It gives a superiority to men to which I do not see [how÷why>] how they are entitled.’2 Johnson. ‘It is plain Madam one or other must have the superiority. As Shakespeare says “If two men ride on horseback one must ride behind.”’

[MS 690] Dilly. ‘I suppose Sir Mrs. Knowles would have them to ride in paniêrs,3 one on each side.’ Johnson. ‘Then Sir the horse would throw them both.’ — Mrs. Knowles. ‘Well, I hope that in another World the sexes [will÷shall>] will be equal.’ Boswell. ‘That is being too ambitious Madam. We might as well desire to be equal with the Angels. We shall all I hope be happy in a future state, but we must not expect to be all happy in the same degree. It is enough if we be 30 happy according to our several capacities. A worthy Carman will get to heaven as well as Sir Isaac Newton. Though equally good they will not have the same 25

1 Whether Mrs. Knowles said ‘wittingly’, as the journal records, or ‘wittily’, as drafted here, JB captured an outmoded usage. In the sense required, the former adverb was obsolete: ‘2. With knowledge; skillfully; wisely’. The latter adverb also (if SJ was not trying to amuse) was archaic: ‘1. Intelligently, cleverly, ingeniously’; or ‘2. Wisely, discreetly, sensibly’ (OED). 2 ‘Mrs. K, still insisted as a hardship that less indulgence was given to Women than to men & hoped in anoyr World sexes equal’ (Journ. 15 Apr. 1778). JB separated these thoughts in the Life, and brought in the word ‘superiority’, in order to introduce the three following speeches (by SJ, Dilly, and SJ) that he recalled only after finishing ‘this excellent interview’ in the journal. To keep track of this material, he put an X after ‘Angels’ (see l. 28), and in the margin of the journal wrote ‘See more of this, some pages farther on’ (see Boswell in Extremes, pp. 284–85 and 290–91). The verse below (l. 23), slightly indented beneath a full line of copy, was not set apart in print. 3 Printed ‘panniers’ (so in revises). In the journal, ‘panier’ bore no accent; the incorrect one JB added here was ignored. In French panier is not accented, with one exception, the panière, which is a ‘grand panier à anses’ or its contents (Le Grand Robert de la Langue Française, 2nd ed., 9 vols., 1989, vii. 43).

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degrees of happiness.’ Johnson. ‘[I suppose÷Probably>] Probably not.’ [Mr. Dilly [MS opp. 690] said added and deleted]4 ≤[MS opp. 690] Upon this subject I had once before [tried>] sounded him by [quoting÷mentioning>] mentioning the late Reverend Mr. Brown [at÷of>] of Utrecht’s image that a great and small glass though equally full did not hold an equal quantity, which he [urged÷threw out>] threw out to refute David Hume’s saying that a little Miss going to dance at a ball in a [1st ed. ii. 226] fine new dress was as happy as a great Orator5 after having made an eloquent and applauded speech. After some thought, he said ‘I come over to the Parson.’ As an instance of coincidence of thinking, Mr. Dilly told me that Dr. King a late dissenting Minister in London said to him upon the happiness in a future state of good men of different capacities ‘A pail does not hold so much as a tub, but if it be equally full it has no reason to complain. Every saint in heaven will have as much happiness as he can hold.’ Mr. Dilly thought this a [plain though a familiar substitution for÷clearer illustration of>] clearer though a familiar illustration of the phrase ‘one star differeth from another in brightness.’≥ [MS 690 resumed] Dr. Mayo having asked his opinion of Soame Jennyns’s ‘View of the internal evidence of [Christianity÷the Christian Religion’>] the Christian Religion’ Johnson. ‘I think it a pretty Book; — not very theological indeed, and there seems to be an affectation of ease and carelessness, as if it were not suitable to his character to be very serious about the matter.’ Boswell. ‘He may have intended this to introduce his book the better among genteel people, who might be unwilling to [listen to>] read too grave a Book. There is a general levity in the Age. We [MS 691] have physicians now [in÷with>] with bagwigs. May we not have [gentlemen-divines÷gentlemanlike divines÷airy divines>] airy divines, ≤at least≥ somewhat less solemn in their appearance than they used to be.’ Johnson. ‘Jennyns might mean as you say.’ BOSWELL. ‘[You>] You should like his Book Mrs. Knowles, as it maintains as [your÷you friends>] you friends do, that courage is not a christian virtue.’ Mrs. Knowles. ‘Yes indeed I like him there; but I cannot agree with him that friendship is not a christian virtue.’ Johnson. ‘Why Madam, strictly speaking he is right. All friendship is preferring [the interest of a friend to the neglect, or perhaps against the interest of another;÷the good of one friend to the neglect of another6;>] the interest of a friend to the neglect, or perhaps against the interest of others; so that an old Greek said “He that [has÷had friends has÷had no friend>] has friends has no friend.” Now Christianity recommends universal benevolence, to consider all 4 Having initially passed over the next two sentences in his journal, JB in revision decided to add them, and drafted this phrase as a start. Later he deleted the phrase, having chosen to expand the sentence about ‘Brown at Utrecht’ first and use Dilly’s comment as a coda. The conversation in which JB ‘once before’ mentioned Brown to SJ took place the previous day, 14 Apr. 1778 (Boswell in Extremes, p. 285 and n. 5). The deletion of ‘said’ on MS opp. 690 having given the following phrase the appearance of being indented, a new paragraph started here in the revises. 5 Printed in the revises ‘oratour’, as spelled in SJ’s Dictionary. 6 JB structured this alternative by placing ‘of’ above and to the right of ‘neglect’. An additional ‘of’, however, written above ‘interest’, suggests a third option, one that, within the framework of the second, retained the phrase ‘or perhaps against the interest’. Its placement there, when ‘interest’ already was followed by ‘of’, was either a mistake, or evidence of some third potential wording.

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men as our bretheren, [and this>] which is contrary to the virtue of friendship as described by the ancient philosophers. Surely Madam [you>] your sect must approve of this; for, you call all men friends.’ Mrs. Knowles. ‘We are commanded to do good to all men but especially to them who are of the household of Faith.’7 Johnson. ‘Well Madam. The Household of Faith is wide enough.’ Mrs. Knowles. ‘But Sir our Saviour had twelve Apostles, yet [/there was/ one÷but one>] there was one whom he loved. [MS 692] John was called the disciple whom Jesus loved.’8 Johnson (with eyes sparkling benignantly). ‘Very well indeed Madam. You have said very well.’ Boswell. ‘A fine application. Pray Sir, had you ever thought of it?’ Johnson. ‘I had not Sir.’ From this amiable and pleasing [thought>] subject he I know not how or why made a sudden transition to one [upon÷on÷as to>] upon which he was a [sad>] violent aggressor; for he [1st ed. ii. 227] said ‘I am willing to love all mankind except an American’; and his inflammable corruption [bursting into÷taking>] bursting into horrid fire he ‘breathed out slaughter’9 calling them ‘Rascals Robbers Pirates’, and crying ≤out≥ he’d ‘burn and destroy.’ Miss Seward looking to him with mild but steady astonishment said ‘Sir this is an instance that we are allways most violent against those whom we have injured.’ — [He was irritated still more by this keen touch and roared /out/÷uttered another tremendous volly which one might fancy could be heard accross the Atlantick. — During this tempest I sat in great uneasiness, lamenting his ferocity, till by degrees I led him upon÷to another subject.÷till by degrees it ceased. /I led him upon÷to another subject./1>] [He was irritated still more by this delicate keen reproach and roared /out/÷uttered another tremendous volly which one might fancy could be heard accross the Atlantick. — During this tempest I sat in great uneasiness, lamenting his ferocity÷violence÷heat of temper,2 till by degrees it ceased.>] He was irritated still more by this delicate keen reproach3 and roared /out/4 another tremendous volly which one might fancy could be heard accross the Atlantick. — During this tempest I sat in great uneasiness, lamenting his heat of temper, till by degrees I diverted his attention to other topicks. ≤[MS opp. 692] Dr. Mayo (to Dr. Johnson). ‘Pray Sir Have you read Edwards of New England÷Jersey5 on Grace?’ Johnson. ‘No Sir.’ Boswell. ‘It puzzled me so 7 Mrs. Knowles’s biblical quotation (Galations 6: 10) was punctuated as an internal quotation in the revises. 8 Again, her biblical phrase (John 21: 20) was printed in the revises as an internal quotation. 9 Printed ‘breathed out threatenings and slaughter’ (so in revises), someone having furnished the whole phrase from Acts 9: 1. 1 The virgules around this clause gave JB a third way to conclude the paragraph in revision. 2 The more spidery hand in which JB drafted these alternatives (see p. 210 n. 7) suggests that, although it was his second pass through this sentence, he planned on returning to it for final revisions. 3 Printed ‘delicate and keen reproach’ (so in revises). JB wrote ‘delicate reproach’ above ‘keen touch’ as though it were a substitute phrase, but deleted only ‘touch’. Whether the wording of this ambiguous revision was adjusted in typesetting or in proof-reading is unknown. 4 The optional word was printed in the revises. 5 Printed ‘New England’ (so in revises).

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much as to the freedom of the human will, by demonstrating with wonderful acute ingenuity our being actuated by a series of motives which we cannot resist, that the only relief I6 had was to forget it.’ Mayo. ‘But he makes the proper distinction between moral & physical necessity.’ Boswell. ‘[/Alas/ it comes all÷They come both to the same thing. Edwards bound me with leather straps as hard as I could be with iron chains.÷You may be bound as hard by chains when covered with leather as not.>] Alas Sir They come both to the same thing. You may be bound as hard by chains when covered with leather as when the iron appears. The Argument for [a÷the>] the moral necessity of human [life>] actions is allways I observe fortified by [the prescience of the Deity as one of his Attributes.÷prescience as one of the Attributes of the Deity.>] supposing universal prescience to be one of the Attributes of the Deity.’ Johnson. ‘You are surer [that you are÷of your being>] that you are free than you are of prescience; you are surer that you can lift up your finger or not as you please than you are of any conclusion from a deduction of reasoning. But let us consider a little the objection from prescience.7 It is certain I am either to go home tonight or not; That does not prevent my freedom.’ Boswell. ‘That it is certain you are either to go home or not does not prevent8 your freedom because the liberty of choice between the two is compatible with that certainty. But if [you be certain>] one of these events be certain now you have no future power of volition. If it be certain that you are to go home tonight you must go home.’ Johnson. ‘If I am well acquainted with a man, I can judge with great probability how he will act in any case, without his being restrained by my judging. GOD may have this probability increased to certainty.’ Boswell. ‘When it is increased to Certainty freedom ceases, because that cannot be certainly foreknown which is not certain at the time, but if it be certain at the time, it is a contradiction in terms to maintain that there can be afterwards any contingency dependant upon the exercise of will or any thing else.’ Johnson. ‘All theory is against the freedom of the will; all practice÷experience9 for it.’ — — I did not push the subject any farther. I was glad to find [1st ed. ii. 228] him so mild upon it now, as he had been so very violent in 1769 as I have related.1≥ 6 When JB turned over MS 692, the ink from a fresh deletion stroke on that page left a line here under ‘I’, and the word was italicized in print. The mistake was corrected in the second edition. 7 While adding this passage (from near the end of his journal entry for this date) to MS opp. 692, JB here made a shift to squeeze it all onto this page. Whether in the same sitting or later, he took a quill with a narrower nib and completed the paragraph in a smaller hand, filling up the remaining space at the bottom and top of the page. With this quill he also made a few preliminary revisions on this page and on MS 692. 8 Misprinted ‘does not, prevent’ (so in revises). The faulty comma was removed in the second edition. 9 Printed ‘experience’ (so in revises). 1 A substantially altered sentence was printed in the revises: ‘I was glad to find him so mild in discussing a question of the most abstract nature, which is involved [third edition nature, involved] with theological tenets, which he generally would not suffer to be in any degree opposed.’ A footnote also had been printed: ‘If any of my readers are disturbed by this thorny question, I beg leave to recommend to them [word(s) illegible beneath deletion] of Montesquieu’s Lettres Persandes; and the late Reverend Mr. John Palmer of Islington’s Answer to Dr. Priestley’s mechanical arguments for what he calls [second edition absurdly calls] “Philosophical Necessity.”’ JB corrected the typographical error in ‘Persandes’, deleted ‘Reverend’, and for the illegible print substituted ‘one of’ (later

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[MS 692 resumed] He as usual defended Luxury: ‘You cannot spend money in luxury without doing good to the poor. Nay you do more good to them [MS 693] by spending it in luxury than by giving it, for by spending it in luxury, you make them exert industry, whereas by giving it you keep them idle. I own indeed there may be more virtue in giving it immediately in charity than in spending it in luxury, though there may be a pride in that too.’ Miss Seward [objected÷observed that he was giving÷asked if this was not>] asked if this was not Mandeville’s doctrine of ‘Private vices publick benefits.’ Johnson. ‘The fallacy of that book is that [he÷Mandeville2>] Mandeville defines neither vices nor benefits. He reckons [vices÷among vices÷vice among>] among vices every thing that gives pleasure. He takes the narrowest system of morality, monastick morality which holds pleasure [of itself to be÷to be of itself>] to be of itself a vice, such as eating salt with our fish because it makes it taste better, and he reckons Wealth as a [Publick>] publick benefit which is by no means allways true. Pleasure of itself is not a vice. Having a garden which [is÷we all know to be as innocent as any thing that can be supposed>] we all know to be perfectly innocent, is a great pleasure. At the same time, in this state of being there are many pleasures vices, which however are [so immediately÷immediately so>] so immediately agreable that we can hardly abstain from them. The happiness of Heaven will be, that pleasure and virtue will be perfectly consistent. Mandeville puts the case of a man who gets drunk at an alehouse, and says it is a publick benefit, [MS 694] because so much money is got by it to the Publick. But it must be considered that all the good [gained÷produced>] gained by this through the [gradation÷series>] gradation of alehouse=keeper, brewer maltster and farmer is overballanced by the evil caused to the man and his family by his getting drunk. This is the way to try what is vicious, [— if we find more evil than good produced>] by ascertaining whether more evil than good is produced by it upon the whole which is the case [with÷in÷as to>] in all vice. It may happen that good is produced by vice, but not as vice; For instance a robber may take money from its owner, and give it to one who will make a better use of it. Here is [good÷a good>] good produced, but not by the robbery as robbery but as translation of property. I read Mandeville forty or I believe fifty years ago. He opened my views into real life very much. He did not puzzle me.3 No. it is clear that the happiness of society depends on virtue. In Sparta theft was allowed by general consent; theft therefore was there not a crime; [1st ed. ii. 229]4 But then there was no security; and what a life must they have [led>] had when there was no security. — Without Truth there must be a dissolution of society. As it is, there is so little truth that we are [allmost affraid÷affraid almost>] allmost affraid to trust our ears; replaced, in another hand, by ‘Lett. 69’). This footnote elicited a lengthy response from Capel Lofft (Corr. 2a, pp. 319–22). 2 Actually ‘Mandevilles’, as though an alternative phrase beginning with this possessive initially presented itself to JB. The error was ignored in revision and in typesetting. 3 These two sentences stand in all editions in reverse order. JB transposed them (a same-draft revision) by writing ‘1’ above ‘He opened’ and ‘2’ above ‘He did’. Evidently not seeing the numerals, the compositor printed the sentences in the original sequence, with a semi-colon between the clauses. His error went uncorrected. 4 Page 229 was mistakenly numbered 289 in the first edition, despite Selfe’s correction in the revises.

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But how should we be if falshood were multiplied ten times? [MS 695] Society is held together by communication and information; and I remember a÷this5 remark of Sir Thomas Brown’s “Do the devils lie? No; for then Hell could not subsist.”’ 6 ≤[MS opp. 695] Talking of Miss —— a literary Lady7 he said ‘I was obliged to speak to Miss Reynolds to let her know that I [desired that she would÷might not flatter me so.’>] desire8 she would not flatter me so much.’ [It was to this Lady when ostentatiously teising him with compliments in a large company that he made this reply÷gave this reproof: ‘Madam you should first be sure that your praise is worth having, before you are so liberal of it.’9 del] — Somebody now observed ‘She flatters Garrick.’ Johnson. ‘She is in the right to flatter [Garrick, right>] Garrick. She is right for two reasons, [/first/>] first because she has the World with her who have been praising Garrick these thirty years and [/secondly/>] secondly because she is rewarded for it by Garrick. Why should she flatter me? I can do nothing for her. Let her carry her praise to a better market. (Then turning to Mrs. Knowles) You Madam have been flattering me all the evening. I wish you would give Boswell a little now. If you knew his merit as well as I do, [you’d÷you would>] you would say a great deal. — [Hes÷He is>] He is the best travelling companion in the world.’ Somebody mentioned The Reverend Mr. Mason’s prosecution of Mr. Murray the Bookseller for having inserted in a Collection of Gray’s Poems one of lines1 of which Mr. Mason had still the exclusive property under the Statute of Queen Anne, and that Mr. Mason had rejected very fair offers of compensation.2 [Johnson. ‘It was a mighty mean and ill=natured conduct. 5

Printed ‘this’ (so in revises). Undeleted memorandum, ‘See the passage’, an echo of the prompt in JB’s journal, ‘Vide the passage’. Browne’s remark occurs in Pseudodoxia Epidemica, I. xi (Boswell in Extremes, p. 289 and n. 9). 7 Hannah More (Journ. 15 Apr. 1778), as previously identified by Mrs. Piozzi (HillPowell iii. 293 n. 3) and by Theophila Palmer Gwatkin in the copy of the Life presented by JB to her uncle, Sir Joshua Reynolds (Johnsonian News Letter 35, no. 2, June 1975, p. 4). 8 Printed ‘desired’ (so in revises); JB’s deletion stroke through the final ‘d’ possibly was missed. 9 Deleting this anecdote (not recorded in the journal) in revision, JB perhaps had in mind the lengthier passage about Hannah More’s flattery on MSS 988–89, where SJ is quoted to the same effect. See vol. 4, forthcoming in this edition, and Hill-Powell iv. 341. 1 Printed ‘only fifty lines’ (so in revises). In dispute were three poems bequeathed to Mason by Gray. Murray reprinted them in Poems by Mr. Gray (1776) from Mason’s authoritative Poems of Mr. Gray; to which are prefixed Memoirs of his Life and Writings (1775). The final decree in Mason v. Murray, not issued until 13 July 1779, ordered Murray to pay just £3 in damages, though it also established an important point in copyright law. ‘Controversy is unprofitable’, sighed Mason in a letter of 24 July 1779, the lawsuit having cost him over £200. See William Zachs, The First John Murray and the Late Eighteenth-Century London Book Trade, 1998, pp. 184–89. 2 Printed ‘and that Mr. Mason had persevered, notwithstanding his being requested to name his own terms of compensation’ (so in revises), with a footnote keyed to ‘compensation’: ‘See “A Letter to W. Mason, A. M. from J. Murray, Bookseller in London;” 2d edition, p. 29.’ Murray’s Letter, in the view of Zachs, amounted to libel; parts of it read ‘like satirical harangues’. Mason found the abuse ‘so gross and illiberal’ that, quoting Job (‘O that my adversary had written a book’), he thought it would ‘tend greatly to give a right issue to the cause’ (The First John Murray, pp. 185, 187). The page number cited by JB, misprinted ‘20’ in the second edition, was corrected by Hill-Powell. 6

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H-P iii. 294–95

Mason’s a Whig.’÷Johnson signified his disapprobation of Mr. Mason’s conduct very strongly but added ‘Mason’s a Whig.’>] Johnson signified his disapprobation of Mr. Mason’s conduct very strongly but added by way of shewing that he was not surprised — ‘Mason’s a Whig.’ Mrs. Knowles (not hearing accurately). ‘What? a Prig, Sir?’ Johnson. ‘Worse Madam. A Whig. But he is both.’3 [I immediately rhimed in Dr. Johnson’s own style÷threw into rhime what Johnson had said in prose & making it in character Mason they tell us is a Prig And what is worse the dog’s a Whig. del]≥

[MS 695 resumed] I expressed a horrour at ≤the thought of≥ death. Mrs. Knowles. ‘Nay [you should not>] thou shouldst not have a horrour for what is the gate of life.’ Johnson (standing upon the hearth rolling about said4 with a serious, solemn, and somewhat gloomy air) ‘No rational man can die without uneasy apprehension.’ Mrs. Knowles. ‘The scriptures tell us “The righteous shall have hope in his death.”’ Johnson. ‘Yes Madam; that is he shall not have despair. But consider, his hope of salvation must be founded on the terms on which it is promised that the mediation of our SAVIOUR shall be applied to us — namely obedience; and where obedience has failed, then as suppletory to it, repentance. [1st ed. ii. 230] But what man can say that his obedience has been such as he 20 would approve of in another or even in himself upon close examination [and then his repentance may be÷or that his repentance has not been>] or that his repentance has not been such as to require being repented of. No man can be sure that his obedience and repentance will obtain salvation.’ Mrs. Knowles. ‘But divine intimation of acceptance may be made to the soul.’ [MS 696] 25 Johnson. ‘Madam it may; but I should not think the better of a man who should tell me on his death=bed he was sure of salvation. A man cannot be sure himself that he has divine intimation of acceptance; much less can he make others sure that he has it.’ Boswell. ‘Then Sir we must be content÷contented5 to [lay it down that death will be÷acknowledge that death is>] acknowledge that death 30 is a terrible thing.’ Johnson. ‘Yes Sir. I have made no approaches to a state which can look on it as not terrible.’ Mrs. Knowles (seeming to enjoy a pleasing serenity in the persuasion of benignant divine light).6 ‘Does not St. Paul say “I have fought the good fight of faith, I have finished my course, henceforth is laid up for me a crown of life.”’ 7 Johnson. ‘Yes Madam; but here was a man 10 11 12 13 14 15

3 For JB’s anticipation of this paragraph, with ‘Johnson’s attack on Mason’, see ante p. 26 n. 8. 4 This verb, written over ‘an[d]’, was omitted in the revises. JB had turned his parenthetical description into a clause by accident. 5 Printed ‘contented’ (so in revises). 6 In this parenthetical phrase (added in the same draft) there are two ambiguities. At the end of the first word, it is unclear whether JB wrote ‘ing’ over ‘ed’, or ‘ed’ over ‘ing’; and he put deletion strokes through the closing parenthesis while leaving the opening parenthesis intact. The compositor evidently decided that the deletion was a mistake (along with ‘seemed’, which would have turned the phrase into the predicate of a sentence with ‘Mrs. Knowles’ as its subject), and typeset what is transcribed. 7 Undeleted memorandum, ‘See it’ (2 Timothy 4: 7–8). Printed ‘“Does not St. Paul say, ‘I … life?”’ (so in revises). Even though Mrs. Knowles was posing a question, JB

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inspired, a man who had been converted by supernatural interposition.’ Boswell. ‘In [theory÷prospect>] prospect death is dreadful; but in fact we find that people die easily.’8 Johnson. ‘Why Sir ≤most≥ people have not thought much of the matter, so cannot say much, and it is supposed they die easily. Few believe it certain they are then to die, and those who do, set themselves to behave with resolution as a man does who is going to be hanged. He is not the less unwilling to be hanged.’ ≤[MS opp. 696]9 Miss Seward. ‘There is one mode of the fear of death which is certainly absurd and that is the dread of annihilation, which is only a pleasing sleep without a dream.’ Johnson. ‘It is neither pleasing nor sleep; it is nothing; now mere existence is so much better than nothing that one would rather exist even in pain than not exist.’ Boswell. ‘If annihilation be nothing, then existing in pain is not a comparative state, but is a positive evil which I cannot think we should chuse. I must be allowed to differ here, /and/1 it would lessen the hope of a future state [from the argument that the Supreme Being who is good as he is great will÷must do justice to us in a future state, if we have had a life of suffering here. For>] founded on the argument that the Supreme Being who is good as he is great will hereafter compensate for our sufferings in this life.2 For if existence such as we have it here be comparatively a good, we have no reason to complain though no more of it should be given to us. But [I see that we may complain>] if our only state of existence were in this world that3 we might with some reason complain that we are so disatisfied with our enjoyments compared with our desires.’ Johnson. ‘The Lady confounds annihilation which is nothing, with the apprehension of it which is dreadful. It is in the apprehension of it that the horrour of annihilation consists.’≥ [MS 696 resumed; 1st ed. ii. 231] Of John Wesley he said ‘He can talk well on÷upon4 any subject.’ Boswell. ‘Pray Sir What [has he÷have you>] has he made [MS 697] of his story of a Ghost.’ Johnson. ‘Why Sir, he believes it; but not on queried the question mark: ‘I am not sure whether there should be a full stop or point of interrogation at life. Do as you will. But it seems strange to me as it is a quotation affirmative.’ His quandary stemmed from the house style for punctuating an internal quotation at the end of a speech: a single inverted comma marked where it began but not where it ended; it closed simply with the double inverted commas closing the speech. In the present case, however, seeing now that a buffer was needed, Selfe inserted a quotation mark between ‘life’ and the question mark. Ironically, it vanished in the second edition, but reappeared in Hill-Powell, only after the question mark, making the biblical verse more than ever seem like an interrogatory. 8 The adverb ‘easily’, which JB copied from his journal here and in SJ’s reply (l. 4), was queried in the revises. In Selfe’s hand, both instances were corrected to ‘easy’. 9 In recounting the conversations of 15 Apr. 1778, JB ignored distinctions in his journal regarding what was discussed before dinner, at dinner, at coffee and tea, and in the evening (see post p. 217 ll. 1–2). The following exchange from the evening is joined to what in the journal is a pre-prandial debate. Some of the material on facing pages throughout this section, though transcribed as revision, may have been added in the course of JB’s original draft. 1 JB’s optional word was printed. 2 First revisions, (1) ‘present sufferings;’ and (2) ‘sufferings in this life; for’. The compositor, evidently failing to see that JB had deleted ‘present’, printed ‘present sufferings in this life’ (so in revises), a redundancy that went uncorrected. 3 Printed ‘then’ (so in revises), as required by JB’s imperfect revision; the word ‘that’ was a remnant of the original draft. 4 Printed ‘on’ (so in revises).

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H-P iii. 297–98

sufficient authority. He did not take time enough to examine the girl [to whom it was÷is said to have appeared to a girl several times, mentioning5>]. It was at Newcastle where the ghost was said to have appeared to a young woman several times, mentioning something about the right to an old house, advising application to be made to an attorney which was done, and at the same time saying [he>] the attorney would do nothing which [happened.>] proved to be the fact. “This” says John “is a proof that a ghost knows [the÷one’s>] our thoughts.” Now (laughing) it is not necessary to know [the>] our thoughts to tell [that an attorney will sometimes÷sometimes that an attorney will>] that an attorney will sometimes do nothing. Charles Wesley who is a more stationary6 man does not believe the story. I am sorry that John [did not take more time÷was not at more pains>] did not take more pains to inquire into [it>] the truth of the story.’ Miss Seward (with an incredulous smile). ‘What Sir! about a Ghost?’ Johnson (with solemn vehemence). ‘Yes Madam. This is a question which after five thousand years is yet undecided, a Question whether in Theology or in Philosophy,7 one of the most important that can come before the human understanding.’ [— He thus grandly pictured the human understanding as a Tribunal. del] Mrs. Knowles [wished to vindicate herself from the suspicion of having made a proselyte to Quakerism of>] mentioned as a proselyte to Quakerism Miss —— a young Lady8 [MS 698] well=known to Dr. Johnson, for whom he had shewn much affection while she ≤ever≥ had and still retained a great respect for [him; and Mrs. Knowles at>] him. Mrs. Knowles at the same time took an opportunity of letting him know [how much the amiable young creature was distressed because she had offended him by÷because he was offended at her leaving the Church of England and embracing a simpler faith, and she÷Mrs. Knowles in the gentlest & most persuasive manner solicited his kind indulgence for what was sincerely a matter of conscience.>] ‘how much the amiable young creature was distressed at finding that he was offended at her leaving the Church of England and embracing a simpler faith’, and in the gentlest & most persuasive manner ‘solicited his kind indulgence for what was 5 This incoherent syntax came about when JB, copying from his journal, dropped a line from the following passage: ‘He / did not take time to examine the Girl. / It was at Newcastle where the Ghost / is said to have appeared to a Girl / several times, mentioning …’ (15 Apr. 1778). In revision he put in the missing phrase. 6 Thinking this adjective peculiar, JB had underlined it in his journal. Weis and Pottle gloss it as meaning ‘that it took more to move him, that he was less easily persuaded’ (Boswell in Extremes, p. 286 n. 2). 7 MS orig. ‘in Theology or Philosophy’, as printed in the revises, the compositor possibly having overlooked the second preposition, which JB added in the same draft. 8 Jane Harry, the illegitimate daughter of Thomas Hibbert, a Jamaican judge (HillPowell iii. 298 n. 2). A blank space in JB’s journal shows that he did not glean her identity at the time. On 15 Feb. 1785 he asked Anna Seward for her recollection of SJ’s ‘tremendous Commination at Mr. Dilly’s when we talked of the “odious wench” who turned Quaker’ (Corr. 2a, p. 47). Her reply has not survived in MS, but the letter is known in five versions variously edited or revised. James D. Woolley reprinted the version he judged closest to the original text in ‘Johnson as Despot: Anna Seward’s Rejected Contribution to Boswell’s Life’, Modern Philology 70, 1972, pp. 140–45. Seward informed JB that ‘Miss Jenny Harry was (for she is now no more) the daughter of a rich planter in the West Indies’ who had been sent to England to receive her education.

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sincerely a matter of conscience.’9 Johnson (frowning very angrily). ‘[She’s÷She is>] Madam She is an odious wench. She could not have any proper conviction that it was her duty to change her religion which is the [greatest subject>] most important of all subjects and should be studied with all care, and with all the helps we can get. She knew no more of [the church which she left÷the difference between what she went to and the church which she left>] the church which she left and that which she embraced than she did of the difference between the Copernican and Ptolemaick systems.’ Mrs. Knowles. ‘She had the New Testament before her Sir.’ Johnson. ‘Madam she could not understand the New Testament, the most difficult book in the World, for which the study of a life is required.’ Mrs. Knowles. ‘It is clear as to Essentials.’ Johnson. ‘But not as to contraversial points. [Heathens may be [MS 699] easily converted because they have÷The Heathens were [MS 699] easily converted because they had>] The Heathens were [MS 699] easily converted because they had nothing to give up; but [it should be a very difficult matter to give up a religion in which one has been educated.÷the religion in which you÷we have been educated.>] we ought not without very strong conviction indeed to desert the religion in which we [1st ed. ii. 232] have been educated. That is the Religion given you the Religion in which it may be said Providence has placed you. If you live conscientiously [in that you are safe.÷according to that Religion you may be safe.>] in that Religion you may be safe. But [it is dangerous if you err÷errour is dangerous>] errour is dangerous indeed if you err when you chuse a Religion for yourself.’ Mrs. Knowles. ‘Must we ≤then≥ go by implicit faith?’ Johnson. ‘Why Madam the greatest part of our knowledge [is÷rests on>] is implicit faith. ≤And as to Religion≥ Have we heard all that a disciple of Confucius, all that a Mahometan can say for himself?’ — He then rose again into passion and attacked the young [renegade÷proselyte>] proselyte in the severest terms of reproach so that both the Ladies seemed to be much shocked.a a

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≤Mrs. Knowles is positive in her recollection that she had a contraversy with him on the doctrines of the Quakers, in which her arguments had the 30 advantage, and she has been pleased to furnish me with a note of the particulars which she drew up some years after the time. But as there is no trace of this in my record nor do I remember it, I cannot in consistency with that strict authenticity for which I am answerable, introduce it into my work. I trust she is candid enough to excuse me.a1≥ 35 9 Of the two sets of quotation marks inserted in revision around Mrs. Knowles’s points here, only the first set was printed in the revises. As JB had not captured these points in his journal, his characterization of them likely stemmed from Seward’s account of the argument (Woolley, ‘Johnson as Despot’, p. 143 n. 12). a1 JB began this note (on MS opp. 699) as a memorandum—‘Here a Note mentioning that Mrs. Knowles is positive ….’—but then deleted the first five words and drafted his copy without having to return to the page. Later he suppressed the note, probably before it was typeset. A nearby signature marking on MS 700 (‘Hh 233’ at ‘many incidents’) suggests that no footnote was deleted on p. 232 in proof, for the same words initiate p. 233 in first proof and the revises. After Mrs. Knowles published her account of the argument in the June 1791 issue of Gent. Mag., JB resurrected this note, as it were, in his second edition, but at twice the length and in a more cutting tone (see Hill-Powell iii.

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H-P iii. 299–300

[I have not distinguished the portions of time during which this interview÷conversation continued. del] We [dined drank tea and supt and del] remained together till it was pretty late. Notwithstanding occasional explosions of violence we were all delighted upon the whole with Johnson. I compared him at this time to a warm [southern÷west=indian>] west=indian climate where [you have÷there is÷there are>] you have a bright sun — quick vegetation — luxuriant foliage — luscious fruits but where the same heat sometimes produces thunder lightening and earthquakes in a terrible degree. [On friday 17 April÷April 17>] April 17 being Good Friday I waited on [him>] Johnson as usual. I observed at breakfast [MS 700] that although it was a part of his abstemious discipline on this most solemn fast, to take no milk [with÷in>] in his tea yet when Mrs. Desmoulins inadvertently poured it in, he did not reject it.a I [mentioned÷talked of>] talked of the strange [indecisive mind÷indecision and helplessness in the common things÷incidents of life>] indecision1 and imbecillity2 in the common occurrences of life which we may observe in some people. Johnson. ‘Why Sir I am in the habit of getting others to do things for me.’ Boswell. ‘What Sir! have [you>] you3 that weakness?’ Johnson. ‘Yes Sir. But I allways think afterwards I should have done better for myself.’4 I told him that at a Gentleman’s House5 where there was thought to be such extravagance or bad [œconomy÷management>] management that he was living much beyond his income, [his Lady÷the Lady>] his Lady had objected to the cutting of a pickled Mango, [/and/>] and that I had taken an opportunity to ask the price of it, and found it was only two shillings; so here was a very poor saving. Johnson. ‘Sir that is the blundering œconomy of a narrow understanding. It is stopping one hole in a sieve.’ a

Prayers & Meditations.a1≥

≤Of this he says ‘

1 Printed ‘indecision of mind’ (so in revises), an error caused by JB’s faulty resolution of alternatives. He deleted the last letters of ‘indecisive’, leaving the interlined ‘on’ to finish the word, but did not delete ‘mind’. Faced with the phrase ‘indecision mind’, the compositor evidently supplied what he took to be the missing preposition. 2 Particular about this spelling, JB added a second ‘l’ to the word when correcting the revises. The spelling in SJ’s Dictionary, with a single ‘l’, was adopted in the third edition. 3 Not italicized in print, an apparent misreading. 4 On MS opp. 700 across from this dialogue JB wrote ‘Coeval servant from Steele’, and later circled this reference to a memorandum in the Life Materials (M 155) that evidently eluded retrieval: ‘Similar to Dr. Johnson’s Frank — / It is observed in Sir Richard Steele’s Englishman No. 16 of Nestor Ironside “The Esquire is usually attended from his lodgings in King Street Covent-Garden by a coeval servant in a dark suit and gray hair who has been to him for forty years that kind of favourite which a learned man is seldom without, to wit one that is very powerful from his wonderful address in ordinary things which his Master does not understand.”’ See The Englishman: A Political Journal by Richard Steele, ed. Rae Blanchard, 1955, p. 69. 5 ‘We talked of Langton’s living beyond his income’ (Journ. 17 Apr. 1778).

299 n. 2). Anna Seward, writing to Mrs. Knowles in 1785, had presciently doubted JB’s willingness to include a perspective at variance with his own (Corr. 2a, p. 48 n. 5 and p. 67 n. 21). a1 Unfinished; not printed. JB had in mind SJ’s admission that, during Passion Week, he had ‘neither practised abstinence nor peculiar devotion’ (Hill-Powell iii. 300 n. 1).

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I expressed some inclination to publish [my Travels for which÷as to which>] an account of my Travels upon the Continent of Europe for which I had a variety of materials collected. Johnson. ‘I do not say ≤Sir,≥ you may not publish your Travels; but I give you my opinion that you would lessen yourself by it. What can you tell of Countries so well known ≤as those upon the Continent of Europe which you have visited≥?’ Boswell. ‘But I can give an entertaining narrative [and÷with>] with [1st ed. ii. 233] many incidents ≤anecdotes, jeux d’esprit≥ and remarks so as to make very pleasant reading.’ Johnson. ‘Why Sir ≤most≥ modern travellers in Europe who have published ≤their travels≥ have been laughed at. [MS 701] I would not have you added to the number.a The World is [not now contented÷not contented now>] not now contented to be merely entertained [with>] by a Traveller’s Narrative. [People>] They want to [be told>] learn something. Now [some people÷some of my friends said Why did not I give÷asked why I did not give>] some of my friends asked why I did not give an account of my Travels in France? [Why intelligent>] The reason is plain. Intelligent Readers had seen more of France than I had. You might have liked my Travels in France, and the Club might have liked them; but upon the whole there would have been [more ridicule than good by them>] more ridicule than good produced by them.’ Boswell. ‘I cannot agree with you Sir. People would like to read what you say of any thing. Suppose a [face÷portait>] face has been painted by fifty painters before, still we love to see it done by Sir Joshua.’ Johnson. ‘≤True Sir,≥ But, Sir Joshua cannot paint a face when he has not time to look on it.’ Boswell. ‘Sir a sketch of any sort by him is valuable. — And Sir to talk to you in your own style (raising my voice ≤and shaking my head≥) You [had better÷should>] should have given us your Travels in France. I am sure I am right, and there’s an end on’t.’ ≤[MS opp. 701] I said to him that it was certainly true as my friend Dempster had observed in his Letter to me upon the subject, that a great part of what was in his ‘Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland’ had been in his mind before he left London. Johnson. ‘Why yes Sir; the topicks were; and Books of travels will be good in proportion to what a man has previously in his mind; his knowing what to observe, his power of contrasting one mode of life with another. As the Spanish Proverb says “He who would bring home the wealth of the Indies must carry the wealth of the Indies with him.” So it is in travelling; a man must carry knowledge with him if he would bring home knowledge.’ [/Boswell. ‘The proverb means he must carry a large stock with him to trade with.’ Johnson. ‘Yes, Sir.’/>] Boswell. ‘The proverb I suppose Sir means he must carry a large stock with him to trade with.’ Johnson. ‘Yes, Sir.’≥ a

I believe however I shall act by my own opinion and

a1

a1 This footnote, added in the same draft but finished on some paper that has not survived with the Life MS, was printed as follows in the revises: ‘I believe, however, I shall follow my own opinion; for the world has shewn a very flattering partiality to my writings, on many occasions.’ An anonymous correspondent urged JB to make good on his promise, adding that ‘Whatever Dr. Johnson might have said to disencourage you, be assur’d that he was mistaken’ (Corr. 2a, p. 389). ‘I am preparing my Travels’, JB informed Sir William Forbes on 11 May 1793, expressing a hope that they would ‘be ready for publication next winter’. On this unfulfilled intention, see Journ. 1, pp. xxix–xxx.

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LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 302–03

[MS 701 resumed] It was a delightful day. As we walked to St. Clements Church, I ≤again≥ remarked that Fleetstreet was the most cheerful scene in the World. [Johnson. ‘Yes Sir. Cheapside too is very cheerful. But the full tide of human existence is I think at Charing Cross.’6 del] [Boswell. ‘Fleetstreet is>] ‘Fleetstreet’ said I ‘is in my mind [more cheerful÷finer>] more delightful than Tempe.’ Johnson. ‘≤Ay Sir;≥ Let it be compared with Mull.’ There was a very numerous congregation today at St. Clement’s [Church. I mentioned this to Dr. Johnson who said he had observed [MS 702] it with pleasure.>] Church which Dr. Johnson said he observed [MS 702] with pleasure.7 [1st ed. ii. 234] And now I am to give a pretty full account of one of the most curious interviews in Johnson’s Life of which he himself has made the following [minute of this date —>] minute on this day, — ‘In my return from church, I was accosted by Edwards, an old fellow collegian who had not seen me since 1729. He knew me, and asked if I remembered one Edwards; I did not at first recollect the name, but gradually as we walked along, recovered it, and told him a conversation that had passed at an alehouse between us. My purpose is to continue our acquaintance.’a It was in Butcher Row that this meeting happened. Mr. Edwards who was a decent-looking elderly man in grey clothes and a wig of many curls, accosted Johnson [in perfect>] with familiar confidence who he was, while Johnson returned his salutation with a courteous formality as to a stranger. But as soon as Edwards had brought to his recollection their having been at Pembroke College together nine and thirty8 years ago he seemed much pleased, ≤asked where he lived≥ & said he [should>] would9 be glad to see him in Bolt Court. Edwards. ‘Ah. Sir we are old men now.’ Johnson (who never liked to think [MS 703] of being old). ‘Don’t let us discourage one another.’ Edwards. ‘Why Doctor you look stout and hearty [I’m÷I am>] I am happy to see you so; for the Newspapers [said>] told us you were very ill.’ Johnson. ‘Ay Sir. They are allways telling lies of us old fellows.’ — Wishing to be present at more of so singular a conversation as that between two [fellow=collegians÷college companions>] fellow=collegians who had lived near forty10 years in London without ever having chanced to meet, I [signified>] a

≤Prayers & Medit p.

a1

≥

6 JB had added this saying to MS opp. 457 (Life MS ii. 149 ll. 3–4; Hill-Powell ii. 337), a duplication which accounts for its deletion here. 7 JB scored through his catchword (‘it’) on MS 701 without deleting the word on MS 702. Selfe spotted the clumsy result in print—‘which Dr. Johnson said he observed it with pleasure’ (so in revises)—and deleted the pronoun. 8 Corrected in the second edition to ‘nine-and-forty’ (i.e., from 1729 to 1778). 9 Printed ‘should’ (so in revises), the compositor evidently not having seen the ‘w’ written over the ‘sh’. 10 Having in the previous paragraph corrected the number of years that had elapsed since SJ and Edwards had been together at college (see n. 8 above), JB in the second edition adjusted this phrase to ‘near fifty’. Here, however, he was referring to the length of time they had lived in London without crossing paths, and SJ had not moved to London until 1737. In the third edition, therefore, ‘near fifty’ was reduced to ‘forty’. a1

Page number 164 (in reference to the second edition) was printed in the revises.

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whispered to Mr. Edwards that Dr. Johnson was going home & that he had better accompany him now. So Edwards walked along with us, [I eagerly assisting to have conversation kept up.>] I eagerly assisting to keep up the conversation. Mr. Edwards informed Dr. Johnson that he had practiced long as [an Attorney÷a Solicitor>] a Solicitor in Chancery but that he now lived in the country upon a little farm of about1 sixty acres just by Stephenage2 in Hertfordshire, and that he came to London to Barnard’s Inn No. 6 generally twice a week. Johnson [appeared to be in a reverie and what is called absent so>] appearing to be in a reverie Mr. Edwards addressed himself to me and expatiated on the pleasure of living in the Country. Boswell. ‘[I have÷I have expressed>] I have no notion of this Sir. What you have to [see÷entertain you>] entertain you there is I think exhausted in half an hour.’ Edwards. ‘What don’t you love to have [hopes>] hope realised? I see my grass and my corn and my trees growing. Now ≤for instance≥ I am curious [MS 704] to see if this frost has not nipped [the blossoms÷buds of del] my fruit trees.’ Johnson (Who we did not think÷imagine3 was attending). ‘You find ≤Sir≥ you have fears as well as hopes.’ — So well does he see the whole when another sees but the half of a subject. — [1st ed. ii. 235] When we got to Dr. Johnson’s house, and were seated in his Library, the Dialogue went on admirably. Edwards. ‘Sir I remember you would not let us say prodigious at college. For even then Sir [(said he to me)>] (turning to me) he was delicate in language and we all feared him.’a Johnson (to Edwards). ‘From your having practised the law long Sir, you must be rich.’ Edwards. ‘No Sir I [got÷have>] got a good deal of money; but I had a number of poor relations to whom I [gave÷have given>] gave a great part of it.’ Johnson. ‘Sir you have been rich in the most valuable sense of the word.’ Edwards. ‘But I [shan’t÷shall not>] shall not die rich.’ Johnson. ‘/Nay/4 Sure Sir, it is better to live rich than to die rich.’5 Edwards. ‘I wish I had continued at college.’ Johnson. ‘Why do you wish that Sir?’ Edwards. ‘Because I think I should have had a much easier life than mine has been. I should have been a Parson and had a good living, like Bloxam and several others, and lived comfortably.’ Johnson. ‘Sir, the Life [MS 705] of a conscientious clergyman is not easy. I have allways considered a clergyman as the Father of a larger family than he is able to maintain. I would rather have Chancery suits upon my [hand>] hands than the

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a [He>] Johnson said to me afterwards ‘Sir, they respected me for my literature; and yet it was not great but by comparison. Sir it is amazing how little literature 35 there is ≤in the World≥.’a1

1 Printed ‘farm about’ (so in revises), an error that went uncorrected. In the third edition, a comma placed between the two words ameliorated the awkward phrasing. 2 In the revises Selfe underscored the town and in the margin wrote ‘Qu Stevenage’. JB replied ‘Yes’ and made the correction. ‘Stephenage’ was the spelling in his journal. 3 Printed ‘imagine’ (so in revises). 4 The optional word was printed in the revises. 5 SJ echoed a phrase in Sir Thomas Browne’s Christian Morals (Paul Tankard, ‘Johnson and Browne on Living Rich’, Notes and Queries, Sept. 2011, pp. 422–23). a1 Drafted in parentheses as an aside within the main text, this passage later was bracketed and labeled as a ‘Note’ keyed to the end of the preceding sentence.

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H-P iii. 304–05

cure of souls. No Sir, I do not envy a clergyman’s life as an easy life, nor do I envy the clergyman who makes it an easy life.’ — Here taking himself up all of a sudden, he [exclaimed÷called out>] exclaimed ‘O! Mr. Edwards! I’ll convince you that I recollect you. Do you remember our drinking together at [a house÷an alehouse>] an alehouse near Pembroke gate. At that time you told me of the Eton Boy who when [a Poem÷Verses on our Saviour’s turning water into wine was÷were>] Verses on our Saviour’s turning water into wine were prescribed ≤as an exercise≥ brought [in÷up>] up a single line which was ≤highly admired — ≥ Vidit et erubuit lympha pudica DEUM6

10 and I told you of [an÷a fine Eulogium in Camden’s Remains upon>] another fine 11 line in Camden’s Remains an Eulogy upon one of our Kings [and his son who 12 succeeded him.>] who was succeeded by his son a Prince of equal merit. 13 Mira cano, Sol occubuit nox nulla secuta est.7 14

Edwards. ‘You are a Philosopher Dr. Johnson. I have tried too in my time to 15 be a Philosopher; but I dont know how, cheerfullness was allways breaking in.’

— Mr. Burke Sir Joshua Reynolds Mr. Courtenay, Mr. Malone and indeed all the eminent men to whom I have mentioned this, have thought [MS 706] it an exquisite trait of character.8 The truth is that Philosophy [1st ed. ii. 236] like Religion is too generally supposed to be hard and severe, at least so grave as to 20 exclude all gayety. 6 EM added a note here in the third edition (only parts of which are reprinted in Hill-Powell iii. 304 n. 3): ‘This line has frequently been attributed to Dryden, when a King’s Scholar at Westminster. But neither Eton nor Westminster have in truth any claim to it, the line being borrowed, with a slight change, (as Mr. Bindley has observed to me,) from an Epigram by Crashaw, which was published in his EPIGRAMMATA SACRA, first printed at Cambridge without the author’s name, in 1634, 8vo.—The original is much more elegant than the copy, the water being personified, and the word on which the point of the Epigram turns, being reserved to the close of the line:

“JOANN. 2. “Aquæ in vinum versæ. “Unde rubor vestris et non sua purpura lymphis? “Quæ rosa mirantes tam nova mutat aquas? “Numen, convivæ, præsens agnoscite numen, “Nympha pudica DEUM vidit, et erubuit.”’ EM acknowledged the ‘valuable observations’ provided by James Bindley (1739– 1818), an ‘incurable Bibliomaniac’ whom he admired for being ‘indefatigable in the pursuit of truth’ (Hill-Powell i. 15; Oxford DNB). Isaac Reed brought Crashaw’s authorship to JB’s attention in 1792, but it was EM who investigated the lead (Corr. 2a, pp. 384 and 387 n. 46). Astle informed JB that he and SJ had once discussed a translation of the verse on ‘our Saviour’s Miracle of changing water into wine’ (Corr. 2a, p. 147). 7 In his Life Materials (M 150) JB copied out the passage to which SJ alluded: ‘He that made the verse following (some ascribe it to that Giraldus) could adore both the sun rising and the sun setting when he could so clearly honour King [Henry>] Henry the Second then departed and King Richard succeeding / Mira cano, Sol occubuit nox nulla sequuta / CAMDEN’S REMAINS’. 8 JB relished the remark without putting it in his journal for 17 Apr. 1778.

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1778

Edwards. ‘I have been twice married Doctor. You I suppose have never known what it was to have a wife.’ Johnson. ‘Sir I have known what it was to have a Wife and (in a solemn tender faultering tone) I have known what it was to [lose a Wife>] lose a Wife. It had almost broke my heart.’ Edwards. ‘How do you live [now del] Sir? ≤For my part≥ I must have my regular meals, and a glass of good wine. I find I require it.’ Johnson. ‘I now drink no wine Sir. Early in life I drank wine. For many years I drank none. I then for some years drank a great deal.’9 Edwards. ‘Some hogsheads I warrant you.’ Johnson. ‘I then had a severe illness and left it off, and I have never begun it again. I never felt any difference upon myself [by÷from>] from eating one thing rather than another, nor [by÷from>] from one kind of weather rather than another. There are people I believe who feel a difference; but I am not one of them. And as to regular meals, I have fasted from the Sunday’s dinner to the tuesday’s dinner without any inconvenience. I believe it is best to eat just as one is hungry; but a man who is in business, or a man who has a family, must have stated meals. I am a [Stragling>] Stragler.1 I may leave this town and [MS 707] go to Grand Cairo without being missed here or observed there.’ Edwards. ‘Don’t you eat supper Sir?’ Johnson. ‘No Sir.’ Edwards. ‘For my part÷Now2 I consider Supper as a turnpike through which one must pass in order to get to bed.’a Johnson. ‘You are a Lawyer Mr. Edwards. Lawyers know life practically. A bookish man should allways have them to converse with. They have what he wants.’ Edwards. ‘I am grown old. I am sixty five.’ Johnson. ‘I shall be sixty eight next birth=day.3 Come Sir, drink water, and put in for a hundred.’ Mr. Edwards mentioned a Gentleman who had left his [all>] whole fortune to Pembroke College.4 Johnson. ‘Whether to leave one’s [all>] whole fortune to a College be right must depend upon circumstances. I would leave the interest of the fortune I bequeathed to a College to my relations or my friends for their lives. It is the same thing to a College which is a permanent Society, whether it gets the money now or twenty years hence. Now5 I would wish to make my relations or friends feel the benefit of it.’ a

≤I am not absolutely sure but this was my own suggestion though it is truly in the character of Edwards.a1≥ 9 ‘From the year to I drank no wine. From to I drank a great deal’ (Journ. 17 Apr. 1778). For some of the years JB had hoped to fill in here, see Hill-Powell i. 103 n. 3. The Rev. Dr. William Adams told JB that water drinking was SJ’s ‘Habit invariably for 15 years or more’ (Corr. 2a, p. 136). 1 JB had copied ‘Stragling’ from his journal; the OED defines no such noun in this sense. In the revises Selfe queried whether ‘stragler’ should have a second ‘g’; JB agreed to its insertion. 2 JB put a caret below ‘Now’ without deleting the alternative phrase. ‘For my part now’ was printed in the revises. 3 Edwards was then sixty-seven, and SJ would turn sixty-nine in Sept. 1778. 4 The Rev. James Phipps, as Powell noted (Hill-Powell vi. 452–53). 5 A small x above ‘Now’, with another above ‘now’ in the preceding sentence, marked the close proximity of the words. In the revises the passage was printed ‘now or twenty years hence; and’. a1 JB was uncertain because he was recollecting—once again (see p. 221 n. 8)—a remark not entered in his journal.

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LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 306–07

[1st ed. ii. 237] This Interview confirmed my opinion of Johnson’s most humane and benevolent heart. His cordial & placid behaviour to an old fellow collegian a man so different from himself and his [MS 708] telling him that he would go down to his farm and visit him shewed a kindliness of disposition very rare at an advanced age. He [could not but express himself how wonderful it was 5 that they had both been in London almost forty years, without having ever 6 once met, and both walkers in the street too.>] observed ‘how wonderful it was 7 that they had both been in London almost forty6 years, without having ever 8 once met, and both walkers in the street too!’ [As Mr. Edwards was going away, 9 10 he>] Mr. Edwards when going away again recurred to his consciousness of [old 11 age÷senility>] senility,7 and looking ≤full≥ in8 Johnson’s face said to him ‘[If 12 you’ll look into Dr. Young, you’ll find>] You’ll find in Dr. Young, 13 14

O my coevals remnants of yourselves.’9

Johnson did not relish this at all, but shook his head with impatience. Edwards walked off seemingly highly pleased with the honour of [being thus noticed by÷having the notice of>] having been thus noticed by Dr. Johnson. When he was gone, I said to Johnson that I thought him but a weak man. Johnson. ‘Why yes Sir. Here is a man who has passed through life without experience. Yet I would rather have him with me than a more sensible man who will not talk 20 readily. This man is always willing to say what he has to say.’1 — Yet Dr. Johnson had himself by no means that willingness which he praised so much and I think so justly; for [MS 709] [we must all have÷have all experienced what a weary void it is when there is nobody to talk in a company.>] who has not felt the painful effect of the dreary void when there is a total silence in a company 25 for any length of time, or which is as bad, or perhaps worse when the conversation is with difficulty kept up by a perpetual effort. [He once observed to me [MS opp. 709] ‘Tom Tyers described me’2>] ≤[MS opp. 709] Johnson once observed to me ‘Tom Tyers described me the best. “Sir” said he “you are like a Ghost. You never speak till you are spoken 30 to.”’≥3 15

6 In the second edition printed ‘almost fifty’, in line with the mistaken recalculation above (p. 219 n. 1). This number too was corrected in the third edition, and changed to ‘forty’. 7 This word being queried in the revises, JB confirmed it by replying ‘a good word’. The OED offers this passage in the Life as the earliest usage of ‘Senility’. 8 When JB wrote ‘full’ above the line in revision, he accidentally deleted ‘in’ beneath it. The preposition was retained in print. 9 Memorandum, ‘Look’, later deleted, presumably once JB had checked Night Thoughts iv. 109. 1 Perceiving a mixture of ‘affection with condescension’ (similar in tone to this exchange) in the epithet ‘dear Edwards’, which JB used in a letter to EM on 4 Dec. 1790, James M. Osborn and Peter S. Baker conjectured that JB had dined sometime near that date with the Oliver Edwards of these anecdotes (Corr. 4, p. 376 and n. 4). 2 Added in the same draft, this anecdote ended here as a fragment. Completing it later, JB wrote ‘Johnson’ over ‘He’, then moved the opening of the sentence to MS opp. 709, marking it to begin a new paragraph. 3 Deleted memorandum for a later addition: ‘(Here a character of Tom his being son of Jonathan & his Sketches &c).’ Tyers relished his simile of the ghost so much, Mrs.

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1778

≤The gentleman whom he thus familiarly [described>] mentioned was Mr. Thomas Tyers son of Mr. Jonathan Tyers the founder of that [most del] excellent place of [gay÷publick>] publick amusement Vauxhall Gardens, which must ever be an estate to its proprietor, as it is peculiarly adapted to the [general del] taste of the English Nation there being a mixture of curious shew, gay exhibition musick vocal and instrumental not too refined for the general ear, and though last not least, good eating and drinking for those who chuse [to add that regale to>] to purchase that regale in addition to all the rest for which only a shilling is paid.4 Mr. Thomas Tyers was bred to the law; but having a handsom fortune5 [Paper Apart T.T.] vivacity of temper and excentricity of mind, he could not confine himself to the regularity of practice. He therefore ran about the world with a pleasant carelessness, amusing every body by his desultory conversation. He abounded in anecdote, but was not sufficiently attentive to accuracy. I therefore cannot [1st ed. ii. 238] venture to avail myself much of a Biographical Sketch of [the Life of del] Johnson which he published being one among the various persons ambitious of appending their names to that of my illustrious friend. That Sketch is however an entertaining little collection of fragments. Those which he published of Pope and Addison are of higher merit; but his fame must chiefly rest upon his ‘Political Conferences’ in which he introduces several eminent persons delivering their sentiments in the way of dialogue, and discovers a considerable share of learning various knowledge and discernment of character. This much may I be allowed to say of a man who was exceedingly obliging to me, and who lived with Dr. Johnson in as easy a manner as almost any of his very numerous acquaintance.≥ [MS 709 resumed] Mr. Edwards had said to me aside, that Dr. Johnson should have been of a profession. I repeated the remark to Johnson that I might [hear what he himself should say.>] have his own thoughts on that subject. Johnson. ‘Sir it would have been better that I had been of a profession. I [should have been of the law÷followed the law÷been a Lawyer>] ought to have been a Lawyer.’ Boswell. ‘I do not think Sir, it would have been better, for we should not have had the English Dictionary.’ Johnson. ‘But you would have had Reports.’ Boswell. ‘Ay. But there would not have been another who could have [done>] written the Dictionary. There have been many very good Judges. Suppose you had been Lord Chancellor, you would have delivered opinions Piozzi noted, ‘that he often repeated it’ (Anecdotes, p. 208; Johns. Misc. i. 290). George Steevens, replying to an untraced letter from JB, quoted Fielding’s Tom Jones as the source of this idea (‘The other, who, like a Ghost, only wanted to be spoke to, readily answered, etc.’: Bk. XI, Ch. ii), adding in triumph, ‘As for Tom Tyers, or Tom Tit, I am always happy to assist at what our late friend would have styled the deplumation of a thievish bird, who wishes to parade in borrowed feathers’ (Corr. 2a, p. 117). 4 A query in the revises—‘Have you the good eating & drinking included in the Shilling?’—alerted JB to an ambiguity in his closing phrase. Food and drink were not included, so he placed a period after ‘regale’, deleted the rest of the sentence, and after ‘general ear’ inserted the phrase ‘for all which only a shilling is paid—’. As JB explained these changes, ‘I have made it clearer by putting the shilling first in the sentence.’ In the second edition he added a footnote, keyed to ‘paid’, objecting to the price of admission having been raised to two shillings in 1792 (see Hill-Powell iii. 308 n. 1). 5 Having run out of room on the verso of MS 708, JB directed the compositor to ‘Take in Paper T.T.’ This Paper Apart is headed ‘T.T. Back of page 708’.

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LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 309–11

with more extent of mind and in a more [ornamental÷ornamented manner than any Chancellor ever did or ever will do.÷than theirs.>] ornamented manner than perhaps any Chancellor ever did or ever will do. But ≤I believe≥ Causes have been as [solidly>] judiciously decided as you could have done.’ Johnson. ‘Yes Sir. Property has been as well settled.’6 ≤[Paper Apart J.S.]7 Yet Johnson had a noble ambition [lurking>] floating in his mind and had undoubtedly often speculated on the possibility of his supereminent powers being rewarded in this great and liberal country by the highest honours of the State. Sir William Scott informs me that upon the death of the late Lord Lichfield who was Chancellor of the University of Oxford, he said to Johnson, ‘What a pity it is Sir that you did not follow the profession of the law. You might have been Lord Chancellor of Great Britain and attained to the dignity of the peerage, and now that the title of Lichfield your native City is extinct, you might have had it.’ Johnson upon this seemed much agitated and in an angry tone exclaimed ‘Why will you vex me by suggesting this, when it is too late?’≥8 ≤[Paper Apart9; 1st ed. ii. 239] Yet no man had a higher notion of the dignity of literature than Johnson or was more determined in maintaining [it. He told>] [it as a rank. He told] [it. Some instances of this may be mentioned. He told>] the respect which he justly considered as due to it. Of this besides the general tenor of his conduct in society, some characteristical instances may be mentioned. He told Sir Joshua Reynolds that once when he dined in a numerous company of Booksellers where the room being small, the head of the table at which he sat was almost close to the fire, he persevered in suffering a great deal of inconvenience from the heat, rather than quit his place and let one of them sit above him. Goldsmith in his diverting simplicity complained one day in a mixed company of Lord Camden. ‘I met him’ said he ‘at Lord Clare’s house in the 6

Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in Paper J.S.’ Headed ‘J.S. For p. 709’. Memorandum added in revision to MS opp. 709: ‘Here his ambition as / expressed to Sir W. Scott / title [written over Earl] of Lichfield’. The notes that generated this Paper Apart, dated 1 June 1785, were subjoined to the Johnsoniana JB gathered from Strahan at breakfast that morning (C 2584; see Corr. 2a, p. 87 and n. 1): ‘Dr. Scott of the Commons told me that one day at Oxford soon after the death of the Chancellor of the University the Earl of Lichfield, he said to Dr. Johnson, “Why ≤Sir≥ did not you follow the law. You might have risen very [false start high. And here the title of Lichfield is extinct] high and been now ready to get the title of Earl of Lichfield which is extinct and which would have been most valued by you.” The Dr. flew into a violent passion & said “Why do you talk of it, when you know it is too late.”’ 8 Two additional sentences were printed here in the revises: ‘But he did not repine at the prosperity of others. The late Dr. Thomas Leland told Mr. Courtnay, that when Mr. Edmund Burke shewed Johnson his fine house and lands near Beaconsfield, Johnson coolly said, ‘Non equidem invido; miror magis.’ JB marked these sentences for a separate paragraph, and replied ‘Yes’ to the query, ‘See if e in Courtenay’. The Latin also was corrected, invido to invideo and magis to magìs. The latter word reverted to magis in the second editon, and was keyed for a footnote in which JB expressed ‘suspicion that Johnson may have felt a little momentary envy’, and reprinted his commentary on this anecdote ‘in the manner of Warburton’ (see Hill-Powell iii. 310 n. 4). That article appeared on 14 May 1791 in The Public Advertiser (Cat. iii. 1064: P 100 (12)). 9 Docketed as follows: ‘This is to come in immediately after the passage in which his being Lord Chancellor with the title of Lichfield is mentioned.’ 7

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country and he took no more notice of me than if I had been an ordinary man.’ The company having laughed heartily, Johnson stood forth in defence of his friend. ‘Nay gentlemen’ said he ‘Dr. Goldsmith is in the right. A nobleman ought to have made up to such a man as Goldsmith, and I think it is much against Lord Camden that he neglected him.’ [He took occasion one day to have a hit at Lord Camden at the same time with his friend Garrick. I told>] Nor could he patiently endure to hear that such respect as he thought due only to higher intellectual qualities should be bestowed on men of slighter though perhaps more amusing talents. I told him that one morning when I went to breakfast with Garrick, who was very vain of his intimacy with Lord Camden, he accosted me thus, [‘Pray now did you meet a little lawyer turning the corner.’>] ‘Pray now did you — did you — did you meet a little lawyer turning the corner? eh?’ ‘No Sir’ said I, ‘pray what do you mean by the question?’ ‘Why’ replied Garrick (with an affected ease, yet as if standing on tiptoe), ‘Lord Camden has this moment left me. We have had a long walk together.’ JOHNSON. ‘Well Sir, Garrick talked very properly. [He>] Lord Camden was a little lawyer, to be associating so familiarly with a Player.’ Sir Joshua Reynolds has observed with great truth that Johnson considered Garrick to be as it were his property. He would allow no man either to blame or to praise Garrick in his presence, without contradicting him.≥ [MS 709 resumed] Having fallen into a very serious frame in which mutual expressions of kindness passed between us, such as it would be thought too vain in me to repeat, and I talked with regret [MS 710] of the sad ≤inevitable≥ certainty that one of us must survive the other. Johnson. ‘Yes Sir — /That is an affecting consideration./1 I remember Swift in one of his letters to Pope says “I intend to come over, that we may meet once more and when we must part it is what happens to all human beings.”’ 2 Boswell. ‘The hope that we shall see our departed friends again must support the mind.’ Johnson. ‘Why yes Sir.’ Boswell. ‘There is a strange unwillingness to part with life, inde-[1st ed. ii. 240]pendent of serious fears as to futurity. [Dr. Blair÷Dr. —— ÷A Clergyman>] A Reverend friend of ours (naming him) tells me that he feels an uneasiness [to leave÷at the thought of leaving>] at the thought3 of leaving his house, his study, his books.’ Johnson. ‘This is foolish [/in Blair/>] in ——.4 A man need not be [uneasy on these grounds if he retains his consciousness. Omnia mea mecum porto.>] uneasy on these grounds for as he will retain his consciousness he may say with the philosopher Omnia mea mecum porto.’ Boswell. ‘True Sir. We may carry the Books in our head. But still there is something [that hurts one>] painful in the thought of leaving for ever what has given us pleasure. I remember a [good>] great many years ago when [I was melancholy and had a warm imagination>] my 1

JB’s unresolved optional phrase was printed in the revises. In the margin JB jotted ‘See’, reiterating a task he had set for himself in his journal: ‘(I must get the passage exactly transcribed.)’ The memorandum remained undeleted. See Boswell in Extremes, p. 297 n. 5 for the precise quotation from Swift’s letter of 12 Oct. 1727 (also Hill-Powell iii. 312 n. 2). 3 Misprinted ‘thoughs’ (so in revises), and corrected by JB to ‘thoughts’. 4 In the revises JB replaced the dash with five asterisks. Citing Croker, Hill-Powell misidentifies this ‘reverend friend’ as Percy in situ (iii. 312 n. 4), but in the Table of Anonymous Persons correctly names Dr. Blair (vi. 452–53). 2

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H-P iii. 312–14

imagination was warm and I happened to be in a melancholy mood it distressed me to think of going into a state of being in which Shakspeare’s Poetry did not exist. A Lady [with whom I was then in love a very>] whom I then much admired a very lively accomplished woman5 humoured [my [MS 711] fancy÷[MS 710] me>] my [MS 711] fancy and relieved me by saying “The first thing youll÷you will6 meet in the other world will be an elegant copy of [Shakspeare>] Shakspeares works presented to you.”’ Dr. Johnson smiled benignantly at this and did not appear to disapprove of [it>] the notion. We went to St. Clements Church again in the afternoon and then returned and drank [tea & coffee÷coffee & tea>] tea & coffee in Mrs. Williams’s room Mrs. Desmoulins [doing the honours÷officiating.>] doing the honours of the tea=table. I observed that he would not even look at a proof ≤sheet≥ of his Life of Waller on Good Friday. Mr. Allen the Printer brought a Book on Argriculture which was printed and was soon to be published. It was a very strange performance, the Authour having mixed in it his own thoughts upon various topicks along with his [observations>] remarks on plowing sowing and other farming operations. He seemed to be an absurd [irreligious÷profane>] profane fellow, and had [frequent conceited ignorant sneers at religion.>] introduced in his book many sneers at religion with equal ignorance and conceit. Dr. Johnson [allowed>] permitted me to read some passages aloud. One was that he resolved to work on Sunday & did work, but he owned he felt some weak compunction and he had this very curious reflection ‘I was born in the wilds of Christianity, and the briars and thorns still hang about me.’ Dr. Johnson could not help laughing at this ridiculous image yet was very angry at the fellow’s impiety. ‘[However÷But>] However’ said he ‘the Reviewers will make him hang himself.’ He at the same time observed that in England [there [MS 712] may be a dispensation÷a dispensation may be obtained for working on sunday in harvest time.÷the time of harvest.>] there [MS 712] might have been a dispensation obtained for working on sunday in the time of harvest.7 On saturday [18 April>] April 148 I drank tea with him [in Mrs. Williams’s room del]. He praised the late Mr. Duncombe ≤of Canterbury≥ [/much/ del] as ‘a 5 Printed ‘a very amiable woman’ (so in revises). Weis and Pottle (Boswell in Extremes, p. 297 n. 7) suggested that she was probably Margaret Stewart (?1742–1816), the eldest daughter of Sir Michael Stewart, 3rd Bt. of Blackhall (c. 1712–96) and Helen (Houstoun) Stewart (d. 1746). Writing to Temple on 23 Sept. 1763, JB described her as ‘sensible amiable … perfectly accomplished … extremely agreable & what you would call a woman of fashion’, adding that ‘she was the only woman I could think of for a Wife’ in Scotland at that time. In 1764 she married Sir William Maxwell of Springkell (1739–1804), JB’s kinsman (Corr. 6, pp. 70 and 71 n. 9). 6 Printed ‘you will’ in the revises. 7 In resolving his alternatives JB accidentally scored through ‘harvest’, not ‘time’, leaving the phrase ‘in the time of time’ for the compositor to figure out. In the revises JB changed the sentence to read, ‘He however observed, “that formerly there might … harvest.”’ Also, an additional sentence was penned at the bottom of the revises in Plymsell’s hand, presumably at JB’s dictation: ‘Indeed in ritual observances, were all the ministers of Religion what they should be, and what many of them are, such a power might be wisely and safely lodged with the Church.’ On William Marshall and the manner in which the first two editions of his book were affected by the remarks furnished by SJ, see Hill-Powell iii. 313 n. 3, and Boswell in Extremes, p. 298 n. 8. 8 Saturday was 18 Apr., as Hill-Powell noted without correcting the text. In revision JB routinely reversed the date and month, here creating a discrepancy that went unnoticed.

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pleasing [man’ and said ‘he>] man.’ ‘He used to come to me. I did not seek much after him. ≤Indeed≥ I never sought much after any body.’ Boswell. ‘Lord Orrery I suppose.’ Johnson. ‘No Sir I never went [1st ed. ii. 241] to him but when he sent for me.’ Boswell. ‘Richardson?’ Johnson. ‘Yes Sir. But I sought after [/George/>] George Psalmanazar the most. I used to go and sit with him at an alehouse.’9 ≤[MS opp. 712] I am happy to mention another instance which I [afterwards del] discovered of his seeking after a man of merit. Soon after the Honourable Daines Barrington had published his ingenious ‘Observations on the Statutes’ Johnson waited on that worthy and learned gentleman, and having told him his name, courteously said ‘I have read your book Sir with great pleasure, and [desire>] wish to be better known to you.’ Thus began an acquaintance which was continued with mutual regard as long as Johnson lived.≥ [MS 712 resumed] Talking of a recent seditious delinquent1 he said ‘They should set him [in÷on>] in the pillory that he may be punished in a way that would disgrace him.’ [Boswell. ‘The pillory does not allways disgrace.’>] I observed that the pillory does not allways disgrace. — And I mentioned an instance of a gentleman2 [whom I thought it did not.÷was not disgraced by it.>] who I thought was not dishonoured by it. Johnson. ‘Ay but he was Sir. He could not mouth and strut as he used to do ≤after having been there≥. People [would not ask÷so readily ask÷be very willing to ask>] are not very willing to ask a man to their tables who [had>] has stood [in÷on>] in the pillory.’ The Gentleman [with whom we had dined÷who had dined with us>] who had dined with us at Dr. Percy’sa came in. Johnson [fell upon>] attacked the Americans with intemperate vehemence of abuse. I said something in their favour and [MS 713] added that I was allways sorry when he talked on that subject. This it seems [exasperated÷provoked>] exasperated him; [but÷though>] though he said nothing at the time. [The cloud was÷There was a cloud>] The cloud was charged with sulphureous vapour which was afterwards to burst in thunder — [By and by÷Soon we>] We talked of a [friend÷gentleman>] gentleman who was running out his fortune in London3 and I said ‘We must [have÷get>] get him out of it. [We must÷All his friends must>] All his friends must quarrel with him [which÷and that will soon make him go.>] and that will a

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9 In revision, marking this spot for an additional paragraph, JB left a memorandum on the facing page: ‘Here his seeking after the Hon Daines Barrington. Get the exact state & compliment that learned [learned added in the same draft] ingenious & worthy man.’ He deleted this later, after drafting the next paragraph. 1 ‘He was for setting Horne in the pillory’ (Journ. 18 Apr. 1778)—John Horne, later Horne Tooke. 2 John Shebbeare, also named in the journal. 3 ‘By and by we talked of Langton’s extravagance’ (Journal). As a hint for revision, JB left himself a note in the margin, later deleted: ‘N.B. This may be told of an anonymous gentleman’. Adopting this strategy in resolving his alternatives, he later selected ‘gentleman’ rather than ‘friend’, and in the next sentence, to burden others hypothetically with their proposed action, chose ‘All his friends’ instead of ‘We’. a1 Printed in the revises ‘See p. 217 of this Volume.’ On ‘Nichols the clergyman’ (Journ. 18 Apr. 1778), the Rev. Robert Boucher Nichols, see ante p. 196 n. 4.

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soon drive him away.’ Johnson. ‘Nay Sir We’ll send you to him. If your company does not drive a man out of his house nothing will.’ This was a horrible [blunt del] shock for which there was no visible cause. I afterwards asked him why he had said so [shocking>] harsh a thing. [He answered because you>] Johnson. ‘Because Sir you had made me angry about the Americans.’ — ≤Boswell.≥ ‘But why did not you take your revenge directly?’ Johnson. ≤(smiling)≥ ‘Because ≤Sir≥ I had nothing ready. A man cannot strike till he has his weapons.’ This was a candid & pleasant confession. He shewed me tonight his drawing room very genteely fitted up & said ‘Mrs. Thrale sneered when I talked of my having asked you and your Lady to live at my house. I was obliged to tell her [you’d have as much respect÷that you would meet with as much respect in my house as in hers.>] that you would be in as respectable a situation in my house as in hers.4 Sir the insolence [MS 714] of wealth [1st ed. ii. 242] will creep out.’ Boswell. ‘She has a little both of the insolence of wealth and the conceit of parts.’ Johnson. ‘The insolence of wealth is a wretched thing; but the conceit of parts has some foundation. To be sure it should not be. But who is without it.’ Boswell. ‘Yourself Sir.’ Johnson. ‘Why I play no tricks. I lay no traps.’ Boswell. ‘No Sir You are six foot high, and you only do not stoop.’ We talked of the [numbers of people that there sometimes were÷were sometimes found in great families>] great number of people that sometimes composed the household of great families. I [mentioned÷said>] mentioned that there were a hundred in the [present Earl of Eglintoune’s Father’s family.÷family of the present Earl of Eglintoune’s Father.>] family of the present Earl of Eglintoune’s Father. Dr. Johnson [seemed to doubt it. I began ‘Let us see.>] seeming to doubt it I began to enumerate. ‘Let us see. My Lord and My Lady two.’ Johnson. ‘Nay ≤Sir.≥ if you are to count by twos you may be long enough.’ Boswell. ‘Well but now I add two sons and seven daughters and a servant for each that will make twenty; so we have the fifth part already.’ Johnson. ‘Very true. You get at twenty pretty [easily>] readily; but you will not so easily get farther on. We grow to five feet pretty easily; but [we do not get so soon÷well on to seven.÷seven feet.>] it is not so easy to get to5 seven.’ On Sunday [19 April, Easter Day>] April 19 being Easter Day after the solemnities of the Festival in St. Pauls Church I visited him, but [could not stay÷was not to stay dinner>] could not stay to dinner [being [MS 715] engaged at old Dr. Kennedy’s formerly of Lisbon an Ayrshire man now in his year6 del]. [MS 715] I [said to my great friend÷Dr. Johnson that I wished one could÷that I could have>] expressed a wish to him7 to have the arguments for 4 Opposite this passage JB wrote ‘Mention here his prints and his bust by Nollekins’, echoing a prompt from his Life Materials, ‘Prints in his drawing room’ (M 153). He included the bust by Nollekens when praising the ‘zeal of the artists’ who helped ‘to extend and perpetuate’ SJ’s image (see Hill-Powell iv. 421 n. 2 and 554), but, despite circling his memorandum in the Life MS to amplify its imperative, he did not manage to fulfill this intention to do justice to SJ’s drawing room. 5 Printed ‘get at’ (so in revises). Selfe queried the preposition, and JB altered the phrase to ‘grow to’. 6 On Dr. Gilbert Kennedy, see ante p. 169 n. 6. 7 The phrase ‘to him’ was omitted in print, possibly because of a flawed revision. After JB deleted the phrase ‘said to’ and both sets of alternatives, he did not reinsert ‘to’ when writing ‘him’ (itself camouflaged by the deleted ‘Dr. Johnson’).

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Christianity allways in readiness, [so as that my÷his Religion might>] that my Religious faith might be as firm and clear as any proposition whatever [and÷so that I÷he>] so that I need not be under the least uneasiness [to have it attacked at any time.>] whenever it should be attacked. Johnson. ‘Sir you cannot answer all objections. You have demonstration for a First Cause. You see he must be good as well as powerful, because [he has>] there is nothing to make [him÷him be>] him otherwise, and goodness of itself is preferable. Yet you have against this — what is very certain — the unhappiness of human life. This ≤however≥ gives us reason to hope [for a future state that we may have÷there may be a perfect÷whole perfected system>] for a future state of compensation that there may be a perfect system. But of that we were not sure till we had a positive revelation.’ I told him that his [Rasselas>] ‘Rasselas’ had often made me unhappy, for it Represented the [miserable state>] misery of human life so well and so convincingly to a thinking mind, that if at any time the impression wore off & I felt myself easy, I [was allways examining myself, and said inwardly ‘I am not in a÷my natural state.’>] began to suspect some delusion. [He did not seem to like this remark. But it was a very true one. del] [MS 716] On Monday [20 April>] April 20 I found him at home in the [forenoon>] morning. We talked of a gentleman8 who we apprehended was gradually involving his circumstances by bad [management÷economy>] management. Johnson. ‘Wasting a fortune is evaporation by a thousand imperceptible means. If it were a stream they’d stop it. You must speak to him. It is really miserable. Were he a Gamester, it could be said he had hopes of winning. Were he a Bankrupt [in÷by>] in trade, he might have grown rich; But he has neither spirit to spend nor resolution to [1st ed. ii. 243] spare. He does not spend fast enough to have pleasure from it. He has the crime of prodigality and the [misery÷wretchedness>] wretchedness of parsimony. If a man is killed in a duel he is killed as many a one has been killed; but it is a sad thing for a man to lie down and die, to bleed to death because he has not [resolution÷fortitude enough to cicatrise>] fortitude enough to sear9 the wound, or even to stitch it up.’ [What a fecundity of fancy what a choice of language was here.>] I cannot but pause a moment to admire the fecundity of fancy and choice of language which in this instance and indeed on almost all occasions he displayed. [Surely it was well said>] It was well observed by Dr. Percy now Bishop of Dromore ‘The conversation of Johnson is strong and clear [like an antique statue, every>] and may be compared to an antique statue where every vein and muscle is distinct and bold. Ordinary conversation [is like>] resembles an inferiour cast.’ [MS 717] On Saturday [25 April>] April 25 I dined with him at Sir Joshua Reynolds’s with the learned Dr. Musgrave, [Mr. Leland,>] Counsellor Leland of 8

‘We talked of Langton again’ (Journ. 20 Apr. 1778). In revision, JB doubted the verb he had copied from his journal, ‘to cicatrise’, which involved skin healing up a wound ‘in a few days’ (SJ’s Dictionary, ‘To CICATRIZE’, from the illustrative quotation). A medical emergency would require ‘cautery’, a procedure ‘to stop the effusion of blood, by searing up the vessels’ (SJ’s Dictionary, ‘CAUTERY’). Perhaps suspecting that SJ had actually said ‘to cauterize’—which would indeed demand ‘fortitude’—JB substituted its equivalent, ‘to sear’. 9

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Ireland son to the Historian,1 Mrs. Cholmondeley & some more Ladies.2 [The Project, a Poem÷new Poem] ‘The Project’, a new Poem was read to the company by Dr. Musgrave. Johnson. ‘Sir it has no power. Were it not for the ≤well≥ known names [which are in it÷with which it is filled>] with which it is filled, it would be [nothing. The>] nothing; the names carry the Poet, not the Poet the names.’ Musgrave. ‘A temporary Poem allways entertains [you÷us>] us.’ Johnson. ‘So does an Account of the criminals hanged yesterday entertain [you>] us.’ He [said>] proceeded ‘Demosthenes Taylor as he was called, that is the Translator3 of Demosthenes was the most silent man, the merest statue of a man that I have ever seen. I once dined in company with him and all he said during the whole time was no more than Richard. How a man should say only Richard it is not easy to imagine. But it was thus. Douglas was talking of Dr. Zachary Grey and [giving>] ascribing to him something which was written by Dr. Richard Grey. So to correct him, Taylor said (imitating his affected sententious emphasis and nod) Richard.’ Mrs. Cholmondeley in a high flow of spirits exhibited some lively sallies of hyperbolical compliment to Johnson with whom she had been long acquainted and was very easy. He was quick in catching the manner [MS 718] of the moment, and answered her somewhat [like Ancient Pistol4>] in the style of the hero of a Romance ‘Madam you crown me with unfading laurels.’ I happened I know not how to say that a Pamphlet meant a prose piece. Johnson. ‘No Sir. A few sheets of poetry unbound are a pamphlet as much as a few sheets of prose.’ Musgrave. ‘A pamphlet may be understood to mean a poetical piece, in Westminster Hall, that is in formal language; but in common language it is understood to mean prose.’ Johnson (And here was one of the many instances of his knowing clearly [1st ed. ii. 244] and telling exactly how a thing is). ‘A pamphlet is [commonly understood÷understood in common language>] understood in common language to mean prose only from this that there is so much more prose written than poetry, as when we say a Book prose is understood for the same reason, though a Book may as well be in poetry as in prose. We understand what is most general, and we name [the exception÷what is less frequent>] what is less frequent.’ We talked of [a certain Lady’s÷Lady Lucan’s>] a certain Lady’s Verses on Ireland. Miss Reynolds. ‘Have you seen them Sir?’ Johnson. ‘No Madam. I have seen a translation from Horace by one of her daughters.5 She shewed it me÷me 1 John Leland was admitted to Lincoln’s Inn in 1776; in 1781 he was called to the Irish bar (Oxford DNB, q.v. Thomas Leland; see also Corr. 2a, pp. 126, 138–39). 2 As well as Frances Reynolds, who speaks below (l. 34), these ladies were Mrs. Hannah Horneck, her daughter Catherine Horneck Bunbury, and Sarah Wymondesold, widow of Charles Wymondesold. See Boswell in Extremes, pp. 256 n. 5, 312 n. 4; and Pat Rogers, ‘The Second Mrs. Wymondesold: The Widow, The Divorcee, Johnson, and Reynolds’, Huntington Library Quarterly 69, 2006, pp. 607–16. 3 Corrected to ‘Editor’ in the second edition. Isaac Reed had pointed out the error (Corr. 2a, p. 384); so also had George Ashby, a friend of Taylor’s (Hill-Powell iii. 524). 4 Having copied this comparison from his journal (see Boswell in Extremes, p. 312), JB seems to have reflected on its suitability only in revision. 5 Margaret Bingham (c. 1740–1814), a painter of miniatures, became Lady Lucan when her husband, Sir Charles Bingham (1735–99), was made Baron Lucan in 1776. A review of her Verses on Ireland appeared in The Monthly Review of June 1778. Lavinia,

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it.’6 Miss Reynolds. ‘And how was it Sir?’ Johnson. ‘Why very well for a young Miss’s [verses. Compared>] verses, very well; — Compared with excellence nothing; but very well for the person who [writ ’em÷wrote them>] wrote them. I am vexed [to be÷at being>] at being shewn [MS 719] verses in that manner.’ Miss Reynolds. ‘But if they should be good why not give them hearty praise?’ Johnson. ‘Why Madam, because I have not then got the better of my bad humour [for÷from>] from having been shewn them. [They before hand may be bad as well÷probably as good.>] You must consider Madam. Before hand they may be bad as well as good. Nobody has a right to put another under such a difficulty, that he must either hurt the person by telling the truth, or hurt himself by telling what is not true.’ Boswell. ‘A man [/often/>] often shews his writings to people of eminence to obtain from them either from their good nature or from their not being able to tell the truth firmly, [a commendation of which he afterwards avails himself.÷/such/ a commendation as that he may afterwards÷afterwards may avail himself of it.>] a commendation of which he may afterwards avail himself.’ Johnson. ‘Very true Sir. Therefore a man who is asked by [a writer÷an Authour>] an Authour what he thinks of his Work is put to the torture and is not obliged to speak the truth, so that what he says is not to be considered7 as his opinion. Yet he has [given it÷said it>] said it and cannot retract it; and this [writer÷Authour, when he is chaced by the world with÷when mankind are pursuing him with a stick to his tail÷his tail in a stick>] Authour, when mankind are hunting him with a cannister at his tail can say “I would not have published had not Johnson, or Reynolds, or Musgrave, or some other good judge commended the Work.” [But÷Yet>] Yet I consider it as a very difficult question in conscience whether one should advise a man not to publish a Work, if [interest÷profit is÷be in the case>] profit be his object; for the man may say “had it not been for you, I should have had the money.” Now you cannot be sure; for you have only your own opinion, and the Publick [MS 720] may think very differently.’ Sir Joshua Reynolds. ‘You must upon such an occasion have two judgements, one as to the real value of the Work; the other as to what may please the general taste [for÷at>] at the time.’ Johnson. ‘But you can be sure of neither; and therefore I should scruple much to give a suppressive vote. Both Goldsmith’s Comedies were at first refused, his [Goodnatured Man>] first by Garrick — his Second by Colman who was prevailed on at last by much solicitation [and÷nay>] nay a kind of force to bring it on. His [Vicar of Wakefield>] [1st ed. ii. 245] “Vicar of Wakefield” I myself did not think would [have÷have had>] have had much success. It was written ≤and sold to a Bookseller≥ before his [Traveller>] “Traveller” but published after; so little expectation had the Booksellers8 from probably the daughter who translated Horace, became Lady Spencer in 1781 upon her marriage to George John Spencer, second Earl Spencer (Oxford DNB; Boswell in Extremes, p. 313 n. 2). 6 Printed ‘it me’ (so in revises). 7 Misprinted ‘is not be considered’; changed to ‘is not considered’ in the second edition, but corrected to ‘is not be considered’ in Hill-Powell. 8 An x in the margin and an ink spot above the ‘s’ in ‘Booksellers’ suggest uncertainty over use of the plural. Having introduced ‘Bookseller’ into the first part of this sentence in revision, JB later changed this noun and its pronouns to the singular throughout the passage (see endnotes). This particular plural, having escaped his notice in proof, was corrected in the revises. See ‘Bookseller’ in the other telling of this story (Life MS i. 287).

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it. Had it been sold after the Traveller he might have had twice as much money [/for it/>] for it though Sixty guineas was no mean price. They had the advantage of his9 reputation from the Traveller in their sale, though he had it not in selling to them.’ Sir Joshua Reynolds. ‘The Beggars Opera affords [an instance÷proof>] a proof how strangely people will differ in opinion about a literary performance. Burke thinks it has no merit.’ Johnson. ‘It was refused by one of the Houses; but I should have thought it would succeed, not from any great excellence in the writing, but from the novelty and the general spirit and gayety of [MS 721] the piece which keeps the audience allways attentive and dismisses them in good humour.’1 [Dr. Johnson had reason to be happy that the Lady’s Verses which introduced this discussion had not been shewn to him. Mr. Leland read them aloud÷out to the Company and they were such as it would have puzzled the most ingenious casuist to have spoken of but in terms of disapprobation. I sometimes thought that Mr. Leland was inventing specimens of the bathos for his amusement to see how we would receive them. One line I recollect I would not believe was there till I looked on & read with my own eyes ‘Fourpence a day ah! what can that afford?’ del]

We went to the drawing room where was a considerable increase of company. Several of us got round Dr. Johnson and complained that he would not give us an exact Catalogue of his Works that there might be a complete Edition. He smiled and evaded [our intreaties÷us>] our intreaties. That he intended to do it I have no doubt because I have heard him say so; and I have in my possession an imperfect List fairly written out which he entitles ≤Historia Studiorum≥.2 I once 25 got from one of his friends3 a list which there was pretty good reason to suppose was [authentick÷accurate>] accurate for it was written down in his presence by this friend who enumerated each article aloud, and had some of them mentioned to him by Mr. Levet in concert with whom it was made out, and 20

9 Once the opening of this sentence had been changed to ‘The bookseller’ (see n. 8 above), ‘his’ became ambiguous. Underlining the possessive pronoun, Selfe wrote ‘q Goldsmith’s’ in the margin. ‘Yes’, replied JB, agreeing to this correction, without noticing that Selfe had also underlined ‘he’ in the next clause. That ambiguity was resolved in the second edition with the substitution of ‘Goldsmith’. 1 An asterisk here drew the compositor’s attention to MS opp. 721, where JB (in the same draft) added the next paragraph, having encountered the material on a subsequent page of his journal. In revision, however, he recognized its gratuitousness, and in deleting it cautioned himself, ‘Try to speak more softly’. 2 Unable to recall the title at first, JB left a blank space to fill in later. SJ’s evasiveness was implicit in JB’s memorandum in the Life Materials (M 158): ‘His Catalogue / of Defoe’s Works / Catalogue of his / own a certain way.’ On SJ’s list of ‘a certain number’ of his works, see also Life MS i. 78 ll. 18–23 and n. 8. 3 Percy. In May 1772, after copying the list, JB returned it to Percy with ‘many thanks’ and a caveat: ‘I must tell you however that he allowed Levet to dictate to you several errours’ (Corr. 2a, pp. 5–8). On his copy of the list (M 148), JB recorded that it was ‘drawn up by [Percy] and Mr. Levet in the hearing of Mr. Johnson who sometimes corrected it; … he allowed Percy and Levet to do the best they could; and put them right only sometimes as the inclination took him; but by no means so often as they were wrong’. JB later expanded this list under the heading, ‘Mr. Johnson also wrote’ (Cat. i. 89).

