tended the same publication; and Dr. Horde has resigned it to him. His Lordship must now think seriously about it. "Of poor dear Dr. Goldsmith there is little to be told, more than the papers have made publick. He died of a fever, made, I am afraid, more violent by uneasiness of mind. His debts began to be heavy, and all his resources were exhausted. Sir Joshua is of opinion that he owed not less than two thousand pounds. Was ever poet so trusted before? "You may, if you please, put the inscription thus : 'Maria Scotorum Regina nata 15-, a suis in exilium acta 15—, ab hospitâ neci data 15-.' You must find the years. "Of your second daughter you certainly gave the account yourself, though you have forgotten it. While Mrs. Boswell is well, never doubt of a boy. Mrs. Thrale brought, I think, five girls running, but while I was with you she had a boy. "I am obliged to you for all your pamphlets, and of the last I hope to make some use. I made some of the former. "TO BENNET LANGTON, ESQ. AT LANGTON, NEAR SPILSBY, LINCOLNSHIRE. "DEAR SIR, "You have reason to reproach me that I have left your last letter so long unanswered, but I had nothing particular to say. Chambers, you find, is gone far, and poor Goldsmith is gone much farther. He died of a fever, exasperated, as I believe, by the fear of dis tress. He had raised money and squandered it, by every artifice of acquisition and folly of expense. But let not his frailties be remembered: he was a very great man. "I have just begun to print my Journey to the Hebrides, and am leaving the press to take another journey into Wales, whither Mr. Thrale is going, to take possession of, at least, five hundred a year, fallen to his lady. All at Streatham, that are alive, are well. "I have never recovered from the last dreadful illness, but flatter myself that I grow gradually better: much, however, yet remains to mend. Kúpiɛ ¿λéŋoov. "If you have the Latin version of Busy, curious, thirsty fly, be so kind as to transcribe and send it; but you need not be in haste, for I shall be I know not where, for at least five weeks. I wrote the following tetrastick on poor Goldsmith: « Τὸν τάφον εἰσορίας τὸν Ὀλιβαρίοιο, κονίην Οἷσι μέμηλε φύσις, μέτρων χάρις, ἔργα παλαιῶν, "Please to make my most respectful compliments to all the ladies, and remember me to young George and his sisters. I reckon George begins to shew a pair of heels. "Do not be sullen now, but let me find a letter when I come back. I am, dear Sir, "Your affectionate, humble servant, "July 5, 1774." "SAM. JOHNSON." "DEAR SIR, "TO MR. ROBERT LEVET. "Llewenny, in Denbighshire, August 16, 1774. "MR. THRALE's affairs have kept him here a great while, nor do I know exactly when we shall come hence. I have sent you a bill upon Mr. Strahan. "I have made nothing of the Ipecacuanha, but have taken abundance of pills, and hope that they have done me good. "Wales, so far as I have yet seen of it, is a very beautiful and rich country, all enclosed, and planted. Denbigh is not a mean town. Make my compliments to all my friends, and tell Frank I hope he remembers my advice. When his money is out let him have I am, Sir, more. "Your humble servant, "SAM. JOHNSON." "MR. BOSWELL TO DR. JOHNSON. "Edinburgh, Aug. 30, 1774. "You have given me an inscription for a portrait of Mary Queen of Scots, in which you, in a short and striking manner, point out her hard fate. But you will be pleased to keep in mind, that my picture is a representation of a particular scene in her history; her being forced to resign her crown, while she was imprisoned in the castle of Lochlevin. I must, therefore, beg that you will be kind enough to give me an inscription suited to that particular scene; or determine which of the two formerly transmitted to you is the best; and at any rate, favour me with an English translation. It will be doubly kind if you comply with my request speedily. "Your critical notes on the specimen of Lord Hailes's Annals of Scotland,' are excellent. I agreed with you on every one of them. He himself objected only to the alteration of free to brave, in the passage where he says that Edward 'departed with the glory due to the conqueror of a free people.' He says, to call the Scots brave would only add to the glory of their conquerour. You will make allowance for the national zeal of our annalist. I now send a few more leaves of the Annals, which I hope you will peruse, and return with observations, as you did upon the former occasion. Lord Hailes writes to me thus : 'Mr. Boswell will be pleased to express the grateful sense which Sir David Dalrymple has of Dr. Johnson's attention to his little specimen. The farther specimen will shew, that Even in an Edward he can see desert.' "It gives me much pleasure to hear that a republication of Isaac Walton's Lives is intended. You have been in a mistake in thinking that Lord Hailes had it in view. I remember one morning, while he sat with you in my house, he said, that there should be a new edition of Walton's Lives; and you said that 'they should be be-noted a little.' This was all that passed on that subject. You must, therefore, inform Dr. Horne, that he may resume his plan. I enclose a note concerning it; and if Dr. Horne will write to me, all the attention that I can give shall be cheerfully bestowed, upon what I think a pious work, the preservation and elucidation of Walton, by whose writings I have been most pleasingly edified. MR. BOSWELL TO DR. JOHNSON. "Edinburgh, Sept. 16, 1774. "WALES has probably detained you longer than I supposed. You will have become quite a mountaineer, by visiting Scotland one year and Wales another. You must next go to Switzerland. Cambria will complain, if you do not honour her also with some remarks. And I find concessere columna, the booksellers expect another pook. I am impatient to see your Tour to 6 Scotland and the Hebrides.' Might you not send me a copy by the post as soon as it is printed off?" "DEAR SIR, 'TO JAMES BOSWELL, ESQ. "YESTERDAY I returned from my Welsh journey. I was sorry to leave my book suspended so long; but having an opportunity of seeing, with so much convenience, a new part of the island, I could not reject it. I have been in five of the six counties of North Wales; and have seen St. Asaph and Bangor, the two seats of their Bishops; have been upon Penmanmaur and Snowden, and passed over into Anglesea. But Wales is so little different from England, that it offers nothing to the speculation of the traveller. "When I came home, I found several of your papers, with some pages of Lord Hailes's Annals, which I will consider. I am in haste to give you some account of myself, lest you should suspect me of negligence in the pressing business which I find recommended to my care, and which I knew nothing of till now, when all care is vain.b "In the distribution of my books I purpose to follow your advice, adding such as shall occur to me. I am not pleased with your notes of remembrance added to your names, for I hope I shall not easily forget them. "I have received four Erse books, without any direction, and suspect that they are intended for the Oxford library. If that is the intention, I think it will be proper to add the metrical Psalms, and whatever b I had written to him, to request his interposition in behalf of a convict, who I thought was very unjustly condemned. |