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Johnson who heard all this did not contradict it. But when I shewed a copy of this List to him and mentioned the evidence for its exactness he laughed & said ‘I was willing to let them go on as they pleased and never interfered.’ Upon which I read to him article by article and got him positively to own or refuse; and then having obtained certainty [MS 722] so far, I got some other articles confirmed by him directly, and afterwards from time to time made additions under his sanction. His friend Edward Cave having been mentioned ≤he told us≥ ‘Cave used to sell ten thousand of The Gentleman’s Magazine; yet such was then his minute attention and anxiety that the sale should not suffer the [least÷smallest>] smallest diminution, that he would name a particular person who he heard [was talking÷had talked>] had talked of leaving off the Magazine and would say “[Let’s÷Let us>] Let us have something good next month.”’ [We talked of Avarice and that it was natural to some people÷inherent in some dispositions.>] It was observed that avarice was inherent in some dispositions. Johnson. ‘No man was born a Miser because no man was born to possession. Every [1st ed. ii. 246] man is born cupidus (desireous of getting) but not avarus (desireous of keeping).’ Boswell. ‘I have heard old Mr. Sheridan maintain with much ingenuity that a complete miser is a happy man, a miser who gives himself wholly to the one passion of saving.’ Johnson. ‘That is flying in the face of all the World, who have called an avaricious man a Miser because he is [unhappy÷miserable>] miserable. A man who both spends and saves money is the happiest man, because he has both enjoyments.’ The conversation having turned on Bon Mots he quoted from one of the Ana an exquisite [MS 723] [instance÷specimen>] instance of flattery in a maid of honour in France who being asked by the Queen What a clock it was? answered ‘What your Majesty pleases.’ [He allowed but of one good pun in all Menagiana corps.>] [He allowed but of one good pun in all Menagiana which as I recollect turns on the word Corps.4 del] He admitted that Mr. Burkes classical pun upon Mr. Wilkes’s being carried on the shoulders of the Mob

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Numerisque fertur Lege solutus — was [admirable. He observed>] admirable; and though he was strangely unwilling to allow to that extraordinary man the talent of wita he also laughed with approbation at a

See this question fully investigated in the Notes upon my ‘Journal of a Tour 35 to the Hebrides’ Edit 3. p. et seq: And here as a Lawyer mindful of the maxim Suum cuique tribuito I cannot forbear to mention that the additional note [which is exquisitely acute del] beginning with ‘I find since the former edition’ is not mine, but was obligingly furnished by Mr. Malone who was so kind as to superintend the press while I was in Scotland & the first part of the second 40 4 Having originally left a blank space before ‘corps’, JB later finessed his inability to supply the quotation, and later still deleted the sentence because he had mentioned this pun earlier in the Life. For his efforts to ascertain its wording (extending into the second and third editions) see Life MS ii. 104 ll. 6–9 and n. 6.

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another of his playful conceits which was that ‘Horace has in one line given a description of a good desireable Manour Est modus in rebus sunt certi denique fines

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that is to say A modus as to tithes and certain fines.’5 He observed ‘A man cannot with propriety speak of himself, except [simple facts as÷as simple facts>] he relates simple facts as “I was at Richmond” or what depends on mensuration as “I am six feet high.” He is sure he [has been÷was>] has been at Richmond; he is sure he is six feet high; but he cannot be sure he is wise, or that he has any other [excellence÷good quality>] excellence. Then — All censure of [a man’s÷one’s>] a man’s self is oblique praise. It is [/in order/>] in order to shew [you del] how much he can spare. It has all the invidiousness of self-praise and all the reproach of falshood.’ Boswell. ‘Sometimes it may proceed from a man’s strong consciousness of his faults being observed. He knows that others would throw him down, and therefore he had better lye down softly [/of his own accord÷himself/>] of his own accord.’ [1st ed. ii. 247] On tuesday [28 April>] April 28 [we were engaged>] he was engaged [MS 724] to dine at General Paoli’s, where /as I have allready observed/6 I was still entertained in elegant hospitality and with all the ease and comfort of a home. I called on him and accompanied him in a hackney coach. We stopped first at the bottom of hedge=lane [where÷into which>] into which he went to leave a letter with good news for a poor man in distress7 as he told me. I did not question him particularly as to this. [He was often what he has related from Lord Marchmont what Lady Bolingbroke described Pope un politique aux choux et aux raves a politician about cabbages and turnips.>] [He himself often resembled Pope in a particular remarked by Lady Bolingbroke who said he was un politique aux choux et aux raves.>] [Lady Bolingbroke’s lively description of Pope was applicable to Johnson. He was often un politique aux choux et aux raves.>] He himself often resembled Lady Bolingbroke’s lively description of Pope: He was often un politique aux choux et aux raves. He would say ‘I dine today in Grosvenor Square.’ This might be with a Duke — or perhaps ‘I dine today at the other end of the town’ — or ‘a gentleman of great edition was printing. He would not allow me to ascribe it to its proper authour; but as it is exquisitely acute I take this opportunity without his knowledge, to do him justice.a1 5

This anecdote (drafted on MS opp. 723) was noted in JB’s journal of 30 Mar. 1781. The ‘/as’ in this unresolved optional phrase was added in the same draft. JB’s odd misplacement of the second virgule—to the left of ‘observed’ at the start of a new line— was ignored, and the phrase was printed. 7 Mauritius Lowe, as JB later learned from James Sedgwick’s letter of 3 June 1793 (Corr. 2a, p. 416). Lowe’s identity was deduced by Peter Cunningham and noted in Croker’s 1848 edition of the Life (Hill-Powell iii. 324 n. 2). 6

a1 JB’s citation was printed ‘p. 21’ in the revises. Because EM was in Ireland in Dec. 1790 when MSS 723 and opp. 723 were revised, typeset, and proof-read (see Corr. 2a, p. lxiv), JB could pay him this tribute ‘without his knowledge’.

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eminence in the City called on me yesterday.’ — [He loved thus to keep÷he would thus keep>] He loved thus to keep things floating in conjecture Omne ignotum pro magnifico [habetur. Every thing as to which we are in÷are kept in the dark seems magnificent.÷is fancied great.>] est. I believe I ventured to dissipate the cloud, to unveil the mystery, more freely & frequently than any of his friends. We stopped again at Wirgman’s the corner of St. James’s street [MS 725] a toyshop8 to which he had been directed, but not clearly, for he [searched÷looked>] searched about for some time and could not find it at first and said ‘to direct one only to a corner shop is toying with one.’ I suppose he meant a play upon the word toy. It was the first time that I knew him stoop to [this.÷such sport.>] such sport. After he had been some time in the shop, he sent for me to come out of the coach and help him to chuse a pair of silver buckles as those he had were too small. Probably this alteration in dress had been suggested by Mrs. Thrale by associating with whom his external appearance was much improved. He got better clothes and the dark colour from which he never deviated was enlivened by metal buttons. His wigs too were greatly better, and [during their travels in France÷from travels to France>] during their travels in France he was furnished with a handsom paris wig of handsome construction.9 This chusing of silver buckles was a negociation. ‘Sir’ said he ‘I will not [have÷take>] have the ridiculous [large ones÷size>] large ones now in fashion and I will give no more than a guinea for a pair.’ [These÷Such>] Such were the principles of the negociation, and after some examination he was fitted. As we drove along, I found him in a talking humour of which I availed myself. Boswell. ‘I was this morning in Ridley’s shop Sir, and was told that the Collection [MS 726] called Johnsoniana has sold very much.’ Johnson. ‘Yet the Journey to the Hebrides has not had a great sale.’a Boswell. ‘That is strange.’ Johnson. ‘Yes Sir; for I have [there told the world÷told the world there>] there told the world1 a great deal that they did not know before.’ [1st ed. ii. 248] Boswell. ‘I drank chocolade ≤Sir≥ this forenoon with Mr. Eld, and to my no small surprise found him to be a Staffordshire Whig, a being which a

≤Here he either was mistaken or had a different notion of an extensive sale from what is generally entertained; for the fact is that 4000 copies of that excellent work were sold very quickly. A new edition has been printed since his death.a1≥ 8 Having left the same blank space in his journal, JB was unable to supply the precise location in revision here, and the compositor simply closed up the space. The second edition was more specific: ‘Wirgman’s, the well-known toy-shop, in St. James’s-Street, at the corner of St. James’s-Place’. On Peter Wirgman (1718–1801), the jeweller who kept this shop at 68 St. James’s Street, see Hill-Powell iii. 525. 9 What JB perhaps intended as an alternative (‘a handsom paris wig ÷paris wig of handsome construction’) was not indicated as such in the usual manner. As printed in the revises, the phrase read ‘Paris-made wig, of handsome construction’. 1 Printed ‘for in that book I have there told the world’ (so in revises). Selfe queried the word ‘there’—made redundant by the phrase ‘in that book’, evidently added in proof—and JB deleted it. a1 JB later extended this sentence to clarify his meaning, as printed in the revises: ‘… death, besides that in the collection of his works.’

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I did not believe [/had/>] had existed.’ Johnson. ‘Sir there are Rascals in all countries.’ Boswell. ‘Eld said a Tory was a creature generated between a /nonjuring/2 [Clergyman÷Parson>] Parson and [my÷one’s>] one’s Grandmother.’ Johnson. ‘And I have allways said — the first Whig was the Devil.’ Boswell. ‘[He÷It>] He certainly was Sir. The Devil was impatient of subordination; he was the first who resisted power “Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven.”’ At General Paolis were Sir Joshua Reynolds, Mr. Langton Marchese Gherardi of Lombardy, & Mr. Spottiswoode [a÷the solicitor at law.>] a solicitor son in law of Mr. Strahan.3 At this time fears of an invasion were circulated [to obviate÷in answer to>] to obviate which Mr. Spottiswoode observed that Mr. Fraser the engineer who [was÷had>] had lately come from Dunkirk said that the french had the same fears [of÷from>] of us. Johnson. ‘[Tis>] It is thus that mutual cowardice keeps us in peace. Were /one/ half /of/ mankind brave and /one/ half cowards, the brave would be allways beating the cowards.4 Were all brave, [they’d>] they [MS 727] would lead a very uneasy life; all would be continually fighting but being all cowards [they>] we go on very well.’ We talked of drinking wine. Johnson. ‘I [need÷require>] require wine only when [/I am÷I’m/>] I am5 alone. I have then often wished for it and often taken it.’ Spottiswoode. ‘What by way of a companion Sir?’ Johnson. ‘To get rid of myself, to send myself away. Wine gives great pleasure, and every pleasure is of itself a good. It is a good unless counterballanced by evil. A man may have a strong reason not to drink wine, and that may be [greater than the pleasure.÷a greater reason÷argument against than the pleasure.>] greater than the pleasure. Wine makes a man better pleased with himself. I do not say that it makes him more pleasing to others. Sometimes it does. But the danger is that while a man grows better pleased with himself he may be growing less [so>] pleasing to others.a Wine gives a man nothing. It [neither gives him÷gives him neither>] a

30

≤[Paper Apart] It is observed in Waller’s Life in the Biographia Britannica that he drank only water, and that while he sat in a company who were drinking 2

Printed ‘non-juring’ in the revises. In the revises printed ‘Mr. John Spottiswoode, of Spottiswoode, the solicitor’, with a footnote on the phrase ‘of Spottiswoode’: ‘In the phraseology of Scotland, I should have said, “Mr. Spottiswoode, of that ilk.” Johnson knew that sense of the word very well, and has thus explained it in his Dictionary, voce ILK — “It also signifies the same as Mackintosh of that ilk, denotes a gentleman whose surname and the title of his estate are the same.”’ Lacking in punctuation, this quotation was corrected and printed as follows in the first edition: ‘It also signifies “the same;” as, Mackintosh of that ilk, denotes … same.’ In the second edition, in both text and footnote, JB changed the initial identification to ‘Mr. John Spottiswoode the younger’, to distinguish him from his father (1711–93). The younger Spottiswoode (d. 1805) married Margaret Penelope Strahan, daughter of the printer, on 10 June 1779. The pair had nine children (William Anderson, The Scottish Nation, 3 vols., 1863, iii. 496; see also ante p. 158 n. 1). 4 The three unresolved optional words in this sentence were printed in the revises. 5 Without deleting his virgules, JB resolved the alternatives within them, thus effectively indicating that the optional element was to be printed. 3

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neither gives him knowledge nor wit; it only animates a man and enables him to bring out [1st ed. ii. 249] what a dread of the company [represses÷has repressed>] has repressed. It only puts in motion what [is÷has been>] has been locked up in frost. But this may be good, or it may be bad.’ Spottiswoode. ‘So Sir. Wine is a key which opens a box; but this box may be either full or empty.’ Johnson. ‘Nay Sir Conversation is the key. Wine is a pick=lock which [breaks>] forces open the box and [hurts÷injures>] injures it. A man [MS 728] should cultivate his mind so as to have that confidence and readiness without wine which wine gives.’ Boswell. ‘The great difficulty of resisting wine is from benevolence. A good worthy man [now>] for instance6 [wishes÷asks>] asks you to taste his wine which he has had twenty years in his cellar.’ Johnson. ‘Sir, All this notion about Benevolence arrises from a man’s imagining himself to be of more importance to [other people>] others than he really is. [People>] [Other people>] They don’t care ≤a farthing≥ whether he drinks wine or not.’ Sir Joshua Reynolds. ‘Yes, they do for the time.’ Johnson. ‘For the time?7 — If they care this minute they forget it the next. And as for the good worthy man; how do we know he is good and worthy. No good and worthy man will insist upon another man’s drinking wine. As to the wine twenty years in the Cellar, — Of ten men three say this merely because they must say something; — three are telling a lie when they say they have had the wine twenty years, — three would rather save the wine — one perhaps [cares.’ Spottiswoode. ‘A good worthy man would not keep his wine twenty years.’ Johnson. ‘I>] cares. I allow it is something to please the÷one’s8 company, and people are allways pleased with those who partake pleasure with them. But after a man has [given up÷denied himself the great personal pleasure [MS 729] which wine gives>] brought himself to relinquish the great personal

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wine ‘he had the dexterity to accommodate his discourse to the pitch of theirs as it sunk.’ If excess in drinking be meant the remark is acutely just. [The soul subsides to each it more inclines And seems but mortal ev’n in sound divines. POPE >] But surely a moderate use of wine gives a gayety of spirits which water-drinkers know not.a1≥ 6 Having written ‘now’ above the line originally and ‘asks’ above ‘wishes’ as an alternative, JB had to place ‘for instance’ (a revision for ‘now’) over the beginning of the sentence. Its intended position evidently was misread, for in the revises the sentence began, ‘For instance, a good worthy man’, and has remained so in all editions. 7 Printed ‘time!’ (so in revises), possibly a misreading of JB’s punctuation. His question mark sometimes, as here, differs little from an exclamation point. 8 Printed ‘one’s’ (so in revises). a1 This separate leaf (headed ‘Note for p. 727’) was inserted between MS 726 and MS 727. JB had the footnote in mind originally, however, as shown by his memorandum on MS 727: ‘Note as to Water-drinking & mention Waller’. The verses were slightly misquoted from Pope’s Imitations of Horace, Sat. II. ii. 79–80: ‘The Soul subsides; and wickedly inclines / To seem but mortal, ev’n in sound Divines’. The exponent for this footnote in the text, though printed in the revises, was missing in the first edition.

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pleasure which arrises from drinking wine, [MS 729] any other consideration is a trifle. To please others by drinking wine is something only if there be nothing against it. — [(Here I thought he was too selfish.) del] I should≤, however,≥ be sorry to offend worthy men: 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Curst be the verse [howe’er so well÷how well soe’er>] how well soe’er it flow That tends to make one worthy man my foe.’ Boswell. ‘Curst be the spring the water.’ Johnson. ‘/But let us consider what a sad thing it would be if we were obliged to drink or do any thing else that may happen to be agreable to the company where we are.’ Langton. ‘By the same rule you must join with a gang of cut=purses.’ Johnson. ‘Yes Sir. [You must stink with every Fox. del]/ 9 But we must do justice to wine; we must allow it [what it possesses÷the power that it possesses>] the power which it possesses. To make a man pleased with himself let me tell you is doing a very great thing. Si patriæ volumus, si Nobis vivere cari.’

[1st ed. ii. 250] ≤I was at this time myself a water=drinker upon a trial1 by Johnson’s recommendation. Johnson. ‘Boswell is a bolder combatant than Sir Joshua. He argues for wine, without the help of wine. But Sir Joshua with it.’2≥ Sir Joshua /Reynolds/.3 ‘But to please one’s company is a strong motive.’ Johnson 20 (who from drinking only water supposed every body who drank wine to be elevated). ‘I won’t÷will not4 argue any more with you ≤Sir≥. Youre÷You are5 too far gone.’ Sir Joshua (with a spirited keeness). ‘I should have thought so indeed Sir had I made such a speech as you have now done.’6 Johnson ([taking himself &>] drawing himself in & I really thought blushing). ‘Nay don’t be angry. I did 25 not mean to offend you.’ Sir Joshua. ‘At first the taste of wine was disagreable to me; but I brought myself to drink it, that I might be like other people. The pleasure of drinking wine is so connected with pleasing [your÷the>] your company that altogether there is something of social [MS 730] goodness in it.’ Johnson. [‘You have said÷This is saying the same thing several times over÷over 9 The virgules delimiting this optional text perhaps reflect the fact that JB recorded the comments near the end of his journal entry for 28 Apr. 1778, separate from the central conversation on drinking (see Boswell in Extremes, pp. 322 and 320–21 respectively). JB did not delete the virgules, but his revision within the passage indicated that it was to be printed. 1 Misprinted ‘upon trial’ (so in revises). The ‘a’ between the two words, overlooked by the compositor, was camouflaged by ink strokes that bled through the other side of the leaf. 2 An x of uncertain significance appears above both words in the phrase ‘with it’. 3 The optional surname was printed in the revises. 4 Printed ‘won’t’ (so in revises). 5 Printed ‘You are’ (so in revises). 6 The original draft of this retort—‘That Sir is a speech fitter for me, supposing me to be in the situation that you seem to suppose.’—mirrored the phrasing in JB’s journal, except for the final verb, ‘to alledge’. JB added ‘(with a spirited keeness)’ in the same draft, having recorded that Reynolds ‘very propery took fire a little’ (Journal) at SJ’s insinuation; this parenthetical phrase was deleted before the revises were printed.

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again.’>] ‘Sir this is only saying the same thing over again.’ Sir Joshua. ‘No. This is new.’ Johnson. ‘[It is in>] You put it in new words, but it is an old thought. This is one of the disadvantages of wine. It makes a man mistake words for [ideas>] thoughts.’ Boswell. ‘I think it is a new thought; at least it is in a new attitude.’ Johnson. ‘Nay Sir it is only in a new coat, or an old coat with a new facing. (Then laughing heartily) It is the old dog in a new doublet. — An extraordinary instance may occur where a Man’s Patron will do nothing for him unless he [will drink÷drinks>] will drink. There may be a good reason for drinking.’ — I mentioned a [nobleman÷scotch man of high rank>] nobleman7 who was I believed8 really uneasy if his company would not drink [freely÷hard>] hard. Johnson. ‘That is from having had people about him whom he has been accustomed to command.’ Boswell. ‘Supposing I should be tete a tete with him at table.’ Johnson. ‘≤Sir≥ There is no more reason for your drinking with [him>] him than for his being sober with [you>] you.’ Boswell. ‘≤Why that is true for,≥ It would do him less hurt to be sober, than it would do me to get drunk.’ Johnson. ‘Yes Sir; and from what I have heard of him [one>] a man would not wish to sacrifice [one’sself to him.>] himself to such a man. [A man÷He who must allways have some one÷somebody to drink with him should buy>] If he must allways have somebody to drink with him he should buy a slave and then [he’ll÷he will>] he would be sure to have it. People who [do÷submit to9 [MS 731] it>] submit to [MS 731] drink as another pleases make themselves his slaves.’ Boswell. ‘But Sir you will surely make allowance for /the duty of/1 hospitality. A Gentleman who loves drinking comes to visit me.’ Johnson. ‘Sir a man knows whom he visits; he comes [knowing you do not drink.>] [to a sober man knowing that he does not drink.>] to the table of a sober man.’ Boswell. ‘But Sir [we should>] you and I would2 not have been so well received in the highlands and Hebrides if I had not drunk3 with [the people>] our worthy friends. Had I drunk water only as you did, they would not [1st ed. ii. 251] have been so cordial.’ Johnson. ‘Sir William Temple [mentions that in his travels through the netherlands÷in his travels through the netherlands mentions that>] mentions that in his travels through the netherlands he had two or three gentlemen with him, and when a bumper was necessary he put it on them. Were I to travel again through the highlands [I’d÷I would>] I would have Sir Joshua with me to take the bumpers.’ Boswell. ‘But Sir [I’ll÷let me>] let me put a case. Suppose Sir Joshua should take a jaunt into Scotland. He [comes÷does me the honour>] does me the honour to pay me a visit at my house in the country. I am overjoyed [at seeing÷to 7 Archibald Montgomerie, 11th Earl of Eglinton. As before (see ante p. 112 n. 4), Powell identified him on the basis of JB’s journal (Hill-Powell vi. 454–55). 8 Printed ‘who I believed was’ (so in revises), probably a mistake based on the position of ‘I believed’, which JB added in the same draft, instead of the caret he placed after ‘was’. 9 These alternatives, jotted as catchwords on MS 730, were resolved there in revision because JB had not rewritten them at the top of MS 731. 1 JB’s unresolved optional phrase was printed in the revises. 2 Misprinted ‘should’, JB’s ‘w’ covering the ‘sh’ too faintly to be easily detected. 3 Misprinted ‘drank’ (so in revises), as JB began to form the word, even though the next sentence clearly starts, ‘Had I drunk’. (The journal reads ‘had … drank’ in both places; cf. p. 103 l. 7). In the third edition it was corrected to ‘drunk’. For other attention to this verb, see pp. 20 n. 3, 35 l. 18 (endnote), and 36 l. 37.

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see>] at seeing him. We are quite by ourselves. Shall I [churlishly and unsocially>] unsocially and churlishly let him sit drinking by himself? No no my dear Sir Joshua ≤you shall not be treated so≥ I will take a bottle with you.’ The celebrated Mrs. Rudd being mentioned Johnson. ‘Fifteen years ago I should have gone to see her.’ Spottiswoode. ‘Because she was fifteen years younger?’ Johnson. ‘No Sir. But now they have a trick of putting every thing into the News=papers.’ He begged of General [MS 732] Paoli to repeat [the first stanza of Tasso which>] one of the introductory stanzas of the first book of Tasso’s Jerusalem which he did,4 and then Johnson found fault with the simile of sweetening the [mouth÷edges>] edges of a cup [with honey del] for a child being transferred from Lucretius into an epick Poem. The General said he did not [imagine÷think>] imagine [Homer÷Homer’s Poetry>] Homer’s Poetry was so ancient as is supposed because [there are÷were circumstances in it of refined society in÷a refinement to a Colony which we find were not in Greece itself when Thucydides wrote at a later period.>] [he describes circumstances of a refinement to a Colony which we find were not in Greece itself when Thucydides wrote at a later period.>] he ascribes to a greek colony circumstances of refinement not found in Greece itself at a later period when Thucydides wrote. Johnson. ‘I recollect but one passage [related in Thucydides as from>] quoted by Thucydides from Homer which is not to be found in our [copies.÷copies of his work.>] copies of Homer’s Works. I am for the antiquity of Homer, & think that a grecian Colony by being nearer Persia might be more refined than the Mother country.’ On Wednesday [29 April>] April 29 I dined with him at Mr. Allan Ramsay’s where were Mrs. Boscawen ≤widow of the Admiral of whom if it be not too presumptous in me to praise her I would say that her manners are the most agreable and her conversation the best of any Lady with whom I ever had the [honour÷good fortune>] honour to be acquainted≥ Lord Binning Dr. Robertson the Historian Sir Joshua Reynolds.5 Before Johnson came we talked a good deal of him. Ramsay said he had allways found him a very polite man, and that he treated him with great respect, which he did very sincerely. I said I worshiped him. Robertson. ‘But some of you spoil him; you should not worship him; you should worship no man.’ Boswell. ‘I cannot help worshiping him, he is so much superiour to other men.’ [(Let Robertson take this, thought I.) del] Robertson. ‘In Criticism and in wit in conversation he is no doubt very excellent; but in other [MS 733] respects he is not above other men. He will believe any thing, and will [rigidly÷strenously>] [1st ed. ii. 252] strenuously defend the most minute 4 Memorandum, ‘Qu if insert?’—deleted in revision when JB, having by then found it was not literally ‘the first stanza’ of Gerusalemme Liberata that had been recited but rather the third stanza in Canto I, decided not to quote the verses. 5 The syntax of this sentence, made ungainly by JB’s revision regarding Mrs. Boscawen, was evidently altered in proof. In the revises, the list of dinner guests culminated with Mrs. Boscawen and an even more elaborate encomium: ‘Lord Binning, Dr. Robertson the historian, Sir Joshua Reynolds, and the Honourable Mrs. Boscawen, widow of the Admiral, and mother of the present Viscount Falmouth, of whom, if it be not presumptuous in me to praise her, I would say, that her manners are the most agreeable, and her conversation the best of any lady with whom I ever had the happiness to be acquainted.’ JB’s typical spelling of ‘presumptous’ had been corrected along the way.

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circumstance [about>] connected with the Church of England.’ Boswell. ‘Believe me Doctor you are much [mistaken÷under a mistake>] mistaken as to this; for when one talks÷you talk6 with him calmly in private he is very liberal in his way of thinking.’ [/Robertson. ‘he & I have been allways very gracious. The first time I met him was one evening at Strahan’s, when he had just had an unlucky altercation with Adam Smith to whom he had been so rough that Strahan after Smith was gone had remonstrated with him, /and/ told him that I was coming soon and that he was uneasy to think that he might behave in the same manner to me. “No no Sir” said Johnson. “I warrant you Robertson & I shall do very well.” Accordingly he was gentle & good humoured and courteous with me the whole evening; and he has been so upon every occasion that we have met since. I have often said (laughing) that I have been in a good measure÷partly indebted to Smith for my good reception÷fortune.’ Boswell./7 ‘His power of reasoning>] Robertson. ‘he & I have been allways very gracious. The first time I met him was one evening at Strahan’s, when he had just had an unlucky altercation with Adam Smith to whom he had been so rough that Strahan after Smith was gone had remonstrated with him, /and/8 told him that I was coming soon and that he was uneasy to think that he might behave in the same manner to me. “No no Sir” said Johnson. “I warrant you Robertson & I shall do very well.” Accordingly he was gentle & good humoured and courteous with me the whole evening; and he has been so upon every occasion that we have met since. I have often said (laughing) that I have been in a good measure indebted to Smith for my good reception.’ Boswell. ‘His power of reasoning is very strong, and he has a peculiar art of drawing characters which is as rare as good portrait painting.’ Sir Joshua Reynolds. ‘He is undoubtedly admirable in this; but in order to mark the characters which he draws he overcharges them, and gives people more than they really have, whether /of/9 good or bad.’ [MS 734] [When÷No sooner was÷had the great Man arrived we>] No sooner did He of whom we had been thus talking so easily arrive, than we were all as quiet as a school upon the entrance of the Head-Master, and were very soon set down to a table covered with such variety of good things as contributed not a little to dispose him to be pleased. Ramsay. ‘I am old enough to have been a contemporary of Pope. His poetry was highly admired in his lifetime, [but not so much÷more a great deal than>] more a great deal than after his death.’ Johnson. ‘Sir it [was not÷has not been>] has not been less admired after his death. No authours ever had so much fame in their own lifetime as Pope and Voltaire; and Pope’s poetry has been as much admired after his death as during his life. It has only not been [so>] as much talked of. But that [was÷has been>] is owing to its being [then÷now>] now more 6

Printed ‘you talk’ (so in revises). A single virgule before Robertson’s name (l. 4, later crossed out) was sufficient to remind JB, when revising, that Robertson’s speech was optional. There was no second virgule, but the optional passage clearly ended where JB resumed his own train of thought, which was uninterrupted in the journal (29 Apr. 1778): ‘For when one talked with him calmly, he was very liberal in his way of thinking. And I thought his power of reasoning very strong.’ The journal entry does not include Robertson’s anecdote. 8 The unresolved optional word was printed in the revises. 9 The unresolved optional word was printed in the revises. 7

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distant and people having other writings to talk of. Virgil is less talked of than Pope [/and/>] and Homer is less talked of than Virgil; but they are not less admired. We must read what the World reads [for the time÷at the moment>] at the moment. It has been maintained that the superfœtation this teeming of the press in [modern times÷our day÷these days hurts good literature because it makes us have so much of inferiour value to read from fashion, that better works÷obliges us to read so much of inferiour value in order to be in the fashion, that better works>] modern times is prejudicial to good literature because it obliges us to read so much of what is of inferiour value in order to be in the fashion, so that better works are neglected for want of time because a man will have more gratification of his vanity in conversation [who has÷from having read modern books than who has÷from having read better÷the best>] from having read modern books than from having read the best [MS 735] works of antiquity. But it must be considered [1st ed. ii. 253] that we have now more knowledge generally diffused. All our Ladies read now which is a great extension. Modern writers are the moons of Literature; they shine with reflected light, with light borrowed from the Ancients. ≤Greece appears to me to be the fountain of knowledge Rome of elegance.≥’1 ≤Ramsay. ‘I suppose [Homer÷Homer’s Poems>] Homer’s Iliad to be a collection of pieces which [were÷had been>] had been written before his time. I [should like÷wish>] should like to see a translation of it in poetical prose like the Book of Ruth or Job.’ Robertson. ‘Would you Dr. Johnson who are Master of the english language but try your hand upon a part of it.’ Johnson. ‘Sir you could not read it without the pleasure of verse.’a≥ [Talking of Antiquarian researches he said>] We talked of Antiquarian researches. JOHNSON. ‘All that is really known of the ancient state of Britain is contained in a few pages. We can know no more than what the [ancient÷old>] old writers have told us; yet what large Books have we upon it, ≤the whole of≥ which [except÷excepting what is>] excepting such parts as are taken from [the÷those>] those old writers is all dream, such as Whitaker’s Manchester. I a

≤[The experiment has since this time been tried by>] This experiment which Madame Dacier made in vain has since been tried in our own language by the Editor of Ossian and we must either think very meanly of his abilities or allow that Dr. Johnson was in the right.a1≥ 1 JB arrived at SJ’s sentence on Greece and Rome farther along in his journal entry of 29 Apr. 1778, and returned to this passage on MS 735 (perhaps in the same draft) to extend SJ’s speech. He wrote the ensuing exchange between Ramsay and SJ on MS opp. 735 (also perhaps in the same draft) when he encountered it still farther along in the journal. a1 JB drafted this sentence, a later addition, in continuation of his paragraph, but in revision marked it as a footnote. An additional sentence was printed in the second edition: ‘And Mr. Cowper, a man of real genius, has miserably failed in his blank verse translation.’ On 26 Feb. 1791 JB learned that Cowper, who had ‘a great deal of genius and even pleasantry’, was translating Homer ‘to divert the shocking thoughts’ of ‘a deep religious melancholy’ (Journal). The Iliad and Odyssey of Homer (2 vols.) was published on 1 July 1791 (Norma Russell, A Bibliography of William Cowper to 1837, 1963, p. 164). On the poor contemporary reviews of this work, see also James King, William Cowper: A Biography, 1986, pp. 228–31.

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have heard Henry’s History of Britain well spoken of. I am told it is [done÷carried on>] carried on in separate [columns>] divisions as the civil the military the religious history. I wish much to have one branch well done [which÷and that>] and that is the history of manners — of common life.’ [Robertson. ‘Henry should have applied himself÷his attention to that alone which is enough for any man; and he might have found a great deal scattered in various books, had he read solely with that view. Henry erred÷One of the company said Henry should have applied himself÷his attention to that alone which is enough for any man; and he might have found a great deal scattered in various books, had he read solely with that view. Robertson. ‘Henry erred>] Robertson. ‘Henry should have applied his attention on to2 that alone which is enough for any man; and he might have found a great deal scattered in various books, had he read solely with that view. Henry erred in not selling his first volume at a moderate price to the Booksellers [till they had pushed him on and he÷that they might have pushed him on till he>] that they might have pushed him on till he had got reputation. [I÷For my part I3>] [MS 736] I sold my History of Scotland [moderately÷at a moderate price>] at a moderate price as a [Book÷Work>] Work by which the Booksellers might either gain or not, and Cadel has told me that Millar and he [have got÷had made>] have got six thousand pounds by it. I afterwards received a much higher price for my [Works>] writings. An Authour should sell his first Work for what the Booksellers will give till it shall appear whether he is an authour of merit or which is the same thing, ≤as to purchase money,≥ an authour who pleases the Publick.’ Dr. Robertson expatiated on the character of [an eminent÷a great man÷general>] a certain great general4 — that he was one of the strongestminded men that ever lived; that he would sit in [/a/ del] company quite sluggish, while there was nothing to call [forth÷out>] forth his vigour of mind; but the moment that any important subject was started, for instance how this country is to be defended against a french invasion he would rouse [1st ed. ii. 254] himself and shew his [great>] extraordinary talents with the [utmost÷most powerful>] most powerful ability and animation.5 Johnson. ‘Yet this man cut his own throat. The true strong and sound mind is the mind that can [equally embrace÷embrace equally>] embrace equally great things and small. Now I am told the King of Prussia will [say÷call>] say ≤to a servant≥ “Bring me a bottle of such a wine which came in such a [year; you will find it÷year. It stands>] year. It lyes [MS 737] in such a [part÷corner>] corner of [my÷the>] the cellars.” I would have a man to be [magnificent÷great>] great in great things and elegant in little things.’6 He said 2 Printed ‘attention to’ (so in revises). JB’s curious revision—‘on to’ or ‘onto’ rather than his original ‘to’—evidently was disregarded. 3 As at the bottom of MS 730 (see ante p. 240 n. 9), JB wrote these alternatives as catchwords on MS 735 and resolved them there in revision, having written only ‘I’ at the top of MS 736. 4 Printed ‘a certain nobleman’ (so in revises). It was Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive of Plassey (1725–74), as found in JB’s journal, and as first identified by Croker (iv. 195). 5 Quotation marks printed in error at the close of this sentence were finally omitted in the third edition. 6 JB initially wrote the first words of this sentence at the end of the paragraph, adhering to the sequence of material in his journal. He deleted them and drafted the

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to me afterwards when we were by ourselves ‘Robertson was in a mighty romantick humour; he talked of one whom he did not know; but I down’ed him with the King of Prussia.’ — ‘Yes Sir’ said I ‘You threw a bottle at his head.’ [I would del]7 [An ingenious gentleman÷architect÷Mr. Robert Adam>] An ingenious gentleman8 was mentioned [as to whom÷who>] concerning whom both Robertson and Ramsay agreed that he had a constant firmness of mind; for, after a laborious day and amidst a multiplicity of cares and anxieties he could sit down with his sisters and be quite cheerful and goodhumoured. Such a disposition it was observed was a happy gift of nature. Johnson. ‘I do not think so. A man has from nature÷naturally9 a certain portion of mind; the use he makes of it depends upon [his÷the human>] his own free will. That a man has allways the same firmness of mind I do not say; because every man feels his mind less firm at [sometimes than at others÷one time than at another>] one time than at another; but I think a man’s being in good or bad humour depends upon [his will÷himself>] his will.’ — [Were this true I could not help saying within myself Dr. Johnson is much to blame upon many occasions. But for my part I beleive that a man’s humour÷temper is often irresistible to÷uncontroulable by his will.>] I however could not help thinking that a man’s humour is often uncontroulable by his will. Johnson now1 harangued [MS 738] against drinking wine [and said del] ‘A man may chuse whether he will have abstemiousness and knowledge or Claret and ignorance.’ Dr. Robertson /who is very companionable/2 was beginning to dissent as to the [denial>] proscription of Claret. Johnson (with a placid smile). ‘Nay Sir you shall not differ with me. As I have said that [a÷the>] the man is most perfect who takes in the most things, I am for knowledge and Claret.’ Robertson (holding a glass of generous Claret in his hand). ‘Sir! I can only drink your health.’ Johnson. ‘Sir I should be sorry if you should ever be in such a state as to be able to do nothing more.’3 ≤Robertson. ‘Dr. Johnson, allow me to say that in one respect I have the advantage of you. When you were in Scotland you would not come to hear any of our preachers. Whereas when I am here I attend your publick worship without scruple and indeed with great satisfaction.’ Johnson. ‘Why Sir, that is not so sentence instead on MS opp. 736 for insertion here, providing himself with alternatives (‘to be great÷magnificent’) where a space in his journal (between ‘Man’ and ‘in great things’) remained blank. 7 See note above. 8 Adam’s identity was previously known from JB’s journal (Hill-Powell vi. 454–55). 9 Printed ‘from nature’ (so in revises). 1 Added in the same draft, ‘now’ was omitted in the revises, probably having been overlooked in the first place because of its smaller letters and ink shadows from the other side of the leaf. 2 JB’s optional phrase was printed within parentheses in the revises. 3 On MS opp. 738 JB reminded himself to recount an exchange between SJ and Robertson not recorded in his journal for 29 Apr.: ‘Here the story of King of Siam &c. —’, above which he added ‘Church of England &’. Returning to this page later, he deleted his memorandum and added the following two paragraphs. The first was printed in the revises as a continuation of the present paragraph, the compositor possibly having ignored JB’s exaggerated indentation of Robertson’s name.

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extraordinary. The King of Siam sent Ambassadors to Lewis the Fourteenth; but Lewis the fourteenth sent none to the King of Siam.’a [1st ed. ii. 255] Here my friend discovered a strange ignorance or forgetfulness. For Lewis the Fourteenth did send an Embassy to the King of Siam and the Abbé Choisis who was employed in it published an account of it in two volumes.≥ Next day Thursday [30 April>] April 30 I found him at home by himself. Johnson. ‘Well Sir Ramsay gave us a splendid dinner. [Ramsay /is a fine fellow./4>] I love Ramsay. You will not find a man in whose conversation there is more instruction more information and more elegance than in [Ramsays.÷that of Ramsay. I value myself>] Ramsays.’ Boswell. ‘What I admire in Ramsay is his continuing to be so young.’ Johnson. ‘Why yes Sir, it is to be admired. I value myself upon this, that [there is÷I have>] there is nothing of the old man in my conversation. I am now sixty eight and I have no more of it than at twenty eight.’ Boswell. ‘But Sir would not [one÷you>] you wish to know old age. [MS 739] [If one is never an old man, one does not know all human life>] He who is never an old man, does not know the whole of human life; for, old age is one of the divisions of it.’ Johnson. ‘Nay Sir, What talk is this?’ Boswell. ‘I mean Sir the Sphynx’s description of it morning noon and night. I would know night as well as morning and noon.’ Johnson. ‘What Sir would you know what it is to feel the evils of old age? Would you have the gout? Would you have decrepitude?’ — Seeing him heated, I would not argue any farther; but I was confident that I [was in the right÷had much to say>] was in the right. I would in due time be a Nestor an Elder of the People; and there should be some difference between the conversation of twenty eight and sixty eight.5 A grave picture should not be gay. There is a serene solemn [yet del] placid old age. [He said÷Johnson.>] Johnson. ‘Mrs. Thrale’s mother said of me what [I liked the best>] flattered me much. A Clergyman was complaining of want of society in the country where he lived, and said “they talk of Runts” (that is young cows).6 “Sir” said Mrs. Salusbury, a

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Mrs. Piozzi confidently mentions this as having passed in Scotland. a1 Anecdotes p. 30 4 JB used virgules here not to demarcate an optional phrase, but to prompt himself to change the sentence in revision. His phrasing of SJ’s speech had also dissatisfied him when he originally recorded it: ‘Ramsay gave us a very fine dinner & Ramsay is a fine fellow’. Above ‘very fine’, which he crossed out, he noted, ‘I forget the precise high epithet’ (Journ. 30 Apr. 1778). 5 EM took issue with JB here, adding a footnote to this sentence in the third edition. SJ’s conversation, he argued, ‘being the product of much various knowledge, great acuteness, and extraordinary wit, was equally well suited to every period of life’. Hill omitted the footnote; for its full text, see Powell’s Appendix F (Hill-Powell iii. 527). 6 EM added a footnote to this sentence in the third edition; omitted by Hill, it was not salvaged by Powell (see note above). As corrected by means of EM’s list of errata, the note read: ‘Such is the signification of this word in Scotland, and it should seem in a1 That this space should still have been blank in the revises, with a query in the margin next to it, puzzled JB. He supplied ‘62’ in the margin, and below this wrote, ‘I sent this morning a note that the number wanted for the note on this page is sixty two.’ Above ‘this morning’ he added ‘Saturday’—presumably 18 Dec. 1790. On 16 Dec. he had written to EM ‘I have now before me p. 256’ (Corr. 4, p. 382), the proofs for sig. Kk (pp. 249–56), evidently returned to the printer before JB tracked down the citation missing on p. 254.

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“Mr. Johnson would learn to talk of Runts”, meaning that I was a man who would make the most of his situation whatever it was.’7 He added ‘I think myself a very polite man.’ On Saturday [2 May>]8 May 2 I dined with him [MS 740] at Sir Joshua Reynolds’s where there was a very large company, and a great deal of conversation, but [some how or other÷for some reason which I cannot now recollect>] owing to some circumstance which I cannot now recollect I have no record of any part of it, except that there were several people there by no means of the Johnsonian school, so that [less attention was paid to him÷he was less attended to>] less attention was paid to him than usual, which [fretted him>] put him out of humour, and upon some imaginary offence from me, he attacked me with such rudeness that I was vexed and angry because it gave those persons an opportunity of [saying how ferocious he was÷enlarging upon his ferociousness, and how shockingly he treated his best friends, making as is usual a general account out of a particular instance.>] enlarging upon his supposed ferocity, and ill=treatment of his best friends. I was so much hurt and had my pride so much roused, that I kept away from him for a week, and perhaps [1st ed. ii. 256] might have kept away much longer nay gone to Scotland without seeing him again had not we fortunately met & been reconciled. To such unhappy chances are human friendships [liable÷subject>] liable. On [Saturday eighth May>] Friday May 8, I dined with [MS 741] him at Mr. Langton’s. I was [dry>] reserved and silent which I suppose he perceived and might recollect ≤the cause≥. After dinner when Mr. Langton was called out of the room, and we were by ourselves, he drew [near to me>] his chair near to mine, and said in a tone of [gentle÷conciliating>] conciliating courtesy ‘Well, how have you done?’ [I said÷Boswell.>] Boswell. ‘≤Sir≥ you have made me very uneasy by your behaviour to me when we were last at Sir Joshua Reynolds’s. You know My Dear Sir no man has a greater respect and affection for you, or would sooner go to the end of the world to serve you. Now to treat me so.’ [He insisted that I had interrupted÷was interrupting him÷Johnson. ‘Sir I thought>] He insisted that I had interrupted him, which I assured him was not the case, and proceeded ‘But why treat me so before people who neither love you nor me.’ Johnson. ‘Well I am sorry for it. I’ll make it up to you twenty different ways as you please.’ Boswell. ‘I said today to Sir Joshua, when he observed that you tossed me sometimes, “I don’t care how often or how high he tosses me when only friends Wales. (See Skinner in v.) But the heifers of Scotland and Wales, when brought to England, being always smaller than those of this country, the word runt has acquired a secondary sense, and generally signifies a heifer diminutive in size, small beyond the ordinary growth of that animal: and in this sense alone the word is acknowledged by Dr. Johnson, in his Dictionary.’ EM cites the entry in Stephen Skinner, A New English Dictionary Shewing the Etymological Derivation of the English Tongue (1691). In part this dictionary was based on Etymologicon Linguae Anglicanae (1671), edited by Thomas Henshaw from manuscript treatises left by Skinner (1623–67) at his death (Oxford DNB). SJ expressed indebtedness to Skinner in the ‘Preface’ to his Dictionary (Johnson on the English Language, ed. Gwin J. Kolb and Robert DeMaria, Jr., 2005, p. 81 and n. 9). 7 In the Life Materials (M 155: 8) is found this memorandum in another hand, possibly that of JB’s son Alexander: ‘Mrs. Salusbury that he would talk of runts’. 8 The notes presumably used by JB to recount the events of 2, 8, 9, and 10 May 1778 have not been found. See Boswell in Extremes, ‘Editorial Note’, p. 328.

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are present for then I fall upon soft ground. But, [I do not like falling among stones which is the case when enemies are present.÷when enemies are present I fall among stones.>] I do not like falling on stones which is the case when enemies are present.” I think [MS 742] this a pretty good [simile>] image Sir.’ Johnson. ‘[It is>] Sir it is one of the happiest [thoughts del] I have heard.’ The truth is there was no venom in the wounds which he [made upon÷gave people>] inflicted at any time, unless they were irritated by some malignant infusion by [others÷other hands>] other hands. We were instantly as cordial again as ever, and joined in hearty laugh at some [ludicrous÷ridiculous>] ludicrous [/but innocent/>] but innocent peculiarities of one of our friends. Boswell. ‘Do you think Sir it is allways [wrong÷culpable>] culpable to laugh at a man to his face?’ Johnson. ‘Why Sir it÷that9 depends upon the man and the thing. If it is a slight man and a slight thing you may; for you take nothing valuable from him.’ He said ‘I read yesterday Dr. Blair’s Sermon on Devotion from the text Cornelius a devout man. His doctrine is the best limited, the best expressed there is the most warmth without fanaticism the most rational transport. There is one part of it which I disapprove, and I’d have him correct it, [and that÷which>] which is, that he who does not feel joy in Religion is far from the kingdom of Heaven.1 There are many good men whose fear of GOD predominates over their love. It may discourage. It was rashly said. A noble sermon it is indeed. I wish Blair would come over to the Church of England.’ When Mr. Langton [returned to us÷joined us again>] returned to us, the ‘flow of talk’2 went on. — An eminent Authour [MS 743] being mentioned, Johnson. ‘He is not a pleasant man. His conversation is neither instructive nor brilliant. He does not talk as if [1st ed. ii. 257]3 impelled by /any/4 fullness of knowledge or vivacity of imagination. His conversation is like that of any other sensible man. He talks [neither to inform nor to hear÷with no wish either to inform or to hear>] with no wish either to inform or to hear, but only because he thinks it does not become —— —————5 to sit in a company and say nothing.’ [Langton. ‘A Lady who had been a long time in Addison’s company 9

Printed ‘that’ (so in revises). The clause following ‘that’ was printed as a quotation in the revises (and given an exclamation point in the second edition). In Sermon X, Blair criticizes anyone ‘who professes to worship God, and to believe in Christ, and yet raises his thoughts towards God, and his Saviour, without any warmth of gratitude or love’. For someone to remain ‘unmoved at the view of infinite goodness’ betrayed ‘a total insensibility to this part of religion’, or worse, an ‘inward frame’ tainted by ‘[s]ome concealed malignity’: ‘Such a person must, as yet, be far from the kingdom of Heaven’ (Sermons, 1777, pp. 284–85). 2 An allusion to ‘the full flow of London talk’, quoted twice earlier and twice deleted (see ante p. 187 ll. 2–3 and n. 7). Of the truncated quotation here, Hill and Powell said nothing; Weis and Pottle suggested an oblique allusion to a verse from Pope (Boswell in Extremes, p. 329 n. 9); and Womersley noted the phrase ‘flow of talk’ in SJ’s ‘Life of Dryden’ (The Life of Samuel Johnson, 2008, p. 1056). 3 On the revises of p. 257, the first in sig. Ll, JB cheered on the printers as Dec. 1790 waned: ‘This is very well done indeed. Pray gentlemen compositors let me have as much as you can before Christmas.’ See ante p. 246 n. a1. 4 The unresolved optional word was printed in the revises. 5 The first dash (its shorter length preserved in print) suggesting ‘Dr.’, Croker thought the ‘eminent Authour’ was ‘no doubt Dr. Robertson’. Hill in turn expressed ‘little doubt that Dr. Beattie was [here] meant’ (a surmise shared by Weis and Pottle: 1

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when he sat silent said to him “Now I have been sitting with Mr. Addison what shall I say was his conversation? You know it has been nothing.” He answered “You may say if you please Madam that I have only ninepence in my pocket, but that I can draw for a thousand pounds.”’ Johnson.>] Mr. Langton having repeated the anecdote of Addison having distinguished between his powers in conversation and in writing by saying ‘I have only ninepence in my pocket, but I can draw for a thousand pounds.’ Johnson. ‘He had not that ≤retort≥ ready [Sir. He had÷Sir but had>] Sir. He had prepared it beforehand.’ Langton ≤(turning to me)≥. ‘A fine surmise. Set a thief to catch a thief.’6 [Johnson÷He>] Johnson called the East Indians barbarians. Boswell. ‘You will except the Chinese Sir?’ Johnson. ‘No Sir.’ Boswell. ‘Have not they arts?’ Johnson. ‘They have pottery.’ Boswell. ‘What do you say to [the characters [MS 744] of their language÷[MS 743] their written characters>] the written characters [MS 744] of their language?’ Johnson. ‘Sir they have not an Alphabet. They have not been able to [do÷form÷invent what all the nations arround÷all other nations have done÷formed÷invented>] form what all other nations have formed.’ Boswell. ‘There is more learning in their language than in any other, from the [prodigious÷immense÷very great>] immense number of their characters.’ Johnson. ‘[There is only more labour, as there is more in>] It is only more difficult from its rudeness, as there is more labour in hewing down a tree with a stone than with an ax.’ He said ‘I have been reading [in del] Lord Kames’s Sketches of the History of Man. In treating of severity of punishment, he mentions that of the Russian Countess .7 But he does not give it fairly; for I have looked at Chappe D’auteroche from [whence÷whom>] whom he has taken it. He [leaves out that she was guilty and stops where it is said that the spectators thought her innocent.>] stops where it is said that the spectators thought her innocent and leaves out what follows — that she nevertheless was guilty. Now this is being as [much÷bad a rascal>] culpable as one can conceive; to [lye so in>] misrepresent fact in a Book, and for what motive? It is like one of those lies which people tell [they÷one>] one cannot see why. The woman’s life was spared; and no punishment is too great for the favourite of an Empress who had conspired to dethrone her mistress.’8 Boswell. ‘He was only giving a picture of the Lady in Boswell in Extremes, p. 329 n. 1). Hill added, however, that since JB would ‘introduce the same person in consecutive paragraphs as if there were two persons’, it could have been Hugh Blair. Giving this consideration undue weight, Powell mistook Blair to be Hill’s leading candidate (Hill-Powell iii. 339 n. 1, and vi. 454–55). 6 In revision JB marked this anecdote for a new paragraph. Deleted memoranda reveal that he wondered whether to omit it (‘See if this is not in before after the violent day at Dilly’s’) and later whether to move it (‘Or if it should not be amongst Langtoniana?’). JB had told it after recounting a clash at Dilly’s between Goldsmith and SJ (Life MS ii. 110 ll. 10–27, 112 ll. 5–9), but without the embellishments it received here: SJ’s comment and Langton’s witticism. For the Langtoniana, see post p. 311 n. 6. 7 Printed ‘the Madame Lapouchin, in Russia’ (so in revises); JB deleted ‘the’, a remnant of his previous phrasing. 8 Alongside SJ’s speech JB left himself some advice: ‘As Lord K was my old friend this must be softened, or curtailed.’ He crossed it out in revision after eliminating ‘rascal’ and ‘to lye so’ to soften the passage. No quotation marks were printed at the end of the speech, an error not corrected until the third edition.

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her sufferings.’ Johnson. [MS 745] ‘Nay don’t endeavour to palliate this. Guilt is a principal feature in the picture. [He÷Kames>] Kames is puzzled with [what÷a question that>] a question that puzzled me when I was a very young man. Why is it that the interest of money is lower when money is plenty? for five pounds has the same proportion of value to a hundred pounds when money is plenty as when it is scarce. A Lady explained it to me. “It is (said she) because when money is plenty there are so many more who have money to lend that they bid down one another. Many have then a hundred pounds and one says take mine ≤rather than another’s≥ and you shall have it at four per cent.”’ Boswell. ‘Does Lord Kames decide it?’ Johnson. [1st ed. ii. 258] ‘I think he leaves it as he found it.’ Boswell. ‘This must have been an extraordinary Lady. ≤Who instructed you Sir?≥9 May I ask who she was?’ Johnson. ‘Molly Aston Sir,a [/the/>] the sister of those Ladies [whom you saw÷with whom you dined>] with whom you dined at Lichfield. — I shall be at home tomorrow.’ Boswell. ‘Then let us dine by ourselves at the Mitre, to keep up the old custom, the custom of the manor, the custom of the Mitre.’1 Johnson. ‘Sir it shall be so.’ On Saturday [ninth May>] May 9 [MS 746] we fulfilled our purpose of dining by ourselves at the Mitre according to old custom. There was on these occasions a little circumstance of kind attention to Mrs. Williams which must not be omitted. Before coming out and leaving her to dine alone, he gave her her choice of a chicken a sweetbread or any other little nice thing which was carefully sent to her from the tavern ready drest. Our conversation today I know not how [turned I think for the only time during our long acquaintance, upon÷I think for the only time during our long acquaintance, turned upon>] turned I think for the only time during our long acquaintance, upon the sensual intercourse between the sexes, the delight of

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a

≤Johnson had an extraordinary admiration of this Lady, notwithstanding that she was a violent Whig. In answer to her highflown speeches for Liberty, He addressed to her the following Epigram Liber ut esse velim suasisti pulchra Maria Ut maneam liber pulchra Maria vale.a1≥ 9 Mistakenly printed as part of the previous sentence: ‘… lady who instructed you, Sir’ (so in revises). Two factors contributed to this error: the insertion began at the left margin (the word ‘Lady’ having ended the line above) and ‘Who’ was not obviously capitalized. What the compositor evidently missed, however, was more significant—the question mark that indicated a separate interrogatory. 1 To lend the middle phrase a quasi-legal air, JB in the revises put quotation marks around it and dressed up ‘manor’ with a capital ‘M’. ‘Mitre’, printed in the lower case, was left as it was. In the second edition ‘manor’ returned to the lower case. a1 JB drafted this footnote on MS opp. 745 below a deleted memorandum left during his original draft, ‘Molly Aston Epigram &c.’ He directed the compositor to leave ‘Room for two lines of translation’ beneath the verses. In the revises the note was keyed to ‘Aston’, not ‘Sir’. ‘Epigram’ was printed ‘Epigram, of which I presume to offer a translation:’, and below the Latin was this English version: ‘Adieu, Maria! Since you’d have me free; / He who beholds thy charms a slave must be.’ JB corrected ‘He who’ to ‘For, who’. In the second edition, an additional paragraph doubled the length of the note; see Hill-Powell iii. 341 n. 1. For more on this epigram, see Life MS i. 83 n. 7.

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which he ascribed chiefly to imagination. ‘Were it not for imagination Sir’ said he, ‘a man would [as readily go to bed to a chambermaid as with a Duchess÷be as happy in bed with a chambermaid as with a Duchess>] be as happy in the arms of a chambermaid as of a Duchess. But such is the adventitious charm of fancy that we find men who have violated the best principles of society and ruined their fame and their fortune by possessing a woman of rank.’ It would not be proper to record the particulars of such a conversation in moments of unreserved frankness, when [nobody÷no third>] nobody was present on whom it could have any [MS 747] prejudicial effect. That subject when philosophically treated may surely employ the mind in as curious discussion and as innocently as Anatomy provided that those who do treat it [keep in÷do not descend from the intellectual sphere.>] keep clear of inflammatory incentives. ‘From grave to gay from lively to [severe’ we>] severe.’ We2 were soon engaged in very different speculation, humbly and reverently considering and wondering at the universal mystery of all things as our imperfect faculties can now judge of them. ‘There are’ said he ‘innumerable questions to which the inquisitive mind can in this state receive no answer. Why do you and I exist? — Why was this World created? Since it was to be created, why was it not created sooner?’ ≤[MS opp. 747; 1st ed. ii. 259] On Sunday [10 May>] May 10 I supt with him at Mr. Hoole’s with Sir Joshua Reynolds. I have neglected the [memorial÷record>] memorial of this evening so as to [have>] remember no more of it [than that>] but two particulars, one that he strenuously opposed an argument by Sir Joshua that Virtue was preferable to vice considering this life only, and that a man would be virtuous only to preserve his character; and [also added and del] that he expressed much wonder at the curious formation of the Bat — a mouse with things,3 saying that it [was almost÷makes one almost credit>] was almost as strange a thing in Physiology as if the fabulous dragon could be seen.≥4 [MS 747 resumed] On tuesday [twelfth May>] May 12 I waited on the Earl of Marchmont to know if his Lordship would favour Dr. Johnson with information concerning Pope whose Life he was [to write amongst those of other Poets.>] about to write. Johnson had not flattered himself with ≤the hopes of≥ receiving any civility from this Nobleman, for he said to me when I mentioned Lord Marchmont as one who could tell him a great deal [MS 748] about Pope ‘Sir he will tell me nothing.’ I had the honour of being known to his Lordship, and applied to him of myself, without being commissioned by Johnson. His Lordship behaved in the most polite and obliging manner [agreed to tell all he recollected about Pope and was so very courteous as to say that he was to be in the City next day and would meet me at÷call at Dr. Johnson’s÷his house as he returned.>] [agreed to tell all he recollected about Pope and was so very courteous as to say ‘Tell Dr. Johnson I have a great respect for him and am ready to shew it in any way I can. I am to be in the City next day and will meet you at÷call at his house as I return.’>] promised to tell all he recollected about Pope 2 Printed ‘severe,”— we’ (so in revises), the compositor possibly having ignored JB’s revision. 3 Printed ‘wings’ (so in revises), as JB no doubt meant to write. 4 This paragraph was probably a same-draft addition, JB evidently at first having been disinclined to relate these ‘two particulars’ from 10 May 1778.

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and was so very courteous as to say ‘Tell Dr. Johnson I have a great respect for him and am ready to shew it in any way I can. I am to be in the City tomorrow and will call at his house as I return.’5 ≤[MS opp. 748]6 His Lordship however asked ‘Will he write the Lives of the Poets impartially? He was the first that brought Whig and Tory into a Dictionary. And what do you think of his definition of Excise? Do you know the history of his aversion to the word transpire?’ Then taking down the folio Dictionary he shewed it with this censure [‘unnecessarily imported from France.’>] on its secondary sense ‘to escape from secresy to notice a sense lately 7 innovated from france without necessity.’ The truth [is÷was>] was who left the Jacobites first used it; therefore it was to be condemned. He should have shewn what word would do for it, if it was unnecessary.’8 I afterwards [tried Johnson with this.÷put this to Johnson.>] put the question to Johnson. ‘Why Sir’ said he ‘get abroad.’ Boswell. ‘That Sir is using two words.’ Johnson. ‘Sir there’s no end of [that÷this>] this. You may as well insist to have a word for old age.’ Boswell. ‘Well Sir Senectus.’ Johnson. ‘Nay Sir to insist allways that there should be one word to express a thing in english because there is one in another language, is to change the language.’≥ [MS 748 resumed] I availed myself of this opportunity to hear from his Lordship many particulars both of Pope and Lord Bolingbroke which I have in writing9 [and shall be happy to present to my friend Mr. Malone for his edition of Pope1 with which it is hoped he will favour the World, when he has completed his accurate and elegant commentary÷lucubrations on Shakespeare del]. I proposed to Lord Marchmont that he should revise Johnson’s Life of Pope. ‘So’ said his Lordship, ‘you would put me in a dangerous situation. You know he knocked down Osborne the Bookseller.’ [1st ed. ii. 260] Elated with the [ample del] success [MS 749] of my spontaneous [interference>] exertion to procure material and respectable aid to Johnson for his very favourite Work [/The Lives of the Poets/>] The Lives of the Poets I 5 Whether JB revisited this passage twice (as transcribed) or only once is hard to discern from his tangle of same-draft and later revisions. 6 JB indented this paragraph, but did not mark it ‘N.P.’ No paragraph break appeared in the revises. 7 In the gap left blank here ‘Lord Bolingbroke’ was printed (so in revises). On the ‘Johnsonian humour’ regarding Bolingbroke in such matters, see W. K. Wimsatt, ‘Johnson’s Treatment of Bolingbroke in the Dictionary’, The Modern Language Review 43, 1948, pp. 78–80, and Pat Rogers, ‘This Canker Bolingbroke: Guilt by Shakespearean Allusion in the Dictionary’, Johnsonian News Letter 61, no. 1, March 2010, pp. 49–61. 8 JB punctuated the close of this quotation, but not its beginning—an anomaly typeset by the compositor and never corrected. After the excerpt from SJ’s Dictionary, introduced by JB in narrative voice, it was unclear whether he was still narrating (as suggested by his resolution of the alternatives ‘is ÷was’) or once again quoting Lord Marchmont (as indicated by the quotation marks after ‘unnecessary’). The last sentence, at least, seems to have been recorded as a speech in JB’s journal, squeezed in as an interlinear addition (‘He shd … unnecessary.’). 9 Incorporated into the journal entry itself for 12 May 1778 (see Boswell in Extremes, pp. 332–36). One of the particulars—Lady Bolingbroke’s quip about Pope’s being ‘une politique aux choux et aux raves’—had helped JB to describe an aspect of SJ’s personality (ante p. 235 ll. 28–29). 1 On EM’s rationale and preparations for such an edition, see Peter Martin, Edmond Malone, Shakespearean Scholar: A Literary Biography, 1995, pp. 56–57 and 165–67.

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H-P iii. 344–45

hastened down to ≤Mr. Thrale’s at≥ Streatham where he [had been for some days÷now was>] now was that I might insure his being at home next day; and after dinner, when I thought he would receive the good news in the best humour I [called to him>] announced it eagerly ‘I have been at [Work>] work for you today Sir. I have been with Lord Marchmont. He bid me tell you he has a great respect for you and will call on you tomorrow at one o clock and communicate all he knows about Pope.’ — Here I paused [in full expectation÷pleasing myself>] in full expectation that he would be [happy at>] pleased with this intelligence, would praise my active merit, and would be alert to embrace such an offer from a Nobleman. But whether I had shewn an [undue>] over exultation which provoked his spleen or whether he was seised with a suspicion that I had obtruded him on Lord Marchmont and had humbled him too much, or whether there was any thing more than an unlucky fit of ill humour I know not; but to my surprise the result was [MS 750] Johnson. ‘I shall not be in town tomorrow. I don’t care to know about Pope.’ Mrs. Thrale (surprised as I was and a little angry). ‘I suppose Sir Mr. Boswell thought that as you are to write Pope’s Life, you would wish to know about him.’ Johnson. ‘[/Why/ Wish yes.÷Wish why yes.>] Wish! why yes. — If it rained knowledge I’d hold out my hand; but I would not [go to÷trouble myself to look for it>] give myself the trouble to go in quest of it.’ There was no arguing with him at the [time>] moment. Some time [after>] afterwards, he said [‘His Lordship÷Lord Marchmont will call on me, and then I shall call on him÷Lord Marchmont.’>] ‘Lord Marchmont will call on me, and then I shall call on Lord Marchmont.’ Mr. Thrale was uneasy at his unaccountable caprice and told me that if I did not take care to bring about a meeting between Lord Marchmont and him it would never [happen÷take place>] take place, which would be a great pity. I sent a card to his Lordship to be left at Johnson’s house acquainting him that Dr. Johnson could not be in town next day, but would do himself the honour of waiting on [his Lordship>] him at another time. — I give this account fairly as a specimen of that unhappy temper with which this great and good man had ≤occasionally≥ to struggle from something morbid in his constitution.2 But let it not be [MS 751] erroneously [supposed÷thought>] supposed that he was [perpetually or even generally so disturbed÷troubled.>] in the smallest degree careless concerning any Work which he undertook or that he was generally thus peevish. It will be seen that in the following year he had a very agreable interview with Lord Marchmont at his Lordship’s [1st ed. ii. 261] house; and this very [day÷afternoon>] afternoon he [very del] soon forgot any [peevishness>] fretfulness & fell into conversation as usual. I mentioned a reflection having been thrown out against four peers [for having risen in opposition to the twelve Judges in a Cause in the House of Lords as if that were indecent.÷as if it had been indecent in them to rise in opposition 2 An additional sentence was printed here in the revises: ‘Let the most censorious of my readers suppose himself to have a violent fit of the tooth-ach, or to have received a severe stroke on the shin-bone, and when in such a state to be asked a question; and if he has any, candour, he will not be surprized at the answers which Johnson sometimes gave in moments of irritation, which, let me assure them, is exquisitely painful.’ The errant comma after ‘any’ was not deleted until the second edition.

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to the twelve Judges in a Cause in the House of Lords.>] for having presumed to rise in opposition to the opinion of the twelve Judges in a Cause in the House of Lords as if that were indecent. — Johnson. ‘Sir ≤There is no ground for censure.≥ [The÷those peers were÷are>] The peers are Judges themselves; and supposing them really to be of a different opinion (which I do not believe was the case here but [only>] merely to keep up opposition)3 they might from duty be [against÷in opposition to>] in opposition to the Judges who were there only to be consulted.’ — In this observation I fully concurred with him; for unquestionably all the Peers are vested with the highest judicial powers, and when they are confident that they understand a cause are not obliged nay ought not to acquiesce in the opinion of the ordinary Law Judges.4 Mrs. Thrale told us that [/the Reverend/ Dr. L ÷A Clergyman of our acquaintance>] A Clergyman5 of our acquaintance had procured a licentious Stanza which Pope had originally in his Universal Prayer [MS 752] before the Stanza ‘What Conscience ≤dictates to be done,≥6 ‘Or warns us not to do, &c.’

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It was this: ‘Can sins of moment claim the rod ‘Of everlasting fires ‘And that offend great Nature’s GOD ‘Which Nature’s self inspires?’

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and that Dr. Johnson observed it had been borrowed from Guarini: O troppo crudela legge.7

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3 Jotting ‘Qu’ next to his parenthetical remark, JB flagged it for reconsideration. While he did not delete it in revision, he did so later, as shown by its absence from the revises. 4 An x here matches another on MS opp. 751, where JB wrote: ‘Expand this’. The half page beneath this memorandum is blank, too little space perhaps to accommodate JB’s expansion of the paragraph, which was printed as follows in the revises: ‘… Judges, or even in that of those who from their studies and experience are called the Law Lords. I consider the Peers in general as I do a Jury, who ought to listen with respectful attention to the sages of the law; but, if after hearing them they have a firm opinion of their own, are bound, as honest men, to decide accordingly. Nor is it so difficult for them to understand even law questions as is generally thought, provided they will bestow sufficient attention upon them. This observation was made by my honoured relation the late Lord Cathcart, who had spent his life in camps and courts; yet assured me, that he could form a clear opinion upon most of the causes that came before the House of Lords, “as they were so well enucleated in the Cases.”’ 5 Printed ‘a curious clergyman’ (so in revises). ‘Dr. L’ in deletion here (‘Lort’ in JB’s journal) was the Rev. Michael Lort, as Mrs. Piozzi clearly remembered, identifying him in her 1816 copy of the Life (Hill-Powell iii. 527). 6 The latter half of this verse was added afterwards in Plymsell’s hand. 7 Deleted memorandum, ‘See it’. In his journal JB had advised himself to ‘Write it full’, but in due course he placed a period after ‘Guarini’ and, instead of quoting any

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≤[MS opp. 752]8 Boswell. ‘In that stanza of Pope’s “Rod of fires” is certainly a bad metaphor.’ Mrs. Thrale. ‘And “sins of moment” is a faulty expression, [1st ed. ii. 262] for [it should÷may mean÷signify momentous which>] its fair import is momentous which cannot be intended.’ Johnson. ‘It must have been written of moments. Of moment is momentous of moments momentary.’≥ [MS 752 resumed] [Johnson. del]9 ‘I warrant [you he writ÷wrote it, and somebody put it out>] you however Pope wrote this stanza, and some friend struck it out. Boileau wrote some such thing and Arnaud1 [put>] struck it out saying “Vous gagnerez deux ou trois impies et perdrez je ne sais combien des honnettes gens.” [These÷Such>] These fellows want to say a daring thing and don’t know how to go about it. Mere Poets know no more of fundamental principles than—’ Here he was interrupted somehow. — Mrs. Thrale mentioned Dryden. Johnson. ‘He puzzled himself about Predestination. — How foolish was it in Pope to [put all [MS 753] his friendship upon>] give all [MS 753] his friendship to Lords, who thought they honoured him by being with him, and to chuse such [/infamous/>] infamous Lords as Burlington and Cobham and Bolingbroke. Bathurst was negative — a pleasing man; and I have heard no ill of Marchmont; and then allways saying I do not value you for being a Lord, which was a sure proof that he did. I never say I do not value Boswell more for being born to an Estate, because I do not care.’ Boswell. ‘Nor for being a Scotchman.’ Johnson. ‘Nay ≤Sir≥ I do value you more for being a Scotchman. You are a Scotchman without the faults of Scotchmen. You would not have been so valuable as you are, had you not been a Scotchman.’ Talking of Divorces I asked if Othello’s doctrine was not plausible ‘He who is robb’d not wanting what is stolen Let him not know’t and he’s not robb’d at all.’ Dr. Johnson and Mrs. Thrale joined against this. Johnson. ‘Ask any man if he’d wish not to know of such an injury.’ Boswell. ‘Would you tell your friend to verses, substituted the following sentence, as printed in the revises: ‘There are, indeed, in Pastor Fido, many such flimsy superficial reasonings, as that in the two last lines of this stanza.’ Perhaps to clarify that this disclaimer was his own, JB now put quotation marks around SJ’s observation, ‘it … Guarini.’ The verse SJ had in mind was ‘O troppo dura legge’, from Il Pastor Fido, III. iv. 19–24, the passage cited by Warburton as expressing ‘that famous conceit of Guarini’ (see Chester Chapin, ‘Alexander Pope: Erasmian Catholic’, Eighteenth-Century Studies 6, 1973, p. 427). 8 JB moved this same-draft addition here in revision; though not marked as such, it was printed to begin a new paragraph (so in revises). Otherwise replicating the flow of material in his journal as he drafted MSS 752–53, JB was unsure where to situate this passage (which, out of conversational sequence, crowded the journal margin). Having provisionally marked it for insertion after ‘Predestination’ (l. 13 below)—away from the verses in question, for which reason, after drafting his remark about ‘Rod of fires’, he added a prefatory phrase, ‘In that stanza of Pope’s’—he posted a memorandum beside the stanza on MS 752, later deleted: ‘See if the Criticism might not come in directly after the verses.’ 9 Because of this deletion, SJ’s two speeches—which abutted one another after JB rearranged this passage in revision (see note above)—were printed as a continuous quotation (so in revises). 1 An x above ‘Arnaud’ corresponded to an x beside ‘Qu’ in the margin, deleted in revision.

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make him unhappy?’ Johnson. ‘Perhaps /Sir/2 [MS 754] I should not; but that would be from prudence on my own account. A man would tell his Father.’ Boswell. ‘Yes; because he would not have Spurious children to get any [part÷share>] share of the family inheritance.’ Mrs. Thrale. ‘Or ≤he would tell≥ his brother.’ Boswell. ‘Certainly his elder brother.’ Johnson. ‘You would tell your friend of a woman’s infamy to prevent his marrying a whore. There is the same reason to tell him [to prevent consequences when he is married.>] of his wife’s infidelity when he is married to prevent the consequences of imposition. It is a breach of confidence not to tell a friend.’ Boswell. ‘Would you tell [(a gentleman whom I named, but who>] Mr. ——’ (naming a gentleman who assuredly was not in the least danger of such a miserable disgrace /though married to a fine woman/3). Johnson. ‘No Sir; because it would do no good; he is so sluggish, he’d never go to Parliament and get through a divorce. ——— is ruining÷divorce.’ [1st ed. ii. 263] He said of one of our friends ‘He is ruining himself without pleasure.4 A man who loses at play or who runs out his fortune at Court/s/5 makes his estate less in hopes of making it bigger (I am sure of this word which was often used by him)6 but it is a sad thing to pass through the quagmire of parsimony [MS 755] to the gulph of ruin. To pass over the flowery path of extravagance is very well.’ Amongst the numerous prints pasted on the walls of the dining-room at Streatham was Hogarth’s Modern Midnight Conversation. I asked him what he knew of Parson Ford who makes a conspicuous figure in the riotous groupe. Johnson. ‘Sir he was my acquaintance and relation, my mother’s nephew. He had purchased a living in the country, but not simonaically.7 I never saw him but in the country. I have [heard÷been told he was÷was allowed to be>] been told he was a man of great parts, very profligate but I never heard he was impious.’ Boswell. ‘Was not there a story of his Ghost [appearing÷having appeared>] having appeared?’ Johnson. ‘Sir it was believed. A Waiter at the Humums [in÷at>] in which house Ford died, had been [from home÷absent for some time>] absent for some time, and returned, not knowing that Ford was dead. Going down to the cellar ≤according to the story,≥ he met him; going down again he met him a second time. [When he came up÷Upon this>] When he came up He asked some of the people of the house what Ford could be doing there. They told him [he÷Ford>] Ford was dead. [He>] The Waiter took a fever 2

Subjoined to the text alongside the catchword ‘I’, the optional word was printed. The optional phrase was printed in the revises. Langton was the gentleman named by JB (Journ. 12 May 1778), as Mrs. Piozzi and Hill inferred (Hill-Powell iii. 528). 4 This sentence, incorporating the second of JB’s unresolved alternatives, began a new paragraph in the revises. The dash in the first alternative stood for ‘Langton’ (Journal), whose identity was correctly guessed by Mrs. Piozzi and Hill (Hill-Powell iii. 528). 5 The optional ‘s’ was not printed in the revises. 6 Powell, ‘long puzzled’ by this parenthetical aside, concluded it to be a delayed selfjustifying answer to a criticism of JB’s Tour, namely, that by giving SJ to say, ‘I wish thy books were twice as big’, he had ‘made his friend … guilty of a Scotticism’ (Hill-Powell v. 307, 425). This parenthesis in the Life was anticipated by one in the journal, where, at the same point in the middle of SJ’s speech, JB had paused in admiration: ‘(quite peculiar Johnsonian style. Excellent)’. See also Boswell in Extremes, p. 341 n. 7. 7 As spelled in the journal; printed ‘simoniacally’ (so in revises). The OED shows that ‘simonaicall’ was a spelling sometimes used in the seventeenth century. 3

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in which he lay for some time. When he recovered he said he had a message to deliver to some women from Ford; but he was not [MS 756] to tell what or to whom. He walked out. He was followed. But somewhere about St. Paul’s they lost him. He came back and said he had delivered the message and the women [called out÷cried out÷exclaimed>] exclaimed “Then we are all undone.” Dr. Pellet who was not a credulous man inquired into the truth of this story and he said the evidence was irresistible. My Wife went to the Humums. (It [was÷is>] is a place where people [got÷get>] get themselves cupped.) I believe she went with intention to hear about this story of Ford. At first they made difficulty to tell her. But after they had talked to her she came away satisfied that it was true. To be sure the man had a fever, and this vision may have been the beginning [on’t÷of it>] of it. But if the message to the women and their behaviour upon it [was÷were÷be>] were true, there was something [more÷supernatural>] supernatural. [This>] That rests upon his word, and there it remains.’ After [Mr. & even del] Mrs. Thrale were8 gone to bed, we sat up [very del] late. We resumed9 Sir Joshua Reynolds’s argument on sunday last that a man would be virtuous [only to preserve>] though he had no other motive than to preserve his character. Johnson. ‘Sir it is not true. [/For as to this world/>] For as to this world vice does not hurt a man’s [MS 757] character.’ Boswell. ‘Yes Sir; debauching a friend’s Wife will.’ Johnson. ‘No [1st ed. ii. 264] Sir. Who thinks the worse of ——— for it?’ Boswell. ‘Lord ———1 was not his friend.’ Johnson. ‘[Sir that is a circumstance÷That is a circumstance Sir>] That is only a circumstance Sir, a slight distinction. He could not get into the house but by Lord ———. A man is chosen Knight of the shire not the less for having debauched Ladies.’ Boswell. ‘What Sir if he has2 debauched the Ladies of Gentlemen in the County, will not there be a general resentment against him?’ Johnson. ‘No Sir. He will lose these÷those3 particular gentlemen; but the rest will not trouble their heads about it.’ [(keenly÷warmly)>] (warmly) Boswell. ‘Well Sir, I cannot think so.’ Johnson. ‘Nay Sir, there is no talking with a man who will dispute what every body knows (angrily) don’t you know this?’ Boswell. ‘No, Sir; and I wish to think better of your country than you represent it. I knew in Scotland a gentleman4 obliged to leave it for debauching [Ladies>] a Lady; and in one of our Counties an Earl’s brother5 lost his election because he 8 Printed ‘was’ (so in revises), JB having neglected to alter it after revising the subject of his sentence. 9 On JB’s use of ‘resumed’ in this sense, see ante p. 185 n. 8. 1 The anonymous persons here, identified in JB’s journal and also by Mrs. Piozzi (Hill-Powell iii. 528), were Beauclerk and Lord Bolingbroke. Beauclerk married Lady Diana Spencer in 1768, two days after the passage of a bill divorcing her from the second Viscount Bolingbroke, on the grounds of her adultery with Beauclerk (Boswell in Extremes, p. 341 n. 8). 2 Appearing to have been deleted, this word was not typeset. Ink fresh from several deletions and revisions on MS opp. 757 was absorbed by MS 757 when JB turned that page over. This accounts for the apparent stroke covering part of ‘has’, which a closer inspection might have revealed to the compositor. 3 Printed ‘those’ (so in revises), the alternative indicated by an ‘o’ centred above ‘these’. 4 Not named in JB’s journal. 5 Identified in JB’s journal as ‘a brother of Lord Rothes’s’ (12 May 1778): the Hon. Thomas Leslie (c. 1701–72), of Stenton, Fife. Leslie represented Dysart Burghs (1734–41)

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had debauched the Lady of another Earl in that County and broken the peace of a noble family.’ ≤[MS opp. 757]6 Still he would not yield. [JOHNSON.÷He proceeded>] He proceeded ‘Will you not allow Sir that vice does not hurt a man’s character so as to obstruct his prosperity in life when you know that —— ——7 [who was loaded with wealth and honours, had yet the consciousness of his crimes was such÷his crimes were such as to make him cut his own throat.8>] was loaded with wealth and honours, a man who had acquired his fortune by such crimes that his consciousness of them impelled him to cut his own throat.’ Boswell. ‘You will recollect Sir that Dr. Robertson said he cut his throat because he was weary of still life, little things not being sufficient to move his great mind.’ Johnson (very angry). ‘Nay Sir, /what stuff is this?/9 You had no more this opinion after Robertson said it, than before. I know nothing more offensive than [saying÷repeating>] repeating what one knows to be foolish things, by way of continuing a dispute, to see what [one÷a man>] a man will answer; to make [one÷a man÷him>] him your Butt!’ (angrier still) Boswell. ‘My Dear Sir I had no such intention as you seem to suspect; I had not indeed. Might not this [person÷nobleman>] nobleman have felt every thing “weary stale, flat and unprofitable” as Hamlet says?’ Johnson. ‘Nay if you are to bring in gabble I’ll talk no more. I will not upon my honour.’ My readers will decide upon this [question÷dispute>] dispute.≥ [MS 757 resumed] [On Wednesday thirteenth May,1>] Next morning I stated to Mrs. Thrale at breakfast before he came down [MS 758] the [question>] dispute of last night ≤as to the influence of character upon success in life≥. She said he was wrong, and told me that [Sir —— ——>] a Baronet2 lost an election in Wales because he had debauched the sister of a [Mr. ———3>] Gentleman in the County whom he made ≤one of≥ his daughters invite as her companion at his seat [in Wales>] in the country, when his Lady and his other children were in London. — ≤But she would not encounter Johnson upon the subject.≥ and Perth Burghs (1743–61) in Parliament. Sexual scandal was not the only reason he lost his seat in 1761. He exhausted his campaign funds, while George Dempster ‘severely strained his finances’ to defeat him (Namier and Brooke ii. 314, iii. 36–37; Oxford DNB). 6 Coming upon this material later in his journal entry of 12 May 1778, JB returned here (probably in the same draft) to extend the foregoing discussion. 7 Lord Clive; the journal confirms what Mrs. Piozzi and Hill inferred (Hill-Powell iii. 528). 8 A shift in syntax here resulted in faulty grammar. The last clause of this sentence (‘yet … throat’) should have led JB to delete ‘who’ and ‘had’ before it. His revision solved the problem. 9 The unresolved optional phrase was printed in the revises. 1 There is no journal entry for 13 May 1778. The comment JB relates here was embedded in his entry for 12 May. See Boswell in Extremes, pp. 342 and 344. 2 Sir Nicholas Bayley (Journal), as Mrs. Piozzi noted in the margin of her 1816 copy of the Life (Hill-Powell iii. 528). Bayley, or Bayly, 2nd Bt. (1709–82), of Plas Newydd, Anglesey, sat in Parliament from 1734 to 1741 and again from 1747 to 1761, when the scandal mentioned by Mrs. Thrale caused his defeat. Such was the disgust over his conduct, one person noted, that voters in the county were ‘one and all for throwing out Sir Nicholas Bayly’. A decade later he managed to re-enter Parliament, serving (with only one recorded vote) from 1770 to 1774 (Namier and Brooke ii. 68–69). 3 As recorded in the journal, ‘the sister of a Mr. Griffiths’.

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H-P iii. 351–52

[1st ed. ii. 265] I staid all this day with him at [Streatham very agreably and did not leave it till next morning. The weather was delightful and he talked a great deal in very good humour, so that I was excellently entertained; but I could not help feeling awkwardly and uneasily, when I thought of Lord Marchmonts offer being neglected.>] Streatham. He talked a great deal in very good humour. Looking at Messrs. Dillys splendid edition of Lord Chesterfield’s Miscellaneous Works4 he laughed and said ‘Here now are two speeches one 5 and the other both of which were written by me; and the best is they have found out that one is like Demosthenes and the other like Cicero.’ He [abused÷censured>] censured Lord Kames’s Sketches of the History of Man for [misquoting÷misrepresenting>] misrepresenting Clarendon about Villiers’s Ghost as if Clarendon [was>] were weakly credulous; when the truth is that [MS 759] which Lord Kames has omitted. [‘And’ Clarendon says6 said he ‘in>] He added ‘In this Book [it is÷he>] it is maintained that Virtue is natural to Man, and that if we would but consult our own hearts, we should be virtuous. Now after consulting our own hearts all we can and with all the helps we have, we find how few of us are virtuous. This is saying a thing [that÷which>] which all mankind know not to be true.’ Boswell. [‘Is not modesty natural?’÷‘Modesty is natural.’>] ‘Is not modesty natural?’ Johnson. ‘I cannot say Sir as we find no people quite in a state of nature; but I think the more that people are taught the more modest they are. The french are a gross illbred untaught people. A Lady there will spit on the floor and rub it with her foot.7 What I gained by being in France was learning to be better satisfied with my own country. Time may be [better employed from nineteen to twenty four÷employed from nineteen to twenty four better>] employed to more advantage from nineteen to twenty four allmost in any way than in travelling. When you set [it>] travelling against mere negation, against doing nothing it is better to be sure, but how much more would a young man improve were he to study during these÷those8 years. [Or>] Indeed if a young man is wild, and must 4 Miscellaneous Works of the Late Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield (1777), ‘splendid’ in its format, two quarto volumes. The Dillys published a second edition in four octavo volumes (also 1777). 5 The blank spaces in the MS were still open in the revises (two inches wide each). Unable even at that stage to finish the sentence as he had hoped, JB changed this phrase to read ‘two speeches ascribed to him’. To specify the topics, he could have written ‘one on the Licensing Bill and the other on the Gin Act’, but, as Hill explains, either JB or SJ was mistaken (Hill-Powell iii. 351 n. 1). The speech on the Licensing Bill (in ‘the strong nervous style of Demosthenes’) was not SJ’s, but the two speeches on the Gin Act (in ‘the witty, ironical manner of Tully’) were SJ’s. For a possible cause of this confusion, see post p. 262 n. 2. 6 Here JB left a blank space (followed by the catchword ‘which’). This portion of the sentence was printed as follows in the revises: ‘Clarendon only says, that the story was upon a better foundation of credit, than usually such discourses are founded upon; nay, speaks of the person who was reported to have seen the vision, “the poor man, if he had been at all speaking;”’. JB corrected ‘speaking’ to ‘waking’, and ‘speaks of’ to ‘speaks thus of’. 7 Deleted memorandum, ‘See if not before’. JB already had quoted SJ expressing this disgust: ‘The french are an indelicate people; they will spit [in>] upon any place’ (Life MS ii. 173 l. 19; Hill-Powell ii. 403). 8 Printed ‘those’ (so in revises), the alternative indicated by an ‘o’ centred above ‘these’.

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run after women and bad company, it is better [this÷that>] this should be done abroad, as he can break off such connections, and begin at home [/as/ del] a new man with a character to form, and acquaintances to make. How little does travelling supply to the conversation of any [MS 760] man who has travelled; how little to Beauclerk.’ Boswell. ‘What say you to Lord [C >] ———.’9 Johnson. ‘I never but once heard him talk of what he had seen, and that was of a large serpent in one of the pyramids of Egypt.’ Boswell. ‘Well I happened to hear him tell the same thing which made me mention him.’ [Talking of living in the Country he said ‘I would live there÷in the country not with popularity, but in>] I talked of a country life. Johnson. ‘Were I to live in the country I would not devote myself to the acquisition of popularity. I would live in a much better way, much more happily. I would have my time at my own command.’ [1st ed. ii. 266] Boswell. ‘[But to be away from>] But Sir is it not a sad thing to be at a distance from all our literary friends.’ Johnson. ‘Sir you will [by & by÷soon÷in time, have÷have had>] by & by, have had enough of this conversation which now delights you so much.’ As he was a zealous friend of subordination, he was at all times watchful to repress the vulgar cant against the manners of the Great. ‘High people Sir are the best. Take a hundred Ladies of quality, you’ll find them better wives better mothers [more willing to sacrifice÷willing to sacrifice more of>] more willing to sacrifice their own pleasure to their children than a hundred other women. Tradeswomen [that is the wives of Tradesmen>] (I mean the wives of Tradesmen) in the City who are worth from ten to fifteen thousand pounds, are the worst creatures upon earth, grossly ignorant and thinking viciousness fashionable. Farmers I think are the worst [MS 761] of men. Few Lords will cheat. If they do, they’ll be ashamed [on’t÷of it>] of it. Farmers all cheat and are not ashamed [on’t÷of it>] of it. They have all the sensual vices too of the nobility with cheating into the bargain. There is as much fornication and adultery amongst farmers as amongst noblemen.’ Boswell. ‘[But Sir The notion of the world however>] The notion of the world Sir however is that the morals of women of quality are worse than those in lower stations.’ Johnson. ‘Yes Sir the [vice÷licentiousness>] licentiousness of one woman of quality makes more noise than that of a number of women in lower stations. Then Sir you are to consider the malignity of women in the City [/against them÷women of quality/>] against women of quality which will make them believe any thing of them, such as that they call their coachmen to bed. No Sir, so far as I have observed, the higher [the÷in>] in rank the richer [/the/ del] Ladies are, they are the better instructed and the more virtuous.’ ≤[[M 158: 23]1 Johnson read Mr. Horne’s Letter (1778) to Mr. Dunning on the English Particles and though treated in it with sufficient respect had candour enough to say to Mr. Seward ‘Were I to make a new edition of my Dictionary I 9 ‘I mentioned Ld. Charlemont’ (Journal), confirming the identification in HillPowell iii. 353 n. 1. 1 JB wrote ‘1778’ and circled it in the upper right-hand corner of this half-leaf, the other side of which shows part of his London address. More like a Paper Apart than the other Life Materials, it bears a complete paragraph and accompanying footnote, each with same-draft changes, and shares space with no memoranda. JB’s text and footnote on MS opp. 761 are transcribed as revisions.

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would adopt severala of Mr. Horne’s Etymologies. I hope they did not put the dog in the pillory for his libel. He has too much literature for that.’>] [MS opp. 761] This year the Reverend Mr. Horne published his Letter to Mr. Dunning on the English Particle. Johnson read it, and though not treated in it with sufficient respect he had candour enough to say to Mr. Seward ‘Were I to make a new edition of my Dictionary, I would adopt severala of Mr. Horne’s Etymologies. I hope they did not put the dog in the pillory for his libel. He has too much literature for that.’≥ [MS 761 resumed] On saturday [16 May>] May 16 I dined with him at Mr. Beauclerk’s with Mr. Langton Mr. Steevens Dr. Higgins and some others. I regret very feelingly every instance of my remissness in recording his memorabilia. I am affraid it is the condition of humanity as Mr. Windham of Norfolk once observed to me after having made an admirable speech in the House of Commons which was highly applauded, but which he afterwards [saw÷perceived>] perceived [1st ed. ii. 267] might [MS 762] have been better — that we are more uneasy from thinking of our wants, than happy in thinking of our acquisitions.2 This is an unreasonable mode of disturbing our tranquillity and should be corrected. Let me then comfort myself with the large treasure of Johnson’s conversation which I have preserved÷in store3 for my own enjoyment and that of the World, and let me exhibit what I have upon each occasion whether more or less, whether a Bulse or only a few sparks of diamond.4 He said ‘Dr. Mead lived more in the broad sunshine of life than almost any man.’ General Burgoyne’s disaster÷The disaster General Burgoyne’s army5 was then [a general>] the common topick of conversation. It was asked why piling their arms was insisted upon as a matter of such consequence, when it seemed to be a circumstance so inconsiderable [/in itself/>] in itself. Johnson. ‘Why Sir ÷a french Authour6 says “Il y a beaucoup de puerilités dans la guerre.” All distinctions are trifles because great things can seldom occur, and these÷those7 distinctions are settled by custom. A savage would as willingly

≤[[M 158: 23] In Mr. Hornes enlargement Επεα πτεροεντα he says in a note all so ambitious was he of the approbation of so great a man.>] [MS opp. 761] In Mr. Horne Tooke’s enlargement of that Letter which he has since published with the title of ‘Επεα πτεροεντα or the Diversions of Purley’ he 35 mentions this compliment as if Dr. Johnson instead of several of his etymologies had said all. His recollection having thus magnified it, shews how ambitious he was of the approbation of so great a man.≥ a

2 Printed in the revises ‘(as Mr. Wyndham … better:) “That we … acquisitions.”’ JB corrected the ‘y’ in ‘Wyndham’ to an ‘i’—a mark above William Windham’s surname in the MS signalled, perhaps, that its spelling was to be checked—and changed ‘that’ to lower case. 3 Printed ‘preserved’ (so in revises). 4 What else JB might have exhibited on this occasion is unknown, since no journal entry has been found for 16 May 1778. 5 Typesetting the second alternative, the compositor furnished the missing preposition: ‘The disaster of General Burgoyne’s army’ (so in revises). 6 Printed ‘a French authour’ (so in revises), JB never having filled in his blank space. 7 Printed ‘those’ (so in revises).

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1778

have his meat sent to him in the kitchen as eat it at the table here. As men become civilised various modes of denoting [honour>] honourable preference are invented.’8 [MS ‘(763)’] He this day made the observations upon the similarity between Rasselas and Candide which [MS 764] I have [inserted÷ingrafted>] inserted in their proper place, when considering his admirable Philosophical Romance. He said Candide he thought had more power in it than any thing that Voltaire had written.9 He said ‘The lyrical part of Horace never can be well÷perfectly1 translated so much of the excellence is in the numbers [of÷and>] and the expression. Francis has done it the best. I’ll take his, five out of six against [them all÷the others>] them all.’2 On Sunday [17÷seventeenth May>] May 17 I presented to him Mr. Fullarton of Fullarton [/since a Colonel in India/>] who has since distinguished himself so much in India to whom he naturally talked of travels ≤as Mr. Brydone accompanied him in his Tour to Sicily & Malta≥. [Johnson.>] He said ‘The information which we have from modern travellers is much more authentick than what we had from ancient travellers. Ancient travellers guessed; modern travellers measure. The Swiss [say>] admit that there is but one errour in [Stanyan>] Stanyan. If Brydone were more attentive to his Bible he would be a good traveller.’ He said ‘Lord Chatham was a Dictator. He possessed the power of putting the State in motion. Now there is no power all order is relaxed.’ Boswell. ‘Is 8 JB did not send MS 763 to the printer. In revision he deleted his catchword for that page, ‘I’, and wrote, ‘For p. 763 See Back of this leaf.’ On the verso of MS 762, to mimic a separate page, he put ‘1778’ in the upper left-hand corner and ‘(763)’ in the upper right-hand corner; recopied the start of what presumably was the last sentence to begin on MS 763; and drew a line down the page leading to his catchword for MS 764. Weis and Pottle guessed that the actual MS 763 recounted a meeting between JB and Burgoyne, possibly with Burgoyne’s reflections on the battle at Saratoga, which JB ‘on review felt he was not authorized to make public, or perhaps decided was irrelevant in a life of Johnson’ (Boswell in Extremes, p. 345 n. 7). 9 Memorandum, ‘Qu? if this shd not be added at Rasselas?’; deleted in revision when JB decided to keep the saying here. 1 Printed ‘perfectly’ (so in revises). 2 Next to this paragraph is a puzzling memorandum in a different hand: ‘See Anecdote sent herewith’. Who was sending it to whom? Was it a potential footnote? Philip Francis, mentioned here for the only time in the Life, was linked to SJ in anecdotes told by Arthur Murphy and William Bowles. Francis had, as it were, returned the compliment to SJ. According to Murphy, Francis observed that a speech of Pitt’s was ‘the best he had ever read’. After eight years of studying Demosthenes, and lavishing on his translation of the orator ‘all the decorations of style and language within the reach of his capacity’, Francis ‘had met with nothing equal’ to Pitt’s speech. When SJ revealed that he himself had written it, Francis exclaimed, ‘Then, sir, you have exceeded Demosthenes himself’ (Hill-Powell i. 504). As Bowles told JB, SJ named Francis as the one who ‘let it all out’ to the world that the Parliamentary debates were written ‘in a garret in the Strand by a man whom he was sorry for the honor of the nation to see writing for his bread’. Bowles related that SJ took credit for the ‘famous Speech of Pitt’, and for the two speeches of Chesterfield’s, of which ‘the people said, one was in the style of Cicero and the other in the true spirit of Demosthenes’ (Corr. 2a, p. 192). The kindred nature of these anecdotes, as well as their juxtaposition in Bowles’s Johnsoniana, may account for some blurring of details in their retelling (see ante p. 259 n. 5).

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there no hope of a change to the better.’ Johnson. ‘Why yes, Sir, when we [are÷grow>] are weary of this relaxation. So the City of London will appoint it’s Mayors again by seniority.’ Boswell. ‘But is not that taking a [1st ed. ii. 268] mere chance for [good or bad?>] having a good or a bad Mayor?’ Johnson. ‘Yes Sir; but the evil of competition [MS 765] is greater than that of the worst Mayor that can [be supposed÷come>] come. Besides, there is no more reason to suppose that [choice÷the choice of a rabble>] the choice of a rabble will be right than that chance will be right.’ On tuesday [nineteenth May having to set out for Scotland in the evening he>] May 19 I was to set out for Scotland in the evening. He was engaged to dine [along del] with me at Mr. Dillys. I waited upon him to [keep in mind>] remind him of his appointment and attend him thither. He gave me some salutary counsel, and recommended vigorous resolution against [any÷a particular>] any deviation from moral duty. Boswell. ‘But you would not have me to bind myself [strictly down?>] by a solemn obligation?’ Johnson (much agitated). ‘What a vow — O no Sir. A vow is a horrible thing. It is a snare for sin. [No, Sir; if you cannot go to Heaven without a vow — you may go —>] The Man who cannot go to Heaven without a vow — may go — [(Here standing erect in the middle of his library÷room, and rolling grand — his pause was truly a curious compound of the solemn and the ludicrous. He half=whistled in his usual way when pleasant, and he smiled — yet was checked by religious awe. He would have added — to — Hell — but was restrained. I humoured the thing÷dilemma. — ‘What’ said I ‘In Cœlum jusseris ibit’ — alluding to his imitation of it ‘And bid him go to Hell to hell he goes.’ I never saw÷witnessed a scene which might be acted with [MS 766] more effect.>] [(Here he paused as if checked by religious awe. — ‘What Sir’ said I ‘In Cœlum jusseris ibit’ — alluding to his imitation of it ‘And bid him go to Hell to hell he goes.’>] (Here standing erect in the middle of his library÷room, and rolling grand — his pause was truly a curious compound of the solemn and the ludicrous. He half=whistled in his usual way when pleasant, and he paused as if checked by religious awe. He would have added — to — Hell — but was restrained. I humoured the thing÷dilemma. — ‘What Sir’ said I ‘In Cœlum jusseris ibit’ — alluding to his imitation of it ‘And bid him go to Hell to hell he goes.’3 [MS 766] I had mentioned to him a [defect÷fault>] slight fault in his noble Imitation of the Tenth Satire of Juvenal a too near recurrence of the verb spread in his description of ‘the young enthusiast’ at College. Through all his veins the fever of renown Spreads from the strong contagion of the gown O’er Bodley’s dome his future labours spread ≤And Bacon’s mansion trembles oer his head.≥

3 In revision JB severely pared down this passage, only to restore it later (except for his final comment) by writing ‘Stet’ three times in the margin. The compositor ignored JB’s parenthesis, the close of which was never indicated. The two sets of alternatives— fully deleted in first revision, and thus unresolved—were printed ‘library’ and ‘dilemma’, and the verse from SJ’s London was centred on a separate line (so in revises).

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1778

He had desired me to change spreads to burns, but for perfect authenticity I now had it done with his own hand.a I thought this alteration not only cured the [Poem of a del] fault, but was more poetical as it might [bear÷carry>] carry an allusion to the shirt by which Hercules was inflamed. We had a quiet comfortable meeting at Mr. Dilly’s; nobody there but ourselves. Mr. Dilly mentioned somebody having wished that Milton’s [Essay÷Tractate>] Tractate on Education should be printed along with his Poems in the [1st ed. ii. 269] Edition of the English Poets then going on. Johnson. ‘It would be breaking in upon the plan but would be of no great consequence. So far as it [would be÷is any thing it would be÷is wrong>] would be÷is4 any thing it would be wrong. Education in England has been [attempted to be÷in danger of being>] in danger of being hurt by two of its greatest men, Milton and Locke. Milton’s scheme÷plan5 is impracticable and I suppose has never been tried. Locke’s I fancy has been tried often enough. It is very imperfect; it gives too much to one side and too little to [the other÷another>] the other. It gives too little to [MS 767] literature. I shall do what I can for Dr. Watts; but [my materials are very scanty.÷I have very scanty materials.>] my materials are very scanty. His poems are [not÷by no means>] by no means his best works. I cannot praise [the÷his>] his poetry itself highly; but I [can÷shall>] can praise [its÷the>] its design.’ [— We again parted with friendly assurances.÷assurances of friendship.>] [We again parted with assurances of friendship.>] My illustrious friend6 and I again parted with assurances of friendship.7 ≤[Paper Apart Δ For p. 767]8 Johnson maintained a long and intimate friendship with Mr. Welch who succeeded the celebrated Henry Fielding as one of his Majesty’s Justices of the Peace for Westminster, kept a regular office for the police of that great district and discharged his important trust for many years faithfully and ably. Johnson who had an eager and unceasing curiosity to know human life in all its variety, told me that he attended Mr. Welch in his office for a whole winter to hear the examinations of the culprits but that he a

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≤The slip of paper on which he made the correction is deposited by me in 30 the noble Library to which it relates, and to which I have presented other pieces of his handwriting.a1≥ 4

Printed ‘would be’ (so in revises), as the twin set of alternatives had been resolved. Printed ‘plan’ (so in revises). 6 When JB read this sentence in proof, presumably finding that the compositor had supplied ‘friend’, the word here missing from his revision, he replaced ‘friendship’ at the end of the sentence with ‘affectionate regard’ (so printed in the revises). 7 JB next planted ‘1779’ in the margin and ‘In 1779’ for a new paragraph, but replaced this false start with more material from 1778: ‘Excerpt my letters to him 25 May & 18 June’. By the time JB deleted this memorandum, however, SJ’s letter to Saunders Welch from Feb. 1778 had come into his hands, resulting in dual instructions here for the compositor: ‘1st Take in Paper Δ’ and ‘2d Take in Paper *’. 8 This Paper Apart is headed ‘ Δ For p. 767’. 5

a1 Writing in 1804 to Sir William Forbes, a fellow executor of JB’s papers, EM discussed several such intended deposits, noting whether JB’s wishes had been fulfilled. ‘This certainly has not been done’, he reported, regarding the ‘slip of paper’ here in question; it stayed with JB’s papers until 1947, when it was presented to the Bodleian Library (Corr. 2a, p. 466 and n. 16). On JB’s correction, see also Laird of Auchinleck, p. 63.

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found an almost uniform tenor of misfortune wretchedness and profligacy.9 Mr. Welch’s health being impaired [by his great labour del] he was advised to try the effect of a warm climate, and Johnson by his interest with Mr. Chamier procured him leave of absence to go to Italy and a promise the pension or sallary of two 5 hundred a year which Government allowed him should not be discontinued. 6 Mr. Welch accordingly went abroad accompanied by his daughter [Miss del] 7 Anne a Young Lady of [extraordinary>] uncommon talents and literature. I have 8 been fortunate enough as this work was passing through the press to obtain the 9 following letter which although the [former>] first part of my narrative of this 10 year was printed off before I received it will now come in with very little 11 deviation from chronological order.1 12 13 14

[[Satellite Paper Apart]2 Dear Sir To have suffered one of my best and dearest friends to pass almost two years in foreign countries without a Letter, has a very shameful appearance of 15 inattention. But the truth is that there was no particular time in [1st ed. ii. 270] which I had any thing particular to Say and general expressions of good will, I hope our long Friendship is grown too solid to want. Of publick affairs you have information from the News papers wherever you go, For the English keep no secrets and of other things Mrs. Nollikens informs 20 you. My intelligence could therfore be of no use, and Miss Nancy’s Letters made it unnecessary to write to you for information. I was likewise for some time out of humour to find that3 del] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [Paper Apart Δ For p. 767 resumed] This letter while it gives admirable advice how to travel to the best advantage and will therefore be of very general 25 use, is another eminent proof of Johnson’s warm and affectionate heart.a≥ a

The friendship between Mr. Welch and him was unbroken. Mr. Welch died not many months before him and bequeathed him five guineas for a ring which Johnson received with tenderness as a kindly memorial. His regard was constant for his friend Mr. Welch’s daughters of whom Jane the youngesta1 is 9

JB was informed of SJ’s experience also by William Bowles; see Corr. 2a, p. 194. Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in To Saunders Welch Esq: &c.’ It was headed, ‘To SAUNDERS WELCH, Esq. at the English Coffee-house, ROME’ (so in revises). In the second edition, this section (the letter, the paragraphs before and after it, and the note on SJ’s friendship with Welch) migrated to its rightful chronological position (see ante pp. 155–56 n. 7; Hill-Powell iii. 216–19). Because this change made JB’s apology moot, the present sentence was omitted. 2 This Paper Apart, written in Veronica Boswell’s hand, occupies the verso of the Paper Apart next in line for typesetting (‘* for p. 767’). JB labeled it ‘Copy Dr. Johnson to Saunders Welch Esq.’ 3 Ending abruptly here, the fair copy on this page was crossed out with a giant X, suggesting that this part of the letter (with the rest of it) was recopied onto another Paper Apart which has not been traced. 1

a1 In the revises JB deleted ‘the youngest’. Nollekens married the younger of two daughters, Mary Welch (c. 1743–1817). See John Thomas Smith, Nollekens and His Times, ed. W. Whitten, 2 vols., 1920, i. 15.

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[Paper Apart * for p. 767]4 I wrote to him on the 25 of May from Thorpe in Yorkshire one of the seats of Mr. Bosville and gave him an account of my having [received great civilities at Lincoln from>] passed a day at Lincoln unexpectedly & therefore without having any letters of introduction but that I had been honoured with civilities from the Reverend Mr. Simson an 5 acquaintance of his & Captain Broadley of the Lincolnshire Militia, but more 6 particularly from the Reverend Dr. Gordon the Chancellor who first [shewed 7 me a very polite attention÷received me with great politeness>] received me 8 with great politeness as a stranger and when I had informed him who I was 9 entertained me at his house with the most flattering attention; and expressing 10 the pleasure with which I had found our worthy friend Langton was highly 11 esteemed in his own County town. 12 [1st ed. ii. 272]

13 14

To Dr. Samuel Johnson

My Dear Sir

Edinburgh / 18 June 1778

* * 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ≤[Paper Apart]6 ‘It was in the Summer of the year 1778 — that he complied with my Invitation to come down to the Camp at Warley — and he staid with me about a Week — The Scene appeared, notwithstanding a great degree of ill health that he seemed labouring under, to interest and amuse him — as agreeing with the disposition that I believe you know he constantly manifest towards enquiring into Subjects of the Military kind —— He sat, with a patient degree of Attention, to observe the proceedings of a Regimental Court Martial that happen’d to be called in the Time of his stay with us — and one Night, as late as at eleven o’Clock, he accompanied the Major of the Regiment, in going, what are styled, the Rounds, where he might observe the forms of visiting the Guards, for the seeing that they and the Sentries7 are ready in their duty on their several posts — He took occasion to converse at times *

married to Mr. Nollekens the Statuary whose merit is too well known to require any praise from me.a2 4 Next to his heading for this Paper Apart—‘( * for p. 767)’—JB wrote ‘2d’. See ante p. 264 n. 7. 5 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in what is unscored’. JB’s letter has not been traced. It occupies the whole of 1st ed. ii. 272, with six asterisks printed here to mark a textual elision. At the top of 1st ed. ii. 273 a short paragraph tells that Langton favoured JB with ‘some particulars of Dr. Johnson’s visit to Warley-Camp’ (Hill-Powell iii. 360). JB’s copy for that paragraph and directions for taking in the following Paper Apart are missing from the Life MS. 6 This Paper Apart is Langton’s original letter of 30 Nov. 1790 (C 1694; Corr. 2a, pp. 267–70). Langton created paragraphs with dashes or extra spacing, not by starting a new line; they are transcribed as new paragraphs only where reinforced by JB with a bracket and ‘NP’. Several passages (specified in notes below) had been cut from Langton’s text by the time the revises were printed. Charles N. Fifer plausibly inferred that these deletions were made in the first proofs (Corr. 3, p. 315). 7 Printed ‘their sentries’, probably by mistake. a2

Bracketed and marked ‘Note’, this footnote was originally part of the main text.

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on military topicks, one in particular, that I see the mention of, in Your Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, which lies open before me — [Page 132. del]a/8 as to Gun-powder; — which he spoke of, to the same effect, in part, that you relate9 — but as You may perhaps, my dear Sir chuse that I should tell you pretty fully what I can recollect, I will venture being tedious rather than being too succinct; and You will make any use, or as little use as You please of any part of what I write — As to the granulating Powder, he observed, that, to a certain degree it is necessary, for if, on the contrary, You reduce it to a state like meal, it will not explode at all; but, what is in that state, consumes in succession; which is what is called wild fire — such, I remember, he said, as the School-boys make for sport — the good, then, of having powder in grains, he said appears to be, the air that is by that means admitted; which, being instantaneously rarified, on firing it, produces the explosion, and the other consequent effects — how large the grains ought to be he said was the matter of next consideration — it would seem that that size of them is to be preferred, that, in the same dimensions, would admit of the most air; and, for an experiment to that effect, he said, he would make use of two measures, of a Bushel exactly each; and fill one with Leaden Bullets, the other with small Shot, such as is used in fowling pieces — then he would weigh them, when so filled — and whichever (as the dimensions of each Measure were to be exactly equal) proved to be the heavier — would evidently have the least Air admitted — if the bullets weighed heavier, and so appeared, by the larger form in which the Lead was cast, to exclude the air the more — that would determine him not to have the Powder in large grains — if the small shot weighed heavier — and so, excluded air the more — it would induce him not to granulate the powder into smaller grains —— He said farther, on this article of Gun powder, that, in order to judge whether it was good, his expedient would be, as, in the three Ingredients of it, Salt petre, Sulphur, and Charcoal, the much larger part ought to be Salt-petre (upwards of seventy parts in a hundred — the Charcoal about fifteen, the sulphur about nine) but that as, from the comparative dearness of Salt petre, the temptation is, to put less of that than its due proportion — he would put a quantity exactly weighed of the powder into Water, which would dissolve the Salt petre, and then pour the Water off, which would carry the Salt petre with it — and he would then weigh — the mass that remained; which would serve to detect the deficiency (if any) and how great, as to the ingredient most essential and most in danger of being deficient —— The above mentioned experiments, I am aware, may, to experienced Men of the military and Chemical professions, possibly appear imperfect and slovenly, in comparison of such as they may be apprised of — but, considering that Dr. Johnson had so little means of being well versed in such discoveries and experiences as belong to professional skill they may perhaps be allowed to be considerable efforts of mind, compared with a

3 Edit p. 111.

8 JB preferred to cite the third edition. Also, since Langton had written only ‘Your Journal’, JB inserted ‘of a Tour of the Hebrides’. The title was printed within quotation marks (so in revises). 9 From this point on, SJ’s observations on gunpowder were omitted in the revises.

267

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1778

his means of information — and may lead to the thought, among so many other grounds for the same Idea concerning him — to what his Efforts of Understanding might have attained, if exerted with the same Vigour (in any Profession to which he should have applied) on the stores of knowledge that he would have found therein accumulated. —— ‘Thus far I had written, when it occurred to me, that, as what has been mentioned as said by Dr. Johnson is of some length, which makes it the more desirable that it should have been founded on correctness of knowledge in the Subject, if there should be thoughts of giving it to the Publick — it might be better to enquire a little, of those qualified to judge, as to the correctness of it — which I have accordingly been doing — and from two respectable Gentlemen of the University whom I conferred with — and to confirm what had been said by them — from our principal Physician here Dr. Wall1 who was for five years our Chemical Professor, I learned that what external air there may be among the particles of the Gun powder is by no means to be reputed the cause of the explosion in firing it — but that it is the confined nitre that by its vast expansion occasions it — there being then this allay, of incorrectness in the Notion — though the expedient proposed by Johnson according to the principle he had supposed is highly ingenious — perhaps you will think it as well not to insert what he said upon it, in any particular manner —a/2 and as to the other device, to detect the deficiency of the Salt-petre, Dr. Wall explained upon that head, so as to shew that there would be no certainty in the effect — for that they can adulterate by putting common salt with Salt petre, which has no effect in the explosion, & yet would be equally dissolved by the water that Dr. Johnson proposed to make the trial by — so that if the remaining Ingredients, after the water was poured off, weighed no more than they ought in their due proportion still he might be mistaken in thinking that what had been carried off by the water had been only genuine Salt petre — this therefore, my dear Sir, in like manner I suppose, you will omit the particular mention of — but I thought I would however send you this paper, both to shew you that I have been at work; and apprehending that You would chuse to have the particulars communicated, for your own amusement and the interest You take in what relates to our Friend — should it not be altogether fit for publication — —

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a [Satellite Paper Apart]a1 Although there is it seems a defect in point of experimental science in Dr. Johnson’s observations they are so ingenious and 35 shew such a vigorous aptitude of research that I should be sorry to omit them.a2

1 Martin Wall (c. 1747–1824), M.D., a Fellow of New College, became Public Reader in Chemistry in 1781 (Corr. 2a, p. 270 n. 8). Owing to the ultimate deletion of this passage, he would be mentioned just once in the Life, when SJ and JB drank tea with him at Oxford on 10 June 1784 (Hill-Powell iv. 292). 2 Direction to the compositor, ‘See note’. a1 This scrap of paper, sewn to the appropriate page of Langton’s letter, is labeled ‘Note on Mr. Langton’s Letter at the word manner.’ On its verso are the lines from Addison’s Cato which had eluded JB when he drafted and revised MS 682 (see ante p. 202 n. 4). a2 Omit them he did, however, by the time the revises were printed, thus yielding to Langton’s doubt that SJ’s observations might ‘not be altogether fit for publication’.

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LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 361–62

‘I have further to mention — that on one occasion that3 the Regiment were going through their exercising, He went quite close to the Men at one of the Extremities of it, and watched all their practices attentively, and when he came away his remark was — “the Men indeed do load their musquets and fire with wonderful Celerity4 the Sportsman is twice as long about it — he first puts in his powder and rams it down and then his Shot which must be rammed down likewise — whereas your Men charge with both powder & ball at once” — — which You, I suppose are Soldier enough to know; that what they call the Cartridge, is made up with both the powder and Ball —— He was likewise particular in requiring to know what was the weight of the Musquet-Balls in use, and within what distance they might be expected best to take effect when fired off ——— ‘In walking among the Tents, and observing the difference between those of the Officers and private Men, he said that the superiority of accommodation, of the better conditions of life, to that of the inferior ones, was never exhibited to him in so distinct a view — — The Civilities paid to him in the Camp were, from the Gentlemen of the Lincolnshire Regiment — one of the Officers of which accommodated him with the Tent in which he slept — and from General Hall,5 who very courteously invited him to dine with him; where he appeared to be very well pleased with his entertainment — and the civilities he [1st ed. ii. 274] received on the part of the General6 — the attentions likewise of the General’s Aid de Camp, Captain Smith,7 seemed to be very welcome to him, as appeared by their engaging in a great deal of discourse together — The Gentlemen of the East York Regiment likewise, on being informed of his coming, sollicited his company at dinner — but by that time, he had fixed his departure, so that he could not comply with the Invitation — — ‘The last particular of this tattle that I will offer you is, that he met one day with Dr. Cadogan, who was our Camp Physician, at my tent — who, with a chearfulness and good humour that is constantly prevalent in his manner, asked him as to his state of health — Dr. Johnson, who was clouded with Illness and Uneasiness, replied in a half peevish manner that he was by no means well — Dr. Cadogan then asked him what plan he followed with a view to better health — he answered very impatiently “I pursue no plan!” Dr. Cadogan then said I thought very pertinently “if You had said Dr. Johnson that You were in good health and did not pursue any plan I should have thought you very right,

3 Printed ‘On one occasion when’ (so in revises), its wording adjusted to begin a new paragraph following the deleted passage on gunpowder. 4 SJ’s speech stopped here in the revises; the omission continued through ‘powder and Ball’. The printed paragraph continued, ‘He was likewise particular …’. 5 General Thomas Hall (d. 1809), commissioned a major-general in 1777 (Corr. 2a, p. 270 n. 13). 6 A footnote keyed to ‘General’ was printed in the revises: ‘When I one day at Court expressed to General Hall my sense of the honour he had done my friend, he politely answered, “Sir, I did myself honour.”’ 7 Possibly Capt. Lieut. Robert Smith of the South Lincolnshire Regiment (Corr. 3, p. 319 n. 13).

269

H-P iii. 362, 364

MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1778

but declaring yourself to be ill, surely it is eligible for you to consider of any Regimen or plan that might give a chance for restor’d health” — ’8≥ [MS 767 resumed] To James Boswell Esq:9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . In the course of this year there was a difference between him and his friend Mr. Strahan the particulars of which it is unnecessary to relate. Their reconciliation was communicated to me in a letter from Mr. Strahan.1 [Paper Apart]2 ‘The Notes I shewed you that past between him and me were dated in March last. The Matter lay dormant till July 27th. when he wrote me as follows.3 Sir It would be very foolish for us to continue Strangers any longer. You can never by Persistency make wrong, right. If I resented too acrimoniously, I resented only to yourself. Nobody ever saw or heard what I wrote. You saw that my Anger was over, for in a Day or two, I came to your House. I have given you longer time, and I hope you have made so good Use of it, as to be no longer on evil Terms with / Sir / Your &c. Sam Johnson

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

On this I called upon him; and he has since dined with me.’4 ≤[MS 767v; 1st ed. ii. 276] After this time, the same friendship as formerly continued between Dr. Johnson and Mr. Strahan. My friend mentioned to me 20 a little circumstance of his attention which though we may smile at it must be allowed to have its foundation in a nice and true knowledge of human life. ‘When I write to Scotland’ said he, ‘I employ Strahan to frank my letters, that 8 The excerpt from Langton’s letter originally was to end here, as marked by an X. This last paragraph, however, was not printed in the revises. There is no other mention of William Cadogan (1711–97), M.D., in the Life, though his Dissertation on the Gout (1771) is discussed in JB’s Tour (v. 210–11). 9 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in his to me of 3 July’. SJ’s letter is no longer part of the Life MS. EM searched for this letter to check whether SJ had written ‘affecting Stoicism’ (as he suspected) instead of ‘asserting Stoicism’ (as was printed). His search proving futile, he noted his suspicion in the fifth edition of the Life (1807), adding that the letter had been ‘burned in a mass of papers in Scotland’. It is likely that ‘burned’ was a misreading of ‘buried’. See Corr. 2a, pp. 465–66 and n. 6; Pottle, Pride and Negligence, pp. 58–59, 240–41. 1 Direction to the compositor, ‘The Notes &c. (take in from x to x in Mr. Strahan’s letter to me)’. Memorandum in the Life Materials (M 147, under 1779): ‘Letter of reconciliation to Mr. Strahan’. Later, when organizing his materials, he put ‘Refers to 1778’ on the letter, and revised his memorandum under the year 1778: ‘His conciliatory Letter to Mr. Strahan engrossed in a letter from Mr. Strahan to me.’ 2 This Paper Apart is Strahan’s original letter of 4 Jan. 1779 (C 2583; Corr. 2a, pp. 11– 12), written in reply to JB’s request of 17 Nov. 1778 that he provide ‘all the particulars which he remembers of Dr. Johnson of every kind’ (Corr. 2a, p. 11, from Reg. Let.). At the top of the letter, after ‘Refers to 1778’, JB wrote ‘p. 767x’, and placed a corresponding x on MS 767 above ‘&c.’ in his direction to the compositor (see note above). 3 Printed ‘follows: / To WILLIAM STRAHAN, Esq.’ (so in revises). 4 Extending his original instructions regarding Strahan’s letter (n. 1 above), JB later added, ‘& then take in what is on the back of this leaf’. Accordingly, the compositor turned to the verso of MS 767.

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H-P iii. 364–67

he may have the consequence of appearing a Parliament-Man among his countrymen.’5

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

To Captain Langton≥6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [Paper Apart *(767)]7 I wrote to him on the 18 August 18 Septr. & 6 Novr. informing him of my having had [a>] another son born whom I had called James; that I had passed some time at Auchinleck; that the [1st ed. ii. 277] Countess of Loudoun now in her ninety ninth year ≤was as fresh as when he saw her &≥ remembered him with respect; and that his mother by adoption the Countess of Eglintoune had said ≤to me≥ ‘tell Mr. Johnson that I love him exceedingly.’ — that I had again suffered much from bad spirits; and that as it was very long since I had heard from him I was not a little uneasy ≤[that undeciphered words del]≥. ≤[His kind regard>] The continuance of his regard for his friend Dr. Burney appears from the following letters.8

. . .

To The Reverend Dr. Wheeler Oxford9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

.

. . .

To the Reverend Dr. Edwards Oxford.1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

.

15

5 Memorandum in the Life Materials (M 153): ‘Mem. His minute attention — making Strahan frank his letters to Scotland as it gave him consequence to appear a Parliament Man in his own country.’ SJ availed himself of Strahan’s privilege within England, too. He had him frank a letter to Lucy Porter in Lichfield—a circumstance omitted when JB quoted SJ’s note to Strahan of 24 Dec. 1776 (ante p. 71 n. 3). 6 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in’. This letter no longer forms part of the Life MS. Printed ‘To CAPTAIN LANGTON, at Warley Camp’ (so in revises), with a footnote on Langton’s name: ‘Dr. Johnson here addresses his worthy friend, Bennet Langton, Esq. by his title, as a Captain of the Lincolnshire militia.’ In the second edition, ‘at Warley Camp’ became ‘Warley-Camp’, and the footnote was revised and extended: ‘… title as Captain of the Lincolnshire militia, in which he has since been most deservedly raised to the rank of Major.’ JB visited Langton at Warley Camp also, arriving on 17 July 1793, the day the second edition was published (Great Biographer, p. 222). 7 This Paper Apart is headed ‘*(767)’. In the margin of MS 767, JB circled a direction to the compositor: ‘Next comes *767 a second of this’—that is, the second Paper Apart with an asterisk keyed to this MS leaf. This direction replaced memoranda deleted on MS 767: ‘Excerpt mine of 18 August 18 Septr. 6 Novr.’ and ‘Take in his of 21 Novr.’ In Reg. Let. under 18 Aug. 1778 JB wrote ‘Dr. Samuel Johnson of my late dreary dejection—& of a variety of things’; the letter of 18 Sept., though unrecorded, would have carried word of his new son James (born 15 Sept.); and he recorded ‘Dr. Samuel Johnson uneasy at not hearing from him &c. &c.’ under 14 Nov. (not 6 Nov.; he saw the Countess of Eglinton, as his journal reveals, on 8 Nov.). 8 Above his undeleted letter headings JB later inserted ‘Letters for Dr. Burney’; later still he scored this out and advised the compositor, ‘The letters in favour of Dr. Burney are on one sheet’. That Satellite Paper Apart is missing. Benjamin Wheeler (c. 1733–83), D.D., was Professor of Poetry at Oxford (1766–76), Sedleian Professor of Natural Philosophy (1767–82), and Regius Professor of Divinity (1776–83; Letters of Johnson ed. Redford, ii. 192 n. 1). For Edward Edwards (c. 1726–83), D.D., see Hill-Powell iii. 529. 9 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take it in’. (See note above.) 1 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take it in’. (See n. 8 above.)

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1778

[Satellite Paper Apart]2 These letters procured Dr. Burney great kindness and friendly offices from both of these gentlemen not only on that occasion, but in future visits to the university. The same year Dr. Johnson not only wrote to Dr. Joseph Warton in favour of Dr. Burney’s youngest son who was to be placed in the College there but accompanied him to Winchester when he went thither.≥ [Paper Apart *(767) resumed] [To James Boswell Esq: To The Rev. Mr. Hussey>]3 We surely cannot but admire the benevolent exertions of this great and good man especially when he4 consider how grievously he was afflicted with bad health, and how uncomfortable his home was made by the perpetual jarring of those whom he charitably accomodated under his roof. He sometimes suffered me to talk jocularly of his groupe of females and call them his Seraglio. He thus mentions them ≤together with honest Levett≥ in one of his letters to Mrs. Thralea ‘Williams hates every body. Levet hates Desmoulines and does not love Williams. Desmoulines hates them both. Pollb loves none of them.’

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To JAMES BOSWELL Esq.5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ≤About this time Mr. John Hussey who had been some time in trade and is now a Clergyman of the Church of England being about to dertake6 a Journey to Aleppo and oth the East, which he accomplished, Dr. 20 Johnson honoured him with the following Letter:7 [Satellite Paper Apart]8 To the Revd. Mr. Hussey a b

Vol. 2, p. 38. Miss Carmichael.

2 JB turned his initial heading for this Paper Apart, ‘After Dr. Burney’, into fuller instructions: ‘After the letters recommending Dr. Burney take in the following paragraph.’ His summary closely follows Burney’s own account; see ‘Charles Burney’s Memorandum of His Acquaintance and Correspondence with Johnson Prepared for Boswell’ (Life MS i. 373 and n. 1). 3 The heading ‘To James Boswell Esq:’ is preceded by the relevant direction to the compositor, ‘Take in his of 21 Novr.’ JB deleted it and both letter headings, however, when he later decided to introduce an observation leading up to SJ’s remark about his ‘Seraglio’. The recto of Paper Apart *(767) being full, JB wrote ‘Turn’ in the lower right corner of the page, and on the verso wrote down the anecdote, along with directions for the postponed letters to himself and Hussey. 4 Printed ‘we’, as JB obviously meant to write. 5 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in his of 21 Novr.’—recopied for the final time (see n. 3 above and p. 271 n. 7). This Paper Apart no longer forms part of the Life MS. 6 The paper that has crumbled away from the MS here (affecting two lines of copy written upside-down at the top of the page) was wider than JB needed to form these missing letters. He may have tried another verb first and deleted it in the same draft. 7 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take it in’. 8 Labeled ‘Copy’. JB wrote to Hussey on 9 July 1787 asking for ‘any anecdotes of [SJ] which you know, any of his sayings which you recollect, and any of his letters which

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H-P iii. 369–70

Dear Sir. I have sent you the Grammar, and have left you two Books more by which I hope to be remembered. Write my name in them. We may perhaps see each other no more. You part with my good wishes, nor do I despair of seeing you return. Let no opportunities of vice corrupt you. Let no bad example seduce you. Let the blindness of Mahometans confirm you in Christianity. GOD bless you. I am / Dear Sir / your affectionate humble servant Sam. Johnson / Dec. 29. 1778.9 Johnson gave to the World in the course of this year nothing so far as I knowa except a noble dedication to the King the Patron of the Arts, for his friend Sir Joshua Reynolds of his admirable Discourses to the Royal Academy, those Discourses which are so generally valued and for which their authour received from the Empress of Russia a gold [1st ed. ii. 280] snuff=box adorned with her picture set in diamonds but what is infinitely more valuable a slip of paper, on which are written [these words with÷in her Imperial Majesty’s own hand>] with her Imperial Majesty’s own hand the following words: ‘Au Chevalier Reynolds en temoignange du plaisir que J’ai recue de la lecture de ses excellens discours sur la peinture.’1≥ a

Notwithstanding all my anxious attention to chronological order I find that I have ascribed to this year (see page ) the publication of his prefaces to the Poets which in fact came out early in the next year.a1 may be in your possession’. Hussey sent him a set of ‘Memorandums’ in August and SJ’s letter on 9 Sept. After copying the letter, JB returned it to Hussey on 15 Oct. (Corr. 2a, pp. 177–78, 182–83, 185, 187). 9 Later JB extended this Satellite Paper Apart, here writing ‘Turn’—since there was no room left for copy on Paper Apart *(767)—and on its verso drafting a paragraph to remedy his flawed introduction to the year 1778 (see ante pp. 154–55 and n. 9), which had already gone to press. Initially he wrote around his original docket, ‘Dr. Johnson to the Rev. Mr. Hussey’, but ultimately, running out of space on the page, drafted a footnote over it. He revised this paragraph substantially in proof, primarily to suppress his mention of SJ’s having written a dedication for Sir Joshua Reynolds. On his reasons for this suppression, see Life MS ii. 1 n. 3. 1 Reworked in the proofs (see note above), this paragraph read as follows in the revises: ‘Johnson this year expressed great satisfaction at the publication of the first volume of “Discourses to the Royal Academy,” by Sir Joshua Reynolds, whom he always considered as one of his literary school. Much praise indeed is due to those excellent Discourses, which are so universally admired, and for which the authour lately received from the Empress of Russia a gold [1st ed. ii. 280] snuff-box, adorned with her profile in bas relief, set in diamonds; and containing what is infinitely more valuable, a slip of paper, on which are written with her Imperial Majesty’s own hand, the following words: “Pour le Chevalier Reynolds en temoignange du contentement que j’ai ressentie à recue de la lecture de ses excellens discours sur la peinture.”’ Spotting two errors a1 On 31 Mar. 1779 (Fleeman, Bibliography of Johnson, ii. 1352). In the revises the cross-reference was still missing. JB advised the compositor where to look: ‘Beginning of the year 1788 [slip of the pen for 1778]. Get it exact from Mr. Selfe.’ In due course the page number (181) was jotted in the margin. There was no footnote exponent for this note in the main text; JB eliminated the word to which it had been keyed when revising the proofs, and it was not replaced.

273

H-P iii. 370–73

MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1779

[MS 767 resumed] [In 1779 he proceeded though slowly with his Lives of the Poets of which he published2>] [MS 768] In 1779 he proceeded [though slowly with>] at intervals in writing his Lives of the Poets — 3/4 [Paper Apart Z] On the 22 of January I wrote to him [of÷on>] on several topicks, and mentioned that as he had been so good as to permit me to have the proof=sheets of his Lives of the Poets, I had written to his servant Francis to take care of them for me.

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MR. BOSWELL to DR. JOHNSON5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . On the 23 of February I wrote to him again, complaining of his silence as I had heard he was ill and had written to Mr. Thrale6 for information concerning 10 him; and I announced my intention of soon being again in London. 11 12

To James Boswell Esq.7 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [MS 768 resumed] This letter crossed me on the road to London where I arrived on Monday fifteenth March, and next morning [after breakfasting at in the French, JB cautioned the compositor: ‘Pray be very correct in printing the words of the Empress of all the Russias.’ Ironically, he himself had misspelled temoignage in his copy; he now corrected it, and deleted recue de, which he seems not to have done when substituting ressentie in proof. A third error (no doubt also his own) was left incorrect: ressentie should have been reflexive. In the second edition, ‘lately received’ became ‘received’. On 4 Aug. 1789 Reynolds sought the privilege of dedicating his second volume of Discourses to Catherine II, and sent her two copies of the first volume, along with translations published in French and Italian. She thanked him by letter (through her ambassador) on 5 Mar. 1790; Reynolds acknowledged her ‘approbation’ and ‘the magnificent present which encloses it’ on 6 Aug. 1790. On occasion he would ‘shew … the Empress of Russias Box and Letter of her own hand writing’ (The Letters of Sir Joshua Reynolds, ed. John Ingamells and John Edgcumbe, 2000, pp. 195–97, 210–11, and 214). In the English version of her letter in The London Chronicle (8–10 Apr. 1790), the second paragraph appeared as follows: ‘I recommend to you to give my thanks to Sir Joshua, and to remit him the box I send, as a testimony of the great satisfaction, the perusal of his discourses has given me, and which I look upon as perhaps the best work that ever was wrote on the subject.’ 2 The ‘1779’ deleted in the margin beside this incomplete sentence ultimately migrated to MS 768. Beneath the fragment JB wrote ‘Excerpt my letters of 22 Jany. 2 & 23 Febry’, and on the top of MS 768 directed the compositor to ‘Take in his of 13 March’. He later deleted both directions (see nn. 4 and 7 below). 3 In the second edition, this perfunctory sentence was replaced by the paragraph erroneously situated at the beginning of JB’s narrative of 1778 (see ante pp. 154–55 and n. 9). ‘In 1778’ was changed to ‘In 1779’. 4 Placing an X at this juncture, JB in the margin recopied his memorandum, ‘Excerpt mine of 22 Janry 2 & 23 Febry’ (see n. 2 above). Later, beside the X, he directed the compositor to ‘Go to Paper Z’. 5 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in my letter of 2 Febry’. This Paper Apart no longer forms part of the Life MS. In the third edition, EM placed the following note (omitted by Hill-Powell) on JB’s mention of Garrick’s death after he had ‘lived sixty-two years’: ‘On Mr. Garrick’s Monument in Lichfield Cathedral, he is said to have died, “aged 64 years.” But it is a mistake, and Mr. Boswell is perfectly correct. Garrick was baptized at Hereford, Feb. 28, 1716–17, and died at his house in London, Jan. 20, 1779.’ 6 ‘How is Dr. Johnson? Has he ever been to visit Lord Marchmont?’ (Reg. Let. 22 Jan.). 7 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in his Letter’. SJ’s letter of 13 Mar. 1779 (to which JB added a footnote: see Hill-Powell iii. 372 n. 1) no longer forms part of the Life MS.

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LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 373–75

an ordinary hour>] at a late hour, found Dr. Johnson sitting over [1st ed. ii. 282] his tea attended by Mrs. Desmoulins, Mr. [Levet>] Levett, and [the Reverend Mr. Tasker÷a Reverend Clergyman>] a Reverend Clergyman8 who had come to submit some poetical pieces to his revision. It is wonderful [to think del] what a number and variety of Writers, some of them even unknown to him prevailed on his good-nature to look over their works and suggest corrections and improvements. [My arrival÷The salutations on my arrival>] My arrival interrupted for a little while, the important business of this true Representative of [Bayes. When it was÷Bayes which however was>] Bayes which however was resumed, I found that the subject under immediate consideration was a translation yet in Manuscript of the Carmen Seculare of Horace, which had this year been set to musick and performed as a publick entertainment in London, for the joint benefit of Monsieur Philidor and Signor [MS 769] Baretti. When Johnson had done reading [Tasker>] the Authour asked him bluntly ‘if upon the whole it was a good Translation?’ Johnson whose regard [to÷for>] for truth was uncommonly strict, seemed to be puzzled for a moment what answer to make, as he certainly could not honestly commend the performance. With [great÷exquisite address however he evaded thus>] exquisite address he evaded the question thus: ‘Sir I do not say that it may not be made a very good translation.’ Here nothing whatever in favour of the performance was affirmed, and yet the writer was not shocked. A printed ‘Ode to the Warlike Genius of Britain’ came next in Review. The Bard was a lank bony figure with short black hair. He was writhing himself in agitation while Johnson read and shewing his teeth in a grin of earnestness exclaimed in broken sentences and in a keen sharp tone ‘Is that Poetry Sir? — Is it Pindar?’ Johnson. ‘Why Sir there is here a great deal of what is called Poetry.’ — Then turning to me the Poet cried ‘My Muse has not been long upon the town’ and, (pointing to the [Poem÷ode>] ode) ‘It trembles under the hand of the great Critick.’ Johnson [in a tone÷with an air>] in a tone of displeasure asked him ‘Why do you praise [MS 770] Anson?’ I did not trouble him by asking his reason for this question? He proceeded — ‘Here is an errour, Sir; you have made Genius feminine.’ — ‘Palpable Sir;’ [cried Tasker>] exclaimed the Enthusiast. ‘I know it. But (in a lower tone) it was to pay a compliment to the Duchess of Devonshire, with which her Grace [is>] was pleased. She is walking accross Coxheath in [/the/>] the military uniform, and I suppose her to be the Genius of Britain.’ Johnson. ‘Sir you are giving a reason for it, but that will not make it right. You may have a reason why [three and two should make four; but they will still make five.÷two and two should make five; but they will not make five.÷still make but four.>] two and two should make four÷five9; but they will still make but four.’ 8 Printed ‘a clergyman’ (so in revises). It was William Tasker (1740–1800), as shown here under deletion. Croker identified him in 1831, having been informed by Isaac D’Israeli, who, on the strength of JB’s sketch of the man here, had recognized him ‘at a watering-place on the coast of Devon’ (Hill-Powell iii. 374 n. 1). In his journal JB called him ‘a foolish, scatter-brained creature’ (16 Mar. 1779), but John Nichols thought him an ‘ingenious and ill-fated Bard’ (Literary Anecdotes, ix. 206–08). 9 Printed ‘five’ (so in revises), as required by JB’s other choices in revision.

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Although I [have short notes being÷have marked being>] was several times with him in the course of the following days such [had been>] it seems were my occupations or such my negligence that I have preserved no memorial of his conversation till friday twenty sixth march when I visited him in the morning.1 [Paper Apart]2 [Dr. Johnson>] He said he expected to be attacked when his [1st ed. ii. 283] ≤Lives of the≥ Poets came out. ‘[The worst thing>] However (said he) I would rather be attacked than unnoticed. For the worst thing you can do to [a man>] an authour is to be silent ≤as to his works≥. An assault of a town is a bad thing. But starving it is still worse. An assault may be unsuccessful. You may have more men killed than you kill. But if you starve ≤the town,≥ you are sure of a victory.’ [I said an assault may only serve to shew the strength of a town. del] Talking of [Sir Joshua having Macpherson with him>] a friend of ours3 associating with persons of very discordant principles & characters I said [Sir Joshua>] he was a very universal man quite a man of the world. Johns≤on≥. ‘Yes Sir. But one may be so much a man of the World as to be nothing in the World. I remember a passage in Goldsmiths Vicar of Wakefield which he was afterwards fool enough to [put out>] expunge — “I do not love a man who is zealous for nothing.”’ Bos≤well≥. ‘That was a fine passage.’ Johns≤on≥. ‘Yes Sir. — There was another fine passage too which he [put>] struck out [“A young man anxious to distinguish himself said he started new propositions. ‘But’ said he ‘I soon gave this over; for, I found that generally what was new was false.’”’>] “When I was a young man being anxious to distinguish myself I was perpetually starting new propositions. But I soon gave this over; for, I found that generally what was new was false.”’ 4 I said I did not like to sit with people of whom I had not a good opinion. [Said he>] Johnson. ‘But you must not [propagate>] indulge your delicacy too much; Or you will be a tete á tete man all your life.’ [MS 770 resumed] During my stay in London this spring I find I was [miserably>] unaccountably negligent in preserving Johnsoniana more so than 1 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take it in’. The following Paper Apart, catalogued as part of J 64, is less a journal entry than, as JB put it here, a ‘memorial of [SJ’s] conversation’ on 26 Mar. 1779 (‘written hastily on an odd sheet of paper’ and ‘later prepared for printer’s copy as a Paper Apart’: Cat. i. 27). 2 ‘To be taken in on p. 770.’ Below this heading JB deleted ‘Friday 26 March 1779’. The first sentences were printed as a continuation of the previous paragraph; a new paragraph began at ‘Talking of a friend …’ (so in revises). JB used the verso of this leaf after breakfast with SJ on 29 Mar. when, the topic of ‘Hermit hoar’ having come up again, he recorded SJ’s parody of Thomas Warton’s poetry (ante p. 105 n. a2). 3 The MS confirms that it was Reynolds, as guessed by Croker (iv. 245) and Hill (iii. 375 n. 2). On Macpherson and Reynolds, see Laird of Auchinleck, p. 58 n. 1. 4 EM placed a footnote on this quotation in the third edition: ‘Dr. Burney in a note introduced in a former page has mentioned this circumstance, concerning Goldsmith, as communicated to him by Dr. Johnson; not recollecting that it occurred here. His remark, however, is not wholly superfluous, as it ascertains that the words which Goldsmith put into the mouth of a fictitious character in “The Vicar of Wakefield,” and which as we learn from Dr. Johnson he afterwards expunged, related, like many other passages in his Novel, to himself.’ Hill-Powell omitted this footnote, but did reprint Burney’s ‘note … in a former page’ (i. 441 n. 1, also added by EM), crossreferencing that note here (iii. 376 n. 1). In linking the two passages, Hill-Powell followed John Forster, The Life and Times of Oliver Goldsmith, 2 vols., 1877, i. 421–22; Forster himself seems to have benefited from the connection originally made by EM.

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H-P iii. 376–78

at any time when I was happy enough to have an opportunity of hearing his wisdom and [MS 771] wit. There is no help for it now. I must content myself with presenting such scraps as I have. But I am nevertheless ashamed and vexed to think how much has been lost. It is not that there was a bad crop this year, but that I was [careless of gathering>] not sufficiently careful in gathering it in. ≤I therefore in some instances can only exhibit a few detached fragments.≥ [The truth is that if it was not speedily put into the granary, its richness and ripeness was such that it was irrevocably lost.>] [The truth is that its richness and ripeness was such that it was irrevocably lost if it was not speedily put into the granary. del]5 ≤Talking of the [extraordinary>] wonderful concealment of the Authour of the celebrated letters signed Junius, he said ‘I should have [supposed>] believed Burke to be the man, because I know no man but Burke who is capable of writing these letters. But Burke spontaneously denied it to me. The case would have been different had I asked him if he was the Authour. A man when so questioned as to an anonymous publication, may think he has a right to deny it.’6 He observed that his old friend Mr. Sheridan had been honoured with extraordinary attention in his own country by having had an exception made in his favour in an irish Act of Parliament concerning insolvent debtors. ‘To be thus singled out’ said he ‘by a legislature as an object of publick [attention>] consideration and kindness is a proof of no common merit.’≥ [1st ed. ii. 284] At Streatham on Monday [29 March>] March 29 at breakfast he maintained that a Father had no right to controul the inclinations of his daughters in marriage. On Wednesday7 [31 March>] March 31 when I visited him and confessed an excess of which I had very seldom been guilty — that I had [been>] spent a whole night [playing cards÷at playing cards÷in playing at cards>] in playing at cards, and that I could not look back on it with satisfaction; — instead of a harsh [animadversion÷reproof>] animadversion he mildly said ‘Alas Sir on how few things can [you÷we>] we look back with satisfaction.’ On thursday [1 April>] April 1 he [commended÷characterised>] commended the old Duke of Devonshire for ‘a dogged veracity.’8 [MS 772] He said too ‘London is nothing 5 In revision JB deleted this paragraph twice, and twice reinstated it. On reinstating it the second time, however, he put more deletion strokes through the final sentence (clarifying ‘Stet down to in’ in the margin) and inserted one in its stead on MS opp. 771. While JB apologized ‘once for all’ for imperfections in his record of SJ’s sayings (Life MS i. 291 ll. 17–19), he more than once regretted his lapses in keeping a record (as in the paragraph on MS 770, ante p. 276 ll. 1–4). The deleted sentence here expressed an idea that JB had already articulated (ante p. 128 ll. 11–17 and n. 2). 6 JB started and abandoned a new paragraph here: ‘General Oglethorpe had done me the favour to make me acqua[inted]’. Later he recorded SJ saying ‘he was glad that [JB] had, by General Oglethorpe’s means, become acquainted with Dr. Shebbeare’ (Hill-Powell iv. 112). 7 JB’s copy on MSS 771–75 looks like a single massive paragraph. On these pages he marked paragraph breaks (as here) not with indentations, but rather with brackets and the abbreviation ‘NP’. In revision he deleted his next marking—beside ‘On thursday 1 April’—but this change was either ignored or later reversed, for a new paragraph began there in the revises. 8 In the revises JB changed ‘the old Duke’ to ‘one of the Dukes’, inserted a footnote keyed to ‘veracity’ (‘See p. 164 of this Volume.’), and directed the compositor to ‘Look

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1779

to some people; but to a man whose pleasure is intellectual, London is the place. And there is no place where œconomy can be so well practised as in London. More can be had here for the money even by Ladies than any where else. You cannot play tricks with your fortune in a small place. ≤You must make an uniform appearance.≥9 Here a Lady may have well=furnished appartments and elegant dress, without any meat in her kitchen.’ ≤[MS opp. 772] I was amused by considering with how much ease and coolness he could write or talk to a friend exhorting him not to suppose that happiness was not to be found as well in other places as in London, when he himself was at all times sensible of its being comparatively speaking a Heaven upon earth. The truth is that by those who from sagacity attention and experience have learnt the full advantages of London, its preeminence over every other place not only for variety of enjoyment, but for comfort will be felt with a philosophical exultation. The freedom from remark and petty censure with which life may be passed there is a circumstance1 [of great value del] which a man who knows the teising restraint of a narrow circle must relish highly. [A celebrated gentleman>] Mr. Burke whose orderly and amiable domestick habits might make the eye of observation less irksome to him than to most men said once very pleasantly in my hearing ‘Though I have the honour to represent Bristol I should not like to live there; I should be obliged to be so much upon my good behaviour.’ In London a Man may live in splendid society at one time, and in frugal retirement at another2 without animadversion. There and there alone a man’s own house is truly his castle, in which he can be in perfect safety from intrusion whenever he pleases. I never shall forget how well this was expressed to me one day by Mr. Meynell. ‘The chief advantage of London’ said he ‘is that a man is always so near his burrow.’3≥ [MS 772 resumed] He said of one of his old acquaintances4 ‘He is very fit for a travelling governour. He knows french well. He is a man of [/very/ del] good principles; [1st ed. ii. 285] and there would be no danger that a young gentleman should catch his manner; for it is so very bad that it must be [shunned÷avoided>] avoided. In that respect he would be like the drunken Helot.’5 in Mr. Selfe’s Revises if the page be right.’ The compositor later corrected the crossreference to ‘165’. On p. 165 of the revises JB also had struggled to ascertain which Duke of Devonshire was meant (ante p. 131 ll. 33–35 and n. 6). 9 It is unclear whether JB interlined this sentence in the same draft or in revision. In either case, he was freely elaborating a rather concise journal entry for 1 Apr. 1779 (see Laird of Auchinleck, p. 64). 1 Printed ‘circircumstance’, an error corrected in the second edition. 2 The ‘at’ after ‘retirement’ was omitted in print (so in revises), possibly by mistake. In the third edition, the printing of ‘at another’ restored the MS reading. 3 The latter half of this paragraph (beginning at ‘The freedom …’) was probably a later addition, as suggested by JB’s compression of these sentences to fit them on MS opp. 772. According to JB’s journal, Hugo Meynell’s observation dated from a dinner at Lord Pembroke’s on 16 May 1776 (Hill-Powell iii. 480). 4 James Elphinston (Journ. 1 Apr. 1779), as Croker thought probable (iv. 249). 5 Here in the second edition JB added a paragraph: ‘A gentleman has informed me, that Johnson said of the same person, “Sir, he has the most inverted understanding of any man whom I have ever known.”’ This change escaped inclusion in the Principal Corrections and Additions to the First Edition. Powell speculated that JB’s informant was William Strahan, who was Elphinston’s brother-in-law (Hill-Powell vi. 456–57).

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H-P iii. 379–80

On friday [second April>] April 2 being Good Friday I [was with÷visited>] visited him in the morning as usual and finding that we insensibly fell into a train of ridicule upon the foibles of one of our friends a very worthy man6 I by way of a check quoted some good admonition from ‘The Government of the Tongue’ a [MS 773] very pious Book. [But it happened remarkably>] It happened also remarkably enough that [Mr. Burrows the Rector of St. Clement Danes preached to us upon>] the subject of the sermon preached to us today by Dr. Burrows the Rector of St. Clement Danes upon7 the certainty that at the last day we [must÷are to>] must give an account of the deeds done in the body,8 and amongst various acts of [culpability÷criminality>] culpability he mentioned Evil speaking. As we were moving slowly along in the crowd from church Johnson jogged my elbow, and said ‘Did you attend to the sermon?’ ‘Yes Sir’ said I [‘it was very applicable to us.’÷‘we were touched.’>] ‘it was very applicable to us.’ He however stood upon [the÷our defence÷the defensive>] the defensive. ‘Why Sir the sense of ridicule is given us, and may be lawfully used. The Authour of “The Government of the Tongue” would have us to treat all men alike.’ In the interval [of publick worship>] between morning and evening service, he endeavoured to employ himself earnestly in devotional exercises, and as he mentions in his ‘Prayers and Meditations’ p. 1739 gave me [Pensees de Pascal>] ‘Les Pensees de Pascal’ — that I might not interrupt him. I preserve the Book with reverence. His presenting it to me is marked ≤upon it≥ with his own hand and I have found in it a truly divine unction [such as must ever do good if the mind be at all in tranquillity del].1 We went to church again [MS 774] in the afternoon. On saturday [3 April>] April 3 I visited him in the evening and found him sitting in Mrs. Williams’s room with her and one who he afterwards told me was a natural son2 of [Lord Southwell’s>] the second Lord Southwell. The table had a singular appearance being covered with a heterogeneous [mixture÷assemblage>] assemblage of oysters ≤and porter≥ for them and tea for himself. I mentioned my having heard an eminent Physician3 who was a very good christian argue in favour of universal toleration, and maintain that no man could be hurt by another man’s differing from him in opinion. [‘Sir’ said Johnson>] Johnson. ‘Sir you are to a certain degree hurt by knowing that even one man does not believe.’ 6

Presumably Langton (Hill-Powell iii. 379 n. 4; Laird of Auchinleck, p. 64). JB changed ‘upon’ to ‘was’ in the second edition, resupplying a verb to this clause. His revision in MS had turned his original verb, ‘preached’, into an adjectival modifier. 8 In the revises JB inserted quotation marks around ‘the deeds done in the body’ to signal the biblical text (‘the things done in his body’: 2 Corinthians 5: 10). 9 In the revises JB converted his page reference into a footnote, deleting it here in the text, where it had been printed parenthetically. 1 Inscribed ‘To Mr Boswell from Sam: Johnson.’ The book, listed for auction in 1951, was recorded by Fleeman as being ‘Unlocated’ (Copies of Books, p. 52). 2 Mauritius Lowe, as first disclosed by EM in the fourth edition (Hill-Powell iii. 380 n. 4). JB understood him to be ‘Lord Southwells nat[ural] son’, but did not get his name, as shown by a blank space in the journal (3 Apr. 1779). Previously too SJ had been guarded with JB about Lowe’s identity (ante p. 235 ll. 20–22 and n. 7). 3 William Heberden (1710–1801), M.D., as revealed by the topic ‘Heberdens toleration’ entered in JB’s journal (3 Apr. 1779). 7

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1779

On Easter day after solemn service at St. Paul’s I dined with him. Mr. Allen the Printer was [there.>] also his guest. He was uncommonly silent, and I have not written down any thing except a single curious fact which [would be thought fiction if related by almost any one else, but del] having the sanction of his inflexible veracity may be received as a striking instance of human insensibility & inconsideration. As he was passing by a fish=[1st ed. ii. 286]monger who was skinning an eel alive [MS 775] he heard him [curse÷angry at>] curse it because it would not lye still.4 [On tuesday 6 April at Streatham he paid Mrs. Thrale an extravagant compliment for when we were talking÷I talked of the enviable existence of enviable÷eminent men, some of whom I mentioned she said ‘I would not be Burke.’ Johnson. ‘No Madam. You would gain nothing but breeches.’ She however had his countenance when she said ‘She would be Pascal.’>] [On tuesday April 6 at Streatham he paid Mrs. Thrale an extravagant compliment for when I talked of the enviable existence of eminent men, some of whom I mentioned she said ‘I would not be Burke.’ Johnson. ‘No Madam. You would gain nothing but breeches.’ She however had his countenance when she said ‘She would be Pascal.’ del]5 On Wednesday [seventh April>] April 7 I dined with him at Sir Joshua Reynolds’s. I have not marked what company was there.6 [Johnson÷He>] Johnson harangued upon the qualities of different liquors and spoke with great contempt of claret as so weak that ‘a man would be drowned by it before [he was made÷it made him>] it made him drunk.’ He was persuaded to drink one glass of it, that he might judge not from recollection which might be dim, but from immediate sensation. He /shook his head, and/7 said poor stuff. ‘No Sir. [Claret is the liquor for boys÷Boys should drink claret>] Claret8 is the liquor for boys; port for men; but he who aspires to be a Hero must drink brandy. In the first place the flavour of brandy is most grateful to the palate and then brandy will do soonest for a man what drinking [can÷is to>] can do for him. There are indeed [MS 776] few who are able to drink brandy. That is a power [rather÷more wished>] rather to be wished for than attained. ≤And≥ Yet ≤(proceeded he)≥ as in all pleasure hope is a considerable part I know not but fruition comes too quick by brandy. Florence wine [/I think the worst it/>] I think the worst it is wine only to the eye; it is wine neither [when÷while>] while you are drinking it, nor after you have drunk it [/it neither pleases the taste nor exhilirates the spirits/>] it neither pleases the taste nor exhilirates9 the spirits.’ — I [put him in 4 In the revises JB turned the final part of this anecdote into a quotation, first at ‘he heard’, and then, changing his mind, at ‘curse’. 5 In revision, after resolving his alternatives and transposing the month and date, JB deleted ‘Burke’, as if to have Mrs. Thrale say, ‘I would not be ——.’ He then, however, scored out Mrs. Thrale’s name, and deleted the paragraph with several diagonal strokes. 6 ‘Mr. Thrale Mr. Pepys Dean Barnard &c.’, as identified by Theophila Palmer Gwatkin in the presentation copy of the Life given to her uncle, Sir Joshua Reynolds (Johnsonian News Letter 35, no. 2, June 1975, p. 4). 7 JB’s unresolved optional phrase was printed in the revises. 8 Printed ‘said, “Poor stuff. No, Sir, claret’ (so in revises). As punctuated in the MS, the quotation began with peremptory force, a tone restored in the third edition with an exclamation point after ‘stuff’. 9 Printed ‘exhilarates’ in the revises (corrected as before: Life MS i. 64 l. 6 endnote).

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mind÷mentioned>] reminded him how [jollily÷heartily>] heartily he & I used to drink wine together when we were first acquainted, and how I used to have a headach after sitting up with him. He did not like to have this recalled, or perhaps thought I boasted improperly; so [would have>] resolved to have a witty [stroke÷rap>] stroke at me. ‘Nay Sir, it was not the wine that made your head ach, but the sense that I put into it.’ 1/Boswell. ‘What Sir, will sense make the head ache?’ Johnson. ‘Yes Sir ≤(with a smile)≥ when it is not used to it.’ — No man who has a true relish of pleasantry could be offended at this, especially if Johnson in a long intimacy had given him repeated proofs [that he valued him.÷of his regard.>] of his regard ≤and good estimation. I used to say that as he had given me a thousand pounds in praise, he had a good right now & then to take a guinea from me.≥ On Thursday [eighth April>] April 8 I dined with him at Mr. Allan Ramsays, with Lord Graham [MS 777] and some [more>] other company. He talked of Shakespeare’s Witches. ≤Johnson.≥ ‘They are beings of his own creation they [have a mixture÷are a compound>] are a compound of malignity and meaness without any abilities, and are quite different from the Italian Magician. King James [says in his Dæmonology÷in his Dæmonology says>] says in his Dæmonology “Magicians command the devils; witches are their servants.” The Italian Magicians are elegant beings.’ [Ramsay.>] Ramsay. ‘Opera Witches not Drury Lane ones÷witches.’2 [He talked how>] Johnson observed that abilities might be employed in a narrow sphere as in [1st ed. ii. 287] getting money which he said he believed was not done without vigorous parts though concentrated to a point. Ramsay. ‘Yes like a strong horse in a mill. He pulls better.’3 Lord Graham while he praised the beauty of Lochlomond ≤on the banks of which is his family seat≥, complained of the climate and said he could not bear it. Johnson. ‘Nay My Lord, don’t talk so. You may bear it well enough. Your Ancestors have borne it more years than I can tell.’ [Here>] This was a very handsome compliment to the antiquity of the House of Montrose.4 His Lordship told me afterwards that he had only affected to complain of the climate, lest if he had [been too favourable to his country÷spoken as favourably of his country as he really thought>] spoken as favourably to5 his country as he really thought, Dr. Johnson might have attacked it. [MS 778] [Dr. del] Johnson was [also del] very complimentary to Lady Margaret MacDonald. ‘Madam when I was in the isle of Sky I heard of the people running to take the stones [off the 1 This undeleted virgule (not paired with another) indicates that JB’s next speech and SJ’s second ‘witty stroke’ against him were optional. The exchange was printed, JB in revision having put a smile on SJ’s face, and having amplified the extenuating comment that follows. 2 Printed ‘witches’ (so in revises). 3 Alongside this paragraph JB left himself a query: ‘Qu if not better to leave out Ramsays little remarks as they do not exemplify Johnson’s praise of his conversation’ (see ante p. 246 ll. 8–10). In revision he deleted the query and kept the remarks. 4 JB deleted this sentence in revision, then reinstated it by writing ‘stet’ six times above it. 5 Printed ‘to’ in the revises, JB’s imperfect resolution of his alternatives having not yet been corrected. Underlining the word, Selfe wrote ‘Qr of’ in the margin, a query overlooked by JB. Nonetheless, ‘of’ was correctly printed on leaf [Oo], the cancellans of leaf Oo4 (see post p. 283 n. 5).

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road lest Lady Margaret’s horse should stumble.÷out of the way of Lady Margaret’s horse’s feet that Lady Margaret’s horse might not stumble.>] off the road lest Lady Margaret’s horse should stumble.’ Lord Graham commended Dr. Drummond at Naples as a man of extraordinary talents and added that he had high notions of liberty.6 Johnson. ‘He is young My Lord (looking to [him with a sly smile)÷slyly smiling)>] his Lordship with an arch smile) all boys love liberty till experience convinces them they are not so fit to govern themselves as they [thought÷imagined, far less to govern others.>] imagined. We are all agreed as to our own [liberty, we÷liberty, that we>] liberty; we would have as much of it as we can get; but we are not agreed as to the liberty of [others÷other people>] others. [For in proportion as we take÷We cannot give in proportion as we take>] For in proportion as we take, others must lose. [I believe we do not wish÷We hardly wish>] I believe we hardly wish that the mob should have liberty to govern us. When that was the case [some time ago÷in Wilkes’s riots7÷tumults>] some time ago, no man was at liberty not to have candles in his windows.’ Ramsay. ‘The result is that order is better than confusion.’ Johnson. ‘The result is that order cannot be had but by subordination.’ On friday [16 April>] April 16 I had been present at the trial of the unfortunate Mr. Hackman who in a fit of frantick jealous love [MS 779] had shot Miss Ray [a Lady who lived with a nobleman>] the favourite Lady of a nobleman.8 Johnson ≤in whose company I dined today with some other friends≥ was much interested with my account9 of what passed, and particularly with his prayer for the mercy of Heaven. He said in a solemn fervid tone ‘I hope he shall find mercy.’1 [Paper Apart for p. 779]2 [As the ^I know not what word to use whether Dispute Contest or Altercation^3 between Dr. Johnson and Mr. Beauclerc at the 6 Printed without the adjective ‘high’, this phrase made little sense in the revises. JB amended it to read ‘a great love of liberty’. 7 Mobs in London broke windows without lighted candles after Wilkes won the Middlesex election in Mar. 1768, freed Wilkes from custody in Apr., and rioted again when Parliament met in May (Oxford DNB; Hill-Powell iii. 46–47 n. 5). 8 John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, as identified by Croker (albeit as the 6th Earl; iv. 254). On the Rev. James Hackman (1752–79), Martha Ray (1742–79), and her murder on 7 Apr. 1779, see Laird of Auchinleck, pp. 72–75, and John Brewer, A Sentimental Murder: Love and Madness in the Eighteenth Century (2005). 9 Part of the phrase added to this sentence in revision fit above the line, but the last four words spilled into the left margin across the page. JB’s symbol holding the phrase together was misread as a separate insertion, resulting in a mangled syntax: ‘Johnson, in whose company I dined to-day, was much interested, with some other friends, with my account’. Unnoticed in proof, the error caught JB’s attention in the revises, where he restored his original syntax and changed ‘with my account’ to ‘by my account’. 1 Parenthetical memorandum: ‘If it be proper to take in the quarrel between him and Beauclerk it should be inserted here.’ In revision JB whittled this sentence down into a direction to the compositor: ‘Take in’. 2 Marked ‘ p. 779’ in the upper left hand corner, this Paper Apart was one of three journal entries JB drafted for 16 Apr. 1779 (Cat. i. 27). According to a note for 16 Apr., JB ‘Gave full account of the trial. Dispute about the two pistols. Johnson and Beauclerk (apart).’ The final paragraph of this entry ‘apart’ suggests that JB drafted it after 28 Apr. (Laird of Auchinleck, pp. 85 n. 6 and 91 n. 5). By then, as his proem makes clear, he had grown concerned over the kind of talk that was circulating about the dispute. Apparent same-draft changes are recorded in the endnotes; other changes are transcribed as revisions. 3 The clause within carets appears at the top of the page, above an oversized caret that JB—seemingly in the same draft—inserted in a blank space after his opening words.

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H-P iii. 384–85

Literary Club 16 April 1779 has been much talked of & may be misrepresented, I think it right to write down exactly what passed.>] This day a violent altercation arrose between Johnson and Beauclerk of which it having made much noise at the time I think it proper in order to prevent any future misrepresentation, to give a minute account.4 [We were talking of Hackman. Dr. Johnson>] In talking of Hackman Johnson argued as Judge Blackstone had done that his [having two pistols with÷upon him>] being furnished with two pistols was a proof that he meant to shoot two [people>] persons. Mr. Beauclerc said ‘No. For that every wise man who intended to [kill>] shoot himself took two pistols that he might be sure of doing it [1st ed. ii. 288]5 at once. Lord ≤Charles≥ Spencer’s Cook shot himself with one pistol, & lived ten days in great agony. Mr. Delmis who loved buttered muffins but durst not eat them because they disagreed with his stomach resolved to shoot himself; & then he eat three buttered muffins for breakfast before shooting himself, knowing he should not be troubled with indigestion. He had two charged pistols. One was found lying charged upon the table by him after he had shot himself with the other.’ ‘Well’ said [Dr. del] Johnson with an air of triumph. ‘You see here One pistol was sufficient.’ [— (With great deference to him, his conclusion was not just; because it only so happened that one was sufficient. Two might have been necessary. —) del] [Mr. del] Beauclerc replied smartly — ‘Because [he was dead.>] it happened to kill him.’ And either then or a very little after≤wards≥ being [in anger>] piqued at [Dr. del] Johnson’s triumphant remark — [said ‘This is what you dont know, and I know.’>] added ‘This which you dont know, and I do.’6 — There was then a cessation of the dispute; & some minutes intervened during which dinner & the glass went on cheerfully. — When [all at once Dr. Johnson abruptly said>] Johnson suddenly and abruptly exclaimed — ‘Mr. Beauclerc how come you to talk so petulantly to me as “This is what you dont know, [& I know>] but what I know.” One thing I know which you don’t ≤seem to≥ know7 that you are very uncivil.’ [Mr. Beauclerc said>] Beauclerc. ‘Because you began by being uncivil (which you allways are).’ The words in parenthesis were, I beleive, not heard by Dr. Johnson. Here again there was a cessation of arms. [Dr. del] Johnson told me that the reason why he waited some time at first without taking any notice of what Mr. Beauclerc said was because he was thinking whether he should [be angry>] resent it. But when he considered that there were present [a young Lord (Lord Althorp) and Sir Charles Bunbury÷Banks men of the World to whom he was little known÷with whom he had never dined, they might>] a young Lord 4 Typeset ‘descant’, a creative misreading (the ‘a’ in ‘account’, touched by a descender from the line above, looked like a ‘d’); corrected by JB in the revises. 5 The names of Lord Charles Spencer and Mr. Delmis at the top of p. 288 (on the fourth leaf of sig. Oo) led to its cancellation (see Lit. Car., p. 154). Printed in cancellans [Oo] were ‘Lord —— ——’s cook’ and ‘Mr. ——’. 6 JB’s imperfect revision—possibly meant to be ‘This which you don’t know, I do.’— led to a confusing result in the revises: ‘This is what you don’t I do.’ The compositor retained ‘is’, JB’s undeleted catchword from the overleaf, along with the original word that followed it. In the revises JB inserted ‘know, and’ to correct the error. 7 The verb ‘is’, seemingly required here, was never added. In the revises JB altered his emphases: ‘One thing I know which you don’t seem to know’. A change of emphasis also appeared in Beauclerk’s reply, as printed in cancellans [Oo]: ‘Because you began …’.

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and an eminent traveller8 two men of the World with whom he had never dined before, he was apprehensive that they might [/think they had a right to/>] think they had a right to take such liberties ≤with him≥ as Beauclerc [did. He added he would not appear a Coward. and therefore he would not let it pass.>] did and therefore resolved he would not let it pass, adding that he would not appear a coward. A little while after this the conversation turned on the violence of Hackman’s temper. — [Dr. del] Johnson then said [‘It was his business to command÷‘He should have commanded>] ‘It was his business to command his temper as my freind Mr. Beauclerc should have done [a little ago>] some time ago.’ [‘I should learn of you’ said Mr. Beauclerc.>] Beauclerk.9 ‘I should learn of you Sir.’ [Dr. Johnson answered>] Johnson. ‘≤Sir≥ You have given me opportunities enough of learning, when I have been in your company. No man loves to be treated with contempt.’ [Beauclerc with a genteel polite smiling inclination towards the Doctor said ‘You>] Beauclerc (with a polite inclination towards the Doctor). ‘Sir You have known me twenty years. And however I may have treated others, you may be sure I could never mean to treat you with contempt.’ — [‘Sir’ said the Dr. ‘you>] Johnson. ‘Sir you have said more than [you needed to do.’÷was necessary.’>] was necessary.’ Thus it ended; and Beauclerc’s Coach not having come for him till very late, Dr. Johnson with Mr. Steevens1 sat with him ≤a long time≥2 after the rest of the Company were gone; and he & I dined at Beauclerc’s on the saturday senight [thereafter>] following. [There were present at the Dispute Sir Joshua Reynolds — Banks — Lord Althorp — Steevens — Sir Charles Bunbury & myself. ‘After all’, as Gerrard Hamilton said at Lord Pembroke’s table, ‘there was nothing in it to make a noise about’ or some such expression. I did not mark it.3 del] ≤[MS 779 resumed; 1st ed. ii. 289] [Talking of education Johnson>] After this tempest had subsided we talked of education. Johnson. ‘I am allways4 for getting 8 As the MS reveals, and as previously identified by Powell (Hill-Powell vi. 456–57), these men were Viscount Althorp (George John Spencer) and Sir Joseph Banks, both of whom (as well as Sir Thomas Charles Bunbury) later became members of The Club. The few alternative phrases that JB drafted in this Paper Apart—here, most notably, leaving himself the choice of mentioning either Bunbury or Banks (see ll. 22–23 below)—were provisions for revising the account at a later time. 9 Here, in revision, JB spelled the name as it was printed throughout this passage instead of his 1779 spelling, ‘Beauclerc’. 1 JB deleted ‘with Mr. Steevens’ in the revises, substituting ‘and another gentleman’. 2 This insertion fills a space originally left blank by JB. 3 Based on Beauclerk’s mounting annoyance with SJ, there evidently was cause to make a noise about it. On the day before the ‘violent altercation’, SJ’s ‘way of saying rough & severe things to people in company’ was discussed. Beauclerk, wondering that ‘some violent man’ had never resorted ‘to teach Johnson how to behave’, said he wished to see it done: ‘To be sure a man would be a Brute who did it. But it would do good.’ When JB objected that SJ was too old for such treatment, Beauclerk replied, ‘At his age he should be think of better things than to abuse people’ (Journ. 15 Apr. 1779). JB dined at Lord Pembroke’s table on 28 Apr. (see Laird of Auchinleck, pp. 83, 101). 4 Printed ‘After this tempest had subsided, I recollect the following particulars of his conversation: / “I am always’ (so in revises). Having already mentioned dining with SJ at Beauclerk’s ‘on the saturday senight’ after the altercation of 16 Apr., and having proceeded to detail what happened at Beauclerk’s on 24 Apr. (from a lengthy journal entry), JB seems only later to have sifted the materials that produced the sayings he

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a boy forward in his learning; for that is a sure good. I would let him at first read [any>] any english book which [engages>] happens to engage his attention, because you have done a great deal when you have brought him to have entertainment from a book. He’ll get better books afterwards.’ ‘Mallet I believe never wrote a single line of his projected Life of the Duke of Marlborough. He griped5 for materials, and thought of it, till he had exhausted his mind. Thus it sometimes happens that men entangle themselves in their own schemes.’ ‘To be contradicted in order to [make you÷force you to>] force you to talk is mighty unpleasing. You shine indeed; but it is by being ground.’ Of a gentleman who made some figure among the Literati of his time6 he said ‘What eminence he had was by a felicity of manner — he had no more learning than what he could not help.’≥ On saturday [twenty fourth April>] April 24 I dined with him at Mr. Beauclerk’s with Sir Joshua Reynolds, Mr. Jones (now Sir William) Mr. Langton Mr. Steevens Mr. Paradise, ≤and≥ Dr. Higgins. I mentioned that [a Wit÷Mr. Wilkes>] a Mr. Wilkes had attacked7 Garrick to me as a man who had no friend. Johnson. ‘I believe he is right Sir. +Οι φιλοι ου φιλος. [/He has friends but no friend./>] He had friends but no friend.8 Garrick [is>] was so diffused he [has>] had no man to whom he [wishes>] wished to unbosom himself; he [saw>] found people allways ready to applaud him and that allways for the same thing; so he saw life with great uniformity.’ — I took upon me for once to fight with Goliaths weapons and play the Sophist. ‘Garrick did not [need÷stand in need of÷want>] need a friend, as he got from every body all he wanted. What is a friend? One who supports you and comforts you while others do not. Friendship ≤you know Sir≥ is the cordial drop “To make the nauseous draught of life go down”; but if the draught be [MS 780] not nauseous, if it be [all sweet÷sweetness÷ever sweet>] all sweet÷sweetness,9 there is no occasion for added here in revision. The first saying, on education, indeed came from a fragmentary entry for 16 Apr., but the others came from notes of a dinner at Langton’s on 17 Apr. (see Laird of Auchinleck, pp. 85–86, 91). 5 Printed ‘groped’ (so in revises), a possible misreading. JB seems to have changed the vowel from an ‘i’ to an ‘o’ and back to an ‘i’ (oddly making for two dots above a thickened stem). His verb in the journal was ‘griped’. As used in this sense ‘gripe’ was defined as follows in SJ’s Dictionary: ‘To catch eagerly; to seize.’ 6 Third edition, ‘Of a gentleman … time, (Mr. Fitzherbert,)’—William Fitzherbert. While preparing for the second edition, JB queried, ‘Ap. 16 1779 / Who is a celebrated / gentleman?’ (Life Materials M 163). He forgot that under 16 Apr. in the Life he had grouped several sayings that SJ uttered on 17 Apr. (see n. 4 above), and that his notes for that day included Fitzherbert’s name. 7 Printed ‘a Mr. Wilkes had attached’ (so in revises), with two uncorrected errors. The first, resulting from JB’s failure to delete ‘a’ when resolving his alternatives, should have been detected. The second, however, resulting from a similarity between the letters ‘k’ and ‘h’ in JB’s handwriting, was a plausible reading. If Garrick truly ‘had no friend’, then ‘a Mr. Wilkes’ might have ‘attached’ him to JB to provide one. Both errors were corrected in the second edition. 8 In the third edition, JB added a footnote with cross-references to other pages containing this quotation, one in Greek and one in English (Hill-Powell i. 207, iii. 289). The Greek from Diogenes Laertius here was slightly wide of the mark; see Hill-Powell iii. 386 n. 3. 9 Printed ‘all sweet’ (so in revises).

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that drop.’ Johnson. ‘Many men would not be content to live so. I hope I should not. They would wish to have an intimate friend with whom they might compare minds and cherish private virtues.’ [Somebody÷One of the company>] One of the company1 mentioned Lord Chesterfield as [one>] a man who had no friend. Johnson. ‘There were more materials to make friendship in Garrick had he not been so diffused.’ Boswell. ‘Garrick was pure gold [/but/>] but beat out to thin leaf. Lord Chesterfield was tinsel.’ Johnson. ‘Garrick was a very good man, the cheerfullest man of his age, a decent liver in a profession which is supposed to give indulgence to licentiousness[, a>] & a man who gave away [liberally>] freely money [got>] acquired by himself. He began the world with a great [1st ed. ii. 290] hunger for money, the son of a half=pay officer, bred in a family whose study was to make fourpence do as much as others made fourpence halfpenny do. But when he had got money he was very liberal.’ I presumed to animadvert2 on his [elogium on Garrick that his death eclipsed the gayety of nations.÷elogium on Garrick. ‘You say Sir that his death eclipsed the gayety of nations.’>] eulogy on Garrick in his Lives of the Poets. ‘You say Sir his death eclipsed the gayety of nations.’ Johnson. ‘I could not have said more nor less. It [is÷was>] is the truth, [eclipsed>] eclipsed not [extinguished>] extinguished; and his death [did>] did [MS 781] eclipse; it was like a storm.’ Boswell. ‘But why Nations? Did his gayety extend [farther than÷beyond>] farther than his own nation?’ Johnson. ‘Why Sir, some exaggeration must be [allowed÷permitted>] allowed. Besides [Sir del] Nations may be said if we allow the Scotch to be a nation and to have gayety, which they have not. You are an exception though. [/Come Gentlemen/>] Come Gentlemen let us candidly admit that there is one scotchman who is cheerful.’3 Beauclerk. ‘But [he’s>] he is a very unnatural scotchman.’ I however continued to think the compliment to Garrick hyperbolically untrue. His acting had ceased some time before his death; at any rate he had acted in Ireland but a short time at an early period of his life, and never in Scotland. I objected also to what appears an anticlymax of praise [after stretching÷expanding into fiction for grandeur of eulogium>] when contrasted with the preceeding panegyrick — ‘and diminished the publick stock of harmless pleasure.’ ‘Is not [harmless pleasure>] harmless pleasure very tame?’ [Johnson. ‘Why÷Nay Sir, Harmless÷‘Why÷Nay Sir’, said he ‘Harmless>] Johnson. ‘Nay Sir, Harmless pleasure is the highest praise. Pleasure is a word of dubious import. Pleasure is [often÷too often÷in general>] in general dangerous and pernicious to Virtue. To be able therefore to furnish pleasure [MS 782] that is harmless, pleasure pure and unalloyed is as great a power as man can possess.’ This was ≤perhaps≥ as ingenious a defence as [man could make; but still I>] could be made. Still however I was not satisfied. A celebrated wit4 being mentioned, he said ‘One may say of him as was said 1

Not identified in the journal. The topic raised here by JB was, according to his journal, ‘Wilkes’s attack’ on SJ’s tribute to Garrick (24 Apr. 1779). 3 In the flow of his copy on MS 781, not in the margin, JB here wrote ‘(Here a greek phrase—Try for it)’, echoing a notation in his journal, ‘( some greek phrase)’. The memorandum bore no fruit, and later was deleted. 4 Wilkes (see n. 2 above). For the earlier speculations of Croker and Hill about the ‘celebrated wit’, see Hill-Powell iii. 388 n. 3. 2

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of a french wit Il n’a de l’esprit que contre Dieu.5 I have been several times in company with him but never perceived any strong power of wit. He produces a general effect by various means. he has a cheerful countenance and a gay voice. Besides his trade is wit. It would be as wild [in÷for>] in him to come into company without merriment, as for a highwayman to take the road without his pistols.’ Talking of the effects of drinking he said ‘Drinking may be practised with great prudence. A man who exposes himself ≤when he is intoxicated≥ has not the art of getting drunk; A sober man who happens occasionally to get drunk, readily enough goes into [other÷a new>] a new company, which a man who has been drinking should never do. Such a man [undertakes÷will undertake>] will undertake any thing; he is without skill in inebriation. I used to slink home when I had drunk too much. [One>] A man accustomed to self=examination will be conscious when he is [1st ed. ii. 291] drunk, /though/6 an [MS 783] habitual drunkard will not be conscious of it. [Dr. James for>] I knew a physician who for twenty years was not sober yet in [his pamphlet÷a pamphlet which he wrote>] a pamphlet which he wrote upon fevers he appealed to Garrick and me for his vindication from a charge of [drunkeness÷drinking>] drunkeness. [Andrew Millar÷A Bookseller who got sixty thousand pounds by trade was so habitually÷constantly drunk, that Strahan did not know÷perceive it.’>] A Bookseller who got a large fortune by trade was so habitually and equably drunk, that one of his most intimate friends never perceived that he was more sober at one time than another.’7 Talking of [irregular physicians those called Quacks>] irregular physicians or as they are commonly called quacks,8 he said ‘Taylor was the most ignorant man I ever knew but sprightly. Ward the dullest. Taylor challenged me once to talk latin with him [ha ha ha!>] (laughing). I quoted some of Horace which he took to be a part of my own speech. He ≤however≥ said a few words well enough.’ Beauclerk. ‘I remember Sir you said that Taylor was an instance how far impudence could carry ignorance.’ Mr. Beauclerk was very entertaining this day and told us a number of short stories in a lively elegant manner & with that air of the World which has [an÷I know not what>] I know not what impressive effect [and makes us imagine that there is>] as if there were something more than is expressed, or than [perhaps we÷we perhaps>] perhaps we could perfectly understand. As Johnson & I [drove along with>] accompanied Sir Joshua Reynolds [MS 784] in his coach Johnson said [‘Beauclerk has÷‘There is in 5 The French wit was François-Payot de Lignières (1628–1704), who into old age acted the role ‘de poëte de ruelle et de cabaret’ (Nouvelle Biographie Générale, q.v. Linière). JB’s journal shows that SJ attributed the quotation to Boileau, evidently thinking of his gloss on the phrase ‘de Senlis le Poëte idiot’ (Epitre vii. 89): ‘Liniere avoit la phisionomie d’un Idiot. Il ne réussissoit qu’à faire des chansons impies; c’est pourquoi nôtre Auteur lui reprocha un jour, qu’il n’avoit de l’esprit que contre Dieu. On l’appeloit l’ Athée de Senlis’ (Oeuvres de Mr. Boileau Despréaux, 2 vols., 1716, i. 241). 6 JB’s optional word was printed in the revises. 7 As the MS reveals, and as Powell gleaned from JB’s journal (Hill-Powell vi. 456–57), the three persons in this paragraph rendered anonymous by JB’s revisions were Dr. Robert James, Andrew Millar, and William Strahan. The third allusion later became general: the phrase ‘one of his most intimate friends’ was printed ‘his most intimate friends’ (so in revises). 8 Printed ‘celebrated and successful irregular practisers in physick;’ (so in revises).

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Beauclerk>] ‘There is in Beauclerk a predominance over his company that one does not like. But he is a man who has lived so much in the world, that he has a short story [for every thing>] on every occasion. He is allways ready to talk and is never exhausted.’ [Dr. del] Johnson and I [went to a conversation>] passed the evening at Miss Reynolds’s Sir Joshua’s sister. I mentioned that an eminent friend of ours9 talking of the common remark that affection descends said that this was wisely contrived for the preservation of mankind; [that for this>] for which it was not so necessary that there should be affection from children to parents as from parents to children, nay there÷it1 would be no harm in that view though children should at a certain age eat their parents. Johnson. ‘But Sir if this were known generally to be the case parents would not have affection for children.’ Boswell. ‘True Sir; for it is in expectation of a [return, and>] return that parents are so attentive to their children. and I knew a very pretty instance of a little girl2 of whom her father was very fond, who once when he was in a melancholy fit & had gone to bed, persuaded him [to rise in good=humour÷out of it>] to rise in good=humour by saying “My Dear Pappa pray÷please to3 get up & let me help you on with your clothes, that I may learn to do it when you are an old man.”’ ≤[MS opp. 784] Soon after this a little incident occurred which I will not suppress, because I am desireous that my Work should be as much as is consistent with the strictest truth an antidote to the false and injurious notions of his character [1st ed. ii. 292] which have been given by others, and therefore I infuse every drop of genuine sweetness into my biographical cup.

. . .

To Dr. Johnson4 . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . .

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

.

25 To Mr. Boswell5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . He came to me in the evening and brought Sir Joshua Reynolds. I need scarcely say, that their conversation while they sat by my bedside was the most pleasing opiate to pain that could have been administered.≥ [MS 785] Johnson being now [in a better frame than when he disappointed me so much last year>] better disposed to obtain information concerning Pope than 30 he was last year,a sent by me to My Lord Marchmont a present of [the÷those>] a

≤See page

a1

≥

9

Burke, as the journal reveals, and as Croker thought probable (iv. 262). Printed ‘there’ (so in revises). 2 Veronica, JB’s daughter, as the journal shows (24 Apr. 1779). 3 Printed ‘please to’ (so in revises). 4 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in my Note’. This Paper Apart, JB’s note begging SJ to visit him at Paoli’s, no longer forms part of the Life MS. JB ‘could not stir without pain’ on account of a swollen and inflamed foot (Journ. 26 Apr. 1779). 5 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in his’. This Paper Apart, SJ’s one-sentence reply written from Ramsay’s agreeing to come, no longer forms part of the Life MS. 1

a1

Printed in the revises ‘See p. 260 of this Volume’. See ante p. 253 ll. 7–21.

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those volumes of his Lives of the Poets which were [now>] at this time published ≤with a request to have permission to wait on him≥ and his Lordship ≤who had called on him twice≥ obligingly appointed Saturday the first of May for receiving us. On that morning Johnson came [from Streatham in Mr. Thrale’s coach in a decent suit of clothes with gilt buttons chosen I believe by Mrs. Thrale and his handsome parisian wig, and after having drunk chocolade with me at General Paoli’s in South=audley Street and we>] [from Streatham, & we>] to me from Streatham, & after drinking chocolade at General Paoli’s in South-audley street we proceeded to Lord Marchmont’s in Curzon Street.6 His Lordship met us at the door of his Library, and with great politeness said to Johnson ‘I am not going to make an encomium upon myself by telling you the high respect I have for you, Sir.’ Johnson was exceedingly courteous, and the interview which lasted about two hours during which the Earl communicated his Anecdotes of Pope, [1st ed. ii. 293] was as agreable as I could have wished. When we came out, I said to Johnson [MS 786] that considering his Lordship’s civility, I should have been vexed if he had again failed to come; ‘Sir’ said he ‘I would rather have given twenty pounds ≤than not have come≥.’ I accompanied him to Streatham where we dined and returned to town in the evening.7 On Monday [3 May>] May 3 I dined with him [at Mr. Dilly’s and that evening I set out for Scotland.>] at Mr. Dilly’s. I pressed him this day for his opinion on the passage in Parnell concerning which I had in vain questioned him in several letters and at length obtained it in due form of law.8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . And that evening I set9 out for Scotland. ≤[MS opp. 786] To Mrs. Lucy Porter1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

. . . . . .

.

JB’s successive changes to this sentence may have occurred in the same revision. He scored through five lines of copy, but afterwards redrafted selected phrases. He realized that he had described Mrs. Thrale’s influence on SJ’s buttons and wig once already (ante p. 236 ll. 13–18). 7 In the revises, a new paragraph began with the next sentence. Originally just the coda to his account of his stay in London, JB’s mention of 3 May became in revision a means of reintroducing the topic of Parnell’s ‘The Hermit’. 8 Direction to the compositor, ‘(Take in “Case”)’. This Paper Apart no longer forms part of the Life MS. Evidently it was headed, ‘Case for Dr. Johnson’s Opinion; 3d of May, 1779’. On the earlier mention of this topic, JB had added a footnote in the second edition (see ante p. 156 n. 1). That note—which conveyed EM’s disagreement with SJ’s opinion, and JB’s sense that, while EM had ‘shewn much critical ingenuity’, his interpretation was ‘too recondite’—was moved to the present location in the third edition by EM, with his own rebuttal appended: ‘But why too recondite?—When a meaning is given to a passage by understanding words in an uncommon sense, the interpretation may be said to be recondite, and, however ingenious, may be suspected not to be sound; but when words are explained in their ordinary acceptation, and the explication which is fairly deduced from them without any force or constraint is also perfectly justified by the context, it surely may be safely accepted; and the calling such an explication recondite, when nothing else can be said against it, will not make it the less just.’ See also Corr. 2a, p. 404, for the Rev. John Campbell’s rumination on the textual crux in Parnell. 9 Selfe queried this verb in the revises; JB let it stand. 1 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in his Letter to her of May 4’. This Paper Apart no longer forms part of the Life MS.

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He had before I left London resumed the conversation concerning the appearance of a Ghost at Newcastle upon Tyne which Mr. John Wesley believed but to which he himself did not give credit. I was however desireous to examine the question closely, and at the same time wished to be made acquainted with Mr. John Wesley for though I differed [widely from him as to certain capital articles>] from him in some points, I admired his various talents and loved his pious zeal. At my request therefore Dr. Johnson gave me a letter of introduction to him.

5 6 7 8 9

To The Reverend Mr. John Wesley2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mr. Wesley being in the course of his ministry at Edinburgh, I presented this letter to him, and was very politely received. I begged to have it returned to me, [to be preserved as a testimony, del] which was accordingly done. His state of the evidence as to the Ghost did not satisfy me.≥ [MS 786 resumed] I did not write to him as usual upon my return to my family; but tried how he would be affected by my silence. Mr. Dilly sent me a copy of a note which he received from him on the 13 July in these words.

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 ‘[Sir del]3 Since Mr. Boswell’s departure, I have never heard from him. Please to send 19

word what you know of him, and whether you have sent my books to his Lady. 20 I am &c. Sam. Johnson. [The books here mentioned were a set of the English Poets with his Prefaces elegantly bound & gilt, a very handsome present surely. del] ≤My readers will not doubt that≥ His solicitude about me was very flattering. [1st ed. ii. 295] To James Boswell Esq.4 25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ≤[MS 786v] My readers will not be displeased at being told very slight circumstances5 of the manner [in which he sometimes employed>] in which Dr. Johnson sometimes amused his solitary hours[;] he sometimes employed himself 2 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take it in’. This Paper Apart, missing from the Life MS, was listed among the Life Materials (M 147, under 1779): ‘Letter to Mr. John Wesley introducing me, that I might hear the story of a ghost’. JB deleted a paragraph on MS 554 which anticipated the current passage (ante p. 4 ll. 13–18 and n. 2). Wesley was in Edinburgh on 27 May, and again from 16 to 20 June; he preached on 18 June, when JB heard him, and on the next two days (The Journal of the Rev. John Wesley, A.M., ed. N. Curnock, 8 vols., 1938, vi. 235, 239–40; Laird of Auchinleck, p. 112). 3 The deleted ‘Sir’ was printed in the revises, preceded by the heading, ‘To Mr. DILLY’. 4 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in his letter of 13 July’. Below this direction JB mapped out a series of Papers Apart: ‘Excerpt mine of 17 & 22 July. / Take in his of Septr. 9 / Excerpt mine of 20 Septr. [MS 787] Excerpt mine of 30 Septr.’ JB later quoted his letter of 17 July in full, and summarized his letter of 19 July (not 22 July; see Reg. Let. and HillPowell iii. 533). Of these Papers Apart, only the final one, relating to JB’s letters of 20 and 30 Sept., survives with the Life MS. 5 Misprinted ‘every slight circumstance’ in first proof, an error never corrected.

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H-P iii. 398–99

in chymistry, sometimes in pruning a vine, and sometimes in small experiments at which those who may smile should recollect that there are moments which admit of being soothed only by trifles.a/6≥ [Paper Apart]7 ≤On the 20 of September I defended himself8 against his suspicion of me which I did not deserve and I added≥ ‘[PS. I rejoice to hear that your health is so much better. Would I were to be with you at Oxford! You have not told me how far you went into the country this summer. I see Posthumous Works of Dr. Watts with a life of the Authour lately published. I wish you may find something there to assist you in illustrating that excellent man. del] Pray let us write frequently. A whim strikes me that we should each send off a sheet once a week like a Stage Coach, whether it be full or not, nay though it should be empty. The very sight of your handwriting would comfort me; and were a sheet to be thus sent regularly we should much oftener convey something were it only a few kind words.’ a

≤In one of his Manuscript Diaries there is the following entry which marks his curious minute attention. Aug. 7. 1779. Partem brachii dextri carpo proximam et cutem pectoris circa maxillama1 dextram rasi, ut notum fieret quanto temporis pili renovarentur.a2 Another of the same kind appears July 26. 1768 ‘I shaved my nail by accident 20 in whetting the knife, about an eigth of an inch from the bottom and about a fourth from the top. This I measure that I may know the growth of nails; the whole is about five eigths of an inch.’ And Aug. 15 1783 ‘I cut from the vine 41 leaves which weighed five oz. and half and eight scruples: — I lay thema3 upon my book-case to see what weight 25 they will lose by drying.’≥ 15

6

This paragraph was a later addition to this page. See n. a2 below. In first draft this Paper Apart, headed ‘PS.’, was a copy of the postscript to JB’s letter of 20 Sept. (L 671; see Cat. i. 258). Above it, possibly in the same draft, JB described the contents of the letter (not recorded in Reg. Let.), then deleted half the postscript and added the narrative leading into a summary of his letter of 30 Sept. (see n. 4 above). 8 Printed ‘myself’ in proof, as JB obviously intended. 7

a1 Corrected to ‘mamillam’ in the second edition. Two other words in this sentence seem to have raised JB’s doubts: he put small x’s over ‘cutem’ and ‘renovarentur’. The first, printed ‘cutem’ in proof, emerged as ‘cætem’ in the revises, where it was changed back to ‘cutem’. The second was printed as spelled in the MS. a2 This paragraph, the first drafted on MS 786v in revision (MS opp. 786 by now offering no room), initially was meant to follow SJ’s letter of 13 July in the main text. Marking it with a circled X, JB drew another on the recto of the leaf to the right of ‘13 July’ in his direction to the compositor, writing ‘See the back’, and revised his next direction: ‘[Excerpt>] Then mine of 17 & 22 July’. Later, JB repositioned the circled X to follow another direction, ‘Take in his of Septr. 9’; by then he had moved his symbol on MS 786v to the first of three additional paragraphs—one introducing SJ’s experiments and the others providing more examples. Finally, he marked the original paragraph for a footnote (to include the later examples also), telling the compositor, ‘The mark at trifles must be a reference to the note above consisting of three articles’. The first and second articles were reversed in the second edition to correct the chronological sequence. a3 MS orig. ‘scruples. / I lay th[em]’. JB may have begun a new line hoping to decipher what SJ had deleted after ‘scruples’ (see Diaries, Prayers and Annals, p. 362 n. 1), but then deleted this false start and, returning to where he had left off, changed his punctuation and continued copying the legible portion of the diary entry.

291

H-P iii. 399–401

MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1779

≤My friend Colonel James Stuart second son of the Earl of Bute who had distinguished himself as a good officer of the Bedfordshire Militia, had taken a publick-spirited resolution to serve his country in its difficulties by raising a regular regiment and taking the command of it himself. This in the heir of the immense property of Wortley was highly honourable. Having been in Scotland recruiting, he obligingly asked me to accompany him to Leeds then the head=quarters of his Corps from thence to London for a short time, and afterwards to other places to which the Regiment might be ordered. Such an offer at a time of the year when I had full leisure was very pleasing especially as I was to accompany a man of sterling good sense, information discernment and conviviality, and was to have a second crop in one year of London and Johnson. Of this I informed my illustrious friend [1st ed. ii. 298] in characteristical warm terms in a letter dated 30 Septr. from Leeds.≥ [MS 787] On Monday [4 October>] October 4 I [was with him>] called at his house before he was up. He sent for me to his bedside, and expressed [a÷his satisfaction÷joy>] his satisfaction at this incidental meeting with as much vivacity as if he had been in the gayety of youth. He called briskly ‘Frank go & get coffee and let us breakfast in splendour.’ [I had at this time÷During this visit to London I had>] During this visit to London I had several [good interviews÷meetings with him all of which>] interviews with him which it is unnecessary to distinguish particularly. I consulted him as to the appointment of guardians to my children in case of my death. ‘Sir’ said he, ‘do not appoint a number of guardians. When they are many, they trust one to another and the business is neglected. I would advise you to chuse only one; let him be a man of respectable character who for his own credit will do what is right; let him be a rich man, so that he may be under no temptation to take advantage, and let him be a man of business who is used to conduct affairs with ability & expertness to whom therefore the execution of the trust will [be easy÷not be burthensome>] not be burthensome.’ On sunday [10 October>] October 10 we dined [MS 788] together at Mr. Strahan’s.9 [— He said ‘A man>] [We talked of going to the East Indies. He said ‘A man>] The conversation having turned on the prevailing practice of going to the East Indies in quest of wealth. JOHNSON. ‘A man had better have ten thousand pounds at the end of ten years passed in England, than twenty thousand pounds at the end of ten years passed in India because you must compute what you [give>] give for money; and a man who has lived ten years in India has given up ten years of social comfort and all those advantages which arrise from living in [England.’ He told us÷said that the ingenious Mr. Brown distinguished by the name of Capability Brown told him that he was once at the seat of a great man who had returned from India with great wealth, and that he shewed him at the door of his bed=chamber a large chest which he said was once full of gold; upon which Brown observed ‘I am glad you can bear it so near your bed=chamber.’>] England. The ingenious Mr. Brown distinguished by the name of Capability Brown told me that he was once at the seat of Lord Clive who had returned from India with great wealth, and that he shewed him at the door of his 9 JB’s memoranda of the following conversation—in part comprising J 67.1—were noted on a fragment of a letter from Charles Dilly (C 1047). See Cat. i. 28.

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bed=chamber a large chest which he said he had once had full of gold; upon which Brown observed “I am glad you can bear it so near your bed=chamber.”’ We talked of the state of the poor in London. Johnson. ‘Saunders Welch the Justice who was once High Constable of [St. Giles’s>] Holborn1 and had [great occasion to know>] the best opportunities of knowing the state of the poor, told me that I under=rated [the number÷it>] the number when I computed that twenty a week that is above a thousand [MS 789] a year died of hunger, not absolutely of immediate hunger, but of the wasting and other diseases which are [the consequence of÷occasioned by>] the consequences of hunger. This happens only in so large a place as London where people are not known. What we are told about the great sums got by begging is not true. The trade is overstocked. And you may depend upon it there are many [of them del] who [1st ed. ii. 299] cannot get work. A particular kind of manufacture fails. Those who have been used to work at it can for some time work at nothing else. You meet a man begging; you charge him with idleness. He says “I am willing to labour. Will you give me work?” — “I cannot.” — “Why then you have no right to charge me with idleness.”’ We left Mr. Strahan’s at seven, as he had said he intended to go to evening prayers. As we walked along he complained of a little gout in his toe, and said ‘I shan’t go to prayers tonight. I shall go tomorrow. Whenever I miss church on a sunday, I resolve to go another day. But I do not allways do it.’ This was a fair exhibition of that vibration between pious resolutions and indolence which many of us have too often experienced. I went home with him and we [MS 790] had a long quiet conversation. I [shewed>] read him a letter from Dr. Hugh Blair [mentioning that Lord Bathurst told him that Pope’s Essay on Man was first written in prose by Lord Bolingbroke, and that Lord Bathurst added that he himself had read it in that state.2 Johnson.>] [MS opp. 790] concerning Pope (in writing whose life he was now employed,) which I shall insert as a literary curiosity.3 1

A small x placed above ‘St. Giles’s’ seems to have prompted this revision. In the margin next to this passage JB wrote, ‘Qu if this should be inserted as a literary curiosity?’ He posed this query originally in his Life Materials (M 157: ‘Johnsonian Fragments to be inserted in their places’): ‘Should not Dr. Blair’s Letter giving Lord Bathursts Account of the Essay on Man, though disbeleived by Johnson, be inserted as a Literary Curiosity?’ JB did not delete this original query, but in revision did so in the margin of the Life MS, once he finally had decided to include the letter. 3 Marking first ‘Pope’ and then ‘curiosity’ for an eventual footnote, JB left himself this memorandum: ‘N.B. Mem to insert here as a Note Dr. Law Bishop of Carlisle’s second=hand account of this matter in his edition of King’s Origin of Evil.’ The note was printed as follows in proof: ‘The Reverend [third edition Rev.] Dr. Law, Bishop of Carlisle, in the Preface to his valuable edition of Archbishop King’s “Essay on the Origin of Evil,” mentions that the principles maintained in it had been adopted by Pope in his “Essay on Man;” and adds, “The fact, notwithstanding such denial, (Bishop Warburton’s,) might have been strictly verified by an unexceptionable testimony, viz. that of the late Lord Bathurst, who saw the very same system of the το βελτιον (taken from the Archbishop) in Lord Bolingbroke’s own hand, lying before Mr. Pope, while he was composing his Essay.” This is respectable evidence; but that of Dr. Blair is more direct from the fountainhead, as well as more full.’ In the third edition, JB extended the note: ‘Let me add to it that of Dr. Joseph Warton; “The late Lord Bathurst repeatedly assured me that he had read the whole scheme of ‘the Essay on Man,’ in the hand-writing of Bolingbroke, and drawn up in a series of propositions, which Pope was to versify and illustrate.” Essay on the Genius and Writings of Pope, vol. ii. p. 62.’ 2

293

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1779

To JAMES BOSWELL Esq:4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [MS 790 resumed] Johnson. ‘≤Depend upon it Sir, this is too strongly stated.≥ Pope may have had from Bolingbroke the philosophick stamina of his Essay; and admitting this to be true Lord Bathurst [was no lyar>] did not intentionally falsify, but the thing is not true in the latitude that Blair seems to imagine; we are sure that the poetical imagery which makes a great part of the Poem was Pope’s own. It is amazing Sir what deviations there are from precise truth in the account which is given of almost [any÷every>] every thing. I told Mrs. [——>] Thrale “You have so little [regard to>] anxiety about truth that you never tax your memory with the exact thing”; Now what is the use of the memory to truth, [1st ed. ii. 301] if one is careless of exactitude. Lord Hailes’s Annals of Scotland are very exact; but ≤then5≥ they contain mere dry [circumstances÷particulars>] particulars. They are to be considered as a Dictionary. You know such things are there, and may be looked at when you please. [When you read÷have read them as history you close the book and find nothing in your mind. del] Robertson [MS 791] paints; but the misfortune is you are sure he does not know the people whom he paints so you cannot suppose a likeness. Characters should never be given by an historian, unless he knew the people [/whom he describes/>] whom he describes, or copies from those who knew them.’ Boswell.6 ‘Why Sir do people play this trick which I observe now when I look at your grate, putting the shovel against it to make the fire burn.’ Johnson. ‘They play the trick, but it does not make the fire burn. There is better. (setting the poker perpendicularly up at right angles with the grate) In times of superstition they thought that as it made a cross with the bars, it would drive÷drove7 away the witch.’ Boswell. ‘By associating with you Sir I am allways getting an accession of wisdom. But perhaps a man after knowing his own character the [natural strength÷nature of his mind, quid valeant humeri how much he can carry[,] should not be too wise.’÷take too much wisdom.’>] limited strength of his mind, quid valeant humeri how little he can carry[,] should not be desireous of having too much wisdom.’8 Johnson. ‘[Yes del] Sir; be as wise as you can. ≤Let a man be≥ Aliis lætus, sapiens sibi.

4 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take it in’. This Paper Apart no longer forms part of the Life MS. JB had solicited Blair’s letter: ‘Rev. Dr. Hugh Blair to send me for Dr. Johnson Ld. Bathursts Anecdote of Pope’ (Reg. Let. 20 Sept. 1779). 5 This word—nearly illegible and perhaps ignored as a result—was not typeset. 6 This speech, originally run on, was marked for a new paragraph in revision. Whether then or afterwards, JB deleted the paragraph, but ultimately reinstated it by writing ‘Stet’ three times in the margin. 7 Printed ‘would drive’ in proof. 8 In his original draft, JB interlined the Latin and its translation without a caret to show its insertion point. The phrase (starting above ‘his mind,’) comprised part of the broader phrase, ‘knowing … how much …’. JB deleted the translation in revision, but rewrote it in the margin, changing ‘much’ to ‘little’ (consistent with a new emphasis on ‘limited’ strength). In proof, the Latin and its English version were printed at the end of the sentence, after ‘wisdom’, too distant from ‘knowing’ to be readily understood. To repair the fractured syntax, JB inserted ‘considering’ in front of the phrase.

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Well pleas’d to see the dolphins play9

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You may be wise in your study in the morning, and gay in company at a tavern in the [afternoon>] evening. [MS 792] Every man is to take care of his own wisdom and his own virtue, without minding too much what others think.’ —— ‘Dodsley first mentioned to me the scheme of an English Dictionary; but I had long thought of it.’ Boswell. ‘You did not know what you was undertaking.’ Johnson. ‘Yes /Sir/1 I knew very well what I was undertaking, ≤—≥ and very well how to do it — and have done it very well.’ Boswell. ‘An excellent climax! And it has availed you. In your Preface you say “What would it avail me in this gloom of solitude?” You have been agreably mistaken. [You have had more happy days since that time than you ever had before. del]’2 ≤[MS opp. 792] [‘This’ said he ‘you must enlarge in speaking to the Committee. You must not argue there as if you were arguing in the schools; close reasoning will not fix their attention. You must say the same thing over & over again in different words. If you say it but once, they may miss it while not attending.÷in a moment of inattention. It is unjust Sir to censure Lawyers for multiplying words when they argue; it is necessary.’ del]3 In his Life of Milton he observes4 [Paper Apart M] ‘I cannot but remark a kind of respect perhaps unconsciously paid to this great man by his biographers: every house in which he resided is historically mentioned, as if it were an injury to neglect naming any place that he honoured by his presence.’ [MS opp. 792 resumed] I had before I read that observation been desireous of shewing that respect to Johnson, by various inquiries. Finding him this evening in very good humour I prevailed on [1st ed. ii. 302] him to give me an exact list of his places of residence since he entered the Metropolis as an [Authour.>] Authour which I subjoin in a Note.a/5≥ [Paper Apart]6 a 1 Exeter Street off Catharine=Street, Strand 2 Greenwich 9 In the the margin JB directed the compositor to ‘Take it from The Spleen’, later specifying beneath the verse, ‘Leave room for three lines’. Only two lines (from the poem’s concluding verse paragraph) were printed in first proof: ‘Tho’ pleas’d to see the dolphins play, / I mind my compass and my way.’ JB changed ‘Tho’’ to ‘Though’ in the revises. In the third edition he added a footnote: ‘The Spleen, a Poem.’ 1 JB’s optional word was printed in first proof. 2 In revision JB deleted this speech with four vertical strokes. Later, perhaps when he inserted a second dash into SJ’s speech to accentuate the polysyndeton, he reinstated his own, except for the final sentence. Scoring through that sentence with a squiggly line, he jotted in the margin, ‘Stet down to mistaken.’ 3 Deleted memorandum, ‘This comes in afterwards’. Once he had recopied this paragraph on the verso of MS 805 (see vol. 4, forthcoming in this edition), JB deleted it here and moved his insertion symbol (a circled cross) to the following paragraph, apparently a later addition to the page. 4 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in Paper M’. 5 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take it in’. JB’s revision to this sentence caused him to delete his original instruction and write it again. The initial draft would have situated the list in the main text. 6 Headed, ‘Note) back of p. 791’. For JB’s notes on these ‘places of abode’, taken down from SJ’s dictation, and for his promise to present the list to his readers, see Life MS i. 70

295

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MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1779

[MS 792 resumed] I mentioned to him a dispute between a friend of mine and his Lady concerning conjugal infidelity which my friend maintained was by no means so bad in the husband as in the wife. Johnson. ‘Your friend [is÷was>] was right Sir. Between a man and his Maker it is a different question; but between a man and his wife a husband’s infidelity is nothing. They are connected by children by fortune, by serious considerations [MS 793] of community. Wise married women dont [mind it.÷trouble themselves about infidelity in their husbands.>] trouble themselves about infidelity in their husbands. They detest a mistress but dont mind a whore. My Wife told me I might lye with as many women as I pleased provided I [loved>] loved her alone.’ Boswell. ‘She was not in earnest.’ Johnson. ‘But she was. Consider Sir how gross it is in a wife to complain of her husbands going to other [women; it>] women merely as women. It is that she has not enough of [——.÷tail.>]7 what she would be ashamed to avow.’ Boswell. ‘And was Mrs. Johnson then so liberal ≤Sir≥? — To be sure there is a great difference between the offence of infidelity in a man and [his wife÷a woman>] that of his wife.’ Johnson. ‘The difference is boundless.’ Boswell. ‘Yes boundless as property and honours.’ Johnson. ‘The man [imposes÷brings home>] imposes no bastards upon his wife.’ [Boswell. ‘But Sir my friend’s Lady argued that a wife might take care÷manage it so that her infidelity should not be worse than that of her husband which said she, it would not be if she never went astray but when She was with child by her husband.’ Johnson. ‘Sir from what you tell me of this Lady÷your friend’s Lady, I think she is very fit for a bawdy house.’8 del] 3 Woodstock Street near Hannover square 4 Castle Street Cavendish Square. 5 Strand. 6 Boswell Court. 7 Strand again 8 Bow Street 9 Holborn 10 Fetter=Lane 11 Holborn again 12 Gough Square 13 Staple Inn 14 Gray’s Inn 15 Inner Temple=Lane No. 1. 16 Johnson’s Court No. 7 17 Bolt Court No. 8 n. 8, and i. 77 ll. 4–7. For a detailed chronological annotation of the list, see Hill-Powell iii. 534–36. 7 In revision, JB at first seems to have opted for ‘tail’, as suggested by his caret in front of the dash. Then he selected the dash, deleting ‘tail’ and recopying his dash in the margin. Finally, he wrote ‘what’ over his original dash and the rest of his revision on MS opp. 793. 8 Deleted memorandum, ‘Mem to take this out of former’. In reference to the former passage on conjugal infidelity (MSS 566–67), JB had also, near the beginning of this paragraph on MS 792, reminded himself to ‘See if this not on a Good Friday’. JB’s journal entry of 5 Apr. 1776, which was Good Friday, was the basis of the earlier passage,

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Boswell. ‘Suppose ≤Sir≥ a woman to be of [such a constitution that she does not like it÷conjugal intercourse, she has no right [MS 794] to complain that÷if her husband goes elsewhere.>] a very cold Constitution, has she any right to complain of her husband’s infidelity?’ [MS 794] Johnson. ‘≤Sir≥ If she refuses [it del] she has no right to complain.’ Boswell. ‘[Then as oft as a man’s wife refuses, he may mark it down in>] Then Sir according to your doctrine, upon every such occasion a man may make a note in his pocket=book, and do as he pleases with a9 [1st ed. ii. 303] [safe÷good>] safe conscience.’ Johnson. ‘[Nay Sir /you must consider/. To whore is wrong in>] Nay Sir this is wild indeed. you1 must consider fornication is a crime in a single man; and [one>] you cannot have more liberty by being married.’ He [was this evening violent÷much against>] this evening expressed himself strongly against the Roman Catholicks, [said>] observing ‘In every thing in which they differ from us they are wrong.’ He was even against÷against even the invocation of Saints. In short he was in the humour of opposition.2 ≤Having regretted to him that I had learnt little greek as is too generally the case in Scotland that I had for a long time hardly applied at all to the study of that noble language, and that I was desireous of being told by him what method to follow he recommended to me as easy helps Sylvanus’s first Book of the Iliad,

although the conversation actually had occurred on 6 Apr. (Ominous Years, p. 320). Ultimately JB changed his mind, and deleted the exchange here rather than there (ante p. 21 ll. 18–23). 9 The frankness of this talk led JB to cancel this leaf, the third of sig. Qq (pp. 301–02), as he explained to EM on 10 Feb. 1791: ‘I must have a cancelled leaf in Vol. II of that passage where there is a conversation as to conjugal infidelity on the husband’s side, and his wife saying she did not care how many women he went to if he loved her alone; with my proposing to mark in a pocket book every time a wife refuses etc. etc. I wonder how you and I admitted this to the publick eye; for Windham etc. were struck with its indelicacy and it might hurt the Book much. It is however mighty good stuff’ (Corr. 2a, p. 296). Given that Selfe kept the revises during the printing process, while JB held onto the first proofs (see ante p. 183 n. a1 and pp. 277–78 n. 8), the necessary changes to p. 302 were made on the first proof (Houghton MS Hyde 51 (23)). Writing ‘Cancel’ at the top, JB scored out his text from ‘they detest a mistress’ down to ‘ashamed to avow’. Letting his name stand, he deleted the first sentence of that speech (‘And was Mrs. Johnson then so liberal, Sir?’), but retained the second, with SJ’s four-word reply. He scored through his next speech, followed by ‘JOHNSON.’, yet preserved SJ’s remark (in continuation of his previous speech). That remark seeming to have been deleted, however, by two of the diagonal and vertical strokes used to delete the rest of the text block on this page, JB wrote in the left margin, ‘Stet “The man imposes &c.’ Finally, placing a cross after SJ’s remark and again in the right margin, he directed the compositor to ‘Take in a Paper J’. The copy on that Paper Apart (which is missing from the Life MS), proportioned to fill the space emptied on p. 302, began a new paragraph (‘Here it may be questioned …’) and ended with a phrase that required no alteration to p. 303: ‘… a husband might do as he pleased with a’ (so printed in cancellans [Qq]). The anonymous ‘gentleman’ speaking at that juncture, as the MS here shows, was JB himself. 1 With separate carets and marginal corrections, JB in proof inserted ‘(smiling)’ after ‘Sir,’ and changed the comma printed after ‘indeed’ to a semi-colon. Conflated and reversed, his changes produced a mistaken reading in the revises: ‘indeed; (smiling) you’. Now JB transposed the semi-colon and the parenthesis. 2 JB deleted this sentence in revision, but later reinstated it by writing ‘stet’ three times in the margin. Of the unresolved alternatives, ‘even against’ was printed in proof.

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1779

Dawson’s Lexicon to the Greek New Testament, and Hesiod with Pascoris Lexicon at the end of it.3≥ [On tuesday /the/ twelfth October I dined with him at Mr. Ramsays with Lord Newhaven and some more company of whom I have no memorandum÷of none of whom I have any memorandum except of a beautiful>] [On tuesday October 12 I dined with him at Mr. Ramsays with Lord Newhaven and some other company of whom I recollect none except a beautiful4>] On tuesday October 12 I dined with him at Mr. Ramsays with Lord Newhaven and some other company none of whom I recollect but a beautiful Miss Graham5 a relation of his Lordships who asked Dr. Johnson to hob or nob with her. He was flattered by such pleasing attention, [but del] politely told her [that del] he never drank wine; but if she would drink a glass of water, he [was much at her service.÷would be glad to accompany her.>] was much at her service. She accepted. ‘/Oho/6 Sir’ said Lord Newhaven ‘you are caught.’ [MS 795] Johnson. ‘Nay I do not see how I am caught. /But/7 If I am caught, I dont want to get [out÷free>] free again. If [I’m>] I am caught, I hope to be kept.’ — Then when the two glasses of water were brought smiling placidly to the young Lady ‘Madam [we’ll reciprocate>] let us reciprocate.’ Lord Newhaven and [he kept up÷carried>] Johnson carried8 an argument for some time concerning the Middlesex election. [He>] Johnson said ‘Parliament [is bound>] may be considered as bound by law as a man is bound where [there’s÷there is>] there is nobody to tie the knot. As it is clear that the House of Commons may expell and expell again and again, why not allow of the power to incapacitate for that parliament, rather than have a perpetual contest kept up between Parliament and [people÷the people>] the people.’ Lord Newhaven took the [opposite÷opposing>] opposite side, but [said÷wisely said÷sweetened his opposition by saying>] respectfully said ‘I speak with great deference to you, Dr. Johnson. I speak to be instructed.’ This had its full effect upon Johnson. He bowed his head ≤almost as low as the table≥ to a complimenting Nobleman and called out, ‘My Lord, My Lord, — I do not desire all this ceremony; let us tell our minds to one another quietly.’ After the debate was over, he said ‘I have got lights on the subject today, which I had not before.’ This was a great deal from him [MS 796] especially as he had written a pamphlet upon it. [1st ed. ii. 304] He observed ‘The House of Commons was [originally not÷not originally>] originally not a privilege of the people but a check for the Crown on 3 These recommendations ‘For my Greek’ were listed on a journal leaf (J 67.1). The ‘c’ in ‘Pascoris’ was queried in the revises. JB deleted the letter, and inserted an apostrophe after the ‘i’, but then deleted the apostrophe and wrote ‘Pasoris’ in the margin. 4 Here JB backtracked, scoring through parts of this revision, and deleted the rest of the paragraph. A short sentence remained: ‘On tuesday … other company.’ In the following revision, he wrote ‘Stet’ five times in the margin to reinstate the passage, and made changes within it typical of a first revision. 5 A footnote was added here in the second edition: ‘Now the Lady of Sir Henry Dashwood, Bart.’ Henry Watkin Dashwood became 3rd Bt. on 10 Nov. 1779, and married Mary Helen Graham of Kinross, the daughter of Lord Newhaven’s sister, Helen (Mayne) Graham, on 17 Jul. 1780 (Namier and Brooke ii. 301; Burke’s Peerage). 6 The optional word was printed in first proof. 7 The optional word was printed in first proof. 8 Printed in proof ‘carried on’, as JB no doubt meant to write.

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LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 408–10

the House of Peers.÷Lords.9 I remember Henry VIII÷the Eigth,1 wanted them to do something. They hesitated in the morning, but did it in the afternoon. He told them, “[Tis÷It is>] It is well you did, or half your heads should have been upon Temple=bar”; but the House of Commons is now no longer under the power of the crown [and÷but>] and therefore must be [bribed.’ All that÷What more I have preserved of his conversation at this time besides what has been given2 is only that, he said ‘I have no delight in talking of public affairs.’ I told him that when>] bribed.’ He added ‘I have no delight in talking of publick affairs.’ ≤[MS opp. 796] Of his fellow=collegian the celebrated Mr. George Whitefield he said ‘Whitefield never drew [so÷as>] as much attention as a mountebank does. He did not draw attention by doing better than others, but by doing what was strange. Were Astley to preach a sermon standing upon his head on a horses back he would collect a multitude3 to hear him; but no man [would÷will>] would say he had made a better sermon for that. I never treated Whitefield’s ministry with contempt [/while he lived/ del]. I believe he did good. He had devoted himself to the lower classes of mankind, and among them he was of use. But when familiarity and noise claim the praise due to knowledge art and elegance, [one÷we>] we must beat down such pretensions.’≥ What I have preserved of his conversation during the remainder of my stay in London at this time is only what follows.4 [MS 796 resumed] I told him that when I objected to keeping company with a notorious infidel,5 a celebrated friend6 of ours said to me ‘I do not think that men who live laxly in the World as you and I do [have a right to÷can with propriety>] can with propriety assume such an authority. Dr. Johnson may who is uniformly [strict.>] exemplary in his conduct. It is not very consistent to shun an infidel [today÷one day, and drink too freely tomorrow÷another>] today, and get drunk tomorrow.’ Johnson. ‘Nay Sir this is sad reasoning. Because a man [cannot be÷is not>] cannot be right in all things is he to be right in nothing? Because a man sometimes gets drunk [MS 797] is he therefore to steal. This doctrine would very soon bring a man to the gallows.’7 9

Printed ‘Lords’ in first proof. Printed ‘Henry the Eighth’ in first proof. 2 In this sentence, later redrafted on MS opp. 796 below the paragraph next to be inserted, JB surveyed his harvest from a journal now missing, the ‘Journal of My Jaunt with the Honourable Colonel James Stuart’ (Laird of Auchinleck, ‘Editorial Note’, p. 139). The conversations already ‘given’, beginning with those of 4 Oct., near the beginning of JB’s stay in London, were tied to specific dates; the undated sayings ahead presumably were gathered before JB left London on 18 Oct. 3 Printed in proof ‘would collect a multitude about’, the compositor evidently having thought the verb in this usage required a preposition. JB deleted ‘about’, then added a word to the phrase after the semi-colon, changing ‘no man’ to ‘no wise man’. 4 Here JB led the compositor back to MS 796 with the phrase, ‘I told &c.’ 5 ‘Probably Gibbon’ (Hill-Powell vi. 456–57). 6 Possibly Burke (Hill-Powell iii. 409 n. 6, vi. 456–57). 7 Drafting his copy on MS 797 without indentations, JB marked new paragraphs in his original draft with brackets, adding ‘N.L.’ faintly to this first break, and reinforcing it in revision with ‘N.P.’ (Three others are also marked ‘N.P.’) The compositor, not seeing that the end of SJ’s speech was marked before the bracket, set the quotation marks on the next paragraph, and then, understanding SJ still to be speaking, treated ‘corrupted by evil communications’ as an internal quotation. Quotation marks ending SJ’s speech here did not appear until the third edition. 1

299

H-P iii. 410–11

MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1779

After all however, it is a difficult question how far sincere christians should associate with the avowed enemies of religion for in the first place, almost every man’s mind may be more or less ‘corrupted by evil communications’, secondly the world may very naturally suppose that they are not really in earnest in religion who can easily bear its opponents, and thirdly if the profane find themselves quite well received by the pious, one of the checks upon an open declaration of their infidelity, and one of the probable [chances÷means>] chances of obliging them seriously to reflect, which their being shunned would do is removed. [1st ed. ii. 305] He I know not why shewed upon all occasions [a reluctance÷an aversion>] an aversion to go to Ireland, where I proposed to him that we should make a Tour. [‘It is the last place where I should wish to travel.’ — ‘Dublin, Sir?’ — ‘Only a worse Capital.’ — ‘The Giants Causeway. Worth seeing?’ — ‘Worth seeing yes; but not worth going to see.’>] Johnson. ‘It is the last place where I should wish to travel.’ Boswell. ‘Should not you like to see Dublin, Sir?’ — Johnson. ‘No Sir Dublin is only a worse Capital.’ — Boswell. ‘Is not the Giants Causeway worth seeing?’ — Johnson. ‘Worth seeing yes; but not worth going to see.’8 Of an acquaintance of ours whose manners and every thing about him though expensive, were coarse he said ‘Sir you see vulgar prosperity.’ A foreign minister of no very high talents who had [MS 798] been in his company for [some÷a considerable>] a considerable time quite overlooked, happened luckily to mention that he had read some of his Rambler in Italian and admired it much. This pleased him greatly. He observed [it>] that the title had been translated Il Genio errante — though I have been told it was rendered more ludicrously Il Vagabondo; And finding that this Minister gave such a proof of his taste, he was all attention to him, and on the first remark which he made however simple exclaimed ‘The Ambassadour says well. — His Excellency observes —’ — And then he expanded and enriched the little that had been said in so strong a manner, that it appeared something of consequence. This was exceedingly entertaining to the company who were present, and many a time afterwards it furnished a pleasant topick of merriment. ≤‘The Ambassadour says well’ became a laughable term of applause, when no mighty matter had been expressed.≥ I left London on Monday [eighteenth October>] October 18, and accompanied Colonel Stuart to Chester where his Regiment was to lye for some time.9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

8 Here in the second edition JB added a paragraph: ‘Yet he had a kindness for the Irish nation, and thus generously expressed himself to a gentleman from that country, on the subject of an UNION which artful Politicians have often had in view — “Do not make an union with us, Sir; We should unite with you, only to rob you. We should have robbed the Scotch, if they had had any thing of which we could have robbed them.”’ 9 Directions to the compositor: ‘([Excerpt>] Take in mine of 22 Octr.) / Take in his of Octr. 27 / [Excerpt del] mine of 7 Novr. / Take in his of 13 Novr.’ As his revisions show, JB decided to reprint rather than excerpt his own letters. These Papers Apart no longer form part of the Life MS.

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1780

5 6 7 8 9

LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 418–19

[MS 799]1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . In 17802 the World was kept in impatience for the completion of his Lives of the Poets, upon which he was employed so far as his indolence allowed him to labour.3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ≤[MS opp. 799] His friend Dr. Lawrence having now suffered the greatest affliction to which a man is liable, and which he himself had felt in the most severe manner, Johnson wrote to him in an admirable strain of sympathy and pious consolation. [MS 799 resumed]

To Dr. Lawrence≥4

10 [Paper Apart L]5 Dear Sir. At a time when all your friends ought to shew their kindness, and with a 11 12 character which ought to make all that know you, your friends, you may wonder 13 that you have yet heard nothing of 6 me. I have been hindred by a vexatious and incessant cough, for which within 14 15 these ten days, I have bled7 once, fasted four or five times, taken physick five

times and opiates I think six. This day it seems to remit. [1st ed. ii. 312] The loss, dear Sir, which you have lately suffered, I felt many years ago, and know therefore how much has been taken from you, and how little help can be had from consolation. He that outlives a wife whom he has 20 long loved, sees himself disjoined from the only mind that had the sames8 hopes, and fears, and interest; from the only companion with whom he has shared much good or evil, and with whom he could set his mind at liberty to retrace the past, or anticipate the future. The continuity of being is lacerated. The settled course of sentiment, and action is stopped. and9 life stands suspended and 1 At the top of this page JB wrote, ‘Excerpt mine of [7>] 22 Novr. — Take in his & 22 Decr.’ Later, deleting these instructions, he directed the compositor to ‘Go to Paper ΔΔ first page’. On this Paper Apart, which is missing from the Life MS, JB drafted the paragraph that begins ‘On November 22, and December 21, I wrote to him …’ (HillPowell iii. 418). It mentions no other letter from SJ in 1779; the one JB received on 20 Nov. (Reg. Let.) no doubt was that of 13 Nov. The anecdote about the pocket-book was stored up in the Life Materials (M 158): ‘Dr. Johnson gave me a commission to pay the sister of Mr. Francis Stewart his Amanuensis a guinea, for a small pocket=book of his, not worth a groat, which the Dr. had kept. I paid it accordingly.’ 2 JB also posted ‘1780’ here in the margin, where it was printed in the revises. 3 Here JB wrote, ‘Excerpt mine of 1 Janry & 13 March’; later, deleting this memorandum, he directed the compositor to ‘Go to Paper ΔΔ second page’. This Paper Apart no longer forms part of the Life MS. 4 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take it in’. 5 This letter, grouped in Paper Apart L with others that SJ wrote to Lawrence, was presumably copied by Elizabeth Lawrence (see Life MS i. 54 n. 6; also Corr. 2a, p. 185 and n. 2). 6 Printed in the revises ‘from’, at variance with the copy (and SJ’s original letter; Letters of Johnson ed. Redford, iii. 223). 7 Printed in the revises ‘have been bled’. The copy was true to SJ’s letter. 8 Printed in the revises ‘has the same’, in correction of the copyist’s obvious error, but at variance with the verb tense used by SJ. 9 Printed in the revises ‘stopped; and’. SJ had placed a comma after ‘stopped’.

301

H-P iii. 419–23

MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1780

motionless till it is driven by external causes into a new channel. — But the time of suspense is dreadful. Our first recourse in this distresful solitude, is perhaps for want of habitual piety, to a gloomy acquiescence in necessity. Of two mortal Beings one must lose the other. But surely there is a higher and a better comfort to be drawn from the 5 consideration of that Providence which watches over all and beleif1 that the 6 living and the dead are equally in the hands of GOD,2 who will reunite those 7 whom he has separated, or who sees that it is best not to reunite them. 8 I am / Dear Sir / Your most affectionate / and / Most humble Servant 9 Jan: 20. 1780. Sam: Johnson 10 [MS 799 resumed]3 ≤To James Boswell Esq:≥4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [Paper Apart]5 Mrs. THRALE to Dr. JOHNSON6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dr. JOHNSON to Mrs. THRALE7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

. . .

Printed in the revises ‘and a belief’. SJ wrote ‘and belief’. Underscored for capital letters by JB, his only change to the copy of this letter. 3 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in his of April 8’. 4 This Paper Apart no longer forms part of the Life MS, nor does JB’s copy for the narrative bridge introducing the next letter (‘Mrs. Thrale being now at Bath …’; HillPowell iii. 421). In that paragraph, JB in the revises changed ‘epistles she inserted’ to ‘epistles which she inserted’, and ‘join’ to ‘subjoin’. 5 Above the first letter heading on this Paper Apart, JB told the printer that ‘The Title of Dr. Dunbar’s Book is “Essays on the History of Mankind.”’ This information became a footnote to SJ’s letter of 21 Aug. (see post p. 310 n. b1). 6 Direction to the compositor, ‘Keep it very clean.’ Mrs. Thrale’s letter no longer forms part of the Life MS. To keep the letter pristine, JB outlined his requirements for it on the present Paper Apart: ‘Upon the word Queeney= put a note as follows. =A kind of nickname given to Mrs. Thrale’s eldest daughter [who>] whose name being Esther she might be assimilated to a Queen. / Upon the word Master put a note *Mr. Thrale. / After every where leave out all down to Miss Aston & put ***.’ In the margin of the revises, JB urged, ‘Pray compare Mrs. Thrale’s letter very carefully’, to which Plymsell replied, ‘Sir, We have no Copy to compare it by’. After finding the copy, JB reported, ‘I have now compared it & have made it exact — wench not girl and an addition before the ****’. His first correction altered the phrase ‘I respect the girl’; his second was to insert the phrase ‘and he has got a dawling companion to ride with him now’. The ‘wench’ (identified by Mrs. Thrale: Hill-Powell iii. 536–37) was Jenny Guest, later Mrs. Miles (c. 1762–1846), who became an accomplished pianist and composer, and was appointed music teacher to the daughters of George III (Oxford DNB; Grove Dictionary of Music). 7 Incorporating this letter heading into his direction to the compositor, JB placed three words above it: ‘Proceed then with’. SJ’s letter of 1 May 1780 no longer forms part of the Life MS. In the margin of the revises JB wrote, ‘Date Johnson’s Letter / London May 1. 1780’, and he inserted a sentence after the asterisks in the first paragraph: ‘Encourage as you can, the musical girl.’ A footnote printed in the revises explained the asterisks: ‘I leave out a few lines, the contents of which are partly too insignificant, and partly too indelicate for the publick eye.’ Underlining the last phrase, Plymsell wondered in the margin, ‘Qr if not better omitted’, and below the note elaborated his concern: ‘Sir / I think the whole Note would be better omitted & the **** put in a line to shew there was an omission—for it should not be supposed Dr. Johnson wrote any thing indelicate to a Lady.’ JB’s response came in successive revisions to the note: (1) ‘I leave out a few lines which Mrs. Thrale has printed but which it appears to me [shou[ld]>] [had>] might have been suppressed.’ (2) ‘I have taken the liberty to leave out a few lines which Mrs. Thrale 2

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1780

H-P iii. (none)

LIFE OF JOHNSON

[[MS 799 resumed]8 ≤On the second of May I wrote to him and requested that we might have another meeting somewhere in the country next autumn.≥ To The Rev. Dr. Farmer

5 6 7 8 9

/ May 23. 17809

This summer I introduced to him by letter my brother Thomas David, who after a long residence in Spain was obliged to quit it on account of the War. He received him very kindly and mentioned him thus in a letter to Mrs. Thrale.1 ≤To Dr. James Beattie at Aberdeen.2≥ To James Boswell Esq:3/4

10 11 12 13 14

On his birth day this year he notes ‘I am now beginning the seventy second year of my life with more strength of body and greater vigour of [MS 800] mind than I think is common at that age.’ But still he complains of sleepless nights & idle days, and forgetfulness or neglect of resolutions. He thus pathetically expresses himself ‘Surely I shall not spend my whole life with my own total disapprobation.’5

15

To James Boswell Esq.6>]7 has not concealed.’ (3) ‘I have taken the liberty to leave out a few lines.’ In the suppressed passage, SJ reported eating ‘too many dinners of late’, followed by a restricted diet, a course of ‘physick’, and fasting (Letters of Johnson ed. Redford, iii. 248). 8 ‘Excerpt mine of 2 May’—a task fulfilled by the next sentence, added in revision and marked for a new paragraph. This sentence and all the copy and directions to the compositor drafted from here to the bottom of MS 799 (with the paragraph continuing onto MS 800) were later deleted en bloc. JB saw that the space was inadequate to address his revisions, his marginal memoranda, and a growing number of directions to the compositor (see notes below). Along with the undeleted portion of MS 799 above, this section of JB’s original draft ultimately generated eighteen printed quarto pages in the first edition (ii. 311–28). 9 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take it in’, followed by an asterisk related perhaps to a memorandum in the margin, circled and later deleted: ‘Here Langton or Steevens may come in’ (batches of Johnsoniana sent to JB, respectively, in 1790 and 1786; Corr. 2a, pp. 275–87, 118–19). In revision JB turned to Langton and deferred Steevens (see post p. 311 n. 6; Hill-Powell iv. 1–27, 324–25). 1 A circled cross here presumably pointed the way to this extract (see post p. 308). Below this paragraph in the margin JB wrote, ‘See if his boldness in the Riots should not be mentioned & Akerman’. Circling the memorandum later, he marked it with an asterisk and put another above the paragraph (‘This summer …’) with a new direction to the compositor, ‘Then Paper R on the Riots’ (see post p. 305). 2 No direction to the compositor accompanied this letter heading. See post p. 309. 3 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in his of Aug. 21. 1780’ (see post p. 310). 4 ‘Excerpt mine of 24 August & 6 September & 1 October’ (see post p. 310). Above this memorandum JB later squeezed in an X, explaining, ‘Refers to letter Gent. Mag. May 1785’ (see post p. 310 ll. 4–5 and n. 6). 5 An asterisk to the right of this quotation possibly referred to a deleted memorandum in the margin, ‘Mem Ld. Thurlows letter to him’ (see post p. 311 ll. 13–18, 26 and n. 4). 6 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in his of Oct. 17’ (see post p. 311). Below this he instructed himself to ‘Extract mine of 16 Decr.’ (see post p. 311 n. 6). 7 Deleting the above copy on MS 800 with a large X, JB excised the material on MS 799 in an unusual manner: he scissored off nearly two-thirds of the page, cutting along the left side of the page as well, since MS 799 was (and the top remains) conjugate with MS 798. This fragment provided a blueprint for the many Papers Apart he had to

303

H-P iii. 424–25

MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1780

[Paper Apart ‘1st. Continuation’]8 On the 2 of May I wrote to him and requested that we might have another meeting somewhere in the north of England in the autumn of this year. From Mr. Langton I received soon after this time a letter from which I extract a passage which illuminates at once the characters of Mr. Beauclerk and Dr. Johnson. ‘The melancholy information you have received concerning Mr. Beauclerk’s death is true. Had his talents9 [Sub-Paper Apart]1 been directed in any sufficient degree as they ought, I have always been strongly of opinion that they were calculated to make an illustrious Figure, and that opinion, as it had been in [1st ed. ii. 316] part formed upon Dr. Johnson’s Judgement, receives more and more confirmation by hearing what, since his Death, Dr. Johnson has said concerning them2 — A few Evenings ago, I was at Mr. Vesey’s, where Ld. Althorpe, who was one of a numerous Company there, addressed Dr. Johnson on the Subject of Mr. Beauclerk’s Death, saying, “Our Club has had a great Loss since we met last” — He replied, “a Loss, that perhaps the whole Nation could not repair!” the Dr. then went on to speak of his Endowments, and particularly extolled the wonderful Ease with which he uttered what was highly excellent — he said that no Man ever was so free, when he was going to say a good thing, from a Look that expressed that it was coming; or, when he had said it, from a Look that expressed that it had come — At Mr. Thrale’s some days before, when we were talking on the same Subject — He said, referring to the same Idea of his wonderful Facility, that Beauclerk’s Talents were those which he had felt himself more disposed to envy than those of any Man whom he had known. — — ‘At the evening I have spoken of above at Mr. Vesey’s, You would have been [highly entertained>] much gratified,3 as it exhibited an Instance of the high importance in which Dr. Johnson’s Character is held, I think even beyond any I ever before was witness to — The Company consisted chiefly of Ladies — arrange or draft (see n. 8 above). The paper cut away from MS 799 was reattached later, pasted into place with two strips of paper. 8 Headed ‘1st. Continuation of page — (1799)’, JB unconsciously adding ‘1’ to the page number. This is the first of three uniform leaves to be labeled a ‘Continuation’ of MS 799. JB sequenced them with numbers (‘1st’, ‘2’, ‘3’). Of the Papers Apart originally interspersed among them, six (of varying sizes) survive. 9 Direction to the compositor, ‘take in from * to = of that Letter’, to which JB later added ‘acceptable’, the closing word of the extract. The preceding sentence, adapted by JB, occurred earlier in the letter: ‘You will have known … that the melancholy Information You had received of Mr. Beauclerk’s Death is true.’ 1 Langton’s original letter (C 1688), docketed twice: ‘No date. I received it by post on Monday 22 May 1780.’ (top of first page); ‘Received 22 May 1780. Bennet Langton Esq. An excellent Letter on various topicks’ (verso of last page). To the second docket, JB later added, ‘particularly great respect paid to Dr. Johnson.’ JB reinforced Langton’s paragraph break, as before (see ante p. 266 n. 6), with a bracket. 2 Misreading ‘what’, the compositor marred the end of this clause: ‘by hearing, that since his Death, Dr. Johnson has said concerning them;’ (so in revises). Underscoring ‘that’, the corrector proposed a remedy (restoring Langton’s sense) at the top of the page: ‘by hearing, since his Death, what Dr.’ His remedy was deleted, presumably by JB, and the error stood. In the second edition, the passage was corrected: ‘by hearing, what since …’ (Hill-Powell moved the comma to follow ‘what’). 3 Here JB altered Langton’s phrasing.

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LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 425–28

among whom were the Dutchess Dowr. of Portland, the Dutchess of Beaufort, whom I suppose from Her Rank I must name before Her Mother Mrs. Boscawen, and Her elder Sister Mrs. Lewson who were likewise there; Lady Lucan, Ly. Clermont, and others of Note both for their station and understandings — Among the Gentlemen were, Ld. Althorpe whom I have before named, Ld. Maccartney, Sr. Joshua Reynolds, Ld. Lucan, Mr. Wraxal, whose Book You have probably seen, “The Tour to the Northern Parts of Europe,” a very agreeable ingenious Man, Dr. Warren, Mr. Pepys the Master in Chancery, whom I believe You know, and Dr. Barnard the Provost of Eaton — As soon as,4 Dr. Johnson was come in and had taken a Chair, the Company began to collect round him till they became not less than four, if not five deep; those behind standing, and listening over the heads of those that were sitting near him. The Conversation for some time was chiefly between Dr. Johnson and the Provost of Eaton while the others contributed occasionally their Remarks — Without attempting to detail the particulars of the Conversation, which perhaps if I did, I should spin my account out to a tedious length, I thought, my Dear Sir, this general account of the Respect with which our valued Friend was attended to might be acceptable —’ [Paper Apart ‘1st. Continuation’ resumed; 1st ed. ii. 317]

To the Reverend Dr. FARMER [Cambridge del]5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [Satellite Paper Apart R]6 While Johnson was thus engaged in preparing the most delightful literary entertainment for the World, the tranquillity of the Metropolis of Great Britain was unexpectedly disturbed by the most horrid series of outrage that ever disgraced a civilised country. A relaxation of some 25 the severe7 penal provisions against our fellow subjects of the catholick communion had been granted by the Legislature with an opposition so inconsiderable that the genuine mildness of Christianity united with liberal policy seemed to have become general in this island. But a dark and malignant spirit of persecution soon shewed itself in an unworthy Petition for the repeal of 30 the wise and humane Statute. That Petition was brought forward by a mob with the evident purpose of intimidation, and was justly rejected. But the attempt was accompanied and followed by such daring violence as is unexampled in history. Of this extraordinary tumult Dr. Johnson has given the following ≤concise lively and just≥ account in his Letters to Mrs. Thrale. 20

4

An anomaly, Langton’s comma was not printed in the revises. Direction to the compositor, ‘Take it in’. SJ’s letter of 25 May no longer forms part of the Life MS. 6 Headed ‘R (for p. 799)’. For JB’s original memorandum and instructions regarding this Paper Apart on MS 799, see ante p. 303 n. 1. On Paper Apart ‘1st. Continuation’ the compositor was directed to ‘Take in Paper R on the Riots’. It consists of two leaves, written on four sides. 7 MS orig. ‘of the c[atholick]’, a false start. In recasting the phrase imperfectly, JB could have intended it to read either ‘of some severe’ or ‘of some of the severe’. The second of these was printed in the revises. 5

305

H-P iii. 431

MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1780

‘June 9. 17808/9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Such was the end of this miserable sedition from which London was delivered by the magnanimity of the Sovereign himself. Whatever some may maintain I am satisfied that there was no combination or plan either domestick or foreign; but that the mischief spread by a gradual contagion of frenzy augmented by the quantities of fermented liquors of which the deluded populace possessed themselves in the course of their depredations. I should think myself very much to blame [should>] did I here neglect to do justice to my esteemed friend Mr. Akerman the keeper of Newgate who has long discharged1 a very important trust with [a uniform÷an intrepid>] an uniform intrepid firmness and at the same time a tenderness and a liberal charity which entitle him to be recorded with distinguished honour. [Dr. Johnson praised him highly as a respectable character. ‘On one occasion’ said he ‘when there was a fire in the prison, Mr. Akerman ordered the outward doors to be locked after him when he went into the place where the felons were, and not to be opened on any account wherever the flames might come. He then told the felons that he had with him the keys of the different parts of the prison, and could convey them where they might be preserved, if they would go quietly with him; but that if they chose to be riotous, they might indeed destroy him, but could gain no advantage by it, as he had ordered the outward doors to be locked and on no account whatever to be opened. The felons attended to this and did follow him and were preserved. Sir, He who has constantly had in view the worst of mankind which has been Mr. Akerman’s

8 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in from Vol. 2 p. 143 beginning “On Friday” & take in all the paragraphs marked with an * on that page & 144 — 145 —’. Writing ‘Turn’, JB continued on the verso of the leaf: ‘Then p. 152 / “June 10. 1780 You have now heard” — Proceed in the same manner to take in the paragraphs marked with * on [pages 153 — 154 —>] page 153 — / Then p. 158 “June 14. 1780 [date added in the same draft] There has indeed” &c. [and every deleted false start] down to the end of the paragraph.’ By moving directly from p. 153 to p. 158, JB lined up consecutive paragraphs on ‘the protection of the King and the law’ and on the King’s quick recovery from the ‘universal panick’. Somehow JB reinstated p. 154, for that extract from SJ’s letter of 12 June (‘The publick has escaped …’) concluded this section in the revises. 9 As shown by the copy begun here, and the quotation marks on ‘June 10. 1780’ in the directions to the compositor (see note above), JB intended at first to include the dates of SJ’s letters. They were not printed in the revises, however, as explained in a footnote on ‘Letters to Mrs. Thrale’: ‘Vol. II. p. 143 et seq. I have selected passages from several letters, without mentioning dates.’ This made sense, perhaps, since SJ was reporting the events in retrospect. In the third edition, however, JB added a footnote (‘June 2.’) at the start of SJ’s narrative, keyed to ‘On Friday’, and EM inserted the date ‘[June 9,]’ where SJ arrived at saying ‘the town is now at quiet’. EM also added a footnote, marked ‘B’ for ‘Burney’, challenging the report that Sir John Fielding’s house had been destroyed. ‘It was’, Burney claimed, ‘Justice Hyde’s house in St. Martin’sstreet, Leicester-fields, that was gutted, and his goods burnt in the street’. Both houses in fact were attacked on 6 June, as Wilkes recorded in his diary (Hill-Powell iii. 538). A final footnote, on the blue ribbands worn by followers of Lord George Gordon, was also added by EM (Hill-Powell iii. 430 n. 5). 1 Third edition, ‘who long discharged’. Akerman died on 19 Nov. 1792 (HillPowell iii. 431 n. 1).

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1780

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LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 431–32

case, and is yet eminent for the humanity of his disposition must have had it originally in a great degree, and has since carefully cultivated it.’>]2 Upon this occasion from the timidity and negligence of magistracy on the one hand and the almost incredible exertions of the mob on the other the first prison of this great country was laid open and the prisoners set free; but that Mr. Akerman whose house was burnt [while in attendance del] would have prevented all this, had proper aid been sent to him in due time there can be no doubt.3 [Satellite Sub-Paper Apart A; 1st ed. ii. 320] [A fire>] Many years ago a fire broke out in the brick part which was built as an addition to the old Gaol of Newgate.4 The prisoners were in consternation and tumult calling out [they should be burnt down with the gate.>] [they should be burnt[;] ‘down with the gate, down with the gate.’>] ‘we shall be burnt we shall be burnt; down with the gate, down with the gate.’ Mr. Akerman hastened to them shewed himself at the gate and having after some [time of>] confused vociferation of ‘hear him hear him’ obtained a silent attention; he ≤then calmly≥ told them that the gate must not go down; that they were under his care and that they should not be permitted to escape. But that he could assure them they need not be afraid of being burnt for that the fire was [as distant as the old Bailey÷in a back building del] not in the prison properly so=called which was strongly built with stone, and that if they would engage to be quiet he himself would come in to them and conduct them to the further end of the building and would not go out till they gave him leave. To this proposal they agreed upon which Mr. Akerman having first made them fall back from the gate, went in, and with a determined resolution ordered the outer turnkey upon no account to open the gate, even though the prisoners [should bring himself>] [in case of going back on their word (though he trusted they would not) should by force bring himself>] (though he trusted they would not) should break their word, and by force bring himself to order it. ‘Never mind me’ said he ‘should that happen.’ The prisoners peaceably followed him while he conducted them ≤through passages of which he had the keys,≥ to the extremity of the gaol which was most distant from the fire. Having shewed them Newgate Street so that they

2 JB wrote ‘Q?’ in the margin near the beginning of this lengthy deletion, a passage derived (largely verbatim) from Langton’s Johnsoniana of 17 Dec. 1790 (Corr. 2a, p. 284). Paper Apart R originally ended here. In revision, after sorting his material on Akerman into two anecdotes (‘Upon this occasion …’ and ‘Many years ago …’), JB finished Paper Apart R, in the process calling for an additional Paper Apart (‘A’) to be taken in. 3 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in Folio A’. 4 The spelling ‘jail’ appeared twice on p. 320 of the revises. Selfe underscored both instances; ‘gaol’ was offered in the margin, and at the top of the page JB was advised, ‘Dr. Johnson in his Dictionary says Jail is an improper Way of spelling Gaol’. (Dictionary: ‘GAOL. … It is always pronounced and too often written jail, and sometimes goal.’ ‘JAIL. … It is written either way; but commonly by latter writers jail.’) Heeding this advice, JB backtracked to p. 318, where ‘jails’ was similarly marked, and where his response had been non-committal: ‘Either way jails or gaols is in his Dictionary’. He scored through his initial reply, deleted ‘jails’ in the text, and left a caret to take in ‘gaols’ from the margin. This change brought about the like substitutions on p. 320. See ante p. 111 l. 4 and endnote; also the endnote for Life MS i. 198 l. 16.

307

H-P iii. 432–34

MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1780

were satisfied there was immediate risk,5 if any at all he then addressed them thus: ‘Gentlemen ≤You are now convinced that I told you true. I have no doubt that the engines will soon extinguish this fire. If [it>] they should not, a sufficient guard will come and you shall be taken out and lodged in the Compters6.≥ I assure you upon my word and honour, that I have not a farthing insured. I have left my house [and family to take>] that I might take care of you. I will keep my promise and not leave you if you insist upon it. But if you will allow me to go out and look after my ≤family &≥ property I will be obliged to you.’ Struck with his behaviour they called out ‘Master Akerman you have done bravely it was very kind in you. By all means go and take care of your ≤own≥ concerns.’ ≤He did so accordingly while they remained [quiet, del] and were all preserved.≥ [Satellite Paper Apart R resumed] Johnson has been heard to relate the substance of this story with high praise, in which he was joined by [Mr. Burke; and my illustrious friend>] Mr. Burke. My illustrious friend speaking of Mr. Akerman’s kindness to his prisoners [observed>] pronounced this eulogy upon his character, ‘He who has long had constantly in his view the worst of mankind and is yet eminent for the humanity of his disposition [1st ed. ii. 321] must have it7 originally in a great degree and continued to cultivate it very carefully.’ [Paper Apart ‘1st. Continuation’ resumed]8 In the course of this month my brother David waited upon Dr. Johnson with the following letter of introduction which I had taken care should be lying ready on his arrival in London.9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [Paper Apart ‘2 Continuation’]1 Johnson received him very politely and has thus mentioned him in a letter to Mrs. Thralea: ‘I have had with me a brother of Boswell’s a Spanish Merchantb whom the war has driven from his residence at Valencia; he is gone to see his friends, and will find Scotland but a sorry place, after twelve years residence in a happier climate. He is a very agreable man and speaks no scotch.’ a b

Vol. 2 p. 163. Mrs. Piozzi has omitted the name she best knows why. ≤Now settled in London.b1≥

5 Something—possibly the compositor’s neglecting to add the word ‘no’ missing from this phrase—evidently led JB to change this sentence in proof. It began as follows in the revises: ‘Having, by this very judicious conduct, fully satisfied them that there was no immediate risk’. 6 ‘Counter’ having been corrected to ‘Compter’ on p. 318 of the revises (where ‘Woodstreet-counter’ in SJ’s printed letter had been typeset ‘Wood-street Counter’), JB endorsed a similar correction here: ‘I think Compters is the proper spelling.’ 7 Printed in the revises ‘must have had it’, in correction of JB’s error. 8 For the original drafts of the final sentence on this Paper Apart, and of the first sentence on Paper Apart ‘2 Continuation’, see MS 799 (ante p. 303 ll. 4–6). 9 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in To Dr. Samuel Johnson / 29 April’. This Paper Apart no longer forms part of the Life MS. 1 This leaf, originally conjugate with ‘1st. Continuation of page 1799’, is labelled ‘2 Continuation of page 1799’ (again with an inadvertent ‘1’). b1 On Thomas David Boswell’s homecoming, starting with his arrival in Edinburgh on 12 June, see Laird of Auchinleck, pp. 221–23.

308

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25

30

1780

LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 434–35

To DR. BEATTIE at ABERDEEN2

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

20

[Sub-Paper Apart]3 Sir More yearsa than I have any delight to reckon have past since you & I saw one another; of this however there is no reason for making any reprehensory complaint. Sic fata ferunt. But methinks there might pass some small interchange of regard between us. If you say, that I ought to have written, I now write, and I write to tell You, that I have much kindness for You and Mrs. Beattie, and that I wish your health better and [1st ed. ii. 322] Your life long. Try change of air, and come a few degrees southwards; a softer climate may do you both good; Winter is coming on; and London will be warmer, and gayer, and busier, and more fertile of amusement, than Aberdeen. My health is better, but that will be little in the ballance when I tell you that Mrs. Montagu has been very ill, and is, I doubt, now but weakly. Mr. Thrale has been very dangerously disordered, but is much better, and I hope will totally recover. He has withdrawn himself from business the whole summer. Sir Joshua and his Sister are well, and Mr. Davies has had great success as an authour4 generated by the corruption of a bookseller. More news I have not to tell you, and therefore you must be contented with hearing, what I know not whether you much wish to hear,b that I am Sir Your most humble servant Sam. Johnson Bolt court Fleetstreet / Aug. 21. 1780. a

I had been five years absent from London. ≤BEATTIE.≥ ≤I wish he had omitted the suspicion expressed here, though I believe he meant nothing but jocularity; for though he and I differed sometimes in 25 opinion, he well knew how much I loved and revered him. BEATTIE.≥ b

2

Direction to the compositor, ‘Take it in’ (see ante p. 303 l. 7 and n. 2). In place of Beattie’s heading, ‘Copy of a letter from Dr. Johnson to Dr. Beattie’, JB substituted ‘To DR. BEATTIE at ABERDEEN’. Writing from Aberdeen on 8 Nov. 1787, Beattie told JB he had retrieved two of SJ’s letters, but one of them (probably that of 5 Aug. 1773, concerning Beattie’s financial problems) was ‘unfit for the publick eye’. ‘Of the other’, he wrote, ‘I send You an exact copy. Though short, it is characteristical, and does me much honour:—only I wish he had omitted the suspicion expressed in the last line; though I believe he meant nothing but jocularity; for, though he and I differed sometimes in opinion, he well knew how much I loved and revered him’ (Corr. 2a, p. 190 and n. 2). JB redrafted this reservation onto the copy as a second footnote; to the first footnote, Beattie’s own, he merely added the attribution. 4 A footnote keyed to ‘authour’ was printed in the revises: ‘Meaning his entertaining “Memoirs of David Garrick, Esq.” of which Johnson (as Davies informed me) wrote the first sentence; thus giving as it were, the key-note to the performance. It is, indeed, very characteristical of its authour, beginning with a maxim, and proceeding to illustrate.— “All excellence has a right to be recorded. I shall, therefore, think it superfluous to apologise for writing the life of a man, who by an uncommon assemblage of private virtues, adorned the highest eminence in a publick profession.”’ This footnote was generated by a memorandum in the Life Materials (M 157: ‘Johnsonian Fragments to be inserted in their places’): ‘Get his kind note to Tho Davies / Mem the first sentence of Garricks Mem’s.’ To keep track of its proper place, JB jotted a second memorandum (M 147, under 1780): ‘Davies’s Memoirs of Garrick’. 3

309

H-P iii. 435–36, 438

MANUSCRIPT EDITION

1780

[Paper Apart ‘2 Continuation’ resumed] ≤To James Boswell Esq5≥ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [MS opp. 799] This year he wrote to a Clergyman in the Country the following Letter which may be considered as valuable advice to Divines in general.6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [Paper Apart ‘2 Continuation’ resumed]7 [Sub-Paper Apart]8 My next letters to him were of dates August 24, September 6, and October 1, and from them I extract the following passages. ≤[Paper Apart]a1 It will no doubt be remarked how he avoids the rebellious land of America. This puts me in mind of an Anecdote for which I am obliged to my worthy social friend Governour Penn. — ‘At one of Miss E. Hervey’s Assemblies Dr. Johnson was following her up and down the room; upon which Lord Abingdon observed to her, “Your great friend is very fond of you. You can go no where without him.” — “Ay, said she; he would follow me to any part of the World.” — “Then, said the Earl, ask him to go with you to America.”’≥ b ≤“Essays on the History of Mankind.”b1≥

5 6 7 8 9

a

5 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in letter 21 August’. Although this Paper Apart no longer forms part of the Life MS, two later changes can here be transcribed. Both involved footnotes to the printed text in the revises. The passages in question are indicated within angled brackets. 6 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take it in from Gent. Mag. May 1785’. In his original draft JB situated this paragraph provisionally on MS opp. 799, below it remarking, ‘What is here comes in by & by’. He later indicated its insertion point on the fragment detached from MS 799 (see ante p. 303 n. 4). In the revises JB changed this sentence to read as follows: ‘This year he wrote to a young clergyman in the country the following very excellent letter, which contains valuable advice to Parish priests in general.’ Then he reinstated ‘Divines’, adding (as it had been printed in the lower case) ‘stet Divines but with D cap’. JB’s memorandum on MS opp. 799—‘Try to find who’—bore no fruit. He was Charles Lawrence (c. 1758–91), son of Thomas Lawrence, newly (June 1780) ordained a deacon. He was a fellow of St. John’s College, Cambridge, from 1779 till his death (Letters of Johnson ed. Redford, iii. 310 n. 1). Two corrections to the text of the letter suggest that JB read the revises against his printed source. 7 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in extracts of my letters 24 Aug 6 Septr & 4 Octr.’ The fact that this is added to the side of the page and gives the wrong date for Oct. shows that JB momentarily lost track of his original direction on MS 799: ‘Excerpt mine of 24 August & 6 September & 1 October’ (ante p. 303 n. 4). 8 The circled cross heading this Paper Apart matches two such symbols on Paper Apart ‘2 Continuation’: one beside JB’s directions to the compositor, the other in the middle of the page where the text comes in. a1 Headed ‘Note on Africa p. 323 of the Print’. In the margin of the revises, JB referred the compositor to the ‘Note on separate paper’. b1 Unlike the previous note, this one should have been printed already in the revises, as a footnote exponent on ‘book’ reveals. No note appeared at the bottom of the page. Supplying it now, JB asked, ‘How came you to omit the title of Dr. Dunbar’s Book? I sent it on a slip of paper last night’. The compositor lost track of it because JB had jotted it on a Paper Apart with letter headings and footnotes to Mrs. Thrale’s letter of 28 Apr. (see ante p. 302 n. 5). Those notes were typeset on p. 314, and the compositor no doubt had mislaid the Paper Apart by the time he arrived at this passage on p. 323.

310

10 11 12 13 14 15 16

1780

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

20

25

LIFE OF JOHNSON

H-P iii. 438–41

‘My brother David and I find the long indulged fancy of our comfortable meeting again so well realised that it in some degree confirms the pleasing hope of O! præclarum diem! in a future state.’9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [Paper Apart ‘2 Continuation’ resumed] Mr. Thrale had [this year>] now another contest for the representation in Parliament of the Borough of Southwark, and Johnson kindly lent him his assistance by writing Advertisements and letters for him. I shall insert one as a specimen.1 ‘To the Worthy Electors of the Borough of Southwark ‘Gentleman ‘A New Parliament2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [Mr. Thomas Davies this year published ‘Memoirs of David Garrick Esq.’ of which Johnson wrote for him the first sentence: ‘All excellence has a right.’3 del] On his birth=day [this year del], Johnson has this note ‘I am now beginning the seventy second year of my life with more strength of body and greater vigour of mind than I think is common at that age.’ But still he complains of sleepless nights and idle days, and forgetfulness or neglect of resolutions. He thus pathetically expresses himself. ‘Surely I shall not spend my whole life with my own total disapprobation.’a [His former amanuensis del] Mr. MacBean whom I have mentioned more than once as one of Johnson’s humble friends, a deserving but unfortunate man, being now oppressed by age and poverty, Johnson solicited the Lord Chancellor Thurlow to have him admitted [in>] into the Charterhouse. I take the liberty to insert his Lordship’s answer, as I am eager to embrace every occasion of augmenting the respectable notion which should ever be entertained of my illustrious friend. To Dr. Samuel Johnson4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [Paper Apart ‘3 Continuation’]5 To James Boswell Esq:6 a

.

Prayers and Meditations p. 185.

9

Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in the passages between asterisks * in letters 6 Septr. & 1 Octr. N.B. Between each two *s is a §’. These Papers Apart are missing. 1 In the revises, after the word ‘specimen’, JB told the compositor to ‘Put the mark of his owning to his friends’—an asterisk to indicate a writing acknowledged by SJ. 2 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take it all in & date it under 5 Septr 1780’. This Paper Apart no longer forms part of the Life MS. 3 Deleted direction to the compositor, ‘take it in ≤three lines≥’. JB turned this material into a footnote to SJ’s letter of 21 Aug. (see ante p. 309 n. 4). 4 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in Lord Thurlow’s letter’ (see ante p. 303 n. 5). This Paper Apart no longer forms part of the Life MS. 5 This Paper Apart is headed ‘3 Continuation of p. — 799’. 6 Direction to the compositor, ‘Take in letter Oct. 17’ (a Paper Apart now missing). Below this JB wrote, ‘Here Langtoniana. See How Maxwell is introduced, & vary the phrase. Here this year is closed; for my letter 16 Decr. has nothing in it.’ (For Maxwell’s Collectanea, see Hill-Powell ii. 116–33; for JB’s letter of 16 Dec., see ante p. 303 n. 6.) Further below he added, and later deleted: ‘Then go to the year 1781 on page 800.’

311

312

NOTES TO PAGES 1–2

page 1 2 to change horses] Added in the same draft. 2–3 and … ingenious] Preceding this revision some illegible letters (a false start) have been blotted out. 3 ingenious] Omitted in the printing of the revises. 7 Parliament] In correcting the revises, where a lower case ‘p’ was used, JB restored the capital ‘P’. 10 readily] Printed in the revises ‘commonly’. 10 commonly] Printed in the revises ‘generally’. 10 not quite … understood] MS orig. ‘but not quite … understood’, possibly concluding the sentence as first conceived. 9–11 epithet scoundrel … term of disapprobation] MS orig. ‘term scoundrel … mark of disapprobation’. 15 romance] A lower case ‘r’ is written over a capital ‘R’. 17 lay at] Printed in the revises ‘lay this night at’. 20 the ingratitude of Mr. Wedderburne] The word ‘that’ written and deleted above ‘Wedderburne’ suggests that JB, when resolving his alternatives in revision, contemplated a more elaborate phrase, but abandoned the false start. page 2 who has risen in the world] Added in the same draft. acquaintances] Printed in the revises ‘acquaintance’, possibly a misreading. presumptious forwardness] When selecting this alternative in revision, JB changed the spelling of both words. In the first case, having originally written ‘presumptous’ (as he commonly wrote the word, probably reflecting his pronunciation), he corrected it, only to have this altered spelling corrected in turn by either the compositor or proof-reader, for in the revises it was printed ‘presumptuous’. In the second case, the altered spelling might have been a mere correction, or a different word, if by ‘frowardness’ JB had originally meant the quality of being froward, as the adjective was defined in SJ’s Dictionary: ‘Peevish; ungovernable; angry; perverse; the contrary to toward.’ 20 if] Printed in the revises ‘when’, which clarified JB’s complicated syntax. 25 early] Written over ‘ac[quaintance]’, the next word to be drafted. 30 brilliant and fortunate] Printed in the revises ‘very fortunate’. 33 him] Omitted in the second edition; restored in Hill-Powell. 34 had found] Printed ‘found’ in the second edition; ‘had’ was restored in Hill-Powell. 30–34 To one of … grateful.] Two false starts in revision, (1) ‘Of’ replacing ‘To’, forming the phrase ‘Of one of the fortunate persons…’; (2) ‘Of’ written over the first ‘I’, possibly starting the phrase ‘Of the fortunate Mr. Wedderburne …’. Before altering the sentence further to accommodate either change, JB went back to his original syntax by crossing out ‘Of’ in both places and reinserting ‘To’ and ‘I’. 35 as much assurance] Printed in the revises ‘so much eagerness’. 35 person] Changed to ‘gentleman’ by JB when correcting the revises. 36 remark] False start, ‘is ce[rtainly]’. 36 our] MS orig. ‘those’. 40 He said … love.] Added in the same draft. On the revises JB converted the remark into direct discourse: ‘He said, “It is commonly a weak man who marries for love.”’ 12 13 18

313

NOTES TO PAGES 3–5

page 3 expences] Second edition, ‘expenses’. gust] JB initially deleted ‘gust’ in favour of ‘delight’, then changed his mind and wrote it back in. 11 He praised …] JB marked this addition ‘NL’ (New or Next Line) to make it a separate paragraph. 12 and more virtuous in every respect] Added in the same draft. 15 querulous] Printed in the revises ‘querelous’, and corrected by JB to ‘querulous’. 15 inveighing] Obviously the word JB meant, although what appears in the MS—‘inweighingh’, with the ‘in’ joined imperfectly to the ‘w’—suggests that he first wrote ‘weighing’, inadvertently putting an ‘h’ at the end, and then added ‘in’ to the front of the word. 15–16 inveighing against the times] Printed in the revises ‘prone to inveigh against the present times’. 19 way] Printed in the revises ‘respect’. 21 our] Added in the same draft. 22 timid÷yielding] Added in the same draft. 22 concessions] MS orig. ‘concession’. 25 Newspapers] Printed ‘newspapers’; changed to ‘news-paper’ in the second edition. Hill-Powell restored the reading of the first edition. 28 my fellow traveller] In resolving his alternatives, JB deleted and rewrote ‘my’, since the descender of his first ‘y’ had disappeared into the upper portion of the ‘J’ in ‘Johnson’. Also, for no apparent reason, he rewrote ‘much’, the concluding word of the sentence. 29 slightly] Omitted in the printing of the revises. 29 Jamy] MS orig. ‘Jamie’. A large ‘y’ is written over the ‘ie’.

5 9

page 4 ill÷dead] In resolving his alternatives JB first chose ‘dead’, then scored it out and wrote in ‘ill’ again. 6 should] Changed to ‘would’ in the second edition. 6–7 them … you] In the revises JB italicized ‘them’ and ‘you’. 9 be satisfied] JB resolved the alternatives ‘See÷imagine’ by choosing ‘imagine’, but then scored it out in favour of this new phrasing. 9 apprehensive] In revision JB added ‘reh’ to his misspelled first-draft ‘appensive’. 15 gave] MS orig. ‘lat[ely]’, a false start in revision, JB briefly thinking he would apply the adverb to Wesley’s handing him the narrative rather than to the alleged apparition itself. 22 with Dr. Samuel Johnson, & I said] Printed in the revises ‘with such a companion, and said’. 5

page 5 But] The requisite capital ‘B’, implicit in JB’s revision, was supplied by the compositor. 5 every means — but drinking] Printed in the revises without the dash, which, squeezed into a relatively cramped space, might have looked rather like an ink blot to the compositor. 10 as] Added in the same draft. 10 not in very] Printed in the revises ‘not in a very’. 11 got] Printed ‘had got’ in the second edition. 1

314

NOTES TO PAGES 5–8

11 13

was] Added in the same draft. ‘Guide] Added in the same draft, including the quotation marks around the phrase to signal the allusion to Pope’s Essay on Man (iv. 390). 14 Imlack] Second edition, ‘Imlac’. SJ’s thoughts on this spelling, as recalled by Langton, were printed in the front matter to the second edition: ‘Imlac in “Rasselas,” I spelt with a c. at the end, because it is less like English, which should always have the Saxon k.’ (‘Additions to Dr. Johnson’s Life recollected, and received after the second edition was printed’, p. *xi). This became a paragraph in the third edition; see Hill-Powell iv. 31 and n. 3. 16 accordingly] Printed in the revises ‘I found’. 21 had some doubt] Printed in the revises ‘had entertained some doubt’. 22 proved] False start, ‘that he wa[s]’. 24–26 and that if … should be] Printed in the revises ‘and if it had not been fixed that he should have been’. 32 some degree of] An optional phrase, but drafted above the line and resolved as an alternative. page 6 13 forenoon] Changed to ‘morning’ in the third edition. 13 busy] Printed in the revises ‘very busy’. 20 the] Written over a false start, possibly ‘tue[sday]’. page 7 does] Printed in italics in the revises. a man] MS orig. ‘on[e]’, a false start in revision that would have restored the word JB had just deleted. 9 against taking] Misprinted ‘against a taking’ in the second and third editions; corrected by Hill-Powell. 12 not] Added in the same draft. 15–16 every thing intellectual every thing abstract —] Added in the same draft. 17 friend] MS orig. ‘gentl[eman]’. 17 him] False start, ‘a number [of]’. 19 slyly] Printed in the revises ‘slily’. 20 me] Printed in italics in the revises. 21–22 Omai the native … in it] Printed in the revises ‘Omai, native of one of the South Sea islands, after he had been some time in this country’. JB corrected the first part to read ‘Omai, a native’. 22 islands] This word, accidentally omitted when JB moved from the bottom to the top of MS opp. 558, was supplied in the course of printing. 25–26 only in the best company] Initially having chosen the alternative phrasing, JB had to write ‘only’ again after he changed his mind. 27 Lord Mulgrave and he dined one day] A caret after this passage on the revises, along with the deletion of ‘and he’, suggests that JB almost changed it to ‘Lord Mulgrave dined one day with him’. He then put ‘stet’ in the margin, however, reverting to his original wording before adding anything to accompany the caret. 4 9

page 8 1 in Omai] A later addition. 7 by] Printed in the revises ‘with’. 16 every where] Added in the same draft. 17 A soldier’s character] Printed in the revises ‘The character of a soldier’.

315

NOTES TO PAGES 9–11

page 9 Mr. …] Run on in J 46; marked for new paragraph when the journal leaf was revised for the Life. 8–9 they would not have represented their Gods] Printed in the revises ‘we should not have had their Gods exhibited’. 9 them represented] MS orig. ‘them described’. 19 Revelation] Printed with a lower case ‘r’ in the second edition; HillPowell restored the capital ‘R’. 20 very] Omitted in the revises. 26 ‘No, Sir. To] Printed in the revises ‘“Why, Sir; to’. Misreading could have been a factor in this change, if the compositor thought that JB’s original comma, combined with the period he placed after ‘Sir’ in revision, formed a semi-colon. Another explanation might be that JB reworded it in proof to avoid repetition, after changing the opening of a nearby sentence from ‘A man’ to ‘No, Sir; every man’. 27 consider … advantage] Printed in the revises ‘think is of infinite advantage’. 31 afterwards.’ He said too, ‘A man] Printed in the revises ‘afterwards. No, Sir; every man’. 32 good-humour] Printed in the revises ‘good humour’. 36 in good humour] Printed in the revises ‘in very good humour’. Changed in the second edition to ‘in a very good humour’. 38 have] Changed to ‘place’ in the second edition. 41 Johnson. ‘Yes Sir] MS orig. ‘“Yes, Sir” said Dr. Johnson.’

3

page 10 5 & disadvantages] Added in the same draft. 6–7 the benefit ... at one] MS orig. ‘sending a boy of good parts to one’. 8 was] False start, ‘determined’. 8 today] False start, [undeciphered letters]. 10 I …] Run on in J 47; marked for new paragraph when the journal leaf was revised for the Life. 24 only] Omitted in the revises. 24–25 by being] Printed in the revises ‘only by being’. 27–28 not probably] Printed in the revises ‘probably not’. page 11 1 will let it alone] Printed in the revises ‘will not exert himself’. 4–5 to be paid … scholar] Printed in the revises ‘allowed to receive but sixpence a lecture from each scholar’. In the third edition ‘six-pence’ was changed to ‘sixpence’. 12 men … abroad] Printed in the revises ‘men abroad are in the Universities’. 13 poverty] Printed in the revises ‘penury’. 16 thousand a year] Printed in the revises ‘thousand a-year’. 16 first=rate] Printed ‘first rate’ in the revises and first edition; changed to ‘first-rate’ in the second. 17 To be sure Literature then] Printed in the revises ‘Undoubtedly, [1st ed. ii. 51] if this were the case, Literature’. 20 I …] Run on in J 47; marked for new paragraph when the journal leaf was revised for the Life. 21 a degree of ridicule] Revision orig. ‘the supposed ridicule’. 21 his Father] Printed in the revises ‘his deceased father’.

316

NOTES TO PAGES 11–14

24 24 25 26 28 28 30

fits of yawning so violent] In the same draft JB altered this phrase to ‘such violent fits of yawning’, but then changed it back to his initial wording by writing ‘stet’ twice above ‘so violent’ and crossing out ‘such violent’. incapable of] False start, ‘bein[g]’. for] False start, ‘publishing’. redress] Printed in the revises ‘reparation’. fiction] Printed in the revises ‘errour’. the proprietor of the Book] Printed in the revises ‘the bookseller, who was the proprietor of the work’. reprinted] Printed in the revises ‘re-printed’.

page 12 2 traduced] Printed in the revises ‘calumniated’. 3 should] Printed in the revises ‘should’. 8 traduced] Printed in the revises ‘calumniated’. 11 traduced] Printed in the revises ‘calumniated’. 17 shew] Second edition, ‘show’; Hill-Powell returned to ‘shew’. 19–20 any restraint as dangerous] Printed in the revises ‘any restraint whatever, as adverse’. 23 with him] In the revises JB marked this phrase for italics, but then crossed out his markings. Printed in roman in the first edition, the words were italicized in the second. 26 was mooted] Changed by JB on the revises to ‘occurred’. page 13 4 April] Printed in the revises ‘April 4’. not] Deleted, then restored. An ‘s’ (false start possibly for ‘so’) in front of the rewritten ‘not’ suggests that JB began to recast his sentence, but stayed with his original structure. 9 are mixed.] Printed in the revises ‘are generally mixed, and therefore it must ever be liable to assault and misrepresentation.’ 10 5 April] Printed in the revises ‘April 5’. 10–11 detained by … Sir John Pringle and] Added in the same draft. 14 having been] Added to the MS in the hand of Plymsell. 17 who … proprietor÷where … proprietor] JB introduced these alternatives after first drafting ‘The King v. Topham as the proprietor’. That is to say, ‘who merely’, ‘where the defendant’, and ‘a’ were all added in the same draft. 20 against his Lordship] Added in the same draft. 22 One … my friend] MS orig. ‘My friend’. 24 meant] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘intended’. 26–27 in general than I have] MS orig. (1) ‘than I have’; (2) ‘in general than I have’; (3) ‘than I have in general’. 27 I with all deference] Printed in the revises ‘with all deference I’. 29 Juries] Printed in the revises ‘juries’, and corrected by JB to ‘Juries’. 2 3

3 4 4 7

page 14 introduced] Added in the same draft. indulgences] Second edition, ‘indulgencies’. See Life MS i. 64 l. 9 endnote. not] False start, ‘knowin[gly]’. licenced] Printed in the revises ‘licensed’.

317

NOTES TO PAGES 14–18

9 10 11

irregular] First draft, ‘illicit’. whatsoever] Printed in the revises ‘whatever’. sexes.’] Although the final words of JB’s original speech (‘at all’) were never deleted, the compositor ignored them, since ‘whatsoever’ had replaced them in JB’s last revision, and a period followed ‘sexes’. 12 than is done] Printed ‘than it is done’ in the second and third editions, an error corrected in Hill-Powell. 14 by … law] Printed in the revises ‘in proportion to the force of law’. 24 he knows] Added in the same draft. 24 debauched] Printed in the revises ‘seduced’. 25–26 should he keep] A caret after ‘he’ suggests that JB almost opted for the phrase ‘ought he to keep’. 28 he] Printed in the revises ‘the father’. 33 indeed if any] MS orig. ‘indeed any’. 36 wickedness] Printed in the revises ‘frailty’. 37 this is the state of life] Printed in the revises ‘the state of life is this’. page 15 4 to tell] Printed in the revises ‘to say to’. 9 about him] Added in the same draft. 17 country] Printed in the revises ‘district’. 25 grand] Omitted in the printing of the revises. 28 and] False start, ‘his’. 31 to refute] MS orig. ‘to the [?contrary]’, a false start. page 16 an] JB accidentally wrote ‘and’ instead of ‘an’; he caught his mistake in revision, but scored through the ‘n’ as well as the ‘d’. The compositor made the obviously required correction, printing ‘an’. 10 Five] Written over ‘£’. 10 with an apology] Added in the same draft. 14 would not accept it] Second edition, ‘would not accept of it’. 14–15 other … pounds] Printed in the revises ‘five hundred pounds more’. 17–18 I thought of going out with him; and had I] Printed in the revises ‘I had some intention of accompanying him. Had I’. 18 but] Written over ‘But’. 20 who was reckoned] Printed in the revises ‘whom shallow observers have supposed to have been’. 23 drew of them] Printed in the revises ‘often drew’. 23 often] Printed in the revises ‘frequently’. 31 have] Omitted in the printing of the revises. 32 money scrivener] Printed in the revises ‘money-scrivener’. 5

page 18 3 quits] Written over ‘le[aves]’. 4–5 by imperceptible degrees] Added in the same draft. 10 tradesman] False start, ‘if he had no unfavour[able]’. The fact that JB deleted this false start only when he deleted ‘tradesman’ and the rest of the phrase modifying it may suggest that MS opp. 564 contains only two stages of drafting and not (as transcribed) three. However, his attempt to resolve the alternatives ‘opinion÷suspicion’ does not look as though it was

318

NOTES TO PAGES 18–21

made in either the first or final drafts evident on the page. then. One] In the same draft JB added an ampersand to make it ‘then & One’, but deleted it. 14 Balow] Printed in the revises ‘Ballow’. 14 seen] Written over ‘been’, a false start. 16 hurt] Printed in the revises ‘sorry’. 18 it] Printed in the revises ‘this’; in the second edition changed to ‘such cessations of acquaintance’. 19 said] Printed in the revises ‘added’. 19–20 ‘My knowledge … whom I] MS orig. ‘His knowledge of Physick he said he had learnt from Dr. James whom he’.

13

page 19 1 some] Omitted in the second edition; reinstated by Hill-Powell. 6 rank] Added in the same draft. 7 elegant] Printed in the revises ‘brilliant’. 11 good] Added in the same draft. page 20 ship which carried it having] MS orig. ‘ship having’, as evident from the last word on MS 564 (‘ship’) and its catchword (‘having’). JB began MS 565 with the phrase ‘ship which carried it’, however, and so deleted ‘having’ on the previous page to make ‘ship’ his catchword. 6 this] Written over ‘the’. 16 there] Printed in the revises ‘very many’. 17 he wished … cards.] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 19–20 sometimes … maintain] MS orig. ‘in conversation maintain sometimes’. 20 opinions] False starts, (1) ‘which he would not’; (2) ‘of which he was sensible’. 20 wrong] MS orig. ‘wrong. He would’, a false start. 21 conspicuous.] False start, ‘When’. 22 of] JB’s clear intention, and printed so, even though he wrote ‘or’. 26 incited to argue] Above the line JB wrote and deleted a word difficult to decipher, possibly ‘set’, perhaps to form the alternative ‘set to argue’. See MS 579 (p. 32 l. 6) for a revision of ‘set’ to ‘incite’, suggesting that the words for JB were roughly equivalent in such a context. 27 it] Omitted in the second edition; restored by Hill-Powell. 28 once observed to me] First draft, ‘said to me once of him’. 29 show] Altered to ‘shew’ in the second edition. 30 I have heard Johnson pay] MS orig. ‘Johnson paid’. 34 at seven] Added in the same draft. 37 Easter Day,] Added in the same draft. 37 7 April Easter Day] Printed in the revises ‘April 7, Easter-day’. 5

page 21 3–4 Lord and Saviour] Printed in the revises ‘LORD and SAVIOUR’. 8 from her conjugal] Printed in the revises ‘from conjugal’. 13 mankind] Changed to ‘men’ in the second edition. 15 eclesiastical] Printed in the revises ‘ecclesiastical’. 17 at] Printed in the revises ‘with’. 18 want] First draft ‘maintain’.

319

NOTES TO PAGES 21–24

20 21

in] Written over a false start, ‘w[ith]’. Sir] Written over a false start, ‘her’.

page 22 3 forty years from] Printed in the revises ‘forty years absent from’. 5–6 I said I should not … Ancestors.] Printed in the revises ‘I said “I should not … ancestors.”’ 8 Levet] Printed in the revises ‘Levett’. 9 [he>] Mr. Macbean] This clarification appears to be in Plymsell’s hand. 10 against] MS orig. ‘of’. 11 of creditors as well as of debtors] Printed ‘of creditors as well as debtors’ in the third edition, perhaps by error. The original wording was adopted by Hill-Powell. 11 such] Added in the same draft. 14 were] Printed in the revises ‘are’. 16 after … paid] MS orig. ‘having after a few years ceased to be paid’, a false start. 17 consequence] Written ‘consequences’ by mistake, but printed correctly in the revises. 10–17 this that the law … borrower.] Printed in the revises ‘this: that “the law … borrower.”’ 18 Mrs. Williams …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 19 on] Written with a large ‘O’ over ‘fr’, a false start. 21 forlorn] False start, ‘state of’. 21 indigent] MS orig. ‘dis[?tressed]’. 21 which] False start, ‘she w[as]’. 21 father] MS orig. ‘Father’. 23 as] Printed in the revises ‘so as’. 23 sometimes] Added in the same draft. 25 she] Written over ‘se’, a false start. 25 the delicacy of persons] MS orig. ‘persons’. 27 After coffee …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 30 misery] Printed in the revises ‘the misery’. 31 I beleive] Printed in the revises ‘I believe, Sir,’. 31 there is] Added in the same draft. 33 general] Added in the same draft. 34 After] False start, ‘chur[ch]’. 34 After the service] Printed in the revises ‘When the service was ended’. 36 in some things;] Added in the same draft. page 23 into] JB inserted this preposition in revision, having inadvertently left it out of his first draft. 11 Dr. Johnson & I were] Printed in the revises ‘Dr. Johnson and I passed’. 19 the classical scenes] Printed in the revises ‘classical scenes’. 20 idea] Printed in the revises ‘scheme’. 34 entitled The Patriot. He] Printed ‘entitled “The Patriot,” He’. The incorrect comma was changed to a period in the second edition. 38–39 in order … profit] Added in the same draft.

3

2

page 24 after dinner in very ... festivity] Added in the same draft. The ‘v’ in ‘very’

320

NOTES TO PAGES 24–27

is written over the start of a different letter, possibly ‘t’ for ‘in the very’. 7 men who] MS orig. ‘who who’. 12 be] Accidentally deleted in revision, but printed in the revises. 12–13 other peoples children] Printed in the revises ‘other persons’ children’. JB changed this to ‘another person’s children’, but then reverted to ‘other people’s children’, his original phrase in MS. 13 many people] Printed ‘many’ in the revises. 13 there are many people who] The fact that JB scored out ‘who’ and then wrote it in again shows some indecision in resolving his alternatives for this sentence. 16 myself] A later addition. page 25 1 Poetry] Printed ‘Poems’ in the revises. 3 by] Added in the same draft. 9 Johnson] Revision supplied in Plymsell’s hand. 10 ‘The Lives … Cibber’] MS orig. ‘“Cibber’s The Lives of the Poets”’. 17 Ciberr] Printed in the revises ‘Cibber’. page 26 that the Memoirs … literature.] Printed as a quotation in the revises, ‘that “The Memoirs … literature.”’ 5 Book] MS orig. ‘Memoirs’; probably changed when JB altered ‘Gray’s Life’ to ‘the Memoirs of Gray’s Life’. 5 I forced] MS orig. ‘I have forced.’ 8 He gave] Printed in the revises ‘He now gave’. 8–9 that Aikenside … Mason.] Printed as a quotation in the revises, ‘that “Akenside … Mason.”’ 18 passed] False start, ‘in the co[nversation]’. 18 this subject] Printed ‘the subject’ in the revises. 18 the] False start, ‘Crit[ical]’. 20 Monthly] MS orig. ‘monthly’. 21–22 but they are christians] JB originally chose the alternative ‘but christians’, then changed his mind to incorporate ‘they are’, writing the phrase in again. 24 the constitution … State] MS orig. ‘both Church and State’. The word ‘constitution’ figures in a toast: see p. 119 ll. 10–11, Hill-Powell iv. 29. 26 chiefly] Added in the same draft. 29 He talked …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 30 and] Added in the same draft. 1

page 27 himself.’] Immediately after JB’s quotation marks, ink strokes in the pattern of cover up something difficult to decipher, perhaps an exclamation point. 6 wonderful] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘strange’. 9 the÷a time] Added in the same draft. 14 we do] In revising ‘one does’, JB wrote in ‘we’ but did not change ‘does’, a mistake presumably corrected by the compositor. 16 perceived] On the revises Selfe queried this word; JB let it stand. 20 remembered] Printed in the revises ‘mentioned’. 22 But] Written over a false start, either ‘J[ohnson]’ or ‘I[nce]’. 4

321

NOTES TO PAGES 27–31

23 24

not allow that the Paper] MS orig. (1) ‘not allow the Paper’; (2) ‘not allow any merit to the Paper’. written] Changed to ‘reported to be written’ in the second edition.

page 28 1 He mentioned] Printed ‘Johnson mentioned’. 1–2 He was] Added in another hand, possibly Plymsell’s. 5 that] Added in the same draft. 6 in growth] Added in the same draft. 7 while] MS orig. ‘though’. 8 very flattering] Revision in another hand, again possibly Plymsell’s. 9 but it concluded with] Added in the same draft. 11 perhaps] Added in the same draft. 19 and … pleasure] Printed in the revises ‘and where I had ever afterwards the honour’. 24 a small part] Printed in the revises ‘a small part’. 25 inferiour] JB began to write ‘l[ow]’ again before drafting this alternative. 26–28 ‘Comment! … Homme.’] Printed in italics. On the revises JB changed the period after ‘Homme’ to an exclamation point. 36 else] Added in the same draft. page 29 7–8 inferiority — from] Printed ‘inferiority, — from’. JB’s dash was removed in the second edition. 10 these] Printed in the revises ‘those’. 14–15 The Mediterranean … poem.] Printed in the revises ‘THE MEDITERRANEAN … poem.’ In correcting the revises, JB inserted quotation marks around General Paoli’s observation. 20–21 with Oratory which is poetical] MS orig. ‘by Poetry’. 24–25 we cannot … original language] Printed in the revises ‘the beauties of poetry cannot be preserved in any language except that in which it was originally written’. 27 Sir] Added in the same draft. page 30 5 general] Added in the same draft. 10 own] Omitted in the printing of the revises. 19 a gentleman] Added in the same draft. 29–30 then asked “is not this very fine?”] Printed in the revises ‘then asked, — Is not this fine?’ A false start above ‘asked’ in the MS suggests that JB momentarily had thought to phrase his second alternative as follows: ‘then “Si[r” I asked] “is not this very fine?”’ 31 Sir] Added in the same draft. page 31 2 in÷on the ] Added in the same draft. 3 Dr. Goldsmith] Printed ‘Goldsmith’ in the revises. 3 when] Written over a false start, ‘where’. 3 we were all] Printed in the revises ‘they and I were’. 16 without] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘no’. 24–25 know … tell] In the revises these two words were printed in italics.

322

NOTES TO PAGES 31–36

28

Mr. Thomas Davies’s] Printed in the revises ‘our friend Tom Davies’s’.

page 32 a Liecestershire Gentleman … Tragedy] Changed in the second edition to ‘of Leicestershire, authour of “Zobeide,” a tragedy, a very pleasing gentleman, to whom my friend Dr. Farmer’s very excellent Essay on the Learning of Shakspeare is addressed’. 2 written and published] First draft, ‘published’. 5 are the passions to be purged] A later addition. 9 sense?] Printed in the revises with a period, not a question mark. 10 mind] Written over an illegible false start, perhaps ‘s[oul]’. 11 action] Printed ‘actions’ in the revises. 1

page 33 6 expression] MS orig. illegible, possibly ‘elo[quence]’. 8 I …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision of J 47. 8 that] Omitted in the printing of the revises. 16 Cassios] False start, ‘pas[sions]’. 19 He …] Originally run on; new paragraph cued by JB when he indented his revision, ‘Talking of …’. 20 acquaintance] False start, ‘he said th[at]’. 20 Johnson] Printed ‘Johnson’; JB’s underscoring was inadvertent. 21 an … money] Printed in the revises ‘impotence to spend his money’. 22 bottle] Written ‘bottel’, JB having misplaced the ‘e’ after drafting ‘bottl’. 23 sowr] Printed ‘sour’ in the revises. 24 He …] Run on in J 47; marked for new paragraph in revision for the Life. This paragraph led one reader to hope that JB himself might undertake ‘a new Edition of John Dennis’s Critical Works’ (Corr. 2a, p. 390). 27 Tom …] Run on in J 47; marked for new paragraph when revised for the Life. page 35 of] False start, ‘the hi[ghest]’. this evening] Added in the same draft. drank] Printed ‘drunk’ in the revises; see p. 240 n. 3. Dr.] Printed ‘Doctor’ in the revises. dinner time] Printed ‘dinner-time’ in the revises. Johnson.] Not underscored in revision, yet duly printed in small caps. tumultous] Printed ‘tumultuous’ in the revises. clamorous] Printed ‘clamourous’ in the revises; changed to ‘clamorous’ in the second edition. 27 merriment] JB’s original word in his journal was ‘mirth’. 28 Sir Joshua said] Printed in the revises ‘SIR JOSHUA.’

6 9 18 21 24 26 27 27

page 36 Perhaps — a contempt. And] Printed in the revises ‘Perhaps, contempt. And’. In correcting the revises JB reinserted a dash, not where he had placed it in the journal, but before ‘And’. 5 it’s] Printed in the revises ‘its’. 16–17 by the common … bear=beating] Printed in the revises ‘as by the common participation of any pleasure. Cock-fighting or bear-baiting’. JB restored his original punctuation, changing the period back to a semicolon and the capital ‘C’ in ‘Cock-fighting’ back to lower case. 3

323

NOTES TO PAGES 36–39

19

were] Printed ‘are’ in the revises, in conformity with the rest of the passage. JB had overlooked this verb when, in converting his record of Johnson’s talk in this section from indirect to direct discourse, he changed the others from past to present tense. 25–26 was improved] MS orig. ‘grows br[isker]’. Printed in the revises ‘is made brisker’. 30 I …] Run on in J 47; marked for new paragraph when revised for the Life. 34 Johnson.] Not underscored in revision, yet duly printed in small caps. 36 when I had company] Printed in the revises ‘when in company’. 39 it’s] Printed in the revises ‘its’. page 37 5 just as they were] False start, ‘pr’. 7 of it] Added in the same draft. 4–8 almost all … be done.] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 9 He …] Run on in J 47; marked for new paragraph when revised for the Life. 10 just … prompted] Printed in the revises ‘whatever his immediate inclination prompts him to’. 15 Amelia] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 21 Sir Joshua …] Run on in J 47; marked for new paragraph when revised for the Life. 35 writer] False start, ‘notwithstanding [undeciphered word]’. 1 4 5 8 13 14 21 22 30

page 38 We …] Run on in J 47; marked for new paragraph when revised for the Life. were to be] Printed in the revises ‘were to remain’. Johnson.] Not underscored in revision, yet duly printed in small caps. and Miss] Added in the same draft. the] Written over ‘an’. there.] False start, ‘I had expected’. lye] Printed in the revises ‘lie’. some where] Printed in the revises ‘somewhere’. one] Added in the same draft.

page 39 26 of April] Printed in the revises ‘26th of April’. Thrale] False starts, (1) ‘of whose family I made [undeciphered letter]’; (2) ‘with’. 5 But] False start, ‘Dr. Johnson’. 5–6 stay at home for me] Printed in the revises ‘sit at home’. 7 came home] Printed in the revises ‘returned’. 8 groupe] Changed to ‘group’ in the second edition. 10 who differed … politicks] Added in the same draft. 21 not] JB added this word in revision, having left it out of his original draft. 22 mentioned that] Printed in the revises ‘mentioned, I know not with what truth, that’. 26 employed] Added in the same draft. 28 peoples] The printer placed an apostrophe after the ‘s’; Selfe transposed them in the revises. 31 almost all his own] Changed to ‘almost his own’ in the second edition. 31 the partner of Tonson] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘Tonson’s partner’. 2 3

324

NOTES TO PAGES 39–42

32–33 the Distressed Mother] Printed as a title in the revises, within quotation marks and with a capital ‘T’. page 40 government at present is imbecillity] Printed in the revises ‘government present is imbecility’. JB restored the missing ‘at’ and the second ‘l’ to imbecillity. That ‘l’ vanished in the third edition. 4 the blind rage of] Added in the same draft. 16–17 which I fear … general] In revision, JB initially tried to expand this clause. He crossed out the last three words, which ran to the edge of the page, and recopied them near the left margin, giving himself room to complete his thought: ‘is very general &’. Nothing, however, follows the ampersand. JB abandoned the false start and deleted what he had recopied, along with the rest of the clause.

2

page 41 one] False start in revision, ‘it’. many] The beginning of a deletion stroke through the ‘m’ suggests that in resolving his alternatives, JB started to reject ‘many’, but stopped and deleted ‘numbers’ instead. 5 under the earth or] Added in the same draft. 6 I wish] JB blotted out these words and recopied them above the line, perhaps because a stray ink mark between the original words created some ambiguity. 8 Sir] Added in the same draft. 12 Bath. ‘She] Printed in the revises ‘Bath; observing, “She’. 13 character] Printed in the revises ‘characters’, whether by mistake or revision in proof is unknown. 15 article by article] Added in the same draft. 16 in] Written over ‘a[s]’, a false start. 17 with] Changed to ‘by’ in the second edition. 18 describing] Written over the false start of another word, ‘r[?elating]’. 19 He÷The Sage] The second alternative, difficult to decipher beneath JB’s deletion, is offered as a plausible reading. JB rejected both in favour of ‘Johnson’, which he wrote next to ‘The Sage’, but then deleted and recopied it on the facing leaf to follow his revision to the previous sentence. 23 With your wings you must fly Madam] Printed in the revises ‘With your wings, Madam, you must fly’. 23–24 have a care] Added in the same draft. 27 gone] Added in the same draft. 28 rather too rudely] Printed in the revises ‘rather rudely’. 28 necessary.] Printed in the revises ‘necessary?’ 31 Otaheite] Changed to ‘Otaheité’ in the second edition. 1 1

page 42 themselves] Added in the same draft. The inhabitants of Otaheite] MS orig. ‘The Otaheite’, a false start. As above, ‘Otaheite’ was changed to ‘Otaheité’ in the second edition. 7 a state of] Added in the same draft. 8 may make] Above this JB aborted an alternative verb phrase: ‘may formu[late]’.

4 5

325

NOTES TO PAGES 42–44

8 9 10 10 13–14 11–15

A] This thick capital ‘A’ covers a false start, perhaps ‘M[ythology]’. amongst] MS orig. ‘among’. once] Added in the same draft. which has been] Added in the same draft. this in general] Changed in the second edition to ‘this is in general’. Only consider … Religion.] In the revises, JB turned SJ’s train of reasoning from five short sentences into a longer unit punctuated by colons and semi-colons. 18 Rowley’s Poetry] Enclosed within quotation marks in the revises. A lower case ‘p’ in the third edition was restored to a capital ‘P’ in Hill-Powell. 17–18 inquire … inquire] Both changed to ‘enquire’ in the second edition. 19 Ossians Poetry] Enclosed within quotation marks in the revises. 20 who was] MS orig. ‘whom Chatterton’, a false start. 25 looked] Printed in the revises ‘looking’, the alternative that JB rejected. 31 has] Written over a false start, ‘was’. 33 Honest Catcot …] Marked for a new paragraph in revision. 35 of St. Mary Redcliff] Added in the same draft, ‘Redcliff’ being written over ‘Radcliff’. 36 Warton] Written over ‘Mal[one]’, the name looks a bit like ‘Wahrton’ owing to the blotted out ‘l’. page 43 3 though] Written over a false start, ‘tr[oubled]’. 4 wondrous] Second edition, ‘wonderous’; Hill-Powell, ‘wondrous’. 4–5 ‘There’ said Catcot … credulity, ‘there] Printed in the revises ‘“There, (said Catcot, … credulity,) there’. 12 Ossian] Printed in the revises ‘Fingal’. 15 Fingal and Oscar and] Printed in the revises ‘Ossian, Oscar and’. 15 every one of them] Printed in italics in the revises. 19 Bristol.] False start, ‘When as his fellow traveller in various parts, I was considering’. 20 joke] Printed in the revises ‘raillery’. 27 slept] JB wrote ‘slept’, then ‘occupied’, and then ‘slept’ again. 29 at] Added in the same draft. 31 groupe] Changed to ‘group’ in the second edition. 38 our] A hole in the page has left only part of the ‘o’ showing; the whole catchword appears on MS 585. page 44 1–2 (to use the advertising phrase) is ‘of the Stock … deceased’] To mimic the advertising cadence more precisely, JB in revision moved his quotation marks to include ‘of’. In the revises ‘the advertising phrase’ was printed ‘an advertising phrase’. 5 … deposited.] Quotation marks cropped up at the end of this paragraph in the second edition, an error copied in the third edition but corrected in Hill-Powell. 7 the Beaux Stratagem] Printed within quotation marks in the revises, with ‘The’ capitalized. 10 Where] Written over a false start, ‘In cou[ntries]’. 13 the upper hand] Printed in the revises ‘the upper hand of women’. 18 The little volumes] False start in resolving the alternatives, ‘w[ith]’ in place of ‘under’.

326

NOTES TO PAGES 44–46

18

Respublicæ] Quotation marks were added to the italicized series title in the revises. 21 occasion] Printed in the revises ‘cause’. 23 near] Printed in the revises ‘nearly’. 24 Moral Philosophy] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 29 the task of] Added in the same draft. 31–32 all his relief from unhappiness is] MS orig. ‘his relief is’. page 45 by whom] Added in the same draft. ] Lost along the crumbled right edge of this page. I think] Added in the same draft. make] Printed in the revises ‘might be made’. restrained] Written over ‘s’, the first letter of a different adjective. quite] Added in the same draft. sitting in company] Added in the same draft. and nice] Added in the same draft. behaviour] Written over a false start, ‘m[anners]’. estimation] First draft ‘value’. when] False start, ‘dining’. when Lord Chesterfields Letters were mentioned] Added in the same draft. Changed by JB in the revises to ‘upon Lord Chesterfield’s Letters being mentioned’. 19 than be accused] Printed in the revises ‘than accused’. 21 sly] Printed ‘quanit’ in the revises; corrected to ‘quaint’ by JB. 22 (looking towards Johnson)] Added in the same draft. 22 all] Printed in italics in the revises. 23 one] Printed in italics in the revises. 24 I read] Printed in the revises ‘I read (said he)’. 28–29 should consider] Printed in the revises ‘ought to consider’. 32 has] Printed in the revises ‘may have’. 34 in the passage … “Asses of] MS orig. ‘in my explanation of the As passage where As is repeated and many other Asses of’. In the same draft JB changed the first part of this phrase to ‘in the passage where …’, by deleting ‘my explanation of the As’ and adding ‘the’. Next he deleted the entire phrase, but then reinstated ‘the passage where As is repeated’ by writing ‘stet’ above it four times. 39 attrocious] Printed ‘atrocious’ in the revises. 1 2 3 3 9 9 11 13 13 15 16 17

page 46 1–3 from÷with him /because … other/. Johnson.] MS orig. ‘from /with him. Johnson’. By making the subordinate clause optional, JB reserved the choice of returning to his first impulse, which was merely to register his dissent and have it countered immediately by SJ. 4 if he inclined] Printed in the revises ‘if he were inclined to it’. 7 much] Added in the same draft. 9 building] Second edition, ‘buildings’; Hill-Powell, ‘building’. 10 conveniency] Accidentally misspelled ‘convenency’; apparently corrected by the compositor. 11 industry?] Printed with a period; corrected to a question mark in the revises.

327

NOTES TO PAGES 46–49

13 17 19–20 27

pease] Printed in the revises ‘peas’. half guinea] Printed in the revises ‘half-guinea’. industrious … idle] These adjectives are printed in italics in the revises. suffer] False start in continuation of the sentence, ‘when so much general exertion and productive’. 28–29 they would not care] A later addition.

page 47 3 compleats] Printed in the revises ‘completes’. 12 his] Added in the same draft. 15 Levet] Printed ‘Levett’ (so in revises). 16 him] JB’s almost chose ‘his life’, as shown by an extraneous caret, but decided that ‘him’ was the alternative better suited to his revision. 19 therefore should] False start, ‘take care to have’. 20 that] Printed in the revises ‘of which’. 22 in to] Changed to ‘into’ on the revises. 23 indeed] Added in the same draft. 23–24 Said Belcher the Surgeon “Did … hour?”] Printed in the revises ‘“Did he indeed speak half an hour? (said Belchier, the surgeon,)”’. Selfe closed the internal quotation after ‘hour?’ 24 And] Added in the same draft. 30 use] First written ‘Use’ over a false start, ‘a[?ssume]’, and then recopied above. page 48 One man may] Second edition, ‘One may’; Hill-Powell, ‘One man may’. as to injure] MS orig. ‘as injure’. Annals of Scotland] MS orig. ‘Annals’. Quotation marks enclosed the title in the revises. 8 there is÷it has] Hurriedly drafting his alternatives, JB left out the word ‘is’. 12 Old Testament] MS orig. ‘old testament’. 17 Hammand] Printed in the revises ‘Hammond’. 18 I] False starts, (1) ‘begged his’; (2) ‘was favoured with’; (3) ‘was favoured by him with’. 19 in which I was Counsel] Printed in the revises ‘in which I was engaged’. 19 a] Written over ‘the’. 22 friend] False start, ‘Sir Archibal[d]’. 23 very rudely] Added in the same draft. 23 Newspaper] Printed in lower case; changed to ‘news-paper’ in the third edition. 24 that] Written over ‘the’, a false start. 1 3 6

page 49 pretty severely] Printed ‘with some severity’ in the revises. he] Printed ‘the agent’ in the revises. lies] Printed in the revises ‘lies from the chair of veracity’. The word ‘veracity’ became ‘verity’ in the second edition. Croker noted that the French called a pulpit ‘la chaire de vérité’ (Hill-Powell iii. 58 n. 3). 6 Mr.] Added in the same draft. 7 who had also had] Printed ‘who also had’ in the third edition; Hill-Powell restored the original text. 3 3 5

328

NOTES TO PAGES 49–51

20 21 21

power] Changed in the revises to ‘powers’. composition] MS orig. ‘composing’. Performance] Changed in the revises first to ‘excellent discourse’, then ‘excellent dissertation’. 21 Performance] False start, ‘that he dictated the first eight paragraphs of it on the 10 of May, resumed it on the 13’. 22–23 10 of May … the 13] Printed in the revises ‘10th of May, and the remainder on the 13th’. 23 only] Written over ‘b[ut]’. 24 accurate] Written over undeciphered letters. page 50 eminent men in every way] Printed in the revises ‘celebrated men of every description’. 5 singled out from] Printed ‘selected out from’ in the revises; adjusted to ‘selected out of’ in the second edition. 6 one another] Almost choosing ‘each other’, JB scored through ‘one’, but then wrote it again and deleted ‘each’. 6 keenly] Printed in the revises ‘with some asperity’. 7 their writings] The deleted word ‘politic’ (followed by the merest start of an ‘a’) shows that JB began modifying his preferred alternative to ‘their political writings’. 10 I ever delighted] Printed in the revises ‘I have ever delighted’. 17 between] Written ‘betw’; second syllable added in revision. 20–21 You … me as a middle quality.] In resolving his alternatives, JB put a caret after ‘You’ to place the phrase ‘as a middle quality’ near the beginning of the sentence. He then crossed out that caret, put another after ‘Johnson’, and drew a line to place the phrase there instead. In doing so, he left alone the phrase at the end of the sentence, apparently wanting now to repeat it in both clauses. 23–24 on the part of Johnson] First draft, ‘in Johnson’. 24 cause] Added in the same draft. 24 had] False starts, (1) ‘conceived an opinion of Sir John as’; (2) ‘very erroneously conceived a disadv opinion of Sir John’. 25 conceived a very] Printed ‘formed a very’ in the revises to avoid repetition; ‘conceived’ occurs in the next sentence. 30 hospitable & well covered] Added in the same draft. 34 Messieurs Dilly in the Poultry] False start in this revision, ‘whose hospitable & well-covered table’. Having deleted ‘at’, he now wrote it in again, deleted ‘hospitable & well-covered’, and proceeded from the phrase ‘at whose table’. 2

page 51 Dilly] Printed ‘Dillys’ in the revises; changed back to ‘Dilly’ in the second edition. 9 except at that] Printed in the revises ‘except that’, the preposition (added in revision) possibly having been overlooked. 10–11 at dinner] Omitted from the revises. 12 What with Mr. Wilkes —] Added in the same draft. 15 negotiate] Printed ‘negociate’ in the revises. 17 together] Printed ‘both here’ in the revises. 20 means of] JB omitted the preposition when shifting to draft alternatives above the line. 7

329

NOTES TO PAGES 51–54

24 29 31

I hoped would gain] Printed in the revises ‘I hoped I should gain’. in] Printed ‘into’ in the revises. were] Either JB’s pen slipped, or the ‘w’ is written over another letter, possibly a ‘v’. 32–33 to carry on] Printed ‘to open’ in the revises. 33 sends his] MS orig. ‘has his’, a false start perhaps for ‘has sent his’. 34 to dine] Added in the same draft. 35 along with me] Added in the same draft. page 52 Johnson.] Added in the same draft. BOSWELL.] Added in the same draft. Johnson.] Added in the same draft. to suppose] Printed ‘to imagine’ in the revises; ‘suppose’ had just appeared in JB’s preceding speech. 10 what he calls] Added in the same draft. 12 if] The undeleted start of an alternative phrase, possibly ‘if Jack Wilkes should be’. 13 Sir?] Added in the same draft. 20 much expected] Printed in the revises ‘much-expected’. 20 called] Written over a false start, ‘w[ent]’. 20 half] Added in the same draft. 21 as I often … together] Added in the same draft. 21 to see] The ‘to’ is written over an illegible false start. 27 going to] Added in the same draft. 30 dissappointed] Although ‘disppointed’ stood uncorrected in the revises, ‘disappointed’ appeared in the first edition. See ante p. 51 n. 4. 1 1 4 5

page 53 1 Here was …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 4 sometimes] Printed ‘frequently’ in the revises. 7 but] Added in the same draft. 8 told me he] Added in the same draft. 9–10 ‘Yes Sir … home.’] This retort was phrased as a quotation from the outset, but JB added quotation marks in revision to make his intention doubly clear. 10 such that I know] Printed ‘such, I know that’ in the revises, where JB changed it back. 19 by me] Added in the same draft. 19 honour … have] Printed in the revises ‘honour he expected to have’. 21 intreaties] Printed ‘solicitations’ in the revises. 22 intreaties] Printed ‘entreaties’ in the revises. 24 all things considered] Added in the same draft. 24–25 Johnson that ‘all things] Printed in the revises ‘Johnson, “That all things’. 28 Williams’s] The final ‘s’, omitted in the second edition, was restored by Hill-Powell. page 54 company whom he] Printed in the revises ‘company he’. for he was] Written ‘for was’, without the intended pronoun. at least] Added in the same draft. eyes] Changed by JB to ‘eye’ in the revises.

2 8 13 13

330

NOTES TO PAGES 54–57

13 15 20 24 24 26 27 28 31

intensely] Printed ‘intently’ in the revises. situation … was] Printed in the revises ‘feeling, I dare say, was’, and changed by JB to ‘feelings, I dare say, were’. disposition &] Added in the same draft. besides] Second edition, ‘beside’; Hill-Powell, ‘besides’. Mr. Wilkes &] Added in the same draft. Letsom] Printed ‘Letsome’; corrected in the revises to ‘Lettsom’. Mrs. Knowles] False starts, (1) ‘the’; (2) ‘in’; (3) ‘well known fo[r]’. various] Added in the same draft. attention & politeness] Situated above ‘politeness’ as part of an alternative, ‘attention’ was deleted and rewritten, possibly in EM’s hand, to clarify its incorporation into this revised phrase.

page 55 1 tasty] Printed ‘delicate’ in the revises. 1–2 at great pains] Printed ‘very assiduous’ in the revises. 5–6 giving you some butter.] Before choosing this alternative, JB deleted ‘giving’, but changed course and wrote it down again. 6 squeese] Printed ‘squeeze’ in the revises. 8 cried] Printed ‘cryed’ in the revises; first edition, ‘cried’ (see p. 51 n. 4). 12 has] Written over ‘is’, a false start. 12 & variety] Added in the same draft. 17 for his wit] Second edition, ‘for wit’; Hill-Powell restored ‘his’. 17 between] Misprinted ‘been’ in the revises, and corrected by JB. 23 you know] Omitted in the revises. 25 comical] Having rejected each alternative before returning to this one, JB had to write it in again. 27 had … of] Printed in the revises ‘experienced, in an extraordinary degree’. page 56 4 and was] Printed ‘and he was’ in the revises. 18 I have ever seen] Added in the same draft. 24 I] Added in the same draft. 25 loud] Printed ‘loudly’ in the revises. 27 any body and] MS orig. ‘any body.’ 27 one that I know÷man in England] Evidently in EM’s hand. 28 know] Printed in the revises ‘am acquainted with’. 34 you dont] Printed in the revises ‘do not’. 37 attacked] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘assaulted’. page 57 1–2 much obloquy and much envy] Printed in the revises ‘much obloquy and envy’. 4 I knew] Added in the same draft. 5 Swiney …. Swiney’s] Second edition, ‘Swinney …. Swinney’s’. 6–9 this that ‘At Will’s] By capitalizing ‘At’ in revision, JB turned Swiney’s anecdote into a quotation within SJ’s speech. In print, the quotation began on the previous word: ‘this, “That at Will’s’ (so in revises). 12 him] Written over ‘no m[ore]’, part of JB’s original opening clause, ‘Cibber remembered no m[ore]’, a false start. 12–13 but that he remembered … Will’s.] Like Swiney’s anecdote, Cibber’s was

331

NOTES TO PAGES 57–61

printed in the revises as a quotation within SJ’s speech: ‘but “That he remembered … Will’s.”’ 14 then] JB first deleted the optional word, then wrote it in again. 15–16 ‘Yet Cibber … observation.’] Punctuated as a question in the revises. 16 Apology] As a book title, printed within quotation marks in the revises. page 58 6 remarked] Printed in the revises ‘observed’. 7 Nymph] Inadvertently written ‘Numph’. 8 worshiped] Printed in the revises ‘worshipped’. 8 all] Added in the same draft. 8 Inveraray] Printed ‘Inverary’ in the revises. 8–9 in the time of] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘on a visit to’. 9 my old friend] Added in the same draft. 9 Argyll] Printed ‘Argyle’ in the revises, and never corrected. 10 truly] Changed to ‘truely’ in the second edition. 12 brought] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘been ready to bring’. 14 Aylesbury] Printed in italics in the revises. 17 Art of Poetry] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. page 59 1 Difficile … dicere.] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 18 (second) meant] Printed ‘signified here’ in the revises; changed to ‘signifys here’, but printed ‘signifies here’ in the first edition. (The word ‘meant’ already occurs earlier in the phrase.) 19 had] Changed in the revises to ‘have’. 20 that this appeared] Changed in the revises to ‘this appears’. 21 tuque] Printed in the revises ‘Tuque’. 22 Rectius iliacum] Printed ‘Rectiùs Iliacum’ here and below (p. 60 l. 20). 23 Quam] Printed ‘Quàm’ here and below (p. 60 l. 21). page 60 4 mankind] Added in the same draft. 6 startle] Changed to ‘be surprised’ in the second edition. 6 when] Written over a false start, ‘th[?at]’. 6–7 John Wilkes] Printed in italics in the revises. 11 appears] MS orig. ‘will [appear]’. 12 Epistola ad Pisones] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 13–14 necessary … question that] MS orig. ‘proper that’. 23 moraberis] The letters ‘ris’ are written above an incorrect word ending that JB blotted out. 16–26 Si quid … operis lex.] Printed in italics in the revises. 30 judges] Printed in italics in the revises. 34 Writers.’] The closing quotation marks, implicit in MS but absent in the revises and first edition, were first supplied in the second edition. 1 2 3 3

page 61 City Poet] Printed in the revises ‘City-Poet’. The last was Elkanah Settle.] A later addition. names] Printed in italics in the revises. Elkanah Settle] Printed in italics in the revises.

332

NOTES TO PAGES 61–63

3 4 6 7 14 14 10–15 17 20

queer] Printed in italics in the revises. name.] Printed ‘name?’ in the revises. Communia hoc loco … occupata] Underscored for italics in revision. ignota indictaque] Underscored for italics in revision. habita] Printed ‘habitâ’ in the first edition. penitus] Printed ‘penitùs’ in the revises. Difficile quidem … exhibere.] Underscored for italics in revision. imploys] Printed ‘employs’ in the revises. dissuades] Spelled correctly in the first edition, though misprinted ‘dissades’ in the revises. See ante p. 51 n. 4. 23 ‘Difficile EST … Greek writers.’] Instead of one set of quotation marks in this paragraph, the revises have three: (1) ‘Difficile EST … DICERE.’; (2) ‘Communia … occupata.’; (3) ‘Difficile quidem … Greek writers.’ 24 (with all deference … clear),] Added in the same draft. 25 Difficile … dicere] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 27 The …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in the same draft. 29 of Horace] MS orig. [undeciphered words]. 29–30 res … tractare.] Originally marked for italics; underlining crossed out in the same draft. 35 of] Added in the same draft. 36 ne’st] Printed ‘ne’est’ in the revises; first edition, ‘n’est’ (see p. 51 n. 4). 36 á … á] Printed ‘à … à’. 37 characteres] Printed ‘charactêres’ in the revises; first edition, ‘caractêres’ (see p. 51 n. 4).

page 62 John] A later addition. Elkanah] Added in the same draft. c’est á dire … d’Homere.] Printed in italics, with quotation marks around Sanadon’s commentary; for the corrected accent, see endnote for p. 61 l. 36. 10 marquè] Changed to ‘marqué’ in the second edition. 11 qualitès] Printed in the revises ‘qualités’. 12 Poétes] Printed in the revises ‘Poêtes’. 13 tres] Printed in the revises ‘três’. 18 quils] Printed in the revises ‘qu’ils’. 10–18 Apres … occupant.] Printed in italics in the revises, with JB’s underscorings in roman. 22 the Poet] Printed ‘Horace’ in the revises. 22 article] False start, ‘of’. 25 should] MS orig. ‘when’. 28–29 proprie … appropriated] MS orig. ‘proprie dicere signifies to appropriated’. 31 with] Written over a false start, possibly ‘is’. 1 1 8

3 3 9 11 11

page 63 this] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘it’. Why Sir] Added in the same draft. Why Meat] Printed in the revises ‘Why, yes; meat’. JB added ‘Sir’ after ‘yes’. quite sportively quite in jest] Printed in the revises ‘sportively, quite in jest’. shewed] Printed in the revises ‘showed’.

333

NOTES TO PAGES 63–69

13 17

both] Printed in the revises ‘both of them’. in Scotland] In the revises JB changed ‘in’ to ‘of’, but ‘for’ was printed in the first edition (see p. 51 n. 4). 21 summary … person] Printed in the revises ‘a seizure of the person before judgement is obtained’. 21 can] First draft, ‘could’. 26 to see] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘and shewed him’. 30–31 at home] Printed in the revises ‘in Scotland’. 31 grave] Added in the same draft. 32 decent] Added in the same draft. 32 Johnson.] Printed in the revises ‘JOHNSON. (smiling)’. page 64 2 Mcaulay] Printed in the revises ‘Macaulay’. 6–7 about that Officer] Added in the same draft. 14 It is] Printed in the revises ‘Sir, it is’. page 65 1 Mr. Wilkes …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 7–8 though … wish] First draft, ‘though by no means perfect’. 8 this] Printed ‘a’ in the revises. 9 was not only pleasing at the time but] Added in the same draft. 10 differences] Printed ‘animosity’ in the revises. 12 widely] Either JB’s pen slipped, or the ‘w’ is written over one or two undeciphered letters. 18–19 said … Diplomatique.] Printed in the revises ‘said, that “there was … Diplomatique.”’ page 66 4 I talked …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 5–6 with whom … fame] Printed in the revises ‘whom I had visited, induced by the fame’. 7 enchanting] Printed ‘irresistible’ in the revises. page 67 It was I think] Added in the same draft. Pitsligo.] False start, ‘The Epitaph’.

1 6

page 68 Sir Joshua …] Originally run on, but marked for a new paragraph in the same draft, both here and beside the catchword on the previous leaf. 15 Johnson] False start, ‘I dare say’. 23 upon seeing Dr. Warton’s name] A later addition. 23–24 observed … in english] Printed in the revises ‘to the suggestion that the Epitaph should be in English, observed to Sir Joshua’. 26 resolutely] Printed in the revises ‘like a sturdy scholar, resolutely’.

5

page 69 by even some] JB deleted ‘even’ when correcting the revises. again and again] JB wrote only ‘again and’; the compositor printed the missing word.

8 10

334

NOTES TO PAGES 69–72

11 16 16 18 21 22

3 3 8

of] Added in the same draft. comparatively] Added in the same draft. though] Written over MS orig. ‘but’. can embrace] Printed in the revises ‘can, with equal facility, embrace’. Besides …] When JB moved this information into a footnote in the third edition, the first word became ‘Beside’. Ωλειβεριοο] MS orig. (1) Ωλειβειοο; (2) Ωλειβειροο. By means of successive carets, the letter rho (originally missing) was inserted in two different positions. To clarify its final position, Archdall placed an asterisk above the final letter of Goldsmith’s name, and above it wrote ‘*Lat. Oliverius’, suggesting that—as in the analogous Latinized form—the name stem should be ‘Oliveri’ rather than ‘Oliver’. The tetrastick as transcribed here was replaced by the version SJ sent to Langton (see p. 69 n. 2) when, in the third edition, it was moved to its proper location for the year 1774 (see Hill-Powell ii. 282). In that version, the middle portion of the first verse read ισορáας τον Ολιβαρíοιο. In the sixth edition (1811) the name stem was shortened, resulting in Ολιβαροιο; Hill-Powell printed Ολιβáροιο. See Letters of Johnson ed. Redford, ii. 148; Poems 1974, p. 198.

page 70 This] Written over a false start, possibly ‘H[e]’. which] False start, ‘for its excellence’. increasing] Printed ‘encreasing’, perhaps the result of JB’s not having dotted his ‘i’.

page 71 one of] In revision JB inserted ‘perhaps’ before this phrase, but deleted it in the same draft. 10 letter] Interlined false start, ‘to Dr.’, left undeleted, to which JB (in revision) added ‘Blair’ (see l. 12). 10–11 gone off] JB formed a large, exaggerated ‘g’ over the beginning of a different letter, most likely a ‘b’ (judging by his later revision of this phrase to ‘been sent off’). 15 discouraging] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘unfavourable’. 18 good] First draft, ‘too good’. 19 I …] Originally run on, but marked for new paragraph in the same draft. 22 £100] Printed in the revises ‘one hundred pounds’. 22 The] MS orig. ‘Their’. 24 honour] MS orig. ‘favour’, a false start. 24 to … Booksellers] Printed in the revises ‘to their honour’. 25 of one and then another £50] Printed in the revises ‘of one sum, and afterwards of another of fifty pounds’. After ‘another’ JB began to insert ‘s[um]’ but stopped himself. 27 £300] Printed in the revises ‘three hundred pounds’. 27 £500] Printed in the revises ‘five hundred pounds’. 8

page 72 2 octavo] Added in the same draft. 2 £600] Printed in the revises ‘six hundred pounds’. 4 privately÷in private] Added in the same draft. 10 It may be said of him that] First draft, ‘It may be that’.

335

NOTES TO PAGES 73–77

page 73 13 in] False start, ‘as[sistance]’ or ‘as[sisting]’. 14 on] False start, ‘her on’. page 74 2–3 Church … mind] First draft ‘church his impressions’. 8 To GEORGE STEEVENS Esq.] In the same draft, JB added and deleted ‘hampstead’ to this heading. 12 From] Omitted in the printing of the revises. 13 17 February 1777] Printed in the revises ‘Feb. 17, 1777’. 15–16 Journey … Scotland] Printed within quotation marks in the revises, in addition to the italics. 16 send] Printed in the revises ‘to send’. page 75 4 Journey to Corsica.] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 9 cloathing] Changed to ‘clothing’ in the second edition. 12 Journey] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 17 of Enclosures] Printed in the revises ‘of the enclosures’. 22 inquire] Printed in the revises ‘enquire’. 24 50 years] Printed in the revises ‘fifty years’. 24 74 year] Printed in the revises ‘seventy-fourth year’. 25 15th] Printed in the revises ‘fifteenth’. 26 that they] Changed to ‘and they’ in the second edition. 30 Dick] In the second letter after Dick’s (JB to SJ, 24 Feb. 1777), the salutation ‘MY DEAR SIR’ was changed to ‘DEAR SIR’ in the second edition; Hill-Powell restored ‘MY’ (iii. 105). The footnote on ‘Johnston’ in the next letter (SJ to JB, 11 Mar. 1777) was added in the second edition. In the same letter, ‘I had advised’ was printed ‘I advised’ in the second edition; Hill-Powell corrected the error (iii. 106). EM’s footnote in the following letter (JB to SJ, 4 Apr. 1777) originated in the third edition (Hill-Powell iii. 488). page 76 4 his admirable Work] Printed in the revises ‘that admirable performance’. 4–5 The Lives … Poets,] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 8 his pen] Changed to ‘Johnson’s pen’ in the second edition. 9 preceeding] Printed in the revises ‘preceding’. 9–10 marked … treated] Printed in the revises ‘a memorandum in this year, “29 May, Easter-Eve, I treated’. 11 and] Printed ‘but’ in the revises. 21–22 for Johnson’s concluding a treaty] First draft, ‘for concluding the treaty’. page 77 4 wrote you] Changed in the revises to ‘wrote to you’. 18 inaccurateness] Corrected in the revises to ‘inaccuracy’, evidently by Selfe. 23 reputable] Printed in the revises ‘respectable’. 25 Copyright] Hyphenated in the revises by Selfe, consistent with the handling of ‘copy right’ further on, evidently in proof (see p. 358, endnote for 154 l. 22). 27 40] Printed in the revises ‘forty’.

336

NOTES TO PAGES 77–82

29 29 32

The English Poets] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. the Concise] Printed in the revises ‘a concise’. viz.] Italicized in the first edition, though not so marked in the revises.

page 78 1 another Committee] Printed in the revises ‘A committee’. 2 viz.] Italicized in the first edition, though not so marked in the revises. 6 intend] Printed in the revises ‘mean’. 10 Edwd] Printed in the revises ‘Edward’. 22–23 O Conor] Printed ‘O’Conor’; second edition, ‘O’Connor’. 24 Belanagar] Not italicized in the revises. 26 Ed.] Printed in the revises ‘edit.’ page 79 Campbel] Printed ‘Campbell’ in the revises. language. But] Changed in the revises to ‘language; but’. inquiry] Printed in the revises ‘enquiry’. in two volumes Quarto] Added in the same draft.

2 9 13 22

page 80 excellent] MS orig. ‘eminent’. also] False start, ‘enriched the’. To the King] Printed in the revises ‘To The KING’; altered to ‘To THE KING’. 26 its design] Added in the same draft. 26 its design … Ministry] Changed in the second edition to ‘he being a writer for ministry, in one of the news-papers’. 27 fury] MS orig. ‘ministry’, an inadvertent repetition from a few words before. 27 and in the] False start, ‘phrase of’. 1 5 6

page 81 early] MS orig. ‘old’. concluded with] Changed to ‘introduced’ in the second edition. a handsome] MS orig. ‘a just and happy’; printed in the revises ‘an elegant’. Work] False start, ‘of [which]’. In the revises, ‘Work’ was printed ‘performance’. 10 that Work] Deleted by JB in correcting the revises. 10 justly] Printed in the revises ‘justly and liberally’. 17 shewing] Second edition, ‘showing’; Hill-Powell reverted to ‘shewing’. 19 his Father] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘his worthy father’. 19 Dr. Johnson.] False start, ‘Johnson’. 21 acknowledging] False start, ‘and’. 21 brilliant] False start, ‘talents of his son whom’. 24 of his age] Printed ‘of the his age’ in the third edition by mistake; corrected in Hill-Powell. 2 8 8 9

1

page 82 To … JOHNSON] In the revises, changed to ‘Mr. BOSWELL to Dr. JOHNSON’. In the text of the letter (9 June 1777), JB inserted ‘My friend’ before ‘Mr. Anderson’, and changed ‘think with respect to him’ to ‘think on that subject’ (i.e., on Dodd); EM turned ‘daring indecency’ into ‘daring

337

NOTES TO PAGES 82–86

8 9 9 11

12 13

effrontery’ and ‘vain and impudent infidelity’ into ‘vain and ostentatious infidelity’. In the second edition, ‘Murdoch’s life’ became ‘Murdoch’s account’, and ‘send at the time’ became ‘send it at the time’. In the third edition, ‘soberly’ was italicized. On … Johnson] Revision in Plymsell’s hand, with ‘again’ added in the same draft after a different word (made illegible by deletion) was tried. Marmalade of Oranges] Third edition, ‘orange-marmalade’. eleven sheets] Printed in the revises ‘a large packet’. To … Esq.] In SJ’s letter of 28 June 1777, JB inserted ‘him’ (referring to William Seward) in the revises after the word ‘given’ in the sentence ‘I have given letters to you and Beattie’. The footnote identifying Seward, present in the revises and first edition, received an additional phrase in the third, ‘F.R.S. editor of “Anecdotes of some distinguished persons,” &c. in four volumes, 8vo.’ To James Boswell Esq.] Printed in the revises ‘To the same’. His] Printed in the revises ‘Johnson’s’.

page 83 5 have] Added in the same draft. 11 cotemporary] Changed by Selfe in the revises to ‘contemporary’. 11–12 who … years.] To begin this revision, JB placed ‘in’ above the line after ‘Lichfield’, a false start for ‘in whose house’. JB used the phrase ‘in whose’ later within the revision, writing ‘in’ over ‘at’. 13 To … Esq.] Printed in the revises ‘Dr. JOHNSON to BENNET LANGTON, Esq.’ 15 Mr.] Written over ‘Jas.’ page 84 To … Johnson] Changes to JB’s letter of 15 July 1777 in the second edition: ‘fate of Dr. Dodd’ became ‘fate of poor Dr. Dodd’; and ‘clear by this judgement’ became ‘cleared by this judgement’. 13 would never permit] MS orig. (1) ‘would never’; (2) ‘never permitted’. 15 attracting] MS orig. ‘distracting’. 15 company, and] MS orig. ‘company. For this informa[tion]’, a false start before JB extended the sentence. 1

page 85 3 28 July 1777] Printed in the revises ‘July 28, 1777’. 6 Mentioning that] Printed in the revises ‘I added, that’. 8 my wife] JB first chose ‘Mrs. Boswell’, then reverted to its alternative. 12 Informing him] Added in Plymsell’s hand. 12–13 to be better] Printed in the revises ‘to grow better’. 13 alarming apprehensions] MS orig. ‘dismal ap[prehensions]’. 18 To JAMES BOSWELL Esq:] In the text of SJ’s letter of 1 Sept., ‘conveniencies’ was changed to ‘conveniences’ in the second edition (cp. Life MS i. 211 l. 26 endnote), and an ‘e’ was added to ‘Brighthelmston’. 1

page 86 [Mr. del] Boswell to Dr. Johnson] Printed ‘Mr. BOSWELL, to Dr. JOHNSON’, the accidental deletion ignored. In the text of this letter, JB changed ‘this Earl of Hadintgon [sic]’ in the revises to ‘the present Earl of Hadington’, and ‘by Queen Anne, of the revenues of Argyll’ to ‘by Queen Anne’ (after thinking about inserting ‘certain’ before ‘revenues’). In the second

338

NOTES TO PAGES 86–89

edition, quotation marks added to ‘light afflictions’ clarified JB’s allusion to 2 Corinthians 4: 17; ‘1d.1/8’ was changed to ‘1d.1/2’; and ‘exceeds the rents’ became ‘exceeds the rent’. In the third edition, ‘2d.2/3’ was changed to ‘2d.1/2’, and EM placed a note on ‘English Poets’ in cross-reference to his earlier note (see ante p. 82 n. 3). 2 9 Septr. 1777] Printed in the revises ‘Sept. 9, 1777’. 3 Informing] Printed in the revises ‘After informing’. 6 sixty eigth] Printed in the revises ‘sixty-eighth’. 7 started] False start, ‘in the Isle’, above which JB inserted ‘when we we[re]’, then deleted the phrases before recopying them as he proceeded. 10 today] Printed in the revises ‘to-day’; second edition, ‘to day’, a corruption that has gone uncorrected. The source of this text reads ‘to-day’ (H. L. Piozzi, Letters to and from the Late Samuel Johnson, LL.D., 2 vols., 1788, i. 366), the reading followed by Chapman; Redford has ‘today’. 16 a better bottom] In print, the ‘a’ was not italicized. 16 Such an ardour …] A new paragraph begins here in the revises. 17 enterprise] Printed in the revises ‘enterprize’. 19 making out] Printed in the revises ‘executing’. 19 various] Printed in the revises ‘other’. 20 my illustrious friend] Revision orig. (1) ‘my illu[strious]’; (2) ‘Dr. Johnson’. 22 Variety] Written over ‘ta[lents]’. 22 the King of Sweden] Changed in the second edition to ‘the late King of Sweden’, reflecting the assassination of Gustav III on 29 Mar. 1792. 21–23 by a Prince … Sweden, and] MS orig. ‘by the King of Sweden’. 23–24 abilities acquisitions and magnanimity] MS orig. ‘abilities and acquisitions’. page 87 On Sunday … Ashbourne, & drove] Two false starts preceded this wording: (1) ‘On Sunday September 14 I had travelled all the preceeding night’; (2) ‘On Sunday evening September 14 I arrived at Ashbourne. Dr. Johnson’. 3 Johnson] False start, ‘came bef[ore]’. 5 chaise] Changed in the revises to ‘post-chaise’. 8 in the morning] Omitted in the revises. 9 Earth=quake] False start, ‘whi[ch]’, the beginning of a catchword for LL6, changed to ‘of’. 13 accurately] Added in the same draft. 14 lye] Printed ‘lie’ in the revises. 14 taking no pains] MS orig. ‘being at no’, a false start. 21 who endeavoured] Printed in the revises ‘who had endeavoured’. 25 nor could not] Printed in the revises ‘in the course of nature’. 26 reflection] Added in the same draft. 2

page 88 18 I was …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 22 pleased] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘should ask him’. page 89 1 as] MS orig. ‘which’. 2 allknowing] Printed in the revises ‘all-knowing’. 3 than what he would hear] Printed in the revises ‘than he should hear’. 14 Johnson] MS orig. ‘he’.

339

NOTES TO PAGES 89–92

15 17 18–19 28

a bank rising] MS orig. ‘a rising’, a false start. accompanied us] MS orig. ‘shewed it to us’. a common … salaries] MS orig. ‘the subject of the very small salaries’. so] Changed to ‘sadly’ in the revises.

page 90 16–17 being struck … manner] MS orig. ‘seemed struck or rather stunned’. 17 and when] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘when’. 19 Johnson …] Originally run on; marked ‘NP’ for new paragraph in the same draft. 19 was a] False start, ‘man’. 20 in some respects] Added in the same draft. 22 in … state] MS orig. ‘exactly in the same state’, added in the same draft. 23 now] Printed ‘here’ in the revises. 24 interference] False start, ‘for’. 28 contracted] False start, ‘habits of expe[nsive]’. page 91 1 contents] Printed ‘amount’ in the revises. 1 without being detected] MS orig. ‘before’, a false start. 4–5 trusted would rather … than suffer] Printed in the revises ‘flattered himself would have paid the money in case of an alarm being taken, rather than suffer’. In the second edition, ‘paid’ became ‘generously paid’. 10 him] False start, ‘at the’. 10–11 with … Brutus] MS orig. ‘with unrelenting rigidity’. 15 bethought] Written over the first letter of a false start, ‘s’. 22 after his] False start, ‘deviation’. 24 brought] Printed in the revises ‘carried’. 23–24 Mr. Allen told … Johnson] MS orig. ‘Mr. Allen brought Lady Harrington’s letter to Johnson, which Mr. Allen to[ld]’, a false start. 30–31 in publick] Printed in the revises ‘in print’. 34 of] Written over ‘at’, a false start. 35 was pronounced] Changed in the revises to ‘was about to be pronounced’. page 92 Bretheren] MS orig ‘bretheren’. Changed to ‘Brethren’ in the second edition. 3–8 ‘These were … the truth.’] Printed as a block quotation in Hill-Powell. 9 on] Added in the same draft. 13 introduced] Printed in the revises ‘also introduced’, where, given the proximity of ‘introduction’, JB changed the verb to ‘inserted’. 17 thief] Written over a false start, ‘par[doned]’. 17 whome] Printed ‘whom’ in the revises. 19 written by Johnson] Added in the same draft. In the second and third editions, ‘written’ was printed ‘mentioned’, a mistake corrected by HillPowell. 19 abovementioned] Printed ‘above mentioned’; changed to include a hyphen in the second edition. 20–21 Bathurst (not Lord North … supposed)] MS orig. ‘(Bathurst)’. 25 people, — but] MS orig. ‘people, but’, as was printed in the revises. 26 also] Added in the same draft. 1

340

NOTES TO PAGES 92–96

26 28 29 29–30 29–30 30

to] Written over ‘in’, a false start. pieces] Printed ‘articles’ in the revises; see below (l. 30). execution] MS orig. ‘Execution’. My friend] MS orig. ‘Johns[on]’. My … also] Printed in the revises ‘Here also my friend marked’. the variations on] Added in the same draft, with ‘variations’ written over a false start, ‘w[ords]’. 30 copy of that] Printed in the revises ‘copy of that piece’; see above (l. 28). 32–33 the words which I distinguish] MS orig. (1) ‘what is’; (2) ‘what I mark’.

page 93 2–3 letter to The King] Printed in the revises ‘letter for Dr. Dodd to the King’. 25 ‘To Dr. Dodd] Centred as a letter heading in the revises. page 94 9 20 of June] Printed in the revises ‘20th of June’. 9–10 ‘To the Right … Jenkinson’] Centred as a letter heading in the revises. 19 He] Written over ‘It’, which is also the catchword from the previous page. page 95 1–2 with invidious remarks,] Added in the same draft. 2 paid] Written over the first letter of a false start, apparently an ‘s’. 3–4 now Lord Hawkesbury] Changed in the third edition to ‘(afterwards Earl of Liverpool)’, a title conferred upon Jenkinson in May 1796. 5 wonder] False start, ‘that the noble Lord should’. 6 just] MS orig. ‘high’. 6 elevation] MS orig. ‘advancement’. 8 attainments.] False start, ‘I could’. 10 had it been as was alledged] Added in the same draft; MS orig. ‘had it been well f[ounded]’. 11 truth and] False start, ‘unwillingness to entertain an unfavourable notion of a person of whose’. 11 found] Added in the same draft. 18 a very polite] MS orig. ‘his obliging’. In the revises, ‘a’ was printed ‘the’. 18 answer] False start, ‘which’. 24 to the reputation even] MS orig. ‘even to the reputation’. 31–32 Oh Doctr. Johnson] Printed ‘Oh! Dr. Johnson!’ in the revises. 34 God] Written in oversized letters, and printed ‘GOD’ in the revises. 37 transport] Misprinted ‘transports’ in the second and third editions; corrected by Hill-Powell. 38 God] Printed ‘GOD’ in the revises. page 96 9 God] Written in oversized letters, and printed ‘GOD’ in the revises. 10 Jesus Christ] Printed ‘JESUS CHRIST’ in the revises. 13 servt.] Printed ‘servant’ in the revises. 16 Copy … hand] Printed in the revises ‘copy of this letter I found written, in Johnson’s own hand,’. 26 nobody] Revised to ‘no man’, but then JB scored out ‘man’ and its caret. Although ‘body’ was still deleted, the compositor restored the syllables.

341

NOTES TO PAGES 97–101

page 97 3 Said … you] Printed in the revises ‘“Can’t you (said Fiztherbert)’. 4 go see him] Printed in the revises ‘go to him’. In …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 23 page 98 5 gave it against] Printed in the revises ‘talked slightingly of’. 12 seem at all to mind] Printed in the revises ‘seem to give attention to’. 13 rhime] Printed ‘rhyme’ in the revises. 15 ‘epitaph … Newhall’] Printed without quotation marks in the revises. 25 Tweda’s] Printed in the revises ‘Tweeda’s’. 26 iron chariot?] Printed in the revises ‘“iron chariot;”’. The question mark was restored in the second edition. 26 said] After ‘said’ JB deleted an undeciphered word or phrase, possibly ‘the image’. 32 convinced every one] Printed in the revises ‘generally convinced us that’. 33 In …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 33 Rev:] Printed in the revises ‘Reverend’. page 99 10 every way] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘the grossest freedoms’. 12 Dr. …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 12 Nose … tonight. He] Printed in the revises ‘nose happening to bleed, he’. 25 vessels] Printed in the revises ‘small vessels’. 28 a sort of derision] Printed in the revises ‘high derision’. 29 I …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. page 100 GOD] Underscored twice in revision, rendering explicit for print the capital letters otherwise implied by JB’s oversized ‘God’. 9 not to lie] Printed in the revises ‘to speak the truth’. 9 for] Changed by EM in the revises to ‘of’. 9 have] Printed ‘had’ in the revises. 13–14 He said he … him.] Printed in the revises ‘He said “he … him.”’ 15 but dies with] Printed in the revises ‘but with’. 26 is he] Hill-Powell, ‘he is’. 2

page 101 Dr. Johnson] Printed ‘the great Johnson’ in the revises, evidently changed in proof. JB next reversed himself and deleted ‘the great’. 3–5 that even the gloom … was much more] Printed in the revises ‘that the gloom … was yet more’. 7 Dr. …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 27 (first) if] Printed ‘whether’ in the revises. 27 (second) if] Printed ‘whether’ in the revises. 28 Parnel] Spelled ‘Parnell’ in the second edition throughout the paragraph. 28 were drunkards] Printed in the revises ‘drank too freely’. 28–29 will probably] MS orig. ‘may’. 31 he & I] Added to remedy an accidental omission prior to JB’s revising J 52 for the Life. 32 forenoon] Printed in the revises ‘morning’. 1

342

NOTES TO PAGES 101–06

34–35 35 34–35 36 36 36–38 41

a Panegyrick … a Life] Printed in the revises ‘A Panegyrick … A Life’. give it as it really] Printed in the revises ‘represent it really as it’. if a man … was] Printed as a quotation in the revises. objected the danger] Printed in the revises ‘objected to the danger’. was a drunkard] Printed in the revises ‘drank to excess’. said that it would … it; and] Printed in the revises ‘said that “it would … it.” And’. He …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision.

page 102 3 turned out] Printed in the revises ‘sent away’. 2–4 to say that if … tomorrow.] Printed in the revises ‘to say, that if England were fairly polled, “the present … to-morrow.”’ JB widened the quotation, correcting the first part of this read ‘to say, “that, if …’. 23 opposite side to oppose] Printed in the revises ‘other side to oppose’. 32 viz.] Italicized in the revises. 34 when they thought] Changed in the second edition to ‘though they think’. 40 shewn] Changed in the second edition to ‘shown’. page 103 17 This …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 25–26 in … view.] MS orig. ‘as not having m[uch]’, a false start in revision. 28 Some …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. page 104 2 death,] MS orig. ‘death. “Sir,” said Johnson’, a false start. 6 Volume] Printed in the revises ‘volume of poems’. 8–9 volumes … known] MS orig. (1) ‘volumes of obscure poets’; (2) ‘volumes of poets whose works were but little known’. 6–12 told me that a Mr. Coxeter … found.] Printed in the revises ‘told me, that “a Mr. Coxeter … found.”’ On the revises JB moved the quotation marks ahead to ‘that’. 13 He …] Originally run on; marked for a new paragraph in revision. page 105 replied] Printed in the revises ‘reply’d’. inquirers] Printed in the revises ‘enquirers’. good] MS orig. ‘g’, followed by letters illegible beneath JB’s heavily written ‘ood’. 10 many of my readers will] Printed in the revises ‘some of my readers may’. 10 precise] Omitted in the second edition. 12 tête á tete] Printed in the revises ‘tête à tête’; hyphenated in the third edition. 12 9 May 1778] Printed in the revises ‘May 9, 1778’. 18 replied] Printed in the revises ‘reply’d’. 21 as follows. He was then very] MS orig. (1) ‘thus’; (2) ‘follows, & was very’. 22 at] Printed ‘on’ in revises. 24 when] Omitted in the revises. 3 7 7

1 2

page 106 19 September. After] Printed in the revises ‘September 19, after’. comfortable Chaise and four] Printed in the revises ‘chaise’.

343

NOTES TO PAGES 106–09

11 14 16 18 23 26 31 34

groupe] Third edition, ‘group’. all this excludes but] MS orig. ‘All this excludes only’, written with a spidery nib in light ink. JB traced over the words with another pen in darker ink, changing ‘All’ to ‘all’ and ‘only’ to ‘but’. it is] Changed in the second edition to ‘there is an account of it’. the other night he] Changed in the second edition to ‘he had lately’. rooms] Changed in the second edition to ‘room’. which it cost] A later addition. Wealth÷It] MS orig. (1) ‘It’; (2) ‘Wealth’. good sense] Written over MS orig. ‘quality’.

page 107 costly] Printed in italics in the revises. Dr. …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. some] Printed in the revises ‘one’. Nebuchadnezar’s] The ‘N’ is written over a capital ‘B’. A second ‘z’ was added in print (so in revises). 16–17 Dictionary. The Doctor … me it] Printed in the revises ‘Dictionary: he shewed it to me, with some eagerness’. 20 We drove …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision.

4 5 12 14

page 108 4 do] Changed in the revises to ‘write’. 13 Dr. Butter …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 15 Dr. Johnson and me] Printed ‘us’ in the revises. 22 beautiful. But] Printed in the revises ‘beautiful; but’; second edition, ‘beautiful, but’. 35 that] False start, ‘the ing[?enious]’. 36 warfare] MS orig. ‘affair’. 37 an Account] MS orig. ‘a History’. page 109 face] A caret added after this word and a letter or two above the line were blotted out. 4 perpendicularity] Printed ‘difference’ in the revises. 7 We …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 7 Dr. Butter] False start, ‘and’. 7 whose] Written over a false start, ‘who is’. 7 daughter] Written over a false start, ‘c[ousin]’. 9 a good deal] Printed ‘a great deal’ in the third edition. 11 De Anima Medica] Printed in the revises ‘De Animâ Medicâ’. 14–15 medecines … medecines] Printed in the revises ‘medicines … medicines’. 16 if] Printed ‘wheher’ in the revises; corrected to ‘whether’. 17 way.] Changed to ‘way?’ in the revises. 12–22 He said that whatever … not.] Printed in the revises ‘He told us, “that whatever … not.”’ This passage was turned into a quotation in proof. In the revises, the quotation marks around ‘Your pulse … ease?’ (ll. 20–21), yet to be corrected, were changed to signify an internal quotation. 25 have no notion of] Printed in the revises ‘am not very conversant with’. 1

344

NOTES TO PAGES 110–13

page 110 4 & of the next] Printed in the revises ‘and the next’. 16 reflexion] Printed in the revises ‘reflection’. 20 into life] Changed in the revises to ‘into this life’. 23 relations.] Printed ‘relations?’ 27 we] Printed in the revises ‘we ourselves’. 28 Dr. Johnson …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. page 111 had a life] Printed in the revises ‘enjoyed a life’. voluptousness] Printed ‘voluptuousness’ in the revises. See ante p. 2 l. 18 and endnote. 3 He …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 4 Jailor] Corrected in the revises to ‘gaoler’; see also p. 307 n. 4. 5 escape; … knew] Printed in the revises ‘escape. He added, that he knew’. 8 then] Omitted in the revises. 9–10 in wax] Printed in the revises ‘of wax’. 25 Johnson] MS orig. ‘He’. 25 persuaded] Written over ‘w[ith]’, a false start. 25 World, persuaded] Printed in the revises ‘world persuaded’, without the confusing comma. 25 The] MS orig. ‘the’. 26 his own writing] Printed in the revises ‘of his own writing’. 29–30 think so Sir?] Printed in the revises ‘think so?’ When JB turned AJ 69 over, ink fresh from his revisions blotted parts of AJ opp. 69, including something before ‘so’, possibly a false start. 30 Depend upon it, Sir when] MS orig. ‘Depend upon it, when’. 30 forthnight] Printed in the revises ‘fortnight’. 32 any] Added in the same draft.

2 2

page 112 20 a free use of wine] MS orig. ‘drinking’. 21 (whom he named)] Added in the same draft. 21–22 hard-drinking] MS orig. [undeciphered word], possibly ‘his’ or ‘har[d]’. 27 inquiry] Printed ‘enquiry’ in the revises. 27 him] MS orig. ‘his Lordship’. page 113 1 I ventured …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 5–6 little to ‘give him pause.’] Printed in the revises ‘moment, “to give him pause.”’ 16 He praised …] Marked for a new paragraph in revision. 16 He praised … said he] MS orig. ‘“But” said he’. 17 let us see] MS orig. (1) ‘shew his’; (2) ‘shew that’; (3) ‘let us see that’. JB deleted ‘that’ from this third draft after formulating his next phrase, ‘he was aware that’. 17–18 fashionable … divines] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘fashionable fame, however deserved, is not always the most lasting’. 39 I …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 40 through] Printed in the revises ‘in’.

345

NOTES TO PAGES 114–16

page 114 I talked …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. the period] Printed in the revises ‘that period’. and which] Printed in the revises ‘which’. noise, which] Printed ‘noise: this’ in the revises, partly to avoid proximal uses of ‘which’. 7–12 that the learned … getting up.] Printed as a quotation in the revises. 12 that] Italicized in the second edition. 12 & I wished] Printed in the revises ‘and wished’. 13 medecine] Printed in the revises ‘medicine’. 15 can] Changed to ‘could’ in the second edition. 16 pully] Printed ‘pulley’ in the revises. 18 body] Printed ‘muscles’ in the revises. 23 we may bring] Printed in the revises ‘it is possible be bring’. Selfe corrected ‘be’ to ‘to’. 25–26 Dr. Johnson said a man … hours.] Marked for a new paragraph in revision Printed in the revises ‘Johnson observed, “that a man … hours.”’ The quotation begins at ‘a man’ in the second edition. 31 (Johnson).] Duly printed in small caps, without the parentheses. 34 long sleep] Printed in italics in the revises. 34 I thought … day] Printed in the revises ‘remarked, I think very justly’. 36 not Sir John] Italicized in the second edition. 6 7 10 11

page 115 that a man who … degree.] Printed as a quotation in the revises. The quotation begins at ‘a man’ in the second edition. 4 Johnson …] ‘He’ originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 7 By …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 9 Johnson] MS orig. ‘My frie[nd]’. 18–19 which I shewed him] Added in the same draft. 19 Critical Review] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 21–22 Quakers a Physician … works.] MS orig. ‘Quakers and a Physician of some eminence in Dublin.’ False start, ‘Of’, after ‘works.’ 22–23 1753 to 1775] MS orig. ‘1752 to 1753’. 25 4] Written over ‘5’. 3

page 116 1 than] False start, ‘an ac[count]’. 16–17 two days instead of scolding] MS orig. ‘two days / [“Instead of scolding’, the crotchet beside the second phrase marking it for indentation as a separate extract. 22 thought] Written over ‘was’, a false start. 22 thought the] False start, ‘Review of the Work’. 24 as] False starts, (1) ‘th[?ey]’; (2) ‘it will occur that’. 24 connected … work] Possible wording, hard to read because of heavy deletion and a tear in the page. 25 particularly] Added in the same draft. 26 of] False start, ‘eatin[g]’. 26 swinishness] MS orig. ‘“swinishness”’. 26–27 swinishness… temper] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 28 as much] MS orig ‘equally’.

346

NOTES TO PAGES 117–22

page 117 7 Westley] Printed in the revises ‘Wesley’. 21 giving] MS orig. ‘rendering’. 22 in the ‘Spectator’] Added in the same draft. page 118 whether … degree] MS orig. (1) ‘with a degree’; (2) ‘some intentionally and some with a degree’; (3) ‘both intentionally and some with a degree’. 6 in a pleasant humour] Added in the same draft. 20 that] Printed ‘the’ in the revises. 21–22 dry and hard] MS orig. ‘hard’. 22–23 frequency … expression] Printed in the revises ‘frequent use of metaphorical expressions’. 25 the] MS orig. ‘that’. 27 illustrious it is true] Printed in the revises ‘illustrious’. 27 contributes … narration] MS orig. ‘adds nothing to the fact told’. 30 Illustrious] Printed in the revises with an exclamation point. 31 expand] MS orig. ‘shew’. 1

1 1 2 6 6 10

page 119 it] MS orig. ‘a metaphor’. one,] False start, ‘and not only’. clearly and luminously] Printed ‘luminously’ in the revises. most] Added in the same draft. species] MS orig. ‘kind’. of fame] MS orig. (1) ‘of Worthies’; (2) ‘of the most eminent’, a false start.

page 120 12 On saturday] MS orig. ‘On saturday’. 12 after breakfast] Added in the same draft. 13 Dr. Johnson] MS orig. ‘Johnson’. 17 them.] False start, ‘Johnson said’. 18–19 troubled in mind.] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 19 Some of the ancient Philosophers] MS orig. ‘The ancient Philosophers’. 20 the] Written over ‘o’, a false start for ‘opinions’. 30–31 sooth their minds … suffer] MS orig. (1) ‘divert their pain’; (2) ‘soothe their pain and divert their attention from the misery of their own minds’. The word ‘suffer’ in JB’s final phrasing was written over a false start, possibly ‘ex[perience]’. At some point JB deleted the ‘e’ in ‘soothe’. page 121 one] Written over ‘a’. me] False start, ‘upon which’. of London] Printed ‘for London’ in the revises. Worcester.] Two false starts, (1) ‘Having nothing to occupy his mind, it’; (2) ‘His mind, not having its usual occupation was deva[stated]’. 42 me. What I now] MS orig. ‘me now. What’. 42 torture of mind] MS orig. ‘pain of m[ind]’. 2 24 30 38

1

page 122 desireable] Corrected in the revises to ‘desirable’.

347

NOTES TO PAGES 122–26

2 3 3–4 6 9 14 16 17 19 19–20 21

for] False start, ‘it m[ust]’. work-people] Printed in the revises ‘working-people’. and the produce … equally] Added in the same draft. must] MS orig. ‘ma[y]’. virtue] Added in the same draft. not now] Printed in the revises ‘no longer’. and made] Printed in the revises ‘and which made’. as … Auchinleck] Printed in the revises ‘as the Laird of Auchinleck was’. I told …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. but he was attended] Printed in the revises ‘without being attended’. inquiry] Printed in the revises ‘enquiry’.

page 123 did] Printed ‘could’ in the revises. is willing … is tired of London] MS orig. two false starts, (1) ‘wishes to leave London. No Sir when a Man’; (2) ‘is willing to leave London. No Sir when a Man wishes to’. 34 (second) the] MS orig. ‘my’.

2 30

page 124 could ride … territories] Printed in the revises ‘had an elegant house, in front of which he could ride ten miles forward upon his own territories’. 1 territories] False start, ‘an[d]’. 7 I] False start, ‘was not affraid’. 7 at] Catchword on AJ* 569; not recopied on p. 570, but typeset. 8 me] False start, ‘the’, anticipating ‘the intellectual stores …’. 40 trying … Hall] MS orig. ‘being called to the english bar’. 1

page 125 and rising at the bar] Omitted in the revises. indeed] Written over a false start, probably ‘a[llowed]’. (first) a] Written over an illegible false start. lifetime] Written over ‘hal’, for ‘half a’ (inadvertently repeated). abilities] MS orig. (1) ‘abilities’; (2) ‘parts and [left incomplete]’. occupation] Printed in the revises ‘employment’. saying … told] MS orig. ‘remark which I had been told was made’, a false start. 12 told] Printed in the revises ‘related’. 15 savage] MS orig. ‘savage to mak[e]’. 29 rather he] Printed in the revises ‘rather, indeed, he’.

5 6 6 8 9 10 12

page 126 Sunday] MS orig. ‘sunday’. We] Written over an undeciphered false start. satisfaction in] False starts, (1) ‘considering that my’; (2) ‘the [consideration] that’. 6 fondness of] Third edition, ‘fondness for’. 32 such an intimacy.] False start, ‘Sir Joshua produce[d]’. The word ‘such’, omitted in the second edition, was restored in Hill-Powell. 35 heir.] False start, ‘Some men avail themselves of a promise of inheritance to’. 3 3 5

348

NOTES TO PAGES 126–29

35–36 to inquire into] Printed in the revises ‘to animadvert upon’. page 127 3 I have …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 3–4 Johnson … Taylor] Printed in the revises ‘a good many sermons were composed for Taylor by Johnson’. 4 Johnson’s] Printed in the revises ‘his’. 8 title] Printed in the revises ‘significant title’, which JB changed to ‘significant title’. 9 the Reverend] Added in the same draft. 10 I however …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 10 do not mean to maintain] Printed in the revises ‘would not have it thought’. 11 sometimes] Written over ‘c’, for ‘compose’. 17 of the opinion] Printed in the revises ‘of opinion’. 19 to appear as an Authour.] MS orig. ‘to publish’, a false start. 19 When] Written over the first letter(s) of an undeciphered false start. 19–20 When I in … fame regretted] Printed in the revises ‘When in … fame, I regretted’. 20 regretted … that] MS orig. ‘talked to him one day’, a false start. 23 every lawyer … divine] MS orig. (1) ‘every Dean and e[very]’; (2) ‘every Dean and clergyman’; (3) ‘lawyer physician and divine’. 23 were] Superimposed upon ‘s[?hould]’. page 128 ‘No’ said he, ‘let] Printed in the revises ‘his answer was , “No, no, let’. do not] MS orig. ‘cannot’. regret] False start, ‘that my retention and diligence’. found] False start, ‘it necessary’. collect] MS orig. ‘preserve’. sayings] Written over ‘c’, a false start for ‘conversation’. which] False start, ‘in that state have little or nothing of the taste when in their or[?iginal]’. 25 Did …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 26 conversation] Printed ‘talk’ in the revises. 30 at me] Printed in the revises ‘at me’. 34 delicacy & elegance] MS orig. ‘the elegance of a gen[tleman]’. 36 deserves] Printed in the revises ‘well deserves’. 2 2 10 11 12 14 16

page 129 Colley Cibber] MS orig. ‘Richardson’, a false start. an] Written over a false start, ‘e[nd]’. Clarissa] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. Now … (smiling disdainfully)] MS orig. ‘(smiling disdainfully) Now Sir, to talk of respect for a player’. 25 There] Not italicized in the revises. 26–27 Johns. … Bos. …] Full names printed in the revises, here to end of paragraph. 30 I am Richard the Third] Printed in italics in the revises. 31 higher] Printed in the revises ‘a higher man’. 33 any thing] Printed ‘anything’ in Hill-Powell. 39 To be or not to be] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 19 21 22 24

349

NOTES TO PAGES 130–33

page 130 room] MS orig. ‘room with us’. rarity] Printed ‘merit’ in the revises. got] Printed ‘done’ in the revises. This …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. Tragedians … players] Printed in the revises ‘a tragedian and a mere theatrical droll’. 10 make] Printed in the revises ‘only make’. 15 quatenus] Changed by Selfe in the revises to ‘quatenùs’. 28 (second) see] Printed ‘know’ in the revises. 29 pit] Printed in italics in the revises. 29 taking] Printed ‘checking’ in the revises. 31 is] Printed in italics in the revises. 32 (second) him] Printed ‘Johnson’ in the revises.

1 2 6 7 9

page 131 blame. For … owned I] Printed in the revises ‘blame, for I candidly owned, that I’. 11 on] Printed ‘upon’ in the revises. 15 at such a risk] Printed ‘at such risk’ in the second edition. 25 He found …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 26–27 to a dinner] Printed in the revises ‘to dinner’. 28 sweetmeats] Printed ‘sweet-meats’ in the first and third editions, ‘sweet meats’ in the second. 31–32 His attention … wonderful.] Printed in the revises ‘Such was his attention to the minutiæ of life and manners.’ 33 He …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 1

page 132 a Man] Printed ‘you’ in the revises. So] Changed in revision to ‘so’, then back to ‘So’ (thus in the revises, starting a new sentence). 9 Mr. Burke’s …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 9 Sherrifs] Printed ‘Sheriffs’ in the revises. 9–10 letter … on American affairs] In the revises JB put quotation marks around the title and corrected the final phrase to ‘on the affairs of America’. 11 viz.] Printed ‘viz.’ 16 she thinks] Printed in italics in the revises. 28 Dr. Johnson …] Marked for new paragraph. 28 Islam] Not italicized in the revises. 29 now] Added in the same draft. 29 formerly] Written over ‘prev[iously]’. 31 Johnson] Written over ‘Dr’. 31 vividly] Two false starts, (1) ‘I’; (2) ‘which’. 32 eyes] First ‘eyes’, then ‘eyesight’, and back to ‘eyes’. 33 visible] MS orig. ‘natural’. 35 but] MS orig. ‘and’. 4 6

2

page 133 wood] Printed ‘woods’ in the second edition; Hill-Powell restored ‘wood’.

350

NOTES TO PAGES 133–35

4

in one] In revision JB capitalized the ‘i’, perhaps to begin a new sentence (‘In one of the recesses …’), but then reconverted it to lower case. 4–5 old Batchelor] Printed ‘“Old Batchelor”’ in the revises; JB deleted the ‘t’. 5 the reputed] Printed ‘a remarkable’ in the revises. 5 of Islam] Printed in the revises ‘at Islam’. 10 Manifold] Corrected in the revises to ‘Manyfold’. 12 places] Printed ‘openings’ in the revises. 13 Talking …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 15 Men should lye] Printed ‘witnesses should lie’ in the revises. 14–15 that … happen.] Punctuated in the revises as an internal quotation. 18 prophecies] Second edition, ‘prophesies’; Hill-Powell, ‘prophecies’. 25 He …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 26 protestant] The lower case p’s that JB superimposed upon the capitals in ‘Protestant’ and the following two occurrences of ‘Papist’ (a third remained capitalized) were so large and dark that the compositor took them for upper case, and in the revises they were printed as such. 27 images.” The papist] Printed in the revises ‘images;” the Papist’. 27 your] Not italicized in the third edition; italics restored in Hill-Powell. 29 is] Accidentally deleted in revision, but supplied by the compositor. 34 In …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 35 gentleman=farmer] MS orig. ‘gentleman’.

1 13 15 20 22 22 23

page 134 Alexander Earl of Eglintoune] MS orig. ‘the late Earl of Eglintoune’. gentleman] Printed in the revises ‘gentleman-farmer’. gentleman=farmer] Printed in the revises ‘English yeoman’. he] Printed in the revises ‘Campbell’. his] False start, [undeciphered letters]. His] Not capitalized in the revises. I had meditated …] Not indented in the journal, but JB’s revision began a new paragraph.

page 135 1 by] False start, ‘supercili[ous]’. 1 when] MS orig. ‘in’. 2–3 however generally] MS orig. ‘generally however’, in which ‘generally’ was substituted for ‘always’. 5 ever] False start, ‘paid’. 11 seemed] Written over ‘was’. 11–12 social cheerful and alert] MS orig. ‘alert and cheerful’. 12 than] False start, ‘almost ever’. 15 perfectly well shaped.] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 16 vain glory] Printed in the revises ‘vain-glory’. 21 it’s] Printed ‘its’ in the revises. 24–26 is amazing … keeness] Printed in the revises ‘was amazing how he entered with perspicuity and keenness upon every thing that occurred in conversation’. 30 by others,] False start, ‘and to’.

351

NOTES TO PAGES 136–39

5 5 10 11 14 15 16 21 26

page 136 along the stream of time] Added in the same draft. as] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘and as’. his garden] Second edition, ‘the garden’; Hill-Powell restored ‘his’. stuff] Printed ‘rubbish’ in the revises. even] Omitted in the printing of the revises. the bank] Second edition, ‘a bank’; Hill-Powell restored ‘the’. wreck] JB first chose ‘wreck’, then ‘stuff’, and finally wrote in ‘wreck’ again. accordingly] Added in the same draft. circumstances] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘particulars’.

page 137 Talking …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. when] In the revises Selfe queried whether this word could be deleted, and JB duly deleted it. 12 any thing witty] MS orig. ‘a witting’, a slip of the pen, corrected somewhat messily to ‘a witty thing’, and then deleted to clear the way for JB’s final wording. 13–14 if Rochester … written.] Printed as a quotation in the revises. 15 death] Printed in the revises ‘Death’, in parallel with ‘Life’. 17 asked] False start, ‘if Prior w[as]’. 18 (first) were] Accidentally left out of JB’s final revision when he shifted to a plural noun and deleted ‘was’; presumably supplied by the compositor. 19 him] Printed in the revises ‘Prior’. 20 Sacred Poems] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. False start, ‘published’. 22 ‘Sir’ said he ‘Lord] Printed in the revises ‘JOHNSON. “Sir, Lord’. 10 12

page 138 The …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. Burke, Reynolds] Printed in the revises ‘Burke and Reynolds’. I complained …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. presented for most part] Printed in the revises ‘frequently presented’. Dr. Johnson …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. to himself] Printed in the revises ‘for himself’. He …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. in the chaise today] Printed in the revises ‘while we were in the chaise’. He said …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. a great many years ago] Added in the same draft; ‘ago’, accidentally left out, was supplied in the course of printing. 33 this] Written over ‘the’. 1 3 7 11 14 23 25 25 27 32

page 139 7 having said] Printed in the revises ‘having mentioned’. 10 the] Written over ‘a’. 11 he would have] False start, ‘made a most valuable addition’. 13 relative to] MS orig. ‘concernin[g]’. 17 should] False start, ‘[catchword fulfill] fulfil his undertaking’. 18 which] Written over ‘as’. 16–18 that Mallet … general.] Printed as a quotation in the revises.

352

NOTES TO PAGES 139–41

20 27 27 34

Johnson’s and mine] MS orig. ‘his’. you] False start, ‘sitting still, with’. thus unfeeling, … near] Printed in the revises ‘so unfeeling, as not even to offer to go to’. very] Written over ‘in[timate]’.

page 140 (though … did so)] Commas replaced the parentheses in print. In the second edition, the closing verb phrase was changed to ‘did say so’. 4–5 who does not value] MS orig. ‘who w[astes]’. 5 and gives … whore] MS orig. ‘gives a large sum of money to a whore’. 8 must] Printed in the revises ‘it must’. 9 is such] MS orig. ‘is like’, a false start. 28 gone] MS orig. ‘gone by chance’. 28 Johnson’s] Above this word is an illegible letter, a false start. 28 room] False start, ‘wh[en]’. 28 to look for him] False starts, (1) [undeciphered letter]; (2) ‘when’. 28 and] False start, ‘found’. 30 he] False start, ‘ha[d]’. 30 the] Added in the same draft. 31 been] False start, ‘inte[grated]’. 31–32 a volume of his Diary] MS orig. ‘one of his volumes of Diary’. 32 on] MS orig. ‘upon’. 1

page 141 with me.] Printed in the revises ‘to me.’ False starts, (1) ‘Next day I had fixed’; (2) ‘Having occas[ion]’. 4 frankly] MS orig. ‘kindly’. 5 particulars] False start, ‘with which this Work is’. 7 computed it to be] Printed in the revises ‘computed’. 13 Hebrides] False start, ‘Th[?is]’, after JB initially ended the sentence here. 14 which had left] Printed in the revises ‘for it had left’. 18 The phrase … current] MS orig. (1) ‘[J>] He was at all times justly eager to repress’; (2) ‘Yet this I think is commonly’; (3) ‘Yet the phrase I think is pretty current’. 20 to] False starts, (1) ‘clear’; (2) ‘free it from’. 20 myself] False start, ‘ins[tead]’. 21 undertaking] Printed in italics in the revises. 21 department] Printed in italics in the revises. 21 branch] MS orig. (1) ‘wing’; (2) ‘way’; (3) ‘style’; (4) ‘branch manner way or style’; (5) ‘branch or style’. Printed in italics in the revises. 21 as the civil line] MS orig. ‘as in the civil line’. 21 banking line.] False start, ‘But’. 22 particularly] Added in the same draft. 22 almost] Added in the same draft. 25 or image] Added in the same draft. 26 surely] Added in the same draft. 29 the idea … member] MS orig. (1) ‘the idea of [the>] an honourable member’; (2) ‘the idea so well s[tated]’, a false start. 31 called] Written over ‘sa[id]’, a false start. 2

353

NOTES TO PAGES 141–44

33 34 34 35 36 36 36 39

I …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision after JB’s lengthy addition. sounding] Written over ‘h[erd]’. most] Added in the same draft. if it were] Second edition, ‘if it was’; Hill-Powell restored ‘were’. english] Written over a false start, ‘us[ual]’. ear] Printed in the revises ‘the syllable ear’. he] False start, ‘did not’. expression] MS orig. ‘energ[y]’; printed ‘energy’ in the revises.

page 142 Tadmor’s] Printed in the revises ‘Tadnor’s’. wastes] Misprinted ‘waste’ in the third edition; corrected in Hill-Powell. violins] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘the fiddle’. often] Added in the same draft. painfully,] False starts, (1) ‘produced’; (2) ‘producing alte[rnate]’. (second) I] False start, ‘fancied’. a battel] Printed in the revises ‘a battle’; second edition, ‘the battle’. musick] False start, ‘upon me is’. association of ideas] Second edition, ‘the association of ideas’. The air which] False start, ‘pro[duces]’; printed in the revises ‘That air, which’. 40 maladis du pays] MS orig. ‘maladis du pais’; printed in the revises ‘maladie du pais’. 43 when] False start, [undeciphered letters]. 43 called] False start, [undeciphered letters].

10 10 31 34 35 36 37 38 39 39

page 143 2–3 the Beggar’s Opera] Printed within quotation marks, with a capital ‘T’. 6 vibrated] Printed in the revises ‘was agitated’. 9 time. I] False start, ‘could have de[fended]’. 10 My reverence … glow.] MS orig. (1) ‘I lov[ed]’; (2) ‘I revered and loved him strongly.’ 12–13 greater almost] MS orig. ‘almost’, a false start. 16 displayed] False start, ‘and’. 18 Grand] MS orig. ‘grand’. 19 brilliant] False starts, (1) ‘publi[ck]’; (2) ‘places of amusement’. 21 all … happiness.] MS orig. (1) ‘all struggles for happiness’; (2) ‘all but struggles for happiness’. False start to the next sentence, ‘Ranelagh S[?ir]’. 24 not … multitude] MS orig. (1) ‘not one’; (2) ‘not a single man of’; (3) ‘not one man of that great multitude’. 26 that] MS orig. ‘but’. page 144 is of itself] Printed in the revises ‘is itself’. excruciate.] MS orig. ‘excruciate the’, a false start. even] Added in the same draft. love] False starts, (1) ‘ having hopes’; (2) ‘and having [undeciphered letters]’. 5 might] False start, ‘secure us’.

1 2 3 4

354

NOTES TO PAGES 144–47

6 6

had been] Second edition, ‘have been’; third edition, ‘had been’. it may no doubt sometimes] MS orig. ‘that may not sometimes’. In the revises, the words ‘no doubt’ were omitted. 7 but too true] MS. orig. ‘too true’. 8 Johnson & I … ourselves] MS orig. ‘we stood by ourselves in the open air’. 11 placid and most benignant] MS orig. ‘benignant’. 12 things] Added in the same draft. 14 whether although] MS orig. (1) ‘if it was wrong to hope that although’; (2) ‘if we might not hope that although’. 14–15 some texts of] Added in the same draft. 23 from it;] False starts, (1) ‘and thus a greater good [undeciphered letters]’; (2) ‘Yet some of the texts as y[ou]’; (3) ‘Yet some of the texts of scripture upon this subject are as you observe indeed strong’. 24 prevented.] False starts, (1) ‘He spoke’; (2) ‘The’. 27 to] False start, ‘decide. And’. 36 We retired to his apartment] False start, ‘after [supper]’. 36 After … him] First draft, ‘I accompanied him’. 37 at my request he dictated] MS orig. ‘he dic[tated]’. page 145 (second) in] MS orig. ‘before’. against] False start, ‘the’. Slavery] False start, ‘as esta[blished]’. form, in which I] MS orig. (1) ‘form, I’; (2) ‘form, in which’. discovered] MS orig. ‘shew[ed]’. at … Dons] Printed in the revises ‘when in company with some very grave men’. 5 his toast was] MS orig. ‘he gave as his toast’. 6 our … settlers] MS orig. ‘the Planters’; false start, ‘was’. 7 whenever … opportunity] MS orig. ‘at all tim[es]’. 10 both] False start, ‘write [and speak]’. 15 my] False starts, (1) ‘attempts’; (2) ‘res[?earches]’. 15 But] False start, ‘it shall afterwards’. 15 when I have found it] Printed in the revises ‘when found’. 1 2 3 3 3 4

1 2 3 3 4 4 5 26 29

page 146 countries] MS orig. ‘nations’. part of their inhabitants] MS orig. ‘a body of men’. the] MS orig. ‘ye’. impossible] MS orig. ‘imposs’. original] MS orig. ‘orig’. difficult] MS orig. ‘diffic’. how] False start, ‘inequality cd begin’. The] MS orig. ‘There is’, a false start. (first) virtue] False start, ‘the[n]’.

1 4 5

page 147 neither] MS orig. ‘either’. Plaintiff] MS orig. ‘Defender’. That The Defendant] MS orig. ‘The Defender’, a false start.

355

NOTES TO PAGES 147–50

7 11 11 11 12 15 15 15 16 17 18 19

we] False start, ‘depend’. with respect to] MS orig. ‘against’, written over another illegible word. Slave Trade] Printed in italics. For] False start, ‘in thi[s]’. was owing to] MS orig. ‘proceeded from’. very] Written over ‘n[ecessary]’, a false start. Commercial] Some deleted letters above the line in front of this word suggest that JB began to insert another adjective, or an additional one. interest] MS orig. ‘regulation’. had not the] MS orig. ‘had it not been that’, a false start. When I said] False start ‘this’. up] Added in the same draft; deleted by JB when correcting the revises. from] Written over ‘fo[r]’.

page 148 8–9 very improperly] MS orig. ‘unfortun[ately]’; printed in the revises ‘unluckily’, showing that JB had resurrected his initial concept in proof. 10 to tax] False start, ‘the’. 12 a sufficient] Second edition, ‘sufficient’; Hill-Powell restored ‘a’. 19 repented of] MS orig. ‘repented r[?aising]’, a false start. 20 however] Added in the same draft. 30 of great importance] Added in the same draft. 34 then in the humour] MS orig. ‘in [or on] the [undeciphered letter]’ (possibly ‘m[ood]’). 34 It] Written over ‘W’, followed by a second false start, ‘was’. page 149 5–6 readiness and good humour] MS orig. ‘go[od humour]’. 7 he] Added in the same draft. 10 saying] MS orig. ‘sentence’. 10 In bello … errare] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 27 has his compliments] Changed in the revises to ‘sends his compliments’.

2 2 2 3 4 4 4 5 6 6 9 10 11 13

page 150 Oblig’d] Printed in the revises ‘obliged’. when ever] Printed in the revises ‘whenever’. wey] Printed in the revises ‘way’. Wou’d] Printed in the revises ‘Would’. wou’d] Printed in the revises ‘would’. singelor] Printed in the revises ‘singular’. upon] Printed in the revises ‘on’. greatful] Printed in the revises ‘grateful’. sinecarest] Printed in the revises ‘sincerest’. Happyness] Printed in the revises ‘happiness’. original] Added in the same draft. Forbes] False start, ‘whom I am always’. it] False starts, (1) ‘is so encouraging’; (2) ‘was so encouraging’. going over it] Added in the same draft.

356

NOTES TO PAGES 151–53

page 151 10 Chatsworth] False start, ‘of which I had [viewed>] surveyed the’. 11 Scotland.] False start, ‘I found a very joll[y]’. 13–14 the celebrated … house.] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 14 (first) I] False start, ‘affected’. 14 who] Printed in italics in the revises. 16 England. He] MS orig. ‘England; he’. 20 called,] False start, ‘was a good deal’. 22 29 September 1777] Printed in the revises ‘Sept. 29, 1777’. Within the text of this letter, the phrase ‘in the humour’ became ‘in a humour’ in the second edition (original reading restored in Hill-Powell); and in the third edition, ‘will be obliged’ became ‘shall be obliged’. expressed to him much] Second edition, ‘expressed much’. 24 26–27 the truth … refuted] MS orig. ‘and which he had completely refuted’. page 152 confidence] False starts, (1) ‘and occasion’; (2) ‘and I might’; (3) ‘and one’; (4) ‘and I might be deprived of the pleasure of’; (5) ‘and by one whose’; (6) ‘and by one of whose’. 5 To James Boswell Esq.] In SJ’s letter of 25 Nov. 1777, the phrase ‘to repent your journey’ became ‘to repent of your journey’ in the second edition, a change kept in Hill-Powell; Redford follows the original reading. 8 indecent behaviour to] MS orig. (1) ‘taking indecent liberties’; (2) ‘indecent liberties’; (3) ‘taking indecent liberties with’. 9 I will be obliged] Changed to ‘I shall be obliged’ in the third edition. Also in this edition, in the portion of JB’s letter not transcribed, the phrase ‘unless you was ill’ became ‘unless you were ill’ (Hill-Powell iii. 211). 14 by those] MS orig. ‘to those’, a false start. 17–18 respect … Scotland] MS orig. (1) ‘respect and honour’; (2) ‘respect and to the credit of Scotland, upon which illiberal’, a false start. 19 England,] False start, ‘and’. 20 service to] False start, ‘one o[?wner]’. 20 master] False start, ‘was cause’. 1

page 153 had] Printed in the revises ‘having’. officiously … him] MS orig. (1) ‘suggested to him’; (2) ‘officiously suggested to him by one enthusi[ast]’. 6 Advocates] False start ‘at th[e]’. 6 honour.] False starts, (1) ‘Particular praise was due to Mr. Allan MacConochie for a most learned and ingenious argument in favour’; (2) ‘Mr. McLaurin and’. 8 MacConochie] Printed ‘Mac Corochie’ in the revises; corrected by JB— ‘MacConochie / one word’—and printed ‘Macconochie’ in the first edition. 8 by] False starts, (1) ‘assiduous’; (2) [undeciphered word]. 8–9 an extraordinary … ingenuity] Printed in the revises ‘his ingenuity and extraordinary research’. 11 a man] False start, ‘of’. Omitted in the second edition, to avoid the awkwardness of ‘a man … manly’. 12 a knowledge] MS orig. ‘knowledge’.

1 4

357

NOTES TO PAGES 153–57

14 14 17 21 22 23

has been] False start, ‘objected’. so often] False start, ‘mentioned’. question] Written over another word, possibly ‘occasion’. but] Printed in the revises ‘yet’. decided] Two false starts: ‘for’, then ‘again[st]’. Lord Ellioch … and] MS orig. ‘Lord Monboddo Lord Ellioch and’. In the revises, ‘Ellioch’ was printed ‘Elliock’.

page 154 Duodecimo] Inadvertently written ‘Duodeimo’. The volumes were in fact small octavo. 5 most eminent English Poets] MS orig. ‘English Poets’. 11 of the] First draft, ‘of’. 16 first four volumes] JB inserted ‘12mo’ after this phrase in the revises, then abandoned his intention in the midst of changing it to ‘in duod[ecimo]’. 22 copy right] Printed in the revises ‘copy-right’; changed to ‘copy right’ in the second edition. Cp. p. 336, endnote for p. 77 l. 25. 4

page 155 Of this Work] MS orig. ‘Of those [Lives]’. 8 January 1778] Printed in the revises ‘Jan. 8, 1778’. which] False start, ‘she suffered’. Scotsman] Changed to ‘Scotchman’ in the second edition. De Animi Tranquillitate] Third word added in the same draft. In the revises, the italicized title (printed within quotation marks) ended with a question mark to complete the interrogatory of the previous sentence. It was deleted in the third edition, but rematerialized—on the other sentence— in Hill-Powell. 22 I ever am / My Dear Sir] Printed in the revises ‘I am, dear Sir’.

5 7 13 17 19

page 156 poor] Written over ‘M[rs.]’, a false start. so] False start, ‘unp[leasant]’, JB’s eye having slipped into the next sentence. is unpleasant] MS orig. ‘be un[pleasant]’. To … JOHNSON] In the second edition, apart from the matter discussed in n. 1, two changes altered JB’s letter of 28 Feb. 1778: the phrase ‘on politicks’ became ‘in politicks’, and in the note on JB’s allusion to Cardinal Wolsey, ‘when describing’ became ‘describing’. 9 To … JOHNSON] In this letter of 12 Mar. 1778 (printed ‘1777’ in the revises, but there corrected), JB altered the phrase ‘he read it’ to ‘he had read it’. This change was reversed in the second edition (though Hill-Powell retained it), and ‘but for a few hours’ became ‘but a few hours’. 13 humourously] Printed in the revises ‘humorously’. 2 2 3 8

page 157 5–6 the Reverend … Westminster] Changed in the revises to ‘Dr. Taylor in Dean’s yard Westminster’. 19 own] Written over a false start, ‘h[ouse]’. 22 as she herself told me] Added in the same draft. 23 also] Added in the same draft.

358

NOTES TO PAGES 157–61

27 28

at] Written over a false start, ‘w[hose]’. early years] Inadvertently written ‘yearly years’.

page 158 4–5 When … man] MS orig. (1) ‘“When I afterwards came to know and understand the high character of this great man” (said Mr. How[ard)]’; (2) ‘Mr. Howard added that When he afterwards came to know and understand the high character of this great man’. 5 wonder.] False start, ‘When’. 8 We retired … and Mr.] MS orig. ‘We retired. Mr.’ 13 £500] Printed in the revises ‘five hundred pounds’. 15 mouthe] Printed ‘mouth’ in the revises. 17 would drive] Printed in the revises ‘would have driven’. 19 to oppose … Stirling] Added in the same draft. 23 so as to fill up] Written ‘so as fill up’, an imperfect revision. page 159 1 so much] Changed to ‘a certain portion of’ in the third edition. 1–2 it would be wrong … a bad thing.] Printed as a quotation in the revises. 3 What!] The exclamation point, missing in the revises, was restored by JB. 6 reverential] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘respectful’. 6 Dr. Johnson’s] Printed in the revises ‘Dr. Johnson’. 14 Mr. Samuel Johnson!] Printed in the revises with a comma, not an exclamation point; the italics became small capital letters in the second edition. 23 similar states] Changed in the second edition to ‘a similar state’. 24 Mr. Thrale’s] Printed in the revises ‘Mr. Thrale’, but restored to the possessive by JB. 25–26 he was … friends.] Printed as a quotation in the revises. 27 27] Printed ‘27th’ in the revises. 27–32 a separation … distance.] Printed as a quotation in the revises. In the second edition, the initial quotation marks were omitted, a mistake copied in the third edition; Hill-Powell dealt with the error by deleting the terminal quotation marks as well. 35 any thing] Added in the same draft. page 160 provision.] Printed in the revises ‘provisions — and other such topicks.’ mentioned] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘repeated’. to allude to it] Inadvertently written ‘to allude it’, followed by a false start, ‘expressed’, and then ‘called’. 7 taking … now] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘having taken occasion’. 9 woman] Written over ‘man’, a false start. 11 of] Written over ‘st’, a false start. 14 a Kempis] Printed in the revises ‘à Kempis’. 30 in whose family] Drafts in revision, (1) ‘an Irish Peer w[hose]’; (2) ‘whose ancestors’, both false starts. 3 5 7

1

page 161 I mentioned …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision.

359

NOTES TO PAGES 161–64

3 14 16 17 19 22 27 27

29

written by himself] Printed in the revises ‘in his own hand-writing’. contraversy] Printed in the revises ‘controversy’. See Life MS i. 245 n. 9. as well] Written over ‘better’. It is] Printed in the revises ‘Nay, it is’. reconversion] Printed in the revises ‘re-conversion’. That is ... Journal.] Added in the same draft. the very same thought] Added in the same draft. Atterbury’s … ‘In] Printed in the revises ‘Atterbury’s “Sermon on Lady Cutts.” “In’; third edition, ‘Atterbury’s “Funeral Sermon on Lady Cutts;” where having mentioned her Diary, he says, “In’. looked at] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘read’.

page 162 1 he] Printed in the revises ‘Johnson’. 8 them. You know not] Printed in the revises, ‘them; you do not know’. 9–10 in one circumstance] Added in the same draft. 10 by degrees] Added in the same draft. 17 ought] Marked for italics by JB in the revises. 20 In his Review …] Marked to begin a new paragraph. 20–21 Essay … Pope] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 28 relators] Changed on the revises to ‘relaters’. 30 found his observation illustrated.] MS orig. ‘been confirmed.’ 33 circumstance] Written over a false start, ‘r[eport]’. page 163 school] Changed to italics in the third edition. (first) been] Printed in the revises ‘possessed’, which changed the phrasing from ‘distinguished … which they would not have been’ to ‘love of truth and accuracy, which they would not have possessed’. 4 known to] Changed in the third edition to ‘acquainted with’. 5 Talking …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 7–8 the spirit of any person] MS orig. ‘a spirit’. 8 having appeared] Printed in the revises ‘appearing’. 10 He … conversation] MS orig. ‘John Wesley’s conversations’, a false start. 14 3 April] Printed ‘April 3’. 16 letters.] False start as continuation of same paragraph, ‘O.’ 17 Lord] Added in the same draft; omitted in the revises. 17 antique] Added in the same draft. 18 guineas,] False start, ‘John[son]’. 18 a statue÷that of] Added in the same draft. 25 shews] Printed ‘shows’ in the revises. 1 4

page 164 Spectators] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. the judgement of] Added in the same draft. perseverance] Printed in the revises ‘perseverances’; restored to the singular by JB. 8 has been] Changed in the second edition to ‘must have been’. 13 arrive at] First draft, ‘attain’. 13 in making] Printed in the revises ‘of making’. 5 5 7

360

NOTES TO PAGES 164–67

15 17 19 27 35 36 36 40

greater] Added in the same draft. E. ‘We …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. very like] Printed in the revises ‘very much like’. So … Sir] Printed in the revises ‘So, Sir, I should think’. exportation] Printed in the revises ‘the exportation’. at home] Added in the same draft. neighbour’s] Hill-Powell, ‘neighbours’, an error. finally] Added in the same draft; printed ‘for all’ in the revises; changed by JB to ‘from that’; omitted in the second edition. 40–41 It can only be said that] Added in the same draft.

page 165 only] Written over ‘not’, which JB had erroneously written twice. Waving] SJ’s Dictionary, ‘To WAVE … 6. To put aside for the present’. The preferred spelling became ‘waive’ by the early nineteenth century (OED). 21–22 to himself] Added in the same draft. 22 certain] First draft, ‘degree of’. 29 outvote] Printed in the revises ‘out-vote’. 30 we’ll] Printed in the revises ‘we will’. 30 shewn] Printed in the revises ‘shown’. 32–33 (I except … Majority÷House/.)] MS orig. ‘(I except the minority which I hold to be pure)’. 35 large] Added in the same draft. 39 all] Printed in the revises ‘most’. 12 18

page 166 1 which is] Added in the same draft. 7–8 to have] Added in the same draft. 11 in the way] Omitted in the revises. 15 or to gallop] Printed in the revises ‘or gallop’. 16 Well] Omitted in the revises. 16–17 moderate hunters] Printed in the revises ‘moderate political hunters’. 21 consequence] False start, ‘in the House of Commons’. page 167 1 english. But] MS orig. ‘english but’. 2 inquire] Printed in the revises ‘enquire’. 3 Thickness’s] MS orig. ‘Thikness’s’; third edition, ‘Thicknesse’s’ . 3 think entertaining] Printed in the revises ‘think are entertaining’. 4 (first) Sir] Added in the same draft. 6 Thikness] Printed ‘Thickness’; third edition, ‘Thicknesse’. 9 tied on] Printed in revises ‘made him tie on’. 13 honestly] Added in the same draft. 16 better] Italicized in the second edition. 21 off] Written ‘of’ inadvertently. 22–23 As it is said] Inadvertently written ‘As it said’. 25 happier] Italicized in the second edition. 26 inquire] Printed ‘enquire’ (so in revises). 29 cunning] Added in the same draft.

361

NOTES TO PAGES 168–72

page 168 10 resolve] Second edition, ‘resolved’; Hill-Powell, ‘resolve’. 14–15 qualities. That] Printed ‘qualities: that’ in the revises. JB changed ‘that’ to ‘narrowness’. 19 company] Printed in the revises ‘society’. 20 our friend] Added in the same draft. 23 his] Misprinted ‘hls’; marked for correction, but not corrected until the second edition. 23 it] Printed in italics in the revises. 31 Bore] MS orig. ‘bore’. page 169 allowed] Printed in the revises ‘allow’. our] MS orig. ‘your’, a false start. Omitted in the printing. should] Printed in the revises ‘shall’. with him] Printed in the revises ‘Johnson him’; corrected by JB to ‘with Johnson’. 4 the Reverend] Inadvertently written ‘the Revered’; omitted in the revises. 12 hero’s] MS orig. ‘hero’es’. 15 of his Prime Minister] Printed in the revises ‘of his Queen with his primeminister’. 2 2 2 4

page 170 9 the whole of which was an] MS orig. ‘which was as’, a false start. 10 who this] Printed in the revises ‘who this person’. 15 tonight] Printed in the revises ‘this evening’. 17 He] Written over ‘We’. 19 Sir] Added in the same draft. 21 afterwards] Added in the same draft. 21 Old Bailley] Printed in the revises ‘Old-Bailey’. 21–22 after he has robbed me] Added in the same draft. 24 act] Written over an undeciphered false start. page 171 himself] MS orig. ‘him[self]’, deleted as JB apparently considered retaining the phrase in his journal, ‘one may … hang oneself’. 4 we] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘I’. 10 observed] Printed in the revises ‘said’. 13 in his company] Revision orig. ‘being in his company’, JB having begun to resolve his alternatives by deleting the virgules on either side of ‘being’. JB then scored through ‘being’. 13 do] Printed in the revises ‘did’. 14 that] Printed in the revises ‘and that’. 21–22 (Mrs. Desmoulins making the tea)] Added in the same draft. 26 is] Written over ‘it’, a false start. 30 to me] Omitted in the revises. 2

page 172 10 Violincello] Changed to ‘violoncello’ in the second edition. 10–11 might as well have] MS orig. ‘should have’.

362

NOTES TO PAGES 172–76

11 17 20

Violincello] Changed to ‘violoncello’ in the second edition. of stockings] Added in the same draft. Acis and Galatea] Printed within quotation marks in the revises.

page 173 3 An Account … 1702] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 5 in general] Added in the same draft. 7–8 Martins Account of the Hebrides is written] MS orig. ‘Martin does’. 8 he’d] Printed in the revises ‘he should’. 14 died for rather] MS orig. ‘died rather rather’, an inadvertent repetition. 14 Sir] Added in the same draft. 15 lied] Printed in the revises ‘had uttered a falsehood’. 17 Boswell.] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. page 174 7 Mr.] Added in the same draft. 10 in] Written over ‘a’, a false start. 10 manner] Having accidentally written ‘manners’, JB struck out the ‘s’. 10 which] Written over ‘who’, a false start. 7–11 She had bound … to read.] Printed as a quotation in the revises. While the third-person pronouns (‘She … she … her …’) were at odds with direct discourse, JB’s capital ‘S’ indicated the beginning of a speech. 12 Sir,] Added in the same draft. 14 so] Printed in the revises ‘she does’. 17 interlopers.] False start, ‘Boswell. “I remember’. 19 a] Written over ‘an’, a false start. page 175 Why then] Printed in the revises, ‘Why then Sir’. Why Sir] Added in the same draft. it is … that he] JB wrote ‘he’ over ‘one’, part of an unfinished alternative phrasing abandoned as a false start: ‘Because it is÷one is so much better to be sure that one’. 6 to drink wine] MS orig. (inadvertently) ‘to wine’. 12 for it] Added in the same draft. 15–16 have indeed. I] Added in the same draft. 28–31 a man who … place.] Printed in the revises as a quotation. 35 as well in Minorca] Added in the same draft. 37 isle of Col] Printed ‘Isle of Col’ in the revises. 3 4 4

page 176 Johnson. ‘Yes, Sir, If … forty five;] MS orig. ‘“If I had been there from fifteen to forty five yes’. 4 as … London] Printed in the revises ‘as much in London as any where else’. 7 The man] Above these words JB wrote ‘It is’, starting an alternative phrase (‘It is the man who …’), but deleted the addition before furnishing any complementary elements to that phrasing. 9 ideas] Changed by JB in the revises first to ‘talents’, then ‘knowledge’. 11 our] Written over another letter, possibly ‘a’ for ‘arriving’. 12 go] Written over an illegible letter. 1

363

NOTES TO PAGES 176–79

13 13 15 17 18 20 22 22 25 27 27

learnt] Written over an undeciphered false start. from London] Added in the same draft. Memoires de Fontenelle] Printed in the revises within quotation marks; Hill-Powell, ‘Mémoires de Fontenelle’, without quotation marks. Sketches … Man] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. Charles V] Printed in the revises ‘Charles the Fifth’. Why Sir] Added in the same draft. out] Added in the same draft. at it] Added in the same draft. preachers] Printed ‘sermons’ in the revises. JB probably returned to his original word when correcting proof. ‘Atterbury?’] Early editions of the Life did not print the implicit quotation marks; Hill-Powell added them. Johnson. ‘Yes] MS orig. ‘Yes’. In the revises, ‘Yes’ was printed ‘Yes, Sir,’.

page 177 2–3 Jortin’s … elegant.] Added in the same draft. 3 too] Added in the same draft. 8 unharmonious] Printed ‘inharmonious’ in the third edition; Hill-Powell restored ‘unharmonious’. 6–8 All the later … years ago.] Added (on MS opp. 649) in the same draft. 12 sermons on prayer] Changed to ‘Sermons on Prayer’ in the third edition. 13 subtlety] Printed in the revises ‘subtilty’. 19 Dodd’s] Not italicized in the revises. 22 Seeing … England.] MS orig. ‘Scotland Madam is only a worse England.’ 25 Mr.] Written over ‘T[homas]’. 28 success.] Printed in the revises ‘success and had contributed to it’. 32 Poor Tom’s a=cold] MS orig. ‘poor Tom’s a cold’. Printed inside quotation marks (‘a-cold’ with a hyphen). 35 mouthing … mouth a bone] Printed in the revises as a quotation. page 178 long] In revision JB rejected this alternative, but wrote it in again after ultimately deciding against ‘considerable’, a reversal perhaps related to his choice of ‘considerations’ over ‘motives’ two paragraphs below. 18 forenoon] Changed to ‘morning’ in the third edition. 18 Observations on Swift] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 27 Thursday] MS orig. ‘thursday’. 28 Allan] Added in the same draft. 29 Mr. Langton] Printed in the revises ‘and Mr. Langton’.

13

1 5 6 13 17 20 21

page 179 various] Added in the same draft. in Horace’s time] Printed in the revises ‘at that time’. it happened that] A later addition. perpetuó] Printed ‘perpetuò’. writings.] In the revises the period was changed to a question mark. of St. Asaph or One of the Company] Added in the same draft. Like] Printed in the revises ‘He was like’.

364

NOTES TO PAGES 180–83

page 180 1 Tibur] MS orig. ‘tibur’. 4 that] Written ‘than’, a slip of the pen. 8 how long it was] Printed in the revises ‘that it was long’. 9–10 in ludicrous terms of distress] Added in the same draft. 11 Traveller] Printed in the revises within quotation marks, not italicized. 16 Johnson.] Written over the first letter of a false start, possibly ‘N’. 16 the Traveller] Printed within quotation marks in the revises (with ‘the’ capitalized), both here and in SJ’s next speech (l. 28). 18 a too great] Changed to ‘too great a’ in the third edition. 19 all] Changed to ‘always’ in the second edition; Hill-Powell restored ‘all’. 24 come] Printed in the revises ‘become’. 24 of it] JB had to reinsert this alternative, having first chosen ‘on’t’ instead. 28 slow] Added in the same draft. 30 bodily] Added in the same draft. 32 sitting] Added in the same draft. page 181 Goldsmith] Printed in the revises ‘Goldsmith, however,’. transplanted] An x above this word suggests that JB was uncertain of his word choice. 12 fields] Printed in the revises ‘the fields’. 17 in the World] Omitted in the second edition; restored in Hill-Powell. 22 that] Added in the same draft. 22–23 they know … than women do] MS orig. ‘they know no more’. In the second edition, the last phrase became ‘than the women do’. 25 rather passée] First revision, ‘a gallicism, passée’. 28 like] Printed in the revises ‘equal to’. 29 France?] Punctuated with a period in the revises; corrected to a question mark in the second edition.

4 7

18 20 22 23 25 29 30 30 30 31

page 182 having] Added in the same draft. him] Added in the same draft. find] Choosing this alternative after first rejecting it, JB wrote it in again. Commentators] MS orig. ‘He was’, a false start. occur] MS orig. ‘are found’. in the Newspapers] Added in the same draft. Shakespeare’s] Printed in the revises ‘Shakspeare’s’. people] Changed to ‘persons’ in the third edition. well] Added in the same draft. Modern … Shakspeare] Printed within quotation marks in the revises.

page 183 1 afterwards] Added in the same draft. 4 repeated] Printed in the revises ‘repeated what had been applied to him,’. 5 Garagantua’s] Marked for small capitals in the revises by JB. 7–8 which … effect] Added in the same draft. 17 lively] Added in the same draft. 17 &] Added in the same draft, to extend the subordinate clause.

365

NOTES TO PAGES 183–87

22 23 24

we] Hill-Powell, ‘he’, an error. Mr. Harris] Printed in the revises ‘Mr. Harris of Salisbury’. Hon.] Printed in the revises ‘Honourable’.

page 184 do not] JB left what looks like an apostrophe before ‘not’, possibly for ‘don’t’. 2 the merit of] Added in the same draft. 4 repeated … observation] Printed in the revises ‘mentioned the vulgar saying’. 6 produced.’] False start, ‘Harris’. 17 was] Added in the same draft. 21–22 Every substance (smiling to Mr. Harris)] MS orig. ‘(smiling to Mr. Harris)’, as reflected by the original catchword—‘(smiling’—on MS 660. After adding the phrase ‘Every substance’, JB changed his catchword to ‘Every’. Why he later scored through this catchword is puzzling. 28–29 you don’t … turn] Printed in the revises as a quotation within a quotation. 29 (second) he] Written over ‘him’, a false start. 31–32 I thought ... this.] Added in the same draft. 1

9 10 11 15 16 18 22 27 27 27 34 35 35

page 185 obtuse] Printed in italics in the revises. epigram] JB did not delete the ‘s’ on ‘epigrams’, but his intention was clear. not] Printed in italics in the revises. often] Added in the same draft. this] False start, possibly ‘they’. very] Added in the same draft. Ay] Printed ‘Aye’; changed back to ‘Ay’ in the third edition. first] Printed in italics in the revises. refused] Written over ‘h[?ad]’, a false start. in false english] Printed in italics in the revises, with a capital ‘E’. me it] Changed in the third edition to ‘it to me’. him] Printed in the revises ‘Johnson’. forenoon] Changed to ‘morning’ in the third edition.

page 186 2 1763] False start, ‘when I first’. 2–3 1763 in the beginning] Printed in the revises ‘1763, the beginning’. 2–3 the beginning … Journal] In the second edition changed to ‘the period when our acquaintance began, that I should keep a journal’. 4–5 that though he used] Printed in the revises ‘as he had been used’. 6 on a review] Added in the same draft. 8 were] Written over ‘was’. 8 remarkable] Printed in the revises ‘remarkably’. 12 He found …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 15 Traveller] Printed within quotation marks in the revises.

2 15

page 187 yesterday] Changed to ‘the preceding day’ in the third edition. manor] Printed in the revises ‘Manour’.

366

NOTES TO PAGES 187–91

17 20

entry to] Printed in the revises ‘entry of’. Journey to the Hebrides] Printed within quotation marks in the revises.

page 188 6 extracted and] Added in the same draft. 7 go?] In the revises JB changed the question mark to an exclamation point. 7–8 I talked of … and of his] Printed in the revises ‘I then slily introduced Mr. Garrick’s fame, and his’. 8 airs of a] Added in the same draft. 9 little] Printed in italics in the revises. 22 long] Added in the same draft. 22 every body] Added in the same draft, having been omitted inadvertently. 28 Yet] Added in the same draft. 29 generous] MS orig. ‘good’; not italicized in the revises. 36 quarrelled with] Printed in the revises ‘grumbled at’. page 189 8 income] Third edition, ‘incomes’; Hill-Powell, ‘income’. 8 It is clear] Added in the same draft. 9 spend.] False start, ‘Therefore a very large proportion’. 10 (second) all] Written over ‘or’, a false start. 10–11 be of any use or] Added in the same draft. 12 great] MS orig. ‘very lar[ge]’. 13 no] MS orig. ‘not’, a false start. 15 other] Added in the same draft. 17 genteely] Altered in the revises to ‘genteelly’. 24 who … service] Added in the same draft, after a deleted false start of one or two illegible letters. 26 But] Added in the same draft. 28 follow … Philosophy] Printed in the revises as an internal quotation. 29–30 follow … Czar] Printed in the revises as an internal quotation. 33 (first) such] MS orig. ‘Such’. 33 crowding] Printed ‘crouding’ (so in revises). page 190 3 a weakness] Added in the same draft. 20 talk] Printed in the revises ‘talk much’. 20 Club] Changed to small capital letters in the third edition. 21–22 could … yet he certainly] Added in the same draft; MS orig. ‘certainly could not be affraid of Dr. Johnson yet’. 21–23 that Mr. Fox … presence;] Printed in the revises as a quotation (ending on a period, not a semi-colon). 23 now] Added in the same draft. page 191 2 Robinson Crusoe] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 7–10 I asked … I desisted.] Printed as a quotation in the revises. 13 to] Deleted by JB in the revises. 16 as ‘What … Sir? What … Sir?’] Added in the same draft. Punctuated as two quotations in the revises, but without terminal quotation marks for

367

NOTES TO PAGES 191–94

17 19 22 22 23 31

the first, an error corrected in the second edition. I will … question.] A later addition. and Why. What is this? What is that?] MS orig. ‘or Why’, added in the same draft. good] Italicized in the revises. ill] Italicized in the revises. Justitia] Not italicized in the revises. Every … prison.] Printed within quotation marks in the revises.

page 192 verses] Printed ‘Latin verses’ in the revises. to eminence] Added in the same draft. three minutes] Printed ‘for three minutes’ in the first edition, after a query to this effect in the revises. 19 a worthy obliging man] Added in the same draft. 21 stately periods &] Added in the same draft. 22 Great Man] Printed in lower case in the revises. 23 appropriated] Added in the same draft. 26 which I heard] In the second edition changed to ‘which I had heard’. 27 after taking it down] Third edition, ‘after I had taken it down’. 30 History of America] Printed within quotation marks in the revises.

1 11 16

page 193 allways] Added in the same draft. appeared] Printed in the revises ‘appearing’, as a result of which the period at the end of the sentence was changed to a comma. 11–12 having … it] MS orig. ‘looked at the Prayer at the end of it’, a false start. 14 then] Added in the same draft. 19 a pardon] In resolving his alternatives JB first deleted the ‘a’, then wrote it back in. 22 Goldsmith —] False start, ‘Johnson. “He had so much envy that he could not conceal it.”’ JB reintroduced this remark two sentences later. 27 think. Many] Printed in the revises ‘think; though many’. 31 good instruction] MS orig. ‘instruction’. 31 this] Written over an undeciphered false start. 38 who] MS orig. ‘which’, a false start. 3 4

page 194 Dunvegan] Mistakenly printed ‘Dungevan’; corrected in the revises by JB. writer] Probable alternative; looks like ‘write’. Travels] Printed in the revises with a lower-case ‘t’, and without the italics or quotation marks that JB might have expected. If it was Pennant’s book that Percy ‘thought meanly of’, as JB’s phrasing and capital ‘T’ both suggest, the word he wanted was ‘Tour’, for A Tour in Scotland. MDCCLXIX (1771). 11 warmly] Printed ‘eagerly’ in the revises. 11 has] Written over a false start, ‘s[aid]’; omitted by mistake in Hill-Powell. 12 says] Written over ‘said’. 31 And I travelled] Changed in the second edition to ‘And I travelled’. 4 7 10

368

NOTES TO PAGES 195–200

page 195 But] The last two letters in this word cover an undeciphered false start or slip of the pen. 9 puffing] What appears to be an ‘a’ follows this word, a false start. 13 you] Printed in italics in the revises. 14 him] Added in the same draft. 17–18 reviler … greatness] MS orig. [undeciphered letters], a false start. (humouring the joke)] MS orig. ‘to keep up the j[oke]’; added in the same 21 draft. 22 scull] Printed ‘skull’ in the revises. 22 ale] Added in the same draft. 38 procuring] Added in the same draft. 1

9 12 16

page 196 supt] Changed to ‘supped’ in the second edition. Dr. Percy] Printed ‘he’ in the revises. disregard] Having rejected each alternative in revision, JB had to write down ‘disregard’ again.

page 197 4 as] Written over ‘an’. 5–6 and in short … advantage] Omitted in the second edition. 11 of] Added in the same draft. 10–12 was studiously framed to place] Changed to ‘placed’ in the second edition. 15 his Lordship] Written over ‘he’. 25 Dr. Percy] MS orig. ‘Percy’. 31–33 that he … death.] Printed as a quotation in the revises. 34 kindly] Added in the same draft. 35 concomitant÷relative] Added in the same draft. page 198 servt.] Printed in the revises ‘servant’. begin] MS orig. ‘begins’. criticism, His] MS orig. ‘criticism. His’, the reading in Letters of Johnson ed. Redford, iii. 114. 35 for] MS orig. ‘For’.

22 27 31

page 199 comparison] MS orig. ‘comparrison’. Being] MS orig. ‘being’. Apr. 23 — 78] Printed in the revises ‘April 23, 1778’. obedt. humble servt.] Printed in the revises ‘obedient humble servant’. Southaudley Street / 25 April] Printed in the revises ‘South Audley-street, April 25’. 28 him] Printed in the revises ‘Johnson’. 6 10 15 25 27

1 4 6

page 200 frame] Changed to ‘mood’ in the third edition. which was exactly] MS orig. ‘as’. in the Newspapers] Added in the same draft.

369

NOTES TO PAGES 200–03

7 7 12 13 13 13 14 16 16 18 18 21 20–23 23

latin] Omitted in the revises. and of] Printed in the revises ‘and of the passage’. Cogor] MS orig. ‘cogor’. being] Added in the same draft. Jenyns] Printed ‘Jennyns’, but changed to ‘Jenyns’ in the second edition. into] MS orig. ‘in’. Printed in the revises ‘in’. him] Printed in the revises ‘Johnson’. consultus] Printed in italics in the revises. an] MS orig. ‘and’, a slip. Juris-consultus] Printed as separate words in the third edition. Consult] MS orig. ‘consult’. even in] Printed in the revises ‘even as in’. I asked … distinguished.] Punctuated with a question mark in the revises. distinguished style] Printed in the revises ‘style of eminent excellence’.

page 201 2 whether] This revision is in Plymsell’s hand. 5–6 Facies ... tamen] Printed in italics in the revises. 8 of Poems] Added in the same draft. 8 pretty] Written over the first two letters of an illegible false start. 10 whatever] Added in the same draft. 14 limited] Initially underlined with the Latin, a mistake corrected in revision. 15 Topham] Added in the same draft. 15 afternoon] Printed in the revises ‘evening’. 16 staid to supper] MS orig. ‘staid supper’. 21 You] Written over ‘I’. 24 in newspapers] Printed in the revises ‘in the news-papers’. page 202 1 Veniam … vicissim.] Printed as an internal quotation in the revises. 5 of people] Added in the same draft. 5–6 No Sir I] Printed in the revises ‘I, however,’. 14 notwithstanding] Written over ‘he’, a false start. 18 Depend upon it Sir] Added in the same draft. 20 much] Added in the same draft. 22 highseasoned and] Added in the same draft. 22 What] Written over a false start, either an ‘I’ or a ‘J’. 22 Cato] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 23 Numidian] Punctuated with a colon in the revises; changed to a question mark in the third edition. 26 th’ approach] Some undeciphered letters are deleted above these words. 31 it] Printed ‘its’ in the second edition, a mistake repeated in the third; corrected in Hill-Powell.

1 2 14 17 23

page 203 kind of] Added in the same draft. refinement and] Added in the same draft. broad] Written over ‘ba[sis]’. Despot] MS orig. ‘despot’. etymology] The ‘e’, large and bold, seems to cover up a capital ‘E’.

370

NOTES TO PAGES 203–07

24 24 25 25 29 31 31 31–32 34

which were] Printed in the revises ‘which he thought were’. Italian] The ‘I’ is either smudged or written over a false start. the] Written over ‘m[ost]’. Maccaroni] MS orig. ‘Macaroni’. different] Written over ‘sever[al]’. almost] Added in the same draft. there … language] Second edition, ‘we scarcely know of a language.’ any country … learning in] Added in the same draft. Polemomiddinia] Printed within quotation marks in the revises and early editions, but not in Hill-Powell.

page 204 1 is] Written over ‘in’, JB probably starting to repeat ‘in latin’. 3 such comical] Added in the same draft. 9 high] Changed to ‘great’ in the second edition. 11–12 new colouring] Printed in the revises ‘a new colouring’. 15 Taxation no Tyranny] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 15 much] Added in the same draft. 19 Seyward] Printed in the revises ‘Seward’. 19 Rev.] Expanded to ‘Reverend’ in the second edition. 21–22 Account … Sweden] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. page 205 in reserve] JB positioned this phrase as if to insert it after ‘bone’, but then placed his caret after ‘paws’. 15 much more] Added in the same draft. 19 is] Written over ‘w[as]’, as in the journal: ‘what was best butcher meat’. 19 butcher meat] Printed in the revises ‘butcher’s meat’. 20 season] Second edition, ‘seasons’; Hill-Powell restored the original reading. 21 Cookery] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 25 Hill] Printed in the revises ‘Dr. Hill’. 25 Cookery] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 6

page 206 Hercules] Written over the first letter and a half of ‘the’. Benedictin] Printed in the revises ‘Benedictine’. the Duke … Memoirs] Printed within quotation marks in the revises (with a capital ‘T’). 8 has] Added in the same draft. 9–11 answer that … name.] Printed in the revises ‘answer: — “That … name.”’ 14 Benedictin] Printed in the revises ‘Benedictine’. 27 chance] Written over a false start, probably ‘l[uck]’. 29 Voltaire] Written over a false start, possibly ‘W[here]’. 32 so] Added in the same draft. 35 houses] False start, ‘t[o pay]’, from the next phrase in the journal (‘all to pay our court to the women’: 15 Apr. 1778). Writing ‘we’ over the ‘t’ (before crossing it), JB turned ‘all’ into ‘we do every thing in short’.

3 6 7

1

page 207 Now Sir, you talk of] Printed in the revises ‘Now, take the instance of’.

371

NOTES TO PAGES 207–10

6 12 13 18 19 19 22 23 24 31

in the first place] Printed in the revises ‘you must consider’. company;] MS orig. ‘company — ’. in the World] Added in the same draft. Sir] Printed in the revises ‘Doctor’. it a hardship] Added in the same draft. given] Printed in the revises ‘allowed’. Shakespeare] Printed in the revises ‘Shakspeare’. horseback] Changed to ‘a horse’ in the third edition. to ride] MS orig. ‘ride’. Though] Printed in the revises ‘Yet, though’.

page 208 9 he] Printed in the revises ‘Johnson’. 9–10 As … thinking,] Added in the same draft. 11 in a future state] Added in the same draft. 15 clearer] Printed in the revises ‘clear’. 17 his] Printed in the revises ‘Johnson’s’. 17 Jennyns’s] Second edition, ‘Jenyns’s’. 22 the better] Added in the same draft. 23 Book] Printed in the revises ‘treatise’. 26 airy] Having rejected all three options in turn, JB had to write ‘airy’ again. 27 Jennyns] Second edition, ‘Jenyns’. 28 you] Written in again; JB in revision had first selected the alternative. page 209 bretheren] Corrected to ‘brethren’ in the revises. Faith] MS orig. ‘faith’. Sir] Printed in the revises ‘Doctor’. Apostles] MS orig. ‘apostles’. loved] Printed in italics in the revises. called] Added in the same draft. Jesus] Printed ‘JESUS’ in the revises. amiable and pleasing] Shortened to ‘pleasing’ in the third edition. crying out] Printed in the revises ‘exclaiming’. burn and destroy] Printed in the revises ‘burn and destroy them’. another] Written over the first letter of an undeciphered false start. which … heard] Added in the same draft. volly] Printed in the revises ‘volley’. I diverted] MS orig. ‘he ceased’, a false start in JB’s final pass through this paragraph. 32 Pray Sir] A later addition.

1 4 6 6 7 7 7 11 16 16 19 20 28 30

page 210 demonstrating] Printed in the revises ‘stating’. iron] Added in the same draft. bound] Written over ‘as’. Deity] False start in revision, ‘a proposition which [undeciphered words] in his [undeciphered word]’. 14–15 than you are of any] MS orig. ‘than of any’. 15 a deduction] MS orig. ‘deduction’.

1 6 6 12

372

NOTES TO PAGES 210–14

15 27

a little] A later addition. dependant] Corrected in the revises to ‘dependent’.

page 211 pleasure to be of itself] Printed in the revises ‘pleasure itself to be’. taste] Second edition, ‘eat’; Hill-Powell restored ‘taste’. pleasures vices] JB started changing this to ‘pleasures which [are] vices’ in revision, but before writing ‘are’ must have noticed that another ‘which’ already followed ‘vices’. 21 at an alehouse] Hill-Powell, ‘in an alehouse’, an error. 23 gained] JB first rejected this alternative, then wrote it in large letters over the deleted original. 26–27 more evil than good produced] MS orig. ‘more good produced’, a false start. 29 vice;] MS orig. ‘vice:’. 37 Truth] MS orig. ‘truth’. 12 13 18

page 212 6 to let … I desired that] MS orig. ‘to desire that’. 11 is in the right] MS orig. ‘is right’. 12 is right] Printed in the revises ‘is in the right’. 14–15 Why … me?] A later addition. 20 Somebody … Mason’s] MS orig. (1) ‘Mr. Mason’s’; (2) ‘The Reverend Mr. Mason’s’. 20–21 Mr. Murray] MS orig. ‘Murray’, itself written over ‘Mr’. 21 Gray’s Poems] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. page 213 2–3 disapprobation of] Printed in the revises ‘displeasure at’. 4 surprised] Printed in the revises ‘surprized at it’. 4 (not hearing accurately)] A later addition. 4 accurately] Printed in the revises ‘distinctly’. 5 Johnson.] A later addition. 6 Dr.] Written over ‘th[e]’, a false start. 13 uneasy] Added in the same draft. 17 namely] Added in the same draft. 18 obedience;] The faint dot in this semi-colon, possibly a stain in the paper and not a speck of ink, was ignored by the compositor. His comma was corrected to a semi-colon in the revises. 25 Johnson.] Written over ‘Ma[dam]’, a false start. page 214 3 that] Added in the same draft. 4 it is] False start, ‘th[ought]’. 5 those] Written over a false start, ‘who[ever]’. 6 does] Added in the same draft. 12–13 If annihilation ... chuse.] Added in the same draft. 17 argument] False start in revision, ‘from compensation,’. 19 here] A later addition. 19 comparatively] A later addition. 20 if] False start, ‘there were’.

373

NOTES TO PAGES 215–18

1 13 14 24 28 29

page 215 enough] Added in the same draft. truth of the story] Printed in the revises ‘evidence for it’. Ghost] Not italicized in the revises. letting] Written over a false start, possibly ‘in[forming]’. how much] Printed in the revises ‘that’. distressed] Printed in the revises ‘sorry’.

page 216 9 New Testament] MS orig. ‘new testament’. 9 before her Sir] Added in the same draft. ‘Sir’ was omitted in the revises. 10–11 book in … required.] MS orig. ‘book.’ 12 contraversial] Printed in the revises ‘controversial’. 17 desert] Written over an ‘r’, possibly for ‘renounce’ or ‘reject’; the journal read ‘give up’. 18 we have] Opting for this phrase after having deleted it in favour of ‘one has’, JB wrote ‘we’ over ‘one’, but left the verb ‘has’. The compositor, seeing what JB intended, printed ‘we have’. 19 the Religion] Added in the same draft. 20 live conscientiously] MS orig. ‘conscientously’. 27 young] The ‘y’ in this word, written over the first letter of ‘l[ady]’, a false start, looked to be upper case, but was printed in the lower case. 28 so … shocked] Added in the same draft. 31–32 and she has been … time.] Added in the same draft. JB turned ‘has’ into ‘was’ with a large ‘W’, but did not delete ‘been’. Since the footnote was not printed, this ambiguity was moot. 32 But as] False start, ‘my’. 34 I trust she] False start, ‘will’. page 217 1–2 I have … continued.] JB started this sentence in the previous paragraph, writing ‘I have’ after ‘reproach.’ Then, deleting the words and rewriting them to begin a new paragraph, he extended the previous sentence by adding ‘so … shocked’ (see above, endnote for p. 216 l. 28). 2 We] Written over a false start, ‘T’. 6 quick vegetation —] Added in the same draft. 8 lightening and] Second edition, ‘lightning,’; Hill-Powell restored ‘and’. 17 me.] False start, ‘But’. 26 stopping] The first letter drafted in this word was ‘t’, as though JB thought of writing ‘to stop’. page 218 5 upon the Continent of Europe] Added in the same draft. 11 not now] Transposed by JB in the revises to ‘now not’. 11 merely] Added in the same draft. 14 asked why] Printed in the revises ‘asked me why’. 14 an account] Printed in the revises ‘some account’. 16 in France] Added in the same draft. 17 the Club] Printed in the revises ‘the Club’; changed to ‘THE CLUB’. 17–18 there would have been more … them] First draft in revision, ‘there would

374

NOTES TO PAGES 218–21

21 23 25 30 38

6 7 7 11 12 20 28 28 30

have been furnished more ridicule than good’. still] Added in the same draft. of any sort] Added in the same draft. there’s an end on’t] Printed in italics in the revises. Books of] Added in the same draft. act by my own] MS orig. ‘follow my own’. page 219 Ay] Printed ‘Aye’; changed to ‘Ay’ in the third edition. There …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. very] Written over ‘num[erous]’. interviews] Printed in the revises ‘incidents’. minute of this date —] MS orig. ‘Minute:’. confidence who] Printed in the revises ‘confidence, knowing who’. Johnson.] MS orig. ‘Edwards’, by mistake. Ay] Printed in the revises ‘Aye’; third edition, ‘Ay’. Wishing …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision.

page 220 practiced] Printed ‘practised’. long] Added in the same draft. in Chancery] Added in the same draft. to Barnard’s Inn No. 6] Printed within parentheses in the revises. appearing to be] Third edition, ‘appearing to me’, an error corrected in Hill-Powell. 12 there] Omitted in the revises. 13 realised] Second edition, ‘realized’. 15 the blossoms÷buds of] Added in the same draft. 17 does he see … sees] Printed in the revises ‘did he see … saw’. 18 When …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 21 language and we] MS orig. ‘language. We’. 21–22 (to Edwards)] Added in the same draft. 22 you must] Printed in the revises ‘I presume you must’. 30 Bloxam] Not italicized in the revises. 31 Life of a conscientious clergyman] Printed in the revises ‘life of a parson, of a conscientious clergyman’. 4 4 5 7 9

page 221 up] Added in the same draft. Saviour’s] Printed in the revises ‘SAVIOUR’s’. Camden’s Remains] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. an Eulogy] MS orig. ‘a Eulogy’. a Prince] Added in the same draft. Edwards.] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. in my time] Added in the same draft. Courtenay] Printed in the revises ‘Courtnay’; corrected by JB to ‘Courtenay’. 20 gayety] Corrected to ‘gaiety’ in the revises. This word, in most other cases (but not noted in these endnotes), was printed ‘gaiety’ already in the revises, evidently after correction in proof. See, for instance, p. 286 ll. 17, 20, 23.

2 7 11 11 12 14 14 16

375

NOTES TO PAGES 222–25

1 5 6 7 20 20 24 32

page 222 Edwards.] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. Edwards.] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. find I] Added in the same draft. Early in life I drank wine.] Added in the same draft. Johnson.] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. You are a Lawyer Mr. Edwards.] Added in the same draft. Mr. Edwards …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. in the character] MS orig. ‘characteristical’.

1 1 2 3 4 4 17 21 24 26 29

page 223 This Interview …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. most] Added in the same draft. His] Written over ‘He’, a false start. a man] Added in the same draft. shewed a] False start, ‘most’ (a word just added to the previous sentence). kindliness] Second edition, ‘kindness’; Hill-Powell, ‘kindliness’. I said to Johnson that I] Second edition, ‘I said to Johnson, I’. himself] Added in the same draft. a total silence] First draft in revision, ‘a silence for’, a false start. once] Deleted above this word is an abortive alternative, ‘at an[other]’. said he] Added in the same draft.

4 9 10 12 13 14 14 15 15 16 16 17 17 20 24 27 32

page 224 its] In revision JB deleted this word, but then wrote it in again. handsom] Printed in the revises ‘handsome’. excentricity] Printed in the revises ‘eccentricity’. by] MS orig. ‘with’. but] MS orig. ‘and’. I] False start, ‘have’. much] Added in the same draft. Biographical] Added in the same draft. which] False starts, (1) ‘he’; (2) ‘among’. persons] False start, ‘of’. names] Printed ‘name’ in Hill-Powell, an error. friend.] False start, ‘He has’. That] Written over ‘His’. delivering] Written over ‘in’, a false start, probably for ‘in dialogue’. almost any] MS orig. ‘an[y]’. that subject] Printed in the revises ‘the subject’. Ay] Printed in the revises ‘Aye’; third edition, ‘Ay’.

6 13 14 15 17 19 19

page 225 Yet Johnson] Printed in the revises ‘Johnson, however,’. your native City] Added in the same draft. might have] False start, ‘been honour[ed with it]’. vex me by] False start, ‘talking’. Yet no man] MS orig. ‘No man’. it. Some instances] MS orig. ‘it, of which some instances’, a false start. may] Written over ‘might’.

376

NOTES TO PAGES 225–28

22

once] Written over ‘one’, a false start, if not a slip of the pen.

page 226 made up] Not italicized in the revises. slighter though perhaps] Added in the same draft. — did you — did you] MS orig. ‘, did you, did you’. Having now made this a threefold repetition of ‘did you’, JB must have modified Garrick’s speech in proof, for the verb phrase printed in the revises was ‘did you — did you meet’. 14 ease] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘indifference’. 14–15 (with … tiptoe)] Added, possibly in revision. MS orig. ‘with’, a false start in the middle of the page, suggesting a shorter phrase, for the phrase JB then drafted spanned the width of the page. As printed in the revises, the parenthesis incorporated the two preceding words, ‘replied Garrick,’. 17 little lawyer] Italicized in the third edition. 18 has observed] Second edition, ‘observed’. 21 frame] Second edition, ‘frame of mind’. 22 such as it would] Printed in the revises ‘such as would’. 22–23 such as … repeat,] Added in the same draft. 23 and] Omitted in the revises. 25 Swift] MS orig. ‘Pope’, a false start. 33–34 uneasy … if he] MS orig. ‘uneasy. If he’, a false start. 36–37 the Books] Printed in the revises ‘our books’. 37 head] Second edition, ‘heads’. 38–39 a great] Omitted in the revises. 4 9 12

page 227 11 Mrs. Desmoulins … officiating] Added in the same draft. 12–13 Life of Waller] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 17 plowing] Printed in the revises ‘ploughing’. 17 farming] Added in the same draft. 18 profane] JB wrote this word again in revision, having first chosen its alternative, ‘irreligious’. 19 ignorant sneers] False start, ‘upon what religion’. 20–21 allowed … aloud.] Because of the proximity of these words, JB revised the verb to ‘permitted’. page 228 ‘a pleasing man.’] Printed without quotation marks in the revises. alehouse] Above the end of this word, added and deleted in the same draft, is ‘in’. In the revises JB revisited this intention, changing the text to ‘alehouse in the City’. 6–7 which … discovered] Added in the same draft. 7 merit.] False start, ‘When the’. 8 ingenious] Added in the same draft. Printed ‘excellent’ in the revises. 9 worthy and] Added in the same draft. 9 told] Written over a false start, ‘ac[quainted]’. 18 Ay] Printed in the revises ‘Aye’; third edition, ‘Ay’. 20 not very willing] Second edition, ‘not willing’. 32 soon] Added in the same draft. 1 5

377

NOTES TO PAGES 229–32

1 2 5 18 20 21 24 26 27 30 30

page 229 you] Printed in italics in the revises. drive] False start, ‘h[im]’. you had made me] Second edition, ‘you made me’. foot] Printed in the revises ‘feet’. great number] Printed in the revises ‘numbers’. composed] Printed in the revises ‘have composed’. Let us see.] Added in the same draft. twos] Printed in the revises ‘two’s’; corrected to ‘twos’. two sons and] Added in the same draft. farther] Printed in the revises ‘further’. easily] Printed in the revises ‘readily’.

page 230 Religious] JB changed ‘Religion’ to ‘Religious’ by adding an ‘s’, tacitly treating the ‘n’ and ‘u’ in his handwriting as virtually indistinguishable. 4 whenever] Printed in the revises ‘when’. 5 demonstration] Printed in the revises ‘demonstrations’; JB deleted the final ‘s’. 5 First] MS orig. ‘first’. 9 for a future state that] MS orig. ‘that for a future state’. 11 were] Written over ‘are’. 13 Represented] The capital ‘R’, necessary to cover up a false start, ‘dep[icted]’, was changed to lower case in print. 20 gradually] Added in the same draft. 25 But] MS orig. ‘but’. 25 neither] MS orig. ‘nether’, a slip of the pen. 26 does] Written over a false start, ‘has.’ 29 for a man] Added in the same draft. 34 he displayed] Added in the same revision when JB saw that his subordinate clause lacked a subject and a verb. 39 Saturday 25 April] MS orig. ‘friday 24 April’. Having primed himself to recount something from Friday, but finding nothing in that day’s journal entry he wanted to include, JB moved on to Saturday. 2

page 231 6 allways] Added in the same draft. 8 as he was called] Added in the same draft. 8–9 that … Demosthenes] Printed within parentheses in the revises. 12 (first) it] Added in the same draft. 12 Douglas] Printed in the revises ‘Dr. Douglas’. 13 which] Printed in the revises ‘that’. 15 emphasis] Inadvertently written ‘emphaisis’. 19 her] Added in the same draft. 19–20 in the style … Romance] MS orig. in revision, ‘like the’, a false start. 33 certain] Omitted in the second edition. 33–34 on Ireland] Added in the same draft.

1

page 232 She shewed it me÷me it.] Added in the same draft.

378

NOTES TO PAGES 232–34

2

9 14

16 33 36 37

verses, very well; — Compared] First draft in revision, ‘verses. — Compared’. Printed in the revises ‘verses — that is to say, compared’; JB reinserted a semi-colon between ‘verses’ and the dash. Misprinted ‘verse’ in the second edition, the plural was restored in the third. under] Written over ‘s’ for ‘such’, the next word JB copied from his journal. /such/] A touch of the pen to the top of the first virgule, as if in deletion, suggests that JB in revision momentarily leaned toward the alternative phrase initiated by this word. a man] Second edition, ‘the man’. at first] Added in the same draft. Printed ‘once’ in the revises. myself] Added in the same draft. written] JB lightly scored through this word in revision, but the phrase he then added (‘and sold to a Bookseller’) required it to be kept, so it was typeset.

page 233 the Traveller] Printed in the revises ‘“The Traveller”’; second edition, ‘the “Traveller”’; Hill-Powell restored the reading of the first edition. 2 They] Printed in the revises ‘The bookseller’. 3 from the Traveller] Added in the same draft; printed in the revises ‘from “The Traveller”’. 3 their sale] Printed in the revises ‘the sale’. 4 selling to them] Printed in the revises ‘selling the copy’. 4 The Beggars Opera] Not italicized in the revises. 12 had not been] MS orig. ‘had been’, either a false start or a slip of the pen. 18 afford?] MS orig. ‘afford!’ 25 pretty] Added in the same draft. 28 Levet] Printed in the revises ‘Levett’. 1

page 234 3 Upon] Written over ‘A’, possibly for ‘Afterwards’. 4 read to him] Printed in the revises ‘read it to him’. 9 The Gentleman’s Magazine] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 10–11 suffer … diminution] Printed in the revises ‘feel … diminution’; second edition, ‘suffer … decrease’. 14–15 and that it was … dispositions] Added in the same draft. 17 (desireous of getting)] Added in the same draft. 18 (desireous of keeping)] Added in the same draft. 22 A man] Printed in the revises ‘No, Sir; a man’ 26 in France] Added in the same draft. 26 a clock] Printed in the revises ‘o’clock’. 32–33 was admirable] Dropped to the next line in print, leaving just the Latin verses centred on the page. 33 he] False start, ‘had’. 35 upon] Written over ‘on’. 36 et seq:] Printed in italics in the revises. 36 here] False starts, (1) ‘I cannot forbear’; (2) ‘upon th[e]’. 39–40 was so kind as to superintend] MS orig. ‘superintended’. 40 while] Written over another letter, possibly ‘a’ for ‘as’. 40 I was in Scotland &] Added in the same draft.

379

NOTES TO PAGES 235–37

page 235 given] Written over ‘de[scribed]’, a false start. desireable] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘desirable’. Est modus … fines] Printed in italics in the revises. to tithes] Printed in the revises ‘to the tithes’. JB’s malformed ‘tithes’ looks like ‘tihes’. 4 and] Written over ‘as’. 9 excellence] Written again in revision, after JB initially had chosen its alternative. 11 you] Added in the same draft. 21 with good news … distress] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 29 Pope: He was often un … raves.] Printed in the revises ‘Pope: that “he was un … raves.”’ 33 as it is] False start, ‘written with exquisite’. 33 acute] Printed in the revises ‘acute and elegant’. 33 opportunity] False start, ‘unknown to’. 1 2 3 4

page 236 1 in the City] Omitted in the revises. 1–2 He loved thus to keep÷He would thus keep] MS orig. ‘He thus’, a false start. 8 about … time] Printed in the revises ‘about some time’, possibly because JB’s crossing of the ‘t’ in ‘about’ extended partly through the word ‘for’. 8–9 could not find it at first and] Added in the same draft. 10 meant a play] Printed in the revises ‘meant this as a play’. 15 clothes] Second edition, ‘cloaths’. 16 greatly] Printed in the revises ‘much’. 22 negociation] Printed in the revises ‘business’; ‘negociation’ was used a short distance above (l. 19). 25 Johnsoniana] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 25–26 Journey … Hebrides] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 26 Yes] Written over ‘Si[r]’. 29 Boswell.] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 29 forenoon] Third edition, ‘morning’. 30 no small] Added in the same draft. 32 4000] Printed in the revises ‘four thousand’. 33 quickly. A new] MS orig. ‘quickly and a new’. page 237 a creature] Added in the same draft. Clergyman] The word JB intended. Nearing the edge of the page, he fit in ‘Clergy:’ but then inadvertently neglected to write ‘:man’ on the next line. Colons provided the linkage when he drafted a word across two lines. 9 a÷the solicitor at law] MS orig. ‘Solicitor at law’. 16–17 all would be continually fighting] Added in the same draft. 25 makes] Above this word JB deleted ‘is first’, perhaps the false start of an alternative phrase. 25 that] Added in the same draft. 30 a] Written over the first letter of a false start. 2 3

380

NOTES TO PAGES 238–41

page 238 it] MS orig. ‘It’. box] Written over ‘lock’. now] Added in the same draft. how do we know] Second edition, ‘how do you know’. As to the wine … Cellar] In revision, before leaving this phrase as is, JB started changing it to read ‘As to your being asked [to taste …]’. 31 a gayety] MS orig. ‘an elevation’. 1 7 10 16 18

page 239 2–3 To please others … nothing against it.] Added in the same draft. 3 (Here I thought he was too selfish.)] MS orig. ‘(This I thought too selfish.)’ 9 if we were] MS orig. ‘if were one were’, an inadvertent conflation of ‘if one were’ and ‘were one’. 11 Yes Sir.] Added in the same draft. 12 But we] Printed in the revises ‘but yet we’. 13 which] Omitted in the revises. 14 let me tell you] Added in the same draft. 16 myself]] A later addition. 20–21 (who from ... elevated)] Added in the same draft. page 240 Johnson.] Written over ‘Na[y]’, a false start. instance may] Printed in the revises ‘instance however may’. I mentioned …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. tete a tete] Printed in the revises ‘tête à tête’; hyphens were added in the third edition. 14 than for his] Printed in the revises ‘than his’. 16 a man would] Printed in the revises ‘one would’. 17 one’sself] JB wrote ‘one’s:/:self’ across a line break to form this compound word. See endnotes for pp. 237 l. 3 and 245 l. 9. 20 People] Printed in the revises ‘They’. 29 mentions] Written over a false start, ‘in hi[s]’. 32 again] Added in the same draft. 33 highlands] Changed to ‘islands’ in the second edition. 34 Boswell.] Written over ‘But’. 35 take] Written over a false start, ‘come’. 5 7 9 12

page 241 churlishly and] Added in the same draft. unsocially] Printed in the revises ‘unsociably’. The words ‘unsociable’ and ‘unsociably’ are found in SJ’s Dictionary, but neither ‘unsocial’ nor ‘unsocially’. 4 The …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 6 Johnson.] Written over ‘N[o]’, a false start. 8 He begged …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 9 Jerusalem] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 11 with honey] Added in the same draft. 12 epick] MS orig. ‘Epick’. 16 describes] MS orig. ‘paint[s]’. 1 2

381

NOTES TO PAGES 241–44

18 colony] False start, ‘in his own’. 17–19 he ascribes … wrote.] Before drafting this final revision on MS opp. 732, JB seems to have started it on MS 732 by trying to turn ‘describes’ into ‘ascribes’. 22 & think that a grecian Colony] MS orig. ‘& that Colony’. 23 more refined than the Mother country.] MS orig. ‘more refined.’ 24 On … 29] Not italicized in the revises. 26–27 her manners … her conversation] First draft, ‘she has the best conversation’. 27 the best] A later addition, correcting a defect in JB’s earlier revision. 27 ever] Added in the same draft. 29–30 Before … him. Ramsay said] MS orig. ‘Before Johnson came Ramsay said’. 36 above other men.] MS orig. ‘superiour’, either to end the sentence or to start ‘superiour to’. 37 strenuously] In choosing this alternative, JB corrected his earlier spelling, ‘strenously’.

3 5 7 12 22 25 29 29 36 38

page 242 in private] Added in the same draft. one evening] Added in the same draft. after] Written over ‘h[ad]’, a false start. often] Added in the same draft. good] Printed in the revises ‘great’. good] Added in the same draft. He] JB used a capital ‘H’ to cover ‘Jo[hnson]’, a false start. we had] MS orig. ‘we have’, the wrong verb tense. after] Third edition, ‘since’. after] Third edition, ‘since’.

page 243 prejudicial to] Inadvertently written without ‘to’. gratification of his] Added in the same draft. Iliad] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. Talking of …] Marked ‘N.P.’ for clarity, JB’s original paragraph indentation having become obscured in the course of revision. 26 really] Added in the same draft. 28 the whole of] First draft, ‘all of’. 30 all dream] Printed in the revises ‘all a dream’. 30 Manchester] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 33 Ossian] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 8 11 19 25

1 7 16 18 18 22 27 29 35 36

page 244 History of Britain] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. solely] Written over a false start, ‘si[mply]’. History of Scotland] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. Cadel] Printed in the revises ‘Cadell’. has told] MS orig. (1) ‘has [told]’; (2) ‘told’. as to] False start, ‘sale’. vigour of mind] Printed in the revises ‘intellectual vigour’. himself] Added in the same draft. lyes] Printed in the revises ‘lies’. to be] Omitted in the second edition.

382

NOTES TO PAGES 245–48

page 245 could] Printed in the revises ‘would’. goodhumoured] Written ‘good:/:humoured’ across a line break; hyphenated in print. See endnotes for pp. 237 l. 3 and 240 l. 17. 11 mind; the use … of it] MS orig. ‘mind, the use he makes of which’. 14 one time than at another] The word ‘time’, inferred from JB’s positioning of ‘one’ above the alternative ‘sometimes’, was supplied in print. The word ‘at’, dropped in the third edition, was restored by Hill-Powell. 15 in good] Printed in the revises ‘in a good’. 16 Were] This word, left undeleted in JB’s later revision, was properly ignored. 21–22 A man] Printed in the revises ‘A man (said he)’. 24 (with a placid smile)] Added in the same draft. 26 takes in the most] MS orig. ‘takes in most’. 28 ever be] Printed in the revises ‘be ever’. 32 am] Written with an oversized ‘a’ to mask an undeciphered letter. 33 Why Sir,] False starts, (1) ‘if your’; (2) ‘if you recollect’. 8 9

page 246 Lewis] Printed ‘Louis’ in the revises here and below (ll. 2, 4). discovered … ignorance] Printed in the revises ‘for once discovered a want of knowledge’. 5 Choisis] Third edition, ‘Choisi’. 6 Next] Written over ‘On’. 7 Johnson.] Added in the same draft. 7 dinner.] Misprinted with a comma; corrected to a period in the second edition. 11 value] Written over the illegible first letter of a false start. 18 Sphynx’s] Printed in the revises ‘Sphinx’s’. 18 of it] Added in the same draft. 22 in due time] Added in the same draft. 25 yet] Added in the same draft. 30 Anecdotes] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 1 3

page 247 his] Printed in the revises ‘my’. whatever … myself] MS orig. ‘whatever it was. I think myself’. After writing ‘myself’, JB left the sentence unfinished and began his next paragraph, returning later (with a different pen) to add ‘a very polite man’. 13 ferociousness] JB left off the final syllable. He perhaps wrote ‘ferocious’ to modify a noun he neglected to supply. 14 best] Added in the same draft. 26 Sir] Before inserting this word here, JB first tried it after ‘uneasy’ (l. 27). 30 Johnson. ‘Sir I thought] In drafting this alternative, JB did not furnish the other pronouns he would have needed in revision had he opted to voice SJ’s complaint as a speech. 2 2

1 5 6

page 248 only … for then] MS orig. ‘it is amongst friends, when’. have heard] Printed in the revises ‘have ever heard’. The truth …] Marked ‘NP’ for a new paragraph, its indentation being

383

NOTES TO PAGES 248–51

unusually shallow. 11–14 Boswell. ‘Do … face?’ Johnson. ‘Why … him.’] Added in the same draft. In the second edition, SJ’s speech ended with a question mark, an error corrected in the third edition. 15 Dr. Blair’s] Not italicized in the revises. 15 from the text] Added in the same draft. 16 Cornelius … man] Printed within quotation marks, in addition to the italics. page 249 3 Madam] Added in the same draft. 6 powers] False start, ‘of [undeciphered word]’, possibly ‘makin[g]’. 6 in writing by saying] MS orig. ‘in writing that he had only’, a false start. 12 Chinese] MS orig. ‘chinese’. 12 Have not they] Printed in the revises ‘Have they not’. 20 (first) only] Added in the same draft. 22 ax] Printed in the revises ‘axe’. 23–24 Sketches … Man] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 27 that the spectators] Possibly added in revision to a space originally left blank. The words appear in a darker ink, with ‘spectators’ written above the line. 29 leaves out] False start, ‘that’. 33 is too great] Second edition, ‘was too great’. page 250 plenty] Printed ‘plentiful’ in the revises here and below (ll. 5, 7). more] Added in the same draft. take mine …] Printed in the revises with a capital ‘T’ (and preceded by a dash in the third edition) to mark it as a quotation within what is already an internal quotation. 9 per cent] Printed in italics in the revises. 10 decide it] Printed in the revises ‘decide the question’. 16 it shall be so] Printed in the revises ‘so it shall be’. 19 which] Written over ‘who’, a false start. 22 ready drest] MS orig. ‘drest’; hyphenated in the second edition. 25 the only time] Printed in the revises ‘the only time at any length’. 25–26 I think … acquaintance,] Enclosed within parentheses by JB in correcting the revises. 27–28 Lady, notwithstanding that she was] MS orig. ‘Lady. She was’. The revises omitted ‘that’. 28 Whig.] False start, ‘After’. 30–31 Liber … vale] Printed in italics with quotation marks in the revises. 4 7 8

page 251 4 is … charm] Abortive alternative deleted above ‘is’: ‘ar[e … charms]’. 6 by possessing] Printed in the revises ‘that they might possess’. 9 prejudicial] Printed in the revises ‘hurtful’. 10 surely employ] MS orig. ‘surely without’, a false start. 10 in] Written over an illegible letter. 12 keep clear of] MS orig. ‘wit[hin]’, a false start. 14–15 and wondering at] Added in the same draft. 17 in this state] Added in the same draft.

384

NOTES TO PAGES 251–55

19 22 22 24 27 27 26–27 29 29 36–37 40

4 14 15 16 19 22 24 29

supt] Printed in the revises ‘supped’. but] Printed in the revises ‘than’. strenuously] MS orig. ‘strenously’. only to preserve] Printed in the revises ‘were it only to preserve’. a thing] Added in the same draft. Physiology] Second edition, ‘phisiology’; corrected in the third edition. it was … seen] Printed as a quotation in the revises. his] Written over ‘I’, a false start. Dr.] Written over ‘m[e]’, a false start. agreed … Pope] Added in the same draft. to say … him] Revision orig. ‘to say that he had a great respect for Dr.’, a false start.

page 252 His Lordship] MS orig. ‘He’. using] Interlineated as an optional word; drawn in during revision. there’s] Second edition, ‘there is’. Well Sir] Interlineated as an optional phrase; drawn in during revision. I availed …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. with which … hoped] MS orig. ‘which it is hoped’, a false start. I proposed …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. The Lives … Poets] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. A period printed in error after ‘Poets’ became a comma in the second edition.

page 253 2 that I might … next day;] Added in the same draft. 5 bid] Second edition, ‘bade’. 9 intelligence, would praise] MS orig. ‘intelligence, and would praise’. 11 provoked] Written over ‘he’, a false start. 12–13 had humbled] Second edition, ‘humbled’. Hill-Powell restored ‘had’. 24 unaccountable] Added in the same draft. 27 to be left at Johnson’s house] Added in the same draft. 28 acquainting] Written over a false start, possibly ‘te[lling]’. 30 temper with which] MS orig. ‘temper which’, a false start. 32 let it not] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘it must not’. 33 or even … so disturbed÷troubled.] MS orig. ‘so disturbed÷troubled, or even’, a false start. 34 or] Written over a false start, possibly ‘a[nd]’. 35 peevish] MS orig. ‘fretf[ul]’.

9 14 14 15

page 254 In this …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. procured] Printed in the revises ‘discovered’. licentious] Added in the same draft. Universal Prayer] Printed within quotation marks in the revises.

page 255 2 is] False start, ‘ba[d]’. 3 fair] Printed in the revises ‘true’. 4–5 of moments.] Printed within quotation marks in the revises.

385

NOTES TO PAGES 255–58

5 8–9

momentary] Italicized in the revises, as JB no doubt originally intended. Vous gagnerez ... gens.] Printed in italics in the revises. In the second edition, ‘sais’ became ‘scais’. 11 fundamental] JB placed an x above this spelling, having found it written ‘fundanaental’ in the journal. 15 infamous] Deleted in proof, as the spacing of words in the revises shows. 13–16 How foolish … Bolingbroke.] Printed with a question mark in the revises; changed to an exclamation mark in Hill-Powell. 17–18 I do not value … Lord] Printed as an internal quotation in the revises, but not the parallel utterance in SJ’s next sentence, ‘I do not value … Estate’. 20 Nor … Scotchman.] Printed with a question mark in the revises. 20 do] Added in the same draft. 24 plausible] Printed in the revises ‘plausible:’; second edition, ‘plausible?’ 25 He who] Second edition, ‘He that’. 28 of such an injury] Added in the same draft. page 256 Spurious] Written over an illegible start, though ‘spurious’ was the word in JB’s journal. 4 family] Added in the same draft. 5 elder] Printed in italics in the revises. 6 of a woman’s infamy] Added in the same draft. 6 whore. There] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘whore: there’. 7–8 of his … imposition.] Revision orig. ‘to prevent his being’, a false start. 20–21 at Streatham] Added in the same draft. 21 Modern … Conversation] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 22 groupe] In this occurrence, the word retained its ‘e’ in the first three editions and in Hill-Powell. Written ‘groupe’ elsewhere in the text also, its final letter was deleted inconsistently—in the revises, or the second edition, or the third edition. See Life MS i. 421, endnote for p. 132 l. 17. 29 Humums] Printed in the revises ‘Hummums’. 32 When he came up÷Upon this] Added in the same draft. 3

6 7 9 13 15 15 16 25 26

page 257 the truth of] Added in the same draft. Humums] Printed in the revises ‘Hummums’. made difficulty] Third edition, ‘were unwilling’. true] Printed in the revises ‘true as related’. even] Added in the same draft. we] Printed in the revises ‘Johnson and I’. sunday last] Third edition, ‘the preceding Sunday’. the Ladies] MS orig. ‘Ladies’. County] Second edition, ‘country’; corrected in the third edition.

1 3 4 8 10

page 258 County and broken] MS orig. ‘County. The gentleman’, a false start. JOHNSON.÷He proceeded] A later addition. Sir] A later addition. acquired] Seemingly written over a false start, possibly ‘acc[umulated]’. will] Added in the same draft.

386

NOTES TO PAGES 258–61

11 14 17 25

still] Added in the same draft. what one knows to be] Added in the same draft. intention] Second edition, ‘intentions’; Hill-Powell, ‘intention’. wrong] Printed in the revises ‘certainly wrong’.

page 259 Dillys] Printed ‘Dillys’’ in the revises; second edition, ‘Dilly’s’. Miscellaneous Works] Printed in the lower case, without quotation marks (oddly for an actual title). 9 were] Written over ‘are’. 9–10 best is] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘best of it is’. 11 Lord Kames’s Sketches … Man] MS orig. ‘Lord Kames’. The book title was printed within quotation marks in the revises. 12–13 Clarendon about Villiers’s Ghost] Printed in the revises ‘Clarendon about the appearance of Sir George Villiers’s ghost’. JB changed ‘Clarendon about’ to ‘Clarendon’s account of’. 17 own] Added in the same draft. 21 Sir] Added in the same draft. 21–22 that people] Printed in the revises ‘they’. 22 illbred] JB blotted out an apparent misspelling, then wrote the word again. Printed ‘ill-bred’. 27 twenty four] JB deleted ‘four’, as if to substitute another age, but then wrote it again. 7 8

page 260 2 as … connections] Added in the same draft. 2 as he] Printed in the revises ‘as, on his return, he’. 8 him tell] MS orig. ‘him mention’; added in the same draft. 13 Boswell.] MS orig. ‘You must lea[ve]’, a false start. 15 have had enough] Printed in the revises ‘have enough’. 15 this] Written over ‘ta[lk]’. 18 Sir] Printed in the revises ‘Sir (said he)’. 25 are the worst of men] Printed in the revises ‘are often worthless fellows’. 26 cheat. If] Printed in the revises ‘cheat; and if’. 26 all] Omitted in the revises. 29 But Sir] Added in the same draft. 30–31 the morals of] Added in the same draft. 31 those] Written over ‘in’. 33 Sir] Added in the same draft. 37 Ladies are,] Punctuated ‘Ladies, are’ in the MS, but printed as JB intended. 39 (first) Mr.] Added in the same draft. 40 treated … respect] MS orig. ‘very coarsely treated in it’. 41 Were I to make] MS orig. ‘Were there’. page 261 2 the] Written over an illegible false start. 2 for his libel] Added in the same draft. 3–4 Letter … Particle] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 12 it is] Added in the same draft, as a change of course in syntax. 21 Bulse] The ‘B’ covers what might be a ‘p’, possibly a false start for ‘purse’.

387

NOTES TO PAGES 261–65

21 30 32 32 33 36

of diamond] Second edition, ‘of a diamond’. custom.] False start, ‘To sit at Mr. Beauclerk’s table is a wish’. ambitious was he] MS orig. ‘elated was he’. (second) so] Written over ‘th’, a false start. Letter] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. all.] False start, ‘This aggrandisement’.

page 262 Rasselas] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. Candide] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. their] Printed in the revises ‘its’. Candide] Written over an illegible false start; printed within quotation marks in the revises. 10 numbers] Not italicized in the revises. Misprinted ‘number’ in the second edition; corrected in the third. 22 He said …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 5 5 6 7

page 263 relaxation] An x above this word perhaps marked it for reconsideration. it’s] Printed in the revises ‘its’. taking] Added in the same draft. along] Added in the same draft. (much agitated)] Added in the same draft. awe. He] Printed in the revises ‘awe. — Methought he’. slight fault] Written next to the deleted ‘fault’, JB first having preferred ‘defect’, its alternative. 35 Imitation … Juvenal] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 36 ‘the young enthusiast’] Printed with a capital ‘E’ in ‘Enthusiast’, but no quotation marks. 2 2 3 11 15 21 34

page 264 He had desired] MS orig. ‘He desired’. change] False start, ‘the firs[t]’. allusion] False start of two undeciphered words. ourselves.] Misprinted with a comma; corrected to a period in the second edition. 7 Tractate on Education] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 11 attempted to be÷in danger of being] Added in the same draft. JB deleted both alternatives in revision, but then rewrote the second on the facing leaf. 14 enough. It is] Printed in the revises ‘enough; but is’. 22 again] Omitted in the revises. 25 Westminster,] False start, ‘who was employed’. 30 The] Above this word stands a deleted false start to the footnote, ‘I’. 30 on] MS orig. ‘in’, a false start. 1 1 4 5

page 265 winter … found] MS orig. (1) ‘winter, but that he found’; (2) ‘winter to hear the examinations of the culprits who were’, a false start. 2 great] An oversized ‘g’ covers up a false start, ‘l[abour]’. 4 and] False start, ‘while’.

1

388

NOTES TO PAGES 265–69

4–5

7 9 10 19 19 22

23 28

promise … two hundred] MS orig. ‘promise the pension of two hundred’. Printed in the revises ‘promise that the pension or salary of two hundred pounds’. Young] Written over ‘l[ady]’. first part of] False start, ‘this [year]’. now] Added in the same draft. secrets] Printed in the revises ‘secret’. Nollikens] Printed in the revises ‘Nollekens’. … find that] In the rest of SJ’s letter, ‘heighth of summer’ was changed to ‘height of summer’ in the third edition; ‘native climate’ became ‘native clime’ in the second; and ‘cheerfulness’ was printed ‘chearfulness’ in the third. Both Chapman and Redford adopted these changes in their editions of SJ’s letters. gives] Written over ‘is’. kindly] Printed in the revises ‘kind’, possibly a misreading.

page 266 on the 25 of May] Added in the same draft; ‘25’ was printed ‘25th’. Simson] Printed in the revises ‘Simpson’. received] JB wavered over this verb in revision. Perhaps ready to exchange verbs with a phrase later in the sentence (‘entertained me at his house’), he deleted ‘received’ and wrote ‘entertaine[d]’, but then deleted this and wrote ‘received’ again. 9 had informed] MS orig. ‘informed’. Second edition, ‘informed’. 10 and expressing] Printed in the revises ‘I also expressed’. 11 found] Printed in the revises ‘found that’. 11 friend] Written over ‘L[angton]’. 14 18 June 1778] Printed in the revises ‘June 18, 1778’. In the text of JB’s letter, two changes were made in the second edition: ‘an yearly’ became ‘a yearly’, and ‘lothed’ was corrected to ‘loathed’. 19 labouring] Printed in the revises ‘to labour’. 20 manifest] Printed in the revises ‘manifested’. 21 sat] Printed in the revises ‘sate’. 29 from me.] MS orig. ‘from me, supposing I were a sufficient judge of his art to take it upon me to judge of his works which I a[m not]’, a false start. 1 5 8

12 42

page 267 instantaneously] So printed; written ‘instantanteously’. 3 Edit] Printed in the revises ‘Third Edition’.

35 36

page 268 experimental science] MS orig. ‘science and ex[periment]’, a false start. to omit] False start, ‘any part’.

2 11 15 18 22

page 269 exercising] Printed in the revises ‘exercise’. best] Omitted in the revises, possibly by error. inferior] Printed in the revises ‘inferiour’. the Tent] Printed in the revises ‘a tent’. attentions] Printed in the revises ‘attention’.

389

NOTES TO PAGES 269–73

25

6 8 8

sollicited] Corrected in the revises to ‘solicited’. page 270 Mr. Strahan.] Printed in the revises ‘Mr. Strahan, in the following words:’. July 27th.] Printed in the revises ‘July 27’. wrote me] Printed in the revises ‘wrote to me’.

page 271 among] MS orig. (1) ‘among’; (2) ‘in his’. the 18 August 18 Septr. & 6 Novr.] Printed in the revises ‘the 18th of August, the 18th of September, and the 6th of November’. 5 informing him of] MS orig. ‘informed him of my having passed some time at Auchinleck’, a false start. 9 that I love] Printed in the revises ‘I love’. 11 since I had heard] Printed in the revises ‘since I heard’.

1 4

page 272 4–5 who was to be placed in the College there] A later addition. 5 College … when] Printed ‘college of Winchester, but accompanied him when’ in the second edition. 12 He] False starts, (1) ‘has’; (2) ‘allowe[d]’. 12 sometimes suffered] Printed in the revises ‘has sometimes suffered’. 13 groupe] Third edition, ‘group’. 14 one of his letters] MS orig. ‘a letter’. 15 Levet] Printed in the revises ‘Levett’. 15–16 Desmoulines … Desmoulines] Printed ‘Desmoulins’ in each occurrence. 18 Mr. John Hussey] Third edition, ‘the Rev. Mr. John Hussey’. The words ‘the Reverend’ were to have been inserted in the second edition (Principal Corrections and Additions to the First Edition, p. 23), but this change was overlooked. 19 is now] Third edition, ‘was then’, another correction intended for the second edition (see above). Johnson] Third edition, ‘Johnson, (who had long been in habits of 21 intimacy with him,)’, an addition intended for the second edition (see above). 22 To the Revd. Mr. Hussey] Printed in the revises ‘To Mr. JOHN HUSSEY’. 23 Vol. 2] Printed in the revises ‘Vol. II’. page 273 2 Grammar] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 11–12 a noble … Reynolds] MS orig. ‘a dedication for his friend Sir Joshua Reynolds to t[he King]’, a false start. 13 generally] MS orig. ‘highl[y]’. 13 for which] MS orig. ‘which’. 14 adorned] Added in the same draft. 15 but] False starts, (1) ‘what is mos[t]’; (2) ‘what is more valuable still a’; (3) ‘what is more valuable still containing’; (4) ‘containing what is more valuable still’. 16 paper] False start, ‘thus inscribed’. 20 all] Added in the same draft.

390

NOTES TO PAGES 273–77

21 year] False start, ‘the’. 21–22 his prefaces … which in fact] MS orig. ‘those prefaces to the Poets which’. page 274 he] Printed in the revises ‘Johnson’. Lives of the Poets] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 22] Printed in the revises ‘22d’. (first) his] Written over a false start, ‘L[ives]’. Lives of the Poets] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 23] Printed in the revises ‘23d’. soon] Added in the same draft. fifteenth March] Printed in the revises ‘March 15’.

2 3 4 6 6 9 11 14

page 275 9–10 Bayes, … was] Changed in the revises to ‘Bayes. Upon its being’, JB having finally noticed that his alternative phrasing (chosen in revision) was ungrammatical. 16–17 seemed … moment] MS orig. ‘seemed at first to be puzzled’. 17 honestly] Added in the same draft. 18 performance. With] Printed ‘performance; with’. Changed in the revises to ‘performance: With’. 21 A] Written over ‘J’, a false start. 25 Is it] MS orig. ‘is it’. 27–28 town’ and, … ‘It] Printed in the revises ‘town, and (pointing to the Ode) it’. Tasker’s separate speeches, exemplifying his ‘broken sentences’ (l. 25), were printed as a single quotation. question?] A full stop in the revises replaced JB’s inadvertent question mark. 31 32 exclaimed] Changed back to ‘cried’ by JB in the revises. 32 Enthusiast] MS orig. ‘Poet’. page 276 1 several] Written over an undeciphered letter of a false start. 2 in] Written over ‘s’, perhaps a false start for ‘such’. 2 course of the] Added in the same draft. 4 twenty sixth march] Printed in the revises ‘March 26’. 4 in the morning] Omitted in the revises. 5–6 when … out] Printed in the revises ‘on account of his “Lives of the Poets”’. 8 An assault of] Printed in the revises ‘An assault upon’. 11 sure of a victory] Second edition, ‘sure of victory’. 13 ours] Printed in the revises ‘our’s’; second edition, ‘ours’. 13–14 persons … characters] MS orig. (1) ‘very heterogeneous people’; (2) ‘very heterogeneous company’. 16–17 Vicar of Wakefield] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 22 being] MS orig. ‘I was’. 27 tete á tete] Printed in the revises ‘tête à tête’; hyphenated in the third edition. 28 find I] Added in the same draft. 29 Johnsoniana] Printed in the revises ‘Johnson’s sayings’. page 277 the man] Printed in the revises ‘Junius’.

13

391

NOTES TO PAGES 277–79

13 14 14 15 15 15 16 19–20 28

but Burke] Added in the same draft. these] MS orig. ‘those’. me.] MS orig. ‘me and I [undeciphered word]’, a false start. if he was the Authour] A later addition. Authour.] False starts, (1) ‘A man who’; (2) ‘He might have’. when] Omitted in the revises. think he has a right to] A later addition. To be thus] Second edition, ‘Thus to be’. a] Written over a false start, ‘re[proof]’.

page 278 8 not to suppose that] False start, ‘London had any’. 11 that] False start, ‘London has an infinite’. 11 by] MS orig. ‘by’, then ‘to’. 12 advantages] Printed in the revises ‘advantage’. 13 enjoyment] Not italicized in the revises. 13 comfort] Not italicized in the revises. 16 knows] Written over ‘has’, a false start. teising] Printed ‘teizing’. Second edition, ‘teazing’, a change consistent 16 with the first edition printing of ‘teazed’ for JB’s ‘teised’ above (p. 191 l. 15). SJ’s Dictionary spelled the word ‘tease’. 16 restraint] An undeciphered alternative is deleted above this word. 17 orderly and amiable domestick] MS orig. ‘domestick’. 17 habits] False start, ‘require less irk[some]’. 18 the eye … irksome] MS orig. ‘observation less irksome’. Next JB deleted ‘less irksome’, then wrote it in again upon adding ‘the eye’ (‘of’, inadvertently left out, was supplied in print). 19 hearing] False start, ‘I should not like to live at Bristol though I have’. 23 castle] Printed in italics in the revises. 24 pleases.] False start, ‘This was’. 27 He is] Written over ‘the’, a false start. 28 well] Printed in the revises ‘very well’. 31 respect] Added in the same draft. page 279 5 a very pious] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘that very pious’. 7 the subject of the sermon] MS orig. ‘the sermon’. 10 mentioned] Written over an undeciphered false start. 11 crowd] Printed in the revises ‘croud’. 15 lawfully] Added in the same draft. 15–16 The Authour … Government] MS orig. ‘The “Government’. 16 to treat] Second edition, ‘treat’. 19 mentions] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘has mentioned’. 20 Pascal] Second edition, ‘Puschal’; third edition, ‘Paschal’; Hill-Powell, ‘Pascal’. 25 in the evening] Printed in the revises ‘at night’. 26 sitting] Added in the same draft. 29 them] Printed in the revises ‘his company’. 30 a very good] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘himself a’.

392

NOTES TO PAGES 280–84

page 280 3 thought] Added in the same draft. 12 Madam] Added in the same draft. 22 that] False start, ‘it would drown’. 27 Hero] After this word in the revises JB inserted ‘(smiling)’. page 281 perhaps … resolved] Printed in the revises ‘perhaps, thinking that I boasted improperly, resolved’. 6 What Sir,] Printed in the revises ‘What, Sir!’. 9 him] MS orig. ‘his’, a false start. 14 He] Printed in the revises ‘We’. 19 Dæmonology] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 19 the devils] MS orig. ‘devils’. 23 was not done] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘no man could do’. Lord Graham …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 25 25 the beauty of] Added in the same draft. 28 can] Omitted by the compositor, eliciting a query from Selfe that led JB to put it back in. 28 very] Omitted in the revises. 34 complimentary] Changed by JB in the revises to ‘courteous’. 34 Madam] After this word in the revises JB inserted ‘(said he)’. 4

page 282 Lord Graham …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. a man] MS orig. ‘a young man’. JB deleted ‘young’ after emphasizing young and boys in SJ’s following speech. 16 that] Added in the same draft. 20 Miss Ray] False start, ‘the’. 20 Lady] Omitted in the revises. 4 4

page 283 Beauclerk] JB seems to have changed the final letter from ‘c’ to ‘k’. 3 3 of which it having] MS orig. ‘of which having’, a false start. 3–5 of which it having … account.] Printed in cancellans [Oo] ‘which having … account of it.’ 9–10 every wise man who] Same-draft change for journal orig. ‘whoever’. 15 knowing he] Printed in the revises ‘knowing that he’. 15–16 indigestion. He] Printed in cancellans [Oo] ‘indigestion: he’. 17–18 said … triumph. ‘You] Printed in the revises ‘(said Johnson, with an air of triumph) you’. 27 come] Printed in the revises ‘came’. 27–28 how … know.”] Printed with a question mark in cancellans [Oo]. 30 Beauclerc.] Duly printed in small caps; on the spelling, see p. 284 n. 9. 32 Johnson. Here] Printed ‘Johnson; here’ in the revises, and although marked for the insertion of a dash, printed in cancellans [Oo] as originally drafted. 33 some time at first] Second edition, ‘at first some time’. page 284 3–4 He added … Coward.] Same-draft addition to journal orig. ‘Beauclerc did and therefore’.

393

NOTES TO PAGES 284–88

5–6 11 12 15 16 16 21

he would not appear a coward.] Printed within quotation marks in cancellans [Oo]. you] Marked for italics by JB in the revises. your] Marked for italics by JB in the revises. the Doctor] Printed ‘Johnson’ in cancellans [Oo]. mean to] Omitted in the revises. you] Not italicized in cancellans [Oo]. senight] Printed in the revises ‘se’ennight’; corrected by JB to ‘se’nnight’.

page 285 would let] Misprinted ‘would not let’ in the second edition; corrected in the third. 1 at first] A later addition. 11 Literati] Printed in italics in the revises. 15 now] Third edition, ‘afterwards’. 21 that] Added in the same draft. 27 all] Written over an undeciphered false start. 1

page 286 6–7 /but/ … thin leaf] Above ‘/but/’ JB deleted the start of an alternative phrase, ‘thinn[ed]’. 16 Lives of the Poets] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 26 scotchman.’] False start, ‘Bos[well]’. 27 to Garrick] Added in the same draft. 28 in Ireland] Added in the same draft. 29 anticlymax] Third edition, ‘anticlimax’. 38 as ingenious] MS orig. ‘an ingenious’, a false start. page 287 3 cheerful] Printed in the revises ‘chearful’; second edition, ‘cheerful’. 6–7 Drinking … himself] MS orig. ‘One who exposes himelf’. 8 drunk;] MS orig. ‘drunk.’ 20 A Bookseller] Printed in the revises ‘A bookseller (naming him)’. 21 intimate] ‘Written over ‘m’. JB possibly had begun to repeat ‘most’. 23 irregular … Quacks] MS orig. ‘irregular physicians÷Quacks’. 26 Horace] Written over a partial letter of a false start. 27 a part of] MS orig. ‘part of’. 27 however] Omitted in the revises. 31 the World] Printed in the revises ‘the world’. 33 could] In revision changed to ‘could not’, but then ‘not’ was deleted. page 288 5 Johnson …] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 5 I] False start, ‘passed’. 6 ours] Printed ‘our’s’ in the revises; Hill-Powell, ‘ours’. 11 should … age] MS orig. ‘at a certain age [should]’, started as in the journal. 7–11 this was wisely … eat their parents.] Printed as a quotation in the revises. 14 children. and] Printed ‘children; and’ in the revises. In revision JB did not capitalize ‘and’. 14 knew] Printed in the revises ‘know’.

394

NOTES TO PAGES 288–92

16 17 19 20 21 27 30

1 5 6 10 12 12 21 21 24 25

persuaded] Written over a false start, possibly ‘pre[sumed]’. My Dear Pappa] MS orig. ‘Dear Pappa’; printed in the revises ‘My dear papa’. this] Printed ‘this time’ in the revises. Work] Written over ‘A’, possibly a false start for ‘Account’. false and injurious] MS orig. ‘malignant injurious’. my bedside] Printed as JB intended, though he wrote ‘my beside’. obtain] MS orig. ‘receive’. page 289 Lives of the Poets] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. came] Written over a false start, possibly ‘arr[ived]’. I believe] Added in the same draft. met] Written over a false start, possibly ‘c[ame]’. myself] Marked for italics by JB in the revises. (second) you] Marked for italics by JB in the revises. this day] Added in the same draft. his] Written over ‘an’. And that evening] Printed in the revises ‘This evening’. To … Porter] Printed ‘To Mrs. LUCY PORTER, in Lichfield.’

page 290 Mr.] Seemingly deleted by an ink smear from MS 786, but printed. he himself] Printed in the revises ‘Johnson’. for though] MS orig. ‘though’, a false start. this] MS orig. ‘my’. him] Printed in the revises ‘Johnson’. 13 July] Printed in the revises ‘13th of July’. My] MS orig. ‘It’, a false start. To James Boswell Esq.] SJ’s letter of 13 July was answered by JB on 17 July. In the second edition, JB’s valediction to that letter began ‘I am’; HillPowell restored the original reading, ‘I ever am’. Regarding his next letter, JB regretted that SJ ‘it would seem’ did not read it closely; that phrase became ‘it should seem’ in the third edition. 28 sometimes amused] Altered by JB in first proof to ‘contrived to amuse’.

2 3 5 10 14 16 23 25

page 291 1 pruning] Augmented by JB in first proof to ‘watering and pruning’. 1 and sometimes] Second edition, ‘sometimes’; Hill-Powell restored ‘and’. 4 20 of September] Printed in first proof ‘20th of September’. 4 defended] Written over the first letters of an undeciphered false start. 15 one of] Added in the same draft; rewritten when covered by later additions. 16–18 Partem … renovarentur.] Printed in italics in first proof. 19 1768] Written over ‘1769’. 20–22 eigth … eigths] Printed ‘eighth … eighths’.

7 9 10

page 292 Corps] False start of some undeciphered letters. leisure] MS orig. ‘lesure’. sterling good] MS orig. ‘strong’.

395

NOTES TO PAGES 292–95

10–11 13 13 15 16 18 19 20 22 23 24 26 29 32

information … conviviality] MS orig. ‘information and discernment’. letter] False start, ‘from L[eeds]’. 30 Septr.] Printed ‘the 30th of September’ in proof. and] Added in the same draft. incidental] Written over ‘s’, a false start. in splendour] Italicized in the second edition. During this visit …] These words began a new paragraph in proof. all of] Added in the same draft. in case of my death] Added in the same draft. When they are] Second edition, ‘When there are’. only] Added in the same draft. take] Written over the first letter of a false start. burthensome] Second edition, ‘burdensome’. prevailing] MS orig. ‘general’.

page 293 other] Added in the same draft. the consequences of] A caret before this phrase shows that JB almost chose its alternative. 17 as he] Changed in proof to ‘as Johnson’. 25 first] Added in the same draft.

8 9

page 294 To … Esq:] This letter saw three substantive changes in proof: ‘Prebend’ to ‘Prebendary’; ‘dine in’ to ‘dine at’; and ‘be forgot’ to ‘be forgotten’. 2 Johnson.] Initially run on; printed to begin a new paragraph in proof. 3 stamina] Italicized in the third edition. 9 anxiety] Not italicized in proof. 11 exactitude] Changed in proof to ‘exactness’. 11 Annals of Scotland] Printed within quotation marks in proof. 13 They] Followed by the first letter of a false start, covered by ‘are’. 15 as history] Added in the same draft. 20 Sir] Added in the same draft. 22–23 better. (setting … grate) In] MS orig. ‘better (setting … grate) in’. 23 times] Printed ‘days’ in proof. 24 that] Omitted in proof. 26 Boswell.] Originally run on; marked for new paragraph in revision. 28 valeant] The second ‘a’ covers up a slip of the pen. 29 his mind] Printed ‘his own mind’ in proof. 30 having] Added in the same draft. 31 wise] Written over the first letter(s) of a false start. 32 Aliis lætus] Misprinted ‘alus lætüs’, in part because the dots above the i’s in the first word were covered up in revision. Corrected by Selfe in proof and (his correction having been overlooked) in the revises. 1

page 295 in company] Added in the same draft. ‘Dodsley …] Not indented, but marked for new paragraph in the same draft. Preceded by ‘JOHNSON.’ in proof, which JB changed to ‘He said’. 6 you was] Third edition, ‘you were’.

2 5

396

NOTES TO PAGES 295–99

8 20 22 22 23–24

do it —] An unusually thick dash evidently hides a same-draft comma. mentioned] MS orig. ‘marked’. that observation] Changed in proof to ‘this observation’. been] Misprinted ‘being’ in the third edition; corrected by Hill-Powell. very good humour] Printed in proof ‘a very good humour’.

page 296 infidelity] MS orig. ‘fidelity’, either a slip of the pen or an initially different framing of the issue. 2 maintained] Changed in proof to ‘had maintained’. 2 no] Added in the same draft after JB inadvertently left it out. 4 right] Printed ‘in the right’ in proof. 4 Maker] Printed ‘maker’ in proof; ‘Maker’ in cancellans [Qq]. 8 infidelity] Second edition, ‘the infidelity’; Hill-Powell, ‘infidelity’. 11 Consider Sir how] MS orig. ‘Consider ho[w]’. boundless as] Queried in the revises, and changed to ‘boundless as to’. 17 24 Castle Street Cavendish Square] ‘No. 6’ was added in the third edition. 2

page 297 a very cold Constitution] Revision orig. ‘a very cold /’, in place of ‘such a’, a substitution that did not suit JB’s syntax. Seeing the flaw, he turned his slash (marking a substitution) into a capital ‘C’ and expanded his revision. 6 Then Sir] False start, ‘on every such’. 6 upon] Written over ‘a’, a false start for ‘a man’. 9 this … indeed.] Probably a revision, but possibly a same-draft addition. 10 consider … is] Printed ‘consider fornication as’ in proof, a misreading, corrected to ‘consider that fornication is’. In the revises JB deleted ‘that’. 10 crime] Written over a false start, ‘s[in]’. 16 Having …] Hill-Powell neglected to indent this paragraph. 16 regretted] MS orig. ‘mentioned’. 17 Scotland] False start, ‘and’, over which JB wrote ‘that’. 17–18 study of that] MS orig. ‘study of this’. 19 first … Iliad] Printed within quotation marks in proof, with a capital ‘F’. 3

page 298 Lexicon … Testament] Printed with initial quotation marks in proof and revises; terminal quotation marks added in first edition. 1 Hesiod] Printed within quotation marks in proof. 11 politely] Changed by JB in proof to ‘and politely’. 14 said Lord Newhaven] Printed within parentheses in proof. 17 Lady] Second edition, ‘lady, he said,’. 23 expell … expell] In the revises JB corrected his spelling to ‘expel’. 25 the people.] JB first chose the alternative ‘people’, then wrote in ‘the’ again. 28 upon] Second edition, ‘on’. 28 (second) Johnson] Changed in proof to ‘my Friend’. 35 Crown] Printed ‘crown’ in proof; JB capitalized the ‘C’. 1

page 299 6–7 besides … given] Added in the same draft. 8 affairs.’] False start, ‘and when’.

397

NOTES TO PAGES 299–302

23 26 27 27 29

2 4 13 15 20 23 27 37

ours] Printed ‘our’s’ in proof; second edition, ‘ours’. It] Changed in proof to ‘But it’. Nay Sir] Printed ‘Now’ in proof; corrected to ‘Nay, Sir’. this] Written over ‘the’, a false start. gets] Inadvertently written ‘get’. page 300 almost] Added in the same draft. they] Written over ‘a’, possibly a false start for ‘a man’. Worth seeing?] ‘Worth’ is written over an undeciphered false start. not you] Printed in the revises ‘you not’. you see] Printed in the revises ‘you see in him’. Rambler] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. on the first remark] MS orig. ‘the first remark’, a false start. some time.] Substantive changes to the letters taken in here: In JB’s letter of 22 Oct., in the revises, ‘affectionately’ was altered to ‘sincerely’; in the second edition, ‘so closely associated’ became ‘closely associated’ (HillPowell restored ‘so’), and on ‘young lady’ JB added a footnote (‘Miss Letitia Barnston.’); in the third edition, ‘was you that morning’ became ‘were you that morning’. In SJ’s letter of 27 Oct., ‘you, Be not’ became ‘you, is this, Be not’ in the second edition (noted by Chapman); in the third edition, in JB’s footnote, ‘of the able’ became ‘from the able’. In JB’s letter of 7 Nov., in the second edition, ‘inform you’ became ‘inform you she wrote to me’; in the third edition, ‘bid me’ became ‘bade me’. In SJ’s letter of 13 Nov., in the third edition, a footnote (‘See page 393.’) was added keyed to ‘hostility’.

page 301 2–3 Lives of the Poets] Printed within quotation marks in the revises. 5 His friend] MS orig. ‘The following letter’, a false start. 6 he himself] MS orig. ‘Johnson’; printed ‘Johnson himself’ in the revises. 6–7 the most severe manner] MS orig. ‘its severest manner’. 7–8 an admirable … consolation.] MS orig. ‘such a strain of sympathy and pious consolation, as I am persuaded’, a false start. 14 hindred] As spelled by SJ; changed in the revises to ‘hindered’. page 302 distresful] Printed in the revises ‘distressful’; second edition, ‘distressed’; Hill-Powell, ‘distressful’. 8 them] Omitted in the second edition; restored in Hill-Powell. 10 Jan:] Printed ‘Jan.’ Third edition, ‘January’. 11 To … Esq:] EM added a note to this letter (Hill-Powell iii. 420 n. 4) in the third edition. 12 Mrs. THRALE …] Changes to the text of this letter: in the second edition, ‘and he has got’ became ‘and has got’, and ‘Mr. Montagu’ (last paragraph) was corrected to ‘Mrs. Montagu’; in the third edition, ‘though, nor’ became ‘though, nor’, and a note was placed on ‘Bishop of Peterborough’—‘Dr. John Hinchliffe.’ 13 Dr. JOHNSON …] In the text of this letter, ‘it immediately generates’ (true to SJ’s original) in the third edition was printed ‘immediately generates’ 3

398

NOTES TO PAGES 302–05

(adopted by Hill-Powell). Chapman assigned the omission incorrectly to the first edition (Letters of Johnson, ii. 663 n. 2).

1 2 6 12

page 303 wrote to him] False start, ‘concerning a variety of particulars’. in the] False starts, (1) ‘autumn’; (2) ‘country in the’. thus] Added in the same draft. forgetfulness or] Added in the same draft.

page 304 1 2 of May] Printed in the revises ‘2d of May’. 2 meeting] False start, ‘sometime n[ext]’. 3 in the] False start, [undeciphered word]. 3 year.] False starts, (1) ‘Dr. J[ohnson]’; (2) ‘To The [Reverend Dr. Farmer]’. 4 letter from which] MS orig. ‘long letter in which’, a false start. 5 which illuminates at once] MS orig. ‘which at once [illuminates]’. 4–6 letter from … Johnson] Printed in the revises ‘letter, of which I extract a passage, relative at once to Mr. Beauclerk and Dr. Johnson’. In the second edition, ‘at once’ was printed ‘both’. 8 directed in] Hill-Powell, ‘directed to’. 13 I] Printed in the revises ‘he’. 13 Ld. Althorpe] Printed in the revises ‘Lord Althorpe’. 15 Club] Printed in the revises ‘CLUB’. 16 the Dr.] Printed in the revises ‘The Doctor’. 18 Ease] Printed in the revises ‘ease’. 21 had come] Second edition, ‘had come’. 23–24 that Beauclerk’s … known] Printed as a quotation in the revises, with ‘Man’ omitted. 25 At the evening] Third edition, ‘On the evening.’ page 305 Dutchess Dowr.] Printed in the revises ‘Duchess Dowager’. Dutchess of] Printed in the revises ‘Duchess of’. who were] Printed in the revises ‘who was’. Ly. Clermont] Printed in the revises ‘Lady Clermont’. Ld. Althorpe] Printed in the revises ‘Lord Althorpe’. Ld. Maccartney] Printed in the revises ‘Lord Macartney’. Ld. Lucan] Printed in the revises ‘Lord Lucan’. Eaton] Printed ‘Eton’ in the revises here and below (l. 14). To … FARMER] In the text of this letter, ‘Broom’ (SJ’s spelling; Letters of Johnson ed. Redford, iii. 257) became ‘Broome’ in the second edition. 21 thus] Added in the same draft. 21–22 the most delightful] Printed in the revises ‘a delightful’. 26 granted] MS orig. ‘liberally granted’; the phrase ‘liberal policy’ appears later in the sentence. 28 become … island] MS orig. ‘happily become universal in this island’, but before drafting ‘this island’ JB had begun to write ‘Great [Britain]’. 29 unworthy] False start, ‘combination’. 30 Statute. That Petition] MS orig. ‘Statute, a Petition which’, a false start. 30 was brought … mob] JB returned to this phrasing after changing it to ‘a mob 1 1 3 4 5 6 6 9 20

399

NOTES TO PAGE 305–08

31 32 33 33 34

brought forward’. and] False start, ‘when disappointed on its being rejected’. accompanied … daring] MS orig. ‘accompanied by such a’. Over this last word, JB wrote either ‘s’ or ‘st’ before settling on his final phrasing. this] False start, ‘Dr. Johnson’. has given] MS orig. ‘gives’. Letters to Mrs. Thrale] Printed within quotation marks in the revises.

page 306 from which London] MS orig. ‘by which the C[ity]’, a false start. mischief … gradual] MS orig. (1) ‘mischief gradually spread’; (2) ‘mischief was gradually spread’. 5 contagion] MS orig. [undeciphered word], possibly ‘communi[cation]’. 5 of frenzy] Added in the same draft. 6 liquors of which] MS orig. ‘liquors which’, a false start. 11 at the same time a tenderness and] Added in the same draft. 15 after him] MS orig. ‘behind him’. 21 whatever] Added in the same draft. 2 5

page 307 1 case, and] False start, seemingly ‘whose [humanity]’. 1 is yet … disposition] MS orig. ‘is eminent for humanity’. 3 from … magistracy] MS orig. ‘the timidity of magistracy’, a false start. 4 almost incredible] Written over an ‘s’, possibly for ‘scarcely credible’. 9–10 Gaol of Newgate] Written over a false start, seemingly ‘Gaolho[use]’. 11 burnt down] MS orig. ‘burnt and shouting ou[t]’, a false start. 17 assure them they] MS orig. ‘assure them of’. 19 the prison] MS orig. ‘New[gate]’. 19 strongly] Added in the same draft. 21 further] MS orig. ‘op[posite]’. 21–22 not go out] MS orig. ‘stay’. 23 having first … the gate,] Added in the same draft. 26 word (though … not) should] MS orig. ‘word should (though he trusted they would not)’. 27 should break their word] Before arriving at his final phrasing, JB wrote over an earlier revision, ‘in case of going back on their word’, changing it to read ‘in case of their forfeiting their word’, then deleted the whole formulation. 29 peaceably] MS orig. ‘quietly’. 31 most] Added in the same draft. 31 Having shewed] MS orig. ‘He then shewed’, a false start. page 308 them] Written over a false start, possibly ‘his’. I have left … take] First draft in revision ‘I have left my house to take’; then JB deleted ‘I have left my’, only to restore the phrase (writing ‘stet’ above it twice) in finishing his revision. 7 not leave you] Printed in the revises ‘stay with you’. 8 will be obliged] Third edition, ‘shall be obliged’. 14 Burke;] Two false starts, (1) ‘Mr. Akerman’s’; (2) ‘and Johnson thus’. 17 in his view] MS orig. ‘in vi[ew]’. 1 6

400

NOTES TO PAGE 308–11

27 29 29

years] Printed as a plural possessive in the third edition. Vol. 2] Printed in the revises ‘Vol. II.’ omitted the name] False start, ‘and put a’.

page 309 Sic fata ferunt] Printed in italics in the revises. ballance] Changed in the revises to ‘balance’. disordered] MS orig. ‘ill’, Beattie’s faulty anticipation. Davies has had] Third edition, ‘Davies has got’. Hill-Powell restored ‘had’, true to Beattie’s copy and SJ’s original, now in the National Library of Scotland (Letters of Johnson ed. Redford, iii. 301–02). 21 Aug. 21. 1780.] Printed in the revises ‘August 21, 1780.’ 5 12 14 16

page 310 1 To …] In the text of this letter, ‘sate’ became ‘sat’ in the second edition. 6–7 My … of dates] MS orig. (1) ‘I wrote to him on the’; (2) ‘My letters to him on the’, both false starts. In the third edition, ‘of dates’ was changed to ‘dated’. 9 remarked] MS orig. ‘observed’, a verb that recurs in l. 13. 9 rebellious] Originally drafted within quotation marks, but then italicized. 11 worthy social] MS orig. ‘worthy and social’. 11 Governour Penn] Second edition, ‘Governour Richard Penn’. page 311 meeting again] To this phrase in the revises JB added ‘at Auchinleck’. O! præclarum diem!] MS orig. (1) ‘the præclarum diem!’; (2) ‘the O! præclarum diem!’. 6 by] Written over ‘in’. 12 sentence] False start, ‘which is a [undeciphered letter]’. 15 age] Written over ‘aging’. 13–18 On his birth=day … disapprobation.’] As in the MS, printed as a single paragraph. The separate paragraphs and block quotations in Hill-Powell were a matter of house style. 19 MacBean] MS orig. ‘Macbean’, as it was printed. The capital ‘B’ penned over the lower-case letter is small and poorly formed. 2 3

401

402

Index THE indexes of this edition of the Life are designed to complement the index of the HillPowell edition. Just as the two editions will ordinarily be used together for scholarly purposes, so will their indexes. The following abbreviations are employed here: JB (James Boswell), SJ (Samuel Johnson), EM (Edmond Malone), Life (Boswell’s Life of Johnson). Peers are listed under their titles.

Abingdon, Willoughby Bertie, 4th Earl of (1740–99), politician, 310 Abolition Bill, 147 n. 3 Act of Queen Anne (1709), copyright bill, 78, 212 Adam, Robert (1728–92), architect, 245 and n. 8; with brother James (1732–94), Works in Architecture, 106 Adams, William (1706–89), D.D., Master of Pembroke College, Oxford, 222 n. 9 Addison, Joseph (1672–1719), essayist and critic, 27, 39, 101, 117 and n. 1, 164, 224, 248–49 and n. 6; Cato, 202, 268 n. a1 Æsop at Play, 136 n. 10 Aiken, Miss. See Barbauld, Anna Akenside, Mark (1721–70), poet, 2 and n. 7, 26 and n. 9; ‘To the Honourable Charles Townshend’, 3 n. 7 Akerman, Richard (c. 1722–92), Keeper of Newgate, 94, 303 n. 1, 306 and n. 1, 307 and n. 2, 308 Alcibiades (c. 450–404 B .C.), Athenian general and statesman, 163, 190 and nn. 4–5 Allen, Edmund (1726–84), printer, 19 and n. 7, 91, 93–94 and n. 7, 192, 227, 280 Alnwick Castle, 194 Alsop, John (1726–1804), of Ashbourne, 101 Althorp, Viscount. See Spencer, George John America, xvii, 54, 63, 120–21, 145, 147–48 and nn. 4–5, 175, 204, 209, 228–29, 310 Anson, George (1697–1762), Baron Anson, naval officer and politician, 275 Antoninus, Marcus. See Marcus Aurelius Archdall, Richard (c. 1746–1824), M.P., barrister, 69 n. 3, 335 Argyll, Archibald Campbell, 3rd Duke of (1682–1761), 21–22, 48 and n. 4, 58 Argyll, Elizabeth (Gunning), Duchess of

(1733–90), wife of following, 150 n. 2 Argyll, John Campbell, 5th Duke of (1723– 1806), 150 n. 2 Ariosto, Ludovico (1474–1533), poet, 30 Aristotle (384–22 B.C.), 69 n. 3; Poetics, 32 Arnaud, Antoine (1612–94), theologian, 255 and n. 1 Arnold, Thomas (c. 1742–1816), M.D., physician and mad-doctor, 120 and n. 9 Asaph, Bishop of. See Shipley, Jonathan Ashbourne, 1, 112–15, 185–87; Church of, 125–26; Green Man Inn at, 149 n. 1, 150; School of, 89 Ashby, Rev. George (1724–1808), antiquary, 231 n. 3 Ashmole, Elias (1617–92), astrologer and antiquary, 117 Astle, Rev. Daniel (c. 1743–1826), later Rector of Bramshall, 48 n. 2, 64 n. 9, 177 n. 6, 221 n. 6 Astley, Philip (1742–1814), equestrian performer, 299 Aston, Mary (‘Molly’) (c. 1706–65), 250 and n. a1, 302 n. 6 Atterbury, Francis (1663–1732), Bishop of Rochester, A Discourse Occasion’d by the Death of the Lady Cutts, 161, 360; sermons, 176 and n. 5 Auchinleck (House and estate), 121–23 Auchinleck, Alexander Boswell, Lord (1707– 82), father of JB, 50 n. 9, 75, 121, 127–28 and n. 1, 135, 137 and n. 1, 171 n. 4 Augustan History (1475), 21 n. 4 Bacon, Francis (1561–1626), Baron Verulam, 1st Viscount St. Albans, statesman and author, 139 and n. 8 Ballow, Henry (1707–82), legal author, 18 and nn. 8–9, 1

403

INDEX

Banks, Sir Joseph (1743–1820), naturalist, 6 n. 2, 7 n. 5, 118 n. a1, 283–84 and n. 8 Barbauld, Anna Laetitia (Aikin) (1743– 1825), poet and essayist, 118 n. 2 Barber, Francis (c. 1742–1801), servant, legatee of SJ, xvi, 19 n. 9, 38, 53, 149, 156– 57 and n. 3, 274, 292 Baretti, Giuseppi Marc’ Antonio (1719–89), author, 5, 15, 108, 275; Frusta Letteraria, 118 Barnard, Edward (1717–81), D.D., Provost of Eton, 305 Barnard, Thomas (1728–1806), D.D., Bishop of Killaloe, 67–68 and nn. 7, 9, 220, 280 n. 6 Barnes, Joshua (1654–1712), professor of Greek at Cambridge, 204 Barnet, 4 and n. 9, 163 n. 8 Barnewall, Mathias (d. 1767), son of Robert, 160 n. 8 Barnewall, Nicholas (1726–1813), 14th Baron Trimleston, 160 n. 8 Barnewall, Robert (c. 1704–79), styled 12th Baron Trimleston, 160–61 and n. 8 Barnewall, Thomas (1736–96), 13th Baron Trimleston, son of preceding, 160 n. 8 Barnston, Letitia (1754–1828), of Chester, 398 Barrett, William (?1727–89), surgeon and antiquary, 42 Barrington, Daines (1727–1800), lawyer and antiquary, 228 and n. 9; Observations on the Statutes, 228 Barry, Sir Edward (1696–1776), Bt., physician, 28 and n. 1; Treatise on a Consumption of the Lungs, 28 n. 1 Bartolozzi, Francesco (1725–1815), engraver, 78 Basse, William (c. 1583–?1653), poet, ‘Tom a Bedlam’, 178 n. 9 Bath, 5, 38–39, 45 Bath, William Pulteney, Earl of (1684– 1764), statesman, 170 Bathurst, Henry Bathurst, 2nd Earl (1714– 94), Lord Chancellor, 34, 92, 255, 293– 94 and nn. 2–4 Bayle, Pierre (1647–1706), philosopher, Dictionary, 170 n. 7 Bayley or Bayly, Sir Nicholas (1709–82), 2nd Bt., M.P., 258 and n. 2

Baxter, William (1650–1723), classical scholar, 61 Beattie, James (1735–1803), D.D., poet and philosopher, 248 and n. 5, 303, 309 and nn. a, b, 3 Beattie, Mary (Dun) (1744–1807), wife of preceding, 309 Beauclerk, Lady Diana (Spencer) (1734– 1808), artist, wife of following, 257 n. 1 Beauclerk, Hon. Topham (1739–80), book collector, friend of SJ: on Baretti, 15; JB dines with, 261, 284–85; on JB as a Scotsman, 286; character of, 304, 399; death of, 304 and n. 9; on a gaming club, 20; altercation with SJ, 282–84 and notes; SJ dines with, 261, 284–85; and SJ’s proposed Italian tour, 15; SJ on, 260, 287– 88; as source of story about SJ, 139 n. 9, 151 n. 9; marriage of, 257 n. 1; spelling of name of, 284 n. 9, 393; and Lady Diana Spencer, 257 and n. 1; on Steevens and the Club, 201–02 and n. 8; as storyteller, 287–88; SJ on temperament of, 4, 138; and travel, 260; worldliness of, 286–87; mentioned, 388 Beaufort, Elizabeth (Boscawen) Somerset, Duchess of (1747–1828), 305 Beckford, William (1709–70), Lord Mayor of London, 62, 145 and nn. 4–5 Belchier, John (1706–85), surgeon, 47 Bell, John (1745–1831), bookseller and publisher, The Poets of Great Britain, 77– 78 and nn. 4–5 Bell, John, schoolmaster at Stewarton, 152 n. 3 Bentham, Jeremy (1748–1832), philosopher and jurist, 29 n. 5 Bentley, Richard (1662–1742), classical scholar, 61 Beresford, Rev. Benjamin (?1750–1819), tutor to the 5th Duke of Bedford, 204 Berkeley, George (1685–1753), D.D., Bishop of Cloyne, philosopher, 110 Berwick upon Tweed, James Fitzjames, Duke of (1670–1734), marshal of France, 206 and n. 7 Betterton, Thomas (c. 1635–1710), actor and theatre manager, 130 and n. 1 Bible, 48 and n. 2, 176, 262; 2 Corinthians, 279 n. 8, 339; Ecclesiasticus, 126 n. 7;

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INDEX

Genesis, 123 n. 7; Gospels, 120 n. a; Hebrews, xviii, 96 and n. 3; Job, 243; John, 32 n. 7; Luke, 32 n. 7; Mark, 32 n. 7; New Testament, 31–32 and n. 7, 48, 99 and n. 5, 216, 298, 374; Old Testament, 48; Proverbs, 50 n. 9, 126 n. 7; Psalms, 4 n. 5; Ruth, 243; 2 Timothy, 213 and n. 7 Bindley, James (1739–1818), antiquary and book collector, 221 n. 6 Bingham, Charles. See Lucan, Baron Bingham, Margaret. See Lucan, Baroness Binning, Charles Hamilton, Lord (1753– 1828), later 8th Earl of Haddington, 241 and n. 5 Blackmore, Sir Richard (1733–?1812), poet and physician, 154–55 and n. 4 Blackstone, Sir William (1723–80), legal author and judge, 283 Blair, Hugh (1718–1800), D.D., minister, professor of rhetoric at Edinburgh: and Bathurst’s anecdote of Pope, 34 and n. 2, 293–94 and nn. 2–4; death of, 113; on death, 226 and n. 4; SJ on, 71, 113, 226 and n. 4, 248; on SJ’s style, 117 and n. 1; Lectures on Rhetoric and Belles Lettres, 117 and n. 1; and Ossian, 42 and n. 8; as preacher, 70; Sermons, 70–72 and n. 4, 112 n. 1, 113, 248 and n. 1; mentioned, 248 n. 5 Blair, Robert (1699–46), poet, The Grave, 40 and n. 5 Bloxam, Rev. Matthew (1711–86), Rector of Bourton-on-the-Hill, 220 Boileau-Despréaux, Nicolas (1636–1711), literary critic and poet, 255, 287 n. 5 Bolingbroke, Frederick St. John, 2nd Viscount (1732–87), 257 n. 1 Bolingbroke, Henry St. John, 1st Viscount (1678–1751), 34, 166 n. 1, 252 and n. 7, 255, 293–94 and n. 3 Bolingbroke, Marie-Claire de Marcilly (Marquise de Villette), Viscountess (1675/6–1750), second wife of preceding, 235, 252 n. 9 Boothby, Sir Brooke (1744–1824), 7th Bt., 176 n. 5 Boscawen, Edward (1711–61), naval officer and politician, husband of following, 241 and n. 5 Boscawen, Frances (Glanville) (1719–

1805), letter writer and literary hostess, 241 and n. 5, 305 Boscawen, George (1758–1808), 3rd Viscount Falmouth, 241 n. 5 Bosville, Godfrey (1717–84), of Gunthwaite Hall, 85 n. 3, 266 Boswell, Alexander. See Auchinleck, Lord Boswell, Sir Alexander (‘Sandy’) (1775– 1822), son of JB, 247 n. 7 Boswell, David (1748–1826), later Thomas David, brother of JB, 123, 127–28 and n. 1, 303, 308 and n. b1, 311 Boswell, Euphemia (Erskine) (1718–66), 1st Lady Auchinleck, mother of JB, 123 Boswell, James (d. 1618), 4th Laird of Auchinleck, 122 n. 4 Boswell, James (1672–1749), 7th Laird of Auchinleck, grandfather of JB, 123 BOSWELL, JAMES (JB) (1740–95) General: and Auchinleck, 123 and n. 8, 124; as biographer, xv–xviii, 87; and Blair’s sermons, 72 n. 4; meeting with Burgoyne, 262 n. 8; plays cards, 277; and Capt. Cook, 6–7; and humorous prologue for Davies, 177–78; dines with Dillys, 52– 53; and Douglas Cause, 8, 158 and n. 1; discusses travelling to East Indies, 292; and family, 4; and father, 50 n. 9; health of, 288 and n. 4; on SJ and Wilkes, 50, 65; and Joseph Knight, 146 n. 6, 147 n. 3, 152; and Mary Knowles, 64 n. 1; law cases of, 48–49 and nn. 3–5, 7, 152 and n. 3, 158 and n. 1; as a lawyer, 124; takes Lisbon diet drink, 169 n. 6; and Lord Marchmont, 252–53; pride of, 150 n. 2; and Sir John Pringle, 13, 50 and n. 9; and Mrs. Rudd, 66 and n. 8; and Scotland, 43; and Scotland v. Thomson, 48–49 and nn. 3–5; sons of, 10 n. 6; dines at Thrales’, 23, 39; visits Thrales, 159; treatment of titles, 1 n. 3; and John Wesley, 4, 290 and n. 2 Ideas and opinions: on America, 147–48; on apparitions, 4 and n. 2; on benevolence, 171, 238; on Hugh Blair, 113; on Robert Blair’s The Grave, 40; on character influencing success, 258; on Lord Chesterfield, 286; on children, 24, 84 and n. a1; on visiting Wall of China, 192; on defending Christianity, 230; on Cibber’s

405

INDEX

plays, 57; on circumnavigation, 7 and n. 5; on curates’ salaries, 89; on death, 100, 213–14; on drinking, 88, 112 and n. 2, 237–38 and n. a1, 239–41, 281; on Dodd, 90–91; on education, 10 and n. 6; on Jonathan Edwards, 210; on emigration, 164; on eminent men, 50; on fame, 188; on Forster’s Voyage, 125; on France, 181; on free will, 210 and n. 1; on freedom and prescience, 210; on friendship, 110, 168; on David Garrick, 56, 185, 188, 286 and n. 4; on responsibilities of a landed gentleman, 178; on ghost in Newcastle, 290 and n. 2; on Gordon Riots, 305 and n. 6, 307; on government, 203; on happiness, 110, 143, 167, 175, 207–08; on Hawkins writing on SJ, 162; on opposition of peers in House of Lords, 254 and n. 4; on hypochondria, 138; on character of an infidel, 45–46; on infidelity, 256–58, 296– 97 and nn. 8–9; on the Irish language, 79 and n. 1; on Jenyns’s View of the Internal Evidence, 208; on juries, 13; on The King v. Topham, 12–13; on law, 13; on laws of debt in Scotland, 63; on libel law and the dead, 12–13; on London, 4, 176, 181, 278; on settling in London, 121, 123 and n. 8, 124; on Macaronic verses, 203; on marriage, 2–3, 296–97 and nn. 8–9; on melancholy, 125; on melancholy and madness, 119–20; on military character in France, 8; on music, 142–43; and ‘Negro Cause in Scotland’, 144–45, 146 n. 6, 152– 53; on Ogden, 177; on old age, 246; on Othello, 33; on parents and children, 288; on Paris, 181; on Parliament, 147–48, 166; on Thomas Pennant, 195–96 and n. 2; on Mrs. Piozzi writing on SJ, 162; on pleasure, 175; on Pope’s ‘Homer’, 184; on Pope’s verse, 255; on ‘Psalms in Metre’, 4 n. 5; on Allan Ramsay, 246; on Ranelagh, 144 n. 7; on Reynolds’s Discourses, 273; on Roman Catholic church, 14 and n. 5; on the Roman Senate, 147–48; on sailors, 189–90; on Sir George Savile, 148; on Scotland, 22, 63; on slavery, 147 and n. 3, 152–53; on Steevens, 202 and n. 1; on the House of Stuart, 103; on soldiers, 8, 190; on John Taylor, 149; on theatrical players, 129–30; on Mrs. Thrale, 160; on

translation, 29; on translating poetry, 184; on truth, 13; on Tyers’s Biographical Sketch of … Johnson, 224; on waking up, 114; on Anna Williams, 22; on wine, 43–44 and n. 3; on wisdom, 294; on women, 137, 296–97 and n. 9; on public worship, 125, 126 Relations with SJ: on asking too many questions, 47 and n. 6; on SJ’s character, 69; on SJ’s conversation, xv, xvii, 175; correspondence with SJ, 198 and n. 5, 291 and n. 7; and SJ’s diary, 140 and n. 4; feelings for SJ, 142–43, 241; on friendship with SJ, 39, 125–26, 159, 168 n. 8, 226, 247–48; seeks legal advice from, 152 and n. 3, 158; on SJ’s melancholic view of self, 72–73 and nn. 6–7; on SJ’s mind, 70 n. 6; method of notetaking, 192; on preserving Johnsoniana, 276; on SJ’s view of religion, 72–73 and nn. 6–7; on recording SJ’s conversations, 128, 135–36, 150, 186, 192, 261, 276–77; on SJ’s Vanity of Human Wishes, 143; veneration for SJ, 51; on a complete edition of SJ’s works, 91, 233– 34 and nn. 2–3 Writings: Account of Corsica, 75, 150 n. 2; Ashbourne Journal, 151 n. 8; The Hypochondriack, 161 n. 2, 168 n. 2; Johnsoniana, 71 n. 3, 236; ‘Journal of My Jaunt … Colonel James Stuart’, 299 n. 2; Letter to the People of Scotland (1785), 13 n. a3; ‘No Abolition of Slavery’, 147 n. 3; Note Book, 133 n. 4, 139 nn. 8–9, 143 n. 5; ‘A Sketch of … Mr. Gray’, 110 n. 4; Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, 19 n. 6, 75 n. 8, 80 n. 3, 101 and n. 5, 118 n. a1, 120 n. 10, 136, 141, 150, 187 n. 9, 194 nn. a, a1, 234, 236, 256 n. 6, 267 and n. 8; publications considered or suggested suggested: ‘some account’ of Robert Blair, 40 n. 5; ‘Edition of John Dennis’s Critical Works’, 323; ‘History of the Civil War … in 1745 & 1746’, 108; ‘Life of Sir Robert Sibbald’, 161; ‘Narrative’ of Mrs. Rudd, 66 n. 8; ‘Travels upon the Continent of Europe’, 218 and n. a1 Boswell, James, Jr. (1778–1822), barrister, son of JB, 160 n. 7, 271 and n. 7 Boswell, John (1710–80), M.D., brother of Lord Auchinleck, 6 and n. 1

406

INDEX

Boswell, Margaret (Montgomerie) (c. 1738– 89), wife of JB, 34, 66 n. 8, 70 and nn. 4– 5, 84–85 and nn. 6, 9, 1, 106 nn. a, a1, 123, 155, 338 Boswell, Veronica (1773–95), daughter of JB, 38 nn. 6–7, 114 n. a1, 265 n. 2, 288 n. 2 Bowles, William (1755–1826), of Heale House, 35 n. 8, 45 n. 6, 111 n. 5, 262 n. 2, 265 n. 9 Bristol, 42–43 Broadley, John (c. 1730–94), officer in North Lincoln Militia, 266 Brown, Lancelot (‘Capability Brown’) (1716– 83), landscape architect, 292–93 Brown, Rev. Robert (d. 1777), minister at Utrecht, 208 and n. 4 Browne, Sir Thomas (1605–82), physician and author: Christian Morals, 220 n. 5; Pseudodoxia Epidemica, 212 and n. 6 Brydone, Capt. Patrick (1736–1818), traveller and author, Tour through Sicily and Malta, 262 Buckingham, Catherine (Darnley), Duchess of (1681/2–1743), 170 Budgell, Eustace (1686–1737), author, 39 Bunbury, Catherine (Horneck) (1753–99), 231 n. 2 Bunbury, Sir Thomas Charles (1740–1821), M.P., 283–84 and n. 8 Burgh, Walter Hussey (1742–83), Chief Baron of the Exchequer in Ireland, 24 n. 2, 84 and n. a1 Burgoyne, John (1723–92), general and dramatist, 261 and n. 5, 262 n. 8 Burke, Edmund (1729–97), M.P., statesman: on Akerman, 308; Letter to the Sheriffs of Bristol, 132; on The Beggar’s Opera, 233; in JB’s key to speakers, 163 n. 9; on Bristol, 278; broad talents of, 69 and n. 1; on soliciting claret, 168; domestic habits of, 278; on Oliver Edwards, 221; on emigration, 164; on Goldsmith, 113 and n. 9; and Round Robin on Goldsmith’s epitaph, 68 and n. a1; on the Irish language, 166; Jackson on, 89; SJ on, 39 n. 9; shows SJ his home and land, 225 n. 8; debate with SJ on Homer and Virgil, 138 n. a; on SJ and Scotland v. Thomson, 49 nn. 5–6; on JB’s dinner with SJ and

Wilkes, 65; on SJ’s Journey, 89; as ‘Junius’, 277; on mankind, 167; mention, 166 n. 8, 299 n. 6; on being in the minority, 166; on oration, 165; on affection between parents and children, 288; on Parliament, 165; speeches in Parliament, 165; puns of, 234–35; Reynolds and, 186; on Scottish politics, 167 n. 7; on taxation of houses, 167 n. 3; SJ on temperament of, 138; Mrs. Thrale on, 280 and n. 5; pun on Wilkes, 234 Burlington, Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of (1694–1753), 255 Burnet, Gilbert (1643–1715), Bishop of Salisbury, historian, Life of Rochester, 137 Burney, Charles (1726–1814), D.D., musician and author, 183, 271–72 and nn. 8, 2, 276 n. 4, 306 n. 9 Burney, Richard Thomas (1768–1808), son of preceding, 272 Burrows, John (1733–86), D.D., Rector of St. Clement Danes, 279 Bute, John Stuart, 3rd Earl of (1713–92), Prime Minister, 64, 156 n. 2, 292 Butler, Samuel (bap. 1613, d. 1680), poet, Hudibras, 31 Butter, Catherine (Douglas), wife of following, 101, 109 and n. 9, 112 Butter, William (1726–1805), M.D., of Derby, 1 and n. 1, 101, 108, 109, 113 Buxton, 98 Cadell, Thomas (1742–1802), bookseller and publisher, 71–72 and n. 4, 77, 206 n. 7, 244 Cadogan, William (1711–97), M.D., 269– 70 and n. 8 Caesar, Gaius Julius (100–44 B.C.), Roman general and statesman, 116 Caligula (12–41 A.D.), Roman emperor, 203 Cambridge, Richard Owen (1717–1802), poet and essayist, 178–79 and n. 6, 180 n. 9, 182 nn. 2, 5 Camden, Charles Pratt, 1st Earl (1714–94), lawyer and politician, 225–26 Camden, William (1551–1623), historian and herald, 221 Campbell, Sir Archibald (1739–91), of Inverniel, army officer and colonial governor, 48 and n. 4

407

INDEX

Campbell, John (1708–75), M.D., author, 173–74 and nn. 3–4, 289 n. 8 Campbell, Rev. John (1758–1828), Minister of Kippen, Stirling, 289 n. 8 Campbell, Mungo (d. 1770), excise officer, 134 and n. 8 Campbell, Thomas (1733–95), LL.D., Irish clergyman and traveller, A Philosophical Survey of the South of Ireland, 78–79 and nn. a3, 1; Strictures on the … History of Ireland, 79 n. 1 Carmichael, Miss (‘Poll’), 157, 272 Carter, Elizabeth (1717–1806), poet and translator, 114 Casaubon, Isaac (1559–1614), classical scholar, 21 n. 4 Cassillis, David Kennedy, 10th Earl of (d. 1792), 13 Catcot, George, pewterer, 42–43 and n. 9 Cathcart, Alan Cathcart, 6th Lord (1628– 1709), 254 n. 4 Catherine II (1729–96), Empress of Russia, 86, 273 and nn. 1 Cave, Edward (1691–1754), printer and editor of Gentleman’s Magazine, 234 Cavendish, Lord John (1732–96), xvii, 134, 150 n. 5 Caxton, William (b. c. 1415–24, d. 1492), printer, 181 Cervantes, Miguel de (1547–1616), novelist, poet, dramatist, 1 Chambers, Sir Robert (1737–1803), jurist and judge, 18 and n. 8 Chamier, Anthony (1725–80), politician, 180–81, 265 Chaplin, Charles (1730–95), of Tathwell, 97 and n. 2 Chappe d’Auteroche, Jean-Baptiste (1722– 69), Voyage en Sibérie, 249 Charlemont, James Caulfeild, 1st Earl of (1728–99), 260 and n. 9 Charles V (1500–58), Emperor and King of Spain, 176 Charles XII (1682–1718), King of Sweden, 189 and n. 8 Charlotte Sophia (1744–1818), Queen of George III, 92 Chatham, William Pitt, the elder, 1st Earl of (1708–78), statesman, Prime Minister, 142, 262 and n. 2

Chatterton, Thomas (1752–70), poet, 42–43 Chaucer, Geoffrey (c. 1343–1400), poet, 77, 181; Canterbury Tales, 77 n. 5 Chesterfield, Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl of (1694–1773), 55, 56 n. 7, 91, 144, 259, 262 n. 2, 286; Letters to His Son, 45 and n. 6; Miscellaneous Works, 259 and n. 4 Cheyne, George (1671–1743), M.D., physician and author, 22 and n. 6 Choisy, Abbé François-Timoléon de (1644– 1724), ecclesiastic and author, 246 Cholmondeley, Hon. Mrs. Mary (Woffington) (?1729–1811), 183, 186, 231 Churchill, Charles (1732–64), poet, 158, 177 Cibber, Colley (1671–1757), actor, author, and theatre manager, 25 n. 6, 57–58 and n. a1, 128 n. 5, 129, 188 Cibber, Theophilus (1703–58), actor, author, son of preceding, Lives of the Poets, 25 and nn. 6–7, 30 and n. 3 Cicero (106–43 B.C.), 62, 168 n. 2, 259, 262 n. 2 Clare, Lord. See Nugent, Robert Craggs Clarendon, Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of (1609– 74), 184 and n. 2, 259 and n. 6 Clarke, Samuel (1675–1729), D.D., scholar and divine, sermons, 177 Clement XIV (1705–74), Pope, 206 Clermont, Frances Cairnes (Murray) Fortescue, Countess of (1733–1820), 305 Clive, Robert (1725–74), 1st Baron Clive of Plassey, 244 and n. 4, 258 and n. 7, 292–93 Cobham, Richard Temple, 1st Viscount (1675–1749), 255 Cochrane, Maj.-Gen. James (1690–1758), great-uncle of JB, 126 Coke, Sir Edward (1552–1634), judge and legal author, 12 Colman, George, the elder (1732–94), playwright and theatre manager, 232 Congreve, William (1670–1729), dramatist and poet, 142 n. 1; The Old Batchelor, 132– 33 Const, Francis (1751–1839), lawyer, 13 and n. a2 Cook, Capt. James (1728–79), explorer, 6– 7

408

INDEX

Cooper, John Gilbert (1723–69), author, 97 n. 9 Cork, Earl of. See Orrery, John Boyle, 5th Earl of Courtenay, John (1738–1816), politician and poet, 221, 225 n. 8 Covington, Alexander Lockhart, Lord (1700–82), Scottish judge, 153 Cowley, Abraham (1618–67), poet, 24–25, 159 n. 5, 160 Cowper, William Cowper, 1st Earl (c. 1665– 1723), Lord Chancellor, 13 Cowper, William (1731–1800), poet, 243 n. a1 Coxeter, Thomas (1689–1747), literary antiquary, 104 Cradock, Joseph (1742–1826), author, 33; Zobeide, 31–32 Crashaw, Richard (?1613–49), poet, 221 n. 6 Craven, Lady Elizabeth (Berkeley) (1750– 1828), dramatist, 17 n. 7, 19 and nn. a, a1 Creech, William (1745–1815), Edinburgh publisher and bookseller, 72 n. 4 Critical Review, 26, 38, 115–16, 125 Cullen, Robert, Lord (d. 1810), Scottish advocate, 153 Cullen, William (1710–90), M.D., chemist and physician, 114 Cumberland, Richard (1732–1814), dramatist and poet, 37 and n. a Cunningham, Peter (1816–69), author and literary critic, 235 n. 7 D’Aripé, Isaac Augustus (fl. 1755–75), army officer, 175 n. 9 D’Israeli, Isaac (1766–1848), author, 275 n. 8 Dacier, Anne (Le Fèvre) (1654–1720), classical scholar, 21 n. 4, 60 n. 2, 62, 243 n. a Dalblair, 149 Darwin, Erasmus (1731–1802), physician and philosopher, 176 n. 5 Dashwood, Sir Henry Watkin (1745–1828), 3rd Bt., 298 n. 5 Dashwood, Lady Mary Helen (Graham), wife of preceding, 298 and n. 5 Davies, Sir John (1569–1626), lawyer and poet, 118 n. 2 Davies, Susanna (Yarrow) (c. 1723–1801), wife of following, 158

Davies, Thomas (?1712–85), actor, bookseller and author, 31, 33 and nn. 7–9, 35, 77, 158, 177, 309, 323; Memoirs of David Garrick, 309 n. 4, 311 Dawson, John, Lexicon Novi Testamenti (1706), 298 Defoe, Daniel (?1660–1731), 190–91 and nn. 6–7, 233 n. 2; Robinson Crusoe, 191 Delany, Patrick (1685/6–1768), D.D., poet, Observations upon Lord Orrery’s Remarks on … Dr. Jonathan Swift, 178 Delmis, Mr., a suicide, 283 and n. 5 Demosthenes (384–22 B.C.), 259 and n. 5, 262 n. 2 Dempster, George (1732–1818), M.P., agriculturalist, 103–04 and n. 3, 218, 257 n. 5 Dempster, Jean (‘Jeany’) (1736–c. 1769), sister of preceding, 172 and n. 6 Dennis, John (1657–1734), literary critic, 33 and n. 7, 323 Desmoulins, Elizabeth (Swinfen) (1716– 85), 157 and n. 7, 171–72 and n. 7, 217, 227, 272, 275, 362, 377, 390 Desmoulins, Elizabeth (b. 1753), daughter of preceding, 157 Desmoulins, Jacob (1724–72), writing-master, father of preceding, 157 n. 7 Derby, 1, 101, 106–09, 112 Derby, Rev. John (c. 1720–78), A.M., chaplain, 80 n. 3 Devonshire, 34 Devonshire, Georgiana (Spencer), Duchess of (1757–1806), wife of 5th Duke, 275 Devonshire, William Cavendish, 1st Duke of (1641–1707), 132 n. 7 Devonshire, William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of (1698–1755), 131 and n. 6 Devonshire, William Cavendish, 4th Duke of (1720–64), 150 n. 5 Devonshire, William Cavendish, 5th Duke of (1748–1811), 131 and n. 6, 134, 150 n. 5 Dick, Sir Alexander (1703–85), 3rd Bt., physician, 74–75 and nn. 5, 8 Dilly, Charles (1739–1807), bookseller: and Blair’s Sermons, 72 n. 4; letter to JB, 292 n. 9; letter from SJ, 290 Dilly, Edward (1732–79), bookseller: and Duke of Berwick’s Memoirs, 206 and n. 7; letter to JB on edition of English Poets,

409

INDEX

76–78 and notes; and edition of English Poets, 264; on Foote, 55 and n. 5; on Mrs. Glasse’s Cookery, 205; on degrees of happiness, 208 and n. 4; on SJ’s conversation, 77; correspondence with SJ, 82 n. 7, 83 and n. 4; invitation to SJ negotiated by JB, 51–52 and n. 9; on Mrs. Knowles, 207 and n. 2 Dilly, Edward and Charles, booksellers, Rose and Crown, 22 Poultry: Lord Chesterfield’s Misc. Works published by, 259 and n. 4; hospitable table and good dinners of, 50– 51, 205 and n. 3, 329; SJ and JB dine at their house, xv, xvii–xviii, 51–65, 128 n. 5, 204–17, 249 n. 6, 263–64, 289; SJ and JB visit, 5 Diogenes Laertius, 285 n. 8 Dodd, Mary (Perkins) (d. 1784), wife of following, 92 Dodd, William (1729–77), LL.D., clergyman and forger: relationship with JB, 91; and The Convict’s Address, 92, 111–12; prepares for death, 95, 110; death of, 96 and n. 5, 100; fate of, 82; friends support escape of, 111 and n. 5; forgery of, 90– 91; introduction of, 90 n. 6; SJ advocates for, 94; correspondence with SJ, 90, 92 n. 4, 93, 95–96 and n. 4, 140; messages between SJ and, 94; in Newgate, 111; relationship with SJ, 91 and n. 9, 94; SJ’s writings for, 91 and n. 9, 1, 92 and n. 4, 93 n. 5, 111–12, 140; and Last Solemn Declaration, 92; wished to be member of Literary Club, 201; sermons of, 177; ‘Thoughts in Prison’, 193 and nn. 5–6 Dodsley, Robert (1703–64), bookseller and poet, 31 and n. 4, 295; Collection of Poems, 17 and n. 6, 31 and n. 4, 141, 191, 201 Donaldson v. Becket, 154 n. 3 Dorset, Charles Sackville, 6th Earl of (1643– 1706), poet, xvi, 172 n. 6 Douglas (formerly Stewart), Archibald James Edward (1748–1827), 1st Baron Douglas, 158 n. 1 Douglas, Charles (1777–1837), later Marquess of Queensberry, 109 n. 9 Douglas, Lady Helen (Erskine) (d. 1754), JB’s aunt, 109 n. 9 Douglas, Sir James (?1286–1330), soldier, 122–23 and nn. 5–6

Douglas, John (1721–1807), D.D., Bishop of Carlisle and of Salisbury, Dean of Windsor, 231, 378 Douglas, Sir John, of Kelhead, 3rd Bt., cousin of JB, 101, 109 and n. 9 Douglas Cause, 8, 158 n. 1 Dovedale, 101 Draper, Somerset (d. 1756), bookseller, partner of the Tonsons, 39 Drummond, Alexander Munro (d. 1782), M.D., physician, 282 Drummond, William (1585–1649), of Hawthornden, poet, 204–05 Dryden, John (1631–1700), poet, dramatist, 57, 62, 180, 201, 221 n. 6, 255; Absalom and Achitophel, 31 n. 4; Song for St. Cecilia’s Day, 31 and n. 4 Dublin, 28 Dunbar, James (d. 1798), LL.D., lecturer in moral philosophy at King’s College, Aberdeen, Essays on the History of Mankind, 302 n. 5, 310 nn. b, b1 Duncombe, William (1690–1769), author, xvi, 200 n. 4, 227 Dundas, Henry. See Melville, Viscount Dundas, Robert (1713–87), of Arniston, Lord President of the Court of Session, 153 Dunning, John (1731–83), later 1st Baron Ashburton, lawyer and politician, 260– 61 East Indians, 249 East Indies. See India Edensor Inn, Derbyshire, 151 Edinburgh, 4, 113 Edwards, Edward (c. 1726–83), D.D., classical scholar, 271 and n. 8 Edwards, Jonathan (1703–58), preacher, theologian, President of College of New Jersey, 209–10 Edwards, Oliver (1711–91), lawyer, 219–24 and notes Egerton, John (d. 1795), bookseller, partner of following, 19 n. 3 Egerton, Thomas (d. 1830/37), bookseller, 19 n. 3 Eglinton, Alexander Montgomerie, 9th Earl of (?1660–1729), 134, 229 Eglinton, Alexander Montgomerie, 10th Earl of (1723–69), 134

410

INDEX

Eglinton, Archibald Montgomerie, 11th Earl of (1726–96), 112–13 and n. 4, 175 n. 1, 229, 240 n. 7 Eglinton, Jean (Lindsay), Countess of (1756– 78), first wife of preceding, 21 n. 5 Eglinton, Susanna (Kennedy), Countess of (1689–1780), wife of 9th Earl, 271 and n. 7 Eld or Elde, Francis (1736–1817), of Seighford, possibly the ‘Staffordshire Whig’, 236–37 Eld or Elde, John (?1704–96), of Dorking and Seighford, possibly the ‘Staffordshire Whig’, 236–37 Elibank, Patrick Murray, 5th Baron (1703– 78), 20 and nn. a, a1, 47 n. 5 Eliot, Edward (1727–1804), 1st Baron Eliot, politician, 45 Elliock, James Veitch, Lord (1712–93), Scottish judge, 153 Ellis, John (1698–1790), scrivener and author, xv, 16–19 and notes, 103 n. 2 Elphinston, James (1721–1809), educationist, advocate of spelling reform, 184–85 and n. 5, 278 nn. 4–5 Elzevier, Abraham (1592–1652), printer and bookseller at Leiden, 44 n. 4 Elzevier, Bonaventure (1583–1652), printer and bookseller at Leiden, 44 n. 4; ‘Republics’, 44 and n. 4 Embry, Rev. Edward (1745–1817), 177 n. 8 Erskine, Hon. Andrew (1740–93), poet and critic, 98 and n. 5, 118 n. 2 Essex, Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of (1591– 1646), parliamentarian army officer, 168 n. 2 Estienne (‘Stephanus’), Henry (1460–1520), printer-publisher at Paris, 181 Estienne (‘Stephanus’), Robert (d. 1559), printer-scholar, son of preceding, 181 Eton College, 10 n. 6, 221 n. 6, 305 Eupolis (c. 446–c. 411 B.C.), 190 n. 4 Farmer, Richard (1735–97), D.D., literary scholar, Master of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, 303, 305, 323 Faustina the Younger (Annia Galeria Faustina), wife of Marcus Aurelius, 21 and n. 4 Ferguson, James (1710–76), astronomer and

inventor of scientific instruments, 19 and n. 6 Ferguson, James (1735–1820), Scottish advocate and M.P., 153 Fielding, Henry (1707–54), author and magistrate, 264; Amelia, 37; Tom Jones, 223 n. 3 Fielding, Sir John (1721–80), magistrate, 306 n. 9 Fieldhouse, James Walter (b. 1767), son of following, 126, 129–30 and n. 8 Fieldhouse, Walter John (b. 1732), ‘gentleman farmer’, of Alrewas, Staffordshire, 126, 130 n. 8, 133–34 and n. 5, 142 Fitzherbert, William (1712–72), M.P., 55– 56 and n. a1, 96–97 and nn. 6, 9, 169, 170, 285 n. 6 Flatman, Thomas (1635–88), miniature painter and man of letters, 25 Fontenelle, Bernard Le Bovier de (1657– 1757), poet and author, 176 Foote, Samuel (1720–77), actor and playwright, 55–57 and notes, 128 and n. 5, 130, 188 Forbes, Sir William (1739–1806), of Pitsligo, Bt., banker and author, xv, xvii, 35–36, 67–69 and notes, 85 n. 7, 87 n. 5, 92 n. 2, 150 and n. 4, 194 n. 1, 218 n. a1, 264 n. a1 Ford, Rev. Cornelius (1694–1731), cousin of SJ, 256–57 Fordyce, George (1736–1802), M.D., physician, 163 n. 9, 165 Forrester, Col. James (d. 1764), The Polite Philosopher, 17–19 and n. 5 Forster, Johann Georg Adam (1754–94), traveller and naturalist, A Voyage round the World, 125 Fowke, Joseph (d. 1806), East India Co. official, 16 and n. 3 Fox, Charles James (1749–1806), politician, later Prime Minister, 180, 186, 190 and n. 5 France: example of bons mots in, 234; and SJ’s Dictionary, 252; SJ in, 206 n. 7, 218, 236; SJ on, 181, 259; King of, 102, 132; literacy in, 181–82; literature in, 181; military character in, 8; revolution in, 147 n. 3; Smollett and, 167 Francis, Philip (1708–73), D.D., author and

411

INDEX

translator, Translation of … Horace, 200 n. 4, 262 and n. 2 Franklin, Benjamin (1706–90), printer, author, statesman, 174 Fraser, Mr. See Frazer, Lt.-Col. Andrew Fraser, Lt.-Gen. Simon (1726–82), 1–2 Frazer, Lt.-Col. Andrew (?1739–92), military engineer, 237 Frederick II (‘the Great’) of Prussia (1712– 86), 244–45 Freind, Robert (1667–1751), headmaster, Westminster School, 145 n. 5 ‘Froth, Abraham’, 168 n. 2 Frye, Thomas (c. 1710–62), engraver, painter, 17 n. 6 Fullarton, Col. William (1754–1808), Commissioner of Trinidad, 262 Ganganelli, Giovanni Vincenzo Antonio. See Clement XIV, Pope Gardiner, Ann (Hedges) (d. 1789), tallow chandler, friend of SJ, 17 n. 7, 19 and n. 9 Garrick, David (1717–79), actor, playwright, theatre manager: as Abel Drugger in The Alchemist, 28; baptism, age at death of, 274 n. 5; as Archer in Beaux’ Stratagem, 44; as Scrub in Beaux’ Stratagem, 56 and n. 7; JB on, 130; and Lord Camden, 226, 377; on playing low characters, 28; conversation of, 128; Davies’s biography of, 309 n. 4, 311; on Elphinston’s Martial, 184–85 and n. 5; fame of, 188, 367; compared with Foote, 55–56 and n. 5, 128; in Foote’s verse, 57 n. 9; on warning a friend, 185; friendships of, 285–86 and n. 7; and Goldsmith’s Good-Natured Man, 232; and Hamlet’s soliloquy, 129–30; on Hawkins’s Siege of Aleppo, 185; and SJ, 55 n. 5, 56, 189, 226; on SJ, 20, 26 n. 9, 98; SJ’s eulogy on, 286 and n. 2; liberality of, 56 and n. 7, 188, 286; monument in Lichfield Cathedral for, 274 n. 5; Hannah More flatters, 212; and Count Nény, 28; reputation for avarice of, 56; Reynolds’s dialogues on, 188 n. 5; on Strahan, 185; success of, 130, 188; temperament of, 188, 286; as theatre manager rejecting plays, 185; Wilkes on, 55–56 and n. 7; wit of, 55, 56 n. 7; and ‘Peg’ Woffington’s strong

tea, 188 and n. 5; mentioned, 33 n. 6, 183, 287 Garrick, George (1723–79), brother of preceding, 90 n. 5 Gaubius, Hieronymus David (1705–80), physician, 119 Gay, John (1685–1732), poet and dramatist, The Beggar’s Opera, 142–43, 233 Gentleman’s Magazine, 78 n. a2, 83 n. 4, 99 n. 1, 216 n. a1, 234, 303 n. 4, 310 n. 6 George III (1738–1820), King of Great Britain and Ireland, 26, 92, 93, 102 and n. 6, 169 n. 5, 204, 306 and n. 8 Gherardi, Marchese (fl. 1778), of Lombardy, 237 Gibbon, Edward (1737–94), historian, 21 n. 4, 45, 163 n. 9, 164 and n. 3, 166 and n. 2, 167, 168 n. 1, 178, 188 n. 5, 190, 299 n. 5; History … Roman Empire, 21 n. 4, 174 Gisborne, Thomas (bap. 1725, d. 1806), M.D., physician, 97 n. 9 Glasse, Hannah (1708–70), The Art of Cookery, 149 n. 9, 205 Godschall, William Man or Mann (c. 1759– 98), barrister, 104 n. 5 Goldsmith, Oliver (1728–74), author: comedies of, 232; death of, 109; dispute with Robert Dodsley, 31 and n. 4; SJ on character of, 30, 113, 176, 180–81, 193, 225–26; clash with SJ, 249 n. 6; SJ’s epitaph for, 67–69 and notes, 335; SJ on writing of, 181; on poetry, 31 and n. 4; female relation of, 73–74 Writings: The Good-Natured Man, 232; History of the Earth and Animated Nature, 11, 107; The Traveller, 180–81 and n. 3, 186, 232–33; Vicar of Wakefield, 232–33, 276 and n. 4 Gordon, John (1725–96), D.D., Archdeacon and Chancellor of Lincoln, 266 Gordon, Lord George (1751–93), political and religious agitator, 306 n. 9 Gordon Riots, 148 n. 4, 303 n. 1, 305–06 and nn. 6–9 Gower, John (c. 1330–1408), poet, 181 Graham, James, 6th Marquis of (1755–1836), later 3rd Duke of Montrose, 281–82 Grainger, James (1721–66), poet, ‘ Solitude. An Ode’, 141

412

INDEX

Grange. See Johnston, John Grant, Sir Archibald (1696–1778), of Monymusk, 2nd Bt., politician and agricultural improver, 75 Gray, Thomas (1716–71), poet and literary scholar, 25–26 and n. 9, 31, 212 and n. 1; Progress of Poesy, 110 n. 4 Green, Matthew (1696–1737), poet, The Spleen, 31, 295 n. 9 Greenwich, 295 Gresham College, 11 Gretna Green, 53 Grey, Richard (1696–1771), D.D., author, 231 Grey, Rev. Zachary (1688–1766), LL.D., antiquary, 231 Grove, Henry (1684–1738), dissenting teacher, 27 Guarini, Giovanni Battista (1538–1612), poet, Il Pastor Fido, 254 and n. 7 Guest, Jenny. See Miles, Jane Mary Gustav III (1746–92), King of Sweden, 86, 339 Gwatkin, Theophila (Palmer) (1757–1848), niece of Sir Joshua Reynolds, 212 n. 7, 280 n. 6 Hackman, Rev. James (1752–79), murderer, 282 and n. 8, 283–84 Hailes, Sir David Dalrymple, Lord (1726– 92), Scottish judge and author, 101, 137, 199; Annals of Scotland, 48, 82, 294 Hall, John (1739–97), line-engraver, 78 Hall, Gen. Thomas (d. 1809), 269 and nn. 5–6 Hamilton, Douglas Hamilton, 8th Duke of (1756–99), 158 n. 1 Hamilton, William (1704–54), of Bangour, poet, 97–98; imitations of Horace’s Epistles, 98; ‘Inscription in a Summerhouse’, 98 Hamilton, William Gerard (1729–96), politician, 174 n. 5, 284 Hammond, Henry (1605–60), D.D., Chaplain to Charles I, 48 and n. 2 Handel, George Frideric (1685–1759), composer, Acis and Galatea, 172 and n. a1 Hannibal (248–183 B. C.), Carthaginian general, 33, 35 Hardwicke, Philip Yorke, 1st Earl of (1690– 1764), Lord Chancellor, 27

Hardwicke, Philip Yorke, 2nd Earl of (1720– 90), politician and author, 2 n. 7 Hargrave, Francis (1740/1–1821), legal author and antiquary, 152 n. 6 Harrington, Caroline (Fitzroy), Countess of (1722–84), wife of William Stanhope, 2nd Earl of Harrington, 17 n. 7, 90–91 and n. 3, 340 Harris, James (1709–80), M.P., author, 72 n. 5, 79 n. 2, 174, 183–85, 366; Hermes: or, a Philosophical Inquiry Concerning Language and Universal Grammar, 81 and n. 8 Harris, Thomas (d. 1820), proprietor of Covent Garden Theatre, 80 Harry, Jane, 215 n. 8 Harwood, Rev. Edward (1729–94), classical scholar, 31–32 and n. 7, 34; ‘A Liberal Translation …’, 32 n. 7 Hawkesbury, Charles Jenkinson, 1st Baron (1729–1808), later 1st Earl of Liverpool, politician, 94–95 and nn. 9, 1 Hawkesworth, John (bap. 1720, d. 1773), LL.D., author, 7 Hawkins, Sir John (1719–89), music scholar, lawyer, biographer of SJ, 18 n. 1, 80 n. 5, 114 n. a, 120 n. 10, 162 Hawkins, Rev. William (1722–1801), professor of poetry at Oxford, A Short Account … Thomas Ken, 114–15 nn. a, a1; Siege of Aleppo, 185 and n. 7 Hay, Lord Charles (c. 1705–60), M.P., army officer, 8 Hayes, Rev. Samuel (c. 1749–c. 1795), usher at Westminster School, Sermons … Taylor, 127 Heberden, William (1710–1801), M.D., physician, 279 n. 3 Henderland, Alexander Murray, Lord (1736– 95), Solicitor-General of Scotland, 8–10 and n. 5, 12 Henry II (1133–89), King of England, 221 n. 7 Henry VIII (1491–1547), King of England, 299 and n. 1 Henry, Robert (1718–90), D.D., Church of Scotland minister and historian, The History of Great Britain, 244 Henshaw, Thomas (1618–1700), alchemist and author, Etymologicon Linguae Anglicanæ, 246 n. 6

413

INDEX

Hervey, Catherine (Aston) (bap. 1705), wife of Henry, 139 n. 9 Hervey, Lady Emily (1735–1814), 310 Hervey, Rev. Henry (1701–48), poet, 139– 40 and nn. 9, 1 Hesiod (fl. 700 B.C.), 298 Hibbert, Thomas (1710–80), Jamaican judge, 215 n. 8 Higgins, Bryan (c. 1741–1818), M.D., physician and chemist, 261, 285 Hill, ‘Sir’ John (?1716–75), author and quack doctor, 205 Hogarth, William (1697–1764), artist, A Midnight Modern Conversation, 256 Home, Rev. John (1722–1808), minister and playwright, 40 n. 5, 62, 108; Douglas, 66 Homer, 58 n. 6, 60, 138–39 and n. a, 184, 241, 243 and n. a1; Iliad, 59–60, 243, 297 Hooke, Abbé Luke Joseph (1714–96), Roman Catholic theologian, librarian at the Mazarine Library, 206 n. 7 Hoole, John (1727–1803), playwright and translator, 30 and n. 1, 251; Cleonice, 30 n. 1 Horace (65–8 B.C.), 10 n. 6, 178–80 and nn. 5, 9, 231–32 and n. 5, 235, 262, 287; Art of Poetry, 58–62 and notes; Carmen Seculare, 275; Epistles, 98, 167; Journey to Brundisium, 179; Odes, 138, 160, 166 n. 8, 200 and n. 4; Satires, 237–38 nn. a, a1 Horrebow, Niels (1712–60), Natural History of Iceland (1758), translation of Tillforladelige Efterretninger om Island, 200 n. 3 Horneck, Hannah (Mangles) (1727–1803), 231 n. 2 House of Commons, 89, 147 n. 3, 158–59 and n. 1, 165–66 and n. 1, 261, 298–99 House of Lords, 8, 47, 154 and n. 3, 158 n. 1, 253–54 and n. 4, 299 and n. 9 Howard, Charles (1707–71), Lichfield lawyer, 157 Howard, Charles (1742–91), Lichfield lawyer, son of preceding, 157–58 and nn. 9, 2 Huet, Pierre Daniel (1630–1721), Bishop of Avranches, 117 Hume, David (1711–76), philosopher and historian, 99–100 and nn. 5–6, 133, 208 Hurd, Richard (1720–1808), D.D., Bishop of Worcester, 24, 60–61, 160 Hussey, Rev. John (1751–99), chaplain to

the English Factory at Aleppo, 80 n. 5, 272–73 and nn. 3, 8–9, 390 Hutcheson, Francis (1694–1746), professor of moral philosophy at Glasgow, A System of Moral Philosophy, 44 Hutton, James (1715–95), Moravian minister and bookseller, 7 n. 5 Hutton, William (1723–1815), historian, History of Derbyshire, 109 n. 10 Hyde, William (d. 1805), magistrate, 306 n. 9 Ilam Garden, 130, 132–33 Ince, Richard (c. 1684–1758), contributor to The Spectator, 27 India (East Indies), 16, 20, 218, 262, 292 Inverary, 58 Ireland, 78–79, 147–48, 164, 231, 300 Italy, 5, 15, 23, 29, 108–09 and n. 10, 178– 79, 181 Jackson, Richard (d. 1787), politician, 15 and n. 8, 88–89 Jackson, Rev. William (1735–98), of Lichfield, 176 n. 5 Jacobites, 252 James I (James VI of Scotland) (1566–1625), King of England, Scotland, and Ireland, Dæmonology, 281 James, Robert (bap. 1703, d. 1776), M.D., physician, inventor of fever powder, 3, 18–19 and nn. 9, 3, 287 and n. 7, 319 Jekyll, Joseph (1754–1837), lawyer and politician, 119 n. 5 Jenkinson, Charles. See Hawkesbury, Baron Jennings, Henry Constantine (1731–1819), virtuoso, 163 Jenyns, Soame (1704–87), author and politician, 41 and n. 9, 200 and n. 4; View of the Internal Evidence, 208 Jephson, Robert (1736/7–1803), playwright, 118 n. 2 Johnson, Elizabeth (Jervis) Porter (1689– 1752), wife of SJ, 39 and n. 2, 103 n. 2, 257, 296, 297 n. 9 Johnson, Michael (1656–1731), father of SJ, 138 and n. 5 JOHNSON, SAMUEL (SJ) (1709–84) Part I. Biographical Materials a) actions, events: considers Baltic expedition, 86 and n. 9; gives Bible to Thrale’s servant,

414

INDEX

176; avoids birthday observance, 103; bustles among his books, 6, 52; dines at Dilly’s, 49–66; encounters Oliver Edwards, 219 and n. 1, 220–23; travels to France, 206 n. 7, 218, 236; assists female relation of Goldsmith and solicits particulars of his life, 73–74; writes epitaph for Goldsmith, 67–69 and notes; recalls Hebridean journey, 45, 88, 101, 140–41, 187; anticipates Italian expedition, 1, 5, 15, 23, 29; tries knotting or knitting, 172 and n. 6; rejects gift of shoes at Oxford, 6 n. 7; residences in London, 295–96 n. a; shops for buckles, clothes, wig, 236; visits Warley-Camp, 266 n. 5, 267– 69; drinks water, 222 n. 9, 298; clears waterfall of debris, 136; meets Wilkes, 52, 54, 65 and n. 4, 66 and n. 1; declines to give Catalogue of his Works, 233–34 and nn. 2–3 b) ideas, opinions, views of self concepts concepts: on ambition, 32–33; on animals, 44; on avarice, 234; on benevolence, 41, 238; on bleeding, 99; on charity, 211; on children, 24 and n. 4, 192; on circumnavigators, 7 and n. 5; on conversation, 47; on cowardice, 237; on death, 100, 103–04, 213–14; on diaries and journals, 161; on dignity of mind, 6 and n. 7; on disputation and passion, 9, 131; on drinking water, 112 and n. 2, 239–40; on drinking wine, 35 and nn. 8, 9, 36, 48, 168– 69, 175, 178, 222 and n. 9, 237–40, 245, 281; on drinking various liquors, 280–81, and ‘skill in inebriation’, 287; on domestic economy, 157, 189, 217, 230; on education, 10, 264, 284–85; on Englishmen, 9; on failing, 134–35; on falsehood, 162 and n. 5; on fame, 188; on friendship, 2, 168, 185, 208–09, 285–86; on a funeral celebrated before death, 176; on gambling, 20; on gardening, 149; on gentility, 45; on ghosts and apparitions, 4, 163 and n. 8, 215; on Cock-Lane ghost, 191; on ghost of Parson Ford, 256–57; on Villiers’s ghost, 259; on grief, 23, 87–88; on government, 39–40 and n. 3; on guardians, 292; on hanging, 111; on happiness, 4, 44, 143–44, 167, 175, 211; on histories, 294; on honesty, 168; on hypochondria, 138; on infidelity, 255–58, 296–97 and n. 9; on ingratitude, 2; on

415

insensibility, 182; on kindness, 127–28; on knowledge, 30, 175; and knowledge of the law and medicine, 18 and n. 8; on law, 21, 125; on libel law and the dead, 12; on law against usury, 22; on lawyers, 222, 295; legal acuity of, 48 n. 3; on liberty, 282; on loss of a wife, 301–02; on luxury, 46, 160, 202–03 and n. 5, 211; on mankind, 167; on melancholy, 4–5, 125; on melancholy and madness, 119–20; on men and understanding, 44; on mind and body, 44; on the monarchy and hereditary right, 102; on moral conduct, 39; on moral truth, 13; on old age, 182; on the passions, 32–33; on penance, 23; on ancient philosophers, 9; on pleasure, 237, 286; on poverty, 211; on poverty and honour, 134; on poverty in London, 293; on new propositions, 276; on medicine, 99; on modesty, 259; on music, 142; on parents and children, 288; on pleasure, 175, 178, 211; on riding in a post-chaise, 107 and n. 6; on prostitution, 14–15; on quack physicians, 287; on reading, 37, 138; on self praise, 235; on sex, 250–51, 296–97; on valuing skill, 163; on sleep, 114; on statue of dog, 163; on status, 2, 45; on stoics, 9; on swearing, 134; on temperament and will, 245; on temptation, 168; on travelling, 29, 192, 262; on truth, 162, 211; on universal mysteries, 251; on valetudinarians, 1 n. b1, 99 and n. 1; on vice, 251, 257–58; on virtue, 1, 211, 251, 257, 259; on waste, 189; on wealth and its insolence, 229; on wisdom, 294–95; on wit, 36; on women, 3, 21, 39, 45, 172, 175, 181, 206–07, 260, 296–97 and n. 9; on youth, 282 history, politics, social institutions and customs customs: on America, 148, 310; on Americans, 209, 228–29; on antiquarian research, 243–44; on bequeathing to a college, 222; on Burke’s letter on America, 132; on cookery, 205–06; on country life, 181, 260; on divorce, 255–56; on East Indians, 249; on education, 10 and n. 5, 11; on emigration, 164; on equality, 22; on France and spitting, 259 and n. 7; on responsibilities of a landed gentleman, 178; on the Gordon Riots, 306 and nn. 8– 9; on government, 3, 203; on ‘the graces’,

INDEX

45; on gunpowder, 267–68 and n. 9; on Hackman murder case, 282–83; on Highland army in 45, 108; on shooting a highway robber, 170–71; on the House of Commons, 158, 165–66, 298–99; on the House of Lords, 253–54 and n. 4, 298–99; on Joseph Knight case, 144–47 and notes, 152–53; on laws of Jamaica, 146; on the ‘Justitia’ hulk, 191; on mayor of London, 263; on marriage, 2–3, 14, 21, 277, 296– 297 and n. 9; on military character in France, 8; on money, 8, 124–25, 178, 187, 250; on Middlesex Election, 298; and House of Montrose, 281; on Oxford University, 11; on Parliament, 147, 148, 298; on oration in Parliament, 165; on paternity, 187; on population, 165; on poverty, 22; on the present age, 3; on Ranelagh, 143; on Roman Senate, 148; on sailors, 189–90; on Scots Militia bill, 1; on the Scots, 50, 63–64 and nn. 2, a1, 113,187, 255, 286, 308; on slavery, xvi, 145 and n. 2, 146–47 and nn. 6, 3, 153; on social class, 260; on soldiers, 8, 190; on The Spectator, 27, 39; on the House of Stuart, 102; on subordination, 187, 260, 282; on teaching, 10 and n. 5, 11; on travelling, 259–60; on English universities, 10–11; on foreign universities, 11; on university fellowships, 10; on war, 189; on Whig party, 148, 237 language language: on bons mots, 234; on Chinese characters, 249; on conversation, 187 n. 7; on defining words, 252; on HighDutch, 166; on Low-Dutch, 166; on grammatical analysis, 184; on Horne’s etymologies, 260–61; on absurd images in writing, 170; on Irish language, 166; on the spelling of ‘jail’, 307 n. 4; on professional ‘denominations’, 205 n. 4; on propriety of usage and modern cant, 141 and n. 8; on proverbial language, 87; defines ‘pamphlet’, 231; use of ‘scoundrel’, 1 and n. b1; on truthfulness in narrative, 173 literary and dramatic arts arts: on the Ancients and Moderns, 243 and n. 1; on Bacon, 139; on Robert Blair’s The Grave, 40; on Duke of Berwick’s Memoirs, 206; on biography, 57 n. 10, 101; on Chatterton’s ‘Rowley’

416

poems, 42–43; Chesterfield’s Letters to His Son, 45 and n. 6; on Colley Cibber, 57, 129; on Clarendon’s writing, 184; on Cumberland’s odes, 37 and n. a; and Davies’s Memoirs of Garrick, 309 n. 4, 311; on Daniel Defoe, 190–91; on John Dennis, 33; on Dodd’s ‘Thoughts in Prison’, 193; on Elphinston’s translation of Martial, 184 and n. 5; on Forster’s Voyage, 125; on Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera, 233; on Goldsmith’s Good-Natured Man, 232; on Goldsmith’s Traveller, 180–81, 232–33; on Goldsmith’s Vicar of Wakefield, 232–33, 276 and n. 4; on Grainger’s ‘Ode to Solitude’, 141; on Hailes’s Annals of Scotland, 48, 294; on Hamilton of Bangour’s poetry, 98; on Homer, 60, 138–39, 241, 243; on Horace, 179; and Horace’s Art of Poetry, 58; on his imitators, 117–18; on Jenyns’s View of the Internal Evidence, 208; Kames’s Sketches of the History of Man, 259; on Thomas à Kempis, 160; on literary judgment, 232; on literary knowledge, 220 n. a, 225; on literature in France, Italy, and England, 181–82; on Lucian, 9; on Macaronic verses, 203; on Milton, 264; on Morer’s Account of Scotland, 173; and Ossian, 42– 43, 206; on Il Palmerino d’Inghilterra, 1 and n. 3; on Pennant’s travel writing, 194; on poetry, 31; on forged poetry, 42–43; on Bolingbroke’s influence on Pope’s Essay on Man, 294; on Potter’s Aeschylus, 183; on Pope, 179, 242; on Pope’s Essay on Man, 34; on Pope’s Homer, 184; on Pope’s verses, 255; on Prior, 137 and n. 4; on reviews, 38, Critical Review and Monthly Review, 26 and n. 1; on Earl of Rochester, 137; on Rutty’s Spiritual Diary, 116; on Shakespeare, 45 and n. 7, 188; on Hamlet’s soliloquy, 129; on Othello, 33; on Shakespeare’s witches, 281; on Sharpe’s Letters from Italy, 45; on individual styles of composition, 200–01; on universal improvement of prose style, 173, 177; and William Tasker, 275; on Temple’s prose, 184; on theatrical players, 129–30; on Thomson’s poetry, 30; on tragedy, 32–33; on translation of poetry, 29, 184; on travel writing, 218; on Virgil, 138–39, 243; on Voltaire, 242, Candide,

INDEX

262; on Warton’s poetry, 276 n. 2; on writing for money, 15; on writing for others, 127 personages personages: acquaintances numerous and varied, 16–19, 19 n. 4; on Akenside, 26 and n. 9; on Akerman, 306; on Lord Auchinleck, 171; and Henry Ballow, 18 and n. 9; on Dr. Barry, 28; dispute with Beauclerk, 282–84 and notes; on Beauclerk, 287–88, 304; correspondence with JB, 198 and n. 5; on JB and father, 127; on his friendship with JB, 143; on JB’s settling in London, 121–24; on JB’s merit, 212; on JB’s questions, 191 and n. 8; on JB and Scotland, 43; on JB’s writing a ‘Life’ of Sibbald, 161; on JB as travelling companion, 212; on JB publishing his European travels, 218; and Mrs. Boswell, 70; on Burke, 39 and n. 9, 176 n. 3; on Burke as ‘Junius’, 277; on Lord Camden, 226; on John Campbell, 173; on Mungo Campbell, 134; on William Cavendish, 131–32; on Lord Chatham, 262; on Chatterton, 42–43; on Cheyne, 22 and n. 6; and Colley Cibber, 129; on Earl of Cork, 128; on Cowley, 24; and Thomas Davies, 158; and William Dodd, 90–96 and notes, 111–12, 140; on Dryden, 255; on William Duncombe, 227–28; on Lord Elibank, 20; and John (Jack) Ellis, 18 and n. 9; on William Fitzherbert, 96–97 and n. 6; on Foote, 55 and nn. a, 4–5, a1; on Parson Ford, 256; on Charles Fox, 190; on David Garrick, 28–29, 44, 55 and n. 5, 188–89, 226, 286 and n. 4; dialogue with Gibbon, 188 n. 5; on Goldsmith, 30, 67–69 and nn. a1, 1–2, 107, 109, 113, 176, 180–81, 193, 225–26; on Thomas Gray, 26 and n. 9, 31; on William Hamilton, 98; on James Harris, 174; and Jane Harry, 215 and n. 8, 216; and Lord Charles Hay, 8; and Henry Hervey, 139–40; on John Home, 62; visits Abbé Luke Joseph Hooke, 206 n. 7; on John Hoole, 30; on Hume, 99–100 and n. 5; and Robert James, 18 and n. 9, 19 n. 3; on Bennet Langton, 84 and nn. 7–8, 131, 230; and Langton’s father, 40 and n. 4; on Mandeville, 211; and Lord Marchmont, 253, 255, 289; on William Mason, 26 and nn. 8–9, 212, 213 and n. 3; on Littleton

417

Poyntz Meynell, 202 and n. 1; on Elizabeth Montagu, 41, 174; and Maj.-Gen. William Mudge, 34, 190; on Rev. Zachariah Mudge, 34; on Samuel Ogden, 177; on Gen. Oglethorpe, 47; on Omai, 7–8; Orme on SJ, 204; and Zachary Pearce, 79; on Thomas Pennant, 194–95, 198; on debate with Percy, 198–99; on Pope’s friendships, xvii, 255; on Pope’s happiness, 179; on Allan Ramsay, 246 and n. 4; on Raasay and his cattle, 88; on Sir Joshua Reynolds, 46 and n. 3, 186; on Samuel Richardson, 128–29 and n. 6; William Robertson on, 241–42; on St. Paul, 213–14; on Sir George Savile, 148; on Elkanah Settle, 61; on the Rev. Thomas Seward, 98–99 and n. 1; and ‘old’ Mr. Sheridan, 81; on George Steevens, 173–74, 202 and n. 1; and William Strahan, 270; on Dr. Taylor, 90, 126; on James Thomson, 30; dines at Thrales’, 23, 173; helps Thrale with election, 311; and Hester Thrale, 1 and n. b1, 5, 41 and n. 3; and death of Thrale’s son, 5; and Thrale family, 5, 38 and n. 5; on John Horne Tooke, 228; friendship with Mr. Welch, 264; on John Wesley, 4, 163, 214–15, 290; on Whitefield, 299; on Wilkes, 128, 286–87; meets Wilkes, 54, 65 and n. 4, 66 and n. 1; traits shared with Wilkes, 65 and n. 6; and Williams, 22, 52– 53 and nn. 8, 3 places places: on England, 64 and n. 2; on France, 181, 259; on the Hebrides, 177; on Holland, 165; on India, 292–93; on Ireland, 79, 300 and n. 8; on Italy, 15, 29, 181; on Keddlestone, 106; on Lichfield, 63; on London, 4, 18 and n. 9, 123, 181, 219, 277–78, 293; on the Mediterranean, 29; on New Zealand, 42; on Otaheite, 42; on Paris, 181; on Scotland, 22, 43, 63–64 and n. 2, 164, 177, 300 n. 8, 308; on Wales, 86; on Wall of China, 192 and n. 4 religion religion: on an afterlife, 144, 230; on reading Bible with commentaries, 48 and n. 2; on Hugh Blair’s Sermons, 71, 72 n. 4, 112 n. 1, 113; on Blair’s warmth without fanaticism, 248; on defending Christianity, 230; on differences among Christians, 133; on enemies of Christianity, 300; on the life of a clergyman, 220; on English preachers,

INDEX

176–77; on character of an infidel, 45–46, 300; on miracles, 133; on divine prescience and freedom of the human will, 210 and n. 1; on religion, 9, 42, 73, 248; on Roman Catholic church, 14 and n. 5, 297; on salaries of curates and clergymen, 89; on salvation, 213; on vows, 263 c) health and spirits: benevolence of, 82–83, 83 n. 7, 223, 272; character of, 69, 304; on death of wife, 222; health of, 190 n. 2, 269–70, 272, 274, 291, 301, 303, 309, 311; warm and affectionate heart of, 265; melancholy of, 72–73 and nn. 6–7; pride of, 5–6, 6 n. 7; temperament of, 5–6, 209, 217, 223, 247, 253 and n. 2 d) miscellaneous: and his books, 6; conversation of, 77, 135; does not pay court to the great, 134–35; diary of, 140 and n. 4; dress of, 236, 289; fecundity of fancy, 230; household of, 272 and n. 3; curiosity about human life, 264; knowledge of human nature, 202; humanity of, 157; in the eyes of landlords, 151; liberality of, 157, 242; attention to minutiae of life, 131; and musical instruments, 172; as observer of behavior, 45 Part II. Writings ‘Catalogue of Defoe’s Works’, 190–91 and n. 7, 233 n. 2; Dictionary, 35 n. 9, 72 n. 5, 79 and n. 2, 80, 81, 107, 133 n. 4, 139 and n. 8, 181 n. 4, 201 n. 5, 208 n. 5, 217 n. 2, 224, 230 n. 9, 237 n. 3, 246 n. 6, 252 and n. 8, 260–61, 285 n. 5, 295, 307 n. 4, 313, 361, 381, 392; ‘Historia Studiorum’, 233 and n. 2; Irene, 91 n. 2; A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland, 74–75, 88–89, 118, 195, 218, 236; Life of Richard Savage, 81 n. b; Lives of the Poets, xv, 34 n. 2, 76– 78, 88, 117 n. 1, 137 and n. 2, 154–55 and nn. 9, 1–2, 4, 252, 264, 273–74, 276, 286, 289, 290, 301, 305: ‘Life of Cowley’, 159 n. 5; ‘Life of Dryden’, 248 n. 2; ‘Life of Lyttelton’, 27 n. 5; ‘Life of Milton’, 295; ‘Life of Pope’, 235, 251–53, 288–89, 293; ‘Life of Smith’, 192 n. 2; ‘Life of Waller’, 227; ‘Life of Watts’, 264, 291; London, 55 n. 2, 263 n. 3; Parliamentary Debates, 262 n. 2; The Patriot, 23–24 and n. 9; Petition … in favour of Dr. Dodd, 92 and n. 3; Prayers and Meditations, 70 n. 6, 72–73 and

n. a1, 74 n. 1, 76 n. 2, 217 nn. a, a1, 219 n. a, 279, 311 n. a; Prefaces, Biographical and Critical, to the Works of the English Poets (see Lives of the Poets); Rambler, 34, 36–37, 117 n. 1, 300; Rasselas, 5, 6, 230, 262 and n. 9, 315; ‘Review’ of Warton’s Essay… on Pope, 162; edition of Shakespeare, 45 and n. 7; Taxation No Tyranny, xv–xvi, 145 and n. 2, 204; Vanity of Human Wishes, 143, 263– 64; dedications dedications: for James’s Medicinal Dictionary, 18 n. 3; for Kennedy’s Complete System of Astronomical Chronology, 169 n. 5; for Pearce’s Commentary, 79–80; for Reynolds’s Discourses, 273 and n. 9; prologues prologues: for Kelly’s Word to the Wise, 80 and n. 4; proposals proposals: for James’s Medicinal Dictionary (with ‘a little in the Dict. itself’), 18–19 and n. 3; for Shaw’s Analysis of the Scotch Celtic Language, 74 and n. 5, 75 n. 9; sermons sermons: for Dodd, 92; for Taylor, 127; speeches speeches: for Lord Chesterfield, 259 and n. 5, 262 n. 2; for Pitt, 262 n. 2; translations translations: Lobo’s A Voyage to Abyssinia, 6; verses verses: for Goldsmith, 180–81 and nn. 3, 7; works considered or suggested suggested: edition and life of Bacon, 139; edition of Biographia Britannica, 119 and n. 5; ‘Book of Cookery’, 205–06; edition of Cowley, 24; ‘Life of Dryden’, 57; ‘Remarks on Italy’, 15 and n. 2 Johnston, John (?1729–86), of Grange, writer in Edinburgh, friend of JB, 123 Jones, Sir William (1746–94), orientalist and judge, 285 Jortin, Rev. John (1698–1770), ecclesiastical historian and critic, sermons, 177 ‘Junius’, 277 Justitia Hulk, at Woolwich, 191 Kames, Henry Home, Lord (1696–1782), Scottish judge, philosopher, and author, 249–50 and n. 8; Sketches of the History of Man, 176, 249, 259 Keddlestone, 106–07 and n. 4 Kelly, Hugh (1739–77), playwright, 79 n. 2; Word to the Wise, 80 Ken, Thomas (1637–1711), Bishop of Bath and Wells, 114 nn. a, a1 Kennedy, Gilbert (d. 1780), M.D., physician, 169 and n. 6, 229 and n. 6 Kennedy, Rev. John (1698–1782), Rector of

418

INDEX

Bradley, 169 and n. 5; Complete System of Astronomical Chronology, 169 n. 5 Kennett, Basil (1674–1715), Anglican chaplain, antiquary, and translator, brother of following, 131 n. 6, 132 and n. 7 Kennett, White (1660–1728), D.D., historian, Bishop of Peterborough, 132 n. 7 Kenrick, William (1729/30–79), LL.D., author and translator, 183 Ketch, Jack (d. 1686), public executioner, 51 Killingley, Mrs., proprietor of Green Man Inn, 149–50 and nn. 1–2 The King v. Topham, 12–13 and n. a1 King, William (1650–1729), D.D., Archbishop of Dublin, An Essay on the Origin of Evil, 293 n. 3 King, William (1685–1763), D.C.L., Principal of St. Mary Hall, Oxford, 208 Kippis, Andrew (1725–95), D.D., Presbyterian minister and biographer, 119 and n. 7 Kneller, Sir Godfrey (1646–1723), Bt., painter, 167 and n. 7 Knight, Joseph (b. c. 1753), litigant in ‘Negro Cause’, xvi, 146–47 and nn. 6, 3, 152–53 Knowles, Mary (Morris) (1733–1807), poet, Quaker, 54 and n. 1, 64–65 and n. 1, 204– 09 and notes, 212–13 and nn. 6–7, 215– 16 and nn. a, 9, a1 Knox, Vicesimus (1752–1821), Master of Tunbridge School and author, 118 n. 2 Lambin, Dennis (1520–72), classical scholar, 60 n. a Langley, Rev. William (c. 1722–95), Master of Ashbourne School, 89 Langton, Bennet (1696–1769), father of following, 40 n. 4 Langton, Bennet (bap. 1736, d. 1801), friend of SJ: and anecdote of Addison, 248–49 and n. 6; on Beauclerk, 304; and JB, 183 n. 9; dines with JB, 35, 178, 199, 202, 247–48, 261, 285; JB visits at Warley Camp, 271 n. 6; Mrs. Cholmondeley on, 186 n. 3; on Clarendon, 184 and n. 2; correspondence with SJ, 69 n. 2, 83 and nn. 8–9, 156 n. 2, 200 n. 3, 202 n. 4, 266– 70 and notes, 271 and n. 6; esteemed in his county town, 266; dinners of, 84, 131, 284 n. 4; setting up disputes, 131; on

drinking wine, 36, 239; extravagance of, 41 and n. 1, 217 and n. 5, 228 and n. 3, 230 and n. 8; foibles of, 279 and n. 6; on Goldsmith’s Traveller, 180; and discussion of infidelity, 256 and nn. 3–4; and anecdote about SJ and Burke on Homer and Virgil, 138 n. a; dines with SJ, 35, 178, 199, 202, 247–48, 261, 285; asks SJ Latin question, 200; and SJ’s ‘modern cant’, 141 n. 8; on publishing SJ’s observations, 268 n. a2; SJ on, 84 and nn. 7–8, 107 n. 2, 131 and n. 4, 157 n. 4, 186; and SJ’s visit to Warley-Camp, 266–70 and notes; Johnsoniana of, 303 n. 9, 304– 05 and nn. 1–4, 307 n. 2; ‘Langtoniana’, 249 n. 6, 311 n. 6; on language moulded into Anglo-Ellenisms, 204; at Paoli’s, 237; and Round Robin on SJ’s epitaph for Goldsmith, 68 Lapouchin, Mme (Natalia Lopukhina) (fl. 1743), Russian countess, 249 n. 7 Law, Edmund (1703–87), D.D., Bishop of Carlisle and theologian, 293 n. 3 Lawrence, Rev. Charles (c. 1758–91), brother of following, 310 and n. 6 Lawrence, Elizabeth (d. 1790), daughter of following, 301 n. 5 Lawrence, Thomas (1711–83), M.D., physician, 19, 301 and n. 5, 310 n. 6 Lee, Arthur (1740–92), American diplomat, 54 and n. 1, 63 Lee, John (1733–93), barrister and politician, 159 Lee, Alderman William (1739–95), London merchant and American diplomat, 64 and n. 2 Leeds, 292 Leek, Staffordshire, 87 Leicester, 3 Leland, John, Irish barrister, son of following, 230–31 and n. 1, 233 Leland, Thomas (1722–85), D.D., Irish clergyman and historian, 79 and n. 1, 225 n. 8, 231 n. 1 Leslie, Hon. Thomas (c. 1701–72), M.P., 257 n. 5 Lettsom, John Coakley (1744–1815), M.D., physician, 54 and n. 1 Leveson Gower, Hon. Mrs. Frances (Boscawen) (1746–1813), 305

419

INDEX

Levett, Robert (1705–82), surgeon and apothecary, 19 n. 7, 22, 47 and n. 6, 70 n. 5, 156 and nn. a, a1, 233 and n. 3, 272, 275 Lewson, Mrs. See Leveson Gower, Frances Lichfield, 63 and n. 7, 83, 225 and n. 7, 250, 274 n. 5 Lichfield, George Henry Lee, 3rd Earl of (1718–72), Chancellor of Oxford, 225 and nn. 7, 9 Lichfield Botanical Society, 176 n. 5 LIFE OF SAMUEL JOHNSON I. Manuscript of: a) method of composition composition: ambiguous changes in, xviii, 6 n. 7, 14 n. 6, 18 n. 9, 27 n. 6, 30 n. 9, 33 n. 9, 35 n. 5, 36 n. 1, 39 n. 2, 40 n. 3, 52 nn. 7, 9, 53 nn. 1, 2, 59 nn. 7–8, 63 n. 7, 98 n. 7, 122 n. 5, 134 n. 7, 143 n. 6, 153 n. 7, 158 n. 9, 168 n. a1, 172 n. 7, 197 n. 9, 203 n. 5, 209 n. 3, 213 n. 6, 217 n. 1, 222 n. 2, 227 n. 7, 229 n. 7, 240 n. 8, 244 n. 2, 252 n. 8, 283 n. 6, 329; first drafts in, 1 n. 4, 5 n. 6, 7 nn. 4, 6, 11 n. 9, 17 n. 7, 24 n. 3, 27 nn. 6, 8, 32 n. 8, 33 n. 3, 37 n. a1, 42 n. 9, 47 n. 4, 54 n. 1, 58 n. 5, 64 n. 2, 65 n. 4, 70 n. 7, 73 n. 9, 81 n. 9, 85 n. 1, 90 nn. 3, 6, 94 n. 8, 105 n. a2, 109 n. 1, 122 nn. 3, 5, 130 n. 2, 136 n. 6, 145 n. 2, 155 n. 6, 174 n. 6, 184 n. 2, 186 n. 9, 196 n. 7, 204 n. 8, 214 n. 2, 223 n. 2, 239 n. 6, 251 n. 4, 262 n. 8, 264 n. 7, 272 n. 3, 277 n. 6, 280 n. 5, 291 nn. 7, a3, 303 n. 8, 305 n. 7, 313–401; footnotes in: added, 1 n. a1, 12 n. 4, 17 nn. 6–7, 20 n. a1, 37 n. a1, 84 n. 8, 138 n. a1, 145 n. c1, 172 n. a1, 201 n. a1, 218 n. a1, 293 n. 3; changed, 78 n. a2, 104 n. 6, 106 n. a1, 220 n. a1, 243 n. a1, 266 n. a2, 291 n. a2, 295 n. 5; deleted, 35 n. 9, 216 n. a1, 217 n. a1; memoranda and queries in, xv–xvii, 6 n. 2, 12 n. 4, 16 n. 5, 17 nn. 6–7, 18 n. 8, 20 n. a1, 21 n. 4, 26 n. 8, 29 n. 5, 31 n. 4, 34 n. 2, 38 n. 5, 41 n. 8, 44 n. 5, 55 n. 4, 57 n. 1, 60 n. 2, 61 n. 3, 62 n. a6, 65 n. 7, 67 n. 7, 70 n. 5, 71 n. 9, 72 n. 5, 73 n. 8, 74 n. 5, 75 n. 7, 79 n. 2, 81 n. 2, 83 n. 9, 84 n. 6, 107 nn. 3, 5, 118 n. 2, 120 n. 10, 121 n. 2, 130 n. 2, 134 n. 9, 135 n. 5, 136 n. 7, 140 n. 5, 149 n. 9, 150 n. 5, 151 nn. 7–8, 152 n. 4, 155 n. 5, 159 n. 5, 160 n. 7, 163 n. 8,

167 n. 5, 172 n. 6, 179 n. 6, 186 n. 2, 187 n. 9, 192 n. 3, 193 n. 6, 195 n. 6, 198 n. 5, 200 n. 4, 206 n. 7, 212 n. 6, 213 n. 7, 216 n. a1, 217 n. 4, 223 nn. 9, 3, 225 nn. 7, 9, 226 n. 2, 228 nn. 9, 3, 229 n. 4, 233 n. 1, 238 n. a1, 241 n. 4, 245 n. 3, 249 nn. 6, 8, 250 n. a1, 254 nn. 3–4, 7, 255 nn. 8, 1, 259 n. 7, 262 nn. 9, 2, 264 n. 7, 271 n. 7, 274 nn. 2, 4, 281 n. 3, 282 n. 1, 286 n. 3, 290 n. 4, 291 n. a2, 293 nn. 2–3, 295 n. 3, 296 n. 8, 301 nn. 1, 3, 302 n. 5, 303 nn. 8–9, 1, 4–6, 307 n. 2; obscurities in, 30 n. 1, 41 n. 3, 48 n. 8, 50 nn. 1–2, 53 nn. 3–4, 57 n. 9, 65 n. 7, 88 n. 6, 93 n. 5, 99 n. 9, 105 n. a1, 149 n. 1, 164 n. 3, 167 n. 4, 190 nn. 3, 5, 199 n. 9, 208 n. 6, 252 n. 5, 318– 19, 366; unresolved alternative and optional expressions in, 4 nn. 3–4, 14 n. 7, 15 n. 9, 16 n. 3, 19 n. 1, 24 n. 1, 26 nn. 1, 3–4, 27 n. 9, 29 n. 4, 39 n. 1, 41 n. 2, 46 nn. 1–2, 47 n. 7, 51 n. 3, 53 n. 3, 54 nn. 7–8, 56 n. 8, 62 n. 4, 63 nn. 6–7, 64 n. 3, 136 n. 8, 143 n. 6, 154 n. 2, 157 nn. 5–6, 159 n. 4, 161 nn. 9, 1, 164 nn. 2, 4, 165 n. 5. 166 n. 9, 168 n. 2, 172 n. 5, 178 nn. 1, 3, 179 n. 4, 181 nn. 6, 8, 182 nn. 9, 3, 183 n. 7, 184 n. 1, 185 n. 6, 186 n. 1, 187 n. 1, 188 n. 4, 189 nn. 8–9, 191 n. 1, 193 nn. 7–9, 195 n. 5, 197 n. 1, 200 n. 1, 209 nn. 4–5, 210 n. 9, 212 n. 5, 213 n. 5, 214 nn. 1, 4, 220 nn. 4–5, 222 n. 2, 226 n. 1, 227 n. 6, 232 n. 6, 235 n. 6, 236 n. 9, 237 nn. 2, 4–5, 238 n. 8, 239 nn. 9, 3–5, 240 n. 1, 242 nn. 6, 8–9, 245 nn. 9, 2, 248 nn. 9, 4, 256 nn. 2–5, 257 n. 3, 258 n. 9, 259 n. 8, 261 nn. 3, 5–7, 262 n. 1, 263 n. 3, 264 nn. 4–5, 275 n. 9, 280 n. 7, 281 nn. 1–2, 285 n. 9, 287 n. 6, 288 nn. 1, 3, 294 n. 7, 295 n. 1, 297 n. 2, 298 nn. 6–7, 299 nn. 9, 1 b) compositor’s setting of of: corrects, xviii, 6 nn. 9, 3, 26 n. 9, 28 n. 2, 35 n. 5, 47 n. 6, 51 n. 5, 53 n. 1, 90 n. 7, 120 n. 1, 191 n. 9, 203 n. 6, 213 n. 6, 244 n. 2, 251 n. 3, 257 n. 8, 264 n. 6, 272 n. 4, 290 n. 8, 298 n. 8, 305 nn. 4, 7, 314, 318, 321, 324, 327, 334, 341, 352, 363, 374, 378, 383, 387, 392; misreadings: uncorrected, xvii–xviii, 11 n. 8, 14 n. 6, 20 n. 3, 23 n. 8, 33 nn. 4, 7, 40 nn. 3–4, 51 n. 6, 52 n. 8, 58 n. 5, 63 nn. 5, 7, 68 n. 8, 71 n. 8, 74 nn. 1, 3, 86 n. a2, 97

420

INDEX

nn. 8, 4, 117 n. 8, 123 n. 6, 130 n. 1, 140 n. 2, 147 n. 1, 150 n. 3, 154 n. 1, 158 n. 3, 164 n. 3, 166 n. 2, 167 n. 6, 168 n. 9, 201 n. 8, 211 n. 3, 214 n. 2, 217 nn. 1, 3, 219 n. 9, 238 n. 6, 240 n. 2, 250 n. 9, 257 n. 2, 290 n. 5, 297 n. 1, 351; later emended or revised, 43 n. 2, 59 n. 1, 63 n. 6, 86 n. a1, 91 n. 8, 107 n. 6, 109 n. 10, 181 n. 4, 194 n. 3, 201 n. 6, 203 n. 7, 210 nn. 6, 8, 240 n. 3, 244 n. 5, 282 n. 9, 283 n. 4, 285 n. 7, 294 n. 8, 299 n. 7, 304 n. 2, 397; oversights: uncorrected, xviii, 3 n. 8, 12 n. 3, 46 n. 3, 47 n. 4, 50 n. 8, 65 n. 5, 91 n. 8, 96 nn. 3, 7, 148 n. 5, 158 n. 9, 173 n. 1, 181 n. 5, 205 n. 5, 207 n. 2, 216 n. 9, 232 n. 7, 239 n. 1, 245 n. 1, 252 n. 8; later emended or revised, 15 n. 1, 20 n. a1, 28 n. 3, 107 nn. 9, 1, 155 n. 4, 220 n. 2, 249 n. 8; possible misreadings or oversights: uncorrected, 2 n. 5, 20 n. 2, 27 n. 6, 39 n. 2, 41 n. 4, 53 n. 3, 54 n. 5, 55 n. 6, 69 n. 2, 79 n. 1, 81 n. 9, 88 n. 7, 89 n. 1, 108 n. 7, 110 n. 3, 138 n. a1, 143 n. 6, 144 n. 8, 145 n. 3, 146 n. 9, 165 n. 6, 182 n. 1, 192 nn. 3–4, 194 n. 4, 200 n. 2, 202 n. 2, 212 n. 8, 215 n. 7, 229 n. 7, 238 n. 7, 240 n. 8, 245 n. 3, 251 n. 2, 252 n. 6, 266 n. 7, 278 n. 2, 285 n. 5, 294 n. 5, 301 n. 1, 313, 316, 325, 329, 380, 389; later emended or revised, 115 n. a2, 197 n. 8, 282 n. 6; queries, xvii, 69 n. 3; typographical errors, 1 n. b1, 119 n. 6, 126 n. 4, 211 n. 4, 226 n. 3, 253 n. 2, 278 n. 1 c) sources of of: Addison’s Cato, 202 and n. 4, 268 n. a1; Basse’s ‘Tom a Bedlam’, 178 and n. 9; Bible, 126 n. 7, 209 n. 9; Blair, Lectures on Rhetoric and Belles Lettres, 117 and n. 1; JB’s correspondence: letters to SJ, 38 n. 5, 70 n. 5, 74 n. 5, 82 n. 3, 84 nn. 5, 6, 85 nn. 1, 5, 86 n. 9, 151 nn. 7, 8, 152 and n. 3, 155 and n. 5, 156 and nn. 8, 9, 1, 2, 198, 266 n. 5, 274 n. 5, 288 n. 4, 290 n. 4, 291 and nn. 7, a2, 300 n. 9, 301 nn. 1, 3, 303 n. 8, 308 n. 9, 310–11 and nn. 7, 9; letter to Thomas Percy, 199 and n. 6; letters to JB from Beattie, 309 and n. 3, Hugh Blair, 293–94 nn. 2, 4, Edward Dilly, 76 n. 3, 77–78, Sir William Forbes, 67–68 and nn. 7, 9, Mrs. Killingley, 149–50 and nn. 1–2, Bennet Langton, 266 n. 6, 266–70, 304–05 and

421

nn. 9, 1, William Strahan, 270 and nn. 1–2, William Vyse, 83 n. 3; JB’s journals, xv, 8 n. 9, 9 nn. 2, 3, 11 n. 1, 18 n. 8, 21 n. 5, 31 n. 4, 32 n. 2, 34 nn. 1, 3, 87 n. 5, 176 n. 2, 179 n. 8, 205 n. 6, 207 n. 2, 208 n. 4, 230 n. 9, 231 n. 3, 235 n. 5, 239 nn. 9, 6, 242 n. 7, 243 n. 1, 244 n. 6, 246 n. 4, 252 n. 8, 255 n. 8, 256 n. 6, 258 n. 6, 276 n. 1, 278 n. 9, 282 n. 2, 284 n. 4, 292 n. 9, 296 n. 8, 298 n. 3; lost journals, 247 n. 8; JB’s memory, 221 n. 8, 222 n. a1; JB’s Note Book, 133 n. 4, 139 nn. 8–9, 1, 143 n. 5, 144 n. 7; JB’s notes, 21 n. 5, 41 n. 3, 47 n. 6, 52 n. 8, 54 n. 1, 55 nn. 3, 5, a1, 58 n. 6, 63 n. 7, 64 nn. 1–2, 65 n. 4, 173 n. 3, 189 n. 7, 225 n. 7, 247 n. 8, 284 n. 4; JB’s Life Materials, 6 n. 1, 7 nn. 5–6, 11 n. 1, 17 n. 6, 19 nn. 3–4, 22 n. 6, 32 n. 7, 48 n. 3, 69 n. 1, 73 n. 7, 76 n. 3, 86 n. 9, 91 n. 2, 99 n. 1, 104 n. 5, 114 n. a1, 119 n. 5, 136 n. 7, 137 n. 4, 146 n. 6, 162 n. 5, 176 n. 5, 191 n. 7, 197 n. 3, 221 n. 7, 229 n. 4, 233 n. 2, 247 n. 7, 260–61 and n. 1, 270 n. 1, 271 n. 5, 285 n. 6, 290 n. 2, 293 n. 2, 301 n. 1, 309 n. 4; JB’s Tour, 18 n. 8, 118 n. a1, 120 n. 10; Burke’s Letter to the Sheriffs of Bristol, 132 and n. 9, ‘Round Robin’, 67 nn. 2, 7, 68 n. 9; Richard Owen Cambridge, 179 n. 6, 180 n. 9; Clarendon’s History of the Rebellion, 259 n. 6; Critical Review, 115–17; Gentleman’s Magazine, 310 n. 6; Grainger’s ‘Ode to Solitude’, 141–42; Green’s The Spleen, 295 n. 9; James Harris’s Hermes, 81 n. 8; Sir John Hawkins’s Life of Johnson, 80 n. 5; William Hawkins’s ‘Life of Bishop Ken’, 114–15 and n. a1; Horace’s Odes, 166 n. 8; Hussey’s ‘Memorandums’, 272 n. 8; SJ’s correspondence: letters to JB, 38 and nn. 5–6, 70 n. 5, 74 n. 5, 82 nn. 5–6, 84 and n. 7, 85 nn. 4, 6–7, 87 n. 1, 152 n. 2, 153 n. 8, 155 nn. 5, 7, 198–99, 270 n. 9, 272 n. 5, 274 n. 7, 288 n. 5, 290 n. 4, 291 n. a2, 300 n. 9, 302 n. 3, 310 n. 5, 311 n. 6; letters to Beattie, 309 and n. 3, Margaret Boswell, 70 n. 4, 84 n. 9, Charles Dilly, 290, William Dodd, 96, Edward Edwards, 271 nn. 8, 1, Richard Farmer, 305 n. 5, John Hussey, 272–73 and n. 8, Charles Jenkinson, 94 and n. 9, Bennet Langton,

INDEX

83 n. 1, 156 n. 2, 271 n. 6, Charles Lawrence, 310 n. 6, Thomas Lawrence, 301–02, Charles O’Connor, 78–79 and n. 8, Lucy Porter, 289 n. 1, Sir Joshua Reynolds, 67 n. 2, William Sharp, 83 n. 4, George Steevens, 74 n. 4, William Strahan, 71 and nn. 9, 1–3, 270, John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute, 156 n. 2, Hester Thrale, xvii, 86 and n. a1, 302 n. 7, 305– 06 and nn. 8–9, 308, William Vyse, 83 n. 2, Saunders Welch, 265 and nn. 1–3; John Wesley, 290 n. 2, Benjamin Wheeler, 271 nn. 8–9; letters to SJ from Sir Alexander Dick, 74–75 and n. 5, Edward Dilly, 76 n. 3, William Dodd, 92 n. 4, 95, Hester Thrale, 302 n. 6, Lord Thurlow, 311 n. 4; SJ’s dedications, 80 and n. 3; SJ’s diary, 291; SJ’s dictation, 48 n. 3, 49 n. 5, 144– 47 and n. 6, 289 n. 8, 295 n. 6; SJ’s election address for Henry Thrale, 311 and n. 2; SJ’s poems, 67 n. 4, 69 and n. 3, 335; SJ’s Dictionary, 237 n. 3; SJ’s Lives of the Poets, 27 n. 5, 154 n. 9, 155 n. 4, 295– 96 and n. 6; SJ’s ‘Occasional Papers’, 96 n. 5; SJ’s Prayers and Meditations, 70 n. 6, 72–73 and n. a1, 74 n. 1, 76 n. 2, 217 n. a1, 219 n. a1, 311; SJ’s ‘Proposals for Printing … An Analysis … Language. By William Shaw’, 74 n. 5, 75 n. 9; SJ’s Taxation No Tyranny, xv–xvi, 145 n. 2; Bennet Langton, 141 n. 8, 200 n. 3, 315, ‘Langtoniana’, 303 n. 9, 311 n. 6; William Maxwell’s Collectanea, 311 n. 6; John Murray’s A Letter to W. Mason, 212 n. 2; Monthly Review, 25 n. 7; Richard Penn, 310; Thomas Pennant’s Of London, 196 n. 2; Thomas Percy, 194 n. 1, 199 n. 7, 233 n. 3; Robert Plot’s ‘History of Staffordshire’, 133 nn. 2–3; Pope’s Second Epistle … Horace Imitated, 167 n. 7; Isaac Reed, 18 n. 1, 23–24 n. 9, 80 n. 4, 185 n. 7, 191 n. 6, 231 n. 3; Rochester’s verses on Flatman, 25 and n. 5; Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s ‘Prologue’ to Sir Thomas Overbury, 81 and b1; Sir William Scott, 186–87 nn. 5–6, 8, 188 n. 4, 190 nn. 1, 5, 225 n. 7; George Steevens, 73 n. 8, 303 n. 9; John Taylor, 6 n. 7; Virtue, an Ethic Epistle, 143 n. 6; Joseph Cooper Walker, 78 nn. 8, a1

d) errors in in: of transcription, 215 n. 5, 290 n. a1, 301 nn. 8, 9; of quotation, 41 n. 8, 166 n. 8, 180 n. 1, 202 n. 4, 234 n. 4, 238 n. a1, 254 n. 7; of omission, 96 n. 3, 111 n. 7, 117 n. 8, 122 n. 4, 148 n. 5, 151 n. 9, 169 n. 4, 184 n. 3, 203 n. 6, 252 n. 8, 263 n. 3, 308 nn. 5, 7, 330, 332, 334, 382–83; slips and accidental errors, 6 n. 3, 16 n. 4, 19 n. 8, 42 n. 5, 51 n. 5, 57 n. 2, 73 n. 9, 74 n. 1, 82 n. 4, 87 n. 2, 90 n. 7, 98 n. 6, 103 n. 8, 119 n. 6, 120 n. 1, 133 n. 6, 140 n. 2, 143 n. 4, 149 n. 8, 153 n. 7, 158 n. 3, 163 n. 6, 165 n. 6, 176 n. 4, 182 n. 6, 188 n. 3, 190 n. 4, 191 n. 9, 193 n. 5, 195 n. 8, 196 n. 7, 201 n. 7, 204 n. 2, 211 n. 2, 213 n. 4, 214 n. 3, 219 n. 7, 223 n. 8, 227 n. 8, 251 n. 3, 257 n. 8, 264 n. 6, 272 n. 4, 273 n. 1, 279 n. 4, 281 n. 5, 285 n. 7, 290 n. 8, 298 n. 8, 305 n. 7, 314–15, 318–21, 323– 24, 327–29, 332, 338, 341, 352, 359, 361– 66, 378, 380, 383, 387, 391–92, 397–98; factual, 2 n. 7, 21 n. 4, 27 n. 5, 31 n. 4, 44 n. 4, 76 n. 1, 154 n. 9, 259 n. 5 e) proofs of of: changes in, 99 n. 2, 163 n. 8, 299 n. 3; corrections in, 100 n. 6, 138 n. 6, 294 n. 8, 297 n. 1, 299 n. 3, 336, 375, 386, 395–98; canceled pages in, 297 n. 9 f) revises of of: changes in, 1 n. b1, 2 n. 7, 4 nn. 9, 2, 5 n. 6, 6 nn. 8, 3, 12 nn. 3, a1, 14 n. 5, 15 nn. 1–2, 18 nn. 9, 1, 19 nn. 7, a1, 20 n. 2, 21 n. 4, 22 n. 6, 26 n. 1, 27 nn. 6– 7, 30 n. 9, 31 n. 6, 35 n. 5, 36 n. 1, 39 n. 2, 41 nn. 8–10, 42 nn. 7–8, 44 nn. 3–4, 46 n. 8, 48 n. 4, 50 nn. 8–9, 52 n. 7, 53 n. 1, 54 nn. 5–6, 9, 57 nn. 10, 2, 58 nn. 3, 6, a1, 59 n. 8, 62 n. a5, 63 n. 8, 64 nn. 2, a1, 65 n. 6, 67 n. 7, 68 nn. 9, a1, 70 n. 6, 72 n. 6, 74 n. 5, 78 nn. 9, a1, 80 nn. 3–4, 81 nn. 7–8, 2, a1, 83 n. 8, 84 n. a1, 85 n. 2, 87 nn. 2, a3, 90 n. 5, 92 n. 3, 95 n. 2, 96 n. 4, 98 nn. 5, 8, 100 nn. 6–7, 1, 101 n. 4, 102 n. 6, 103 n. 9, 106 nn. 7, 8, 107 nn. 2, 6, 108 n. a1, 109 n. 2, 112 nn. 1–3, 5– 6, 113 n. 9, 114 n. 1, 116 n. 6, 126 nn. 6– 7, 130 n. 9, 131 n. 4, 132 nn. 7–8, 133 n. 6, 134 nn. 7–8, 135 n. 3, 136 nn. 6, 9–10, 142 n. 2, 144 n. 7, 145 nn. 2–4, b1, c1, 146 nn. 7–8, 147 nn. 2–3, 149 nn. 8, 1, 153 n. 7, 156 nn. 1–2, 157 n. 3, 163 nn. 6, 1, 165 n. 7, 166 n. 8, 168 n. 1, 171 n. 3,

422

INDEX

172 nn. 8, a1, 173 n. 9, 175 n. 7, 176 nn. 2, 4, 177 n. 7, 179 nn. 6–7, 180 nn. 9, 2, 182 n. 4, 183 n. 8, 184 nn. 3–4, 186 n. 5, 192 n. 2, 193 n. 5, 194 n. a1, 195 nn. 8, 1, 197 n. 2, 198 n. a1, 200 n. 3, 201 nn. 5, a1, 204 n. 2, 206 n. 8, 207 nn. 2–3, 208 n. 5, 209 nn. 7–9, 210 n. 1, 212 nn. 1–2, 214 n. 3, 218 n. a1, 219 n. a1, 222 n. 5, 225 n. 8, 227 n. 5, 228 n. a1, 235 n. a1, 236 nn. 9, 1, a1, 237 n. 3, 239 n. 6, 244 n. 4, 248 n. 1, 249 n. 7, 250 n. a1, 252 n. 7, 253 n. 2, 254 nn. 3–5, 7, 255 n. 9, 256 n. 6, 259 n. 6, 261 n. 2, 263 n. 3, 269 n. 3, 270 n. 3, 275 n. 8, 276 n. 2, 277 n. 7, 280 nn. 8–9, 284 n. 4, 287 nn. 7–8, 288 n. a1, 289 n. 7, 290 n. 3, 301 nn. 6–9, 302 n. 1, 306 n. 8, 308 n. 7, 313–95, 398–401; corrections or revisions in, 1 nn. 3, b1, 4 n. 9, 8 n. 8, 28 n. 3, 35 n. 5, 40 nn. 3–5, 43 n. 2, 48 n. 4, 49 n. 7, 50 nn. 8–9, 58 nn. 4–5, 59 nn. 8, 1, 62 nn. 4, a5, 63 n. 6, 70 n. 4, 72 n. 6, 74 n. 5, 75 n. 7, 77 n. 5, 78 n. a1, 80 n. 3, 82 n. 5, 84 n. a1, 86 n. a1, 87 n. a3, 88 n. 7, 89 n. 9, 92 nn. 3–4, 96 n. 6, 100 nn. 6–7, 102 n. 6, 107 nn. 1, 6, 112 n. 5, 124 n. 9, 131 n. 6, 132 n. 9, 133 n. 3, 143 n. 6, 152 n. 6, 153 n. a1, 157 n. 3, 160 n. 8, 161 n. 1, 171 n. 1, 172 n. 7, 179 n. 6, 181 n. 4, 183 n. 9, 186 nn. 4–5, 196 n. 3, 201 n. 6, 210 n. 1, 211 n. 4, 213–14 n. 7, 214 nn. 7–8, 217 n. 2, 219 n. 7, 220 n. 3, 222 n. 1, 224 n. 4, 226 nn. 3–4, 227 n. 7, 229 n. 5, 233 n. 9, 249 n. 7, 250 n. a1, 254 n. 7, 259 nn. 5–6, 261 n. 2, 265 n. a1, 273 nn. 1, a1, 277 n. 8, 279 n. 8, 280 n. 4, 281 n. 5, 283 nn. 6–7, 284 n. 1, 291 n. a1, 295 n. 9, 297 n. 1, 302 nn. 4, 6–7, 307 n. 4, 308 n. 6, 310 n. 6, 313–15, 317, 321–25, 327–40, 342–47, 349–52, 356–65, 367–68, 373–75, 377– 80, 384–85, 387, 390–98, 401; changes made between first proofs and, 7 n. 7, 92 n. 4, 136 n. 7, 153 n. a1, 158 n. 9, 170 nn. 8–9, 183 n. 9, 202 n. 4, 236 n. 1, 241 n. 5, 264 n. 6, 266 n. 6, 267 n. 9, 268 n. a2, 269 n. 4, 270 n. 8, 273 nn. 9, 1, 291 n. a1, 297 n. 1, 308 n. 5, 342, 356, 364; footnotes added, 21 n. 4, 37 n. 3, 38 n. 4, 40 n. 5, 45 n. 7, 52 n. 8, 55 n. 2, 75 n. 8, 76 n. 2, 101 n. 5, 102 n. 6, 117 n. 1, 120

n. 9, 126 n. 7, 132 n. 9, 133 nn. 2, 3, 137 n. 3, 143 n. 6, 152 n. 6, 155 n. 4, 157 n. 7, 166 n. 1, 174 n. 5, 175 n. 7, 188 n. 5, 204 n. 1, 210 n. 1, 212 n. 2, 237 n. 3, 269 n. 6, 271 n. 6, 277 n. 8, 279 n. 9, 306 n. 9, 309 n. 4, 310 nn. 5, a1, b1, 311 n. 3; marginalia in, 8 n. 8, 12 n. a1, 24 n. 4, 32 n. 9, 69 n. 3, 70 n. 4, 124 n. 9, 131 n. 6, 157 n. 7, 174 n. 4, 183 n. a1, 196 n. 3, 204 n. 1, 206 n. 9, 246 n. a1, 248 n. 3, 273 nn. 1, a1, 277 n. 8, 302 nn. 6–7, 307 n. 4, 310 nn. 6, b1, 311 nn. 1, 6; queries in, 24 n. 4, 30 n. 8, 32 n. 9, 40 n. 4, 67 n. 6, 72 n. 6, 99 n. 4, 162 n. 3, 192 n. 2, 195 n. 9, 201 n. a1, 204 n. 9, 205 n. 3, 213 n. 7, 214 n. 8, 220 n. 3, 222 n. 1, 223 n. 7, 224 n. 4, 225 n. 8, 229 n. 5, 233 n. 9, 236 n. 1, 246 n. a1, 281 n. 5, 289 n. 9, 368, 393, 397; cancelled pages in, 283 n. 5 II. Editions of: a) 1st edition edition: changes during printing, 51 n. 4, 58 n. 4, 59 n. 8, 160 n. a1, 201 n. 6, 330–33, 337, 357, 368, 397; errors in printing, 1 n. 3, 28 n. 3, 40 n. 4, 211 n. 4, 238 n. a1, 273 n. a1, 278 n. 1, 332, 362, 367–68, 383, 385; ‘Corrections and Additions’, 163 n. 1 b) Principal Corrections and Additions Additions: 65 n. 7, 278 n. 5, 390 c) 2nd edition edition: 100 n. 8, 145 nn. 5, a1, 184 n. 5, 194 n. 1, 285 n. 6; changes in (including corrections), 1 n. 3, 6 n. 8, 10 n. 6, 13 nn. a2, a3, 15 n. 1, 19 n. a1, 20 n. a1, 22 n. 6, 23 n. 9, 28 n. 3, 29 n. 6, 32 n. 7, 40 n. 5, 41 n. 9, 44 n. 5, 45 n. 7, 47 n. 5, 48 n. 4, 54 n. 6, 65 n. 4, 67 nn. 2–3, 69 n. 2, 70 n. 5, 73 n. a1, 94 n. 8, 103 n. 9, 109 n. 10, 117 n. 1, 118 n. a1, 123 n. 6, 135 nn. 3, 5, 137 n. 3, 146 n. 6, 149 n. 1, 153 n. a1, 154 n. 9, 155 n. 7, 156 n. 2, 166 n. 1, 171 n. 1, 172 n. 7, 179 n. 6, 180 n. 1, 191 n. 6, 194 n. 3, 196 nn. 2, 5, 197 n. 2, 203 n. 7, 210 nn. 6, 8, 213 n. 7, 219 n. 8, 231 n. 3, 233 n. 9, 234 n. 4, 236 n. 8, 237 n. 3, 248 n. 1, 250 n. 1, 253 n. 2, 265 n. 1, 271 n. 6, 273 n. 1, 274 n. 3, 278 nn. 1, 5, 279 n. 7, 285 n. 7, 291 nn. a1–a2, 300 n. 8, 304 n. 2, 313–20, 322–33, 336–44, 346, 348, 350–63, 365–99, 401; footnotes: added, 4 n. 5, 10 n. 7, 15 n. 8, 18 n. 1, 19

423

INDEX

n. 3, 25 n. 7, 30 n. 3, 31 n. 5, 32 n. 1, 67 n. 2, 70 n. 5, 82 n. 3, 97 n. 9, 109 n. 10, 119 n. 7, 125 n. 2, 156 n. 1, 162 n. 5, 167 n. 7, 170 n. 7, 173 n. 3, 185 n. 7, 194 n. 2, 195 n. 7, 196 n. 2, 199 n. 7, 205 n. 4, 210 n. 1, 216 n. a1, 224 n. 4, 289 n. 8, 298 n. 5, 398; expanded, 13 n. a3, 17 n. 6, 68 n. a1, 78 n. a2, 243 n. a1, 250 n. a1; moved, 92 n. 3; omitted, 23 n. 9, 175 n. 7; ‘Additional Corrections’, 25 n. 7; ‘Additions to Dr. Johnson’s Life’, 146 n. 6, 315; errors in: 25 n. 7, 74 n. 2, 75 n. 8, 82 n. 3, 83 nn. 2–3, 118 n. a1, 204 n. 8, 212 n. 2, 219 n. 1, 223 n. 6, 232 n. 7, 315, 318, 326, 340, 341, 370, 379, 384–86, 388, 392, 394, 398; uncorrected, 48 n. 9, 75 n. 8, 154 n. 2, 172 n. 8, 339, 359 d) 3rd edition edition: changes in (including corrections), 4 n. 5, 10 n. 6, 15 n. 8, 17 n. 6, 25 n. 7, 40 n. 5, 42 n. 8, 47 n. 6, 54 n. 5, 67 n. 2, 69 n. 2, 70 n. 5, 78 nn. 9, a1–a2, 81 n. 7, 83 n. 3, 100 n. 8, 115 n. a2, 125 n. 2, 146 n. 6, 149 n. 9, 150 n. 2, 155 n. 6, 160 n. 8, 163 n. 1, 180 nn. 9, 1, 186 n. 5, 201 nn. 5, 8, 210 n. 1, 217 n. 2, 219 n. 1, 220 n. 2, 223 n. 6, 234 n. 4, 240 n. 3, 244 n. 5, 249 n. 8, 278 n. 2, 280 n. 8, 285 n. 6, 299 n. 7, 306 nn. 9, 1, 315–16, 325–26, 328, 335, 338–39, 341, 344–45, 348–51, 355, 357–61, 364–70, 372, 375–77, 379– 86, 388–90, 394–401; footnotes: added, 25 n. 7, 28 n. 1, 69 n. 2, 82 n. 3, 285 n. 8, 295 n. 9, 335, 398; added by EM and others, 4 n. 1, 82 n. 3, 137 n. 2, 156 n. 1, 160 nn. 7– 8, 178 n. 2, 180 n. 3, 221 n. 6, 246 nn. 5– 6, 274 n. 5, 276 n. 4, 306 n. 9, 336, 339, 398; expanded, 174 n. 5, 293 n. 3; expanded by EM and others, 156 nn. 1, a1, 170 n. 7, 174 n. 5, 289 n. 8; moved, 156 n. 1, 289 n. 8; omitted, 145 n. a1, 175 n. 7; errors in: 74 n. 2, 82 n. 3, 83 n. 2, 204 n. 8, 315, 318, 320, 326, 337, 340–41, 354, 370, 375, 392, 397; uncorrected, 61 n. a2, 123 n. 6, 359 e) 4th edition edition: 85 n. 7, 279 n. 2 f) 5th edition edition: 270 n. 9 g) 6th edition edition: 81 n. 6, 335 Lignières, François-Payot de (1628–1704), poet and wit, 287 n. 5 Lilly, William (1602–81), astrologer, 117

Lincoln, 266 Linnaeus, Carl (d. 1778), naturalist, Family of Plants, System of Vegetables, 176 n. 5 Lisbon, 19–20, 229 Literary Club, The, 18 n. 8, 81, 201 and n. a, 218, 282–84 and n. 8, 304 Lobo, Jeronimo (1596–1678), Jesuit missionary, A Voyage to Abyssinia, 6 Locke, John (1632–1704), philosopher, 264 Lofft, Capel (1751–1824), lawyer, 210 n. 1 Lombe, John (1693–1722), half-brother of following, 109 n. 10 Lombe, Sir Thomas (1685–1739), merchant and inventor, 109 and n. 10 LONDON Buildings and Institutions: Barnard’s Inn, 220; the Compters, 308 and n. 6; Covent Garden Theatre, 80; Drury Lane Theatre, 81, 177, 281; Gray’s Inn, 296; Gresham College, 11; Guildhall, 145; the Hummums, 256–57; Lincoln’s Inn, 231 n. 1; Newgate, 92, 94, 111, 193, 306–08; Old Bailey, 91, 170, 307; Ranelagh, 143, 144 n. 7; Royal Exchange, 16–17 and n. 5; St. Clement Dane’s Church, 13, 20, 22, 219, 227, 279; St. George’s Hospital, 97 n. 9; St. Paul’s Cathedral, 20, 229, 257, 280; St. Paul’s, Covent Garden, 177 n. 8; Staple Inn, 296; the Temple, 187; Temple Bar, 299; Westminster Abbey, 67–68, 90, 126, 157, 181; Westminster Hall, 124, 231; Westminster School, 10 and n. 6, 145 n. 5, 221 n. 6; Wirgman’s toyshop, 236 and n. 8; Vauxhall Gardens, 224 Coffee-houses, Taverns, etc.: Crown and Anchor Tavern, 34, 35; Mitre Tavern, 8, 105 n. a, 250; Tom’s Coffee-house, 27; Will’s Coffee-house, 57 Streets, Squares, and Districts: Bolt Court, 91, 171, 192, 196 n. 2, 219, 296, 309; Boswell Court, 296; Bow St., 296; Butcher Row, 219; Castle St., 296; Catherine St., 295; Cavendish Sq., 296; Charing Cross, 219; Cheapside, 219; Cornhill, 16 n. 5; Curzon St., 289; Exeter St., 295; Fetter Lane, 296; Fleet St., 219; Gough Sq., 296; Grosvenor Sq., 235; Hanover Sq., 296; Hedge Lane, 235; Holborn, 293, 296; Inner Temple Lane, 296; Johnson’s Court, 296; King’s St., 217 n. 4; Leicester Fields,

424

INDEX

306 n. 9; Rotherhithe, 17 n. 6; St. Giles’s, 293; St. James’s Place, 236 n. 8; St. James’s St., 236 and n. 8; St. Martin’s St., 306 n. 9; Snow Hill, 19; South Audley St., 289; Southwark, 311; The Strand, 296; Woodstock St., 296 Miscellaneous: JB on, 4, 121–23, 181; JB associates with The Beggar’s Opera, 142–43; building in, 46; and Gordon Riots, 306; SJ on, 4, 16, 18 and n. 9, 121– 23, 175, 181; Mayor of, 263 Lort, Michael (1724/5–90), D.D., antiquary and professor of Greek at Cambridge, 204 n. 1, 254 n. 5 Loudoun, Margaret (Dalrymple) Campbell, Countess of (c. 1679/84–1779), 271 Loughborough, 1 and n. 4 Loughborough, Alexander Wedderburne, 1st Baron (1733–1805), later 1st Earl of Rosslyn, Lord Chancellor, 1–2, 313 Louis XIV (1638–1715), King of France, 246 Louis XVI (1754–93), King of France, 102, 132 Lowe, Mauritius (1746–93), painter, 235 and n. 7, 279 and n. 2 Lowth, Robert (1710–87), D.D., Bishop of London, biblical critic and grammarian, 48 Lucan, Charles Bingham, Baron (1735–99), later 1st Earl of Lucan, 231 n. 5, 305 Lucan, Margaret (Smith), Baroness (c. 1740– 1814), later Countess of, wife of preceding, painter of miniatures, 231 n. 5, 305; Verses on Ireland, 231 and n. 5 Lucian (c. 120–c. 180), 9, 170 n. 7 Lucretius (Titus Lucretius Carus) (c. 94–c. 55 B.C.), 241 Lyttelton, George (1709–73), 1st Baron Lyttelton, politician and author, 26–27, 174; History of the Life of King Henry the Second, 26–27 and n. 5 Macartney, George Macartney, 1st Earl (1737–1806), 17 n. 7, 19 and nn. a, a1, 173 n. 3, 305 Macaulay, Catharine (Sawbridge) (1731– 91), historian and political polemicist, 39 and n. 10, 64 and n. 9, 130–31 Macbean, Alexander (d. 1784), author and amanuensis to SJ, 311; A Dictionary of Ancient Geography, 21–22

MacConochie, Allan (1748–1816), Scottish lawyer, 153 Macdonald, Sir Alexander (c. 1745–95), of Sleat, 9th Bt., 1st Baron Macdonald, 33 and n. 6 Macdonald, Lady Margaret (Montgomerie) (d. 1799), mother of preceding, 281–82 Macklin, Charles (?1699–1797), actor and dramatist, 2 Maclaurin, Colin (1698–1746), professor of mathematics at Edinburgh and natural philosopher, 11 Maclaurin, John (1734–96), later Lord Dreghorn, judge and author, son of preceding, 11, 153 and n. a1 Macleod, John. See Raasay, 9th Laird of Macpherson, James (1736–96), author, 206, 276 and n. 3; Fingal, 43, 326; ‘Ossian’, 42 and n. 8, 43, 243 n. a, 326 Macqueen, Rev. Donald (1716–85), minister of Kilmuir, Skye, 43 n. 2 Mallet, David (?1701/2–65), author, 139, 285 Malone, Edmond (1741–1812), literary scholar, editor, biographer: MS entries in hand of, 331; assists in revising MS (includes references to the occurrence of his hand), 81 n. 2; assists in reading of proof-sheets and revises (includes references to the occurrence of his hand), xvii, 40 n. 5, 41 n. 9, 72 n. 6, 74 n. 5, 96 n. 6, 100 n. 7, 156 n. 1, 337–38, 342; assists in revisions of later editions of Life, 4 n. 1, 70 n. 5, 81 n. 6, 82 n. 3, 85 n. 7, 137 n. 2, 156 nn. 1, a1, 160 n. 8, 170 n. 7, 174 n. 5, 178 n. 2, 180 n. 3, 221 n. 6, 246 nn. 5–6, 270 n. 9, 274 n. 5, 276 n. 4, 279 n. 2, 289 n. 8, 306 n. 9, 336, 339, 398; acknowledges James Bindley, 221 n. 6; acknowledged by JB for help with Tour to the Hebrides, 234–35 nn. a, a1; and JB’s literary papers, 264 n. a1; friendship with Lord Chief Baron Burgh, 84 nn. a, a1; on SJ’s conversation, 246 n. 5; query on SJ’s letter to Mudge, 190 n. 2; on Parnell’s ‘The Hermit’, 156 n. 1, 289 n. 8; on passage that offended Percy, 194 n. 1; edition of Pope, 252 and n. 1; query on Round Robin, 68 n. 9; exposes ‘Rowley’ imposture, 42 n. a; edition of Shakespeare, 45 n. 7; query on Sir Philip Sidney quotation, 85

425

INDEX

n. 7; mentioned, 221, 223 n. 1, 246 n. a1, 297 n. 9 Malton, Mr., landlord of Edensor Inn, 150–51 Mandeville, Bernard (1670–1733), political economist and satirist, 211 and n. 2 Manningham, Thomas (d. 1794), M.D., 107 Mansfield, William Murray, 1st Earl of (1705– 93), judge and politician, 92, 189, 191 Marchmont, Hugh Campbell, 3rd Earl of (1708–94), 235, 251–53 and n. 8, 255, 259, 274 n. 6, 288–89 Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus (121– 180), Roman emperor, 21 n. 4, 116 Marlborough, John Churchill, 1st Duke of (1650–1722), 47, 139, 285 Marshall, William (1745–1818), agricultural author and land agent, 227 and n. 7 Martin, Gilbert (d. 1784), Edinburgh printer, 78 Martin, Martin (d. 1718), topographer, Account of the Hebrides, 173 Mason, Rev. William (1725–97), author, 26 and nn. 8–9, 212–13 and nn. 1–3 Mason v. Murray, 212 n. 1 Maxwell, William (1732–1818), D.D., Irish clergyman, 311 n. 6 Maxwell, Sir William (1739–1804), of Springkell, 3rd Bt., 227 n. 5 Mayo, Henry (1733–93), LL.D., Independent minister, 204, 206, 208–10 Mead, Richard (1673–1754), M.D., physician, 114, 261 Mediterranean, The, 29 Melville, Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount (1742– 1811), 153 Meynell, Hugo (1735–1808), fox hunter and politician, son of following, 278 and n. 3 Meynell, Judith (Alleyne) (fl. 1703–47), wife of following, 87 n. 3 Meynell, Littleton Poyntz (1699–1751), 87 and n. 3, 202 and n. 1 Mickle, William Julius (1735–88), poet and translator, 30 Miles, Jane Mary (Guest) (c. 1762–1846), pianist and composer, 302 n. 6 Millar, Andrew (1707–68), bookseller, 244, 287 and n. 7 Miller, Sir John (d. 1798), Bt., M.P., 54 and n. 1 Milton, John (1608–74), 58, 201, 264; Comus,

xviii, 65 n. 5; Tractate on Education, 264 Monboddo, James Burnet, Lord (1714–99), judge and author, 60 n. 2, 113–14, 153; on SJ’s Journey to the Western Islands, 118 Montagu, Elizabeth (Robinson) (1718– 1800), author and literary hostess, 40–41 and n. 7, 174, 190, 309, 398 Montesquieu, Charles-Louis de Secondat, baron de La Brède et de (1689–1755), political philosopher, Lettres persanes, 210 n. 1 Monthly Review, 26, 38 Montrose, William Graham, 2nd Duke of (1712–90), 171 n. 1 Moore, James (1746–74), professor of Greek at Glasgow, 32 n. 1 More, Hannah (1745–1833), author and philanthropist, 183, 212 and nn. 7, 9 Morer, Rev. Thomas (1651–1715), Rector of St. Ann’s, Aldersgate, and author, Account of Scotland, 173 and n. 9 Mountstuart, John Stuart, Lord (1744– 1814), styled Viscount, later 4th Earl and 1st Marquis of Bute, 1 and n. 2 Mudge, John (1721–93), M.D., Plymouth surgeon and physician, 190 n. 2 Mudge, Maj.-Gen. William (1762–1820), son of preceding and SJ’s godson, 34, 190 and n. 2 Mudge, Rev. Zachariah (1694–1769), grandfather of preceding, 34 Mulgrave, Constantine John Phipps, 1st Baron (1744–92), M.P., 7 and n. 6, 315 Murphy, Arthur (1727–1805), dramatist and author, 23–25, 27, 33–35 and nn. 8, 1, 6, 160, 262 n. 2 Murray, Alexander. See Henderland, Alexander Murray, Lord Murray, John (1745–93), bookseller and publisher, 26 n. 8, 212 and nn. 1–2 Musgrave, Samuel (1732–80), M.D., physician and classical scholar, 230–32 Nairne, Sir William (bap. 1731, d. 1811), 5th Bt., Lord Dunsinnan, Scottish judge, 34–36, 129 Narai, Somdet Phra (1633–88), King of Siam, 245–46 and n. 3 Nares, Rev. Robert (1753–1829), philologist, 118 n. 2

426

INDEX

Nény, Count Patrice (1716–1829), Flemish nobleman, 28 New Zealand, 41–42 Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 215 Newhall, Sir Walter Pringle, Lord (?1664– 1736), Scottish judge, 98 Newhaven, William Mayne, 1st Baron (1722–94), politician, 298 and n. 5 Newton, Sir Isaac (1642–1727), philosopher and mathematician, 207 Nicholls, Francis or Frank (?1699–1778), M.D., anatomist and physician, De Anima Medica, 109 Nicholls, Rev. Norton (?1741–1809), friend of Thomas Gray, 196 n. 4 Nichols, John (1745–1826), printer and author, Literary Anecdotes, 275 n. 8 Nichols, Rev. Robert Boucher (d. 1814), army chaplain, 196 n. 4, 228 n. a1 Nollekens, Joseph (1737–1823), sculptor, 229 n. 4, 265–66 and n. a1 Nollekens, Mary (Welch) (c. 1743–1817), wife of preceding, 265–66 and n. a1 North, Frederick (1732–92), styled Lord North, later 2nd Earl of Guilford, Prime Minister, 92 Northumberland, Earls of, 194 and n. 2 Northumberland, Hugh Percy (formerly Smithson), 1st Duke of (bap. 1712, d. 1786), politician, 194 Nourse, John (1705–80), bookseller and publisher, 11 Nugent, Robert Craggs Nugent, 1st Earl (1709–88), Viscount Clare, politician and poet, 225–26 O’Connor or O’Conor, Charles (1710–91), antiquary and religious propagandist, 78– 79 and nn. a2–a3 Ogden, Samuel (1716–78), D.D., Sermons on Prayer, 177 and n. 8 Oglethorpe, Elizabeth (Wright) (c. 1710– 87), wife of following, 44 Oglethorpe, Gen. James Edward (1696– 1785), founder of the colony of Georgia, 4, 43–44, 47 and nn. 4–5, 199, 202–03, 277 n. 6 Oldfield, Joshua (1656–1729), D.D., Presbyterian minister, 47 and n. 6 Omai (c. 1753–c. 1780), native of the

Society Islands, 7–8 and nn. 6–8, 315 Onslow, Arthur (1691–1768), politician, 129 Orme, Robert (1728–1801), historian and East India Company clerk, 204 Orrery, John Boyle, 5th Earl of (1707–62), later 5th Earl of Cork, 128 and n. 3, 170, 228; Remarks on … Jonathan Swift, 178 Osborne, Thomas (bap. ?1704, d. 1767), bookseller and publisher, 104, 252 Ossian. See Macpherson, James Otaheité. See Tahiti Ourry, Capt. Lewis (d. 1779), army officer, 175 n. 9 Ovid (43 B.C.–c. 17 A.D.): Epistles, 17 n. 6; Metamorphoses, 120 and n. 8, 172–73 n. a1 Owen, Margaret (‘Peggy’), relative of Mrs. Thrale, 41 n. 1 Oxford University, 11 Palmer, John (1729–90), Presbyterian minister, 210 n. 1 Il Palmerino d’Inghilterra, 1 and n. 3 Paoli, Pasquale (1725–1807), Corsican general and patriot: JB dines with, 43, 196 n. 6, 197–99, 202, 235, 237; on JB’s drinking, 112; JB his constant guest, 28, 288 n. 4; on fear of death, 101; SJ dines with, 28, 43, 199, 202, 235, 237; SJ and JB visit, 289; on the Mediterranean, 29; Lord Percy dines with, 197–99; on printing and a diffusion of knowledge, 29– 30 and n. 7; on Sir Joshua Reynolds, xviii, 46 and n. 3, 47 n. 5; recites Tasso, 241 and n. 4 Paradise, John (1743–95), D.C.L., linguist, 285 Paris, 181, 206 and n. 7, 236 and n. 9 Parliament, 1, 147–48, 203, 262 n. 2, 298 Parnell, Thomas (1679–1718), D.D., poet and essayist, 101, 155 n. 5, 289 and n. 8; ‘The Hermit’, 156 n. 1, 289 n. 7 Pascal, Blaise (1623–62), philosopher, 279; Les Pensées de Pascal, 280 Pasoris Lexicon, 298 and n. 3 Patrick, Simon (1626–1707), D.D., Bishop of Chichester and Ely, 48 Pearce, Zachary (1690–1774), D.D., Bishop of Rochester, 79 and n. 2

427

INDEX

Pellet, Thomas (c. 1671–1744), M.D., physician, President of the Royal College of Physicians, 257 Pembroke, Henry Herbert, 10th Earl of (1734–94), army officer, 21 n. 5, 278 n. 3, 284 and n. 3 Pembroke College, Oxford, 219, 222 Penn, Richard (1736–1811), Deputy Gov. of Pennsylvania, 310 Pennant, Thomas (1726–98), naturalist and travel writer, 194–96 and n. 6, 198–99; Of London, 196 n. 2; A Tour in Scotland, 368 Pepys, William Weller (1740–1825), later 1st Bt., Master in Chancery, 280 n. 6, 305 Percy, Hugh Percy, Earl (1742–1817), later 2nd Duke of Northumberland, army officer and politician, 92, 196 n. 7, 197, 198, 199 Percy, Thomas (1729–1811), D.D., Bishop of Dromore, editor and scholar, 69 n. 3, 156 n. a, 183, 193–99 and notes, 204 n. 1, 226 n. 4, 228, 230, 233 n. 3 Perth, James Drummond, 4th Earl and Jacobite 1st Duke of (1648–1716), politician, 161 Pether, William (c. 1738–1821), painter, engraver, 17 n. 6 Phaeax, Athenian politician, 190 n. 4 Philidor, François-André Danican (1726– 95), musician, 275 Phipps, Rev. James (c. 1702–73), Rector of Elvetham, 222 n. 4 Pindar (c. 518–c. 438 B.C.), 25, 57, 275 Pitt, William. See Chatham, Earl of Plot, Robert (1640–96), naturalist and antiquary, Natural History of Staffordshire, 133 and nn. 2–3 Plutarch (c. 46–120), 190 n. 4; Solon, 182 n. 4 Plymsell, John, compositor at Baldwin’s press: changes to text in his hand: additions, 170 n. 8, 171 n. 2, 174 n. 5, 206 n. 8, 254 n. 6, 317, 322, 338; clarifications, 25 n. 6, 28 n. 2, 51 n. 5, 53 n. 2; dictations from JB, 106 n. a1, 227 n. 7; footnotes, 12 n. 4, 201 n. a1; revisions, 320, 322, 370; memoranda to himself, 17 n. 6, 140 n. 5; messages to JB, 69 n. 3, 70 n. 4, 302 n. 6, 302 n. 7 Pococke, Edward (1604–91), D.D., oriental scholar, 192 and n. 2 Pococke, Richard (1704–65), D.C.L., traveller, 192 n. 2

Pomfret, John (1667–1702), poet, 155 and n. 4 Pope, Alexander (1688–1744): Bathurst’s anecdote of, 293 and n. 3, 294 n. 4; Lady Bolingbroke on, 235, 252 n. 9; on death, 110; and Flatman, 25; and translating Homer, 184; SJ’s ‘Life’ of, 235, 251–53, 288–89, 293; SJ on, 179, 184, 242–43, 253, 255 and n. 8; licentious stanza by, 254, 255 n. 8; EM’s edition of, 252; Lord Marchmont and, 251–53, 288–89; Ramsay on, 242; Swift’s letter to, 226; Thomas Tyers’s biographical sketch of, 224; on virtue, 143; Joseph Warton’s Essay on, 162, 293 n. 3; mentioned, 48 n. 8, 248 n. 2, 254 n. 7 Writings: The Dunciad, 116 n. 6, 143 n. 6; Epilogue to the Satires, 41 and n. 8; Essay on Criticism, 57; Essay on Man, 25, 34, 136 and n. 6, 181, 293–94 and nn. 2–3, 315; Imitations of Horace, 167 n. 7, 237– 38 nn. a, a1; Rape of the Lock, 31 n. 4; ‘Universal Prayer’, 254–55 and n. 8 Port family, Ilam Hall, 130 Porter, Lucy (1715–86), SJ’s stepdaughter, 289 Porteus, Beilby (1731–1809), D.D., Bishop of London, 199, 201 Portland, Margaret Cavendish Bentinck, Dowager Duchess of (1715–85), 305 Potter, Rev. Robert (1721–1804), translator, Aeschylus, 183 Priestley, Joseph (1733–1804), theologian and natural philosopher, 210 n. 1 Pringle, Sir John (1707–82), Bt., M.D., military physician, 6, 11, 13, 50 and n. 9, 120 n. a, 176 and n. 5 Prior, Matthew (1664–1721), poet, 137 and n. 4 Psalmanazar, George (?1679–1763), imposter and author, 228 Pulteney, William. See Bath, Earl of Quevedo y Villegas, Francisco Gómez de (1580–1645), poet and author, El Parnaso Español, 179 and n. 6 Quin, James (1693–1766), actor, 188 Raasay, John Macleod (d. 1786), 9th Laird of, 88

428

INDEX

Rabelais, François (c. 1494–1553), 183 Ramsay, Allan (1713–84), painter, xvi, 178– 79, 180, 181, 241–43 and n. 1, 245–46 and n. 4, 281 and n. 3, 282, 298 Rann, John (1750–74), ‘Sixteen-String Jack’, highwayman, 31 and n. 5 Ray, Martha (?1742–79), singer, 282 and n. 8 Reed, Isaac (1742–1807), literary editor, 18 n. 1, 23 n. 9, 80 n. 4, 145 n. 5, 185 n. 7, 191 n. 6, 221 n. 6, 231 n. 3 Reid, Andrew (d. ?1767), compiler, 27 n. 5 Rembrandt, Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606– 69), painter and etcher, 107 and n. 4 Reynolds, Frances (1729–1807), painter and author, sister of following, 174, 183, 212, 231–32 and n. 2, 288, 309 Reynolds, Sir Joshua (1723–92), painter and art theorist: art of, 46 and n. 3, 218; on The Beggar’s Opera, 233; JB dines with, 178, 230, 241, 247, 251, 280, 285; JB on, 50– 51, 276; JB rides with, 287; visits JB, 288; on JB and SJ, 247; presentation copy of JB’s Life, 212 n. 7, 280 n. 6; and Burke, 186 and n. 2; Discourses and SJ’s dedication, 273 and nn. 9, 1, 390; receives gift from Catherine II, Empress of Russia, 273 and n. 1; on Cumberland’s odes, 37–38; and Fox, 186 and n. 2; and dialogues on Garrick, 188 n. 5; on Garrick as SJ’s ‘property’, 189 n. 6, 226; and dialogue between Gibbon and SJ, 188 n. 5; on Goldsmith’s Traveller, 180, 186 and n. 2; health of, 309; on House of Commons, 166; and SJ’s altercation with Beauclerk, 284; angered by SJ, 239 and n. 6; and dialogue with SJ, 188 n. 5; SJ dines with, 178, 230, 241, 247, 280, 285; on SJ’s drawing of character, 242; SJ’s letters to, 67 n. 2, 70 n. 5; and story of SJ and Mudge, 34; SJ rides with, 287; sups with SJ, 35, 251; on SJ and Taylor, 126; on SJ’s temperament, 34–35 and n. 3; on SJ and love of truth, 162–63; on literary judgment, 232; and Macpherson, 276 and n. 3; on mankind, 167; at Gen. Paoli’s, 237; Gen. Paoli on, xviii, 46 and n. 3; and Round Robin, 67–68; and statuary, xviii, 46 n. 3; temperament of, 4, 138; on temptation, 168; on virtue, 251, 257; on drinking wine, 35, 238–41; as a man of the world, 276 and

n. 3; on writing reviews, 38; mentioned, 168, 221, 225, 231 n. 2, 247, 305 Rich, John (1692–1761), theatre manager, 185 Richard I (1157–99), King of England, 221 n. 7 Richardson, Samuel (1689–1761), novelist and printer, 128–29 and n. 6, 228 Ridley, John (d. 1782), bookseller, 236 Robertson, William (1721–93), D.D., historian, 72 n. 4, 118, 199, 241–42 and nn. 5, 7, 243–44, 245 and n. 3, 248 n. 5, 258, 294; History of America, 192; History of Scotland, 244 Robinson, Richard George (?1737–1825), B.C.L., Chancellor’s Vicar of Lichfield Cathedral, 99 n. 1 Rochester, John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of (1647– 80), poet and courtier, 25 and n. 5, 79, 137 and n. 2 Roman Catholic Relief Act, 148 n. 4, 305 Rome, 14–15 Romney, George (1734–1802), painter, 37 n. 3 Royal Academy of Arts, 273 and n. 1 Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh, 161 Royal Society, 118 n. a1 Rudd, Margaret Caroline (Young or Youngson) (?1745–?97), adventuress and forger, 66 and n. 8, 241 Rutty, John (1698–1775), M.D., physician, Spiritual Diary, 115–17 and n. 8 St. Albans, 4 n. 9 St. Mary Redcliffe, Bristol, 42, 326 Sallust (86–34 B.C.), 168 n. 2 Salusbury, Hester Maria (1709–73), mother of Hester Thrale, 246–47 and n. 7 Sanadon, Noël-Étienne (1676–1733), French ecclesiastic, scholar, and translator, 60 n. 2, 61 Sanders, Robert (1727–83), compiler, 27 n. 5 Sandwich, John Montagu, 4th Earl of (1718–92), First Lord of the Admiralty, 282 n. 8 Sastres, Francesco (fl. 1776–1822), Italian teacher and translator, 19 and n. 8 Savage, Richard (1697/8–1743), poet and playwright, Tragedy of Sir Thomas Overbury, 81

429

INDEX

Savile, Sir George (1726–84), 8th Bt., politician, 148 and n. 4 Scarsdale, Nathaniel Curzon, 1st Baron (1726–1804), art collector, 106–07 and n. 9, 131 and n. 4 Scotland: heifers of, 246 n. 6; militias in, 1 and n. 2; Mull, Isle of, 219; trees of, 75 Scotland v. Thomson, 49 n. 5 Scotland, David, brother of Robert, 49 Scotland, John, father of Robert, 49 Scotland, Robert (fl. 1775), political agent, 48–49 and n. 4 Scott, George Lewis (1708–80), mathematician, 82 n. 3 Scott, Sir Walter (1771–1832), poet and novelist, 153 n. a1 Scott, Sir William (1745–1836), D.C.L., later Baron Stowell, maritime, international, and ecclesiastical lawyer, 186–88 and notes, 190 and nn. 1, 4–5, 192, 225 and n. 7 Sedgwick, James, the younger (?1772/5– 1851), legal writer, 235 n. 7 Seed, Rev. Jeremiah (bap. ?1699, d. 1747), author, Sermons, 177 Selfe, Mr., corrector at Henry Baldwin’s press: copy in MS marked ‘Out’ by, 107 n. 9, 138 n. 6, 153 n. a1; corrects revises, 1 n. 3, 28 n. 3, 87 n. a3, 153 n. a1, 181 n. 4, 211 n. 4, 213–14 nn. 7–8, 219 n. 7, 324, 328, 336, 338, 346, 350, 396; queries phrasing or word choice, 24 n. 4, 30 n. 8, 63 n. 6, 72 n. 6, 162 n. 3, 205 n. 3, 229 n. 5, 233 n. 9, 236 n. 1, 281 n. 5, 289 n. 9, 321, 352, 393; queries punctuation, 40 n. 4; queries spelling, 220 n. 3, 222 n. 1, 307 n. 4; queries Greek spelling or accents, 32 n. 9, 75 n. 7, 204 n. 9; safeguards the revises, 297 n. 9, and supplies cross-references, 78 n. a1, 183 n. a1, 273 n. a1, 277 n. 8; told by JB to be very careful, 100 n. 6, 131 n. 6; mentioned, 111 n. 9 Settle, Elkanah (1648–1724), poet and playwright, 61–62 Sévigné, Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, Marquise de (1626–96), letter writer, 44 and n. 5 Seward, Anna (1742–1809), poet, 172 nn. a, a1, 204, 206, 209, 211, 214–16 and nn. 8–9 Seward, Rev. Thomas (1708–90), Canon of

Lichfield, father of preceding, 98–99 and n. 1 Seward, William (1747–99), anecdotist, 82 n. 6, 111–12 and n. 7, 120–21 n. a, 139, 260–61, 338 Sewel or Sewell, John (?1734–1802), printer, bookseller, 16 n. 5 Shakespeare, William (1564–1616), 45, 58, 182, 188, 207 and n. 2, 227, 231, 252, 281, 323; Hamlet, 129; 1 Henry VI, 140 n. 3; Othello, 33 and n. 3, 36, 43 n. 1, 255; ‘Modern Characters’ from, 182–83 Sharp, Samuel (bap. 1709, d. 1778), surgeon, Letters from Italy, 45 Sharp, William (c. 1730–1810), surgeon, 83 n. 4 Shaw, William (1749–1831), Gaelic grammarian and lexicographer, Analysis of the Scotch Celtic Language, 74 and n. 5, 75 n. 9 Shebbeare, John (1709–88), physician and political author, 228 n. 2 Shelburne, William Petty (formerly Fitzmaurice), 2nd Earl of (1737–1805), later 1st Marquess of Lansdowne, Prime Minister, 29 n. 5, 189 Sheridan, Charles Francis (1750–1806), author and politician, History of the Late Revolution in Sweden, 204 Sheridan, Richard Brinsley (1751–1816), playwright and politician, 72 n. 5, 79 n. 2, 81 and nn. 1, b1, 163 n. 9, 164–66 Sheridan, Thomas (?1719–88), actor and elocutionist, father of preceding, 1, 81, 234, 277 Sherlock, William (1639/40–1707), D.D., religious controversialist, 177 and n. 6 Sherwin, John Keyse (1751–90), designer and engraver, 78 Shiels, Robert (d. 1753), author and compiler, Lives of the Poets, 25 and nn. 6– 7, 30 and n. 3, 82 n. 3 Shipley, Jonathan (1713–88), Bishop of St. Asaph, 178–79 and n. 8, 182 and nn. 1, 4 Siam, King of. See Narai, Somdet Phra Sibbald, Sir Robert (1641–1722), physician and geographer, 160 n. 8, 161 Sidney, Sir Philip (1554–86), poet and courtier, 85 n. 7 Simpson, Joseph (1721–c. 1773), barrister,

430

INDEX

schoolfellow of SJ, The Patriot, 23 and n. 9 Simson, Rev. Mr. See Sympson, Rev. Thomas Skinner, Stephen (1623–67), physician and philologist, A New English Dictionary, 246 n. 6 Slater, Philip (fl. 1776), druggist, 54 and n. 1 Smalridge, George (1662–1719), D.D., Bishop of Bristol: Sermons, 177 Smith, Adam (1723–90), moral philosopher and political economist, 242; The Wealth of Nations, 10 n. 7 Smith, Edmund (1672–1710), poet and playwright, 192 Smith, Capt. Lieut. Robert (fl. 1778), army aide-de-camp, 269 and n. 7 Smollett, Tobias (1721–71), novelist, journalist, and historian, 27, 167 Socrates (469–399 B.C.), 189 Solander, Daniel (1733–82), botanist, 6 n. 2, 7 n. 5 Somerset case, 152 South, Robert (1634–1716), D.D., theologian, 176 Southwell, Thomas (d. 1766), 2nd Baron Southwell, 279 Spectator, The, 27, 39, 117 and n. 1, 164, 168 n. 2 Spencer, Lord Charles (1740–1820), politician, 283 and n. 5 Spencer, George John (1758–1834), Viscount Althorp, later 2nd Earl Spencer, 231 n. 5, 283–84 and n. 8, 304–05 Spencer, Lady Lavinia (Bingham) (1762– 1831), wife of preceding, 231–32 and n. 5 Spottiswoode, John, of that ilk (1711–93), father of following, 237 n. 3 Spottiswoode, John, of that ilk (d. 1805), solicitor, 158 n. 1, 237, 241 Stanyan, Abraham (c. 1669–1732), diplomat, An Account of Switzerland (1714), 262 Stedman, Rev. Thomas (c. 1747–1825), Vicar of St. Chad, Shrewsbury, 40 n. 5 Steele, Sir Richard (1672–1729), author and politician, 27; The Englishman, xvi, 217 n. 3 Steevens, George (1736–1800), literary editor and scholar, 73 and nn. 8–9, 74 and n. 3, 118 n. 2, 137, 201–02 and nn. 9, 1, 223 n. 3, 261, 284 and n. 1, 285, 303 n. 9 Stephani, The. See Estienne

Stevenage, Hertfordshire, 220 Stewart, Mrs., sister of following, 301 n. 1 Stewart, Francis (d. c. 1752), amanuensis to SJ, 301 n. 1 Stewart, Helen (Houstoun) (d. 1746), mother of following, 227 n. 5 Stewart, Margaret (?1742–1816), daughter of following, 227 and n. 5 Stewart, Sir Michael (c. 1712–96), of Blackhall, 3rd Bt., 227 n. 5 Stinton, George (1730–83), D.D., chaplain to Archbishop Secker, 199 and n. 9 Stone, John Hurford (1763–1818), radical and printer, 92 n. 3 Strahan, Margaret Penelope, daughter of following, 237 n. 3 Strahan, William (1715–85), printer: and the Duke of Berwick’s Memoirs, 206; and Blair’s sermons, 71, 72 n. 4, 113; correspondence with JB, 270 nn. 2–4; JB dines with, 292; JB gathers Johnsoniana from, 225 n. 7; daughter of, 237 n. 3; and James Elphinston, 185, 278 n. 5; and evening prayers, 293; franking privileges of, 71 n. 3, 270, 271 n. 5; SJ dines with, 292; friendship with SJ, 270 and n.1; on SJ’s friendships, 159; and SJ’s ‘Lives of the Poets’, 77; visited by SJ, Smith, and Robertson, 242; and Andrew Millar, 287 and n. 7; friendship with Pringle, 50 n. 9; son-in-law of, 237 Stuart, House of, 102–03, 195 n. 1 Stuart, Lieut.-Col. the Hon. James Archibald (later Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie) (1747– 1818), 2nd son of 3rd Earl of Bute, 292, 299 n. 2, 300 Stuart, the Hon. Margaret (Cunynghame) (1745–1800), wife of preceding, 13 Suetonius (c. 71–c. 135), 21 and n. 4 Sumner, Robert Carey (1729–71), D.D., Master of Harrow, 64 n. 9 Swift, Jonathan (1667–1745), author, Dean of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, xvi, 178, 226 and n. 2 Swinfen or Swynfen, Samuel (1679/80– 1736), M.D., 157 n. 7 Swinny, Owen Mac (‘Old Swiney’) (d. 1754), playwright, 57 Sylvanus, Georgius, Greek translator, Homeri Liados Liber Primus (1685), 297

431

INDEX

Sympson, Rev. Thomas (1726–86), Priest Vicar of Lincoln Cathedral, 266 Tahiti (‘Otaheité’), 7 n. 5, 41–42, 325 Tasker, Rev. William (1740–1800), poet and antiquary, 275 and n. 8, 391 Tasso, Torquato (1544–95), poet, 30; Gerusalemme Liberata, 241 and n. 4 Taylor, John (1703–72), itinerant oculist, 287 Taylor, John (bap. 1704, d. 1766), LL.D., chancellor of Lincoln, classical scholar and translator, 231 and n. 3 Taylor, Rev. John (1711–88), LL.D., of Ashbourne: at home of, 107, 108, 112 n. 1, 115, 120, 125, 126, 133, 136, 144, 149; JB dines with, 43; JB visits with, 87, 97 and n. 3, 149, 157, 169; JB on, 102; career of, 126; cattle of, 97 and n. 3; chandelier of not lighted, 103; on crime, 170; dog of, 135; on grief, 87; health of, 99; argument with SJ over the House of Stuart, 101–02; and death of SJ’s wife, 103 n. 2; friendship with SJ, 126–27; SJ dines with, 43; on SJ’s dispute with Catherine Macaulay, 130; on SJ, 97 and n. 3; SJ on, 90, 101, 126–27 and n. 8, 138, 149; SJ composes sermons for, 127; Johnsoniana communicated by, 6 n. 7; land dispute of, 38 n. 5; and William Langley, 89; politics of, 102 and n. 6, 132; property of, 97 and n. 3, 126; on Raasay’s cattle, 88; on Rochester, 137; and Lord Scarsdale’s house, 106; sermons of, 127; on sleep, 114–15; temperament of, 138 Taylor, Robert Paris (?1741–92), deputypaymaster, M.P., 130 and n. 9 Temple, Sir William (1628–99), diplomat and author, 184, 240 Temple, Rev. William Johnson (1739–96), essayist, friend and correspondent of JB, 26 n. 9, 66 n. 8, 110 n. 4, 123, 171 n. 3, 184, 227 n. 5 Thicknesse, Philip (1719–92), travel writer, A Year’s Journey through France and … Spain, 167 Thomas à Kempis (c. 1380–1471), monk and author, 160 and n. 7 Thomas, Nathaniel (1731–95), editor and proprietor of The St. James’s Chronicle, 70 n. 5 Thomson, Rev. James (1699–1790), minister

at Dunfermline, 48 and n. 3, 49 and nn. 5, 7 Thomson, James (1700–48), poet and playwright, 30 and n. 2 Thrale, Henry (1728–81), M.P., brewer, husband of Hester Lynch: JB corresponds with, 274 and n. 6; JB visits, 23, 39, 159, 173, 176, 253, 304; coach of, 171, 289; on gambling, 20; health of, 309; and proposed Italian tour, 5, 15, 23; and SJ, 45, 253; SJ helps in Parliamentary election of, 311; SJ travels with, 38; SJ visits, 5, 23, 157 and n. 3, 159, 173, 176, 253, 304; visits SJ, 19– 20; as M.P., 311; mention, 257, 302 n. 6; dines at Sir Joshua Reynolds’s, 280 n. 6; and death of son, 5, 15 Thrale, Henry Salusbury (1767–76), son of preceding, 3, 15 Thrale, Hester Lynch (Salusbury), later Piozzi (1741–1821): anonymous persons identified by: Beauclerk and Lord Bolingbroke, 257 n. 1; Burke, 39 n. 9, 176 n. 3; Lord Clive, 258 n. 7; Embry, 177 n. 8; Langton, 256 nn. 3–4; Lort, 254 n. 5; Mrs. Macaulay, 39 n. 10; Hannah More, 212 n. 7; Thomas Warton, 104 n. 4; on Sir Nicholas Bayley’s debauchery, 258 and n.2; JB’s reflections on, 66 n. 1, 229; on JB’s publishing a ‘Life of Sibbald’, 161; JB visits, 39, 159; travels to Bath, 5; on Burke, 280 and n. 5; on divorce and infidelity, 255– 56; mentions Dryden, 255; on Flatman, 25; and proposed Italian tour, 5, 15, 23; SJ and, 1 and n. b1, 28; SJ advises on giving sweetmeats, 131; SJ compliments, 28, 229, 280; SJ criticizes, 41 and n. 3, 173 and n. 2, 229, 294; and love for SJ, 66 n. 1; on SJ and children, 24; records SJ’s conversation, 187 n. 7; correspondence with SJ, 86 and n. 9, 99 n. 4, 148 n. 4, 204 n. 1, 272, 302 and nn. 4, 6–7, 303, 305–06 and n. 9, 308 and n. a, 310 n. b1; influences SJ’s dress, 236, 289 and n. 6; on SJ and Lord Marchmont, 253; on SJ’s dislike of extravagant praise, 159, 160 n. 6; on SJ and publishing, 27; SJ travels with, 38; SJ visits, 5; gives title of ‘old Kennedy’s Play’, 169 n. 5; inaccuracy in narration, 160, 173 and n. 2, 294; on Pascal, 280 and n. 5; on Pope, 25; and licentious stanza by Pope,

432

INDEX

254; on Pope’s verses, 255; wishes to see Scotland, 177; on Joseph Simpson, 23 n. 9; and death of son, 5; on Tyers’s likening of SJ to ghost, 223 n. 3; mentioned, 257 Writings: Anecdotes of the Late Samuel Johnson, LL.D., 162, 187 n. 7, 223 n. 3, 246 n. a, 248 n. 2; Letters to and from the Late Samuel Johnson, LL.D., 204 n. 1, 306 nn. 8–9, 308 n. a, 339; Thraliana, 169 n. 5 Thrale, Hester Maria (‘Queeney’) (1764– 1857), later Viscountess Keith, daughter of preceding, 5, 15, 38, 302 n. 6 Thucydides (c. 460–c. 395 B.C.), 241 Thurlow, Edward (1731–1806), 1st Baron Thurlow, Lord Chancellor, 19, 49 n. 7, 303 n. 5, 311 and n. 4 Tillotson, John (1630–94), D.D., Archbishop of Canterbury, sermons, 176 Tonson, Jacob, the elder (1655/6–1736), bookseller and publisher, 39; Works of … Rochester, 137 n. 2 Tooke, John Horne (1736–1812), radical and philologist, 145 n. 5, 228 and n. 1, 260– 61 and n. a Topham, Edward (1751–1820), journalist and playwright, 12–13 and n. a2 Townshend, Charles (1725–67), Chancellor of the Exchequer, 2 n. 7 Townshend, Charles (1728–1810), 1st Baron Bayning (‘Spanish Charles’), 2 and n. 7 Trecothick, Barlow (?1718–75), politician and merchant, 62, 145 and n. 4 Trimleston or Trimlestown. See Barnewall, Robert Turton, John (1735–1806), M.D., physician, 109 Tyers, Jonathan (1702–67), founder of Vauxhall Gardens, father of following, 224 Tyers, Thomas (1724/5–87), author, 223 and n. 3; Biographical Sketches, 224 Tyrwhitt, Thomas (1730–86), literary editor and scholar, 42 n. a, 77 n. 5 Upper Ossory, John Fitzpatrick, 2nd Earl of (1745–1818), 163–64 and n. 9 Vegius, Mapheus (Maffeo Vegio) (1407–58), neo-Latin poet, 17 n. 6 Venice, 15 Vesey, Agmondesham (1711–85), Irish M.P., Accountant-General of Ireland, 304

Villiers, Sir George (c. 1544–1606), of Brooksby, ghost of, 259 Virgil (70–19 B.C.), 138–39 and n. a, 243; Æneid, 17 n. 6; Eclogues, 65 n. 7, 153 n. a1 Virtue, an Ethic Epistle, 143 n. 6 Vitalis, Janus (?1490–?1560), theologian and neo-Latin poet, 179 Voltaire, François-Marie Arouet (1694– 1778), author, historian, and philosopher, 188, 206, 242, 371; Candide, 262 Vyse, Rev. William (1709–70), treasurer of Lichfield Cathedral, Archdeacon of Salop, 83 Vyse, William (1742–1816), D.C.L., Rector of Lambeth, son of preceding, 83 and nn. 8–9, 3 Wales, 86; heifers of, 246–47 n. 6 Walker, Joseph Cooper (1761–1810), Irish antiquary, 78 nn. a, a1, 8–9, 79 n.1 Wall, Martin (1747–1824), D.M., physician, 268 and n. 1 Waller, Edmund (1606–87), poet and politician, 227, 237–38 and nn. a, a1 Walpole, Horace (1717–97), 4th Earl of Orford, author and politician, 137 n. 3 Walpole, Robert (1676–1745), 1st Earl of Orford, Prime Minister, 47, 170 Warburton, William (1698–1779), D.D., Bishop of Gloucester, 60, 139, 225 n. 8, 254–55 n. 7 Ward, Joshua (1684/5–1761), medical practitioner, inventer of nostrums, 287 Warley, Lincolnshire, 266–70 Warren, Richard (1731–97), M.D., physician, 174 n. 5, 305 Warton, Joseph (1722–1800), D.D., poet and literary critic, 68 n. a, 272, 293 n. 3; Essay on the Genius and Writings of Pope, 162 and n. a1 Warton, Thomas (1728–90), poet and historian, xvii, 42 n. a, 69 n. 3, 104 and n. 4, 276 n. 2, 326 Watts, Isaac (1674–1748), D.D., Independent minister, poet, and hymn writer, 76 n. 3, 83 n. 4, 154–55 and n. 4, 264, 291 Wedderburne, Alexander. See Loughborough, Baron Welch, Anne (d. 1810), daughter of Saunders, 265

433

INDEX

Welch, Jane: JB’s mistake for Mary, 265–66 Welch, Mary, younger daughter of following. See Nollekens, Mary (Welch) Welch, Saunders (1711–84), magistrate, 155 n. 7, 264–65 and nn. 7, 1–2, 293 Weldon, John (1676/7–1736), musician, Judgement of Paris, 142 n. 1 Wesley, Rev. Charles (1707–88), co-founder of Methodism, hymn writer, 215 Wesley, Rev. John (1703–91), co-founder of Methodism, 4 and n. 2, 117, 163 and n. 8, 214–15, 290 and n. 2, 314 West Indies, 145, 215 n. 8, 217 Westminster School, 10 and n. 6. 145 n. 5 Whately, Thomas (1726–72), politician and author, Observations on Modern Gardening, 101 Wheeler, Benjamin (c. 1733–83), D.D., professor of poetry, natural philosophy, and divinity at Oxford, 271 and n. 8 Whitaker, John (1735–1808), historian, History of Manchester, 243 Whitefield, George (1714–70), Calvinistic Methodist preacher, 117, 299 Whitehead, William (1715–85), poet and playwright, 2 and n. 7 Wight, Alexander (d. 1793), advocate, 153 n. a1 Wilberforce, William (1759–1833), politician and slavery abolitionist, 147 n. 3 Wilkes, John (1725–97), politician: and Duke of Argyll, 58 and n. 5; on Attorney General, 64; and JB, 63 and n. 8; advises JB, 159; Burke’s pun on, 234; on Bute, 64; Dedication to The Fall of Mortimer, 64; on Garrick, 55–56 and n. 7, 285 and n. 7, 286 nn. 2, 4; and the Gordon Riots, 306 n. 9; on passage in Horace’s Art of Poetry, 58– 62 and notes; on the Iliad, 60; JB wishes to bring together with SJ, 50–53, 65 and n. 7; SJ characterizes, 128; conversation with SJ, 145; dines with SJ, xv, xviii, 48 n. 3, 54–66 and notes; on SJ and ‘liberty’, 159; shares traits with SJ, 65 n. 6; SJ on wit of, 286–87; prosecuted for libel, 64; in Middlesex election, 282 and n. 7; on Milton, 58; on office of city poet, 61–62; Sir George Savile favours seating, 148 n. 4; on Scotland, 58 and nn. 3–4, 6, 63; on Elkanah Settle, 61–62; on Shakespeare,

58; and verse in The Morning Post, 200 n. 4; as a Warburtonian, 60 Williams, Anna (1706–83), poet and companion of SJ: dines with JB, 22, 31, 193; JB has tea and coffee with, 227; health of, 156; and SJ, 34, 63; plans to dine with SJ, 52 and n. 8; and JB and SJ’s dinner with Wilkes, 52–53; dines with SJ, 22, 52, 193; relationship with SJ, 22, 34, 38, 53 and n. 3, 66, 157, 158, 250, 279; dines with Percy, 193; room of, 192; tea with SJ, 5, 227; temperament of, 22, 52 n. 8, 156; and Thrales, 45 Williams, Zachariah (c. 1668/73–1755), experimental philosopher, father of preceding, 22 Wilson (Volusene or ‘Volusenus’), Florence (d. ?1551), humanist scholar, De animi tranquillitate dialogus, 155 Windham, William (1750–1810), politician, 261 and n. 2, 297 n. 9 Wirgman, Peter (1718–1801), jeweller and toyshop proprietor, 236 n. 8 Wise, Michael (c. 1647–87), composer and organist, 143 n. 3 Woffington, Margaret (‘Peg’) (?1720–60), actress, 188 The World, 13 Wraxall, Sir Nathaniel William (1751–1831), 1st Bt., traveller and memoirist, Tour through some of the Northern Parts of Europe, 305 Wymondesold, Charles (1718–76), 231 n. 2 Wymondesold, Sarah (d. 1808), widow of preceding, 231 and n. 2 Wyndham, Sir William (1687–1740), 3rd Bt., politician, 166 n. 1 Xerxes I (c. 519–465 B.C.), King of Persia, 143 Yalden, Thomas (1670–1736), clergyman and poet, 154–55 and n. 4 Yorke, Charles (1722–70), Lord Chancellor, 2 and n. 7 Young, Arthur (1741–1820), agriculturalist and author, Farmer’s Tour through the East of England, 107 and n. 4 Young, Edward (1683–1765), D.C.L., author, 179 and n. 8, 223; Night Thoughts, 223 n. 9; The Love of Fame, 110 and nn. a, a1

434